Xavi warned his Barcelona players they cannot assume the title is theirs even if they beat Real Madrid in Sunday s Clasico.
Barca welcome Madrid to Camp Nou for the second LaLiga Clasico of the season, and it comes at a potentially pivotal moment.
The Blaugrana are already nine points clear at LaLiga s summit, meaning anything other than a Madrid win will likely have the Spanish media proclaiming Barca as champions.
Even if Barca do lose, there will still likely be a fair amount of optimism at Camp Nou, given no team have ever led by as many as nine points at this stage of the season and failed to win the title.
Xavi recognises the importance of Sunday s contest, but he is not convinced by suggestions it is decisive – for either team.
If we win…
Marco Parolo believes Italy can defy the odds and spring a surprise by winning Euro 2016.
Antonio Conte s men are considered an outside bet to triumph in France and face a stern opening test against Belgium in Group E.
Lazio midfielder Parolo concedes Italy are short on headline players who are performing at the peak of their powers, but is confident the right attitude will win the day.
With the right spirit, anything is possible, he said. We do not have any top talents at their peak, but we do have players who can resolve a game.
Many players have established themselves in both Serie A and the Champions League through hard work and sacrifice. If we do badly, you will write that we are second rate, but sometimes it is more beautiful to be a surprise.<…
Joe Hart lavished praise on Kyogo Furuhashi as he described his delight about the Japan striker’s decision to extend his time at Celtic.
The 28-year-old attacker has scored 54 goals in 83 games since signing from Vissel Kobe in 2021 to become a huge fans’ favourite at Parkhead and is now tied to the treble winners until 2027 after signing a new four-year deal earlier in the week.
Speaking at Lennoxtown, where he was promoting James Forrest’s testimonial match against LaLiga side Athletic Bilbao next month, veteran goalkeeper Hart said of Furuhashi’s new contract: “It’s huge, what a great bit of news that is.
“I love him as a person, he’s a beautiful person and he’s an exceptional footballer.
“He has been brilliant since he came in and …
Sunday’s Carabao Cup final brought Jurgen Klopp an eighth trophy as Liverpool manager as his inexperienced side saw off Chelsea 1-0 at Wembley.
It was a sixth consecutive defeat in domestic cup finals for Chelsea and here, the PA news agency looks at the noteworthy statistical implications of the match.
Trophy haul
Klopp has won seven different honours with Liverpool, with Virgil van Dijk’s extra-time winner meaning the League Cup is the first trophy his side have lifted more than once.
Victory over Tottenham in the 2019 Champions League final brought his first trophy and the following season saw Liverpool win the UEFA Super Cup, the Club World Cup and then the Premier League.
A domestic cup double in 2021-22, both in penalty shoot-outs against Chels…
Real Madrid, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid comprised LaLiga s top three for an eighth consecutive season in 2019-20.
The big three of this era in Spain s top fight have not been apart since Valencia came in third in 2011-12 30 points shy of second-place Barca.
The order has shuffled into various configurations since, most sensationally when Atleti pipped the Blaugrana to finish top of the pile in 2013-14.
Madrid and Barcelona have cashed in on the superclub era, aided by arguably the two finest footballers of all-time, while Atletico gradually gained the weight they once punched above to become their country s third heavy hitter.
Nevertheless, each club heads into the new campaign with cracks appearing. If the end of an empire isn t quite upon us, it migh…
LA Galaxy coach Greg Vanney has urged his team to start sharply when they take on the Seattle Sounders on Sunday.
The Galaxy went down 2-0 to Austin FC last time out, and will look to get back to winning ways when they head up the West Coast to face the Sounders, who they beat 1-0 in March.
Vanney’s side found themselves 2-0 down after just 19 minutes against Austin, though, and the Galaxy coach is growing increasingly frustrated with his team’s sloppy starts.
In quotes reported by The Galactic Tribune, Vanney said: “We ve got to do a better job of not starting slow and getting ourselves behind the game one and two goals because then it certainly incentivises the opposition to sit a little bit lower and really kind of protect the face of the goal.”
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German Football League (DFL) president Dr Reinhard Rauball has slammed FIFA s unwillingness to properly resolve their major error of selecting Qatar to host the 2022 World Cup.
Rauball said on Friday that FIFA s confirmation that Qatar 2022 will be held in the European winter had failed to deal with fundamental problems associated with holding the World Cup in the West Asian nation.
FIFA announced on Thursday that Qatar 2022 will be held in November and December, with the final set for December 18.
In a statement on the Bundesliga s website, the former Borussia Dortmund president and German politician highlighted the controversial bidding process and Qatar s human rights record as two major issues FIFA has yet to address.
But Rauball did not stop at crit…
Pep Guardiola says Manchester City s players cannot dine out on their past achievements and must prove themselves all over again in their last four games of the Premier League season, starting against Wolves on Saturday.
The title race remains in City s hands despite Arsenal leading the way by a single point, with Guardiola s men possessing a game in hand as they chase a fourth successive crown.
After welcoming Wolves to the Etihad Stadium, they face back-to-back trips to London to take on Fulham and Tottenham, then host West Ham on the final day.
Guardiola says City – who should have Ederson, Ruben Dias and Phil Foden back on Saturday – cannot assume this title rice will go the same way as others.
We have to prove it tomorrow against Wolves and th…
Cody Gakpo and Ronald Koeman were in agreement that the Netherlands must be more clinical in their remaining group fixtures if they are to progress to the knockout stages of Euro 2024 following their victory over Poland.
The Liverpool forward was on target for the Oranje in the first half to cancel out Adam Buksa s opener, with Wout Weghorst then emerging from the bench to net a late winner and give Koeman s side a winning start to their campaign.
During the encounter in Hamburg, the Dutch registered 21 shots, their most in a game at a major tournament since 2012, but only four of those were on target, while their opponents managed seven from their 12 efforts, with both ending the contest with 1.26 expected goals (xG).
Gakpo was quick to highlight his side s wa…
Borussia Dortmund have not come this far in the Champions League to be mere witnesses to Real Madrid lifting the trophy for a record-extending 15th time, coach Edin Terzic vowed on Friday.
You don t play a final, you win a final and that is our clear goal, Terzic, who will be up against his role model Carlo Ancelotti, told reporters before leading a training session at Wembley Stadium.
We re happy to be here but we have to win at Wembley against Real Madrid, to hold that trophy in our hands.
Dortmund finished a distant fifth in the Bundesliga this season and few would have given them much hope of reaching their first Champions League final since 2013, when Wembley also hosted their defeat against domestic rivals Bayern Munich.
But Terzic s side stunned…