Asian football officials "have condemned the crowd disturbances that forced the abandonment of Tuesday's World Cup qualifier in Malaysia and vowed to help the sport's world governing body FIFA with its investigation into the incident."
The match, between Malaysia and Saudi Arabia at the Shah Alam Stadium in Selangor, "was called off less than three minutes before fulltime after local fans launched flares and fireworks from the stands" (REUTERS, 9/9). ... BBC pundit Pat Nevin "has blasted the 'unorganised' Scottish FA after Gordon Strachan's players were left to eat at Burger King following their disappointing Euro 2016 qualifying defeat in Georgia."
Not only did the team lose 1-0 in Tbilisi on Friday night, but its plane home "was delayed afterwards, leaving the players to kill time at the airport before heading back to Scotland." Nevin "was disappointed with the Scottish FA's lack of preparation and planning for the trip, and insisted someone should have been there to stick up for the players" (London DAILY MAIL, 9/9).
IN SPAIN: Spanish Football League (LFP) President Javier Tebas has "rekindled the controversy over FIFA's decision to switch the 2022 World Cup to winter." He posed the question: "what will happen to the hundreds of players left at home in mid-season when Qatar stages the World Cup." Tebas: "We are going to be two and half months with the leagues paralyzed. That's not good for TV rights or sponsors" (WORLD SOCCER, 9/9). ... Barcelona released five youth players "in a bid to adhere to the existing transfer ban and to avoid the possibility of receiving additional punishment from FIFA." Barcelona was banned from making transfers until January by FIFA after "seriously" breaching rules regarding the "signing of underage players." Barcelona has not revealed which youth players have been let go but, according to Spanish media, "promising 16-year-old forward Patrice Sousia from Cameroon is among them" (ESPN, 9/9). FIFA is bringing a new investigation into affairs at La Masia to a close that "may culminate in further sanctions" for the club. Although club President Josep Maria Bartomeu has ordered the removal of two players from the club's books, FIFA has "not halted" its enquiries. The "biggest worry at Barcelona is that having already had their hands cuffed for two transfer windows, the punishment may be even more severe this time." This "does not mean that potential sanctions will be immediate, but the investigation has not been stopped" (AS, 9/9).
