Pep Guardiola has confirmed that Ferran Torres is on the brink of a move from Manchester City to Barcelona on Thursday. Despite their financial struggles, the Catalan giants have reportedly agreed on a deal worth an initial 55 million euros ($62 million, £47 million) for the 22-year-old. Torres has scored 16 goals in 43 appearances … Read more
MANCHESTER: Pep Guardiola confirmed Ferran Torres is on the brink of a move from Manchester City to Barcelona on Thursday after revealing the Spanish international had asked him to leave the English champions. Despite their financial struggles, the Catalan giants have reportedly agreed a deal worth an initial 55 million euros ($62 million, £47 million) … Read more
PARIS: Diego Simeone celebrates 10 years in charge of Atletico Madrid on Thursday, an increasingly rare accomplishment in the febrile arena of top level football management. The feat is even more remarkable given Atletico’s track record before the Argentine’s arrival in 2011. The Spanish side’s previous owner, Jesus Gil going through 37 coaches in his … Read more
MANCHESTER: Barcelona have agreed a fee worth an initial 55 million euros ($62 million, £47 million) for Manchester City forward Ferran Torres, according to reports in Spain and England on Wednesday. The Spanish international, 22, joined City from Valencia for a fee of just over £20 million in August 2020. Torres has scored 16 goals … Read more
MADRID: Ronald Araujo struck just before half-time to rescue a point for Barcelona at 10-man Sevilla on Tuesday, a result which benefits La Liga leaders Real Madrid. Papu Gomez put Sevilla ahead after half an hour off a corner in Seville connecting with an Ivan Rakitic cross but Uruguayan defender Araujo headed in the equaliser … Read more
MADRID: Spain’s Supreme Court said Wednesday it had annulled a lower court ruling ordering Barcelona defender Gerard Pique to pay the country’s tax office 2.1 million euros in back taxes and fines. A court in 2016 ruled that the player had avoided paying 1.5 million euros ($2.4 million) in taxes due in 2008, 2009 and … Read more
PARIS: Holders Barcelona will face rivals Real Madrid in the quarter-finals of this season’s Women’s Champions League after the sides were paired together in Monday’s draw for the knockout phase. Barcelona, with new Women’s Ballon d’Or winner Alexia Putellas, hammered Chelsea 4-0 in last season’s final and also won a domestic league and cup double. … Read more
Barcelona forward Sergio Aguero will make an announcement on his future on Wednesday following cardiac and respiratory difficulties suffered while playing in La Liga in October. Aguero will be accompanied at a press conference Wednesday by club president Joan Laporta, where local media say he will announce his retirement. The 33-year-old joined Barca from Manchester … Read more
MADRID: Carlo Ancelotti was adamant Real Madrid have not sewn up the La Liga title already but beat Atletico Madrid on Sunday and they might not be far away. Madrid are 10 points clear of Atletico heading into the derby at the Santiago Bernabeu, with the chance to extend the gap to 13 points, two weeks before … Read more
Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez vowed to return the Spanish giants to the pinnacle of European football after they crashed out of the Champions League on Wednesday with a 3-0 defeat at Bayern Munich. Five-time European champions Barca were eliminated in the group stages for the first time in 21 years. They had reached the last … Read more
MADRID: No sooner has reality hit than Barcelona have to believe in miracles again as Xavi Hernandez’s team seek a victory away at Bayern Munich on Wednesday to take them into the Champions League last 16. Four weeks after Xavi was appointed, Barca suffered their first defeat under their new coach on Saturday and as Real Betis’ … Read more
LIVERPOOL: As Barcelona and Spanish champions Atletico Madrid scrap for a place in the Champions League last 16 this week, the Premier League’s four participants can take it easy knowing their places in the knockout stages are already guaranteed. Read more: Barca, Atletico in danger of Champions League exit Liverpool, Manchester City and Manchester United … Read more
PARIS: Xavi Hernandez faces his first critical test as Barcelona coach with the club at risk of failing to make the Champions League knockout stages for the first time in two decades. A goalless draw at home to Benfica last month left Barca with their destiny in their own hands, but with a much trickier final game … Read more
MADRID: Real Sociedad will attempt to halt Real Madrid’s march away from La Liga’s chasing pack on Saturday in a battle of first against third at the Reale Arena. Madrid have stormed seven points clear at the top of the table after seven consecutive victories in all competitions, with nine wins and a draw recorded … Read more
MADRID: Barcelona notched their first away win in La Liga this season in Xavi Hernandez’s first away game in charge as late goals from Memphis Depay and Philippe Coutinho secured a 3-1 victory over Villarreal on Saturday. Barca had gone five away matches in the league without a win but Xavi had the magic touch, with … Read more
MADRID: Real Madrid will need to capitalise on their excellent run of form to extend their lead at the top of La Liga when they face third-placed Sevilla on Sunday. Madrid have won seven and drawn one of their last eight games in all competitions and look by far the most reliable team in Spain after a … Read more
Xavi Hernandez said on Friday Barcelona must convert the positivity around his arrival into results, as he prepares for his first match in charge against local rivals Espanyol this weekend. Barca are ninth in La Liga ahead of Saturday’s game at Camp Nou on, when a bumper crowd is expected to welcome Xavi home. The … Read more
DOHA: With many millions of dollars invested and thousands of hours spent on the training pitch, Qatar’s great football experiment will face the ultimate test when its start-from-scratch team makes its World Cup debut next year. Honed at Doha’s renowned Aspire Academy by coaches imported from Spanish giants Barcelona, no expense has been spared by tiny, … Read more
DOHA: After upending the football establishment by winning the right to host the World Cup, Qatar’s preparations are heading into overdrive with a year to go as they rush to welcome more than a million fans and prove their critics wrong. The tiny Gulf state has a reputation for punching above its weight but challenges do … Read more
MADRID: Barcelona threw away a three-goal half-time lead on the day Xavi Hernandez was appointed coach as Celta Vigo scored in the 96th minute to complete a stunning comeback in La Liga on Saturday. Real Madrid then held off Rayo Vallecano’s revival to win 2-1 and return to the top of the table, two points … Read more
BARCELONA: Barcelona confirmed the return of Xavi Hernandez as coach on Saturday, with the legendary midfielder facing an immense challenge to restore the fallen Spanish giants to their former glory. The Spaniard left Camp Nou to play for Al Sadd in 2015, after making 767 appearances for the Catalan club, which included winning eight La … Read more
Barcelona’s spending limit this season will be almost 650 million euros ($754 million) lower than Real Madrid’s, according to official figures announced by La Liga on Wednesday. Madrid’s cap will be 739 million euros while Barca’s has been cut to just 97 million euros as a result of their dire financial situation. The budgets issued … Read more
Lausanne: UEFA says that it is dropping its disciplinary case against Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Juventus over their involvement in the controversial European Super League, to comply with a ruling from a Madrid court. European football´s governing body said late Monday that “the proceedings (are) null and void as if the proceedings had never been … Read more
Samuel Eto is running in December’s election for the presidency of the Cameroon football federation, the former Barcelona star said on Wednesday. The role as football chief in the country set to host January’s Africa Cup of Nations became vacant when the incumbent Seidou Mbombo Njoya saw his tenure cancelled by the Court of Arbitration for Sport. … Read more
Lionel Messi played his debut match for Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) on Sunday night. He produced a solid performance during the first half of the match against Lyon at the Parc des Princes. However, Messi, who joined PSG after leaving Spanish giants Barcelona, was subbed off by PSG manager Mauricio Pochettino just 14 minutes before the end. … Read more
Turkish club Besiktas have signed midfielder Miralem Pjanic from Barcelona on a season-long loan deal. As per the reports, Besiktas have decided to pay one-third of Miralem salary for the season and there are no loan fees. Last summer Miralem joined Barça from Juventus for €60 million, and had few chances with Ronald Koeman, with … Read more
Lionel Messi is about to sign in the deal with Pairs Saint-Germain (PSG). Football transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano confirmed that Messi will sign a two-year contract with an option to extend it till June 2024, the reports said. The reports also said that Messi will arrive in Paris within few hours to officially sign the … Read more
Lionel Messi has to leave Barcelona after 21 years. Neither he wanted to leave nor Barcelona wanted him to leave. However, there was another factor that broke them apart. Messi, who is loved by many fans, cried at a press conference on August 8, telling the media that he had no other choice, “The club … Read more
