WEDNESDAY, JULY 29, 2015 SPORTS Platini will run for FIFA president

GENEVA: Michel Platini will run for FIFA presi- dent and plans to announce his intentions this week. Two officials familiar with Platini’s plans have told The Associated Press that the FIFA vice president has made a decision to try to succeed Sepp Blatter. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because Platini has not announced his candidacy. The officials said that the UEFA president and former France great has been encouraged to run by most leaders of FIFA’s continental confedera- tions. Five of the six continental leaders, including Platini, were in St. Petersburg, Russia, last week for FIFA meetings and the 2018 World Cup quali- MUNICH: New player for Bayern Munich , Chileís Arturo Vidal (left) and Munich’s sports fying draw. Platini declined to discuss his ambi- manager Matthias Sammer (right) hold a Bayern shirt after a news conference. —AP tions when asked by the AP in St. Petersburg. The FIFA election is on Feb. 26 and would-be candidates must apply by Oct. 26. Platini is set to Bayern confirm Vidal be the first serious contender to announce he will stand, two months after Blatter was re-elect- ed for a fifth four-year term. switch from Juventus Two former FIFA vice presidents from Asia are also possible contenders. Prince Ali bin al- BERLIN: Bayern Munich confirmed yes- With his collection of tattoos and eye- Hussein of Jordan, who lost a 133-73 vote to terday they have signed Chile midfielder catching hairstyle, the Chilean will bring Blatter on May 29 with Platini’s public support, Arturo Vidal from Juventus on a four-year some glamour to the Bavarian giants. “He and South Korean politician Chung Mong-joon deal with Bastian Schweinsteiger’s is a guy who likes to win and has an have made public statements about the election replacement reportedly costing 35 mil- excellent mentality,” said Bayern’s sport- in recent days. lion euros ($38.6m, £24.8m). ing director Matthias Sammer, who Blatter was Platini’s long-time mentor in FIFA RUSSIA: UEFA President Michel Platini watches the preliminary draw for the 2018 soccer World politics until a rift developed as the 79-year-old The 28-year-old Vidal has been added Vidal has the option of an extra Cup in Konstantin Palace in this file photo. —AP brought in by the German champions to year after his contact expires in 2019. Swiss hung on to office in recent years. bolster their options in the middle after “He’ll be good for us with his strength in After 17 years as FIFA president, Blatter said to the European Championship. The larger 24- including Azerbaijan and Hungary. Germany captain Schweinsteiger joined one-on-ones, his eye for goal and his on June 2 he was standing down, under pres- team event will debut in Platini’s home country However, Platini’s reign has seen the Manchester United earlier this month. flexibility.” sure from American and Swiss federal investiga- of France in June. Champions League dominated by an elite group “I wanted to make another big step in Vidal converted a spot-kick in Chile’s tions of corruption implicating senior FIFA offi- Blatter also beat Johansson to get his FIFA of wealthy clubs from the richest soccer nations. my career, I want to develop myself fur- 4-1 penalty shoot-out win over cials. job, in a 1998 election in Paris dogged by allega- His signature “Financial Fair Play” policy ther as a player and win titles like the Argentina earlier this month that saw Platini has not been linked to any wrongdo- tions of late vote-buying by supporters of designed to curb clubs overspending has Champions League,” said Vidal in them win the Copa America and he was ing, though his vote for Qatar as 2022 World Cup Blatter. seemed only to cement the elite in place. Then, Platini was doing double duty as head If elected FIFA’s ninth president in 112 years, Spanish, despite having already spent also named in the team of the tourna- host has proved controversial. He was the first FIFA executive committee member to reveal of the 1998 World Cup organizing committee and third Frenchman, Platini will be the best four seasons in Germany with Bayer ment. However, his tournament was also who he voted for in the December 2010 hosting and as a campaign manager for Blatter. There is player to occupy the office. Platini is among the Leverkusen. “The chance to do that, I see overshadowed by an arrest for drink driv- ballots that also gave the 2018 event to Russia. no suggestion Platini was involved in election great No. 10s in history. He won three Ballon most likely at FC Bayern. I want to sup- ing after he crashed his Ferrari as he was Platini, who turned 60 last month, chose last wrongdoing. d’Or awards as the best player in Europe and lift- port the team and win trophies. returning to the capital Santiago after an year not to oppose Blatter in the recent election. Platini joined Blatter in Zurich after a success- ed two of the three biggest team prizes open to “For me, this is a dream come true.” evening at a casino. His wife, who was “Now is not my time, not yet,” Platini said last ful World Cup, won by France, as a presidential him. Vidal is Bayern’s second major signing of with him in the car, was injured. He is August in Monaco when announcing he would adviser for four years before winning a FIFA He captained France to win the 1984 the close season after Brazil winger or unlikely to play in Saturday’s German focus on getting a third term at UEFA, which he executive committee seat representing UEFA. European Championship - his nine-goal per- striker Douglas Costa was signed from Super Cup final at Wolfsburg, but Vidal won in March unopposed for a second straight In eight years leading European soccer, Platini formance in his home country ranks among the Shakhtar Donetsk earlier this month. says he wants to play if Bayern coach Pep time. has tried to please less powerful voting federa- finest individual tournament displays - and German daily Bild say Vidal will earn Guardiola gives him the nod: “if the train- His rise to the top job in European football in tions by giving their national and club teams scored the winning goal for Juventus in the 10 million euros per season at Bayern. “I er wants me to, I’m ready to play”. 2007 owed a little to Blatter’s help and showed better chances to advance in UEFA competitions. 1985 European Cup final. Only FIFA’s World Cup am delighted to be back in the German champions Bayern will start the how much recent history they share in the game Second-tier matches such as the Europa League eluded him. France lost semifinal matches to Bundesliga and of course, I hope to win new Bundesliga season at home to of soccer politics. final and Super Cup have been sent to Romania, West Germany in 1982 and 1986. Platini’s it,” added the player who helped Hamburg on Friday, August 14 and will Platini ousted veteran UEFA leader Lennart Switzerland, Wales and Georgia. achievements would be neatly completed by Juventus reach last season’s Champions be bidding to make history by becoming Johansson of Sweden in a 27-23 vote which per- Platini’s Euro 2020 project will see 13 coun- becoming FIFA president. Harris reported from League final after claiming the Italian the first team to win four consecutive haps swung on his promise to add eight teams tries host the continent-wide tournament, London.—AP league and cup double. Bundesliga titles.—AFP Putin: Blatter deserves the Nobel Prize MOSCOW: Vladimir Putin and Sepp Blatter gation. That case also focuses on the 2022 just can’t stop praising each other. The bidding campaign, won by Qatar. Russian president, speaking with Swiss TV The American case has named three for- on Monday, said the embattled head of mer FIFA vice presidents among 14 soccer FIFA deserves a Nobel Prize for his work. and marketing officials indicted in May on Two days after Putin and Blatter hosted the widespread racketeering charges. A further preliminary draw for the 2018 World Cup, four men have made guilty pleas in the Putin said “people like Blatter ... deserve widening case that is also expected to tar- special recognition.” get Blatter and the 2018-2022 World Cup Blatter had opened the draw ceremony bid contests. Putin said in the Swiss inter- Saturday - held at a palace in St. Petersburg view, recorded Saturday in St. Petersburg, that is an official Putin residence - and that he was sure Blatter was not corrupt. He warmly congratulated his host. added that, by making allegations against “Thank you, President Putin, you make FIFA, the Americans and their allies in us happy and comfortable,” said Blatter, Britain were continuing to fight the World who was making his first trip outside his Cup bidding contest. Both the United native Switzerland since American and States and Britain bid for the tournaments Swiss investigations of corruption in soccer won by Qatar and Russia. were revealed in May. Blatter made a similar comment in his Besides Blatter, Putin suggested to Swiss first interview after being re-elected presi- state broadcaster RTS that heads of inter- dent of FIFA on May 29. Four days after the national sports federations and Olympic interview aired on RTS, Blatter announced committees would also be worthy recipi- he would step down within months. The ents. new election is scheduled for Feb. 26. “Let’s have Nobel Prizes for people like Blatter has long coveted a Nobel Peace that,” said Putin, who approved lavish Prize for FIFA on behalf of world soccer, but spending on the 2014 Sochi Olympics that the corruption cases appear finally to have cost $51 billion to prepare and stage. ended that hope. On Saturday, Blatter told Putin that the On June 15, the Nobel Peace Center in Russian people “can be proud” of him and Norway terminated its cooperation with that FIFA says “yes to Russia, we are provid- FIFA in a project called “Handshake for ing our support.” Peace.” FIFA criticized the Nobel organiza- Russia’s successful bid to host the World tion the next day for lacking fair play and Cup is central to the Swiss federal investi- announcing the split via the media.—AP Tottenham expect tough test from MLS All-Stars MONTERREY: Rafael Sobis of Mexico’s Tigres celebrates a foul in this file photo. —AP

DENVER: Tottenham launch their final prepa- Tottenham, my club, the club where I felt I rations for the fast-approaching Premier made my name and had a big impact ... this is Tigres aim to claw River League season today when they take on a a big deal for me.” Major League Soccer All-Stars side featuring Spanish forward David Villa of New York former Spurs striker Robbie Keane in the US City FC, Brazilian Kaka of Orlando and former league’s mid-season exhibition. Liverpool star Steven Gerrard-the Galaxy’s lat- in Libertadores final “It’s going to be a tough game and that’s est high profile acquisition-will all be avail- what we want,” 21-year-old striker Harry Kane able to MLS All-Star coach Pablo Mastroeni. said Monday in Denver, where he and his Gerrard was selected for the team along MONTERREY: Tigres UANL will be aiming to French international striker Andre-Pierre thing for us is to try and have a lead to team-mates have been training since the with Frank Lampard as one of two commis- give Mexican football another jolt of glory Gignac from Marseille earlier this year. defend, either one or two goals.” weekend. sioner’s picks by MLS chief Don Garber-before today as they take on River Plate in the first They have already met River in the group Damm, who is of German descent, is one “It’s not long until the season starts, and either had kicked a ball in league competi- leg of the Copa Libertadores final. stage this year, drawing 1-1 in Buenos Aires of several players signed by Tigres this year we need to see what we need to work on,” tion. A sell-out crowd of 42,000 is expected to and 2-2 in Monterrey. “We have great as they attempt to claim their place in histo- Kane said. “For me, it’ll be my first game of the Gerrard has since made a solid debut for pack Monterrey’s University Stadium as respect for our opponents but we also have ry. pre-season, so I’m looking forward to it.” the Galaxy, while Lampard’s debut for NYCFC Tigres begin their final push to become the great confidence and belief in our ability to The 22-year-old joined the club last Keane, a three-time MLS champion with is on hold because of a nagging calf injury first ever team from Mexico to lift South do well,” River’s veteran Argentine interna- month in an $8 million deal despite reported the Los Angeles Galaxy, has received his third that will also see him miss Wednesday’s con- American club football’s most prestigious tional Javier Saviola said after arriving in interest from Serie A side AS Roma. Gignac, All-Star nod, but had to miss the 2013 and test. 2014 editions because of injury. Another former Tottenham player, title. Tigres will be chasing a convincing first Monterrey on Monday. however, has been Tigres’ star acquistion, The Republic of Ireland great is especially American Clint Dempsey, will be available for leg win to take to Buenos Aires for the return The former Barcelona and Real Madrid excelling in a 3-1 semi-final second leg victo- eager to get his chance against the club he the hosts, the Seattle Sounders having just leg on August 5 as they aim to deny River a player is one of River’s main attacking ry over Internacional of Brazil last week to starred for in two spells between 2002 and won top-scorer honors in the Gold Cup third victory in the Libertadores after wins in weapons, alongside Uruguayan striker help propel the Mexicans into the final. 2011. “The All Star game is a big occasion for despite the United States’ disappointing 1986 and 1996. Mexican football is currently Rodrigo Mora. Tigres meanwhile are deter- River meanwhile have been forced to the league and something you see over here fourth-placed finish in the North American riding high after the success of the national mined to give themselves a lead to take back restructure their attack after the departure of in basketball, baseball and NFL,” Keane told regional tournament. team in the Gold Cup on Sunday, where they to Buenos Aires next week. Colombian international striker Teofilo tottenhamhotspur.com. “Every player in the Kyle Walker said he and his fellow defeated Jamaica in the final in Philadelphia. “It’s going to be difficult in Argentina, Gutierrez, who abruptly left earlier this MLS wants to be involved in this game. “This Tottenham defenders will have to be on their Tigres have grown in strength this season, everything will be against us,” said Tigres month after signing for Portuguese giants is a special one for me because it’s against toes against the talent-laden MLS side.—AFP bolstered by the high-calibre signing of midfielder Jurgen Damm. “The important Sporting Lisbon. —AFP