By Andrew Warshaw
May 30 – Nobody remembers the losers. Real Madrid may have collected Europe’s elite club trophy for the 11th time on Saturday but for millions of neutrals watching round the world on television, the sight of Atletico Madrid’s crestfallen supporters in the San Siro told a far more potent story.
By Samindra Kunti in Milan
May 27 – By the end of Saturday night the Champions League trophy will be returning to the Spanish capital as Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid contest club’s football richest game. The winner will bank a cool €15 million; the runner-up €10.5 million. The champions will also earn a ticket to the FIFA World Club Cup in Japan in December, where another €4.5 million is on offer for the winning finalist.
May 27 – UEFA Champions League sponsor Nissan have again delved into their ‘Excitement Index’ data to come up with a list of the most exciting moments and players so far this campaign.
May 27 – Liverpool have been hit with a second UEFA fine in less than a week, this time for their fans letting off fireworks during their Europa League quarterfinal against Borussia Dortmund in April.
May 27 – Fixture congestion has finally taken its toll on the world’s oldest and most revered domestic knockout competition with English FA Cup quarter-final replays to be scrapped from next season.
By Andrew Warshaw
May 26 – More than 90,000 police and security agents will be deployed across France to ensure safety at Euro 2016 as fears about potential terrorist action heighten, according to French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve.
May 26 – Rumoured Chinese investment in Spanish club Granada CF looks to be nearing completion with reports that a figure of €37 million has been agreed.
May 26 – Michael van Praag, the only declared candidate so far to become the new president of UEFA, is unlikely to be accused of overspending in his effort to replace Michel Platini.
May 26 – Three Romanian top-flight clubs have had points deducted for failing to put their financial affairs in order.
May 25 – Liverpool and Manchester United have both been fined by UEFA for offensive chanting during their Europa League last-16 tie.
By James Dostoyevsky
UEFA is in a quagmire of its own making and one that is much welcomed by Gianni Infantino, the ‘little child’, who ascended to the FIFA Emperor’s Throne, only to stumble from blunder to blunder, with no end in sight.
May 23 – As the half way stage of the group matches at the Toulon Tournament nears, the European nations are dominating, the Czech Republic and France looking almost certain to qualify for the final four.
May 23 – Big money transfer spending does not necessarily bring success, as Louis van Gaal found out to his personal cost at Manchester United this season. The CIES Football Observatory has ranked clubs in the Big 5 Leagues according to the average transfer cost per player fielded.
By Samindra Kunti in Paris
May 23 – Paris Saint-Germain and a departing Zlatan Ibrahimovic won a 10th French Cup against Marseille at the Stade de France in a final that descended into ugly scenes after the final whistle as Marseilles fans stormed the pitch and set fires in the stands.
May 23 – Scottish football authorities have launched an urgent inquiry into Saturday’s mass pitch invasion that marred Hibernian’s first Scottish cup triumph for 114 years.