World Soccer

Retired soccer star Ronaldinho was released from a high-security jail in Paraguay on Tuesday after more than a month, but was ordered to serve house arrest at a luxury hotel while he's investigated for using a false passport to enter the country. Ronaldinho, the Brazilian former FIFA player of the year, and his brother Roberto de Assis were also told to pay bail of $800,000 each. Ronaldinho, who helped lead Brazil to the 2002 World Cup title, was jailed on March 6 after entering the small South American country with a false Paraguayan passport.

Tottenham Hotspur have reminded players of their responsibilities during Britain's coronavirus lockdown after pictures and video on social media emerged of manager Jose Mourinho and several members of his squad that appeared to show them flouting social-distancing rules. Portuguese boss Mourinho was pictured training with Tanguy Ndombele on Hadley Common, while Davinson Sanchez and Ryan Sessegnon were seen running side by side in the same public park in north London. Spurs full-back Serge Aurier also posted a video of himself jogging alongside another person on Instagram.

A Paraguayan judge on Tuesday ordered the release of Brazilian football great Ronaldinho and his brother into house arrest at a hotel in downtown Asuncion. Judge Gustavo Amarilla told reporters that he had ordered the "continuation of house arrest in a hotel for Ronaldinho and his brother." The ruling means the brothers can swap their grim police cell block -- which also housed Paraguay's former soccer federation chief and the ex-speaker of the lower house of parliament -- for a plush Colonial-style hotel in central Asuncion.

Footballers and clubs in France's top two leagues have reached a non-binding agreement over a "temporary" pay cut during the coronavirus crisis, the national players' union (UNFP) said Tuesday. "We approved the recommendation this morning," UNFP president Philippe Piat told AFP. Club and player representatives agreed upon a joint "recommendation" that would see footballers accept a temporarily reduced wage, which they will receive once money from TV rights is paid.

The Qatari government said Tuesday it has implemented widespread measures to protect immigrant workers from the coronavirus, after a German documentary highlighted that ongoing construction of World Cup infrastructure raised the risk of infections. The government said in a statement to The Associated Press that it is providing free healthcare and a salary-guarantee for those workers affected by the virus, and is bringing a daily shipment of food and protective equipment into the industrial area where immigrant laborers reside. Retail shops and bank branches in shopping malls are closed as Qatar bids to contain the virus.

Russian officials on Tuesday flatly denied bribing a FIFA voter with millions of dollars to support the country's winning 2018 World Cup bid, after American prosecutors revealed new details about the alleged payments. “We can’t understand what this is about, or how to react,� Sorokin told The Associated Press, referring to claims in a U.S. Department of Justice indictment unsealed late Monday. The indictment said high-ranking FIFA official Jack Warner of Trinidad and Tobago received $5 million in bribes to vote for Russia from 10 different offshore shell companies, which used correspondent accounts in the U.S.

Real Salt Lake has announced it will cut the salaries of some employees and furlough others while play is suspended because of the coronavirus pandemic. The team said in a statement that it will reduce salaries of all executives and staff, and decrease staffing levels across the organization, which includes furloughs for some employees. RSL said it would re-staff once the league returns.

Major League Soccer side Real Salt Lake said Tuesday it was laying off staff and reducing pay for employees across the club as it adjusts to the league shutdown forced by the coronavirus pandemic. "As a result, we are forced to adapt and align our workforce appropriately to face these new challenges and difficult circumstances," Real Salt Lake said in a statement. The club said it planned to re-hire staff as soon as MLS resumes play.

English Football Association chief Greg Clarke issued a stark warning over the economic carnage caused by the coronavirus pandemic on Tuesday, calling on players and fans to "share the pain to keep the game alive". Clarke's doomsday scenario came as the head of the union representing Premier League players said they had "agreed to play their part" as pressure mounts to find a collective pay deal. Just hours after Clarke spoke, the Premier League's chief executive Richard Masters admitted the virus fall-out could cost the top-flight "at least £1 billion" ($1.23 billion, 1.13 billion euros).

Qatar and Russia hit back at allegations of bribery on Tuesday after US prosecutors accused them of paying millions in bribes for the rights to host the 2018 and 2022 tournaments. According to US Justice Department documents released Monday, FIFA officials received bribes to vote in favour of awarding the 2018 World Cup to Russia and the 2022 tournament to Qatar. The US legal action is linked to a wide-ranging 2015 corruption scandal that left world governing body FIFA in turmoil and led to the downfall of then-president Sepp Blatter.

Bayern Munich coach Hansi Flick expects to play for the foreseeable future in near-empty stadiums without fans due to the coronavirus pandemic, should football in Germany resume as hoped in early May. Most of the 18 clubs in Germany's top flight returned to training on Monday for the first time since the league was suspended in mid-March following the virus outbreak. The German Football League (DFL) is currently in discussions with the clubs and authorities about the top two leagues resuming at the start of May, with a decision expected on April 17.

Football Association chairman Greg Clarke warned on Tuesday the financial fall-out from the coronavirus pandemic could destroy English clubs and leagues unless the game's stakeholders are willing to "share the pain". With the Premier League and England's three other professional divisions all suspended indefinitely because of the COVID-19 outbreak, Clarke fears the sudden drop in revenue could be fatal for lower league clubs. Talks between Premier League, Football League and the Professional Footballers' Association about player wage deferrals and a potential 30 percent salary cut have yet to produce a solution, while many clubs have furloughed non-playing staff to save money.

Spanish league president Javier Tebas said Tuesday that several ideas are being studied by the leagues and UEFA, including having the European competitions restarting only after the national leagues finish. ''The most probable (scenarios) are starting on May 29th, or June 6 or June 7, or June 28 for all the European leagues,'' Tebas said in a conference call with international journalists. Tebas said the Spanish league has been in talks with other leagues almost daily to discuss how the coronavirus pandemic is affecting the sport.

The fans have spoken, and Pep Guardiola's first Champions League winner outlasted many of the sport's best club teams, including 1998-99 Manchester United.

Manchester United coach Ole Gunnar Solskjaer insisted on Tuesday it was unfair to single out footballers over the issue of pay cuts during the coronavirus pandemic and said they are an "easy target". England's wealthy top-flight stars have come under fire over their lack of action, with British Health Secretary Matt Hancock calling for them to take a cut and "play their part". The Premier League has urged players to accept wage reductions of 30 percent but ongoing talks have hit a stumbling block.

UEFA is exploring changes to Financial Fair Play rules as clubs grapple with the sudden loss in revenue caused by the coronavirus pandemic abruptly halting competitions across Europe. The cost-control regulations were introduced a decade ago as a response to the global financial crisis caused by the banking collapse in a bid to prevent European clubs accumulating big losses. UEFA, while trying to figure out when the season can resume, is assessing the rule changes needed as the pandemic causes financial tremors across the European game.

La Liga could return to action as early as next month, its president Javier Tebas said on Tuesday, as the league awaits a chance to restart following the coronavirus shutdown. Tebas also warned Spanish clubs could lose as much as one billion euros ($1.1 billion) if the season is not completed, pushing football bosses in the country to search for a late finish to the current campaign. "The different scenarios we have been looking at with UEFA to go back to competing are most probably starting on the May 28-29 June 6-7 or June 28-29," Tebas said.

Thomas Muller signed a two-year contract extension with Bayern Munich, the German champions said Tuesday. The 30-year-old attacking midfielder's contract had been due to expire at the end of next season but he is now tied to the team until 2023. Muller has been with Bayern for 20 years, winning eight German titles and the 2013 Champions League, and marked his 500th senior game for the club in November.

World champion athletes will take part in a first-of-its-kind event to inspire youth on Yahoo Sports this Saturday.

Bayern Munich forward Thomas Mueller has signed a new deal that will keep him at the club until 2023, the Bundesliga champions announced on Tuesday. Mueller, 30, has played more than 500 times for Bayern since rising through the youth ranks to reach the first team in 2008, winning eight league titles, five German Cups and the 2013 Champions League. The new deal comes after he worked his way back into the team under coach Hansi Flick after being frozen out by previous coach Niko Kovac.

Suspicion and rumours have long surrounded both the 2010 vote by FIFA's executive to hand the 2018 World Cup to Russia and the 2022 tournament to Qatar. According to the prosecutors, representatives working for Russia and Qatar bribed FIFA executive committee officials to swing votes in the crucial hosting decisions of world football's governing body.

With the top clubs in the Bundesliga already back in training, envious rivals across Europe are watching to see whether the Germans gain an edge or pay a price when play resumes. Europe's top leagues are desperate to return to competition to avert financial disaster due to the coronavirus pandemic, but if they move too fast they could risk injuring their players. The issue has come up in Germany where, in line with an earlier recommendation by the German football league, Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich and second-place Borussia Dortmund and a raft of other clubs resumed training in small groups on Monday.

An eighth NHL player has tested positive for COVID-19. The league announced Tuesday that a third player from the Colorado Avalanche has the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. The league says the player is in self-isolation and has not had close contact with teammates or Colorado staff members.

Chinese Super League (CSL) players were under growing pressure Tuesday to take a pay cut in line with the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, as coronavirus hits football hard. The CSL has some of the best-paid coaches and players in the world with Shanghai SIPG's Brazilian attacking midfielder Oscar reportedly earning nearly $30 million a year. State-run Xinhua news agency published a lengthy article debating whether CSL clubs should follow Messi's Barcelona and Ronaldo's Juventus in temporarily cutting salaries by as much as 70 percent.

Prosecutors revealed new details of alleged bribes paid to FIFA executive committee members to gain their votes for Qatar to host the 2022 World Cup and charged a pair of former 21st Century Fox executives with making illegal payments to win broadcast rights for the 2018 and 2022 tournaments. An indictment unsealed Monday in U.S. District Court in Brooklyn says Nicolás Leoz, then president of the South American governing body CONMEBOL, and former Brazil federation president Ricardo Teixeira received bribes to vote for Qatar at the 2010 FIFA executive committee meeting.

Prosecutors charged two former 21st Century Fox executives with alleged bribes to gather confidential information during bidding for broadcast rights to the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.

Two former executives with US media giant Fox were charged with corruption, bank fraud and money-laundering on Monday as US federal prosecutors shed fresh light on the scandal-tainted bidding war for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups. Former 21st Century Fox employees Hernan Lopez, 49, and Carlos Martinez, 41, face charges along with 65-year-old Gerard Romy, who worked for Spanish media conglomerate Imagina. The three men are accused of paying millions in bribes to officials from CONMEBOL and CONCACAF, the governing bodies for football in South America and North America, Central America and the Caribbean.

Thomas Mueller looks set to spend his entire career at Bayern Munich, who he describes as his 'passion', after signing a contract extension until 2023, the reigning Bundesliga champions announced on Tuesday. "I am really pleased that I have extended with Bayern Munich... and will continue to give everything for my club," the 2014 World Cup winner said on Twitter. Having risen up through the youth ranks, Mueller is a club icon who has won eight league titles, five German Cups and the 2013 Champions League.

Multimillion-dollar scheme involved kickbacks to Fifa officials for broadcast rights to the 2018 and 2022 World CupTwo former senior executives at Rupert Murdoch’s 21st Century Fox corporation have been indicted over their alleged role in a multimillion-dollar bribery scheme involving kickbacks to Fifa officials in exchange for broadcast and marketing rights to some of the world’s biggest football tournaments.The US Department of Justice announced on Monday that Hernan Lopez, the former chief executive of Fox International Channels and Carlos Martinez, the former president of Fox Latin America, have been charged with wire fraud and money-laundering offenses, marking another series of indictments in the US government’s sprawling investigation of corruption in world football.The indictment alleges that Lopez and Martinez “relied on loyalty secured through the payment of bribes� to South American football officials in order to “advance the business interest of Fox� and obtain “confidential bidding information� to win US broadcast rights to the 2018 and 2022 World Cup.21st Century Fox declined to comment on the indictments. The company was sold by Murdoch to Disney for $71bn in March 2019, years after the alleged bribery scheme is alleged to have occurred.The pair of former executives are also accused of involvement in the payment of annual bribes to South American football federation (Conmebol) officials to secure broadcast rights to the Copa Libertadores, South America’s biggest club competition.Over 40 people and entities have been charged as part of the US government’s ongoing investigation of bribery in world football. The investigation was dramatically announced at a 2015 dawn raid in Zurich on the eve of a congress of the world football’s governing body, Fifa.Two Conmebol officials, involved in the alleged scheme with Lopez and Martinez, the former heads of football in Brazil and Paraguay, were found guilty of accepting millions in bribes during a 2017 trial. Prosecutors have secured at least 23 guilty pleas as part of the investigation.Lopez and Martinez were the subject of a Guardian investigation in 2017, which revealed that the US justice department believed the two had provided “agreement and support� for bribes to football officials. The US government’s star witness during the 2017 trial, the former marketing executive Alejandro Burzaco, who has pleaded guilty to corruption charges, also implicated the pair in the scheme during evidence.Lopez and Martinez are scheduled for arraignment in federal court in Brooklyn on 9 April and could face up to 20 years in prison.“The charges unsealed today reflect this office’s ongoing commitment to rooting out corruption at the highest levels of international soccer and at the businesses engaged in promoting and broadcasting the sport,� said Richard P Donoghue, the United States attorney for the eastern district of New York.On Monday, lawyers for the former Fox executives said both planned to fight the charges in court.“It’s shocking that the government would bring such a thin case. The indictment contains nothing more than single paragraph about Mr Lopez that alleges nothing remotely improper. Mr Lopez can’t wait to defend himself at trial,� said Matthew Umhofer, representing Lopez.“We are certain a jury will swiftly exonerate Carlos, as these charges are nothing more than stale fiction,� said Steven McCool, representing Martinez.The new indictments also laid out charges against the former CEO of Spanish media company Imagina, Gerard Romy and Uruguayan media company Full Play Group. They also include allegations against four unnamed co-conspirators who occupied various levels of seniority at Fifa and South American football administrations.

Prosecutors revealed new details of alleged bribes paid to FIFA executive committee members to gain their votes for Qatar to host the 2022 World Cup and charged a pair of former 21st Century Fox executives with making illegal payments to win broadcast rights for the 2018 and 2022 tournaments. An indictment unsealed Monday in U.S. District Court in Brooklyn says Nicolás Leoz, then president of the South American governing body CONMEBOL, and former Brazil federation president Ricardo Teixeira received bribes to vote for Qatar at the 2010 FIFA executive committee meeting.

Liverpool were forced to apologise as the Premier League club ditched their controversial plan to furlough non-playing staff during the coronavirus on Monday, while FIFA urged players and clubs to reach agreement over wage reductions. Liverpool faced stinging criticism from fans and former players after revealing over the weekend that they wanted to use the UK government's furlough scheme. Fenway Sports Group, Liverpool's US-based owners, wanted to put around 200 staff on enforced leave during the pandemic while the government paid 80 percent of their wages.

Italian top-flight football clubs have unanimously reached agreement to cut the salaries of players, coaches and staff as a result of the coronavirus crisis, the Lega Serie A announced on Monday. All football in Italy has been suspended since March 9 as a result of the pandemic which has killed over 16,000 people in the country. Players' salaries will be reduced by a third of their gross annual earnings if the season should be cancelled, and a sixth if it resumes.

Serbian coach Radomir Antic, the only person to manage Atletico Madrid, Real Madrid and Barcelona, died on Monday at the age of 71 following a long illness. Spanish sports daily Marca said Antic had been suffering from a serious illness for a long time. Antic, who first moved to Spain as a player with Real Zaragoza in 1978, managed Atletico across three different spells between 1995 and 2000 and led the club to a league and cup double in his first season.

Apologizing to its own fans, Liverpool on Monday reversed a decision to apply its furloughed non-playing staff for the British government's job retention scheme during the coronavirus pandemic. Under the scheme implemented to help businesses survive the national lockdown, staff can be put on furlough and receive 80% of their salaries from the government, up to a maximum of 2,500 pounds ($3,000) a month. Liverpool’s about-turn came after two days of fans and former players of the European champion expressing unhappiness with its furloughing plans.

Former Atlético Madrid coach Radomir Antic, who led the club to the Spanish league and Copa del Rey titles in 1996, has died, the club said on Monday. The club did not provide a cause of death for Antic, who also briefly coached Real Madrid and Barcelona. The Spanish league and Copa del Rey double came in his first season at Atlético.

The 2020 MLS Season was suspended after just two match days due to the coronavirus crisis. With so little of the season played, it would be easier to cancel the MLS season than some European campaigns that were suspended on the home straits, with silverware in the balance.

Liverpool is exploring other ways to pay staff during the coronavirus shutdown.

UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin said on Monday that there is "no way" Liverpool should finish the season without the Premier League title, even if the campaign is cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic. Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool appeared set to secure a first English top-flight title in 30 years when the season was suspended, sitting 25 points clear of second-placed Manchester City. All major European leagues are currently suspended, as are the Champions League and Europa League competitions.

The Italian soccer players’ association rejected a proposal from Serie A clubs on Monday to reduce salaries by a third if the season does not resume as “unmanageable.� Juventus led Lazio by one point when the season was suspended.

U.S. prosecutors on Monday accused two former 21st Century Fox Inc executives of paying millions of dollars in bribes to secure lucrative media and marketing rights to soccer matches, the latest charges in a long-running investigation of corruption surrounding FIFA, soccer's world governing body. The former Fox executives, Hernan Lopez and Carlos Martinez, were indicted in Brooklyn federal court on wire fraud and money laundering charges along with Gerard Romy, former co-chief executive of Spanish media company Imagina Media Audiovisual SL, and Full Play Group SA, an Uruguayan sports marketing company.

Liverpool on Monday scrapped their controversial decision to furlough non-playing staff during the coronavirus pandemic after the Premier League leaders apologised for coming to the "wrong conclusion". The Reds, the world's seventh-richest football club, were widely criticised after announcing at the weekend that they planned to put around 200 staff on enforced leave during the pandemic while the British government pays 80 percent of their wages. With the Premier League postponed because of the virus, Liverpool's US-based Fenway Sports Group owners came under fire for exploiting the furlough scheme to save money at the same time as they continue to pay huge salaries to star players like Mohamed Salah.

FIFA on Monday urged clubs and players to reach agreement on wage reductions to protect clubs suffering financial damage due to the coronavirus crisis, sources said. Italian top-flight football clubs on Monday agreed to cut the salaries of players, coaches and staff. Clubs in other countries, including Barcelona, have also cut player wages.

FIFA is providing global coordination with competition organizers to provide flexibility to ensure coronavirus-derailed seasons can be completed with as little financial turmoil as possible. While FIFA does not set the dates of domestic or continental club competitions, the governing does does oversee the implementation of two transfer windows during the year in each country. A FIFA taskforce has been exploring the impact of the coronavirus pandemic and has backed flexibility in shifting the transfer windows, extending player contracts to allow seasons to be completed, and encouraging salary reduction agreements.

RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SHOTLIST VIDEO SHOWS: MANCHESTER CITY TWEETS INFORMING THE DEATH OF MANAGER PEP GUARDIOLA'S MOTHER / FILE FOOTAGE OF GUARDIOLA AT CITY TRAINING SHOWS: INTERNET (APRIL 6, 2020) (SOCIAL MEDIA WEBSITE - ACCESS ALL) (MUTE) 1. SCREENSHOT OF TWEET FROM MANCHESTER CITY'S TWITTER PAGE, READING (English): "THE MANCHESTER CITY FAMILY ARE DEVASTATED TO REPORT THE DEATH TODAY OF PEP'S MOTHER DOLORS SALA CARRIO IN MANRESA, BARCELONA AFTER CONTRACTING CORONA VIRUS. SHE WAS 82-YEARS-OLD." 2. SCREENSHOT OF TWEET FROM MANCHESTER CITY'S TWITTER PAGE, READING (English): "EVERYONE ASSOCIATED WITH THE CLUB SENDS THEIR MOST HEARTFELT SYMPATHY AT THIS MOST DISTRESSING TIME TO PEP, HIS FAMILY AND ALL THEIR FRIENDS." LONDON, ENGLAND, UK (FILE - APRIL 8, 2019) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 3. MANCHESTER CITY MANAGER, PEP GUARDIOLA SHANGHAI, CHINA (FILE - JULY 16, 2019) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 4. GUARDIOLA WITH BALL LONDON, ENGLAND, UK (FILE - APRIL 8, 2019) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 5. GUARDIOLA SPEAKING TO COACHING STAFF MANCHESTER, ENGLAND, UK (FILE - APRIL 9, 2018) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 6. GUARDIOLA WITH BALL MANCHESTER, ENGLAND, UK (FILE - SEPTEMBER 30, 2019) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 7. GUARDIOLA DURING TRAINING WITH THEN-ASSISTANT COACH, MIKEL ARTETA MANCHESTER, ENGLAND, UK (FILE - FEBRUARY 25, 2020) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 8. GUARDIOLA LISTENING TO MEMBER OF COACHING STAFF MANCHESTER, ENGLAND, UK (FILE - SEPTEMBER 30, 2019) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 9. GUARDIOLA TALKING WITH ARTETA AND ANOTHER MEMBER OF HIS COACHING STAFF STORY: The mother of Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola has died after being diagnosed with the novel coronavirus, the English Premier League champions said on Monday (April 6). "The Manchester City family are devastated to report the death today of Pep's mother Dolors Sala Carrio in Manresa, Barcelona after contracting coronavirus. She was 82-years-old," City said in a post on their official Twitter account. "Everyone associated with the club sends their most heartfelt sympathy at this most distressing time to Pep, his family and all their friends." Guardiola, who has also coached Barcelona and Bayern Munich and spent most of his playing career with Barca, donated one million euros ($1.08 million) last month to fight against the virus, contributing to a campaign launched by the Angel Soler Daniel Foundation and Medical College of Barcelona. ($1 = 0.9258 euros) (Production: Stefan Haskins)

Pep Guardiola's 82-year-old mother has died after contracting coronavirus, Manchester City announced on Monday. "The Manchester City family are devastated to report the death today of Pep's mother Dolors Sala Carrio in Manresa, Barcelona, after contracting coronavirus," the Premier League club said in a statement.

Spanish superclub Barcelona's colossal cash turnover is under the spotlight after the soccer lockdown slashed the earnings that enabled them to pay over 600 million euros ($647M) per year to staff. Barcelona's motto is 'More than a club', and fans around the globe tune in to thrill at the hugely succesful side spearheaded by Argentine genius Lionel Messi. Not least of these was persuading sensitive star players on huge contracts to take voluntary wage cuts.

World soccer’s governing body FIFA is attempting to step in and take some of the heat off of major clubs and high profile players looking to manage loses and still contribute to healthcare efforts, while no sport is being played. According to an internal document seen by Reuters, FIFA is looking to deal with complaints and appeals over possible wage cuts, which have become a major controversy, particularly in England. The Premier League announced publicly last week that it was looking for its players to give up or defer 30% of their wages. A move that was labelled a “disgrace� on Sunday (April 5) by former England captain Wayne Rooney, adding that decisions on pay cuts should be made on a case-by-case basis. In other countries, such as Germany and Spain, players have accepted temporary reductions in earnings, while Italian champions Juventus agreed to a temporary pay freeze. The internal paper from FIFA notes that such decisions will inevitably differ country to country. Its preferred outcome for the ongoing discussions, including those at the Premier League, is to reach �appropriate collective agreements.� FIFA’s hope is to balance the need for clubs to protect their assets and business interests, while considering the financial impact of the situation clubs find themselves in with no games to play.

England manager Gareth Southgate and the Football Association's top earners will take wage cuts of up to 30 per cent as the governing body deals with a potential £150 million ($170 million) financial fall-out from the coronavirus. The FA have been hit by the cancellation of England's scheduled friendly matches due to the pandemic. Television money due from postponed FA Cup quarter-final ties is also reported while the domestic season is on hold.

World Cup champion France has sent support to hospital workers engaged in the fight against the coronavirus. Kylian Mbappe and Paul Pogba were among the stars in a video released by the French soccer federation expressing their gratitude to the country's under-pressure health workers. Mbappe says "we sing and clap for you."

VIDEO SHOWS: BAYERN MUNICH TRAINING DURING NATION-WIDE CORONAVIRUS LOCKDOWN IN GERMANY RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT SHOWS: MUNICH, GERMANY (APRIL 6, 2020) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. VARIOUS OF BAYERN MUNICH PLAYERS AT TRAINING 2. GOALKEEPER MANUEL NEUER AT TRAINING 3. FORWARD THOMAS MUELLER SHOOTING 4. VARIOUS OF SIGN OUTSIDE TRAINING PITCH TELLING PEOPLE TO KEEP A MANDATORY 1,5 METER DISTANCE IMPOSED BY GOVERNMENT 5. FORWARD KINGSLEY COMAN AT TRAINING 6. PLAYERS TRAINING 7. PLAYERS STRETCHING 8. PLAYERS RUNNING 9. ASSISTANT COACHES KEEPING DISTANCE 10. VARIOUS OF PLAYERS AT TRAINING 11. VARIOUS OF NEUER TRAINING 12. VARIOUS OF MEDIA 13. EXTERIOR OF CLUB HEADQUARTERS 14. CLUB LOGO READING (German) “FC BAYERN MUNICH� 15. EXTERIOR OF HEADQUARTERS STORY: Bayern Munich returned to team training on Monday (April 6) as well as other Bundesliga clubs, with players split in small groups or pairs and kept at a safe distance amid strict measures to contain the spread of the coronavirus. German soccer has been suspended for almost a month and the German Football League (DFL) has said the ban will remain in place for the top divisions at least until April 30. The Bavarians trained in groups of five but without any contact, just like Borussia Moenchengladbach, VfL Wolfsburg and others. Germany has seen the number of infected people rise above 100,000 this weekend and nearly 1,600 have died after testing positive for the virus that has forced the country into lockdown. Despite the training resumption the DFL made it clear last week it was not known if or when the season would resume, and the stop in play has also had major financial effects on clubs. (Production: Ayhan Uyanik and Elena Gyldenkerne)

RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT VIDEO SHOWS: TWO VIDEOS FEATURING SERGIO RAMOS, GERARD PIQUE, MARCUS RASHFORD AND TRENT ALEXANDER-ARNOLD IN WHICH THEY PROMOTE THE #BEACTIVE INITIATIVE LAUNCHED BY FIFA, THE UNITED NATIONS AND THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION ON THE UN INTERNATIONAL DAY OF SPORT FOR DEVELOPMENT AND PEACE SHOWS: VARIOUS UNIDENTIFIED LOCATIONS (RECENT) (FIFA - FOR NEWS PURPOSES ONLY) 1. GRAPHIC SHOWING FIFA LOGO AND WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION LOGO 2. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) REAL MADRID AND SPAIN DEFENDER, SERGIO RAMOS, SAYING: "Hello. I support the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace." 3. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) BARCELONA AND SPAIN DEFENDER, GERARD PIQUE, SAYING: "Which is organised by the UN on Monday 6 April." 4. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) SERGIO RAMOS AND GERARD PIQUE, SAYING: "As you know, right now, we should be together." 5. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) REAL MADRID AND SPAIN DEFENDER, SERGIO RAMOS, SAYING: "We have to keep our distance, but we can't lose our focus." 6. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) BARCELONA AND SPAIN DEFENDER, GERARD PIQUE, SAYING: "Being active means to play your part, every day, like this." 7. WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION #BEACTIVE AND #HEALTHYATHOME VIDEO WITH SPANISH NARRATION AND GRAPHICS 8. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) REAL MADRID AND SPAIN DEFENDER, SERGIO RAMOS, SAYING: "We see our differences, but if we stay together, we are stronger." 9. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) SERGIO RAMOS AND GERARD PIQUE, SAYING: "Be active today." 10. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) REAL MADRID AND SPAIN DEFENDER, SERGIO RAMOS, SAYING: "Remain positive and remain strong." 11. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) SERGIO RAMOS AND GERARD PIQUE, SAYING: "Let's go." 12. GRAPHIC, READING (English): "BE READY TO FIGHT #COVID19. FOR ALL THE LATEST HEALTH ADVICE, GO TO WWW.WHO.INT/COVID-19" 13. GRAPHIC SHOWING FIFA LOGO AND WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION LOGO 14. (SOUNDBITE) (English) LIVERPOOL AND ENGLAND DEFENDER, TRENT ALEXANDER-ARNOLD, SAYING: "Hello. I support the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace." 15. (SOUNDBITE) (English) MANCHESTER UNITED AND ENGLAND STRIKER, MARCUS RASHFORD, SAYING: "Which is organised by the UN on Monday 6 April." 16. (SOUNDBITE) (English) TRENT ALEXANDER-ARNOLD AND MARCUS RASHFORD, SAYING: "At this time, even rivals need to stick together." 17. (SOUNDBITE) (English) LIVERPOOL AND ENGLAND DEFENDER, TRENT ALEXANDER-ARNOLD, SAYING: "We have to keep our distance, but we can't lose our focus." 18. (SOUNDBITE) (English) MANCHESTER UNITED AND ENGLAND STRIKER, MARCUS RASHFORD, SAYING: "We can show solidarity by being active." 19. (SOUNDBITE) (English) LIVERPOOL AND ENGLAND DEFENDER, TRENT ALEXANDER-ARNOLD, SAYING: "And active means following the guidelines from the World Health Organization." 20. (SOUNDBITE) (English) MANCHESTER UNITED AND ENGLAND STRIKER, MARCUS RASHFORD, SAYING: "And active means to play your part, every day, like this." 21. WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION #BEACTIVE AND #HEALTHYATHOME VIDEO WITH ENGLISH NARRATION AND GRAPHICS 22. (SOUNDBITE) (English) LIVERPOOL AND ENGLAND DEFENDER, TRENT ALEXANDER-ARNOLD, SAYING: "We see our differences, but if we stick together, we are stronger." 23. (SOUNDBITE) (English) MANCHESTER UNITED AND ENGLAND STRIKER, MARCUS RASHFORD, SAYING: ""Be active today." 24. (SOUNDBITE) (English) LIVERPOOL AND ENGLAND DEFENDER, TRENT ALEXANDER-ARNOLD, SAYING: ""Remain positive and remain strong." 25. (SOUNDBITE) (English) TRENT ALEXANDER-ARNOLD AND MARCUS RASHFORD, SAYING: "Let's go." 26. GRAPHIC, READING (English): "BE READY TO FIGHT #COVID19. FOR ALL THE LATEST HEALTH ADVICE, GO TO WWW.WHO.INT/COVID-19" STORY: FIFA has joined the United Nations and the World Health Organization's #BeActive campaign launched on the UN International Day of Sport for Development and Peace which aims at encouraging people to be #HealthyAtHome during the coronavirus pandemic. On Monday (April 6), FIFA kicked off the campaign with a promotional video showing Spain's La Liga rivals Sergio Ramos of Real Madrid and Barcelona's Gerard Pique and English Premier League rivals Trent Alexander-Arnold of Liverpool and Manchester United's Marcus Rashford asking fans to 'set aside rivalries' and 'be active today'. WHO recommends up to 60 minutes of physical activity including online exercise classes, dancing, playing active video games and jumping rope as part of the initiatives to combat periods of isolation during the crisis in a healthy manner. With the world at a standstill, global virus infections exceed a million, with more than 65,000 deaths, a Reuters tally showed. (Production: Tim Hart)