By RYAN TOLMICH
One day after FIFA president Sepp Blatter hinted that Manuel Neuer was deserving of winning the upcoming Ballon d’Or over Cristiano Ronaldo, Carlo Ancelotti has come out in defense of his star player.
The Real Madrid manager responded to Blatter’s knack for controversial statements by revealing his belief that it is impossible to keep the FIFA president quiet for long.
“It always surprises me what he does, but what are we going to do,” Ancelotti said of Blatter. “It is impossible to shut up the FIFA president. This is a matter which is always talked about. It is Cristiano’s year, he is scoring goals and winning important trophies, so there is no doubt that he is the Ballon d’Or. So [Blatter’s] words do not make much sense.”
Here are some more news and notes to kickoff your Wednesday morning:
MOURINHO CRITICIZES SCHURRLE, SALAH FOR FAILING TO IMPRESS
Cup matches are generally an opportunity for a team’s fringe players to play their way into a more predominant role. However, Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho insists that some of his less featured players have done nothing of the sort.
Mourinho said Tuesday that he felt his fringe players, specifically Andre Schurrle and Mohammed Salah, made his next team selection “easy” as the duo failed to impress in a 2-1 victory over Shrewsbury.
“I expect players to give me problems,” Mourinho said. “I love problems. But a lot of them didn’t and they’ve made it easy to choose my team for Saturday.
“If players who played 90 minutes two days ago were fantastic I expect people who are not playing a lot to raise the level to create me problems. They didn’t create me big problems.”
Chelsea are back in action Saturday against Queens Park Rangers.
NIGERIA GIVEN LAST CHANCE TO AVOID SEVEN-MONTH BAN
If Nigeria don’t act swiftly, the reigning African champions could be set to miss out defending their crown.
FIFA has given Nigeria until Fridayop [ to sort out legal issues surrounding the election process of the country’s federation (NFF). FIFA ruled that if a court order nullifying the NFF’s elections, which saw the appointment of Amaju Pinnick as president, is not withdrawn by Friday, then the federation will be suspended for six months.
“We can confirm that FIFA has been informed by the NFF about the order granted by the Federal High Court nullifying the NFF elections… and that some persons claiming to have been legitimately elected previously went to occupy the offices of the NFF,” said FIFA in a statement. “We also have been informed that security forces prevented the NFF president from traveling to Namibia where he was supposed to represent the NFF at the final match of the African Women’s Championship.”
The suspension would see Nigeria miss out on January and February’s African Nations Cup, which Nigeria won in 2013.
QUICK KICKS
The English FA have suspended referee Mark Clattenburg for failing to follow protocol before heading to a concert. (REPORT)
Uruguay fitness coach Jose Herrera has criticized those that have made comments regarding the weight of Barcelona’s Luis Suarez. (REPORT)
Former Sweden midfielder Klas Ingesson died Wednesday after a five year battle with bone cancer. (REPORT)
Liverpool striker Mario Balotelli was injured in pregame warmups prior to scoring in Liverpool’s 2-1 win over Swansea. (REPORT)
Ahead of a cup meeting with Real Madrid, club management of third division side Cornella is set to pay a bonus of $1,700 to players if the team knocks off the Champions League winners. (REPORT)
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What do you think of Ancelotti’s comments? How do you see Mourinho rotating his squad? What do you make of the controversy surrounding Nigeria’s federation?
Share your thoughts below.
Another player seduced by money. There is absolutely no reason that Salah shouldn’t have gone to Liverpool last year. He would have blossomed under Rodgers instead of stagnating under Mourinho.
Mr. Mike,
What makes you think Salah had a choice?
And if he did how do you know the deciding factor was money?
What exactly makes it Ronaldos year? Bombing out of the world cup? Currently sitting in 3rd place in La Liga?
Yeah he sucks they win the Champions League and a domestic cup. Scoring more goals than everyone. Oh yeah and one point of the top of the table in 3rd place. What a terrible player
Lets see here, he did jack squat in the Champions league finals, in fact his lone goal was a PK. Scoring the most goals in a year that messi was injured and barcelona dropped off doesn’t compute either.
Neur absolutely deserves it over Ronaldo
Here is a good link about how many goals he scored for 2013 and 2014. He might have had an average time in the finals but you can’t say he did break a CL record of 16 in his campaign. But hey you and Sepp Blatter know what you are talking about.
http://messivsronaldo.net/calendar-year.php
Sorry I meant 17.
http://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/season=2014/statistics/
“Scoring the most goals in a year that messi was injured and barcelona dropped off doesn’t compute either”
If Messi and Barca had an off year it does not change the fact that CR7 scored as many goals as he did.
CR7 can’t help what Messi does or does not do.
Sep should stop speaking from his bladder
Clearly, he can’t hold his water.
FIFA has given Nigeria until Friday to sort out legal issues surrounding the election process of the country’s federation (NFF)? Isn’t that backwards? Shouldn’t FIFA sort out it’s screwed up election issues, like getting rid of Blatter?
“So [Blatter’s] words do not make much sense.”
This is tee-shirt material if you ask me.
Also, isn’t it curious that FIFA requires federations to erect a firewall to separate them from the government, but when it comes time to spend billions on WC facilities, the government is usually called on to pay the tab?