ROME (ITALPRESS) – For the second time in his career, Luis Enrique has been named Club Manager of the Year by the IFFHS, the International Federation of Football History and Statistics.

For the PSG manager, who had already won the award in 2015 while at Barcelona, ​​it was an almost predictable victory, given that he won six trophies during the year: Ligue 1, Coupe de France, French Super Cup, Champions League, European Super Cup, and Intercontinental Cup.

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca and Barcelona manager Hansi Flick rounded out the podium. Two other Italians finished in the top 10: Antonio Conte, sixth, and Simone Inzaghi, seventh.

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(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

MADRID (SPAIN) (ITALPRESS) – “Real Madrid is against everyone, against Barcelona, ​​against the referees, with a narrative aimed at making people believe that what’s happening today, with some refereeing errors, is the consequence of what happened in 2019 or 2017.” Javier Tebas, president of La Liga, points the finger at Real Madrid and the strategy adopted in recent weeks by Florentino Perez, who has made the Negreira case his personal battle. “This discussion will create tension all weekend,” Tebas claims. “They’re trying to build a narrative that referees are influenced these days. It’s very dangerous, because that’s not the case.”

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Source: medNews

VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Malta will support San Marino in preparing for integration into the EU’s Single Market under a new Memorandum of Understanding signed between the two countries’ parliaments.

The agreement aims to help San Marino establish best practices in its legislative processes as it prepares to implement EU rules ahead of its planned entry into the Single Market.

San Marino has been negotiating an Association Agreement on participation in the Single Market since 2015, alongside Andorra and Monaco.

The MoU is understood to include guidance on scrutinising EU legislation and transposing it into national law.

A joint parliamentary committee made up of representatives from both countries met on Monday, alongside the signing of the agreement.

San Marino’s foreign affairs committee chair Michele Muratori described the agreement as a “great day” for the country’s parliament.

Labour MP Edward Zammit Lewis said such joint committees were important because they also engage citizens on key challenges facing the European Union, including the rule of law, fundamental rights and market access.

Nationalist MP Beppe Fenech Adami said Malta and San Marino could “achieve a lot together”, noting that the two countries have much to learn from one another.

“I hope this agreement will serve to strengthen collaboration between the two countries,” he said.

The EU’s Single Market allows for the free movement of goods, services, capital and people among participating states.

While it is a cornerstone of EU membership, the Single Market also includes non-EU countries such as Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, as well as Switzerland, which has partial access.

Malta has been part of the Single Market since joining the European Union in 2004.

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Source: medNews

MANCHESTER (ENGLAND) (ITALPRESS) – Manchester United is ready to act in January to give Ruben Amorim at least a midfield reinforcement. English sources have reported that one of the hot names is Ruben Neves, whose contract with Al Hilal expires in June. The Saudis, to avoid losing him for free, are willing to negotiate, and the Portuguese former Wolverhampton midfielder would gladly return to the Premier League, provided he accepts a salary far from his current one (over €24 million).

But Neves, also in Newcastle’s sights, isn’t the only name on the Red Devils’ agenda, who may also be considering a double move given the injury to Bruno Fernandes: according to “Talksport,” the Old Trafford area is also considering Conor Gallagher, formerly of Chelsea and now at Atletico Madrid. The Colchoneros, however, have reportedly announced that they will only part with the 25-year-old midfielder permanently (he’s valued at around €40 million), while United would prefer a loan deal, thus giving them more leeway in the summer transfer window.

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Source: medNews

BARCELONA (SPAIN) (ITALPRESS) – Rafinha retires from football at 32. The Brazilian, who grew up at Barcelona, ​​where he won the treble in 2014, and who also played for Celta Vigo, Real Sociedad, PSG, and Inter, announced his retirement on social media. Rafinha had been sidelined since the summer of 2024, when his contract with Al Arabi expired in Qatar.

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Source: medNews

MONTE CARLO (MONACO) (ITALPRESS) – Takumi Minamino’s season has come to an early end. The 30-year-old Japanese midfielder for Monaco, who was injured against Auxerre in the French Cup, has suffered a rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee.

The injury will also rule him out of the World Cup with the Japanese national team, as well as depriving Monaco of a player who had so far stood out with 4 goals and 3 assists in 21 appearances.

The Principality side will face Juventus on January 28, on the final matchday of the Champions League league phase.

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Source: medNews

VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Malta’s fiscal watchdog has endorsed the government’s latest fiscal forecasts, but warned that the country is unlikely to fully comply with EU fiscal rules under current projections.

In its latest report, the Malta Fiscal Advisory Council (MFAC) said Malta has significantly exceeded its expenditure commitments under the excessive deficit procedure opened by the EU in 2024.

While the council found the government’s fiscal projections for 2025 and 2026 to be within an “endorsable” range, it cautioned that exceptional spending in 2024 has pushed expenditure well beyond agreed limits.

The latest forecasts now project a 5.8% rise in net expenditure, despite Malta benefitting from the most flexible EU spending limits available.

As a result, cumulative deviations from the agreed expenditure path are expected to reach 2.19% of GDP in 2025 and 1.44% in 2026, leading the council to conclude that full compliance with EU fiscal rules is not expected.

The MFAC also warned that while risks to the 2025 deficit appear broadly balanced, 2026 carries a higher risk of a larger-than-projected deficit due to weaker revenue and upward pressure on spending.

The council urged the government to rein in expenditure, pursue sustainable deficit reduction, address long-term structural challenges, and urgently update national legislation in line with the revised EU fiscal framework.

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(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Malta will shoulder almost €8 million in interest payments by 2028 after EU leaders approved a €90 billion loan to support Ukraine’s strained public finances.

The agreement was struck early Friday morning, with 24 of the EU’s 27 member states backing the plan. Czechia, Hungary and Slovakia opted out.

Under the deal, the participating states will raise the funds on the open market and lend them to Ukraine, using the EU budget as a guarantee. This allows support to be provided without requiring governments to contribute money upfront.

Instead, member states will cover the interest costs of the loan in line with their economic size. Sources say the loan is expected to run for 40 years at an interest rate just below four per cent.

Malta’s contribution is estimated at €2.65 million in 2027 and €5.3 million in 2028. What happens beyond the initial two years remains unclear.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has said Ukraine would only repay the loan once Russia compensates for war damages, raising the possibility it may never be paid back.

The deal follows tense negotiations after objections to an earlier plan to use frozen Russian assets, which Malta feared could breach international sanctions law.

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(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

BELO HORIZONTE (BRAZIL) (ITALPRESS) – After playing the last Brazilian league games with a torn meniscus in his left knee to help Santos avoid relegation, Neymar is undergoing surgery. The 33-year-old Brazilian striker is in Belo Horizonte where he will undergo surgery today, under the supervision of Rodrigo Lasmar, medical director of Atlético Mineiro and the Brazilian national team.

This surgery will force Neymar to sit out for a month, missing the preseason with Santos, where the renewal – his current contract expires on December 31st – is now being finalized. Peixe will go into training camp on January 2nd and nine days later will take the field against Novorizontino in the São Paulo championship. Neymar will be available only from early February, when his pursuit to the World Cup begins: the former Barça and PSG striker will have just four months to convince Carlo Ancelotti to include him in the squad.

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(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

MANCHESTER (ENGLAND) (ITALPRESS) – Everyone is free to relax, but keep an eye on the scales. Manchester City players will be given three days off before beginning preparations for Saturday’s match against Nottingham Forest, but anyone who overdoes it will face consequences, Pep Guardiola has warned.

Haaland and his teammates were weighed before last Saturday’s win over West Ham and, upon their return, they will step on the scales again. “When they come back after three days off, I want to see how they return. They can eat, but then I want to check them,” the Spanish coach stressed. “A player might be at his ideal weight today and then come back three kilos heavier: at that point he stays in Manchester, he won’t travel with us to Nottingham.”

Guardiola is uncompromising on this issue. Back in 2016, he excluded some players from training for failing to maintain their ideal weight, and former City defender Gaël Clichy has previously recalled how the coach advised his players to avoid pizza and heavy foods.

On the other hand, the Spanish manager believes it is right to allow players to switch off. “Since I arrived in England I’ve learned that, when possible, it’s right to give them days off. The schedule is very congested and the players need to rest. When it’s match time, they’ll have fresh legs.”

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(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews