LaLiga News, Transfers, Injuries, Player Ratings, Analysis

Thibaut Courtois loved that Endrick didn’t pass to Kylian Mbappe or Vinicius Jr.

18Sep

By Kevin ParviziNo Comments

Features, LaLiga

Thibaut Courtois loved that Endrick didn’t pass to Kylian Mbappe or Vinicius Jr.

Young Real Madrid star striker Endrick came off the bench against Stuttgart in his Champions League debut and produced yet another wondergoal that will live in the history books. Channeling his childhood hero Bobby Charlton, Endrick unleashed an absolute rocket from way outside the box to beat the Stuttgart keeper for full pace, having carried the ball out of his own half. Most young players would not have shot in that situation, because Endrick was actually leading a three-on-two counterattack. And who were the other two in the three? Literally the two best forwards in the world, Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Jr. But Endrick, as he said in the press conference after the Real Madrid win, believed the best option was to shoot from range instead of passing. And when you have his striki...

Kylian Mbappe flubbed Jude Bellingham’s assist of the season contender

17Sep

By Kevin ParviziNo Comments

Features, LaLiga

Kylian Mbappe flubbed Jude Bellingham’s assist of the season contender

Real Madrid superstar midfielder Jude Bellingham made his return to the team on Tuesday night in the Champions League after suffering an injury, and he didn't miss a beat for the Merengues. He helped Real Madrid beat one of his former Bundesliga foes Stuttgart 3-1, as Kylian Mbappe, Antonio Rudiger, and unforgettably Endrick all found the back of the net in this one. Mbappe, however, could have had two goals, because he flubbed a ridiculous, defense-splitting through ball from Bellingham in midfield, as the England international found the tiniest of cracks in the Stuttgart defense to spring his world-class striker through. Unfortunately, as you can see here, Mbappe could only produce a tame touch of the caliber that would even make Romelu Lukaku go, "Woof, you should have done bet...

Real Madrid star Rodrygo Goes surpasses Barcelona legend Ronaldinho in Champions League assists

17Sep

By Kevin ParviziNo Comments

Champions League, Features, LaLiga

Real Madrid star Rodrygo Goes surpasses Barcelona legend Ronaldinho in Champions League assists

Real Madrid superstar Rodrygo Goes has become something of a forgotten man to the average mainstream fan, if they even gave the forward his proper due in the first place. The 2021/22 Champions League hero was left off the "BMV" nickname by the Spanish press, who made him a footnote to Kylian Mbappe, Jude Bellingham, and Vinicius Junior. Meanwhile, the 23-year-old was snubbed from the 30-man list of 2023/24 Ballon d'Or finalists, leading even Barcelona legend Rivaldo to call out the disgrace of this snub, which left many current and former stars baffled. Well, Rodrygo is letting his play on the pitch do the talking, as he's started the 2024/25 LaLiga season off as a man on a mission, and the same holds true for his start to the Champions League campaign. He recorded the opening ...

17Sep

By Kevin ParviziNo Comments

Features, LaLiga

Injury News: When Real Madrid hope to have Eduardo Camavinga back

With Toni Kroos retired, Real Madrid are trying to get multiple young stars in the midfield to help replace the irreplaceable German icon. Fede Valverde has stepped up the most, playing better than anyone on Real Madrid at this early point in the 2024/25 LaLiga season. Aurelien Tchouameni, prior to an injury, bounced back to that same great level he is capable of with an exquisite No. 6 performance in midfield in a 2-0 win over Real Betis. Now, Real Madrid are hoping Eduardo Camavinga can lift his game, as the former 16-year-old phenom is as gifted as any midfielder on this planet, which is why Real Madrid pushed to sign him as hard as anyone not named Kylian Mbappe back in 2021. Camavinga hasn't been able to make a profound impact on the 2024/25 season because of an injury, as he...

Injury News: Frenkie de Jong set to return to Barcelona lineup soon

17Sep

By Kevin ParviziNo Comments

Features, LaLiga

Injury News: Frenkie de Jong set to return to Barcelona lineup soon

Barcelona star center midfielder Frenkie de Jong was one of the best midfielders in the world during the 2022/23 season when Barca won LaLiga, but he was far from his best last season. This was in part due to Sergio Busquets' departure to MLS, but it was also in part due to de Jong's injury woes. He suffered nagging ankle injuries throughout the season, and, now, he has yet to play in the 2024/25 campaign under Hansi Flick due to a serious ankle injury he picked up last season. The good news is that de Jong is set to make his return to the Barcelona lineup soon. Diario AS reports that Barcelona believe he can return to action next week against Getafe in LaLiga on Sept. 25. That leaves Frenkie de Jong out of the Champions League opener against Monaco and a tough weekend encounter i...

Carlo Ancelotti: ‘What has happened to Vinicius all these years…it’s something unbearable’

16Sep

By Kevin ParviziNo Comments

Features, LaLiga

Carlo Ancelotti: ‘What has happened to Vinicius all these years…it’s something unbearable’

Week in and week out, Real Madrid superstar Vinicius Junior continues to be the victim of racism in LaLiga stadiums, with supporters of other clubs hurling racial slurs and conducting themselves in a manner that should be entirely unacceptable. These are criminally punishable acts that could also be punished at a league level by LaLiga and the Spanish FA, and there was actually a case in 2023 when Atletico Madrid supporters were finally held legally accountable for a disgusting act of racism against Vinicius Jr. that included an effigy mocking the Real Madrid star. This past weekend, Vinicius Jr. had another strong performance for Real Madrid in a 2-0 win over Real Sociedad, scoring the penalty and shushing the crowd in a celebration that became a bigger talking point in the Spanish ...

Ansu Fati continues to impress Hansi Flick

16Sep

By Kevin ParviziNo Comments

Features, LaLiga

Ansu Fati continues to impress Hansi Flick

As Barcelona prepare to face Monaco on Thursday in the Champions League, the Blaugrana are taking stock of their current performances in LaLiga and have to love what they are seeing. Although Xavi did indeed do a strong job of setting the foundation for Barcelona, Hansi Flick has, as anticipated, taken the club to new heights from a tactical perspective and has done a significantly better job of working with the attacking players, especially young standouts. This past summer, there was concern that Ansu Fati could leave the club permanently after failing to get on the pitch long enough at Brighton, failing to answer the concerns that led to him temporarily leaving Barcelona in the first place. But instead of giving up on Fati, Flick is backing the 21-year-old, who was once, like L...

Real Madrid have one doubt for their starting lineup against Stuttgart

16Sep

By Kevin ParviziNo Comments

Champions League, Features, LaLiga

Real Madrid have one doubt for their starting lineup against Stuttgart

Real Madrid will face Stuttgart in their first match of the 2024/25 Champions League campaign as the defending champions, having beaten another historic Bundesliga side in Dortmund in the Final. Stuttgart are underdogs through and through and don't have superstar striker Serhou Guirassy, who joined Dortmund this sumner, but as their 3-1 win over Gladbach shows, they still have the firepower to threaten anyone. After all, they finished higher than Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga last season. Real Madrid are coming off another big 2-0 win in LaLiga, this one over Real Sociedad, with Luka Modric putting in a vintage display and Arda Guler shining in his debut as a regular center midfielder. According to a report from COPE, with Aurelien Tchouameni set to move from midfield to center ...

Takefusa Kubo needs to focus on his own poor performances instead of criticizing Real Madrid

15Sep

By Kevin ParviziNo Comments

Features, LaLiga

Takefusa Kubo needs to focus on his own poor performances instead of criticizing Real Madrid

Real Sociedad playmaker Takefusa Kubo is one of the most talented footballers in LaLiga. He has blossomed ever since stepping foot at the Anoeta after Real Madrid let him go, seeing that he wouldn't get the playing time he needed or the security he needed without a permanent move away. While Real Madrid retain the right to sign Kubo back at any time, that ship has sailed, with Los Blancos crowded in the playmaker department after Arda Guler and Brahim Diaz performed so well for the club last season. In truth, Guler and Brahim are better players than Kubo, offering a goal threat and level of consistency that Kubo still hasn't quite reached even at La Real - and will probably never reach. This season, Kubo has appeared in five games for Real Sociedad. He has scored once but has not ...

Kylian Mbappe looked like the striker Real Madrid dreamed about against Real Sociedad

14Sep

By Kevin ParviziNo Comments

Features, LaLiga

Kylian Mbappe looked like the striker Real Madrid dreamed about against Real Sociedad

Kylian Mbappe emerged from Real Madrid's 2-0 win over one of LaLiga's top sides, Real Sociedad, with his second consecutive Man of the Match award, having taken his first as a Royal White player before the "break" in another 2-0 win over a strong LaLiga team in Real Betis. The French superstar made the Anoeta his home, comfortably gliding across the pitch, dropping deep, bringing teammates into the proceedings, and scoring his third goal of the season from the spot. Ignore the pea-brained fans who understand football in only its most rudimentary, video game-like terms who derided Mbappe as an undeserving Man of the Match winner. Anyone rational could see his impact on Real Madrid. What stood out the most about Mbappe in this match was how he channeled one of his idols, French stri...