Real Madrid fans are unique. As supporters of the most successful club in the history of Europe — if not the world — they look down on all others, especially that pesky club from Catalonia.
The only club that can really challenge Los Blancos’ superiority in Spain is, of course, Barcelona, so the rivalry is understandable intense. No other team brings out the best (or worst) in Real.
In Felipe’s case, it was the worst.
With Lionel Messi, Luis Suárez and Ousmane Dembélé all sidelined through injury, new signing Antoine Griezmann took center stage in Barcelona’s 5-2 victory over Real Betis at the Camp Nou on Sunday night.
After losing their season opener last Friday against Athletic Bilbao, Barça’s nightmarish start continued when Nabil Fekir opened the scoring for Betis in the 15th minute.
Given a much more normal pathway to his footballing career, Martin Ødegaard is thriving. After establishing himself as one of the best playmakers in the Eredivisie last season while on loan at Vitesse (the former wunderkind scored eight goals and provided 11 assists in 31 appearances), the 20-year-old Norwegian is finally getting his chance in LaLiga, although he’s now on loan at Real Sociedad.
Is Messi injured still? That’s the question on every Barcelona fan’s mind as the Blaugrana prepare for their second LaLiga match of the 2019-20 campaign.
Sadly, it appears their talisman, Lionel Messi, is still out injured.
For the second straight week, Messi was not included in Ernesto Valverde’s LaLiga squad. In his place is 16-year-old phenom Ansu Fati.
After a year-and-a-half together at the Camp Nou, it’s likely that Ousmane Dembélé and Philippe Coutinho have ended their time together as teammates on the pitch.
Money is becoming increasingly inflated in soccer over the last five years. It seems like each year a new record transfer fee is set both at a club level and international level. This has been possible thanks to incredible broadcast rights fees in other countries that then trickle down to teams in each league. Teams then have more money to spend on players and clubs take advantage of that, setting ridiculous asking prices for their players as the sponsorship money just rolls in alongside the lucrative TV deals and funding from club owners.
Dani Alves made his debut for São Paulo FC, the club he’s supported his whole life, in Brazil’s Série A today, and it’ll come as a surprise to absolutely no one that he marked the occasion with a game-winning goal.
The 36-year-old has been synonymous with two things throughout his illustrious career: (1) his unmatched penchant for winning, including 40 trophies won, and (2) his ability — although he’s one of the best right backs of all time — to play anywhere on the pitch, including goalkeeper.
Real Madrid led, but only just. Karim Benzema had given Los Blancos an early lead but Luka Modric picked up his first straight red card in more than 300 matches with Real. Then came an insane Toni Kroos goal vs Celta Vigo, ensuring all three points for the Merengues on Saturday.
After Benzema’s goal in the 12th minute you’d be forgiven for thinking Real Madrid would cruise to an opening-day victory. But Modric’s 56th-minute red card complicated things a bit.