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Tag: Atletico Madrid

  • Man Utd name 21-man squad for Atletico Madrid clash [Full list]

    Man Utd name 21-man squad for Atletico Madrid clash [Full list]

    Manchester United star, Cristiano Ronaldo has not been included in the squad to face Atletico Madrid tomorrow in Oslo.

    Ronaldo could turn out for the Red Devils on Sunday against Rayo Vallecano.

    New signings Lisandro Martinez and Christian Eriksen are included in the squad and could feature, having also played against Wrexham on Wednesday.

    The game with Atletico kicks off at 12.45pm in the Norwegian capital, with the Rayo Vallecano game starting at 4pm on Sunday at Old Trafford.

    The full travelling squad for the game against Atletico Madrid is:

    Goalkeepers: David De Gea, Tom Heaton, Matej Kovar.

    Defenders: Diogo Dalot, Ethan Laird, Victor Lindelof, Harry Maguire, Tyrell Malacia, Lisandro Martinez, Alex Telles.

    Midfielders: Christian Eriksen, Bruno Fernandes, Fred, James Garner, Scott McTominay, Facundo Pellistri, Donny van de Beek.

    Forwards: Anthony Elanga, Anthony Martial, Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho.

  • Atletico Madrid rule out signing Ronaldo

    Atletico Madrid rule out signing Ronaldo

    Atletico Madrid will not be signing Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo and that decision is final, club president Enrique Cerezo said on Friday.

    Speaking at the presentation of defender Nahuel Molina, Cerezo said the newly-recruited Argentina international was “the last piece” of the jigsaw.

    That means Diego Simeone’s squad is complete as far as Cerezo is concerned.

    Molina has joined from Udinese, and Atletico Madrid have also brought in the likes of Samuel Lino and Axel Witsel to plump up their ranks.

    This was after Luis Suarez, Sime Vrsaljko and Hector Herrera moved on.

    “With this signing…we have managed to fit the last piece we were looking for,” said Cerezo.

    “I repeat, for the journalists, with this signing we have managed to fit the last piece we were looking for.”

    The emphasis spoke of how Cerezo wants to move on from the links to Ronaldo, after a group of Atletico Madrid supporters declared their steadfast opposition to his potential arrival.

    Cerezo had already said any deal to bring Ronaldo to Atletico Madrid from Manchester United was “practically impossible.”

    Ronaldo, who is Real Madrid’s all-time record goalscorer, appears to be set on leaving Manchester United after the Red Devils failed to qualify for the 2022/2023 UEFA Champions League.

    It has been reported that Sporting Lisbon, Ronaldo’s first major club, could be a possible destination for him after scoring 24 goals across all competitions for Manchester United last season.

    German champions Bayern Munich have ruled themselves out of contention.

    Five-time Ballon d’Or winner Ronaldo and his agent Jorge Mendes were at Manchester United’s training ground on Tuesday for talks over his future.

    Atletico Madrid will face Manchester United in a pre-season friendly on Saturday, with the 37-year-old Ronaldo unlikely to play any part.

  • Bundesliga: Bayern Munich turn down C. Ronaldo’s bid

    Bundesliga: Bayern Munich turn down C. Ronaldo’s bid

    The Portuguese was offered to the LaLiga giants despite his history with their bitter rivals Real Madrid.

    Ronaldo wants to leave Manchester United after just signing last season for the English club side.

    The five times Ballon d’Or winner is yet to return to training and pre-season games for the Red Devils.

    But the 37-year-old’s exit strategy has become increasingly desperate

    Ronaldo’s agent, Jorge Mendes, has offered him to top European clubs but has been unable to find a buyer for the striker.

    The player was rejected by Atletico Madrid because they cannot afford to fund the transfer because of their financial situation, while Real Madrid have no intention of re-signing him.

    Spanish radio station Cope has outlined how Mendes even sensationally offered his client to Barcelona this summer but received a negative response.

    That Ronaldo would rather play for the Catalan club next season rather than United speaks volumes of his intentions to leave.

    Atletico Madrid remains a favourable option for the forward despite being the fierce rivals of former club Real Madrid. The 37-year-old has grown frustrated at United after shouldering much of the responsibility last season.

  • Manchester United out of Champions League

    Manchester United out of Champions League

    Atletico Madrid dumped Manchester United out of the Champions League round of 16 after edging to a 1-0 victory at Old Trafford on Tuesday.

    Renan Lodi scored the only goal just before half-time as Diego Simeone’s side won 2-1 on aggregate after a late draw in the first leg last month.

    Tuesday’s result means United’s trophy drought will now almost certainly stretch to five years, with Ralf Rangnick’s side already eliminated from the FA Cup and 20 points behind leaders Manchester City in the Premier League.

    “I think we played a very good first half — exactly the way we wanted to play with a high energy level but we couldn’t convert that into one or two goals,” Rangnick said after the match.

    “Conceding that counter-attacking goal just before halftime didn’t make life any easier. It was hard in the second half and always interrupted. There was always somebody lying on the floor.”

    United named three changes from Saturday’s victory over Tottenham Hotspur, with Bruno Fernandes coming in to start and Paul Pogba and Marcus Rashford dropping to the bench.

    Teenage United forward Anthony Elanga, who turned hero to score a last-minute equaliser in the first-leg, went close to opening the scoring on Tuesday.

    This was when his run toward the near post in the 12th minute was rewarded with a low cross from Fernandes, but he saw his shot stopped by goalkeeper Jan Oblak.

    United goalkeeper David de Gea then produced an outstanding diving save to push wide a long range effort from Rodrigo De Paul.

    Atletico had the ball in the back of the net midway through the first half when Joao Felix tapped in to an empty net at the back post, but Marcos Llorente, who supplied the assist, was ruled offside.

    It was a typical display of the kind of gritty defending and swift counter-attacking for which Simeone’s side have been known.

    United, for all their pressure, were unable to create enough quality opportunities to get themselves the goal they needed.

    The visitors did eventually take the lead in the 41st minute through Lodi as he scored a jumping header at the back post following a floated cross from Antoine Griezmann.

    The move came after Atletico won back possession from Elanga, who looked to have been fouled but saw protests waved away by referee Slavko Vincic.

    On Vincic’s calls, Rangnick adeed: “I would also say some curious refereeing decisions. I wouldn’t say they were decisive but at least he fell too often for those time-wasting antics.”

    United pushed for an equaliser in the second half but were unable to find a way back into the match, resulting in their sixth elimination in their past eight Champions League knockout ties.

    “In the second half it was a brilliant collective effort from the team, one of the best this year,” Simeone said in a postmatch news conference.

    “I’m happy, that’s why I celebrated it in the dressing room.”

    Elsewhere in the Champions League also played on Tuesday, Darwin Nunez’s 80th minute goal proved enough as Benfica shocked hosts Ajax 1-0 (3-2 on aggregate) to progress to the last eight.

  • Suarez, Felix shine as Atletico Madrid defeat Osasuna in LaLiga

    Suarez, Felix shine as Atletico Madrid defeat Osasuna in LaLiga

    Struggling LaLiga champions, Atletico Madrid recovered from their shock midweek defeat by basement club Levante, with a comprehensive 3-0 thrashing of Osasuna on Saturday.

    Strikers Joao Felix, Luis Suarez and Angel Correa were on target to lift Diego Simeone’s side to fourth spot with 42 points from 25 games.

    They are 12 points adrift of leaders Real Madrid and three ahead of Barcelona, who will have a game in hand following their match against Athletic Club on Sunday.

    “A great effort from everyone,” Simeone said postmatch.

    “The team showed huge commitment. We were lucky to score early.

    “They’re a very difficult team. We were lucky in the first half that their chance that hit the woodwork didn’t level the game.

    “In the second half, our clinical counter-attacks gave us the possibility to win the game, at a difficult ground.”

    The goal would have come as a huge relief to Felix as he had been struggling to gain Simeone’s trust and was making only his third start in Atletico’s last 15 league matches.

    He rifled in a rebound from a corner in the third minute and after the break assisted Suarez, who scored the second when he lobbed rival goalkeeper Sergio Herrera from 40 yards.

    Correa completed the rout with a lightning fast last-minute counter attack.

    Felix said: “Yes I’m happy, we’re all happy. We played a bad game the other day as we all know but you get games like that.

    “We knew how to turn the situation around, the dressing room is united. We’re all together, looking for our objective. We’re improving and we have to carry on like that.”

    Manchester United are next up for Atletico in the Champions League knockout stages.

    “We’ll rest now, we’ve had some tough games in a row, we have four days now to prepare the Manchester [United] game and we’ll do it with a lot of responsibility,” Simeone said.

  • FC Barcelona beat Atletico Madrid in outstanding performance

    FC Barcelona beat Atletico Madrid in outstanding performance

    FC Barcelona produced arguably the most impressive performance of Xavi’s tenure as the Blaugrana made something of a statement in their 4-2 defeat of Atletico Madrid.

    Diego Simeone brought up Xavi’s past criticism of Atletico Madrid’s style of play in the build-up.

    But the latter had the last laugh at Camp Nou as Barca replaced Los Colchoneros in fourth.

    The visitors did enjoy a promising start with Yannick Carrasco’s well-worked opener eight minutes in, but Barca were soon ahead thanks to Jordi Alba’s excellent volley and a Gavi header.

    Ronald Araujo increased Barca’s lead just before half-time and Dani Alves blasted in a fourth for his first goal since his return.

    Luis Suarez pulled one back against his former club and Alves was dismissed, but Barca went on to claim a deserved win.

    Atletico Madrid led in style as Suarez latched onto Koke’s excellent pass and fed Carrasco into the penalty box, with the Belgian sweeping his first-time finish into the bottom-left corner.

    They were pegged back just two minutes later when Dani Alves crossed to the left.

    Jordi Alba met it with a spectacular sliced volley that spun high into the far corner of the net.

    Another Barca cross proved decisive soon after as the hosts went in front, with debutant Adama Traore seeing his pinpoint delivery nodded in by Gavi.

    Araujo then made it 3-1 late in the half, smashing in from close range after Ferran Torres headed Alves’ free-kick onto the crossbar.

    Alves became the fourth-oldest player to score in La Liga this century early in the second half, drilling home from Alba’s cut-back.

    Barca were made to suffer as Suarez headed in and Alves was sent off for scraping his studs down Carrasco’s calf, but Atletico Madrid could not salvage a result.

  • Saul leaves Chelsea, returns to Atletico Madrid

    Saul leaves Chelsea, returns to Atletico Madrid

    Chelsea midfielder Saul Niguez was back at parent club Atletico Madrid this week.

    Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel gave his players the day off on Thursday and Saul used the time to fly to Madrid and see his teammates.

    Saúl was seen speaking with his former teammates at Cerro del Espino and also with fans as he left the training base.

    The Spain midfielder is on a straight loan with Chelsea without a permanent option.

    Saul’s contract with Atletico runs to 2026.

  • Arsenal make shock contact with Diego Costa

    Arsenal make shock contact with Diego Costa

    Released Atletico Mineiro striker Diego Costa has attracted an approach from Arsenal.

    Goal says the Gunners are one of several clubs to have held informal talks with the 33-year-old.

    While the report noted Arsenal have not submitted an official enquiry for the former Chelsea striker, Mikel Arteta remains eager to bolster his attacking options during the January transfer window.

    With the out-of-favour Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang on international duty at the Africa Cup of Nations and Folaring Balogun loaned to Middlesbrough this week, Arsenal’s choices up-front are limited.

    Costa is ready to return to Europe and has also fielded interest from Spain, where Elche and Cadiz are in contact.

  • Newcastle make first signing since Saudi takeover

    Newcastle make first signing since Saudi takeover

    Newcastle United have signed England defender Kieran Trippier from Atletico Madrid for £12m plus add-ons.

    The 31-year-old is Newcastle’s first signing since a Saudi Arabian-backed takeover was completed in October.

    “I’m delighted to be joining this fantastic club,” said Trippier, who has agreed a deal until the end of the 2023-24 season.

    Eddie Howe, appointed Newcastle manager in November, also signed Trippier in 2012 during his time as Burnley boss.

    Trippier said: “I really enjoyed my time in Madrid, but when I became aware of interest from Newcastle United, and having worked with Eddie Howe before, I knew this was where I wanted to be.”

    Trippier, who won the Spanish title with Atletico last season, had 18 months left on his contract.

    Newcastle are second bottom of the Premier League, having won one league game this season.

    “I’m aware there is a lot of work ahead of us but I know the demands of Premier League well and I know what an amazing club this is with very talented players,” said Trippier, who joined Atletico in 2019 after four years at Tottenham.

    “I can’t wait to get started and I’m excited to step out at St James’ Park as a Newcastle player.”

    Howe said he had “long admired” Trippier, adding: “When the opportunity arose to secure him, we didn’t hesitate.

    “A lot of hard work has gone into planning for the January transfer window long before the month began, which is clear in how quickly we have been able to complete this move.”

  • Ocampos strike gives Sevilla win over Atletico Madrid

    Ocampos strike gives Sevilla win over Atletico Madrid

    A Lucas Ocampos strike in the final minutes of the match gave second-placed Sevilla a 2-1 win over Atletico Madrid in La Liga on Saturday.

    In a feisty match between two sides that are trying to stay in contention with league leaders Real Madrid, Sevilla came out on top.

    They now have 37 points, putting them five behind Real, while Atletico Madrid fall to fifth place on 29 points, leapfrogged by surprise outfit Rayo Vallecano, who beat Alaves 2-0 earlier in the day and remain unbeaten at home this season.

    Ivan Rakitic gave Sevilla the lead early in the first half with a fabulous long-range strike that could be a contender for goal of the season.

    Felipe equalised from a corner, timing his jump perfectly and thumping his header past Sevilla goalkeeper Bono.

    But right before stoppage time, Ocampos reacted quickly to smash in a shot after a Thomas Delaney header came off the crossbar.