Knew this would be the case but to see a Champions League last-16 draw in which 6 of 8 ties contains an English team is properly deflating. For fans of English teams, this used to be a competition full of mystique and fresh, exciting challenges. It’s now basically Premier League 2 with some invites.
One more plug for this report from Bodø on the miracle of Glimt – told from the coffee table that explains everything. www.theguardian.com/football/202...
I've been working on this for ages in various countries: the story of the intelligence buildup to Putin's 2022 invasion. How did the US and Britain find out so much, and why were Europe and Ukraine sceptical.
It's a long one:
www.theguardian.com/world/ng-int...
Where is the £185m in solidarity money that Fifa promised to those who didn't make the Club World Cup? No timeline, no formula for distribution devised, meetings postponed, smaller clubs still waiting for sums that can offer a lifeline. Exclusive with Matt Hughes: www.theguardian.com/football/202...
The prize money? Fully paid up already! Around £84m in total for Chelsea.
Where is the £185m in solidarity money that Fifa promised to those who didn't make the Club World Cup? No timeline, no formula for distribution devised, meetings postponed, smaller clubs still waiting for sums that can offer a lifeline. Exclusive with Matt Hughes: www.theguardian.com/football/202...
They are still bearing the weight pretty well.
Will Infantino try to restate a case for Russia when he addresses Uefa Congress? Either way, it's likely to be an event where what's said raises more eyebrows than anything done. The reckoning for most of football's geopolitical hot potatoes is coming, but not yet www.theguardian.com/football/202...
Will Infantino try to restate a case for Russia when he addresses Uefa Congress? Either way, it's likely to be an event where what's said raises more eyebrows than anything done. The reckoning for most of football's geopolitical hot potatoes is coming, but not yet www.theguardian.com/football/202...
For anyone interested who might have missed it – a visit to Castel di Sangro, 30 years since the "miracle" that sparked the legendary book by Joe McGinniss. There are conflicted reactions to it, even now. But this is a tale of how time both shapes and preserves. www.theguardian.com/football/202...
For anyone interested who might have missed it – a visit to Castel di Sangro, 30 years since the "miracle" that sparked the legendary book by Joe McGinniss. There are conflicted reactions to it, even now. But this is a tale of how time both shapes and preserves. www.theguardian.com/football/202...
Thank you! Was great fun to do.
Can miracles happen twice? A visit to Castel di Sangro, 30 years since the achievement made globally famous by Joe McGinniss. Everything has changed but, meeting some of the book's old characters, it's as if nothing has at all. www.theguardian.com/football/202...
Thanks for reading!
Love you to read this piece, of course, but at the very least do click for some absolutely superb photography by Marta Clinco.
Thanks so much for reading it!
These days a reformed Castel di Sangro play at the very bottom of Italy's pyramid. But their incredible journey of the 1990s stays alive every day – the old team and staff have a WhatsApp group that kicks into life at 6am with a "Good morning!" from the manager Osvaldo Jaconi.
Can miracles happen twice? A visit to Castel di Sangro, 30 years since the achievement made globally famous by Joe McGinniss. Everything has changed but, meeting some of the book's old characters, it's as if nothing has at all. www.theguardian.com/football/202...
Portsmouth have now managed twice within a month not to get a game on against Ipswich – not acceptable in the Championship in 2026.
Infantino claims Russia’s global football ban has achieved nothing and should be reversed. But it has, hasn’t it? It is only nation banned from the world’s most-popular sport and that has to sting, it’s a very visible consequence of what’s happened. Reminder fifa largely forced into this ban
Poland's fascinating, impossibly tight Ekstraklasa restarts tonight. The league is thriving, in line with the country's booming economy. It aims to crack Europe's top 10, maybe even top six – and isn't prepared to sit on elite football's sidelines for much longer. www.theguardian.com/football/202...
Thanks for reading!
Poland is European football's sleeping giant – it's taken time but now many of the ingredients are in place for it to wake up. Depth of competitive teams and some serious investment should get it that top 10 place soon. Conference League doing wonders for European presence but soon won't be enough.
Poland's fascinating, impossibly tight Ekstraklasa restarts tonight. The league is thriving, in line with the country's booming economy. It aims to crack Europe's top 10, maybe even top six – and isn't prepared to sit on elite football's sidelines for much longer. www.theguardian.com/football/202...
Dynamo Moscow claim their second team beat German club Rott-Weiss Wittlich in a friendly today – a game the latter don't seem in a rush to publicise. Hard to recall any/many similar match-ups involving Russian clubs over the past four years ...
😬 Newcastle pull off an impressive draw v PSG.
🧤 Benfica goalkeeper, Anatoliy Trubin, scored a towering header to secure a playoff position for José Mourinho's men.
@maxrushden.bsky.social @nickames82.bsky.social @nickybandini.bsky.social @larssivertsen.bsky.social @archiert1.bsky.social
And in general, what a night’s drama - can hear the champagne corks popping in Nyon. Five English clubs in top eight is the blight.
Bodø/Glimt the single-handed saviours of European football.
For Greenland, futsal offers a rare route to visual, powerful representation abroad. Spent a couple of days in Croatia with a team whose homeland had been threatened and demeaned all week. www.theguardian.com/football/202...
It’s not just a piece of ice, it’s a vibrant and diverse home for human beings, their lives and their stories. Being able to face established nations in futsal helps Greenland to tell them. Next step - will Uefa or Concacaf finally let them in?
