European Football Thread

[Matticus]

Ive got a couple of teams Im fond from each country, wouldn't say I support them mind. Always had a soft spot for PSG in France, Lazio in Italy and for some reason Shelbourne in Ireland, probably due to a few attempts and getting them into the Champions Leauge on Football Manager.

[Colly]

For a stag do, we're thinking of going to Munich and catching a game at the Allianz Arena (Vs. Werder Bremen on the weekend of 22nd/24th is looking most likely). Anyone have any experience in buying tickets for games in Germany? Is there a specific site for tourists or anything?

Just go through their site, vast majority is in English if required. Would highly recommend it, had my stag do there even though there were no games on (during the last World Cup) and twas ace. Just watching games in the beer gardens was superb.

[Lineker]

Former Bayern Munich defender Breno was sentenced to three years and nine months in prison by a Munich court on Wednesday after being found guilty of setting his house on fire.

Judge Rosi Datzmann ordered the Brazilian player, who had been on bail pending the outcome of the case, to be taken immediately into custody.

Breno's house, in the leafy Munich suburb of Gruenwald, burned down last September while he was recovering from injury. His family was out at the time.

The talented Breno joined Bayern as an 18-year-old four years ago and had high hopes of becoming their defensive anchor.

He failed, however, to earn a starting spot and having also been plagued by injuries was released by the club last June.

Bayern Munich said they had heard the news with regret.

"Our hope was that Breno could have continued his footballing career and his life together with his family," Bayern said in a statement.

Prosecutors had argued that Breno, who was under the influence of alcohol at the time, used several lighters and possibly some fire accelerant and lit objects around the house.

They had asked for a five-year sentence.

Breno's lawyer, Werner Leitner, said that there were still doubts about whether arson was the cause of the fire.

"He has nothing but family and football," he said. "Give Breno a chance."

Local media reported that Breno was likely to spend two and a half years in a German prison before being deported.

[Lineker]

Republic of Ireland boss Giovanni Trapattoni has dispensed with the services of his old guard as he handed his younger players a chance to prove themselves. Skipper Robbie Keane, keeper Shay Given, central defender Richard Dunne and midfielder Stephen Hunt have been left out of the squad for next month's friendly clash with Serbia in Belgrade, although their absence does not signal the end of their respective careers for their country. Stoke utility man Marc Wilson, Everton's Seamus Coleman and Wigan midfielder James McCarthy, who asked not to be considered for the Euro 2012 finals because his father was undergoing cancer treatment, are among the beneficiaries of Trapattoni's decision to have a look at what he hopes will form part of a new generation for the Republic as they attempt to bounce back from their disappointment in Poland and Ukraine.

Republic of Ireland boss Giovanni Trapattoni has named a youthful squad for next month's friendly against Serbia in Belgrade.

Skipper Robbie Keane, Shay Given, Richard Dunne and Stephen Hunt have been left out of the 23-man panel.

Marc Wilson, Seamus Coleman and James McCarthy are among those given a fresh opportunity by Trapattoni.

"This game offers us an opportunity to try out younger players ahead of our World Cup qualifiers," said Trapattoni.

Wigan midfielder McCarthy asked not to be considered for the Euro 2012 finals because his father was undergoing cancer treatment.

The friendly is the Republic's first game after a disappointing campaign in Poland and Ukraine.

The Irish start their World Cup qualifying campaign against Kazakhstan on 7 September.

"I have decided to leave some of our senior players out of the squad for this fixture," he added.

"Serbia are a very good team with a great football heritage, and will provide us with a great test before our game against Kazakhstan in September.

"I am looking forward to working with each of these players next month. As we prepare for a new journey for this team, it is important that we remember our last campaign as we build for a brighter future."

Republic squad: Keiren Westwood (Sunderland), David Forde (Millwall), Darren Randolph (Motherwell), Marc Wilson (Stoke), John O'Shea (Sunderland), Sean St Ledger (Leicester), Darren O'Dea (Unattached), Stephen Ward (Wolves), Stephen Kelly (Fulham), Paul McShane (Hull), Glenn Whelan (Stoke), Darron Gibson (Everton), James McCarthy (Wigan), Paul Green (Leeds), Seamus Coleman (Everton), Aiden McGeady (Spartak Moscow), Andy Keogh (Millwall), James McClean (Sunderland), Keith Treacy (Burnley), Kevin Doyle (Wolves), Shane Long and Simon Cox (both West Brom), Jon Walters (Stoke).

[Hobo]

That will please Eamon Dunphy.

[Lineker]

Manchester City's France midfielder Samir Nasri has been given a three-match international ban for his behaviour during Euro 2012.

A French Football Federation committee decided to punish him following several incidents in Poland and Ukraine.

Paris St-Germain's Jeremy Menez was given a one-match ban for an argument with team-mate Hugo Lloris during the 2-0 quarter-final defeat by Spain.

Newcastle United's Hatem Ben Arfa and Rennes' Yann M'Vila received warnings.

Richard Dunne is also said to considering international retirement, after talking it over with Paul Lambert.

[Dingle]

Those bloody French don't seem to learn! Is there a generally assumed reason why they keep kicking off about things, or are they just a bunch of dicks >_>?

[Colly]

I think its because Samir Nasri is a cunt.

[IAceI]

A lot of the French internationals have egos that have been wrongly massaged over the years, and not quashed. Meaning you end up with players like Anelka, Ribery and now Nasri and Evra and friends.

Jupiler Pro League - Belgium's top division - is about to kick off with Kortrijk v Anderlecht. I am super excited. Belgium is my league for this year, I'll watch others of course but this is taking priority after the Premier League for me. I have no idea why, but I decided at the end of last season it would be so and have been learning and studying accordingly.

[IAceI]

Belgian football is the best football in the world ever. No one can defend and there was tons of goals this weekend. 34 goals in 8 matches over the past two days, utterly staggering, just got done watching Genk 3-3 Cercle Brugge, having watched this weekend Kortrijk 1-1 Anderlecht, Club Brugge 3-1 Waasland-Beveren, Standard Liege 0-1 Zulte-Waregem and then the Genk-Cercle Brugge match just now. Great fun the lot of them really, Jelle Vossen and Christian Benteke are about 23 and 20 and are brilliant strikers already. Definitely think Vossen has what it takes to play at a higher level, and I know FM fans will have heard of him as well as I recall him being brilliant on one of the recent editions.

I have Rostov v Anzhi on as background viewing earlier as well and saw Anzhi scored a 95th minute equaliser, Tagirbekov the left back with two goals in the game and he was there long before the billions of pounds transformed the club - so that's always something enjoyable to see. Former Tottenham substitute Stipe Pletikosa was in nets for Rostov as well.

The big boy leagues are still a few weeks away but we have the Olympics as well to tide us over.

[Lineker]

Has the Belgian league started already?

[Lineker]

Juventus coach Antonio Conte's request for a three-month ban in an attempt to avoid a court hearing over match-fixing has been rejected.

Conte has been accused of failing to report match-fixing while he was coach of Siena.

A tribunal for the Italian football federation (FIGC) has turned down his proposal for the ban.

Conte had initially denied the allegations before trying to reach a deal with the Italian authorities.

The hearing on Wednesday ruled that Conte's proposal, which would have allowed him to return to coach Juventus in November, was not acceptable.

Now Conte, who guided Juventus to the Serie A title in May, will either have to propose a new deal including a longer ban, or face a sports tribunal which could hand down a stiffer penalty if he is found guilty.

The matches involving Siena at the centre of the allegations were a 2-2 draw with Novara and a 1-0 defeat by Albinoleffe in Serie B in May 2011.

In total 13 clubs and 45 players and training staff face disciplinary action as part of a larger investigation into match-fixing in in Italian football.

[Lineker]

Italian football club Inter Milan says that a group of Chinese investors is to become its second largest shareholder.

In a statement Internazionale Holding, the parent company, said the group would acquire a stake but that the Moratti family would retain control.

It also said it would build a new stadium in partnership with a unit of China Railway Construction to be completed in 2017.

The Serie A club is looking to increase its presence in Asia.

The location of the new stadium has not yet been decided, the statement said.

The club said Kamchi Li, Kenneth Huang and Fabrizio Rindi would become members of the board of directors as a result of the investment.

The financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.

Calling it a "new phase in the life of the club", Inter said the move was "aimed at expanding its presence in the Asian markets to raise new resources for the enhancement of its international future development and winning perspectives".

Inter is the latest European club to attract the attention of business tycoons from Asia.

English Premier League club Queen's Park Rangers is owned by Tony Fernandes, head of the Malaysian budget airline Air Asia, after he completed a takeover last year.

English Championship side Birmingham City is owned by Hong Kong billionaire Carson Yeung who took over the club in 2009, while Thailand-based Asia Football Investments owns Leicester City.

[IAceI]

Has the Belgian league started already?

Yep end of July it starts, into the second weekend now. Standard Liege couldn't beat Lierse today who had a man sent off in the 26th minute. It's quite a small league - only 16 - teams, and after they've played each other twice they go into bizarre play off groups so it's usually done quite early on. Russian league is back as well. Not sure how I'll juggle anything once the big 5 leagues get back going as well..

This whole Conte deal seems odd. It stems from one person saying he said in the dressing room "it's okay, this will end as a draw" or something, right? But no other person has agreed that he said it. I admit when it comes to things like this in off the field issues I generally don't take a massive vested interested in terms of keeping on top of it but it just seems rather odd. A lot of journalists and the like seemingly disappointed with the way it's been handled and not a lot of faith in the system for the seemingly inconsistent rulings that are given.

[MDK]

Those bloody French don't seem to learn! Is there a generally assumed reason why they keep kicking off about things, or are they just a bunch of dicks >_>?

Speaking from personal experience all Frenchies are like that.

[IAceI]

CSKA are currently 3-1 down at home to Zenit St. Petersburg. Can't see Leonid Slutskiy (great name) lasting much longer at CSKA now, surprised he made it to the new season to be honest but probably on borrowed time now. Shame as he done well with Krylia Sovetov to get the job in the first place but it appears it could be over soon unless CSKA can turn this around in the second half.

[Lineker]

Juventus coach Antonio Conte has been banned for 10 months after an investigation into match-fixing claims.

Last year Conte, 43, led the club to the Serie A title in his first season in charge without losing a single game.

Conte was accused of failing to report alleged match-fixing involving former club Siena in the 2010-11 season.

After being questioned by police in May, Conte denied the claims and said he was "strongly determined to prove his total innocence".

Conte had a plea bargain deal rejected by the Italian federation (FIGC) earlier this month. He put forward a proposal which would have seen him serve a three-month suspension and pay a fine of 200,000 euros.

The federation has now confirmed the 10-month sanction.

Police had previously said Conte was being investigated on suspicion of sporting fraud and fraudulent association over allegations concerning a match between his Serie B side Siena and Novara in April 2011.

Grosseto and Lecce have both been excluded from Serie B, the Italian second tier, for the 2012-13 season for their part in the scandal, with both clubs' former presidents banned for five years.

In May, police searched more than 30 homes, including those of players, trainers and administrators of clubs in Serie A, Serie B and lower divisions.

Lazio captain Stefano Mauri, 32, was held along with former Genoa midfielder Omar Milanetto, while officers visited Italy's pre-Euro 2012 training camp to question left-back Domenico Criscito, 25.

Five people were also arrested in Hungary on suspicion of being part of an illegal international betting ring.

The action followed the launch last June of a match-fixing task force in response to a number of high-profile cases.

Former Atalanta captain and Italy midfielder Cristiano Doni was banned for three-and-a-half years in August 2011 for his part in the 'Calcioscommesse' scandal involving Serie B matches last season. He was also arrested in December 2011 over match-fixing and betting allegations.

In addition, former Lazio and Italy striker Giuseppe Signori was banned for five years and 15 other players were banned for between one and five years for their parts.

Here's a fantastic preview for the French league season.

[Asuka's Gonna Kill You]

Juve came out straight away saying they're sticking by Conte and co and there's an appeal going straight in, which wiull 99% be successful and he'll have his ban reduced to something like 4 months.

It'll take a massive shock for it to be turned down considering they have Giulia Bongiorno on their side, the woman that helped free the likes of Amanada Knox amongst other Mafia cases and all other sorts. It's also only a touchline ban. Obviously shouldn't of been banned what so ever, but yeah, expect to see this turned around to something much lower.

[Lineker]

Emanuele Pesoli of Serie B side Verona has gone on hunger strike in protest over his three-year match-fixing ban.

The defender has also chained himself to the gates of the Italian Football Federation's headquarters in Rome.

"I am hurt by the sentence and I would like to confront those who accuse me," said Pesoli.

The 31-year-old has been banned after a probe into illegal betting on matches while he was at Siena, who he left for Verona in July.

Juventus manager Antonio Conte has been suspended for 10 months for not reporting match-fixing when he was in charge of Siena, then in Serie B, in the 2010-11 season.

"It is a strong protest but they are ruining my life for something I have not done," added Pesoli. "I will stay here until I can't do it anymore."

Pesoli was one of a number of players, coaches and officials to be handed bans by the federation on Friday in the latest scandal to engulf Italian football.

In May, police searched more than 30 homes, including those of players, trainers and administrators of clubs in Serie A, Serie B and the lower divisions.

Lazio captain Stefano Mauri, 32, was held along with former Genoa midfielder Omar Milanetto, while officers visited Italy's pre-Euro 2012 training camp to question left-back Domenico Criscito, 25.

[Thrilla]