England manager Roy Hodgson hopes his players can stay off the front pages in the lead up to Euro 2016 after one of his stars was allegedly caught up in a lurid blackmail scandal.
The focus on the national team will intensify in the lead-up to the tournament next summer but Hodgson is keeping his fingers crossed for a build-up without further controversy.
“You just have to hope your players are lucky enough to stay out of the clutches of this type of journalism when something they have done in their private life lands them in hot water,” he said.
Thohir engaged in Etihad talks
Inter are in talks with Etihad Airways over a team sponsorship in the next five years worth €125m, Gazzetta dello Sport reported.
Etihad Airways are already involved in football deals and they are the current sponsors of Manchester City.
According to Gazzetta, Inter owner Erick Thohir is on the verge of sealing a deal with Etihad that would bring in €25m per season compared to the €12m they are getting from Pirelli.
The deal would make Inter the biggest earners from shirt sponsors in Serie A, as Juventus and Milan pick up €17m from Jeep and Emirates respectively.
Wenger hails total team commitment
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger hailed the total commitment of his side after they produced a strong second-half display to defeat Watford 3-0 away.
The Gunners had to come through a stern physical examination from a Hornets side proving hard to beat at home since their return to the Premier.
Wenger said: “To beat Watford you have to be completely committed to the game because we faced a team that was organised and knew what they need to do.
“They were very physical in the challenge and very strong in the challenges and very direct. These three things together, it took us a while to get on top of that.”
Niersbach rules out bribery allegations
The head of the German football federation denied claims that the country used a secret slush fund for bribes to buy votes for the 2006 World Cup.
DFB president Wolfgang Niersbach insists no such fund existed and the German World Cup bid victory was entirely above board. FIFA has pledged to investigate the “very serious’’ allegations, but Niersbach has denied bribery was involved.
“I can rule that out categorically,” said Niersbach.
“I can assure that in relation to the bidding of the 2006 World Cup there were no ‘slush funds’.
“We were acknowledged at the time as the best candidate and we won the vote 12-11 with our arguments for Germany as hosts.”
Houllier dismisses claims of racism
Former France and Liverpool manager Gerard Houllier has denied allegations by former Reds striker Nicolas Anelka that he is a racist.
In his autobiography “Je ne marcherai jamais seul” (I Will Never Walk Alone), Houllier wrote that “for the first time of my life I saw black men turn red-faced”, referring to an argument with Anelka’s brothers during negotiations to extend the striker’s deal at Liverpool.
In a YouTube video post, Anelka said Houllier’s comments were “of a racist nature”.
Houllier said: “It’s false. I defy anyone to say that I am a racist with the number of black players I had the chance to work with.
“(Eric) Abidal, (Alou) Diarra, (Michael) Essien and so many others... you ask them.”
City’s Bony confirms he had malaria
Manchester City striker Wilfried Bony, who has struggled for form and fitness since moving to the club in January, has confirmed he contracted malaria during the close season.
The Ivory Coast forward did not go on City’s pre-season tour of Australia, with the club saying at the time that Bony was ill, without giving more details.
Bony said: “I got malaria from Africa when I was coming back but I am okay now.”
The 26-year-old signed from Swansea City for about 30 million pounds at the start of the year.
His debut was delayed due to his involvement in the Africa Cup of Nations and he was also hampered by injuries.
Barcelona will fix defence – coach
Barcelona coach Luis Enrique remains certain his team can iron out their defensive lapses after another poor display by the back line in the 5-2 La Liga win over Rayo Vallecano.
Barca have already conceded 11 goals in eight matches this term compared with a mere 21 in 38 games last season as they swept to a fifth Spanish league title in seven years.
“The bad run will pass I am sure, these are players with a lot of quality,” Luis Enrique said.
“We are not focused enough. We gave the ball away a lot in the second half and Rayo stifled us well. We have to improve.”
Barca travel to BATE Borisov tomorrow for their Champions League Group E clash.