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Cristiano Ronaldo News: “It will be a big test for us to stop Ronaldo,” Dutch midfielder admits

2019-06-08T23:36:00.004-07:00

What is the story?

Netherlands midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum is looking forward to the prospect of facing Cristiano Ronaldo in the UEFA Nations League final, with the Liverpool star admitting that it will be a “big test” for the Dutch to contain the Portuguese talisman.

In case you didn’t know…

Wijnaldum played the whole 120 minutes of the Netherlands' 3-1 extra-time triumph over England in the Nations League semi-finals. The midfielder was at his very best with his physicality and work ethic against a resilient English side.
On the club front, Wijnaldum enjoyed the best season of his career as he played an instrumental role in Liverpool’s sixth European glory. The Dutchman chipped in with two crucial goals against Barcelona in the Champions League semi-final second leg, which helped Liverpool to make a historic comeback against the Spanish champions.
On the other hand, Portugal booked their place in the Nations League final after thumping Switzerland 3-1 in the other semi-final, courtesy of Ronaldo's brilliance. The 34-year-old was at his scintillating best as he bagged another hat-trick for his national side.

The heart of the matter

Speaking in the pre-match press conference, ahead of the final, Wijnaldum stated that the Dutch are embracing the challenge of stopping one of the best players in the world.

"I'm happy that we play against him.

"You always want to play against the best players in the world. It will be a big test for us to stop him.

"We all look forward to playing a game against Ronaldo, but it's not only him. He has a big influence on the team, and it's difficult to stop it. They have more players who can make the difference, as a team we have to do well to stop them."

What’s next?

The Netherlands will have their task cut out when they face Portugal in the Nations League final at the Estadio do Dragao tonight.

Real Madrid Transfer News: Los Blancos defender given the freedom to decide his future amid incoming signing

2019-06-08T23:30:00.003-07:00

What's the story?

Real Madrid's veteran left-back Marcelo Vieira has been given the freedom to decide his future at the Bernabeu, if reports are to be believed. Los Blancos are happy to allow the Brazilian to choose his next destination, if at all he opts to hit the exit doors.

In case you didn't know...

Real Madrid are set to seal the deal for Lyon left-back Ferland Mendy for a reported £50 million. With the arrival of the 24-year-old full-back, Marcelo, even under the tutelage of Zinedine Zidane, would be used a backup for the Frenchman.
It is left to the Brazilian to decide whether he'd wish to stay and fight for whatever game time that comes his way, or pick a more distinguished role elsewhere.
The 31-year-old has been linked with Italian giants Juventus in the past. Cristiano Ronaldo, who left Real Madrid for the Bianconeri last summer, maintains a good relationship with the veteran full-back.

The heart of the matter

While having a dreadful season with the Los Blancos, Marcelo was replaced by Sergio Reguilon during the helm of the former boss, Santiago Solari.
With the return of Zinedine Zidane in the Santiago Bernabeu dugout, Marcelo returned to the starting XI, though, he failed to impress again. Now that the 13-time European champions are on the verge of signing Ferland Mendy, the four-time Champions League winner is most likely to play a secondary role next season.
On the other hand, Sergio Reguilon, who has expressed his desires to stay in Madrid, awaits Marcelo's decision.
Not to forget, Los Blancos loanees, Theo Hernandez and Achraf Hakimi, are other full-backs who'd be in contention when their loan deals expire.

What's next?

Out of respect to a legendary career he has had at the Santiago Bernabeu, Los Blancos are happy to let the Brazilian decide his future.
It remains to be seen whether he'd wish to stay or follow the path of his best friend, Cristiano Ronaldo.

Cristiano Ronaldo News: World map portrays Ronaldo’s supremacy in World football

2019-04-12T23:59:00.000-07:00

What's the story?

A newly released map from NSS Magazine perfectly depicts Ronaldo’s dominance in the footballing world.
The 34-year-old Portuguese superstar has already scored in almost 30 countries throughout the world which includes continents like Europe, Asia, and South America.

In case you didn’t know….

Despite impressing at Sporting Lisbon, Ronaldo became the superstar at the Manchester United under the guidance of Sir Alex Ferguson where he won first of his five Ballon d'Or.
The Portuguese moved to the Spanish capital in the summer of 2009 where he scored a staggering amount of 450 goals in just 438 appearances. Ronaldo was a key cog in Real Madrid’s success at the European level. During his 9-year tenure at Madrid, Cristiano helped Real to win 4 Champions League and three on the trot.
Since signing for the old lady of Turin in the summer of 2018 in a transfer worth €100 million, Ronaldo has already scored 24 goals and also provided 12 assists for his teammates.
Recently, Ronaldo inspired Juventus to pull off a stunning comeback against Atlético Madrid which saw them through to the last eight of the Champions League.

The heart of the matter

Recently, a new Google graphic map was released. It pinpointed every stadium Cristiano has scored in from his Sporting Lisbon days to his current Juventus talisman period in Serie A.

Ronaldo's domination in world football

The king of Europe

Most of his goals came in Europe because he has only played in European region throughout his entire career and being a Portuguese, the chances of playing in South America was very less for him, unlike Lionel Messi. Though Ronaldo is yet to score in regions like Africa, North America and Oceania but his superiority in Europe is mind-boggling.

What’s next?

Ronaldo is expected to miss Juve's next game against Empoli in Serie A due to a muscular injury which he suffered while playing for his national side. However, he is expected to be fit against Ajax in the all-important UEFA Champions League quarter-final showdown on the 10th of April.

Barcelona Transfer News: Catalans submit sensational bid to sign another Ajax star

2019-04-10T05:37:00.000-07:00

What’s the rumour?

FC Barcelona after securing the services of Frenkie de Jong for €75 million are chasing another AFC Ajax sensation. The Catalan side are now in pursuit of Matthijs de Ligt. Representatives of the player have been in constant contact with the club as the talks have reached an advanced stage.
The Spanish side have been scouting the Dutch international for a while now and have made their intentions clear after submitting their opening bid for the youngster.

In case you didn’t know…

De Ligt and De Jong have been instrumental for Ajax this season and have been demonstrating their talent in stellar performances they have been putting week in week out.
De Ligt at the tender age of 19 is captaining the Dutch side Ajax which goes on to show he is quite mature for his age and a leader on the pitch as well.
The Dutch international was even crowned the 2018 Golden Boy as the most promising Under-21 player in Europe. De Ligt was picked over the likes of Justin Kluivert, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Vinicius Jr and Cutrone.

The heart of the matter

According to Sport, Barcelona have submitted their opening bid for Ajax's captain, Matthijs de Ligt. Barca have offered around 60 million euros plus variables for the Dutchman and a five year contract on similar numbers to that which they gave his friend and team-mate Frenkie de Jong.

Barca offer 60 million for Matthijs de Ligt! https://t.co/LGs38AN7dP
— SPORT English (@Sport_EN) March 20, 2019

The Ajax sensation has been vied by Barcelona as the possible starlet who could replace the veteran Gerard Pique in the future and thereby securing the Barca back line for at least a decade. De Ligt is a highly talented defender who will easily adapt to Barca's philosophy.
The Catalans face stiff competition from Juventus who also seem keen to land the young sensation but the tide seems to favour the Cules since De Jong's signing have made De Ligt wanting to unite with his fellow countryman. Ajax's captain has also been giving Barca hints after they knocked Real Madrid out of the UEFA Champions League.

What's next?

Barcelona's back line has already been flocked by the likes of Samuel Umtiti, Clement Lenglet, Gerard Pique, Murillo and Todibo but the Spanish giants have assured the Dutch international he would be a key player for them in the future as well as present.
The Catalans look in pole position to sign their man but face stiff competition from Juventus, PSG and Bayern Munich and it all depends on the player now who is very much tempted by Barca's interest in him.

Paul Pogba believes Lionel Messi is 'extraordinary' and 'far above the rest'

2019-03-22T00:00:00.002-07:00

What's the story?

Manchester United star Paul Pogba has hailed Barcelona ace Lionel Messi, calling him an 'extraordinary' player who is 'far above the rest'.

In case you didn't know...

The Red Devils are currently preparing for the first leg of their Champions League quarter-finals clash against La Liga giants Barcelona, in a fixture that has been deemed to be the most entertaining one of the last eight in the competition.
United miraculously overturned their 2-0 deficit against Paris Saint-Germain in the second leg of their Round of 16 fixture to secure a spot in the quarter-finals. Romelu Lukaku and Marcus Rashford found themselves on the scoresheet to cap yet another crucial win for manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
Barcelona, on the other hand, progressed to the next stage of the Champions League after an individual masterclass by Messi, who scored two goals and provided two assists to make Lyon succumb to a 5-1 defeat.

The heart of the matter

Speaking of the much-awaited fixture against the Catalan giants, Pogba told Eurosport (via GiveMeSport):

"Barcelona are a team I always watch. You can always learn as a midfielder, I like watching football. Their system, their culture...it can always help me."

"Barcelona is a great team, one of the best in the world. They have extraordinary players."

"It's a match where I want to have fun. Playing against one of the best teams in the world is always a pleasure. It's a team I lost against in the Champions League Final [2015, Juventus], but it's always good to play against the best."

Pogba saved some praise for Messi, saying:

"He is the best of all. Barca have great players and, above all, an extraordinary one that is far above the rest."

What's next?

The first leg clash between United and Barcelona has been scheduled to take place on April 10 at Old Trafford.

Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea players were instructed to foul Lionel Messi, reveals leaked scouting report

2019-03-20T05:35:00.000-07:00

What's the story?

The Times UK has reported that Chelsea players under Jose Mourinho were instructed to foul Barcelona ace Lionel Messi during their Champions League Round of 16 clash against the Catalan giants in 2006.
This was revealed in a leaked scouting report that was published on the Performance Analysis in Action Twitter account earlier this week.

In case you didn't know...

Chelsea went head-to-head against Barcelona in the Champions League Round of 16 fixture that saw the Premier League outfit crash out of the competition after a 3-2 aggregate loss to the LaLiga side.
What comes to mind following the leak is the red card left-back Asier Del Horno received for a challenge on Messi in a game that saw the Argentine overcome an array of similar challenges.
Barcelona went on to win the European title that season after defeating Arsenal at the Stade de France.
The heart of the matter
The leaked report noted that should the Chelsea players foul Messi, they should do so outside the box and "as early as possible". It also claimed that Barcelona constantly aims to "simulate free-kicks and penalties", while also attacking a number of legends like Ronaldinho and Carles Puyol.
There were claims that Ronaldinho was a “constant cheater” and Carles Puyol "gets crazy with referees", among many damning individual assessments.
The publication of the report has raised many questions into the disgraceful manner Messi has been targeted during the fixture.

What's next?

Mourinho has since responded to the leak, denying any involvement in the scouting report. Speaking to The Sun, the former Chelsea boss said, "I am sorry to disappoint those I think I wrote the reports, but I did not. The reports are not mine. I did not write them."
"The last report I wrote I have it at home. I was in Barcelona and this was in the 1999/2000 season."
"I was assistant and I shared with other colleagues the responsibility of analysing and preparing documents about our opponents for the manager."
"Since I arrived at Benfica and until now my analysis never became official reports, but key ideas that helped me to prepare the training work and the matches planning."
"Official reports were always done by analysts, assistants and computer technicians, but never by me."

'Florentino Perez thought Cristiano Ronaldo was overrated' states former Real Madrid President

2019-03-20T05:31:00.004-07:00

What's the story?

When Cristiano Ronaldo left for Juventus, it was widely circulated that he left because Real Madrid President, Florentino Perez refused to raise Ronaldo's wages to match that of Lionel Messi and Neymar.
The recurring clashes between Ronaldo and Perez may have culminated last year, but according to former club President, Ramon Calderon, there was a bit of tension even before Ronaldo had even joined the club.

In case you didn't know...

Cristiano Ronaldo is a legend at Real Madrid as he elevated the club back to its true giant status at the top of world football. Despite only playing there for 9 years, Ronaldo scored an unbelievable 450 goals in just 438 games.
Ronaldo's status at the club is so huge that he will be forever associated with the Los Blancos in the same way that Raul, Zidane, and Di Stefano are. Nevertheless, Ronaldo's time in Madrid, despite the huge amount of success, wasn't always smooth sailing.

The heart of the matter

Whether it was due to his displeasure of the Spanish Media, or the fan's treatments of the players, there have been occasions where Ronaldo wasn't always happy at Real Madrid.
This was also the case with the controversial President of Real Madrid, Florentino Perez, who is seen by many as the reason why Ronaldo ultimately left the club in 2018. A current which ran through their relationship was the feeling that Perez didn't respect Ronaldo enough, despite all he had done for the club.
When Real Madrid were trying to sign Cristiano Ronaldo in 2008, the negotiations almost fell through, as according to Ramon Calderon, "the President (Fiorentina Perez) said that Cristiano was overrated,”
Calderon then claimed that Ronaldo had learned about this and even said he was giving up the £30m (a fee that had to be paid). Calderon further added, “He did not understand how Florentino was doubtful about him and there started a disagreement that lasted nine years"

What's next?

These recent comments made by Ramon Calderon, shed a lot of light on the fiery relationship between Ronaldo and Perez, showing that the duo had gotten off on the wrong foot right from the start.
This incident set the seed for almost a decade of disagreement which ultimately concluded with Ronaldo's departure to Juventus.

LaLiga 2018-19: El Clasico available exclusively on Facebook Watch in India

2019-02-26T05:45:00.000-08:00

El Clasico, the biggest club fixture in the world will be streamed live and free only on Facebook Watch on 3rd March 2019 in the Indian subcontinent.

LaLiga signed a landmark deal with Facebook before the start of the 2018/19 season for telecast of all LaLiga matches in the region.

The legendary rivalry between Real Madrid CF and FC Barcelona is the most anticipated fixture for football fans across the globe. Fans in India can watch the match live and free on Facebook Watch in the early hours of Sunday morning.

It’s been a LaLiga season to remember, and one of the most competitive campaigns in Spanish top-flight history. FC Barcelona lead the way, but their great rivals Real Madrid CF are only 9 points behind ensuring plenty on the line when the two sides meet on the 3rd March.

Live studio coverage will be hosted by Joe Morrison. The popular presenter will be joined by former Real Madrid CF defender Michel Salgado and former English top-flight goalkeeper and fan favourite John Burridge.
Fans can follow LaLiga’s official Facebook Page to add their match to their Watchlist.

Broadcast Details for El Clasico:

Date: 3rd March 2019 (Sunday)

Kick-off Time: 1:15am IST (On-Air 0:15am IST)

Destination: Facebook Watch via the LaLiga Official Facebook Page

FC Barcelona Makes Their Run Smooth In La Liga By Taking 3 points Against Real Velladolid

2019-02-17T01:38:00.000-08:00

FC BARCELONA (1) REAL VELLADOLID (0)

-Lionel Messi-43Min(P)

FC Barcelona faced Valladolid in the LaLiga Matchday 24. Winless in the month of February, FC Barcelona were looking to get back to winning ways in LaLiga. Ernesto Valverde rotated his starting 11 ahead of the clash against Lyon in the Champions League.
Kevin-Prince Boateng started ahead of Luis Suarez and Arturo Vidal started ahead of Ivan Rakitic. Ousmane Dembele found a place in the starting lineup upon his return from injury. Clement Lenglet was rested and Thomas Vermaelen started in central defence.
The Valladolid side started in a 3-5-2 formation. There were not many chances in the first half for both teams. Barcelona took the lead through Lionel Messi's penalty in the 43rd minute after Gerard Pique was bundled down in the box.
In the second half, Valverde brought Suarez, Coutinho, and Rakitic on but still, there was no change in the scoreline. Lionel Messi missed a penalty late in the second half.
Barcelona are still on top of the table with a 9 point lead over Real Madrid, at least till they play against Girona on Sunday. The Blaugrana will now travel to Lyon for their Champions League game.

#5 Real Valladolid come out with one intention, sneak a point

Valladolid had only one thing in mind from the first minute itself. They were trying to defend the game, get a point, and get the heck out of Camp Nou. There was not even one shot on target from the Valladolid team. There was no counter-attacking or pressing from them either.
Sergio González structured his team for this purpose as well and it has to be said he did it really well. The 3-5-2 formation outnumbered Barcelona in the midfield and allowed the Valladolid side to keep track of all the midfielders. Lionel Messi was man-marked and had to dribble and create things on his own rather than finding players. There was little to no gap to find other players.
The frustration on the face of Lionel Messi told how stubborn the Valladolid team had been. It did break eventually with the likes of even Gerard Pique offering attacking support but it was a near-flawless plan from the underdogs.

#4 Barcelona turn the heat up in the second half

The game yesterday was a great example of how football is truly a game of two halves. In the second half, Ernesto Valverde's gentle tweak worked effectively. To overcome the difficulties of the physical pressure Barcelona needed more manpower.
Kevin-Prince Boateng was taken off for Luis Suarez in the 60th minute. Suarez's involvement was different from Boateng and his movement around the defence caused positional problems. He helped Messi get unmarked at times, thanks to the dangerous presence that he is.
Philippe Coutinho's introduction 10 minutes later proved to be a good move too. Coutinho had a lively game making good diagonal runs and overlaps catching the defence out of position. Sergio Busquets too pushed up with Pique defending the hole and at times, even he went forward to attack, thus creating an extra man for Valladolid to mark.
Barcelona were unlucky and at the same time horrific with their finishing, which led to the scoreline being stuck at 1-0. Not the most convincing of performances but Barcelona sure stepped up to what was in front of them- a solid defence.

#3 Jordi Masip haunts his former club

Jordi Masip denying Kevin-Prince Boateng in the game. There is no player backing up in goal. He also saved a penalty from Lionel Messi.

Who is Jordi Masip? Born in Sabadell, Barcelona, Masip moved to the club's famous academy La Masia in 2004, when he was 15 years old. He played for Barcelona B from 2008-14 as a third choice during his first years, going on to make 74 appearances. In 2014, he was promoted to the first team but hardly featured due to the presence of Claudio Bravo and Marc Ter Stegen ahead of him.
In 2017, he moved to his current team Real Valladolid. Masip had a solid first game against Barcelona at their home earlier this season. This time he came to their home to haunt them. Already with 7 clean sheets under his belt, he looked poised to get an 8th. Masip made 7 saves in total and all of them came from close-range.
He denied Luis Suarez from dead in front of goal in a 1v1 and he did the same to Leo Messi. He also denied KPB from scoring in the first half.
Even from the spot, Masip had the upper hand over Messi. He dived the right way during the first penalty but the shot proved to be too good. In the second half, during the second penalty, he dived the right way and saved it before saving Messi's rebound header.
The former Barcelona man kept his team in the hunt till the very end and also kept the scoreline respectable. A Man of the Match performance from Jordi Masip.

#2 Barcelona need a striker ASAP.

It is what the club has been looking for and it has been quite a while. There have been talks of Barcelona gunning for a young striker but eventually, they ended up signing Kevin-Prince Boateng on loan. Yesterday's game from Kevin-Prince Boateng shows that he does not deserve to be a permanent member of the roster and should leave for Sassuolo.
He missed a clear 1v1 against Masip and also took too long to take a shot on another occasion. He is hardly involved in the play and does not confuse defences with his runs. Also, he is too slow.
Luis Suarez is good when it comes to being involved or making confusing runs in front of the defence. But age is catching up with El Pistolero and he is not at the sharpest with his passes.
He missed three clear-cut chances against Valladolid, all three of which should have ended up in the back of the net. Suarez has also missed the most big-chances in Europe's Top 5 Leagues (24). He is one of the reasons why Messi's assist tally is stuck at 10.
Suarez is also getting older and cannot play every game at his sharpest. Luka Jovic, Kasper Dolberg, Nicolas Pepe, Timo Werner, all could be a good long term replacement for Suarez. Barcelona needs one of these guys and not any goal poacher. Hopefully, they can get one of them, they have to. There is not a way around it.

#1 Gerard Pique's mammoth performance: One of the most underrated players

Gerard Pique and Sergio Ramos are two of the most hated people in football. However, the latter is appreciated highly enough for his defensive talents and leadership qualities. Gerard Pique is unlucky enough to be booed by people of his own country, called slow and finished by his own fanbase, and not be considered among the all-time greats as a defender.
To be really honest, Pique is one of the best personalities that one could come across. He is a great defender, very good in 1v1 situations, great in anticipation and tackling, and is a great ball player.
He is one the better leaders on the pitch too, motivating his defense, helping out in the attack, doing his duties well. Due to his blunt attitude, people hate him. He is very vocal about his likings, his support for Catalan independence, and pretty much everything else.
Take his performance against Valladolid. He helped in holding the defensive line and when he saw that the forwards needed help, he drove forward. Pique's presence in the front provided an extra man to pass, and defence had one more man to watch out for. He won the penalty for Barcelona due to which they won the game.
He had 7.1% of the team's possession, the most for any Barcelona player. He had 95% pass accuracy while making 79 accurate passes, the most by any player in the game. And to add to it, he also won five aerial battles.
For how much more time are we going to underrate Gerard Pique? Barcelona have been depending on him for the last 5 to 6 games.