Cellino bid for Leeds United blocked by Football League

Cellino bid for Leeds United blocked by Football League - Italian businessman Massimo Cellino has been barred from taking over fallen giants Leeds United, the English Football League announced Monday.

The League said Cellino's recent conviction for a tax offence in an Italian court was a "disqualifying condition under its owners' and directors' test".

Leeds United's Luke Varney outpaces Manchester City's Pablo Zabaleta in an FA Cup fifth round game at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester on February 17, 2013 (AFP Photo/Andrew Yates) 

However, the ruling by the Football League, the governing body for the three English divisions below the elite Premier League, leaves second-tier Leeds facing an uncertain future given Cellino has already put more than £2 million ($3.3m, 2.4m euros) into the Yorkshire club.

The league said the decision was taken at a meeting of their board on Sunday following Cellino's fine for non-payment of Italian duty on a boat imported from the United States.

"Mr Cellino was recently found guilty beyond reasonable doubt by a Court in Sardinia of an offence under Italian tax legislation relating to the non-payment of import duties on a boat," said a Football League statement issued Monday.

"This resulted in a fine of 600,000 euros (£500,800), an order for the payment of trial costs and the confiscation of the boat in question.

 

 Leeds United's Michael Brown (left) fends off Tottenham Hotspur's Gylfi Sigurosson during an FA Cup tie at Elland Road stadium in Leeds, northern England on January 27, 2013 (AFP Photo/Andrew Yates)

Leeds United's Michael Brown (left) fends off Tottenham Hotspur's Gylfi Sigurosson during an …

"Having fully considered the matter, the board agreed unanimously that the decision of the Italian court does constitute a disqualifying condition under its owners' and directors' test.

"The relevant disqualifying condition being that Massimo Cellino has been convicted of an offence involving acts that would reasonably be considered to be dishonest."

Cellino is entitled to appeal against the league's decision within 14 days.

The statement added: "In such circumstances, the League would seek to expedite the process to deliver certainty to all parties in the shortest possible timeframe."

Last Tuesday, following Cellino's conviction by an Italian court, his lawyer said the verdict was "irrelevant" as far as the takeover was concerned.

According to my point of view, this business has no relevance whatsoever to the decision of the Football League," Giovanni Cocco told BBC Radio Leeds.

"Obviously that's up to the Football League themselves.

"The verdict does not mean that Cellino is guilty -- because in Italian law he can only be guilty after the third stage of the process. Today (Tuesday) he is innocent."

Leeds, one of England's leading clubs in the early 1970s, are currently 13th in the second tier Championship and a huge 29 points adrift of automatic promotion to the Premier League.  (AFP)

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Zorro unmasked

Zorro unmasked - That is three more than Wayne Rooney, who has admittedly featured in fewer matches than the Spaniard, but it is also only four less than Robin van Persie.

Van Persie’s goalscoring exploits at the start of the season have effectively won Manchester United the Premier League title ahead of schedule, but his worrying loss of form – he has only scored once in the last 12 matches – has coincided with exits from both the Champions League and the FA Cup.

At Chelsea, Torres has impressed in fits and starts this campaign and – while he has not hit the heights of his pomp at Liverpool – El Nino (it seems strange to call a 29-year-old The Kid) is in far better nick than the washed-up has-been that was all but written off this time last year.

Fernando Torres has scored 19 goals for his club this season.

Where – and against whom – Torres has found his goals is arguably a major sticking point though.

Only seven of Torres’s 19 goals have come in the Premier League, and most of them have come against weaker opposition. Indeed, discounting the strike against Manchester City in the Community Shield, Torres has only managed one goal against Chelsea’s nearest rivals, in the 2-1 win at Arsenal earlier in the campaign.

However, quality of opposition has not necessarily been the problem – Torres found the net against an excellent Shakhtar Donetsk side, and Rubin Kazan are a decent outfit, certainly one who would be challenging for the minor European places if they were suddenly transported to England.

What was impressive about Torres’s match-winning brace last night was the manner in which he took his goals – both brave, swashbuckling efforts – and the bright and inventive nature of his build-up play.

I watched Torres regularly when he was at Atletico Madrid, having been based in the city for some time in the mid 00’s, and even then the hype was tempered by a relative inconsistency, the feeling that he – like many strikers – is a confidence player, and that his confidence was particularly brittle.

Indeed, Torres went eight Liga matches without scoring towards the end of the 2004-05 campaign, but crucially he was at his hometown club, a side with relatively low expectations supported by fans willing to give their hero a chance to regain his form.

Current Chelsea fans have greater expectations than Atletico fans back then, and display a certain ruthlessness that they expect from their heroes.

While Torres may have lost a smidgeon of the pace he so willingly displayed at Liverpool, he has regained some of the confidence that appeared terminally lost. Demba Ba has taken the heat off him somewhat (he will hit a lean streak soon, and it will be interesting to see how he copes with the inevitable backlash), while Rafael Benitez’s appointment does seem to have helped him, albeit not in the manner we may have expected.

Tactically, Torres is being used in his preferred role – the central striker position that Didier Drogba hogged prior to his departure – but the main help has come from the lightning-rod effect that Benitez has unwittingly provided: Chelsea fans are too busy hating on Agent Rafa to get on Torres’s back, and he appears calmer and happier as a result.

Torres needs to start doing it in the Premier League – where opposition fans are giving him the grief that he escapes in Europe – and if he hits double figures in that competition by the end of the season Chelsea will view that as a decent return.

Maybe he needs to continue wearing that ridiculous mask, which could bizarrely give him the cloak of anonymity needed for him to stop overthinking his moves when he gets in the positions he has always been capable of finding.

Either way, talk of his demise appears to have been premature and, given that he is an intelligent man and a willing worker, there could be a long-term lease of life as he adapts his game to account for less searing speed. It worked for another Madrileno after all – and Raul didn’t do too badly into his 30s. Reda Maher – on Twitter @Reda_Eurosport

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QUOTE(S) OF THE DAY

“It’s a pity. City pay big money, but do not understand that human relations mean more than anything. Yaya feels the club do not want him” – Yaya Toure’s agent before his client signed a bumper new contract.
"I will never forget how I have been treated here by the fans, the club and the owners and nothing would give me greater pleasure than to finish my career as a Manchester City player” – Yaya Toure after signing a bumper new contract.

FOREIGN VIEW

"The club has written to UEFA due to a series of incidents on the pitch in the understanding that objectively speaking it was evident that the referee did not apply the rules of the game. When two players from the same team are on the floor the referee should stop the match, which did not happen” – What about when those two players are probably faking it, as many of your team do on a regular basis? Whinging Barcelona start to lose the sympathy of the wider football world for the less appealing side to their game.

COMING UP

Tranny-spotter Joey Barton may have Tweeted himself out of a starting role for Marseille when they face Bordeaux in what promises to be a fiery all-southern Ligue 1 clash on Friday night, while Premier League expert Jim White does his thing and Pitchside Europe picks its European Match of the Weekend.

By Eurosport | Early Doors – 11 hours ago

READ MORE - Zorro unmasked

Europa League - Torres shines as Chelsea gain advantage over Rubin

Europa League - Torres shines as Chelsea gain advantage over Rubin – Europa League quarter-final first leg, Stamford Bridge – Chelsea 3 (Torres 16, 70, Moses 33) Rubin Kazan 1 (Natcho 41 pen)

Fernando Torres scored twice as Chelsea beat Rubin Kazan 3-1 at Stamford Bridge in the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final.

Goals from the much-maligned Spaniard and Nigeria forward Victor Moses gave the hosts a deserved 2-0 lead, but they stepped back leading into half time and paid the price when John Terry’s handball allowed Natcho to convert from the penalty spot.

Eurosport - Chelsea's Fernando Torres (C) celebrates his goal with teammate Frank Lampard during their Europa League first leg quarter-final soccer match against Rubin Kazan at Stamford Bridge in London April 2013

The second half was a less frantic affair but Chelsea managed to put daylight between them and the Russians when Torres headed home his second of the night and 19th of the season after a fine cross from Juan Mata.

Rafael Benitez made six changes from the FA Cup win over Manchester United, with two enforced after Ashley Cole was injured and Demba Ba cup-tied.

Their refreshed XI started brightly as Yossi Benayoun impressed on the left, while a masked Torres looked more confident than usual as he led the line for the hosts. Rubin, meanwhile, surprisingly dropped striker Salomon Rondon to the bench, and it showed as replacement Vladimir Dyadyun toiled up front.

It was 1-0 after 16 minutes as Torres was rewarded for his energy and bravery after taking down a long ball by David Luiz – with goalkeeper and defender flying in, the Spain striker hurled himself at the second ball to bundle it home.

Rubin, who initially sat deep and looked for the counter attack, did respond as Natcho’s long-range drive stung the palms of Petr Cech.

But the hosts were knocking it about nicely and Ryan Bertrand was denied a wonder-goal by visiting skipper Roman Sharonov’s vital clearance after the reserve left-back beat three men and clipped the ball over goalkeeper Sergei Ryzhikov.

So the second goal was richly deserved, coming after Torres once more caused the Russians problems, his header palmed away by Ryzhikov and follow-up cross only half-cleared for Moses to rifle the ball into the top left.

As with the opener, Rubin did respond, although this time with greater effect as Chelsea found themselves on the back foot.

And four minutes before half-time they got their reward when Terry stuck an arm out as attacking left-back Cristian Ansaldi fired a curler after cutting inside past Branislav Ivanovic.

Terry was booked for the handball and Natcho made no mistake from the spot, sending Cech the wrong way as he claimed a vital away goal.

Ansaldi almost got a second just before the break when another long-range effort dipped just wide, and having dominated much of the half suddenly it was Chelsea who were happier to hear the whistle blow, but Rubin made the half-time change as Rondon replaced Dyadyun, who had picked up a knock.

The Blues started the second half stronger though, as Mata forced a smart stop from Ryzhikov while Cesar Azpilicueta saw a low finish blocked at a corner.

Chelsea were still having their moments at the back though, with Cech flapping not for the first time as Sharonov almost headed in from a corner.

Down the other end Terry, desperate to atone for his earlier error, went close with a similar effort but after the hour mark both sides seemed to run out of gas as the tempo slowed somewhat.

Benitez acted by introducing Eden Hazard, but the withdrawal of Moses seemed unusual, with Frank Lampard ineffectual until that point.

However, Lampard had a role in his team’s third, releasing Mata down the left, with the former Valencia man’s excellent cross met by a flying Torres, who buried a thumping header into the top right.

With the two-goal cushion restored, and Rubin clearly tiring, Chelsea could afford to sit back again as they held on to the ball for much of the latter stages.

Rubin were exhausted, with the closest the Russians coming to a goal threat a corner in the dying seconds that Chelsea cleared.

The away goal will have boosted Kurban Berdev’s side, but Chelsea’s two goal advantage makes them favourites to reach the semi-finals as they seek to be the first club to win Europe’s secondary club competition the season after the Champions League.

MAN OF THE MATCH

Fernando Torres (Chelsea: Took his goals bravely and was a constant threat against the Russian side. Led the line with power and – unusually – confidence.

PLAYER RATINGS

CHELSEA: Cech 5, Azpilicueta 6, Luiz 6, Terry 5, Bertrand 7, Ramires 7, Lampard 6, Moses 7, Mata 7, Benayoun 6, Torres 8; Subs: Hazard 6, Oscar N/A, Marin N/A.

RUBIN: Ryzhikov 6, Navas 6, Kuzmin 6, Kaleshin 6, Ansaldi 6, Orbaiz 5, Sharonov 7, Eremenko 6, Natcho 7, Karedeniz 6, Dyadyun 5; Subs: Rondon 5, Kasaev N/A.

By Reda Maher - on Twitter @Reda_Eurosport | Eurosport – 11 hours ago

READ MORE - Europa League - Torres shines as Chelsea gain advantage over Rubin

Fakta-fakta Menarik Jelang PSG Vs Barcelona

Fakta-fakta Menarik Jelang PSG Vs Barcelona - Duel seru bakal tersaji di Stade de France, Rabu, 3 April 2013, dinihari nanti. Pemuncak klasemen Liga Prancis dan Liga Spanyol akan saling berhadapan. Paris Saint-Germain, klub bermaterikan pemain bintang, akan berhadapan dengan Barcelona, klub yang dianggap sebagai tim terbaik dalam beberapa tahun terakhir. Berikut fakta-fakta menarik yang menghiasi pertandingan PSG melawan Barca.

-PSG tak terkalahkan dalam 23 pertandingan kandang di kompetisi Eropa. Kekalahan terakhir PSG di kandang terjadi ketika takluk 4-2 dari Hapoel Tel-Aviv, dalam laga penyisihan grup Piala UEFA, pada November 2006.

-PSG sudah sembilan kali menjamu tim asal Spanyol. Rekor mereka adalah lima kali menang, tiga kali imbang, dan sekali kalah.

Pemain Paris Saint Germain meluapkan kegembiraannya, setelah pertandingan 16 besar Liga Champions berakhir 1-1 di Paris (7/3). PSG lolos ke babak selanjutnya karena menang agregat 3-2. AP/Christophe Ena

-Barca sudah 14 kali tampil dalam pertandingan perempat final kompetisi Eropa. Barca merebut 12 kemenangan dan hanya menelan dua kekalahan.

-Kekalahan terakhir Barca di babak perempat final terjadi pada musim 2002/2003. Ketika itu Barca dikalahkan Juventus. Sementara kekalahan tandang terakhir di babak perempat final terjadi pada musim 2001/2002.

-Barcelona telah tujuh kali bertandang ke markas klub Prancis, dengan rekor tiga kemenangan, dua kali kalah, dan sisanya berakhir imbang.

-Stadion Stade de France memiliki kenangan indah buat Barca. Di tempat itu, Barca sukses mengalahkan Arsenal 2-1, dalam partai final Liga Champions 2005/2006.

-Gelandang PSG, Thiago Motta, adalah pemain didikan akademi Barca. Selama enam musim bermain di tim senior Barca, pemain internasional Italia itu sukses merebut dua gelar Liga Spanyol, satu Liga Champions, dan dua Piala Super Spanyol.

-Maxwell bergabung dengan Barca pada 2009, dan kemudian hijrah ke PSG pada Januari 2012. Maxwell tampil dalam 57 pertandingan di Liga Spanyol dan merebut dua gelar Liga Spanyol, tiga Piala Super Spanyol, satu Liga Champions, dua Piala Super Eropa, dan dua Piala Dunia Antarklub.

-Zlatan Ibrahimovic menghabiskan musim 2009/2010 di Barca. Pemain asal Swedia itu merebut satu trofi Liga Spanyol, satu Piala Super Spanyol, satu Piala Super Eropa, dan satu Piala Dunia Antarklub.

-Eric Abidal dan Alex Song memulai karier profesonal di Liga Prancis. Abidal pernah memperkuat AS Monaco, Lille, dan Olympique Lyon. Sementara Song memulai kariernya bersama Bastia.

-Pemain tertua Liga Champions di musim ini, David Beckham, pernah tujuh kali melawan Barcelona. Beckham, ketika itu berkostum Real Madrid, merebut tiga kemenangan, sekali imbang, dan tiga kali kalah ketika melawan Barca.

tempo.co : Selasa, 02 April 2013 | 20:12 WIB

READ MORE - Fakta-fakta Menarik Jelang PSG Vs Barcelona

Chelsea has had a 'great' season

Chelsea has had a 'great' season - Chelsea is enjoying a "great" season which could get even better, claims manager Rafa Benitez.

The 52-year-old is in a fine mood after his side overcame Manchester United in their FA Cup quarterfinal replay on Monday to set up a Wembley clash with Manchester City, while the team remains in the hunt for Champions League qualification and faces Rubin Kazan in the Europa League.

"It's a great season. It could be even better. It's important for everyone here. We worked so hard at Old Trafford [in the first game] and we deserved to win in the end," Benitez told reporters after the win.

"Against a very good United team, we had one or two chances to settle the game. They had one or two to score but we deserved it."

Benitez: Chelsea has had a 'great' season

The Spaniard was criticized for making a number of changes to the side which fell to a 2-1 loss at Southampton on Saturday but insists that he did what he had to do to negotiate a schedule of six games in 16 days and warns against overreaction over a single result.

"Before the international break, we played against United, Steaua Bucharest and West Ham. We were the best in the world after those games," Benitez added. "Then we lost against Southampton on Saturday and we're the worst in the world. You have to have balance.

"The priority for us is to finish in the top four, we know that, but at a top side you have to win each competition."

By Husmukh Kerai | Goal.com – 1 hour 9 minutes ago

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