MADRID (SPAIN) (ITALPRESS) – “VAR should only intervene in the case of clear and obvious errors, not as happens in some cases in La Liga or the Premier League, where matches are interrupted for ten or fifteen minutes.” This is the opinion of UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin, speaking in Madrid at a forum organized by Apollo Sports Capital, Atlético’s new majority shareholder.

“Sometimes fans don’t understand the different interpretations of the rules from one match to the next, and I understand them. I don’t understand them anymore either,” Ceferin added, also focusing on the handball rule: “Nobody understands it. Is it a penalty or not? Was it intentional or not? How can you know? We’re not psychiatrists,” he said, as reported by “L’Equipe.”

– photo IPA Agency –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

LONDON (ENGLAND) (ITALPRESS) – Chris Hughton, 67, former manager of Brighton and Newcastle, underwent surgery for prostate cancer in May last year. Hughton himself revealed the news only today to the “Daily Mail.” “The news certainly didn’t scare me,” he revealed. “I know everyone is different, but my first thought was, ‘I’ll be fine.’ I didn’t immediately think, ‘It’s probably going to kill me.’ I just thought, ‘OK, we’ll have to do what’s necessary.’”

A former Tottenham full-back, with whom he won a UEFA Cup and two FA Cups in the 1980s, he gained promotion to the Premier League with Brighton and Newcastle and also managed Birmingham, Norwich, and Nottingham Forest. His last assignment was as coach of Ghana between 2023 and 2024.

– photo IPA Agency –

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Source: medNews

MADRID (SPAIN) (ITALPRESS) – Bernardo Silva will end his glorious spell at Manchester City at the end of the season, but his future is still unclear. Linked to Barcelona and Juventus, according to “As,” the 31-year-old Portuguese has also been offered a move by his agent, Jorge Mendes, to Real Madrid. However, at the moment, the Blancos, despite appreciating the player, are not interested.

– photo IPA Agency –

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Source: medNews

RABAT (MOROCCO) (ITALPRESS) – Switzerland considers the “autonomy initiative” presented by Morocco “to be the most serious, credible, and pragmatic basis” for resolving the regional dispute surrounding the Sahara. This is according to a statement from the Moroccan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which stated that this position was expressed in a joint statement adopted by Ignazio Cassis, Federal Councillor, Vice-President of the Swiss Confederation, and Head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, and Nasser Bourita, Moroccan Foreign Minister, on a working visit to Bern.

In the same statement, Switzerland also welcomed the adoption of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2797, stating that “genuine autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty could constitute one of the most feasible solutions.” Switzerland also reiterated its support for the central role played by the United Nations and the efforts of the Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy.

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Source: medNews

LONDON (ENGLAND) (ITALPRESS) – “Our energy and confidence have increased. We couldn’t know better what we have to do: there are five games to play, tomorrow is the first, all in and we’re off.” The defeat against Manchester City and the draw at the top of the table by Guardiola’s team don’t worry Mikel Arteta, who is convinced that his Arsenal will fight to the end, both in the Premier League and in the Champions League, where they face Atlético Madrid in the semifinals. “There are five games to go, four weeks, two big competitions to fight for, and everything still up for grabs. If someone had told us at the start of the season, we would have signed. And if we win tomorrow, we’ll be much closer. I have faith in our players, our people, and our will to achieve what we want.”

The title could also be decided by goal difference, which currently sees Arsenal and City perfectly tied, with both having a 37-point lead. “We’re just talking about hypotheses. Then, depending on how the situation develops, we can start thinking about other things. We have to give everything in these five games and make what we want happen.” Arteta, among other things, won a league title on goal difference as a player, against Rangers in 2003: “I took the penalty and we won the league by just one goal. You couldn’t ask for anything better. One of the best feelings of my career. When you win like that, it’s even more special.”

– photo IPA Agency –

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Source: medNews

LISBON (PORTUGAL) (ITALPRESS) – UEFA has suspended Prestianni for six matches following homophobic (and not racist) insults directed at Vinicius Jr. The disciplinary investigation dates back to the first leg of the Champions League play-off in Lisbon against Real Madrid on February 17. The Ethics and Disciplinary Committee of the European Football Confederation has decided – according to the Portuguese newspaper “A Bola” – to sanction the Argentine player with a six-match ban to be served for both club and international football. The ban also includes the second leg of the play-off played at the Bernabeu on February 25. The sanction, however, comes with a specific condition. Three of the six matches remain suspended with a two-year suspended sentence: if there are no further sanctionable behaviors, Prestianni will be released by serving an additional two match suspension, since he has already missed one match, the return match at the Bernabeu. UEFA has also reportedly asked FIFA to extend the provision globally, a possibility that could deny the Argentine player participation in the 2026 World Cup.

Following this decision, Benfica responded with a statement confirming the incident: “The club announces that it has been informed by UEFA of the sanction imposed on the player Prestianni for using homophobic language during the Benfica-Real Madrid match. The player Prestianni has been sanctioned with a six-match ban, three of which are suspended for two years. Of the three actual bans, one has already been served and the remaining two must be served in UEFA matches or with the Argentina national team in FIFA.” The incident occurred during Benfica-Real, the first leg of the Champions League play-offs, played at the Da Luz stadium and ending 0-1 for the Blancos, who then won 2-1 in the return leg. After Vinicius’s goal to make it 1-0, around the 50th minute, Prestianni approached the Real Madrid winger and, with his shirt covering his mouth, said something, triggering a reaction from the Brazilian, who immediately ran to the match official, Frenchman Letexier, who was ready to activate the anti-racism protocol, suspending the match for about ten minutes. Prestianni immediately defended himself, denying that he had hurled racist insults at his opponent.

– photo IPA Agency –

Source: medNews

LONDON (ENGLAND) (ITALPRESS) – Serie A attempted this year, obtaining UEFA’s approval—albeit reluctantly—but the plan to bring Milan-Como to Perth ultimately fell through. But things could change in the future. According to the Guardian, FIFA is reportedly working on a clearer but also more rigorous protocol that would allow leagues to move one league match per season abroad.

On the other hand, a country could host up to five seasonal matches from other leagues. Zurich’s goal is to regulate an often thorny and debated issue by clarifying roles and conditions. Any request to move a league match abroad would thus be considered if all parties involved agree and the federations and confederations concerned approve. FIFA would, however, reserve a veto right, which it could exercise if it deems the well-being of the players to be at risk or if the host country’s league would be affected. Finally, guarantees would be required regarding the redistribution of revenue and compensation for fans unable to follow the teams abroad.

– photo IPA Agency –

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Source: medNews

MANCHESTER (ENGLAND) (ITALPRESS) – “Do I have an idea of ​​when I’ll leave? I take it day by day. It’s not about numbers. I don’t wake up thinking about what we’ve won, or that winning would make that day happier.” Pep Guardiola, Manchester City manager, once again deflects questions about his future, with his mind focused exclusively on the FA Cup semifinal against Southampton. “We have the opportunity to play in another semifinal at Wembley, and we’ll try to win,” the Catalan coach curtly stated.

– photo IPA Agency –

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Source: medNews

VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Malta’s government has unveiled an ambitious 15-year transport strategy featuring a hybrid light rail system linking Valletta, St Paul’s Bay, Mater Dei Hospital, Qormi and the airport.

The proposed 24km route, named the La Valette Line, will combine underground, street-level and elevated segments, with stations integrated into bus hubs and park-and-ride facilities to allow seamless travel connections.

Transport Minister Chris Bonnet presented the plan as part of a broader vision, “Malta in Motion”, aimed at improving daily mobility and expanding travel options through a mix of rail, bus, ferry, cycling and walking initiatives.

Estimated to cost €2.8 billion, including €1.8 billion in construction, the rail system is designed to offer high-capacity, high-frequency service, with waiting times of under 10 minutes.

Development of detailed route and station designs is expected to take two years, followed by a three-year planning phase. Construction will then proceed in two stages: a five-year first phase connecting Valletta to the airport, and a second five-year phase extending to Qormi, Mater Dei and St Paul’s Bay.

While less extensive than a 2021 metro proposal, officials described the revised plan as more realistic and better integrated within a wider transport framework.

Engineering firm ARUP, which contributed to the strategy, stressed that buses will remain the backbone of public transport, supported by measures such as dedicated lanes and intelligent traffic systems.

Transport Malta CEO Kurt Farrugia said geological studies along the proposed route will begin shortly, alongside work on a redesigned bus network aligned with the future rail system.

The plan also includes expanded ferry services, new park-and-ride facilities and improved interchanges, although authorities pledged to avoid past mistakes linked to unpopular transfer systems.

Officials confirmed there are no plans to introduce on-street paid parking, while decisions on whether rail services will be free will depend on future government policy.

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Source: medNews

LONDON (UNITED KINGDOM) (ITALPRESS) – The United Kingdom’s Foreign Minister, Yvette Cooper, yesterday reaffirmed her country’s position on the Sahara issue, renewing Britain’s support for the autonomy plan presented by Morocco as “the most credible, viable, and pragmatic basis for peace in the Sahara.”

According to a statement from the Moroccan Foreign Ministry, following her meeting in London with Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita, the British diplomat reaffirmed her country’s position on the Sahara issue, renewing her support for the autonomy plan proposed by Morocco. Yvette Cooper finally expressed satisfaction with the excellence of bilateral relations, emphasizing that “the partnership with the Kingdom of Morocco represents a source of great value for the peoples of both countries, particularly through the opportunities for cooperation related to the 2030 FIFA World Cup.”

– Photo IPA Agency –
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Source: medNews