La Liga
MANCHESTER UNITED WADES INTO BALE’S NIGHTMARE AT REAL MADRID
With Gareth Bale set for a showdown talks with Zinedine Zidane over his future at Real Madrid, Spanish newspaper, Marca has reported that Manchester United are keen at getting the Welsh player.
Bale hit out at Real Madrid in a recorded interview, for making it ‘very difficult’ for him to leave, and admitted he would consider a return to the Premier League.
According to Marca, Real Madrid are preparing ‘operation exit’ for the frustrated Welshman following his return from international duty.
It adds that Jose Mourinho would ‘love to have’ Bale at Tottenham, but chairman Daniel Levy has ‘no money’.
While it is clear both parties believe it’s better for the 31-year-old to leave the club, Real have not had any offers as yet and there is the complicated issue that they are unwilling to pay off the remaining two years of his salary.
According to Daily Mail, Bale’s €17million (£15.1m) wages over his remaining two years would mean Madrid would have to negotiate a possible €34m (£30.2m) pay-off which they are not in a position to do.
Following Bale’s interview with Sky Sports, the winger and Zidane are set for an awkward face-to-face meeting to try to facilitate the end of his Madrid nightmare.
Bale has has been frozen out of the Madrid set-up Zidane. . The player who joined Madrid in 2013 in a then world-record £86million deal from Tottenham , only played 20 times in all competitions last season, cut a dejected figure during their title celebrations and has become infuriated with the club’s handling of his potential departure.
Speaking to Sky Sports, Bale also expressed frustration at Madrid thwarting his mega-money move to the Chinese Super League. He was on the brink of a move to Jiangsu Suning on a three-year deal reported to be worth in the region of £1m per week.
He said: ‘Last year they blocked everything at the last second, so it was a project that I was excited for last year but it didn’t materialise.
‘There have been other incidents when we’ve tried to go but the club wouldn’t allow it or have done something, so as for the club, what can I say.
‘I want to play and I’m still motivated to play football so I guess it’s on the club really. I can’t really do much, they are in control of everything. I have a contract so all I can do is carry on doing what I’m doing and hopefully something comes up.
‘As I’ve said it’s in the club’s hands and they make it very difficult, to be honest.’
Asked if he is keen to move to the Premier League again, Bale added: ‘As I said it’s not really in my hands, I think it’s one of those situations if offers arrived it would be something I’d look at for sure but we will have to see what happens.
‘We have got plenty of time left in this transfer window and others as well but time will tell. Mainly the reason is the decision is in Real Madrid’s hands.’
Marca state that Bale’s Madrid team-mates are ‘indifferent’ to his situation as they already see him ‘out of the club’ after he was left out at games against Leganes and Manchester City at the end of last season.
Madrid are determined to offload some players including James Rodriguez who is set for a move to Everton, so they can therefore spend on new players.
Manchester United have been linked with Bale on numerous occasions in recent years.
So far this summer, they have made just the one signing – Donny van de Beek from Ajax for £40m.
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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