Atletico Madrid News
Atletico Madrid will look to sell Frenchman in the summer if he does not renew – report
It could be an interesting summer ahead for Atletico Madrid. In what has been an underwhelming campaign so far, the Spanish champions must strengthen their squad if they are to continue fighting for the title next season and do well in the UEFA Champions League.
Atleti have been already linked with a multitude of star players across Europe. At the same time, many players could leave the club as well, as part of Diego Simeone’s potential overhaul.
According to a report from Eldesmarque, one of the players in contention to leave Wanda Metropolitano is Thomas Lemar. Atleti will look to offload him should he not renew his current contract.
The Frenchman is the second most expensive signing in the club’s history, joining from Monaco in 2018, for a staggering fee of €72 million.
Four years into his spell at Atleti, the move hasn’t paid off for Simeone as the player has struggled to settle into his new surroundings and has been largely underwhelming in terms of his performances, especially in his first two seasons at the club.
In addition to a lack of form, Lemar has been unlucky with injuries. He has spent countless spells on the sidelines, mostly due to a recurring muscle problem.
While the former Monaco starlet did play a vital role in helping Atletico Madrid win the league title last season, his form has dissipated in the ongoing campaign, with the playmaker earning only 17 starts in the league so far.
Lemar has fallen behind Yannick Carrasco in the pecking order, and with his contract expiring at the end of next season, Atletico Madrid are likely to offload him in the summer.
It appears Los Colchoneros want to recoup a fraction of the €72 million they had spent on the player four years ago before the Frenchman enters the final year of his contract.
Lemar will not be the only player leaving Atletico Madrid this summer, though, with Simeone also keen on offloading a few other unwanted stars in the team, in an attempt to balance the books.
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.
