La Liga

VALENCIA could reportedly be forced to sell West Ham target Goncalo Guedes this summer.
O Jogo claims another miserable transfer market is on the horizon for the cash-strapped LaLiga outfit after owner Peter Lim withdrew his funding last year.

Valencia could be forced to sell West Ham Goncalo Guedes this summerCredit: Getty Images – Getty

And West Ham are ready to take advantage by signing Portugal international Guedes on a bargain deal, adds Fichajes.
The versatile forward has been one of Valencia’s best players since his 2017 switch from Paris Saint-Germain, scoring 16 goals in 102 games.
However, finances remain tight at the Spanish side despite offloading several key figures last summer.
And Guedes may be part of the next wave of exits as Valencia look to avoid a disastrous relegation.

West Ham are in the market for a new forward and Guedes ticks all the boxes for David Moyes, who is also looking at Chelsea’s Tammy Abraham.
But Guedes’ Mestalla exit could spark more outrage among Valencia fans, who can’t believe the threadbare squad they’ve been given this term.
Club president Anil Murthy failed to make one single signing last summer, other than turning Jason’s loan from Getafe into a permanent deal for £4m.
Midfield stars Francis Coquelin and Dani Parejo were controversially sold to rivals Villarreal.

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Ferran Torres and Rodrigo then moved to the Premier League with Man City and Leeds respectively.
Full-backs Alessandro Florenzi and Jaume Costa were also shown the door, while stalwart defender Ezequiel Garay was released on a free transfer.
Valencia then sold Geoffrey Kondogbia to Atletico Madrid AFTER the transfer window had been shut, with Diego Simeone’s side taking advantage of a bizarre Spanish loophole.
Kondogbia blasted Murthy’s transfer business before he left, saying: “Having already destroyed an ambitious project, you had to deceive your coach (Javi Gracia) and finally me. Thank you, Anil Murthy.”
Valencia did manage to wrap up three loan deals in January, with striker Patrick Cutrone joining from Wolves along with Benfica defender Ferro and Cagliari midfielder Christian Oliva.
But Valencia have won just six of their 25 league games this season, leaving them only five points above the drop zone.
It saw former Arsenal man Gabriel Paulista break down in tears during a post-match interview at the weekend.
Speaking after the 3-0 defeat to Getafe, he said: “It’s a bummer hearing that (we are in a relegation fight).
“A big a club as Valencia and hearing that is a bummer, but we have to get out of this because we’re Valencia and the club deserves more.”

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GERARD PIQUE has been ruled out with a fresh knee injury following his heroics for Barcelona in the Copa del Rey.
A knock sustained late in Wednesday night’s win over Sevilla appeared to be nothing out of the ordinary, with the defender treated on the side of the pitch before playing on.

Gerard Pique suffered the knee knock during the game with SevillaCredit: AFP or licensors

The defender completed the game having earlier scored the vital equaliserCredit: Getty Images – Getty

Barcelona secured their place in the Copa final by overcoming a 2-0 first-leg deficit, thanks largely to Pique’s late header that forced extra-time.
But tests carried out on Thursday morning confirmed the 34-year-old will be out of action – with no return date set.
A club statement read: “A medical evaluation and tests carried out this morning have shown that Gerard Pique has sprained the Medial Collateral Ligament in his right knee.
“He is out and his recovery will determine his availability.”

Pique missed almost three months of action earlier in the campaign with a knee injury.
A nasty landing in November’s defeat to Atletico Madrid generated fears his season was over.

But Barcelona will be relieved that this latest setback is not a recurrence of the same problem, which had affected his anterior cruciate ligament.
The LaLiga side discover later tonight who they will face in the final, with Levante and Athletic Club squaring off after drawing in their first leg.

Pique’s header was part of an unlikely comeback for Ronald Koeman’s side, who had appeared destined to end the season without silverware.
Ousmane Dembele struck early at the Camp Nou before Marc-Andre ter Stegen saved a penalty by Sevilla’s Lucas Ocampos.
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Pique played on after the blow and has not been given a return date following scansCredit: Reuters

The Andalusians were reduced to ten men shortly before Pique’s 92nd-minute leveller, and Martin Braithwaite won the tie in extra-time.
Koeman said afterwards: “We always believed. We never gave up on the Copa. It’s a question of mentality.
“I, as a coach, can’t ask my team to do more than what I’ve seen tonight. We fought until extra time and it’s incredible. I’m very happy with the team’s work tonight.
“We deserved to go through. I think we were better over the two legs. We were the best team.”
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LATEST NEWS❗️ A medical evaluation and tests carried out this morning have shown that @3gerardpique has sprained the medial collateral ligament in his right knee. He is out and his recovery will determine his availability. pic.twitter.com/RjPjsLegBf
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) March 4, 2021

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BARCELONA needed extra-time to complete a stunning second-leg comeback against nine-man Sevilla and reach the Copa del Rey final.
Gerard Pique scored in the 94th minute of normal time to make it 2-0 on the night and 2-2 on aggregate before Martin Braithwaite’s extra-time winner at the Nou Camp.

Martin Braithwaite struck in extra-time to make it 3-2 on aggregate and send Barcelona into the Copa del Rey finalCredit: Getty Images – Getty

Gerard Pique scored an astonishing 94th minute goal to level the tie and sent it to extra-timeCredit: Getty Images – Getty

Ousmane Dembele got the comeback started in the 12th minuteCredit: Getty Images – Getty

Ousmane Dembele opened the scoring in the 12th minute to kick-start the comeback.
It was a stunning right-footed effort into the top left corner after Lionel Messi had fed him in the box.
But it was nearly all for nothing for Barca when Sevilla’s Lucas Ocampos was brought down in the box and the ref pointed to the spot in the 73rd minute.
Ocampos got up and missed the penalty which would have been enough to see Sevilla through after their 2-0 first-leg win.

The Catalans’ hopes were still alive and when Fernando was shown a second yellow for pulling back Trincao in the second minute of stoppage time, they smelled blood.
Pique struck the killer blow just two minutes later – glancing home a Antoine Griezmann cross to level the tie and send it to the extra period.
Things went from bad to worse for Sevilla in extra-time, Braithwaite getting on the end of Jordi Alba’s low cross with an impressive diving header in the 95th minute that saw the tie turned completely on its head.
Luuk de Jong compounded the visitors’ misery eight minutes later – as he was shown a straight red for abusive language to the fourth official.

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Lucas Ocampos missed a penalty in normal time that would’ve had Sevilla well on topCredit: Reuters

Lionel Messi joined in with the celebrationsCredit: Getty Images – Getty

Pique glanced a header into the bottom corner in injury timeCredit: AP:Associated Press

Sevilla could not muster enough to pull one back and take it to penalties.
Barca will face the winner of Thursday’s semi-final between Athletic Bilbao and Levante.
The teams are level at 1-1 after the first leg.
The final takes place on Sunday April 4.
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BARCELONA boss Ronald Koeman has admitted that he was ‘devastated’ by former president Josep Maria Bartomeu’s arrest.
The disgraced ex-chief, as well as three others, were detained on Tuesday night after being arrested as part of a corruption investigation.

Josep Maria Bartomeu appointed Ronald Koeman last AugustCredit: AFP or licensors

Barcelona’s offices were raided by police and four people were arrestedCredit: EPA

The accusations, which Bartomeu denied last February, included paying 13 Ventures around £170,000 to target the likes of Lionel Messi, Gerard Pique, Xavi and Pep Guardiola in an online smear campaign.
Speaking today ahead of Barca’s Copa del Rey clash with Sevilla on Wednesday night, Koeman revealed that he ‘feels bad’ for his former boss, who resigned last October ahead of a vote of no confidence.
He said: “When I heard the news I was devastated because I know Bartomeu and [CEO Oscar] Grau well.
“I feel bad for them, I had good moments with them in a short space of time and Bartomeu has always been an exceptional person to me.

“It’s not good for the image of the club but we have to wait and see what happens.
“I wasn’t here then so I can’t talk about it, we just have to focus on our job and in turning the tie around tomorrow.”
Koeman, 57, arrived at a club in turmoil last August, after leaving his role with the Netherlands national team.
But he has insisted that he has no regrets over making the move.

Barcelona chiefs have been under investigation for the last yearCredit: AFP or licensors

Police seized evidence on MondayCredit: AFP or licensors

Bartomeu stepped down as club president in OctoberCredit: EPA
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He continued: “You never know what’s going to happen in the future. When Barca called me I was convinced I had to take the job.
“I knew it was a difficult moment, the club was losing money and had to make changes to the squad and put its faith in young players but I have tried to do my best and what I felt was right.
“Life is full of ups and downs and opportunities and problems and you have to try and resolve them.”
On Monday, police seized evidence and arrested four individuals, with further arrests not ruled out according to Catalan radio station Cadena SER.
Bartomeu was reportedly detained along with former advisor Jaume Masferrer – fired by the club in October for his role in the scandal – chief executive Oscar Grau, and legal head Roma Gomez Ponti.
Police were pictured raiding the club offices, namely the legal, financial and compliance departments.

It’s a disgrace the club actually spent money to criticise us
Gerard Pique

Speaking last year, Messi confessed to finding the situation ‘strange’ while Pique slammed the club’s actions.
He said in October: “It’s a disgrace the club actually spent money to criticise us.
“It’s an atrocity as a Barcelona player to see my club spending money – money they’re now asking for from us – to criticise not just external people with a previous relationship to the club, but players still here.”
Barcelona host Sevilla on Wednesday, hoping to overturn their 2-0 first-leg deficit in the Copa del Rey semi-finals.

Lionel Messi and Gerard Pique were among those reportedly targeted by the smear campaignCredit: Getty Images – Getty
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KIERAN TRIPPIER is available for Sunday’s Madrid derby after serving his 10-week betting ban.
The Atletico Madrid star, 30, was suspended in December for breaching betting rules.

Kieran Trippier is available to face Real Madrid after serving a 10 week ban for breaching betting rulesCredit: Getty Images – Getty

And he numerous games, including the first-leg Champions League last-16 defeat to Chelsea, after having an appeal rejected by Fifa in January.
Trippier was also fined £70,000 after his friend Oliver Hawley placed ten separate bets on the full-back joining Atletico.
After placing one bet, Hawley sent Trippier a message reading: “6/1 Athletico (sic) Madrid”, to which Trippier responded with three laughing emojis.
On July 12 Trippier texted Hawley: “It’s happening”, shortly before Hawley placed two more bets on the move to the Spanish side.

On July 14 another friend, Matthew Brady, met Trippier at a wildlife park and later texted to ask: “Shall I lump on you going there?”.
Trippier later said: “Lump on if you want mate.”
But with his 10 weeks served, Trippier can now return to the Atletico XI for Sunday’s clash against Real Madrid.
Atleti are top of the table and five points clear of their city rivals with a game in hand.

Victory could see them gain an unstoppable lead in the title race.
And Trippier will be hoping to play some part in the game.
Whether he remains at Atleti past the end of the season is also unclear.
Manchester United abandoned a move for Trippier in January after his betting ban.
But reports claim Ole Gunnar Solskjaer remains keen on bringing the ex-Spurs star back to England this summer.

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