La Liga

Barcelona moved to the top of La Liga on goals scored as Memphis Depay rescued a point in an entertaining draw at Athletic Bilbao. Depay's ferocious strike cancelled out Inigo Martinez's headed opener after Athletic Bilbao had dominated. Both sides hit the crossbar and passed up numerous chances to claim all three points. Barca defender Eric Garcia was sent off in injury time for fouling Nico Williams when clean through. There is no doubt Ronald Koeman's side are in transition - the loss

Inter opened their Serie A title defence in commanding style by thrashing Genoa at the San Siro. Milan Skriniar settled nerves with a sixth-minute header to give new boss Simone Inzaghi the ideal start. Summer signing Hakan Calhanoglu swept home a stunning second minutes later after Edin Dzeko's clever lay-off. Arturo Vidal and Dzeko then scored second-half goals for the champions, who were irresistible and look set to challenge again this season. It has been a difficult summer for Inter, the joy of

Barcelona president Joan Laporta has revealed the Spanish club is 1.35bn euros (£1.15bn) in debt, describing the situation as "very worrying". The club's wage bill currently accounts for 103% of total income. Laporta blames predecessor Josep Maria Bartomeu for the debt, accusing him of leaving a "terrible inheritance". Extending Lionel Messi's contract would have made the wage bill accountable for 110% of revenue, which La Liga refused to accept. Messi announced an emotional exit from the Nou Camp last week and signed for Paris

France striker Kylian Mbappe, 22, has turned down a six-year extension to his contract with Paris St-Germain, which expires next summer, and would prefer to join Real Madrid this summer. (Marca - in Spanish) Mbappe did not join his team-mates for Ander Herrera's birthday party on Sunday and is set for a meeting with PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi on Monday. (Mundo Deportivo - in Spanish) Spain centre-back Pau Torres, 24, has rejected a move to Tottenham Hotspur as Spurs cannot offer Champions League football this season and his hometown club Villarreal can. (Marca - in

The former Barcelona star was presented with fellow signings Sergio Ramos, Gianluigi Donnarumma, Georginio Wijnaldum and Achraf Hakimi. Messi watched from the stand as Mauricio Pochettino's side made it two Ligue 1 wins from two. Goals from Mauro Icardi, Kylian Mbappe, Julian Draxler and Pablo Sarabia ensured PSG's victory. Strasbourg, three goals down inside half-an-hour, had the better chances in the second half, and pulled the score back to 3-2 thanks to headers from Kevin Gameiro and Ludovic Ajorque. But after Alexander Djiku's second yellow

Bale, back from a loan spell at Tottenham, was in former Everton boss Ancelotti's first starting XI. Eden Hazard set up Benzema's opener with a nice flick and Nacho doubled the lead with a volley. Benzema scored again and Joselu slotted a penalty for Alaves before Vinicius Jr scored a late fourth for Real. David Alaba made his Real debut at left-back after his free-transfer move from Bayern Munich - and set up that late Vinicius goal. Real laboured in the first half

Star forward Lionel Messi has joined French giants Paris Saint-Germain on a two-year deal following his departure from FC Barcelona. Star forward Lionel Messi has joined French giants Paris Saint-Germain on a two-year deal following his departure from FC Barcelona. Messi, the 34-year-old Argentine forward, who recently bid a tearful goodbye to Nou Camp, where he spent 21 years of his life at, also has the option of a third year. The exact details of Messi's financial terms were not declared but it

Wolves have signed Portugal winger Francisco Trincao on a season-long from Barcelona. The deal includes a "a non-compulsory option to buy" the 21-year-old, who joined the Spanish club from Portuguese side Braga in the summer of 2020. Trincao made 28 league appearances for Barcelona last season, scoring three goals and providing two assists, and seven Champions League outings. His arrival follows Wolves' signing of Colombian defender Yerson Mosquera. "He's a really exciting player," said the Premier League club's technical director Scott Sellars of

BARCELONA: Ronald Koeman will remain as Barcelona coach next season after the club agreed to honour his contract, president Joan Laporta said on Thursday (Jun 3). Koeman, who was appointed on a two-year deal last August by Laporta's predecessor Josep Maria Bartomeu, led Barca to victory in the Copa del Rey in his first season in charge. But the Catalans suffered an embarrassing 5-2 aggregate defeat to Paris St Germain in the last 16 of the Champions League and finished a disappointing third

UEFA has opened disciplinary proceedings against Real Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus over their attempts to launch a breakaway Super League, European soccer's governing body said on Tuesday. The clubs are the only three of the original 12 to have not distanced themselves from the project following an outpouring of criticism. "Following an investigation conducted by UEFA Ethics and Disciplinary Inspectors in connection with the so-called 'Super League' project, disciplinary proceedings have been opened against Real Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus FC for a potential

LONDON: Sergio Aguero is close to agreeing a move to Barcelona that would unite him with fellow Argentine superstar Lionel Messi, according to Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola. City's record goalscorer, who has spent a decade at the Etihad, scored a quickfire double in the champions' 5-0 win over Everton in his final Premier League appearance for the club on Sunday. The goals took his Premier League tally to 184 - the most by any player for a single club. The 32-year-old forward

Real Madrid swatted aside Granada 4-1 on Thursday to ensure the La Liga title race will go down to the wire. Despite missing a number of first-team regulars, Real started the stronger and first-half strikes from Luka Modric and Rodrygo put the visitors in control. Such was their dominance that even when Jorge Molina halved the deficit on 71 minutes, tapping in after Thibaut Courtois had kept out Luis Suarez's initial effort, they rarely looked troubled. Substitute Alvaro Odriozola restored Real's two-goal advantage,

DOHA: Qatari side Al-Sadd announced on Wednesday (May 12) former Spain midfielder Xavi has signed a contract extension to keep him as their coach until 2023. Xavi, 41, has been linked with a move back to Barcelona to replace Ronald Koeman but the 2010 World Cup winner denied the reports in the Spanish press. "This is incorrect. I have a two-season contract with Al-Sadd, and I respect this contract, and I also respect the official negotiation methods between all parties," he said in

BARCELONA: After staging a stunning revival to rein in leaders Atletico Madrid, Barcelona can finally go top of La Liga when they host Diego Simeone's side on a mouthwatering weekend as the four teams in the title race come face to face. Atletico lead the standings with 76 points after 34 games heading into Saturday's crunch game away to Barca, who are third on 74. An Atletico slip up will only play into the hands of champions Real Madrid, however, who are second

LONDON: Goals by Timo Werner and Mason Mount sent Chelsea into a Champions League final showdown with Manchester City as they outclassed Real Madrid to win 2-0 for a 3-1 aggregate triumph at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday (May 5). German striker Werner, who has endured a stuttering first season at Chelsea, put them in control when he nodded in one of the easiest goals of his career in the 28th minute after fellow German Kai Havertz had struck the bar. Thirteen-times European champions

BARCELONA: Spain's La Liga is investigating whether a party organised by Barcelona players at their captain Lionel Messi's home broke COVID-19 protocol. "We're looking into it," La Liga sources told AFP on Tuesday (May 4). Monday's meal brought together Barca players, some accompanied by their partners, at the Argentinian star's house, despite social distancing rules in the Catalonian capital outlawing groups of more than six to meet in private. The party may constitute "a possible breach of COVID-19 protocols", the source suggested. The

VALENCIA, Spain: Lionel Messi led Barcelona to a quick-fire comeback to win 3-2 at Valencia on Sunday and keep the pressure on La Liga title rivals Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid. Barca fell behind in the 50th minute when Valencia defender Gabriel Paulista headed into an empty net from a corner after keeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen had stumbled to the ground in his attempt to come for the ball. The Catalans, who had blown the chance to go top of the league with

Chelsea held their own away to Real Madrid but had to settle for a 1-1 draw in Tuesday's Champions League semi-final first leg after Karim Benzema scored an acrobatic goal to cancel out an early strike from Christian Pulisic. Chelsea made a bright start in heavy rain at the Alfredo di Stefano Stadium and deservedly went ahead when U.S. forward Pulisic rounded Thibaut Courtois to score in the 14th minute. Thirteen times European Cup winners Real looked ragged and short on ideas but

MADRID: Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane said on Monday (Apr 26) that he was not thinking about any sanctions against the club from UEFA in the wake of the European Super League announcement last week. The breakaway league involving 12 of Europe's major clubs collapsed within three days of its announcement amid a fierce backlash from fans, governing bodies and politicians. Real president Florentino Perez was named as chairman of the project and appears to have been the driving force behind the league,

BARCELONA: Lionel Messi scored twice as Barcelona crushed Getafe 5-2 on Thursday (Apr 22) to stay in the hunt for the La Liga title. Messi gave Barca an early lead with the help of a pin-point pass from Sergio Busquets but Getafe pulled level with an own goal by Clement Lenglet. The visitors then conceded a calamitous own goal when Sofian Chakla's backpass deceived keeper David Soria and trickled over the line. Messi extended Barca's lead before halftime, hitting the post then following