In a poll conducted by the Daily Mail, it has emerged that the majority of Barcelona fans wish for their club to sell Neymar this summer. The Brazilian reportedly has a £150 million release clause on his contract and a total of 61% of participants voted yes to getting rid of the striker at the end of the season. The survey coincides with arguably the darkest period the club has endured since manager Luis Enrique took over. After failing to defend their Champions League trophy with a quarter final defeat to Atletico Madrid last week, Barca's La Liga match-up with Deportivo La Coruna last … [Read more...]
Infographic: Lionel Messi’s penalty misses
If there's one glaring weakness in Lionel Messi's near-perfect game, it is his penalty taking. Lately the Barcelona record-breaker has made headlines because of his awry penalties rather than the bucketload of goals he grabs every week. His miss against Manchester City last night was the fifth penalty Messi has missed in the last 12 months for club and country, proving that he is in fact human after all. It is a weakness slowly growing into Messi's game after he had almost perfected the art of penalty taking, rarely missing from the spot. However, it appears as if an element of pressure has … [Read more...]
Homesick Negredo set for Valencia loan
Manchester City striker Alvaro Negredo could be about to join Valencia after complaining of homesickness. The Spaniard signed for City last summer but endured a dismal end to the 2013/14 season after injuries and a loss of form. It was initially thought that Negredo would move back to Spain to accommodate a loan deal for Radamel Falcao, but the Colombian chose to play for Manchester United instead. With Stevan Jovetic, Edin Dzeko and the injury-prone Sergio Aguero as City's only strikers, it looked unlikely that Negredo would leave the Etihad. However, the striker has been unhappy in … [Read more...]
Falcao off to Manchester instead of Madrid
Monaco striker Radamel Falcao will move to Manchester United instead of Real Madrid on a season-long loan deal. The Colombian has been a long-term target for Real, but will now play for United subject to a medical at Old Trafford. Having joined the French club for €50 million, it looked as though the only club able to buy the striker would be Real Madrid, but the option of a year-long loan deal has now come up. It is expected that the Colombian's wages and loan fee will be sky-high, but United boss Louis van Gaal wants extra firepower to correct the club's poor start to the season. Van Gaal … [Read more...]
Pellegrini raids Malaga for Willy Caballero
Manchester City look set to tie up a deal for Malaga's number one Willy Caballero within the next 24 hours. The goalkeeper would cost City around £10m who will use him as cover for Joe Hart following Costel Pantilimon's departure to Sunderland. Argentinian stopper Caballero, 32, would link up with former boss Manuel Pellegrini once again after the two worked together before the Chilean took over at the Etihad Stadium last season. Pellegrini tried to lure Isco away from Malaga during the summer last season but lost out to Real Madrid, but has had no such troubles with Caballero. Having played … [Read more...]
Are Ronaldo And Real Madrid To Divorce?
Cristiano Ronaldo and Real Madrid. A match made in heaven. But could it be heading for a messy divorce, and if so is there an English third party involved? Ronaldo has been at his imperious best this season, scoring 44 goals in all competitions. He won the Ballon D'Or, and was acclaimed by most as the best footballer on the planet. But rumours persist that all is not well at the Bernabeu. Ronaldo is used to being jeered by opposition fans, especially when at Camp Nou or San Mames. But a new phenomenon has started. CR7 now finds himself being booed by his own fans. During the 5-0 hammering of … [Read more...]
Manchester City Humbled By Barcelona
It was job done for Tata Martino last night, as his Barcelona team convincingly beat Manchester City 2-0 at the Etihad stadium. The scoreline was the least that Barca deserved. They controlled the game from the first whistle to the last, at times Manchester City were left chasing shadows. Messi and Xavi in particular were pulling the strings, ably assisted by Alexis Sanchez and Cesc Fabregas. The nil nil half time score flattered Pelligrini's side. They tried to attack on the break, but without Aguero they offered little. The breakthrough came on 54 minutes. Lionel Messi was bursting through … [Read more...]
Yaya Toure downbeat On City’s Chances
As the big game approaches, one man more than any other has an insight into tonight's Champion's League clash between Manchester City and Barcelona. Yaya Toure is a powerhouse in the centre of the sky blue midfield, as equally at home scoring spectacular goals as he is putting in crunching tackles. In his previous incarnation, he was an effective holding midfielder for an all conquering Barcelona team from 2007 to 2010. He was never a first choice midfielder but still contributed to their treble winning success in 2009. Manchester City fans would be expecting Yaya to rally to their cause, but … [Read more...]
Manchester City v Barcelona: Preview
Tonight sees a real clash of the Titans. The old guard versus the new kids on the block. Its Manchester City v Barcelona, and at stake is European domination. There are many similarities between the sides this season. Both have new and unproven managers, Pellegrini at City and Martino at Barca. Both like to attack, but can be vulnerable at the back. Both find themselves in a tight tussle at the top of their leagues. So who will win? If it was a matter of pedigree there would be no competition, of course. Barcelona have won the trophy (and its earlier equivalent) four times, Manchester City … [Read more...]
Messi ‘not for sale’, but the vultures are circling
After a turbulent week for Barcelona, new club president Josep Maria Bartomeu has had to publicly announce that Lionel Messi is not for sale. Bartomeu stepped into the void when previous president Sandro Rossell resigned over a forthcoming court appearance relating to the misappropriation of funds from the Neymar transfer deal. Rossell denies all charges, but now a larger shadow is looming – could Barca be on the brink of losing their star player? Last summer, Messi was linked with the champions of Europe, Bayern Munich. Any interest was quickly slapped down, but the German giants lay waiting … [Read more...]