The league title is not ours yet, says Ranieri
Beckenbauer refutes claim of vote-buying for 2006 cup Mahrez goal puts Leicester five points clear after White Hart Lane stalemate
FORMERorganising chief Franz Beckenbauer denied any wrongdoing on Saturday in an affair involving the 2006 World Cup in Germany and said he knew nothing of a multi-million payment to a disgraced former Fifa official in Qatar.
The World Cup-winning player and coach is in the spotlight after a German FA (DFB)-commissioned report on Friday showed a payment of 10 million Swiss francs in 2002 to a firm whose sole owner then was Mohamed Bin Hammam, the former president of the Asian Football Confederation who was banned from all soccer-related activity in December 2012.
The World Cup affair, which has shocked soccer-mad Germany, was triggered by the payment from the DFB to Fifa in 2005, which the DFB said last year was the return of a loan via Fifa from former Adidas chief Robert Louis-Dreyfus.
Der Spiegel magazine alleged it was repayment of a loan used to buy votes in the 2000 election for the 2006 World Cup. Germany won ahead of South Africa.
Beckenbauer, pictured above, told Bild newspaper’s Sunday edition there was no attempt to buy votes in 2000 to get the World Cup awarded to Germany, a claim echoed by the report by Freshfields law firm that found no proof of any vote-buying.
“Definitely not for that. We did not buy votes. It (payment) was about a provision of security,” Beckenbauer claimed. “In order to get a financial contribution from Fifa. Otherwise there would not be a World Cup in Germany.”
Beckenbauer’s claim, however, has been rejected by both Fifa and the DFB with the report saying the 6.7 million euro payment to FIFA equalling at the time about 10 million Swiss francs was then sent straight on to the late Louis-Dreyfus.
There was also a separate payment in 2002, which appeared in Friday’s 361page report to Bin Hammam’s Kemco scaffolding company in Qatar.
The money left Beckenbauer’s shared account with his then advisor Robert Schwan and went via a Swiss law firm’s account to Kemco.
“Nothing,” he said when asked what he knew about that transfer. “Robert took care of everything. From changing the light bulbs to the important contracts.” Schwan died in 2002.
“I only found out on Wednesday that money had gone to Qatar,” Beckenbauer told the newspaper.
DFB interim chief Rainer Koch said on Friday he still did not understand why the money was sent to Fifa.
“In hindsight I may have made mistakes. But afterwards you are always smarter,” Beckenbauer said. “But the World Cup was not bought.” – Reuters
Leicester City’s unlikely Premier League title challenge took another major upturn with a gritty 1-0 win at Watford on Saturday as their closest challengers cancelled each other out. Riyad Mahrez conjured a fine goal to see off Watford and send Leicester five points clear at the top after second-placed Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal, who are third, drew 2-2 at White Hart Lane.
“It was an important win, a big battle,” City manager Claudio Ranieri told the BBC.
“Now there will be battles for everybody not just for us.
“It was a tough match. We created four or five chances, they created two or three. We are so happy now.”
With nine games remaining, bookmakers cut the odds on Leicester winning their first top-flight crown to 11-10.
“The title is not ours. We have to fight a lot, step by step and keep our feet on the ground.
“At the end we can see what happens,” Ranieri said.
Algerian Mahrez scored his 15th league goal of the season following a sweet strike from the edge of the penalty area in the 56th minute before being substituted.
Ranieri, though, played down concerns about the inspirational forward’s fitness.
“No injury, he was tired and had a little cramp, so I changed him in the late minutes,” the Italian said. “His goal was so important.”
Leicester next host Newcastle United next Monday before a trip to Crystal Palace.
“We know every team can win or lose so it has to be slowly, slowly,” Ranieri said. “The desire is so high now and we have a great opportunity.”
“It was very tough, we knew coming (to Watford) would be a tough ask,” Leicester goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel told Sky Sports.
“Riyad has come up with a bit of magic so we are delighted,” he added.
“I think all the way through we have had the belief that we have the players going forward to do something special.”
On Saturday, Manchester City revived their fading title hopes with a 4-0 rout of bottom club Aston Villa and the pressure mounted on Newcastle United manager Steve McClaren after a 3-1 home defeat by Bournemouth.
Arsenal, who had Francis Coquelin sent off early in the second half, will be happier than Spurs with a point in the north London derby after Alexis Sanchez grabbed a late equaliser to end a run of three successive defeats in all competitions.
MONDAY MARCH 7 2016
Toby Alderweireld’s low angled drive and Harry Kane’s brilliant curling shot had put Tottenham ahead after Aaron Ramsey’s clever flicked finish gave Arsenal the lead.
“You feel frustrated and disappointed because at 11 against 10 you need to keep that result,” Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino said.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger thought Coquelin’s sending-off for a needless foul wide on the touchline had been decisive.
“I’m happy and proud of our attitude, we refused to lose the game,” Wenger said after his side avoided suffering four straight defeats for the first time since 2002.
“But we have big regrets because I couldn’t see when it was 11 versus 11 how we would drop points today.
“We made a big mistake at 1-0. (Coquelin) knows he made a mistake.”
Leicester lead the standings on 60 points with Tottenham on 55, Arsenal 52 and Manchester City 50.
City’s Sergio Aguero scored twice and missed a penalty as they overwhelmed Villa, who are eight points adrift at the foot of the table, with four second-half goals at the Etihad Stadium.
Newcastle remained second-bottom, a point from the safety zone, after the defeat by Bournemouth and McClaren was roundly booed by the St James’ Park crowd.
Steven Taylor’s first-half own goal put Bournemouth ahead and Joshua King doubled their lead in the 70th minute.
Ayoze Perez pulled one back for the hosts 10 minutes later before Charlie Daniels ended Newcastle’s hopes of a fightback.
“I’m very disappointed. That was definitely a poor performance and ‘going down’ material.
“The only positive is that we have 10 games to go,” McClaren said.
Champions Chelsea were held to a 1-1 draw by Stoke City at Stamford Bridge, Mame Biram Diouf heading a late equaliser for the visitors after Bertrand Traore had put the Londoners in front.
West Ham United scored three goals in the last 12 minutes to secure a dramatic 32 win over 10- man Everton, who had Kevin Mirallas sent off after 34 minutes, at Goodison Park and climb to fifth on 49 points.
Southampton’s Virgil van Dijk struck in stoppage-time to earn his side a 1-1 draw with fourth-bottom Sunderland, while Swansea City won 1-0 against fellow strugglers Norwich City, who stayed in the relegation zone. – Reuters