Real Madrid & Barcelona News

The set-pieces: Espanyol 1-2 Real Madrid

BARCELONA, SPAIN - AUGUST 22: Arda Guler of Real Madrid takes a corner during the LaLiga EA Sports 2026/27 match between RCD Espanyol de Barcelona and Real Madrid at RCDE Stadium on August 22, 2026 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Diego Souto/Getty Images) | Getty Images Real Madrid’s 2-1 win over Espanyol at the RCDE Stadium last weekend saw Madrid produce eight shots from set-pieces, while Espanyol did not register a shot from theirs. Madrid had 26 dead balls during the match: nine free kicks, nine goal kicks and eight corners. They won the first contact on 12 of their 16 deliveries and won three of four aerial duels. Seven of Madrid’s eight set-piece shots came in the second phase, meaning the shot followed an initial touch rather than being the first contact from the delivery. Jude Bellingham scored from a free-kick sequence in the ninth minute. Of Madrid’s deliveries, five went into central areas and two into the six-yard box. They also delivered once each to the edge of the box, wide of the box, the left half-space and the right half-space. Madrid produced two set-piece shots in the first half and six in the second. There were 16 dead balls before half-time, with five for Espanyol and 11 for Madrid. The second half had 23, with eight for Espanyol and 15 for Madrid. Espanyol had 13 dead balls in total: 11 goal kicks and two free kicks. Their two deliveries both went into central areas. Espanyol lost the first contact on both and did not produce a shot. All 13 of Espanyol’s dead balls came while the score was level. Madrid had 21 dead balls while the game was level, producing all eight of their set-piece shots during that game state. Their other five dead balls came while they were leading.

Do Barcelona still need to sign a left-footed center-back this summer? Evaluating three potential targets

Castello Lukeba (RB Leipzig) looks on during match day 33 1.Bundesliga, RB Leipzig and St. Pauli, Red Bull Arena, Leipzig, Germany on May 09 2026. (Photo by Ulrik Pedersen/NurPhoto via Getty Images) | NurPhoto via Getty Images Every year it feels the same. Barcelona reach the semi-finals or quarter-finals of the Champions League, play some incredible attacking football, and somehow find a way to lose it all in the space of a few minutes. First Paris Saint-Germain in 2024 (when Ronald Araujo received a red card), then Inter in 2025 (where Barca’s high-line was repeatedly exposed and Inter scored seven goals), and finally, Atletico in 2026 (when Pau Cubarsi received a red card in the first leg and Eric García was sent off in the return). The Champions League continues to haunt Barca and leaves fans with the same question: what could have been done differently? There’s clearly something missing at center-back, and it’s been a problem since Iñigo Martínez left. These defensive frailties raise questions about how far Barcelona can go in the Champions League. This season could look different, though. Araújo has already left on loan to join Liverpool, and Alejandro Balde’s future seems uncertain currently. If the left-back were to depart, a defensive reinforcements looks likely. So who could be our potential left center-back signing? Flick and Deco reportedly want someone fast, comfortable on the ball, and able to play a high line: three names in particular keep cropping up. Aymeric Laporte – Athletic Club He’s a proven leader at centre back. During the World Cup, he linked up brilliantly with Pau Cubarsi for Spain, conceding just once in eight matches together. Athletic only signed him last September on a deal until 2028, and won’t want to sell him to a direct rival. Sporting director Mikel González has already insisted Laporte is going nowhere this summer. Relations between Barcelona and Athletic remain tense, and it’s been reported he would cost €80 million. If Barcelona could negotiate a fee, he’d be a great short-term fix. Castello Lukeba – RB Leipzig A young centre back with great potential to grow, who could provide a long-term solution for the LCB position. Lukeba has made over 80 Bundesliga appearances in three seasons already, plus 12 Champions League games. Last season he completed over 90% of his passes, won half his aerial duels, and made 127 ball recoveries. He’s physical, fast, and comfortable carrying the ball forward, though aerial duels aren’t quite his strongest suit yet. Leipzig value him at around €60 million and are in no hurry to sell, having just waved goodbye to Yan Diomande in a deal worth €125 million, and have Lukeba tied down to a long-term contract until 2029. Both Flick and Deco seem to like him most, but this looks a tough deal to complete. Natan – Real Betis The Catalans have reportedly held preliminary talks with Real Betis, and he’s valued at around €25-30 million. He also checks a lot of the boxes the Blaugrana would be looking for in an LCB: Tall (6 feet 2 inches), fast (one of the fastest players in La Liga, with an average speed exceeding 33.5 km/h), good on the ball, dominant in the air, and a front-footed, aggressive defender capable of playing in a high line system such as Hansi Flick’s. Here’s where it gets interesting, though. Rodri’s arrival has already eased some of Barca’s defensive worries. He’s a world-class midfielder who can drop deep, control the tempo, and take pressure off our centre backs. But let’s be honest, he’s a midfielder solving a midfield problem. He’s not going to win headers in his own box or make that last-ditch tackle when everyone else has been beaten. And these are the exact moments where we’ve been losing Champions League ties the last three seasons. So now tell us what you think! Do Barcelona need to sign another center-back? If yes, who?

Xavi hopes time at the ‘university of football’ will end with Dutch success

Barcelona legend wants to emulate Johan Cruyff’s total football philosophy after taking over as the Netherlands head coach “My feeling today is that I’m going to the university of football.” Those were Xavi Hernández’s opening words at his presentation as the Netherlands coach on Tuesday. “I learned a lot from this university of football during my career as a player and as a coach. I have many connections with this country.” Those connections date back to when Xavi was drafted as a youngster into La Masia, the famed Barcelona academy whose fundamentals are rooted in Dutch total football, inspired by Rinus Michels and Johan Cruyff. Xavi’s first-team debut came under Louis van Gaal, and he spent many years under Frank Rijkaard before becoming one of the main pillars of the dream team under Pep Guardiola, who was hugely inspired by Cruyff. Continue reading...

Delap heads to Forest for £50m as Chelsea open talks to sell Jackson to Aston Villa

Forest to pay club-record £45m plus £5m in add-ons West Ham’s Diouf likely to join Brentford soon Nottingham Forest have agreed a deal worth £50m to sign Liam Delap from Chelsea, who have also opened talks over selling Nicolas Jackson to Aston Villa. Xabi Alonso has made João Pedro and Danny Welbeck his main strikers this season, leaving his other frontmen to seek opportunities elsewhere. Continue reading...

Xavi Espart set to be promoted to Barcelona first team and handed new squad number

UDINE, ITALY - AUGUST 08: Xavi Espart of FC Barcelona looks on during the during the Friuli Venezia Giulia Cup match between Udinese and Barcelona at Bluenergy Stadium on August 08, 2026 in Udine, Italy. (Photo by Emmanuele Ciancaglini/Ciancaphoto Studio/Getty Images) | Getty Images Barcelona are reportedly set to promote Xavi Espart to the first-team squad for the 2026-27 season and will hand the youngster a new number. Espart has shone in pre-season and was rewarded with a start in Barcelona’s opening La Liga game of the season against Elche, playing at left-back in a 5-0 win. According to Mundo Deportivo, Barcelona are now set to promote Espart to the senior squad and will hand him the No. 12 shirt. Espart wore the No. 36 against Elche but is now set to swap once his promotion has been confirmed. Barcelona boss Hansi Flick is clearly a big admirer of Espart, previously comparing him to Philipp Lahm, and also praised the versatile star after the victory over Elche. “He can play on the right, on the left. He knows what he has to do and is fantastic on the ball; he does everything well,” he said. Espart is still only 19 but has already shown his versatility for Barca, playing in defence and in midfield, and looks set for plenty more opportunities this season.

Dominik Livaković jets in to sign for Barcelona

TORONTO, ONTARIO - JUNE 23: Dominik Livakovic #1 of Croatia warms up before the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group L match between Panama and Croatia at Toronto Stadium on June 23, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) | Getty Images Croatia goalkeeper Dominik Livaković has jetted in to Barcelona to sign for Hansi Flick’s side and complete a move to the Camp Nou. The stopper was spotted arriving in the city on Tuesday afternoon. He’s reportedly set for a medical at the club tomorrow and will then sign a contract with the club until 2030. Livaković is expected to become Barcelona’s back-up to Joan Garcia after completing his transfer, although it’s not quite clear whether that will be this season or next. ‼️Dominik Livaković ya está en Barcelona 🧤Portero para el Barça que firma por 4 temporadas 🏥 Mañana revisión médica pic.twitter.com/leNlyBQ7MT — Víctor Navarro (@victor_nahe) August 25, 2026 It has previously been reported that Livaković would go out on loan for the 2026-27 campaign and then take over from Wojciech Szczęsny next season when the veteran’s contract expires. However, other reports have since claimed that Livaković will actually be Garcia’s back-up this season and Szczesny will drop down to third choice. Much may depend on Barca’s financial situation and if there’s room on the wage bill. Barcelona have shelled out around €4 million for Livakovic, with the club paying an initial €2m and another €2m due in add-ons.

Fermin Lopez points to Barcelona’s squad options at No. 9

Fermin Lopez says Deco will choose what is best for Barcelona as the club considers a new No. 9 after beating Elche 5-0. The post Fermin Lopez points to Barcelona’s squad options at No. 9 appeared first on Football España.

What do Barcelona still need to do before the transfer window closes?

ELCHE, SPAIN - AUGUST 23: Hansi Flick, Head Coach of FC Barcelona looks on prior to the LaLiga EA Sports 2026/27 match between Elche CF and FC Barcelona at Estadio Manuel Martinez Valero on August 23, 2026 in Elche, Spain. (Photo by Manuel Queimadelos/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images) | Getty Images Time is ticking in the summer transfer window and La Liga clubs now have a week to conclude their business before the window shuts on Tuesday, 1 September at 23:59. Barcelona have already brought in Joao Cancelo, Rodri, Karim Adeyemi, Anthony Gordon and Jesse Bisiwu but may not be done there. The club are continuing to be linked with a move for a striker and reportedly haven’t yet given up hope of landing Julian Alvarez from Atletico Madrid. There are also expected to be some exits before next Tuesday’s deadline. Alejandro Balde, Marc Casado and Hector Fort are three players expected to move on in the coming days. So today’s Barca Blaugranes Question of the Day is: What do you think Barcelona still need to do before the transfer window closes? Now it’s over to you! Feel free to share your thoughts, opinions and answers in the comments section below!

Daily Thread: 25 August 2026

The Daily Merengue is a place where you can feel free to d all things football. Do not be alarmed by the overt RMCF bias. It’s in the name! Shoutout to the mods who do a fantastic job, Ezek, Valyrian Steel, Kung_Fu_Zizou, Juninho, NeRObutBlanco and yours truly, Felipejack. Diomande is officially presented! WELCOME TO REAL MADRID, YAN! 🤍 pic.twitter.com/A6UHKNTLSB — Madrid Xtra (@MadridXtra) August 25, 2026 Mou press conference ahead of tomorrow’s game Journalist Miguel Ángel Diaz said to Mourinho that “people that work at Real Madrid say Mourinho is much more calm than on your first spell”. Mourinho made a joke right away — “you said something very important to me, that you has contacts with people that work in the club!” It’s been years that I feel more calm, with a better control of my emotions. But situations that create frustration will arrive. I don’t like people with laziness. I don’t like it. I like people that works…works for Real Madrid and not in Real Madrid. Until now, I don’t see any laziness, I see everyone wanting to give the best version of themselves. It’s what I said the other day: the players and people that work here are protecting me from my more obscure side of my personality. But I feel well in this manner. Once again, Mou confirmed that for him the squad is closed, but he can’t be certain that there will be no departures, despite him not being happy about a player leaving now. Another good question was about the tactical adjustment between Mbappe, Vini and Bellingham. Mou answered: The most complicated is when you don’t top players. Or, when in the first injury or suspension, you already don’t have players that can keep the level. I had this problem in my last years, because I was in clubs that weren’t the best in Europe. I don’t want to open too many details, but if you ask me If I want only 2 of the 3, I’d say that I want all of them. I also think that their positives compensate much on what eventually might be a tactical mismatch. And I am here, so I can help them. About Valverde, Mou stated he sees the players as midfielder, even if he can play in other positions: You see teams build from the back with three players, but three players with the fullback, others with three players with a midfielders, in some the fullbacks are deeper and others the fullback are higher. See the difference between Trent and Dumfries. A fullback can be like a wing, but can be like Trent, a player that plays inside and has a very good passing. At this moment, I don’t to label “Tchoumani is 6”, “Camavinga is 6”, “Valverde is 8” and “Bernardo 10”. These things dilute a little during the games. At the end of press-conference, Mou made another joke with Miguel Angel Diaz: 🚨 José Mourinho to COPE journalist: “THIS ONE, he has contacts at the club.” The journalist: “A lot (of contacts).” Mourinho: “A lot? You say good things, but if you speak bad of me, BE CAREFUL.” 🤣@lejournaldurealpic.twitter.com/faD6eCicGA — Madrid Xtra (@MadridXtra) August 25, 2026

Football Daily | Two goals, some polish and a rebrand: City flip Sávio for quite the profit

Sign up now! Sign up now! Sign up now? Sign up now! We see Manchester City have managed to flip Savinho for quite the profit. Football Daily had previously assumed this sort of wheeler-dealing was restricted to the Dion-Dublin-adjacent property market, or the Harry-Redknapp-infused used car scene, but it seems we were mistaken. We have no idea how City ended up trousering a £44.2m markup on a player who cost £30.8m two seasons ago, and has achieved the square root of eff all since, but they’ve done it. Consider standing stock still and allowing a ball to clank off you and into the net in an FA Cup tie at Newcastle analogous to installing a new bathroom suite and giving the front room a lick of paint, or taking a microfibre cloth and some polish to the crevices of that grimy dashboard. Result! Goal! Ker-ching! That’s 75 million-nil! Re: the ‘hand of God’ ball’s sale (yesterday’s News, Bits and Bobs, full email edition). I understand Peter Shilton did, in fact, intend to bid but couldn’t get his hand up high enough” – John Myles. As much as people dislike Chelsea (the football club that is, not the posh area of London, which is quite nice if a bit dull), Xabi Alonso’s wild experiment to attempt to score so many goals that it even offsets Robert Sánchez’s constant Keystone Cops-style performances in goal is going to be wonderfully exciting” – Noble Francis. This is an extract from our daily football email … Football Daily. To get the full version, just visit this page and follow the instructions.  Continue reading...

Real Madrid announce squad for La Liga match against Real Sociedad

Real Madrid have published their squad list for Wednesday’s match against Real Sociedad in La Liga, the first home game of the season. REAL MADRID SQUAD LIST: Goalkeepers: Courtois, Lunin, and Sergio Mestre. Defenders: Huijsen, Trent, Konaté, Cucurella, Á. Carreras, Rüdiger, Dumfries, and Mario Rivas. Midfielders: Bellingham, Camavinga, Valverde, Arda Güler, Bernardo, Cestero, and Alexis Ciria. Forwards: Vini Jr., Mbappé, C. Espí, Brahim, and Yan Diomande. Real Madrid are coming off a late win against Espanyol, so they will hope to keep building momentum in what will be José Mourinho’s return to the Santiago Bernabéu. HOW TO WATCH, STREAM LA LIGA Date: 08/26/2026 Time: 21:00 CEST, 03:00pm EST. Venue: Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid, Spain. Available TV: DAZN La Liga (Spain), ESPN Deportes (USA). Available Streaming: ESPN+ (USA) Managing Madrid has affiliate partnerships. These do not influence editorial content, though Vox Media may earn commissions for products purchased via affiliate links.

Eric Garcia’s rise puts Jules Kounde’s Barcelona role in doubt

Jules Kounde could lose his Barcelona right-back role to Eric Garcia, while the club may consider offers for the France international. The post Eric Garcia’s rise puts Jules Kounde’s Barcelona role in doubt appeared first on Football España.

Frenkie de Jong return date still unknown after training setback at Barcelona

Frenkie de Jong trains during the match between FC Barcelona and Como 1907, corresponding to the Joan Gamper Trophy, at the Joan Cruyff Stadium in Barcelona, Spain, on August 10, 2025. (Photo by Joan Valls/Urbanandsport/NurPhoto via Getty Images) | NurPhoto via Getty Images Frenkie de Jong is working on his recovery from a knee injury but a return to competitive action still looks to be some distance away. The Barcelona midfielder has been out on the pitch to test out how his knee is doing but is still feeling discomfort, according to Diario Sport. De Jong did some “solo runs and very controlled exercises” under the guidance of the medical staff but still felt pain during the session. The midfielder opted to undergo conservative treatment on his knee injury, rather than undergo surgery, and it sounds as though there’s still some way to go before he’s ready to return to training with his team-mates. De Jong suffered the injury at World Cup 2026 and has said he was given the green light to play through the pain barrier. The full extent of the problem was only diagnosed when he underwent tests after returning to Barcelona. There’s been no indication from Barcelona of when De Jong is expected to return, although reports have claimed it’s expected he will be out for several months with the problem.

Four reasons why Atletico are refusing to sell Julian Alvarez to Barcelona

MADRID, SPAIN - AUGUST 23: Julian Alvarez of Atletico de Madrid looks on during the LaLiga EA Sports 2026/27 match between Atletico de Madrid and Villarreal CF at Riyadh Air Metropolitano on August 23, 2026 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images) | Getty Images Barcelona’s pursuit of Julian Alvarez has dominated the headlines all summer but looks to end in failure, with Atletico Madrid simply refusing to allow the Argentina international to join their La Liga rivals. Diario AS say there are three reasons why Atletico are blocking a move for Alvarez and have taken such a dramatic stance in the summer transfer window. The first is that Atletico believe they simply will not be able to bring in a replacement at the same level or better than Alvarez. The Argentina is behind only Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland on the list of most valuable No. 9s, per Transfermarkt, and so finding a replacement will be a very difficult indeed. Added to that, Atletico have also been riled because they feel that Barcelona and Alvarez went behind their back when it came to transfer negotiations. Los Colchoneros have already filed a complaint to UEFA and claim their striker was “pressured and harassed” by Barcelona throughout the 2025-26 season to move to Camp Nou. Atletico also don’t want to sell to a direct rival, as Diego Simeone’s side have title and Champions League ambitions, and know that strengthening Barcelona would harm their own hopes of landing silverware this season. The final reason is said to be that Atletico are still “angry” about the offer they received from Barca. The Catalans offered to pay €100 million over several years which Los Colchoneros believe is “part of a strategy orchestrated between the club and Julián’s agents.” Atletico feel that Alvarez’s decision to ask for a transfer during the World Cup was designed to lower his price before Barca’s bid, hence why they responded on social media in such a sarcastic manner and then refused to negotiate with the Catalan giants.

Jose Mourinho: “For me, the squad is closed”

MADRID, SPAIN - AUGUST 25: Real Madrid head coach Jose Mourinho answers questions during a press conference at the Valdebebas training complex in Madrid, Spain, on August 25, 2026. The team completed their final training session at the facility ahead of their upcoming opening match of the La Liga season against Real Sociedad. (Photo by Burak Akbulut/Anadolu via Getty Images) | Anadolu via Getty Images Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho spoke to the media ahead of his team’s match against Real Sociedad on Wednesday night. He was asked about potential transfers between now and the end of the window, to which he said: “For me, the squad is closed. The window is open, so you can never say never, there could be an opportunity, a player asks to leave, an offer too good to turn down, but I would be most happy to keep the squad as it is.” Mourinho on the game “First home game, but it’s one of 19. Every point is important. The goal is to win while respecting a team that deserves respect. They have a strong identity and great players. They’ll make it a difficult match for us. Against Espanyol, we felt the support of the opposing fans for their team, and tomorrow we hope for the same from our own fans. What I hope is that the team has the same hunger to win, attitude, resilience, strength, and composure. I hope the fans will recognize that.” Mourinho on his return to the Bernabeu “I don’t want the Bernabéu to welcome me in any particular way. I want them to welcome the team with their passion. At one point last season, that passion was going through a difficult phase. Now we’re not starting from scratch. I’m not the most important person. I’m capable of controlling my emotions and playing normally in a match that isn’t normal because it’s for three points. I’d like the team to feel something different from what they felt last season.” Mourinho on player fitness Espanyol showed up with a level of intensity that we don’t have. We have a solid foundation with players who have been training longer. Playing accelerates the process of reaching peak form. Players need to play, like Cucurella. We use objective, scientific data and combine it with my experience. Feelings are also important.” Mourinho on Fede Valverde’s position “I don’t like it when they play him at right-back. It’s happened with his national team and in the past. For me, he’s a midfielder. He can be more positional, or more mobile. Teams need to have solutions. A full-back is a full-back, but today he can play as a winger. Or like Trent, who can play centrally. I don’t want to assign them a number; things become less defined during matches.”  Mourinho on refereeing in Spain for Barcelona and Real Madrid, and how Vini is treated “Last year I didn’t see every game of either of them, so I can’t tell you much. What I can say is that the overall difference between Vini and other players is obvious. He’s entered a spiral; opponents feel they can do whatever they want, and they do. It’s like little kids, they only go as far as you let them. It’s a treatment I don’t like. He was kicked, which is an act of aggression; it should have been a red card. Apart from a few things, I really liked the refereeing. I understand that the referee didn’t see that red card for the kick to Vinicius. I understand that the fourth official didn’t want to. And I can say that VAR didn’t do its job very well. But I trust Spanish referees. I always trust them, in the Champions League too. I don’t think something like ‘he’s friends with Negreira,’ no. They’ve made decisions that have influenced results, but that happens.” More on Vinicius Jr’s treatment “There are issues on and off the field. If the insult isn’t homophobic or racist, I think he can control it and improve. The game, the tackles, and the penalties are the referee’s responsibility. I prefer to say referee rather than official in this case. With my personality, if they did that to me, it might be a red card for me (laughs). Vinicius Jr’s relationship with opposing stadiums is something we can work on.” Mourinho on being calm “It’s not something new, I feel calmer and I control my emotions better. Difficult situations will come. I haven’t seen any lazy people, I like that they work for Real Madrid. Maybe it’s also because the players and the people who work here are protecting me from my dark side (laughs).” Mourinho on the three superstar attackers “I won’t have the most complicated situation, because that’s when you don’t have top players or an injury prevents you from having quality players. I don’t want to leave myself too open to the opposition, only after playing and losing. I want all three of them, and the positives always outweigh the negatives. I’m also here to try and help.” Mourinho on Kylian Mbappé and Carlos Espi “We can see them together. Our evolution as a team, in preseason, was with Endrick. Espí is a different type of player. Espanyol were sitting deep and Kylian was trying to drop back for individual plays. That’s where I thought Carlos could be important. Trent also adds to the quality.” Mourinho on Aurelien Tchouameni “He suffered a lot at the World Cup, as is normal. He didn’t play a couple of matches, but he played in the semi-final. He has a problem, and the holiday period wasn’t enough. The player wants to try, he tried, but we decided that he can’t start the season suffering.” Mourinho on La Liga delaying Real Madrid’s league start “I don’t think it’s unfair. I have to thank La Liga for having the common sense to delay it another week; it would have been a problem. If we have this accumulation of matches, it’s for a positive reason. We have to play with three matches a week. If any player is struggling more, they don’t play, and someone else takes their place.” Mourinho on Endrick’s injury “I can’t tell you. There’s a problem with the muscle and it’s affecting the tendon. He’s a player I like a lot and he’s had a lot of contact from other clubs. I wanted him and that’s why I haven’t loaned him out or sold him. I’m not sure he’ll make Ancelotti’s first squad, but Carlo is a friend and he’ll call me directly.”

Julian Alvarez latest: Barcelona extend deadline, won’t sign a ‘stopgap’

MADRID, SPAIN - AUGUST 23: Julian Alvarez of Atletico de Madrid before the LaLiga EA Sports 2026/27 match between Atletico de Madrid and Villarreal CF at Riyadh Air Metropolitano on August 23, 2026 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images) | Getty Images Barcelona’s hopes of signing Julian Alvarez from Atletico Madrid seem to be dwindling as we head towards the close of the transfer window but it seems the club haven’t given up hope entirely. According to The Athletic, Barcelona are still thinking of Alvarez and won’t forget about him. The reports adds that Hansi Flick and Deco are both “willing to wait until the end of the summer window for Alvarez” and will jump at any chance to land the Argentina star. There’s a similar story from La Vanguardia and news that Barca “will extend the deadline they had set for themselves” to sign Alvarez. Barca feel Atletico have a real problem with Alvarez, after he was whistled by supporters, and are willing to be patient. The report adds that Barca could even try for the striker again in January if he doesn’t move this summer. The consensus certainly seems to be it’s Alvarez or nothing. The Athletic add that “there is a strong chance Barca will sign no new striker if they can’t get Alvarez” as “there are hardly any available options that convince all the decision-makers and improve the current squad.” Diario Sport are also reporting that Barcelona “won’t sign a stopgap option” this summer. Barca don’t want to make a rash decision and have decided “they are not willing to pay an inordinate amount for a striker without guarantees.” Barcelona are well aware they do have plenty of attacking options in the squad already and know that things could well have changed in the transfer market by January when the window will reopen once again. Is that the right call?

Real Madrid TV Revives Referee Criticism After Espanyol Win

Real Madrid TV has resumed referee analysis after the Espanyol win, renewing scrutiny of the club’s criticism of Spanish officiating. The post Real Madrid TV Revives Referee Criticism After Espanyol Win appeared first on Football España.

FC Barcelona News: 25 August 2026; Rodri joins first training session, Gavi avoids serious injury

Photo by Denis Doyle/Getty Images Gavi injury update – FC Barcelona Latest on the Andalusian midfielder, while the rest of the team trains this Monday. Debut goal for Adeyemi – FC Barcelona German winger finds the net in his first official start for his new club. Anthony Gordon, instant impact – FC Barcelona New signing only needed four minutes to give two assists. Man United monitor Alejandro Balde at Barcelona – ESPN United are in the market for a new left-back and enquired about Newcastle’s Lewis Hall earlier in the summer. Club sources are playing down the chances of securing Balde, but Barcelona have been made aware of their interest. Julián continues to fuel the Barça dream – Mundo Deportivo The Atlético striker reacted with a ‘like’ to a TikTok video featuring an image of the Argentinian wearing the Barcelona jersey. Real Sociedad are looking for a way to sign Héctor Fort – Mundo Deportivo The Barcelona full-back has a convincing offer from Borussia Dortmund, but the Basque club is exploring all options to try and sign him. Sunderland enter the race for Casadó with force – Mundo Deportivo The midfielder is not in Flick’s plans and must decide his next destination in the coming days, prioritizing European football. Flick loses Ebrima Tunkara, injured – Mundo Deportivo The Spanish Federation announced that Ebrima will be out for six weeks with a traumatic ligament injury to his left ankle.

Alejandro Balde out, Castello Lukeba in at Barcelona?

Leverkusen, Germany - August 31: Castello Lukeba of RB Leipzig celebrate after winning the Bundesliga match between Bayer 04 Leverkusen and RB Leipzig at BayArena on August 31, 2024 in Leverkusen, Germany. (Photo by Oliver Kaelke/DeFodi Images/DeFodi via Getty Images) | DeFodi Images via Getty Images Barcelona have just a week left in the transfer market to finalize their squad for the 2026-27 season and there’s plenty of talk currently about what may still happen. Alejandro Balde is certainly a player to keep an eye on over next seven days. He was left out of the Barcelona squad to face Elche by Hansi Flick and Manchester United have been linked with a move for the left-back. If Balde does move on, then Barcelona could be in the market for another defender and may go for Castello Lukeba, according to The Athletic. Flick is said to be a “big admirer” of Lukeba who has impressed at RB Leipzig. The 23-year-old’s ability to play at left-back and center-back is also a big plus when it comes to a potential Barcelona transfer. Would you like to see Barcelona go for Castello Lukeba if Alejandro Balde departs? Tell us what you think in the comments below!

VIDEO: Vinicius shows frustration with Arda Güler during match against Espanyol

Even though Arda Güler was one of Real Madrid’s most notable players during the win against Espanyol in the season opener, the Turkish midfielder received frustration from Vinicius Junior after one specific play where Güler didn’t pass him the ball. Vinicius to Arda Güler: "Arda! Give me the ball just once, damn! It's always the same!"pic.twitter.com/MHtbcNxoI5 — Lucas Navarrete (@LucasNavarreteM) August 25, 2026 Real Madrid struggled creating chances during the second half of the game and while Vinicius was frustrated and ineffective during the entire game, he should not voice that frustration with his teammates, especially with the one player who has been controlling the game for his team. These situations are common during a football game, but seeing Vinicius with that level of frustration with a teammate is noteworthy. Coach José Mourinho still has work to do in order to make sure that every player in that roster pulls in the same direction this season.

‘We trust Deco’ – Fermin Lopez talks Barcelona’s hunt for a new No. 9 after Elche win

ELCHE, SPAIN - AUGUST 23: Fermin Lopez of FC Barcelona celebrates 0-5 during the LaLiga EA Sports match between Elche v FC Barcelona at the Estadio Manuel Martinez Valero on August 23, 2026 in Elche Spain (Photo by David Ramirez/Soccrates/Getty Images) | Getty Images Barcelona star Fermin Lopez says the players trust Deco to make the right call when it comes to signing a new No. 9 for the club. The Catalans have started the season without a recognised striker in the first-team squad but still managed to smash five past Elche in their opener. Lopez scored twice for Hansi Flick’s side and was asked about the striker position after the game. “We trust Deco, whatever they decide will be best for the team, but it’s true that we have many options in the squad and we’ve shown that,” he said. “It’s something that doesn’t depend on us, they’ll do what’s best for the club.” Lopez was also thrilled to be back in action and back in the goals after a tough summer where he missed the World Cup due to injury. “I was really looking forward to starting the year well; it’s been a tough summer for me. I think I’ve started well, I just need to keep getting back into rhythm, I’m exhausted. But I’m happy for the team,” he added. “Yes, yes. My foot is fine now. Nothing much, now I just need to keep getting back into the swing of things and feel good again, comfortable.” Hansi Flick also spoke about Barcelona’s No. 9 search after the game, saying he’ll talk again with Deco this week.

Why Barcelona decided against Serhou Guirassy after making enquiry for Dortmund forward

DORTMUND, GERMANY - AUGUST 22: Serhou Yadaly Guirassy of Borussia Dortmund during the German Super Cup match between Borussia Dortmund v Bayern Munchen at the Signal Iduna Park on August 22, 2026 in Dortmund Germany (Photo by Joris Verwijst/Soccrates/Getty Images) | Getty Images Barcelona reportedly made an enquiry for Borussia Dortmund forward Serhou Guirassy as part of their search for a new No. 9 but decided against going for the 30-year-old. According to Bild, the Catalans asked about the forward but gave up on the idea after learning that the forward earns around €10 million per year at the Bundesliga club. Guirassy is one of several names that have been mentioned as Barcelona hunt for a new striker this summer following the departures of Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres. Julian Alvarez remains the club’s top target but Atletico do not want to sell, meaning the Catalans may have to look elsewhere before the transfer window closes. Recent speculation has suggested that Barcelona are now thinking about Lautaro Martinez and Nicolò Tresoldi, with the club having just over a week to bring in a new attacker before the transfer window closes until January.

Chelsea's electric front three edge out Fulham in pulsating MNF opener

Cole Palmer was back to his best to get Xabi Alonso's Chelsea career off to a winning start in a chaotic 3-2 victory at Fulham on Monday Night Football.

Glaring weakness in goal remains but early signs Xabi Alonso’s Chelsea should be fun | Jonathan Wilson

The failure to replace Robert Sánchez remains a mystery but the new-look front three should buy time for the new manager’s principles to bed in After a weekend on which pretty much every potential challenger to Arsenal had demonstrated their flaws, there was a sense, perhaps even a need, for Chelsea to emerge as a serious contender – if only to prevent the title race becoming a procession. And while they were far from flawless, there were at least some indications that they could mount some kind of challenge. They looked extremely dangerous in the final third, and Cole Palmer was involved in all three Chelsea goals, perhaps benefiting from a first summer off in three years. But they were rather less impressive through midfield or at the back, despite Josh Acheampong’s all-action performance, while goalkeeper remains the problem it has been since Thibaut Courtois left. Continue reading...

'To have a good team, we need a great Cole' - Alonso on Palmer

Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso praises Cole Palmer's "responsibility, maturity and freedom" after a goal and an assist from the playmaker seals a 3-2 victory over Fulham at Craven Cottage. In Alonso's first Premier League match in charge, the Spaniard insists his new squad can achieve "special things" this season.

Palmer impresses as Chelsea edge past Fulham to give Alonso first win

Cole Palmer scores and sets up Joao Pedro as Chelsea give Xabi Alonso a winning start against Alvaro Arbeloa's Fulham at Craven Cottage in the Premier League.

Nottingham Forest close in on signing Liam Delap from Chelsea

Oliver Glasner wants two more buys in transfer window Aston Villa target Club Brugge defender Joel Ordóñez Nottingham Forest are in advanced talks with Chelsea over a deal for Liam Delap. Oliver Glasner wants two more signings before the transfer window closes a week on Tuesday. Delap, who was on Forest’s radar when the striker opted to join Chelsea from Ipswich, is out of favour at Stamford Bridge and has been training away from Xabi Alonso’s first team. The 23-year-old was left out of Chelsea’s squad for their game at Fulham on Monday. Continue reading...

‘I like to play there’ – Anthony Gordon happy to play No. 9 for Barcelona

ELCHE, SPAIN - AUGUST 23: Fermin Lopez of FC Barcelona celebrates 0-4 with Anthony Gordon of FC Barcelona during the LaLiga EA Sports match between Elche v FC Barcelona at the Estadio Manuel Martinez Valero on August 23, 2026 in Elche Spain (Photo by David Ramirez/Soccrates/Getty Images) | Getty Images Anthony Gordon has said he’ll be happy to play the No. 9 role for Barcelona after making his La Liga debut for his new club in a 5-0 win over Elche on Sunday. The England international came off the bench and bagged two assists in a bright cameo for Hansi Flick’s side. Speaking afterwards, he was asked if could take over the No. 9 spot this season. “Yeah of course, I played there last year a lot. I played really well I thought,” he told ESPN. “I have got different strengths to a typical No. 9. I can come and go and link play. I can do it. I like to play there.” Gordon also spoke about his performance and his unselfish decision to tee up Fermin Lopez rather than go for goal himself. “I think it’s the right decision,” he added. “If Fermín [López] had the ball and I was in his position I would want him to pass, I think it’s the correct football decision. We’re a team, it’s not about me scoring.” Would you like to see Anthony Gordon in the No. 9 role at Barcelona? Tell us what you think in the comments below!

Rogers & Palmer star but Sanchez struggles - Fulham v Chelsea player ratings

Morgan Rogers scores on his Chelsea debut as Xabi Alonso's side beat Fulham at Craven Cottage - here are BBC Sport's player ratings.

Hansi Flick tells Jules Kounde he’s no longer first choice at Barcelona

BARCELONA, SPAIN - AUGUST 19: Jules Kounde of FC Barcelona looks on during the Joan Gamper Trophy between FC Barcelona and Al Ahly SC at Spotify Camp Nou on August 19, 2026 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images) | Getty Images Barcelona boss Hansi Flick has reportedly told Jules Kounde that he’s no longer first choice at the club at right-back. Kounde has switched from a central role to right-back during his time at Barcelona but lost his place to Eric Garcia at the end of last season. Flick has now spoken to Kounde about the coming campaign and told him that Eric is his No. 1 for the right-back spot, per Catalunya Radio. The France international has also been told that he is more likely to play at center-back this this season but he won’t be first choice there either. Pau Cubarsi and Gerard Martin are the preferred pairing currently, with Andreas Christensen also a back-up option. There have been rumors about a potential exit for Kounde throughout the summer, although he did his best to play down talk of a move at the World Cup. “I have a contract until 2030. In my mind, that’s quite clear,” he said in June. “With the French national team, those things come second. I’m focused on the competition until further notice. I’m at Barça and I hope to stay there.” Yet the rumor mill simply won’t give up on this one and, with just about a week left in the window, it seems Kounde’s future at Barcelona is once again being talked about.

Fulham v Chelsea: Premier League – live

⚽ Premier League updates from the 8pm BST kick-off ⚽ Sign up for the Football Daily email | Follow on TikTok Good evening and welcome to live coverage of Fulham v Chelsea at Craven Cottage. A west London derby, involving the last two managers of Real Madrid, should a solid entertainment option, especially as the alternatives on UK television include Street Cops: Catching the Yobs, Donnie Swaggart* and a repeat of Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased) in which Marty says his grave is being disturbed, and Jeff uncovers a plan to kidnap the heir to a fortune. Álvaro Arbeloa and Xabi Alonso will surely last longer in SW6 than they did in Madrid, where a P45 was luzzed in their direction after roughly half a season each. Arbeloa’s task is to maintain the mid-table security that Marco Silva brought to Fulham, who have finished between 10th and 13th in the four seasons since they were promoted. If it goes really well, and he’s feeling frisky, Arbeloa might even take Fulham into Europe for the first time since 2011-12. Continue reading...

Man Utd would prefer Alejandro Balde on loan with a purchase option

BARCELONA, SPAIN - AUGUST 19: Alejandro Balde of FC Barcelona is presented to the fans prior to the Joan Gamper Trophy between FC Barcelona and Al Ahly SC at Spotify Camp Nou on August 19, 2026 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Pablo Rodriguez/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images) | Getty Images Manchester United are reportedly “monitoring” Alejandro Balde’s situation at Barcelona and are thinking about a season-long loan for the left-back. An update on the situation from ESPN claims that Man Utd are indeed in the market for a left-back and “would prefer to negotiate a season-long loan deal with an option to make the move permanent.” Barcelona are said to Balde at €30m-€40m. The report adds that the defender is due to have talks with Hansi Flick over his role before any decision is made on his future. Balde’s future at the club has been thrown into doubt after he was left out of Barcelona’s squad to face Elche in their La Liga opener on Sunday. Flick said that Balde needs to clear his head and insisted after the game he hadn’t told him to leave. However, the Barcelona boss also said he would talk to Balde today to try and clarify the situation.

Marc Cucurella: “It’s an honor to wear the shirt of the best club in the world”

BARCELONA, SPAIN - AUGUST 22: Marc Cucurella of Real Madrid reacts during the LaLiga EA Sports 2026/27 match between RCD Espanyol de Barcelona and Real Madrid at RCDE Stadium on August 22, 2026 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images) | Getty Images Real Madrid officially presented Marc Cucurella as a new player on Monday. The presentation took place privately in the boardroom at Real Madrid City, continuing the format the club has used for its new signings this summer. Cucurella was joined by Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez and honorary president José Martínez Pirri before signing his contract, which runs until June 2032. Cucurella spoke about the significance of joining Real Madrid and his ambitions for the coming years. “It’s an honor. It’s a very special day. Summer has felt long, but it’s an honor to wear this shirt, the shirt of the best club in the world. I hope it will be a great chapter and we can win many titles,” Cucurella said. The 28-year-old also highlighted his desire to win the Champions League and experience playing at the Santiago Bernabéu as a Real Madrid player. “I hope I’m lucky enough to have some great seasons and win a Champions League trophy. I’m really looking forward to playing at the Bernabéu; I know how imposing it is and the influence it has on comebacks. It’s going to be one of the best stages of my career, and I hope things go well so we can make the Madrid fans happy,” he said. Cucurella’s move brings him back to Spanish football five years after leaving Getafe for the Premier League. He made his La Liga breakthrough during a loan spell with Eibar in the 2018-19 season before spending two seasons with Getafe, initially on loan and then permanently. He departed Spain having made 107 La Liga appearances and moved to Brighton in 2021. Cucurella spent one season there, making 38 appearances and being voted the club’s player of the season by both supporters and his teammates. Chelsea signed him the following summer, and Cucurella went on to spend four seasons at Stamford Bridge. He finished his time in England with 201 official appearances across Brighton and Chelsea, including 150 in the Premier League. His spell at Chelsea included victories in the Conference League and Club World Cup. His club success was accompanied by an important period with Spain. Cucurella had previously won an Olympic silver medal at Tokyo 2020 before becoming a World Cup winner with the senior national team this summer. Real Madrid completed a €55 million deal for Cucurella on June 15, shortly before Spain began its World Cup campaign. His participation in the tournament meant his integration into José Mourinho’s squad was delayed, and he has only been working under the Portuguese coach for around two weeks. Despite the limited preparation time, Cucurella has already made his first two appearances for Madrid. He featured in the preseason friendly against Schalke before playing in Saturday’s La Liga opener against Espanyol. The next step will be establishing himself in Mourinho’s starting XI as he builds up his match fitness and becomes more accustomed to his new teammates. Madrid’s upcoming games against Real Sociedad on Wednesday and Málaga on Sunday will both take place at the Bernabéu, giving Cucurella his first opportunities to play at his new home stadium as a Real Madrid player.

Carlos Espí rescues Mourinho’s Real Madrid return in stoppage time

Mourinho’s Real Madrid return brought a 2-1 win at Espanyol, with Carlos Espí scoring in the 90th minute after a tense La Liga opener. The post Carlos Espí rescues Mourinho’s Real Madrid return in stoppage time appeared first on Football España.

Daily Thread: 24 Aug. 2026

MADRID, SPAIN - JANUARY 20: Kylian Mbappe of Real Madrid CF celebrates a goal with Jude Bellingham of Real Madrid CF during UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD7 football match played between Real Madrid and AS Monaco at Bernabeu stadium on January 20, 2026, in Madrid, Spain. (Photo By Dennis Agyeman/Europa Press via Getty Images) | Europa Press via Getty Images Welcome to The Daily Merengue — a place where you can feel free to discuss all things football. Do not be alarmed by the overt RMCF bias. It’s in the name! Shoutout to the Mods who do a fantastic job, Valyrian Steel, Ezek XI, KungFuZizou, NeRObutBlanco, Felipejack, and Juninho. Writer’s Prelude. We’ll keep today short. A Short Daily Thread Hala Madrid. Just filling in so creating this in case wanted. Cheers, J

Barcelona say police used 'disproportionate' force on fans

Barcelona accuse police of using "disproportionate force" against their fans before Sunday's 5-0 win away at Elche.

Julián Álvarez walks alone at Atlético in transfer saga with no end – and no winners | Sid Lowe

Barcelona target left exposed after draw with Villarreal as supporters vented their fury at his ‘dream’ to leave Julián Álvarez entered a long, dark tunnel on his own. “We’re stronger together,” Giuliano Simeone said but that wasn’t the way it went. At the end of their first home game of the season, a 2-2 draw with Villarreal, all of Atlético Madrid’s players gathered by the centre circle, shook hands with their opponents and each other, then headed towards the south end of the Metropolitano. Almost all of them did, anyway: one was left behind. Somebody in a suit had a quiet word then the press officer came, pointing in the other direction. So, while his teammates turned to the supporters who had turned on him, the man wearing No 19 went west, to the exit. Álvarez walked alone. Head down in silence, as he had been all afternoon and beyond, he set off slowly across the pitch accompanied only by his thoughts and the whistles that followed him. Not offered a hand to shake or a nod of acknowledgment, he stepped past the Atlético badge on the touchline where the mouth of the tunnel opens. Either side, supporters hung over the void, whistling and shouting. Way off to his left, Atlético’s other players paused, seemingly waiting for him to slip out of sight before approaching the stand, but none turned back. A scarf was thrown, landing at Álvarez’s feet and left lying there. And then he disappeared into the dark, a portrait of the place he is in. Continue reading...

Barcelona confirm Ebrima Tunkara out for six weeks with ankle injury

BARCELONA, SPAIN - AUGUST 19: Ebrima Tunkara of FC Barcelona is presented to the fans prior to the Joan Gamper Trophy between FC Barcelona and Al Ahly SC at Spotify Camp Nou on August 19, 2026 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Pablo Rodriguez/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images) | Getty Images Barcelona starlet Ebrima Tunkara has sustained an ankle injury and is expected to be sidelined for around six weeks. The teenager shone in pre-season with Hansi Flick’s first team but has since returned to Barcelona Atletic for the 2026-27 season. He played for Juliano Belletti’s team in a friendly at the weekend against Vilanova but picked up a problem and was forced off. Barcelona have now issued a statement that reads: “Barça Atlètic player Ebrima Tunkara has a traumatic ligament injury to his left ankle, which occurred during the match against CF Vilanova this Sunday. The approximate time out is six weeks.” 📌 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭 𝐦𝐞̀𝐝𝐢𝐜 El jugador del Barça Atlètic, Ebrima Tunkara, té una lesió lligamentosa traumàtica al turmell esquerre, que es va produir durant el partit davant el CF Vilanova d’aquest diumenge. El temps aproximat de baixa és de sis setmanes. 💙❤️ pic.twitter.com/hyURAfZ0kW — Barça Atlètic (@FCBarcelonaB) August 24, 2026 Tunkara had been due to link up with the Spanish Under-18 national team for a friendly tournament but will miss that and some upcoming Barca Atletic matches. When he returns to action, Tunkara will be expected to play a key role for Belletti’s side this season. He’ll also be hoping to catch Hansi Flick’s eye and be handed more first-team opportunities. Flick had words of praise for Tunkara during pre-season and he’s widely regarded as one of the club’s most exciting talents currently coming through the ranks.

Keep or sell: What should Barcelona do now with Alejandro Balde?

BARCELONA, SPAIN - AUGUST 19: Alejandro Balde of FC Barcelona acknowledges the fans as he is introduced before the Joan Gamper Trophy between FC Barcelona and Al Ahly SC at Spotify Camp Nou on August 19, 2026 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images) | Getty Images Alejandro Balde is facing an uncertain future at Barcelona as we head towards the end of the summer transfer window. The left-back was left out of the squad for Sunday’s 5-0 win over Elche, with Hansi Flick saying the defender needs time to clear his head. Premier League clubs including Manchester United and Aston Villa are already being linked with Balde, and he may not lack for offers if he does decide to leave. Barcelona also seem to have plenty of cover already. Xavi Espart took over against Elche and put in another fine performance, while Joao Cancelo has now signed a permanent three-year deal at the club. Even so, any potential departure could mean that Barcelona return to the market in search of defensive reinforcements for the new season. So today’s Barca Blaugranes Question of the Day is: Keep or sell: What should Barcelona do now with Alejandro Balde? Now it’s over to you! Feel free to share your thoughts, opinions and answers in the comments section below!

Jude Bellingham was vital to Real Madrid’s buildup against Espanyol, but Mourinho wants him close to goal

BARCELONA, SPAIN - AUGUST 22: Jude Bellingham of Real Madrid celebrates after scoring their side's first goal with his teammate Kylian Mbappe of Real Madrid during the LaLiga EA Sports 2026/27 match between RCD Espanyol de Barcelona and Real Madrid at RCDE Stadium on August 22, 2026 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Pablo Rodriguez/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images) | Getty Images José Mourinho had doubts about introducing Jude Bellingham in the starting eleven against Espanyol. The reasons were logical. He played until the latter stages of the World Cup and joined Real Madrid late. So, the physicality must be at the top to perform. “I had doubts about whether to start him or bring him on later,” Mourinho said after Real Madrid’s win over Espanyol. “I don’t know if I made the right decision, but physically and mentally he is very strong. As the game started, Bellingham seemed to be the most important piece in Real Madrid’s structure, linking defense and attack. Against Espanyol’s 4-4-2/4-2-4 medium block, Real Madrid lined up in a 3-2-5 formation, in which Arda Guler tucked in, leaving room for Denzel Dumfries to push on, whereas Carreras narrowed inside to form a situational backline of three. The home team’s front two screened Fede Valverde and Bernardo Silva. So, Real Madrid attempted to work the ball around Espanyol’s block: As the ball moved across the back line, Espanyol tended to jump and press: The White team would capitalise on Jude Bellingham’s width-drawing movements from the left half-space toward the flanks. In this scene, Carreras exploits Calatrava stepping out to block off the in-out angle in order to carry the ball through. Bellingham’s deeper movements drag Gonzalez across and give room for Kylian Mbappé to dash into the center. Additionally, Vinicius Junior pinning the opposite right-back generates space inside for Bellingham to scamper forward: The central passing lanes were closed off. Espanyol tried to funnel the play toward the flanks and jump aggressively onto the ball down the traps they set up wide. However, a couple of Real Madrid’s off-ball movements enabled Mourinho’s team to break down Espanyol’s high press. Calatrava made sure he ran from the inside toward Carreras only if the ball ended up on Real Madrid’s left side. At that moment, Valverde shifted across with Gonzalez following him, and Bellingham dashed deeper and pulled wide. Espanyol’s pivot, Gonzalez, didn’t apply heavy pressure on Valverde, while Carreras kept hold of the ball. He tended to jump on only when the pass was played to Valverde. The telos was to keep the center covered and deny the out-in entries: As a consequence, Valverde was momentarily free to play the pass from a first-time touch into Bellingham. As Vinicius Junior was pinning El Hilali to give Bellingham room to drive inside, this time he narrowed inside, drawing his marker with him and vacating the wide channels for the Englishman to gallop the length of the pitch. It’s worth mentioning that Jude Bellingham was more inclined to overcarrying, and on occasion he kept his head down, which prevented him from taking a picture of what was happening inside or delayed Real Madrid’s attack: Bellingham was smartly sneaking behind the blindside of Espanyol’s pivot Urko Gonzalez when the latter proceeded with a jump onto Valverde. Bellingham’s lateral movements between the lines opened up a passing lane between him and the backline. Dean Huijsen was able to slide line-breaking passes through Espanyol’s medium block. Below, Bellingham feeds Güler in the right half-space after he receives Huijsen’s pass. Guler finds Bernardo Silva ahead, while Mbappé’s forward run drags the backline rearward, enabling the Portuguese midfielder time on the ball to assess his options. Silva spots Dumfries’ run beyond the winger Dolan to set him up near the byline. Real Madrid had different alternatives to bypass Espanyol’s high press. With Calatrava’s emphasis on limiting the inside access, Carreras was able to find the pass to Vinicius Junior, who drops near the flanks. From there, the Brazilian could pick out passes inside because of how the hosts were set high up the pitch. Below, Riedel didn’t stick to Bellingham, as he was caught between stepping up and monitoring the space he left behind. The same for Gonzalez, who stood between Bernardo Silva and Bellingham. Additionally, Carreras would pass and move inside behind Calatrava’s blindside. So, Vinicius had multiple options to glide the ball back inside. It’s worth noting that Espanyol’s far-side winger narrowed inside toward Real Madrid’s far-side pivot, as Manolo Gonzalez’s team maintained numerical superiority at the backline. With the ability to escape the wide traps, Real Madrid could exploit the numerical inferiority on the opposite side via Bellingham stepping back and finding Dumfries racing out forward: Arriving at the box with a minimum of players, Dumfries held onto the ball, waiting for Guler and Valverde to join. The Dutch right-back providing the beyond run allowed Guler to slide the through ball, releasing him around the six-yard box: Dean Huijsen and Alvaro Carreras were crucial to Real Madrid’s buildup as well. The former enabled the team to slice through thanks to his line-breaking passes. He also proceeded by carrying to break down Espanyol first line of the high press. In this scene, Dean Huijsen orients his body toward Courtois to deceive striker Roberto Fernandez and drive him to cut off the backward passing lane to Courtois. That vacated the space ahead for Dean Huijsen to carry forward. In the meantime, Bellingham would dash toward the left and draw Exposito with him to clear the way for Huijsen and open room for Vinicius Junior to appear. By doing so, Real Madrid was able to work the ball to the right side. Alongside the goal he scored from the indirect free kick, Jude Bellingham proved to be an efficient bridge between defense and attack via his ability to carry over distances and wriggle his way out through defensive blocks. However, Mourinho seemed to be more convinced about Bellingham playing high up the pitch to take advantage of his killer scoring instincts: “He needs to play close to the goal. He can play as a No 6 or a No 8, but he loses that proximity to the goal. When he is in top physical condition, he can give you a complete 90 minutes. We are getting to know each other, and it is better to do that without dropping points.”

No striker, no problem for Hansi Flick as Barcelona open season with a bang against Elche

ELCHE, SPAIN - AUGUST 23: Raphinha of Barcelona celebrates scoring his team’s first goal with team mate Fermin Lopez during the LaLiga EA Sports 2026/27 match between Elche CF and FC Barcelona at Estadio Manuel Martinez Valero on August 23, 2026 in Elche, Spain. (Photo by Francisco Macia/Getty Images) | Getty Images Hansi Flick continues to look like the coach with the golden touch. He had a big decision to make in Barcelona’s opening La Liga match against Elche, and in the end, he chose to go with Raphinha as the false nine. The result? The Barca captain bagged two goals and an assist, while setting the tone defensively as well. I doubt Flick sees this as a permanent solution if, as it’s looking like, Barcelona fail to bring in Julián Alvarez. Still, the reality is that the Blaugrana may have to deploy a striker by committee approach. Today it was Raphinha. Tomorrow it could be Hamza Abdelkarim. The list of options go on from Fermín López, who also scored two goals against Elche, Dani Olmo, Anthony Gordon or even Lamine Yamal. It would be shocking if Barcelona don’t make some type of striker signing before the transfer window closes next week on September 1st. The question will be the quality of the player they’re able to land, and whether that person becomes the undisputed starter. For now, Barcelona are an attacking unit, and that’s the best strategy of all. Most of the goals on the night came as a result of capitalizing on the turnovers they created. This is the Flick system at work. Ironically, the only attacking player who had a quiet night was Lamine Yamal. That’s ok, because this team isn’t dependent on any one player for goals. Leading up to the game, I really was expecting Hamza to get the nod. Flick doubled down on his support of the young striker throughout preseason, and was continuously rewarded. My only disappointment on the night was to not see him get any minutes. It’s hard to second guess Flick though. He’s a coach who always seems to get a tune out of his selected players. Barcelona have two more games before the window closes. First, against Athletic Club on Thursday, and then Rayo Vallecano on Monday. Will Flick continue with the same lineup, or spend the early part of the season experimenting? At this point, Flick seems to be telling his players, expect the unexpected. Be ready when your number is called to step up, fill in, and make things happen. If you get with the program, there’s a place for you. That’s what makes this team such an interesting watch. It’s not about individuals, and never has been. In the opening game, Flick sent a message to everyone. His players, the fans, and club leadership alike. Expect attacking football. Expect goals. The sky’s the limit for this team because they are selfless, and ruthlessly focused on the mission. The tone has been set for the season ahead. May it continue.

Alvarez booed by Atletico fans amid Arsenal interest - so will he leave?

Julian Alvarez was booed by Atletico Madrid supporters on Sunday after all the transfer window noise around him - does that mean a move to Barcelona or Arsenal is any closer?

Julian Alvarez only has one way out of Atletico Madrid as Barcelona dream fades

MADRID, SPAIN - AUGUST 23: Julian Alvarez of Atletico de Madrid looks on during the LaLiga EA Sports 2026/27 match between Atletico de Madrid and Villarreal CF at Riyadh Air Metropolitano on August 23, 2026 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images) | Getty Images Barcelona target Julian Alvarez endured a pretty miserable weekend with Atletico Madrid in La Liga. The striker was whistled by fans against Villarreal and cut a very lonely figure as he trudged straight down the tunnel at the end of the game after being told to stay away from the fans by his own club. The Argentina international still wants a move to Barcelona, but Atletico keep on making it clear they will simply not sell him to the Catalan giants. According to The Athletic, there’s now only one route out of Atletico for Alvarez and it’s a path that he doesn’t want to take. A new update claims “the only way” Alvarez will move is “if Arsenal make a €150 million offer.” The only problem is that it’s seen as “unlikely” that the Gunners would stump up that figure, while Alvarez really doesn’t want to head back to the Premier League. La Liga’s transfer window closes on 1 September 2026, giving Alvarez just over a week to try and resolve his situation. As things stand, it still looks very unlikely that he will be granted his wish to join Barca. What do you think will happen with Alvarez this summer? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below.

Barcelona issue Gavi injury update after Elche win

ELCHE, SPAIN - AUGUST 23: Pablo Gavi of FC Barcelona leaves the pitch with the medical staff after suffering an injury during the LaLiga EA Sports 2026/27 match between Elche CF and FC Barcelona at Estadio Manuel Martinez Valero on August 23, 2026 in Elche, Spain. (Photo by Manuel Queimadelos/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images) | Getty Images Barcelona have issued a statement on Gavi after the midfielder picked up an injury during Sunday’s La Liga win over Elche. Gavi had to be replaced in the first half of the match after sustaining a knee problem. However, the club have now confirmed that there is no serious injury and it’s just a bruise. “First team player Gavi took a knock to his right knee during yesterday’s game,” the club said in a statement. “Medical tests carried out this morning have confirmed that it is only a bruise. He is expected to return to training shortly.” ‼️𝗠𝗘𝗗𝗜𝗖𝗔𝗟 𝗔𝗡𝗡𝗢𝗨𝗡𝗖𝗘𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗧 First team player @pablogavi took a knock to his right knee during yesterday's game. Medical tests carried out this morning have confirmed that it is only a bruise. He is expected to return to training shortly. pic.twitter.com/UYlNq6bcS9 — FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) August 24, 2026 Gavi has also posted a message on social media, telling fans: “Thanks to those who are always by my side, supporting me and sticking with me through thick and thin!! I don’t know any other way to experience football—sorry for putting you through so much suffering.” It’s great news to hear that Gavi has avoided another injury and will be back soon. Barcelona return to action on Wednesday in La Liga at home to Athletic Club.

‘Sorry for making you suffer so much’ – Gavi sends message after going off injured in Barcelona win

ELCHE, SPAIN - AUGUST 23: Pablo Gavi of FC Barcelona reacts after suffering an injury during the LaLiga EA Sports 2026/27 match between Elche CF and FC Barcelona at Estadio Manuel Martinez Valero on August 23, 2026 in Elche, Spain. (Photo by Manuel Queimadelos/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images) | Getty Images Barcelona midfielder Gavi has sent out a message to fans after being forced off in the first half of Sunday’s 5-0 win over Elche. Gavi had to be replaced in the opening 45 minutes of the match after sustaining a problem which meant he couldn’t continue. Manager Hansi Flick confirmed after the victory that Gavi had sustained a knee injury, and he was spotted limping away from the stadium. Gavi has now sent out a message to thank fans for their support and also to apologize. “Thanks to those who are always by my side, supporting me and sticking with me through thick and thin!!” he posted on Instagram. “I don’t know any other way to experience football—sorry for putting you through so much suffering.” View this post on Instagram Barcelona are yet to offer an update on Gavi’s fitness after he underwent tests on Monday but early indications are that the injury is not serious and the midfielder is not set for another long lay-off.

Five Bullet Points From Real Madrid’s Win Over Espanyol

BARCELONA, SPAIN - AUGUST 22: Arda Guler of Real Madrid gives instructions before taking a corner kick during the LaLiga EA Sports 2026/27 match between RCD Espanyol de Barcelona and Real Madrid at RCDE Stadium on August 22, 2026 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Diego Souto/Getty Images) | Getty Images These observations — where I look at Real Madrid’s history, its players on loan, Castilla, tactical tidbits, and other relevant thoughts — are now a regular thing. All previous editions can be found here. Here is a new thing I’m committing to this season: Five semi-informal bullet points after each game. I think it’s time we put Arda Güler in a different conversation than we’re used to having him in. He’s not some kind of cute promising player — a guy who does nice things and is pretty good. No, this guy is raising the roof of the team right now. Last season, he was already statistically one of the best creators in Europe and was on pace to be the league’s leading assister had he stayed healthy. In the pre-season, he was Real Madrid’s best player again. On the opening match-day against Espanyol, he levitated and was the team’s best player. Seven key passes in 63 minutes is not a normal thing. Granted, some of those were set-pieces, but that’s also a testament to his set-piece delivery. He dropped deep to help escape pressure several times and played some sexy through-balls. Some of his touches in tight spaces were unbelievable. Last season he arrived. This season he’s setting the bar even higher for himself. Last summer, I had declared that I was worried about Vinicius Jr. It was genuine concern. He hadn’t looked right in half-a-year, and his confidence taking players on — as well as his dribbling efficiency — had fallen off a cliff. Is it extra concerning that one year on, I’m concerned again / still? He’s been getting locked up by virtually everyone, including Clemens Riedel and Dejan Ljubičić. His touches look leg-heavy and physically he looks sluggish. I had mentioned during pre-season that I won’t care much about his pre-season form so long as he shows up for the opening matchday against Espanyol. That didn’t happen. Is there time to get back to his best? Of course. But if he keeps performing poorly, he shouldn’t retain his untouchable status on the field. Which leads me to point #3: Why is anyone untouchable at all after two years of mediocrity? The argument against subbing off players like Vinicius and Mbappe has always been ‘well, you wouldn’t sub off Cristiano Ronaldo if he was playing poorly, would you?‘ I get it: These players, even if playing poorly, can still have one moment of magic in the 90th minute. Fair. Question: Are we absolutely sure that Vinicius has more moments of magic than Güler at this stage after a two-year sample size, or are we basing this on past memories? Counter: This was game one. Mourinho will rotate more in subsequent games. This feeds into point #4: Kylian Mbappe was better than Vinicius, but not by much. Of his 10 shots, only three of them were on target. He got into good positions but his shooting was poor. He, like Vinicius, lost possession 15 times — a couple of them in deeper positions where he made the wrong pass or attempted a risky dribble. Generally, Mbappe’s overall form is so good that you wouldn’t be worried about him, but this was a rare circumstance where both him and Vinicius couldn’t produce at the same time, and getting games like that every now and then are ok — that’s why you need a deep squad and players like Carlos Espi and Jude Bellingham to provide goals regularly so the dependence on the two stars up front are lessened. We got a very strong cameo from Ibrahima Konaté. It was very impressive to see him shoe away Espanyol’s attackers like they were some kind of annoying gnats. He ended up squashing all of them. It’s almost impossible to match his physicality. Both him and Dean Huijsen seem to compliment each other well — but they need better defensive support from the midfielders. BONUS 1: Jude Bellingham picking up right where he left off from the World Cup was beautiful to see. The best version of this team has both Bellingham and Güler in the starting XI together. I will live and die by that sword. BONUS 2: ALL ABOARD THE CARLOS ESPI HYPE TRAIN 🚂🚂🚂🚂🚂🚂🚂🚂🚂 — Kiyan Sobhani (@KiyanSo) August 22, 2026

FC Barcelona News: 24 August 2026; Barça dominate Elche in La Liga opener

Photo by David Ramirez/Soccrates/Getty Images Elche 0-5 FC Barcelona: Statement of intent – FC Barcelona League holders show hunger to score five without reply, with braces by Fermín and Raphinha, plus exciting debuts by Adeyemi and Gordon. HIGHLIGHTS | Elche v Barça – FC Barcelona All the action from the La Liga opener at the Martínez Valero stadium. Hansi Flick: ‘It’s a fantastic result’ – FC Barcelona The Barça boss and his players react to the impressive win at Elche in the Blaugranes’ La Liga opener. Raphinha and Fermín amongst the goals – FC Barcelona The two Blaugranes score four of Barça’s five goals in the big win at Elche on their debut in La Liga. Special tributes ahead of Elche v Barça – FC Barcelona Blaugrana World Cup winners, and former Barça and Elche player Marcial Pina honoured pre-match. Barcelona’s Hansi Flick, Deco to hold further discussions on new striker move after league opener – ESPN Julián Álvarez remains Barça’s top target to replace the departed Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres, although ESPN reported earlier this week a deal is looking difficult with Atlético Madrid unwilling to transfer the Argentine. Raphinha, on the number ‘9’ position: “We have enough quality to adapt” – Mundo Deportivo The Brazilian played as the main attacking threat in Elche and scored two goals, confirming that he can be a reliable alternative for the position if no new signing arrives. Gavi to undergo tests on Monday for a blow to his right knee – Mundo Deportivo Pedri replaced the Andalusian in the 44th minute in Elche with the score at 0-1 after having felt some discomfort earlier due to a blow to his right knee.

Courtois on Rodri choosing Barcelona over Real Madrid: “It’s a pity for him”

Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois didn’t mince words when asked about Rodri Hernández deciding to sign for FC Barcelona over Los Blancos this summer. Courtois talked to the press immediately after Madrid’s victory over Espanyol. “Every player chooses where they want to be. If he hasn’t wanted to be with us, well, that’s a pity for him. At the end of the day, he’s a great player, but he’s made his choice and that’s that,” said the Belgian goalkeeper. Courtois was also asked about Espanyol’s tweet wondering why Vinicius wasn’t shown his second yellow card late in the game. “I’d love to see all the tweets the teams make against us when they play against other teams. If we’re talking about this rule, Cala should’ve been sent off earlier; the kick to the back, the yellow with Vini, the first foul in the second half on Carreras that, if he didn’t have a yellow, the ref would’ve given him a yellow one hundred percent. First, you gotta look in the mirror and see what’s happening in a game with your players,” he added.

Gossip: Man City considering shock bid for Barcelona’s Frenkie de Jong

BARCELONA, SPAIN - AUGUST 19: Frenkie de Jong of FC Barcelona acknowledges the fans as he is introduced before the Joan Gamper Trophy match between FC Barcelona and Al Ahly SC at Spotify Camp Nou on August 19, 2026 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images) | Getty Images Premier League big spenders Manchester City are being linked with a shock move for Barcelona star Frenkie de Jong ahead of the final week of the transfer window. The news comes from El Chiringuito’s Jose Alvarez and an update that claims the Cityzens could go for the Dutchman. Alvarez has posted on X: “City likes De Jong a lot. They really like De Jong. They want to keep strengthening their midfield. They’re analyzing his physical condition and will decide if they’ll make an offer for him this week. But there’s a lot of interest.” De Jong is currently out with a knee ligament injury and it’s not known yet when he is expected to return. Yet when he does, he faces real competition for a place, particularly after Barca signed Rodri. As for City, the club have already spent over £100 million to sign Elliot Anderson and are also set to invest heavily in Ayyoub Bouaddi. Yet Enzo Maresca hinted at more signings and the need for “a new Rodri” after his team’s Premier League opener against Bournemouth yesterday. Should Barcelona sell De Jong if City do come calling? Tell us what you think in the comments below!

Sporting Captain Gonçalo Inácio Emerges as Barcelona Target

Gonçalo Inácio is reportedly on Barcelona’s shortlist, with Milan and Ruben Amorim also interested as Sporting weigh his future. The post Sporting Captain Gonçalo Inácio Emerges as Barcelona Target appeared first on Football España.

Football transfer rumours: Alvarez set for Arsenal after being booed at Atlético?

Today’s rumours laugh off heartburn Booing Julián Alvarez during Atlético Madrid’s draw with Villarreal on Sunday has seemingly convinced the Argentinian forward to consider joining Arsenal in the window. The former Manchester City man has been kept out of the reaches of Barcelona, who may not have the funds to complete the signing, whereas the Gunners have plenty of cash to splash. Alejandro Balde was left out of the Barcelona squad as they roared past Elche, as the Catalan club open the door for a move to Manchester United. A new left-back should solve all of the problems at Old Trafford, that’s for sure. Continue reading...

Chelsea change course with Alonso primed to banish the chaos of youth

The 44-year-old is focused on maintaining ‘emotional control’ and a slew of sensible signings offer genuine hope It is a necessary reset. Although it would be pushing it to say that Chelsea have switched from development centre to retirement home, even after the signings of Jordan Henderson and Danny Welbeck, there has been a clear shift in strategy this summer. Some grownups are in the room at last and, for Xabi Alonso, the hope is that bringing in more experience will help a squad still packed with youngsters show more composure when adversity strikes. Discipline was a problem for Chelsea last season: they had 11 red cards in all competitions and a lot of the wounds were self-inflicted. Chelsea were impetuous, on the receiving end of too many bookings for dissent and prone to collapsing at the first sign of trouble. No wonder Alonso, who was the epitome of calm during his playing career, has focused on maintaining “emotional control” before opening his tenure as manager with Monday’s trip to Fulham. Continue reading...

Arbeloa v Alonso: Benitez on his former players turned managers

Former Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez on his former players Xabi Alonso and Alvaro Arbeloa who face each other as managers on Monday when Fulham host Chelsea.

Three talking points from Elche 0-5 Barcelona as title defence begins with huge win

Barcelona's Brazilian forward #11 Raphinha celebrates scoring his team's first goal during the Spanish league football match between Elche CF and FC Barcelona at Martinez Valero Stadium in Elche on August 23, 2026. (Photo by JOSE JORDAN / AFP via Getty Images) | AFP via Getty Images A week behind many of the other teams in La Liga, Barcelona began their 2026/27 campaign at Elche’s Estadio Manuel Martinez Valero and ran away with a big win. Let’s take a look at three talking points from Sunday night’s game… Great performance from Xavi Espart In what was a much-changed starting XI from Hansi Flick, it was good to see players like Xavi Espart given a chance to stake a claim. The 19-year-old certainly did his chances no harm with a solid and effective performance throughout. His tigerishness in the tackle helped Barca to win back possession, leading to Raphinha’s penalty, while his positional sense and confidence in his passing game were a real feature. There will be tougher games, of course, though the youngster did everything asked of him. Is Gavi still too gung-ho? In the first half before his injury, there wasn’t too much in the way of midfield control from Gavi. His pass completion of 78.6% was one of the lowest in the team, with the midfielder consistently, and unusually, losing possession. Whether one could argue that in these first games of the campaign, players who are easing back into form need to be cut some slack is a moot point. Arguably, when the first game of the season comes around, everyone has to be ‘at it’ from the first whistle, and perhaps Gavi takes it a little too literally. That over-exuberance has seen him injured before, and he clearly hasn’t learned his lesson. Great cameo from Gordon Two assists within six minutes of coming on as a substitute isn’t a bad way to announce yourself on your official debut. Anthony Gordon couldn’t have made more of an impact if he tried, and his direct running in the 25 minutes or so he had against a tiring Elche side gave culers a taste of what’s to come. Those supporters wondering about the logic of bringing the former Newcastle man to the club were handed their answer emphatically. Having such strength in depth in that position was something missing for the most part last season, and if Gordon continues in the same vein, he’ll quickly become a fan favourite.

‘Something wrong’ – Hansi Flick talks Alejandro Balde’s future and Barcelona’s No. 9 search after Elche win

ELCHE, SPAIN - AUGUST 23: Hansi Flick, Head Coach of FC Barcelona reacts during the LaLiga EA Sports 2026/27 match between Elche CF and FC Barcelona at Estadio Manuel Martinez Valero on August 23, 2026 in Elche, Spain. (Photo by Manuel Queimadelos/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images) | Getty Images Hansi Flick spoke about Alejandro Balde and Barcelona’s search for a new No. 9 after seeing his team thrash Elche 5-0 on Sunday night. The Barcelona boss left Balde out of his squad for the match but insisted after the game that he hasn’t asked the left-back to find a new club. “No, I’m not asking him to leave. This morning I felt there was something wrong. I spoke to him and said: ‘At this moment, I have this feeling, and I think it’s best for you to clear your mind, sort out your thoughts, and then we’ll talk again tomorrow.‘ “And he agreed as well. He agreed to it because there are so many things going around in his head, and that’s why he’s not here.” Flick was also quizzed on Barcelona’s search for a new striker, amid continued talk of a move for Julian Alvarez, and said he will chat with Deco. “We’ll talk after this match about the number nine. I speak with Deco, we’re very happy about the victory, but we’ll see during the week,” he added. After hitting five past Elche, do Barcelona really need a striker? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

‘It’s his knee’ – Hansi Flick offers worrying Gavi injury update after Barcelona beat Elche

ELCHE, SPAIN - AUGUST 23: Gavi of Barcelona walks off the pitch after being substituted due to injury during the LaLiga EA Sports 2026/27 match between Elche CF and FC Barcelona at Estadio Manuel Martinez Valero on August 23, 2026 in Elche, Spain. (Photo by Francisco Macia/Getty Images) | Getty Images Barcelona boss Hansi Flick confirmed that Gavi suffered a knee injury during Sunday’s 5-0 win over Elche in their La Liga opener. Gavi was forced off in the first half of the victory and Flick offered an update on his midfielder after the victory. “Yes, it’s in the knee. We have to wait. It’s a little better than he expected when he got injured. After the game was much better. We will make an MRI and see,” he told reporters. Barcelona and Gavi now face a really anxious wait to discover the severity of the problem. Gavi’s career has been disrupted by knee injuries and the hope will be that he’s not suffered another problem that will see him sidelined yet again. After winning 5-0, Barcelona will now head home and start preparing for a midweek clash with Athletic Club at Camp Nou on Thursday evening. In the meantime, Gavi will undergo tests on his latest injury. Let’s keep our fingers crossed that he’s OK.

Raphinha talks Spiderman celebration, Barcelona’s No. 9 hunt after Elche win

Barcelona's Brazilian forward #11 Raphinha celebrates scoring his team's first goal during the Spanish league football match between Elche CF and FC Barcelona at Martinez Valero Stadium in Elche on August 23, 2026. (Photo by JOSE JORDAN / AFP via Getty Images) | AFP via Getty Images Barcelona captain Raphinha faced the media after scoring twice in an impressive 5-0 win for Hansi Flick’s side against Elche on Sunday night. The Spanish champions opened up their campaign in style, with Raphinha opening the scoring from the penalty spot and then producing a Spiderman celebration – leading many to think about Julian Alvarez. Raphinha was quizzed on his celebration after the game but insisted it was for his son and not the Atletico forward. “The Spiderman? It’s for my son , and he asked me to make it because he really likes it now,” he said after the game. After seeing Barcelona win 5-0, Raphinha was also asked if Barcelona really need a No. 9 and answered: “This is up to the president, Deco, and the manager. We’ll do whatever he says with determination. We have the ability to play in any position.” Barcelona are still believed to be keen to sign a new striker before the transfer window closes. Yet Flick’s side showed on Sunday that goalscoring is not a problem with the likes of Raphinha, Karim Adeyemi, Anthony Gordon, Fermin Lopez and Lamine Yamal around.

Elche 0-5 Barcelona: Raphinha shines as Barça run riot in La Liga opener

Photo by David Ramirez/Soccrates/Getty Images The reigning back-to-back champions of La Liga are off to a strong start to their title defense as Barcelona dominated Elche and cruised to a 5-0 win in their league opener at the Manuel Martínez Valero on Sunday night. The Blaugrana never needed to get out of second gear and easily found their goals, with Raphinha and Fermín López each scoring a brace and new signings Anthony Gordon and Karim Adeyemi enjoying very good debuts. Starting LaLiga with a BANG! 💥 pic.twitter.com/LqkGlYZVst — FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) August 23, 2026 Barça made a very good start, playing quick, direct attacking football and pressing high up the pitch to win the ball high and create chances. Lamine Yamal missed a big one inside the box, and a high turnover created by Xavi Espart ended up with Raphinha being taken out in the box and scoring a good penalty to put the Catalans ahead. Hansi Flick’s side weren’t as reckless and risky with their defending and spent a lot more time inside their own half than usual, giving Elche the ball and looking to create on the counter. The home team brought very little danger despite having more possession, and Joan Garcia didn’t have to make a single save. The Blaugrana once again looked threatening towards the end, with Karim Adeyemi coming close with a shot inside the box before another instance of high pressing created the second goal: Marc Bernal won the ball in midfield, Yamal and Raphinha combined at the edge of the box, and the Brazilian assisted Adeyemi who opened his account with a neat finish. Barça went into the break with a solid and deserved two-goal lead, but there was a sad note as Gavi was forced off with a lower leg injury and had be replaced by Pedri just before halftime. Barça remained in control to start the second half, alternating moments of playing in a low block and keeping possession but always looking to play direct and find Raphinha in behind the Elche defense. The captain missed a very good chance early in the period but couldn’t miss again after receiving an assist from Anthony Gordon, who made a wonderful one-two with Dani Olmo on the left wing and gave the Brazilian his second goal to seal the win. Elche missed two very good chances right after the goal to make it 3-1, and were made to pay for it with 20 minutes to as Gordon received a wonderful through ball from Pedri and showed brilliant unselfishness to give Fermín López a tap-in and turn the win into a rout. Hansi Flick’s team doesn’t know how to slow down and continued looking for more, and Fermín scored an absolute beauty as he received the ball with his back to goal, turning away from his defender and finding the net in beautiful fashion. The final whistle came to end a very good night for the champions, who overcame the absences and the lack of rhythm and completely dominated on the road and could have easily scored more than just five. Well done, boys!

Monday's gossip: Man City ready to meet Chelsea's Fernandez demand

Manchester City are ready to make Enzo Fernandez move, Liverpool consider a third bid for Yankuba Minteh, and a Barcelona full-back pushes to join Manchester United.

Gavi forced off injured in first half of Barcelona’s La Liga opener

ELCHE, SPAIN - AUGUST 23: Gavi of Barcelona warms up before the LaLiga EA Sports 2026/27 match between Elche CF and FC Barcelona at Estadio Manuel Martinez Valero on August 23, 2026 in Elche, Spain. (Photo by Francisco Macia/Getty Images) | Getty Images Barcelona suffered an injury blow in the first half of their La Liga opener against Elche as midfielder Gavi was forced off with a problem. Gavi started the game in midfield alongside Marc Bernal and Fermin Lopez but didn’t even make it to half-time after picking up an injury. The Spain star went down holding his right leg but it wasn’t completely clear what type of injury he had suffered. Obviously given his history, it’s hoped that he hasn’t sustained another knee problem. 🔄 Substitution (45') ↑🟢Pedri ↓🔴 Gavi#ElcheBarça pic.twitter.com/03uV7SXFpW — FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) August 23, 2026 Hansi Flick sent Pedri on his place and saw his Barcelona team make it 2-0 just before half-time. Raphinha had opened the scoring from the penalty spot and then teed up Karim Adeyemi to score his first La Liga goal for his new club. It’s a good start to the game for Barcelona but we’ll have to wait and see what the news is on Gavi. Hopefully, it’s just a knock and he will not be out of action for long.

Hansi Flick reveals why he left Alejandro Balde out of Barcelona squad to face Elche

UDINE, ITALY - AUGUST 08: Head Coach Hansi Flick of FC Barcelona looks on during the during the Friuli Venezia Giulia Cup match between Nottingham Forest and Barcelona at Bluenergy Stadium on August 08, 2026 in Udine, Italy. (Photo by Emmanuele Ciancaglini/Ciancaphoto Studio/Getty Images) | Getty Images Barcelona boss Hansi Flick has revealed why he decided to leave Alejandro Balde out of his squad for Sunday’s La Liga opener against Elche. Balde was a surprise omission from the squad list for the match but has been linked with a Barcelona exit in the last few days. Flick was quizzed on his squad selection ahead of kick-off on Sunday night and says he didn’t think Balde was 100% focused. “We have to manage the minutes, I hope to have six players who can play 90 minutes,” he told the media. “I spoke with Balde this morning and told him that I think he’s not here at 100%, clear your mind and then we’ll talk.” Balde has been linked with Manchester United, Aston Villa and Benfica recently, with the rumor mill talking up an exit before the transfer window closes. Yet Flick’s latest comments suggest that there is still a chance Balde could stay at Barcelona and that the two will talk again after the match.

‘Decision made by the club’- Barcelona target Julian Alvarez told to stay away from Atletico fans

MADRID, SPAIN - AUGUST 23: Julian Alvarez of Atletico de Madrid looks on during the LaLiga EA Sports 2026/27 match between Atletico de Madrid and Villarreal CF at Riyadh Air Metropolitano on August 23, 2026 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images) | Getty Images Barcelona target Julian Alvarez had a tough day on Sunday as Atletico Madrid took on Villarreal in La Liga. The forward’s name was whistled by fans before kick-off and there were more insults when he arrived as a substitute. After the game ended 2-2, Atletico players went over to their fans but Alvarez was spotted walking alone and heading straight for the tunnel. Mientras todo el equipo aplaudía y saludaba a la afición del Atleti, Julián Álvarez se fue solo al vestuario 🫣. La ruptura de la afición con el delantero argentino es evidente. pic.twitter.com/Isskqtjikl — ESPN Deportes (@ESPNDeportes) August 23, 2026 Manager Diego Simeone was asked about the situation afterwards and said Alvarez had been told by the club to stay away from the fans. “People at the club told me that the club decided he shouldn’t be near the stands and the fans,” he said afterwards. “The decision was made by the club to keep him away and separate him from the rest of the team, so he would come to the locker room instead.” The situation with Alvarez seems to be turning increasingly ugly as we head towards the close of the transfer window. Atletico continue to insist that Alvarez is not for sale, while there has been speculation that Arsenal made a move for the Argentine in the last few days but were told he still only wants Barcelona.

Managing Madrid Roundtable: 2026/2027 Season Preview

Q: Jose Mourinho is back. Real Madrid have now gone through three successive coaches and two seasons of failure. What does Mourinho bring to the table that can fundamentally change things? Can he change Madrid’s trajectory? Sam Leveridge: Experience handling big egos and the respect of the dressing room, far more than either of last season’s coaches. While it won’t quite be Carlo Ancelotti ‘winning on vibes’, it will help to make a lot of his changes easier to implement. His defence-first philosophy will address a problem area and look to make Real Madrid hard to beat, knowing that they have the firepower at the other end. Lucas Navarrete: He is someone who makes sure everyone pulls in the same direction, which is something Real Madrid have lacked for a while. Real Madrid have a similar culture problem than the one they had prior to his first tenure, so I do believe he can solve these issues. Kiyan Sobhani: I know the obvious answer is ‘we finally have a psychologist to fix the locker-room issues’ so I’ll provide something different: Mourinho is a much more rigid tactical coach compared to Ancelotti and Alonso. He has a clear system (4-2-3-1) and he builds it around that, and will field a symmetrical scheme with a pure right ringer which we haven’t had in a long time. I’m very curious to see this team under him. If I’m to provide an optimistic take, it’s that Mourinho might be a good mix of Alonso and Ancelotti in terms of man-management and tactical solutions. Mehedi Hassan: Yes, I believe Jose Mourinho can change the trajectory. Real Madrid adores Jose. But he brings in the necessary discomfort for everyone that, if someone is not doing their job properly, he will call them out without any hesitation. Real Madrid as a club needed this discomfort. He already pointed to the club hierarchy’s failures during Xabi Alonso and Alvaro Arbeloa’s stints – in a very subtle way – during the El Chiringuito interview. This was unthinkable with all of his last four predecessors, Carlo Ancelotti, Zinedine Zidane, Alonso and Arbeloa.   Hridyam Arora: Jose Mourinho is used to managing teams like Real Madrid. Bringing back the ambition, togetherness, and a culture of working hard for the club – as he has suggested in the last few days – will be crucial. Real Madrid were as disjointed last season as they ever have been, and Mourinho’s man-management and strictness will help change some of that. Lamdarhri Achraf: First, Real Madrid’s trajectory was good with Xabi Alonso. He was on track for 90+ points in La Liga. He lost his last game with Real Madrid. But the team created 7 big chances and missed 5. Barcelona hasn’t conceded such a number of big chances since their 8- 2 defeat against Bayern Munich. The eye test and stats backed the fact that the team improved on and off the ball. There were some tactical problems, but it is worth considering that the team didn’t have a pre-season, and the board didn’t sign a midfielder to provide the traits Toni Kroos offered this team on the ball. Xabi Alonso spent only six months with the group, which was a short period for a team to implement a certain playing style, let alone excel at it. Coming to Mourinho, there is the problem of egos and culture that needs to be sorted out in the first place. Then, the tactical issues came second. Out of possession, I don’t think Real Madrid will be a good off-ball team with the presence of Mbappé and Vinicius Junior on the same pitch. They may run with intensity, but how they will run is the question here. Both showed that they lack spatial awareness; they don’t scan enough, which impacts their decision-making and their subsequent actions. In possession, Real Madrid had that major problem of lacking someone who can zip passes through defensive lines from deep, control the tempo and rhythm based on the game state’s requirements, and most importantly, someone who is secure under pressure. Arda Guler was used deeper for that role under Xabi Alonso, but he didn’t have the physicality to win duels. Also, being one-footed and having problems with playing quickly (from first-time touches, for example) made him a press trigger. High up the pitch, there are many players who want to lean toward the left, which makes that area very clogged. Plus, there are many players who want the ball at their feet. That lack of attacking depth makes the opposition comfortable in defense. Having players to run behind backlines puts the opposition in a dilemma, whether to stay still or follow the run. Both scenarios are win-win situations, as you can ping passes over the top for the runner if he’s not tracked, or you can have spaces between the lines to navigate passes if the defensive line is dragged backward. Then, there is the problem of box occupation. In summary, the trajectory of Real Madrid may change if Mourinho has answers to the problems discussed above. Matt Wiltse: Jose comes back but he’s a different man. He admits as much. I am not expecting him to be as animated and as controversial as his first stint. What I do expect is Jose will be blunt, honest, and transparent with his players. He will make the decisions for the good of the team and will create a culture of discipline. A culture of effort and competitiveness. Those things will improve this team vs last year but I remain skeptical that this profile of players can complement each other and truly compete at the highest level.  Q: What tactical shifts or principles of play will be implemented? What do you think would make this team more successful?  Sam Leveridge: Finding a place for Arda Güler and Jude Bellingham in the same team. Working out Bellingham’s role in this system is Mourinho’s biggest test, but Güler is ready for the step up and it surely won’t come at the expense of a player of Bellingham’s quality. That could mean dropping Güler deeper, which will take some work to shore up the defensive side of the midfield which has been left almost exclusively on Aurélien Tchouameni’s shoulders. Lucas Navarrete: I’d expect Real Madrid’s counterattacks to improve and that would be incredibly helpful. Vinicius and Mbappé’s chemistry has been lacking, and the team’s counterattacking ability could improve with Diomandé as well. Kiyan Sobhani: I think the best version of this team contains both Arda Guler and Jude Bellingham together. They will have to co-exist and one of them (in my opinion, it’s Arda) will have to play deeper. If Mourinho can successfully get those two on the same page, he’s solved a big piece of the puzzle. Obviously, Vinicius and Mbappe will need to play well together consistently for the first time – something that hasn’t happened in their two years together – or Mourinho will have to bench one of them (and we all know how that’s going to go off the pitch). Mehedi Hassan: An emphasis on defensive discipline is on the way. It may not be pretty to watch at the beginning, but all of Mourinho’s successful sides had a very solid defensive base – John Terry-Ricardo Carvalho, Walter Samuel-Lucio, Sergio Ramos-Pepe, Terry-Gary Cahill – all of them had consistent minutes in Jose’s successful sides. Real Madrid’s defense had no continuity or consistency over the last two seasons. I think that is about to be the first big change. Hridyam Arora: With the signing of Yan Diomande and a return to the 4-2-3-1 set-up, I expect Mourinho’s side to be devastatingly good on the counter-attack. They have all the tools to be great at it, and it will be interesting to see how well he’s able to implement it. Lamdarhri Achraf: Mourinho might shift Arda Guler’s position to play the Modric role. But that’s related to the improvement of Arda Guler’s physicality, more reliance on his right foot, quick reading of the situations, and execution of the pass or the action in general. People tend to link Mourinho with the counterattacking style that made the team so good in his first spell. But things have changed, and football is different in 2026. In La Liga, all the teams know that Real Madrid has transitional assets and killer players in this phase. Most of La Liga teams will sit and defend deeper. So, you need proper dynamics and a solid playing style against low blocks, which is one of Real Madrid’s problems in recent seasons. Keeping that transitional threat and adding layers to solve these compact defensive structures is a no-brainer to compete. Matt Wiltse: I expect a far more pragmatic approach, especially in the big games. This team has never been successful pressing and Jose will play to his best player’s strengths which means sitting deep and hitting the opposition on the counter with breakneck speed. Low blocks in La Liga have been Madrid’s Achilles heel in recent seasons, it will be interesting to see how Mourinho approaches those matches.  Q: Six new signings: Bernado, Konate, Cucurella, Dumfries, Espi, Diomande – who has the biggest impact and why?  Sam Leveridge: Cucurella, he’s the only man guaranteed to start in his position and solves an area that has been problematic since Marcelo got too old. His energy and intensity is a perfect fit for a Mourinho system. Lucas Navarrete: Cucurella, no question. Diomandé has the highest potential of them all but Cucurella will be a massive upgrade over Carreras. Kiyan Sobhani: I could list all of them and it would be true, but that’s a lazy answer, so I’ll choose Marc Cucurella. He’s the best signing the club made this summer (but I still really believe all six will be important in varying ways).  Mehedi Hassan: Yan Diomande. We haven’t had an exciting profile like Diomande on the right wing since Gareth Bale. Since Bale’s decline, every Real Madrid team has attacked from the left mostly. Diomande could change that and open up space for Vinicius Jr and Kylian Mbappe.  Hridyam Arora: Marc Cucurella. He would be the biggest upgrade Real Madrid have made in that position since losing Marcelo. His ability to lock down the best right-wingers in world football would be crucial in Champions League knockouts and Clasicos. Bernardo Silva also deserves a shout. Real Madrid haven’t had a midfielder like him for a couple of years, and despite his age, he will solve at least some of the issues Real Madrid, as a system, have had. Lamdarhri Achraf: I expect the buildup and progression will improve when Bernardo Silva is on the pitch. His spatial awareness, availability (most of the time looking to free himself), ball carrying, spinning around opponents, and finding those pockets of space to pass the ball are some of the qualities Real Madrid lacks in midfield. Also, I think the team finally has a winger who can operate on the right. Yan Diomandé can play on both flanks. Definitely, he is a defensive upgrade across the front line. He never stops running, reacts to triggers, recovers the ball cleanly, is an intensive counterpresser, tracks back a lot, and provides support for the fullback. In a nutshell, he works really hard. On the ball, he is more of a winger who attacks the byline frequently for crosses and cutbacks. He is one of the best dribblers, ball carriers, and chance creators in the top five leagues. So, you need an optimal box occupation for him to have a big impact. Matt Wiltse: Bernardo adds what has been missing in midfield – a cerebral player who can allow the team to “breathe” while under pressure. He can speed a game up or slow a game down. I think he will be more important than many people assumed when the signing was first announced.  What is your “hot take”? Sam Leveridge: Real Madrid to go a full season unbeaten at the Bernabéu. Mourinho’s Benfica didn’t lose a league game at all last season, so he can make teams hard to beat even now, and it’s hard to see a Mourinho side losing 2-1 to Celta Vigo or 1-0 to Getafe. Ancelotti managed it in 2023/24, and Mourinho should be able to do it again this season as he did in 2012/13 in the league and Europe. Lucas Navarrete: Real Madrid win LaLiga comfortably (10+ points). I expect the team to be very solid this year and I could see them opening a big gap over Barça during the first half of the season. Under Mourinho, Madrid should be able to win consistently in those dreaded away games in places like Getafe or Osasuna. Kiyan Sobhani: Mourinho will rotate a lot of players, including big names, go deep into his squad, keep everyone fresh and hungry week to week, and win the league. He’ll also break a Champions League barrier and go further than the team has in previous years.  Mehedi Hassan: Real Madrid will win LaLiga with 100+ points.  Hridyam Arora: Real Madrid will win the league. Mourinho’s teams usually do quite well in their respective leagues, and he will help the squad understand the importance of consistency and playing well in the ‘smaller’ games. Matt Wiltse: The Mbappe-Vinicius-Bellingham trio fails to ignite for another season. The team could muster their way to La Liga or Copa del Rey but will fall short in the big matches in the Champions League. Q: Give us your predictions for: A) Unsung hero of the season Sam Leveridge: Marc Cucurella. Lucas Navarrete: Dean Huijsen Kiyan Sobahni: Carlos Espi Mehedi Hassan: Marc Cucurella Hridyam Arora: Trent Alexander-Arnold Matt Wiltse: Bernardo Silva B) MIP (most improved) Sam Leveridge: Arda Güler. Lucas Navarrete: Trent Alexander-Arnold Kiyan Sobhani: Dean Huijsen Mehedi Hassan: Dean Huijsen Hridyam Arora: Dean Huijsen Matt Wiltse: Trent Alexander-Arnold C) MVP Sam Leveridge: Kylian Mbappé. Lucas Navarrete: Kylian Mbappé Kiyan Sobhani: Jude Bellingham Mehedi Hassan: Kylian Mbappé Hridyam Arora: Jude Bellingham Matt Wiltse: Jude Bellingham / Thibaut Courtois Q: Give us your final season predictions: Standings in La Liga, Copa, and UCL Sam Leveridge: La Liga – 1st, Copa del Rey – Semi-finals, UCL – Quarter-finals Lucas Navarrete: La Liga – 1st, Copa del Rey – Champions, UCL- Quarter-finals Kiyan Sobhani: La Liga – 1st, Copa del Rey – Quarter-finals, UCL- Champions Mehedi Hassan: La Liga – 1st, Copa del Rey – Champions, UCL: I’d rather not say Hridyam Arora: La Liga – 1st, Copa Del Rey – Semi-finals, UCL – Semi-finals Matt Wiltse: La Liga – 2nd, Copa Del Rey – Champions, UCL – Quarter-finals

VIDEO: El Fayz x Managing Madrid Collab: La Liga 2026-27 predictions — Real Madrid backed to reclaim the title

The 2026-27 La Liga season is here, and with it comes another year of questions surrounding Spain’s biggest clubs, the teams looking to break into the European places, and the players who could shape the campaign. In this episode, Managing Madrid’s Kiyan Sobhani joins Faysal and Neal for a wide-ranging La Liga predictions show ahead of the new season. The discussion looks at Real Madrid’s first full campaign under José Mourinho, Barcelona’s attempt to defend their league title, and how the balance between Spain’s two biggest clubs has changed following a busy summer. The panel also goes through the rest of the league, assessing Atlético Madrid and the teams hoping to challenge near the top of the table, along with some of the clubs and players worth keeping an eye on further down the standings. There are predictions throughout the episode, disagreements over how the season could unfold, and plenty of discussion about the biggest uncertainties heading into the opening weeks of the campaign. Watch the full episode for our complete 2026-27 La Liga season predictions.

Konaté’s debut shows promise

BARCELONA, SPAIN - AUGUST 22: Ibrahima Konate of Real Madrid challenges for the ball with Roberto Fernandez of RCD Espanyol de Barcelona during the LaLiga EA Sports 2026/27 match between RCD Espanyol de Barcelona and Real Madrid at RCDE Stadium on August 22, 2026 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Diego Souto/Getty Images) | Getty Images Ibrahima Konaté has barely had any pre-season time, but that did not stop Jose Mourinho from giving the French defender his first official Real Madrid start right away. The former Liverpool center-back did not disappoint. Madrid’s difficult win at the RCDE stadium that needed a last-minute winner from Carlos Espi did have a customary moment of defensive lapse, and Konaté’s positioning choice in that moment could well be called into question; however, apart from that, he was very impressive. Real Madrid have lacked consistency at center-back over the past two seasons. Éder Militão’s injuries, the fluctuating form of Antonio Rüdiger and David Alaba, and Raúl Asensio’s inconsistency have all prevented Madrid from finding real stability at the back. Dean Huijsen also struggled through the second half of last season. A leaner, fitter Konaté, as demonstrated against Espanyol, could address several of those concerns, provided he can stay healthy. The Frenchman delivered a reminder of the kind of no-nonsense defending Real Madrid sorely lacked from their center-backs last season. He produced a dominant defensive display against Espanyol, registering nine defensive contributions, including two tackles won, one interception and five clearances. He also made five recoveries, won eight duels and was not dribbled past once. Konaté was equally assured in possession, completing 72 of his 74 passes for a 97% success rate. Konaté is expected to make his Bernabéu debut in three days, when Real Madrid host Real Sociedad.

Carlos Espí presented as new Real Madrid player after match-winning goal against Espanyol

BARCELONA, SPAIN - AUGUST 22: Carlos Espi centre-forward of Real Madrid and Spain celebrates after scoring his sides first goal during the La Liga EA Sports 2026/27 match between RCD Espanyol de Barcelona and Real Madrid at RCDE Stadium on August 22, 2026 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Jose Hernandez/Anadolu via Getty Images) | Anadolu via Getty Images Carlos Espí was officially presented as a Real Madrid player on Sunday, less than 24 hours after scoring the winning goal in the club’s 2-1 victory over Espanyol in their LaLiga opener. The 21-year-old striker’s presentation took place privately in the boardroom at Real Madrid City, with president Florentino Pérez and honorary president José Martínez “Pirri” alongside him. Espí has signed a contract with Real Madrid through June 2031. The presentation completed a memorable few weeks for Espí, whose move from Levante came together quickly at the end of July. Real Madrid moved to sign the striker on July 30, paying his €25 million release clause after the club’s sporting department, including José Ángel Sánchez and Juni Calafat, worked on the deal in communication with Jose Mourinho. Espí was training at Valdebebas with his new teammates the following day and has quickly made an impact despite not establishing himself as a regular starter. The striker has scored three goals in his first five appearances for Real Madrid, finding the net against Ferencvaros and Schalke during preseason before scoring his most significant goal yet against Espanyol. Espí came through with the decisive goal at Cornellà to give Mourinho’s side three points in their opening league match. His efficiency has been particularly notable. Espí has registered only six shots across his five appearances, with five of those efforts on target, but has already converted three of them into goals. The move represents a rapid rise for a player whose situation was considerably different at the beginning of last season. Espí initially struggled for regular minutes at Levante before Luis Castro’s arrival as coach changed his role during the second half of the campaign. Given a regular place in the starting lineup, Espí finished with 11 goals in 25 appearances and played a significant role in helping Levante avoid relegation. His performances were enough to generate discussion over whether he could earn a place in Luis de la Fuente’s Spain squad for the 2026 World Cup. Now at Real Madrid, Espí spoke to the club’s television channel during his presentation and described what joining the club meant to him. “Being at Real Madrid is an honor. I’m very happy for my family and myself. I’m going to give my all for this club. I was very impressed to see the 15 Champions League titles. This club is incredible: the facilities, the Bernabéu… they take care of every detail. And in terms of football, the squad is the best in the world. These have been incredible days and I can’t wait to step onto the Bernabéu pitch and be with the fans.” Espí also reflected on his winning goal against Espanyol and admitted there had not been much sleep between the celebrations in Cornellà and his presentation in Madrid. “Between the joy of the goal in Cornellà and my eagerness to come to the presentation, I slept very little. The moment of the goal was wonderful; we were all very euphoric, and it was a source of pride to see how happy everyone was for me…” Espí posed alongside Pérez with his new No. 19 shirt, a number previously worn by Luka Modric during the Croatian’s early years at Real Madrid.

Elche vs Barcelona live stream: Lineups, Kickoff time, TV channel, How to watch La Liga online

Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images WELCOME TO THE MANUEL MARTÍNEZ VALERO STADIUM!!! The beautiful home of Elche is the site of Barcelona’s opening match of the season as the Blaugrana kick off their La Liga title defense away from home against an attack-minded team that will test the reigning back-to-back champions on their league debut. This should be all kinds of fun, and you’re welcome to join us to follow and comment all the action. Vamos! LINEUPS BARCELONA To be announced. ELCHE To be announced. MATCH INFO Competition/Round: 2026-27 La Liga, Matchday 2 Date/Time: Sunday, August 23, 2026, 9.30pm CET/WAT (Barcelona), 8.30pm BST/WAT (UK & Nigeria), 3.30pm ET, 12.30pm PT (USA), 1am IST (India, Monday) Venue: Estadio Manuel Martínez Valero, Elche, Spain Referee: Alejandro Quintero González VAR: Guillermo Cuadra Fernández HOW TO WATCH On TV: ABC (USA), Premier Sports 1 (UK), SuperSport (Nigeria), Movistar (Spain), others Online: ESPN+ (USA), Premier Sports Player (UK), FanCode (India), Movistar+ (Spain), others Matchday Thread Rules We don’t have a lot of rules here, but there are a few things to keep in mind when joining our matchday threads: Even if the referee sucks or we lose the game, watch the swearing. It’s just unnecessary. Also, don’t discuss illegal streaming links. Those who do it will be warned, and those who post links will be instantly banned. Finally, be nice to each other. This is a Barcelona community and we don’t need to offend one another. Have fun with the game! Forever and ever, no matter the competition, VISCA EL BARÇA!

Espanyol Manager Manolo Gonzalez: “Real Madrid’s fouls weren’t counted”

Manolo Gonzalez head coach of Espanyol during the La Liga EA Sports 2026/27 match between RCD Espanyol de Barcelona and Real Madrid at RCDE Stadium on August 22, 2026 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Jose Breton/Pics Action/NurPhoto via Getty Images) | NurPhoto via Getty Images Espanyol manager Manolo Gonzalez praised his team’s defensive performance while questioning the refereeing criteria following Saturday’s 2-1 defeat to Real Madrid. Espanyol managed to limit Real Madrid for much of the game before eventually conceding twice. Gonzalez felt his side executed its defensive plan well until the latter stages and argued that both goals came primarily from mistakes made by his own players. “Up until the 70th minute, it was what we had worked on: preventing them from getting behind us. We defended quite well. The goals were our mistakes, more than their merit. Mbappé was the most disruptive player, but the team defended well overall.” Gonzalez acknowledged that Espanyol had difficulty creating enough threat on the counter-attack, particularly as fatigue began to affect his players. His substitutions were intended to give the visitors more opportunities in transition, but Real Madrid increasingly pinned Espanyol into their own half. “We lacked a better counter-attack. The players were tired and we noticed it. The substitutions were aimed at counter-attacking, but it was harder for us to get out of our own half. When we did find them, they suffered. Defensively, we were solid.” The Espanyol coach also addressed the performance of the officials. Gonzalez made it clear that he did not believe the refereeing determined the result, but he was unhappy with what he viewed as an inconsistent standard between the two teams. “The refereeing didn’t affect the result, but what bothers me is the criteria. We’re not a team that wastes time, but every throw-in was counted against us, every foul was called for the slightest contact… Real Madrid’s fouls weren’t counted. The criteria weren’t applied equally.” Gonzalez expanded on those complaints when discussing how the game was officiated when Espanyol attempted to press Real Madrid. He also pointed to Lozano receiving a yellow card for protesting and suggested that some players are afforded more leeway when speaking to referees. “It drives you crazy under pressure. When you’re pressing, the slightest thing is a foul, but on the other side it’s not… it’s frustrating. I’m happy with the players because they protested, but they didn’t cross the line. We know what we can’t do. Some players are allowed more than others. Lozano protested and got a yellow card. There are players, not just today’s, who protest and get away with it.” Gonzalez was also asked about Jose Mourinho’s comments regarding the treatment of Vinicius Junior. The Real Madrid coach had spoken about opponents targeting the Brazilian, but Gonzalez rejected the suggestion that Espanyol had gone into the match looking to provoke or excessively foul Vinicius. “Mourinho’s comments about Vinicius getting bullied? If we can’t touch him… This is football. I didn’t see any excessive tackles on him. We can go back to the Maradona era. Nowadays, with cameras, there are no serious fouls that go unpunished. We didn’t go looking for trouble or provoke him. They’re simply part of the game. At least here we didn’t go there to provoke him.” Despite leaving without a point, Gonzalez emphasized his satisfaction with Espanyol’s defensive work and his players’ response in a difficult match, while reserving his criticism for what he believed was an uneven refereeing standard.

Gonçalo Inácio linked with Barcelona transfer

LISBON, PORTUGAL - AUGUST 14: Goncalo Inacio of Sporting CP reacts during the Liga Portugal Betclic 2026/27 match between Sporting CP and Vitoria SC at Estadio Jose Alvalade on August 14, 2026 in Lisbon, Portugal. (Photo by Maciej Rogowski/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images) | Getty Images Sporting CP defender Gonçalo Inácio was unexpectedly on the bench against FC Alverca in the Portuguese league, firing off a series of rumors that a transfer is imminent. The identity of the buying club has not been revealed, and while most rumors point to AC Milan as potential buyers, others have linked FC Barcelona as the potential suitors. Inácio is a left-footed defender who could slot in next to Pau Cubarsí. Barça loaned out Ronald Araujo and could be slightly light in the center-back position. The 24-year-old was also in Portugal’s squad for this past FIFA World Cup, though he made no appearances for them in a round of 16 exit. Adding fuel to the fire, Barcelona Sporting Director Deco was in Lisbon recently. Rumors said his target was Colombian striker Luis Javier Suárez, who also plays for Sporting. But could he have been for negotiating for Inácio instead? It’s unknown beyond rumor at this time. Rúben Amorim’s presence at Milan has fed rumors that the defender is off to Italy. Amorim managed Inácio for four years at Sporting. But that alone is not ironclad. With time ticking in the transfer window, Barcelona are still looking to secure targets. Everyone knows signing a striker is the priority, but will we see movement on a defender soon?

Espanyol’s Cala Somehow Escapes Without Seeing A Red Card

BARCELONA, SPAIN - AUGUST 22: Vinicius Junior of Real Madrid is challenged by Alex Calatrava of RCD Espanyol de Barcelona during the LaLiga EA Sports 2026/27 match between RCD Espanyol de Barcelona and Real Madrid at RCDE Stadium on August 22, 2026 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Pablo Rodriguez/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images) | Getty Images Real Madrid’s LaLiga opener against Espanyol produced several refereeing flashpoints involving Vinicius Junior, beginning almost immediately after kickoff and continuing with a social-media exchange after the match. The first incident came in the opening stages, when Vinicius went to ground during a challenge and was subsequently kicked in the back by Espanyol’s Cala. Vinicius quickly got back to his feet and confronted the defender, prompting players from both teams to gather around and creating a brief scuffle. The incident, a clear red card according to the rules, wasn’t even looked at twice. Referee Sánchez Martínez awarded Real Madrid a free kick but did not show Cala a card. VAR did not intervene, with the incident ultimately allowed to pass without further punishment. Real Madrid’s players and bench protested the decision, believing Cala’s action warranted a card. welcome back La Liga pic.twitter.com/BQf42FOrks — Kiyan Sobhani (@KiyanSo) August 22, 2026 The incident resurfaced after the game when DAZN posted footage of it on social media. Vinicius reposted the clip with a sarcastic response: “Yellow card for Vini!” You're just allowed to kick a player in the back while he's on the ground???? — Managing Madrid (@managingmadrid) August 22, 2026 Vinicius was involved in another controversial moment in the 61st minute. The Brazilian went down while attacking, with Espanyol believing he had simulated contact. No yellow card was shown, which was significant because Vinicius had already been booked. Espanyol responded publicly through their social-media account, writing: “How many dives does it take to get a second yellow card? It’s for a friend.” Thibaut Courtois later responded to the discussion by pointing back to the opening incident involving Cala and Vinicius. The Real Madrid goalkeeper felt the Espanyol defender should have been sent off for kicking Vinicius in the back when he no longer had an opportunity to play the ball. Cala, meanwhile, maintained that there was no intention behind the contact and said he had attempted to stop himself once he realized the ball was no longer available. “I think it was the first play of the game,” Cala said. “I tried to play the ball, and when I realized it was gone, I tried to stop. I think they noticed, and VAR and the referee interpreted it that way because otherwise, I would have been shown a card. It was a play that, for me, was completely unintentional and without any intention of causing harm.” The Espanyol player also explained that his approach was based on trying to match the physical demands of defending against Real Madrid’s attackers. “Everyone plays their own game, and within that intensity, knowing they are good players, you have to be active and strong because otherwise, it’s difficult,” Cala said. The incidents added another layer of controversy to Real Madrid’s 2-1 victory, with both clubs publicly questioning refereeing decisions involving Vinicius after the final whistle, and of course, the referee deciding not to send Cala off was nearly catastrophic given that Cala himself was the one that scored Espanyol’s equalizer.

‘Barcelona have not risen to the occasion’ – Enrique Cerezo critical of Julian Alvarez pursuit

MADRID, SPAIN - AUGUST 22: Julian Alvarez during a training session of Atletico de Madrid ahead of the Spanish League, LaLiga EA Sports, football match against Villarreal CF at Ciudad Deportiva Wanda Atletico de Madrid on August 22, 2026, in Madrid, Spain. (Photo By Dennis Agyeman/Europa Press via Getty Images) | Europa Press via Getty Images Atletico Madrid president Enrique Cerezo has criticised Barcelona over their pursuit of striker Julian Alvarez this summer. Alvarez said during the World Cup he wanted out of Atletico but remains with Diego Simeone’s side heading into the start of the new La Liga season. Barcelona remain keen on the Argentina international but Cerezo says his club have never wanted to sell and added Barcelona have “not risen to the occasion.” “I believe, and the only thing I can say after a rather complicated summer with the constant questions about Julián Álvarez, is that he is an Atlético de Madrid player, that he has always been an Atlético de Madrid player , and that we never intended to sell him, ” he told he told El Desmarque. “He is an Atlético de Madrid player who is available to the coach whenever the coach wants him. What I believe is that FC Barcelona has not risen to the occasion and has not done what it usually does in these cases.” Alvarez was back in the Atletico squad for today’s clash at Villarreal but was not named in the starting XI and is likely to face a hot reception from angry fans if he does get on.

Deco Travels to Madrid as Barcelona Keep Álvarez Pursuit Alive

Deco met Julián Álvarez’s agent in Madrid as Barcelona seek to revive a transfer pursuit blocked by Atlético’s refusal to sell. The post Deco Travels to Madrid as Barcelona Keep Álvarez Pursuit Alive appeared first on Football España.

Should Hamza Abdelkarim start against Elche in Barcelona’s La Liga opener?

Photo by Jose Breton/Pics Action/NurPhoto via Getty Images Barcelona kick off their La Liga title defense on Sunday away to Elche, and the question on everyone’s mind is who will lead the line for Hansi Flick’s side. The Catalans’ infamous search for a number nine still hasn’t resulted in a high-profile signing, and Barça will have no choice but to go with their current attacking options for the opening match of the season. Flick has plenty of possibilities in Anthony Gordon, Raphinha (both of whom played as strikers in preseason) and Karim Adeyemi, but 18-year-old Hamza Abdelkarim has certainly made his case with four goals and several impressive performances in preseason. The young striker is unproven at the top-flight level and is still expected to play for Barça Atlètic this season, but the unique circumstances of the first match with several key starters still out of rhythm and no recognized striker in the squad make it very plausible that Hamza could be given a huge chance by his coach. So today’s Barca Blaugranes Question of the Day is: Should Hamza Abdelkarim start against Elche in Barcelona’s La Liga opener? Now it’s over to you! Feel free to share your thoughts, opinions and answers in the comments section below!

Mourinho urges 'bullied' Vinicius Jr to control emotions when being provoked

Jose Mourinho says Real Madrid's Brazil winger Vinicius Jr "needs to have great emotional control" when being bullied in games.

FC Barcelona announce squad for La Liga match against Elche

Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images The next Barcelona match is upon us! The Blaugrana kick off a new season with a trip to Elche for the first La Liga game of the campaign, and Hansi Flick has called up the following 23 players for Sunday’s clash: Goalkeepers: Joan Garcia, Wojciech Szczesny, Eder Aller Defenders: João Cancelo, Pau Cubarsí, Andreas Christensen, Gerard Martín, Jules Kounde, Eric Garcia, Álvaro Cortés, Jordi Pesquer Midfielders: Gavi, Fermín López, Pedri, Dani Olmo, Marc Bernal, Brian Fariñas, Xavi Espart Forwards: Lamine Yamal, Raphinha, Karim Adeyemi, Anthony Gordon, Hamza Abdelkarim The big news for this one is the absence of Alejandro Balde, who is left off the squad as his exit from the club appears more and more likely. Marc Casadó and Héctor Fort are also on their way out and don’t make the trip, and Frenkie de Jong (knee) and Roony Bardghji (knee) miss out through injury. New signing Rodri won’t join group training until Monday, so he is also out for this one. Predicted starting XI (4-3-3): Joan; Eric, Christensen, Martín, Cancelo; Fermín, Bernal, Espart; Yamal, Hamza, Raphinha The match kicks off at 9.30pm CET (Barcelona), 8.30pm BST/WAT (UK & Nigeria), 3.30pm ET, 12.30pm PT (USA), 1am IST (India, Monday), and you can join us to follow and comment all the action. VISCA EL BARÇA!

'It hurts' - Alexander-Arnold reveals he still receives abuse after Liverpool exit

Trent Alexander-Arnold says he still receives abuse from Liverpool fans online after leaving Anfield for Real Madrid 14 months ago.

Alejandro Balde left out of Barcelona squad for La Liga opener against Elche

Alejandro Balde left-back of Barcelona and Spain during the Joan Gamper Trophy between FC Barcelona and Al Ahly SC at Spotify Camp Nou on August 19, 2026 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Jose Breton/Pics Action/NurPhoto via Getty Images) | NurPhoto via Getty Images Alejandro Balde has been left out of the Barcelona’s squad for Sunday’s La Liga clash against Elche and looks increasingly like he’s heading for an exit before the close of the transfer window. Reports yesterday claimed that Balde has decided to move on after fresh talks between the club and his agent Jorge Mendes. Barcelona boss Hansi Flick now seems to have made it pretty clear there’s no place at Barca for Balde this season, with the left-back not part of the travelling squad for the trip to Elche. There’s no injury for Balde, it’s simply a tactical decision. Marc Casado and Hector Fort are also omitted and expected to leave the club before the window closes 📋 The squad for our first league game! ✈️ #ElcheBarça pic.twitter.com/7lWCekrM6W — FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) August 23, 2026 Manchester United, Aston Villa and Benfica have all been linked with Balde in the last week as the youngster looks to find a new club for the 2026-27 season. Meanwhile, Jordi Pesquer has been named in the squad for the game against Elche, while Joao Cancelo also gets the nod after completing his permanent transfer from Al-Hilal.

Managing Madrid Podcast | Madrid Mornings: Espí saves Real Madrid (@Espanyol, 1-2)

In this members-only episode of Madrid Mornings, Lucas shares his thoughts on Real Madrid’s win against Espanyol. Thoughts on the players and starting XI Güler and Bellingham shine Vinicius struggles Mourinho’s substitutions CLICK HERE FOR ACCESS Join our Real Madrid Discord Channel: https://discord.gg/rTD2PmE26f Managing Madrid is a hub for all Madridistas with updated news, op-eds, tactical analyses, artwork, and of course, podcasts. It also serves as a means for Real Madrid fans to connect and discuss the team. We would like your support so that we can continue to produce podcasts for you. The site is run by a small team that works tirelessly around the clock to make it into what it is today. Your contributions will allow us to continue to have a real and full-time presence in keeping this website, and it’s podcasts, going. Hosts this week: Lucas Navarrete (@LucasNavarreteM)

FC Barcelona News: 23 August 2026; All set for La Liga opener against Elche

Photo By Javier Borrego/Europa Press via Getty Images Final session before La Liga opener – FC Barcelona Hansi Flick’s squad work out for the final time ahead of Sunday’s game in the league away at Elche. Hansi Flick: ‘We want to start with a win’ – FC Barcelona The Barça boss faces the press ahead of Sunday’s La Liga opening fixture against Elche. An unusual start to La Liga – FC Barcelona Barça will play their first three league games in the space of eight days. Barcelona boss Hansi Flick ‘not worried’ about Julián Álvarez situation – ESPN “I know you don’t want to hear it, but I don’t want to speak about Julián,” Flick said ahead of Barça’s LaLiga opener against Elche on Sunday. Barcelona register four new players, no repeat of registration problems – ESPN Rodri, Gordon and Adeyemi were all inscribed with the Spanish league on Friday, with Cancelo’s registration completed on Saturday. Balde remains hopeful of staying and will only consider leaving if the club asks him to – Mundo Deportivo According to sources close to the player, the academy graduate interpreted Flick’s message as a challenge to earn his place, but if he is not in their plans, he will accept looking for a way out. Inter Milan close the door on Lautaro Martínez exit – Mundo Deportivo Giuseppe Marotta was asked about Barça’s alleged interest in the Argentine striker and made it clear that “we don’t want to let him go in any way or for any reason.”

Atlético Madrid set to keep Julián Álvarez as Barcelona withdraw

Julián Álvarez looks set to stay at Atlético Madrid after Barcelona abandon their pursuit amid a dispute over alleged unauthorised contact. The post Atlético Madrid set to keep Julián Álvarez as Barcelona withdraw appeared first on Football España.

Barcelona Set €20m Hurdle as Balde Transfer Interest Grows

Alejandro Balde could leave Barcelona, with Benfica offering around €20m and Aston Villa weighing a move subject to player sales. The post Barcelona Set €20m Hurdle as Balde Transfer Interest Grows appeared first on Football España.

Open Thread: August 23, 2026

The Open Thread/Daily Merengue is a place where you can discuss anything and everything related to football. Feel free to discuss the topics presented here, or start your very own discussions! The Open thread will be posted every day by one of the mods you’d totally go swimming with: Valyrian Steel, Felipejack, Kung_Fu_Zizou (AKA KFZ), Juninho, Ezek and, of course… yours truly. Talk About Instant Impact Well well well… Los Blancos come away with a win—a hard fought one at that. Espi is gonna be front page, due to … well, being the savior. Now, this isn ‘t quite usual for me, but here it is: I’m already aboard the Espi hype train. Carlos Espí’s last 3 weeks: • Close to going to the PL. • Real Madrid calls in last moment. • Officially signs for Real Madrid in 24 hours. • Scores 2 goals in pre-season games • Makes his official Real Madrid debut and SCORES the winner in last minute. Fairytale. 🤩 pic.twitter.com/FF4FAqadSX — Madrid Zone (@theMadridZone) August 22, 2026 🚨 NEW: Real Madrid are DELIGHTED with Carlos Espí. His physical level has impressed internally and the club believe he can combine well with different profiles, including Mbappé. @diarioas pic.twitter.com/4XOU0HXY9v — Madrid Xtra (@MadridXtra) August 23, 2026 Hmm… Competition? 🚨🇪🇸 Real Madrid are not the only club in talks to sign Spanish talent Sergio Martinez from Racing. Bundesliga and Premier League clubs also keen, playing in UCL. pic.twitter.com/dsAMFvCOK1 — Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) August 23, 2026 Trent’s Road Shifting our focus to a player outside of yesterday’s protagonists… I feel for Trent— I really do. Man’s got a point to prove despite being a bonafide superstar of the game. This treatment, as described, is …just bad; low level. We know who he can be and I do believe in the man. Hopefully, he’ll be closing mouths this seasons. 🚨 Trent Alexander-Arnold on the abuse he got after leaving Liverpool to sign for Real Madrid: "Abuse online and threats made via social DMs or in other ways are a sad part of life in 2026. I choose to keep those things away from me because they don’t feel real. The booing and… pic.twitter.com/nRkz26hBDJ — Madrid Zone (@theMadridZone) August 22, 2026

Elche vs Barcelona, La Liga: Team News, Match Preview

Photo by Jose Breton/Pics Action/NurPhoto via Getty Images Elche CF (10th, 1pt) vs FC Barcelona (14th, 0pts) Competition/Round: 2026-27 La Liga, Matchday 2 Barcelona Outs & Doubts: Roony Bardghji, Frenkie de Jong (out), João Cancelo, Alejandro Balde, Rodri, Marc Casadó (doubt) Elche Outs & Doubts: Yago Santiago, Adam Boayar (doubt) Date/Time: Sunday, August 23, 2026, 9.30pm CET (Barcelona), 8.30pm BST/WAT (UK & Nigeria), 3.30pm ET, 12.30pm PT (USA), 1am IST (India, Monday) Venue: Estadio Manuel Martínez Valero, Elche, Spain Referee: Alejandro Quintero González VAR: Guillermo Cuadra Fernández How to watch on TV: ABC (USA), Premier Sports 1 (UK), SuperSport (Nigeria), Movistar (Spain), others How to watch online: ESPN+ (USA), Premier Sports Player (UK), FanCode (India), Movistar+ (Spain), others The wait is over: exactly three months after their final match of last season, a new journey begins for Barcelona as the reigning back-to-back La Liga champions begin the 2026-27 campaign with a match against Elche at the Manuel Martínez Valero Stadium on Sunday Night Fútbol. Barça come into this one looking for a successful start to what is expected to be a very tough title defense, with Real Madrid off to a winning start at Espanyol and promising to give the Catalans all they can handle under José Mourinho. Winning the league title is always the main priority for Barça, but there are big expectations in Europe and the summer transfer window is still open as the Blaugrana search for a world-class striker and make several other moves in the market, so there is a lot on the minds of fans as the season is set to begin. Sunday’s clash against Elche kicks off a very busy period with eight games in 29 days across La Liga and the Champions League. Since Barça’s opening match last weekend was postponed due to the sucess of the Blaugrana representatives at the World Cup, Hansi Flick’s side will be forced to make up for lost time with a lot of games in a short time before the first extended international break of the season. The coach probably welcomes the busy calendar so he can give plenty of early minutes to his big-name players who have spent virtually no time on the training pitch, and Hansi has already warned Barça fans that things may not run so smoothly over the next four weeks as the squad gets into a rhythm. Flick also said there are no excuses not to pick up wins in the meantime, however, so he expects his players to show up and find a way to get the job done on Sunday. Their opponents are Elche, who survived relegation in dramatic fashion last season and will look to avoid the drop once again. Elche were the most pleasant watch out of all the relegation candidates last season as they remained fully committed to the idea of playing high-intensity, high-possession attacking football under former Barça assistant Eder Sarabia, who did a wonderful job and stuck to his ideas until the end and was rewarded for it. Sarabia decided to step down from the head coach role for mental health reasons at the end of last season, and was replaced by Martín Anselmi who is still young and unproven in Europe’s top leagues despite a couple of good jobs in South America. Anselmi seems committed to sticking to Sararbia’s principles at least to start, as Elche played the same 3-5-2 formation as the previous boss and had over 60% possession in a 1-1 draw away to Deportivo A Coruña at Riazor last weekend. The problem for Elche is they lost their top three scorers from last season and replaced them with mostly young and unproven forwards at the top flight level, so they might struggle to turn their attacking purpose into goals this season. Elche should still be a tough test for Barça, however, especially a Barça team at the very start of the season with several key players still searching for rhythm. Elche’s home atmosphere was key to their survival last season, and they’ll undoubtedly push their team to cause a huge upset against the champs. It’s time for a new journey, and Barça must start the right away. It might not look pretty, but there is a job to be done. Let’s dance. Finally. POSSIBLE LINEUPS Barcelona (4-3-3): Joan; Eric, Christensen, Martín, Cancelo; Fermín, Bernal, Espart; Yamal, Hamza, Raphinha Elche (3-5-2): Dituro; Chust, Affengruber, Redondo; Sangaré, Villar, Aguado, Neto, Valera; Houary, Niño PREDICTION Elche showed in the opener they remain an attack-minded side who can give Barça plenty of trouble, but I’m trusting the good guys to find a way to start the season with all three points: 3-1 to the visitors.

Player Ratings: Espanyol 1 – 2 Real Madrid

Real Madrid's Spanish forward #19 Carlos Espi Escrihuela celebrates scoring his team's second goal during the Spanish league football match between RCD Espanyol and Real Madrid CF at RCDE Stadium in Cornella de Llobregat on August 22, 2026. (Photo by Josep LAGO / AFP via Getty Images) | AFP via Getty Images Real Madrid secured a 2-1 win over Espanyol, with Arda Güler producing a standout creative performance and Carlos Espí coming off the bench to score the decisive goal. Here are the player ratings from the match. Thibaut Courtois — 7 Had almost nothing to do for most of the game. Courtois made two straightforward saves, and there was little he could have done about Espanyol’s goal. Denzel Dumfries — 7.5 There have been questions over Dumfries starting ahead of Trent Alexander-Arnold, but he rewarded José Mourinho’s faith with an impressive defensive performance. His ball-winning and counter-pressing were particularly strong, and he finished with a team-high four tackles. Ibrahima Konaté — 8 Extremely solid. Espanyol had very little answer for Konaté’s physicality, while his defensive reads allowed him to consistently shut down attacks before they developed. Dean Huijsen — 8 Complemented Konaté extremely well, particularly with his vertical passing from the back. The two center-backs combined for 10 important clearances and provided Real Madrid with a strong defensive foundation. Álvaro Carreras — 7 Made several dangerous overloads down the left and was comfortable in possession. Another solid performance. Bernardo Silva — 6.5 Not as noticeable as one might have hoped, but quietly played an important role in possession. Bernardo frequently dropped into deeper areas and helped Real Madrid distribute the ball and progress through midfield. Fede Valverde — 6.5 This could easily have been a 7.5 or an 8 based on much of Valverde’s defensive work, but his mistake on Espanyol’s goal was costly. He lost track of Cala and allowed him to get free. Outside of that moment, Valverde was very good defensively. Arda Güler — 9 A masterclass. Güler produced seven key passes and an assist and was at the heart of Real Madrid’s best attacking sequences. His set-piece delivery was particularly dangerous, including the ball for Jude Bellingham’s goal and another that nearly resulted in a second Bellingham header. The team’s standout player. Jude Bellingham — 8.5 Another standout performer. Bellingham scored a fantastic header and nearly added another from an excellent Güler set piece. He was silky under pressure, precise with his tackling and completed all six of his attempted long balls. Vinícius Jr — 5 A difficult night. Vinícius completed only three of his seven attempted dribbles and lost possession 15 times. He did, however, win the free kick that ultimately led to Bellingham’s goal. Kylian Mbappé — 6 Not at his best. Mbappé attempted 10 shots but put only three on target. There were some nice moments with his dribbling and link-up play, but he also over-dribbled once and lost possession in deeper areas. His run did play an important role in the sequence that resulted in Espí’s winning goal. Substitutes Carlos Espí — 8 He doesn’t need much time to make an impact. Espí came off the bench and scored the decisive game-winning goal, continuing his clinical form from pre-season. Yan Diomande — 6.5 Struggled to break through Espanyol’s defensive block and never quite found his rhythm. In fairness, it was his first appearance and there was very little space available by the time he entered the game. Trent Alexander-Arnold — 6.5 Not much to note from his time on the field, although he produced one vital defensive intervention in a one-on-one situation against Tyrhys Dolan, winning possession cleanly. Marc Cucurella — 6.5 Worked extremely hard during his shift off the bench and helped Real Madrid see out the game. Eduardo Camavinga — 6.5 Only had 11 minutes on the field but looked good in possession during his brief appearance.

Bellingham scores in Real win, Stones victorious on Inter debut, Bayern win

José Mourinho marks Real Madrid return with late drama and touch of humility | Sid Lowe

The old master is back at Madrid as he begins with celebrations, frustrations and finally relief at Espanyol José Mourinho says he is calmer now so when the rest of the bench emptied, sprinting down the touchline to celebrate the 90th-minute goal that finally delivered victory on his first game in charge of Real Madrid in 4,380 days, he didn’t set off with them. Instead, he clenched his fists, got to his feet and walked down the touchline behind the subs, watching them head, shouting, towards Carlos Espí. As they piled on down in the corner, he pulled over his captain Fede Valverde for a word. Which might just have been: phew. For all those stars; for all that Mourinho’s main task might just have been been to find a way to fit Kylian Mbappé, Vinícius Júnior and Jude Bellingham together; for all that he had introduced Yan Diomande, the most expensive player in the club’s history, it was a 21-year-old, unknown six months ago and unexpectedly signed from Levante, who got the goal that secured victory upon the coach’s second coming. Continue reading...

Managing Madrid Podcast: Espanyol 1 – 2 Real Madrid, Post-game Reaction, La Liga 2026 – 2027

On this Members-only episode of the Managing Madrid Podcast, Kiyan Sobhani and Sam Sharpe discuss: CARLOS ESPI! Jose Mourinho’s subs Jude Bellingham + Arda Güler TOGETHER Denzel Dumfries Ibrahim Konate Yan Diomande Vinicius Jr’s performance Kylian Mbappe’s performance Bellingham’s performance Jose Mourinho’s post-game quotes The balance of play And much more. CLICK HERE FOR ACCESS Thanks for being a Member. We hope you enjoy the show! Managing Madrid is a hub for all Madridistas with updated news, op-eds, tactical analyses, artwork, and of course, podcasts. It also serves as a means for ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Real Madrid⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ fans to connect and discuss the team. We would like your support so that we can continue to produce podcasts for you. The site is run by a small team that works tirelessly around the clock to make it into what it is today. Your contributions will allow us to continue to have a real and full-time presence in keeping this website, and it’s podcasts, going. Hosts this week: Kiyan Sobhani (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@KiyanSo⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠) Sam Sharpe (@CastillaStats)

José Mourinho: “We’re in a social era of anti-bullying, but with Vini, we’re still in the era of bullying”

BARCELONA, SPAIN - AUGUST 22: Jose Mourinho, Head Coach of Real Madrid looks on during the LaLiga EA Sports 2026/27 match between RCD Espanyol de Barcelona and Real Madrid at RCDE Stadium on August 22, 2026 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images) | Getty Images Real Madrid coach José Mourinho celebrated his first win since returning to the club by beating Espanyol 2-1, but one of the hot topics in the press conference was Vinícius Júnior after a series of altercations. “I run the risk of you going back months to dig up my words from when I was Vini’s opponent, but now Vini is on my team,” he admitted. “He’s no saint, but what they’re doing to him is too much. From the very first minute, it’s as if there’s already a pattern. Now I’ll foul him, now you’ll foul him, one player gets a yellow card, another comes in without one… It’s incredibly frustrating for him; he must have a lot of mental control. I’ve even told him that if he scores, he should be careful how he celebrates. We’re in a social era of anti-bullying, but with Vini, we’re still in the era of bullying.” Mourinho on the game “I think we deserved to win, but Espanyol didn’t deserve to lose. In the second half, we maintained great control and applied a lot of pressure; we took a lot of risks. We deserved to win. But a team that plays like Espanyol, that defends like that and counterattacks like that, with players pushing themselves to the limit and good organization, it’ll be tough for them to go home empty-handed. But we deserved it.” Mourinho on Real Madrid’s tactical system “You can’t ignore the team’s physical condition when talking about the system. They didn’t have anyone at the World Cup and have been working together for a long time, and you can see that in their intensity. I didn’t expect Jude to be able to play that long. When it comes to pressing the way I like, we’re short on minutes and kilometers. That’s why I value this victory so much, it’s a victory with heart, and that includes the bench. A frustrated bench doesn’t help at all, but a bench with a sense of team spirit helps you win. It was a tough game; these are three very important points.” Mourinho on Jude Bellingham “When we talk about the best in the world, Madrid has many in that group. Bellingham, Vinicius, Mbappé… They’re among them. I had doubts about Jude, whether to start him or bring him on later. I don’t know if I made the right call, but he’s very strong physically and mentally. I expect him to connect with the forwards. He has a knack for scoring; he needs to play close to the goal. He can play further back, but then we lose his proximity to the goal. I like the Jude who, with top physical condition, creates those scoring opportunities for us. And Fede can also get into that position more often, but when he plays with Bernardo, he has to focus more on him, and we lose a bit of that. We’re still getting to know each other, but we’re doing so without dropping points. That’s what matters.” Mourinho on Carlos Espí “He’s a really fun guy; we live together there in Valdebebas—we have breakfast together, lunch together, and dinner together, me, my staff, him, and Cucurella. Tomorrow is his presentation; just imagine, he’s living a dream. But he doesn’t work like someone with his head in the clouds, he works incredibly hard. He has everything it takes to score; he’s an outstanding player. When we saw that Gonzalo might be leaving for Fulham, we analyzed the situation carefully, and we’re very happy with him. We need someone like him in these kinds of matches.” Mourinho on referee José María Sánchez Martínez “He had a great game, but from my view the bench. Then again, I might see him in the office later and change my mind. No VAR at all, nothing that could have decided the match.” Mourinho on the new players “The difficult part is that you start the match with eleven players and have twelve on the bench. I can’t fix that; I can’t perform a miracle, I’ve told the players that. We have to fight against the frustration of not playing; they need to understand that it breaks my heart to leave people out. If they don’t work hard, it’s easier for me. The five who came on did so to help, with a good attitude. That’s how it has to be. Not even in friendlies can Madrid afford not to fight to win. We’ll lose games, I hope not too many. But Madrid is competing in four tournaments and must always take them seriously. And you can’t do that with just ten players.”

6 stats from Espanyol 1-2 Real Madrid

Real Madrid's Spanish forward #19 Carlos Espi Escrihuela celebrates scoring his team's second goal during the Spanish league football match between RCD Espanyol and Real Madrid CF at RCDE Stadium in Cornella de Llobregat on August 22, 2026. (Photo by Josep LAGO / AFP via Getty Images) | AFP via Getty Images Real Madrid got their first injury-time winner of the season as they picked up the first three points on the road to Cibeles as Los Blancos beat Espanyol 2-1 at the RCDE Stadium on Saturday night, with six players making their debuts and José Mourinho returning to the dugout after 13 years away. Here are some of the headline stats and facts from the game. 10 – Minutes for Carlos Espí to score his first goal Only 10 minutes after coming on to replace Jude Bellingham, Carlos Espí opened his goalscoring account for Real Madrid. Ironically, it was an identical amount of time as the last player to score on his Real Madrid debut: Endrick. The Brazilian added a third in a 3-0 win over Real Valladolid in August 2024, whereas Espí’s touch and finish helped to change the scoreline and seal a crucial victory to start the season on the right foot. 7 – Games unbeaten for José Mourinho against Espanyol The Portuguese coach has never lost to Espanyol, winning his first four encounters between 2010 and 2012 by adding up 13 goals without conceding any, before two draws, home and away, in 2012/13. This was his first meeting with the Catalans since a 1-1 draw RCDE Stadium in May 2013, when Gonzalo Higuaín scored while wearing the captains armband. It went almost went the same way as his two previous visits, with a third consecutive draw, but Carlos Espí made a pivotal intervention. 1.74 – xG for Kylian Mbappé It’s not often that any player reaches double digits for shots in a single game, but Kylian Mbappé did it with no reward on Saturday night. His total xG figure may be slightly misleading, as two chances alone account for 1.33, with a point blank header early in the second half going wide and another chance on his right foot shortly before the break also going wide. He still claimed an assist, something he didn’t achieve until mid-September last season, by setting up Espí for the winner. 2008 – The last time Real Madrid lost their first game of the season The last time Real Madrid lost their opening game of the season was 18 years ago, a 2-1 loss to Deportivo A Coruña in Galicia in August 2008. A Ruud van Nistelrooy equaliser early in the second half was cancelled out by Alberto Lopo only five minutes later. Before that loss to Dépor, Real Madrid had most recently lost in 2001, a 1-0 defeat at Mestalla. That ended another lengthy streak, with the previous defeat coming in 1984, when the season started with a Clásico, and was the last time Real Madrid lost their first game of the season at the Bernabéu. 8 – Headed goals for Real Madrid by Jude Bellingham One of the assets that Real Madrid have missed since the departure of Joselu last summer has been aerial strength, but Jude Bellingham showed that he can bring that option to the party when he headed in from Arda Güler’s pinpoint free-kick. It’s Bellingham’s eighth headed goal for Real Madrid, seven coming in league competition, and he has become the only player to have scored with his head in La Liga for any team across each of the last four seasons. 89 – Touches from Ibrahima Konaté, more than any other player If anyone was concerned that Ibrahima Konaté might have been rusty after a short pre-season, this all-action display calmed their nerves. 89 touches was more than any other player, including more defensive actions than anyone else with nine, and a strong 97% pass completion rate across 75 passes. It was a statement debut from the French international.

Man City will 'try to find the new Rodri' - Maresca

Manchester City will "try to find the new Rodri" after the Spain captain left the club earlier this week to join La Liga champions Barcelona, says manager Enzo Maresca.

Enzo Maresca searches for ‘new Rodri’ and expects Manchester City reaction

Maresca: ‘You need to be good at recruiting the next one’ City face Bournemouth after Community Shield defeat Enzo Maresca has brushed off the loss of Rodri to Barcelona for £65m by stating Manchester City will search for the “new Rodri” in the same way Sergio Agüero was replaced by Erling Haaland. Rodri’s departure is a sizable blow to the club’s new manager as he embarks on a first season in charge. Yet the Italian is not fazed by the absence of a player considered one of the world’s best No 6s. Continue reading...

Immediate Reaction: Espanyol 1-2 Real Madrid

Espanyol 1-2 Real Madrid (Bellingham & Espí). A late win on day one… This is my immediate reaction to the first game. Coming up: Player ratings, interviews and a post game podcast. The 2026/27 season is here, and a trip to Barcelona to face Espanyol was up first for Real Madrid in La Liga. José Mourinho handed debuts to Denzel Dumfries, Ibrahima Konate, and Bernardo Silva. Álvaro Carreras was preferred at left-back, and Arda Güler found a place on the pitch in offence. Four Castilla players made the bench, and Fede Valverde captained the team. Thoughts on Real Madrid’s starting XI vs Espanyol? pic.twitter.com/Erjf1nLuTb — Managing Madrid (@managingmadrid) August 22, 2026 Real Madrid started brightly, pushing the ball forward with a number of intricate touches and individual dribbles. Their passing was not overly progressive and they weren’t putting Espanyol to the sword, but they were in control – and took a lead after Jude Bellingham headed home an Arda Güler free-kick. Espanyol had a small amount of quality, but did not look overly imposing – yet still managed to grab an equaliser before half-time after a low ball was played into the area. Half-time, 1-1. If Espi and Diomande come in, will they come in for the players that should be taken off? Or the players who will complain the least? That's the question we're all waiting to see the answer to. — Managing Madrid (@managingmadrid) August 22, 2026 Real Madrid still looked the stronger side in the second-half, but Espanyol provided more of a threat down the other end. Performance levels started to tire, and the usual concerns fans were hoping to leave behind last season began to creep in. Reinforcements were brought in through Yan Diomande and Marc Cucurella before Fede Valverde hit the post after taking a great first time attempt. Espanyol began to sit back to cement the draw, and it looked like they were going to come away with it – until Carlos Espí scored a debut goal with a number of bodies surrounding the goal. Real Madrid claimed the late victory with the final score reading 1-2. What did you think about the season opener?

Who will start as a striker for Barcelona as La Liga title defence begins?

Hansi Flick head coach of Barcelona sitting on the bench during the Joan Gamper Trophy between FC Barcelona and Al Ahly SC at Spotify Camp Nou on August 19, 2026 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Jose Breton/Pics Action/NurPhoto via Getty Images) | NurPhoto via Getty Images La Liga is almost here. FC Barcelona will take on Elche, and they will do so without their top two #9s from last season. Both Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres have left, and even if Barça were to sign a striker extremely fast, he would not be ready to start by then. Signs are pointing toward Barcelona starting the season without an established #9. Rumors have linked the Catalan club with many players, but none have signed. Even if one does arrive, it’s unlikely that two will. One reason for that could be Hamza Abdelkarim. The youngster has gained prominence in the squad and started almost all preseason matches in the center-forward position. He has yet to debut in official matches for Barcelona, but signs are pointing towards him getting a role in the first team squad. Raphinha started at striker the only time Hamza did not. A winger by trade, Raphinha is nothing if not adaptable, capable of playing on either side or through the middle. He’s not played too much as a striker in his career, although he’s had some matches playing as part of a front two or as a second striker. Anthony Gordon also got some minutes in the center-forward position during pre-season. He actually played 16 matches for Newcastle United last season, scoring 9 goals and adding one assist. He scored one of those goals against Barcelona in a 2-1 loss for Newcastle. He also played that position in two other UEFA Champions League matches against Barça: a 1-1 draw and an overwhelming 7-2 loss for the English club. Karim Adeyemi has some experience in the position as well, though he has only featured on the wing for Barcelona so far. One in-house option that was used a little last season was Dani Olmo. Most memorably, he started the match against Atlético de Madrid last season in a 2-1 win in La Liga. A couple youngsters from Barcelona Atlètic got minutes as a striker in preseason, too, Òscar Gistau and Shane Kluivert. They’re unlikely to feature much for the first team, at least at first. Who do you think should be Barca’s starting striker? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

CONFIRMED lineups: Espanyol vs Real Madrid, 2026 La Liga

Real Madrid have published their starting lineup for the upcoming match against Espanyol in the season opener. STARTING LINEUPS View this post on Instagram Espanyol starting XI (TBC): Dmitrovic; El Hilali, Riedel, Unai Núlez, Hinojo; Urko, Edu Expósito; Calatrava, Javier Hernández, Dolan; Roberto. Real Madrid starting XI: Courtois; Dumfries, Konaté, Huijsen, Carreras; Valverde, Bernardo Silva; Bellingham, Güler, Vinicius; Mbappé. Espanyol earned the three points with a 3-0 victory on their own season opener against Levante. This will not be an easy game for Real Madrid, who will have to perform at a high level if they want to get the win. HOW TO WATCH, STREAM LA LIGA Date: 08/22/2026 Time: 21:30 CEST, 03:30pm EST. Venue: Cornellá-El Prat, Barcelona, Spain. Available TV: DAZN La Liga (Spain), ESPN Deportes (USA). Available Streaming: ESPN+ (USA) Managing Madrid has affiliate partnerships. These do not influence editorial content, though Vox Media may earn commissions for products purchased via affiliate links.

Benfica and Aston Villa linked with Alejandro Balde as Barcelona star seeks exit

Alejandro Balde left-back of Barcelona and Spain during the Joan Gamper Trophy between FC Barcelona and Al Ahly SC at Spotify Camp Nou on August 19, 2026 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Jose Breton/Pics Action/NurPhoto via Getty Images) | NurPhoto via Getty Images Alejandro Balde’s future at Barcelona is in the spotlight once again as we head towards the end of the summer transfer window. A new report has claimed Balde is looking for an exit after talks with the club and his agent, while Hansi Flick had some interesting comments when asked about the left-back at his pre-match press conference on Saturday. Manchester United have already been credited with interest in Balde and a new update from Diario Sport claims that two other clubs are also keen. Portuguese side Benfica are believed to be willing to bid but may struggle to meet Barca’s asking price. The report claims that any offer from Benfica is likely to be around 20 million euros. Aston Villa are also mentioned, as Unai Emery’s side are believed to be in the market for a new left-back, but may also struggle to fund an acceptable bid. Sport add that “it’s expected that in the next few hours the list of teams bidding for Balde will increase” as news that he’s willing to leave Barcelona this summer reaches clubs across Europe.

‘Not worth talking about’ – Inter chief sends Lautaro Martinez message to Barcelona

Inter Milan's Argentinian forward #10 Lautaro Martinez warms up ahead of the Italian Serie A football match between Inter Milan and AC Monza at the San Siro stadium in Milan, northern Italy on August 22, 2026. (Photo by Marco Bertorello / AFP via Getty Images) | AFP via Getty Images Barcelona have been sent a very strong message about Lautaro Martinez amid speculation that the club are keen on signing the Inter star as an alternative to Julian Alvarez. Martinez’s name has popped up again this week but Inter president Beppe Marotta says Barcelona should forget all about the Argentina international. “First of all, Lautaro Martinez is our captain and represents the current history of Inter. So all I can say is that there simply aren’t the conditions in place for him to leave Inter,” he told DAZNN. “We have absolutely no intention of letting him go, in any way, shape or form. It’s not even worth talking about.” Inter boss Cristian Chivu has also insisted Lautaro is going nowhere this week, meaning Barca may have to look elsewhere for a new No. 9 this summer. In the meantime, Hansi Flick has spoken out about his team’s striker search and insists he’s “not worried” by the fact the club have not signed anyone yet and added “only Deco, I, and a few other people know exactly what we want.”

United Prepare €40m Test for Barcelona’s Alejandro Balde

Manchester United are weighing a €40m offer for Alejandro Balde, but Barcelona’s valuation and Inter’s interest could complicate the deal. The post United Prepare €40m Test for Barcelona’s Alejandro Balde appeared first on Football España.

Barcelona share fitness updates on Rodri and João Cancelo ahead of Elche clash

Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images Barcelona announced the signings of Rodri and João Cancelo this week and the natural question is when the duo will be ready for action, and Hansi Flick offered updates on their status in a press conference on Saturday. The coach said the Portuguese full-back is fit enough to be involved despite just a couple of days with the squad, but Barça fans will have to wait a little longer to see Rodri in action as the Spain captain will only join group training on Monday. “[Cancelo] could play tomorrow, he’s ready and, in my opinion, he has a fantastic technique, he has a lot of passion and he gave us a lot in the position he played in. He was always in the right position at his best level. He helped us a lot.” “Rodri trained a little on the pitch, our plan is for him to arrive on Monday to be with the group. I’m glad he’s here, he’s a leader, a fantastic player with a great personality.” Flick’s words suggest Cancelo is fit enough to start, which shows João’s commitment to get in playing shape while he waited for his transfer to come through in the last couple of weeks. Cancelo knows the system and what will be asked of him, so he doesn’t need as much training time to be ready to play. As for Rodri, his presence in the opener was always in doubt given how late he joined the squad and how little time he’s had on the pitch following his vacation and his recovery from minor back surgery, but we’ll surely see his debut sooner rather than later.

Alejandro Balde to leave Barcelona? Defender makes shock decision after talks with club

BARCELONA, SPAIN - AUGUST 19: Alejandro Balde of FC Barcelona acknowledges the fans as he is introduced before the Joan Gamper Trophy between FC Barcelona and Al Ahly SC at Spotify Camp Nou on August 19, 2026 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images) | Getty Images Alejandro Balde could be set to leave Barcelona before the close of the summer transfer window following talks with his agent and the club. According to Jijantes, Balde “will not continue” at Barcelona and “has made the decision to seek an exit after the latest talks and feelings at the club.” His agent Jorge Mendes is now said to be “working to find him a team in this final stretch of the transfer window.” Premier League side Manchester United have already been linked with Balde and may be tempted to spend again this summer after opening their campaign with a shock 2-0 defeat to newly-promoted Hull City. Balde’s decision comes after Hansi Flick was asked about the defender earlier today at his pre-match press conference. The German coach said: “It’s a difficult question because he’s a player of immense quality, and it’s important to know if he’s confident he can compete in his position. That’s what I want to see from all my players. “Every day I observe what they do, their level, whether they demonstrate that they’re at the level to play. Ultimately, we have to play as a team; only then will we achieve success. I need everyone to be one hundred percent.” Balde had appeared eager to stay but it seems like he may just have had a change of heart and is now willing to move on instead. Thoughts, culers?

Barcelona, Real Madrid, Atlético: Who will win La Liga this season?

Photo by Ismael Adnan Yaqoob/Anadolu via Getty Images The 2026-27 La Liga gets underway for the two main title contenders this weekend as Real Madrid travel to Catalunya to face Espanyol while two-time defending champions Barcelona take on Elche on the road. Atlético Madrid are also considered challengers and beat newcomers Málaga on their debut this week, and a new fight for the top crown in Spanish football is on. Barça are going for a historic three-peat while José Mourinho’s Los Blancos will look to end a two-year trophy drought, and Diego Simeone will try to spoil the party of the Big Two for the third time in his career as Atlético boss. It should be a fun Spanish league season with many storylines to watch for, and now you have a chance to predict who will lift the trophy by the end of next May. So today’s Barca Blaugranes Question of the Day is: Barcelona, Real Madrid, Atlético: Who will win La Liga this season? Now it’s over to you! Feel free to share your thoughts, opinions and answers in the comments section below!