Blatter resigns as Fifa president

The 79-year-old, who has held the post for 17 years, has stepped down in light of the corruption scandal which has blighted the world governing body

 
Sepp Blatter has announced he will step down as president of Fifa, calling an extraordinary congress "as rapidly as possible" at which a successor will be selected.The Swiss announced his decision at a hastily-arranged press conference on Tuesday after his secretary-general Jerome Valcke had earlier been implicated in the US Department of Justice's investigations into a $10 million payment to indicted former Fifa vice-president Jack Warner."I have thoroughly thought about my presidency and the 40 years Fifa has played in my life. I love Fifa more than anything else and I only want to do the best. I decided to stand again for election for the good of football," he told the gathered media."My mandate does not appear to be supported by everybody. This is why I will call an extraordinary meeting."I will organise an extraordinary congress for a replacement for me as president. I will not stand. I am now free from the constraints of an election. I will be in a position to focus on profound reforms. For many years we have called for reforms. But these are not sufficient.

"We need a limitation on mandates and terms of office. I have fought for these changes but my efforts have been counteracted."

Blatter has been president since 1998 and was re-elected for a fifth term only four days before his resignation.

However, the Fifa Congress at which he was given that mandate had been preceded by adverse publicity caused by the arrest of seven senior officials at a hotel in Zurich with a total of 14 people then indicted by the US Department of Justice under charges of racketeering, fraud and money laundering.

On the same day, Swiss authorities announced an investigation into corrupt practices by unnamed persons during the bidding process for the hugely controversial 2018 and 2022 World Cups in Russia and Qatar respectively.

Elections to replace Blatter are set to be held between December and March.

Chelsea's players were "disgraceful"- Carragher

Jamie Carragher has slammed the reaction of Chelsea's players after PSG striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic was sent off at Stamford Bridge.

The visitors were reduced to 10 men when their star player Ibrahimovic was sent off in the 31st minute of the second leg of their last-16 Champions League clash after clashing with Chelsea forward Oscar as they both lunged for the ball.

Despite the man advantage Chelsea failed to test PSG and eventually lost the tie on away goals as the French champions twice came from behind to grab a 2-2 draw after extra-time.

Sky Sports pundit Carragher, speaking at half-time, was heavily critical of the Chelsea players for their reaction to Ibrahimovic’s challenge as they appealed to the referee for the Swede to be punished.

And he also felt Blues manager Jose Mourinho’s pre-match comments about PSG’s aggressive approach in the first leg had played a part in Dutch official Bjorn Kuipers’ decision.

Carragher said: “The sending off is very unfortunate. It’s not a red card.

“Zlatan is actually trying to pull his foot away. You look at it and Oscar’s (foot) is as high as his, if not higher, and if the referee is the other side maybe he would look at Oscar and give the decision the other way.

“The reaction from the Chelsea players is disgraceful and it’s sad. It’s something that’s coming into the game and it comes from Jose Mourinho’s teams. They have this reaction, it’s not a one-off.

“Maybe what he’s said beforehand in the press conference has gone into the referee's head.

“I always think with Jose Mourinho’s teams, they will always be respected but they will never be loved because of situations like this. They take winning to a level that no other team or manager does.

“You see the reaction of some of the players and it has definitely played a part – and Mourinho’s words have worked.”

Fellow pundit Graeme Souness added at half-time: “We had a great game of football going on there and it saddens me, and makes me angry at the same time, that gamesmanship is deciding these big games.

“It’s not a sending off, it is Oscar’s studs that are high. This has spoiled the game. It’s not about the best team winning it any more.

“If that’s what our game is coming to we need to sort it out and sort it out quickly.”

David Luiz apologises for goal celebration

Paris Saint-Germain goalscorer David Luiz apologised for celebrating his goal against former club Chelsea as the English side exited the Champions League following a 2-2 draw at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea were eliminated as 10-man PSG twice came from behind to win an ill-tempered last-16 tie on away goals.

The first leg was drawn 1-1 and Chelsea's advantage grew when Zlatan Ibrahimovic was sent off after 31 minutes.

Gary Cahill's strike nine minutes from the end of normal time was cancelled out by former Chelsea defender Luiz, but the hosts went ahead for a second time through an Eden Hazard penalty early in extra-time.

PSG captain Thiago Silva, who conceded the spot-kick for a handball, was denied from a corner by Thibaut Courtois but then netted with a header moments later to make it 2-2 on the night and send the visitors through.

"I think we played a great game," Luiz told Sky Sports. "When we lost Ibra, our best player, you say 'keep it simple.' Play the ball to feet and keep possession as we need to score to qualify. It was amazing tonight the spirit. Every single player gave everything.

"I finished at Chelsea and then I got a great opportunity from PSG -- they gave me a great opportunity to continue my career and I was very happy at Chelsea and won titles here but I finished and then I respect everyone.

"It was good for me to score. I said before I didn't celebrate but there was so much emotion I cannot control and sorry because I celebrated because of the emotion but I am so happy to qualify."

Luiz's teammate and PSG captain Thiago Silva believes his team can win the Champions League this season if they can reproduce more displays like the one turned in against Chelsea.

"I have to congratulate the whole team. It's tough to play 11 versus 11, so 10 against 11 is even more difficult," Silva told beIN SPORTS. "We were very solid at the back, we showed a great mentality. I think we have a lot of quality players who can hurt any team in Europe. If we play like that, it's possible.

"The attitude we showed today, with a player less, was fantastic. We stayed calm and I think we played well. I think we just have to think about ourselves. If we play like that, we can go all the way, if we show that mentality. Of course, it's the club's objective to win the competition, it's also that of the players, and if we play like that, it's possible."

Luiz, 27, only moved to PSG from Chelsea last summer, and following his departure, Jose Mourinho declared the Brazil international would not be missed.

His emphatic 86th-minute header, five minutes after Gary Cahill had put Chelsea ahead, was Luiz's response to his former boss, and was symptomatic of PSG's warrior-like spirit in west London.

"I'm very happy. It was difficult to lose Zlatan Ibrahimovic, one of our best players, so soon, but we kept our spirit and character and we continued playing," Luiz told media. "They scored first, but we always believed in our chances. I'm so happy to have qualified, because it's so difficult to go far in the Champions League."

Chelsea had been expected to make progress after the duo's 1-1 draw at the Parc des Princes last month, and follow up last season's last-eight victory over PSG.

Twelve months ago, Laurent Blanc's men had arrived in London for the second leg trying to defend a 3-1 lead. Defender Marquinhos said the fact they needed to get a positive result worked in PSG's favour this time round.

"We came here with the will to win," said Marquinhos. "We didn't win, but we played well with a player less. Everyone gave their all. I'm very proud of the team. We still have a lot of games to go.

"It wasn't easy. We didn't give up right till the end. We knew that if we deserved it, we would go through. We didn't want to repeat the same mistakes as last year. We came to play, to score and to win."

Silva: Mou 'lacked respect'

Paris Saint-Germain captain Thiago Silva has said Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho "lacked respect" for his side ahead of their Champions League tie.

Silva, 30, scored the decisive goal six minutes from the end of extra time to earn 10-man PSG a 2-2 draw at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday and take them through to the quarterfinals on away goals.

The victory avenged PSG's dramatic away goals loss to Chelsea in last season's quarterfinals, when Demba Ba scored late on.

Prior to the draw for the last 16, former Porto and Inter Milan boss Mourinho said he would be happy to face PSG due to the close proximity of the French capital to London.

He said in December: "We don't have much choice, there are only five possibilities -- but to make it easy for everybody, I would say Paris Saint-Germain.

"It's easy for us to travel, easy for the fans to travel and they won't have to spend a lot of money to go there. They are a very good team and I would prefer a really good team, which will motivate the boys. So, if I could choose, even though I can't, I would say Paris."

Silva felt Mourinho should have shown more respect for his side, but acknowledged that last year's defeat had been more a source of motivation.

"It wasn't revenge, but they really lacked respect for us, particularly Mourinho, because he said he wanted to play PSG because it was close and that it was easy for their supporters to travel there," the Brazil international was quoted as saying by RMC.

"But I don't think our display was because of that -- it was because of last year."

We weren't good enough - Mourinho

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho put Paris Saint-Germain's win in the Champions League on Wednesday night down to the fact the Ligue 1 club showed aggression and coped better with the pressure of the game.

Chelsea were eliminated against 10-man PSG, who twice came from behind to win an ill-tempered last-16 tie on away goals at Stamford Bridge.

"I want to discuss that with the players tomorrow and see the game in a calm way," the Portuguese said. "I want to see their feelings, I want to know what they felt on the pitch and we must try to find conclusions about our performance. Our performance wasn't good enough.

"Of course we have the game in our hands twice but the opponent was stronger than us. They coped better with the pressure of the game.

"Maybe because they were with 10 men we felt even more the pressure of winning and they had nothing to lose. They were just playing their game.

"We conceded two goals from two set pieces where the organisation is clear and it's absolutely decided the players are in the zone. We conceded two goals that are difficult to accept."

When asked about PSG's style of play, Mourinho added: "They were aggressive the same way [as in Paris].

"They are what we used to call, in our side of the continental Europe, they were clever. In England that is not accepted as clever, intelligent, experienced people.

"I wouldn't say dirty, but this is a great part of the game."

Mourinho went on to say that Laurent Blanc's men coped better with the pressure and that Chelsea did not respond well to having an extra man for the majority of the match.

"We had the game in our hands twice [when Chelsea took a lead] and they coped better with the pressure of the game. We couldn't cope with that, we concede two goals in two set pieces and that is difficult to accept.

"Last season we lost [the first leg] in Paris 3-1 and had one direction to go and that direction was without any pressure because the game was lost. Today with the 1-1, it was a dangerous result. We tried to win in this game, but the moment we had 10 men we felt too much that pressure."

Mourinho was scathing in his assessment of his players, whose spirits he must raise for Sunday's clash with Southampton as the Blues resume their bid for a first Premier League title in five years.

"We didn't deserve to go through," Mourinho said. "When a team cannot defend two corners and concedes two goals, a team doesn't deserve to win.

"The individual performances were not good enough and when you concede two goals from two corners it's about lack of concentration, lack of responsibility to cope with the markers and the space you have to control.

"When a team cannot cope with the pressure of being one player more and playing at home... we couldn't cope with that pressure.

"We deserved to be punished with this draw, defeat."

Ancelotti will not be sacked - Perez

Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has told a news conference that Carlo Ancelotti will remain as the club's manager "whatever happens" in the final months of this season.

Madrid suffered an embarrassing 4-3 home Champions League round-of-16 second-leg defeat to Schalke on Tuesday night. And even though they still qualified 5-4 on aggregate for the quarterfinals, their display was greeted with derision by home fans at the Bernabeu.

The crowd whistled and jeered the players and waved symbolic white handkerchiefs to call for the coach's head, while the Spanish press called the performance by the Champions League holders "a total disaster."

With the team also having taken just one point from their last two La Liga games and been replaced by bitter rivals Barcelona atop the Primera Division table, Blancos pundits immediately speculated that club president Florentino Perez could swing the axe in the coming days.

But Perez has come out to back the man who won the decima Champions League title and the Copa del Rey last season. He was reacting to the front page of Marca which claimed "Florentino will fire Ancelotti if there's a debacle at Camp Nou" in the clasico a week on Sunday.

He said: "To clear up statements that have nothing to do with reality, and have created a poor atmosphere around club for players.

"Our greatness is in our self-criticism and self demanding nature, but to take advantage of our low moment in form, to attack coach and the players is disproportionate.

"I want to show our club has full confidence in our coach and our players. Whatever happens in coming weeks, Carlo Ancelotti will remain Madrid coach. And all players have the support and affection of the club, board and president.

"We have best coach and players for Madrid. They have won respect of all football fans, and especially all Madridistas. We feel very proud of all of them.

"They have won the trophies Madridismo waited many years for: Copa del Rey, plus the decima European Cup, Supercup, Club World Cup, playing amazing football just months ago. For some it was best football of all time at this club.

"We had never won four trophies in one calendar year, so this coach and players form part of the history of this club. we will keep battling for the Champions League and La Liga, and remain united despite all from outside.

"We ask all our socios and fans to support our coach, and be proud of them, for all they have done, and all they will do. They need our support, as that is our strength, and always has been."

Perez said that Ancelotti had been surprised by attacks on him in the media.

"What the coach has experienced until now, is not like what it is like at Madrid," Perez continued. "Madrid has high demands, new people understand they pass from being best team ever, to being worst.

"He is a bit surprised, but he has a lot of experience, been in important clubs before. This is new for him, and could be seen as self-destructive, but he will continue his work.

"No doubt he will have a great season. He won four trophies in one year, I just ask that he is left to do his work. I am the first to be demanding, but with a positive atmosphere."

Zlatan - Chelsea like 'babies'

Zlatan Ibrahimovic has accused Chelsea's players of being "babies" after the Paris Saint-Germain striker was sent off at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday night.

PSG advanced to the Champions League quarterfinals at Chelsea's expense despite Ibrahimovic being shown a straight red card after 31 minutes, dismissed for a challenge on Oscar which was more clumsy than malicious as he attempted to pull out of the 50-50 tackle.

Dutch referee Bjorn Kuipers was quick to make his decision, although he was surrounded by nine Chelsea players as he pulled the card out of his top pocket.

Ibrahimovic said: "I don't know if I have to get angry or start to laugh. For me when I saw the red card I was like 'the guy doesn't know what he's doing.'

"That is not the worst. The worst is when I got the red card all the Chelsea players come around. It felt like I had a lot of babies around me."

The Sweden striker also suggested Oscar feigned injury.

"I pulled out [of the tackle], because I saw him come in the tackle," Ibrahimovic said.

"I don't know if he was acting afterwards. Doesn't matter. We won the game, we went through and let's see what happens."

Laurent Blanc said after the match that the club would decide soon whether or not to contest the red card, telling reporters: "There will be a committee who will convene to talk about the decision and I hope he will be in our party for the quarterfinal."

Ibrahimovic, 33, lauded the performance of his teammates, who defied the numerical advantage to twice come from behind and progress on away goals courtesy of a 2-2 draw -- 3-3 on aggregate.

"It was an amazing performance because we were playing with one less [player]," he added.

"They played with big hearts. It's not easy to play with 10 guys, especially against a team like Chelsea. We showed quality and big heart."