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World Cup Watch

GERMANY PLAN CELEBRATIONS

GERMANY PLAN CELEBRATIONS

Germany’s players will celebrate at Berlin’s Brandenburg Gate if they defeat Argentina in the World Cup final.

Coach Joachim Low’s team is expected to return home Tuesday morning after Sunday’s final in Rio de Janeiro.

The German football federation on Thursday said Berlin and Frankfurt offered to host possible title celebrations. The federation and the team decided on the capital.

Federation president Wolfgang Niersbach said Berlin’s sprawling fan mile, which occupies the road leading up to the city’s signature Brandenburg Gate, “would be an ideal place to thank fans in all of Germany for their sensational support” if the team win their first World Cup in 24 years. AP

ARGENTINA FINED FOR MEDIA NO-SHOW

Argentina have been fined 300,000 Swiss francs (S$416,921) for failing to bring players to four pre-match news conferences during the World Cup, FIFA said in a statement on Friday.

FIFA’s disciplinary committee said Argentina had breached its media and marketing regulations in news conferences on the day before games against Nigeria, Switzerland, Belgium and the Netherlands, with only coach Alejandro Sabella present. The coach is supposed to appear alongside a player.

“The objective ... is to allow media, and ultimately fans, to have an opportunity to follow a team’s preparations, while also allowing each team to have the best possible environment for those preparations,” football’s world governing body said.

There was no immediate response from Argentina, who face Germany in the World Cup final on Sunday. REUTERS

WORLD CUP FLOP BALOTELLI IN MORE BOTHER

AC Milan are not amused by Mario Balotelli’s use of a gun on social media.

After facing more criticism than most players for Italy’s first-round exit from the World Cup, and constantly subjected to racism, Balotelli posted a photo on Instagram early Friday featuring him pointing a large gun at the camera. The post was accompanied by a message: “big kiss to all the haters.”

Said Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani: “I have my own ideas about social networks and I’ve tried many times, but our lawyer has always stopped me, saying that it would violate individual rights.”

Galliani added: “In contracts it’s written what players can and cannot do, but we can’t do anything regarding their private lives. We do it vocally but that’s not enough.”

GREEN AND GOLD BRAZUCA

In keeping with recent practice, a special edition of the World Cup’s official matchball, designed and manufactured by German sportswear and equipment giant adidas, will be used for Sunday’s final. It will be in green and gold, a departure from its regular green, red and blue colours.

Since the 2006 final between Italy and France, adidas has supplied specially-designed footballs for the showpiece final.

Unlike its predecessor the Jabulani, which was criticised for its unpredictable flight-patterns, the Brazuca has been well-received. AGENCIES

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