2021 - 2022 Football Thread - Page 55

Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter and his ex-UEFA counterpart Michel Platini have been charged with fraud in Switzerland.

It follows a six-year investigation into a payment of two million Swiss francs (£1.6m) from FIFA to Platini.

Blatter, 85, and French football legend Platini, 65, could now face a trial within months.

"This payment damaged FIFA's assets and unlawfully enriched Platini," Swiss federal prosecutors said in a statement.

In January 2011, Platini wrote to FIFA asking to be paid backdated additional salary for working as a presidential adviser in Blatter's first term from 1998 to 2002.

Blatter authorised FIFA to make the payment within weeks.

He and Platini have long denied wrongdoing and said they had verbally agreed for the money to be paid more than 20 years ago.

The Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland (OAG) alleged that an annual compensation of 300,000 Swiss francs for Platini's consulting was agreed in a written contract signed by both of them in 1999.

The OAG alleged that the compensation was invoiced by Platini on each occasion and paid in full by FIFA.

Eight years later, Platini allegedly demanded the payment of two million Swiss francs - which prosecutors said was made "without a legal basis".

In addition to being charged with fraud, Blatter has been charged with mismanagement, misappropriation of FIFA funds and forgery of a document.

Platini has been charged with fraud, misappropriation, forgery and as an accomplice to Blatter's alleged mismanagement.

Prosecutors opened criminal proceedings against Blatter in September 2015.

Platini was placed under formal investigation last year and months later the more serious allegation of fraud was included against both men.

"I view the proceedings at the federal criminal court with optimism - and hope that, with this, this story will come to an end and all the facts will be worked through cleanly," Blatter said in a statement.

"Regarding the payment of the sum of two million francs from FIFA to Michel Platini, I can only repeat myself: It was based on an oral contract that regulated Platini's advisory activities for FIFA between 1998 and 2002," he added.

Blatter said Platini only made his claim for the money in 2010 because FIFA was not able to pay the full amount at the time and the payment had been delayed.

The former FIFA president said "all responsible FIFA bodies" had approved the payments and that Platini had paid tax on the amount "at his Swiss place of residence".

Platini did not immediately respond to a request for comment but last month his Swiss lawyer Dominic Nellen said the investigation "should have been discontinued long ago".

He said the defence has now requested various witnesses, adding: "There are enough witness reports and documents in the case files that prove my client's innocence."

Fraud and forgery charges can be punished with jail sentences of up to five years.

On November 03 2021 23:22 Liquid`Drone wrote:
I think there are certainly ways United could become better from a better organized defense, no question about that. But I also think this entire season has kinda been Pogba in a nutshell and why he's a liability. He started the season on a high from the WC, and was absolutely amazing the first few games. Then his form dropped, and the team collapses as a consequence. Yesterday he was terrible, and he has been in many of the worst games of United. I really don't think it's a coincidence that the game vs Tottenham was their first really solid performance in two months - Pogba being sidelined for the entirety of that game.

Feels like he needs a Kante type of person next to him, a DM that can take care of the whole defensive shebang so he can fully focus on making creative offensive passes. It's fine to have a striker like Ronaldo whose defensive contribution is usually pretty meh but who scores goals consistently. But you can't really combine that with a central midfielder whose defensive contribution is wildly inconsistent, no matter how beautiful his passes - at least not when the DM options are fairly mediocre.

I'm a huge fan of his, tbh. There are no players I enjoy watching more than an in-form Pogba, his passes are so technical, yet perfect, but.. Building a team around a player this inconsistent doesn't win you league titles.

On November 04 2021 05:51 GTR wrote:
i'm still baffled we didn't make a run at camavinga in the summer; sure he's not the pure kante type that we're looking for but he's a whole lot fucking better than mctominay.

i am also a huge fan of sms from lazio but i think that ship has sailed already - he was the perfect replacement if we sold pogba but now it looks like he'll just leave on a free.

On November 04 2021 06:27 Bacillus wrote:

I guess it's really, really crowded up there, but how does Pogba look in some kind of higher attacking position nowadays? At some point the general opionion seemed to be that he can't play his back to the goal and that why he sits deeper. Still, maybe thats the lesser evil here.

I just don't know. He's so good at times, but as you said, it's doesn't feel like anything you can build around. As long as it's so inconsistent and specific circumstances he shines, it doesn't look like something that'll win you the league or even a longer tournament.

Apparently it's rumored that ManU are developing McTominay towards a stronger defensive role now, but it'll take a while before he'll adapt. Interesting to see how that goes, but it definitely feels like they need a world class DM there to keep things under control with Ronaldo and Pogba there and the defence itself looking a bit shaky at times.

Edit: Or maybe it's just time to let him go finally. I think he stirred up some Juventus rumors recently again. Does Juventus or anyone else have a good fit for his specific skills & needs?

On November 05 2021 09:31 WombaT wrote:

How does Pogba look with a Klopp, or a Pep, or a Tuchel coaching him? Conte, Allegri and Deschaumps managed to get a tune out of him.

He’s incredibly talented, he can basically do everything, but sometimes that aspiration has to be reined in a little.

United don’t have a coach of that calibre, it’s basically as simple as that. They’ll shift on Pogba and he’ll end up doing great things elsewhere, and it’ll be framed as some great mystery

On November 06 2021 21:29 KobraKay wrote:


also news since yesterday around portugal, so there might be something to it.

why is it strange? people like to mix team efforts with individual awards and he did help carry argentina to a title this year no? there is no candidate for italy so meh.

not how i'd like to see those awards being considered but still, it what people seem to like.

(im also not in the camp of "omg lewandowski", despite his incredible goal production these last few seasons)