Liverpool offers "the best fan experience in the Premier League," according to a prominent stadium assessment scheme. The Premier League’s VisitFootball Quality Assured Stadium Assessment Scheme ranked Anfield at No. 1 in terms of matchday experience for the '15-16 season. The club has also, "for the fourth year running," topped the list "in terms of its accessibility assessment which looks at the experience and service provided to disabled supporters" (LIVERPOOL ECHO, 9/6).
Manager Pep Guardiola's "complete overhaul" of Man City "continues apace" with the addition of a new head of the club's medical staff. The appointment takes Guardiola's "desire for everyone to be comfortable on the ball to a new level" because Dr. Eduardo Mauri is a former first division player with La Liga side Espanyol (London DAILY MAIL, 9/6).
The Empire State Building will be lit up in Barcelona's colors this week to celebrate the club's move into N.Y.C. Barça is set to open "a new office on Park Avenue" as it bids to increase its business in the American market. The skyscraper "will light in Blaugrana colours as a way of welcoming the club" to its new American HQ. Barcelona said in a statement, "The Empire State Building will be illuminated in the club's traditional colours which will be seen late Wednesday afternoon once the sun goes down" (ESPN.com, 9/6).
Fans of newly promoted La Liga side Alavés "are up in arms" over the prices set by Barcelona for the match at Camp Nou this weekend. Barça has allocated just 300 tickets for away fans at a price of €59 ($66.38) each, "with the seats in the highest point of the stadium and behind a glass partition, obstructing the view of the pitch." The timeframe for Alavés season ticket holders to purchase their seats "has already passed." On Monday the sale opened to the general public and the club "does not anticipate any greater interest." Of the 300 tickets allocated, the majority will be returned to Barcelona by fans not accustomed to paying La Liga prices (AS, 9/5).
