2013 UEFA Champions League

[Bagor]

Nothing for them to be worried about as long as they pay their bills. That suspension is harsh though and good to see Malaga aren't going to roll over.

'Malaga Club de Futbol wishes to communicate its total disagreement with today's UEFA decision,' the statement read.
'The measures taken against the club are absolutely disproportionate and unjustified given the club's situation. We consider that the club is being punished unfairly and used as a 'Turk's head' example to others.'
'Given the total and absolute indignation and consternation on the part of the club, Malaga CF wishes to state that it will work energetically and without rest to achieve justice, using all available necessary means.
'Malaga CF wishes to add that it does not understand, and considers totally incomprehensible and abusive, that after having received this judgement it must now wait an unknown period of time to know the evidence upon which it was taken.'
The statement went on to refute claims that it was unable to pay its own players and keep up with debt repayments to other clubs.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/foo...pay-debts.html


The test of UEFA's gonads will be how Platini senior's UEFA deal with Platini junior's PSG. If they can do anything at all.

How to beat Financial Fair Play

Paris Saint-Germain have secured a huge deal with the Qatar Tourism Authority that will bring the Ligue 1 leaders more than €150 million over each of the next four seasons.
The agreement with the QTA, a body linked to the Qatari state that is aimed at promoting tourism in the Arab state, was revealed to French football’s financial watchdog, the DNCG, on Tuesday, Le Parisien reports. It is not a sponsorship agreement per se but a “vast publicity campaign intended to promote the image of Qatar”, the paper adds.

Retroactive for 2012, it will boost PSG’s coffers by €150 million for the current campaign, increasing progressively to a minimum of €200 million in its final season, 2015-2016. To put that figure into context €200 million is the entire annual revenue for a club like Liverpool – the 9th biggest earners in world football last year.

Let’s be honest, though, Qatar does needs some promotion. Just 60,514 hardy souls went on holiday to the Arab state (that’s the same number travelling to the Emirate each year that attend the Emirates stadium every two weeks) in 2012. Of those a mere 10,456 came from Europe. It’s reasonable to assume that perhaps a thousand or so came from France. So, there’s definitely scope for improvement. With a few hundred million euros spent on promotion, you can imagine that figure rising to, ooh, let me see, I’d say at least 2,000 a year. In terms of money spent on attracting tourists, this could be the worst promotional idea since Hoover offered free flights on every vacuum cleaner sale.

When you consider that London, which attracts about 15 million tourists each year, operates on a budget of just £11.7 million, you realise how implausible the idea that Qatar is really spending that money to promote tourism to its country.
No, this has nothing to do with promoting Qatar tourism and everything to do with creative accountancy.

http://www.worldsoccer.com/247/world...-december-2012

ONE of the experts behind Uefa’s financial fair play (FFP) rules has warned that the credibility of European football’s governing body rests on its response to Paris Saint-Germain’s new €700m (£570m) four-year deal with the Qatar Tourism Authority QTA.

PSG will receive €150m (£122m) this season rising to €200m (£163m) in 2015-16 from QTA, which, like the club’s owners the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA), is an arm of the Gulf state. The deal does not include shirt sponsorship or stadium naming rights, but will help promote Qatar, according to newspaper Le Parisien.
The deal promises to prevent big-spending PSG from breaking European rules outlawing losses of more than €45m (£37m) for 2011-13. But David Lampitt, who was part of an expert group that helped develop Uefa’s FFP framework, believes it will pose a stern challenge to the body’s determination to take a hard line.

“It looks like a pretty astounding deal that certainly stretches credibility. Whether it undermines FFP or not rests with Uefa and how they deal with it,” Lampitt, now chief executive of Supporters Direct, told City A.M. “From the point of view of other clubs, in France or England, it’s important that Uefa is seen to be acting with credibility in these issues.

“I don’t think it’s unexpected but when you look at the historic value of sponsorship deals for Paris Saint-Germain and the French league you’ll find this is hugely out of kilter.”

FFP rules are aimed at ensuring clubs spend only what they generate and Uefa insists it will not let clubs artificially boost income through deals with related companies.

PSG’s contract with QTA dwarfs even Abu Dhabi-backed Manchester City’s £400m, 10-year sponsorship agreement with state airline Etihad, which also prompted questions.

http://www.cityam.com/sport/psg-new-...efa-ffp-expert

[polak]

Uh oh... Is this gonig to turn into a cba-esque thread?

Enough behind the scenes financial talk on this sports website!

[Bagor]

Uh-oh ... is this going to turn into a wannabe moderator thread?

Just as the cba is relevant to hockey so is this to soccer. Deal with it.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by diane_phaneuf

Man City and Chelsea just got a little worried that UEFA is finally showing some balls ahead of FFP

http://www.uefa.com/uefa/footballfir...d=1908817.html

Banned Malaga from the CL/Europa for the next 3 seasons due to unpaid wages/tax bills

I was just going to say that those teams paying their bills isnt the problem and wont really solve much.

The PSG issue is identical to what happened in Man City a year or two ago.

What has to happen is the stupidly wealthy have to get tired of losing money on soccer teams.

The PSG/Qatar and City/Sheikh Mansour situations are clear circumventions of the FFP rules and someone has to have the balls to stand up and say so.

They wont. Primarily because briefcases full of cash disappear rather easily. Theres just too much money.

[d_phaneuf]

If they are willing to ban a team, it's just a good sign

if loopholes get them by it's one thing, but I didn't think they would be willing at all to drop the hammer like that

[Bagor]

Can't let 2012 close out without this being mentioned. In this era of football I think it is one hell of an achievement and speaks volumes about the future of Spanish football.

From November.

Barcelona's fabled La Masia academy scored another triumph on Sunday when the Liga giants fielded an entirely homegrown team during their 4-0 Liga victory against Levante. History was made in the 14th minute when coach Tito Vilanova sent on Martin Montoya to replace the injured Dani Alves - completing a team full of La Masia products for the first time in the modern era.
Not even Vilanova's predecessor Pep Guardiola managed the feat, fielding a maximum of nine homegrown players at any time.
Brazilian substitute Adriano Correia broke the monopoly in the 75th minute, by which time Barca were four goals to the good.
Although every player was an academy product, that's not to say all were born within a stepover or two of the Camp Nou.
Lionel Messi hails, of course, from Argentina but moved to Barcelona aged 12. Pedro Rodriguez is from Tenerife, while Andres Iniesta's childhood home of Fuentealbilla is closer to Real Madrid's Santiago Bernabeu stadium than to Barcelona.

http://eurosport.yahoo.com/blogs/pit...093237514.html



The mail follows how they all rose through the ranks and compares with English teams.

Lionel Messi
Undoubtedly the biggest star to emerge from La Masia, Messi had his first trial with the Catalans at the age of 11. He had already made waves in his native Argentina but had been diagnosed with a growth hormone deficiency and interested sides such as River Plate were unable to pay for the treatment, which cost nearly £600 a month.

This didn’t deter Barcelona, whose sporting director Carles Rexach offered Messi a contract scribbled on a paper napkin. Messi and his father Jorge moved to Barcelona and he’s been making history ever since.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/foo...e-compare.html

[cam_wmh]

Didn`t know where else to put this, but Casillas has been benched again
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/st...-again?cc=5901
Related, are a transfer rumour of Ronaldo to United for de Gea + 60mil.

If I`m Fergie I do it, and then try & poach Rutland from Birmingham, and scoop Liverpool.

[sadora]

Messi wins 4th consecutive title for best player in the world!

http://www.fifa.com/ballondor/media/...dia_statements

[polak]

I'm all for Ronoldo to ManU. Increases the odds of Lewy staying in BVB

[polak]

I must be the only person in Calgary with an authentic one of these






Hopefully they make the finals so I can properly show it off

[M*A*S*H 4077]

That's a pretty good looking jersey.

I've got a Dortmund jersey (non personalized) from a couple seasons ago. I've always thought they've had some of the best jerseys in the world

[polak]

Yup agreed. The yellow and black is always interesting.

[Locke]

Pep Guardiola will take over as Bayern Munich boss at the end of the season, the Bundesliga club have confirmed.

The Spaniard has been linked with most of Europe's top clubs - and Chelsea, in particular - since leaving Barcelona at the end of last season.

Current boss Jupp Heynckes, 67, told Bayern in December that he intends to retire at the end of the season and the club's directors moved quickly for Guardiola, who has been living in New York on a break from football.

http://www1.skysports.com/football/n...om-next-season

Bayern get Pep. Not sure I'm happy with that. Bayern are currently a free-flowing offensive team, I dont really want them to become a boring tiki-taka team.

[sadora]

Originally Posted by Locke

http://www1.skysports.com/football/n...om-next-season

Bayern get Pep. Not sure I'm happy with that. Bayern are currently a free-flowing offensive team, I dont really want them to become a boring tiki-taka team.

Wow, the hate for the Barca system is strong. I guess winning is boring. So just so that I'm clear...what is an exciting system? Is it the long ball 50/50 British play. Bayern already play a style similar to Barca where the focus is control. Having Pep might give them more structure.

[cam_wmh]

Lol Locke. Talk about glass houses.
Ticy taccy... "Barcelona of the North"

[Locke]

Originally Posted by cam_wmh

Lol Locke. Talk about glass houses.
Ticy taccy... "Barcelona of the North"

And I've been clear and consistent that I'm not a fan of that either.

[d_phaneuf]

Chelsea offered 20m per year after tax, and a transfer kitty of 150-200m GPB

[cam_wmh]

Originally Posted by diane_phaneuf

Chelsea offered 20m per year after tax, and a transfer kitty of 150-200m GPB

"per year"

[sadora]

Originally Posted by diane_phaneuf

Chelsea offered 20m per year after tax, and a transfer kitty of 150-200m GPB

I think he chose well with Bayern. They already play a style that Pep knows and can help them improve on. Having said that, just because he had success in Barca does not mean he will have a similar run in Munich. I like him, I wish him well...until Barca have to play Bayern in the CL next year.

[d_phaneuf]

Originally Posted by sadora

I think he chose well with Bayern. They already play a style that Pep knows and can help them improve on. Having said that, just because he had success in Barca does not mean he will have a similar run in Munich. I like him, I wish him well...until Barca have to play Bayern in the CL next year.

and they are in a 2 team league which is the only way Pep has ever known