subsequently booked – resulting
in Cristobal heading down the
tunnel for a second time.
Monday February 3
ITALY: Gian Piero Gasperini is voted
Serie A’s coach of the year by his
fellow bosses after guiding Atalanta
to a third-place finish last season
and a spot in the Champions
League for the first time in their
history. Bologna’s Sinisa Mihajlovic
is second with Massimiliano Allegri
third after leading Juventus to the
Italian title.
Tuesday February 4
GERMANY: Giovanni Reyna is on
target for Borussia Dortmund in
their 3-2 DFB-Pokal defeat by
Werder Bremen and, at 17 years
and 82 days, is the youngest
scorer in the competition’s history.
SPAIN: Reports claim second-tier
Malaga could be relegated due to
their dire financial situation. It is said
La Liga may force administration
upon the club and that would see
them demoted from the Segunda.
Wednesday February 5
KENYA: FIFA issues a life ban to
Ugandan player George Mandela
for his involvement in “match
manipulation” while with Kenyan
club Kakamega Homeboyz. Team-
mates Moses Chikati, Festus Okiring
and Festo Omukoto are all handed
four-year bans.
Thursday February 6
ENGLAND: Premier League clubs
vote to bring the summer transfer
window in line with the rest of
Europe. Rather than close the day
before the top-flight campaign
begins, as has been the case for
the past two seasons, the 2020
window will shut at 5pm on
September 1.
SPAIN: For the first time since
2010 the Copa del Rey Final
will feature neither Barcelona
nor Real Madrid as they lost to
Athletic Bilbao and Real Sociedad
respectively in the quarter-finals.Sunday February 9
ARGENTINA: A second division
match between Independiente
Rivadavia and Atlanta is abandoned
when police say they are unable to
guarantee spectators’ safety as
armed fans fight on the terraces.
The game is halted for 20 minutes
when fighting breaks out before the
match is eventually called off with
the score at 0-0.
ITALY: After Juventus’ 2-1 loss at
Verona the previous day, Intermuch bigger issue than just football and we wish
all those who have been affected a speedy return
to health.”
This was not the first meeting held by the AFC in
regard to this year’s Champions League as there have
also been headaches in the western half of the draw.
Saudi Arabia and Iran are the two powerhouses
of West Asian football but, due to the absence of
diplomatic relations, their clubs played each other at
neutral venues in 2019, depriving the competition of
what would have been some of its biggest attendances.
This year it had been hoped that things would
be different – until the US government drone strike
near Baghdad International Airport in early January
which killed top Iranian general Qasem Soleimani put
paid to that. When Tehran hit back with missile strikes
against targets in Iraq, Iran’s neighbours talked of
security concerns and there were reports that all
four Iranian teams would have to play all their home
games in neutral countries.
These rumours provoked fury in Tehran, with the
Iranian Football Federation threatening a complete
withdrawal. In response, the AFC said that Iranian
teams could play their three away games first and
the situation will be looked at again in April.
That remains to be seen but, for now, things
appear to be holding together.
There are always issues in Asian football due to
its size, its diversity and its geopolitical rivalries, and
the presence of so many of the world’s “hot spots”
means that AFC officials need to be well informed,
sensitive and constantly on their toes.
The coronavirus is a bigger threat than most and,
at the moment, just being able to complete the group
stage on time will be a major success and will be
greeted with a sigh of relief.WORLD SERVICE