Barcelona’s midfield brilliance stole the spotlight in their 2-1 Champions League win over Newcastle, with Pedri and Frenkie de Jong running the show. Jack Grealish labelled the pair “a joy to watch,” while Manchester United legend Paul Scholes called Pedri his “new favourite footballer.” Their dominance set the platform for Marcus Rashford’s decisive brace.
Marcus Rashford struck twice in nine minutes to sink Newcastle and reignite his career on the Champions League stage with Barcelona. Anthony Gordon grabbed his first goal in the competition but instead chose to praise his fellow England international along with midfield duo Pedri and Frenkie de Jong, who ran the show in the 2-1 win at St James’ Park.
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 head coach Hansi Flick spoke about the praise Pedri received from former Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes, who revealed that the 22-year-old is his "new favourite footballer". Since Flick took charge of Barca, Pedri has shrugged off his fitness issues and was one of the best midfielders in the world last season, a trend that has carried over into the current season.
Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Aleix Garcia didn't fall short of words while praising Barcelona duo and Spanish national team-mates Lamine Yamal and Pedri. While Garcia admitted that he "enjoy watching him", he hailed Pedri as the nucleus of the reigning La Liga champions, explaining what makes the former Las Palmas sensation such an effective and reliable footballer.
Barcelona continue to shine in La Liga with the team topping the table after a 2-1 win over Real Sociedad. Key players like Jules Kounde, Robert Lewandowski, and returning star Lamine Yamal impressed, but it was Pedri who stood out as both a midfield engine and an emerging leader. Hansi Flick praised the Spaniard for his tactical intelligence and influence, highlighting his pivotal role in Barca’s resurgence.
Spain manager Luis de la Fuente gave a huge billing to Arsenal midfielder Mikel Merino as the La Roja boss claimed that the Gunners star is as good as Rodri and Pedri. On Tuesday, Merino scored twice as Spain thrashed Bulgaria 4-0 in a World Cup qualifying game at home. The win also helped the reigning European champions maintain their 100 per cent record in the qualifying rounds.
Spain maintained their 100% 2026 World Cup qualifying record as they eased to a 2-0 win over Georgia on Saturday night. Goals from Yeremy Pino and Mikel Oyarzabal either side of half time was enough to La Roja to make it three wins from three as they maintain their unstoppable march towards the World Cup. Spain dominated from the outset and many had expected the Euro 2024 winners to put up a big score.
Lamine Yamal went out of his way to hype up his return to the Barcelona line-up for Wednesday night's Champions League clash with Paris Saint-Germain at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys. The 18-year-old posted a clip on his Instagram account from the movie 'The Devil's Advocate' in which Al Pacino's character, John Milton, discusses the effects of pressure: "Some people, you squeeze 'em, they focus; others fold. Can you summon your talent at will? Can you deliver on a deadline? Can you sleep at night?"
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