Belgian lower-league defender Tim Nicot, 23, died yesterday after suffering a heart attack during a friendly on Saturday, the second such death in Belgium in two weeks.
In an incident likely to increase calls for more cardiac screening of young players, Antwerp club Beerschot Wilrijk said Nicot died in hospital after collapsing at a post-season tournament following their promotion to the Third Division.
On April 30, former U-21 international defender Gregory Mertens, 24, died three days after his heart stopped during a reserve game for top-flight Lokeren at Racing Genk.
Send me damages, goal-scorer tells fan
When Ipswich Town fan Ross Morgan Tweeted a picture of a fist-sized hole he punched in the ceiling celebrating his side’s goal against Norwich City on Saturday it struck a chord with the scorer Paul Anderson.
So much so, in fact, that Anderson offered to pay for the damage.
“Tell me how much to fix it and I’ll pay it mate,” Anderson replied in a message on his Twitter account. “Seriously let me know. It’s my fault!”
Morgan, who was watching the playoff semi-final first leg at home on TV with friends, said he was “shocked” to receive the offer.
“It’s a great gesture from him,” he said. “I wasn’t too happy because they’d (Norwich) just scored but then when Ando scored I just lost it.”
Sydney FC chief blasts Aussie Rules
Sydney FC chief executive Tony Pignata has branded Australian Rules authorities a “disgrace” for not freeing up Melbourne’s Docklands Stadium for Sunday’s A-League final.
Melbourne Victory earned the right to host the 10th A-League title-decider against Sydney FC by finishing top in the regular season.
The Docklands Stadium, where Victory beat Melbourne City in front of more than 50,000 in the semi-finals, was already booked for an Australian Football League (AFL) match between Western Bulldogs and Fremantle Dockers, however.
The A-League “Grand Final” will therefore be played at the 30,000-seater Melbourne Rectangular Stadium.
Fink leaves APOEL
Cypriot league leaders APOEL have parted company with their German coach Thorsten Fink, the club said on Monday after a 1-0 defeat by second-placed Apollon Limassol.
The 47-year-old Fink, a former Bayern Munich player, was appointed by APOEL in January 2015 on an 18-month contract.
An APOEL statement said the decision to terminate Fink’s contract by mutual agreement was “difficult but necessary” for the interests of the club.
Hernanes explains defiant celebration
Inter midfielder Hernanes said he could not resist a provocative celebration aimed at Lazio’s president after he scored both goals in a 2-1 win away to his former club.
The Brazilian celebrated his first goal on Sunday by performing a backflip to remind Lazio president Claudio Lotito of what he was missing.
“It’s not like me, it was an unfortunate somersault,” Hernanes told reporters. “I feel bad for the fans but I wanted to show Lotito he was wrong after he said he did a great deal when he sold me.
Hernanes was Lazio’s outstanding player until he was surprisingly sold in last year’s January transfer window to Inter, where he has struggled to settle.
Porto coach slams Benfica rival
Porto coach Julen Lopetegui left the usual cliches aside as he launched a scathing attack on his Benfica counterpart Jorge Jesus, saying he had lost respect for the Portuguese after their clash on the pitch last month.
Lopetegui and Jesus were involved in a heated exchange after their teams drew 0-0 in a top-of-the-table clash at Benfica’s Stadium of Light two weeks ago.
“The coach of Benfica talks a lot, he says what he wants and he talks about everyone. I have the maximum respect for my fellow coaches, all of them, and I also had respect for him,” Lopetegui said.
“I lost that respect when he contradicted himself in comments he gave to a newspaper, giving them the wrong impression of what he had said to me. That revealed an enormous lack of class for someone who has so much experience in this profession.”
Schalke release Boateng and Sam
Schalke 04 released midfielder Kevin-Prince Boateng and striker Sidney Sam yesterday following the 2-0 Bundesliga defeat by Cologne which put their European place for next season at risk.
Sports director Horst Heldt had warned there would be consequences after Schalke, who reached the Champions League knockout stages this season, lost in Cologne on Sunday. They have managed only one win in their last eight league games.
“Kevin-Prince Boateng and Sidney Sam have been released with immediate effect,” the club said.
“Marco Hoeger is suspended from training and matches until Saturday.”