Barca
Barcelona outclass Villarreal after recent disappointments
Barcelona responded to a trying week by thrashing Villarreal 4-1 away to stay alive in the Liga title race, producing one of their best displays under coach Quique Setien. The Catalans had drawn their last two matches to hand more momentum to league leaders Real Madrid but Sunday’s win took them to 73 points after 34 games, four behind their arch-rivals who won 1-0 at Athletic Bilbao earlier on Sunday. An own goal from Pau Torres put Barca in front in the third minute, with Villarreal’s Gerard Moreno levelling on the rebound in the 14th before the visitors restored their lead through an outstanding curling strike from Luis Suarez six minutes later. Antoine Griezmann stretched Barca’s advantage just before the break with a sublime chip, having been dropped from the starting lineup in the la...
Antoine Griezmann ‘a caricature of himself’ in toxic Barcelona environment – former coach
Antoine Griezmann has become “a caricature of himself” at Barcelona, where his former Real Sociedad boss, Martin Lasarte, feels a toxic environment is taking its toll. Quique Setien has named Griezmann on the bench for three of Barca’s past four games, including important meetings with top-four hopefuls Sevilla and Atletico Madrid. The World Cup winner was not sent on until the 90th minute against Atletico on Tuesday, with Ansu Fati introduced ahead of him in the 2-2 draw at Camp Nou. Barca will fall four points behind Real Madrid with five games remaining if La Liga’s leaders beat Getafe on Thursday, with reports suggesting Setien has lost the backing of his players. Martin Lasarte, who handed Griezmann his professional debut as an 18-year-old in the Segunda Division with La Real, believe...
Bayern Munich confirm €120 million Philippe Coutinho purchase option has expired
Bayern Munich chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has revealed that the Bundesliga champions have not activated their purchase option for Philippe Coutinho. Barcelona’s Brazilian midfielder joined on a season-long loan last summer, but has failed to fulfil his potential in Bavaria and Rummenigge says the clause has now expired. Coutinho, 27, arrived with the option to buy for €120million last August, but Bayern have opted not to exercise the deal, though Rummenigge did not totally close the door on a future for Coutinho in Germany. “The option expired and we haven’t activated it,” Rummenigge told German magazine Der Spiegel. “We’re going to plan our squad for next season and we’ll see if he still has a role to play with us or not.” The former Liverpool star has failed to hit the heights he did ...
