28 h. ago Barcelona’s rebirth and one last job for Szczesny: La Liga season review

It’s the Sids! Barça reclaimed the title as Madrid’s giants faltered while Athletic, Celta and Rayo shook up the European placesThe day La Liga 2024-25 began, Wojciech Szczesny was sitting on the beach in Marbella lighting up a cigarette, enjoying his retirement. The night it ended, he sat in the dressing room in Cornellà, 1,000km round the coast, and lit up a cigar instead. He had walked away in August, at 35 years old, unwanted and his heart no longer in it, or so he thought. Nine months on, here he was surrounded by kids half his age, a footballer again and winner of every trophy his new home country had to offer. He had not lost a single league match en route to becoming a champion.“I’ve arrived where even my imagination wouldn’t even dare to take me,” Szczesny had said when he retired. And if he hadn’t dared imagine that, there was no way he could imagine this: a Copa del Rey, a Super Cup and a Champions League semi-final to go with the title. Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago Arsenal win Women’s Champions League in final glory and dethrone Barcelona

Euphoria. Complete and utter euphoria. Stina Blackstenius’s second-half goal stunned the three-time European champions Barcelona to deliver Arsenal’s second European title. On the final whistle it was red and white pandemonium as stunned Gunners seemed to not know what to do with themselves – hugs, tears, disbelief.They started so brightly, playing with the freedom and joy that they had not afforded themselves until they had reached this final. There is nothing to lose once you pass that semi-final hurdle and everything to play for in a one-off game and a free-scoring Barcelona, who scored 128 goals in 30 league games this season, looked slightly shocked by the resistance they faced. Continue reading...

Sport

2 w. ago Man Utd ready to sell every player in massive Ruben Amorim transfer clear out

Manchester United failed in their only chance to salvage their season and breathe life into the transfer window as they lost the Europa League final in Bilbao to Tottenham

Sport

2 w. ago Barcelona are big Women’s Champions League final favourites despite ‘worst’ season

Blaugrana face Arsenal after what Caroline Graham Hansen calls an ‘emotional’ campaign under a new managerNormalising the extraordinary. Even in their “worst season”, Barcelona are going for a second quadruple in a row and fourth consecutive Women’s Champions League title. Few may have predicted that late last year, after a defeat at Manchester City prompted a new narrative: this was the season they were finally not going to win anything.In the end, they won the Liga F title but only after losing twice. That may not sound terrible but it is the first time since the 2018-19 season they have been defeated more than once in the league. So a crisis of some sort. The loss at City also prompted some soul-searching for a team in their first season with a new manager, Pere Romeu replacing Jonatan Giráldez last summer. Continue reading...

Sport

2 w. ago How Mariona Caldentey elevated Arsenal on road to Champions League final

Spain’s World Cup winner will come up against her former team when Arsenal meet Barcelona after an impressive debut season in England

Sport

3 w. ago Hansi Flick says Barça ‘don’t feel like champions’ after chaotic clásico

Team ‘have to improve defensively’, says head coachFlick says ‘we still need three points’ to secure titleHansi Flick said he was going to have check on his heart after he watched his side come back from 2-0 down to beat Real Madrid 4-3 in a wild, chaotic game that virtually secured a league and cup double in his first season.After two Kylian Mbappé goals inside 15 minutes Barcelona were trailing, their grip on the title seeming to loosen, their great rival momentarily moving within a point at the top of the table, but goals from Eric Garcia and Lamine Yamal and two from Raphinha put them ahead before half-time. Continue reading...

Politics

4 w. ago Crunch clásico offers Madrid chance to salvage season despite Barcelona dominance

They have lost three times to their oldest rivals but a win would give Ancelotti’s men a path to retaining the leagueReal Madrid’s players arrived at training on Wednesday morning to find seven teddy bears waiting for them. Lined up on a bush outside Valdebebas, they wore white shirts and a banner had been placed in front of them, alongside a couple of Spain flags with the club badge in the middle where the crown should go. “Grazie, Inter,” it said. The night before, Simone Inzaghi’s side had done for them what they had not been able to do for themselves, at least not yet. Now perhaps it can be their turn, one last chance to salvage something from what has been somebody else’s season.Barcelona had been beaten: there would be no Champions League and no treble, reason alone to celebrate or at least seek consolation in Madrid, if not the only one. Because if it’s tempting to ask: “Is that all you’ve got?” somehow the answer may still be: “Actually, no.” Four days on from Barcelona’s Eu...

Politics

last month Manchester United 'already have their own Lamine Yamal' as 'dream' step emerges

Victor Musa has been in stunning form for Manchester United's youth sides this season and has drawn comparisions with Barcelona star Lamine Yamal

Politics