Weekly Soccer News, June 21, 2010
Bundesliga the most profitable League
The German soccer championship, the Bundesliga, has overtaken the Premier League as the most profitable league in the world, according to Deloitte consulting company.
Based on data available for the 2008/09 season, the Bundesliga achieved a profit of 172 million euros. The Premier League saw its profit reduced from 224 million to 106 million euros compared with the 2007/08 season.
In fact, the top English division increased its revenue to 2.3 billion euros, but an increase in players' salaries and agents' commissions meant that less money ended up in the clubs' banks.
"The revenues in the major leagues have gone up, but the money is quickly diverted to the hands of players and agents," the authors of the report stated.
In the German top flight, annual revenue has risen to 1.58 billion euros, but the thrifty Germans have resisted the temptation to overpay their soccer stars, which led to the Bundesliga becoming the most profitable league competition.
UEFA recently adopted a set of regulations designed to force clubs to spend only funds earned, rather than those injected by their owners. The gradual reduction of spending is expected to take place during the next six years, and clubs that fail to adapt to the financial limitations will be denied a UEFA licence.
The season that promised so little in November turned out fabulous when Bayern reached the finals of both cup competitions, ultimately winning the German DFB Pokal with a fine 4-0 thumping of Werder, but losing to Inter by 0-2 in the Champions League final in Madrid.
In spite of this last slip, Bayern's fans gave their idols a heroes' welcome. They deserved no less after completing one of their best seasons ever. Schalke and Werder also made it to next year's Champions League while Leverkusen, the perennial losers, ended the race 11 points adrift of Bayern.
Bernd Schuster will coach Besiktas
The former Real Madrid and Getafe coach Bernd Schuster (50) has signed for Turkish powerhouse Besiktas. The German has replaced Mustafa Denizli, who took the Black Eagles to the League and Cup double in 2009, but failed to achieve a Champions League spot in the recently completed season.
Schuster has been without a coaching job since being sacked by Real Madrid in December 2008, following a Cup elimination by a third division team. His arrival in Istanbul could precipitate the signing of Real's Guti, who had an excellent relationship with the coach at Madrid, and who does not count for new Madrid coach Jose Mourinho.
Besiktas have won 13 national Leagues and eight Cups, just behind Fenerbahce and Galatasaray.
Rafa Benitez presented as Inter Milan's coach
After six years at Anfield, Rafael Benitez has quit Liverpool and signed for the current European champions, Inter Milan.
The Italians had to act quickly to fill the void created by Jose Mourinho's overnight departure to Real Madrid and according to Inter chairman Massimo Moratti, Benitez was his first choice.
"We thought of Benitez from the start. Later on we were offered other people, but we decided Benitez was the most appropriate person for the job," explained Moratti.
The Spaniard had a sensational start at Anfield, leading the Reds to a totally unexpected Champions League in 2005 and the FA Cup in 2006 (amazingly, both on penalties after a 3-3 draws against AC Milan and West Ham, respectively).
Still, the initial impetus was not maintained and in his last season, Liverpool did not even manage to secure a Champions League spot, a shocking setback after years in the elite competition.
Benitez signed a two-year deal with Inter, where he will face an arduous task of winning a sixth consecutive League title, a feat no team has ever achieved in Italy.
Agent reveals Vidic will leave United
Nemanja Vidic (28) is considering the possibility of leaving Manchester United, his agent Paolo Fabbri revealed to the Spanish press. The Serbian central defender has been coveted by Real Madrid over the past year, and after Jose Mourinho's takeover at Santiago Bernabeu his rating has increased further.
Fabbri carefully chose his wording when he spoke of Vidic's plans. "He will not take a decision until after the World Cup. We have asked United time to consider our moves. A possible transfer will not be carried out before the World Cup is over."
Apart from Real Madrid, Barcelona and Milan have also indicated interest for the tough, tigerish defender, while Manchester United are eyeing the Danish Simon Kjaer (21), currently at Palermo in Serie A.
Maicon not moving from Inter
In the meantime, Manchester City and Real Madrid are trying to secure the services of the much-praised Brazilian right wing-back Maicon, but Inter's chairman Moratti has made the operation virtually impossible.
"The situation is currently blocked," claims Maicon's agent Antonio Caliendo.
"There is too big a difference between what has been offered (by City) and what Moratti is pretending."
The one place where Maicon will certainly not be going is Real Madrid, because Inter will not waste an opportunity to hurt Mourinho after his swift flight from Inter in search for more glory at Santiago Bernabeu.
Croatian players and coaches caught "offside"
The Croatian anti corruption department (USKOK) has detained 22 known soccer personalities under suspicion of taking part in match fixing. The detainees in the operation labeled Offside include two of the more prominent national players in the past 15 years, Varteks Varazdin's Miljenko Mumlek and Croatia Sesvete's Jasmin Agic.
A judge has ruled the two former internationals will spend up to one month in detention pending investigation, along with the remaining suspects, which include other players, coaches and players' agents.
The arrest of the legendary Varteks' skipper Mumlek (37), one of the most respected Croatian players, has caused a general upset among the fans and in the media.
"If he indeed participated in any wrongdoings, that would be the ultimate treason to the club," said Varteks's chairman Zlatko Horvat.
Two other Varteks' players are among the suspects and have been suspended by the FA, while Varteks's chairman Zlatko Horvat has announced his resignation in the event any club member is proven guilty of match fixing.
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