Barcelona took the lead within six minutes when Dani Olmo played Yamal through on goal, and the 18-year-old rounded goalkeeper Inaki Pena to score his 13th goal of the season in all competitions. Olmo struck a shot against the crossbar midway through the first half, and within a minute, Elche were level. German Valera slipped former Real Madrid forward Rodriguez in behind the Barcelona defence, and he raced clear to score.
The future of Dayot Upamecano is attracting attention as the Bayern Munich defender is set to become a free agent in the summer. According to TEAMtalk, a host of major sides, including Liverpool, Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur, Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Inter, have all held discussions with Upamecano's camp. The widespread interest reflects both the player's standing at the top level and the uncertainty surrounding his contract situation in Munich.
when they return to the Bernabeu on Sunday afternoon. Pencilled in as a landslide contender to claim local bragging rights, Los Blancos have also gained a reputation for their extended dominance on home soil. Last seen at the Bernabeu storming their way to a dominant 6-1 European romp against Monaco, Madrid have won all of their previous four straight showdowns in the Spanish capital.
Andoni Iraola's side had yet to register a shot on target against the Premier League's bottom side when Kroupi controlled Amine Adli's flick on the edge of the Wolves penalty area with 12 minutes of the first half remaining. Moments later goalkeeper Jose Sa was picking the ball out of his net after being beaten by Kroupi's thunderous, looping strike, which looked set to be the game's only goal until Alex Scott doubled Bournemouth's advantage in stoppage time.
Though not an official term, in football 'bomb squad' is widely used to describe players who have fallen out of favour but still remain under contact. Those players are often excluded from first-team training and have to attend separate sessions with the club's youth teams, or even on their own in extreme cases. Some clubs even go as far as restricting any contact between the first-team and 'bomb squad' members by scheduling training sessions at times of day that will minimise the crossover between players.
If Wolves' fate is all but sealed, they seek to carry good vibes into the Championship. Bournemouth's objective was to make last week's defeat of Liverpool the staging post for one of those streaks of good results that have made Andoni Iraola's reputation. Mission accomplished for the Cherries, who could celebrate only their second away win of a hitherto troubled season, a first since August. In the performance of second-half sub Rayan, who supplied Alex Scott's late clincher, there is much to look forward to.
The Weekend Crossword from FourFourTwo is your weekly accompaniment for a slow Sunday morning coffee before a feast of football. Welcome to FourFourTwo's Weekend Crossword, the ultimate football fan's grid of top tricky teasers. We've come up with a criss-cross of clues. Some are tap-ins, some might even need a team effort, but you'll do well to get them all without serious football knowledge. There's no time limit but there is a clock so you can let us know your time.
Former England defender and five-time Premier League champion with Chelsea John Terry recently sold more than fifty items from his personal collection with American auction house Goldin Auctions. The items took in just over $695,000 including buyer's premium. Among the items Terry consigned to the New Jersey-based auction house were a match-worn and photo-matched Lionel Messi Barcelona jersey and a match-worn, photo-matched and signed Cristiano Ronaldo Manchester United jersey.
In La Liga, Espanyol missed a chance to consolidate their high-flying position as they lost 2-1 at home to Alaves they took the lead through Roberto Fernandez in the 15th minute, but Antonio Blanco levelled 12 minutes later and the points were secured when Lucas Boye finished a counterattack from close range with 19 minutes remaining. It means Espanyol go into the weekend fifth but that defeat extended their winless run to five games.
