SERGIO RAMOS

APTOPIX Britain Soccer Premier League Liverpool's Mohamed Salah celebrates after scoring his goal during the Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Wolverhampton at Anfield stadium in Liverpool, England, Sunday, May 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Jon Super) (Jon Super)Mohamed Salah could easily have given the kind of diplomatic answer trotted out by most soccer players. Was there a preference, Salah was asked minutes after Liverpool reached the Champions League final three weeks ago, over which team he faced in the title match in suburban Paris? “I want to play Madrid.”Salah clearly hasn’t forgotten what went down in the 2018 final against Real Madrid in Kyiv. “I think it is revenge time,” Salah has said in another interview about facing Madrid.

Revenge is on Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah's mind heading into the Champions League final against Real Madrid on Saturday.

Barcelona’s announcement that Lionel Messi would be leaving the club set Paris Saint-Germain scrambling to figure out if it could sign the most desired free agent in soccer history.

Zinedine Zidane is again stepping down as Real Madrid coach.

Spain coach Luis Enrique said Ramos' lack of play recently made it difficult for the defender to be included in the Euro 2020 squad. “He will not be with us because he couldn’t compete during large parts of the season, he couldn’t even practice with his club,” Luis Enrique said. Ramos would have had a chance to break the record for most appearances for a national team at Euro 2020. “His call-up has nothing to do with Ramos not being able to play,” Luis Enrique said about Laporte. All of its games will be in the Spanish city of Seville, beginning on June 14 against Sweden.

Sergio Ramos has been left off Spain’s squad for the European Championship following a season plagued by injuries.

Lionel Messi is set to play his 45th “clásico” match against Real Madrid.

Spain's Ansu Fati is airborne as he attempts to control the ball during the UEFA Nations League soccer match between Spain and Ukraine at the Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano stadium in Madrid, Spain, Sunday, Sept. 6, 2020. Spain goes top of its Nations League group by a point from Ukraine. Barely a year since he became Barcelona's youngest league scorer, he appears set to be the future for both club and country. NO WIN FOR GERMANYThe Nations League just isn't Germany's competition. The Nations League format keeps teams of similar competitive strength together.

Barcelona's Lionel Messi leaves the pitch after the the Champions League quarterfinal soccer match between Barcelona and Bayern Munich in Lisbon, Portugal, Friday, Aug. 14, 2020. The Spanish league is about to see another top player leave one of its clubs, all within a four-year span. The league wasnt hugely affected financially after Neymar left Barcelona or Ronaldo left Real Madrid. The league still benefited from Messis presence after Ronaldo left, but now it wouldn't have that same star power anymore. Since Neymar left Barcelona for Paris Saint-Germain in 2017, Spain gained few top-notch players.

(AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)BARCELONA Karim Benzema helped Real Madrid move one step closer to dethroning Lionel Messis Barcelona on Friday. Benzema scored one goal and set up another to lead Madrid to beating Alavs 2-0 and restoring a four-point lead over Barcelona in the Spanish league with only three rounds left. Benzema scored a penalty kick in the 11th minute and assisted Marco Asensio in the 50th to ensure an eighth straight victory since La Liga resumed play after stopping for three months due to the pandemic. His 18th league goal of the season is second only to Messis 22. Madrid took full control just after halftime when Benzema broke Alavs offside trap to reach Rodrygos through-ball.

Real Madrid's Sergio Ramos, right, scores the opening goal from a penalty shoot during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Athletic Club and Real Madrid at the San Manes stadium in Bilbao, Spain, Sunday, July 5, 2020. (AP Photo/Alvaro Barrientos)MADRID The closer Real Madrid gets to the Spanish league title, the stronger the accusations it is benefiting from the referees. Im tired of always talking about the same thing, Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane said after the 1-0 win at Athletic Bilbao on Sunday. Real Madrid and its players deserve respect.The victory kept Madrid as the only team with a perfect record since the restart. When asked if Madrid was in the lead only thanks to VAR, Barcelona president Josep Bartomeu didn't do much to dismiss the insinuation.