The Italian League Disciplinary Commission has decided against handing a ban to Cagliari striker Mauricio Pinilla for unsporting behaviour despite the player admitting he had dived to win a penalty.
Reports predicted the Chile striker would be given a two-match ban after winning a penalty by simulating a foul in his team’s 2-0 over Inter on Sunday.
However, the Disciplinary Committee said: “Video evidence showed there was effectively contact between the two players, as their left knees collided, the effects of which were accentuated by Pinilla.
“Therefore it cannot be called ‘evident simulation’ as in the rules of the sport.”
Two charged over Wembley disorder
Two men have been charged after disorder at the FA Cup semi-final between Millwall and Wigan.
Saturday’s game, which Wigan won 2-0, was marred by violent scenes inside and outside London’s Wembley Stadium.
Yesterday, Scotland Yard said Richard Freeman, 53, had been charged with breaching bail conditions.
Terance Cape, 43, will appear on bail on May 1 charged with racially aggravated behaviour under section 4 of the Public Order Act.
Fourteen people were arre-sted on Saturday, 12 Millwall supporters and two Wigan fans.
We did the right thing – Gilmour
St Mirren chairman Stewart Gilmour has defended his decision to vote against league reconstruction plans, insisting it was “the right thing to do”.
The Paisley club and Ross County both vetoed the proposals at Monday’s Premier League meeting, which required a majority of 11-1 to take the planned changes to the Scottish Football League.
Gilmour, in particular, was the target of criticism.
The Saints chief said: “Let all of them blast their shotguns. I’m still firmly of the belief that what I did at Hampden was the right thing.
“I still want to see elements of the reconstruction proposals but not at any cost.”
Late kick-off for FA Cup final
The Football Association has confirmed the FA Cup final between Manchester City and underdogs Wigan Athletic next month will kick off at 6.15pm (Malta time).
It will be the second time the showpiece game will be played in the evening, following on from Chelsea’s win over Liverpool last year.
The Latics will be looking to win the trophy for the first time, when the teams clash at Wembley Stadium, on May 11, while Manchester City will be aiming for their second success in three years.
Lucescu not leaving Shakhtar
Shakhtar Donetsk coach Mircea Lucescu is not inter-ested in leaving the Ukraine club to return to Italy’s Serie A this summer.
Lucescu, 67, has lately been linked with a move back to Inter but the Romanian, who also coached Pisa, Brescia and Reggiana, said his future belon-ged to Shakhtar.
“I have a contract for another two years. If anyone wants me then they should have looked for me before,” he said.
“Saying that, no Italian club has been in touch, but there are a number of European sides who did make contact.”
Cavani would consider switch
Napoli striker Edinson Cavani admits he will take any potential offer to leave the San Paolo for pastures new under consideration.
The 26-year-old Uruguayan has scored 29 goals in all competitions for Serie A’s second-placed side this season to attract interest from a host of European clubs including Real Madrid and Manchester City.
Cavani said: “I’m fine in Naples, but in football there are lots of things to consider. I can only say that I will give my all in this shirt until the last day I wear it.”
Cavani has scored over 100 Serie A goals during spells with Palermo and Napoli, who he joined from the Sicilian club in 2010.
Barton appears to escape action
Joey Barton appears to have escaped punishment over his online comments about Paris SG defender Thiago Silva after the French Football Federation’s ethics council determined that no ruling could be made in the case.
Barton provoked a storm when he used the social networking site Twitter to brand Silva an “overweight ladyboy” earlier this month.
The FFF’s National Council of Ethics summoned him to a hearing which took place yesterday, but it ended with no ruling being made in the case.
Barton, 30, is currently on loan at Marseille from QPR and has claimed he will be staying with the French club next season, although both clubs have denied any deal is in place.