Real Madrid

From Alcorcón To Pordenone: The Biggest Cup Upsets In Footballing History

Soccer is one of the very few sports that boasts competitions where small, local sides are able to face off against the best teams in the country. These matchups capture the imagination while providing a sense of hope and magic to a small group of supporters.

Domestic cups have long provided smaller clubs with the opportunity to prove their mettle by facing nationally recognized sides, and while major upsets are rare, just the slightest hope of an improbable win is enough to cause local pandemonium and stir significant interest among neutral supporters.

The World’s 30 Richest Clubs After The Hellstorm That Was 2020

If you’re FC Barcelona, do you want the good news first, or bad news? The good news is that, according to Deloitte’s annual report for the world's richest soccer teams 2021, Barcelona was the highest-earning club in 2020! The bad news is that total revenue was decreased by nearly $153 million, a precipitous fall of 15 percent from 2019’s earnings. Oh, and you’re also $1.46 billion in debt.

Meet José Juan, The 41-Year-Old Keeper Who Knocked Real Madrid Out Of The Copa Del Rey

Something incredible happened last week: Alcoyano, a team from Spain's Segunda B (third division), eliminated Real Madrid from the Copa del Rey in extra time against all odds. 

The hero of the night was José Juan, a 41-year-old goalkeeper who had a great night defending his net, stopping absolutely everything. 

Third-Tier Alcoyano Proved That Spirit Is No Myth By Knocking Out Real Madrid

By slaying Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey on Wednesday, Alcoyano lived up to a past reputation which saw their name enter Spanish folklore as a byword for fighting spirit and the capacity to overcome the odds.

The third division, semi-professional side have rarely had much to shout about but their renowned capacity to endure suffering and humiliation led to the coining of the phrase "You have more spirit than Alcoyano" which is still heard in everyday conversations, even when football is not being discussed.

$73 Million For 2 Meaningless Goals — Was Luka Jović The Worst Signing Ever?

After 32 appearances and two entirely meaningless goals, Real Madrid has effectively called time on the Luka Jović experiment and shipped him back to Eintracht Frankfurt on loan.

Karim Benzema Hits Behind-The-Back Crossover Goal In Training

There was an awesome moment after Tottenham defeated eighth-tier Marine in the FA Cup when Marine midfielder Josh Hmami exchanged Twitter messages with Spurs defender Sergio Reguilón. 

The 21-year-old Accrington Stanely product called it an “unbelievable experience” before saying, “You really don’t realize how good these players are until you play them yourself.” 

Reguilón responded by saying that playing at the 3,185-seat Rossett Park in Crosby was just as memorable. 

The Spanish Super Cup Arrives At The Worst Possible Time

When Spain's soccer federation signed a lucrative deal in 2019 to export its rebooted Super Cup to Saudi Arabia, they did not envisage matches in empty stadiums across southern Spain and tired teams negotiating record snowfall in order to get to them.

But that is what they will get when the mini-tournament begins on Wednesday after coronavirus restrictions in Spain and the gulf state forced organizers to overhaul their initial plans and re-think the competition to fit today's unprecedented times.

Real Madrid Did Not Enjoy Being Forced To Play During Spain’s Record Snowstorm

Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois joined coach Zinedine Zidane in criticizing organizers LaLiga for not postponing his side's game at Osasuna on Saturday due to a snowstorm.

The match finished 0-0, denting Real's title bid, after they were ordered by LaLiga to travel to Pamplona the day before the game due to storm warnings, but had to wait for four hours on the icy runway before taking off.

Luka Modrić Is Playing Like The 2018 Ballon d'Or Is There To Be Won

Since losing 2-0 to Shakhtar Donetsk on Dec. 1, Real Madrid has won five straight matches over a 15-day period — including Sunday’s 2-1 win over Eibar — to finish top of Champions League Group B and climb to second in LaLiga.

The quality of the previous four opponents is worth mentioning (Sevilla, Borussia Mönchengladbach, Atlético Madrid and Athletic Bilbao), as is the fact that the 35-year-old Luka Modrić has started each of those matches while playing at his 2018 Ballon d'Or level.

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