Football News: Review Of The Day 26th February 2022
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Review of the Day
Contracts
Portland Timbers have given their 26 year old centre-back Bill Tuiloma a new contract which runs until the end of 2025 with a club option for another year after that.
Ayr United have extended Sean McGinty's deal until the end of next season.
Northampton Town have activated a contract clause in midfielder Jack Sowerby's contract to extend it for a year.
Transfers
A £409,000 fee has seen Daniel Rios move across Major League Soccer from Nashville SC to Charlotte FC.
Free agent veteran former Leeds United and Celtic winger Robert Snodgrass has joined Luton Town.
FC Cincinnati have paid £205,000 for Junior Moreno from DC United.
MLS side Atlanta United have released Jurgen Damm.
Veteran free agent midfielder Adlene Guedioura has signed for Burton Albion.
Free agent forward Lee Tomlin has signed for Walsall.
Injury Round-Up
Newport County have been hit by a trio of injuries. Josh Pask and Courtney Baker-Richardson are ruled out for around 6 weeks with hamstring injuries. Priestley Farquharson has a knee injury which has ended his season.
Managerial Changes
Kevin Thelwell has left his position as head of sport for the New York Red Bulls to become director of football at Everton.
The head coach of the Comoros national team, Amir Abdou, has quit after 8 years in charge. Under Abdou, the tiny island nation has risen from the bottom end of the world rankings to reaching the last 16 of the Africa Cup of Nations last month in Cameroon.
Disciplinary Charges
Both Kenya and Zimbabwe have been banned from world football by FIFA due to governmental interference in the running of the game. Both nations saw the governments intervene due to problems within the game's governance. Kenya's sports ministry disbanded the Football Kenya Federation over alleged misappropiation of finds and took charge of the running of football in the nation on a temporary basis in November. In the same month, Zimbabwe stepped in to suspend the national FA board over allegations of sexual harassment of female referees by technical staff as well as allegation of fraud within the FA.
Ukraine Invasion
Poland have announced that they will refuse to face Russia in their World Cup play-off, following the Russian invasion of the Ukraine. The president of the Polish FA, Cezary Kulesza, has said that the team "does not intend" to play the game which was due to take place in Moscow on 24th March. Poland, Sweden and the Czech Republic also released a joint statement that play-off matches should not be played in Russia. Sweden and the Czech Republic were set to play each other for the right to face the winner of the Poland v Russia play-off match. Sweden have also announced their intention to refuse to face Russia regardless of where the match would take place. UEFA has ordered all home games involving Russian and Ukrainian clubs and national sides to be played away from the region.
Manchester United have terminated a sponsorship deal with Russia's national airline Aeroflot. The deal had been in place since 2013 and was due to run until next year. The club had already changed carriers when they travelled to face Atletico Madrid in the Champions League on Wednesday, instead flying there on another airline. A club statement explained: "In light of events in Ukraine, we have withdrawn Aeroflot's sponsorship rights. We share the concerns of our fans around the world and extend our sympathies to those affected."
As expected the 2022 Champions League final has been moved from Russian city St Petersburg to be hosted in Paris at the Stade de France. UEFA are also looking to end a £30m a year sponsorship deal with Russia's state-run gas corporation Gazprom. Bundesliga side Schalke 04, whose main sponsor is Gazprom, have removed the company's logo from their shirts.
West Ham United have given their Ukrainian winger Andriy Yarmolenko time off. Yarmolenko was born in Russia to Ukrainian parents, who then moved back to their home country when he was a child.
Chelsea's Russian oligarch owner, Roman Abramovich, has handed over the London club to Chelsea's charitable foundation. His statement read: "During my nearly 20-year ownership of Chelsea FC, I have always viewed my role as a custodian of the club, whose job it is ensuring that we are as successful as we can be today, as well as build for the future, while also playing a positive role in our communities. I have always taken decisions with the club's best interest at heart. I remain committed to these values. That is why I am today giving trustees of Chelsea's charitable Foundation the stewardship and care of Chelsea FC. I believe that currently they are in the best position to look after the interests of the club, players, staff, and fans."
Europa League Last 16 Draw
Full Europa League last 16 draw
Atalanta v Bayer Leverkusen
Barcelona v Galatasaray
Braga v Monaco
Porto v Lyon
Rangers v Red Star Belgrade
RB Leipzig v Spartak Moscow
Real Betis v Eintracht Frankfurt
Sevilla v West Ham United
Europe Conference League Last 16 Draw
Europa Conference League last 16
Marseille v FC Basel
Leicester v Rennes
PAOK v Gent
Vitesse v Roma
PSV Eindhoven v FC Copenhagen
Slavia Prague v LASK
FK Bodo/Glimt v AZ Alkmaar
Partizan Belgrade v Feyenoord
Written by Tris Burke February 26 2022 19:59:50
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