Football in Italy

By Brian Homewood

Former Greece coach Fernando Santos has been banned for eight competitive international matches after he was sent off at the end of the World Cup match against Costa Rica, FIFA said on Monday.

Galatasaray beat Hungary’s Honved 2-1, thanks to two goals from Burak Yılmaz on July 27.

The Turkish Super League runner-up found two goals through in a friendly game in Budapest, but allowed a last-minute goal from a freekick. The win came three days after Galatasaray had a frustrating 3-1 defeat to Rapid Vienna.

By George Georgakopoulos

The Hellenic Football Federation (EPO) presented Claudio Ranieri as the new Greece coach for the next couple of years, after the Italian manager signed his contract in Athens on Friday.

“I liked the spirit of the team and there is not that much I wish to change in it for now,” said Ranieri who starts his first coaching stint at a national team.

Greek champion Olympiakos defeated Italy's AC Milan 3-0 late on Thursday in a friendly match that launched the International Champions Cup in Canada and the US.

The result, with goals from Alejandro Dominguez, Dimitris Diamantakos and Andreas Bouchalakis, marked Milan coach Filippo Inzaghi's first defeat in three friendlies since he took charge of the San Siro club.

Italian Claudio Ranieri has signed a two-year deal to manage the Greek national team, the Hellenic football federation said on Friday.

The 62-year-old Ranieri takes over from Fernando Santos who left the role when his contract expired after this year's World Cup

He will lead Greece into their qualifying campaign for the 2016 European Championship in France.

Galatasaray signed a two-year contract with Italian coach Cesare Prandelli in a ceremony in the club’s Türk Telekom Arena stadium July 8.

Speaking to reporters at the ceremony, Prandelli, who only left Italy after a disappointing World Cup campaign last month, said Galatasaray chairman Ünal Aysal easily convinced him for the job.

Italian coach Cesare Prandelli is set to officially sign a contract with Galatasaray today.

The 56-year-old arrived in Istanbul on club chairman Ünal Aysal’s private jet and is set to sign the two-year deal at the Türk Telekom Arena, the club’s stadium, at 2 p.m. Prandelli will receive 1.75 million euros plus bonuses per year, according to the Turkish media.

Galatasaray has confirmed it is in talks with former Italy coach Cesare Prandelli about taking over as manager of the Istanbul club.

Prandelli resigned from Italy immediately after the Azzurri's loss to Uruguay in the World Cup, which onsigned his team to a disappointing group stage exit.

Luis Suarez flew home to Uruguay on Friday after being thrown out of the World Cup and banned from football for four months for biting Italian defender Giorgio Chiellini, who criticized the punishment as "excessive".
   

Uruguay’s Luis Suarez has received a 4-month ban, including 9 international matches, as well as a EUR 82,000 fine for biting Giorgio Chiellini during the World Cup.