Courting trouble: SFA fines Hearts and Partick for going to the law
August 7 – Scottish clubs Hearts and Partick Thistle have each been fined £2,500 by the Scottish FA for going to court to try and stave off their respective relegations.
Europe
Roma swap millionaire for billionaire US owner in €591m deal
August 6 – An exciting new era looks in store for Roma, with Texas-based Italian-American billionaire Dan Friedkin signing a deal to purchase the famed Serie A side.
UEFA lays down the Covid law as club competitions return
August 6 – Players taking part in the climax to the Champions League and Europa League have been warned by UEFA not to breach strict Covid-19 protocols.
LaLiga and Puma get pumped up for new season with ball unveil
August 6 – Sporting goods giant Puma and La Liga have revealed the match ball for the 2020/21 Spanish topflight season, with Accelerate, in traditional white colours, the primary ball and Adrenalina, with a more catchy design, used for ‘El Clásico’ and other marquee matches.
Europa League back: Man Utd and Inter progress; Leverkusen, Seville and Roma next up
August 6 – The Europa League returned to action on Wednesday after a four-month hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic, with Manchester United, Inter Milan, Shakhtar Donetsk and Copenhagen booking their place for the quarter-finals to be played in Germany.
Doors could open for Bundesliga fans in September, says Seifert
August 5 – Bundesliga first and second division clubs have agreed to allow a small number fans back into stadiums, potentially as early as the 2020-21 season opener on Friday September 18. But only if the authorities give the green light later this month.
Sala transfer dispute rolls on as CAS agrees to give more time
August 5 – The unsavoury dispute over who was liable for Emiliano Sala’s €17 million transfer fee from Nantes to Cardiff City is set to drag on more than a year and half after the Argentine forward was tragically killed when the light aircraft carrying him to Cardiff two days after he signed crashed into the sea before he could play a single game.
Breaking barriers: Dutch to trial woman in men’s senior team
August 5 – Dutch football is to pilot a scheme allowing a woman to play competitively in a men’s team, the KNVB has announced.
Germans set up task force to plot the future for professional game
August 5 – The German FA (DFL) is setting up a task force to examine the future of the professional game in the country in light of the coronavirus pandemic and to make recommendations as to how the game can be strengthened and made more sustainable.
Wigan lose last throw of the dice as appeal loss confirms relegation; Barnsley stay up
August 5 – It’s all over for Wigan Athletic who have been controversially relegated to the third tier of English football as a result of the club’s Hong Kong owner disgracefully pulling the plug on further funding.
Serie A clubs given more time to build as new season pushed back September 19 start
August 4 – Next season’s Serie A kick-off has been postponed by a week to September 19 the Italian league announced in a bid to allow clubs and players enough rest.
LaLiga rethink gives covid-ravaged Fuenlabrada second chance at a play-off spot
August 4 – Spanish football authorities have staged an unexpected u-turn by ruling that the all-important final tier-2 fixture of the season between Deportivo La Coruna and Fuenlabrada can go ahead after all tomorrow.
English FA makes a ‘nasty’ cough a Red card offence
August 4 – Sent off for a cough? It could soon happen. Players who deliberately cough at opponents or match officials during the Covid-19 pandemic can be red-carded under new rules introduced by the English FA and the game’s law-makers.
UEFA explains new penalty laws as Champions League knock-out rounds return
August 4 – With both the Europa League and Champions League resuming this week, UEFA’s chief refereeing officer Roberto Rosetti has explained the amendments to football’s laws of the game in greater details.
Belgians increase Pro League to 18 teams giving a boost to Thai and Saudi club owners
By Samindra Kunti
August 3 – Belgian football has settled on a 18-team format for the next two seasons in the top flight after a court ruling, confirming Waasland-Beveren couldn’t be relegated, forced a u-turn from the Pro League. As a result, both OH Leuven, owned by King Power, and Beerschot, with a Saudi majority owner, were promoted to 1A.