Schalke 04 extends sponsorship deal with Bet-at-home
By Jaroslaw Adamowski
December 23 – Schalke 04 has extended its sponsorship deal with betting operator Bet-at-home until 30 June 2016.
Europe
Switzerland in March for Ronaldo and Zidane Match Against Poverty
December 20 – The 11th Match Against Poverty will take place on 4 March 2014 at the Stade de Suisse in Berne, announced United Nations Development Project (UNDP) ambassadors Ronaldo and Zinédine Zidane yesterday.
Barnet open doors to cross-sport ground share with London Broncos
December 20 – London’s only top level Rugby League side, London Broncos, have agreed a two-year ground share with Barnet Football Club, relegated last year to the Football Conference, England’s fifth tier of football.
Gattuso rubbishes accusations as Italian football rushes to his defence
By Andrew Warshaw
December 20 – Italian World Cup winner Gennaro Gattuso has fiercely denied allegations of match-fixing saying he is “angry and offended” at any suggestion that might be involved in any operation.
Ekstraklasa teams up with Transparency to educate players on gambling risks
By Jaroslaw Adamowski
December 19 – Poland’s Ekstraklasa, the operator of the top tier of Polish professional football league, is aiming to educate young footballers on the risks related to gambling. The initiative, carried out by the Ekstraklasa Foundation, is launched in cooperation with Transparency International which also collaborates with six other European football leagues on similar programmes.
UEFA 2016 qualification format adds opportunity to small nations
By Andrew Warshaw
December 18 – Many of Europe’s less heralded countries will be given a greater chance than ever to qualify for the European Championship finals following a revolutionary new format unveiled by UEFA for 2016. Teams will be placed into nine groups of five and six teams, with both group winners and runners up qualifying automatically as well as the best third-placed side.
Olympiakos appeal UEFA sanction, claiming punishment does not fit crime
December 19 – Greek club Olympiakos Piraeus have appealed against the partial closure of their ground for their glamour Champions League last-16 tie with Manchester United, denying claims by UEFA that a section of their fans acted in a racist way in last week’s final group game.
Leonardo slams Platini for failing to see role of third-party ownership
By Paul Nicholson
December 19 – Brazilian, coach and former World Cup winner Leonardo has accused UEFA president Michel Platini of not knowing what he is talking about when it comes to the importance of third-party player ownership in South America, and that the 14 month ban he received in France at PSG for allegedly pushing a referee on the touchline “had a political logic to it”.
UEFA stadia sanctions hit Olympiakos and Zenit for next round of CL
December 18 – Champions League knockout stage qualifiers Olympiakos and Zenit St Petersburg have both paid the penalty for racist behaviour by their respective fans.
New Global Player mag launches with promise of more to come
December 18 – The Global Player, a new magazine, was published this week by the International Football Arena (IFA) and is as eclectic and elegant in its look and feel as the IFA conferences are themselves. Originally planned as a one-off to celebrate 15 years of IFA in Zurich, the magazine will now be published regularly, though the commitment to the publishing schedule is to be announced.
Oldham sack ‘failed’ spotfixer Montano for gross misconduct
By Andrew Warshaw
December 18 – One of the players at the centre of the English spotfixing scandal has been sacked by his club on the grounds of gross misconduct.
Spanish clubs face meltdown if EU finds tax grants were illegal
By Andrew Warshaw
December 17 – Seven Spanish clubs, including Real Madrid and Barcelona, could be investigated for allegedly obtaining illegal state aid or loans in breach of European Union regulations.
Gattuso arrested as Italian match-fixing clean-up digs deeper into Serie A
December 17 – Former AC Milan midfielder Gennaro Gattuso, one of the most iconic figures in Italian football, is reportedly being investigated for match-fixing.
Fast-build Twitter account scams target World Cup and CL draws
By Tom Parsons
December 17 – Twitter accounts predicting the outcomes of several high-profile football draws, leading some to conclude that those in charge of the draws are corrupt, have turned out to be a scam to build twitter audiences for these newly created and so-called ‘ITK’ (in the know) accounts.
Portuguese, Polish investors eye Lechia Gdansk
By Jaroslaw Adamowski
December 17 – The majority shareholder of Lechia Gdansk, currently playing in the Ekstraklasa, is planning to sell its stake in the Polish football club.