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La Liga history: Barcelona v Real Madrid

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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

Ballon d'Or shortlist announced

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The shortlist for Ballon d'Or 2022  has been announced, and there have been some interesting developments. Let's take a look at some of the talking points. No Messi and Neymar! Lionel Messi and Neymar have not been included on the 30-man shortlist for the 2022 Ballon d'Or. The Argentina international has won the most Ballons d'Or in history with seven, but he did not make the list despite scoring 11 goals in 34 matches for Paris Saint-Germain last season. His team-mate Neymar is also not on the list. He played just 28 times for PSG last season in an injury-hit campaign. Kylian Mbappe does make the list. Recognition for the Lionesses  England's Euro 2022 success has been recognised. Millie Bright, Beth Mead and Lucy Bronze have been nominated for the women's Ballon d'Or, awarded to the best female footballer of 2022. Women's Euro 2022: England win after dramatic final (eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com) Who could win it? Real Madrid's Karim Benzema,

Spain: Real Madrid held by Vallecano

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Rayo Vallecano 1 - 1 Real Madrid Real Madrid dropped points against local rivals Rayo Vallecano to slow down their title push.  The match kicked off with Real Madrid looking sharp, taking an early lead as Joselu expertly converted Fede Valverde's pass. However, Rayo Vallecano clawed their way back into the game, equalising through Raul de Tomas' penalty after VAR spotted Eduardo Camavinga's handball. More Real Madrid news and stories can be found here La Liga news and stories Real struggled to create many opportunities thereafter, ultimately settling for a solitary point. This draw allowed the 35-time La Liga champions to widen their lead over second-placed Girona to six points. Following this result, Athletic Bilbao brought high-flying Girona back down to earth with a 3-2 victory on Monday. This has further boosted Real Madrid's chances.  Real Madrid now sit eight points clear of their long-standing rivals Barcelona, who clinched a late victory against Celta Vigo

From the archives: Real Madrid 2 - 6 Barcelona. 2009

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Let's have a look at a time when Barcelona went to Real Madrid and scored six This was a key moment in one of the greatest campaigns in the club's history What happened then? Gonzalo Higuain had actually headed Real ahead but Thierry Henry curled an equaliser and Carles Puyol then nodded Barca in front. Lionel Messi slotted past Iker Casillas and, after Sergio Ramos replied with a glancing header, Henry clipped into an empty net and Messi rolled in another. Gerard Pique later tapped in the sixth Barcelona goal of a remarkable match. Then Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola said the following after the match:  "It is not easy to win at the Bernabeu and this is one of the happiest days of my footballing life, as we have made a lot of people happy." "We have taken a very big step towards winning the title. We wanted to kill it, to kill the league here. It's a very sweet night winning at this stadium and in front of these fans. "It is not going to hurt ahead

Super Cup reaction: Real Madrid win another European trophy

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Real Madrid 2 - 0 Eintracht Frankfurt Let's look at all the best reactions from the media and across the internet as Real Madrid won the UEFA Super Cup  How Real Madrid won the UEFA Champions League How Frankfurt won the UEFA Europa League You can watch the highlights in the video below.  Footage from BT Sport This is what the BBC's post-match report said: Karim Benzema continued his Ballon d'Or pursuit with a 324th goal for European champions Real Madrid as they beat Eintracht Frankfurt to lift the Uefa Super Cup in Helsinki. Carlo Ancelotti's side, who beat Liverpool to win the Champions League in May, took the lead when David Alaba tapped into an empty net, with Frankfurt goalkeeper Kevin Trapp stranded following Casemiro's header back across goal. Benzema doubled the Spanish giants' lead after the break with a first-time finish from Vinicius Jr's cross to move second on Real's all-time goalscoring list, overtaking Raul and behind only Cristiano R

UCL: Greatest Champions League semi-finals

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Let's take a look at some of the greatest Champions League semi-finals.  With the 2023 Champions League semi-finals just around the corner, it’s the perfect time to look back at some legendary matches at this stage of the competition.  From AC Milan to Manchester United and Didier Drogba to Zinedine Zidane, iconic clubs and players have come of age and built their modern mythology in these matches. However, which games were the best?  AC Milan v Monaco - 1994 The Champions League was still a very different competition when it officially changed its name from the European Cup in the earlier part of the 1990s.  In this game against Monaco, Milan went up early through Marcel Desailly but suffered a significant setback when Alessandro Costacurta was sent off after 40 minutes. However, they were determined not to let their advantage slip. In the end, they only held their lead but also added to it with further strikes in the second half. The season would only get better for Milan.

Some of the most shocking transfers ever

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Let's have a look at some of the most shocking and controversial transfers ever You can read the original article from News Ball UK by clicking here. Carlos Tevez to Manchester City in 2009 This was a strange one. Tevez had spent the previous two seasons at Old Trafford, where he won the Premier League twice and the Champions League in 2008.  The Argentinian had claimed he was never offered a new contract at United. He was the latest signing to join the ongoing revolution across the city.  City announced the transfer with this cheeky poster. How good was Carlos Tevez at Manchester City? Click here to find more news from across Greater Manchester More Manchester City news can be found here Michael Owen to Manchester United in 2009 The former Liverpool striker signed for United in 2009 after being released by recently relegated Newcastle United. It was a strange summer for MUFC after they sold Cristiano Ronaldo to Real Madrid and saw their attempt to sign Carlos Tevez on a perman

Spain: Real Madrid move closer to La Liga title

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Real Sociedad 0 - 1 Real Madrid Arda Guler scored on his first La Liga start, helping Real Madrid move closer to securing the title with a win against Real Sociedad.  An important day for Real Madrid. More reaction coming up on https://t.co/Mu4Cn3wz9B https://t.co/aHAGzCmT3P — European Super Football (@ESFootballNews) April 27, 2024 Real Madrid's 19-year-old Turkish midfielder scored Madrid's first goal in the match, midway through the first half, by turning in a cross. Carlo Ancelotti made several changes after last weekend's victory in El Clasico, giving opportunities to other players. Real Sociedad started strongly but couldn't convert their dominance into goals, as they failed to breach Madrid's defense. Takefusa Kubo's attempt to equalize for Real Sociedad was denied by the offside flag, immediately after Guler's goal. The second half was less eventful, with both teams struggling to create chances. However, Real Madrid did enough to secure a vict

Spain: Real Madrid are La Liga champions

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Real Madrid are La Liga champions once again.  They wrapped up the title by defeating Cadiz 3-0 at the Bernabeu before they watched Barcelona lose 4-2 at Girona. Ultimately, this has been an impressively dominant campaign for Carlo Ancelotti's men. They have lost just once all season, at local rivals Atletico Madrid in September, and are also unbeaten in their last 28 league games. Against Cadiz, Brahim Diaz starred for Real Madrid. The former Manchester City winger scored an impressive goal by firing into the top corner from just inside the box in the 51st minute. S few minutes later, Jude Bellingham doubled Real's lead by ghosting into the box and poking home from close range.  Joselu then sealed a comfortable victory in added time with a tap-in. Nacho raced through into the box and squared the ball for his teammate to finish with ease. Another excellent performance. When the match finished, they were only a few hours away from being champions officially. You can watch

UCL: Best ever Champions League finals

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 Let's explore some of the best Champions League and European Cup finals. There have been some truly memorable encounters in the final of the competition since it started in the 1950s. Real Madrid 4 - 3 Stade de Reims: 1956 A football match that you have probably never heard of. This was actually the first final of the European Cup. Real Madrid triumphed in what would prove to be the first of five consecutive title in the competition. On this night, the Spanish giants came back from behind to win 4–3. This was thanks to goals from Alfredo Di Stéfano and Marquitos, as well as two goals from Héctor Rial. Benfica 1 - 4 Manchester United: 1968 A memorable night where Man United became the first English side to win Europe's premier competition.  United took the lead from Bobby Charlton's header eight minutes into the second half. Jaime Graça's 79th-minute equaliser meant the match went into extra time. United scored three times in seven minutes in the first extra tim

UCL: Benzema leads Real Madrid fightback

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Real Madrid 3 -  1 Paris Saint Germain (3-2 on aggregate) Karim Benzema scored an incredible second-half hat-trick as Real Madrid produced a stirring fightback at the Bernabeu to reach the Champions League quarter-finals at the expense of PSG, Kylian Mbappe's first-half goal had given the French side a deserved two-goal aggregate lead. This looked to have put Mauricio Pochettino's side well on course for the last eight. However, a mistake by PSG's Gianluigi Donnarumma proved the catalyst for a dramatic recovery, with Benzema turning home after the Italian dawdled in possession. Luka Modric's intricate pass made Benzema's second as he levelled the tie against a panicked PSG. AS the visitors attempted to regroup, Benzema drove a low effort into the bottom right corner seconds after the restart to settle the tie. Will PSG ever win the Champions League? And after reaching the final and semi-finals in consecutive seasons, this felt like a backwards step for an expe

Spain Real Madrid extend lead at top of La Liga

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Real Madrid 4 - 1 Valencia Real Madrid extended their lead at the top of the La Liga table as they eased to a comfortable win over Valencia. They slowly took control of the game and led through a Karim Benzema penalty after Casemiro was fouled. Valencia were angered by the decision and faded badly in the second half. This ultimately allowed Vinicius Junior to score from two simple second half finishes.  Goncalo Guedes saw a penalty saved but headed in the rebound for Valencia before Benzema struck again. Benzema now has an incredible 301 goals for Real Madrid. He trails only Cristiano Ronaldo, Raul and Alfredo Di Stéfano in the club's all-time list. Not bad company for him to be in. For more Real Madrid news click the link below. European Super Football (eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com) Elsewhere in Spain Granada 1 - 1 Barcelona Barcelona missed the chance to move up to third after being held by Granada. Antonio Puertas found the top corner in the 89th minute to salvage a point

Icons: Ronaldo

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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

La Liga: Lionel Messi's best moments at Barcelona

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Lionel Messi now plays for PSG. Very few people would have anticipated him ever leaving Barcelona but here we are. Just after the announcement of his departure, News Ball UK published this article looking at Messi's best ever moments at Barcelona.        His debut At 16 years, four months, and 23 days old, Messi made his first team debut when he came on in the 75th minute during a friendly against José Mourinho's Porto in November 2003. His career has been extraordinary. Let's take a look at some of his best moments.  April 18, 2007 Messi emulates fellow Diego Maradona with this amazing goal, ghosting through half of Getafe’s side while his teammates could only watch in awe. It was at this time when people started to talk about him being one of the world's best. How good is this goal? See Messi at his best by watching the video below. Some have argued that this is his best goal.  OTD in 2007 📅 Lionel Messi did his best Diego Maradona impression v Getafe 🐐 His best eve

Icons: Luis Figo

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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

Icons: Lionel Messi

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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

Gossip: European Super League could be in place for 2024/2025

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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 (

Remember the European Super League?

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Let's have a look back at one of the most controversial moments of recent history. Many of the world's biggest clubs said they were forming a new competition. The European Super League. You can read the initial report from Greater Manchester Football by clicking the link below Clubs Announce New Super League Competition (greatermanchesterfootball.blogspot.com) At the time of the announcement, the story said: AC Milan, Arsenal FC, Atlético de Madrid, Chelsea FC, FC Barcelona, FC Internazionale Milano, Juventus FC, Liverpool FC, Manchester City, Manchester United, Real Madrid CF and Tottenham Hotspur have all joined the new competition as Founding Clubs.   It is anticipated that a further three clubs will join ahead of the inaugural season, which is intended to commence as soon as practicable.  Proposed format of the competition Twenty participating clubs with fifteen Founding Clubs and a qualifying mechanism for a further five teams to qualify annually based on achievements in