Barcelona wonderkid Lamine Yamal was ridiculed by Diego Simeone during the Blaugrana’s disastrous Copa del Rey defeat to Atletico Madrid. Hansi Flick’s side, who sit top of the Liga table, found themselves four goals down by half-time in the first leg of an epic cup clash at Riyadh Air Metropolitano. Simeone took great delight in reminding Yamal of the scoreline.
Atletico Madrid president Enrique Cerezo has issued a defiant message to Barcelona, ruling out a summer exit for star forward Julian Alvarez. The Argentine World Cup winner has emerged as a top target for the Catalan giants as they hunt for Robert Lewandowski’s long-term successor, but the capital club have made it clear that their record signing is not for sale under any circumstances.
Robert Lewandowski is facing a defining moment in his illustrious career as his Barcelona contract nears its expiration. The Polish striker has reportedly received offers from Atletico Madrid and AC Milan, among others, but is holding off on a decision until the club's presidential elections are concluded in March.
The Metropolitano pitch has become a major talking point ahead of Atletico Madrid's Copa del Rey semi-final first leg against Barcelona. "Honestly, it's not in good condition," Koke admitted after Sunday's home defeat to Real Betis. "We slip, the turf comes up. Clearly, we have to play better, so it's not an excuse, but we're expected to perform at a high level and we need a pitch of that same quality to be able to do so."
Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo has fuelled talk that the Catalan giants could move for Atletico Madrid striker Julian Alvarez in the summer transfer window. Hansi Flick's side are expected to be in the market for a new No. 9 to replace Robert Lewandowski, and Alvarez has been mentioned as a transfer target. Araujo has given his verdict on the Argentina star and thinks he's one of the best around.
Chelsea are being backed to win the transfer race for Atletico Madrid forward Julian Alvarez. The World Cup-winning Argentina international left English football when severing ties with Manchester City in 2024. A return to familiar surroundings is being speculated on, with it suggested that Stamford Bridge could be the South American’s next port of call.
Former Manchester United winger Antony continued his strong form for Real Betis as the 25-year-old whipped home a sumptuous left-footed strike from the edge of the box for the only goal of the game in a 1-0 La Liga win at Atletico Madrid. Antony brought out Cristiano Ronaldo's famous 'calma' celebration after the goal, his tenth of the season, which earned his side all three points.
Diego Simeone has hailed the "different" qualities of Ademola Lookman after the Nigerian international marked his Atletico Madrid debut with a stunning strike. The former Atalanta star joined the Spanish giants in the final days of the January window and wasted no time making an impact during a 5-0 rout of Real Betis. Simeone believes the attacker offers a unique threat to his squad.
Reports in Spain suggest that Diego Simeone could be sacked as Atletico Madrid manager. The former midfielder was appointed in December of 2011 and has been in charge ever since, overseeing remarkable success, and winning La Liga twice ahead of Real Madrid and Barcelona.
Atletico Madrid are ready to test Tottenham’s resolve for Cristian Romero this summer after the Spurs captain’s relationship with the club hit a new low. The Argentine World Cup winner slammed the board’s transfer inactivity as ‘disgraceful’ on social media, prompting Diego Simeone’s side to revive their interest just months after Romero signed a lucrative new contract in London.
The 2026 winter window closed on Monday, with Jorgen Strand Larsen's £48 million move from Wolves to Crystal Palace the biggest deal done on deadline day. Truth be told, though, it was a pretty tame end to what's been a fairly quiet month in the transfer market. Indeed, aside from Manchester City, most of Europe's top teams did next-to-no mid-season business, while there was very little movement at all in France, Germany or Spain - which wasn't that surprising, given January is traditionally a tough time to find good value for money.
Famously, the January transfer window is the more difficult of the two to operate in. It's hard to persuade other clubs to give up assets mid-season, sometimes even harder to convince players that they're better off making a move immediately rather than waiting until the following summer. But that doesn't mean deals are impossible, or that you can't get good value for your buck.
Atletico Madrid, Aston Villa, Monaco and Villarreal are among the clubs interested in signing Real Salt Lake star Zavier Gozo, sources tell GOAL. The winger, who has represented the U.S. up to the U-23 level, could be on the move in the summer for a transfer fee somewhere close to a club-record fee.
Obed Vargas is set for a major step forward, leaving the Seattle Sounders to join Atlético Madrid. While several LaLiga clubs had expressed interest in a potential loan move, Atlético plan to keep the 20-year-old midfielder in Madrid, where he is expected to join the first team. Vargas impressed as a homegrown player for Seattle, making 91 appearances.
January is a notoriously bad time for buyers because nobody ever wants to sell top talent midway through the season. There are, however, exceptions to the rule. Some clubs need to raise funds to balance the books, while others can be left with not option but to unload an unhappy player who has made it clear that he wants to join a stronger side.
Real Madrid will be reunited with Jose Mourinho’s Benfica in the Champions League knockout play-off round, while title holders Paris Saint-Germain must overcome domestic rivals Monaco in order to reach the last-16 and Newcastle face a tough test against Qarabag. A number of European heavyweights are paying the price for failing to secure a top-eight finish in the league phase.
Gary Lineker has dropped a major hint that Arsenal could land Julian Alvarez this summer, revealing that the striker is unhappy at Atletico Madrid. The former Match of the Day host believes the World Cup winner would be a "game over" signing for Mikel Arteta’s side, who are desperate for firepower after seeing their title bid falter due to a lack of goals from their current crop of forwards.
The final round of league phase fixtures in the 2025-26 Champions League is finally upon us, and it promises to be the most dramatic yet. Only table toppers Arsenal and Bayern Munich have already secured automatic qualification for the round of 16, with the former boasting a 100 percent record through their first seven games, while just four clubs have been eliminated so far: Eintracht Frankfurt, Slavia Prague, Villarreal and Kairat.
Barcelona have narrowed down their pursuit of Robert Lewandowski's replacement to just two players. Lewandowski's current deal at Spotify Camp Nou expires at the end of the current season and Barcelona are unlikely to extend the 37-year-old's stay in Spain, and it means the Catalan giants are expected to dip into the market for a new striker this summer.
Diego Simeone has hit back at criticism aimed at Atletico Madrid striker Julian Alvarez. The Argentine striker moved to Atletico 18 months' ago, joining from Manchester City for £81.8m. Alvarez enjoyed an impressive debut campaign in Spain, scoring 17 times and laying on an additional four assists for Los Colchoneros. However, the 2022 World Cup winner is enduring a testing second season.
Arsenal have reportedly begun exploring a sensational summer swoop for Atletico Madrid forward Julian Alvarez, less than a year after breaking the bank for Viktor Gyokeres. Sporting director Andrea Berta is leveraging his deep connections at the Spanish club to gauge the possibility of bringing the Argentine World Cup winner back to the Premier League, despite the Gunners’ current record signing still finding his feet in north London.
As the Champions League picks back up again, GOAL's writers look at the state of the competition and make some big predictions as the group phase draws to a close.
Atletico Madrid
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