Stadiums

Koeman: ‘Playing On An Artificial Pitch Is Not Football’

BARCELONA — Barcelona's coach Ronald Koeman is not happy that they are playing Thursday's Copa del Rey last-32 tie away to third division Cornella on an astroturf pitch but said he will not make excuses should his side suffer a shock defeat.

Cornella knocked out LaLiga leaders Atletico Madrid in the last round with a 1-0 win and Cup shocks are becoming much more common in Spain since the competition format changed last year, eliminating two-legged ties.

FC Tokyo Wins J.League Cup In Front Of Over 24,000 Spectators

Brazilians Leandro and Adaílton fired FC Tokyo to a 2-1 victory over Kashiwa Reysol in the final of the Levain Cup on Monday in front of more than 24,000 fans at Tokyo's National Stadium.

Non-League Keeper Takes A Break From The Match To Spend Some Time In The Stands

Over the years, I have found that there is an inverse relationship between a club's place in the footballing pyramid and the likelihood of something absurd happening at a match. Only in non-league football can you have a goalkeeper having a beer with fans while in full uniform or a player threatening a supporter with a knife.

It's Confirmed: Fans Are Allowed To Attend Marine's FA Cup Match Against Spurs (For Now)

Football without fans has hurt clubs throughout the footballing pyramid, but the pandemic has hit non-league sides especially hard. These clubs depend on ticket sales as a primary source of revenue, and with empty stadiums across England, many local teams have been pushed to the brink financially.

These semi-pro and amateur sides also provide a helpful reminder of what true football fandom entails.

French Club Holds Moment Of Silence For Groundskeeper Killed By Stadium Light In Freak Accident

The past 24 hours have been somber and harrowing for Ligue 1 club FC Lorient after one of the team's groundskeepers was killed in a freak accident on Sunday night.

Following Lorient's 3-0 home defeat to Rennes at the Stade du Moustoir, the grounds crew came out to do their post-game duties. One of those jobs includes tending to the field with a grow light. The contraption emulates sunlight, warms the field and keeps the grass healthy.

Watching Slovenian Club Celebrate Anniversary With 100 Flares Makes Me Want Flares At American Sports

Spotify Wrapped dropped this month, showing listeners what songs and artists they looked up and listened to the most (my number one artist was Don Toliver if you’re curious). If Google had a similar wrapped project, I guarantee you that “crazy soccer flares” would’ve been in my top 100 searches for all of the past five years.

There’s something about a wall of fire that is exceptionally intimidating to look at. Any time — prior to 2020 that is — I see fans of South American or European clubs ignite their flares and sing rapturous chants I get envious.

Arsenal's Mediocre Form Was Only Overshadowed By A Shocking Disinterest From Supporters

Multiple Premier League clubs welcomed back fans into the stands over the weekend, a move that helped some home teams earn impressive results.

FA Investigating Racist Fans Who Booed Players Taking A Knee

The Football Association on Monday said it is investigating crowd-related incidents at Millwall and Colchester United that involved supporters booing players taking a knee during their games on Saturday.

Columbus Crew To Host MLS Cup Final After Ending New England’s Fairy Tale

The Columbus Crew put an end to New England’s fairy tale run to advance to the 2020 MLS Cup Final on Sunday, winning 1-0 behind Artur’s composed finish following a terrific team move. 

The victory ensured a third and final MLS Cup contested at MAPFRE Stadium — Columbus moves into a new stadium next summer — regardless of who wins Monday’s Western Conference final between Seattle and Minnesota. Columbus finished fourth in the overall table, whereas Seattle finished sixth and Minnesota ninth.

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