La Liga
LUIS SUAREZ PASS ITALIAN CITIZENSHIP EXAM
Juventus’ target, Luis Suarez has achieved the B1 certification diploma after a one-hour examination in Perugia Italy this Thursday. By this, according to Italian publication, Gazzetta dello Sport, he has passed the examination.
He was greeted by photographers, journalists and Juventus fans as he arrived earlier in the day for the exam. He was reportedly tested in four key areas: listening and comprehension of oral texts, reading and writing in Italian, how to use Italian on a daily basis and a face to face dialogue to test his speaking skills.
Suarez has been deemed surplus to requirements at the Nou Camp by new boss Ronald Koeman and that has accelerated interest in him from Italian champions Juventus.
But with Andrea Pirlo limited as to the number of non-EU (European Union) players he can acquire in one window, the club needed Suarez to pass his exam in Perugia and acquire dual nationality to make a transfer possible this month.
Suarez took part in training with his Barcelona team-mates earlier on Thursday before flying to Perugia for the university exam.
Juventus have already brought in Brazilian international Arthur Melo and Unites States midfielder Weston McKennie this summer, limiting their options in pursuit of the 33-year-old striker.
The transfer deadline closes on October 5 but Suarez’s appearance at the university in Perugia on Thursday is the clearest indication yet that he is pushing to secure a move to Turin to join Juventus.
Suarez arrived in denim shorts, trainers and a white Puma t-shirt as he was seen wearing a face mask due to the ongoing health concerns for players amid the coronavirus pandemic.
There were reported jeers on his arrival at the university with some passers-by making jokes about Giorgio Chiellini, who Suarez famously bit at the 2014 World Cup when playing against Italy for Uruguay.
Juventus had been said to have become pessimistic about the finer details of the deal being worked out by passing an Italian language exam is a major step forward for Suarez’s hopes of securing the move.
Koeman appeared to offer no olive branch of a return for Suarez after Barcelona’s 3-1 friendly win over Girona on Wednesday.
‘I’ve spoken to him about his future and we are waiting to see whether or not he leaves, we still don’t know,’ Koeman told Catalan network TV3.
‘But we respect every contract here and if in the end he does not find a club and he stays, he will be just like any other player in the squad.’
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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