December 9 – For the first time in 18 years Barcelona have been eliminated from the Champions League before the knockout stage after being humbled 3-0 by Bayern Munich on Wednesday.
December 9 – Socios.com are racking up the crypto air miles. Having yesterday announced Brazil’s Palmeiras as joining their Fan Token universe, today they are in Europe unveiling Crystal Palace as the sixth Premier League team to sign up.
December 9 – Technical director Marc Overmars has extended his contract at Ajax Amsterdam until 2026. He has held the role since 2012.
December 9 – Brazilian legend Pele is back in hospital, for follow-up for treatment for a colon tumour.
December 8 – The Confederation of African Football has dismissed rumours that next month’s Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) could be moved away from Cameroon following the recent discovery of the new Omicron variant of COVID-19.
December 8 – Fan-led review chair Tracey Crouch MP has responded to criticism, arguing that an independent regulator will help grow the English game.
December 8 – Major League Soccer has unveiled plans for the debut of its third tier league, MLS Next Pro, that will start play in 2022 with 21 clubs.
December 8 – England’s teenage midfield international Jude Bellingham has been fined €40,000 by the German Football Association for unsportsmanlike conduct after he criticised referee Felix Zwayer following his Borussia Dortmund team’s 3-2 defeat by Bayern Munich last weekend.
December 8 – AC Milan CEO Ivan Gazidis has defended a controversial plan to demolish the iconic San Siro and replace it with a €690 million stadium to ensure the club’s future.
December 8 – Jordan completed the line-up of the Arab Cup quarter-finals following a 5-1 victory against Palestine to clinch second spot ahead of Saudi Arabia in Group C.
December 8 – FIFA has rebranded its museum with a new name and new look, dropping the ‘world’ from its title to now become ‘FIFA Museum’. The change is subtle but it reflects the current administration’s change of attitude and policy towards its heritage project.
December 8 – Tottenham Hotspur’s Europa Conference League clash against Rennes on Thursday evening is expected to go ahead as scheduled despite a Covid outbreak in the London club’s ranks.
December 8 – Copa Libertadores champions Palmeiras have become the fifth Brazilian club to commit to launching an official Fan Token – $VERDAO – on the Socios.com app.
By Paul Nicholson
December 7 – Player values that have dropped on aggregate by 20% over the period of the coronavirus crisis have remained stagnant with few players having regained their pre-pandemic market values, according to an analysis of player market values by KPMG Football Benchmark.
December 7 – AFC president Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa (pictured) has emphasised the value of the confederation’s revamped financial assistance programmes saying that they will “empower” federations.