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MW 25 January 2017

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maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 25 JANUARY 2017 20 Sport SPORTTODAY FOOTBALL Video replays on track for use in 2017-18 Bundesliga TESTS with video assistant refer- ee (VAR) technology have proved successful and the use of it in next season's Bundesliga matches is on track, a senior German Football Association official said. The technology, using video re- plays and off-pitch referees, has been developed to help officials make better decisions, therefore improving the quality of matches. The referee communicates with two video assistant referees sit- ting in a room in the stadium with access to all camera angles. They look at goals scored, pen- alties awarded, straight red cards and cases of mistaken identity, when a player awarded a yellow or red card is not actually involved in an incident. "Up to now it's going super, but now we are starting with the live tests, for example the commu- nication between the video as- sistant and referee," the German Football Association's vice-presi- dent of referees and qualification Ronny Zimmermann said. He said feedback from around the soccer world had been "posi- tive without exception". "I believe everyone wants this. Everyone wants these planning errors in the system taken away," he said. League matches as well as pro- motion/relegation playoff games and the Supercup will use the technology, the German football League has said. Australia, Brazil, Germany, Ita- ly, the Netherlands, Portugal and the United States were among the first countries to have conducted tests. The first international in which the technology was tested was a friendly between Italy and France in September last year. A final decision on the intro- duction of this technology will be taken by world soccer's governing body FIFA in 2018. Toure criticises players who swap top leagues for China cash MANCHESTER City midfielder Yaya Toure has criticised fellow footballers who have traded Eu- rope for China, saying he would prefer to follow Manchester Unit- ed forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic's example and stay in a competitive league. Chinese Super League clubs have made a number of high-pro- file signings recently, with Shang- hai SIPG buying Brazil midfielder Oscar from Chelsea for 60 million euros ($64.46 million). Their rivals Shanghai Shenhua signed Argentine striker Carlos Tevez for a reported 84 million euros, but Toure said money was not everything to him. "Do you play football because you love football or do you play because you want to make mon- ey? Me, I just want to play football because I enjoy it," he told British media. "Some people have the mental- ity that they want to do that (go to China) – to try something differ- ent. But for me, my feeling is that I want to play more football. "Look at my friend Ibrahimovic. He's 35 and he's going to play for maybe three more years? He's got the same mentality as me. He's a big player, a champion who loves football. It's football first. Any- thing after that is a bonus." Toure, who is out of contract in June, was frozen out of City's squad earlier this season follow- ing a spat between the manager Pep Guardiola and the player's agent, but returned to the team in November after making a public apology. He has featured regularly ever since, but there is no official word yet on whether he will be offered a new contract at City. His agent revealed last week that he had turned down a 520,000 pounds a week offer to play in China. "I want to play in Europe, espe- cially in England. I want to con- tinue doing that for a few years yet. "I always say that if I went to China I would end up feeling an- gry there," the 33-year-old added. Manchester City's Yaya Toure Ryan Mason making 'excellent progress' HULL midfielder Ryan Mason is making "excellent progress" after fracturing his skull but will con- tinue to be closely monitored in hospital, the Premier League club have announced. Mason, 25, had surgery in Lon- don on Sunday night after sus- taining the injury during a clash of heads with Chelsea defender Gary Cahill in the Premier League clash at Stamford Bridge on the same day. A statement released by Hull read: "The club can confirm that Ryan Mason continues to make excellent progress after sustaining a skull fracture in Sunday's game against Chelsea. "He will continue to be closely monitored by staff at St Mary's Hospital over the next few days, whilst also remaining in contact with our medical team to assess his progress. "There will be no further up- dates from the club until there are any changes in Ryan's condition. "We also ask that people respect Ryan and his family's privacy whilst he remains in hospital." Hull confirmed on Monday that Mason was conscious and com- municating having been visited by captain Michael Dawson and three club officials. Cahill, Chelsea club captain John Terry and assistant boss Ste- ve Holland also went to St Mary's Hospital on Sunday evening to check on Mason's wellbeing. The England international re- ceived treatment for around nine minutes on the field after his col- lision with Cahill in the 14th min- ute of Hull's 2-0 defeat. Ryan Mason: Making 'excellent progress' in hospital

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