Football: Supporters dismiss `idle speculation'

Football: Supporters dismiss `idle speculation'

The Independent Manchester United Supporters' Association (IMUSA) have dismissed newspaper reports that BSkyB have been given the all-clear to buy the club as "idle speculation". A decision to sanction the pounds 623m bid is said to have been delivered by the Monopolies and Mergers Commission to the Trade and Industry Secretary, Stephen Byers, on Friday, after they concluded that there was insufficient evidence to block the deal as being anti-competitive. But IMUSA say they are still confident of defeating the takeover. "This whole issue is not about football, it's about BSkyB's dominance of European and world broadcasting," said Andy Walsh, IMUSA's spokesman. "We went to the Office of Fair Trading to make more time for us six months ago. In that time nobody but BSkyB and the United directors have come out in favour, which points to the fact that it is bad for football and broadcasting." It now appears certain that Ronaldo will start the Champions' League second-leg match against United on Wednesday after he started his first match for Internazionale since 17 January, in the Milan derby last night. The Brazilian striker was, however, a peripheral figure, and failed to score in the 2-2 draw.