Former Real Madrid President Lorenzo Sanz (from 1995 - 2000) has been arrested after a complaint from a financial institution, then released without charges.

Sanz had been detained with two other people and released a statement upon his release saying, “I had to go through the inconvenience of making a statement about a matter which I had nothing to do with and which they wanted to mix me up with.”

image via ElPais

Sacha Baron Cohen was arrested in Milan yesterday after his alter - ego “Bruno” crashed the runway during the Agata Luiz della Prada show.

Cohen is in Milan working on a new film called Bruno: Delicious Journeys Through America for the Purpose of Making Heterosexual Male.

Cohen was released without being charged and seemed to charm his way around the Milan Sempione police station.

A police officer said: ‘A British national by the name of Sacha Baron Cohen was brought here and identified. He did not have any id documents on him so someone was sent to his hotel when he got here to fetch his passport.

‘He was actually very funny and the first thing he said was ‘Can I make a phone call’ like they do on TV.’

From Arkansas to Milan, Bruno’s making his way around the world.

images via DailyMail

Wow…. I’ve seen some of these guys close up and can tell you first hand, the stuff they say to celebrities isn’t cool.  I’m actually surprised this doesn’t happen more often, but celebrities know if they react these “photographers” are just going to collect another check.

Middlesbrough’s left sided midfielder Stuart Downing has called in the police over “conspiracy to defraud and money laundering” and police have confirmed that arrests have been made.

“Cleveland Police can confirm that officers from their economic crime unit (fraud section) have arrested a 50-year-old man and a 43-year-old woman from the Newcastle-upon-Tyne area on suspicion of offences of conspiracy to defraud and money laundering,” said a Police spokesman.

“They are currently being questioned by police at a police station in the Northumbria area.”

A club spokesman said: “Middlesbrough Football Club can confirm that it was approached some time ago by Stewart Downing with concerns he had regarding the way his and his company’s affairs have been handled.”

An FA spokesman added: “The FA can confirm that it was made aware by Middlesbrough FC of concerns relating to the actions of a licensed football agent in connection to their player Stewart Downing’s financial affairs.

“The FA then acted as liaison between the club and Cleveland Police. We will continue to liaise with both parties to ensure that any potential breaches of football regulations are dealt with at the appropriate time.”

via SkySports

image via Yimg

Glasgow Celtic Assistan Coach and former player Neill Lennon was attacked by three men in the Ashton Lane area of Glasgow’s West End after Celtics 4 - 2 loss to Glasgow Rangers in the first edition of the 2008 / 09 Old Firm clash at Parkhead.

Lennon is believed to have gone out after the game to grab a drink when he started getting abuse from opposing fans, leading to the violence.

A Strathclyde Police spokeswoman said yesterday: “Police were called around  12.25am to a report of a 37-year-old man assaulted in Ashton Lane, Glasgow.

“The injured man was taken to hospital then discharged after treatment for minor injuries.  He did not wish to make a complaint, however police enquiries are ongoing into the incident.”

image via DailyMail 

The New York Times investigates what happens when some Brits go abroad. “They are the ones, the locals say, who are carousing, brawling and getting violently sick. They are the ones crowding into health clinics seeking morning-after pills and help for sexually transmitted diseases. They are the ones who seem to have one vacation plan: drinking themselves into oblivion.”

British Celebrity Chef Jamie Oliver adds fuel to the fire. The 33-year-old describes his fellow countrymen’s materialistic attraction to widescreen TVs, cars, mobile phones, and - above all else - beer as being symptomatic of “the new poverty” blighting the UK.

Even The Chambers Dictionary has added the term “WAGs” to their latest edition. And there is even talk in the EPL of no relegation.

What is happening here, what does any of this mean…?

I’m betting the Bale won’t be spending anymore time with Mom and sis anymore.

UPDATE - With Sportsmail revealing that former Manchester City Chairman John Wardle (who resigned in protest against Sinawatra on July 9th) loaned Thaskin Sinawatra 2 Million Pound and that the Former Thai Prime Minister has had to borrow money THREE separate times to pay City staff , things just aren’t looking so good for City.

And now Barclay’s Premier League Chief Executive Richard Scudamore is demanding crisis talks with Shinawatra saying, ‘We are clearly going to have to establish the status of his return to England and where that leaves him in regard to the legal process in Thailand.

‘Our rules are clear that somebody has to be convicted of something to fail the “fit and proper person” criteria and, until someone does, he still falls within our rules. But there is no point in having this test unless it is meaningful, as we have always said it is, and it has to be applied.

‘We need to make sure that, if somebody is guilty of something, we will deal with it.’

Throw in new City Chief Operating Officer Paul Aldridge and the circus surrounding the Stephen Ireland to Sunderland talks, ol’ Sparky must be looking back over his shoulder at Blackurn wondering if he made the right decision.

Manchester City owner and Former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has refused return to Thailand to face corruption charges, which will now cast serious doubt over the future of the clubs ownership after an arrest warrant was issued after his missed court date.

(more…)

Former Manchester City Youth Team goalkeeper Ashley Timms has admitted to the charge of “making unwarranted demands with menaces” over blackmailing a current Premiership player.

Timms, 22, admitted to blackmailing the player (who the Manchester Court refers to as Witness A) 15,000 Pound over sexual images between March 1st and April 3rd of this year.

While the judge did grant Timms bail, he must return for September 5th sentencing in which the judge said “This case carries inevitably a prison sentence, no doubt about it.

“I am going to grant him bail but it must be on the clear understanding what the sentence will be.”

Wonder which papers gonna print the name of the player and how much they’ll drop to get it?

image via Gmgrd

DOUBLE UPDATE - Because he pleaded guilty yesterday, Judge Mushtaq Khokhar handed Barton a four month SUSPENDED sentence and ordered the as-of-now Newcastle midfielder to carry out an unspecified amount of community service.

Wonder if Dabo is going to go after Barton’s wallet just a bit more considering the injustice he’s probably feeling today?

UPDATE - Joey Barton has pleaded GUILTY to one count of causing bodily harm in the May 2007 incident and will be formally charged Tuesday morning after placing the plea just before the trial started.

Barton is already serving a six month sentence (which started in May 0f 2008) after pleading guilty to charges of assault and affray over an incident in McDonald’s in Liverpool back in December of 2007.

With the guilty plea placed you know Dabo will go after punitive damages, which he fully deserves.

I’ve seen plenty of fights during practice, some of which spill over into everyday life but for this to hit the courtroom is a bit surprising. It’s good to see that they’re are consequences for players and their actions.

Game time on Monday as Joey Barton is heading to court over last year’s assault of former Manchester City teammate Ousmane Dabo.

Former Man City coach Stuart Pearce and former defender Sylvain Distin are also expected to testify at the Manchester Crown Court over the training field incident that took place just over 13 months ago.

Will Barton be able to stay out of trouble this year after a so-so Newcastle campaign that already saw the northeast club threaten his wages?