Man City has "failed in a bid to bring Sunday's Premier League game against Southampton forward by 24 hours." Man City faces Saints at St. Mary's Stadium in a 4:30pm kickoff, "before travelling to Spain to face Real Madrid" in the second leg of its Champions League semifinal tie next Wednesday. Madrid plays Real Sociedad on Saturday. With "the tie delicately poised after a goalless first leg," Man City wanted to have the same preparation and recovery time as its Spanish opponents. The club made "tentative" enquires about moving the Southampton game forward but was "rebuffed by the Premier League," which insisted the Sky Sports-televised game stay in its Sunday slot (London DAILY MIRROR, 4/27).
FRANCHISE BRIEFS ...
The deal between Suning Commerce Group and Serie A side Inter Milan is "now only missing" club Owner Massimo Moratti's approval. The Chinese conglomerate announced on Monday that "they were in negotiations." Gazzetta dello Sport reported Wednesday that a deal "could be closed in the next few weeks and that only Moratti’s approval is now needed" (FOOTBALL ITALIA, 4/27).
The Swiss Football League disciplinary commission “revoked the license of FC Bienne with immediate effect.” The club “no longer has the right to continue playing in the Challenge League.” The remaining FC Bienne matches “will be recorded as 0-0, and no club will be given points.” The immediate license removal was “motivated by FC Bienne repeatedly not disclosing financial information.” The club can appeal the decision “in five days in front of the SFL appeals tribunal” (RTS, 4/27).
Spain-based Institute of Higher Learning in Law & Economics has "launched a masters course in sports management and legal skills that will be run from its Barcelona offices but also linking with the city’s football club FCB Barcelona." The course is "aimed at business and law graduates with a curriculum tailored to the football and sports business." Taught in English, it will provide "foundational instruction on the sports industry combined with specific training in sports (accounting, finance, marketing, personnel management and analytics) and law (intellectual property law and alternative dispute resolution)" (INSIDE WORLD FOOTBALL, 4/27).
