Spanish Clubs

Tiki-Taka Is Dead — Spanish Clubs Have Failed To Cope With The New Game

LISBON — For the first time in 13 years, there is no Spanish team in the semifinals of the Champions League and the way in which Barcelona were dumped out, with an 8-2 defeat to Bayern Munich, emphatically ended the era of LaLiga supremacy.

There was one basic similarity in the way that Barcelona, Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid exited Europe this season — they simply looked too slow.

It is not that their players individually lack speed but that their styles of play lack the intensity and dynamism, the relentless pressing of the top German and English teams.

Horrific Defeat May Spell The End Of The Barcelona Dynasty

Barcelona defender Gerard Pique said radical changes were needed from top to bottom after his side were annihilated 8-2 by Bayern Munich on Friday to exit the Champions League in one of the Catalan side's darkest ever nights.

"We feel devastated, although shame is the real word I'm looking for. We cannot afford to compete like this because it's not the first, the second or the third time that something like this has happened," a tearful Pique told reporters after the quarter-final drubbing, their worst ever result in Europe.

Watch Alphonso Davies Humiliate Messi, Semedo With One Devastating Run

In the lead-up to Bayern Munich’s Champions League quarterfinal against Barcelona, much was made over Canadian teenager Alphonso Davies’ conversation with his father about playing against his idol growing up, Lionel Messi.

Little did Pops know that Davies would use the opportunity to abuse Messi, Nelson Semedo and the rest of the Barcelona defense to set up one of the best goals of the year en route to a devastating 8-2 win.

Bayern Is Currently Putting A Germany-To-Brazil-Type Beatdown On Barcelona

It’s impossible to forget Germany’s epic six-goal beatdown of Brazil at the 2014 World Cup. But for those who missed it, the first half of the Barcelona-Bayern Munich Champions League quarterfinal on Friday was a pretty good reenactment.

Bayern Munich relentlessly breached Barcelona’s vulnerable defense en route to a 4-1 halftime lead in Lisbon, stunning a Blaugrana side not used to facing such an onslaught.

Creating The Best Transfer Bargain XI In World Football

This year, the transfer market promises to look very different as clubs look to conserve money during a difficult financial time. While COVID-19 might put a damper on expensive transfers, there is still plenty of good value in the market.

Many of the best players in today's game have been purchased for just a fraction of the enormous transfer fees paid for superstars like Neymar and Kylian Mbappe. 

Marc-André Ter Stegen Vs. Manuel Neuer Rivalry Adds Subplot To Barça Vs. Bayern

Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen took on Bayern Munich's Manuel Neuer in a public spat last year over the Germany goalkeeper's jersey and the confrontation will be played out on the pitch in Friday's Champions League quarterfinal.

Only Lionel Messi can rival Ter Stegen, 28, for the title of Barça's most decisive player in the last few seasons, but his heroics for his club have not been enough to overhaul Neuer, 34, on the international stage.

Top 10 LaLiga Goals 2019-20: How Could This Not Be The World's Best League?

From start to finish, the 2019-20 LaLiga season extended across 338 days. When it can prove difficult to remember what you had for dinner last night, it’s equally as challenging to remember that spectacular overhead kick that Aritz Aduriz scored against Barcelona back on August 16 of the venerated year of 2019. 

Bring The Fatted Calf And Kill It, For Martin Ødegaard Is Returning To Real Madrid

The18’s Prodigal Son returns. Five years, two months and 19 days since Norway’s mischievous sprite sent Cristiano Ronaldo to the substitutes’ bench with a tender hug, Martin Ødegaard is set to the return to the Bernabéu with Zinedine Zidane ready to hand him his second LaLiga appearance for Los Blancos.

Lionel Messi Helps Again During Pandemic With Huge Donation

Argentina's health system is on the verge of collapse as the country is overwhelmed by coronavirus cases. Hospitals are running out of space and resources are few and far between. The country has recorded 246,499 total cases and 4,634 deaths because of the virus. On the whole, South America is at its worst moment yet with the virus. 

Atlético Receives Coronavirus Scare After Ángel Correa And Šime Vrsaljko Test Positive

Atlético Madrid's fears of further disruption to their trip to the Champions League 'Final Eight' tournament in Lisbon have been eased after the rest of the squad tested negative for COVID-19, following two positives the previous day.

The club's morning training session was postponed due to the positive cases and their plans to travel to Lison were put on hold, but the club said in a statement they would have one final session before flying out on Tuesday, a day later than planned. 

Pages