Robert Lewandowski scored two stunning goals as Barcelona beat Villarreal 3-0 at Camp Nou to bounce back from El Clasico disappointment.
Barca lost their first clash with bitter rivals Real Madrid this season on Sunday, but they quickly shook off that defeat as Villarreal were swept aside on Thursday.
Three first-half goals in a seven-minute spell left the Yellow Submarine all at sea, with Lewandowski netting a couple of brilliant efforts before Ansu Fati ensured it was essentially game over before the break.
Villarreal never threatened any kind of turnaround, as Xavi s side eased the pressure that had started to build following a run of just one win in four games.
After a frustrating opening half-hour, a moment of magic brought about the first goal with …
Sought-after Argentinean Javier Pastore will be staying with Palermo, according to club chairman Maurizio Zamparini.
Pastore, 21, has impressed for the Serie A side since joining from Argentine outfit Huracan in 2009 and is a reported target for some of Europe s biggest clubs. But it looks as if he could be staying in Italy for at least another season, with Zamparini setting an asking price of close to 60 million euros.
Pastore wants to remain at Palermo, Zamparini told Gazzetta dello Sport. He is a very intelligent man, who wants to improve. He has decided to remain with us for another year.
I have already turned down a 50 million-euro offer for Pastore. Even if Chelsea were to make an offer this year, he would not move.
Barcelona already made an o…
Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson said his side will be at full strength for the Champions League final after defeating Schalke.
United accounted for their Bundesliga opponents 6-1 on aggregate thanks to a 4-1 demolition in the second leg of the semi-final tie at Old Trafford on Wednesday, with Ferguson fielding a largely second-string side that had nine of 11 players missing from the side that took on Arsenal in the English Premier League on Sunday.
Ferguson said United will have no excuses should they come up short against Barcelona on May 28 at Wembley in what will be a rematch of the European final from 2009, and intimated he would be selecting the best team available to tackle the La Liga club.
I think it will be a fantastic final. It is some wee…
Zinedine Zidane was less than impressed with Real Madrid s 1-0 defeat to Atletico Madrid, and suggested his position could come under threat at the end of the season.
Antoine Griezmann settled the derby with a clinical finish in the 53rd minute at Santiago Bernabeu, as Real fell nine points behind La Liga leaders Barcelona, who host Sevilla on Sunday.
Some Madrid fans called for president Florentino Perez to resign during the game, although those chants were swiftly drowned out by whistles from Perez s supporters.
And with hopes of a first Liga title since 2012 seemingly fading away, Zidane conceded his job may come under pressure.
Next year there might be changes, players and coach. But for now we must keep going as we have something to aim for, Zida…
Netherlands captain Robin van Persie claims he has been playing in pain for the past five to six years.
The Manchester United striker sparked fears over his fitness ahead of the FIFA World Cup when he was substituted after the first half of the Netherlands 2-0 friendly victory over Wales on Wednesday due to a groin issue.
However, the 30-year-old was quick to allay any fears he could miss the tournament in the aftermath of that fixture, insisting his withdrawal was merely a precaution.
Van Persie scored 12 goals in 21 Premier League appearances for United last season, but was dogged by thigh and knee problems.
The former Arsenal man is adamant there is no cause for concern, however, because he is used to playing through pain.
I ve been playing with pain for…
The oldest running Dutch magazine Voetbal International reports that Feyenoord right-back Rick Karsdorp is inches away from securing a deal with the Italian giants
Dutch side and their Italian counterparts are believed to have already made an agreement over a summer deal for the 22-year-old defender who is flying to Italy on Tuesday morning to have his medicals done and conclude his move to AS Roma.
Rick Karsdorp made a breakthrough into the Feyenoord first-team in 2014/15 season and has been one of the most standard first-team members for the Dutch champions ever since. Dutch defender made the total of 30 Eredivisie appearances last season and even scored a goal in the process.
Karsdorp’s contract with Feyenoord is running until 2021 and AS Roma are believed…
West Bromwich Albion are considering a move for Newcastle United midfielder Moussa Sissoko, .
The France international is expected to leave St James’s Park this summer after the North East side were relegated to the Championship last season.
A fee of £15m has been mooted for the box to box player, who is currently on international duty at the European Championships.
Sissoko moved to Newcastle from Toulouse in January 2013 and has since racked up one hundred and thirty-two appearances for the club, scoring twelve goals.
He has won thirty-nine caps for his country with his one and only international goal so far coming in a 5-2 win over Switzerland at the 2014 World Cup finals in Brazil.
He has made two appearances at Euro 2016 thus far, and…
RSC Anderlecht have signed Dejan Joveljic from Eintracht Frankfurt on loan for the rest of the season, both clubs confirmed on Friday.
The 20-year-old striker was raised as a Red Star Belgrade talent and came through the ranks with the Serbian champions. In 2018, he scored 44 goals in 21 games for their U-19 side and was nominated for the Golden Boy award. For their first team, he bagged 14 strikes in 28 appearances in all competitions, before making his way to Eintracht last summer for €4 million.
However, it appears it s now been realized that he isn t ready to play regularly in the Bundesliga. He appeared 10 times in an Eintracht shirt this season, but only managed to find the opposition net once. He will now try his luck in Belgium, and hope for enough game-time t…
Kevin-Prince Boateng confirmed his shock move from Sassuolo to Barcelona is close, calling his impending switch to Camp Nou a huge opportunity .
Barca coach Ernesto Valverde had been hoping for attacking reinforcements in January, particularly after seeing Paco Alcacer depart for Borussia Dortmund in the previous transfer window and then Munir El Haddadi join Sevilla this month.
But Boateng is an arrival few had predicted, with the former Ghana international – who has played for Tottenham, Borussia Dortmund, AC Milan and Schalke, among others – reportedly joining on loan with an €8million purchase option.
Now 31, Boateng is viewed by many as a player who has never really lived up to expectations after initially impressing as a teenager at Hertha Berlin, b…
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta wants to sign Facundo Torres from Orlando City in the January transfer window, according to . The report has claimed that the Uruguay international winger’s form has attracted the attention of Arsenal, and the Gunners’ boss Areta is keen on bringing the 22-year-old to the Emirates Stadium in the middle of the season.
Torres has made 30 starts and four substitute appearances in Major League Soccer for Orlando City so far this season, scoring nine goals and providing eight assists in the process.
Arsenal are at the top of the Premier League table at the moment with 31 points from 12 matches, two points above second-placed and defending champions Manchester City. The Gunners are currently at the top of UEFA Europa League Group A with 12 poi…