By Andrew Warshaw
September 16 – Never go back is an old football adage. But in what would be an audacious verging on sensational swoop, Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly in talks with Real Madrid about an on-loan re-signing of Gareth Bale, whom they sold to the Spanish giants for a then world record transfer fee all of seven years ago.
September 15 – The so-called “third man” in the corruption trial of FIFA’s disgraced former secretary general Jerome Valcke (pictured) and Paris Saint-Germain chief Nasser Al-Khelaifi failed to show up when the high-profile case began this week in the Swiss city of Bellinzona.
September 15 – Barcelona forward Lionel Messi has topped the Forbes list for highest-earning footballers in 2020, beating his eternal rival and Juventus player Cristiano Ronaldo.
September 15 – The Moroccan capital of Rabat has been confirmed as host of next year’s eagerly anticipated Confederation of African Football (CAF) presidential elections. What hasn’t is whether under-fire CAF current president Ahmad will stand again.
September 15 – Paris Saint-Germain say they “strongly support” Neymar after the Brazilian superstar claimed he was the victim of racist abuse following his red card in Sunday’s ill-tempered defeat to Marseille.
September 15 – The hiring of a law firm by Mike Ashley and Newcastle United to contest the Premier League’s decision-making over the proposed takeover of the club by a Saudi-led consortium raises new questions over whether the deal for the club could be put back together.
September 15 – The AFC Champions League has restarted with group games being played at centralised venues in both the East and West regions of the region.
September 15 – The Copa Libertadores resumes on Tuesday with Colo Colo taking on Penarol and Jorge Wilstermann playing Athletico Paranaense in Group C in an elaborate exercise that will test Conmebol, the clubs and the players with three out of the continent’s ten domestic leagues still on hold.
September 15 – UEFA has today launched a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the acquisition of media rights for the Women’s Champions League 2021–25 cycle.
September 15 – Israel are happy to travel to fulfil their European Championship play-off against Scotland despite a national lockdown.
By Andrew Warshaw
September 14 – Spare a thought today for a tiny English non-league team who put the health of its players first yet have been thrown out of the FA Cup, the world’s oldest domestic knockout tournament, for refusing to play.
By Samindra Kunti
September 14 – Belgian football fans returned to stadiums this weekend for the first since the Covid-19 pandemic began and following specific protocols that were approved by local authorities.
September 14 – The English Premier League has called on the government to rethink its plans on the proposed return of fans to stadiums in the wake of increasing Covid-19 infections.
September 14 – France’s most hostile domestic football rivalry resulted in no fewer than five dismissals on Sunday and a claim from Neymar that he heard a racist slur as visitors Marseille upset reigning champions Paris St Germain 1-0.
September 14 – Waasland-Beveren have become the latest foreign-owned club in the Belgian top flight following investment by Bolt Football Holdings, the American majority owners of Crystal Palace.