UEFA to keep Belarus and Ukraine apart in competition draws
May 29 – UEFA has decided that teams from Belarus and Ukraine will be kept apart in the draws for any future UEFA competitions.
Saint-Etienne fans riot after Auxerre penalty shoot-out win sends them to Ligue 2
May 30 – After an 18-year stay in the top flight, Saint-Etienne, one of France’s most iconic clubs, were relegated from Ligue 1 on Sunday, prompting a pitch invasion by angry fans.
Topps and Ethernity warm up for Finalissima 2022 clash with NFT drops
May 30 – This Wednesday will see the Finalissima 2022 played at Wembley Stadium between South American champions Argentina and European champions Italy, a revived version of the Artemio Franchi Cup, last played in 1993.
Home unions agree 4-nation sponsorship with M&S Food
May 30 – M&S Food, the food division of the M&S retail chain, has agreed a sponsorship across the four UK Football Associations of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Courtois keeps Liverpool out as Vinicius goal lets Real Madrid in for record 14th UCL title
By Samindra Kunti in Paris
May 28 – Real Madrid won a record 14th European Cup with the narrowest of margins through a second-half Vinicius Junior strike against Liverpool in a Champions League final that failed to deliver on the promise of a great spectacle by the competition’s two finest teams. The final’s kickoff was delayed because of major crowd incidents and security breaches.
Liverpool vs Real Madrid, Salah vs Benzema. Paris set for another big finish
By Samindra Kunti in Paris
May 27 – In a repeat of the 2018 Champions League final, Liverpool will be marginal favourites to defeat Real Madrid and win a seventh European Cup, but the resilience and attacking firepower of the Spanish champions can never be underestimated following an extraordinary run to the final.
Huddersfield and Nottingham Forest vie for £170m+ riches of world’s most valuable match
May 27 – Forget the Champions League final, the most valuable fixture in world football will be played on Sunday between Huddersfield and Nottingham Forest at Wembley.
Players want limit on games with less than 5 days rest in between, finds survey
May 28 – No fewer than 87% of professional footballers want back-to-back matches limited in order to guard against a heavy workload, pointing out they are “athletes, not machines”, according to a new survey by global players’ union Fifpro.
Ukraine’s Zinchenko motivated to make his country proud against Scotland
May 27 – Ukrainian defender Oleksandr Zinchenko said his team hopes to make their country proud when they take on Scotland in a World Cup playoff semi-final next week.
Bayern boss Bundesliga’s best but Bellingham breaks barriers
May 27 – The CIES Football Observatory has produced a ranking of Best XI player for each of 32 European leagues analysed over the 2021/22 season.
OlyBet unfazed by Spain’s new betting promotion laws and punts on Real Betis
May 27 – Gambling regulations in Spain will prevent LaLiga clubs from taking shirt sponsorship from betting firms from the end of the season, but it is not stopping bookmakers cutting promotional deals with clubs for other markets.
Canada cancel ‘divisive’ Iran friendly after public pressure
May 27 – Canada Soccer has cancelled a controversial World Cup warm-up match against Iran citing its “significantly divisive” nature.
Kane set to keep faith in Conte and Spurs
May 27 – Qualifying for the Champions League under manager Antonio Conte is reported to have made England captain Harry Kane open to new contract negotiations at Tottenham Hotspur rather than leave the club, according to unconfirmed reports.
Caterpillar builds sponsorship on MLS’s diverse fan profile
May 27 – Construction and mining equipment giant Caterpillar has agreed a multi-year sponsorship with Major League Soccer in the US with an emphasis on reaching soccer’s younger and multi-cultural fan base.
Was Chelsea a £4.25bn rip off? Real Madrid top ranking by club value, ahead of Man Utd and Barca
By Paul Nicholson
May 26 – Chelsea may have been the biggest deal ever done for the sale of a football club, but the club isn’t the most valuable in Europe, Real Madrid are, according to the latest football club valuation report by Football Benchmark.