PAOK to appeal UEFA fan ban extension for Maccabi visit

PAOK empty stands

By Panos Bletsos
October 1 – Having not played an international home game in front of their fans for more than 13 months, Greek outfit PAOK are hoping to welcome Israel’s Maccabi Haifa to a packed Toumba ground on October 24, having lodged an appeal against UEFA’s decision to extend their home ban on fans to four matches following “irregularities” during the UEFA Champions League play-off clash against Schalke.

Read more …

Osasu Obayiuwana: Jordaan wins – but faces a huge challenge

If “a week is a long time in politics”, as the oft-quoted remark of the late British Prime Minister Winston Churchill reminds us, 202 days is certainly an eternity.

That’s the period between March 10, when Danny Jordaan lost a second successive bid to earn a seat on the executive committee of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and September 28 when he won, by a landslide, the South African Football Association (SAFA) presidential poll.

Read more …

John Yan: Money Talks EverGrandely

In a resounding match, Guangzhou EverGrande defeated Kashiwa Reysol 4:1 at the Japanese club’s home pitch in the first round of the semi-final of Asian Champions League, a place for Guangzhou in the final is almost a certainty.

This would be regarded as a great breakthrough for Chinese football, some media even described it as the twilight of the dark age. A series of records will be broken if Guangzhou could make it to the final and win it,

Read more …

Malaysian tourism’s £7m sponsorship of Cardiff questioned in parliament

vincent tan

By Mark Baber
September 30 – Questions have been asked in the Malaysian parliament has about the £7.35 million sponsorship of Cardiff City by the Malaysian Culture and Tourism Ministry. Opposition MP Hee Loy Sian, revealed that the Malaysian taxpayer will stump up £3 million for the 2013/2014 Premier League season sponsorship of the Welsh club, owned by Malaysian businessman Vincent Tan (pictured).

Read more …

IOC’s new chief Bach says FIFA will steer clear of Games clash

Thomas Bach

By Andrew Warshaw
September 30 – As FIFA’s top brass gather in Zurich for this week’s landmark decision on whether to switch the 2022 World Cup from the tournament’s traditional summer slot, the new president of the International Olympic Committee says he doubts there will ultimately be a clash with the winter Olympics the same year.

Read more …

Messi now waits for Superior Court ruling in tax fraud case

messiandbrotherarriveatcourt

September 30 – The tax evasion case involving Lionel Messi and his father Jorge “should not take long” to be resolved, according to the Spanish Superior Court. Both appeared in court last Friday to face charges of evading €4.2 million in tax by filing incomplete returns for the years 2006 to 2009, allegations they deny but which have caused widespread consternation in Spain where the Argentine superstar is currently out injured.

Read more …

Ukraine fans excluded for key World Cup qualifier

Ukraine fans

By Andrew Warshaw
September 30 – FIFA has ordered Ukraine to play next month’s potentially decisive World Cup qualifier against Poland in Kharkiv behind closed doors after fans hurled racial abuse during the win over San Marino earlier this month. The country has also been banned from playing in the Arena Lviv stadium for the whole of the 2018 World Cup qualification programme.

Read more …

Lee Wellings: Chewing over the Suarez rehab

It surprised me that Luis Suarez didn’t mark his return to playing for Liverpool against Manchester United after a 157 day absence with a match winning performance. It’s so often the way with comebacks from self-inflicted adversity.

The returning ‘bad boy’ is welcomed gratefully back into the fold straight into the spotlight, and quickly reminds everyone of how much they’ve been missed with a flash of genius.

Most memorably Eric Cantona at Manchester United,

Read more …