Argentina and Paris Saint-Germain star Angel di Maria has been handed a hefty fine and a prison sentence over a charge of tax fraud of 1.3mn euros, Spanish authorities announced yesterday. According to a court document, Di Maria will pay around 2mn euros to the Spanish authorities after pleading guilty to two counts of fraud committed in 2012 and 2013 when he was a Real Madrid player.
Despite being handed a 16-month sentence, Di Maria will not go to prison as is normal in Spain for first offences for non-violent crimes carrying a sentence of less than two years. Di Maria, 29, played for Madrid between 2010 and 2014, when he joined Manchester United. He then moved to PSG in 2015.
A host of football stars have run into trouble in Spain over suspected tax fraud related to image rights, with Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo summoned to appear in court on July 31 to answer four counts of tax evasion of 14.7mn euros.
Current Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has been accused by Spanish tax authorities of failing to declare 3.3mn euros during his time in charge of Madrid. Di Maria is, like Ronaldo and Mourinho, a client of the Portuguese super agent Jorge Mendes, who himself has been summoned to appear before the court at Pozuelo de Alarcon, just outside Madrid, on June 27.
Mexico fans warned over homophobic chant
Mexico fans at the Confederations Cup in Russia have been told to stop provoking opposition goalkeepers with a homophobic insult. A section of Mexico fans are in the habit of shouting ‘puto’ (vulgar term for male prostitute) as keepers take a goal-kick.
The Mexican Football Federation says that while they might find that funny, football’s world body FIFA are distinctly not amused. “The potential sanctions are heavy and if because of this behaviour we are stripped of a victory, or a match is stopped or you are excluded from a stadium we all end up losers,” the federation warned their supporters via social media.
Mexico have been fined eight times for the chant during World Cup qualifiers since November 2015. FIFA said on Tuesday it had warned Mexico after the chant was heard during their 2-2 draw with Portugal. Observers have been placed by FIFA at Confederations Cup matches after they announced discriminatory behaviour from fans would be sanctioned.
Monaco raid Barca for starlet Mboula
French champions Monaco plucked promising teenage winger Jordi Mboula from Barcelona on a five-year deal yesterday, the Ligue 1 club announced. Mboula, 18, shone during last season’s UEFA Youth League, scoring eight goals in as many matches, and the Spain youth international becomes Monaco’s fifth signing of the close season.
Monaco have already signed Belgian international midfielder Youri Tielemans from Anderlecht, young defender Jordy Gaspar from Lyon, Swiss international goalkeeper Diego Benaglio from Wolfsburg and midfielder Soualiho Meite from Belgian side Zulte Waregem.
Ivorian starlet Pepe signs for Lille
Coveted Ivory Coast international winger Nicolas Pepe has signed for Lille from their French top-flight rivals Angers, the two clubs confirmed. The 22-year-old has signed a five-year contract with the northern outfit, who won the race for his signature despite reported interest in him from clubs in the English Premier League. French media reports put the transfer fee at 10mn euros.
Born in France, Pepe made his full international debut for the Ivory Coast late last year. Lille, who have appointed enigmatic Argentine Marcelo Bielsa as their new coach, have also confirmed the signing of the Burkina Faso goalkeeper Herve Koffi, 20, from Ivorian outfit ASEC Abidjan on a five-year deal. The double signing follows the arrival last week of Brazilian forward Luiz Araujo from Sao Paulo.
Banned Valcke gets October CAS appeal date
Former FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke will have his appeal over his 10 year ban from football heard by the Court of Arbitration for Sport on October 11. Sepp Blatter’s former righthand man was suspended in September 2015 over the 2014 World Cup tickets scam and was sentenced by FIFA’s ethics committee in February 2016 to a 12-year ban from football. The ban was reduced to ten years on appeal before Valcke, claiming innocence, appealed to CAS.y.
The 56-year-old, who has resettled in Barcelona where he and his wife set up an events management firm, is also the target of a Swiss criminal investigation into the resale of World Cup tickets. Blatter was banned for six years on charges relating to a 2mn Swiss francs payment to the UEFA chief Michel Platini.
FIFA in September launched a fresh investigation into conflict of interest and corruption against Blatter, Valcke and ex FIFA financial director Markus Kattner. FIFA believe the three men may have shared around 75mn euros in pay rises in a coordinated effort at self enrichment, which the three deny.
Oscar in quartet to face disciplinary hearing: reports
Former Chelsea midfielder Oscar looks set to face a disciplinary hearing over his involvement in a brawl that marred his Shanghai SIPG side’s 1-1 draw with Guangzhou R&F in the Chinese Super League at the weekend.
Chinese media reported that Oscar and three other players involved in the altercation would have their case heard by the Chinese Football Association this week after the disciplinary committee receiving the referee’s report.
The Brazilian was involved in a melee in the latter stages of the first half in Guangzhou, which ended with a player from each side being sent off minutes after Oscar had set up team mate Hulk to score his side’s equaliser.
Guangzhou players complained the goal had been allowed to stand despite claiming Hulk had been offside when he received the ball and tempers flared once the game restarted. Oscar thumped the ball at R&F’s Chen Zhizhao, who retaliated by pushing the ex-Chelsea man to the ground, leading to both teams squaring up on the halfway line. Shanghai’s Fu Huan and Li Tixiang of Guangzhou were both dismissed by referee Zhou Gang while Oscar escaped punishment.
Appleton becomes assistant manager at Leicester
Oxford United manager Michael Appleton has left the club to become Craig Shakespeare’s assistant at Leicester City on a three-year contract.
During his three-year stint, Appleton led Oxford to an automatic promotion from League Two, and to two Football League Trophy finals, losing on both occasions. The 41-year-old also managed Portsmouth, Blackpool and Blackburn Rovers, and worked alongside Shakespeare in West Bromwich Albion’s backroom team between 2003 and 2008.
Angel Di Maria will pay around 2mn euros to the Spanish authorities after pleading guilty to two counts of fraud.
