https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from Spain in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed Lionel Messi has informed Barcelona that he wants to "unilaterally" terminate his contract with the Spanish giants, a club source confirmed to AFP on Tuesday. https://www.thelocal.es/20200826/messi-tells-bara-he-is-leaving-the-club Wed, 26 Aug 2020 10:46:04 +0200 messi-tells-bara-he-is-leaving-the-club Catalan separatists from Democratic Tsunami on Tuesday called for a "massive" protest around Camp Nou stadium on December 18th where Barcelona and Real Madrid are set to play their rearranged Clasico. https://www.thelocal.es/20191210/catalan-separatists-plan-mass-protest-outside-the-clasico Tue, 10 Dec 2019 13:58:08 +0100 catalan-separatists-plan-mass-protest-outside-the-clasico Defeated at Anfield in after an epic performance by Liverpool, Barcelona FC now face further humiliation as the internet does its worst to ridicule the hammering. https://www.thelocal.es/20190508/in-memes-this-is-how-the-internet-reacted-to-baras-epic-humiliation Wed, 08 May 2019 12:04:30 +0200 in-memes-this-is-how-the-internet-reacted-to-baras-epic-humiliation A Spanish court on Wednesday acquitted former Barcelona president Sandro Rosell, who spent nearly two years in pre-trial custody, of money laundering. https://www.thelocal.es/20190424/spain-court-acquits-former-fc-barcelona-president-of-money-laundering Wed, 24 Apr 2019 15:31:15 +0200 spain-court-acquits-former-fc-barcelona-president-of-money-laundering Even the Real Betis fans were applauding by the end as Lionel Messi scored another spectacular hat-trick to fire Barcelona to a 4-1 victory on Sunday and leave them with one hand on the La Liga trophy. https://www.thelocal.es/20190318/fantastic-messi-hat-trick-blows-away-betis Mon, 18 Mar 2019 10:00:08 +0100 fantastic-messi-hat-trick-blows-away-betis Real Madrid gained a measure of redemption at the Camp Nou by holding Barcelona to a 1-1 draw on Wednesday and taking the upper-hand in the semi-final of Copa del Rey. https://www.thelocal.es/20190207/real-madrid-win-el-clasico-in-camp-nou Thu, 07 Feb 2019 10:17:50 +0100 real-madrid-win-el-clasico-in-camp-nou Lionel Messi scored his 400th La Liga goal on Sunday, a total his coach Ernesto Valverde called "monstrous", as Barcelona terrorised Eibar to reclaim their five-point cushion at the top of the table. https://www.thelocal.es/20190114/monstrous-messi-scores-400th-la-liga-goal Mon, 14 Jan 2019 10:30:22 +0100 monstrous-messi-scores-400th-la-liga-goal Barcelona legend Andres Iniesta has apologised after posting a photo on social media with two people in blackface as part of Epiphany celebrations. https://www.thelocal.es/20190109/bara-legend-iniesta-apologises-for-posting-blackface Wed, 09 Jan 2019 15:03:23 +0100 bara-legend-iniesta-apologises-for-posting-blackface Barcelona ran riot to win the Clasico 5-1 on Sunday as Luis Suarez scored the hat-trick that will surely spell the end of Julen Lopetegui's time as Real Madrid coach. https://www.thelocal.es/20181029/el-classico Mon, 29 Oct 2018 09:54:03 +0100 el-classico Barcelona plan to visit China and Japan as part of a pre-season tour to Asia next summer, the club announced on Tuesday. https://www.thelocal.es/20181017/bara-announce-2019-summer-tour-to-asia Wed, 17 Oct 2018 11:05:48 +0200 bara-announce-2019-summer-tour-to-asia Prosecutors have asked a judge to issue a European warrant ordering Eric Abidal's cousin to take a probe to prove he donated part of his liver to the former FC Barcelona player, a spokesman for the prosecutors said Thursday. https://www.thelocal.es/20180831/plot-thickens-in-baras-illegal-liver-transplant-scandal Fri, 31 Aug 2018 12:00:34 +0200 plot-thickens-in-baras-illegal-liver-transplant-scandal Barcelona's first mixed-sex tour was overshadowed by controversy Thursday after it emerged that the men's football team flew in business class to the United States while the women's team was relegated to the back of the plane in economy. https://www.thelocal.es/20180727/bara-under-fire-as-mens-team-fly-business-class-women-go-economy Fri, 27 Jul 2018 12:20:13 +0200 bara-under-fire-as-mens-team-fly-business-class-women-go-economy Spanish prosecutors said Wednesday they want former Barcelona president Sandro Rosell to be jailed for 11 years and fined €59 million ($69 million) for alleged money laundering related to television rights and sponsorship in Brazil. https://www.thelocal.es/20180725/prosecutors-want-11-yrs-jail-59-mln-euro-fine-for-ex-barca-boss-rosell Wed, 25 Jul 2018 17:53:11 +0200 prosecutors-want-11-yrs-jail-59-mln-euro-fine-for-ex-barca-boss-rosell A liver transplant for cancer-stricken ex-Barcelona footballer Eric Abidal was carried out according to the law, Spanish health authorities said Tuesday, dismissing reports of organ trafficking. https://www.thelocal.es/20180717/abidal-liver-transplant-legal-spanish-health-body Tue, 17 Jul 2018 15:07:56 +0200 abidal-liver-transplant-legal-spanish-health-body Atletico Madrid chief Miguel Angel Gil Marin attacked Barcelona on Tuesday over their pursuit of highly-prized striker Antoine Griezmann, saying he was "fed up" with the Catalan club's attitude. https://www.thelocal.es/20180509/atletico-fed-up-over-barcas-pursuit-of-griezmann Wed, 09 May 2018 11:18:55 +0200 atletico-fed-up-over-barcas-pursuit-of-griezmann Barcelona set a new La Liga record by extending their unbeaten run to 39 games with a 2-1 victory over Valencia on Saturday. https://www.thelocal.es/20180415/bara-set-new-la-liga-record-after-39-games-unbeaten Sun, 15 Apr 2018 12:02:08 +0200 bara-set-new-la-liga-record-after-39-games-unbeaten Barcelona can start planning for the Champions League semi-finals but their 4-1 win over Roma on Wednesday will not necessarily have rivals quivering in their boots. https://www.thelocal.es/20180405/two-own-goals-help-barca-take-charge-of-quarter-final-against-roma Thu, 05 Apr 2018 11:39:01 +0200 two-own-goals-help-barca-take-charge-of-quarter-final-against-roma Philippe Coutinho officially completed his "dream" €160 million ($192 million) move from Liverpool to Barcelona on Monday, making him the third most expensive player in history. https://www.thelocal.es/20180108/football-coutinho-completes-dream-barcelona-move Mon, 08 Jan 2018 16:33:22 +0100 football-coutinho-completes-dream-barcelona-move Real Madrid president Florentino Perez said on Sunday that the club's fans have to be proud of their team's achievements in 2017, despite the 3-0 El Clasico defeat by Barcelona that left them 14 points adrift in the La Liga title race. https://www.thelocal.es/20171224/spain-real-president-perez-insists-2017-was-a-great-year Sun, 24 Dec 2017 15:25:57 +0100 spain-real-president-perez-insists-2017-was-a-great-year Barcelona star Gerard Pique's tears of sadness and the vast empty stands as his team reluctantly played were two of the defining images of a violence-scarred independence referendum in Catalonia. https://www.thelocal.es/20171003/football-proud-pique-a-lightning-rod-in-catalonia-chaos Tue, 03 Oct 2017 14:26:38 +0200 football-proud-pique-a-lightning-rod-in-catalonia-chaos