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La Liga News: Barcelona beat Atletico Madrid to retain Copa de la Reina crown
Barcelona Femeni retained the Copa de la Reina (Queen's Cup) after defeating Liga Iberdrola champions Atletico Madrid Femenino 1-0 thanks to a late, late strike from Mariona Caldentey... she scored in the 2nd minute of added time, in the second half of extra time!
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The Copa de la Reina was started (officially) in 1983 and has been conducted annually since... in the modern format, the top 8 clubs at the end of the league season qualify for the event. With this win, Barcelona equalled the record 6 titles won by neighbours Espanyol and Valencian club Levante
La Liga News: Samuel Umtiti signs contract extension at Barcelona till 2023
Looks like Barcelona have learned their lessons from the Neymar debacle last summer. After that laughably cheap release clause of €60 million caused all sorts of confusion for Samuel Umtiti's future - the Barcelona and France international has squashed all rumours of his 'impending' transfer by signing a deal that will keep him at the club till 2023.
If reports are to be believed, his new and improved contract also has a far more sensible release clause of ~€500 million.
La Liga News: CD Leganes appoint Mauricio Pellegrino as head coach
Sacked by Southampton at the end of an abysmal run that saw the Saints win one of 17 matches and put them on the brink of relegation, Mauricio Pellegrino's managerial career has been given a boost by the Valencian club Levante UD who've hired him as head coach -- with a contract till 30 June 2019.
Levante, of course, peaked toward the end of the season, their finest performance coming when they ended Barcelona's unbeaten streak on the penultimate day of La Liga with a thrilling 5-4 win.
La Liga Transfer News & Rumours: Luka Modric invites Neymar to Real Madrid
"We are waiting for you", is what Luka Modric is reported to have told Neymar while the two stood in the tunnel after the Croatia vs Brazil pre-World Cup friendly exchanging and autographing each other's jerseys.
With speculation growing that Florentino Perez may be lining up the mother of all transfer bombshells, this small incident has done nothing but added fuel to the fire.
Luka Modric didn't help matters either by refusing to deny what he said, instead he went a rather coy "Let's see what happens". Hah.
La Liga Transfer News & Rumours: Julian Nagelsmann turns down Real Madrid
Just 30 years old, Julian Nagelsmann has taken the footballing world by storm after leading underdogs 1899 Hoffenheim to the heights of 4th and 3rd in his first two seasons as a professional manager.
The German outlet Bild is now reporting that the highly talented young manager had been lined up as a successor to arguably the most under-stress job in world football - that of Real Madrid's - after the shock resignation of Zinedine Zidane.
The outlet, though, goes on to state that Nagelsmann turned Los Blancos and Florentino Perez down... and there remains an air of anxious energy around the Bernabeu.
Whoever does take over has his task cut out - back-to-back-to-back Champions Leagues is quite simply an impossible achievement to follow up on.
La Liga Transfer News & Rumours: Atletico Madrid to battle AC Milan for Jose Callejon
The good folk over at Marca have been busy connecting the dots after La Gazzetta Dello Sport said that former Real Madrid and current Napoli forward Jose Callejon is ready to move if his surprisingly low release clause of €23 million is paid.
Now 31, it is understood that he fears for his future under Carlo Ancelotti and both AC Milan and Atletico Madrid could be interested in his services. If Diego Simeone really wants his man, Milan's Financial Fair Play restrictions could play a role in the transfer and it would be interesting to see how this pans out.
La Liga Transfer News & Rumours: Manchester United readying €100 million bid for Gareth Bale
As per the British website Daily Record, Manchester United are readying a bid that will reportedly exceed €100 million, and in matching Bale's personal terms will make him one of the league's highest earners - on par with Alexis Sanchez.
Bale had been rumoured to be unhappy under Zinedine Zidane - but with Zizou having bid adieu - it'll be interesting to see what dynamic the Welshman strikes up with the new manager -- or indeed if Florentino Perez will wish to keep him long enough for a rapport to develop!
What do you think will happen in this saga? Should Bale go to United -- or should he stick around at Real Madrid? Have your say in the comments section:
