GIANNI INFANTINO'S OLD BOSS FILES CRIMINAL COMPLAINT AGAINST FIFA PRESIDENT

Former UEFA president Michel Platini has filed a criminal complaint against FIFA president Gianni Infantino and two other officials, alleging malicious prosecution and influence peddling

Former UEFA President Michel Platini (R) is set to launch legal action against former UEFA General Secretary Gianni Infantino(L).(Image: Getty Images)

Former UEFA president Michel Platini is reportedly taking legal action against FIFA chief Gianni Infantino, alleging that he and two others conspired to ruin his chances of landing football's top job.

City AM reports that Platini's legal team have confirmed they are initiating proceedings in Paris against Infantino and two former FIFA officials, legal director Marco Villiger and audit chair Domenico Scala.

Infantino, Villiger and Scala are accused of malicious prosecution and influence peddling in relation to a scandal that ultimately ended Platini's career in football administration.

Platini was the favourite to take over from Sepp Blatter as FIFA president until 2015, when Blatter was effectively charged with bribing Platini for votes for a fourth term.

Platini and Blatter were given suspensions by FIFA's ethics committee over the two million Swiss francs "disloyal payment," but both have since been exonerated by the Swiss courts.

Michel Platini and Sepp Blatter(Image: FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP)

The ex-France captain is also suing FIFA for financial damages in Switzerland for what his lawyers allege was a deliberate attempt to block his succession of Blatter, reports the Mirror.

Infantino, who served as UEFA general secretary under Platini, was elected to succeed Blatter in 2016 and has held the position ever since, strengthening his grip on power throughout.

The timing of the legal proceedings becoming public will cause Infantino and FIFA considerable embarrassment just before the World Cup kicks off in the US, Mexico and Canada on Thursday.

Mirror Sport have contacted FIFA regarding the allegations but have not yet received a response to the latest developments, with Infantino set to face the media on Wednesday on the eve of the largest edition of the tournament ever staged.

This follows nine months after the acquittal of Platini, now 70, and Blatter, 90, on fraud and forgery charges by a Swiss federal criminal appeals court in September that year.

Since assuming office, Infantino has implemented sweeping changes to FIFA's operations and substantially increased its revenue, and last week he topped City AM's inaugural Football Power List.

FIFA president GIanni Infantino shows off World Cup to Donald Trump in the Oval Office last year(Image: AFP via Getty Images)

The news marks the latest controversy in a series of events that have overshadowed the build-up to this summer's World Cup. The United States conflict with Iran has been a major talking point.

Iran threatened to withdraw from the tournament following airstrikes that claimed the life of their leader Ayatollah Khamenei. With Italy put forward as possible replacements, it was later mooted that Iran's fixtures could be relocated at short notice to Mexico.

Despite the uncertainty, Infantino consistently assured that Iran would take part and everything would be fine, while Trump issued a threatening statement, asserting: "I really don't believe it ⁠is appropriate that they be there, for their own life and safety."

The US President eventually gave his tepid endorsement. In recent hours, Somalian referee Omar Artan has been refused entry into the United States and Iranian fans have had their tickets revoked.

- Matty Hewitt  and Frank Dalleres

WALL OF LEGENDS | SOCCER ⚽️ LEGENDS

 

BERNARD LACOMBE DEAD AT 72: LEGENDARY FRANCE STRIKER WHO WON EURO 1984 PASSES AWAY AS TRIBUTES FLOOR IN

• Bernard Lacombe won the European Championship with France back in 1984 

• The prolific former striker is still the second-highest ever goalscorer in Ligue 1 

• French Football Federation president Philippe Diallo hailed him as 'remarkable' 

Legendary former France international Bernard Lacombe has passed away at the age of 72. 

The prolific striker is perhaps best remembered as one of the victorious European Champions of 1984 alongside Michel Platini, and netted 12 times for Les Bleus in his 38 international appearances. 

One of those strikes remains a record-breaker today, after Lacombe scored within 30 seconds of the World Cup clash with Italy back in 1978, France's fastest at football's greatest competition. 

Beyond success on the international scene, Lacombe was known in the seventies and eighties as one of the most lethal forwards in France. 

In fact, he has the second-most goals of any player in Ligue 1 history, registering 255 strikes in 497 appearances across stints with Lyon, Saint-Etienne and Bordeaux. 

French giants Lyon, where he played 258 times, paid tribute to their former star and manager on social media in the wake of the tragic news.

'It is with immense sadness that we learned on Tuesday evening of the passing of Bernard Lacombe,' they wrote.

'All our thoughts are with his family and loved ones, as well as with the fans of Olympique Lyonnais and football.

'Rest in peace, Bernard.'

After hanging up his boots, Lacombe went on to manage Lyon - where he came through the ranks having been born in the city - for four years between 1996 and 2000, winning the Intertoto Cup in 1997.

He would also spend 20 years as a special advisor to owner Jean-Michel Aulas, and was reportedly crucial to the retention of a number of the club's Brazilian players, such as Juninho. 

French Football Federation president Philippe Diallo, added an emotive response to the news, saying: 'It is with deep sadness that I learned of the passing of Bernard Lacombe. Bernard Lacombe left an indelible mark on French football, as a player, coach, and manager.

'He was one of the greatest strikers in the history of French football. The second-highest scorer in Division 1, he made his mark on the glorious history of Lyon, Saint-Étienne, and Bordeaux. He also shone with the French national team. His goals helped establish Les Bleus on the international stage.

'Bernard Lacombe was a major contributor to the 1984 European Championship title. He performed some of France's greatest feats, including his goal in the opening seconds of the game against Italy at the 1978 World Cup. He was undoubtedly a source of inspiration for many strikers.

.'After his remarkable playing career, Bernard Lacombe put his footballing knowledge to work for Olympique Lyonnais, his beloved club.

'With Jean-Michel Aulas, whom I am thinking of very much in these difficult moments, he formed a duo that transformed OL into a successful club.

'Deeply attached to his city, his club, and his friends, Bernard Lacombe will be deeply missed.

'The Federation will pay tribute to him. On behalf of all French football, I extend my most sincere condolences to his family and friends.'

Bordeaux, for whom he featured 297 times and scored 137 goals, added on X: 'With immense sadness, Bernard Lacombe has just left us at the age of 72.

'Having played for [Bordeaux] between 1979 and 1987, this legendary striker left his mark on the club's history with his talent and generosity. 

'The entire Marine et Blanc family mourns today a striker of rare elegance, one of the greatest players in the club's history. Thank you, Bernard.'

- Dominic Hoogan

GREATEST MIDFIELDERS

 

KYLIAN MBAPPÉ UNDER FIRE FOR MISSING FRANCE CAMP AS CAPTAIN

France captain Kylian Mbappé is facing criticism in his home country for skipping Les Bleus' Nations League games against Israel and Belgium while being available to play for Real Madrid.

The forward picked up a muscle injury last month but made his return to the pitch in the Champions League last Wednesday as Madrid suffered a shock defeat to Lille.

France coach Didier Deschamps left Mbappé out of the squad he announced on Thursday, saying the 25-year-old lacked preparation, having played too few matches.

Mbappé started Madrid's LaLiga win against Villarreal on Saturday, though he was substituted after 71 minutes.

"Either you're injured, and you don't play with your club and you're not called up in the national team," former France international Maxime Bossis told French sports daily L'Equipe on Monday.

"But when you come off the bench in the Champions League and you start a league game, it makes things fuzzy. He's a special player. We've known that with Michel Platini, when we still wanted him with us when he was injured."

Mbappé's situation is more complicated because the former Paris Saint-Germain player is the national team captain after being handed the armband ahead of Antoine Griezmann, who last week announced his retirement from international football.

Griezmann's commitment to Les Bleus was never in doubt as the Atlético Madrid forward played a record 84 consecutive matches for his country between 2017 and 2024.

"As a captain [Mbappé] must be an example for the fans, and he has not been," Fabien Bonnet, spokesperson for the Irresistibles Francais, the main France supporters' group, told L'Equipe.

"What emerges is that the real captain, Antoine Griezmann, is gone."

France, second in Group A, face Israel in Budapest on Thursday and travel to Brussels to play Belgium on Monday.

- Reuters 

DETAINED MICHEL PLATINI IN 'HOT SOUP' OVER 2022 QATAR WORLD CUP AWARD

French football legend and former UEFA president has been detained in conjunction with a criminal investigation into corruption...

FIFA: GIANNI INFANTINO RAIS MPYA FIFA

FIFA jana ilichagua kiongozi mpya wa Shirikisho hilo katika zoezi la kupiga kura lililofanyika Zurich...Gianni Infantino amekua Rais mpya wa FIFA... Infantino alipata kura 115 na alimpita Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim al-Khalifa kwa kura 27...Infantino amechukua nafasi ya Sepp Blatter ambae alikuwa rais wa FIFA toka 1998 na sasa Blatter amefungiwa miaka 6 kutojihusisha na shughuli zozote za mpira...Rais mpya wa FIFA alikuwa hata hana mpango wa kuwania urais lakini Michel Platini alipoacha kuwania urais Infantino aliingia kwenye kinyan'ganyiro cha urais...Ameahidi kusafisha FIFA na kurudisha sifa ya mpira...Bofya hapa upate habari zaidi.

FIFA: BLATTER NA PLATINI WAFUNGIWA MIAKA 8

Kutokana na uchunguzi wa masuala ya rushwa ndani ya Fifa, kamati ya nidhamu imewafungia Sepp Blatter na Michel Platini miaka 8 kutojihusisha na kitu chochote kinacho husu mpira...Kwa mujibu wa uchunguzi Blatter na Platini wametumia vibaya ofisi za Fifa wakati Blatter alipompatia Platini ponds za Uingereza milioni 1.3...Blatter amesema atatetea jina late na atatetea Fifa na kuna watu wanamchafulia jina lake...Blatter ambae ni mswiss na Platini ambae ni mfaransa wamepigwa faini ya pounds 33,700 (Blatter) na pounds 54,000 (Platini)...Bofya hapa upate habari zaidi.

FIFA: SEPP BLATTER ALAZWA KUTOKANA NA MSONGO WA MAWAZO

Boss wa FIFA, Sepp Blatter, ambae amesimamishwa kwa tuhuma za rushwa amelazwa kutokana na msongo wa mawazo...Blatter atakaa hospitalini mpaka Jumanne ijayo...Blatter alisimamishwa kwa siku 90 kutokana na uchunguzi wa pesa Euro milioni 2 alizompa Platini kwa kazi maalum...Bofya hapa upate habari zaidi.

FIFA: UEFA YAMUUNGA MKONO PLATINI

UEFA imesema inamuunga mkono Platini na inataka apewe nafasi ya kujitetea na kifungo chake cha siku 90 kimalizike aendelee na mambo mengine...Pamoja na kuungwa mkono sasa amejitokeza mtu mwingine ambae anataka kiti cha urais wa FIFA...Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa nae karibu atatangaza kuingia kwenye kinyan'ganyiro cha kutafuta rais mpya wa FIFA...Bofya hapa upate habari zaidi.

FIFA: BLATTER NA PLATINI WASIMAMISHWA

Kamati ya nidhamu imewasimamisha Sepp Blatter, Michel Platini na Jerome Valcke kwa muda wa siku 90...Blatter ni rais wa FIFA, Platini ni makamu rais na Valcke ni katibu na wamesimamishwa kutokana na contract ambayo haikuisaidia FIFA na pia pesa kiasi cha milioni 1.32 pounds za Uingereza alizopokea Platini kutoka kwa Blatter...FIFA pia wamemsimamisha makamu rais wa zamani Chung-Mong joon miaka 6... 

Issa Hayatou ambaye ni rais wa CAF atakuwa rais wa muda wa FIFA na amesema hato ingia kwenye kinyanganyiro cha kutafuta rais mpya wa FIFA...Bofya hapa upate habari zaidi.