Lionel Messi has admitted he is "weirder than sh*t" in a revealing interview about his private life and previously getting therapy. The Inter Miami star, who has tended to stay away from the limelight and do his talking on the pitch, has spoken about what home life is like with his wife, Antonela Roccuzzo, and why he sought help for his mental health at Barcelona.
Marcus Rashford is very unlikely to return to Manchester United after Ruben Amorim's sacking, according to a new report, as the decision to send him on loan to Barcelona was not led by the Portuguese head coach, and was instead led by the club's hierarchy. Rashford has been shining in Spain this season.
Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick has revealed the club are closing in on a deal to re-sign Joao Cancelo on loan. The full-back spent the 2023-24 season with Barca after being forced out of the first-team picture at Manchester City, but the Catalan side declined the chance to sign him permanently. But Cancelo is set to return to Camp Nou for the rest of 2025-26.
Barcelona wonderkid Lamine Yamal has been informed of the “real hurdle” that he needs to clear in order to scale the same heights as all-time greats Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. The talented teenager is already a global superstar, but a Champions League-winning former Manchester United striker has told the youngster that he must avoid off-field distractions in order for legend-making longevity to be enjoyed.
Cristiano Ronaldo is reportedly pushing Al-Nassr to launch a stunning raid for Antonio Rudiger. The experienced German defender is seeing his contract at Santiago Bernabeu run down and will become a free agent in the summer of 2026 if no extension is agreed. It is claimed that CR7 wants to see the former Chelsea centre-half join him in the Saudi Pro League.
Brazilian sensation Endrick has opened up about the heart-to-heart conversation with Carlo Ancelotti that led to his January loan move to Lyon. The teenager revealed the Brazil head coach urged him to seek regular minutes elsewhere to aid his development ahead of the 2026 World Cup, while he also explained why the Portuguese connection in France made the Ligue 1 giants the perfect destination.
Portuguese full-back Joao Cancelo is on the cusp of rejoining Barcelona, with the proposed deal now given the 'Here We Go!' tag by transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano. The highly-rated Al-Hilal defender, who spent the 2023-24 season on loan at the Catalan club, has made a return to the Camp Nou his top priority, cutting short a difficult spell in Saudi Arabia.
Real Madrid have devised a fresh strategy to lure Rodri away from Manchester City, with the Spanish giants looking to capitalise on the midfielder's stalling contract talks. Los Blancos view the Ballon d'Or winner as the ultimate target to complete their midfield evolution at the Santiago Bernabeu, and startling reports from Spain suggest a blockbuster transfer offensive could be launched.
Real Madrid have been offered the chance to sign Crystal Palace sensation Adam Wharton, but Los Blancos will face fierce competition for his signature. Premier League giants Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Chelsea are all tracking the midfielder, who will reportedly cost at least €70 million and is demanding a huge salary to leave Selhurst Park.
GOAL runs the rule over the British players earning a living away from their homeland, with plenty more stars deciding to leave their comfort zones in search of a better footballing life elsewhere. The Premier League is still obviously one of the world's most entertaining divisions and the Championship can prove fantastic for development, but there are more options out there.
The Bundesliga may still be on a winter break, but there was plenty of other action across Europe as 2026 got off to a cracking start for some of the continent's elite teams. In England, Arsenal took another big step towards a first Premier League title since 2004 by moving six points clear thanks to a 3-2 win at Bournemouth, while reigning champions Barcelona continue to lead the way in Spain after beating city rivals Espanyol thanks to late goals from Dani Olmo and Robert Lewandowski.
Xabi Alonso says Vinicius Junior is "fundamental" to Real Madrid after the winger was whistled by parts of the Santiago Bernabeu crowd in their 5-1 win over Real Betis. The Brazilian started well but faded as the game wore on, with the 25-year-old being jeered by some supporters when he was taken off. Despite that, former Bayer Leverkusen boss Alonso has come to the aid of the Los Blancos ace.
Bayern Munich wonderkid Lennart Karl has revealed the identity of his “dream club”. The teen sensation is thriving at the Allianz Arena for now, but he may seek out a new challenge at some stage. There will be no shortage of suitors when that day comes, with one of the hottest prospects on the planet admitting that he would like to represent Real Madrid.
Gonzalo Garcia scored a hat-trick as Real Madrid turned in their most comprehensive showing in months to beat a sluggish Real Betis 5-1 on Sunday. Los Blancos showed no hesitation with Kylian Mbappe out, putting on an attacking clinic in the absence of their star man as they returned to action after La Liga's winter break.
Barcelona opened up a seven-point lead at the top of La Liga courtesy of late strikes from substitutes Dani Olmo and Robert Lewandowski in a hard-fought 2-0 Catalan derby win over Espanyol. And there were also two world-class saves from former Espanyol goalkeeper Joan Garcia to help secure the three points in what was a thrilling clash at the RCDE Stadium.
Real Madrid boss Xabi Alonso has confirmed the club still don’t know when Kylian Mbappe will return after the France superstar was diagnosed with an injury to his left knee. Mbappe picked up a knock in training and is expected to miss forthcoming crunch clashes with Real Betis and Atletico Madrid, and Alonso isn’t able to put an exact date on when he’ll be back in the side.
Real Madrid boss Xabi Alonso has revealed Endrick’s ambition was behind the decision to allow him to join Lyon on loan for the remainder of the season. The Brazil star has been frustrated at his lack of playing time at the Bernabeu and has been granted his wish to leave in a bid to secure a place in the squad for this year’s World Cup in North America, Canada and Mexico.
Ronaldo Araujo is back in Barcelona training after taking a break away from football for his mental health. Following the defender's red card against Chelsea in November, the 26-year-old requested some time off to help him refocus and rediscover his form. Off the back of his footballing pause, he is now nearing a first-team return, while manager Hansi Flick has received a double injury boost.
Reports in Spain suggest that Rodrygo is laying the groundwork for a potential move away from Real Madrid. The Brazil international forward faces fierce competition for places at the Bernabeu and is growing increasingly frustrated at having to fill a support role. Interest in his services is said to have been shown from the Premier League, with Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester City known to be admirers.
Marcus Rashford needs to improve in two key areas in order to convince Barcelona to sign him from Manchester United permanently. The England forward has impressed in his first six months for Hansi Flick's side but there is still work for him to do and he is one of three players whose future at the Camp Nou is up in the air heading into the second half of the season.
Real Madrid legend Sergio Ramos is reportedly lining up a consortium that could see him rekindle his professional relationship with La Liga giants Sevilla. The World Cup winner has taken in two spells with his boyhood club as a player but, while waiting on offers to continue his career on the field, is now exploring the possibility of becoming part of an ownership group.
Real Madrid midfielder Eduardo Camavinga has told Endrick to never wear green after the striker joined Lyon on loan. The France international sent a pointed text message to the loanee, who is now aiming to make a serious impact in Ligue 1 after failing to establish himself in Spain.
Real Madrid legend Raul has put club allegiance to one side and explained why Barcelona great Lionel Messi ranks above Blancos icons Cristiano Ronaldo and Zinedine Zidane. Many with strong ties to Santiago Bernabeu have sided with CR7 in the long-running GOAT debate, but Raul is happy to concede that he favours Argentine magic over Portuguese passion.
Real Madrid and Brazil legend Roberto Carlos has undergone emergency surgery after being diagnosed with a heart problem. The iconic former left-back underwent the procedure back in his homeland having returned to Brazil following a hectic month, which included jetting stateside for the 2026 World Cup draw. Carlos initially went to hospital due to a small blood clot in his leg and has delivered an update on the severity of his condition following the spread of unfounded rumours.
Luka Modric has named Jose Mourinho as the toughest manager of his illustrious career, claiming the legendary boss is so intense that he once made Cristiano Ronaldo cry in the Real Madrid dressing room. The Croatia and AC Milan midfielder has worked under several world-class coaches during his sparkling spell in football, but he has labelled the Portuguese as the strictest of them all.
Luis de la Fuente says he has a "clear conscience" on Lamine Yamal after a long-running club vs country row. The Spain boss has previously been at loggerheads with Barcelona over his use of the 18-year-old, who was diagnosed with pubalgia after the first international break of the season in September. The teenager was forced to miss a number of games due to the chronic injury and has only played for Spain twice since the summer.
Kylian Mbappe is set for a spell on the sidelines after being diagnosed with a knee injury, which is a major blow to Real Madrid ahead of their return from the winter break. His absence will be keenly felt at Valdebebas. Since the start of the campaign, Real Madrid’s number 10 has featured in almost every fixture, scoring 27 goals across La Liga and Champions League competition.
Ex-Manchester City star Joao Cancelo is edging towards another mid-season transfer, with reports indicating the full-back is preparing to leave Al-Hilal when the January window opens. A return to Barcelona has emerged as a realistic possibility, with interest also coming from Italy as Europe’s elite look to bolster their squads.
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