GENEVA: Facing a one-year transfer ban from FIFA, Marseille went to court Wednesday in a dispute with Watford over the 2020 signing of Senegal midfielder Pape Gueye.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport said Gueye — who faces a four-month playing ban by FIFA for breach of contract — was attending the start of a two-day hearing in Lausanne, Switzerland. No target date has been set for the verdict.
Marseille are second in the French league and on track to qualify for the Champions League next season, when the ban could take effect if the club lose the case.
Marseille also faces being blocked from registering new players for two consecutive transfer windows, and Gueye could be sidelined from all soccer for four months. The punishments were initially handed down by FIFA last year but were put on hold pending the appeal verdict.
Watford announced in April 2020 that they had made a pre-contract agreement with Gueye, a Paris-born France youth international then playing for Le Havre, on a five-year deal starting after that season.
Gueye, then 21, backed out of joining Watford and later signed with Marseille, which had finished runner-up in Ligue 1 to qualify for the following season’s Champions League.
Watford filed a case claiming breach of contract at FIFA’s disputes resolution chamber, which found in the club’s favor and imposed the bans on Marseille and Gueye. Marseille were reportedly ordered to pay Watford 2.5 million euros ($2.6 million).
Watford announced the ruling in January 2022 while Gueye was with Senegal at the African Cup of Nations in Cameroon. He helped Senegal win that tournament, and played in three of the country’s games at the World Cup in Qatar.
The CAS case combines three separate appeals, filed by each of the clubs and the player.
Gueye has since been loaned out by Marseille to play for Sevilla for the rest of the season, although was not included in the Spanish team’s squad list for the Europa League. Six-time champion Sevilla host Fenerbahce on Thursday in the round of 16.
Marseille, Gueye at court fighting FIFA bans in Watford case
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Marseille, Gueye at court fighting FIFA bans in Watford case
- Marseille are second in the French league and on track to qualify for the Champions League
- They also face being blocked from registering new players for two consecutive transfer windows
Real Sociedad edge rivals Athletic to reach Copa del Rey final
- Real Sociedad have now not lost in their last 10 derby clashes at home against Athletic, whom they beat in the 2020 final, and rarely looked like letting their advantage slip
SAN SEBASTIAN, Spain: Mikel Oyarzabal slotted home a late penalty to fire Real Sociedad into the Copa del Rey final with a 1-0 win over Basque rivals Athletic Bilbao on Wednesday, securing a 2-0 aggregate semifinal triumph.
American coach Pellegrino Matarazzo has turned La Real’s fortunes around since arriving in December and his side will face Atletico Madrid in the Seville final on April 18, after they ousted Barcelona.
Already holding a 1-0 lead from the first leg at Athletic’s San Mames, Real Sociedad produced a sturdy display at the Reale Arena to knock out the 24-time winners.
“Very proud of what the boys have done, over the past two months, it’s pretty amazing,” said Matarazzo.
“Our first match was on the fourth of January... and we just reached the cup final.
“The football we’re playing is effective and we want to continue... we’re in the final and we want to win it.”
Real Sociedad have now not lost in their last 10 derby clashes at home against Athletic, whom they beat in the 2020 final, and rarely looked like letting their advantage slip.
“I think having the one goal advantage helped, we managed the tempo well,” Real Sociedad defender Jon Martin told Movistar.
“We didn’t want a lot to happen, and we did well.”
La Real had the better of a tense first half, with Carlos Soler coming closest. The midfielder’s free-kick, flying toward the top corner, was tipped over by Athletic goalkeeper Alex Padilla.
Matarazzo’s team had more of the ball and forced the visitors back, albeit without carving out many more openings.
Athletic defender Aitor Paredes made a last-ditch block to keep former Valencia midfielder Soler at bay, and Goncalo Guedes drilled into the side-netting.
Ernesto Valverde’s side improved in the second half and began to threaten La Real, again without finding a clear sight of goal.
Alejandro Berenguer fizzed a shot wide after Inaki Williams fed him on the edge of the box.
Los Leones were missing dangerous Spanish winger Nico Williams, who is sidelined indefinitely with a groin problem.
Oyarzabal seals it
The match was decided from the penalty spot when Athletic’s Inigo Ruiz de Galarreta grabbed a fistful of Yangel Herrera’s shirt as he tried to jump in the box.
After a VAR review the referee awarded a spot-kick and Spain striker Oyarzabal coolly sent Padilla the wrong way in the 87th minute.
Mikel Vesga might have levelled on the night for Athletic in stoppage time as they pushed forward with urgency but Real Sociedad stopper Unai Marrero saved well with his leg to help book his team’s flight to Andalusia.
“It was a hard-fought game, a Basque derby,” said Valverde.
“We had a clear chance at the end, we could have got back into the game but it wasn’t to be.”
Icelandic striker Orri Oskarsson could have extended La Real’s lead at the death but nodded against the post, although it did not matter in the end.
“It feels terrible, it’s a shame, we wanted to reach that final in Seville, I don’t even know what to say,” Athletic striker Williams told Movistar.
“(For the penalty) there’s that kind of grabbing in every box, every corner, and it’s very difficult (to take).”
