- 1 - NEWS HEADLINES pg. 3-6 pg. 6-7 OLYMPICS Page 7 – OLYMPICS: Mexico shock Brazil to grab gold CHAMPIONS LEAGUE pg. 8 pg. 9 EUROPA LEAGUE ENGLAND: COMMUNITY SHIELD pg. 10 GERMANY: DFL SUPERCUP pg. 11 ITALY: SUPERCOPPA ITALIANA pg. 12 BELGIUM: JUPILER LEAGUE pg. 13 FRANCE: LIGUE 1 pg. 14 NETHERLANDS: EREDIVISIE pg. 15 RUSSIA: PREMIER LEAGUE pg. 16 UKRAINE: PREMIER LEAGUE pg. 17 ARGENTINA: INICIAL pg. 18 Page 13 – BELGIUM: John Chapman has our weekly round-up BRAZIL: BRASILEIRÃO pg. 19 MEXICO: LIGA MX pg. 20 USA: MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER pg. 21 SOUTH AFRICA: PSL pg. 22 TRANSFER ROUND-UP pg. 23 ENGLAND: PREMIER LEAGUE PREVIEW pg. 24-26 SPAIN: PRIMERA DIVISION PREVIEW pg. 27-30 Page 24 – ENGLAND: Premier League 2012/13 season preview - 2 - ITALY Lecce and Grosseto have been excluded from FIFA are waiting for the FIGC to provide their Serie B for the 2012-13 season, and their former report on the scandal. They stated: "We are CONTE GETS presidents Giovanni Semeraro and Piero Camilli currently waiting to receive all relevant face five-year suspensions. On top of that, six documents from the Italian FA (FIGC) players (Leonardo Bonucci, Simone Pepe, Marco pertaining to the case and will then evaluate 10-MONTH di Vaio, Salvatore Masiello, Daniele Padelli and the next steps, this includes the potential Giuseppe Vives) have been acquitted of the extension of sanctions to have worldwide charges against them. effect, in accordance with the FIFA SUSPENSION Disciplinary Code." Since February, FIFA has In May, Italian police descended on the national extended 39 domestic sanctions in Turkey, team's Euro 2012 training base to speak to Juventus manager Antonio Finland, Korean Republic and Croatia in an defender Domenico Criscito as part of a wide- attempt to preserve the integrity of the sport. ranging investigation into match fixing. The 25- Conte and his assistant Angelo It said that South East Asia is "widely year-old, formerly of Genoa but now playing in considered as a centre of legal and illegal Alessio, formerly together at Russia for Zenit St. Petersburg, was questioned betting." by officials probing gambling markets linked to Siena, were suspended by the fixing results of matches in the Serie A. Will Burns Twitter @WillBurns6 Italian Football Federation A total of 19 people were arrested in the ongoing investigation by magistrates in (FIGC) following a police Cremona, eleven which are players in Italy's top flight. investigation over allegations FIFA has invested €20M as part of a global of "sporting fraud and programme to clamp down on corruption within fraudulent association" in football. The format targets illegal and irregular betting and match-fixing, which is estimated to relation to a Serie A fixture be worth hundreds of millions of dollars a year in Asia alone. against Novara in April 2011. Friday's announcement of FIGC's punishments While earlier charges of direct involvement in are the latest in a long-running saga that has cast a shadow over Italian football. Seventeen people match-fixing have been dropped, the FIGC were arrested in a similar swoop last year, the maintain Conte was aware of the corruption most high-profile of which was Atalanta captain taking place during his tenure at Siena. Last Cristiano Doni. He was subsequently banned term Juventus became Serie A champions for from the game for three years. the first time since being stripped of two scudettos and relegated in 2006 after another match-fixing scandal. In a statement from Juventus they stated: "The club underlines its full support for Antonio Conte and Angelo Alessio, in the hope that their innocence will emerge during the appeals process,". Conte submitted a plea bargain earlier in August, in which he would have had to pay a €200,000 fine and serve a three- month suspension, but the FICG rejected a more lenient sanction. The former Juventus captain, 43, led his side to back into the Champions League after managing them through an entire season undefeated, but came under official investigation in June after just his first season at the helm of the Serie A giants. In total, 13 clubs and 44 members of Italian League football are alleged to have been involved in the betting scandal investigation including Siena, which accepted a six-point deduction last week as part of their plea bargain. - 3 - NETHERLANDS Both parties have approved the deal, but it still Jesus Perezagua, President of FOX EREDIVISIE needs to be cleared by the Dutch Competition International Channels Europe & Africa, said, Authority (NMA). “The partnership with EMM and the 18 Eredivisie clubs will push FIC in Europe to a SIGNS FOX “For the Dutch clubs and fans, it is good news new level. It introduces the Dutch Premier that we can welcome such a strong League to our brand portfolio in The MEGA-DEAL partner,” said Frank Rutten, director of Netherlands and adds sports to the Eredivisie Media and Marketing. “The fact that entertainment genres where we already have The company owned by Fox International Channels are going to strength: scripted, factual and lifestyle. This Australian multi-billionaire participate in Eredivisie Media and Marketing breadth is what makes FIC one of the most shows great confidence in the organisation and relevant players in the content distribution Rupert Murdoch (pictured appreciation for what has been achieved up to industry in Europe". above) has agreed a 12-year now. Together we will build in the years ahead deal for the rights to air live a successful and innovative Eredivisie Live, a Hernan Lopez, President and CEO of Fox solid foundation for the entire football market International Channels, noted that "With our games from the Dutch top and an improved experience for the fans.” recent expansion in Latin America, Asia and flight. now Europe, FIC is now on track to becoming Raymond van der Vliet, managing director of a leading global sports broadcaster." Eredivisie Media and Marketing (EMM) has sold a 51% stake in the company to Fox International Fox International Channels, added: “We are Channels, a broadcast subsidiary of News very pleased that together with EMM and the The partnership is subject to approval by the Corporation, for a reported €1BN. 18 Eredivisie football clubs we can further Dutch Competition Authority. develop the strongest channel of the EMM owns media rights to the Eredivisie and Netherlands. That we can add the sports genre controls the Eredivisie Live pay-television Will Burns channel. Fox will pay the €1BN over the 12 years to our portfolio of existing brands in the Twitter @WillBurns6 encompassing the 2013-14 to 2024-25 Dutch Netherlands is an honour and privilege. We football seasons, with the payments reportedly expect that our local and international rising from €60M in the first year to €100M in experience and success with regard to the the final year. EMM was established in 2008 exploitation of various channels, together with through a partnership between the Eredivisie EMM, will be capable of offering Dutch football clubs and media and production company Endemol. fans a full and high quality operation.” - 4 - SCOTLAND NEWS SHORTS BRAZIL: Football Federation of Rio de Janeiro (FERJ) president Rubens Lopes has said the redeveloped Maracana stadium will be made available to host state championship games next year in a move SPL TO JOIN VOD REVOLUTION designed to act as a test ahead of its staging of the 2013 FIFA Confederations The SPL (Scottish Premier League) has become the latest division Cup. The iconic Maracana is set to to agree a deal with YouTube after sealing a three-year contract become the lynchpin of Brazil’s staging of the 2014 World Cup and is undergoing a with the video-sharing platform. major redevelopment. The Portal 2014 The league have already secured domestic television rights with BSkyB and ESPN last week following website reports that Brazilian Football the upheaval caused by Rangers’ liquidation and subsequent demotion to the SFL’s (Scottish Football Federation and local organising League) Third Division. The innovative deal is a first for league football in the UK and will see the SPL’s committee president José Maria Marin official YouTube channel, ‘SPLOfficial’, screen highlights from every match. The ‘SPLOfficial’ channel will has approved the proposal to stage also cover pre and post-match interviews from players and managers, as well as exclusive behind-the- Campeonato Carioca games in the scenes segments. Full highlights of Saturday games will be available for supporters in the UK and Ireland from 18:00 GMT on Sundays, while overseas fans will be able to access the content from 22:00 Maracana, adding that the measure GMT on the night of a game. could be repeated in the Confederations Cup’s other five host cities. The SPL’s agreement comes after the French Football League (LFP) signed a landmark deal in May that Redevelopment work on the Maracana is saw Dailymotion.fr, L’Equipe.fr and YouTube secure video on demand (VOD) rights to Ligue 1 in France. now 59% complete and the new-look The four-year agreement, which also commences with the 2012-13 season, will provide French stadium is scheduled to re-open in football fans with free access to game highlights, February, along with fellow goals and interviews via the three platforms. Confederations Cup venues in Brasilia and YouTube built on that agreement by agreeing a Recife. The Castelão, Fonte Nova and deal to broadcast a Ligue 1 magazine programme Mineirão stadiums are set for completion on a global basis. Commenting on the SPL’s by December. In related news, Cruzeiro partnership with YouTube, the League’s commercial manager, Stuart MacPhee, has agreed a 25-year deal to play its said: “Launching the ‘SPLOfficial’ channel games in the Mineirão through to 2038.