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    What is the Europa Conference League and will Man Utd have to play in it?

    THERE is a new Uefa competition on the block this season – the Europa Conference League. Here’s all you need to know about the tournament, which this season saw two English teams take part – Tottenham Hotspur and Leicester City.
    Cristiano Ronaldo could be playing in the Europa Conference League next seasonCredit: Reuters
    What is the Europa Conference League?
    The Europa Conference League is Uefa’s third tier European competition, formed in 2021.
    The idea of it is to give more clubs from more countries the chance to play European football.
    Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin said: “The new Uefa club competition makes Uefa’s club competitions more inclusive than ever before.
    “There will be more matches for more clubs, with more associations represented in the group stages.”
    Like the Champions League and Europa League, the competition will consist of a group and knockout stage.
    Which English teams qualify for the Europa Conference League?
    England has been granted one Europa Conference League place.
    The slot is allocated to the side which wins the Carabao Cup, assuming they have not already qualified for Europe through the league.
    However, in 2022/23 it will be allocated to the seventh placed Premier League team as Champions League sides Liverpool and Chelsea have faced off in both the League and FA Cup final.
    Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin says the Europa Conference League gives more clubs than ever before the chance to play in EuropeCredit: EPA
    Which other teams qualify for the Europa Conference League?
    European football now involves a slimmed down Europa League with more teams entering the Conference League.
    Just 57 teams will compete in the Europa League compared to 184 in the Europa Conference League.
    While the champions of every country will get the chance to qualify for the Champions League, all other teams from countries ranked below 15th in the Uefa Coefficients will enter the Europa Conference League rather than the Europa League.
    Teams eliminated from the Champions League preliminary round and first qualifying rounds will also go to the Conference League, as well as those eliminated from the Europa League third qualifying round, play-off round and third place finishers in the group stage.
    After European football’s winter break, the Conference League also welcomes third placed teams from the Europa League group stage, which is how Leicester reached the 2022 semi-final.
    Will Man Utd end up in the Europa Conference League?
    As of May 13, West Ham sit in seventh place in the Premier League, three points behind Man Utd in sixth – a Europa League spot.
    However, the Hammers have a game in hand at home to Man City and and a far superior goal difference.
    Should West Ham win both their remaining games or earn three points more than Man Utd do before the end of the season, they will reach Europe’s second tier competition and condemn incoming United boss Erik ten Hag to the Conference League.
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    How has the Europa League changed?
    The Europa League group stage has been reduced to 32 teams from the current 48.
    Group winners now advance to the last 16 of the tournament while runners-up will have to play a preliminary knockout stage against the third placed Champions League teams.
    Does the winner of the Europa Conference League qualify for any other tournaments?
    The Europa Conference League winner will qualify for the following season’s Europa League. More

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    David Moyes faces Uefa bench ban after kicking ball at ballboy in West Ham’s Europa League defeat to Frankfurt

    DAVID MOYES faces a Uefa bench ban after his Europa League red card.Moyes was dismissed by Spanish referee Jesus Gil Manzano after angrily kicking a ball back at a ball boy in the late stages of his side’s semi-final defeat at Eintracht Frankfurt.
    David Moyes is set to face a Uefa banCredit: EPA
    Another red card for West Ham…This time it’s for David Moyes! 😳The manager smashes the ball back in anger and is sent down the tunnel… #UEL pic.twitter.com/YYTZrqp2dg— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) May 5, 2022

    The Hammers chief apologised after the match, conceding he had been in the wrong.
    But he added: “It didn’t hit him – I think I bent it past him.”
    Moyes, though, will face disciplinary action – with a ban that would come into effect next season likely.
    Under Uefa regulations, every red card is assessed for punishment by a disciplinary committee.
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    The committee also studies the official reports by the referee and the Uefa match delegate.
    All red cards carry an automatic one match ban, with each case viewed independently.
    And that means Moyes could be banned from the bench for the start of West Ham’s next European campaign.
    The London Stadium club currently in seventh and seem unlikely to overtake sixth-placed Manchester United.
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    That would see West Ham playing in the Conference League next term.
    And a likely two-match ban for Moyes would prevent him being involved for either leg of the August play-off round when West Ham will be expected to earn their place in the group stage.
    The Hammers travel to Norwich on Sunday in the Premier League as they look to take another step towards European qualification. More

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    Uefa want to scrap Champions League semi-final second legs – football must resist their Super Bowl delusions

    HANDS up everyone who watched this week’s Champions League thrillers and thought, “We must scrap these two-legged semi-finals.”Because chances are you are Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin or Paris Saint-Germain chairman Nasser Al-Khelaifi.
    Football must not let Uefa scrap Champions League semi-final second legsCredit: Getty
    Every supporter in the world would have been gripped by Villarreal’s brave but ultimately futile comeback attempts against Liverpool on Tuesday night.
    And Real Madrid’s incredible 6-5 aggregate win against Manchester City will go down as one of the greatest games in Champions League history.
    But Ceferin and Al-Khelaifi are not football fans.
    They are marketing men who see every match as a financial opportunity.
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.nk-headline-heading{color:rgba(71,30,121,1);}.css-1uyse24:before{content:”;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;left:0;overflow:hidden;position:absolute;z-index:1;}.css-n392go{border-width:0 1px 1px 1px;border-style:solid;border-color:rgba(155,201,183,1);padding:12px;max-height:104px;min-height:98px;}.css-1p5s3t0{padding:0;border-width:0 1px 1px 1px;border-style:solid;border-color:rgba(155,201,183,1);padding:12px;max-height:104px;min-height:98px;}.css-124tga5{overflow:hidden;-webkit-line-clamp:3;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;display:-webkit-box;word-wrap:break-word;line-height:1;}.css-5jzxpx{overflow:hidden;-webkit-line-clamp:3;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;display:-webkit-box;word-wrap:break-word;line-height:1;}.css-i1acvs{margin:0;padding:0;color:rgba(34,99,73,1);text-transform:uppercase;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;font-family:The Sun;font-size:18px;line-height:1.333;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0%;font-stretch:normal;display:inline;}.css-i1acvs:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}REAL COMEBACK .css-8h3gc3{margin:0;padding:0;color:rgba(34,37,38,1);-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;font-family:The Sun;font-size:18px;line-height:1.333;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0%;font-stretch:normal;display:inline;}.css-8h3gc3:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}Alexander-Arnold and Van Dijk share talk that inspired Reds win at Villarreal
    So at a meeting of the Uefa executive committee next week, the two most powerful men in European football will press ahead with their plans to reform the Champions League.
    And one of the main tenets of their proposal will be to make the semi-finals a one-legged, straight knockout affair to ease the fixture congestion caused by ten first-round group games.
    So less City v Real and more Shakhtar Donetsk v FC Sheriff. Thanks a bunch.
    The big idea is to stage both semis and the final in the same city over one week in an event which Ceferin has compared to the Super Bowl.
    .css-qu9fel{border-top:1px solid #dcdddd;}.css-b9nmbi{margin-bottom:16px;border-top:1px solid #dcdddd;}.css-1qsre5o{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;height:100%;-webkit-align-items:flex-start;-webkit-box-align:flex-start;-ms-flex-align:flex-start;align-items:flex-start;-webkit-align-content:flex-start;-ms-flex-line-pack:flex-start;align-content:flex-start;-webkit-box-flex-wrap:nowrap;-webkit-flex-wrap:nowrap;-ms-flex-wrap:nowrap;flex-wrap:nowrap;-webkit-flex-direction:column;-ms-flex-direction:column;flex-direction:column;-webkit-box-pack:justify;-webkit-justify-content:space-between;justify-content:space-between;}.css-q8gelu{margin-bottom:24px;}.css-7ysxcx{padding:0;text-transform:uppercase;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}.css-7ysxcx:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}.css-jkwlot{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;height:100%;-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;-webkit-flex-direction:row;-ms-flex-direction:row;flex-direction:row;-webkit-box-pack:justify;-webkit-justify-content:space-between;justify-content:space-between;padding:0;text-transform:uppercase;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}.css-jkwlot:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}.css-1x7hydu{font-family:The Sun;font-size:24px;line-height:1.1666666666666667;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:0%;font-stretch:semi-condensed;padding:1px 0px;}.css-1x7hydu::before{content:”;display:block;height:0;width:0;margin-bottom:calc(-0.24520833333333342em + -0.5px);}.css-1x7hydu::after{content:”;display:block;height:0;width:0;margin-top:-0.2333333333333334em;}.css-1lobn43{display:inline;font:inherit;margin:0;color:rgba(0,0,0,1);}.css-1lobn43 svg{fill:rgba(0,0,0,1);}Most read in Football.css-1gojmfd{margin-bottom:16px;}.css-zdjvqv{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;height:100%;-webkit-align-items:flex-start;-webkit-box-align:flex-start;-ms-flex-align:flex-start;align-items:flex-start;-webkit-align-content:flex-start;-ms-flex-line-pack:flex-start;align-content:flex-start;-webkit-box-flex-wrap:nowrap;-webkit-flex-wrap:nowrap;-ms-flex-wrap:nowrap;flex-wrap:nowrap;-webkit-flex-direction:column;-ms-flex-direction:column;flex-direction:column;-webkit-box-pack:space-around;-ms-flex-pack:space-around;-webkit-justify-content:space-around;justify-content:space-around;margin-top:calc(-12px/2);margin-bottom:calc(-12px/2);}.css-zdjvqv:before,.css-zdjvqv:after{content:”;display:block;}.css-1meuhfk{display:-webkit-inline-box;display:-webkit-inline-flex;display:-ms-inline-flexbox;display:inline-flex;margin-top:calc(12px/2);margin-bottom:calc(12px/2);}
    FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALS – BEST NEW CUSTOMER OFFERS
    He revealed: “Even if you lose two matches you can get more revenue to compensate.
    “It could be a fantastic event for broadcasters and sponsors.”
    Notice he doesn’t mention the supporters, who barely seem to figure in his grandiose schemes.
    And it’s no surprise he is backed by Al-Khelaifi, the man who has run rings around Financial Fair Play rules for years yet is now calling the shots.
    Ever since the collapse of the European Super League last year, the opportunist PSG president has been cashing in on his club’s refusal to join the break-away rebels.
    So not only is he now a Uefa board member but also president of the European Clubs Association.
    Yet his loyalty to Uefa was only ever down to the fact beIN Sports — of which he is also the chairman — owns the Champions League broadcast rights.
    RESIST SUPER BOWL DELUSIONS
    And he was never going to jeopardise that lucrative deal by signing up for a rival competition.
    Two years after PSG’s one and only Champions League final, he still speaks fondly about the 2020 format, when the global pandemic led to both semis and the final being played in Lisbon over six days.
    And the fact PSG have been the biggest bottle jobs in football has got absolutely nothing to do with his enthusiasm for getting rid of the second leg.
    Because if we thought City were bad at getting over the line, they don’t compare to Le Chokers from Paris, who famously once beat Barcelona 4-0 yet still managed to lose the second leg 6-1.
    So it’s no surprise that Al-Khelaifi doesn’t trust his players when the pressure is on and wants to manipulate things in their favour.
    But the rest of Europe must resist these Super Bowl delusions.
    The Champions League is doing just fine without Mickey Mouse moves for Disneyfication.
    Everton reckon the officials have got it in for themCredit: Reuters
    RIGHT OLD CARRY ON BY FRANK
    INFAMY, infamy, they’ve all got it in for me.
    Everton are becoming increasingly paranoid as they face the prospect of Championship football at Goodison next season.
    For the second time in weeks they have made an official complaint to referees chief Mike Riley over failed penalty appeals.
    On the first occasion Riley actually apologised for VAR missing Rodri’s handball in the 1-0 home defeat by Manchester City.
    But now boss Frank Lampard has been charged by the FA for his comments after the 2-0 loss at Anfield when he said: “If it’s Mo Salah at the other end, you get a penalty.”
    To make matters worse, there is now a chance Richarlison might be banned for the relegation run-in after lobbing a flare back into the crowd after scoring Sunday’s winner against Chelsea.
    So now they’re banking on the Merseyside Police getting involved and stringing their investigation out beyond the end of the season.
    But the only way that Everton are going to get out of this mess is by continuing to play as if it’s them against the world.
    Because if they’re relying on help from anyone else, it’s going to end in former Toffees stalwart Mikel Arteta sending them down on the final day of the season at Arsenal.
    Liverpool ace Andy Robertson is also focusing on helping Scotland to the World CupCredit: Getty
    SCOT FAR BIGGER FISH TO FRY
    ANDY ROBERTSON has already played 51 games for club and country this season and still has another six to go as Liverpool close in on the Quadruple.
    But even the Champions League final against Real Madrid in three weeks’ time is not going to be his biggest game of the year.
    Because four days after the Paris showdown, the unstoppable full-back will be a key man in Scotland’s World Cup play-off against Ukraine.
    If they win that highly-emotional Hampden clash, it’s off to Cardiff four days later for a winner- takes-all meeting with Wales for the right to become England’s World Cup whipping boys.
    And while Champions League finals are becoming ten a penny for Robertson these days, the chance to play at the World Cup is a once-in-a- lifetime opportunity when you’re Scottish.
    MY CHAIN REACTION
    AN email from Fifa landed in my inbox the other day to announce a new partnership with a technology company.
    Apparently they will become the official blockchain platform of Fifa to provide the official blockchain-supported wallet solution.
    It goes on to explain that blockchains allow non-editable data to be permanently recorded and distributed on digital  networks — while also facilitating innovations and ensuring untampered exchange of value and assets such as non- fungible tokens.
    I can only assume that whoever sent this information has mistaken me for someone who gives a f*** about this sort of stuff.
    Because I don’t have a clue what they are going on about and the day when I actually care about blockchain solutions is also the day hell freezes over.
    Katie Taylor put on a boxing spectacle against Amanda SerranoCredit: The Mega Agency
    TAYL’S BALL WOMAN
    KATIE TAYLOR’S thrilling title defence against Amanda Serrano at Madison Square Garden is rightly being put up as the fight of the year.
    But I think her coach Ross Enamait got slightly carried away when he claimed: “She’s built different. Balls of steel.”
    Because if that was true, the WBC, IBF, WBA and WBO might all want to take a closer look at undisputed lightweight champion Taylor.
    .css-16e4f55{margin:16px 0;}.css-1546w7m{background-color:rgba(237,245,242,1);margin:16px 0;}.css-1tapza8{padding:20px 15px;}.css-1bk4jdt{padding:20px 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.nk-headline-heading{color:rgba(71,30,121,1);}.css-1uyse24:before{content:”;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;left:0;overflow:hidden;position:absolute;z-index:1;}.css-n392go{border-width:0 1px 1px 1px;border-style:solid;border-color:rgba(155,201,183,1);padding:12px;max-height:104px;min-height:98px;}.css-1p5s3t0{padding:0;border-width:0 1px 1px 1px;border-style:solid;border-color:rgba(155,201,183,1);padding:12px;max-height:104px;min-height:98px;}.css-124tga5{overflow:hidden;-webkit-line-clamp:3;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;display:-webkit-box;word-wrap:break-word;line-height:1;}.css-5jzxpx{overflow:hidden;-webkit-line-clamp:3;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;display:-webkit-box;word-wrap:break-word;line-height:1;}.css-i1acvs{margin:0;padding:0;color:rgba(34,99,73,1);text-transform:uppercase;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;font-family:The Sun;font-size:18px;line-height:1.333;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0%;font-stretch:normal;display:inline;}.css-i1acvs:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}CHELLE’S PAIN .css-8h3gc3{margin:0;padding:0;color:rgba(34,37,38,1);-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;font-family:The Sun;font-size:18px;line-height:1.333;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0%;font-stretch:normal;display:inline;}.css-8h3gc3:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}Michelle Heaton in tears on Loose Women over rehab letter from husband
    COR BLIMEY
    TERRIBLE times for West Ham fans with the news that James Corden is returning to the UK so he can attend more games at the London Stadium.
    Stay strong you Irons. More

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    England’s Three Lions anthem saved for the nation after flaky FA bosses’ U-turn

    FLAKY FA bosses yesterday ditched plans to axe England’s Three Lions anthem — after The Sun exposed their plot.They bizarrely claimed the “arrogant” lyrics might offend nations at the World Cup in Qatar, which outraged fans.
    As The Sun exposed a ridiculous bid to axe England’s Three Lions anthem as our World Cup anthem in Qatar, flaky FA bosses ditched their plotCredit: Dan Charity
    1966 hero Sir Geoff Hurst said: ‘Thank goodness they’ve seen sense’Credit: The Sun
    1966 hero Sir Geoff Hurst said: “Thank goodness they’ve seen sense.”
    Furious England fans yesterday halted the FA’s ridiculous bid to axe Three Lions as our World Cup anthem in Qatar.
    They were joined by legends of the game and showbiz stars in forcing footie chiefs into a weaselly u-turn.
    After The Sun revealed the plot yesterday, the FA was mauled on TV and radio for six hours before announcing it was backtracking. And woke bosses shamelessly tried to suggest they hadn’t discussed ditching the song.
    We had told how they feared using the classic 1996 tune in stadiums before World Cup kick-offs — because other nations viewed it “arrogant” to sing about England being the home of football.
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Worldcup.css-1gojmfd{margin-bottom:16px;}.css-gmec1d{display:-webkit-inline-box;display:-webkit-inline-flex;display:-ms-inline-flexbox;display:inline-flex;height:auto;-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;-webkit-align-content:center;-ms-flex-line-pack:center;align-content:center;-webkit-box-flex-wrap:nowrap;-webkit-flex-wrap:nowrap;-ms-flex-wrap:nowrap;flex-wrap:nowrap;-webkit-flex-direction:row;-ms-flex-direction:row;flex-direction:row;-webkit-box-pack:start;-ms-flex-pack:start;-webkit-justify-content:flex-start;justify-content:flex-start;margin-left:calc(-20px/2);margin-right:calc(-20px/2);}.css-fh9577{display:-webkit-inline-box;display:-webkit-inline-flex;display:-ms-inline-flexbox;display:inline-flex;margin-left:calc(20px/2);margin-right:calc(20px/2);}.css-65fvqt{max-width:302px;max-height:294px;}.css-1exhbll{box-sizing:border-box;overflow:hidden;background-color:rgba(237,245,242,1);-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;position:relative;display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-flex-direction:column;-ms-flex-direction:column;flex-direction:column;max-width:302px;max-height:294px;}.css-bk55po{box-sizing:border-box;display:block;position:relative;margin-bottom:0;}.css-1shocxe{box-sizing:border-box;}.css-1a2irou{box-sizing:border-box;padding:0;}.css-1a2irou 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Sun;font-size:18px;line-height:1.333;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0%;font-stretch:normal;display:inline;}.css-i1acvs:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}’WOKE NONSENSE’ .css-8h3gc3{margin:0;padding:0;color:rgba(34,37,38,1);-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;font-family:The Sun;font-size:18px;line-height:1.333;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0%;font-stretch:normal;display:inline;}.css-8h3gc3:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}England fans refuse to stop singing Football’s Coming Home amid axe plan
    The FA had even considered replacing it with American singer Neil Diamond’s Sweet Caroline.
    England 1966 World Cup winner Sir Geoff Hurst, 80, led our swift counterattack and said: “I appeared in the original Three Lions video and have loved the tune ever since.
    .css-qu9fel{border-top:1px solid #dcdddd;}.css-b9nmbi{margin-bottom:16px;border-top:1px solid #dcdddd;}.css-1qsre5o{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;height:100%;-webkit-align-items:flex-start;-webkit-box-align:flex-start;-ms-flex-align:flex-start;align-items:flex-start;-webkit-align-content:flex-start;-ms-flex-line-pack:flex-start;align-content:flex-start;-webkit-box-flex-wrap:nowrap;-webkit-flex-wrap:nowrap;-ms-flex-wrap:nowrap;flex-wrap:nowrap;-webkit-flex-direction:column;-ms-flex-direction:column;flex-direction:column;-webkit-box-pack:justify;-webkit-justify-content:space-between;justify-content:space-between;}.css-q8gelu{margin-bottom:24px;}.css-7ysxcx{padding:0;text-transform:uppercase;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}.css-7ysxcx:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}.css-jkwlot{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;height:100%;-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;-webkit-flex-direction:row;-ms-flex-direction:row;flex-direction:row;-webkit-box-pack:justify;-webkit-justify-content:space-between;justify-content:space-between;padding:0;text-transform:uppercase;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}.css-jkwlot:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}.css-1x7hydu{font-family:The Sun;font-size:24px;line-height:1.1666666666666667;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:0%;font-stretch:semi-condensed;padding:1px 0px;}.css-1x7hydu::before{content:”;display:block;height:0;width:0;margin-bottom:calc(-0.24520833333333342em + -0.5px);}.css-1x7hydu::after{content:”;display:block;height:0;width:0;margin-top:-0.2333333333333334em;}.css-1lobn43{display:inline;font:inherit;margin:0;color:rgba(0,0,0,1);}.css-1lobn43 svg{fill:rgba(0,0,0,1);}Most read in Football.css-1gojmfd{margin-bottom:16px;}.css-zdjvqv{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;height:100%;-webkit-align-items:flex-start;-webkit-box-align:flex-start;-ms-flex-align:flex-start;align-items:flex-start;-webkit-align-content:flex-start;-ms-flex-line-pack:flex-start;align-content:flex-start;-webkit-box-flex-wrap:nowrap;-webkit-flex-wrap:nowrap;-ms-flex-wrap:nowrap;flex-wrap:nowrap;-webkit-flex-direction:column;-ms-flex-direction:column;flex-direction:column;-webkit-box-pack:space-around;-ms-flex-pack:space-around;-webkit-justify-content:space-around;justify-content:space-around;margin-top:calc(-12px/2);margin-bottom:calc(-12px/2);}.css-zdjvqv:before,.css-zdjvqv:after{content:”;display:block;}.css-1meuhfk{display:-webkit-inline-box;display:-webkit-inline-flex;display:-ms-inline-flexbox;display:inline-flex;margin-top:calc(12px/2);margin-bottom:calc(12px/2);}
    “It’s a song about football for English football fans. I can’t believe anyone would want to replace it with Sweet Caroline, which is American and has nothing to do with the game.
    “Three Lions is light-hearted and full of fans’ hopes and dreams and I can’t see how anyone could find it offensive. And if we win the World Cup again then football really will have come because we are the country that invented the game.
    “Why get so serious? It’s just fun and I’m pleased we’ll be singing It’s Coming Home loud and proud in Qatar.”
    Striker Sir Geoff, whose hat-trick clinched England’s 4-2 win over Germany, also spoke of his joy at singing and dancing to the tune at a Lightning Seeds gig in London before last year’s Euros final.
    ‘Woke nonsense’
    Sir Geoff said: “I was asked to introduce the song but ended up getting pulled on stage with the band and singing my heart out with (creators) David Baddiel and Frank Skinner. It’s that kind of song. It gets fans going and will always be my No1.”
    All 32 nations competing at Qatar are required to nominate an official song, with choices submitted this summer.
    Woke alarm bells sounded last year when Uefa stopped Baddiel and Skinner from singing the hit before the Euro 2020 final branding it too “partisan”.
    Yet Croatia’s players used the song for motivation ahead of their 2-1 triumph over Gareth Southgate’s England team at the 2018 World Cup semi-final in Moscow.
    And Italian fans sang “It’s coming to Rome” after their penalties win over the Three Lions in the Euro 2020 final.
    Yesterday there was a national outcry following our front page. BBC Radio Two star Jeremy Vine was flooded with calls from fans after asking phone-in listeners: “Is it wrong to ditch the Three Lions song?”
    He added: “The FA is apparently thinking about dropping the iconic song over fears it is ‘arrogant’. Is that a good idea or just woke nonsense?”
    The FA is apparently thinking about dropping the iconic song over fears it is ‘arrogant’. Is that a good idea or just woke nonsense?BBC Radio Two star Jeremy Vine
    Former England World Cup star Peter Reid blasted moves to replace the song on Nick Ferrari’s LBC show.
    Peter, 65, said: “England fans are great, they sing and get behind the team. I don’t see that offending anybody or making us seem arrogant.
    “I had a look at the lyrics and they’re brilliant. Nothing in there, I don’t think, makes us arrogant or offends anybody.”
    TV star Vernon Kay said the song was part of our football history, adding: “It unites England fans.”
    Nadine Dorries, Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, led political support. She said: “For more than 25 years, Three Lions has endured as the anthem of English football.
    Perfect pitch for football classicAlex James
    WRITING a football anthem that catches on is much harder than you might think. Which is what makes Three Lions such a precious jewel that we must protect.
    Its simplicity is key to its success. Simple words. Simple tune. But don’t let that fool you — getting it right is anything but simple.
    Doesn’t matter how famous you are, like The Spice Girls, who were about the biggest band on the planet when they released (How Does It Feel to Be) On Top of the World — the ill-fated official tune for the 1998 World Cup.
    Or Mick Hucknall, who was a kind of old-fashioned Ed Sheeran when he wrote We’re In This Together for Euro 96. The Lightning Seeds were a pretty cool indie band in 1996 and Baddiel and Skinner had a funny TV show.
    Together they managed to write a simple song with, crucially, two parts that everyone could sing — “It’s coming home . . . ” along with the rousing “Three lions on a shirt . . . ’ bit that connected and resonated with the crowds on the terraces.
    Where else do thousands of people, sometimes tens of thousands, all sing together, totally united and completely unaccompanied, other than at the football?
    And the best way to get that massed triumphant choir going is to come up with something that harks back to the tradition of ­terrace chants, which all have a faint glimmer of the proud tradition of folk music. Written by ordinary people, for ordinary people.
    Vindaloo, which I wrote with the comedian Keith Allen, had a one-word chorus, “Vindaloo”, and a one-note refrain, (“We’re gonna score one more than you”).
    I played a demo version to a music exec and he shook his head and said, “Sorry mate, you’ll never get that on the radio. It won’t work.” I swear, I’ve still not once heard it on the radio but people are still singing it six World Cups later.
    Ultimately the people decide what they want to sing. I’ve always loved Sweet Caroline. It’s a great singalong. But it has absolutely nothing to do with football or England and hearing it played at England matches makes me feel completely nauseous.
    Please don’t suggest that Three Lions is “offensive to other nations” and wokewash us with this irrelevant nonsense.
    Be warned, those who would wield the word “official”. You’ve literally never got it right. It’s coming home, you morons

    “It perfectly captures what it means to be an England fan; the hope, the heartbreak but above all the belief in the team. I fully expect England fans to be singing it at games throughout the World Cup.”
    Tory Julian Knight, chair of the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee, said plans to scrap the tune were “nuts”. He added: When the Germans won Euro 96 they adopted Three Lions and sang it on their victory parade. You really do wonder about the mentality of the FA if they can’t just let sleeping lions lie over this issue.”
    ‘You can’t take that song off us’
    Tory MP Lee Anderson, a Nottingham Forest fan, said: “This is unbelievable arrogance from the suits at the FA. It only shows how far the people at the top are from the ordinary football fan.
    “The wokery nonsense seemingly about the entire country has now affected the FA.”
    Senior sources at the FA had given The Sun detailed accounts of how bosses wanted to get rid of the song. Yesterday England legend Paul Gascoigne told us: “You can’t take that song off us. This woke nonsense has no place in football.”
    TalkTV presenter Piers Morgan added: “This song is all about wallowing in 30 years of pain and hurt and not winning anything. How can anyone say it’s arrogant?”
    In their feeble bid to downplay us rumbling their plot, the FA said yesterday: “Contrary to reports this morning, the FA still plays Three Lions at major Wembley matches and has never had any intention of doing otherwise.
    .css-16e4f55{margin:16px 0;}.css-1546w7m{background-color:rgba(237,245,242,1);margin:16px 0;}.css-1tapza8{padding:20px 15px;}.css-1bk4jdt{padding:20px 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    “The song belongs to the fans and is about the hope of following the England team.
    “It was requested by the FA to be played as one of our team songs at the 2018 World Cup and at the Euros last summer, and this is our plan at tournaments going forwards.”
    Furious fans were joined by footie legends and showbiz stars to push chiefs into a U-turn. Pictured: song creators David Baddiel and Frank SkinnerCredit: Anthony Upton
    England legend Paul Gascoigne told us: ‘You can’t take that song off us. This woke nonsense has no place in football’Credit: Getty
    Sir Geoff added: ‘I appeared in the original Three Lions video and have loved the tune ever since’Credit: Not known, clear with picture deskIT’S TOP CHAT Andy Robinson

    OUR story on Three Lions facing the axe dominated discussion on the airwaves yesterday.
    Callers bombarded radio shows, social media went into a frenzy and TV talk shows debated it.
    TalkTV’s Julia Hartley-Brewer spoke about the Football’s Coming Home controversy on her breakfast show and made it her “question of the day”. Sky Sports News covered the topic all day and Jeremy Vine mentioned it on Channel 5.
    TalkSport also argued against flaky FA fears while former England midfielder Peter Reid called Nick Ferrari on LBC to fight the anthem’s corner. More

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    Two-legged Champions League semi-finals could be SCRAPPED in favour of ‘football festival’ from 2024-25 in shock plans

    UEFA are planning to scrap two-legged semi-final fixtures in the Champions League, reports suggest.That is according to The Times, who report that an initiative, dubbed a “week of football”, is gaining momentum and could be put into effect from the 2024-2025 season.
    UEFA are considering some groundbreaking Champions League changesCredit: Getty
    Classic semi-final matches like Manchester City vs Real Madrid won’t have a second legCredit: AFP
    The game’s governing body is keen to hold the Champions League semi-finals and the final on the same week in one city.
    That means the final-four participants will only play once without a return fixture before the final.
    That would make it a festival-type event similar to the Nations League finals, where two semi-finals and the final are played in the same country over five days.
    It would also be like the 2019-2020 Champions League and Europa League knockouts – starting from the quarter-finals – which took place in Portugal and Germany respectively due to the coronavirus pandemic.
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    Therefore, there will no longer be a second leg for thrilling encounters, such as Manchester City’s 4-3 showdown against Real Madrid last Tuesday at the Etihad.
    UEFA said that no decision has been made at this time but the European Club Association (ECA) is reportedly ready to back that idea.
    However, the European Leagues organisation would also need to approve it.
    UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin previously spoke in favour of such a project and compared it to the Super Bowl.
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    Ceferin said: “Personally I think it would be very good.
    “If you look at the Super Bowl it’s a great event and they do it in a great way, they have concerts and people go there and have fun.
    “Even if you lose those two matches you can get more revenue to compensate. It could be a fantastic event for broadcasters, for sponsors.
    “In the same week you could have the final of the women’s Champions League or youth competitions, you could really have a fantastic week of football. These knockout matches are different and more exciting.” More

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    Man Utd and Liverpool slapped with £8k fines by Uefa after Simeone is pelted by fans and delay in kick-off vs Benfica

    MANCHESTER UNITED have been given a fine by Uefa after fans threw missiles at Diego Simeone at the end of their defeat to Atletico Madrid.Simeone oversaw a second leg 1-0 win at Old Trafford that saw United knocked out of the Champions League.
    Diego Simeone sprinted to the tunnel at the end of his team’s win over Manchester UnitedCredit: PA
    Bottles, cans and even a pie were thrown at the Atletico Madrid boss
    His team frustrated United throughout and fans’ anger boiled over after the full-time whistle.
    Simeone immediately sprinted down the touchline to head to the tunnel but furious fans began pelting him with bottles, cans and other objects – including a pie.
    United have also launched an investigation into the incident and will try to identify those responsible for throwing objects.
    Simeone said after the incident: “No, when I came off the pitch, I ran because I was happy and I like to enjoy it in the dressing room.
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    “So I don’t know what happened. What you just said, all I was thinking about was getting into the changing room to the dressing room, and I was really happy.”
    Uefa’s Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body have now fined the club £8,500 for the incident.
    It is the third time Uefa have dished out such a punishment with the Red Devils also fined the same amount after three fans invaded the pitch in a match against Young Boys this season.
    A similar incident in United’s win at Villarreal, which included missile throwing and a pitch invasion, resulted in a £7,400 fine from Uefa.
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    Liverpool have also been slapped with a fine by Uefa after kick-off in the first leg of their tie against Benfica was delayed.
    The Reds were judged to have been the cause of the delay and Jurgen Klopp has been given a written warning over the incident. More

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    Real Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus face Champions League bans after huge court defeat over rebel Super League row

    SUPER LEAGUE rebels Real Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus face Champions League bans after a huge defeat in a Spanish court.Uefa President Aleksander Ceferin had promised to make the three remaining insurgents pay for their role in pushing the breakaway plan even after the Prem Big Six staged their embarrassed retreats from involvement 12 months ago.
    Aleksander Ceferin has vowed that Uefa will take action over the three breakaway clubsCredit: PA
    Real Madrid and Barcelona may be punished, along with JuventusCredit: Getty
    The three clubs vowed to press on with their breakaway scheme despite the huge public backlash that forced Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Spurs and both Manchester sides to pull out of the plot.
    But the Madrid Mercantile Court, viewed by many as an in-house division of Real Madrid, had agreed with the club case that Uefa’s proposed sanctions unfairly prevented the trio from pushing on with their plot.
    Now, though, a senior judge overturned that ruling, which had prevented Uefa taking any disciplinary action against them for their continued involvement in the doomed project. 
    Judge Sofía Gil of the superior Spanish Commercial Court quashed that legal stay and appears set to dismiss the rebel’s case entirely at a pre-trial hearing slated for June 14, which would open the door for Uefa to take action.
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    In her 18-page ruling, Judge Gil stated that Real, Barca and Juve were “perfectly aware of the possible consequences” of their actions in defying Uefa.
    The Judge added: “Uefa and Fifa are associations that control and organise sporting competitions.
    “For them to have to give prior authorisation for any alternative competition is reasonable and justified, in order to preserve sporting merit and equal opportunities for participating clubs.”
    In response, a spokesman for the Nyon-based governing body said: “Uefa has today received the order of the Madrid court, lifting the precautionary measures in their entirety.
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    “Uefa welcomes this decision and is considering its implications. Uefa will not be making any further comment for the time being.” More

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    Premier League teams fear Champions League changes could hurt their cash windfall from TV rights deal

    PREM clubs fear the proposed changes to the Champions League could adversely impact top-flight TV deals.Uefa look set to confirm the 36-team competition will award two “coefficient places”, rewarding sides who missed out domestically but have the best Euro record over the previous five years.
    Steve Parish believes the changes to the Champions League are designed to give the big clubs what they wantCredit: Getty
    Crystal Palace supremo Steve Parish called it “Super League by the back door”.
    And his worries are shared, with clubs arguing the new system will amplify the current financial and sporting dominance of the Big Six — and make it harder for other clubs to catch up.
    If the top-four race loses its importance, the extra fear is that the broadcasters will decide the loss of the “jeopardy” element no longer justifies huge broadcast deals. This could mean a decline in income for all 20 clubs.
    Fifa’s last resort
    Fifa chiefs are working on ANOTHER plan to try to prevent “agreed” last-game results in the 2026 World Cup group phase.
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    Switching to a 48-team tournament, with 16 groups of three in the first round, raised concerns that teams drawn to play each other in the final match could come to unofficial arrangements to ensure both progress.
    Penalty shootouts after every drawn group game — in a tournament hosted by Canada, Mexico, and US — are one idea.
    Another option would see group winners stay in the same city for their second round, last-32 tie, rather than risk having to travel up to 2,500 miles and potentially cross THREE time zones.
    Plans for the 2026 World Cup are still being drawn upCredit: PA:Press Association
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    Wembley to host “Finalissima”
    Uefa’s link-up with South America was formalised by opening a joint London office.
    Wembley will host the sold-out “Finalissima” between Euro 2020 winners Italy and Copa America champions Argentina on June 1.
    And it is now planned to play an annual play-off between the winners of the Uefa Youth League and their South American counterparts, with a potential 50,000 crowd in Uruguay’s Centenario in Montevideo.
    Wembley is set to host the “Finalissima” between Italy and Argentina on June 1Credit: Getty
    Radrizzani to help Fifa streaming
    Leeds owner Andrea Radrizzani is playing a major role in Fifa’s planned delivery of 40,000 free live games per year worldwide.
    His sports media company Eleven will deliver the Fifa+ service to provide the new platform’s content.
    Wonder how many old films of Marcelo Bielsa’s teams he will be able to find?
    Andrea Radrizzani’s company Eleven will provide the Fifa+ streaming serviceCredit: Reuters More