Inside Spain is a weekly instalment brought to you by Football España, providing an insight into all of the major stories coming out of the rich and intense climes of La Liga and beyond.
It’s been a big week at Real Madrid, which is saying something, given it should have been all about Spain’s Euro 2024 celebrations. Celebrations that weren’t all smooth.
Manchester City’s Rodri Hernandez has caused a minor diplomatic incident after his ‘Gibraltar is Spanish chant’, with Chief Minister Fabian Picardo comparing it to the sort of stunt Dictator Francisco Franco would pull. Mikel Oyarzabal and Mikel Merino were branded ‘traitors’ by someone in their hometowns with particularly strong Basque feeling, and Dani Carvajal went viral for giving Spanish President Pedro Sanchez the cold shoulder. Perhaps the most wild was seeing Alvaro Morata launch a cup at a fan from their open-top bus due to a sign they were holding.
#FCBarcelona have released their kit for their 125th anniversary, with a video paying homage to their roots and history. pic.twitter.com/DJdX7WCqey
— Football España (@footballespana_) July 18, 2024
Apartt from that, it was mostly wholesome, with Marc Cucurella, Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams providing the good vibes. It has not calmed speculation around Williams though. This week Barcelona met with his agent to finalise personal terms, but Athletic Club coach Ernesto Valverde declared he was expecting him back in training on the 12th of August. Arsenal and Chelsea probably won’t drop out of the race until they know Barcelona have the money to do a deal. Barcelona also launched their new kit with a brilliant announcement video.
All that before even getting to Kylian Mbappe’s presentation. The Frenchman packed out the Santiago Bernabeu, with a rumoured 80,000 there to see him ‘accomplish his childhood dream’. A big Real Madrid love-in, one-year extensions for Lucas Vazquez and Luka Modric almost faded into the background.
Marca have released a video detailing the 11 host stadiums for the #2030WorldCup in Spain.
Mestalla, the Benito Villamarin and the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan all miss out. pic.twitter.com/LZyjaoEyAR
— Football España (@footballespana_) July 18, 2024
It did leave Real Madrid stunned when Leny Yoro called them to say that he would be joining Manchester United. The local press say that Lille threatened to send him to the stands if Yoro did not accept Manchester United’s offer, although with phrases like ‘Real Madrid overestimated his determination to play for them’, it read a little like saving face.
All the same, Real Madrid do not have a plan B. They let Rafa Marin join Napoli earlier this month, they were that certain of getting Yoro over the line, but now face either a scrambled effort for another defender, or using Aurelien Tchouameni there as an emergency option.
After scoring the winning goal for Spain in #Euro2024, and celebrating in front of tens of thousands, Mikel Oyarzabal returned to his native Eibar.
Back to see his family and friends, he was back at his usual barber. When he came out, he saw this????pic.twitter.com/2NUPlCFjGh
— Football España (@footballespana_) July 18, 2024
Finally, the 11 Spanish venues were confirmed for the 2030 World Cup, with no Mestalla in Valencia, or Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan or Benito Villamarin in Seville. Sevilla will have La Cartuja at least, but reportedly politics got in the way of Spain’s third-most populous city missing out entirely…
