A goalless draw prevailed over the confrontation between the Slovenia national team and its guest, the Scottish national team, on Saturday, in the first round matches of Group A in the second level of the European Nations League.
Both teams did not succeed in translating their opportunities into goals, so the referee blew the whistle at the end of the match in a goalless draw and the two teams shared the points at the beginning of their tournament journey.
Another match in the same round and group will be held later on Saturday, bringing together the Swiss and North Macedonia teams.
The Slovenian national team will face its counterpart, North Macedonia, next Tuesday, in the second round, which is the same round that witnesses a confrontation between Scotland and Switzerland, also on Tuesday.
Rodri said that no one can take away the successes they have achieved from the players of the English Manchester City football team, stressing that he still believes in the innocence of his former club despite reports that he was convicted of violating the financial rules of the English Premier League.
The British news agency (PA Media) reported that news emerged on Friday that shook the football world, when several media outlets reported that the club was found guilty of committing all but one of the 115 violations brought against it by the English Premier League in February 2023.
Manchester City has always strongly denied these accusations, and a club spokesman said that “important elements” of the club’s legal case with the English Premier League still need to be completed.
Rodri had ended his title-filled career with Manchester City in the summer, but he did not avoid talking about the issue during a press conference held on Friday evening, which was originally devoted to talking about the opening of Spain’s campaign in the Nations League against England.
The current Barcelona midfielder said: “We faced a similar matter in 2020, when we went through similar judicial procedures. “The charges were different, but the procedures were the same.”
The “La Roja” captain added: “At that time, too, we were initially convicted, but we trusted the club and the innocence it maintained, and in the end we were acquitted.”
He stressed: “Therefore, I trust the judicial system, and I trust the club’s innocence.”
Rodri was referring to Manchester City's success in overturning the two-year ban from participating in European competitions, imposed by UEFA, after the club appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
But the potential penalties in the current case may be harsh, which raises questions about the club’s achievements, including some of the titles it achieved at Wembley Stadium, where Rodri was speaking on the eve of the match against England.
When asked whether this news detracts from the value of what he achieved with Manchester City, Rodri said: “For us as players, it is different from what it is for you. “I understand all opinions, and I realize that the matter is receiving a lot of attention now.”
He added: “But we always tried to think in a positive way, when you live inside the club every day, and you see the people who have worked hard throughout these years to achieve all the successes that we have achieved.”
He continued: “The matter is not only related to Pep Guardiola and the players, but rather to the entire club system, starting from the owners to the people who worked daily.”
He said: “What we have achieved, no one can take it away from us.” “It is something that is not paid for with money, but with effort, partnership, and working side by side every day.”
He added: “We have achieved many successes over the years, and here at Wembley as well, and I can tell you that everything we achieved was well deserved, and I am happy that I lived through one of the best eras of English football.”
French national team coach Willy Sagnol resigned from his position, following a 0-1 defeat at home to Northern Ireland in the first round of the European Nations League.
On Saturday, the Georgian Football Federation announced the resignation of the French coach, expressing its thanks to him for the feelings experienced by the team, which succeeded in qualifying for the European Championship for the first time in its history.
The official statement did not hesitate to describe the national team’s journey since 2021 as historic, and for this reason the former France player, who won the Champions League and Intercontinental Cup with Bayern Munich in 2001, received the Medal of Honor from the state of Georgia two years ago.
Sagnol will succeed national coach Ramaz Svanadze in the leadership of the Georgian national team until 2028, according to the official statement, amid hopes of qualifying for the next European Nations Championship, noting that Svanadze (45 years old) led the U-21 youth team to qualify for the European Nations Championship on two occasions.
Sagnol (49 years old) had faced some criticism due to the team's modest performance during the World Cup qualifiers in the United States, Mexico and Canada, a tournament that the Georgian team was unable to qualify for.
The defeat that the team suffered on Friday in Tbilisi, against a competitor considered theoretically weaker, was like the straw that broke the camel’s back for the fans. Especially since the team's star and Paris Saint-Germain player, Kvicha Kvaratskhelia, missed a penalty kick against Northern Ireland when the score indicated a goalless draw.
