‘Platini could perform any role after return’

TIRANA, Albania: UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin on Sunday made light of his predecessor Michel Platini’s return to football next week, saying the Frenchman could take any role except that of a player.

Four years after Platini’s ban from all football-related activities for financial wrongdoing, the former UEFA boss is free to work in the sport again on Tuesday.

Ceferin was asked about Platini at Tirana Sunday where he was watching France play Albania in their Euro 2020 qualifier. “Michel Platini’s ban is over. So he can be part in any role in football except as a football player, I think he is a bit old,” Ceferin said of the 64-year-old.

Platini is on record this week as tantalisingly saying there would be no rush as elections for top roles at FIFA and UEFA are “some years ahead”. Platini told Swiss television channel RTS in September that he “will be back”.

The former France captain was banned in 2015 for receiving a two-million Swiss francs (1.8 million euros, $2 million) payment from ex-FIFA chief Sepp Blatter, who was himself suspended for six years.