Salary cap race

GM football fans. It’s Wednesday, Dec. 11 and we’re covering Barcelona’s race to increase their spending cap, Champions League favourites and much more. First time reading? Sign up here.

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FIXTURES

Champions League: Arsenal vs Monaco, 20:00 / 15:00. Only Barcelona and Bayern Munich (both 7) have won more home games in the UCL since the start of last season than Arsenal (6), while their six clean sheets are the joint most in that time along with Inter. Borussia Dortmund vs Barcelona, 20:00 / 15:00. Dortmund have won four of their five games, while Barcelona are looking to win five consecutive UCL matches for the first time since the 2020-21 campaign. Juventus vs Manchester City, 20:00 / 15:00. City have won just one and lost six of their last nine games in all competitions. Meanwhile, Juventus have just one win in their last six games in all competitions (5 D).

Results…

• Champions League: Girona 0 - 1 Liverpool | Atalanta 2 - 3 Real Madrid | Leipzig 2 - 3 Aston Villa | Leverkusen 1 - 0 Inter | Shakhtar Donetsk 1 - 5 Bayern Munich (See full results)

TOP TALKING POINTS

Barca Salary Cap Race

Barcelona are trying to make space within their spending cap to prolong Dani Olmo’s registration with La Liga. He was granted temporary registration due to Andreas Christensen’s long-term injury.

After signing from RB Leipzig in the summer, Olmo missed Barca’s first two matches of the season because his registration had not been processed. Olmo cost the club €55m, with an additional €7m in potential add-ons. If the Catalan club is unable to make space within their La Liga-imposed €426m salary limit, then Olmo will not be able to play in the second half of the season.

Barca are now looking to raise funds to increase their salary cap. The club is exploring the sale of VIP boxes at the newly refurbished Camp Nou in 20-year commitments – a deal expected to be around €100m-200m.

Liverpool & Inter UCL Favourites

Liverpool and Inter Milan both have a 16% chance of winning the Champions League this season, according to The Athletic’s Opta-powered projections. Arsenal, who sit 10th in the league (see table), are third-favourites with an 11% chance.

Arne Slot’s side have won six out of six Champions League matches this season and have already secured a place in the knockout-phase play-offs - the round before the last 16. Liverpool are the only team to maintain a perfect record in the competition this season. Inter suffered their first loss in the tournament following their 1-0 loss to Bayer Leverkusen.

To achieve automatic qualification into the round of 16, teams must finish in the top eight — it’s predicted that 16 points would be enough. Those in ninth to 24th enter a round of two-legged play-offs in February. Teams either have two or three games remaining in the league phase. See more on the Champions League league phase standings here.

Short-Form Football Landgrab

Kings League, a seven-a-side competition, has announced Brazil as its fourth international market, amid a global landgrab from short-format football competitions. Former Barcelona and Spain international Gerard Pique founded Kings League in Spain last year.

Last month, influencers and former footballers announced a six-a-side tournament to operate in the UK and US. Baller League, which has grown in popularity in Germany, will launch in 2025. See a video detailing the league here.

Viewership of short-form football competitions has been impressive. The Kings League's first season averaged 12.7m live views and peak viewership reached 1.7m concurrent viewers.

Learn more about the Kings League's unique rules here.

POLL

ON THE BALL

Europe

> Manchester United are open to selling Marcus Rashford amid lifestyle concerns (More) | Arsenal are monitoring Dan Ashworth for their vacant sporting director position (More) | Tottenham’s Christian Romero criticises the club’s board for its lack of spending (More)

> Fiorentina midfielder Edoardo Bove, who collapsed on the pitch during a home game with Inter Milan, will have a removable defibrillator fitted (More) | Edwin van der Sar provides a health update (More)

> Neil Harris will step down as Millwall head coach after calling fans “thickos” (More) | The Norweigan Football Federation has formally criticised FIFA’s ‘flawed and inconsistent’ World Cup bidding process (More)

Americas

> CONCACAF 2025 Champions Cup draw announced (More) | A Liga MX referee has been fired after missing a game due to being drugged by a woman the night before (More / translated)

> Marta, 38, has said she does not plan to play at the 2027 Women’s World Cup (More) | Estevao Willian, Palmeiras’ winger, doesn’t like the nickname ‘Messinho’ given to him (More) 

> Olivia Thomas’s 62nd-minute freekick secured North Carolina’s NCAA championship (More) | Angel City FC fire head coach Becki Tweed (More)

Rest of the World

> A six-part Netflix series, ‘Humanising Saudi Football’, has been released ahead of the announcement the country will host the 2034 World Cup (More) | Key controversies behind FIFA’s decision (More)

> The FIFA Intercontinental Cup 2024 final will be held in Qatar on December 18;  Real Madrid, as the current Champions League holders, automatically qualify for the final (More)

ROUTERS’ VOICE

Yesterday, we asked you: Do you agree with the Premier League's decision to dismiss David Coote?

🟩 🟩 🟩 🟩 🟩 🟩 👏 Absolutely... (94%)

⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ 🙅 Nope... (5%)

⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ ✍️ Other (write in!)... (1%)

Your punditry takes:

• 👏 M.P: “There should be detailed due diligence on every premiership referee, half of them will be quaking in their boots now Coote has been exposed, he’s probably not the only one with a graveyard of skeletons in their cupboards.”

• 👏 D.J: “There was absolutely no way he could stay on in what should be an impartial - and public - role. PGMOL were right to carry out a proper investigation but this seems like one of the clearest 'open and shut' cases in the history of the sport.”

• 🙅 M.C: “He needed help, not to be sacked! Just because people develop personal issues for a period in their life, doesn’t mean they are permanently damaged or can’t recover.”

EXTRA TIME

Maps of the most viewed players everywhere in the world.

Intense wrestle between Bowen and Lemina.

MLS teams release roster updates for 2025.

Opta’s latest Champions League predictions.

The history (and breakdown) of Panenka penalties.

How VAR decisions affect each Premier League team in 2024-25.

Announcing Fenerbahce’s goals is no easy feat.

Why Girona went from ‘amateurs’ to Champions League so quickly. (video)

BBC’s Premier League team of the week.

GAME FACE ON

Question: Who is the only Premier League winner with a surname made entirely of Roman Numerals?

Clue: “He put his head where people don’t put their feet” - Robin van Persie

Scroll below for the answer.

ON TODAY

Champions League

• Atletico vs Slovan (17:45)

• Lille vs Sturm (17:45)

• AC Milan vs Red Star (20:00)

• Arsenal vs Monaco (20:00)

• Benfica vs Bologna (20:00)

• Borussia Dortmund vs Barcelona (20:00)

• Feyenoord vs Sparta Prague (20:00)

• Juventus vs Man City (20:00)

• Stuttgart vs Young Boys (20:00)

Europa League

• Fenerbahce vs Athletic Club (15:30)

Women’s Champions League

• Galatasaray vs Lyon (17:45)

• Wolfsburg vs Roma (17:45)

• Celtic vs Real Madrid (20:00)

• Chelsea vs Twente (20:00)

*All time in UK. ET -5. CST -6. PST -8. MST -7. CET +1.

Answer

Nemanja Vidic.