Chelsea Reportedly Looking to Extend Costa’s Contract

Posted on November 14, 2016 by Tom Castaneda

Diego Costa could be getting an extension…

Chelsea Football Club is reportedly preparing to discuss a new contract with 28-year-old Brazilian-born Spanish soccer star, according to Spanish publication AS.

Chelsea is aware of reports suggesting that the Spain international remains a target for his former employers at Atletico Madrid, with Diego Simeone said to be keen on taking him back to Vicente Calderon.

Such talk was fended off over the summer, amid rumors of Costa being unsettled in England, and Costa has responded in the best possible manner with nine Premier League goals and 12 in total for club and country.

Chelsea reportedly is eager to reward that form with an extension of his current deal, which runs until 2019.

Simeone Agrees to Five-Year Deal with Italy’s Genoa Cricket and Football Club

Posted on August 1, 2016 by Tom Castaneda

Argentina is bidding arrivederci to Giovanni Simeone…

The 21-year-old Argentine soccer player, a striker for Argentina’s Club Atlético River Plate, is set to join Italy’s Genoa Cricket and Football Club, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport announced on Sunday.

Simeone, the son of former-player-turned-coach of Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone. Has reportedly agreed to a five-year deal with the Italian side and will join Argentina national team.

Simeone will also participate in the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

At the moment, there’s no official confirmation, but the Italian newspaper reported that the signing will cost three million euros.

The River Plate striker completed the 2015/16 season on loan with Banfield in the Argentine Primera Division.

Messi Makes the UEFA’s Shortlist for the 2015-16 Goal of the Season Award

Posted on July 27, 2016 by Tom Castaneda

Lionel Messi is gol oriented.…

The 29-year-oldArgentine soccer player and FC Barcelona star is among the 10 players who’ve made the UEFA‘s shortlist for the 2015-16 Goal of the Season award, covering last season’s European club competitions and the Euro 2016 finals.

Messi’s flick past Roma goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny after a team move involving Neymar and Luis Suarez in the 6-1 Champions League group-stage victory is on the list alongside Atletico Madrid midfielder Saul Niguez‘s solo effort against Bayern Munich in the semifinal first leg.

Gonzalo Higuain‘s solo run and fierce strike for Napoli against Legia Warsaw in the Europa League is also a contender, with spectacular efforts from Juan Cuadrado and Stephan Lichtsteiner for Juventus also recognised.

The goals chosen from Euro 2016 are Xherdan Shaqiri‘s acrobatic late equalizer for Switzerland against Poland and Marek Hamsik‘s strike for Slovakia against Russia.

That means Zoltan Gera‘s strike for Hungary against Portugal and Cristiano Ronaldo‘s header for Portugal against Wales — voted first and second respectively by fans for Euro 2016’s Goal of the Tournament award — are not under consideration.

Also nominated for the Goal of the Season award are Barcelona youngster Carlos Alena‘s mazy dribble against Roma in the UEFA Youth League, Camille Abily‘s overhead kick for Lyon against Sparta Prague in the Women’s Champions League and Ricardinho‘s special strike for Portugal against Serbia at Futsal EURO 2016.

Fans can vote online at UEFA.com until Aug. 23 to choose their favorite goal from the shortlist chosen by UEFA‘s expert panel.

A similar online vote has been launched allowing supporters to choose their Save of the Season.

Suárez Among Contendors For This Year’s UEFA Best Player in Europe Award

Posted on July 18, 2016 by Tom Castaneda

Luis Suárez is getting a second chance to take down his teammate…

The 29-year-old Uruguayan professional footballer, a striker for Futbol Club Barcelona, has made it to the shortlist for Union of European Football Associations‘ Best Player in Europe Award.

Suárez, the winner of Europe’s Golden Boot after his 40-goal season in La Liga, finished in second place for the coveted UEFA award last year, losing to fellow teammate Lionel Messi.

This year, Suárez was also Barça‘s top scorer in the Champions League, even though the teamcouldn’t get past the quarterfinals, losing to the eventual runner-up, Atlético Madrid.

Messi, the only player in history to have won the award twice, first in 2011 and then in 2015, is up for the award again this year.

But Suárez and Messi aren’t the only Latino players to make the 10-man list.

Real Madrid’s Pepe has made the cut for the second the year in a row. The 33-year-old Brazilian soccer star, a defender for Portugal, is included after a season in which he won the Champions League with Los Blancos before winning Euro 2016 with Portugal.

In addition to Suárez, Messi and Pepe, the shortlist is compiled using votes from journalists across UEFA‘s 55 member associations and includes Gareth Bale, Gianluigi Buffon, Antoine Griezmann, Toni Kroos, Thomas Muller, Manuel Neuer and Cristian Ronaldo.

The winner will be announced at the Champions League group stage draw in Monaco on August 25.

Real Madrid’s Navas Sets La Liga Clean Sheet Record

Posted on September 21, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Keylor Navas is a perfect No. 10 in the La Liga record books…

The 28-year-old Costa Rican soccer player has broken a club record for clean sheets at the start of a season, after racking up a fourth consecutive clean sheet in La Liga and fifth in a row in all competitions with his clean sheet in Real Madrid’s 1-0 win over Granada on Saturday.

Navas is the tenth goalkeeper in La Liga’s 86-year history to record such a streak at the beginning of the campaign.

The fifth straight shutout since the start of 2015-16 betters former Real Madrid keeper Miguel Angel‘s sequence of four on the spin at the beginning of the 1975-76 campaign.

“It was a difficult night for me at the end of the transfer market but that is now in the past,” Navas told reporters.

“Now I am thinking of the present and the coach [Rafa Benitez] believes in me. I have had the chance to stay and I will give my best. I am very grateful to the Real fans for their support which is not easy to earn.”

Marca reports that Navas is now just 10 minutes away from bettering Iker Casillas‘ personal best without conceding a goal, after the Spaniard went 460 minutes without being beaten in 2008-09.

Before Navas, Claudio Bravo was the last man to join the exclusive club of keepers to have remained unbeaten four weeks into the La Liga season, with the Chilean settling quickly into life at Barça last term. Real Madrid’s only other member of this hall of fame is Miguel Ángel, who didn’t concede in any of his first four league appearances in 1975-76.

Navas’ streak has put him in the esteemed company of Barça legends Salvador Sadurní (1968-69), the first to achieve the feat, and Pello Artola (1977-78); Atlético Madrid great Abel Resino (1991-92); Deportivo‘s Paco Liaño (1993-94); Real Sociedad‘s José Ramón Esnaola (1970-71); Celta Vigo‘s Pablo Cavallero (2001-02), Zaragoza‘s Manolo Villanova (1972-73) and Compostela‘s Javier Falagán (1995-96).

Manchester United Agrees to Loan Deal with AS Monaco for Falcao

Posted on September 1, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Radamel Falcao is the man(chester)…

Manchester United has agreed to a loan deal with AS Monaco for the 28-year-old Colombian footballer, who also plays for the Colombia national football team.

Falcao, who cost Monaco 60 million euros last summer, is set to join Louis van Gaal’s squad subject to a medical and terms, according to ESPN FC.

Falcao had also been a target of Real Madrid and had been linked with Arsenal and Manchester City.

His arrival will be one of two transfers United is expected to complete on deadline day, along with finalizing Daley Blind‘s move from Ajax.

Van Gaal had already brought in Southampton left-back Luke Shaw, Athletic Bilbao midfielder Ander Herrera, Sporting Lisbon defender Marcos Rojo and Real Madrid winger Angel Di Maria.

European champion Madrid had been the favorite to sign Falcao, whose departure from Monaco seemed to be signaled when he was omitted from their squad to face Lille on Saturday.

Falcao, who missed the World Cup due to a cruciate ligament injury, scored 70 goals in 91 games for Atletico Madrid and 72 goals in 87 matches for Porto before joining Monaco.

Messi’s Hat-Trick Leads Barcelona to a 4-3 Win Over Real Madrid

Posted on March 24, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

It’s a clasico moment for Lionel Messi and his Barcelona teammates…

Futbol Club Barcelona is now within one point of Real Madrid at the top of La Liga as the team came from behind twice thanks to a hat-trick from the 26-year-old Argentine soccer star.

Messi miraculous play helped Barcelona to a thrilling El Clasico win at the Santiago Bernabeu by a final score of 4-3.

Both sides went in tied at 2-2 at halftime as a record 19th goal against Madrid from Messi cancelled out Karim Benzema‘s double after Andres Iniesta had put Barca in front.

Cristiano Ronaldo then put Madrid back in front from the penalty spot, but the hosts were reduced to 10-men when Sergio Ramos pulled down Neymar inside the box 10 minutes later and Messi leveled once more from the spot.

And the Argentine won the game with another penalty seven minutes from time after Iniesta had been felled by Xabi Alonso.

A first defeat for Real in 32 games means Atletico Madrid remains atop the standings thanks to their better head-to-head record against Los Blancos with Barca still in third.

“The league starts a new now,” said Barca boss Gerardo Martino. ”More than the mathematical distance we were behind, the impression was people wrote us off. Atletico Madrid were always in the fight and I think that after this result we are too. We knew if we didn’t win tonight it was over for us. We still don’t have matters in our own hands, but we’ll now fight till the end.”

Messi Scores Hat-Trick in First Post-Injury Training Session with His Barcelona Teammates

Posted on January 4, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

It’s a triumphant return for Lionel Messi…

Five weeks after being sidelined with a hamstring injury, the 26-year-old Argentine soccer superstar returned to the field with his FC Barcelona teammates on Friday for an open practice that drew more than 13,000 spectators to the club’s Miniestadi.

The four-time FIFA World Player of the Year spent about a month back in Argentina getting treatment to help speed up his recovery after missing several games before Spanish soccer’s winter break.

But now he’s back in near tip-top shape… Messi showed no signs of being rusty during Friday’s scrimmage, notching a hat trick and earning an assist on another goal in his first training match.

The team ended practice with a salute to the crowd before kicking soccer balls into the stands, signing autographs and posing for photos with a group of disabled fans.

Messi’s absence has not impacted Barça’s La Liga standings; the club is tied for first place with Atletico Madrid.

But in his absence Cristiano Ronaldo stepped up for Barca’s rival Real Madrid, and many believe Messi’s reign as the king of world soccer is about to come to an end when the Ballon d’Or trophy is awarded on January 13 due to his absence from the game from November 23 until December 22.

With Messi’s impressive return on Friday, there’s little doubt though that he’ll return to the top of the game for the rest of the 2013-14 campaign and the World Cup in Brazil this summer.

Villa Moving from Barcelona to Atletico Madrid

Posted on July 9, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

David Villa is switching teams…

The 31-year-old Spanish international soccer star will be leaving Futbol Club Barcelona to play for Atletico Madrid.

It’s all part of a deal potentially worth $6.55 million, according to Barça officials.

Copa del Rey winner Atletico will pay the defending La Liga champion 2.1 million euros this season, with the promise of another 2.1 million if Villa continues to play in 2014-2015, Barcelona said in a statement.

Atletico will have to hand over an additional 1 million euros if Villa remains with the club into the 2015-2016 season.

Barcelona also retains a claim to 50 percent of any future transfer fee for Villa.

With 56 goals in 92 appearances, Villa is Spain’s leading scorer in international play, despite his missing the 2012 European Championship due to an injury.

He was an integral part of the Spanish squad that won Euro 2008 and the 2010 World Cup.

Villa joined Barça in 2010 and kicked 48 goals in 119 official matches with the club, but he had a hard time getting back into the starting lineup after the broken leg he suffered in 2011 kept him off the pitch for months.

Barcelona’s recent signing of Brazilian sensation Neymar left Villa’s future with the red-and-blue even cloudier.

Premier League clubs Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United were said to be interested in Villa, but Atletico – anxious to replace departed striker Radamel Falcao – beat the English sides to the negotiating table.

Barcelona and Atletico Madrid are to meet next month in the Spanish Supercup.

Messi Wins Record Fourth Ballon d’Or

Posted on January 7, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

Lionel Messi is officially in a league of his own…

The 25-year-old Argentine fútbol has become the first four-time winner of the Ballon d’Or, FIFA’s Player of the Year award, after breaking the world record for most goals in a year with 91 goals for Barcelona and Argentina.

Messi won for the fourth straight time, beating Real Madrid‘s Cristiano Ronaldo and his fellow Futbol Club Barcelona teammate Andres Iniesta in voting announced Monday. His 91 goals topped Gerd Mueller‘s mark of 85 for Bayern Munich and Germany back in 1972.

Messi received 41.60 percent of the points in votes by national team coaches and captains plus selected media. Ronaldo got 23.68 percent and Iniesta 10.91 percent.

“To tell the truth, this is really unbelievable to get the fourth award. I am so nervous,” Messi said in Spanish, wearing a black tuxedo jacket and bow tie, both with a white polka-dot pattern in an unexpectedly flamboyant touch.

U.S. coach Jurgen Klinsmann and captain Carlos Bocanegra both voted Messi first, as did Soccer America’s Paul Kennedy.

Zinedine Zidane of France and Ronaldo of Brazil were voted FIFA Player of the Year three times before the award merged in 2010 with France Football’s Golden Ball, given to the European player of the year. The Golden Ball, or Ballon d’Or, was won three times by Michel Platini of France and Johan Cruyff and Marco van Basten of the Netherlands.

Vicente del Bosque was voted top men’s coach after leading Spain to its third straight title in a major tournament, the 2012 European Championship. Del Bosque got 34.51 percent to win over Real Madrid’s Jose Mourinho (20.49), who won last year, and Pep Guardiola (12.91) who won in 2011 and retired from Barcelona last spring.

The three men’s Player of the Year candidates were on the World XI All-Star team chosen by the FIFPro group of players’ unions, comprising 50,000 members worldwide.

They selected a team composed entirely of players from Spanish clubs, with nine repeating their selection from one year ago.

Real Madrid captain Iker Casillas was selected as goalkeeper, joined on defense by teammates Sergio Ramos and Marcelo and by Barcelona’s Dani Alves and Gerard Pique. Iniesta was joined in midfield by Barcelona teammate Xavi Hernandez and Real Madrid’s Xabi Alonso. Messi led the attack with Ronaldo and Atletico Madrid‘s Radamel Falcao. Marcelo and Falcao replaced Manchester United’s Nemanja Vidic and Wayne Rooney from the 2011 team.

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