Europe – Inside World Football

Fan demand forces UEFA to switch Youth League finals to Stade de Genève

Paul Nicholson — Tue, 18 Apr 2023 02:22:34 +0000

April 18 – UEFA has shifted the finals of its UEFA Youth League from the 7,200-capacity Colovray Sports Centre, Nyon, to the 30,000-capacity Stade de Genève.

UEFA said the venue change was made “following unprecedented interest from fans” and the subsequent “need for a venue with increased operational capacities”.

Sporting CP (Portugal), AZ Alkmaar (Netherlands) Hajduk Split (Croatia) and AC Milan (Italy) will meet in the finals April 21-24. None of the clubs have won the finals before.

More racism in Spain as Real Madrid’s Rudiger is abused in Cadiz

Paul Nicholson — Mon, 17 Apr 2023 05:34:28 +0000

April 17 – Not for the first time in his career, Real Madrid defender Antonio Rudiger was the subject of racist abuse at the weekend after his team’s game at Cadiz.

Video posted by Spanish media on Sunday showed Cadiz fans yelling insults at Rudiger after he went to the stands to give away his shirt to someone who appeared to be a Madrid supporter. Objects were also thrown at the German defender,

One for the road: Brugges boss Mannaert told to stop drinking or lose his job

Paul Nicholson — Mon, 17 Apr 2023 05:30:37 +0000

April 17 – Club Brugge’s CEO Vincent Mannaert (pictured) has admitted that his alcohol addiction could force his exit from the Belgian club.

“I have a problem with alcohol, which is not recent. I am in therapy for that,” admitted Mannaert in an interview with local media.

Mannaert has been convicted five times for drunk driving and his drinking has led to strained relations at Club Brugge, notably with chairman Bart Verhaeghe.

Italian striker Immobile hospitalised after car crash

Paul Nicholson — Mon, 17 Apr 2023 05:10:09 +0000

April 17 – Italy international striker Ciro Immobile is being treated for back and rib injuries in hospital after his car was involved in an accident.

Italian media reported Immobile, who scored in Lazio’s 3-0 win at Spezia last week, was hurt after his car collided with a tram in Rome.

A club statement read: “The player remains under observation at the department of emergency medicine directed by Professor Francesco Franceschi of the Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS in Rome.

Fan group collects funds to support unpaid players at North Macedonia’s storied Vardar Skopje

Paul Nicholson — Mon, 17 Apr 2023 04:13:02 +0000

April 17 – The financial issues facing North Macedonia’s Vardar Skopje are deepening. The team from the capital who have won more championships than any other, is fighting for a return to the Macedonian first league, and for survival.

Vardar’s players and coaching staff play without salaries. The team is currently in second place in the Second division and has a real chance of promotion to North Macedonia’s elite division. However, the club’s management have continually failed to complete on commitments made to the players and fans.

Bayern drop Mané for punching Sane after Man City loss

Paul Nicholson — Fri, 14 Apr 2023 12:47:48 +0000

April 14 – Bayern Munich have dramatically dropped Sadio Mané and fined the Senegal forward following reports that he struck teammate Leroy Sané after Tuesday’s Champions League 3-0 loss to Manchester City.

According to German media, Sane suffered a cut lip in the altercation and the pair, who were also seen arguing on the pitch late in the game, had to be separated by teammates.

“Sadio Mane will not be included in the FC Bayern squad for this Saturday’s home match against 1899 Hoffenheim,”

Pirin Blagoevgrad future in doubt after US agency CRD pull out of sale

Paul Nicholson — Fri, 14 Apr 2023 03:32:39 +0000

April 14 – The sale of Bulgaria’s Pirin Blagoevgrad has fallen through after US player agency CRD Sport pulled out after representatives of the company spent more than a week in Blagoevgrad where they negotiated with the local municipality.

The reason given for the failed deal between the Municipality of Blagoevgrad and CDR Sport was ‘administrative obstacles’.

Pirin is currently owned by the local Municipality and changing the ownership status of the club would take several months.

FIGC completes investigation into Juve ‘hidden payments’ investigation

Paul Nicholson — Thu, 13 Apr 2023 06:13:18 +0000

April 13 – The Italian FA (FIGC) has completed its investigation into Juventus over alleged hidden payments to players, according to the club.

Juventus, who have already been hit with a 15-point Serie A deduction this season in a separate case over players’ transfers, could face further sporting penalties if found guilty.

FIGC prosecutors allege that Italy’s most successful team agreed to pay players back most of their COVID-19 related wage cuts without properly accounting for it.

UCL: Real Madrid take 2-0 cushion to London, Man City, AC Milan and Inter have leads

Paul Nicholson — Thu, 13 Apr 2023 06:07:42 +0000

April 13 – A tap-in by Karim Benzema and a powerful strike by substitute Marco Asensio earned European champions Real Madrid a 2-0 win over 10-man Chelsea in their Champions League quarter-final, first leg on Wednesday.

Chelsea played the final half-hour with 10 men after Ben Chilwell was sent off for stopping a Madrid breakaway.

It was a second consecutive defeat for new Chelsea interim manager Frank Lampard after he replaced the sacked Graham Potter.

PSG probe allegations Galtier made racist comments while at Nice

Paul Nicholson — Thu, 13 Apr 2023 05:58:03 +0000

April 13 – Paris Saint-Germain coach Christopher Galtier (pictured) has denied in “strongest possible terms” claims that he “moaned about having too many black and Muslim players” while in charge of Nice.

Once again PSG have hit the headlines for all the wrong reasons, but this time it is not one of their heralded stars dragging the club’s name through the mud.

In a press release sent to AFP, Galtier’s lawyer Olivier Martin issued a denial of the racism allegations saying the PSG boss “contests with the greatest firmness” the claims,