Europol say Portuguese raids have clamped down on Russian crime gang
May 5 – European and Portuguese police claim to have put a stop to a mainly Russian criminal gang laundering money through football in Portugal.
World Football
Andrew Warshaw: UEFA flexes its political manliness over women’s election
As Europe’s blazered football leaders filed out of Budapest following one of the shortest UEFA congresses on record, how many of them were examining their consciences?
Portuguese police swoop on 22 clubs with suspected Russian crime links
May 4 – Portuguese police have carried out searches at several clubs, including Lisbon rivals Benfica and Sporting, as part of ‘Operation Matryoshka Dolls’, an investigation into suspected money laundering with possible links to Russian crime.
UEFA’s concentrated club wealth leaves little room for Infantino’s ‘solidarity’ pitch
By Paul Nicholson
May 4 – On the day that FIFA president Gianni Infantino addressed his former UEFA colleagues in Budapest with a plea for them to forgo their $5 million grants from FIFA for the greater good of developing world football, KPMG’s Football Benchmark team (also based in Budapest) produced an analysis of how UEFA has distributed its substantial wealth from its two major competitions (Champions League and Europa League) over the past three seasons.
Football or politics? Kosovo wins UEFA vote despite vehement Serbian opposition
By Andrew Warshaw
May 3 – Kosovo finally won its long battle for footballing recognition today when it became the 55th member of UEFA and, like Gibraltar, could now be fast-tracked into the 2018 World Cup qualifying programme.
UEFA plans post-Platini; Infantino wants their $5m FIFA grants for bigger picture
By Andrew Warshaw
May 3 – UEFA finally acknowledged today it is preparing for life after Michel Platini by tabling an emergency meeting of its executive committee later this month with a view to choosing an election date in case its French president loses his appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), the outcome of which will be announced within a week.
Hummels and Lahm head defender rankings. A Euro 2016 indicator?
May 3 – The CIES Football Observatory has released more details of its ranking of the best players in the Big 5 European leagues for this season. Dortmund’s Mats Hummels leads the list of best centrebacks while Atlético Madrid’s Filipe Luís tops the full back table.
Manaus stadium thrown another lifeline with hosting of crucial Brazil 2018 qualifier
By Samindra Kunti
May 3 – The Brazilian FA, the CBF, has confirmed that Brazil will play their World Cup qualifier against Colombia in September in Manaus.
Exclusive: Leaderless UEFA will be in nomansland until September if Platini loses
By Andrew Warshaw
May 2 – European football looks set to be without an elected leader until September if banned UEFA boss Michel Platini fails to clear his name over alleged ethics violations.
UEFA chieftains gather in Budapest for Congress with only Kosovo to cause contention
By Andrew Warshaw
May 2 – Delegates from UEFA’s 54 member countries are gathering in Budapest for Tuesday’s annual congress with the likehihood of the summit being one of the shortest on record.
Juventus join PSG as perennial champions, Bayern drop points but on course
By Paul Nicholson
May 2 – Europe’s big teams are once again dominating Europe’s big leagues with Juventus celebrating their fifth consecutive Serie A title with their tenth consecutive league win.
Ajax in pole position to restore normal order in Eredvisie
By Samindra Kunti
May 2 – Ajax Amsterdam have moved a step closer to winning a fifth domestic league title in six years after hammering FC Twente 4-0.
Liverpool send advance party to US with U21 trip to Sacramento
May 1 – Liverpool will play in the US in the pre-season International Champions Cup this July, but before then the club’s U-21 team will play two friendly matches in California and Nevada against Sacramento Republic next month.
PAOK refuse to play Cup semi-fnal amid calls for deeper clean of Greek football
By Andrew Warshaw
April 29 – Despite a solution seemingly having been reached between Greek authorities and FIFA to resume the national cup competition and prevent Greece being thrown out of international football, PAOK Salonica owner Ivan Savvidis (pictured) pulled his team out of this week’s semi-final, second leg against Olympiakos Piraeus because his conditions had not been met.
Brazilian ‘mafia’ inquiry targets Marin, Hawilla, Dunga, Neymar’s Dad and Infantino
By Samindra Kunti
April 29 – The Brazilian parliamentary inquiry (CPI) into corruption in football – actually called CPI da Mafia de Futebol – has requested interviews with former president of the Brazilian FA Jose Maria Marin (pictured) and Traffic founder Jose Hawilla, both currently confined to the United States as part of their agreements with the US Department of Justice as it continues its football corruption prosecutions.