Marc Cucurella interview: Chelsea have ‘paid the price’ for inexperience and why he wouldn’t have let Maresca go Cucurella has become a key player for both Chelsea and Spain. He speaks frankly to The Athletic about what's going wrong for his club side

Excl. Marc Cucurella interview

▪️The impact of the PSG defeats
▪️Lack of experience at Chelsea’s squad
▪️Maresca’s departure: “If you asked me, I wouldn’t have done that”
▪️Rosenior settling well, but no time no train

@theathleticfc.bsky.social
🔗: www.nytimes.com/athletic/715...

Barcelona’s Champions League spectacular confirmed it: Raphinha is back, right on time Barca manager Hansi Flick has often spoken of Raphinha's importance. Wednesday night brought another clear reason why

Raphinha superstar.

After a season of ups and downs, the 7-2 win vs Newcastle unleashed the peak version of Flick’s most important player.

@theathleticfc.bsky.social www.nytimes.com/athletic/712...

Barcelona players and Hansi Flick hold critical talks after Atletico defeat The German coach criticised his players' attitude in talks at the training ground. They responded with concerns over his playing style

Barcelona players and Hansi Flick hold critical talks after Atletico defeat

@theathleticfc.bsky.social
www.nytimes.com/athletic/704...

glad you liked it!

The Roony Bardghji derby: Barcelona’s €2.5m Copenhagen signing impressing in Lamine Yamal’s shadow Once labelled the Swedish Messi, the 20-year-old winger has made a good start to life at the Camp Nou

The Roony Bardghji derby tonight.

Many doubted he had the physicality to cope with the move up to Barça last summer. Now he faces his former team established as a first-team player for Flick - and as a great piece of business.

@theathleticfc.bsky.social
www.nytimes.com/athletic/700...

The Totally Football Show with James Richardson: Champions League bonanza, Bayern’s first loss + Mbappe’s Panenka Jimbo is joined by James Horncastle, Pol Ballus, Seb Stafford-Bloor and Tom Williams to discuss the latest European football.The Champions League reaches it's final game showdown with all 36 teams ...

🇪🇺 EURO POD!🇪🇺

18 games? All at once? That's child's play 🏆🍿

@acjimbo.bsky.social, @tomwfootball.bsky.social, @sebsb.bsky.social, @polballus.bsky.social & @jameshorncastle.bsky.social look ahead MD8 in the Champions League. Plus a whistle stop around the weekend's action in 🇫🇷,🇩🇪,🇪🇸&🇮🇹!

pod.fo/e/3815e3

you're absolutely right!

Yamal injury 'very sad' after Spain selection with painkillers - Flick

The most irritated Hansi Flick I've ever seen in a presser.

Lamine Yamal has a groin injury, will miss the Valencia game and a doubt for Newcastle. Flick was fuming at Spain's management with Yamal over the break.

www.nytimes.com/athletic/662...

Send in your Barcelona questions for our writers Pol Ballus and Laia Cervello Herrero

📬 FC Barcelona mailbag alert 📬

Camp Nou, Gavi, Balde and De Jong injuries, Flick's egos quote, Valencia game on Sunday...

Send us any question, we'll be responding with
@laiacervello.bsky.social over here ⤵️

Nico Williams of Athletic Club looks on during the UEFA Europa League 2024/25 Quarter Final Second Leg match between Athletic Club and Rangers FC at Estadio de San Mames

Barcelona have reached a verbal agreement with Athletic Bilbao's Nico Williams over personal terms and do not view the forward's €60m release clause as an obstacle to deal this summer.

More from @polballus.bsky.social: bit.ly/4kGioeq

Barcelona's title-winners – by the early coaches who helped shape them

This has been a long but lovely piece of work to do.

Barça players from this season's squad assessed by their first coaches ever. Not their pro football coaches - from the first time they ever kicked a ball.

Beautiful stories in there.

www.nytimes.com/athletic/638...

Luis Diaz, Marcus Rashford ‘fantastic players’ with Barcelona looking for ‘more quality’ in summer, Hansi Flick says Flick is keen for reinforcements with sporting director Deco confirming the club's interest in both Diaz and Rashford this week.

Hansi Flick has spoken of his admiration for Luis Diaz and Marcus Rashford calling them “fantastic players” with Barcelona looking to add “more quality” in the summer transfer window.

More from @polballus.bsky.social

Lamine Yamal’s first press conference: Messi comparisons, hair dye and silencing the critics The 17-year-old forward held court at Barcelona's training centre on the eve of their Champions League semi-final against Inter

■ Those endless comparisons with Lionel Messi
■ Barcelona's dominance of Real Madrid
■ The treble pursuit
■ That new haircut

Lamine Yamal conducted his first press conference on eve of the Champions League semi-final first leg against Inter.

@polballus.bsky.social on what we learned ⤵️

Champions League semi-finals preview and a bit of Pedri appreciation in here

Copa del Rey final vs Real Madrid tomorrow.

Ter Stegen back to the squad - will not start though. Lewandowski and Balde are officially out (injured).

Hansi Flick in talks to extend Barcelona contract through to 2027 Flick signed a two-year contract through to the end of the 2025-26 season upon his appointment as Barca head coach last summer.

Hansi Flick in talks to sign a one-year contract extension at Barça.

▪️ Nothing will be signed or announced before the end of the season. Full focus on games remaining and potential trophies to win.
▪️ Flick has rejected to sign a longer extension. He prefers to go year by year.

The Totally Football Show with James Richardson: European elite await for Arsenal & Villa as quarter-finals commence Jimbo’s got Julien Laurens, Seb Stafford-Bloor, Pol Ballús and Michael Cox alongside him to get all warmed up for the mouthwatering Champions League quarter-final first legs.Arsenal v Real, Baye...

🇪🇺 EURO POD! 🇪🇺

Champions League quarter-finals, you say? 🏆

Let @acjimbo.bsky.social, @julienlaurens.bsky.social, @sebsb.bsky.social, @polballus.bsky.social & @zonal-marking.bsky.social get you warmed up for some very tasty ties...

Plus, all the latest on the domestic front 🇪🇸🇩🇪🇫🇷🇮🇹

pod.fo/e/2c4649

BARCELONA, SPAIN - JANUARY 29: Frenkie De Jong of FC Barcelona looks on during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Phase MD8 match between FC Barcelona and Atalanta BC at Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys on January 29, 2025 in Barcelona, Spain.

Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong wants to stay at the club and is in talks over a new contract.

While a breakthrough is yet to be reached, De Jong is very happy with life in Barcelona and feels very settled with his family.

@polballus.bsky.social

🔗 www.nytimes.com/athletic/622...

The Totally Football Show with James Richardson: Barcelona stun Atletico and can PSG win the treble? Jimbo’s got Julien Laurens, Rory Smith, Seb Stafford-Bloor and Pol Ballús in tow to put all the action from across the continent under the microscope.It’s advantage Inter in Serie A as the Ner...

🇪🇺 EURO POD! 🇪🇺

Get some of @acjimbo.bsky.social, @julienlaurens.bsky.social, @sebsb.bsky.social, @polballus.bsky.social & @rorysmith.bsky.social in your ears...

🇪🇸 Oh, Atleti 🫣
🇮🇹 Inter take advantage
🇫🇷 Could PSG do the treble?!
🇩🇪 Laterkusen are back

Plus, McTominay loves tomatoes 🍅

pod.fo/e/2ba5fe

What it’s like for a goalkeeper to play behind a ‘radical’ high line Barcelona's defence have played higher up the pitch than any other team in La Liga this season

Szczesny, Benfica, that game, that mistake...

📍 Tonight the GK returns to Da Luz as stablished No 1 and more adapted to Flick’s ‘radical’ high-line.

🧤 Piece with contributions from other GK such as Álvaro Valles, Heuer Fernandes and Andrés Palop about life behind such an advanced defense.

The Totally Football Show with James Richardson Soccer Podcast · 1,050 Episodes · Updated Semiweekly

🇪🇺EURO POD!🇪🇺

@acjimbo.bsky.social, @julienlaurens.bsky.social, @zonal-marking.bsky.social, @polballus.bsky.social & @sebsb.bsky.social ahead of #UCL week:

🤩PSG v Liverpool, Real v Atleti
🇩🇪Bayern v Leverkusen
🇳🇱@jongsma.bsky.social on PSV & Feyenoord
🇮🇹Napoli 1-1 Inter

podfollow.com/totallyfootb...

Ronald Araujo has a Barcelona deal until 2031. So why could he still leave? The Uruguay centre-back just extended his contract, but it doesn't necessarily mean he's staying put at Barca

Ronald Araujo signed a contract extension up until 2031, but here's why he could still leave next summer.

▪️ €65m release clause in his contract
▪️ New deal was a convenient solution for all parties
▪️ Doubts over his suitability in Flick's system
▪️ Tah in the back-burner

The Totally Football Show with James Richardson: Real Madrid and Man City go again, as Kompany’s Bayern edge closer to the title Jimbo’s joined by Julien Laurens, Seb Stafford-Bloor, Pol Ballús and Michael Cox for your weekly dose of European action.We begin with the big F-bomb controversy which has taken La Liga by storm...

🇪🇺 EURO POD!🇪🇺

We've got F-bombs, extraordinary comebacks, a potentially decisive 0-0 draw - and a whole load of #UCL action 🏆

@acjimbo.bsky.social, @julienlaurens.bsky.social, @polballus.bsky.social, @sebsb.bsky.social & @zonal-marking.bsky.social have got you covered 👇

pod.fo/e/2ae47f

The Totally Football Show with James Richardson: Barca, Real and Atleti neck and neck, plus Champions League play-off preview Jimbo’s got Pol Ballús, Seb Stafford-Bloor, Julien Laurens and Rory Smith alongside him as the Champions League Knockout Round Play-offs get underway. We start with a look at some of the big ti...

🇪🇺 EURO POD! 🇪🇺

Get yourselves all warmed up for the start of the #UCL play-offs 🔥🏆

@acjimbo.bsky.social's got @julienlaurens.bsky.social, @rorysmith.bsky.social, @sebsb.bsky.social & @polballus.bsky.social with him to look ahead to all the action and look back on domestic matters 👇

pod.fo/e/2ab5df

The Daily Football Briefing Podcast · The Athletic · Welcome to The Daily Football Briefing from The Athletic. It’s all the football news you need in ten minutes or less. Subscribe now and you’ll never miss another story.

Liverpool blew Spurs away at Anfield, @jamespearcelfc.bsky.social and @jaydmharris.bsky.social were there to see it. @polballus.bsky.social was watching Barcelona bullying Valencia for the second time in a fortnight and we've got a bit of an announcement at the end...

podfollow.com/daily-footba...

The Totally Football Show with James Richardson: La Liga title race takes another turn as Dembele dazzles again Julien Laurens, Pol Ballús, Seb Stafford-Bloor and James Horncastle join Jimbo for a deep-dive into all the latest Continental action and transfer news as the window officially *slammed* shut. Ov...

🇪🇺 EURO POD! 🇪🇺

@acjimbo.bsky.social, @julienlaurens.bsky.social, @polballus.bsky.social, @jameshorncastle.bsky.social & @sebsb.bsky.social:

🇮🇹 1-1, anyone?!
🇫🇷 Dazzling Dembele's back-to-back hat-tricks
🇪🇸 Real slip up as chasers close the gap
🇩🇪 Kane likes goals but Tel's at Tottenham

pod.fo/e/2a8686

Lamine Yamal and his 14 seconds of Messi-like magic Barcelona beat Alaves 1-0 but all anyone was talking about was Yamal's unbelievable dribble in the first half. We broke it down...

📈 Barça are well back in La Liga’s title race after the perfect weekend for them - Madrid lost vs Espanyol and the Catalans beat Alavés.

💫 But what fans attending will remember for some time is that 14 seconds solo run from guess who:

The Daily Football Briefing Podcast · The Athletic · Welcome to The Daily Football Briefing from The Athletic. It’s all the football news you need in ten minutes or less. Subscribe now and you’ll never miss another story.

It's a packed show tonight, we've got @amylawrence.bsky.social who is very happy and Sam Lee who is markedly less so. @jaydmharris.bsky.social saw Spurs win, Carl Anka saw Man Utd lose and @polballus.bsky.social welcomes Barca back into the title race. Listen here.

podfollow.com/daily-footba...

Barcelona and Real Madrid don’t know where El Clasico will be played – because of The Rolling Stones Barcelona hope to be back at Camp Nou in early May, but there are no guarantees — and Montjuic is not an option because of concert plans

Mad stuff from @polballus.bsky.social on Camp Nou possibly not ready for next May's La Liga Clasico v Madrid, and Montjuic already booked for the Rolling Stones

www.nytimes.com/athletic/609...

Yeah that’s what we assessed in the piece