Football Mag

Victor Valdes has been appointed as Barcelona's new U19A head coach, returning to Camp Nou five years after ending his time at the club as a player. The 37-year-old racked up 539 appearances for Barca across all competitions over the course of 12 seasons between 2002 and 2014, winning 21 major titles in total. Valdes picked up three Champions Leagues, six La Liga titles and won the Copa del Rey twice, earning legendary status at the club while also establishing himself as one of the finest shot-stoppers in Europe. The ex-Spain international was released by Barca in 2014 and returned to the highest level the following year, signing an 18-month deal with Manchester United. Valdes was sent out for a loan spell at Standard Liege before being sold to Middlesbrough and decided to hang up his gloves permanently in 2018 after leaving the Riverside the previous summer. The former Blaugrana star signed a one-year contract at Camp Nou on Friday morning with the option of an exten...

Atletico Madrid have reported Barcelona to La Liga as they continue to pursue an €80 million (£72m/$90m) addition to the transfer which has taken Antoine Griezmann to Camp Nou. A World Cup-winning forward has completed a move from the Spanish capital to Catalunya. Barca have paid out the €120m (£108m/$135m) required to trigger the release clause that existed in his Atletico contract. They believe they have done nothing wrong , but domestic rivals are arguing that an agreement was reached with Griezmann when his exit fee stood at €200m (£179m/$224m). Atletico vowed when a move was announced that they would be opening legal proceedings . That fight has now been taken to La Liga officials and those in power at the Spanish FA (RFEF). Atletico had been planning to take their case to FIFA, in the hope that world football’s governing body could rule in their favour.

Vinicius Junior will be sidelined until the tail end of the season after Real Madrid confirmed the Brazilian teenager has torn calf ligaments in his right leg. The winger sustained the injury in the first half of Madrid's Champions League defeat at the hands of Ajax on Tuesday. He was substituted in the 35th minute, with Ajax leading 2-0, and the Eredivisie side went on to win 4-1 and dump the three-time defending champions out in the round of 16. Madrid gave no timescale for his recovery in a statement released on Wednesday but reports have suggested he will miss the next two months. "After the tests made today to our player Vinicius by the medical team of Real Madrid, he has been diagnosed with a torn ligament in his right calf. Further evaluation pending," the statement said. The injury to Vinicius will also come as a blow to his international aspirations, with the 18-year-old having been called up to the Brazil squad for the first time.

Barcelona are weighing up another raid on Ajax - this time for Matthijs de Ligt. The Catalan giants have already sealed a deal to take the Dutch club's exciting 21-year-old midfielder Frenkie de Jong to Camp Nou in the summer at a cost of €75 million (£65m/$85m). And Barca president Josep Maria Bartomeu has confirmed interest in De Jong's Ajax team-mate DeLigt, 19, as well. "His name is on the table," Bartomeu said in an interview with radio station SER Catalunya via Spanish publication Marca. "Where there is such talent away from Barcelona, we're always looking at them. "It's a topic that will be discussed in our sports planning which begins in March, with De Jong we felt we had to move quickly because there were many clubs that wanted him."

Jose Mourinho would have "no problem" returning to Real Madrid as coach, stoking the rumours linking him as a potential successor to Santiago Solari. It has been a turbulent season for both Mourinho and Madrid, as the Portuguese manager lost his job at Manchester United in December, while Los Blancos have underwhelmed under two coaches. Solari took charge of Madrid in October last year, and although he has overseen a moderate improvement from the end of Julen Lopetegui's brief spell, in no way have they caught the imagination of supporters. When asked if he would go back to a former club, Mourinho told beIN SPORTS: "To a club that I have been before? If I think the right club, the right structure, the right ambitions, I will have no problem at all. "I think it's really a reason of pride when a club where you worked before wanting you back. They [Madrid] are the iconic club, I think so, you know, [they have won] 13 Champions Leagues [titles]."

Gareth Bale’s agent has blasted the treatment of the Wales international from Real Madrid supporters as “nothing short of a disgrace”. Despite having formed part of a trophy-laden era for the Blancos, a 29-year-old forward continues to have his critics in the Spanish capital. Jonathan Barnett believes Madrid fans would be wise to remember as much, with Bale having contributed significantly to the success of the club in recent seasons. Barnett told Sky Sports: "This generation of Real fans will be talking about Gareth's goals for years to come. Frankly, they should be ashamed of themselves. "Gareth deserves the greatest of respect. The way Real fans have treated him is nothing short of a disgrace. "In the six years he has been in Spain, he has won everything. He's one of the best players in the world. Those fans should be kissing his feet."

Atletico Madrid closed back to within seven points of Barcelona thanks to Alvaro Morata's quickfire brace in a 2-0 win at Real Socieded on Sunday. Spain striker Morata opened his Atletico account in last weekend's victory over Villarreal and boosted his tally to three goals in two games with a pair of headers in the space of three first-half minutes. Diego Simeone's side needed three points to stay in touch with LaLiga leaders Barca, who edged Real Madrid 1-0 in El Clasico on Saturday, and had to complete the job with 10 men after Koke received a second yellow in the 62nd minute. But the home side, unbeaten in their 10 previous outings across all competitions, failed to make the advantage count and could not keep the Rojiblancos from moving five points clear of their city rivals.

Another Clasico at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu ended with a win for Barcelona, but the latest one undoubtedly has an even more special meaning for the victors. Their win on Wednesday night in the Copa del Rey tied the win totals between the teams, but with Saturday's success Barcelona now have 96 wins, while Real Madrid have 95 and there have been 51 draws. Real Madrid have been giving up the advantage they had ever more steadily in recent years, particularly due to their negative streak at home. The two triumphs in a week do nothing but confirm the trend of recent years when the Blaugrana come to town, having won on each of their last four league visits. Barcelona have now won 31 times in the capital in Clasicos and proof of their dominance comes with 11 wins in the past decade. The 6-2 win in 2009 was the start of it all and other highlights have come with the 2-0 Champions League semi-final win, the 4-3 thriller in 2012/13, the 4-0 win in 2015, the dramatic 3-2 success in 2...

Lionel Messi had blood in his mouth after a clash with Real Madrid defender Sergio Ramos during Saturday's La Liga Clasico, claims Gerard Pique. Messi and Ramos were involved in a flashpoint in the first half of Barca's 1-0 win at the Santiago Bernabeu that moved Ernesto Valverde's men 10 points clear at the top of the La Liga table. Ramos knocked the ball past Messi but then seemed to thrust his arm into the face of the Barcelona captain, who made his displeasure clear to the officials, although Madrid's skipper was not punished. "Leo had blood in his mouth," said Pique. "It was an aggression. "Intensity does not have to be measured. I get along great with the Real Madrid players. "But when you go out to the field you defend your colours and the rivalry is what you get. "But once the game is over, the cordiality is mutual, the players respect us very much."

Jose Mourinho has slammed Real Madrid's "soft performance" in their 1-0 Clasico defeat to Barcelona on Saturday. Ivan Rakitic scored in the first half at the Santiago Bernabeu and the Croatian's goal stood up as the only tally of the match. With the loss, Madrid fell 12 points behind first-place Barcelona, effectively ending their La Liga title hopes for the season. Mourinho, who managed Real Madrid between 2010 and 2013, saw his former team low on confidence in Saturday's Clasico. "It was not a happy performance. It was not the performance of a happy team," Mourinho said on beIN Sports. "It was not the performance of a team with great belief and self-esteem. "Clearly they are now in a zone after a few bad results, especially in the cup match, where they are in a low." "They couldn't bring to the game what I used to call the temperature of the big matches," Mourinho continued. "They were passive. I cannot speak about ...

Ivan Rakitic scored a delightful winning goal as Barcelona triumphed 1-0 in a tight Clasico clash with Real Madrid to move 10 points clear at the top of the LaLiga table.    Barca won 3-0 at the Santiago Bernabeu to reach the Copa del Rey final in midweek and, three days later, they prevailed once more at the home of their bitter rivals in a game that saw captains Sergio Ramos and Lionel Messi involved in a flashpoint.    Rakitic struck the only goal with a cute chip that beat Thibaut Courtois with Barca comfortably holding Los Blancos at bay to inflict more Clasico misery and consecutive home league losses on Madrid.    And with Santiago Solari's side now 12 points behind Barca the title race may be almost over as a contest, although Atletico Madrid can stay in the hunt by winning at Real Sociedad on Sunday.

La Liga games will no longer take place on Mondays, says the Spanish FA's president Luis Rubiales. Alaves supporters held a mock funeral during their La Liga win over Levante in protest at the match being switched to Monday night for live TV coverage. Alaves fans also protested about fixture changes during their game against Athletic Bilbao, held on a Monday in December. "Business is important, but fans more so," Rubiales said on Twitter. He added: "There will be no more football on Mondays. From next season in La Liga, there will be football on Saturdays and Sundays. We will see what happens on Fridays, if we reach a good agreement for all." Spanish top-flight games have been played on Mondays since 2010 and while the league's organising body says the matches have large television audiences, they have led to a fall in attendances.

Jordi Alba has signed a new long-term contract at Barcelona, keeping him at Camp Nou until 2024, the Spanish champions have confirmed. Alba has been in inspired form for Barca this term, providing 14 assists in all competitions and scoring two goals, with Ernesto Valverde's side currently seven points clear of second-place Atletico Madrid in La Liga. With his previous deal expiring at the end of the season, 29-year-old was recently linked with a switch to Manchester United and Juventus. But after the club tied coach Ernesto Valverde down to a new deal last week, they have rewarded the full-back's form with a new five-year deal, containing a €500 million (£428m/$569m) buyout clause. "Barcelona and Jordi Alba have reached an agreement to renew his contract for the next five seasons, until June 30, 2024. The buyout clause is set at €500M," a statement read.

Real Madrid midfielder Isco has been left out of Santiago Solari's Copa del Reysemi-final squad to face Barcelona on Wednesday. Isco returned to full training at the start of the week after recovering from a back injury, but he will play no part in the crucial showdown with Barca this evening. Solari has opted to leave the Spaniard out of the second-leg clash, with Madrid looking to build on a positive 1-1 draw at the Camp Nou in the first leg on February 6. The Blancos boss has used Isco sparingly during his short reign at the helm, amid reports of a fractious relationship between the pair . Isco has yet to start a single league game under Solari, with speculation swirling that the 26-year-old will leave the club at the end of the season. Madrid have won eight of their last 10 matches across all competitions, but a 2-1 home defeat to Girona last week stalled their recent progress. As a consequence of that result, they slipped nine points behind Barca in the Liga title race, b...

Gareth Bale will not receive any sort of ban for his celebration in Real Madrid's recent victory over Atletico Madrid. Bale was introduced in the second half of the match and scored quickly upon entering the fray. He scored Real's third and final goal in the 3-1 win over the club's crosstown rivals, and the finish was his 100th for the club. However, it was a finish that ended in controversy as Bale was reported to authorities for “a gesture of possible obscene and derogatory meaning” as a result of the ensuing celebration. However, the incident was not reported by the referee in his match report and the Spanish federation have opted to not punish the Welsh winger for the celebration at all. It's not the only celebration row Bale has found himself in recent weeks, having also earned criticism for pushing away Lucas Vazquez after scoring from the spot in this past weekend's win over Levante.

Ramos Charged by UEFA for Deliberate Booking Sergio Ramos has been charged by UEFA for deliberately earning a yellow card in Real Madrid's Champions League last-16 first-leg win at Ajax. The Spain international was booked in the 89th minute of his side’s 2-1 victory in Amsterdam, which means he is suspended for the second leg at Santiago Bernabeu on March 5. Ramos suggested in an interview after the match that he had been booked intentionally so as to avoid the risk of a suspension in the quarter-finals, although he later backtracked on those comments. However, UEFA has opted to charge the Madrid captain with receiving a yellow card on purpose, with their Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body to hear the case on Thursday. Last week, Valencia midfielder Geoffrey Kondogbia was given a two-match ban by UEFA for being booked deliberately in the Europa League meeting with Celtic. The midfielder was given a yellow card in the 82nd minute of his side’s 2-0 win in Glasgow for...

Real Madrid's players - including Gareth Bale - are "standing united" as they prepare for two Clasicos against Barcelona in four days, says boss Santiago Solari. Real host Barca in the Copa del Rey semi-final second leg on Wednesday, having drawn the first game 1-1, and then again in La Liga on Saturday. Bale refused to celebrate when he scored in Sunday's 2-1 win at Levante. "Some things that stay in the dressing room remain private," said Solari. "I understand everyone wants to find a focus and you put the focus where it seems important. "But our focus is only on what we think is important. It is on the game, to win on Wednesday, to be united. Where others focus is up to them."

Karim Benzema would be forgiven for lamenting the loss of Cristiano Ronaldo at Real Madrid, but the striker admits he is happy to be be playing his "real football" as he takes charge of leading the club's attack. “Before there was a guy who scored more than 50 goals per season and my role was to provide assists,” the striker said. “I played to help Cristiano, we formed a good partnership. I was always looking for him with the intention of helping him to score even more goals." “Now though, I'm the leader of the attack. It's up to me to make the difference. I'm very happy because now I can play my real football.” Benzema enjoyed 10 fruitful years alongside one of football's all-time greats, forming an unspoken link with the Portuguese attacker that would help propel the Spanish capital club to two La Liga crowns and four Champions League titles.

Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone has been charged with improper conduct by UEFA following an incident during the 2-0 Champions League win over Juventus. UEFA did not confirm what action Simeone is being charged in connection with, reports suggest that it is related to him celebrating Atleti's opener by clutching his crotch while gesticulating to the crowd. Simeone attracted criticism from some for the gesture but he apologised after the match, explaining it was directed at Atletico fans, showing them "that we have cojones". "To start [Diego] Costa and Koke after they hadn't played for a month takes balls," he added. The Argentine admitted that it is not the first time he has performed such a celebration. "I did it as a player in Lazio vs Bologna and I did it again to show our fans that we have cojones. It wasn't aimed at the other team, I was turning towards our own supporters, " said Simeone.                      ...

Barcelona were interested in signing Girona’s Cristhian Stuani in January, the striker himself has confirmed. “Yes, there was interest from Barcelona,” Stuani stated. “I'm proud that a team as great as Barcelona thought about me." “But I'm also happy about signing a new deal with Girona." The 32-year old Uruguay international has set La Liga on fire in the past two campaigns, scoring 21 goals last season for Girona as they finished 10th in their first campaign in the Spanish top flight. He has scored 13 goals so far this season.