Robert Lewandowski scored an 85th-minute winner from the spot as Barcelona snatched a 2-1 LaLiga victory at 10-man Osasuna on Sunday.
The Spanish champions were outplayed for large spells of the game at El Sadar but Jules Kounde put them ahead in first-half injury time.
Chimy Avila looked to have rescued a deserved point for the hosts after 76 minutes but Alejandro Catena was sent off for pulling back Lewandowski in the box and the Pole scored the resulting penalty.
A victory with a great collective performance from our Parisians tonight! I 1-4
— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_English)
Elsewhere, Portu scored in the 88th minute to hand Girona a 1-0 win over Las Palmas that leaves them second, two points behind Real Madrid, while Mallorca and Athle…
Former Germany head coach Berti Vogts hopes a new healthy culture of debate can help the national team return to its former glory.
Germany crashed out of the World Cup at the group stage, which led to team director Oliver Bierhoff leaving his role.
There was speculation boss Hansi Flick would follow him, but the former Bayern Munich coach has confirmed he will be staying on board.
Vogts, who led Germany between 1990 and 1998, believes the German Football Association (DFB) has paid the price for fostering a harmonious atmosphere and wants Matthias Sammer appointed to ruffle some feathers.
2 – Germany have failed to get past the group stage at each of the last two World Cups, after they had made it past the first round in each of the previous 16 tourname…
Real Madrid defender Raul Albiol has joined Napoli, the Spanish club have confirmed.
The 27-year-old moved to the Santiago Bernabeu from Valencia in 2009 and signed a four-year deal with the Serie A outfit on Sunday.
Real Madrid C. F. announces that Raul Albiol has been transferred to Napoli F.C, a club statement read.
He becomes the second player to move between the two clubs this close-season after Jose Callejon also made the switch to Rafel Benitez s side earlier this month.
Albiol moved to Real for €15million from the Mestalla Stadium and made 123 appearances in all competitions during his time at the club.
…
Paris Saint-Germain coach Laurent Blanc has praised Edinson Cavani after his double in the 2-1 Coupe de la Ligue success over Saint-Etienne.
Cavani, signed from Serie A side Napoli back in July, scored the winner on Wednesday in the closing stages of extra-time after the holders had earlier levelled as former PSG striker Mevlut Erding cancelled out the Uruguayan s 24th-minute opener.
The brace made it 18 goals for the 26-year-old forward since his move to the Parc des Princes and Blanc was quick to single out Cavani for a fine performance.
Cavani played a great game, Blanc said.
He had everything in his game. He fought as always.
Technically, I think he played a very, very good match, And, like any striker, it has to be finished by goals, and then he scores…
Robert Lewandowski is eager to put Atletico Madrid s formidable defensive record to the test when Bayern Munich visit in the Champions League semi-final first leg.
Diego Simeone s side defeated holders Barcelona 3-2 on aggregate to reach the last four after a disciplined 2-0 win at the Vicente Calderon in the second leg, with Barca failing to score in a Champions League game for the first time since a 1-0 loss to Atleti in April 2014.
Atletico have kept a clean sheet in 13 of their last 15 home Champions League games, while goalkeeper Jan Oblak recently surpassed Thibaut Courtois club record of league shut-outs in a single campaign, with the Slovenian now on 23.
Lewandowski has been in fearsome form for Bayern this season and has eight Champions League goals so f…
Manchester United are favourites with the bookmakers to secure the services of Cristiano Ronaldo in January, .
The Premier League champions were linked with a move for their former player during the summer, though no official approach was made.
The former World Player of the Year is yet to sign a new deal with Real Madrid, where he has scored 202 goals in as many games since signing from United in 2009.
However, manager Carlo Ancelotti is confident that the Portugal international will put pen to paper on a new contract, despite rumours that the player is unhappy following former teammate Mezut Ozil’s transfer to Arsenal.
The Germany midfielder was sold in order for the club to recoup some of the money spent on Gareth Bale, who earlier this…
that Everton are set to offer Romelu Lukaku a bumper new deal as they look to retain his services.
Chelsea and Juventus have both been linked with a move for the Belgium international, though the Toffees will not let him leave without a fight.
The Merseyside outfit are readying fresh terms worth over £100,000, with a fee of £65m on the striker’s head if a deal cannot be agreed.
The Belgium international moved to Goodison Park, initially on loan in the summer 2013 and has so far racked up one hundred and twenty-seven appearances in all competitions, scoring sixty-one goals.
Prior to his move to Everton, he had a season with West Bromwich Albion while he played just fifteen times for Chelsea the side he signed for when he first came to England i…
Bayern Munich winger Arjen Robben has played down speculation linking him with a move to Paris Saint-Germain.
Reports in the French media indicate that the Ligue 1 champions are considering an approach for the 29-year-old, whose contract with Bayern does not expire until June 2015.
But, while the Netherlands international admits he is honoured by the rumours, Robben insists he is only concentrating on Bayern.
It s always an honour when a big team shows an interest in signing you, he told Bild.
But everybody knows that I am feeling very well at Bayern at the moment.
I don t know anything about the rumour and I only want to think about playing football.
Robben joined Bayern from Real Madrid in 2009 and has been key to the Bavarians recent success, scor…
Middlesbrough have completed the signing of former Barcelona and Manchester United goalkeeper Victor Valdes.
The newly promoted Premier League club have confirmed that the 34-year-old has signed a two-year deal at the Riverside.
Valdes arrives at Middlesbrough as a free agent after his contract with United expired. He fell out with former manager Louis van Gaal at Old Trafford and ended up spending a spell on loan at Belgian club Standard Liege towards the end of last season.
Boro head coach Aitor Karanka told the club s website: You can t imagine how delighted I am because it s not usual to bring players like him to recently promoted teams.
I m really pleased because he is really committed. All the conversations we ve had he knows why he is here an…
Can Spain repeat their heroics of four years ago and become the first European country to win a World Cup on South American soil?
Since the first World Cup was held back in 1930 in Uruguay, there have been three more World Cup finals held in South America.
In those three tournaments, every time a team from the home continent claimed the trophy.
A team from Europe have only ever won the competition once in its history outside of their home continent, which was Spain claiming victory in South Africa last time out.
Difficult
It has been difficult for the European teams to adapt to their surroundings on other continents, as their records at World Cup finals tournaments prove.
South American countries have won the tournament in Europe, Asia an…