A doctor who worked for Manchester City and Bury has been charged by the Football Association with an anti-doping rule violation.

Dr Andrew Johnson has been accused of providing fraudulent information about a therapeutic use exemption (TUE) when working as club doctor for Bury last year.

An application he made on behalf of an unnamed player to use a banned substance – understood to be testosterone – on medical grounds was dated December 2018.

According to the website of the clinic where Johnson works as a GP in north-west England, he has also worked as a doctor at Manchester City’s academy.

Dr Johnson was also working as a consultant at City at the time of the alleged breach, but it is understood he was never a full-time employee and the club have not used him since they became aware of the case.

In October, the FA charged him with a breach of Rule E25, and alleged that he “tampered with doping control in that he provided fraudulent information to an anti-doping organisation, namely the FA and/or UK Anti-Doping in respect of an application for a TUE dated 1 December 2018 on behalf of a player.”

If found guilty, Dr Johnson could face a ban from working in sport for four years.

His association with City spanned at least eight years.

Dr Johnson, Bury FC, Manchester City, the FA and UK Anti-Doping (Ukad) have been approached for comment.

Source – BBC News

The Red Devils expected to pay huge money for the new Liverpool signing and as such were slow to move for the Japan international.

Photo by Getty/Goal

Manchester United expect to make two signings in the January transfer window despite Ed Woodward coming under pressure for the failure to move for new Liverpool signing Takumi Minamino.

As reported by Goal, Minamino was one of a number of players United have been tracking ahead of the January window and was placed on a shortlist of potential transfer targets.

Liverpool paid the Japan international’s £7.25 million ($9.6m) release clause  to bring him to Anfield from Red Bull Salzburg, with United under the impression he would cost far more.

The Red Devils, whose transfer business is led by Woodward, were unaware of Minamino’s release clause.

United are keen to move on from their failure to secure the Salzburg star, and the club’s squad are of the belief that two new signings will be joining them following the turn of the year.

A creative midfielder is high on Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s shopping list, with Leicester City midfielder James Maddison seen as a potential option, though Foxes boss Brendan Rodgers has insisted none of his key players will be leaving the King Power Stadium in January.

Tottenham playmaker Christian Eriksen seems a more realistic option, with the Denmark international having just six months to run on his contract in north London.

United made a move late in the summer transfer window to sign Eriksen but failed to reach a deal. They will, however, have been boosted by an interview given by Spurs chairman Daniel Levy , who told the  Evening Standard  that he would not block Eriksen from joining a rival Premier League team.

It is understood Levy is reluctant to allow Eriksen to leave for free in the summer and as such is keen to secure a fee for the former Ajax star in the coming weeks.

United’s need for a midfielder comes amid increased scrutiny regarding the future of Paul Pogba.

The World Cup-winner missed Wednesday’s Carabao Cup win over Colchester United through illness  as his return from an ankle injury, which has seen him sidelined since the end of September, was again delayed.

Pogba was a target for both Real Madrid and Juventus during pre-season, and both clubs may again show an interest if it becomes clear he could be sold.

Solskjaer, meanwhile, is also keen to reinforce his forward line in January.

Juventus outcast Mario Mandzukic had been the club’s prime target, but their attention has now turned to Minamino’s Salzburg team-mate Erling Braut Haaland.

Solskjaer – who previously managed the 19-year-old during his time at Molde – met with the striker in Austria last week to discuss a potential move to the Theatre of Dreams.

Haaland, meanwhile, has visited both Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig in the last 10 days, with the Bundesliga sides also keen on a player who has scored 28 goals in 22 appearances for Salzburg this season.

Jadon Sancho is another who has been on United’s wanted list and the club would be willing to pay as much as €140m (£119m/$155m) to land the England international.

Goal understands that Chelsea are, however, increasingly confident of landing the 19-year-old ahead of United, either in January or next summer, with Sancho needing to be convinced that the Red Devils are capable of pushing for a Champions League place.

Solskjaer’s side have three fixtures to play before the January window opens, starting with Sunday’s trip to face the Premier League’s bottom side, Watford.

They then host Newcastle on Boxing Day before making the trip to Turf Moor to take on Burnley in their final match of 2019.

Source – Goal.com

Arrests have been made and there are reports of injuries outside the ground after Real Madrid and Barcelona played out a 0-0 draw.

Photo by Getty Images

Protests after Wednesday night’s Clasico between Real Madrid and Barcelona turned violent, with several arrests and reports of injuries outside the Camp Nou.

Following the goalless draw, clashes began between police and protesters outside the ground as demonstrations continued surrounding the Catalan separatist movement

Police sources told Goal that nine people have been arrested for throwing objects at law enforcement officials.

The match between the two rivals was originally set for on October 26, but the Spanish FA decided to push back kick-off by two months after fierce protests in Barcelona regarding prison sentences handed down to several key figures in the Catalan separatist movement.

The match itself was mostly uneventful on the pitch, but it did include brief delay when fans hurled yellow balls onto the pitch.

With the match stopped, players could only watch as fans unveiled choreography in favour of Catalan independence, including banners with the messages “Spain, sit and talk” and “Freedom”.

The ground itself was filled with yellow and red, the colours most closely associated with the Catalan independence movement.

“There was tension in the game and I noticed when some yellow balls fell down,” said Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde after the match.

“But nothing more. We tried to give a sense of normality.”

As the game neared its conclusion an announcement was made over the Camp Nou loudspeaker for fans to avoid certain exits, as fires had already been set by demonstrators outside the ground.

When the final whistle was blown, clashes between protesters and police intensified. Reports stated that masked protesters set trash bins on fire and threw rocks and glass bottles at police, who responded by firing foam bullets.

According to a report from the AFP, 21 people were injured in the clashes, including six people who needed to be taken to a medical centre for extra care.

Barcelona and Real Madrid remain deadlocked atop the La Liga standings after the match, with both sides sitting on 36 points after 17 games.

The second Clasico of the season is scheduled for March 1 and will take place at the Santiago Bernabeu in Madrid.

Source – Goal.com

The Reds have swooped to bring in the Red Bull Salzburg midfielder, with the Japan international agreeing a four-and-a-half-year contract.

Getty/Goal

Liverpool have confirmed the signing of Takumi Minamino from Red Bull Salzburg.

The Japanese forward will move to Anfield when the transfer window opens on January 1, having successfully completed a medical on Merseyside on Wednesday.

The Reds triggered a release clause which allowed Minamino to leave Salzburg for just £7.25 million, with the 24-year-old agreeing a four-and-a-half-year contract with the European Champions.

He could now make his Liverpool debut against Everton in the third round of the FA Cup on January 5.

Goal revealed earlier this month that the Reds had stolen a march on a host of European rivals, including AC Milan, Manchester United and Borussia Monchengladbach, following the discovery of Minamino’s release clause.

Liverpool had tracked the player from his time at first club Cerezo Osaka, and were impressed by his performances in both games against the Reds in the Champions League group stage.

Indeed, sources have told Goal that a number of senior players had urged manager Jurgen Klopp to sign the versatile, hard-working star, little knowing that a deal to bring him to Anfield was already well advanced.

Klopp is delighted to have secured a quality addition to his squad as Liverpool seek glory at home and abroad in 2020. He believes Minamino will add plenty, and expects the Japan international to adapt quickly to the demands of the Premier League.

Source – Goal.com

As the Reds prepare for Wednesday’s match in Qatar, Goal has put together the definitive guide to their semi-final opponents.

Photo by Francois Nel

You know Liverpool are playing Monterrey in the Club World Cup on Wednesday, but you may not know, well, anything at all, about who exactly Monterrey are.

Fortunately Goal has all the information you need to impress your friends at the pub or the big Club World Cup semi-final watching party you’re almost certainly hosting on Wednesday evening.
Let’s start with some geography and move into the football:

Where is Monterrey?

Monterrey are often overlooked by the Mexican press as they are not located in the capital of Mexico City nor are they one of the league’s four historic ‘grandes’ of Club America, Chivas, Cruz Azul and Pumas.

Monterrey is in the north of the country, a hub for industry more than 900 kiliometres from Mexico City. Monterrey is closer to Houston, Texas, than to Mexico City or Guadalajara, and the American influence is notable in many elements of the culture.

Rayados – ‘The Striped Ones’, as the club is commonly known due to their blue-and-white shirts -, have those industry ties both written into their history, having been formed in the 1940s by a group of businessmen, and in the present. Today, the club is owned by FEMSA, a conglomeration of companies that made most of its money from beverages – both soft drinks and beer.

The ties with the beer industry are obvious from Monterrey’s shirts and other advertising, but also broke into the soccer world in a strange way. Before a 2010 deal with Heineken, the company owned the Cuauhtemoc Moctezuma Brewery, rival of Modelo, which produces Corona.

When a promising player named Jesus Corona emerged from the academy, club directors branded him ‘Tecatito’ after their brewery’s Tecate mark in order to avoid having the name of a rival splashed across the back of one of their jerseys. Despite moves to Europe, the Porto and Mexico national team player still is known by his nickname to fans throughout the nation.

FEMSA also owns Oxxo, an omnipresent chain of convenience stores whose logo is found on the team’s shirt for this competition. Oxxo is a frequent subject of jokes and memes on the Mexican internet, mainly focusing around stores’ frequent refusal to open a second cash register when there is a line despite other employees being present and seemingly unoccupied.

How did Monterrey get here?

Monterrey won the Conacaf Champions League, topping bitter crosstown rivals Tigres in a two-legged series thanks to a 1-0 win away and a 1-1 draw at home. Both goals were scored by centre-back and captain Nicolas Sanchez.

The team has been in something of an arms race with Tigres as the northern rivals look to move the epicentre of Mexican football to the north. With various moves in the last several transfer windows, Monterrey amassed one of the most expensive squads in the Americas, which helped it establish regional supremacy.

The CCL trophy was actually lifted by Diego Alonso, but the Uruguayan manager was given his marching orders after a slow start to the season put the club in danger of missing the post-season.

After trying for some bigger names, the club turned to a familiar face in Antonio Mohamed, an Argentine coach who had led Monterrey between 2015-2018 before leaving to try his luck with Celta Vigo in Spain.

Rayados have not lost since Mohamed’s return in mid-October, a 13-match streak across all competitions that the club extended with a 3-2 win over Al-Sadd in the quarter-finals to set up the showdown with Liverpool.

How do Monterrey play?

Jurgen Klopp may have said he did not want to talk too much about tactics in the build-up to the match, but we have no such reservations.

Monterrey have muscle in the middle, speed on the wings and consistency at the back.

Mohamed has not wildly reworked what Alonso did, but elements of the style he utilised during his first spell with the team have emerged. Mohamed’s teams are extremely comfortable without the ball, looking to surge forward on counterattacks. They are also happy to look long to a traditional No.9.

Rayados also are happy to switch between playing a back four or going with five at the back, with a number of players in the squad who profile well as wing-backs.

Who are the players to watch?

Rodolfo Pizarro – A creative player acquired from Chivas in 2018 and who has been linked to a number of Serie A clubs, Pizarro makes things happen. He struggled to show his brilliance against Al-Sadd but often sets up team-mates with ‘how-did-he-do-that’ passes or creates opportunities for himself with his dribbling ability.

He is also a player who can get under opponents’ skin, constantly chirping during a game and often baiting defenders into fouls in dangerous areas that set up Monterrey’s strong set-pieces.

Rogelio Funes Mori – While Vincent Janssen is the more well-known name in England, he has been kept on the bench most of the season by Funes Mori. The lanky Argentine, twin brother of former Everton defender Ramiro, is excellent with his back to goal and has a quick shot that makes him a danger to score from anywhere in the area.  ​

Jesus Gallardo – One of several regulars in the Mexico national team in the Monterrey squad, Gallardo typically lines up as a winger for Monterrey and a left-back for the national team.

That shows how versatile he can be, though look for him to be more concerned with getting forward to set up Funes Mori or work with Pizarro and fellow winger Dorlan Pabon than sitting back and defending.

Source – Goal.com

The teenager has been on fire since the international break and was at it again versus RB Leipzig on Tuesday.

Photo by Getty Images

Jadon Sancho has become the youngest player ever to score 22 Bundesliga goals, as the Borussia Dortmund star netted in a 3-3 draw with RB Leipzig on Tuesday.

The 19-year-old grabbed an assist in the first half at Signal Iduna Park when he played a ball for Julian Brandt, who gave his side a 2-0 lead with a wonderful turn and finish from close range.

That lead would be erased early in the second half, though, as Timo Werner grabbed two quick goals to level the score at 2-2 by the 53rd minute.

Sancho would find the go-ahead goal just two minutes later, as the England international got on the end of a Marco Reus pass before taking a touch and slamming home from close range.

It wasn’t all good news for Sancho on Tuesday, though. In the 71st minute he was forced off with a muscle injury, as he was forced to hobble off to be replaced by Lukasz Piszczek.

Leipzig then found a leveller through Patrik Schick in the 77th minute, ensuring the spoils would be shared on the evening.

With his strike, Sancho reached 22 career goals at age 19 years, 267 days, breaking the previous record set by Horst Koppels in 1968 (19 years, 269 days).

Sancho scored his first Bundesliga goal in the 2017-18 season before making a major breakthrough last term, netting 12 times in the league for Dortmund.

He looks poised to surpass that mark in 2019-20, with the teenager having already found the net nine times in the Bundesliga this season.

Sancho has been particularly prolific after the mid-November international break, with the former Man City player having scored eight goals and added five assists in just seven games in all competitions.

The England star scored against both Barcelona and Slavia Prague in the Champions League, as Dortmund advanced out of their group to seal a last-16 match-up with former boss Thomas Tuchel and Paris Saint-Germain.

In the Bundesliga, Tuesday’s result means Dortmund remain in third place, four points back of table-topping RB Leipzig and one point behind second-place Borussia Monchengladbach.

Following Friday’s match against Hoffenheim, Dortmund will begin their winter break and will not have another game until January 18, when they face Augsburg.

Source – Goal.com

Jurgen Klopp says he is excited for a special return to Madrid as Liverpool draw Atletico Madrid in the Champions League last 16.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is excited ahead of a return to Madrid after they drew Atletico Madrid in the Champions League last 16

Reigning champions Liverpool picked up a sixth Champions League title back in June, beating Premier League rivals Tottenham 2-0 at Estadio Wanda Metropolitano, the home of Atletico Madrid.

The Merseyside club now prepare to return to the Spanish capital in another enticing Champions League affair, which Klopp says did not come as a surprise.

“It’s an interesting draw,” Klopp told Liverpool’s official website. “Before the draw I actually thought it would be Madrid – either one of the two clubs – and that’s the way it is.”

Liverpool return to Estadio Wanda Metropolitano, where they beat Tottenham 2-0 to win the Champions League in June

The German also says the draw brings back plenty of fond memories, and when asked if it will be special to make the return, Klopp said: “I think so, we’ll see. I think we had the home dressing room in that game. Maybe we can ask them if we can have that dressing room again!

“It is fantastic. What can I say? I had one of the best nights of my life in this stadium.

“It was really nice. It was full with Liverpool signs, but I think they’ve got rid of them.”

Despite Liverpool’s recent success, both domestically and in Europe, Klopp believes Atletico will prove tough opposition and present a very different challenge to what they faced against Tottenham just six months ago.

Klopp led Liverpool to a sixth Champions League victory, but recognises the task ahead is a very different one against Atletico Madrid

“Madrid is the place where we only have fantastic memories, all of us, so that is great, but this time we play Atletico there and it is their home ground.

“It will be a tough game. Two teams who are used to playing intense football, different styles and slightly different organisation of course, but both are ready for intensity and that makes it pretty tough for both.”

While recognising the tie to be a difficult one for both teams, Klopp also jokes that manager Diego Simeone will not be celebrating after hearing the news.

Source – Sky Sport

Serie A has used images of monkeys in an anti-racism campaign less than three weeks after its clubs pledged to combat Italian football’s “serious problem”.

Serie A chief executive Luigi de Siervo (left) and artist Simone Fugazzotto reveal the artwork at a news conference on Monday

The ‘No To Racism’ posters show three monkeys with painted faces.

The monkey artwork will be displayed at Serie A headquarters in Milan.

“Once again Italian football leaves the world speechless. It is difficult to see what Serie A was thinking, who did they consult?” said anti-discriminatory body Fare.

“In a country in which the authorities fail to deal with racism week after week, Serie A have launched a campaign that looks like a sick joke.

“These creations are an outrage; they will be counter-productive and continue the dehumanisation of people of African heritage.

“It is time for the progressive clubs in the league to make their voice heard.”

Anti-discrimination body Kick It Out added: “Serie A’s use of monkeys in their anti-racism campaign is completely inappropriate, undermines any positive intent and will be counter-productive.

“We hope that the league reviews and replaces their campaign graphics.”

In November, Brescia’s Mario Balotelli called fans who shouted racist abuse at him “small-minded” and “imbeciles”.

Inter Milan’s Romelu Lukaku said the abuse he suffered in September, when Cagliari fans made monkey noises after the Belgian scored a penalty against their team, showed the game was “going backwards”.

The Sardinian club were later cleared of racist chanting, leading the head of anti-discriminatory body Fare to say that Italian football authorities and their disciplinary systems to combat racism were “not fit for purpose”.

Earlier this month Italian newspaper Corriere dello Sport was criticised for the headline ‘Black Friday’ alongside images of Roma defender Chris Smalling and Inter striker Lukaku prior to a match between the sides.

European football expert James Horncastle criticised Serie A for the posters.

“Question for the league is how they can’t see what a loaded and misguided collaboration this is for an anti-racism initiative,” he said.

“If you wondered why a select group of Serie A clubs are taking anti-racism into their own hands, faith in the league is sub-zero.”

At a news conference on Monday, artist Simone Fugazzotto, who always uses monkeys in his work, said: “For an artist there is nothing more important than trying to change the perception of things through his own work.

“I decided to portray monkeys to talk about racism because they are the metaphor for human beings. Last year I was at the stadium to see Inter v Napoli [a match in which Napoli defender Kalidou Koulibaly was racially abused] and I felt humiliated, everyone was shouting ‘monkey’ at Koulibaly, a player I respect.

“I’ve always been painting monkeys for five to six years, so I thought I’d make this work to teach that we’re all apes, I made the western monkey with blue and white eyes, the Asian monkey with almond-shaped eyes and the black monkey positioned in the centre, where everything comes from. The monkey becomes the spark to teach everyone that there is no difference, there is no man or monkey, we are all alike. If anything we are all monkeys.”

Serie A chief executive Luigi de Siervo said: “The League’s commitment against all forms of prejudice is strong and concrete, we know that racism is an endemic and very complex problem, which we will tackle on three different levels; the cultural one, through works like that of Simone; the sporting one, with a series of initiatives together with clubs and players, and the repressive one, thanks to collaboration with the police.”

The north London club opened discussions with Spanish coach but failed to mention their interest to Premier League champions.

Photo by Getty

Manchester City have been left baffled that Arsenal failed to mention any interest in Mikel Arteta despite the coach being lined up as the Gunners next manager.

Arsenal’s managing director, Vinai Venkatesham, and director of football operations, Huss Fahmy, were pictured leaving Arteta’s home in Manchester in the early hours of Monday morning .

The Gunners have been searching for a permanent manager since they sacked Unai Emery on November 29 following a disastrous start to the season, which culminated in a seven-match winless run.

Arteta has emerged as Arsenal’s top target, with Freddie Ljungberg failing to impress as the interim manager.

According to Goal‘s sources, the 37-year-old is set for more talks with the club and a final decision is expected this week.

However, City are understood to be unhappy with the way the north London club have handled the matter – although they are not angry with Arteta himself.

Executives from both clubs were at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday as City beat Arsenal 3-0, with Arteta sitting alongside Pep Guardiola in the visitors’ dugout.

But there was no discussions over the future of the 37-year-old, who spent five years at Arsenal as a player.

Arteta was at training on Monday following the late-night meeting and is expected at the Etihad Campus on Tuesday ahead of the Carabao Cup quarter-final against Oxford United the following night.

A number of high profile names have been linked with the Arsenal job including Massimiliano Allegri, Brendan Rodgers and former Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino.

Arteta was close to being given the role when Arsene Wenger ended his 22-year reign at the club in 2018, but some board members were worried about his lack of experience.

Guardiola appointed him to his coaching staff after his retirement from playing and he is become an increasing influence in the dressing room after taking over as the number two when Domenec Torrent left for New York City FC.

He is hugely popular with the players and has worked closely with Guardiola, who has said he is ready for a top job.

“When he wants to talk we are open to talk but it’s private, I don’t want to make things uncomfortable,” the City boss said about a possible move, with Everton also linked with Arteta.

The Premier League champions will be due compensation if he decides to leave the club.

Arteta has also been touted as a potential successor to Guardiola, who has 18 months remaining on his City contract.

Source – Goal.com