Valencia's Momo Sissoko may be good at making up plays from midfield, but when it comes to making up excuses he still has a lot to learn.

The club were concerned when he did not return after playing a recent international match for his native Mali, and tried desperately to contact him. But when they finally got through, he told them that he would not be back for another couple of days or so, as his country had arranged another international game against Kenya.

Puzzled, the Valencia staff contacted the Kenyan authorities to find out about this surprise new fixture. "Mali? No, we don't have any game against Mali" they were told. Some reports placed Sissoko and his family in Paris on a shopping spree at the time, but he himself confessed to the club afterwards that he was actually visiting his father in hospital.

The player was given a serious telling off on his return, but manager Claudio Ranieri decided not to press the matter any further. "He is young and he made a mistake" was his resigned comment. (25.09.04)

Today we were greeted with the sad news that Atlético Madrid's ex president Jesús Gil has died after a brief illness. Gil was rushed to hospital a couple of days ago after suffering a brain haemorrage and never recovered.

Always a controversial character, Gil was constantly in trouble with the law and even spent a brief period in prison many years ago after a building built by his company collapsed. More recently he formed his own political party (Grupo Independiente Liberal - GIL) and was elected mayor of Marbella, combining the job with his duties at the Madrid based club.

With several court cases still pending and the judges closing in, some will say he has cheated justice. But despite his sins Don Jesús was a colourful and popular character, and the Vicente Calderón stadium will be a duller place without him. (14.05.04)

The change in the Spanish government had implications reaching into the world of football. The surprise victory by José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero's socialist party over José María Aznar's right wing Partido Popular not only heralded a change of direction for Spain, but also a change in the directors' boxes in the football grounds of the country.

Aznar was a well known visitor at Real Madrid, a team he openly lent his support to. But Zapatero is an out-and-out fan of FC Barcelona, Madrid's arch rivals, and the seat in the Santiago Bernabeu stadium will only be filled when the "Culés" are visiting. Although Zapatero is from León, he started following Barça thanks to local hero César, who played for the Blaugrana in the late forties / early fifties.

Zapatero's two daughters are Real Madrid supporters though, and the PSOE leader complained that they always hammered him on their play-station at home. Maybe now though he will have the referees on his side? (15.03.04)

Could it be the end of an era? Whilst Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez was getting 100% backing from his members, his opposite number at Rayo Vallecano Teresa Rivero was not, and has decided to present her resignation after 12 years in charge.

Doña Teresa, the only lady president in the first two divisions, has been taking a lot of stick from certain groups of fans, and together with her husband José María Ruíz Mateos has just fought off a rather nasty court action from the club's ex president for misappropriation of funds.

The club was bought some time ago by Ruiz Mateos, a well known character in Spain who's company Rumasa was sequestrated by the socialist government and who came to fame for dressing up as Superman and threatening to punch the minister responsible in the head.

Doña Teresa is a character herself, well known for her vitriolic tirades against opposing players and for occasionally nodding off in the directors' box during boring games, and she will be sadly missed. Even more sadly missed though may be family's contribution to Rayo's coffers, and without their money the club could have trouble continuing at the level they have maintained during their rule. (21.10.03)

There are many ways of getting out of a football match, but Spanish internationals Gerard and Romero both came up with something new last week. The Barça midfielder was named in the line up for the UEFA cup tie at Puchov and was ready to go out onto the pitch when he was called over by Frank Rijkaard The manager reluctantly told he was out of the side for using his mobile phone in the dressing room before the game started, which is against club rules, and Overmars took his place. Gerard admitted he burst into tears when told the bad news. "I only answered a call from my brother 90 minutes before kick off, and then only for a few seconds. I was devastated when Frank told me I was out".

That was nothing though compared to the act of folly by the Deportivo full back. The team had just landed at Pamplona airport to play Osasuna when Romero spotted a young snake (reportedly a viper) on the tarmac. Most people would have run a mile, but the budding Steve Irwin decided it would be fun to pick it up. The snake didn't share his opinion though, and bit him on the hand. Even then the defender didn't think much of it, and it was only when his hand swelled up in the hotel room that he was taken to hospital and put under observation. The trouble some people get themselves in to! (29.09.03)

At last it looks as if the Spanish first and second divisions will kick off as planned next weekend. Representatives of the league (LFP) have finally agreed terms with Sogecable for the television rights of 30 clubs for the next three seasons, thereby staving off the proposed boycott which only a couple of days ago appeared inevitable.

The issue has divided the clubs this summer, with twelve of the bigger sides negotiating terms directly with television companies and the rest opting for a collective approach through the LFP. The so called G-30 had reached an agreement with Phedra Sport for a one year deal worth 104 million euros, but the company were in the end unable to put up the required guarantees and everything collapsed. Sogecable's offer of 84 million was below the minimum amount the hard-up clubs were prepared to accept, but an agreement was finally hammered out to extend the contract to three years with a €4 million increase each year.

There is still one black sheep though, Manuel Ruiz de Lopera's Betis. Don Manuel, whose company Tegasa own the negotiating rights, has been hopping backwards and forwards between the two groups and has still not agreed terms with anybody. The controversial president is threatening to not let cameras in to their opening game at Real Madrid this weekend unless Sogecable accept his terms. As they say, "all for one, and one for himself". (25.08.03)

Compostela and Oviedo were relegated this week after failing to settle outstanding debts with their players by the 31st July deadline. No less than twenty other clubs in the top two flights were either able to pay off the amounts due or at least persuade their players to withdraw their claims, with several, including Valladolid, Racing and finally Atlético Madrid only depositing the necessary documentation on the last day.

Compostela's new management had actually raised the €1.1 million they needed to pay their staff almost 12 months back pay, but it then transpired that outgoing president José María Candela (who had insisted on getting repaid a €600,000 loan before agreeing to stand down) had been "economical with the truth". Candela had informed new boss Juan Silva that a share issue of €13 million required by the Federation under minimum capital rules was being approved by local authorities. However it turned out that this was not the case, and given that failing to meet this requirement would mean relegation anyway, the new board decided not to make the payment. Leganés will therefore be reinstated provided that they can put up the €1.1 million themselves by 6th August.

Oviedo had already been relegated to the regional second division B after finishing next to bottom in the league, but with the club already having filed for protection from creditors, they were unable to reach an agreement with their players and will now drop further to the third division. The club must now decide whether to continue or to wind themselves up. Five other second division B sides saved themselves thanks to a 24 hour extension to the deadline, but Vitoria based Aurrorá couldn't raise the necessary funds and will also go down. (01.08.03)

Time is running out for many of the clubs who owe money to their players. Under Federation regulations, all debts have to be settled by Thursday, 31st July, or otherwise the offenders will face relegation. The professional footballers association of Spain (AFE) published a list today indicating that players and other employees from no less than six first division and sixteen second division clubs had registered claims which totalled almost 44 million Euros, as follows:

Many clubs have issued statements that they do not agree with the figures and/or that they are currently negotiating settlements with their staff, and most if not all expect that the players will accept the various solutions offered to them and withdraw their claims by the due date. However several clubs have been relegated in the past, especially from the second division, and with the amounts registered setting a new record high, there may be some surprises come the end of the month. (21.07.03)

It looks like being a busy summer at Atlético Madrid. With players and clubs denouncing them for non-payment, they need cash to be able to settle debts quickly and avoid a transfer embargo and a possible relegation back to the second division.

Ex-president Jesús Gil and his replacement Enrique Cerezo want to carry out a capital increase to bring in funds and capitalize part of the outstanding debts, but the Spanish courts will only allow this if the two of them pay in €12 million Euros, the amount that the courts say they should have paid in but didn't when the club became a limited company several years ago. Gil says he has been trying his best to raise the money and expects to pay in by next week.

On top of that there are at least two offers to buy out the club from the Gil family, one of €16.8 million from a group of local businessmen opposed to Gil calling themselves "Alternativa Rojiblanca", which has apparently been rejected, and one from Mexican empresario Jorge Vergara, owner of clubs in Central America, who claims to be offering €100 million.

In the meantime manager Luis Aragonés has been fired and is threatening to take the club to court, and several big money signings are being lined up. Business as usual then? (12.07.03)