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      Fuming Morocco fans accuse Fifa of pricing them out of supporting team in World Cup last 16 against Spain

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      ANGRY Moroccan fans are up in arms against Fifa over the lack of tickets for their last-16 showdown with Spain.Like fellow North African side Tunisia, the Atlas Lions have been roared on by huge crowds in Qatar.
      Morocco fans are desperate to watch their team take on Spain in the World Cup last 16Credit: PA
      Thousands of supporters have travelled to cheer on the Atlas LionsCredit: EPA
      But ex-pats in the Gulf state and those back home are now accusing tournament chiefs of pricing them out of backing “Avocado head” Walid Rekragui and his team as they bid to go make Moroccan football history.
      Cities across the country have witnessed scenes of wild delight as Rekragui’s side topped Group F with wins over Belgium and Canada and a draw with Croatia.
      That has only led to the demand for tickets, with the state airline Royal Air Maroc scheduling a series of flights to Doha for supporters to travel.
      But fans have complained the tickets are simply not available with claims black market prices have gone up by £200 or more.
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      Social media users accused tournament bosses of “manipulating” the situation because “Fifa does not want the Moroccan supporters to attend”.

      That complaint has been vehemently denied by world chiefs, but it is a signal of how much of an impact Rekragui and his team have made.
      The coach, who now jokes about what was originally a derogatory nickname aimed at his bald head, made the key decision to restore Chelsea’s Hakim Ziyech to his squad after the wide-man was booted out by Bosnian predecessor Vahid Halilhodzic.
      Sevilla striker Youssef En-Nesyri said: “The coach has brought happiness to us as a squad – and we are now bringing that happiness to the people.
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      “It means so much that we have managed to achieve this dream of getting through the group.
      “But now we are determined to continue the dream in Qatar with the same will, the same determination and perseverance.
      “We are not going to get intimidated by Spain and what they represent.
      “Our focus will be on ourselves, our abilities, and the possibility of presenting a level worthy of the Moroccan national team in order to continue the adventure successfully.” More

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      Senegal appear to hit back at Fifa with choice of player for press conference for England clash after being fined

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      CHEEKY Senegal appeared to put two fingers up at Fifa in their pre-match press conference today to preview Sunday’s England game.The Lions of Teranga had been fined £8,700 by football chiefs for failing to put a player up for their session with the media the day before their win over Ecuador.
      Senegal’s third-choice goalkeeper Alfred Gomis was selected for the team’s press conferenceCredit: AFP
      This time they did make sure one of their squad members was in attendance… but picked their third-choice goalkeeper.
      Alfred Gomis lined up alongside assistant Regis Bogaert, who was standing in for ill boss Alious Cisse.
      That is despite the stopper playing ZERO games for club side Rennes this season and having next to no chance of featuring against the Three Lions.
      At club level, Cisse is behind France stopper Steve Mandanda.
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      It is expected that Chelsea goalkeeper Edouard Mendy will start in between the sticks for Senegal, having played in each game so far.
      Senegal qualified for the knockout rounds after they finished second in their World Cup group behind the Netherlands.
      However, they were almost eliminated during their game against Ecuador, but a winning goal from Chelsea’s Kalidou Koulibaly was enough to earn their spot in the round of 16.
      Senegal will be considered the underdogs when they take on Gareth Southgate’s side.
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      England topped their group with two wins and a draw, in the three games, they managed to score nine goals and only concede twice.
      The winners of the round of 16 match will face one of France or Poland in the quarter-final stage. More

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      Uruguay’s Jose Gimenez could face FIFTEEN-game ban for elbowing Fifa official in head and X-rated World Cup referee rant

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      URUGUAY star Jose Gimenez could be banned for FIFTEEN games after elbowing a Fifa official as his side were knocked out of the World Cup.South Korea’s 2-1 win over Portgual sent the South American side home despite them beating Ghana 2-0 in a controversy-filled game.
      Jose Gimenez appeared to elbow an official
      Jose Gimenez argued with the referee at the end of the gameCredit: AP
      He had to be restrained by teammatesCredit: AP
      Uruguay felt they should’ve had a penalty late on as Edinson Cavani was brought down in the box and after the final whistle the emotion got the better of plenty as tempers boiled over.
      Gimenez completely lost his cool as he tried to confront the referee while he was walking off the pitch.
      The Atletico Madrid star had to be held back by teammates as he shouted and chased ref Daniel Siebert.
      Amidst the chaos Gimenez elbowed a Fifa representative in the back of the head.
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      The 27-year-old did not stop there as he continued to fume, he was then spotted shouting down a TV camera in the melee: “They [the referees] are all a bunch of thieves these sons of b***hes.
      “Yes, record me. Son of a b***h.”
      Outlet Mundo Deportivo claim that if these incidents get reported by the Fifa competitions director then he could face a 15-game ban or an “adequate” time away from football.
      It is not clear whether the ban would be served for international games only or be carried over to club football too.
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      Teammate Luis Suarez had his ban for biting carried over to domestic action in 2014.
      Gimenez is not the only Uruguayan who could be in trouble with the authorities after Cavani punched the VAR monitor as he trudged off the field. More

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      Karren Brady: Fifa must stand up to end football’s greed-is-good culture as ESL rebel Agnelli quits Juventus in scandal

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      JUVENTUS are in chaos after chairman Andrea Agnelli and the rest of the board resigned over “astonishing” signs of corruption.Agnelli, the ultra-rich patrician of one of Italy’s most famous families, had been the unchallenged head of the Turin club for 12 years, following his father, uncle and grandfather as chairman.
      Karren Brady gives her thoughts on the mess at JuventusCredit: PR Handout – Free to use
      Former Juventus chief Andrea Agnelli is facing allegations of corruptionCredit: Rex
      In this country he is best known for being a driving force of the European Super League, that ill-fated, greatly hated, ruinous usurper of the continent’s football structure.
      The dirty dozen who hungered for a tastier slice of the pie planned to ignore Uefa and play in a league of their own without relegation or promotion.
      Interestingly, Agnelli’s Old Lady aren’t the only club from the damned ESL founders to be in transition.
      Liverpool and Manchester United appear to be for sale, Chelsea have already been sold and Barcelona are hanging on in a financial storm.
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      While all but three of the dozen quickly bowed to supporter protest, Agnelli stood firm. He faithfully believed the ‘super’ bit meant superior in all respects.
      No doubt he will fight the charges. Until recently he has been a genuinely successful if somewhat tarnished leader.
      On the field, the club in his time won nine Serie A titles but this feat has been tainted by a series of allegations including money arrangements for Cristiano Ronaldo after his move from Real Madrid in 2018.
      Talking of Ronaldo, fresh from the extreme slagging of his last club, it’s reported he has accepted £173million-a-year, a world record in sport, to move to Saudi Arabia.
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      As purchases go, this is rather like buying the Mona Lisa to stand on the penalty spot.
      Conceivably unfairly, Italy is a byword for corruption.
      The current allegations emphasise that it has eaten into top-level football and allegations that a man as powerful as Agnelli, whose aristocratic family has long been known as “The Kennedys of Italy’’, is disturbing.
      Indeed, in England an Italian takeover of an English club is now treated with the utmost caution.
      I realise I have played a minor role in the monetisation of the game at the top level and I am proud of many of the changes.
      These add up to a quiet revolution, making the Premier League the best league in the world, bringing bigger and better stadiums and training centres and, particularly through the Prem, help for lower divisions and charities.
      And let’s not forget that Premier League football contributed £7.6BILLION to the UK economy during the 2019-20 season, which was suspended for more than three months due to the pandemic, and the league and its clubs generated a total tax contribution of £3.6bn to the UK Exchequer in 2019-20, £1.4bn by Prem players.
      But Agnelli and his kind have introduced a greed-is-good culture.
      It’s a signal that has been received to such a degree that it appears, if the recorded conversations between the top brass at the club tapped by the public prosecutor’s office are anything to go by, entitlement was followed by corruption and fraud.
      This, it seems to me, is the atmosphere in which men such as Agnelli flourish.
      Owners whose aim is to transform football only for the sake of a financial bonanza must be closely controlled.
      Especially when the ESL holdout clubs — Real Madrid, Juventus and Barcelona — are still trying to resurrect their plan and have gone to court arguing that Uefa has a clear “conflict of interest” as European football’s regulator and operator, and would “never” authorise a competitor to its flagship Champions League tournament.
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      Judgement, I am told, is due on December 15.
      Fifa leaders give the impression of being happier to watch from comfortable armchairs, it’s time to stand up and be counted. More

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      Fans in hysterics as devastated Kai Havertz is made to pose with Man of the Match trophy after Germany exit

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      THIS was the awkward moment that Kai Havertz was forced to pose with his Man of the Match trophy just seconds after suffering World Cup heartbreak.The Chelsea striker scored twice as Germany came from behind to beat Costa Rica 4-2 in their final group game.
      Kai Havertz scored twice as Germany defeated Costa Rica but were still dumped out of the World CupCredit: Getty
      This was the awkward moment he was asked to pose with his Man of the Match trophyCredit: Twitter @AbsoluteChelsea
      However, the 23-year-old and his team-mates will still be on the next flight home after Japan secured a thrilling victory over Spain.
      That result left the Adian side top in Group E, while La Roja also advanced despite the setback ahead of Germany courtesy of goal difference.
      Havertz only came off the bench in the 67th-minute for the four-time world champions in place of Thomas Muller.
      But his quickfire double to fire his nation ahead from 2-1 down, albeit ultimately being in vain, was enough to earn him top marks from Fifa sponsors Budweiser.
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      And that led to him being forced to pose with his Man of the Match trophy looking completely drained.
      Even though it must have been an agonising moment for Havertz, rival supporters found the picture and whole situation hilarious as they showed no mercy on Twitter.
      One tweeted alongside a host of laughing emojis: “His face says everything!”
      Another commented: “He looks over the moon haha.”
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      A fellow fan wrote: “Imagine the camera man trying to get a smile out of him after being knocked out of the World Cup though.”
      While another tweet read: “Hahaha i feel bad for him. So lowkey.”  More

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      Who is South Korea vs Portugal referee Facundo Tello at the 2022 World Cup?

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      THE man in the middle for South Korea’s match against Portugal is no stranger to dishing out red cards.Facundo Tello takes charge of South Korea vs Portugal in the final round of group games.
      Facundo Tello is one of 39 referees officiating at Qatar and is not afraid of dishing out red cardsCredit: AFP
      Facundo Tello in action during the 2022 World CupCredit: Reuters
      Argentina’s Facundo Tello makes up a group of six South American officials travelling to the Middle East and is in charge as the Swiss take on the Indomitable Lions.
      Here is some more information on the Argentine’s career.

      Who is Facundo Tello?
      Facundo Tello was born in the Buenos Aires Province in 1982.
      Tello was quick to gain prominence in his homeland, officiating in the Primera Division after just four games in Argentina’s second tier.
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      He was asked to officiate the first-ever Superclassic in 2018, returning the same year to referee the final, defining Sarmiento’s promotion to the Primera Division.
      In 2019, the 40-year-old gained recognition on the international stage, joining FIFA’s refereeing list.
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      Tello was summoned to Chile where he was appointed the fourth official at the South American Under-20 Championship.
      A call-up to the 2021 Arab Cup followed, where he took charge of a match between Jordan and Morocco.
      He became infamous in Argentina for giving out 10 red cards during the Champions Trophy final where Racing Club played Boca Juniors and there was a massive melee.

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      Senegal slapped with £8,700 fine for breaching Fifa rules ahead of World Cup last-16 clash against England

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      SENEGAL have been fined £8,700 for breaking Fifa rules ahead of their World Cup last-16 clash with England.Aliou Cisse’s men booked themselves a tie with the Three Lions on Sunday after beating Ecuador 2-1 in their final group game.
      Aliou Cisse’s Senegal have been punished by Fifa for failing to provide a player for pre-match media dutiesCredit: AP
      England’s last-16 World Cup opponents have been fined £8,700Credit: Getty
      But they found themselves in hot water with football’s governing body following due to their actions before the match.
      The charge was due to boss Cisse attending his pre-match press conference WITHOUT a player from his squad.
      Fifa rules dictate that the day before a game every team must conduct a presser in one of two press conference rooms at the main media centre.
      The team’s head coach must attend, along with one player from his squad.
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      And now the Senegalese Football Federation has been hit in the pocket.
      A Fifa statement confirmed: “The Fifa Disciplinary Committee has sanctioned the Senegalese Football Federation with a fine in the amount of CHF 10,000 and a warning for breaches of article 44 of the Regulations for the Fifa World Cup Qatar 2022™, article 2.7.2 of the Media and Marketing Regulations and article 8.5.3 of the Team Handbook.
      “The potential breaches relate to the mandatory press conference that took place on 28 November ahead of the Ecuador v. Senegal Fifa World Cup™ match.”
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      Before their first two games, Cisse went to the press conferences with Krepin Diatta and Kalidou Koulibaly respectively.
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      But ahead of the Ecuador clash he opted to come alone – defying the Fifa regulations.
       Germany were hit with an £8,800 penalty for the same offence before their draw with Spain.
      German head coach Hansi Flick claimed he did not bring a player with him to the press conference because his squad are based in the north of Qatar.
      And he did not want to force an individual to make the three-hour round trip to the media centre the day before their huge match. More

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      World Cup 2026 could see penalty shootouts used in GROUP STAGE as Fifa mull huge changes for USA, Canada & Mexico

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      FIFA chiefs are plotting another major overhaul of the World Cup by introducing PENALTY SHOOTOUTS to group matches.Footie’s global governing body is already planning to expand the competition from 32 teams to 48 for the 2026 tournament – which will take place in the USA, Mexico and Canada.
      FIFA are expanding the 2026 World Cup from 32 teams to 48Credit: GETTY
      Footy chiefs are weighing up the possibility of introducing group-stage penalty shootoutsCredit: Reuters
      FIFA’s chief officer for technical development, Marco van Basten, is a proponent of the ideaCredit: GETTY
      And according to reports, they’re trying to put an end to drawn group matches with the introduction of additional shootouts.
      That’s according to The Athletic, who claim FIFA are “considering” introducing shootouts to determine whether or not teams should be awarded a bonus point if matches are drawn.
      The potential introduction of group-stage penalty shootouts is due to the possibility of groups being made up of three teams.
      The bonus-point shootouts could take place before kick-off or following the full-time whistle.
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      The potential introduction of group-stage penalty shootouts isn’t a new idea by any stretch of the imagination.
      It was first mooted back in 2017 and championed by FIFA’s chief officer for technical development, Marco van Basten.
      The Dutchman said: “Shootouts could indeed be an option for tournaments with groups of three in which you play against two opponents.
      “It can get pretty tight.
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      “If one team for instance draws one match 0-0 and wins the other 1-0, there’s a high risk that all three teams are level on points and goals in the end.”
      Former Bayern Munich boss Ottmar Hitzfeld is a proponent of three-team groups.
      The 73-year-old said: “The third match in the group stage in the World Cup is often boring since the big nations are usually already through.
      “With this format, tension would be guaranteed from the beginning and we would swiftly move to the knockout stage.”
      The group stages of Qatar 2022 are coming to an end.
      The Netherlands, Senegal, England, France, Brazil, Portugal and the USA have already qualified for the knockout stages of the tournament.
      Teams could bag a bonus point with victory in group-stage shootoutsCredit: Getty More