Sports42 FRIDAY, MAY 12, 2017

Infantino hits out at FIFA Extras Shot-shy Southampton ‘bashing and fake news’ target top-half finish SOUTHAMPTON: Southampton are aiming for a quick turn- around to finish in the top half of the start- FIFA elect Skouris as head of ethics committee ing with a trip to relegated Middlesbrough tomorrow, man- ager Claude Puel said yesterday. Puel’s Southampton, 10th in the table, extended their winless run to five games with a MANAMA: FIFA President took aim at critics of world foot- some of his critics among governance experts after a week in which FIFA’s 2-0 home loss to Arsenal on Wednesday. “There’s the possi- ball’s governing body yesterday, saying the organization had reformed and Ethics heads were replaced. “In the past many highly-paid experts, paid mil- bility to finish in the first part of the table and that is very was now a victim of “fake news” and “FIFA bashing”. Speaking to the orga- lions, have been hired by FIFA to help reform FIFA. Let me ask you, what did important to us,” Puel told reporters. “If we can have a good nization’s 67th congress in the Bahraini capital, Infantino, who replaced they do? They simply rubber stamped a sick and corrupt system. “Where result against Middlesbrough, we can prepare for our last as head of FIFA in 2016, said it was truly transforming itself. were all these self-proclaimed gurus and experts? They all miserably failed. I two games at home with good possibilities, good intensity. “We are rebuilding FIFA’s reputation after all that happened. We took over will, we will, not accept good governance lessons from any individuals who “Middlesbrough have been playing just one game a week the organization at it’s deepest point,” said Infantino, adding that there was miserably failed to protect football,” said Infantino. While suggesting FIFA’s and for us, the most important thing is to put in place a team no room for anyone who wanted to enrich themselves by “abusing foot- internal experts had failed he offered praise for outside investigations, thank- with good balance, with players who are physically fit and to ball”. Several dozen football officials, mainly from Latin America, were ing “courts all around the world” who had prosecuted corruption cases. “We give a good answer.” The 55-year-old Frenchman believes he indicted in the United States in 2015 on corruption-related charges, spark- need your help and we count on your help,” he added, saying there was no has laid a solid foundation in his first season at St Mary’s but ing the worst crisis in FIFA’s history. Infantino said criticism of the organisa- place in his organization for any wrongdoing. “If there’s anyone in this room will need to boost the squad’s attacking options if they are tion under his leadership had not been fair, given improved transparency, or outside of this room who still thinks he can enrich himself, that he can to climb higher in the league. “We put the basics of our play controls and ethics procedures. “There is a lot of fake news and alternative abuse football, I have one clear and strong message to tell him: Leave foot- and our philosophy in place this season and what we want facts about FIFA circulating,” he said. “FIFA bashing has become a national ball and leave football now. We don’t want you.” FIFA’s budget plans for to do,” he said. sport in some countries”. 2018 and their auditor’s report and financial statements for 2016 were all The Swiss administrator also made some barbed comments about voted through without any questions being raised in the congress hall.

Ethics committee Former Villarreal boss Meanwhile, Vassilios Skouris of Greece, a former president of the named Valencia coach European Court of Justice, was elected head of FIFA’s ethics committee yes- BARCELONA: Former Villarreal manager Marcelino has terday. Taking over from German Hans-Joachim Eckert, who was instrumen- been named as Valencia coach for next season, the club tal in bringing down ex-FIFA president Sepp Blatter and UEFA chief Michel said in a statement yesterday, as the fallen giants of La Platini, Skouris will serve a four-year mandate. Colombia’s Maria Claudia Liga plot an improvement on two disappointing cam- Rojas was also elected to take over from ethics investigator Cornel Borbely. paigns. Marcelino took Villarreal from Spain’s second tier The controversial move to replace Eckert and Borbely was overwhelmingly to three consecutive top-six finishes and the semi-finals of approved by the annual FIFA Congress, meeting this year in Bahrain, with 97 last season’s Europa League. He was dismissed at the start percent voting for and just three percent against. Eckert was the judge who of this campaign due to differences with the board of opened proceedings against Blatter and Platini in November 2015, after directors. Marcelino has been out of work since, with FIFA was engulfed by accusations of corruption. He also opened the case league rules preventing a coach from working for two dif- against Jerome Valcke, Blatter’s former powerful deputy, which ended with ferent top-flight clubs in the same season. He will take MANAMA: FIFA President Gianni Infantino (left) the once all-powerful French administrator being banned from the game. speaks during the FIFA Congress, in Manama, Bahrain over from caretaker manager Voro, who has steered the The replacement of Eckert and Borbely has raised concern in some circles six-times Liga champions into 13th in the standings since yesterday. Addressing his second congress of soccer and critics have accused current FIFA president Gianni Infantino of having a nations as FIFA president, Infantino lambasted “fake Cesare Prandelli resigned in December and will remain in personal motive to replace the pair, as an ethics investigation was launched charge for the final two games of the campaign. news” following criticism of his leadership. —AP against the world football’s top powerbroker last year. —Agencies What to watch in Europe’s main leagues

BERLIN: What to watch in the leading soccer (including a season that was canceled Champions League semifinals, winning the GERMANY leagues in Europe this weekend: because of World War II), and did it French league seems an inevitable reality. With the title already wrapped up by from 2006-10. If Juventus fails in the capital, it Monaco can seal the title on Sunday if it Bayern Munich and the Champions League ENGLAND is likely to secure the title next weekend, at beats Lille at home and defending champi- qualification places settled, excitement in the Three games left, three points needed. home to relegation-threatened Crotone. on Paris Saint-Germain fails to win at Saint- Bundesliga is at the other end of the table That’s the task facing Chelsea in a Premier Between those two matches, it faces Lazio in Etienne. Monaco has thrilled Europe with its with six sides still fighting to avoid relegation League title race it has dominated since the Italian Cup final on Wednesday. Juventus attacking football, scoring 150 goals in all with two rounds to go. One of Ingolstadt, November. Chelsea’s first opportunity to then plays Real Madrid in the Champions competitions and needing just two more to Hamburger SV, Mainz, Wolfsburg, Augsburg clinch the trophy comes at West Bromwich League final on June 3. Elsewhere, AC Milan is reach 100 in the league. Saint-Etienne, an and Bayer Leverkusen will go down automat- Albion today. If Chelsea fails to win, still looking for its first win under its new own- industrial city with a loyal fan base of fer- ically and one will have a playoff against the Tottenham - seven points behind in second ers and it travels to Atalanta, while Inter Milan vent supporters, is one of the toughest side that finishes third in the second division place - must beat Manchester United on hosts Sassuolo in its first match since sacking away trips in Ligue 1. The atmosphere at for a topflight place next season. Darmstadt Sunday to keep the race alive. Chelsea’s other coach Stefano Pioli. Youth team coach Stade Geoffroy-Guichard will be even more is already relegated. Ingolstadt, which faces two matches are at home to Watford and Stefano Vecchi will be in charge. emotionally charged due to it being hugely Freiburg away tomorrow, is the worst-placed Sunderland. The relegation battle could also popular coach Christophe Galtier’s last side, four points from safety. Hamburg, in the be settled this weekend, with third-to-last SPAIN home game in charge. Galtier is stepping playoff place, faces Schalke away before its Hull in danger of going down along with Real Madrid has its toughest remaining down at the end of the season after nearly potential all-or-nothing clash against already-demoted Middlesbrough and challenge in the title race on Sunday when it eight years in charge of “Les Verts” (The Wolfsburg at home on the final weekend. Sunderland. Hull is one point behind hosts fourth-placed Sevilla for its final league Greens), and would like nothing more than Mainz, level with Hamburg on points, hosts Swansea. If Swansea beats Sunderland tomor- game at home this season. Madrid needs a to bid farewell to home fans with a win local rival Eintracht Frankfurt, while 2009 row, Hull must beat Crystal Palace away on victory to keep its fate in its own hands as against PSG. champion Wolfsburg hosts Borussia Sunday to take the relegation fight to the final the side bids for its first title since 2012. Moenchengladbach, and Augsburg hosts weekend. By Steve Douglas in Manchester, Madrid and Barcelona are level on points NETHERLANDS Borussia Dortmund. Leverkusen faces a high- England. atop the standings, with Barcelona ahead on Feyenoord has one final chance to grab stake Rhine derby against local rival Cologne. the head-to-head tiebreaker. But Madrid still its first Eredivisie title since 1999 when it ITALY has three games to play, while Barcelona has plays Heracles Almelo in Rotterdam on PORTUGAL Juventus can take the first step toward a two. Barcelona visits Las Palmas at the same Sunday. Archrival Ajax could win its 34th Benfica can win a fourth straight treble when it visits Roma on Sunday. A draw time on Sunday. Barcelona’s last game is at title if Feyenoord slips up for a second Portuguese league for the first time. A win at the capital side would be enough to hand home against mid-table Eibar, while Madrid weekend straight. Going into the last round, tomorrow against Vitoria Guimaraes, a team Juventus an unprecedented sixth successive has games at Celta Vigo and Malaga. Sevilla Feyenoord has a one-point lead over Ajax, it has beaten the last seven times at home, Serie A crown, with two matches to spare. needs at least a draw in its final two matches which takes on Willem II in Tilburg on will be enough to give Benfica an unsur- Defeat would leave it four points ahead of to secure fourth place and a qualification Sunday. Feyenoord missed the chance to mountable lead ahead of the last round. second-placed Roma and five ahead of Napoli spot for the Champions League. secure its 15th Dutch title last Sunday in a Benfica is five points ahead of rival FC Porto if the latter wins at Torino. Since Serie A was nervy 3-0 defeat at Excelsior, disappointing with two matches to go. Porto hosts Pacos founded in 1929, no club has won more than FRANCE tens of thousands of fans who gathered in Ferreira on Sunday. Porto was the last team five straight titles. Juventus won five straight Although Monaco’s European dream is downtown Rotterdam and at Feyenoord’s to win four consecutive titles, from 2006-09. from 1931-35, Torino did it from 1943-49 over after losing to Juventus in the home stadium, De Kuip, ready to celebrate. It also won five in a row, from 1995-99. —AP