BARCELONA (SPAIN) (ITALPRESS) – Hansi Flick represents both the present and the future of Barcelona, ​​but looking further ahead, there is a coach whose background and footballing philosophy would make him an ideal candidate to one day take the reins. That man is Cesc Fàbregas, who grew up at Barcelona’s La Masia academy and later returned to the club between 2011 and 2014 before moving to Chelsea.

According to Sport, his work at Como is being closely monitored by the Barcelona board; should the day come when Flick steps down, the current Como manager would be among the top options. In addition to Fàbregas, Barcelona is also keeping an eye on the early coaching steps of Sergio Busquets, who is currently part of the technical staff for the B team—a setup led by another former Blaugrana player, Juliano Belletti.

– photo IPA Agency –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

DORTMUND (GERMANY) (ITALPRESS) – Borussia Dortmund needs its fans—without any distractions. In a initiative, the club will offer autographed jerseys and vouchers for official merchandise to supporters at home games who set aside their smartphones to focus entirely on the match.

The program begins as early as tomorrow, during the clash against Eintracht Frankfurt: to participate, fans must download the “Fan Mode” app, which tracks screen time. Fans earn points by keeping their phones off, while points are deducted every time the device is unlocked. Those with the highest scores will receive prizes.

“Over 81,000 people in the stadium—singing, cheering, and holding their breath together—this moment, here and now, is irreplaceable,” says Carsten Cramer, CEO of Borussia, who hopes this initiative will help “reinvigorate” the club’s famous “Yellow Wall.” “I think we could all stand to spend a little less time looking at our phones now and then. If we cut back on their use, we can all focus a bit more on other things,” notes manager Niko Kovac, who prohibits his players from using smartphones during team meals.

– photo IPA Agency –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

ROME (ITALPRESS) – The Belgian justice system has sided with UEFA regarding “home-grown” players. A Brussels court has refused to overturn an arbitration ruling that went against the club Royal Antwerp and Israeli footballer Lior Refaelov. The case concerns a requirement established by UEFA in 2008, which mandates that clubs participating in its competitions must include at least 8 “home-grown” players—defined as players trained by clubs within the same national league—in their 25-man squad. Furthermore, at least four of these eight players must have been trained by the club itself. To qualify as a “home-grown player,” an individual must have spent at least three years at the club, or at another club within the same country, between the ages of 15 and 21. Royal Antwerp and Refaelov had argued that these restrictions limited clubs’ access to talent trained abroad and constituted an illicit agreement between UEFA and national football associations. The Brussels court rejected these arguments, following a 2023 decision by the Court of Justice of the European Union, which had referred the matter to the Belgian courts to determine whether the rules violated regulations concerning competition and the free movement of individuals.”

The ruling strongly supports UEFA’s regulatory framework and its objectives: to encourage clubs to develop talent rather than simply buying it, and to promote competitive balance in European football,” came the comment from Nyon.

– photo IPA Agency –

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Source: medNews

TUNIS (TUNISIA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – On Thursday, October 22, the Tunisian Minister of Trade and Export Development, Samir Abid, inaugurated the eighth edition of the International Textile Exhibition at the Sousse exhibition center, in the presence of the regional governor, Sofiane Tanfouri. During his visit, the Minister toured the stands of various participating Tunisian companies and met with exhibitors to discuss the performance of their businesses and their export markets. He also visited areas dedicated to the El Fejja development hub—located in the Monastir Governorate—and the sectoral textile training center in Ksar Hellal.

In his remarks, Abid underscored the economic significance of the textile sector, noting its contribution to Tunisian exports and its role in strengthening the country’s presence in foreign markets. He also highlighted the sector’s capacity to adapt to economic shifts and international geopolitical developments. The Minister reaffirmed the authorities’ commitment to supporting the continuity of the industry and enhancing its competitiveness through ongoing dialogue with stakeholders and by addressing challenges that hinder business growth. According to Abid, events of this nature foster direct contact between Tunisian and foreign companies, creating opportunities for partnerships, the exchange of expertise, and access to new markets.

– photo Pexels.com –

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Source: medNews

ROME (ITALPRESS) – He has decided to step in—to enter the fray—to put a stop to the rumors surrounding him, clarify his position, and, above all, refute accounts he describes as completely baseless. Antonio Conte has taken to social media to set the record straight, following a flurry of speculation linking his name to various clubs—most notably Manchester United, as well as Juventus and others.

“In light of the rumors published over the last few days by various media outlets, both in Italy and abroad, I feel it is necessary to provide some clarity. My name has been linked to numerous clubs, but at this moment, there are no advanced negotiations underway,” the coach from Lecce asserts. “Following a wonderful and successful stint in charge of Napoli, I intend to take the time I need to evaluate how and when to return to coaching. It will be a carefully considered decision, one I will make only when I believe the right conditions are in place. I have read reports about alleged financial demands and requests for ‘full control’ that I supposedly made to the clubs in question, as well as concerns regarding what is often described as my ‘strong personality.’ These accounts are entirely unfounded; as things stand, there is no concrete basis for such claims.”

Conte does not rule out an immediate return to the sidelines, nor does he exclude the possibility of taking more time to reflect—it will all depend on the nature of the offers that come his way. “Should a concrete opportunity arise, that will be the time to engage with the club in question and discuss the terms of a potential agreement—ensuring that both parties’ needs are met and that the core principles of my coaching philosophy are respected. Until then, any speculation regarding my demands or my professional future remains just that: speculation, not fact,” concludes Antonio Conte.

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Source: medNews

BENGHAZI (LIBYA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – The Deputy Commander of the Libyan Armed Forces, Lieutenant General Saddam Haftar, received a high-level delegation from the United Kingdom in Benghazi, led by Major General John Clark, Commander of the Global Integrated Defence System, and the British Ambassador to Libya, Martin Reynolds.

The meeting addressed the strengthening of bilateral relations and cooperation in the military, security, and economic spheres, as well as regional developments. The parties discussed intensifying joint efforts to combat terrorism, extremism, and illegal immigration. The British delegation reaffirmed the United Kingdom’s support for efforts to unify Libyan institutions and promote stability.

Finally, both sides agreed on the need to continue their dialogue and cooperation.

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Source: medNews

MUNICH (GERMANY) (ITALPRESS) – A muscle injury to the left hamstring—this is the diagnosis for the injury sustained yesterday by Luis Díaz during the Champions League match between Bayern Munich and Arsenal (2-2). The Colombian forward played only from the 68th to the 90th minute, when he was forced to leave the pitch. According to the German press, the player faces a layoff of at least one month.

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(ITALPRESS9.

Source: medNews

VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Malta has climbed two places to 29th out of 143 countries in the 2026 Rule of Law Index, despite a slight decline in its overall score, according to the World Justice Project (WJP).

The country scored 0.67, a drop of less than 1% compared with the previous edition.

The report raised concerns about declining freedom of expression, freedom of assembly and public participation, alongside weakening safeguards against government power.

Malta’s ranking for constraints on government powers fell for the third consecutive year, dropping from 39th in 2024 to 43rd in 2025 and 49th in 2026.

The WJP also reported weakening judicial checks on government authority, a trend observed in 63% of the countries assessed, including Malta.

Despite these concerns, Malta improved two places in the absence of corruption category, ranking 38th globally. It also placed 10th worldwide for order and security.

In its regional comparison, Malta ranked 22nd among 31 countries covering the European Union, the European Free Trade Association and North America. It retained seventh place for order and security in the region.

Denmark topped both the regional and global rankings, followed by Norway and Finland. Greece, Bulgaria and Hungary ranked lowest in the regional table.

Globally, the report warned of continued deterioration in the rule of law, with more than 86% of countries experiencing a sustained five-year decline in at least one key safeguard against authoritarian rule.

These safeguards include limits on government powers, open government and fundamental rights. Malta was among the countries affected.

The WJP identified inappropriate government influence and interference as major factors behind weakening institutions. Civil justice deteriorated in 64% of countries surveyed, while criminal justice weakened in 58%.

Although access to affordable civil justice improved in 54% of countries, Malta was not among those recording progress.

Overall, 62% of the 143 countries assessed registered a decline in their rule of law score.

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Source: medNews

VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Prime Minister Robert Abela met two European Commissioners at his office in Aunerge de Castille to discuss Malta’s priorities and the European Union’s upcoming budget.

The meeting was attended by Malta’s Commissioner for Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture and Sport, Glenn Micallef, and Commissioner for Budget, Anti-Fraud and Public Administration, Piotr Serafin.

According to the Office of the Prime Minister, discussions focused on how the EU’s new budget could continue to support Malta’s priorities and ensure that European investment delivers tangible benefits for citizens.

The meeting also highlighted the importance of improving people’s quality of life through EU-funded investment.

Opportunities for people to develop their talents were also discussed, alongside efforts to increase access to culture within local communities.

The discussions centred on ensuring that European funding continues to support citizens and creates opportunities across different areas of society.

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Source: medNews

ROME (ITALPRESS) – A significant new endorsement for Gianni Infantino. Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa, president of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), has announced that the AFC will support the Italian-Swiss official’s bid for re-election to the top post at FIFA.

The Bahraini executive—who was once considered a potential challenger to Infantino—had previously joined the opposition against a now-abandoned proposal, through which the current FIFA president sought to transfer the commercial rights for FIFA tournaments, including the World Cup, to private investors.

That project, known as “FIFA Forward Enterprise,” was immediately met with resistance from UEFA and CONCACAF, and Infantino has since apologized for it. In his opening address at the AFC extraordinary congress in Tokyo, Sheikh Salman confirmed his confederation’s support for Infantino.

“I believe we can reaffirm our full commitment to supporting you and your leadership as you seek a new term as FIFA president,” he stated, addressing the Italian-Swiss official, who was present at the extraordinary congress. Infantino is running for re-election in March, aiming for a fourth term that would keep him at the helm of world football until 2031. Any potential challengers have until November 18 to submit their own candidacies.

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(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews