Barcelona put the finishing touches on its 2017-18 La Liga title with a 1-0 victory over Real Sociedad on Sunday. Philippe Coutinho scored the lone goal with a wonder strike in the 57th minute. The match also brought Andres Iniesta’s Barca career to a close.
Fernando Torres has been enjoying one helluva send-off at Atletico Madrid. Last Wednesday, he appeared as a late substitute in Atletico’s 3-0 Europa League triumph over Marseille. Torres represented Atleti at the senior level for over 10 years, but it was the first trophy “El Niño” had lifted with his boyhood club since the Segunda Division title back in 2002.
Cyle Larin is one of Canada’s bright young stars, having moved to Beşiktaş in January. But the 23-year-old striker didn’t find much playing time in Turkey, appearing just a couple times for the Black and Whites this season. But that all changed Saturday with a stunning Cyle Larin hat trick, although the last goal was kind of questionable.
Beşiktaş closed out a disappointing season against Sivasspor on Saturday at home. The winners of the last two Turkish Super Leagues, Beşiktaş finished fourth this season, missing out on a chance at the Champions League.
If you haven’t heard of him before, this is 15-year-old Angeleno Efrain Alvarez. He was given a professional contract by the Los Angeles Galaxy back in March, becoming the seventh youngest signing in league history.
He was sent to LA Galaxy II in the USL to begin the season, and he’s tearing up the league at an astonishing rate. Today, he scored two absolute golazos against Portland Timbers 2.
Santos Laguna defeated Toluca 2-1 in the first leg of the 2018 Liga MX Clausura Final thanks to strikes from Djaniny and Julio Furch, but Luis Quinones’ lone goal for Toluca makes for an incendiary second leg back at “La Bombonera” on Sunday.
It should come as no surprise given what transpired on his debut, but Zlatan Ibrahimovic hasn’t exactly reached the heights expected of him in Los Angeles. Yes, his return of three goals and three assists in only 487 minutes is quintessential Zlatan, but the big Swede is also a legend for another reason: winning.
Real Madrid eased towards their May 26 UEFA Champions League final date with Liverpool by thumping Celta Vigo 6-0 on Saturday in league play. With Cristiano Ronaldo nursing an ankle injury until the match in Kiev, it was up to Isco, Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema to lead the attack at the Bernabeu.
And so it’s confirmed: German international and FC Cologne left back Jonas Hector is the most likable footballer on the planet. Weeks after committing his future to an already relegated Cologne, despite being able to transfer to pretty much any team on the planet, Hector proceeded to score this worldie against Wolfsburg on Saturday.
Issy “Hitman” Hamdaoui is a legend of street football. Hamdaoui is part of the Streetkings collective, founded by the godfather of Dutch street football, Edward van Gils (the two were featured as playable characters in FIFA Street 2). Hamdaoui has made countless contributions to the game, but he’s perhaps most famous for pioneering the AKKA 3000 move.
Mario Balotelli scored his 16th Ligue 1 goal of the season on Sunday in Nice’s 2-1 defeat to Marseille, but the 27-year-old Italian’s personal renaissance at the club may be at an end.