Soccer: Portuguese fury at "mafia" Republic

Bad blood has arisen between the Irish and Portuguese camps ahead of this

afternoon's crunch World Cup clash and Lansdowne Road.

Portugal manager Antonio Oliveira has accused FIFA and the FAI in "acting like the mafia" and conspiring to get Fernando Couto banned on a drugs charge ahead of the game.

He also claimed that Irish players would be violent towards star player

Luis Figo.

Irish manager Mick McCarthy will not name his side until an hour

before kick-off, as worries still remain on whether Robbie Keane, Gary Breen

and Stephen Carr will be fit enough to line out.