UEFA elects Michel Platini for the third time

European Football Association has elected French football legend Michel Platini unopposed for the third time as president of the football body.

Platini, 59, was returned by acclamation by the 54 member federations as there was no other candidate.

Platini promised to run the world’s most powerful continental federation with more “democracy” and also offered more cooperation with the heads of other confederations.

"I am proud to be your team-mate, proud to be the captain of this winning team and proud of our achievements," - report from the football body's website. 

"And I am excited to be taking on the challenges that await us over the next four years.

"I know that I can count on you. And you know that you can count on me," the UEFA President emphasised. "It is the closeness of that bond between us that makes us strong and allows us to take these bold and courageous decisions – decisions which always pay off. This mutual trust, this participatory democracy, is our hallmark, our trademark, and we will continue to work this way over the next four years. You have my word on that.

It runs nation and club competitions including the UEFA European Championship, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, and UEFA Super Cup, and controls the prize money, regulations, and media rights to those competitions.

Team of the Year: UEFA records three million votes in 24 hours

Over three million votes have been recorded in the on-going UEFA Team of the Year 2014 with just about 24 hours after the poll was introduced.

UEFA.COM

According to UEFA.COM, 3,166,801 votes had been cast in the poll, which gives fans the chance to select their stars of the year from a 40-strong selection chosen by UEFA.com. 

At the same stage in 2013, 2,195,589 votes had been cast – the 2014 selection is clearly engaging fans and players more than ever.

If you're yet to cast your vote for players you want to see in the team before they are announce, click here.

Bayern Munich, Real Madrid Stars dominate UEFA Team of The Year nominees

Real Madrid and Bayern Munich are well represented in the shortlist of players for the UEFA Team of The Year 2014 Award.

Google Image

The Spanish club boast of 7 players while the Germans have a larger number of 9 players.

According to UEFA,  more than 6.3 million votes were cast in the UEFA.com users' Team of the Year 2013 poll, the final XI featured four players from FC Bayern München and a record eighth appearance for Cristiano Ronaldo.

Here's a full list of nominees and you can view and cast your vote here 

Goalkeepers        

Gianlugi Buffon      Juventus

Beto                        Sevilla

Thibuat Courtois    Chelsea

Manuel Neuer        Bayern Munich

Defenders

Sergio Ramos        Real Madrid

Diego Godin          Athletico Madrid

Miranda                  Athletico Madrid

Vincent Kompany  Manchester City

Jerome Boateng      Bayern Munich

Medhin Benatia      Bayern Munich

David Alaba            Bayern Munich

Ezequeil Garay        FC Zenith

Mats Hummels         Borussia Dortmund

Philip Lahm             Bayern Munich

Pablo Zabaleta         Manchester City

Dani Carvajal          Real Madrid

Midfielder

Toni Kroos            Real Madrid

Luka Modric         Real Madrid

Angel Di Maria     Manchester United

Ivan Rakitic           Barcelona

Arjen Robben        Bayern Munich

James Rodriquez   Real Madrid                   

Koke                    Athletico Madrid

Xabi Alonso        Bayern Munich

Marco Reus         Borussia Dortmund

Paul Pogba          Juventus

Ardar Turan        Athletico Madrid

Yaya Toure         Manchester City

Forward

Gareth Bale      Real Madrid

Diego Costa      Chelsea

Tomas Muller   Bayern Munich

Cristiano Ronaldo   Real Madrid

Zlatan Ibrahimovic    Paris Sanit German

Robert Lewandowski   Bayern Munich

Alexis Sanchez           Arsenal

Karim Benzema         Real Madrid

Lionel Messi             Barcelona

Jonatan Soriano        FC Salzburg

Carlos Tevez           Juventus

Neymar                 Barcelona

AFCON 2015: Mind your business, CAF tells UEFA

The Confederation of African Football CAF has sent a resounding message to European football body president Michel Platini saying his opinion on the postponement of Afcon 2015 can be described as treachery.

Platini had earlier urged CAF to postpone the Nations Cup due to the outbreak of Ebola Virus but the African Football body has asked Platini to concentrate on matters that affects his confederation.

According to report on Vanguard, CAF hit back at the UEFA boss pointing out that football activities sanctioned by the Europe governing body continue in Ukraine despite the war in the country.

“CAF under the leadership of its President, Issa Hayatou, has always promoted free expression within it. Far from it therefore, claim to deprive anyone latitude to express themselves,” CAF said in the press release published on its official website.

“But we must beware of what appears in every way as interference by a president of a Confederation, in cases involving first and foremost Africa and CAF.

“Under the principle of non-interference required to comply, CAF has refrained so far to comment on some issues on the managing of European football or any other continent.”

CAF pointed to the UEFA boss that despite the shooting down of a passenger plane in Ukraine and the ongoing civil war in the country, Europe’s governing body has sanctioned matches in the nation despite threat to human life.

“Despite the risks involved in armed conflict in Ukraine, a country where a civilian plane was shot down killing nearly 300 people, UEFA did not consider it necessary to exclude Ukrainian clubs from its competitions as a security parameter by hosting games outside this nation, as treacherously raised once it is about Africa,” the statement further said.

Celtic back in Champions League despite losing 6-1 to Warsaw who are charged for fielding inelegible player

Irish Club Celcti have been reinstated back into the Champions league despite the heavy 6-1 (agg) loss to Legia Warsaw after they fielded an ineligible player in the second leg of their qualifying series on Wednesday.

Bartosz Bereszynski was introduced into the match for the final three minutes which attracted a sanction both on the club and the player

UEFA said: "The UEFA Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body have announced that Legia have been sanctioned for fielding an ineligible player in their second leg against Celtic. 

"The match has been declared as forfeit and Legia have lost the match 3-0. As a consequence, Celtic have qualified for the play-offs on away goals (agg: 4-4) and Legia will compete in the UEFA Europa League play-offs.

"In addition the player Bartosz Bereszynski has been suspended for one additional UEFA competition match for which he would be otherwise eligible.

"This suspension shall be added to the remaining two-match suspension which the player still has to serve in accordance with the Control and Disciplinary Body decision of 13 February 2014."