MORRISVILLE, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jul 18, 2023--

Aymeric Laporte has left Man City to join Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia.

The embattled Spanish football chief Luis Rubiales was once an unlikely name on the books of Scottish club Hamilton Academical – but he quit after just four games. Rubiales retired as a professional footballer nine years before he became head of the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), but his short stint in Scotland was a lowlight of his playing career. The Spaniard flopped in Hamilton and made just four appearances, all of which ended in defeat. Eventually, the club terminated his contract by mutual consent. Rubiales cited family reasons for his departure. On his final appearance in Scotland, a 4-1 defeat to Rangers, Rubiales was greeted with the chant: “Baldy bastard, what’s the score?” The 46-year-old has faced repeated calls to step down from his position as the head of Spain’s football association in recent weeks, after he grabbed Spanish striker Jenni Hermoso and kissed her mouth during the Women’s World Cup medal ceremony. Hermoso has since said the action was not consensual. She said the situation had left her feeling “vulnerable and a victim of aggression”. In her statement she described the kiss as “an impulsive act, sexist, out of place and without any type of consent from my part. In short, I wasn’t respected.” FIFA, the sport’s governing body, has suspended Rubiales for 90 days starting on 26 August. The Spanish FA has stuck firmly by its boss throughout and has even threatened to sue Hermoso. Separately on 28 August, a Spanish court opened a preliminary investigation to see if what took place was a sexual assault. Spain’s labour minister and second deputy prime minister Yolanda Diaz has also weighed in, according to Reuters. She said male chauvinism is “systemic” in the country. As a player, Rubiales was seen as having below-average technical skill compared to other Spanish players, but he was respected for his tenacity. He was also on the books of Valencia and Atletico Madrid during his youth, and started his senior career in the Spanish second division at Guadix. Later, he played for Mallorca's B side and moved on to Lleida, Xerez, Levante and Alicante, before ending up in Scotland. Meanwhile, in his more successful career as a bureaucrat, he has already courted controversy before. Rubiales was less than a month into his current job when he sacked men’s manager Julen Lopetegui – who until recently managed Premier League side Wolves – two days before the 2018 World Cup. The decision eventually saw the Spanish team make an ignominious last-16 exit. Rubiales was also at the centre of a controversy when he backed Women’s manager Jorge Vilda despite players complaining that they were not being allowed to lock doors of their hotel rooms on international duty until 2019. It has been pointed out that he and Vilda have a strong relationship. Vilda’s father, Jorge, is currently head of the RFEF’s women’s football department. Other headlines from Spanish newspapers in recent years have read: “The ex-boss of Rubiales’ cabinet says he paid for orgies with federation money,” in relation to private parties reportedly organised. Rubiales denies it. Another read: “Luis Rubiales acquitted of the accusation of assault of the architect who renovated his house,” in a case that also saw him accused of using money from the player’s union – of which he was president – to pay for the work. And then: “Rubiales deal with [Gerard] Pique for a €24m pitch to bring the Super Cup to Saudi Arabia – ‘you are left with six kilos’,” after a series of leaks showed some controversial deals with the former Spanish defender. However, he was already seen as a significant improvement on his predecessor, Angel Maria Villar. He was suspended as president after being detained in July 2017 on allegations of collusion, embezzlement and falsifying documents. As for Rubiales, calls for him to step down continue to intensify. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

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Crystal Palace boss Roy Hodgson admitted to feeling ‘humbled’ by the tributes paid by both sets of fans following his side’s 2-2 draw with Fulham. Aleksandar Mitrovic’s first-half stoppage time spot kick cancelled out Odsonne Edouard’s opener and the Serbian handed the hosts the lead after the break, but Joel Ward’s late equaliser denied Fulham a final home victory of the campaign. And it seemed warm sentiments toward Hodgson, who managed Fulham from 2007-2010, were as evenly shared as the final result at Craven Cottage. “That was incredible,” said Hodgson. “I’m humbled by that, really. I can’t express how grateful I am. Both sets of fans treating me so well today and both cheering my name, because I had a wonderful time at both clubs. “It was a wonderful time here at Fulham and it’s been a wonderful time at Palace, two spells now. “So it’s really nice to see two sets of fans recognising that and giving you the sort of accolade that you could only dream or hope to get, so it’s going to be a big day in my memory I think, whatever happens, to have come here today, to have gone away with a well-earned point and to have both sets of fans cheering my name as I came off the field. “That’s something not many managers get and I consider myself honoured and flattered that it’s happening to me.” Hodgson has just next Saturday’s home clash with Nottingham Forest remaining on his current contract, and once again shut down a query about his next steps amidst swirling speculation he could be kept on. The 75-year-old simply stated: “There’s no update on my future, other than that it will be a very good future.” Wilfried Zaha’s future at Selhurst Park also remains a question mark. The Palace talisman likely played his final match of the season after pulling up with injury last weekend against Bournemouth. Fans fear it could have also marked his last appearance as an Eagle, with the 30-year-old, like his manager, out of contract at the conclusion of this campaign. On Saturday Hodgson turned to Edouard in Zaha’s absence, which proved prescient when the Frenchman latched onto Eberechi Eze’s through ball and gave the visitors the lead on 34 minutes. It was all square at the break, however, after Mitrovic converted in his first game back in Marco Silva’s starting line-up since he was handed an eight-match ban. Mitrovic headed home his 14th of the season after the break, but Ward was alert to his own rebound from a set piece and bundled home the equaliser on 83 minutes. Silva’s side, who remain 10th, paraded around the pitch post-match to thank their fans for what their boss believes was a thoroughly satisfying season. Silva, who acknowledged last season’s Championship winners at times felt “flat” on Saturday, said: “The game was not at our best level and when this happens we have to analyse and prepare for the next one. “[It was] a very, very good, to not say great, great season. No one expected for us to be where we are right now. Everyone predicted for us to be the first ones to go down, all the things I don’t want to repeat again. “The season has been brilliant, this group of players has been unbelievable, they work right, they try, they do every single day. They come with the right mindset to learn and to improve. “This is the main thing. I have to congratulate them again. Of course we didn’t finish yet, next week we can talk a little bit more, but I want to congratulate them for everything they have been doing this season so far.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Wrist injury has cost me a few shots – Jordan Spieth Heartache for Leinster as La Rochelle fightback secures Champions Cup trophy Erik ten Hag hails Casemiro’s ‘massive’ contribution to Manchester United cause

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