Ticket touts win big in Basel as Sevilla secure Europa League hat-trick
By Andrew Warshaw
May 19 – UEFA have defended the choice of Basel’s St Jacob stadium for Wednesday’s Europa League final between Liverpool and Sevilla.
Europe
UEFA sets election date with van Praag early favourite for presidency
By Andrew Warshaw
May 18 – Michel Platini’s successor as UEFA president will be elected on September 14, with veteran Dutch FA chief Michael van Praag already in the frame.
Villar Llona facing lawsuit in Spain as challenges to his rule mount
By Paul Nicholson
May 18 – Angel Villar Llona (pictured), Spain’s controversial FIFA vice-president and the man currently in charge at UEFA following the sanctioning of Michel Platini, is facing legal action at home from rival candidate for the Spainish federation presidency Miguel Angel Galan.
Brugge top Anderlecht to win Belgian title after 11-year wait
By Samindra Kunti
May 17 – Club Brugge have been crowned Belgian champions for the first time since 2005 after hammering arch-rivals Anderlecht 4-0 with two match days to spare.
Czechs ban boozed up match officials
May 13 – Two officials who appeared to be drunk during a top-flight domestic game in the Czech Republic, widely seen since on YouTube, have been banned by their national federation.
Berlusconi closes in on Chinese sale for AC Milan; Villa seek a saviour
By Paul Nicholson
May 11 – The Berlusconi family, owners of Italy’s AC Milan, have opened exclusive talks for the sale of a majority stake in the club to a group of Chinese investors.
Romanians suspend ambulance firm as Ekeng autopsy continues
May 10 – Romania’s interior ministry has suspended the licence of a private ambulance company that transported Dinamo Bucharest and Cameroon midfielder Patrick Ekeng to hospital after he collapsed during a match last Friday and died shortly afterwards.
Platini forced out of UEFA and banned from running for FIFA in 2019
By Andrew Warshaw
May 8 – European football is looking for a new leader after Michel Platini announced he was stepping down as UEFA president, albeit under protest, after losing his fight to clear his name for breaching FIFA’s ethics rules.
Greek Cup final postponed amid new fears over fan violence
By Matt Scott
May 9 – The Greek Football Cup final scheduled for Saturday was postponed by the government amid safety fears for the match.
Ekeng death triggers criticism of Romanian player safety measures
By Andrew Warshaw
May 9 – Football’s world players’ union FIFPro has raised concern about the level of first-aid treatment for footballers in Romania following the tragic death of Dinamo Bucharest and Cameroon midfielder Patrick Ekeng on Friday.
Klopp won’t be walking alone in Basel as Liverpool head to Europa League final
May 6 – He’s only been there since October but Jurgen Klopp and his improving Liverpool team are 90 minutes away – barring extra time and penalties – from playing Champions League football next season.
Rangers tax case draws calls for independent inquiry into Scottish football
By Matt Scott
May 5 – Glasgow Rangers escaped being stripped of historic league titles by the Scottish Football Association on false pretences, a report by the Tax Justice Network (TJN) has alleged.
Europol say Portuguese raids have clamped down on Russian crime gang
May 5 – European and Portuguese police claim to have put a stop to a mainly Russian criminal gang laundering money through football in Portugal.
Andrew Warshaw: UEFA flexes its political manliness over women’s election
As Europe’s blazered football leaders filed out of Budapest following one of the shortest UEFA congresses on record, how many of them were examining their consciences?
Portuguese police swoop on 22 clubs with suspected Russian crime links
May 4 – Portuguese police have carried out searches at several clubs, including Lisbon rivals Benfica and Sporting, as part of ‘Operation Matryoshka Dolls’, an investigation into suspected money laundering with possible links to Russian crime.