Atletico Madrid defender Filipe Luis has claimed that Barcelona and Real Madrid s duopoly of Spanish football is unfair.
Barca and Real have occupied the top two positions in La Liga for the last five seasons, with the last league winner outside the dominant pair coming in the 2003-04 season when Rafael Benitez led Valencia to success.
Both Barcelona and Real receive significantly more television money than any of their fellow La Liga sides, only enhancing the imbalance between the powerful sides, and those who are struggling.
Filipe, who joined Atletico from Deportivo La Coruna in 2010, does not believe La Liga is the most exciting league in the world because of Barca and Real s dominance, and claims the title race is not interesting to him in most seasons.
We a…
Germany may have the pedigree of three-times World Cup winners, but Joachim Loew s side will not have an easy ride against Australia, Ghana and Serbia in Group D.
The Germans dominated their qualifying group on the road to South Africa, humbling Russia home and away, but each of their group rivals also finished top of their qualifying groups.
Having reached the final of Euro 2008, Germany have largely been untested since losing to Spain in the final, but have a balance of promising talent and seasoned veterans even without injured captain Michael Ballack.
Germany tend to cope well with the pressure of the knock-out stages and have won all four penalty shoot-outs they faced at previous World Cups.
But Loew is taking nothing for granted and his side, capta…
Real Madrid made Spanish football history as they drew 3-3 in a thrilling Copa del Rey clash with Sevilla that sends them into the quarter-finals with a 6-3 aggregate win.
Karim Benzema equalised with the last kick of the match to book their place in the last eight and set a record of 40 games without defeat, surpassing the tally set by Luis Enrique s Barcelona.
Madrid were without Cristiano Ronaldo and Luka Modric as Zidane appeared to put faith in the 3-0 lead built up in the first leg, only to see his side fall behind nine minutes in through a Danilo own goal.
Sevilla attacked relentlessly and fully deserved their half-time advantage, although Wissam Ben Yedder in particular wasted glorious chances to build a bigger lead that could have made Madrid more nervou…
Marc Wilmots says his top priority after taking charge of Ivory Coast is coaxing Yaya Toure out of international retirement.
Wilmots was confirmed as the Elephants new coach on Tuesday, with the side still smarting from their group-stage exit at this year s Africa Cup of Nations.
Ivory Coast had travelled to Gabon as reigning champions, with Toure captaining the side to a penalty-shootout final win over Ghana in 2015.
I know how important it is to have experienced players. It s not yet over for Toure, we ve got to get him back, Wilmots said.
The Yaya Toure case will be one of my first missions.
I ve seen the last two games that he played for Manchester City in a defensive midfield position. He s always great, he s so good phys
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Harvey Barnes has suffered a setback in his return from a knee injury, ruling the winger out for not just the remainder of the domestic season but also Euro 2020.
Leicester City boss Brendan Rodgers confirmed on Wednesday that Barnes – who has not played since a 3-1 home loss to Arsenal on February 28 – underwent a second operation to clean out the knee.
The procedure means the Foxes will have to do without the 23-year-old for the Premier League run-in, as well as the FA Cup final against Chelsea on May 15.
Barnes scored nine goals and provided four assists in 25 league games for Leicester, who are on course to qualify for next season s Champions League with a top-four finish.
We ve had a slight setback with Harvey, Rodgers told the media.
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Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson paid tribute to manager Jurgen Klopp for his impact on the Premier League champions and is convinced the German is just getting started.
After 30 years without a league title, Liverpool finally ended their drought this season, blowing away the competition as they finished 2019-20 18 points clear of second-placed Manchester City.
Their haul of 99 points is the second-highest in the competition s history, while they wrapped it up with seven games to go – a feat no side has ever accomplished before.
Liverpool also won the UEFA Super Cup and Club World Cup this term, but their Champions League defence ended at the hands of Atletico Madrid in March, Chelsea knocked them out of the FA Cup and Aston Villa beat a second-string side in th…
Barcelona midfielder Andres Iniesta, who scored the extra-time winner for Spain in the World Cup final against the Netherlands, said Tuesday he always believed his side could win the trophy.
I always had faith and confidence. I had a lot of confidence in this team from the very first moment, he told a Barcelona news conference.
To make millions of people who follow the national team happy and suffer along with us has no price and it pleases me. The happiness of other people is priceless, the 26-year-old added.
Iniesta collected a pass from Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas during Sunday s match to fire home from close range just four minutes from the final whistle, triggering massive street celebrations across Spain.
It was the first World Cup win for Spai…
An emotional Raul said his last farewell to the Real Madrid supporters on Monday ahead of his proposed move to German first division side Schalke.
At a press conference preceding the farewell party at the Bernabeu for the 33-year-old striker and his long-standing teammate Guti, who is also leaving the club, Raul said: It is a very difficult day for me, one of the most difficult of my career.
I will never forget you, he said in an address to the club s supporters. Real Madrid has been my home I think that one day I will return to the club.
These last 15, 16 years you have highs and lows, he added. Last season, I played a lesser role in the team and decided that maybe it was the right time to try a new life in another country.
The club announced on Su…
West Bromwich Albion boss Pepe Mel has confirmed his interest in signing Arsenal winger Joel Campbell during the summer transfer window.
Campbell, 21, played under Mel at Real Betis in 2012/13 and the latter has hinted he could make a summer move for the Costa Rica international, assuming he is still in charge of the Baggies.
The 21-year-old ace, who officially joined Arsenal in August 2011, was finally able to secure a work permit in England last summer but was deemed surplus to requirements by Arsene Wenger and subsequently loaned to Greek giants Olympiacos F.C.
Campbell has been a revelation for the Greek champions this season, tallying eight goals including an absolute screamer against Manchester United in the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 in…
Sunderland s move for Liam Bridcutt looks to have stalled after Brighton and Hove Albion revealed they had turned down his transfer request.
Sunderland, who are managed by former Brighton boss Gus Poyet, sit bottom of the Premier League table and are looking to bolster their squad in the January transfer window.
They have been regularly linked with a move for the 24-year-old Bridcutt, who has played at Brighton since joining on a free transfer from Chelsea in July 2010.
And the Championship club confirmed Sunderland s interest in the midfielder on Wednesday, releasing a short statement that said they had turned down the midfielder s plea to leave.
Further to reports in today s media, Brighton and Hove Albion can confirm that a transfer request from Liam Bridcutt …