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Real Madrid squandered a two-goal lead and ended up needing extra time to salvage a game that was slipping through their fingers. What seemed like a straightforward match for Real Madrid turned into a nail-biter in the final minutes against Celta Vigo in the Round of 16 of the Copa del Rey. The Merengues came dangerously close to being eliminated and had to rely on extra time to seal the victory. Real Madrid Dominated for Most of the Match The game at the Santiago Bernabéu unfolded favorably for the home team. For 80 minutes, the Galácticos controlled the match, although early on, controversy arose in the Madrid penalty area. Williot Swedberg made a deep run into the box, with Lunin rushing out to intervene. Swedberg pushed the ball forward, and the Madrid goalkeeper made slight contact with the attacker’s foot with his glove, causing him to fall. However, neither the referee nor VAR deemed the play worthy of a penalty. Following this, Real Madrid’s dominance translated into the opening goal. Kylian Mbappé struck in the 37th minute after Dani Ceballos delivered a pass from near his own area to midfield. The Frenchman picked up the ball, drove down the left wing, entered the box, and unleashed a powerful near-post shot from a tight angle that rippled the net. In the second half, at the 48th minute, Mbappé set up Brahim Díaz from midfield. Díaz then sent a through ball to Vinícius, who connected with it near the penalty spot to score the 2-0. Madrid Collapsed in Just 10 Minutes While Real Madrid maintained control for much of the second half, even scoring another goal that was disallowed for offside, their troubles began in the 83rd minute. Celta Vigo launched an attack, and Jonathan Bamba capitalized on a cross from Pablo Durán, heading it into the net after poor defensive marking. Lunin was left rooted as the score became 2-1. Then, in stoppage time (90+1’), Marcos Alonso converted a penalty kick following a foul by Raúl Asencio on Bamba, leveling the game at 2-2. Madrid Sealed the Deal in Extra Time In extra time, Endrick came to the rescue for the hosts. In the 108th minute, he received a pass from Arda Güler at the edge of the box. The Brazilian turned masterfully and unleashed a curling shot to the far post, an unstoppable strike that made it 3-2. Shortly after, in the 112th minute, Federico Valverde scored another stunner. After receiving a deflected ball from a corner kick, the Uruguayan fired a rocket from outside the box that found the top corner, extending the lead to 4-2. Finally, in the 119th minute, chaos in Celta’s defense during a corner allowed Endrick to receive the ball in the six-yard box. Though he fumbled with it briefly, the Brazilian improvised brilliantly, finishing with a backheel while facing away from goal to net his second of the match and secure a definitive 5-2 victory. Real Madrid narrowly avoided a humiliating exit from the Copa del Rey.

Pumas have made official their second reinforcement for the Clausura 2025 tournament: Panamanian player Adalberto “Coco” Carrasquilla, who joins Alex Padilla as a new addition to the club. It has been a busy month for the Pumas of UNAM. After confirming the departure of César Huerta to Anderlecht in Belgium to fulfill his European dream, the club has found its new “Chino” to fill the gap in their attack. Pumas Bring in a Panamanian Star Adalberto “Coco” Carrasquilla, a key player for the Panamanian national team and named the best player in CONCACAF for the 2023-2024 season, is the new addition. Carrasquilla arrives from Major League Soccer in the United States, specifically from the Houston Dynamo, with whom he won the 2023 US Open Cup. Pumas announced his signing through their social media platforms, though they did not disclose the exact duration of his contract. In a press release, the club stated only that it was a “long-term” deal, and the fee paid by the team from Ciudad Universitaria (CU) for the player was not revealed either. Carrasquilla Brings European Experience The Panamanian forward has experience in European football. In 2019, he left his home country to join Spanish football, playing in the Primera Federación, equivalent to Spain’s third division, with FC Cartagena. He later helped the team secure promotion to the Segunda División. Additionally, during his time with his first club, Tauro FC from Panama City, he won the Clausura 2017 and Apertura 2018 championships. Carrasquilla, the Second Signing to Excite the Auriazules With this move, Carrasquilla becomes the second signing for the Universitarios in this winter transfer window for the Clausura 2025, which kicked off last weekend. Pumas started the tournament with a 2-1 victory against Necaxa. Carrasquilla joins Mexican goalkeeper Alex Padilla, who came from Athletic Bilbao and joined the squad in Pedregal last week but has yet to make his debut in the current competition. While Adalberto’s addition to the Pumas’ attack looks promising, time will tell if the departure of “Chino” Huerta will weigh on the team during crucial matches. On many occasions, Huerta was a key player and often went above and beyond for the team. Though “Coco” appears to have the qualities to win over the fans, it remains to be seen if he can become a decisive player on the pitch.

The former leader of Cruz Azul 🏆, Guillermo ‘Billy’ Álvarez, was captured 💀 this Thursday by agents of the Attorney General’s Office (FGR) 📚 in the south of Mexico City 🌆. The arrest of the former executive of Cooperativa La Cruz Azul ⚖️ marks a turning point in the case that has been pursuing him for several years. HE WAS A FUGITIVE FOR YEARS 💥 Since 2020, Billy Álvarez had been on the run from justice 🕵️‍♂️ after being accused of a series of financial crimes 💰, including tax fraud 📅, money laundering 💳, and organized crime 🛡️. According to official reports, his accounts contained 1.1 billion pesos 💵 without justification, which triggered an intense investigation by the authorities. ARRESTED BY THE AIC 👮‍♂️ The capture of Guillermo Álvarez Cuevas was carried out by the Criminal Investigation Agency (AIC) 🔒, in compliance with an arrest warrant issued by a judge of the Federal Criminal Justice Center 🏛️ at the Altiplano prison, in the State of Mexico 🇪🇸. HE REAPPEARED IN 2022 👀 In May 2022, the former Cruz Azul ⚽ executive reappeared in a video shared on social media 🎥, where he expressed concern about the cooperative’s situation ⚖️ and claimed he had not been able to share his side of the story. However, the investigations against him continued progressing until culminating in his arrest 🔧. DETAILS OF HIS ARREST 🕵️‍♂️ According to the report from the Ministry of Security and Citizen Protection (SSPC) 🔒, Billy Álvarez was arrested at exactly 1:06 PM ⏰. At the time, the former executive was wearing blue pants, a black sweatshirt, and black sneakers 👕. His physical description indicates that he is 1.70 meters tall, has a slim build, light complexion, and thinning gray hair 👤. REQUESTS HOUSE ARREST 👵️ According to Adrián Esparza, journalist for TUDN 📰, Billy Álvarez will request the possibility of house arrest 🏡 if he is formally charged. So far, he has not been presented before a judge ⚖️, nor has it been confirmed whether he will be transferred to a penitentiary center 🚶‍♂️. THE FUTURE OF BILLY ÁLVAREZ 🌀 With his arrest, the authorities may finally bring him to justice for the crimes he is accused of ⚖️. Meanwhile, Cooperativa La Cruz Azul continues its restructuring process 🌟 after the leadership of Billy Álvarez, who was at the helm for more than 30 years ⏳. The case is still developing, and more details about his legal status are expected to be revealed in the coming hours 📄.