Pelé’s Santos celebrates centenary with exhibition games
By David Gold
April 16 – Santos is celebrating its 100th anniversary with a series of commemorative matches between players of past and present, including the legendary Pelé.
Archive
Part-rebuilt Maracanã Stadium opens to the public
By David Gold
April 16 – The doors of the revamped Maracanã in Rio de Janeiro, which will host the final of the 2014 World Cup as well as the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the 2016 Rio Olympic and Paralympics, have been opened to the public.
FIFA President Sepp Blatter brought to tears over death of Piermario Morosini
By Andrew Warshaw
April 16 – FIFA President Sepp Blatter says he cried at learning of the tragic death of 25-year-old Italian midfielder Piermario Morosini during a Serie B match at the weekend.
Goal-line technology to enter final testing phase following latest refereeing gaffe
By Andrew Warshaw
April 16 – The final phase of testing for goal-line technology will begin by the end of April, according to FIFA, following yet another blatant and ultimately decisive injustice on the field of play.
David Owen: Au revoir but not goodbye Auxerre
An era may be about to end in French football.
As I write this, AJ Auxerre sit 20th and last in Ligue 1, the French First Division.
There is still time for them to save themselves, but they are three points adrift, six points from safety and the days are getting longer.
Football world shaken as Italy’s Piermario Morosini suffers fatal heart attack on pitch
By David Gold
April 15 – Livorno midfielder Piermario Morosini (pictured) has died after suffering a cardiac arrest during a Serie B game with Pescara.
Racist abuse allegations from French cup tie spark calls for inquiry
By David Gold
April 15 – The France-based International League against Racism and Anti-Semitism (LICRA) has demanded an immediate inquiry into allegations that racist abuse was aimed at Lyon striker Bafétimbi Gomis during a cup tie in Corsica.
Barcelona’s Éric Abidal “recovering well” after liver transplant
By Andrew Warshaw
April 13 – Barcelona’s international French defender Éric Abidal, who had a lengthy liver transplant on Tuesday (April 10), is recovering well from the operation according to the club.
Land dispute causes UAE to cancel Iran friendly
By David Gold
April 14 – The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has cancelled a friendly match, scheduled originally for Tuesday (April 17), with Iran after the Islamic Republic’s hardline President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad visited an island which both countries believe they own.
UEFA’s Platini hands Europa League trophy to Bucharest
By David Gold
April 13 – UEFA President Michel Platini has handed over the Europa League trophy to the Mayor of Bucharest, the host city for the final of the competition, which takes place in just under a month’s time.
African Nations Cup 2013 draw confirmed for October
By David Gold
April 13 – The draw for the Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa next year will take place on October 26, it has been revealed by Confederation of African Football (CAF) secretary general Hicham El Amrani.
Exclusive: “Everyone wants Turkey but Turkey wants the Olympics”
By Duncan Mackay in Moscow
April 13 – Leaders of Istanbul 2020 claim that there is no threat of their campaign to host the Olympics and Paralympics being sabotaged by a bid from Turkey to stage football’s European Championships in that year instead.
Sochi 2014 Olympic Stadium World Cup bid hit by weather
By Duncan Mackay in Moscow
April 13 – A trip to inspect the stadium being built for the 2014 Winter Olympics and Paralympics in Sochi to see whether it should be one of the venues for the 2018 FIFA World Cup had to be abandoned when FIFA delegates were unable to land because of thick fog in the city.
UEFA President slams “bandits and crooks” bumping up hotel prices for Euro 2012
By Andrew Warshaw
April 13 – The decision to grant the 2012 European Championships to Poland and Ukraine has once again been brought into sharp focus with UEFA President Michel Platini attacking the “bandits and crooks” who have made Ukrainian hotel costs prohibitive for the average fan.
Egypt long list 73 players for London 2012 Olympics
By David Gold
April 14 – Egypt have named 73 players in a provisional list for their men’s football squad ahead of this summer’s Olympic Games.