Barcelona: Lionel Messi has been cleared by Barcelona's team doctors to play in Argentina's World Cup qualifiers against Colombia and Ecuador. Messi pulled his right hamstring on April 2. He aggravated the same injury a few weeks later, sidelining him for the final three weeks of the Spanish league season. After hosting Colombia on Friday, Argentina travel to Ecuador for another qualifier on Tuesday. Argentina lead the South American qualifying...
05:33 PM, Jun 07, 2013
Madrid: Real Madrid say midfielder Xabi Alonso has undergone surgery after missing several games at the end of last season because of back pain. The 31-year-old Alonso was left out of Spain's squad for the Confederations Cup in June in Brazil because of the problem. Madrid say Alonso was operated on by the specialist Ulrike Muschawek in Munich, Germany. The Spanish club did not indicate how long Alonso is expected...
05:24 PM, Jun 07, 2013
Real Madrid's start Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo has rejected a whopping 118-million-euro offer from Paris St. Germain (PSG), according to media reports. Ronaldo was reportedly offered a four-year contract worth 68 million euros with a signing-on bonus of 20 million euros besides 100 percent of image rights if he were to join the club next summer. In case the former Manchester United striker agreed to join in 2015, when his...
10:43 AM, Jun 06, 2013
Valencia: Valencia have appointed former defender Miroslav Djukic as their new coach through 2014. The club said in a statement on Wednesday that the 47-year-old Serbian replaces Ernesto Valverde, who left the club after they narrowly missed out on a Champions League berth on the last day of the Spanish league season. Djukic played at Valencia from 1997-2003, making 157 appearances. The club, which finished fifth, said "Welcome home, Miroslav...
05:14 PM, Jun 05, 2013
Madrid: Self-proclaimed 'Special One' Jose Mourinho had only one problem with Cristiano Ronaldo when he coached him at Real Madrid -- he thought the world's most expensive player was a bit of a know-it-all. Ronaldo joined Real from Manchester United for around 90 million euros in 2009 and took his goalscoring exploits to new heights under Mourinho, who left Real Madrid to rejoin Chelsea as manager earlier this week. Asked...
02:23 PM, Jun 05, 2013
Manchester: English champions Manchester United have reportedly stepped up their efforts to make Cristiano Ronaldo the signing of the summer. Ronaldo has put his former club on alert after indicating he will not renew his contract at Real Madrid beyond 2015. Real are determined not to sell the Portuguese star this summer but United are convinced they can take advantage to bring him back to Old Trafford, who is still...
09:09 AM, Jun 05, 2013
Madrid: Real Madrid announced their first signing of the summer when it was confirmed that right back Daniel Carvajal has returned after spending a year with German side, Bayer Leverkusen. Real Madrid are thought to have paid around eight million euros ($10.4 million) for the Spain Under-21 international, who prior to moving to Germany, had spent his entire career in the Real Madrid youth system, reports Xinhua. The 21-year-old is...
01:39 PM, Jun 04, 2013
Madrid: Spain winger Jesus Navas will leave Sevilla after 10 seasons and join up with international team mate David Silva at English Premier League side Manchester City, the La Liga club said on Monday. "Sevilla FC has accepted the English club's offer, taking into account the wishes of the player, who will have to pass a medical," Sevilla said on their website www.sevillafc.es). "Navas ... wants to continue his successful...
08:17 AM, Jun 04, 2013
Barcelona: Brilliant Brazil striker Neymar flew into Barcelona and signed a five-year contract amid great fanfare on Monday before announcing his priority was to help his idol Lionel Messi remain the world's best player. The 21-year-old, who is just under five years younger than Messi, will line up with the Argentine in a fearsome Barca attack next season after the Spanish champions beat arch-rivals Real Madrid in the race to...
08:07 AM, Jun 04, 2013
Barcelona: Neymar completed his move to Barcelona on Monday in a deal that unites the Brazil star with Lionel Messi in a formidable attacking partnership. Neymar signed a five-year contract with club president Sandro Rosell after choosing Barcelona over Real Madrid in an intense two-year bidding war between the fierce Spanish rivals. Formalities done, the 21-year-old striker jogged onto the Camp Nou pitch for the first time in his new...
11:37 PM, Jun 03, 2013
Barcelona: Neymar arrived in Barcelona on Monday to complete his deal with the Catalan club, which will see the Brazil star form a formidable attacking partnership with Lionel Messi. Neymar traveled straight to Spain from Brazil's friendly with England in Rio de Janeiro and is set to sign a five-year contract on Monday after choosing Barcelona over Real Madrid, bringing an end to an intense bidding war between the fierce...
07:15 PM, Jun 03, 2013
Barcelona: With Neymar set to become his Barcelona teammate, Andres Iniesta is already predicting a bright future for both the Brazil sensation and the Spanish club. Iniesta says that Neymar is coming "to the best place to grow," and that he expects the 21-year-old star to become even better when paired in attack with four-time world player of the year Lionel Messi. Neymar is traveling to Barcelona to sign a...
03:37 PM, Jun 03, 2013
Madrid: Jose Mourinho expects to be hired as Chelsea coach by the end of the week, confirming widespread speculation that he's set to return to the London club. "I can't speak as Chelsea's coach because I am not it yet," Mourinho told Spanish television program Punto Pelota on Monday. "(but) I will go to London and between Monday and the end of the week I will be the new coach...
01:31 PM, Jun 03, 2013
Barcelona: Barcelona are already aiming to build on their fourth Spanish league title in five seasons by pairing Lionel Messi with Brazil sensation Neymar, while Real Madrid are looking to president Florentino Perez to move past the tumultuous era of Jose Mourinho. Barcelona are set to welcome the 21-year-old Neymar on Monday in their first major signing since the arrival of Cesc Fabregas two summers ago. The move appears to...
11:15 PM, Jun 02, 2013
Madrid: Florentino Perez will take charge for his fourth term as president of Real Madrid from next week, after the club confirmed on Sunday that no one had come forward to challenge him to an election. Last year, the 66-year-old construction magnate won the backing of members for statute changes that make it harder for outsiders to seize control of the world's richest soccer club by income. A potential presidential...
08:05 PM, Jun 02, 2013
London: The Premier League apologised to Chelsea on Sunday after inadvertently publishing a pre-prepared story announcing Jose Mourinho's return to the club. The story, later removed, appeared on the official Premier League website www.premierleague.com with Monday's date and the headline, "Portuguese coach is back at Stamford Bridge after signing a xx-year contract." "Jose Mourinho returns for second stint as Chelsea manager. Portuguese signs x-year-deal," the website added in key points...
06:12 PM, Jun 02, 2013
Rio de Janeiro: England midfielder Frank Lampard said that new Barcelona signing Neymar has the potential to be as good as Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Speaking on Saturday, on the eve of England's friendly against Brazil in the official reopening of the Maracana Stadium, Lampard praised the 21-year-old striker, as reported. "I played against Neymar at Wembley in February and I've also seen some videos of him on Youtube....
02:23 PM, Jun 02, 2013
Madrid: Champions Barcelona matched La Liga's record tally of 100 points in a season and achieved a club-best total of 115 goals after sweeping aside Malaga 4-1 at the Nou Camp in their final game on Saturday. In his first campaign Barca coach Tito Vilanova equalled Real Madrid's points haul set under Jose Mourinho and beat predecessor Pep Guardiola's club record of 114 goals in a season, both set last...
11:48 AM, Jun 02, 2013
Madrid: Argentina striker Gonzalo Higuain says he's leaving Real Madrid after seven seasons to join a club where he is truly "wanted". Higuain has been linked to Juventus. He made his announcement on Saturday after scoring his 121st and final goal for Madrid in their 4-2 win over Osasuna on the last day of the Spanish league. "I feel like my time here has ended, I want a change of...
08:57 AM, Jun 02, 2013
Madrid: Real Madrid beat Osasuna 4-2 on Saturday in Jose Mourinho's last game before his expected return to the Premier League. After the Santiago Bernabeu fans greeted Mourinho with a mix of applause and jeers, Gonzalo Higuain opened in the 35th minute before Michael Essien headed in Madrid's second goal three minutes later. Osasuna rallied to draw level with goals from Roberto Torres and Alvaro Cejudo in the 52nd and...
10:41 PM, Jun 01, 2013
