Ever present Messi played 83.4% of Barca minutes in 2010s
December 3 – Lionel Messi heads a table of outfield players who have played the highest percentage of domestic league minutes in the big-5 league team in the 2010s.
David Owen: City Football Group – Can Snow White and the seven dwarfs become a football fairy story?
City Football Group (CFG)’s business strategy always seemed rather baffling. Yes, OK, assemble a collection of similar businesses – in this case football clubs – inside the same tent and you can shave back-office costs. You might be able to engineer a less wasteful talent development pipeline than one-legged rivals. And if the real aim is soft power, well, the Abu Dhabi flag has been well and truly planted in outposts of the beautiful game from Melbourne to Mumbai.
Serie A clubs unite for anti-racism message
December 2 – Not before time, all 20 Serie A clubs in Italy have made a united pledge to combat the “serious problem” of racism which, they say, “shames us all”.
Chilean anti-government violence forces cancellation of remainder of league season
December 2 – In an unprecedented move that has drawn football inexorably into the political arena, Chile has cancelled the entire rest of its domestic season following weeks of anti-government protests that have led to a reported 26 deaths and hundreds of serious injuries.
AFC allocates 2021 Club World Cup slots to hosts China and ACL’s top performers
By Paul Nicholson in Hong Kong
December 2 – The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has agreed qualification criteria for the expanded 24-team Club World Cup in 2021 and the three and a half slots allocated for AFC clubs.
Japan’s Kumagai sets stage as AFC Awards nominees gather for Annual Awards
By Paul Nicholson in Hong Kong
December 1 – Japan’s Saki Kumagai, a star player in the Olympique Lyonnais triple winning team and a key member of her national side, said that she welcomed the proposal for a women’s Club World Cup saying that it would be a good challenge for Europe’s clubs but “also for clubs in Asia as well.”
Unlucky 13. I-League kicks off new life as India’s second tier
December 2 – The 13th edition of the I-League kicked off this weekend in India, but the fate and future of India’s flagship league remains uncertain.
CAF Confed Cup champions Zamalek have not paid players for four months
By Osasu Obayiuwana
December 2 – Players of Zamalek, the 2019 CAF Confederation Cup winners, have been without wages for four months.
Flamengo continue their march to Doha laying waste to Palmeiras on the way
December 2 – Flamengo may have won the double, the domestic title and the Copa Libertadores, but even in the final rounds of the Brazilian league their scalps have severe ramifications. On Sunday, Palmeiras coach Mano Menezes and director of football Alexandre Mattos were dismissed following a 3-1 defeat at home against the newly crowned champions.
Euro 2020 draw pairs France, Germany and Portugal in one ‘F’ of a group
December 2 – Almost every World Cup or European Championship has a proverbial “group of death,” and Saturday’s draw for next summer’s Euro 2020 threw up one of the most mouth-watering of recent years.
Premier League back in hunt for CEO as Pemsel forced to quit before he starts
December 2 – In what has become an almost farcical situation, the English Premier League’s search for a new boss is back on after David Pemsel resigned as chief executive two months before he was even due to start.
Real Madrid break digital ground in Russia with Marathonbet
December 2 – Real Madrid has signed online bookmaker Marathonbest as its first club partner in Russia.
FIFA mop up more outstanding business with life ban for Teixeira
November 29 – It has taken several years to punish him but although US authorities have not yet been able to, FIFA finally has.
Arsenal unload Emery with Poch or Ancelotti rumoured to be incoming
By Andrew Warshaw
Just 10 days after north London rivals Tottenham sacked their much-admired manager Maurico Pochettino after five years in charge, Arsenal followed suit today by dismissing Unai Emery – though not quite with the same surprise or fanfare.
Infantino promises Africa £1bn and a new $200m pan-African super league
November 29 – On tour in Africa FIFA president Gianni Infantino has said that he wants to invest more than $1 billion in the African game and found an African league.