World Soccer - UK (2020-10)

WORLD SERVICE

Wednesday,August 12

SPAIN:Villarreal sign Valencia
duo Dani Parejo on a free transfer
and Francis Coquelin for€8 million,
leading to Valencia fans protesting
outside owner Peter Lim’s house.
AFC:All Asian 2022 World Cup
qualifiers are postponed until 2021,
meaning there are now too few
international dates to complete
games in time for the tournament.
PORTUGAL:PSG come from a
goal down to beat Atalanta 2-1 in

games would have marked the end of the second
round, which sees12 teams head to the next stage
whereAsia’s four automatic berths will be allocated.
Some nations, likeJapan and Australia, are almost
there already but others, such as China and, to a
lesser extent, South Korea still have work to do.
China are almost out of the running to win their
group – lagging eight points behind Syria – but still
hope to qualify as one of the best runners-up, if
results improve. Usually, the Chinese Super League
would take a long break, perhaps as long as a
month, to allow the national team to prepare.
With Champions League, World Cup qualifiers
and domestic leagues, something had to give. For
some Chinese clubs to play six group games in the In doubt...AFC Champions League

Match-winner...Al Hilal

striker Bafetimbi Gomis

celebrates after scoring

in last year’s final

space of two October weeks, then continue with the

domestic season while also trying to give the

national team a chance to keep dreams of

2022 alive, was too big an ask.

That is why, on August12, the AFC postponed the

World Cup qualifiers until 2021. It leaves14 qualifiers

as well as play-offs to be played, and there is sure

to be a time when the decision to move the 2022

World Cup fromJune to November, controversial at

the time, is welcomed for the extra breathing space.

It leaves an awful lot of football to be played in

2021 (think about Australia who have the Copa

America, World Cup qualifiers and the Olympics),

but it also means that there should be a winner

in the 2020 Champions League.

the first Champions League

quarter-final, with both goals

coming in stoppage time.

Thursday,August 13

USA:FC Dallas defender Reggie

Cannon speaks out after being

booed for taking the knee:

“Millions of other people support

this cause...and we’ve got fans

booing us in our own stadium. It’s

absolutely disgusting.” Meanwhile,

new MLS expansion club for 2023

St. Louis City SC unveils its official

name, crest and colours.

PORTUGAL:RB Leipzig defeat

Atletico Madrid in the Champions

League quarter-finals thanks to

an 88th-minute goal from USA

midfielder Tyler Adams.

ENGLAND:The Premier League

and FA confirm it will scrap the

winter break and FA Cup replays

for the 2020-21 season to help

ease fixture congestion.

Friday,August 14

PORTUGAL:Barcelona are

humiliated in the Champions

League, losing 8-2 to Bayern

Munich, with loanee Philippe

Coutinho compounding Barca’s

embarrassment by scoring

the final two goals.

SPAIN:La Liga rejects plans for a

24-team Segunda Division, while

Deportivo La Coruna formally

request that Fuenlabrada are

relegated from the second tier,

alleging that they violated

COVID-19 protocols and are

therefore due a points deduction.