Madrid, Spain | AFP | Cristiano Ronaldo converted two penalties as Real Madrid battled to a 4-1 away win at Valencia in La Liga on Saturday, lifting the recent gloom over the defending Spanish and European champions. The result leaves Madrid 16 points behind top placed Barcelona on 54, Atletico …
Read More »Madrid misery after Villarreal’s first win at Bernabeu
Madrid, Spain | AFP | Struggling Real Madrid risk falling further behind in La Liga after a cheeky late chip from Pablo Fornals saw Villarreal escape with a 1-0 win on Saturday, their first ever victory at the Santiago Bernabeu. Fornals struck with three minutes left to leave Zinedine Zidane’s …
Read More »Nike advertise Coutinho Barcelona shirt
Paris, France | AFP | An apparent gaffe by Nike has fired speculation that Philippe Coutinho could leave Liverpool for Barcelona in the January transfer window. The sportswear giant, who manufacture Barcelona’s kit, advertised a Barca shirt on their website with the Brazilian midfielder’s name on it. Headlined “Where the …
Read More »Five conclusions from Barca’s El Clasico cruise
Madrid, Spain | AFP | Barcelona further tightened their vice-like grip on the La Liga title by sweeping aside eternal rivals Real Madrid 3-0 on Saturday to leave the European champions 14 points adrift down in fourth place. Luis Suarez, Lionel Messi and Aleix Vidal were on target for the …
Read More »Sevilla sack cancer-stricken coach Berizzo
Madrid, Spain | AFP | Sevilla sacked coach Eduardo Berizzo on Friday just a month after it was announced the Argentine is suffering from prostate cancer, the club said, citing poor results. “The Sevilla board… has taken the decision to sack the coach of the first team due to the …
Read More »Five keys to Real Madrid v Barcelona
Madrid, Spain | AFP | Real Madrid realistically need to end Barcelona’s 24-match unbeaten run to maintain hopes of retaining their La Liga title when Spanish football’s two behemoths meet in El Clasico on Saturday (1200GMT). Barca lead fourth-placed Madrid by 11 points at the top of the table, albeit Real …
Read More »Politically divided Spain united by El Clasico rivalry
Madrid, Spain | AFP | Often symbolised as pitting the pride of Catalonia against Spain’s capital, the ‘El Clasico’ between Barcelona and Real Madrid is a match laced with political and social as much as sporting tension. Even more so this week when the sides face off in Madrid on Saturday …
Read More »Atletico report Barca for illegal Griezmann approach
Madrid, Spain | AFP | Atletico Madrid reported Barcelona to football’s governing body FIFA over illegal contact made to star forward Antoine Griezmann, Atletico club sources confirmed on Tuesday. “The complaint has been presented for repeated contact between Barcelona, the player and his team,” an Atletico source told AFP. Griezmann …
Read More »Suarez, Paulinho move Barca 11 clear of Real
Madrid, Spain | AFP | Barcelona opened up an 11-point La Liga lead over Real Madrid ahead of next weekend’s Clasico between the Spanish giants as Luis Suarez and Paulinho each scored twice in a 4-0 thrashing of Deportivo la Coruna on Sunday. Lionel Messi also saw a penalty saved …
Read More »Suarez, Messi maintain Barca’s La Liga lead
Madrid, Spain | AFP | Barcelona restored their lead at the top of La Liga to five points as Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi struck in the final 20 minutes to edge out 10-man Villarreal 2-0 on Sunday. Daniel Raba’s red card on the hour mark for a wild lunge …
Read More »