La Liga Archives ⋆ Page 75 of 107 ⋆ LSU

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 ...

Sep122019 by JBNo Comments

Lionel Messi ‘not sure’ if Barcelona did all to sign Neymar

La Liga

Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi said that he is not sure if the club did everything to bring back Neymar from Paris Saint-Germain but insisted he is happy with the current state of the Catalan squad. Messi told Spanish publication Sport that he would have enjoyed having the Brazil international back at Camp Nou but understood the difficulties of the transfer. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); "I would have liked for Neymar to have returned," the Argentina captain said. "Honestly, I'm not sure if Barca did all they could to sign him but I know it is difficult to negotiate with PSG. "I am not disappointed. We have a spectacular squad that can challenge for all, even without Ney." Neymar was subject to a months-long saga that saw Barcelona and PSG meet se...

Sep102019 by JBNo Comments

Sergio Ramos: Door always open for Pogba at Real Madrid

Premier League, La Liga

Sergio Ramos has praised Paul Pogba as "one of the great players" and is hopeful the Manchester United midfielder will join him at the Bernabeu in the future. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Pogba and his agent, Mino Raiola, both said during the summer window he wanted to leave United for a new challenge, but the club refused to sell the Frenchman. United turned down an offer from Real Madrid of £27.6m plus James Rodriguez for Pogba, who returned to the Premier League team from Juventus for a then record of £89m in 2016. "I think Real Madrid always has the door open for good players such as him," Ramos told the Daily Express. Madrid spent over £270m this summer - the biggest outlay by a European side - as manager Zinedine Zidane brought in Eden Hazar...

Sep102019 by JBNo Comments

Nabil Fekir reveals real reason why his Liverpool transfer move failed

Premier League, La Liga

Real Betis star Nabil Fekir has hit out at the “lies” which surfaced on the back of a proposed £53 million transfer move to Liverpool breaking down in the summer window of 2018. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); However, It appeared at one stage as though a move to Liverpool for the France international was a mere formality. Fekir, who was then a Lyon player, had travelled to England and been pictured in the colours of his supposedly new team. There was a late twist, with the Reds opting to back out of the deal. Medical concerns were cited, with Fekir considered to be a risk after returning back from a serious knee injury. The 26-year-old, who secured a £22m move to Real Betis this year, has questioned the motives of Liverpool and claims to still be un...

Sep102019 by JBNo Comments

Samuel Umtiti explains why Arsenal transfer didn’t happen

Premier League, La Liga, Transfer Info

Barcelona player Samuel Umtiti has laughed off reports that Arsenal tried to sign him over the summer despite Alexandre Lacazette making a plea for him to join. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Arsenal head coach Unai Emery was eager to strengthen his defence during the summer transfer window and eventually signed David Luiz from Chelsea in an £8million deal on deadline day. Arsenal had been linked with a transfer move for Umtiti – among a number of other top centre-backs – but the Frenchman says, to his knowledge, there was never anything of substance to the reports. In an interview with Canal Football Club on Sunday, Umtiti was shown a clip of old Lyon teammate Lacazette trying to set up a reunion at the Emirates, but only burst out laughing. ‘Hones...

Sep62019 by JBNo Comments

Pique confirms Lionel Messi can leave Barcelona for free at the end of the season

La Liga

Lionel Messi has “earned the right” to break his Barcelona contract if he wants to, says Gerard Pique, but nobody at Camp Nou is concerned about such a decision being taken. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); It has been revealed by El Pais, with Goal able to confirm the reports, that the Argentine forward has an exit clause in his current contract. Having turned 32, the five-time Ballon d’Or has the option to walk away from Barcelona at the end of any given campaign. As his terms are due to run until 2021, with the La Liga champions eager to discuss another extension for their talisman. Gerard Pique claims to have already been aware that Messi could leave if he wants a new challenge, but the World Cup-winning defender is reading little into that as there ...

Sep42019 by JBNo Comments

Messi and Barcelona stars at war with club chiefs over Neymar transfer debacle

La Liga, Transfer Info

Barcelona stars are at odds with club chiefs after their failure to sign Neymar from PSG. The Spanish champions have endured a mixed start to the campaign on the field, picking up only four points from their opening three matches in La Liga. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Ultimately, Barcelona were unable to complete a deal to bring Neymar, willing to drop his salary, back from Paris Saint-Germain. Despite a number of meetings in Paris in the final week of the summer window, meetings that included the likes of CEO Oscar Grau, executive Javier Bordas and president Josep Maria Bartomeu, no agreement was reached. The French champions were not interested in a swap deal or taking a small down payment now and the majority in 2020 and 2021, as Barcelona strug...

Aug292019 by JBNo Comments

PSG reject Barcelona’s latest bid of £118m plus three players for Neymar

La Liga, Transfer Info

Paris Saint-Germain have reportedly turned down a stunning transfer package from Spanish giants Barcelona for Neymar. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); The two teams met for a transfer summit in Paris this week as Barcelona bid to take the Brazil international back to the Nou Camp. The La Liga champions are growing confident of finally completing the deal and Nou Camp officials conceded Neymar's return to the club was 'closer' upon returning to Barcelona. But reports in Spain claim PSG have rejected an offer from Barca, which included three players. According to Mundo Deportivo, Barca were willing to offer £118m for Neymar, plus Ivan Rakitic, Jean-Clair Todibo - and Ousmane Dembele on loan. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); ...

Aug272019 by JBNo Comments

Meeting between Barca and PSG over Neymar transfer ends without an agreement

La Liga, Ligue 1, Transfer Info

The meeting between PSG and Barcelona over the transfer of Neymar ended without reaching an agreement. However they will keep negotiating and looking for a possible solution. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Eric Abidal, Javier Bordas and Oscar Grau were present on behalf of Barca, while PSG’s representatives were Leonardo and Djamal Bouras, the lawyer of the club president Al Khelaifi. Barcelona presented an offer of 170 million euros, paid in several instalments, while PSG demanded for 100m plus Nelson Semedo and Ousmane Dembele. Neymar himself has reportedly acted as a key part of the possible transfer. Not only has he reportedly told PSG he does not want to remain at the club, he has also blocked a move to Real Madrid. Barca are said to be unwilli...