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Afternoon Ticker: Ribery loses appeal, Domenech trims roster and more

  Ribery

By TRAVIS CLARK

The countdown to the World Cup is being whittled smaller with each passing day, but there's still one more champion to crown on European soil.

Bayern Munich is set to take on Inter Milan in the UEFA Champions League final in Madrid on Saturday, but will have to triumph without French star Franck Ribery, who lost his final appeal on Monday in an attempt to overturn his three-match ban.

Ribery was sent off in the first leg of the Champions League semifinal for a tackle on Lyon's Lisandro Lopez, and the final will be the second match of his suspension.

Here are a few other stories for Monday:

Domenech trims French roster

French coach Raymond Domenech recently made six cuts to his 30-man roster as national team camp is set to begin on Tuesday. Hatem Ben Arfa and youngster Yann M'Villa were amongst those who didn't receive invitations, meaning their World Cup aspirations are all but dead — unless one of the 23 incumbents suffer an injury. The only other debate remains on the fitness of Arsenal defender William Gallas, who has played only once since February. Bordeaux's Marc Planus remains with the team depending on Gallas' fitness.

Blanc to replace Domenech

As if French soccer didn't need any more distractions, the heir apparent to Raymond Domenech's managerial job — who will leave his post after the World Cup — is close to being named, even before the tournament begins. Bordeaux coach Laurent Blanc is set to replace Domenech, as Blanc recently informed his players at Bordeaux that he is going to resign from his post to accept the FFF's offer and take over Les Bleus.

Australian star winning fitness race

Oft-injured Socceroo winger Harry Kewell is on course to be fit for the World Cup. The former Liverpool player, currently plying his trade for Galatasaray in Turkey, was named by Pim Verbeek in Australia's 30-man squad despite the fact he's been struggling with a groin injury. It's very likely that this could be Kewell's last World Cup, as he turns 32 later this year.

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How will Ribery's absence play a role in Saturday's final? Is the Blanc-for-Domenech swap something that should be done before the World Cup? Will Kewell be fit for South Africa?

Comments

  1. Sorry, but you are mixing apples and oranges. First off Boateng injured Ballack in the FA Cup Final, not an EPL match. Second, neither is an international match and so any ban for either will not affect Boateng’s availability to play for Ghana in WC 2010. Any ban would only be applicable in the FA Cup tourney next year.

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  2. Auf gehts Bayern!

    That was a BS decision. UEFA lacks bals to make the “right decision.” Clearly, was not Ribery’s intent, but it was the right call to give him a red. I am just not convinced, after seeing the replay 100x that it was his “intent to injure”

    Now, in all fairness, if EUFA want to be equal, then they will levy a similar punishment on Boateng, who plays for Ghana and is in the same group as Germany, for his cruel and intentional foul on Ballack last weekend in the EPL that put Ballack out of the WC10.

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  3. This is pure BS European politics and has nothing to do with making the “right decision.” Clearly, Ribery’s charge was no different than Boateng’s charge on Ballack last weekend. Boateng plays for Ghana in the same group. Connect the dots.

    Let’s see if EUFA and FIFA step up here and show equality.

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  4. Would they think about hiring Blanc for the rest of the WC when France lose to Uruguay?

    Anelka-Henry-Gignac

    Malouda-Gourcouff-Ribery

    Evra-Abidal-Gallas/Squillaci-Sagna

    Lloris

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  5. I’ll have to agree with you and retract my point. But the call was still too harsh to keep one of the top 10 players in the world out of a Champions League final.

    I still play soccer and see plays like that all the time. He just missed over the top of the ball.

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  6. Look, I agree that it should have been overturned, but your last reason is a bit scary. A decision should never be made based on what would be the most popular (or profitable) choice. The French fans don’t matter here, it’s just whether the call was right or not.

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  7. In great internet tradition, I don’t know anything about the CAS, so let me libel it as well as UEFA: I would not be surpised if the long suspension had little to do with the play on the field.

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  8. my mistake really, don’t fight about it! ribery is a sub in my lineup, but there are many versions.. just wanted to throw some names out there. It is possible he’ll start a totally different lineup, i could see a 4-5-1 or something defensive that’s why domenech is a *******.

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  9. Easy, guy. I mis-read – thought he was starting a sub for Ribery at RW, which, if you look at the post again, is an easy mistake to make.

    Settle down, francis.

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  10. I couldnt be more upset about the Ribery decision. It was not a harsh tackle at all, and with him out of the game it will hurt the beautiful game. To be able to watch Ribery and Robben playing on the wings for Bayern it would have made the game that much more exciting. Yes I am a Bayern fan and am upset becuase one of our best players cant play, but mostly becuase that was not a red card foul. Go Bayern Munchen!!

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  11. He only names 110 field players. Lloris is a keeper?? Ribery denoted as a sub? Where do you see 11 field players?

    It’s great when people try to be jerks and don’t make any sense.

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  12. Domenech is a pure ******, and they will need to get past that to do well in the WC, BUT, look closely at the france team before saying they will go 3 and out.

    Anelka + Henry + (Ribery sub)
    Gourcuff + Malouda + Diarra + Toulalan
    Evra + Abidal + Sagna +Squillaci or Gallas
    Lloris

    If they find the motivation they are in the top 4 of the tournament !
    Their defense is excellent and Sagna and Evra are the best in the world at their positions. Malouda is having a career year. Lloris is now one of the best goalies in the tournament. Domenech’s supposed missed opportunities in viera and nasri wouldn’t have played that much in this group, and with that in mind his choices for the bench make a lot of sense (higher energy viera-like players in a. diarra and a. diaby, and valbeuna, a skillful player with tons of energy and motivation, instead of nasri, who is excellent but a little lethargic.

    So if the United States supposedly has a great chance to make the 2nd round with their second rate team, then I’d say France could potentially go all the way.

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  13. How about this, Ribery: don’t go in high , studs-up, and late, and you’ll be playing the second most important game of your life. Mmmkay?

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  14. I don’t think it was the ref who was too harsh. It was a rough foul, but not bad enough for UEFA to suspend him for 3 matches. The red card comes with a 1 game suspension, why add more. Ribery should be playing in the final.

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  15. Still a stupid decision on Ribery. What is with these European political bodies who can’t just say the ref was wrong and too harsh? Why take away a huge chunk of the French audience who would tune in to see Ribery?

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  16. I hope Blanc doesn’t let the French down. At least he’ll make more logical squad selections than Deomenech.

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