Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez scored sublime goals as Barcelona beat Getafe 2-1 in a bruising encounter and moved five points clear at the top of LaLiga.
Messi took the initiative on 20 minutes with a trademark moment of brilliance and Suarez plundered a superb volley to double Barca s lead.
Getafe quickly responded with a goal from Jaime Mata but, for all their craft and physicality, they could not claw their way back onto level terms.
With Atletico Madrid and Sevilla having played out a 1-1 draw earlier in the day, the result puts Barcelona well and truly in the driving seat at the halfway point in the season as head coach Ernesto Valverde ended a week of speculation over his future with a satisfying, hard-fought victory.
Seriously though, how good was …
Best Odds: 1/2
Bookmaker:
Smelling a golden chance on foreign soil this weekend, England will make the trip out to Andorra on Saturday night when they turn their attention back to World Cup qualifying duties.
Andorra
Starting with the hosts, while Andorra might have managed to land a 2-0 victory against Group I whipping boys San Marino on September 2nd, it appears that was just a minor boost for the European strugglers. Last seen getting hit with a deserved 2-1 defeat away at Hungary last month, despite grabbing a late consolation strike, the Tricolours are simply hoping to end this year s campaign with a bounce. However, already knowing that they have stand no chance of securing a spot at next year s World Cup finals, Head Coach Koldo Álvarez has seen his sid…
Pep Guardiola regards Jurgen Klopp and his Liverpool side as the biggest challenge he has faced in his managerial career but says going up against Real Madrid made him a better coach.
Manchester City pipped the Reds to the 2018-19 Premier League title in a thrilling race last term but Guardiola s side finished a whopping 18 points adrift of their rivals this time around.
Klopp is a familiar foe on the touchline, with the German having been in charge of Borussia Dortmund during Guardiola s time at Bayern Munich.
Guardiola has faced many rivals as a coach, including legendary Clasico tussles with Jose Mourinho s Madrid during his stint as Barcelona boss.
But the Catalan cannot look beyond this Liverpool class under Klopp as the greatest obstacle he has come…
Tottenham still have work to do in the race to finish in the Premier League s top four after their nine men lost 1-0 late on at Bournemouth on Saturday.
Third-placed Spurs would have secured Champions League qualification for next season with victory, but they were brilliantly denied on numerous occasions by 19-year-old debutant Mark Travers in the Cherries goal before spectacularly losing their cool.
Son Heung-min was sent off just before the break, having returned from the suspension that kept him out of the midweek European semi-final first-leg defeat to Ajax, and Juan Foyth – introduced as a half-time replacement – was also trudging down the tunnel just two minutes and 13 seconds after the restart.
And after keeping Bournemouth at bay for the majority of …
Everton chairman Bill Kenwright has died at the age of 78 following his battle with cancer, the club have announced.
Kenwright, who succeeded Sir Phillip Carter as chairman in 2004 after first joining the board at Goodison Park in 1989, had a cancerous tumour removed from his liver in August.
A statement on the club’s website said: “Everton Football Club is in mourning following the death of Chairman Bill Kenwright CBE, who passed away peacefully last night aged 78, surrounded by his family and loved ones…
Everton Football Club is in mourning following the death of Chairman Bill Kenwright CBE, who passed away peacefully last night aged 78, surrounded by his family and loved ones.
— Everton (@Everton)
“The club has lost a chairman, a lea…
Chelsea are close to agreeing a deal with Leeds United for Raphinha in the summer transfer window, according to . The report has claimed that former Premier League and UEFA Champions League winners have verbally indicated to Leeds that they are willing to pay north of £55 million for the Brazil international winger.
Arsenal and Barcelona are also interested in Raphinha, according to the report. While the Gunners’ bid is lower than the offer from Chelsea, Barcelona are struggling financially and are unlikely to be able to get a deal for Raphinha done.
Raphinha made 34 starts and one substitute appearance in the Premier League for Leeds last season, scoring 11 goals and providing three assists in the process. During the 2020-21 campaign, the winger made 26 starts and f…
Nani has confirmed he is leaving Orlando City after three years with the Florida side.
The former Manchester United forward joined Orlando in 2019, having left Serie A club Lazio.
Nani led the club to their first postseason appearances, while Orlando also reached the final of the MLS Is Back Tournament in 2020.
The 35-year-old scored 12 goals in his first season with the Lions, a further nine in 2020 and 10 this season as Orlando lost in the first round of the playoffs, going down 3-1 to Nashville SC.
He explained it was not his decision to leave, but rather Orlando choosing not to extend his contract.
Official statement
— Nani (@luisnani)
In a statement posted to his official social media channels, Nani said: All good thing…
Newcastle “still waiting for clarity” regarding Sandro Tonali situation – manager Eddie Howe (Video)
Sandro Tonali, the 23-year-old midfielder Newcastle signed this summer from AC Milan for around £60 million, has been suspended from playing football for 10 months due to betting-related offences.
There are still some issues that need to be clarified in that matter, according to Magpies boss Eddie Howe.
“We’re still waiting for clarity.”
Eddie Howe on Sandro Tonali and what his plans are for him in the next 10 months in which he is banned from football.
— Football Daily (@footballdaily)
…
Bayern Munich head coach Julian Nagelsmann is hopeful Joshua Kimmich s declaration that he is ready to take a COVID-19 vaccine will draw a line under the matter.
Kimmich made headlines in October when he explained he was not willing to receive his first dose due to what he perceived as a lack of research into possible long-term effects.
The 26-year-old has not featured for Bayern since November 6 after twice being forced to isolate due to being a close contact of someone who tested positive for coronavirus.
He was then infected with COVID-19 himself and was last week ruled out until 2022 due to an issue with his lungs.
Kimmich confirmed in an interview with ZDF on Sunday that he is now in a position where he feels ready to get vaccinated.
Nagelsm…
Antoine Griezmann was in inspirational form as Atletico Madrid took firm control of their last-32 Europa League tie against Copenhagen with a 4-1 first-leg away win on Thursday.
Griezmann was involved in three of the four goals as Atleti came from behind to lead before the half-time interval at a snowy Parken Stadium, where Diego Simeone s side twice added to the scoreline after the break to improve an already solid position ahead of next week s return game in Madrid.
Atletico had kept three consecutive clean sheets but they fell behind in the 15th minute, Viktor Fischer flicking in Peter Ankersen s effort to beat Miguel Angel Moya.
Copenhagen s lead lasted just five minutes, though, Griezmann providing a fine cross from the right wing for Saul Niguez to glance h…