Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu said the LaLiga champions are planning to offer superstar Lionel Messi a new contract.
Messi re-signed with Barca in 2017 – an extension that runs through to 2021 – and the five-time Ballon d Or winner has not slowed down this season.
The 31-year-old, who made his competitive debut for Barca in October 2004 at the tender age of 17, has scored a LaLiga-high 32 goals in 2018-19 and 42 in all competitions.
Bartomeu wants to renew Messi s contract at Camp Nou, where he is Barca s all-time leading goalscorer.
Leo
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona)
We want him to have a really long career so we can keep on enjoying him, Bartomeu told ESPN. Lionel s managed to break down borders. Everyone ad…
Mikel Arteta has revealed he was not always confident Arsenal captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang would commit his future to the club.
Aubameyang, who scored in the Gunners opening Premier League win at Fulham, signed a new three-year deal at Emirates Stadium this week.
A successful resolution to negotiations had been hinted at since the end of last season, with Arteta positive when discussing a possible renewal, even with Aubameyang s initial contract up at the end of the campaign.
But the Arsenal manager says such optimism was not always there, having identified that the club s tight finances might prove an issue.
At the start, when I joined, I wasn t as positive as I was a few weeks ago, said Arteta, who was appointed in December.
Obviously, fi…
Germany were left to work for their World Cup last-16 place as Switzerland and Norway qualified at the conclusion of Group A.
Here, the PA news agency looks at the state of play after Sunday’s results.
Group A
Securing their place in the Round of 16 in style.
— FIFA Women s World Cup (@FIFAWWC)
The first group concluded before the last had played its second round of matches and Switzerland’s goalless draw with New Zealand was enough to see them through, while Sophie Roman Haug’s hat-trick helped Norway rout the Philippines 6-0 to eliminate the co-hosts.
Group B
Defeat to Nigeria left Australia in danger and they will need to beat Canada to avoid a host nation wipeout in the group stage – or draw and pray that the Republic of Ireland …
Karim Benzema scored twice as Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti enjoyed an emphatic 4-1 win on his return to LaLiga at Alaves.
Ancelotti left Everton to take charge of Los Blancos for the second time in June following Zinedine Zidane s departure and the Italian secured three points in his first competitive game back at the helm.
Benzema, captaining the side following Sergio Ramos departure, scored twice in the second half either side of a strike from Nacho at Estadio Mendizorroza on Saturday.
Joselu pulled a one back from the penalty spot before Vinicius Junior added a last-gasp fourth goal as Madrid, with Gareth Bale making his first LaLiga start since June 2020, issued an early statement of intent.
FT: 1-4
Joselu 65 , 48 , 62 , 56 , 90 +2…
Luka Modric is not interested in any other club but Real Madrid as he looks to see out his career with the European champions, where he is very happy.
Croatian midfielder Modric has become one of Madrid s most important players since arriving from Tottenham in 2012, helping the club to seven trophies, including two Champions League titles.
The 30-year-old – out of contract in 2018 – is loving life in the Spanish capital and has no intention of leaving.
I am not interested in anyone but Real. I am too happy in Real, Modric told Sportske Novosti.
Probably there are some others [clubs] asking about me but I told my people, that take care of my career, not even to tell me the info who eventually contacted them!
I don t want to know, I don t car…
Tottenham defender Toby Alderweireld is confident his team can finish in the Premier League s top four this season.
The Belgium international joined Mauricio Pochettino s side from Atletico Madrid in July, in a deal believed to be worth £11.5million.
The race for a top-four finish in the league is set to be hotly contested again, with Chelsea, Manchester City, Arsenal, Manchester United and Liverpool all battling Spurs.
Alderweireld, 26, believes Pochettino s men are capable of a top-four finish for the first time since 2011-12.
Well, we have to see. We have a young, talented group with a lot of potential, he said.
We want to finish in the top four so that is going to be difficult, it always is in the Premier League.
We are confident i…
Manchester City do not have the money to effectively compete for trophies on four fronts, according to manager Pep Guardiola.
Runaway Premier League leaders City travel to Cardiff City in the fourth round of the FA Cup on Sunday, where victory would ramp up talk of an improbable quadruple, given Guardiola s men are into the final of the EFL Cup and have landed a favourable Champions League last-16 tie against Basel.
City are reportedly on the verge of breaking their transfer record by meeting Aymeric Laporte s €65million (£57m) release clause at Athletic Bilbao and the centre-back s arrival would take Guardiola s spending on first-team players above £400m since his arrival at the Etihad Stadium in 2016.
Nevertheless, the 47-year-old believes the current trend…
Barcelona have been acknowledged as the European Club of the Year by the European Club Association (ECA) at a dinner in Geneva ahead of the organisation s General Assembly on Tuesday.
The award was presented by ECA president Karl-Heinz Rummenigge in recognition of the Camp Nou side s successes last season both domestically and internationally.
The Catalans beat Real Madrid to the Liga title, proved to be too strong for Juventus in the UEFA Champions League final, while they saw off Athletic Bilbao to lift the Copa del Rey.
It is the second time that Barcelona have received the award, previously taking home the trophy in 2011.
In claiming it again this year, Luis Enrique s men have become the first club to be recognised twice for their achievements.
…
The Europa League final being held in Baku is a nightmare for Arsenal and Chelsea fans, according to former Gunners boss Arsene Wenger.
Next week s showpiece between two of London s Premier League clubs will be hosted in eastern Europe, with Arsenal midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan not travelling due to safety concerns given the politician tensions between his native Armenia and Azerbaijan.
Many supporters are set to miss the trip too given the difficulties in travelling to Baku and the fact that each club has only been allocated 6,000 tickets at a stadium with a capacity of 68,700.
Arsenal have publicly criticised UEFA s decision to stage the final in Azerbaijan and Wenger expressed sympathy for both sets of supporters and Mkhitaryan.
It s a little bi…
Romelu Lukaku ended his wait for a Manchester United goal against a top Premier League side as the Red Devils came from behind to beat Chelsea 2-1 at Old Trafford on Sunday.
The Belgium international cancelled out Willian s opener and set up Jesse Lingard for a second-half winner as Jose Mourinho s side moved back above Liverpool to within 13 points of league leaders Manchester City.
United s 2-0 win in this fixture last season was their only victory over Chelsea across 14 matches in all competitions, and it seemed that poor record was set to continue when Willian blasted home his 12th goal of the season to cap a strong first half-hour from the visitors.
Lukaku levelled before the break with his first opportunity though, combining well with Alexis Sanchez and An…