Atletico Madrid News
Barcelona keen to incude out-of-favour defender in operation for Atletico Madrid star
Memphis Depay’s move to Atletico Madrid may have been a bargain deal on paper, but there was a deeper implication engrained into the details of the agreement.
As a virtue of the Dutchman’s move to the Civitas Metropolitano, Atletico Madrid gave the Blaugrana institution a chance to snap up Yannick Carrasco for a bargain fee in the summer. Given Barcelona’s concerning economic situation, it appears to be an offer they will not pass.
The Catalans will need to part ways with only €15-20 million to secure the Belgian’s services in June. According to reports from SPORT, Barcelona are looking to further lower that figure by including USMNT star Sergino Dest in the deal.
The Blaugrana right-back is spending the season on loan at AC Milan after being deemed an outcast by Xavi Hernandez. He has not seen much luck in Italy either, making just eight appearances and two starts in Serie A all season and no goal contributions to show.
World Cup winner Nahuel Molina is the only reliable right-back available to Diego Simeone at Atletico Madrid. Matt Doherty was signed in January on a six-month deal and is unlikely to remain at the club beyond that.
Thus, the proposition of signing another player for the understaffed position would thus appeal to Los Rojiblancos. And, Dest could be a solution for the club, who have had some degree of interest in him in the past.
Yet, it remains to be seen how much discount the club are willing to offer for Dest’s inclusion. After all, the USMNT defender has seen a steep fall in value over the past two years and is still a raw talent.
Carrasco, meanwhile, has been invaluable to Simeone this season, featuring 26 times in La Liga with three goals and an assist. He has also created four big chances and averages 1.1 key passes per game.
The Belgian international, however, has his heart set on a move to Barcelona. But with Atletico Madrid not in the mood to negotiate a lower fee, it remains to be seen if they accept Dest as a makeweight in the operation.
The negotiation war between Barcelona and Atletico Madrid is gearing up to be a cracker for the summer.
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.
