Franz Beckenbauer is one of six men to be investigated by FIFA’s ethics committee over the Germany 2006 World Cup bidding process. The 70-year-old, a World Cup-winning captain and manager with West Germany, led his nation’s campaign to host the tournament and was forced to reject allegations last year that a slush fund was set up to buy the votes. Beckenbauer was also investigated as part of FIFA’s probe into alleged corruption and was sanctioned by FIFA earlier this year for failing to cooperate with their investigation into the Russia 2018 and Qatar 2022 World Cup bids. Also under investigation is Wolfgang Niersbach, former president of the German FA, vice-president of the 2006 World Cup organising committee and current FIFA and UEFA executive committee member, and four others:

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Barcelona striker Luis Suarez has returned to training with Uruguay and is available for selection after serving his ban for biting Italy’s Giorgio Chiellini at the 2014 World Cup. Suarez was handed a nine-match international suspension, as well as a four-month ban from football-related activity, for the incident. The 29-year-old has joined his team-mates in Montevideo as Uruguay prepare for World Cup qualifying matches against Brazil and Peru. Suarez admits his error in biting defender Chiellini during Uruguay’s last group match in Brazil in 2014 but still maintains his penalty was too hefty. “I made a mistake,’ Suarez told Mundo Deportivo. “But there was no logic to the punishment. For four months I was not even allowed to train with my club.

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Norwich striker Dieumerci Mbokani was caught up in the terror attacks in Brussels on Tuesday morning, but is unharmed. Zaventem Airport was the site of two explosions, while there was at least one at a Metro station near the European Parliament building. At least 34 people were killed in the blasts, with around 170 injured. Congo international Mbokani, who is on loan from Dynamo Kiev, was at Zaventem Airport at the time of the attacks. City say the 30-year-old was “unharmed but shaken” by the events, and that he had returned home to be with his family, and the club remain in constant dialogue with him.

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Newcastle striker Aleksandar Mitrovic has apologised to the club’s doctor after having to be restrained as he tried to return to the pitch following a head injury. The 21-year-old Serbia international was knocked unconscious minutes after scoring the Magpies’ equaliser in Sunday’s 1-1 derby draw with Sunderland at St James’ Park. However, having come around and being led to the sidelines, he was desperate to return as his side pressed for a last-gasp winner, and had to be physically restrained by doctor Paul Catterson as he followed Barclays Premier League protocol, as well as manager Rafael Benitez.

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The Belgian national team have cancelled Tuesday’s scheduled training session out of respect for the victims of the Brussels attacks. Belgium are set to play Portugal in an international friendly at Brussels’ King Baudouin Stadium on Tuesday, March 29, but the fixture is now in doubt following suspected terrorist bomb attacks in the nation’s capital. Brussels Airport was rocked by a double blast on Tuesday morning while another blast was reported by local media at a Metro station in the city.

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West Ham have completed the signing of Manuel Lanzini on a four-year contract from Al Jazira. The 23-year-old midfielder had been on loan from UAE club Al Jazira and has now sealed a permanent switch to Upton Park. The deal, which includes an option for a further two years, is understood to be worth around £9m. Jack Sullivan, the son of Hammers joint-chairman David Sullivan, confirmed the news on Twitter. He wrote: “Lanzini is a WHU player for the next 4 seasons, with a further 2 year option.”

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Argentina international Jonas Gutierrez is suing Newcastle. It’s over the way the 32-year-old says he was treated by the club when he was diagnosed with testicular cancer. He was released last summer. “The case is due to get under way today at the Employment Tribunal Court in Birmingham.

Two people were killed in fighting among fans of Raja de Casablanca on Saturday, the Moroccan Football Federation (FMRFF) has confirmed. Fans threw flares and ripped up parts of the Mohammed V stadium after Raja’s 2-1 victory over Chabab Rif Al Hoceima. The country’s DGSN security service said in a statement that 31 people were arrested for acts of vandalism. FMRFF has banned fans from the next five Raja home matches and fined the club 100,000 dirhams. Footage on Moroccan media showed the fans, dressed in the club’s green colours, charging at each other. It was unclear how the clashes had erupted. DGSN revealed 10 people had been arrested prior to the game. Prosecutors have opened an inquiry into the fan trouble.

Indian Wells tournament chief Raymond Moore has quit after his controversial comments about women’s tennis. Moore, 69, said the women’s game “rides on the coat-tails” of the men – a view described as “sexist” by the United States Tennis Association (USTA). Women’s world number one Serena Williams said Moore’s statement was “offensive and very inaccurate”. But her male counterpart, Novak Djokovic, claimed his tour should fight for more money. Moore said female players “should get down on their knees” in thanks to male counterparts such as Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. The South African – a former player – later apologised for his “erroneous” remarks.

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Aleksandar Mitrovic’s last-gasp equaliser in the Tyne-Wear derby against Sunderland certainly got the Newcastle faithful out of their seats and quite literally for one pitch invader who celebrated with the striker in bizarre fashion. The match ended 1-1 but the Magpies are still in the mire as they fight to stave off relegation. New Coach Rafa Benitez has plenty of challenges ahead if he is to lead them to safety.

Novak Djokovic won a fifth Indian Wells title and record-equalling 27th Masters crown with a dominant 6-2 6-0 victory over Milos Raonic in California. The world No 1 did not need to be at his best as Raonic struggled with an injury, seeing his usually reliable serve wilt in the desert heat as he lost his third Masters final. For Djokovic though the records continue to come, he goes clear of Roger Federer with a fifth Indian Wells crown and has now drawn level with Rafa Nadal’s career total of 27 Masters titles – he will start as red-hot favourite to make it 28 when the Miami Masters gets underway on Wednesday.

Enyimba FC of Aba are the only surviving Nigerian club on the continent, and now face the task of defending the pride of the country as the journey becomes tougher following the summary crashing of Warri Wolves and Nasarawa at the weekend. Enyimba’s coach, Paul Aigbogun believes the 2-1 loss to Vital’O will not affect his team as they have achieved their objective of qualifying to the next round of the CAF Champions League. After an impressive 5-1 win in the first leg in Port Harcourt, Enyimba needed to avoid a 4-0 defeat in Bujumbura to seal a place in the next round of the tournament and that, according to Aigbogun, they have achieved.

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Super Eagles coach Samson Siasia has picked six home based players out of the lot to make up the team to face Egypt in this month’s all important African Nations Cup qualifier. The selected players are Ikechukwu Ezenwa, Kalu Orji, Chibuzor Okonkwo, Matthew Etim, Ifeanyi Matthew and Oghenekaro Etebo. These players will join up with the overseas-based players who will start arriving today for the clash against Egypt. Arsenal’s Alex Iwobi has tweeted that he has landed in Abuja this morning.  It was rumored that England is planning to lure Alex back to the English team as he has only played friendly games for Nigeria. The rumor is now quashed as Alex has come and might likely play in an official game for Nigeria this time given his recent form for Arsenal. Defenders Kenneth Omeruo and Leon Balogun are out of the matches due to injury. The Eagles will host Egypt on Friday March 25 at the Ahmadu Bello Stadium in Kaduna and face them again in Alexandria, Egypt four days later. Egypt top Group G with six points from two games, two points ahead of the Eagles who are second on four points and the same number of games.

Sunday 20^th March, 2016:

Wikki Tourists 2 – 1 Niger Tornadoes

Ikorodu United 0 – 0 Giwa

El-Kanemi Warriors 2 – 1 Ifeanyi Ubah

Heartland 1 – 0 MFM FC

Plateau United 2 – 1 Lobi Stars

Shooting Stars 1 – 0 Rivers United

Enugu Rangers 3 – 0 Akwa United

Sunday 20^th March, 2016:

Newcastle 1 – 1 Sunderland

Southhampton 3 – 2 Liverpool

Manchester City 0 – 1 Manchester United

Tottenham 3 – 0 Bournemouth

Saturday 19^th March, 2016:

Everton 0 – 2 Arsenal

Chelsea 2 – 2 West Ham

Crystal Palace 0 – 1 Leicester

Watford 1 – 2 Stoke

West Brom 0 – 1 Norwich

Swansea 1 – 0 Aston Villa

Conglomerate Wanda Group has become the first Chinese top-tier partner of world football governing body FIFA. It is the first big deal of new FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s reign, and the first since the scandals that engulfed the organisation. Wanda Group operates in a number of sectors including property, retail, sport, hotels, film and stores. It has entered at the highest level of sponsorship rights and the deal covers the next four World Cups until 2030. The financial size of the partnership has not been revealed, but it is believed to be one of the biggest in FIFA’s history. FIFA’s top five sponsors – Coca Cola, Gazprom, Adidas, Visa, Hyundai – paid some $180m to the governing body between them in 2015. Although Wanda is the first Chinese firm to enter at this top level, another Chinese firm, Yingli Solar – a solar panel provider – was a second-tier FIFA sponsor of the 2010 and 2014 World Cups.

Braga vs Shakhtar Donetsk

Villarreal vs Sparta Prague

Athletico Bilbao vs Sevilla

Borussia Dortmund vs Liverpool

The quarter-finals will be played on 7 and 14 April.

Wolfsburg vs Real Madrid

Bayern Munich vs Benfica

Barcelona vs Atletico Madrid

Paris St. Germain vs Manchester City

The quarter-finals will take place on 5-6 April and 12-13 April.