Barcelona have reiterated their stance on a loan transfer for Lionel Messi, with club president Joan Laporta saying such a deal is "not realistic". He has also suggested that those clinging to the dream of seeing the Argentine GOAT return to Catalunya in a playing capacity "live in the past", with La Liga's champions having moved on from their most iconic No.10.

• American dream: New contract for Messi at Inter Miami

  Messi is in no position to rejoin Barca on a permanent basis, as he continues to chase the American dream in MLS with Inter Miami. He has been in South Florida since 2023 and recently committed to a new three-year contract.

  Said deal will take him beyond his 40th birthday and through the 2028 season in North America. MLS bosses have revealed that a calendar change is on the way that will bring the U.S. game in line with rival divisions around the world – as they play from autumn until spring, rather than through the summer.

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  Messi return? Laporta addresses transfer talk

  That means windows in which to spend the MLS post-season in Europe are closing for Messi and Co. It has been suggested that he could head back to Barcelona in a bid to remain sharp ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

  The Blaugrana have, however, distanced themselves from those rumours. Laporta previously said: "Out of respect for Messi, our players, and our members, it's not the time to speculate with unrealistic scenarios."

  Barca’s president has now stated on the same subject: "Leo Messi’s return as a player is something just not realistic. As of now, he has a contract with Inter Miami. The club is building a project for the present and future. It's complicated, and if you live in the past you hardly move forward."

  Barca are working on arranging a friendly or exhibition match that would allow Messi to play at Camp Nou one last time. Plans have also been revealed for a statue that will immortalise the eight-time Ballon d’Or outside an iconic venue.

• Family ties: Messi & Antonela plan return to Catalunya

  Messi has offered no indication that he is looking for a playing return to Barcelona, but has admitted that he and wife Antonela intend to move their family back to Catalunya at some stage.

  The South American superstar has told : "I really want to go back there, we miss Barcelona a lot. My wife and I, the kids, are constantly talking about Barcelona and the idea of moving back. We have our house there, everything, so that's what we want. I'm really looking forward to going back to the stadium when it's finished because since I left for Paris, I haven't been back to Camp Nou, and then they moved to Montjuic."

  He added after being named the most beloved player in Barca’s history: "Obviously, I'm going to come back. I'm going to be at the stadium like any other fan, following the team, the club, and being just another supporter. For now, I'll be here [Miami] for a few more years, most likely, but we'll return to Barcelona because, as I've always said, it's my place, my home. We miss it a lot, so we'll be back there."

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  Camp Nou Leo Messi: Stadium renaming rumours rubbished

  Many are looking forward to seeing Messi play at Camp Nou again, in any capacity, with professional ties at Barcelona being severed in emotional circumstances when leaving for Paris Saint-Germain as a free agent in 2021.

  Close friend and current Inter Miami colleague Jordi Alba has said of a special event being organised: "For me, it was a bitter pill to swallow to see him leave overnight. That farewell wasn't ideal for him. I trust that the tribute will happen and that it will be a great celebration. I found out through the press, and it was a tough blow for everyone. His departure wasn't the best, or the one he would have liked, that tribute will be paid to him one way or another."

  Barcelona will not be renaming their famous stadium ‘Camp Nou Leo Messi’, with more speculation there being rubbished, but will always leave their door open for a prodigal son to return to his spiritual home whenever the day comes for that path to be trodden.

He’s following in his father’s illustrious footballing footsteps, and making a big splash on the international football scene, but not in the position, or for the country, many would imagine. Louis Thomas Buffon, son of the legendary former Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi, scored two hat-tricks during the November break in Under-19 European Championship qualifiers against Azerbaijan and Northern Ireland.

Young talent, big hope

Louis Buffon is a forward who has carved his own path, currently on the books at Pisa and, surprisingly, representing the Czech Republic, rather than his father’s native Italy, at youth level. After starting in youth systems at Sisport and Juventus, he moved to Pisa in 2023, making his professional debut in 2025. Buffon chose his son's middle name as a tribute to his favourite goalkeeper growing up, Thomas N'Kono, the former Espanyol and Cameroon goalkeeper who famously played for his country at Italia '90, where they were knocked out by England 3-2 in the quarter-finals. At the tender age of 17, Louis has made big headlines with his scoring prowess during the latest international break. He scored three in Czechia's 6-1 win over Azerbaijan before taking on a substitute's role in a 2-2 draw against Malta. Louis then returned to the starting lineup against Northern Ireland and fired another hat-trick to help Czechia secure a 4-0 victory.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportWhy Buffon's son declined an Italian job

Buffon senior is one of the most-recognisable Italian football faces, but his wife Alena Seredova is from the Czech Republic. The pair married in 2011, but were divorced three years later. And in an interview given to the Czech FA, Louis Buffon explained that the decision to play for his mother's homeland was also supported by his dad. He said: "I talked with my family and decided that playing for the Czech Republic would be the best option for my career and my development as a player. My mother was obviously very happy, but my father was too, because it was my first call-up to the national team."

Big boots to fill

Buffon retired from professional football in 2023 at the age of 45 after an illustrious career as one of the greatest goalkeepers of all time. Following his retirement, he was appointed the head of delegation for the Italian national football team. His professional journey began with his boyhood club Parma, where he debuted in 1995 and won the UEFA Cup. In 2001, he made a world-record transfer for a goalkeeper at the time to Juventus, where would spend the vast majority of his career. During his two stints with Juventus, which were broken up by a brief spell at Paris Saint-Germain, he won an incredible 10 Serie A titles and remained with the club even after its 2006 relegation due to the Calciopoli scandal, helping them return to the top flight. On the international stage, Buffon famously captained Italy to victory in the 2006 World Cup in Germany. He also holds the record for most international caps for Italy with 176 appearances. He concluded his playing career by returning to Parma for two final seasons.

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Getty/@louisbuffon9International options in coming years

Louis Buffon can still switch his allegiance from Czechia to Italy because he holds dual Italian citizenship and has not yet played a senior competitive international match for the Czech national team. Although he has represented Czechia at the youth level, including with the Under-18 and Under-19 squads, this does not tie him to the country permanently. FIFA rules allow players with dual nationality to switch their allegiance to another country they are eligible for, as long as they have not yet made a senior competitive appearance. Buffon is eligible for Italy through his father and was born in the country. This makes a future allegiance switch a viable option for the promising winger.

If you’re going to make history, you might as well do it in style.

On Friday, Yankees slugger Aaron Judge took over sole possession of fourth place on the franchise’s all-time home run list, breaking a tie with legend Joe DiMaggio with career dinger No. 362. Judge had just matched DiMaggio yesterday, with two home runs against the Tigers.

Facing off against the Red Sox on Friday, Judge decided to one-up himself in terms of showmanship, smashing his tie-breaking home run all the way over the Green Monster and out of Fenway Park.

Look at this tater.

And here it is from the ump cam. Delightful.

Judge currently sits at 362 home runs in pinstripes. The only three players in front of him are all legends—Lou Gerhig (493), Mickey Mantle (536) and Babe Ruth (659).

While it might take a while for Judge to jump up to the next spot on the list, we’re undoubtedly in for plenty more unbelievable highlights between now and then.

MatériaMais Notícias

O São Paulo tem um novo técnico para a temporada 2024: o argentino Luis Zubeldía. Embora ainda não esteja devidamente anunciado, o treinador aceitou a proposta para comandar o Tricolor, e isso aconteceu após o clube ouvir respostas negativas de outros profissionais pretendidos.

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➡️ Siga o Lance! São Paulo no WhatsApp e acompanhe todas as notícias do Tricolor

Com técnicos brasileiros descartados, o São Paulo buscou profissionais portugueses antes de fechar com Zubeldía. Houve conversas com Carlos Carvalhal, do Olympiacos, e Pedro Martins, do do Al-Gharafa (QAT). No entanto, ambos responderam “não” à sondagem tricolor.

A direção do São Paulo tinha Zubeldía como nome bem avaliado internamente e, após as negativas, estudou contratá-lo. Ele havia sido cogitado no início do ano para substituir Dorival Júnior, mas não aceitou passar pela entrevista prévia feita pela diretoria são-paulina, método comum do clube para contratar treinadores.

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A atitude não foi vista com bons olhos pela cúpula tricolor, especialmente o coordenador técnico Muricy Ramalho. O profissional, então, foi o responsável pela indicação e chancela da contratação de Thiago Carpini, demitido nesta semana.

Como a aposta em Carpini decepcionou, Muricy teve menos voz ativa na escolha do substituto, e o São Paulo recolocou Zubeldía na pauta. O argentino desta vez aceitou passar pela entrevista, foi bem avaliado e agilizou o fechamento da negociação. Ele estava desempregado e, anteriormente, esperava propostas da Europa, que não chegaram.

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➡️ São Paulo ficará no G4 com Zubeldía? Se o Tricolor ocupar as primeiras quatro posições do Brasileirão, seus R$ 50 se transformam em R$ 250!

OUTRAS OPÇÕES

O espanhol Rafa Benítez foi oferecido por empresários ao São Paulo, porém acabou descartado. O estrelado José Mourinho também foi comentado pelo Tricolor internamente, mas a possibilidade não passou de um sonho distante.

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Luis ZubeldíaSão Paulo

يظل النجم المصري محمد صلاح، جناح فريق ليفربول الإنجليزي محور حديث الصحف، سواء لأرقامه القياسية أو لتراجع أدائه، ويستمر تسليط الضوء عليه مع جلوسه بديلاً.

وقرر آرني سلوت مدرب ليفربول، إبقاء محمد صلاح على مقاعد البدلاء في مباراة الفريق أمام وست هام أمس الأحد، والتي شهدت فوز الريدز بهدفين دون رد ضمن منافسات الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

ونشرت صحيفة “ميرور” البريطانية تقريرًا حول تواجد محمد صلاح بديلاً خلال المباراة أمام وست وهام، ومدى تأثير ذلك على اللاعب، ومدى صحة قرار سلوت.

وأشار جيمي كاراجر في تصريح سابق إلى أن صلاح لا يتحدث إلا عندما يحصل على جائزة رجل المباراة، أو حين يريد تجديد عقده، وفي الوقت الحالي من غير المرجح أن يكون محط أنظار الجميع.

وأفادت “ميرور” أن صلاح ربما لم يُعجب بقرار استبعاده، ومن الطبيعي أيضًا أن يشعر بأن الانتقادات الموجهة إليه كانت مبالغًا فيها، وهو محق في ذلك.

وذكرت أن أداء صلاح لم يكن رائعًا هذا الموسم، لكن الأمر لا يتعلق به فقط، بل بفريق ليفربول ككل، ويتضح ذلك على سبيل المثال في أداء ألكسندر إيزاك وفلوريان فيرتز ومعانتهما منذ الانضمام للريدز.

وتحدث الجميع عن أن أداء فيرتز وإيزاك أمام وست هام كان الأفضل منذ انضمامهما لليفربول، لكن لم يكن أيضًا الأداء المثير للإعجاب.

اقرأ أيضًا | ليفربول يأمل شيئًا ما بعد استدعاء محمد صلاح لقائمة منتخب مصر

ورغم أن صلاح هذا الموسم لم يقدم الأداء المعهود، وأرقامه ليست كالمواسم الماضية إلا أنه كان الأكثر خطورة في هزيمة ليفربول أمام نوتنجهام فورست، لكن الأداء المتراجع أمام آيندهوفن، وخاصة لقطة عدم عودته للدفاع قبل الهدف الثاني، كانت اللحظة التي دفعت آرني سلوت لاتخاذ قرار جلوسه بديلاً.

وبعد الأداء الأكثر توازنًا لليفربول أمام وست هام، أصبح من الصعب توقّع عودة صلاح إلى التشكيل الأساسي في المباراة أمام سندرلاند، رغم تصريح سلوت: “صلاح سيظل لاعبًا ذا مستقبل كبير مع النادي”.

وأشارت الصحيفة إلى أن صلاح بدا أخيرًا كلاعب في الثالثة والثلاثين من عمره يحتاج إلى راحة، وهي ليست راحة من ضغوط هذا الموسم، بل راحة من ضغوط مسيرة حافلة بالنجاحات.

وتابعت موضحة أن راحة صلاح ليست من 18 مباراة للفريق هذا الموسم، بل 419 مباراة خاضها مع النادي على مدار ثمانية مواسم كاملة، بالإضافة إلى 109 مباراة مع منتخب مصر.

وأكملت مؤكدة أن صلاح يستحق وزنه ذهباً لليفربول، ليس فقط بسبب أهدافه وتمريراته الحاسمة ولكن بفضل جاهزيته، خيث غاب عن المباريات بسبب الإصابة أو المرض في 38 مباراة فقط ، ثلاثة منها بسبب فيروس كورونا، في رقم استثنائي يعكس قوته البدنية ومواظبته.

ومع عودته بعد كأس الأمم الإفريقية مع منتخب مصر، سيكون التحدي أمام سلوت هو كيفية إدارة جهد صلاح وتوظيفه في النصف الثاني من الموسم، خاصة في ظل تضاؤل فرص الدفاع عن لقب الدوري ورغبة المدرب في تفادي تكرار أخطاء عدم التدوير التي ندم عليها في دوري الأبطال الموسم الماضي.

وأتمت “ميرور” تقريرها موضحة أن المرحلة الأهم لصلاح هذا الموسم قد تكون في دوري أبطال أوروبا، وبالتأكيد سيعود المصري إلى الواجهة، ولن يبقى لاعبًا مميزًا مثله خارج المشهد كثيرًا.

Enrique Hernández returned to the Dodgers lineup for the first time in nearly two months on Tuesday after five rehab appearances in Triple A. The Dodgers beat the Reds 6-3 in Hernández's first game back for their third straight win. Hernández went 2-for-3 at the plate, driving in a run and scoring another.

Hernández was also tested in the field as he handled a bouncing ball hit by Spencer Steer in the top of the eighth and had to hurry a throw to Freddie Freeman at first. Hernández's throw hit the grass in front of first and took a hard bounce towards Freeman who made a great play to snag it just before Steer hit the bag.

Hernández's face was a combination of amazement and agony. And probably some other complex emotions. It's actually hard to tell because it's just such a funny face to see a person make.

Leeds United are in a difficult position heading into the weekend as they are in the bottom three and heading to play Manchester City at The Etihad this afternoon.

The Whites have lost their last three matches in the Premier League, losing to Brighton, Nottingham Forest, and Aston Villa, and now face a run of games against City, Chelsea, and Liverpool.

On top of the daunting fixture list, Daniel Farke also has several new injury issues to contend with before they kick off against Pep Guardiola’s side today.

The latest Leeds injury news

Anton Stach will not be in the squad because he has been unable to train this week through concussion protocols, after the German midfielder was taken off in the first against Aston Villa last weekend with a head injury.

The £17.4m summer signing from Hoffenheim will resume training on Sunday before coming into contention for the Chelsea match, and Ao Tanaka could start in his place this afternoon.

Reserve defender Sebastiaan Bornauw, who joined from Wolfsburg in the summer, is going to be a late call on whether or not he can make the bench today, per Farke.

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Unfortunately, the German head coach also revealed that central midfielder Sean Longstaff suffered a calf injury and is due to be out of action for between four and six weeks, in a major blow for the Whites.

The summer signing from Newcastle has started ten of his 12 Premier League appearances for the club, creating six ‘big chances’, per Sofascore, and Farke will need to find a way to replace him this afternoon and for the weeks to come.

Instead of bringing Ilia Gruev, who is more of a deep-lying number six, into the side, Farke should unleash Brenden Aaronson in a new role to ease the Longstaff injury blow.

The new role that Brenden Aaronson should play in

Earlier this month, Farke said that the USA international “polarises and can be annoying” and then added that he “works his socks off, gives everything, relentless and leaves his heart on the pitch” in defence of the attacking midfielder.

Because of that work rate, it would be interesting to see how he would fare in Longstaff’s position as one of the two number eights ahead of Ethan Ampadu.

Aaronson, of course, was the main number ten for Farke in his 4-2-3-1 system last season before being moved to the right wing in the current 4-3-3 shape, which means that he is used to playing centrally under the German boss.

The 25-year-old star, who has scored one goal in the Premier League this season, has the creative qualities to soften the blow of losing Longstaff, who has created the most ‘big chances’ in the team, albeit as the main set-piece taker.

25/26 PL

Aaronson

Leeds rank

Goals

1

3rd

Shots per game

1.4

3rd

Key passes per game

0.9

3rd

Big chances created

3

2nd

xA

1.49

1st

Possession lost per game

8.4

8th

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Aaronson has been one of the most creative players in the team in the top-flight this season, without being one of the most wasteful in possession.

This, along with Farke’s comments on his work rate, suggests that the American midfielder could be the ideal player to fill in for Longstaff in the next few weeks, because the Whites would still have a hard-working and creative player in that role.

On top of that, moving Aaronson away from the right wing position would allow the manager to unleash Dan James on the right, and his pace in behind could be particularly useful in these next three games against superior opposition who will be expected to dominate the ball.

Related New Daniel Farke sack update now shared from Leeds before Man City

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Posts BySean Markus Clifford Nov 28, 2025

Therefore, playing the USA international in this new role could be an excellent way to respond to Longstaff’s injury, which is why Farke should consider it this afternoon.