Cruel (yet effective) unsportsmanlike behaviour
As if he hadn’t suffered enough in that penalty shoot-out defeat to Bosnia & Herzegovina in Zenica last month that resulted in Italy failing to qualify for the World Cup for the third time running, Gianluigi Donnarumma got a heap of abuse after the game.
That wasn’t just down to him failing to save any of the four penalties he faced, but also because of his behaviour during the shoot-out.
“I thought it was unsportsmanlike, some say it’s karma,” suggested Bosnia goalkeeper Nikola Vasilj afterwards, referencing his run-in with Donnarumma when the Italian attempted to shred his ‘cheat-sheet’, which showed the direction each Italian prefers to send their penalties.
It later turned out that Donnarumma was a bit on the grumpy side because his own cheat-sheet had been nicked by a fella who is now a national hero – step forward 14-year-old ball boy Afan Cizmic.
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“I saw where he left the paper. I thought about whether I should take it or not, then I said, ‘whatever happens, happens’ and I took it. I was happy that he got angry and lost concentration,” Cizmic told Turkish news agency Anadolu, the lad now an international media star.
The teenager’s own behaviour was, of course, unsportsmanlike, to a quite shocking extent. (But Lord, if only there’d been an Irish ball boy in Prague who could have done the same).
Number
8,400,000: The price, in sterling, of a ticket for Scotland’s World Cup game against Brazil in Miami on Fifa’s official resale website. A Tartan Army spokesman assumed it was a joke, “but the way things have been going, you wouldn’t know”.
Quote
“He named his dog after me.” – Former Brazilian international Alexandre Pato on his relationship with Carlo Ancelotti when they were at AC Milan together. Close, then.
Sack the design team
It never tends to go too well when clubs redesign their traditional crests, but Olympique de Marseille revealed theirs with such confidence and flamboyance, you had to believe it would go down a storm.
“OM will be seen, experienced, and felt like never before,” the club declared. “The new logo modernises our iconic badge ... giving it strength and clarity, while the ‘M’ echoes the water, wind, and fire of Marseille. Structured yet alive. Historic yet bold. Rooted in the city, driven by its people. More than a redesign, it’s Marseille itself – restless, passionate, and always in motion.”
Impressive. But how was it received? Not great. “A logo just like the season: a total pile of shit,” as one of the grumpy banners read at their first game after the unveiling. There were complaints too that the new crest looks like the Volkswagen logo. It does a bit too.
Word of mouth
“I still believe, even at my age, I’m arguably one of the best defenders in the world in both boxes. I don’t think that’s open to question, really.” – Harry Maguire. Chucklers? Behave yerselves.
“The moon landings? I don’t know. JFK? There was definitely more than one gunman. It was the shooter from the grassy knoll, without a doubt. But there is nothing here.” – Martin O’Neill’s response to conspiracy theories about the Scottish League going out of their way to help Celtic win the title this season.
“I want to see again the Tottenham I watched with Postecoglou.” – New Spurs gaffer Roberto De Zerbi leaving the faithful sweating by revealing he’s hell-bent on bringing back Ange-ball.
“Can you guarantee that you are not going to die between now and the end of the year? If a player has a contract with a team, then you tell me what can happen. I’ll tell you in three words ... Julian has a contract.” – Atlético Madrid president Enrique Cerezo dismissing, in a rather unique manner, talk of Julian Alvarez being sold to Barcelona.
Summer sales
Paul Scholes on who Manchester United should offload this summer:
Leny Yoro – “I’d probably sell him.” Noussair Mazraoui – “Sell.” Luke Shaw – “I’d sell him. He doesn’t play enough games.” Patrick Dorgu – “I’d probably sell.” Harry Maguire – “I’m thinking about a United team you want to win the league ... I’m not sure you’d do that with Maguire.” Mason Mount – “I’d probably sell him.” Manuel Ugarte – “I think he’ll go.” Joshua Zirkzee: “Sell.”
They’ll struggle to field a five-a-side team next season.
