Belgium labour under €4.5m loss and indifferent pre-Euro form
By Samindra Kunti
June 3 – Belgium may be one of the favorites to win Euro2016, but the Belgian FA, the KBVB, has been suffering from a €4.5 million loss since the 2014 World Cup.
Europe
Villar Llona hit by Spanish court dates as he ponders his next UEFA move
By Paul Nicholson
June 2 – Angel Maria Villar Llona, the controversial president of the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) and current interim president at UEFA, has been summoned to appear in court in Spain in July charged with deliberately delaying presidential elections at the RFEF.
Benzema accuses Deschamps of bowing to racist pressure over Euro selection
By Andrew Warshaw
June 2 – France’s attempt at a harmonious build-up to the start of Euro 2016 has been rocked after star striker Karim Benzema lashed out at coach Didier Deschamps for “bowing to the pressure of a racist part of France” when omitting him from the hosts’ squad.
China’s Suning closes in on Inter Milan majority stake for €650m
June 2 – Chinese retailer Suning Commerce is reportedly close to buying a 60% stake in Inter Milan, the latest foray into European football by Chinese investors.
European football set to hit €25bn in revenue next season, says Deloitte
By David Owen
June 2 – Aggregate revenues of clubs in the Big Five European leagues are expected to exceed €15 billion by the end of next season due in part to the new cycle of Premier League TV deals, according to the latest Annual Review of Football Finance just published by Deloitte, the professional services firm.
England opt for youth and returning players for Euro challenge
June 1 – England fans have reacted with bemusement – some with incredulity – after Danny Drinkwater, one of the stars of Leicester City’s miraculous title-winning season, was left out of the England squad for Euro 2016 whilst a player who managed just three league games because of injury was included.
Kick It Out tackles online discrimination with Euro 2016 campaign
June 1- The Kick It Out anti-discrimination body is calling on fans at Euro 2016 to flag up any abuse of players on social media. Dubbed ‘Klick It Out’, the campaign is seeking to raise awareness of online abuse within football.
Right wing politicians pollute German Euro preparations
May 31 – Racial tension is building in Germany ahead of next month’s Euros in France after a right-wing politician’s incendiary comments about international defender Jerome Boateng whose father is from Ghana.
Austria’s Admira hooks up with Kickrs to crowd fund academy
By Samindra Kunti
May 31 – Austrian topflight club FC Admira Wacker Mödling and Swiss start-up kickrs.net have teamed up to crowd-fund the development of the club’s youth academy.
Atletico feel the pain of loss as Real celebrate joy of winning
By Andrew Warshaw
May 30 – Nobody remembers the losers. Real Madrid may have collected Europe’s elite club trophy for the 11th time on Saturday but for millions of neutrals watching round the world on television, the sight of Atletico Madrid’s crestfallen supporters in the San Siro told a far more potent story.
Can Real and Atletico change world fashion as they chase club football’s richest prize?
By Samindra Kunti in Milan
May 27 – By the end of Saturday night the Champions League trophy will be returning to the Spanish capital as Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid contest club’s football richest game. The winner will bank a cool €15 million; the runner-up €10.5 million. The champions will also earn a ticket to the FIFA World Club Cup in Japan in December, where another €4.5 million is on offer for the winning finalist.
Ronaldo more exciting than boring Messi, Bayern and Juve send pulses racing
May 27 – UEFA Champions League sponsor Nissan have again delved into their ‘Excitement Index’ data to come up with a list of the most exciting moments and players so far this campaign.
More fireworks for Liverpool. UEFA set off second fine in a week
May 27 – Liverpool have been hit with a second UEFA fine in less than a week, this time for their fans letting off fireworks during their Europa League quarterfinal against Borussia Dortmund in April.
Are the English preparing for a winter break? FA scraps Cup quarter-final replays
May 27 – Fixture congestion has finally taken its toll on the world’s oldest and most revered domestic knockout competition with English FA Cup quarter-final replays to be scrapped from next season.
France call in paramilitary to keep Euro 2016 secure from terrorist attack
By Andrew Warshaw
May 26 – More than 90,000 police and security agents will be deployed across France to ensure safety at Euro 2016 as fears about potential terrorist action heighten, according to French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve.