Italian union urges pay deal for lower league players

The head of the Italian footballers' association (AIC) on Sunday urged football authorities in the country to strike a deal to safeguard lower league players, who risk losing their livelihoods due to the deadly coronavirus pandemic.

"In Lega Pro (which manages the third-tier Serie C), Serie D and women's football there are players who provide for their families with very low earnings," AIC president Damiano Tommasi told Rainews24.

"We're looking to see if the resources we can get our hands on can help give them some security... 70 percent of players in the Lega Pro have gross earnings of less than 50,000 euros ($54,000) a year."

"Even going beyond individual athletes, I believe we have a responsibility to protect the kit men, physical therapists, drivers and pitch-side workers."

Tommasi spoke a day before a videoconference meeting between Serie A clubs in which player salaries -- as well as potential dates to restart the league -- will be on the agenda after failing to strike a deal with the AIC.

The top-flight outfits had reportedly proposed a four-month suspension of salary payments in line with what Juventus players have already agreed with their club, an idea that was given short shrift by the AIC, who according to newspaper Gazzetta Dello Sport counter-proposed a one month stop.

On Saturday, the president of the Lega Pro Francesco Ghirelli said sides in the division could disappear in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, which appeared on Sunday to be slowly abating in Italy but has still killed thousands.

"With every day that passes, there is a greater risk that entire clubs and companies could be forced out of business," Ghirelli said in a statement.

"The whole network of Serie C clubs is very close to collapse ... The very real risk is that owners could see their clubs go bankrupt. Players would then find themselves with no club and, consequently, no salary at all.

"This is why we need sacrifices from everyone to save football. We need to realise as soon as possible that this virus could see many Serie C clubs disappear."

Agence France-Presse

Liverpool lands 1st world title, Qatar passes pre-2022 test

DOHA, Qatar — After tens of billions of dollars spent on infrastructure, and skepticism over this tiny gas-rich nation’s suitability as a sporting host, a World Cup has finally been handed out in Qatar.

It was Liverpool lifting FIFA’s lesser-regarded Club World Cup trophy on Saturday night. In three years, the biggest prize in soccer will be handed out in a stadium yet to be completed.

The Club World Cup, which ended Saturday with Roberto Firmino sealing Liverpool’s 1-0 victory over Flamengo in extra time, has been the first major international footballing test of Qatar’s readiness.

With a 45,000-strong crowd packed into Khalifa Stadium, Qatar has shown it can fill a venue with sports fans —- unlike at the track and field world championships earlier this year.

“Everybody was for different reasons on the edge pretty much but I saw so many sensationally good performances and I’m really happy of course for our supporters,” Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp said. “The atmosphere in the stadium was great.”

But it is a stadium touched by the welfare concerns that have dogged Qatar’s building work since being awarded the main 32-team World Cup in 2010 by FIFA. A British worker plunged to his death during the construction phase in conditions later deemed to be dangerous.

This was a Club World Cup trip also tinged in tragedy for the losing finalists from Brazil. When fire engulfed a dormitory at Flamengo’s academy in Brazil in February, 10 players — all between 14 and 16 years old — died.

“It was a very sad moment in Flamengo’s history and, I believe, in Brazilian football as well,” midfielder Everton Ribeiro said in Doha. “Lives were lost, dreams were lost.”

Flamengo was ordered by a Rio de Janeiro judge earlier this month to pay the equivalent of $2,500 a month to the families of 10 victims and three injured players. Flamengo, which appealed the decision, is already paying families about $1,200 a month.

“If the situation is settled with the families, as soon as possible, including the support that Flamengo is already giving, it will be better for everybody,” Ribeiro said.

Flamengo’s grief was followed by success not achieved by a Brazilian side since Pele’s Santos in 1963.


The Brazilian championship was won in November, 24 hours after clinching a first Copa Libertadores title since 1981 in a continental triumph which earned a reunion with Liverpool.

When the European champions and South American champions met in a single-game version of the Club World Cup 38 years ago, Flamengo beat Liverpool 3-0.

Since the 1981 Intercontinental Cup, football has tilted in Europe’s favor over South America but the very staging of this seven-team Club World Cup in the Persian Gulf shows where so much of the wealth now comes from in the sport.

And it was a Brazilian player prized away from his homeland to Europe as a 19-year-old, initially by Hoffenheim in Germany, who settled this final for Liverpool in the 99th minute.

Firmino was still inside his own half when captain Jordan Henderson launched the defense-splitting pass that set Liverpool on the path to glory. As Firmino raced through Flamengo territory unchallenged, Sadio Mane held up the ball received from Henderson. When Firmino reached the penalty area, Mane squared to the Brazilian, who took three touches to control the ball past defender Rodrigo Caio before knocking it into the net.

Firmino also struck in the semifinal victory over Monterrey on Wednesday, giving him two goals in as many games in the Khalifa Stadium, having only netted once in the previous 16 games for Liverpool in all competitions.

“I couldn’t be more happy for him that he could score that goal because … (of) what this competition means to Brazil, to South American people,” Klopp said.

After netting the World Cup winner, Firmino raced away in celebration, ripping off his jersey and leaping into the air.

Firmino and his teammates will have to wait some time to attach FIFA’s gold Champions Badge to their jerseys. Liverpool anticipates it will only be allowed to be worn in the Champions League, which resumes in February, rather than weekly in the Premier League.

It may have to settle with lifting the Premier League trophy in May for the first time.


As Liverpool added the world title to its sixth European Cup collected in June, back in England its pursuit of the Premier League was helped by Leicester losing to Manchester City.

A domestic title drought stretching back to 1990 for the 18-time English champions is well-placed to end with Liverpool holding a 10-point lead over Leicester ahead of Thursday’s game against its second-place rival.

“Liverpool are enjoying their best time in their decade,” Flamengo coach Jorge Jesus said. “They played a tremendous match and Flamengo were excellent also.

“We were a match for Liverpool. I’m fully pleased with what Flamengo have done. Brazilian clubs in future will be contenders to European clubs and we have exhibited that today.”

source: sports.inquirer.net

Ronaldo crowned Italian league player of the year

MILAN  – Cristiano Ronaldo was named the Italian league’s player of the year on Monday following his debut season at Juventus.

Ronaldo was at the Gran Gala del Calcio in Milan to collect his prize, instead of attending the Ballon d’Or ceremony in Paris where he was third in the voting for best player in the world.

The Juventus forward turned up about an hour before the main award was announced, arriving more than two hours after the other guests, and waited outside in the car until the moment came for him to go on stage to pick up the prize for his place in the team of the season.

“It’s an honor to hold this award,” Ronaldo said in Italian. “I thank my Juventus teammates.

“I’m very happy to play in Italy, it’s a very difficult league. Thanks to everyone for having voted for me. I want to do as well this year, too.”



For the first time at the Italian ceremony there were also awards for female players. Roma and Italy forward Manuela Giugliano won the top prize.

All the awards are voted for by a mix of footballers, coaches, referees and journalists.

Ronaldo signed for Juventus from Real Madrid in July 2018 and helped the Bianconeri to their eighth successive Serie A title.

The 34-year-old Ronaldo scored 28 goals in all competitions for Juventus, including 21 in the league.


Gian Piero Gasperini won the award for best coach after leading Atalanta to third place and a Champions League berth.

Atalanta was the team of the season, ahead of Juventus and Italian Cup winner Lazio.


“This award I share with the whole club, all the players, the whole of Bergamo because we did something really amazing, all of us together,” Gasperini said.

“We did incredibly last season, it was unthinkable, including the Italian Cup final. It’s because of that that we’re getting all these awards.”

Gasperini beat former Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri and Bologna’s Siniša Mihajlović.

Brescia’s Sandro Tonali won the award for the best Serie B player after the 19-year-old forward helped to win the second division title last season.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Belgium retains year-end No. 1 spot in FIFA rankings

ZURICH— Belgium will end the year as FIFA’s top-ranked team after winning all 10 of its games in 2019.

Retaining its year-end No. 1 spot, Belgium extended its lead over World Cup champion France going into a four-month break for the top national teams.


Brazil, England and Uruguay are unchanged as Nos. 3-5. World Cup runner-up Croatia is No. 6, trading places with European champion Portugal at No. 7.

Spain, Argentina and Colombia complete the top 10.

Mexico, at No. 11, is the best-ranked CONCACAF team. The United States is No. 22.

Senegal is Africa’s top team at No. 20. No. 28 Japan replaces Iran as Asia’s highest ranked team.

World Cup host Qatar moved up two spots to No. 55 after winning its latest qualifying game for the 2023 Asian Cup.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Harry Kane scores again as England beats Kosovo 4-0

PRISTINA, Kosovo — Harry Kane scored again as England beat Kosovo 4-0 Sunday to easily win its European Championship qualifying group and head to next year’s tournament among the top seeded teams.

Harry Winks’ first-half goal put England in front but the visitors had to wait until the final 12 minutes to finish off Kosovo, with Kane, Marcus Rashford and Mason Mount adding late goals.


Kane made sure he scored in all eight qualifiers, tucking away a chance as Raheem Sterling picked out his captain.

England, which had already qualified for Euro 2020, won Group A with 21 points and 37 goals scored. It finished six points ahead of second-place Czech Republic. Kosovo ended third on 11 points and can still advance through the playoff process.

“I think it was a tight game. It was a good test for us really. Difficult pitch, in particular, lots of people slipping and a few passes went astray,” said England coach Gareth Southgate, whose side was already assured of top spot.

“We had to withstand spells of pressure, gave them a few half-chances that on another night could be more of a problem, but in the end our counter-attacking was absolutely ruthless.”


Sterling was recalled to the England starting lineup after being dropped for Thursday’s 7-0 win over Montenegro following an incident involving Joe Gomez at St. George’s Park.

Southgate felt the return of Manchester City forward Sterling at the Stadiumi Fadil Vokrri drew a line under last week’s incident.

“I think that you have to work through any difficulties you have and the whole group have done that really well,” Southgate said. “I think we come out of this stronger than we started it, frankly.”

source: sports.inquirer.net

Lionel Messi’s dead-ball hat-trick puts Barca back on top

Lionel Messi delivered an incredible dead-ball hat-trick on Saturday to steer Barcelona to a 4-1 victory over Celta Vigo and ease the pressure on his coach Ernesto Valverde.

Messi scored with a penalty and then a pair of sumptuous free-kicks either side of half-time after Lucas Olaza had briefly pulled Celta level with a free-kick of his own at Camp Nou. Sergio Busquets drove home to make sure of the win late on.


A 34th treble in La Liga puts Messi equal with Cristiano Ronaldo, while a much-needed win sends Barca above Real Madrid on goal difference and back to the top of the table at the end of a testing week.

“It is impossible not to depend on Messi, he illuminates everything,” said Valverde. “We depend on him like any team would depend on him. He unlocked the game.”

Madrid had briefly claimed first place after continuing their own goal-surge by hammering Eibar 4-0, a game in which Karim Benzema scored twice and Eden Hazard exploded into life.

But while Madrid appear to be hitting their stride, Barcelona’s momentum had stalled. After losing to Levante and failing to break down Slavia Prague in the Champions League, scrutiny had again turned on Valverde and his future as Barcelona coach.


Barcelona’s disgruntled fans had whistled their team against Slavia in midweek and when Olaza equalised for Celta, that tension and restlessness threatened to return.

Instead, Messi took command, this hat-trick taking his tally to nine goals in seven games, 612 in total for his club.

“Obviously when it’s tight we have the advantage of having the best player in the world and the best free-kick taker in the world,” said Busquets.

Yet his precision from free-kicks is a skill the 32-year-old has worked on and improved in recent years, his conversion rate currently at four goals from his last seven attempts in the league.

The last time a player scored a hat-trick from set-pieces in La Liga was when Messi himself achieved the same feat in 2012 against Espanyol, albeit with two penalties and one free-kick.

There was good news for Barcelona too in the return of Luis Suarez, who came off the bench after recovering from a calf strain.

Messi scored his penalty in the 23rd minute after Joseph Aidoo had blocked Nelson Semedo’s cross with his hand.



It was Messi that conceded the foul for Olaza’s curling free-kick that was well-hit enough to beat Marc-Andre ter Stegen, even if the goalkeeper might have been disappointed not to be able to get across.

There was little Celta keeper Ruben Blanco could do about Messi’s efforts, the first in stoppage time before the interval and the second three minutes after the restart.

They were almost carbon copies of each other, bending over the wall and nestling in the top right-hand corner.

Celta, under their new coach Oscar Garcia, never looked like mounting a comeback and Busquets put the result beyond doubt with a low shot five minutes from the finish.

Real’s players might have been watching on their way home from Ipurua, where they went three up inside 29 minutes, Sergio Ramos scoring a penalty between two Benzema strikes, the second also a spot-kick after Ramos delegated to his teammate. Fede Valverde added a fourth in the second half.

Benzema’s double takes him to 157 goals for Real Madrid, above Ferenc Puskas into sixth in the club’s all-time list, but his excellent display was trumped by a creative masterclass from Hazard.

“His first half was very impressive,” said coach Zinedine Zidane. “We are happy and he will be a huge player for Madrid, for sure.”

Hazard’s vintage performance


Benzema latched onto Hazard’s pass in the 17th minute and after Valverde and Luka Modric missed, the ball spilled back to the Frenchman, who found the corner from an acute angle.

Three minutes later it was two, Hazard the creator again, his feet too quick for Pablo De Blasis, who caught his opponent’s right leg. Ramos slid the penalty home.

Hazard sparkled, with a brilliant nutmeg, a ‘rabona’ cross and too many glides past defenders to count.

Ramos passed on the second Madrid penalty, awarded for a foul on Lucas Vazquez, to allow Benzema to make it three before Valverde had added a fourth, cracking in Modric’s pass for his first goal in La Liga.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Dortmund, Chelsea stage big Champions League comebacks

PARIS — On a night of big comebacks in the Champions League, Borussia Dortmund came from two goals down to beat Inter Milan 3-2 Tuesday while Chelsea erased a three-goal deficit to draw 4-4 against nine-man Ajax.

Napoli fluffed a chance to qualify for the knockout stage after drawing 1-1 home at home to Salzburg, while defending champion Liverpool held on for a 2-1 win against Belgian side Genk at Anfield.


Five-time champion Barcelona couldn’t score at all, with star striker Lionel Messi hitting the crossbar and having a late shot saved by standout goalkeeper Ondrej Kolar in 0-0 draw with visiting Slavia Prague.

Barcelona remains top of Group F with eight points and Dortmund is only one behind. But Inter has only four and is facing elimination.

While Messi failed to add to his whopping total of 113 goals in Europe’s top club competition, Salzburg’s 19-year-old rising star Erling Haaland made it seven in four games with an early penalty only for Hirving Lozano to equalize for Napoli just before halftime.

Memphis Depay continued his scoring form as Lyon beat Benfica 3-1 to stay in touch with group rival Leipzig, which tops Group G by two points after winning 2-0 at Zenit St. Petersburg.


Group H is up in the air, with Valencia beating Lille 4-1 to join Ajax and Chelsea on seven points with two rounds remaining.

NOT A BRIDGE TOO FAR

Chelsea fell behind after two minutes, then trailed 4-1 after 55, yet almost won on a wild night at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea’s comeback charge was helped by Ajax — last season’s semifinalist — playing the final 20 minutes with nine men after defender Daley Blind and Joel Veltman were sent off in quick succession.

Substitute Reece James made it 4-4 with a 74th-minute equalizer for coach Frank Lampard’s side.


Chelsea striker Tammy Abraham’s own goal gave Ajax a second-minute lead before Jorginho equalized with his first of two penalties.

Quincy Promes put Ajax in front with a header while another Chelsea own goal — this time by goalkeeper Kepa — and midfielder Donny van de Beek’s strike gave Ajax a three-goal cushion.

Defender Cesar Azpilicueta pulled a goal back in the 63rd and Jorginho notched his second penalty in the 71st — awarded in the same sequence that saw both Blind and Veltman handed a second yellow card — to set up a rousing finish.

Chelsea even thought it had scored a late winner through Azpilicueta, but the goal was ruled out for a handball by Abraham after a video review.

Valencia won with four goals in the last 25 minutes after trailing to Lille striker Victor Osimhen’s 25th-minute strike.

Valencia equalized with a 66th-minute penalty converted by Dani Parejo — Panenka style — and hosts went ahead with an own goal by defender Adama Soumaoro.

Midfielder Geoffrey Kondogbia and substitute Ferrán Torres added late goals.

KEEPER KOLAR

Kolar kept Barcelona at bay with a string of fine saves, denying Messi with his legs in the 79th having earlier saved from the star forward and from Gerard Pique and Sergi Roberto.

Although Barca extended its record unbeaten streak in Europe’s top club competition to 34 consecutive home matches, the Czech side looked sharp on the counterattack and forced eight corners.

A day after turning 21, defender Achraf Hakimi — who is on loan from Real Madrid — scored twice and grabbed Dortmund’s winner in the 77th minute after Inter led 2-0 at halftime thanks to goals from Lautaro Martínez and Matías Vecino.

Hakimi kick-started Dortmund’s comeback in the 51st minute and Julian Brandt equalized in the 64th.

OXLADE-CHAMBERLAIN AGAIN

After scoring twice in a 4-1 win away to Genk two weeks ago, midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain scored the winner for group leader Liverpool.

Fellow midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum grabbed Liverpool’s first goal in the 14th and, after Ally Mbwana Samatta leveled with a header shortly before halftime, Oxlade-Chamberlain struck in the 53rd.

In Italy, Haaland’s 23rd goal in 17 competitive matches this season silenced the Napoli crowd. But Lozano then scored his first home goal for Napoli.

LEIPZIG LEADS

Leipzig moved to the verge of qualifying from the group stage for the first time, even with star forward Timo Werner only used as a substitute on a freezing night in St. Petersburg.

Leipzig’s breakthrough came on the stroke of halftime when midfielder Diego Demme hammered in a rebound after Marcel Sabitzer’s free kick hit the wall. Sabitzer made it 2-0 midway through the second half.

Depay went off at halftime with a thigh strain, even though coach Rudi Garcia said he wanted to stay on.

The Netherlands forward volleyed home in the 33rd minute from midfielder Houssem Aouar’s cross from the left to make it 2-0 after imposing center half Joachim Andersen netted an early header.

Benfica striker Haris Seferovic pulled a goal back in the 76th, but Lyon substitute Bertrand Traoré made sure of the win in the 89th.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Real Madrid, Tottenham get vital wins in Champions League

Just when some of Europe’s top teams risked failing to advance from their Champions League groups, they steadied the ship.

Real Madrid and Tottenham both earned their first European wins of the season Tuesday against overmatched opponents — but in very different style.


Real had to work hard to win 1-0 against a Galatasaray team with its own problems, while last season’s finalist Tottenham swept aside Red Star Belgrade 5-0.

That emphatic win was sorely needed for Tottenham, which had won just two of its last 11 games and conceded seven against Bayern Munich in its last Champions League outing. But Tottenham isn’t out of the woods yet.

“We still know we’ve got a long way to go,” striker Harry Kane said. “We can hopefully build on this.”

Juventus came within 13 minutes of a loss which could have endangered its hopes of reaching the knockout stage before Paulo Dybala scored twice to beat Lokomotiv Moscow 2-1.


Meanwhile, Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern Munich and Manchester City are all firmly on course to advance after recording their third wins to top their groups.

REAL SCRAPES A WIN

Having won just one of its last four games, Real Madrid was looking to regain some momentum with a big victory over Turkish champion Galatasaray. It had to settle for a narrow win.

A deflected goal from Toni Kroos gave Real a 1-0 win but it was far from a sure thing.

On his return to the squad after missing Saturday’s loss to Mallorca, Eden Hazard was Madrid’s most effective attacking threat, setting up the goal for Kroos and hitting the bar in the second half. However, like the rest of Madrid’s team, he wasn’t consistent enough to dominate in Istanbul.


Madrid was fortunate to get away with poor defensive positioning which handed two good chances to Florin Andone, whose shots were saved by Thibaut Courtois. The Turkish club, sixth in its domestic league, could have snatched a draw with headed efforts at corners late on.

Paris Saint-Germain is headed for qualification after a drama-free 5-0 win over Club Brugge, which drew 2-2 with Madrid in the previous round.

PSG only had a 1-0 lead with a half-hour remaining before substitute Kylian Mbappe scored a hat trick to turn it into a rout.

SPURS STIRRING

After being humiliated 7-2 by Bayern in its last game, Tottenham responded with a big win of its own.

While Red Star was hardly of Bayern’s caliber, scoring five goals for the first time since January could be a solid morale booster for Tottenham.

Son Heung-min and Harry Kane scored two goals each, while Erik Lamela marked his 200th appearance for Tottenham with a goal and two assists.

Bayern briefly risked dropping Champions League points for the first time this campaign, but two goals from Robert Lewandowski helped it recover from 1-0 down against Olympiacos to win 3-2.

DYBALA SAVES JUVENTUS

Juventus nearly suffered its first loss of the season in all competitions before Dybala took matters into his own hands.


With Juventus 1-0 down to a goal from Alexei Miranchuk, the Argentine forward curled a 77th-minute shot into the net and followed up shortly after by slotting home a rebound for the second.

Despite Juventus being on a seven-game winning run across all competitions, all but two of those wins have been by a one-goal margin.

Juventus is level with Atletico Madrid on seven points at the top of Group D after Alvaro Morata’s header lifted the Spanish club to a 1-0 win over Bayer Leverkusen.

Morata broke the deadlock in the 78th minute to avert what would have been Atletico’s fifth consecutive home draw in all competitions.

CITY SLICK IN WIN

Things are going far from smoothly for English clubs this season in the Champions League— except for Manchester City.

The Premier League champion is cruising in first place in Group C after earning its third win in emphatic style with a 5-1 demolition of Atalanta. The other three English clubs in the Champions League — Tottenham, Chelsea and Liverpool — have all taken losses so far.

Ruslan Malinovskyi gave Atalanta the lead from the penalty spot, but that lasted just six minutes before Sergio Aguero leveled with the first of his two goals. Raheem Sterling scored a hat trick inside 11 minutes in the second half.

Atalanta has lost all three of its games in its debut Champions League campaign but could still qualify if it can beat Shakhtar and Dinamo Zagreb in the second half of the group stage campaign.

The Ukrainian and Croatian clubs played out a 2-2 draw Tuesday which meant neither took full advantage of Atalanta’s struggles in the fight for second place.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Liverpool, Man City helped by goalkeeper errors in EPL wins

It was a day of goalkeeping blunders in the English Premier League.

Liverpool and Manchester City, seemingly set for another duel for the title, benefited from two of them in hard-fought away wins on Saturday.


Liverpool eked out a 1-0 victory at Sheffield United but only after home goalkeeper Dean Henderson let a volley from the edge of the area by Georginio Wijnaldum slip through his arms and legs in the 70th minute.

That’s seven straight wins to open the campaign for Liverpool, and 16 in a row in the league stretching back to March. Two more and the Reds will equal the top-flight record set by City in 2017.

City, meanwhile, was drawing 1-1 against Everton and dipping below its usual high level when Riyad Mahrez took aim with a free kick in the 72nd minute. Goalkeeper Jordan Pickford should have had it covered but the ball went under his hand and crept inside the far post, before Raheem Sterling wrapped up a 3-1 win with a late goal.

The gap between Liverpool and second-place City stayed at five points. West Ham, in third spot, is a further four points adrift.

Capping a forgettable day for goalkeepers, Tottenham’s Hugo Lloris was dispossessed near his own line to concede a goal against Southampton. His teammates rescued him by winning 2-1 despite playing with 10 men for an hour, lifting the side to fourth.

TOP TWO DIG IN

Neither Liverpool nor City was at their fluent best, but still found ways to win. It is not yet October and they are already pulling clear of the rest.

Liverpool, in particular, was put off its game by the intensity and work rate of Sheffield United before Henderson’s mistake cost the promoted side. Henderson is on loan from Man United, traditionally Liverpool’s fiercest rival.

It was just a second clean sheet in the league for Liverpool, which kept a league-high 21 last season.


“Eight times 1-0 is more important than one time 8-0,” said Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp, referring to City’s massive win by that score against Watford last weekend.

City never reached those heights against Everton, though Kevin De Bruyne excelled once again, collecting his eighth assist in the league with a curling cross headed home by Gabriel Jesus.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin equalized for Everton, which forced City goalkeeper Ederson Moraes into some smart saves.

“They are on an incredible run,” City manager Pep Guardiola said of Liverpool. “They don’t drop points and they win well. We know it, the players know it. It is not easy.”

DEFIANT SPURS

Lloris’ mistake was probably the worst of the day.

The France captain collected the ball near his line, dithered and tried to beat Southampton striker Danny Ings with a deft turn. Ings dispossessed Lloris and the ball rolled into the net, leaving the score 1-1 after Tanguy Ndombele’s early goal.

By that stage, Tottenham was also a man down after the 31st-minute red card to Serge Aurier for two bookings but Mauricio Pochettino’s team still prevailed, Harry Kane finishing a flowing move in the 43rd to make it 2-1.

Spurs have had a difficult start to the season — losing on penalties to fourth-tier Colchester in the League Cup in midweek — but they are still in the Champions League places.

WEST HAM FLYING

Doing even better than Tottenham, somewhat surprisingly, is West Ham.

A 2-2 draw at Bournemouth, earned by left back Aaron Cresswell’s 74th-minute equalizer, lifted West Ham to third. The London team’s only loss came on the opening weekend, a 5-0 hammering by Man City.

It was Cresswell’s second goal in as many games. He also curled in a free kick in a win against Manchester United last weekend.

HOME WIN FOR CHELSEA

Chelsea finally kept a clean sheet this season, and it earned Frank Lampard a first home win in the league since his return as manager.

Jorginho converted a penalty and Willian scored with a deflected shot as Chelsea beat Brighton 2-0 with both goals coming in the second half.

It was the ninth straight league loss for Brighton against Chelsea — an English record run for most games played, and lost, against one opponent.

Lampard had two draws and a loss in his first three league games at home following his return to Chelsea, where he is the all-time top scorer.

STILL BOTTOM

Watford will head into October still without a league win.

Wolverhampton Wanderers consigned Watford to a fifth loss in seven games by winning 2-0 at Molineux thanks to an effort from Matt Doherty and an own-goal by Daryl Janmaat.

Watford has two points and was on the end of an 8-0 thrashing by Man City last weekend.

In the other two games, Burnley equalized twice in a 2-2 draw at Aston Villa, and Crystal Palace won 2-0 at home to Norwich.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Real Madrid go head-to-head with Barcelona for Neymar

Real Madrid will rival Barcelona in the race to sign Paris Saint-Germain striker Neymar this summer, according to reports in the Spanish press on Friday.

Madrid has shifted focus to Neymar after the close of the English Premier League’s transfer window on Thursday ended their hopes of signing Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba.


According to Marca, Neymar has “returned to the scene” with the club “believing for some time that the team is lacking a big star up front”.

Sports newspaper AS claims the Brazilian has been offered to Madrid by PSG, who are open to selling if they can either recoup the 222 million euros they spent on him in 2017 or receive half that amount, with players included in the deal.

It means La Liga’s two greatest rivals are set to go head-to-head in the battle to sign Neymar before the Spanish transfer window closes on September 2.

Barcelona newspaper Mundo Deportivo says the 27-year-old will wait until August 20 for Barcelona to make a decisive move, after which “PSG’s number 10 does not rule out any option in order to leave the French champions, where it is clear he does not want to stay any longer.”


But Mundo adds that “it is clear Neymar wants to play for Barcelona” while Diario Sport agrees, writing that “the winning card Barca continues to hold is the will of the striker to reunite with players like Leo Messi and Luis Suarez. With them, he has a great understanding on the pitch and also a strong friendship off it.”

Marca believes Madrid also have factors in their favor. “Neymar’s priority is not to go to Barcelona. His priority is to leave the PSG,” wrote Marca, also citing their “magnificent relationship” with PSG, “quite the opposite” of how the French club view Barcelona.

Luka Modric is mentioned as a possible makeweight while Philippe Coutinho, who reportedly rejected an offer from Tottenham this week, could be included in an offer from Barcelona.

Sport admits whichever team signs Neymar will “inflict a blow on their rivals by snatching a star player from the other’s grasp”.

“From now on, it will be Neymar that decides,” Sport added. “Barcelona wants the player to go public but he understands such a move would be risky. If Barca and PSG do not reach an agreement he would be stuck in the French capital for a third year.”

source: sports.inquirer.net

Lionel Messi suspended from Argentina for 3 months for corruption comments

ASUNCION, Paraguay — Football body CONMEBOL suspended Lionel Messi from international matches with Argentina for three months because of accusations of corruption he made at the latest Copa América.

The South American body also said Friday that it fined the superstar in $50,000 for his comments after Argentina’s 2-1 win against Chile in the third-place playoff of the tournament in July.

Messi and Argentina can still appeal the decision, which stops the striker from playing in four friendlies this year.

The 32-year-old will not play for Argentina matches in September against Chile and Mexico, plus another two in October versus Germany and another adversary to be picked.

Neither Messi nor Argentina’s football association have made comments about CONMEBOL’s decision.

Messi is already suspended from the first match of the South American World Cup qualifiers next March because of the apparently undeserved red card he received against Chile.


The Argentine was sent off for only the second time in his career after a shoving match with Chile midfielder Gary Medel, who also was ejected.


Messi avoided the medal ceremony in protest and later said Argentina “shouldn’t take part in this corruption.”

The Argentinian also said the tournament was set for hosts Brazil to win.

Messi had already complained against Copa América refereeing after Argentina’s 2-0 loss to Brazil in the semifinals.

When asked if he feared being suspended for his comments, he said “the truth needed to be told.” Messi later sent an apology to CONMEBOL for his remarks.

source: sports.inquirer.net

United States extends FIFA rankings lead with World Cup win

ZURICH — The United States has extended its lead in the FIFA rankings by retaining the World Cup.

The American women’s fourth world title built a record points lead over No. 2 Germany, which lost in the quarterfinals against Sweden.

The Netherlands used its runner-up finish last Sunday to rise five places to No. 3, above World Cup host France which lost to the U.S. in the quarterfinals.

England was fourth at the World Cup yet drops out of the top 4 rankings to No. 5, edging third-placed Sweden which rises three to No. 6.

With qualifying games for the 2020 Olympics also played in the past month, there are a record 158 national teams ranked. That leaves 53 FIFA member federations without an active team in the rankings.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Lionel Messi has injury scare after scoring 2 goals in Barcelona draw

BARCELONA, Spain — Nothing can silence the Camp Nou crowd like the thought of an injury to Lionel Messi — especially four days before a clash against Real Madrid.

So a chill ran through Barcelona’s supporters during the Spanish league match against Valencia on Saturday when Messi sat down on the sideline, his right leg stretched before him, and received a massage from a team trainer.

Little did it matter that the team’s all-time leading scorer had just struck two goals to lead Barcelona back from a two-goal deficit to secure a 2-2 draw. Any hint of Messi being sidelined with the season entering its critical phase with titles on the line immediately overshadowed yet another outstanding performance by the Argentine.

Messi may have been hurt when Valencia defender Antonio Lato ran into him.

The scare comes before Barcelona hosts Madrid in the first leg of their Copa del Rey semifinal.

“Please don’t let it be anything serious,” Barcelona midfielder Carles Alena said. “We hope he will be back in full form on Wednesday.”

Coach Ernesto Valverde said Messi was undergoing medical exams.

“He is bothered by something, but we will have to wait to see what the doctors say,” Valverde said. “I imagine that it is not that bad.”

Messi missed Barcelona’s first clasico against Madrid in October due to a broken right arm. His teammates did fine without him, routing their fierce rival 5-1 and sealing the fate of coach Julen Lopetegui.

Madrid, however, is playing much better now. It has won four straight before hosting Alaves on Sunday.

Before his fitness put a damper on a thrilling match, Messi extended his scoring run to nine straight games across all competitions. His double took his league-leading tally to 21 goals in 22 rounds.

Barcelona’s winning streak in la Liga ended at eight matches in a row. It leads second-placed Atletico Madrid by six points before its closest title rival visits Real Betis on Sunday.

TRADING BLOWS

Valencia took advantage of Sergi Roberto playing out of position as a fill-in left back for Jordi Alba. Daniel Wass led several attacks from Roberto’s side, starting with a pass for Dani Parejo to test Marc-Andre ter Stegen before Denis Chershev put the rebound off the post.

Parejo started a move that produced Kevin Gameiro’s opener in the 24th minute when he tackled Messi. That sprung a counterattack led by Rodrigo Moreno, who slipped a pass forward to set up Gameiro.

Parejo doubled the advantage from the penalty spot after Roberto knocked down Wass trying to dispute a cross.

Valencia lost Gameiro to injury shortly after when the striker asked to be substituted after being shaken up when he knocked heads with Gerard Pique.

Messi got his first goal from the penalty spot in the 39th after Nelson Semedo was fouled by Lato.

Messi struck again in the 64th when Arturo Vidal laid the ball off for him on the edge of the area. Messi quickly unleashed a curling, left-foot strike around two defenders, who impeded goalie Neto from seeing the ball until it was too late to react.

“We played at a good pace, counterattacked well, scored twice and could have scored more,” Parejo said. “The team’s performance was magnificent.”

SEVILLE SLIDE 



Celta Vigo broke a five-match losing streak and escaped the relegation zone by beating Sevilla 1-0 at home thanks to Okay Yokuslu’s second-half goal.

Fourth-place Sevilla has won only one of its last six league games.

BASQUE DERBY

Real Sociedad defeated Athletic Bilbao 2-1 to deal its northern Basque Country rival its first defeat since the arrival of coach Gaizka Garitano.

Garitano had kept Bilbao unbeaten through seven league games since replacing Eduardo Berizzo in December.

FAN VIOLENCE

Getafe’s 0-0 draw at Levante was marred by 11 Getafe fans being arrested for provoking a clash with rival supporters outside the stadium in Valencia.

Getafe, which condemned the violence, rose to fifth as the small Madrid-based club continued its impressive season on the field.

source: sports.inquirer.net

LOOK: A naked Chiellini photobombs Ronaldo-Bellanova pic

Looks like a win of Juventus over AC Milan last Sunday was not the only one that hit the headlines, as Giorgio Chiellini — in his birthday suit — made it there, too.

A picture of AC Milan’s Cristiano Ronaldo and Raoul Bellanova had circulated like wildfire on social media since a naked Chiellini appeared to have photobombed it.


In the photo posted on Bellanova’s twitter account, he posed for a picture with Ronaldo outside the Juventus dressing room after the game.

However, the frame caught a nude Chiellini seemingly unaware of Bellanova and Ronaldo’s picture-taking. When Bellanova posted the photo on Twitter, it quickly spread over social media and people were quick to point out the gaffe.



Bellanova eventually took down the photo and issued an apology in his Instagram account.

“I am deeply sorry… I apologize first of all with Giorgio Chiellini. It was not my intention.” /kga

source: sports.inquirer.net

Mourinho taunts crowd as Man United beats Juventus

TURIN, Italy — After listening to taunts from the Juventus crowd for 90 minutes, Jose Mourinho couldn’t help but pay them back in kind.

Mourinho had to be escorted off the pitch Wednesday after celebrating Manchester United’s 2-1 comeback win over the Italian side in the Champions League by cupping his hand to his ear to the crowd after the final whistle. The gesture sparked a small altercation with Juventus players that overshadowed one of the most important results of the season for United, which has struggled domestically but now has a great chance of reaching the knockout stage in Europe.

“I came here to do my job and I was insulted for 90 minutes,” Mourinho said. “I wouldn’t do that gesture again but I don’t think I offended anyone and at the time it seemed like the appropriate response to those who had insulted all my family, apart from my Inter one too.”


Mourinho is unpopular among Juventus fans after managing bitter rival Inter Milan for three years. After United’s 1-0 loss to Juventus at home two weeks ago, he responded to the goading of the Italian fans by holding up three fingers toward them, denoting the treble of titles — Champions League, Serie A and Italian Cup — he won with Inter in the 2009-10 season.

This time he had another win to celebrate, after watching his team fight back from Cristiano Ronaldo’s spectacular opening goal. Juan Mata leveled with a free kick four minutes from time and Alex Sandro netted an own goal in the final minute as United blew their Champions League group wide open.

Juventus defender Leonardo Bonucci angrily approached Mourinho as he cupped his ear at the Bianconeri fans and the United coach was escorted off the pitch by a UEFA official and some members of his staff.

It was Juventus’ first defeat in any competition this season.

“When I work for a club like Manchester United I need to forget my past as in those 90 minutes I represent Manchester United,” Mourinho said. “But the others (Juventus fans) didn’t forget.

“And it is a great joy for me because we won against a super team, and not because they are the enemy of Inter.”

Juventus, which was the only team in the Champions League still with a perfect record, remained top of Group H but is only two points ahead of United. Valencia, which earlier beat Young Boys 3-1, is two points further back.

“We shouldn’t have given away those free kicks, we’re giving away a lot of those at the moment, it was the only way United was going to score,” Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri said. “But the team did well, we are still at the top of the group and we have two matches which will allow us to finish first. It’s OK to lose against United, but seeing how the match went it leaves us with a bit of a bitter taste.”


Allegri was asked if he would have reacted similarly to Mourinho.

“No, I leave the pitch immediately to avoid reacting,” he said. “I only get angry, rightly, with my team when they go to sleep every now and then.”

United played better than it did when the two sides met in Manchester but Juventus had a number of opportunities and had already hit the woodwork twice before Ronaldo struck in the 65th minute.

Bonucci floated a ball over the top of the defense and Ronaldo watched it over his shoulder before volleying into the top right corner.

The Portuguese superstar immediately ran to the corner flag, lifted up his shirt and pointed at his impressive stomach muscles.

Ronaldo is the all-time record scorer in the Champions League with 121 goals, but this was his first in the competition for Juventus — although he missed one match through suspension after his red card against Valencia.

Allegri raised his eyebrows and gave a smile of appreciation at the goal.

Juventus seemed certain to be heading for all three points, with United struggling to carve out clear-cut scoring opportunities, but Mata hit a free kick into the top left corner in the 86th minute and that seemed to inspire Jose Mourinho’s side.

Minutes later, Marouane Fellaini flicked on a free kick and the ball ricocheted around near the far post before going in off Juventus defender Alex Sandro.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Messi a man on a mission in the Champions League

BARCELONA, Spain — Lionel Messi looked every bit a man on a mission.

Messi started the Champions League in brilliant fashion Tuesday night, setting a record with his eighth hat trick in the competition to lead Barcelona to a 4-0 rout of PSV Eindhoven.

The outstanding performance was the first step toward Messi keeping his promise that the season would end with Barcelona lifting another European Cup.

Barcelona’s otherwise excellent 2017-18 campaign that ended with the Spanish league and Copa del Rey titles had one blemish: a shock 3-0 loss at Roma in the Champions League that squandered a 4-1 first-leg victory and meant elimination in the quarterfinals.

That made it three years in a row that Barcelona has been ousted in the quarterfinals of a tournament that Messi has helped it win four times, but not since 2015. Meanwhile, Barcelona has had to endure rival Real Madrid winning it three times in a row.

With that loss to Roma in April still hanging over the club, Messi addressed Barcelona’s fans at Camp Nou before the club’s traditional exhibition match to kick off the new season.

“If last season was very good with the Copa and La Liga, we all still feel bad about our exit from the Champions League and how it happened,” Messi told Barcelona’s supporters in August. “Today we promise to do everything we can to bring that beautiful and coveted cup once again to this stadium.”

Long after establishing himself as the club’s all-time leading scorer, Messi has finally taken on the role of undisputed team leader after inheriting the captain’s armband from Andres Iniesta.

That meant shedding his reticence to talk in public. And when he spoke out, he set the bar as high as possible.

Messi backed up his words against PSV to ensure Barcelona made a strong start in a tough Group B that also includes Tottenham and Inter Milan.

Now 31, Messi also knows that his best chances to win the World Cup are most likely behind him after another disappointment with Argentina this summer, meaning his final place in football history will likely depend on sustained excellence at Barcelona.

Messi’s first goal against PSV was a beauty as he used his left foot to lift a free kick over the wall and beyond the reach of goalkeeper Jeroen Zoet. He netted two more goals from passes by Ivan Rakitic and Luis Suarez.

“(Messi) takes extraordinary things and makes them routine,” Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde said. “The free kick got us going. It was a majestic strike . I have never seen anything like him in my career. We have to pinch ourselves to realize that we are seeing a player that is one-of-a-kind.”

Messi’s first was his eighth goal from a free kick so far in 2018.

Rakitic said that when Messi steps up to take a free kick, “often times, you’re already thinking about where to celebrate it.”

Messi has scored twice from free kicks in six matches this season. He unlocked the Alaves defense to start a 3-0 win in the opening round of the Spanish league.

Barcelona will seek to keep its lead of the Spanish league and get a fifth win in as many rounds when it hosts Girona on Sunday. Messi will also be aiming to increase his tally of seven goals in six matches across all competitions.

Last season, Messi added to Barcelona’s 6-1 demolition of Girona by slotting a free kick under the defensive wall. He repeated that same trick to score against Alaves last month.

PSV coach Mark van Bommel, a former Barcelona player, tried to take away that option for Messi by ordering a player to get on his knees behind the defensive barrier to block a low strike. Messi clipped it over their heads instead.

“He put it right in the corner of the goal frame,” van Bommel said. “Technically, Messi is the best player in the world.”

Barcelona will have to wait three weeks before its next Champions League match, when it visits Tottenham in London.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Real Madrid re-sign Mariano Diaz for 33 million

Real Madrid said Wednesday they have re-signed striker Mariano Diaz from French side Lyon for 33 millions euros ($39 million) on a five-year deal having only last summer allowed him to move to France for eight million.

Diaz, a Spain-born Dominican Republic international, is a product of the Real academy, but had looked initially set to sign for Sevilla before Real made their move having decided to exercise a buy-back option negotiated last year.

The 25-year-old was a hit in France as he scored 18 times and provided seven assists to help his side finish in the top three and gain a Champions League qualification berth.


Real said he would be presented Friday.

Under the terms of the deal, Lyon will receive 15 percent of any surplus Real make in a future deal for the player.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Atletico Madrid, Valencia open Spanish season with draw

MADRID — Atletico Madrid and Valencia couldn’t manage more than a 1-1 draw in the opening match of the season for potential contenders for the Spanish league title on Monday.

Both teams debuted new signings and came boosted by great seasons a year ago, but it was an even match from the start at Valencia’s Mestalla Stadium, with neither finding an edge to earn the victory.

The hosts came closer to winning and squandered a few great chances in the final minutes.


Angel Correa gave Atletico the lead in the 25th minute with a shot from close range after a great set up by Antoine Griezmann, who cleared a few defenders before sending a perfect ball to the forward behind the defense. Correa had only goalkeeper Neto to beat and easily found the corner.

Atletico held on for the rest of the first half but Valencia equalized shortly after halftime with a great goal by striker Rodrigo, who controlled the ball with his chest after a cross into the area and fired a left-footed shot into the top of the net.

“We can’t say it was unfair, but if we had won the match it wouldn’t be a crazy result,” Rodrigo said. “We faced a great rival and showed that we are playing on a high level. That’s what we want to keep doing the whole season.”

Gabriel Paulista nearly scored again for Valencia less than 10 minutes after Rodrigo’s goal, but his header off a corner struck the post. Daniel Wass had a chance on a breakaway with a few minutes left, but his shot was saved by Atletico goalkeeper Jan Oblak. Kevin Gameiro also missed a clear opportunity just before the final whistle.

“We lacked organization in the end and I didn’t like that,” Atletico coach Diego Simeone said. “But I’ll stick to what we did well. These teams are very similar and we had our chances to win the match.”

Atletico finished runner-up to Barcelona in the league last season, while Valencia was fourth and secured a Champions League berth. Atletico was coming off a victory over city rival Real Madrid in the UEFA Super Cup.

Simeone started Monday’s match with one of the team’s top signings in the offseason, France forward Thomas Lemar, playing up front with Griezmann and Diego Costa. Other recently arrived players began on the bench, including Gelson Martins, Nikola Kalinic and Rodri. Martins came in as a substitute in the second half, replacing Griezmann.

Wass, one of Valencia’s new signings, was in the starting lineup, while Gameiro, Denis Cheryshev and Michy Batshuayi began on the bench. Gameiro and Batshuayi entered in the second half.


Defending champion Barcelona made its league debut on Saturday with a 3-0 win against Alaves with a pair of goals by Lionel Messi at Camp Nou Stadium.

Real Madrid opened with a 2-0 win over Getafe with Gareth Bale scoring and setting up Dani Carvajal’s goal at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.

In the match that closed out the first round, Athletic Bilbao defeated Leganes 2-1 at home thanks to an injury-time winner by Iker Muniain.

source: sports.inquirer.net

After so much humiliation, England a source of pride, unity

SAMARA, Russia — So often the source of letdowns and embarrassments, England’s soccer team is a unifying force among players and the nation.

At least in some sections of the country riven by economic, political and social divisions that led to Brexit, reaching the World Cup semifinals is a welcome distraction from the charged atmosphere. It’s a chance to clamber onto traffic lights, fling beer in the air and toast the success of the footballers in an outpouring of delirium not witnessed across England since the last century.

For the first time since the 1990s, England is in the last four of a major tournament. England will play Croatia on Wednesday for a place in the final after beating Sweden 2-0 Saturday.


“The chance to connect everybody through football and to make a difference to how people feel,” England coach Gareth Southgate said, “that is even more powerful than what we are doing with our results. That is very special. I would imagine there is a big party at home. Not for us.”

There is still much work to do if England is to reach its first World Cup final since lifting the trophy on home soil at Wembley in 1966.

But Southgate believes he has instilled the humble mentality in the dressing room that is required to keep the journey going all the way to Luzhniki Stadium next Sunday. Humility has replaced the hubris that defined the celebrity-obsessed David Beckham-era where the furthest the team reached was the quarterfinal stage of any tournament. Just look back on how Harry Maguire, who headed in Saturday’s first goal, reported for England duty for the first time last year with his clothing in a black trash bag rather than designer luggage.

Ambitions appeared to be thwarted for so long by a culture of entitlement as England gloried in the hype and status of being the birthplace of soccer without backing it up with results. And as players started to collect millions in salaries from their clubs, commitment to the national team was called into question.

“We don’t have renowned world-class players yet,” Southgate said, “but lots of good young players who are showing on the world stage that they’re prepared to be brave with the ball, try to play the right way, have shown some mental resilience now.”

At the start of his tenure in 2016, Southgate realized he had to deliver an important message to his players: Any success with England will be greater than anything achieved with their clubs.

“They have been prepared to park their club rivalries at the door,” Southgate said. “We’ve talked about how important it is to have that spirit.”

Also, how to recover from adversity. One of the lowest points for English soccer came two years ago — days after that European Union referendum in Britain — when a team coached by Roy Hodgson was humiliated by Iceland.

“Under pressure they suffered,” Southgate said. “They will have days when they are not able to cope with things.”

But experiencing the misery at Euro 2016 as players — or as a fan in the stadium like Maguire —helped a Harry Kane-led England advance relatively serenely to its first World Cup semifinal since 1990, according to Southgate. England even managed to beat Colombia in the round of 16 on penalties, halting a run of five successive shootout losses at tournaments.

The victories in Russia are also reversing an anomaly. England hosts the world’s richest soccer competition — the Premier League — but hasn’t been able to produce a national team to match. Southgate was on the last England side to reach a semifinal, at the 1996 European Championship, when the team anthem was “Three Lions.” The “football’s coming home” lyric is back in vogue in Russia, ringing out from stadiums to bars among the few thousand fans who defied the logistical challenges to follow the team.

“We have a good balance and the team are together,” 53-year-old England fan Andrew Court said outside the stadium in Samara where Maguire and Dele Alli scored the goals against Sweden.

Southgate, though, is looking beyond the hollow “Football’s coming home” concept.

Reflecting a studious approach, the platform gained from his greatest day in soccer was used to deliver several powerful messages on Saturday. Above all, Southgate wants more Englishmen playing alongside the Premier League imports.

“The more remarkable thing is that we’re in a semifinal,” Southgate said. “We only have 33 percent of the league to pick from. So that is still a huge problem for us, and we’re playing some young players who are barely established at their clubs, never mind international careers.

“But we feel that they’re able to play the way we want to play, playing huge pride, playing with no lack of quality, showing the sort of mentality to work for the group,” he said.

And it’s a group that, Southgate emphasizes, reflects the diversity of England and cuts through the economic divide in England where so much wealth is centered in the south.

Southgate has singled out the less affluent northern towns where players like Maguire are from.

“All of these players come from different parts of the country,” Southgate said, “and they’ll be youngsters watching at home from the areas that they come from. They’ll be inspiring.”

source: sports.inquirer.net

Jonas brother testifies at FIFA bribery trial about concert

NEW YORK — The United States trial of three former South American soccer officials charged in the FIFA corruption scandal took another odd twist on Thursday with surprise testimony by pop star Kevin Jonas about attending a Paul McCartney show in Argentina.

Prosecutors called the former member of the Jonas Brothers to bolster earlier testimony by a government cooperator that one of the defendants, Juan Angel Napout, had been bribed with pricey McCartney tickets in 2010. The defense had questioned whether the concert ever took place.

Jonas, 30, did not have personal knowledge about Napout or the bribes but confirmed the ex-Beatle had performed at River Plate Stadium two days before a Jonas Brothers show at the same venue, just as prosecutors contended.

“Any time you get to see Paul McCartney it is pretty special,” the onetime teen heartthrob told a jury in federal court in Brooklyn when asked by Assistant US Attorney Kristin Mace how he liked the show.

Asked on cross-examination to name the song McCartney opened with, Jonas responded, “We actually arrived two songs late. The traffic is kind of bad going with 85,000 people to one concert.”

According to a set list archive on McCartney’s website, the opener was “Magical Mystery Tour.”

Jonas’ appearance — unannounced until he took the witness stand and lasting perhaps three minutes — took less time than lawyers’ arguments over whether he should be there in the first place. Defense attorneys argued that calling him as a witness would create a needless spectacle. But the judge agreed with Mace’s position that it was necessary to hear from “somebody in the audience to establish one fact.”

The episode came at a trial that has seen a juror dismissed for sleeping, and defendant Manuel Burga was accused of threatening another cooperator over testimony about tens of millions in bribes paid to soccer officials. Prosecutors said Burga stared at the witness and ran his fingers across his throat in a slicing motion, prompting the judge to place further restrictions on his house arrest even though Burga’s lawyer claimed his client merely had an itch.

Napout, former president of Paraguay’s soccer federation; Burga, ex-president of Peru’s federation; and Jose Maria Marin, former president of Brazil’s federation, have pleaded not guilty to charges they participated in a vast conspiracy involving tens of millions in bribes paid in exchange for help winning lucrative commercial rights to the World Cup and other major tournaments.

The Jonas Brothers broke up in 2013. The New Jersey siblings formed the band in 2005 and built a fan base through their connection to the Disney Channel.                       /kga

source: entertainment.inquirer.net