July 23, 2022
The brief from today:
Ligue 1 makes some rule changes
As of the 2022/23 season, Ligue 1 will change the longstanding rule that barred players from having certain jersey numbers. The regulations, up until last season, required jersey numbers to range from 1-30, with 1, 12, and 30 only being for goalkeepers unless a special permit was granted. A lot was made of this rule last season specifically because of some of the new PSG recruits. In Messi’s case, although Neymar was said to have offered him the number 10, he made the special request to wear his old Barcelona number, 30, from when he first played for the Spanish side’s senior team. Fellow new signing, Donnarumma, also had a bit of an issue with this rule after joining last summer. While at Milan, the Italian always wore the number 99, but upon joining PSG had to switch his jersey number to 50. It seems the league has realized that this rule doesn’t quite serve a purpose any longer, and now they have agreed to let players choose any number from 1-99 beginning next season.
Maybe Donnarumma will switch back to his old 99 jersey after the Ligue 1 rule change
Fabregas on the move
Cesc Fabregas’s time at Monaco has come to an end after his three-year contract with the Principality side expired this summer. After spending his career in idyllic locations like London (Arsenal and Chelsea), Barcelona, and of course Monaco, the 35-year-old free agent’s next destination will be equally appealing as he has agreed to a two-year contract with Serie B side Como. The Italian side finished 13th last season, and it comes as a bit of a surprise that they secured this deal, but it also shows their ambition. While Como has its appeal to visitors, both within Italy, and from abroad, Fabregas will need to make it more than a vacation stop. The club signing him means a push for Serie A promotion is on the agenda, which they haven’t played in since the 2002/03 season.
Next stop for Fabregas: Como
Drones to be part of World Cup security
An agreement has been struck between Qatar’s interior ministry and Fortem Technologies to provide drones for added security at World Cup stadiums. Due to increased worries over safety related to drone attacks, steps have been taken to mitigate any potential threats. Fortem provides approaches, which are meant to be safer than using weapons, for neutralizing commercial drones that are found in areas where they shouldn’t be. If a “rogue drone” is smaller in size, the Fortem drones—which are autonomous and guided by radar—will shoot a net that allows them to trap and control it. The bigger drones will also be targeted by nets, but there is also a parachute—the Fortem Drogue Chute—attached that forces the drone to land. Most of this radar tracking of suspicious drones will be done away from the stadium, approximately one mile, and is meant to curtail any pre-programmed drones that may be used as weapons on venues.