La Liga

THE NOU CAMP looks unrecognisable as work on its £1BILLION renovation project continues.Barcelona’s home ground has been one of football’s most iconic stadium for more than 60 years.
The Nou Camp looks unrecognisable as work continues on the groundCredit: Rex
The renovations are set to cost around £1billionCredit: Rex
It is hard to believe it is the same iconic venueCredit: Rex
Barcelona are not set to move back into the stadium until the 2025/26 seasonCredit: Rex
It is expected to hold around 105,000 peopleCredit: Rex
The stadium is a legendary venue in the Spanish cityCredit: Rex
First built in 1957, it’s played host to numerous legendary matches in front of a bumper crowd of nearly 100,000 people.
But the project to modernise the facilities has left it utterly decimated.
The construction has seen the third tier of the stadium completely removed.
All the seats have been torn out as dozens of workers use cranes to work in the dusty surroundings.
READ MORE IN FOOTBALL
Barcelona have been forced to relocate for this season and are playing their home games at the Estadi Lluis Companys Stadium – which holds a maximum of just under 56,000 people.
Work began on the Nou Camp renovations in June last year and it is not expected to be completed until the start of the 2025/26 campaign.
However, there are concerns it may not be done in time after a setback with obtaining the necessary licence.
Barcelona’s plans will see the capacity of the ground expanded to an incredible 105,000 people.
Most read in Football
FREE BETS – BEST BETTING OFFERS & NEW CUSTOMER BONUSES
CGI mock-ups showed how the stadium will eventually look with a roof being added and a modernised vibe given to the ageing arena.
Previously the upper tier of the Camp Nou only sat on 50 per cent of the stadium, but the new works will see the new stand curve all the way around the ground.
Designs released by the club also showed the roof will be plastered with the name of their stadium sponsor, Spotify.
Cash-strapped football giants selling tufts of iconic stadium’s GRASS for £340 as fans say ‘how the mighty have fallen’
But manager Xavi will not lead Barcelona out at the newly-renovated Nou Camp.
The iconic midfielder confirmed last month that he will leave the club at the end of the season.
Barcelona are eight points adrift of Real Madrid at the top of the LaLiga table and out of the Copa del Rey.
The will face Napoli in the last 16 of the Champions League, but Xavi has already insisted he will depart in the summer.
He said: “I will leave Barcelona in June.
“We have reached a point of no return. It’s time for change.
“As a Cule, I think that it’s time to leave. I spoke with the board and the club today. I will leave on the 30th of June.”
READ MORE SUN STORIES
He went on to add: “I took this decision days ago. I already knew it. But it’s time to make it public.
“I think the players could not free themselves up. I don’t want to be a problem for the club, but the opposite.”
The third tier of the stadium has been completely ripped upCredit: Rex
A roof is also being added the the groundCredit: Rex More

SERGIO AGUERO has opened up on what he was feeling during his last game for Barcelona.The Argentine suffered from chest pains and dizziness before he was taken off the pitch.
Sergio Aguero suffered from dizziness and chest pains in his final matchCredit: Getty
The striker hung up his boots after the gameCredit: EPA
He announced his decision in an emotional press conferenceCredit: Getty
Aguero, 35, was diagnosed with cardiac arrhythmia after he was forced off just 41 minutes into his first start for the LaLiga giants.
He had joined the Spanish giants in the summer of 2021 on a free transfer from Manchester City.
However, on his first start for the club against Deportivo Alaves, he had to have treatment on the pitch as he felt like he was “going to faint”.
He told Clank Media: “I felt like I was drowning, I didn’t feel pain.
READ MORE IN FOOTBALL
“I had a lot of pressure in my head. I figured it was because I was physically ill and I thought, ‘S**t, I’m so bad.’
“I jumped for a header. They went to counter and I started to get dizzy.
“I felt like I was going to faint and I wanted to calm down. I wanted to say something and the words didn’t come out.
“I grabbed the hand of the Alaves captain as if to say, ‘Stop the game.’
Most read in Football
FREE BETS – BEST BETTING OFFERS & NEW CUSTOMER BONUSES
“He started screaming and they stopped the game.
“When I calmed down, I felt like my heart started beating faster.
Watch Sergio Aguero SCORE in first game back since retiring with heart condition then copy pal Messi’s celebration
“That’s where the arrhythmia attack caught me.
“A week before, it had happened to me in training but it had only been for 20 seconds.”
Aguero officially retired from football at the Nou Camp in December 2021.
He announced his decision in a press conference attended by his former manager Pep Guardiola.
Aguero’s career by numbersSergio Aguero enjoyed a hugely successful career in which he won 20 titles and scored 427 goals in 756 appearance
Career honours: Uefa Europa League, Uefa Super Cup, Premier League x 5, FA Cup, Carabao Cup x 6, Community Shield x 3, Fifa Under-20 World Cup x 2, Olympic Gold Medal, Copa America

Independiente (2002-2006) – 56 games, 23 goals
Atletico Madrid (2006-2011) – 234 games, 102 goals
Manchester City (2011-2021) – 390 games, 260 goals
Barcelona (2021) – 5 games, 1 goal
Argentina (2006 – 2021) – 101 games, 41 goals More

BARCELONA face missing out on signing Mason Greenwood this summer.The on-loan Getafe winger has emerged as a transfer target for fierce rivals Atletico Madrid.
Mason Greenwood is on Atletico Madrid’s shortlist of summer striker targetsCredit: Rex
Greenwood has caught the eye in Spain since joining Getafe on loan from Manchester United back in September.
He has been strongly linked with joining Barcelona, who have been monitoring him all season.
However, the Telegraph now report that the 22-year-old is on Atletico’s shortlist of summer striker targets.
Greenwood is expected to secure a permanent transfer in the summer once his Getafe loan expires.
READ MORE ON MASON GREENWOOD
Atletico remain in the market for a forward after missing out on Moise Kean in January, the report adds.
Barca are said to remain interested in Greenwood, but are at a disadvantage compared to Atletico due to their reduced spending power.
The Spanish champions had hoped to tie up a deal prior to Atletico reportedly stepping up their interest.
Greenwood, who sees joining Barcelona as a “dream move”, would have linked up with the club in June as part of the proposal.
Most read in Football
FREE BETS – BEST BETTING OFFERS & NEW CUSTOMER BONUSES
However, his summer destination now remains up in the air, with Valencia and Real Sociedad both previously linked.
Since joining Getafe, Greenwood has scored seven goals and provided four assists in 22 appearances.
Mason Greenwood reveals ‘best feeling so far’ in rare interview after Getafe aces ‘take Man Utd loanee under their wing’
He is currently the club’s second top scorer this season behind former Real Madrid striker Borja Mayoral on 16. More

JUDE BELLINGHAM’S alleged slur towards Mason Greenwood has been reported to the Spanish FA.The England midfielder was accused by fans of calling Greenwood a “rapist” after landing a tackle on the Getafe winger.
Jude Bellingham’s alleged slur towards Mason Greenwood has been reported to the Spanish FACredit: Rex

Supporters were convinced they spotted him mouth the insult during Real Madrid’s 2-0 win on Thursday.
A section of Getafe fans were also accused of racially abusing Vinicius Jr. during the match.
Marca report that LaLiga have reported both incidents to the Spanish FA.
On Bellingham’s alleged comment, the league explained: “It must also be reported that after the end of the match, messages were detected through social media regarding a possible incident in which visiting player Jude Bellingham allegedly insulted local player Mason Greenwood in English after an action in the game.
READ MORE FOOTBALL NEWS
“Numerous media outlets have reported on this incident, as confirmed in the attached incident report.”
Racist chants of “Vinicius, monkey” from the home fans were also included in the report.
The report adds that LaLiga have reported the chants to the Spanish hate prosecutor’s office.
A lip reader had been called in after the match to investigate Getafe’s complaint against Bellingham.
Most read in Football
Greenwood joined the club on loan from Manchester United in the summer, seven months after charges of attempted rape assault and coercive control were dropped.
Meanwhile, Bellingham signed for Real Madrid from Borussia Dortmund in a £115million deal back in July.
Fans spot Jude Bellingham’s classy gesture after facing Greenwood’s Getafe as they say ‘England captain material’
He has since scored 18 goals and added eight assists in 28 appearances.
Thursday’s match at the Coliseum Alfonso Pérez was the first meeting of two English players in the Spanish top flight for 22 years. More

LEGENDARY Real Madrid goalkeeper Miguel Angel has died at the age of 76.The former Spain international passed away after a 14-month battle with ALS.
Legendary Real Madrid goalkeeper Miguel Angel has died aged 76Credit: Alamy
He passed away after a 14-month battle with ALSCredit: Getty
He was diagnosed with the rare disease in December 2022, with Real Madrid supporting his fight against the illness.
The club confirmed his passing on Tuesday morning in an official statement.
In the statement, the club extended their condolences to Angel’s wife Maria del Pilar and their family.
Angel spent 18 seasons with Los Blancos between 1968 and 1986.
READ MORE FOOTBALL NEWS
During that time, he won 16 major trophies, including two Uefa Cups and eight La Liga titles.
He was also the winner of the Zamora Trophy in 1975/76, an award given to the goalkeeper with the lowest goals conceded-to-games ratio.
As well as his time with the Spanish giants, Angel also featured for hometown club Atletico Orense and Castellon during his career.
At international level, Angel was capped 18 times by Spain and was a member of two World Cups squads in 1978 and 1982.
Most read in Football
Angle spent 18 seasons with Real Madrid, winning 16 major trophiesCredit: Getty
He kept a connection with Real Madrid after leaving the club in 1986.
Angel later held roles as both a first team delegate and a goalkeeping coach.
Fans spot Jude Bellingham’s classy gesture after facing Greenwood’s Getafe as they say ‘England captain material’
The former keeper also served as a director for the club’s old training ground. More

LUCAS OCAMPOS has called on LaLiga chiefs to take action after a fan appeared to poke his bum during Sevilla’s clash at Rayo Vallecano.The “obscene” incident occurred in the 33rd minute of the game as the Sevilla star prepared to take a throw-in.
A fan appeared to poke the backside of Lucas OcamposCredit: X
Ocampos turned around to confront the fan before calling the referee overCredit: X
The 29-year-old said he only kept his calm because he has two daughtersCredit: Getty
Cameras picked up the fan appearing to poke Ocampos’ bottom, prompting him to turn around to remonstrate with the fan before calling referee Hernández Maeso over.
Following the game, which Sevilla won 2-1 thanks to a brace from Youssef En-Nesyri, Ocampos was joined by his club and manager in blasting the fan’s behaviour and calling for action.
Ocampos, 29, told Dazn: “You can see what happened in the [video] images. I hope LaLiga takes it as seriously as it takes racism and these things.
“I don’t think all the Rayo people are like that because they have always treated us with respect, but there is always one fool.
READ MORE IN FOOTBALL
“I hope it doesn’t happen in other areas, because if this happens in a women’s football match, we know what can happen.”
The Argentine added: “I kept my calm because I have two daughters, I hope this doesn’t happen to them in the future.
“I hope that the action that has to be taken is taken, and I hope that a fool like this does not stain a set of fans who otherwise behaved very well.”
Former Watford manager Quique Sánchez Flores echoed this sentiment and questioned why fans felt they could perform such acts.
Most read in Football
He said: “You have to ask yourself what’s wrong with people’s minds, whether they’re young or old.
“We have to ask ourselves a giant question of what is happening and where is the security and who we let in and who we don’t. I’m very worried.
LaLiga manager has touchline MELTDOWN ‘like he’s just opened third Lynx Africa present at Christmas’ after late goal
“As an individual, it is dangerous for me that there are scattered minds going to football stadiums and damaging the image of what I have always known as football, which seems to me a thing, on the one hand wild, but on the other hand wonderful.
“Hopefully these things will not be repeated.”
A Sevilla statement said: “Sevilla FC deeply regrets the incident that occurred this Monday in the match against Rayo Vallecano, in which our player Lucas Ocampos suffered an obscene and totally inappropriate gesture by a local fan.
“Sevilla FC hopes that the appropriate measures will be taken which typifies the regulation so that such behaviour is not repeated on a football field, and this has been transferred to LaLiga.
“These gestures and behaviours should not be allowed in our competition if we aspire to be the best league in the world.”
Rayo Vallecano released a statement on their own condemning the act.
It said: “This isolated action is solely the individual responsibility of the fan who carried it out, and neither Rayo Vallecano nor any of the other almost 15 thousand spectators who filled the Vallecas Stadium in the match against Sevilla FC, who behaved in an exemplary manner, have no responsibility for it.”
The statement added the club were working to identify the fan and would take appropriate disciplinary action if they were found to be a season ticket holder.
READ MORE SUN STORIES
Ocampos has played 22 times in LaLiga this season, scoring three goals and adding one assist.
The win moves Sevilla three points clear of the relegation zone and ends a winless league run stretching back to December 19.
Former Watford manager Quique Sánchez Flores echoed Ocampos’ call for actionCredit: Alamy More