Former Ghana coach Milovan Rajevac is still haunted by the Luis Suarez handball that denied the Black Stars a spot in the World Cup semi final in 2010.
It may be almost eight years since the Uruguay forward’s infamous intervention in a memorable quarter-final clash in Johannesburg, but Rajevac has concedes that he still reflects on what might have been.
“Believe me, this end of the game and this elimination, I cannot get them out of my head,” he told Goal. “These are the kind of matches we only…
Ernesto Valverde reflects on the progression of record signings Ousmane Dembele and Philippe Coutinho after Barca’s 6-1 thrashing of Girona.
A hat-trick from Suarez, brace from Messi, and Coutinhos wonder-strike helped Barcelona cruise past an intimidated Girona, who failed miserably in their first ever outing to the Camp Nou. Watch all the goals from the Catalan derby here.
Watch the full match highlights as Luis Suarezs hat-trick, Messis brace, and Coutinhos first goal in the Spanish colours completed Barcelonas 6-1 riot against a much-weaker Girona side in the Catalan Derby.
BARCELONA — Ernesto Valverde wouldn’t say if he will rest Lionel Messi or Luis Suarez against Las Palmas on Thursday but he insisted his team selection will not be influenced by Sunday’s potential title-decider against Atletico Madrid.
Barcelona are seven points clear of second-place Atletico and could strike a definitive blow with a win at Camp Nou when the two teams meet this weekend.
“It’s a possibility, but we will see,” Valverde said at a Wednesday news conference when asked if the two players…
The FC crew praise Cristiano Ronaldo for his leadership, particularly with Karim Benzema, as Real Madrid’s captain in their win over Alaves.
Something extremely special and exciting is happening in Spanish football, and the weekend added copious proof of this phenomenon.
Because so much attention is lavished on the perpetual duel between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi to demonstrate who wears the crown in La Liga, indeed in Europe, the fact that we’re living in a golden era for strikers in Spain drifts under the radar.
We are only just reaching March, yet a combination of four of Spain’s attack forces have hit the net 159…
Big wins for Real Madrid and Barcelona, a trophy for Pep, a big loss for PSG and more feature in this week’s In Case You Missed It.
ESPN FC’s global editorial desks nominate their top weekend performers. Luis Suarez’s incredible performance for Barcelona is enough to top this week’s list.
1. Luis Suarez | Barcelona
Why he’s here: In Barca’s 6-1 win over Girona on Saturday, Suarez was directly responsible for five of them, registering a hat trick and a pair of assists.
2. Antoine Griezmann | Atletico Madrid
Why he’s here: Just outshone by Suarez, Griezmann netted a hat trick of his own and added an assist in Atletico’s 5-2…
Girona took the lead inside three minutes at Camp Nou, but Barcelona responded quickly and often, putting six goals past the European hopefuls.
Girona’s early lead at Camp Nou was short lived as Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez orchestrated a masterful Barcelona win to continue their march toward the La Liga crown.
Girona’s early lead at Camp Nou was short lived as Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez orchestrated a masterful Barcelona win to continue their march toward the La Liga crown.
Barcelona recovered from the shock of going 1-0 down to Girona on Saturday to hammer their Catalan neighbors 6-1, with Lionel Messi producing a mesmerising first-half performance.
Messi scored two, including a free kick which he put under the wall, and was involved in two Luis Suarez goals as Barca ended the first 45 minutes with a 4-1 lead.
Philippe Coutinho added the fifth from long range after the break before Suarez completed his hat trick late on, set up by Ousmane Dembele.
Positives
For…
With no goals or assists in his first four games, ESPN FC’s Sid Lowe explains why Barcelona shouldn’t worry about Philippe Coutinho just yet.
Ernesto Valverde credits substitute Philippe Coutinho for propelling Barcelona to their Copa del Rey semi-final win over Valencia.
Luis Suarez admires the responsibility a young Philippe Coutinho took on at Liverpool after Steven Gerrard left Anfield for the LA Galaxy.
Suarez, along with Lucas Leiva and Sebastian Coates, was part of the group Coutinho socialised with when he first moved to England from Italy in 2013, but Suarez then signed for Barcelona in 2014.
“When the opportunity came up for me to come to Barcelona, I told Gerrard to look after [Coutinho] when I left,” Suarez told the Catalan club’s magazine. “But then…
With no goals or assists in four games, ESPN FC’s Sid Lowe explains why Barcelona shouldn’t worry about Philippe Coutinho.
With no goals or assists in four games, ESPN FC’s Sid Lowe explains why Barcelona shouldn’t worry about Philippe Coutinho.
Luis Suarez is revelling in his “spectacular” form after admitting that he struggled psychologically earlier in the season due to a niggling knee injury.
The Barcelona striker injured a knee in the Super Cup defeat to Real Madrid in August and was initially ruled out for a month, but he came back more than two weeks earlier than planned in an attempt to aid Uruguay’s World Cup qualification bid.
However, that early comeback had repercussions as he struggled to find the net for Barca before finally…
After booking their return to the Copa del Rey final, the ESPN FC crew reflect on Barcelona’s evolution since their Spanish Super Cup loss against Real Madrid.
A first Barcelona goal for Philippe Coutinho helped his side set up a Copa del Rey final against Sevilla thanks to a 2-0 win against Valencia.
Barca had a 1-0 lead going into Thursday’s semifinal second leg and Coutinho’s goal just after coming on as a substitute at half-time left the home side needing three goals to progress. That always looked unlikely and any slim hopes Valencia had of turning things around were ended when Ivan Rakitic added a second goal for the Catalans late on.
Positives
It’s…
Gerard Pique reflects on his journey at Barcelona, the club’s second treble and more in an extensive interview following his contract extension.
Barcelona have a narrow lead going into next week’s Copa del Rey semifinal second leg after they beat Valencia 1-0 at Camp Nou on Thursday.
Luis Suarez scored the only goal of the game in the second half, heading home Lionel Messi’s cross at the far post.
Positives
Ernesto Valverde spoke of the need to keep a clean sheet in his pregame news conference and the fact that Valencia failed to register an away goal will have pleased him. It means that if Barca can score at the Mestalla next Thursday,…
Lionel Messi was dominant once again in a 2-0 Copa del Rey win over Espanyol.
Barcelona reached the Copa del Rey semifinals for the eighth consecutive year with a comprehensive win over city rivals Espanyol in a party atmosphere at Camp Nou.
W…