Jude Bellingham's status is confirmed for Real Madrid's match against Osasuna in La Liga.

Real Madrid is now leading the La Liga standings after a victory against Real Sociedad was followed by Barcelona’s defeat to Girona. However, in a previous win over Rayo Vallecano there was a painful situation for Jude Bellingham that still is not resolved before the Osasuna match.

The midfielder had to leave the field early while trying to hold back tears after suffering an injury. For the England international, it was a muscle issue in his left hamstring that was expected to sideline him for a few matches, but this week he experienced a setback that rules him out of next Saturday’s game.

Bellingham will not be the only player unavailable for Álvaro Arbeloa. The manager knows that Rodrygo did not return in time from a muscle injury, with Eder Militao being the other confirmed absence for the team.

Bellingham’s potential return

The victory against Rayo Vallecano left a sour note because of Bellingham’s injury. That happened on February 1, and despite three weeks having passed, it appears he will not be returning any time soon.

What was initially expected to be a recovery that would have him ready by now has turned into an estimated five week window before he can rejoin the lineup. With this in mind, he could still be out for up to three more weeks if the club chooses to take a cautious approach.

Bellingham has already missed the recent victories against Valencia and Real Sociedad, as well as the first leg of the Champions League playoff against Benfica. He is expected to return on March 14 in the match against Elche, after missing games against Osasuna, Benfica, Getafe, and potentially Celta.

Rodrygo should be ready soon

Rodrygo was expected to miss just 10 days when he was injured before the match in Valencia. The initial projection had him returning for Osasuna, but a setback in his recovery left him unavailable.

This delay is not as serious as Bellingham’s situation, so the Brazilian should be ready for the next La Liga match against Getafe. Arbeloa will not be able to use Rodrygo for the Benfica rematch because he remains suspended for one more match in the competition.

Marcus Rashford and Pedri gave the fans new updates with potential returns to Barcelona's lineup apparently coming soon.

Barcelona has many great players to form a remarkable lineup every weekend. However, at this time of year they need every player available. That made Thursday’s training session a positive one for Hansi Flick, as he received updates on Marcus Rashford and Pedri.

After the loss to Atletico Madrid in the Copa del Rey semifinals, which left them at significant risk of elimination, and the defeat at Girona that put Real Madrid in the lead in La Liga, these reinforcements could be decisive.

In Wednesday’s session, Flick saw Rashford and Pedri taking part in team drills again. Even if they only participated in parts of the workout, their return to group training is encouraging. The manager plans to include them in the squad for the Levante match even if they are used as substitutes, according to Marca.

Pedri would be returning after a long absence

There are players like Lamine Yamal whose skills are irreplaceable. Goals are hard to come by. However, Barcelona has other talents who can be useful as well. That may not be true for Pedri.

The midfielder has been a vital part of the team’s functioning. Missing a player who combines work rate with the quality to retain possession is why the team looked lost at times.

Pedri has been sidelined since January 21, when he suffered a muscle injury with about 30 minutes remaining in the Champions League match against Slavia Prague. Even though a month might seem like a safe recovery period, Flick may be cautious with Pedri’s minutes.

Flick ran a different training session

It was a long week for Barcelona that could cost them two titles after those defeats. That prompted Flick to give the players two full days of rest following the loss at Girona. The decision was reinforced by how they started the day.

Flick had the players watch video from the recent matches to analyze mistakes. For an hour, that was all the German manager chose to do. Avoiding the same errors as Barcelona enters the toughest part of the schedule was the focus of the meeting.

Harry Kane, Kylian Mbappé and Erling Haaland are the players at the top of the European Golden Shoe standings.

Records continue to fall across Europe as Harry Kane, Kylian Mbappé and Erling Haaland lead the scoring charts for Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and Manchester City, respectively. All three forwards are delivering week after week, turning the Golden Shoe race into one of the season’s main storylines.

Beyond their club objectives in domestic leagues and the Champions League, they are also competing for the European Golden Shoe, awarded to the top league scorer in Europe through a points system.

Kane currently leads with 52 points with many matches remaining, while Mbappé follows with 46 points. Erling Haaland remains close with 44 points thanks to his performances with Manchester City.

European Golden Shoe: The method of scoring points

The standings are expressed in points rather than raw goals because the European Sports Media uses a coefficient system that assigns a multiplier to each league based on its perceived difficulty.

That system gives more weight to goals scored in stronger leagues, so some leagues earn more points per goal than others. In the cases of Kane, Mbappé and Haaland you can also look at goals directly because the Bundesliga, La Liga and Premier League all use a 2x multiplier.

Put simply, Kane has 26 Bundesliga goals for Bayern Munich, Mbappé has 23 La Liga goals for Real Madrid, and Haaland has 22 Premier League goals for Manchester City.

Kane’s biggest obstacle in the race

Using coefficients aims to make comparisons fairer. Still, one major disadvantage for Kane is the Bundesliga’s 18-team format, which means he will play four fewer league matches than the others.

This trio of world-class forwards is followed by some surprising names. Fourth place is currently Igor Thiago of Brentford with 34 points, followed by Vedat Muriqi of Mallorca with 32 points. Vangelis Pavlidis of Benfica has 20 goals and 30 points because the Primeira Liga’s coefficient is 1.5x.

Candidate Joan Laporta took a new hit at Real Madrid in his Barcelona presidential campaign.

Barcelona is coming off a mini crisis on the field with two losses that made them stumble in different competitions. However, there’s another front that may be even more important for the club with elections approaching. Joan Laporta aimed at Real Madrid in his speech.

The controversial decisions referees made in Barcelona’s last two losses were heavily debated within the club. A complaint to the Real Federación Española de Fútbol after the Copa del Rey match against Atlético Madrid was followed by a foul that wasn’t called in Jules Koundé’s favor, which led to a Girona victory.

Laporta spoke to some fans about his candidacy with refereeing in mind: “We will defend Barca from those who want to break it and who are 600 km away. From those who always want to harm Barcelona’s reputation. You must be alert at all times or they will nail you. They don’t rest. We know how to confront this.”

Laporta’s confidence in Hansi Flick

The former president resigned from his previous post to run in the elections again. He has consistently supported the manager he hired to return Barcelona to the top level.

His attack on the main rival wasn’t the only message he delivered: “I know Hansi Flick and how the dressing room is. We are going to win La Liga. We must defend Barcelona from those who don’t accept that things are going well for us and that there is a sense of satisfaction.”

Laporta appears as the leading candidate to win the election next March 15, when supporters will gather to vote. Víctor Font, Marc Ciria, Xavier Vilajoana, and Joan Comprubí are the other candidates.

Barcelona’s path in La Liga

Barcelona held a commanding lead in La Liga until last Monday. The 2-1 loss to Girona cost them that position and left Real Madrid two points ahead after a 4-1 victory over Real Sociedad.

The path to regaining the advantage begins with Levante at Camp Nou next Sunday. The following Saturday brings another home match against Villarreal. A visit to Athletic Bilbao completes the upcoming stretch of fixtures.

A former Benfica player defended Vinicius on the polemic in Real Madrid's Champions League victory.

Vinicius has been in the discussion over the last few hours because of another controversy related to racism. He claimed that Benfica player Gianluca Prestianni insulted him in a derogatory way after his goal in Real Madrid’s Champions League victory, which sparked a debate.

Many figures shared their opinions on social media. A notable voice defending Vinicius was fellow Brazilian Luisão. The former defender, who previously played for Benfica, commented on a post made by the Portuguese club defending Prestianni.

Luisão wrote: “This jersey is too big. I love Benfica. It’s my second skin. You must be worthy of wearing this sacred jersey. This text makes it worse. Prestianni’s post makes it worse because it’s a lie. In soccer you win with courage and fighting spirit. It was racist. I’m ashamed of that.”

The former player also replied to users who disagreed with him: “I defend the club and I have experience; I know what I’m talking about. I don’t judge anyone. I think Benfica is too big to get involved in this, whether it’s true or not. From my experience, I know it’s true.”

Marc Clattenburg’s controversial opinion on Vinicius

The alleged incident involving Prestianni brought more attention to the situation. Another point of discussion was the eight-minute stoppage by the referee. Former referee Mark Clattenburg spoke about it in his role with Amazon Prime.

He explained how the situation unfolded: “Once Vinicius makes a comment to the referee, he has to follow the protocol. He has to follow the rules established by UEFA when these types of things happen.”

Clattenburg also shared his view on how Vinicius handled the moment after scoring: “Vinicius didn’t help himself very much. He made it harder for the referee. He scored a wonderful goal. What he must do is celebrate it and then move to his side.”

When are they playing the rematch?

Beyond the controversy, there was a match for a place in the Champions League round of 16. Real Madrid took the first step with a 1-0 victory, while Benfica will try to overturn the result.

The second leg of the playoff is scheduled for next Wednesday in Madrid. Before that match, Real Madrid will visit Osasuna in La Liga to defend their lead. Benfica are set to face AVS in the Primeira Liga.

Bukayo Saka secured his future with Arsenal after signing a new contract, which is still nearly half of Manchester City striker Erling Haaland.

Arsenal has been knocking on the Premier League title’s door for a few years. After coming up short to Manchester City and Erling Haaland’s scoring ability over the last two seasons, they are now four points clear in the race. This sustained success has been largely linked to Bukayo Saka, who has extended his contract.

The right winger has delivered on expectations since breaking into the first team. With his dribbling and creativity, he has turned his left foot into a major weapon for Mikel Arteta’s side. That is why the club did not hesitate to secure his future with a new deal.

Saka will now earn £300,000 per week (approximately $380,000), which equals about $19.8 million annually, according to BBC. The contract runs through 2031, bringing stability for the fans. However, this large figure is still not the highest in the Premier League. For comparison, Haaland earns £500,000 per week (approximately $635,000), the equivalent of about $33 million per year, after signing a deal last year that runs for a decade.

Saka’s season with Arsenal

Arteta has kept the team competitive regardless of injuries, and having depth in almost every position can be decisive in a long and demanding season for a club chasing multiple trophies like Arsenal.

For Saka, the current season has not been ideal statistically. In the Premier League he has scored 4 goals in 22 matches, a drop compared to the previous years.

His numbers in other competitions also do not stand out. He has no goals in one FA Cup match and one in four Carabao Cup appearances. In Europe he has played six matches and scored two goals. Saka has appeared in 33 matches with seven goals this season, but his importance to the lineup remains unquestioned.

Arsenal’s next challenges

The path to a Premier League title still includes Manchester City as the main rival. Arsenal’s current advantage is four points, reduced from six after the recent draw with Brentford reopened the race.

A return to stronger form looks necessary because there will be little margin for error. Arsenal visit Wolverhampton on Wednesday in the Premier League, then face Tottenham Hotspur in a Sunday derby, before closing the month against Chelsea.

Jürgen Klopp rejected offers from two Premier League giants, the USMNT and more countries, according to his agent.

There are some huge names out there waiting for the opportunity to manage again. Xabi Alonso, Xavi Hernández, Massimiliano Allegri, Zinedine Zidane, or even Rubén Amorim are free to choose where to go, but Jürgen Klopp remains the top target for clubs with high expectations from their fans.

The German last coached Liverpool in 2024 after almost a decade in charge. In an interview with Transfermarkt, his agent Marc Kosicke revealed several national teams and Premier League clubs had wanted him.

Kosicke said: “Before joining Red Bull, Jürgen could have coached the United States, England, and probably Germany if Julian Nagelsmann hadn’t already been there. Even Manchester United and Chelsea made him offers despite him being clear about not coaching for another club in England. The offers didn’t stop.”

Klopp left Liverpool in mid 2024 and took up a role with Red Bull in 2025; during that period the United States had not hired Mauricio Pochettino, England had not appointed Thomas Tuchel, and Manchester United fired Erik ten Hag.

Kosicke on if Klopp would coach again

Klopp has been somewhat mysterious since his exit from the spotlight. The historic matches against Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City remain a golden era in the Premier League. That’s why uncertainty around the German’s coaching future persists.

Currently a senior advisor on the energy drinks group’s projects in different countries, he has stepped away from the regular media appearances people were used to. Even though talks about a return keep reemerging, his agent doesn’t see it happening soon.

Asked about a comeback in the short term, Kosicke said: “At the moment, I don’t see it because he’s very happy with his new job and this environment. He has found a soulmate in Mario Gómez. They make a great pairing. Maybe someday he will say he misses the locker room, but right now he’s very happy in his current role.”

Klopp on being a great manager

Many wonder whether he would coach a national team at some point. After doubts about Germany’s rebuilding, his name has often been mentioned. However, his agent doesn’t see it as an obligation.

Kosicke described what the manager told him: “Jürgen said long ago that he could have been a great manager even if he had never worked for Real Madrid or Bayern. He wanted to win the Champions League at all costs, but winning it three times wouldn’t make him happier. He’s satisfied with what he has accomplished. He’s one of the few top coaches never to have been fired.”

Raphinha criticized the referees with a post on social media after Barcelona's La Liga loss to Girona

Raphinha was back in the team for the match against Girona on Monday. However, his return was not enough to prevent an unexpected Barcelona defeat, which left Real Madrid at the top of the La Liga standings.

Complaints have flooded the media in the last few days following Pau Cubarsí’s disallowed goal in the Copa del Rey semifinal loss to Atletico Madrid. That time the club submitted a formal complaint to the Real Federación Española de Fútbol. Now it was the winger who used his platform to make his voice heard.

The post had a clear message for the referees. Raphinha wrote: “We have many things to improve, but not just us. It’s hard when the rules change if they are in your favor or against you. If we must play against everybody to win, it’s fine. We will do it. Go Barça forever.”

Cubarsí was also critical

Girona were worthy opponents and handed Barcelona’s rivals the La Liga lead. There were defensive mistakes again, as has often been the case, but there was also major controversy in the decisive goal.

What every player complained about was a foul on Jules Koundé by Echeverri that changed the course of yesterday’s match. Cubarsí was a bit more measured than his teammate in an interview with DAZN.

The defender said: “Everybody saw it; we are not going to comment on that. People know what happened. From inside we couldn’t do anything. We don’t have to argue with the referee. We must improve.”

Good news for Barcelona

The match left a very sour taste because the performance wasn’t good on top of the result. It could have been worse after Eric García had to leave with 20 minutes still to play because of a hamstring issue.

On Tuesday the player underwent a medical examination to determine whether he would miss time. Fortunately for the defender, there was no injury that will force him to be sidelined, which is positive considering he left the field in pain.

Pep Guardiola was critical of his players after Manchester City's narrow win in the FA Cup.

Pep Guardiola is always a headline in every press conference he attends. He normally backs his players no matter what, but his tone was different after Manchester City’s narrow FA Cup win over Salford City.

The FA Cup is the oldest competition in the world for a reason; there is always room for exciting matches between teams from very different levels. This time an emphatic score was expected, with a powerful Premier League side facing a League Two team.

It was only a 2-0 victory, which prompted the criticism. Guardiola said he wasn’t pleased with how they performed: “We didn’t read the spaces. It depends on how they defend it and we didn’t read it. That is the reason why the match was boring. The only good news is that we went through. That’s all.”

Guardiola says the calendar isn’t an excuse

Salford City currently play in the fourth tier of English soccer. The most dominant club in the country in recent years shouldn’t have had problems posting a big score. That looked possible when Manchester City opened the scoring in the 6th minute with an own goal.

It’s true that Guardiola named a lineup that included nine changes compared to their most recent match against Fulham in the Premier League last Wednesday. Even so, Marc Guehi’s goal to extend the margin wasn’t enough to please the manager.

Guardiola also said that the short turnaround isn’t an excuse: “It would be easy for me to say mentally we’re exhausted, we’re tired, that it has been a tough two or three weeks for many reasons. But it’s our job. The calendar demands we play every few days. We just didn’t read where the spaces were and everything was flat, slow and not good.”

Manchester City’s bright note

There was one positive from the match for the Spanish manager in the return of John Stones to the team. The defender had been out for over two months with a thigh muscle injury.

Guardiola was cautious about his inclusion in future lineups: “He’s back. He still needs time; he’s not the John Stones we knew, but his body language was really good in terms of pressing and aggression. It’s important that he played 65 minutes.”

Kylian Mbappé may have a new teammate in Liverpool star who has always desired to play for Real Madrid.

Most players want to play for Real Madrid at some point in their careers. It’s common to see huge names willing to change clubs even if they are at great institutions, just like Trent Alexander-Arnold or Kylian Mbappé. Apparently, there’s now another Liverpool star who could be thinking about the idea.

The protagonist of the story is Dominik Szoboszlai. What makes it more noteworthy is that it isn’t a traditional transfer rumor that always flies around. It was Marco Rossi, the Hungarian national team manager, who told this story in an interview with WinWin, as cited by Diario AS.

Rossi was clear about the bond he has with Szoboszlai and spoke about his true feelings regarding the Spanish club: “For the close and direct relationship I have with him since he started playing football as a kid, Real Madrid has always been his dream.”

Rossi on the likelihood of the transfer

Liverpool have had an inconsistent season so far. Their strong Champions League group-stage performance, which put them directly into the round of 16, helped offset some poor domestic results, but sitting sixth in the Premier League is concerning.

In the context of doubts over Arne Slot remaining in England, Szoboszlai has arguably been the brightest player in the team. That’s why Rossi believes a transfer to the Madrid club does not look very likely.

Rossi also said: “I don’t know if he can take that step. It’s his decision and his club’s too. I don’t absolutely rule out the possibility of him staying at Liverpool and renewing his contract there, especially because he’s highly valued by the club. He’s very important to them. It’s one of the biggest clubs in the world.”

Szoboszlai’s season with Liverpool

Szoboszlai will be unavailable for Liverpool in the Premier League for the next three matches after the incident that ended in the defeat to Manchester City. A foul on Erling Haaland with no goalkeeper in front led to a red card and his suspension.

The unfair part is that minutes earlier he had scored a phenomenal free kick to put his team ahead. It was a goal reminiscent of another important strike against Arsenal. His season totals 35 appearances with nine goals.

Barcelona submitted a complaint about the referee of the Copa del Rey defeat to Atletico Madrid.

Barcelona was clearly the inferior team last Thursday in their visit to the Spanish capital. The 4-0 defeat to Atletico Madrid left many areas to improve for the players, but the referees were in the spotlight. Today the club formally complained after the first leg of the Copa del Rey semifinal match.

The referee of the match was Juan Martínez Munuera, who did not have a good performance according to Barcelona. Their biggest complaint is the disallowed goal to Pau Cubarsí, while also claiming he did not apply the same criteria when he showed a red card to Eric García for a similar foul that Giuliano Simeone committed earlier.

This statement included five points the club wanted to highlight. Number one was the lack of coherence in disciplinary decisions. It explains: “This disparity creates a sense of a double standard, which is incompatible with the principles of fairness, equality, and legal certainty that should govern the competition.”

More of Barcelona’s complaint

Among the five points the club’s advisors presented to the Real Federación Española de Fútbol was one titled “contradictory criteria in hand plays.” It states: “The club highlights the incoherence in the interpretation of handballs inside the box. The lack of uniformity reinforces the arbitrariness of the application of the rules.”

The third point refers to a long list of mistakes against their side over time: “Beyond isolated cases, Barcelona sees the recurrence of flagrant mistakes throughout the season, many of them decisive for the club. This accumulation directly affects the integrity of the competition.”

The fourth focused on the VAR action. They described: “The club expressed reasonable doubts about the use and application of the technology, especially in marginal decisions that have not been supported by conclusive technical explanations. It also denounces the lack of transparency in the publication of the audio recordings.”

Barcelona’s last complaint about VAR

The use of the tool sparked much debate because it took six minutes for the referee to disallow Cubarsí’s goal. This was the final point in the long complaint the club presented.

They wrote the following about this controversy: “Barcelona questions the lack of a clear and coherent criterion for sending referees to the field to review plays on the monitor, which contributes to a perception of insecurity and inequality in decisions.”

Frenkie de Jong commented on the Pau Cubarsí's disallowed goal in hard Barcelona's defeat in Copa del Rey

Barcelona has too many defensive issues to compete with the best teams in Europe. Thursday’s embarrassing defeat to Atlético Madrid in the first leg of the Copa del Rey semifinals made that clear. However, a disallowed goal by Pau Cubarsí sparked strong criticism from Frenkie de Jong.

The first half saw only one team on the field, with Atlético Madrid scoring all four goals before the break. A comeback seemed possible early in the second half when Cubarsí scored, but a VAR intervention denied that possibility after a six-minute wait.

De Jong had a clear response when asked about the offside images that were shown: “If what was called on the field is the image I saw, and if it’s not AI, because these days you never know, then it’s a scandal. It’s very clear.”

Joan Laporta on the referees

There were many opinions about the controversial decision. Even if the outcome was unlikely to change, reactions were widespread. Joan Laporta was among the most critical in an online post.

Tot el meu suport al Hansi Flick, als jugadors, al Deco i el seu equip. Amb la força de tots els culers estic convençut que tenim una oportunitat històrica per realitzar una gran remuntada a l’Spotify Camp Nou el proper 3 de març.
Malauradament ahir vam patir tot un seguit…

— Joan Laporta Estruch (@JoanLaportaFCB) February 13, 2026

The president, who has resigned to run again in the March 15 elections, urged fans to keep believing in the players because they can overturn the score, while also denouncing the current refereeing situation.

Laporta wrote: “The goal wrongfully disallowed to Cubarsí reminds us of Lamine Yamal’s in Anoeta. Nothing is innocent. That’s why we must fight against everything and everybody.”

Laporta complained about Atlético Madrid’s pitch

The presidential candidate also showed support for the team as he prepared for the election, and he criticized the condition of Atlético Madrid’s pitch for the match.

Laporta said in his message: “Unfortunately, yesterday we suffered a series of adversities, from the pitch in poor condition to a wrongfully disallowed goal that prevented us from starting the comeback that would have been possible with everyone’s support.”

Pep Guardiola could lose Rodri after the FA charged the Manchester City player

Manchester City have closed a perfect stretch of three matches in which they moved to the Carabao Cup final, defeated Liverpool in dramatic fashion, and beat Fulham to cut Arsenal’s lead in Premier League to four points. However, Pep Guardiola may lose Rodri to a suspension for something that happened just before that run.

Guardiola’s side won their three recent matches, but before those there was a thrilling tie with Tottenham that left plenty to discuss. After a highly debated goal by Dominik Solanke, Rodri complained about a foul on Marc Guehi. Although the Spanish midfielder was furious at the time, the possible punishment stems from comments he made in the post-match interview.

His remarks prompted a response from the FA: “Rodri acted in an improper manner during a post-match media interview by making comments that imply bias and/or question the integrity of a match official and/or match officials, contrary to FA Rule 3.1.”

Rodri’s comment that may get him in trouble

In the statement from the English FA, there is no confirmation of the exact quote that triggered the action. “I know we won too much and the people don’t want us to win but the referee has to be neutral and for me, honestly, it’s not fair,” may be the phrase, according to Sky Sports.

Rodri went on to describe the alleged Solanke-on-Guehi foul: “It’s not fair because we work so hard. When everything is finished, you are frustrated. It’s the first goal they score; maybe if they don’t score this goal we win the match. He kicked the leg, it was so clear. It’s two, three games in a row and I don’t know why.”

For the Spanish midfielder it wasn’t just one mistake: “It’s one match and another and another – and it’s not possible. Honestly, I never speak about referees, I respect their job massively. But they have to pay attention to these things.”

Rodri’s potential sanction

The recent communication does not mean Rodri will automatically be suspended. The rules do not establish a fixed penalty for comments of this nature, which means Guardiola could still count on him. The player has until next Wednesday to provide a response.

There is one incident that could be referenced. Liverpool’s former coach Jürgen Klopp was banned for two matches two years ago for questioning the neutrality of referee Paul Tierney when he said he had “something against them.”

Real Madrid manager Álvaro Arbeloa responded to Hansi Flick's comment after Barcelona's defeat in Copa del Rey

Thursday produced a historic night in Spanish soccer that curiously did not involve Real Madrid or Álvaro Arbeloa. However, the manager became the focus of a follow-up story after answering a question about Barcelona’s 4-0 defeat to Atlético Madrid in the Copa del Rey semifinals with an ironic comment aimed at Hansi Flick.

It was the German manager who landed the first jab before the match. He was asked about his team’s easy path in the competition, which included clubs from lower divisions. Flick answered sarcastically, “ask Real Madrid,” reminding the questioner that Real Madrid had lost to Real Albacete in the quarterfinals.

Arbeloa used a journalist’s question about Barcelona appearing more defeatable at today’s press conference with perfect timing. The manager delivered a short but clear message directed at Flick: “There’s nothing to say about the match. Ask Barcelona and Flick.”

Arbeloa’s approach to internal competitiveness at Real Madrid

Real Madrid has long been the club where many great players end up at some point in their careers. Although players like Kylian Mbappé or Vinícius seem like obvious starters, that is not necessarily how the manager views things.

Arbeloa stressed the importance of having everyone ready for any match. At a club of this size, the differences between players are often smaller than at other teams.

The manager said, “The 11 I put on the field are the best for the match. Then I have 15 more players. As a friend says, ‘here the worst is as good as the rest.’ Everyone knows opportunities will come, and the players are working hard. I’m very lucky. I like everyone to feel important.”

Arbeloa on the criticism

Being at arguably the biggest club in the world comes with many responsibilities. So far, Real Madrid’s performances have not met fans’ expectations. The manager addressed the criticism he faces when the team is not good enough.

Arbeloa said his experience as a player at the club helps him handle the voices pointing out mistakes: “I’m new in this chair, but not at Real Madrid. Very few things surprise me.”

A Barcelona player could become Christian Pulisic's teammate at Milan in the following transfer window.

Milan trails its archrival Inter in Serie A but has shown clear improvement from last season, and the club is already planning how to strengthen the squad next year. With ambitions to climb back to the top domestically and in Europe, the Italian side is targeting affordable, young options to add depth. Christian Pulisic could soon have a new teammate from Barcelona.

The name linked to a move to Italy is Gerard Martín, 23. The center back has played more minutes under Hansi Flick than many expected, and that exposure has drawn attention from clubs across Europe. Scouts have noted his calmness on the ball and his capacity to step into a starting role despite still being relatively young.

Martín is a left-footed center back, a profile that is hard to find and valued for balance in build-up play down the left side. In addition to his technique and experience at a major club, he can also cover left back, which increases his appeal to teams seeking tactical flexibility.

Martín’s season with Barcelona

Martín was not expected to get many minutes given Iñigo Martínez’s presence and the club’s plans to sign reinforcements in that area. But the older defender’s departure opened a spot in the lineup and gave Martín a real chance to prove himself.

Even though Barcelona has not been known for rock-solid defending this season, Martín’s involvement has been higher than projected. He has played 19 La Liga matches, eight Champions League appearances, and three Copa del Rey matches.

After winning La Liga, the Copa del Rey, and the Supercopa de España last season, he added another Supercopa de España this season when Barcelona defeated Real Madrid in the final.

Martín’s potential price tag

There is no certainty about what AC Milan would pay if they make an offer. Market estimates put his value around €25 million (almost $30 million), which could be acceptable to Barcelona if they secure a replacement first.

Martín was on Wolverhampton’s radar last transfer window, when the English club offered €15 million; at that time the player declined the move. Everton is also reported to be interested.