Soccer

The Bundesliga returns to action after the winter break, with Borussia Dortmund and Bayer Leverkusen promising a thrilling clash to kick off the second half of the season in Germany. The German league resumes in style today as Borussia Dortmund, Europa runners-up, host Bayer Leverkusen, the reigning German champions, in what promises to be an electrifying match to restart Bundesliga activities. Dortmund Aiming to Improve Dortmund needs to move past their inconsistent first half of the season, which left them in sixth place with 25 points, 11 points adrift of the title race. Far from being a contender to challenge Bayern Munich, the current league leaders, the “Bees” must focus on climbing the table. While catching Bayern seems like a distant goal for Dortmund, their priority is to accumulate points to leave their current Europa Conference League spot and secure one of the Bundesliga’s Champions League places. A win today could propel them to third, pending results from Frankfurt, Leipzig, and Mainz in this round. Leverkusen’s Direct Title Pursuit On the other side, Bayer Leverkusen is Bayern’s closest challenger. Sitting second in the table with 32 points, just four behind Bayern, the “Aspirins” cannot afford to drop points in the title race. They are also fighting to defend their Bundesliga crown from last season. This weekend, Bayern will face Borussia Mönchengladbach, who are eighth in the standings but in contention for European spots. While Munich are favorites, an upset could be possible. Given this, Leverkusen must secure a victory in their visit to Dortmund to avoid leaving anything to chance. The match kicks off this afternoon at 1:30 p.m. CST.

Barcelona is the first finalist of the 2025 Supercopa de España after defeating Athletic Club 2-0. The goals were scored by Gavi and Lamine Yamal. The Barcelona team became the first finalist of the 2025 Supercopa de España by defeating Athletic Club 2-0. Now, the Blaugranas are waiting to find out who their opponent in the final will be, with that decision to be made after today’s match between Real Madrid and Mallorca. Barcelona started the match strong The game at King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, began well for the Catalan side, with two dangerous chances: one from a shot by Raphinha that went over the bar and another from a free-kick by the Brazilian that was saved by the goalkeeper. It was clear that Barcelona was on the hunt for a goal. It was in the 17th minute when Gavi opened the scoring. After a through ball into the box by Pedri to Alejandro Balde, the left-back sent a cross that Gavi met, calmly tapping it in with his left foot as the ball went between the goalkeeper’s legs. Lamine Yamal scored the second At the start of the second half, Barcelona continued to pressure Athletic, which resulted in a second goal in the 52nd minute. In the midfield, Gavi assisted Lamine Yamal, who skillfully turned to control the ball, which had been slightly behind him. He then entered the box and finished with a great shot to the near post, beating the goalkeeper’s attempt to close him down. With the score at 2-0, both teams still had chances, and even Athletic managed to score, but the goal was ruled out for a previous foul. Ultimately, the final whistle confirmed Barcelona’s passage to the Supercopa de España final.

With a last-minute goal, Tottenham secured a narrow victory over Liverpool in the first leg of the Carabao Cup semifinal. The return leg is scheduled for February 6. Tottenham snatches dramatic win in Carabao Cup semifinal first leg against Liverpool Tottenham earned a hard-fought victory in the first leg of the Carabao Cup semifinal against Liverpool. With an 86th-minute goal, the Spurs took a 1-0 lead in the tie, though the game disappointed some fans who were expecting a high-scoring match like the thrilling nine-goal showdown between these teams less than a month ago, which Liverpool won 6-3. A head injury overshadowed the game’s start The match at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium began with a concerning incident. Following a corner kick that ended in a brilliant save by Alisson Becker, Rodrigo Betancur attempted a diving header. The Uruguayan launched himself toward the ball but missed, and the momentum of his dive combined with the twisting motion of his neck caused him to land hard on the pitch, with his head hitting the ground directly. Betancur remained on the field for 10 minutes as medical staff attended to him before he was stretchered off and subsequently hospitalized. Tottenham later announced that the player was stable and conscious but would undergo further medical tests to rule out any serious risks. Chances but no goals in the first half The game resumed with both Spurs and Reds creating dangerous opportunities throughout the remainder of the first half, including the 11 minutes of stoppage time added due to Betancur’s injury. Liverpool closed the half strongly, appearing on the verge of scoring. A late goal sealed the match The second half followed a similar pattern, with both teams attacking and Liverpool looking the more likely to score. However, Tottenham delivered the decisive blow in the closing minutes. After an earlier goal by Dominic Solanke was disallowed for offside in the 75th minute, the Spurs executed a brilliant four-pass sequence starting from their goal. It culminated in a Solanke assist to Lucas Bergvall, who moved into a central forward position, entered the box, and fired a near-post shot that found the back of the net in the 86th minute. You may also like: Newcastle defeats Arsenal in the first leg of the Carabao Cup semifinals With this result, Tottenham will head to Anfield for the second leg with a slight one-goal advantage. The return match is scheduled for February 6.

With goals from Valverde, Camavinga, Modric, and a brace from Arda Güler, Real Madrid cruised past Deportiva Minera to secure their spot in the Copa del Rey Round of 16. Real Madrid faced no significant challenges in this Round of 32 matchup against Deportiva Minera, a fourth-division Spanish side. The match concluded with a dominant 5-0 victory for Los Blancos, who registered 33 shots, 21 on target, compared to just four attempts and one shot on goal from their opponents. Madrid Dominates the Pitch The goals at Estadio Cartagonova came early and often. Federico Valverde opened the scoring just five minutes into the game, followed by Eduardo Camavinga’s strike in the 13th minute. Arda Güler shone with a brace, scoring in the 28th and 88th minutes, while Luka Modric added the fourth goal in the 55th minute. Notably, this match marked Modric’s first-ever goal in the Copa del Rey, a surprising milestone considering the Croatian midfielder’s more than a decade-long tenure with Real Madrid. Although Real Madrid started the match with a relatively rotated squad, stars like Kylian Mbappé and Vinícius Jr. entered the pitch during the final stages. However, their presence was not crucial, as Deportiva Minera failed to threaten Madrid throughout the match. Spanish Super Cup: Madrid’s Next Target With this emphatic victory, Real Madrid advances to the Copa del Rey Round of 16 and now shifts focus to their next challenge: the Spanish Super Cup. On Thursday, January 9, they will face Mallorca in Saudi Arabia, aiming to secure a spot in the final and claim their first title of 2025.

AC Milan Stages Comeback Against Inter to Win 3-2 in Extra Time and Claim Their Eighth Italian Super Cup, Matching Inter’s Record An electrifying Derby della Madonnina unfolded as AC Milan overcame a 2-0 deficit to secure a 3-2 victory over Inter in extra time. With this triumph, the Rossoneri were crowned champions of the Italian Super Cup, claiming their eighth title to equal Inter’s tally. Inter Took Early Control The match at Al-Awwal Park began evenly, with both teams creating chances. However, Inter’s attacking threats appeared more dangerous as they pushed into AC Milan’s territory. This pressure paid off just before halftime. In the 45+1’, a play down the left flank culminated in a cross that reached the right side of the box, where Lautaro Martínez, assisted by Mehdi Taremi, cut inside to evade a defender. With the goal in sight, the Argentine fired a low shot into the near post to give Inter a 1-0 lead. Early in the second half, at the 47th minute, a long ball from Stefan de Vrij found Taremi, who anticipated the Milan defense and went one-on-one with goalkeeper Mike Maignan. The Iranian striker’s precise finish doubled Inter’s lead to 2-0. AC Milan’s Response When it seemed like Inter was poised to dominate the remainder of the match, AC Milan found a lifeline. In the 52nd minute, Theo Hernández executed a superb free kick from the edge of the box, driving a low, powerful shot into Yann Sommer’s near post. Despite his dive, the Inter keeper couldn’t stop the ball, reducing the deficit to 2-1. Buoyed by the goal, the Rossoneri surged forward in search of an equalizer, creating clear opportunities that were thwarted by Inter’s defense and Sommer’s saves. The equalizer finally came in the 80th minute. A move initiated by Milan’s goalkeeper reached Rafael Leão, who delivered a pinpoint through ball to Theo Hernández. The Frenchman advanced to the byline and sent in a precise cross that found Christian Pulisic. The American controlled the ball near the penalty spot with his back to the goal and, in a stunning half-turn, struck a powerful, angled shot past Sommer to level the score at 2-2. Abraham’s Decisive Goal With both teams pressing for a winner, Pulisic delivered a moment of brilliance. In the dying moments of extra time, he played a perfectly weighted pass from three-quarters of the field that broke through Inter’s defensive line. Leão latched onto the ball near the left corner of the six-yard box and whipped in a cross that Tammy Abraham slotted home with ease. Inter’s defense was caught flat-footed, helpless to stop the Englishman from sealing the 3-2 victory and snatching the Super Cup trophy from their grasp. AC Milan’s Eighth Super Cup Triumph This victory marked AC Milan’s eighth Italian Super Cup title, equaling Inter’s record and avenging their 2023 final loss, where Inter had defeated them 3-0. The Rossoneri now stand alongside their city rivals at the pinnacle of Italian Super Cup success.