Calciopoli Verdicts - Juventus, Lazio & Fiorentina Relegated

The Calciopoli ('match fixing’) scandal verdicts have finally been delivered :

Juventus

Relegated to Serie B and stripped of their last two league titles. They will start next season with a 30 point penalty. Former director Luciano Moggi and CEO Antonio Giraudo have been banned from football for five years.

Fiorentina

Relegated to Serie B with a 12 point penalty. President Andrea Della Valle is banned from football for three years and six months and his brother Diego (the club’s honorary President) is suspended for four years.

Lazio

Relegated to Serie B with a seven point penalty. President Claudio Lotito is banned from football for three years.

Milan

Will start next season with a 15 point penalty and have been deducted 44 points from last season’s tally which means they will not play in Europe next season. Vice-President Adriano Galliani has been banned for a year. Former referee liaison Leonardo Meani has been suspended for three years and six months.

Officials

Pierluigi Pairetto has been banned for two years and six months, Tullio Lanese banned two years and six months and vice-commissioner Gennaro Mazzei banned for a year.
 
Referees

Massimo De Santis is banned for four years and six months, Paolo Dondarini banned for three years and six months and Gianluca Paparesta banned for three months.
 
Linesmen

Claudio Puglisi and Fabrizio Babini have been banned for a year.

Italian Football Federation Officials

President Franco Carraro banned for four years and six months and Vice-President Innocenzo Mazzini suspended for five years.

Villa Players Attack Miser Ellis

In an unprecedented move the players of Aston Villa have issued a joint statement criticising the hugely unpopular chairman 'Deadly' Doug Ellis over his running of the
club :
 
"The chairman should be behind the club and not working against what we're trying to achieve. There've been a series of cutbacks and we feel we have to mention this because they are now starting to affect us. People talk about Aston Villa being a big club and winning the European Cup in 1982. We feel it should be a big club but if the chairman has got ambition, he needs to start showing it. It has to come from the top. So many other clubs are doing so much to show their ambition apart from us. As players we're all ambitious and we want to improve on last season."

"At the end of last season, the chairman refused to pay £300 pounds for the pitches to be watered. The training ground development, which we were all looking forward to working in, has stopped. Now we have lost a masseur because the club refuse to pay for one and are clubbing together to pay for our own. We have also heard that the physio, who was on his way to see Martin Laursen, could not claim back for a cup of coffee at the airport. We've had no explanation for the cutbacks and we feel if the manager can't get one then we have no chance. Maybe the chairman thought he would have left by now because of the takeover. Supporters are concerned with what happens on the pitch and rightly so."

Zidane's Red Card History

While apologists have tried to defend Zinedine Zidane's actions in the World Cup final (head butting Italy defender Marco Materazzi in the chest) it's worth noting Zidane is no stranger to red cards and indeed has seen more in his career than Marco Materazzi, Patrick Vieira, Roy Keane and even notorious hacker Vinnie Jones. Detailed below as his 14 red cards :

1. September 1993. While playing for Marseille future team-mate Marcel Desailly punches Zidane (playing for Bordeaux) and Zidane punches him back

2. August 1995. Zidane slaps Karlsruhe's Thorsten Fink in the face

3. October 1995. Is sent off for a tackle from behind on Frederic Mendy

4. September 1996. Zidane gets his first red card at Juventus against Perugia after two bookable offences

5. January 1997. Punches Parma striker Enrico Chiesa

6. June 1998. Playing for France he stamps on Saudi Arabia captain Fuad Amin during the World Cup finals

7. October 1998. Fouls former Juventus midfield Paolo Sousa, now at Inter, from behind

8. October 1999. Gets a second yellow card for diving against Roma

9. September 2000. Fouls Deportivo's Emerson in the Champions League. Not to be confused with the Juventus Emerson

10. October 2000. Back from suspension Zidane headbutts Hamburg's Jochen Kientz in the face and receives a five match ban

11. February 2004. Gets his first red card while playing for Real Madrid, for pushing his hand into the face of Sevilla defender Pablo Alfaro

12. May 2004. Gets a second booking for a foul on Deportivo playmaker Djalminha

13. April 2005. Tries to punch Villarreal defender Quique Alvarez

14. July 2006. Headbutts Marco Materazzi in chest in extra time of the World Cup final

Woodcock Blames FA For England Woes

Former England international Tony Woodcock, a European Cup winner with Nottingham Forest, has echoed the view of many England supporters and criticised the role of the FA in how the national team is run :

"You have to look higher than Eriksson. When a company fails you look at how the organisation is run at the top. I wonder whether the FA people ever ask themselves whether what they are doing is for the good of the game. Where has chairman Geoff Thompson been? Has anyone seen him recently?"

"No disrespect to Steve McClaren but he has been there for five years with Sven. He can completely change everything when he comes in and the question is going to come up 'Great Steve but why didn't you have that input over the last five years?' And if he comes in and lets it carry on then you say that is because he has been involved for five years.  Unless England start really playing well and you see an attitude change then it might be difficult. I get the feeling that the whole nation doesn't think it is the fresh start we were looking for. Now you think we should have taken time over the appointment. It hasn't caught the public's imagination."

Ronaldo Not For Sale

Manchester United statement regarding Cristiano Ronaldo :

"Manchester United has noticed the increasing media speculation over the future of Cristiano Ronaldo. The club can confirm there is no possibility of Cristiano being sold.
Cristiano recently signed a new contract until 2010 and the club fully expects him to honour that contract. The club will not listen to any offers for Cristiano. Cristiano is one of the brightest young stars in world football, as demonstrated by his performances at the World Cup and Manchester United is not in the business of selling their best young players."

Poor Sportsmanship Costs Ronaldo Award

Lothar Matthaus, who presented the award for best young player to countryman
Lukas Podolski, has stated Cristiano Ronaldo's poor sportsmanship counted against him in the voting :

"Ronaldo did something we all saw and he accumulated minus points with his gesture towards Wayne Rooney. It's not nice and it's not fair play." – Lothar Matthaus

Holger Osieck, head of the Technical Studies Group said :

"We want highly-talented players, but players should be role models and fair play is a criterion. Youngsters copy footballers. So, attitude and behaviour should be considered. We had a number of criteria but we have to admit that players of that age do have their weaknesses and are not fully developed."

World Cup Winning Coach Lippi Resigns

Marcello Lippi has resigned as coach of Italy, three days after leading the team to World Cup glory :

"At the end of an extraordinary professional and human experience at the head of an exceptional group of players, and with the collaboration of a first-rate staff, I believe I have come to the end of my role as coach of the Italian national team.  I have, therefore, communicated to the FIGC my wish to leave my post at the end of my contract (July 31st)."

"I would like to thank the FIGC for the faith they showed in me in these two years of work, crowned with a result that will remain in the history of Italian football and in the hearts of all the fans"

FIGC vice-president Giancarlo Abete said :

"Lippi told me during the group stages that he had not taken on any professional commitments for the future and that he had already decided, whatever the result of the World Cup, to leave as coach of the national team at the end of his contract."

Greece Suspension Lifted

FIFA have lifted their suspension on Greece after the Greek parliament introduced an amendment to legislation governing sport :

"In view of this amendment, the FIFA emergency committee deemed that the federation is now in a position to respect the statutes and regulations of FIFA as well as those of UEFA.  As a result, the suspension previously imposed on the HFF has been lifted."

Zidane Apologises For Head-Butt

Zinedine Zidane has publicly apologised for his sending-off in the World Cup final, but claimed he did not regret his actions against Marco Materazzi.

"I reacted badly and I would like to apologise for it. I would like to apologise because a lot of children were watching the match. I do apologise but I don't regret my behaviour because regretting it would mean he was right to say what he said. There was no tension with Materazzi before or during the match. He just put his hand onto my shirt and I told him to stop. I told him that if he wanted it I could give it to him at the end of the match. Then he said very harsh words to me and repeated them several times.
I left but then I went back towards him and things went very fast. The words he said concerned my mother and sister. I heard them once, then twice, and the third time
I couldn't control myself. I am a man and some words are harder to hear than actions.
I would have rather been knocked down than hear that. Afterwards I explained to the referee that I had been provoked, but my behaviour is not forgivable."

"The reaction is always punished but if there is no provocation there is no reaction. The guilty person is the one who provokes. If I reacted that way, it is because something bad happened. Do you really believe that 10 minutes before the end of my career
I would be able to make such a bad gesture? The provocation was very serious. This is a decision I have made and I will not go back on it. This is definite. I will not play again."

Del Piero & Materazzi Appear on Stage with the Stones

Alessandro Del Piero and Marco Materazzi joined The Rolling Stones on stage as they began their European tour in Milan. When introducing the duo Mick Jagger said :

"Hello Milan, hello Italy, you are the world champions."

And later added :

"Materazzi and (Keith) Richards have something in common tonight. They both recently had head-related problems (Richards was hospitalized with a brain haemorrhage)."

Klinsmann Resigns

Jurgen Klinsmann has stepped down as Germany coach after leading them to third place in the World Cup :

"My big wish is to go back to my family, to go back to leading a normal life with them
but another important reason is that after two years of putting a lot of energy into this,
I feel that I lack the power and the strength to continue in the same way. I quite simply feel burnt out. I want to give myself half a year's holiday."

Kilnsmann's assistant coach, Joachim Loew, is favourite to take over.

Xavier Ban Reduced

Former Portugal and Middlesbrough defender Abel Xavier had has his 18 month ban for testing positive for steroids reduced to 12 months.

Materazzi Denies Racism Allegations

Italy defender Marco Materazzi has denied suggestions that he called Zinedine Zidane a terrorist seconds before the playmaker headbutted him in the chest :
 
"I held his shirt, for only a few seconds. He turned towards me and scoffed at me, looking at me with super arrogance, up and down. He said 'if you really want my shirt, you can have it later.' It's true, I shot back with an insult. It was the kind of insult you will hear dozens of times and just slips out of the ground. I didn't call Zidane a terrorist and certainly didn't mention his mother. I am ignorant, I don't even know what an Islamic terrorist is; my only terrorist is her (pointing to his 10-month-old daughter). I did not bring up Zidane's mother, for me a mother is sacred."

World Cup Official Attempts Suicide

Berlin's World Cup official, Juergen Kiessling (65) attempted suicide hours after the end of the tournament. He was rushed to hospital after a neighbour heard a shot. Kiessling was responsible for the fan mile in Berlin's city centre. He left two suicide notes, one for his family and one for his daughter.

Klinsmann Doesn't Recommend Car

A VW Beetle that Jurgen Klinsmann used to drive when he played for Tottenham has received bids of more than £200,000 on e-bay, prompting the Germany coach to say :

"I really couldn't recommend bidding for that car. It was completely rusty when I sold it."

Ronaldo Wants La Liga Move

Manchester United winger Cristiano Ronaldo says he wants to leave the Premiership for La Liga due to the criticism he has received for supposedly talking a referee into sending off Manchester United team-mate Wayne Rooney during Portugal's victory over England last week :

"I should get out of Manchester as the circumstances are not right. Nobody stood up for me and my desire is to play in Spain. Will it be Real or Barcelona? It will be one of them. For some time I haven't had any support from my chief executive (David Gill) or my coach (Alex Ferguson). They should have come out in my defence but no-one did. I am calm, I know I have done a good job and I've grown a lot in this World Cup, from a physical point of view and a mental one. In the next few seasons I will be even better."

Guerrero Retires

Athletic Bilbao playmaker Julen Guerrero has retired from football at the age of 32. Guerrero, who joined the club at the age of 8, spent 14 seasons at Bilbao.

Ronaldinho Apologises For World Cup Failure

"Many people were waiting for a brilliant performance from the team and especially from me, something which did not happen. I regret having left the World Cup without showing our true capabilities. There is nothing I can say to change the past. For this reason I want to say sorry. It is not this time that we claimed a sixth world title, but with your help, we will get over the mistakes of 2006 for the World Cup in South Africa in 2010." - Ronaldinho

"The world belongs to us." - La Repubblica

The Corriere della Sera, Italy's biggest-selling newspaper, waxed eloquent.

"In 25 years time, when the young generation who slept in wonder after a night of
festivities has grown up, there will be memories. In the souvenir album of life, July 9 2006 will be written large" - The Corriere della Sera

"We are champions because we are Italian. Everywhere on Planet Earth, the white red and green passport of Italy will be stamped with admiration." - The Corriere della Sera

"You were magnificent. Italy, a world heart." - Il Messaggero

"It's true, we are the champions of the world. Fantastic Italy, the world is yours."
Gazzetta dello Sport

Real President Promises Signings

Real Madrid president Ramon Calderon has back-tracked on his pre-election promise that he would bring Robben, Fabregas and Kaka' to the club if he was elected president of Real Madrid :

"The club has got enough money to sign all the players we need. We will have signed six or seven new players before August 3. There was nothing to stop me talking to whoever I wanted before I was president, but now I represent the institution and have to abide by the rules. Cesc (Fabregas) agreed that he would sign a five year deal with the club but we haven't started talks with Arsenal yet. Kaka' wanted to come three months ago but now we have to talk to AC Milan. We will try and pay less than €50 million euros for him."

Calderon insisted he would not interfere in team matters like previous president Florentino Perez :

"Capello has a very clear idea of what the club needs. In a short while we will have a perfectly constructed squad. It will be a fantastic team that will excite the fans. I'm convinced we will win more than one trophy next season."

SGE Linked With Champions League Club

Sven Goran Eriksson's agent, Athole Still, has revealed that he has rejected an offer from a 'Champions League' club but wouldn't reveal their name to save their embarrassment :

"It would be unfair of me to name which club but we have already turned down an extremely good offer from a Champions League club. It was not in this country. I'm afraid I cannot say because it would be embarrassing to the club concerned."

World Cup Final Post Match Reaction
 
"I have to say thanks to the players. This is the most satisfying moment of my life.
I dedicate the victory to my family. The players have unlimited heart, character and
personality. Winning the World Cup is the greatest satisfaction that any coach or footballer can ever feel. I've had the fortune to win the Champions League and lots of Serie A titles, but I've never felt anything like this." - Marcello Lippi

"Germany won the World Cup in Italy and now we have come here and won it. No one would have imagined it at the start of the World Cup, but we have won so we're happy." - Fabio Cannavaro

"It's incredibly emotional, words cannot hardly describe it. Maybe we still don't realize what we have achieved. We really wanted to win and in the end we made it."
Fabio Grosso

"If the scandal hadn't happened I think we wouldn't have won the World Cup. It has given us more strength. This squad showed great heart. Maybe it wasn't pretty but we were hard to beat. We played it one game at a time and with great humility."
Gennaro Gattuso