Brazil's President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has joined soccer clubs and players in coming out to support star striker Vinícius Júnior after he once more faced racist abuse in a Spanish league match on Sunday. The latest incident took place in Real Madrid's 1-0 loss at Valencia, a match that had to be temporarily stopped after the Brazil forward said he was insulted by a fan behind one of the goals at Mestalla Stadium. Valencia fans were filmed making monkey chants toward Vinícius, who is Black. Lula told a news conference in Japan on the sidelines of a G7 meeting that he hopes FIFA, the Spanish League and other soccer bodies "take measures so we don't allow racism and fascism to take over" in the sport. Also Read: Vinicius Junior says Spanish league ‘now belongs to racists’ after enduring more abuse "It is not fair that a poor boy who is winning in his life, becoming one of the best in the world, certainly the best at Real Madrid, is insulted in every stadium he goes to," Lula said. Several of his cabinet ministers also backed Vinicius and were critical of the Spanish league. Brazil's Human Rights Minister Silvio Almeida, who is Black, said on Twitter: "The behavior of Spanish authorities and of the entities that govern its soccer is criminal." "It shows undeniable acceptance of racism," Almeida said. "(Vinicius) I will be on your side to hold those that attack you accountable, but also those who omit themselves." Rio de Janeiro Mayor Eduardo Paes used expletives on Twitter to insult Spanish league president Javier Tebas, who criticized Vinicius following the incident for his comments on the lack of action of the sport's national authorities every time he is racially abused during matches. "You want to blame the victim, you idiot?" Paes posted. Ednaldo Rodrigues, the first Black president of the Brazilian soccer confederation, said he is troubled by the lack of action in Spain after another racist incident against Vinicius. "Until when will we have to see episodes like the one we just witnessed, yet again in La Liga?" Rodrigues said. "Until when will we have to fight for concrete and efficient measures on and off the pitch? There is no joy where there is racism." Flamengo, the club where Vinicius started his career, issued a statement saying "it is even more shocking to know that it is not the first time and that so little has been done to fight (racism in the Spanish league) and stop it from happening again." Other Brazilian clubs made similar comments. Many of Vinicius' teammates in the national team also showed their support for the 22-year-old forward, who has been subject to racist abuse since moving to Spain five years ago. "They always did whatever they could to stop Blacks from coming near the top," striker Richarlison said. "They enslaved, marginalized and killed. But they will never knock down those who were born to be big. History forgets the rats and makes those fighting these bad people much bigger. I am with you always, Vini." Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti considered replacing Vinícius after he said fans at the Mestalla Stadium chanted "monkey" toward him. He said Vinícius initially didn't want to continue playing. He was later sent off after an altercation with Valencia players, and gestured to home fans about their team's fight against relegation as he left the field.    

Barcelona has sold off even more of its club assets in the hopes of meeting the Spanish league’s financial rules so Robert Lewandowski and its other signings can play in the season opener. Barcelona said Friday that it had agreed to sell 24.5% of its Barça Studios production hub to Orpheus Media in a deal that would earn it 100 million euros ($103 million). Last month Barcelona sold an initial 25% stake in its production hub to Socios.com, a blockchain provider, for another 100 million euros as well as 25% of its Spanish league television rights for the next 25 years for nearly 670 million euros ($689 million). All told, the heavily indebted Catalan club has mortgaged its future for 870 million euros ($895 million) in order to sign Lewandowski from Bayern Munich along with other talented newcomers. Regarding the sale of nearly 50% of its production hub, Barcelona said in a statement that “with this investment the strategic partners in Barça Studios show confidence in the value of the project and the future of digital content in the world of sport.” It also comes with Barcelona yet to register its new signings with the Spanish league. Barcelona opens the season on Saturday at home against Rayo Vallecano. Thanks to the money it has made by selling its assets, Barcelona has been able to strengthen its squad by signing Lewandowski, winger Raphinha and defender Jules Koundé for a combined 160 million euros ($165 million). But the Spanish league has strict financial requirements that limit the amount clubs can spend on players’ salaries and transfers based on the clubs’ financial health. Despite efforts to reduce costs and pay down its debt, Barcelona still holds 1 billion euros ($1 billion) in debt and has seen its salary cap slashed by the league in recent seasons. So, as of Friday morning, it had not registered Lewandowski, Raphinha, Koundé, free agent arrivals Franck Kessié and Andreas Christensen, or Ousmane Dembélé and Sergi Roberto, who both signed new contracts recently after their old ones had expired and so are considered new signings by the league. Read: Barcelona sells part of its production hub for $102M This new injection of another 100 million euros should help Barcelona’s financial balance that it presents to the league and increase its chances of being able to register all those players. The club is also pushing to sell players such as Samuel Umtiti and Martin Braithwaite that are either unwanted by coach Xavi Hernández or have big salaries like Frenkie de Jong. Teams have until the end of the month to register new players if they want to play in the Spanish league this season. Real Betis is also still waiting to register several players.   Barcelona club president Joan Laporta said recently that he was confident that his club will be able to field its latest acquisitions. But it would be yet another blow to Barcelona’s reputation if its star signings are not able to play at Camp Nou on Saturday. Orpheus Media is run by Catalan businessman Jaume Roures, the owner of Mediapro, a major television company involved in Spanish soccer but whose 2020 broadcast rights deal for the French league collapsed. Roures was a major financial backer of Laporta when he returned to run the financially troubled club in 2021. Roures said on Friday that he was not sure if the money he paid Barcelona would be sufficient.   “The league won’t have any problems with this operation,” Roures told Cadena SER radio. “If the 100 million euros are enough, I don’t know. If it isn’t, the (necessary) amount must be close to that.”

The 92nd season of the Spanish top-flight football is all set to begin on Friday (August 12) and it will end on June 4 next year with the final matchday fixtures. The reigning La Liga champions, Real Madrid, will start the season as hot favourites to retain the title. FC Barcelona will be the main challenger to Madrid for the league title. The La Liga 2022–2023 season predictions for the championship, the top-four, relegation, and the race for the leading scorer are discussed in this article. Which teams will fight for the Spanish La Liga title? Two of the most successful teams in the Spanish league, Real Madrid and Barcelona, will be the hot favourites to win the La Liga title in the 2022-2023 season. Together, they have won 61 league titles out of 91 seasons. This statistic shows the dominance of Real Madrid and FC Barcelona in Spanish club football. The reigning champions, Real Madrid, had a relatively easy season last year. They won the league title with 86 points, 13 points clear of second-placed Barcelona. The most successful club in Europe, Real Madrid, will once again be the front-runner to clinch their 36th La Liga trophy. Read Nunez helps Liverpool salvage 2-2 draw at Fulham in EPL Barcelona, on the other hand, surprised everyone by finishing second in the 2021–2022 league points table. They were nowhere near to their best at the start of last season, but things started to change once Xavi Hernandez took over the managerial role at the end of October 2021. Barcelona have made some important signings in order to be competitive for the upcoming season. With the new additions to the squad, the Blaugrana have become a real title contender for the next season. Atletico Madrid, who won the league in the 2020–2021 season, have an outside chance to win their 12th La Liga trophy. However, they lost Luis Suarez and Antoine Griezmann hasn’t been able to produce his best form since making his return to Barcelona last season. Atletico may well be run out of the title race in the final two months of the season and eventually settle for third place in the points standings. The Spanish La Liga's top three teams might face competition from Athletic Bilbao, Sevilla, Valencia, and Villarreal. However, they lack the ability to win a league, especially considering the remarkable consistency that Madrid or Barcelona possess. Read US stays top of FIFA women's rankings; England up to No. 4 La Liga 2022-2023 predictions for title:  Real Madrid (Champion), FC Barcelona (2nd) Favourites to make it into the Champions League Real Madrid, FC Barcelona, and Atletico Madrid are strong favourites to finish in the top three spots of the points table. Therefore, the remaining spot will be up for grabs for at least six teams. These six teams are Valencia, Athletic Bilbao, Villarreal, Real Sociedad, Real Betis, and Sevilla. Villarreal had a magnificent last season in the UEFA Champions League. They reached the semifinals in the 2021–2022 UCL tournament but eventually lost to Liverpool, 5-2 on aggregate. In the domestic league, Villarreal finished seventh in the points table with 59 points, 11 points less than 4th placed Sevilla. They will thrive for a top-four finish next season and are one of the early favourites to finish fourth in the league standings. Read English Premier League 2022-2023: Who are favourites to win the Golden Boot? Sevilla, Valencia, and Athletic Bilbao are among the most popular football teams, after the two Madrid clubs and Barcelona. They will play for a spot in the top-four along with Real Sociedad and Real Betis. Both Betis and Sociedad had fantastic outings, finishing fifth and sixth place respectively in the 2021–2022 La Liga points table. La Liga 2022-2023 season predictions for top-four:  Real Madrid (1st), FC Barcelona (2nd), Atletico Madrid (3rd) and Villarreal (4th) Which teams may find it difficult to avoid relegation? Granada, Levante, and Alaves were the three teams relegated to the Segunda Division at the end of the 2021–2022 season. On the other hand, Almeria, Valladolid, and Girona were promoted to La Liga from the Segunda Division. All three promoted clubs, along with the teams that fought hard to avoid relegation in the 2021–2022 campaign, are expected to compete to avoid the bottom three spots in the points standings in the upcoming season. Rayo Vallecano, Elche, Espanyol, Getafe, Mallorca, and Cadiz all put up a valiant fight until the end in order to escape being relegated. These six teams could struggle and battle for survival once more. Read Premier League 2022-2023 predictions: Title race, top-four, and relegation On the other hand, newly promoted clubs generally struggle during their first year in the top division. As a result, Girona, Almeria, and Valladolid's 2022–2023 La Liga campaigns could not be without hiccups. Two of these three teams have a strong possibility of getting relegated next season. La Liga 2022-2023 predictions for relegation:  Elche (18th) Almeria (19th), and Cadiz (20th) Favourites to finish the season with the highest goals Real Madrid’s French forward, Karim Benzema, was the top scorer for the 2021–2022 season. He won the Pichichi Trophy with 27 goals in 32 appearances. The second best striker in the last season was Celta Vigo’s Iago Aspas, with 18 goals. Besides, Espanyol’s Raul de Tomas and Real Madrid’s Brazilian wunderkind Vinicius Junior netted 17 goals each. The top three goal scorers from last season, along with Barcelona’s Ousmane Dembele and blockbuster signing Robert Lewandowski, all will be in contention for the Pichichi Trophy for the leading scorer next season. Read Trophee des Champions 2022: Messi, Neymar likely to start for PSG against Nantes Many football pundits believe that Barcelona’s signing of Robert Lewandowski from FC Bayern Munich this summer transfer window has reignited the el clasico rivalry. Both Lewandowski and Benzema are considered two of the top strikers in the world right now. Undoubtedly, the attention of millions of football fans will increase when these two compete in the same league. Both Lewandowski and Benzema are known to be prolific goalscorers as well as clutch players. As a result, the chances of either of these two players being the top scorer in the 2022–2023 La Liga season are very high. Besides, Madrid’s Vinicius Jr. may well be even more effective upfront, and Barcelona’s Dembele has shown real promise in the pre-season matches. If they stay in shape, Dembele and Vinicius could be among the top goal scorers in the league. La Liga 2022–2023 season best scorer predictions:  Karim Benzema, Robert Lewandowski, Vinicius Junior, Ousmane Dembele, Iago Aspas. Read England beats Germany in extra time to win Euro 2022 Aftermath  As per multiple La Liga 2022-2023 season predictions, Real Madrid and FC Barcelona are overwhelmingly favourites to win the title. The 2020–2021 season champions, Atletico Madrid, will also be in the race for the championship, but can they fight till the end? At least six teams will try to compete for the final slot in the top-four, escalating the competition. The Spanish La Liga will be closed from November 10 to the end of December due to the 2022 FIFA World Cup. The big event's break might have an impact on the 2022-2023 La Liga season's final points standings.  

Ronald Koeman came under pressure after losing the El Classico earlier this week. There was a buzz in Spain that the coach will be replaced if he fails to produce against Rayo Vallecano. The rumor came true after failing to win a rather easy La Liga fixture on Wednesday (October 27). Following the defeat, the club stated in an official statement that first-team coach Ronald Koeman has been fired after 14 months in command. Let's take a look at the top candidates for Ronald Koeman's replacement at FC Barcelona.    Ronald Koeman's Potential Successors at FC Barcelona Barcelona's newly elected president Joan Laporta extended Koeman's contract for another season earlier this summer despite his unimpressive style of play. However, he fell short in terms of decision-making. Under his leadership, Barcelona has only 15 points from ten La Liga games this season. His team also lost twice in the ongoing UEFA Champions League group stage. The Barcelona board was increasingly frustrated with Koeman's poor managerial performance, and his termination was on the cards after the defeat against arch-rival Real Madrid. Here are a few prospective Koeman replacements. Read Man United humiliated: Salah hat trick in 5-0 Liverpool rout Jordi Cruyff Jordi Cruyff, the son of former Barcelona legend Johan Cruyff, is one of the leading contenders for the position. He is quite knowledgeable about Blaugrana's style. Because his father was the main architect of Barcelona's famed tiki-taka style of play. Jordi understands exactly what Barcelona expect from him.  Jordi has previously held managerial positions with Maccabi Tel Aviv, Shenzen FC, and the Ecuadorian national team. Currently, he is serving as the sports advisor at Barcelona. It will not be a bad choice if the club names Jr. Cruyff as the next Barcelona first-team coach. Read Madrid wins 2-1 at Barcelona in first post-Messi ‘clásico’ Antonio Conte Italian coach Antonio Conte is the most well-known name on the market. He resigned as manager after winning Serie A with Inter Milan last season. Conte has a particular vision and approach to the game. He has the capability to bring out the best in his players and can help Barcelona to regain its glory. One major issue is, Conte's ideology may not be completely aligned with FC Barcelona's. Barcelona might be considering him as an alternative for Koeman if they are unable to convince their other main targets.  Read European soccer leagues oppose FIFA biennial World Cup plan

Ronald Koeman has been a disappointment since taking over as manager of FC Barcelona in August 2020. Koeman's tactical decisions and team analysis have been subpar. Barcelona won the Copa del Ray by defeating Athletic Bilbao 4-0 in the final in his first season as manager, but they were knocked out of the Champions League in the round of 16 and finished third in La Liga 2020-2021 season. According to reports in Spain, Laporta is considering replacing Koeman with a manager who is familiar with Barcelona's style of play and can make better tactical decisions. Let's take a look at four possible Ronald Koeman replacements.  Four Probable Candidates to Replace Ronald Koeman at FC Barcelona  Barcelona's new president Joan Laporta opted to extend Koeman's contract for another season despite his unimpressive style of play. However, he has made little progress in terms of strategy, and Barcelona's recent results have been awful. Moreover, Koeman has a terrible track record against big opponents. He only won one big game against Juventus in October 2020. Apart from that, he has lost two El Clasicos, yet to win against Atletico Madrid in La Liga, and failed to beat PSG in the 2021 Champions League round of 16. Bayern Munich beat Koeman's Barcelona 3-0 at Camp Nou in a group stage encounter of the 2021-2022 Champions League season. Read: Lionel Messi is Leaving Barcelona Despite Wanting to Stay Barcelona's hierarchy has become frustrated with Koeman's poor performance as a manager. According to reports, they are on the hunt for a suitable suitor for Koeman. 4) Antonio Conte Antonio Conte is probably the big name available on the market. He stepped down as manager of Inter Milan after winning the Serie A last season. Conte has a proven track record in both the Italian and Premier Leagues. He is quite clear about what he expects from his team. Conte has a distinct vision and playing style. He has the ability to bring out the best in his players and take the Barcelona team forward. Conte's approach may not be fully compatible with FC Barcelona's philosophy, but he can provide consistency within the group. Barcelona may consider him as a successor for Koeman if they are unable to persuade their other top targets. Read: Messi breaks down, says he wasn’t ready to leave Barcelona 3) Erik ten Hag Appointing Erik ten Hag would be a great replacement given his recent performances with Ajax. Erik ten Hag’s team has been in excellent form in European competition in the previous three seasons and his style of play is well suited to Barcelona's system. What's more fascinating is that Ajax has stayed tough and attack-minded despite losing some well-known players. They play more aggressively and terrorize the opposing defense. However, Erik ten Hag must be convinced that he would get the best out of the present Barcelona squad after taking over as manager. Read: Lionel Messi Contract: PSG Set to Sign Former Barcelona Forward 2) Xavi Hernandez One of Barcelona's all-time great footballers Xavi Hernandez will surely take over as manager of FC Barcelona at some point in the future. However, is he ready to take up the post right now? Because he has yet to coach a European club and has been in charge of Qatar's Al Sadd since 2019. Xavi is well-versed in Barcelona's culture and organizational structure. He might be an instant success at Camp Nou, or he could be a complete disaster. However, it will be a sensible decision to take a chance on club legend Xavi Hernandez. Read Barcelona recalls right back Emerson from Betis loan 1)    Roberto Martinez Spanish manager Roberto Martinez coached three English teams before taking over as manager of Belgium's national team in 2016. He hasn't had much success as a manager, but he has done a good job both at the club level and with the national team. Martinez is an experienced coach who has a clear vision. However, he needs to adapt his approach to Barcelona's style of play. Is he really the ideal coach for Barcelona at this time? Though recent speculations indicate that Roberto Martinez is the frontrunner to succeed Ronald Koeman at Barcelona. Read: End of an era: Barcelona says Messi won’t stay with the club Verdict Xavi Hernandez might be a perfect fit considering his Barcelona connections. He knows more about the club than any of the possible suitors. Though Xavi has no managerial experience in European club football, which might be a big block in his path to becoming Barcelona's manager. Roberto Martinez may also be a good fit for Barcelona. However, it's uncertain whether he will be willing to take over as manager given the club's current position. Antonio Conte and Eric ten Hag are two well-known European managers that can offer stability to the Barcelona team. Whoever gets the job will have a huge task ahead of them to make things better.   Read Barcelona reaches deal with Ag ero to boost team s attack

Lionel Messi finally signed his eagerly anticipated Paris Saint-Germain contract on Tuesday night to complete the move that confirms the end of a career-long association with Barcelona and sends PSG into a new era. The French club said in a statement that the 34-year-old Argentina star signed a two-year deal with the option for a third season. “I am excited to begin a new chapter of my career at Paris Saint-Germain,” Messi said. “Everything about the club matches my football ambitions. I know how talented the squad and the coaching staff are here. I am determined to help build something special for the club and the fans, and I am looking forward to stepping out onto the pitch at the Parc des Princes.” Read: Lionel Messi is Leaving Barcelona Despite Wanting to Stay No salary details were given, but a person with knowledge of the negotiations earlier told The Associated Press that Messi is set to earn around 35 million euros ($41 million) net annually. The person said on condition of anonymity before the contract was signed. “I am delighted that Lionel Messi has chosen to join Paris Saint-Germain and we are proud to welcome him and his family to Paris,” PSG chairman Nasser Al-Khelaifi said. “He has made no secret of his desire to continue competing at the very highest level and winning trophies, and naturally our ambition as a club is to do the same.” It is symbolic that Messi will wear the No. 30 jersey — the same number he wore in his first two seasons with Barcelona before switching to No. 19 and then the prized No. 10, which Neymar gets to keep at PSG. Throngs of PSG fans gathered at Le Bourget Airport in Paris to welcome Messi, who was wearing a T-shirt featuring “Ici c’est Paris” — “This is Paris.” The words are a long-familiar refrain from a favored fan chant at Parc des Princes stadium, where Messi is to be presented to them before kickoff of Saturday night’s game against Strasbourg. Such was the fervor of his arrival that police had to push back to stop metal barriers from toppling over at the airport as fans surged forward to get a better view. He then traveled into Paris with a police escort that included several officers on motorbikes and clad in black at the back of it. As disbelief at landing one of soccer’s all-time greats turned to sheer enthusiasm, many gathered for a glimpse of Messi at the stadium. They got their wish as the smiling superstar briefly waved to them before he underwent a medical check. Earlier, Messi’s father and agent, Jorge, had also confirmed his son was moving to PSG in a brief exchange with reporters at Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport before he took his flight in the early afternoon. Messi arrived with his wife and three children and boarded a private jet. Read: Messi breaks down, says he wasn’t ready to leave Barcelona “With it all, toward a new adventure. The five together,” Antonela Roccuzzo said on Instagram alongside a photo with her husband on the plane. PSG supporters have seen their club transformed over the last decade since the influx of Qatari sovereign wealth investment linked to the emir. Once Messi’s Barcelona contract expired — and the Catalan club was unable to afford to keep him — PSG was one of the few clubs that could finance a deal to sign the six-time world player of the year. Messi’s arrival gives PSG formidable attacking options as he links up with France World Cup winner Kylian Mbappe and Brazil forward Neymar. “Back together,” Neymar posted on Instagram over a video of them hugging, playing for Barcelona. While PSG had to pay 222 million euros (then $261 million) to sign Neymar from Barcelona in 2017, there was no transfer fee for Messi. Messi became the most desired free agent in soccer history after his attempts to stay at Barcelona were rejected last week by the Spanish league because the salary would not comply with financial regulations, with the Catalan club burdened by debts of more than 1.2 billion euros ($1.4 billion). PSG coach Mauricio Pochettino quickly made contact with his fellow Argentine after Barcelona announced last Thursday that Messi would be leaving the club he joined as a 13-year-old. Messi won every major honor with Barcelona and was granted a tearful exit news conference on Sunday to signal the end of an era. Only Cristiano Ronaldo in the current era challenges Messi’s status as an all-time great. PSG will be hoping not only that Messi helps the team regain the French title it lost to Lille last season but finally win the Champions League. Read: Lionel Messi Contract: PSG Set to Sign Former Barcelona Forward If Pochettino uses a 4-3-3 formation, the front three could see Messi deployed on the right with Neymar on the left and Mbappe between them as the center forward. The quandary for Pochettino would be how to use Angel Di Maria, whose goal sealed the Copa America title last month, and another Argentine attacker — Mauro Icardi. It’s a tactical challenge most coaches would relish, with a 4-2-3-1 or 3-5-2 also in the mix to accommodate the attacking talents available. What should be less demanding is PSG complying with UEFA’s Financial Fair Play. Some flexibility has been provided in the rules due to the pandemic and changes are due to the system that were designed to stem losses. It is PSG president Al-Khelaifi who, as chairman of the European Club Association and a member of UEFA’s executive committee, is involved in the process of discussing a wider update to FFP that could allow more unchecked spending again.

The European football season 2020-2021 has come to a close. Several star footballers emerged across Europe last season. Also, the majority of the world's finest footballers contributed to their teams' success. Usually, the top performers of the champion teams are picked for the best player awards and the expected players won trophies in the European football season 2020-2021.  Award-winning footballers of 2020-2021 European season Let's take a look at the award-winning footballers from the top five European leagues – the English Premier League, Italian Serie A, Bundesliga, and French League. English Premier League award winners We saw a superb contest between Premier League clubs until the middle of the season. However, Manchester City turned their fortunes around with a 15-game winning streak and eventually won the Premier League for the fifth time and the third time in the past four seasons. Belgian midfielder Kevin de Bruyne was Man City's most important player last season. He scored 10 goals in 40 appearances for the Citizens and earned his second consecutive PFA Player of the Year award. Before that, only Arsenal's Thierry Henry and Manchester United's Cristiano Ronaldo won two players of the year awards in a row. Meanwhile, Manchester City's defender Ruben Dias earned the Premier League Player of the season 2020-2021 award. Read BCL Football: Fakirerpool thump Wari 4-1 Premier League award winners Player of the Season: Ruben Dias (Manchester City) Young Player of the Season: Phil Foden (Manchester City) Goal of the Season: Erik Lamela (Tottenham) Manager of the Season: Pep Guardiola (Manchester City) Italian Serie A award winners Inter Milan won the Serie A title for the first time in 11 years while Juventas failed to win it for the first time in ten years. Belgian striker RomeluLukaku was the most important player for Inter Milan. He scored 24 goals for the Nerazzurri to help them win the league for the 19th time. Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo and AC Milan goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma also won awards. Read What can Bangladesh Achieve in remaining World Cup 2022 Qualifiers? Italian Serie A award winners Most Valuable Player: Belgium RomeluLukaku (Internazionale) Best Striker: Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus) Best Midfielder: NicolòBarella (Internazionale)        Best Defender: Cristian Romero (Atalanta)   Best Goalkeeper: Gianluigi Donnarumma (Milan)    Best Young Player: DušanVlahovic (Fiorentina) Winners in Bundesliga Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski received the player of the season award, breaking Gerd Muller's record of most goals in a season. The Polish striker scored 42 goals in only 29 games for the Bavarians, helping them win the German Bundesliga for the 31st time. Lewandowski won the award for the fifth and second seasons in a row. Dortmund's English midfielder Jude Bellingham was named the Silver Arrow award winner for the best young player. Read Ballon d'Or 2021: Who Will Win the Prestigious Award?             Ligue 1 award winners Paris Saint-Germain striker KylianMbappé has won the Ligue 1 player of the year award for the second year in a row despite failing to win a major trophy last season. Lillie won the French league title in 2020-2021. However, only two Lillie players made the cut in the team of the season. PSG's KylianMbappé had a fantastic season, scoring 42 goals in 47 games. Meanwhile, Mbappé's teammate Keylor Navas was named the best goalkeeper of the year following another outstanding season with the club. Bottom Line Some new players emerged in addition to the well-known ones at the end of the European football season 2020-2021. The Messi-Ronaldo era is coming to an end. So, stars like KylianMbappé andErlingHaalandwill have to fill the void. Also, the major teams were not very active on the transfer market last year because of Covid-19. So, the big teams did not perform the way they had hoped to and they are likely to be more active in the transfer market this year to make the 2021-2022 season more competitive. Read FIFA, AFC Qualifiers: Indian captain Sunil Chhetri strike twice to beat Bangladesh 2-0

The penalty shootout was going badly for Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea in the Europa League final, beaten by every Villarreal player who stepped up to the spot. At 11-10, it got dramatically worse. The shootout — after a 1-1 draw following extra time — went on so long that all of the outfield players took penalties, meaning De Gea and Villarreal goalkeeper Gerónimo Rulli were the 11th men up. Rulli sent his penalty into the top corner, but De Gea’s lacked power and was stopped by the Villarreal keeper. Read:Rebel Super League clubs won’t accept UEFA ‘coercion’ As Rulli lay on the grass after his save, the entire team ran over and piled on top of him. It was an upset to savor as Villarreal — a team from a city of about 50,000 people — secured the first major trophy in the 98-year history of the club by beating one of European soccer’s giants. It also secured a lucrative Champions League spot for next season rather than playing in the new third-tier Europa Conference League after Villarreal only finished seventh in the Spanish league. And it stopped an English sweep of the two big European competitions before Chelsea and Manchester City play the Champions League final on Saturday. “It feels really good,” Villarreal midfielder Francis Coquelin said. “When you go down to the end it’s the winner taking it all. It was tough, we had a tough game. Manchester put a lot of pressure on us, especially in the first half.” For Villarreal coach Unai Emery it was a record fourth Europa League title, and it offered a measure of redemption after he was fired by Arsenal last season. Emery was hoisted aloft by his players before they received their medals. He won three Europa League titles in a row with Sevilla from 2014-16 and lost the 2019 final with Arsenal against Chelsea. “We worked hard this season and I think we deserved to win and to do something important,” Emery said. “We are going to enjoy each moment but above all we are going to prepare for the next season to prepare in the Champions League and have this opportunity with very big teams.” Villarreal’s win also ensured that United went a fourth consecutive season without a trophy for the first time since the 1980s and left its manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer still looking for his first title. United’s last silverware was the Europa League in 2017. Read:Could Koeman be closer to staying at Barca after Camp Nou meeting? “That’s football for you. Sometimes it’s decided on one kick and that’s the difference between winning and losing,” Solskjaer told broadcaster BT Sport. “Got to ... taste this feeling and make sure you don’t get it again.” Asked if United’s season — runner-up in the Premier League and now the Europa League — could be considered a success, Solskjaer said bluntly: “No.” The marathon shootout had more excitement than the entire 120 minutes of the game. United dominated the early possession but it was Villarreal which made the breakthrough. Gerard Moreno pushed past Victor Lindelöf at a free kick in the 29th minute and strained to prod Daniel Perejo’s cross past De Gea in the United goal. United equalized at a set piece when Edinson Cavani reacted quickest to knock the ball in after Marcus Rashford’s low shot was deflected following a corner. A video review ruled the Uruguayan onside for his sixth goal of the season in the Europa League, all of them in the last four games. United could soon have had a second, if not for Rashford scuffing a shot wide when one-on-one with Rulli. Another missed chance followed when Torres blocked a Cavani header. Read:Copa America 2021: Things you need to know When the game went to extra time, United’s hopes of repeating a 2-1 come-from-behind win over Bayern Munich 22 years ago to the day in the Champions League final began to fade. Villarreal looked the fresher team in extra time as Solskjaer — the substitute goal-scoring hero in 1999 — held back all but one of his substitutions until the second half of extra time. Solskjaer brought on two penalty specialists, Juan Mata and Alex Telles, for the shootout. They both scored but that meant little against Villarreal’s perfect 11 penalties from 11 players. Rulli had come close to saving a couple of previous penalties, including when Luke Shaw’s kick eased in over his outstretched hand. De Gea seemed to try mind games. He approached some opponents to talk to them as they prepared to shoot, and made Villarreal’s 10th penalty taker, Pau Torres, wait while he strolled over from the sideline. But in the end it was De Gea who had to trudge back toward his teammates to be consoled after his miss.

Is it possible to imagine a World Cup without Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo?However, such concerns were raised when an announcement came on Sunday (April 18th) that a new competition branded the "European Super League" will be launched with the best clubs from across Europe. The competition was initially planned to feature 15 topclubs as permanent members.UEFA responded immediately, warning that the teams would be excluded and their players would be banned from participating in international competitions.This article discusses, how the European Super League could have ruled Messi and Ronaldo out of the FIFA World Cup 2022?  What is the European Super League? The European Super League is a brand new competition for so-called elite clubs which will feature 20 teams. There will be 15 founding clubs and the names of 12 clubs have been released so far.  They are Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Tottenham from Premier League; Real Madrid, Barcelona, Atletico Madrid from La Liga; and Inter, Juventus, AC Milan from Serie A. Read: How European football is badly affected by the pandemic covid-19? Three more clubs are expected to join as founding members. Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern Munich, and Borussia Dortmund are believed to have been contacted, but none of them have shown a desire to join. Five more teams will be picked for the competition each season based on their domestic season performance. Tournament format The clubs will be split into two groups and the matches will be played on a home and away basis, as usual. The top three teams from each group will advance to the quarter-finals. For the final two spots, the fourth and fifth teams in each group will play a two-leg play-off match. Then the rest of the way is like the Champions League. Expected tournament schedule The season's calendar can be complicated since Super League teams still tend to compete in the domestic league. It'll be a packed schedule and being occupied in such a tournament means bidding farewell to the Champions League. The Super League authority has confirmed that the matches will take place in mid-week. The final will be one match and it will be held by the end of May. When is the Super League set to begin? FC Barcelona said in an official statement that they want to begin the league as soon as possible. However, the clubs announced in a joint statement that the competition will begin in August. How much money will the clubs earn? European Super League teams will get a huge financial benefit. The founding clubs will receive 3.5 billion euros for infrastructure improvements and debt relief. The prize money for teams in the Super League will be significantly higher than the prize money for teams in the Champions League. Read: Football Transfers 2021: The hot favorites to replace Sergio Aguero at Man City UEFA's response on super league UEFA, the Premier League, La Liga, and Serie A all responded quickly to the Super League's announcement. In an official statement, UEFA said that they are all working together to avoid this unethical project, and they believe the super league is formed to protect the clubs' self-interest. UEFA also stated that football is a merit-based sport and that they will never support such a decision. As a result, super league clubs will be banned from competing in any domestic, continental, or worldwide competition. Players from the teams will also be unable to represent their country in any international matches. After the announcement of UEFA, there are fears that superstar footballers like Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo will not be seen in FIFA World Cup 2022. Both Messi and Ronaldo have yet to win the World Cup. So they want to make one last attempt to win the World Cup in Qatar. But if UEFA's announcement is true, then apart from these two best footballers of all time, almost half of the world's best footballers will be absent in the World Cup 2022. Because nearly all of the world's biggest stars play for Europe's top clubs. Read: Potential Young Players Who Could Rule World Football Next Decade Protest and confirmation of all English clubs withdrawal Supporters from a number of Premier League clubs have protested the club owners' arbitrary decision. Fans of Liverpool and Chelsea were prominent among them. Within 48 hours of the widespread criticism, all Premier League clubs reversed their positions and announced their withdrawal from the Super League. Following the announcement by all Premier League teams, the Super League's other six clubs would no longer remain in their previous stands. So, the European Super League's dissolution may be announced at any moment. However, UEFA and FIFA must place more emphasis on protecting everyone's interests. Read:  Summer Window 2021: Five Potential Big Football Transfers Bottom Line Coronavirus has placed all of Europe's big clubs into a huge economic crisis. As a result, they're attempting to cover the financial loss by introducing new initiatives. However, there is no valid reason to support a proposal that undermines the very essence of football. The demands of the clubs are not completely unreasonable. In this case, UEFA needed to be more vigilant. If the Super League tournament is not held as expected, big names like Messi and Ronaldo will be able to participate in the FIFA World Cup 2022. This will be great news for millions of football fans around the world. Read:  Lionel Messi: The Argentine Football Star’s Most Unbreakable Records

Eight of the games in a slightly truncated Matchday 31 of La Liga will be played on Sunday due to the final of the Copa del Rey between FC Barcelona and Athletic Club Bilbao on Saturday night. Barca will play their league game corresponding to Matchday 31 at home to Granada on April 28 while Athletic Club takes on Valladolid in a very relevant match to the visitors' struggle against relegation on the same day. The round of matches kicks off on Sunday lunchtime with Real Sociedad at home to Sevilla in a game with a lot to say in the race for the title and the battle to qualify for Europe. Sevilla's thrilling 4-3 win away to Celta Vigo on Monday means they are just six points behind league leaders Atletico Madrid. A run of 13 points from a possible 15 means they have to be seen as outsiders in the race for this season's La Liga title. Real Sociedad, meanwhile, are fifth and locked in a battle with Villarreal and Betis for a place in next season's Europa League (a battle that will become harder if Athletic Club qualifies by winning the Cup on Saturday). Atletico Madrid has been dropping points at a worrying rate and now holds just a one-point lead over Real Madrid, with Barca another point behind, but they have to favor their home game against the bottom of the table Eibar. Eibar visits the Wanda Metropolitano bottom of the table with just 23 points and after 13 league games without a win after their home defeat to Levante last weekend. Even though Luis Suarez and Joao Felix are out for Atletico, Diego Simeone's men are still clear favorites. Real Madrid makes the short visit to play Getafe, who are not safe from relegation yet after a home defeat to Cadiz last weekend. Madrid goes to the south of the capital after assuring their place in the Champions League's semi-finals on Wednesday. Although they will still be without Lucas Vazquez, Sergio Ramos and probably Raphael Varane, they have every reason to be confident. The last time Getafe beat Real Madrid was in 2012, and the last time Pepe Bordalas' side scored against them was in March 2018, and it looks as if tiredness with being the main rival for Zinedine Zidane's men. Elsewhere the battle against relegation takes center stage, with Javier Calleja making his home debut as coach at second from bottom Alaves when they face Huesca. Calleja's side held on for a 0-0 draw in Bilbao last weekend, and with Lucas Perez back after the ostracism he suffered under Abelardo Fernandez, they have more threat in attack. Rafa Mir will be the main threat for Huesca, who have improved hugely with Pacheta in the dugout, and their 3-1 win at home to Elche last weekend saw them leapfrog Elche to escape the bottom three for the first time in 22 weeks. That defeat ended Elche's positive trajectory under Fran Escriba. They need to recover from that defeat when they visit Osasuna, who are probably one win from assuring their survival for another year. Elsewhere Betis takes on Valencia, looking to keep their efforts to qualify for Europe on track after a 1-1 draw at home to Atletico Madrid last week. Valencia striker Maxi Gomez is suspended after his sending off against Real Sociedad a week ago. An always entertaining Celta Vigo will test Cadiz's solid defense. There is also an east-coast derby as Levante entertains Villarreal, three days after Villarreal qualified for the Europa League's semi-finals.