Atletico Madrid · Copa del Rey · Midfielder · #10 · Spain · 24 yrs
Atletico Madrid beat Malaga 2-0 in their opening game of their LaLiga campaign, with Lee Kang-in and Alex Baena needed off the bench. The post Substitutes gave Atletico Madrid a ‘leap in quality’, says Simeone appeared first on SoccerNews.
Arsenal are not backing down in the race to sign Julián Álvarez, amid Barcelona's pursuit of the Argentine forward. Arsenal are refusing to step away from the race for Julián Álvarez, positioning themselves to move quickly if Barcelona’s pursuit of the Argentine forward ultimately falls through. According to reporting from TEAMtalk, the Gunners continue to monitor the situation closely rather than pursuing him outright while Barcelona remain the player’s preferred destination. Much of Arsenal’s positioning comes down to their sporting director, Andrea Berta, a former Atlético Madrid executive who remains in close contact with Atlético CEO Miguel Ángel Gil Marín. That relationship gives Arsenal a direct line into how the Álvarez situation is developing internally at Atlético, and the club is prepared to step in and meet Atlético’s demands quickly should Barcelona’s efforts stall. Barcelona have already tested the waters with a €100 million offer, which Atlético rejected outright. That rejection came before a meeting between Álvarez and manager Diego Simeone, in which the Argentine reportedly sought his coach’s support in pushing the move through — support Simeone declined to give, stating the decision belongs entirely to the club’s leadership. Marcos Llorente, Álex Baena, Julián Alvarez, and Juan Musso return to training. In the coming days, they will follow a specific work plan before joining the group. pic.twitter.com/7Dcxj5Xoa2— Atlético de Madrid (@atletienglish) August 10, 2026 Despite that resistance, Álvarez has made his intentions clear internally, beginning preseason training on August 10 while continuing to request a transfer. With Atlético standing firm and Barcelona yet to meet their valuation, Arsenal’s patient approach could position them well if the player’s preferred move never materializes. Barcelona’s long pursuit, and how Ferran Torres’ exit could help Barcelona’s interest in Álvarez isn’t new — the club has tracked him for months as a potential heir to Robert Lewandowski up front, with president Joan Laporta long viewed as a driving force behind the pursuit. Atlético, however, have held firm throughout, setting his release clause at €500 million and rejecting Barcelona’s opening offers as nowhere close to what they’d consider. What has shifted recently is Barcelona’s financial picture. With Ferran Torres now closing in on a move to PSG worth €50 million, Barcelona would free up both a squad spot and fresh funds in attack — resources that could be redirected toward improving their offer for Álvarez and finally giving their long-standing pursuit real financial weight behind it.
Ferran Torres scored the opening goal for Spain in the 2026 World Cup against Argentina in extra time to give La Roja the avantage. Spain has finally broken the deadlock in a highly defensive 2026 FIFA World Cup final at MetLife Stadium. Despite dominant spells of possession throughout regulation, La Roja found a way past a resilient Argentine defensive unit and a heavily active Emiliano Martinez with Ferran Torres scoring the winning goal in extra time. While dominating possession and creating the bulk of the chances against a 10-man Argentina squad—following Enzo Fernandez’s late red card—Spain was initially unable to shatter the 0-0 stalemate. The defining breakthrough finally arrived in the 106th minute, right at the start of the second half of extra time. Spain bypassed Argentina’s defensive lines with a well-targeted long ball over the top. Nico Williams chased it down, making a brilliant run behind the backline before heading a precise pass back toward the center of the box. Ferran Torres anticipated the bounce perfectly, unleashing a powerful half-volley that left Martinez with no chance to save, putting Spain ahead 1-0. IT'S FERRAN TORRES IN THE FIFA WORLD CUP FINAL 🇪🇸THE ENTIRE SPAIN BENCH GOES TO CELEBRATE WITH HIM! pic.twitter.com/RVRXvnyOXG— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) July 19, 2026 Ferran Torres and a clutch World Cup run Despite not being a locked-in starter for Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente, Ferran Torres managed to make a massive impact from the substitutes’ bench during the 2026 World Cup, particularly when the team was desperate to break a deadlock. His first clutch moment came in the Round of 16 against Portugal, when he entered the match in the 75th minute for Alex Baena. In the 91st minute of that cagey affair, he delivered a pinpoint pass to Mikel Merino, who scored the lone goal of the game to send Spain through to the quarterfinal round. Once again, when it mattered most and with Spain searching for a solution, Torres subbed into the match in the 61st minute for Mikel Oyarzabal, sliding into a center-forward role. The bold gamble by De la Fuente paid off beautifully, as the Barcelona forward found his space on the pitch to score the biggest goal of the tournament and secure Spain its second World Cup star.
Spain face Argentina in the 2026 World Cup final, where Gavi will begin the match on the bench. Spain face Argentina in the 2026 World Cup final, and Luis de la Fuente is once again turning to the same approach that has carried his team through the whole tournament, leaving Gavi once again out of the starting team. De la Fuente has continued to lean on Fabian Ruiz and Rodri as his midfield pairing, a combination that has provided balance and control during Spain‘s last two victories against Belgium and France. Further up the pitch, the front line remains built around Lamine Yamal, Dani Olmo and Alex Baena, operating just behind Mikel Oyarzabal. It’s the same setup Spain used to eliminate France in the semifinals, and De la Fuente is trusting it once more against Argentina in the tournament’s last game. The consistency in selection has left little room for Gavi to force his way back into the starting lineup. Despite being one of the most talented midfielders in the squad, the Barcelona player has found himself on the outside looking in as Spain’s rotation has settled around a formula that keeps winning. Gavi in action during Spain’s game vs Cape Verde. (Getty Images) Gavi’s limited role throughout the 2026 World Cup Gavi’s only start of the tournament came in the opener against Cabo Verde, a match Spain failed to win as they were held to a 0-0 draw despite dominating possession and chances. It was widely regarded as the team’s worst performance of the campaign, as it’s the only match they failed to win in the tournament, and Gavi hasn’t started a game since. His involvement from that point on has been almost nonexistent. The midfielder’s only other appearance came as a substitute in the 3-0 win over Austria in the Round of 32, when he was given just five minutes on the pitch. Beyond that cameo, Gavi has not featured again, watching the rest of Spain’s run to the final from the bench.
Spain face Argentina in the 2026 World Cup final, and Pedri will begin the match on the bench. Spain are one win away from their second World Cup title as they face Argentina, and Luis de la Fuente is sticking with the same midfield blueprint that carried the team past France in the semifinals, meaning Pedri will once again begin the game on the bench. De la Fuente has settled on Fabian Ruiz alongside Rodri in a double pivot, a pairing that has given Spain more control and physical presence through the middle of the park in the tournament’s biggest matches. Ahead of that duo, De la Fuente has built his attack around Lamine Yamal, Dani Olmo and Alex Baena operating behind Mikel Oyarzabal, who leads the team in scoring with five goals. The setup underlines just how deep De la Fuente’s midfield options have become. Even a player of Pedri‘s caliber, one the coach has repeatedly praised as among the best in the world, cannot force his way back into a starting role that has been working for Spain when it matters most. Pedri during Spain’s game vs Portugal. (Getty Images) How Pedri’s role faded as the tournament progressed Pedri was a fixture in Spain’s starting lineup for the first five matches of the World Cup, anchoring the midfield through the group stage and into the knockout rounds. That run included the Round of 16 win over Portugal, a game Spain needed a stoppage-time Mikel Merino goal to escape after struggling to create clear chances, with Pedri’s performance among those that failed to stand out. That flat display opened the door for Fabian Ruiz, who took his opportunity in the quarterfinal against Belgium, scoring the opener in a 2-1 win that sent Spain into the semifinals. Ruiz kept his place for the last four against France, starting once again as Spain booked their spot in the final, and Pedri has yet to reclaim the role he held for most of the tournament.
Spain and Argentina will decide who becomes champion of the 2026 World Cup, in a match that will see two similar tactical systems collide. New York New Jersey Stadium is gearing up to host the 2026 World Cup final, where Argentina will look to defend their crown and claim a fourth star, while Spain will chase their second title in history, on North American soil. It promises to be an attractive matchup between two of the tournament’s best sides, both built around a similar strategy: taking ownership of the ball to control possession, though each arrives at the same result in a different way. Luis de la Fuente has Rodri running Spain’s midfield alongside Fabian Ruiz, while further up the pitch, Dani Olmo, Alex Baena, and Lamine Yamal lend a hand both in building the attack and in defensive work. That approach has served Spain well so far, generating total control of matches. With an average of 58% possession (according to FIFA’s official figures), they sit first in the tournament’s possession rankings, tied with Turkey. Alex Baena #15 of Spain celebrates a goal with teammate Rodri #16. (Getty Images) That tactical setup also functions as a defensive wall, and paired with a solid back line, it has helped Spain concede just a single goal all tournament, in the 2-1 win over Belgium in the quarterfinals. That statistic gives Spain a chance to make history: if they lift the title and keep a clean sheet against Argentina, they would become the first team in World Cup history to win the tournament having conceded just a single goal throughout the entire competition. Argentina: same strategy, different results On the other side, they’ll face an Argentina side built on the same idea: controlling the ball and dominating the game through midfield, something they’ve shown throughout the tournament with an average of 55% possession, good for sixth in the tournament’s possession rankings. In his setup, Lionel Scaloni deploys Leandro Paredes as the central midfielder, surrounded by Alexis Mac Allister, Enzo Fernandez, and Rodrigo De Paul, who link up through the middle but can also drift out wide, giving Argentina another option to keep possession on the flanks. Leandro Paredes and Enzo Fernandez of Argentina. (Getty Images) That tactical identity has carried them all the way to the tournament’s biggest match, but with one major difference from Spain. While it’s paid off in attack, with Argentina scoring more goals than any other team in the tournament (19), it’s been a different story defensively, where they’ve conceded seven goals, ranking 17th in goals allowed. Even so, Argentina have made up for those defensive shortcomings through their attack, though it hasn’t come easy — they’ve had to grind out the wins that got them to New York New Jersey Stadium for Sunday’s final on July 19. They needed extra time twice — in a 3-2 win over Cape Verde in the Round of 32 and a 3-1 win over Switzerland in the quarterfinals — to advance, while in the 3-2 win over Egypt in the Round of 16 and the 2-1 win over England in the semifinals, they had to produce agonizing late comebacks to get the job done. Without a doubt, it will be one of the most anticipated matches of the tournament. Beyond marking the first-ever meeting between Lionel Messi and Lamine Yamal, it will see two teams built on the same footballing philosophy chase the sport’s most important title.
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