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    Cristiano Ronaldo to defend himself after knocking young Everton fan’s mobile phone out of hand which smashed

    CRISTIANO RONALDO is prepared to vigorously defend himself after being charged by the FA for knocking a fan’s mobile phone to the ground.Superstar Ronaldo was given a police caution following the incident that took place when he was walking off the pitch after Manchester United’s 1 -0 defeat to Everton at Goodison on April 9.
    Cristiano Ronaldo will defend himself against an FA chargeCredit: PA
    “He will not accept it”Erik Ten Hag believes Cristiano Ronaldo will contest his charge from the FA for slapping a phone out of a fan’s hand after their loss to Everton last seasonpic.twitter.com/s2qsoweuMo— Sun Sport (@SunSport) October 12, 2022

    He was charged last month with a breach of FA Rule E3 relating to improper and/or violent conduct.
    Ironically he reached the magic mark of 700 club goals in scoring the winner for United in Sunday night’s 2-1 win over the Toffees.
    The 37-year-old is now poised to lead the line in Thursday’s Europa League clash with Omonia Nicosia.
    He will do so determined to clear his name over the incident the previous time he was at the home of the Toffees.
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    Old Trafford boss Erik ten Hag revealed his response to the charge – after the club vowed to back him.
    The Dutchman declared : “We spoke about that. He will not accept it.”
    The FA will still examine the case no matter Ronaldo’s response because it was considered to be a non-standard incident.
    If found guilty he faces a fine, a warning or a ban.
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    He publicly apologised following the incident as Jake Harding, 14, tried to film him with his phone as he limped off the pitch.
    He appeared to angrily slap the phone out of the boy’s hand and his mother Sarah Kelly claimed he was left with a bruised hand.
    Ronaldo said sorry on social media and invited the boy to be his guest for a game at Old Trafford.
    He wrote: “It’s never easy to deal with emotions in difficult moments such as the one we are facing.
    “Nevertheless, we always have to be respectful, patient and set the example for all the youngsters who love the beautiful game.
    “I would like to apologise for my outburst and, if possible, I would like to invite this supporter to watch a game at Old Trafford as a sign of fair-play and sportsmanship.”
    However, the boy rejected Ronaldo’s invitation and his mother also criticised United’s response to the incident.
    Ronaldo appearing to knock a fan’s mobile phone to the ground
    The Man Utd star was charged last month with a breach More

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    Brazen burglars switch to targeting top-flight footballers when they are home — because it’s easier to break in

    BRAZEN burglars have switched to targeting footballers when they are home — because it is easier to break in.The gang has moved away from away day raids when stars were out at matches as they became wary of alarms quickly alerting police and security teams.
    Last week, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and fiancée Perrie Edwards were at home when they were burgled
    A source said: “It’s five or six guys loosely connected to Salford and very professional.
    “They used to take down cash vans in the 1990s before it got too difficult.
    “They spend ages casing a joint and are not afraid to take a risk if the reward is there.
    “They know if they break in when no one is home the modern systems are so good they will only have minutes before the cops or security turn up.
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    “But when players are home they don’t have the systems on, so if they can get in, they can spend more time in the house.
    “It raises fears that stars will be confronted and get seriously hurt at some point.”
    Last week, Liverpool ace Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and fiancée Perrie Edwards were at their £3.5million Cheshire home with their son when a gang struck.
    EXTRA TERRORFormer Met Police Detective Chief Inspector Mick Neville
    ANY burglary is a terrifying thing for anyone to go through but it’s even more so if you are at home when it happens.
    Footballers are being targeted by a highly organised gang who are willing to come face-to-face to take what they want.
    Home security systems protect properties brilliantly when they are on.
    But people don’t set house alarms when they are relaxing with their family.
    It brings a real threat that a footballer or their wife or children could be seriously injured because most of the time these robbers are armed with knives.

    The thugs, in boiler suits to avoid leaving DNA traces, used a ladder to reach a window.
    Most read in The Sun
    The same gang targeted Paul Pogba’s £3.5million mansion in March. The star was playing for Man United but his children and their nanny were home.
    The wife of his former United team-mate Victor Lindelof locked herself and their children in a panic room when their home was targeted in January. More

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    West Ham fans left ‘blind for 20 mins’ after being pepper-sprayed by Belgian police at Anderlecht in Conference League

    WEST HAM fans were pepper-sprayed by Belgian police after the Hammers’ Europa Conference League win at Anderlecht on Thursday.Around 50 supporters, including elderly fans, were affected – with some blinded for up to 20 minutes.
    West Ham fans were pepper-sprayed by Belgian police after their team’s 1-0 Europa Conference League win at Anderlecht on ThursdayCredit: Focus Images
    Earlier in the day this bleeding Hammers fan was helped by local copsCredit: PA
    The incident occurred as around 1,000 away supporters were being escorted from the stadium back into Brussels city centre.
    Brussels police said a number of fans near the front of the group “became aggressive” towards cops who deployed the vicious spray to “push them back”.
    Irons supporter Adam Brown, 28, said: “It was horrible, my eyes were burning like there was no tomorrow.
    “We were half-way back in the crowd, miles from any trouble if there was any. Innocent people were affected. It’s not on at all.”
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    No West Ham fans were arrested in Belgium and were said to be otherwise impeccably behaved.
    Met Police sent four officers to the Belgian capital in a strictly liaison capacity.
    SunSport has been told Met reps “shrugged it off” and adopted a “not our problem” attitude when fans complained about use of pepper-spray.
    A Met statement said: “As people were leaving the stadium following the match, our officers were alerted by fans there had been disorder.
    Gianluca Scamacca fired the Hammers’ 79th minute winner to move them five points clear of their hosts at the top of Group BCredit: Getty
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    “Met officers spoke with their counterparts in the Belgian Police to establish what had happened and relayed the information back to fans.”
    Gianluca Scamacca gave the Hammers a 1-0 win to extend their Group B lead over their hosts to five points.
    Second-placed Anderlecht visit London Stadium for group match four of six on Thursday.
    Earlier this year, Paris police apologised for using tear gas on Liverpool supporters during disturbing chaos ahead of the Champions League final.
    Full Belgian police statement
    In the course of Thursday night, our police forces had to intervene on three occasions in incidents where pepper-spray had to be used to ensure safety.
    A first time involved a number of Anderlecht supporters who sought a confrontation with some passing West Ham fans before the start of the match.
    In order to protect the West Ham supporters, pepper-spray was deployed against the Anderlecht fans.
    A second incident occurred at the end of the match, when Anderlecht supporters tried in various ways to get close to VIPs.
    Again, pepper-spray was used to ensure the stewards’ safety, among others.
    Finally, there was a third incident during the escort of West Ham supporters after the match.
    During this police escort, in which 1,000 fans were escorted to the centre of Brussels, certain supporters walking at the beginning of the escort became aggressive, and continued to put pressure on police forces.
    A pushback of this group of supporters then occurred in which pepper-spray had to be used. More

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    Karren Brady: Upsetting scenes in Indonesia were football’s biggest nightmare revisited – all caused by fools in charge

    THE suffocation of at least 125 fans in Kanjuruhan stadium, East Java, last Saturday was the latest horror at football matches across the world.Those Liverpool supporters who escaped the frantic Stade de France crush can only be thankful that wretchedly inadequate policing extended only twice to the firing of teargas into the crowd at last season’s Champions League final.
    Police used tear gas , leading to tragic scenes at the Kanjuruhan StadiumCredit: AP
    Liverpool fans can be ‘thankful’ tear gas was only used twice during the scandal of how supporters were treated at the Champions League final in MayCredit: Getty
    It could have been worse. It appears, according to a French minister, that grenades or a form of handheld rubber bullet launchers were considered but would not have been “proportionate”.
    In Malang, teargas was also the night’s tool and the fools in charge caused a massacre of the innocent.
    This was no clash of rival supporters that got out of control. Far from it, away fans had been barred, ironically over worries that there would be clashes and only home club Arema followers were let in.
    Sadly, shades of Hillsborough 1989. More than 4,000 over the 38,000 capacity squeezed into one area.
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    Even this might have been controlled but when fans overflowed on to the pitch, the police reacted with volleys of teargas, some of it into the stands.
    You can only imagine the mayhem. People fell, blinded, coughing and vomiting as others ran through them, desperate to escape, dying in the attempt.
    This was football’s biggest nightmare revisited.
    It reminds us of the importance of good policing, careful planning, sensible procedures, sensitive handling and a thorough understanding that panic and excitability are the enemies of crowd control, among police and stewards as well as crowds.
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    I refer to Paris because that was the arrogance of officialdom personified. It was where contempt among those paid to help make football attendance a generally pleasurable entertainment was running riot.
    Police and clubs in England have learned from horrific incidents since Heysel in 1985 and beyond, that we must be scrupulous and vigilant in crowd control.
    Most supporters are great. They want an entertaining match, watched in safety. But there is always the odd one that is out for trouble.
    Football clubs have methods to catch the bringers of disgrace.
    At the London Stadium we have 1,300 stewards, full policing inside and out, pin-sharp CCTV as well as an army of supporter liaison officers.
    It wasn’t too long ago, in the 1980s particularly, that hooliganism was out of control in this country.
    I remember hearing about the Zulus, a gang who purported to  support Birmingham. At St Andrew’s in 1985 (that year again) when hellraisers clashed with an equally grim Leeds gang, the pitch was a battleground.
    The Leeds mob dodged fencing to fight the Zulus, who pulled up advertising hoardings and charged like a cinematic battle.
    After 30 minutes of open warfare, the police mounted horses and chased the mob back to the stands.
    Such was the crush that a wall collapsed on a fan and killed him.
    Thank God we have not seen a repeat of this for decades.
    Indonesian football is still blighted by hooliganism, heavy-handed policing and crowd mismanagement.
    The dreadful result is all those lives lost, including around 32 children.
    Various inquiries in Indonesia have been called for and the police — 18 officers so far have been arrested — will take much of the blame.
    There were, according to the Arema coach, fans “dying in the arms of players”.  Utterly tragic. More

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    Gang take over ex-Liverpool star Jermaine Pennant’s abandoned £1Million mansion and turn it into huge cannabis factory

    JERMAINE Pennant’s mansion is at the centre of a police drugs investigation after a huge cannabis farm was discovered.The former Arsenal, Liverpool and Stoke City winger was stunned to learn a £1m property he lived in while playing at Anfield had been turned into an industrial scale drug-growing operation.
    Jermaine Pennant’s mansion has been turned into a drug denCredit: Getty
    A drug gang has been growing cannabis in the mansionCredit: YouTube
    Pennant bought the mansion, which boasts an outdoor swimming pool, for £1,025m in 2006 while playing for Liverpool.
    It has been abandoned since 2020 when the ex-footballer split with his then-partner.
    The 1930s property boasts an ornamental pond, tennis court, hot tub and an outdoor heated swimming pool.
    The scale of the cannabis farm was revealed on social media by an urban explorer who filmed himself wandering around the five-bedroom mansion in the upmarket area of Hale near Liverpool’s John Lennon airport.
    The explorer, who spent 35 minutes filming as he wandered around the property, said in a YouTube video: “They’ve had a big fat grow in here. Oh my God.. look at the chandelier up there.
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    “Guys we have just walked into a massive cannabis grow in an ex-footballer player’s house.”
    He continues: “Wow, this is former footballer Jermaine Pennant’s house and look at the mountains of weed everywhere. There is so much of the stuff it stinks.”
    Footage captured by the explorers and posted on YouTube showed dozens of plant pots, ducting pipes and windows taped up along with huge bin bags full of drugs paraphernalia piled up in a bathroom.
    The video also shows that a warrant to search the premises under section 23 of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 was issued by magistrates in Carlisle on 2 September.
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    The warrant allowed police officers to search the property for “controlled drugs in all its forms of growth and production”.
    A Cheshire Police spokeswoman said: “On 5 January 2022 police executed a warrant at a property on Hale Road in Widnes.
    “A cannabis farm was found inside and a quantity of plants were seized.
    “At the time a 35-year-old man was arrested and has been released under investigation.
    “In September officers received further information of a cannabis farm at the same property on Hale Road.
    “Officers executed the warrant on 2 September and following a search no cannabis plants were located.”
    West Midlands Police is now understood to be dealing with the case.
    DRUG DEN
    Pennant lived in the house for three years before moving to Spanish La Liga side Real Zaragoza.
    The mansion is understood to have been empty for at least three years.
    Among the items found at the house are a picture of Pennant drinking from a McDonald’s cup.
    Pennant’s home was previously targeted by ram raiders in 2008 after they drove a car through his gates as he lay in bed with his girlfriend.
    Pennant joined Arsenal aged 15 in 1999 when they paid £2m for him to move from Notts County.
    But he only made 12 appearances for the Gunners before moving to Birmingham City in 2005.
    He was convicted of drink driving and played while wearing an electronic tag.He then moved to Liverpool and reached the pinnacle of his career when he played in the 2007 Champions League final.
    Following a three-year stint at Anfield he was sent out on loan to Portsmouth, Stoke City and Wolves before he became a journeyman star playing for clubs in Spain, India and Singapore.
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    Since retiring from football he has appeared on 2018 Celebrity Big Brother and dating show Celebs Go Dating.
    He has now signed up for the next series of Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins.
    Pennant bought the home for £1.25million in 2006Credit: YouTube
    He then left the home in 2020 after splitting with his partnerCredit: YouTube
    Police confirmed a quantity of plants were seizedCredit: YouTube
    Pennant lived in the house for three years before moving to Spanish La Liga side Real ZaragozaCredit: YouTube
    Penannt began his career at ArsenalCredit: Getty
    The star also played for Liverpool for three yearsCredit: AFP More

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    Footballer arrested after ‘breaking referee’s ribs, nose and dislocating shoulder’ during on-pitch assault

    A NON-LEAGUE footballer has been arrested on suspicion of serious assault of a referee. Dave Bradshaw was in charge of Saturday’s clash between Platt Bridge and Wigan Rose when he gave one of the Platt Bridge players a red card.
    A 24-year-old footballer has been arrested on suspicion of assaulting a refereeCredit: Getty
    The official then suffered a broken nose, four broken ribs, a dislocated shoulder, a broken collarbone, concussion and whiplash in the attack.
    Now Greater Manchester Police have confirmed a 24-year-old man is being held by cops over the incident.
    Senior investigating officer, Detective Inspector John Davies, said: “This is a serious assault in which the victim sustained significant, but not life-threatening, injuries.
    “GMP takes assaults such as this extremely seriously and we will be supporting the victim as the investigation progresses, to ensure his wellbeing.”
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    Bradshaw was rushed to hospital but has since been discharged.
    The referee said: “Hi all, been a very traumatic 12 hours, thanks for all the kind words.
    “I’ve sustained significant and substantial injuries but I’ll survive. My confidence has been smashed to bits but please, because of one person, don’t tarnish the club with the same brush.
    “The club is doing great things for the community. Up the refs.”
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    Platt Bridge confirmed on social media the player in question has already been released.
    The football club tweeted: “We as a club do not condone any violence towards anyone in the football community.
    “We are ashamed of what has happened, and the player is no longer playing with our team going forward.
    “We have spoken to the ref and apologised.
    “We as a team hope we can build our reputation back to what we have worked so hard for.”
    Anyone with information, images or videos of the incident at the Platt Bridge football pitches has been asked to get in touch with the police.
    Please contact GMP on 0161 856 7094 quoting reference number 2490-021022, 101 or through the independent charity, Crimestoppers, on 0800 555 111. More

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    I survived an assassination attempt after being shot, I’m not afraid of Tyson Fury and will KO him, says Mahmoud Charr

    MIRACLEMAN Mahmoud Charr refuses to be intimidated by Tyson Fury – having overcome far more devastating fights in his life. The Germany-based, Lebanon-born Syrian is in talks to face Fury in December, after negotiations with Anthony Joshua broke down.
    Mahmoud Charr still bares the scars of his assassination attemptCredit: Instagram
    Mahmoud Charr was shot four times in 2015Credit: Instagram
    Charr at one point was considered the forgotten man of the heavyweight division, despite remarkably escaping death.
    The 37-year-old survived an assassination attempt in 2015 and amazingly returned to the ring nine months later.
    So he finds it fitting comeback king Fury – who beat depression to win back the world title – wants to fight him.
    Charr told SunSport: “Fury, the Gypsy King, and me, the Arab King, have one thing in common: we both never give up.
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    “Fury had severe depression, wanted to take his own life. My life was almost taken. I survived a shot in the stomach.
    “I decided to have two hip operations in one evening. After that, I became a world champion.
    “Fury and I are ambassadors for never giving up, believing in yourself and fighting for your dreams. A person without a dream has no life.”
    Even before Charr was shot four times in the stomach, he had to overcome hardship, fleeing from civil war that claimed his father’s life.

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    The boxer spent time in prison in his teenage years, before turning his life around with a career in the ring.
    Charr said: “I survived a bullet in the Libyan civil war when I was four years old. I lost my father in that war.
    “In Germany, I spent a total of three or four years in prison. I had a very hard life, had no money.
    “I was always on the street, having to struggle, fight my way through life.
    “Finally, it was martial arts that taught me discipline and made me a better person.
    “Yes, I have experienced a lot. The abdominal shot I mentioned, the bilateral hip surgery.
    “I am probably the only professional athlete who is still active with two artificial hip joints and plays so far above.”
    Youssef Hassan was given five years in prison for shooting Mahmoud CharrCredit: Alamy
    Mahmoud Charr returned to boxing after surviving the shootingCredit: Instagram
    Charr was 28–4 when his life was almost taken from him, following a cowardly assault from a Facebook troll.
    The attacker had been provoking the fighter online, posing videos of his losses on social media.
    But when Charr offered to face the man behind the screen in person, he was subject to a drive-by shooting in a kebab shop in Essen.
    He miraculously survived and lived to see his shooter, Youssef Hassan, sentenced to five years in prison.
    Charr had two tune-ups fights afterwards but later needed a double replacement, undergoing surgery in 2017 at the age of just 32.
    The same year, he went on to win the WBA’s secondary world title and has won his last five bouts.
    Charr’s biggest fight to date was a 2012 loss to Vitali Klitschko, but challenging for Fury’s WBC crown would top that.
    And despite the British star’s unbeaten record and fine winning-form, Charr remains unnerved, after conquering much more outside the ring.
    Read More on The Sun
    He said: “I am not afraid of anyone.
    “Fear is a feeling and feelings can be controlled. Fear exists only in your mind.
    “Everyone who knows me knows that I would even fight a T-Rex. I will knock out Tyson Fury in four rounds.”
    Tyson Fury turned to Mahmoud Charr as talks with Anthony Joshua collapsedCredit: Jamie McPhilimey
    Mahmoud Charr has won his last five fightsCredit: Instagram
    The heavyweight has a deal to fight Tyson FuryCredit: Instagram More

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    Italy asks Brazil to extradite ex-Man City star Robinho to serve nine-year prison sentence for rape

    ITALY’S justice ministry has asked Brazilian authorities to extradite former Manchester City star Robinho so he can serve a nine-year prison sentence in relation to rape.The disgraced former ex-striker lost his final appeal against a conviction for gang rape back in January.
    Italy’s justice ministry has asked Brazil to extradite former Manchester City star Robinho to serve jail term for rapeCredit: PA:Press Association
    The rape of the Albanian woman took place on her 23rd birthday at a Milan nightclub in 2013 while he was playing for AC Milan.
    Robinho and five others were found guilty in 2017.
    The conviction was confirmed by an appeals court in 2020 and the verdict, which sentenced the 38-year-old to nine years behind bars, by the Supreme Court in Rome.
    That means that ruling cannot be challenged and is definitive.
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    Robinho, whose full name is Robson de Souza, lives in Brazil. 
    Now ESPN reports that The Ministry of Justice of Italy have today requested the extradition of Robinho from Brazil, where he is currently living.
    They have also asked for the extradition of his friend Ricardo Falco, who was one of those involved in the incident.
    The other four people involved have not been traced by Italian authorities and have therefore not been prosecuted.
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    However, the Brazilian Constitution does not allow Brazilians to be extradited from their homeland. 
    Robinho, who scored 28 goals in 100 games for his country, played for clubs including Real Madrid, Manchester City and AC Milan, and signed a contract in 2020 to return to his very first club in Brazil, Santos.
    However, the deal almost immediately fell apart after sponsors reportedly threatened to cut ties with the club for signing a player convicted of rape.
    At the previous appeal Robinho did admit to having “contact” with the woman, but called it “consensual”.
    He claimed after he left, his friends also had consensual sexual intercourse with the woman – while adding he can’t speak for them.
    Key evidence used to convict the former Real Madrid star involved intercepted phone calls between Robinho and his friends.
    It’s claimed Robinho said the woman “was completely drunk”.
    But Robinho’s legal team stated the messages were mistranslated into Italian. More