Verdict: Lamine Yamal to score anytime Best Odds: 1/1 Bookmaker: Dachbet Turning their attention back to La Liga duties on Wednesday night, Barcelona will look to take another giant leap towards defending their domestic crown when they welcome Celta Vigo to Catalonia. Barcelona Starting with the hosts, while Barcelona might have claimed a second-leg victory […] The post Prediction: Barcelona vs Celta Vigo – Betting Tips, Team News, Key Facts appeared first on Soccer News.

Former Brazil defender Miranda compared Vinicius to Neymar, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Vinicius Junior is, without a doubt, one of the best players in the world right now. He has proven that over the years with Real Madrid, although he has yet to reach the same level with Brazil. Miranda weighed in on that, comparing the winger to Neymar, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. “For me, Vinicius has a lot of quality, but he is still far from Neymar, Messi, Cristiano,” the 41-year-old former defender said in a recent interview shared on YouTube via Mario Suarez’s official account. Miranda acknowledged Vini’s strengths. “Soccer has changed a lot. It has a lot of physicality and Vinicius has the technical part and the physical part,” he explained. “But he is not like Messi and Neymar. He lacks something. I don’t know if it is charisma with people.” Approaching his 25th birthday, Vinicius has established himself as one of the top players in the world and one of Real Madrid’s leaders on the pitch. In fact, he has been instrumental in the club’s recent success in the UEFA Champions League, where he has also posted impressive goal and assist numbers. Miranda of Brazil playing against Belgium during the 2018 FIFA World Cup. However, that has not yet been enough to generate a broad consensus regarding his status as a true superstar. He has also yet to win the Ballon d’Or. In that sense, his struggles to replicate his club form with Brazil may be a decisive factor in that evaluation. Miranda weighs in on racism in soccer Vinicius has been in the spotlight in recent years not only for his performances on the field, but also for controversies involving alleged racist incidents he has faced. The clash with Gianluca Prestianni during the series between Real Madrid and Benfica was the latest of those episodes. Asked about the issue, Miranda was candid. “Here in Spain and in Europe, not anywhere, I have not experienced racism,” the former center back said. “I had my head only to play soccer.” He then explained how he blocked out outside noise to stay focused on the game. “What people said to me was only a distraction to take the focus away from the game,” he added. “When you’re going to play a game, if you let the fans take the focus away from the game, it changes the way you play a little, it takes away your concentration a little.” Who is Miranda? Retired since 2022, Miranda was a top-level player for more than a decade. He enjoyed his best years at Atletico Madrid, where he won five titles, including the 2012-13 La Liga title, and later at Inter Milan, where he played until 2019. At the international level, Miranda was part of the Brazil national team for a decade, from 2009 to 2019. During that span, he won the 2009 Confederations Cup and the 2019 Copa America. He was also part of the squad that competed at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, where he started five matches and helped the team reach the quarterfinals before being eliminated by Belgium.

Lamine Yamal's performance in Barcelona's latest Champions League campaign left a lasting impression on one of the club's former greats.

Lamine Yamal could be one of the favorites to win the next Ballon d'Or, according to Neymar. That Lamine Yamal is one of the biggest breakout stars in world soccer in recent decades is beyond debate. Not only fans see him that way, but so do some of his peers. In this case, Neymar singled out the young Barcelona winger as a potential Ballon d’Or winner in the near future. “I truly believe he is one of the greatest teenage sensations soccer has ever seen,” Neymar said about Yamal in a recent interview with Ziggo Sport. “There was Messi, there was me… but what this kid is doing at 18 years old is simply unreal.” The Brazilian star echoed what has become clear when analyzing Yamal’s performances: his rapid rise to the top of world soccer. In three months, he will turn 19 and is already one of the best players on the planet, achieving that status much earlier than most of this century’s legends. In fact, at that age Neymar was just beginning to stand out with Santos and was not selected for 2010 FIFA World Cup with the Brazil national team. Messi, meanwhile, was not yet a key figure for Argentina or Barcelona at that stage. Lamine Yamal of Barcelona Yamal a Ballon d’Or favorite, according to Neymar In the same interview, Neymar also addressed Barcelona’s elimination from the UEFA Champions League this week against Atletico Madrid, particularly focusing on what it meant for Lamine Yamal. “I felt for him when they were eliminated from the UCL. He gave everything and even sparked the comeback,” said the Santos forward. “But that’s soccer—anything can happen.” Despite that setback, Neymar believes Lamine Yamal will continue his rise to the top of world soccer, with plenty of success ahead, including in the Champions League. “His time is coming. I hope he wins it next year,” Ney said. “And why not the Ballon d’Or as well? He’s special—one of those players I’ll always be rooting for.” Yamal has already come close to the Ballon d’Or Neymar naming an 18-year-old as a Ballon d’Or favorite may seem premature, but recent performances support that claim. Lamine Yamal has been so impressive that, despite his age, he already came close to winning the award last year. At the 2025 ceremony, France Football awarded the prestigious prize to Ousmane Dembele for his performances with Paris Saint-Germain. However, Yamal finished close behind, placing second in the voting after shining for Barcelona and Spain.

The Argentine made no secret of his admiration for the Spanish star and compared him to the former PSG stars. Leer

FOOTBALL fans do not usually have sympathy for other clubs, but the neutrals among us might just be a little understanding when it comes to Arsenal’s plight. Top of the table virtually all season after three successive runners-up spots, they have barely put a foot wrong for much of the campaign, only to find a … Continue reading The day the pendulum swung north: Manchester City 2-1 Arsenal

Arsenal faced off against Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium earlier this evening as they hoped to secure a good result on the road in the Premier League. The Gunners made a slow start to the game and conceded the opening goal in the 16th minute when Rayan Cherki found the back of the net. […] The post Havertz And Mosquera Get 7 | Arsenal Players Rated In Tough Loss Vs Manchester City appeared first on The 4th Official - A view from the sideline.

In a high-octane encounter that felt like the definitive chapter of the 2025/26 season, Arsenal fell 2-1 to Manchester City at the Etihad. Despite a resolute defensive display and a late surge, the Gunners were unable to overcome Erling Haaland’s second-half winner. While the defeat is a bitter pill to swallow, Mikel Arteta’s men showed […] The post Etihad heartbreak: Arsenal player ratings as title race swings to City appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Arsenal are being linked with Oscar Mingueza, with reports in Spain suggesting the versatile Celta defender could be available on a free this summer.

Manchester City 2 (Rayan Cherki 16′, Erling Haaland 65′) Arsenal 1 (Kai Havertz 18′) Here are the City player ratings and match report as Manchester City have beaten Arsenal 2-1 at the Etihad Stadium to move within three points of Mikel Arteta’s side at the top of the Premier League with a game in hand. […] The post Manchester City 2 Arsenal 1: City player ratings as the heat is turned up in the title race appeared first on Esteemed Kompany.