Benzema to take legal action over sex video claims

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November 11- Real Madrid’s French international striker Karim Benzema, placed under formal investigation in connection with an alleged sex tape blackmail plot, is to take legal action after a French radio station published extracts of phone taps that could incriminate him, according to his lawyer.

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Police raid Maltese FA, Mifsud has memory failure

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By Andrew Warshaw
November 11- Police have raided the offices of the Malta Football Association in connection with allegations that Germany secured the rights to host the 2006 World Cup after paying financial inducements to several Fifa members including then MFA boss Joseph Mifsud.

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Euro clubs in relegation dogfights must outspend rivals to stay up, finds report

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By Paul Nicholson
November 11 – English Premier League clubs pay more than any other clubs in Europe on staff wages to retain their top league status – on average 40% higher than clubs in Italy’s Serie A and thumping five times more than clubs in Spain’s la Liga. The average wage bill of the English team one place above relegation between 2011/12 and 2013/14 seasons was €72.6 million, and it getting higher.

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CIES study unveils crisis in youth training in Europe

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By Mark Baber
November 10 – The November issue of the CIES Football Observatory monthly report suggests that youth training in Europe is in crisis based on an analysis of the presence of club-trained players in 460 teams of 31 top division leagues in UEFA member associations. The report shows that the percentage of home-grown footballers in squads has decreased for the sixth consecutive season to reach a new record low of 19.7%.

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