Morocco have been banned from the next two African Nations Cup tournaments as punishment for withdrawing from hosting the 2015 finals over fears of the spread of the Ebola virus, CAF said yesterday.
The Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) has also been fined $1 million and ordered to pay €8.05 million in damages to the Confederation of African Football and their partners.
CAF’s executive committee rejected claims of force majeure from the FRMF and found the soccer governing body financially liable for the decision to withdraw from hosting the finals.
Ibarbo sidelined
Roma striker Victor Ibarbo will be out of the game for several weeks after picking up a calf injury.
Ibarbo joined Roma last week but when he was presented to the media it seems that he was already carrying the injury so he is unable to make his Serie A debut for Roma this month.
After a series of tests, Roma confirmed Ibarbo will be out for long.
“Ibarbo underwent tests that confirmed a grade one/two injury to the myotendinous junction of his right medial gastrocnemius muscle,” the club said.
“The player has already started treatment on the injury.”
Klopp sick of defending team
Jurgen Klopp admits it has been stomach-churning to defend the strengths of Borussia Dortmund when results are not backing up his belief in the team.
Dortmund are in a relegation battle, and that will be all too apparent today when they travel to Freiburg.
A 1-0 defeat at home to Augsburg has left Dortmund rooted to the foot of the Bundesliga after 19 games of the season.
“I’m sick of talking about the positive signs I see, what I’m looking for now is something positive to come from our games,” said Dortmund coach Klopp.
“I remain totally convinced that we’ll stay up. I can’t let one bad game knock us off course. I can totally rule out resigning.”
Cancer-stricken player’s new deal
In a show of support, second division club Union Berlin have extended the contract of veteran Benjamin Koehler by a year after he was diagnosed with cancer.
The Berlin club, known for its independent spirit, said the contract of the 34-year-old midfielder, running out at the end of the season, had been extended by a year to 2016 after he was informed of the diagnosis.
The former Germany youth international was diagnosed with a malignant tumour in his belly earlier this week.
The club and its fans are known for their loyalty, having organised blood donations in the past to help save the club. Koehler joined Union in 2013, playing 49 games and scoring six goals.
Del Piero almost joined Milan in 1992
Former Juventus and Italy great Alessandro del Piero told reporters yesterday that he was mulling a move to Milan before opting for the Bianconeri after leaving Padova back in 1992.
“Milan tried to get me in 1992, before I moved to Juventus,” Del Piero was quoted as saying yesterday.
“Padova asked for a lot of money so I went to Juve.”
Del Piero went on to become a legend at Juventus, winning eight league titles and the Champions League. He’s also the club’s all-time top scorer.
“It would’ve been nice to partner Marco van Basten for the class that he had. Surely, Arrigo Sacchi’s Milan were a reference point for everyone.”
Mike Phelan takes Hull City post
Hull City have confirmed the appointment of Mike Phelan as the club’s new assistant manager.
The 52-year-old will link back with his former Manchester United team-mate Steve Bruce for the trip to Manchester City today.
Phelan’s arrival comes with the club deep in a Premier League relegation battle and speculation over Bruce’s own future starting to grow.
Phelan spent five years as assistant to Alex Ferguson at Manchester United before leaving the club when Ferguson retired in 2013.
He moved on for a brief spell as assistant manager at Norwich but left shortly after the departure of boss Neil Adams last month.
Players beaten by fans after defeat
Soccer fans in Peru sore over their club Alianza Lima’s 4-0 loss to Argentina’s Huracan attacked their own team on Thursday, wounding some of the players.
The supporters broke into the club’s Alejandro Villanueva stadium in the Peruvian capital carrying sticks, witnesses said on local broadcaster RPP.
Newspaper El Comercio reported that about 60 fans burst into the locker room ahead of a scheduled practice, beating several players and pointing a gun at two of them.
The mob left graffiti on the exterior of the stadium urging Uruguayan coach Guillermo Sanguinetti to leave the team.