Real Madrid fury at Champions League redraw and PSG pairing
December 14 – Real Madrid have slammed Monday’s farcical Champions League last-16 re-draw that saw them end up with a nightmare heavyweight clash against Paris Saint-Germain.
Europe
Bad luck of the redraw: PSG get Real Madrid, Liverpool face Inter
December 13 – There is no question about the match-up of the round following the draw for the last 16 of the Champions League – but it wasn’t the original tie!
Man Utd vs PSG, Ronaldo vs Messi…bit of a balls up forces UEFA redraw
December 13 – There was no question about the match-up of the round when the draw was made today for the last 16 of the Champions League – only for the entire process to be declared null and void minutes later in a major embarrassment for UEFA.
One UEFA ball that won’t be needing a White Knight to fix
December 12 – While the small balls of the UEFA Champions League draw have confused confusion and no-little amusement, the big ball to be used for the real match-up has been unveiled by Adidas.
Spurs face forfeiting Rennes match over refusal to detail number of covid-infected
December 11 – Tottenham Hotspur’s postponed Covid-hit Europa Conference League game against Rennes has been scrapped altogether and will not be played at all, putting the Premier League club at risk of having to forfeit the match and being thrown out of the competition.
Infected Bayern star Kimmich ‘regrets’ he didn’t get jabbed
December 13 – Bayern Munich and Germany star Joshua Kimmich will get vaccinated against the coronavirus after infection forced him to sit time out on the sidelines. Kimmich had refused to get jabbed, his vaccine hesitancy putting him in the spotlight of the vaccination debate.
Biennial World Cup and ESL no longer agenda items as UEFA focuses on new priorities
By Paul Nicholson
December 10 – UEFA will hold its Executive Committee next Thursday (December 16) via video conference and with an agenda that is noticeable absent of the two biggest issues that have faced the European federation over the past eight months – the biennial World Cup and the thwarted plans for a European Super League (ESL).
Spurs’ covid crisis forces Brighton game off and Vitesse to question fairness of Conference League
December 10 – The Covid outbreak sweeping through English Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur, which put paid to Thursday’s Europa Conference League fixture, has now forced Sunday’s Premier League game at Brighton to also be postponed.
Leicester crumble as Napoli make Europa League progress
December 10 – Napoli have knocked Leicester City out of the Europa League with a 3-2 victory in an end-to-end match and will join Barcelona among others in the knockout phase of the competition.
Bellingham breaks into big time with €120m valuation; Foden, Haaland and Vinicus hit €150m
December 10 – There is still big money in youth development despite an overall stagnation in the transfer market. A new transfer value analysis of the Big 5 leagues says there are 15 players under the age of 23 who could command a transfer fee of €100 million or more.
RFEF questions legality of CVC’s €2bn stake in LaLiga as clubs prepare to vote
By Paul Nicholson
December 9 – Two days before LaLiga’s clubs are scheduled to vote on the Impulso Project which will see CVC inject almost €2 billion into the league, the Spanish FA (RFEF) and its president Luis Rubiales have issued a statement against the fund raising and questioning its legality under Spanish law.
Rennes fury at Spurs’ lack of ‘fair play’ as covid crisis forces game off
December 9 – Rennes have reacted angrily to UEFA’s decision to allow Tottenham Hotspur to call off tonight’s European Conference League fixture against their French opponents because of an outbreak of Covid-19.
Lyon docked a point for bottle-throwing fan who caused abandonment of Marseilles game
December 9 – French top-flight side Lyon have been docked one point after their home game last month against Marseille was abandoned when the visitors’ Dimitri Payet was hit on the head by a bottle.
Barca bomb out at Bayern and fail to reach Champion League last 16
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.
Ajax extend Overmars deal until 2026
December 9 – Technical director Marc Overmars has extended his contract at Ajax Amsterdam until 2026. He has held the role since 2012.