Yamal's private jet Ballon d'Or plans, El Clasico latest and Mourinho's fixture fury

Lamine Yamal charters private jet for 20-strong entourage ahead of Ballon d'Or

Barcelona's 19-year-old sensation Lamine Yamal has turned heads by chartering a private jet to fly directly to London for Monday's 2026 Ballon d'Or gala. Rather than travelling with the official Barcelona delegation, the wonderkid has decided to bring a 20-strong entourage consisting of family, friends, and his agent. It is a status fitting for a star who previously claimed the Kopa Trophy and finished runner-up in the 2025 Ballon d'Or voting.

El Clasico to go ahead despite Barcelona strike action

The Barcelona board have officially confirmed that El Clasico against Real Madrid at the Spotify Camp Nou will go ahead, despite a strike scheduled from Friday to Monday by 60 temporary staff demanding improved working conditions. With a capacity crowd of 80,000 fans expected to descend on the stadium, the Catalan giants insisted they have immediately activated contingency plans to guarantee absolute safety.

Jose Mourinho locks in starting XI and slams fixture pile-up

Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho has already locked in nine of his 11 starters ahead of the trip to the Camp Nou, while launching a scathing attack on the organizers for having 24 hours less rest than Barcelona due to European fixtures. The stakes are incredibly high for this blockbuster clash, with Real Madrid currently sitting third on 21 points, trailing their table-topping rivals by six points after nine matches.