The staff of La Liga side Osasuna is preparing for Barcelona's visit to Osasuna's El Sadar Stadium on Saturday. The game "will not be played in front of a full stadium due to increased ticket prices," which have risen to between €115 ($155) and €135 ($182). Osasuna player Manuel Ortiz Toribio said that "the prices for fans are very high." Toribio added that fans "have to spend quite a fat" amount of money (AS, 10/16). ... Mexico Secretary of Finance and Public Credit (SHCP) Luis Videgaray said in a statement that "prices for tickets to Liga MX games will not change," as there will not be a VAT tax imposed on football. Videgaray: "Public events, including sports, will not have a VAT tax, which had been proposed." The agreement was reached "thanks to cooperation between Videgaray, the Mexico City Government and parliamentary groups" (LA AFICION, 10/15). ... Thirty-five Poland supporters and one England fan "were arrested after Tuesday night's crucial World Cup qualifier." Police "held 16 people for possessing or using flares, six for being drunk and disorderly, and one for pitch invasion after the match at Wembley" (PA, 10/16). ... Zambian football "has been plunged into a bizarre footballing dispute after three international players refused to travel with the national squad ahead of a 2-0 friendly defeat by Brazil in neutral China." The Zambian FA "has written to FIFA complaining that Mazembe did not release its players as they are required to do for international dates" (INSIDE WORLD FOOTBALL, 10/16). ... Football Federation Australia Chair Frank Lowy "has confirmed the next coach of the Socceroos will be Australian and will have the job for next year's World Cup and the 2015 Asian Cup on home soil." The decision "will be made quickly; the FFA will not allow it to be dragged out for more than a week, possibly two." Lowy said that he had always hoped Holger Osieck's replacement "would be an Australian" (SYDNEY MORNING HERALD, 10/16).
