Sports Burst - Happy Double Clasico Day!
Copa del Rey draw serves up double Clasico delight in semifinal sizzler
By Tim Stannard
Copa del Rey draw serves up double Clasico delight in semifinal sizzler
Hats in the air everyone!
Not one, not two, but three El Clasico clashes before the end of the season in La Liga and now the Copa del Rey with Friday’s draw offering up the dream pairing! And beIN SPORTS will be proudly bringing them to your black mirrors and television units across North America.
It's all good news!
More reasons to argue on social media, to celebrate the wins, to feel down in the dumps at the defeats, to be not sure what to think about the draws…to bicker and to completely block the internet with arguments over who is better, Messi or Ronaldo, even though CR7 doesn’t play for Real Madrid any more.
Barcelona and Real Madrid were pitted against each other in Friday's Copa del Rey draw with the first game set for Wednesday 6th February with the first match set for the Camp Nou and the return leg on the 27th February.
But let’s not forget the other half of the draw which is a humdinger as well as Betis takes on Valencia.
The Locker Room will take a sneak-peak at the Copa del Rey draw today at 7:30PM ET / 4:30PM PT.
Barcelona officially reveal new no.6, Jean-Clair Todibo
Well, Barcelona ended up by squeezing a late transfer in on deadline day on Thursday. Make that readjusting the terms of a player that had already signed for the club.
Toulouse centerback, Jean-Clair Todibo, was signed in January by Barca but slated to come join in the summer after remaining with the French side. But a combination of Toulouse being incredibly annoyed by the choice of the player and Barca's fear that the 19-year-old would be banished to the reverses sees the footballer being presented by the Catalan club on Friday as a fully-fledged member of the squad.
The defensive player has signed a four-and-a-half-year deal and will wear the number six jersey for the club, recently vacated by Denis Suarez but once worn by Xavi Hernandez. The footballer was presented officially by Barca today.
Batshauyi sneaks into Palace as PSG miss out on Joao Mario
TRANSFER TRACKER!
Yep. It's not going away anytime soon. Ever, in fact.
The winter transfer window closed some 12 hours ago with PSG failing to get Joao Mario late on from Inter and being stuck with Adrien Rabiot.
Crystal Palace was one of the last clubs to make a big move by bringing in striker Michy Batshauyi on loan from Chelsea.
So, let's look ahead to SUMMER TRANSFER TRACKER!
Expect Real Madrid to sign Marcus Rashford and Eden Hazard from the Premier League - looks a dead cert and Manchester United to have fun by poaching former City man, Jadon Sancho, from Borussia Dortmund.
The fun is only just beginning.
Catch all the latest ramblings and ravings from the day on our live Sports Burst show found on the beIN SPORTS Facebook page at 12PM ET / 9AM PT or to be watched back at your leisure.
Nicolas Pepe looks to avoid Lille wayne in Nice battle
A player that Ligue Un side, Lille, kept during the winter window but will almost certainly lose in the summer churn is the very splendid Nicolas Pepe.
The Ivorian has scored 15 goals for the second-place side this season and racked up seven assists in the process. More can be expected against Patrick Viera's Nice in a fine Friday French match-up on CONNECT at 2:45PM ET / 11:45AM PT that goes together like brie and snails.
Over in La Liga, the very much adrift at the bottom of the table, Huesca, face a must-win home watch against Valladolid. That match is live on beIN SPORTS at 3PM ET / 12AM PT. And preceded by Fenerbahce continuing to try and haul its booty away from the bottom of the Turkish Super Lig with a clash against Goeztepe. That game is live on beIN SPORTS at 12:30PM ET / 9:30AM PT.
Oh, while you are at it this afternoon, keep an eye out for USMNT player, Tyler Adams, who could be sparkling like a gem for RB Leipzig in a Bundesliga clash against Hannover.
The XTRA is the place to be with the best of the action from around the world including the action from the AFC Asian Cup final, underway between Japan and Qatar at time of publication. Tune in at 7PM ET / 4PM PT.