By Paul Nicholson
September 2 – Russia’s Gazprom is reported to be the most likely buyer of Serbian club Crvena Zvezda FC (Red Star Belgrade). Gazprom is owner of Zenit St Petersburg (acquired in 2005) and a major sponsor of the UEFA Champions League.
Bottles were flying on the pitch side, and Guangzhou Evergrande & Taobao FC were losing their grip on the Asian Champions League Trophy bit by bit. The quarter final of ACL between the trophy holders and the Australian club, West Sydney Wanderers, played August 27, was a spirit sapping match.
By Alexander Krassimirov
September 1 – Bulgarian champions Ludogorets Razgrad will play its home games in the Champions League at the National Stadium Vasil Levski in Sofia, according to a club announcement.
By Mark Baber
September 1 – Following the farcical events of last week, FIFA have rejected the controversial ‘election’ of Chris Giwa (pictured) as the new president of the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) and warned that Nigeria could be banned by Tuesday if he does not vacate the post by midnight tonight.
September 1 – Despite frenetic transfer activity in the final few hours of the summer window, the fact that many of the major deals are loans reflects UEFA’s financial fair play rules which Michel Platini says are having the desired effect.
By Andrew Warshaw
September 1 – UEFA look set to change the format for seeding clubs in the Champions League to avoid the totally unsatisfactory situation of domestic champions being ranked lower than other clubs from the same country.
By Andrew Warshaw
September 1 – The complications of a criminal case back home plus a thorny example of the pitfalls that come with third-party ownership (TPO) appear to have combined to hold up Manchester United’s £16 million purchase of Argentine World Cup star Marcos Rojo.
September 1 – Northern Ireland Premiership club Linfield have been fined €15,000 for breaching UEFA rules over standing areas. The punishment relates to the Belfast side’s home game against Swedes AIK Solna in the Europa League on July 17.
September 1 – MLS’ Sporting KC has announced a formal partnership with Brazil’s Fluminense FC. The two clubs will share philosophies, marketing strategies, business practices, and players too.
So FIFA President Sepp Blatter is a step nearer securing a fifth term as boss of world football, following this week’s announcement by his UEFA counterpart Michel Platini, probably his most credible potential challenger, that he would not stand against him in next year’s election. That means that world football’s governing body may be a step nearer possibly losing its direct, active representation in world sport’s most powerful club – the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
August 31 – IMG has picked up international TV sales distribution rights to a package of CONCACAF championships in 2015, including the Gold Cup and the Champions’ League. The deal will see IMG sell the rights in all territories outside of the CONCACAF region.
By Mark Baber
August 29 – Following last week’s admission by Libya that is would be impossible for them to host the Africa Cup of Nations in 2017, a surprising number of countries have expressed interest in hosting the tournament, with bids due to be submitted by the end of September.
Two months ago, when UEFA president Michel Platini was still weighing up whether to run for the top job in world football, it became abundantly clear in the build-up to the FIFA Congress in Sao Paulo that Europe was massively outnumbered in its opposition to a fifth term for Sepp Blatter.
So why did Platini not declare there and then that it was too risky to take on the wily old Swiss? It’s a fair question and one Platini was asked about when he finally announced,
“Hail, thou that art highly favoured… blessed art thou.” Archangel Gabriel to Mary; Luke 1:28
It has been a purgatorial 12 months or so for Manchester United. So if you are a supporter of theirs it must be tempting to look to a man named Angel Di María as some sort of celestial deliverer for your club. Sure, one Angel does not make a host but it should not be too hard for a £59.7 million player of his quality to make an impact.
By Andrew Warshaw in Monaco
August 29 – UEFA president Michel Platini says he will not allow Africa or Asia to take a World Cup place away from Europe as long as he is in charge of European football.