‘Fifa can decide, but we must agree’
– Qatar has not held talks with any other countries to share matches at the 2022 World Cup, a senior tournament organiser said on Wednesday.
Despite coming under pressure from Fifa president Gianni Infantino to expand the World Cup from 32 to 48 teams – which could mean some matches being played elsewhere in the Middle East – Nasser al-Khater said no such negotiations had taken place.
“We haven’t had any discussions of sharing,” said the assistant secretary general of Qatar’s World Cup organising body, the Supreme
Doha
Committee for Delivery and Legacy.
Fifa is carrying out a feasibility study to see if the first World Cup in the region could be expanded.
Infantino has said that if any tournament enlargement is agreed, it would likely mean matches being played in neighbouring countries, as it would increase the total number of tournament games from 64 to 80.
He has even suggested that could help Middle East peace, at a time when Qatar is at the centre of the worst Gulf diplomatic crisis in years.
Milan
Mauro Icardi said he was relishing the chance to measure himself against Cristiano Ronaldo or the first time as Inter Milan travel to Turin tonight looking to inflict the first defeat of the season on Italian champions Juventus and keep the Serie A title race alive. Juventus have set a hot pace this season since signing Ronaldo, making a record start with 40 points after the first 14 games. Napoli are second – eight points behind Juventus – with Inter Milan 11 points adrift of the champions in third. A defeat for Inter in Turin would likely be a killer blow to
For the past 18 months Doha has been isolated by countries including Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, states which could potentially benefit from any World Cup expansion, in a bitter regional power struggle.
Qatar is accused by its rivals of supporting terrorism and being too close to Iran, charges which it denies.
Khater said that whatever Fifa decides, any changes would have to be agreed by Qatar.
“There will be nothing that will be decided unilaterally.” – their ambitions and leave Juventus free to claim an eighth consecutive title.
“I’ve played against Juventus many times but this is the most important since I’ve been here,” said Icardi.
“I won’t settle for a draw. We must go there without fear.
“I can’t wait to play against Cristiano Ronaldo, it will be a pleasure to have him up front. But he’s not my problem, (defenders) Stefan de Vrij and Milan Skriniar are there.”
The 25-year-old Icardi has been in fine form this season, scoring eight Serie A goals and 11 in all competitions, with Ronaldo, 33, having bagged 10 in Serie A and 11 in total for Juventus.
Inter’s last win in Turin dates back to November 2012.
Inter coach Luciano Spalletti will also have an eye on next week’s decisive Champions League game against PSV Eindhoven in the San Siro, with Belgian midfielder Radja Nainggolan still recovering from an ankle injury.
Juventus are already through to the knockout rounds of the Champions League before their game against Young Boys in Switzerland next week.
Carlo Ancelotti’s Napoli will be looking to keep pace with Juventus at home against second-from-bottom Frosinone before their crunch journey to Liverpool next week.
AC Milan bid to consolidate fourth place against Torino, as Lazio, a point behind in fifth, host midtable Sampdoria after being held by bottom club Chievo last weekend.
Roma – safely through to the last-16 in Europe – need to bring points back from Cagliari to salvage their flagging Serie A campaign as they sit seventh, 20 points behind Juventus. –