FIFA president Sepp Blatter has appealed the 90-day suspension handed out by the world game s governing body.
Blatter, as well as presidential candidate Michel Platini and general secretary Jerome Valcke, was handed the punishment on Thursday following approval by FIFA s adjudicatory chamber of a recommendation made by the organisation s Ethics Committee. All three deny any wrongdoing.
The sanctions can be extended by up to 45 days, which would effectively end the outgoing Blatter s reign over world football with the FIFA congress where a replacement will be chosen scheduled for February 26 next year.
Platini, who is also the head of UEFA, swiftly indicated his intention to appeal and Blatter has now followed suit.
Klaus Stohlker, Blatter s friend and a…
The Mirror understands that Manchester City will not make a move to sign Leicester City’s Riyad Mahrez in the summer.
The Algeria international was the subject of a late bid from the Premier League leaders late on transfer deadline day, which was rejected out of hand by the 2016 Champions.
Since then, Mahrez has failed to attend training and was not involved in either of their last two games while he is not expected to feature in the trip to the Etihad Stadium on Saturday.
Pep Guardiola had been considering a move for the twenty-six year old when the transfer window reopens though he has been less than impressed with the midfielder’s actions this month.
Mahrez has been with the Foxes since January 2014 and has since racked up one hundred and sixt…
Jack Wilshere felt Arsenal were guilty of underestimating Ostersunds after the Premier League club flirted with an embarrassing exit from the Europa League on Thursday.
Arsene Wenger s side appeared to be in complete control of the last-32 tie after cruising to a 3-0 win in the first leg on Swedish soil, giving them a comfortable cushion ahead of the return fixture in north London.
However, Ostersunds scored twice in the space of 70 seconds in the first half at the Emirates Stadium to suddenly put the tie back in the balance.
While Sead Kolasinac s goal shortly after the break ended the visitors hopes of completing an improbable comeback, Wilshere knows the home side had turned in a below-par performance ahead of Sunday s League Cup final with Manchester City.
Tiemoue Bakayoko is surprised the Twitter controversy involving his former Monaco team-mates Bernardo Silva and Benjamin Mendy has resulted in a Football Association charge for the Portugal international.
Manchester City playmaker Silva last month tweeted – and subsequently deleted – a photo of a young Mendy and a dated image from Conguitos, a Spanish confectionary brand that has been criticised for having racist connotation. The post was captioned Guess who?
On Wednesday, Silva was charged with an alleged breach of FA Rule E3 on account of the post being insulting and/or improper and/or [bringing] the game into disrepute . It is further alleged the offence amounts to an aggravated breach because it included reference, whether expressed or implied, to race and/or co…
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Stoke City will continue to try and force their way out of the relegation zone, as they prepare to host high flyers Tottenham Hotspur in one of the Premier League s 3 pm kick-offs this weekend. The Potters are coming off of a loss to Spurs North London rivals Arsenal, meanwhile Mauricio Pochettino s men couldn t be on more of a high after seeing off the challenge of Chelsea at Stamford Bridge last weekend.
Stoke City
Stoke s situation looks more and more precarious with each passing day, as they remain three points away from safety. Their first-half performance against Arsenal was cause for optimism, but the way in which they fell apart will lead many to believe that this year could finally see them plumm…
Arsenal further consolidated their place in the top four as Gabriel Martinelli s double helped them to a 4-1 victory over depleted Leeds United.
In the only Premier League game to take place on Saturday after a raft of coronavirus-enforced postponements, Arsenal ended a run of three successive away league defeats in style as Leeds suffered another hammering following a 7-0 thrashing at Manchester City.
They were helped by a dismal first-half display from Leeds, who allowed 11 shots on target – the most by any side in the opening 45 minutes of a match since Opta records began in 2003-04.
Martinelli s brace and Bukayo Saka s strike punished some woeful defending, and although Raphinha s penalty reduced the arrears, substitute Emile Smith Rowe added insult to…
According to a recent report from France Football, Everton are set to make a fresh move to try and sign Juventus midfielder Adrien Rabiot.
The Toffees made an attempt to sign Rabiot last year but couldn’t quite get a deal over the finish line, and now, they’re going back again with the intention of putting in, it would seem, an improved bid.
Rabiot made the jump from Paris Saint-Germain to Juventus back in 2019 and while he may have played 18 times for Juve this season, it seems as if the Old Lady is open to the prospect of moving him along.
Now that players such as James Rodriguez have settled into life at Goodison Park, you d have to imagine it won t be all that difficult for Carlo Ancelotti to lure even more high profile names up to Merseyside.
Ev…
that Sunderland are weighing up a summer move for Zambian defender Stoppila Sunzu.
The highly rated defender was on the verge of completing a move to Reading in the January transfer window, but the deal ultimately fell through.
He currently plies his trade at TP Mazembe of Congo DR, one of the most successful clubs on African soil, but is heavily tipped with a move to English Premier League.
According to the Sunderland Echo, the Black Cats are closely monitoring the player with a view to making a summer bid for his services.
Sunzu, 23, has a deal until June 2015 at TP Mazembe and is currently valued at £4 million by his employers.
The towering defender, who spent some time on loan at Chateauroux during the 2008/2009 season, has made a total of …
Gary Neville believes Manchester United are in great shape ahead of David Moyes arrival as manager.
Moyes will take over at Old Trafford on July 1, with compatriot Alex Ferguson announcing his retirement after winning 13 Premier League titles at the club.
And the former United and England full-back believes that while the current side have yet to reach their full potential, they are comparable to past United squads Ferguson assembled.
When you re at Manchester United and you ve had a manager who has built four great teams 1994, 1999, 2008 and you can now argue this one that has won the league people are always going to compare teams, Neville told the club s official website.
The most important thing to say about this team is it s on an upward curve.
You ve got players…
Watford have completed the signing of England Under-21 international Will Hughes for an undisclosed fee from Derby County.
Hughes has long been the focus of Premier League attention since making his Derby debut at the age of 16, but it is Watford who have finally lured him away.
The creative midfielder has signed a five-year contract at Vicarage Road and will complete a medical following England s involvement in the European Under-21 Championship.
Over his six years in the Derby first team Hughes racked up 187 appearances for the Championship club and was pivotal as they made the play-off final under Steve McClaren in 2013-14.
Hughes was unable to inspire the Rams to the Premier League, though, and will now get to ply his trade in the top flight with the …