"What Putin feared most was not military strength alone, but the unity of democratic nations.
...
I'm convinced that Ukraine will win"
- Giorgia Meloni - PM of Italy
She is simply great 😉
Today's the 5th anniversary of the fatal beating of TV Pirveli cameraman Lekso Lashkarava, attacked brutally amid a Georgian Dream-sanctioned raid against journalists by pro-Kremlin radical groups, and chiefly Alt-Info.
Lekso succumbed to his injuries days later, and then the state literally kidnapped his body from his home and smeared him as a drug addict who overdosed.
While there’s no justice in Georgia at the moment, the US has since sanctioned Alt-Info leaders under the Magnitsky Act.
🚨 José Mourinho on the overturned red card for Folarin Balogun:
“Why? Because they’re the hosts? What is this nonsense? In football, these decisions must be the same for everyone. If the red card is a red card, it stays a red card.
People don’t like to admit it, but sometimes where you come from changes how you’re treated. Tell me honestly—does that decision get overturned if the player represents Ghana or Paraguay? I don’t think so. The rules should be the same for every nation.”
Olise prend un carton jaune pour ce coup de poing que se donne lui même le joueur paraguayen. Les 3 arbitres de la Var devraient être exclus de toute compétition internationale pour cette erreur et toutes les autres de ce match qui est un scandale d’arbitrage
KELLOGG: WHY LIE ABOUT ZELENSKYY?
U.S. General Keith Kellogg addressed one of the most common claims spread by Russian propaganda and some pro-Trump commentators.
While pro-Kremlin sources continue to claim that Zelenskyy bought luxury villas and yachts with U.S. taxpayer money, Kellogg said U.S. oversight has found no evidence to support such allegations. He noted that Zelenskyy built his wealth before entering politics through his career in the entertainment industry, and that U.S. assistance to Ukraine is subject to strict monitoring.
According to Kellogg, claims that Zelenskyy stole U.S. aid are false and are intended to undermine international support for Ukraine.
بييرلويجي كولينا (حكم سابق) حول التحكيم في مباراة فرنسا ضد باراغواي
“في حياتي، لم أشعر بخيبة أمل أكبر من أداء تحكيمي كهذا.
لقد دافعت عن المسؤولين لسنوات لأنني أعرف مدى صعوبة المهمة، لكن الليلة كانت ببساطة غير كافية.”
“في بعض الأحيان، بدا الأمر وكأن الحكم قد اتخذ قراره مسبقًا قبل أن تحدث بعض التحديات حتى.
كانت التناقضات مذهلة.”
“أعتقد أنه يجب إزالته من بقية البطولة لأن... ما الذي شاهدته للتو؟
هذه كأس العالم.
هامش الخطأ صغير للغاية، ويجب أن يتناسب مستوى التحكيم مع مستوى كرة القدم.”
“شعرت بصدق أن فرنسا كانت على الطرف الخاطئ من الكثير من القرارات.
سواء كانت الخروقات أو استدعاءات الاستفادة أو القرارات التأديبية، فإن التوازن لم يشعر بالصواب.
لو لم تكن فرنسا تمتلك جودة كبيرة إلى هذا الحد، لربما خسرت تلك المباراة.”
“الأمر المقلق ليس قرارًا مثيرًا للجدل واحدًا.
إنه عندما تبدأ عدة قرارات في التراكم في الاتجاه نفسه.
هذا هو الوقت الذي يفقد فيه اللاعبون الثقة في التحكيم، وتصبح المباراة أصعب في السيطرة عليها.”
“كمسؤول سابق، أعرف أن الأخطاء تحدث.
لا يذهب أي حكم إلى الملعب بنية إجراء مباراة سيئة.
لكن المساءلة مهمة.
عندما ينخفض الأداء عن المستوى المتوقع في أكبر بطولة في كرة القدم، يجب مراجعة تلك الأداءات بجدية.”
“اللاعبون يستحقون أفضل من ذلك.
المشجعون يستحقون أفضل من ذلك.
وكرة القدم تستحق أفضل من ذلك.
بعد مباراة كهذه، يجب أن تكون العناوين عن كرة القدم، لا عن الحكم.”
La @FIFAcom devrait :
- annuler le carton jaune contre #Olise
- exclure à vie ce joueur pour ses multiples agressions non sanctionnées
- enquêter sur l’arbitrage #Var
- exclure l’arbitre de toute compétition internationale
🚨Fabio Capello on Paraguay’s performance against France:
🎙️ Reporter: “Fabio, what did you make of Paraguay’s performance tonight?”
🗣️ Fabio Capello:
“I’ve been in football for decades, and I honestly didn’t know you could commit what felt like thirty fouls in one match and still avoid a yellow card for so long.
You want your players to be aggressive, yes. But there is a difference between being competitive and constantly breaking up the game.
For me, Paraguay crossed that line too many times. Every time France tried to build momentum, there was another foul, another stoppage, another confrontation.
I understand fighting for your country, but football has to remain football. If your biggest contribution is kicking people instead of playing the game, then you’ve got your priorities wrong.
I’m actually surprised the referee allowed so much to go unpunished. It encouraged even more reckless challenges.
Paraguay have some talented players, but tonight they’ll be remembered more for their physical approach than for their football. That’s not the legacy you want to leave at a World Cup.
🚨Arsène Wenger on Galarza’s challenge on Kylian Mbappé:
🗣️ “I have watched the incident several times, and I honestly don’t understand how that wasn’t punished more severely. Football is a physical game, yes, but there is a difference between being competitive and making a challenge that puts another player’s safety at risk.
For me, Galarza was never in control of that challenge. There was no real attempt to win the ball cleanly, and when you go into a tackle like that, you accept the risk of seriously hurting your opponent.
In my opinion, it should have been a straight red card. That is exactly why VAR exists—not to create controversy, but to correct obvious mistakes and protect the players.
What worries me is the inconsistency we’ve seen with officiating throughout this World Cup. One match, a similar incident is punished immediately. In another, the referee allows play to continue. Players deserve clarity. Coaches deserve consistency. Supporters deserve confidence that the same rules apply to everyone.
Mbappé was fortunate to continue, but next time another player may not be so lucky. These decisions have consequences, and I believe the officials should have acted much more decisively.”