WHAT THE FANS WANT...
Atletico Madrid have installed new glass screens in the
Wanda Metropolitano to block out the chilly winter
breeze and allow their fans to enjoy matches in a cozier
environment. The Atleti fans had been asking the club to
do so since the inauguration of their state-of-the-art arena
in 2017.BALE OUT, AGAIN
Gareth Bale did not finish watching the match between
Real Madrid and Real Sociedad. AS' reported that the
Welsh winger left around the 82nd minute of the Copa
del Rey quarterfinal tie. This is the fifth time Bale has
left the Santiago Bernabeu before the end of the match
this season. Despite the fact that it's not technically
prohibited, the Welshman's habit to not see out a match
didn’t do him any favors in improving his reputation.KROOS CONTROL
Toni Kroos has sparked controversy in Mexico after
assuming that Amazon Prime wasn't available in the
country. The German has a documentary about his career
set to be released on the platform. Yet when a follower
on Twitter asked when it would be available to view in
Mexico, he assumed it wasn't one of the countries which
could view it. The response brought about a number
of angry responses, while others opted to use it as an
opportunity to mock the Real Madrid midfielder with
messages about Mexico's 1-0 win over Germany in the
2018 World Cup.COLOSSEUM-TYPE FANS
Sergio Ramos was abused by the home crowd at El
Sadar during Real Madrid 's match against Osasuna. The
defender celebrated his goal by showing his shirt and
name to the Osasuna supporters after a scuffle with Unai
Garcia beforehand. "Ramos, kill yourself," some sections
of the home support shouted at him while a lighter was
also thrown in his direction. The Real Madrid captain also
proved unpopular with the crowd for getting away with a
yellow card for a strong challenge on Ruben Garcia.DEEP JONG
Frenkie de Jong
showed that he can
get forward and
get his name on the
scoresheet, but the
midfielder's former
coach at Ajax, Erik
ten Hag, is not in
favor of this new
role for the 22-year-
old. Instead, Ten
Hag argues that
De Jong's qualities
are best exploited
by having him
orchestrate things
from deep.ONE TWO PUNCH
Former Barcelona director Ariedo
Braida has stated that he doesn't
think it's impossible that Lionel
Messi leaves the Camp Nou, while
he is also of the belief that that
the Argentine could coexist with
Cristiano Ronaldo on the pitch.
Following the public disagreement
between Messi and Barcelona
sporting director Eric Abidal,
reports of interest from a series
of clubs emerged, with Braida
pointing the 32-year-old towards
Cristiano's Juventus.DON’T GO
Emmanuel Petit believes Leo Messi would not succeed if
he were to move to the Premier League. The Frenchman,
who moved to Barcelona in 2000 after three years with
Arsenal, questions Messi's suitability to England's top
flight. Disgruntlements from the Argentine over comments
made by Blaugrana sporting director Eric Abidal have
once again sparked rumors of a possible move away from
the Camp Nou yet Petit feels such a move wouldn't be a
wise one for any party.BIG HAIR
It’s been a first
season in LaLiga
to remember for
Aridane Hernandez,
with the centre-
back impressing at
the heart of a solid
Osasuna defence.
Also impressing
is his spectacular
afro, which has
developed cult
following at El
Sadar and stadiums
across Spain for
obvious reasons!SOCCER – IT’S OK
Junior Firpo has admitted that he didn't used to enjoy
playing football as a kid. The left-back has experienced
a rapid rise in recent years, coming through at Real Betis
before moving to Barcelona last summer. Firpo says he
used to play football to make friends, rather than enjoying
it as a form of sports.AROUND SPAIN
“It is a dream to score goals for this
club, and at the Camp Nou, and today
I have fulfilled that.” - Barcelona's goal
scoring hero Ansu Fati was in dreamland
after his double secured an important 2-1
win at home to Levante.“It's a club of clowns. Everything is
done backwards. For example, they buy
Coutinho and Dembele and later they
sell them. I have the impression there is
no project at this club.” - Former French
striker Christophe Dugarry, who played
for Barcelona during the 1997/98 season,
criticizes his former club for their poor
transfer strategies.“Everyone knows what they've done
wrong and right. From there, we have
to keep working, not throwing things
in our faces from now until the end of
the season, because it doesn't help”- Barcelona centre-back Gerard Pique
pleads with his colleague to put together
a united front till the end of this season.
“I was used to watch him on TV. [When
I met him] he looked like he was three
meters tall.” - Atletico Madrid youngster
Joao Felix shares his initial impression of
when he first met Juventus forward and
Portuguese legend Cristiano Ronaldo.BY^ THE^
NUMBER
SSergio Ramos
became the fifth
Real Madrid player
to make more
appearances
history after
surpassing
Fernando Hierro
( 439 ).
Real Madrid have
conceded just
14 goals in their
23 LaLiga games
this season, fewer
at this stage of a
campaign in their
history.
After matchday
23,Real Sociedad's
Portu has been
involved in 14
goals in LaLiga this
season (7 goals
and 7 assists) more
than any other
Spanish player.
Getafe have
attempted more
total shots against
Valencia than they
had ever managed
in a single La
Liga game since
October 2012 v
Mallorca ( 23 ).