Ex-Olympique Marseille president Pape Diouf dies of coronavirus

Marseille (AFP) – Former Marseille president Pape Diouf has died aged 68 after contracting the new coronavirus, a family source told AFP on Tuesday.

Diouf, who was born in Chad but had French and Senegalese citizenship, led the club between 2005-2009 and helped build the side who lifted the Ligue 1 title in 2010.

He was hospitalised in Senegal after contracting the virus there and became the country’s first COVID-19 fatality.

Diouf had been due to leave for Nice earlier on Tuesday to be treated in France, but a sharp deterioration in his health — which saw him placed on a respirator — prevented him from boarding the plane.

Diouf was also a journalist and football agent before taking over at the Stade Velodrome.

Moving to Marseille aged 18, he was set on a career in the military, but soon switched paths.

After studying at the prestigious Sciences Po in Paris, he worked at the La Marseillaise newspaper before becoming a football agent, most notably for Didier Drogba, who enthralled the Velodrome in 2003-04.

He later became president at Marseille, “a difficult post, where there were very few men from diverse backgrounds,” said Jacques-Henri Eyraud, the club’s current president.

“But he fought tooth and nail, and won the hearts of thousands of supporters.”

Diouf himself was acutely aware of the lack of diversity at the management level, telling an interviewer in 2008 that the fact he was the only black president of a top-tier European club was “a painful observation.”

“Pape will remain in the hearts of the Marseillais forever, as one of the great architects in the club’s history,” Marseilles said in a statement.

Senegal President Macky Sall also paid tribute to “a great figure of sport” on Twitter.

“To his family, I offer, on behalf of the nation, my deepest condolences.” 

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Pape Diouf, who led Marseille to Ligue 1 title, dies from coronavirus

Marseille (AFP) – Former Marseille president Pape Diouf has died aged 68 after contracting the new coronavirus, a family source told AFP on Tuesday.

Diouf, who was born in Chad but had French and Senegalese citizenship, led the club between 2005-2009 and helped build the side who lifted the Ligue 1 title in 2010.

He was hospitalised in Senegal after contracting the virus there and became the country’s first COVID-19 fatality.

Diouf had been due to leave for Nice earlier on Tuesday to be treated in France, but a sharp deterioration in his health — which saw him placed on a respirator — prevented him from boarding the plane.

Diouf was also a journalist and football agent before taking over at the Stade Velodrome.

Moving to Marseille aged 18, he was set on a career in the military, but soon switched paths.

After studying at the prestigious Sciences Po in Paris, he worked at the La Marseillaise newspaper before becoming a football agent, most notably for Didier Drogba, who enthralled the Velodrome in 2003-04.

He later became president at Marseille, “a difficult post, where there were very few men from diverse backgrounds,” said Jacques-Henri Eyraud, the club’s current president.

“But he fought tooth and nail, and won the hearts of thousands of supporters.”

Diouf himself was acutely aware of the lack of diversity at the management level, telling an interviewer in 2008 that the fact he was the only black president of a top-tier European club was “a painful observation.”

“Pape will remain in the hearts of the Marseillais forever, as one of the great architects in the club’s history,” Marseilles said in a statement.

Senegal President Macky Sall also paid tribute to “a great figure of sport” on Twitter.

“To his family, I offer, on behalf of the nation, my deepest condolences.” 

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Ex-Asian champions Western Sydney lay off squad, staff: reports

Sydney (AFP) – Former Asian football champions Western Sydney Wanderers have joined other A-League clubs by temporarily laying off their squad and staff, reports said on Wednesday, as the coronavirus shutdown takes a heavy toll on sport.

The Wanderers, who won the AFC Champions League in 2014, follow the lead of fellow top-flight clubs Perth Glory and Central Coast Mariners, with Brisbane Roar expected to follow suit, Australian media said.

Fairfax and News Corp newspapers both said the Wanderers had put their entire squad and staff on unpaid leave until April 22, when the A-League is to examine when or if the season can continue.

The 11-team A-League was one of the last football competitions still standing worldwide until it was finally suspended last week as Australia tightened its measures against the coronavirus.

On Friday, Football Federation Australia sent home 70 percent of its staff as it wrestles with the sudden loss of income.

And on Saturday, Australia’s footballers’ union threatened legal action against Perth Glory after their players’ pay was stopped.

The Wanderers and the A-League were not immediately available to comment.

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Could coronavirus kill off German football fan power?

Berlin (AFP) – German football is famed for its vibrant fan culture and member-owned clubs, but as the Bundesliga braces itself for a major financial hit in the coming months, could the coronavirus put an end to fan power?

Many clubs are fearing for their financial futures in the crisis, prompting fresh calls to reform the long disputed “50+1” rule, which guarantees supporter influence and limits the power of wealthy investors.  

“Other leagues are more flexible because they are more open to investors…which could put German football at a disadvantage,” sports economist Christoph Breuer told DPA news agency.

The “50+1” rule is fiercely defended by German football fans, who see it as a bulwark against the commercialisation of football.

The rule ensures that a club’s members — usually its supporters — hold majority voting rights, meaning that no individual person or company can gain full control. 

Its detractors claim that it scares away potential investors, whose spending power would provide a lifeline for clubs starved of matchday and TV revenues in the current crisis.

“Of course I can look for investors even with the 50+1 rule…but there would be many more possibilities without it,” said Breuer.

  

– ‘Crisis as opportunity’ –

As iconic clubs such as Schalke and Werder Bremen warn of an “existential” threat to their financial security, calls for reform are growing louder.

“I think it’s sensible to learn and to question the entire system in a crisis like this,” Cologne sporting director Horst Heldt told Sport1. 

Hanover president Martin Kind, who has long campaigned for the rule to be revoked, took a similar view in a talk show last Sunday.

“Football will change dramatically. It is always important to see a crisis as an opportunity and develop structures which facilitate sporting success with economic stability,” he said.

Clubs like Wolfsburg, Bayer Leverkusen, Hoffenheim and RB Leipzig would emerge unscathed from the crisis due to their major financial backers, he argued.

Unlike Kind, who has repeatedly failed in his attempts to gain full control of Hanover, those clubs have managed to circumvent the 50+1 rule.

Red Bull-backed Leipzig have bent the rule by admitting only 17 club members since their founding a decade ago, while the other three have been granted an exception due to the longstanding involvement of a single, local investor. 

All four clubs are widely despised by other German fans, and ultra groups across the country hold regular protests against both Red Bull and Hoffenheim investor Dietmar Hopp.

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Cooler tone in new US Soccer women’s equal pay filings

Los Angeles (AFP) – Women players suing US Soccer say in court documents filed Tuesday that the federation has acknowledged the jobs of men and women footballers require equal skill.

The language seemed to signal a decrease in tension between the parties after language in documents filed by federation lawyers earlier in March provoked widespread outrage in saying that playing on the men’s national team required a higher level of skill based on speed and strength and carried greater responsibility.

The fierce backlash, not only from the women players but from sponsors such as Coca-Cola, ultimately forced Carlos Cordeiro to resign as president of the federation, to be replaced by vice president Cindy Parlow Cone — a former US international.

US Soccer brought in new legal counsel, which has focused in court filings on refuting the plaintiffs’ claims that the federation violated the US Equal Pay Act and other anti-discrimination legislation.

“The parties have significantly narrowed the issues to be tried by way of discovery and briefing,” Tuesday’s filing from the players’ lawyers said.

“USSF no longer disputes that the jobs of the WNT and MNT players require equal skill, effort and responsibility — and therefore have necessarily conceded that they perform equal work.”

The documents filed by the federation outlining the case they plan to make said the women players had not identified comparable male counterparts under the law — which requires equal payment for men and women working “in the same establishment.”

“The undisputed facts show that the WNT and MNT are both geographically and operationally distinct,” the US Soccer filing said.

“The WNT and MNT play in different venues in different cities (and often different countries), and participate in separate competitions against completely different pools of opponents.”

The federation again stated that apparent pay discrepancies are due to a different pay structure negotiated by the women’s union.

The case is set to go to trial May 5.

Parlow Cone told reporters in a conference call last week that she would like to settle the case sooner.

“I don’t think a trial is good for either party or for soccer, both in this country or internationally,” she said. “Obviously our women’s team is the best team in the world, and I am hopeful that we can find a resolution before this goes to trial.”

Tuesday’s filings also included potential witnesses for both sides. The lists included all four class representatives in the lawsuit: Carli Lloyd, Alex Morgan, Megan Rapinoe and Becky Sauerbrunn.

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Norwich furlough staff over coronavirus financial concerns

London (AFP) – Norwich became on Tuesday the latest Premier League club to furlough non-playing staff in response to financial concerns caused by the coronavirus.

The top division’s bottom club will utilise the British Government’s coronavirus job retention scheme, which allows staff to claim 80 percent of their wages, to a maximum of £2,500 ($3,100) per month.

“Owing to the impact of the current COVID-19 pandemic, Norwich City Football Club will begin the process of furloughing members of its staff who are unable to work at this time,” Norwich said in a statement.

“The club will top up the money received from the scheme to ensure that all furloughed staff receive their usual salary in full.”

With the Premier League postponed until at least April 30 due to the spread of the deadly virus, Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur had already begun the process of furloughing non-playing staff.

As fears grow about the potential financial damage from the sporting lockdown, the Professional Footballers’ Association are in talks with the Premier League and Football League over possible wage cuts or deferrals for players in England’s top four divisions.

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ECB launches £61m aid package for English cricket in response to virus

London (AFP) – The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) announced on Tuesday a £61 million ($76 million) aid package in response to the “once in a generation” challenge of the coronavirus outbreak.

The 18 first-class counties and their boards, as well as the MCC, will immediately each receive a share of some £40m in their respective bank accounts on Wednesday, with a further £20m available in interest free loans and grants.

“It’s no exaggeration to say that this is the biggest challenge the ECB have faced in the history of the game, the modern era certainly,” said ECB chief executive Tom Harrison in a conference call.

“We won’t know the full impact for a few months… We are trying to work around the clock to understand that impact and take some short term steps to help counties and recreational clubs to get through the immediate impact.

“Preparing yourselves for something like this is incredibly difficult, it is a once in a generation scenario.”

– ‘More pain’ –

All domestic cricket in England has been postponed until at least May 28, raising questions about whether a full campaign featuring several competitions, including the new Hundred tournament, as well as tours by West Indies, Pakistan, Australia and Ireland is possible as officials contemplate the nightmare prospect of scrapping the season completely.

“There are a number of different scenarios –- we don’t want to make decisions too early,” said Harrison. 

“There are huge implications in bringing international players and teams over (to the UK).

“In our modelling there is no cricket at all… There is more pain ahead if we lose a substantial portion of the season. We are building scenarios where we can take further steps as needed.”

Meanwhile Harrison said there were no plans to cut the pay of centrally contracted England players.

But Harrison, who earns an annual salary of some £720,000, said he would be joining administrators in other sports by taking a wage reduction.

“Of course I will,” he said without specifying the extent of the cut.

Harrison made it clear priority would be given to the most lucrative matches — internationals, the Twenty20 Blast and the inaugural Hundred.

A new format franchise competition, the Hundred has been promoted by the ECB as a way of attracting a fresh audience to the game.

But if fans cannot attend for health reasons, it could be delayed until 2021 rather than deny a lot of its purpose by being played behind closed doors this season.

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Chelsea’s Loftus-Cheek says injury battle was ‘toughest hurdle yet’

London (AFP) – Chelsea midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek admits battling to return from a serious Achilles injury while dealing with back problems has been a draining experience.

Loftus-Cheek has been sidelined since suffering a torn Achilles tendon in a Chelsea friendly against New England Revolution in Boston last May.

The 24-year-old England international was close to returning to action when the Premier League was suspended earlier this month because of the coronavirus.

In an Instagram video discussing his long road to recovery, Loftus-Cheek said the power of positive thinking eventually helped him rehab the Achilles and handle his long-standing back problem.

“My physical presence, how powerful I am, is my biggest strength,” Loftus-Cheek said.

“But my body is also my weakness. And that’s just what I have to manage.

“I have to manage my body, and that’s what I’ve learned a lot about. So it’s working smart, working hard but listening to your body as well.

“Be aware of your journey and pay attention to it. The mental side of being injured is hard.

“Going through the tough times it hardens you, and makes you a better player.

“I have to have the mindset of not regretting those things. I have those moments: ‘who would I be now if I hadn’t had those injuries?’

“There’s a right way to think, and a wrong way to think. You have to practise, it’s a skill, to think properly.

“I just really didn’t want to rush. The hardest part for me (of being injured) has been actually watching the games.”

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Solskjaer in touch with Man Utd stars during virus lockdown

London (AFP) – Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is keeping in touch with his Manchester United stars as he deals with the uncertainty caused by the coronavirus.

The Premier League has been postponed until at least April 30 because of the pandemic and it is feared the season will be delayed again when English football’s stakeholders meet to discuss the crisis on Friday.

During the unsettling virus lockdown in Britain, United manager Solskjaer has been unable to train his squad in person.

But he has been in constant contact with players and staff on the phone in a bid to ensure they are ready, if and when matches can resume.

“Of course, I’m used to seeing them every day for hours and hours, so it’s different,” Solskjaer told United’s website on Tuesday.

“I just keep in touch with them on WhatsApp groups and messages, and we plan for whenever we get back and what kind of sessions for when we do start.

“But it’s such an unknown and we don’t really have an idea and are not 100 per cent about when we’ll start.

“That’s the good thing now with technology and we’re lucky in that sense.

“We can keep in touch and see each other. We can send messages and get a reply quickly, and we can do the old-fashioned phone call sometimes and speak just on the phone. So we keep in touch regularly.”

For now, Solskjaer is enjoying spending time with his family until United are able to play again.

“I’m good. The family is good. One of the downsides of football is you don’t get too much time with your family and the flip side now is you get loads of time with them,” he said.

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Ajax end contract of brain-damaged former wonderkid Nouri

The Hague (AFP) – Ajax have terminated the contract of former wonderkid Abdelhak Nouri, severely brain damaged and in a coma since collapsing three seasons ago, the Amsterdam club confirmed Tuesday.

The club intervened ahead of the July 1 date when the contract was due to renew for the 22-year-old who collapsed while warming up for a pre-season friendly against German club Werder Bremen in July 2017.

“It is correct that Ajax has terminated Abdelhak Nouri’s contract, amongst others,” Ajax said in a statement to AFP.

“Ajax did that with all players whose contracts end on July 1 including Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and Ryan Babel,” the club said.

Both Huntelaar and ex-Liverpool player Babel are former Dutch internationals.

Known to fans and teammates as Appie, Nouri joined the Amsterdam club aged seven and developed into a teenage sensation.

In 2018 Ajax agreed to pay for medical care for life for the player who has permanent, debilitating brain damage and will never be able to live independently.

His family filed suit against the club and it was determined that the player had received inadequate care after his collapse that was triggered by heart problems.

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Clarke among SFA staff to take 10 percent pay cut

Glasgow (AFP) – Scotland boss Steve Clarke and Scottish Football Association (SFA) chief executive Ian Maxwell have taken a 10 percent cut in salary due to the financial crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

All other national team coaches have also agreed a 10 percent reduction with immediate effect.

The SFA have reportedly missed out on up to £6 million ($7.5 million) in lost revenue due to the postponed European Championship qualifying playoff semi-final against Israel at Hampden and Scottish Cup semi-finals.

Other members of SFA staff have been placed on furlough leave where the British government will guarantee 80 percent of income for employees up to a maximum of £2,500 per month.

“I am grateful to our people for their efforts in adapting to these challenging and unprecedented times,” SFA president Rod Petrie said in a statement.

Petrie has agreed to a 20 percent cut to his directors’ remuneration and deferred all future income until the resumption of ‘business as usual’.

“The impact of the virus on Scottish football is significant and from the Scottish FA’s perspective alone, this has already resulted in the postponement of a sell-out match against Israel in the UEFA Nations League Play-Off and the William Hill Scottish Cup semi-finals and final at Hampden Park,” Petrie added.

“As the governing body, we have a responsibility to protect the national game and it is also our duty as a board to safeguard the future of our staff during what medical experts predict will be an enduring period of uncertainty and national lockdown.

“I stress this is a temporary measure in light of the severe impact COVID-19 has had on the association’s income generation and I would like to thank everyone for their understanding and ongoing commitment to the national game.”

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Spurs cut non-playing staff wages as Levy pockets £7 million

London (AFP) – Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy announced 550 non-playing staff at the club will see their wages cut by 20 percent for the next two months on the same day it was revealed he was paid £7 million ($8.7 million) last season.

Spurs accounts to June 30, 2019 revealed Levy was paid a £3 million bonus, which was due on completion of Tottenham’s new 62,000 stadium, on top of his £4 million salary.

The new Tottenham Hotspur stadium opened in April last year, eight months later than scheduled and well over budget at a cost of £1 billion.

Levy is among the staff members taking a 20 percent wage cut, but called on Tottenham’s players to also do so to ease the financial crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

Players at Barcelona, Juventus and Bayern Munich are among those to have taken either a significant wage cut or deferred payments.

Football in England is suspended until at least April 30 and a meeting of Premier League clubs on Friday is expected to push that date further back.

“Having already taken steps to reduce costs, we ourselves made the difficult decision, in order to protect jobs, to reduce the remuneration of all 550 non-playing directors and employees for April and May by 20 percent,” Levy said in a statement on the Spurs website. 

“We hope the current discussions between the Premier League, PFA (Professional Footballers’ Association) and LMA (League Managers Association) will result in players and coaches doing their bit for the football eco system.”

Tottenham earlier this month posted profits of £68.6 million for the year to June 2019 on the back of a run to the Champions League final and the stadium move.

However, Levy said those numbers bore little relevance, with the club facing a difficult period and uncertainty among sponsors and media partners.

“When I read or hear stories about player transfers this summer like nothing has happened, people need to wake up to the enormity of what is happening around us,” he added.

“We maybe the eighth-largest Club in the world by revenue according to the Deloitte survey but all that historical data is totally irrelevant as this virus has no boundaries.”

Tottenham sit eighth in the Premier League table and would therefore miss out on the riches of Champions League football for the first time in five years next season if the league were to be curtailed as it stands.

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Ajax end contract of brain-damaged former wonderkid Nouri: report

The Hague (AFP) – Ajax have terminated the contract of former wonderkid Abdelhak Nouri, severely brain damaged and in a coma since collapsing three seasons ago, the Dutch daily De Telegraaf said Tuesday.

The club intervened ahead of the July 1 date when the contract was due to renew for the 22-year-old who collapsed while warming up for a pre-season friendly against German club Werder Bremen in July 2017.

Known to fans and teammates as Appie, Nouri joined the Amsterdam club aged seven and developed into a teenage sensation.

In 2018 Ajax agreed to pay for medical care for life for the player who has permanent, debilitating brain damage and will never be able to live independently.

His family filed suit against the club and it was determined that the player had received inadequate care after his collapse that was triggered by heart problems.

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Spurs cut non-playing staff wages by 20 percent

London (AFP) – Tottenham have reduced the wages of non-playing staff by 20 percent for the next two months, with chairman Daniel Levy hoping players will follow suit due to the financial crisis caused by coronavirus.

Players at Barcelona, Juventus and Bayern Munich are among those to have taken either a significant wage cut or deferred payments during the crisis.

Football in England is suspended until at least April 30 and a meeting of Premier League clubs on Friday is expected to push that date further back.

“Having already taken steps to reduce costs, we ourselves made the difficult decision, in order to protect jobs, to reduce the remuneration of all 550 non-playing directors and employees for April and May by 20 percent,” Levy said in a statement on the Spurs website. 

“We hope the current discussions between the Premier League, PFA (Professional Footballers’ Association) and LMA (League Managers Association) will result in players and coaches doing their bit for the football eco system.”

Tottenham earlier this month posted profits of £68.6 million ($85 million) for the year to June 2019 on the back of a run to the Champions League final and their move into a new 62,000-capacity stadium.

However, Levy said those numbers bore little relevance, with the club facing a difficult period and uncertainty among sponsors and media partners.

“When I read or hear stories about player transfers this summer like nothing has happened, people need to wake up to the enormity of what is happening around us,” he added.

“We maybe the eighth-largest Club in the world by revenue according to the Deloitte survey but all that historical data is totally irrelevant as this virus has no boundaries.”

Tottenham sit eighth in the Premier League table and would therefore miss out on the riches of Champions League football for the first time in five years next season if the league were to be curtailed as it stands.

However, economic factors are behind the desire of Premier League clubs to finish the campaign, even if it means doing so behind closed doors.

According to reports, the clubs would have to reimburse broadcasters to the tune of £762 million if the season is not completed.

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US judge grants early release to Brazilian in FIFA corruption scandal

New York (AFP) – A federal judge in New York on Monday granted the release from prison on humanitarian grounds of an 87-year-old former senior Brazilian football official tarnished by the FIFA corruption scandal.

Judge Pamela Chen authorized the release of Jose Maria Marin, a former Brazilian Football Confederation president, who was serving a four-year prison sentence for accepting millions of dollars in bribes as part of the global FIFA corruption scandal.

Marin was scheduled for release in early December 2020, according the US Federal Bureau of Prisons.

But following a request from the Brazilian’s lawyers Chen granted a “compassionate release,” for reasons “including his advanced age, significantly deteriorating health, elevated risk of dire health consequences due to the current COVID-19 outbreak, status as a non-violent offender, and service of 80% of his original sentence,” a court document seen by AFP read.

Marin was the first major football official found guilty and sent to prison in the United States as part of the “FIFA gate” scandal of kickbacks and bribes that smeared the reputation of the global sports organization.

He was being held in FCI Allenwood, a minimum security facility in the state of Pennsylvania.

In August of 2018, a New York jury found Marin guilty of accepting $6.6 million in bribes — along with his deputy, Marco Polo del Nero — in exchange for contracts to broadcast major tournaments.

Upon hearing his sentence Marin, who had already served 13 months behind bars, broke down in the courtroom and burst out crying.

“I could die in prison!” he wailed. “My wife and my family — don’t take away their means of survival!”

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Scenarios for a potential return of the Premier League

London (AFP) – English football’s major stakeholders will meet on Friday to discuss their options to rescue a season derailed by the  coronavirus outbreak.

The Premier League campaign has been postponed until at least April 30 because of the pandemic, but the chances of a return in May look bleak.

AFP Sport takes a closer look at the various scenarios that are likely to be considered in the talks over if and how to finish the season:

Go behind closed doors

One option is for clubs to converge on a neutral location in which all remaining games are played behind closed doors, with only essential personnel and broadcasters allowed to attend.

There is believed to be growing support among clubs for this plan, with nine rounds of matches potentially in line to be staged in June and July.

Fixtures would reportedly be played in one or two locations in the Midlands and London.

That could mean players and coaches being quarantined away from their families in World Cup-style camps to avoid infection, with stadiums, hotels and training facilities undergoing a deep clean.

A radical upturn in testing for the virus in the United Kingdom over the next two months is the key to this plan for a number of reasons.

Firstly, to ease players’ concerns of contracting COVID-19 while playing, but also to avoid criticism of privileged professional players being tested with mild or no symptoms if that is not available to the general public and in particular frontline workers.

If the curve of cases is not significantly flattened come the summer the optics for the Premier League to have medical officials at non-essential events would also not be good.

Play the waiting game

Given the massive impact of the virus on society in general, it is seen in some quarters as morally inappropriate for football to return too soon.

Instead of rushing back to action, waiting until the virus is completely under control before play resumes is the preferred strategy in this scenario.

With the virus reportedly set to peak in the UK in June, that could mean remaining in sporting lockdown until August or September.

Waiting would allow the current season to be completed in full, ensuring the Premier League does not have to repay an estimated £750 million ($930 million, 842 million euros) to television companies for breach of contract.

But it would have a huge knock-on effect for next season, potentially leading to a shortened schedule in 2020-21 in a bid to be ready for the delayed European Championship.

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Villa’s Grealish apologises, fined for breaking isolation rules

London (AFP) – Aston Villa captain Jack Grealish posted a public apology on Monday for breaking UK government guidelines on social distancing as police opened an investigation into an incident in which a Range Rover crashed into parked cars.

Villa expressed their disappointment with Grealish and said the 24-year-old will be fined with the proceeds going to a children’s hospital in Birmingham.

West Midlands Police said they were called on Sunday to an address in Solihull, near Birmingham, where the two parked cars suffered minor damage.

The force said the driver had left his details with a member of the public before leaving on foot.

“I just want to do a quick video message to say how deeply embarrassed I am about what has happened this weekend,” Grealish said in a video posted on Twitter.

“I obviously just got a call off a friend asking to go round to his and stupidly agreed to do so. I don’t want anyone to make the same mistake that I did, so I urge everyone to stay home and follow the rules and guidelines of what we are being asked to do.”

The British government has introduced restrictions on citizens leaving their homes only to shop for food and medicine, essential travel for work and one form of exercise a day to help halt the spread of coronavirus.

“Aston Villa is deeply disappointed that one of our players ignored the government’s guidance on staying at home during the Coronavirus crisis,” Villa said in a statement. 

“Club captain Jack Grealish has accepted that his decision to leave his house was wrong and entirely unnecessary. It breached the government guidelines which are clear and should be adhered to by everybody. 

“The player will be disciplined and fined with the proceeds donated to The University Hospitals Charity in Birmingham.”

Less than 24 hours before the incident, Grealish was part of a video appeal for people to stay at home during the lockdown.

“I hope everyone can accept my apology and we can move on from this,” added Grealish. “Hopefully in the near future we can all be out enjoying ourselves again.”

In a statement about the incident, West Midlands Police added: “Officers are investigating the circumstances and anyone with information has been asked to get in touch.”

Grealish has been Villa’s star performer on their return to the Premier League this season and was expected to earn a first call-up by England for friendlies against Denmark and Italy this month prior to football’s shutdown due to COVID-19.

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French football stares at financial black hole with broadcasters set to hold back payments

Paris (AFP) – The financial crisis facing football as a result of the coronavirus pandemic has been laid bare in France, where a decision to withhold payments due as part of a broadcast deal for Ligue 1 matches is set to leave clubs reeling.

Canal Plus, the pay TV giant and long-time broadcaster of France’s top flight, stated its intention to hold back a scheduled 110 million-euro ($121 million) payment in a letter to the French league revealed by the country’s leading sports daily, L’Equipe.

The money is in theory due this weekend and is the equivalent of 15 percent of the total broadcast money for the season in Ligue 1.

“In case of force majeure, when matches are no longer played, then payments are suspended,” a senior management figure at Canal Plus told AFP.

“This is the perfect example of force majeure. There are no more matches, so there are no more payments. We are strictly applying the terms of the contract and we don’t see why we would do it any other way. Canal Plus is not a bank.”

The French top flight is the fifth-richest league in Europe although its income lags some way behind those of Italy’s Serie A, the German Bundesliga, Spain’s La Liga and, in particular, the English Premier League.

French clubs, like their counterparts across the continent, have been hit hard by the health crisis which had already forced matches to be postponed or played behind closed doors before UEFA suspended all club competitions in Europe a fortnight ago.

Clubs will now have to absorb the shock of not receiving money for which they have budgeted, and income from broadcasters is a huge portion of their revenue.

Indeed, payments from television companies amounted to 36 percent of total revenue for Ligue 1 teams last season, by far their biggest source of income, according to the DNCG, French football’s financial watchdog. A further 25 percent came from player sales, which are likely to be affected this year too.

“They have their problems and we have ours. There needs to be a dialogue so we can find solutions,” said a member of the board of the French league, the LFP. “I don’t think the decision by Canal Plus is irreversible.”

– Uncertainty –

L’Equipe has claimed that Paris Saint-Germain, the Qatar-owned giants who dominate the French game, stand to lose as much as 215 million euros between now and the end of June, assuming the worst-case scenario in which no more games are played and all projected gate receipts and Champions League revenues are also lost.

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Atlanta will ‘hit the ground running’ when MLS resumes

Washington (AFP) – Despite losing star striker Josef Martinez to a season-ending knee injury in the opening game, Atlanta United plans on a fast start when Major League Soccer returns from a coronavirus hiatus.

The 2018 MLS champions and 2019 US Open Cup winners have had time for injuries to heal for midfielder Matheus Rossetto and defenders Miles Robinson and Franco Escobar.

“When we’re given the green light, when they say to go back to training, we feel pretty good that aside from Josef, who has the long-term injury, the rest of the squad will be healthy,” Atlanta United president Darren Eales said Monday, according to a posting on the league website.

“That’s one bright spot in terms of this delay for when we come back, that we’ll have the whole squad ready to hit the ground running.”

The MLS campaign was shuttered indefinitely after only two matches, with Atlanta the lone Eastern Conference club to open with two wins.

But United lost Martinez to a torn right knee ligament on February 29 against Nashville, the Venezuelan star now going through rehabilitation at the team’s training grounds after undergoing surgery March 18.

“For Josef now, it’s a long task ahead of him,” Eales said. “He’s single-minded, he’s focused and he wants to get back 100 percent. That’s the most important thing for us.”

Martinez was the 2018 MLS Most Valuable Player with a league-best 31 goals and has netted 77 goals in 84 MLS appearances.

“It’s not about how quickly we can get him back,” Eales said. “The important thing for him and for Atlanta United is that we get him back at 100 percent.

“Knowing Josef, he’ll be at 110 percent.”

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UEFA to meet to debate options for ravaged football fixture calendar

Paris (AFP) – UEFA will hold a videoconference on Wednesday this week with its 55 member federations as part of discussions on the potential rescheduling of matches postponed due to the coronavirus crisis, European football’s governing body announced on Monday.

The meeting will see UEFA share an update on the progress made by the two working groups that were created two weeks ago in response to the crisis caused by the pandemic and following the decision to postpone the European Championship by a year.

“The meeting will look at developments across all UEFA national team and club competitions, as well as discussing progress at FIFA and European level on matters such as player contracts and the transfer system,” UEFA said in a statement.

UEFA previously stated their wish to finish the current season by June 30, the date when many players’ contracts expire.

Carrying the season on beyond that date runs the risk of clubs losing their out-of-contract players before matches have been completed, unless a solution can be found.

However, UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin told Italian daily La Repubblica at the weekend that all options were under consideration in an effort to salvage the season, including starting again “in mid-May, in June or even late June”.

The impact of the pandemic on Europe has forced UEFA to put Euro 2020 back 12 months and suspend all club competitions until further notice. The Champions League and Europa League have both been frozen at the last-16 stage.

UEFA’s working group features three of its own members along with three from the European Club Association, one from the European Leagues body representing nearly a thousand clubs in 29 countries, one representative from La Liga in Spain and one from the English Premier League.

World football’s governing body FIFA has also set up a working group to deal with the consequences of the pandemic, including on players’ contracts and transfers and to deal with the economic impact on the game. 

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Gladbach plot cardboard cut-out fans for Bundesliga restart

Berlin (AFP) – It may be a while before real fans can return to Bundesliga stadiums, but Borussia Moenchengladbach supporters are planning to fill the stands with the next best thing: 50,000 cardboard cut-outs of themselves.

The German league is suspended until the end of April due to the coronavirus crisis, and games are expected to be played behind closed doors if and when the season resumes.

Yet at fourth-placed Gladbach, fans now have the option to order a “life-size cardboard cut-out” of themselves — complete with photos of their faces — to occupy their usual spot on the terraces.

“This way, we will be the first club to bring a bit of life back to our stadium, even if fans actually have to watch from home,” wrote supporter organisation Fanprojekt Moenchengladbach (FPMG) in an online statement on Wednesday.

For 19 euros ($21), Gladbach fans can buy the cardboard cut-out, which FPMG said would actually be made of “weather-proof plastic”.

The proceeds would help to keep FPMG’s seven employees in a job, with some of the money also donated to good causes close to the club, organisers said. 

The figures themselves, meanwhile, are to be produced by two small firms in Moenchengladbach which have been forced to close during the crisis. 

“We won’t be making any profits, and when the ‘war’ is won, everyone can take home their doppelganger as a reminder of these curious times,” said FPMG.

The Bundesliga is currently on hold until April 30, with clubs set to meet later this week to discuss further plans. 

The league has said it hopes to play out the season in order to ensure TV revenues crucial to the financial stability of some of its clubs. 

Gladbach hosted the last fixture to date on March 11, when they beat local rivals Cologne in the first Bundesliga game ever to be held behind closed doors.

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Guardiola watching his weight without football

London (AFP) – Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola joked he will come back “fatter” from a long layoff from football as he urged supporters to follow the advice of scientists and medical professionals on Monday.

Guardiola, who donated one million euros ($1.08 million) to help buy medical supplies for the fight against the coronavirus pandemic in his native Spain last week, posted a video message as part of the English champions’ “Cityzens At Home” campaign to keep fans entertained.

Football in England has been suspended until at least April 30 as part of tight restrictions on personal freedoms to try and halt the spread of COVID-19.

“We miss football. We miss the life that we had a few days ago but now is the time to listen, to follow our scientists, doctors and nurses,” said Guardiola.

“You are my football family and we are going to do everything possible to make you feel better.

“We’ll come back from this stronger, better, kinder and a little bit fatter. Stay inside, stay safe.”

To try and prevent supporters’ piling on the pounds, City players’ favourite recipes have been posted online to promote healthy eating.

City will provide daily skills challenges and downloadable colouring sets to keep children occupied, while mindfulness classes will be provided to help deal with the mental health issues posed by long periods of social distancing.

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Messi confirms pay cut for Barca players, criticises board

Madrid (AFP) – Lionel Messi confirmed on Monday that Barcelona’s players will take a 70 per cent pay cut and make financial contributions to ensure the club’s other employees are paid in full during the state of alarm in Spain.

In a lengthy message posted on his Instagram account, Messi also took another swipe at the Barca board, led by president Josep Maria Bartomeu, whom he accused of undermining the players during recent negotiations. 

Other Spanish clubs are expected to follow suit in applying temporary pay cuts, as football’s hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic leaves a number of them fighting for financial survival.

Atletico Madrid have said the club will impose salary reductions on staff whose hours have been affected while Espanyol have also confirmed pay cuts, although for sporting staff only.

“For our part, the time has come to announce that, as well as the reduction of 70 per cent of our salary during the State of Alarm, we will also make contributions so the club’s employees can collect 100 per cent of their salary while this situation lasts,” Messi wrote. 

He added: “We want to clarify that our desire has always been to apply a drop in salary because we fully understand that this is an exceptional situation and we are the first ones who have ALWAYS helped the club when asked. 

“Many times we have even done it on our own initiative when we thought it necessary or important. 

“Therefore, it never ceases to amaze us that from within the club there were those who tried to put us under the magnifying glass and tried to add pressure to do something that we always knew we would do.” 

Messi’s message was soon posted on the pages of nearly all of his Barcelona teammates, including Gerard Pique, Sergio Busquets, Luis Suarez, Jordi Alba, Antoine Griezmann, Frenkie de Jong, Arturo Vidal and Marc-Andre ter Stegen. 

The relationship between Barca’s players and board has been tense for several months, with Messi’s public criticism of technical secretary Eric Abidal in February just one of a number of off-field controversies. 

Barcelona released their own statement shortly afterwards on Monday, which said members of “all professional sports teams and most of the basketball team” had agreed to reduce their salaries. 

It added: “In the case of the football first team the reduction will be more than 70 per cent as agreed with the club. This additional contribution by the team, plus the contribution from the club itself, will guarantee 100 per cent of the salaries of all non-sporting staff, who will be subjected to temporary redundancy this week.” 

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Study shows potential impact on football’s transfer market of virus pandemic

Lausanne (AFP) – The coronavirus pandemic which has caused football to grind to a halt will also have a major impact on the transfer market value of players in Europe’s leading leagues, according to a study published on Monday.

The total market value of players in Europe’s ‘Big Five’ leagues — the top flights in England, Spain, Germany, Italy and France — will suffer a drop of 28 percent, from 32.7 billion euros ($36.2 billion) to 23.4 billion euros if no more matches are played this season and contracts set to expire in June are not renewed.

The study is the result of research by the Football Observatory at the Swiss-based International Centre for Sports Studies.

“The extent of the decrease varies according to several factors such as the players’ age, contract duration, career path and recent performance,” the study says.

Older players on relatively short contracts who have played fewer games this season than last are especially affected. It gives the example of Manchester United’s French star Paul Pogba, 27, who is out of contract next year and whose market value is set to be cut almost in half, to 35 million euros.

The study also estimates that Manchester City would see a total of 412 million euros wiped off the market value of their players, more than any other club in the leading five leagues. Just behind them are Barcelona, who would lose 366 million euros from the value of their squad, and Liverpool (353 million euros).

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Rashford helps feed children during virus shutdown

London (AFP) – Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford is working to get food to children who rely on free school meals after the coronavirus shutdown.

The 22-year-old England international has teamed up with charity FareShare to help children in the Manchester area after schools were closed.

And he revealed that his own childhood had inspired him to want to make a difference to the next generation.

“In the past I have done a lot of work in regards to children and when I heard about the schools shutting down, I knew that meant free meals for some kids that they are not getting at school,” Rashford told the BBC.

“I remember when I was at school I was on free meals and my mum wouldn’t get home until around six o’clock so my next meal would have been about 8 o’clock. I was fortunate, and there are kids in much more difficult situations that don’t get their meals at homes.”

Rashford said fundraising had gone well.

“We have got to the £100,000 ($124,000) mark, which means we get to feed 400,000 children so it’s been very positive.”

Manchester United and Manchester City have joined forces to donate to food banks in the area.

“I think when times are tough it is important that two clubs who have a huge social following that we do come together and make a difference when things which are bigger than football happen. So credit to both clubs,” Rashford said.

Rashford was sidelined with a back injury when the Premier League season was suspended earlier this month.

The forward said he was making good progress but admitted he was missing football.

“It’s just about patience,” he said. “I have been working hard on the bikes and following the programme that I have been given from the club.

“I have been playing FIFA, reading different types of books. It is important to keep time passing, with positive vibes and just keep smiling.”

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Benzema deepens France rift by ridiculing ‘go-kart’ Giroud

Madrid (AFP) – Real Madrid’s Karim Benzema has mocked France striker Olivier Giroud by likening himself to a Formula One car and Giroud a go-kart.

Benzema has not played for France since 2015 and watched from afar as Giroud spearheaded the team’s World Cup triumph in Russia two years ago.

With over 500 appearances for Real Madrid and in his 11th season with the Spanish giants, no questions remain over Benzema’s playing skills.

Asked about the Chelsea forward during a question and answer session on Instagram on Sunday night, Benzema said: “You can’t confuse a Formula One car with a go-kart, and I’m being kind. I know I’m a Formula One car…

“It works because he’s there, that’s it. It’s not going to be spectacular. (Antoine) Griezmann and (Kylian) Mbappe get seen more while he rolls his sleeves up and does the dirty work. 

“But does everyone like his game? I don’t know.”

During the 2016 and 2017 seasons ahead of up Russia 2018, Giroud scored 16 goals for France in 24 games.

He also played every match at the World Cup and although he failed to find the target in Russia, his team came home with the trophy.

France coach Didier Deschamps has sidelined Benzema since a legal case in 2015.

The case involving Benzema allegedly trying to facilitate a scheme to blackmail fellow France international Mathieu Valbuena over a compromising private film on a stolen mobile phone.

The investigation is ongoing and Benzema is now waiting to hear if he will face a criminal trial.

Benzema has scored 19 goals in 32 appearances for Real Madrid this season while Giroud has largely been a back-up player for Chelsea, despite a decent run of form in February.

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Villa’s Grealish ‘pictured at crash site’ after virus plea

London (AFP) – Police have opened an investgaton after pictures surfaced appearing to show Aston Villa’s Jack Grealish at the scene of an incident in which a Range Rover crashed into parked cars — just hours after he had appealed for people to stay at home.

West Midlands Police said they were called on Sunday to an address in Solihull, near Birmingham, where the two parked cars suffered minor damage.

The force said the driver had left his details with a member of the public before leaving on foot.

Images surfaced online of a damaged white Range Rover as well as a picture that appeared to show the Villa midfielder in slippers and a bright blue hoodie.

Less than 24 hours before the incident, the 24-year-old Villa captain launched a video appeal for people to stay at home during the government-enforced lockdown.

In the video, he said: “To help save lives you must stay at home.

“Only leave your house to buy food, buy medicine or to exercise and always remember to stay at least two metres apart.

“This is urgent, protect the NHS, stay home, save lives.”

In a statement about the incident, the West Midlands force said: “Officers are investigating the circumstances and anyone with information has been asked to get in touch.”

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Gundogan says Liverpool deserve to be champions

London (AFP) – Liverpool should be awarded the Premier League title if the season cannot be completed due to the coronavirus pandemic, says Manchester City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan.

Jurgen Klopp’s men were a tantalising two wins away from their first league crown since 1990 when the season was suspended earlier this month.

The shutdown is currently due to last until April 30. Premier League chiefs are due to meet on Friday, with no indications of when football will resume.

Gundogan, whose side trail Liverpool by 25 points, told German broadcaster ZDF that if the season could not be finished, Klopp’s side deserved the title.

“It would be OK for me,” he said. “As a sportsman you have to be fair.”

The 29-year-old German international, who has won the Premier League title with City for the past two seasons, said it was unlikely that he and his teammates could resume training at the end of April.

“Honestly, I can’t imagine (that happening) and also, I don’t know how realistic it is,” he said.

Figures on Sunday revealed that 1,228 people with coronavirus have died in Britain. Prime Minister Boris Johnson is among more than 19,500 people who have tested positive for COVID-19.

Aleksander Ceferin, president of European football’s governing body UEFA, said on Saturday that the 2019/20 campaign could be “lost” if it could not be restarted by the end of June.

Gundogan conceded that Premier League chiefs were faced with a difficult choice.

“There are different opinions,” he said. “For clubs who have had a very good season, it obviously wouldn’t be nice if it was cancelled now.

“On the other hand, for clubs who aren’t doing as well and are maybe in the relegation places, an abandonment would obviously suit them.”

Cancellation would have a knock-on effect on the second-tier English Championship, with both Leeds United and West Brom occupying the two automatic promotion places. 

Gundogan said he would be willing to take a pay cut if English clubs followed the examples of Serie A leaders Juventus and his former club Borussia Dortmund.

“Of course I think it’s OK, that goes without saying — (but) there’s been no discussion in England yet,” he said.

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Juventus shares surge after players’ take pay cut

Milan (AFP) – Shares in Italian football giants Juventus surged Monday after the club’s decision to cut their players’ salaries in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Serie A champions announced on Saturday that they had cut their players’ and coach Maurizio Sarri’s salaries from March until June after all Italian sport was suspended.

The club’s shares rose by 7.94 percent on the Milan Stock Exchange early Monday in a market that has taken a major hit from the coronavirus crisis.

Juventus’ highly-paid stars include five-time Ballon d’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo and Wales midfielder Aaron Ramsey, who joined from Arsenal on a free transfer last year.

“The economic and financial effects of the understanding reached are positive for about 90 million euros ($100.5 million) for the 2019/2020 financial year,” the club had said in a statement.

Juventus, who led second-placed Lazio by a point in Serie A before the suspension on March 9, added that should the season be finished later in the year, the players could be paid extra in those months.

Over 10,000 people have died from COVID-19 in Italy, more than in any other nation.

Players at other big European clubs have also agreed to take pay cuts, including Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund in Germany.

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Paulinho among footballers stranded by China’s coronavirus lock-out

Shanghai (AFP) – Oscar and Hulk jetted in just in time but fellow Brazilian Paulinho reportedly heads a long list of foreign stars locked out of China as the country attempts to stop imported coronavirus cases.

There are no suggestions that former Barcelona midfielder Paulinho has the deadly disease, but China closed its borders at the weekend to returning foreigners, even those with work and residence permits.

Former West Ham United striker Marko Arnautovic is also among the more than 30 overseas players and coaches still abroad, reports say, dealing another blow to hopes that the Chinese Super League (CSL) season could begin any time soon.

Arnautovic’s Shanghai SIPG had more luck with Oscar, Hulk and new signing Ricardo Lopes, hastily chartering a small aircraft to fly them back from Brazil.

They landed in Shanghai on Friday night along with their families, according to local media, having departed Sao Paulo and making a brief stop in Malta to refuel.

The trio will now spend 14 days in isolation as required by the Chinese government for all arriving foreigners, which should also prevent any potential spread of coronavirus to the rest of the SIPG squad.

But Brazilian international Paulinho, 31, and compatriot Anderson Talisca failed to make it back to CSL champions Guangzhou Evergrande, the Guangzhou Daily said.

Shanghai Shenhua’s Colombian international Gio Moreno is another stranded at home after many international air routes were suspended because of the virus outbreak.

Marouane Fellaini, Shandong Luneng’s former Manchester United midfielder, is the only known coronavirus case in the CSL, having recently returned to China.

It is unclear when China will lift its restrictions on the entry of foreigners, having announced the “temporary” measure on Thursday. It also slashed the number of international flights serving the country.

Fabio Cannavaro, the Italian World Cup-winning captain and Evergrande coach, is in China and posted pictures of himself riding his bike at the weekend having completed a period of quarantine.

The CSL season was supposed to begin on February 22 but was indefinitely postponed after the coronavirus emerged in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in December.

It has since developed into a pandemic, killing or infecting hundreds of thousands of people across the world, although the number of locally transmitted cases in China has supposedly dwindled.

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Scrap season if it can’t be finished by end of June says Kane

London (AFP) – England captain Harry Kane said on Sunday the Premier League season should be cancelled if it cannot be completed by the end of June because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The English top-flight is currently suspended until at least April 30 due to the COVID-19 outbreak, with a likely further delay to be announced soon.

There is no clear idea about when or if football will be able to resume, but Euro 2020 has been cancelled, which opens a window to bring domestic seasons to a conclusion in the summer.

But Tottenham striker Kane does not want Premier League chiefs to let the current campaign go past June or even the start of what would be the 2020-21 season in August, as has been suggested in some quarters.

“I know the Premier League will do everything they can to finish the season, and that they are looking at every option possible,” Kane said in an Instagram Live conversation with former Liverpool star Jamie Redknapp.

“I think, for me, we do need to try to finish the season. But there needs to be a point where enough is enough.

“Playing into July or August and pushing next season back I don’t see too much benefit in that. But obviously I don’t know too much about behind the scenes and financially.

“Probably the limit for me is the end of June. If the season’s not completed by the end of June we need to look at the options and just look forward to next season.”

Premier League matches could potentially be staged behind closed doors in a bid to complete this campaign once the current lockdown in Britain is over.

Kane does not think dragging out the season will help anyone though, especially if it delays the next term.

“The further this season is pushed on, it would have such a big knock-on effect for next season, with the Euros in 2021, and even World Cup 2022. But that’s just my opinion,” he said.

“Football is secondary at the moment. I know there still have to be plans in place, and I’m sure everyone is trying to do that.

“All that is out of my hands though, there’s nothing I can do personally, so from my point of view we’ve just got to wait and see what happens. Hopefully this clears up as soon as possible, and we can try to get back to normal.”

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African football date-juggling looms amid coronavirus pandemic

Johannesburg (AFP) – The May semi-finals and finals of the two annual African club competitions are likely to fall victim to the coronavirus pandemic sweeping the continent. 

After two-leg semi-finals in the competitions between May 1 and 10, the Champions League final is set for May 29 in Douala, five days after Rabat hosts the Confederation Cup title decider.

But the postponement of both competitions seems inevitable as the full impact of the COVID-19 disease has still to be felt in the continent with the most fragile public health systems.

Already, two rounds of 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers and the African Nations Championship in Cameroon have been postponed due to the killer COVID-19 disease.

Here, AFP Sport considers the date-juggling options in the major African national team and club competitions:

World Cup

— Home and away preliminary round ties last September reduced the number of contenders from 54 to 40 for five places at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

Next comes 10 six-matchday groups between October 5, 2020, and October 12, 2021, with the table-toppers paired in five two-leg showdowns to decide who represents Africa.

Group dates this October and November may have to accommodate delayed 2021 Cup of Nations qualifiers instead, but there are sufficient international windows next year to catch up.  

Africa Cup of Nations

— Qualifiers for the 24-nation tournament in Cameroon from January 9 to February 6 2021 have fallen two rounds behind after fixtures scheduled for this month were cancelled.

It is hard to imagine the single round set for June 1-9 taking place and there must also be doubts about matches planned for August 31-September 8. 

CAF will hope they can stage double matchdays between October 5-13 and November 9-17 — dates currently allocated to World Cup group games — and complete qualifying.  

African Nations Championship

— The April 4-25 tournament in Cameroon, which is restricted to footballers playing in their country of birth, has been postponed due to the coronavirus. 

With no foreign-based stars involved, the tournament does not have to fit into a FIFA international window, creating flexibility when it comes to finding new dates. 

Apart from the football, the Nations Championship offers Cameroon an opportunity to test whether they are ready for a much more demanding task — staging the 2021 Cup of Nations. 

CAF Champions League

— The semi-finals pit Casablanca clubs Raja and Wydad against Cairo outfits Zamalek and Al Ahly respectively, raising the possibility of a first final between clubs from the same country.

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Xavi wants ‘total harmony’ to return to Barcelona as coach

Madrid (AFP) – Xavi Hernandez has reiterated his desire to coach Barcelona in the future but suggests he will not return until a different board brings a new sense of direction to the club.

Hernandez is in charge of Al-Sadd in Qatar and turned down an approach in January after Barca sacked Ernesto Valverde, which led to the surprise appointment of Quique Setien. 

In an interview with Spanish newspaper La Vanguardia published on Sunday, Xavi said Neymar would be a “spectacular signing”, and singled out former Spain defender Carles Puyol and the one-time Dutch winger Jordi Cruyff as people he would like to work with. 

Yet the relationship between Barcelona’s board, led by president Josep Maria Bartomeu, and the players has remained tense, with Lionel Messi’s public criticism of technical secretary Eric Abidal among a number of off-field controversies. 

“I am clear that I want to return to Barca, I am very excited,” said Xavi, who was asked if a change of board would be needed for it to happen. “Obviously I would like to be in tune with everyone,” he said. “In the dressing room there can’t be a negative or toxic atmosphere.” 

“Everything has to fit,” Xavi added. “I would like to come in with people from my environment that could form a good team.” 

Pushed on whether working with the current board would be a deal-breaker, Xavi said: “It wouldn’t be definitive but I insist I would like to have total harmony. I don’t know if that can happen… I have nothing against anyone and I don’t have a bad relationship with Bartomeu.

Xavi mentioned the likes of Puyol, whom he played with under Pep Guardiola, and Cruyff, son of Johan and former Barca and Manchester United winger, as the kind of people he would like to work alongside. 

“I would like to work with people in whom I have confidence, with whom there is loyalty,” said Xavi. “We are talking about Carles Puyol, who was captain of Barca, and Jordi Cruyff, a very good businessman with a lot of experience as a technical secretary.”

He also said Neymar, whom the Catalans tried and failed to sign from Paris Saint-Germain last summer, would be a “spectacular signing”. 

“Most of the squad seems extraordinary,” Xavi said. “The base is very good. I would sign forwards, like Neymar. I don’t know if he would fit in a social sense but in football terms I have no doubt he would be a spectacular signing.” 

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South African Premiership finish date ‘unrealistic’, warns doctor

Johannesburg (AFP) – Former South Africa national team doctor Ntlopi Mogoru says it is “unrealistic” to expect the country’s Premiership to finish by the end of June as the coronavirus pandemic continues to spread.

League spokesperson Mato Madlala had said that if a three-week national lockdown that began two days ago stems the diffusion of the deadly COVID-19 disease, the season can finish by June 30.

But Mogoru disagrees, saying the bodies of the Premiership footballers are going to “shut down” during the lockdown, which forbids people to leave home except for essential shopping.

“They must extend it (the end of the season) until at least the end of July because players will be extremely unfit when they return to training,” he told the Business Day newspaper.

“Gyms will be closed during the lockdown and some of the players do not have adequate training equipment at home.

“Training at home is not the same as working every day with a dedicated fitness trainer. Some of them are going to eat junk (food), consume too much sugar and drink alcohol.”

Clubs have between six and nine league matches left to play this season, with a title race led by Kaizer Chiefs and the struggle to avoid relegation wide open.

The 16 clubs in the Premiership, which is sponsored by a leading South African bank, receive a two million rand ($115,000/100,000 euro) monthly grant thanks to TV rights and advertising.

Winning the league makes a club 15 million rand richer and the three knockout competitions offer first prizes of eight, seven and four million respectively.

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Spurs star Son returns to South Korea for ‘personal reasons’

London (AFP) – Tottenham forward Son Heung-min has been allowed to fly home to South Korea for “personal reasons”.

Although Britain is on lockdown due to the coronavirus, the Premier League club on Sunday said Son has been given permission to return to Asia.

The 27-year-old has been recovering after suffering a fractured arm during Tottenham’s win at Aston Villa on February 16.

It was reported Son and his parents arrived in Seoul on Sunday and will spend two weeks in quarantine in line with South Korean government guidelines.

Son had already spent two weeks in self-isolation in Britain after returning from South Korea at the end of February, having travelled home for surgery.

He will take part in Tottenham’s remote training programme, which is set to begin via video call on Monday.

Son was not expected to return from injury this season, but the pandemic has postponed English football until at least April 30.

Meanwhile, Son’s Tottenham team-mate Steven Bergwijn has travelled to the Netherlands ahead of the impending birth of his child.

“The club has given permission for both Heung-Min Son and Steven Bergwijn to return to their home countries,” a statement on Tottenham’s website said.

“Both players will continue their individual rehabilitation and training programmes during their time away.”

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Juventus players agree to take pay reduction in 90-million-euro cost cut

Milan (AFP) – Juventus on Saturday announced that they had cut their players’ and coach Maurizio Sarri’s salaries after all Italian sport was suspended until at least April 3 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

“The economic and financial effects of the understanding reached are positive for about 90 million euros ($100.5 million) for the 2019/2020 financial year,” said a club statement.

Over 10,000 people have died from COVID-19 in Italy, more than in any other nation.

Italian champions Juventus, who led second-placed Lazio by a point in Serie A before the suspension of the season, said they had agreed a “reduction” for pay from March until June.

Juve added that should the season be finished later in the year, the players could be paid extra in those months.

“Juventus would like to thank the players and the coach for their commitment at a difficult time for everyone,” the Turin giants said.

Players at other big European clubs have also agreed to take pay cuts, including Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund in Germany.

Juventus’ highly-paid stars include five-time Ballon d’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo and Wales midfielder Aaron Ramsey, who joined from Arsenal on a free transfer last year.

Earlier this week, Italian sports minister Vincenzo Spadafora said he was “very, very doubtful” that Serie A action would return as previously hoped in early May.

from World Soccer Talk https://ift.tt/3aoQ8sM