Spanish football morning headlines for 18 January.
Barcelona to appeal Messi ban
Lionel Messi being sent off in their Spanish Supercopa defeat made a bad night worse for Barcelona but they will appeal the length of any ban, report Marca.
Barcelona news saw Messi sent off for a late punch, but they will appeal that the sanction is for a minor offence – between one and three games – rather than for violent conduct, which would carry a ban of between four and 12 domestic matches.
Madrid’s great hope
There will be no signings at Real Madrid this transfer window but Marca say the club’s great hope is forward Marco Asensio – their inform player.
He is said to be the club’s current best performing player and has more merit for earning a starting place than Eden Hazard or other teammates, with Spain boss Luis Enrique also said to be suitably impressed.
Zidane ‘at war’ with Madrid
Real Madrid news has seen the club’s boss Zinedine Zidane revert to using his old guard in recent months and sideline the most promising talent at the club.
El Mundo Deportivo say the two are now at odds with the club’s hierarchy demanding faster change – with Martin Odegaard chief among them – with only Thibaut Courtois, Eden Hazard and Ferland Mendy the new signings used regularly under Zidane.
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