On Friday, Andres Iniesta’s first season in Japan will come to a close following Vissel Kobe’s home match against Vegalta Sendai. Given Kobe’s mid-table standing, it’s certainly been a new experience for the Barcelona legend, but attendance is up 17.4 percent at the club and Iniesta has contributed two goals and three assists in 13 appearances.
Barcelona stayed atop the LaLiga table following a 1-1 draw with Atlético Madrid yesterday, but the Blaugrana stars were less than enthused by the approach of Diego Simeone’s men at the Wanda.
Atlético scored with its only shot on target (a Diego Costa header off a Antoine Griezmann corner), but the home side limited Barcelona to just two shots on frame themselves (a Lionel Messi free kick straight at Jan Oblak and Ousmane Dembélé’s late equalizer).
Atletico Madrid was close to one of its trademark wins against Barcelona — Diego Costa scored on a set piece and the defense shut the door on the other end.
Then Ousmane Dembélé stepped up with a great equalizer in the 90th minute to cap an intense top-of-the-table 1-1 draw at the Wanda.
Barcelona came into the match with a one-point lead over Sevilla and Atletico atop the LaLiga table (Real Madrid far back in sixth after losing 3-0 earlier in the day).
For all the reported leaks in the footballing world right now — Cristiano Ronaldo rape allegations, Financial Fair Play improprieties, Sergio Ramos testing positive for a banned substance — one leak is more surprising than any other this season. The one in Real Madrid’s defense. In particular, Thibaut Courtois stats with Los Blancos after a shocking 3-0 loss to Eibar on Saturday.
When it comes to transfer rumors and Paris Saint-Germain, you never get further than the superstar front three of Neymar, Kylian Mbappe and Edinson Cavani.
France’s international break was a little disappointing from a competitive standpoint. The World Cup champions lost to the Netherlands and missed out on a chance to be in the UEFA Nations league finals next summer.
But it wasn’t totally a lost cause because of these boots Antoine Griezmann laced up to play against Uruguay in a friendly on Tuesday.
It’s been almost 180 days since Sergio Ramos put Mohamed Salah into a judo hold, fun-cussed Loris Karius and gave Roberto Firmino the flu by sweating on him, but to Liverpool’s Dejan Lovren, it still smacks of yesterday.
The Croatian defender has gone full-on Dani Alves of late, telling anyone and everyone under the sun about his every whim and desire, and we’re here for it.