Dortmund bus bomb victim Bartra testifies to lucky escape
January 30 – Marc Bartra, Borussia Dortmund’s Spanish defender injured when the team bus was bombed last April, says he is lucky to be alive.
Europe
First UEFA Nations League takes shape with groups drawn in Lausanne
By Andrew Warshaw
January 24 – It may look fiendishly unwieldly and complicated on paper but UEFA are convinced that their much-trumpeted Nations League competition, the draw for which was made today, will very quickly catch on and become an integral part of the European football landscape.
UEFA considers cap on agents fees to stop financial ‘hostage’ taking
January 24 – UEFA is considering imposing a cap on agents’ fees following a meeting of its Professional Football Strategy Group.
La Liga-Saudi deal puts cash before player development, says Spanish players union
January 23 – A ground-breaking agreement between Spanish football and authorities in Saudi Arabia has received a furious rebuke from Spain’s football union which says the arrival of nine Saudi players in La Liga will harm local development and is purely a money-earning exercise.
Estoril evacuate fans as cracks appear in stadium at half time
January 18 – Portuguese authorities are investigating the circumstances that led to a top-flight league match being abandoned at half-time and spectators evacuated on to the pitch after cracks appeared in a stand.
UEFA receives nine bids for 2020 European Super Cup
January 16 – Nine venues have expressed an interest in hosting the European Super Cup in 2020 between the winners of the Champions League and Europa League.
Man Utd and Sevilla go to war over ticket prices for Champions League last-16 clash
January 11 – Manchester United and Sevilla are locked in a bitter ticket war over their forthcoming Champions League last-16 clash with the Spanish club saying they will report United to UEFA for not offering their fans enough seats.
Naki claims shooting attempt was work of a Turkish death squad in Germany
January 9 – German prosecutors have opened an attempted murder investigation after a German-Turkish player known for his pro-Kurdish views was shot at on a motorway.
Dortmund bus bomber tells court he didn’t want to kill anyone
January 9 – The suspect in the attack on Borussia Dortmund’s team bus that led to last season’s Champions League quarter-final with AS Monaco being postponed for 24 hours has admitted to carrying out the attack but says he did not intend to kill or injure anyone.
Yorkshire wins nation status, and organises battle of giants against Isle of Man
January 8 – The non-FIFA Confederation of International Football Associations (CONIFA) ratified the membership of Yorkshire on Saturday. Yorkshire will play its first friendly against the Isle of Man in January.
Belgrade derby erupts again and Partizan and Red Star fans continue where they left off
January 2 – One of the fiercest rivalries in European club football, dubbed the “eternal derby”, has made headlines once again for all the wrong reasons.
Dortmund bus bomber charged with 28 counts of attempted murder
December 22 – A German-Russian of dual nationality suspected of trying to blow up the Borussia Dortmund team by detonating three bombs appeared in court on Thursday charged with 28 counts of attempted murder.
Good news, bad news for Juve owner Agnelli. Ban is lifted but fine increased
December 19 – Juventus president Andrea Agnelli’s one-year ban for his alleged role in the sale of match tickets to the club’s ultras fans has been lifted but his fine has been increased while the club has also been hit harder than its original sanction.
Cymru am byth, and back to business as usual after English-gate slur interlude
By Andrew Warshaw
December 15 – Talk about a storm in a teacup. Just a couple of days after opening an investigation against their chief executive Jonathan Ford for allegedly talking out of turn by saying the next Wales manager could be “foreign”, but “definitely not English”, the Football Association of Wales has decided to take no action.
Shock horror, Welsh not wild about English. And footballs are still round
By Andrew Warshaw
December 14 – The Football Association of Wales (FAW) faces accusations of hypocrisy over reportedly opening disciplinary action against its chief executive Jonathan Ford for saying the next Wales manager could be “foreign”, but “definitely not English”.