■ENGLAND
Cesc ‘committed to Gunners’
Team captain Cesc Fabregas said on Thursday that he was fully committed to Arsenal after he criticized the Premier League club’s lack of recent silverware and said his parents would back a move to Real Madrid. Fabregas was quoted in British media reports as saying the lack of trophies over the past four years reflected the “impotence” of his team’s efforts and said “my family would understand if I signed for Real Madrid.” While not denying the comments, Fabregas sought to explain them in a statement released by Arsenal in which he acknowledged his anger with the lack of achievement. “Let me make myself absolutely crystal clear. I am wholeheartedly committed to Arsenal and my future lies with this great club. It is a fact that we have not won a trophy for four years and yes, I am angry about that, but that anger stems from the deep, deep desire I have to win things with Arsenal. I am proud to captain this team and proud to wear the shirt,” Fabregas said.
■ARGENTINA
Maradona signs bumper deal
Diego Maradona has signed a bumper contract to continue as coach of the Argentine national team. Press reports on Thursday said Maradona will earn US$1.2 million for his one-year stint as coach, which comes in at US$100,000 a month and covers the period from last November to this October. The deal means Maradona, who has worked as coach of Argentina since November but without signing a contract, will remain in the post at least until the end of the World Cup qualifiers in October. If the former World Cup winners qualify for the 2010 showpiece in South Africa Maradona’s contract is likely to be extended. The news will prove interesting reading for former Argentina coaches Daniel Passarella, Marcelo Bielsa, Jose Pekerman and Alfio Basile, who were all paid between US$40,000 and US$50,000 a month. The Argentine soccer federation justified Maradona’s bumper pay packet by highlighting the positive influence he had on the team — attracting huge crowds even for friendly matches and thus benefiting the team’s sponsors. Maradona has come in for some criticism of late, however, after Argentina slipped to fourth in the South American zone qualifying table for the 2010 World Cup.
■ITALY
Roma takeover falls through
A Swiss consortium has failed to agree to a takeover of AS Roma, the Serie A club’s main shareholder said on Thursday. Soccer agent Vinicio Fioranelli, who heads the consortium, has been talking to Roma for several weeks but shares have fallen in recent days amid media reports the deal would fall through. “Italpetroli makes clear that up to today, despite the efforts made, the conditions to continue with an evaluation of a possible deal have not been realized,” the oil storage company said in a statement.
■BRAZIL
Lopez accused of racial slur
Brazilian police are investigating an accusation that Gremio’s Argentine striker Maxi Lopez racially abused a Cruzeiro player in the semi-final of the Copa Libertadores on Thursday. In an e-mailed statement, police in Belo Horizonte said that Elicarlos Souza, who is black, is accusing Lopez, of making the racist comment. Cruzeiro, playing at home, won the game 3-1. Police took testimony from both players at a police station near the stadium. They didn’t disclose what Lopez allegedly called Elicarlos, but the Cruzeiro midfielder told reporters Lopez called him a “monkey” during the match.
SS Lazio on Monday fired the far-right sympathizer who handles their eagle mascot after he posted online a series of videos and pictures of his erect penis. Falconer Juan Bernabe, who has been present at Lazio home matches with Olimpia the eagle since the 2010-2011 season, posted the footage on social media after having surgery on Saturday to implant a penile prosthesis to improve his sexual performance. Lazio said that they had “terminated, with immediate effect” their relationship with Bernabe “due to the seriousness of his conduct,” adding that they were “shocked” by the images. The Serie A club added that Bernabe’s dismissal
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