Gunners legends line up for last blast against Milan at Emirates
August 22 – Arsenal legends including Thierry Henry, will play an AC Milan legends team including Paulo Maldini at the Emirates Stadium September 3.
World Football
Irish back Ceferin for UEFA’s top job
By Andrew Warshaw
August 19 – With the UEFA presidential election a month away, the youngest and least known of all three candidates, Aleksader Ceferin, is picking up valuable support in his bid to take over the governing body of European football.
Celtic’s Rodgers says UCL pandering to big-money leagues is an unfair shut-out
By Andrew Warshaw
August 19 – The manager of Scottish giants Celtic has urged UEFA not to bow to the demands of Europe’s traditional big-hitters to the detriment of other equally deserving clubs as European football’s governing body prepares to head off the threat of a breakaway Super League.
UEFA’s club Futsal prelims kick off with challengers bidding to join Euro elite
August 19 – The preliminary round of the UEFA Futsal Cup for clubs completes this weekend with 32 teams battling for 8 places in the Main round of 24. The 2016/17 championship has seen a record entry of 52 clubs including for the first time teams from Kosovo and San Marino,
Celtic fans wave Palestinian flags at UCL play off against Hapoel
By Paul Nicholson
August 17 – Celtic fans, a hard-core group of whom have never been shy to express political opinion at football matches, defied Scottish police and club requests with hundreds of them waving Palestinian flags at their first-leg Champions League play-off against Israeli champions Hapoel Be’er Sheva.
MLS clubs top ‘fan experience’ survey in US sports market
August 17 – A US study into how fans rank their experiences at big league sports in the US has found that Major League Soccer teams rank no lower than second in each of America’s four largest markets of New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and Houston against the NFL, MLB, NHL and NBA teams in those markets.
UEFA prepare for Champions League battle as Super League proposal lurks in wings
By Paul Nicholson
August 17 – The UEFA Champions League and its associated Europa League club competition now looks certain to change its qualification format to head off the threat of a Super League breakaway by leading clubs.
China’s IDG enters France’s Ligue 1 taking a €100m piece of Lyonnias
August 15 – The long march of Chinese money into Europe’s big leagues took a significant step into France’s Ligue 1 this weekend with Olympique Lyonnais owner OL Groupe announcing that Chinese investment fund IDG Capital Partners has agreed to take a 20% stake in the club.
Charlton act to censor fan on social media with season ticket ban threat
August 12 – Charlton Athletic (CAFC), relegated to England’s third tier Division 1 with a cacophony of complaint from its fans last season, has acted to control the social media agenda by threatening a fan to withhold his season ticket unless he stops posting aggressively about the club’s ownership.
From terrorising defences to terror suspect. Turkey issue arrest warrant for Sukur
August 12 – An arrest warrant has been issued in Turkey for former international striker Hakan Sukur as part of the investigation into the failed July 15 coup. Houses in Istanbul and Sakarya were raided but Sukur is understood to be living in the US.
Chinese hire Fassone to lead AC Milan in new era
August 12 – The Chinese buyers of Italy’s AC Milan have named Marco Fassone, former Juventus and Inter Milan general manager, as chief executive once their takeover has gone through.
OGC Nice pay tribute to 85 victims with commemorative shirt
August 11 – Ligue 1 side OGC Nice will open their season on Sunday wearing a special kit to honour the victims of the Nice terror attack last month.
China’s ORG takes controlling stake in AJ Auxerre for €7m
August 11 – With Chinese money having taken positions in big league Italian and English clubs, France has attracted more Chinese interest with ORG Packaging having bought a controlling 60% stake in AJ Auxerre for €7 million.
Weakened Real Madrid lay down marker with gritty Super Cup win
August 10 – Champions League winners Real Madrid edged Europa League titlists and fellow Spaniards Sevilla 3-2 after extra time in a dramatic Super Cup in Norway.
Ceferin unveils manifesto based on evolving UEFA towards a ‘perfect balance’
By Andrew Warshaw
August 8 – UEFA presidential candidate Aleksander Ceferin has issued his manifesto focussing on the need for Europe’s lesser-known clubs and countries to be given proper opportunities in major competitions.