The FC Barcelona decided yesterday to suspend the tribute that, together with the Spanish Federation, was going to be dedicated tonight to its eight world champions taking advantage of the match between the blaugrana team and Athletic Club at the Spotify Camp Nou. The players are the Catalans…
Real Madrid could describe the draw for their 57th participation in the Champions League as favorable. The Whites have avoided several favorites, and only the match against Arsenal and perhaps against Inter Milan seems like those that, a priori, Jose Mourinho’s team will find more difficult or even start at a disadvantage. They should not have the same problems as last season to get into the top 8 and advance directly to the round of 16. Interestingly, Mourinho’s Benfica sent Álvaro Arbeloa’s team to the round of 32. And both teams ended up facing each other.
The Champions League begins. Barça met this afternoon its eight rivals in the league phase of the top continental competition, which it has not won since 2015 and aims to conquer in Hansi Flick’s third year leading the blaugrana team. More experienced, more mature, and with the same enthusiasm as always.
That carnivorous Real Madrid, which leaves no remains of its rivals even for the hyenas, appeared at times in the season’s opener at the Bernabéu against a Real Sociedad that had just won the Cup, resurrected with Matarazzo, and celebrated the world title of its captain Mikel Oyarzabal (4-1). In other contexts, Real, as Espanyol was last week, would have choked Madrid; it seems that won’t happen with Mourinho, who stirred up his lads at halftime and resolved the match clearly, lifting their fans from their seats when their best players connected and at the same time found spaces.
Esther González, who was a world champion with Spain in 2023, has surprised women’s football by signing with Al Qadsiah FC of the Saudi league until 2027. A video with her new jersey with the number nine on the back and a message for the fans welcomes the 33-year-old from Granada, who recently terminated her contract with American club Gotham after playing two seasons since leaving Real Madrid.
The president of FC Barcelona, Joan Laporta, has confirmed that the club will not hold the planned tribute to the international footballers who were world champions with Spain this Thursday. At Camp Nou, an “act of exaltation of the estelada” will be held. In this context, the ANC and Òmnium Cultural have called to fill Camp Nou with estelades this Thursday. The decision comes after the controversy generated in Elche, where estelades were confiscated from Barça fans and police charges occurred, and a Barça member with whom the club has been in contact was assaulted.
Julián Alvarez, forward for Atlético de Madrid, was absent from Wednesday’s training with the rojiblanco team due to an “indisposition,” according to the club, in the team’s return to work after last Sunday’s draw against Villarreal.
Hansi Flick faces Barça’s league debut at the Spotify Camp Nou against Athletic Club (21:00) with several key names on the table. There is one week left before the transfer market closes, and Barcelona has several files to resolve. Among them, the situation of Alejandro Balde, the future of the goalkeeping position with the arrival of Livakovic, the condition of Lamine Yamal, and, although he does not like to talk about players who are not part of his squad, everything was understood when he spoke about Julián Alvarez.
With a sleeveless shirt, as if he were a New York Knicks point guard, Carlos Alcaraz returned 133 days later to an official tournament in the mixed doubles at the US Open alongside the legendary 23-time Grand Slam winner Serena Williams (44 years old). The player from Murcia grabbed all the attention after missing two ‘majors’ and returning thanks to a great opportunity due to the withdrawal of Jannik Sinner, world number one, a rival of the Spanish tennis player in a sports career that has connected them for years.
The KNVB Campus appears among the trees of Zeist as a small city of Dutch football. At the entrance, the past welcomes the present: a circle of bronze statues brings together the great myths of Oranje, from Johan Cruyff and Johan Neeskens to Frank Rijkaard, Ruud Gullit, Marco van Basten, or Edwin van der Sar. In the center, Rinus Michels, the coach that Cruyff himself chose to lead the Oranje of the century.