The Spanish Media circus is back at it again. If you’ve kept up with Spanish football for any amount of time, you’d see how crazy the Spanish media goes for a story involving Barcelona, Madrid, Perez, Laporta, Yamal, Mbappe, or Vini. In this new series, I aim to keep you informed with everything going on surrounding the two clubs. To make my biases clear for those who don’t know – I’m a Barca fan. I want to see Barca do well and Madrid fail. However, I will still try as much as I can to get the ABSOLUTE FACTS on what is going on between these clubs, and using my years of experience deciphering Spanish media reports to tell what is fact and what is likely embellished. Let’s get into the stories.
Vini tells Madrid he Won’t Extend his Contract due to Alonso Issues
According to Spanish reports on Monday, Vinicius Jr has told Real Madrid that as long as his relationship with new manager Xabi Alonso remains strained, he will not renew his contract. This puts Los Blancos in a tricky spot, as if they can’t convince the Brazilian by the end of the season, they face the question of whether they should sell him in the summer while they can still make money from him or try to convince him next season, running the risk of losing the star for nothing in 2027.
Vini’s contract runs until the end of next season, and while he’s previously expressed an eagerness to renew, Madrid kept delaying negotiations in order to sign more players – mainly Kylian Mbappe – and Vini’s stance has now changed. Negotiations were progressing – albeit slowly – in the summer, but after tension has arisen between Vini and new manager Xabi Alonso, which has seen the star benched on four occasions this season, and has seen the Brazilian react very publicly when substituted off, storming down the tunnel after being subbed against Barcelona in October.
It’s reported that if Real Madrid sells Vini next summer, they’d have a starting price of 150 million euros, which would see him surpass Ousmane Dembele as the third most expensive player of all time. It’s a sum that nearly no club in Europe would be willing to pay, which may force Madrid into a position of either lowering his price or losing him for nothing.
For now, however, time remains on Madrid’s side, and success this season may change the tone in the Spanish capital. For now though, this is a situation that should be taken seriously if Madrid want to keep their Brazilian star.
Laporta and Perez in War of Words – Once Again
Joan Laporta has hit back at Florentino Perez in an interview this morning after the Madrid president commented on the Negreira situation last week. Yep, the Negreira situation that is now nearly three years old, we have had no updates on in months, and has seen no evidence that proves the payments actually influenced referee decisions.
In Real Madrid’s yearly general assembly, Perez spoke about the payments, claiming that the payments were “not normal…whatever the reason”. Perez also said that the Negreira payments were in “A period which, coincidentally, coincided with Barcelona’s best results”. He further went on to claim that in the 21st century, Real Madrid had had just two more red cards awarded to the opposition than to them, but that Barcelona had had sixty one more red cards awarded to the opposition than to them.
This is a very tricky statistic to claim, as it’s one that hasn’t been verified by a neutral source as of yet. However, a stat that has been verified by a neutral source is that Real Madrid have been awarded twice the amount of penalties of any other La Liga team this season, and has been La Liga’s top penalty getter in three of the past four seasons.
After this, Laporta hit back at a book launch in Andorra this morning, claiming that Perez has “Barca-itis” and is obsessed with the club, and may be talking about Barca at the assembly in order to avoid other issues. Laporta also pointed out that both of Madrid’s goals in their recent draw to Elche should have been disallowed and that Barca should be leading La Liga, saying that Jude Bellingham handled the ball in the second goal and that Vini broke Inaki Pena’s nose in the first.
Laporta also hit back at Real Madrid’s TV channel, saying that it is “trying to influence the referees every week” in referee mistake compilations that the channel shows whenever a referee is announced prior to a big match. Barca’s president also claimed that Madrid “did not like that Barca were the best team in the world from 2004-15” and “were trying to find excuses that led to nowhere”.
Laporta concluded by saying “If they’re caught up in Barcelona-itis, I’m happy for them because those are usually times when Barça is successful and triumphs”.
Barca in Champions League Trouble After Chelsea Loss
After a dismal 3-0 defeat to Chelsea that ended a 53-game scoring run for Barcelona, the Blaugrana now sit 18th in the Champions League standings after five matches, matching the record of Qarabag from Azerbaijan. It is the lowest Barcelona have ever sat after a matchday since the format’s introduction last season.
If the league phase were to end today, Barcelona’s Champions League campaign would be sure to not last beyond the Round of 16, with a playoff matchup against Spurs or PSV preceding a Round of 16 matchup against Arsenal or PSG, the top two teams in the league phase standings right now.
It’s a low for Hansi Flick’s Barca, but not unsurmountable as they look to close their league phase campaign on a high. Their league phase closes with home matches against Frankfurt and Copenhagen and an away match against Slavia Praha.
Winning all three of these games would take Barca to 16 points in the league phase, which was enough for Aston Villa, Lille, and Leverkusen to make the Top 8 last season, so perhaps all’s not lost for Barca yet, however the margin for error from here on in is basically none.
Real Madrid Lose Interest in Konate
After being in the center of a run of form that has seen Liverpool lose 9 of their last 12 matches for the first time in over 70 years, Real Madrid have reportedly ended their longtime interest in Ibrahima Konate. The French center back has played in all of Liverpool’s nine defeats and was subject of interest from Los Blancos dating back to 2024.
The 26-year old’s contract ends in June, and Real Madrid were looking to add his name to a long list of free signings made over the past years as they look to continue the overhaul of their defensive department. However, according to David Ornstein, the Spanish side have informed Liverpool of their decision to look elsewhere.
If Konate’s form picks back up as the season continues, interest from other clubs, such as Barcelona, isn’t ruled out. Madrid may even regain interest. However, for now, Konate’s situation continues to get worse as the losses accumulate, after giving the ball away in the buildup to PSV’s third goal in a 4-1 loss last Wednesday.
Madrid to Bring Back Nico Paz in 2026
Former La Fabrica talent Nico Paz is set to return to the club next summer, reports Fabrizio Romano. The 20-year old attacking midfielder has 5 goals and 4 assists in 12 Serie A games for Como this season. Paz left Los Blancos in the summer of 2024 for 6 million after some first team appearances in 23/24 and has impressed in Italy so far.
Madrid is able to sign Paz because of a buy-back clause in the Argentine’s contract that’ll allow him to rejoin the club for just 9 million euros next summer, despite his 55 million market value. Paz plays mostly as an attacking midfielder, but has played frequently at striker, right wing, and even center midfield.
It’s still to be seen how Paz will integrate into a Madrid side that already has depth in all of those positions, but perhaps Paz could slot into the center forward role as Mbappe goes left to replace a potentially departing Vini. Either way, Paz is a very talented player and will be a great bargain pickup for Los Blancos.
Vilajoana Announces Barcelona Presidential Run
Barcelona’s presidential race is heating up, with the elections coming near the start of 2026. Having recently announced a presidential run is Xavier Vilajoana, a former Barcelona director under the Bartomeu presidency, leaving his post when the disgraced ex-president resigned in October 2020.
Vilajoana has put emphasis on signing a striker next summer, saying that the club will “sign a Harry Kane if none are available from La Masia”. He also spoke about his wish to have Barcelona play games in the United States and said that he would sit down with Lionel Messi over a possible return should he be elected, criticizing the way in which Laporta handled his departure.
It will be a big ask for Vilajoana to convince the members, and a natural distrust may come from his history with Bartomeu, but it is still to be seen how feasible an election is for the former Barca youth player.
There are your news events of recent to keep up with the El Clasico clubs, whether you’re a Barca or Madrid fan, Spanish football fan, or just someone who wants to keep up with football. I’m Jim James, until next time.