Portuguese police carried out searches at football clubs, including Lisbon's Benfica and Sporting, on Tuesday as part of "Operation Matryoshka Dolls," an investigation into "suspected money laundering with likely links to Russian crime." The prosecutor's office said, "The searches were carried out because of suspected practices of tax fraud, criminal association, money laundering, corruption and forgery of documents." A police source said that third-tier side Uniao de Leiria, owned by Russian businessman Aleksandr Tolstikov, "was at the centre of the investigation in which Tolstikov, another Russian national and two Portuguese have been indicted" (REUTERS, 5/3).
Jersey FA CEO Neville Davidson said that Gibraltar's progress toward FIFA membership "is a boost" for the island. Jersey, managed by ex-Aston Villa coach Brian Little, has bid to join UEFA to play int'l football and "hope to go on to join the world governing body." Davidson said, "It's very encouraging for the Jersey FA in the future. FIFA may be resistant, but if you're a member of UEFA you should be able to be a member of the other" (BBC, 5/3).
Madrid's government will deploy 2,093 security personnel for the Champions League semifinal between Real Madrid and Man City on Wednesday at the Santiago Bernabéu. It was taken into account that 3,900 fans of Man City will attend the match, which is expected to be played in front of a sellout crowd (AS, 5/3).
