Karim Benzema discussed his playing style in a recent interview with GQ.

"I play football for people who like football. I'm always working for people to enjoy my football. I'm a modern strike who likes to score goals, of course, but also to give assists and help the team," said Benzema.

The striker added that he will remain in the game after he retires as a player.

"I always see myself in football. I always want to be close to football, maybe as a coach. Why not? I like football a lot and I see it differently, it would be good to pass on to young people what skills I have in my head."

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said that Manchester City players don't get yellow cards because they foul opponents high up the pitch.

“You don’t get the yellow cards [there], do you? But that’s just because they commit so many players forward and you can clearly see that they’ve got them in that mould of trying to win the ball back, and they do make fouls,” said Solskjaer.

Pep Guardiola disagreed with Solskjaer, saying he's never told his players to foul. 

“I know exactly what I said to my players from day one to the last day, so when a player wants to attack, we have to be honest and of course there is contact, there are fouls. But when it happens and you arrive late – that is why there are referees, to make yellow cards or red cards or whatever they decide. But never have I prepared a game to do this. We want to do our game – sometimes it’s not possible. With an average of 65% or 70% with the ball, how do you do that [make many fouls]? I’m concerned about many other things about the game – about how to beat them more than this. Maybe in the press conference after the game you can ask him again about that.”

Pep Guardiola measured the growth of Manchester City by their success at Old Trafford. City have lost just once in 7 matches at Old Trafford since February 2011.

“The reason why is the fact this club in the last decade grew a lot and it is not scary to go there. Before it was maybe more difficult. The players Manchester City had in the last decade have made this game a little bit more equal," said Guardiola.

Guardiola gave a word of encouragement for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer after United have lost 6 out of their last 8 matches.

“In our world, our position [as managers], I am close to Solskjær. We feel alone and that is why I understand completely his position. It happens to all the managers around the world. That is the reality. I understand him perfectly. I support him.”

Adidas and Real Madrid have reached a jersey deal worth $1.8 billion over the next 12 years. 

Real Madrid stand to earn as much as $135 million per season. 

Adidas will also have their own space in the Santiago Bernabeu, which is expected to be the brand's largest shop in the world.

Pep Guardiola reiterated that Manchester City were still in the driver's seat in winning the Premier League. 

"The title is still in our hands," said Guardiola.

Both Liverpool and City have 4 games remaining on the season.

Guardiola praised Jurgen Klopp's side as one of the best teams he's ever seen.

"Every day with this club and these players - it doesn't matter what happens next - we'll fight until the end. We'll see how far we get. We are fighting with the best Liverpool ever, one of the best teams I've seen in my life."

MLS intends to eventually expand to 30 teams, with teams 29 and 30 requiring a $200 million expansion fee. St. Louis and Sacramento are being eyed towards teams 28 and 29.

MLS currently has 24 teams, with Nashville, Austin, and Miami set to join.

"In the last 10 years we've been experiencing unprecedented growth for a major league in North America. Expansion has been a key driver of that growth, and it really is a great measure of the enormous enthusiasm and the commitment that our fans have in markets both new and old to support our league and our players and to see the sport grow," said MLS commissioner Don Garber.

Pep Guardiola publicly questioned how much supporters of Manchester City care about the Champions League.

City is down 1-0 going into the second leg of their tie against Tottenham Hotspur in the quarterfinals of the Champions League.

“I want to see that they want to get to the semifinals, not just the players, the fans too," said Guardiola. "I want to see that. If tomorrow night they don’t help us [then] – do it for the guys, they are so proud. We need them in our bad moments, at this stage we cannot go through. I’m really curious how our fans will be.”

Guardiola has had a disappointing track record in the Champions League since leaving Barcelona.

“I know people say I came here to win the Champions League. I didn’t come here to win the Champions League, honestly. I came here to play with my team the way we are playing the last 20 months, that is what I came here [for], to play the way I want to play.

“And of course I want the Champions League – I know in Bayern Munich, a big club, after three seasons winning absolutely everything, the Champions League was a big failure.

“What can I say? I accept that. I have to live with that but it’s not a big problem, it pushes me better. I understand the others are better too, in this competition. They are better too. A lot of big, big clubs are not in the later stages either.”

Sofiane Boufal leads La Liga with the most successful dribbles this season.

Boufal has successfully competed 131 dribbles, with Messi in second place with 117.

Boufal, who is currently on loan at Celta Vigo from Southampton, has only scored 2 goals this season.

Puma will be the official provider of match day balls for the 2019/20 La Liga season.

"The ball is the most essential element in football and this sponsorship is the epitome of performance," said Johan Adamsson, PUMA's director of sports marketing.

Nike had been the official match ball since the 1996/97 season. 

"It is an honor for a historical sports brand like PUMA, that dresses great teams, important sportsmen and recognised artists, to want to associate with LaLiga, the best football national league in the world, and contribute all its technical quality to our ball, which is such an important element of our competition," added LaLiga's marketing and commercial director Juan Carlos Diaz.

Diego Costa received a 8 match suspension for his behavior while getting a red card during Atletico Madrid's 2-0 loss to Barcelona.

Costa reportedly insulted the referee's mother, although Costa claims that the ref misheard his insult. Costa received a 4 match ban for the verbal confrontation and another 4 matches for grabbing the referee's arm.

Atleti have 10 days to appeal the ban.

The club were also fined $6700, with Costa receiving a $3100 fine.