Soccer

The wait is over, today we will have the first “Clasico” of Spain that will decide nothing more and nothing less than the champion of the Supercopa de España, the first trophy of the year that Real Madrid and Barcelona can win. The match will be played at the King Abdullah Sport City in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, at 1 p.m. CET. It should be noted that both Carlo Ancelotti and Hansi Flick will have their best players for this match, highlighting on the part of Barcelona that Dani Olmo and Pau Víctor will be available for the German coach’s choice, this after resolving the problem that the club had with their registrations. Also, superstitions come into play, as since 2011, no Spanish Super Cup champion has repeated its epic, so Real Madrid, reigning champions, will have to go against that unwritten rule and try to achieve what justly Barcelona was able to do 14 years ago, when they were crowned champions for the third consecutive time in the Super Cup. Cover image: X (@FCBarcelona)

Aston Villa came from 0-1 down to win 2-1 in the FA Cup against West Ham. The goals of the “Villans” were scored by Onana and Rogers. In the third round of the FA Cup, Aston Villa came from behind against Wets Ham in just five minutes, thus, in a duel between two Premier League teams, the “Villans” reaffirmed their good moment, while the West Ham team continues to sink in bad results. West Ham took the lead The game at Villa Park started very well for the “Hammers”, having a chance to score a goal, and this was achieved after only 9 minutes of play, when West Ham started a play from their own half of the field, until they set up Crysencio Summerville on the right flank, who crossed to the penalty spot, where Lucas Paquetá ended up shooting with his left foot to the near post, leaving the goalkeeper on the turf, on his way to the right post. For the rest of the first half, West Ham kept attacking, looking for a second goal that could not materialize. In the second half, Aston Villa came from behind In the second half, Aston Villa went forward, trying to tie the game with an insistent attack that put the Hammers’ lower half in trouble. But it was not until the 71st minute when Amadou Onana pushed the ball into the back of the net from a corner kick that originated a shot stopped by the goalkeeper and a rebound on the leg of a defender, where Onana stretched his leg to tie the game. Five minutes later, at 76′, the home team put together a good attacking play that ended with Ollie Watkins’ overflow into the area, who crossed to Morgan Rogers, who anticipated the defense and got his right foot out to connect with the ball and put it in the direction of the goal, to turn the game around and finally win 2-1. It should be noted that, in this match, Aston Villa wore a commemorative uniform, with a retro style, leaving the traditional wine and blue and sky blue to wear an all-black shirt.

With a brace from Patrick Schick and a goal from Nathan Tella, Bayer Leverkusen triumphed over Borussia Dortmund in a thrilling 3-2 encounter. Jamie Gittens’ strike and Serhou Guirassy’s penalty for Dortmund weren’t enough to prevent the visitors from taking all three points. This win moves Leverkusen temporarily within a single point of Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich, with 35 points. However, Bayern still has a game in hand, leaving the title race wide open. A Frenetic Start Fans at Signal Iduna Park barely had time to settle before Leverkusen struck their first goal—just 25 seconds into the match. The ball reached Dortmund’s defensive corner, where a clearance landed at three-quarters of the pitch. Edmond Tapsoba headed the ball back forward, and Robert Andrich flicked it to Nathan Tella. Without hesitation, Tella unleashed a first-time rocket that flew into the near post, beating the goalkeeper’s dive. Just seven minutes later, Leverkusen doubled their lead. Tapsoba delivered a long pass down the left flank to Piero Hincapié, who carried the ball to the end line and delivered a cross into the box. Patrick Schick slid in at the far post to connect and send the ball into the net, making it 2-0. Dortmund responded swiftly, finding the net four minutes later in the 12th minute. Yan Couto gained possession near the right sideline, dribbled toward the edge of the box, and delivered a cross that deflected off a defender. The ball bounced to the far post, where Jamie Gittens volleyed it home to bring the score to 2-1. Leverkusen struck again in the 19th minute. A fluid buildup from their own half culminated in Jeremie Frimpong sending a precise cross from the right side of the box. Schick, in a near replica of his first goal but from the opposite side, slid in to meet the ball and scored his second of the match, restoring Leverkusen’s two-goal cushion at 3-1. A Late Penalty Couldn’t Save Dortmund In the second half, Dortmund was awarded a penalty in the 75th minute. Julien Duranville broke into the box with a deft chip over two defenders, drawing a foul as Leverkusen’s defenders leaned into him. After a VAR review, the referee pointed to the spot. Serhou Guirassy stepped up in the 79th minute and confidently converted the penalty, narrowing the gap to 3-2. Unfortunately for the home side, Dortmund couldn’t muster another goal in the closing stages, and Leverkusen held on for the win.

Al-Nassr came from behind to defeat Al-Okhdood 3-1, with a brace from Sadio Mané and a penalty goal from Cristiano Ronaldo. The Portuguese star’s strike marked the 917th goal of his professional career, bringing him closer to the historic milestone of 1,000 career goals. Al-Nassr Started on the Back Foot The match at Al-Awwal Park got off to a rough start for the home team. A poorly cleared cross left the ball in a dangerous position in the box, allowing Al-Okhdood striker Saviour Godwin to capitalize with a close-range finish to make it 0-1. Mané’s Brace and Ronaldo’s Contribution Al-Nassr regained control in the 29th minute. Otávio delivered a precise cross that Sultan Al-Ghannam headed towards goal. After the goalkeeper deflected the shot and the ball struck the post, Sadio Mané was perfectly positioned to tap it in and level the score at 1-1. In the 42nd minute, Cristiano Ronaldo stepped up to take a penalty after Mané was pushed from behind in the box. The Portuguese superstar calmly converted, sending the goalkeeper the wrong way and putting Al-Nassr ahead 2-1 with his 917th career goal. The victory was sealed in the 88th minute when Al-Ghannam delivered another excellent cross from the right. Mané anticipated the defense and scored with a powerful header, completing his brace and securing the 3-1 win for Al-Nassr.

Real Madrid secured a spot in the Supercopa de España final with a commanding 3-0 victory over Mallorca, setting up a rematch with Barcelona, the same final as last year, when Madrid claimed the championship. The much-anticipated showdown in the Supercopa de España was confirmed following Real Madrid’s dominant performance against Mallorca. With a final score of 3-0, Madrid advanced to face Barcelona, who earned their place in the final on Wednesday after defeating Athletic Club 2-0. Real Madrid Overpowers Mallorca The match at King Abdullah Sports City in Saudi Arabia began with high energy from both teams. The Galácticos created the early chances, while Mallorca responded with dangerous opportunities of their own as the first half came to a close. However, it wasn’t until the second half that Madrid broke the deadlock. In the 63rd minute, the Merengues regained possession near midfield and strung together a series of quick passes. The play ended with Vinícius delivering a cross to Rodrygo, who headed the ball off the post. The rebound fell to Mbappé, whose shot was saved by the keeper, but the ball then landed at Jude Bellingham’s feet. Amid a crowded box, Bellingham slotted the ball through the legs of the defenders and goalkeeper to make it 1-0. The game remained tight until injury time when Madrid scored twice more. In the 90+2’ minute, Brahim Díaz sent a through ball to Mbappé, prompting defender Martin Valjent to attempt a sliding clearance. Unfortunately for Valjent, his touch redirected the ball into his own net, doubling Madrid’s lead with an own goal. Finally, in the 90+5’ minute, Lucas Vázquez delivered a pinpoint cross that bypassed the Mallorca defense. Rodrygo rose to meet the ball and fired a header past the goalkeeper to seal the 3-0 victory and Madrid’s place in the final. An Unmissable Final This Sunday, Real Madrid and Barcelona will clash in another edition of El Clásico. The Blaugranas are aiming for their 15th Supercopa title to extend their record as the most successful team in the tournament. Meanwhile, Los Blancos will be looking to equal their arch-rival’s tally, as they currently sit with 13 titles. You may be interested in: Barcelona advances to the Supercopa de España final  In recent encounters, Barcelona thrashed Madrid 4-0 in LaLiga, but Madrid are the reigning Supercopa champions, having defeated Barça 4-1 in last year’s final. With both teams hungry for victory, this showdown promises to be a spectacular match.

According to French outlet L’Équipe, Didier Deschamps will not renew his contract as France’s head coach following the 2026 World Cup, a position he has held since 2012. The 56-year-old coach led France to victory in the 2018 World Cup and a runner-up finish in 2022. He also claimed the UEFA Nations League title in 2021. As a player and captain, Deschamps lifted the World Cup trophy in 1998. By 2026, he will have served 14 years as France’s manager, making him one of the longest-tenured European national team coaches. Alongside his successes, Deschamps also experienced a Euro 2016 final defeat to Portugal.   You may also like: Tottenham extends Heung-Min Son’s contract until 2026 Cover image: X(@FFF) 

Heung-Min Son has extended his contract with Tottenham Hotspur through the summer of 2026. In a statement on social media, Tottenham expressed their excitement over Son’s renewal, ensuring his tenure with the English club will exceed a decade. The 32-year-old South Korean joined Tottenham in 2015 from Bayer Leverkusen and has played 431 matches, ranking as the club’s 11th most-capped player. With 169 goals, he is also Tottenham’s fourth all-time top scorer. Since his arrival, Son has earned the admiration of fans with his goals and dedication on the pitch, which led to his appointment as club captain in August 2023.   You may also like: Newcastle defeats Arsenal in the first leg of the Carabao Cup semifinals Cover image: X(@SpursOfficial)