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LaLiga chief: Reported Man City for breaking rules

LaLiga president Javier Tebas has revealed that he reported Manchester City to the European Commission for allegedly manipulating their balance sheets.
Speaking at the Financial Times' "Business of Football" summit on Thursday, Tebas said he had filed the complaint in 2023 and it is in an "investigation phase."
The Premier League side have declined to comment on the issue, although a source told ESPN that they deny the claims.
A spokesperson for the EU Commission confirmed to ESPN that LaLiga's complaint had been submitted, adding that they "cannot comment on ongoing assessments."
"City have a lot of companies in their group which lie outside the City Football Group structure, extra companies where they put their expenses," he said.
"These other companies lose the money but not the club itself. We have reported Manchester City to the EU. We have the facts and figures.
"We asked for City to be checked. It's very important that all clubs are subject to the same transparency rules and governance on both the sporting and financial side.
"The City case is one where we believe they have put the losses on the companies that are not officially part of City Football Group."
"Do you remember the case in the United States? The Enron case. What they did, they got their losses and they put them into different companies. Well, it's a similar case."
"They [City] have a scouting company, a marketing company. That's where they have very high expenses. They invoice City for less money. City have costs that are less than if they didn't have this circle of companies around," he added.
City are already ensnared in another legal battle as they refute charges of breaking over 100 Premier League financial rules.
Information from Rob Dawson contributed to this report.

Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim has revealed that Alejandro Garnacho will pay for a team dinner following his decision to walk straight to the dressing room in response to being substituted during the first half of the victory over Ipswich Town.
Amorim said he would "talk" with Garnacho following the incident at Old Trafford on Wednesday.
The United manager said the 20-year-old instigated a meeting at Carrington on Thursday and that after he pays for dinner for his teammates -- an informal punishment -- the matter will be closed.
"He came to me," Amorim told a news conference on Friday. "It was funny because the next day he came to my office. I did some investigation, he went to the dressing room to change his clothes because he was wet. He watched the game, not on the bench, and at the end of the game he was there and went home.
"So it's not an issue. But at a big club like Manchester United everything is important and perception is important. He is going to pay for a dinner for all the team and that is it."
Garnacho was substituted early as part of Amorim's reshuffle to deal with Patrick Dorgu's red card.
The United boss said the Argentinian will be available for selection for the FA Cup fifth round tie against Fulham on Sunday, although he will first have to fight off an injury he picked up against Ipswich.
"He has a knock," Amorim said. "When he went to shoot he was blocked inside the box. I expect him to be ready but we will see. He is a young kid that will learn. The important thing is that the next morning he was speaking with me. We need to see the small things in walking out to the pitch. The players have to understand the perception here was really important.
"I think he understands. They read everything, all the small things. I know the players quite well. I understand they are frustrated. He was subbed, he was playing well. I am just trying to help them to be better players."
Harsh Dubey, Parth Rekhade spin Vidarbha into the lead

Stumps Kerala 342 (Baby 98, Sarwate 79, Nalkande 3-52, Rekhade 3-65, Dubey 3-88) trail Vidarbha 379 (Malewar 153, Nair 86, Nidheesh 3-61, Apple Tom 3-102) by 37 runs
The big moment came 30 minutes into the final session when Rekhade danged a carrot with Baby approaching three figures in his 100th first-class game. With mid-on in, Baby looked to launch him over the infield but ended up dragging it to Karun Nair at the deep midwicket boundary. Baby took an eternity to walk off and couldn't believe what he'd done. In that moment, it felt as if Kerala's hopes hinged on a lead that eventually was taken away from them when the lower order was snuffed out.
Jalaj Saxena, Kerala's last hope, soldiered on for 76 deliveries to make 28 before an attempted paddle off Rekhade had him miss the ball as it crashed into the stumps. Kerala still needed 43, but there was a sense that the end was nigh. Saxena's wicket was massive, for he was looking completely at ease against the turning ball that occasionally spat on the batters with a few spots from the rough areas of both ends making it difficult for the batters.
Like it has on many occasions, the prelude to Saxena's wicket was a lengthy recovery break when Yash Rathod fell flat on the ground with cramps and needed treatment from the physio before play resumed. It was almost as if that break forced a slight lapse in concentration from Saxena as he attempted to paddle one from outside off, having played that stroke a number of times during his innings to deliveries drifting into the pads.
Once Saxena fell, Kerala folded with 19-year-old Eden Apple Tom, playing in only his third Ranji game and his first in nearly three years, bowled attempting a sweep after he'd blunted the bowling for a better part of the last 45 minutes. The last hour undid all the hard work Baby did in being able to have Kerala dare to dream of a lead, but he'll know with two full days left and two quality spinners in his ranks, Kerala's ability to bounce back will depend on how quickly they're able to lift themselves from the pall of gloom that seemed to have set into the dressing room when their final wicket fell.
Once such delivery that jumped at Sarwate lobbed off the bat to Danish Malewar at silly point just a few minutes after he'd reprieved him by putting down a low catch at gully. That wicket forced Vidarbha to go on an attack, as Baby, who overturned an lbw through DRS on 54, opened up to play some wonderful shots - the secret to his runs early on lay in how late he played the ball and how disciplined he was outside off.
Mohammed Azharuddeen took much pressure off Baby as he late cut the spinners well to keep picking runs and bring the deficit close to double digits when Vidarbha's decision to take the second new ball midway through the 93rd over immediately paid dividends. Off the very first ball of the 94th, Azharuddeen was trapped lbw by Darshan Nalkande's in-ducker that beat his inside edge.
Saxena then showed some intent up front by hitting two boundaries off his first five deliveries, before he buckled down in Baby's company. The pair added 46 when Baby's hoick - what would best be described a brain fade - changed the complexion of the innings, and possibly the match itself.
Shashank Kishore is a senior correspondent at ESPNcricinfo
Steven Smith withdraws run-out appeal against Noor Ahmad

Replays showed Noor to be well out of his ground, but Smith was quick to signal to the umpires that the appeal should not be considered, despite some enthusiasm from Inglis. Noor had just completed a single after Omarzai struck Nathan Ellis through midwicket and called Noor - the No. 10 batter - through, in order to keep strike for the next over.
Although Afghanistan were not attempting to gain an advantage, the rules of cricket are clear. Run-outs are a viable dismissal until the ball is dead. If Smith had not withdrawn the appeal, Noor would have been ruled out, likely by third umpire Chris Gaffaney.
Noor had been on three off three balls at the time, and went to make six off eight. But of more consequence was the fact that Afghanistan would have been 248 for 9 after 47 overs had Smith not withdrawn the appeal. They were less likely to have hit the further 25 runs they managed if they had only had one wicket in hand. Noor was eventually dismissed off the last ball of the innings.
Delhi Capitals bowl against table-toppers Mumbai Indians; both teams unchanged

Toss Delhi Capitals chose to bowl vs Mumbai Indians
The match is being played on the centre pitch of the Chinnaswamy Stadium, which means the square boundaries measure 58 metres each. The straight boundary is 68 metres. The pitch had a little less grass compared to the previous game played on this strip.
Delhi Capitals: 1 Meg Lanning (capt), 2 Shafali Verma, 3 Jemimah Rodrigues, 4 Annabel Sutherland, 5 Marizanne Kapp, 6 Jess Jonassen, 7 Sarah Bryce (wk), 8 Niki Prasad, 9 Shikha Pandey, 10 Minnu Mani, 11 Titas Sadhu
Mumbai Indians: 1 Hayley Matthews, 2 Yastika Bhatia (wk), 3 Nat Sciver-Brunt, 4 Harmanpreet Kaur (capt), 5 Amelia Kerr, 6 S Sajana, 7 Amanjot Kaur, G Kamalini, 9 Sanskriti Gupta, 10 Shabnim Ismail, 11 Jintimani Kalita
Jos Buttler quits as England's white-ball captain after Champions Trophy exit

England have already been eliminated from the Champions Trophy, after they lost their first two group games against Australia and Afghanistan. They prepared for the tournament with a trip to India which saw them win only one of their eight matches in Brendon McCullum's first tour as white-ball coach.
"I'm going to stand down as England captain," Buttler said. "It's the right decision for me and the right decision for the team. Hopefully somebody else who can come in alongside Baz will take the team to where it needs to be." Harry Brook, Buttler's vice-captain, is the early favourite to replace him.
Buttler will continue to play for England, and said he wants to "get back to really enjoying my cricket". He said: "The overriding emotions are still sadness and disappointment. I'm sure, in time, that will pass and I can get back to really enjoying my cricket, and [will] also be able to reflect on what an immense honour it is to captain your country and all the special things that come with it."
Buttler was appointed as Eoin Morgan's successor in June 2022 and won the T20 World Cup in Australia later that year. But England's results have declined sharply since and after three unsuccessful ICC events in a row - the 2023 50-over World Cup, the 2024 T20 World Cup and the 2025 Champions Trophy - Buttler has decided to stand down.
"It was quite clear that this tournament was going to be important: results-wise and for my captaincy," Buttler said. "Two losses and being out of the tournament [was] a bit of a hangover of tournaments before. I'd just reached the end of the road for me and my captaincy, which is a shame and I'm sad about that.
"With Brendon coming in only recently, I was really excited to work closely alongside him and hope for a very quick turnaround and to take the team forward. But it's not quite worked out that way, so just feels like the right time for me and the team to have a change."
Buttler's position came under increasing scrutiny after a sustained poor run of ODI form for England stretching back to the start of the 2023 World Cup. In defence of their World Cup title, England won just three group games out of nine and were the first team to be officially eliminated from the tournament. It began a run that has seen them lose 18 of the last 25 ODIs, including the two that put paid to their Champions Trophy campaign at the first hurdle.
Brook is tipped to succeed him, though McCullum said England had not yet settled on a candidate. He praised Buttler's leadership while saying he was "incredibly sad" to see him step down.
"We've all seen over the last couple of years how much he's invested in captaining his country and trying to get very best out of those guys around him," McCullum said. "People forget that he literally won a World Cup only a couple of years ago, and that can never be taken away from him. It's incredibly unselfish from Jos to step aside and to leave the post for someone else, and he's still a huge player for us moving forward. I'm sure we will look at ways that we can get the best out of him in terms of his role, so he can have maximum impact as well."
Both Rob Key, managing director, England Men, and Richard Gould, the ECB's chief executive, paid tribute to Buttler's time in charge.
"Working with Jos has been a pleasure," Key said. "He's been dealt some tough challenges, but never once flinched trying to drive this team forward for the better. Nobody deserved that World Cup win in Australia more. I can't wait to see him back in the ranks and at his best."
Gould added: "I'd like to thank Jos for all he has given in his two and a half years captaining England Men in white-ball cricket. Under his leadership, England became men's T20 World Champions, and throughout his time as captain he has been a role model in the way he conducts himself on and off the pitch.
"Jos is one of cricket's all-time great white ball players. I've been lucky enough to follow his career from when he first came through as a youngster in Somerset, and I hope we still have many years to enjoy of him pulling on an England shirt."
McCullum: Buttler's successor will need 'right support' to lead rennaissance

McCullum suggested that was down to the circumstances Buttler had to lead his side in, rather than any shortcomings in his captaincy itself. Even as England struggled in white-ball ICC events since winning the 2022 T20I World Cup, Buttler often found himself leading sides on bilateral tours that weren't close to full strength.
McCullum appeared to allude to those circumstances as he spoke of England's next white-ball captain, and his desire to avoid putting him in similarly unenviable circumstances. "That's something Keysy [Rob Keys] and myself and the ECB are trying to ensure, that we give every format the most amount of attention that we possibly can," he said. "It's a tricky balancing act at times."
McCullum has been Test coach since 2022, and had his pick of players for that format. But with all three formats now falling under his stewardship, he hinted that full availability for Test cricket may no longer be as set in stone in future.
"Looking back even on these most recent series, you'd argue that you could rest some players for some Test series and try and balance things out across formats," he said. "Give us a couple of weeks to work things out and digest what's unfolded here, work out what areas we've been short in and done okay in, work out the structure of how we want to do things moving forward. We've got a couple of months before our next assignment, so there is a bit of time to work that out."
McCullum kept returning to the theme of Buttler's captaincy, and how he felt it would be remembered more kindly than raw results might suggest. He said Buttler had set a solid foundation for his replacement, comparing it to the health of the England Test side following Joe Root's resignation as Test captain in 2022 after a series of indifferent results.
"I said to the boys tonight in the team room sometimes it's not necessarily the time that you're in the post and the results that you get during that time. The impact you have in leadership positions can be felt after you left the post, and I'm sure that'll be the case. I think Joe Root was a classic example of that with the Test captaincy. He was able to at least hold the fort to a degree under incredibly trying circumstances, and then the uplift of performance when Stokesy [Ben Stokes] took over sort of followed from that, and hopefully it'll be the same across the white-ball teams whenever we decide on who that person is going to be."
The ECB had hoped linking up Buttler with McCullum, two preternaturally attacking white-ball players, would help unleash England's white-ball potential in the way managed by Eoin Morgan following the 2015 World Cup. However, with results spiralling, England and McCullum have been criticised for what has come to be seen as a simplistic approach, not necessarily suited to the skillsets of the specific players England's white-ball sides have at their disposal.
McCullum pushed back against that notion firmly, pointing out the close margins England had missed out by this tournament. "We've had our opportunities and played some okay cricket," he said, "and both games we could have won, and then we're sitting here and talking about something slightly different. I genuinely believe we've got immense talent in English cricket across all forms.
"If anything, we are lacking confidence. There's a perception out there that we're a happy-go-lucky, arrogant type of team. We couldn't be further from that. These guys are too hard on themselves, they've got immense talent they are desperate ... to perform. That's actually stymying the ability of us to get the performance we want. They care too much. That's not a bad thing. They're just desperate to perform and do right by all those who support the team, and support them. Until we get to the stage where we're able to still handle walking out there and playing, without wearing disappointment so heavily, then we're always going to stymie ourselves. That's our job over the next little while."
While Harry Brook is the favourite to succeed Buttler, McCullum said England had not decided on a successor. While that is partly because, in McCullum's words, Buttler's resignation "came a little sooner than expected", he felt it also spoke to the characters in the England side.
"There's some really good leaders that have developed," McCullum said. "That's the mark of Jos's captaincy, he brought on other leaders within the group. They're not necessarily seasoned players, but they are young guys who have got good cricketing knowledge and he's encouraged them to learn and develop as leaders. Whoever we settle on, we've just got to make sure we're giving them the right support so that we can improve our performances."
Danyal Rasool is ESPNcricinfo's Pakistan correspondent. @Danny61000
Pair of aces: Whitnell's round has 2 holes-in-one

DURBAN, South Africa -- Dale Whitnell made two holes-in-one in the same round at the South African Open on Friday, having entered the day worrying about just making the cut at the European tour event.
The 36-year-old Englishman aced the par-3 second and 12th holes at the Durban Country Club in a wild 9-under 63 second round that included another eagle, seven birdies, two bogeys and one double bogey.
"I was struggling to make the cut, so I knew I needed to go out and play well and got off to a hot start as they would say," said Whitnell, ranked No. 545.
"Birdied the first and then hit a flush 7-iron on the second and didn't realize it went in until down the bottom they sort of cheered," he added. "That was lovely."
Whitnell then eagled the par-5 third and would have to wait a whopping nine holes for his second ace.
"I've never had one in tournament play. To have two in one day is pretty special," he said, a day after shooting a level-par 72 in the opening round.
Bond says he'll break Worthy's combine record

INDIANAPOLIS -- If Isaiah Bond is correct, Xavier Worthy's record 40-yard dash time at the NFL scouting combine will last just one season but remain with Texas.
Last year, Worthy, a former Longhorn, ran a 4.21-second 40 and was eventually a first-round pick of the Kansas City Chiefs. Bond, who played last season at Texas after starting at Alabama, will run Saturday.
"I'm going to break the record tomorrow, for sure," Bond said Friday. "I anticipate running 4.20 or possibly, if I'm feeling great, I might run a 4.1."
Bond said his best time in training has been 4.23 leading up to the combine.
"I've been running my whole life," Bond said. "I've been one of the fastest my whole life, so I'm going to go out there, and when practice meets preparation, greatness is achieved. So I'm just going to trust my training and put on a show."
Bond was clocked at more than 22 mph in a win against UTSA last season. He finished the 2024 season with 34 catches for 540 yards and five touchdowns. He is the No. 10 wide receiver in Mel Kiper Jr.'s draft rankings.
He might not be the only receiver looking to break Worthy's record.
"If you blink," Oregon's Tez Johnson said, "you just might miss me."
Short answer: Gabriel cites wins amid height Q's

INDIANAPOLIS -- Former Oregon Ducks quarterback Dillon Gabriel shot back at doubters who said he can't play in the NFL because of his height.
Gabriel, listed at 5-foot-11, is looking to join Kyler Murray, Bryce Young and Russell Wilson among the only starting quarterbacks who are under 6 feet.
"I've had the most experience ever as you can imagine starting in high school as a freshman all the way into my senior year on varsity, and then I've done the same thing in college," Gabriel said. "I'm a leader. I'm a winner. I've won at all three spots, and I've done it in big games."
Gabriel was a Heisman Trophy finalist. Young and Murray won the award in their final seasons. Having spent six seasons in college with stops at UCF, Oklahoma and Oregon, Gabriel said he feels he has learned a lot about football. But he added that he's still learning.
ESPN NFL draft analyst Jordan Reid has Gabriel as his fourth-ranked quarterback and projects him to be a Day 2 pick. Gabriel met with multiple teams, most notably the Las Vegas Raiders and Dallas Cowboys.
"I want teams to believe I can go out there and win games," Gabriel said. "If a team wants a winner, a franchise leader, they know who to call."