LaLiga news

Barcelona full-back Alejandro Balde has defended teammate Lamine Yamal over the scrutiny he has faced in recent weeks. The 18-year-old has not been at his best since September, when he succumbed to an injury in his pubic area while playing for Spain. Ever since his return, he has struggled to match his previously dizzying heights, with the glare of the spotlight shining on the youngster.

The latest round of action across Europe's 'Big Five' leagues has predictably produced a plethora of talking points, with Arsenal, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid all in fine form. The Gunners are six points clear at the top of the Premier League after scoring yet another set-piece goal, and keeping another clean sheet, in their 2-0 victory at Burnley. Meanwhile, both Bayern and Real have five-point leads in Germany and Spain, respectively, after comfortable wins over the weekend.

GOAL runs the rule over the British players earning a living away from their homeland, with plenty more stars deciding to leave their home comforts 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.

William Saliba remains fully committed to the Arsenal cause for now, having signed a new long-term contract, but he has admitted that any interest shown from Real Madrid will always be “tempting”. That admission will concern some in north London, with there no guarantees that the highly-rated France international defender will see out his fresh terms at Emirates Stadium.

Elche's on-loan Barcelona defender Hector Fort has revealed a personal post-match conversation with Hansi Flick, saying that the manager "cares about me." The youngster also lifted the lid on the "special" experience of facing his close friend Lamine Yamal during Elche's 3-1 LaLiga defeat, a match which also saw Inaki Pena return to face his parent club.

Bayer Leverkusen CEO Fernando Carro has suggested that Liverpool were not Florian Wirtz’s first choice when it came to a big-money transfer, with the Germany international favouring a switch to Spanish giants Real Madrid. He is, however, at Anfield after completing a £116 million ($152m) move that briefly broke recruitment records in Great Britain.

Manchester United flop Antony continues to star for Real Betis on the back of bringing his Old Trafford nightmare to a close. The Brazil international found the going tough in English football, but has rekindled a lost spark in Spain as he becomes a fan favourite in Andalusia. That standing was enhanced when scoring a stunning brace for Betis against Real Mallorca.

Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick, who was overjoyed at teenage sensation Lamine Yamal's goal against Elche, has stated that the Spaniard's injury problems are not yet over. Although the 18-year-old managed his fourth goal of the campaign, he is yet to rediscover his best form thus far this term.

Barcelona bounced back from their El Clasico loss with a convincing 3-1 win over Elche, a night that once again underlined Marcus Rashford’s rebirth under Hansi Flick. In Raphinha’s absence, the English winger has been electric, scoring his sixth of the season and earning a standing ovation from the Barca fans. Yet, even in triumph, Flick was clear he expects even more goals from Rashford.

Fan favourite Antony declared he is "at home" and playing with "heart" after his man-of-the-match display secured a vital 3-0 La Liga win for Real Betis against Mallorca. The former Manchester United star scored twice and provided an assist in a dominant first half, admitting it was a "shame" he missed a hat-trick, as Betis kept pressure on the top four.

Trent Alexander-Arnold has revealed that he and Jude Bellingham share the same barber, who they regularly fly out to Madrid from the UK to cut their hair. The Real Madrid defender explained that he and the midfielder started using the same barber at the European Championships and now that they are both at the same club, choose to have the barber get a flight to the Spanish capital.

Marcus Rashford gave Barcelona another reason to sign him permanently with a goal in his side's 3-1 win over Elche on Sunday. After early strikes from Lamine Yamal and Ferran Torres, the England forward smashed in an impressive effort to put pay to the away team's comeback. Rafa Mir had given the underdogs hope in a very competitive La Liga fixture.

Harry Kane is considering a departure from Bayern Munich and could look to make a blockbuster switch to Barcelona. The English striker has been in ruthless goalscoring form this season and may look to experience a new league while he remains at the top of his game. Kane is mulling over the possibility of a new contract at the German giants, but his future remains in the balance.

Marcus Rashford has made a sensational start to his Barcelona career, reigniting his form with 12 goal contributions in just 13 appearances since joining on loan from Manchester United. The 28-year-old has openly expressed his desire to make the move permanent, though reports have suggested that the Catalan giants are set to make demands to Rashford to complete the transfer.

Kylian Mbappe has played down comparisons to Cristiano Ronaldo and insisted that the Portuguese forward remains the 'reference' at Real Madrid. The French striker has been in devastating form for Los Blancos this season, scoring 13 goals in 11 La Liga games, and is once again showing why he is one of the very best players in the world and a worthy comparison to the legendary Ronaldo.

Trent Alexander-Arnold has opened up on what it means to him to return to boyhood team Liverpool ahead of Real Madrid's trip to Anfield this week. The full-back swapped the Reds for the Spanish giants this summer after spending the entirety of his career at the Merseyside outfit. Now, the England international is preparing for an emotional return to his former employers - something he had been preparing for.

Tottenham are reportedly eyeing a rising star of Argentinian football but face competition from European giants Atletico Madrid. The River Plate ace has enjoyed a rapid rise in recent years after being catapulted into the national setup from relative obscurity. Now, Thomas Frank's side and Atletico are keen to recruit the 22-year-old but his €100 million release clause may prove to be a dealbreaker for any suitors.