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Weekends football 19/21 April


andykeenan

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state championships are a bit of a farce though. as example in Porto Alegre they have 2 major teams in Internacional and Gremio but after that the others are maybe divisions 2, 3 or pub teams.

 

 

though the quality never meant anything to Romario ;)

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Suarez vs. Defoe

 

Mascherano rages, but FA can't punish Defoe

by IAN LADYMAN and NEIL ASHTON

Last updated at 23:10 24 October 2006



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Jermain Defoe 'nibbles' Javier Mascherano

West Ham's Javier Mascherano claimed Jermain Defoe should have been sent off for biting him on the arm, as it emerged the Tottenham striker will escape FA punishment for Sunday's unsavoury clash.

Argentina midfielder Mascherano rolled around in apparent agony after Defoe sunk his teeth into him when the two players clashed late in the first half of Tottenham's 1-0 win.

More
Defoe bites back after 'nibble' storm
Click here to see who else got away with it like Defoe
The sack race

Incredibly, Defoe will not be sanctioned after Soho Square's compliance department reviewed the incident on video in the light of referee Steve Bennett's match report.

FA chiefs privately admit that Defoe's actions were "not in the spirit of the game", but are bound by FIFA rules on retrospective punishment and cannot impose further penalty.

Mascherano, 22, has hit back at Tottenham head coach Martin Jol for claiming the attack was only a comical "nibble" and had not scarred him.

"My reaction was that this was not a joke," said Mascherano. "I have a mark on my arm and my reaction was not theatrical, like the Spurs coach suggested.

"This whole incident was incredible. Never in my professional career have I witnessed action like this and I still don't understand why the referee has not shown the red card to Defoe.

"When I arrived in England, journalists questioned me about the hard nature of Argentinian football. But I've never recieved a bite there - and I never thought I would receive a bite in the Premier League.

"I had a face to face with Defoe in the game but football is a sport for men, not those who want to bite."

Defoe, who released a statement yesterday to apologise for his actions, was booked for his reaction following Mascherano's clumsy foul, but FA sources admit Bennett made a mistake and should have sent off the Spurs striker.

It is understood Bennett saw Defoe nuzzle Mascherano, but did not see the bite.

He has, though, detailed the mass confrontation that followed in his report. All 20 outfield players made a beeline for Bennett, so both clubs are to be asked for an explanation and could be charged under FA rules.

However, senior sources indicated that the routine sanction of a fine of up to £250,000 is unlikely to be enforced.

Disciplinary bosses feel players on both sides were reacting to the unusual nature of the incident rather than exerting pressure on Bennett. However, the clubs are expected to be warned.

Defoe took steps to move on from the incredible incident, which he claimed was merely "mischievous" after releasing a statement yesterday.

He said: "The referee was standing right over me and if he felt I had done anything bad he would have sent me off.

"The incident doesn't look great on TV and I accept that as a role model to kids I have a responsibility to conduct myself in the right way which I always try to do on or off the pitch."

 

 

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the Suarez thing is much different than Defoe because Defoe is not regularly doing stupid things on the pitch. He hasnt racially abused a fellow professional, bit another player before and never 2 footed tackled on a prone opponent

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Papers tend to go to print about 11, with the content being signed off at around 10:30. That's why news which breaks after 10:30 or so doesn't make it in to the morning papers. Printed any later and they wouldn't be able to print hundreds of thousands of copies and get them distributed all around the country for 4-5am. 

 

Anyway, yes, the Saurez saga drags on. And no doubt the FA will do a huge ban, which will get appealed and it'll drag on further..

 

The FA have put themselves in the situation where, if they put a ban longer than 8 games, they're saying that doing that is worse than racism.. unless they play the 'repeat offender' card.

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