Motherwell End Denmark Tour in Defeat, But Johansson Finds Positives
Motherwell boss Alfred Johansson saw plenty of positives from his side despite a convincing preseason defeat to Danish side AGF Aarhus. The North Lanarkshire side were concluding their week-long trip to Denmark, and fielded a strong XI. Last season’s stalwarts Stephen O’Donnell, Tom Sparrow, Elliot Watt, and Lukas Fadinger all started the 4-0 defeat. The Steelmen’s preparations are in full swing ahead of their UEFA Conference League Qualifying tie with Havnar Bóltfelag of the Faroe Islands. Despite losing the match, Johansson remained upbeat about his side’s performance, insisting it was the conclusion of a successful camp. “From a performance perspective, it’s obviously tough.” “We knew we were going to face a good team and they were better than us. “We need this kind of intensity to get us up to speed. It’s tough on the boys after a week of double sessions, but it’s exactly what we need. “You go into these games trying to win them, but the importance of a result in a friendly game is not big. “We had a lot of 2009s and 2010s on the pitch [in the second half]. We made the most out of it. “It’s been a really good camp. All credit to the players for the week.” Motherwell host KRF Genk at Fir Park on the 17th of July, and face a trip to Easter Road to begin the Scottish Premiership season.
UEFA condemns FIFA over Balogun suspension U-turn as World Cup controversy deepens
UEFA has launched a scathing attack on FIFA after the governing body overturned the automatic suspension of United States striker Folarin Balogun, describing the decision as “unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable”. Balogun, who was shown a red card during the USA’s World Cup victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina, had been expected to miss Tuesday’s last-16 clash with Belgium under the tournament’s automatic suspension rules. Instead, FIFA opted not to enforce the one-match ban, allowing the Monaco forward to remain available for selection in a decision that has sparked widespread criticism across world football. In a strongly worded statement, UEFA warned the move threatens the integrity of the competition and creates uncertainty over the application of disciplinary rules. “An automatic one-match suspension is not a discretionary option,” UEFA said. “It is a principle embedded in the regulations. When the certainty of the rules is no longer guaranteed by those responsible for enforcing them, the integrity of the game is at stake.” UEFA also warned that the decision could create an unwanted precedent for the remainder of the tournament, with future disciplinary cases now likely to face similar scrutiny. The controversy intensified after reports emerged that United States President Donald Trump had spoken directly with FIFA president Gianni Infantino regarding Balogun’s suspension. According to CBS News, the conversation took place before FIFA confirmed the striker would be eligible to face Belgium. Trump later praised FIFA for what he described as “reversing a great injustice”. Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter also criticised the decision, insisting football’s disciplinary process must remain independent of political influence. “Red cards are not overturned by political phone calls,” Blatter wrote on social media. “They are overturned by rules, evidence and independent bodies. Football must never become a playground for political power.” England manager Thomas Tuchel admitted the situation has created confusion over how disciplinary decisions will be handled for the remainder of the tournament. England defender Jarell Quansah will miss Saturday’s quarter-final against Norway after being sent off during the victory over Mexico, and Tuchel questioned where FIFA now draws the line. “Where does this start and where does this end?” Tuchel said. “If one decision can be overturned, then what about yellow cards or other VAR decisions? We just want consistency.” Although Tuchel said he personally did not believe Balogun’s challenge warranted a red card, he argued that once VAR and the referee had reached a decision it should have been respected. “The referee and VAR made their decision,” he added. “The question is who overturns that decision, on what grounds and why? That’s what nobody seems able to explain.” Belgium have also reacted angrily to the ruling, with the Belgian Football Association describing the decision as astonishing. Head coach Rudi Garcia was equally critical, joking that FIFA’s decision made it feel as though “5 July had become 1 April”, in reference to April Fool’s Day. Reports suggest Belgium have been granted permission to challenge the ruling before kick-off, an unusual step in FIFA disciplinary proceedings. Should FIFA maintain its position, the case could ultimately be referred to the Court of Arbitration for Sport for an expedited hearing. Balogun is the only player at the 2026 World Cup to avoid an automatic suspension following a red card, despite 12 other dismissed players serving bans under the competition’s regulations. FIFA has relied on a clause within its disciplinary code allowing it to suspend or partially suspend disciplinary measures. However, critics argue that provision directly conflicts with the tournament regulations, which state that any player receiving a red card “will automatically be suspended from their team’s subsequent match.” With the USA’s knockout tie against Belgium fast approaching, the decision has become one of the biggest talking points of the tournament, raising fresh questions over consistency, governance and the independence of football’s disciplinary process.
Mato believes Hearts can challenge for Premiership title again
Hearts winger Rogers Mato believes last season’s title challenge proved the club can compete with Scotland’s traditional powers and says the squad is determined to go one step further this season. The Jambos came within touching distance of ending their long wait for a league title before narrowly missing out on the final day of the campaign. While the disappointment still lingers, Mato says the experience has only strengthened the belief within the dressing room. “We can do it,” the Uganda international said during Hearts’ pre-season training camp in Spain. “The fans gave us hope and now we have to give that hope back. We have to keep pushing ourselves because last season is over. Now we have to focus on the future.” Hearts begin the new campaign under head coach Wouter Vrancken following a summer of significant change at Tynecastle. The departures of several key figures have been balanced by new arrivals, with Mato confident the squad can build on last season’s success. “The manager is happy, the players are happy and everyone is working hard,” he said. “There are new players and everyone wants to impress. We have to work hard every day because places in the team have to be earned.” Mato admitted missing out on the Premiership title was painful for both players and supporters, but insists the experience should serve as motivation rather than a setback. “We gave the fans hope, so we can’t let them down,” he said. “Last season they gave us everything. This season we have to give even more. Football moves quickly. You can be disappointed, but you have to recover because another challenge is always coming.” The 22-year-old also reflected on a frustrating first six months following his move to Hearts. Opportunities were limited under the previous management team, but he says he understood the reasons behind the decisions. “The manager explained why I wasn’t playing and I respected that,” Mato said. “I always trained as hard as I could. It was a different style of football and I needed time to adapt. “The team was doing well, so although I wanted to play more, I was happy to see the club competing at the top.” Attention now turns to European football, with Hearts preparing to face Austrian side Sturm Graz in the UEFA Champions League second qualifying round. Mato, who impressed in European competition before moving to Scotland, says the opportunity to play in the Champions League is one he has dreamed about throughout his career. “It would be incredible to reach the group stage with Hearts,” he said. “We don’t have much time to prepare, but everyone is working hard. The manager and his staff are doing everything they can to get us ready. “I feel refreshed going into this season. It’s a fresh start with new energy, a new manager and new coaching staff. I can’t wait for the new campaign to begin.” After proving they could challenge for honours last season, Hearts now believe their title bid was no one-off, with Mato insisting the club has both the ambition and belief to compete again at the top of Scottish football.
Braga focused on Hearts despite reports of Lyon interest
Claudio Braga says he remains fully committed to Hearts despite growing speculation linking him with a move to French side Lyon. The Portuguese striker, who was named Scottish Football Writers’ Association Player of the Year after an outstanding campaign, has reportedly attracted interest from the Ligue 1 club following a season in which he scored 17 goals and helped Hearts mount an unexpected title challenge. Reports have suggested Lyon are considering an offer worth around £8.6 million, a deal that would represent one of the biggest transfer fees in Hearts’ history. However, Braga insists his attention remains firmly on the season ahead at Tynecastle. Speaking to Portuguese publication A Bola, the 26-year-old said: “I have two years left on my contract and I really like where I am. Anything regarding interest is handled by my agents. I stay out of it.” Braga joined Hearts last summer for a fee reported to be around £400,000 after spells in Norwegian football with Moss FK and Aalesunds FK. His impact in Edinburgh was immediate, becoming a key figure in the club’s attack and earning widespread praise for his performances throughout the campaign. Hearts are preparing for a UEFA Champions League second qualifying round tie against Sturm Graz, and Braga says the opportunity to compete in Europe’s premier club competition is one he has dreamed about. “I’m about to fulfil one of my biggest dreams,” he said. “Just knowing it’s possible to play in the Champions League is incredible, even if it’s only a qualifier. “We’re facing a very strong team in Sturm Graz, but at Tynecastle we’re very strong as well. We proved that last season. “We’ve lost some players, but we’re strengthening the squad. At home, anything can happen. Away from home we’ll give everything. Above all, we want to enjoy the opportunity and try to take this club into the league phase.” Despite Hearts’ impressive domestic campaign, their hopes of a historic league title ended on the final day of the season. Braga admitted the disappointment still lingers after coming so close to delivering the club’s first top-flight championship in decades. “Almost everything about the season was perfect,” he said. “Every time we lost or drew, we responded by winning the next match. “But after coming so close to lifting the trophy and then seeing everything change at the end, it was heartbreaking. The season stopped feeling historic because we missed the most important part.” The forward also explained why he began the decisive final-day fixture on the substitutes’ bench. “It was partly because of my fitness and partly tactical,” Braga said. “I’d been carrying some pain and the manager felt another striker would be better to start before bringing me on later. “It was the biggest game of my life and, of course, I wanted to play from the start. But I respected the manager’s decision.” Following the final whistle, Hearts players left the stadium quickly after supporters entered the pitch. The squad returned to Tynecastle, where thousands of fans gathered to welcome them home despite the disappointment. “We went straight to the dressing room, then onto the bus,” Braga recalled. “When we arrived back at Tynecastle, thousands of people were waiting for us. “That’s when it really hit us. We all started crying because we felt we’d let people down, even though nobody expected us to get that close. “Seeing so many supporters smiling, singing and welcoming us back like that gave me goosebumps. It wasn’t the ending we wanted, but we made a lot of people proud.” While speculation over Braga’s future is likely to continue during the transfer window, the striker’s focus remains on helping Hearts build on last season’s success as they prepare for another campaign in domestic and European competition.