FIFA president Gianni Infantino said he intends to meet with Pescara midfielder Sulley Muntari, the victim of racist abuse in Italian football.
Muntari was booked for complaining about racist abuse during a match at Cagliari and subsequently suspended, although that sanction was later lifted.
“Of course I will speak to FIGC president Carlo Tavecchio, I will speak to Muntari as well... we will work together,” Infantino said.
“Fight. Continue to fight. It’s good to bring these things out when they happen. We have to work. We have to work on the people.”
’Pool must win last two games – Milner
Liverpool have no margin for error in the race for a top-four place and must win their remaining two Premier League games to make sure of a spot in next season’s Champions League, said James Milner.
Third-placed Liverpool are a point and a place above Manchester City, who have a game in hand. Manchester United are not out of the running in fifth but it is Arsenal who look the biggest threat for a place in the top four.
“We have got to win the last two,” Milner told British media. “How would we feel if we miss out? Sick. This is a team and a club that needs to be in the Champions League.”
Wenger plays down top four failure
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger yesterday said that failure to qualify for next season’s Champions League would not jeopardise contract negotiations with players.
Sixth-placed Arsenal’s 2-0 win over Manchester United on Sunday left them six points behind Manchester City, ahead of today’s trip to Southampton. If Arsenal stay out of the top four, it would be the first time the London club has failed to qualify for the Champions League in more than two decades under Wenger.
“Maybe, it can impact if in a longer spell you are not in there. But at the moment we are not in that mode,” Wenger told reporters.
“Because we are in a strong financial position. The weight of a Champions League place is less big than it was in previous years. Negotiations-wise (for players) it will not have a huge impact.”
Gladbach sign French teen
Borussia Moenchengladbach signed French youth international Mickael Cuisance on a five-year deal from next season.
The 17-year-old midfielder will join from France’s AS Nancy-Lorraine on a deal running through until 2022.
“Mickael Cuisance is a big talent who can play in a variety of positions in midfield,” Gladbach sports director Max Eberl said in a statement.
“We have been watching him for some time. Competition for Europe’s top talent pool is strong and so we are happy.”
Mihajlovic hit with touchline ban
Torino coach Sinisa Mihajlovic has been given a two-match touchline ban and fined 10,000 euros for his reaction to the dismissal of Afriyie Acquah in Saturday’s derby clash with Juventus.
Serbian Mihajlovic ended the game in the stands after he was reprimanded for coming onto the pitch to protest Acquah’s red card, which came just before the hour mark for picking up his second yellow card in a challenge where he clearly won the ball.
Mihajlovic had said in his post-match press conference: “It did not take a nuclear engineer to understand that it was not a foul.”
The 48-year-old will be suspended for Torino’s matches against Napoli and Genoa and returns for their last against Sassuolo.
My future can wait – Shakespeare
Leicester City interim manager Craig Shakespeare will discuss his contract with the Premier League club after the season ends, the 53-year-old has said.
Shakespeare has led Leicester from the relegation zone to ninth position since replacing Claudio Ranieri in February, and the club guaranteed their top flight status for next season with Saturday’s 3-0 win over Watford.
“I haven’t had any talks and I don’t expect to,” Shakespeare said.
“The contract states until the end of the season and I think I have stated many times we will sit down at the end of the season, which I am comfortable with,” he said.