January 20 – A women’s Champions League match looks set to break the world record for the most spectators and could set the record for the record for the most attended match in Europe this season.
January 19 – The trial of Wales manager Ryan Giggs over alleged domestic violence has been delayed until August 8 – due to a lack of court space.
January 19 – Real Madrid and Spain legend Francisco ‘Paco’ Gento, the only player to have won the old European Cup six times, has died aged 88.
By Samindra Kunti
January 18 – Club Brugge’s Vincent Mannaert (pictured) has retained his six-month mandate to lead the Pro League, even after he was named as one of 57 suspects in operation ‘Clean Hands’.
January 18 – An amnesty for yellow cards in European qualifying for the World Cup has lifted the threat of suspension for dozens of players involved in the playoffs in March.
By Samindra Kunti
January 17 – Brugge strongmen Bart Verhaeghe and Vincent Mannaert, AA Gent’s Michel Louwagie, Standard’s Bruno Venanzi, Charleroi’s Mehdi Bayat and FIFA’s Steven Martens were named among the 57 suspects that the federal prosecutor wants in court in operation ‘Clean Hands’, the largest investigation into match-fixing and corruption in the history of Belgian football.
January 17 – A Spanish cup game between fierce city rivals Sevilla and Real Betis was abandoned on Saturday after Sevilla’s Joan Jordan was struck on the head by an object thrown from the stands and collapsed to the ground.
By Samindra Kunti
January 13 – John Textor has not waited long to deliver on his promise to build a global network of clubs. Days after taking over storied Brazilian club Botafogo, he has become a co-investor in Belgian club RWD Molenbeek.
January 13 – Both the Asian Football Confederation and the UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 Heritage Programme have launched historical retrospectives of the women’s game in their regions that chart its development and highlight its pioneers.
January 13 – The owner of the bottom team in the entire English professional league pyramid, Oldham Athletic, says he has been sent threats and bullets through the post.
January 12 – UEFA is looking for hospitality partners for the Euro 2024 championship that will be hosted in Germany.
January 11 – Club Brugge’s Vincent Mannaert and Anderlecht’s Wouter Vandenhaute will lead the Belgian Pro League for the next six months following the resignation of chairman Peter Croonen.
January 10 – The fragility of the finances in the lower tier of the women’s professional game were demonstrated last week with the last-minute takeover of Coventry United Ladies, who play in the FA Women’s Championship.
January 7 – Ajax Amsterdam have abandoned their training camp in Portugal following an outbreak of coronavirus infections. They follow in the footstep of PSV, Feyenoord and a slate of Belgian clubs who decided to cancel their winter camps altogether.
January 7 – Yet another high-profile Italian fixture has descended into farce because of Covid-19 with Inter Milan’s game at Bologna called off even though the visitors had turned up to play.