Новости за 13.06.2018

Hakim Ziyech says Morocco believe they can progress from Group B ahead of their opening World Cup clash with Iran in St. Petersburg on Friday. Both Morocco and Iran could be forgiven for feeling hard done by when they were pitted against 2010 winners Spain and reigning European champions Portugal in the group stage. The turmoil in the Spain camp following the sacking of Julen Lopetegui on the eve of the tournament and Fernando Hierro's appointment for the duration of the event may give hope to both sides. Читать дальше...

Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri claims he turned down the chance to succeed Zinedine Zidane at Real Madrid before Julen Lopetegui was appointed at the Santiago Bernabeu. Last month, Zidane resigned from his post just five days after guiding Madrid to a third consecutive Champions League crown, bringing an end to a short but extremely successful two-and-a-half-year spell. It was announced on Tuesday that Spain coach Lopetegui had agreed terms on a three-year deal with the European champions and was due to take over after the World Cup... Читать дальше...

Egypt return to World Cup action for the first time since 1990 with a difficult opening Group A fixture against Uruguay, and with the fitness of star man Mohamed Salah still in doubt. Salah's participation at the tournament was plunged into uncertainty when he suffered a shoulder injury in a challenge with Real Madrid's Sergio Ramos during Liverpool's Champions League final defeat last month.  The talismanic forward, who scored 44 goals in all competitions in an incredible debut season at Anfield... Читать дальше...

Robert Lewandowski warned he is feeling fresh and is looking to make an impact for Poland at the World Cup. The striker wants Poland to improve on their showing from Euro 2016, when they reached the quarter-finals before being knocked out by eventual champions Portugal on penalties. Lewandowski played close to 500 fewer Bundesliga minutes this season than he did heading into the tournament in France, and he hopes to reap the benefits of that reduced workload in Russia. "If we compare the preparations with those from before Euro 2016... Читать дальше...

Portugal playmaker Bernardo Silva remains wary of Spain despite a day of high farce that has threatened to end the 2010 world champions' campaign before it has even begun. RFEF president Luis Rubiales made the stunning announcement on Wednesday that he had sacked Julen Lopetegui after the coach negotiated a deal to join Real Madrid at the conclusion of the World Cup without informing the federation. It was also confirmed later in the day that Fernando Hierro would take over for their time in Russia... Читать дальше...

Kylian Mbappe insisted he was feeling no ill-effects from his injury scare while acknowledging that the likes of Antoine Griezmann, Ousmane Dembele and himself will have to be clinical if they are to propel France to World Cup glory. The Paris Saint-Germain forward limped out of training on Tuesday nursing a left ankle problem following a challenge from team-mate Adil Rami. Mbappe subsequently tweeted to calm fears that he could miss Les Bleus' Group C opener against the Socceroos on Saturday,... Читать дальше...

Bologna have announced the appointment of Filippo Inzaghi as their new head coach. The former Italy international has signed a two-year deal that will tie him to the club until June 2020. His appointment follows the departure of Roberto Donadoni, who left the club after the team picked up one point in six games at the end of last season.   Inzaghi joins the Rossoblu following a two-year spell at Venezia, where he gained promotion to Serie B and won the Coppa Italia Lega Pro in his first season with the club. Читать дальше...

Paris Saint-Germain have for now been cleared of breaching UEFA's Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations but the Ligue 1 champions' recent transfer dealings will remain under scrutiny. European football's governing body announced on Wednesday that it had reviewed transfer contracts and analysed management related accounts and deemed these to be in line with FFP regulations. It added that PSG's break-even result "remains within acceptable deviation" for the financial years 2015, 2016 and 2017. However... Читать дальше...

Jose Gimenez has committed his future to Atletico Madrid by signing a new five-year contract, the club have announced.

Spain have been rocked by the shock sacking of Julen Lopetegui on the eve of the World Cup but Brazil midfielder Paulinho believes the 2010 champions remain one of the favourites in Russia. With Spain due to kick off their Group B campaign against Portugal in Sochi on Friday, Lopetegui was sensationally relieved of his duties by the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) on Wednesday after agreeing to replace Zinedine Zidane at Real Madrid following the tournament. Former Spain captain Fernando... Читать дальше...

Saudi Arabia coach Juan Antonio Pizzi has played down the expectations weighing on World Cup hosts Russia and claimed all teams "come with pressure". Pizzi's men open the tournament on Thursday when they face off against Russia in front of a sold-out Luzhniki Stadium and millions of television viewers worldwide. But while Stanislav Cherchesov's side have to cope with the demands of their legion of followers, not to mention a hugely critical local media, the hopes of Saudi Arabia are much more modest. Читать дальше...

Even though the officialswill be in an air-conditioned room surrounded by monitors, the unusual move has been defended by former referee Pierluigi Collina.Collina, whochairsFIFA's Referees Committee, suggests the officials'stress levels justify them wearing the full kit."It’s because they sweat like they do on the pitch," the 58-year-old Italian told reporters."It’s not like watching a game on the couch while drinking coffee. It’s very stressful, so they can’t be dressed like a clerk."Another rule... Читать дальше...

1986: MexicoThe BBC's 1986 effort was a corker which conjured images of some unappreciated-in-its-time '80s cop show starring Dirk Benedict as a straight-laced border patrol officer, and Eddie Murphy as his wise-cracking assistant. No? Just us?Yet, if there's a sign of quality as far as theme tunes are concerned, it's that tune being adopted by Saint and Greavsie. This was an honour bestowed upon ITV's 1986 theme Aztec Gold, performed by Silsoe. It's certainly a piece that evokes memories of the era... Читать дальше...

It's unusual to see Sergio Ramos, the pantomime villain of the Champions League final, act as a firefighter but, hours after Julen Lopetegui was sacked as Spain coach, the centre-back was a voice of calm amid the chaos. "We're the national team, we represent a badge, colours, fans, a country," he tweeted. "Yesterday, today and tomorrow: together." The tone was right, the message of solidarity important. But it felt like a man politely asking a storm not to blow down his house while the flood waters reached his shoulders. Читать дальше...

Germany head coach Joachim Low has been stunned by World Cup rivals Spain's descent into chaos after Julen Lopetegui's departure on the eve of Russia 2018. It was confirmed on Tuesday that Lopetegui would take over at Real Madrid once the tournament had come to a conclusion - news that came as a surprise to many. And in a sensational development 24 hours later, Spain announced that Lopetegui had been sacked, with Fernando Hierro set to take over the reins for the finals. Hierro's first task is... Читать дальше...

1. Spain to win the World CupOh, yes – still. As far as World Cup preparations go, sacking your manager on the eve of the tournament – and two days before your first game – doesn’t quite make for the best. But Julen Lopetegui is a goner, and Spain will kick off in Russia with Fernando Hierro in charge.There are more concerns. As brilliant as Andres Iniesta is, he’s a starter in a team that will keep possession and build up slowly – and that core lacks a bit of dynamism to break down low blocks. We... Читать дальше...

The chairman of Morocco's failed bid to host the 2026 World Cup has said the country will realise the projects proposed for the tournament. Morocco lost Wednesday's vote at the FIFA Congress in Moscow to a joint bid from the United States, Mexico and Canada by 134 votes to 65. The African country had set out plans to build new transport infrastructure, hospitals and a large number of hotels and leisure facilities. In addition, it outlined proposals to vastly increase its number of football stadiums... Читать дальше...

Former Chelsea and Barcelona star Eidur Gudjohnsen will be watching the World Cup with particular interest this summer, as Iceland prepare to make their tournament debut in Russia.Gudjohnsen was in the Iceland squad that shocked England at Euro 2016, becoming one of international football’s ultimate underdog winners. Now, as 188BET’s ambassador for the 2018 World Cup, he chooses his best XI of players from the teams he regards as underdogs at this summer’s tournament. Such is the selection pool to choose from... Читать дальше...

Spain captain Sergio Ramos insists the squad are "together" following Julen Lopetegui's shock sacking as coach on the eve of the World Cup. Loptegui was removed from his post on Wednesday following Tuesday's announcement he is to take over as Real Madrid coach. Fernando Hierro has been drafted in as replacement for the tournament, with Spain's first Group B match taking place on Friday against neighbours Portugal. But Ramos has moved to quell any notion that La Roja's chaotic preparations for... Читать дальше...

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has announced he will stand for re-election next year. Infantino took over following Sepp Blatter's unceremonious exit in 2016 and claimed that in his tenure the governing body has gone from being "clinically dead" to "alive and well". The next FIFA elections will be held in June 2019 in Paris. "After two years, it is time to take stock," Infantino said in his presidential address at the FIFA Congress in Moscow on Wednesday, which saw the United States, Mexico and... Читать дальше...

United States president Donald Trump has hailed the hard work of the USA, Mexico and Canada in securing the right to host the 2026 World Cup. The United bid beat a rival one from Morocco by 134 votes to 65, giving them the right to host football's showpiece event in eight years' time. It had been suggested that the controversial politics of Trump could aid Morocco's cause. But that proved not to be the case and Trump posted on Twitter: "The U.S., together with Mexico and Canada, just got the World Cup. Читать дальше...

RussiaBest: Andrey ‘now in Kazakhstan’ Arshavin tailed off so dramatically at Arsenal that the only possible answer is Andrei Kanchelskis, two-time title-winner with Manchester United and purveyor of skills that didn’t actually get him anywhere.Worst: Surprisingly, only eight Russians have played in the Premier League. So, while he wasn’t awful as such, and indeed scored a pair of beauts against Manchester United and Portsmouth, we’ll pick Diniyar Bilyaletdinov for doing little to justify being the... Читать дальше...

Spain caused what could be the biggest shock of the 2018 World Cup on Wednesday, a full 24 hours before the tournament even gets underway. Head coach Julen Lopetegui has been sacked, two days before their opening match against Portugal and just three weeks after signing a new contract until 2020. Luis Rubiales, president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), claimed he was left with no choice following Lopetegui's decision to agree to become Real Madrid's new head coach. Although Lopetegui... Читать дальше...

For a man with the hopes of a nation - and the Kremlin - resting on his shoulders, Russia boss Stanislav Cherchesov cut a remarkably relaxed figure ahead of his side's World Cup opener. The tournament hosts take on Saudi Arabia at the Luzhniki Stadium on Thursday with the pressure firmly on the 54-year-old who has to not only satisfy the country's fans and a hugely sceptical media but also provide the watching Vladimir Putin with reasons to be optimistic. Putin is hoping to use the World Cup as... Читать дальше...

Spain made the stunning decision to dispense with coach Julen Lopetegui on Wednesday, just two days before their first match at the 2018 World Cup. Lopetegui was named as Zinedine Zidane's Real Madrid successor less than 24 hours prior, something Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) president Luis Rubiales said he heard about just five minutes before the news was announced. Following a delay to Lopetegui's news conference in Krasnodar on Wednesday, Rubiales, who travelled from the FIFA Congress in Moscow for talks... Читать дальше...