Spanish giants Real Madrid suffered another institutional embarrassment on Thursday as they and rivals Atletico Madrid were banned by FIFA from buying players for one year over their dealing in under-age players.

The ban will start from the July transfer window this year and finish with the January transfer market in 2017 meaning newly appointed Real coach Zinedine Zidane will be unable to strengthen his squad this summer.

Atletico were also fined 900,000 Swiss francs (€820,000) and Real 360,000 (€330,000). However, both clubs are still allowed to sign players until the end of the month.

“The two clubs were found to have violated several provisions concerning the international transfer and first registration of minor players as well as other relevant provisions with regard to the registration and participation of certain players in competitions,” said a FIFA statement.

Barcelona have just completed a one year ban for similar reasons.

Real and Atletico were “issued with a reprimand and given 90 days in which to regularise the situation of all minor players concerned,” FIFA said. They can still sell players during the transfer ban.

FIFA said the alarm was raised over the two clubs by FIFA’s Transfer Matching System and its disciplinary committee completed the inquiry.

Under international football rules, players under 18 cannot be transferred to another country, except in limited circumstances. All transfers need the approval of a special FIFA committee.

“The investigations concerned minor players who were involved and participated in competitions with the clubs over various periods between 2007 and 2014 (Atletico Madrid) and between 2005 and 2014 (Real Madrid),” FIFA said.

Neither Real nor Atletico made an immediate comment on whether they would appeal.

The ban follows a similar sanction handed to European champions Barcelona, who were unable to register new players during 2015.

Barca were initially banned in April 2014, but managed to delay the sanction taking effect until the transfer windows in January and the summer 2015 by launching an ultimately unsuccessful appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

By delaying the ban, Barca managed to sign the likes of Luis Suarez and Ivan Rakitic in the summer of 2014 to propel them to a treble of La Liga, Champions League and Copa del Rey, a route potentially open to both clubs depending on how quickly CAS could hear any potential appeal.

Madrid admitted in January that they had supplied FIFA with the details of 51 players as part of their investigation, which they claimed were exempt from the regulations for various reasons.

The news is the latest off-field blow for Real having sacked two Champions League winning coaches in Carlo Ancelotti and Rafael Benitez in the past seven months, as well as being thrown out of the Copa del Rey for fielding an ineligible player.

The signing of Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea was also frustrated at the last minute in August as the clubs failed to register the required paperwork in time.

The sanction could also be bad news for the likes of Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester United, who had targeted Madrid stars Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale with Real highly unlikely to dispose of their best players without the chance to sign suitable replacements.

La Liga leaders Atletico Madrid’s usually hectic transfer policy will also be put on hold.

However, Diego Simeone’s men look well-placed to cope with the ban having invested heavily in young talent over the past year.

Indeed, Atletico have already made two additions to their squad in January in Argentine international midfielders Matias Kranevitter and Augusto Fernandez.

Source AFP

Toshiya Miura announced the player list of the Viet Nam U23 team to compete in the 2016 AFC U-23 Championship’s final round in Qatar on Monday.

There are seven players from Hoang Anh Gia Lai (HAGL) out of 23 players such as goalie Pham Van Tien, midfielder Nguyen Tuan Anh and strikers Nguyen Cong Phuong and Nguyen Van Toan.

Miura also called four other players from Ha Noi T&T including goalkeeper Phi Minh Long and striker Pham Van Thanh.

A total of 16 teams qualified to play in the tournament, including Qatar who qualified automatically as hosts.

According to the event’s draw, Viet Nam are in Group D with Jordan, Australia and the UAE. They will meet Jordan tomorrow, Australia on January 17 and the UAE three days later.

All matches will be broadcast live on VTV6 channel.

The top three teams of the championship will qualify for the 2016 Summer Olympics men’s football tournament in Brazil.

Louis van Gaal has been handed another potentially embarrassing FA Cup test after Manchester United were drawn against Derby in the fourth round.

Van Gaal came under fire from United fans after his spluttering side laboured to a 1-0 victory over third tier Sheffield United in the third round at Old Trafford on Saturday. It took a stoppage-time penalty from Wayne Rooney to spare United from a replay against the Blades.

But Championship promotion chasers Derby are likely to provide another tricky tie for Van Gaal’s side. Derby, managed by former Chelsea and Real Madrid assistant Paul Clement, are second in the Championship as they chase promotion to the top-flight.

Holders Arsenal, 3-1 winners over Sunderland in the third round and bidding to lift the trophy for the third year in succession, have been handed a home tie against Burnley.

Manchester City will travel to either League Two club Wycombe or Aston Villa, who drew 1-1 on Saturday.

Liverpool were held to a 2-2 draw by fourth tier Exeter and the winner of that replay will entertain West Ham.

National League outfit Eastleigh, the lowest ranked team left in the competition, will host Championship side Leeds if they can see off Bolton in a replay.

Harry Kane’s late penalty kept Tottenham in the competition and if Spurs win their replay against Leicester, a trip to third tier Colchester awaits.

Crystal Palace tackle Stoke in an all-Premier League tie while fourth tier Oxford, who stunned Premier League strugglers Swansea on Sunday, must wait to discover if they will host their League Two rivals Newport or second tier Blackburn.

If West Bromwich Albion manage to get past Bristol City in a replay they will welcome Peterborough, while Everton will visit either Carlisle or Yeovil.

Watford travel to Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth could enjoy a short trip to Fratton Park if local rivals Portsmouth can overcome Ipswich.

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Newcastle have signed Senegal midfielder Henri Saivet from French club Bordeaux, the Premier League strugglers confirmed on Monday (Jan 11).

Saivet has moved to St James’ Park for a reported fee of around £5 million.

The 25-year-old, who was Bordeaux’s captain, agreed a five-and-a-half-year contract and is Newcastle’s first signing of the January transfer window.

“I am very happy to be here at Newcastle. I am really proud to be able to play for this club, and I am really excited at the challenge that lies ahead,” Saivet told Newcastle’s website.

“St James’ Park is a really impressive and special stadium. In France, there is nothing that compares to this, and I can’t wait to get out there with my new team-mates and help the team climb the table.”

Saivet joins a Newcastle team in the midst of a relegation battle, with Steve McClaren’s side 18th place in the Premier League having lost their last four games in all competitions 1-0.

“Henri is someone the club has been watching for a while, and he has developed into an excellent player at Bordeaux,” McClaren said.

“This is someone with a very good mentality, who is a tough player and a winner. Those are key qualities you need in the Premier League and we are looking forward to seeing him pulling on the Newcastle United shirt.”

Saivet came through the ranks at Bordeaux, making his senior debut at the age of 17 and going on to score 23 goals in 178 appearances.

Source AFP