September 24 – Social media sites are still buzzing with the sheer incredulity of it all. Bayern Munich’s Robert Lewandowski was already regarded as one of Europe’s most dangerous strikers but even he could not have anticipated what would happen when he stepped off the bench at half-time against Wolfsburg on Tuesday.
By Mark Baber
September 23 – Barcelona, have asked the Spanish football federation and FIFA to allow them to play their summer acquisition Arda Turan, a player who was signed during their transfer ban, on the understanding he would not play until January, as soon as possible.
By Paul Nicholson
September 23 – A breakdown of where the money went from the last transfer window finds that the overwhelming bulk of it – 70% – stayed within the Big 5 European leagues of England, Germany, France, Italy and Spain. And keeping it in the family proved particularly good for AS Monaco who took in €202 million in transfer fees and topped the list of clubs who profited from the summer trading window with a €121 million positive balance.
By Jaroslaw Adamowski
September 22 – Romania’s National Anticorruption Directorate (DNA) has launched an investigation to determine whether Gheorghe Ciuhandu, the former mayor of Timisoara, and two other local officials illegally funded local football club Politehnica Timisoara, which was privately-owned, between 2008 and 2011.
By Andrew Warshaw
September 21 – UEFA has been quick to play down reports in Germany and England that it has unearthed a potentially serious doping issue in its competitions.
By Andrew Warshaw
September 18 – Citing what it described as the “shocking imbalance” between the respective rights of clubs and players, the international players’ union FIFpro has lodged an official legal complaint with the European Commission in a move that could overhaul the entire transfer system.
By Andrew Warshaw and Samindra Kunti
September 18 – FIFA have sanctioned Belgian second-tier club FC Seraing with a two-year transfer ban and a fine of $155,000 after it was revealed that investment fund group Doyen had added €300,000 to the club’s budget in exchange for 30% of some players’ rights.
By Andrew Warshaw
September 18 – UEFA expressed its disappointment and sadness today at the “very serious” latest allegations to strike at the heart of an increasingly discredited FIFA, saying the shock suspension of FIFA general secretary Jerome Valcke continued to tarnish the organisation’s image.
By Mark Baber
September 19 – Turkish Football Federation (TTF) Vice President Hüsnü Güreli (pictured) has said that the country’s 18 Super League clubs have managed to amass a debt of TL 3.5 billion ($1.66 billion) whilst money owed to them only amounted to TL 478 million ($160 million).
By Jaroslaw Adamowski
September 17 – Poland’s top tier Ekstraklasa has launched an investigation into racist incidents which targeted refugees at several matches played in September at Polish stadiums, and decided to punish several clubs.
September 17 – UEFA have refused to confirm or deny reports that they are in discussions to create a third club competition for the first time since the old Cupwinners Cup was disbanded 16 years ago.
By Mark Baber
September 17 – Wycombe Wanderers’s Sky Bet League Two game against Plymouth this weekend was the unexpected venue for a vigorous debate on players wearing of GPS systems, with the kick-off being held up for seven minutes as Plymouth’s new manager Derek Adams questioned their safety.
September 16 – Players in German football’s top two divisions will this weekend put on a collective front by wearing shirts carrying messages supporting the refugees pouring into Europe.
By Paul Nicholson
September 16 – Manchester City, who opened their Champions League campaign last night with a 1-2 home loss to last year’s beaten finalists Juventus, are top of one table with an almost unassailable lead but it will be little consolation. The club tops the rankings of club spending both in the transfer window just closed, and in spending since 2010.
September 15 – Barcelona have announced a total restructuring of its business model with a new department to be headed by Francesco Calvo (pictured), appointed as the club’s new commercial director and joining from Juventus where he was sales manager.