Last night’s round of Europa League games saw two unfamiliar blokes cutting rather lonely figures beside each goal. Making its trial debut as part of Michel Platini’s grand plan to cut out diving, ghost goals and general tomfoolery, was the ‘Additional Assistant Referees’ (AARs) system - basically plonking two flagless linos goalside.
Their biggest challenge, last night’s tie between Everton and AEK Athens, was a mixed bag. A contentious penalty shout was turned down, probably correctly, but Louis Saha was then sent off in the dying minutes for raising his hands, after having his legs used as kicking posts by AEK defender Juanfran.
Despite coasting to victory 4-0, David Moyes found time to moan about the new system:
‘It’s amazing - they see the small arm from Louis but not the big kick that was aimed at him beforehand, despite all those officials in and around the box now.
In an interview with Italian left-wing magazine L’Espresso, Michel Platini made his views on Real Madrid’s spending spree clear. “Madrid have ruined the market,” said the UEFA President before explaining that the rise in inflation caused by Florentino Perez’s actions will have a negative impact on the rest of Europe.
After making such damning comments, how odd that the Frenchman should joke about his own value:
“If Cristiano cost 92m, when I was 23 I would have cost 93m.”
After realising the Ronaldo-esque arrogance of his quip, the Frenchman quickly added that he was referring to 93m old French Francs. Priceless stuff.
Although the comments appear to be made in jest, The Spoiler detects a hint of bitterness in his words. Platini was regarded as one of the best players of his era, and in 1982, at the age of 25, he moved to Juventus, the richest club of the time. The Italians paid a ‘nominal fee’ for the French captain, so he was denied the record-breaking transfer fee that would have asserted his status as one of the greatest names in the game.
They’d have to get to the European competitions first!
Michel Platini’s continued his love affair with British clubs yesterday by proclaiming that Manchester City would be banned from competing in Europe if they failed to “respect their budget”. It seems the Kaka saga didn’t impress the UEFA President:
“How can a guy cost €150 million? For me it’s ridiculous — from a football, social and financial point of view.
“If you want to buy a plane for €150m or a boat, you can do. But for a man? For me it’s bad. It’s not possible. But it’s why we have to do something.
“I’m finding a system where you can spend what you have. If one Sheikh brings €150m for Kaka then you have to put his salary on top of the transfer fee.
“If the club go over their income with the player’s salary plus fee, they can be banned from our competitions because
There has been much furor on recent weeks over the standard of refereeing in the Premier League, and UEFA appear to have made some proactive steps towards improving standards. During an U-19 match between Cyprus and the Czech Republic this week, extra match officials were employed to assist with penalty area decisions:
The two extra assistants are charged with identifying foul play in the penalty area and patrol a limited space near the goal, on or just either side of the dead-ball line. They do not have flags but alert the referee via headsets. (The sixth official is the current reserve referee, who continues in his traditional role of being shouted at by managers on the touchline.)
The new arrangement comes straight from the brain of Michael Platini, who
Anfield draw had nothing to do with Gerrard’s dive, apparently
The Spanish football press are always keen to cook up a conspiracy if things don’t go their way, and today’s edition of Marca blames last night’s late (and dubious) penalty solely on UEFA President Michel Platini. Not Steven Gerrard, nor the referee or the linesman who gave the penalty, but Michel Platini.
The main headline of the paper reads “Another robbery by Platini”, while a smaller headline says “Terrible Swedish referee makes up a penalty.” On their website, an unnamed player says: “It seems they don’t want us to go through.”
Does the UEFA boss seriously have it in for the Spaniards? Or should we just offer them some ketchup for that gigantic chip on their shoulder? Let us know below.
Spoiler bonus: On a completely unrelated note, check out Stevie G’s greatest dives after the jump…
Intellectual Spanish paper sees dark forces behind the three-game closure of the Vicente Calderon stadium
The Spoiler is used to reading stories in the Spanish sporting dailies that compensate for a lack of substance with a hefty dose of local indignation, but the reaction of even the serious Spanish papers to UEFA’s closure of Atletico Madrid’s ground is one of quite hilarious paranoid hysteria.
Instead of seeing the punishment as a response to violence and racism, the very solemn national daily El Pais has chosen to interpret the sentence as firm evidence of jealous French and English football bureaucrats ganging up out of spite for Spain’s sporting excellence.
“Just one day after England - quite out of the blue - vetoed playing at the Bernabeu on grounds of racism, UEFA, led by Michel Platini, a Frenchman, and Gordon Taylor (David Taylor actually - Gordon Taylor runs the PFA), a Scot, upheld the
Loading ...