Sports
La Liga round-up: Real Madrid beaten 4-1 by Valencia
- Carlos Soler scores hat-trick of penalties
Zinedine Zidane’s Real Madrid side suffer defeat in the absence of coronavirus-infected Eden Hazard and Casemiro; Real Sociedad beat a nearly unrecognisable Granada side 2-0
Karim Benzema put Madrid ahead with a scorching strike from outside the area only for Valencia to pull level eventually with the first of Soler’s three penalties after a most unusual turn of events.
Soler saw his spot-kick saved by Thibaut Courtois and then hit the post on the rebound, while team-mate Yunus Musah netted the loose ball, only to see the goal ruled out after a VAR review showed him encroaching in the area.
A re-take was ordered and Soler made no mistake at the second attempt.
Valencia took the lead before half-time through a freak own goal from Raphael Varane, who unwittingly sent the ball flying over his head and just over the line, the goal being awarded several minutes later following another VAR review.
Valencia’s teenage forward Lee Kang-in almost struck a third early in the second period but Courtois turned his shot onto the post.
The home side kept up the momentum though and won two further penalties, for a foul by Marcelo on Maxi Gomez then a handball by Sergio Ramos.
Soler converted each time, becoming only the third player in the history of La Liga to score three penalties in a single match.
Five in a row for Real Sociedad
Real Sociedad's players beat virus-depleted Granada
Real Sociedad’s players beat virus-depleted Granada
Earlier, Real Sociedad beat a nearly unrecognisable Granada side 2-0 to return to the top of La Liga.
The visitors’ attempt to get the game postponed due to a spate of coronavirus cases was turned down by authorities, meaning they were forced to make nine changes from last week’s 1-1 draw with Levante and started with five players aged 20 or under.
Granada’s makeshift side made a bright start but Sociedad took the lead midway through the first half through left-back Nacho Monreal, before a Mikel Oyarzabal penalty five minutes later doubled their advantage.
Brazilian forward Willian Jose had a spot-kick saved by Granada’s 18-year-old ‘keeper Angel Jimenez in the second half and Sociedad ended the game with 10 men as defender Robin Le Normand was shown a straight red card in the 86th minute.
Granada earned a penalty in added time but Darwin Machis was denied by an excellent save from Alex Remiro and the Basques celebrated a fifth consecutive La Liga victory.
Other La Liga results:
Getafe 1-3 Villarreal
Levante 1-1 Alaves
Valladolid 2-1 Athletic Bilbao
Sports
UCL Roundup: Arsenal, Bayern triumph as Man City let 3-0 lead slip
UCL Roundup: Arsenal, Bayern triumph as Man City let 3-0 lead slip
Arsenal and Bayern Munich celebrated victories in the UEFA Champions League, while Manchester City stunned fans by surrendering a three-goal lead to draw.
Arsenal roared back to form with a dominant 5-1 win against Sporting at Estadio Jose Alvalade. Gabriel Martinelli, Kai Havertz, Gabriel Magalhães, Bukayo Saka, and Leandro Trossard scored for the Gunners, overpowering Gonçalo Inácio’s lone goal for the hosts.
The victory propels Arsenal to seventh in the Champions League standings, level on 10 points with Sporting, who sit just behind.
Bayern Munich kept their top-eight hopes alive in Germany with a narrow 1-0 victory against Paris Saint-Germain. Kim Min-jae’s decisive strike just before halftime sealed the win, leaving PSG winless in the competition since September.
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At the Etihad, Manchester City threw away a 3-0 lead to draw 3-3 with Feyenoord, extending their poor run. Early goals from Erling Haaland (2) and Ilkay Gundogan seemed to put City in control. However, Feyenoord fought back through Anis Hadj Moussa, Santiago Giménez, and David Hancko to earn a stunning point.
City, now winless in six matches across all competitions, sit 15th in the Champions League table with just seven points from five games. They face a critical Premier League clash against Liverpool on Sunday.
Tuesday’s action saw Barcelona dismantle Brest 5-0, Atalanta crush Young Boys 6-1, and Inter Milan edge RB Leipzig 1-0.
Bayer Leverkusen demolished RB Salzburg 5-0, Atletico Madrid routed Sparta Prague 6-0, and AC Milan secured a hard-fought 3-2 win against Slovan.
This Champions League round delivered plenty of drama, surprises, and standout performances as teams battle for progression.
UCL Roundup: Arsenal, Bayern triumph as Man City let 3-0 lead slip
Sports
French football star, Paul Pogba’s blackmail trial begin in Paris
French football star, Paul Pogba’s blackmail trial begin in Paris
Six men linked to Juventus and France midfielder Paul Pogba go on trial Tuesday, accused of blackmail, attempted extortion of millions of euros and holding the player at gunpoint.
The case at the Paris criminal court has shocked the French football world because the alleged perpetrators include three childhood friends and Pogba’s own brother Mathias.
Tuesday’s trial comes on top of football woes for Pogba, whose career has struggled since France’s 2018 World Cup win when he scored against Croatia in the Moscow final.
He suffered repeated injuries that led to his 2022 departure from Manchester United, returning to Juventus where he remained in and out of treatment.
The Turin club this month cancelled his contract following his suspension until March 2025 for doping.
The six defendants in Paris are accused of attempting to squeeze 13 million euros ($13.5 million) out of Pogba.
His brother, Mathias was the one to go public in the case, publishing a video on social media in August 2022 promising revelations about his younger brother that were “likely to be explosive”.
In a subsequent clip, Mathias accused Paul Pogba of casting an evil spell on his France teammate, Kylian Mbappe.
Paul Pogba’s lawyers and his agent Rafaela Pimenta said in a statement later the videos “came on top of threats and attempts at extortion”.
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He had already filed criminal complaints in Italy and France in July that year.
Pogba told French investigators he had in March 2022 been “tricked by childhood friends” from the gritty Paris suburb where he and Mathias grew up.
He accused them of snatching him before he was held at gunpoint by two hooded men with assault rifles, demanding 13 million euros for “services rendered” and blaming him for not helping them financially.
Pogba said at the time that he had paid them only 100,000 euros.
The footballer said he had also been pressured at the France national team’s training centre in Clairefontaine, at one of his homes in Manchester, and at Juventus’ training ground.
Pogba added that he had also paid a bill of more than 57,000 euros that the same friends had racked up at the Adidas store on Paris’ glitzy Champs-Elysees avenue.
“It’s been really difficult for me off the pitch, what’s happened, it’s been especially hard mentally,” Pogba told broadcaster Al-Jazeera at the end of the last season.
“Money changes people, it’s the truth, it can destroy a family, start a war”.
Paul Pogba’s lawyer Pierre-Jean Douvier declined to comment ahead of the case when contacted by AFP.
His friends have all denied the allegations.
They had “a friendly relationship, with chats, joking around, and alongside that, yes, maybe Paul Pogba gave them a helping hand,” said Karim Morand-Lahouazi, a lawyer for one of the accused.
French football star, Paul Pogba’s blackmail trial begin in Paris
Sports
Ronaldo’s brace propels Al Nassr toward AFC champions league quarters
Ronaldo’s brace propels Al Nassr toward AFC champions league quarters
Cristiano Ronaldo delivered a stellar performance for Al Nassr, scoring twice in their 3-1 victory over Al Gharafa in Qatar.
The win, secured at Al Bayt Stadium on Monday, leaves the Saudi champions needing only three points from their final three group matches to reach the AFC Champions League quarterfinals.
The 39-year-old faced initial frustration after several missed chances in the first half. However, Ronaldo broke the deadlock just 50 seconds into the second half, heading home Sultan Al Ghannam’s pinpoint cross from close range.
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Angelo Gabriel, a summer signing from Chelsea, doubled Al Nassr’s lead in the 58th minute. Moments later, the Brazilian setup Ronaldo for his second goal of the night, bringing his tally to four in this season’s competition. The Portuguese star was substituted in the 74th minute after his decisive contributions.
Al Gharafa pulled one back through Joselu, Ronaldo’s former Real Madrid teammate. However, their hopes of a comeback were dashed when Seydou Sano received a second yellow card and was sent off in the 84th minute.
The victory ensures Al Nassr remains unbeaten in five matches in the Western zone of the draw. They now sit second in the 12-team standings, inching closer to a coveted spot in the tournament’s last eight.
Ronaldo’s performance reaffirms his status as a key player, driving Al Nassr’s aspirations in the rebranded AFC Champions League.
Ronaldo’s brace propels Al Nassr toward AFC champions league quarters
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