Valencia court orders Isco to pay €2.6m to former agents
By Gareth Messenger
September 30 – A court in Valencia has told Real Madrid attacking midfielder, Isco Alarcon, that he must pay €2.6 million to Eleven Sports.
Europe
Messi now waits for Superior Court ruling in tax fraud case
September 30 – The tax evasion case involving Lionel Messi and his father Jorge “should not take long” to be resolved, according to the Spanish Superior Court. Both appeared in court last Friday to face charges of evading €4.2 million in tax by filing incomplete returns for the years 2006 to 2009, allegations they deny but which have caused widespread consternation in Spain where the Argentine superstar is currently out injured.
Ukraine fans excluded for key World Cup qualifier
By Andrew Warshaw
September 30 – FIFA has ordered Ukraine to play next month’s potentially decisive World Cup qualifier against Poland in Kharkiv behind closed doors after fans hurled racial abuse during the win over San Marino earlier this month. The country has also been banned from playing in the Arena Lviv stadium for the whole of the 2018 World Cup qualification programme.
Messi tax fraud case in court today, despite €5m payment sent
By Andrew Warshaw
September 27 – Lionel Messi was in court today (pictured) to face charges of tax fraud that have caused widespread astonishment in Spain and cast a dark shadow over the Argentine superstar’s squeaky clean image as the world’s finest footballer.
Besiktas hit with 4-game stadium sanction following fan pitch invasion
By Andrew Warshaw
September 27 – Already thrown out of this season’s Europa League by UEFA over match-fixing, Besiktas have now been ordered by the Turkish football authorities to play four games behind closed doors as a result of the violence which caused last weekend’s Istanbul derby against bitter rivals Galatasaray to be abandoned.
Cypriot crisis as clubs chased for tax money and top league cut to 12 teams
By Mark Baber
September 26 – Cypriot football has been hit by the financial tsunami which has hit the island as the Ministry of Finance is expected to file charges against clubs’ non-payment of taxes, Separately the board of the CFA Championship has decided to cut the league to 12 teams from the current 14.
PST keeps the faith and, piece by piece, puts Pompey back on the rails
By Andrew Warshaw
September 26 – The group running the largest fan ownership in English football says it has proved its critics wrong in terms of being able to do the job.
Nae problem: World Cup, Christmas Day, North Pole – the Scots are in
September 25 – The Scottish Football Association say they’d willingly play the 2022 World Cup in winter, even “on the north pole”, if it meant them qualifying.
Bosman 2? Yoffe ponders challenge to transfer rules for restraint of trade
By Andrew Warshaw
September 24 – In what is being flagged up as a case potentially as far-reaching as the Bosman ruling that changed the face of football, a journeyman English player is considering taking legal action against FIFA over what he claims are unfair restraints on player movement outside the transfer window.
CSKA Sofia and Celtic to sign development partnership
By Alexander Krassimirov
September 24 – Bulgaria’s CSKA Sofia will work together with Scottish giants Celtic, according to Laurence Davis, the English chairman of the club’s Supervisory Board.
Turks take pole position in race for hosting Euro 2020 final rounds
By Andrew Warshaw
September 24 – The English FA have conceded that Turkey are emerging as favourites to host the latter stages of Euro 2020. Although England and Germany are among a group of nations with aspirations to stage the semi-finals and final of the one-off pan-European tournament, UEFA president Michel Platini’s preference for Turkey looks set to give the country a leading advantage.
Greek Super League looks set to revive relegation play-offs
By Panos Bletsos
September 24 – The Super League (SL) board of directors, the governing body of Greece’s top flight, is meeting today (September 24) to confirm the return of the 16-club format by the 2015-16 season. It has also been reported that another major change may be on the cards with the SL ruling on whether to bring in a relegation play-off for the ongoing campaign.
UEFA’s Gill confident a one-season 2022 date solution will be found
By Andrew Warshaw
September 23 – UEFA’s recently appointed executive committee member, David Gill, says every effort will be made to find a compromise that suits all parties over an alternative date if the 2022 Qatar World Cup is moved from summer.
Istanbul derby abandoned after fans invade Ataturk pitch
By Andrew Warshaw
September 23 – Turkey’s hopes of being granted the Euro 2020 semifinal and finals suffered a public relations blow at the weekend when the Istanbul derby between Galatasaray and Besiktas was abandoned after supporters invaded the pitch at the Ataturk Stadium.
UEFA witholds prize money for six Europa League clubs over unpaid debts
By Mark Baber
September 23 – UEFA’s Club Financial Control Body (CFCB) investigatory chamber has temporarily withheld the prize money of six clubs involved in the 2013/14 UEFA club competitions who have “important overdue payables towards other clubs and/or towards employees or social/tax authorities.”