Roma have handed a lifetime ban to a supporter who racially abused Brazilian defender Juan Jesus on social media.

Juan Jesus featured in Roma’s 2-0 defeat by Atalanta on Wednesday

The Serie A side tweeted an image of the messages – including details of the account – and confirmed they had reported the incident to the police.

The public denunciation was met with widespread appreciation on Twitter.

It comes after anti-discriminatory body Fare said Italian football authorities and their disciplinary systems to combat racism were not fit for purpose.

Fare executive director Piara Powar added “the rot is deep” and “no-one is taking the issue seriously”, but Serie A insisted it was “seriously and constantly engaged in activities against racism”.

AC Milan launched an anti-racism task force at last weekend’s derby against Inter, christened the ‘Derby Against Racism’, in response to recent racist incidents.

Inter striker Romelu Lukaku had been subjected to monkey chants by Cagliari fans during a Serie A game on 2 September, however Cagliari were cleared of racist chanting.

Source – BBC News

The Denmark international’s contract is up at the end of the season and has previously been linked with Real Madrid and Juventus.

Photo by Getty/Goal

Manchester United are considering a January move for Tottenham midfielder Christian Eriksen as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer looks to further improve his squad.

Following a disastrous start to the season for the Red Devils, additions to the squad could be made as soon as the winter window given Solskjaer retains the backing of executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward.

United are aware that Spurs chairman Daniel Levy is keen to avoid losing Eriksen on a free transfer when his contract expires at the end of the season.

And, if United and Tottenham can agree a cut-price fee for the Denmark international, then he will move to Old Trafford at the start of 2020.

United considered a £70 million ($86m) move for Eriksen during the summer transfer window but were not convinced he was willing to join them as he held out for a transfer to Real Madrid.

That is just one of several obstacles to be overcome for any deal to be completed.

Eriksen is understood to prefer a move to Spain, and ideally Real Madrid, and United’s current standing is well behind other traditionally big European sides.

There is also the likelihood that the playmaker may have to compromise on the level of wages he could otherwise demand as a player moving on a free transfer.

One factor potentially in United’s favour is the uncertain future of Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane.

Los Blancos have failed to click under their three-time Champions League winning manager since his return to the club in March, and pressure is mounting after a transfer window that saw over £300m ($369m) spent on new players.

If Zidane were to depart before the end of the current season it could lead to a change in transfer targets at Santiago Bernabeu.

Despite reports that United wish to tie down Paul Pogba to a new contract, Eriksen could be a direct replacement for the discontented France midfielder, who continues to be linked with a move to Madrid.

Pogba’s current contract runs until 2021 and includes the option for an extra year, but given the ex-Juventus star’s commercial value and the number of high-profile players to have left clubs for free in recent years, United are keen to tie him down sooner rather than later.

The 26-year-old made his return to first-team action on Wednesday against Rochdale in the Carabao Cup, and faced criticism from fans for failing to take part in the decisive penalty shootout.

It has since emerged, however, that Pogba aggravated an ankle injury during the clash and is now a doubt for Monday’s visit of Arsenal to Old Trafford.

Source – Goal.com

The Portuguese has turned down the likes of Monaco, Schalke and AC Milan as he awaits a chance to return to Santiago Bernabeu.

Photo by Getty Images

Jose Mourinho wants to return to Real Madrid, sources tell Goal, as the Portuguese coach has already turned down a number of job offers since departing Manchester United.

Mourinho departed Old Trafford last December as he was sacked following a tumultuous start to the Premier League campaign.

He has since been featuring as a pundit while awaiting his next job, but sources tell Goal that he would be very interested if Real Madrid were to come calling.

Between May and September, Mourinho turned down approaches from Monaco, Lille, Wolfsburg, Schalke and AC Milan.

The Portuguese boss, during that time, had his eyes fixed on three clubs: Paris Saint-Germain, Juventus and Bayern Munich.

Mourinho, who has been learning German, had also been open to a move to Tottenham earlier this year, as he believed Real Madrid would make a move to bring in Mauricio Pochettino following the dismissal of Santiago Solari.

However, that possibility ended as soon as Madrid made the decision to bring in Zinedine Zidane, thus ending rumours of Pochettino leaving London.

PSG and Bayern, meanwhile, opted to stick with Thomas Tuchel and Niko Kovac respectively despite up-and-down seasons while Juventus opted for former Chelsea boss Maurizio Sarri following the departure of Massimiliano Allegri.

Now, Mourinho is interested in the Real Madrid job should the club opt to remove Zidane as criticism has mounted.

Real Madrid have endured some difficult moments this season, namely a 3-0 battering at the hands of PSG in their Champions League group stage opener.

In the time since, pressure has ramped up on Zidane, who has seen his side struggle since stepping in for Solari last March.

Still, the three-time Champions League-winning manager has Madrid top of La Liga, and the Blancos board have not shown any signs of being ready to move on from the legendary Frenchman.

Zidane was one of three Real Madrid managers last season, as Julen Lopetegui started the campaign and lasted less than three months before being replaced by Solari.

Real Madrid will next face city rivals Atletico Madrid on Saturday before then looking ahead to a clash with Club Brugge on Tuesday in the Champions League.

Source – Goal.com

AC Milan and Inter Milan have revealed two shortlisted designs for a new 60,000-seat stadium next to their iconic San Siro home.

The plans include renovating the San Siro area and the clubs have submitted a feasibility study to their municipality.

The new stadium is expected to cost 650m euros (£576m) and take three years to build.

The club also plan to consult fans about the proposals.

“AC Milan and FC Internazionale have shared a stadium in San Siro for more than 70 years,” said AC Milan chairman Paolo Scaroni.

“The project’s strength is the two club’s commitment together for the new Milano stadium.

“It means increased investments and a common goal to give the city a sports and entertainment district which is alive all year round thanks to events involving both teams and creating jobs for more than 3,500 people.”

The clubs opted against renovating the San Siro, which would have cost an estimated 510m euros (£452m), meant a loss of 115m euros (£102m) in revenue during construction, taken five to six years to complete, and have had a lower capacity than the new stadium.

One of the designs for the new stadium – named The Cathedral

The other design – named The Rings of Milano

Source – BBC News

RB Salzburg striker Erling Braut Haaland hopes he can follow in the footsteps of Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic has scored over 500 goals in his career

The 19-year-old has emerged as one the most highly-rated young players in Europe and he added to his glowing reputation by scoring a first-half hat-trick on his Champions League debut in RB Salzbueg’s 6-2 thrashing of Genk last week.

RB Salzburg striker Erling Braut Haaland scored nine goals in a game for Norway U20s in May

“There is something about the way he got good and the way he plays,” Haaland told Norwegian channel TV2.

“For me, Zlatan is the biggest. He is from Scandinavia, so someone has to take over from him.”

Evergreen striker Ibrahimovic has scored 27 goals in 26 MLS games this season

LA Galaxy striker Ibrahimovic has played for some of the biggest clubs in the world, including Barcelona, Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain.

The 37-year-old scored 29 goals in 53 appearances for Manchester United before moving to the United States, and Haaland admits he too would like to play in the Premier League.

“I have dreamed of playing for the best clubs in the world my whole life, and I especially like English football,” he added.

Haaland says Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has had a huge influence on his career

The youngster is the son of former Leeds and Manchester City player Alf-Inge Haaland who was a former international team-mate of Manchester United boss Solskjaer.

Solskjaer brought the young striker to Molde from fellow Norwegian side Bryne in 2017, and Haaland credits Solskjaer for playing a major role in his rapid rise.

“He has had a huge impact on my life, both as a person and as a trainer,” said Haaland. “He won the Champions League and was an incredibly good player. He has taught me a lot, he is a fantastic person and a very good coach. He is one of the reasons I am here today.”

Source – Sky Sport

The Blaugrana have avoided serious consequences for an alleged breach of rules during their negotiations to lure the World Cup winner to Camp Nou.

Photo by Getty Images

Barcelona have been fined just €300 by the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) for their actions in the signing of Atletico Madrid forward Antione Griezmann.

Atletico claim that Barcelona reached an agreement to sign the France international when his release clause stood at €200 million (£178m/$221m).

Griezmann ended up completing a  €120m (£107m/$134m) move to Camp Nou on July 12, with his buy-out clause reduced at the start of the same month.

And Barca have now been sanctioned by the RFEF on Thursday, with the club now due to pay a v300 fine for a breach of rules.

It had been suggested that the Spanish champions may be forced to play a fixture behind closed doors, but no ban on supporters has been issued.

The RFEF have released an official statement, which reads: “It is evident that the amount of economic sanction does not bear any proportion to the importance of the facts that have given rise to this file.

“Taking into account the economic capacity of the club and the amount of the economic operation, this committee is aware that the payment of €300, beyond its merely symbolic nature (the fine is imposed because the issued club has been considered the author of a disciplinary infraction), will not contribute to the sanctioned club in particular and, probably, other clubs that may be in the same situation in the future, adapt their behaviour to what is required by regulation.

“However, this is not a sufficient reason for this committee to opt for the imposition of a sanction – the closing of the stadium by a party – which, as stated, seems to be intended for infractions of another nature.”

Atletico have ultimately missed out on the €80m ($87m/£71m) they feel they are owed, but club boss Diego Simeone will likely be unaffected by the news.

The Argentine stated that he “was not interested” in any new findings regarding Griezmann’s transfer ahead of a clash with Celta Vigo on Saturday.

Spanish publication El Mundo lifted the lid on Barca’s alleged wrong-doings, claiming they had access to emails which proved that the club finalised an agreement with Griezmann back in March.

The 28-year-old has settled in quickly at Camp Nou, netting three goals in his first six La Liga appearances.

Greizmann will likely retain his place in Ernesto Valverde’s line up for a trip to Getafe on Saturday, before Barca prepare for a Champions League clash against Inter four days later.

Source – Goal.com

The Liverpool star had been left upset after the voting list was released without his country’s selections, but the reason has now been clarified.

Photo by Getty Images

FIFA has explained why some votes for Mohamed Salah to win The Best FIFA Men’s Player award were not counted.

Liverpool star Salah did not finish in the top three of the ballot, with his nominations from Egypt‘s captain and coach not included.

Salah appeared to be upset when FIFA’s full list of voting was released without his country’s selections.

He reportedly removed a reference to Egypt from his Twitter bio and posted a cryptic message that read: “Whatever they do to try to change my love for Egypt, they will not succeed.”

FIFA moved to clarify why those particular votes for Salah were not counted in a statement released to Omnisport on Thursday.

The governing body said: “During the monitoring of the votes submitted by the Egyptian Football Association (EFA) on August 15, it was remarked that the signatures on the voting forms were in capital letters and thus seemed not valid (not authentic). The voting forms were also not signed by the general secretary which is mandatory.”

FIFA added the President’s Office of the EFA, which has undergone recent structural changes, was contacted about the issue, with no response received in time for the votes to count.

Further questions have been asked of FIFA about the voting process for The Best awards.

Nicaragua captain Juan Barrera claimed on Twitter he did not vote although his name is listed on FIFA’s official document, which says he chose Lionel Messi, Sadio Mane and Cristiano Ronaldo as his top three.

“We have checked the voting documents submitted by the Nicaraguan FA and all documents are signed and confirmed with the official stamp of the Nicaraguan FA,” FIFA said.

“Having compared with the vote sheets submitted by the federation and the ones we have published on FIFA.com… we confirm that we have the right votes signed by the player.

“We are asking the Nicaraguan Football Federations to inquire on this matter.”

Messi was named as the men’s winner, ahead of the likes of Salah, Liverpool team-mate Virgil van Dijk, and long-term rival Cristiano Ronaldo.

USWNT star Megan Rapinoe won the women’s award, while Salah’s Reds boss Jurgen Klopp and Rapinoe’s international coach Jill Ellis took the trophies for best coach.

Source – Goal.com

Paris St Germain suffered their second defeat of the season and their first at home in Ligue 1 for 16 months as they lost 2-0 to Stade de Reims on Wednesday.

Photo by Getty Images

The French champions, who still lead the standings with 15 points from seven games, looked nothing like the team who crushed Real Madrid 3-0 in the Champions League last week, failing to create clear chances at the Parc des Princes.

Hassane Kamara headed home in the first half and Boulaye Dia doubled the tally with a bicycle kick in added time to give the visitors a deserved victory.

Reims are eighth on 11 points.

Earlier, Victor Osimhen scored his sixth league goal of the season to inspire Lille to a 2-0 home win over Racing Strasbourg.

The 20-year-old Nigerian opened the scoring and Loic Remy doubled the lead as the side from northern France moved up to third in the standings on 13 points.

Angers are second, behind PSG on goal difference, after Rachid Alioui‘s late double gave them a 2-0 win at Toulouse.

Olympique Lyonnais extended their winless streak to six games in all competitions as goals by Maxwel Cornet and Moussa Dembele were cancelled out by Yoann Court’s double in a 2-2 draw at Stade Brestois.

Lille will take on Chelsea in the Champions League next week when Lyon, who are 11th in Ligue 1 on nine points, travel to RB Leipzig.

With Idrissa Gueye rested, Marco Verratti suspended and Marquinhos starting on the bench, PSG, already without injured strikers Kylian Mbappe and Edinson Cavani, struggled at the Parc des Princes, especially in midfield.

Kamara put the visitors ahead on 29 minutes as he headed home from Marshall Munetsi’s cross with his team’s first effort on target.

Eric Choupo-Moting was replaced by Angel Di Maria shortly before the interval after colliding with Neymar but that did little to lift the hosts.

It was Reims who threatened, but Oudin’s crossed shot from inside the area hit Keylor Navas‘s right-hand post in the 78th minute.

Thomas Tuchel‘s side were unable to create danger in the closing stages and were effectively handed their first home defeat in Ligue 1 since they lost to Rennes 2-0 at the Parc in May 2018, when Dia’s strike four minutes into stoppage time sealed victory for Reims.

Source – Eurosport.com

The Belgium international’s former coach, Hein Vanhaezebrouck, believes a switch to France would open up a shot at securing Champions League glory.

Photo by Getty Images

Kevin De Bruyne has been told by a former coach that he should consider leaving Manchester City for Paris Saint-Germain.

Hein Vanhaezebrouck, who has previously worked with the Belgium international at Genk, believes a switch to France would offer the 28-year-old a better shot at Champions League glory.

De Bruyne has already enjoyed considerable success in England, helping City to Premier League, FA Cup, League Cup and Community Shield honours.

Pep Guardiola’s side are, however, yet to make the expected impact in European competition.

Vanhaezebrouck feels De Bruyne could help to force his way into contention for that crown if he opted to link up with the likes of Neymar and Kylian Mbappe at Parc des Princes.

He told Het Nieuwsblad: “Kevin has won two league titles and various English cups with Manchester City, and he’s been named player of the season in Germany.

“But he has never won anything internationally. No Europa League, no Champions League, no World Cup – and these are the things that are always taken into account.

“As soon as he wins one of these prizes I have no doubt that he will be in the running for the FIFA player of the year award and the Ballon d’Or trophy.

“He could yet do it with City – but with the defence they’ve got I am not convinced.

“I’m not saying that it would be easier for him to win the Champions League with Barcelona or Real Madrid.

“But to my mind it would be if he played for Paris Saint-Germain.

“Get De Bruyne to feed Neymar, Edinson Cavani and Kylian Mbappe with his pinpoint passes, and you have a team that is virtually impossible to play against.

“The one problem is that it may not suit him to play in Ligue 1. At PSG he would earn even more money than he does now.

“But on so many weekends he’d have matches against the likes of Dijon, Amiens or Strasbourg – and he wouldn’t look forward to them.”

De Bruyne committed to a five-year contract with City in January 2018.

Guardiola revealed after that extension was agreed that the release clause in the midfielder’s contract now stands at €250 million (£222m/$274m).

Source – Goal.com