Flamengo seek €5m loan but banking on €22m of player sales
February 10 – Brazilian club Flamengo is seeking a €5.3 million loan to provide working capital for the start of the 2021 season.
South America
Argentine and Uruguayan fans mourn death of ‘Morro’, aged 30
February 8 – Fans in Argentina and Uruguay are mourning the apparent suicide at just 30 of forward Santiago Garcia, nicknamed ‘Morro’, who played for Godoy Cruz.
Palmeiras win Copa Libertadores in injury time and head for Club World Cup
February 2 – A dramatic injury-time header from substitute Breno Lopes crowned Palmeiras Copa Libertadores champions for a second time with a 1-0 victory over Brazilian rivals Santos after a final that failed to ignite until stoppage time.
Palmeiras and Santos play off for Copa Libertadores final and a trip to Qatar next week
January 29 – On Saturday, Sao Paulo giants Palmeiras and Santos will seek to succeed Flamengo as winners of the Copa Libertadores in a final that will be played behind closed doors at Rio de Janeiro’s Maracana stadium.
Defensa y Justicia win all-Argentinean battle for Copa Sudamericana
January 26 – Hernan Crespo and Defensa y Justicia clinched their first ever international title with a 3-0 victory against Lanus in the Copa Sudamericana final.
Battle of Buenos Aires: Lanus and Defensa y Justicia line up for Copa Sudamerica final
January 22 – On Saturday, Argentine clubs Lanus and Defensa y Justicia will contest the 2020 Copa Sudamericana final behind closed doors in Cordoba, the first continental final in South America since the coronavirus pandemic.
Palmeiras and Santos set up all-Brazilian Copa Libertadores final
January 14 – Sao Paulo giants Palmeiras and Santos will decide the 2020 Copa Libertadores after eliminating River Plate and Boca Juniors in the last four, making the showpiece match an all-Brazilian affair for the first time since 2006.
Copa Libertadores: Palmeiras and Santos have edge over Argentine rivals in first leg ties
January 7 – Palmeiras and Santos are in control of their own destinies in the Copa Libertadores semi-finals after the Sao Paulo clubs successfully navigated tricky away legs in Argentina.
Brazil vs Argentina. Clubs battle for places in Copa Libertadores’ Rio final
January 5 – Can Santos win the Copa Libertadores for the first time since 2011 or will one of the traditional Buenos Aires clubs prevail? Or will Palmeiras ensure Brazil wins the competition for a second competitive time?
Party boy Neymar organises 5-day Xmas bash for 500 at Rio mansion
December 30 – Paris Saint-Germain star Neymar has come under criticism for organising a secretive celebrity blowout near Rio de Janeiro with the coronavirus pandemic still raging across Brazil.
Conmebol boost women’s game with bi-annual Copa America and new club competition
December 18 – Conmebol has said that it will organise the women’s Copa America every two years from 2022 onwards. The organisation’s president Alejandro Dominguez has also proposed an intercontinental club championship for the women’s game.
Palmeiras confident of 2021 profit but 2020 losses hit €21.7m and counting
December 17 – Sao Paulo giants Palmeiras have projected a profit of €1.6 million for the 2021 season, but will suffer heavy losses in 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Who’s the Daddy? Maradona legend continues with court ordering DNA is preserved
December 17 – The body of Diego Maradona “must be conserved” in case his DNA is needed in a paternity case, an Argentine court has ruled.
Brazil stays top of football’s drug violations table
By David Owen
December 14 – Footballers in Brazil were again more likely to pick up anti-doping rule violations (ADRVs) than those in any other country, according to statistics relating to samples collected in 2018 made public this month by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).
Robinho loses appeal against rape conviction in Italy
December 11 – Robinho’s appeal over a nine-year prison sentence for rape has been thrown out by a court in Milan.