UEFA Council meets to agree battleplan to challenge Infantino’s ‘takeover’ plan
May 16 – UEFA’s top brass were meeting today in an attempt to forge a united stance against Gianni Infantino’s plans to change the landscape of world football.
80 days to go to the AFC Asian Cup, UAE 2019
Category: Europe
Turkey talk credentials as they lobby for Euro 2024 hosting
By Andrew Warshaw
May 15 – The similarities are striking. Always the bridesmaid, never the bride. Up against a heavyweight rival. Eager to reward a football-mad nation with the ultimate prize. Just as underdogs and four-time losers Morocco are desperate to upset the odds and land the 2026 World Cup, so Turkey are equally determined to make up for lost time and hold the 2024 European Championship finals after three demoralising failures.
No Turkish delight at DFB after Ozil and Gundogan’s ‘symbolic’ meet with Erdogan
May 15 – British-based German internationals Mesut Ozil and Ilkay Gundogan, both of Turkish origin, have been lambasted by their national federation and German politicians for posing for photos with Turkey’s controversial President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Violence, rioting and HFF ‘won wager’ as PAOK vs AEK Cup final ends in chaos
By Andrew Warshaw and Paul Nicholson
May 14 – Despite the Greek authorities going to extraordinary lengths to maintain order by flying in a Spanish referee to take charge of last weekend’s domestic cup final, a season of unprecedented turmoil was capped by yet more trouble – on and off the pitch.
UEFA feels wrath of Liverpool over Kiev and the CL festival of money-grabbing
May 14 – UEFA’s decision to stage next week’s Champions League final in Kiev “needs explaining” according to Liverpool’s head of club and supporter liaison.
Greek tragedy adds a farcical chapter as Spanish ref in the firing line for cup final
By Paul Nicholson
May 11 – At the end of a season of unprecedented turmoil and allegations of corruption that have pointed to matchfixing and match manipulation within the highest administrative levels of the Greek game, the Hellenic Football Federation (HFF) have finally decided to fly in a non-Greek referee for the final match of its season.
Wenger warning for top Euro leagues, saying big club Super League is inevitable
May 11 – Outgoing Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger says the introduction of a European super league, resisted for years by football’s authorities, is “inevitable” and says Premier League matches will ultimately be moved to midweek.
Messages of support flow for Ferguson as surgery reported to have gone ‘extremely well’
May 8 – Goodwill messages are continuing to pour in for Sir Alex Ferguson, one of world football’s most iconic managerial figures who is recovering in hospital after undergoing emergency surgery for a brain haemorrhage.
Can le rouge et le noir of Les Herbiers beat PSG to provide fairy tale finale to French Cup?
By David Owen
May 8 – All cup competitions produce shock results, but the century-old Coupe de France must be in a league of its own.
Besiktas stick to their principles and refuse to return to complete Fenerbahce semi-final
May 4 – In what must be virtually a unique scenario, Besiktas kept their word on Thursday and failed to turn up for the controversial resumption of their abandoned Turkish Cup semi-final second leg at Fenerbahce.
100,000 signatures push safe standing issue into English parliament for debate
May 2 – Safe standing areas in the top two divisions in English football is to be debated in Parliament on June 25 after a petition to have the matter discussed reached 100,000 signatures last week.
Dortmund’s Şahin signs for Harvard Business School
By David Owen
May 1 – Nuri Şahin has struck a blow for footballer-intellectuals, gaining admittance to the uber-prestigious Harvard Business School in the United States.
Besiktas refuse to return to Fenerbahce to play last 33 mins of abandoned Cup semi-final
April 27 – The Turkish Football Federation have announced that the remainder of the Turkish Cup semifinal, abandoned because of crowd trouble by Fenerbahce fans, will take place on May 3 behind closed doors – but Besiktas say they will refuse to turn up.
UEFA goes to market with Official Match Ball and Lifestyle rights for women’s comps
April 27 – UEFA, which has recently unbundled its women’s competition rights from its men’s competitions, has issued a tender for the supply of the Official Match Ball and Lifestyle Partner for the 2018-21 cycle of women’s competitions.
Turkey submit bid book for 2024 Euro hosting saying it is now their time
April 24 – They may have been second to the punch in terms of submitting their bid book to host the 2024 European Championship finals but Turkey hope they will be first when the vote takes place in September.