Everything Barca

This just doesn’t happen in modern football these days. Andreas Christensen has put pen to paper and signed a contract extension at FC Barcelona until 30th June 2028. We've already covered this exclusive news months ago, but it has finally become official. The Danish defender’s initial contract at the Nou Camp was set to expire in 2026, but this extension ties him down for a further two years to the Catalan outfit. However, the terms of this deal are what’s really raising the eyebrow.

The England team under Thomas Tuchel has yet to hit top form at this World Cup, and Anthony Gordon is among the players who have struggled to live up to expectations. The Barcelona winger started England's opening two group matches but was dropped for the final game in favour of former Barcelona loanee Marcus Rashford. However, Rashford also failed to seize his opportunity, with his final ball and overall attacking contribution coming under criticism.

The World Cup group stage is complete, and the knockout rounds have already claimed several European heavyweights. Barcelona's influence on the tournament has also taken a hit. Ronald Araújo exited without playing a single minute, while Frenkie de Jong saw his World Cup end in heartbreaking fashion. Statistics outlet Squawka has compiled a list of every player to feature in every minute of the group stage, with a select group of outfield players and goalkeepers completing all 270 minutes.

In arguably the biggest upset of the 2026 World Cup, four-time champions Germany were knocked out of the tournament in Boston as Paraguay won 3-4 on penalties after a thrilling 1-1 Round of 32 draw. It’s a defeat that defies logic and, at the time of writing, it’s Germany’s first penalty shoot-out loss in the World Cup. In fact, in 24 World Cup penalty shoot-outs, the Germans have never failed to win one prior to this afternoon.

In case you thought the knockout bracket was going to start becoming less chaotic, Monterrey has just blown it all up. The Netherlands are out of the 2026 World Cup, as Morocco pulled off an absolutely sensational upset, winning a dramatic 120-minute slugfest on penalties, 3-2. This was not just an upset though, this was a proper battle from the underdogs as Morocco, stood up and traded blows with the Netherlands and got the final knock-out.

Robert Lewandowski's next club has been announced. On Monday, the Polish striker officially signed for the Chicago Fire in the United States. He immediately becomes the star player on a Chicago team that sits third in the MLS's Eastern Conference ahead of the season restart in mid-July. Lewandowski signed a contract through the 2027/28 season after leaving FC Barcelona on a free transfer.

Here's further evidence that these World Cup knockout stages are an out-and-out farce. Brazil will proceed to the Round of 16 having won 2-1 thanks to a 96th minute strike by Martinelli, but the victory was anything but straightforward after this Japan start. The Samurai Blue showed up, ready to make things extremely uncomfortable for the five-time World Champions.

Barcelona midfielder Marc Casado could be heading out. Jorge Mendes has offered him to AC Milan as Manchester United and Monaco circle. Aitor Alcalde Colomer/GettyImages It’s a midfielder scramble this summer at Camp Nou, and it appears academy graduate Marc Casado will be on his way out of FC Barcelona. As the Blaugranes see their first-team central hub begin to fill with stars, it appears the 22-year-old midfielder privately accepts his immediate development is stagnating in Catalonia.

Barcelona fans have been getting excited over a possible Julian Alvarez transfer amid an interesting potential hint from Atletico Madrid. Alvarez is at the centre of the biggest transfer saga in Spain this summer, and he has only poured fuel on the fire while at the World Cup with Argentina. First Real Madrid put in an all-but fabricated bid and made it public that Atletico Madrid had rejected it just to satisfy Florentino Perez's presidential promise.

A titanic Round of 32 fixture awaits and it really doesn’t get much better than Netherlands vs. Morocco. This fixture has all the ingredients to be a classic. The Moroccon side are now more than just a feel-good story, they’re a genuinely formidable knockout team who can absolutely shred you to pieces in transition if you get complacent. The Dutch know all about it and now have to balance breaking down a deep sitting block with leaving themselves susceptible.