Short Soccer, December 22, 2012
Uefa banned Champions League contender Malaga from European club competitions for one upcoming season yesterday for failing to pay players' wages and tax bills on time.
Uefa banned Champions League contender Malaga from European club competitions for one upcoming season yesterday for failing to pay players' wages and tax bills on time. Uefa said the Qatari-owned Spanish club could be banned for a second season within the next four years if they miss a March 31 deadline to pay their debts, which are reported to include €9 million (HK$92.3 million) in unpaid player wages. They will be barred from the first Champions League or Europa League tournament they qualify for in the next four seasons. Uefa's club finance judicial body also fined Malaga €300,000. The club are allowed to appeal. AP
Turkey's football disciplinary board slapped an 11-match ban on Fenerbahce midfielder Raul Meireles for allegedly spitting at the referee and insulting him during a weekend derby against archrival Galatasaray. Meireles faces a record suspension of 12 games in total, including a one-match ban for being sent off. The board announced the additional 11-game ban late on Thursday. The 29-year-old player denied spitting at referee Halis Ozkahya or making a homophobic hand gesture at him after being sent off. AP
Scottish Cup holders Hearts have received an indefinite transfer embargo over their failure to pay their own players. Hearts have been punished by the Scottish Premier League after failing to pay a number of bonuses and appearance payments. Initially, Hearts were placed under a 60-day transfer embargo in October for failing to pay their players and some staff their monthly wages on time for two consecutive months. That sanction was due to end on December 23, but will now continue until the owed money is paid. AFP
Montpellier defender Cyril Jeunechamp has been banned for a year for hitting a reporter after a Ligue 1 game last month, the French League said. Jeunechamp, 37, had already been suspended indefinitely after the argument with a reporter over a story published in the newspaper before the 1-1 league draw at Valenciennes. Champions Montpellier had apologised and condemned their player's behaviour. The club are presently ninth in the 20-strong league. Reuters
Goals from Siem de Jong, Christian Eriksen and Viktor Fischer within an hour took Ajax Amsterdam to a 3-0 win at Groningen to reach the quarter-finals of the Dutch Cup. Ronald Koeman's Feyenoord beat Marco van Basten's Heerenveen 7-6 on penalties on Wednesday to reach the quarter-finals, joined by Vitesse Arnhem who hammered amateurs ADO'20 Heemskerk 10-1. Reuters
