Claudio Tapia has been elected as the new president of the Argentine Football Association (AFA) following a vote on Wednesday.
Long-standing AFA president Julio Grondona died in 2014, with his replacement Luis Segura resigning when he was charged with fraud in June 2016.
After a period under a temporary stand-in, the AFA now has a leader in Tapia, who was elected with 40 of the 43 votes in his favour.
I thank all those who worked to reach this moment, Tapia said, speaking as president for the first time.
It is necessary that each of the leaders join us in this democracy.
Claudio Tapia, nuevo presidente de la , con 40 votos positivos y 3 en blanco.
— AFA (@afa)
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that Newcastle are prepared to cash in on star player Hatem Ben Arfa in the summer transfer window.
Despite enjoying a bright start to his career at St James Park, the Frenchman has lost his place in the side following some under-par performances.
And it appears that boss Alan Pardew is no longer prepared to tolerate his inconsistent displays as he reportedly wants to sell him to the highest bidder at the end of the season.
The good news is Ben Arfa is still held in high regard by top European clubs, with Inter and Marseille reportedly leading the chase.
The 26-year-old joined Newcastle from Marseille in the summer of 2010 and has since bagged 13 goals in 71 Premier League appearances for the Magpies.
Newcastle have seen their European hopes go …
Gareth Southgate joked he would select more right-backs in England s Euro 2020 squad if he could, after four players who fill the role were picked in his 26-man pool.
Kyle Walker, Kieran Trippier, Reece James and – despite several media reports to the contrary – Trent Alexander-Arnold were selected in England s squad for the tournament, which starts on June 11.
Liverpool defender Alexander-Arnold missed out on the March internationals and reports suggested he would be the biggest name to be cut from England s provisional squad.
Asked to explain his decision, Southgate told a news conference: We went through this last week, yes we have four players who play sometimes at right-back for their clubs, Kieran, Reece have been playing wing-back or right of a three…
Emiliano Martinez and Ainsley Maitland-Niles have both been selected to start for Arsenal in the Community Shield clash with Liverpool, who are without Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Goalkeeper Martinez impressed at the end of 2019-20 while filling in for the injured Bernd Leno, but has reportedly asked for a move away from Arsenal in order to secure first-team football.
Aston Villa are among the teams to have been linked with a move for the Argentinian, though despite the speculation over his future – and Leno s return to fitness – Mikel Arteta picked Martinez to start in Saturday s encounter with the Premier League champions.
Maitland-Niles is another Gunners player potentially on the move, with Wolves and Newcastle United apparently interested in the versatile mi…
Market: Over 1.5 goals
Odds: 1/2 @
Hoping to secure back-to-back Primera Division victories in the early hours of Wednesday, Godoy Cruz will travel to Atletico Tucuman.
Starting with the hosts, making an immediate return to losing ways last week as they slumped to a 2-1 loss away at Anus, Atletico Tucuman have once again shown a host of Primera Division issues in 2023. Although Lucas Pusineri’s men might have signed off May with a much-needed boost at home against Arsenal Sarandi, El Decano have mustered just a single win from any of their last seven domestic appearances across all competitions. With that extended rut stemming all the way back to a 3-1 victory against Racing Club on April 24th, Atletico have also shown some extended defensive struggles. Crashi…
Best Odds: 5/4
Bookmaker:
Looking to skyrocket themselves away from a relegation scrap, Sevilla will travel to the Power Horse Stadium on Monday night when they meet Almeria.
Almeria
Starting with the hosts, while Almeria might have eventually clung to their La Liga status last season, La Union have endured an infamous top-flight nightmare this time around. Breaking a string of unwanted records this year and coming under a huge amount of scrutiny, Gaizka Garitano’s men have all but mathematically confirmed a Segunda return in 2024. Last seen putting in another toothless display as they slumped to a 1-0 loss away at Celta Vigo, Almeria have remarkably failed to muster a single win from any of their 27 La Liga appearances this season. Sat rock-bottom of the tab…
Hannover have secured the services of Ceyhun Gulselam from Galatasaray on a two-year contract.
The 26-year-old joined the Turkish giants from Trabzonspor in 2011, making 13 league appearances in one and a half seasons before being loaned to Kayserispor for the second half of the 2012-13 campaign.
Gulselam returned to make more of an impression during 2013-14, playing 20 times in the Super Lig as Galatasaray finished second behind Fenerbahce.
On Thursday, it was announced on Hannover s official website that the Turkey international midfielder had completed his switch to the Bundesliga.
And sporting director Dirf Dufner was pleased to have captured a player of Gulselam s experience.
With Ceyhun Gulselam, we have signed a player for defensive midfie…
Atletico Madrid midfielder Arda Turan said playing old side Galatasaray in a pre-season friendly was an emotional experience.
Turan, 27, moved to Spain from his homeland Turkey in 2011, having appeared 127 times in the Super Lig for powerhouses Gala.
His departure to La Liga earned Galatasaray €12million, and Turan said the 0-0 draw in Izmir was an emotional contest.
It has been a very happy day for me day because Galatasaray is my home. It was a very special match despite being a friendly because there was a spectacular atmosphere, Turan said.
The friendly was organised as a fundraiser for the families of the 301 people who died in the Soma mine disaster in May.
Turan, a Turkey international with 72 caps, said the meaning was not lost on the f…
Paris Saint-Germain have furiously slammed reports the Ligue 1 champions could be forced to sell Neymar or Kylian Mbappe to avoid Financial Fair Play sanctions.
French newspaper L Equipe published an article on Friday, claiming PSG were considering cashing in on one of their prized assets to comply with UEFA rules.
PSG – who spent a world-record €222million on Neymar in 2017 before completing the permanent €180m signing of Mbappe – swiftly and strongly refuted those claims as they questioned L Equipe s motives.
In an article published this Friday evening on its website, L Equipe [French newspaper] dares to say PSG is ready to lose Kylian Mbappe and Neymar Jr to avoid [FFP] sanctions , PSG s statement read.
Beyond denying this misinformation, rid…
Sevilla have confirmed the signing of Napoli midfielder Marko Rog on loan until the end of the season.
The Croatia midfielder joined Napoli from Dinamo Zagreb in a reported €13million deal in August 2016, but he has struggled to break into the first team at the Stadio San Paolo.
Rog will hope for more opportunities at Sevilla, having started just six Serie A games in two-and-a-half years, although the clubs confirmed there is no option to buy at the end of this five-month loan deal.
The move was initially reported earlier in January, with Napoli director Cristiano Giuntoli said to have told ABC of an agreement that would see Rog return to Naples at the end of the campaign.
Napoli disputed the false quotes at the time, though, and suggested Giuntoli woul…