Football news

Italian Football Federation president Giancarlo Abete has full confidence in UEFA’s investigation into allegations of corruption surrounding the appointment of Poland and Ukraine as Euro 2012 hosts.

Spyros Marangos, former treasurer of the Cyprus FA, made the allegations earlier this week . UEFA, however, said the claims were unsubstantiated.

“UEFA have opened an investigation and there’s the will and the need to have clarity,” Abete said.

“(UEFA) president (Michel) Platini is following the issue of Euro 2012 closely and we have full confidence that there will be clarity in this situation.”

Paris SG-Marseille fan ban suspended

A court in Marseille suspended the decision by France’s Professional Football League (LFP) to ban Marseille fans from their club’s match at Paris Saint-Germain on November 7.

The LFP’s Competitions Commission (COC) had earlier this month barred away fans from the league game at the Parc des Princes in Paris over security concerns, but nine Marseille supporters groups contested the decision.

The administrative court found that there was “a serious doubt about the legality of the (COC’s) decision”.

PSG and reigning champions Marseille are France’s two best-supported teams and recent matches between the clubs have been marred by fan violence.

Garcia recovers after heart failure

Salamanca midfielder Miguel Garcia left hospital late Thursday, four days after suffering a heart attack during a Spanish second-division game that left him legally dead for several seconds.

“Thank you everyone for your concern. I feel perfect,” the smiling 31-year-old told reporters as he was discharged from the hospital in the eastern city of Salamanca. TV footage taken during the match against Real Betis showed Garcia struggling to maintain his balance before buckling on his knees and collapsing face-first on the pitch.

Team doctor Jose Ignacio Garrido said the player was legally dead for 25 seconds before he was revived on the pitch and rushed to hospital.

Rooney out longer than first thought

Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney could be out of action for longer than the initial prognosis of three weeks, manager Alex Ferguson said yesterday.

Rooney, who signed a new five-year contract at Old Trafford last week after first shocking the club by saying he wanted to leave, is currently on holiday recovering from an ankle injury.

When asked at a press conference yesterday if three weeks was still the prognosis for his return, Ferguson said: “I think it may be longer.”

Rooney was injured in training last week following a challenge with team-mate Paul Scholes.

Gullit eyes return to management

Ruud Gullit admitted yesterday his former club Milan were “always in his heart” as he said he would relish a return to management.

Gullit was part of the hugely successful Milan side of the late 1980s and early 1990s.

After leaving Milan, the 48-year-old enjoyed a successful spell as player-manager at Chelsea before taking the helm at Newcastle and Feyenoord. He quit as coach of US outfit LA Galaxy in August 2008 after less than a year and said he would love to return to the game.

“Of course I would like to come back to coach,” he said.

“To be involved in football is great and if I have the right opportunity I will do it.”

Barca’s Pinto banned for whistling

UEFA have banned Barcelona’s reserve goalkeeper Jose Manuel Pinto for the next two Champions League matches over “gross unsporting conduct” during the Spanish side’s 2-0 defeat of Copenhagen.

The 34 year-old “whistled to stop a promising attack from striker Cesar Santin in the Group D match” on October 20, the disciplinary committee said yesterday.

Pinto was only fielded after first choice goalkeeper Victor Valdes was ruled out with fever.

Barcelona’s next match is a trip to Copenhagen next Tuesday and then away at Panathinaikos on November 24.

The club and player have three days to appeal.

England to drop Russia complaint

England have decided to drop their complaint to FIFA against the head of rival World Cup 2018 bid hopefuls Russia. The English bid team had submitted a formal complaint after Russia 2018 chief executive Alexei Sorokin highlighted London’s “high crime rate” and problems with youth alcohol.

Sorokin’s remarks contravened FIFA’s rules about the behaviour of bid teams and tensions were stoked further this week when Russian Football Union (RFU) honorary president Viacheslav Koloskov called the England bid team “absolutely primitive”.

Russian sports minister Vitaly Mutko apologised, however, prompting the England 2018 camp to withdraw their complaint.