THE MILAN derby was a personal triumph for fit-again veteran Zlatan Ibrahimović – two goals and victory over one of his former clubs, but it was also affirmation of the Milanese renaissance that appears to be gathering momentum at the San Siro. AC Milan ended Inter’s unbeaten run, their first league defeat in those crazy zig-zag […]
Tag: Europe
Soccer City: Why Munich is Germany’s football capital
WHAT chance has any club got when you have Bayern Munich on your doorstep? TSV 1860 Munich, the Bavarian capital’s oldest club, has an unenviable task in trying to get air time when the behemoth that is FC Bayern pervades every side street, kiosk and newspaper. As a city, Munich has much to offer as […]
Why Munich is Germany’s football capital
WHAT chance has any club got when you have Bayern Munich on your doorstep? TSV 1860 Munich, the Bavarian capital’s oldest club, has an unenviable task in trying to get air time when the behemoth that is FC Bayern pervades every side street, kiosk and newspaper. As a city, Munich has much to offer as […]
Champions-only could change the face of Europe
THE UEFA Champions League resumes very shortly and the last 16 this season is a very predictable mix of teams from the big five leagues – four from England and Spain apiece, three from Germany and Italy and two from France. The league leaders of each are included in the 16. It’s actually an ominous […]
Poland crowns a new champion
FOR the first time in 28 years, a new name has been engraved upon Poland’s football championship trophy. Piast Gliwice, a team from Upper Silesia, have won their first ever title, outshining reigning champions Legia Warsaw, who had won the Ekstraklasa in five of the last six seasons. Piast finished four points ahead of Legia, […]
Commentary Box: Time for non-league to go European?
THERE seems to be a World Cup or European Championship for virtually everything these days. The CONIFA World Football Cup drew to a close recently and captured the imagination of a certain type of football fan. It brought international football to non-league clubs in and around London. We have European competitions for every stage of […]
2016-17: More fantasy needed, please
AFTER an engaging FA Cup final, Game of the People reviews the 2016-17 season and bemoans the lack of the unexpected across European football. Chelsea fans should not begrudge Arsenal their FA Cup. On the balance of play, they deserved to win and the Premier League champions didn’t turn up for the big occasion. There […]
In Bern…YB anywhere else?
THERE’S a nice reminder that Bern once played host to the World Cup final. In 1954, “Das wunder von Bern” took place – West Germany beating the people’s favourites, Hungary – Ferenc Puskas and all. They’ve reconditioned the clock that stood in the Wankdorf Stadium on that memorable afternoon. “The wonder of Bern” is certainly […]
Platini’s wrong – multi-centre Euro will spell the end
So Monsieur Platini looks to be getting his way and the European Championship will become a multi-centre holiday for the suits of UEFA. While it is understandable that the continent should make allowances for an economic crisis that clearly everyone expects to still be in full swing in 2020 (it could be even worse!), this […]