by Tim Stannard
Luis Suarez could inspire Atletico Madrid to repeat LaLiga title triumph of 2013-14
It has been scientifically proven that no sporting prediction made on the basis of a single match has ever gone wrong.
Ever. Fact check it.
Except one, perhaps.
Maybe when Atletico Madrid trashed Real Madrid in a pre-season tournament last summer to have the Rojiblancos being heralded as 2019-20 LaLiga winners elect while Coach Zizou's players would flounder. Both those scenarios did not exactly turn out.
However, a year or so later and once again Atletico Madrid is being billed as a viable possibility for winning LaLiga's 2020-21 crown. This is largely due to the signing and immediate impact of one man - Luis Suarez.
22 minutes for the Uruguayan against Granada on Sunday saw more life and zest from an Atletico Madrid forward in the past 24 months. Joao Felix finally sprung to life, the midfield was lively and the defence, backed by Jan Oblak was as solid as ever.
Also in repetition mode is Diego Simeone when asked about the chances of a run at the title as opposed to digging in for third. "We have to go game by game," intoned Simeone ahead this year's champions elect traveling to Huesca in a game that is live, live, live on beIN SPORTS today at 12:50PM ET.
Hazard drops out of Real Madrid with new injury setback
Now Sports Burst had originally reported the return of Eden Hazard to the Real Madrid squad, to give K-Benz a little help up front. The Belgian had missed the first two match's of Real Madrid season with his dodgy ankle - although Coach Zizou had said in a literal translation from Spanish that Hazard had a "fat problem", when probably meaning big.
Hazard medical report#RealMadrid
— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) September 30, 2020
However, fresh reports out of Madrid say that Hazard is now out of the squad 24 hours later with a fresh injury and could be missing for up to a month. Stand by for the latest on the Sports Burst live show at 12PM ET on our beIN SPORTS USA Facebook page and XTRA channel.
Real Madrid hosts Real Valladolid at 3:20PM ET live on beIN SPORTS and is followed by a huge night of Copa Libertadores action including a clash of the reigning champions, Flamengo against Indepediente del Valle, the Sudamericana champions at 8:20PM ET on beIN SPORTS.
Koeman prepares for Sergino Dest's arrival
The world is getting even weirder as Ronald Koeman has experienced not one, not two, but now three good days as Barcelona boss, after a month of misery.
Sunday's 4-0 victory over Villarreal has been bookended by two pieces of very good news. The first was Lionel Messi waving the white flag of peace in an interview with 'Sport' declaring that "I would like to bring an end to everything. We all have to be united and assume that the best is yet to come."
A bit of a shame really, as it has been a lot of fun to watch.
"It's very positive as the captain feels this way, to ask for unity," beamed Koeman on Wednesday at the same time as a new signing was getting a medical examination for Barcelona.
The player is an American no less, with Sergino Dest set to complete a move on Wednesday from Ajax, something that is going to make some waves across North America and then some.
However, Dest may not be the first American to play in an official game for Barcelona as it could well be Konrad de la Fuente, who forms part of Barcelona's latest squad announced on Wednesday.
Barcelona is back in action live on beIN SPORTS on Thursday in a clash at Celta Vigo that is live at 3:20PM ET.
