Today's other stories in brief
Juventus punished for fans' abuse of Balotelli
JUVENTUS WILL have to play a home game behind closed doors after fans racially abused Inter Milan striker Mario Balotelli in Saturday's 1-1 Serie A draw, the Italian league said yesterday.
The 18-year-old scored Inter’s opener in the top-of-the-table clash and was subjected to chants of “a black Italian does not exist” from sections of the Juventus crowd in Turin. Balotelli, an Italy under-21 international, was born in Palermo but is of Ghanaian descent.
“The sporting judge . . considered that in the course of the game and on multiple occasions, fans of the home team, in various sections of the stadium, sang songs which included racial discrimination,” a league statement said.
“Juventus are therefore obliged to play one game behind closed doors.”
Racist abuse is not uncommon in Italian soccer and small fines are usually handed out. However, the seriousness of Saturday’s incidents have prompted the authorities to come down heavily on Juventus.
Neville was told to practise penalties
PHIL NEVILLE offered a quiet word of thanks to wife Julie as he celebrated leading Everton to their first FA Cup final in 14 years.
“We played Middlesbrough three weeks ago,” recalled Neville. “When I got home that night my wife said I needed to practise penalties because she had a feeling that was how the semi-final was going to be settled. So, for the last three weeks, I have been practising.
“I was 11 when I last took one. And I missed. But I knew, as captain, against my old club, I needed to show my leadership qualities.”
After scoring his penalty against Manchester United on Sunday, Neville waited before celebrating. “I was burning inside,” said the former England international. “But I didn’t celebrate because I was right in front of the United fans and I don’t think you should rub the noses of those who helped you in your career into the ground.”
Neville added: “I signed for Everton because the manager promised me we would be challenging for honours,” he said.
FA accept pitch has to improve
THE ENGLISH FA yesterday accepted the much-maligned pitch at Wembley Stadium needs to be improved. The debate over the surface has been rumbling ever since the new stadium was opened two years ago but it intensified over FA Cup semi-final weekend.
The turf proved problematic for Saturday’s clash between Arsenal and Chelsea and again for Sunday’s tie between Manchester United and Everton, with the top surface appearing spongy and giving way easily under players’ feet.
Its harshest critics were the two losing managers. Arsene Wenger branded it “a disaster” and “laughable” while Alex Ferguson said the soil looked “dead” and withdrew three senior players from his starting line-up because of injury concerns ahead of the season’s run-in. The FA confirmed the state of the pitch is a concern and said they are focusing on improving it for the numerous fixtures in the next two months.
Cannavaro could return to Italy
JUVENTUS ARE interested in re-signing Real Madrid defender Fabio Cannavaro, his agent said yesterday. The Italy captain, whose contract at Real runs out at the end of the season, wanted to end his career at hometown club Napoli until president Aurelio De Laurentiis said he would not sign the 35-year-old because he was too old.
“Juve’s offer is the biggest and most interesting,” agent Gaetano Fedele told Italian media, adding Cannavaro was also a target in England, Russia and Germany. “There’s every chance this will be the decisive week.” Real are unlikely to offer him a new deal.
Juventus fans were angered when Cannavaro joined Real in 2006, the year they were demoted to Serie B in a match-fixing scandal.
Other top players such as Alessandro Del Piero and goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon stayed and won immediate promotion.
