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Real Madrid injured striker Kylian Mbappe has sparked anger among a section of the club’s supporters after a holiday in Sardinia, triggering a fresh media storm ahead of Sunday’s Clasico against Barcelona.

For many Madrid fans, the striker’s Italian getaway – during rest days granted by Real Madrid to injured players, including Mbappe, Thibaut Courtois and Arda Guler – was the final straw.

United behind a shared image showing Mbappe with a “Fuera (out)” stamp over his face – originally posted by a satirical account and reposted in the comments section of Real Madrid’s official posts – some fans are openly calling for the French superstar to leave.

An online petition has also been circulating on social networks, urging Madrid fans to “make their voices heard”. “If you believe change is necessary, do not remain silent: sign this petition and defend what you believe is best for the future of the club,” it reads.

Fuel was added to the fire by widely shared photos of Mbappe alongside actress Ester Exposito, posted on social media as Real Madrid were preparing for a crucial La Liga match against Espanyol last weekend in an effort to delay Barcelona’s title celebrations.

Real Madrid won that match 2–0, and coach Alvaro Arbeloa later insisted that “each player does what they consider appropriate in their free time” and that it was “none of my business”. However, several of his comments were perceived as indirect criticism of his leading scorer.

“We didn’t build Real Madrid with players who play in tuxedos, but with players who finish matches with shirts full of sweat and mud, through effort and sacrifice,” he said.

Madrid is “a club where, fortunately, no player has ever been, is, or ever will be bigger than Real Madrid,” added Arbeloa.

Contacted by AFP, Mbappe’s entourage said “part of the criticism is based on an over-interpretation of elements linked to a recovery period that is strictly supervised by the club”, and bears no relation to “the reality of the commitment and daily work Kylian puts in for the team”.

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The France captain, accustomed to sometimes excessive scrutiny, addressed his mindset earlier this season on The Bridge, a podcast hosted by his Real Madrid and France teammate Aurelien Tchouameni.

“I’ve reached a point where you’re going to get criticised whatever you do, so you might as well do what you want – at least then you stay true to yourself,” Mbappe said.

With 41 goals in 41 matches in all competitions this season, Mbappe remains by far Real Madrid’s leading scorer. He has nonetheless come under heavy criticism since returning from injury in mid-March, with some observers accusing him of an overly individualistic approach.

According to Spanish media, Mbappe – frustrated by a second season at Madrid without a major trophy – is becoming increasingly isolated in the dressing room, despite having established himself as a leader earlier in the campaign.

Some fans and pundits have pointed to post-match comments from fellow stars Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham after Sunday’s win as signs of a growing rift with the France captain.

“We fought and we played together. When we play like that, we are better and stronger,” Vinicius told Real Madrid TV, while Bellingham urged his teammates on Instagram to stay “together” and fully committed “until the very last whistle” of the season.

Friendly exchanges between Vinicius and Bellingham on social media – the pair won the Champions League together before Mbappe’s arrival – have further fuelled speculation of a new clash of egos within the Madrid squad.

READ: Babar Azam shares inspirational post after Peshawar Zalmi PSL triumph

Warwickshire Bears have signed Pakistan mystery spinner Usman Tariq for the forthcoming T20 Blast campaign.

The announcement was confirmed through the team’s social handles.

“Worth the wait,” the caption of the post read.

 

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A post shared by Bears (@warwickshireccc)

Following the signing, team performance director James Thomas lauded Tariq’s bowling, highlighting his skillset and strategy that pose a threat to modern-day batters.

“Usman is exactly the type of high-impact player we want to bring into Warwickshire, so we’re delighted to get this deal completed,” Bears performance director James Thomas said., external

“His skillset and tactical awareness make him a genuine threat in modern white-ball cricket, but it’s his hunger to compete and continually improve that really stands out,” he added.

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The director further said that what made the signing particularly exciting was the alignment between Warwickshire and Birmingham Phoenix.

He added that bringing Usman into the Bears for the Vitality Blast before his transition into The Hundred with the Phoenix reflected the strength of their integrated model across the club and franchise.

“What makes this signing particularly exciting is the alignment between Warwickshire and Birmingham Phoenix. Bringing Usman into the Bears for the Vitality Blast, before transitioning into The Hundred with the Phoenix, reflects the strength of our integrated model across club and franchise,”

“It allows us to create continuity for the player, maximise performance impact across both competitions, and build stronger connections with our supporters in Birmingham and Warwickshire.” Ultimately, this is about strengthening the team, the franchise, and our presence in the area, and we believe Usman can play a key role in that this summer,” he concluded.

The T20 Blast will run from May 22 to July 18. Birmingham Bears will play their opening match against Gloucestershire on Friday, May 22.

For the unversed, Usman made headlines for his unorthodox action and has played 9 T20Is for Pakistan. The 30-year-old has so far taken 18 wickets, including a hat-trick in his short career.

READ: Aryna Sabalenka issues warning over Grand Slams prize money

World number one Aryna Sabalenka said Tuesday she was ready to boycott the Grand Slam tournaments in order to have a greater share of the prize money.

“I feel like the show is on us. Without us there wouldn’t be a tournament and there wouldn’t be that entertainment,” the four-time Grand Slam winner told a press conference at the Italian Open.

“I feel like definitely we deserve to be paid more percentage.

“I think at some point we will boycott. I feel like that’s going to be the only way to fight for our rights.

“We girls can easily get together and go for this because some of the things I feel like it’s really unfair to the players. I think at some point it’s going to get to this.”

Last year almost all the leading players signed two letters to the four Grand Slam bosses demanding an increase in prize money, payments into a player welfare fund to improve retirement and maternity benefits, as well as involvement in decisions that affected them.

The letters set a target of a 22-percent share in tournament revenue, which would bring the majors in line with the nine combined 1000-level events run by the ATP men’s tour and the women’s WTA tour.

However Poland’s Iga Swiatek, a four-time French Open singles champion, believes boycotting tournaments “is a bit extreme”.

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“I think the most important thing honestly is to have proper communication and discussions with the governing bodies so we have some space to talk and maybe negotiate,” said Swiatek, who has also won Wimbledon and the US Open.

“Hopefully before Roland Garros there’s going to be an opportunity to have these type of meetings and we’ll see how they go.”

On Monday, players said in a statement that an announcement by the French Open last month of a 9.5-percent prize money rise was not good enough.

It said that last year Roland Garros generated 395 million euros ($463 mn), a 14-percent increase.

However the total purse went up by just 5.4 percent, reducing player share of revenue to 14.3 percent.

It estimated that this year’s revenues would pass 400 mn euros, leaving the player cut still below 15 percent.

READ: Babar Azam shares inspirational post after Peshawar Zalmi PSL triumph

Pakistan ace batter Babar Azam has shared an inspirational story on his social media handle following Peshawar Zalmi’s triumph in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11. 

Babar took to his Instagram handle to showcase a collage of photographs featuring young cricketers and fans.

“My motivation. If I can, you all can”, the caption of the story read.

The post comes after Peshawar Zalmi’s victory over Hyderabad Kingsmen in the PSL 11 final. Babar led his side to title glory, winning the PSL trophy for the first time as a captain. Moreover, this was Zalmi’s first trophy in nine years.

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It is worth mentioning that Babar Azam served as a ball boy during the 2007 Test series between Pakistan and South Africa at Gaddafi Stadium. His journey is a symbol of determination and hard work.  As a ball boy, the 31-year-old idolized South African batter AB de Villiers and took inspiration from him.

He also remained Pakistan U-19 captain and led Pakistan into the quarter-finals of the ICC World Cup.

Since making his debut in 2015 against Zimbabwe, Babar has become one of the top performers for the national team across all three formats.

Overall, he has played 346 matches for Pakistan, amassing 15463 runs at an average of 45, including 32 centuries and 106 fifties.  He is also on the verge of breaking the record for the most ODI centuries for Pakistan, currently tied with Saeed Anwar at 20.

READ: Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi named in PSL 11 Team of the Tournament

Iran football team have suffered a significant setback ahead of their preparations for the FIFA World Cup 2026 after winger Ali Gholizadeh was ruled out for the remainder of the season due to a serious knee injury sustained in club action.

The 30-year-old, who plays his club football for Polish side Lech Poznań, was forced off during last weekend’s league match against Motor Lublin after picking up the injury in a routine challenge.

Medical assessments later confirmed a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee, a diagnosis that has effectively ended his season and cast doubt over his availability for the World Cup build-up.

Lech Poznań have confirmed that Gholizadeh will undergo surgery in the coming days, followed by a lengthy rehabilitation process that is expected to keep him sidelined for several months.

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The injury is a major blow for Iran, particularly given Gholizadeh’s expected role on the right flank in their World Cup plans. His absence removes one of the team’s key attacking outlets at a crucial stage of preparation.

Iran’s preparations have already been under strain in recent months. Domestic football activity in the country was suspended amid regional tensions linked to broader geopolitical conflict involving the United States and Israel, limiting competitive match exposure for national team players.

As a result, training for the national side has largely been restricted to controlled sessions, including drills and occasional intra-squad matches in Tehran, rather than regular competitive fixtures. Despite these limitations, members of the squad have continued their preparations at national training camps.

READ: Santos launch internal probe after Neymar and Robinho Jr fight

Santos FC have opened an internal investigation following reports of a heated altercation between Neymar and Robinho Jr during a training session at the club’s facilities on Sunday.

According to club officials, the incident took place at the Rei Pelé Training Centre, prompting immediate disciplinary action as the situation escalated between the two players during practice.

International media reports suggest tensions rose after the 18-year-old Robinho Jr reportedly dribbled past Neymar during a drill, an action that is said to have triggered a strong reaction from the senior forward, who allegedly felt disrespected.

The exchange is claimed to have intensified quickly, with reports stating that Neymar tripped the youngster, leading to a confrontation between the pair before teammates intervened to separate them and restore order.

In an official statement, Santos confirmed they had initiated formal proceedings to examine the matter.

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“Santos Futebol Clube has become aware of an alleged physical assault committed by a player affiliated with Santos Futebol Clube against another player at the club,” and confirmed that disciplinary procedures had been initiated,” the club stated.

“Santos FC announces that, following a decision by the club’s board, an internal investigation was launched immediately after the incident to examine the episode involving the players Neymar Jr. and Robson de Souza Jr. [Robinho] during training on Sunday at the Rei Pelé Training Centre.”

Brazilian outlet GloboEsporte reported that Robinho Jr has raised several allegations, including claims of offensive language, being tripped, and even receiving what he described as a “violent slap to the face.”

The report also claims the young forward has requested a meeting with the club to discuss a possible termination of his contract, citing concerns over a “lack of minimum safety standards” within the training environment.

Representatives of Neymar have so far declined to comment on the incident. However, sources close to the player suggest he attempted to defuse the situation afterwards by reaching out to Robinho Jr and offering apologies to his family.

READ: David Warner flags Karachi Kings snub in PSL 11 Team of the Tournament

New Zealand women’s great Sophie Devine told AFP she wishes she had experienced Test cricket during her illustrious career and hopes the White Ferns will play the format again soon because it’s “the ultimate”.

Devine will end her 20-year international career at the Women’s T20 World Cup in England and Wales in June-July, alongside retiring long-standing team-mates Suzie Bates and Lea Tahuhu.

The 36-year-old is one of the world’s best all-rounders, scoring almost 8,000 runs and taking 239 wickets across ODIs and T20 internationals.

New Zealand’s women’s team, the White Ferns, last played a Test in August 2004, a drawn match against England at Scarborough.

Devine said it’s a format she “would have loved to have played”.

“It just hasn’t been a priority for New Zealand cricket,” Devine told AFP. “I’ll walk away from the game having not played one, but it’s really cool to see more countries are taking up that opportunity to play Test cricket.”

Between 2010 and 2020, just eight women’s Tests were played featuring either England, Australia, India or South Africa.

In the past five years, there have been 12 women’s Tests played between those nations, and the West Indies are to play a one-off Test against England in August 2027, their first in more than 20 years.

Devine said New Zealand would first need to prioritise longer-form cricket domestically.

“You can’t just rock up and play a four-day or five-day women’s Test, there’s obviously a lot of work that has to go into that,” Devine said.

“None of us have played multi-day cricket. Well, I have, but that was when I was in high school or playing club cricket 20 or 25 years ago. For me, it’s probably the ultimate form of the game.”

In recent years, Sophie Devine has taken time off from the game to focus on her mental health, having talked of feeling “numb” even during some of her greatest achievements.

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In speaking out, other cricketers have followed, the likes of New Zealand captain Amelia Kerr often opening up about her darkest moments.

“There certainly does seem to be a bit more acceptance with athletes sharing their stories and the mental health battles that people face,” Devine said.

“Sometimes there’s a stigma attached to mental health, especially with athletes, but hopefully I’ve been part of that acceptance and willingness to talk and share.

“Would I have liked to have not gone through it? Absolutely. But I think it’s part of who I am, and it’s helped me grow and learn and become who I am today.”

She said her personal struggles had set the tone for how she sought to lead the White Ferns at the 2024 T20 World Cup.

New Zealand turned around a run of 11 straight losses leading into the tournament to win the title.

It’s an approach continued and perhaps improved upon by the 25-year-old Kerr, who has averaged more than 70 with the bat and under 18 with the ball since taking on the captaincy.

“Maybe I should have handed over the captaincy much sooner, had I known what it would do for her game,” Devine said.

“We’re in a better place than we were in ’24. That playing XI is going to be tough to pick.”

As she heads towards her final matches wearing the white fern, Devine said she is “fortunate and grateful” to have played at the time she has.

In her early days, Devine said she would earn as little as NZ$30 (now US$18) for playing in a match, whereas in March she was bought for £210,000 (US$285,000) to play for the Welsh Fire in the women’s Hundred.

“It’s really exciting,” said Devine, who will still play franchise cricket after international retirement.

“And it’s only going to get bigger and better.”

READ: Pakistan seal comfortable win over Zimbabwe in ODI series opener

Jeremy Doku’s stoppage-time strike salvaged Manchester City a 3-3 draw at Everton, but a second-half collapse handed the destiny of the Premier League title back to Arsenal on Monday.

The Gunners now just need to win their final three games to end a 22-year wait to become the champions of England.

City remain five points adrift of Mikel Arteta’s team, with a game in hand, and will struggle to recover from the manner of their implosion at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Pep Guardiola’s side appeared to be cruising to victory when Doku opened the scoring at the end of a dominant first half.

However, an error-strewn second period was punished as Thierno Barry scored twice for the Toffees, either side of Jake O’Brien’s header.

Erling Haaland and then a sensational effort from Doku in the 97th minute did, however, rescue a point which could ultimately keep City in the race.

“It’s better than losing, it shows what type of team they are,” said Guardiola on City’s fightback. “It’s not in our hands. Before it was, now it’s not. We have games left. We will see what happens.”

Arsenal visit relegation-threatened West Ham on Sunday before hosting Burnley and visiting Crystal Palace on the final day of the campaign.

Two Arsenal victories since Manchester City last played in the league had ramped up the pressure on Guardiola’s side.

City’s first team had gone the best part of two weeks without a proper outing after Guardiola heavily rotated for last weekend’s FA Cup semi-final win over Southampton.

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The visitors looked fresh rather than rusty as Everton were penned back inside their own box for practically the entire first half.

City’s pressure finally found its reward two minutes before half-time when Rayan Cherki found Doku, who curled a shot into Jordan Pickford’s top right-hand corner.

Things could have been even worse for the Toffees before the break as Michael Keane escaped with just a yellow card for a wild lunge on Doku. That decision proved to be vital as City paid a heavy price for a series of basic defensive errors.

Twice, Guardiola’s men did not heed a warning that an Everton equaliser was coming. Gianluigi Donnarumma parried Iliman Ndiaye’s effort back into the danger area, but Merlin Rohl was not alive to the rebound.

Ndiaye then had a glorious chance after an error from Matheus Nunes, but again could not beat the giant Italian in the City goal.

When the equaliser finally arrived, Manchester City were again architects of their own downfall. Marc Guehi’s underhit passback handed Barry the simple task of slotting past the stranded Donnarumma. Another casual City mistake moments later led to Everton’s second.

This time, Abdukodir Khusanov was caught in possession by Ndiaye and bailed out by a last-ditch challenge from Guehi. But from the resulting corner, O’Brien rose highest to power home a header.

Barry prodded home a third for Everton from Rohl’s deflected cross with City all at sea from a rapid counter-attack.

Within seconds, they had a lifeline, though, as straight from kick-off, Mateo Kovacic played in Haaland to halve the arrears.

Doku delivered a dagger to Everton’s hopes of European football next season right at the death. But it may have come too little, too late to rescue City’s chances of a seventh title in nine years.

READ: Alexis Sanchez guides Sevilla out of La Liga relegation zone

SEVILLE: Alexis Sanchez made a decisive impact off the bench as Sevilla FC secured a crucial 1-0 victory over Real Sociedad in their La Liga encounter at the Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán Stadium on Monday.

With both teams chasing very different objectives, the contest carried significant weight, particularly for Sevilla, who entered the match under pressure following a difficult run of results.

Real Sociedad started the brighter of the two sides, enjoying more of the ball early on, but struggled to convert possession into meaningful chances.

Sevilla, meanwhile, looked more threatening in attacking phases before the break, although their efforts from distance failed to trouble goalkeeper Alex Remiro.

The visitors came close shortly after the restart when Orri Oskarsson delivered a dangerous ball into the box, only for Mikel Oyarzabal to narrowly miss connecting. That missed opportunity proved costly.

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Sevilla capitalised on their first clear opening soon after, with Alexis Sanchez breaking the deadlock just five minutes after coming on as a half-time substitute. The experienced forward showed composure to finish clinically and hand the hosts a vital lead.

Sevilla nearly doubled their advantage late in the game through Lucien Agoume, but the effort was ruled out following a VAR review.

The result lifts Sevilla to 17th place in the standings, moving them just above Deportivo Alaves and out of the relegation zone, with Levante UD and Real Oviedo trailing further behind.

Despite the win, the relegation battle remains tight, with only a handful of points separating teams in the lower half of the table.

The victory also marks Sevilla’s second consecutive home win, their first such run since October 2024, offering a timely boost in their survival bid.

For Real Sociedad, the defeat represents a setback in their push for European qualification. A win would have seen them climb into the top six, but instead they remain ninth, still chasing sides like Celta Vigo, Getafe and Athletic Club.

READ: Roma hammer Fiorentina to remain in Champions League hunt

ROME: A dominant performance helped Roma ease past Fiorentina 4-0 at Stadio Olimpico on Monday to move within a point of the final Champions League spot in Serie A.

Gianluca Mancini, Wesley and Mario Hermoso made all but sure of victory in a clinical opening 34 minutes in the Italian capital before Niccolo Pisilli added a fourth goal in the second half to keep up the pressure on Juventus in fourth.

Fifth-placed Roma head to Parma in 12th on Sunday, with Como in sixth travelling to relegated Hellas Verona earlier in the day and Juve on 65 points heading to Lecce on Saturday.

Napoli are second on 70 points, and AC Milan, on 67, are the other contenders for the four Champions League berths with three rounds of the season to play.

The battle for the Scudetto ended on Sunday after Inter Milan beat Parma 2-0 to claim their third league crown in six seasons.

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Gian Piero Gasperini’s Roma were without Morocco midfielder Neil El Aynaoui due to suspension, with Frenchman Manu Kone taking his place from the victory over Bologna on April 25.

After just 13 minutes, the hosts led as club captain Mancini opened the scoring from a Pisilli header. Brazil winger Wesley doubled the Romans’ lead four minutes later with a first-time shot.

The game was then over as a contest nine minutes before the break as Kone set up Spain left-back Hermoso.

Just before the hour mark, Italy midfielder Pisilli scored his first goal since February, rubbing salt into La Viola’s wounds.

Earlier, Dutch attacker Tijjani Noslin scored a 92nd-minute winner as Lazio edged Cremonese 2-1, as Jamie Vardy’s side remain four points from safety.

READ: IPL 2026: Vintage Rohit Sharma keeps Mumbai Indians hopes alive