LaLiga news

Xabi Alonso has been bluntly told following his sudden departure why he was never going to succeed as Real Madrid's manager. The Spaniard swapped Bayer Leverkusen for his former club last summer but his time at the Spanish giants was abruptly brought to an end on Monday. Now, a legend of La Liga has given his take on the 44-year-old's short stint at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Tottenham appear primed to hijack Aston Villa's proposed move for Atletico Madrid star Conor Gallagher. Unai Emery's side have been on the lookout for more strength in depth as they try to keep touch in the Premier League title race, while also competing for cups this season. But it seems Spurs may pip them to the post on one recruit, days after losing to the Villans in the FA Cup.

Real Madrid have announced the departure of manager Xabi Alonso following their Spanish Super Cup final loss to rivals Barcelona. Speculation has not gone away about the ex-midfielder's position at Los Blancos, with reports suggesting the 44-year-old is not an entirely popular figure among the dressing room. Now, Madrid state Alonso has left by "mutual consent".

Joao Cancelo has been spotted arriving in Barcelona ahead of a loan move from Al Hilal. The Portugal international spent the 2023-24 season with the Catalan outfit after falling out of favour at Manchester City. More than two years later, the experienced full-back is temporarily pausing his time in the Middle East to head back to the defending La Liga champions.

Real Madrid’s stance when it comes to the future of under-fire manager Xabi Alonso has been revealed. The World Cup-winning former Los Blancos midfielder only returned to the Bernabeu in the summer of 2025 as he succeeded legendary Italian coach Carlo Ancelotti. He has endured a baptism of fire in the Spanish capital, leading to inevitable sack speculation being generated.

Lionel Messi remains “the best in the world” and will hold that title “until he retires”, claims the Argentine’s former Barcelona team-mate David Villa. The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner is now 38 years of age, but he is showing no sign of slowing down and continues to enhance his standing as the most decorated player of all-time while turning out in the United States for Inter Miami.

The transfer windows remain one of the highlights of the footballing seasons for fans and there have been plenty of big-money deals over the years.

Bayern Munich boss Vincent Kompany insists he has not spoken to Lennart Karl over his recent transfer remarks regarding Real Madrid after reiterating that the teen sensation has apologised for his “communication mistake”. The Bavarians' head coach has come to the aid of the 17-year-old, who raised eyebrows earlier this month by revealing it is his “dream” to play for the Spanish giants.

"I think he’s going to lift people off their seats," Manchester United CEO Omar Berrada said of Matheus Cunha during a summer interview with United We Stand and The Athletic. "He’s got a bit of a swagger about him that people are going to really like. Dare I say, [Eric] Cantona-esque." Talk about setting sky-high expectations!

It's never a good idea to pay much attention to football's annual awards ceremonies. These glorified popularity contests drag on for far too long and trying to wrap your head around the lack of logic involved in the voting process is an exercise in futility. However, it was impossible to ignore The Best FIFA Men's 11 for 2025 - because the omission of Raphinha made so little sense.

Former Barcelona midfielder Gaizka Mendieta has suggested that Marcus Rashford may be acting as an agent at Camp Nou, with Kobbie Mainoo another of those to be seeing a move from Manchester United to Catalunya speculated on. If the Blaugrana are keen, then loan star Rashford could be used to help talk a fellow England international into treading a similar career path.

Xavi Hernandez is "ready" to return to management and has his sights set on the Premier League, but reports claiming a deal with Manchester United is imminent have been played down. While the Barcelona legend is a candidate to replace the sacked Ruben Amorim, transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has clarified the current state of play.

We have been waiting for some time to see how Nike would react to the juggernaut that is adidas' Predator revival campaign, and the American sportswear behemoth is finally set to deliver a serious on-pitch response following the relaunch of cultural phenomenon Total90 as a streetwear silo in 2025. With the new year upon us, the iconic Nike Tiempo has been revamped for the modern creator-in-chief.

Former Barcelona star Gaizka Mendieta says that Sergio Ramos could be an interesting transfer option for Wrexham after leaving Liga MX club Monterrey. The 39-year-old, who won four Champions League titles and five La Liga crowns during his 16 years at the Santiago Bernabeu, is now available as a free agent, with Mendieta explaining why he could be tempted to north Wales.

A female reporter has claimed former Chelsea star Diego Costa once coughed in her face during an interview at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. Helene Hendriks was on media duties for Liverpool's Champions League clash with Atletico Madrid in March 2020, and the striker was playing for the Spanish club at the time. After the knockout fixture took place, Costa allegedly did something the 45-year-old will never forget.

Jude Bellingham has passionately defended Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso, insisting the squad is with the coach "to the death" while dismissing reports of dressing room fractures as "invented" nonsense. The England star claims the club's current situation is "no disaster" and believes external criticism has been "blown out of proportion" despite recent stumbles.

Real Madrid are set to intensify their efforts to sign Nico Schlotterbeck from Borussia Dortmund after suffering a major blow in their pursuit of Dayot Upamecano. The Bayern Munich defender was identified as the club's primary target but is now on the verge of signing a new deal in Bavaria, forcing Los Blancos to pivot towards the German international who could cost upwards of €50 million.