GM football fans. Itâs Wednesday, Jan. 22 - footballers in Chile go on strike, record revenues for the womenâs game, and everything else you need to know. Forwarded this email? Sign up here.
Enjoy reading Route One? Share with a friend using this link.
FIXTURES
Champions League: PSG vs Man City, 20:00 / 15:00. PSG have won just one of their seven matches against City in European competition. But Luis Enrique is one of only two managers to have beaten Pep Guardiola by three or more goals on multiple occasions. Arsenal vs Dinamo Zagreb, 20:00 / 15:00. Arsenal remain unbeaten in the Champions League at the Emirates under Mikel Arteta and have kept clean sheets in all three home games this season. Real Madrid vs RB Salzburg, 20:00 / 15:00. Real have scored in 32 consecutive home UCL matches, but lost their last such fixture 3-1 to AC Milan. See the full fixture list here.
ResultsâŚ
Champions League: Atalanta 5-0 Sturm | Monaco 1-0 Villa | Atletico 2-1 Leverkusen | Benfica 4-5 Barca (Match Report) | Bologna 2-1 Dortmund | Brugge 0-0 Juventus | Liverpool 2-1 Lille (League Table)
Europa League: Galatasaray 3-3 Dynamo Kyiv (League Table)
TOP TALKING POINTS
Regulator Billâs Critical Juncture
The UKâs culture minister Lisa Nandy accuses some opposition members of the House of Lords of trying to âkill offâ the Football Governance Bill. This comes after the bill received hundreds of amendments during its first âcommittee stageâ in the Lords.
The majority of amendments to the bill have come from Conservative peersâ400 of which have already been rejected. However, Nandy expressed her concerns about calls to reclassify the legislation as a 'hybrid bill', which she believes would âbury it in committee for years and years to come.â Conservative peers have denied claims they are trying to delay the bill.
The bill will now pass to the 'report stage' of its journey through the House of Lords, where some of the proposed amendments will be voted on. The UK government hopes it will come into law later this year.
Chilean Footballers Strike
Chilean footballers are on strike indefinitely as they wait for the countryâs football federation to improve the situation faced by footballers. The captains' assembly, organised by Chilean player union SIFUP, voted unanimously at the end of December to go on strike.
The primary trigger for this strike was the decision to transform the Segunda Division, the third tier of Chilean football, into an under-23 category. While the aim of the age requirement is to foster young talent domestically, players fear that it will exclude many of them from the system.
In addition, the union is demanding three more changes: professional footballers' contracts should last longer than eight months, injured players should continue to be paid in full by the club, and the number of foreign players allowed on the pitch for each club should be reduced.
Record Womenâs Revenue
Analysis of the top 15 womenâs clubs shows revenues surpassed âŹ100m collectively for the first time, according to a Deloitte report. This is a 35% rise from last year.
For the third year, FC Barcelona Femeni has generated the most revenue at âŹ17.9m. Meanwhile, Arsenal Women ranks second with revenues of just below that figure, generating a 64% and 48% increase to matchday and commercial revenues respectively in the 2023/24 season. The top five are completed by two English clubs, Chelsea Women and Manchester United Women, and Real Madrid Femenino.
Matchday revenues were boosted by growing attendance, as well as the number of matches that were hosted in main club stadia. Greater interest from commercial and broadcast partners has contributed too. This includes Barclaysâ sponsorship of the Womenâs Super League, reported to have doubled to a value of ÂŁ15m a year.
POLL
Do you think the expanded Champions League format improved the competition or should it revert?
ON THE BALL
Europe
> Manchester City have made their second signing of the window with teenage defender Vitor Reis for ÂŁ29.6m from Brazilian club Palmeiras (More); learn more about Reisâs playing style (More) | Former Arsenal Women defender Jen Beattie announces her retirement after a 16-year career (More)
> Kylian Mbappe says a âmentality issueâ prevented him from finding his best form for Real Madrid (More)
> RB Leipzig are interested in signing Southamptonâs Tyler Dibling (More)
> âAvengersâ director Joe Russo joins Sheffield Unitedâs board (More) | A little-known website buys the media rights to Italyâs second division (More)
Americas
> David Luiz, 37, joins Brazilian Serie A side Fortaleza on a two-year contract (More)
> Greenlandâs national team are pushing to be an officially recognised team as they pursue CONCACAF membership (More)
> Sixth Street, the private equity firm and majority owner of the National Womenâs Soccer Leagueâs (NWSL) Bay FC, is launching a new multi-club womenâs soccer organisation (More)
Rest of the World
> A new report from the NEOM Sport sector showcases womenâs football in Saudi Arabia; it analyses the achievements and milestones to date (More)
ROUTERSâ VOICE
Yesterdayâs Poll: Do you think modern football has outgrown tiki-taka as a dominant style?Â
đŠ đŠ đŠ đŠ đŠ đŠ đŞŚ Absolutely... (65%)
đ¨ đ¨ đ¨ âŹď¸ âŹď¸ âŹď¸ đ Nope... (32%)
âŹď¸ âŹď¸ âŹď¸ âŹď¸ âŹď¸ âŹď¸ âď¸ Other... (3%)
Your punditry takes:
𪌠P.O: âTeams are a lot happier now to allow âimpotent possessionâ in front of them, then spring a fast counter. As a result, the days of high percentage, low-risk football are numbered.â
đ P: âIt's still magic when done right, and an absolute cock-up when it goes wrong.â
âď¸ D.F: âTactics in football and every other sport run in cycles. A style becomes dominant, and then another will counter it. As more clubs embrace the new style, another style will counter that, etc.â
EXTRA TIME
Remembering Le Coq Sportifâs iconic kits.
Raphinaâs bizarre goal against Benfica.
Trailer for Liverpoolâs behind-the-scenes documentary released.
Walsallâs unique low-possession style is creating a record-breaking season.
CBS discuss Micah Richardsâ new haircut. (via X)
Womenâs Championship trials alcohol in the stands.
BBCâs Premier League team of the week.
Diego Forlan blind ranks the best Atletico forwards. (via X)
Why Lyon are at war with the rest of French football.
Tottenhamâs 25-26 home, away and third kits leaked.
Five reasons why the Premier League's 'Big Six' era is over.
GAME FACE ON
Question: Who is the youngest-ever hat trick scorer in Champions League history?
Clue: 383 goals.
Scroll below for the answer.
ON TODAY
Champions League
Leipzig vs Sporting (17:45)
Shakhtar D vs Brest (17:45)
AC Milan vs Girona (20:00)
Arsenal vs Dinamo Zagreb (20:00)
Celtic vs Young Boys (20:00)
Feyenoord vs Bayern Munich (20:00)
PSG vs Man City (20:00)
Real Madrid vs RB Salzburg (20:00)
Sparta Prague vs Inter Milan (20:00)
Europa League
Besiktas vs Athletic Club (15:30)
Womenâs League Cup
Chelsea vs Durham (18:45)
Man Utd vs Man City (19:00)
Brighton vs Arsenal (19:15)
Spurs vs West Ham (19:30)
*All time in UK. ET -5. CST -6. PST -8. MST -7. CET +1.
Answer
Raul for Real Madrid. He was 18 years, 114 days.
Don't ever come and ask me to give you an interview again.