Atletico Madrid News
Atletico Madrid interested in a summer move for Barcelona loanee
According to reports from SPORT, Atletico Madrid are interested in signing Barcelona loanee Abdessamad Ezzalzouli in the summer and are maintaining a close eye on his situation in Osasuna.
The Moroccan International has shown a very high level for the Pamplona-based side in his season-long loan so far, attracting eyes from across the world. He has provided two assists and scored one goal in 17 league appearances for Osasuna so far.
Earlier this month, he also scored the only goal in the semifinal of the Copa del Rey to give Osasuna a 1-0 lead over Athletic Club in the first leg.
Ez Abde made his debut for the Catalan club against Deportivo Alaves in October 2021 and went on to make ten league appearances for Barcelona last season. He is primarily known for his fearless brand on football and ability to take on and dribble past opposition defences through the wings.
With a successful stint at Osasuna under his belt, the player will return to Catalonia in June at the end of his loan spell. Xavi Hernandez intends to keep the player, however, his future at the club depends on other factors including the need for player sales at Barcelona.
Given the precarious economic state of the league leaders, Abde could well be the man Barcelona offload to balance the books. In the event of his availability, Atletico Madrid would become prime contenders to sign him.
Diego Simeone’s side hope to include the player as part of the speculated Yannick Carrasco transfer to Barcelona come June. However, given that Xavi’s side values the Moroccan at more than €15 million, Atletico Madrid might have to shell out an extra amount in addition to swapping the Belgian winger.
The Colchoneros face competition from the Premier League where teams including Nottingham Forest have already enquired about Abde’s availability.
Atletico Madrid News
UEFA open investigation against multiple Real Madrid players over celebration vs Atletico
More than two weeks after Real Madrid’s controversial win over Atletico Madrid in the Champions League Round of 16, UEFA has sent quite the shockwave to the defending European champions.
In a recent statement, UEFA has announced they have started an open investigation against a series of Real Madrid players for the way they celebrated after winning against Atletico Madrid, about two weeks back.
What is the investigation about?
As reported by MARCA, the European governing body is specifically looking into the actions of Antonio Rudiger, Kylian Mbappe, Dani Ceballos, and Vinicius Jr.
The controversy stems from Real Madrid’s celebrations after knocking out city rivals Atletico Madrid in the UEFA Champions League Round of 16.
The celebrations took place near the section of the stadium occupied by Real Madrid supporters, but some actions by the players have drawn scrutiny.
“A UEFA Ethics and Disciplinary Inspector has been appointed to investigate allegations of indecent conduct by Real Madrid CF players (Antonio Rudiger, Kylian Mbappe, Daniel Ceballos Fernandez and Vinicius Junior) during the UEFA Champions League round of 16 match between Club Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid on 12 March 2025,” UEFA said in an official statement.
Rudiger is being investigated for a gesture in which he placed his hand around his neck, while Mbappe reportedly made an inappropriate gesture by touching his genitals.
Vinicius, on the other hand, was involved in heated interactions with Atletico fans both before and after the match, while Ceballos was seen enthusiastically joining the celebrations.
The celebrations from Real Madrid players drew hostility from Atletico Madrid fans for obvious reasons, with the opposition fans resorting to throwing bottles on the pitch.
Jude Bellingham was even among the ones hit by these throwing objects from Atleti fans while Vinicius pointed to the Real Madrid crest on his shirt, which might have played a role in further fuming tension.
Rodrygo, on the other hand, responded to the hostility from Atleti fans by dancing inside the pitch.
UEFA has appointed an Ethics and Disciplinary Inspector to review the incidents, although it is very much likely that Real Madrid would appeal against any sanctions placed on the event of any breach.
