European Super Football

Chelsea 0 - 2 Barcelona Barcelona won 2-1 on aggregate  Chelsea's hopes of making it to the Women's Champions League final in manager Emma Hayes' final season at the club were crushed with a defeat by Barcelona at a sold-out Stamford Bridge.  Despite leading 1-0 from the semi-final first leg, Chelsea was unable to hold onto their advantage as holders Barca turned the tide in their favour. Referee Iuliana Demetrescu made two crucial decisions that went against the Blues.  Firstly, she issued a second booking to Chelsea defender Kadeisha Buchanan within four minutes, leaving the hosts with only 10 players on the field just before the hour mark.  A history of women's football (eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com) Secondly, she awarded a penalty to Barcelona for a contentious foul on Aitana Bonmati, which Fridolina Rolfo converted. Bonmati had earlier cancelled out Chelsea's aggregate lead with a deflected strike off Buchanan, and her dramatic fall in the box under conta

  Barcelona 1 - 4 PSG (Aggregate: 4-6) Kylian Mbappe scored twice as his Paris St-Germain side thrashed Barcelona to turn around a first-leg deficit and reach the semi-finals of the Champions League. You can watch the highlights of the match in the video below . Footage from the TNT Sports YouTube account. The French side had trailed 3-2 after the first leg but they reached the last four for the first time since 2021 after what can only be considered a chaotic encounter in Spain. PSG will face Borussia Dortmund in the semi-final after they beat Atletico Madrid 5-4 on aggregate in what was another thrilling encounter. Where did it go wrong for Barca? It was actually the Catalan side who struck first when Lamine Yamal drove down the pitch, beating Nuno Mendes and clipping over for former Leeds United star Raphinha to score. The Barcelona fans and players assumed it was all going according to plan. Things were to go very wrong in the second-half. Things started to unravel when Rona

Here we go again New plans for a revamped European Super League (ESL) have been unveiled following a significant court decision.  Picture from a banner protesting the European Super League in 2021 This latest court ruling declared it illegal to prevent clubs from joining an alternative league. The proposed league features 64 men's teams and 32 women's teams, posing a direct challenge to current UEFA competitions. Manchester United, initially a key player in the original ESL concept  but later withdrew amidst heavy criticism, has confirmed their ongoing commitment to UEFA tournaments.  Despite the controversy, United's stance remains unchanged, emphasizing their dedication to working constructively with UEFA, the Premier League, and other clubs through the European Clubs Association for the betterment of European football. Previous Super News articles on the European Super League Clubs Announce New Super League Competition (greatermanchesterfootball.blogspot.com) Rememb

It's time to explore another icon of the football world. This time it's Romário. Early career Romário was spotted playing for Olaria, a small club from the Rio de Janeiro suburb. He was first taken to the junior team of Vasco da Gama, where once promoted to the senior team, he won two state league titles in 1987 and 1988. This earned his first call-ups to the national team. He quickly came to international attention, becoming the top scorer at the 1988 Olympic football tournament. Move to Europe Like all exciting Brazilian attacking players, he was a man who wanted to prove himself in Europe. Shortly after the 1988 Olympics,  he moved to PSV Eindhoven, where he won the Eredivisie in 1989, 1991 and 1992. He started to develop a cult following across the continent, and it wasn't long before some of the world's biggest clubs were interested in signing him.  After a lot of deliberation, his next destination was to be Barcelona. The video below explores some of the best

Barcelona 2-4 Girona Barcelona finished the weekend in fourth place in the La Liga table and are now seven points off the top thanks to a painful 4-2 loss. Throughout this match, Girona dominated and made a statement about their title credentials as they convincingly won this Catalan derby.  Highlights Check out the highlights from the match in the video below.  FC BARCELONA 2 vs 4 GIRONA | LALIGA 2023/24 MD16 (youtube.com) The opening 45 minutes were just as wild and entertaining as any neutral could hope for, with both teams playing really well with the ball and taking big risks in possession that left them extremely vulnerable at the back. The home side started as the better side and could have taken the lead within the first 10 minutes. However, one bad pass in midfield allowed Girona to counter-attack and Viktor Tsigankov gave Artem Dovbyk an easy tap-in to put the visitors in front.  The 2023 La Liga winners answered quickly after a great corner taken by Raphinha found Rober

Ahead of the start of the 2023/2024 Champions League Group Stages This article will explore some of the best matches from this stage of the competition. When did Europe's premier competition introduce a Group Stage? Since the 1997–98 season, the competition has allowed multiple entries from certain countries. It added a round-robin group stage in 1992. For a brief period between 1999 and 2002, there was a 2nd Group Stage introduced. The best Group-Stage matches  Tottenham Hotspur 2-7 Bayern Munich (2019-20) By smashing seven goals past an almost hapless Tottenham Hotspur team that had no answers to their attacking prowess at home, Bayern Munich revealed a glimpse of what was to come in the season they lifted their sixth UEFA Champions League title! For Spurs, this set the tone for what was a poor season after they came so close to European success the previous campaign. Monaco 8-3 Deportivo de La Coruña (2003-04) The 2003-04 season was a fairytale run for Monaco in the UEFA Ch

Luis Figo is our latest icon to feature on European Super Football. Figo's journey to becoming a global superstar was remarkable.  With his immense skill, versatility, and unmatched determination, Figo etched his name in football history and left an indelible mark on the sport. In this article, we will delve into the career of this legendary footballer, also exploring one of the most controversial transfers of all time. Shining at Sporting  Figo's passion for football was evident from a young age. He joined the youth team of Sporting Lisbon, one of the renowned Portuguese clubs. His exceptional performances in the youth setup quickly caught the attention of scouts, and at just 16 years old, he made his debut for the senior team. Luis Figo in his Sporting Lisbon days is one of the greatest finds ever. pic.twitter.com/RV3ComIvLE — Old Days Football (@OldDaysFootball) March 22, 2016 The Sporting Lisbon days helped Figo hone his skills and build a strong foundation. His t

It's time to explore another football icon. Henrik Larsson is a Swedish professional football coach and former player, formerly an assistant manager of Barcelona.  Larsson celebrating a goal for Celtic in 2005. The start of a wonderful career. Playing as a striker, Larsson began his career with Högaborgs BK. In 1992, he moved to Helsingborg IF where in his first season his partnership up front with Mats Magnusson helped the club win promotion  after over 20 seasons in the lower tiers.  He moved to Feyenoord in November 1993, staying for four years before leaving in 1997. During his time in the Dutch Eredivisie, he won two KNVB Cups with Feyenoord. Trevor Stolk told us: "He should have stayed with us for much longer. Look at what he did for Celtic. He could have achieved that with us if he'd stayed longer." Larsson also broke into the Swedish national football team and helped them finish in third place at the 1994 World Cup. He was gaining a lot of fans but whe

This player might be Brazilian, but like his friend Ronaldo, his impact across Europe was huge.  Icons: Ronaldo (eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com) Let's explore Rivaldo's fantastic career A brief introduction Rivaldo played mainly as an attacking midfielder. However, he was also used as a second striker and occasionally as a wide midfielder or a winger. He was renowned for his bending free kicks, bicycle kicks, feints, and powerful ball striking from a distance. Rivaldo also had the ability to both score and create goals. In 1999, he won the Ballon d'Or and was named FIFA World Player of the Year. With his huge success, he is one of nine players to have won the FIFA World Cup, the UEFA Champions League and the Ballon d'Or. Early career  He started his career in 1991 with Brazilian club Santa Cruz, moving on to spells at Mogi Mirim, a loan spell at Corinthians, and Palmeiras. People across the major European leagues were impressed, and it was inevitable that a move was

Ronaldo Luís Nazário de Lima, commonly known as Ronaldo, is our latest football icon.  He played for some of the world's biggest clubs and was a huge icon during the 1990's and 2000's. A brief introduction to 'The Phenomenon'. Nicknamed The Phenomenon and R9, he is widely regarded as one of the greatest players ever. As a multi-functional striker who brought a new dimension to the position, Ronaldo had a huge impact on a generation of forwards and attacking players that followed him. His individual accolades include being named FIFA World Player of the Year three times and winning the Ballon d'Or twice. <More football icons> The start of his career. He started at Cruzeiro and moved to PSV in 1994. He joined Barcelona in 1996 for a then-world record transfer fee, and at 20 years old, he was named the 1996 FIFA World Player of the Year, making him the youngest recipient of the award. Despite being a fan favourite and developing an affinity with the clu

Manchester United 2 - 1 Barcelona (United win 4-3 on aggregate) This was a tie that should have been a Champions League final.  Manchester United produced a stunning second-half comeback to reach the Europa League last 16.  Brazilian duo Fred and Antony, who came on as a half-time substitute, both drilled home low first-time shots in front of a bouncing Stretford End that had older United fans thinking back to a memorable night in 1984. It was a victory that looked so unlikely at half-time as Barcelona led thanks to Robert Lewandowski's 18th-minute penalty. Antony's arrival at half-time changed the course of the tie as it injected more pace into United's attacks. The Red Devils now move on to Wembley, where they will look to collect their first silverware since 2017. United will face Real Betis in the next round of the competition.  This was the reaction after full-time.  Incredible Scenes At Old Trafford As Manchester United Stars Celebrate Victory Over Barcelona - You

Barcelona 2 - 2 Manchester United Manchester United and Barcelona played out a thrilling first-leg draw at the Nou Camp. 🗣️ - Xavi: “I said to Ten Hag, congratulations you are doing very well. This is Manchester United.” #mufc pic.twitter.com/5fPMKOMXp7 — UtdXclusive (@UtdXclusive) February 16, 2023 Match report Barcelona. grabbed the opener when Marcos Alonso headed in at the back post from Raphinha's corner. United responded immediately through the in-form Marcus Rashford as he slipped in a finish at the near post. The Red Devils showed resilience to turn the game around as Rashford's cross was then turned into his own net by Barcelona defender Jules Kounde. Sadly for the away side, they were unable to hold on as ex-Leeds winger Raphinha's cross from wide on the right sailed all the way into the net. Click here for highlights from BT Sport  Barcelona vs Man Utd (2-2) | Rashford scores again in Camp Nou classic! | Europa League Highlights - YouTube Reaction B

Inter Milan are through, Barcelona will be playing in the Europa League after Christmas Inter Milan 4-0 Viktoria Plzen In the match itself, substitute Romelu Lukaku marked his return from injury with a late goal as Inter comfortably secured the win that sent them to the last 16.  Edin Dzeko also scored twice after Henrikh Mkhitaryan's opener in the 4-0 win. Dzeko was given a standing ovation when he went off but there was even more of a resounding reaction shortly afterwards, when Lukaku was brought on with seven minutes remaining. You can watch the highlights of Inter's domination in the video below. Footage from  BT Sport - YouTube Barcelona 0 - 3 Bayern Munich  That result for Inter meant Barcelona knew their fate before they kicked a ball, but they still had tbe daunting prospect of a match against Bayern Munich. On the pitch, Mané, Choupo-Moting and Pavard scored for Bayern Munich to give them a comfortable win.  The Barca boss told the media: "This is our reality

The dreaded European Super League is back in the news again This video from Tifo Football explores how the original idea fell apart. Keep reading this article for the latest news on the European Super League. It now appears to be back in the news again.  What's being said? In an article for Sky Sports, it was reported that the chief executive of the company behind the previous failed project has claimed that a new European Super League with no permanent membership could be up and running by the 2024/25 season. There has also been an interesting article in The Financial Times. ESPN are reporting some of the developments and what it could mean. Are we close to the idea being relaunched? A22 Sports Management -- the company that launched the European Super League in April 2021 -- appointed a new chief executive, Bernd Reichart, who claimed it would be relaunched within three years. This comes against the backdrop of legal action taken by the three remaining Super League clubs (

Barcelona and Real Madrid. Enough said. El Clásico has been around for over a hundred years. It is one of the most exciting and talked about football matches. This not only because of the passion that each games brings, but because of its history as well. Do you remember the first time? The first time the two teams ever met to play each other was in 1902. But the first League El Clásico was in 1929. It was played in Barcelona at their Les Colts stadium, but the Barcelona fans had to endure their first El Clásico loss when Real Madrid beat them 2-1. They got the last word though, winning the reverse fixture 1-0 and thus the first LaLiga title. There have been a combined total of 281 El Clásicos and Barca currently leads in wins There have been 248 competitive matches and 33 exhibition matches between Madrid and Barcelona. Of the 248 competitive matches, Real Madrid has won the most, with 100 wins to Barca’s 96 (and 52 draws). Barcelona has more wins in exhibition matches with 19 to Madr

Barcelona Femenino 1 - 3 Lyon Féminines Lyon returned to the pinnacle of European football with an eighth Champions League title courtesy of a superb victory over tournament favourites Barcelona in a gripping final in Turin. The French side came into the game as underdogs against a Barca side that had lost just once in a season that included a flawless La Liga-winning campaign. However, the most decorated side in the women's game started superbly, pressing high and picking apart the Catalans to race into a 3-0 first-half lead. Watch the highlights in the video below. Footage from  DAZN UEFA Women's Champions League - YouTube Amandine Henry struck a brilliant long-range strike to give them a lead that was doubled by a header from Ada Hegerberg, returning to Europe's biggest stage for the first time since her 20-month injury lay-off. The Norwegian forward then turned provider to set up Catarina Macario for a close-range finish to leave a shell-shocked Barca reeling. Ballon d&

Napoli 2 - 4 Barcelona (3-5 on aggregate) Barcelona looked impressive performance as they beat Napoli to reach the Europa League last 16. They will face Galatasaray in the next round and minds have already started to turn to the challenges ahead They quickly led by two goals when Jordi Alba finished off a counter-attack from Adama Traore's ball. Frenkie de Jong then curled in a stunning shot. Lorenzo Insigne had then given Napoli hope with a penalty to make it 3-2 on aggregate. This was before goals from Gerard Pique and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang essentially sealed the tie. Does glory await Barcelona after a difficult season? Barcelona must now be considered one of the favourites to win the competition. Results have picked up since ex-player Xavi replaced Ronald Koeman. Their front three all sparkled against Napoli. The Italians could not deal with their pressing from the front in the first half as Barca took control of the tie. Traore, on loan from Wolves, has now assisted four

Barcelona 1 - 1 Napoli Former Manchester City player Ferran Torres scored a penalty as Barcelona rescued a draw in their Europa League last-32 first-leg tie against Napoli. Barca were making their first appearance in this competition in almost 18 years and they fell behind in the first half when Piotr Zielinski drove in. UCL: Barcelona knocked out But they awarded a penalty in the second half by VAR after Adama Traore's cross hit Juan Jesus' hand. Torres stepped up to take the penalty and sent goalkeeper Alex Meret the wrong way. This will have been of significant relief for the striker after he had missed a big chance when the game was goalless, firing over when well placed inside the box. Bon dia, Culers! ☀️ We keep working! 👊 pic.twitter.com/c9h2nm5tKI — FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) February 18, 2022 Torres had a good opportunity to win the game for Barcelona late on, but sent his shot over the bar. Ex-Arsenal striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang had a quiet game as he mad

Linares Deportivo 1 - 2 Barcelona: Copa Del Rey Barcelona survived a scare against lower league Linares as Dani Alves eventually marked his first Barca appearance in more than five years with a win.  Alves made his long-awaited second debut, having had to wait for the registration window to open following his signing a few months ago. La Liga news: Barcelona re-sign Dani Alves  The Spanish minnows took a shock half-time lead through a goal Hugo Diaz. It wasn't the best performance from Barcelona but goals from Ousmane Dembele and Ferran Jutgla spared them the shock and embarrassment of an exit in the early stages of the competition.  They started with a second-string line-up against a side 14th in the Primera Division Group 2, but boss Xavi had to make changes at the break. He brought on Dembele, Gerard Pique and Frenkie de Jong, to help turn the tie around. Reaction  This is how Xavi responded to the win. 🎙 Xavi's first reaction to the win #LinaresBarça pic.twitter

Let's take a closer look at Lionel Messi.  The Argentian player is widely regarded as one of the greatest players ever. How did his career develop? What were his best moments? Keep reading for the story of a football legend. Quick summary Messi has won seven Ballon d'Or awards and six European Golden Shoes. In 2020, he was named to the Ballon d'Or Dream Team. Until leaving the club in 2021, he had spent his entire professional career with Barcelona.  With the Spanish giants,  he won a club-record 35 trophies. This included ten La Liga titles, seven Copa del Rey titles and four Champions Leagues. He is known for being a prolific goalscorer and creative playmaker. Records He holds the records for most goals in La Liga, a La Liga and European league season, most hat-tricks in La Liga and the Champions League, and most assists in La Liga, a La Liga season and the Copa América. He also holds the record for most international goals by a South American. Messi has scored over 7