'Vinicius is victim': Ancelotti blasts Spanish league's 'problem' with racism

BARCELONA, Spain -- Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said Spanish football had a racism problem and needed to be prepared to halt matches, after Vinicius Junior was again the target of abuse during a 1-0 defeat at Valencia in La Liga on Sunday.

"The Spanish league has a problem, and Vinicius is not the problem. Vinicius is the victim. There's a very serious problem," Ancelotti said, adding that Vinicius was "sad, not angry" after the incidents at Mestalla.

Midway through the second half, play was delayed for several minutes after Vinicius appeared to be racially abused by a Valencia supporter.

The Brazilian forward stood in front of the fans behind the goal and pointed to one, with team-mate Eder Militao by his side.

Vinicius was later sent off in added time at the end of the game for hitting Hugo Duro during a brawl, with Valencia triumphing through Diego Lopez's first-half goal.

"The fact I thought about taking him off because of the racist atmosphere does not seem good to me," Ancelotti told reporters.

"What has happened today has happened before, but not like that, it's unacceptable."

Vinicius has been racially abused at several stadiums this season in Spain and an effigy of him was hung from a bridge in the Spanish capital by Atletico Madrid fans.

La Liga have filed legal complaints to Spanish authorities on multiple occasions this season, with the league pledging on Sunday to do so again after investigating.

However Ancelotti said it was not helping.

"What has happened? Reports, and nothing at all has come from it. The solution is to stop the game," continued the coach.

"I am very sad, this has never happened to me -- I've never had to take off a player because of insults.

"He's a kid, he likes playing football, but in these conditions it's very complicated."

Vinicius took to Instagram after the defeat.

"The prize for the racists today is that they have sent me off. It's not football, it's La Liga," wrote the 22-year-old.

The attacker said Spain was viewed as "a country of racists" in his homeland Brazil.

"The league that once belonged to Ronaldinho, Ronaldo, Cristiano (Ronaldo) and (Leo) Messi, now belongs to racists," added Vinicius.

La Liga said in a statement that they were investigating the incident and would take legal action if a hate crime had been committed.

The Spanish top flight said they have been "proactive" in previous cases of racism against Vinicius, filing nine complaints with relevant authorities and prosecutors.

After Vinicius' stand off with Valencia supporters, referee Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea spoke to stadium officials, who made an announcement calling for racist insults to stop before play resumed around 10 minutes later.

In his post-match report, the referee wrote that a fan shouted "monkey, monkey" at the player.

- 'Lack of respect' -

"There's a lack of respect for Vinicius shown continuously at almost every stadium in Spain," Madrid midfielder Dani Ceballos told Movistar.

Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois said he heard some "monkey noises" after around 20 minutes and said he would have walked off with Vinicius if the Brazilian chose to stop playing.

"If Vini wants to keep playing, we keep playing, but if Vini says he's not playing any more, I'm leaving the pitch with him, because we cannot tolerate these things," Courtois told Movistar.

Players from both sides ended up in a brawl in stoppage time which ended with a red card for Vinicius for lashing out at Duro with his arm, although the Valencia forward was pictured with his arm around the Brazilian's neck.

Vinicius left the pitch making a gesture with his hands indicating Valencia were heading down to Spain's second division.

Valencia had taken the lead in the 33rd minute when Lopez escaped Ferland Mendy and tucked home at the back post.

Valencia rose to 15th with the win, five points clear of the relegation zone, sparking huge celebrations at full-time, with the team almost safe.

Diego Simeone's Atletico Madrid overtook Real by a point with a 3-0 win against Osasuna earlier on.

Simeone said Sunday his Atletico Madrid team were almost pronounced "dead" last November but was proud of how they have bounced back strongly in 2023.

Dumped out of Europe and fifth in La Liga at the break for the World Cup in November, Atletico came back far stronger in the second half of the season.

Sevilla and Real Betis shared a hard-fought 0-0 derby draw.

Agence France-Presse

Football: Barca snatch Clasico win over Madrid to strike title blow

BARCELONA, Spain -- Barcelona snatched a 2-1 Clasico win over Real Madrid with Franck Kessie's late goal Sunday to move 12 points clear at the top of La Liga.

The victory dents Madrid's ambitions of retaining the title and leaves the Catalans close to lifting the trophy for the first time since 2019.

Carlo Ancelotti's Real took the lead through a Ronald Araujo own goal but Barcelona pulled level when Sergi Roberto tucked home just before half-time.

Both sides had chances to win the game and Marco Asensio struck for Madrid, but the goal was ruled offside by VAR, before Alejandro Balde set up Kessie in the 92nd minute.

"We came from a Marco Asensio goal that we didn't know was offside and from losing, we scored Franck's goal, and the truth is it tastes a bit better, winning like that in the last minute," Sergi Roberto told Movistar.

"There are a lot of games left and you can never give Madrid up for dead. 12 points is a tricky distance to have to go, but it's up to us, and that is good."

The build-up to the match was overshadowed by Barcelona's corruption charge in the "Caso Negreira" refereeing scandal.

Madrid joined Spanish prosecutors' complaint against Barcelona last week and their president Florentino Perez snubbed the game for the first time in over 20 years, amid rising tensions between the two Spanish giants.

That fed the match's intensity, both on and off the pitch, in Xavi's sixth Clasico as Barcelona coach but only his first at Camp Nou.

Xavi asked fans to make the stadium a pressure cooker and they responded, selling it out, whistling Madrid in possession and conjuring one of the best atmospheres of the season.

Madrid did not manage a single shot on target in their Copa del Rey semi-final first leg defeat by Barcelona earlier in March, but Karim Benzema stung Marc-Andre ter Stegen's palms inside the first minute.

Robert Lewandowski responded at the other end by testing Thibaut Courtois as the veteran marksmen exchanged shots.

When Barcelona conceded the opening goal of the game, it was friendly fire. Araujo deflected Vinicius' cross in at the near post, with Ter Stegen helpless.

Araujo, playing at right-back to counteract the Brazilian, has enjoyed his duels with Vinicius in the past but this time the winger triumphed, albeit fortuitously. Barcelona supporters became enraged by his emphatic celebration in front of them.

It was the first goal from open play Barcelona have conceded at Camp Nou in La Liga all season long, and only the second strike at home and ninth overall.

- Comeback charge -

Barcelona complained defender Nacho, already booked, should have been sent off for a hand-off on Raphinha.

The hosts did not get their wish, but were building up steam and found the breakthrough just before half-time, from an unlikely source.

Selected in place of injured midfielder Pedri, Sergi Roberto was in the right place at the right time to control a loose ball in the box and arc it beyond Courtois.

Barcelona had significantly more possession than in their cup win over Madrid and significantly more chances.

Lewandowski sent a deflected piledriver narrowly wide as Madrid wobbled, prompting Carlo Ancelotti to roll the dice and bring on Rodrygo and Ferland Mendy.

It almost paid instant dividends as Madrid robbed Sergio Busquets and Rodrygo lashed inches over the bar.

Madrid substitute Asensio fired home what might have been the winner but the goal was ruled out for offside after a nervy wait for VAR instruction.

Barcelona seemed content with the draw but Kessie's last-gasp strike sparked wild celebrations at Camp Nou.

Asked if Madrid's hopes of defending the title were over, Courtois told Movistar: "Yes, we have to be honest, we will keep fighting until the end but it's (12 points) now, we have the better head-to-head, but they have to lose four games and we have to win them all.

"Nothing is impossible but it's very difficult."

Agence France-Presse

Football: 'Spectacular' Gavi shines as Barca beat Madrid to win Spanish Super Cup

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia -- Barcelona convincingly beat Real Madrid 3-1 in Saudi Arabia on Sunday to win the Spanish Super Cup, their first trophy since coach Xavi Hernandez took over.

Inspired by teenager Gavi, who scored himself and set up goals for Robert Lewandowski and Pedri Gonzalez, the Catalans produced one of their best performances in years against their bitter Clasico rivals.

Having enjoyed great success as a player at Barca, Xavi returned in November 2021 and after a summer of heavy spending this emphatic victory is a sign his project is moving in the right direction.

Karim Benzema netted a late consolation for Madrid, who have been far from their best since the World Cup break and also fell three points behind Barcelona in La Liga last weekend.

Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti suffered his first defeat in a final since 2014, with Los Blancos surrendering the trophy they earned last season to Barcelona, who have now won the Super Cup a record 14 times.

"We knew it was a chance we had to take, we have lived through an era of changes at the club and in the dressing room, and this will reinforce us to keep fighting for more titles," Barca captain Sergio Busquets told Movistar.

Xavi crucially deployed four central midfielders, with 18-year-old Gavi drifting inside off a nominal starting position on the left and frequently giving Madrid right-back Dani Carvajal the slip.

Barcelona broke the deadlock when Busquets pressed well after a loose Antonio Rudiger pass, leading to Lewandowski feeding Gavi, who slotted home confidently.

Gavi turned provider for the second, running on to De Jong's pass and sliding the ball across for Lewandowski to finish clinically.

"(Gavi) is a kid that excites us all, when you see him compete like that, putting his soul out there, he's a character that is contagious for the team, he has an innate capacity for leadership," Xavi told a press conference.

"It comes from inside him, it's spectacular. At 18, I have said it many times, but don't let it stop, he has no ceiling this boy."

- Real 'weaknesses' -

Gavi, who won the Golden Boy award in 2022, was the game's outstanding performer and showed Barcelona are in good hands both now and for years to come.

Madrid's own young star Vinicius Junior was shackled by Ronald Araujo, the Uruguayan playing at right-back to directly subdue the Brazilian's threat.

"Today I think we were lacking, we went out there giving 90 percent, 80 percent, and in a final against a rival like this, you can't do that," Madrid midfielder Fede Valverde told Movistar.

Courtois denied Dembele after a brilliant Alejandro Balde run and the overworked Belgian stopper was keeping Madrid's slim hopes alive.

By contrast, Barcelona's Marc-Andre ter Stegen went untested until the 70th minute, by when his side had netted their third.

Lewandowski released Gavi, who crossed for Pedri to tap home at the back post as Barcelona romped to a compelling victory.

The only blot on Barcelona's copybook was a late Benzema strike, finishing after his first effort was blocked.

"To say it was humiliation is disrespectful," Ancelotti told a news conference.

"We lost a game against Barcelona like we beat them in the league. They played better and they deserved it, full stop."

The biggest blow for Madrid may prove to be the morale boost the victory is for their rivals.

Although Xavi will ultimately be judged on his performance in major competitions -- and Barcelona have already been eliminated from this season's Champions League -- he was thrilled by the victory.

"It brings a lot of calm, confidence, because what we planned worked brilliantly, we beat Madrid, dominating the whole game," said Xavi.

"I'll take how we played from this, it is very important to me. The trophy, yes, but how (we won it).

"We have three trophies to play for this season and this gives us confidence."

Agence France-Presse

Football: Unbeaten Madrid defeat Barcelona in Clasico to top La Liga

MADRID, Spain -- Reigning champions Real Madrid beat Barcelona 3-1 in the Clasico to overtake their fierce rivals at the top of La Liga on Sunday.

Karim Benzema opened the scoring in the 12th minute by converting a rebound after Marc-Andre ter Stegen saved from Vinicius Junior, with Fede Valverde drilling home the second from the edge of the box before the break.

Ferran Torres pulled one back for Barcelona in the final stages after good work by Ansu Fati, but Rodrygo won and converted a late penalty to ensure Carlo Ancelotti's side inflicted Barcelona's first domestic defeat of the season.

Madrid ended the Catalans' seven-game winning streak in the league and added to the still-raw pain of their struggles in Europe, where they are on the verge of Champions League elimination.

Barcelona, who spent heavily in the summer to try and catch up with their rivals, now trail them by three points. The Catalans had conceded just one league goal in eight games before the Clasico but shipped double that tally in the first half, leaving Madrid as the division's only unbeaten side.

"We knew there would come a time in the game where we had to suffer, because they move the ball well, and that's when each of us had to give more, defend well, and we did it," Madrid midfielder Luka Modric told DAZN.

"In attack we were convincing, we scored three goals and I'm very happy for our performance, I think we had a great game."

After a damaging draw with Inter Milan midweek that left Barcelona's European hopes hanging by a thread, Xavi made changes, including Jules Kounde returning in place of Gerard Pique.

Last season Barcelona's best moment came at the Bernabeu, as Xavi's side earned a surprising 4-0 win, but this visit found them at their lowest ebb since the Spanish World Cup winner took charge.

"The feeling I have right now is that we're in a negative dynamic where nothing is going for us," Xavi told DAZN. "I can't be happy with anything, losing in the Bernabeu 3-1 is very bad.

- Benzema on the money -

Vinicius probed in the opening stages down the left flank against the unconvincing Sergi Roberto and that was where Madrid's opening goal came from after 12 minutes.

The masterful Toni Kroos held off Sergio Busquets and threaded a neat pass down the wing, with Vinicius leaving Roberto for dead. Ter Stegen denied the Brazilian winger, but Benzema was on hand to slam home the rebound.

The French forward had gone five games without a goal, but ended his drought on the big stage, showing typically perfect timing as he is expected to win the Ballon d'Or in Paris on Monday.

Vinicius was booked for complaining about a push from Roberto as Barcelona began to earn a foothold in the game, but another individual error quickly pulled it away from them.

Eric Garcia's loose header found Vinicius in a dangerous area and Madrid toyed with Barcelona's defense, dragging them one way before Ferland Mendy passed the ball back across for Valverde to drill home from the edge of the area.

Madrid continued to push forward after the break and Benzema curled home a third, but it was ruled out for offside.

At the other end La Liga's top scorer Robert Lewandowski sent a free-kick into the wall and appealed for a penalty after Dani Carvajal collided with him in the box, but the referee was not interested.

Substitute Fati angled a strike wide from outside the area but Madrid were largely comfortable, sitting back and keeping Barcelona at arm's length until Torres struck.

Fati's brilliant run and cross for the Spanish winger gave Barcelona a lifeline, but Madrid sealed the win when Garcia trod on Rodrygo in the area and he beat Ter Stegen from the spot.

"We are very disappointed," Barca defender Kounde told DAZN. "I don't think we had a bad game but in the first half we failed where they are strong, on transitions.

"I think that for the first goal we should have committed a foul to stop the counter attack, and the second is quite similar. That's the strength of (their) team. Sometimes they don't have the ball, are suffering and then they score two goals."

Real Betis moved fourth with a 3-1 win over Almeria with William Carvalho netting a brace. Real Sociedad's 2-1 win at Celta Vigo takes them fifth and Espanyol earned a 1-0 victory over Real Valladolid.

Agence France-Presse

Football: Haaland haunts Dortmund as Man City win but Chelsea held on Potter debut

PARIS, France -- Erling Haaland scored an acrobatic late winner against his old club as Manchester City beat Borussia Dortmund 2-1 in the Champions League on Wednesday, while there were hard-earned victories for Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain.

Meanwhile Chelsea were held by Red Bull Salzburg in their first match under new head coach Graham Potter, as Rangers lost heavily again and Celtic drew with Shakhtar Donetsk.

In Manchester, Haaland took on the club he left in the close season for 60 million euros ($60m, £52m) after two and a half prolific years in the Bundesliga.

Yet it looked like Dortmund might spring a surprise as they went ahead just before the hour mark at the Etihad Stadium when England midfielder Jude Bellingham headed in.

City's equalizer did not come until Kevin De Bruyne set up John Stones to smash in with 10 minutes left, and Haaland got the winner in the 84th minute with an outrageous finish from Joao Cancelo's magnificent cross.

Haaland now has 13 goals in nine games for City, who have two wins from two in Group G.

"In the end we showed what we are," Haaland told BT Sport. "Dortmund were really good today (but) three points is what matters."

City's next two games will be against FC Copenhagen, who drew 0-0 with Sevilla in Denmark.

In London, Potter took charge of Chelsea for the first time but had to settle for a 1-1 draw against Salzburg in Group E, with Raheem Sterling's opener early in the second half being cancelled out by Noah Okafor.

"It has not been easy for the boys, they have responded to us really well over the last few days and it's a point we will have to take and get better," Potter told BT Sport.

Earlier, group rivals AC Milan beat Dinamo Zagreb 3-1 at San Siro, with Olivier Giroud scoring a penalty before Alexis Saelemaekers and Tommaso Pobega added further goals either side of a Mislav Orsic strike for Dinamo.

- Late goals for Madrid -

Reigning European champions Madrid needed two late goals to beat RB Leipzig 2-0 at the Santiago Bernabeu and maintain their perfect start in Group F.

Federico Valverde opened the scoring 10 minutes from time after being set up by Vinicius Junior, and substitute Marco Asensio sealed the victory with a tremendous first-time finish in injury time.

Carlo Ancelotti's side are clear at the top of the section from Shakhtar, who rode their luck to claim a 1-1 draw with Celtic.

The Scottish champions went ahead early on when Reo Hatate's ball into the six-yard box went into the net off Artem Bondarenko.

But Shakhtar, playing European home games in Warsaw due to the war in Ukraine, equalized before the half-hour mark via an emphatic finish by Mykhailo Mudryk.

Celtic had chances to win the game, none better than a late strike by Giorgos Giakoumakis that flashed agonizingly wide.

"We'll get our rewards if we keep playing that kind of football and showing that kind of commitment," said Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou.

At least they have a point, in stark contrast to rivals Rangers who lost 3-0 at home to Napoli in Group A.

- PSG come from behind -

In a dramatic second half, Rangers had American defender James Sands sent off for conceding a penalty which Piotr Zielinski had saved, only for Matteo Politano to score the rebound.

However, the referee ordered a retake, and Allan McGregor saved from Zielinski again.

Yet Napoli won another penalty midway through the second half, and this time Politano scored from the spot, before Giacomo Raspadori and Tanguy Ndombele added further goals.

The game had been postponed by 24 hours due to policing issues related to the death of Queen Elizabeth II, and Rangers ignored a decision by UEFA to reject their request to play the British national anthem before kick-off.

Paris Saint-Germain came from behind to beat Maccabi Haifa 3-1 in Israel as their superstar front three all scored.

Suriname international Tjaronn Chery put the home side ahead only for Lionel Messi to equalize before the break.

Messi then set up Kylian Mbappe to make it 2-1 midway through the second half, and Neymar sealed a second win in as many Group H games for PSG.

Juventus suffered a second straight defeat, though, as they lost 2-1 at home to Benfica.

Arkadiusz Milik's opener for Juve was cancelled out by Joao Mario's penalty, before David Neres struck Benfica's winner.

Agence France-Presse

Raphinha strikes again as Barcelona beat Real Madrid 1-0

LAS VEGAS, United States - Raphinha made it two goals in two matches as Barcelona defeated Real Madrid 1-0 on Saturday in their Las Vegas Clasico.

Raphinha, signed from Premier League Leeds United earlier this month for around $60 million, followed up his debut in a 6-0 thrashing of Inter Miami with the lone goal of the high-profile clash at Allegiant Stadium, the $1.97 billion, 65,000-seat home of the NFL's Las Vegas Raiders.

The Brazilian was perfectly placed to intercept an ill-advised pass from Real's Eder Militao along the top of the area. After one touch to settle he lashed a left-footed shot over Thibaut Courtois into the top right corner of the net to put Barcelona up 1-0 in the 27th minute

The fourth edition of the Clasico to be played outside of Spain -- the second ever held in the United States -- featured all the intensity of the long rivalry.

Real Madrid, playing their first pre-season friendly, nearly opened the scoring in the 18th minute but Federico Valverde was denied by the post in the 18th minute, seizing the ball after a poor clearance by Jordi Alba and blasting a volley from 25 yards out that beat Marc-Andre Ter Stegen only for the upright to intervene.

Two minutes later it was Barcelona who saw a chance get away when Eduardo Camavinga lost possession to Pedri in front of Real's goal. Pedri found Fati, who pulled Real keeper Thibaut Courtois off his line but put his shot just wide of the far post.

Overall it was Barcelona -- energized by the debut of Polish striker Robert Lewandowski after his move from Bayern Munich -- who controlled the tempo in the first half against the reigning Champions League and La Liga title holders.

The first half ended on a testy note after Jordi Alba's sliding tackle on Militao that earned a yellow card.

Some jawing and shoving escalated, with players having to step in and separate Madrid newcomer Antonio Rudiger and Barcelona's Ronald Araujo.

Lewandowski's night ended without a goal as he was departed at the half, replaced by Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang as part of a raft of changes at the midpoint.

Aubameyang had a chance just two minutes into the second half with a header from the center of the area off a cross by Raphinha but missed it left.

A back and forth between substitute Marco Asensio and defender Lucas Vazquez gave Real Madrid a golden opportunity in the 59th minute, but after Vazquez played the ball back to Asensio in front of goal he pulled his shot wide.

They pressed desperately in the closing minutes for an equalizer, but Carlo Ancelotti's side clearly missed French star Karim Benzema, who was granted an extended holiday by the club and sat out the contest after joining up with his teammates in Los Angeles just days before.

Real Madrid continue their US tour on Tuesday against Mexico's Cub America at San Francisco's Oracle Park baseball venue while Barcelona take on Italian giants Juventus in Dallas on the same night.

Both play again on July 30, when Barcelona take on Major League Soccer's New York Red Bulls and Real Madrid play Juventus.

Agence France-Presse

Football: Real Madrid move 13 points clear of Atletico after derby stroll

MADRID, Spain -- Real Madrid strengthened their already-commanding position in the title race on Sunday by defeating Atletico Madrid 2-0 to move 13 points clear of the defending champions in La Liga.

Atletico have a game in hand over their rivals but the advantage is considerable and perhaps even insurmountable, even in December. 

Barcelona are now 18 points adrift and arguably an irrelevance at the top after they were earlier held to a 2-2 draw away at Osasuna.

Sevilla, who last won the Spanish title in 1946, are the closest challengers, eight points back, and having played a game fewer.

"We are favorites today, of course, you can say that," said Carlo Ancelotti. "But if you relax it can cost you dearly. We have to keep going, to get closer to winning it as soon as possible."

Madrid, though, were ominously superior in a derby that had its occasional bad-tempered moments but was largely neutralized by the home side's dominance at the Santiago Bernabeu.

"The title race is still alive," insisted Diego Simeone. "There are a load of matches left. Madrid have a lot of points, it's true, but La Liga is complicated."

Karim Benzema was passed fit enough to start and then, worryingly for Madrid went off again at half-time, but not before volleying them into the lead. Marco Asensio doubled the advantage in the second half.

There was never any sign of an Atletico comeback, with the home fans confident enough to cheer their team's every pass in the 70th minute while some of Madrid's defending late on was done at walking pace.

The 21-year-old Vinicius Junior was instrumental again, providing the assists for both goals, but it was the 36-year-old Luka Modric who ran the game, with the Croatian at his majestic, mesmerising best.

At one point in the second half the home crowd gave Modric a spontaneous standing ovation and he was so comfortable he even had time to applaud them back.

"It was an incredible performance, nothing else to say, it was spectacular," said Ancelotti. "With the ball, without the ball, the consistency, the personality. It was extraordinary."

Atletico's attacking talents all failed to fire. Luis Suarez started on the bench and came on when Madrid's ascendancy was established. Joao Felix and Thomas Lemar replaced Antoine Griezmann and Yannick Carrasco at half-time but Simeone's attempts to shake life into his team came to nothing.

The first goal came from a mistake but Koke was in the middle of the pitch when his pass forward was cut out by Modric, the threat was not immediately obvious. But Casemiro played into Benzema and within seconds Vinicius was driving from the right and into the penalty area.

Atletico's defense were dashing back with such intent they forgot about Benzema behind them, the Frenchman holding his position just inside the area for the cut-back. Vinicius found him with a floated pass and Benzema had time to send a perfect volley past Jan Oblak.

Felix went close soon after the restart but the changes made little difference to the balance of the game and just before the hour Madrid made it two. 

Luka Jovic did well to feed Vinicius down the left and as the Brazilian approached the area he surprised everyone by playing right to Asensio, who slid his finish first time into the corner.

- Barca struggle again -

Barcelona's nightmare week, meanwhile, ended in more disappointment as they conceded in the 86th minute to draw away at struggling Osasuna.

After losing at home to Real Betis last weekend and being dumped into the Europa League by Bayern Munich on Wednesday, Barca could only muster a point against Osasuna, who sit 10th and are now winless in eight league matches.

The deflation for Xavi Hernandez's team will be heightened by the manner of Osasuna's equalizer, coming so late in the game after two 19-year-olds, Nico Gonzalez and Abde Ezzalzouli, had set them on course for victory.

Instead, Chimy Avila drove into the corner to secure a draw for Osasuna that was as dramatic as it was deserved. David Garcia had earlier levelled for them two minutes after Nico's opener.

"Our young players are the positive but in general it's negative," said Xavi afterwards. "The players who make the difference in the club right now are 17, 18 and 19 years old. 

"It is good for the future of the club, but it says a lot about the current situation. They are so young that they cannot be expected to perform every week. It's a difficult situation that needs time and patience."

Xavi has now overseen only two wins in his first six games in charge. "We need a win, urgently," he said. 

Agence France-Presse

Football: Ramos injured again amid doubts over Real Madrid future

Sergio Ramos has suffered a hamstring injury, Real Madrid announced on Saturday, raising the possibility the defender has played his last game for the club. 

Ramos will not be available now for Madrid's game against Sevilla on Sunday, which could prove crucial to La Liga's title race, with Atletico Madrid also facing Barcelona later on Saturday. 

And with only four matches left of the season, Ramos might not play again for Real Madrid given he is yet to renew his contract, which expires this summer. 

Spain coach Luis Enrique may also be concerned about the 35-year-old's fitness ahead of the start of Euro 2020 next month. 

"Following the tests carried out on Sergio Ramos by the Real Madrid Medical Services, he has been diagnosed with tendenitis in his left hamstring," a club statement read. 

It is the third injury this year for Ramos, who went straight into the starting line-up for Wednesday's Champions League defeat by Chelsea after a month out with a calf problem. 

Ramos' 21 appearances for Real Madrid in all competitions is his lowest in 15 seasons playing for the club. 

The Spaniard joined Madrid from Sevilla in 2005 and is one of the club's most successful ever players, having won five La Liga titles, four Champions Leagues and two Copa del Reys.

Agence France-Presse

Football: Relentless Real beat Barca to take La Liga lead

MADRID - Real Madrid beat rivals Barcelona 2-1 at home in an entertaining, rain-soaked 'Clasico' on Saturday to stretch their winning run to six games in all competitions and go top of La Liga for the first time in three months.

Karim Benzema put the champions in charge at a soggy Alfredo di Stefano stadium with a delightful backheel in the 14th minute while a deflected Toni Kroos free kick doubled their lead in the 28th.

Barca hit back on the hour mark through Oscar Mingueza and the defender almost found the equaliser later on, while the Catalans had a huge penalty appeal waved away when Martin Braithwaite fell following a challenge by Ferland Mendy.

Real midfielder Casemiro was sent off in stoppage time for picking up two yellow cards in the space of a minute while Barca substitute Ilaix Moriba hit the crossbar in the fourth minute of added time.

The hosts survived the nail-biting finish to complete the double over Barca in a league season for the first time since 2008 and round off a sensational week after beating Liverpool 3-1 in a Champions League quarter-final first leg on Tuesday.

"This is a huge win for us, you could say that it was as important as a final but we'll have to keep on fighting for a while yet," said Real defender Nacho.

"We were excellent on the counterattack, we knew they would want the ball and could do us damage with it but we got a two-goal advantage which put us in a very strong position."

Zinedine Zidane's side joined Atletico Madrid on 66 points and moved top of the table, although Atletico can reclaim first place when they visit Real Betis on Sunday.

Barca, who lost for the first time in the league since early December, dropped to third on 65.

"We kept on trying until the end to equalise and we'll keep on fighting for the title," said Barca defender Sergi Roberto.

"We had our fate in our own hands before now but not anymore, so we have to win the games we have left and hope the others drop points."

SUBLIME BACKHEEL

Barca looked to dominate possession but were powerless to control Real's counterattacks and went behind when Federico Valverde hurdled a Jordi Alba tackle to shuttle down the pitch, feeding Lucas Vazquez whose low cross was turned in by Benzema's sublime backheel.

Real caught Barca out on the break again when Vinicius Jr. raced on to a Luka Modric pass and was felled by Ronald Araujo. The free kick was in perfect range for Kroos, whose shot bounced off the back of Sergino Dest to wrong-foot Barca keeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen.

Real were inches away from scoring a third when Valverde again tore down Barca's left-hand side and smacked the far post, Vazquez pouncing on the rebound but shooting straight at Ter Stegen.

Barca barely caused Real any trouble until the end of the first half, when Lionel Messi hit the far post straight from a corner. The Argentine had a better chance moments later from inside the area but could not beat Madrid's Thibaut Courtois.

Koeman took decisive action at halftime, throwing on Antoine Griezmann for Dest and the French substitute helped pull Barca back into contention, playing a dummy which led to Mingueza scoring.

The torrential rain caused Messi to change his soaked shirt late in the game and the slippery conditions helped set up the frantic finish, but Real weathered the storm.

(Reporting by Richard Martin Editing by Toby Davis)

-reuters-

Football: Real Madrid's Vinicius at the double to rattle Liverpool

MADRID - Real Madrid forward Vinicius Jr. came of age to score twice as his side punished a sloppy Liverpool to win 3-1 at home in Tuesday's Champions League quarter-final first leg.

The 20-year-old Brazilian fired the 13-times European champions into the lead in the 27th minute at the Alfredo di Stefano stadium after controlling a long diagonal pass from Toni Kroos from his own half which flummoxed the Liverpool defense.

Marco Asensio put the hosts further at ease by scoring in the 35th after a Kroos pass again caused havoc among the visiting backline but Liverpool looked more settled after the interval and a scrappy Mohamed Salah strike pulled them back into contention early in the second half.

But they failed to build on their momentum and Vinicius, who has a reputation for thrilling play but a lack of composure in front of goal, struck again in the 63rd minute, blasting past Liverpool keeper Alisson after clever combination play between Karim Benzema and Luka Modric.

Asensio missed a clear chance to grab Madrid's fourth goal, while Liverpool threatened late on.

Yet the visitors were unable to find a second away goal to take back with them to Anfield next Wednesday and the game ended with the same scoreline as in the 2018 Champions League final.

Vinicius, who kissed the Real badge after scoring his first goal was pleased to finally deliver on the biggest stage of all and silence the doubters who claimed he lacked the bottle to succeed at Real.

"The people on the outside can keep talking but I kept on working, that gave me the strength to rise to an important occasion and get the goals we needed," he told reporters.

Real coach Zinedine Zidane added: "That felt great, we played superbly but then had problems in the second half but recovered and produced a great performance, I'm so proud of the players. But there's still the second leg to come."

Real were dealt a huge setback on the morning of the game with news that Raphael Varane had tested positive for COVID-19, leaving Zidane's side without their two top centre backs as captain Sergio Ramos watched on injured.

But it was the heart of Liverpool's defence, depleted for the majority of the season and composed in Madrid of the inexperienced Nathaniel Phillips and Ozan Kabak, that suffered the most pain.

Kroos's incisive ball from deep caught out Phillips as Vinicius controlled it with his shoulder before confidently slotting past Alisson.

Liverpool were soon caught out again by a Kroos pass, a panicked Trent Alexander-Arnold heading the ball to the feet of Asensio, who chipped Alisson then followed his shot into the net.

'NOT SHARP ENOUGH'

"Two moments of not concentrating enough and they scored. We weren't sharp enough," said midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum.

"We hoped for a better result."

Visiting coach Juergen Klopp brought on Spain midfielder Thiago Alcantara for Naby Keita before halftime and his side looked more settled after the interval, with Salah deservedly pulling them back into contention.

But they again made things too easy for Madrid, who live for Champions League knockout matches and looked as at ease here at their tiny empty training ground as they do on these occasions at a bursting Santiago Bernabeu, currently under reconstruction.

"If you want to go to the semi-final, you have to earn the right to do so. We didn't do that tonight, especially in the first half," said Klopp.

"The only good thing I can say, apart from the goal, is it's only the first half of the tie."

Liverpool will take solace from the fact they managed to overturn a 3-0 deficit against Barcelona in the semi-finals in 2019 but in the second leg they will be unable to count on the scorching atmosphere at Anfield, where they have lost their last six league games. 

(Reporting by Richard Martin Editing by Toby Davis)

-reuters-

PARIS, France -- Curtis Jones sent a depleted Liverpool through to the Champions League last 16 on Tuesday, while Zinedine Zidane dismissed suggestions he might walk away from Real Madrid after another defeat by Shakhtar Donetsk left their European hopes in the balance.

Liverpool were without a host of key players for the visit of Ajax to Anfield in Group D, with 22-year-old Irishman Caoimhin Kelleher starting in goal in the absence of Alisson.

Teenager Jones scored the only goal just before the hour, tucking the ball in after Ajax 'keeper Andre Onana thought he could afford to let a Neco Williams cross sail over his head.

The result was vital for the Premier League champions after their home loss to Atalanta a week ago, and it allowed them to secure a spot in the knockout phase.

"Honestly since I was at Liverpool that feels like one of the biggest Champions League nights. Without supporters in, it was the most important, most difficult, most exceptional," Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp told BT Sport.

They will go through as group winners after Atalanta had to come from behind to draw 1-1 at home to Midtjylland, Cristian Romero heading in a late equaliser in response to Alexander Scholz's thumping opener for the Danes.

Atalanta are a point clear in second from Ajax, with the sides meeting in Amsterdam in their last game next week.

Two-time former European champions Porto also sealed a last-16 spot after drawing 0-0 at home to Manchester City, who were already through and are now guaranteed to top Group C.

Porto would have qualified regardless, because Olympiakos lost 2-1 to Marseille in France, with Dimitri Payet scoring two penalties in the second half to turn the game around after Mohamed Mady Camara fired the Greeks in front.

The result ends Marseille's Champions League record run of 13 straight defeats and means they could yet pip Olympiakos to third place and the consolation of a Europa League berth.

- Lukaku double, Atletico held -

Real Madrid could yet be consigned to a similar fate after they went down 2-0 to Shakhtar in Kiev, their second defeat this season by the Ukrainians.

Substitutes Dentinho and Manor Solomon scored second-half goals in Kiev as Shakhtar stunned the 13-time European champions again, having won 3-2 in Madrid in October.

Shakhtar had lost their last two Group B matches against Borussia Moenchengladbach by an aggregate score of 10-0, but now move above Real into second place with one game remaining.

Gladbach are top by a point, while Shakhtar have the upper hand on Real thanks to their superior head-to-head record.

However, the damage was limited for Real after Inter Milan won 3-2 away to Gladbach to keep their own hopes alive.

Matteo Darmian put Inter ahead and Romelu Lukaku scored twice for Antonio Conte's side. Alassane Plea netted a brace for Gladbach but was denied a hat-trick, and a late equaliser, because of an offside call.

It means Inter are bottom of the group but could still qualify, while Real will definitely qualify as long as they win at home to Gladbach.

Madrid have made it out of their group in every year since 1997 and so failure to qualify would be seen as a disaster, but Zidane is not considering stepping down.

"I am not going to resign, not at all. We are always going to have difficult moments, and we are on a bad run, but we need to keep going," said the Frenchman.

Real's city rivals Atletico Madrid will also still have it all to do in their final group game after being held to a 1-1 draw at home by a weakened Bayern Munich.

Joao Felix gave Atletico the lead against a Bayern side who had already won Group A. Thomas Mueller won and then converted a late penalty to earn the defending champions a draw.

Salzburg can snatch a last-16 place if they beat Atletico at home next week, after the Austrians won 3-1 away to Lokomotiv Moscow.

Mergim Berisha scored twice in the first half for Salzburg, and Karim Adeyemi got their third goal after Anton Miranchuk converted a penalty for the railway-backed side.

Agence France-Presse

Football: Barca ponder Messi rest as Madrid continue to wait on Hazard

Barcelona must weigh up the decision whether to rest Lionel Messi for Saturday's trip to Getafe ahead of a congested run of fixtures, while Real Madrid are still waiting on the return of Eden Hazard from injury.

Messi played the full 90 minutes in Argentina's World Cup qualifiers against Ecuador and Bolivia during the international break, the second of which was played at altitude in La Paz.

The Barca captain has not missed a single minute for his club since football resumed in June following the coronavirus shutdown.

However, with seven games in the space of 21 days awaiting Barca, coach Ronald Koeman could elect to give Messi a breather before the start of the team's Champions League campaign.

Barca host Hungarian side Ferencvaros on Tuesday and then face sworn enemies Real Madrid four days later behind closed doors at the Camp Nou.

The Catalan club head to Italy for a Champions League clash with Juventus on October 28 before games against Alaves and Real Betis either side of the visit of Dynamo Kiev.

Leaders Madrid are unbeaten in La Liga since March, winning 13 of their past 15 games, and welcome Cadiz to the capital this weekend.

Zinedine Zidane could also opt to rotate some players but Thibaut Courtois, Karim Benzema and Vinicius Junior are in line to play after resting while others were away on international duty.

Courtois left the Belgium squad with a back injury and while he is fit to return, compatriot Hazard is not yet ready for action.

The 29-year-old has yet to feature this season having picked up a muscle injury as he worked his way back from an ankle problem.

He is also expected to miss next weekend's Clasico, but Courtois believes Hazard will come good after scoring just once in an injury-plagued first season in Spain.

"I have no doubt we are going to see the best of Hazard," Courtois told Cadena Ser radio.

"He is more desperate than anyone to show it. He's coming along well and hopefully soon he can prove it.

He added: "I am sure that in no time he will explode and will give many joys to the team."

Atletico Madrid visit Celta Vigo in their first game since the sale of Ghana midfielder Thomas Partey to Arsenal on transfer deadline day.

Partey made 188 appearances for the Atletico and was part of the sides that reached the 2016 Champions League final and beat Arsenal on the way to winning the Europa League in 2018.

One to watch: Oussama Idrissi

The Dutch-born Morocco international could make his Sevilla debut at Granada after joining the club on a five-year deal from AZ Alkmaar.

Idrissi, 24, scored 13 goals in 25 games in the Eredivisie last season before it was declared over in March due to the Covid-19 outbreak.

Julen Lopetegui's Europa League winners are one of four undefeated teams in La Liga this term, with seven points from their first three matches.

Key stats

12 - goals scored by Sergio Ramos since the start of the 2019/20 season, more than any other defender in Europe's top five leagues.

250 - goals scored by Karim Benzema for Real Madrid. The Frenchman is only the fifth player to reach the mark in club history

Fixtures

Saturday (all times GMT)

Granada v Sevilla (1100), Celta Vigo v Atletico Madrid (1400), Real Madrid v Cadiz (1630), Getafe v Barcelona (1900)

Sunday

Eibar v Osasuna (1000), Athletic Bilbao v Levante (1200), Villarreal v Valencia (1400), Alaves v Elche (1630), Huesca v Real Valladolid (1630), Real Betis v Real Sociedad (1900)

Agence France-Presse

Football: Real Madrid one win from La Liga crown after beating Granada

MADRID, Spain -- Real Madrid need one victory to secure La Liga after they held off a second-half comeback from Granada on Monday to win 2-1 and move four points clear of Barcelona.

With two games left, Madrid will be crowned champions if they beat Villarreal at home on Thursday regardless of how Barca fare at the Camp Nou against Osasuna.

But they were made to sweat by a Granada team that are gunning for Europe and have been arguably the division's surprise of the season after being promoted from second tier last year. 

Ferland Mendy and Karim Benzema looked to have set Madrid on course for a comfortable win at Los Carmenes but Granada were transformed after the break and Darwin Machis's 50th-minute strike gave them hope. 

An increasingly nervous Madrid were clinging on by the end and needed Sergio Ramos to clear one shot off the line as Zinedine Zidane's side dug in for a ninth consecutive victory. 

"Our vision when we start every season is to win the league," said Zidane. "There are two games left. We are close but we're not there yet."

When the final whistle blew, Zidane roared with relief and Ramos clenched his fists after coming through their toughest test since the restart. 

"We can't relax, we're a bit closer but we have to carry on," said Ramos afterwards. 

"We let our guard down here a bit on the second half. We won the first half and lost the second and maybe that's a warning for us. We have to make sure we don't repeat that mistake." 

Madrid could win La Liga for the third time in eight years at the Alfredo di Stefano Stadium on Thursday night. "It would mean a lot," said Ramos. 

"It's the prize for consistency over the whole year. Maybe we had a period of reflection during the suspension and we came back and reacted. We're in the race and hopefully on Thursday we can celebrate." 

If Madrid slip up against Villarreal, they will still have a second chance on Sunday when they finish at Leganes while Barcelona visit Alaves. 

Machis's goal was the first Madrid have conceded in six matches but few would have seen it coming after the first half. 

Madrid scored twice in six minutes, with both goals coming from breaks down their left. 

Mendy had space in front of him and kept going, accelerating between Victor Diaz and Dimitri Foulquier before firing high and into the roof of the net from an acute angle. 

The second goal came down the same side, Isco's backheel allowing Luka Modric to switch left to Benzema, who this time cut inside Diaz and shot into the far corner. 

Madrid cruised through the rest of the half, pushing the ball around at will, but comfort perhaps created complacency and Granada improved after the break. 

Machis pulled a goal back, striking through the legs of Courtois after Casemiro was dispossessed in midfield and Madrid were rattled as Granada began to dictate play. 

A scramble in Madrid's six-yard box saw several players hacking at the ball in panic and Courtois was twice required to make smart saves late on. 

The closest Granada came was when the ball fell to Ramon Azeez at the back post and he fired towards the near post with Courtois stranded but Ramos was on the line to clear. 

Earlier, Villarreal's hopes of Champions League football were dashed after they lost 2-1 at home to Real Sociedad to confirm that fourth-placed Sevilla will join Atletico Madrid, Barcelona and Real Madrid in the competition next season.

Villarreal remain fifth, three points ahead of Getafe and Real Sociedad, with all three hoping to secure a place in the Europa League. Getafe drew 0-0 against Alaves.

Agence France-Presse

Football: Former Real Madrid president Sanz dies after contracting coronavirus

MADRID, Spain -- Former Real Madrid president Lorenzo Sanz, who was hospitalised with coronavirus, died on Saturday at the age of 76, his son announced.

Sanz was in charge of the Spanish giants from 1995-2000, overseeing two Champions League titles.

"My father has just passed away. He did not deserve this ending and in this way," tweeted his son, Lorenzo Sanz junior.

"One of the best, bravest and hardest-working people I have ever seen. His family and Real Madrid were his passions."

Three days ago, Sanz Jr., a former professional basketball player, said that his father had been admitted to a Madrid hospital after suffering the symptoms of the coronavirus which has killed more than 1,320 people in Spain. 

Sanz claimed a place on the Real Madrid board in the mid-1980s, when the president was Ramon Mendoza.

He replaced Mendoza as president in 1995. 


With Jupp Heynckes as coach and star players such as Davor Suker, Roberto Carlos, Clarence Seedorf, Fernando Hierro and Raul, Real won the Champions League in 1998 by beating Juventus in the final.

It was their seventh European Cup but first in 32 years.

Two years later, in Paris, Real claimed an eighth by beating Valencia in the final.

However, that same year, Sanz was ousted as president by Florentino Perez, who opened a new era at the club, adding five more Champions Leagues in two decades.

Current club captain and Spanish international Sergio Ramos, who with teammates is in quarantine after one of the club's basketball players tested positive for the virus, hailed Sanz.

"Very sad day for Real Madrid. Lorenzo Sanz connected yesterday and today with two numbers for history -- 7 and 8," tweeted Ramos in reference to the key Champions League titles.

"His death saddens us even more in these difficult days in which we find ourselves. My deep condolences to his family and friends. Rest in peace."

Agence France-Presse

Football: Messi scores four as Barca jump above defeated Madrid before Clasico

MADRID -- Lionel Messi scored four goals and Barcelona reclaimed top spot in La Liga as Real Madrid suffered a surprise defeat by Levante on Saturday, a week before the Clasico.

Madrid's nightmare afternoon was made worse by another injury to Eden Hazard, who was forced off in the second half of their 1-0 defeat in Valencia and is now doubtful to face Manchester City on Wednesday in the Champions League.

"It doesn't look good," said Real coach Zinedine Zidane afterwards.

Messi, meanwhile, ridiculed talk of a drought by scoring four goals against Eibar after four games without one, while emergency signing Martin Braithwaite made two assists off the bench, teeing up Messi and then Arthur Melo in injury-time.

Their 5-0 rout, coupled with Madrid's defeat, means Barca move back to the summit of La Liga, two points ahead of Zidane's side ahead of next Saturday's showdown at the Santiago Bernabeu.

"We've had good times this season and now this is a bad time," said Zidane. "Now we have a week where everything is at stake."

It amounts to a considerable shift in momentum, with Barcelona away at Napoli in the first leg of the Champions League last 16 on Tuesday.

Madrid host City a day later and the plan had been for Hazard to regain form and fitness in what was only his second start since returning from three months out with a broken right foot.

But the Belgian sat in the dug-out with an ice pack around the same foot after going off and Zidane suggested it was a repeat injury after the match.

"It can be weak where you've had an injury," he said. "It's sore now but we will see tomorrow after more tests."


Madrid were shaken by Hazard's departure and Levante capitalised as Jose Luis Morales banged a shot into the top corner from the angle, even if Thibaut Courtois pulled out of a save he should have made.

For Madrid, playing catch-up again next weekend will be a particularly heavy psychological blow, especially given the series of off-field problems engulfing Barcelona in recent weeks.

Yet on the pitch, Messi showed no sign of distraction as the 32-year-old completed the second fastest of his now 36 league hat-tricks, after less than 40 minutes at Camp Nou.

"There's nothing left to do but stand up and applaud," Eibar wrote on Twitter afterwards. "I won't wash my kit after hugging Messi," said Braithwaite.

Braithwaite's arrival from Leganes drew criticism after Barcelona capitalised on a curious La Liga rule that allows clubs to sign outside of the transfer window if they have lost a player to serious injury. 

Leganes, without their top scorer, were beaten earlier by fellow strugglers Celta Vigo but Braithwaite made the perfect start with his new team.

- Brilliant Messi -

Messi quickly got to work, scoring a brilliant first goal in the 14th minute after collecting the ball centrally, around 30 yards out. He had three Eibar defenders in front of him but found a way through, nutmegging Anaitz Arbilla before chipping delicately into the corner. 

The second came in the 37th minute as Sergio Busquets found Arturo Vidal, who feathered a flick into Messi's path. Messi surged forward, past his stumbling opponents, and fired in. 

His third, three minutes later, was the simplest of the trio and arrived only after he tried to play in Antoine Griezmann. His generosity was rewarded as a sloppy Griezmann touch meant the ball cannoned back to Messi, who apologetically poked in.

Coach Quique Setien was able to take Griezmann off with 18 minutes left and introduce Braithwaite for his debut. Braithwaite's first contribution was a skewed cross but things improved immeasurably from there, as two passes across goal gave Messi his fourth and Arthur his first.

Madrid were never in control of a chaotic contest against Levante but might have taken the lead if Hazard had done better with a long ball over the top from Marcelo, which he failed to control and then scuffed into the hands of Aitor Fernandez.

He limped off and Madrid lost their way, finally punished with 11 minutes left by a straight ball through to Morales. Luka Modric, exposed on the right side of Madrid's defence, was unable to recover and Morales caught Courtois by surprise by firing early past the goalkeeper and into the top corner. 

Real Sociedad moved into fourth and above Atletico Madrid with a 3-0 victory over Valencia, whose miserable form continued following their 4-1 Champions League loss at Atalanta in midweek. 

Agence France-Presse

Football: Barca beat Betis to keep pace with Real Madrid

MADRID, Spain -- Lionel Messi gave a hat-trick of assists on Sunday as Barcelona ended their turbulent week with a thrilling 3-2 victory over Real Betis to stay in touch with Real Madrid at the top of La Liga.

Madrid's 4-1 win at Osasuna earlier in the day put pressure on Barca to respond, only for Betis to twice lead at the Benito Villamarin through a penalty from Sergio Canales and brilliant solo effort from Nabil Fekir.

Yet both times Barcelona hit back as Frenkie de Jong and Sergio Busquets pulled them level before Clement Lenglet headed in with 18 minutes left, all three goals teed up by Messi.

Fekir and Lenglet were then sent off in a frantic contest by the end of which, Barca had the victory they so desperately needed following a difficult few days for the club.

Messi had put himself at the heart of a political spat this week by publicly taking exception to comments made by sporting director Eric Abidal, who suggested the players were the cause of the decision to sack Ernesto Valverde last month.

Barcelona were then beaten by Athletic Bilbao and knocked out of the Copa del Rey before the semi-finals for the first time in 10 years on Thursday.

"In Bilbao we played well but they knocked us out," said Barca coach Quique Setien. "This win will give us motivation and extra energy for the future."

To make matters worse, winger Ousmane Dembele suffered another hamstring injury, which is likely to keep him out for the rest of the season, while centre-back Samuel Umtiti appeared in court too, for alleged damages to a rented villa.

It meant defeat against Betis was unthinkable, particularly for Setien, who could ill-afford another setback against the team he managed for two years between 2017 and 2019.

Instead, Barca turned the tide, with a chaotic performance that might have been punished by better opponents, but that keeps them three points behind Real Madrid, who had earlier won at a canter in Pamplona.


- Bale returns as Real cruise -

Gareth Bale returned to the starting line-up after four matches out of the squad and a fortuitous deflection meant he assisted Isco's equaliser after Unai Garcia had given Osasuna a surprise lead.

Sergio Ramos then headed Madrid in front before substitutes Lucas Vazquez and Luka Jovic made the scoreline more emphatic.

"I'm pleased with all the players and what they're doing," said Zidane. "It's very good to stay in front."

Barca's exit in the Copa del Rey overshadowed Madrid's own shock defeat at home by Real Sociedad in the quarter-finals, a loss that brought a dramatic end to their 21-match unbeaten run.

But Zidane will be relieved to see his team swiftly back on track with a performance full of the kind of resilience that Real's rivals have so lacked in recent weeks.

Bale also keeps coming back under Zidane and the 30-year-old had chances to add a goal to a spirited display before going off to a decent reception from the away support in the second half.

This was only his third appearance since the turn of the year.

"People want there to be a problem but there isn't one," Zidane said. "He did well, offensively and defensively he gave everything. He was a bit short of fitness at the end, so he came off.

"We know the player he is and that he will give a lot from now until the end of the season. Let's count on Gareth."

Eden Hazard is still yet to return after recovering from a foot fracture. Real play Manchester City in the Champions League in less than two weeks. "It wasn't the time today again and I hope we'll see him next week," said Zidane.

Sevilla lost ground in the race for the top four as they conceded two late goals to lose 2-1 at struggling Celta Vigo.

After one win in five league games, Sevilla drop to fifth, behind Atletico Madrid on goal difference and three points adrift of third-placed Getafe.

Agence France-Presse

Football: PSG produce dramatic comeback to draw 2-2 at Real Madrid

MADRID - Real Madrid underlined their return to top form with a spectacular Champions League display at home to Paris St Germain on Tuesday but they still had to settle for a 2-2 draw after two late strikes secured top spot in Group A for the French side.

Real had sealed their place in the knockout stages for a record-extending 23rd successive year thanks to Club Bruges' 1-1 draw at Galatasaray earlier, while PSG had also already qualified.

Yet with top spot on the line, as well as pride after PSG had crushed Real 3-0 back in September, both sides played with the passion, skill and commitment of a blockbuster knockout tie, serving up a thrilling game at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Karim Benzema knocked into an empty net to give Real the lead in the 17th minute of his 100th Champions League start and the French forward doubled the advantage with a 79th minute header.

Yet Kylian Mbappe immediately reduced the deficit in the 81st minute, capitalising on a mistake from Real goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois before Pablo Sarabia equalised in the 82nd.

PSG's fightback added to concern in the stands after Real winger Eden Hazard hobbled off in the second half with an ankle injury, although substitute Gareth Bale almost snatched a winner when he struck the post in added time from a free kick.

Real coach Zinedine Zidane was annoyed that his side could not toast their sizzling display with a victory but paid tribute to his players.

"I liked everything we did and the performance of every player. They all showed attitude and played superbly. The game was a true spectacle," he told reporters.

"The players deserved to win. I wouldn't normally say that because a match is about the whole 90 minutes but after playing as well as we did I believe it."

Zidane added that Hazard, who has burst into a form after a slow start to life at Real, had twisted his ankle but did not give any more details on the injury.

PSG midfielder Marco Veratti admitted his side had been outplayed for sections of the game but praised them for their reaction.

"In the first half, we didn't play our game and suffered too much but it's hard to avoid suffering away to Madrid. Few teams win here," he said.

"We were a little more courageous in the second half. Even though we gave away a lot of chances, we played like we know how."

PSG top Group A with 13 points from five games while Real are second on eight. Club Bruges, who Real visit in their final game next month, are third on three points, while Galatasaray, who will travel to PSG, are bottom with two.

Real were cruising in the first half but the game looked set to be shaken up when PSG were awarded a penalty and Courtois was shown a red card for hauling down Mauro Icardi in the area.

But the referee overturned both decisions following a VAR review, and awarded Real a free kick instead for a foul on Marcelo in the build-up.

SLACK DEFENDING

Madrid, who had won five of their previous six games, produced a dominant display but were let down by slack defending in the closing stages.

They should have killed the game off long before Benzema's second but were repeatedly denied by their former, much-loved keeper Keylor Navas.

The Costa Rican, who won three consecutive Champions League crowns with Real before moving to Paris at the start of the season, made 10 saves, including a stunning block to deny Benzema from point-blank range.

(Reporting by Richard Martin Editing by Ian Chadband)

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Football: Real and Barca battle back as Atletico lose ground at the top

MADRID -- Real Madrid and Barcelona both came from behind to seal victories that extended their advantage over the chasing pack at the top of La Liga on Saturday as Gareth Bale was jeered by his own fans at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Barca needed a late winner from Arturo Vidal to beat bottom-club Leganes 2-1 after Luis Suarez headed home a Lionel Messi free-kick to cancel out a brilliant opener from Leganes forward Youssef En-Nesyri.

Madrid were behind after 110 seconds against high-flying Real Sociedad but Karim Benzema scored his sixth goal in five games, before Fede Valverde and Luka Modric wrapped up a 3-1 win in the second half.

It means Atletico Madrid lost further ground by being held to a 1-1 draw at Granada, with Real Sociedad remaining fifth, five points off the top. Sevilla, in fourth, play at Real Valladolid on Sunday.

Madrid's comeback was overshadowed by the whistles for Bale after his controversial celebration following Wales' win over Hungary last week. He celebrated with a flag that read: "Wales. Golf. Madrid. In that order."

The fans jeered when his name was announced before kick-off and even louder when he came on as a substitute in the second half.

"I can't tell you it's fair or unfair," said Zidane after the match. "But we need our fans to be with us. I can't control it, neither can Gareth or anyone. But Gareth came on and he played very well."

Without Bale, Benzema continued his excellent form with another goal and an assist for Modric late on. In between, Valverde gave Madrid the lead with a deflected shot from the edge of the area.

Madrid's fans were also given the chance to see Martin Odegaard, their 20-year-old Norwegian loanee at Real Sociedad, who has been key to their strong start to the season.

Odegaard impressed, with one through ball in the first half even drawing gasps of approval from the home support.

- Gritty Barcelona -

Barcelona's gritty victory will come as a relief to coach Ernesto Valverde too ahead of a testing month for his side.

They play Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday in the Champions League and a goalless draw against Slavia Prague earlier this month means qualification from Group F is no longer guaranteed.

After Dortmund, Barca then play at Atletico in La Liga to start a month that will include trips to Inter Milan in the Champions League and Real Sociedad in La Liga before the season's first Clasico.

"It was a big win because the game was very difficult," Valverde said. "The pitch was dreadful, there was a lot of wind and they scored early. 
"I don't want it to sound like an excuse but it made it hard and still we were able to win."

The home side made the perfect start as En-Nesyri beat Gerard Pique with a wonderful early strike.

Pique has spent the international break juggling football with the Davis Cup, the revamped tennis tournament in Madrid that he is organising through his marketing company.

"There is more noise outside the club than inside," said Pique after the match.

"I think it's got a bit out of hand -- whether I'm in Madrid, eating here, having dinner there -- it's all part of the circus. But I do my job. I come here, I play football. And that's it."

One pass from Roque Mesa was enough to set En-Nesyri free against the 32-year-old in the 12th minute. Pique jostled but was taken by surprise as En-Nesyri nipped inside and bent a shot into the far corner.

Suarez went close, Pique hit the post and Suarez did find the net, glancing in Messi's clipped free-kick for his ninth goal of the season.

Barca's second owed much to luck but it came from another cross. Pique rose to head in but the ball missed him and cannoned off the foot of Ruben Perez. Vidal was waiting on the line to prod in. 

Atletico were unable to find a winner as they played out their seventh draw of the season, the joint most in the division.

Ronan Lodi scored his first La Liga goal after being slipped though by Hector Herrera but Herrera was at fault for the equaliser, losing his marker as German Sanchez powered in a superb header to earn Granada a point.

source: news.abs-cbn.com