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Mid-Day Ticker: Mourinho banned, Ferdinand’s agent downplays link & more

Mourinho (Reuters Pictures)

Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho received a two-game ban for poking Barcelona assistant coach Tito Vilanova in the eye during a melee between the two clubs in August's Spanish SuperCopa.

The ban is only applicable in the SuperCopa, though, meaning that Mourinho won't have to serve the suspension until next summer, and that's assuming he is still with Real Madrid and that the club either wins the league or Copa del Rey to qualify for the two-legged tie.

Vilanova was given a one-match ban for his part in the fracas, and both he and Mourinho were fined €600 as well.

Here are a few more stories from around the soccer world:

FERDINAND'S AGENT DISPUTES MLS LINK

The Rio Ferdinand-to-MLS train didn't get very far.

Ferdinand's agent, Jamie Moralee, told reporters that the Manchester United centerback has no desire to leave the club, and that includes a rumored move to the Chicago Fire.

"I understand the reasons why someone like Rio would be attractive to them," Moralee said. "There is an appeal on and off the pitch because he could help retain the global status provided by (David) Beckham and (Thierry) Henry. But I must stress, these stories are nothing to do with Rio. We have never discussed anything beyond life at Manchester United because that is all he cares about."

TEVEZ REP: PLAYER WAS MISINTERPRETED

Carlos Tevez' representative Kia Joorabchian claims that the player was misinterpreted and never refused to enter Manchester City's UEFA Champions League match against Bayern Munich.

Tevez was suspended two weeks by the club for his actions, which caused manager Roberto Mancini to essentially say that the player had no place on the field as long as he is still coach.

WILSHERE COMMITS TO ARSENAL

Arsenal's Jack Wilshere has seen a number of his former teammates bolt the Emirates for other options, but the English international midfielder has committed his future to the club, saying that he has "the perfect home."

"Some players have got their price but, to be honest, that's not the way I look at the game," Wilshere told British media.

Wilshere is almost a year into the five-year deal he signed with the club last November.

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Think the punishment should've been more severe for Mourinho? Disappointed Ferdinand-to-MLS doesn't appear to be happening? What do you make of the latest Tevez development? What do you think of Wilshere's outlook?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. Considering the report was made and then denied within a 2 hour span – I think Chicago had more important things on their mind since returning from Seattle.

    What’s sad is this story ever coming about.

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  2. The thing about the Daily Mail story is it had literally zero attribution, not even a “sources close to Ferdinand” or a “high ranking officials with Chicago.”

    I suppose it could have been Ferdinand’s agent wanting it floated (the Mail just posted a couple hours ago a story about interest from a couple of Qatar clubs) but in a way that couldn’t be linked back to him.

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  3. Mourinho gets himself into the middle of the fracas. Pokes an opposing coach in the eye. And then gets fined less than the value of one of his scarves.

    Where is Roger Goddell when you need him?

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  4. What’s sad is I would have hoped the Fire would have shot it down. Maybe something like ‘this league is no longer the place for broken-down overage players to retire’ but maybe a little more tactful.

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  5. Where in the world did the Rio rumors start anyways? I don’t think anyone in the US even thought about signing the guy until he came out to deny any connections. Is Ferdinand that starving for attention that he would make up transfer rumors to MLS?

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  6. Sounds like Rio’s rep planted the story so he could shoot it down. With all due respect to him, Rio has nowhere near the cache in the US as Becks or Henry (or Marquez). I don’t doubt that MLS teams might be interested in him (or dozens of other players), but its not because Rio would be selling seats or loads of shirts.

    Reply

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