A round-up of today's other stories in brief
Tevez’s advisor blames interpreter
CARLOS Tevez’s advisor Kia Joorabchian has insisted the striker did not refuse to play for Manchester City – and claimed that post-match comments by the player suggesting he had done so were mistranslated by a club interpreter.
Tevez is currently serving a two-week suspension pending a club investigation that he allegedly disobeyed Roberto Mancini’s instructions during last week’s Champions League defeat by Bayern Munich.
Tevez’s initial post-match comment was translated by a City employee as: “I did not feel right to play so I did not.”
Joorabchian told the Leaders in Football conference: “The interpretation was incorrect. Both questions and both answers from Carlos were interpreted incorrectly.”
Sky News have since had the interview interpreted independently, but in their translation Tevez still appears to confirm he decided not to play.
U-19s take first tentative steps
The Republic of Ireland Under-19s will take their first steps towards next July’s European Championships in Estonia today when they face mini-group hosts Bulgaria for the first of three Uefa first phase qualifiers over the next six days.
After today’s opener in Plovdiv (2pm Irish time), Ireland have games against Bosnia and Herzegovina on Saturday and Russia next Tuesday to negotiate. The top two from the four-nation pool advance to the elite qualification phase to be contested in the spring. Doolin is dampening talk of repeating last season’s feat which saw his side progress to the semi-final in Romania only to bow out to eventual champions Spain.
REPUBLIC OF IRELAND U-19 (probable): McDermott (Arsenal); Morrissey (Trieste), Williams (Aston Villa), McHugh (Dundalk), Garmston (West Brom); Murray (Watford), O'Sullivan (Blackburn Rovers), Carruthers (Aston Villa); Burke (Aston Villa), Smith (Watford), Forde (Wolves).
Evans joins the injured list
NORTHERN Ireland were dealt another injury blow yesterday when Manchester United defender Jonny Evans, suffering from an ankle injury, became the fourth player to withdraw from Nigel Worthington’s squad.
Aaron Hughes (groin) was first to pull out of Friday’s Euro 2012 qualifier against Estonia, as well as the clash in Italy four days later. He was quickly followed by strikers Josh McQuoid (virus) and Jamie Ward (hamstring).
Uefa unveil ambitious plans
UEFA has ambitious plans to reshape the international football calendar from 2014 to maximise television income and audiences.
To coincide with the European governing body taking on responsibility for centrally marketing the TV rights for international qualifiers for its 53 member countries from 2014, it plans to play them across six days.
The move will see players having two days rest between matches in World Cup and European Championship double-headers, across what is being dubbed “The Weekend of Football”.
It is likely to see international weekends marketed in the same way as Champions League weeks.
Teams will play either Thursdays and Sundays, Fridays and Mondays, or Saturdays and Tuesdays. Many double-headers are currently played on Fridays and Tuesdays – leaving football-free weekends.
“You can play every three days – it’s what is happening in club football all year long,” said Uefa general secretary Gianni Infantino.
Mourinho gets two-match ban for eye poking
REAL Madrid coach Jose Mourinho had been given a two-match ban for poking Barcelona’s assistant coach in the eye during August’s Spanish Super Cup, the national football federation said yesterday.
Tito Vilanova, Pep Guardiola’s assistant, was given a one-match ban and both he and Mourinho were fined €600. Real and Barca were fined €180 and €90 respectively.
The bans will be effective only in the Spanish Super Cup, which is the traditional curtain-raiser to the La Liga season between the league champions and the King’s Cup winners.
Television cameras caught Mourinho jabbing his finger into Vilanova’s eye during a huge scuffle between the two teams at the end of the Super Cup second leg on August 17th, which Barcelona won.
Vilanova responded by cuffing the Portuguese round the back of the head. A feet-first challenge from Real defender Marcelo on Barca new boy Cesc Fabregas sparked the melee.
Peamount outclassed by PSG
Paris Saint-Germain proved too strong for Peamount United in Paris yesterday as three second-half goals at the Stade Charlety saw them cruise into the last 16 of the Uefa Women’s Champions League on a 5-0 aggregate scoreline.
The amateur club from west Dublin were the first Irish side to reach the knockout stages of the competition but, just like in the 2-0 first leg defeat at Tallaght Stadium seven days earlier, semi-professionals PSG were too clinical.
Despite making it to half-time scoreless, the visitors were stunned by an exquisite opener early in the second half when striker Nora-Coton Pelagie’s 25-yard effort beat goalkeeper Linda Meehan.
Full-back Nonna Debonne then cut in off the left wing on a blistering run and fired an unstoppable drive across Meehan’s goal and in off the far post.
The visitors did well to keep PSG from adding even more as their superior fitness started to tell but a third goal was unavoidable.
It came with only minutes left and it was Dali who got the reward, her threat all game deserved as she powered an effort beyond Meehan from close-range after good work by Houara.
PSG: V Pons;N Debonne, S Delannoy, J Soyer (D Blanc 78), N Coton-Pelagie, J Houara, C Thomas (C Prevost, 59), C Poulain (L Rubio, 53), Lepailleur, C Pizzala, K Dali.
PEAMOUNT UTD: L Meehan; N Sinnott, G Murray, K Duggan, S Byrne, L Quinn (A Parkes, 59), W McGlone (J Russell, h-t), A O'Gorman, S Lawlor (C Kinsella, 83), R Comerford, S Roche.
Referee:K Radzik-Johan (Pol).
