Andres Iniesta s extra-time World Cup final winner in South Africa marked a historic victory for Spain, and Xabi Alonso believes the significance of that goal should give him all the freedom he desires in football.
In a tight match against the Netherlands in July 2010, it was Iniesta s goal that crowned Spain as world champions for the first time.
In April the midfielder announced plans to leave Barcelona, following a long and successful career at Camp Nou, before confirming his move to Vissel Kobe in the J.League at the end of the season.
Eight years on from their World Cup success, Iniesta is once again in the Spain squad and his former international team-mate still thinks he is an important addition to any team and represents an idol for all.
Andres c…
Atletico Madrid go into Saturday s La Liga match at Espanyol with one eye on their Champions League tie against Barcelona, leaving the hosts hopeful of springing a surprise.
Atletico had Fernando Torres sent off and surrendered a one-goal lead at Camp Nou on Tuesday to lose 2-1 in the first leg of their quarter-final clash.
And while Luis Enrique s men now appear in charge of the last-eight showdown, their Clasico loss against Real Madrid last weekend saw Atletico close to within six points of the Liga leaders domestically.
Diego Simeone s men will be hoping for another slip from Barca this weekend when they travel to face Real Sociedad.
The second leg of the Champions League quarter-final could yet count in Espanyol s favour, though, with midfielde…
In what was a stunning dramatic ending at the Stadio San Nicola on Sunday night, Cagliari clinched an immediate Serie A return as they snatched a last-gasp 1-0 victory away at Bari.
While Claudio Ranieri’s men might have suffered real first-leg heartbreak at the Unipol Domus earlier in the week as they eventually had to settle for a 1-1 draw in Sardinia, the former Leicester boss produced their own dramatic ending here.
With 34-year-old Leonardo Pavoletti writing himself into Cagliari folklore after coming off the bench and bagging a famous 94th-minute winner, the Islanders certainly booked their Serie A return in a remarkable fashion.
Putting in a gritty display this weekend and limiting Bari to just a single shot on target, Ranieri’s side have certainly en…
Despite Newcastle United s relegation from the Premier League, striker Aleksandar Mitrovic has no intention of leaving as he aims to become a club legend.
Newcastle were consigned to Championship football for the second time since 2009 after finishing two points adrift of arch-rivals Sunderland in 18th position.
Mitrovic s future, along with a number of team-mates, has been thrown up in the air following relegation, but the 21-year-old Serbia international insists he is happy at St James Park.
At the moment I am living my dream in Newcastle, he told Blic Sport.
I hope to be at the club for many years and become a legend.
Of course many children are dreaming to play for Real Madrid, Barcelona and Manchester United.
I always just wanted …
´I´ve never witnessed anything like it´ – Grealish stunned by Haaland as City striker fires two more
Jack Grealish is staggered by the scoring prowess of Manchester City team-mate Erling Haaland after the Norwegian added two more goals to his rapidly rising season total.
Haaland s first-half brace started City on their way to a 5-0 thrashing of Copenhagen in the Champions League at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday, with a Davit Khocholava own goal, a Riyad Mahrez penalty and a tap-in from Julian Alvarez completing the rout.
It takes the former Borussia Dortmund striker to 19 goals from 12 games in all competitions for City this season, and Grealish lavished praise on the humble 22-year-old.
It s unbelievable, Grealish said of Haaland in a post-match interview with BT Sport. I ve never witnessed anything like it in my life.
He s just always there, he s a…
Tottenham striker Harry Kane hopes head coach Antonio Conte will remain with the club past the end of the season, saying he and his team-mates are enjoying working with the Italian.
Spurs followed up last week s North London derby victory over top-four rivals Arsenal with a 1-0 win against Burnley on Sunday, extending their unbeaten Premier League run to five games as Conte attempts to lead the team to Champions League qualification.
Kane s first-half penalty was enough to seal Tottenham s crucial win over the Clarets, taking the England captain to 20 goals and eight assists in all competitions this season.
The 28-year-old has certainly benefited from Spurs uplift in form since Conte took the reins in November after Nuno Espirito Santo s sacking. Having earned ju…
West Ham have confirmed the signing of striker Niclas Fullkrug from Borussia Dortmund.
The Hammers will reportedly pay around £27million (€31.5m) for Fullkrug, who only joined Dortmund from Werder Bremen last year, in a deal worth £12.6m (€14.7m).
Fullkrug scored 12 goals in 29 Bundesliga appearances for BVB last term, also helping the side finish as Champions League runners-up to Real Madrid.
He also netted twice for Germany as they reached the Euro 2024 quarter-finals on home soil, assuming a role as an impact player as he did not start a game for Julian Nagelsmann s side.
The 31-year-old has penned a four-year deal with the Irons, becoming their fifth signing of a busy transfer window that had already seen Max Kilman, Crysencio Summerville, Luis…
Bayern Munich signed off for the World Cup break by moving six points clear at the Bundesliga summit, as the outstanding Jamal Musiala laid on both goals in a routine 2-0 win at Schalke.
Rock-bottom Schalke gave a decent account of themselves in repelling several waves of early pressure, but Musiala s neat flick allowed Serge Gnabry to fire Bayern ahead on Saturday.
The Germany international then teed up in-form striker Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting to slot home against his former club, ensuring Julian Nagelsmann s men clinched a sixth consecutive league win.
The result lifts Bayern six points clear of second-placed RB Leipzig ahead of the two-month hiatus, though either Union Berlin or Freiburg could cut that gap by two points when they face off on Sunday.
…
Manchester United were held to a third successive Premier League match without a win as Jannik Vestergaard earned 10-man Southampton a 1-1 home draw on Saturday.
Danish defender Vestergaard broke his duck for the club with a towering 58th-minute header to cancel out Daniel James opener.
The latter had secured United an early lead with a well-taken third goal in four games but United were unable to add a second, even after Kevin Danso s dismissal in the 73rd minute.
Another frustrating result for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer s side comes in the wake of a deflating 2-1 defeat to Crystal Palace and sends them into the international break on a sour note.
Wales international James needed 10 minutes of his fourth top-flight appearance to draw level with Alexis Sanchez…
Man City´s title tussle with Liverpool, the fight for fourth and the relegation scrap – Stats Perfor
As the 2021-22 Premier League season enters its final weeks, plenty remains for the taking – not least the thrilling title race between Liverpool and reigning champions Manchester City.
Both teams are in imperious form and, while City lead the way by a single point heading into the weekend, one slip might be all it takes.
Chelsea seem relatively secure in third place, but behind them the battle for the final Champions League spot is raging on. Just two points separate north London rivals Arsenal and Tottenham, who meet in a potentially decisive derby in mid-May.
Manchester United have played two games more than those two sides and look like they will have to settle for sixth, assuming they can fend off West Ham.
At the bottom, Everton are in real dang…