Football: Depay on target in narrow Barca win over Getafe

BARCELONA (REUTERS) – Barcelona’s Memphis Depay scored for the second game in a row to give his side a 2-1 win at home to Getafe in LaLiga on Sunday (Aug 29) in another unconvincing overall performance from the Catalans. Sergi Roberto put Barca ahead in the second minute, sliding in to meet a Jordi Alba... » read more

Euro rivals taking advantage of La Liga’s decline
Euro rivals taking advantage of La Liga’s decline

MADRID • “Sign him up Florentino,” Real Madrid fans wrote on Twitter before coach Zinedine Zidane was asked if he sent a message to the club’s president Florentino Perez last week. Kylian Mbappe had just destroyed La Liga rivals Barcelona at the Nou Camp and 24 hours later, Erling Haaland did the same against Sevilla.... » read more

Messi on target as coach underlines his worth
Messi on target as coach underlines his worth

BARCELONA • Barcelona coach Ronald Koeman rallied behind Lionel Messi after the Argentinian star delivered a vintage performance in Sunday’s 2-1 La Liga home win over Athletic Bilbao, hours after full details of the captain’s lucrative contract were published in the Spanish media. The 33-year-old hit his 650th goal for the Catalans with a free... » read more

Football: Barca held by Valencia as Messi matches Pele goal haul
Football: Barca held by Valencia as Messi matches Pele goal haul

BARCELONA (REUTERS) – Lionel Messi equalled Pele’s record of 643 goals for a single club on Saturday (Dec 19) but was unable to help Barcelona beat Valencia in La Liga as they had to settle for a 2-2 home draw. Valencia went ahead at the Camp Nou when Mouctar Diakhaby pounced on some slack Barca... » read more

Messi poser hangs over Barca election campaign

BARCELONA • With his contract expiring next summer, Barcelona captain Lionel Messi will be free to talk to clubs from next month. As such, the looming possibility of their greatest player leaving on a free transfer is dominating the agenda ahead of their club elections, now set for Jan 24. The candidates vying to become... » read more

Simeone gets one over Barca after 10-year wait

MADRID • Diego Simeone finally savoured a league victory over Barcelona after 10 seasons in charge of Atletico Madrid but refused to discuss whether the 1-0 win on Saturday proved his side were capable of winning La Liga. The Argentinian had tasted success over Barca – in the Champions League in 2014 and 2016 and... » read more

Barca presidential hopeful keen to keep Messi
Barca presidential hopeful keen to keep Messi

BARCELONA • Lionel Messi must stay at Barcelona so he can lead the team for the remainder of his career and play a strategic role when he retires, according to the club’s leading presidential candidate Victor Font. The six-time World Player of the Year and their all-time top scorer came close to leaving the Catalan... » read more

Crisis Clasico offers platform to prove worth
Crisis Clasico offers platform to prove worth

BARCELONA • Ronald Koeman will know Barcelona can plunge Real Madrid into crisis today, but for him, his first Clasico as a coach is more about vindication. Inflicting a third consecutive defeat in a week on Madrid at the Nou Camp would create the sort of turbulence for their opponents that Barca have grown only... » read more

Football: Sweet 16 for Messi as Barcelona thump Ferencvaros
Football: Sweet 16 for Messi as Barcelona thump Ferencvaros

BARCELONA (REUTERS) – Lionel Messi became the first player to score in 16 consecutive Champions League seasons as he guided 10-man Barcelona to a 5-1 victory over Hungarian side Ferencvaros in their Group G opener at the Camp Nou on Tuesday (Oct 20). Messi netted from the penalty spot in the first half for his... » read more