Premier League Diary: Sky start making regions fight one another for glory
Say what you like about Sky Sports – within the bounds of libel laws and common decency, obviously, you filthy-mouthed animal – but they know how football works. They know where the buttons are; they know what makes the ordinary fan tick. To any other television company, this weekend’s Premier League scheduling might have been a curiosity, something to mention in passing. But Sky, bouncing from the success of Red Monday a few months ago, saw their chance to create a whole new institution from whole cloth:
Hot Football Transfer Window Gossip: Barcelona want Spurs' top stars, United 'clear to sign Lindelof' and Wilshere to Everton?
Stanley Accrington scours the sports pages for football tittle-tattle so you don’t have to …
After seeing former favourites Luka Modric and Gareth Bale being poached by Real Madrid in recent seasons, Tottenham fans will not be happy to hear that manager Mauricio Pochettino and midfield sensation Dele Alli are once again on LaLiga’s radars – only this time it’s Barcelona.
Villarreal 1 Barcelona 1: Messi rescues point with late free-kick
Following their Copa del Rey defeat to Athletic Bilbao, Barcelona were held to a 1-1 LaLiga draw by Villarreal.
Lionel Messi rescued a point for Barcelona with a late free-kick in a 1-1 draw at Villarreal on Sunday, although the Catalans' failure to win dealt their pursuit of LaLiga leaders Real Madrid a further blow.
Premier League: Barcelona target Koeman ridicules speculation
Everton manager Ronald Koeman has allayed fears about him departing for Barcelona, with Luis Enrique reportedly leaving at the season's end.
Ronald Koeman has dismissed speculation suggesting he is being lined up as Luis Enrique's successor at Barcelona, insisting the rumours are "not important".
The Dutchman enjoys a strong connection with the Catalan club having spent six years of his playing career at Camp Nou, before also becoming Louis van Gaal's assistant from 1998 until 2000.
The day Cristiano Ronaldo almost joined Messi at FC Barcelona
Nearly team mates: Ronaldo and Messi
As if Barcelona’s ‘Holy Trinity’ of Messi, Suarez and Neymar wasn’t scary enough, Cristiano Ronaldo has also claimed he would have loved the chance of playing with Leo Messi.