Quote of the week
Blackpool, distancing themselves from an official club Twitter account which called fans “typical arsehole wankers”. The club – with Karl Oyston back from his six-week ban for calling a fan “a massive retard” “thick twat” “special needs” “fuctard” – said: “We do not condone the views expressed.”
Deal of the week
Uefa - still fighting European football’s culture of “greed, reckless spending and financial insanity” – signing Hublot as its official luxury watch partner. Uefa: “The brand is a perfect fit … We look forward to developing new bespoke timepieces together.”
• Last week’s other neatest corporate fits: Newcastle pairing their official payday loan shirt sponsor with a new Official Betting and Gaming Partner; and Manchester United adding their first “Official Casino Resort Partner in Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar and South Korea” to a roster including United’s first “Official Personal Care and Laundry Partner in South-East Asia”.
Zurich latest
New from Fifa’s transparency-first agenda: a press briefing on the result of its meeting with unhappy sponsors. “In the meeting, Fifa reaffirmed its commitment to transparency, reform, and collaboration with its valued partners. No further comment will be made on the internal discussions.”
Meanwhile: best clarification
Sepp, talking to Dutch paper De Volkskrant about his lot: “I have two flats in Venthône, between Sierre and Crans-Montana, and I have the Fifa presidential residence at my disposal. I also use my daughter’s apartment in my home town Visp. But I do not own any palaces.”
Proudest legacy
Italy: Catania president Antonino Pulvirenti – banned from all grounds and fined £213,000 for match-fixing five games – calling time on his era after the club was demoted to the third tier, docked 12 points and fined. “I’m done. I’ve told my lawyer to sell up.”
• The summer’s top commentator on Pulvirenti’s legal trouble: Sampdoria president Massimo Ferrero, 1 July: “He must die... How dare he do these things, and sully football? Some people disgust me, trying to smear the greatest thing in the world: football. It makes me sick, disgusted. Don’t just throw away the key, he should die.” 2 July: “I didn’t mean he should die. It was allegorical.”
Also making it clear
Italy: Lazio director Igli Tare, on why a section of their fans abused Bayer Leverkusen’s black players. “‘Uuuh’ is different to ‘Buuuh.’ ‘Buuuh’ is racist, while you chant ‘Uuuh’ when you want to frighten and insult, but not in a racist kind of way. I want to make that clear.”
PR setback of the week
Romania: CSMS Iasi’s board handing executive chairman Florin Prunea a written warning after he told local people to value their club more. “People from Iasi need to wise up… This team brings excitement to their lives. Apart from rapes, nothing much happens round here.” Iasi’s board said “any future defamations” would bring “a more stringent response”; Prunea apologised for “any offence”.
Leader of the week
Brazil, 31 July: Vasco president Eurico Miranda denies he’ll be goaded by the press into sacking coach Celso Roth. “Who decides? I decide. Me. Whatever happens is my call so there’s no point in all this press talk. There’ll be no sackings here.” 15 Aug: Sacks him.
Heart news
Move of the week: Gokhan Inler on what drew him to a lucrative contract in England. “In the end I decided with my heart, and I came to Leicester City.”
• Also feeling it: Sergio Ramos, on what made him end protracted contract talks by signing a £36m-after-tax five-year deal at Real Madrid. “It’s never about money. My heart and my head have always been here. Being here is my dream.”
Best role reversal
Ecuador: Four players and a coach from the Esmeraldas women’s youth team facing year-long bans after a mass brawl ended with players throwing bottles at fans in the grandstand. Referee Segundo Paredes: “Such acts cannot be ignored.”
Crowd of the week
2: Number of paying fans at Colombian top-flight match Atlético Huila v Alianza Petrolera. Local media said the match, played 100 miles away from the usual ground due to renovations, left Huila CEO Carlos Barrero “visibly distressed”. Barrero: “Our gate receipts were £8 and it costs £5,300 to rent the place. Two fans. That’s it.”
Rethink of the week
Mexican club Chivas, removing midfielder Angel Reyna from their squad for “new acts of indiscipline”, 12 months after they defended him over an alleged “obscene gesture”. Then-director Francisco Palencia told local media last year: “It’s rough justice. Angel tells me, and I believe him – he’s my player, so I believe him – he was simply adjusting his shorts. It happens. It’s all about misconceptions.”
Plus: Back on form
Brazil, April: FA head Marco Polo Del Nero, 74, pledges to refocus after photos of him dating four young models tested his credibility; August: Faces domestic and FBI corruption inquiries, with senator Romario alleging “vast shenanigans”. Del Nero denies wrongdoing.
