FIFA to judge Sampdoria claim from sale of Bruno Fernandes
Spanish soccer players return to training camps, get tested
In this March 11, 2020 file photo, Moenchengladbach’s Marcus Thuram and Cologne’s Kinglsey Ehizibue challenge for the ball in an empty stadium during
the German Bundesliga soccer match between Borussia Moenchengladbach and 1.FC Cologne in Moenchengladbach, Germany. (AP) BERLIN, May 7, (AP): The Bundesliga can resume playing this month, ending a twomonth suspension caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel announced a loosening of a range of containment measures after meeting with the country’s 16 state governors on Wednesday. Pressure to relax the rules had been growing as the rate of daily infections in the country has dropped.
Soccer in the top two divisions will resume without spectators and with a range of other conditions designed to prevent another outbreak, including the continuous monitoring and testing of players. Teams will also have to spend time in quarantine before games can restart.
“Today’s decision is good news for the Bundesliga and second division,” German soccer league president Christian Seibert said. “It comes with great responsibility for the clubs and their employees to implement the medical and organizational requirements in a disciplined manner.
“Games without spectators are not ideal for anyone. In a crisis threatening the very existence of some clubs, however, it is the only way to keep the leagues in their current form.”
Spanish league president Javier Tebas also welcomed the decision, saying he hoped La Liga could follow suit.
“This is good news for European football and for the return to the new normal after this crisis,” Tebas said. However, there were some dissidents. Karl Lauterbach, the Social Democratic Party’s health expert, slammed the decision as “disappointing and wrong,” saying it was driven by commercial interests.
The decision to allow play to resume came despite three positive tests for the virus at Cologne last weekend. The league said there were 10 positive cases from all 36 clubs in the top two divisions.
Hertha Berlin forward Salomon Kalou also broadcast a livestream showing social distancing measures being flouted at the club on Monday.
Bavaria governor Markus Söder called it a “spectacular own-goal” on Wednesday.
ZURICH, May 7, (AP): FIFA is investigating a complaint by Sampdoria to get a share of the reported 55 million euro ($59.4 million) transfer fee Manchester United paid Sporting Lisbon for Bruno Fernandes.
FIFA said Wednesday it is handling a claim filed against Sporting over a sell-on clause the Italian club believes is valid from the January sale. Man United is not involved in the case.
Fernandes played one season with Sampdoria before a move in 2017 to Sporting in a deal reportedly worth 8.5 million euros ($9.2 million) plus bonuses.
FIFA said it is now investigating “financial obligations set out in the
Hertha has suspended Kalou and blamed the player for the mishap, but there were also infringements that were the club’s responsibility, such as closed doors between rooms.
The initial plan was for teams to spend two weeks in quarantine before games could resume, but a compromise was reached on shorter training camps with the players undergoing regular tests.
While the league and clubs had been pressuring the government for permission to resume, other prominent athletes criticized what they saw as favoritism in soccer.
contract corresponding to the transfer” three years ago.
Sampdoria is reported to have inserted a clause earning it 10% of the profit if Sporting sold the Portugal midfielder. It could be worth several million euros (dollars).
However, the case is complicated by turmoil at Sporting in 2018 under a former club owner.
Fernandes was among a group of players who voided their contracts after being attacked by fans at the club training ground. Some players left, but Fernandes stayed and signed an improved contract.
FIFA will likely decide if the sellon clause in the player’s original Sporting contract is valid in the subsequent one.
Sprint canoeist Ronald Rauhe told the Märkische Allgemeine newspaper that soccer “seems to have a different priority in Germany to schools and kindergartens, as I’m finding out as a father.”
Olympic rowing champion Karl Schulze called for everyone to be treated the same.
The earliest the leagues can resume is the weekend of May 16. Soccer authorities are to hold a general meeting with the clubs via video link on Thursday to discuss how to proceed.
The Bundesliga was suspended with nine rounds remaining on March 13.
The clubs committed to finishing the season by the end of June.
Meanwhile, soccer players in Spain returned to their team’s training camps Wednesday for the first time since the country entered a lockdown nearly two months ago because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Players for Barcelona, Real Madrid, Atlético Madrid and other clubs started preparing for the return to training this week. They were all expected to be tested for COVID-19 and should be cleared to practice once the results are back. Most clubs are expected to resume practicing by the end of the week.
The majority of players did not wear masks or gloves when they arrived, according to Spanish media. Lionel Messi, Gerard Piqué and Luis Suárez were among those seen without masks when they drove into Barcelona’s training center. Antoine Griezmann, Arturo Vidal and Ivan Rakitic did wear masks. Sergi Roberto arrived without a mask but had one on when he left.
Real Madrid players Gareth Bale, Luka Modric and Karim Benzema arrived without masks, as did most of their teammates.
Both Barcelona and Real Madrid later released videos showing the players with gloves and masks inside their training centers.
Atlético Madrid had already posted some photos of its players arriving for tests wearing gloves and masks.
Atlético striker Álvaro Morata said it wasn’t the same to be at the training camp without being able to interact with his teammates, but it felt “special” just to be there at this point.
Atlético midfielder Marcos Llorente said the club had been sending drills adapted to each player so they could keep training at home.
Spain this week began easing some of the lockdown measures that were put in place in mid-March. Soccer players have been among the few athletes allowed to return to training facilities.
However, players and coaches of Spanish club Eibar released a statement on Tuesday saying they were concerned about playing again amid the pandemic.
The Spanish soccer federation on Wednesday proposed an end to this season’s women’s league, a decision that is expected to be approved by the end of the week. Barcelona was leading the competition at the time it was suspended in March and will be declared champion.