Will the cloud of scandal and the taint of corruption darken the return of the UEFA Champions League when the European tournament resumes today?
Manu Fernandez/Associated Press: Thierry Henry is expected to feature Tuesday for Barcelona as the team may be without Lionel Messi and Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Thierry Henry, still vilified almost a week after his hand-ball aided triumph for France
Manu Fernandez/Associated Press: Thierry Henry is expected to feature Tuesday for Barcelona as the team may be without Lionel Messi and Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Thierry Henry, still vilified almost a week after his hand-ball aided triumph for France
in the World Cup playoff against Ireland, will don his Barcelona kit as the 2009 Champions League winner fights to remain in the tournament against one of Europe’s most ambitious teams.
Afghanistan: Afghan AG’s office says 15 ministers being probed
AFP
Indonesia: Indonesia president sidesteps action on corruption case
AFP
United States: Ex-NY politician’s corruption trial wrapping up
Associated Press
International: ABB Entangled In Corruption Case
Forbes
Russia: Anti-corruption 0.1
Moscow News (TI mention)
International: Scandal and Corruption Cloud Champions League Restart
New York Times
— News from the TI movement
UPDATE
The Russian champion Rubin Kazan tied Dynamo Kiev, leaving the final standings of Group F very much in doubt until after the Inter Milan-Barcelona match, going on now.
Many observers want to see Henry get his come-uppance by way of a Barca defeat.“Karma as well as FIFA’s hastily called extraordinary meeting stalks the Nou Camp on Tuesday night,” writes Kevin Garside for The Telegraph. “The World Cup is gone, but not yet the chance to dance on Henry’s Champions League grave.”
If Barcelona loses at home to Inter Milan today, and Rubin Kazan of Russia, who twice shocked Barca, defeats Dynamo Kiev, Barcelona will be the first defending European champion to miss out on the knockout stages since 1994.
“Catastrophe for Catalunya,” Garside writes, “deep joy for the anti-Henry faction and the big hounds chasing Europe’s principal pot.”
The joyous would include Jose Mourinho, the Inter Milan manager, who is seeking to regain the European spotlight he so much enjoys.
Inter has had nothing but success in Serie A, and Mourinho has remained patient, satisfied with domestic accolades while he builds the Neroazzuri to conquer Europe.
“All my players want to play in this game –- it’s a game that appeals to everyone,” said Mourinho, who added that he is not at all worried about what Barcelona will do, only his team. Wesley Sneijder is trying to come back after the Dutch midfielder pulled out of international duty because of injury.
Mourinho insists his decisions will be based on what is best for his team, regardless of what Barcelona does.But while the big names of European soccer — players and managers — take to the fields of Europe for Matchday 5 of the most lucrative club tournament in the world, the game’s executives will meet to discuss one of the most disturbing cases of match fixing in European soccer history.
UEFA has called an emergency meeting for Wednesday in Nyon, Switzerland, to discuss an investigation into 200 games that may have been rigged. Officials want to talk to representatives from Austria, Belgium, Bosnia, Croatia, Germany, Hungary, Slovenia, Switzerland and Turkey in regards to games, some in the early qualifying stages of the Champions League, that investigators in Germany say were manipulated.
FIFA will follow suit with a meeting added to the agenda of the international body’s executive committee on Dec. 2 in South Africa.
Eric Pfanner reports for The New York Times that players, coaches, referees and other officials, along with suspected gamblers, are being investigated.
“So far, the suspected conspiracy uncovered by the German police appears to be more impressive for its breadth than for the caliber of soccer involved,” Pfanner reports.
“Although UEFA has said that several matches in the Champions League, the top-level inter-European club competition, are suspected of having been manipulated, a spokesman said Monday that these were early qualifying games.”
Few fans watching Barcelona-Inter Milan on Tuesday will suspect the well-paid Henry of pocketing gangsters’ money to throw the game, they may still want to watch what he does throw with his hands.