Spanish Clubs

Barcelona has crashed out of the Copa del Rey in the Round of 16 for the first time in 12 years after Athletic Bilbao won in extra time 3-2 on Thursday. This was revenge for Athletic after losing in the final to Barcelona 4-0 last season.

The game got off to a thrilling start when rising star Nico Williams burned Jordi Alba down the right wing before sending in a dangerous cross. Iker Muniain picked up Nico’s ball to score a beautiful goal to send San Mamés wild.

Barcelona forward Ousmane Dembélé must leave the club before the January transfer window closes for both his sake as well as the Catalan club to ensure they get a fee as his contract ends in June, club director Mateu Alemany has said.

Dembélé, who joined Barcelona from Borussia Dortmund in 2017, has failed to deliver on his potential that made the Spanish club pay $119.11 million for his services, scoring only 31 goals in 129 appearances.

Alexia Putellas is the greatest player in the world after winning FIFA’s Best Women’s Player of 2021, the Ballon d’Or and a bountiful amount of trophies. After being inexplicably snubbed from FIFA’s FIFPRO World XI squad, she flexed on her doubters with a game-winning goal in the Supercopa de España Femenina semifinal vs. Real Madrid to win 1-0.

Alexia Putellas became the first woman to win the Ballon d’Or, UEFA Women’s Player of the Year and The Best FIFA Women’s Player in a single year, completing the historic treble on Monday at the FIFA Best awards. But there’s one honor she missed out on, and it’s hard for anyone to explain, though the Barcelona superstar tried her best to make sense of it all on Tuesday.

Matt Miazga earned a second straight start on Tuesday since returning from Covid-19 for Alavés. It was a match he’ll want to forget, committing a shocking mistake to gift Real Betis a goal. The only bright side was Alavés conceded three other goals in a 4-0 defeat, including two beauties I must label Puskás worthy lest I be called out if one actually wins the honor in a year’s time. 

Francisco "Paco" Gento, one of Read Madrid's greatest players and a European champion with Spain, has died at the age of 88, the club said on Tuesday.

Official Announcement: Passing of Francisco Gento.#RealMadrid

— Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadriden) January 18, 2022

A Spanish Cup clash between rivals Sevilla and Real Betis was abandoned on Saturday after Sevilla player Joan Jordan was struck in the head by an object thrown from the stands.

Video replays showed a pole-shaped object hitting Jordan on the head moments after Nabil Fekir had equalized for hosts Betis to draw the last 16 tie level at 1-1 at the Estadio Benito Villamarin.

The official record for highest attendance at a professional women’s soccer game is held by the 1999 World Cup Final at the Rose Bowl between the USWNT and China with 90,185. Unofficially the 1971 World Cup Final between Denmark and Mexico had 110,000 in attendance.

A new candidate for the record is lurking in the shadows to take down the USWNT’s record. On March 30, Barcelona’s women’s team will host Real Madrid in the second leg of the UEFA Women's Champions League quarterfinals at Camp Nou.