QPR in mass China brawl
Premiership dominates Rich List
Italian government in stadium crackdown
—– A training ground friendly turns anything but friendly as a mass brawl breaks out in a game between Queens Park Rangers and the visiting China Olympic team.
The fight involves around 30 people and results in a broken jaw for China’s Zheng Tao who is left unconscious.
Although the game is refereed by the Premiership’s Dermot Gallagher, as it is not designated as an ‘official’ game, it could be outside of the Football Association’s jurisdiction.
However, both sides immediately take the matter in to their own hands.
QPR chairman Gianni Paladini suggests he is prepared to sack some of his players: “When we find out what went wrong, I will come down very strong.”
Seven members of the China Under-23 team are sent home. Manager Li Xiaoguang says: “We have noticed some of the young players can not control themselves well. But, although the participants in this incident were the players, I will take all the blame.”
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—– Although the latest edition of the Football Money League report shows that Real Madrid are the game’s top earners, the list of the 20 richest clubs is dominated by the Premiership.
Published by consultants Deloitte, it includes eight clubs from England’s top flight.
Although their rivals’ position is boosted by individual television deals, Premiership clubs are set for even greater wealth with their massive collective deal that comes in to effect new season.
The full list is:
1 Real Madrid - £192.7million
2 Barcelona - £171million
3 Juventus - £165.8million
4 Manchester United - £160million
5 Milan - £157.5million
6 Chelsea - £145.8million
7 Internazionale - £136.3million
8 Bayern Munich - £135million
9 Arsenal - £126.9million
10 Liverpool - £116.1million
11 Lyon - £84.2million
12 Roma - £83.8million
13 Newcastle United - £82million
14 Schalke - £81.1million
15 Tottenham Hotspur - £70.7million
16 Hamburg - £67.1million
17 Manchester City - £59million
18 Rangers - £58.4million
19 West Ham United - £57.3million
20 Benfica - £56.1million
—– Following the death of a police officer who was hit by an object at the Sicily derby between Catania and Palermo last week, the Italian government allows only six stadiums to restart staging matches in front of supporters this weekend.
The six stadiums are in Rome, Genoa, Siena, Cagliari, Palermo and Turin.
It means AC Milan and Inter will continue to play behind closed doors as the San Siro stadium does not meet security criteria.
The new measures include a ban on the block sale of tickets to away fans, stricter stadium bans for those involved in violence at grounds and a ban on financial or working relationships between clubs and fan associations.
—– Torquay United’s new director of football Colin Lee appoints Keith Curle as head coach until the end of the season.
43 year-old Curle played for the Gulls between November 1983 and March 1984, and later played under Lee at Wolverhampton Wanderers.
He was sacked as Chester City’s manager in February 2006 having previously been in charge at Mansfield Town.
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