LaLiga joins with El Salvador government in new schools programme
October 4 – LaLiga, via its foundation, is to participate in the opening of 262 schools in El Salvador.
Author: Paul Nicholson
Drone flying Armenian separatist flag halts Qarabag’s Europa League game in Luxembourg
October 4 – A Europa League game between Luxembourg’s F91 Dudelange and FK Qarabag of Azerbaijan was temporarily halted on Thursday when a drone was flown over the ground.
Wanted, new money. Crystal Palace sales memo issued valuing club at £210m
October 3 – Three years after buying into Crystal Palace, US owners Joshua Harris and David Blitzer, look to have put their stake up for sale in a deal that would value the south London club at £210 million.
Asian Champions League: Urawa and Al Hilal in pole for final spots
October 3 – Italian playing legend Fabio Cannavaro, now looking to build a similar reputation as a coach at China’s Guangzhou Evergrande, says his team are still in Asian Champions League contention despite a first leg semi-final loss to Japan’s Urawa Red Diamonds. In the other semi Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal look favourites for the final after a 4-1 away win at Qatar’s Al Sadd.
Copa Libertadores: River Plate find an edge but all square in Brazil in race for Qatar CWC slot
October 3 – River Plate have taken a huge step towards the final of the Copa Libertadores after defeating Buenos Aires rivals Boca Juniors 2-0 in their semi-final first leg. In the all-Brazilian semi-final, Gremio and Flamengo shared the spoils in a 1-1 draw.
Cardiff to go to CAS over €6m award to Nantes for Sala transfer
October 3 – Cardiff City have decided to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) against FIFA’s ruling that they must pay the first instalment of €6 million to Nantes for €17 million striker Emiliano Sala who died in January when the light aircraft carrying him to Cardiff two days after he signed crashed into the sea before he could play a single game.
FIFA ban former Conmebol boss Figuredo for life
October 3 – Uruguayan Eugenio Figueredo, one of the so-called original ‘Zurich Seven’, is the latest former football official to be banned for life for bribery as FIFA continues to tidy up its paperwork around its corrupt officials indicted in the US Department of Justice investigation.
Silva’s sweet tweet turning sourer and sourer
October 3 – Manchester City’s Portuguese midfielder Bernardo Silva has been charged with misconduct by the Football Association over a tweet he sent to team-mate Benjamin Mendy.
Premier League land on Guardian’s Pemsel for CEO role
October 3 – The English Premier League have finally found a new chief executive following a nine-month search, with newspaper chief David Pemsel taking over from Richard Scudamore.
Spanish VAR gets nasty as Mediapro denies ‘manipulation’ and ‘criminal mindset’
By Paul Nicholson
October 2 – A row over the use of VAR in Spain has prompted LaLiga’s TV production partner Mediapro to issue a strongly worded rebuttal of accusations from the Spanish federation (RFEF) that Mediapro was manipulating public opinion with its broadcast coverage.
Big new stadium, bigger money, feted manager, UCL final…what happened to Spurs?
By Andrew Warshaw
October 2 – Exactly four months since the euphoria of reaching the Champions League final, the fortunes of Tottenham Hotspur have taken a second straight turn for the worse with words like “crisis” and “humiliation” splashed across the English media amid growing speculation over whether manager Mauricio Pochettino has taken the London side as far as he can.
Arsenal’s Pépé and Chelsea’s Abraham top ranking of players increasing in value
October 2 – PSG’s duo of Kylian Mbappe and Neymar are still the most valuable players in the world at €225 million and €196 million, but the record breaking summer transfer window has thrown some new names into the pot with Arsenal’s new winger Nicolas Pépé topping a ranking of players who have increased their market value.
FIFA gives life ban to former Concacaf boss Sanz
October 2 – Just like his infamous predecessor Chuck Blazer, Enrique Sanz, former general secretary Concacaf, has been banned for life for his involvement in the FifaGate scandal.
Former Valencia president Soler jailed for plot to kidnap and rob his former VP
October 2 – The former president of Valencia Juan Soler (pictured) has been jailed for two years for conspiring to kidnap his one-time vice-president and break into his home.
Ajax double revenue to €199m on back of Champions League run
October 2 – Dutch club Ajax often have the ‘giants’ epithet attached to them because of their deeds on the pitch. Now they are getting closer to justifying that term financially having reported a 2018/19 financial year that more than doubled turnover to €199.5 million.