New manager Jorge Sampaoli says he is looking to superstar Lionel Messi to revive Argentina’s World Cup fortunes starting with Friday’s friendly with Brazil in Melbourne Sampaoli has been installed to kick-start the two-time world champions’ ailing South American campaign where they lag outside the automatic qualifying positions in fifth spot with four games left. … Read more
The Barcelona star finally got his hands on silverware after a frustrating end to the season, and his loved ones were there to share in the moment As family album photos go, Saturday’s snap of the Messi family celebrating Lionel and Barcelona’s Copa del Rey triumph is definitely up there with the best. Neymar equals … Read more
Former Barcelona president Sandro Rosell has been arrested as part of a money-laundering investigation. A number of other people were also held as police raided nine offices and homes in north-eastern Catalonia. The arrests are part of an investigation into rights sales relating to Brazil, police sources say. Rosell was Barca president from 2010 to … Read more
Neymar and several other top Brazilian players have been left out of the national squad for friendlies next month against Argentina and Australia, coach Tite said on Friday, giving them a long summer break for the first time since 2010. The Barcelona striker has played a major tournament every summer since the World Cup in … Read more
Spanish football legend Carles Puyol launched ticket sales for the Under-17 World Cup in New Delhi Monday, as India prepares to host the FIFA event — its first ever — in October. The former Barcelona defender is on his first visit to India to promote the hotly-anticipated tournament, and enthralled fans in a friendly game … Read more
The Real Madrid superstar struck twice in a win over Sevilla which moved him past Gerd Muller and into a tie atop the list Cristiano Ronaldo is on the brink of history after scoring twice on Sunday to tie with Jimmy Greaves as the all-time top scorer in Europe’s five biggest leagues. Ronaldo scores 400th … Read more
The Uruguayan striker says the Catalonians must make Zinedine Zidane’s side work until the very end in this season’s La Liga title race Barcelona star Luis Suarez vowed his side will keep the pressure on Real Madrid until the last moments of the final day of La Liga after their victory over Las Palmas. The … Read more
The manager doesn’t believe players have much of a chance at stopping the Argentina ace, with his solution calling for outside help Lionel Messi can only be stopped by “snipers from the stands”, Quique Setien joked as Las Palmas prepare to host Barcelona. Stopping five-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi is arguably the hardest task in … Read more
Atlético Madrid midfielder Thomas Partey has been named among La Liga Best XI players of the week. The 23-year-old played full throttle for the Red-and-Whites as they beat Eibar 1-0 on Saturday. The Ghana international has been named in the team of the week after an electrifying performance against Eibar. Barcelona super stars Lionel Messi … Read more
Barcelona claim a bumper extension remains on course for Lionel Messi and Neymar has urged the La Liga club’s hierarchy to get the deal done Neymar said it is time for Barcelona to get to work on Lionel Messi’s contract amid uncertainty over the five-time Ballon d’Or winner’s future at Camp Nou. Messi is out … Read more
Ready to make his 150th UEFA club competiton appearance in the semi-final decider, Gianluigi Buffon recalled past near misses, and said what it would mean to finally win the UEFA Champions League. On Monaco … I’ll let you into a little secret. Around the 30-minute mark of their match away to Manchester City, I sent … Read more
Asked which player he would add to the club if he were the sporting director this summer, the World Cup winner told Goal he would choose the Brazilian Bastian Schweinsteiger doesn’t believe his former club Bayern Munich need to change much, even if the German giants will only add the Bundesliga title to their large … Read more
Lionel Messi is sure to stay at Barcelona, writes Pete Jenson, and become the greatest one-club player of all time. But what will they do when he retires? Before kick-off at the Camp Nou last night the east stand unfurled a banner half the size of a football pitch bearing the words ‘Thanks Leo, 500’ … Read more
Barcelona hit back at Spain’s Court of Arbitration for Sport (TAD) on Saturday as they continue to press for Neymar to be allowed to play in this weekend’s Clasico against Real Madrid. The Catalan club lodged an appeal against Neymar’s three-game ban — he’s already served one game — with TAD on Friday and their … Read more
Learn from the two Barcelona superstars was the message the youngster received from his boss with Man City Manchester City attacker Leroy Sane was encouraged to play like Barcelona stars Lionel Messi and Neymar by manager Pep Guardiola. Sane, 21, has developed into a key player for City since his move from Schalke last year, … Read more
Juventus produced an exceptional defensive performance to reach the semi-finals of the Champions League after stopping Barcelona from scoring at the Nou Camp. Trailing 3-0 from the first leg, Barca peppered the Italian goal but failed to repeat their last-16 heroics when they overturned a first-leg 4-0 deficit to beat Paris St-Germain. Lionel Messi, who … Read more
Kwadwo Asamoah was in action for Juventus as they produced an exceptional defensive performance to reach the semi-finals of the Champions League after stopping Barcelona from scoring at the Nou Camp on Wednesday. The Ghanaian midfielder was a late substitute as the Italians held on to advance to the last four of Europe’s flagship club … Read more
Juventus’ performance against Barcelona took Gianluigi Buffon by surprise as the iconic goalkeeper did not expect to keep a clean sheet at Camp Nou en route to the Champions League semi-finals. It was the Great Wall of Turin in Barcelona as Juventus held the Spanish champions to a goalless draw in Wednesday’s return leg, which … Read more
There were mixed emotions for Dani Alves after the Juventus full-back helped dump former club Barcelona out of the Champions League in the quarter-finals. Alves was left with a bittersweet feeling after Juventus advanced to the semi-finals 3-0 on aggregate following Wednesday’s goalless draw. The Italian visitors held firm at Camp Nou midweek, neutralising Barca … Read more
Juventus produced an exceptional defensive performance to reach the semi-finals of the Champions League after stopping Barcelona from scoring at the Nou Camp. Trailing 3-0 from the first leg, Barca peppered the Italian goal but failed to repeat their last-16 heroics when they overturned a first-leg 4-0 deficit to beat Paris St-Germain. Lionel Messi, who … Read more