What to look out for this year
...before they happen We look at some of the key questions facing the global game in the coming months
1 WILL THE PREMIER LEAGUE SORT OUT VAR?
The Premier League’s use of VAR has been beset by problems since its introduction at the start of the season. Fans have been left confused by the lack of communication in stadiums, while the refusal of on-pitch officials to consult pitchside monitors has been widely criticised.
Arsene Wenger, in one of his first interventions as FIFA’s Chief of Global Football Development, called on Premier
League officials to use pitchside monitors and use stadium screens to explain their decision in greater detail. But a problem for the Premier League is that two of its biggest stadiums, Old Trafford and Anfield, do not have in-stadium screens.
February’s meeting of the International Board will consider “the growing demand for more immediate information about the referee’s final decisions after a VAR review”. Members will look at “different communication options” with fans in the stadium and television viewers.
2 WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO FLORENTINO PEREZ’S PLAN FOR A WORLD LEAGUE?
While FIFA president Gianni Infantino presses ahead with his plans for an expanded Club World Cup, private equity firm CVC Capital Partners are thought to be in talks with Real Madrid boss Perez over an alternative global competition.
It has been reported that CVC have met with Perez, who is also president of the newly formed World Club Football Association (WFCA), about a 40-team competition split across two leagues.
Eight of those teams could include the founding members of the WFCA.
3 WILL BRAZIL GET THE CHANCE TO DEFEND THEIR OLYMPIC GOLD MEDAL?
Brazil won their first Olympic title four years ago, on home soil in Rio de Janeiro, but they have yet to qualify for next summer’s Games.
Colombia will host the South American qualifiers in January and February, with Brazil well aware that their underage sides failed to make the world under-17 and under-20 finals in 2019 and only competed – and eventually won – the under-17 world title because they were parachuted in as hosts, replacing Peru.
Only two South American sides will qualify for the Tokyo Olympics.
4 IS JOSE MOURINHO YESTERDAY’S MAN?
Tottenham Hotspur sprung a major surprise at the end of 2019 with their appointment of the Portuguese manager the day after they sacked Mauricio Pochettino. On paper, Spurs and Mourinho look an awkward fit – a club with a long-term outlook hiring a man famed for his short-term solutions – which prompted speculation that it could all end in tears.
Initial results were positive for Mourinho – with goal-heavy wins over West Ham United, Olympiakos and Bournemouth before a grounding defeat to Manchester United at Old Trafford – but Tottenham supporters have yet to be won over.
The current Spurs squad is in need of renewal and their business in the January transfer window will go some way to determining whether Mourinho can re-invent himself at his third Premier League club.
5 WHERE WILL MAURICIO POCHETTINO END UP?
After being dismissed by Tottenham, the Argentinian returned home to Rosario for a holiday, safe in the knowledge that he will not be short of offers in 2020.
In the past, Pochettino has been considered by both Real Madrid and Manchester United, while it is highly likely there will be a vacancy at Bayern Munich in the summer.
But Arsenal, looking to recruit a highprofile replacement for the recently sacked Unai Emery, are not expected to be among the clubs pursuing an interest in Pochettino.
6 WHERE NEXT FOR MICHEL PLATINI?
The global football ban on the former UEFA president ended in October but he has already found himself caught up in further controversy.
In December it was announced that the French authorities have opened a judicial enquiry into the country’s support for the awarding of the 2022 World Cup to Qatar.
Last summer Platini was questioned about a 2010 lunch at the Elysee Palace in Paris involving himself, the then-state president Nicolas Sarkozy and the Qatari crown prince.
7 HOW MANY OTHER COUNTRIES WILL FOLLOW AUSTRALIA’S LEAD AND GIVE EQUAL PAY TO WOMEN’S NATIONAL TEAMS?
In November, Football Federation Australia and the players’ union announced an historic new fouryear collective-bargaining agreement that will close the pay gap between the Matildas and the Socceroos.
However, other countries have yet to follow suit.
In the USA, the bitter dispute between the federation and the women’s nationalteam dispute is ongoing, while Europe’s top player, Ada Hegerberg of Norway, continues to boycott her national side in protest at the disparity in pay between the men’s and women’s national teams.
8 CAN INTER SEE OFF JUVENTUS IN A TIGHT SERIE A TITLE RACE?
Under Antonio Conte, Internazionale enjoyed their best-ever start to a Serie A campaign, winning 12 of their first 15 games and edging ahead of champions Juventus going in the run-up to Christmas.
Inter were last champions in 2010.
9 WILL ROMAN ABRAMOVICH BE SEEN AT STAMFORD BRIDGE AGAIN?
The Russian billionaire, who is no longer resident in London following a visa dispute, pulled the plug on plans for a new stadium for Chelsea.
As a result, speculation persists that he is looking for a buyer for a club that he bought in 2003.
10 WILL JADON SANCHO LEAVE DORTMUND IN JANUARY?
Relations between England winger Sancho and the powersthat-be at Borussia Dortmund have deteriorated this autumn, with the club angry at the player’s poor time-keeping, which included a late return from international duty.
There is a feeling that Dortmund will cash in on Sancho in the summer. But an earlier departure could be on the cards for the 19-year-old, especially with Chelsea likely to return to January’s transfer market with gusto following the ending of their transfer embargo.
11 HOW WILL JURGEN KLINSMANN FARE AT HERTHA BERLIN?
A decade after his last coaching job in Germany – a dismal 10-month spell in charge of Bayern Munich – ex-Nationalmannschaft boss Klinsmann is back.
Brought in to replace Ante Covic, he is only scheduled to lead Hertha until the end of season. But who knows what will happen if he turns out to be a roaring success in the capital.
New Hertha investor Lars Windhorst wants to transform the club into a real big-city outfit, one which can go toe-totoe with the continental big boys.
12 WILL THE VILLASBOAS REVIVAL AT MARSEILLE CONTINUE?
Life is never dull in Marseille and the Portuguese coach is quietly turning OM into the strongest Ligue 1 challengers to Paris SaintGermain this season.
In December, a 3-1 win over Bordeaux, another revived team, confirmed their place in second behind leaders and defending champions PSG.
Villas-Boas has improved a team that is no longer dependent on star names such as Kevin Strootman and Dimitri Payet, getting the best from the previously under-performing Nemanja Radonjic and Jordan Amavi.
13 CAN GLADBACH HOLD OFF THE CHALLENGE FROM BAYERN AND OTHERS?
Marco Rose’s Borussia Monchengladbach were the outstanding team during the first half of this Bundesliga campaign and their impressive run of form culminated in a dramatic 2-1 victory at home to Bayern Munich at the start of December.
Algerian international Ramy Bensebaini scored the winner at Borussia-Park in a come-from-behind victory that left the defending champions down in seventh place and seven points adrift of tabletoppers Gladbach.
With their all-action high-pressing tactics, Rose’s young side have been the surprise package of a fascinating league campaign that was wide open at the midway stage.
Gladbach’s defeat of Bayern may have cemented their place in pole position, but Julian Nagelsmann’s RB Leipzig, Borussia Dortmund and David Wagner’s Schalke will all fancy their chances of topping the table over the coming months.
14 WHO WILL WIN THE COPA AMERICA? Despite being at opposite ends of South America, Argentina and Colombia will jointly stage the 2020 finals which, in a change to the usual three-group format, will be played in two groups of six, with one group in each host country.
Australia, making their debut, and Qatar are the guest nations.
Argentina will play Chile in the opening match on June 12. Both Argentina and Colombia will host two quarter-finals and a semi each, while the Final will be played in Barranquilla, Colombia, on July 12.
15 WHO WILL MLS DEBUTANTS INTER MIAMI HIRE?
The David Beckhamfronted Miami franchise will make its MLS debut in March, seven years after plans were first announced to launch a club in the metropolitan area in which Miami Fusion folded in 2001.
Having been disrupted in their search for a stadium, Inter Miami will play their opening games in Fort Lauderdale until a proposed move to a purpose-built 25,000-capacity arena, to be known as Miami Freedom Park, in 2022.
Beckham is a co-owner along with Bolivian tech entrepreneur Marcelo Claure, and the team will debut in the 25th MLS season, along with Nashville, which will take the number of Major League Soccer teams to 26.
16 CAN LIVERPOOL RETURN TO ISTANBUL?
The 2020 Champions League Final will be played at Istanbul’s Ataturk Olympic Stadium, scene of Liverpool’s triumph over Milan in 2005, when they recovered from 3-0 down at half-time to stage a remarkable against-the-odds victory.
But whereas in 2005 Liverpool reached the Final having started out in the third qualifying round, 15 years later they enter the competition’s knockout phase as defending European champions and one of the clear favourites.
17 WILL GUARDIOLA SEE OUT HIS CONTRACT AT MAN CITY?
The Spaniard signed a contract extension in June 2016, keeping him at Manchester City until the end of the 2020-21 season. If he stays at City into the final, fifth year of his contract he will have been there for longer than his time at Barcelona (2008-2012) and Bayern Munich (2013-16).
18 HOW WILL FIFA REFORM CAF?
A FIFA task force, led by secretary-general Fatma Samoura, took over the running of the Confederation of African Football following allegations of corruption and malpractice.
It remains to be seen what will happen to former CAF staff, including Amr Fahmy, who was sacked as general-secretary after raising concerns about corruption and is now planning to run against CAF president Ahmad in 2021.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino recently floated the idea of a new regional league featuring 20 top clubs. “We have to take the 20 best African clubs and put them in an Africa league,” said Infantino.
“Such a league could make at least $200m in revenue.”