La Liga

ALBERT FERRER believes Xavi is capable of bringing the glory days back to Barcelona. The Barca legend has had an instant impact at the club since taking over from Ronald Koeman in November. 
Barcelona have gone from 9th to 2nd in La Liga since Xavi took over from Ronald Koeman in NovemberCredit: AFP

LaLigaTV expert Albert Ferrer played over 200 games for Barcelona between 1990-98Credit: Getty

A 15-game winning streak saw the Catalan giants go from ninth to second in La Liga as Xavi brought a feel-good factor back to the club. 
Thrashing Real Madrid 4-0 at the Bernabeu last month left Barca fans in dreamland as they felt the good times were making a comeback at the Nou Camp. 
But in the last week, Barca have been brought back down to Earth after crashing out of the Europa League to Frankfurt before a 1-0 defeat to relegation-threatened Cadiz on Monday. 
Despite the setback, former Barca defender Ferrer believes Xavi is the right man for the job. 
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The LaLigaTV expert said: “He’s the right man to do it. 
“He has come from the academy and he gives confidence and minutes to the youngsters like Gavi or Pedri who he has made the leader of the teams. 
“There were some doubts when Xavi was appointed because of his lack of experience in the top picks but it is his experience playing for Barcelona. 
“He understands the youngsters that they want to succeed at Barcelona because he did too.” 
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Xavi made over 500 appearances for Barcelona, winning eight La Liga titles and four Champions League trophies during his 17 years at the club. 
His most famous period was under Pep Guardiola between 2008-2012 where Xavi formed a formidable partnership with Andres Iniesta and Lionel Messi. 
As a manager, the former midfielder has put faith in academy products Pedri, 19, and 17-year-old Gavi while also playing Ansu Fati when fit. 
And Ferrer believes the Barca boss has the foundations to build a side which can be at the top of European football for the next decade. 
Albert Ferrer is a LaLigaTV expert
Ferrer, who featured over 200 times for Barcelona between 1990-98, added: “When you play in the middle of the park and all the balls come to you, it is much easier to understand what the team needs. 
“It is similar to Pep Guardiola when he was at Barca.
“ All the attacking moments of the team went through five influential players – with Xavi it is almost the same. 
“Seventy to eighty per cent of the first 11 are youngsters, they can grow from that. 
“If Xavi does well and things are good – they have a team between five and ten seasons.” 
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has netted ten goals for Barcelona since signing from Arsenal in JanuaryCredit: AP
Signing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang at the eleventh hour on deadline day has been key for Xavi dragging the club back into the Champions League places. 
After hitting ten goals already this season, Ferrer added: “Aubameyang has been crucial. 
“Since Luis Suarez left the club, Barcelona needed that number 9 to finish. 
“Aubameyang can be both false 9 and the killer in the box.” 
Don’t miss Albert Ferrer’s analysis on LaLigaTV, the only channel in the UK offering every LIVE match from LaLiga .
Sign up to LaLigaTV with Premier Sports on Sky Ch. 427 / Virgin TV Ch. 554 or via streaming with Amazon Prime Video Channels. More

BARCELONA star Gerard Pique insists ‘everything is legal’ after his company reportedly earned £20million from the Spanish Super Cup’s move to Saudi Arabia.Spanish footy chiefs announced in 2019 that the competition would be expanded to four teams while taking place in Jeddah.
Gerard Pique’s company Kosmos earned £20m from the Spanish Super Cup’s move to Saudi ArabiaCredit: Getty
Pique insists he’s done nothing wrong over the Super Cup’s moveCredit: AFP
And El Confidencial claims leaked message from 2019 show Pique’s company Kosmos earned £20m from the move.
That’s after Barcelona defender Pique himself convinced the Spanish FA to make the controversial decision.
The Spanish Royal Football Federation reportedly signed a deal guaranteeing themselves £33.2m for each tournament, with Kosmos pocketing £3.3m-a-year for the next six years.
Pique founded sports investment group Kosmos in 2017.
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And just a year later Kosmos teamed up with the International Tennis Federation for a £2.3BILLION shake-up of the Davis Cup.
Pique is reportedly heard saying in leaked audio about the Spanish Super Cup, currently held by Real Madrid: “If it’s about money and Real Madrid would go for €8m (£6.6m), then they get paid €8m and Barcelona get paid €8m too.
“Then the others get paid €2m (£1.7m) and €1m (£800,000).
“That’s €19m (£15.7m) and you, the federation, keep €6m (£5m). We could even push Saudi Arabia for more, saying that if not, then Real Madrid might not come.
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“Rather than you hosting it in Spain, where you won’t even make €3m (£2.5m), think about this.”
However, Pique is adamant he’s done nothing wrong, insisting the deal was above board and no illegal acts have been committed.
He responded: “Everything we have done is legal, I’m going to expose my part in the conflict of interest, I want to show my face because I have nothing to hide. I am proud of what we do at Kosmos.
“We wanted to change the format of the competition and make it more interesting for the viewer. That has repercussions on income. The president, Luis Rubiales, really liked the idea.
“Saudi Arabia was not the only option. The United States and Qatar were on the table. In the end, they decided to go to Saudi Arabia.
“The commission? In the world that we live in, it’s relatively normal.
“It moves between 10 and 15 per cent and we believed that it was in line with what agencies charge for carrying out this type of management. The commission is in line with the market.
“I brought an opportunity for the RFEF (Royal Spanish Football Federation). Before changing the format, they earned €120,000 for the competition, after the movement they earned €40m.
“Regarding the recordings, it’s an audio taken out of context. I simply help the president to find a formula that makes sense. It’s an audio taken out of context.
I don’t care. I don’t have to hide from anythingGerard Pique
“I know how to separate what is a commercial agreement from what I have done all my life, which is to play football.
“I have never received any help. If you tell me that a sane commercial agreement will affect the competition, you have no idea who I am.
“El Confidencial called me a week ago and told me that this will come out. I told them that I don’t care. I don’t have to hide from anything.”
Pique continued: “You don’t have to be very smart to know who is behind the leaks.
“I’m here so that all the journalists ask me all the questions. I want to emphasise that it’s a company, that it’s not me personally.
“This company has been dedicated to this for a long time. Operations have been carried out between other companies.
“Why did it come out now? Investigate it, you are the journalists.
“Officially, we collect the commission directly from the Saudi Arabian government.
Nothing wrong has been done, morally or legallyGerard Pique
“In no case do we collect anything from the RFEF: €4m (10 per cent of the €40m of the agreement). I don’t have any commercial agreement with the RFEF.”
Pique added: “I don’t want to think about whether they’re going after me. It’s a malicious leak. What is news is the audio leak itself, which has been illegally leaked. Not the information in it.
“Retiring? No, far from it. This whole situation gives me a few more years to compete.
“In 2019 the news came out. Kosmos will collect an amount of money and the RFEF will collect €40m as well.
“I recognise that it’s not usual for a player to be involved in this type of business because a player doesn’t do these things until he retires, but I like it.
“Do I have to apologise? For this? Well, I’m not going to do it, from here on let everyone think what they want.
“I have not gotten into Kosmos and doing business for money. As you can understand I have earned a very good living and I could spend my whole life stretched out on a sofa doing nothing.
“In the society in which we live, generating money means success and I like that.
“Football belongs to the fans, obviously, but there are fans all over the world. Yes, Barca were aware of what was happening in 2019 with the negotiations and everything was fine.
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Sun;font-size:18px;line-height:1.333;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0%;font-stretch:normal;display:inline;}.css-i1acvs:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}FAMILY’S PAIN .css-8h3gc3{margin:0;padding:0;color:rgba(34,37,38,1);-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;font-family:The Sun;font-size:18px;line-height:1.333;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0%;font-stretch:normal;display:inline;}.css-8h3gc3:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}Ronaldo shared heartbreaking moments of joy at BBQ before son’s tragic death
“Since the relationship with Rubiales from my time as a player with the national team, I understood that there was the confidence to start those conversations.
“I do not regret it because we have done a very good job. Nothing wrong has been done, morally or legally.” More

KARIM BENZEMA scored a last-gasp winner as Real Madrid sealed an epic 3-2 comeback win over Sevilla.Carlo Ancelotti’s men came into the game with confidence sky-high following their Champions League quarter-final victory over reigning European champions Chelsea.
Karim Benzema scored a late winner as Real Madrid beat Sevilla 3-2Credit: EPA
Real were 2-0 down at half-time but turned things around after the breakCredit: AFP
But Sevilla stunned the current LaLiga leaders when Ivan Rakitic gave them a 21st minute lead.
And things quickly went from bad to worse for Real when Erik Lamela doubled Sevilla’s advantage just moments later.
However, a fierce half-time team talk from Ancelotti worked wonders for the visitors.
Rodrygo – who pulled Real back into their European tie against Chelsea – quickly made it 2-1 with a 50th minute strike.
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.nk-headline-heading{color:rgba(71,30,121,1);}.css-1uyse24:before{content:”;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;left:0;overflow:hidden;position:absolute;z-index:1;}.css-n392go{border-width:0 1px 1px 1px;border-style:solid;border-color:rgba(155,201,183,1);padding:12px;max-height:104px;min-height:98px;}.css-1p5s3t0{padding:0;border-width:0 1px 1px 1px;border-style:solid;border-color:rgba(155,201,183,1);padding:12px;max-height:104px;min-height:98px;}.css-124tga5{overflow:hidden;-webkit-line-clamp:3;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;display:-webkit-box;word-wrap:break-word;line-height:1;}.css-5jzxpx{overflow:hidden;-webkit-line-clamp:3;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;display:-webkit-box;word-wrap:break-word;line-height:1;}.css-i1acvs{margin:0;padding:0;color:rgba(34,99,73,1);text-transform:uppercase;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;font-family:The 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And veteran defender Nacho was on hand for Real’s equaliser in the 82nd minute.
But star man Benzema, who scored four goals across the two legs with Chelsea, was determined to have the final say.
And with the match clock two minutes into added time, he popped up with a timely winner to complete Real’s stunning turnaround.
It was Benzema’s 25th league goal of the campaign, and his 39th in all competitions – the same amount of games he’s played.
Benzema’s goal was his 25th league strike of the campaignCredit: AFP
Real are now 15 points clear of Barcelona and SevillaCredit: Rex
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FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALS – BEST NEW CUSTOMER OFFERS
Real now boast an incredible 15-point lead over both Barcelona and Sevilla, who are joint-second.
Barca can reduce that gap to nine points should they win their two games in hand.
But with just six matches remaining for Real, they will be feeling confident about their chances of reclaiming the title from city rivals Atletico next month. More