LALIGA

6Jun By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

LALIGA

Barcelona: Leo Messi back to training, Suarez fit again

Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez of FC Barcelona work during a training session at Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper on May 19, 2020 in Barcelona, Spain. Lionel Messi returned to the Camp Nou on Saturday after missing two group training sessions with a slight leg injury, while Luis Suarez is set to be fit for the La Liga restart next week. Messi trained alone indoors on Wednesday and Friday, but worked on the sidelines of a group session at Barca's home stadium, according to Spanish press. La Liga leaders Barcelona play their first match since mid-March at Real Mallorca next Saturday. Suarez will be fit to play for the first time since undergoing knee surgery in January after reporting feeling no pain following training. Messi and Suarez have scored 38 goals between them in all compe...

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4Jun By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

LALIGA

Lionel Messi misses Barcelona training ahead of La Liga resumption

Lionel Messi of FC Barcelona sprints during a training session at Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper on May 22, 2020 in Barcelona, Spain. Spanish LaLiga clubs are back training in groups of up to 10 players following the LaLiga's 'Return to Training' protocols. Lionel Messi missed training on Wednesday because he has an adductor injury which means he could miss Barcelona’s clash with Real Mallorca on June 13, according to reports. The captain worked alone in the gym, rather than joining the group, and his absence was largely played down at the time. TV3 are not quite as upbeat. They report Messi has an adductor injury and had an MRI scan on Tuesday to determine severity of the problem. They also rate him as “doubtful” to face Real Mallorca even though the clash at Son Moix is still s...

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31May By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

LALIGA

Barca Captain Messi believes Football will never be the same after Coronavirus

Lionel Messi #10 of Barcelona salutes the fans after scoring from the penalty spot during the Barcelona V Real Sociedad, La Liga regular season match at Estadio Camp Nou on March 7th 2020 in Barcelona, Spain. Barcelona skipper Lionel Messi recently spoke about post-pandemic football, and how the pandemic has changed things for him and his team. “Many people saw their friends and family pass away. There’s nothing worse than losing your loved ones. I’m very sad about the fact that people couldn’t say goodbye to their families and friends who passed away because of the coronavirus.” Messi told El Pais. The Argentine also talked about the challenges ahead for his team and how they are planning to cope with them. “The ambitions are the same – to win everything we can, and I think we’r...

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31May By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

LALIGA

Gaizka Garitano signs contract extension with Athletic Bilbao

Gaizka Garitano of Athletic Club reacts during the Copa del Rey quarter final match between Athletic Bilbao and FC Barcelona at Estadio de San Mames on February 06, 2020 in Bilbao, Spain. Spain's Athletic Bilbao announced Sunday that manager Gaizka Garitano will stay at the football club till 2021. "Gaizka Garitano signs his continuity on the bench of Athletic Club one more season," Bilbao said on their website. "I’m very happy that the club has shown confidence in me, it is the team I have supported since I was a boy and to coach them is a great responsibility," Garitano said. The 44-year-old who took charge in December 2018 led the club to final of the Copa del Rey this season. The game, however, was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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26May By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

LALIGA

Real Madrid: Reinier Jesus set to Join team training

Reinier Jesus Carvalho poses for photo during his presentation as a new player of Real Madrid CF at Santiago Bernabeu stadium on February 19, 2020 in Madrid, Spain. Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane has decided to call up Castilla talent Reinier Jesus to train with the first team starting this Wednesday, according to reports from Spanish newspaper AS and MARCA. Los Blancos have been allowed to train in two different groups of 14 players and Zidane will use Reinier, Miguel Gutierrez and Javi Hernandez to complete the squad and replace Jovic and Mariano, who are not able to join the squad just yet. It’s extremely unlikely that Reinier ends up featuring in a single match with the first team this season, no matter how busy the schedule is for Los Blancos.  However, his season ...

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25May By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

LALIGA

Joao Felix suffers knee injury during Atletico training

Joao Felix of Atletico looks on during the UEFA Champions League round of 16 second leg match between Liverpool FC and Atletico Madrid at Anfield on March 11, 2020 in Liverpool, United Kingdom. Atletico Madrid forward Joao Felix incurred a knee injury during training, the club announced on Monday. The initial diagnosis is a low-grade MCL sprain in his left knee that could keep the Portugal international from being available for selection when La Liga is expected to restart next month. The 20-year-old Felix is in his first season with Atleti following a £113 million transfer from Benfica last summer. In 28 appearances across all competitions this season, Felix has six goals. Internationally, Felix has been capped five times by the senior squad and was a member of Portugal's U...

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21May By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

LALIGA

Athletic Bilbao striker Aritz Aduriz announces retirement from soccer

Aritz Aduriz of Athletic Bilbao during the Spanish Copa del Rey match between Athletic de Bilbao v Granada at the Estadio San Mames on February 12, 2020 in Bilbao Spain. Athletic Bilbao striker Aritz Aduriz announced his retirement from soccer on Wednesday, a day after finding out he needs a hip replacement that will keep him from continuing to perform as an athlete. The 39-year-old Aduriz said on Twitter his “body has said ‘enough’” and that the “time has come” for him to end his career. He said doctors on Tuesday told him to go see a surgeon “sooner rather than later” to get a prosthetic hip replacement that will allow him to go about his "everyday life as normally as possible.” “I can't help my teammates the way I would like to, nor the way that they deserve,” he said in a s...

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21May By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

LALIGA

Barcelona cut asking price for Man United target Samuel Umtiti

Samuel Umtiti of Barcelona during the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 match between Napoli and Barcelona at Stadio San Paolo, Naples, Italy on 25 February 2020. Manchester United have been linked with a move for Barcelona central defender Samuel Umtiti, according to a report in Sport newspaper. The Spanish champions have been reported elsewhere are willing to sell almost every member of their squad, with only Frenkie de Jong, Marc-Andre Ter Stegen and Lionel Messi - the world’s second best player - all available for the right price. French World Cup winner Umtiti is another player who can be sold as they want to raise funds to balance the books and to carry out their own transfers in the summer transfer window and beyond.  The club have been hit hard by the coronavirus pan...

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15May By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

LALIGA

Messi believes coronavirus lockdown may Benefit Barcelona

The figure of the football player Lionel Messi in Madame Tussauds waxworks cabinet wears a mouth and nose protector during the Corona pandemic. Barcelona forward Lionel Messi said that the stoppage in play due to the coronavirus pandemic may help the club address some of its issues on the pitch. Speaking to Spanish outlet Sport, the Argentina captain said: "Maybe this stoppage will end up benefiting us, but let's see if the competitions we're in can get started again first. Then we will be able to see the level we are at of how far we can go once we get started again." Barcelona remain on top of La Liga standings, two points ahead of Real Madrid. La Liga is working to the re-start on June 12 but still must navigate many obstacles to get agreement from Spanish authorities. Despi...

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13May By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

LALIGA

Report: Barcelona turn down Juventus move for Frenkie de Jong

Frenkie de Jong #21 of Barcelona in action during the Barcelona V Real Sociedad, La Liga regular season match at Estadio Camp Nou on March 7th 2020 in Barcelona, Spain. Juventus have reportedly failed with an approach for Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong. The 23-year-old starred for Ajax during the 2018-19 campaign before joining the Spanish champions in last summer's transfer window. De Jong has been in impressive form for Barca this term, contributing two goals and four assists in 37 appearances in all competitions. The Netherlands international penned a five-year deal upon his arrival at Camp Nou, but according to Sport , Juve recently enquired whether the midfielder might be available this summer. The report claims that Quique Setien's side were quick to turn down the...

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10May By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

LALIGA

Coronavirus: Five La Liga players tested positive

In this photo illustration, the Spanish professional football league La Laliga logo is seen displayed on an Android mobile device with an ascent growth chart in the background. Five players in Spain's top two divisions have tested positive for Covid-19, La Liga has confirmed. The league has stepped up the testing of players and staff as the likes of champions and La Liga leaders Barcelona returned to their club's facilities last week. La Liga did not reveal the identity of the players or their clubs. It said the players would remain at their homes where they would continue individual training before being tested again "in the next few days" to determine whether they can return to their club's training ground. A La Liga statement read: "Among La Liga Santander and La Liga SmartB...

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9May By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

LALIGA

Barcelona centre-back Samuel Umtiti suffers calf injury in training session

Samuel Umtiti of FC Barcelona with the ball during the Liga match between Real Madrid CF and FC Barcelona at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on March 01, 2020 in Madrid, Spain.Barcelona have been dealt a blow after Samuel Umtiti suffered a calf injury in training session.Ahead of the potential resumption of La Liga after the coronavirus pandemic, the majority of the Barcelona squad have began to up their fitness levels.However, in the second day back in action, Umtiti pulled up with a calf problem, which will prevent him from working with the rest of the group.In a statement on social media, the Spanish giants said: "Samuel Umtiti has a right calf injury. His progress will determine his availability for the coming workouts."Players in Spain are continuing to adhere to social distancing, meaning ...

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8May By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

LALIGA

Covid-19: Atletico Madrid give out 20,000 protective masks to Combat pandemic

President of the Community of Madrid, Isabel Díaz Ayuso, is seen during her visit to the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium today, accompanied by the club's president, Enrique Cerezo on April 20, 2020 in Madrid, Spain.Spanish football club Atletico Madrid on Thursday donated 20,000 masks in response to the novel coronavirus pandemic. "This morning at the Wanda Metropolitano, the Atletico de Madrid Foundation handed over 20,000 masks to San Blas-Canillejas District. The masks will be distributed amongst our district neighbors," the La Liga club said on its website.San Blas-Canillejas is a district of Madrid near the club's home ground, Wanda Metropolitano Stadium.After playing at Vicente Calderon Stadium for over five decades, Atletico Madrid moved to its new home at Wanda Metropolitano once ...

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5May By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

LALIGA

Thibaut Courtois : 'I wouldn't find it completely right' if Barca are named Champion of La Liga

Thibaut Courtois of Real Madrid during the La Liga match between Real Madrid and FC Barcelona at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium on March 1, 2020 in Madrid, Spain.Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has said he does not believe Barcelona should be named champions if the La Liga season cannot be completed.Players in Spain are being tested for the coronavirus this week ahead of a return to individual training sessions.La Liga has confirmed that it hopes to resume playing competitive games in June and finish the 2019-20 season this summer."We are two points behind Barcelona, so it's still possible we can be champions," Courtois said in an interview on his website. "It would be unfortunate if the season were cancelled."If they decide to stop the competition and Barcelona are named champions, I w...

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5May By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

LALIGA

Atletico Madrid star Thomas Partey reveals the Premier League club he wants to join

Thomas Partey of Atletico Madrid speaks to the media during an Athletico Madrid Press Conference at Anfield on March 10, 2020 in Liverpool, United Kingdom. Atletico Madrid will face Liverpool FC in their UEFA Champions League round of 16 second leg match on March 11, 2020.Atletico Madrid star Thomas Partey wants to make Arsenal his next club, according to reports.The Ghana international impressed Premier League audiences with two strong displays as his Spanish side dumped holders Liverpool out of the Champions League in the last 16.News since then that he wants a move to England has put plenty of clubs on alert but it seems that the player himself has picked Arsenal as his chosen destination, say The Telegraph.That will be music to the ears of Gunners boss Mikel Arteta, who had identified ...

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3May By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

LALIGA

Marcelo says he does not want to leave Real Madrid

Marcelo of Real Madrid during the La Liga Santander match between Real Betis Sevilla v Real Madrid at the Estadio Benito Villamarin on March 8, 2020 in Sevilla Spain.Real Madrid left-back Marcelo talked to former club defender Fabio Cannavaro in an Instagram Live and shared some thoughts about his future now that it seems that he’s lost the starting spot to Ferland Mendy.“I don’t want to leave and I don’t think Real Madrid would let me go. I’m fine here. I have an amazing story since I joined the club with my family and I don’t even know if it’s true that Juventus want me. I’ve heard for the last two years that I have signed for them, that I couldn’t live without Cristiano... People make stuff up. I have to say it’s nice that some Juve fans said they liked me,” revealed Marcelo.The defende...

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3May By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

LALIGA

Ter Stegen 'very happy' at Barcelona despite halting contract talks

Goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen #1 of Barcelona during team warm up before the Barcelona V Real Sociedad, La Liga regular season match at Estadio Camp Nou on March 7th 2020 in Barcelona, Spain.Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen says he’s very happy at the club but has confirmed talks over a new contract have been put on hold.Contract extensions for Ter Stegen and Lionel Messi are reportedly at the top of Barcelona’s to-do list for 2020 as they aim to secure the futures of the duo.Ter Stegen says the club have been in touch but things have stalled for the time being in an Instagram Live chat with his former club Borussia Monchengladbach.“We have already had the first conversations,” he said.“But as I said, we have parked it. There are much more important things.“I am very happy her...

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29Apr By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

LALIGA

Real Madrid Reportedly Demand £44m For Arsenal to make Dani Ceballos Move Permanent

Dani Ceballos of Arsenal during a training session at London Colney on March 10, 2020 in St Albans, England.Arsenal will have to pay £44million to seal the permanent transfer of Dani Ceballos, according to reports in Spain. Real Madrid expect the midfielder to return to the club at the end of his loan spell and have not ruled out the possibility of promoting Ceballos to the first-team. Eager to keep hold of his place in the Spain national side, Ceballos has prioritised regular football ahead of next season and managed to win the trust of Mikel Arteta after initially falling down the pecking order at the Emirates.Arsenal are keen to sign Ceballos permanently or bring him back to the club on another season-long loan following his performances this term.AS claim Real are only prepared to...

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25Apr By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

LALIGA

Barcelona reportedly put €45m price tag on Nelson Semedo

Nelson Semedo of FC Barcelona during the Spanish League, La Liga, football match played between FC Barcelona and Real Sociedad at Camp Nou stadium.La Liga giant Barcelona are reportedly eager  to sell Nelson Semedo in the summer transfer window but want €45 million for the right-back.The club have brought a halt to talks over a new contract because of the coronavirus pandemic which has prompted his agent Jorge Mendes to ask for move.Mendes also asked Barca to name their asking price for the Portugal international and has been told he’s available if an interested club comes up with €45m, according to Sport .The report says “a lot of clubs” are keen on Semedo and mentions Manchester City and Juventus as potential destinations.There is also mention that a potential swap deal could be on ...

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24Apr By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

LALIGA

Don't rush to restart La Liga, Bale warns

Gareth Bale of Real Madrid.Real Madrid star Gareth Bale says there should be no rush to restart La Liga during the coronavirus lockdown as the Spanish football federation plans tests and a return to training.Testing players is being discussed with a view to completing the Liga season and thereby avoiding financial disaster.Bale said he wanted to get back into action but felt it wise to wait and see."Everyone wants to play football, but the most important thing is everyone stays safe, we don't want to come back too early. We need to make sure everything is done safely so we avoid the second wave of this virus," Bale told British broadcaster BT Sports.The Bundesliga in Germany, where there have been far fewer coronavirus deaths, said on Thursday they are "ready" to restart on May 9 but neede...

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