WanderlustSport

Reports suggest that Real Madrid have once again focused on Arsenal defender Riccardo Calafiori in anticipation of the summer transfer window.  The Gunners invested £42m in Calafiori last summer when the Italy international joined from Serie A club Bologna, which is having another successful season in the Italian premier league.  Calafiori’s season hasn’t unfolded as he expected, as injuries have hindered his advancement in Mikel Arteta’s squad, with the 22-year-old making just 11 Premier League appearances this season.  The Arsenal defender has been performing well lately, although he sustained another injury while on international duty with Italy last week.  The Spanish site Fichajes claims that Real Madrid has ‘reactivated the option’ to acquire Arsenal defender Calafiori after previously contemplating his recruitment.  While the Spanish club ‘searches the market’ for defensive upgrades, ‘one of the names that is rising in popularity again’ is Calafiori, as t...

•  Lionel Messi devoted over twenty years to Barcelona.  • The 37-year-old continues to deliver remarkable statistics for Inter Miami.  • Barcelona setting the stage for a surprising Messi comeback in 2026.  Reports from Argentina suggest that Barcelona is preparing a stunning offer to bring back Lionel Messi for the 2026/27 season.  Messi emotionally bid farewell to Barcelona after over twenty years in Catalonia during the summer of 2021, signing with Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer when the Spanish club couldn't manage to fund a new contract for their greatest ever player.  The eight-time Ballon d'Or recipient has dedicated the last year and a half to Inter Miami in Major League Soccer (MLS), consistently breaking records and captivating fans during his initial venture into professional football beyond Europe.  Nevertheless, for the first time since his arrival in America, there are increasing rumors that Messi might go back to Barcelona, as r...

• Gavi indicated another star for the Catalan giants.  • Barcelona are competing for three significant titles this season.  • Raphinha is highly anticipated to claim the Ballon d'Or.  Barcelona's Gavi has praised fellow midfielder Pedri as the rightful recipient of the 2025 Ballon d'Or, instead of his highly-regarded teammate Raphinha.  The Brazilian striker has displayed record-breaking performance this season, accumulating a total of 44 goals and assists in all competitions. Hansi Flick acknowledged that Raphinha "has a chance" of winning the Ballon d'Or, while Brazil's coach Dorival Junior considered him a leading candidate.  Despite playing as an attacking midfielder in a 4-2-3-1 for much of this season, Pedri cannot match Raphinha's goal contributions, yet his unseen impact on the team goes well beyond mere statistics.  "Nobody is more deserving of the Ballon d'Or than Pedri; everyone recognizes the type of player he is," Gavi exclai...

Vinicius Junior has achieved the milestone of 300 appearances for Real Madrid. But how does his achievement with the Spanish giants compare to that of the legendary Cristiano Ronaldo at the same point?  The two legends of Real Madrid never featured on the pitch together. Los Blancos confirmed the acquisition of Vinicius from Flamengo for a historic £38million fee for an Under-18 player in 2017, yet he only reached The Bernabeu in the summer of 2018 – the same time Ronaldo departed for Juventus.  Vinicius first came as an unpolished gem, and it has taken time for him to evolve into one of the top players globally.  However, he has developed into one of the top stars of Carlo Ancelotti’s triumphant Madrid team. He was arguably their top performer last season as they achieved a historic La Liga and Champions League double, concluding his finest campaign thus far with a goal in the Champions League final win against Borussia Dortmund.  Following such an outstanding seaso...

Former players from Barcelona, Manchester City, and Arsenal rank among Andres Iniesta’s favorite footballers of all time.  At a recent event held in Qatar, the ex-Barca star was prompted to list his five all-time favorite players, and neither Lionel Messi nor Cristiano Ronaldo was included.  Rather, these were the five players that Iniesta selected as his top choices.  Michael Laudrup   Iniesta became part of the Barcelona academy in 1996, only two years after Laudrup departed from the club.  As a child raised in the nineties, it’s not surprising that a player such as Laudrup captured his imagination.  The Danish luminary was celebrated for his passing, vision, and technical abilities – qualities that Iniesta would later excel in mastering.  "Michael Laudrup has been my idol since I was a child," Iniesta mentioned in a different interview from last year.  “His skill and his elegant playing style, the manner in which he advanced as a midfielder.” "...

• Bellingham handed a two-game suspension for the red card shown during the Osasuna match.  • 21-year-old midfielder shown a red card for employing offensive and abusive language towards the referee.  • Real Madrid contended that the referee had misinterpreted Bellingham's actions. Real Madrid's efforts to reverse Jude Bellingham's two-game La Liga suspension have been turned down by the Appeals Committee of the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF).  The 21-year-old received a red card from referee Jose Luis Munuera Montero for employing foul, abusive, and insulting words, although Bellingham and Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti maintained that he had been misinterpreted.  Bellingham indeed cursed at the referee, that detail has been accepted, but Munuera Montero's assertion that the England midfielder uttered "f**k you" is disputed, with the purported remark claimed to be "f**k off" – a non-personal curse aimed at the frustration of calls favoring Madrid ...

• Real Madrid irritated by purported biased officiating by referees.  • Club is allegedly considering options to exit La Liga and Spanish football.  • League president Javier Tebas dismisses what he sees as hollow threats.  Laliga President Javier Tebas has charged Real Madrid with making hollow threats regarding uncertainties about their ongoing involvement in Spanish football.  Madrid have been angered by what they see as unfair treatment from La Liga referees in recent months. The club dispatched an irate letter to Spain’s football federation (RFEF) following a surprising 1-0 loss to Espanyol at the beginning of February.  Since then, there has been additional dissatisfaction with refereeing in later matches against Atletico Madrid and Osasuna. In the recent match, Jude Bellingham received a red card in the first half for reportedly using offensive language towards the referee and has been suspended for two matches. The midfielder asserts that his frustr...

• Jude Bellingham praises his Real Madrid teammate enthusiastically.  • Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior are not the athletes receiving acclaim.  • The third member of Madrid's attack is 'very underrated' according to the England midfielder.  Jude Bellingham has identified the player he considers to be Real Madrid's "most gifted," and it's not the star pairing of Vinicius Junior or Kylian Mbappe.  Despite facing a defensive injury crisis this season, Madrid's squad still brims with talent, predominantly focusing on Vinicius, Mbappe, and Bellingham, who has shown a knack for netting decisive goals in the final moments of matches.  There is, nonetheless, another member of Madrid's attack who shines consistently. During the post-match media responsibilities after the 3-1 victory against Manchester City in the second leg of their Champions League knockout round play-off, Bellingham recognized the impact of the "often underrated" Rodrygo.  ...

• Kylian Mbappe amazed Real Madrid while representing PSG in 2022.  • Casemiro encouraged the club to chase after the Frenchman following the final whistle.  • The agreement was finally reached in the summer of 2 024.  Casemiro disclosed the part he played in Kylian Mbappe's eventual move to Real Madrid, having been impressed by the French striker during a meeting over two years prior.  Mbappe has found his rhythm for Madrid since the beginning of the year, acknowledging that he experienced a "rock bottom" situation with a penalty miss in December. The 25-year-old has scored 25 goals in total competitions and seems likely to surpass Cristiano Ronaldo's debut number (33) from 2009/10.  While playing for Real Madrid, Casemiro confronted Mbappe several times in matches against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League. The initial encounter took place during a two-legged round of 16 match in 2018 while Mbappe was still in his teens. Next, in the spring of 2022, t...

• Bellingham was dismissed during Real Madrid's 1-1 tie with Osasuna in La Liga.  • Carlo Ancelotti claims there was a failure in communication between the player and the referee.  • 20-year-old poised for period on the bench but will be eligible to play against Man City.  Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti asserts that a failure in communication between Jude Bellingham and referee Jose Luis Munuera Montero resulted in the latter receiving a red card against Osasuna for using inappropriate language.  Madrid's winless run in La Liga reached three matches following a 1-1 draw in Pamplona, where Kylian Mbappe's 25th goal of the season provided the reigning champions an advantage in the first half.  However, despite holding the upper hand, Bellingham and his fellow players felt wronged by several decisions during the match, prompting the 20-year-old to express his annoyance as Osasuna got ready for a goal kick.  Referee Munuera Montero quickly issued Bellingham ...

• Fermin Lopez was associated with leaving Barcelona in January.  • Man Utd and Aston Villa were said to be prepared to pay €70m for the 21-year-old.  • Lopez has shared his opinion on those speculations.  Barcelona midfielder Fermin Lopez disclosed that he had no knowledge of other clubs' interest during the January transfer window, affirming that his goal has consistently been to stay in Catalonia.  Lopez has needed to battle for his position in Barcelona's main squad. As recently as 2023, the lively Spaniard was competing in the third division of his country's football structure while on loan with Linares.  Xavi Hernandez selected Lopez for Barcelona's pre-season roster that summer, where he made a strong impression to secure a competitive debut the previous season. He hasn't revisited the past since.  A peripheral member of the Spain squad that clinched Euro 2024, Lopez netted eight league goals last season and has already tallied five in total under Ha...

• Barcelona provided an opportunity to acquire Joao Felix on loan in January.  • During the 2023–2024 season, a Portuguese forward played for Barcelona. • In the end, the 25-year-old chose AC Milan over Chelsea. Barcelona is said to have declined the opportunity to acquire Joao Felix during the final phase of the January transfer window.  Felix was released by Chelsea only a few months after finalizing a £45m permanent move back to Stamford Bridge, after an earlier loan in 2023.  The Portugal international struggled to secure more than occasional minutes with Enzo Maresca and ultimately ended up joining AC Milan on loan to distance himself from the overcrowded Blues roster.  However, it wasn't only Milan that received a proposal. La publicación deportiva española SPORT informa que al Barcelona se le ofreció la opción, aparentemente la elección inicial de Felix tras pasar la última temporada cedido con los catalanes.  This prompted agent Jorge Mendes to reach out...

• Frenkie de Jong nearing final year of Barcelona contract • Al Ittihad has stated it is consistently observing possible targets.  • Laliga team aims to prevent players from nearing free agency.  Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong has been identified as a topic of "regular" discussions to keep an eye on the transfer market at Saudi Pro League team Al Ittihad.  De Jong's Barcelona tenure has struggled to regain momentum after he healed from a severe ankle injury that limited last season, excluded him from Euro 2024, and postponed his beginning to 2024/25.  The Dutchman has made just two starts in La Liga this season, though he has captained the team in both matches. His contract extends to 2026, and it is widely reported that Barcelona is threatening to banish any player who enters the final year of their terms without agreeing to a renewal.  De Jong, who joined from Ajax in 2019 and was seen as a valuable asset during Barcelona's toughest financial struggles, ...

• Nico Gonzalez left Porto to join Manchester City. • Forty percent of the £50 million transfer money will go to Barcelona. • The 23-year-old midfield player is expected to strengthen Pep Guardiola's team. Nico Gonzalez's £50 million move from Porto to Manchester City has concluded the Premier League winners' costly January transfer window. City had previously signed forward Omar Marmoush and the center-back trio of Abdukodir Khusanov, Vitor Reis, and Juma Bah for a total of £127m, before focusing on acquiring a midfielder.  Nico has agreed to a four-and-a-half year deal with City until 2029, with this transfer window playing a significant role in the team's long-term squad reconstruction after the harsh truth of a disappointing season thus far.  Nico is viewed as a 'six' or 'eight' whom City expect will strengthen their midfield and aid in mitigating the effects of missing Ballon d’Or champion Rodri.  The city initially aimed to acquire the ex-Barcelona...

In a recent interview with Spanish media, CR7 reminisced on his amazing career. Ronaldo has a special place in his heart for one former employer. Forward experienced fruitful periods with Manchester United, Real Madrid, and Juventus.  Cristiano Ronaldo has acknowledged that his playing days with Real Madrid were the happiest period of his career. The Portugal international, who will turn 40 on Wednesday, is currently experiencing a prolific period with Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr but boasts successful tenures with Sporting CP, Manchester United, Madrid, and Juventus on his remarkable resume.  When reflecting on his time with Madrid in an appearance on Los Amigos de Edu, Ronaldo admitted that the Spanish club gave him his most cherished memories in football.  "Spain is where I belong; it's where my children were raised," he started. "That’s where I found my greatest joy in football; Madrid will forever hold a place in my heart."  "I accomplished some truly g...

Amid worries over delays in Camp Nou's development, Barcelona has asked for an extension of their usage of the Lluis Companys Olympic Stadium.   There have been major delays in the renovation of Barcelona's iconic mansion. It was recently disclosed that additional setbacks made it doubtful that they would be able to return until late March at the latest, after plans to return by the end of 2024 were postponed until February 2025.  Barcelona's predicament stems from UEFA regulations that require teams to host all of their home games during the Champions League knockout stages at the same stadium. Although Camp Nou is not likely to be completed for the round of 16 to begin in early March, Barcelona had not anticipated being there for this long, thus their temporary home was also reserved for Champions League dates later in the season. Nonetheless, those alternative plans have now failed, and Barcelona has officially asked to utilize the Lluis Companys Olympic Stadium until th...

Following the conclusion of the first "league phase" this week, Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti has taken aim at the new Champions League format for this season. With a single league table instead of a group stage and eight pre-knockout games instead of six, UEFA has completely redesigned its premier club competition this season. When questioned by media on Wednesday night about his thoughts on the new league phase format, Ancelotti said, "Too many matches. " While denying that Madrid in particular has suffered disproportionately from the increasing demand, Ancelotti reaffirmed the long-held belief that elite football requires fewer games. "There have been countless, yet for everyone," he stated. "At this point in football, we need to eliminate matches rather than increase them." "That’s how I see it."  It increases the number of matches on the schedule. Madrid will need to play four more games this season than they did in 2023–2024 i...

The midfielder for Barcelona, Pedri, has formally committed to a new five-and-a-half-year deal with the Catalan powerhouse. In September 2019, the Spanish schemer left his childhood team, Las Palmas, to join Barcelona. Pedri has been a Blaugrana supporter since infancy, even though he was raised in Tenerife, which is more than 1,500 miles from Camp Nou. The midfielder's grandfather established the Pena Barcelonista de Tenerife-Tegueste, among the earliest official Barcelona fan clubs in the Canary Islands, and his father would often play videos of the iconic Danish midfielder Michael Laudrup (prior to his time at Real Madrid, naturally).  There has been little uncertainty that Pedri would be lured away from Catalonia, and the club has now officially confirmed his new contract until 30 June 2030. As Barcelona deals with the long list of players whose contracts are about to expire over the next 18 months, Pedri's statement follows Ronald Araujo's confirmation one week earlier...

In a strange turn of events, the El Clasico between Barcelona and Real Madrid might wind up taking place at Wembley Stadium in the latter part of the season. As Barcelona wraps up a second season at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys, the La Liga match is set for May 11 and is their penultimate home game.  Due to renovations at Camp Nou, the stadium that hosted the 1992 Olympics and was once home to local rivals Espanyol has being used as a temporary base since 2023. However, the Camp Nou project has already gone beyond its initial schedule, which called for Barcelona to return to the property by the end of 2024 and for all construction to be finished by June 2026. Given that the Olympic venue will host the first two games in 2025, that clearly hasn't happened. The problem now arises. Camp Nou is probably remain unavailable by April, when Barcelona's lease on the Montjuic stadium expires. However, there are already scheduled events at the Lluis Companys after that period, such a...

The team that Barcelona coach Hansi Flick believes has a good chance of winning the Champions League this year is not his own. Matchday seven of the league phase of Europe's top club competition has begun this week, and with just one round of games remaining, teams are vying for spots to finish as high as possible. After losing to Monaco in their first game, Barcelona bounced back to win five straight games against Young Boys, Bayern Munich, Red Star Belgrade, Brest, and Borussia Dortmund to move up to second place behind leaders Liverpool.  The Premier League team has won six straight games, making them the only team with a perfect record, and Flick acknowledged that Arne Slot's team is the team to beat. Barca take on Benfica in Lisbon on Tuesday evening, with coach Bruno Lage identifying the Catalans as the top contenders to win the trophy in May. Flick rejected that forecast, noting the challenge of accomplishing it entirely and mentioning Liverpool instead.  "In the fu...