La Liga
BARCELONA AND REAL MADRID FACE STERN TESTS AHEAD OF CLASICO
Barcelona and Real Madrid are level on points at the La Liga summit and both face stern tests this weekend ahead of their rearranged Clasico clash next Wednesday.
Barca travel to the Basque Country to take on fourth-placed Real Sociedad on Saturday, while Real visit a resurgent Valencia side 24 hours later.
The Catalans, who sit ahead of their great rivals on goal difference with both on 34 points, were able to rest a number of first-team regulars – including Lionel Messi – in Tuesday’s 2-1 Champions League victory over Inter Milan having already qualified for the knockout stages.
After a difficult start to the season, Barca have lost just one of their last 16 in all competitions and coach Ernesto Valverde feels they are clicking into gear at the right time.
“We’re in a good way. It’s good to see this kind of consistency. We had to come through a difficult spell to get to where we are now,” he said.
“We had difficulties, with a number of forwards injured and they had to try and get back into form on the hoof, with little time. We always have to win at this club, the players know and feel it. We are really happy with how things are going and we’ve shown once again that we always want to win, whoever we play.”
Saturday’s opponents Sociedad have stumbled slightly of late after topping La Liga at the start of November, winning just two of their last six to slip to fourth, seven points off the table toppers.
Meanwhile Real, who have won eight of their last 10 in all competitions, travel to a buoyant Valencia, who secured an unlikely berth in the last 16 of the Champions League with an impressive victory away to Ajax Amsterdam in midweek despite missing nine first-team regulars through injury.
Real coach Zinedine Zidane faces a difficult decision on whether or not to rest midfield general Casemiro for the trip to Mestalla.
The Brazilian has started in all of the club’s La Liga matches this season, but he is a yellow card away from missing Wednesday’s Clasico through suspension having picked up four bookings already this campaign.
“He’s played (in the Champions League) and we’ll have a look into it for the next game, and see what we do in Valencia. He hasn’t got much rest, but I’m not going to say what my plan is,” said Zidane.
Third-placed Sevilla will hope to take advantage if either of the top two slip up when they host Villarreal, while Atletico Madrid host Osasuna and Eibar visit Athletic Bilbao in a Basque derby.
-Reuters
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.
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.
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.
“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
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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.
“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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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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