Our values cannot be measured in euros – Espanyol hit back at Pique

Espanyol have said their values cannot be measured in Euros after Barcelona defender Gerard Pique claimed he has more money than their budget for the season.  

Ahead of their meeting at Camp Nou on Saturday, Pique told Movistar+ show La Resistencia : I have more money than the budget of Espanyol this year. Nope, not just €57million, it s plenty more than that.    

Barca boss Ernesto Valverde described the comment as light-hearted but Espanyol have taken to social media with a pointed message towards Pique.  

The post highlighted their values and referenced the tribute their supporters make in the 21st minute to former captain Daniel Jarque, who died of a heart attack in 2009 at the age of 26.  

The statement read: Our fans. The team that g…

Newcastle´s comeback triumph a ´big step forward´, says Howe

Eddie Howe believes Newcastle took a huge step in the right direction as they continued their strong start to the Premier League season with a comeback victory over Wolves.

Mario Lemina had given the visitors a half-time lead, but two goals in five minutes from Fabian Schar and Harvey Barnes saw the Magpies move up to third in the early-season standings.

Having taken 10 points from their first four games, Newcastle have now made their best start to a Premier League campaign since the 1995-96 season, when they won each of their opening four matches under Kevin Keegan.

Newcastle s powers of recovery have been evident already this season, with the Magpies picking up four points from losing positions so far, with only Manchester City (six) recovering more.

Saudi spending won’t compromise owners’ aims for Newcastle, says Mapgies CEO

Newcastle chief executive Darren Eales is convinced eye-watering Saudi Arabian investment in domestic football will not derail their mission on Tyneside.

The Gulf state’s Public Investment Fund, which owns an 80 per cent stake in the St James’ Park outfit, bought majority holdings in four of the nation’s biggest clubs – Al Nassr, Al Hilal, Al Ahli and Al Ittihad – in June, sparking a transfer flurry which has taken some of the game’s biggest names to the Saudi Pro League in return for vast pay packets.

Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo and French counterpart Karim Benzema are among those to have headed for the Middle East, while the Magpies have themselves benefited – to raised eyebrows in some quarters – with Allan Saint-Maximin’s move to Al-Ahli,…

Lionel Messi: Cristiano Ronaldo stands out in football

Barcelona captain Lionel Messi said Juventus superstar Cristiano Ronaldo stands out in football.

Messi and Ronaldo have dominated football for more than a decade, with the pair winning 11 Ballon d Or awards between them as debate rages over who is the game s greatest player.

Ronaldo – Real Madrid s all-time leading goalscorer – has won five Champions League titles, three Premier League trophies, two Serie A crowns and as many LaLiga honours among other silverware throughout his career.

Messi likened five-time Ballon d Or winner Ronaldo to Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James.

There are many admirable athletes. Rafa Nadal, Federer, LeBron in all sports there is always someone who stands out and is admirable for his work, six-time Ballon d Or win…

Defour leaves Burnley and returns to Belgium

Steven Defour is returning home for family reasons, Burnley have .

The Belgian midfielder was 19 years old when he joined Standard Liege in 2006 and was appointed captain the following year. In 2009, however, he broke his foot, which is when, after receiving a get-well-soon letter from Sir Alex Ferguson, rumours started that he might be going to the Premier League club. In the end nothing came of it and following his recovery he relocated to the Portuguese Porto in 2011 and then to R.S.C. Anderlecht in 2014.

Defour’s Premier League career kicked off in 2016, when he signed for Burnley for a record £8 million. During his 58 appearances in three injury-plagued seasons he scored 3 times for the Clarets.

Yesterday the club announced that the 31-year-old will be r…

Liam Rosenior departs Hull City after 18 months in charge

Hull City have parted company with head coach Liam Rosenior with immediate effect.

Rosenior departs the MKM Stadium after 18 months in charge of the Tigers, who narrowly missed out on the Championship playoffs this season.

Hull were one point above the relegation zone when the former Derby County assistant succeeded Shota Arveladze in November 2022, but he guided them to safety in 15th place.

Rosenior signed a new three-year deal in December and oversaw just one defeat in Hull’s last seven games of this season, in which they finished seventh and just three points behind sixth-place Norwich City.

Plenty to be proud of this season and you ve been behind us all the way

— Hull City (@HullCity)

This has been the most difficult decision I…

Aubameyang left out of Arsenal squad for ´disciplinary breach´

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has confirmed Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was left out of his squad for the game with Southampton because of a disciplinary breach.

The 32-year-old was named on the bench for the Gunners 2-1 defeat at Everton last week but was left out of the squad altogether when the team was announced on Saturday for the home clash with Saints.

Speaking before the game, Arteta confirmed the decision was taken was for disciplinary reasons. 

Unfortunately, due to a disciplinary breach, he said when asked about the player s absence. There are non-negotiables we have set as a club and I think we have been very consistent.

The Arsenal boss was asked how long Aubameyang could be out for, replying: It starts today.

Certainly it s no…

Javi Martinez to leave Bayern Munich after nine trophy-laden seasons

Javi Martinez will leave Bayern Munich at the end of this season, the Bundesliga champions have confirmed.

Martinez joined Bayern from Athletic Bilbao in 2012 and straight away went about repaying what was then a club-record outlay of €40million, becoming a key member of their treble-winning squad under Jupp Heynckes.

Should Bayern complete the formalities of winning a ninth consecutive Bundesliga title – one that will in all probability be wrapped up this coming weekend – defensive midfielder Martinez will become the only player in Bundesliga history to have won as many as nine titles without failing to win the championship in any season.

Thomas Muller, Manuel Neuer, David Alaba and Jerome Boateng have also been part of all nine of those successive success…

Messi surpasses Xavi to set Barcelona appearance record

Lionel Messi has set a new club record for Barcelona, after making his 768th appearance for the Spanish giants.

Messi matched his former team-mate and fellow Blaugrana legend Xavi when he played against Huesca last Monday, taking him to 767 games for the club he first joined as a 12-year-old.

The 33-year-old and former midfielder Xavi are the only players in the club s history to have surpassed 700 games for the Catalans, with Andres Iniesta next on the all-time appearance list on 674.

Messi already boasts the record for the most trophies won (34) and highest goal tally (658) for Barca, and marked the record-equalling appearance in typical style, netting a sensational opener before laying on an assist and then rounding off the scoring himself in a 4-1 victory.…

´Maradona will have been proud´ – Spalletti revels as Napoli hit Ajax for six

Luciano Spalletti declared even Diego Maradona will have been proud after Napoli thrashed Ajax 6-1 in the Champions League on Tuesday.

Despite falling behind to Mohammed Kudus ninth-minute opener in Amsterdam, Spalletti s side responded with goals from Giacomo Raspadori, Giovanni Di Lorenzo and Piotr Zielinski putting them 3-1 up at the break.

The visitors task was made easier after Dusan Tadic s second-half dismissal; Raspadori and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia increasing the advantage, before Giovanni Simeone sealed an emphatic victory.

Spalletti referenced the late Maradona after Napoli scored six times in a European game for the first time in their history, while Ajax suffered their heaviest defeat in all competitions since November 1964.

When you go into a …