La Liga president Javier Tebas has offered a staunch defence of under-fire Real Madrid boss Xabi Alonso, insisting he has "seen this movie" of crisis talk many times before. Despite the champions suffering back-to-back defeats and facing intense scrutiny over their form, the league chief believes the Basque coach has the "Madrid DNA" required to survive the storm and turn the season around.
Bayern Munich defender Dayot Upamecano has reportedly issued a final ultimatum to the club regarding his contract extension. The French international is entering the final six months of his deal and has made it clear that European giants Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain are ready to meet his financial requests if the Bundesliga leaders fail to match his expectations before January.
Denzel Dumfries has put elite European clubs on high alert after making a significant change to his representation. The Inter wing-back has parted ways with super-agent Jorge Mendes, a move that coincides with the activation of a tempting release clause in his contract next summer. Barcelona and Manchester City are monitoring the situation closely as the Dutchman eyes his next move.
Bayern Munich legends Oliver Kahn and Dietmar Hamann have delivered a damning verdict on Xabi Alonso’s tumultuous start at Real Madrid. Kahn argues the Spaniard’s tactical obsession clashes with the club’s DNA, while Hamann claims the squad are now 'untrainable' after Vinicius Jr was allowed to undermine the manager’s authority.
Mason Greenwood continues to thrive for Marseille in France, leading to growing speculation over whether a return to the Premier League could be possible for the former Manchester United outcast. Links with a move to La Liga have also gathered pace, while tentative links with both Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United have led to questions after the highly controversial circumstances which led to his exile from Old Trafford in 2022.
Crystal Palace star Daniel Munoz has been encouraged to reject interest from Barcelona and instead pursue a move to Liverpool, with Colombian icon Camilo Zuniga insisting the Premier League is the ideal environment for the wing-back’s high-energy style. As elite sides circle ahead of his next career step, debate continues to mount over where the in-form Munoz should go next.
Eric Garcia has committed his long-term future to Barcelona, signing a new deal that keeps him at Camp Nou until 2031. The defender, who has established himself as a key starter since his return from a successful loan spell at Girona, admitted his "dream" is to spend his entire career at the club after overcoming a difficult start to life in Catalonia.
Everything was looking rosy for Xabi Alonso after a thumping 4-0 home win over Valencia on November 1, which was Real Madrid's 13th victory out of 14 games across all competitions in the first few months of the season. Los Blancos were top of La Liga by five points ahead of Clasico rivals Barcelona, who they beat 2-1 at the Bernabeu seven days earlier, and they'd racked up nine points out of a possible nine in the Champions League, with Juventus among their victims.
Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has issued a passionate defence of under-fire manager Xabi Alonso following the club's 2-1 Champions League defeat to Manchester City. The Belgian shot-stopper insisted the squad remain "united" behind the coach and pledged that the players will support him "wholeheartedly" as they look to end a poor run of form.
Jude Bellingham delivered an X-rated assessment of Real Madrid’s current situation after seeing them suffer another damaging defeat to Manchester City. The Blancos went down 2-1 against Premier League opponents in the Champions League on Wednesday night, with Bellingham admitting that the Liga giants must “take a bit of sh*t on the chin” in an ongoing bid to find form.
Ex-Real Madrid and Tottenham Hotspur icon Gareth Bale has revealed the real reason why he announced his retirement from football at the age of 33. The former winger brought the curtains down on his illustrious professional career just months after Wales were knocked out of the 2022 World Cup group stage after finishing bottom with just a point from their three matches.
Lamine Yamal's frustrations at being substituted off in Barcelona's 2-1 win over Eintracht Frankfurt on Tuesday night might have rubbed some people up the wrong way, but the Spanish star proved he has the elite mentality that only the game's greatest - such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi - possess.
Barcelona midfielder Pedri has sent a heartfelt message of support to his "brother" Ronald Araujo, insisting that the squad is desperate for the defender to return from his "spiritual journey" in Israel. The Spain international also urged the Uruguayan to look past his recent errors as he battles to recover from the emotional issues that have kept him on the sidelines.
Real Madrid boss Xabi Alonso is under increasing pressure after a tough start to life back in the Spanish capital, with reports going so far as to claim the Los Blancos boss could be sacked if his side lose to Manchester City in the Champions League on Wednesday night. But is dismissing the former Madrid midfielder the right decision?
As a Real Madrid stalwart who was fiercely loyal to Jose Mourinho, Xabi Alonso did not seem like an obvious signing for Pep Guardiola, and yet the pair got on famously during their two years together at Bayern Munich. Alonso’s experience helped Guardiola win two Bundesliga titles while the veteran player sought to tap into the Catalan’s knowledge as he prepared for his own career on the touchline.
Kylian Mbappe's injury has forced Xabi Alonso to launch a 'desperate' Real Madrid tactic in the fight to save his job against Manchester City. Alonso could turn to out-of-favour forward Endrick in the absence of their star attacker. The Frenchman was absent from Los Blancos' open training session the day before the game against Pep Guardiola's side at the Bernabeu.
Gareth Bale has downplayed rumours that he had a bad relationship with Cristiano Ronaldo at Real Madrid. The Welsh star played alongside the Portuguese icon for five seasons at Los Blancos, and together they won multiple La Liga and Champions League titles. For all the criticism that came the winger's way in Spain, he says he never had any issues with any of his team-mates at the European giants.
Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo has travelled to Tel Aviv on a "spiritual journey" to aid his physical and mental recovery following a difficult period at the club, a decision that has been fiercely defended by club legend Gerard Pique who has called for a radical change in how fans treat players after admitting the Uruguayan "raised his hand and said enough" regarding the abuse he receives.
Bruno Fernandes has been warned off a move to Barcelona that would see him link up with Lamine Yamal and Pedri. The Manchester United captain continues to see a transfer in 2026 speculated on, with leading teams in Europe and Saudi Arabia said to be monitoring his situation. Pedro Mendes has told his fellow Portuguese why a switch to Camp Nou would be the wrong choice.
Marc-Andre ter Stegen has finally been included in the Barcelona matchday squad for their Champions League clash against Eintracht Frankfurt, marking the end of a nightmare seven-month exile that has been plagued by a serious injury and intense speculation regarding a behind-the-scenes conflict with the club's hierarchy over his long-term future.
Barcelona legend Gerard Pique has singled out Marcus Rashford as the biggest surprise in La Liga so far this season following his move from Manchester United, though the former defender admitted that Real Madrid superstar Kylian Mbappe is currently operating "on another level" compared to the rest of the competition. The Frenchman has made a blistering start to the campaign in Spain, averaging a goal a game for Xabi Alonso's team.
Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso has issued a defiant rallying cry ahead of his side’s crunch Champions League clash with Manchester City, insisting that the mood in the camp has shifted from anger to determination following the chaotic weekend defeat to Celta Vigo. The coach insists his side are "eager" to recover their form amid reports he could be sacked if they fail to win.
German football legend Lothar Matthaus has issued a stark warning to Xabi Alonso, suggesting that Real Madrid superstars Jude Bellingham and Vinicius Junior may struggle to adapt to his rigid tactical demands after years of "freedom" under Carlo Ancelotti. The Spanish side's recent struggles have sparked claims the coach could be sacked, with his damaged relationship with the Brazilian a major point of contention.
Barcelona's pursuit of Borussia Dortmund defender Nico Schlotterbeck has reportedly hit a stumbling block as the German international appears to favour a future move to Real Madrid or Bayern Munich, while internal doubts among the Catalan hierarchy have seen them hesitate to sanction a formal approach despite manager Hansi Flick's strong connection to the player.
Jurgen Klopp has reportedly emerged as a potential successor to Xabi Alonso at Real Madrid after the club’s disastrous 2-0 defeat to Celta Vigo. The German, who stepped away from frontline management after leaving Liverpool and now works as Red Bull’s global head of football, is reportedly one of two names under consideration to replace Alonso as Real Madrid weigh their options in what has rapidly become a full-blown crisis.
Fifteen years ago, Manchester City were so enamoured with the all-conquering Barcelona that they sought to replicate the same structure. They began by hiring chief executive Ferran Soriano and sporting director Txiki Begiristain, before eventually landing Pep Guardiola to manage the team. All that was missing was Lionel Messi - though they nearly signed the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner at the very start of the Abu Dhabi-led project by mistake!
Real Madrid's crisis escalated on Sunday as Endrick was sent off from the bench during the defeat to Celta Vigo, sparking a furious reaction from his father. With the Brazilian forward starving for minutes under manager Xabi Alonso, his parent turned to the bible to find encouraging words for the teenager, intensifying rumours of a January loan exit just months before the World Cup.
Lamine Yamal continues to be billed as the ‘next Lionel Messi’, having stepped out of the same La Masia academy system at Barcelona, but the teen sensation has been told that Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappe is “closer” to earning GOAT status than he is. That is the opinion of ex-Blancos star Guti, who has seen Yamal likened to Cristiano Ronaldo and Diego Maradona.
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.
Kylian Mbappe is being backed to break Cristiano Ronaldo’s record of most goals for Real Madrid in a calendar year, but the French superstar has been told that “nobody will surpass” CR7 in the Santiago Bernabeu GOAT stakes. Mbappe is enjoying a prolific season for Los Blancos and could claim another entry in the history books before 2025 comes to a close.
.png?auto=webp&format=pjpg&width=3840&quality=60)
.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&width=3840&quality=60)
.png?auto=webp&format=pjpg&width=3840&quality=60)
.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&width=3840&quality=60)
.png?auto=webp&format=pjpg&width=3840&quality=60)
.png?auto=webp&format=pjpg&width=3840&quality=60)
.png?auto=webp&format=pjpg&width=3840&quality=60)
.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&width=3840&quality=60)
