Author name: Omar Rodríguez

Erling Haaland and Manchester City have reached a historic agreement, with the footballer signing a new contract to remain at the club until 2034. Manchester City and Norwegian striker Erling Haaland have agreed to a groundbreaking new contract, securing the “Android” as part of the Citizens for another nine and a half years, until 2034. Prior to this agreement, Haaland’s contract was set to expire in 2027. With this deal, City has ensured that one of football’s current stars will stay with the team for the long term. Haaland Will Be Among the Highest Paid Although the Manchester club did not disclose the financial terms of the new nine-year deal, it is estimated to be an enormous sum due to the lengthy duration of the contract. When Haaland joined Manchester City from Borussia Dortmund, the English club paid €60 million for him, even though his market value at the time was €150 million. Given Haaland’s stellar performance as the Cityzen forward, it’s reasonable to assume that the new figures are equal to or likely exceed the previous ones. Haaland’s decision wasn’t solely driven by the lucrative salary he will enjoy for nearly the next decade but also by his deep affection for the club. After signing the contract, the Norwegian expressed his happiness, pride, and eagerness to stay with the team for many more years. “It was an easy decision,” Haaland said. A Player Worth Every Penny While the cost may seem exorbitant, it’s clear that Manchester City was willing to invest heavily to retain their star striker. Since joining City, Erling Haaland has scored an incredible 111 goals in 126 matches. He has won the Premier League Golden Boot twice and has contributed to City’s triumphs in two Premier League titles, one Champions League, one FA Cup, one UEFA Super Cup, and one Club World Cup.

Necaxa surprised the Rebaño Sagrado, coming from behind to win at home and hand Chivas their first defeat of the Clausura 2025. As Matchday 2 of the Clausura 2025 arrived, it seemed that Chivas de Guadalajara had a chance to continue their strong start after last week’s victory against Santos. With their visit to Necaxa, a team that debuted with a loss against Pumas, Chivas looked poised to secure another three points. However, the result ended up being quite the opposite. Chivas Took the Lead After a goalless first half at the Estadio Victoria, which saw good chances from both sides, fans had to wait until the second half to witness the first goal. Guadalajara opened the scoring in the 51st minute. Following a set-piece play from a corner kick, a secondary cross from the Rebaño Sagrado caused the ball to land near a Necaxa defender. However, Gilberto Sepúlveda anticipated the attempted clearance, sliding in to connect with the ball and push it over the goal line for the 0-1. Necaxa Shattered Chivas’ Hopes It seemed that the Rojiblancos, wearing dark blue as the visiting team, were on their way to a second consecutive win. However, Necaxa responded in the 62nd minute. José Paradela delivered an excellent cross, and Pavel Pérez headed it down into the net to make it 1-1. The home team gained momentum after their equalizer and began to trouble the visitors with dangerous plays. In the 77th minute, Agustín Palavecino sent a precise through ball to the left edge of the box. There, Kevin Rosero got behind the defense and delivered a cross that Tomás Badolini finished with a well-executed sliding effort. The Guadalajara defense was overwhelmed by the speed of Necaxa’s attack and couldn’t prevent the 2-1. In the 87th minute, Necaxa kept up the pressure. Following a well-rehearsed corner kick, the ball bounced around the penalty spot before falling to Ricardo Monreal. With his back to goal, Monreal showed excellent technical skill. He trapped the ball with his right foot, moved it behind him to his left, and fired a left-footed shot into the near post to make it 3-1. Chivas’ Response Came Too Late Chivas’ attempt to level the score came far too late. In the 90+8th minute, “Piojo” Alvarado converted a penalty awarded for a handball in the box. Unfortunately for the Chiverío, it wasn’t enough to avoid their first loss of the tournament, falling 3-2.

Real Madrid squandered a two-goal lead and ended up needing extra time to salvage a game that was slipping through their fingers. What seemed like a straightforward match for Real Madrid turned into a nail-biter in the final minutes against Celta Vigo in the Round of 16 of the Copa del Rey. The Merengues came dangerously close to being eliminated and had to rely on extra time to seal the victory. Real Madrid Dominated for Most of the Match The game at the Santiago Bernabéu unfolded favorably for the home team. For 80 minutes, the Galácticos controlled the match, although early on, controversy arose in the Madrid penalty area. Williot Swedberg made a deep run into the box, with Lunin rushing out to intervene. Swedberg pushed the ball forward, and the Madrid goalkeeper made slight contact with the attacker’s foot with his glove, causing him to fall. However, neither the referee nor VAR deemed the play worthy of a penalty. Following this, Real Madrid’s dominance translated into the opening goal. Kylian Mbappé struck in the 37th minute after Dani Ceballos delivered a pass from near his own area to midfield. The Frenchman picked up the ball, drove down the left wing, entered the box, and unleashed a powerful near-post shot from a tight angle that rippled the net. In the second half, at the 48th minute, Mbappé set up Brahim Díaz from midfield. Díaz then sent a through ball to Vinícius, who connected with it near the penalty spot to score the 2-0. Madrid Collapsed in Just 10 Minutes While Real Madrid maintained control for much of the second half, even scoring another goal that was disallowed for offside, their troubles began in the 83rd minute. Celta Vigo launched an attack, and Jonathan Bamba capitalized on a cross from Pablo Durán, heading it into the net after poor defensive marking. Lunin was left rooted as the score became 2-1. Then, in stoppage time (90+1’), Marcos Alonso converted a penalty kick following a foul by Raúl Asencio on Bamba, leveling the game at 2-2. Madrid Sealed the Deal in Extra Time In extra time, Endrick came to the rescue for the hosts. In the 108th minute, he received a pass from Arda Güler at the edge of the box. The Brazilian turned masterfully and unleashed a curling shot to the far post, an unstoppable strike that made it 3-2. Shortly after, in the 112th minute, Federico Valverde scored another stunner. After receiving a deflected ball from a corner kick, the Uruguayan fired a rocket from outside the box that found the top corner, extending the lead to 4-2. Finally, in the 119th minute, chaos in Celta’s defense during a corner allowed Endrick to receive the ball in the six-yard box. Though he fumbled with it briefly, the Brazilian improvised brilliantly, finishing with a backheel while facing away from goal to net his second of the match and secure a definitive 5-2 victory. Real Madrid narrowly avoided a humiliating exit from the Copa del Rey.

Pumas have made official their second reinforcement for the Clausura 2025 tournament: Panamanian player Adalberto “Coco” Carrasquilla, who joins Alex Padilla as a new addition to the club. It has been a busy month for the Pumas of UNAM. After confirming the departure of César Huerta to Anderlecht in Belgium to fulfill his European dream, the club has found its new “Chino” to fill the gap in their attack. Pumas Bring in a Panamanian Star Adalberto “Coco” Carrasquilla, a key player for the Panamanian national team and named the best player in CONCACAF for the 2023-2024 season, is the new addition. Carrasquilla arrives from Major League Soccer in the United States, specifically from the Houston Dynamo, with whom he won the 2023 US Open Cup. Pumas announced his signing through their social media platforms, though they did not disclose the exact duration of his contract. In a press release, the club stated only that it was a “long-term” deal, and the fee paid by the team from Ciudad Universitaria (CU) for the player was not revealed either. Carrasquilla Brings European Experience The Panamanian forward has experience in European football. In 2019, he left his home country to join Spanish football, playing in the Primera Federación, equivalent to Spain’s third division, with FC Cartagena. He later helped the team secure promotion to the Segunda División. Additionally, during his time with his first club, Tauro FC from Panama City, he won the Clausura 2017 and Apertura 2018 championships. Carrasquilla, the Second Signing to Excite the Auriazules With this move, Carrasquilla becomes the second signing for the Universitarios in this winter transfer window for the Clausura 2025, which kicked off last weekend. Pumas started the tournament with a 2-1 victory against Necaxa. Carrasquilla joins Mexican goalkeeper Alex Padilla, who came from Athletic Bilbao and joined the squad in Pedregal last week but has yet to make his debut in the current competition. While Adalberto’s addition to the Pumas’ attack looks promising, time will tell if the departure of “Chino” Huerta will weigh on the team during crucial matches. On many occasions, Huerta was a key player and often went above and beyond for the team. Though “Coco” appears to have the qualities to win over the fans, it remains to be seen if he can become a decisive player on the pitch.