Hansi Flick has decided to delay all decisions regarding Barcelona’s next squad, including Robert Lewandowski’s future. For months, Robert Lewandowski’s future has been the subject of speculation, as his contract with Barcelona is set to expire at the end of the current season. That situation—along with other key squad decisions—has now been postponed by head coach Hansi Flick, who has set a timeline for making those calls. “Deco already has the planning mapped out, but the German coach prefers to announce departures once the title is secured,” reported Mundo Deportivo on Friday. “Flick wants to avoid the noise around future signings affecting the locker room and potentially disrupting the squad.” Following their elimination in the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals against Atletico Madrid, Barcelona’s final objective this season is La Liga. They currently sit comfortably atop the standings, holding a nine-point lead over second-place Real Madrid and an 18-point advantage over third-place Villarreal. With seven matches remaining—meaning 21 points still in play—Barcelona’s path to the league title appears clear. Securing 13 of those 21 points would be enough for the Catalan side to clinch the trophy without relying on other results, and that number could be even lower if Real Madrid fail to win all of their remaining matches. Aaron Ramsdale of Newcastle United fails to save a shot from Robert Lewandowski of FC Barcelona When could Barcelona win La Liga? In the most optimistic scenario, Barcelona would still need to wait at least four more weeks to officially celebrate their 29th Spanish league title. There will be no La Liga action this weekend due to the Copa del Rey final between Atletico Madrid and Real Sociedad, and then three league matches would be required. If Barcelona were to win those three matches (against Getafe, Celta Vigo, and Osasuna), and Real Madrid were to lose their next three fixtures (against Real Betis, Alaves, and Espanyol), then by the end of Matchday 34, Los Blaugranas would already be champions. That would make May 3 the earliest possible date for the title to be secured. In a more realistic scenario, Hansi Flick’s side may need a few more weeks. That opens the door to a potentially memorable situation: Barcelona clinching the title by defeating Real Madrid. El Clasico is scheduled for Matchday 35 at Camp Nou and, depending on both teams’ results in the coming weeks, could prove decisive in the La Liga title race. Lewandowski’s future Among the decisions Hansi Flick has chosen to delay until the La Liga title is secured is Robert Lewandowski’s future. Reports indicate that the Polish striker has received a one-year contract extension offer, although the player himself has stated he intends to take his time before deciding his next move. In addition to the possibility of remaining at Barcelona—where he may take on a reduced role amid rumors of the club targeting another top-level striker—Lewandowski has also been linked with clubs such as AC Milan, as well as Chicago Fire in Major League Soccer and even potential moves to the Saudi Pro League.

SEVILLE, Spain, April 17 - Atletico Madrid stand on the brink of a revival season under Diego Simeone, with Saturday's Copa del Rey final against Real Sociedad offering the chance to end a five-year wait for silverware and perhaps signal something even bigger.

Real Sociedad captain Mikel Oyarzabal has said the squad are indebted to manager Pellegrino Matarazzo, who has guided the Txuri-Urdin back to the Copa del Rey final six seasons later. The 28-year-old is one of the few remaining members of the 2021 winners. Asked about his role as a leader and the captain of the […] The post Real Sociedad captain Mikel Oyarzabal – ‘We owe Pellegrino Matarazzo a lot’ appeared first on Football España.

Real Sociedad manager Pellegrino Matarazzo cut a confident figure ahead of his side’s Copa del Rey final on Saturday with Atletico Madrid. La Real are hoping to lift the trophy for a second time in five years after doing so in 2021, but have been a surprise package in the second half of the season. […] The post ‘We’re very excited, we need release tension in the right way’ – Real Sociedad manager Pellegrino Matarazzo appeared first on Football España.

Sassuolo cause an upset with a quickfire double of counter-attacks from Cristian Volpato and M’Bala...

Le parole del tecnico dei lariani al termine della gara.

Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone has declared that the toughest part of the Copa del Rey final will be the mental battle, as his side prepare to face Real Sociedad. He also confirmed that a key player will return to action on Saturday night. It has been 13 years since Atletico appeared in a Copa […] The post Diego Simeone confirms return of key player for Atletico Madrid – ‘The toughest match is inside the head’ appeared first on Football España.

Saudi Arabia, one of Spain’s rivals at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, have decided to part ways with head coach Herve Renard. Despite the short time remaining before the start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, some national teams are still making abrupt structural changes in an effort to arrive in peak condition. Saudi Arabia have dismissed Herve Renard, a move that will impact Spain’s preparations. “Saudi Arabia sack head coach Herve Renard with immediate effect before World Cup,” reported Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano on Friday via his official X account. According to reports, the decision stems from the national team’s disappointing recent results, which raised concerns ahead of the tournament. This development not only forces a logical shift in Saudi Arabia’s own planning—now requiring a rapid adjustment under a new manager with just two months before competition begins in North America—but also triggers a strategic rethink for at least three other national teams. Spain, Uruguay, and Cape Verde were drawn alongside Saudi Arabia in Group H of the World Cup, and their respective managers have spent months preparing to face those opponents based on the playing styles each side had developed. That preparation may now need to be revised. 🚨 OFFICIAL: Saudi Arabia sack head coach Hervé Renard with immediate effect before World Cup! 👋🏼🇸🇦 Renard had returned for a second spell as Saudi coach at the end of 2024. pic.twitter.com/yhwU0OMAkS — Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) April 17, 2026 Now, with such a sudden managerial change and virtually no time for formal testing before the tournament begins, Saudi Arabia become something of an unknown for the rest of the group. They will open their campaign on June 15 against Uruguay in Miami, face Spain six days later, and close out the group stage against Cape Verde on June 26. Renard unable to replicate previous success with Saudi Arabia Herve Renard had been serving as Saudi Arabia’s head coach since 2024, marking his second spell in charge of the national team. His previous tenure, from 2019 to 2023, brought global recognition after Saudi Arabia’s stunning victory over Argentina in their opening match of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. However, his return did not produce similar results. Both performances and outcomes were underwhelming, and the March international break proved crucial in the Saudi federation’s decision to move on. During that window, the team faced Egypt and Serbia, suffering defeats in both matches: a 4-0 loss to the Africans and a 2-1 defeat to the Europeans. Renard’s likely replacement With the World Cup fast approaching, Saudi Arabia are under pressure to appoint a replacement quickly—and that process already appears to be underway. “Expectation is Georgios Donis leads Saudi Arabia at the 2026 World Cup on a one-year contract,” Ben Jacobs reported on X, in a claim echoed by other outlets such as Diario AS. Expectation is Georgios Donis leads Saudi Arabia at the 2026 World Cup on a one-year contract. Donis set to join from Al-Khaleej and also be in charge for the 2026 Arabian Gulf Cup and 2027 Asian Cup as part of a proposed one-year contract.🇸🇦 https://t.co/x3jxt9y19n — Ben Jacobs (@JacobsBen) April 17, 2026 Georgios Donis is a 56-year-old Greek manager with extensive experience in Saudi Arabian soccer. He has coached five clubs in the country, with his most recent role at Al-Khaleej, where his team currently sits 11th in the Saudi Pro League standings. This will be Donis’ first experience at the international level.

Como hope Nico Paz, Martin Baturina and Alvaro Morata can inspire them to victory against...

Le parole del tecnico spagnolo prima della gara con il Sassuolo.