☕️🌦️⚽️ Good morning everyone! Well, it finally happened. After 51 games played, Bayer Leverkusen finally lost their first game. Unfortunately for them, it was a big one to lose. They fell 3-0 to Atalanta in the Europa League Final, bringing an end to one of the most legendary seasons we’ve seen. Regardless, what they accomplished is a season for the books.

Giveaway: Wake up and smell the coffee. Our giveaway will be a $30 gift card for our favorite coffee brand- Kickoff Coffee. As always, each friend that you refer to subscribe to the newsletter is an entry to our raffle. Best of luck!

Business
Americans Seize Inter Milan

💸🏆️🗝️ Won the Trophy, lost the Club. American based firm, Oaktree has Capital assumed ownership of Inter Milan after their former Chinese owners failed to repay loan. In a significant development for Italian football, US-based investment firm Oaktree Capital Management announced on Wednesday that it has “assumed ownership” of the recently crowned Serie A champions, Inter Milan. This change in ownership comes after Inter's Chinese holding company, Suning, missed a critical €395 million ($428 million) payment.

• Oaktree Capital Management granted a substantial loan to Suning in 2021, secured against their stake in Inter Milan. When Suning failed to meet the repayment deadline on Tuesday, Oaktree exercised its right to take control of the club under the erms of the loan agreement.

• Suning, which acquired a majority stake in Inter Milan in 2016, represented one of the highest-profile investments by a Chinese company in European football. Under Suning's ownership, Inter achieved significant success, culminating in their 20th Serie A title. However, financial difficulties ultimately led to their inability to meet debt obligations, prompting the transition to Oaktree Capital.

📈🔝 Oaktree joins a good club, of American-owned Italian clubs. Inter Milan now becomes the seventh Serie A club under American ownership, joining the ranks of AC Milan, Atalanta, Fiorentina, Roma, Genoa, and newly promoted Parma. This trend highlights the increasing influence and investment of American firms in Italian football.

• Founded in 1908, Inter Milan is one of Italy's most prestigious football clubs. The club has won the Serie A title 20 times, making it the second most successful team in Italian league history, behind only Juventus. Inter's current squad boasts top talents like Lautaro Martínez and Nicolò Barella.

🫡💼🧦 Oaktree Here to Grow Inter. As the new owners, Oaktree Capital has pledged to honor Inter Milan's rich history and community. In a statement, Oaktree's representative, Cano, expressed the firm’s dedication to the club's long-term success: “As new owners, we recognize our responsibility to Inter Milan's community, history, and legacy. We are committed to the long-term success of the Nerazzurri and believe our ambitions for the club are united with those of its passionate fans in Italy and around the world.” With Oaktree Capital at the helm, Inter Milan is poised for a new chapter. The firm's financial strength and commitment to the club's heritage offer a promising outlook for both domestic and international success.

Friday Recap

Europa League Final

Serie A

Saudi Pro League

Turkish Cup Final

Fashion
Cigars, Music, Champagne, and Watches

Quick Bites 🍕

Manchester United looking for a fresh start

Spanish Royalty

Giroud says goodbye

Matches to Catch

FA Cup Final

DFB Pokal Final

Coupe de France Final

La Liga

US MLS

US NWSL

Banter of the day

Football, by the fans for the fans

In search of a pub? Ever find yourself in a new city and are desperately searching for a local soccer pub? Who would have thought that the premier league took time out of their day to create a bar finder. There really is nothing better than catching an early premier league game on the weekends with fellow fans of the game, and finding that bar that will actually have the game sound on just got that much easier.

USA Bar Finder. Bar finder, aka Intern Jose’s nickname in college. Easy to use search platform on the premier leagues website. It has most major cities included, and they’re even accepting updates to their list if you email them at [email protected]

Find your local soccer pub here.