Message to Aston Villa supporters: Former club captain Stiliyan Petrov says that he doesn’t want Villa fans to continue with the 19th minute tribute to him at Villa Park:
“Fans have asked me about it and I want to make clear that it was a great thing from the Villa fans, an unbelievable gesture which meant so much to me and my family through some of the toughest periods we had to endure.
“The fans have shown me so much love, support and respect and I will hold this forever in my heart.
“But we all have to move on and I have no problem with this. In fact, I know they will always be beside me, they’re with me and I’m in their thoughts. That’s a precious and very humbling thing.
‘When I went through the toughest times they stood beside me and I’ll never forget this.
‘I know the fans will support the team this season in the same way they supported me because they showed how united they are and, as a club, we are looking forward together to the kind of exciting season it promises to be.’
In March 2012, Petrov was diagnosed with acute leukaemia and he took a break from the sport to undergo his treatment. The Bulgarian announced his retirement from his playing career in May, 2013.
Here are today’s world soccer news headlines:
Premier League
- Stiliyan Petrov says he doesn’t want Aston Villa fans to continue ’19th minute’ tribute — The Mail
- Stoke City striker Cameron Jerome fined £50,000 for breaching FA betting rules — Telegraph
- Jonathan de Guzman ruled out of Swansea City match against United — Swansea City
- The Premier League is better than La Liga says City’s Alvaro Negredo — El Mundo
- Hull City invest in KC Stadium, Cottingham training ground and Hawkeye goal-line technology — Hull Mail
- Arsenal now in frame for Michu and Edin Dzeko — The Mirror
- Ahmed Elmohamady: ‘Elmo’ happy he chose to go to Hull City and back — The Independent
- Selhurst Park name remains, vow Crystal Palace — Evening Standard
- Gareth Bale – ‘I’ll not play for Spurs again’ — ESPN UK
- Sunderland bid to snatch Spurs midfielder Tom Huddlestone away from Hull City — Evening Standard
- Steven Fletcher putting in double shifts to speed his recovery — Newcastle Chronicle
- Pressure growing on Joe Kinnear to seal transfer deals — Newcastle Journal
- Just 68 English players will start the Premier League season according to estimates — The Mail
International soccer
- Brazil sports minister admits 2014 World Cup stadiums ‘will not be delivered on time’ — The Independent
- Rare photos from the 1966 World Cup — Life Magazine
- Michael Carrick pulls out of England squad due to eye infection — The FA
Ligue Un
- Yoann Gourcuff is staying at Lyon, says club president — Olympique Lyon
Bundesliga
- Werder Bremen sign Wigan striker Franco Di Santo — Werder Bremen
La Liga
- Diego Costa signs contract extension at Atletico Madrid for three more years — Atletico Madrid
The Daily Soccer Report is your morning guide to the latest world soccer news headlines, so you don’t have to spend an hour or more scanning the Internet. We do all the work for you. Read The Daily Soccer Report on World Soccer Talk every morning to stay on top of all the news that matters.
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