By Tim Stannard

1) Toddler time to launch Clasico week

Oh, the internet never fails to disappoint. 

Just days away from the biggest Clasico in history – ever - the talk in Spain is not over tactical line-ups, ongoing injuries or whether the game is a title decider. Heck no, it’s toddler talk, which is right up Sports Burst’s alley with a strike-out. 

On Saturday, Real Madrid won the Club World Cup – a bizarre football jamboree cooked up by FIFA – and afterwards, Cristiano Ronaldo opined that Barcelona’s players might want to do a ‘pasillo’ ahead of the Clasico – basically, a guard of honor from the opposition team to welcome the other side onto the pitch in a gesture of congratulations. 

Opinions have been thrown out in terms of respect and insults, a Barcelona director has point blank refused to talk about the concept while a befuddled and baffled Barca boss, Ernesto Valverde, has admitted that he couldn’t really give two hoots. "I haven't even paid it a thought," admitted Valverde quite rightly after the 4-0 win over Depor that leaves Barcelona with an 11-point lead over Madrid.

Tune into the XTRA at 7PM ET / 4PM PT to get all the latest from Madrid with our roving reporter Kevin Egan who is knee-deep in the Clasico hoopla. 

2) Blanc slate for USA in manager search  

Time for a bit of news on all things US soccer and the interesting concept that former France and PSG boss, Laurent Blanc, might have been the new USMNT boss after Bruce Arena’s resignation. 

The Frenchman revealed that he had been in talks with US officials over the vacant role but felt that it was not the right move in a freedom fries-loving country. “A national team must make the national fibers shake. So, I declined it,” noted Blanc.

And here’s a bit of gossip for you - Alex Morgan to Barcelona? That is the current juice in Spain with the World Cup winner as a special guest of Barcelona for the Deportivo clash, kicking off suggestions of a move from Orlando Pride. 

3) Arise, Sir Pep of Manchester City 

Heck. That’s merely got the transfer rumors going. And here they come. Inter are set to make a winger move for Alex Teixeira, last seen heading off to the Chinese Super League for stacks of cash. 

Barcelona have admitted that there may possibly, probably, definitely maybe talks with Antoine Griezmann over a move to the Camp Nou next summer, once the Frenchman has scrubbed his social media accounts and read several books on cultural norms. 

And in sort of transfer talk, Manchester City are looking at giving Pep Guardiola the keys to the club for eternity in terms of a new contract to build a Sir Alex Ferguson style empire in the Premier League. 

4) Sean Coombs and Steph Curry in Panthers franchise bid 

Here’s a genuinely exciting concept – Sean ‘Diddy Coombs and Steph Curry getting together to buy an NFL franchise. It could happen according to Monday’s chatter. The pair have expressed an interest through the medium of social media in teaming together to buy the Carolina Panthers which have been put up for sale. The soon to be former owner, Jerry Richardson, is facing allegations of workplace misconduct and will be making his swift departure. 

One of the first moves would be to hire Colin Kaepernick with Coombs saying that it was "time for diversity."

WHAT IS SPORTS BURST?

The life philosophy of Sports Burst is that if you are not upsetting someone, then you are not trying hard enough. SB is a daily trawl and troll through the morning's sports news to bring you fact-nuggets to make you both smile and swear. Hopefully at the same time.