Veteran official Marios Lefkaritis will end his 21-year stint on UEFA’s executive committee in April after European soccer’s governing body said the Cypriot had withdrawn as a candidate for re-election.

The 70-year-old, who will also leave the decision-making council of FIFA in May, joined UEFA’s executive committee in 1996.

Lefkaritis had previously decided not to stand for re-election on the FIFA Council, previously known as the executive committee, where he has been a member since 2002.

UEFA said there were now 12 candidates for eight available positions on its executive committee with the vote to take place at its Congress in Helsinki in April.

Essien’s wife buys Serie C club Como

The wife of former Chelsea, Real Madrid and Ghana midfielder Michael Essien has bought Italian third tier team Como.

Akosua Puni Essien paid €237,000 at an auction for the club, according to media, after they had been declared bankrupt last year.

Puni Essien describes herself as a “businesswoman, consultant, philanthropist and mother of three lovely kids” on her Twitter feed.

Michael Essien, 34, played for Greek club Panathinaikos last sesaon and joined Indonesia’s Persib Bandung on Monday.

Como have had several short stints in Serie A, the longest being from 1984 to 1989 and the most recent in 2002-03 when they were relegated after one season.

Injured Pogba ruled out of trip to Boro

Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba will miss tomorrow’s Premier League trip to Middlesbrough with a hamstring injury, manager Jose Mourinho has said.

Pogba was replaced by midfielder Marouane Fellaini two minutes into the second half of United’s 1-0 win over Rostov in the Europa League on Thursday.

The French international is also ruled out of the World Cup qualifier against Luxembourg on March 25, followed by a home friendly against Spain three days later.

“I don’t know how long (Pogba will be out) for sure,” Mourinho told British media.

“But there will be no Middlesbrough and no national team.”

Mali banned

Mali has been suspended from international football after the West African country’s sports minister sacked the executive committee of its football federation.

The decision means that Mali cannot play international matches including World Cup qualifiers until the dispute is resolved to world governing body’s satisfaction.

Mali are bottom of African Group C with one point from two games although their next match is not until the end of August when they play away at Morocco, giving them plenty of time to find a solution.

Werner earns first Germany call-up

Germany head coach Joachim Loew has named RB Leipzig forward Timo Werner in his 24-man squad for the friendly with England and World Cup qualifier against Azerbaijan.

The 21-year-old has scored 14 goals for his Bundesliga club so far this season and is picked for the first time alongside Lukas Podolski, who will play his last international match for the national team.

Roma defender Antonio Rudiger has also been recalled to the squad after impressing for the Serie A club.

Germany play England in an international friendly at Dortmund’s Westfalenstadion on March 22 before travelling to Baku to take on Azerbaijan in World Cup qualifying Group C four days later.

Defoe delighted by England recall

Sunderland striker Jermain Defoe is delighted by his call up to England’s squad for next week’s friendly against Germany and a World Cup qualifier against Lithuania.

With injuries to Daniel Sturridge, Wayne Rooney and Harry Kane, England manager Gareth Southgate recalled the 34-year-old, who last appeared for his country in late 2013.

“Obviously delighted I’m back in there,” Defoe, who has scored 29 league goals for Sunderland since the start of 2015-16 season, said.

“If I am being totally honest, I thought I would have had a chance last season, finishing the third-highest English goalscorer.

“But it wasn’t meant to be and then I started to think: ‘Maybe it’s just not going to happen’. But I did not really complain or anything.”

Unzue receives Iniesta’s backing

Barcelona captain Andres Iniesta has given his backing to assistant coach Juan Carlos Unzue potentially taking over from Luis Enrique as head coach of the Spanish champions.

Unzue is one of the two leading candidates to succeed Luis Enrique, who announced this month he will leave at the end of this season, along with Athletic Bilbao coach Ernesto Valverde.

“Unzue knows everything about the club and how it works, he worked at the club for a long time and is working with us now. He’s a qualified and experienced coach and is now excited about finishing the season and helping us meet our objectives,” Iniesta said.

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