Two-time Europa League winner Parma Calcio 1913 sold to Jiang Lizhang on Wednesday, adding to the growing trend of Chinese businessmen buying European socer clubs.
The following first and second division teams in Europe are now all principally owned by Chinese investors.
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Here it is: your complete guide to the 2017 summer soccer schedule.
For most sports, the offseason is a time of respite. Once the Super Bowl ends in February, NFL teams don’t suit up for another game, scrimmage or otherwise, for six months. Soccer, fortunately, doesn’t abide by such silly rules.
The European soccer season technically ends after the Champions League final around late May or early June, but preseason exhibitions pick up in early July. Then there are also international matches (friendlies and cups) to also fill the void.
How’s Oscar doing with Shanghai SIPG in the Chinese Super League? Pretty good. For one, he’ll pocket $26 million this season. But how’s the season going? Shanghai are in second after 13 matches, with Oscar scoring one goal and dropping seven assists for the Red Eagles.
On Saturday, Shanghai played Guangzhou R&F (the R&F stands for “Rich” and “Force”, nice). SIPG manager Don Juan Andre Villas-Boas watched as Oscar slipped in Hulk for a Shanghai equalizer in the 45th minute, but then things decidedly went to s**t.
History and Background
Football hasn’t always been a major sport in Australia. Although the national team was formed in 1922, the country didn’t participate in the first seven World Cups. When they did decide to start participating, they failed to qualify in their first two tries — losing to North Korea in the playoffs for 1966 and Israel in ’70.
Sven-Goran Eriksson has been sacked as manager of Chinese second division club Shenzhen and has been replaced with Wang Baoshan. We know this because Shenzhen posted a poem on their website welcoming Wang as their new coach.
We are not making this up:
Eleven years ago, you led Shenzhen football and never let us down.
Nine years ago, you took over responsibilities and saved Shenzhen football.
Memories of fighting together have never gone away, and now we recall the legend.
There’s a lot of solid energy coming from India’s Sunil Chhetri, and a good positive aura. What he does here is great — it’s all great. There’s a lot of pressure in international soccer, but you have to just rise above it.
Chhetri harnesses in the good energy, and he blocks out the bad. He feels the circular flow of life, gets on that carrousel and begins doing the bull dance.
We’re less than a year away from the 2018 World Cup in Russia, but only eight teams have assured themselves of a spot in the 32-team tournament, one of them being the host nation.
Qualifying began back in March 2015 and will continue through this November, when the final berths will be booked.
How does each confederation decide which nations will attend the World Cup? Read on.
Nations: 53
Spots: 5
Rounds: 3
Lionel Messi has recently unveiled his plans to personally and painstakingly design, build and operate his own theme park in Nanjing, China. It will be called the Messi Experience Park (MEP), which is infinitely lamer than Messi World, Magic Messi Kingdom or Messi's Wonderous Adventureland. With over 20 attractions on a sprawling 42,000 square meter space, the biggest question remains whether or not Mateo Messi will be old enough or tall enough to have any fun.
Former Ivory Coast and Newcastle United midfielder Cheick Tiote has passed away following a suspected heart attack while training with current club Beijing Enterprises. Tiote was only 30 years of age.