Mallorca plan €20m stadium upgrade
January 4 – Mallorca are to upgrade their Son Moix stadium at a cost of €20 million, the La Liga club has announced.
World Football
Salah, Mane and Keita available for Liverpool vs Chelsea clash as AFCON call-ups delayed
December 30 – Players heading to the African Cup of Nations have been given permission to stay with their clubs until January 3 – six days before the start of the tournament in Cameroon.
Ceferin says biennial World Cup is ‘populistic bullshit’ and an ‘absolute no-go’ for Europe
December 30 – UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin is still fuming at the very idea of a biennial World Cup that continues to be trumpeted by his FIFA counterpart, Gianni Infantino.
Anderlecht shows further €29m loss as club battles costs but builds under Kompany
December 30 – Belgian club Anderlecht have announced a loss of €29 million, but the club claims that with last week’s capital injection bankruptcy has been averted.
Nigeria draft in Peseiro to lead team, but only after AFCON finishes
December 30 – The Portuguese José Peseiro has been named the new coach of Nigeria, but he won’t lead the Super Eagles at the Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon.
Lyon and Paris FC kicked out of French Cup after fighting fans force match to end
December 30 – Lyon and Paris FC have been thrown out of the French Cup following the hooliganism that forced their December 17 tie to be called off at half-time.
Ceferin signs off year saying protection of European sports model was the big win in 2021
By Paul Nicholson
December 29 – In an end of year address, UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin says that the European governing bodies most significant achievement was the protection of the European sports model.
How Africa Cup of Nations impacts the Premier League race
December 29 – After months of doubt, the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) looks set to go ahead in Cameroon as planned, according to the Confederation of African Football (CAF) president, Patrice Motsepe.
Coronavirus: German and Belgian clubs protest as stadia are shut to curb covid spread
By Samindra Kunti
December 23 – Top-flight football in both Germany and Belgium will return to being played behind closed doors to combat a spike in coronavirus infections because of the Omicron variant.
Scots bring forward winter break in bid to beat worst of omicron surge
December 23 – The Scottish Professional Football League has confirmed its top flight will bring forward its winter break in the wake of new restrictions on capacity crowds caused by the surge in the Omicron variant.
Man City’s Mendy has another rape case added to his charges
December 23 – Manchester City’s £50 million defender Benjamin Mendy has been charged with a fresh rape count on top of the six he is already facing.
Abramovich makes it clear in UK libel court he isn’t Putin’s energy rich stooge
December 23 – Russian oligarch and Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich has settled his libel case over publication of claims that he bought the club on the orders of Vladimir Putin.
Al Ahly retain African Super Cup with penalty win over Raja Casablanca in Doha
December 23 – Egypt’s Al Ahly claimed the African Super Cup on penalties against Morocco’s Raja Casablanca to reaffirm their dominance of the continental club game.
Motsepe greenlights AFCON in Cameroon despite covid concerns and CWC date clash
December 22 – With Confederation of African Football (CAF) president Patrice Motsepe all but ending speculation over the fate of the Africa Cup of Nations, he has reiterated that fans will need to provide a negative PCR test to attend matches and allow the competition to be organised in a bio-secure way.
Coronavirus: Scots advance winter break talks after stadium capacities capped at 500
December 22 – A decision on whether or not the Scottish Premiership winter break will be brought forward is expected in the next 48 hours after a 500-capacity cap was placed on all spectators over what is traditionally a heavily attended Christmas and New Year programme.