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Tag Athletic Bilbao

Sport

Barcelona beaten by Athletic Bilbao’s Aduriz thunderous strike

La Liga

Bilbao (Spain), Aug. 16, 2019 (Reuters/NAN) Champions Barcelona fell to a 1-0 defeat at Athletic Bilbao in their opening La Liga game of the season thanks to a sensational late overhead kick from veteran striker Aritz Aduriz.

The 38-year-old came off the bench late in the game and soon made Barca pay for squandering several chances by acrobatically lashing an unstoppable shot into the net in the 89th minute.

The Catalans were without injured captain Lionel Messi but lined up with 200 million euros of new talent in France forward Antoine Griezmann and Dutch midfielder Frenkie de Jong.

However, they lacked sparkle against an energetic Bilbao side.

Luis Suarez struck the near post in the first half when presented with a terrible back pass from Athletic’s Unai Lopez.

However, he was soon forced off with a calf injury, while substitute Rafinha rattled the crossbar after coming on. (Reuters/NAN)

KIA/MUYI/AFA
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Edited by Muhyideen Jimoh/Felix Ajide

 

Sport

Bilbao’s Kepa pays 80m euro release fee, ahead of record Chelsea move

Bilbao’s Kepa pays 80m euro release fee, ahead of record Chelsea move

London, Aug. 8, 2018 (Reuters/NAN) Athletic Bilbao goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga has paid his 80 million-euro (71.9 million pounds) buy-out clause to break his contract with the Spanish side, ahead of a reported move to Chelsea.

The 23-year-old is expected to sign for the Premier League side on Wednesday, with current goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois poised to move to Real Madrid.

“La Liga has confirmed to us that Kepa Arrizabalaga has fulfilled the requirements for the unilateral termination of his contract with Athletic Club,” said Bilbao in a statement.

“(He has ended) the relationship that linked him to us since the 2004-05 season and the amount of compensation established in the contract has been deposited.”

At 80 million euros, Arrizabalaga will become the most expensive goalkeeper in football history, ahead of Liverpool’s Alisson Becker, who moved from AS Roma for 75 million euros earlier in the transfer window.

After being strongly linked to Real Madrid, Arrizabalaga signed a new deal with Bilbao in January which raised his release fee to 80 million.

Chelsea Coach Maurizio Sarri praised Arrizabalaga on Tuesday night.

“I saw (Kepa) one year ago. My first impression was that he is a very good goalkeeper, very young but very good,” said the Italian. (Reuters/NAN)

KIA/SN

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Edited by Silas Nwoha

Sport

UEFA punishes Roma, Bilbao, Spartak over fan violence

Punishment
Nyon (Switzerland), June 5, 2018 (Reuters/NAN) UEFA has punished Italian club AS Roma, Spain’s Athletic Bilbao and Russia’s Spartak Moscow for fan violence in the Champions League and Europa League, the ruling body said on Tuesday.

Roma have also been handed a two-match ban on their supporters at away games, with the suspension for the second match deferred for a probationary period of two years.

Two Roma fans were arrested by police during the Champions League quarter-final first leg against Liverpool in April.

This was after a fan of the English team, Sean Cox, suffered serious injuries in an attack.

UEFA also fined the Italian club 50,000 euros.

Bilbao and Spartak have been sanctioned for fan violence during their round-of-32 Europa League tie in Spain in February which resulted in the death of a policeman.

The officer died in hospital after suffering a heart attack when police were trying to stop street battles between supporters in the northern Spanish city.(Reuters/NAN)
KIA/JI/OLAL
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(Edited by Joseph Idika and Olawale Alabi)