Football News: Sunderland Sack Johnson, Chelsea Tracking AC Milan Keeper And More

Image from: zeenews.india.com

1. Admitted paedophile Adam Johnson sacked by Sunderland
After changing his plea in court to admit guilt to grooming and then having sex with an underage girl, Sunderland winger Adam Johnson has been sacked by the club. The former Middlesbrough and Manchester City player had denied being guilty for months, while the club had backed him and continued to choose him in the team. Then, to their great embarrassment, Johnson changed his plea to admit guilt, leading to an immediate termination of his contract. A statement from the club said: "In light of Adam Johnson's guilty pleas, the club has today terminated his contract with immediate effect. The club will make no further comment." Adidas, who sponsor Johnson, are reviewing their position with a view to terminating their contract with him.

2. Madrid pair face fitness battle ahead of Champions League clash
Real Madrid have fitness doubts over a pair of their players as the first leg of their Champions League last 16 clash with AS Roma approaches. Left back Marcelo faces a race against time to be ready for the game after being diagnosed with a dislocated shoulder, an injury he picked up during Madrid's 2-1 win over Granada on Sunday. "After tests carried out today on the player Marcelo at the Sanitas La Moraleja University Hospital, he has been diagnosed with a acromioclavicular shoulder joint dislocation," the club said. Record signing Gareth Bale also faces a race against time to be fit after suffering a setback in his recovery from a calf injury.

3. Transfer round up
Robinho, Guangzhou Evergrande to Atletico Mineiro, free
Semir Kerla, Zalgiris to Irtysh, free
Kyriaskos Stratilatis, Olympiakos Volos to AEL Kalloni, free
Gordan Bunoza, Pescara to Pandurii Targu Jiu, free
Hugo, Tombense to Volta Redonda, on loan
Tomasz Szatan, Sosnowiec to Rozwoj Katowice, free
George Carjan, Otelul Galati to FCM Baia Mare, free
Sime Gregov. NK Istra 1961 to NK Krsko, free
Cristian Daminuta, Zakho FC to FCM Baia Mare, free
Nemanja Bilbija, RNK Split to Zrinski Mostar, free
Jean Patrick, Rondonopolis to Rio Claro FC, free
Nikolaos Kousidis, OFI Crete to Vyzas, on loan
Hamish Watson, Hawke's Bay to Wellington Phoenix, free
Piotr Parzyszek, Charlton Athletic to De Graafschap, free
Matheus, Caldas Novas to Feirense, free
Michal Rzuchowski, Ruch Chorzow to Bytovia Bytow, free
Nabil Ejenavi, ASO Chlef to PFC Montana, free
Giovanni, Corinthians to Tigres, on loan
Romario, UR Trabalhadore to Tupi, free
Kenneth Qvist, ? To Kolding IF
Adnan Jahic, FK Radnicki Lukavac to FK Gorazde, undisclosed fee
Edin Kozica, ? To FK Gorazde
Bruno Silva, Ponte Preta to Botafogo, undisclosed fee
Senad Jahic, Rudar Velenje to Saipa Teheran, undisclosed fee
Zdenko Bilac, Branitelj Mostar to HSK Posusje, undisclosed fee
Piotr Lysiak, Stomil to Gryf Wejherowo, on loan
Amauri, released by Torino
Guly, unattached to Ituano
Ronny, unattached to Comercial FC
Njazi Kuqi, unattached to PK-35
Sergei Mosnikov, unattached to FC Infonet
Jheimy, released by Sampaio Correa
Franklin Vicente, unattached to Uberlandia FC
Jackson, unattached to Maringa FC
Mateusz Slodowy, released by Gornik Zabrze
Patrik Lacha, unattached to FCM Schwerin
Adrian Olszewski, released by Termalica
Joshua Nadeau, unattached to Gefle IF
Wojciech Jurek, released by GKS Katowice
Nikola Jelisic, unattached to BV Cloppenburg

4. Silva refutes allegations he was kicked off the Marseille team bus
Real Madrid midfielder Lucas Silva is having a difficult loan spell with French side Olympique Marseille. The 22 year old joined Marseille in the summer on a season long loan deal, but has managed just nine league starts since arriving. L'Equipe alleged that Silva rejected the chance to join Belgian side Anderlecht in the January transfer window and that, as a result, he was kicked off the Marseille team bus. Lending credence to the reports was his removal from the club's squad for the last 32 of the Europa League. However Silva has dismissed the claim in a statement: "During the last day of the winter transfer window, I took my place on the team bus with my teammates," Silva wrote. "Because of a possible transfer being negotiated, I was led to move in accordance with the transaction taking place. In this way, the Marseille directors advised me to stay in Marseille and not to travel with the team. I was never kicked off the bus as some media outlets announced. There were certainly teams in Brazil interested in signing me and I thank them. However it's not in Real Madrid's interest or mine to return to Brazil at the moment. I would like to thank Real Madrid for their support during this process. I'll take this occasion to reaffirm that I will stay at Marseille until end of my contract with the club. I've decided to stay in Marseille because I believe I should go to the end of the commitments that I've made. I've always taken up challenges and I always take them on with courage."

5. Robinho returns to Brazil
Former Real Madrid and Manchester City forward Robinho was released by Guangzhou Evergrande at the start of the month. Now the 32 year old Brazilian has returned home to sign for Atletico Mineiro, who beat off competition from another of his former clubs, Santos, for his signature. Part of Robinho's salary will be covered by Dryworld, a Canadian brand who sponsor the club and supply it with sports equipment.

6. A collector's item
Yes this really is a Steven Fletcher goal, I wonder if he remembered how to celebrate?

7. Cannavaro sacked after just 12 matches in charge
Former Italy captain Fabio Cannavaro was brought in to Saudi Arabian football in October to take charge of Al-Nassr and lead them to retaining their Saudi Pro League title. After a 4-3 defeat at the hands of Najran, just 12 games in to his reign, Cannavaro was sacked. He leaves Al-Nassr sixth in the standings, 18 points behind the leaders Al Hilal.

8. Martin gets Unsung Hero award
Coventry City defender Aaron Martin has been given the Football League Unsung Hero of the Month award for January. As well as making various community visits on behalf of Coventry and attending club events, he has also visited a number of schools and helped to teach children from disadvantaged communities to read. Martin also gave a large personal donation to the local University Hospital in the city. "The UHCW [University Hospitals Coventry & Warwickshire Charity] is trying to make hospital a less frightening experience for children," said Adela Appleby, head of UHCW. "The Children's Emergency Department has been transformed into a bespoke under-sea scene and the virtual beach is the final stage. Coventry City are great supporters of the project. The players spend time with the children around Christmas and together the players and staff buy a gift for us for the children's unit. This year they bought us a big plasma screen TV and a DVD recorder for the teenagers' chill-out room. Aaron wanted to do more. He asked personally what he could do to help us. He really got what a difference the environment can make to children coming into hospital. And the children, their families and the staff are thrilled to have his support. It's a real boost for everybody and his donation has also helped us to create awareness for the appeal. It's fantastic that he is getting the Unsung Hero award. It's really important for people to know that footballers are committed to the community." Martin said: "A lot has happened over the last year or two with close friends and family. A few of my friends have lost people very close to them. I just feel that I am in a privileged position to do more, so I'm going to do more from now on. We go into the schools and have a chat with some of the kids, sign some stuff and take photos with them. It's very important to eat properly. You see so much in the news about kids being overweight. It's really important that they learn how to eat properly, just for them to have a better life. If we can help to teach them at an early age that maybe they are eating the wrong sorts of food or that they need to eat smaller portions than what they do, it will lead to them being a lot healthier. And it will help to bring the statistics down like Jamie Oliver does with his work in getting healthy eating into schools, which I think is brilliant. I know that it's expensive to eat really healthily and you can understand with parents who don't have a lot of money that food does take a step back in terms of eating the right foods because the foods that aren't as good for you aren't as expensive. It is hard but if they know what to eat, maybe they will change it a little bit."

9. Chelsea track AC Milan keeper
Chelsea's third choice goalkeeper is former AC Milan goalkeeper Marco Amelia, and the 33 year old, who joined the Blues in the summer, has revealed that the Londoners are tracking Milan's current number one, Gianluigi Donnaruma. "Perhaps he's spoken about more abroad," he told the Milan channel. "I'm here in London, and he's talked about so much by our scouts here in London and by our goalkeeping coaches. Donnarumma is being followed by many clubs, but I'm sure Milan will keep him because they need players who will stay in the Rossoneri shirt for many years," he added. "He's made his own path, and this year he's shown himself to be ready. Young lads with good physiques are a dime a dozen, but it's his attitude and personality that set him apart. If you talk to him he seems like a 25 or 30-year-old, but he's not yet 17." Donnarumma broke into the Milan first team early in the season and has held onto the starting spot since with impressive and mature performances.

10. A nice goal to finish with

Written by Tris Burke February 12 2016 09:26:10