List of All Articles with Tag 'ba'

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Rob Page says he wishes Wales were not playing a friendly against South Korea on Thursday. Wales are not in Euro 2024 action until Monday when they travel to Latvia for a crucial Group D qualifying clash. But UEFA regulations stipulate that nations in odd-numbered qualifying groups must fulfil blank dates in the calendar when group rivals are playing. Wales filled this date by arranging a Cardiff friendly with Jurgen Klinsmann’s South Korea, but the game has failed to capture the imagination of the Welsh public with only 11,500 tickets sold little more than 24 hours before kick-off. Page is expected to field a shadow side just four days before the Riga showdown with Latvia, and the under-fire Wales boss confirmed that skipper Aaron Ramsey would be absent while adding that Tottenham’s new £47.5million forward Brennan Johnson will be on the bench. But Page’s comments that he would rather not play the match will certainly do little to encourage fans who have paid for the privilege of watching it. “We have to take the friendly. I’d rather not play it, being completely honest with you,” Page said at his pre-match press conference. “We’ve had a couple of injuries anyway. The most important game for me is Monday and we’re having to manage players. “I’ve already got a plan in place, what players, what minutes they’ve played this season, who needs more minutes than others. “There will be plenty of substitutions. There will be some at half-time, some at the hour mark. We’ll be trying to get those players off the pitch unscathed and getting them ready for Monday.” Page has come under pressure following a run of only one win in 12 games either side of the 2022 World Cup when Wales finished bottom of their group and scored only one goal – a penalty from the now-retired Gareth Bale. Wales have picked up four points from as many Euro 2024 qualifiers and are seeking to recover from back-to-back June defeats to Armenia and Turkey. Qualifying for the tournament in Germany next summer through the play-offs now appears Wales’ best option. “Everybody in that changing room understands the difficulties involved,” Page said. We have to take the friendly. I’d rather not play it, being completely honest with you Rob Page “It’s not just about winning games of football now, it’s about the bigger picture. Everybody wants to win games of football but they understand, the senior players, that we have to start introducing younger players. “It’s nice to hear their backing (of the senior players). It means a lot, the world to me.” Joe Morrell and Kieffer Moore are suspended for the Latvia qualifier and set to start against South Korea. The pair became the latest Wales players to be sent off in June after Ethan Ampadu and Harry Wilson were red carded at Euro 2020 and Wayne Hennessey was shown his marching orders at the 2022 World Cup. Page said: “If we are going to compete at this level we need 11 players on the pitch. Both players regret the red cards. They were both disappointing. Kieffer’s red was a bit more disappointing because he rose to the bait. “They knew what they were doing and they are the masters of the dark arts at that level, and we fell for it. We are better than that and it will be addressed.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Matt Fagerson says being at World Cup with brother Zander ‘pretty special’ BBC’s director of sport Barbara Slater to retire after 40 years at broadcaster Sofyan Amrabat talks up importance of Man Utd boss Erik ten Hag on his career

Jenni Hermoso has accused suspended Spanish football federation president Luis Rubiales of a sexual assault, according to reports in Spain. Rubiales kissed Hermoso on the lips during the trophy presentation following Spain’s victory over England in last month’s World Cup final. Hermoso said the kiss was not consensual, and although FIFA has suspended Rubiales pending an investigation into his behaviour, he has refused to resign. A number of media outlets in the country reported that the national prosecutor’s office had received the accusation from Hermoso on Tuesday. The PA news agency has contacted the prosecutor’s office but did not receive an immediate response. The Spanish football federation (RFEF) issued an apology on Tuesday, with current president Pedro Rocha distancing the federation from what Rubiales had done, and saying his actions had caused “enormous damage”. Later the same day the RFEF announced the dismissal of World Cup-winning coach Jorge Vilda. The 42-year-old had been the only member of Spain’s backroom staff who had not quit in protest at Rubiales’ refusal to step down. Vilda had also applauded Rubiales at an emergency general assembly of the RFEF on August 25 when the latter said he would not quit. The RFEF issued a glowing statement in praise of Vilda on Tuesday in confirming his dismissal, but said his exit was the first of a number of “renewal measures” planned by Rocha. Montse Tome was later confirmed as Vilda’s successor. Concerns over Vilda’s coaching methods and regime were reported to have been a key factor in 15 Spain players refusing to play for the national team last year, but the federation, under Rubiales, refused to budge. Vilda told Spanish radio network Cadena SER following his dismissal: “In sporting terms, I am going to accept all the criticisms, but on a personal level I think it has been unfair. “It has been a special year. Nothing has ever been said directly, but indirectly things have been said that do not suit me. Things have been said that are not true. “The explanation is that there have been ‘structural changes’. After everything I have achieved, of working hard as just another worker, I have a clear conscience. “I have given 100 per cent and I don’t understand it – I didn’t see my dismissal as deserved.” It is not yet clear whether Vilda’s dismissal and Tome’s appointment will be enough to prompt a return to action by Spain’s World Cup-winning squad for the Nations League matches against Sweden and Switzerland later this month. The 23 players had been part of a group of 81 who had said they would not make themselves available for international duty until Rubiales had resigned.

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Spanish football star Jenni Hermoso has filed a legal complaint over an unsolicited kiss by football federation boss Luis Rubiales following Spain’s win over England in the Women’s World Cup final, the national prosecutor’s office said on Wednesday. With the complaint, Rubiales could face criminal charges in addition to the ongoing probe by Spain’s top sport court for “serious misconduct” and an investigation by world governing body Fifa. The kiss occurred minutes after Spain won the World Cup, immediately prior to lifting the trophy as the squad received their medals and passed a line of dignitaries – one of which was Rubiales in his position as president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (Rfef). There, he was seen planting a kiss on Hermoso’s lips – which the player says was not consensual and Rubiales insists that it was. While the crisis engulfing Spanish football has centred around Rubiales’ position and conduct, it has not been limited to the president, with head coach Jorge Vilda sacked from his post this week and claiming it to have been an “unfair” decision. Rubiales, meanwhile, continues to protest his innocence in the situation, releasing a statement to say “justice will be served” and that “information [...] is being subjected to numerous manipulations, lies, and censorship”. Spanish prosecutors initially opened a preliminary investigation into whether the incident amounts to a crime of sexual assault, with the office now saying the legal complaint has been filed. The national sports tribunal also opened a misconduct case against Rubiales, ruling the kiss on Hermoso constituted a “serious offence”, but not one to the degree which would have resulted in his suspension. However, he has already been suspended from his duties by Fifa, while Uefa also said his behaviour was “inappropriate”, but are leaving any sanctions to the game’s governing body to hand out. Meanwhile, the Rfef’s regional leaders have called for Rubiales’ resignation from the head of the organisation. Rubiales’ mother locked herself in a church and went on a hunger strike as the controversy around her son broke out, insisting she was “willing to die” to protest his innocence. However, she was eventually taken to hospital for treatment. Former England international Jill Scott said this week that the saga had “overshadowed” the enormous sporting achievement of the Spanish squad having won the World Cup, while every member of the squad have refused to play for Spain again while Rubiales remains head of the federation. Neither Hermoso’s representatives nor Rubiales were immediately available for comment. Read More Sacked Jorge Vilda defends clapping Luis Rubiales’ ‘I will not resign’ speech Luis Rubiales fallout live: Spain boss Vilda hits out at ‘unfair’ sacking Jill Scott says World Cup kiss saga ‘overshadowed’ Spain playing ‘great football’