THE GREAT game was staring into the abyss, an attempt by big business to mould football into something that fits nicely in a portfolio of assets. But the instigators, shadowy figures tucked away on ranches or sitting high in Manhattan … Continue reading European Super League: Football turns back from its own missile crisis
THE cowardly dead-of-night announcement about the European Super League, buried on a Sunday evening when people were heading for their beds, confirmed a number of things and demonstrated how fans have been hoodwinked for so long. The clubs they claim … Continue reading European Super League: Football needs a shake-up, but not like this
FORBES has just issued its wealthiest football club list, a tale of higher valuations but falling revenues across the industry. It is quite astonishing that against a backdrop of financial crisis caused by the covid pandemic, football’s top clubs have … Continue reading Six clubs worth US$ 4 billion or more – football is still relatively modest
WHEN Bayern Munich won the UEFA Champions League in 2020, it was fairly clear they were the best team in Europe. After their defeat in the quarter-final to Paris Saint-Germain this year, it is reasonable to ask if the French … Continue reading The best football team in Europe? It’s not necessarily the Champions League winner
A FEW weeks ago, the La Liga race looked a foregone conclusion with Atlético Madrid 10 points clear and favourites to lift their first title since 2014. Real Madrid and Barcelona, were shot, fading forces with old players, financial pressure … Continue reading Spain’s three-horse race, too close to call
THE NAMES in the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League may be familiar, but nobody can accuse the competition of lacking some variety. This season’s last eight showed a five team change on 2019-20’s last eight which continues the trend … Continue reading UEFA Champions League: And then there were eight
THE last time a team from outside football’s top 20 clubs won the UEFA Champions League was in 2004, Porto beating Monaco 3-0 and launching the career of a certain José Mourinho. Since then, eight clubs have won the competition … Continue reading Don’t assume European football’s hierarchy cannot change
THERE was a little introspection in Madrid, Barcelona and Seville after the first legs of the UEFA Champions League, with Spanish football officials fearing a series of setbacks had signalled the decline of the most successful nation in European club … Continue reading La Liga’s European worries – decline may be a strong word
WITH no sign of a resumption of football as a spectator sport, Europe’s top clubs could be € 2 billion out of pocket by the end of the current season. That was the view of Deloitte as they unveiled their latest … Continue reading Income falls, but the song remains the same in football’s money league
