Tag Archives: Barcelona

Madrid, Spain | AFP |  Lionel Messi returned without a beard and with a goal and two assists as Barcelona resumed their La Liga title challenge on Saturday with a thumping 4-0 victory over Real Mallorca. After three months away because of the coronavirus pandemic, Barca exploded into the lead with …

Madrid, Spain | AFP |  When La Liga stopped they were not expected to play any part in the rest of the title race but when the season resumes on Thursday, Eden Hazard and Luis Suarez could be set to decide it. Hazard was looking beyond Real Madrid to the Euros …

Madrid, Spain | AFP |  La Liga president Javier Tebas said the games would have to go on and from Thursday they will, with stadiums full of virtual fans, crowd noise from a computer game and fewer than 300 people allowed to attend. As Ligue 1 in France was called off …

Barcelona, Spain | AFP | Barcelona forward Luis Suarez is in line to return from a long injury lay-off when La Liga resumes next week behind closed doors in the heat of the Spanish summer after a three-month coronavirus shutdown. Suarez, 33, was sidelined for four months in January after undergoing surgery on his right …

Madrid, Spain | AFP | Andres Iniesta has described his struggle with depression while playing for Barcelona, which his mother says was a “bottomless pit” that caused her 25-year-old son to ask to sleep with his parents. Iniesta recalls his experience with the illness in a Rakuten TV documentary, ‘Andres Iniesta …

Madrid, Spain | AFP | La Liga’s most important Clasico for years might also be the most mediocre on Sunday as Barcelona and Real Madrid each fight to lift the gloom by deepening the other’s sense of crisis. Two points separate the league’s leading pair, making this weekend’s meeting at the …

Naples, Italy | AFP | Antoine Griezmann struck to give Barcelona a 1-1 draw at Napoli in the first leg of their Champions League last 16 tie on Tuesday. Frenchman Griezmann struck just before the hour mark for Barca in Naples after Dries Mertens had put the hosts ahead in the 30th minute with his …

Madrid, Spain | AFP | Barcelona and Real Madrid both crashed out of the Copa del Rey on Thursday night as Athletic Bilbao and Real Sociedad pulled off a shock Basque double to reach the semi-finals. Barca were beaten 1-0 by Bilbao at San Mames, where Inaki Williams scored a dramatic …

Barcelona, Spain | AFP | Lionel Messi has hit back at Barcelona sporting director Eric Abidal after the Frenchman blamed slackness in the dressing room for the departure of recently-fired coach Ernesto Valverde. In an interview with Spanish daily Sport Abidal said that under Valverde, who was sacked in mid-January, many players had been unhappy, …

Paris, France | AFP | Barcelona won their first game under Quique Setien, Erling Braut Haaland enjoyed a dream debut with Borussia Dortmund and Juventus ominously extended their lead at the top of Serie A at the weekend. AFP Sport looks back at some of the main talking points from around …