LaLiga president Javier Tebas insists his part in the battle to get Lionel Messi to stay at Barcelona was not personal and only about ensuring players respect contracts.
Messi last week announced he would remain at Camp Nou against his wishes to avoid a legal battle with the club.
The six-time Ballon d Or winner had previously stated his intention to Barca on a free transfer by exercising a clause in his contract at the end of the 2019-20 season.
Barca and LaLiga argued that option expired in June and any club wanting to acquire Messi s services must pay his €700million release clause or negotiate a fee.
Messi s representatives claimed the clause to leave for free was still active due to the season being extended by the coronavirus pandemic.
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Tottenham midfielder David Bentley reportedly travelled to Birmingham City for a medical on Monday as his proposed loan move gathers pace.
Bentley, 26, has struggled to cement his place at White Hart Lane since arriving in 2008 and is keen to explore other opportunities after falling behind the likes of Rafael van der Vaart and Aaron Lennon in the plans of Spurs manager Harry Redknapp.
The former Blackburn Rovers playmaker has made just a handful of appearances for Spurs this season, and Redknapp sympathises with Bentley s wish to leave.
David did well at the end of last season but he wants to play, Redknapp said.
It s difficult. He s not happy because he s not playing and I understand that.
I wouldn t want him to sit there and say I ll take…
Inter Milan and Napoli will both look to put Champions League disappointment behind them when they meet in Serie A on Sunday.
Napoli exited the competition in the last 16 on Tuesday, beaten 4-2 on aggregate by Barcelona, and a day later Inter lost out to Atletico Madrid on penalties following a 2-2 draw.
The result was a bitter pill to swallow for the runaway Serie A leaders, who were on a run of 13 consecutive victories in all competitions and had hoped to go one better than last season, when they were beaten in the Champions League final by Manchester City.
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— Inter (@Inter)
Inter went two up in the tie but Atletico fought back to level through Memphis Depay’s goal late in normal time and, after missed chances for Simone Inzaghi�…
Sunderland have signed Liverpool defender Sebastian Coates on a season-long loan.
The 23-year-old Uruguay international is Sunderland s eighth signing of the transfer window.
Coates has been capped 15 times by his country and joined Liverpool from Nacional in 2011.
He returned to Nacional in his homeland on loan last season after making 24 appearances and scoring twice for the Anfield club.
The Coates deal makes good on a pledge made by Sunderland coach Gus Poyet to add to his squad before the deadline.
Following Saturday’s 1-0 defeat to QPR, Poyet said: We don t have enough [players]. We know the numbers I wanted to work with and the numbers we ve got.
I will be on the phone all the time [until the window closes]. I m not a fan of the …
The managerial shuffle in Spain continued on Tuesday as Marcelino Garcia Toral was appointed coach of Sevilla and Luis Garcia left Levante.
Garcia Toral walked away from Racing Santander after a spat with owner Ahsan Ali Syed at the end of last season, a move that has yet to be confirmed by his former club.
Nevertheless, Sevilla have taken the opportunity to spruik their new manager in a press conference on Tuesday, welcoming the 45-year-old as the successor to Gregorio Manzano.
I believe we have a coach for the long term. It s the first time I have drawn up a contract like Marcelino s, club president Jose Maria del Nido said.
He is signing for one season with an option for two more depending on results.
Manzano was let go by the club at the c…