La Liga

BARCELONA boss Ronald Koeman slammed his side’s fixture pile-up for ‘killing’ his players as he begged football bosses to help change things.
The Dutchman has already presided over ten games in 2021 with SEVEN more games to go this month.

Ronald Koeman said the fixture frenzy was ‘killing’ his Barcelona playersCredit: EPA

The Catalan giants’ manager has implored Fifa and LaLiga to do more to protect the welfare of his stars.
This season started later than usual and with restrictions caused by the coronavirus pandemic – players are being asked to take the field more frequently than ever before.
Koeman, 57, told Marca: “It is difficult. The number of games that the big teams have, with three competitions, on top of the Covid situation, makes everything more difficult.
“You have to talk with the players to see how they are physically, their feelings.

“Sometimes you have to give someone a rest to be able to have everyone in the best condition.”
Barca’s mega run starts with tonight’s league game away at Real Betis before they are back down in Andalusia to face Sevilla in the Copa Del Rey on Wednesday.
Speaking on Saturday, Koeman said: “If we count tomorrow’s game and Wednesday’s game, there are 12 games in a row, of which 11 are away from home.
“And that’s playing at 9pm, coming home at 3am in the morning. It is difficult for the players to be able to play all the time. We need help.”

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Barcelona’s hectic February fixture pile-up

LaLiga: Real Betis vs Barcelona, Sunday February 7
Copa del Rey semi-final: Sevilla vs Barcelona, Wednesday February 10
LaLiga: Barcelona vs Alaves, Saturday February 13
Champions League last 16: Barcelona vs PSG, Tuesday February 16
LaLiga: Barcelona vs Cadiz, Sunday February 21
LaLiga: Barcelona vs Elche, Wednesday February 24
LaLiga: Sevilla vs Barcelona, Sunday February 28

Koeman pleaded with footy chiefs to take action as he added: “I hope that one day Uefa or LaLiga will think about the number of games and what this does to the players.
“It is not normal. The games we’ve had to play, the trips, the schedules, playing the Supercopa between four teams, in my opinion, it is a lot.
“Each coach has his opinion about the fixture schedule that the players have to go through. I think this has to stop, it’s killing the players. We will have many injuries as a result of this. It is impossible.
“Hopefully one day they will make a decision to help the players with their fitness.”

I think this has to stop, it’s killing the players. We will have many injuries as a result of this. It is impossible.”
Ronald Koeman

Barca sit fourth in LaLiga, ten points behind leaders Atletico Madrid and play Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League last 16 later this month.
The Spanish giants are set to lose skipper Lionel Messi in the summer with the Argentine’s contract expiring.
Messi is said to be ‘tired and frustrated’ at continued links with European opponents PSG.
But former Barca and Brazil icon Rivaldo admitted the skipper is ‘increasingly likely’ to leave the club due to their ‘bad agenda’.

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DIMITAR BERBATOV has urged Real Madrid to consider selling Eden Hazard as he is ‘yet to prove anything’.
The injury-prone star, 30, has played just 35 games for the Spanish side since he joined from Chelsea in 2019.

Eden Hazard has failed to live up to expectations for the Spanish sideCredit: Getty Images – Getty

Hazard now faces another four to six weeks on the sidelines as he has suffered another muscle injury.
His latest setback is the TENTH separate problem he has picked up since he arrived at the Bernabeu.
Former Manchester United forward Bertbatov has urged Madrid to cut their losses on Hazard.
During an interview with BetFair, he said: “Real Madrid should consider selling Hazard.

“He has had a lot of injuries since he arrived in Spain, and that has prevented him from showing the brilliant football that he played at Chelsea.
“If it was something occasional then it would be a different matter, but the fact is that the player is injured again and again and again, that is a sign that there is another problem that is affecting him.”
Hazard made the move to Madrid from Chelsea for a fee that could exceed £150million.
But Bertbatov would not be shocked if he left in the summer following his poor spell of form.

Dimitar Berbatov has called for Real Madrid to cut their losses on the 30-year-oldCredit: Getty – Contributor

He continued: “Will he be able to regain the form he had and show that the money Real Madrid invested in his was the right decision? Right now, the answer is no.
“It’s true that Hazard has only just turned 30 and still has a lot of time to contribute a lot, but this question is one which needs to be asked.
“Hazard has yet to prove anything in Madrid, so it wouldn’t be a surprise if he left in the summer.”
Berbatov, 40, has also claimed Frank Lampard deserved more time to prove himself at Chelsea.
And he insisted former club United have turned this season into a ‘three-horse race’.

Eden Hazard has struggled with a long list of injuries since he joined Madrid

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REAL MADRID legend Pepe was reduced to tears after Porto team-mate Nanu was knocked unconscious from a nasty collision.
The 26-year-old was rushed to hospital in an ambulance after he collided with Belenenses goalkeeper Stanislav Kritsyuk.

Nanu was knocked out cold after he collided with the goalkeeperCredit: Reuters

Former Real Madrid star Pepe was in tears after the incident

Nanu challenged for the ball as Porto pushed for a late winner during the Primeira Liga showdown on Thursday night.
But the right-back was left in a heap on the floor after he collided with Kritsyuk in the air.
The game was stopped for more than ten minutes as he received treatment from the medics.
Players from both teams looked visibly distressed as Nanu laid motionless on the ground.

He was then loaded into the back of an ambulance while wearing a neck brace.
The Guinea-Bissau international was taken to the Sao Francisco Xavier Hospital for further treatment.
Pepe, who was seen in tears, revealed after the game that his team-mate had regained consciousness.
The exReal Madrid hard man, 37, said: “I wish our team-mate Nanu a speedy recovery.

Nanu was loaded into the ambulance and taken to the local hospitalCredit: Getty Images – Getty

“The doctors in the ambulance told me that he was doing well, that he was already conscious.”
Porto, who are second in the league table, also issued an update on Nanu.
A tweet from the club read: “Nanu had a cerebral concussion and spinal cord injury with loss of knowledge.
“At this moment he is stable, conscious and is already oriented in time and space.”
Another post read: “The examinations performed at Hospital S. Francisco Xavier did not reveal any alterations of clinical severity.
“He will continue to be observed at the hospital.”

Players from both teams raced to help the defender after the clashCredit: AFP or licensors

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BARCELONA took a cheeky swing at Gareth Bale after an astonishing 5-3 turnaround win at Granada.
The Spanish giants trolled the Spurs loanee, posting matchwinner Antoine Griezmann’s golfing-style celebration with the words: “Barca. Comeback. Golf. In that order.”

Barcelona quickly took down their jokey jibe at Gareth Bale

Gareth Bale got in hot water with Real Madrid when he joined Wales’ team-mates holding up a flag with this fiery Dragons’ message in 2019

Bale has still to get back into the swing of things at TottenhamCredit: Rex Features

Yet Barcelona could not have seen the wood for the trees at 2-0 down after 88 minutes of their Copa del Rey quarter-final.
Griezmann’s quick double brought them to level par and took the tie into extra time, where Ronald Koeman’s previously-flagging side were rampant.
Buoyant Barca then thought they had judged their humour to a tee – with their Griezmann tweet parodying Welsh fans’ famous “Wales, Golf, Madrid” song for Real Madrid misfit and golf nut Bale.

But not wanting to drive a wedge between themselves and fiercest rivals Real, Barcelona soon deleted the putt-down.  

Maybe best to abandon the bunker mentality.
Bale himself had got into deeper water with Bernabeu boss Zinedine Zidane when he and Wales team-mates held a flag parading the fans’ song title as they celebrated reaching the Euros in November 2019.
And to add fire to the “Wales, Golf, Madrid” jokey jibe, the Dragons’ flag had the extra line: “In that order”.
Bale is of course still waiting for the delayed Euros – and also for the chance to win a regular place during his temporary stint back at Spurs.

Jose Mourinho’s men bid to go sixth in the Premier League with a home victory over his old club Chelsea on Thursday night.
But throughout his plight at Real, Bale found solace on the golfing course, including one he built at his £6.5million Madrid home.

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That heightened tensions and question marks over his commitment to the club.
But his passion for the Royal and Ancient game is just as strong back in Britain.
Amongst the golf facilities at Bales’s converted farmhouse in Glamorgan are replicas of classic holes around the world – the 12th at Augusta, Royal Troon’s Postage Stamp and the tricky par-three 17th at Sawgrass.

Barcelona’s two-goal hero Antoine Griezmann rescued them from 2-0 down after 88 minutes before they beat Granada 5-23 after extra timeCredit: EPA

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REAL MADRID have reportedly identified Massimiliano Allegri or club legend Raul to succeed Zinedine Zidane – should they sack the Frenchman.
The 48-year-old is under huge pressure at the Bernabeu as the defending LaLiga champions currently sit in third place, ten points behind leaders Atletico Madrid.

Max Allgeri has been linked with succeeding Zinedine Zidane at Real MadridCredit: Reuters

Real Madrid Castilla boss Raul is also in the running should Zidane be sackedCredit: Getty – Contributor

Diego Simeone’s side also have a game in hand over their local rivals, while Real were also dumped out of the Copa del Rey by third-tier outfit Alcoyano.
And according to Cadena Ser via Football Italia, Los Blancos are considering hiring either Allegri or Raul.
Allegri has been out of a job since stepping down as Juventus boss in 2019 after guiding the Old Lady to five consecutive Serie A titles.
In his time out of management, he has been linked with taking charge of the likes of Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United.

It has been claimed that the board of the Spanish club prefer hiring the experienced Allegri over Raul – who is currently at the helm of Real Madrid Castilla.
Should Zidane have his contract terminated, Real are said to want to bring in a proven winner who is able to handle the pressure of winning as well as managing the dressing room.
SunSport previously reported that Zidane would only keep his job should he guide the club to another Champions League title.
Real face Atalanta in the Round of 16 stage in the European Cup, with the first leg scheduled to take place on February 24.

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Zidane admitted last month that he is unsure whether he has the backing of his squad following their poor form.
He said: “I think so but you have to ask them [if I still have their support].
“We have done good things, not so much lately, but apart from the last games we did good things this season.
“We have to concentrate on the things that can be done.”

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