Giggs’ Welsh return on hold as court date pushed to August
January 19 – The trial of Wales manager Ryan Giggs over alleged domestic violence has been delayed until August 8 – due to a lack of court space.
World Football
Spain mourns loss of Real Madrid legend Paco Gento, aged 88
January 19 – Real Madrid and Spain legend Francisco ‘Paco’ Gento, the only player to have won the old European Cup six times, has died aged 88.
Mannaert to keep Belgian Pro League role despite being named in ‘Clean Hands’ probe
By Samindra Kunti
January 18 – Club Brugge’s Vincent Mannaert (pictured) has retained his six-month mandate to lead the Pro League, even after he was named as one of 57 suspects in operation ‘Clean Hands’.
AFCON: CAS overrules FIFA and allows banned Papa Gueye back into Senegal team
January 18 – In a snub to FIFA, the Court of Arbitration for Sport has overturned a decision to suspend Pape Gueye from the African Cup of Nations with the Marseille midfielder now free to play for Senegal.
Heart trouble: Arsenal’s Aubameyang leaves Gabon squad
January 18 – Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang insists he departed the Africa Cup of Nations due to medical reasons and played down speculation of a disciplinary breach.
Yellow card amnesty for European World Cup plays offs benefits 100 players, but not Ibra
January 18 – An amnesty for yellow cards in European qualifying for the World Cup has lifted the threat of suspension for dozens of players involved in the playoffs in March.
Belgium football ripped apart as prosecutors name 57 in ‘Clean Hands’ probe
By Samindra Kunti
January 17 – Brugge strongmen Bart Verhaeghe and Vincent Mannaert, AA Gent’s Michel Louwagie, Standard’s Bruno Venanzi, Charleroi’s Mehdi Bayat and FIFA’s Steven Martens were named among the 57 suspects that the federal prosecutor wants in court in operation ‘Clean Hands’, the largest investigation into match-fixing and corruption in the history of Belgian football.
AFCON: Algeria slip but Cameroon, Morocco and Nigeria progress
January 17 – Equatorial Guinea stunned Algeria 1-0 to leave the defending champions in danger of exiting the Africa Cup of Nations in the first round. Hosts Cameroon and powerhouses Morocco and Nigeria have all ensured their passage to the knockout phase.
Seville cup derby cut short as player struck by pole, game resumed next day
January 17 – A Spanish cup game between fierce city rivals Sevilla and Real Betis was abandoned on Saturday after Sevilla’s Joan Jordan was struck on the head by an object thrown from the stands and collapsed to the ground.
AFCON: Tough day in the sun for referee Sikwaze, CAF and Tunisia
January 14 – The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has confirmed Mali’s 1-0 Africa Cup of Nations victory over Tunisia, rejecting the North Africans’ appeal about the match ending before full-time.
Textor fast follows Botafogo deal with stake in Belgium’s Molenbeek
By Samindra Kunti
January 13 – John Textor has not waited long to deliver on his promise to build a global network of clubs. Days after taking over storied Brazilian club Botafogo, he has become a co-investor in Belgian club RWD Molenbeek.
Asian and European initiatives celebrate a rich but often-hidden history of the women’s game
January 13 – Both the Asian Football Confederation and the UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 Heritage Programme have launched historical retrospectives of the women’s game in their regions that chart its development and highlight its pioneers.
AFCON chaos as ref blows early in Mali vs Tunisia and gun battles rage in Bua
By Samindra Kunti
January 13 – Chaos dominated the Africa Cup of Nations on Wednesday: Zambian referee Janny Sikazwe was guilty of poor time-keeping during Mali vs Tunisia and in the city of Bua, the basecamp of both Mali and Gambia, a gun battle between rebel forces and government soldiers broke out, raising security concerns.
Lemsagam bites the bullet as fan threats force him to put Oldham up for sale
January 13 – The owner of the bottom team in the entire English professional league pyramid, Oldham Athletic, says he has been sent threats and bullets through the post.
AFCON out of tune: wrong Mauritanian anthem played… three times
January 13 – The Africa Cup of Nations, already hit by refereeing blunders and even a gun battle, suffered another farcical moment on Wednesday as the wrong anthem was played three times for Mauritania ahead of their opening game against Gambia.