MADRID: Barcelona have denied what the club describes as “serious and unfounded accusations” of corruption after a former vice president claimed someone “had put their hands in the till.”
Emili Rousaud was one of six board members to resign on Thursday night as Barca continue to be embroiled in political crisis under their current president Josep Maria Bartomeu.
All six resigning board members called for the 2021 presidential elections to be brought forward in a joint letter published on Friday by the newspaper La Vanguardia.
In an interview with Spanish radio station Cadena Ser, Rousaud discussed the social media controversy that rocked the club in February, when Barcelona were accused of hiring a company called I3 Ventures to discredit opponents of Bartomeu online, including players like Lionel Messi and Gerard Pique.
“If the auditors tell us the cost of these services is 100,000 euros and we have paid one million, it means someone has put their hand in the till. I have no evidence and I cannot say who,” Rousaud told the program RAC1 on Friday.
Barcelona responded with an official statement that read: “In the light of the serious and unfounded accusations made this morning by Emili Rousaud, ex-vice president of the club, in different interviews with the media, FC Barcelona categorically denies any activity that can be described as corruption and therefore reserves the right to any legal action that may correspond.”
Bartomeu terminated the club’s contract with I3 Ventures in February. He said the company had been hired only to monitor posts on social media and announced an internal audit to investigate any irregularity.
“The analysis of the monitoring services of social networks is being subjected to an independent audit by PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PWC), which is still ongoing and, therefore, without any conclusions,” Barcelona’s statement added.
Rousaud had been appointed as a club vice president in January and was seen as a leading candidate to succeed Bartomeu, who cannot stand again when the presidential elections come round next year.
Instead, Rousaud has quit, citing frustrations with the club’s management, along with fellow vice president Enrique Tombas, as well as directors Silvio Elias, Josep Pont, Jordi Calsamiglia and Maria Teixidor.
Bartomeu has overseen a string of political spats in recent months being played out in public, with Messi also involved.
Messi reacted angrily in January to Eric Abidal, the club’s technical secretary, suggesting the players were to blame for the sacking of Ernesto Valverde and last month, the Argentinian criticized the club’s handling of negotiations with the squad over pay cuts.
Those remaining swiftly addressed the resignations from the board. “The resignations of the members of the board of directors announced over the last few hours have come about due to a reorganization of the board put forward by president Josep Maria Bartomeu and which will be completed in the next few days,” the statement added.
Barcelona deny corruption after six board members resign
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Barcelona deny corruption after six board members resign
- All six resigning board members called for the 2021 presidential elections to be brought forward
- The football club continues to be embroiled in political crisis under their current president Josep Maria Bartomeu
Afghanistan name Champions Trophy squad amid boycott calls
- Afghanistan have recalled fit-again Ibrahim Zadran in their 15-man Champions Trophy squad
- There are calls to boycott Afghanistan matches due to Taliban crackdown on women’s rights
Afghanistan have recalled fit-again Ibrahim Zadran in their 15-man Champions Trophy squad, amid ongoing calls for teams to boycott matches against them due to the Taliban government’s crackdown on women’s rights since returning to power in 2021.
Afghan opener Zadran has recovered from ankle surgery to make the squad but team management decided against rushing Mujeeb Ur Rehman back into 50-overs cricket after the spinner sprained his hand last year.
Fellow spinner AM Ghaznafar has been drafted in as a like-for-like replacement for Mujeeb.
Afghanistan have brought in former Pakistan captain Younis Khan to mentor the side in what will mark their first appearance in the tournament featuring the top eight One-Day International teams in the world.
“Afghanistan have performed exceptionally well in the past two ICC events,” chairman of the Afghanistan Cricket Board Mirwais Ashraf said in a statement on Sunday.
“Their impressive performances in these two event coupled with their ODI series victories last year will undoubtedly boost their morale and help them deliver an even better campaign this time.”
The Hashmatullah Shahidi-led side may be faced with some off-field distractions in Pakistan with Group B rivals England and South Africa being urged to boycott their matches.
Both the ECB and Cricket South Africa have ruled out boycotts against Afghanistan in multi-team competitions organized by the governing International Cricket Council (ICC).
They would rather follow a unified and collective approach from all ICC members, the boards said.
Afghanistan begin their campaign against South Africa in Karachi on Feb. 21.
Afghanistan squad: Hashmatullah Shahidi (captain), Rahmat Shah, Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wicketkeeper), Ikram Alikhil (wicketkeeper), Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Rashid Khan, AM Ghazanfar, Noor Ahmad, Fazal Haq Farooqi, Naveed Zadran, Farid Ahmad Malik
Cummins, Hazlewood return to Australia squad for Champions Trophy in Pakistan
- Pat Cummins opted out of Sri Lanka series starting this month for the birth of his second child
- Opener Jake Fraser-McGurk was dropped from squad after his poor recent form against Pakistan
MELBOURNE: Pat Cummins returns for Australia’s ICC Champions Trophy campaign in Pakistan next month after skipping their Sri Lanka Test tour, with injured paceman Josh Hazlewood also in the squad announced Monday.
Australian captain Cummins opted out of the Sri Lanka series starting later this month for the birth of his second child. He is also reportedly carrying a knee injury.
Hazlewood was included in the two-time tournament winners’ preliminary 15-man line-up after calf and side strains restricted him to just two Tests against India over the summer.
While they return, opener Jake Fraser-McGurk was dumped, paying the price for his poor recent form after opening for Australia during their most-recent one-day series against Pakistan.
“This is a balanced and experienced squad with the core having been involved in the previous one-day World Cup, the West Indies series, last year’s successful tour of the UK and the more recent Pakistan home series,” said chief selector George Bailey.
“It offers a variety of options for touring management depending on opposition and the conditions that may present in Pakistan.”
The eight-nation Champions Trophy, between February 19 and March 9, will be played in Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates.
Australia squad: Pat Cummins (capt), Alex Carey, Nathan Ellis, Aaron Hardie, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Matt Short, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa
Five-star Barcelona smash Real Madrid to win Spanish Super Cup in Jeddah
- Kylian Mbappe put Madrid ahead but dominant Barcelona hit five in response
JEDDAH: Barcelona hammered rivals Real Madrid 5-2 in a wild Spanish Super Cup Clasico final in Saudi Arabia on Sunday to win the first trophy of the Hansi Flick era.
The electric Kylian Mbappe sent Madrid ahead but a dominant Barcelona hit five in response before their goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny was sent off in the second half.
Madrid were hoping to avenge their 4-0 defeat by Barcelona in October’s La Liga Clasico but instead were left battered and bruised by their arch-rivals in Jeddah.
After Mbappe’s opener, Lamine Yamal levelled and Robert Lewandowski sent Barcelona ahead from the penalty spot, with Raphinha bagging a brace and Alejandro Balde also on target.
Rodrygo Goes pulled one back for Madrid with a free-kick but they could not capitalize further on their numerical advantage in a humiliating defeat for the European champions.
Both Flick and his opposite number Carlo Ancelotti opted to maintain the same line-ups they started with in the semifinals.
Yamal issued Madrid an early warning with a curling effort from the right which forced Thibaut Courtois into a fine save.
The Belgian goalkeeper also produced a strong stop to keep a Raphinha header at bay after the Brazilian evaded Lucas Vazquez with ease.
Despite Barcelona’s opening salvo it was Real Madrid who took the lead in the fifth minute with Mbappe’s brilliant goal on the counter-attack.
The French forward, frustrated numerous times by the offside flag in the league defeat by the Catalans, broke loose on the halfway line after Vinicius won the ball back and, after bursting into the area, clipped past Szczesny.
It took a stunning individual goal from 17-year-old Yamal to level the scoreline, with the Spanish winger cutting in from the right before stroking home a low finish inside the near post in a similar style to former Barca great Lionel Messi, whom he is often compared to.
Inigo Martinez hobbled off injured and Flick sent on Ronald Araujo in his place, amidst heavy transfer speculation the Uruguayan defender wants to leave the club.
Barcelona kept pushing and moved ahead through Lewandowski’s penalty after Eduardo Camavinga arrived late and carelessly clattered Gavi.
Raphinha soon added Barcelona’s third with a header from Jules Kounde’s cross from deep and they grabbed their fourth before half-time on the break.
Yamal and Raphinha combined and the latter slipped in Balde, who slotted past Courtois.
Barcelona continued in the same vein after the break and Raphinha netted the fifth with a neat dribble and finish after Marc Casado played him in.
The Catalans were reduced to 10 men when Mbappe sped in at the other end, rounding goalkeeper Szczesny, who brought him down outside the area and after a VAR review was dismissed.
Rodrygo, who earlier hit the post, rifled home the free-kick past Szczesny’s replacement Inaki Pena.
Mbappe brilliantly teed up Jude Bellingham but the England international was denied by a superb Kounde challenge in stoppage time.
The French forward also came close to scoring again himself on a fine individual display but Pena tipped away his effort.
Barcelona brought on midfielder Dani Olmo for his first appearance since he was registered to play for the club on a temporary basis, a controversial issue which overshadowed the semifinals earlier in the week.
However their five-star display offered a host of other talking points as Barca won a record-extending 15th Spanish Super Cup.
Atletico Madrid wins record 14th game in a row to lead Spanish league at halfway stage
- Atletico has won all of its matches across all competitions since October
MADRID: Atletico Madrid set a club all-time record of 14 straight victories with a 1-0 win over Osasuna on Sunday and went top of the Spanish league at the halfway stage.
Julián Álvarez scored in the 55th minute at the Metropolitano stadium to give Atletico the milestone victory and a one-point lead over second-place Real Madrid. Diego Simeone’s team has a six-point gap to third-place Barcelona.
Madrid and Barcelona play each other in the Spanish Super Cup final in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, later Sunday. A 4-0 defeat to Barcelona will be on Madrid’s mind ahead of the second clasico of the season.
Atletico has won all of its matches across all competitions since October. Its last setback was a 1-0 loss at Real Betis in the Spanish league on Oct. 27. Eight of the victories have come in the league.
“It’s an important streak to show the growth of this club,” Simeone said. “We have been working really hard.”
It was the seventh consecutive league game without a win for Osasuna, which is in 11th place.
Also Sunday, 15th-place Getafe won 2-1 at 14th-place Las Palmas.
Tom Kohler-Cadmore’s heroics seal last-ball victory for Sharjah Warriorz
- Gulf Giants beaten by 3 wickets in thriller
DUBAI: In a thrilling encounter at the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday, Tom Kohler-Cadmore’s match-winning knock of 83 not out guided the Sharjah Warriorz to a nail-biting three-wicket victory over the Gulf Giants in the DP World ILT20.
The game, which went down to the final delivery, saw Kohler-Cadmore showcase his class and composure as he finished with six fours and four sixes in his 56-ball knock.
Kohler-Cadmore, who scooped the player of the match award, said: “It is great to get off with a win. I would have been devastated had we not got over the line. The pitch played well once you got your eye in; it was easier to hit.”
Chasing 175, the Warriorz faced early setbacks, losing Johnson Charles and Jason Roy in the first two overs to Daniel Worrall and Mark Adair, respectively.
Despite the shaky start, Kohler-Cadmore and the UAE’s Rohan Mustafa steadied the innings with a 105-run partnership. Mustafa contributed a crucial 45 runs off 33 balls before falling to Blessing Muzarabani in the 13th over, leaving the Warriorz on 119-3.
As wickets fell at the other end, Kohler-Cadmore held firm, pacing his innings with precision. After the quick dismissals of Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Karim Janat, and Harmeet Singh, the Warriorz required 24 runs off the final two overs.
Adil Rashid’s six in the 19th over helped reduce the equation to 10 off the last six balls. In a dramatic final over, Kohler-Cadmore’s calm ensured the Warriorz crossed the line, securing victory on the last ball.
Earlier in the evening, Sharjah Warriorz’s captain Tim Southee elected to bowl first, a decision vindicated by his impressive figures of three for 30. Southee’s early strikes removed Adam Lyth and James Vince, leaving the Gulf Giants at 41-2 in the powerplay.
Rehan Ahmed and Jordan Cox then shared in a 57-run stand, with Ahmed scoring 46 off 27 balls and Cox contributing 36 from 23.
Shimron Hetmyer added firepower, hammering 36 off 23 balls, while Mark Adair’s 20 runs and Saghir Khan’s quick 11 off four deliveries lifted the Giants to a competitive 174-7.
Reflecting on the game, Gulf Giants’ captain Vince praised Kohler-Cadmore’s performance.
He said: “I’m pretty happy with that score. There was some quality bowling from them upfront. Rehan and Cox built a good partnership, and Hettie did what he does.
“We thought they would come out strong, and the half chance of Cadmore proved costly. Having someone staying till the end was crucial. He is a quality player, a clean striker of the ball. It was a quality knock.”
