Darlin' You've Got To Let Me Know ...

Rafa Benitez, manager of yer actual Keith Telly Topping's beloved (though, tragically, still unsellable) Newcastle United will reportedly 'contact the Football Association to seek an explanation as to why he has been treated differently to Pep Guardiola.' Benitez was - disgracefully - fined sixty grand by the FA for breaking their rules which prevent a manager talking about a referee before a game in October. Responding to comments made by Wilfried Zaha the previous weekend, before Newcastle travelled to Selhurst Park to play Crystal Palace, Benitez merely said that he 'had confidence' in referee Andre Marriner. And, that cost him mucho wonga. The FA ruled the comments 'amounted to improper conduct and/or bringing the game into disrepute.' Which they didn't or anything even remotely like it. However, when Guardiola said that referee Anthony Taylor 'did not want to make mistakes' ahead of Sheikh Yer Man City's derby with The Scum last month, he was merely warned by the FA. Because, obviously, Sheikh Yer Man City can do and say whatever the Hell they like and no one in British, European or World football is going to do a damn thing to stop them. Because they're rich, obviously. 'He is going to try to do the best job like we try as managers and football players,' Guardiola added. Privately, the Torygraph claims, Benitez 'is seething about the apparent double standards,' but 'suspects his complaint will be ignored, even though he believes it is a case of one rule for managers at some clubs, and another for those at the top.' The Torygraph claims that the FA felt Guardiola's comments about Taylor were 'neutral' - whatever the Hell that means - and, as it was his first indiscretion, felt a warning 'was appropriate.' Benitez had been fined before for the same breach of the rules and his comments about Marriner also included the sentence: 'He has a lot of experience, even if his record with our players is not that great in terms of red cards. 'That was deemed to be trying to influence the referee's decision-making, even though Benitez argued = with some justification - that Zaha had done exactly the same thing when he said it would take him getting his 'leg broken' for an opponent to be shown a red card after a game against Huddersfield Town. Meanwhile, the Sun has claimed an 'exclusive' in a story that Benitez 'is a shock target for mega rich Chinese club Guangzhou Evergrande.' They go on to claim that 'pals' of Benitez (tabloiese for 'acquaintances' only with less syllables so that the brain-dribbling morons who read the Sun can understand the word) 'have revealed he has been contacted by middle men from China as they plan for their next campaign.' Evergrande have recently lost their title under Italian Fabio Cannavaro and are ready to change coach, with Benitez claimed to be their first choice. 'The deal could be worth up to ten million pound-a-year, with compensation to Newcastle not thought to be a problem. Benitez is discussing the issue with his family and friends.' Interestingly, this story appeared on the same day as the Sunday Mirra published what they claimed as an 'exclusive', stating 'Rafa Benitez insists he is not thinking of managing any other club next season.' So, dear blog reader, either the Sun are talking risible crap, or the Mirra are. Place your money here and, remember, when the fun stops, stop.

Several Championship clubs are reported to be 'gravely concerned' by the EFL board's announcement it has approved a new domestic broadcasting rights deal. Club officials met on Tuesday to discuss the five hundred and ninety five million quid five-year agreement that has been signed with Sky Sports. They claim that the deal has been done without them being fully consulted. 'Nineteen clubs from the league wrote to the EFL asking them not to sign the deal and to engage in meaningful discussions,' said a statement from 'several unnamed clubs,' which added that they felt they had been ignored. 'Championship clubs are gravely concerned that the EFL board has announced it has approved a new long-term domestic broadcasting rights deal,' it said. 'Our issues are not with Sky, who we respect and value, but with the way in which the proposed agreement has been negotiated and explained to clubs. We remain convinced that any solution to the broadcasting of EFL competitions can only be on the basis of protecting attendances and securing the financial position of all our seventy two clubs. There is a calm determination within Championship clubs to ensure the matter is not left here.' The deal, which runs from the start of next season until May 2024, represents a thirty five per cent increase on the previous contract. Before the clubs' statement, EFL interim chair Debbie Jevans had said she would ;review' how the league discusses future deals. 'Concluding these negotiations has indeed been challenging, as is the case when managing a diverse group of stakeholders, and the board took on board the comments and frustrations voiced by a number of clubs and has committed to reviewing the way the league engages with its clubs to ensure that we move forward in a collaborative way in the future,' she said. BBC Sport claims to understand that Derby County, Dirty Leeds and Aston Villains are among the clubs opposed to the new contract. 'The deal we have entered into with Sky, after fully testing the current market through our external advisers, allows our clubs the benefit of financial security which was an absolute priority for us throughout this process,' said EFL chief executive Shaun Harvey. 'It is a partnership that, as well as having the necessary financial benefits, provides the EFL with the platform to maximise reach and exposure for its competitions, alongside providing further opportunities for clubs to monetise some of those games not broadcast on television.'

Romanian referee Ovidiu Hategan was consoled by Liverpool Alabama Yee-Haws defender Virgil Van Dijk after the Netherlands' two-two draw with Germany on Monday. It is understood that the thirty eigh-year-old official had discovered his mother had died during the build-up to the match. Van Dijk embraced the emotional Hategan at the final whistle. 'That man broke down, stood with tears in his eyes because he had just lost his mother,' Van Dijk said. 'I wished him strength and said he had refereed well. It's a small thing, but I hope it helped him.' Hategan recently took charge of Barcelona's Champions League victory over Inter Milan. He also refereed the second leg of The Scum's Europa League semi-final win over Celta Vigo in 2017. Van Dijk's intervention came just minutes after his injury-time equaliser ensured the Dutch reached the semi-finals of the Nations League. Goals from Timo Werner and Leroy Sane had put already relegated Germany ahead. But the Dutch implemented a tactical switch - which manager Ronald Koeman was originally unaware of - with Quincy Promes' eighty fifth-minute goal initiating their revival. The Dutch boss passed on handwritten directions, penned by his back-up team, to full-back Kenny Tete, which prompted Van Dijk to press forward. 'I got a note from [assistants] Dwight Lodeweges and Kees van Wonderen,' Koeman said. 'When we were two-nil down they asked me if we should change things around and I said "yes." Next thing I knew I had the note. So I gave it to Kenny. And, in the end it's fantastic that the equaliser came from the guy who was told on the note to push up front.'

Financial fair play needs to be more 'robust' and the rules are 'weak' in certain areas, UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin has told BBC Sport. FFP 'break-even' rules require clubs to balance spending with their revenue. German news magazine Der Spiegel has claimed Sheikh Yer Man City and Paris St-Germain overvalued sponsorship deals to help meet the rules. UEFA claimed that it would reopen FFP inquiries 'on a case-by-case basis' if there was evidence of 'abuse.' One or two people even believed them. City have claimed they would not comment on Der Spiegel's claims, apart from to describe them as an 'organised and clear' attempt to damage their reputation. PSG said it 'has always acted in full compliance with the laws and regulations enacted by sports institutions' and it 'denies the allegations.' Ceferin said: 'I don't want to speak about Man City or PSG but for any club the rules have to be strong and clear. We will act by the book, by the regulations. We know that we have to modernise. We know we have to check the rules and regulations all the time. We know that the situation in the football market is changing all the time. So that's also part of our thinking for the future - do we have to do something about the regulations to be more robust? Yes.' Asked if UEFA could use sporting sanctions against clubs that break FFP rules, such as barring them from the Champions League, Ceferin added: 'There are many things we are talking about - also sporting sanctions and everything else. It's the start of the debate. It's a bit premature to speak about it but we acknowledge the rules might be weak in certain points. Also laws in certain countries are changing all the time [and] adopting to modern times.' In its reporting based on leaked documents, Der Spiegel also said the clubs negotiated with FIFA president Gianni Infantino, who was then general secretary of UEFA, to agree reduced punishments on FFP breaches. UEFA found City had breached FFP rules in 2014 and the two parties 'reached a settlement,' with City paying a forty nine million knicker fine - thirty two million of which was suspended - while their Champions League squad was reduced for 2014-15. 'Our independent bodies will check it,' said Ceferin. 'I know they will. But we also know we have to keep our credibility. Nobody cares if it happened four years ago when the leadership was different - it is about the organisation.'

Ten-man Blunderland came from two goals down to extend their unbeaten run to thirteen games with a two-two draw at Walsall - despite Max Power's third red card of the season. Power was sent off for a reckless challenge on Liam Kinsella after twenty two minutes but Aiden McGeady and Lynden Gooch rescued a point after Josh Gordon and Josh Ginnelly had put Walsall in control. Guy Incognito and Joey Jo-Jo Junior Shabadoo managed to stay on the pitch despite Power's dismissal.

An attack on the Boca Juniors team bus by River Plate supporters has led to kick-off in the final of the Copa Libertadores being delayed. According to reports in Argentina, Boca players suffered cuts from the glass from broken windows and were also affected by the tear gas used by police. The incident occurred as the team made its way to River Plate's Monumental stadium in Buenos Aires. Three years ago, a Copa Libertadores game between River and Boca Juniors was abandoned at half-time after Boca fans attacked the River players with pepper spray in the tunnel. Boca were kicked out of the competition, while River were given a bye into the quarter-finals.

Mick McCarthy will be unveiled as Republic of Ireland boss on Sunday but he will be replaced by Stephen Kenny after the Euro 2020 finals. McCarthy has signed a two-year deal while Dundalk manager Kenny will take charge of the Republic's under twenty one side before moving up to the senior post. It was expected that McCarthy would succeed Martin O'Neill and start a second spell as Republic boss. Thus proving how desperate Ireland are at the moment, given McCarthy's woeful record in club management. The fifty nine-year-old, who stood down as boss of Ipswich Town in April, led the Republic to the last sixteen of the 2002 World Cup. He famously had a pre-tournament row with Roy Keane at a training camp in Saipan, which resulted in the Irish skipper leaving the squad in a geet stroppy huff. McCarthy quit later that year after the Republic made a poor start to the qualifying campaign for Euro 2004. Since then he has been in charge of Blunderland, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Ipswich. And is regarded by fans of all three as a talentless clown.

A group of MPs have been reprimanded for playing football in the chamber of the House of Commons. Hannah Bardell posted a video on social media of herself playing 'keepy-uppy' in the parliament after the sitting was adjourned on Tuesday evening. The SNP MP also posed for photographs in the Commons with other MPs including the former sports minister Tracey Crouch. Speaker John Bercow said that the 'historic chamber should not be used for this type of activity.' However, he said that several members involved had apologised and that there were 'no hard feelings.' Bardell and Crouch, a Conservative MP, had been due to play for the UK Women's Parliamentary Football Club on Tuesday, but the match was cancelled amid concerns that it would clash with votes in the Commons. The MPs later took photographs in the chamber wearing their football tops, with Bardell filmed playing keepy-uppy between the green benches. In a statement to the Commons on Wednesday, Bercow said: 'It has been brought to my attention that some football skills were displayed in the chamber yesterday evening after the House rose. I am informed that the doorkeepers on duty told the members concerned that the chamber was not the place for this activity, however, those doorkeepers were advised that permission had been given. Let me assure the House that that permission certainly did not come from me.' Bercow said that he had received 'gracious, indeed fulsome' letters of apology from Crouch and Labour MPs Stephanie Peacock and Louise Haigh. Another Labour MP, Alison McGovern, was also pictured wearing her football top in the chamber. He added: 'I think I can speak for us all when I say that our historic chamber should not be used for this type of activity and I gently remind colleagues if they are seeking to use the chamber outside of sitting hours beyond for the purpose of simply showing it to guests, frankly they should write to me asking for their request to be considered. I have said what I have said, there are no hard feelings and I consider the matter to be closed.'

A Good Hard Taste Of The Kane

England staged a superb late comeback to beat Croatia at Wembley to reach the finals of the inaugural UEFA Nations League. Croatia, England's World Cup semi-final conquerors in Moscow in July, looked set to inflict another defeat and relegate Gareth Southgate's side from the elite group when Andrej Kramaric's twisting finish put them ahead via a deflection off Eric Dier after fifty seven minutes. England needed two goals to win the group and reach the semi-final and final stages in Portugal next June and at least inflict a small measure of revenge on Croatia for that World Cup disappointment. And, they responded brilliantly to get the win their performance deserved and secure qualification for the next stage of the tournament as substitute Jesse Lingard scored from almost on the line with twelve minutes left. Seven minutes later the Three Lions were still facing relegation, when Harry Kane slid in Ben Chilwell's free-kick to send England through to the semi-finals at the expense of Spain and relegate Croatia. Gareth Southgate will have feared an old flaw was returning to haunt his side when Kramaric put Croatia ahead just before the hour after seemingly taking an age to twist and turn before beating Jordan Pickford via a deflection. It was rather cruel on England and punishment for failing, as they did in Moscow, to make the most of vast first-half superiority as they created a series of chances but contrived to miss them, with Kane and Raheem Sterling the chief culprits. England could have been forgiven for believing the fates were against them as they trailed to their League A Group Four opponents, who have become something of a bogey side over the years. Instead, they responded with courage and character as the clock ticked down to rescue a place in Portugal. Southgate can take his share of the credit for two attacking substitutions, sending on Lingard and Jadon Sancho with England's backs against the wall, the reward coming in the shape of that decisive late rally.

The Netherlands deservedly beat France in the Nations League to end the world champions' fifteen-game unbeaten run and, as a bonus, to relegate Germany to Europe's second tier. Liverpool Alabama Yee-Haws midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum struck from close range after Hugo Lloris parried a Ryan Babel shot. Lloris made a host of top saves to stop a thrashing - but Memphis Depay's dinked penalty in injury time made sure of the win. A Dutch draw in Germany on Monday would see them win the group. That would take Ronald Koeman's side into next June's Nations League finals - at the expense of France, who had only needed a point in Rotterdam to seal top spot. The winners of each group are also guaranteed a Euro 2020 play-off place if they fail to progress from qualification next year. France can still win the group if the Germans, who will be in the Nations League second tier in 2020, beat the Dutch. Elsewhere, Gibraltar's Euro 2020 dream is almost certainly over after a six-two hammering by Armenia. The minnows led through teenager Tjay de Barr but Yura Movsisyan scored four times for the visitors. Macedonia remain top of that group - and are ninety minutes away from the play-offs - thanks to a two-nil win in Liechstenstein. Wales' promotion bid is over after a two-one defeat by Denmark - who win the group and a place in the 2020 top flight. That result relegates the Republic of Ireland. San Marino are the only team in the bottom tier yet to pick up a point, but luckily for them relegation is impossible. Portugal's goalless draw in Italy on Saturday means they are guaranteed a place in the last four, with Poland relegated to the second tier. Belgium will reach the finals if they do not lose against Switzerland, who are three points below them. Ukraine, Bosnia and Denmark have already guaranteed promotion to the top division, while Russia are in pole position to take the other slot.

A referee has been suspended for three weeks for deciding a Women's Super League kick-off with a game of rocks, paper, scissors instead of a coin toss. David McNamara made the error before Sheikh Yer Man City's home game against Reading on 26 October after leaving his coin in the dressing room. The Football Association said that he had 'accepted a charge of "not acting in the best interests of the game."' A coin toss to decide kick-offs is a requirement under the laws of the game. In this case, it involved England and Sheikh Yer Man City skipper Steph Houghton and Reading captain Kirsty Pearce, before the teams shared a one-one draw. FA women's refereeing manager Joanna Stimpson told The Times that the McNamara's mistake was 'a moment of madness.' She added: 'The referee forgot his coin and in that moment, in a TV game, he was really pushed for time. He should have been more prepared, he should have had a coin. It was disappointing, it's not appropriate, it's very unprofessional.' McNamara's ban will last from 26 November to 16 December. An FA spokesperson said: 'The FA can confirm that referee David McNamara has been suspended for twenty one days, starting from Monday 26 November, after accepting a charge of "not acting in the best interests of the game." This follows an incident in the FA WSL match between Manchester City and Reading on Friday 26 October when he failed to determine which team would kick off the match by the toss of a coin, as required by the Laws of the Game.'

Up, Up & Away

Salomon Rondon struck twice as yer actual Keith Telly Topping's beloved (though still tragically unsellable) Magpies recorded consecutive Premier League wins for the first time since April with victory over Bournemouth at St James' Park. Rondon put the home side ahead after just seven minutes following great work by DeAndre Yedlin, who darted in behind the Bournemouth defence to pick out the waiting Venezuelan. The twenty nine-year-old striker then doubled his side's advantage as half-time approached, dropping deep to collect the ball before charging into the penalty area to meet Kenedy's cross with a powerful header. There was a long first-half delay as Adam Smith received treatment for an injury sustained while preparing to take a free-kick and it was deep into stoppage-time that Bournemouth found a route back into the contest as record signing Jefferson Lerma nodded in Ryan Fraser's cross. Cherries goalkeeper Asmir Begovic produced a string of fine saves to keep his side in the contest, while Jordon Ibe missed a good opportunity to equalise for the visitors who fell to back-to back league defeats. After their worst top-flight start for one hundred and twenty years, Newcastle recorded their first Premier League win of the season last weekend with a one-nil triumph over Watford - and it appeared as though a significant weight had been lifted as The Magpies produced an energetic performance against The Cherries. Rafael Benitez's side, who had lost six of their last eight at home, were set up to deny Bournemouth space at St James' and worked tirelessly to press The Cherries and disrupt the rhythm of their visitors. Rondon bullied the Bournemouth defence at times, registering eight shots but also dropping in to create opportunities as Newcastle stormed to victory and climbed to fourteenth in the league table. The Magpies had previously scored more than once in a game on a solitary occasion this season - their three-two defeat at The Scum in October - but would have added to their tally had it not been for the efforts of the alert Begovic. Benitez was without injured trio Jamaal Lascelles, Jonjo Shelvey and Yoshinori Muto, but his side - bottom of the league two weeks ago - dug in to see out another important victory in the battle to avoid relegation. With momentum hopefully building, they will now face Burnley in a key game following the international break in a fortnight's time. So, it's nice to see a smile back of Rafa The Gaffer's boat after a jolly frustrating couple of months. How long that will last, of course, is another matter entirely.

Players involved in any proposed European Super League would be banned from playing international football, including the World Cup, says FIFA president Gianni Infantino. German publication Der Spiegel has claimed that several 'top' European clubs held 'secret talks' with a view to creating a such a set-up by 2021. So that they can all make loads of wonga and get their greed right on. So, no change there, then. The magazine claimed that 'leaked documents' had revealed clubs' plans to leave their own national leagues and associations. Infantino said that it was FIFA's 'duty' to 'protect football.' Which it is, although normally in the past FIFA's duty has, also, been to get their greed right on and make as much wonga as they can. He also claimed that FIFA's own plans for a Club World Cup was 'the answer to any attempt to break away from the leagues' because it would 'generate much more revenues for the clubs but also much more revenues for solidarity. We have seen for many years these attempts to break away outside of the structures, going back to the 1990s,' he added. 'You are either in or you are out. If there are players who don't play organised football then that encompasses everything - national leagues, confederation competitions, the Euros and the World Cup. It is up to us to protect football and come up with solutions that benefit clubs and also the world football community.' Der Spiegel also claimed that the documents it obtained showed Sheikh Yer Man City and Paris St-Germain overvalued sponsorship deals to help meet UEFA's Financial Fair Play rules. It alleged that in 2014 the clubs negotiated with Infantino, who was then General Secretary of UEFA, to 'agree reduced punishments.' Der Spiegel also reports that City owner, Sheikh Mansour, 'provided monetary supplements' to 'existing deals with sponsors' in Abu Dhabi, where he is part of the royal family, to invest more money into the club. La Liga president Javier Tebas made a similar claim last year, with UEFA responding by saying it was 'not investigating' City, who have won the Premier League three times since Sheikh Mansour took over in 2008. UEFA found City had breached FFP rules in 2014 and the two parties reached a settlement, with City paying a forty nine million knicker fine - thirty two million quid of which was suspended - while their Champions League squad was reduced for 2014-15. Der Spiegel calls the settlements 'weak' and claims UEFA 'wasn't even entirely aware of the degree to which it had been deceived.' City have said they will not be commenting on the claims. Addressing the claims, Infantino said: 'We were doing our job and saved the system and we saved European club football. We worked with the information we had at the time. If new information has come out, I'm sure UEFA will look at it.' Meanwhile, Infantino said that the chances of expanding the 2022 World Cup in Qatar to forty eight teams is 'certainly small' but 'discussions' to do so will continue. 'I was positive about it from the beginning because I think if we can increase the number of teams it is good for football,' he claimed. 'That is why we are going to do it for the 2026 World Cup. Can we do it for 2022? It is a difficult challenge.' A final decision on the issue will be made at the next FIFA council meeting in Miami in March and Infantino suggested Qatar could share the tournament with its neighbouring countries. However, that could be difficult considering Qatar is currently involved in a reet stroppy tiff with Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. 'We are in discussions with Qatar,' said Infantino. 'It will be a very, very difficult challenge to do it only in Qatar. So personally, as president of FIFA, I would be very happy if some matches could be shared with some countries in the region.' He added: 'In the light of current circumstances in the region I would be even happier if it could happen. Football unites, builds bridges, that could be a concrete result. What are the chances? Certainly small but what is wrong in discussing it?'

Imagine scoring your first professional goal in the biggest club fixture in your homeland. Now imagine doing it aged fourteen. For Fernando Ovelar, that unlikely dream became a reality on a Sunday. Ovelar, who is two months short of his fifteenth birthday, scored the opening goal for Paraguayan top-flight team Cerro Porteno in their Superclasico against arch-rivals Olimpia. It came a week after he made his senior debut. Nestor Camacho, who scored Olimpia's equaliser in the two-two draw, is thirty one - more than double Ovelar's age. The game ended in dramatic fashion - Marcos Acosta putting Cerro in the lead with a ninety fifth-minute penalty and Jorge Ortega equalising with a penalty of his own in the one hundred and third minute after both teams had a player sent-off. Ovelar is the youngest player to have featured in Paraguay's top division - but not the first fourteen-year-old to score in professional football. American Freddy Adu - once described as 'the next Pele' - was also fourteen when he scored his first goal for Major League Soccer side DC United. Mauricio Baldivieso, who played in Bolivia's top division shortly before his thirteenth birthday, is thought to be the youngest player to ever play professional football.

Thierry Henry claimed that it was fate. It certainly sounded like a fairytale - the forty one-year-old was heading back to where he started out as a player, to rescue a club in crisis. Monaco announced his return on social media by posting an archive picture of their former teenage striker, his trademark grin beaming out beneath a long since discarded fluffy moustache. A quarter of a century had passed and the years had been kind to him. A mercurial player, an eloquent pundit, the smart money was on Henry enjoying more success from the dugout. Albeit, he still frequently has that look on his face which suggests that he's just smelled shit nearby. No-one expected it to be easy, of course. When replacing Leonardo Jardim on 13 October he inherited a team that had won just once in ten games. But, surely almost nobody would have thought things would turn quite this sour, quite so quickly. Speaking on Radio 5Live's Football Daily, French journalist Julien Laurens and BBC Sport columnist Guillem Balague discussed the crisis facing former Arsenal striker Henry in his first job in management. 'It's just a mess, chaos. I do feel for Thierry because I don't think he realised how bad everything was already,' Laurens said. 'And, I'm not sure he has the tools to rescue a team that has won just one game all season, back on 11 August. I think he could be a good manager but right now, in a situation of crisis, I am struggling to see how he can do better, because the team is destroyed. It looked like a fairytale but it's turning in to an absolute nightmare.' Under Henry, Monaco have lost two and drawn three in all competitions. They are second bottom in Ligue 1 and next up are champions Paris St-Germain, who have won twelve from twelve. For PSG, Kylian Mbappe has scored eleven in his eight games and is building an irresistible partnership with the world's most expensive player, Neymar. Meanwhile, on Tuesday, his former club Monaco were beaten four-nil at home by Club Brugge as they crashed out of the Champions League with their heaviest defeat in the competition. Two years ago Mbappe had fired them to the semi-finals. 'Henry has said maybe it's even better to be out of all European competition so they can focus on the essential, which is staying up,' Laurens added. 'Because right now they look like one of the worst teams in the French league. Tactically Henry seems lost, he keeps tweaking the formation and the players, putting more and more young players on the pitch, who are not suited for this situation. And if they need new players in January, who would want to go to a club that is second bottom in the table? One of the question marks we had was how will he deal with problems with adversity, and right now it looks like he is struggling. You wonder if he is still in the mode of being a player and not a manager.' Speaking after Tuesday's defeat, Henry himself said: 'Right now I'm telling myself the worst is possible.' He may well have been right to do so. Defeat by Brugge was a result that left his team without a win in fifteen games, defender Kamil Glik's injury had added to an already long list of absent senior players, but still there was worse to come. Because the crisis at Monaco looks to be running even deeper off the pitch. On Monday, the club moved to deny allegations they had cheated Financial Fair Play rules, following claims made in Der Spiegel's reporting of leaked documents it says that it 'acquired from whistleblowers.' On Wednesday, the German news magazine also alleged Monaco's owner Dmitry Rybolovlev, a Russian billionaire, personally profited one hundred and twenty four million Euros from the one hundred and eighty million Euro sale of Mbappe to PSG - which the club also denied. Later that day, Rybolovlev was placed under investigation by Monaco police on separate allegations, relating to a major fraud case. 'You need different types of coaches in these situations,' Balague said. 'Someone who perhaps has lived through a crisis at a different club and knows how to hold on to what is important here. But also a really important point is that the board should be helping too. The first thing they have to do is change the targets for Henry, change the expectations for the season ahead. Someone should come out and say: "Okay let's just try to save the season, and then let's rebuild." If they do go down this season - and let's not forget they were relegated as recently as 2011 - it will be very hard for Henry to overcome that damage to his reputation as a winner.'

Former Stottingtot Hotshots striker Roberto Soldado was one of five players suspended following the brawl in last week's Galatasaray versus Fenerbahce match. Members of both teams exchanged blows with kids gettin' sparked and aal sorts after Friday's two-two Super League draw. Soldado, who joined Fenerbahce from Villarreal in 2017, was one of three players sent-off and the Spaniard was banned for six matches. Fenerbahce's Jailson Siqueira received an eight-match ban and Galatasaray's Badou Ndiaye, five matches. Galatasaray boss Faith Terim was given a seven-match ban for insulting the referee and for comments he made in the post-match news conference. Assistant Hasan Sas was banned for eight matches for attacking members of the opposition. Galatasaray midfielders Garry Mendes Rodrigues and Ryan Donk were banned for three and six games respectively for 'unsportsmanlike conduct.' Both teams were also fined.

Yer actual Keith Telly Topping's beloved (though unsellable) Newcastle winger Matt Ritchie has become the latest Scotland player to ask to be excluded from international duty 'for the forseeable future.' Ritchie, who has started Newcastle's last seven games, turned down a request to be in the squad for Nations League games against Albania and Israel. 'I wanted Matt to come in, but he has asked to be left out at the moment,' said head coach Alex McLeish. He added Ritchie's reasons were 'private' but 'he has not retired. It is not something for me to discuss,' McLeish said. 'He had injury issues as well and, again, there is management of his injuries. You don't know everyone's private life so you have to respect that.' McLeish is already without Crystal Palace midfielder James McArthur, who recently retired from Scotland duty to focus on his club career, while Robert Snodgrass, who has been involved in all West Hamsters United's games this season, is also missing from the latest squad. 'He's managing a kind of ankle knock that is ongoing,' McLeish explained. 'It made him miss the last games [against Israel and Portugal] too. So again, it's just something out of our control.' McLeish also has to contend with a growing injury list, with strikers Steven Naismith and Leigh Griffiths and Hearts centre-back John Souttar, all sidelined, while Blackburn Vindaloos defender Charlie Mulgrew was named in the squad despite struggling with a rib injury.

Illegalities

The expansion of the World Cup from thirty two to forty eight teams could be brought forward from 2026 to 2022, says FIFA president Gianni Infantino. The change would require Qatar to share 2022 hosting duties with other countries in the region. The decision has already been taken to expand the tournament in 2026, when it will be held in the USA, Canada and Mexico and Infantino is now considering doing the same for 2022. 'If it is possible, why not?' he said. 'We have to see if it is possible, if it is feasible. We are discussing with our Qatari friends, we are discussing with our many other friends in the region and we hope that this can happen. And, if not, we will have tried. We will have tried because we always have to try to do things in a better way.' Speaking at the opening of the Asian Football Confederation's new headquarters in Kuala Lumpur, Infantino also reiterated his plans to expand the Club World Cup. He said that he wants to make it 'a real competition' that 'every club in the world can target.' And, of course, generates loads of filthy wonga so that football can continue to get it greed right on. The beautiful game, dear blog reader. Supported by The People, run by greedy bastards.

To further expand on the point, dear blog reader, at least one professional football club is reported to be 'under investigation' for alleged money laundering, security minister Ben Wallace has revealed. Wallace told MPs 'a club or clubs' were 'being looked into' when asked about the issue at a Treasury Select Committee meeting on Tuesday. 'I couldn't reveal how many and what they are, for that is an operational matter,' he added. He said that to reveal more details 'could threaten investigations.' But, he added: 'The sports industry is as susceptible as anything else to dirty money being invested or their organisations being used as a way to launder money.' Wallace was speaking after the Labour MP John Mann asked him: 'When it comes to money laundering, how many professional football clubs have been deemed as requiring investigation currently?' The minister also pointed out 'not enough' had come from football authorities to help tackle the issue. A National Crime Agency spokeswoman said that the body would neither 'confirm or deny the existence of investigations.' Although, unless she was suggesting that Wallace was lying to MPs, then that ship has pretty much already sailed. She added: 'We have not charged any professional football clubs with money laundering and there are none currently in the court process.' A 2009 report by the international Financial Action Task Force said football could be targeted by money launderers because it involves large sums of money crossing international borders. In 2016 police in Portugal, with help from European crime agency Europol, claimed to have broken up a Russian mafia money laundering ring which targeted struggling football clubs. The Operation Matrioskas team said it discovered links to the UK, as well as Austria, Estonia, Germany, Latvia and Moldova.

The former Juventus and Italy footballer Vincenzo Iaquinta has been sentenced to two years in The Big House for firearms offences as part of a large mafia trial. The thirty eight-year-old, who was part of Italy's winning World Cup team in 2006, was one of one hundred and forty eight people standing trial for alleged links to the 'Ndrangheta, a major Southern Italian mafia network. The judge dismissed those charges against him, but his father was found guilty and jailed for nineteen years for various nefarious skulduggery. More than one hundred and twenty others were found very guilty. The court ruled that Iaquinta had illegally passed two guns to his father - who at the time was under a court order banning him from keeping firearms. 'Ridiculous, shame,' Iaquinta and his father shouted as their sentences were announced. Under Italian law, defendants are allowed to appeal twice before a sentence is confirmed and even if that were to happen, it is unlikely that Iaquinta would have to serve any actual jail time, Reuters reports. Because, he's rich, obviously. The trial was the largest of its kind to take place in Italy. The 'Ndrangheta is claimed to have around six thousand members, according to FBI estimates and is active in Calabria one of Italy's poorest regions. The mafia is believed to control up to eighty per cent of Europe's cocaine trade.

Ten Benin youth players and former football federation president Anjorin Moucharafou have been handed prison sentences for age cheating. A Cotonou court found them extremely guilty of lying about their ages, which saw them failing MRI tests in Niger. September's failed tests saw Benin disqualified from last month's regional qualifying tournament in Niger for the 2019 Under-Seventeen Africa Cup of Nations. The players were given six-month prison sentences with five months suspended. Because the players have been held in prison since their return from Niamey in September, they do not face more time behind bars. Moucharafou, who was president of the Benin Football Federation until August, was also found guilty because of his administrative role that led to the failed MRI tests. He was handed a twelve-month prison sentence, including ten months suspended. The national under-seventeen team coach Lafiou Yessoufof and two other officials received similar sentences for their roles in cheating. The new president of the FBF, Mathurin de Chacus, declared in August when he was elected that he wanted to 'put an end to corruption, improvisation and amateurism' in the country's football. He had filed a complaint about the overage players scandal and promised 'very heavy' sanctions.

Riot police had to protect referee Andres Cunha as River Plate beat Gremio with a late penalty in an incredible Copa Libertadores semi-final. Gonzalo Martinez scored the spot-kick, given via the video assistant referee, in the fifth of fourteen added minutes. Defender Bressan, who conceded the penalty for handball, was sent-off as he remonstrated with Cunha, with play held up as Gremio's players protested. River Plate won the second leg two-one and went through on the away goals rule. The Argentine side, beaten one-nil at home in the first leg, went further behind when Leo Gomes scored for the Brazilian holders after thirty five minutes in Porto Alegre. River Plate were still two goals behind on aggregate with nine minutes of normal time left, but then Rafael Borre scored. Uruguayan Cunha then sparked the penalty drama in the eighty sixth minute and was surrounded by Gremio players, with riot police entering the field to protect him from getting killed during the nine-minute delay which followed before the kick was taken. Victory for River Plate sets up the possibility of an all-Argentine final against Boca Juniors, who play Palmeiras in Sao Paulo on Wednesday, having won the home leg two-nil.

Former The Arse striker Nicklas Bendtner has been sentenced to fifty days in jail in Denmark for assaulting a taxi driver. But the thirty-year-old Rosenborg player has appealed and has been released until a hearing at a higher court. The incident took place in September, with the City Court of Copenhagen shown CCTV footage in which it appeared Bendtner struck the driver in the face. Really hard. The Denmark international admitted hitting the taxi driver but claimed that it was because he 'felt threatened.' Bendtner said the driver threw a bottle or a can towards him and his girlfriend when they left without paying. 'We think that it's not good for the club and not good for Nicklas, but he remains a player in the club. We are keeping him,' said Tove Moe Dyrhaug, the chief executive of Bendtner's Norwegian club, Rosenborg. Bendtner, who played for The Arse between 2005 and 2014, scoring forty five goals in one hundred and seventy one games, missed out on a place in Denmark's squad for the 2018 World Cup because of injury. He had loan spells at Blunderland, Birmingham City and Juventus while at The Arse before making a permanent move to German club Wolfsburg. He moved back to England to join Championship side Nottingham Forest in September 2016 before joining Rosenborg in March 2017.

One of the five people arrested at Wednesday's Edinburgh derby was identified to police by other fans, Hearts owner Ann Budge has revealed. Hibernian manager Neil Lennon was struck by a coin at Tynecastle, Hearts goalkeeper Zdenek Zlamal claims he was punched by a fan, while both assistant referees were also targeted during a period of geet rive-on with kids gettin' sparked and aal sorts. In a joint statement, Hearts and Hibs condemned the 'unsavoury' incidents. The clubs say the culprits will 'face appropriate sanctions.' A twenty five-year-old man has been charged with assault after an assistant referee was attacked, while Police Scotland have confirmed investigations continue into incidents involving Lennon and Zlamal. Hibs chief executive Leeann Dempster said the 'clubs are united' and called on fans to help identify those responsible 'for this kind of unacceptable and potentially dangerous behaviour.' Budge said Hearts will work with their city rivals and Police Scotland to identify those responsible and 'ensure they are banned from attending our two stadiums and are formally charged.' In the statement, she added: 'By working together in this manner, we will succeed in removing the tiny percentage of fans, whose behaviour spoils things for the majority.' Budge also said that the clubs must not 'fall into the trap of condemning the thousands of genuine football fans who do nothing more than passionately support their respective teams.' Dempster said they will 'learn any lessons that we can' and would 'not allow the mindless actions of a few foolish individuals to jeopardise' the enjoyment and safety of other fans. Scottish FA chief executive Ian Maxwell said that he was 'sure no stone will be left unturned' by the two clubs and confirmed that both assistant referees were struck by missiles at Tynecastle. 'We cannot accept that two assistant referees simply carrying out their duties are put in that position,' he added. 'I would like to commend their commitment and professionalism in seeing the game through to its conclusion.'

Yer actual Keith Telly Topping's beloved (though sadly unsellable) Newcastle United skipper Jamaal Lascelles has claimed that the club's loathed owner, Mike Ashley, is 'a nice guy' - one or two people even believed him - and has called for 'togetherness' after signing a lucrative new six-year contract at the club. The twenty four-year-old has led Newcastle since 2016, when he was given the captaincy by manager Rafael Benitez. And, to be fair to the lad, he's done a pretty good job of it. Lascelles and his team-mates had dinner with Ashley last month to 'discuss matters' at St James' Park. 'I think it's important everyone is together,' said Lascelles. 'The meal was really positive, having a sit-down meeting for the first time, hearing [Ashley] speak and seeing what he's like as a man. He's a nice guy.' Newcastle finished an unexpected but impressive tenth in the Premiership last season but were yet to win a league game this term before Saturday's one-nil victory over Watford and are currently seventeenth in the table, with fans regularly protesting against the ownership of Ashley, who has been in charge since 2007 and presided over two relegations and more soap opera-style shenanigans than one can comfortably count. But Lascelles, who has made over one hundred appearances since joining The Magpies from Nottingham Forest in August 2014, says that the club must 'stay united.' Although, if Ashley reckons he could make more money by changing their name to Newcastle Sports Direct, one wouldn't put it past him. 'I know fingers are being pointed at [Ashley], but I think it was a positive meeting and if it could happen more, I don't think it would do any harm. If there are divides, I think it creates problems. If everyone in Newcastle stopped the negativity and tried to form a unity, that would help. It would help if everyone came together and put all that bad energy into positive energy, helping us get three points. That's what everybody wants.'

Leicester City staff, players and fans were in tears as they held a minute's silence for their late owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, before their first match since his death last week in a helicopter crash. Supporters travelling to the game away at Cardiff City on Saturday started the day with a free breakfast and tribute t-shirt provided by the club, which many were seen wearing at the match. Fans unfurled a huge flag tribute to Srivaddhanaprabha, from Thailand, before kick-off and players wore their own t-shirt tributes to the man known affectionately as 'The Boss'. The Premier League match was The Foxes' first since Srivaddhanaprabha and four other people were killed in the crash outside King Power Stadium on 27 October. Manager Claude Puel said that the result in Cardiff was 'not important' but striker Jamie Vardy said the players wanted to play at Cardiff so they could 'honour' Srivaddhanaprabha. In the event, Leicester won the game one-nil thanks to Demarai Gray's fifty fifth minute strike.

The Football Association - a memorably awful bunch of hypocritical gangsters if ever there were some - has reportedly written to a number of non-league clubs warning they will be relegated if they do not make their dressing rooms larger. They currently need to be a minimum of twelve square metres in the seventh and eighth tiers, but that will increase to eighteen square metres by 31 March 2019. As if anyone is actually bothered about such crap. Clubs that fail to complete the work by the end of July will be automatically relegated. Larkhall Athletic of Southern League Division One West called the move 'disgraceful.' And, they're not alone. The FA says that notice of the change was given in 2014 and clubs can apply for up to seventy per cent of the funding for any necessary work. Southern League Premier Division side Frome Town, one of the clubs affected, said: 'Five months to get architect, planning permission, funding and probably try and complete it during the playing season - incredible decision.' Clubs must deliver planning permission, if required, proof of funding and a completed, enforceable contract to both the FA and their league by the end of March and would drop down to the ninth tier if they fail to comply. 'The change was to accommodate increased squad sizes, more medical equipment and an improved environment for players,' the FA claimed. 'This is a mandatory requirement from those leagues and the vast majority have already achieved this.' The Football Stadia Improvement Fund, managed by the Football Foundation, can offer partial funding for improvement work.

Usain Bolt's trial with Australian football club Central Coast Mariners has come to an end. The Jamaican eight-time Olympic sprint champion joined the A-League side for an 'indefinite training period' in August. He scored two goals in his first game for The Mariners in a friendly, but did not play in any first class matches when the season began. Efforts to secure 'a commercial solution' to keep Bolt at the club had failed, The Mariners said on Friday. Last month, The Mariners said that they had made a contract proposal broken down into 'football' and 'commercial' terms. However, it hinged on a contribution from 'a third party.' Despite meetings with 'several promising potential partners' no deal could be reached, the club said. Mariners owner Mike Charlesworth thanked Bolt for his eight-week trial, describing it as a success. 'He integrated very well into the team and made great strides as a footballer,' Charlesworth said. The one and two hundred metre world record holder has described it as his 'dream' to play professional football. 'I would like to thank the Central Coast Mariners owners, management, staff, players and fans for making me feel so welcome during my time there,' he said on Friday. Bolt, who retired from athletics in 2017, has previously trained with Borussia Dortmund, South African club Mamelodi Sundowns and Norway's Stromsgodset.

A football club has appealed for help to discover more about two 'illegal' women's football matches held in 1935. Luton Town's historian found a photo, thought to be one of the events, as he looked through archives for a project. Little is known about the games and the club's Community Trust wants to hear from anyone with information. The Football Association had banned women from playing matches at affiliated clubs from 1921 until 1971, calling the sport 'quite unsuitable for females.' The photo is believed to have been taken in 1935, but it is not dated more precisely. The club believes it could be related to a newspaper cutting, also recently rediscovered, advertising two women's games at its Kenilworth Road ground in April 1935 - the Bazaar Cup Final between Woolworth and Marks & Spencer, and a 'Widows versus Spinsters' match. The club said that it wanted to 'uncover the stories behind these illegal ladies football matches.' Community Engagement Officer Natasha Rolt said: 'We're really hoping members of the public can help shed some light on what we think is a remarkable and fascinating story. We're hoping to find out the experiences of people who went to the game or played in it, about the circumstances of the match and the reaction from supporters and others in the town.' The Luton Town Community Trust has been looking through archives after a ninety nine thousand knicker Heritage Lottery Fund grant to 'deliver a project to local schools that explores the history of the football club.' It will also build 'a comprehensive website' of match reports, programmes and photographs for every competitive game played by The Hatters, alongside player biographies and supporter memories, the club said.

The BBC and Sky have called on the European commission to take 'formal action' against Saudi Arabia over a pirate TV and streaming service which provides UK viewers with illegal access to content including Premier League football, Bodyguard and Game Of Thrones. BeoutQ, which started as a geo-blocked website available only in Saudi Arabia, has rapidly developed into a sophisticated international piracy operation. Set-top boxes are available internationally, including the UK, which also illegally allow streaming access to thousands of premium TV channels. The illegal service has had a surge in popularity after making global headlines for pirate broadcasting the entire World Cup. BeoutQ also provides access to other illegal streaming apps and its feed is now being pirated by other operations. The rapid growth of BeoutQ has prompted Sky, which operates in seven countries in Europe and the BBC to support the calls for the European commission to take action against the service. The broadcasters have sent letters to Anna Malmström, the European commissioner fortrade, outlining their 'concerns' and backing a formal EU protest, or démarche, to the Saudi government about BeoutQ. Which, of course, the Saudi government will ignore because they've got all the oil, they have President Rump in their back pockets because they own all the oil and they can murder their own journalists in full view of the rest of the world and not give a shit what anyone thinks. Again, because they've got all the oil. Sky's letter highlighted 'threats posed to European broadcasters and rights owners by a relatively new, but rapidly growing, source of audiovisual piracy, namely the BeoutQ service.' It added: '[Sky] understands that [the directorate general of trade] is planning imminently to launch a démarche towards the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia authorities regarding the issue. The purpose of this letter is to confirm Sky's full support for that démarche.' The BBC's letter, which also backs EU action, highlights the damage that making its content and channels available via the pirate service will do to its finances. 'The availability of the BBC channels and content via BeoutQ's pirate activity will adversely impact BBC Studios’ ability to license these channels to partners throughout Europe and also the ability of our European partners to sell subscriptions to their television services,' the letter says. A BBC spokesman said: 'The BBC group is committed to combating piracy of its channels and content worldwide and actively work with our media partners in fighting against piracy operating in the terrain which our partners hold exclusive licences.' The BeoutQ service is transmitted internationally on ten channels by the Saudi-headquartered satellite firm Arabsat, which counts the Saudi state as its largest shareholder and also offers streaming. It was set up last year, initially pirating the feed of Qatar's BeIN Media Group, the owner of beIN Sports and The English Patient film studio Miramax. BeIN Media, which has fifty five million pay-TV customers worldwide, has spent billions on the rights content including Premier League, Champions League, World Cup, NBA and NFL. The pirate service was launched when Saudi Arabia mounted an economic boycott of Qatar. This has led to widespread accusations, denied by Saudi Arabia, that it is a media weapon in its wider political dispute designed to weaken Qatar's economy. The UK broadcasters are the latest to turn up the pressure on Saudi Arabia to take action against the service. This month, BeIN Media launched a one billion dollar lawsuit against Saudi Arabia and the Premier League and FIFA have appointed legal counsel in the kingdom to try to prevent the theft of its intellectual property rights.