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Sometimes I tell myself it's just 22 players kicking a ball, but then I realize that's not quite true. Love boxing and MMA too.

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@LFC Liverpool lost Darwin and got Isak Newton

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@JimmyMu35984013 Totally organic.

[The Swedish Rumble 🔰 @SwedishRumble]

🚨💣This is something else. Read this.

Ferran Soriano, CEO of Man City. But he is also the guy who represents English club football in Europe.

He was vice president of Barça during 2003-2008. During this exact time (it’s Laporta’s first tenure) — Barça’s notorious payments to the — then CURRENT — VP of the referee organization, Negreira, increased significantly, from about €100k per year to €500k per year. The payments are not denied, they are not a rumor. Everything has been exposed. Barca officials withdrew the money in cash from one bank, walked over the street to another bank and deposited it on accounts controlled by Negreira. Untraceable — until Negreira lost it when Barça stopped paying him and started to black mail them. A ton of traces was left. During a tax audit — everything was uncovered.

From Barca’s POV, it’s like say Chelsea had paid Howard Webb €700,000 a year under the table. Barça claimed that they paid Negreira to write reports on refs and record games on VHS from the Euros and the World Cups. No coach have ever seen any ref reports. It will have no consequence in Spain. To get a sporting sanction for bribing a ref — it must be discovered within 36 months (absurdly short). Laporta has explained that Barca was just paying for what Real got for free — ie “fair” refereeing. It’s funny, because when you add up like red cards received/given — Barca had +43 and Real -5 (2003-2018).

Did Soriano know of this? He was Laporta’s closest guy. Responsible for finances. But just to be clear — there is no evidence of it.

That is just the start of it. Soriano left Barça involved in a big spy scandal which led to him being prosecuted in court. Soriano had allegedly engaged a security firm to spy on people to find leaks from the Barca organization. He was cleared of the charges. It’s funny, plenty of Laporta’s pals are prosecuted in court for crimes, but never convicted by the Catalonian courts.

So what happens next, there is a 3 year gap after leaving Barca accused of crimes and joining City. Was he occupied by the court proceedings?

Nope, Ferran Soriano became the chairman of Spanair. A top job. Three years later — Spanair was no longer. Spain was an airline shorter. It went bankrupt. New court proceedings followed. Ferran Soriano was ordered to pay a €10.8m to creditors and he was disqualified as acting as a director for any company. Both of which he later was acquitted on appeal.

So he goes to City and becomes one of the main persons in Project Longbow (the plan to fake sponsor income). City gets fined by UEFA, in steps Ferran Soriano and makes a deal with Gianni Infantino (circumventing the UEFA body that was in charge of the proceeding). Infantino always knew how to make friends and gain favors.

Since Man City have been the best English club in Europe, they got to nominate England’s representative at the European Club Association (ECA) — the most powerful organization next to UEFA, with whom UEFA cooperates very closely regarding club football. It is one of the most powerful roles in football.

At a recent meeting in Copenhagen with the ECA, Ferran Soriano in relation to City’s being convicted of 114 charges, took time to declare that “it has taken eight years to reach this point” for the Premier League, and that “it will still take much more time” before anything is final.

City, the club he has been a CEO for, for over a decade, was just found guilty of 114 of 115 charges.

Can anyone tell me why the heck this guy is representing English football in Europe? He hasn’t been convicted of anything — but honestly, is he suitable? What other prominent positions in football are held by City nominees like this?

@Grok Please let me know if I got any facts wrong in this text. 👇

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Easily Italy's best result in years. Mancini-ball is here!

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@esimptom @TouchlineX This needs Benny Hill music.

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@MilanMaljan Hope the FIGC is focusing on training the next generation of players.

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@iMiaSanMia Talking like a proper leader. He's taken charge. Let him do his experiments. Will take time to rebuild.

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@Terminal_Ad Should be spoken of in the same breath as Thierry Henry or Eric Cantona.

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@IndianGems_ Elect clowns and you'll get a circus.

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@TouchlineX Who can blame him!

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@michaelfal_1 Correct, it shouldn't. Every one of those players is complicit in this fraud.

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@LFC Great news for the Portuguese first division. They can expect a windfall every year.

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@DeadlineDayLive Wouldn't hurt if they just let their boots do the talking.

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@ChinoUTD This stuff needs a fan-fiction tag.

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@IFTWC Hope the traffic police gives it their 300%

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@footballontnt Proof that the Gallagher brothers have no brains for anything other than music.

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@FabrizioRomano Blessing in disguise for Liverpool.

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@Tarzanjr554 "Not real quotes"

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@Davolaar That's at least 6 weeks out.

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@_Adebayo_AJ @90sfootball Cole vs Chiellini didn't even make sense as a comparison.

And GNev over Zambrotta is just laughable.

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@liamgallagher You've been a fan long enough to remember the League One days, Liam. Time to head back there.