La Liga

Karim Benzema has been nominated for the Ballon d'Or 10 times in his excellent career. Finally, he's won one.

Benzema, 34, topped Bayern Munich's Sadio Mane, Manchester City's Kevin De Bruyne and Barcelona's Robert Lewandowski to win the award.

And fans and folks across the sporting world were singing his praises on Monday. It was one of the least surprising or divisive decisions in years:

One of the reasons the talented French striker didn't previously win the award was that it was dominated by the pair of PSG forward Lionel Messi and Manchester United forward Cristiano Ronaldo, who won it in 12 of the past 13 years. Only Luka Modric (2018) broke up that run of dominance before Benzema.

End of an era, indeed. But Benzema was a worthy winner, leading Real Madrid to both a Champions League and La Liga title while scoring 42 goals and adding 15 assists between the two competitions.

He also had three goals in five World Cup qualifiers for France during the 2021-22 period.

It was the sort of season that would have challenged Ronaldo and Messi in their prime years and given voters an interesting decision to make. With that dynamic pair in the twilight of their careers and Benzema leading Real Madrid to domestic and European glory, however, it was an easy call to make.

And so it was Benzema's season, and Monday was Benzema's night. It was well-earned, and utterly indisputable.

Barcelona vice president Eduard Romeu didn't rule out a shocking reunion with Lionel Messi next summer, when the club legend will be a free agent.

"It would be possible financially, because if he returned it would be as a free agent," he said Wednesday on Catalunya Radio (via ESPN's Sam Marsden and Moises Llorens).

"But it's a decision which has to be made by the coaching staff and the player. It doesn't correspond to me [to make those decisions], but it would be viable."

Messi signed a two-year contract with Paris Saint-Germain in August 2021, and the sides have yet to agree to an extension. As a result, he might have the opportunity to once again pick his next destination as early as this January, when he can line up a pre-contract agreement.

The dire state of Barcelona's finances left him with no other choice but to leave in the summer of 2021. Their debts totaled more than €1.3 billion, so re-signing a player previously on a reported €138 million annual salary was out of the question.

A tearful Messi bid farewell to the club before signing with Paris Saint-Germain.

The 35-year-old cut a forlorn figure last season with PSG. He finished with six goals and 14 assists in 26 Ligue 1 matches and failed to deliver the European glory the club so clearly craves. He went scoreless in a two-leg round-of-16 defeat to Real Madrid.

Having pulled multiple economic "levers," which largely involved selling off future earnings for an upfront payment, Barcelona are now on more stable financial footing.

Club president Joan Laporta told ESPN in July he hoped to lure Messi back to Camp Nou.

"I would hope that the Messi chapter isn't over," he said. "I think it's our responsibility to try to ... find a moment to fix that chapter, which is still open and hasn't closed, so it turns out like it should have, and that it has a more beautiful ending."

Still, that door might be closed for good.

Messi looks rejuvenated, having already scored four goals and assisted on seven more for Paris Saint-Germain. An extended stay in the French capital looks likelier now than it did this past summer.

Perhaps the Argentine forward will use his impending free agency to make his move to Major League Soccer and lay the groundwork for life after football.

More than anything, a Barcelona homecoming might sound better in theory than it would be in practice.

Barca don't need much help in the attack at the moment, with Robert Lewandowski immediately acclimating to his new surroundings. Ousmane Dembélé is largely picking up from where he left off last season as well.

Slotting Messi into the front three could be much easier said than done, and even at his age, he could once again become far too heliocentric a figure on the pitch.

As painful as Messi's departure was, Barcelona might be smart to leave things in the past.

Barcelona said in a statement released Wednesday that it is "studying the legal measures that need to be taken" after El Mundo leaked details of contract negotiations that took place between the club and superstar forward Lionel Messi in 2020, per ESPN's Sam Marsden and Moises Llorens.

The full statement read:

In relation to the information published in El Mundo under the title 'Barca Leaks, the club's secret files', Barcelona express indignation at the intentional leaking of information that is part of a legal process.

The club regrets that the media in question boasts of having 'access to a huge number of documents and emails that are part of the Barcagate investigation' when this information is yet to be shared.

In any case, the article in question makes public documents that have nothing to do with the ongoing case and their use is an affront to the reputation and confidentiality of the club. For that reason, and with the aim of protecting Barcelona's rights, the club's legal department are studying the legal measures that need to be taken.

Per El Mundo's report, Messi wanted to reduce his buyout clause to just €10,000 ($9,849), wanted guarantees the club would pay him his deferred wages, desired a three-year deal that included a €10 million signing bonus and a player option for a fourth season in 2024 and other considerations, including private boxes for both his and Luis Suarez's family at Camp Nou.

Messi reportedly would have taken a 20 percent pay cut on his €70 million annual salary but wanted to be paid back that sum with interest in the future.

He ultimately signed with Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer in 2021. Despite agreeing to terms with new club president Joan Laporta, Barcelona's financial woes made them unable to register the agreement with La Liga.

El Mundo became privy to Messi's previous contract requests in negotiations with Barcelona after reportedly obtaining emails that police had gathered during an investigation into the club. Messi himself is not being investigated.

Per ESPN's report, "Barcagate is an ongoing legal case relating to third-party payments, breaching internal protocols and smear campaigns against club legends involving the previous president Josep Maria Bartomeu and his board of directors."

Barcelona star Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was the victim of a home invasion that left him with a broken jaw, according to ESPN's Sam Marsden and Moises Llorens.

The assailants allegedly had firearms and iron bars when they entered the home and handcuffed Aubameyang and his wife during the robbery.

Marsden and Llorens reported the veteran forward is expected to miss around three weeks because of his injury.

Aubameyang later posted a statement, confirming he had a jaw injury:

Aubameyang's future at Barcelona has been in doubt with the summer transfer window about to close.

The Athletic's David Ornstein reported Wednesday that Chelsea and Barcelona were going to resume discussions about a possible deal. However, Ornstein referenced how the 33-year-old's broken jaw could impact the likelihood of a transfer.

"It is unclear to what extent the problem will affect Chelsea’s thinking," he reported. "There is no indication it will cause the switch to collapse, yet it does add another issue into a complicated situation."

Marsden and Llorens went so far as to report the injury "has slightly changed the negotiations" but that Aubameyang may still wind up at Stamford Bridge in a loan deal.

The former Gabon international scored 11 goals in 17 La Liga appearances for Barcelona after signing with the club in January.

The summer arrivals of Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha, combined with the resurrection of Ousmane Dembélé last season, have pushed Aubameyang down the pecking order, though. He has played a total of nine minutes to open the 2022-23 La Liga campaign.

Barcelona striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was robbed by a gang of armed assailants in the early hours of Monday morning, the club confirmed.

Sam Marsden and Moises Llorens of ESPN reported Aubameyang and his wife were handcuffed and tied up during the robbery, which saw the gang of burglars take expensive jewelry and other items from a safe located in the house.

Neither Aubameyang nor his wife suffered serious injuries.

Burglars have increasingly targeted soccer players in recent years, often pulling off sophisticated robberies worth massive sums. Barcelona's Robert Lewandowski had his €70,000 watch stolen from his car when he stopped to greet fans near the club's training facility.

Aubameyang lives in the same area of Castelldefels as Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez, who each use private security firms to protect their homes. Messi was the victim of a robbery at a Paris hotel last year where thieves stole cash and jewelry worth thousands.

Aubameyang signed with Barcelona in February after playing for Arsenal from 2018 until his February departure. He had just returned home from the club's win over Real Valladolid when his home was robbed.

New Barcelona striker Robert Lewandowski reportedly had a €70,000 ($71,000) watch stolen while stopping to pose for pictures with fans outside of the club's training grounds on Wednesday, per Sam Marsden and Moises Llorens of ESPN.

Police have since detained the alleged culprit, who had buried the watch near the training ground.

Lewandowski reportedly attempted to chase down the alleged thief, though the person was able to get away before being apprehended by authorities.

Security has reportedly become something of a concern for the club, however.

Per ESPN's report: "Barca have had problems with security at the entrance to their training ground before, with players complaining about stunts pulled by people making videos for TikTok. However, club sources say they will now make further changes to security to avoid similar incidents happening in the future."

Lewandowski, 33, was the marquee addition for Barcelona this summer, joining the club on a a €45 million ($45.3 million) transfer from Bayern Munich in a shopping spree that also included the additions of Raphinha, Jules Kounde, Andreas Christensen and Franck Kessie, along with signing players like Ousmane Dembele and Sergi Roberto to new contracts.

To financially pull off those moves, however, Barcelona—about a billion dollars in debt—have spent the summer selling off assets.

They sold 25 percent of their domestic television income to Sixth Street for the next 25 years for €511 million ($515.5 million). Another 24.5 percent of Barca Studios was dealt to Socios.com for €100 million ($100.8 million). And 24.5 percent of Barca Studios went to Orpheus Media for €100 million.

That money was needed to register their new signings with La Liga. Perhaps a very small portion will go to new security measures, too, after Wednesday's incident.

Barcelona no longer has to worry about making its summer transfers official.

Barca has officially registered signings Robert Lewandowski, Raphinha, Franck Kessié and Andreas Christensen, along with new contracts for Sergi Roberto and Ousmane Dembélé, according to ESPN's Sam Marsden and Moises Llorens.

The only player left to be registered is Jules Koundé.

Barcelona's biggest summer signing was Lewandowski, who agreed to a $46 million deal after playing the last eight seasons with Bundesliga side Bayern Munich. In total, La Blaugrana spent $154 million on Lewandowski, Raphinha and Koundé.

Earlier Friday, the club sold 24.5 percent of Barca Studios, its in-house production company, to Orpheus Media for $103 million in order to register its summer signings. It marked the fourth "financial lever" the club has used leading up to the 2022-23 season.

Barca previously sold 24.5 percent of Barca Studios to Socios.com, along with 25 percent of its domestic television rights to Sixth Street in two transactions that totaled more than $520 million.

While Barcelona raised $615 million with those three transactions, La Liga told the club it needed to sell more assets or reduce its wage bill to register its new signings, so it enacted the fourth financial lever Friday.

Despite the moves, Barca is more than $1 billion in debt, per ESPN, a big part of why it couldn't bring back club legend Lionel Messi last year.

Barcelona aims to create more salary space by renegotiating the contract of Gerard Pique, according to ESPN. The club is also looking to unload the contract of Frenkie de Jong.

Barca agreed to a deal for De Jong with Manchester United worth over $80 million in July, according to ESPN's Rob Dawson. However, the Dutchman prefers to stay with the club.

To remain with Barcelona, De Jong must reduce his salary. However, he is reportedly refusing to do so.

Barcelona is set to open the 2022-23 season tomorrow against Rayo Vallecano.

Barcelona sold 24.5 percent of its in-house production company to Orpheus Media for €100 million ($103 million) as it attempts to meet La Liga financial requirements for its seven remaining summer signings, including Robert Lewandowski.

ESPN's Sam Marsden and Moises Llorens reported Friday that the sale of a stake in Barça Studios, combined with a potential contract adjustment for center back Gerard Pique, leaves the club "hopeful the situation can now be resolved" ahead of Saturday's match against Rayo Vallecano.

Barcelona reached a €45 million ($46.3 million) agreement with Bayern Munich in mid-July to acquire Lewandowski, per David Ornstein of The Athletic.

The deal hasn't been finalized over the past month, however, and now the club is in a race against time to ensure the superstar striker is available for the season-opening fixture.

Lewandowski scored 35 goals in 34 Bundesliga appearances last season as Bayern rolled to its 10th straight domestic championship.

The 33-year-old Poland international told Polish newspaper Meczyki (via Julian Bovill for MailOnline) that a desire for a new challenge led to the Barça transfer.

"I knew my career at Bayern was continuous. I needed a new challenge," he said. "The next goals and trophies in Germany were, of course, important, but not as rewarding. I admit that I was starting to have a problem with it. I needed a strong impulse, and that could only be a transfer."

So far, there's no sign the deal could fall through because of the financial issues.

It's the same hurdle Barcelona failed to jump last summer when it was trying to re-sign club legend Lionel Messi before announcing it wasn't possible because of La Liga's "regulations on player registration."

The Blaugrana have now triggered four different financial levers this summer in an effort to satisfy Spain's top league and get its signings registered, per Marsden and Llorens.

Raphinha, Jules Koundé, Franck Kessié and Andreas Christensen join Lewandowski as the new arrivals waiting for approval, while Sergi Roberto and Ousmane Dembélé were re-signed and also must be registered to take the pitch Saturday, according to the ESPN report.

It could leave Barcelona undermanned for the opener at Camp Nou if there are any final hiccups over the next 24 hours.

Cristiano Ronaldo spent a good portion of his career starring for La Liga giants Real Madrid. And despite rumors that he might join one of that club's primary rivals, Atletico Madrid, as he reportedly seeks an exit from Manchester United this summer, Atletico president Enrique Cerezo put a halt to that conversation on Tuesday.

"I've said it many times. I don't know who invented the story about Cristiano. But I'll tell you, it's practically impossible for him to come to Atletico Madrid," he told reporters.

Cerezo told reporters last month that Atletico needed to clear around €40 million ($40.5 million) from departures in order to bring new players in this summer. The club has signed Axel Witsel on a free transfer, while right-back Nahuel Molina appears poised to be the next addition.

Ronaldo's name has popped up alongside a number of prominent European clubs thus far in the summer transfer window. Bayern Munich, despite losing superstar forward Robert Lewandowski to Barcelona, didn't bite:

ESPN's Julien Laurens reported on July 12 that PSG were given the chance to bring Ronaldo on board after his agent, Jorge Mendes, met with sporting director Luis Campos and club president Nasser Al-Khelaifi. They turned down the opportunity.

Two days later, ESPN's James Olley reported that Chelsea—in need of a central forward—took themselves out of the running for Ronaldo as well.

And now Atletico Madrid are pulling out of contention.

Throughout the entire saga, Manchester United has maintained that it isn't interested in letting the 37-year-old forward leave.

"We are planning for Cristiano Ronaldo for the season and that's it," United manager Erik ten Hag told reporters earlier in July. "I'm looking forward to working with him. I have read [that he wants to leave], but what I say is Cristiano is not for sale, he is in our plans and we want success together."

Ronaldo hasn't lost his scoring touch. He found the back of the net 18 times and added three assists in Premier League action last season.

But Ronaldo's age, wages and his inability (or unwillingness) to operate as a defensive contributor in a high-pressing tactical system has perhaps soured him for high-profile teams around Europe. At this stage, Ronaldo is an expensive poacher, capable of scoring goals but offering less in other areas of the game.

So as the summer wears on, a return to Manchester United feels more and more likely.

Barcelona manager Xavi Hernandez said Monday there's no chance Lionel Messi returns to the La Liga club from Paris Saint-Germain ahead of the 2022-23 season.

Xavi described the idea of Messi coming back to Camp Nou one year after his departure as "impossible" at the moment because of his PSG contract, but he admitted that outlook could change in the future.

"It doesn't make sense to speak about Messi. He is the best player in the world and the best ever," Xavi told reporters. "The president has already said that he hopes Messi's story has not finished with Barcelona. We will see in the future, but it's not the moment to speak about Leo, it's the moment to talk about the exciting players we have here."

Messi was expected to remain at Barcelona last summer, and the sides even reached an agreement on a contract extension to keep him with the club, but Barca announced last August the deal couldn't be finalized because of La Liga's "regulations on player registration."

Less than a week later he joined PSG. French outlet L'Equipe reported (via AS' Andres Onrubia) that the legendary forward signed a two-year contract with an option for a third season at the Parc des Princes worth up to $129 million.

Joan Laporta returned to the role of Barcelona president in March 2021 after running a campaign heavily focused on Messi's future. He previously held the position from 2003 through 2010, the period when the Argentine superstar began to emerge as one of the best players in history.

"I am sure that if someone else wins the election [other than me], Messi won't stay at the club," Laporta said during a debate before last year's election. "I have a good relationship with him; there's a lot of respect."

His return to the presidential post wasn't enough to secure Messi's future at Camp Nou, but he told ESPN on Sunday there's still hope for a storybook ending.

"I would hope that the Messi chapter isn't over," Laporta said. "I think it's our responsibility to try to ... find a moment to fix that chapter, which is still open and hasn't closed, so it turns out like it should have, and that it has a more beautiful ending."

The 35-year-old playmaker didn't quite live up to his usual standard in his first season with PSG—his 11 goals across all competitions marked his lowest total since 2005-06—but he still compiled a productive six goals and 14 assists in 26 Ligue 1 appearances.

He'll once again help headline one of the world's most star-studded attacks this season alongside Neymar and Kylian Mbappe for the Parisians.

It sounds like Barcelona will be heavily involved if Messi decides to decline the option in his Paris Saint-Germain contract next summer, though.

Albert Masnou of Diario Sport reported on Sunday that Xavi, Messi's former Barca teammate, has asked Laporta to sign the forward back in 2023 under the belief his return would "bring a lot to the club both on an economic level and a sporting one."

All told, whether the potential return happens next summer or a little further down the line, it would be a surprise if Messi's swan song doesn't take place with Barca.