La Liga Archives ⋆ Page 73 of 106 ⋆ LSU

Sep302019 by JBNo Comments

Jose Mourinho reveals how he couldn’t reject Real Madrid a third time

La Liga

Real Madrid finally secured the services of Jose Mourinho after the 2010 Champions League final, yet the Portuguese manager has revealed that had he returned to Milan after that final, he would have rejected Madrid for a third time. Having lifted the trophy through Diego Milito's brace, Mourinho was overcome with emotion at the prospect of leaving Inter Milan, although Real Madrid was a challenge he always wanted to take. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); "If I had returned to Milan, I would have said no to Real Madrid for the third time in a row," Mourinho said in an interview with Mediaset Italia. MORE: I won’t kill myself if I don’t win the Champions League – Pep Guardiola McTominay sends message to Man Utd over sack of Ole Solskjaer Dortmund...

Sep302019 by JBNo Comments

Eden Hazard: I still have to prove I can be a Galactico

La Liga

Real Madrid forward Eden Hazard admits he still has to prove he can be considered a so-called 'Galactico' after a bad start to life in La Liga. Hazard joined Real Madrid from Chelsea in a deal that could reportedly cost up to €140 million but an injury suffered last month has proven to be an early disruption. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Zinedine Zidane stressed the need to be patient with Hazard as they wanted to avoid aggravating the injury before handing him a first start against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League on September 18. But the Belgium international had just a single off-target shot and one key pass as Real Madrid were swept aside with ease as PSG strolled to a 3-0 victory. He was also unspectacular in the subsequent mat...

Sep262019 by JBNo Comments

Barcelona issue update on Lionel Messi injury

La Liga

Barcelona have issued an update on the status of the injured superstar Lionel Messi, who will remain day-to-day after picking up a knock in their 2-1 win against Villarreal. Messi was taken off at half-time of that meeting with Villarreal due to a groin injury, ending his first start of the campaign, and his 400th League career La Liga start, prematurely. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); The forward missed Barcelona's first four league games of the season with a separate calf problem, although he made his return via a 30-minute substitute appearance in a 0-0 draw with Dortmund in the Champions League. He also came off the bench in Barcelona's 2-0 loss in La Liga against Granada before suffering the injury on Tuesday. As a result Messi is a huge do...

Sep252019 by JBNo Comments

Carles Puyol rejects Barcelona sporting director role

La Liga

Former Barcelona captain Carles Puyol says he has turned down the opportunity to rejoin the club as a sporting director. Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu said this month he was hopeful of convincing him to return to the Nou Camp to fill the role left vacant by Pep Segura, who left the club by mutual consent in July. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); "After thinking about it a lot I decided not to accept the club's offer," Puyol, who spent his entire playing career at the club between 1999 and 2014, said via Twitter on Wednesday. Alisson Becker close to return from injury "It was not an easy decision, I always said I would like to return to the place I consider my home, but various personal projects I find myself immersed in at the moment wo...

Sep242019 by JBNo Comments

Why Ronaldo missed Lionel Messi being crowned Fifa Best Footballer of the Year

La Liga, Seria A

Juventus forward Cristiano Ronaldo missed Lionel Messi being crowned the Fifa Best Footballer of the Year because of an injury he suffered in training. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Ronaldo’s absence had sparked rumours that he boycotted the award ceremony in Milan after finding out he had lost out to Lionel Messi. According to the Telegraph, Ronaldo had been due to attend the awards with his club team-mate Matthijs de Ligt, but was forced to cancel after picking up an injury on Monday that could rule him out of today’s Serie A match against Brescia. Ronaldo last month attended the Uefa awards to watch Liverpool player Virgil van Dijk beat him to their Player of the Year title and said that he would like to go out for dinner with Messi. The dec...

Sep242019 by JBNo Comments

Van Dijk: You can’t compare me and Lionel Messi

Premier League, La Liga

Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk insisted he cannot be compared to Lionel Messi, dismissing any claims he was disappointed not to win the Best FIFA Men's Player award. Van Dijk finished second to Barcelona superstar Messi for the award on Monday, with Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo third. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); The Dutch defender's nomination came after a Champions League-winning season, as Van Dijk helped guide Liverpool past Tottenham in the final. The centre-back said there was no way he could ever be compared to Messi, who scored 51 goals in all matches in 2018-19. "The people who vote made a decision and you have to accept it," Van Dijk told reporters. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); "That's just ...

Sep172019 by JBNo Comments

Antoine Griezmann’s transfer to Barcelona could lead to closure of Nou Camp

La Liga

The row over Antoine Griezmann's summer transfer from Atletico Madrid to Barcelona could lead to the Catalans being forced to play a match behind closed doors. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Atletico are determined not to let the matter of Griezmann's controversial summer move lie, and remain adamant that Barca owe them more than the £107million they paid for the Frenchman in the summer. A release clause in Griezmann's contract set at that figure kicked in during the latter half of the transfer window, having previously being at £178m. The Spanish side are claiming that surplus £71m as they claim that the transfer had already been set up long before the lower release clause started. Antoine Griezmann was close to joining Barcelona in the summer of...

Sep172019 by JBNo Comments

Eden Hazard: Real Madrid fans care more than Chelsea’s

Premier League, La Liga

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Eden Hazard concedes he has noticed that Real Madrid supporters are more invested than fans at his former side Chelsea. The 28-year-old forward, moved from Chelsea to Real Madrid for a reported £130m in the summer window after seven years at Stamford Bridge. "I think that here the fans are really fans," said Hazard, ahead of Wednesday's Champions League group match against Paris Saint-Germain. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); "In England there are not so many fans, people there like football and everyone, young people, adults, teenagers, are really interested in their football, but they are not so fanatical about their teams. "At the time I was in Chelsea and we lost, we were di...

Sep152019 by JBNo Comments

Lionel Messi back in Barcelona training ahead of Dortmund CL game

La Liga

Lionel Messi has returned to Barcelona training after six weeks on the sidelines - but the superstar may not be ready to face Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Messi is yet to appear for Barcelona this campaign after he returned from pre-season late and then struggled with a persistent thigh injury. The 32-year-old teamed up with Ousmane Dembele to train on Sunday as Ernesto Valverde's players, who didn't play on Saturday, trained ahead of the Champions League's game with Dortmund. "It looked like it was just going to be a small period he would be out for at first," Valverde said about Messi on Saturday. "Apparently his scar opened a little bit so it’s told us we need to exercise a little bit of caution. (ads...

Sep142019 by JBNo Comments

Thibaut Courtois calls out Eden Hazard for wasteful backheels

La Liga

Thibaut Courtois says he got angry at Real Madrid team-mate Eden Hazard for giving the ball away with backheels in Saturday's 3-2 victory over Levante. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Eden Hazard finally made his Real Madrid debut when he came off the bench in the second half at the Santiago Bernabeu, while his team held a 3-1 lead. The Belgium international was a lively addition to the match, but was unable to help his team add to their advantage as Levante were able to pull another goal back. Real relied on Courtois for security as he pulled off a big save towards the end of the game to seal their second La Liga victory of the campaign. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); And while the goalie was delighted to see Hazard get ...