LALIGA

24May By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

LALIGA

Real Madrid Slam Pochettino's Training Ground Claims

Real Madrid have issued an official statement slamming Mauricio Pochettino over claims his requests to use the club's training ground were rejected.Spurs will be staying in the Spanish capital ahead of the Champions League final against Liverpool at Wanda Metropolitano on June 1.The Argentine has been heavily linked with the top job at Santiago Bernabeu in recent months and he suggested Perez tried to offer him a compromise to suit both Madrid and Spurs.“Real Madrid? I have no other goals if I am not training Tottenham; football takes you where you deserve," Pochettino told El Partidazo de Cope.“Ahead of the final, we will train at Valdebebas and sleep in a nearby hotel.“I asked Florentino to let us sleep in the sports centre, but he told me that I can only sleep there when I become the co...

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23May By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

LALIGA

Ter Stegen Ruled Out of Copa del Rey Final

Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen has been ruled out of the Copa del Rey final due to a knee problem.The Germany international missed the final three La Liga games of the season while undergoing treatment for an issue in his right knee.The club confirmed on Wednesday that Ter Stegen "still has discomfort" and is therefore unavailable for the match with Valencia at the Benito Villamarin on Saturday.It means Jasper Cillessen is likely to start, despite reports stating that he has agreed to leave the club to join Benfica in the coming transfer window.The deal is yet to be completed, however, with the Blaugrana demanding €25 million (£22m/$28m) for the Netherlands international.

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22May By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

LALIGA

Varane Wants to Continue at Real Madrid

Raphael Varane confirmed that he will remain with Real Madrid next season as he will look to help the club recover from a season that was far below their usual standards.Real Madrid finished third in La Liga this season, as the club moved from Julen Lopetegui to Santiago Solari to, ultimately, Zinedine Zidane as manager.The club also saw a run of three consecutive Champions League titles snapped with a last-16 loss to Ajax.Varane has been linked with a move away from the club several times, with Manchester United linked to the French defender in the past.But the World Cup winner insists that he will not be leaving the Spanish capital this summer."I'm going to continue here next year, I'm sure we're going to relive strong emotions," he told Marca.

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21May By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

LALIGA

Real Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos signs new four year deal

Toni Kroos has reached an agreement with Real Madrid over a deal that will see him remain at the Bernabeu till 2023, the club announced on Monday.Real Madrid have made an official statement to announce that they have reached an agreement with Toni Kroos to extend his stay with the club. The German international has signed a new four-year deal with Los Blancos that will see him remain at the Bernabeu till June 30, 2023.Kroos joined Real Madrid from Bayern Munich in the summer of 2014, having already achieved considerable success in his career. In fact, the German international had experienced success at both club and international levels, including winning the 2014 FIFA World Cup before the switch to the Bernabeu.At Real Madrid, Kroos has gone on to achieve further success whilst ...

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20May By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

LALIGA

Barcelona 2- 2 Eibar: Ernesto Valverde want more from Barcelona in cup final

Ernesto Valverde hopes Barcelona's 2-2 draw at Eibar will serve as a wake-up call ahead of the Copa del Rey final.Lionel Messi scored a quick-fire double after Marc Cucurella's opener, but the champions were pegged back in the last game of their LaLiga campaign by Pablo De Blasis' equaliser.Barca head to Seville to face Valencia next Saturday as they look to win a record fifth straight Copa del Rey.And manager Valverde knows his side will have to improve if they are to complete another domestic double."All the matches serve (as tests), but Saturday's match will be different because the teams are different and because this was marked by the fact that Eibar didn't play for anything," Valverde said at his press conference, according to Marca."We tried to gauge the intensity of the game and we...

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19May By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

LALIGA

Zinedine Zidane accepts responsibility for Real Madrid poor season

Zinedine Zidane has accepted his share of the blame for Real Madrid's disastrous season.Speaking after watching his side slip to a 2-0 home defeat by Real Betis in their final LaLiga fixture, Zidane, who returned to the Bernabeu to replace Santiago Solari in March, pulled no punches in his assessment of the campaign.He told a press conference: "What happened this year has to be accepted. I'm to blame – we've had 11 games and won just 5. That is what it is."When a season starts off badly and then you are not playing for a trophy, I think it is hard to play well if there is nothing to play for. Motivation is a strange thing, it is part of our reality."During the week, it always seems like we are going to have a good match but in the end, it just doesn't happen due to many circumstances."Now ...

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15May By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

LALIGA

Antoine Griezmann set to leave Atletico Madrid

Atletico Madrid announced Tuesday night that star striker Antoine Griezmann will leave the club this summer, and Saturday’s fixture at Levante will be his final game as a rojiblanco.Griezmann explained that he has communicated in a meeting with club CEO Miguel Angel Gil Marin and coach Diego Simeone his decision to end his Atletico career after five seasons, 133 goals and three trophies.“I wanted to tell you that I have made the decision to leave, to experience new things and new challenges,” Griezmann explained. “It’s been very hard to take this path, but I feel it’s what I need.”“These have been five incredible years. Thank you very much for everything, I’ll carry you in my heart.”Griezmann will depart after several summers of incessant rumors, some of which were played up by the 28...

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13May By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

LALIGA

Atletico Madrid finish second with draw against Sevilla

Atletico Madrid ensured they finished runners-up in La Liga and above Real Madrid for a second year in a row after drawing 1-1 with Sevilla on Sunday in captain Diego Godin’s final home game for the club.The result further harmed Sevilla’s chances of qualifying for the Champions League though, as they stayed sixth in the standings and trail fourth-placed Valencia by two points heading into the final game of the campaign.Spain midfielder Koke put Atletico ahead on the half-hour mark with a heavily deflected shot from outside the area after starting his run towards goal from his side’s own half of the pitch.Sevilla levelled midway through the second half with an impressive strike from Pablo Sarabia, who calmly side-footed a looping cross on the volley into the bottom corner, just about keepi...

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10May By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

LALIGA

Barcelona striker Luis Suarez undergoes surgery for knee injury

Barcelona striker Luis Suarez underwent surgery on a knee injury on Thursday and could be a doubt for their Copa del Rey final against Valencia later this month.Suarez played the full 90 minutes of Barca's shock 4-0 defeat to Liverpool on Tuesday, which ended their hopes of reaching the Champions League final.But the club announced on Thursday that Suarez needed an operation, with the cup final just over a fortnight away on May 25."Luis Suarez has an internal meniscal injury to the right knee and will be subjected today to an arthroscopy," read a club statement.Suarez is unlikely to face Getafe at home in La Liga on Sunday before Barcelona play away to Eibar the following weekend in their last league game of the season.Ernesto Valverde's side have already been crowned champions and could s...

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27Apr By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

LALIGA

Barcelona beat Levante to seal La Liga title

Barcelona has been crowned Champions of Spain after thrashing Levante 1-0 at Nou Camp.Ernesto Valverde’s side needed a win to claim the title in front of their own fans after Atletico Madrid beat Valladolid 1-0 earlier in the day and they got it thanks to Lionel Messi, who came on as a second-half substitute to score the winner. The victory sees the Catalans stay nine points clear of the Rojiblancos with three rounds of the competition remaining and their superior head-to-head record in the two league meetings between the teams this term means they cannot be caught.It is a second successive La Liga title for Valverde, an eighth in 11 seasons for Barcelona and a 10th for Lionel Messi, which sees the Argentine attacker surpass nine-time winner Andres Iniesta to set yet another record at...

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24Apr By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

LALIGA

Atletico beat Valencia to delay Barca title celebration

Atletico Madrid delayed Barcelona winning La Liga by a few days at least after Alvaro Morata and Antoine Griezmann each scored in a 3-2 victory over Valencia on Wednesday.Defeat at the Wanda Metropolitano would have crowned Barca kings of Spain for a 26th time in their history, with the Catalans now set to celebrate at their own Camp Nou on Saturday instead.A Barcelona win there over Levante will wrap up their fourth league triumph in five years and they could even be home and dry before kick-off, if Atletico fail to take a point at home to struggling Real Valladolid earlier in the day.Regardless, success for Ernesto Valverde's side is surely now only a matter of timing given Atletico remain nine points behind the leaders with four games left to play. Real Madrid, who visit Getafe on Thurs...

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23Apr By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

LALIGA

Barcelona set to extend Arturo Vidal contract

Barcelona are ready to offer Arturo Vidal a one-year contract extension, just eight months after he joined in a surprise £27million move.The 31-year-old midfielder, who moved to the Nou Camp after a successful spell at Bayern Munich, was seen a surprise choice by the Catalan club when he put pen to paper on a three-year-deal.But he has gone on to make 45 appearances for the late liga club in his debut campaign, scoring two goals and adding five assists. And now, according to Sport, Barcelona are keen to tie him down until 2022.The Spanish newspaper claim he has become a 'wildcard' for manager Ernesto Valverde and Barcelona are keen to avoid him leaving for free in the summer of 2021.Valverde has reportedly been impressed with the way Vidal has performed against all manner of opponents, and...

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16Apr By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

LALIGA

Barcelona president rules out Philippe Coutinho exit

Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu insist that Philippe Coutinho will not be leaving the Camp Nou this summer despite rumoured interest from Manchester United and Chelsea. Coutinho joined Barca from Liverpool for £142million in January last year but the 26-year-old has not had the same kind of impact as he had during his time with the Reds, resulting in speculation of a move away.Bartomeu, however, has made it clear Coutinho is part of manager Ernesto Valverde's plans unless a club triggers the midfielder's release clause, rumoured to be a staggering £355million.Speaking to Spanish television station TVE, Bartomeu said: "Coutinho is an excellent player and he has the coach's confidence."He has a contract with us and he will remain at the team, unless they (another cl...

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16Apr By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

LALIGA

Dembele is better than Neymar, says Barcelona President

       Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu thinks the club's winger Ousmane Dembele has developed into a better player than their former star, Neymar. Neymar left Barcelona in the summer of 2017, joining Paris Saint-Germain for a world-record fee. After losing the Brazilian, the Blaugrana signed Dembele from Borussia Dortmund and following a challenging first season at the club, in 2018-19 the France international has established himself as a regular in the first team.Speaking to TVE, Bartomeu said he thinks Dembele has surpassed the former incumbent of the Barcelona No. 11 jersey and has backed last season's other major signing, Philippe Coutinho, to kick on too:"I explained that we have a project with Dembele and Coutinho with Neymar's money. Dembele's...

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7Apr By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

LALIGA

Ernesto Valverde says Barca closer to title with Atletico win

Barcelona boss Ernesto Valverde has called on his team to “finish the job” in La Liga after they moved 11 points clear of Atletico Madrid on Saturday.The Blaugrana beat Atletico 2-0 at the Camp Nou after Diego Costa was sent off in the first half. “Three fundamental points, a really important result,”Valverde said.“We're closer but there's still a long way to go. You have to finish the job. It's true it was a fundamental game and these three points could mean a lot at the end of the season. We're happy because of the opponent we were facing, Atletico are an enormous team that have fought until the end with 10 men.”Costa was given a red card after he angrily confronted referee Gil Manzano shortly before the half-hour mark.Barca struggled to capitalise on their advantage ass...

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4Apr By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

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Ousmane Dembele is a big doubt for Barca-Atletico clash

Ousmane Dembele is continuing his recovery from a hamstring problem but will sit out Saturday’s clash with Atletico Madrid.According to AS, the Frenchman’s recovery is taking slightly longer than expected, and he will not be fit enough to face Diego Simeone’s side.Barca are also being cautious with Dembele because they do not want him to suffer another injury and miss more time. The club remain hopeful he will be able to play some part in next week’s Champions League quarter-final against Manchester United at Old Trafford.Dembele is due to train with the team on Monday and will hopefully be passed fit enough to be included in Valverde’s travelling squad.If he does make the list then Barca will monitor him in training on Tuesday to assess if he will be fit enough to play some part ag...

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4Apr By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

LALIGA

Zidane handed first defeat since Madrid return

Real Madrid suffered their first defeat following Zinedine Zidane's return as coach as they were beaten 2-1 away to Valencia on Wednesday night.Zidane brought Luka Modric, Casemiro, Lucas Vazquez and Keylor Navas back into his side, but despite seeing a lot of the ball Madrid were second best to a rival that is now unbeaten in 17 games.Goncalo Guedes put Valencia ahead in the first half and could have had a second but for a good save from Navas.Madrid looked for a way through after the break, but failed to break down a well-drilled home side, who doubled their lead thanks to Ezequiel Garay's powerful header from a corner seven minutes from the end.Karim Benzema put come makeup on the score with a header in the 93rd minute, but there was no time left for Madrid and Valencia are looking soli...

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3Apr By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

LALIGA

Atletico Madrid forward Alvaro Morata set to miss Barcelona clash

Atletico Madrid forward Alvaro Morata is almost certain to miss Saturday's top-of-the-table clash at La Liga leaders Barcelona due to a sprained ankle. Morata, who is on loan from Chelsea, suffered the injury in Tuesday's 2-0 win at home to Girona.Morata's injury creates a further selection headache for head coach Diego Simeone, who could also be without Diego Costa after he missed the win over Girona with a muscle injury, while France winger Thomas Lemar is not expected back from injury for another two weeks.

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3Apr By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

LALIGA

Valverde admits Barcelona's ‘Messidependence’

Barcelona boss Ernesto Valverde refused to excuse his side’s dependence on Lionel Messi after the Argentina international came off the bench to spark a dramatic late comeback against Villarreal.Trailing 4-2 in the 90th minute, Messi fired home a free-kick before Luis Suarez equalised with the last kick of the game.Valverde had chosen to rest Messi ahead of Saturday’s visit of second-placed Atletico Madrid, which is followed by a Champions League quarter-final against Man Utd.“Of course there is ‘Messidependence’,” Valverde told a press conference.“It would exist in any team in the world, but when he is not there we also have to play and try to win“Leo is fundamental for us and marks the style, it is well known that he is the best in the world for something.”Barca will take an eight-po...

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1Apr By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

LALIGA

Benzema strikes late to save Madrid blushes

Karim Benzema stopped Real Madrid's underwhelming La Liga season going from bad to worse on Sunday after firing a last-minute winner to hand the European champions a barely-deserved 3-2 winner over bottom club Huesca. Real were humbled by Ajax in the Champions League and dumped out of the Copa Del Rey by deadly rivals Barcelona, third-placed Real showed little signs of improvement in Zinedine Zidane's second game in charge but Benzema, subject to rumours he may leave Madrid in the summer for Manchester United, struck with a fine curling finish to snatch the three points at a sparsely populated Santiago Bernabeu. "We are happy with him and I am going to count on him, now there are nine games left and then we will see what happens. He is a Real Madrid player and I don't think this...

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