Belgium v Portugal friendly cancelled following Brussels terror attacks March 23, 2016 Belgium have moved next week's friendly match with Portugal to Leiria following terrorist attacks in Brussels. Plans to hold the game at the King Baudouin Stadium next Tuesday were scrapped on the request of city authorities. Belgium's football association has arranged to play the game in Portugal and has offered to refund fans who bought a [...]
Euro 2016 matches could be held behind closed doors due to terror threat says Uefa chief March 23, 2016 Euro 2016 matches could be held behind closed doors this summer due to the terror threat in France. Uefa executive vice-committee president Giancarlo Abete has admitted that locking fans out of game could be a possibility if their safety cannot be garuanteed. Following two blasts in Brussels on Wednesday which left more than 30 dead, [...]
Strength of Premier League brand drives shirt sponsorship revenue across Europe March 23, 2016 The value of Premier League clubs' shirt sponsorships has risen by nearly £70m this season, more than any other league in Europe. Premier League shirt sponsorship revenues have grown by 35 per cent from £193m (€244m) to £260m (€330m) in the past year, according to a new report from sports industry adviser Repucom. The Premier League [...]
England prop Joe Marler is no racist, insists Rugby Football Union chief Ian Ritchie March 22, 2016 England rugby boss Ian Ritchie insists the team’s ethical standards are just as robust under new head coach Eddie Jones as they were under his predecessor Stuart Lancaster. Rugby Football Union chief executive Ritchie has defended Jones’s regime as World Rugby continues to probe Red Rose star Joe Marler calling Wales prop Samson Lee “gypsy [...]
Why Batman V Superman is nowhere near as bad as everybody says March 22, 2016 Batman v Superman (12A) | Dir. Zack Snyder★★★★☆ Batman v Superman may contain two of the most bankable super heroes in existence, but don’t let that fool you: this is a huge bet by Warner Bros and DC Films. If this movie flops, it heaps an unbelievable amount of pressure on this summer’s upcoming villain-caper Suicide Squad. [...]
Euro 2016: Harry Kane and Daniel Sturridge can be Roy Hodgson’s answer to Alan Shearer and Teddy Sheringham March 22, 2016 As Roy Hodgson’s plans solidify in the coming days over who will make his Euro 2016 squad, I hope he stays open-minded about the ‘right’ number of forwards to take to France for this summer’s tournament. The England coach might be expected to limit his allocation to five in the final 23, as others have [...]
Forget World Cup in 2022, England can win the European Championships in four years, insists Trevor Brooking March 22, 2016 Scepticism abounded when Greg Dyke began his chairmanship of the Football Association by claiming England could win the 2022 World Cup, but Sir Trevor Brooking insists the Three Lions are on course to lift silverware two years earlier. England have only fleetingly threatened to end a seemingly interminable wait for success, last tasted at the 1966 World [...]
Disorder review: A suspenseful and paranoia-tinged thriller that pulls a few punches March 22, 2016 Disorder (12A) | Dir. Alice Winocour ★★★☆☆ Chunky hunk-man Matthias Schoenaerts is no stranger to punch-centric roles, having risen to fame for his part in Bullhead (a film about a man who injects himself with all manner of illegal punch-hormones) and Rust and Bone (a film about a man who could punch a fridge into [...]
International Champions Cup: Leicester City to join Chelsea, Barcelona and Real Madrid in prestigous pre-season tournament March 22, 2016 Leicester City may still have seven games left in which to win the Premier League title, but they have already hit the big time after being invited to join Barcelona, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich in a pre-season tournament this summer. The unlikely league leaders will join the European elite in the 2016 International Champions [...]
Franz Beckenbauer to be investigated by Fifa over possible bribery to win 2006 World Cup votes March 22, 2016 Franz Beckenbauer will be the subject of a Fifa probe into possible wrongdoing in the bidding process for the 2006 World Cup to Germany. The legendary player is one of six former and current German football officials who served on the tournament's organising committee now being investigated by football's governing body. Fifa decided to open [...]