Dribble Diaries

The transfer market rarely disappoints with its drama, and Barcelona, a club perpetually in the spotlight, has once again delivered. The official confirmation of Joan Garcia's €25 million move from city rivals Espanyol to the Spotify Camp Nou on June 18, 2025, has sent ripples far beyond Catalonia. This isn't merely a new signing; it's a bold statement from newly appointed manager Hansi Flick and Sporting Director Deco, signaling a profound shift in Barcelona's goalkeeping strategy and potentially igniting a powder keg within the dressing room. Marc-André ter Stegen has been Barcelona's uncontested goalkeeper for nearly a decade. His calm demeanor, exceptional shot-stopping, and remarkable distribution have made him a cornerstone of the team. However, at 33 years old, and with reports of him potentially becoming the third-choice goalkeeper, Joan Garcia's arrival at 24 years old, with a contract until 2031, indicates a decisive move towards the future. As Deco bl...

Manchester United are looking at Joan Garcia as part of their summer rebuild. Christopher Vivell, Manchester United's head of recruiting, is working quickly to reshape a squad in desperate need of new energy and talent. According to Team Talk, Vivell has begun talks to recruit Espanyol's excellent goalkeeper Joan Garcia, signalling a summer of big upheaval at Old Trafford. Rebuilding Old Trafford's Foundations. United's new manager, Rúben Amorim, is rebuilding the team after a disastrous season. According to Team Talk, Amorim is entrusted with assembling a group of players who can not only fit into his 3-4-2-1 style but also help United reclaim its place among the Premier League elite. "And while salvation can still arrive in the Europa League, those at Old Trafford are painfully aware of just how far behind United have slipped off the pace on the domestic front." With that depressing fact in mind, Garcia's recruitment could be a key first step. Af...

With just six points separating them from the relegation zone, Girona has been worried that they would be pulled into the struggle for survival, whereas Espanyol has been fighting for their lives the entire season. On a chilly Monday night at the RCDE Stadium, the football game made clear the high stakes. With Arthur Melo and Ivan Martin leading the way early on, Girona had the stronger start, controlling the game and spending the majority of the time in Espanyol's half. However, it was getting harder to get through Espanyol's formidable defense, and Los Pericos started to gain ground in the second half. Javi Puado of the home team made the first noteworthy save, forcing Paulo Gazzaniga to make a fantastic stop just before the break, despite Arnau Martinez flashing a pass across the box. Espanyol started the second half more quickly as well, and following an early opportunity for Robert Fernandez, they broke from the edge of their own box, feeding Jofre Carreras on the hal...

Barcelona's Mapi León has responded to Espanyol's claims against her. The defender was accused of 'violating the privacy' of opponent Daniela Caracas during a set piece in Sunday's Liga F match between the clubs. Espanyol also alleged that Caracas has received extensive hate on social media as a result of the video of the incident going viral. "At no time did I, nor was it my intention, infringe upon the intimacy of my fellow professional Daniela Caracas," according to León in a statement. "As the photographs reveal, it was part of a playing action in which she purposefully touches me and I touch her leg in response to the contact, saying 'what's up with you'. "There is no contact with her private areas, and definitely no intention. I insist that it was merely part of the game and did not deserve the attention that it received. "The concept of touching a colleague's private parts would never enter my mind; it violates my ...

Arsenal are set to rekindle their interest in Joan Garcia during the summer transfer window, after missing out on the Espanyol goalkeeper last year. The Gunners found themselves on the market for a goalkeeper when Aaron Ramsdale expressed his wish to depart after losing his starting spot to David Raya. The England stopper was moved to Southampton, while Arsenal eventually took Neto on loan from Bournemouth after failing to sign Garcia. Neto is merely a temporary option, and his performance as Raya's substitute against Girona in the Champions League last week was lackluster. According to The Athletic, Arsenal took advantage of their time in Catalonia for that game, meeting with Garcia's representatives throughout the trip. The objective is to seek the Olympic gold medal winner again before next season. SPORT has also reported that Arsenal will have little trouble reaching an agreement with Garcia about a trade. However, it may necessitate some haggling with Espanyol, who appe...

Real Madrid has taken legal action after officially submitting a protest against Spanish referees. This follows their stunning loss to Espanyol, in which Kylian Mbappé was hauled down by Carlos Romero with a studs-up challenge, with the defender receiving only a yellow card before scoring the winner in the 85th minute. "Given the gravity of the situation, Real Madrid insists that the RFEF immediately hand over the VAR audio recordings pertaining to the two important plays of the match: 1. Audio recordings of communication between the VAR and the field referee during Carlos Romero's tackle on Kylian Mbappé. 2. Audio recordings of the VAR's communication with the field referee during Vinicius Jr.'s disallowed goal. 3. Conversations between VAR room members in both plays." In an official statement on the club's website, Los Blancos' board of directors opted to file a formal complaint with the Royal Spanish Football Federation.

Carlo Ancelotti, Real Madrid's head coach, has spoken out on the contentious officiating that cost his team dearly on Saturday night. Real Madrid are, of course, coming off a disappointing performance. Los Blancos traveled to Catalunya for a La Liga match against Espanyol and were defeated 1-0.== This came after Carlos Romero scored the game's sole goal five minutes from time. Real Madrid suffered a double blow as Romero narrowly avoided a red card for a horrific challenge on Kylian Mbappé earlier in the half. Carlo Ancelotti was speaking to the media after the final whistle at the RCDE Stadium, thus it came as no surprise that the hosts' potential red card was brought up. And the Italian did not hesitate in his response, assuring: "A war between Real Madrid and the referees?" I don't want to discuss that. All I will say is that the red was quite visible, and the entire globe noticed it. "This is why VAR was invented—for situations like this. "...

Real Madrid's quest for another La Liga crown has been dealt a possible setback tonight, as the Spanish giants were stunned by relegation-threatened Espanyol in a 1-0 loss in Catalonia. Despite the Spanish giants' overwhelming first-half performance, the opening stanza was overshadowed by star defender Antonio Rüdiger limping off with an apparent injury, raising questions about how Carlo Ancelotti will stabilize his back four. Espanyol were second-best for the first 45 minutes, but the home side did have a half-decent chance in the 18th minute, which Jofre Carreras tamely dispatched for Thibaut Courtois to easily collect. Despite having 75% possession, Real Madrid was limited to just three shots, one of which was on target, before going into the dressing room at the break, with both teams combining for a pitiful 0.24 xG. Mbappé and team made a promising start to the second half, but were unable to score in the 51st minute due to Espanyol shot-stopper Joan García's cruci...

Despite Arsenal's renewed interest in acquiring goalkeeper Joan Garcia, Espanyol will not reduce their asking price. For more than a year, the Gunners have been pursuing Garcia as the Premier League team searches for a seasoned backup to David Raya. Despite Espanyol's impending relegation struggle, Garcia may be less inclined to make a trade if Raya is the clear No. 1 at the Emirates Stadium. The ball is now back in Arsenal's court because Espanyol will not take anything less than Garcia's entire €25 million release clause, according to Daily Mirror reports. Garcia is the favored option, and it is unlikely that Brazil veteran Neto will turn his current loan deal into a permanent one in 2025. Espanyol will benefit from a longer winter break as they have already been eliminated from the Copa del Rey. On January 11, they will visit Leganes as part of their La Liga comeback. With one point separating them from safety, the Catalans are now ranked 18th in the table.

This week, Omar El Hilali, a star for Espanyol, disclosed that he had previously turned down the club's fiercest rivals' offers in Barcelona. For his part, defender El Hilali has so far had a successful campaign. The youthful player, who started all but one of Espanyol's La Liga games, has actually made a name for himself as one of the first names on manager Manolo González's team sheet thanks to his position at right-back. However, as previously mentioned, if circumstances had been somewhat different, such brilliance might have been displayed in the colors of one of the top teams in Spanish football. El Hilali stated last week in an interview with Diario AS, which Mundo Deportivo quoted, that when he was a young player, he rejected Barcelona's offers in favor of Espanyol: "I had the option to choose between Barça and Espanyol, and I decided on Espanyol because I felt that was the only option and because my family thought it was the best option for me—it w...

Arsenal have agreed to transfer goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale to Southampton for £25 million, according to Fabrizio Romano. Last season, the England international was a backup goalkeeper to David Raya. He made only 11 appearances in all competitions for Arsenal. It appeared that he would not accept another season as a deputy, and the Saints have now won the fight to sign him permanently from Arsenal. With the 25-year-old on his way to the south coast, Arsenal are ready to intensify their pursuit of Espanyol goalkeeper Joan Garcia. Arsenal plans to replace Ramsdale with Garcia. Ramsdale has been an effective shot-stopper for the Gunners. He now has a chance to earn guaranteed minutes and help Southampton avoid relegation. Arsenal is expected to find a replacement before Friday's transfer deadline, given they currently have no other senior shot-stoppers in the squad besides Raya. The team has verbally agreed on personal terms with Garcia, but a transfer may not be easy. The Gunners wi...

Espanyol held Atlético de Madrid to a 0-0 tie, preventing them from moving up to second place in LaLiga. Diego Simeone's team made a fast start, with Julián Alvarez attacking Joan García's goal in the first few minutes. Alexander Sørloth missed two chances in the first half, including a header and a scuffed shot, after Samuel Lino's attempt hit the post. Alex Kral assisted Álvaro Tejero's cross to Javi Puado at the far post, but the latter sliced the ball over Jan Oblak's crossbar from close range. Rodrigo Riquelme thought to have given the hosts the lead after the break when he prodded home, but VAR ruled it offside. Pablo Barrios and Antoine Griezmann both missed shots, but the Colchoneros remained in contention. Riquelme had another golden opportunity in the dying minutes after being set up by Griezmann, but he was unable to direct his shot on goal. Deep into additional time, the winger was denied another goal, this time for offside. Atleti are fourth after their...