WEATHER ALERT
Valencia fans who insulted Vinícius are first to be convicted for racism abuse in Spanish soccer
Read full article: Valencia fans who insulted Vinícius are first to be convicted for racism abuse in Spanish soccerThree Valencia fans have been handed eight-month prison sentences after pleading guilty to racially insulting Real Madrid forward Vinícius Júnior.
Spanish league forced to deal with another star departing
Read full article: Spanish league forced to deal with another star departingBarcelona's Lionel Messi leaves the pitch after the the Champions League quarterfinal soccer match between Barcelona and Bayern Munich in Lisbon, Portugal, Friday, Aug. 14, 2020. The Spanish league is about to see another top player leave one of its clubs, all within a four-year span. The league wasnt hugely affected financially after Neymar left Barcelona or Ronaldo left Real Madrid. The league still benefited from Messis presence after Ronaldo left, but now it wouldn't have that same star power anymore. Since Neymar left Barcelona for Paris Saint-Germain in 2017, Spain gained few top-notch players.
Spanish soccer still in turmoil over suspended 2nd-tier game
Read full article: Spanish soccer still in turmoil over suspended 2nd-tier gameMADRID Chaotic, contentious and comical the end of the Spanish soccer season hasnt gone smoothly at all. The turmoil was created by the suspension of a match in the final round of the second division because of the coronavirus. It expressed its indignation with the leagues recent decisions and called for an expanded second division next season. Tebas and Spanish soccer federation president Luis Rubiales, the top soccer officials in Spain, were often at odds until the sports council intervened to call for a peace treaty between them amid the coronavirus pandemic. The Spanish league finished successfully with Real Madrid winning the title.
Racial reckoning in boardrooms and dugouts as EPL resumes
Read full article: Racial reckoning in boardrooms and dugouts as EPL resumes(AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)When the time came to vote on restarting the Premier League, no black chief executives or chairmen from the English clubs were involved. There is only one black manager in the Premier League Nuno Esprito Santo -- at Wolverhampton and no black referees. The Bundesliga has no black coaches and black players can face racial abuse. The league will support players who take a knee before or during matches, the Premier League said. The Premier League believes there is no room for racism, anywhere.___More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/Soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports___AP Sports Writer Ciaran Fahey in Berlin contributed to this report.
3 hotbeds of European soccer ready to resume in earnest
Read full article: 3 hotbeds of European soccer ready to resume in earnestpanish Prime Minister Pedro Snchez announced Saturday, May 23, 2020 that the soccer league in Spain will be allowed to resume from June 8. While the top tier, La Liga, can play from this date, it has already said it wants to resume play on June 12. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort, File)When the coronavirus gripped Europe in early April, the prospect of professional soccer resuming this season felt unfeasible and even unethical. So it is very rejected in countries like Spain, Italy, Portugal and France, and more accepted in England and the Scandinavian countries. Britain is also behind its European rivals in shaking off the virus, leading to some players voicing their concerns that a return to play is coming too early.
Spanish league not ruling out fans in stadiums this season
Read full article: Spanish league not ruling out fans in stadiums this seasonSpanish league clubs are now allowed to train with groups of up to 14 players as the league stays on track to restart in less than three weeks. (AP Photo/Paul White)MADRID The Spanish league is not ruling out the return of fans to stadiums this season. Until recently, Tebas and the government were not considering having fans back in any of the stadiums until next season. Tebas also confirmed that fans will have the option to watch matches with virtual crowds including supporters' chants when it restarts this week. Tebas said the league had been testing virtual crowds along with video game company EA Sports, which will provide the audio that it uses in its FIFA titles.
Liga to resume with Real Madrid playing at training center
Read full article: Liga to resume with Real Madrid playing at training centerMADRID The Spanish league is resuming in less than two weeks with Real Madrid playing its games at the club's training center. Madrid will host Eibar on June 14 at the 6,000-capacity Alfredo Di Stfano Stadium, a venue used mostly by the clubs B team at the Ciudad Real Madrid center on the citys outskirts. Madrid is not stopping renovation work at the Santiago Bernabu Stadium as all remaining league games are likely to be played without fans because of the coronavirus pandemic. Defending champion Barcelona, which has a two-point lead over Real Madrid after 27 rounds, will resume at Mallorca on June 13, while Atltico Madrid visits Athletic Bilbao the following day. Clubs in the first and second divisions are scheduled to begin full squad training on Monday.