Twist in Toon’s takeover
THE Newcastle takeover has taken an extraordinary twist with Saudi Arabia permanently cancelling the licence of bein Sports.
It means that if Amanda Staveley’s consortium, which is 80 per cent funded by the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, does buy out Toon owner Mike Ashley, no-one in Saudi Arabia will be able to watch the Magpies in action.
Qatar-based bein Sports holds the exclusive rights to show Premier League football in the Middle East.
But last month, the World Trade Organisation published a report in which the Saudis were found to be effectively stealing intellectual property rights by turning a blind eye to TV piracy, specifically beoutq simulcasting bein Sports’ broadcasts.
In the wake of the report, the Saudis immediately pledged to crack down on piracy, which they hoped will persuade the Premier League to give the go-ahead to the £300m Toon takeover.
This latest development in the geopolitical war between Saudi Arabia and Qatar does not necessarily mean the deal will collapse.
But it seems bizarre that there will be no legal means to watch Newcastle or any other top flight within the kingdom.
And Saudi’s move hardly tallies with claims that they are willing to compromise in a bid to impress the Premier League and seal the takeover.
BEIN’S contract with the Premier League runs out before the start of the 2021-22 season and they are keen to renew it. It is understood the Saudis are asking the Premier League for their own deal having pulled out of the Middle East and North Africa broadcasts rights market.
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PEP GUARDIOLA came out fighting like a raging bull on steroids as more than 12 months of bottled-up anger spilled out.
This was the Spaniard in the raw, freed from the shackles of legal restrictions as he spoke for the first time since Manchester City won their appeal against a two-year European ban from UEFA for alleged serious breaches of Financial Fair Play regulations.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) might have cleared City’s name, but Guardiola was more determined to slaughter those who had tried to soil it in the first place.
No-one was spared his wrath after a remarkable outpouring of rage. Not UEFA, Jurgen Klopp, Jose Mourinho, all those clubs he feels went behind the back of his club or even outspoken La Liga president Javier Tebas. Since the whole process began, Guardiola has kept his own counsel and represented a ticking time bomb. One that has now exploded.
To all his victims of the blast, the message was clear – ‘You’ve had your go at burying us and failed – so now get ready to suffer the consequences.’ Guardiola is keen to see his side continue to do their talking on the pitch in their quest for another treble and believes his rivals cannot handle their success.
The Catalan, whose side host Bournemouth tonight, said: “I know that for