Bundesliga

The Premier League’s 20 clubs made record revenues of £4.827bn in 2017‑18, paying total wages of £2.8bn, the Guardian’s annual analysis of the clubs’ most recently published annual accounts has revealed. Their combined income, in the second year of the league’s £8.4bn TV deals from 2016-19, confirms the Premier League’s financial dominance over all other leagues in Europe, which has underpinned four of its clubs claiming all the places in next week’s finals of the Champions and Europa League. Spain’s La Liga declared this month record combined revenues of €4.48bn (£3.86bn), for all 42 clubs in its two divisions for 2017-18, almost £1bn less than the Premier League’s alone. The German Bundesliga announced similar record revenues, €4.42bn (£3.88bn) for all 36 clubs in its two divisions. The gap with English football’s top flight is widening further despite the Europe-wide boom in the … [Read more...] about Premier League clubs’ record £4.8bn revenues widens gap to rest of Europe

What is it? It is this season's first Bundesliga instalment of the Klassiker as Bayern Munich travel to Borussia Dortmund.  When is it? The match is on Saturday evening, at the same time as West Ham vs Liverpool so you have a decision to make.  What time is kick-off? The game gets under way at 5.30pm Greenwich Mean Time.  What TV channel is it on? Television coverage begins a 5.15 on BT Sport 2.  What is the team news? Dortmund coach Peter Bosz named a strong team against Apoel Nicosia on Wednesday and is expected to name as similar XI against rivals Bayern. Star man Marco Reus is still absent due to injury, while right-back Lukasz Piszczek, Sebastian Rode and Erik Durm are also on the sidelines.  … [Read more...] about Borussia Dortmund vs Bayern Munich: match preview, prediction and TV channel

Possibly the lowest point in the English football authorities' limp efforts to do or say anything about the buying and selling of our great clubs was reached shortly after the Glazer family succeeded in their bitterly contested takeover of Manchester United in May 2005. The family's acquisition had been opposed by the directors and most of the fans, who argued that the Glazers had no discernible connection to the club and were planning to load it with the costs of their takeover. That fear has since proved well founded - United now owe £660m to the financial institutions that backed the Glazers. United's dashing title win last season and the cash spent on new players this summer have created a general impression that the takeover has done the club no harm. But the money for players can only be found after £62m in interest alone has been shipped annually out of the club. Armchair fans around the world may be oblivious to the debt, but at home United fans are indignant about … [Read more...] about What money can’t buy

Albert Einstein was a terrible teacher. In his first two terms as a university teacher, only four students signed up for his classes. His course was cancelled. Somehow, all of Einstein’s scientific brilliance didn’t translate from the page to the classroom. Einstein struggled with communication, it was said. Perhaps he simply found helping those who lacked his gifts exasperating. It was a window into a broader truth: being a great doer does not make a great teacher. In football in recent years, Gary Neville, Thierry Henry and Paul Scholes have all shown as much. Over three undistinguished reigns - Neville at Valencia in 2015/16, Henry at Monaco from October to November this season and Scholes... … [Read more...] about Great players don’t always make great managers – English football needs to start thinking outside the box

Arsenal’s behind-the-scenes overhaul has gathered pace with the club confirming the appointment of new head of recruitment Sven Mislintat and stepping up their search for a sporting director. Telegraph Sport last week revealed that long-serving chief scout Steve Rowley would step down and that news was confirmed by Arsenal alongside the announcement of Mislintat’s arrival. Mislintat is regarded as one of Europe’s most respect recruitment experts for his 10 years of work at Borussia Dortmund, whose recent talent factory has included the likes of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Shinji Kagawa and Ousmane Dembele. Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger welcomed Mislintat’s appointment on the club’s official website, even though it could be seen to dilute his power at the Emirates. It is understood that Mislintat will report to chief executive Ivan Gazidis, rather than Wenger himself, but the Frenchman said: “We are delighted that Sven is joining us. Identifying and … [Read more...] about Arsenal appoint Sven Mislintat as head of recruitment