Chelsea’s annual loss tops £145m despite increased turnover December 30, 2021 Chelsea FC have announced an annual loss of £145.6m after tax in the year leading to 30 June 2021. The club, owned by Roman Abramovich since 2003, did however increase its turnover to £416.8m – up from £387.8m. Chelsea are currently third in the Premier League and are reigning European Champions, having beaten Manchester City [...]
Premier League: Title race could be over before Liverpool next play December 29, 2021 Liverpool missed their chance to close their Premier League deficit to Manchester City to just three points after losing 1-0 to Leicester City last night, and could be 12 points behind the Mancunians before they next take to the field. What began as a two or even three horse race has whittled down to what [...]
Rangnick disappointed after lacklustre United’s 1-1 draw with Newcastle December 28, 2021 Manchester United boss Ralf Rangnick said he “did not like the performance at all” after the Old Trafford club laboured to a 1-1 draw with relegation-battling Newcastle United. Allan Saint-Maximin scored for the Magpies early on before United equalised through Edinson Cavani deep into the second half. United struggled against Newcastle and Rangnick criticised his [...]
Record 103 new Covid-19 cases announced by Premier League December 27, 2021 A record 103 positive Covid-19 tests have been identified in England’s top-flight football league in the seven days leading up to Sunday. The last two weeks have seen a sharp rise in cases among the Premier League, with 90 cases identified in the prior week. A total of 15 Premier League hames have been called [...]
Best of 2021: Lilian Thuram on equality, books and Southgate December 27, 2021 In this interview from November, World Cup winning former France footballer Lilian Thuram explains why he turned his back on the game when his playing career ended to focus on championing equality through his foundation and, more recently, his books. A bespectacled Lilian Thuram reaches for a map of the world and turns it upside [...]
Manchester United striker Anthony Martial tells club of wish to leave December 27, 2021 Manchester United striker Anthony Martial has told Ralf Rangnick, the club’s interim manager, that he wishes to leave the club. The Frenchman joined the Old Trafford club from Monaco in 2015 for £36m – then a transfer record for a teenage footballer. Since then, he has played 268 times for United, netting 79 times. Rangnick [...]
Best of 2021: Why Saudi Arabia bought Newcastle United December 27, 2021 In this article, originally published in October, sports business expert Professor Simon Chadwick explains the strategic background to the takeover of Newcastle United by a consortium headed by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund – and why it about much more than football. After years of speculation, prevarication and consternation, Saudi Arabia has at last sealed [...]
Sports law year in review 2021: Were our predictions right? December 26, 2021 In December 2020, while others may have been preparing for muted New Year’s Eve celebrations in light of the new coronavirus variant, we were busy making sports law predictions for the year ahead for Morning Wire In summary, we predicted a rise in data-related disputes on the back of Project Red Card, the further growth [...]
Best of 2021: Football training can be safer with VR technology December 26, 2021 Technology is ever-changing, and that includes in sport too. Matt Hardy took a look at how new VR could revolutionise the way football teams train. Originally published on October 15. A whipped cross and a powerful header towards goal are staples of football and the essence of set-piece tactics used by every football team. But [...]
Best of 2021: Forest Green owner Dale Vince on saving the planet, one match at a time December 26, 2021 In this interview from March 2021, pioneering eco-entrepreneur Dale Vince discusses the rise of the football club he owns, Forest Green Rovers, the world’s first vegan and carbon-neutral team, who play on an organic pitch in kits made of recycled coffee beans. With a large green Union Jack behind him and a casually dishevelled appearance, [...]