You know how Neymar left Barcelona for PSG? Well, apparently that move was in the works for a long time. As far back as Messi's wedding, if Xavi Hernandez is to be believed.
Here's what Xavi told the BBC World Service:
The18.com goes inside La Liga every week. This week Giselle Cesín talks about how Real Madrid is closing the gap on FC Barcelona.
Watch last week's episode of La Liga Update
Hi, I’m Giselle Cesin with The18 and this is your La Liga Update.
Atletico Madrid were held to a 0-0 draw with FK Qarabag in Azerbaijan in Champions League group play on Wednesday despite playing with a man advantage for over 15 minutes. Atletico landed only three shots on target in another tepid display that makes Diego Costa’s January arrival all the more pressing.
Going into today's Atletico Madrid-Barcelona clash, Barcelona had won every game in La Liga and no opposition player had scored in Atleti's new stadium, the Wanda Metropolitano. Neither of those things are true anymore.
Atleti's Saul Niguez opened the scoring with a beautiful shot after a couple of great saves from Marc-Andre Ter Stegen.
Cristiano Ronaldo's woes continued Saturday as CR7 had one of the worst misses of his career against Getafe with the match still tied 1-1.
WHAT A MISS BY @Cristiano! #LaLiga
Being handed his Norwegian senior debut at 15 and promised first team training with Real Madrid at 16 was clearly too much too soon for the now 18-year-old Martin Odegaard, but to call the precociously talented midfielder a burn out for failing to disrupt the back-to-back European champions’ starting XI is obviously extremely harsh.
Ronaldo’s poor start to the season? Catalonia voting in favor of independence? There is certainly a lot of tumult unfolding in the Spanish capital right now. However, here is one headline Madridistas and others can rejoice in.
Brazilian legend Ronaldo is hands down one of the best forwards ever to have played the beautiful game. Some argue had it not been for numerous unfortunate injuries, “The Phenomenon” would have been the best ever in world football.
Ronaldo started out playing for Cruzeiro in Brazil. It wasn’t long before he caught the eye of mayor European clubs. At only 17, he was signed by Dutch side PSV Eindhoven.
Prior to becoming one of the “Galácticos”, Ronaldo played for Barcelona in 1996-1997, when he was La Liga top scorer with 34 goals.
Spain secured automatic qualification to the 2018 World Cup on Friday by virtue of finishing top of UEFA’s tricky Group G. La Furia Roja’s 3-0 victory over Albania confirmed their position while dooming Italy to the playoff round. Rodrigo scored the opener, Isco added a sumptuous second and Thiago grabbed Spain’s third on a celebratory night in Alicante.
Speculation over the future of FC Barcelona midfielder Andres Iniesta was emphatically squashed Friday with the signing of a lifetime contract, keeping the Spanish international at the club for the remainder of his playing career and ostensibly into a non-playing capacity after retirement.