Platini rules out FIFA role

UEFA president Michel Platini is adamant there is "no possibility" he will run for the presidency of FIFA after the election next week was thrown into chaos by bribery allegations.

FIFA president Sepp Blatter will appear at a FIFA ethics committee hearing on Sunday to answer a complaint made by his rival for the presidency Mohamed Bin Hammam, who faces a separate charge of bribery along with one of the organisation's vice-presidents Jack Warner.

"I have just been voted in for four years at UEFA and there is just no possibility (of going to FIFA)," Platini told BBC Sport.

"If there is an election then a new president will be elected for four years.

"If there is no election then it will be complicated, but I don't know what will happen."

Blatter admitted he also did not know what would happen if both presidential candidates were suspended on Sunday and that this was a "strange moment" for the governing body.

"I am concerned because I am vice-president," he added.

"The governing body of football has to be clean, has to be good, has to think about what the values of football are and things like that.

"We know perhaps in the big assemblies there are not so clean people, like with journalists, football players, in music, politicians. Let's go to the executive committee, the disciplinary committee, let the people have some evidence and take a decision after that."

Warner and Bin Hammam face lengthy bans should the corruption allegations made by fellow executive committee member Chuck Blazer be proven.

World Cup - Platini rules out FIFA role

FIFA president Sepp Blatter will appear at a FIFA ethics committee hearing on Sunday to answer a complaint made by his rival for the presidency Mohamed Bin Hammam, who faces a separate charge of bribery along with one of the organisation's vice-presidents Jack Warner.

"I have just been voted in for four years at UEFA and there is just no possibility (of going to FIFA)," Platini told BBC Sport. "If there is an election then a new president will be elected for four years.

"If there is no election then it will be complicated, but I don't know what will happen."

Blatter admitted he also did not know what would happen if both presidential candidates were suspended on Sunday and that this was a "strange moment" for the governing body.

"I am concerned because I am vice-president," he added.

"The governing body of football has to be clean, has to be good, has to think about what the values of football are and things like that.

"We know perhaps in the big assemblies there are not so clean people, like with journalists, football players, in music, politicians. Let's go to the executive committee, the disciplinary committee, let the people have some evidence and take a decision after that."

Warner and Bin Hammam face lengthy bans should the corruption allegations made by fellow executive committee member Chuck Blazer be proven.

PA Sport

World Cup - Embattled Blatter to miss Champions League final

Blatter's spokesman said he had too many other things on his plate and had decided to skip Saturday's match at Wembley whereManchester United face Barcelona.

"He has other things on his mind and hasn't got the time," Brian Alexander said.

Blatter will face the hearing along with Mohamed Bin Hammam, his challenger for the FIFA presidency, following a report on a meeting of Caribbean officials connected to the campaign earlier this month.

The report, prepared by FIFA executive committee member and CONCACAF secretary general Chuck Blazer, mentioned possible violation of the FIFA's ethics code by officials including "allegations of bribery".

Blatter, standing for a fourth term, has not commented on the procedings but has said that "the facts will speak for themselves." Bin Hammam has denied any wrongdoing.

CONCACAF president Jack Warner will also appear before the committee on Sunday along with two Caribbean officials.

Reuters

Ferguson predicts a classic Champions League final

Saturday's Champions League final between Manchester United and Barcelona could be a classic between two of the finest teams of the last decade, Alex Ferguson said on Friday.

The Manchester United manager said it was impossible to predict what would happen when the two sides meet at Wembley Stadium in a repeat of the 2009 final which Barcelona won 2-0 in Rome.

The 69-year-old, bidding to join Bob Paisley of Liverpool as the only coach to win Europe's top club competition three times, agreed Saturday's match could be the best final of the decade as he heaped lavish praise on his opposite number Pep Guardiola.

"The success that both teams have had in the last decade has been enormous and it could not just be the final of the decade, but the best final," he said.

"The two teams have great histories, that's obvious, but it's an appealing final in what could happen tomorrow -- anything could happen.

"There could be a lot of goals, a lot of excitement and there will be a lot of good football, I'm sure of that, so it is all set up -- and hopefully it turns out that way."

Ferguson also spoke of his admiration for Guardiola, 40, as both a player and coach and said he tried to sign him for United when he left Barca as a player a decade ago.

"I spoke to his agent when he left Barcelona and in the end he decided to go to Italy and maybe it was a moment lost because I admired him as a footballer.

"I thought he was a fantastic passer of the ball. The Barcelona team that beat us 4-0 at that time with players like (Jose Maria) Bakero and (Aitor) Beguiristain was superb."

He had equal respect for Guardiola as a coach.

"Since taking over he has changed the way they play and brought maturity to the team.

"From beating us in Rome to the present day, you can see that maturity, and also he has changed the way they press the ball which has been very impressive in the last year or so.

"For a young coach, he has done fantastically well.

"He has a presence about him and he played for Barcelona, which helps of course. If you look at the history of Barcelona's Dutch coaches, he has made a big step forward for Spanish coaches."

However, Ferguson added, he was confident that his team would triumph on Saturday.

"We are not looking for revenge," he said, "but I trust in the players and believe they will do the job."

Reuters

Ferguson expects a Wembley classic

The Manchester United manager said it was impossible to predict what would happen when the two sides meet at Wembley Stadium in a repeat of the 2009 final which Barcelona won 2-0 in Rome.

But he 69-year-old, bidding to join Bob Paisley of Liverpool as the only coach to win Europe's top club competition three times, agreed Saturday's match could be the best final of the decade as he heaped lavish praise on his opposite number Pep Guardiola.

"The success that both teams have had in the last decade has been enormous and it could not just be the final of the decade, but the best final," he said. "The two teams have great histories, that's obvious, but it's an appealing final in what could happen tomorrow - anything could happen.

"There could be a lot of goals, a lot of excitement and there will be a lot of good football, I'm sure of that, so it is all set up, and hopefully it turns out that way."

Ferguson also spoke of his admiration for Guardiola, 40, as both a player and coach and said he tried to sign him for United when he left Barca as a player to join Brescia a decade ago.

"I spoke to his agent when he left Barcelona and in the end he decided to go to Italy and maybe it was a moment lost because I admired him as a footballer.

"I thought he was a fantastic passer of the ball. The Barcelona team that beat us 4-0 at that time with players like (Jose Maria) Bakero and (Txiki) Beguiristain was superb."

Ferguson had equal respect for Guardiola as a coach.

"Since taking over he has changed the way they play and brought maturity to the team.

"From beating us in Rome to the present day, you can see that maturity, and also he has changed the way they press the ball which has been very impressive in the last year or so. For a young coach, he has done fantastically well.

"He has a presence about him and he played for Barcelona, which helps of course. If you look at the history of Barcelona's Dutch coaches, he has made a big step forward for Spanish coaches."

However, Ferguson added, he was confident that his team would triumph on Saturday.

"We are not looking for revenge," he said, "but I trust in the players and believe they will do the job."

Reuters

Wilson hopes to silence his critics

Sheffield United's new manager Danny Wilson has vowed to win over the fans who protested against his controversial appointment at Bramall Lane.

Wilson, 51, a former player and manager at city rivals Sheffield Wednesday, was unveiled as the Blades' fourth boss in nine months amid chants of "We hate Wilson" and "You don't know what you're doing" by a protest group of around 150-strong, who had gathered in the club car park.

Blades Plc chairman Kevin McCabe later met with some of the protesters in a bid to convince them Wilson was the right man to lead the club back to the npower Championship following relegation.

McCabe has given Wilson a three-year contract and has appointed club skipper Chris Morgan as player-coach, while an assistant manager is expected to be named in the next few days.

Wilson said: "I'm not foolish enough to think it's going to be anything other then very difficult to come across the divide but as far as I'm concerned it's a massive privilege to come to a club of this size with its tradition and the support of Kevin and the directors.

"It's not going to be easy. We have to play a certain brand of football and win games to win the fans over - but you have to do that anywhere. It will be difficult. We understand that, but every manager is in a difficult position. We always are and always will be, while some [jobs] are more difficult than others. But I promise you we'll work very, very hard for this football club. I'm very determined and I think eventually we'll win people over."

Villa release 10

Nigel Reo-Coker, John Carew and Robert Pires are among 10 players released by Aston Villa.

First-team squad members Moustapha Salifou and Isaiah Osbourne have also been allowed to leave Villa Park along with youngsters Durrell Berry, Ellis Deeney, Calum Flanagan, Harry Forrester and Arsenio Halfhuid.

Former England Under-21 captain Reo-Coker had featured regularly for Villa since signing from West Ham in 2007 but will now be looking for a new club, as will Norwegian forward Carew who spent the second part of last season on loan at Stoke.

Pires has been tipped to join former Arsenal team-mate Thierry Henry in Major League Soccer in the United States and the 37-year-old was never likely to extend his original six-month contract.