Now that the summer transfer window is finally shut, ESPN FC’s Shaka Hislop gives his picks for the best five.
The demands at Barcelona mean that winning La Liga isn’t always enough to satisfy everyone. Last season, Ernesto Valverde’s side won the Spanish title by 11 points but it was a second successive Champions League humiliation for which their campaign is remembered.
A 4-0 second-leg defeat to Liverpool last season ended the club’s Treble dream and in the end, they didn’t even win the double. Rocked by events at Anfield, they were unable to lift themselves for the Copa del Rey final and suffered a…
Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong says he would rather old teammate Donny van de Beek didn’t join Real Madrid – as he doesn’t want to face him as an opponent.
Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong says he would rather old teammate Donny van de Beek didn’t join Real Madrid – as he doesn’t want to face him as an opponent.
Steve Nicol and Shaka Hislop praise Frenkie de Jong’s game, particularly his composure on the ball in the Netherlands’ win over England.
ESPN FC’s Shaka Hislop explains what it will take for new signing Frenkie de Jong to adjust to life at Barcelona.
Alejandro Moreno delves into the benefits a departure would have for Philippe Coutinho’s confidence and Barcelona’s bottom line. ANN ARBOR — Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong has no doubt Donny van de Beek is good enough to improve Real Madrid but joked he would prefer his ex-teammate to stay at Ajax.
Van de Beek, 22, has confirmed Madrid are in talks with Ajax as they look to bolster their midfield before the transfer window closes.
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De Jong played alongside Van de Beek last season as the Dutch club won a domestic…
De Ligt, De Jong and Depay are the building blocks for a new, elite Dutch team. Next stop: Euro 2020
In 1977, Johan Cruijff’s Dutch team came to Wembley and England fielded five players whose natural position was center-back. Oranje fooled them by playing without a center-forward: Cruijff dropped into midfield and set up both goals in a 0-2 victory. Times change, but England doesn’t, at least not very much. Early in Thursday’s Nations League semifinal, Memphis Depay retreated from center-forward to midfield. He and his teammates found space between the rigid lines of England’s defense and midfield,…
Stewart Robson shares his thoughts on the best young players under 21 years of age, identifying the ones he believes will become superstars.
De Jong, left, has become too big for Ajax already but the step-up in pressure and attention could prove testing in Barcelona.
Frenkie de Jong receives a back-pass standing still in the Ajax half. Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior and Luka Modric charge at him but the Dutch playmaker, who seems to have all the time in the world, turns full circle and then accelerates away, leaving Modric chasing helplessly behind him. Vinicius, who has missed him by meters, falls over. The scene is a thing of beauty, like Charlie Chaplin escaping a posse of cops. Ajax won 4-1 in the Bernabeu on March 5.
There are supposedly no secrets in…
It’s 2019. Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are the dominant forces in soccer, winning nearly every individual award and leading their clubs to title after title. Yet both are in the twilights of their careers, at 31 and 34 years old respectively, and previous heirs to the throne such as Neymar and Gareth Bale haven’t come close to filling their boots.
It’s the same story for a slew of defensive talent, as Vincent Kompany, Sergio Ramos, Gianluigi Buffon and Giorgio Chiellini are approaching…
Messi delivered magic for Barcelona but Liverpool had no plan for Alba; Ajax present beats Ajax past
Barcelona take a commanding 3-0 lead into the second leg of their Champions League semi-final against Liverpool after a dominant performance at home.
Donny van der Beek scored the lone goal as Ajax topped Spurs 1-0 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final.
The ESPN FC panel don’t have a bad word to say about Liverpool’s performance but are in awe of the way Lionel Messi almost single-handedly beat them back.
Steve Nicol, Craig Burley and Alejandro Moreno talk Coutinho’s struggles at Barcelona as the former Liverpool man was subjected to jeers by his own fans on Wednesday.
Gab Marcotti was more impressed with Ajax’s maturity and ability to manage a 1-0 result away from home than with their attacking prowess.
The FC’s crew agree that an off-the-pace midfield was a bigger worry for Tottenham than missing key players in their loss to Ajax.
The Exploding Heads introduce UEFA’s newest product, Vlarsses, clear and obvious greatness at the low cost of your enjoyment.
The week’s two Champions League semifinal first legs were very different matches, but both offered plenty of tactical intrigue. Here’s a key tactical talking point from each.
Barcelona 3-0 Liverpool: Left-backs make inroads
On one hand, this home win was all about Lionel Messi. But in a tactical sense, Liverpool managed to deny him space effectively: He found himself in the right position for a fortunate rebound in front of an open goal, and then curled in yet another majestic free kick.
On…
Ross Dyer and Craig Burley make their picks for this week’s Champions League second legs, highlighted by Dortmund-Spurs and PSG-Man United.
Following Real Madrid’s second El Clasico defeat in four days, the ESPN FC crew delve deeper into the behind the scenes issues at the Spanish giants Dutch midfielder Frenkie de Jong has told Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf that his future club Barcelona urged him and his Ajax teammates to knock Real Madrid out of the Champions League.
De Jong joins Barcelona — who have beaten Madrid in both the Copa del Rey and La Liga over the last week — next season after a deal was completed in January.
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The Netherlands international, whose Ajax team travel to Madrid on Tuesday looking to overcome a 2-1 deficit, said Barca had urged him to help inflict…
Former Barcelona star Patrick Kluivert says Frenkie de Jong will prove to be a big hit with his new club Barcelona.