Category: Football

MALLORCA: Spanish right-back Pablo Maffeo’s early strike was enough to propel Mallorca to a 1-0 victory over Cadiz and denied them the chance to escape further from the La Liga relegation zone.

After succumbing to the second consecutive defeat, Cadiz were left in the 15th spot but are just one point clear of the 18th-placed Getafe.

Pablo Maffeo was the lone scorer of the match when he finished off Iddrisu Baba’s strong header. Cadiz goalkeeper Jeremas Ledesma made a desperate effort to block but ended up deflecting into his crossbar.

Mallorca remained 12th as Javier Aguirre’s team tightened their defence in the closing minutes to make sure of clinching the three vital points.

Cadiz are now in a bunch of struggling teams to avoid relegation as the ongoing La Liga is about to enter its final week. The 15th-placed side can be surpassed by Valladolid, Valencia and Getafe if they win their respective games this round.

Cadiz and Valladolid both have 35 points but the latter played a game less. Valencia and Getafe each have 34 points after 33 matches. Espanyol, placed second last with 31 points, while Elche has already relegated.

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LONDON: Pep Guardiola said all thoughts about Manchester City’s Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid have been banished ahead of Sunday’s Premier League trip to Everton.

Treble-chasing City hope to claim a place in the final of Europe’s elite club competition when they host Real on Wednesday after drawing 1-1 in the first leg of their last-four tie this week.

City have never won the Champions League, while Guardiola’s wait to get his hands on the trophy has now reached 12 years since he lifted it for the second time as Barcelona boss.

Despite the significance of the Real tie, the Premier League leaders cannot afford to take it easy when they travel to relegation-threatened Everton in a clash that is crucial at both ends of the table.

Any slip-up at Goodison Park would open the door again to second-placed Arsenal, who are just one point behind City, although they have played a game extra.

“My thought is just Everton — no more than that,” Guardiola said on Friday.

“It’s 11 months working for the Premier League. We don’t have much time to Madrid because we play Sunday — thank you so much — but it’s a real, real priority, Goodison Park.”

Real have an extra day’s rest before the second leg as they are in La Liga action on Saturday.

Guardiola, whose team are targeting a fifth Premier League title in six years, would have preferred to play on Saturday too but says he is beyond complaining about the schedule.

“I can’t understand it but I’m not going to fight it anymore,” said the City boss. “I don’t understand it but we have to adapt. The schedule, it is what it is.”

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TURIN: Federico Gatti headed home in the 97th minute to earn Juventus a 1-1 draw against Sevilla in their Europa League semi-final first leg on Thursday.

Youssef En-Nesyri gave the record six-time champions the lead in the first half and they seemed set to take that advantage back to Seville before Gatti’s late intervention.

Moroccan international En-Nesyri finished a sharp counter-attack in the 26th minute to break the deadlock in Turin.

Jose Luis Mendilibar’s side deserved their lead at the break and although Juventus improved, the Andalucians shut them out well in their bid to take their advantage back to the rowdy Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan next week.

However Gatti nodded home from point blank range after substitute Paul Pogba headed the ball back into his path from a corner.

“It’s a shame, given the game that we played, that they levelled in the last play of the match, but it is what it is,” said Mendilibar.

“We stopped Juventus in every moment and we played well at times too, we have to think about that, not the last moment of the game.”

Sevilla, who dumped Manchester United out in the quarter-finals, have never been knocked out of the tournament in the semi-final stage.

The Spaniards, who won the Europa League at the Juventus Stadium in 2014, made themselves at home in the first half.

The hosts should have taken the lead when Dusan Vlahovic fired over, perhaps put off by Sevilla goalkeeper Yassine Bounou’s dive at his feet.

After that Mendilibar’s side started to impose themselves, with Lucas Ocampos playing a key role.

The Argentine winger, recalled from his loan at Ajax in January, sent a shot inches wide from close range, before making amends by setting up the opening goal.

Ocampos drove forward and played a low ball across the area, which Bryan Gil left for En-Nesyri to sweep home.

The forward has been in sensational form since the World Cup, with 16 goals in 2023 across all competitions.

“On the counter-attack we were caught out because we didn’t track back and left gaps,” Juve coach Massimiliano Allegri told Sky Sport Italia.

“(We) did well to fight back and get a deserved draw which leaves everything to play for in the second leg.”

Sevilla were dealt a blow when Ocampos limped off injured shortly afterwards, but stayed on the attack. Wojciech Szczesny tipped over an Ivan Rakitic drive from distance, while En-Nesyri curled narrowly off target.

– ‘It’s a pity’ –

Massimiliano Allegri took action, sending on Federico Chiesa and young English winger Samuel Iling-Junior at half-time in search of the equaliser.

Juventus, second in Serie A but waiting on the outcome of an Italian football federation ruling on illicit transfer activity, may end up needing to qualify for next season’s Champions League through Europa League victory.

Former Chelsea youth team player Iling-Junior cut in dangerously from the left but could not find a final ball as a more composed Juventus enjoyed more control.

It was another Juventus substitution which proved crucial. Veteran defender Leonardo Bonucci, on his 500th appearance in all competitions for Juventus, was taken off with a groin injury for Gatti after an hour.

Eventually their second-half pressure paid off when Gatti scored with virtually the last touch of the game, leaving honours even ahead of the return in Seville next Thursday.

Gatti, who also struck for Juventus in the quarter-finals against Sporting, ensured the Italians remained unbeaten at home in the Europa League this season.

Sevilla players were left frustrated as the 24-year-old centre-back nodded in after the six minutes of time added on had expired, but will have to wait until next week to set things straight.

“It’s a pity, the referee let play go on and we didn’t know how to defend the move,” added Mendilibar.

“Sometimes it goes for you, sometimes against you. If we had defended well, then nothing would have happened.”

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Sergio Busquets will leave Barcelona in June at the end of his contract, the midfielder confirmed Wednesday, ending a highly successful era at the club.

“The moment has arrived to announce this is my last season at Barcelona,” said Busquets on Instagram.

“It has been an unforgettable journey.”

Busquets has won the Champions League three times with Barcelona and La Liga on eight occasions before this season, with the Catalans set to triumph again for the first time in four years.

The 34-year-old has been a key player for Barca since breaking into the first team under their former coach Pep Guardiola in 2008, making over 700 appearances to date.

He did not say where he might go next, with Spanish reports suggesting he may move to a team in Saudi Arabia.

“It has been an honour, a dream, a pride. It has been everything to be able to defend and represent this badge for so many years, but everything has a beginning and an end,” continued Busquets.

“Although it has not been an easy decision, I think the time has come.”

Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez, who played with Sergio Busquets in the team’s midfield for several years, wanted the midfielder to stay next season, but said the decision was up to him.

The veteran has long been thought to favour a move to Major League Soccer in the United States at the end of his Barcelona contract, with Inter Miami one of the teams mentioned.

However, in recent days, Sergio Busquets has been linked in Spanish media with a move to the Saudi Arabian top flight.

Former Barcelona forward Lionel Messi, a close friend of Busquets, is another player who may end up in the oil-rich kingdom after sources close to negotiations told AFP it was a “done deal” for the Argentine forward to move to the Middle East.

However, Messi’s father and agent Jorge Messi said Tuesday that the World Cup winner’s future would only be decided at the end of the season.

Sergio Busquets won the World Cup with Spain in 2010 and the European Championship in 2012, a key fixture in the national team for nearly 15 years until he retired from international duty in December.

MADRID: Kevin De Bruyne’s brilliant drive earned Manchester City a 1-1 draw at Real Madrid in a gripping Champions League semi-final first-leg battle on Tuesday.

The Belgian slammed Pep Guardiola’s visitors level after Vinicius Junior opened the scoring for the reigning champions from distance in similarly spectacular fashion.

Madrid managed to completely shackle lethal striker Erling Haaland but De Bruyne’s powerful effort left the tie on a knife edge ahead of the second leg in Manchester next week.

The record 14-time winners knocked City out at the same stage last season despite being outplayed in both games, and took the lead at the Santiago Bernabeu against the run of play.

However when Madrid found their stride in the second half, City — still chasing their first ever Champions League trophy — hit back through De Bruyne.

Madrid central defenders David Alaba and Antonio Rudiger did not give Haaland room to breathe.

“We have to see if we can attack (better), Alaba and Rudiger were so close on Erling,” Guardiola told reporters.

“It was not easy to find the spaces. We’ll try to adjust something in the second leg to be more fluid and play with a bit more rhythm.”

The visitors controlled much of the first half, with nearly 70 percent possession, but went in trailing at the break.

Thibaut Courtois fielded an early barrage of shots from De Bruyne, Rodri and Haaland, as City dominated and Madrid sat back, soaking up the pressure.

The hosts took the lead through a lethal counter-attack 10 minutes before the break, with Eduardo Camavinga surging past Bernardo Silva, tearing into space and feeding Vinicius.

The Brazilian arrowed a strike into the top left corner from almost 25 yards, past Ederson’s helpless dive. It was Madrid’s only shot in the first half, but the game’s most effective one.

“It’s normal that City have the ball, we don’t have to go mad about that,” Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said.

“After the goal we played very well, controlling the space, creating things, we played very well, I hope we can repeat it in the second leg.”

Alaba thwarted Haaland with a fine block early in the second half, as Madrid kept the Norwegian goal machine under lock and key on his first appearance against them.

Madrid did not allow him a clear sight of goal, ensuring he could not add to his 51 goals from 46 games this season across all competitions.

Rudiger, who played ahead of the suspended Eder Militao, put in one of the best performances of his Madrid career.

“He had a fantastic game, clearly we have to highlight that,” said Ancelotti.

“But everyone did, because defensively we did very well, they did not make many chances.

“They scored from outside the box … because the team had a great game on a defensive level.”

Madrid’s pressing was greatly improved after the break and they pinned City back at times, showing far more initiative than they offered at the start.

However with Los Blancos ascendent, City sucker-punched them, just as Madrid did to the Premier League leaders in the first half.

De Bruyne slammed the visitors level with a shot from the same range as Vinicius’s opener, at the same end, hammered low past Courtois.

“We started really well and then Vinicius finished cleverly,” said Guardiola.

“Then when they were better than us, we scored a goal. We go to Manchester, it will be a final.”

Ederson palmed away a Karim Benzema header and a vicious Aurelien Tchouameni effort in the final stages ensuring whoever wins next week progresses.

“At the Etihad at the moment we feel unstoppable,” warned City winger Jack Grealish.

“I really enjoyed it tonight, I loved it.”

The second leg takes place on May 17, with the winner facing Inter Milan or AC Milan in the Champions League final.

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Argentine superstar Lionel Messi, who is currently representing PSG in Ligue 1, will play in Saudi Arabia next season under a “huge” deal, a source with knowledge of the negotiations told AFP on Tuesday.

“Messi is a done deal. He will play in Saudi Arabia next season,” said the source, speaking on condition of anonymity and without naming the club.

“The contract is exceptional. It’s huge. We are just finalising some small details,” the source added.

Asked about the comments, Lionel Messi’s current club Paris Saint-Germain simply noted that he remains under contract until June 30.

A separate PSG source said: “If the club had wanted to renew his contract, it would have been done earlier.”

However, he returned to training with PSG on Monday six days after being suspended for going on an unauthorised trip.

“Leo Messi returns to training Monday morning,” tweeted the club along with a photo of the 35-year-old in action.

His return makes it likely he will feature in PSG’s home match with relegation-threatened Ajaccio next Saturday.

PSG hold the whip hand in defending their Ligue 1 title, a six-point lead over Lens with four matches remaining.

He was suspended by the Qatar-owned club after failing to turn up for training last Monday.

Instead, the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner travelled to Saudi Arabia without PSG’s permission to fulfil commitments as part of a contract with the country’s tourist office.

Messi subsequently apologised in a video posted on Instagram to his 458 million followers.

“I had organised this trip to Saudi Arabia having cancelled it previously. This time I couldn’t cancel it. I am sorry for what I did and I wait to see what the club decides to do.”

The affair has made it increasingly unlikely that Lionel Messi will remain at PSG beyond this season, when his two-year contract with the club expires.

The 35-year-old World Cup winner was suspended by Qatari-owned PSG last week for an unauthorised trip to Saudi, where he is a tourism ambassador.

Lionel Messi’s expected arrival in Saudi Arabia follows in the footsteps of his arch-rival Cristiano Ronaldo, who joined Saudi Pro League club Al Nassr in a massive deal in January.

Ronaldo’s agreement to June 2025 is said to total more than 400 million euros ($439million), making him the world’s highest-paid athlete according to Forbes.

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PARIS: Lionel Messi returned to training with Paris Saint-Germain on Monday six days after Argentina’s World Cup-winning captain was suspended for going on an unauthorised trip to Saudi Arabia.

“Leo Messi returns to training Monday morning,” tweeted the club along with a photo of the 35-year-old in action.

His return makes it likely he will feature in PSG’s home match with relegation-threatened Ajaccio next Saturday.

PSG hold the whip hand in defending their Ligue 1 title, a six point lead over Lens with four matches remaining.

He was suspended by the Qatar-owned club after failing to turn up for training last Monday.

Instead, the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner travelled to Saudi Arabia without PSG’s permission to fulfil commitments as part of a contract with the country’s tourist office.

Messi subsequently apologised in a video posted on Instagram to his 458 million followers.

“I had organised this trip to Saudi Arabia having cancelled it previously. This time I couldn’t cancel it. I am sorry for what I did and I wait to see what the club decides to do.”

The affair has made it increasingly unlikely that Messi will remain at PSG beyond this season, when his two-year contract with the club expires.

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SEVILLE: Rodrygo Goes fired Real Madrid to Copa del Rey glory with a clinical double in a 2-1 victory over Osasuna in Seville on Saturday, with Brazilian compatriot Vinicius Junior playing a part in both goals.

Carlo Ancelotti’s Madrid earned their 20th Spanish Cup at La Cartuja in their 40th final, ending a nine-year wait to lift the trophy again.

Osasuna, who have never won a major trophy, fought well but ultimately fell short against the reigning Spanish and European champions, who face Manchester City on Tuesday in the Champions League semi-finals.

Madrid have now won all six of the trophies available to them during Ancelotti’s second reign at the club, after the Italian returned in 2021.

Rodrygo fired Madrid ahead inside two minutes after Vinicius’ run down the left, and Ancelotti’s team had the better chances in the first half.

However, Lucas Torro levelled for Osasuna in the 58th minute to give them hope of an upset in their first cup final since 2005, and second ever.

Rodrygo whisked it away, firing home after a rebound fell his way following another Vinicius charge, ensuring Madrid would take the trophy back to the capital.

“They made the difference, Vini unbalanced them and Rodrygo scored the two goals,” said Ancelotti of his Brazilian wingers.

Madrid beat both Atletico Madrid and then rivals Barcelona to reach the final and Ancelotti said it was time to celebrate, but not too heavily ahead of the clash with City.

“This Copa arrived at an important moment, we came through very tricky ties, it’s a deserved prize against strong opponents,” added the coach.

“This night we will celebrate, a little bit, not too much, and then we will get back to work for Tuesday.”

Osasuna coach Jagoba Arrasate deployed midfielder Jon Moncayola at right-back to try and stop Madrid winger Vinicius.

It didn’t work. Vinicius broke in down the left in the second minute and his dangerous cut-back was missed by Fede Valverde but slammed home by Rodrygo.

The Brazilian, in sparkling form, scored the earliest Copa del Rey final goal since 2006 — a year after Osasuna finished runners-up to Real Betis.

Karim Benzema should have doubled Madrid’s lead but Sergio Herrera saved brilliantly to deny the forward after another lightning Vinicius break.

Osasuna earned a foothold in the game and came inches from equalising when on loan Barcelona winger Ez Abde broke through on goal but Dani Carvajal cleared his effort off the line.

– Vinicius in wars –

Madrid continued to push for their second goal — David Alaba struck the crossbar with a free kick and Vinicius went down in the box under pressure from Osasuna defender David Garcia.

His appeals were waved away and Vinicius clashed with Garcia, who attended the 2005 final as a childhood supporter, who ruffled his hair to annoy him further.

Vinicius was booked just before half-time for complaining, and exchanged heated words with Osasuna substitute Chimy Avila as the players walked in at half-time.

Torro drilled Osasuna level from the edge of the box when Abde’s deflected cross fell into his path.

The club’s passionate supporters celebrated wildly, including letting off a flare which needed to be extinguished, and one fan was taken away on a stretcher, although he appeared to be smiling.

Osasuna’s joy did not last long though, with Vinicius making another dangerous burst in down the left — Madrid president Florentino Perez later calling him the best in the world in his position.

Vinicius fed Toni Kroos, whose shot was blocked, but Rodrygo was in the right place at the right time to finish with aplomb and put Madrid’s name on the trophy.

“I’m really happy, we were talking about this in the week, that it was a long time since Madrid had won this competition,” Rodrygo told Spanish television broadcaster La 1.

Osasuna departed with the taste of defeat but their heads held high.

“It’s very difficult to defend against (Vinicius) and on Tuesday I am sure City will suffer too,” said coach Arrasate.

“It’s not news that Vinicius stood out, Rodrygo scored two as well, we’re talking about two of the best players in the world.

“(Madrid) are champions because they deserve this cup, but we’re proud of the team, and let’s try to do it again.”

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Lionel Messi on Friday apologised for going on an unauthorised trip to Saudi Arabia that led to Argentina’s World Cup-winning captain being suspended by his club Paris Saint-Germain (PSG).

“I want to apologise obviously to my teammates and to the club,” Messi said in a video posted on Instagram to his 458 million followers.

He was suspended by the Qatar-owned club after failing to turn up for training on Monday, a day after their 3-1 home defeat by Lorient in Ligue 1.

Instead, the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner travelled to Saudi Arabia without PSG’s permission to fulfil commitments as part of a contract with the country’s tourist office.

“I honestly thought we were going to have the day off after the match as had happened in the previous weeks,” he said.

“I had organised this trip to Saudi Arabia having cancelled it previously. This time I couldn’t cancel it. I am sorry for what I did and I wait to see what the club decides to do.”

The affair has made it increasingly unlikely that Messi will remain at PSG beyond this season, when his two-year contract with the club expires.

A source with knowledge of the disciplinary procedure told AFP that Messi would be sidelined for “several days”, and he is therefore set to play no part in PSG’s match against Troyes this weekend in Ligue 1.

Various media in France said he would be suspended for two weeks, although AFP has not been able to confirm those reports.

PSG, who are five points clear at the top of Ligue 1, will have just four more matches remaining this season following their game against Troyes.

“We will see when Leo comes back. We will see what happens. Obviously there will be discussions with the club as a whole but also with Leo because this concerns him first and foremost,” PSG coach Christophe Galtier said on Friday when asked if Messi would play for the team again.

Galtier also said that the decision to suspend the 35-year-old Lionel Messi was not his to take in the first place.

“It wasn’t my decision to take. I was informed of the decision and I defer to it,” he insisted.

PSG fans angry at the way the club has been run in recent seasons under Qatari ownership this week protested in front of their offices and even gathered outside Neymar’s home in the Paris suburb of Bougival to voice their discontent.

The club have boosted security at their training ground and at the homes of Messi and Neymar as a result.

Lionel Messi has spent less than two years at the club since his high-profile move from Barcelona.

He has scored 31 goals in 71 appearances for the French champions and won the Ligue 1 title last season.

Lionel Messi has netted 20 goals in all competitions this season and is the leading assist provider in Ligue 1, with 15.

However, his form since leading Argentina to World Cup glory in Qatar has declined along with that of most of the PSG team.

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SEVILLE: Pape Gueye scored the late winner as Sevilla piled up misery on relegation-threatened Espanyol with a 3-2 victory in La Liga at Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium on Thursday. 

Bryan Gill and Lucas Ocampos also netted for the hosts as Espanyol battled to contain the precise passing and movement of the Andalusian side.

Javi Puado took Espanyol on a 2-1 lead at halftime after Karim Rekik’s own goal opened the account for the visitors in the 22nd minute.

Sevilla, however, rebounded in the second half and levelled 2-2 in the 69th with Ocampos scoring from the penalty area.

Pape Gueye struck two minutes before time to wrap up the game and took his side three points clear of Mallorca at the 11th position in La Liga standings.

Espanyol sit in the elimination zone and only above rock-bottom Elche with 31 points from 33 matches.

Leaders Barcelona, who are 13 points ahead of second-placed Atletico, will have the chance to clinch their 27th La Liga title with a win in their next game against city rivals Espanyol on May 14.

Later on Thursday, Rayo Vallecano defeated Valladolid 2-1 to go ahead of Osasuna and on to the ninth in the standings.

Also, sixth-placed Real Betis beat 10-man Atheltic Club 1-0 and moved to 52 points thanks to Willian Jose’s early strike in the sixth minute of the game.

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