Author: Joe Soriano

Joe Soriano is the editor of The Trivela Effect and a FanSided Hall of Famer who has covered world football since 2010. He’s led top digital communities like The Real Champs (Real Madrid) and has run sites covering Tottenham, Liverpool, Juventus, and Schalke. He also helped manage NFL Spin Zone and Daily DDT, covering the NFL and pro wrestling.

Alvaro Arbeloa offers update on Raul Asencio injury scare
25Feb By Joe SorianoNo Comments
Injury News

Alvaro Arbeloa offers update on Raul Asencio injury scare

Real Madrid breathed a sigh of relief after Vinicius Junior's second goal in the tie sunk Benfica 3-1 on aggregate, but they were worried about a possible injury blow to young center back Raul Asencio. The good news is that Asencio is not injured at a time when Real's injuries are testing their defensive depth with blows to main starters Eder Militao and Dean Huijsen. Per Madrid Zone, Real Madrid manager Alvaro Arbeloa informed the reporters at the press conference after the 2-1 win over the Portuguese giants that Asencio did not sustain a serious injury: "It seems like Asencio's injury is NOT very bad. It's a neck thing." That's relieving news for Real Madrid, who've already had such bad luck with defensive injuries over the past couple of years. Remaining center backs besides...
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Vinicius Junior shut the racists up yet again
25Feb By Joe SorianoNo Comments
News

Vinicius Junior shut the racists up yet again

Real Madrid left winger Vinicius Junior is writing a new chapter in the history of the Champions League with every goal and assist, and his late goal in the 80th minute against Benfica to seal the tie on a 3-1 aggregate for the Royal Whites at home had to feel especially good. Benfica attacker Gianluca Prestianni was suspended for covering his mouth and racially abusing Vinicius Junior after his amazing goal to break the deadlock (and eventually decide the game) in the first leg. The Portuguese giants tried to appeal Prestianni's ban, but it did not get overturned. And while Benfica did score the first goal at the Santiago Bernabeu early on, Real Madrid retook the advantage in the tie 2-1 just minutes later via defensive midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni. But Vinicius's moment would ...
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Fabrizio Romano trashes two big Real Madrid midfield transfer rumors
25Feb By Joe SorianoNo Comments
Transfer News

Fabrizio Romano trashes two big Real Madrid midfield transfer rumors

Real Madrid are having problems in midfield after failing to replace either Luka Modric or Toni Kroos, and while some fans are not happy with the developments of French stars Eduardo Camavinga and Aurelien Tchouameni, Fabrizio Romano says Real are not thinking about selling either player. The news from Fab is relayed by Madrid Xtra who quote the Italian transfer reporter as saying, “Tchouameni and Camavinga are seen as CRUCIAL players at Real Madrid. At the moment, the club does NOT consider selling a midfielder but adding another midfielder.” Romano has reported before about Real Madrid being in the market for new midfield talent, and even before the 2025/26 season, Real were linked to controlling midfielders, though Florentino Perez rejected Xabi Alonso's idea of trying to hijack a...
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Manchester United look to La Liga for potential Casemiro replacement
25Feb By Joe SorianoNo Comments
Transfer News

Manchester United look to La Liga for potential Casemiro replacement

Manchester United defensive midfielder Casemiro could potentially be on his way out at the end of the 2025/26 Premier League season, and if he were to walk away, the Red Devils are interested in Papa Gueye of Villarreal, per a report from Footmercato. Casemiro has proven this season that he is not finished, and the veteran defensive midfielder has been a part of the club's revival under Michael Carrick with the Red Devils already challenging for the Champions League. It would then make a ton of sense for the Red Devils, who still have issues in the middle of the park, to keep their veteran leader around on a cheaper deal, but Case is apparently looking at other clubs. Gueye isn't one of the biggest names in European football, but he's a solid defensive midfielder for the Yellow Su...
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Manuel Neuer won’t follow in Thomas Muller’s footsteps
25Feb By Joe SorianoNo Comments
News

Manuel Neuer won’t follow in Thomas Muller’s footsteps

Legendary Bayern Munich goalkeeper Manuel Neuer is still the 1A between the sticks in Bavaria, and if he were to call it a career, it sounds like he has no intention of ever leaving the Allianz Arena. That's according to Kicker's lead beat reporter Georg Holzner, who reports, as translated by iMiaSanMia, that Neuer is still weighing up his future at Bayern. Once again, Bayern are happy to have him for another season, but Neuer is going to determine whether he continues for the 2026/27 campaign based on how he feels physically. However, Holzner states that Neuer is not going to go to MLS, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, or any of the other popular clubs for retiring superstars, such as Bayern Munich legend Thomas Muller, who recently joined left back Alphonso Davies's former employers the Vanco...
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Arda Guler quietly set a Champions League playmaking record
25Feb By Joe SorianoNo Comments
News

Arda Guler quietly set a Champions League playmaking record

Arda Guler is almost silently putting together an incredible season for Real Madrid as a provider, and according to statistics by Squawka, the Turkish international's 25 chances created in the current Champions League campaign are the most ever by a player younger than 21 to start the season in the history of the competition. This season, Guler has registered four assists in the Champions League with a robust 2.8 key passes per game, meanwhile, the attacking midfielder is also having a stellar La Liga season with 7 assists and 2.2 key passes per match in a highly defensive league. Initially a right winger at the Santiago Bernabeu, Guler has found his home as either a deep-lying playmaker or an attacking playmaker, thriving with the intelligence of passing that we haven't seen out of ...
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Casemiro could become a Manchester United opponent next season
25Feb By Joe SorianoNo Comments
Transfer News

Casemiro could become a Manchester United opponent next season

Champions League legend Casemiro has been vital in Manchester United's resurgence this season, proving he is not finished. And because of that, if he leaves the Red Devils this summer, he could be interested in joining another top European club. According to a new report from Samuel Luckhurst of The Sun, Casemiro has been telling people in his camp that he wants to continue competing at the highest level of European football after the 2025/26 Premier League season ends. Instead of moving on to the Saudi Pro League or MLS after the campaign, Case wants to stay in European football, and sources close to Luckhurst and the player have informed the journalist that Serie A could be a landing spot for the defensive midfielder, citing his former Real Madrid midfield teammate Luka Modric's su...
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Manchester United fans will be relieved with latest Andre Onana transfer news
25Feb By Joe SorianoNo Comments
Transfer News

Manchester United fans will be relieved with latest Andre Onana transfer news

Despite being a great goalkeeper for Ajax and then Inter Milan, Andre Onana was a disaster at Old Trafford, and Manchester United fans will be happy to know that the club have no intention of rolling with him again in the future. There are rumblings that after Onana's one-year loan spell with Trabzonspor in the Turkish Super Lig is up, the veteran shot-stopper could intend to return to Old Trafford to compete with sensational summer signing Senne Lammens to be the Man United No. 1 again. But not so fast. TalkSPORT's Alex Crook has reported that Manchester United have no intention of bringing Onana back into the fold to be a starter, and it appears they don't even want him in the squad at all. Man United intend to sell Onana permanently this summer transfer window. The Red Devils h...
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Manchester United already reach agreement to sell unwanted GK in summer permanently
25Feb By Joe SorianoNo Comments
Transfer News

Manchester United already reach agreement to sell unwanted GK in summer permanently

Manchester United already loaned Andre Onana to Trabzonspor in the Turkish Super Lig, and now Turkish international goalkeeper Altay Bayindir is set to join Besiktas in the Super Lig on a permanent basis. According to Turkish outlet Fanatik, via mufcmpb, Besiktas and Manchester United have reached an agreement to sell Bayindir to the Istanbul giants for just five million euros. Per the report from Fanatik, he will join Besiktas right when the summer 2026 transfer window opens. Bayindir had the first crack at starting at goalkeeper in relief of the mistake-prone Onana, but he struggled, too, shocking reporters in the Premier League with how poorly he handled the very basics of goalkeeping, such as crosses. Meanwhile, Onana has designs on returning to Manchester United after his loa...
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Barcelona absorb another Alessandro Bastoni transfer blow
25Feb By Joe SorianoNo Comments
Transfer News

Barcelona absorb another Alessandro Bastoni transfer blow

Inter Milan star center back Alessandro Bastoni is every elite club's dream transfer option in defense this summer, but Barcelona, in need of a player of his caliber at the back, are realizing how difficult it is to sign the sweet left-footed Italian international. According to a report from Diario Sport, via barcacentre, Bastoni is making it his priority to re-sign a new contract with Inter and is thus moving away from the idea of a big ticket transfer to Barcelona in summer 2026. Although Barcelona are continuing to put out feelers for Bastoni and see him as a more finesse, world-class option at center back than what they currently have, it is becoming increasingly clear that neither Barca nor any other top club like Liverpool in England are going to make inroads here. Bastoni f...
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