TheNewsGuru

Tag: UEFA

  • Revealed: UEFA threatened Denmark to restart match after Erikson collapse

    Revealed: UEFA threatened Denmark to restart match after Erikson collapse

    Peter Schmeichel has claimed that UEFA threatened Denmark with a 3-0 forfeit if they did not resume their opening Euro 2020 fixture after Christian Eriksen’s cardiac arrest.

    Denmark’s Group B clash against Finland in Copenhagen on Saturday was initially suspended after 41 minutes following Eriksen’s on-field collapse.

    The midfielder received life-saving CPR before being taken to hospital, with both sets of players subsequently spending an hour in their respective dressing rooms before the match was restarted.

    UEFA released a statement confirming that the game would be completed on the same day after consulting with the Denmark and Finland squads following the news that Eriksen was in a stable condition in hospital.

    However, Schmeichel says his country were also warned that they would lose the match by default if they decided against choosing to continue on Saturday or at 12pm BST (7am ET) the following day.

    The former Denmark goalkeeper, whose son Kasper played in goal against Finland, told Good Morning Britain : “I actually saw an official quote from UEFA yesterday saying that they were following the advice of the player, the players insisted on playing – I know that not to be the truth.

    “Or, it’s how you see the truth. They were left with three options, one was to play immediately and get the last 50 minutes played.

    “The next one was to come in yesterday at 12 noon and finish the 50 minutes and the third option was to forfeit the game, 3-0.

    “So, work it out for yourself. Is it the players’ wish to play? Did they have any choice really? I don’t think they had.

    “As you can hear from yesterday’s press conference, the coach, he seriously regrets putting the players back on to the pitch.”

  • JUST IN: UEFA backs protests against racism during Euro 2020

    European football ruling body UEFA will support protests against racism during the Euro 2020 matches, including if the referees join and take a knee.

    “Any player or official” is allowed to do so, UEFA told dpa on Sunday after the match between Belgium and Russia on Saturday evening.

    Before the kick-off in St Petersburg, the Belgian players and the referee Antonio Mateu Lahoz took the knee.

    There were loud whistles and boos from the crowd at the arena.

    Belgium won the game 3-0.

    The action of kneeling ahead of a sports event began in 2016 when NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick did so in the U.S. to protest against racism.

    “We urge spectators to show respect to players and teams who take the knee,” UEFA said, referring to its “zero tolerance” of racism.

    Everyone is allowed to stand up for equal rights, it said.

    Before the Euros, players of the England national team also took the knee before their friendly games against Austria and Romania.

  • Denmark legend Schmeichel joins criticism of UEFA for game restart

    Denmark legend Schmeichel joins criticism of UEFA for game restart

    Former Denmark goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel has joined in the widespread criticism of UEFA for not postponing Denmark’s Euro game with Finland following Christian Eriksen’s collapse.

    The Denmark midfielder was resuscitated on the field on Saturday with his team-mates in tears.

    He told his team to resume the game from his hospital bed where he was stable.

    UEFA gave the teams the option of restarting the game after a couple of hours or coming back at midday the next day.

    Denmark chose the former but Schmeichel believes there should have been other options.

    “It is absolutely ridiculous that UEFA came up with a solution like that,” Schmeichel, whose son Kasper was in goal, said on Sunday.

    Schmeichel, who helped Denmark win Euro 92, added that UEFA should have “shown a bit of compassion” to the distraught players.

    Fellow Denmark icon Michael Laudrup said it was “wrong” that the players had to make a decision after such an emotional day.

    2014 Germany World Cup winners Per Mertesacker and Christoph Kramer shared his view along with many ex-football professionals.

    Denmark’s next game against Belgium is on Thursday with Finland facing Russia on Wednesday.

  • Mendy headlines Champions League Squad of the Season

    Mendy headlines Champions League Squad of the Season

    Edouard Mendy is among the players named in the 2020-21 Champions League Squad of the Season, with Manchester City’s Riyad Mahrez excluded from the 23-man team.

    Seven of Chelsea’s players made the cut following a campaign that saw the Londoners win the tournament for the second time in their history.

    Mendy is joined by Real Madrid’s Thibaut Courtois and the Citizens’ Ederson in the goalkeeping department.

     

  • Super League: UEFA boss praises UK PM Johnson and ‘fan revolution’

    Super League: UEFA boss praises UK PM Johnson and ‘fan revolution’

    UEFA president, Aleksander Ceferin, has praised UK Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, and his government for helping to force six English clubs to pull out of the breakaway Super League venture.

    Ceferin commended the move, saying they had taken the side of a fan revolt.

    Twelve of Europe’s top clubs announced on Sunday they were setting up a breakaway competition to rival UEFA’s Champions League but the ‘Big Six’ English clubs pulled out on Tuesday after a wave of criticism, protests and political pressure.

    Manchester United, Manchester City, Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur all signed up to the Super League before changing their minds after 48 hours.

    Ceferin, who runs European soccer’s governing body, said he had been in touch with Johnson and his government after the breakaway was announced.

    “They responded excellently; I must say I was impressed by their effectiveness.

    “They immediately said they were available to us, for anything, to release a very sharp statement. And that reaction from the British government has helped a lot,” he told Slovenian television station POPTV in an interview.

    On Tuesday, Johnson met with the Premier League and Football Association. Several newspapers reported he had told them he was ready to drop a “legislative bomb” to stop the breakaway.

    The prime minister’s spokesman told the BBC measures under consideration included preventing foreign players of the clubs involved getting work visas – which they need after Brexit – and the withdrawal of police funding for match days.

    Ceferin said Johnson had recognised the anger of football supporters. Fans had protested outside grounds including at matches involving Liverpool and Chelsea.

    “I find it very responsible from the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom to take a sharp stand on the side of the fans, not only because of the culture and love of football, but also because it ensures order in the country,” Ceferin said.

  • UEFA: Super League players will be banned from World Cup and Euros

    UEFA: Super League players will be banned from World Cup and Euros

    UEFA president Alexander Ceferin has promised to punish participants in the Super League and says that any players involved “will be banned from the World Cup and Euros”.

    The announcement of a new European competition that would see a number of top clubs break away from the Champions League has been met with fierce opposition over the past 24 hours.

    UEFA has now revealed its stance, with Ceferin calling for the football world to rally against the “cynical plan” that is threatening to cause huge division across the continent’s major leagues.

    “I cannot stress more strongly how everyone is united against these disgraceful, self-serving proposals, fuelled by greed above all else,” the UEFA president said while unveiling the new Champions League format that is set to come into effect in 2024.

    “We are all united against this nonsense of a project. Cynical plan, completely against what football should be. We cannot and will not allow that to change.

    “Players who will play in the teams that might play in the closed league will be banned from the World Cup and Euros. We urge everyone to stand tall with us as we do everything in our power to ensure this never ends up in fruition.”

    Asked if the Champions League will continue without the 12 clubs reportedly founding the Super League, Ceferin responded: “Yes, of course. In Europe, there are many good clubs and devoted fans. You heard the changes already today of the UEFA changes from 2024. We will do it with or without them.”

  • Man Utd’s Ed Woodward quits UEFA role

    Man Utd’s Ed Woodward quits UEFA role

    Manchester United vice-chairman Ed Woodward has resigned from his role with UEFA.

    The Manchester Evening News says Woodward has left his role on UEFA’s Professional Football Strategy Council.

    On Sunday night, 12 European clubs stunned the football world by announcing a breakaway Super League that would replace their involvements in the UEFA Champions League.

    United, Arsenal and Tottenham, along with fellow English sides Chelsea, Manchester City, Liverpool, were one of the dozen clubs who went against the ECA’s desire not to pursue the breakaway league.

    United owner Joel Glazer is one of the four vice-chairmen at the top of the European Super League hierarchy.

    Juventus chief Andrea Agnelli, Liverpool’s John W Henry and Arsenal’s Stan Kroenke are also deputies to ESL chairman Florentino Perez of Real Madrid.

  • ​Man Utd fined by UEFA over ‘improper conduct’

    ​Man Utd fined by UEFA over ‘improper conduct’

    Manchester United have been fined €7,000 by UEFA due to “improper conduct” during their Europa League quarter final first leg clash against Granada.

    The Red Devils won the game 2-0 in Spain, but picked up five yellow cards during the clash.

    Luke Shaw, Scott McTominay, Paul Pogba, Harry Maguire, and Nemanja Matic all got yellows during the game.

    UEFA’s Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body decided on the fine, which United must pay within 90 days.

    “Losing three players is not a good position to be in,” Solskjaer said after the first leg clash.

    “I don’t think we deserved those five yellow cards or however many we got, but that’s happened.”

  • Serbia, Portugal could have avoided Ronaldo fury – UEFA

    Serbia, Portugal could have avoided Ronaldo fury – UEFA

    A Cristiano Ronaldo goal not given in a dramatic 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifier between Serbia and Portugal should have stood, UEFA said on Monday.

    Europe’s football governing body said the goal would have stood if the two football associations had agreed before the game to use goal-line technology.

    Portugal captain Ronaldo was left fuming and got booked for dissent after his stoppage-time effort in Saturday’s Group A 2-2 draw at Serbia was cleared by Stefan Mitrovic.

    Mitrovic’s clearance came after the ball had crossed the line, as shown by television replays.

    With no Video Assistant Referee (VAR) in place to review the incident, match officials waved play on.

    But a livid Ronaldo left the pitch seconds before the final whistle as he also threw away the captain’s armband while heading towards the tunnel.

    “The decision to use goal-line technology for the European Qualifiers lies with the host association for each match,” the European football governing body said.

    “If the host association plans to implement goal-line technology, they must also obtain written consent from the visiting association in order for it to be used,” UEFA added.

    Match referee Danny Makkelie said on Monday that he had apologised to Portugal coach Fernando Santos and the rest of the team for the mistake.

    “All I can say is that I said `sorry’ to the coach and the team about what happened.

    “As a refereeing team we always work hard to take the right decisions. When we are in the news for a reason like this, it doesn’t make us happy at all,” he said.

    Santos said after the game it was unacceptable not to have VAR at this level of competition.

    But UEFA on Sunday said the COVID-19 pandemic made it impossible to install the system in time for the qualifiers.

    “In 2019, UEFA had proposed to (world football governing body) FIFA the implementation of VAR in the current World Cup qualifiers,” it said.

    “The impact of the pandemic on operational and logistical capabilities led UEFA to delay the implementation of VAR in the Europa League group phase (to 2021/2022 instead of 2020/2021) as well as to withdraw the proposal to implement VAR in the 2022 European qualifiers.

    “VAR was also not in use in the UEFA Nations League group stage in the autumn of 2020 and has therefore to-date never been used in UEFA national team qualifying group stage matches.”

    FIFA, which organises the World Cup, said it was informed by UEFA in January that VAR could not be used in qualifiers.

    It had said this was due to the “issues and restrictions” caused by the novel coronavirus.

    The result left Serbia top of the group on four points from two games, ahead of Portugal on goal difference.

    The two teams meet again in the reverse fixture in Portugal on Nov. 14 in the final round of matches

  • UEFA announces new venues for UCL, Europa league fixtures

    UEFA announces new venues for UCL, Europa league fixtures

    Europe’s football governing body, UEFA has announced new venues for a number of Champions League fixtures.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports UEFA also announced new venues for a number of Europa League fixtures.

    This is coming due to the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) travel restrictions emplaced by the government.

    SEE TABLE BELOW:

    Champions League

    Match Date New venue
    RB Leipzig vs Liverpool Feb 16 Puskas Arena in Budapest
    Atletico Madrid vs Chelsea Feb 23 Arena Nationala in Bucharest
    Borussia Moenchengladbach vs Manchester

    City

    		 Feb 24 Puskas Arena in Budapest

    Europa League

    Match Date New venue
    Molde vs Hoffenheim Feb 18 Estadio de la Ceramina in Villarreal
    Real Sociedad vs Manchester United Feb 18 Juventus Stadium in Turin
    Benfica vs Arsenal Feb 18 Stadio Olimpico in Rome