I have experienced racism a thousand times - Lamine Yamal

Lamine Yamal has won La Liga three times since making his Barcelona debut as a 15-year-old

Barcelona winger Lamine Yamal says he has experienced racism “a thousand times”, because people are unaware their comments or behaviour are offensive.

The Spanish Observatory on Racism and Xenophobia, a government agency, said earlier this year that the 19-year-old and Real Madrid winger Vinicius Jr were the most frequent targets of online racist abuse in Spain in the final quarter of 2025.

Lamine Yamal was among the Barca players targeted by racist abuse during El Clasico against Real Madrid at the Bernabeu in October 2024.

And in an interview with broadcaster Movistar, the winger, who helped Spain to win the World Cup in July, said he had encountered racism on a regular basis during his rise to prominence.

“A thousand times. People are indirectly racist toward you, but maybe don’t realise it,” he said.

“There are a lot of comments or looks that are racist and they don’t even notice.

He added: “If someone calls me Black, it’s not going to bother me at all, ultimately I’m Black, I’m not any other colour.

“Another thing is whether it’s good or bad, whether they’re saying it to offend me.

“But if I’m playing a match and they paid for a ticket to see me, I’m not going to get angry just because they disrespected me.”

Leicester sign ex-Preston keeper Cornell

Dai Cornell featured 23 times for Preston in his four years with the club

Leicester City have signed former Ipswich Town and Preston North End goalkeeper Dai Cornell on a one-year deal.

The 35-year-old Welshman was a free agent.

He was offered a new contract to remain with Championship club Preston but left in the summer.

Cornell has dropped into League One with the Foxes to boost their goalkeeper options after Jakub Stolarczyk suffered a season-ending knee injury in early September.

Leicester boss Russell Martin said Cornell’s value to Leicester, a side looking to make an immediate return to the Championship, will go beyond just what he can do with the gloves on.

“He understands the role he is going to fulfil here, but he also backs himself to show what a good goalkeeper he is,” Martin told BBC Radio Leicester.

“But first and foremost, he is a brilliant character and really adds to the character, voice and experience in this squad.”

Cornell said he is keen to “help in any way” he can at the Foxes.

Leicester are the 11th club Cornell has been on the books with in a career that started with Swansea City, and which has included stints with Scottish side St Mirren, as well as Portsmouth, Oldham, Northampton and Peterborough.

Former Southampton goalkeeper, and once-capped England international, Alex McCarthy has been the most used of the Foxes’ goalkeepers so far this season.

Argentine Franco Ravizzoli, a summer arrival from Blackpool, has been on the bench for Leicester since Stolarczyk was ruled out.

Moving from Newcastle to Liverpool easy decision - Isak

Alexander Isak says joining Liverpool last summer was an “easy decision”.

The Sweden striker arrived from Newcastle on transfer deadline day in September 2025 for a British record transfer fee of £125m.

“[Liverpool] is a massive club, and everything about the club made it pretty clear,” he told BBC Sport’s The Football Interview.

“And the club’s ambition and the club’s will to get me in as well. It was a big part of it.”

Isak missed pre-season last summer and trained at his former club Real Sociedad amid uncertainty around his Newcastle future, saying promises made to him there had been “broken”.

However, he struggled for goals in his first season at Anfield before a leg break ruled him out from December to April.

This season the 26-year-old has already matched last season’s tally of three Premier League goals, after only four games.

Asked if there was ever a point last season when he regretted the move, Isak replied: “No, never. I would never think like that.”

He added: “[The leg break] was tough. Anyone who had a long injury would know. But on the other hand, when you’re in a good place and when you feel good, you don’t really tend to look back because it doesn’t really benefit you.

“So I’m just looking forward and feel really optimistic and excited about the season, and what it can bring to us.”

Over the summer, Isak made his World Cup bow for Sweden after managing just 1,032 minutes for Liverpool over 22 appearances last season.

He scored once and assisted three goals for Graham Potter’s side before they were knocked out by France in the last 32.

“Playing for your country in a World Cup is a dream of most people,” said Isak.

“With the injuries last season, the World Cup was perfect. I had that period where I could play and gain rhythm and form.

“And, on top of that, it was a massive experience, so that was perfect to do and come back here for pre-season and to start the season.”

New Liverpool head coach Andoni Iraola, who replaced Arne Slot in the summer, has told Isak that he wants him to defend from the front as it is an “attacking weapon” for Liverpool.

“He asks me to be part of the defending but to defend in positions where, when we win the ball, we can counter quickly and get the ball forward to the offensive line,” said Isak.

“He said ‘score goals’, but he wants me to defend. The way we defend - we defend to score goals so defending, in the end, is an attacking weapon.”

Under Iraola, Liverpool are aiming to implement a front-foot and aggressive style of football. They have made the most sprints in the Premier League this season.

“He came with his football - the way he wants to play and the high intensity which I think will benefit me, the club and the way the club wants to play football,” added Isak.

On the style of football since Iraola joined, Isak says: “I think that’s what the team needs. It’s not just about getting the ball to me, it’s about getting the ball forward and to all of the offensive players quickly.

“I think that will benefit the team. I think if we can do that then we should score more goals.”

And Isak, who has 60 Premier League goals to his name, is determined to help bring silverware to Liverpool this year but insisted he is not someone who sets personal targets.

His most prolific Premier League season came with Newcastle in 2024-25 when he scored 23 goals.

“Everyone knows that success for this club is winning trophies,” said Isak. “I want to score every game. Everyone is different. Some like to set targets and some don’t. I’m the one that doesn’t.”

Proctor blow forces Shrewsbury to re-sign Gregory

Shrewsbury Town have re-signed goalkeeper Cameron Gregory on a short-term deal following an injury to second-choice keeper Sam Proctor.

Aston Villa youngster Proctor, 19, has “picked up a knock”, so Gregory, 26, is expected to go straight to bench duty for Saturday’s League Two local derby against Crewe Alexandra at Gresty Road.

Gregory is in his second spell at Oteley Road, having previously been part of the Shrewsbury academy as a teenager, and has also worked before with Town boss Gavin Cowan, who was also his manager at non-league Brackley Town.

“With Sam Proctor’s injury, it’s great to be able to bring someone in who is connected to the club, knows the area and, importantly, is a very good goalkeeper,” Cowan told the club website.

“I’m really pleased to welcome Cameron back to the club. He’s a very talented goalkeeper, he’s local and, had it not been for an injury, he would have already secured a move earlier in the season.”

Shrewsbury take on unbeaten Crewe looking for their first away point of the season at the fourth attempt after completing their second successive home win last week at the expense of Northampton Town.

Two more members of the American consortium trying to take over Shrewsbury - Craig Graham and Will Dotson - have received approval from the Independent Football Regulator.

Miami-based businessman Scott Davidson, who heads the consortium, had already received approval, while former USA international goalkeeper Brad Friedel is awaiting the green light.

Graham is already involved in British football as chairman of Edinburgh-based Scottish League Two club The Spartans.

New York-based financier Dotson is also expected to become a director of the reformed Salop board once long-time owner Roland Wycherley’s proposed sale of the club has gone through.

Striker Rees out with knee injury and Rijks signed

Forest Green Rovers striker Ricardo Rees is facing five to seven months on the sidelines due to a posterior cruciate ligament injury.

The 26-year-old went off in the 33rd minute of Tuesday’s 1-1 draw at Carlisle United with the injury.

The National League club have signed Bristol Rovers striker Mees Rijks on a three-month loan deal to provide cover.

The 23-year-old joined the League Two side in January and has played 15 games, including two cup appearances this season.

Rees has scored three goals in eight league games for Forest Green this season and Forest Green boss Robbie Savage said his loss was a “huge blow”.

“Five to seven months out [we’ve] lost him, so it’s a huge blow,” he told BBC Radio Gloucestershire.

“Three goals, three assists, [then] an innocuous ball on his knee. He’s ruptured a ligament in his knee so it’s going to be braced up for five months, no operation.

“It’s a huge blow for the kid. I’m devastated for him, devastated for us, but he’s a strong character, he’ll be back.”

Savage added that Rees’ absence, compounded with other injuries and the upcoming international window, means the club had no option but to bring in another loanee.

Forwards D’Mani Mellor and Kairo Mitchell, midfielder Kyle Kelly and defender Filozofe Mabete are all unavailable for the next three games after receiving international call-ups.

Centre-back Emeka Obi is set to miss the entire campaign with an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury and fellow defender Kyle Ajayi is also unavailable with injury, while forward Jose Marquez is on loan at Worthing.

“We’ve brought in a player from Bristol Rovers, Mees Rijks, 23 years of age and we’ve worked really quickly,” Savage said.

“He’s a profile of striker which we’ve not had, holds the ball up, runs channels, aggressive. We’ve got a brilliant set of forwards in D’Mani and Kairo and Ricardo but unfortunately they’re not going to be here.”