Football

Chelsea have bolstered their attacking options with the signing of Portuguese forward Joao Felix from Atletico Madrid on a seven-year deal. The Premier League club confirmed the transfer on Wednesday, August 21, 2024.Financial details were not disclosed, but English media reported that Chelsea paid around 46 million pounds ($59.95 million) to secure the 24-year-old's return to Stamford Bridge. Felix had previously spent a six-month loan spell at Chelsea in the 2022-23 season, scoring four goals in 20 appearances. He also had a loan stint at Barcelona last campaign, where he netted 10 goals in 44 games.Atletico Madrid had signed Felix from Benfica in 2019 for a club-record fee of 126 million euros ($140 million). He scored 34 goals in 131 matches for the Spanish club and helped them win the LaLiga title in 2021."It's a chance for me to find a home," Felix told Chelsea's website. "After two loans, Chelsea and Barca, I needed to stay permanently in one place. There's no better place for me to be than Chelsea. I see a perfect place to shine.""I felt really good when I was here, despite the results we had. I'm really happy to be back," he added.Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca praised Felix's versatility. "The good thing about Joao is that he can play in different positions. He can play inside, he can play as a (number) nine, he can play outside," Maresca told reporters.Chelsea will face Swiss side Servette in the Europa Conference League playoff stage on Thursday before visiting Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League on Sunday.

Julian Alvarez, the Argentine forward who has enjoyed a meteoric rise since joining Manchester City in 2022, is reportedly set to depart the English champions for Atletico Madrid in a deal worth up to 95 million euros.Alvarez, 24, joined City from River Plate for a mere £14 million and has since become an integral part of Pep Guardiola's squad. He played a key role in Argentina's World Cup and Copa America triumphs, and has also won two Premier League titles and the Champions League with City.Despite his impressive contributions, Alvarez has often found himself playing second fiddle to Erling Haaland, who has been City's undisputed starting striker since his arrival last summer. With Alvaro Morata leaving Atletico Madrid for AC Milan, Alvarez is expected to become the main man in the Spanish capital, where he will have the opportunity to work under compatriot Diego Simeone.Atletico Madrid are determined to challenge Real Madrid and Barcelona for the La Liga title after a disappointing fourth-placed finish last season. They have already added Euro 2024 winner Robin Le Normand and Norwegian forward Alexander Sorloth to their squad, and Alvarez's arrival would further bolster their attacking options.For Manchester City, Alvarez's departure will be a significant loss, but it will also provide them with a substantial financial windfall. The club may now be forced to enter the transfer market in the final weeks of the window to find a suitable backup for Haaland.

Antoine Griezmann's hat-trick propelled Atletico Madrid to a 3-0 victory over Getafe, securing their place in the Champions League for the 12th consecutive season. The triumph at Getafe's Coliseum Alfonso Perez ensured Diego Simeone's side will finish in the top four of La Liga.Griezmann, inspired by his recent performances for France, led the Rojiblancos to a dominant victory in the Madrid suburbs. The 33-year-old forward opened the scoring in the 27th minute, running onto Rodrigo De Paul's pass and beating Getafe goalkeeper David Soria with a low effort.Before halftime, Griezmann converted his second goal from Angel Correa's low pass across the area, which was confirmed after a VAR review. The former Real Sociedad striker completed his hat-trick after the break, finishing a sharp Atletico move with a prodded effort at the near post.Griezmann's goalscoring exploits have been a welcome sight for Atletico, who have endured a challenging season. Despite a strong start and becoming the only side in Spain to defeat Real Madrid this season, their campaign began to unravel with exits in the Copa del Rey and Champions League.However, the victory over Getafe has guaranteed their return to Europe's top competition next season. "It's been a lot of years getting into the Champions League, which is something to value," Griezmann said. "But with the team we have and the talent we have, and the coach we have, it's something we have to do."Celta Vigo's 2-1 comeback win over Athletic Bilbao has left Cadiz's hopes of survival hanging by a thread. Williot Swedberg and Hugo Alvarez's goals helped Celta triumph at Balaidos, moving them five points clear of the drop zone. Sergio Guardiola's 96th-minute winner for Cadiz means they are four points from safety with two matches remaining.

Rodrigo De Paul's stunning volley propelled Atletico Madrid to a crucial 1-0 victory over Celta Vigo on Sunday, solidifying their position in the Champions League qualification race. With just three games remaining in La Liga, Diego Simeone's side now holds an eight-point advantage over fifth-place Athletic Bilbao.Atletico's dominance throughout the match was evident, but they faced a formidable challenge in Celta's goalkeeper, Vicente Guaita. The former Crystal Palace shot-stopper made several impressive saves, denying Angel Correa, Rodrigo Riquelme, and Marcos Llorente.However, De Paul's moment of brilliance in the 84th minute broke the deadlock. Controlling a clearance on the edge of the box, the Argentine unleashed a powerful volley that soared into the top corner, sending the Metropolitano stadium into raptures.The victory marked Atletico's 16th home win in 18 La Liga matches this season. It also represented Diego Simeone's 400th victory as coach across all competitions. Despite their success in securing Champions League football, Atletico's season has been marred by disappointment in other competitions. They were eliminated in the Copa del Rey semi-finals by Athletic and fell short against Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League quarter-finals."We have generated those expectations and they are welcome," said Simeone. "I know what I want, what I'm looking for, and I am convinced of where the path is. I will continue pushing until the last day I am here."Celta Vigo's defeat leaves them in 17th place, five points above the relegation zone. Rayo Vallecano moved a point ahead of Celta with a 0-0 draw at Valencia, while Granada's 4-0 home loss to Real Madrid confirmed their relegation to the second tier.In other La Liga action, Barcelona can overtake second-place Girona with a win against Real Sociedad on Monday. Betis rose to sixth place with a 3-2 victory over Almeria, inspired by the playmaking brilliance of Isco.

Atletico Madrid and Athletic Bilbao, two Spanish football powerhouses, are set to clash in a crucial La Liga match on Saturday, with Champions League qualification on the line. Atletico, currently fourth in the standings, holds a three-point advantage over fifth-placed Athletic.Diego Simeone's Atletico have endured a turbulent season, suffering a humiliating 2-0 defeat to Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League quarter-finals and a disappointing loss to Alaves in La Liga. The pressure is mounting on Simeone's team to deliver a strong performance against Athletic.Ernesto Valverde's Athletic, on the other hand, have been in impressive form this season, particularly against Atletico. They have defeated Simeone's side on all three occasions they have met, scoring six goals and conceding none.In December, Athletic outplayed Atletico 2-0 at San Mames, prompting Atletico goalkeeper Jan Oblak to criticize his team's performance. "You can't win titles like this, you can't win leagues... Bilbao were a lot better than us," Oblak said.The teams met again in the Copa del Rey semi-finals, with Atletico losing 1-0 at home. Athletic dominated the second leg, securing a 3-0 victory.Despite their recent struggles, Atletico remain a formidable opponent. They have a strong squad and a proven track record of success under Simeone. However, Athletic will be confident of securing a victory, knowing that it would give them a significant boost in their quest for Champions League qualification.The match promises to be a high-intensity affair, with both teams desperate for a positive result. Atletico will be eager to bounce back from their recent setbacks, while Athletic will be determined to continue their impressive run against Simeone's side.

Borussia Dortmund staged a remarkable comeback to defeat Atletico Madrid 4-2 in the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final on Tuesday, securing a 5-4 aggregate victory and a first semi-final appearance since 2013.Trailing 2-1 from the first leg, Dortmund started brightly and took the lead in the 34th minute through Julian Brandt, who collected a Mats Hummels chip and fired past Jan Oblak. Just five minutes later, Ian Maatsen doubled the advantage, threading in from an acute angle after being given space to run in the Atletico box.However, Atletico coach Diego Simeone made three changes at half-time, including bringing on Angel Correa, and his energy told immediately. Hummels conceded a poor own goal before Correa netted to put Atletico back ahead in the tie.Those goals seemed to jolt Dortmund back to life, and they scored twice in three minutes to retake the overall lead. Niclas Fuellkrug headed in a Marcel Sabitzer cross, and the Austrian midfielder then got a goal of his own, shooting through the Atletico defense and into the bottom corner from the edge of the box.Dortmund held on for a famous victory, sending them through to the semi-finals where they will face Paris Saint-Germain.

Borussia Dortmund, the 1997 Champions League winners and 2013 finalists, face an uphill battle as they host Atletico Madrid in the second leg of their quarter-final tie on Tuesday. Trailing 2-1 from the first leg in Madrid, Dortmund will need to summon the spirit of their Westfalenstadion fortress to overturn the deficit.Despite a poor start in Madrid, Dortmund composed themselves and were arguably the better side for the remaining 60 minutes. However, two defensive mistakes gifted Atletico the upper hand. Dortmund's trump card is their 80,000-strong Westfalenstadion, where they have not lost since November 2021.Dortmund have been impressive in Europe this season, topping a tough group containing PSG, Milan, and Newcastle. Their home form has been particularly impressive, with nine unbeaten games since November 2021. They have scored 15 goals and conceded just two in that time.While often unpredictable, Dortmund have been defensively solid under Terzic this season. However, they gifted two goals to Atletico in the first leg. Centre-back Nico Schlotterbeck and Mats Hummels will be hoping for a recall to the Germany squad ahead of Euro 2024 on home soil.Dortmund will be buoyed by Atletico's poor away form this season. Diego Simeone's men have won just five from 15 in the league and just one of four in Europe. They have not kept a clean sheet away from home.Dortmund thumped Atletico 4-0 the last time the sides met in Germany in 2018-19. However, present-day Dortmund under Terzic are less easy on the eye but have a fighting spirit similar to that of Simeone's best Atletico sides.This was exemplified in Saturday's hard-fought 2-1 win away to Borussia Moenchengladbach. Reduced to 10 men, Dortmund dug in and hung on for a crucial victory in their top-four bid.If Dortmund are to get past Atletico and into the Champions League semi-finals for the fourth time in their history, they will need to match the steel and grit of that performance against a team known for mastering those particular skills under Simeone.

Atletico Madrid secured a crucial 2-1 victory over Borussia Dortmund in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final clash on Wednesday. The Spanish giants took an early lead through Rodrigo De Paul's fifth-minute strike, capitalizing on a defensive error by Dortmund's Ian Maatsen. Samuel Lino doubled Atletico's advantage in the 27th minute after another Dortmund defensive lapse, with Mats Hummels' misdirected header setting up the Brazilian forward.Despite Dortmund's improved performance in the second half, Atletico held on to their lead, with goalkeeper Jan Oblak making several crucial saves. Sebastien Haller pulled one back for the German side in the 81st minute, but it proved to be a consolation as Atletico emerged victorious.The victory gives Atletico a slight advantage heading into the second leg in Dortmund next week. However, Dortmund's late goal and improved second-half display suggest that the tie is far from over.Atletico's high press and aggressive approach proved too much for Dortmund in the opening stages. De Paul's early goal set the tone for the match, and Lino's second goal further solidified Atletico's dominance. Dortmund struggled to find their rhythm and create clear-cut chances, with Oblak rarely tested in the first half.Dortmund coach Edin Terzic made changes at halftime, bringing on Julian Brandt for Felix Nmecha in search of more attacking spark. The move paid off to some extent, as Dortmund improved their possession and created more chances. However, Oblak remained a formidable presence in the Atletico goal, denying Niclas Fuellkrug and Jadon Sancho.Haller's late goal gave Dortmund a lifeline, but Atletico held on for the win. Jamie Bynoe-Gittens and Brandt both hit the woodwork in the closing stages, but it was not enough to prevent Dortmund from suffering their first away defeat in four months.The victory is a significant step for Atletico, who are aiming to reach the Champions League semi-finals for the first time since 2017. However, Dortmund's second-half performance suggests that the tie is still very much in the balance.

Diego Simeone's Atletico Madrid overcame a 1-0 first-leg deficit to defeat Inter Milan 3-2 on penalties and advance to the Champions League quarterfinals. The match at the Metropolitano Stadium was a tense affair, with both teams creating chances throughout.Inter took the lead in the 33rd minute through Federico Dimarco, but Atletico equalized just two minutes later with Antoine Griezmann's goal. The match remained level until the 87th minute, when Memphis Depay scored a dramatic winner for Atletico.In the penalty shootout, Jan Oblak saved two penalties, while Lautaro Martínez missed the final kick for Inter. Memphis Depay, Rodrigo Riquelme, and Ángel Correa converted their penalties for Atletico, while Hakan Calhanoglu and Francesco Acerbi scored for Inter.Simeone was visibly emotional after the victory, shedding tears as he watched the Atletico fans celebrate. "It was moving," he said. "I'm happy for the players and for the fans. We are among the best eight teams in Europe again. That tells a lot about this club."Oblak was the hero for Atletico, making two crucial saves in the penalty shootout. "In the end it's a bit about luck in the shootout," he said. "Because you have to choose the correct side and you have to make the stop. If the player takes the kick perfectly, it's impossible to stop it. Gladly, I was able to make the saves. What matters is the victory and that we made it to the quarterfinals."Inter coach Simone Inzaghi was disappointed with the result but praised his team's performance. "We must be proud of what we did in this Champions League," he said. "In the second half we should have done better. In extra time we had more energy but unfortunately we made too many mistakes."The eight teams in the draw for the quarterfinals are Atletico, Borussia Dortmund, Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid, Manchester City, Arsenal, and Barcelona.