Barcelona's Sergio Aguero reports retirement from football because of heart condition

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Barcelona's Sergio Aguero reports retirement from football because of heart condition

CREATIVE    December 15, 2021   

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Sergio Aguero has retired from football due to medical advice. AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti

Barcelona striker Sergio Aguero has reported his retirement from football at 33 years old because of a heart condition.

Aguero has not played since the finish of October, when he was taken off during the primary portion of Barca's draw with Alaves in the wake of encountering chest torment.

"I want to thank Atletico Madrid, who took a chance on me when I was 18, and Manchester City -- everyone knows who I feel about City and how well they treated me there."

Former Barcelona star Lionel Messi had kind words for his former teammate via an Instagram tribute.

"Practically all of our career together, Kun... We have lived very beautiful moments and others that were not so much so, but all of them brought us together even more and made us closer as friends. And we are going to continue to live moments together off the pitch," Messi wrote.

"With so much happiness to lift the Copa America such a short time ago and with all of your accomplishments in England, the truth is that it hurts a lot to see how you must leave what you love the most due to what has happened.

King Kun.

Everyone at Manchester City would like to take this opportunity to thank @aguerosergiokun for his incredible contribution to our success over the last decade and wish him well in his retirement 💙 pic.twitter.com/AgMWXZtPZ8

— Manchester City (@ManCity) December 15, 2021

"I am sure you will continue to be happy because you are the type of person who radiates happiness and those of us who love you are going to be with you. Now you will start a new stage in your life and I am convinced that you are going to live it with a big smile and with all the same hopefulness that you put into everything.

"I wish you the best in this new stage!!! I love you very much my friend and I am going to miss our times together on the pitch and with the Argentina national team!!!"

Barca legend and City manager Pep Guardiola was in attendance at Camp Nou alongside director of football Txiki Begiristain. The entire Barca first-team squad and representatives from Aguero's former clubs were also present.

"Sergio, I think, as we just saw, we are left with deep joy and excitement with what you could have been here at Barcelona, but anything you need with your condition we are here at your disposal," Laporta said.

"You will be remembered not just as a player, but as a friend. A new journey awaits, and I am sure it will be just as successful. You deserve it."

City also paid tribute to Aguero on social media and posted: "King Kun. Everyone at Manchester City would like to take this opportunity to thank @aguerosergiokun for his incredible contribution to our success over the last decade and wish him well in his retirement."

Maradona Cup: Boca Juniors beats Barcelona on punishments in Saudi Arabia display

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Maradona Cup: Boca Juniors beats Barcelona on punishments in Saudi Arabia display

CREATIVE    December 14, 2021   

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Boca Juniors beat Barcelona on punishments to guarantee the debut Diego Maradona Cup in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday later a 1-1 attract ordinary time.

Goalkeeper Agustin Rossi saved Matheus Pereira's penalty before Guillem Jaime blazed over to hand Boca, who scored all four of their spot-kicks, the victory.

Ferran Jutgla had given Barca the lead early in the second half, but Exequiel Zeballos levelled with 15 minutes to go to take the game to a shootout.

The match, which took place at Mrsool Park in Riyadh, was arranged to honour the late Maradona, who passed away on Nov. 25 last year.

Maradona, considered one of the best players to ever play the game, played for both Barca and Boca in a professional career which ran from 1976 to 1997.

He played twice for Boca, between 1981 and 1982 and again between 1995 and 1997. He joined Barca from Boca in 1982, spending two seasons with the Spanish club before signing for Napoli.

Barca coach Xavi Hernandez took advantage of the game against the Argentine team to hand a debut to Dani Alves, who returned to the club at the age of 38 last month.

The Brazil international is not able to play competitively until January when the registration window opens re-opens in Spain, but he could play in Tuesday's exhibition.

Alves was one of 11 changes to the Barca side which drew with Osasuna on Sunday as Xavi opted to keep most of his squad fresh ahead of Saturday's LaLiga game against Elche at Camp Nou.

A cagey first half, in which Alves was the best player, opened up after the break, with Jutgla, a summer signing from Espanyol, opening the scoring in the 50th minute.

Philippe Coutinho handled an Alves cross but it was missed by the referee, allowing Jutgla to spin and fire in his first goal for Barca.

Ilias Akhomach and Jutgla missed chances to double Barca's lead, while Neto did well to keep out Sebastian Villa before substitute Zeballos's turned home Frank Fabra's cross to take the game to penalties.

Marcos Rojo, Carlos Izquierdoz, Cristian Pavon and Aaron Molinas all scored for Sebastian Battaglia's side, with Matheus and Guillem missing for Barca.

Salah scores from the spot and Liverpool get what they deserve

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Salah scores from the spot and Liverpool get what they deserve

CREATIVE    December 14, 2021   

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Don't let the 1-0 scoreline fool you. Steven Gerrard came back to Anfield with Aston Villa intending to defend and frustrate Liverpool. It worked for an hour, but the continued percussive game preached by Jurgen Klopp and executed by Liverpool eventually wore him down. The fact that it came from the penalty spot after Mohamed Salah befuddled Tyrone Mings matters little. Liverpool were rested and it showed. And when they're like this, they're very hard to stop.

With Diogo Jota not fully fit, Klopp turned to Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in the front three rather than Takumi Minamino. More aptly, it was almost as if he was at the tip of a diamond, with Sadio Mane and Salah running past him. It's not an experiment we necessarily need to see again, but it was the sort of curveball Klopp occasionally serves up and a reminder that he's by no means dogmatic. Of course, things are that much easier when you can call on your first-choice midfield trio of Jordan Henderson, Fabinho and Thiago Alcantara.

Real Madrid derby win feels decisive, Premier League top three all win, Bayern's comeback

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Real Madrid derby win feels decisive, Premier League top three all win, Bayern's comeback

CREATIVE    December 14, 2021   

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What a weekend! Even before the chaos of the Champions League draw, the past 48 hours delivered a ton of talking points across Europe's top leagues. Real Madrid's big derby win over Atletico Madrid feels decisive in LaLiga's title race, while Liverpool, Manchester City and Chelsea all won to keep all three teams where they were before at the top of the Premier League. Meanwhile, in Germany, are Bayern Munich on course for yet another Bundesliga crown?

There was also drama for Arsenal, Juventus, Milan, and Paris Saint-Germain, as well as more concerns for Barcelona and new manager, Xavi.

It's Monday, and Gab Marcotti reacts to the biggest moments in the world of football.

Real Madrid 2-0 Atlético Madrid: Player Ratings

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Real Madrid 2-0 Atlético Madrid: Player Ratings

CREATIVE    December 12, 2021   

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Photo by Mateo Villalba/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images

Beginning XI 

Oblak 

 One more disappointing night for Oblak in net. The manager made no genuine bungles, yet he surrendered twice. The initially came from a plain Karim Benzema's sixteenth moment volley, and the second came in the 57th moment from Marco Asensio's left-footed one-contact finish. — 4.5

Carrasco

The Belgian had trouble causing problems for the Real Madrid defense and was relatively quiet prior to his substitution. When he wasn't tracking back on defense, Carrasco looked to create space for himself on the flank, but was mostly unsuccessful. —4.5

Hermoso

Did well distributing the ball from the back, completing 44 of his 45 passes. Shifted too far inward on the Asensio goal, the shot going through Hermoso’s legs and into the back of the net. —4

Felipe

Had a few good moments where he won the ball back well, but tried to do too much when in possession. He was caught out of position on the counterattack leading to Asensio’s strike. —4.5

Kondogbia

Utilized his pace at the center back position to come out and pressure the ball when Real Madrid looked to counter. Later in the second half, he was more adventurous and used his strength to win possession. Luka Jović bullied him in the buildup to the game’s second goal. —5

Llorente

Tasked with trying to halt Vinícius Jr. on the right side and had a hard time doing so. The Brazilian ended the match with two assists on the night. Llorente was largely subdued on the offensive side. —4.5

Koke

Couldn't keep up with the pace of the game. Frequently overwhelmed by his Real Madrid counterparts. His passes were frequently intercepted, including one that led directly to Benzema’s goal. —3

De Paul

Fought hard to win possession against Madrid’s vaunted midfield trio, but failed to dictate the pace after a bright start. Similar to Koke, De Paul was outfoxed and outplayed. —3.5

Correa

A quiet game from the Argentine, who tried to work through the opposition’s compact defensive block with some quick passing, but he was stopped time and again with Real’s numerical superiority and physicality. —3.5

Griezmann

Had one of the team’s best chances late in the first half with a free kick right outside the box that forced a save from Thibaut Courtois. Félix replaced him at the start of the second half due to muscle pain. —6

Cunha

Created promising opportunities with his movement and ability to draw fouls, but couldn't cause problems for Courtois in net. —5.5

Subs:

Félix

Came on at halftime and immediately made an impact. His composure with the ball and vision to pick out the right pass sparked the offense to life and gave Atlético Madrid opportunities to score. —7

Lemar

Similar to Félix, the Frenchman’s dribbling and passing helped Atlético pile on pressure to begin the second half at the Bernabéu. Before Real Madrid doubled their lead, Lemar’s presence helped give his team its best chances. —7

Lodi

In his half hour on the pitch, Lodi looked to push up the field for some crossing opportunities but little came from his efforts. —5

Suárez

Came on for Cunha in the 60th minute. Managed just one shot and a yellow card for jawing with David Alaba. —4

Herrera

Although he had limited touches in his 20 minutes, Herrera looked to go forward with his passing had a half-chance from a set piece. —5

Real Madrid versus Atletico Madrid time, TV, streaming, setups, wagering chances for La Liga derby

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Real Madrid versus Atletico Madrid time, TV, streaming, setups, wagering chances for La Liga derby

CREATIVE    December 12, 2021   

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The Madrid derby among Real and Atletico will see the two bookmakers' top picks in La Liga meet interestingly this season. It's a fight with title suggestions between the current chiefs (Real Madrid) facilitating the reigning champs (Atletico Madrid).

Atletico needs a positive result to keep the Colchoneros close and potentially blow the race for first place wide open. Another Real Madrid win would virtually eliminate Atletico from contention, barring a second-half miracle run.

Real Madrid (1st, 39 points) has won its last nine matches in all competitions and has enjoyed a solid first half of the season in the return of Carlo Ancelotti at the helm. The Italian manager has guided Los Merengues to 12 wins in their first 16 La Liga matches with just one loss in that span to Espanyol. A major factor in that run has been the play of Brazilian forward Vinicius Jr. (10 goals), who is experiencing a breakout in his fourth season at the club and has helped decide several of those matches.   

It's been more of an uneven start to the season for Atletico (4th, 29 points), especially compared to its championship season in 2020-21 when it had 12 wins after 15 matches. This season the record reads 8W-2L-5D as the team struggles for consistency. Qualification to the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 with a thrilling road win earlier this week could help get the team back on track in La Liga, where it still has a game in hand on its rivals.

How to watch Real Madrid vs. Atletico Madrid

Date: Sunday, Dec. 11

Time: 3 p.m. ET

TV channel: n/a

Spanish-language TV: n/a

Streaming: ESPN+

The first Madrid derby of the season is exclusively available to stream on ESPN+ for fans in the USA.

La Liga is available on TSN and RDS in Canada. Sunday's Madrid derby will be streamed in English on TSN.ca and the TSN app. French-language coverage can be found on the RDS counterpart channels (RDS.ca and RDS app).

Real Madrid vs. Atletico Madrid lineups

The pregame chatter with Real Madrid revolves around La Liga scoring leader Karim Benzema (hamstring) and whether he starts the match or comes off the bench. But Ancelotti has already said he will play, and it's hard to see him using Benzema as a sub if he's available, no matter the recent positive contributions of his replacement Luka Jovic. The other lineup question involves Marco Asensio and Rodrygo battling it out for the right wing spot. 

Real Madrid projected starting lineup (4-3-3, left to right): 1-Thibaut Courtois-GK — 23-Ferlan Mendy, 4-David Alaba, 3-Eder Militao, 2-Dani Carvajal — 8-Toni Kroos, 14-Casemiro, 10-Luka Modric — 20-Vinicius Jr., 9-Karim Benzema (capt.), 11-Marco Asensio

Real Madrid projected subs (12): 13-Andriy Lunin (GK), 12-Marcelo (LB), 6-Nacho Fernandez (CB), 5-Jesus Vallejo (CB), 25-Eduardo Camavinga (CM), 15-Federico Valverde (CM), 22-Isco (CAM), 17-Lucas Vazquez (RW), 21-Rodrygo (RW), 7-Eden Hazard (LW), 24-Mariano Diaz (CF), 16-Luka Jovic (CF)

Spanish media is reporting that Atletico Madrid forward Luis Suarez is available for the derby despite having to be subbed out in midweek due to a muscle issue that had him in tears as he left the field. Matheus Cunha could get the start again if Suarez is on limited minutes.

Center backs Stefan Savic, Jose Maria Gimenez, and right back Sime Vrsaljko are out for Atletico, but the Colchoneros at least can count on versatile defender Kieran Trippier, who will be part of the squad. 

Atletico Madrid projected starting lineup (5-3-2, left to right): 13-Jan Oblak-GK (captain) — 21-Yannick Carrasco, 22-Mario Hermoso, 18-Felipe, 4-Geoffrey Kondogbia, 14-Marcos Llorente — 11-Thomas Lemar, 6-Koke, 5-Rodrigo De Paul — 8-Antoine Griezmann, 19-Matheus Cunha

Atletico Madrid projected subs (9): 1-Benjamin Lecomte (GK), 23-Kieran Trippier (RB / LB), 12-Renan Lodi (LB), 47-Ibrahima Camara (CB), 16-Hector Herrera (CM), 26-Javi Serrano (CM), 7-Joao Felix (CAM), 10-Angel Correa (FW), 9-Luis Suarez (FW)

Real Madrid vs. Atletico Madrid betting odds & prediction

Odds courtesy of DraftKings

The fitness questions for star forwards Karim Benzema (Real Madrid) and Luis Suarez (Atletico Madrid), and the fact that both teams played competitive Champions League midweek matches will all definitely influence how this game plays out.

Atletico Madrid is a team that's especially reliant on its intensity and energy for its success, and the trip to Porto for that hard-fought and emotionally draining Champions League victory may have taken a lot out of them. But it's a derby that Atletico can't afford to lose, so the competitive juices should be flowing for Diego Simeone's side. 

The defending La Liga champs also have a strong record away from home in La Liga this season (4W-1L-2D), compiling a positive xG difference (+3.1). They won the xG battle in five of those seven road matches. 

Though Real Madrid has won nine straight in all competitions, it has had its issues playing against teams like Atletico that employ a 5-man backline: Real was held under a 1.0 xG against Inter Milan in a midweek win, as well as against Osasuna in a 0-0 home draw. And it didn't win the xG battle in any of the three matches played against teams in the 5-3-2 formation, per FBref. This should be a game in which Atletico Madrid can stay close, if not win outright.

Pick: Atletico Madrid +0.75 Asian Handicap (-155)

Prediction: Real Madrid 1, Atletico Madrid 1

Moneyline (regulation): Real Madrid +180 / Draw +260 / Atletico Madrid +285

Spread: Real Madrid -0.5 (+100) / Atletico Madrid +0.5 (-115)

O/U 2.5 total goals: Over -120 / Under +100

Both teams to score: Yes -155 / No +115