Sports

Guardiola Slams Ceferin Over Financial Probe Claims

Published

2 years ago

January 25, 2024

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has slammed Aleksander Ceferin after the UEFA president claimed European football’s governing body was right to punish the Premier League champions for financial breaches.

UEFA banned City from European competition for two years in February 2020 for breaching its Financial Fair Play rules, but the ban was later overturned by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

CAS found that some of the charges against City were “not established” and others were time-barred.

Ceferin remains adamant his organisation was correct, telling the Daily Telegraph on Thursday: “We know we were right. We wouldn’t decide if we didn’t think we were right.”

The Slovenian’s remarks came as City await a Premier League hearing after being charged with 115 breaches of their domestic competition’s profit and sustainability rules.

A furious Guardiola said that by speaking out now, Ceferin had not respected City’s ongoing process with the Premier League.

“As the lawyer that he is, as president of UEFA, he should wait – and after do whatever he wants,” he told reporters on Thursday.

“He has to respect it and he has to wait. He has a lot of jobs to do at UEFA. A lawyer should respect the procedure. He knows we have the right to defend ourselves.”

City will again be without striker Erling Haaland for their FA Cup fourth tie at Tottenham on Friday.

But the Norway striker is nearing a return after almost two months out with a foot injury.

“He is on the verge of coming back. For Friday he is not ready but he is close,” Guardiola said.

“The training camp was good, he trained some sessions. The last few days he’s trained but it is not perfect and we will wait a little bit more.”

John Stones is back in contention after an ankle injury but fellow defender Manuel Akanji remains on the sidelines. Goalkeeper Ederson is also fit after limping off in City’s last game at Newcastle.

City have lost on all five of their previous visits to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium without even scoring a goal.

Calling on the FA Cup holders to break their duck, Guardiola said: “That is the reality, (and shows) how tough it is for us.

“Of course this is a ‘final’, a knockout game and to go through we have to score goals. Always it is a new opportunity to break it.

“The feeling is most of the times we played really good but the reality is there, no goals, five defeats – so they were much better than us.”

Sports

AFCON 2025: Four Teams Qualify For Round Of 16

Published

4 days ago

December 29, 2025

Editor

South Africa became the fourth team to confirm their place in the last 16 of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.

Bafana Bafana edged a five-goal thriller against rivals Zimbabwe, winning 3-2 on Monday evening.

Tshepang Moremi opened the scoring for Hugo Broos’ side, before Tawanda
Maswanhise equalised in the 19th minute.

Lyle Foster restored South Africa’s lead five minutes after the break, but Aubrey Modiba drew the match level in the 73rd minute.

The winning goal came with eight minutes remaining, as Oswin Appollis converted from the penalty spot.

The result took South Africa to six points, one behind group winners Egypt. Both sides have qualified for the next round, alongside Nigeria and Algeria.

Sports

AFCON: Uganda Coach Lists Three Things His Team Must Do Against Nigeria

Published

4 days ago

December 29, 2025

Editor

Uganda head coach Paul Put has outlined three key areas his side must focus on to secure victory against Nigeria when both teams clash in Tuesday’s Africa Cup of Nations tie.

Put’s side must claim all three points against the Super Eagles or risk an early exit from the competition. The Cranes have just one point in Group C after their opening two matches.
A win against Nigeria could see Uganda qualify as one of the best third-placed teams.

However, speaking at his pre-match press conference on Monday, Put said that for Uganda to overcome Eric Chelle’s side, they must “concentrate be very prepared and win their duels” against Nigeria.

“We have to go for it [win against Nigeria] and we will do it,” Put said.

“Nigerians play at a high level in Europe, so we have to be very concentrated, very prepared and win our duels, which is one of the strong points of Nigeria.”