Bartomeu blasts transfer ban: Barcelona 'the victims of a great injustice'

The Blaugrana supremo held a press conference on Thursday to defend the Catalans after they were sanctioned for allegedly breaking rules regarding the signing of players under 18

Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu says the club will fight to prove their innocence after they were handed a two-window transfer ban by Fifa on Wednesday.

Like Blaugrana vice-president Javier Faus, Bartomeu insisted the club had "done nothing wrong" in relation to the signing of young players from overseas and says the Catalans are gathering evidence against outside influences looking to damage their credibility.

"We're indignant," the Barca supremo stated at a press conference on Thursday. "We're victims of a great injustice and we would ask all of our members to support us in our fight because we haven't done anything wrong.

"We're going to fight this and we'll appeal within the 10-day period; if it is not accepted, an appeal will also be handed in to TAS (the Court of Arbitration for Sport).

"Here at Barca we have La Masia. We are a club that pursues excellence. We are a club that sets standards to others around the world and Fifa know we do things in the right way - they are questioning a model that has been successful for 35 years."

Bartomeu declined to point the finger at Real Madrid, but claimed outside influences were looking to harm the Catalan club.

"We have done nothing wrong - we are just trying to build the best club in the world. But we do have the feeling that there are people trying to attack Barcelona and we are starting to accumulate some really telling evidence," he explained.

"There are strange things going on outside. There are people trying to bring down this club. We have the best club in the world and there are people clearly not very happy about that, who are trying to damage us.

"When we have proof, we will give names."

However, the 51-year-old then suggested that La Masia should be exempt from certain Fifa regulations and revealed that predecessor Sandro Rosell had requested some special conditions.

"He asked Fifa to make us exempt from certain regulations," he said. "Fifa have always praised us, so it's surprising they won't make an exception. We won't change our way of working at La Masia."

Bartomeu also claimed the club's transfer plans remain unchanged at the moment.

"We are planning for the summer as we would normally," he said. "We're confident of overturning the ban."

However, he admitted that the prospective arrival of goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen - along with that of midfielder Alen Halilovic - is now up in the air, even though those two deals have been agreed.

"It's frozen," he said. "I don't know who will be our goalkeeper next season."

Reality Cech: Why it's now time for Chelsea to bring back Courtois

Contrasting performances this week from the Blues' current No.1 and his heir apparent show that Mourinho would be crazy not to start the Atletico Madrid loanee next season

COMMENT
By Peter Staunton

If Jose Mourinho was looking for evidence that now is the time to dispense with Petr Cech and recall Thibaut Courtois from his Atletico Madrid loan exile, then the Champions League quarter-finals will have provided plenty. 

"We had clear chances to make it 2-1, but because of Courtois we’re leaving with a draw," Barcelona defender Marc Bartra told reporters following their quarter-final first-leg against Atletico Madrid. 

Bartra had just witnessed one of the finest goalkeeping performances in Champions League history as Courtois made save after save to deny Sergio Busquets, Andres Iniesta,  Lionel Messi and others. He nearly got a hand to Neymar's equaliser for good measure. 

Meanwhile, Cech was being beaten at his near post in injury-time as Chelsea fell to a 3-1 defeat against Paris Saint-Germain in France. He was slow to Ezequiel Lavezzi's opener and uncertain under the high ball as David Luiz's own goal made it two. 

In a game of such magnitude, the goalkeeper - and moreover a senior figure - needs to be relied upon. He's no longer the type of goalkeeper who can keep Chelsea in matches they have no right to win.

COURTOIS VS CECH - HEAD TO HEAD

21	AGE	31
30	LEAGUE APPEARANCES	32
20	CONCEDED	24
73.33%	SAVE PERCENTAGE	75.51%
8	EUROPEAN APPEARANCES	8
5	CONCEDED	7
80.00%	SAVE PERCENTAGE	74.07%

Courtois has become far too good for Chelsea to persist with the clanger-ridden Cech. The 31-year-old's influence in the dressing room at Stamford Bridge matters no longer. The Belgian is the better man for the job. Any club in the world would have to pay €40m plus to secure the services of such a talent, but for Chelsea he would come in for nothing. Now, they must sow the seeds of change.

Cech was around the same age as Courtois when he announced himself as a rival for the established Carlo Cudicini's place in the Chelsea first team. Mourinho should set Courtois upon Cech in a similar manner. He was a confident boy in signing for the Blues, stating as a teenager that he had been bought to replace Cech - then regarded as one of the best in the world. 

Here is man who, over the course of three seasons, has helped Atletico to the Europa League, the European Super Cup, the Copa del Rey, Champions League football and into contention for La Liga. Diego Costa may provide the star quality for Diego Simeone's side but there is no doubting their MVP. For Chelsea to turn him down now would be negligent - bordering on self-sabotage. 

“I’d put the best in," former Chelsea striker Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink told Sky Sports this week over Chelsea's goalkeeping puzzle. "That’s Courtois." 

Chelsea still hold all the power in regards to the Belgian's future. Atletico's president Enrique Cerezo wants Courtois to stay but the club are stony broke. Only through either Chelsea's extraordinary good will - or extraordinary stupidity  - should he be lining out at the Vicente Calderon next term. 

The 21-year-old stated last Saturday that no other club is in the picture for his signature and it's either Chelsea - for good - or Atletico for another season. "Next week it will become clear where I'm playing next season," he told Sporza after Atleti overcame Athletic Bilbao in a match in which he again excelled. 

"It's certain that it will be Chelsea or Atletico and no other club. I can't say much more about it but, in the next weeks, there will be official news." 

The player will have two more seasons remaining on his contract at the end of the campaign, having signed a five-year-deal when he joined from Genk for €8m in 2011. Mourinho is relaxed about the situation but Paul Pogba's form at Juventus after Manchester United dilly-dallied over his contract shows what happens when promising players have enough of being on the outside looking in. He will agitate to leave if he is not made first-choice. 

There is no doubt that Cech remains a quality goalkeeper. Nonetheless, he has slipped from his perch as one of the world's pre-eminent exponents of the art. In that context, he has been usurped by the young and brilliant Courtois. 

Mourinho has begun his overhaul of his loyal cadre of Chelsea lieutenants. Ashley Cole is more or less out of the picture. Frank Lampard plays less and less. The manager must now rid himself of the goalkeeper who served him well a decade ago and look to the future. 

It is time for Thibaut Courtois to come home.

Why is Paul Pogba playing so poorly?

After an excellent first 18 months, the 21-year-old has become inconsistent as several of Europe's big-guns look to tempt him away from Turin

COMMENT
By Peter McVitie

He may boast the title of being the best player in the world under the age of 21, but Paul Pogba has suffered an alarming nosedive in form in recent months.

The midfielder gradually asserted himself as a key player for the Turin giants in his first season following his move from Manchester United in 2012 and then strolled through the first half of the current campaign, scoring six goals and making four assists in all competitions.

It was thanks to those impeccable displays for club and country that the gifted midfielder earned the praise of some of the biggest names in European football, as well as admiring glances from Europe's biggest clubs.

“Pogba is unique. He has a very bright future,” Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said when asked for his thoughts on him. “He is a complete midfielder.

“Bring him to Real? Why not. This is one of the best young midfielders alongside [Marco] Verratti and Isco.”

Meanwhile, Netherlands boss Louis van Gaal has hailed him as a “unique case” and Ruud Gullit is confident he can be "the future star".

The praise is certainly deserved. So bright does his future look and so impressive was his form throughout his first 18 months in Turin, that a host of reports have linking the 21-year-old to some of the continent’s biggest sides.

Real Madrid, Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain have all been rumoured to be willing to spend big on the 6'2" midfielder since the end of last year and it seems likely that more will join the list in the coming months.


       Golden boy | The smile has been missing from Pogba's face as he looks to recapture his best form 

As the advances of the bigger sides in Europe intensified in the January transfer window, the possibility of Pogba fleeing the Bianconeri in the near future became real and it has only increased following his insistence that his future won't be discussed until this summer. Unfortunately, though, it seems all the speculation has affected his performances.

Since the turn of the year, the France international’s displays have been in stark contrast to those which have earned him international acclaim.

Pogba’s influence in games has dropped immensely. His shooting has been very poor since the turn of the year, his passes aren’t delivered with the same accuracy and they haven't created as many chances for his team as fans are used to seeing. His influence and ability to control and change a game has diminished at an alarming rate.

In Sunday’s 2-0 defeat to Napoli he was virtually anonymous. He made only 16 passes in Stadio San Paolo, a new low in the league this season and little over half of them were successful. Furthermore, his defensive work has diminished as his tackles have become less frequent since the close of the January transfer window.

At 21 he is still developing and growing as a player and so is bound to go through a period of indifference and inconsistency. But it seems that process has been sped up and intensified as the likes of PSG and Madrid keep batting their eyelids at him.

It is understandable that his head would be turned, though. His reported suitors are currently battling for places in the semi-finals of Europe’s most prestigious club competition, while Pogba and Juve prepare to contest the consolation prize of the Europa League. While he hasn't said it explicitly, it is only natural then that he would begin contemplating a step up in a bid to experience the latter stages of the most illustrious prizes.

However, he has to further prove his consistency and importance to Antonio Conte’s side before he can bank on a move away from Juventus Stadium. For a player who has already set his sights on winning the Ballon d’Or in the future, he cannot afford to be so easily distracted and affected by speculation and transfer rumours.

It will be rife throughout his career and if he is to have one as successful as he hopes, and to fulfil his potential, he must be sure to shake it off and continue to put in the mesmerising performances he did before the closure of the January transfer window.

Barcelona transfer ban is 'no coincidence' - vice-president

Javier Faus claims that allegations regarding recruitment practices at La Masia are further unwarranted attacks on the Catalan institution

Barcelona's economic vice-president Javier Faus believes the two-window transfer ban handed down by Fifa is a result of the latest attempt to erode the club's image.

The punishment follows evidence gathered by the world game's governing body suggesting Barca had breached rules on youth signings during the acquisition of 10 youngsters.

But Javier Faus told Radio 4, as reported by El Mundo Deportivo, that the Catalans will prove that the allegations are nothing more than the latest leg of a smear campaign against the club.

"Nothing that is happening is either a coincidence nor free," Faus stated. "Over the last five years Barca have been the victims of a series of accusations, such as doping and the aggression of our coaches such as Pep Guardiola and Tito Vilanova.

"Now there is [Lionel] Messi [tax issues], now Neymar [signing controversy]... it isn't fortuitous. If Barca as an institution, along with the fans, aren't strong, then these things will do us harm. Our proposal is to move together. They try to erode the image of Barca but they won't be able to do that.

"As an institution we have said 'enough!'"

Faus continued by claiming that the club's success in recent years has resulted in outside forces wanting to bring the Barcelona name into disrepute.

"We are looking into what is behind this, and when we can show what it is, we will say. There are a lot of people who can't accept that Barca win everything and that we've been the leaders in world football for the past 10 years despite changes in coaches and directors. This doesn't assimilate well, but we won't sit here with our arms folded and the answer will be forceful, I guarantee you that."

The doubts placed over practices at La Masia were of particular issue for Faus, who was at pains to defend the world famous farmhouse's reputation.

"La Masia is a way of understanding football and it is lamentable that our academy has been brought into focus because no club around the world has invested as much as we have in development," he added. "The Fifa ruling is good for Asia and Latin America where investment funds take 100 players, keep one and leave the rest. But you cannot apply that to our system, where we develop people to become footballers.

"The children affected aren't playing but they continue to study and will continue their development. We will fight this, since you cannot tolerate such an attack on a world renowned model."

Barcelona said in a statement on Wednesday that they intend to contest Fifa's decision. They have 90 days to officially lodge an appeal.

RELATED

The TV election: A breakdown of how political parties advertised on the airwaves

The television has played an increasingly important role in political campaigns. ILLUSTRATION: JAMAL KHURSHID

ISLAMABAD: Last year’s elections in Pakistan were groundbreaking for many reasons, with the heavy use of media, both new and traditional, being one of them.

In all, 62,623 television commercials ran during the election campaign in 2013, according to government figures released during question hour at the National Assembly on Tuesday.

That number hardly compares to the number of advertisements aired in the United States during its presidential campaign in 2012 - 1,015,615 - but it does indicate the increasing importance television has had in the way political campaigns are fought and won.

In 2009 alone, more than 86 million people in Pakistan watched television, according to Gallup Pakistan. That number must have only increased by the time voters went to the polls in 2013.

Even though the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) lost heavily, it tops the list with 26,237 ads alone, more than a third of all the ads aired. The volume of ads can partially be explained by PPP’s last-ditch attempts to salvage their number of seats.

Despite ruling Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and being a member of the ruling coalition, the Awami National Party (ANP) aired only 31 ads.

Both ANP and the PPP were targeted by the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in the build up to the general elections. ANP pulled out of many electoral races and districts where the Taliban threat was acute. It severely limited their campaigning ability, as evidenced by a dearth in television advertisements.

The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, that campaigned heavily on social media, is second on the list with 16,363 ads. The Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz), the current ruling government, was third with 12,521 ads.

China unveils mini-stimulus to shore up sputtering growth

Under the batch of new measures announced by Prime Minister Li Keqiang late on Wednesday, smaller businesses in China would get bigger tax breaks, more social housing would be built and railway construction would be expanded this year.

Existing tax breaks for 'small and micro' companies were scheduled to be extended until the end of 2016, the government said on its official website, following a meeting by the State Council, which is China's cabinet.

Rail to be expanded

Moreover, some 6,600 kilometers (4,100 miles) of new railway lines would be built this year, the government said.

That was about 1,000 kilometers more than originally planned, it said. For that, a special railway fund worth between 200 billion and 300 billion yuan (23-35 billion euros) would be created, and bonds to the tune of 150 billion yuan would be issued.

In addition, the country's biggest lender, China Development Bank, would set up a special agency to issue home financing bonds under efforts to speed up urban redevelopment projects.

Growth worries prompt stimulus

Chinese state-run news agency Xinhua quoted officials at the meeting as saying that additional steps were being prepared by the government for later this year, including more stimulus for enterprises and measures to boost domestic consumption and employment.

The latest program has come in response to fears that Chinese growth might fall below the government target of about 7.5 percent this year. It followed a string of disappointing economic data from the world\'s second largest economy. On Monday, for example, British bank HSBC published its Purchasing Mangers' Index (PMI) for China's manufacturing industry revealing a slump in the country's factory activity to an 8-month low in March.

Small but targeted

'This time the package is small in scale, but it is more targeted and involves reforms on financing to secure funding. So this should help China to smooth growth without exacerbating financial stability risks,' HSBC economists Qu Hongbin and Sun Junwei said in a statement on Thursday.

In the wake of the 2008 global financial crisis, China unleashed a much bigger stimulus program which helped the economy recover quickly from the shock. However, the program led to a credit boom and an explosion of debt which Beijing currently seeks to rein in by tightening money supply and credit conditions.

In Wednesday's announcement, the State council did not mention any new plans for monetary policy such as lowering banks' capital requirements or a cut in interest rates which might spur lending and subsequently economic growth.

NATO still a distant prospect for Ukraine, Georgia

US President Barack Obama said it clearly enough during last week\'s trip to Brussels. He does not see Ukraine or Georgia becoming part of NATO at the moment. Nevertheless, the alliance's foreign ministers met with their Georgian counterpart Maja Panjikidze in Brussels in order to continue talks about the possible eventual accession of the former Soviet republic.

As in many summits and meetings before, NATO General Secretary Anders Fogh Rasmussen said Georgia would become a NATO member, some day.

'We remain firm in our support for Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity in its internationally-recognized borders,' he said. 'We also support Georgia's transatlantic aims.'

But since Russia opposes both Georgia and Ukraine's potential membership in the alliance, the NATO leadership remains hesitant. Though, officially, Rasmussen often emphasizes that no country, including Russia, can decide what alliance a country chooses to join.

Staying on the ball

NATO diplomats have said privately that as long as Russia is still occupying two breakaway provinces inside Georgia, the military alliance will hardly want to make that fight its own by letting the Caucasian nation join the transatlantic group.

Following a brief war in the summer of 2008, Russia took de facto control of the provinces of Abkhazia and South Ossetia - both of which have been calling for independence or membership of the Russian federation since the start of the 1990s.

In April 2008, just a few months before the war, NATO had decided at a summit in Bucharest to admit both Georgia and Ukraine, only to watch as Russian President Vladimir Putin rejected the decision outright. Unofficially, some European NATO members took heed of Russia's objections, and the alliance declined to make either a timetable or concrete preparations for Georgia and Ukraine's membership.

Now, six years later, Georgia's new government still wants a full seat in NATO. 'This desire is supported by the overwhelming majority of the Georgian population as well as Georgia's major political parties,' said new Prime Minister Irakli Garibashivili on his last visit to NATO headquarters in February. 'The Georgian government will undertake every effort to continue the path of reforms that will bring us closer to NATO,' he promised.

Rasmussen added that NATO did recognize the internal progress being made in the democratization of Georgian society, and he pointed out that the country was one of the most important troop suppliers to the Afghanistan mission. Georgia also intends to send soldiers to Afghanistan after the NATO troop withdrawal in 2014.

Russian resistance

But the general-secretary also refused to say whether the next NATO summit, to take place in September in Wales, will discuss Georgia's accession - or indeed any new members.

Rasmussen's tenure is set to end after the summit. In June, NATO diplomats have said off the record, the alliance will re-assess membership applications, which means that Georgia could potentially be offered a preliminary membership plan at September's summit. But the present Crimea crisis will have to be dealt with first. 'This isn't really the time to make new trouble,' one diplomat said in Brussels. At the same time, NATO did not want to be blackmailed by the Kremlin.

The Ukrainian foreign minister, for his part, did not express a desire for a quick accession to NATO, even though the alliance intends to strengthen both political and non-military cooperation with Ukraine. There has even been talk of joint military exercises.

Diplomatic freeze

The Kremlin has now reacted to NATO's decision to freeze contact with Russia following its occupation of the Crimean peninsula. Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin, himself once an ambassador to NATO, scoffed at the alliance, calling the decision an April Fools joke, while Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov expressed his annoyance at the measure - which was threatened three weeks ago - in a phone call with his US counterpart John Kerry. Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, on the other hand, expressed his hope that economic ties with the West would remain stable despite the crisis.

But even on the second day of the foreign ministers' summit in Brussels, NATO said it saw no sign that Russian troops were withdrawing from the border areas with Ukraine. US General Philip Breedlove, supreme commander of NATO in Europe, warned that the Russian troop deployment was big enough to reach any part of Ukraine within a few days. 'Over the past several decades it was unthinkable that the geography of European nations would be changed by force,' Breedlove told the 'Wall Street Journal.' 'Yet that's exactly what we've seen.'

Former NATO General Secretary Lord George Robertson, on the other hand, warned that the alliance should not put everything else on the backburner in order to deal with the Russian crisis and return to a Cold War strategy of territorial defense. The new NATO has many other global tasks, such as Afghanistan, to deal with, he said.

Speaking to the Internet video magazine NATO Review on the occasion of the 65th anniversary of the founding of the alliance on Friday (04.04.2014), Robertson said that at the end of the day, Russia would have to be included one way or another.

'There will never be security in Europe without an organization that says: We represent free values. And that has to include Russia,' Robertson said. 'Either under the current leadership or under another leadership. Putin's first government, when he was president for the first time, believed in precisely this goal.'