Notizie

All You need to Know About the viral ‘All Eyes On Rafah’ Post That Bollywood Celebs Shared(Photo Credit –Instagram/Twitter)

Bollywood celebrities are often held to a standard of being idols for the world. These celebrities have used their public platform to highlight or support causes affecting the world. Something similar is happening right now. Bollywood stars like Alia Bhatt, Priyanka Chopra, Varun Dhawan, and more have taken to their social media to share the ‘All Eyes Of Rafah’ post. Chopra, in the past, has also raised money for different campaigns. The stars have supported the attack victims in Rafah by posting viral images. The AI image has over 40 million reshares on the platform. Here’s all you need to know about the viral photo.

The nearly eight-month-old Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza is not going away and is getting worse as neither side can agree on a cease-fire.

Madrid (Spain), Aug 12 (Ians) La Liga champions Fc Barcelona will open their title defense with a difficult away game at Getafe on Sunday evening.

Barca coach Xavi Hernandez should have something approaching a full squad after the club was able to find the necessary finance on Friday to inscribe Ronald Araujo and Ilkay Gundogan into their first-team squad, and others such as Alejandro Balde and Oriol Romeu should have been written into the squad by Sunday’s match.

However, Barcelona have been depleted by the departure of Franck Kessie to Saudi Arabia during the week, while Ousmane Dembele’s move to Paris Saint-Germain was confirmed on Saturday morning.

That means Xavi will still have to include some B-team players in Sunday’s squad, with Fermin Lopez and impressive 16-year-old winger Lamine Yamal also likely to travel.

Araujo’s inclusion in the squad means that either he or Jules Kounde will play at right-back,...

Paris, Aug 12 (Ians) Ligue 1 champions Paris St-Germain on Saturday announced the signing of France forward Ousmane Dembele from Barcelona on a five-year deal.

Dembele joined Barcelona from Borussia Dortmund in 2017 and scored 40 goals in 185 games, winning three La Liga titles. The 2018 World Cup winner, who will wear the number 23.

“I’m delighted to be joining Paris Saint-Germain and can’t wait to play for my new club. I hope I can continue to grow here and make all the club’s fans proud,” said Dembele in a media release issued by his new club.

The 26-year-old played in the World Cup final in December, but a thigh injury meant he missed most of the second half of the season as Barca won the title. He has been capped 37 times by France, scoring four goals, and is Psg’s ninth signing of the summer transfer window.

Psg president Nasser Al-Khelaifi said...

Madrid, Aug 10 (Ians) Cote d’Ivoire midfielder Franck Kessie has departed Fc Barcelona to join the Saudi Arabian club, Al-Ahli, for a transfer fee of 12.5 million euros.

The 26-year-old exits Barcelona just one season after his free transfer from AC Milan. During his stint with the club, Kessie netted three goals in 43 appearances, although he only started in 16 of those matches, Xinhua reported.

“Fc Barcelona and Al-Ahli Sc have agreed on a 12.5-million-euro transfer for the player Franck Kessie,” the official statement read.

Further, Fc Barcelona’s website expressed gratitude, noting: “Fc Barcelona want to take this opportunity to publicly thank Franck for his commitment and dedication and to wish him all the best and every success in the future.”

Kessie bid adieu to his Barca teammates on Tuesday, subsequently underwent a medical in Paris, and then jetted off to Jeddah to integrate with his new team. He has inked a three-season deal with Al-Ahli.

Madrid, Aug 9 (Ians) Fc Barcelona’s head coach, Xavi Hernandez, didn’t dismiss the possibility of bringing Neymar Jr. back to the club from Paris Saint-Germain before the transfer window closes later this month. Barcelona are on the lookout for a successor to Ousmane Dembele, who seems poised to transfer to Psg. Coupled with rumors about Neymar’s dissatisfaction in France, speculations about the Brazilian’s potential return, five years after his departure, have surged, Xinhua reported.

“I can’t say anything because last year, I mentioned the name of a player at another club and they were angry about that (Martin Zubimendi at Real Sociedad). We’ll see what unfolds by the end of the transfer period,” the coach remarked.

While discussions about potential newcomers to Barca are rife, the club grapples with integrating new signings, including Ilkay Gundogan and Inigo Martinez. Even players like Alexander Balde, who have penned new contracts,...

Madrid (Spain), Aug 8 (Ians) As defending champions of La Liga, Fc Barcelona, coached by Xavi Hernandez, will be the team to beat this season. However, several factors could hinder Barca’s title defense and their ambitions in Europe.

The primary point of discussion ahead of the new campaign is that Barca won’t be hosting games at Camp Nou Stadium. Due to significant renovations, they’ll play at the Olympic Stadium, which seats just under 56,000, far less than Camp Nou’s 99,000. Consequently, many fans won’t see games in person, and a running track around the field will distance players from fans, potentially affecting the home advantage.

The Camp Nou has always been a stronghold for Barca. But with the Olympic Stadium not offering the same aura, coupled with potential pitch quality concerns, it may impact Barca’s game play, a Xinhua report said.

For the first time since 2008, the team will miss Sergio Busquets,...

Madrid, Aug 7 (Ians) The Spanish La Liga kicks off a new season under its fresh official name this weekend. Yet, the ‘new’ Liga EA Sports is expected to witness the same teams vying for the title, with Fc Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Atletico Madrid emerging as the principal contenders.

It, however, marks the dawn of a different era for the reigning champions, Fc Barcelona. With seasoned players Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets exiting the club during the summer, the addition of Ilkay Gundogan, Oriol Romeu, and Inigo Martinez should ably fill the void.

Ousmane Dembele’s surprising move to Paris Saint Germain raised eyebrows, and unless Barca secure another signing or Ansu Fati returns to form, their attacking strength, where Robert Lewandowski is about to turn 35, might falter.

Barcelona will play their fixtures in the Olympic Stadium in Montjuic while the Camp Nou undergoes renovation. The dynamics of playing before...

Marid, Aug 3 (Ians) Fc Barcelona midfielder Pedri had good news for the club on the day that coach Xavi Hernandez admitted that winger Ousmane Dembele had said he wanted to join Paris Saint Germain.

Pedri, the 20-year-old Spain international, has also been the subject of transfer speculation, due partly to Barca’s poor financial situation. However, when asked whether he would consider leaving after their 1-0 win over AC Milan in Las Vegas, he was clear about his future, Xinhua reported.

“I keep an eye on the offers that come to me, but they are received by my representatives,” he admitted, before saying “many things have to happen for me to leave this club. It would have to be very bad and very unpleasant.”

“I think it is very unlikely (I would want to leave), Barca is the club of my dreams and I want to stay for many more years,...

Berlin (Germany), June 9 (Ians) Borussia Dortmund shareholders are certainly informed about the club’s official announcements, including the recent news about Jude Bellingham’s transfer to Real Madrid.

While this move may not have surprised many, it adds to the long list of prominent departures the Black and Yellow team has experienced throughout its history.

The departures of Ousmane Dembele (2017/Barcelona/140 million euros), Jadon Sancho (2021/Manchester United/85 million euros), and Erling Haaland (2022/Manchester City/65 million euros) have already established them as well-known figures preceding the highly sought-after 19-year-old midfielder.

Although there are still some minor details to be sorted out between the German and Spanish clubs, the 2012 German champions must now come to terms with the loss of their best performer from the 2022-23 season, reports Xinhua.

Back in 2020, Bellingham joined Dortmund during their pre-season training camp in Switzerland when he was just 17 years old. Initially, he gained the respect...

Madrid (Spain), May 1 (Ians) Fc Barcelona continue to close in on the La Liga title, while at the bottom of the table, things got closer than ever.

Here are four things we learned after the 32nd round of matches in Spain this weekend:

1. Full-strength Barca Are A Different Beast

Although Betis seem to be slipping away at the wrong time of the season, as demonstrated by their 4-0 defeat in Camp Nou, the fact is the return to fitness of Andreas Christensen, Pedri, Frenkie de Jong, and Ousmane Dembele has given Fc Barcelona another dimension, reports Xinhua.

Christensen scored Barca’s opening goal on his return from injury and provided more options to the Barca back four, while Pedri offered something extra all over the pitch, De Jong gave stability and the chance to step forward, and a fit Dembele offered pace and trickery in the attack.

With 15-year-old Lamile...

Madrid, May 1 (Ians) The 33rd round of La Liga matches kicks off on Tuesday night, with an intense end to the season as Copa del Rey finalists Osasuna and Real Madrid prepare for Saturday’s final in Sevilla.

Osasuna travels to face league leader Fc Barcelona, and coach Jagoba Arrasate is unlikely to risk key players like Ante Budimir or Chimy Avila, who are expected to start next weekend. This could be good news for Barcelona as they aim to move closer to securing the title.

Barcelona holds an 11-point lead over Real Madrid and is nearly at full strength, with only Sergi Roberto sidelined due to injury, a Xinhua report said.

Ousmane Dembele continues his gradual return to fitness, and Camp Nou fans will hope to catch another glimpse of 15-year-old Lamile Yamal, who recently became the club’s youngest debutant in their win over Betis.

Real Madrid coach...

Madrid, April 22 (Ians) Fc Barcelona play arguably their most important and difficult game between now and the end of the La Liga season when Atletico Madrid visit the Camp Nou Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

Barcelona go into the weekend with nine games to play and an 11-point lead over second-placed Real Madrid at the top of the table – although that lead will be reduced to eight points if Madrid beat Celta Vigo on Saturday afternoon.

However, Barca’s recent performances have given cause for worry, with Xavi Hernandez’s side unable to score in their last three matches – a 4-0 defeat at home to Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey, a 0-0 draw in La Liga at home to Girona and a 0-0 draw away to Getafe last weekend, a Xinhua report said.

Failing to score in three consecutive matches is something that hasn’t happened to Barca for almost 20 years,...

Madris, April 18 (Ians) Fc Barcelona’s injury problems worsened after it was confirmed that Sergi Roberto will miss the rest of the season with a hamstring injury.

The 31-year-old, who can play in midfield or at right back, was forced out of Sunday’s 0-0 draw away to Getafe in the 15th minute, after feeling a problem in his left hamstring and was replaced by Eric Garcia.

After tests in Barcelona on Monday, the club published a medical report, informing that “the tests carried out this morning have shown that the first team player, Sergi Roberto, has an injury in the femoral biceps of his left leg. He is out and his progress will determine when he is available.”

Roberto had struggled with hamstring problems in recent years, and the injury, which came after 12 consecutive appearances, means he will almost certainly not play again before the league ends on the...

Madrid (Spain), April 15 (Ians) La Liga leader Fc Barcelona visit Getafe on Sunday in what could be a difficult afternoon for Xavi Hernandez’s side.

Barca have decided to travel to the Spanish capital by high-speed train, rather than fly, to cut down on emissions, with the club saying its players will use more sustainable forms of transport from now on where feasible.

The weekend starts with Barcelona 13 points clear of Real Madrid at the top of La Liga, although that lead could be down to 10 points depending on Madrid’s result in Cadiz.

Xavi has once again to deal with a long list of injuries, with Ousmane Dembele, Pedri, Frenkie de Jong and Andreas Christensen all still on the sidelines and likely to remain out until the end of the month.

That once again limits Xavi’s options to rotate his side, and Barca have looked flat in recent matches,...

Madrid, April 13 (Ians) The race for the La Liga title and to qualify for Europe, as well as the struggle to avoid relegation, go head-to-head in some of the key games in Spain this weekend.

League leaders Fc Barcelona travel to Getafe on Sunday afternoon after being held 0-0 at home to Girona on Monday. Barca were clearly handicapped by the absence of Pedri, Ousmane Dembele, Frenkie de Jong, and Andreas Christensen in that game, and none of the quartet are likely to be in condition to start in the south of Madrid.

Getafe disappointed in San Sebastian last weekend, but their 2-0 defeat in the Reale Arena was their only defeat in the last five matches, and any side with Enes Unal, Borja Mayoral, and former Barca striker Munir in attack has to be taken very seriously, reports Xinhua.

Real Madrid are away to Cadiz on Saturday, and with his side 13 points behind Barca,...

Madrid, April 11 (Ians) Fc Barcelona failed to open a 15-point lead over Real Madrid at the top of La Liga but nevertheless extended their advantage to 13 points after a 0-0 draw at home to Girona on Monday night.

Despite the lack of goals, it was an entertaining game, although Barca clearly missed the injured Ousmane Dembele and Pedri once again.

The first half may not have produced any goals, but it had plenty of entertaining football, with both sides creating chances.

Viktor Tsygankov fired just wide for Girona in the opening minute, while Robert Lewandowski and the lively Ansu Fati had efforts just wide at the other end before Girona goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga had to react quickly after Santiago Bueno’s loose back-pass looked to be heading into the net, a Xinhua report said.

Taty Castellanos then fired into the Barca side-netting with the match only in its 12th minute,...

Madrid, April 6 (Ians) Matchday 28 in La Liga could see a major hangover from this week’s Copa del Rey semifinals that will affect both the top and the bottom of the table.

The weekend kicks off on Friday with Jose Luis Mendilibar making his home debut as Sevilla coach as his side entertain Celta Vigo. Mendilibar’s first game in charge saw Sevilla win away to Cadiz, and three more points against a rival that is in mid-table would start to lift Sevilla clear of the threat of relegation.

Osasuna booked only their second Copa del Rey final appearance in their history on Tuesday night as they beat Athletic Club 2-1 on aggregate after extra time and that emotion and 120 minutes of intense football could leave them with heavy legs ahead of their home game against Elche, a Xinhua report said.

Sebastian Beccacece’s debut as Elche coach ended in...

Barcelona, April 6 (Ians) Karim Benzema scored a hat trick as Real Madrid took advantage of important injuries for Fc Barcelona to overturn a 1-0 defeat in the first leg of the Copa del Rey semifinal to book their place in the final with a 4-0 win in Camp Nou Stadium.

Three second-half goals from Benzema after a vital opener from Vinicius Jr on the stroke of halftime put Madrid on their way to a final spot against Osasuna on May 6, reports Xinhua.

Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti picked an attacking side, with Benzema, Vinicius Jr and Rodrygo in attack and Fede Valverde in midfield, while Xavi Hernandez’s options were limited by injuries with Andreas Christensen, Frenkie de Jong, Pedri and Ousmane Dembele all sidelined.

Barca started stronger, with Lewandowski seeing a shot deflected wide and Raphinha heading at Thibaut Courtois before great defending from Ronald Araujo denied Vinicius Jr and a quick Madrid counterattack.

Madrid, April 4 (Ians) Fc Barcelona and Real Madrid meet for the fifth (and final) time this season when they play the return leg of their Copa del Rey semi final on Wednesday night.

After losing 3-1 to Real Madrid in their first meeting of the campaign, Barca have won the last three clashes between the two sides, beating Real Madrid 3-1 in the Spanish Supercup, winning the first leg of the semifinal 1-0 with a defensive display in the Santiago Bernabeu in early March and then beating their eternal rivals 2-1 in their second La Liga meeting in the Camp Nou, two and a half weeks ago.

Although Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti continues to insist that he is relaxed about his future, the Italian must know that very few Madrid coaches who lose four times to Barca in a single campaign are likely to hold on to their jobs.

Madrid (Spain), March 24 (Ians) Fc Barcelona’s injury problems have mounted up again with the news that central defender Andreas Christensen has suffered a calf injury in his left leg.

The 26-year-old had to leave the pitch in the 18th minute of Thursday’s Euro 2024 qualifier between Denmark and Finland, and early indications are that he could be sidelined for at least two weeks.

If that is the case, Christensen will miss at least Barca’s visit to bottom side Elche on April 1 and the return leg of their Copa del Rey semifinal against Real Madrid on April 5, when his side will defend a 1-0 first-leg advantage.

Christensen joined Barca from Chelsea over the summer and has become a key part of a defense that has conceded just nine goals in La Liga all season. His pace, power in the air and ability to play the ball out of defense...

Madrid (Spain), March 16 (Ians) The El Clasico between Fc Barcelona and Real Madrid will again take pride of place in La Liga this weekend, although the last round of matches before the international break is vital at both ends of the league’s table.

Barcelona and Real Madrid have already faced each other three times this season, with Real Madrid winning 3-1 in their first La Liga meeting. Barca beat Real by the same score in the Spanish Supercup and won 1-0 in the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium at the start of March in the first leg of the Copa del Rey semifinal.

That game saw Xavi Hernandez’s side produce an untypically ultra-defensive display without several key players through injury, reports Xinhua.

Robert Lewandowski and Pedri will be back on Sunday, giving Xavi more options than a fortnight ago, although Ousmane Dembele is still sidelined with his muscle problem.

Real...

Madrid (Spain), March 11 (Ians) Fc Barcelona face a difficult visit to Athletic Bilbao on Sunday night a week ahead of the El Clasico clash against Real Madrid.

If Real Madrid beat Espanyol in this week’s encounter, Barca will kick off with a six-point lead over their rivals and a win in the San Mames Stadium would see that gap extended to nine points ahead of the meeting with their title rivals. Any other result would see Madrid go to Barcelona with a chance of moving within touching distance at the top.

Xavi Hernandez’s side are boosted by the return of Robert Lewandowski after a muscle injury that has sidelined him for two weeks, while Gavi is back to provide bite in midfield after his suspension, reports Xinhua.

However, Ronald Araujo misses out through suspension after being sent off last weekend against Valencia, while Pedri and Ousmane Dembele are still injured.

Madrid, March 3 (Ians) Fc Barcelona produced a rock-solid and very untypical defensive display to beat Real Madrid 1-0 at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in the first leg of their Copa del Rey semifinal.

Real Madrid dominated the ball and had Barca pinned back for much of the game, with Frenkie de Jong, Ronald Araujo and Jules Kounde all outstanding; Madrid barely produced a save from Marc Andre Ter Stegen all game.

Without Robert Lewandowski, Pedri and Ousmane Dembele, Barca opted for a pragmatic approach, with Franck Kessie in the starting 11 and Raphinha and Ferran Torres carrying the visitors’ attack.

Real Madrid dominated possession in the first half, with Luka Modric running on goal in the first minute, although the offside flag went up. The flag went up again in the 12th minute to rule out an effort from Benzema after a good cross from Vinicius Junior, who was involved in...

Madrid, Feb 27 (Ians) Fc Barcelona’s injury problems continue with confirmation that striker Robert Lewandowski will miss Thursday’s Copa del Rey semi final first leg with a hamstring strain in his left leg.

The club confirmed the injury in a communique on Monday, explaining his recovery would determine when he returns to action.

The injury means Lewandowski will at best miss Thursday’s game against bitter rivals Real Madrid, as well as next weekend’s home game against Valencia, and the visit to play Athletic Bilbao seven days later, a Xinhua report said.

Barca will hope to have him fit for when they entertain Real Madrid in what promises to be a decisive league clash on March 19.

The Poland international has been in fine form since joining Barca from Bayern Munich last summer, with 15 goals in La Liga, five in the Champions League, two in the Spanish Super Cup...

Madrid, Feb 25 (Ians) Fc Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez attempted to take some importance from his side’s exit from Europe at the hands of Manchester United on Thursday as he spoke to the press ahead of Sunday’s La Liga trip to Almeria.

Depending on the result of Saturday’s Madrid derby, Barca will go into the match in Almeria with a lead of between five and eight points over Real Madrid at the top of La Liga, reports Xinhua news agency.

Xavi’s side now only has domestic competitions to focus on after their exit from the UEFA Europa League on Thursday, which has meant another blow to the club’s economy.

The defeat again sees Barca exit Europe early, but Xavi insisted that his team could still finish a season to remember.

“The message is that this continues,” he said, adding that the “biggest disappointment of the season...

Madrid, Feb 2 (Ians) The second half of La Liga season gets underway this weekend as the fixture pile up continues in Spain.

Athletic Bilbao and Cadiz get the weekend underway on Friday night, with the home side looking for their first league win of 2023. Athletic also need to start scoring goals after having found the net just once in their five league matches since the start of the year.

The fact Cadiz won 1-0 on their last two visits to the San Mames Stadium could be a worry to the home side.

Espanyol’s recovery suffered a setback when they lost to Almeria last weekend, but Diego Martinez’s side has a chance to get back on track against a tough Osasuna. As always, Joselu will be the main threat for Espanyol, having scored 11 of their 23 league goals this season, although home fans will be keen to see some of...

Madrid (Spain), Jan 31 (Ians) Fc Barcelona has a difficult away game against Betis on Wednesday, but Xavi Hernandez’s side travels to Seville with the chance of opening an eight-point gap at the top of La Liga and putting the pressure on Real Madrid.

The match against Betis (along with Real Madrid’s clash with Valencia on Thursday) is played now after being postponed due to Barca and Betis facing each other in the Super Cup earlier this month.

Barca eventually triumphed in Saudi Arabia, but needed extra time and a penalty shoot-out to get past Betis, who currently sits sixth in the table and would move level with fourth-placed Atletico Madrid with three points on Wednesday.

The final day of the transfer window looms over preparations for the game, with rumors that Barca right back Hector Bellerin could move to Sporting Lisbon to help free up space and cash...

Madrid (Spain), Jan 30 (Ians) La Liga has reached the midway point of the season with leader Fc Barcelona five points clear of Real Madrid and a tight battle at the bottom of the table.

Here are the four things we learned this weekend in Spain:

Barca Still Need Lewandowski Back

Fc Barcelona won 1-0 away to Girona on Saturday and extended their lead to five points over Real Madrid at the top of the table, but it was another disappointing display from Xavi Hernandez’s side.

The win comes after they scraped past Real Sociedad 1-0 in the Copa del Rey and only beat Getafe 1-0 in La Liga. Although Robert Lewandowski played in the cup game, he missed the league match against Getafe and a 1-0 win against Atletico Madrid earlier this month, reports the news agency Xinhua.

With Lewandowski suspended, Ousmane Dembele has carried the weight of Barcelona’s attacking football,...

Madrid, Jan 30 (Ians) Tests carried out on Fc Barcelona’s Ousmane Dembele has confirmed that he will be out of action for three to five weeks.

The French international winger had to leave the pitch midway through Saturday evening’s 1-0 win away to Girona, and coach Xavi Hernandez commented afterwards that Dembele feared he had suffered a muscle injury in his left thigh, reports Xinhua news agency.

The club carried out tests on Sunday morning, confirming on their social media sites that Dembele had suffered an injury while adding that “when he is available again will depend on how his injury progresses.”

The nature of the injury means that Dembele will be sidelined for at least three weeks, but given his long history of muscle problems, the club will have to be careful not to rush his return.

That means he will at least miss Barca’s next three La Liga matches against Betis,...

Madrid (Spain), Jan 27 (Ians) Real Madrid and Athletic Club Bilbao joined Fc Barcelona in the semifinals of the Copa del Rey knockout competition after beating Atletico Madrid and Valencia in their respective quarterfinals.

Real Madrid came back from a goal down at home to Atletico after former Real Madrid striker Alvaro Morata finished off a swift passing move from close range, on Thursday night.

Atletico sat deep in the second half, hoping to hold on to their advantage, but a brilliant individual goal from Rodrygo in the 79th minute took the game to extra time.

Atletico were reduced to 10 men in extra time when Stefan Savic was sent off after seeing two yellow cards. Karim Benzema won the tie in the 103rd minute when he followed up at the far post to slide home a cross from Marcos Asensio.

Vinicius Jr scored Real Madrid’s third goal in the last...

Pamplona, Spain, Jan 26 (Ians) Osasuna qualified for the semifinals of the Copa del Rey with a 2-1 win at home to Sevilla on Wednesday night.

Chimy Avila opened the scoring after a knockdown from substitute Ruben Garcia in the 70th minute of a tight game in which Sevilla controlled the first half, and Osasuna was the better side after the break, reports Xinhua news agency.

However, just when it looked as if the side from Pamplona had booked their place in the last four, Sevilla striker Youssef En-Nesyri forced extra time with a 95th-minute equalizer as he finished Suso’s cross from close range.

Sevilla started extra time strongly, but Osasuna won the game when Jon Moncayola’s ball from the back found Ez Abde and the winger turned Loric Bade before beating Bono with a low shot to send the home fans wild.

Barcelona also reached the semifinals after...

Madrid (Spain), Jan 23 (Ians) The 18th round of games in Spain saw both Fc Barcelona and Real Madrid win their respective games, while Real Sociedad continue to press on their heels in third place.

Here are some things we learned in La Liga this weekend.

1. Barca don’t have to show their best

Pedri’s first-half goal was enough to give Fc Barcelona a win at home to Getafe and keep Xavi Hernandez’s side three points clear of Real Madrid at the top of La Liga.

It was far from a vintage display from Barca against a rival that posed more problems than many might have expected, but with Ousmane Dembele looking lively in attack and Barca’s defense keeping up an impressive record that has seen them concede just six goals in La Liga all season, they did just about enough to win.

Andreas Christensen deserves a special...

Riyadh, Jan 16 (Ians) Young Barcelona midfielder Gavi starred as Fc Barcelona beat Real Madrid 3-1 to win the final of the Spanish Supercup, here.

The 18-year-old gave two assists and scored one of Barca’s three goals in a complete display in the King Fahd Stadium as Barca outplayed their historic rivals for nearly all of the game to give Xavi Hernandez his first title since replacing Ronald Koeman as coach 14 months ago, reports Xinhua news agency.

Real Madrid brought Luka Modric, Dani Carvajal and Ferland Mendy into their starting 11, while Andreas Christensen, Alex Balde and Sergio Busquets were all in for Barcelona.

With both sides playing an extra man in midfield, space was at a premium in the first half, with challenges not allowing players time on the ball.

The first chance fell to Robert Lewandowski, who controlled at the edge of the area and fired in a low...

Riyadh, Jan 16 (Ians) Young Barcelona midfielder Gavi starred as Fc Barcelona beat Real Madrid 3-1 to win the final of the Spanish Supercup, here.

The 18-year-old gave two assists and scored one of Barca’s three goals in a complete display in the King Fahd Stadium as Barca outplayed their historic rivals for nearly all of the game to give Xavi Hernandez his first title since replacing Ronald Koeman as coach 14 months ago, reports Xinhua news agency.

Real Madrid brought Luka Modric, Dani Carvajal and Ferland Mendy into their starting 11, while Andreas Christensen, Alex Balde and Sergio Busquets were all in for Barcelona.

With both sides playing an extra man in midfield, space was at a premium in the first half, with challenges not allowing players time on the ball.

The first chance fell to Robert Lewandowski, who controlled at the edge of the area and fired in a low...

Riyadh, Jan 11 (Ians) Real Betis and Fc Barcelona square off in the second semifinal of the Spanish Super Cup on Thursday night.

The game pits the winners of last season’s Copa del Rey with La Liga’s runners-up, with the other semifinal between Real Madrid and Valencia on Wednesday. The final will be held on Sunday.

Betis have travelled without their left-back Alex Moreno, who is due to fly to Birmingham on Wednesday to complete a move to Aston Villa.

Betis president Angel Haro has also refused to rule out listening to offers from Atletico Madrid for Spain international striker Borja Iglesias, who has scored eight league goals this season.

The good news for Betis is that striker Juanmi is now fit and will be able to provide cover in attack, while Juan Miranda will play at left-back against his former club, reports Xinhua.

Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez has...

Madrid, Dec 29 (Ians) The Spanish La Liga returns to action on Thursday after a six-week break for the FIFA World Cup. Here are some things to look out for in the coming days.

1. How will Barca do after World Cup efforts?

No club provided more players to the World Cup than Barcelona, who had 17 players in Qatar, with Ousmane Dembele and Jules Kounde playing in the final with France. While most teams were able to enjoy a mid-season break, most of Barca’s squad were hard at work and the lack of first-team members in Spain also complicated Xavi Hernandez’s job of organising training sessions.

The effects of tiredness may not be felt straight away as Barca visit local rivals Espanyol, but they could affect Barca’s form in the coming months.

Meanwhile, the club will be without Robert Lewandowski against Espanyol due to suspension but could have central...

Doha, Dec 20 (Ians) The 2022 World Cup final will go down in history as one of the greatest ever, as Argentina won 4-2 in a penalty shootout after the scoreline was locked at 3-3 at the end of extra time. And, Gonzalo Montiel will forever be remembered as the player who scored the winning spot kick, with the Sevilla Fc right-back displaying cool confidence to send France captain Hugo Lloris the wrong way and to kickstart the celebrations.

Not only was it a historic penalty, but it was also a brilliantly executed one. The full-back didn’t even look at Lloris and, with the world watching, he focused solely on the ball, dispatching a solid and sure kick to his left.

That made it ten penalties converted from ten penalties attempted in the 25-year-old’s career, after he started taking spot kicks while working under Marcelo Gallardo at River Plate. “We...

Qatar, Dec 19 (Ians) France manager Didier Deschamps said his players suffered from a “lack of energy” in the team’s penalty shootout defeat to Argentina in the World Cup final here on Sunday.

Lionel Messi and Angel Di Maria struck first-half goals to give Argentina a 2-0 lead at Lusail Stadium but two late goals from Kylian Mbappe forced the match into extra time. Messi restored Argentina’s advantage in the 108th minute before Mbappe scored a late penalty as the game went to a penalty shootout.

Aurelien Tchouameni and Kingsley Coman failed to convert shootout attempts for France as Argentina lifted the trophy for the first time since 1986.

“We were facing a strong opponent and also lacked a bit of energy from some of our key players,” Deschamps was quoted as saying by Xinhua news agency. “But some of our younger players came on and brought freshness and quality.

Lionel Messi’s Argentina beat France to clinch the World Cup title in a lively game at the Lusail Stadium in Qatar Sunday evening.

The South American side beat the holders 4 – 2 on penalties. Argentina is the first country from outside Europe to lift the trophy since Brazil, which did so 20 years ago in Japan. It’s also the country’s third World Cup title after wins in 1978 and 1986.

The first 80 minutes of the final were largely one-sided, with France failing to have a single shot on goal for the entire first half. Argentina opened the goal-scoring in the 20th minute with Messi calmly converting a penalty given away by Ousmane Dembélé.

Argentina doubled their lead in the 35th minute when Ángel Di María raced to the end of a through-ball from Alexis Mac Allister. The dynamic attack was, once again, started by Leo Messi, who ran the show from the start,...

The virus in the French camp caused Dalot Upamecano and Adrien Rabiot to miss the semifinal against Morocco and has also affected central defenders Raphael Varane and Ibrahima Konate besides winger Kingsley Coman, who didn’t participate in the training session on Friday due to a cold — a fact which the French football federation confirmed on Friday.

The three players worked individually at the gym, the federation said. It’s not clear whether they will be available for the game against Argentina on Sunday.

Striker Randal Kolo Muani said on Friday that the squad were taking precautions.

"Those who are sick stay in their room," he said. "They’re being taken care of by the doctors and we’ve been enforcing social distancing.

"We’re very strict about it."

Fellow forward Ousmane Dembele said: "We’re not scared of that virus. Dayot and Adrien got a bit of a stomach ache,...

Doha, Dec 16 (Ians) The Spanish football team may have flown home after losing to Morocco in a penalty shootout in the last 16 but the Spanish football league is still going to be well-represented in Sunday’s World Cup final between France and Argentina.

Fifteen of the 52 players in the France and Argentina squads currently ply their trade in La Liga, with that rising to 16 if we count Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema, who flew back to Spain with a muscle injury but was never replaced in the French squad by coach Didier Deschamps.

Atletico Madrid may not be having the best of seasons, but they are the most represented club with Antoine Griezmann, Rodrigo de Paul, Angel Correa and Nahuel Molina all at Atletico, reports Xinhua.

Bayern Munich also have four players involved in the final, with: Pavard, Upamecano, Coman and Lucas Hernandez all in the French squad although Lucas...

Doha (Qatar), Dec 3 (Ians) The second day of matches in the last-16 sees England play Senegal while France play Poland. Here are some things to look out for on Sunday in Qatar.

1. France back and firing on all cylinders

France rested almost their entire first-choice side for their last group match after having already secured their place in the knockout stage, with their big players such as Kylian Mbappe and Antoine Griezmann only coming on in the closing minutes as they chased the game against Tunisia.

Coach Didier Deschamps will have his strongest line-up out against Poland on Sunday, with Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele and Olivier Giroud in attack, Griezmann in the hole behind them and Adrien Rabiot in the middle. They should be fresh and they should have few problems in reaching the quarterfinals.

2. Poland need a change of attitude

It’s not usual to see a side celebrate a defeat,...

Doha (Qatar), Nov 25 (Ians) France striker Olivier Giroud is likely to be the centre of attention when France face Denmark in a Group D match on Saturday looking to book their passage into the tournament’s last 16.

Giroud now has 51 goals for his country and another will see him overtake Thierry Henry as France’s all-time top scorer.

The big striker scored twice as France kicked off their World Cup title defense with a comfortable 4-1 win against Australia, becoming the first reigning champions to begin the following tournament with a win since Brazil in 2006.

That win, coupled with the 0-0 draw between Denmark and Tunisia, means another French triumph in Stadium 974 will see them into the next round.

The Australia game saw another addition to France’s long injury list, with Lucas Hernandez suffering a season-ending cruciate ligament injury in the opening minutes.

Lucas joins an injury list containing Karim Benzema,...

Madrid, Nov 7 (Ians) Atletico Madrid’s poor week continued late on Sunday when they were held to a 1-1 draw in the Metropolitano Stadium by Espanyol, despite the visitors playing for over an hour with 10 men.

Leandro Cabrera was slightly unlucky to be shown a direct red card after being adjudged to have committed a professional foul on Alvaro Morata in the 28th minute, but Atletico were unable to take advantage and were booed off at halftime.

Things got even worse for Diego Simeone’s men in the 62nd minute when Sergi Darder put Espanyol in front after good work from Joselu, but Joao Felix saved a point with a powerful volley with 12 minutes remaining, reports Xinhua.

Real Sociedad were also reduced to 10 men early in their 1-1 draw at home to Valencia when Aritz Elustondo caught Samuel Lino with a full set of studs.

The side from San Sebastian...

Madrid, Oct 24 (Ians) Real Madrid continued to steamroller over their rivals, while Barcelona claimed a convincing win over Athletic Club Bilbao in Matchday 11 in La Liga. Here are some things we learned this weekend in Spain.

No Change As Real Madrid Roll Past Sevilla

Federico Valverde scored another powerful shot to round off Real Madrid’s 3-1 win at home to Sevilla, which was more comfortable than the final score suggested.

Only for a brief while after Erik Lamela’s 53rd-minute equaliser did the game threaten to escape Carlo Ancelotti’s men and once they recovered their balance, there was never the feeling they would not win the game.

There is a total belief in this Real Madrid side that they have the talent and the energy to beat their rivals and currently, nobody epitomizes that more than Valverde, who once again was a ball of non-stop energy, and who...

Madrid, Oct 24 (Ians) Fc Barcelona remain three points behind Real Madrid at the top of La Liga after a 4-0 win at home to Athletic Bilbao on Sunday night.

One of Barca’s best performances of the season coincided with Bilbao’s worst as Barca led 3-0 at the break thanks to Ousmane Dembele’s 12th-minute header, followed by Sergi Roberto’s 18th-minute shot, which took a slight deflection to lift it over Athletic keeper Unai Simon.

Robert Lewandowski added a third in the 22nd minute and Bilbao weren’t helped by Ander Herrera limping off injured, reports Xinhua.

Herrera’s replacement Dani Garcia also had to go off injured in what was a relatively tepid second half which saw Ferran Torres score Barca’s fourth following a pass from Dembele.

Atletico Madrid moved third after a 2-1 win away to Real Betis thanks to two goals from Antoine Griezmann.

Madrid, Oct 19 (Ians) Fc Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez is expected to bring changes when his side entertains Villarreal at Camp Nou on Thursday.

The game comes on the back of last week’s 3-3 draw at home to Inter Milan, which almost ended Barca’s hopes of advancing in the Champions League and Sunday’s 3-1 defeat to Real Madrid, where Barca rarely looked as if they were going to get anything from their eternal rivals, reports Xinhua.

Barca were flat and lacked a change of pace in the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium and also looked vulnerable to Madrid’s rapid counterattacks: something that Villarreal, with players such as Arnaut Danjuma, are also highly effective at.

Xavi is likely to bring Ansu Fati into his starting 11 for Ousmane Dembele, whose form has dipped in recent matches, while youngster Gavi also looks certain to be back in the side.

Veteran midfielder Sergio Busquets...

Madrid (Spain), Oct 13 (Ians) Fc Barcelona were held 3-3 at home by Inter Milan in a thrilling match in the group stage of the Champions League which means it will take a miracle for them to continue in the tournament.

The result on Wednesday night leaves Barca with four points from four games, three behind Inter in Group C, who have the better head-to-head record and who will ensure their place in the next round with a win at home to Viktoria Plzen, who have lost all four group games, conceding 16 goals in the process.

Barca, meanwhile, have to win at home to Bayern Munich and away to Plzen and hope Inter fail to win either of their remaining games.

The match turned into an end-to-end thriller, with the result in doubt until the final whistle.

Inter began brightly and Edin Dzeko had the first chance with a header that...

Madrid (Spain), Sep 30 (Ians) Injuries have affected the plans of Fc Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez ahead of his side’s visit to play Mallorca on Saturday.

The international break saw Ronald Araujo, Jules Kounde, Memphis Depay and Frenkie De Jong all pick up injuries (long-term ones in the case of Araujo and Depay), while Kounde and De Jong are unlikely to be fit for Saturday.

To make matters worse for Xavi, right back Hector Bellerin suffered a calf injury in training and is also out of action for between two to three weeks.

That means Sergi Roberto is almost certain to start on the right of the Barcelona defense, although the fact he is recovering from injury means Eric Garcia could be asked to move across from central defense, with Gerard Pique partnering Andreas Christensen at the heart of the back line.

Sergio Busquets, Gavi and Pedri look likely to play in midfield,...

Madrid (Spain), Sep 30 (Ians) The seventh round of matches in La Liga comes after the international break caused problems for some players and put others into the spotlight.

Here are some things to look out for this weekend in Spain.

The Williams Show In San Mames

Athletic Club Bilbao striker Inaki Williams made his debut for Ghana and quickly followed it up with his first start when they played Nicaragua on Tuesday. Inaki opted to represent his parents’ homeland after visiting the country in the summer and has quickly become a hero for the ‘Black Stars’.

While Inaki picked Ghana, his 20-year-old younger brother, Nico opted to play for Spain and made his debut last Saturday, with an impressive cameo in Spain’s defeat against Switzerland.

He then set the last 20 minutes of Spain’s win away to Portugal on fire and gave the assist for the only goal of...