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.
The American conglomerate that owns Premier League outfit Burnley completed a majority takeover of Espanyol earlier this month. In a recent interview, Alan Pace, the American businessman overseeing the sporting operations at both clubs, cited Manchester rivals City and United's example while explaining his ambitions and why success will follow Espanyol, even if it takes time.
Controversy has erupted in Spain after the television broadcast of Real Oviedo’s clash with Espanyol cut away from the opening moments of play, missing both teams’ planned 15-second protest against La Liga’s decision to move Barcelona’s upcoming league game to Miami. The censorship has drawn fresh criticism of the league’s handling of its controversial U.S. expansion plan.
Alan Pace, who owns Premier League outfit Burnley, has successfully completed the takeover of Spanish side Espanyol, who are the second-biggest team in Catalunya behind Barcelona. Pace spoke ambitiously about his plans to make the Catalan club into a top six side in La Liga, with his dream not only to win the Champions League, but also to turn them into a global brand.
JJ Watt has added La Liga side Espanyol to his European football club portfolio after Velocity Sport Limited's takeover was completed on Thursday. Barcelona's rivals become the second club under VSL's ownership after Premier League side Burnley, where Watt is a minority investor. The former NFL star is also involved in the acquisition and quickly posted his first message on X after the deal was finalised.
Former Espanyol president Joan Collet was caught up in a physical altercation in the VIP area after the final whistle of the club's clash with Real Betis, capping a frustrating day for the Catalan club both on and off the pitch.
GOAL runs the rule over the British players earning a living away from their homeland, with plenty more stars deciding to leave the comforts of Great Britain 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.
Real Madrid have been urged to address the soaring temperatures at Santiago Bernabeu after complaints were made about it being "like a sauna". Los Blancos cruised to a 2-0 home win over Espanyol on Saturday but grumblings are mounting about the "greenhouse effect" in the stadium. Some have even accused the Spanish giants of "taking advantage" of the situation.
Real Madrid had double cause for celebration on Saturday, as the Spanish heavyweights welcomed the return of England superstar Jude Bellingham to the pitch after he spent over two months on the sidelines. Madrid had already sealed the victory by the time Bellingham was brought on as a substitute in the 89th minute to a rapturous reception from the Bernabeu.
Real Madrid made light work of Espanyol as they claimed a 2-0 win to maintain their perfect start to the Liga season. Eder Militao and in-form Kylian Mbappe delivered the goals for the hosts, and the result, if only temporarily, moves Xabi Alonso's men five points clear of title rivals Barcelona at the top of the table.
Real Madrid paid tribute to Abderrahim Ouhida, a survivor of the 2023 Morocco earthquake, by inviting him to take a special honorary kick-off at the Santiago Bernabeu on Saturday. Ouhida, who wore a Real Madrid shirt during the quake and lost five family members in the tragic incident, stepped onto the pitch in Kylian Mbappe’s No.10 jersey ahead of the Liga clash against Espanyol.
Mauricio Pochettino has slammed Barcelona's "more than a club" slogan while insisting Espanyol are "much more Catalan". The current USMNT boss has also ruled out the possibility of ever coaching the La Liga champions, even joking he’d prefer farming in Argentina.
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Espanyol
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