GIRONA FAIRYTALE CONTINUES AS BARCELONA BEATEN 4-2 BY SHOCK LALIGA LEADERS

 High-flying Girona reclaimed top spot in LaLiga after winning 4-2 at defending champions Barcelona on Sunday.

Artem Dovbyk and Miguel Gutierrez both scored for Girona in the first half, either side of Robert Lewandowski's equaliser, before Girona's Valery Fernandez and Cristhian Stuani sealed the victory after the break.

Girona, who remain unbeaten away from home in LaLiga this season, top the standings with 41 points from 16 games, having leapfrogged Real Madrid on 39 points after Carlo Ancelotti's side were held to a 1-1 draw by Real Betis on Saturday.

Barcelona, whose only previous defeat this season was to rivals Real at the end of October, are fourth on 34 points, level with third-placed Atletico Madrid who have a game in hand.

Barcelona fired off 31 shots, 11 of which were on target, but Girona's ex-Tottenham goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga pulled off a string of saves while the leaders scored with four out of their seven shots on target.

Dovbyk put Girona in front in the 12th minute with a shot that bounced in off the bottom of the post for his eighth goal in his debut LaLiga season.

Lewandowski then rediscovered his goalscoring touch and equalised for the hosts seven minutes later, heading home following a corner. It was the Poland striker's first goal for Barcelona in nearly a month.

Gutierrez restored Girona's lead before half-time, after the defender broke into the box and netted a fine individual effort, and Fernandez made it 3-1 in the 80th minute with a low shot two minutes after coming off the bench

"It is a tough defeat, we have not been good," Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong told DAZN. "Girona did well, but it is our fault.

"We haven't been good with the ball, neither have I, especially in the first half.

"We are seven points behind Girona, which is a lot. There is time, there is a lot of LaLiga left, but we have to improve a lot. We are disappointed, it is hard, but we can come back."

Sources:https://onefootball.com/en/news/girona-fairytale-continues-as-barcelona-beaten-4-2-by-shock-laliga-leaders-38704093

KARIM BENZEMA INCLUDES HIMSELF IN HIS DREAM XI, BUT NOT LIONEL MESSI OR CRISTIANO RONALDO

 Al-Ittihad forward Karim Benzema (35) has revealed his dream XI during an interview with the Saudi Arabian club’s social channels. The former France international includes himself in the team, but notably not Lionel Messi (36), nor former Real Madrid teammate Cristiano Ronaldo (38).

Messi and Ronaldo are considered by many to be two of the best players to have ever played the game; the former has won eight Ballon d’Or, the latter five. No players have won more than the pair. However, neither were good enough to make Benzema’s all-time XI.

The absence of Messi may not be entirely surprising, given their rivalry during their time at Barcelona and Real Madrid respectively, although that didn’t prevent him from naming Dani Alves at right-back. However, the absence of Ronaldo, with whom he spent nine years with Los Blancos (2009-2018) certainly constitutes a shock.

Benzema’s XI is full of former Real Madrid teammates, notably in defence, and also Les Bleus legends, notably Zinédine Zidane.

Benzema’s dream XI

Manuel Neuer; Dani Alves, Pepe, Sergio Ramos, Marcelo; Claude Makélélé, Paul Pogba, Zinédine Zidane; Ronaldinho, Ronaldo (R9), Karim Benzema.

GFFN | Luke Entwistle

Source:https://onefootball.com/en/news/karim-benzema-includes-himself-in-his-dream-xi-but-not-lionel-messi-or-cristiano-ronaldo-38704032

REAL MADRID PREPARING FOR HAALAND/MBAPPE GALACTICO SIGNINGS

 Real Madrid are preparing to make a ‘Galactico’ signing next summer and are targeting deals for Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe.

The Spanish side want to sign an elite centre-forward in next summer’s transfer window and have been raising cash behind the scenes in preparation for a big-money bid.

Mbappe has been a long-term target for Real Madrid and is approaching the end of his contract at Paris Saint-Germain, having turned down the option of an extension at the Parc des Prices.

Real Madrid have offloaded several high earners from the club’s wage bill in recent windows, with Marcelo, Isco and Gareth Bale moved on in 2022, and Karim Benzema, Marco Asensio and Eden Hazard all departing last summer

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The additional wage bill provides room to manoeuvre in the market, according to AS, particularly when presenting a proposal to sign Mbappe on a free transfer at the end of the season.

However, the Spaniards also have significant sums with which to spend, with €128m available in cash and a further €265m already approved to spend, according to the club’s official accounts.

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Source : https://onefootball.com/en/news/real-madrid-preparing-for-haalandmbappe-galactico-signings-38611433

FOOTBALL TRANSFER RUMOURS: REAL MADRID BUDGET FOR MBAPPE & HAALAND; ARSENAL MAKE TONEY DECISION

 90min rounds up the latest transfer news, rumours and gossip circulating around the world...

Real Madrid have organised their finances in such a way that they will be able to compete for more 'Galactico' signings next summer, with PSG's Kylian Mbappe and Manchester City's Erling Haaland on their shortlist. (AS)

Manchester United view Nice's Jean-Clair Todibo and Sporting CP's Goncalo Inacio as ideal long-term replacements for Raphael Varane. (The Sun)

Another player on Manchester United's radar is Pedro Neto, who is also wanted by Arsenal and Saudi Pro League clubs. Wolves have set a £60m asking price. (TeamTALK)

Liverpool lead Inter and Juventus in the race to sign Nice midfielder Khephren Thuram, with the France international able to leave if a club comes in with a £35m bid. (Corriere dello Sport

Chelsea could turn to Feyenoord striker Santiago Gimenez if Napoli's demands for Victor Osimhen prove excessive. (Football Transfers)

In their attempts to find a cut-price replacement for the injured Gavi, Barcelona are weighing up a move for West Ham midfielder Pablo Fornals, whose contract expires in the summer. (Cadena SER)

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Source: https://onefootball.com/en/news/football-transfer-rumours-real-madrid-budget-for-mbappe-haaland-arsenal-make-toney-decision-38611601

VIRTUAL COACHES AND SCOUTING APPS: HOW THE AI REVOLUTION IS TRANSFORMING FOOTBALL'S FUTURE

Football

Clubs not embracing the new era of artificial intelligence risk being left behind with the impacts set to be wide-ranging

Matt Majendie2 minutes ago

QPR’s relegation at the end of the 2012-13 season acted as an unlikely precursor of sorts to the introduction of artificial intelligence in football.

At the start of the season, midfielder Esteban Granero arrived amid fanfare from Real Madrid but was unable to halt the club’s drop from the top flight.

He returned to Spain the following season, first on loan with Real Sociedad before joining permanently. While there, he befriended a team analyst, who found himself unsure what to make of the reams of data he had at his disposal.

Granero’s solution was perhaps atypical to that of his peers. “I took the data and started asking clever people about it,” he recalls. “I went to universities and asked professors about artificial intelligence, as I felt AI could improve data analysis, as in other industries.”

By 2016, he had founded Olocip, an early entry into football AI used to aid decision making when it comes to signing players and also around in-game decisions.

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Source : https://onefootball.com/en/news/virtual-coaches-and-scouting-apps-how-the-ai-revolution-is-transforming-footballs-future-38608623

REAL MADRID STUNNED IN UWCL; CHELSEA CRUISE; BAYERN BEAT PSG; ROMA WIN

 The second round of Women’s Champions League group games concluded on Thursday with several big-hitters in action.

Here’s what went down.

BK Hacken Women - 02

Real Madrid Women - 01

Scorers: Kafaji 59′, Kosola 76′; Bruun 9′

Real Madrid are still seeking their first Group D win of the season after being downed by Häcken.

Signe Bruun had opened the scoring for the visitors by reacting quickest after Jennifer Falk tipped Ivana Sanz’s long-range attempt onto the post.

But Las Blancas were pulled level right before the hour mark when Rosa Kafaji pounced on a loose ball to rifle home from inside the area.

The hosts completed their comeback in the final 15 minutes as Katariina Kosola produced a curling effort from Kafaji’s pass to deliver a famous victory.

It means Alberto Toril’s side sit third in the group with just one point from their opening two fixtures while their hosts are comfortably top with six.

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Source : https://onefootball.com/en/news/real-madrid-stunned-in-uwcl-chelsea-cruise-bayern-beat-psg-roma-win-38609790

REAL MADRID VETERAN SUPERSTAR WANTED BY SAUDI ARABIAN GIANTS AL HILAL

 The 2023-24 season has served to remind Real Madrid that every beautiful story must end. Luka Modric and Toni Kroos no longer enjoy the same playing time at the club, and it is clear that the manager sees the transition to a younger generation to be vital.

Eduardo Camavinga, Aurelien Tchouameni, Jude Bellingham, and Federico Valverde have thus taken up the reins in the middle of the park. While Kroos’ situation remains uncertain, it appears certain that Modric will leave the club at the end of the season.

The magician’s next stage

At 38 years of age, the Croatian wizard continues to impress and pull the strings in the middle of the park for Real Madrid.

El Clasico was one such prime example, for the game turned on its head after Modric entered the field in the second half.

According to reports from Jose Felix Diaz on SBA Sport, Al Hilal of Saudi Arabia are interested in signing Luka Modric.

The Saudi Pro League leaders already boast names like Malcom, Aleksandar Mitrovic, Neymar Jr, Kalidou Koulibaly, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, and Ruben Neves in their ranks.

Needless to say, it is a proposal that will be difficult for Modric to reject.

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Source : https://onefootball.com/en/news/real-madrid-veteran-superstar-wanted-by-saudi-arabian-giants-al-hilal-38605784