Madrid, Spain | AFP | Luis Suarez ended a five-game goal drought with a double as Barcelona extended their lead at the top of La Liga with a flattering 3-0 win at Leganes on Saturday. Barca now lead second-placed Valencia by seven points ahead of their trip to the Mestalla …
Read More »Spain to introduce video technology next season
Madrid, Spain | AFP | Spain’s La Liga will use the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system next season, the country’s football federation (RFEF) confirmed on Wednesday. “The president of the referee’s technical commission, Victoriano Sanchez Arminio, has informed all first division referees and assistant referees that video refereeing will be introduced …
Read More »Real Madrid lose in troubled Catalonia
Girona, Spain | AFP | Real Madrid suffered a backlash on the field rather than from an expected hostile atmosphere amid political turmoil in Catalonia as they slumped to a shock 2-1 defeat at Girona on Sunday. Goals from Cristhian Stuani and Portu in four second-half minutes cancelled out Isco’s …
Read More »Five things we learned from La Liga
Madrid, Spain | AFP | Barcelona dropped their first La Liga points of the season as they came from behind to salvage a point at Atletico Madrid. The Catalans’ lead at the top of the table was cut to four points by Valencia, whose rise continued with a thrilling 6-3 …
Read More »Suarez earns Barca point at Atletico, Ronaldo rescues Real
Madrid, Spain | AFP | Luis Suarez saved Barcelona’s unbeaten La Liga record this season by salvaging a 1-1 draw at Atletico Madrid on Saturday in a match laced with political tension amid Catalonia’s drive for independence. Saul Niguez’s spectacular strike had given Atletico an early advantage. However, Barca’s dominance for …
Read More »Messi to have third child
Barcelona, Spain | AFP | Five-time World Player of the Year Lionel Messi is to become a father for the third time, the Barcelona star’s wife Antonella Rocuzzo confirmed on Sunday. “Family of 5 #Blessed,” Rocuzzo posted on Instagram alongside a picture of Messi and the couple’s two sons Thiago …
Read More »Barca travel to Madrid amid Catalan crisis
Madrid, Spain | AFP | The biggest game of the La Liga season so far is shrouded in political tension as Barcelona visit Atletico Madrid on Saturday in their first trip to the Spanish capital since a Catalan independence referendum marred by violence. Barca played their last match behind closed doors …
Read More »Barcelona must remain in La Liga – club director
Barcelona, Spain | AFP | Barcelona must remain in Spain’s La Liga, club general director Oscar Grau said on Wednesday following the signing by Catalan leaders of a declaration of independence. “The budgets are based on participation in La Liga. I think that La Liga and Barca must continue together,” Grau …
Read More »Barca board members resign over closed doors decision
Barcelona, Spain | AFP | Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu confirmed on Monday two of the club’s board members resigned in the wake of his decision to play a match behind closed doors after a violent crackdown by police of an independence referendum for Catalonia on Sunday. Police fired rubber …
Read More »Catalonia: Tearful Pique haunted by ‘worst experience’
Barcelona, Spain | AFP | Gerard Pique broke down in tears describing Barcelona’s 3-0 win over Las Palmas in an empty stadium as the “worst professional experience” of his life on a chaotic Sunday in Catalonia. At least 92 people were injured as Spanish riot police fired rubber bullets and …
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