European football stakeholders sign landmark agreement tightening up player contracts
By Andrew Warshaw
April 20 – The main stakeholders in European football have joined forces to tighten up the rules over contracts for professional players.
Europe
Racism in Russian game is new disease, laments former Spartak Moscow player
By David Gold
April 18 – A former Spartak Moscow footballer, Andrey Tikhonov, has claimed that racism in Russian football did not exist a few years ago.
Rangers’ administrators launch £25 million damages claim against former lawyers
By Andrew Warshaw
April 18 – The crisis facing Scottish giants Glasgow Rangers has taken another damaging twist with the news that the administrators currently in charge of the club are to sue the club’s former lawyers.
Bundesliga strikes €2.5 billion media deal with Sky
By David Gold
April 18 – Sky Deutschland has won the rights to show Bundesliga football live for four years starting from 2013, in a deal worth €2.5 billion (£2 billion/$3.3 billion).
FIFA President Sepp Blatter brought to tears over death of Piermario Morosini
By Andrew Warshaw
April 16 – FIFA President Sepp Blatter says he cried at learning of the tragic death of 25-year-old Italian midfielder Piermario Morosini during a Serie B match at the weekend.
Football world shaken as Italy’s Piermario Morosini suffers fatal heart attack on pitch
By David Gold
April 15 – Livorno midfielder Piermario Morosini (pictured) has died after suffering a cardiac arrest during a Serie B game with Pescara.
Racist abuse allegations from French cup tie spark calls for inquiry
By David Gold
April 15 – The France-based International League against Racism and Anti-Semitism (LICRA) has demanded an immediate inquiry into allegations that racist abuse was aimed at Lyon striker Bafétimbi Gomis during a cup tie in Corsica.
Barcelona’s Éric Abidal “recovering well” after liver transplant
By Andrew Warshaw
April 13 – Barcelona’s international French defender Éric Abidal, who had a lengthy liver transplant on Tuesday (April 10), is recovering well from the operation according to the club.
UEFA’s Platini hands Europa League trophy to Bucharest
By David Gold
April 13 – UEFA President Michel Platini has handed over the Europa League trophy to the Mayor of Bucharest, the host city for the final of the competition, which takes place in just under a month’s time.
SPL debt sanctions halt sale offers for beleaguered Rangers
By Andrew Warshaw
April 12 – A potential new buyer for beleaguered Scottish giants Glasgow Rangers has been delayed because of a string of draconian proposals to heavily penalise clubs who fall into debt.
Zenit escape with pitiful fine for fans’ racist chant violation
By David Gold
April 11 – Zenit St Petersburg have been fined 100,000 rubles ($3,400/€2,600) after their fans (pictured left) were found guilty of racist chanting during a victory against Lokomotiv Moscow last week.
European football mourns Gérard Enault
By David Gold
April 11 – Gérard Enault, the former head of the French Football Federation (FFF) and the head of the bidding committee for France’s successful hosting of the 1998 World Cup, has died.
Exclusive: Europe’s top clubs plan to self-regulate over disputes
By Andrew Warshaw
April 11 – Football disputes, such as late transfer payments, could in future be fast-tracked by clubs themselves rather than be dealt with by FIFA or the sporting courts.
Olympique Marseille fans urge club to lose to spite Paris St. Germain
By Andrew Warshaw
April 10 – The biggest supporters group aligned to French club Olympique Marseille has taken the unusual step of urging their team to lose to title challengers Montpellier tomorrow – in order to stop Paris St. Germain (PSG) from clinching the trophy.
Platini attends inauguration ceremony for new Israeli technical and training centre
By David Gold
April 10 – UEFA President Michel Platini has been in Israel to visit the Shfayim technical and training centre near Tel Aviv, which was recently built with assistance from the HatTrick initiative.