France's coach and football federation criticised Samir Nasri for the midfielder's expletive-laced rant at a journalist following the team's 2-0 defeat to Spain in the European Championship quarterfinals.
Nasri was walking through the post-match interview area when the heated exchange took place after the French journalist asked him for a reaction to Saturday's defeat. As the dispute escalated, Nasri challenged the journalist to take their argument outside.
"It's a lack of respect toward the journalist," coach Laurent Blanc said on French football show Telefoot. "I told (Nasri) what I thought of it and what I would have done in his place. It's very unfortunate."
French Football Federation President Noel Le Graet said Nasri had "fallen out of line" again and described him as "hypersensitive". He said the FFF will address the issue.
"He has a difficult way of behaving," Le Graet said. "We will discuss things and take a look at his problem."
Nasri, who came on as a second-half substitute against Spain, had a tense relationship with French media throughout the tournament.
After scoring the equaliser in the 1-1 draw with England in their opening game, Nasri ran toward the touchline in celebration and shouted "Shut your mouth" in French. He then brought his finger to his lips to tell a journalist to hush.
"There is a problem between Nasri and the press. That's the truth," Blanc said. "The comments are very violent and it's been proven that they were said."
At the 2010 World Cup, striker Nicolas Anelka received an 18-match ban after insulting coach Raymond Domenech in the dressing room.
Several players - including captain Patrice Evra - received shorter bans for their part in a training-ground strike in protest at Anelka being sent home.
While France never reached such lows at Euro 2012, several players - including Nasri, midfielder Alou Diarra and winger Hatem Ben Arfa - were involved in a heated dressing-room bust-up following the 2-0 defeat to Sweden in the last group game
DAILY MAIL MARIO WATCH
Blooper Mario in the thick of it... Balotelli fluffs lines in front of goal but scores cool penalty
There are few players at Euro 2012 who split opinion more than Mario Balotelli. The Italy striker is often talked about but on Sunday he had the opportunity to make a decisive contribution against the country he currently calls home. Here, Ian Ladyman provides his breakdown of Balotelli’s performance against England.
1min Less than 60 seconds gone and Balotelli attempts one of the more preposterous shots of the tournament, a wild swish on the volley from about 35 yards. Maybe he expected Joe Hart to be asleep. Or maybe he did it for a bet. Whatever the case, the ball rolls gently through to the England goalkeeper and the game has its first ‘shot’ on target. Sort of.
13min As Italy struggle for quality possession, Balotelli chases after the latest in a line of long punts from his own defenders. This time he pushes John Terry to the ground in frustration and England get the free-kick. All strikers need good service and so far Italy’s golden child has had none at all.
21min Balotelli’s frustration grows as Italy continue to waste possession in the final third. This is not what happens when he plays at Manchester City. A tussle with club mate Joleon Lescott sees him penalised for pushing. The linesman gets ‘the stare’.
25min Finally Balotelli gets his first chance of the night as Andrea Pirlo sets him clear. Never the best when he has time to think, though, Balotelli takes too long and his ambitious dinked shot bounces to safety off the lunging John Terry. Hart, too, looks as though he is in position to save.
32min The understanding between Balotelli and strike partner Antonio Cassano looks non-existent but Pirlo seems to read the problem child a little better. Another superb pass sets Balotelli free and his falling, first-time volley is gathered by Hart. Finding his range, it seems.
39min A rare decent pass from Cassano gets Balotelli in behind Lescott but he falls (dives?) to the floor in front of Hart. One senses the England and Manchester City keeper may have seen this kind of thing before. The referee is unmoved and rightly so.
41min Our hero strikes the post. With his foot. The reason? Failing to get on to the end of a Cassano knock-down. Seconds later he fizzes a long shot narrowly over the bar. Proof, at least, that his toes are OK.
53min Two headed chances pass Balotelli by in the early minutes of the second half. He lacks anticipation at times. But he’s on his toes to bring a save from Hart after the England keeper parries a long shot by Daniele De Rossi. It still will not go in for Balotelli and he looks frustrated.
60min Balotelli definitely improves as the game progresses and contributes a moment of genuine class. Holding off Terry in the area, he controls a high ball with his back to goal and sends an overhead kick inches over the bar.
76min An intelligent piece of centre-forward play as Balotelli gets the ball with his back to goal, turns to stand up Glen Johnson and then feeds Claudio Marchisio. Terry charges down the subsequent shot.
79min Balotelli certainly seems to relish being his team’s No 1 forward and when it’s time for substitutions, Cassano makes way and he stays on. A game jump to put pressure on Hart helps Italy to win a corner.
80min Once again Balotelli looks to make a run off Johnson’s shoulder as a pass from Alessandro Diamanti seeks him out. Johnson gets there first but Balotelli gives his team-mate a thumbs up. Certainly makes a change.
92min Into extra time and Balotelli tries to win a free-kick from Lescott. It’s not one of his more convincing dives and he is left lying on the floor looking rather embarrassed. Play on.
98min Two aimless, hopeless long shots in the space of a minute show Balotelli at his worst. A minute later, however, he does well to get a shot in but it’s straight at Hart.
112min Balotelli steps up to take a free-kick from 35 yards and blasts it high over the bar. Symptomatic of his night in front of goal.
Shoot-out: The Italian coolly dispatches the first spot-kick of the shoot out into the bottom left corner, after the briefest stutter in his run up.
Galassi joins City hierarchy
Champions Manchester City have announced that Piaggio Aero Industries chief executive Alberto Galassi has joined their board of directors
Galassi was previously on the executive committee of the aircraft manufacturing company, where he was responsible for marketing and sales and has been a member of the bar since 1996, specialising in international commerce and arbitration.
He joins chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak and fellow board members, Simon Pearce, Martin Edelman, Mohamed Al Mazrouei and John MacBeath as non-executive director with immediate effect.
Chelsea and Man City target La Liga star
Manchester City have joined Chelsea in the race to sign Atletico Madrid defender Diego Godin according to Mundo Deportivo.
Chelsea have long been linked with the 26-year-old and it was suggested by The Sun in October that former Stamford Bridge boss Andres Villas-Boas wanted him as a replacement for Alex.
However MD now claim Manchester City are showing increased interested in the Uruguayan international and are willing to pay in excess of €15 million to take Godin to the Etihad Stadium.
Godin arrived at Atletico from Villarreal in 2010 and has gone on to play over 50 games for the club, becoming an integral part of Diego Simeone’s side that finished fifth in la liga last season.
The centre back has been capped 47 times by Uruguay and is seen as one of the most consistent defenders currently playing in Spain.
Manchester City meanwhile won their first league title in 44 years last season as Roberto Mancini guided the blues to a dramatic final day triumph over QPR at Eastlands which piped bitter rivals United to the crown.
Manchester City plot £80m swoop for Edinson Cavani and Radamel Falcao
Manchester City have reportedly made initial enquiries about signing Napoli’s Edinson Cavani and Atletico Madrid’s Radamel Falcao.
Both clubs would demand at least £40 million each for their prized assets, but Abu Dhabi-backed Man City plan to free up some space in the club’s wage bill by offloading four strikers.
Carlos Tevez, Edin Dzeko, Emmanuel Adebayor and Roque Santa Cruz could all be put up for sale in order to fund moves for Cavani and Falcao.
Napoli face an uphill struggle to retain Uruguayan Cavani after they failed to qualify for next season’s Champions League.
Are we missing something here? This IS the same Man City side that racked up an astonishing 93 goals in 38 Premier League matches. The same Man City who featured three strikers who made it onto the top ten goal-scorers list. So why then would Roberto Mancini need to spend vast sums on new attacking talent?
Clearly there is a good chance that Carlos Tevez could be offloaded after his various indiscretions, but then the Argentine barely featured last term. Even if Mancini opted to allow Edin Dzeko to leave to pursue regular first team football the Premier League title holders would still have Sergio Aguero and Mario Balotelli to call upon, so where exactly would this pair fit into the Italian’s plans?
Whilst both Cavani and Falcao excelled in Serie A and La Liga respectively neither player has Champions League football to enjoy next term so clearly they would be tempted by a move to the Etihad Stadium and the riches that such a move would bring.
Perhaps Mancini feels that he needs a new level of striker to help mount an assault on the Champions League but moves to bring in such high profile strikers may well undermine those already at the club.
Mario Balotelli immortalised by artist with wheat field 'crop circle' in Italy
Italian wildcard Mario Balotelli received an unlikely tribute before the Azzurri took on England in the quarter-finals of Euro 2012 by having his likeness made in a wheat field.
The ploughed field is the work of Italian artist Dario Gambarini, who has used tractors to similar effect to create images of Barack Obama and Nelson Mandela among others.
The 2,700 square metre piece was created in Castagnaro, near the artist's native Verona.
Rather than show Balotelli's face, however, Gambarini broke with tradition to portray the Manchester City striker's trademark Mohawk haircut, with the word 'Italia' visible at the top of his shirt.
'I wanted to pay homage to all the Azzuri,' Gambarini said. 'But it seemed ideal to reproduce the blonde Mohawk of Balotelli on a field of threshed wheat.'
Balotelli started Italy's first two Euro 2012 group games before being dropped for the match against Ireland, but he proved his worth to the team by scoring with an overhead kick after coming on as a substitute.
SNUB COUNT: 178
OTHER BOLLOX
Rangers set to be denied entry to SPL after Hibs confirm plan to vote no
Hibernian have become the latest club to confirm they will vote against newco Rangers' application for entry to the Scottish Premier League.
The Edinburgh side cited sporting integrity as the driving factor behind the decision, which was reached at a board meeting on Sunday night, despite the financial implications for the club.
Hibs join city rivals Hearts and Dundee United in going public with their plans to reject the Rangers bid.
Motherwell will ballot fans on June 29, while others have yet to make a decision.
The 12 top-flight clubs - including oldco Rangers - will cast their votes at an SPL general meeting on July 4.
A statement from Hibs read: 'Following a meeting of its board of directors, Hibernian FC confirmed that the club will vote against the transfer of the Rangers share in the SPL to a newco at the general meeting of SPL clubs on 4 July 2012.
'This re-affirms the view of the board that the sporting integrity of the SPL is of paramount importance.
'The board is also acutely aware that in making this decision, Hibernian - like other clubs in the SPL - will suffer collateral financial damage at a time of severe economic hardship and uncertainty.
'The board believes it is time for all fair-minded supporters to get behind their clubs and to contribute in whatever way they can to the viability of the professional game in Scotland.'
Ibrox duo Steven Naismith and Steven Whittaker earlier said uncertainty over which division Rangers will play in next season was one of the main reasons for their decision to object to the transfer of their contracts to the newco, with the pair now seeking moves elsewhere.MAIL
CARDIFF City are keen to bring Wales international Craig Bellamy home again – and the club’s Malaysian investors are working on ways to finance a return.
Bet on the Winner of Euro 2012 at Blue Square There has not yet been any approach from Cardiff to either Liverpool or Bellamy, but manager Malky Mackay wants to include the striker in his Championship squad for 2012-13.
Mackay’s interest in his former Norwich clubmate is clear after he tried to bring Bellamy back to Cardiff last season following his initial season loan under Dave Jones.
Mackay is not likely to let the chance go by of asking Liverpool’s new manager – his pal Brendan Rodgers – about the chances of signing Bellamy for next season.
A source close to Mackay said: “There has been absolutely no contact between Cardiff City and either Craig Bellamy or Liverpool.”
But there has been no denial that an approach may be made over the next few weeks.
Bellamy’s house is still only a short distance from the club’s Vale of Glamorgan Resort training ground and he retains a burning desire to help the Bluebirds earn promotion to the Premier League.
“I still want this club to get into the Premier,” said Bellamy two seasons ago.
“I want to play for Cardiff City.”
He said he was keen on remaining for on for another season following the play-off failure under Dave Jones, but grasped the chance to join Liverpool from Manchester City.
Mackay completely understood Bellamy’s decision on a move to Anfield, saying: “You’re talking about Liverpool, which is a huge club.”
The two men have kept in touch since Bellamy moved on and the striker fits Mackay’s demands about players who are committed to the Bluebirds cause.
Bellamy, 32, is halfway through a two-year contract with Liverpool. The Bluebirds hope he would be open to an approach from them and City’s hierarchy are understood to be working out the finances for any deal.
City’s Malaysian owners have announced a £100m investment plan and a marquee signing of Bellamy’s profile would help ease any discontent over the change of club home colours from blue to red.
Bellamy scored 11 goals in 35 games for Cardiff during 2010-2011, but their promotion chase faltered when he got injured against Reading in the play-offs. WALES-ONLINE
West Brom and Everton are monitoring events with Rangers duo Steven Naismith and Steven Whittaker.
The two international rejected the transfer of their contracts to the newco at the SPL outfit.
They now consider themselves to be free agents.MAIL
Tottenham Prepared to Accept £25m Plus Real Madrid Player Exchange Offer for Luka Modric
White Hart Lane chairman ready to negotiate a deal to sell want-away midfielder.
Spurs ‘demand Nuri Sahin as part of Luka Modric transfer’
Spurs have told Real Madrid that Nuri Sahin must be part of any deal for Luka Modric, according to a report.
Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy rejected three bids from Chelsea for the Croatian last summer, but has signalled he is now willing to listen to offers for the midfielder, who wants to leave White Hart Lane.
Spurs have apparently told the Spanish club they will need to pay £25million and part with Sahin if they are serious about signing Modric.
Levy, who is renowned for his ability to negotiate large fees when selling players, knows he can take a tough stance, as Paris Saint-Germain are also lining up a sizeable bid for the Croatian.
Turkey international Sahin only moved to Real Madrid from Borussia Dortmund in an £8million transfer last summer, but he failed to settle and hardly featured in their La Liga title triumph. CAUGHTOFFSIDEBOLLOX
Blackburn are planning a double raid on Newcastle with Dan Gosling, 22, and Leon Best, 25, on manager Steve Kean's wanted list. Daily Mail
Arsene Wenger has revealed he is "on the case" with Germany forward Marco Reus. Arsenal boss Wenger raved about Reus, 23, as he commentated on Germany v Greece for French TV. Daily Star
Barcelona have made a move for Manchester City teenager Joan Angel Roman. Angel Roman, 19, went to City three years ago from Espanyol but has not lived up to his promise. The Mirror
Cardiff are weighing up a move to bring back Craig Bellamy. The club's Malaysian backers want the striker, 32, to fire up next season's promotion campaign. The Sun
West Brom and Newcastle are both keen on a loan move for Tottenham full-back Danny Rose, 21. Spurs are also expected to lose full-back Vedran Corluka. Daily Mail
Roy Hodgson insisted there was nothing more England could have done as they lost their fifth successive penalty shoot-out. The Sun
Germany's preparations for Thursday's semi-final have been hit by revelations that a mole has been leaking the line-ups to media hours before kick-off. The Metro
Birmingham hope to name Lee Clark as their new manager this week. Cash-strapped Brum want Clark, 39, as their next boss after losing Chris Hughton to Norwich. The Mirror
