Innehållsförteckning för September 2016 från World Soccer

“You can betray these people if you have no shame” Napoli president, Aurelio De Laurentiis, describes the €90million departure of striker Gonzalo Higuain to Juventus as treachery towards all Neapolitans Gonzalo Higuain Napoli to Juventus €90m Leroy Sane Schalke to Manchester City €50m Granit Xhaka Borussia Monchengladbach to Arsenal €45m Henrikh Mkhitaryan Borussia Dortmund to Manchester United €42m Sadio Mane Southampton to Liverpool €41.2m Michy Batshuayi Marseille to Chelsea €39m Eric Bailly Villarreal to Manchester United €38m Mats Hummels Borussia Dortmund to Bayern Munich €38m N’Golo Kante Leicester City to Chelsea €35.8m Renato Sanches Benfica to Bayern Munich €35m Andre Gomes Valencia to Barcelona €35m Grzegorz Krychowiak Sevilla to Paris Saint-Germain €33.6m Kevin Gameiro Sevilla to Atletico Madrid €32m Gabriel Jesus Palmeiras to Manchester City €32m Arkadiusz Milik Ajax to…

“The quality simply was too bad. The first phase was incredibly long-winded, a horror” Nice coach Lucien Favre gives Euro 2016 the thumbs down Just as he seemed to be on a downward curve, playmaker Macnelly Torres came good once again, with his contribution to Atletico Nacional’s Libertadores Cup triumph the crowning glory of a career that has always been worth watching. A master of the defence-splitting pass, the Colombian is reminiscent of Carlos Valderrama. The two are from the same Caribbean region on the country’s north eastern coast, and Torres began his career at Atletico Junior, in his home town of Barranquilla, the club where Valderrama played his finest football. However, it was with modest Cucuta, near the Venezuelan border, that Torres first came to continental attention, winning the…

“Even the best rider cannot clear the fences if his horse isn’t good enough” New Anderlecht coach Rene Weiler demands squad reinforcements New Argentina coach aims to woo Messi back to national side Edgardo Bauza, who has replaced Gerardo Martino as Argentina’s national coach, faces the double challenge of picking up the country’s World Cup qualifying campaign after the disappointment of losing the Copa America Final on penalties to Chile – and persuading Lionel Messi to return to the international fold. Martino departed after a second successive defeat to Chile, while a tearful Messi announced his retirement from international football – partly in frustration at the ongoing problems at the Argentinian federation, where a FIFA “normalisation committee” is now running things. The appointment of a new coach was complicated by…

“In Slovenia, we would have inducted Mourinho [right] and asked for the highest penalty – three years in prison” FifPro member Dejan Stefanovic takes the Manchester United manager to task for making Bastian Schweinsteiger train with the reserves Gordon Derrick held on to his position as president of the Caribbean Football Union after a bitter election campaign but takes on a body in “dire financial straits”. The Antiguan beat his only challenger, David John-Williams from Trinidad & Tobago, by 18 votes to 12 in the election in Miami on July 23. A third challenger, Hillaren Frederick from the US Virgin Islands, withdrew beforehand after a feared intervention to Derrick’s candidacy from CONCACAF or FIFA failed to materialise. Canada’s Victor Montagliani was elected CONCACAF president in May 2016, but Derrick was…

Ten wins, three draws and just a single defeat; Atletico Nacional’s triumphant Libertadores campaign reads like one of the best in the history of the competition – and some of the Colombian team’s football was as impressive as the statistics. Reinaldo Rueda’s men played in the tradition of their 1989 predecessors who, under coach Francisco Maturana, helped put Colombian football on the map with a patient and attractive passing game. Changes of rhythm in possession – slow build-ups suddenly culminating in quick combinations – came together for Rueda’s side with flashes of individual talent. And though the line-up had to be reconstructed both immediately before and during the competition, the team retained a collective identity which proved too strong for their opponents in the Final: the fairy-tale team from Ecuador,…

It was not a good Final, but then it had not been a good tournament. So, as time slides by, what will be remembered of the 2016 European Championship? Wales and Iceland, perhaps? Two underdog stories to warm the heart that will be used by those with a vested interest to justify the expansion to 24 teams – even though both would almost certainly have qualified for a 16-team tournament, anyway. A weirdly awful penalty shoot-out in the quarter-finals as Germany did everything possible to shake off the stereotype of ruthless efficiency from the spot but beat Italy anyway? A genuinely epic semi-final in Marseille in which the tournament’s noisiest crowd roared France to victory over Germany. And a lot of drab, reactive football, based on anti-possession, at which Portugal…

“Now things have settled down a little after victory in France, what do you feel in particular? That we did our duty. Not relief or pleasure? Naturally happiness comes into it, especially for the team, the country and the federation. Pleasure also is a part of it. It’s not everyday you become European champions. You are Portuguese but took Greece to Euro 2012 and the 2014 World Cup. Does it make it more special that Portugal went decades without winning a title before you came along? Of course. That’s normal. I had an emotional bond with Greece. I worked there for many years and had a place for them in my heart. But Portugal is my homeland. It’s where I was born, grew up and became the man that I…

Sometimes you don’t see what’s right in front of you. For decades, Dutch clubs have neglected the Bundesliga for contracting new players – but that has changed this year with no fewer than eight clubs having German players on their books, and a German coach, Peter Hyballa, at NEC. In the past, Dutch clubs have always looked to sign Scandinavians (Soren Lerby, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Jon Dahl Tomasson) and South Americans (Romario, Ronaldo and Luis Suarez), while sizeable parts of the Belgian national team had their football education in Holland. This year the focus is on the other neighbouring country, although it has to be said that the majority come from Bundesliga 2 clubs, and some from clubs that were relegated to the third tier. That’s a painful indicator how…

The fall-out from July’s attempted military coup has hit football, with champions Besiktas particularly affected. Star striker Mario Gomez and Argentinian playmaker Jose Sosa both quit the club ahead of the new campaign, citing safety reasons for their departures. Gomez was one of the key players in his side’s title victory in May, when he finished as the league’s top scorer with 26 goals. But he returned to Germany following the unsettling events that saw an attempt to unseat state president Recep Tayyip Erdogan. “The reason for this is completely down to the political situation,” Gomez said. “There are no sporting or any other reasons that have made me make this decision. It is purely down to the terrible events that happened in the last few days.” Sosa also departed,…

KEY DATES The new-look 12-team league started on July 23 and will take a winter break from December 3 until February 25. After 22 rounds of the regular season, teams will be split in to two championship groups, with the competition ending on May 27. MAJOR COACHING CHANGES Despite having led only one senior club previously, and spending most of his career working with youth sides, Slovenian coach Milos Kostic was put in charge of Zeljeznicar. As one of the most popular clubs in the country, the pressure on him will be huge. CHAMPIONSHIP CHALLENGERS Last season’s winners Zrinjski Mostar start as favourites but their rivals will be encouraged by the fact that only one club – Zeljeznicar in 2013 – have successfully defended the title in the last 15…

KEY DATES The regular season runs from August 19 to March 3, after which the top six and bottom six split into championship and relegation groups. In the Nicosia derby, Omonia host APOEL on December 12, with the reverse fixture taking place on the last day of the opening phase. MAJOR COACHING CHANGES AEK Larnaca boss Thomas Christiansen was headhunted by champions, APOEL, while former Newcastle United coach John Carver is now in charge at Omonia. CHAMPIONSHIP CHALLENGERS APOEL have won the last four Cypriot titles and are the best the island has to offer. AEK, Apollon and Anorthosis are the next best. RELEGATION BATTLERS After signing 13 new players and off-loading 15, recently arrived AEL boss Pambos Christodoulou may have problems trying to find the right blend. The promoted…

KEY DATES The season runs from July 16 until May 27, with a winter break from December 10 to February 18. The derby games between Ferencvaros and Ujpest take place on September 24, April 4 and May 27. MAJOR COACHING CHANGES Ferenc Horvath joined Diosgyor from Videoton, where he was replaced by Henning Berg of Norway. Ferenc Bene left promoted Gyirmot, who went for Istvan Urbanyi. CHAMPIONSHIP CHALLENGERS Boasting several members of the country’s Euro 2016 team, Ferencvaros are favourites to retain the title. Videoton and Debrecen will be their strongest challengers, while the return of international midfielder Akos Elek could make Diosgyor the surprise package RELEGATION BATTLERS Promoted pair Gyirmot and Mezokovesd will do well to avoid a quick return to NBII, although Vasas – who only just survived…

KEY DATES The league will run from August 19 until May 6, with the FA Trophy Final on May 20. Valletta face geographical neighbours Floriana on September 21, and then Hibernians four days later. MAJOR COACHING CHANGES The one big change was at Hibernians, where English coach Mark Miller replaced Branko Nisevic, who took over. CHAMPIONSHIP CHALLENGERS Defending champions Valletta, Birkirkara and Hibernians will battle for the title. Birkirkara could be worth watching after they beat Hearts in the Europa League. RELEGATION BATTLERS The two promoted sides, Gzira United and Hamrun Spartans, will both settle for staying up this season. ONE TO WATCH Balzan striker Lydon Micallef’s performances last season were a joy to watch and he signalled his intentions of making it to the national side with both goals…

KEY DATES The season started on August 6 and finishes at the end of April. Key early matches include Cliftonville v Linfield on September 3 MAJOR COACHING CHANGES Kieran Harding has taken over at Carrick Rangers, while Gavin Dykes took charge of Ballinamallard United. CHAMPIONSHIP CHALLENGERS Crusaders are favourites to win the title for the third year in a row, but Linfield could challenge after signing international keeper Roy Carroll. RELEGATION BATTLERS Portadown, who must overcome a 12-point deduction, were not able to start the campaign due to “financial mismanagement”. Also likely to be fighting against the drop are promoted side Ards and last term’s strugglers Ballinamallard United and Carrick Rangers. ONE TO WATCH Now in his second full season with the Cliftonville, free-scoring 21-year-old midfielder Jay Donnelly has made…

KEY DATES The season started on July 23 and will finish on May 21, with a winter break from December 14 to February 12. Key matches include Partizan v Red Star on September 17, with the return on March 1. MAJOR COACHING CHANGES Ivan Tomic resigned as Partizan boss after his side picked up one point from their first two league games and went out of Europe to Poland’s Zaglebie Lubin. He was replaced by Marko Nikolic, who was sacked by Slovenian club Olimpija Ljubljana in April for racially abusing one of his own players. CHAMPIONSHIP CHALLENGERS As ever there are only two serious candidates to win the title: Red Star and Partizan. Holders Red Star are favourites, but if they reach the Europa League group stage, their rivals, who…

KEY DATES Having kicked off on July 23, the season runs until June 1, with a winter break between December 10 and February 2. An early highlight is Basle hosting Young Boys on August 10. MAJOR COACHING CHANGES One of the few changes during the summer was Zdenek Zeman leaving his post at Lugano after they lost the Cup Final to be replaced on an interim basis by Andrea Manzo, who was previously the club’s under-21 coach. CHAMPIONSHIP CHALLENGERS Champions for the last seven seasons, Basle will take some stopping after splashing out over €15m in the transfer market. Last term they finished 14 points clear of Young Boys and it looks as though nothing will stop them again this time. RELEGATION BATTLERS Lausanne-Sport will hope to have enough to…

This year was supposed to be the start of a new dawn for Phnom Penh Crown, who had won a record sixth Cambodian league title and therefore qualified for the 2017 AFC Cup. And 2016 was also supposed to signal an end to the darkest period of the club’s history. In November 2015, the club had taken the extraordinary measure of suspending seven of its players, and four officials, for allegedly taking part in match-fixing. Yok As Ari, Thong Da, Sary Matnorotin, Toch Sok Heng, Ngoy Srin, Sos Suhana and San Usaphea were all disciplined, as were club officers Ngoun Chansothea, Ser Syna, Tes Sophat and youth coach Bouy Dary. The allegations sprung from voice recordings obtained by the club that apparently revealed an internal plot by Dary and others…

Just a few weeks after Portugal celebrated winning Euro 2016, the European club season is back. And so is our guide to the new league campaigns – 34 of them (page 51). Not that football stopped for the European summer break – there’s Atletico Nacional’s victory in the Libertadores Cup (page 28) for starters. It is also just a few weeks since British people voted to leave the European Union, an act of economic suicide that could have serious implications for football. World Soccer was launched in 1960 to feed a growing interest in the European game. A few years earlier, Chelsea had rejected an invitation to be England’s representatives in the European Champions Cup. But Real Madrid’s victory over Eintracht Frankfurt at Hampden Park in 1960 changed all that.…

CRISTIANO RONALDO The Real Madrid man was honoured when his home island of Madeira named their international airport after him following Portugal’s Euro 2016 success. MIGUEL BORJA Scored five times in four games – in the Libertadores semi-final and Final – as Atletico Nacional claimed their second South American club title. XAVI The former Barcelona midfielder donated his yacht to a charity that will auction it off and use the funds to help save refugees who cross the Mediterranean Sea. FRANCESCO TOTTI The veteran forward, preparing for his 25th season with Roma, said: “Footballers today are a bit like nomads. They follow money and not their hearts. Maybe that is the difference between me and all the others.” BEIJING STADIUM AUTHORITIES The appalling state of the pitch at the Birds…

Football can’t take moral high ground over doping A cackle of barely suppressed laughter could be heard all the way from Zurich, along the twisting roads to Lausanne, as the International Olympic Committee tripped headlong over its moral compass amid the Russian doping farrago. Not that FIFA has any right to selfsatisfaction after the litany of scandals generated by the venal avarice of a long list of leaders, directors, officials and hangers-on, past and present. But Schadenfreude was a popular word considering how IOC president Thomas Bach had lectured FIFA on how his movement had sorted itself out two decades ago. The IOC’s sin was in shutting its eyes to doping malpractice under its nose in the sports which comprise the heart of its Olympic programme, such as track and…

Big Sam and the decline of the international game England have become dedicated followers of fashion in modern football, so it was hardly surprising that they opted for Sam Allardyce as their new manager. He is known as “Big Sam” – but only in England. Elsewhere, he is relatively obscure. Italy and Spain had already made exactly the same move after Euro 2016, putting new men in charge of the national side who are appreciated at home but mostly unknown to a wider audience. None have major reputations. Italy’s choice, Giampiero Ventura, is a veteran boss of 18 different clubs, the last of which was Torino. Meanwhile, the Spanish went for Julen Lopetegui, who spent four years working with junior national sides and then a difficult 19 months at Porto…

Allardyce is uninspiring, but be thankful it wasn’t Wenger Well, at least it’s not Wenger, so perhaps we should be grateful for small mercies. The Big Three, the Three Stooges, or whatever you may care to call David Gill, Dan Ashworth and Martin Glenn, reportedly had Arsene Wenger top of their list to be the next England manager. True, Wenger, early in his distinguished managerial career, when still in France, was offered the role of manager of the French international team, but turned it down. During his many years at Arsenal, there have certainly been protracted periods when his methods inspired the team to success and when becoming England’s manager would have made substantial sense. But surely not now. Arsenal haven’t won the Premier League for years, haven’t made an…

A “gringo” who admits he knew next to nothing about the game before taking over one of Costa Rica’s most cherished teams, David Patey is the most unlikely of football club owners. Yet the 40-year-old American has transformed the fortunes of provincial side Herediano, both on and off the pitch, and overseen a remarkable turnaround that ended with victory in the Final of the Campeonato de Verano (summer championship) and a third league title of his stewardship. Based in the city of Heredia – which is a short drive northwest of the capital San Jose, where the country’s most successful club, Deportivo Saprissa, are based – Herediano are ultimately owned by a local sports association. However, after winning their first title for 20 years in 2012, they were plunged into…

The rules of Belgium’s top divisions, with their interminable play-offs, have never been easy to understand. But never fear, they are changing again. This season, the number of professional clubs in the country will decrease from 34 to 24. This change has been pushed through by the Pro League, who want to avoid clubs falling into financial difficulties. There will be stricter rules for clubs applying for a professional licence and they must prove they have financial backing to ensure long-term survival. In practical terms, this means there are still 16 clubs in the top flight, but just eight in the second tier. These will be called League 1A and League 1B – with the latter being the second tier – and at the end of the regular season there…

Not surprisingly, it has been Juventus who have dominated preparations for the new season. In late July, they sounded the largest blast on the transfer market when, after weeks of speculation, the club finally moved for Napoli’s recordbreaking goalscorer, Gonzalo Higuain, who ended last season with 36 Serie A goals to surpass the previous best of Milan’s Swedish striker Gunner Nordhal. However, it was a far from a happy parting of the ways for Higuain as Napoli refused to negotiate with Juve, who eventually had to accept the terms of the buy-out clause in the Argentinian’s contract. Having offered the required €90million, the defending champions were then free to deal directly with the player. A four-year contract worth €7.5m per annum was agreed with the 28-yearold, who had a secret…

Brendan Rodgers chose the right time to come to Glasgow. The new Celtic manager not only has a significant budget to pursue a sixth successive Scottish Premiership title, he has the eyes of the world back on the city again. When Rangers won promotion last April by claiming the second-tier Championship, it made headlines everywhere. Seeing the name of a team which won a European trophy in 1972 will spark global interest, but the harsh reality is different. Now, more than ever, sporting and financial accountability are under the greatest scrutiny. “Rangers are back,” people say. But it’s not quite as simple as that. In fact, nothing has been simple since the summer of 2012, when Rangers went into liquidation. The club had debts of £134million, with money owed to…

KEY DATES The new season gets underway on September 7 and will finish on June 2. MAJOR COACHING CHANGES Partizani Tirana replaced Andrea Agostinelli with ex-Watford assistant Adolfo Sormani. Former Partizani and Teuta Durres boss Hasan Lika is now in the Kukesi hot-seat. CHAMPIONSHIP CHALLENGERS Champions for the past six years, Skenderbeu Korce remain a class apart, though last season they were guilty of going through the motions at times. Partizani Tirana should be their closest rivals, while bigspending Kukesi could also be in the mix. RELEGATION BATTLERS Back in the top flight for the first time in 54 years, Korabi Peshkopi will be hampered by having to play home games in Tirana as their own ground was deemed unfit for the Superliga. Flamurtari, who once beat Barcelona in the…

KEY DATES This will be the first campaign in which the 14 clubs play each other home and away, before the league then splits into championship and relegation groups. The season began on July 29 with everything being resolved by June 4. MAJOR COACHING CHANGES Lyupko Petrovic returned to take charge of Levski Sofia for a third time, while Georgi Ivanov took charge of Cherno More Varna. CHAMPIONSHIP CHALLENGERS Ludogorets will attempt to win a sixth successive title, with Levski Sofia and Beroe Stara Zagora – who were second and third last time out – best placed to stop them. It will be interesting to see if CSKA Sofia can be competitive after moving up from the third tier. RELEGATION BATTLERS Neftochimic and Vereya went up due to the expansion…

KEY DATES Starting on July 29, the season runs until May 27, with a break from December 4 to February 17. Early games include Sparta Prague v Slavia Prague on September 24 and Viktoria Plzen v Sparta on October 22. MAJOR COACHING CHANGES Mlada Boleslav will be looking for a new coach from August 25, when Karel Jarolim leaves to become nationalteam boss. Roman Pivarnik takes over at Viktoria Plzen. CHAMPIONSHIP CHALLENGERS A two-horse race involving Viktoria Plzen and Sparta Prague looks likely. Plzen have a settled but ageing squad, while Sparta have brought in defender Michal Kadlec but lost winger Ladislav Krejci. Wealthy Slavia Prague are potential dark horses. RELEGATION BATTLERS New boys Karvina could struggle after losing their main sponsor, while Hradec Kralove, also promoted last season, are…

KEY DATES The season runs from August 20 to March 10, then splits into championship and relegation pools. In early games, Maccabi Tel Aviv face Hapoel Tel Aviv on September 23. MAJOR COACHING CHANGES Ex-Ajax and Georgia striker Shota Arveladze has taken over from Dutch coach Peter Bosz at Maccabi Tel Aviv. Ran Ben Shimon, a title winner with Ironi Kiryat Shmona in 2011-12, replaced Slobodan Drapic at Beitar Jerusalem. CHAMPIONSHIP CHALLENGERS Under coach Barak Bakhar, champions Hapoel Be’er Sheva boast a resilience and unity. The big-hitters of Maccabi Tel Aviv, who signed Yossi Benayoun from Maccabi Haifa, have more star quality, but will miss the goals of China-bound striker Eran Zahavi. RELEGATION BATTLERS Hapoel Kfar Saba only scored 22 goals in 33 top-flight games last term and will continue…

KEY DATES The season started on July 23 and will finish at the end of May. Eleven teams play each other three times and the winter break will run from December 10 until February 24. MAJOR COACHING CHANGES French coach Bruno Irles took charge of defending champions Sheriff, while runners-up Dacia Chisinau sacked Oleg Bejenari after an unsuccesful Europa League qualification campaign. Vlad Goian was named coach of Cup-winners Zaria Balti. CHAMPIONSHIP CHALLENGERS In addition to champions Sheriff, Dacia and Zimbru Chisinau, who finished second and third respectively last season, Milsami Orhei and Zaria could challenge. RELEGATION BATTLERS Only one team will go down this season and that will most likely be newcomers Ungheni as they started the season without a recognised keeper. Academia Chisinau, who are also expected to…

KEY DATES The regular season runs from July 15 to April 23, with a break between December 20 and February 9. The league then splits into championship and relegation groups, which see a further seven matches for each team, from April 28 to June 4. MAJOR COACHING CHANGES Stanislav Cherchesov left Legia Warsaw and was replaced by Besnik Hasi. Radoslav Latal left runners-up Piast Gliwice by mutual agreement. CHAMPIONSHIP CHALLENGERS With a budget of around £24m, Legia are again title favorites. Lech Poznan, winners in 2015, have the next highest budget, roughly £9.5m. RELEGATION BATTLERS Promoted sides Arka Gdynia and Wisla Plock will be happy just to stay up, while Korona Kielce look to be very unstable and are looking for a new owner. ONE TO WATCH On loan at…

KEY DATES The season runs from July 16 until May 27, with a winter break between December 10 and February 18. Champions Trencin will face Slovan Bratislava for the first time this season on September 24. MAJOR COACHING CHANGES Of the half-dozen managerial changes in the close season, the most significant are the return of Krisztian Nemeth to his old club Dunajska Streda, and the appointment of former Slovan Bratislava midfielder Norbert Hrncar at Ruzomberok. Mikulas Radvanyi filled Hrncar’s previous post at Myjava. CHAMPIONSHIP CHALLENGERS Title-holders Trencin and 2014 champions Slovan Bratislava are expected to dominate again, while Slovakia’s most-capped player, Miroslav Karhan, who started and finished his playing career at Spartak Trnava, will hope to revive his former club after his appointment as coach towards the end of last…

KEY DATES The first phase runs from August 12 until January 15, after which the top six and bottom six split into championship and play-off groups. MAJOR COACHING CHANGES Matthew Bishop took over at Aberystwyth Town, with former Haverfordwest County boss Wayne Jones as his number two, with most of last season’s squad having been moved on. CHAMPIONSHIP CHALLENGERS Reigning champions The New Saints are firm favourites as they aim for a sixth consecutive title. Bala Town and Connah’s Quay Nomads will hope to push them all the way. RELEGATION BATTLERS Cefn Druids and Cardiff Metropolitan University were promoted at the end of last term but might struggle this season, along with Rhyl and Carmarthen Town. ONE TO WATCH Zyaac Edwards, who moved from Caernarfon Town to Rhyl, could make…

It is fair to say that opinion remains divided as to whether this summer’s expanded European Championship was a success. And that debate will be rekindled in January 2019 when the Asian Cup moves to United Arab Emirates and features 24 teams for the first time – eight more than usual. The same concerns will be aired. Some will be worried about the presence of too many weak teams playing cautiously, and the possibility of a nation that finishes third in their group going on to win the title. Others will argue that allowing more nations to the party simply makes it bigger, better and more fun. The 2015 Asian Cup in Australia was not only the last 16-team tournament, it was also the end of an era, with only…

Shocks, late drama and new-frontier exploits were the order of the day in the Champions League third qualifying round. And nowhere did the whittling down process go with such a bang as at an ecstatic Tallaght Stadium in Dublin, where Republic of Ireland champions Dundalk beat BATE 3-0 to knock out the far more experienced Belarusians 4-1 on aggregate. Thanks to two Dave McMillan headers and a cool Robbie Benson finish as the clock ticked down, the Lilywhites are now on the verge of history, just 180 minutes away from becoming the first League of Ireland side to reach the Champions League group stage. Unperturbed after only delivering a 2-2 draw at home to Serbian aristocrats Red Star in the first leg, Bulgarian title-holders Ludogorets were also in tableturning mood,…

Manchester City’s €50m signing of Leroy Sane from Schalke made the 20-year-old the most expensive German footballer of all time. The fee paid by City eclipsed the €44m paid by Arsenal to Real Madrid for Mesut Ozil in 2013 and was more than the €38m paid this year by Bayern Munich to Dortmund for defender Mats Hummels. The Sane deal means that English clubs have spent in excess of €400m on Bundesliga players in the past two years. Manchester City alone have spent €162 million on three Bundesliga players (Sane, Ilkay Gundogan, Kevin De Bruyne) in the past 12 months. Already this summer, Bundesliga players have moved to England at a cost of €199million. In addition to Sane, they include Granit Xhaka (Borussia Monchengladbach to Arsenal, €45m), Henrikh Mkhitaryan (Borussia…

“I’m a guy who can’t sit and have one or two glasses. I have to drink until I fall over. They said to me: ‘If you keep going with this life, you will die.’ And I had an encounter with Jesus after 18 caipirinhas and 14 long necks [of beer]” Former Real Madrid and Roma defender Cicinho on his battle with alcoholism To see video footage of these goals, and many more that we have selected, scan the QR code using any free QR reader that can be downloaded to your smartphone. You can also see the videos by logging on to http://po.st/w4LAPa 1 SALOMON RONDON West Bromwich Albion v Vitesse Curls a free-kick in off the underside of the bar during a pre-season friendly in Arnhem. 2 ANDREI ARSHAVIN…

The game’s in crisis, but we get the football we deserve Over a six-week span this summer, three of the game’s most important Finals failed to produce spectacular – or even half-way decent – visions of the sport. The Finals of the Copa America, the Champions League and the European Championship produced a total of just three goals – and all three dragged on into extratime, with two decided by a shoot-out. To broaden the gloom, there’s the most recent World Cup Final. What should have been a wonderful evening in the Rio sunshine was another overtime bore, a dull 1-0 game. Four extra-time Finals, just four goals in 480 minutes of football. One goal every two hours. That is football in 2016; the world’s most entertaining sport reduced to…

“Football is a simple game. Sometimes Guardiola spoke too much” Bayern Munich star Franck Ribery earns a rebuke from club chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge for his critique of former coach Pep Guardiola IN EUROPE ANDRIY SHEVCHENKO, who retired in 2012 as his country’s all-time leading goalscorer, was appointed coach of Ukraine on a two-year contract. He will be assisted by ex-Italy defender MAURO TASSOTTI and former Dynamo Kiev boss RAUL RIANCHO. KAREL JAROLIM will take over as Czech Republic coach on August 25 after leading Mlada Boleslav in their Europa League qualifying campaign. STEVE WALSH was named Everton’s director of football, having previously been employed by last season’s Premier League champions Leicester City. Former Italy keeper WALTER ZENGA was appointed manager of English second-tier side Wolverhampton Wanderers, following their takeover by…

For the second time in less than 24 hours, Ederzito Antonio Macedo Lopes – better known simply as Eder – did not pass up an invitation to be the main protagonist at an historic event. The previous evening he had made the best possible use of a Joao Moutinho pass in extra-time against France to score the winning goal in the Euro 2016 Final at Stade de France. Now, next to the fountain atop the vast sweeping lawn of the Alameda Dom Afonso Henriques, not a blade of grass of which was visible for the expanse of heaving humanity on it, the hero of the hour again elicited riotous cheers when he bellowed into the microphone: “Today is a f****** national holiday!” Amid extraordinary scenes in Lisbon on July 11,…

Given the unwanted historical baggage that weighs football down in some countries, starting from scratch can often seem appealing. In Mauritius, tragedy made doing just that unavoidable, but the impact has been ruinous. A widely diverse population of 1.3million reflects a history of slavery on the Indian Ocean Island, which was first inhabited by the Dutch and then colonised by France and Britain before independence in 1968. Ethnic and religious divisions intersect Mauritian life at all levels, and none more so than football, which rather than growing out of geographic attachments developed through communal ties. The Mauritius Football Association (MFA) was formed in 1952 and early teams included Tamil Cadets, Muslim Scouts and Fire Brigade, which drew support from the Creole community. Meanwhile, the coloured minority supported Racing Club or…

Lyon’s victory in the UEFA Women’s Champions League Final in May marked the end of an era at the French club, but there is unlikely to be any easing of their European power and domestic dominance. French champions 10 seasons in a row, OL bade farewell to a trio of players after their penalty shoot-out victory over Wolfsburg before swiftly announcing a series of measures that should make Gerard Precheur’s side even stronger. Of those leaving, Louisa Necib – who is often billed as the female Zinedine Zidane, due to a similar playing style and also being Marseille-born of Algerian heritage – has announced that, at 29, she would retire after the Olympics to start a family. Having married Servette’s French-Algerian defender Liassine Cadamuro-Bentaiba in June she says that combining…

Last season was a chastening experience for both Porto and Nuno Espirito Santo. Having bombed badly in Europe, FCP finished way behind Benfica (15 points) and Sporting (13 points) in the league, and then missed out on the consolation prize of the Portuguese Cup when they were beaten in the Final by Braga. It was not a whole lot better for Nuno. The former Porto goalkeeper had impressed in each of his first three seasons as a head coach, leading modest Rio Ave to two cup Finals before moving to Spain and steering Valencia into the Champions League in his first season. He was, however, unable to replicate that success last term, and a poor start – which included a group-stage exit from the Champions League – triggered widespread animosity…

Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi just can’t be separated, and they can’t be kept off the front pages either – not even when they go on holiday. There they were, in a port somewhere in Ibiza, and on newspaper covers all over Spain. With Messi’s boat moored just metres from Ronaldo’s boat, a meeting was imagined. “What would they talk about?” asked one editorial, with an open invitation for readers to insert their own punchline. The new season, perhaps? Pretty much everyone else was – when they weren’t picking through the bones of Spain’s Euro 2016 exit. At this time of year, everyone is optimistic, everyone has hope and everyone has a chance. Well, not everyone exactly, but you get the point. And the new campaign does begin with an…

KEY DATES The season began on July 23, 2016 and is scheduled to end on May 28, 2017. On August 27, Rapid Vienna host Red Bull Salzburg, and on September 17 Red Bull Salzburg are at home to Austria Vienna. MAJOR COACHING CHANGES Rapid Vienna replaced Zoran Barisic with Mike Buskens and the 48-year-old German says he wants to make his side “very awkward opponents”. CHAMPIONSHIP CHALLENGERS Red Bull Salzburg will expect to dominate but Rapid Vienna, with a new coach and their new Allianz Stadion home, have dreams of a first title since 2008. Austria Vienna will play in the Ernst Happel stadium while their ground is renovated and may struggle. RELEGATION BATTLERS Back in the top flight for the first time in 22 years, St Polten will hope…

KEY DATES The league began on July 15 and it is expected to end on May 27. Dinamo Zagreb will face rivals Hajduk Split four times: on August 10, October 1, December 17 and April 22 MAJOR COACHING CHANGES Former national boss Zlatko Kranjcar replaced Zoran Mamic at Dinamo Zagreb, while Marijan Pusnik took over from Damir Buric at Hajduk Split. CHAMPIONSHIP CHALLENGERS Dinamo Zagreb, who won their 11th consecutive title last term are favourites, while Hajduk Split could be pushed for second place by improving HNK Rijeka. RELEGATION BATTLERS Newcomers Cibalia will expect a relegation battle and the same goes for RNK Split and Istra 1961 – whose coaches both resigned after their opening games of the season. ONE TO WATCH Dinamo Zagreb’s 22-year-old midfielder Marko Rog made a…

KEY DATES The campaign started on July 15 and there is a mid-season break from December 11 to February 19. After March 19, the league will split into play-off sections, with the top six competing for the title and the rest to avoid relegation. Dates for these matches are not yet confirmed. MAJOR COACHING CHANGES German coach Alexander Zorniger has taken over at Brondby after a previous spell at Stuttgart. English veteran Colin Todd is now boss of Esbjerg after four years at Randers. His replacement there is Icelandic coach Olafur Kristjansson. CHAMPIONSHIP CHALLENGERS Copenhagen are massive favourites to retain their title. Nordsjaelland look revitalised after Kasper Hjulmand returned as coach last January, while Midtjylland have the highly rated Jess Thorup in charge. RELEGATION BATTLERS With a complicated new relegation…

KEY DATES The championship started on August 7 and will finish on May 28, with a mid-season break from December 4 to February 19. Last term’s top two, Vardar and Shkendija, meet on August 14 and October 23. MAJOR COACHING CHANGES The major change was at Rabotnicki, where former international Viktor Trenevski replaced Tomislav Franc, who is now his assistant, following their elimination from the Europa League. CHAMPIONSHIP CHALLENGERS Vardar and Shkendija will compete for the title again. Vardar coach Goce Sedloski has put this faith in young talent, while Shkendija have stuck with last season’s team and kept captain Ferhan Hasani. RELEGATION BATTLERS Newly-promoted Makedonija GP and Pobeda – who are both former champions – are likely to be in a relegation battle with Renova. Pobeda will not be…

KEY DATES The season kicked off on August 6 and will break for winter on December 3. The spring season will begin in late February or early March, with the dates to be determined. MAJOR COACHING CHANGES Aleksandar Nedovic joined Petrovac from Sutjeska, who replaced him with Nebojsa Jovovic, a former sports director of Buducnost.. CHAMPIONSHIP CHALLENGERS The league race promises to be interesting, with title-holders Mladost starting as favourites, closely followed by Rudar, Buducnost, Sutjeska and Zeta. RELEGATION BATTLERS The league will be reduced from 12 to 10 clubs next term, so this season the bottom three will be relegated, while the clubs who will finish eighth and ninth will face play-off games against sides from the second tier. ONE TO WATCH Mladost signed 18-year-old midfielder Marko Burzanovic from…

KEY DATES The league began on July 22 and will end with the play-offs from May 13 to June 4. The mid-season break runs from December 17 to February 4. Steaua are at home to Dinamo on August 30 and Astra on September 10. MAJOR COACHING CHANGES Mircea Rednic left Dinamo and was replaced by Ioan Andone. At Pandurii, Edward Iordanescu quit over the club’s financial problems and Petre Grigoras took charge for a third time. CHAMPIONSHIP CHALLENGERS Steaua, Astra and Pandurii all lost big players this summer but will still be in the mix, while Gheorghe Hagi’s Academy have eyes on a first title bid. RELEGATION BATTLERS After two rounds of the new campaign, Rapid went bankrupt and were replaced by Poli Timisoara, who start with a 14-point deficit…

KEY DATES The league runs from July 16 until May 27, with a winter break between December 10 and February 25. The derby between Maribor and Olimpija Ljubljana was set for August 6, October 15, February 25 and April 29. MAJOR COACHING CHANGES After new Rudar coach Milovan Rajevac left after two weeks to take charge of Algeria’s national team, he was replaced by Slobodan Krcmarevic, who has taken his first job in Slovenia. CHAMPIONSHIP CHALLENGERS Five-time champions until 2015, Maribor will be out to take the title back from Olimpija. Domzale and Gorica look the best equipped to run the big two closest. RELEGATION BATTLERS Aluminij Kidricevo, who lost to Zavrc in the PrvaLiga play-off but still went up due to their opponents’ financial demise, face a tough season.…

The 2016 season was always going to be an awkward one for MLS. And so, with the hosting of the Copa America in the US set to severely disrupt the domestic game, commissioner Don Garber agreed that there would be no games for the first 15 days of the tournament. It may not have been what Garber wanted, but it was a good tactical move on the global stage. Not so good, however, was what happened in New York on May 21. Even though New York Red Bulls are actually from New Jersey, the MLS marketing machine has wasted no time in trying to hype-up the two-year-old fixture against New York City FC as the competition’s great rivalry. While attracting 37,858 to the Yankee Stadium would appear a success, the…