World Soccer - UK (2019-12)

DYNAMO DRESDEN FANS

More than 30,000 of their supporters made

the 125-mile trip to Hertha Berlin to see the

team lose on penalties in the second round

of the German Cup.

TIMO WERNER

The RB Leipzig star became the first player

since the turn of the millennium to manage a

hat-trick of both goals and assists in the same

Bundesliga game, being involved in six of his

side’s goals in an 8-0 win against Mainz.

GIANLUIGI DONNARUMMA

The Milan goalkeeper showed support for the

victims of the Venice floods when he visited the

city and met local people as part of an Italian

Football Federation delegation.

ADA HEGERBERG

The Lyon striker became the highest scorer in

Women’s Champions League history with 53

goals in 50 appearances, surpassing the 51

previously set by Germany’s Anja Mittag.

GLOBAL FOOTBALL INTELLIGENCE

HEROES VILLAINS

VERONA

The Italian club were ordered to close part of

their stadium for one game following racist

abuse of Brescia striker Mario Balotelli, who

threatened to walk off the pitch during his

side’s 2-1 defeat.

FRANCESCO MAGNANELLI

& MATTEO SCOZZARELLA

Sassuolo’s Magnanelli and Parma’s Scozzarella

were given one-match bans after they were

shown on TV making blasphemous remarks

in separate incidents during Serie A matches.

There is a strict ban on taking God’s name in

vain in Italy and the Italian FA have clamped

down on players heard doing so in recent years.

JAMAL MALINZI

The former Tanzania federation boss was

banned for 10 years from all football activity

by FIFA for misappropriation of funds and

falsifying documents.

DAVID ABRAHAM

The Eintracht Frankfurt captain was sent off and

subsequently suspended for seven games for

barging over Freiburg coach Christian Streich

when the ball was out of play in added time of

their Bundesliga match. In the ensuing brawl,

Abraham also came to blows with Freiburg’s

Vincenzo Griffo, who also saw red.

Taison was in tears as he left the pitch
and later said: “My tears were of indignation,
repudiation and helplessness; helplessness
that I could do nothing at that moment. But
we are taught very early to be strong and to
fight; fight for our rights and for equality.
“My role is to fight, to beat my chest, to lift
my head and keep fighting always.
“In a racist society it is not enough not to be
racist, we must be anti-racist. Football needs
more respect, the world needs more respect.”
UAF president Andriy Pavelko said: “The
racism against Taison is not ordinary
hooliganism, it’s a criminal act which could
result in imprisonment for between three to
eight years. .”
Taison’s red card followed recent incidents of
racism at games in Bulgaria and Italy.
Bulgaria were ordered to play two matches
behind closed doors as punishment for fans
aiming monkey chants and Nazi salutes at
England’s black players throughout October’s
Euro 2020 qualifier in Sofia. Match officials
gave England players the chance to abandon
the match but they opted to carry on.
In Italy, Brescia’s Mario Balotelli kicked the
ball into the crowd and attempted to leave the
pitch during the second half of a Serie A match
at Verona after he was targeted by racist abuse.
Gavin Hamilton

Banned...

Francesco

Magnanelli

Loyal...Dresden fans in Berlin to watch a cup game

Shove...David Abraham clashes with Christian Streich

“UEFA has missed an opportunity. The

current sanctions, however tough UEFA

think they may be, are clearly not working”

Campaign group Kick It Out on the weak punishment handed to Bulgaria for

racist chants aimed at England players during the Euro 2020 qualifier in Sofia

Support...Gianluigi

Donnarumma

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