Arsene Wenger's feud with Jose Mourinho continues as Arsenal boss refuses to let Mourinho sit next to him at conference

Seems like Arsene Wenger's feud with Jose Mourinho won't end anytime soon as the Arsenal manager refused letting Man U coach Jose Mourinho sit next to him at A UEFA coaching conference overseen by Sir Alex Ferguson during the just concluded FIFA international break.

According to MARCA.com, Jose Mourinho arrived late for the conference  and saw an available seat opposite Paris Saint-Germain manager, Unai Emery and Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane which was next to Wenger.  

Mourinho then asked Wenger if he could occupy the space, to which Wenger replied without batting an eyelid: 'No, it isn't possible.'

Wenger reportedly 'won' the exchange, with other managers in the room laughing at his response to Jose Mourinho.

Mourinho and Wenger have had a long term feud between each other with Mourinho labeling Wenger a 'specialist in failure'after Wenger criticized his style of play and in October 2014, Wenger shoved Mourinho during a high-tempered contest at Stamford Bridge.

More photos from the conference

Louis Van Gaal Out, Jose Mourinho coming in

The club officially announced the news this afternoon after private meetings between club Chief Executive Ed Woodward and Louis Van Gaal and both parties agreed that he had to go after missing out on the season's target of Champions League qualification, despite winning the FA Cup on Saturday.

Albert Stuivenberg,  Franz Hoek,  Max Reckers and other Dutch members of his backroom team have also been dismissed with Jose Mourinho and his own backroom team set to assume duties this week.

Van Gaal arrived at Carrington training complex at around 8.45am this morning with his entire coaching staff present as they learned of their fate.

Mourinho expects to have more talks on Tuesdayahead of signing a three-year deal with his long-term assistant Rui Faria and goalkeeping coach Silvino Louro expected to follow.

Ryan Giggs' future at United is up in the air despite Mourinho's wish to keep the Welshman at the club. 

Executive vice chairman Ed Woodward said on the club's official website manutd.com : "I would like to thank Louis and his staff for their excellent work in the past two years culminating in winning a record-equalling 12th FA Cup for the club (and securing him a title in four different countries). He has behaved with great professionalism and dignity throughout his time here. He leaves us with a legacy of having given several young players the confidence to show their ability on the highest stage. Everyone at the club wishes him all the best in the future."

WINNER!!! Barcelona Beats Sevilla In Extra Time To Win 2016 Copa Del Rey

Barcelona finished its season on a high by capturing the Copa del Rey title to add to its Spanish league trophy won just a week ago.

Jordi Alba scored seven minutes into extra time and Neymar sealed the victory late to give Barcelona a 2-0 win over Sevilla for its second straight Copa del Rey title on Sunday.

After a goalless regulation time, Alba found the net with a low left-footed shot into the far corner after a superb long pass into the area by Lionel Messi.

Neymar closed the scoring in stoppage time after another perfect set-up by Messi to give Barcelona its 28th Copa trophy.

“It’s a great way to end the season,” said Barcelona midfielder Andres Iniesta. “It was a wonderful season. We continued to add to the club’s history.”

It was the seventh time in team history that Barcelona won both domestic titles in the same season. For much of the season, Barcelona had hopes of repeating the treble from a year ago, when it also won the Champions League, but it was eliminated by Atletico Madrid in the quarterfinals of the European tournament.

Barcelona, which clinched its 24th Spanish league title last weekend, played with 10 men from the 36th minute after defender Javier Mascherano was sent off with a straight red card for pulling the jersey of Kevin Gameiro to keep the French striker from entering the area with only the goalkeeper to beat.

The Catalan club also lost Luis Suarez with an apparent muscle injury early in the second half. The Uruguay striker, who cried on the bench after being substituted, had been crucial for Barcelona in the final stages of the Spanish league, scoring 14 goals in the last five matches.

Sevilla, which won the Europa League final against Liverpool on Wednesday, also played the extra time with 10 men after midfielder Ever Banega was shown a straight red in second-half stoppage time for fouling Neymar just outside the area as the Brazilian tried to get into position to score. Sevilla further lost defender Daniel Carrico with two yellow cards just before Neymar’s goal late in the game at Atletico Madrid’s Vicente Calderon Stadium.

“Despite this loss, we end the season with our heads up,” Sevilla coach Unai Emery said.

Giwa FC Expelled from NPFL for not Honouring 3 Matches

The League Management Company (LMC) on Friday expelled Giwa Football Club from the 2015/2016 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) “for multiple infractions of the Framework and Rules of the NPFL”.

A statement released by Harry Iwuala, the organisation’s Head of Special projects, said the punishment was particularly for the violation of article B13.28 by the Jos-based club.

“The article prescribes expulsion from the league for any club which fails to honour three matches cumulatively within a season with no acceptable reason to the LMC,” it said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that Giwa FC is owned by Chris Giwa who is locked in a leadership tussle with the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) board.

However, the club got sanctioned by the LMC after its fans were found to have disrupted its match with Rangers International FC of Enugu in Jos last month.

It then refused to appear for the match’s re-arranged remainder in Abuja, and three other matches at the Ilorin ground the LMC had ordered it to for its home matches.

The LMC, in addition to ordering a forfeiture of all funds due to Giwa FC from the LMC, also invoked Rule B13.66 to make pronouncements protecting the club’s players.

NAN reports that this grants them the waiver to terminate their contracts with the club for “just cause” or “sporting just cause”.

It also releases them for contracts with other clubs during the ongoing season.

The Summary Jurisdiction notice states thus:

“Pursuant to Rule B13.66 of the League’s Rules and without prejudice to the agreed written terms of their respective player contracts, nothing shall preclude players hitherto registered by Giwa FC from the unilateral termination of contracts for ‘just cause’ or ‘sporting just cause’ as the case may be.”

It also does not preclude them from being contracted to and registered by other clubs.

The LMC said it would further review the matter as it relates to the players and their contracts.

“This is with a view to setting up a social safety net to mitigate any consequential hardship the matter of registered players and officials currently contracted to Giwa FC – particularly those who may have played at least 50 per cent of its league matches in the current season and whose player contracts and potential earnings may have been brought to jeopardy on account of this decision”.

The LMC also ruled that clubs which have already played against Giwa FC before Match Day 19 would have their match day expenses refunded.

“The refunds will be from the funds seized from accruals of Giwa FC which is with the LMC,” it said.

NAN recalls that Giwa FC had earlier been charged for breach of Rules B13.25 and B13.28 by the LMC, which in a Summary Jurisdiction notice imposed two sanctions on it.

This was for a breach of Rule B13.25 for failing to honour the match against Enyimba International FC of Aba in Ilorin on Wednesday, and expulsion for breach of Rule B13.28.

The LMC had ruled that “for failing to honour the fixture obligation without any acceptable reason, in breach of Rule B13.25, Giwa FC shall pay a fine of N250,000”.

This was the sum of expenses, including stadium hire, security and other logistics incurred in respect of the match.

“Further to paragraph (a) above, Giwa FC shall forfeit to Enyimba FC the three points as well as three goals arising from the match. And, for failing to honour three matches cumulatively within the league season and without any acceptable reason, Giwa FC is expelled from the NPFL with immediate effect. All matches involving Giwa FC, whether played or unplayed as well as the points arising or accruing there from are hereby cancelled”.

In the summary jurisdiction notice issued Giwa FC after the failure to honour the Match Day 16 fixture against Akwa United, the LMC detailed the provisions of the rules.

FOOTBALL STARS, ZLATAN IBRAHIMOVIC

Full name: Zlatan Ibrahimović

Date of birth: 3 October 1981 (age 34)

Place of birth: Malmö, Sweden

Height :1.95 m (6 ft 5 in)

Playing position: Striker

Current team Paris Saint-Germain

Shirt Number: 10

Years             Team.          Apps                    (Goals)
1999–2001Malmö  FF.     40.                         (16)
2001–2004Ajax.                 74.                         (35)
2004–2006Juventus.         70.                         (23)
2006–2009Inter Milan.       88.                         (57)
2009–2011Barcelona.        29.                         (16)
2010–2011→ Milan (loan) 29.                         (14)
2011–2012Milan.                32.                         (28)
2012–Paris Saint-Germain122.                       (113)

Zlatan Ibrahimovic born 3 October 1981) is a Swedish professional footballer who plays as astriker for French club Paris Saint-Germain and the Sweden national teamfor which he is captain.^[4]

Ibrahimović began his career at Malmö FF in the late 1990s before being signed by Ajax, where he made a name for himself. He signed for Juventus and excelled in Serie A in a strike partnership with David Trezeguet. In 2006, he signed for rival side Inter Milanand was named to the UEFA Team of the Year in both 2007 and 2009. In addition, Ibrahimović would finish as the league's top scorer in 2008–09 and win three straight Scudetti. In thesummer of 2009, he transferred toBarcelona, before moving back to Serie A football the following season, joiningA.C. Milan in a deal that made him one of the highest-paid players in the world.^[5] He won another Scudetto with A.C. Milan in the 2010–2011 season. He joined Paris Saint-Germain in July 2012. During his four-season stay at PSG, Ibrahimović won four consecutive Ligue 1 titles, three Coupes dela Ligue, oneCoupe de France and was the top scorer in Ligue 1 for three seasons. In October 2015, he became the club's all time leading goalscorer.^[6]

Ibrahimović is one of ten players to have made 100 or more appearancesfor the Swedish national team. He is the country's all-time leading goalscorerwith 62 goals. He represented Sweden at the 2002 and 2006 FIFA World Cups, as well as the 2004, 2008, and 2012UEFA European Championships. He has been awarded Guldbollen (the Golden Ball), given to the Swedish player of the year, a record ten times, including nine consecutive times from 2007 and 2015.^[7]

With his playing style and acrobatic finishing compared to Dutch legend Marco van Basten, Ibrahimović is widely regarded as one of the best strikers in the game and one of the best footballers of his generation. His spectacular bicycle kick for Sweden against England won the 2013 FIFAPuskás Award for Goal of the Year.Off the field he is known for his brash persona and outspoken comments, in addition to referring to himself in the third person. In December 2013, Ibrahimović was ranked by The Guardianas the third-best player in the world, behind only Lionel Messi and CristianoRonaldo. In December 2014, the Swedish newspaper Dagens Nyheter named him the second-greatest Swedish sportsperson of all time, aftertennis player Björn Borg