England’s 4th tier votes to end season, but 3rd tier Sunderland and Portsmouth want to play on
May 18 – The fourth professional tier of English football has succumbed to the inevitable and has agreed to abandon the rest of its league season.
Europe
Bundesliga goes viral as it begins Big league fightback against Covid-19
By Andrew Warshaw
May 15 – After a two-month suspension caused by Covid-19, top-flight European football is back this weekend – under vastly different circumstances, behind closed doors and only in one country, but nevertheless a significant boost for millions of sports-starved fans across the globe.
Forget VAR, Covid-19 cheats looks set to be the new rule stretching frontier
May 15 – An unusual corona-related football row has broken out in Austria with league leaders Linz accused by rivals of breaking Covid-19 rules by returning to full training too early. The club itself counters it has been the victim of industrial espionage.
Dutch duo lose court battle over promotion to Eredivisie
May 15 – On Thursday, Cambuur Leeuwarden and De Graafschap Doetinchem had their dreams of promotion to the Eredivisie quashed by a Dutch judge, who dismissed their claim that they should go up.
Belgian Pro League battles to find winning formulas for under-pressure clubs
By Samindra Kunti
May 15 – Belgian football’s deadlock has reached a boiling point. The Pro League is currently confronting a panoply of problems that require an urgent and transparent solution to prevent a further meltdown of the local game and not aggravate the plight of smaller clubs already hammered by the coronavirus crisis.
English Championship clubs told to stay home until May 25
May 14 – Clubs in England’s second-tier Championship have been asked to push back a return to training until May 25 at the earliest amid stark warnings over a financial hole caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
Serie A clubs wait for Italian government to rubber stamp June 13 return
May 14 – Serie A clubs have voted to resume their domestic season on June 13, pending approval from the Italian government.
Spurs and England star Dele Alli robbed at knifepoint while at home
May 14 – Tottenham and England midfielder Dele Alli has been robbed at knifepoint at his £2 million North London home, the assailants getting away with hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of valuables.
Amiens head to French courts after LFP relegate them ‘unfairly’ to second tier
May 13 – In a classic example of what sports lawyers have warned could happen when leagues are stopped in the tracks and not completed because of the coronavirus pandemic, Amiens have started legal proceedings for their “unjust” relegation from France’s Ligue 1.
Tebas warns of reduced player salaries as LaLiga predicts clubs will lose €300m
May 13 – Spanish clubs will have to live up to the fact that they will have to reduce salaries next season due to the financial impact of the coronavirus pandemic, according to La Liga president Javier Tebas.
Ukrainian striker after failed dope test, but Biesiedin will be back for Euros
May 13 – Ukraine striker Artem Biesiedin has been banned for one year by UEFA after failing a doping test.
FIFA and UEFA probe Ukraine FA boss Pavelko’s financial conduct
May 12 – The highest-ranking official in Ukrainian football is under fresh scrutiny regarding millions of dollars in development money paid to his national federation.
Belarus forced to call off games as Covid-19 strikes
May 12 – The one country in Europe playing regular football despite Covid-19, has had to postpone two games because of the virus.
Coronavirus: Denmark drive towards May 28 restart
May 12 – Denmark is the latest country to name a date for resuming top-flight football with May 28 confirmed following a gap of more than two months.
Bundesliga 2’s Dresden quarantined throwing May 16 restart into turmoil
By Andrew Warshaw
May 11 – The whole concept of resuming top-flight football, which has split public opinion down the middle both on sporting and moral grounds, has suffered a blow with the entire squad of Dynamo Dresden, who play in the second tier of German football, put into two-week isolation after two players tested positive for coronavirus.