By Gareth Messenger
June 13 – Barcelona forward and World Player of the Year Lionel Messi is under investigation by Spanish tax authorities for allegedly defrauding the state of more than €4m. The Argentina international and his father Jorge have reportedly filed fraudulent tax returns for 2007, 2008 and 2009, according to a spokesperson for the prosecutor’s office, for tax crimes in Catalonia.
By Gareth Messenger
June 12 – Spanish Primera side Malaga are out of next season’s Europa League following The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) rejection of their appeal against the UEFA ban imposed last December.
By Mark Baber
June 11 – SAP, the leading business software provider, has extended its long-standing partnership with TSG Hoffenheim, becoming the new main and kit sponsor, in an initial three year deal.
By Andrew Warshaw
June 11 – The match-fixing scandal that rocked Turkish football two seasons ago has been rekindled after UEFA announced it was investigating the activities of Beşiktaş and Fenerbahçe, two of the country’s biggest clubs.
June 9 – The English Football League has voted to restrict the number of overseas loans that can be used after Championship club Watford exploited the system – and came within one match of gaining promotion to the lucrative Premier League.
By Andrew Warshaw
June 9 – UEFA have stepped in to help the Football Association of Ireland meet its debt repayments for the Aviva stadium in Dublin.
June 9 – UEFA have been left embarrassed after a local DJ played a song ahead of last weekend’s European under-21 fixture between England and Norway that contained racially offensive lyrics – just as an anti-racism appeal was made.
By Andrew Warshaw
June 9 – The UEFA hierarchy has once again caused a potential stir with Europe’s major leagues by endorsing the idea of winter World Cups – and not just in Qatar.
By Andrew Warshaw, chief correspondent
June 7 – Plans by Barcelona to stage a symbolic exhibition match against a joint Israeli-Palestinian team to try and heal the wounds between the two sides and promote Middle East peace have been ditched after no agreement could be reached between the various parties.
By Andrew Warshaw
June 7 – The latest round of match-fixing allegations in Italian football has implicated 33 players and officials associated with Bari in 2008 and 2009.
By Andrew Warshaw
June 7 – The Netherlands has become the latest top-flight country to embrace goalline technology despite UEFA President Michel Platini’s insistence that it will never be used in UEFA competitions.
By Gareth Messenger
June 7 – Amadeo Salvo has been elected as the new president of Valencia CF replacing Vicente Andreu who resigned after just two in months as acting President. He was filling in for Manuel Llorente who had resigned after a row with the city council.
By Mark Baber
June 6 – A row has broken out over the fees paid to rights holders in the transfer of Neymar from Santos to Barcelona.
By Paul Nicholson
June 6 – The UEFA U21 Championship kicked off in Israel last night with two opening matches played in front of full stadiums.
By Gareth Messenger
June 6 – Real Zaragoza, Deportivo La Coruna and Real Mallorca face further financial meltdown after their relegation from Spain’s Primera Division last weekend.