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La Liga

At last Aubameyang  scores for Barca!

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Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored his first Barcelona goals as they extended their unbeaten run in La Liga to nine matches with 4-1 victory at Valencia.

Aubameyang, who joined from Arsenal for free on 2 February, was making his first start in La Liga and he slammed in the opener from Jordi Alba’s pass.

Frenkie de Jong tapped in a second and Aubameyang converted from close range, despite a VAR check for offside.

Carlos Soler pulled one back before Pedri curled home superbly from range.

Substitute Pedri’s strike may yet be given as an Aubameyang goal – that would secure his hat-trick – because the ball flicked off the Gabon international’s back on its way to the net.

Aubameyang could also have achieved a hat-trick late on when a ball fell his way in the box, only for home keeper Giorgi Mamardashvili to deny the 32-year-old.

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Barca midfielder Sergio Busquets said: “Since Aubameyang arrived, he has been working hard. We know he hasn’t played many minutes this season. He is a fabulous player and having him in the squad, having come here for free, is really positive for us.”

Barca manager Xavi will be thrilled with his side’s efficiency as they extended their unbeaten run in the league, which now stretches back to 4 December.

In the opening half, their three shots had produced three goals as Valencia paid for a slack 15-minute spell where Barca’s quick passing simply clicked.

Valencia – now seven games without a win in the league – thought they had made it 3-1 before the break but Soler was denied when VAR ruled out a first ever goal in La Liga because the ball had gone out of play for a throw in.

Soler thrust a diving header in after half-time but Pedri’s whipped effort ended any hope of a comeback.

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“It’s been an important victory today,” added Busquets. “In the first half we were very efficient. That allowed us to dominate the game. It meant we were calm enough to play in our style. I think it was a good performance.

“In other games we have got ahead but have not been able to dominate and rivals have got back into the game. Today we did the job.”

-BBC

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

Atletico-Real Madrid derby suspended after fans throw objects onto the pitch

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Atletico Madrid v Real Madrid - Metropolitano, Madrid, Spain - September 29, 2024 Atletico Madrid fans in the stands as play is stopped due to crowd trouble REUTERS/Ana Beltran

Sunday’s LaLiga derby between Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid was temporarily suspended in the 69th minute due to fans hurling objects onto the pitch after defender Eder Militao scored the opener for the visitors.

While Real players celebrated the goal in the 64th minute, Atletico ultras Fondo Sur, who are located in the south lower stands, threw objects towards visiting keeper Thibaut Courtois, who alerted the referee and he decided to halt the match.

Atletico captain Koke and defender Jose Maria Gimenez went to the south stand to calm the fans down but the referee ordered the players to go to the dressing rooms as the announcer warned that if the behaviour continued the game would be abandoned.

After a delay of over 20 minutes the players returned to the pitch and the game resumed.

-Reuters

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La Liga

Father of Spain soccer star Lamine Yamal stabbed

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Mounir Nasraoui, father of soccer player Lamine Yamal, smiles in Bar El Cordobes at Rocafonda neighbourhood in Mataro, north of Barcelona, Spain, July 11, 2024. REUTERS/ Albert Gea/File Photo

Mounir Nasraoui, the father of Barcelona and Spain star winger Lamine Yamal, was stabbed late on Wednesday at a parking lot in the northeastern Spanish town of Mataro, La Vanguardia newspaper reported, citing official sources familiar with the matter.

Reuters was not able to independently confirm the report. The regional Mossos d’Esquadra police force and a spokesperson for the Mataro local government did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

According to La Vanguardia report, Nasraoui was taken to the Can Ruti hospital in the nearby city of Badalona and his diagnosis was “serious”. It added that local and regional police had located several witnesses of the incident.

However, a later report by sports website Relevo, also citing official sources, said Nasraoui had been released from hospital and was back at his home.

Yamal, a soccer wonderkid who grew up in coastal Mataro – a working-class, multi-ethnic suburb of Barcelona – became the breakout star of the recent Euro 2024 held in Germany.

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Spain won the tournament, helped in part by the 17-year-old scoring against France in the semifinal on July 9.

-Reuters

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La Liga

Vinicius set to leave Real Madrid one billion euro offer

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Real Madrid and Brazil forward Vinicius Jr is open to an offer of more than one billion euros from Saudi Arabia, sources close to the player told Reuters on Monday.

Vinicius, 24, was approached by Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) officials to inquire about his interest of moving to the Saudi Pro League (SPL) on a five-year contract worth around 200 million euros per season fixed, plus bonuses.

The package would also include a separate 10-year contract to become an ambassador for the 2034 World Cup, which is set to be held in the country, but those terms and financial numbers are yet to be discussed.

Although an official, formal offer has yet to be presented, Vinicius has not dismissed the move and gave permission to PIF to approach Real Madrid.

Despite being “happy and motivated” in the Spanish capital, Vinicius and his representatives believe that a lucrative offer like this needs to be studied carefully.

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Another source close to the player said that Real have shown no interest in negotiating a transfer, highlighting the player’s one billion euro buy-out clause.

Real Madrid and PIF did not respond to requests for comment.

Obsessed to be taken seriously as a soccer force, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia announced a Sports Clubs Investment and Privatisation Project, with PIF taking ownership of 75% of the capital of the country’s four main clubs: Al Ahli, Al Ittihad, Al Hilal and Al Nassr.

The biggest Saudi transfer came from the country’s most successful club, Al Hilal, who spent 90 million euros to buy forward Neymar from Paris St Germain.

With Karim Benzema at Al Ittihad and Cristiano Ronaldo at Al Nassr, PIF tried to persuade France captain Kylian Mbappe to be the big name Al Ahli is still missing last year.

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The forward, however, turned down Saudi’s lucrative offer and joined Real Madrid in June.

The proposal for Vinicius is understood to be similar to the Mbappe offer. The Brazilian would join Al Ahli, linking up with former Premier League players Riyad Mahrez and Roberto Firmino.

Vinicius, who is under contract until 2027 after signing an extension in 2022, is a contender to win the Ballon d’Or award for the best player in the world after helping Real to a Champions League and LaLiga double last season.

-Reuters

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