Barça Extends Nico's Contract, Loans Midfielder to Valencia

Soccer Football - Champions League Quarter Final Second Leg - FC Barcelona v Manchester United - Camp Nou, Barcelona, Spain - April 16, 2019 General view of flags before the match REUTERS/Susana Vera
Soccer Football - Champions League Quarter Final Second Leg - FC Barcelona v Manchester United - Camp Nou, Barcelona, Spain - April 16, 2019 General view of flags before the match REUTERS/Susana Vera
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Barça Extends Nico's Contract, Loans Midfielder to Valencia

Soccer Football - Champions League Quarter Final Second Leg - FC Barcelona v Manchester United - Camp Nou, Barcelona, Spain - April 16, 2019 General view of flags before the match REUTERS/Susana Vera
Soccer Football - Champions League Quarter Final Second Leg - FC Barcelona v Manchester United - Camp Nou, Barcelona, Spain - April 16, 2019 General view of flags before the match REUTERS/Susana Vera

Barcelona said Saturday that Nico González has agreed to a contract extension, but that the promising midfielder will play this season on loan at Valencia as he seeks ensured playing time.

The 20-year-old Nico agreed to add two years to his contract and is now linked to Barcelona through 2026 with a new buyout clause of 1 billion euros ($1 billion).

Nico enjoyed a breakout at the start of last season under former coach Ronald Koeman, but his playing time dried up after Xavi Hernández took over as coach midway through the campaign.

Xavi said on Friday that he had wanted Nico to stay, but the player had requested a loan move so that he could play more.

Nico’s departure to Valencia leaves Xavi without the player that should be the long-term replacement for veteran holding midfielder Sergio Busquets.

Barcelona said that the one-season loan deal does not include a purchase option for Valencia.



Lando Norris Wins, Nico Hulkenberg Makes History at British GP

McLaren driver Lando Norris of Britain celebrates winning the Formula 1 British Grand Prix at the at the Silverstone Circuit racetrack, Britain, 06 July 2025.  EPA/PETER POWELL .
McLaren driver Lando Norris of Britain celebrates winning the Formula 1 British Grand Prix at the at the Silverstone Circuit racetrack, Britain, 06 July 2025. EPA/PETER POWELL .
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Lando Norris Wins, Nico Hulkenberg Makes History at British GP

McLaren driver Lando Norris of Britain celebrates winning the Formula 1 British Grand Prix at the at the Silverstone Circuit racetrack, Britain, 06 July 2025.  EPA/PETER POWELL .
McLaren driver Lando Norris of Britain celebrates winning the Formula 1 British Grand Prix at the at the Silverstone Circuit racetrack, Britain, 06 July 2025. EPA/PETER POWELL .

McLaren's Lando Norris won his first British Grand Prix -- his home-country event -- in a race that had no shortage of twists and turns.

Beginning under dry skies that soon turned rainy at Silverstone Circuit in Northamptonshire, England, the race also saw Germany's Nico Hulkenberg finish third. For the 37-year-old Kick Sauber driver, it was his first podium in 239 Formula One starts.

And the second-place finisher, McLaren's Oscar Piastri, put himself in great position when he passed polesitter Max Verstappen of Red Bull, but that all changed when Piastri was penalized 10 seconds for coming out of a safety car restart too slowly.

And for Brit Lewis Hamilton, the defending champion, it was a fourth-place finish at his home grand prix. It marked his first finish off the podium after 12 consecutive podiums at the event, with his late push falling short, Reuters reported.

Verstappen finished fifth, falling out of the top three following a spin off the course.

Norris won in one hour, 37 minutes and 15.735 seconds, finishing 6.812 seconds ahead of his Australian McLaren teammate.

Hulkenberg held off Hamilton by just over five seconds.

As expected, two of the top three finishers were overjoyed in their post-match comments -- with one not so much.

"It is beautiful. Apart from a championship, this is as good as it gets in terms of feelings," Norris said of the win in England. "Incredible race, stressful as always but the support from the fans made the difference so I have to thank them.

"The main thing is don't it up, that is rule number one. It might never happen again. Hope it does, but these are memories I'll have forever."

Hulkenberg was equally jubilant, especially since he started 19th on the grid.
"It's been a long time coming hasn't it?! What a race, coming from virtually last. ... Crazy conditions, survival mode all race. We were really on it, no mistakes," he said.

"Today, I was in denial until the last pit stop and then I heard we gapped Lewis so I thought OK, breathing space but then he was closing. The pressure was there, intense race but we didn't crack."

Piastri declined to go into details after the penalty, which he served at a pit.
"I'm not going to say much, I'll get myself in trouble," he said. "Congrats to Nico, that's the story.

"Apparently you can't brake behind the safety car anymore. I had done it for five laps before but I'm not going to say more, I'm going to get myself in trouble. I still like Silverstone even if I don't like it today."