Iran focussed on brushing aside a mis-firing China
January 24 – Having negotiated Oman in the last 16 round, Iran go into their quarter final with China as clear favourites.
Real Madrid and Barca take over as top dogs of top-line financial performance
By David Owen
January 24 – Spanish giants Real Madrid and Barcelona have taken over at the top of this year’s Deloitte Football Money League, relegating Manchester United to third place.
As Infantino keeps banging his 48-team 2022 drum, al-Romaithi says UAE is ready
By Andrew Warshaw
January 24 – As the Asian Cup moves towards its eagerly awaited conclusion, one of the elephants in the room is the extent to which the United Arab Emirates, as hosts, are putting on a show worthy of being viewed as potential sharers of the 2022 Qatar World Cup.
Beckham joins Class of 92 team-mates with Salford City ownership
January 24 – Former England captain David Beckham is set to take a 10% stake in Salford City, a non-league English club, joining a number of other members of Manchester United’s so-called Class of 92.
CAF bans Egypt’s Ismaily from Champions League after fans stone players and officials
January 24 – The image of Egyptian football has taken another battering five months before hosting the Africa Cup of Nations in place of Cameroon.
Socios.com targets South American expansion for crypto-based fan-token platform
January 24 – Socios.com, the tokenized fan-voting platform based on crypto currency is expanding into Latin America.
AFC ready to debut VAR at Japan vs Vietnam Asian Cup quarter final
By Paul Nicholson
January 24 – The 2019 Asian Cup has been a tournament of firsts and in Dubai today there will be another. The Japan vs Vietnam quarter final will be the first time VAR has been used at an AFC event.
Japan wary as Vietnam prepare for another giantkilling
January 24 – Japan head coach Hajime Moriyasu has praised his counterpart Park Hang-seo as Vietnam prepare to take on the four-time winners in the quarter-finals of the Asian Cup. The underdogs feel confident they can a surprise.
AFC ¼ final stats: Japan vs Vietnam head-to-head
By Abdelaziz Abuhamar
January 24 – Japan will take on Vietnam in the first of the 2019 Asian Cup quarter finals today at Al Maktoum Stadium in Dubai.
AFC ¼ final stats: Iran vs China head-to-head
By Abdelaziz Abuhamar
January 24 – Two times 2nd place, three times 3rd place and three times 4th place is the Asian Cup history, but for Marcello Lippi’s Chinese who meet Iran today at the Mohammed Bin Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi in the 2019 AFC Asian Cup quarter final.
PSG fined €100K for racial profiling of academy player data
By Andrew Warshaw
January 22 – Paris St-Germain have been fined what many might view as a token €100,000 fine over alleged racism within its scouting system.
Search continues but hopes fade for Sala’s missing plane
January 23 – Hopes are tragically fading fast for Argentine-born star Emiliano Sala 36 hours after the light aircraft in which he was the sole passenger disappeared in the English Channel en route to Cardiff where he had signed for the Premier League club.
Football is not realising its sponsorship or partnership potential, says Hester
January 23 – Football is increasingly reliant on commercial revenues. Sponsorship and brand partnerships remain significant with 25-60% of commercial income coming from brands. Yet the capability to report the true value of these brand associations still remains flawed, according to sponsorship expert Toby Hester
Liverpool and Juve lead in the battle of ‘transfer smarts’
January 22 – In an analysis of players whose current estimated transfer value exceeds their fee paid, Liverpool and Juventus come out as leaders when it comes to deal making on top talent with both clubs having three players in the top 20 list of players.
Ronaldo agrees €18.8m tax fraud fine in Spain
January 21 – Cristiano Ronaldo accepted an €18.8 million fine today when he appeared in a Madrid court over tax evasion charges.