Slot exits Feyenoord saying Liverpool’s call was hard to ignore
May 21 – New Liverpool manager Arne Slot says he had little choice but to accept the job as Jurgen Klopp’s successor despite the wrench of leaving Feyenoord.
News
Aston Villa confirm Adidas for new multi-year kit deal beginning next season
May 21 – Aston Villa have confirmed that adidas will be the club’s new kit partner from the 2024/25 season onwards. Adidas will replace Castore for Villa’s debut season in the Champions League.
Bulgaria appoint first female ref to top tier men’s league match
May 21 – In a historic moment for Bulgarian football, a female referee will take charge of a match in the country’s first division.
Man City complete record four-peat of Premier League titles and now look to FA Cup double
May 20 – Manchester City’s domination of English football was extended to an unprecedented fourth straight league title on a dramatic final day of action Sunday but the elephant in the room still looms large.
Bayer Leverkusen complete unbeaten Bundesliga season, Bayern Munich finish third
May 20 – Bayer Leverkusen have become the first team in Germany since the Bundesliga was founded in 1963 to complete a whole season undefeated.
Juventus fire Allegri after Italian Cup final sending off
May 20 – Juventus are the latest European giant to be looking for a new manager after sacking Massimiliano Allegri just two days after he led the side to the Italian Cup.
KV Oostende heads for bankruptcy as PMG refuses to co-operate in hunt for new owner
May 20 – In a damning indictment of Pacific Media Group’s (PMG) football club ownership model, Belgium’s KV Oostende is facing bankruptcy after the club failed to find a new owner.
Klopp signs off on an emotional nine years at Liverpool
May 20 – “I’m one of you now — I love you to bits.” Those were an emotional Jurgen Klopp’s parting words to the Liverpool fans as he brought the curtain down on nine years at the club on Sunday, prompting a deafening roar before he disappeared down the Anfield tunnel for the final time.
Infantino snubs the world’s media, refusing to hold a post-Congress press conference
By Samindra Kunti in Bangkok
May 20 – On Friday, following the conclusion of the Congress, FIFA president Gianni Infantino refused to stage a press conference, further souring his relationship with the press.
Ganchev family exits Bulgarian football, gifting Litex Lovech stadium, training ground and shares to city
May 20 – Gricha Ganchev, one of Bulgaria’s richest businessmen and a former owner of CSKA Sofia, has now parted ways with a second club Bulgarian club, Litex Lovech, saying he will give his shares and the assets of the second division club to the Lovech Municipality free of charge.
Betano renews Benfica shirt sleeve sponsorship for further three seasons
May 20 – Online bookmaker Betano has renewed its sleeve sponsorship with Portgual’s Benfica for a further three years.
Signed napkin that secured Messi’s move to Barca sells for $965,000 at auction
May 20 – A white paper restaurant napkin that formally linked a young Lionel Messi to Barcelona was sold at a Bonhams on-line auction on Friday for $968,600.
Bangkok sketch: Infantino’s iron fist of democracy and the new FIFA currency of unity
May 17 – FIFA president Gianni Infantino opened the 74th FIFA Congress in Bangkok, Thailand, with a call for unity. It was a rhetorical moment, as the Congress proved as it rattled through agenda point after agenda point with very little debate and a button pushing membership pressing yes to everything on the electronic voting system that was put before them.
Infantino prevents FIFA membership from voting on Palestine motion to ban Israel
By Samindra Kunti in Bangkok
May 17 – FIFA will commission a ‘legal assessment’ of the conflict in the Middle East by a panel of ‘independent’ experts after the Palestinian FA (PFA) demanded sanctions be taken against the Israeli FA (IFA) at FIFA’s 74th Annual Congress in Bangkok, Thailand.
Infantino sends Fifpro and WLA packing with message they have no place at his top table
May 17 – FIFA president Gianni Infantino has dismissed the threat of legal challenge from Fifpro and the World Leagues Association (WLA) over the overloaded match calendar and the introduction of the expanded 32-team Club World Cup in 2025 as ‘futile’.