France and Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema has been found guilty of conspiring to blackmail a fellow French footballer with a sex tape. A judge handed Benzema a one-year suspended jail term and ordered him to pay a €75,000 (£63,000; $84,000) fine. Benzema, 33, was one of five people put on trial last month over an attempt to extort Frenchman Mathieu Valbuena. The scandal has stunned the football community in France and both players lost their national team places. The case dates back to June 2015, when the two footballers were at a French training camp. At the camp, Benzema … Continue reading French footballer Karim Benzema guilty in sex tape blackmail case

There was a clear pattern of match manipulation during South Africa’s 2022 World Cup qualifier against Ghana, according to South African Football Association (Safa) president Danny Jordaan. Ghana beat Bafana Bafana 1-0 on Sunday in the crucial qualifier – a result which saw the Black Stars advance to Africa’s play-offs for the tournament at the expense of the South Africans on goals scored. Safa lodged a complaint with FIFA about the match and the world governing body, in a letter dated 17 November, said the protest will be submitted to a member of its disciplinary committee on 23 November for consideration. South … Continue reading South Africa claim betting spike during Ghana World Cup qualifying game

Norwich City have confirmed Dean Smith as the club’s new head coach on a two-and-a-half year deal. The former Aston Villa boss, 50, succeeds Daniel Farke, who was sacked with the Canaries bottom of the Premier League, five points adrift of safety and with just one win this season. Craig Shakespeare, who worked with Smith at Villa Park, will join him as his assistant at Carrow Road. Smith’s first game in charge will be at home to Southampton on 20 November. He will make history as the first man to take charge of successive Premier League matches against the same … Continue reading Dean Smith named new Norwich City manager

FC Barcelona wonderkid Ansu Fati has signed a new long-term contract which includes a €1billion release clause, the La Liga club have confirmed.Ansu Fati The 18-year-old’s deal will now run until 2027 with a press conference to be held later this week. Fati joined Barcelona in 2012, progressing through the youth academy before making is first-team debut in 2019 at the age of 16. A club statement read: “FC Barcelona and the player Ansu Fati have reached an agreement to renew his contract until 30 June 2027. The buy out clause is set at 1 billion euros. “The formalising of the new … Continue reading Future Messi: Fati signs new six-year Barcelona deal with €1bn release clause

Uefa has ended its legal fight against Barcelona, Juventus and Real Madrid over their involvement in the proposed European Super League. The clubs were among the 12 “founding” members of the breakaway league, which later collapsed. The trio, who have refused to renounce the project, were being investigated for “a potential violation” of Uefa’s legal framework. Uefa says it is now “as if the proceedings had never been opened”. “The Uefa Appeals Body has declared today the proceedings null and void,” a statement read. The moves comes after a court in Madrid ruled that Uefa should not punish the three … Continue reading #GreedCalling: Uefa ends legal fight against Barcelona, Juventus & Real Madrid over ESL

Cristiano Ronaldo is set to become the highest-paid player in Premier League history, following his shock return to Manchester United in the summer transfer window.Cristiano Ronaldo The 36-year-old seemed nailed on to join rivals Manchester City after announcing his intention to leave Juventus, but the Red Devils hijacked the deal at the last second to bring the former fan favourite back to Old Trafford. In doing so, Ronaldo will now become the highest earner the Premier League has ever seen, reports The Telegraph. The forward will earn in excess of former Red Devil Alexis Sanchez’s £560,000-a-week contract, when taking into account bonuses … Continue reading Cristiano Ronaldo to become highest earner in Premier League history

Paris Saint-Germain are prepared to accept Real Madrid’s €180m bid for wantaway forward Kylian Mbappe.Kylian Mbappe Mbappe has made it clear to those in charge at PSG that he is prepared to leave for free when his contract expires next summer, and with the transfer window closing, they are now open to the idea of selling the 22-year-old. As confirmed by 90mins, Real first failed with a €160m but quickly returned with a second offer which met the €180m asking price of PSG director Leonardo, who urged those in charge at the Parc des Princes to accept it and move on … Continue reading PSG to accept Real Madrid’s €180m bid for Kylian Mbappe

English Premier League clubs will not release players for international matches played in so-called “red-list” countries next month. The League announced on Tuesday a blanket for the September fixtures, amid frustration that players who travelled to red-list countries would have to follow coronavirus quarantine regulations upon their return, ruling them out of several of their club’s matches. The Egyptian Football Association had said on Monday that Liverpool would not release Mohamed Salah for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Angola and Gabon due to the quarantine rules. It was also reported that Liverpool would refuse to release Fabinho, Roberto Firmino … Continue reading What impudence: Premier League won’t release players for red-list internationals

Authorities have ordered a four-match stand closure and arrested a man after ugly scenes caused Nice’s Ligue 1 game with Marseille to be abandoned. The Alpes-Maritimes department said the Popular South stand of Nice’s Allianz Riviera stadium would be closed after the brawl between fans and players. A 28-year-old man was taken into custody for his part in Sunday’s melee. Marseille’s Dimitri Payet was hit by a bottle and threw it back into the crowd, causing fans to storm the pitch. Nice’s players returned to the pitch after a delay, but Marseille’s did not. The game was abandoned as a result … Continue reading Update: Four-match stand closure ordered and man arrested after Ligue 1 brawl

A tissue Lionel Messi allegedly used during his farewell press conference with Barcelona is being auctioned off for a large amount of money. Lionel Messi The tissue was listed on the international e-commerce platform Meikeduo for $1 million, according to TMZ Sports. The seller claims the price is so high because the tissue contains Messi’s “genetic material,” which could be used to clone him.  Messi left Barcelona earlier this month due to financial complications at the club. Barca president Joan Laporta recently revealed the LaLiga giants are €1.35 billion in debt. He blamed the issue on former president Josep Maria Bartomeu, who stepped down last … Continue reading What?: Lionel Messi’s used tissue from Barcelona farewell press conference listed for $1 million

When Lionel Messi won an unprecedented sixth Ballon d’Or in December last year, the speculation had already begun over his career at Barcelona after he sought to trigger an exit clause and leave as a free agent.Lionel Messi The 34-year-old Argentine footballing genius has countless times over 17 years with the Catalan club been able to propel the side to glory. But the club has been imploding off the pitch amid a soaring debt mountain. Now there are fears for the future on the pitch after the club said Thursday that agreement on a new deal could not be reached … Continue reading The long goodbye: Barca say adios to Messi, the boy who signed on a napkin