We have missed Ousmane,” Xavi stated. “He is the best player we have in one-on-one situations. There are few better than him. His recovery has taken longer [than expected] but he is back and he is happy. We will see if he can start on Saturday or come on. It’s great news to have him available.”

Originally expected to be out for up to six weeks after injuring his thigh against Girona in January, Dembele ended up spending close to three months on the sidelines.

Barca has struggled to find form without the forward, being eliminated from both the Europa League and the Copa del Rey during Dembele’s absence. The club remains on track to win this season’s La Liga title, holding a commanding 11-point lead over their second-placed rivals Real Madrid with only seven games left to play of the campaign.

The post Barca Boss Xavi Praises Dembele Upon Return From Injury appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Karim Benzema proved to be Real Madrid’s standout player on the night, grabbing his second hat trick in a row following Los Blancos’ 6-0 victory over Valladolid on the weekend.

Vinicius Junior handed Madrid the lead in first-half stoppage time, while Benzema doubled their lead just five minutes after the break. Benzema grabbed his second goal from the penalty spot in the 58th minute, completing his hat trick in the 80th minute.

“The work [Benzema] did during the international break helped a lot,” Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti stated during the post-match interview. “He’s found his optimal condition again, and with the quality he has, the physical condition that supports that quality makes the difference.”

The post Barcelona Crashes Out of Cope Del Rey Courtesy of Benzema Hat Trick appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

“We don’t have Madrid’s measure at all,” Xavi said during a press conference on Tuesday. “They can easily come here and win. They can beat any team — how long is it since they lost a two-legged tie?”

Xavi added that Real Madrid has more experience when it comes to games of this stature. He added that they are capable of making big comebacks, as they proved during their Champions League triumph last season.

While Real Madrid defeated Barcelona 3-1 in La Liga back in October, Barcelona has won all three of the clashes between the two Spanish giants in 2023. The Catalonians won the Spanish Super Cup final 3-1, 2-1 in the second La Liga fixture between the two sides, and 1-0 in the first leg of the Copa del Rey semifinal.

The post Xavi Ignores Previous El Clasico Success Heading Into Copa Del Rey appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

“It’s not definitive, I don’t feel like we are champions yet, but it’s a huge step forward,” Xavi stated during his post-match news conference. “I am happy because [the lead is] 12 points with 12 games left, but it’s not over. Only we can lose La Liga, so we cannot switch off. We cannot relax. There are still a lot of games to go.”

The Catalan giants have now won each of their past three games against Real Madrid; a feat that they had not achieved since the 2011-12 season when Pep Guardiola was in charge.

Defeating Real Madrid is just one sign of the major turnaround that Xavi has instilled at Barcelona since becoming manager 18 months ago. Ninth in the league when he joined the club, Xavi lifted Barca to second place by the conclusion of his debut managerial season.

Now, Barca is in a prime position to win the league and is set to face Real Madrid yet again on April 5 when the pair face off in the second leg of their Copa del Rey semifinal clash. Barca goes into the game with a 1-0 aggregate lead.

The post Barcelona Extends La Liga Lead With El Clasico Win appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

In what proved to be a hard-fought clash between the El Clasico rivals, an own goal by Eder Militao in the first half during the first half of play was the only thing to separate the two sides on the night. After Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois saved a shot from Franck Kessie, the ball rebounded off Militao and into the net.

Courtois was quick to express his disappointment in Real Madrid’s narrow home loss, claiming that his team “dominated” their rivals and were unlucky to come away with the win.

“We dominated the game today,” Courtois told TVE after the game.”

[Barcelona] were quite defensive. We were really unlucky to concede the goal. They won the ball, I saved [the shot] and it rebounded off Militao and went in. They were leading when they didn’t deserve to. It was hard for us to create chances. It’s difficult, we played a good game, we were in control, but we didn’t get the chances. They defended well.”

The post Barcelona Shocks Real Madrid With El Clasico Win appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Gavi is suspended for the next game after he picked up a yellow card for a second consecutive game during the first leg while Pedri is expected to be sidelined for up to a month after picking up a hamstring injury during Thursday night’s 2-2 draw between the two sides.

While the draw means that both sides still have everything to play for, Barcelona will be at a disadvantage without two of its crucial players at center midfield, not to mention that it will be their turn to make an away trip.

“It’s a very significant loss but we’ll try not to let it show,” Barcelona manager Xavi stated after Thursday night’s draw. He’ll be looking toward Frenkie de Jong, Sergi Roberto, and Pablo Torre as potential alternatives.

The post Pedri, Gavi Unavailable for Barcelona’s Next Game Against Man Utd appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

With his contract at Barca set to expire in June, Depay had struggled to get game time at Barcelona, only starting two league games this season. Atleti, on the other hand, has been on the lookout for a player like Depay following the departure of Joao Felix to Chelsea on loan and the sale of Matheus Cunha to Wolverhampton Wanderers.

“Memphis Depay is a new Atletico de Madrid player following the agreement reached with FC Barcelona for the transfer of the Dutch striker to our club, signing for the remainder of the season and two more seasons,” Atletico confirmed in a public statement.

Relying on just Alvaro Morata, Antoine Griezmann and Angel Correa in attack, Atletico has struggled to find its form this season, getting eliminated from the Champions League in the group stage while struggling to seal a top four spot in La Liga. The team’s season has received a boost, however, after winning 2-0 against Levant in the quarterfinals of the Copa del Rey.

The post Atletico Signs Memphis Depay From Barcelona appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Xavi claimed that the referee “lost control” of the game, going on to call out the match official’s decision to award a 73rd-minute penalty to Espanyol which saw Joselu level after Marcos Alonso’s 7th-minute opener.

“The game got away from him today,” Xavi claimed during a post-match news conference. “He was giving out cards without any reason and lost control of the match. But it’s not his fault we drew, it’s our fault we dropped points.”

Upon being pressed about what he said to Lahoz following the full-time whistle, Xavi revealed that he told the referee that he lost control of the match. The Barca coach went on to state his belief that officials should come out and speak to the players and manager to explain the decisions they make on the pitch.

Lahoz handed out 15 yellow cards during the game as well as two red cards to Barcelona left-back Jordi Alba and Espanyol midfielder Vinicius Souza.

Barce next faces Atletico Madrid at the Metropolitano Stadium on Sunday.

The post Xavi Lashes Out at Ref After Barcelona Draw appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Despite being surrounded by controversy, Laporta believes that the Super League will help to remedy some of Barcelona’s financial issues and make the club more competitive.

“Per season, we could get around €300m annually in this competition. Moreover, the key to the Super League is that it will be governed by the clubs. UEFA, obviously, would be there at the governing table, but the clubs would be a majority,” Laporte stated, reflecting on what he viewed as the advantages of the tournament.

While plans for the breakaway tournament were halted in April 2021 due to public opposition and political backlash, Real Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus have launched a challenge against UEFA for having what they call a monopoly on the establishment of international competitions. The European Court of Justice (ECJ) is expected to deliver a ruling within the coming months.

The post Barcelona Set to Receive €1 Billion Super League Bonus appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

“The last few weeks, months, people have been talking about me,” Pique said in a video that he uploaded to social media. “Until now, I have not said anything, but now I want to be the one who is talking about me.” The Spanish international went on to express his love for FC Barcelona, explaining how he has been a fan of the Blaugranes throughout his life.

“I have always said that after Barcelona there will be no other team, and that is how it will be. This Saturday’s game will be my last at Camp Nou,” Pique confirmed.

Pique joined the Barcelona youth academy in 1997 before which his grandfather served on the club’s board. He left for Manchester United in 2004, only to return to his boyhood club in 2008, where he would spend the rest of his career.

Pique has earned every major honor in soccer, including four Champions League titles (three of which were with Barcelona) as well as the 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2012 European Championship with Spain.

The post FC Barcelona Star Gerard Pique Announces Retirement appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

We have missed Ousmane,” Xavi stated. “He is the best player we have in one-on-one situations. There are few better than him. His recovery has taken longer [than expected] but he is back and he is happy. We will see if he can start on Saturday or come on. It’s great news to have him available.”

Originally expected to be out for up to six weeks after injuring his thigh against Girona in January, Dembele ended up spending close to three months on the sidelines.

Barca has struggled to find form without the forward, being eliminated from both the Europa League and the Copa del Rey during Dembele’s absence. The club remains on track to win this season’s La Liga title, holding a commanding 11-point lead over their second-placed rivals Real Madrid with only seven games left to play of the campaign.

The post Barca Boss Xavi Praises Dembele Upon Return From Injury appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Karim Benzema proved to be Real Madrid’s standout player on the night, grabbing his second hat trick in a row following Los Blancos’ 6-0 victory over Valladolid on the weekend.

Vinicius Junior handed Madrid the lead in first-half stoppage time, while Benzema doubled their lead just five minutes after the break. Benzema grabbed his second goal from the penalty spot in the 58th minute, completing his hat trick in the 80th minute.

“The work [Benzema] did during the international break helped a lot,” Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti stated during the post-match interview. “He’s found his optimal condition again, and with the quality he has, the physical condition that supports that quality makes the difference.”

The post Barcelona Crashes Out of Cope Del Rey Courtesy of Benzema Hat Trick appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

“We don’t have Madrid’s measure at all,” Xavi said during a press conference on Tuesday. “They can easily come here and win. They can beat any team — how long is it since they lost a two-legged tie?”

Xavi added that Real Madrid has more experience when it comes to games of this stature. He added that they are capable of making big comebacks, as they proved during their Champions League triumph last season.

While Real Madrid defeated Barcelona 3-1 in La Liga back in October, Barcelona has won all three of the clashes between the two Spanish giants in 2023. The Catalonians won the Spanish Super Cup final 3-1, 2-1 in the second La Liga fixture between the two sides, and 1-0 in the first leg of the Copa del Rey semifinal.

The post Xavi Ignores Previous El Clasico Success Heading Into Copa Del Rey appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

“It’s not definitive, I don’t feel like we are champions yet, but it’s a huge step forward,” Xavi stated during his post-match news conference. “I am happy because [the lead is] 12 points with 12 games left, but it’s not over. Only we can lose La Liga, so we cannot switch off. We cannot relax. There are still a lot of games to go.”

The Catalan giants have now won each of their past three games against Real Madrid; a feat that they had not achieved since the 2011-12 season when Pep Guardiola was in charge.

Defeating Real Madrid is just one sign of the major turnaround that Xavi has instilled at Barcelona since becoming manager 18 months ago. Ninth in the league when he joined the club, Xavi lifted Barca to second place by the conclusion of his debut managerial season.

Now, Barca is in a prime position to win the league and is set to face Real Madrid yet again on April 5 when the pair face off in the second leg of their Copa del Rey semifinal clash. Barca goes into the game with a 1-0 aggregate lead.

The post Barcelona Extends La Liga Lead With El Clasico Win appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

In what proved to be a hard-fought clash between the El Clasico rivals, an own goal by Eder Militao in the first half during the first half of play was the only thing to separate the two sides on the night. After Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois saved a shot from Franck Kessie, the ball rebounded off Militao and into the net.

Courtois was quick to express his disappointment in Real Madrid’s narrow home loss, claiming that his team “dominated” their rivals and were unlucky to come away with the win.

“We dominated the game today,” Courtois told TVE after the game.”

[Barcelona] were quite defensive. We were really unlucky to concede the goal. They won the ball, I saved [the shot] and it rebounded off Militao and went in. They were leading when they didn’t deserve to. It was hard for us to create chances. It’s difficult, we played a good game, we were in control, but we didn’t get the chances. They defended well.”

The post Barcelona Shocks Real Madrid With El Clasico Win appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Gavi is suspended for the next game after he picked up a yellow card for a second consecutive game during the first leg while Pedri is expected to be sidelined for up to a month after picking up a hamstring injury during Thursday night’s 2-2 draw between the two sides.

While the draw means that both sides still have everything to play for, Barcelona will be at a disadvantage without two of its crucial players at center midfield, not to mention that it will be their turn to make an away trip.

“It’s a very significant loss but we’ll try not to let it show,” Barcelona manager Xavi stated after Thursday night’s draw. He’ll be looking toward Frenkie de Jong, Sergi Roberto, and Pablo Torre as potential alternatives.

The post Pedri, Gavi Unavailable for Barcelona’s Next Game Against Man Utd appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

With his contract at Barca set to expire in June, Depay had struggled to get game time at Barcelona, only starting two league games this season. Atleti, on the other hand, has been on the lookout for a player like Depay following the departure of Joao Felix to Chelsea on loan and the sale of Matheus Cunha to Wolverhampton Wanderers.

“Memphis Depay is a new Atletico de Madrid player following the agreement reached with FC Barcelona for the transfer of the Dutch striker to our club, signing for the remainder of the season and two more seasons,” Atletico confirmed in a public statement.

Relying on just Alvaro Morata, Antoine Griezmann and Angel Correa in attack, Atletico has struggled to find its form this season, getting eliminated from the Champions League in the group stage while struggling to seal a top four spot in La Liga. The team’s season has received a boost, however, after winning 2-0 against Levant in the quarterfinals of the Copa del Rey.

The post Atletico Signs Memphis Depay From Barcelona appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Xavi claimed that the referee “lost control” of the game, going on to call out the match official’s decision to award a 73rd-minute penalty to Espanyol which saw Joselu level after Marcos Alonso’s 7th-minute opener.

“The game got away from him today,” Xavi claimed during a post-match news conference. “He was giving out cards without any reason and lost control of the match. But it’s not his fault we drew, it’s our fault we dropped points.”

Upon being pressed about what he said to Lahoz following the full-time whistle, Xavi revealed that he told the referee that he lost control of the match. The Barca coach went on to state his belief that officials should come out and speak to the players and manager to explain the decisions they make on the pitch.

Lahoz handed out 15 yellow cards during the game as well as two red cards to Barcelona left-back Jordi Alba and Espanyol midfielder Vinicius Souza.

Barce next faces Atletico Madrid at the Metropolitano Stadium on Sunday.

The post Xavi Lashes Out at Ref After Barcelona Draw appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Despite being surrounded by controversy, Laporta believes that the Super League will help to remedy some of Barcelona’s financial issues and make the club more competitive.

“Per season, we could get around €300m annually in this competition. Moreover, the key to the Super League is that it will be governed by the clubs. UEFA, obviously, would be there at the governing table, but the clubs would be a majority,” Laporte stated, reflecting on what he viewed as the advantages of the tournament.

While plans for the breakaway tournament were halted in April 2021 due to public opposition and political backlash, Real Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus have launched a challenge against UEFA for having what they call a monopoly on the establishment of international competitions. The European Court of Justice (ECJ) is expected to deliver a ruling within the coming months.

The post Barcelona Set to Receive €1 Billion Super League Bonus appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

“The last few weeks, months, people have been talking about me,” Pique said in a video that he uploaded to social media. “Until now, I have not said anything, but now I want to be the one who is talking about me.” The Spanish international went on to express his love for FC Barcelona, explaining how he has been a fan of the Blaugranes throughout his life.

“I have always said that after Barcelona there will be no other team, and that is how it will be. This Saturday’s game will be my last at Camp Nou,” Pique confirmed.

Pique joined the Barcelona youth academy in 1997 before which his grandfather served on the club’s board. He left for Manchester United in 2004, only to return to his boyhood club in 2008, where he would spend the rest of his career.

Pique has earned every major honor in soccer, including four Champions League titles (three of which were with Barcelona) as well as the 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2012 European Championship with Spain.

The post FC Barcelona Star Gerard Pique Announces Retirement appeared first on yoursportspot.com.