Suspended FIFA president Sepp Blatter again proclaimed his innocence in a corruption scandal gripping the world soccer body as he prepares to testify this week before the ethics panel.
“I will fight on for my rights and present my view of things to the chamber with great conviction and a firm belief in justice,” he told the Swiss newspaper Blick ahead of tomorrow’s hearing.
“I am suspended but not isolated and not at all mute.”
FIFA ethics investigators called in November for sanctions against Blatter and European UEFA chief Michel Platini, both of whom were suspended from their posts for 90 days on Oct. 8 pending a full investigation.
Lovren ruled out for one month
Liverpool defender Dejan Lovren has escaped serious injury but is likely to be out for a month with a knee problem sustained against West Brom on Sunday.
Croatia centre-back Lovren was carried off on a stretcher and left Anfield on crutches after Craig Gardner’s high follow-through during the 2-2 draw.
Lovren had five stitches in the wound on his right knee at the time but had to wait for some of the swelling to go down before he could be scanned by the club’s medical staff.
Results have shown no ligament damage but the joint is still significantly swollen and bruised and the defender’s recovery is likely to take around a month.
Allardyce planning team trip to Dubai
Manager Sam Allardyce is planning to take his Sunderland squad to Dubai in February so they can recharge their batteries after their daunting run of festive season fixtures.
The manager said he viewed a trip to a warmer climate as a necessity, given the Premier League’s lack of a formal winter break.
“The Christmas period is relentless. All you do is travel, play, recover, travel, play, recover,” Allardyce said.
“More and more figures (statistics) prove that winter breaks work. My previous teams have had breaks in Dubai for five or six days.
“We just tell them relax and come back and get ready for the big push at the end of the season.”
Arnautovic, Pieters set for new deals
Stoke City are working on new deals for forward Marko Arnautovic and defender Erik Pieters, club chief Peter Coates said.
Both players joined Stoke City in 2013 and are reportedly approaching the final 18 months of their contracts.
“Yes, they are contracts we are working on,” Coates said.
“We are always aware of these things, of where we want to go with them, and are trying to make sure we get things done in good time.”
Lazio goalkeeper Marchetti injured
Struggling Lazio have suffered a further setback after losing goalkeeper Federico Marchetti to injury.
The 32-year-old went down hurt towards the end of Monday night’s 1-1 home draw with Sampdoria, a result which left the club floundering in 12th place.
Marchetti has damaged the hamstrings of his left thigh and looks set to miss both tomorrow’s Coppa Italia meeting with Udinese and Sunday’s trip to face Serie A leaders Inter.
Lazio, who finished third in Serie A last season, have lost five of their last seven league games and sit only six points above the relegation zone.
Ex-Costa Rica chief agrees to extradition
A former Costa Rican soccer chief has agreed to stop fighting extradition from Switzerland to the United States to face charges that he accepted bribes in exchange for media and marketing contracts, his US lawyers said.
Eduardo Li, former president of the Costa Rican soccer federation, was one of seven soccer officials arrested in a dawn raid on a luxury Zurich hotel in May.
He had been about to join the executive committee of Zurich-based FIFA.
“Mr Li has decided to deal with the charges in a direct manner rather than through the extradition process,” said Samuel Rosenthal, one of Eduardo Li’s lawyers, yesterday.
Three-match ban for Genoa’s Perotti
Genoa winger Diego Perotti has been hit with a three-match ban for elbowing an opponent.
The 27-year-old Argentinian was dismissed by referee Marco Di Bello after “violently hitting an opponent in the face with his elbow” during Genoa’s 1-0 home defeat in Serie A to Bologna on Sunday.
The opponent in question was Guinean midfielder Amadou Diawara, who was himself sent off for dissent, mere moments after Luca Rossettini had scored a stoppage-time winner for Bologna.
Lega Serie A yesterday confirmed Diawara would serve a one-match suspension for his transgression.