Mallorca plan €20m stadium upgrade
January 4 – Mallorca are to upgrade their Son Moix stadium at a cost of €20 million, the La Liga club has announced.
Europe
Ceferin says biennial World Cup is ‘populistic bullshit’ and an ‘absolute no-go’ for Europe
December 30 – UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin is still fuming at the very idea of a biennial World Cup that continues to be trumpeted by his FIFA counterpart, Gianni Infantino.
Anderlecht shows further €29m loss as club battles costs but builds under Kompany
December 30 – Belgian club Anderlecht have announced a loss of €29 million, but the club claims that with last week’s capital injection bankruptcy has been averted.
Lyon and Paris FC kicked out of French Cup after fighting fans force match to end
December 30 – Lyon and Paris FC have been thrown out of the French Cup following the hooliganism that forced their December 17 tie to be called off at half-time.
Ceferin signs off year saying protection of European sports model was the big win in 2021
By Paul Nicholson
December 29 – In an end of year address, UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin says that the European governing bodies most significant achievement was the protection of the European sports model.
Coronavirus: German and Belgian clubs protest as stadia are shut to curb covid spread
By Samindra Kunti
December 23 – Top-flight football in both Germany and Belgium will return to being played behind closed doors to combat a spike in coronavirus infections because of the Omicron variant.
Scots bring forward winter break in bid to beat worst of omicron surge
December 23 – The Scottish Professional Football League has confirmed its top flight will bring forward its winter break in the wake of new restrictions on capacity crowds caused by the surge in the Omicron variant.
Man City’s Mendy has another rape case added to his charges
December 23 – Manchester City’s £50 million defender Benjamin Mendy has been charged with a fresh rape count on top of the six he is already facing.
Abramovich makes it clear in UK libel court he isn’t Putin’s energy rich stooge
December 23 – Russian oligarch and Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich has settled his libel case over publication of claims that he bought the club on the orders of Vladimir Putin.
Coronavirus: Scots advance winter break talks after stadium capacities capped at 500
December 22 – A decision on whether or not the Scottish Premiership winter break will be brought forward is expected in the next 48 hours after a 500-capacity cap was placed on all spectators over what is traditionally a heavily attended Christmas and New Year programme.
Urgent: new owner needed. Serie A’s Salernitana must sell by year end to stay in league
December 22 – Recently promoted Salernitana will be kicked out of Serie A if they do not find a new owner by December 31, according to Italian Football Federation (FIGC) President Gabriele Gravina.
Milan clubs unveil their ‘Cathedral’ to replace their San Siro icon
December 22 – The core design scheme for the new stadium that will replace the Milan’s San Siro as the home for AC Milan and InterMilan has been chosen.
Italian investigators add Inter Milan to transfer fraud probe
December 22 – The ongoing investigation into financial fraud in the Italian game has now enveloped reigning champions Inter Milan whose offices were raided on Tuesday with Italian law enforcement saying they had seized various documents.
Match-fixing: Pawel Cibicki banned in Sweden for taking ‘bribe’
December 22 – Former Leeds United winger Pawel Cibicki has been convicted of offences related to match-fixing by a court of appeal in Sweden and reportedly banned from playing in the country for four years.
Barcelona’s socios mandate board to secure €1.5bn for Espai Barça project
December 21 – Barcelona can’t afford players to keep their playing squad competitive in European competition, but that hasn’t stopped the association’s members mandating the board to raise up to €1.5 billion to pay for the Espai Barça project.