Barcelona’s victory in the recent El Clasico against Real Madrid sparked scenes of celebration, capturing the passion and unity among the players and coaching staff.  Among the memorable images that emerged, one particularly stood out: Marc Casado sharing an emotional moment with manager Hansi Flick.  Casado, who had just been substituted around the 65th minute with Barça comfortably leading 2-0, …

Arturo Vidal’s time at Barcelona may have been short, lasting just two seasons, but he certainly left his mark.  In his two-year stint, Vidal played over 90 matches for the Catalan club. The Chilean midfielder joined Barcelona from Bayern Munich during the 2018/19 season.  However, by the end of the 2019/20 season, he departed for Inter Milan in a modest …

Barcelona delivered a commanding performance against Real Madrid, cruising to a 4-0 victory at the Santiago Bernabeu on Saturday.  This resounding win pushes Barcelona six points ahead in La Liga, solidifying their lead and marking an unforgettable moment in the season. Now, despite Lionel Messi’s departure from Camp Nou over three years ago, his connection to Barcelona remains as strong …

October 27 – After an October international match window that saw 126 competitive matches and 17 friendlies played, Argentina remain top of the world rankings,but France and Spain are closing in on them. The top 10 saw no change with the top six holding their positions. Portugal (7th, up 1) and Italy (9th, up 1) are the only climbers in …

October 28 – Asia will crown its highest achievers in Seoul tomorrow (Tuesday) night with 21 awards that will include the men’s and women’s player of the year titles. The 28th edition of the AFC Annual Awards, to be held at the magnificent Grand Peace Palace of the Kyung Hee University, will review a year that saw the confederation host its …

October 27 – Asian referees are the focus of a documentary series with behind the scenes footage from the Asian Cup Qatar 2023, that was played last January-February. Produced by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), the five-episode series titled Beyond the Field, examines the roles and responsibilities of match officials at the Qatar finals that had 74 appointed referees. Each …

October 28 – Of the 20 clubs qualified for the 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup, eight are former Concacaf Champions Cup winners. Seven clubs are still to qualify ahead of the draw that will take place December 10. The tournament will be played February to June 2025 with the winners qualifying for the second edition of the expanded FIFA Club World …

October 28 – One of football’s grandest theatres, the Camp Nou, in Barcelona, won’t reopen as expected. Barca fans will now have to wait until the 2025-26 season to return to their spiritual home. The renovations were slated to be completed by November of 2024 but that timeline has been pushed as unexpected delays mean that the team will now …

October 28 – Patrice Motsepe has said he will seek a second term as president of the Confederation of African Football (CAF). The organisation confirmed with elections taking place in 2025.  On the sidelines of the CAF General Assembly in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Motsepe once again sidestepped a question about his future as African football supremo, but in a brief …

October 28 – The executive chairman of Mexican media giants Televisa, Emilio Azcarraga, is stepping down from Grupo Televisa SAB in the wake of the FBI’s bribery probe into broadcast rights sales for FIFA World Cup matches. The resignation comes with immediate effect. The shock decision comes amidst a US Justice Department investigation into the corporation’s dealings in international football. …