World Cup hero Lloris hit with 20 month ban and £50k fan for drunk driving
September 13 – French World Cup-winning captain Hugo Lloris has been fined £50,000 and banned from driving for 20 months.
Europe
ECA says clubs to get third UEFA competition, opening Euro play to 96 clubs
September 12 – A week after reports that UEFA were considering re-introducing a third European club competition to run alongside the Champions league and Europa League, the clubs appear to have stolen the organisation’s thunder by confirming it will take place.
Atlantic crossing? Champions League final mooted for New York in 2021
January 12 – A leading marketing executive has raised eyebrows across Europe by suggesting discussions are taking place privately to see whether staging the Champions League final in New York might be feasible.
Scottish FA agrees deal to buy Hampden Park for £5m in 2020
September 12 – The Scottish Football Association (SFA) has agreed a deal to buy Hampden Park for £5 million from League Two side Queen’s Park when the existing lease of Hampden expires in summer 2020.
Spanish players to decide on 15-year plan to play LaLiga fixtures in US
September 11 – Landmark proposals to play a top-flight Spanish league game in the USA has taken another twist with reports that the players will have the final say.
PR leader and VERO founder Mike Lee dies, aged 61
September 11 – Mike Lee, former UEFA head of communications and widely regarded as one of the gurus of British sports public relations, has died suddenly of a heart attack aged 61.
Olympique Marseilles have threat of European ban lifted on appeal
September 11 – UEFA has lifted its threat to ban Olympique de Marseille from European competition if there is a repeat of the violence which marred their Europa League campaign last season.
Nations League minnows swim upstream in race for Euro 2020 place
By David Owen
September 10 – The race to become the unlikeliest ever qualifier for the European Championship finals is on, with Georgia, FYR Macedonia, Belarus and the Faroe Islands having established an early advantage.
Bad strike: Bendtner named in taxi fracas but no charges released
September 10 – Danish international Nicklas Bendtner has been reported to police by a Copenhagen taxi driver who claims he was behind a violent attack on Sunday morning and had to undergo surgery for a broken jaw.
Nations League kicks off with fanfare, big country match-ups and real competition
September 7 – Football entered a new international era as the Nations League kicked off on Thursday across Europe, almost outlawing friendlies, and incentivising the international game again. In the pick of the games world champions France were held to a scoreless draw in Munich against 2018 World Cup winners.
Lahm adds polish to Germany’s Euro 2024 hosting bid
By Andrew Warshaw in Munich
September 7 – Philipp Lahm will always be remembered for captaining Germany to World Cup glory four years ago – as well, of course, for being one of the finest players of his generation. But if his country wins the right to stage Euro 2024 when it goes head-to-head with Turkey later this month, Lahm will consider it just as great an achievement as the multitude of trophies picked up during an illustrious career for club and country.
Danes agree stop-gap deal with players in time to face rampant Welsh in Nations League
September 7 – The Danish FA has reached a short-term agreement with the country’s players’ union to ensure that the regular senior team can return for the Nations League game against Wales on Sunday.
Germans start on path to redemption with Nations League visit of France
By Andrew Warshaw in Munich
September 6 – Germany begin the task of rebuilding their battered reputation tonight but could not have chosen tougher opponents for the first game since their worst World Cup for 80 years.
Premier League seeks exemption to keep foreign player doors open post Brexit
September 6 – The English Premier League is holding talks with British authorities to try and ensure imported players from Europe will not be subject to work permits after Brexit.
Danish part-timers show spirit against Slovakia as Wales Nations League opener looms
September 6 – Denmark’s bits-and-pieces team of lower-league players, drafted in because of a bitter pay dispute, went down fighting when they beaten 3-0 by Slovakia in a friendly on Wednesday.