Prem ref suspended over leaked video

GM football fans. Route One here, and we’re covering a referee’s leaked video, Premier League clubs looking to increase revenue and much more.

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TONIGHT’S WOMEN’S CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

Juventus vs Arsenal (17:45 GMT). It’s an even match-up as both sides have secured a win against Valerenga and fallen short against Bayern Munich in the Women’s Champions League this season. Barcelona vs St. Polten (17:45 GMT). Barcelona are unbeaten in their last five matches in all competitions with a goal difference of +26. Man City vs Hammarby (20:00 GMT). City are three points ahead of Barcelona and Hammerby in Group D after winning both group stage matches. Women’s Champions League group stage standings here.

Plus…

• Opta’s latest Premier League predictions (More)

• First images of Ruben Amorim at Manchester United (More)

• Manchester United confirm Ruud van Nistelrooy has left the club (More)

• Eight players withdraw from England’s squad due to injury (More)

• Lamine Yamal out of Spain’s Nations League squad (More)

• Mary Earps has become the first female footballer to feature at Madame Tussauds (More)

REF LEAKED VIDEO

Leaked video of Premier League referee insulting Liverpool, faces immediate suspension

Premier League referee David Coote has been suspended with immediate effect after footage of his foul-mouthed criticism of Liverpool was leaked. Coote appears to call Jurgen Klopp a “German c***” and brands Liverpool a “s*** club”. It is unclear when they were filmed or their authenticity. The videos can be found here.

One source suggests that Coote accepts the video is genuine. However, it is believed that he does not recall the content of the discussion. A full investigation by the PGMOL, the body responsible for refereeing in English football, of the two unverified videos is underway.

In the first video, the man alleged to be Coote refers to Liverpool’s controversial 1-1 draw with Burnley back in 2020. The match saw the Reds drop points for the first time at home that season. Additionally, his friend, who appears to be recording the conversation on his phone, provides a shocking summary of Coote’s words: “Long story short: Jurgen Klopp’s a c***, Liverpool are all f****** bellen**s and we hate Scousers.” A second, shorter video has been attached where Coote stresses the importance of the first clip not being shared.

The incident has raised questions over Coote’s high-profile run-ins with Liverpool in recent years. This includes the time when Coote, who was on VAR duty, didn’t advise the on-field referee to go to the pitch side monitor after Arsenal’s Martin Odegaard handled the ball inside the box. Referees’ chief Howard Webb subsequently admitted that Coote had made an error.

POLL

HEAD START

📺 Lineker set to leave Match of the Day. Gary Lineker is to step down as host of flagship football show Match of the Day at the end of the season. The 63-year-old has hosted the programme since 1999 and is the BBC’s highest-paid star, earning more than £1.3mn a year. It is understood he will stay at the BBC until the end of the next World Cup being held in the US, Mexico and Canada in 2026. Lineker is the co-founder of Goalhanger Podcasts which produces popular podcasts including The Rest Is History, The Rest Is Politics and The Rest Is Football. Mark Chapman, who presents Match of the Day 2, is touted to be Lineker’s successor.

👮 Former Turkish chief imprisoned for punching referee. A Turkish court sentenced a former executive to more than three and a half years in prison for attacking a referee on the pitch last season. The ex-Ankaragucu president was left furious when Rizespor equalised in the seventh minute of injury time. A video of the incident can be found here (discretion advised). Three other people who were also on trial for attacking the referee were sentenced to prison terms ranging from one to five years. The referee was briefly hospitalised with a small fracture near his eye.

🇸🇦 Amnesty urges halt to Saudi World Cup bid. Fifa must halt the process of picking Saudi Arabia as hosts of the 2034 World Cup unless major human rights reforms are announced before the vote next month, Amnesty International and the Sports & Rights Alliance (SRA) have said. The full report can be found here. The report also suggests the awarding of the 2030 World Cup to Argentina, Morocco, Paraguay, Portugal, Spain and Uruguay is conditional on their bid to develop “a far more credible human-rights strategy.” Fifa is expected to submit an evaluation of the bids’ human rights plans to its board, the Fifa Council, in the coming weeks.

PREMIER STADIUM EXPANSIONS

Premier League clubs target stadium upgrades to boost revenues

Premier League clubs are targeting stadium upgrades to boost revenues as clubs aim to reap benefits of rising ticket demands, a Financial Times report shows. It’s expected that the English top flight will look to increase stadium capacity overall by at least 115,000 seats, or 14 per cent, over the next decade.

Part of this move comes as clubs are frustrated by the lack of control over broadcast revenue. Income from broadcasting is negotiated centrally by the Premier League. As a result, stadiums are becoming more important assets as they give clubs greater control over the revenue they generate.

Expansions are happening across the top flight (list of expansions here), leading to concerns about the impact on local fans. Not only are ticket prices likely to rise but the capacity of local communities will strained – including public transport, roads, and parking.

AROUND THE FOOTBALL WORLD

Top Five European Leagues

> Barcelona suffer shock 1-0 defeat against Real Sociedad that ended their seven-match winning streak in all competitions; they are still six points clear at the top, though Madrid have a game in hand (More)

> The top six in Serie A are separated by just two points after 12 games following Hakan Calhanoglu’s first penalty miss in 20 attempts (Serie A round-up)

Rest of the World

> Sporting Lisbon have appointed Joao Pereira, 40, to replace Ruben Amorim as the club’s head coach. Pereria is a former right-back who has been involved in coaching at Sporting since his retirement in 2021 (More) / paywall

> Bafetimbi Gomis, 39, has announced his retirement from professional football (Player profile)

Women’s Football

> Chelsea beat Liverpool 3 - 0 to cut the gap at the top of the Women’s Super League to just one point behind Manchester City (More) 

> Gary Lineker has been challenged by Martina Navratilova and Sharron Davies to address football’s failure to stop biological males playing in the women’s game on his next podcast episode (More)

ROUTER’S VOICE

Yesterday, we asked you: Do you think it's acceptable to leave a football match early?

🟩 🟩 🟩 🟩 🟩 🟩 👍 Yes, fans can leave when they want... (59%)

🟨 🟨 🟨 🟨 ⬜️ ⬜️ 🙅 Nope, fans should support their team to the end... (39%)

⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ ✍️ Other (write in!)... (2%)

Your punditry takes:

• 👍 T.B: “Is it acceptable for members of a team to underperform and still expect support?”

• 👍 P.O: “You pay your money, you make your choice.”

• 🙅 D.M.B: “Absolutely not. I don't understand fans who pay good money and then leave with sometimes 15 minutes to play - even when the score is close!! Can't be a true fan if you leave early.”

• 🙅 S.N: “No way - true football fans suffer the abject humiliation, soul-sucking defeat or mind-numbing boredom of another 0 - 0 draw as a sign of being a proper fan. Then when they large it to their friends, peers, social media or at the stadium for a win, promotion or clinching the title they have earned that right... otherwise just another glory hunter.”

EXTRA TIME

Real Sociedad fans celebrate around one Barcelona fan.

BBC’s Premier League team of the week.

The grass has started to grow at Everton’s new stadium.

Depotivo take goal announcement videos too far.

Nike is remaking Portugal’s 2004 Total 90 kit.

Sit back and appreciate Philipp Lahm. / via X

Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder sings in a pub after Steel City Derby win. / via X

Man City's mini-crisis examined. / podcast

Is the Premier League title race already down to two teams?

GAME FACE ON

Question: Who is the first player in Europe’s big five leagues this season to register double figures for both goals (10) and assists (10) across all competitions?

Clue: King.

Scroll below for the answer.

ON TODAY

Women’s Champions League

• Juventus vs Arsenal (17:45)

• Barcelona vs St. Polten (17:45)

• Bayern Munich vs Valerenga (20:00)

• Man City vs Hammarby (20:00)

Scottish Challenge Cup

• East Kilbride vs Ayr Utd (19:40)

• Dunfermline vs Alloa Athletic (19:45)

• Livingston vs Morton (19:45)

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

Answer

Mohamed Salah.

Goal of the Day

Today’s Goal of the Day is from Stephen J: Sam Smozdics's goal against Tottenham Hotspur. Smozdics’s overhead kick goal opened the scoring in Ipswich Town’s first win in the Premier League in 22 years.

Stephen’s submission can be seen here (via X). Submit your entry for Goal of the Day here.