UEFA Champions League 2022/23

[Moses Julep]

It’s a pity they’re owned by terrible people and they’ve bought their success with flagrant disregard for the rules because by and large no one on this team is really that unlikable and it’ll be nice for that batch of players to achieve this. 

[FLiam]

This. Rooting for Inter in the final. 

[Baddar]

Of course I didn't put a bet on though. Seemed inevitable they'd walk it. Could've had 4 by HT in truth.

[Lineker]

 

[Hobo]

1 hour ago, Lineker said:

 

They should start him in the final

[Gazz]

Bold to assume it's going to be his last one.

[Twist]

It’s also how long he went between games in the Champion’s League as well.

If City do win (and he doesn’t somehow end up playing) he’ll have as many UCL medals as he does UCL games.

[Lineker]

Quote

Uefa is investigating claims the referee due to officiate the Champions League final next week was a keynote speaker at an event organised by a far-right politician.

Szymon Marciniak, who also refereed the World Cup final, spoke at an event in Poland on Monday which was organised by Sławomir Mentzen.

Mentzen, the leader of the Confederation party, is known for launching the political slogan “We stand against Jews, gays, abortion, taxation and the European Union”. In 2021 he made international headlines as the producer of a beer named White IPA Matters, which mocked the Black Lives Matter movement.

Marciniak, 42, is due to referee the Uefa Champions League final between Manchester City and Internazionale on 10 June at Atatürk Olympic Stadium, Istanbul.

But on 29 May he attended a gathering, under the title “Everest”, which was billed as a networking event complete with a beer drinking session. Anti-racist activists said the event was in reality an attempt to gain political support.

Approached by the Guardian about Marciniak’s involvement, a Uefa statement said: “Uefa is aware of the allegations surrounding Szymon Marciniak and is seeking urgent clarification.

“Uefa and the whole football community abhor the ‘values’ that are promoted by the group in question and takes these allegations very seriously.

“A further announcement will be made tomorrow, after reviewing all the evidence.”

His attendance at the event was first disclosed by the anti-racist organisation Never Again. Rafał Pankowski, the organisation’s co-founder, said: “We are shocked and appalled by Marciniak’s public association with Mentzen and his brand of toxic far-right politics.

“It is incompatible with the basic values of fair play such as equality and respect. We call upon the referee to acknowledge his mistake. If he does not do it, we believe Uefa and Fifa should draw consequences.”

Everest’s poster, distributed through social media, featured Mentzen himself drinking beer from a cup. Another poster featured Marciniak wearing a Fifa referee kit. A post by Mentzen announcing Marciniak’s presence at the event was shared on Marciniak’s Facebook fanpage.

Marciniak was presented as a speaker on the event’s website alongside Mentzen, who subsequently praised Marciniak as a “genius speaker”.

He is considered one of the most highly rated international referees of his generation. He refereed the 2022 FIFA World Cup final between Argentina and France in December in Qatar and the 2018 Uefa Super Cup between Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid.

He was named “the world’s best referee” by the International Federation of Football History & Statistics in 2013.

The Uefa inquiry into Marciniak’s involvement is expected to be undertaken by its chief of football, Zvonimir Boban, a former Croatian international, and its chief refereeing officer, Roberto Rosetti.

The organisation, mindful of a slew of recent claims of racism in football, is planning to make another announcement on Friday.

The Everest meeting in Katowice was advertised as a networking event for influential people to share their experience, with the most famous personality accepting the politician’s invitation being Marciniak, reports claimed.

Mentzen, who also buys and markets beer, told one journalist that the event would be a different type of conference. “The atmosphere will be closer to a rock concert, a boxing gala than a lecture hall,” he was quoted saying.

Mentzen, who spoke at the event, achieved notoriety in 2019 when he addressed a rally of the Confederation, a far-right group formed from extremist and nationalist parties and social movements.

He told supporters: “We don’t want the Jews, the homosexuals, abortion, taxes and the European Union.”

Mentzen’s brewery produced the beer White IPA Matters two years ago, accompanied by an advertisement showing a black barman drinking it in a bar decorated with Confederate flags, which sparked hundreds of complaints.

Other beers produced by the firm include Polish Freedom and Keeper of Texas. In February, he became co-chair of the council of leaders of the Confederation party.

Pankowski said Never Again was not calling for Marciniak’s removal from officiating the Champions League final, but hoped he would distance himself from the far right.

Uefa has faced repeated criticism for failing to tackle racism. The former France and Arsenal forward Thierry Henry expressed his frustration in April at gestures by football’s authorities including Uefa such as No To Racism patches on shirt sleeves and joint team photographs before games.

“I’ve had enough of looking at No To Racism on shirts. I’ve had enough of that lousy picture at the beginning of the game when we all come and focus on what’s on the field,” he said.

Uefa was condemned last year after fining Sevilla £4,319 for fans’ racist abuse of the Manchester City player Rico Lewis.

 

Quote

Uefa has given Szymon Marciniak the go-ahead to referee next Saturday’s Champions League final after he apologised for his appearance at an event organised by a far-right politician and provided clarification regarding his involvement.

Marciniak, who also refereed the World Cup final, spoke at an event in Poland on Monday organised by Sławomir Mentzen. Mentzen, the leader of the Confederation party, is known for launching the political slogan “We stand against Jews, gays, abortion, taxation and the European Union”. In 2021 he made international headlines as the producer of a beer named White IPA Matters, which mocked the Black Lives Matter movement.

Uefa said: “After conducting a thorough review, we have received a statement from Mr Marciniak expressing his deepest apologies and providing a clarification regarding his involvement in the event.”

Marciniak, 42, will continue to officiate the Champions League final between Manchester City and Internazionale on 10 June at Atatürk Olympic Stadium, Istanbul.

On 29 May he attended a gathering, under the title “Everest”, which was billed as a networking event complete with a beer drinking session. Anti-racist activists said the event was in reality an attempt to gain political support.

In a statement on Friday Marciniak said people had been “rightfully alarmed and disappointed” by his presence at the event and said: “I want to express my deepest apologies for my involvement and any distress or harm it may have caused.

“Upon reflection and further investigation, it has become evident that I was gravely misled and completely unaware of the true nature and affiliations of the event in question. I had no knowledge that it was associated [with] a Polish extreme-right movement. Had I been aware of this fact, I would have categorically declined the invitation.

“It is important to understand that the values promoted by this movement are entirely contrary to my personal beliefs and the principles I strive to uphold in my life. I am deeply remorseful for any perception that my participation may have contradicted them.”

 

[gunnar hendershow]

I'm sorry, nobody accidentally speaks at a far-right political event.

[Lineker]

Mansour is attending his first game since 2010 tonight. Would be funny if they lost.

[METALMAN]

"Coverage and pre-match build-up begins from 6pm with kick-off at 8pm. Rio Ferdinand, Owen Hargreaves, Joleon Lescott, Michael Owen and Steve McManaman are among the pundits with Jake Humphrey presenting."

🤢

[DavidMarrio]

Huh. Groups of their fans were saying we had fake tickers, trying to bunk in, the fans were drunk, same old scousers etc.. 

Hope no one gets hurt

 

[Baddar]

KDB coming off with a hamstring injury. Possibly.

[Chris2K]

Whoever takes the lead, I am 99% certain it will be the result of the conceding team trying to play out from the back and messing it up. It seems both teams are incapable of doing it tonight.

And KDB is off, which makes this very interesting.

[gunnar hendershow]

If you're City at least your replacement for KDB is Phil Foden.

[gunnar hendershow]

Fuck me I almost bet on a Rodri goal.

[Chris2K]

And City lead. It didn't look like much, but the replays show what a good finish it was given how many people were in front of goal.

Lukaku with the goal-line save!

[gunnar hendershow]

What a save by Lukaku...

[gunnar hendershow]

18 minutes ago, damhausen said:

What a save by Lukaku...

Not his finest day.

[Chris2K]

There is nobody less reliable in clutch time than Romelu Lukaku. I love him as a player, but how can you head that to the only place Ederson is?

Also, Darren Fletcher has called Inter "Italy" so many times now and I find it quite amusing. You keep that bias hidden sir.