Europe

10, January 2018

Roberto Mancini open to coaching Italy after FIFA World Cup ⁰

Zenit Saint-Petersburg coach Roberto Mancini said Tuesday he was open to taking over the vacant job as Italy national football coach.

Mancini, 53, is being touted along with Chelsea manager Antonio Conte and former Bayern Munich coach Carlo Ancelotti to take the reins of the demoralized four-time World Cup winners.

Giampiero Ventura was fired as coach last November days after Italy’s shock failure to reach the World Cup final for the first time in 60 years.

Finding Ventura’s successor has been complicated because the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) has to elect a president to replace Carlo Tavecchio, who was also forced to resign.

“Before choosing a new coach it seems to me that we have to choose a new FIGC president,” former Manchester City and Inter Milan boss Mancini told Italian talk show “Tiki Taka”.

“But I absolutely don’t rule out Italy, like the other coaches I think. When you’re a coach you can rule nothing out.”

Former Chelsea, Real Madrid, Juventus and AC Milan boss Ancelotti – a three-time Champions League winner – had been Tavecchio’s choice.

But the 56-year-old, free since his sacking by Bayern Munich last year, has said he would prefer to stay in club management.

Former Juventus boss Conte, 48, coached Italy from 2014 before joining Chelsea in 2016, winning the Premier League in his first season.

Conte revealed last year that he misses Italy and plans to return to his homeland in the near future.

“Italy is my homeland, so once I have had some good experiences, formative experiences, important and life-changing experiences, I’ll be back. I don’t know when but that’s the aim,” he said in September.

The FIGC on Monday agreed their budget for 2018 and have set aside 5 million euro ($5.6m) to pay the new coach, despite a projected deficit of 9 million euros for the year, according to press reports.

Three candidates have their hat in the ring for FIGC presidency – former Italy and Roma star Damiano Tommasi, now head of the Italian Players’ Union; Italian Professional League president Gabriele Gravina and FIGC vice-president Cosimo Sibilia.

The election for president will take place on January 29.

(Source: Agence France Presse)

4, June 2017

Italy: 1,000 Juventus fans wounded in stampede over bomb scare ⁰

Some 1,000 Juventus soccer fans watching the European Champions League final in the Italian city of Turin have been injured in a stampede triggered by a bomb scare.

Witnesses said a firecracker explosion caused a panic movement at a Champions League fan zone in one of Turin’s main squares, where some 20,000 Juventus enthusiasts had gathered Saturday to watch their team face Spanish club Real Madrid on giant TV screens.

During the second half of the match, which Juventus lost 1-4, people mistook firecrackers for a terrorist bombing or gunshots, according to the witnesses.

Juventus’ supporters carry an injured woman in Piazza San Carlo after a panic movement in the fanzone in Turin, Italy, June 3, 2017. (Photo by AFP)

Many panic-stricken fans then started screaming and trying to run out of the place when some people shouted that a bomb had exploded, triggering a large stampede.

Video cameras showed a sudden rush in the middle of the crowd flung against barriers at Piazza San Carlo Square.

About seven people were seriously hurt, including a 7-year-old boy who had been trampled.

Juventus’ supporters evacuate Piazza San Carlo after a panic movement in the fan zone where thousands were watching the UEFA Champions League Final football on June 3, 2017 in Turin. (Photo by AFP)

“At that moment, I saw the entire piazza went in the direction next to the screen to escape, all in a panic,” said Brian Hendrie, an Associated Press reporter. “They ran, fell on the ground on the glass.”

Afterwards shoes and bags littered the ground, while people were seen limping and searching desperately for friends and relatives, according to a witness.

Juventus’ supporters look for personal belongings at Piazza San Carlo after a panic movement during the UEFA Champions League Final football match on June 3, 2017 in Turin. (Photo by Reuters)

Police are now investigating the cause of the mayhem.

“The root cause of this was panic, to understand what triggered it we will have to wait a while,” said Renato Saccone, the prefect of Turin.

Juve head coach Massimiliano Allegri said following the match, “I would just like to say that we feel for what happened to our fans in Turin. There was an incident there; we hope that not too many people were injured.”

In recent years, a string of terror attacks, including bombings, shootings and stabbings, have hit multiple European cities, striking fear into the hearts of the nations in the continent.

Just as the European Champions League final was taking place, terrorists struck at the heart of London, killing six people in a series of vehicle and knife attacks.

Source: Presstv

25, May 2017

André Onana: It wasn’t to be ⁰

Manchester United claimed their second major trophy of the season and secured Champions League football as they overcame Ajax and Cameroonian keeper Andre Onana to win the Europa League final in Stockholm.

On an emotional night following the attack which killed 22 people at Ariana Grande’s concert at the Manchester Arena on Monday, United’s fans were allowed a measure of celebration as Jose Mourinho’s side won in comfort.

Paul Pogba’s deflected shot put them ahead in the 18th minute and Henrikh Mkhitaryan’s sixth Europa League goal of the campaign, flicked in from Chris Smalling’s header at a corner, confirmed they would add to the EFL Cup won against Southampton earlier this season.

Wayne Rooney made a brief appearance as a substitute with a minute left and the game won, being handed the captain’s armband by Antonio Valencia on what could well be his farewell appearance for United.

And as the final whistle sounded and United’s celebrations began, chants of “Manchester” rang around the Friends Arena in tribute to those who died and were injured in the attack which cast a shadow over this showpiece occasion.

Source: BBC

11, April 2017

Germany: Explosion in front of Borussia Dortmund team bus leaves one injured ⁰

At least one person has sustained injuries after a bomb explosion targeted the bus carrying members of the German football team Borussia Dortmund. Dortmund tweeted a collection of posts, saying, “There was an incident on departure of our bus. One person was injured. More information will follow.

“Bomb explosion at the team bus. Players in safety. No danger in the stadium. More information will follow. “Borussia Dortmund and police confirm there was an explosion involving the team bus with one injury (Bartra).” The German-language tabloid Bild reported that the incident occurred on Wittbräuckerstraße just 10 kilometers from Westfalenstadion, which is the home of Bundesliga club Borussia Dortmund.

The paper identified the injured victim as 26-year-old Spaniard Marc Bartra, who is on his way to hospital. The explosion took place as the German team was to play against Monaco-based football club Association Sportive de Monaco Football Club Monaco in a Champions League quarter-final at the stadium tonight. Dortmund officials have confirmed that a decision on whether the game will go ahead will be made within next hours.

Presstv

11, July 2016

Portugal clinch first European football championship title ⁰

Despite losing captain Cristiano Ronaldo early in the match, an extra-time late solo by Portugal’s forward Eder against the host France saw Fernando Santos’s team clinch their first European football Championship title.

Portugal’s forward Cristiano Ronaldo holds his leg after being injured during the Euro 2016 final football match between Portugal and France at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, north of Paris, on July 10, 2016. (AFP)

Twenty-five minutes into the Sunday night match, Ronaldo left the pitch in tears after playing for eight minutes while he was suffering from a knee injury from a clash with France’s Dimitri Payet.

Portugal’s forward Eder shoots to score the team’s first goal during the Euro 2016 final football match between France and Portugal at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, north of Paris, on July 10, 2016. (AFP)

France’s goalkeeper Hugo Lloris (L) fails to save a goal by Portugal’s forward Eder (2ndR) during the Euro 2016 final football match between Portugal and France at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, north of Paris, on July 10, 2016. (AFP)

The lackluster match was played out to a nil-nil stalemate until Portugal’s Eder (Éderzito António Macedo Lopes) picked up the ball in midfield and fired into the corner of the net with less than 10 minutes to the final whistle.

Portugal players celebrate their 1-0 win over France during the Euro 2016 final football match between France and Portugal at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, north of Paris, on July 10, 2016. (AFP)

Presstv

18, June 2016

More chaos in Euro 2016 as Air France pilots go on strike ⁰

Pilots with the French flag carrier, Air France, are set to walk out of their jobs over pay cuts as the country is hosting the Euro 2016 soccer tournament. Three major pilot unions said on Friday that they were going on strike between June 24 and June 27 after the Air France management made “very vague promises” in negotiations during the last industrial action on June 11-14.

Pilots complain that new pay rules, which were recently decided by the airline management, would lower their salaries by five percent. Air France pilots’ previous action, which ended on June 14, grounded around 20 percent of domestic and international flights and cost the carrier more than EUR 40 million (USD 45 million).

The Air France management said only a quarter of pilots joined the walk-out earlier this month, but unions said the figure was about seven in 10.

Presstv

10, June 2016

Euro 2016: Three Cameroonians to defend France and Switzerland ⁰

The largest European male football competition begins today the 10th of June, 2016 in France. To be sure, it is the world’s second most important football competition among nations after the FIFA World Cup due to the quality of the teams involved. Cameroon will be well represented in the 15th edition of the EURO as three footballers born in Cameroon will take part in the competition.

Cameroon-info.net reported that Breel Donald Embolo, who plays his professional football with FC Basel, will be defending the national colors of Switzerland. Europe’s most athletic defender, François Moubandje, of FC Toulouse in France will also be a part of the Swiss national team and Samuel Umtiti, a defender with Lyon in France, will defend the colors of his adopted country.

Breel-Embolo Donald is 19 years old, was born February 14, 1997 in Yaounde, the Cameroonian capital. He migrated to Switzerland at the age of 6. He prefers to play with Switzerland at the expense of the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon.

Jacques François Moubandje was born June 21, 1990 in Douala, Cameroon’s economic capital. He moved to Switzerland at the age of 8.

Samuel Umtiti was born on 14 November 1993 in Yaoundé, Cameroon. He landed in France in 1995 at the age of 2 years.

Cameroon-info.net

10, June 2016

Football under tight security: Euro 2016 kicks off today ⁰

The 2016 edition of the European nation’s cup, Euro 2016 will begin today with the opening encounter between host France and Romania. For the first time in history, 24 teams will be taking part in the final round of the competition with some 51 matches scheduled to take place in ten different locations across France including new stadiums in Bordeaux, Nice, Lille and Lyon.

The tournament will be taking place under tight security as over 90.000 police, soldiers and private security officers have been mobilized for the event. Despite the security concerns, over 90 per cent of the tickets have been bought already with about 80.000 still up for grab.

The 24 teams will be divided into six groups of four teams each and the groups winners and runners up sail through to the knock out stage which begins from the round of 16. All 24 teams are now in France after playing warm up matches in the billed up to the event.

The fixtures for the weekend will comprise France versus Romania today, followed by Albania versus Switzerland on Saturday. On that same Saturday, there will also be Wales versus Slovakia and England versus Russia. The final of the tournament will be on July 10 still at the Stade de France which was the target during the recent terrorist attack in Paris.

Cameroon Tribune

5, June 2016

Diego Simeone en route to Paris Saint-Germain ⁰

After the management clearly called into question the continuity of Laurent Blanc at the head of Paris Saint -Germain , the owners are now seeking his replacement . Reports from France say they have held talks with the representatives of Diego Simeone. But it will not be easy!!!! The Atlético Madrid technician has two champions league final lost in three years but his playing style pleases many around the beautiful game.

3, June 2016

Mourinho to prevent De Gea leaving Manchester United ⁰

Jose Mourinho wants to prevent David De Gea leaving Manchester United for Real Madrid this summer as Florentino Perez returns for the goalkeeper.

AS says Perez feels a ‘moral debt’ to the Spain international after his move to Santiago Bernabeu collapsed in the 2015 summer window, De Gea all-but a Madrid player until it transpired the paperwork wasn’t filed on time.