Barcelona to sign João Cancelo next summer

Barcelona are edging closer to securing a deal for the Valencia right-back, João Cancelo. According to reports from Sport, Barcelona are confident of signing Cancelo next summer. The Catalan club has not only held talks with the player’s agent, but has also started negotiating a deal with Valencia.

Los Che are demanding a fee around €30m for the 22-year-old defender, which is too much for a young footballer who has yet to establish himself as a regular international for his country, but Barcelona believe it is worth the investment. After holding talks with the player’s agent, Jorge Mendes, for weeks, Barcelona came to know that two very powerful European clubs are equally interested in the player.

Thibaut Courtois close to Madrid move

Chelsea goalkeeper, Thibaut Courtois, is expected to complete a permanent transfer to Real Madrid at the end of this season.

As per the latest reports, Courtois has already informed his teammates and friends of his desire to join Real Madrid. Los Blancos have discussed a potential transfer with the Belgian international. The report adds that a permanent transfer is close, although Roman Abramovich is not keen on letting one of Chelsea’s players leave.

Injury woes for Barca ahead of El Classico

Pique, Alba

Barcelona suffered a fresh injury blow on Monday as left-back Jordi Alba is a huge doubt for Saturday’s showdown clash with Real Madrid after suffering knee and ankle knocks.

Alba battled on to finish the 90 minutes in Sunday’s 1-1 draw at Real Sociedad despite suffering the injuries before half-time.

“The tests carried out this morning reveal that Jordi Alba has heavy bruising on his right knee and a strain of his left ankle,” Barca said in a statement.

La Liga 2016/17, Week 9: Standings, Fixtures, Results and Talking Points

Usual business resumed in La Liga for its ninth gameweek, as Real Madrid went top of the table with a late win against Athletic Bilbao. Barcelona, too, managed to nick a stoppage time goal to win at Valencia as Cesare Prandelli’s first game at the Mestalla almost handed los Che a famous win.

Here are the talking points from the weekend’s La Liga action.

Sevilla end Atletico’s unbeaten streak

Atletico Madrid lost their first game of the season as Sevilla maintained their perfect home record to move up to second in the table. Steven N’Zonzi’s 73rd minute goal was set up by Atletico loanee Luciano Vietto, and it was a deserved win for Jorge Sampaoli’s men in the rain.

La Liga 2016/17, Week 8: Updated Standings, Fixtures, Results and Talking Points

Lionel Messi and goals are practically synonymous in modern football. The number of times La Pulga has found the back of the net is a testament to that, and it is apt that his return to action after more than three weeks in the treatment room sparked a goal glut in La Liga.

24 goals were scored in five games yesterday at a significantly higher rate of 4.8 goals per game than the league’s average of 3 per game. There are five more matches to be played this weekend spread across two days, but the huge wins registered by the big hitters have at least kicked the post-international break round of games off with maximum entertainment value.

Messi, who trudged off the Vicente Calderon pitch last month after sustaining a groin injury, was welcomed back onto the Camp Nou pitch with great gusto. The Barca number 10 soon repaid his fans with an expertly finished goal, just three minutes after coming on.

Barcelona star Lionel Messi out for three weeks

 

Barcelona star Lionel Messi will be sidelined for the next three weeks due to a groin strain, dealing a huge blow to his club and country. “To lose Lionel Messi means football loses and we lose,” said Barca boss Luis Enrique. 

 

Messi limped off just before the hour mark of the Spanish champions’ 1-1 draw with Atletico Madrid on Wednesday. 

 

The Argentine captain is set to miss his country’s World Cup qualifiers against Peru and Paraguay next month as well as Barca’s Champions League clash at Borussia Moenchengladbach. Messi will also sit on the Catalans’ La Liga trips to Sporting Gijon and Celta Vigo. Messi. Messi.