Barcelona Deserve more Credit from Fans

MADRID: Barcelona boss Luis Enrique launched a staunch defense of his players after they came from behind without the injured Lionel Messi to beat Bayer Leverkusen 2-1 on Tuesday.

Goals in the last 10 minutes from Sergi Roberto and Luis Suarez propelled the European champions to the top of Champions League Group F after Kyriakos Papadopoulos had headed the visitors into a deserved half-time lead.

“It was a difficult night. It was our second game without Leo Messi, the second game without our best player, an irreplaceable player, and it is the second game the team has won,” said Enrique.

“I am very happy for what the players have achieved. They turned around a very difficult game. We can be more precise, but no one can say Barca relax and don't give everything.”

Despite Messi's absence, the Camp Nou crowd was less than patient as boos rang out at the half-time whistle.

Enrique pleaded for more understanding from the club's supporters at a difficult time with a host of young players drafted in to cover a mounting injury crisis.

“I think this team deserves more credit for what they have won recently and how they carry themselves.

“They try until the last minute and if then they deserve to be booed then fine, but we are much stronger in the delicate moments if they support us.

“At 2-1 we didn't need their support; we needed it a 0-1.

“I would like the few people that do boo not to do it because we hear them and we need the support of everyone,” pleaded the Barca boss.

Injury toll

On top of Messi and Brazilian international Rafinha, Barca is set to be without Andres Iniesta for a month after he pulled up with a hamstring injury after an hour.

“It is very sad news for us because he is a fundamental player for us as everyone knows,” added Enrique.

“These are hurdles in our way that we have to overcome and I have confidence in the players that will come in.”

A hectic pre-season tour and three early season clashes with Sevilla and Athletic Bilbao in the UEFA and Spanish Super Cup respectively have been blamed for Barca's raft of injuries.

However, defender Javier Mascherano called on those like Roberto and Munir El Haddadi, who made a significant impact from the bench against Leverkusen, to take their chance in the first team.

“Obviously we are in a difficult situation with a number of important players that are injured.

“That is football and that is why we have a squad to keep going in these moments.

“It is not just 11 or 12 players that win competitions, there are reserves behind and now some of those that wouldn't have had so many minutes will get their chance.

“It is an unusual season. You always have these injuries throughout the season, but after the more serious injuries for Rafinha and Leo is it much more worrying that Andres is now injured too.

“Those of us that are fit need to keep going and know that whilst we win games there is less time left until those important players return,” said the Argentine international.

Read More

Former FIFA Powerbroker Warner Banned for Life

 Trinidadian Jack Warner, once one of the most powerful men in football, has been banned from all football-related activities for life, the ethics committee of world governing body FIFA said on Tuesday.

Warner, 72, was one of 14 football officials and sports marketing executives who were indicted in the United States on May 27 on bribery, money laundering and wire fraud charges involving more than $150 million in payments.

In the latest twist in the corruption scandal, Swiss authorities said last week they were investigating FIFA President Sepp Blatter on suspicion of criminal mismanagement and misappropriation of funds.

The FIFA ethics committee said Warner was investigated following an inquiry into the bidding process for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.

The tournaments were awarded to Russia and Qatar respectively in December 2010 by the FIFA executive committee, of which Warner was a member.

Warner was found to have committed “many and various acts of misconduct continuously and repeatedly during his time as an official in different high-ranking and influential positions at FIFA and CONCACAF,” the committee said Warner is the former president of CONCACAF, the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football.

He is currently in his native Trinidad and Tobago, where he is fighting extradition to the United States.

Warner resigned from his posts when he was placed under investigation by the ethics committee in 2011 over a cash-for-votes scandal in the run-up to that year's FIFA presidential election.

The case was subsequently dropped by the ethics committee as he was no longer involved in football.

Read More

PCB to ask India for clear-cut Response on Series

LAHORE: At long last, chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Shaharyar Khan announced on Tuesday that the Board would no more make request to India for bilateral series, saying the PCB would now only ask the BCCI to give its clear-cut response on the Indo-Pak series.

Shaharyar since taking over the PCB as chairman around a year ago has issued dozens of statements asking the BCCI to resume bilateral series by playing a scheduled series with Pakistan in the UAE in December this year.

But all his campaign to convince India for the bilateral series is yet to bear any fruits as the BCCI citing their government’s stance against the resumption of the bilateral series with Pakistan has not reciprocated the PCB initiative.

However, the PCB chairman while talking to media here on Tuesday said that now the Board would only ask the BCCI whether they want to play the series in the UAE or not.

Once, having received the final reply from the Indian board, the PCB would consider its option as to what kind of step it could take in this regard, maintained Shaharyar.

Former PCB chairman Najam Sethi who now works as chairman of the PCB executive committee and the BCCI had reached an understanding to play six bilateral series during eight years through signing of various MoUs.

Read More

Amir, Asif and Butt would damage PSL's reputation: Ramiz Raja

Former Pakistani batsman (PSL), Ramiz Raja has termed the potential involvement of the tainted trio of Mohammed Asif, Mohammed Amir and Salman Butt in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) as “extremely dangerous” for the reputation of the tournament and advised the board to keep the players away.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) had cleared Amir, Asif and Butt to return to all forms of cricket when their spot-fixing ban ended on September 2nd. However, the Pakistan Cricket board (PCB) postponed their comeback until February next year, around the same time the PSL gets underway.

But Ramiz said the trio should not be allowed to return to the national setup let alone be part of the PSL.

“I have solid views regarding this matter. The crime committed by them is unforgivable,” Ramiz said in an exclusive interview with news channel.

“I personally would never want them to be a part of the PSL as it is going to be extremely dangerous for the model of the event and image of Pakistan cricket,” the former captain said.

The 1992 World Cup winner expressed sheer disappointment over the PCB's decision to let Asif, Amir and Butt train at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) as part of their rehabilitation.

He said that such cricketing institutions were built to provide a 'role model' enviroment for young players and the presence of the spot-fixing trio would have a negative impact on the emerging cricketers.

“They get special treatment at the NCA. They are provided with young players to train with, they get their clothes washed and have food at the academy. This is not acceptable.” said Ramiz.

Read More