Belgium’s Oostende release Ondoa over lockdown party chaos
December 16 – KV Oostende have dismissed their Cameroon goalkeeper Fabrice Ondoa with immediate effect after he allegedly organised a lockdown party.
Barca go live on Twitch with LaLiga match commentary and esports focus
December 16 – Spanish giants Barcelona today launch their official channel on live streaming behemoth Twitch, opening with commentary of the club’s LaLiga match against Real Sociedad.
Covid-disrupted Concacaf clubs gather for final rounds of Champions League in Orlando
December 15 – Concacaf kicks of the centralised finish to its Champions League tonight with a double of hearer of quarter finals games at Orlando’s Exploria Stadium.
FIFPro marks social pioneering moments and 25 years since game-changing Bosman ruling
By Andrew Warshaw
December 15 – International players’ union FIFPro is celebrating exactly 25 years since the landmark Bosman ruling that changed the face of world football.
Everton post second-consecutive £100m-plus pre-tax loss
By David Owen
December 15 – The sobering story of the 2019-20 Premier League financial results season has continued, with Everton posting a towering pre-tax loss for the year to end-June of £139.9 million.
London lockdown recloses stadia at Premier League’s six capital teams
December 15 – No sooner had a limited number of fans been allowed back at a number of Premier League fixtures than London matches have been forced back behind closed doors after the capital was placed in the toughest tier of COVID-19 restrictions following a sharp rise in infection rates.
Haiti’s Jean-Bart, banned for sexual abuse, says there are no babies
December 15 – In a remarkable interview with the online version of Britain’s Daily Mail newspaper, the disgraced former head of Haiti’s football federation – banned for life for sexual abuse – has launched a passionate defence of his behaviour by accusing FIFA of being corrupt, declaring he is being used as a scapegoat and arguing that he was given only 10 minutes to respond to the sickening accusations against him.
Arsenal to launch new fan loyalty programme with Barclays enabled payment card
December 15 – Premier League Arsenal are revamping their membership programme into a broader based loyalty and rewards programme that will be delivered in partnership with Barclays Bank and Fortress GB.
Infantino on hand to help seal the UAE-Israel football pact
December 15 – Never one to miss out on a photo opportunity to boost his popularity, Gianni Infantino attended the official signing on Monday of a ground-breaking agreement between the football associations of the UAE and Israel.
Stoke’s Collins tops ‘rigour’ ranking but Dutch and RB Salzburg are the talent factories
December 15 – The CIES Football Observatory has launched its latest top 10 rankings of the best performing players in Europe born in the 2000s and playing for clubs outside Europe’s Big 5 leagues.
OneFootball scales up with reported €50m Dugout deal
December 15 – OneFootball has acquired Dugout, one of the world’s largest digital football media businesses, taking over a key rival in a bid to expand its reach and digital footprint further.
Belgians keep option of retaining an 18-team top tier open
December 15 – Belgian football has postponed a decision to temporarily maintain an 18-team league format until January following a general assembly of the Pro League.
Barca vs PSG, Liverpool vs RB Leipzig, Atletico vs Chelsea are pick of Champions League round of 16
December 14 – Barcelona will face Paris St Germain in a mouth-watering heavyweight clash of the Champions League round of 16 while title holders Bayern Munich are up against Italy’s Lazio following today’s draw.
Ulsan Hyundai secure extra time win to set up ACL final against Persepolis
December 14 – South Korea’s Ulsan Hyundai came from behind to defeat Japan’s Vissel Kobe 2-1 after extra time at the Jassim bin Hamad Stadium in Qatar on Sunday to win the East zone of the Asian Champions League (ACL). They now face Iranian giants Persepolis next Saturday in final.
Europe mourns passing of Gerard Houllier, aged 73
By Andrew Warshaw
December 14 – Former French head coach and Liverpool manager Gerard Houllier, one of the most knowledgeable, astute and widely respected figures of his generation, has died aged 73, prompting a string a tributes from across the footballing world.