UEFA sees yellow and calls on IFAB to ease the ‘triple’ troubles
By Andrew Warshaw
December 13 – UEFA wants football’s lawmakers to scrap the so-called “triple punishment” rule that many in the game feel is too draconian.
Europe
UEFA proposes 11-point plan for match-fixing sanctions
By Andrew Warshaw
December 13 – UEFA have responded to the latest wave of match-fixing by drawing up an 11-point plan which they hope will be applied by all 54 member federations. The draft plan, which calls on the membership to agree to the same sanctions on a consistent basis, will be put before the UEFA Congress in Kazakhstan next March for approval.
Barca rule out full naming rights deal as Intel signs on as tech sponsor
December 12 – With Barcelona considering their options on whether to revamp the Nou Camp or move to a new site and build on land owned by the University of Barcelona, the club has landed US IT company Intel as a new sponsor.
Celtic await imminent UEFA ruling on Green Brigade banners
December 12 – Scottish champions Celtic will find out on Friday what sanction they will face over outlawed banners displayed by fans during last month’s Champions League clash with AC Milan.
Violence and recrimination in Italy mars last round of Champions League
December 12 – The culmination of the Champions League group phase was marked by an ugly outbreak of fan violence in Milan where three Ajax supporters were stabbed prior to their decisive fixture with AC Milan. The fans were apparently attacked in three separate incidents close to the San Siro stadium with one of them in a “serious” condition after being stabbed in the stomach.
Rosetti quits as Russian refereeing supremo
By Andrew Warshaw
December 12 – Just over a year after declaring that the level of officiating in Russia needed a radical overhaul, Roberto Rosetti has resigned as head of refereeing at the Russian federation.
Sky Deutschland keeps Champions League and football lead
December 12 – Rupert Murdoch’s German satellite broadcaster Sky Deutschland has retained its right to screen Champions League games until 2018.
Exclusive: Belounis in England to talk to clubs on next move
By Andrew Warshaw
December 11 – Zahir Belounis, the footballer whose story of being “trapped” in Qatar against his will made him an international cause celebre, was in London today for preliminary talks with unidentified clubs over possibly extending his career in the English league.
Poland’s Ekstraklasa eyes launch of own TV channel
By Jaroslaw Adamowski
December 11 – Poland’s Ekstraklasa is planning to launch its own television channel. Under the plan, the channel will hold Polish league football broadcast rights and resell them to digital platforms and cable operators.
Barca review Nou Camp stadium options for January decision
December 11 – Barcelona will make a decision in January whether to move from the iconic Nou Camp stadium, their home for more than half a century.
Celtic swift to ban fans and ‘protect’ reputation after Motherwell ‘troubles’
By Andrew Warshaw
December 10 – Scottish champions Celtic have taken what appear to be steps to disband their notorious Green Brigade fans group after a reported £10,000 worth of damage was caused to the away end of the ground at Motherwell’s stadium during last Friday’s league game between the clubs.
Clear and present danger: English match-fixing is happening here and now
By Andrew Warshaw
December 10 – The spot-fixing scandal that has rocked English football has moved up a gear with the relevation that five of the six men arrested are past or present players, the most high profile being DJ Campbell, a striker with Blackburn Rovers in the second tier of the domestic game who previously played in the Premier League with three different clubs.
CSKA cuts debt and costs but still seeks sponsor and faces legal battles
By Alexander Krassimirov
December 10 – CSKA Sofia CEO Alexander Todorov (pictured) said that the new management of the club has reduced the salaries of the players about 35% compared to those who have paid the previous owners of Titan AS.
Ultras violence forces players out of Poland’s Zaglebie Lubin
By Jaroslaw Adamowski
December 9 – Following a series of defeats which pushed the football club towards the relegation zone of Poland’s Esktraklasa, the Ultras of Zaglebie Lubin assaulted one of the club’s players, damaged another one’s car with bricks and threatened to assault a third player.
English match-fixing now hits higher up the leagues with 6 more arrests
By Andrew Warshaw
December 9 – A one-time English Premier League footballer and Nigerian international has admitted being involved in spot-fixing in a second damaging newspaper sting that has led to six people being detained and has once again seriously undermined the reputation and credibility of English football.