LaLiga news

Former Manchester United midfielder Scott McTominay has finished ahead of big names such as Arsenal's Declan Rice, Manchester City goal machine Erling Haaland and Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham in the 2025 Ballon d’Or rankings. The Scotland international is ranked in 18th place after a stellar season that saw him score 12 Serie A goals and help deliver the Scudetto for Napoli.

Vinicius Junior’s dramatic decline in the Ballon d’Or rankings has raised eyebrows, with the Real Madrid star slipping all the way down to 16th in 2025, just a year after finishing runner-up to Rodri. The Brazilian had vowed to come back stronger following last year’s controversy, but his fall from grace has coincided with Real Madrid’s ongoing rift with UEFA and the awards ceremony.

The Ballon d'Or. Love it or loathe it, it's the award every footballer in the world dreams of one day winning. And now, after a memorable 2024-25 campaign, the winner of the 2025 Golden Ball has been announced: Ousmane Dembele.

Barcelona wonderkid Lamine Yamal was quick to congratulate Ousmane Dembele after seeing the Paris Saint-Germain star beat him to the 2025 Ballon d’Or award. The teenager finished second in the rankings but didn’t go home empty-handed as he won the Kopa Award for a second year running, and his father is confident that it will be a different story next year.

Dayot Upamecano has reignited his dream of joining Real Madrid, telling his agent to push for a Bernabeu move when his Bayern Munich deal runs out in 2026. Faced with a repeat of the David Alaba transfer to the Spanish giants, the Bundesliga champions now face a familiar dilemma - meet his demands, sell early, or risk losing another cornerstone for free.

Atletico Madrid head coach Diego Simeone defended his decision to bring off Julian Alvarez for Alexander Sorloth during their most recent La Liga fixture by claiming that the Argentine is "the best player we have." The Colchoneros' boss also reflected on the referee's decision to show a red card to Sorloth just 10 minutes after he was brought on for Alvarez.

Lamine Yamal may have fallen short in the Ballon d’Or race against Ousmane Dembele, but Barcelona president Joan Laporta insists the setback will only fuel his hunger to claim the award in future. The teenager made history with back-to-back Kopa Trophies, while Aitana Bonmati continued her dominance by lifting a third consecutive Women’s Ballon d’Or.

Real Madrid will not change their contract offer to Vinicius Junior amid a standoff between the Spanish club and the Brazilian winger. Having been dropped twice in recent weeks by new coach Xabi Alonso, the winger is facing further scrutiny this season and the club are reluctant to match his demands for a significant pay rise.

Barcelona sensation Lamine Yamal showed his lighter side after the Ballon d’Or gala by buying midnight hamburgers for team-mates and friends, while president Joan Laporta admitted he even tried pressing Ronaldinho and Andres Iniesta to reveal the winner. Yamal may have fallen short, but his Kopa Trophy joy kept spirits high as Ousmane Dembele took home the big prize instead.

La Liga president Javier Tebas has accused the Premier League of inflating the players' salaries and transfer fees. According to the 63-year-old, this affects the global market and other leagues including the Spanish top flight as well as he stressed the importance of "sustainability" across Europe's leagues.

Vinicius Jr’s Ballon d’Or nightmare worsened as Betis mocked the Real Madrid winger after he finished 16th in the 2025 rankings. The Brazilian had once promised to win the award “ten times if needed”, but those words were brutally echoed back at him online. Now, with Xabi Alonso limiting his role, pressure is mounting on the highly-rated attacker.

Getafe are closing in on signing former Leeds and Chelsea striker Patrick Bamford. The free agent was released from his contract by the Premier League side just a few days before the deadline day after falling out of coach Daniel Farke's plans and is reportedly set to travel to Spain to discuss a possible transfer.

Marcus Rashford has been accused of "self-sabotage" after turning up late for a Barcelona team meeting. The 27-year-old scored a stunning brace against Newcastle United in the Champions League but was then dropped to the bench for the Getafe clash for his tardiness on the day of the game. Now, the Manchester United loanee has been criticised for his actions.

Barcelona have reached a breakthrough with Frenkie de Jong, who has agreed to extend his stay until 2029 on reduced wages. Talks had stalled after the Dutchman changed agents, but fresh negotiations revived the process. Joan Laporta insists good news is close, with De Jong’s renewal securing a vital pillar in Hansi Flick’s midfield.

Barcelona have confirmed that midfielder Gavi could be out for up to five months after having knee surgery. The 21-year-old missed the best part of a year with a cruciate ligament tear in late 2023. Now, the Spaniard is set for more time on the sidelines as the meniscus issue in his right knee is more serious than first believed.

Barcelona’s hopes of returning to Camp Nou this weekend have been dashed once again as the City Council refused to grant the licence needed to reopen the stadium. Hansi Flick’s side, amid ongoing renovations, were aiming to host Real Sociedad at a reduced capacity of 27,000 at Spotify Camp Nou, but security concerns have forced the club to look elsewhere.

Real Madrid have made a perfect start under Xabi Alonso with six wins from six in La Liga. The Spanish manager is pleased with the progress but warned it is only the beginning and the team must keep improving if they want to stay at the top of the Spanish top-flight and in with a chance of competing in the Champions League.