Exclusive: Liverpool look primed to post club football’s first €100m-plus profit
By David Owen
January 21 – Liverpool may be about to become the first football club in history to report an annual net profit of more than €100 million.
Author: Paul Nicholson
David Owen: How transfer spending is turbocharging European club profits
A new UEFA club benchmarking report has landed, studded with new illustrations of the still widening chasm between the wealthiest members of the European – and world – financial club football elite and the rest of the continent’s more than 700 top-flight teams.
Napoli say FIGC’s ban on Koulibaly is a victory for Italy’s racists
January 21 – The outcry over the treatment of Napoli defender Kalidou Koulibaly intensified over the weekend when Napoli slammed the decision by Italian football authorities to reject his appeal against being sent off despite widespread recognition that he suffered racial abuse.
Unwanted record: Oman captain’s fastest-ever penalty miss in the Asian Cup
By Abdelaziz Abuhamar
January 20 – Oman’s captain Ahmed Kanu missed a penalty after 2 minutes, 24 seconds from the starting whistle, in his country’s 2-0 defeat against Iran in the round 16 encounter in the Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium in ~Abu Dhabi. Iran passed through to the quarter final.
Palace shelter local homeless
By David Owen
January 20 – In this loadsamoney era for top-tier football, Crystal Palace stands out as a club that has managed nonetheless to retain close links with the community that spawned it. So it is not altogether surprising that of all Premier League outfits it should be the Eagles who have teamed up with their local council to provide some practical midwinter help for the homeless.
Iran’s power and passing end the Omani adventure
Iran 2 Oman 0
By Paul Nicholson in Abu Dhabi
January 20 – Iran reconfirmed themselves as favourites for the Asian Cup with a powerful 2-0 win over a battling Omani side. They could easily have won by five.
Vietnam break Jordanian hearts with penalty shootout win
Jordan 1 Vietnam 1
Vietnam win 4-2 on penalties
By Paul Nicholson
January 20 – Vietnam became the first team into quarter finals of the Asian Cup, beating Jordan 4-2 on penalties after their last 16 tie ended 1-1 at the Al Maktoum Stadium in Dubai.
Head-to-head stats: JOR vs VIE, THA vs CHN, IRA vs OMA
January 19 – The first games of the AFC Asian Cup last 16 knockout rounds begin today with Jordan facing Vietnam, Thailand vs China and Iran against Oman.
Lucky No 19 shirt tops Asian Cup 2019 goal scoring list with 15
By Abdelaziz Abuhamar
January 18 – With the Group Stage of the UAE Asian Cup 2019, statistics having come to an end, statistics show that players wearing shirt number 19 are topping the goal scoring list so far in the continental competition.
Humble Jose: Never mind the quality, count the trophies
January 18 – Jose Mourinho has broken his silence since being sacked by Manchester United last month after the club’s worst start in decades, saying he will return as a top-flight manager and that his legacy will be defined by his trophies.
Barca face Copa del Rey exclusion after fielding ineligible player
January 18 – Barcelona could be thrown out of the Copa del Rey for fielding suspended defender Chumi Brandariz (pictured) in their last-16 first leg defeat after opponents Levante said they would lodge a complaint with the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF).
UEFA reports finds club revenue at €20.1bn, but the poor aren’t getting richer
January 18 – Europe’s 710 top-division clubs earned a record €20.11 billion in revenues between them in the 2017 financial year although almost half of that amount was accrued by just 30 of them, according to UEFA’s annual Club Licensing Benchmarking report.
Ghanaian journalist who worked on Nyantaki corruption story is murdered by gunmen
January 18 – A Ghanaian undercover journalist has been shot dead following an exposé about a massive corruption scandal in African football.
Stats: Almoez strikes against Saudi set new marks in Asian Cup history
By Abdelaziz Abuhamar
January 18 – Two goals from Almoez Ali, the young Qatari striker who is rapidly becoming the star of this tournament, made many personal, national and continental records as well as setting a number of new Qatar records.
AS Monaco’s Rybolovlev commits to long term with €55m infrastructure project
January 17 – AS Monaco’s Russian president Dmitry Rybolovlev has committed to the long term future of the club with a spend of €55 million on key infrastructure projects, the centerpiece of which will be Center for Sporting Excellence at La Turbie FC.