Prem crisis meeting clash

GM football fans. Route One here, and we’re covering the ‘feisty’ Premier League meeting, Manchester United in talks with managerial candidates and much more. Enjoy Route One? Share us with a friend on WhatsApp with this link.

TONIGHT’S EUROPA LEAGUE STATS

Fenerbahce vs Manchester United (20:00 UK). United have won just one of their last 10 European matches and have failed to win any of their last five. Tottenham vs AZ (20:00 UK). Spurs are one of five clubs still to have a 100% record in the UEL, with only Lazio and Lyon above them on goal difference. Roma vs Dynamo Kyiv (17:45 UK). Having met four times in the Champions League group stage, both sides have won two apiece. Full Europa League fixtures here.

Plus…

• Champions League results: Barcelona 4 - 1 Bayern Munich | Man City 5 - 0 Sparta Prague | Leipzig 0 - 1 Liverpool | Atalanta 0 - 0 Celtic | Brest 1 - 1 Leverkusen | Atletico 1 - 3 Lille | Full fixture list here

• Champions League league table (More)

• Football regulator to be able to block Premier League stadium sales (More)

• Madrid or Baku will host the 2027 Champions League final (More)

• Spurs fined £20,000 over brawl in West Ham game (More)

• Mourinho quips that he could win the 2018 Premier League title with Man United if City are stripped (More)

PREM’S LEGAL WOES

Premier League crisis meeting ‘feisty’ as CEO and City clash, new legal dispute incoming

The Premier League’s emergency meeting of Manchester City’s Associated Party Transaction (APT) ruling was reportedly ‘feisty’. CEO Richard Masters came under fire from City’s representatives. But sources suggest that some top-flight clubs were angry at City for what they thought were “threatening and disruptive” actions. 

During the meeting – which was arranged to discuss tweaks to the League’s APT rules – City’s legal director, Simon Cliff, argued the rules were immediately void and unlawful. Masters reportedly ignored these claims and promised the clubs it would push ahead with draft proposals to amend its rules. Outside of the office, a City’s supporters’ group parked a mobile billboard accusing the Premier League of being controlled by their rivals.

Separately from the APT meeting, the Premier League is facing yet another legal battle. Footballers’ union the PFA has hired leading barrister Nick De Marco to challenge the top flight’s plan to introduce a new system of ‘anchoring’ next season. Under the proposed new rules, Premier League clubs would be limited to spending around five times the income of the bottom team. The PFA argues it would act as a de facto salary cap for players.

POLL

HEAD START

😬 Prem clubs seek answers on leaked WhatsApp over Newcastle deal. Premier League club executives are looking for answers from England’s top division after leaked WhatsApp messages suggest that Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman controlled the takeover of Newcastle (Previous write-up here). Clubs point to the Premier League’s claim that it would “remove the consortium as owners” should it find evident that the Saudi state was involved in the purchase of the club.

💰 Fifa accused of not paying out over £3mn to players. Fifa faces accusations that it hasn’t paid the final part of agreed sums to players whose contracts have not been honoured by their clubs. The 420 players across Europe are owed a total of £3.09mn. Many of the affected players are either unemployed or now retired and the sums are said to be vital.

👕 Liverpool cash in with Adidas after ditching Nike. Liverpool will receive around £60mn a year when their new shirt deal with Adidas next season. On top of the standard agreement, the Reds have negotiated a 20 per cent royalty on net sales of club-related products. Liverpool have a history with Adidas, having used them for shirts in the mid-1980s to the mid-1990s, as well as under Rafa Benitez. They’re also expected to have three different crests for their shirts next season too.

UNITED RECRUITMENT TALKS

Man United hold talks with Xavi and three other candidates to replace Ten Hag, board says no changes imminent

Former Barcelona manager Xavi has held talks with Manchester United about the possibility of the Spaniard replacing Erik ten Hag as manager. Three other candidates – unnamed – have reportedly been contacted for the role too.

Though they remain unnamed, Sporting CP head coach Ruben Amorim and former Borussia Dortmund manager Edin Terzic are said to have piqued United’s interest. However, club sources maintain that they have no plans to replace Ten Hag as he prepares to face Fenerbahce in tonight’s Europa League clash.

Reflecting on his own time at United, Fenerbahce manager Jose Mourinho said yesterday that Ten Hag has been afforded “faith” that he hadn’t by United’s board. Mourinho also used the opportunity to poke fun at Manchester City, suggesting that United could still win the 2017/18 Premier League title due to City's impending charges.

AROUND THE FOOTBALL WORLD

Top Five European Leagues

> Rodrygo will miss this weekend’s El Clasico after suffering an injury in Real Madrid’s 5 – 2 win over Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday (More)

> Since Sebastian Hoeneß was appointed head coach, Stuttgart have beaten Dortmund (four times), RB Leipzig, Bayern Munich and Juventus (More)

Rest of the World

> League One bottom side Burton Albion have sacked head coach Mark Robinson following a successive run of seven defeats (More)

> Fans from the US and Canada hand out the ‘Wooden Spoon’ award, given to the team with the worst finish in MLS (More)

Women’s Football

> The Welsh FA is one of four national governing bodies interested in hosting the 2027 Women’s Champions League final (More)

> Chicago Red Stars of the National Women’s Soccer League are changing logo and renaming to Chicago Stars FC (More)

ROUTER’S VOICE

Yesterday, we asked you: Do you think referees have an unconscious bias against smaller teams?

🟩 🟩 🟩 🟩 🟩 🟩 😠 Absolutely, decisions always go against them... (72.2%)

🟨 ⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ 🤷 Nope, I don't see it... (24.07%)

⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ ✍️ Other (write in!)... (3.7%)

Your punditry takes:

• 😠 G.R: “Refs are under pressure from big clubs, and unconscious, they buckle against this. Simply knowing how much scrutiny they will be under would have this effect.”

• 🤷 A.R: “Sounds more like sour grapes from a losing 'lesser' team!”

• ✍️ K.P: “Not sure it is unconscious, more to do with a dislike of a club. Referee standards are poor, even when a referee has dropped down a league following a faulty display. They should be banned from a number of games and made to attend more “workshops” to improve their performances.”

EXTRA TIME

How the Ballon d’Or trophy is made.

Sir Bobby Charlton didn’t want Jose Mourinho to manage after Sir Alex Ferguson.

Ranking Messi’s best and worst seasons.

Slow-mo of Haaland’s flying backheel goal.

Do the Premier League’s suspension rules need changing?

Berbatov didn’t speak at United.

Tactics used by teams to benefit from their pitches.

Why did Haaland stop scoring after his prolific start?

GAME FACE ON

Question: Who Am I… 

• I played in the 2002 Champions League final for Bayer Leverkusen against Real Madrid.

• In the summer of 2006, Spurs signed me for £10.9mn.

• I won two Premier League titles with Manchester United.

Scroll below for the answer.

ON TODAY

Europa League

• Fenerbahce vs Manchester United (20:00)

• Tottenham vs AZ (20:00)

• Roma vs Dynamo Kyiv (17:45)

• Full list of Europa League fixtures here.

Conference League

• Panathinaikos vs Chelsea (17:45)

• Betis vs Kobenhavn (20:00)

• Full list of Conference League fixtures here.

*All times in UK. EST -5. PST -8. CET +1. CST +8. JST +9.

Answer

Dimitar Berbatov.