Bulgarian icon Hristo Stoichkov accused a French referee this week of robbing him of his childhood dream of becoming World Cup champion in 1994.
“As a child, I dreamed of becoming a football player, to win the Golden Ball, the Golden Boot.
“All of this came true but my biggest dream was, however, crushed by a French referee,” Stoichkov, 45, said.
Stoichkov led Bulgaria to the semi-finals at the 1994 World Cup, a game they lost 1-2 to Italy.
Bulgarian fans have accused French referee Joel Quiniou of robbing the team of an equaliser by failing to penalise a handball.
“He mocked the whole Bulgarian people. I’ve met him after that game in the US and I demonstratively spit in his face,” the notoriously temperamental Stoichkov said.
SPL willing to test technology
The Scottish Premier League (SPL) have offered to be guinea pigs if FIFA decide to trial goal-line technology.
SPL chief executive Neil Doncaster has offered to pilot any such scheme in Scotland next season, believing it can end controversy over decisions such as the one that saw Rangers’ Lee Wallace denied what looked like a goal in the Old Firm game on Wednesday night.
Neither referee Willie Collum nor his assistant were able to tell whether the whole of the ball had crossed the line before the Celtic goalkeeper clawed it away.
Doncaster said: “I’m in favour of goal-line technology and have offered the SPL for any pilot scheme that might be approved by FIFA.”
Pato is staying
Alexandre Pato is not leaving Milan for Paris SG, according to Rossoneri vice-president Adriano Galliani.
Under their ambitious new Qatari owners, PSG are expected to spend big in the forthcoming winter transfer window.
However, Galliani told Milan’s website: “I haven’t spoken to Leonardo or Pato and there are no negotiations to take him to Paris SG.
“He’s definitely a Milan player and that’s the truth. There are no negotiations between Milan and Paris SG for Pato.”
FC Sion docked 36 points
The Swiss FA yesterday docked FC Sion 36 points as punishment for breaching transfer rules.
FIFA had threatened to expel the body and all member clubs unless they took sanctions against Sion before January 13.
The Swiss FA said it was complying with FIFA’s demand by deducting 36 points after the club fielded at least one of six non-eligible players in a total of 12 matches.
The decision puts FC Sion at the bottom of the Super League with minus five points.
Domenech donates World Cup bonus
Former France coach Raymond Domenech has donated €150,000 he earned as a bonus in the 2010 World Cup to two amateur football clubs and a charity.
Le Parisien said Domenech had given €70,000 to the Athletic Club de Boulogne-Billancourt, with the remaining €80,000 split between an inner-city football club and a charity.
Since being sacked for misconduct after the 2010 World Cup, Domenech has coached the under-11s team at AC Boulogne-Billancourt, a club that enjoys the third highest number of registered players in France.
Aguirre sacked by Zaragoza
Javier Aguirre has had his contract as first-team coach of Real Zaragoza terminated, the Primera Division club said yesterday.
The Mexican, who led his country at the 2010 World Cup finals in South Africa, had been in charge of the Aragon club since November of the same year.
Zaragoza are bottom of La Liga, having lost eight of their last nine league games.
Aguirre succeeded Jose Aurelio Gay at the helm and managed to keep the club in the top flight last season as Zaragoza finished two points clear of relegated Deportivo La Coruna in a closely-fought relegation scrap.
Bolton, Chelsea agree Cahill fee
Bolton manager Owen Coyle confirmed yesterday that the struggling Premier League club have agreed a fee to sell England international defender Gary Cahill to Chelsea.
Bolton have decided to cash in on Cahill, who is out of contract at the end of the season when he could leave on a free transfer.
The fee for the 26-year-old is believed to be around £7 million.
“There has been a fee agreed between the clubs and we have now given Gary’s representatives permission to speak to Chelsea,” said Coyle.
Reports said Chelsea are also considering smashing the British transfer record by moving for Brazil forward Hulk.