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La Liga

Barca Guns For Nigerian-Born Dele Alli to Replace Neymar

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The reality of losing Neymar has dawned on FC Barcelona as they have started head hunting for possible replacement for the Brazilian. The club has narrowed the hunt to three English Premiership players.

Among them is the Nigerian-born Dele Alli of Tottenham Hotspur, the prodigy that the 2017 Soccerex report picked as the world’s most valuable player for this year.

Alli was impressive last season in the English Premiership scoring 28 goals. He was once linked with a possible move to Real Madrid.

Other players that Sports Village Square gathered are in Barcelona radar are Philippe Coutinho who was earlier nominated by Neymar, and Chelsea star, Eden Hazard.

Barcelona is believed to see Brazil’s Coutinho as a potential long-term successor to club captain, legend Andres Iniesta in a deeper role than Neymar has occupied.

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Sports Village Square gathered that the shortlist is being drawn in preparation for the imminent departure of Neymar.

The exit of the Brazilian will leave a big gap in the Barcelona team, but that is cushioned by the large sum of money the club will get in return.

With the expected inflow, Barcelona can afford at least two of its three targeted players.

Despite Neymar’s  silence at making any pronouncement, either publicly or even privately to the FC Barcelona officials, it is clear, the Brazilian’s heart is no longer with the club.

He even stormed out of training in anger on Thursday after a burst-up with new comer, Nelson Semendo.

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French publication, RMC, reports that Neymar  has accepted the contract offer from Paris Saint-Germain, with only tax implications left to consider as the six-time French champions actively look to formally trigger a €222m release clause and cut Barcelona out of the negotiations.

The deal is more than double the world transfer record set by Manchester United last summer.

 

Kunle Solaja is the author of landmark books on sports and journalism as well as being a multiple award-winning journalist and editor of long standing. He is easily Nigeria’s foremost soccer diarist and Africa's most capped FIFA World Cup journalist, having attended all FIFA World Cup finals from Italia ’90 to Qatar 2022. He was honoured at the Qatar 2022 World Cup by FIFA and AIPS.

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La Liga

Barcelona seal 29th LaLiga title with 2-0 Clasico win over Real Madrid

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LaLiga - FC Barcelona v Real Madrid - Spotify Camp Nou, Barcelona, Spain - May 10, 2026 FC Barcelona players and coach Hansi Flick celebrate with the trophy after winning the LaLiga REUTERS/Albert Gea

Barcelona turned the Clasico into a coronation ​on Sunday, swatting aside Real Madrid 2-0 at a roaring Camp Nou to claim their 29th LaLiga ‌title.

Hansi Flick’s side moved to an unassailable 91 points, 14 clear of second-placed Real with three games remaining.

The triumph capped a dominant campaign in which they lost only four league matches. Villarreal are third on 69 points.

Real arrived needing victory to keep their wafer-thin title hopes alive, but Marcus ​Rashford crushed those aspirations just nine minutes into the game.

Antonio Rudiger fouled Ferran Torres just outside the box, and ​Rashford bent a superb free kick into Thibaut Courtois’ top-left corner, giving Barcelona the early ⁠lead and sending the home crowd into raptures.

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Nine minutes later, Barcelona doubled the lead. Fermin Lopez crossed into the ​area, and Dani Olmo produced a clever backheel that sent the ball into the path of Torres, who rifled a ​fierce strike into the top corner.

The win completed back-to-back league titles for Flick, who also delivered the LaLiga and Copa del Rey double in his first season last year.

Both sides were heavily depleted. Barcelona were without Lamine Yamal, Raphinha and Jules Kounde from the starting ​lineup.

Real’s list of missing players was longer, with Eder Militao, Dani Carvajal, Ferland Mendy, Arda Guler and Rodrygo all absent. Federico ​Valverde also missed out after suffering a head injury following a midweek changing-room fight with team-mate Aurelien Tchouameni, with both players ‌fined 500,000 ⁠euros over the incident.

Kylian Mbappe did not travel because of a leg muscle injury, forcing manager Alvaro Arbeloa to start Vinicius Jr alongside academy striker Gonzalo, with Jude Bellingham and Brahim Diaz pushing forward in support.

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Real threatened through Vinicius and Gonzalo before halftime, but Barcelona carried the greater menace. Courtois kept the visitors alive with fine saves from Torres ​and Rashford before the interval.

Barcelona ​continued to press after the ⁠break, Rashford repeatedly tormenting left back Fran Garcia down the right, while Courtois produced another sharp stop with his left foot to deny Torres from point-blank range in the ​56th minute.

Bellingham had a goal ruled out for offside in the 62nd minute, and ​Joan Garcia was quick to ⁠deny Vinicius in a one-on-one, preventing the Brazilian from lifting the ball over him.

Real kept probing late on, but there was little bite in their attack, and Barcelona calmly saw out the win before the title celebrations began.

“This title is even ⁠more special ​because we won it at home against Real Madrid. Now it’s time ​to enjoy it with the fans,” Frenkie de Jong told Spanish broadcaster Movistar Plus.

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“Every title has to be celebrated in style. Especially LaLiga, which ​is a year-long competition. We’ve clearly been the best in Spain.”

-Reuters

Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H

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Two goalkeepers sent off for stoppage-time punching brawl in Spanish derby

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Real Zaragoza goalkeeper Esteban Andrada was sent off for punching Huesca captain Jorge Pulido in a fiery ​Spanish second division clash on Sunday that descended into ‌a mass brawl, with Huesca keeper Dani Jimenez dismissed for punching Andrada.

Zaragoza’s Dani Tasende was also dismissed after a VAR review ​of the brawl.

With tensions simmering in a relegation scrap, ​Argentine Andrada lost his composure moments before the ⁠final whistle. Ignoring the run of play, he approached ​Pulido and struck him in the face with his right ​hand, sparking chaotic scenes eight minutes into stoppage time.

It was an ugly flashpoint in a match already short on finesse and heavy on ​nerves, and could carry serious consequences for the goalkeeper.

Huesca ​manager Jose Luis did not attempt to defend the scenes.

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“It’s hard ‌to ⁠explain; I think it’s a complete loss of control. I can put myself in their shoes, given what was at stake and all. But it’s unjustifiable. It’s just that ​I don’t know ​what to ⁠do or how to stop it; a brawl breaks out,” he said.

“It’s ugly; this was ​supposed to be a celebration of Aragonese ​football. I’d ⁠like people to talk about the match, even though it was ugly, with little play but a lot of ⁠hard work.”

Oscar ​Sielva’s goal secured a 1-0 ​win for Huesca, lifting them to 36 points in 19th place, while Zaragoza ​remain second-bottom on 35.

-Reuters

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Laporta re-elected as Barcelona president

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 FC Barcelona elections - Barcelona, Spain - March 16, 2026 Joan Laporta celebrates his victory after being re-elected as FC Barcelona president REUTERS/Albert Gea

Joan Laporta has been re-elected as ​Barcelona president after winning ‌over 68 percent of the vote and ​will begin his ​second consecutive term, and fourth ⁠overall, from July ​1, the club said ​on Sunday.

The 63-year-old took office in March 2021 and stepped ​down last month ​in line with club statutes ‌in ⁠order to seek re-election.

Laporta described the election as a “celebration of ​democracy and ​civic ⁠responsibility” and said the tasks ​ahead included finishing ​work ⁠on the Camp Nou and strengthening the ⁠men’s ​team.

-Reuters

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