Barcelona deny wrongdoing after £1m referee payments allegations emerge on eve of Manchester United tie February 15, 2023 Barcelona have strenuously denied any wrongdoing on the eve of their Europa League meeting with Manchester United after it emerged they paid a referees’ chief more than £1m. Spanish media reported that the club’s payments to Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira were being investigated by local prosecutors over possible tax irregularities. Barca said the fees paid [...]
Everton investment blow as MSP Sports Capital switches focus to £3.1bn Tottenham Hotspur takeover February 15, 2023 Everton’s hopes of securing investment have suffered a blow after US private equity fund MSP Sports Capital reportedly turned its attention to a takeover of Tottenham Hotspur. MSP held talks about buying a minority stake from Everton majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri, who is seeking investment to help the cash-strapped club fund its new stadium build. [...]
Castore co-founder Tom Beahon on shelving IPO plans, bucking the Brexit trend by expanding in Europe, and the Andy Murray-backed sports brand’s first shoe launch February 15, 2023 At a time when Brexit has caused some British businesses to retreat from Europe, fast-growing premium sportswear brand Castore is eager to buck the trend. The company, founded by former City boys Tom and Phil Beahon and which counts Andy Murray among its investors, has opened a distribution centre in the Netherlands and is increasingly [...]
Manchester United sale: Saudi Arabia and US consortium set to rival Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Qatar in £5bn takeover battle February 14, 2023 Suitors from Saudi Arabia and the US are set to go up against Sir Jim Ratcliffe and a Qatari bid in the battle to buy Manchester United, City A.M. understands. The bank handling the sale, the Raine Group, has set a deadline of Friday for offers to be made to United’s owners, the Glazer family. [...]
Good news for Chelsea, Tottenham and Manchester City: Why clubs can forget about winning the Champions League if they’re not super-rich February 14, 2023 Can you spend your way to the Champions League? Not necessarily, but it certainly improves your chances, based on analysis of the last 10 seasons, which shows a strong correlation between revenue and progress to the latter stages. Tottenham Hotspur face a tricky trip to Italian title holders AC Milan when the Champions League knockout [...]
Manchester City fans boo Premier League over charges ahead of win over Aston Villa February 12, 2023 Manchester City fans booed the Premier League anthem yesterday ahead of a 3-1 win over Aston Villa that laid down the gauntlet to Arsenal. City supporters were responding to top-flight chiefs charging the club with more than 100 alleged breaches of financial rules last week. “The supporters were really good today,” said City manager Pep [...]
Crystal Palace v Brighton: Owner row causing storm clouds over Selhurst Park February 11, 2023 Amid the antipathy there may be the odd trace of envy among Crystal Palace fans when Brighton and Hove Albion visit in the Premier League on Saturday. Palace traditionally have the upper hand in one of English football’s least conventional rivalries but this season there is no denying that Brighton are firmly on top. Riding [...]
European Super League 2.0: Organisers reveal plans for vastly expanded breakaway competition February 9, 2023 European Super League organisers say they are ready to resurrect plans for the breakaway competition in an expanded format featuring as many as 80 teams. The new version of the European Super League would have multiple divisions and, unlike in its initial incarnation, no permanent members. All clubs taking part would have to qualify via [...]
Qatar interested in buying Manchester United – but bidders won’t be PSG owners Qatar Sports Investments February 9, 2023 The Qatar Investment Authority is interested in buying a stake in Manchester United and has not ruled out a full takeover. QIA, which owns Harrods as well as significant shareholdings in Heathrow Airport and Sainsbury’s, has not made an offer for United yet. But it is one of the Qatari parties mulling an offer to [...]
Ed Warner: Rugby union could learn from the NFL model on Super Bowl LVII weekend February 9, 2023 For all the relentless commercial growth of the Premier League, IPL and F1, the NFL remains the sporting brand to beat. Super Bowl LVII will be watched by more than 200m people worldwide on Sunday. The matchup between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles has its stories, but in truth the identity of [...]