Off the Pitch

10 Terrible Truths That FC Barcelona Don’t Want You To Know About

FC Barcelona are the darlings of club football. From the imperviously well-mannered Lionel Messi to their representational standing as “more than a club” for Catalanism, their playing style and history invites adulation from all corners of the globe.

However, Barcelona is not without its insidious side. These are the 10 terrible truths that Barcelona would prefer you didn’t know about.

The Champions League Final Could Be Headed To New York City

Newly elected UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin outlined his vision for football's administrative body in Europe during an interview with The Associated Press on Thursday. Ceferin’s most newsworthy propositions are the repercussions from reviving UEFA’s open bidding process for the right to host the Champions League final.

Matchday Chef Fired For Food Poisoning Plot

A matchday chef for Bristol Rovers vs. Gillingham this weekend learned the hard way that you should watch what you post on Facebook.

The chef, an admitted Bristol City fan, posted this gem (apparently deleted) on Facebook:

At work.. think am going to poison the whole lot of rovers fan today.. can’t be bothered to cook everything is going to be undercooked today.. how many people going to have the shits … Best news is am in the away end.. so no looking a inbreed (redacted) here the view I got for the next 7 hours…

Messi vs. Ronaldo: The Ultimate Comparison

When most people compare and contrast Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, they only focus on their soccer abilities. But we want to know: who lives the more lavish lifestyle?

If you were to wake up next morning having gone through some sort of body snatchers experience, whose house would you rather wake up in? Whose car would you rather drive to training? Who sports the best look? These are the questions that we set out to answer.

Anything You Can Do We Can Do Better: Real Madrid Announce Bernabeu Revamp

When Barcelona announced plans to revamp the Camp Nou at a cost of €600 million, the sporting advantages were obvious. The capacity is being upped from 99,354 to 105,000, and, more importantly, a roof is being added to cover the seats around the entirety of the stadium, ensuring that opponents encounter a wall of noise regardless of the significance of the match.

Joey Barton Is At It Again With 44 Illegal Bets In Six Weeks

Do me a favor, try to remember the last time you heard a Joey Barton story that was about his performance. You probably can’t because despite his long, above average career, he has gotten into trouble almost as often as he has scored goals; sometimes even managing to get into trouble when he was already under scrutiny for something else.

Soccer In Cuba: A Photographic Journey To The Heart Of The Island

With the United States preparing for a historic match against Cuba in Havana on Friday, we took a moment to speak with Brazilian photojournalist Gabriel Uchida. In 2014, he travelled to Cuba and "wasn't tough enough to drink Cuban rum the whole day for a week, so [he] decided to spend two days looking for football in the island."

The resulting images paint a picture of a beautiful, vibrant football culture that is still finding its footing in the world's game.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s New Hotel Is A Huge Upgrade On The Holiday Inn

Cristiano Ronaldo’s Pestana CR7 hotel has opened in Lisbon, and, in the timeless words of Chingy, one thing leading to another let the party begin.

The Pestana CR7 Lisboa offers “total digital comfort, premium rooms and service, as well as a sophisticated ambience to spend a few days with a difference in a true CR7 lifestyle.”

The Juventus Story: Black and White Stripes

The Juventus Story: Black and White Stripes is the comprehensive story of the legendary Italian soccer club, chronicling the team’s dramatic journey alongside its longtime devoted owners, the Agnelli family. The book will be published in the United States on November 7th, when a documentary movie with the same title will be released.

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