Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane defended forward Eden Hazard's mental fortitude after the forward picked up another injury, ruling him out of Tuesday's Champions League meeting with Shakhtar Donetsk.
Belgium national team doctor Kris van Crombrugge had suggested Hazard's injury issues since joining Real were down to mental stress, however Zidane refuted those claims.
Barcelona responded to last weekend’s defeat to Atlético Madrid by comfortably beating Osasuna 4-0 at the Camp Nou on Sunday. Martin Braithwaite opened the scoring, Antoine Griezmann hit an incredible volley before setting up Philippe Coutinho for Barça’s third and Lionel Messi got the fourth with a sweet sweep of his left foot.
Before the match, the life of Diego Maradona — who spent two seasons with Barcelona between 1982 and 1984 — was honored with his No. 10 shirt placed in the middle of the pitch.
Barcelona forward Antoine Griezmann has dismissed talk of a rift with team mate Lionel Messi and said he had nothing to do with recent comments about the Argentine forward from his former agent and his uncle.
Earlier this month, Griezmann's former agent Eric Olhats said Messi's "reign of terror" had made life difficult for Griezmann, while the French forward's uncle said it was not easy to play in the same club as the six-time Ballon d'Or winner.
You know it’s serious when Antoine Griezmann shows up for his own special segment on Movistar+. Most infamously, Griezmann appeared on the network back in the summer of 2018 to announce — in the face of interest from Barcelona — that he was staying at Atlético Madrid with the resounding cry of “My fans, my team, my HOME.”
One summer later Griezmann was on his way to the Camp Nou after Barça met his $142 million release clause, but Monday’s appearance on Movistar+ has to do with what’s transpired since that fractious move.
Mention Diego Lainez to USMNT supporters and they’ll immediately think of Matt Miazga’s relentless trolling of the diminutive winger back in September of 2018. What they won’t recall is that the then 18-year-old was the best player on the field in Nashville, form which he carried over into the Liga MX Apertura playoffs and a $14 million transfer to Real Betis.
Barcelona coach Ronald Koeman has joined other managers in lashing out at the packed European football calendar after deciding to rest Lionel Messi for Tuesday's Champions League trip to Dynamo Kyiv.
Barca lost Gerard Pique and Sergi Roberto to serious injuries in Saturday's 1-0 defeat by Atletico Madrid in LaLiga, leaving them with only three defenders in the first team squad for the trip to Ukraine.
Barcelona were facing an injury crisis as well as a results crisis on Sunday after defenders Gerard Piqué and Sergi Roberto were ruled out for significant periods following injuries sustained in Saturday's 1-0 LaLiga defeat by Atlético Madrid.
Severely depleted Real Madrid conceded a fourth penalty in two games as it drew 1-1 at Villarreal in LaLiga on Saturday, dropping points for the second game in a row.
Zinedine Zidane's side was missing seven players through injury and illness, including the indispensable trio of Sergio Ramos, Karim Benzema and Casemiro, but the champions went ahead in the second minute with a diving header from Mariano Diaz.
MADRID — Barcelona coach Ronald Koeman has played down notions of a rift between club great Lionel Messi and fellow forward Antoine Griezmann.
Earlier this month Griezmann's former agent, Eric Olhats, told France Football that the Argentine had a problem with his ex-client, leading Messi to snap at journalists upon his return from international duty.
When asked about the subject ahead of Saturday's visit to Atletico Madrid, Koeman said the duo get along.
Real Madrid are set to be without captain Sergio Ramos for their Champions League trip to Inter Milan after they confirmed on Thursday that he suffered a hamstring injury on international duty with Spain.
Ramos was substituted in the first half of the team's 6-0 thrashing of Germany on Tuesday.
"After undergoing tests under the supervision of Real Madrid's medical team, Sergio Ramos has picked up a hamstring problem," Real said in a statement.