Liverpool’s strike out against Chelsea deepens trough but UCL offers redemption
March 5 – Two seasons ago they won the Champions League. Last season they finally clinched the English league title for the first time in 30 years.
Belgian top tier league turns to streaming platforms to drive distribution
March 5 – Belgium’s Jupiler Pro League (JPL) has turned to streaming platforms to expand its international broadcast footprint in a deal brokered by Mediarpro.
UEFA sticks to 12-city plan despite report that Bilbao, Dublin and Glasgow face the axe
March 4 – UEFA has sought to shoot down an agency report that it is considering ditching three of the 12 cities being used for this summer’s delayed Euro 2020.
Club Brugge unveil plan to go public on the Euronext exchange
March 4 – Belgian champions Club Brugge having released plans for a public flotation on the Euronext market in Brussels.
Long march: AFC sets April date for China vs South Korea, Tokyo 2020 play off
March 4 – The long awaited final AFC play-off between South Korea and China for the Women’s Olympic Football Tournament Tokyo 2020 has at last been scheduled, more than a year after the final round of qualifying began and seven months after the Tokyo 2020 Olympics should have taken place.
Palestine prioritises national team players with covid vaccine rollout
March 4 – Palestinian authorities have been criticised for prioritising the national football team in the country’s roll-out of the Covid-19 vaccine.
Call of duty: Liverpool lead Premier League battle against player releases for 2022 qualifiers
March 4 – English Premier League clubs are reported to have held crisis talks over releasing players for this month’s international break amid concerns that some may be forced to quarantine for 10 days on their return.
Senghor set to take the FIFA deal and quit CAF presidential race
March 3 – Senegal’s candidate to become the next leader of African football, Augustin Senghor (pictured), appears to be a step closer to throwing in the towel as a result of the apparent deal-making that has characterised the March 12 election process.
Man City top backward pass ranking, Chelsea, Barca, PSG and Real Madrid follow
March 4 – Sometimes it takes a few steps backwards to make significant progress forward. Football appears to be no different with data showing that Europe’s leading teams are also the leaders in the number of backward passes they make.
Fifth time lucky? Schalke 04 now turn to Grammozis in last ditch effort to escape the drop
March 4 – German club and Bundesliga red lantern Schalke 04 have named Dimitrios Grammozis (pictured) as their new head coach on a deal that runs through to 2022.
Anouma still standing for CAF presidency despite pressure to accept ‘advisory’ role
By Paul Nicholson
March 3 – CAF presidential candidate Jacques Anouma is continuing on the campaign trial in his bid for the leadership of African football despite reports that he had agreed to step away from the election at the weekend.
Man Utd’s new Chinese-owned African TV partner in court for non-payment
By Andrew Warshaw
March 3 – The Chinese company appointed by Manchester United to broadcast its matches in some 30 African countries is alleged to owe millions of dollars to a range of stakeholders across the globe.
LaLiga pegs covid lost income at €1bn as clubs cut €490m off wage bills
March 3 – Spain’s LaLiga has released an economic impact report detailing lost income across its top two divisions and the cuts that clubs have made, in particular with player wages and expenses, as they battle with the financial fall out from the pandemic.
Conmebol and FIFA lobby European clubs to release players for March World Cup qualifiers
March 3 – Conmebol and FIFA are seeking to convince European clubs to allow their players to travel for March’s World Cup qualifiers. Brazil have postponed their call-up, which had been scheduled for Friday.
End of the road for King Street as Bordeaux hangs out For Sale board
March 3 – US private equity investor King Street has put French Ligue 1 side Girondins de Bordeaux up for sale as the club’s finances come under increasing strain due to the Covid-19 pandemic.