LaLiga news

The esteemed Golden Ball has been elusive to so many great footballers down the years, but who deserved it the most?

Barcelona stars Pedri and Robert Lewandowski will join Real Madrid players in skipping the Ballon d'Or ceremony in Paris on Monday. The Barca duo, along with team-mates Lamine Yamal and Raphinha, have been nominated for the Golden Ball while manager Hansi Flick is in contention to win the best coach's award after guiding the Catalan giants to three titles in his maiden season.

Real Madrid had double cause for celebration on Saturday, as the Spanish heavyweights welcomed the return of England superstar Jude Bellingham to the pitch after he spent over two months on the sidelines. Madrid had already sealed the victory by the time Bellingham was brought on as a substitute in the 89th minute to a rapturous reception from the Bernabeu.

Real Madrid made light work of Espanyol as they claimed a 2-0 win to maintain their perfect start to the Liga season. Eder Militao got things started as he hammered home an absolute piledriver from 30 yards out before Kylian Mbappe made it two soon after the half-time break, firing home a snapshot that caught out Marko Dmitrovic in the visitors' goal.

Real Madrid paid tribute to Abderrahim Ouhida, a survivor of the 2023 Morocco earthquake, by inviting him to take a special honorary kick-off at the Santiago Bernabeu on Saturday. Ouhida, who wore a Real Madrid shirt during the quake and lost five family members in the tragic incident, stepped onto the pitch in Kylian Mbappe’s No.10 jersey ahead of the Liga clash against Espanyol.

Vinicius Junior could consider quitting Real Madrid if his demands over wages are not met. The Brazilian, who has two years left in his existing deal, has been a long-term target for Saudi Pro League clubs, although the winger has always maintained that he sees his long-term future at Santiago Bernabeu. Vinicius has started the new season strongly as he has three goal contributions in five matches.

Marcus Rashford's hope of making a permanent switch to Barcelona next summer has hit a roadblock as the Spanish giants are all set to see their spending power slashed by £100m due to La Liga's latest constraints. Rashford has regained his old form since moving on loan to Barcelona from Manchester United in the summer and the player reportedly wishes to stay back beyond this season.

How to watch La Liga match between Real Madrid and Espanyol, as well as kick-off time and team news.

Vinicius Junior’s frustrations at Real Madrid have surfaced after he was benched again, this time in the Champions League win over Marseille. Xabi Alonso admitted the Brazilian was not ready to talk immediately after the match, but revealed the forward was in better spirits during training. Madrid now face Espanyol in La Liga, with selection questions looming.

More than a year after FIFA initially sided with Dani Alves, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) overturned that decision and ruled in favor of Pumas UNAM. The Mexican side had pursued the case since May 2024, demanding $5 million in penalties plus reimbursement of $1.125 million in image rights payments.

Mallorca turned heads last season as the resourceful club finished 10th in La Liga after contending for European places. That momentum hasn't carried over early in the 2025-26 season as Los Bermellones sit in the relegation zone at 19th. Stu Holden, part of a high-profile North American ownership group, expects things will turn around.

Ruben Amorim is under mounting pressure to keep his job at Manchester United. The Portuguese coach has overseen the club's worst start to a Premier League season for 33 years, and has faced widespread criticism for his rigid tactics, with a £200m summer spending spree doing little to improve the Red Devils' fortunes.

Former Barcelona player Bernd Schuster has warned Marc-Andre ter Stegen to find a new club if he wants to keep his Germany spot for the 2026 World Cup. Schuster believes the goalkeeper has 'no chance' of reviving his career at Camp Nou given the club’s history of moving on from players who fall out of favour.

Former Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey has denied denied raping two women and sexually assaulting a third woman at an appearance at Southwark Crown Court on Wednesday. The 32-year-old pleaded not guilty to five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault after being charged in July. Partey has been granted bail and a trial date of November 2, 2026 has now been set.

Barcelona have been dealt a brutal blow with teenage sensation Lamine Yamal set to miss at least three matches through injury, sparking a war of words between manager Hansi Flick and the Spanish FA. The 18-year-old winger, already one of Europe’s most dazzling prospects, is sidelined by a stubborn groin problem that has been aggravated during international duty.

Barcelona’s wait to return to Camp Nou drags on, as it was confirmed their upcoming La Liga clash against Getafe will be played at the 6,000-capacity Johan Cruyff Stadium. While the club hope to secure the necessary license in time, focus is already shifting to the Champions League deadline, with UEFA demanding assurances before the crunch clash against Paris Saint-Germain on October 1.

Paris Saint-Germain sporting director Luis Campos has poured cold water on suggestions that Barcelona wonderkid Lamine Yamal should win the Ballon d’Or, insisting the award has “no discussion” and must go to Ousmane Dembele. Yamal enjoyed an extraordinary season with Barcelona, but Campos highlighted Dembele’s treble-winning heroics with PSG as decisive.