ROME (ITALPRESS) — “Two months after the ‘Balogun case’, we note that our questions still remain unanswered.” This was stated by Pascale Van Damme, president of the RBFA (Royal Belgian Football Association).

The statement is a clear indication that the Belgian Football Association will also not support Gianni Infantino’s bid for re-election as FIFA president. For the Belgian football authorities, the re-election of the Swiss official is “unthinkable”.

The position stems from what they describe as a “lack of transparency”, demonstrated not only in the decision to “freeze” the red card issued to U.S. player Folarin Balogun during the match against Belgium, but also in relation to the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) project, which was subsequently abandoned.

“We remain in close contact with UEFA. Together, we are seeking clear answers regarding the decision-making processes and are considering the next steps to take,” the RBFA said in a statement issued today.

– Photo Ipa Agency –

(ITALPRESS)

Source: medNews

TRIPOLI (LIBYA) (ITALPRESS) – Libya’s Government of National Unity has announced the dismantling of an organized terrorist cell and the arrest of five individuals—both Libyan and foreign nationals—involved in suicide drone attacks targeting oil storage tanks in Tripoli and Zawiya, as well as the Zawiya power plant. Plans to attack the South Tripoli power plant and various political, security, and military targets were reportedly thwarted. According to an official statement from the Government of National Unity, investigations revealed that these were not isolated incidents but part of a large-scale sabotage plot targeting critical infrastructure and energy resources during a period of peak summer demand on utility services.

The government emphasized that dismantling the cell marks the beginning, not the end, of the operation; a comprehensive investigation is underway to expose the entire network and prosecute all those responsible—regardless of their status or position—with a pledge to take firm action both domestically and abroad. The statement indicated that authorities would release full details regarding the plot and its backers to the domestic and international public once preliminary investigations conclude, and that legal and judicial action would be pursued without exception. The government reiterated that the safety of citizens and national resources is a “red line” that will be strictly defended. This announcement follows a series of drone attacks on Libya’s energy infrastructure that caused damage and power outages. The government warned that those who planned, funded, and supported these activities would be held accountable, assuring that investigations would continue unabated until all perpetrators are brought to justice. The government thanked the security forces for their work and urged citizens to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity.

– photo: IPA Agency –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Maltese businessman Yorgen Fenech told police he personally gave Melvin Theuma, the middleman between Fenech and the men who carried out the assassination, the “OK” to proceed with a plot to murder Daphne Caruana Galizia — then claimed he tried to call it off three days later.

The extraordinary admission is contained in Fenech’s 2019 police interrogation and is being published today by the Sunday Times of Malta for the first time following Wednesday’s verdict acquitting him of complicity in Caruana Galizia’s murder and criminal association.

“First, I told him OK. After three days, I told him to stop,” Fenech told investigators. He claimed the initial green light came after Keith Schembri, then chief of staff to Prime Minister Joseph Muscat, allegedly told him to proceed. But Fenech said the operation was already under way when he changed his mind. Theuma had allegedly paid €30,000 to people Fenech described as “killers” and “the worst people in Malta”.

Fenech said he subsequently handed Theuma €50,000 from his office safe to reimburse him. “If you paid €30,000, take €50,000. I don’t want you to be out of pocket. I don’t want anything to do with this,” he recalled telling Theuma. Fenech said the assassination had initially been priced at €120,000, insisting investigators were wrong when they put the figure at €150,000. “It was €120,000 not €150,000. They went up to €150,000 after,” he said.

Yet when directly questioned about whether he had paid the €120,000, Fenech declined to answer, repeatedly telling investigators he would provide details “at the opportune time”. He also admitted passing money to Theuma for expenses linked to the men who were later convicted of Caruana Galizia’s murder.

Fenech said he continued paying Theuma after the murder because he feared him and wanted to protect himself and Schembri. “I kept giving him money, because I was scared of him,” he said. He claimed Theuma had threatened him with recordings and that he would have “problems” if the middleman began speaking. Fenech also alleged that Schembri had been hinting about getting rid of Caruana Galizia since 2014, becoming more direct in 2016. “He told me find someone to get rid of her,” Fenech claimed. Schembri has denied any involvement in the murder.

Fenech further accused Schembri of giving him a “script” for his earlier accounts of the assassination and promising him a pardon. “I felt it was my duty to protect Keith Schembri,” he told police. He said one earlier version, which implicated former minister Chris Cardona, was based on that alleged script. Fenech also named Joseph Muscat, Adrian Vella and Johann Cremona as people who, he claimed, eventually learned that Schembri was behind the murder. Muscat has denied discussing Caruana Galizia’s murder with Fenech.

The interrogation recordings provide a previously unpublished account of Fenech’s own description to police of the alleged assassination plot — including his admission that he personally gave Theuma the initial green light.

– photo IPA Agency –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

ROME (ITALPRESS) – “The FIFA President announced in April that he would run again in the 2027 elections. Naturally, nothing has changed.” This statement came from Gianni Infantino‘s spokesperson, confirming that the official—despite recent controversies—does not intend to step aside. The Swiss executive, who has led FIFA since 2016, will once again stand for the presidency of the international football governing body at the next congress, scheduled to take place in Morocco in 2027.

– photo IPA Agency –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

ZAGREB (CROATIA) (ITALPRESS) – Luka Modric isn’t quitting—quite the opposite. Despite nearing his 41st birthday, the Milan midfielder has made himself available to new head coach Slaven Bilic and will be called up for Croatia’s upcoming Nations League fixtures. The Croatian Football Federation announced that Modric—who already has 202 caps—informed the coach of his intention to continue playing for the national team and will therefore be included in the squad for the upcoming matches against the Czech Republic, Spain, and England.

“This decision makes me extremely happy,” commented Bilic. “We are all aware of what Luka brings to Croatia, both on and off the pitch. I look forward to working with him again after 14 years, and we share a strong ambition: to keep Croatia among the elite, successful teams, standing shoulder to shoulder with the best national sides in the world.” 

– photo IPA Agency –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

ROME (ITALPRESS) – A muscle tear in his right thigh: this is the result of the instrumental tests Neymar underwent, the injury sustained in Wednesday’s match against Palmeiras, which sealed the elimination of his Santos club in the Copa do Brasil quarterfinals.

The 34-year-old former PSG striker is expected to be sidelined for three to four weeks, although Santos has not specified a recovery time. After the match against Palmeiras, Neymar complained about the poor pitch conditions to explain the injuries sustained, both to himself and to Alvaro Barreal, who also suffered a torn hamstring in his left thigh.

-Photo IPA Agency-
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

BUENOS AIRES (ARGENTINA) (ITALPRESS) – Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi together for the first time on the same team? Carlos Tevez is trying. The Apache said goodbye to football in June 2021, at Boca Juniors, but never had the opportunity to say goodbye to the Bombonera. He will do so in December, on a date yet to be determined, after receiving the approval of former teammate and current president of the Xeneize, Juan Roman Riquelme.

Tevez will bid his fans farewell for the last time with a farewell match to which he has invited several former teammates, both at club and country. And on the list, “Tyc Sports” reveals, are CR7—with whom he played at Manchester United—and Messi, with whom he shared the Seleccion experience. There are reportedly around sixty guests, including Gigi Buffon and Andrea Pirlo, whom he met while at Juventus.

-Photo IPA Agency-
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

RABAT (MOROCCO) (ITALPRESS) – Denmark welcomes the Moroccan autonomy plan, considering it a good basis for a mutually agreed-upon solution to the Moroccan Sahara issue. This position, the Moroccan Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced in a statement, was expressed by Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen during a press conference during the working visit to Copenhagen of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccans Abroad, Nasser Bourita.

In this regard, Rasmussen stated that “Denmark welcomes, in line with the position of the European Union, the adoption of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2797.” The Danish Foreign Minister also welcomed the Moroccan autonomy proposal, calling it “credible” and stating that it “makes a serious and essential contribution to the ongoing UN process,” reiterating that the Moroccan autonomy plan represents “an excellent basis for a mutually agreed-upon solution.”

– photo Diplomatie.ma –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

BARCELONA (SPAIN) (ITALPRESS) – Ahead of the away match against Valencia, scheduled for tomorrow at 4:15 PM, Hansi Flick assessed Barcelona’s current situation during a press conference, focusing particularly on Lamine Yamal’s condition, the new captaincy hierarchy, and lineup decisions. The German coach confirmed that the forward will travel with the squad: “He was in pain after a knock and trained separately. But he says he feels fine and could play tomorrow. We have to wait to see if he’ll be on the pitch; we’ll decide. He wants to play.”

Flick then explained the choice of Barcelona’s new captains. With Ter Stegen and Araujo no longer in the role, the armband passes to others: “I chose two—Raphinha and Pedri—and the players chose three: Eric Garcia, Frenkie de Jong, and Lamine. I know our dressing room, and everything is going well. It was a good choice.” Among the most interesting new developments is Gabriel Jesus, who arrived to add further depth to the attack. Flick is satisfied with what he has seen in training, though he noted that the Brazilian is not yet at peak fitness: “I really liked what I saw. He isn’t at one hundred percent, but he could get a few minutes in the second half. He’s ready. I like his movement, his composure on the ball, and the way he attacks the goal.”

The Barcelona manager also discussed Real Madrid’s defeat in the previous round of matches, while urging against underestimating Xabi Alonso’s team. “I watched yesterday’s game; Madrid played well and created chances. That’s football—it happens. We want to stick to our style, but it will be a tough match, and we need to be ready. Winning isn’t always easy.” Flick then praised his squad and the level of performance shown in daily training sessions. “What I see during training is what matters, and what I see is fantastic. The important thing is winning and securing trophies. The quality is extremely high.” Finally, Flick addressed the topic of transfer market investments and decisions made jointly with sporting director Deco. “We made the decisions together. I’m happy. After selling players, you have to make new signings. It isn’t easy for me to look at La Masia players and choose to back others brought in from outside. The La Masia lads dream of succeeding here, but we have to be honest: we want to win trophies. We are Barça, and changes are part of the game.” The objective ahead of the match against Valencia remains clear: “We’ll see if we can win every game, but that is our goal. The right mentality and attitude are there. It’s incredible to see how they work and the atmosphere in the dressing room. We need to improve every day.”

– photo IPA Agency –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

PARIS (FRANCE) (ITALPRESS) – Three matches and just two points. Meanwhile, league leaders Monaco—who triumphed at the Parc des Princes last night—have already opened up a seven-point gap. It is certainly not the start Paris Saint-Germain fans expected, though Luis Enrique remains confident. The Asturian coach would have liked to celebrate the announcement of his contract extension through 2030 in a different way (“It’s the first time I’ve managed a team for four consecutive seasons, but I’m more motivated than I was in the first year; I hope to stay here for a long time, but I know I have to earn it”), yet the result isn’t the whole story. “We deserved the win,” he said after the defeat to Monaco. “It’s the classic match where you’re better than the opponent and create more chances, but the opposing goalkeeper is the man of the match. Just like what happened against Newcastle, Atlético Madrid, Sporting Lisbon, or Liverpool two years ago. We deserved to win, but football comes down to goals, and in that regard, we lost.” Luis Enrique downplayed the situation (“The defense? Monaco had two shots on target and scored two goals”), though he did not shy away from offering the customary praise to his counterpart, Filipe Luís. “Monaco defended very well; I liked the way they played. They’re in first place—congratulations to them and their coach.”

“What I want to get across, however, is that we shouldn’t focus on the result. We pressed much better than in other matches where we didn’t concede any goals. But this time, luck was against us; the result cannot erase everything we did well,” the Spanish coach insisted. “Monaco knows that if they played ten matches against us like this, we would win eight, draw one, and lose one—today’s match.” After two comeback draws against Rennes and Lille—in both cases after trailing 2-0—PSG had taken the lead this time, only to see the game turned around against them. Now, the standings show Monaco leading Ligue 1 with 9 points, while Marquinhos and his teammates sit on 2. “It’s incredible motivation,” Luis Enrique replied. “If you want to bet on who will be champion at the end of the season, we can do that. We’re seven points behind? Fine, we’ll try to rectify this situation as quickly as possible.” More than a promise, it was a threat.

– photo IPA Agency –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews