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Bill introduced to establish football regulator

Author: BBC Sport

Fans protest the European Super League outside Stamford Bridge

The UK government will establish an independent football regulator when the Football Governance Bill is introduced in Parliament on Tuesday.

The legislation will grant powers to a standalone body – independent of both government and football authorities – to oversee the UK’s national sport.

The government announced plans to appoint a regulator in February 2023, following a fan-led review in 2022.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said it is “a historic moment for football fans”.

“It will make sure their voices are front and centre,” he added. “Football has long been one of our greatest sources of national pride.

“But for too long some clubs have been abused by unscrupulous owners who get away with financial mismanagement, which at worst can lead to complete collapse – as we saw in the upsetting cases of Bury and Macclesfield Town.”

The legislation follows a fan-led review, which said a regulator was necessary for the long-term financial stability of the men’s professional game after issues including financial mismanagement and plans for a breakaway European Super League.

Everton and Nottingham Forest have both been deducted points this season for breaching Premier League profit and sustainability rules (PSR).

The regulator will have powers revolving around three core objectives: improving financial sustainability of clubs, ensuring financial resilience across the leagues and safeguarding English football’s heritage.

Rick Parry, chair of the English Football League (EFL), said: “If delivered on the right terms, this landmark legislation can help fix the game’s broken financial model by offering the independent input ultimately needed to help ensure that all clubs can survive and thrive in a fair and competitive environment.”

A Premier League statement read: “With our clubs, we have advocated for a proportionate regime that enables us to build on our position as the most widely watched league in the world.

“Mindful that the future growth of the Premier League is not guaranteed, we remain concerned about any unintended consequences of legislation that could weaken the competitiveness and appeal of English football.

“The Premier League remains fully committed to delivering its world-leading funding to the wider game, through £1.6bn distributed to all levels of football across the current three-year term.”

What powers will regulator have?

New club owners and directors will face stronger tests to help prevent the possibility of them putting clubs out of business, as was the case with Bury and Macclesfield, while a licensing system covering clubs from the National League up to the Premier League has been proposed.

As part of their licence, clubs will be required to consult their fans on key off-field decisions, such as club heritage and the club’s strategic direction.

“Football is nothing without its fans,” said Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer. “We are determined to put them back at the heart of the game and ensure clubs as vital community assets continue to thrive.

“The new regulator will set the game on a sustainable footing, strengthening clubs and the entire football pyramid for generations.”

The bill also includes new backstop powers around financial distributions between the Premier League and the EFL, so that if the two parties continue to fail to agree on a ‘new deal’, the regulator can ensure a settlement is reached.

The government has long warned the football authorities that an independent football regulator (IFR) would have such powers to intervene.

Former sports minister Tracey Crouch, who chaired the fan-led review, said: “Football fans can begin to breathe a sigh of relief in the knowledge that the next steps towards protecting the long-term sustainability of the pyramid have now been taken.”

Kevin Miles, chief executive of the Football Supporters’ Association, added: “The FSA warmly welcomes the tabling of the Football Governance Bill arising from the 2021 fan-led review, and particularly its central proposal to introduce statutory independent regulation of the game.

“The regulator must be given the power to impose a financial settlement in the interests of the sustainability of the game as a whole. It is far too important to be left to the squabbling between the vested interests of the richest club owners.”

However, campaign group Fair Game said “at first glance” it looks like the bill has “missed the target” and that they have “failed to get assurances that the regulator will have the power to intervene”.

Timeline

August 2019: Bury are expelled from League One following the collapse of a takeover bid.

December 2019: Conservatives promise a fan-led review in its 2019 general election manifesto in response to Bury’s demise.

2020-21 season: Covid-19 pandemic causes matches to be held behind closed doors, affecting revenue.

April 2021: A proposed European Super League, involving six Premier League clubs, collapses within days amid widespread condemnation from other clubs and players as well as governing bodies, politicians and fans.

October 2021: Amnesty International urges changes to the Premier League owners’ and directors’ test “to address human rights issues” following the Saudi Arabian-backed takeover of Newcastle United.

November 2021: An independent regulator is among 10 recommendations made by a fan-led review, chaired by former Sports Minister Tracey Crouch, on how to improve football governance.

March 2022: Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich is sanctioned by the UK government as part of its response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, with Abramovich selling the club to American businessman Todd Boehly in May.

November 2022: Representatives of 29 clubs write to the government urging it to press on with plans for an independent football regulator.

February 2023: The publication of the UK government’s white paper proposing reforms in football was delayed to later in the month.

February 2023: The plan for a new independent regulator in English football was confirmed by the government.

November 2023: King Charles outlined the government’s plan for the Football Governance Bill in the King’s Speech.

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Juan Jesus durissimo: “Da Acerbi una cosa ignobile. Mi ha detto Vattene negro”

Author: Tuttosport

Francesco Acerbi non partirà con la nazionale azzurra per la tournee negli Usa, dove sono previste due amichevoli. La decisione di escludere il difensore dell’Inter dal gruppo è arrivata dopo l’episodio che lo ha visto protagonista ieri in Inter-Napoli con Juan Jesus che ha denunciato una sua offesa razzista. Acerbi, fa sapere la Figc, nel ritiro di Roma ha chiarito al Ct, Luciano Spalletti, e ai compagni di non aver avuto alcun intento discriminatorio, ma si è scelto comunque di non farlo restare “per la necessaria serenità della nazionale e dello stesso giocatore“. Acerbi lascia oggi stesso il ritiro. Al suo posto convocato Gianluca Mancini.

Il comunicato della Figc

“Il calciatore Francesco Acerbi, arrivato questa mattina nel ritiro della Nazionale a Roma, ha spiegato al Ct Luciano Spalletti e ai compagni di squadra, come previsto dalla policy interna del Club Italia, la propria versione sulla presunta espressione razzista segnalata dal calciatore Juan Jesus nel corso della gara Inter-Napoli. Dal resoconto del difensore nerazzurro, in attesa che venga ricostruito quanto avvenuto nel rispetto dell’autonomia della giustizia sportiva, è emerso che non vi è stato da parte sua alcun intento diffamatorio, denigratorio o razzista. Si è comunque convenuto di escludere Acerbi dalla lista dei convocati per le prossime due amichevoli in programma negli Stati Uniti, per garantire la necessaria serenità alla Nazionale e allo stesso calciatore, che oggi farà ritorno al club di appartenenza. Di conseguenza, è stato convocato il difensore della Roma Gianluca Mancini, che faceva già parte della lista dei pre convocati”. Si legge sul sito della Figc.

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Capello: “Il Milan deve ritrovare la sua difesa, attenzione agli inserimenti dei centrocampisti della Roma” | Calcioblog

Author: Calcioblog

Fabio Capello

L’ex allenatore Fabio Capello ha anticipato i temi del quarto di finale di Europa League che vede contrapposte due squadre italiane.

Fabio Capello sulla Gazzetta dello Sport ha parlato del prossimo Milan-Roma di Europa League. “Il Milan in casa è in un momento favorevole e l’andata a San Siro lo può aiutare, anche se la Roma adesso è stata inquadrata molto bene da De Rossi. La prima partita deve essere giocata con grande intelligenza da parte dei rossoneri, perché abbiamo visto che la Roma quando trova gli spazi ha la qualità per fare male al Milan”.

La favorita

Il bello del derby è che avremo una squadra italiana in semifinale di Europa League, ed è già molto importante. Chi è la favorita Non si può dire, dare una favorita adesso è impossibile, perché c’è anche in mezzo una sosta per le nazionali. Da allenatore sai come partono i giocatori e non come arrivano”.

Christian PulisicChristian Pulisic

La differenza

“Il Milan deve ritrovare la sua difesa, mentre l’ultima Roma sembra abbia trovato la compattezza dietro. Abbiamo visto anche a Brighton, quindi è da temere sotto tutti gli aspetti. E mi sembra che abbia proprio lo spirito di squadra, di gruppo. Gioca con tanta, tanta umiltà”.

I possibili uomini decisivi

“Da una parte Dybala e Lukaku, se c’è spazio, con gli inserimenti dei centrocampisti, perché quando la Roma va in attacco le due punte non rimangono isolate, ma entrano El Shaarawy, Pellegrini e compagnia. Per quanto riguarda il Milan direi la fantasia di Leao, la fascia sinistra che è la forza della squadra e Pulisic che si è ritrovato in pieno, sta giocando ad alto livello”.

L’articolo Capello: “Il Milan deve ritrovare la sua difesa, attenzione agli inserimenti dei centrocampisti della Roma” proviene da Notizie Milan.

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Forest docked four points for financial rules breach

Author: BBC Sport

Nottingham Forest's City Ground

Nottingham Forest have been docked four points for breaching Premier League profit and sustainability rules.

An independent commission found Forest’s losses to 2022-23 breached the threshold of £61m by £34.5m.

The immediate loss of points means they drop below Luton Town into the Premier League’s relegation zone.

Forest said they are “extremely disappointed” with the decision, which they say “raises issues of concern for all aspirant clubs”.

A club statement read: “After months of engagement with the Premier League, and exceptional cooperation throughout, this was unexpected and has harmed the trust and confidence we had in the Premier League.”

Forest are the second top-flight team to be penalised for PSR breaches after Everton lost 10 points in November, which was reduced to six on appeal.

The City Ground club, who are likely to appeal against the ruling, had a hearing on 7-8 March.

Premier League clubs can lose £105m over three seasons – £35m per campaign – but Forest’s maximum loss was only permitted to be £61m because they spent two years of the assessment period in the Championship.

The Premier League initially suggested Forest should “before mitigation” be docked eight points, with a reduction to six, because of this breach being 77% larger than in Everton’s case.

Forest said this starting point was “utterly disproportionate when compared to the nine points that [the Premier League’s] own rules prescribe for insolvency”.

The commission found Forest demonstrated “exceptional cooperation” with the Premier League during the process.

However, Forest said that level of cooperation was “not reciprocated” by the Premier League.

The reasoning for the four-point deduction has been outlined in the commission’s written findings.

Forest were set to be hit with a six-point deduction – three points for the initial breach and a further three for the size of the breach – but their “early plea” and “cooperation” meant that was reduced to four points.

The league’s rules state any appeals process should “conclude no later than and if possible some time before 24 May” – five days after the season finishes.

Graphic showing the bottom six Premier League teams and how Nottingham Forest's six-point deduction has put them in the relegation zone below Luton

Forest lost an average of £3m across 2020 and 2021 with a further £40m loss in 2022 and £52m in 2023, amounting to a total of £95m.

They were promoted in May 2022 and signed a British-record 22 new players that summer and made five loan signings. Their net transfer spend over the 2022-23 season was £142.8m.

In terms of outgoings, Forest sold two players for a fee, loaned out nine and released two.

Forest were charged in January and the Premier League said in a statement that both they and Everton “confirmed that they are in breach of the league’s profitability and sustainability rules”.

The Johnson sale

Forest, who hired leading sports lawyer Nick de Marco to defend them, based their case around six points of mitigation but all six were disputed by the Premier League.

The sale of Brennan Johnson to Tottenham Hotspur in September was seen as the “golden mitigation” by Forest.

The move, worth more than £45m, took place after the accounting deadline but Forest argue selling Johnson at a later date allowed them to earn a higher fee than if they had sold him by 30 June.

The written reasons state Forest received an offer from Atletico Madrid of 50m euros (£42.7m) for Johnson on 30 June and counter-offered with 65m euros (£55.6m) on the same day, after which discussions “did not progress further”.

Forest subsequently rejected three offers for Johnson from Brentford of £32.5m, £35m and £40m in July and August.

The forward, who came through the club’s academy, was not keen to join the Bees at that point, while Tottenham also had to bide their time to make their move, which impacted Forest’s position.

His transfer was ultimately linked to Harry Kane’s move to Bayern Munich, with Spurs able to move for a replacement once the England skipper left for Germany in his own move, reportedly worth an initial £82m.

The commission concluded the timing of when Johnson was sold was a business decision and not a mitigating factor.

Forest also argued they were in a “unique position” as they had spent the previous two years in the EFL so had a lower threshold but also had not benefitted from parachute payments.

Again, the commission did not see this as a mitigating factor and ultimately only gave Forest credit for their early plea and cooperation.

After the charge two months ago, Forest said they were “confident of a speedy and fair resolution”.

Everton are waiting on a potential second punishment, relating to the assessment period ending with their 2022-23 accounts.

Manchester City were also referred to an independent commission in February 2023 after more than 100 alleged rule breaches.

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15 January – Everton and Nottingham Forest are charged by the Premier League for breaches of the league’s profit and sustainability rules. The hearing has to be concluded within 12 weeks of this date, which is 8 April.

7-8 March – Forest’s hearing takes place.

18 March – Forest are docked four points and drop into relegation zone.

25 March – The deadline for any appeal from Forest has to be submitted.

1 April – The latest deadline for the response to the appeal, given it must be within seven days of the plea being received.

8 April (approximate) – ‘Directions hearing’ to set a date for an appeal hearing, which will last between one and three days and conclude no later than 24 May. It is likely to be much earlier in Forest’s case.

19 May – The final day of the Premier League season, when Forest will play Burnley (16:00 BST).

24 May – The latest possible date for an appeal hearing into either the Everton or Forest cases to be concluded.

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Nunziata elogia Hasa: “Ha qualità importanti e voglio valutarlo da vicino”

Author: Tuttosport

L‘Italia U21 si è radunata a Cesenatico per preparare le due sfide di qualificazione ai prossimi Europei del 2025. La formazione allenata dal Ct Nunziata dovrà affrontare Lettonia e Turchia per “due sfide fondamentali” per il cammino verso la Slovacchia. In campo in Emilia Romagna venerdì 22 e martedì 26 marzo, gli Azzurrini dovranno tenersi stretto il primo posto del girone A con un punto di vantaggio sull’Irlanda e due sulla Norvegia. Un gruppo con grande equilibrio e non semplice, ma l’obiettivo è chiaro.

Italia U21, la conferenza di Nunziata

Carmine Nunziata ha parlato in conferenza per presentare la doppia sfida dell’Italia U21: “Ci aspettano due partite fondamentali per il nostro cammino. In questi tre o quattro giorni dovremo fare in modo di recuperare tutto quello che abbiamo fatto di buono e migliorare ciò che non abbiamo fatto bene”. Il Ct è tornato a parlare del pari con la Lettonia nella prima gara di qualificazioni: “Abbiamo perso due punti. Per il resto il bilancio è positivo, i ragazzi stanno facendo bene, anche se possiamo fare meglio alcune cose”.

Sulla squadra: “È da quattro mesi che non ci vediamo con i ragazzi e per questo ho deciso di portare qualche giocatore in più, anche per valutare lo stato di forma di tutti visto che c’è qualcuno che viene da un infortunio. Sono soddisfatto del minutaggio dei ragazzi perché molti hanno trovato continuità, sono giovani e non è facile giocare sempre in Serie A e Serie B”. E su Spalletti: Ha grande attenzione per l’Under 21 e per tutte le nazionali giovanili. Visto che abbiamo due partite di qualificazione ha deciso di lasciarceli”. A chiudere ha voluto elogiare le qualità dello juventino della Next Gen Luis Hasa: “È un ragazzo che ha fatto tutta la trafila nelle nazionali giovanili, l’anno scorso è stato campione d’Europa con l’Under 19 e sta facendo bene. Sta qui perché ha qualità importanti, ho deciso di portarlo per valutarlo meglio e vedere anche come sta con gli altri”.

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