World Cup News

Real Sociedad upset Atlético Madrid to win their fourth Copa del Rey title after triumphing 4-3 in a penalty shootout following a 2-2 draw after extra time in Seville.

Paulo Fonseca arrived in Lyon after a negative experience at AC Milan, one that was not entirely his fault, but rather the fault of a nonexistent club, one of the worst in AC Milan’s history, and of a number of players who had never been with him from the start. Despite having proven himself a… The post How Paulo Fonseca got his groove back at Lyon first appeared on Breaking The Lines.

Ahead of a huge weekend across Europe, with implications at both ends of various tables -- and silverware up for grabs in Spain -- Julien Laurens previews and predicts.

Antoine Griezmann said he is soaking up an emotional week ahead of the Copa del Rey final against his former club, Real Sociedad, as he enters his final weeks with Atlético Madrid.

Talia Sommer explains a decision a lot of families would assume should go the other way. Why choose Butler University over an Atlético Madrid opportunity? Because pathway, fit, trust, and development do not always line up with the biggest name. Full episode on the channel. #podcast TaliaSommer #ButlerUniversity #AtleticoMadrid #CollegeSoccer #WomensSoccer

FC Bayern Munich booked their place in the UEFA Champions League semi-finals after a dramatic 6-4 aggregate victory over Real Madrid. The tie took a decisive turn late on when Madrid were reduced to ten men following an 86th-minute red card to Eduardo Camavinga. Bayern capitalized on the advantage, with late goals from Luis Díaz [...] The post UEFA Champions League: Bayern, PSG, Arsenal and Atlético Madrid reach semi-finals first appeared on Sahara Football.

Martín Zubimendi has dismissed ongoing rumors linking him with a move to Real Madrid, insisting his focus is entirely on securing silverware with Arsenal.

Barcelona have filed a second complaint to UEFA complaining that refereeing standards were not complied with in their Champions League quarterfinal exit to Atlético Madrid.

Raphinha has apologised for winding up Atlético Madrid supporters after Barcelona's Champions League exit at the Metropolitano on Tuesday.

Paulo Fonseca arrived in Lyon after a negative experience at AC Milan, one that was not entirely his fault, but rather the fault of a nonexistent club, one of the worst in AC Milan’s history, and of a number of players who had never been with him from the start. Despite having proven himself a… The post How Paulo Fonseca got his groove back at Lyon first appeared on Breaking The Lines.

Il campione argentino investe in una società di calcio.

Barcelona's Raphinha apologises after gesturing towards Atlético Madrid fans espn.in

Arsenal Plot Statement Move For Atlético Forward Arsenal’s summer strategy appears to be coalescing around ambition, risk and a willingness to reshape the attacking line. According to Caught Offside, the club are pushing to secure Julián Álvarez from Atlético Madrid, a move that would signal both intent and upheaval. The forward, who has scored 18 […] The post Report: Arsenal eyeing huge move to sign former Manchester City star appeared first on EPL Index - Unofficial Premier League Blog, Stats, Tactics & Podcasts at EPLindex.com.

Arsenal and Sporting CP are clashing at the Emirates Stadium for the UEFA Champions League, a must-watch game alongside our liveblog coverage. Arsenal hosted Sporting CP on Wednesday, April 15, for the second leg of the 2025-26 UEFA Champions League quarterfinals at Emirates Stadium. Following a scoreless draw, the Gunners maintained their aggregate advantage from the first leg to secure a spot in the semifinals for the second consecutive season. The Gunners returned home holding a 1-0 aggregate lead established at José Alvalade Stadium, courtesy of Kai Havertz’s dramatic last-minute winner. Aware of their slim cushion, the hosts adopted a disciplined approach, conceding just one shot on target to a Sporting CP side that proved unable to crack Arsenal’s defensive shape. With the result, an unbeaten Arsenal side has reached the Champions League semifinals in back-to-back seasons for the first time in club history. They now advance to face Diego Simeone’s Atlético Madrid, an opponent they already dismantled earlier this season with a dominant 4-0 victory during the league phase at the Emirates.

The Brazilian star was at the center of a viral moment when he copied a recent move by Yamal against Barcelona. Leer

Barcelona president Joan Laporta said "disgraceful" refereeing decisions led to Tuesday's Champions League quarterfinal elimination to Atlético Madrid as he promised to take the issue to UEFA.

La Gazzetta dello Sport calls Matteo Ruggeri ‘heroic’ after Atlético Madrid’s aggregate win over Barcelona,...

Arsenal are intensifying their efforts to secure the signing of Julián Álvarez, with the Atlético Madrid striker emerging as one of the club’s primary targets ahead of the summer transfer window. The North London side are understood to be acting swiftly to position themselves ahead of rival suitors, particularly Paris Saint-Germain, who have maintained a […] The post Sources: Arsenal willing to sell Jesus and Havertz to make way for €120 million attacker appeared first on CaughtOffside.

After sealing their spot in the Champions League semifinals, Diego Simeone's side took a swipe at the culés with a viral meme. Leer

Diego Simeone said watching his Atlético Madrid team compete still makes him "emotional" after eliminating Barcelona 3-2 on aggregate to reach the Champions League semifinals for the first time since 2017.

Sidelined Barcelona star Raphinha hit out at the officiating following his team Champions League elimination, claiming refereeing errors cost them the tie against Atlético Madrid.

Atlético Madrid held on after an early charge by Barcelona to reach the Champions League semifinals for the first time in nearly a decade on Tuesday.

Paris Saint-Germain and Atlético Madrid have advanced to the semifinals, following a day of UEFA Champions League quarterfinals action.

A violent collision left fans stunned during a high-intensity game in Madrid Leer

Defeat never tasted so good. At the end of a battle in which both teams had fought and both had bled, in which they had suffered, a huge banner was unfurled. “We give everything to win the cup,” it said, and, boy, had they. For the first time, Diego Simeone had seen his team lose a Champions League knockout game at home, but it did not matter: instead there was delirium, the club’s anthem belted out louder than ever before. “You don’t know how lovely it is to be among the four best teams in Europe,” he said.

Atlético Madrid held onto to reach the semi-finals against 10-man Barcelona on a pulsating night in the Spanish capital I always feel sorry for the young mascots on Champions League nights. They are living the dream but having to dress like a credit card. The teams are primed in the ‘tunnel’ which is more spacious than my house.

Lamine Yamal is seeking inspiration from LeBron James as he attempts to lead Barcelona to a Champions League quarterfinal comeback win against Atlético Madrid on Tuesday.

UEFA have ruled Barcelona's complaint over the refereeing in last week's Champions League quarterfinal loss to Atlético Madrid as "inadmissible."

Barça will look to overturn a 0-2 deficit from the first leg at Camp Nou this Tuesday, April 14, at the Metropolitano. Leer

Liverpool legend talks memories of Istanbul, learning magic and his adventures in Malaysia with Johor Darul Ta’zim Luis García was “super cool”, he says. That, at least, was the plan, but things have a habit of working out differently. When the former Atlético Madrid, Barcelona and Liverpool player retired in 2016, it was the second time: he walked out of the game in 2014 and walked back in again six months later. But this time, he wasn’t going to be affected. All that suffering and satisfaction, the pressure, the emotion: that was no more. “I was always very competitive and once I had left football, I thought I wasn’t going to have those feelings I had before,” he says. “I still enjoy football, still play seven-a-side with my friends – every Saturday at 10am, Los Jareños Club de Futbol – but I thought I had lost that and it wasn’t coming back. In fact, I was trying to avoid it; I didn’t want it. So when it happened, it surprised me. I didn’t expect football to give me that again. But there I was, crying.”

Johnny Cardoso, who has missed the first three games since his return from USMNT duty, is expected to dress for Atlético Madrid on Tuesday when it hosts Barcelona in the second leg of their UEFA Champions League quarterfinal series. Cardoso, who departed Atlanta after the USMNT’s 5-2 loss to Belgium with discomfort in his leg, has […] The post Johnny Cardoso available for Atlético Madrid-Barcelona appeared first on Soccer America.

As his side look to overturn a two-goal quarter-final deficit against Atlético Madrid, the teenager is ready to give his all No pressure, kid. Lamine Yamal took the stage here and, he hoped, not for the last time. The 18-year-old, wearing glasses, sat in the press conference room at the Metropolitano where he said he would take inspiration from the basketball legend LeBron James and from Neymar on Wednesday night. He insisted that he welcomes the weight of expectation that has been loaded upon him from the beginning as he tries to lead Barcelona back from a 2-0 first-leg defeat against Atlético Madrid and into the semi-finals of the Champions League. When Barcelona were knocked out by Inter in last season’s semi-finals, Lamine Yamal promised that he would take them back. A year on, scorer of five goals and provider of four assists in Europe, described by Hansi Flick as “the best in the world one on one”, he is their great hope as they seek to return and try again, his appearance in front of the media a prelude to him leading on the pitch. “Ever since I was little I have had the fortune to have to take on more responsibility than I should,” the teenager said. “I am used to it. All I think about is enjoying it, not taking it as a problem but a virtue. I’m grateful for everything.”

The young Barça star made his stance clear at the press conference ahead of the decisive match at the Metropolitano. Leer

Far from feeling pressure to stage a comeback, Lamine Yamal has appeared quite confident in Barcelona ahead of the match against Atlético Madrid. The Spaniard star has even warned Diego Simeone about his strong form in one-on-one duels. Despite arriving as clear favorites, Barcelona suffered a surprising defeat against Atlético Madrid. As a result, the Blaugranas find themselves in a difficult position for the second leg of the Champions League quarterfinals, needing to overturn a two-goal deficit. Nevertheless, Lamine Yamal has shown strong confidence in a comeback, warning Atlético Madrid’s Diego Simeone about putting him in one-on-one duels. “Barça have been chasing the Champions League for many years, we’re eager to get through to the next round, and we are Barça—we’ll give it everything… I feel very good, really looking forward to tomorrow’s match. I’m motivated for it and hope I can make the difference. Let’s see if Cholo does me a favor and sets me up for a one-on-one with a defender—I hope so,” Lamine Yamal said in the latest press conference. Facing a two-goal deficit, Lamine Yamal knows they’ll need to mount a powerful offensive against Atlético Madrid. Far from being intimidated by this challenge, he has already made it clear that he’s looking forward to one-on-one situations to showcase his offensive prowess and shine. Incidentally, he implies that if los Colchoneros opt for an offensive approach, his team will have the advantage in one-on-one matchups with their players. Looking ahead to the second leg, the Blaugranas have decided not to rely solely on Lamine Yamal, revels the youngster in press conference. “There are some really talented players—world-class veterans who prove it year after year. I don’t think it’s just about me, and even if it were, I wouldn’t care.” While he is their most influential player, they are counting on veterans like Robert Lewandowski, Frenkie de Jong, and Dani Olmo to step up. Fermin Lopez and Lamine Yamal, of FC Barcelona. Hansi Flick may bench Marcus Rashford to restore midfield dominance Although Barcelona suffered a surprise defeat against Atlético Madrid, they managed to remain the dominant team on the field, though they showed serious problems in midfield. Meanwhile, Marcus Rashford and Lamine Yamal dominated down the wings, though they failed to convert their scoring opportunities. Given this, coach Hansi Flick might bench the Englishman, opting instead for a lineup he has used in previous games. At the latest press conference, Hansi Flick revealed key details of his game plan for the second leg against los Colchoneros. “Everyone on the team needs to be involved and connected, and defend as a unit. When we don’t have the ball, we need to close down spaces and stay compact—that’s how we want to play soccer.” With this in mind, Marcus Rashford starting spot might be in danger to Dani Olmo. Even though the Englishman had several runs and occasions in the first leg, he constantly lost the possession of the ball. For that reason, Atlético Madrid got the chance to dominate in the counterattack. To avoid this, the German coach may bet for Dani Olmo, coupled with Fermin Lopez to bolster midfield dominance, with numerical superiority. Moreover, they could help Pedri and Frenkie de Jong in the base.

Paulo Fonseca arrived in Lyon after a negative experience at AC Milan, one that was not entirely his fault, but rather the fault of a nonexistent club, one of the worst in AC Milan’s history, and of a number of players who had never been with him from the start. Despite having proven himself a… The post How Paulo Fonseca got his groove back at Lyon first appeared on Breaking The Lines.

Antoine Griezmann recently announced he will be ending his 10-season stay with Atlético Madrid and embarking on the next phase of his career in the MLS with Orlando City. He once again proved his worth to Diego Simeone's team this week by putting in a masterclass in their Champions League quarter-final win over Barcelona. And, having retired from the France team, how much will he missed during the World Cup? Subscribe to The Guardian Football Weekly ► https://www.youtube.com/@FootballWeeklyPodcast?sub_confirmation=1 Support the Guardian ► https://support.theguardian.com/ Guardian Football Weekly podcast: Apple ► https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/football-weekly/id188674007 Spotify ► https://open.spotify.com/show/6w8qWe0kjgHEHSWDSDGoLW?si=231c666f7f5a4453 Follow Guardian Football Weekly: Instagram ► https://www.instagram.com/guardian_footballweekly/ TikTok ► https://www.tiktok.com/@guardian_footballweekly #griezmann #france #atleticomadrid #simeone #football #laliga

Barcelona have filed a complaint with UEFA after being denied a penalty, which also could have led to defender Marc Pubill being sent off, in Wednesday's Champions League defeat to Atlético Madrid.

The Atlético Madrid and Argentina striker’s sensational freekick against Barcelona showed that the consummate team player is capable of more Sign up for Jonathan Wilson’s World Cup guide newsletter Julián Alvarez has his detractors, but even they can no longer deny he belongs at the game’s highest levels. Still only 26, the Argentinian striker has an impressive collection of honors: two Premier League titles, a Champions League, a Copa Libertadores, two Copa Américas, a pre-bloat Club World Cup. And oh yeah, the 2022 World Cup and 2023 Champions League, won within in a half-year span. He has been key for many of the teams that won those titles, yet is often cast as a supporting player rather than a star. Those Premier Leagues and the Champions League with Manchester City were more directly (and rightly) credited to Erling Haaland, Kevin De Bruyne, and Rodri. When Argentina snapped their international drought with a Copa, a World Cup, and another Copa for good measure, it was framed almost entirely in the context of Lionel Messi’s legacy.

Left-back who joined in 2017 is out of contract in summer Napoli, Juventus, Atlético and Spurs keen on Robertson Andy Robertson is to bring his illustrious Liverpool career to a close at the end of the season, the club have confirmed. The 32-year-old is out of contract this summer and will follow another renowned player of the Jürgen Klopp era, Mohamed Salah, in leaving Anfield on a free transfer. Napoli, Juventus, Atlético Madrid and Tottenham are all keen on signing the Scotland captain, who rejected a move to Atlético last summer.

Despite being defeated by Atlético Madrid, Barcelona remain hopeful of overturning the result. In fact, Lamine Yamal has sent a message of encouragement to the Culers, issuing a strong warning to the Colchoneros. Even though Barcelona arrived as clear favorites, Atlético Madrid managed to defeat them 2–0 in the first leg of the Champions League quarterfinals. Hansi Flick’s team failed to convert the numerous chances they created, leaving Marcus Rashford exposed. Nevertheless, Lamine Yamal has sent a positive message to the Culers, while also issuing a clear warning to the Colchoneros ahead the second leg. After the defeat against the Colchoneros, Lamine Yamal sent a message of encouragement to Barcelona, issuing a warning for the second leg. “This isn’t over, Culers. We’ll give everything in the return match. All united, always,” he posted, via Instagram. With this, the Spaniard prepares himself for an anticipated comeback of a two-goal difference at Riyadh Air Metropolitano in the Champions League. Despite not scoring against Atlético Madrid, Lamine dominated on the pitch, being Barcelona’s most decisive player. He not only shone in dribbling but also constantly created space for his teammates. Nevertheless, Marcus Rashford and Dani Olmo were unable to convert all the opportunities generated by the 18-year-old star, cutting off any offensive possibilities. With Pau Cubarsí’s sending off, the Blaugrana lost full control of the game, conceding a free-kick goal from Julián Álvarez. Despite this, they dominated offensively, having more shots on goal and being the brighter team. For this reason, Hansi Flick’s Barcelona could be aiming for a comeback, relying on greater accuracy in front of goal, which could see the Dani Olmo–Fermín López duo deployed again. Lamine Yamal of FC Barcelona is tackled by Julian Alvarez of Atletico Madrid. Lamine Yamal may need to take a scoring role in Barcelona’s offense Throughout the season, Lamine Yamal has proven to be the key axis of Barcelona’s offense. He is not only decisive in dribbling but also opens up space for his teammates. Nevertheless, the Blaugrana are not at their best in scoring, suffering from dips in form from their forwards, as neither Robert Lewandowski nor Ferran Torres are shining. For this reason, the 18-year-old star will need to take on a more goal-oriented role. Needing to overturn a two-goal deficit, the Blaugrana require scoring power more than ever. For this reason, Fermín López and Dani Olmo could take center stage creatively, while Lamine will need to excel in front of goal. As the team’s top scorer, the 18-year-old star has already shown his scoring ability, so he will need to step up at the forefront on this occasion. Frenkie de Jong’s comeback may prove differential for Barcelona Ahead of the first leg in the Champions League quarterfinals, Hansi Flick had to cope with the difficult absence of Frenkie de Jong in midfield. While Eric García emerged as a decent solution, he was unable to shine offensively, limiting the team’s progression. The Dutchman is set to get playing time against Espanyol, creating significant opportunities to start in the second leg against Atlético Madrid. If Frenkie manages to start in the second leg, the Blaugrana would gain consistency in midfield, as well as an ideal partner for playmaking. This would allow Lamine Yamal and Rashford to receive the ball further up the pitch, creating more opportunities to score and push for a comeback. Nevertheless, Fermín López might need to step up, shining once again offensively, breaking Atlético Madrid’s defense.

English forward has been the perfect loan signing. And yet, there is an ‘and yet’, absurd though that can seem At the end of Barcelona’s 2-1 win at Atlético Madrid on Saturday night, as the players stood celebrating before the small pocket of supporters applauding them from high in the north-west corner of the Metropolitano, Diego Simeone approached Hansi Flick, shook his hand and reminded him of something: “You’ve got to come back.” It came as an invitation, born of admiration, and also a warning. This was only the start of a trilogy in which they face each other three times in 10 days, and the concluding chapter there would be different. A different competition, for a start. Goals from Marcus Rashford and Robert Lewandowski, the latter on 89 minutes, had virtually secured Barcelona the league title but it was going to get bigger and mean more. Atlético, already adrift, had rested players; the last time Barcelona had been there – in the Copa del Rey semi-final first leg – they had beaten them 4-0; and the next time the Catalan club came it would be the Champions League quarter-final, second leg. And, back in the Metropolitano, that really would be a battle: tougher than this and, it turns out, tougher than anyone had imagined.

The young Barça star shared a brief but powerful message on social media ahead of the Champions League quarterfinal second leg against Atlético Madrid. Leer

An energetic display capped off by a piece of world-class magic; Wednesday's performance is exactly why Barça rate Julián Álvarez so highly, and the reason Atleti won't give up their talisman cheaply.

Julián Álvarez makes history with a record-breaking goal as Atlético Madrid take control vs Barcelona. Leer

Diego Simeone called his Atlético Madrid team "extremely clinical" after a 2-0 Champions League quarterfinal first leg win at Barcelona, which was the club's first victory at Camp Nou in 20 years.

Hansi Flick raged that Barcelona should have been given a penalty and Marc Pubill sent off after his team crashed to a 2-0 defeat to Atlético Madrid at Spotify Camp Nou in the Champions League on Wednesday.

Both Atlético Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain get 2-0 first-leg wins on a day of quarterfinals action in the UEFA Champions League.

Julián Álvarez and Alexander Sørloth struck as Atlético Madrid upset 10-man Barcelona to win the first leg of their Champions League quarterfinal 2-0.

When the final whistle went, the man in black disappeared out of sight and set off running up the tunnel. For the first time since he took over at Atlético Madrid 15 long, transformative years ago, Diego Simeone had just led his team to a victory at the Camp Nou, reviving the dream of taking them back to a European Cup final a decade later. In 2014 and 2016 Atlético knocked out Barcelona en route to Lisbon and Milan and while there is much to be done at the Metropolitano in six days’ time, they have put themselves in a superb position to repeat that in 2026, maybe even to finally lift the trophy that resists them.

Following a brilliant performance against Newcastle United, Barcelona face Atlético Madrid in the Champions League quarterfinals. However, coach Hansi Flick is dealing with significant absences, as Frenkie de Jong and Marc Bernal remain sidelined, forcing changes to the starting lineup. Throughout the 2025–26 season, Barcelona have managed to remain competitive, emerging as candidates to win the Champions League. For today’s match, Hansi Flick faces a difficult challenge, as he goes up against Atlético Madrid in the quarterfinals. However, they will do so without Marc Bernal and Frenkie de Jong, losing their two starting midfielders. With this in mind, they will be forced to make major changes to their starting lineup. After suffering an injury at the end of February, Frenkie de Jong has remained absent over Barcelona’s last eight matches. Although it seemed he would arrive in time, the Dutchman was unable to receive medical clearance, leaving him out of the first leg against Los Colchoneros. Nevertheless, he could get minutes against Espanyol, arriving in time for the second leg of the quarterfinals. While Marc Bernal was the ideal replacement for the Dutchman, he will also be out for the match against Atlético Madrid. In the previous game, he had to come off just minutes after entering the field, being diagnosed with an ankle sprain that will sideline him for 10 days. Although his recovery period is short, this rules him out of both legs of the Champions League. With this, they lose both of their starting midfielders. In the absence of Frenkie and Bernal, coach Hansi Flick could opt for Eric Garcia as a defensive midfielder. After regaining Jules Koundé, he could leave his position as a full-back and cover the absence of both stars. In addition, Marc Casadó could also play a key role off the bench, offering a more defensive and controlled profile. Nonetheless, the Blaugranas may still struggle to hold the control of the game. Marcus Rashford of FC Barcelona is challenged by Nahuel Molina of Atletico de Madrid. Frenkie and Bernal’s absence could boost Dani Olmo starting role Hansi Flick has managed to establish dominance in midfield, relying on Frenkie de Jong or Marc Bernal. With them on the field, Barcelona have been able to gain a privileged control of the ball due to their great vision of play, while maintaining defensive solidity. Therefore, the absence of both midfielders would justify the presence of Dani Olmo as a forward/false 9, as it would balance the build-up and the fluidity of play for the Blaugranas. Although Eric Garcia or Marc Casadó have delivered solid performances, they do not offer the same offensive contribution for Barcelona. With this, coach Hansi Flick could rely on the pairing of Dani Olmo and Fermín López as key pieces, looking to provide constant support to the midfield. Additionally, this could open spaces for Marcus Rashford and Lamine Yamal to play on the wings, posing a constant threat to Atlético Madrid. Along with this, the presence of Dani Olmo has already proven to be decisive in opening spaces against Los Colchoneros. Moving constantly and supporting Fermin Lopez, he manages to attract opposing defenders, opening spaces behind them. Moreover, he manages to generate numerical superiority in all offensive actions, allowing them to sustain possession longer and have more attacking opportunities.