FROM THE SIDELINES

‘Fourteen titles in four years is a very high standard so I am very happy to leave the club in a good position.’ Departing Barcelona manager Pep Guardiola after his team yesterday won 3-0 over rivals Athletic Bilbao to claim the Spanish Cup.

Roberto Martinez, pictured, has been offered the chance to manage Liverpool, according to Wigan chairman Dave Whelan. Wigan boss Martinez has been in Miami for talks with Liverpool owner JW Henry about the vacancy since Kenny Dalglish was sacked. Whelan has confirmed Liverpool have made an offer for his manager and a decision will be made within the next week. David Beckham is no longer Major League Soccer’s best-paid player after his salary was cut by nearly 40 per cent in his new contract with the Los Angeles Galaxy. The former England captain has a base salary of $3.9 million this year and guaranteed compensation of $5.3m, according to the MLS Players Union. Beckham’s previous base salary had been $7.2m with total annual compensation of $8.6m under a $43.1m, five-year contract that expired after the 2011 season. New York’s Thierry Henry became the league’s highest-paid player, with a base salary of $6.6m and total compensation of $7.4m. England manager Roy Hodgson insists Scott Parker, Glen Johnson and Danny Welbeck will all be fit for Euro 2012. The trio have been injury concerns for Hodgson since he took the reins of the Three Lions just weeks ago. Spurs’ midfielder Parker is recovering from an Achilles injury, Liverpool fullback Johnson has a toe infection and Welbeck is struggling with an ankle injury. The tournament starts in 12 days with Poland against Greece and Russia against the Czech Republic. England’s tournament kicks off three days later, against France. Evidence from Fifa’s medical experts on why the ban on Muslim women footballers wearing the Islamic headscarf, or hijab, should remain in place was deeply flawed and had no foundation, the campaign’s principal supporter has said. Prince Ali Bin AlHussein of Jordan, whose presentation to soccer’s law-making body IFAB six weeks ago saw the approval of the headscarf pending health and safety checks, said he was ‘‘shocked and disturbed’’ by the evidence presented. ‘‘If it is true, I would accept it, but I believe it was without foundation,’’ he told reporters. Fifa’s Michel D’hooghe said he would only recommend further tests. The headscarf is crucial to millions of Muslim women playing the game all over the world.