Welsh confident they can nab Euro 2020 spot
April 29- Welsh officials believe their bid to stage group matches at Euro 2020 could be given preference over some of their main rivals.
Europe
Spartak face sanctions after fans go on rampage in Kazan
By Richard van Poortvliet
April 28 – Spartak Moscow could be in yet more hot water with the Russian Football Union following the behaviour of their fans during their 2-1 defeat at Rubin Kazan on April 20.
Hungary’s MTK to build new €21m stadium
By Jaroslaw Adamowski
April 28 – Hungary’s MTK is planning to spend 6.5 billion forint (€21 million) on building a new stadium, according to Tamas Deutsch, the club’s chief executive.
Liberté Fraternité Inégalité: PSG generate 20 times more revenue than Corsican rival
By David Owen
April 28 – The revenues of Paris Saint-Germain, the French club whose prospects have been transformed since Qatar Sports Investments (QSI) took control three years ago, exceeded those of its smallest Ligue 1 rival by a factor of 20 in the 2012-13 season.
Turkish pull-out leaves England and Germany in run off for 2020 Euro finale
By Andrew Warshaw
April 26 – Traditional powerhouse rivals Germany and England will go head to head off the pitch for the right to stage the semifinals and final of Euro 2020 after Turkish officials unexpectedly withdrew favourites Istanbul from the running in order to concentrate solely on 2024.
Politics, business or posturing? Schalke’s Russian invite draws fire in Germany
April 25 – An unusual spat has broken out in Germany after leading club Schalke 04, sponsored by Russian energy giant Gazprom, was criticised for considering visiting Russia amid increasing tensions with the west over the crisis in Ukraine.
German investment group eyes up acquisition of Korona Kielce
By Jaroslaw Adamowski
April 25 – German investment group HFK is considering buying trouble Polish club Korona Kielce. The club is owned by the city of Kielce whose authorities are currently negotiating the potential sale.
Bidders declare as midnight deadline closes in for Euro 2020 host city pitches
By Andrew Warshaw
April 25 – Prospective Euro 2020 host cities were putting the finishing touches to their bid dossiers today as UEFA prepared to unveil the names of candidates in the frame to stage the pan-European tournament.
Platini pulls back from harsh sanctions of FFP rule-breaking clubs
By Andrew Warshaw
April 25 – Europe’s loss-making clubs will be breathing a sigh of relief after UEFA president Michel Platini confirmed that none of them will face the ultimate sanction of competition bans for breaching financial fair play regulations.
Barca ban suspended allowing club to join the summer transfer merry-go-round
April 24 – Barcelona have appealed their two-transfer window ban and been granted a suspension while the appeals process works through FIFA and ultimately any further appeal to the court of arbitration for sport.
Manchester United starlet Januzaj opts for Belgium
April 24 – Belgium’s already powerful World Cup squad has been boosted even more after Manchester United starlet Adnan Januzaj opted to play for them rather than a string of other countries including newly developing Kosovo.
Match-fixer Perumal caught in Finland and faces extradition to Singapore
April 24 – Wilson Raj Perumal, renowned as one of the world’s most notorious and elusive matchfixers, has been arrested yet again in Finland on an international arrest warrant, two years after the Singaporean was jailed there for fixing domestic league games.
Euro 2020 hosting: Czechs and Poles pull out but Scots poised to announce
By Andrew Warshaw
April 24 – Twenty four hours before the deadline for final bid submissions, Poland and the Czech Republic have pulled out of the race to stage Euro 2020 while Scotland prepared to officially launch its campaign.
Doyen takes a strategic stake in social media entrant Squawka
By Paul Nicholson
April 24 – Sports group Doyen Global has invested in Squawka, the social media-driven sports app. Doyen principals Simon Oliveira and Matt Kay will both join the Squawka board.
Scots keep their football ‘reconstruction’ on an even keel
April 23 – The negotiations between the Scottish FA (SFA) and the Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL) over who controls the direction of the game in Scotland found part resolution after a meeting of the two boards.