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UEFA TO MEET OVER OPTIONS OVER END OF FOOTBALL SEASON

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All of Europe’s 55 national football associations will hold a video conference with UEFA on Wednesday (April 1) to discuss the latest proposals on how the 2019-20 season’s leagues and cups might possibly be concluded given the depth of the coronavirus crisis.

With Britain, Italy, Spain, France, Switzerland itself where UEFA is based, and other European countries in much stricter shutdown conditions than even a fortnight ago when the continental governing body postponed this summer’s European Championship, the June 30 date suggested for concluding the season now looks even more improbable.

Wednesday’s call, with the associations’ general secretaries or chief executives, will receive updates from the two working groups set up on March 17, one to consider rescheduling challenges for the suspended seasons, the other to examine “the economic, financial and regulatory impact of the Covid-19 outbreak”

Clubs, leagues and UEFA are determined to finish the season if at all possible, for reasons of sporting integrity and to avoid owing a huge financial rebate to broadcasters and sponsors, and the groups have focused on how players’ contracts due to end on June 30 can be extended if the season has to run beyond then.

World governing body FIFA, which has overall global responsibility for governance of player registration rules, considered proposals last week for extending contracts until “the new end date of a season”, Reuters reported.

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An issue for FifPro, the world players’ union, is that this should apply to all players whose contracts conclude on June 30, not just those a club wants to keep.

UEFA’s president, Aleksander Ceferin, summed up the uncertainty over the resumption of football at the weekend, telling the Italian newspaper La Repubblica:

“There is a plan A, B and C. We can start in May, in June or the end of June. If we can’t do it on any of those three dates then the season probably would be lost. There is also the possibility to finish the season at the start of next season, with next season starting a little late. It would have to work with respect to the players and the signing periods.”

UEFA said in a statement about the upcoming meeting: “UEFA has invited the general secretaries of its 55 member associations to a video conference on Wednesday April 1 at midday to share an update on the progress made by the two working groups that were created two weeks ago and to discuss options identified with regards to the potential rescheduling of matches.

“The meeting will look at developments across all UEFA national team and club competitions, as well as discussing progress at FIFA and European level on matters such as player contracts and the transfer system.”

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Kunle Solaja is the author of landmark books on sports and journalism as well as being a multiple award-winning journalist and editor of long standing. He is easily Nigeria’s foremost soccer diarist and Africa's most capped FIFA World Cup journalist, having attended all FIFA World Cup finals from Italia ’90 to Qatar 2022. He was honoured at the Qatar 2022 World Cup by FIFA and AIPS.

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Man United edge past Bodo/Glimt to give Amorim first win

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 Europa League - Manchester United v Bodo/Glimt - Old Trafford, Manchester, Britain - November 28, 2024 Manchester United's Rasmus Hojlund celebrates scoring their third goal with Alejandro Garnacho REUTERS/Molly Darlington

Manchester United came from behind to beat Bodo/Glimt 3-2 in the Europa League on Thursday and secure their first victory under new manager Ruben Amorim.

United went ahead inside the first minute thanks to a howler from keeper Nikita Haikin, who failed to deal with a back pass and under pressure from Rasmus Hojlund the ball broke free for Alejandro Garnacho to tap in from close range.

The Norwegians scored twice with quick breaks, Hakon Evjen hitting a superb strike into the top corner in the 19th minute and Philip Zinckernagel holding off Tyrell Malacia before beating keeper Andre Onana to stun the Old Trafford crowd.

United equalised just before the break when Noussair Mazraoui’s pass into the area picked out Hojlund who controlled the ball with his first touch before getting a shot away between two defenders into the far corner.

Amorim’s side went ahead five minutes after the break when Manuel Ugarte’s low pass across the area was guided into the net by Hojlund shortly after Mason Mount had hit the crossbar.

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United could not find another goal, however, and needed two good saves from Onana to secure the three points which lifted them to 12th in the standings on nine points, ahead of Bodo/Glimt on seven.

“Of course, I see what everybody sees, good moments, difficult moments,” Amorim told TNT Sports.

“There was some confusion in the end trying to hold the result, but the lads did a great job. They ran, they pressed, they tried to do the things we have worked on in the last three days and we won.

Amorim’s first game in charge was a 1-1 draw in the Premier League against Ipswich Town on Sunday.

“Half of the stadium doesn’t know me, I came from Portugal and I did nothing for this club. Yet the way they make me feel at home is special,” he said.

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“I will keep this to the end of my career.”

Amorim described the game as a roller-coaster.

“Like a real ride. We started well, but then suffered two goals in two transitions. I like the way the players tried to play our game,” he said.

“Sometimes we won the ball and have had problems in the past giving the ball away too much – the mindset is keeping the ball. They are really trying and I think we deserved the win.”

-Reuters

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Amad double gives Man United first Europa League win this season

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 Manchester United v PAOK - Old Trafford, Manchester, Britain - November 7, 2024 Manchester United's Amad Diallo scores their first goal Action Images via Reuters/Jason Cairnduff

Manchester United’s Amad Diallo scored twice for a 2-0 win over PAOK in the Europa League on Thursday as interim manager Ruud van Nistelrooy achieved what the sacked Erik ten Hag failed to do with the club’s first victory in this season’s competition.

United had drawn their three previous Europa League games, but Amad’s looping header back across the goal into the bottom corner from a Bruno Fernandes cross five minutes after the break sent Van Nistelrooy’s side on their way.

The Greek visitors to Old Trafford had chances to take something from the game and United goalkeeper Andre Onana was forced to tip over a shot from Mady Camara in the first half.

PAOK had an excellent opportunity to equalise in the 64th minute but the unmarked Taril Tissoudali could not get enough power in his shot from close range to beat Onana, and Amad made sure of victory 13 minutes from the end.

This time he did it all alone, dispossessing Baba Rahman and holding off the defender’s challenge to reach the edge of the area before unleashing a curling shot which took a slight deflection on its way into the far corner.

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The win leaves United in 15th place in the Europa League standings on six points from four games.

“It’s been a long time since we won in Europe. Today we showed why we are one of the best teams. It was important to win today,” Amad told TNT Sports.

“It is important to score every time. This season I have been unlucky so I am happy to score two today. But the most important thing was to win.”

Van Nistelrooy, the former United striker who will shortly make way for new manager Ruben Amorim, replaced Ten Hag 10 days ago and is unbeaten during his three games in charge.

“It was a pretty poor first half if I’m being nice,” Van Nistelrooy said. “The second half way was better. That was clear.

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“(Amad) made a difference today because of his goals but he was very sharp. Well done to him, good game. Positionally we weren’t good in the first half. We were much better at that in the second half.”

-Reuters

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Osimhen powers Galatasaray to go top in Europa League after downing Spurs

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Europa League - Galatasaray v Tottenham Hotspur - RAMS Park, Istanbul, Turkey - November 7, 2024 Galatasaray's Victor Osimhen celebrates scoring their second goal REUTERS/Umit Bektas

Victor Osimhen scored twice as Galatasaray inflicted a first Europa League defeat of the season on Tottenham to move top of the table with a 3-2 victory in Istanbul on on Nov 7.

The Turkish champions have 10 points from four games and have all but secured qualification for at least the knock-out play-off round, while Spurs sit in fifth place after losing their 100 per cent record.

Galatasaray took an early lead when Yunus Akgun smashed a sensational long-range volley into the top corner in the sixth minute.

But the visitors hit back just 12 minutes later as teenage striker Will Lankshear marked just his second first-team appearance with a goal by tapping in Brennan Johnson’s pass across goal.

Galatasaray took control before half-time, though, as Osimhen scored twice in the space of eight minutes.

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The Nigerian star fired them back in front just after the half-hour mark, before cleverly volleying Dries Mertens’ cross past Tottenham goalkeeper Fraser Forster.

Osimhen has now scored six goals in eight appearances for Galatasaray since joining on loan from Napoli.

The home side passed up several opportunities to put the game out of sight for their opponents, but Spurs’ hopes of a comeback were hit when Lankshear was sent off for two yellow-card offences in quick succession in the second half.

Dominic Solanke pulled one back in the 69th minute, shortly after being brought on by Ange Postecoglou, but Galatasaray held on with relative comfort.

Eintracht Frankfurt are second in the standings, behind Galatasaray on goals scored, after Omar Marmoush’s 13th goal of the season clinched a 1-0 win against Slavia Prague.

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The Egyptian clipped a superb free-kick in off the crossbar shortly after the break.

Athletic Bilbao are in third, separated from Eintracht also by goals scored, after coming from behind to grab a 2-1 success at Ludogorets.

Inaki Williams and Nico Serrano both scored in a two-minute burst from the Basque club.

Roma’s disappointing form this season continued as Kevin Mac Allister’s goal 13 minutes from time secured Union Saint-Gilloise their second point of the competition with a 1-1 draw in Belgium.

-AFP

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