BUENOS AIRES: Buenos Aires apologized to France after Argentina’s vice president called the European country “colonialist” and its people “hypocrites” in an argument over alleged racist chants by Argentine footballers.
President Javier Milei’s office said Friday it had sent a senior official to the French embassy to explain that Victoria Villarruel’s angry statement on social media was made in her personal capacity.
FIFA has announced an investigation into the chants sung by Argentina players, including Chelsea and Argentina midfielder Enzo Fernandez, 23, after they won the Copa America.
The chants were heard on a live video posted on social media by Fernandez from the team bus in the wake of the Copa victory over Colombia in Miami on Sunday.
The song targets France’s star striker Kylian Mbappe among others and includes racist and homophobic insults.
Fernandez has apologized, but Chelsea have launched an internal disciplinary procedure against him. The French Football Federation (FFF) has complained to FIFA.
On Wednesday, Villarruel expressed support for Fernandez on X, saying: “No colonialist country is going to intimidate us because of a stadium chant nor for speaking truths that they do not want to admit. Enough with feigned outrage, hypocrites.”
The diplomatic incident came just days before Milei is due to travel to Paris to attend the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games.
“Diplomatic relations with France are intact,” presidential spokesman Manuel Adorni said Friday.
Argentina’s under secretary for sports, Julio Garro, was dismissed from his post this week after saying captain Lionel Messi and the Argentine Football Association should apologize for the chants.
Argentina apologizes to France in football-chant row
https://arab.news/p8ud8
Argentina apologizes to France in football-chant row
Offensive Iraq-Palestine World Cup qualifier video ‘fabricated,’ says Jordan Football Association
- Fake video shared widely on social media claimed to show Jordanian fans chanting offensive slogans at the Iraqi players and supporters
- Association says it verified the video was fabricated and is dismayed that some people seem set on inciting conflict, extremism and hatred among sports fans
AMMAN: The Jordanian Football Association expressed regret on Friday over a video widely shared on social media this week that appeared to show Jordanian fans chanting offensive slogans during a World Cup qualifier between Iraq and Palestine.
The footage was fabricated, it said.
The video, which claimed to show Jordanian fans directing insulting chants at the Iraqi players and supporters, began to spread online after Palestine defeated Iraq 2-1 in the match at the Amman International Stadium on Tuesday. It provoked heated exchanges online among the two sets of fans.
The JFA said it regretted the fabricated video and affirmed the depth of the historical, deep-rooted ties between the Jordanian and Iraqi peoples, which it said could not be damaged by people who act in ways that do not reflect true sporting values, the Jordan News Agency reported on Friday.
The association said it had verified the video was fake, and was dismayed that some individuals seem set on inciting conflict, extremism and hatred among sports fans. It urged supporters in Jordan to avoid being drawn into online exchanges of disrespectful remarks that “do not reflect the values of Jordanians.”
It praised the efforts of Jordanian and Iraqi sports journalists who had attempted to alert their followers on social media to the fact that the video was fake and urge them not to fall victim to such “provocative and inciteful” videos.
The association also reminded fans of the tremendous efforts made by Prince Ali bin Hussein, the president of the JFA, to help lift a long-running FIFA ban on international games in Iraq, and that Jordan had played Iraq in 2017 in the first international game played at Basra International Stadium, which was also the first international game to take place in the country in four years.
The JFA added: “While we support our national team in its quest for direct qualification to the World Cup with all our capabilities, we emphasize the importance of adhering to the spirit of sportsmanship and the depth of shared Arab relations.
“We wish all other Arab teams success in their journey in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.”
Brazil fires coach Dorival Júnior after worst defeat in World Cup qualifying
- Júnior’s replacement has yet to be picked
- Brazil are fifth in South American qualifying for the 2026 World Cup
SAO PAULO: Brazil coach Dorival Júnior was fired on Friday after 14 months amid poor results and disappointing performances from the national team.
Júnior’s sacking by Brazilian Football Confederation president Ednaldo Rodrigues came three days after a 4-1 defeat to bitter rival Argentina in Buenos Aires, Brazil’s heaviest defeat in a World Cup qualifier.
Júnior’s replacement has yet to be picked.
Brazil are fifth in South American qualifying for the 2026 World Cup. The top six qualify automatically.
Under the 62-year-old Júnior, Brazil won seven matches, drew another seven, and lost two. The team scored 25 goals and conceded 17.
In the Copa America last year, Brazil were eliminated in the quarterfinals by Uruguay on penalties.
Rodrigues was just re-elected on Monday to head the confederation to 2030. In 2023, he bet on Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti to take over one year later. While waiting for Ancelotti, Brazil retained Fernando Diniz as their coach.
Diniz was fired in January 2024 after six matches on the job after Ancelotti extended his contract in Spain.
PSG ‘feel like champions’ as Ligue 1 title nears, says Luis Enrique
- “We’re never champions until it’s mathematically certain, but we can feel like champions,” Luis Enrique told reporters
- “We’re going to use these last eight matches for other goals, to be competitive against all opponents”
POISSY, France: Coach Luis Enrique said Paris Saint-Germain “can feel like champions” knowing they could seal the Ligue 1 title this weekend but warned his players not to let their level drop.
The unbeaten league leaders go to second-bottom Saint-Etienne, where a win would secure an 11th French title in 13 seasons if Marseille lose away to Reims and Monaco draw with Nice on Saturday.
“We’re never champions until it’s mathematically certain, but we can feel like champions, we’re the best team in Ligue 1,” Luis Enrique told reporters on Friday.
“We’re going to use these last eight matches for other goals, to be competitive against all opponents... to be ready for the three months that remain.
“There’s the French Cup and the Champions League, where we want to be right to the end.”
PSG face second-tier Dunkerque in the semifinals of the French Cup in Lille next week before taking on Aston Villa in the last eight of the Champions League.
Luis Enrique doesn’t believe the possibility of wrapping up a record-extending 13th Ligue 1 title on Saturday should have any effect on his team’s mindset.
“It seems totally unimportant to me, there are eight games left in the league, we want to be competitive because that will prepare us in the best way for the other competitions,” said the Spaniard.
“I feel almost the same as I did this time last year, we were almost champions, in the semifinals of the cup and quarter-finals of the Champions League, with young players who have a year’s more experience.”
PSG will be without Lee Kang-in against Saint-Etienne after the South Korean picked up an ankle injury on international duty. Achraf Hakimi is also being rested after playing for Morocco in World Cup qualifying.
‘We don’t deserve bonus’: Man City boss Guardiola
- Guardiola believes City have underachieved so badly that they will not deserve a bonus
- “If we win, I don’t know how much but it is for the club,” Guardiola said
LONDON: Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has admitted he and his players do not deserve a bonus even if they salvage their dismal season by winning the Club World Cup.
Guardiola’s side are languishing in fifth place in the Premier League and crashed out of the Champions League and League Cup.
English champions for the previous four seasons, City could finish without a major trophy for the first time since Guardiola’s maiden season in charge in 2016/17.
Their last hope of landing domestic silverware lies in the FA Cup, with a quarter-final tie at Bournemouth looming on Sunday.
But even if they win the FA Cup or the Club World Cup in June and July, Guardiola believes City have underachieved so badly that they will not deserve a bonus from the big prize pot on offer at the post-season tournament in the United States.
FIFA, the sport’s global governing body, confirmed this week that the Club World Cup winners will earn up to $125 million in prize money, with a total pot of $1 billion going to the 32 participating clubs.
“We don’t deserve it this season. We don’t deserve a bonus this season. If we win, I don’t know how much but it is for the club,” Guardiola told reporters on Friday.
“The manager, the players, the backroom staff, we don’t deserve. Not even a watch.”
Chelsea to face Barcelona in Women’s Champions League semis after Man City fightback
LONDON: Chelsea’s women overturned a two-goal first leg deficit to beat Manchester City 3-0 and set up a Champions League semifinal meeting with holders Barcelona on Thursday.
Earlier, Barca mauled Wolfsburg 6-1 in Catalonia to complete a 10-2 aggregate thrashing.
In the final of four meetings between City and Chelsea in the past 12 days, the English champions wasted little time in gaining revenge for a rare defeat in last week’s first leg.
The Blues had turned the tie around before half-time as Sandy Baltimore blasted into the top corner before Nathalie Bjorn headed in from a corner to level the tie at 2-2 on aggregate.
Lauren James then pounced on a sloppy City pass to tee up Mayra Ramirez for the winning goal.
Chelsea remain on course for a quadruple in Sonia Bompastor’s first season in charge.
They beat City 2-1 in the League Cup final earlier this month to begin the quartet of meetings, are into the semifinals of the FA Cup and have an eight-point lead at the top of the Women’s Super League.
However, they face the most daunting challenge in women’s football next month in trying to dethrone Barcelona.
Chelsea’s quest to win the Champions League for the first time has come undone against the Spanish champions in three of the past four seasons.
Pere Romeu’s side have gone on to win the tournament on all three occasions and set a record by reaching a seventh consecutive semifinal.
After a shock first ever women’s El Clasico defeat by Real Madrid on Sunday, Barca showed no mercy against the side they beat to win the 2023 final.
Salma Paralluelo’s quickfire double built on Barca’s 4-1 first leg lead before Esmee Brugts smashed home the third from outside the box.
Substitute Claudia Pina continued the rout after the hour mark as she beat Anneke Borbe too easily at her near post.
Lineth Beerensteyn pulled one back for the visitors after Barca stopper Cata Coll was lured out of her goal but could not clear the ball effectively.
Pina scored a fine second with a free-kick which flew in off the post, with Mapi Leon following suit from even longer range to wrap up Barcelona’s rout in stoppage time.
Arsenal will face eight-time winners Lyon in the other semifinal for a place in the final in Lisbon on May 24.
