Holders Paris Saint-Germain made a smooth start to their bid for a third consecutive Champions League title as Ferran Torres scored a hat-trick in a 6-1 rout of Slovan Bratislava on Wednesday, while Liverpool came from behind to beat Atletico Madrid. Barcelona kicked off their campaign by scoring five goals against Feyenoord, while Arsenal impressed with a 1-0 win at Napoli. PSG, who are hoping to become only the fourth club to win three European Cups in a row, visit Manchester City and host Barca in their next two European games.Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ballon-dor-2026-nominees-messi-ferran-torres-shortlist-1788965614180">Ballon d’Or 2026 Nominees: World Cup finalists Messi, Ferran Torres shortlisted</a>"It is the Champions League, we always play against tough teams, but we have to be focused first in Ligue 1 because we didn't start in the right way," said Torres, with PSG yet to win a domestic game this season.But they wasted little time in picking apart Yaya Toure's Slovan at the Parc des Princes.Ousmane Dembele hammered in a rebound and then nodded in a deflected cross to put Luis Enrique's men two goals ahead inside 22 minutes.Torres tapped home Dembele's cross just after the half-hour mark and drilled in his second less than two minutes after the restart.Spain's World Cup final hero completed his hat-trick in the 57th minute, shanking a shot with his knee that spun into the bottom corner.Suleiman Camara crashed in a consolation for Slovan, but Fabian Ruiz had the final say for PSG when he pounced on a mishit clearance.Liverpool made it successive victories after winning at Ipswich in the Premier League last week by beating Atletico 2-1 at Anfield.Atletico grabbed a 17th-minute lead as Julian Alvarez, starting for the first time this season after failing to force a move away from the club, played in Marcos Llorente to dink the ball over Alisson in the Liverpool goal.Llorente has now scored five times in three visits to Anfield, after netting a double at Liverpool last season and in Atletico's dramatic last-16 victory in 2020.Liverpool hit back five minutes before the break through Dominik Szoboszlai, courtesy of a clever backheeled pass from Ronald Araujo.Alexis Mac Allister then hammered the hosts in front five minutes into the second half with a left-footed strike from outside the box, and Atletico could not find a response."I've loved it. The atmosphere has been incredible and I feel lucky, lucky to experience it," said Liverpool's new manager Andoni Iraola after his Champions League coaching debut.<h2>Odegaard sinks Napoli</h2>Arsenal missed several first-half chances at the Stadio Armando Diego Maradona, with Napoli goalkeeper Alex Meret making an excellent save to keep out Mikel Merino's header.Piero Hincapie fired over a golden chance from just three yards out as the English champions continued to push after half-time, but last season's runners-up finally forged ahead with 15 minutes left.Martin Odegaard, who scored the winner against Chelsea at the weekend, played a clever one-two with Christos Tzolis on the edge of the area and crashed a shot in off the far post.Barcelona made an excellent start to their latest bid to end a 12-year wait to lift the trophy, as Raphinha continued his superb form by scoring twice in a 5-1 thumping of Feyenoord.Hansi Flick's men, who lost to Atletico in the quarter-finals last season, have won all five of their matches in all competitions so far this season, scoring five goals in four of them."We controlled the game, we are dominant and this is fantastic to see. This is our style and how we want to play," said Flick.Raphinha put Barca into a third-minute lead before a brilliant long-range strike from summer signing Karim Adeyemi.Brazilian Raphinha, playing up front this season after the departures of Robert Lewandowski and Torres, made it eight goals already for the campaign in the second half.Lamine Yamal netted a free-kick which crept through the wall, and although Sem Steijn pulled one back for Feyenoord, Gabriel Jesus came off the bench and then headed in his first Barca goal.Ermedin Demirovic scored a first-half hat-trick as Stuttgart eased to a 3-1 home win over Norwegian champions Viking, playing in the competition for the first time in 34 years.Sporting, quarter-finalists last season for the first time since 1983, fought back to see off Galatasaray 3-1 in Lisbon.

Holders Paris Saint-Germain rout Slovan Bratislava, while Liverpool came from behind to beat Atletico Madrid. Barcelona scored five goals against Feyenoord and Arsenal beat Napoli 1-0.

Holders Paris Saint-Germain made a smooth start to their bid for a third consecutive Champions League title as Ferran Torres scored a hat-trick in a 6-1 rout of Slovan Bratislava on Wednesday, while Liverpool came from behind to beat Atletico Madrid. Barcelona kicked off their campaign by scoring five goals against Feyenoord, while Arsenal impressed with a 1-0 win at Napoli. PSG, who are hoping to become only the fourth club to win three European Cups in a row, visit Manchester City and host Barca in their next two European games. Also Read - Ballon d’Or 2026 Nominees: World Cup finalists Messi, Ferran Torres shortlisted "It is the Champions League, we always play against tough teams, but we have to be focused first in Ligue 1 because we didn't start in the right way," said Torres, with PSG yet to win a domestic game this season. But they wasted little time in picking apart Yaya Toure's Slovan at the Parc des Princes. Ousmane Dembele hammered in a rebound and then nodded in a deflected cross to put Luis Enrique's men two goals ahead inside 22 minutes. Torres tapped home Dembele's cross just after the half-hour mark and drilled in his second less than two minutes after the restart. Spain's World Cup final hero completed his hat-trick in the 57th minute, shanking a shot with his knee that spun into the bottom corner. Suleiman Camara crashed in a consolation for Slovan, but Fabian Ruiz had the final say for PSG when he pounced on a mishit clearance. Liverpool made it successive victories after winning at Ipswich in the Premier League last week by beating Atletico 2-1 at Anfield. Atletico grabbed a 17th-minute lead as Julian Alvarez, starting for the first time this season after failing to force a move away from the club, played in Marcos Llorente to dink the ball over Alisson in the Liverpool goal. Llorente has now scored five times in three visits to Anfield, after netting a double at Liverpool last season and in Atletico's dramatic last-16 victory in 2020. Liverpool hit back five minutes before the break through Dominik Szoboszlai, courtesy of a clever backheeled pass from Ronald Araujo. Alexis Mac Allister then hammered the hosts in front five minutes into the second half with a left-footed strike from outside the box, and Atletico could not find a response. "I've loved it. The atmosphere has been incredible and I feel lucky, lucky to experience it," said Liverpool's new manager Andoni Iraola after his Champions League coaching debut. Odegaard sinks Napoli Arsenal missed several first-half chances at the Stadio Armando Diego Maradona, with Napoli goalkeeper Alex Meret making an excellent save to keep out Mikel Merino's header. Piero Hincapie fired over a golden chance from just three yards out as the English champions continued to push after half-time, but last season's runners-up finally forged ahead with 15 minutes left. Martin Odegaard, who scored the winner against Chelsea at the weekend, played a clever one-two with Christos Tzolis on the edge of the area and crashed a shot in off the far post. Barcelona made an excellent start to their latest bid to end a 12-year wait to lift the trophy, as Raphinha continued his superb form by scoring twice in a 5-1 thumping of Feyenoord. Hansi Flick's men, who lost to Atletico in the quarter-finals last season, have won all five of their matches in all competitions so far this season, scoring five goals in four of them. "We controlled the game, we are dominant and this is fantastic to see. This is our style and how we want to play," said Flick. Raphinha put Barca into a third-minute lead before a brilliant long-range strike from summer signing Karim Adeyemi. Brazilian Raphinha, playing up front this season after the departures of Robert Lewandowski and Torres, made it eight goals already for the campaign in the second half. Lamine Yamal netted a free-kick which crept through the wall, and although Sem Steijn pulled one back for Feyenoord, Gabriel Jesus came off the bench and then headed in his first Barca goal. Ermedin Demirovic scored a first-half hat-trick as Stuttgart eased to a 3-1 home win over Norwegian champions Viking, playing in the competition for the first time in 34 years. Sporting, quarter-finalists last season for the first time since 1983, fought back to see off Galatasaray 3-1 in Lisbon.

Holders Paris Saint-Germain rout Slovan Bratislava, while Liverpool came from behind to beat Atletico Madrid. Barcelona scored five goals against Feyenoord and Arsenal beat Napoli 1-0.

Champions League: PSG start title defence with rout of Slovan; Liverpool, Barca, Arsenal win

The UEFA Champions League 2026-27 league-phase draw has set up several exciting matches. Defending champions Paris Saint-Germain will face Barcelona and Manchester City, while 15-time winners Real Madrid will take on Inter Milan and Arsenal. The draw took place at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco on Thursday I(Aug 27). This is the third season of the new format, which has replaced the traditional group stage.&nbsp;PSG enter the tournament as back-to-back champions after beating Arsenal on penalties in last season’s final. Luis Enrique’s team will now aim to become only the fourth club to win the European Cup/Champions League three years in a row, following Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Ajax.<h3>PSG face Manchester City, Barcelona</h3>PSG received one of the toughest draws, as they will host Barcelona and Roma, while their away games include Manchester City and Aston Villa.&nbsp;Their other opponents are Galatasaray, Villarreal, Slovan Bratislava and Como.&nbsp;&nbsp;PSG’s eight opponents<ul><li>Barcelona - Home</li><li>Manchester City - Away</li><li>Roma - Home</li><li>Aston Villa - Away</li><li>Galatasaray - Home</li><li>Villarreal - Away</li><li>Slovan Bratislava - Home</li><li>Como - Away</li></ul><h3>Real Madrid handed Arsenal Test</h3>Real Madrid will start their Champions League campaign under returning manager Jose Mourinho. They will host Inter Milan, PSV Eindhoven, RB Leipzig, LASK and their away matches are against Arsenal, Roma, Shakhtar Donetsk and AEK Athens.&nbsp;The Inter Milan game will have an added storyline, as Mourinho guided Inter to the Champions League title in 2010 before joining Real Madrid. He has now returned to Madrid on a contract running until 2029.&nbsp;Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/fih-women-s-hockey-world-cup-2026-india-secure-fifth-place-with-3-1-win-over-germany-1787845102086">A Moment to Cherish! India defeat Germany 3-1 to finish fifth at FIH Women’s Hockey World Cup 2026, best in 52 years</a>&nbsp;Real Madrid’s eight opponents<ul><li>Inter Milan - Home</li><li>Arsenal - Away</li><li>PSV Eindhoven - Home</li><li>Roma - Away</li><li>RB Leipzig - Home</li><li>Shakhtar Donetsk - Away</li><li>LASK - Home</li><li>AEK Athens - Away</li></ul><h3>Bayern renew rivalry with Manchester United</h3>Bayern Munich will host Arsenal, Real Betis, Bodo/Glimt and Slavia Prague and their away fixtures are against Atletico Madrid, Manchester United, Lille and Viking.&nbsp;Bayern Munich’s eight opponents<ul><li>Arsenal - Home</li><li>Atletico Madrid - Away</li><li>Real Betis - Home</li><li>Manchester United - Away</li><li>Bodo/Glimt - Home</li><li>&nbsp;Lille - Away</li><li>Slavia Prague - Home</li><li>Viking - Away</li></ul><h3>Manchester United to face Atletico</h3>Manchester United will welcome Bayern Munich, Roma, RB Leipzig and Sabah at home. Their away games will be against Atletico Madrid, Sporting CP, Villarreal and Como.&nbsp;Manchester United’s eight opponents<ul><li>Bayern Munich - Home</li><li>Atletico Madrid - Away</li><li>Roma - Home</li><li>Sporting CP - Away</li><li>RB Leipzig - Home</li><li>&nbsp;Villarreal - Away</li><li>Sabah - Home</li><li>Como - Away</li></ul><h3>Other major draws</h3>Barcelona<ul><li>Manchester City - Home</li><li>Aston Villa - Home</li><li>Feyenoord - Home</li><li>Como - Home</li><li>PSG - Away</li><li>Sporting Lisbon - Away</li><li>Galatasaray - Away</li><li>Sabah - Away</li></ul>Arsenal<ul><li>Real Madrid - Home</li><li>Bayern Munich - Away</li><li>Borussia Dortmund - Home</li><li>Real Betis - Away</li><li>Lille - Home</li><li>Napoli - Away</li><li>Sabah - Home</li><li>Slavia Prague - Away</li></ul>Manchester City<ul><li>PSG - Home</li><li>Barcelona - Away</li><li>Sporting CP - Home</li><li>Porto - Away</li><li>Napoli - Home</li><li>RB Leipzig - Away</li><li>AEK Athens - Home</li><li>Lens - Away</li></ul>Liverpool<ul><li>Atletico Madrid - Home</li><li>Inter Milan - Away</li><li>Porto - Home</li><li>Club Brugge - Away</li><li>Villarreal - Home</li><li>Fenerbahce - Away</li><li>Lens - Home</li><li>LASK - Away</li></ul>Aston Villa<ul><li>PSG - Home</li><li>Barcelona - Away</li><li>Borussia Dortmund - Home</li><li>Club Brugge - Away</li><li>Fenerbahce - Home</li><li>Galatasaray - Away</li><li>Viking - Home</li><li>Slavia Prague - Away</li></ul><h3>New Champions League format</h3>The 2026-27 Champions League has 36 teams competing in a single league table. Every club will play eight different opponents, with two opponents coming from each of the four pots.&nbsp;Each team will play four matches at home and four away.&nbsp;Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/we-did-everything-we-could-shubman-gill-reacts-after-sri-lanka-hold-india-to-draw-in-second-test-1787843646557">'We did everything we could': Gill reacts after SL hold IND to draw in 2nd Test</a>&nbsp;The top eight teams will automatically qualify for the Round of 16. Teams finishing from ninth to 24th will enter the knockout play-offs, while clubs finishing 25th or lower will be eliminated from European competition.&nbsp;Champions League important dates<ul><li>Matchday 1: 8-10 Sept, 2026</li><li>&nbsp;Matchday 2: Oct 13-14</li><li>Matchday 3: Oct 20-21</li><li>Matchday 4: Nov 3-4</li><li>Matchday 5: Nov 24-25</li><li>Matchday 6: Dec 8-9</li><li>Matchday 7: 19-20 Jan, 2027</li><li>Matchday 8: Jan 27</li><li>Knockout play-offs: Feb 16-17 and 23-24</li><li>Round of 16: Mar 9-10 and 16-17</li><li>Quarter-finals: Apr 6-7 and 13-14</li><li>Semi-finals: Apr 27-28 and May 4-5</li><li>Final: 5 Jun, 2027, at the Metropolitano Stadium in Madrid</li></ul>

PSG and Real Madrid have been handed blockbuster clashes in the 2026-27 Champions League league phase. The defending champions will face Barcelona and Manchester City, while 15-time winners Real Madrid take on Arsenal and Inter Milan.

The UEFA Champions League 2026-27 league-phase draw has set up several exciting matches. Defending champions Paris Saint-Germain will face Barcelona and Manchester City, while 15-time winners Real Madrid will take on Inter Milan and Arsenal. The draw took place at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco on Thursday I(Aug 27). This is the third season of the new format, which has replaced the traditional group stage. PSG enter the tournament as back-to-back champions after beating Arsenal on penalties in last season’s final. Luis Enrique’s team will now aim to become only the fourth club to win the European Cup/Champions League three years in a row, following Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Ajax. PSG face Manchester City, Barcelona PSG received one of the toughest draws, as they will host Barcelona and Roma, while their away games include Manchester City and Aston Villa. Their other opponents are Galatasaray, Villarreal, Slovan Bratislava and Como. PSG’s eight opponents Barcelona - Home Manchester City - Away Roma - Home Aston Villa - Away Galatasaray - Home Villarreal - Away Slovan Bratislava - Home Como - Away Real Madrid handed Arsenal Test Real Madrid will start their Champions League campaign under returning manager Jose Mourinho. They will host Inter Milan, PSV Eindhoven, RB Leipzig, LASK and their away matches are against Arsenal, Roma, Shakhtar Donetsk and AEK Athens. The Inter Milan game will have an added storyline, as Mourinho guided Inter to the Champions League title in 2010 before joining Real Madrid. He has now returned to Madrid on a contract running until 2029. Also Read - A Moment to Cherish! India defeat Germany 3-1 to finish fifth at FIH Women’s Hockey World Cup 2026, best in 52 years Real Madrid’s eight opponents Inter Milan - Home Arsenal - Away PSV Eindhoven - Home Roma - Away RB Leipzig - Home Shakhtar Donetsk - Away LASK - Home AEK Athens - Away Bayern renew rivalry with Manchester United Bayern Munich will host Arsenal, Real Betis, Bodo/Glimt and Slavia Prague and their away fixtures are against Atletico Madrid, Manchester United, Lille and Viking. Bayern Munich’s eight opponents Arsenal - Home Atletico Madrid - Away Real Betis - Home Manchester United - Away Bodo/Glimt - Home Lille - Away Slavia Prague - Home Viking - Away Manchester United to face Atletico Manchester United will welcome Bayern Munich, Roma, RB Leipzig and Sabah at home. Their away games will be against Atletico Madrid, Sporting CP, Villarreal and Como. Manchester United’s eight opponents Bayern Munich - Home Atletico Madrid - Away Roma - Home Sporting CP - Away RB Leipzig - Home Villarreal - Away Sabah - Home Como - Away Other major draws Barcelona Manchester City - Home Aston Villa - Home Feyenoord - Home Como - Home PSG - Away Sporting Lisbon - Away Galatasaray - Away Sabah - Away Arsenal Real Madrid - Home Bayern Munich - Away Borussia Dortmund - Home Real Betis - Away Lille - Home Napoli - Away Sabah - Home Slavia Prague - Away Manchester City PSG - Home Barcelona - Away Sporting CP - Home Porto - Away Napoli - Home RB Leipzig - Away AEK Athens - Home Lens - Away Liverpool Atletico Madrid - Home Inter Milan - Away Porto - Home Club Brugge - Away Villarreal - Home Fenerbahce - Away Lens - Home LASK - Away Aston Villa PSG - Home Barcelona - Away Borussia Dortmund - Home Club Brugge - Away Fenerbahce - Home Galatasaray - Away Viking - Home Slavia Prague - Away New Champions League format The 2026-27 Champions League has 36 teams competing in a single league table. Every club will play eight different opponents, with two opponents coming from each of the four pots. Each team will play four matches at home and four away. Also Read - 'We did everything we could': Gill reacts after SL hold IND to draw in 2nd Test The top eight teams will automatically qualify for the Round of 16. Teams finishing from ninth to 24th will enter the knockout play-offs, while clubs finishing 25th or lower will be eliminated from European competition. Champions League important dates Matchday 1: 8-10 Sept, 2026 Matchday 2: Oct 13-14 Matchday 3: Oct 20-21 Matchday 4: Nov 3-4 Matchday 5: Nov 24-25 Matchday 6: Dec 8-9 Matchday 7: 19-20 Jan, 2027 Matchday 8: Jan 27 Knockout play-offs: Feb 16-17 and 23-24 Round of 16: Mar 9-10 and 16-17 Quarter-finals: Apr 6-7 and 13-14 Semi-finals: Apr 27-28 and May 4-5 Final: 5 Jun, 2027, at the Metropolitano Stadium in Madrid

PSG and Real Madrid have been handed blockbuster clashes in the 2026-27 Champions League league phase. The defending champions will face Barcelona and Manchester City, while 15-time winners Real Madrid take on Arsenal and Inter Milan.

Champions League 2026-27 draw: PSG, Barcelona set for blockbuster clash, Man Utd face Bayern

Manchester City midfielder Rodri has arrived in Barcelona ahead of his €76.5 million move to the Catalan giants. The 30-year-old midfielder called the transfer a “dream come true” and is set to complete the move after undergoing his medical.

Rodri arrives in Barcelona to complete transfer to Spanish champs

Paris Saint-Germain have signed Spain’s World Cup-winning forward Ferran Torres from Barcelona on a contract that will run until 2031, the two clubs confirmed on Saturday (Aug 15). The transfer fee was not revealed, but media reports claimed PSG paid €50 million ($57.83 million) for the 26-year-old.&nbsp;“I’m delighted to be beginning a new adventure ‌at such an ambitious club ‌as ⁠Paris St Germain,” Torres said in a statement.&nbsp;“I’d like to thank President Nasser Al-Khelaifi, (PSG’s football advisor) Luis Campos and coach Luis ‌Enrique for giving me the opportunity to join the team, which I hope to help win as many trophies as possible.”&nbsp;Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-sl-1st-test-kl-rahul-cramps-spark-fitness-concern-batting-coach-provides-update-1786808790092">IND vs SL, 1st Test: KL Rahul cramps spark fitness concern, batting coach provides update</a>&nbsp;Torres arrives in Paris after scoring the extra-time winner against Argentina in the World Cup final. He had an impressive season with Barcelona, scoring 21 goals and providing three assists in 49 appearances across all competitions as the Catalan club successfully defended their LaLiga title.&nbsp;Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/fih-hockey-world-cup-2026-india-celebrate-independence-day-with-3-1-win-over-wales-1786802828688">FIH Hockey World Cup: India celebrate Independence Day with 3-1 win over Wales</a>&nbsp;The forward joined Barcelona in 2022 following a short spell with Premier League club Manchester City.&nbsp;Torres has also scored 25 goals in 65 appearances for Spain. At PSG, he will reunite with Luis Enrique, having previously played under the Spanish coach during his time as the national team manager.

Spain’s World Cup hero has joined the French capital after scoring the extra-time winner against Argentina in the World Cup final.

Paris Saint-Germain have signed Spain’s World Cup-winning forward Ferran Torres from Barcelona on a contract that will run until 2031, the two clubs confirmed on Saturday (Aug 15). The transfer fee was not revealed, but media reports claimed PSG paid €50 million ($57.83 million) for the 26-year-old. “I’m delighted to be beginning a new adventure ‌at such an ambitious club ‌as ⁠Paris St Germain,” Torres said in a statement. “I’d like to thank President Nasser Al-Khelaifi, (PSG’s football advisor) Luis Campos and coach Luis ‌Enrique for giving me the opportunity to join the team, which I hope to help win as many trophies as possible.” Also Read - IND vs SL, 1st Test: KL Rahul cramps spark fitness concern, batting coach provides update Torres arrives in Paris after scoring the extra-time winner against Argentina in the World Cup final. He had an impressive season with Barcelona, scoring 21 goals and providing three assists in 49 appearances across all competitions as the Catalan club successfully defended their LaLiga title. Also Read - FIH Hockey World Cup: India celebrate Independence Day with 3-1 win over Wales The forward joined Barcelona in 2022 following a short spell with Premier League club Manchester City. Torres has also scored 25 goals in 65 appearances for Spain. At PSG, he will reunite with Luis Enrique, having previously played under the Spanish coach during his time as the national team manager.

Spain’s World Cup hero has joined the French capital after scoring the extra-time winner against Argentina in the World Cup final.

PSG sign World Cup hero Ferran Torres from Barcelona

In a major transfer shock, Barcelona forward Ferran Torres is reportedly on the verge of completing a high-profile move to current UEFA Champions League holders Paris Saint-Germain. Sources indicate that PSG has met the release clause to bolster their attacking depth following their recent continental success, while Barcelona looks to rebalance their financial books.


Barcelona forward Ferran Torres set to join UCL holders PSG

Spain’s FIFA World Cup victory over Argentina sparked celebrations so massive that scientists detected measurable seismic activity across the country. According to Spain’s National Geographic Institute, ground vibrations were recorded in several cities, including Barcelona, Cádiz, and Granada. Researchers identified major seismic spikes during the winning goal, the trophy ceremony, and the final whistle, highlighting the extraordinary scale of the nationwide celebrations.

Spain’s World Cup Victory over Argentina triggers seismic vibrations across the country

Barcelona secured their 29th Spanish league title after beating Real Madrid 2-0 in the Clasico on Sunday. Marcus Rashford and Ferran Torres struck in the first half to help Hansi Flick's side clinch La Liga in consecutive years, while consigning Madrid to a trophyless season. Barca moved an unassailable 14 points clear of second-place Los Blancos with three matches remaining.Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/vinesh-phogat-denied-entry-into-comeback-tournament-as-wrestling-federation-imposes-ban-1778325904938">Vinesh Phogat denied entry into comeback tournament as WFI imposes ban</a>This was only the second time the outcome of La Liga has been decided directly by the result of a Clasico, with record 36-time champions Real Madrid winning their first title in 1932 after a draw with Barca.Flick's team were disappointed to be knocked out in the Champions League quarter-finals by Atletico Madrid in April, but were still determined to celebrate in style."This title is more special for winning it at home against Madrid, now we have to enjoy it with the fans," Barca midfielder Frenkie de Jong told Movistar."We have been the best team in Spain -- of course we (also) want to win the Champions League, that's the objective."Next year we will have another opportunity."Madrid arrived at the match embroiled in chaos, after midfielder Fede Valverde was ruled out with a head injury following a training ground scuffle with team-mate Aurelien Tchouameni, who started.Barca coach Flick received bad news before the game, with his father passing away, but took his place on the touchline regardless, to oversee his side's comfortable triumph."It has been a tough day. It started in the morning and I really, I'll never forget this day," Flick told fans on the pitch."I'm really proud about that we have such a team. I want to say thank you to everyone, thank you for everything, thanks for really fighting. I really appreciate that a lot."The German coach opted for the energetic Rashford, on loan from Manchester United, on the right wing in place of injured teenage star Lamine Yamal.The Catalans, who only needed to avoid defeat, came out with their eyes firmly locked on the prize, racing into a two-goal lead inside 18 minutes.Rashford opened the scoring with a superb free-kick, whipping the ball into the top left corner from a position 20 yards out, right of centre.Torres doubled the hosts' advantage at a jubilant Camp Nou, the 62,000-strong crowd enjoying the first Clasico back there since the stadium was reopened.Dani Olmo produced a clever backheel to allow Torres to burst into the box and ram past Thibaut Courtois.Gonzalo Garcia, playing in place of injured Madrid superstar Kylian Mbappe, prodded narrowly wide after racing in behind Barca's high defensive line.<h2>Madrid frustration</h2>Urged on by coach Alvaro Arbeloa on the touchline, unlikely to be at the helm next season, Madrid battled to stem the bleeding.Rashford could have added a third before the break but fired wide, with Fermin Lopez unmarked and well placed to finish.Torres should have struck early in the second half but Courtois saved from the Spain international as he ran through.Jude Bellingham put the ball in Barcelona's net but the goal was ruled out for offside, while Joan Garcia thwarted Vinicius Junior.Barca fans batted inflatable beach balls around to taunt the Brazilian over his unfulfilled Ballon d'Or ambitions, and lapped up the party atmosphere.Courtois saved from substitutes Raphinha, back after injury, and Robert Lewandowski as Madrid saw out the remainder of the match without taking further damage."We can't say a lot (to the fans), because we understand the frustration, their upset, how unsatisfied they have to be with this season," Arbeloa told reporters."All we can do is work, looking towards the future, learning from everything we did badly this year, knowing that Real Madrid always come back."Flick's side remain on course to match the record of 100 points in a league season and can win all their home matches if they defeat Real Betis in the one remaining.Meanwhile Madrid finish a second consecutive season without a major trophy, staring down the barrel of a summer reshuffle, including former coach Jose Mourinho being linked with a potential return.What is clear is that for now president Florentino Perez cannot seem to find the solution to end Flick's Barca's domestic domination.

This was only the second time the outcome of La Liga has been decided directly by the result of a Clasico, with record 36-time champions Real Madrid winning their first title in 1932 after a draw with Barca.

Barcelona secured their 29th Spanish league title after beating Real Madrid 2-0 in the Clasico on Sunday. Marcus Rashford and Ferran Torres struck in the first half to help Hansi Flick's side clinch La Liga in consecutive years, while consigning Madrid to a trophyless season. Barca moved an unassailable 14 points clear of second-place Los Blancos with three matches remaining. Also Read - Vinesh Phogat denied entry into comeback tournament as WFI imposes ban This was only the second time the outcome of La Liga has been decided directly by the result of a Clasico, with record 36-time champions Real Madrid winning their first title in 1932 after a draw with Barca. Flick's team were disappointed to be knocked out in the Champions League quarter-finals by Atletico Madrid in April, but were still determined to celebrate in style. "This title is more special for winning it at home against Madrid, now we have to enjoy it with the fans," Barca midfielder Frenkie de Jong told Movistar. "We have been the best team in Spain -- of course we (also) want to win the Champions League, that's the objective. "Next year we will have another opportunity." Madrid arrived at the match embroiled in chaos, after midfielder Fede Valverde was ruled out with a head injury following a training ground scuffle with team-mate Aurelien Tchouameni, who started. Barca coach Flick received bad news before the game, with his father passing away, but took his place on the touchline regardless, to oversee his side's comfortable triumph. "It has been a tough day. It started in the morning and I really, I'll never forget this day," Flick told fans on the pitch. "I'm really proud about that we have such a team. I want to say thank you to everyone, thank you for everything, thanks for really fighting. I really appreciate that a lot." The German coach opted for the energetic Rashford, on loan from Manchester United, on the right wing in place of injured teenage star Lamine Yamal. The Catalans, who only needed to avoid defeat, came out with their eyes firmly locked on the prize, racing into a two-goal lead inside 18 minutes. Rashford opened the scoring with a superb free-kick, whipping the ball into the top left corner from a position 20 yards out, right of centre. Torres doubled the hosts' advantage at a jubilant Camp Nou, the 62,000-strong crowd enjoying the first Clasico back there since the stadium was reopened. Dani Olmo produced a clever backheel to allow Torres to burst into the box and ram past Thibaut Courtois. Gonzalo Garcia, playing in place of injured Madrid superstar Kylian Mbappe, prodded narrowly wide after racing in behind Barca's high defensive line. Madrid frustration Urged on by coach Alvaro Arbeloa on the touchline, unlikely to be at the helm next season, Madrid battled to stem the bleeding. Rashford could have added a third before the break but fired wide, with Fermin Lopez unmarked and well placed to finish. Torres should have struck early in the second half but Courtois saved from the Spain international as he ran through. Jude Bellingham put the ball in Barcelona's net but the goal was ruled out for offside, while Joan Garcia thwarted Vinicius Junior. Barca fans batted inflatable beach balls around to taunt the Brazilian over his unfulfilled Ballon d'Or ambitions, and lapped up the party atmosphere. Courtois saved from substitutes Raphinha, back after injury, and Robert Lewandowski as Madrid saw out the remainder of the match without taking further damage. "We can't say a lot (to the fans), because we understand the frustration, their upset, how unsatisfied they have to be with this season," Arbeloa told reporters. "All we can do is work, looking towards the future, learning from everything we did badly this year, knowing that Real Madrid always come back." Flick's side remain on course to match the record of 100 points in a league season and can win all their home matches if they defeat Real Betis in the one remaining. Meanwhile Madrid finish a second consecutive season without a major trophy, staring down the barrel of a summer reshuffle, including former coach Jose Mourinho being linked with a potential return. What is clear is that for now president Florentino Perez cannot seem to find the solution to end Flick's Barca's domestic domination.

This was only the second time the outcome of La Liga has been decided directly by the result of a Clasico, with record 36-time champions Real Madrid winning their first title in 1932 after a draw with Barca.

Barcelona beat Real Madrid in El Clasico to win La Liga

Atletico Madrid sent 10-man Barcelona crashing out of the Champions League and reached the final four with a 3-2 aggregate victory despite Tuesday's 2-1 quarter-final second leg defeat. Lamine Yamal and Ferran Torres fired visitors Barca ahead inside 24 minutes but Ademola Lookman's strike gave Atletico the edge in the gripping all-Spanish tie once again after their 2-0 win in the first leg. Diego Simeone's side returned to the semi-finals for the first time since 2017 by holding on against the La Liga champions in a compelling and bloody battle. Barcelona defender Eric Garcia was sent off for bringing down Alexander Sorloth as he ran in on goal in the final stages, hampering their chances of finding a third goal to force extra-time.Also Watch - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/premier-league-watch-man-utd-s-martinez-gets-red-card-3-match-suspension-for-pulling-hair-of-leeds-calvert-lewin-1776144279636">Man Utd's Martinez gets red card &amp; 3-match suspension for pulling hair</a>Atletico, who have never won the competition and lost the 2014 and 2016 finals with Simeone at the helm, will face Arsenal or Sporting Lisbon in the semi-finals."(We're) very happy, knocking out a great Barca side. We had a great game away... it was really hard for us at the start (of this one), but the team knew how to get back on its feet," Atletico midfielder Koke told Movistar.Barcelona last won the Champions League in 2015 and their wait for a sixth crown continues, but midfielder Frenkie de Jong said that the club was on the right path despite their elimination."I think we had a very good game, we gave our lives out there, we tried everything," said the Dutchman."I feel like luck was not on our side. We have to continue -- we're on a good path, we're growing every year."Barca coach Hansi Flick benched forwards Marcus Rashford and Robert Lewandowski for workhorses Torres and Gavi, looking to press Atletico relentlessly in the sixth match between these sides this season.Goalkeeper Juan Musso tipped a Yamal effort around his post after just 32 seconds, with Barca roaring out of the blocks in a fiery atmosphere at the Metropolitano stadium.The teenage winger fired the visitors ahead after just four minutes when he harried Clement Lenglet into giving the ball away.Torres nudged it back to Yamal who slipped a low shot through Musso's legs to hush the home fans and ignite Barca's attempted comeback bid.Dani Olmo nearly grabbed a second but Musso was able to reach his attempted lob as Barca continued to dominate.Antoine Griezmann had a shot deflected wide as Atletico showed occasional flashes, mostly through enterprising winger Lookman, who gave Jules Kounde a difficult night.Barcelona doubled their lead in the 24th minute to level the tie on aggregate when Torres left Lenglet trailing, reached Olmo's pass and fired across Musso into the top corner.Fermin Lopez could have notched Barca's third but Musso clawed out his header and left the midfielder bleeding after his boot caught the Spaniard in the face.Atletico pulled their way back into the game in the 31st minute after Barca switched off defensively for the first time.Marcos Llorente charged in down the right behind the Catalans' high defensive line and crossed for Lookman to convert.<h2>Another red card</h2>Barcelona were frustrated early in the second half when Torres volleyed home but the goal was disallowed for offside.Flick sent on Rashford and Lewandowski with around 20 minutes remaining to find the goal that last season's semi-finalists needed.Barca stopper Joan Garcia made a fine save with his leg to thwart Robin Le Normand from close range as Atletico almost pulled level on the night.Matteo Ruggieri was left with blood streaming down his face after Gavi caught him with an elbow, with tensions rising.The game spun away from Barca when Eric Garcia was sent off for clipping Sorloth's heels as he ran through on goal, similar to Pau Cubarsi's red card in the first leg.Flick threw centre-back Ronald Araujo up front for the final stages but there was no way back and Atletico gritted their teeth through eight minutes of stoppage time before the celebrations could begin.

Atletico, who have never won the competition and lost the 2014 and 2016 finals with Simeone at the helm, will face Arsenal or Sporting Lisbon in the semi-finals.

Atletico Madrid sent 10-man Barcelona crashing out of the Champions League and reached the final four with a 3-2 aggregate victory despite Tuesday's 2-1 quarter-final second leg defeat. Lamine Yamal and Ferran Torres fired visitors Barca ahead inside 24 minutes but Ademola Lookman's strike gave Atletico the edge in the gripping all-Spanish tie once again after their 2-0 win in the first leg. Diego Simeone's side returned to the semi-finals for the first time since 2017 by holding on against the La Liga champions in a compelling and bloody battle. Barcelona defender Eric Garcia was sent off for bringing down Alexander Sorloth as he ran in on goal in the final stages, hampering their chances of finding a third goal to force extra-time. Also Watch - Man Utd's Martinez gets red card & 3-match suspension for pulling hair Atletico, who have never won the competition and lost the 2014 and 2016 finals with Simeone at the helm, will face Arsenal or Sporting Lisbon in the semi-finals. "(We're) very happy, knocking out a great Barca side. We had a great game away... it was really hard for us at the start (of this one), but the team knew how to get back on its feet," Atletico midfielder Koke told Movistar. Barcelona last won the Champions League in 2015 and their wait for a sixth crown continues, but midfielder Frenkie de Jong said that the club was on the right path despite their elimination. "I think we had a very good game, we gave our lives out there, we tried everything," said the Dutchman. "I feel like luck was not on our side. We have to continue -- we're on a good path, we're growing every year." Barca coach Hansi Flick benched forwards Marcus Rashford and Robert Lewandowski for workhorses Torres and Gavi, looking to press Atletico relentlessly in the sixth match between these sides this season. Goalkeeper Juan Musso tipped a Yamal effort around his post after just 32 seconds, with Barca roaring out of the blocks in a fiery atmosphere at the Metropolitano stadium. The teenage winger fired the visitors ahead after just four minutes when he harried Clement Lenglet into giving the ball away. Torres nudged it back to Yamal who slipped a low shot through Musso's legs to hush the home fans and ignite Barca's attempted comeback bid. Dani Olmo nearly grabbed a second but Musso was able to reach his attempted lob as Barca continued to dominate. Antoine Griezmann had a shot deflected wide as Atletico showed occasional flashes, mostly through enterprising winger Lookman, who gave Jules Kounde a difficult night. Barcelona doubled their lead in the 24th minute to level the tie on aggregate when Torres left Lenglet trailing, reached Olmo's pass and fired across Musso into the top corner. Fermin Lopez could have notched Barca's third but Musso clawed out his header and left the midfielder bleeding after his boot caught the Spaniard in the face. Atletico pulled their way back into the game in the 31st minute after Barca switched off defensively for the first time. Marcos Llorente charged in down the right behind the Catalans' high defensive line and crossed for Lookman to convert. Another red card Barcelona were frustrated early in the second half when Torres volleyed home but the goal was disallowed for offside. Flick sent on Rashford and Lewandowski with around 20 minutes remaining to find the goal that last season's semi-finalists needed. Barca stopper Joan Garcia made a fine save with his leg to thwart Robin Le Normand from close range as Atletico almost pulled level on the night. Matteo Ruggieri was left with blood streaming down his face after Gavi caught him with an elbow, with tensions rising. The game spun away from Barca when Eric Garcia was sent off for clipping Sorloth's heels as he ran through on goal, similar to Pau Cubarsi's red card in the first leg. Flick threw centre-back Ronald Araujo up front for the final stages but there was no way back and Atletico gritted their teeth through eight minutes of stoppage time before the celebrations could begin.

Atletico, who have never won the competition and lost the 2014 and 2016 finals with Simeone at the helm, will face Arsenal or Sporting Lisbon in the semi-finals.

Champions League | Atletico Madrid hold Barcelona at bay to enter semis

Barcelona are hanging by a thread in the Champions League after losing 0-2 to Atletico Madrid in quarter-final first leg on Wednesday (Apr 8) at Camp Nou. Both the goals against the Spanish giants came after Pau Cubrasi was given a red card in the 44th minute. Taking advantage of the situation, Julian Alvarez put Atletico Madrid 1-0 ahead in the 45th minute before Alexander Sorloth doubled the lead in 70th minute. Barca would have to do a lot next week, that too in an away game, if they are to advance in the competition. Barca coach Hansi Flick, meanwhile, has called out the VAR referee for not acknowledging an Atletico player touching the ball with hand after a goal kick in the match.Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/football-world-cup-2026-agents-don-t-execute-search-warrants-or-carry-weapons-in-canada-says-us-ice-ahead-of-fifa-event-1775640377035">FIFA WC 2026 | 'ICE agents don't carry weapons in Canada,' says US agency</a><h2>Hansi Flick doesn't hold back against VAR referee</h2>The incident happened when Marc Pubill of Atletico Madrid decided to handle the ball but no referee or VAR intervened. The ball came to Pubill after goal kick inside the box but instead of continuing with the game, he decided to grab it and give it back to the keeper. Flick was not at all amused by it. Have a look at the video below:

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">Que poco se habló de esto, no? Musso apoya la pelota y la pone en juego con el pie, pero Marc Pubill (amonestado) la agarra con la mano y saca de nuevo. El árbitro y el VAR no quisieron comprarse un problema. En mis libros, penalazo no cobrado a Barcelona. <a href="https://t.co/LALqzB98P3">pic.twitter.com/LALqzB98P3</a>&mdash; Santi Feldman (@SantiFeldman) <a href="https://twitter.com/SantiFeldman/status/2041984389060440360?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 8, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

"I don’t know about Cubarsí’s sending off, it could be red or it couldn’t be. I’m not sure if he touches him enough. The ball was behind them. But the situation in which they touch the ball with their hand in the area and I don’t understand why VAR doesn’t come in. It’s normal to make mistakes, but this type of situation, why do we have VAR? It should be a penalty and a second yellow, red," Hansi Flick was quoted as saying by football Espana."The VAR has been quite favoured towards Atletico… he was a German (referee). Thank you Germany. I don’t know what happens in a situation in which a goalkeeper starts to play and the defender stops it with his hand, for me it’s a second yellow and also a penalty. Let’s see if they can explain it to us," Flick added.

The incident happened when Marc Pubill of Atletico Madrid decided to handle the ball but no referee or VAR intervened. The ball came to Pubill after goal kick inside the box but instead of continuing with the game, he decided to grab it and give it back to the keeper.

Barcelona are hanging by a thread in the Champions League after losing 0-2 to Atletico Madrid in quarter-final first leg on Wednesday (Apr 8) at Camp Nou. Both the goals against the Spanish giants came after Pau Cubrasi was given a red card in the 44th minute. Taking advantage of the situation, Julian Alvarez put Atletico Madrid 1-0 ahead in the 45th minute before Alexander Sorloth doubled the lead in 70th minute. Barca would have to do a lot next week, that too in an away game, if they are to advance in the competition. Barca coach Hansi Flick, meanwhile, has called out the VAR referee for not acknowledging an Atletico player touching the ball with hand after a goal kick in the match. Also Read - FIFA WC 2026 | 'ICE agents don't carry weapons in Canada,' says US agency Hansi Flick doesn't hold back against VAR referee The incident happened when Marc Pubill of Atletico Madrid decided to handle the ball but no referee or VAR intervened. The ball came to Pubill after goal kick inside the box but instead of continuing with the game, he decided to grab it and give it back to the keeper. Flick was not at all amused by it. Have a look at the video below:

The incident happened when Marc Pubill of Atletico Madrid decided to handle the ball but no referee or VAR intervened. The ball came to Pubill after goal kick inside the box but instead of continuing with the game, he decided to grab it and give it back to the keeper.

Champions League | 'Thank you Germany' Barca coach Flick furious after Atletico's Pubill not given red card despite handling ball - WATCH

Barcelona hit Newcastle United for seven to reach the Champions League quarter-finals on Wednesday, while Liverpool overturned a first-leg deficit to beat Galatasaray in their last-16 tie and both Bayern Munich and Atletico Madrid advanced to the next round. Raphinha and Robert Lewandowski both scored twice as La Liga leaders Barcelona tore apart Newcastle at the Camp Nou, winning 7-2 in the second leg of their last-16 encounter to progress 8-3 on aggregate. A spectacular match saw Anthony Elanga twice score for Newcastle inside the opening half-hour to cancel out goals by Raphinha and Marc Bernal.Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/suspected-corruption-senegal-government-demands-probe-into-caf-decision-to-award-morocco-afcon-title-1773850555102">Senegal govt demands probe into CAF decision to award Morocco AFCON title</a>However, the Catalans went back in front when Lamine Yamal converted a penalty deep in first-half stoppage time to make it 3-2 on the night, and they never looked back.Fermin Lopez ran through for 4-2 early in the second half before Lewandowski added a quick-fire double either side of the hour mark, and Raphinha completed the scoring in the 72nd minute."The confidence that we got in the second half was good to see," said Barca coach Hansi Flick.It was a chastening defeat for Newcastle and just the third time since 1955 that an English team has conceded at least eight goals on aggregate in a European tie -- one of the other occasions was this week, when Chelsea lost 8-2 on aggregate to Paris Saint-Germain."When the game was effectively over we didn't react well to that, so it became a very difficult second half," said Newcastle coach Eddie Howe.It was also just the third time Barcelona have scored seven in a Champions League game, and Flick's side can now look forward to an all-Spanish quarter-final next month against Atletico.Diego Simeone's men lost 3-2 on the night to Tottenham Hotspur in London, but progressed 7-5 on aggregate thanks to their 5-2 victory last week.Randal Kolo Muani headed in on the half-hour to give Spurs the lead on the night and suggest a stunning comeback in the tie was possible.A superb Julian Alvarez strike just after half-time doused the home side's hopes, even if a fine Xavi Simons effort put Tottenham back in front.David Hancko headed in Atletico's second on the night, before Simons converted a last-minute penalty for his second of the game as Spurs rescued some pride by ending a run of eight matches without a win.<h2>Half-centuries for Kane, Salah</h2>Liverpool were too good for Galatasaray, overturning a 1-0 first-leg deficit against the Turkish side with a comprehensive 4-0 win at Anfield.Arne Slot's side went ahead on 25 minutes through a lovely first-time finish at a corner from Dominik Szoboszlai.Mohamed Salah then had a poor penalty saved in first-half stoppage time, but the Egyptian made up for that in style after the break.He laid on two goals in the space of three minutes, one for Hugo Ekitike and the other for Ryan Gravenberch.Salah then scored the fourth himself just after the hour, curling a superb effort into the far corner from the edge of the area from a Florian Wirtz lay-off.It was his 10th club goal this season was also his 50th in the Champions League, and it sealed a 4-1 aggregate victory which takes the Reds through to a quarter-final against PSG.That will be a repeat of a last-16 tie a year ago which PSG won on penalties -- the French club have won four knockout ties against English opponents since the start of 2025."We could (have) won 10-0, but we did a good job. We can be proud," said Ekitike.Bayern's progress against Atalanta was never in doubt after their 6-1 win in the first leg in Italy, and they followed that with a 4-1 success in Munich.Harry Kane opened the scoring with a retaken first-half penalty -- his initial effort had been saved -- and then added a brilliant second on 54 minutes.The brace took the Englishman to a half-century of Champions League goals, as he joined Salah and Thierry Henry on that overall mark -- Kane has done it in 66 games compared to 97 for Salah.Teenager Lennart Karl got Bayern's third and Luis Diaz the fourth, with Lazar Samardzic pulling one back as the Germans progress 10-2 on aggregate -- they now face Real Madrid in a heavyweight showdown."We don't fear anyone," Kane told DAZN when asked about the prospect of that tie.

Raphinha and Robert Lewandowski both scored twice as La Liga leaders Barcelona tore apart Newcastle at the Camp Nou, winning 7-2 in the second leg of their last-16 encounter to progress 8-3 on aggregate. 

Barcelona hit Newcastle United for seven to reach the Champions League quarter-finals on Wednesday, while Liverpool overturned a first-leg deficit to beat Galatasaray in their last-16 tie and both Bayern Munich and Atletico Madrid advanced to the next round. Raphinha and Robert Lewandowski both scored twice as La Liga leaders Barcelona tore apart Newcastle at the Camp Nou, winning 7-2 in the second leg of their last-16 encounter to progress 8-3 on aggregate. A spectacular match saw Anthony Elanga twice score for Newcastle inside the opening half-hour to cancel out goals by Raphinha and Marc Bernal. Also Read - Senegal govt demands probe into CAF decision to award Morocco AFCON title However, the Catalans went back in front when Lamine Yamal converted a penalty deep in first-half stoppage time to make it 3-2 on the night, and they never looked back. Fermin Lopez ran through for 4-2 early in the second half before Lewandowski added a quick-fire double either side of the hour mark, and Raphinha completed the scoring in the 72nd minute. "The confidence that we got in the second half was good to see," said Barca coach Hansi Flick. It was a chastening defeat for Newcastle and just the third time since 1955 that an English team has conceded at least eight goals on aggregate in a European tie -- one of the other occasions was this week, when Chelsea lost 8-2 on aggregate to Paris Saint-Germain. "When the game was effectively over we didn't react well to that, so it became a very difficult second half," said Newcastle coach Eddie Howe. It was also just the third time Barcelona have scored seven in a Champions League game, and Flick's side can now look forward to an all-Spanish quarter-final next month against Atletico. Diego Simeone's men lost 3-2 on the night to Tottenham Hotspur in London, but progressed 7-5 on aggregate thanks to their 5-2 victory last week. Randal Kolo Muani headed in on the half-hour to give Spurs the lead on the night and suggest a stunning comeback in the tie was possible. A superb Julian Alvarez strike just after half-time doused the home side's hopes, even if a fine Xavi Simons effort put Tottenham back in front. David Hancko headed in Atletico's second on the night, before Simons converted a last-minute penalty for his second of the game as Spurs rescued some pride by ending a run of eight matches without a win. Half-centuries for Kane, Salah Liverpool were too good for Galatasaray, overturning a 1-0 first-leg deficit against the Turkish side with a comprehensive 4-0 win at Anfield. Arne Slot's side went ahead on 25 minutes through a lovely first-time finish at a corner from Dominik Szoboszlai. Mohamed Salah then had a poor penalty saved in first-half stoppage time, but the Egyptian made up for that in style after the break. He laid on two goals in the space of three minutes, one for Hugo Ekitike and the other for Ryan Gravenberch. Salah then scored the fourth himself just after the hour, curling a superb effort into the far corner from the edge of the area from a Florian Wirtz lay-off. It was his 10th club goal this season was also his 50th in the Champions League, and it sealed a 4-1 aggregate victory which takes the Reds through to a quarter-final against PSG. That will be a repeat of a last-16 tie a year ago which PSG won on penalties -- the French club have won four knockout ties against English opponents since the start of 2025. "We could (have) won 10-0, but we did a good job. We can be proud," said Ekitike. Bayern's progress against Atalanta was never in doubt after their 6-1 win in the first leg in Italy, and they followed that with a 4-1 success in Munich. Harry Kane opened the scoring with a retaken first-half penalty -- his initial effort had been saved -- and then added a brilliant second on 54 minutes. The brace took the Englishman to a half-century of Champions League goals, as he joined Salah and Thierry Henry on that overall mark -- Kane has done it in 66 games compared to 97 for Salah. Teenager Lennart Karl got Bayern's third and Luis Diaz the fourth, with Lazar Samardzic pulling one back as the Germans progress 10-2 on aggregate -- they now face Real Madrid in a heavyweight showdown. "We don't fear anyone," Kane told DAZN when asked about the prospect of that tie.

Raphinha and Robert Lewandowski both scored twice as La Liga leaders Barcelona tore apart Newcastle at the Camp Nou, winning 7-2 in the second leg of their last-16 encounter to progress 8-3 on aggregate.&nbsp;

Champions League R16 | Barcelona, Bayern, Atletico, and Liverpool enter QFs

Newcastle United were on the verge of a famous win against Barcelona in the Champions League R16 first leg match on Tuesday (Mar 10) at the St. James Park but teenager Lamine Yamal had different plans. There were no goals in the match till 86th minute when Harvey Barnes scored one for the home team, almost sealing a win. Yamal, the 18 and something superstar in making, however, came to the fore with a successful penalty kick of his own in the 96th minute to deny Newcastle a win. With the first leg ending in a 1-1 draw, Barcelona will have the home advanatge in the second leg and the winner of the match will proceed to the next stage.Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/-fund-refunds-and-disciplinary-measures-what-happens-if-iran-pulls-out-of-fifa-world-cup-2026-1773118066659">What happens if Iran pulls out of FIFA World Cup 2026</a><h2>How Lamine Yamal saved Barcelona in historic UCL appearance</h2>The Spanish player, aged only 18 years and 240 days, is now the youngest to play 30 UEFA Champions League matches and he celebrated it with a brilliant injury-time rescue act for his team. Have a look at his penalty kick which saved Barcelona from embarrassment:

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">Hablemos de Lamine Yamal cojones de toro -18 años -Penalti al último minuto para empatarlo -Lo tira perfecto -Celebración histórica Jugador completamente histórico <a href="https://t.co/UCrP7yPA4p">pic.twitter.com/UCrP7yPA4p</a>&mdash; Jeff (@JeffFcb14) <a href="https://twitter.com/JeffFcb14/status/2031489645398122633?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 10, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Before Yamal, the youngest to play 30 UCL matches was Warren Zaire-Emery for Paris Saint-Germain who reached the milestone aged 19 years and 227 days. Arsenal's Cesc Fabregas was 20 years and 207 days when he played his 30th UEFA Champions League match.<h2>What's next for Barcelona and Newcastle</h2>Both the teams will play one fixture each before facing each other in the second leg of Round of 16 Champions League match. Newcastle will go to Stamford Bridge to face Chelsea on Saturday (Mar 14) before taking on Barcelona on Wednesday (Mar 18) at Camp Nou.As for Barca, the Spanis La Liga giants take on Sevilla on Sunday (Mar 15) at home before facing Newcastle United in hopes to make it to the last 8 of Champions League.

The Spanish player, aged only 18 years and 240 days, is now the youngest to play 30 UEFA Champions League matches and he celebrated it with a brilliant injury-time rescue act for his team as Barcelona drew first leg of R16 Champions League match 1-1 vs Newcastle United.

Newcastle United were on the verge of a famous win against Barcelona in the Champions League R16 first leg match on Tuesday (Mar 10) at the St. James Park but teenager Lamine Yamal had different plans. There were no goals in the match till 86th minute when Harvey Barnes scored one for the home team, almost sealing a win. Yamal, the 18 and something superstar in making, however, came to the fore with a successful penalty kick of his own in the 96th minute to deny Newcastle a win. With the first leg ending in a 1-1 draw, Barcelona will have the home advanatge in the second leg and the winner of the match will proceed to the next stage. Also Read - What happens if Iran pulls out of FIFA World Cup 2026 How Lamine Yamal saved Barcelona in historic UCL appearance The Spanish player, aged only 18 years and 240 days, is now the youngest to play 30 UEFA Champions League matches and he celebrated it with a brilliant injury-time rescue act for his team. Have a look at his penalty kick which saved Barcelona from embarrassment:

The Spanish player, aged only 18 years and 240 days, is now the youngest to play 30 UEFA Champions League matches and he celebrated it with a brilliant injury-time rescue act for his team as Barcelona drew first leg of R16 Champions League match 1-1 vs Newcastle United.

Champions League | WATCH - Lamine Yamal saves Barcelona vs Newcastle in historic UCL appearance

Lamine Yamal's last-gasp penalty earned Barcelona a 1-1 draw at Newcastle United in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie on Tuesday, while Liverpool lost 1-0 to Galatasaray in Istanbul for the second time this season. Atletico Madrid piled more misery on Tottenham Hotspur by winning 5-2 on a nightmare evening for visiting goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky, while Bayern Munich are all but through to the quarter-finals after thrashing Atalanta 6-1 in Italy. At St James' Park, Newcastle were heading for a night to savour when Harvey Barnes broke the deadlock on 86 minutes as he turned in a Jacob Murphy cross for his sixth Champions League goal this season.Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/-fund-refunds-and-disciplinary-measures-what-happens-if-iran-pulls-out-of-fifa-world-cup-2026-1773118066659">What happens if Iran pulls out of FIFA World Cup 2026</a>However, Barcelona were awarded a penalty deep in injury time when Dani Olmo was tripped by Malick Thiaw and Yamal -- a peripheral figure throughout the game -- converted with the last kick of the match in the 96th minute.That will make Newcastle's task harder going to the Camp Nou for the return next Wednesday as they aim to reach the quarter-finals for the first time."There's hope, of course there is. We believe in ourselves, we believe in our capabilities. I think we've shown that today," said Newcastle manager Eddie Howe.The winners of that tie look likely to face Atletico in the last eight, after Diego Simeone's side tore apart Spurs at the Metropolitano, with Julian Alvarez scoring twice.It was a horrible night for struggling Tottenham and an especially dreadful one for their Czech goalkeeper Kinsky, whose two previous appearances this season had come in the League Cup.His slip when attempting to clear led to Marcos Llorente slotting in Atletico's sixth-minute opener, and Antoine Griezmann then took advantage of a Micky van de Ven slip to grab another for the hosts.The game was just 15 minutes old when Kinsky made a complete mess of an attempted first-time pass, gifting the ball to Alvarez for 3-0.The 22-year-old Kinsky's humiliation was compounded as he was then substituted by coach Igor Tudor, but replacement Guglielmo Vicario could not keep out Robin Le Normand's header to make it 4-0 midway through the first half.Pedro Porro pulled one back, but Alvarez ran half the length of the pitch following a superb Griezmann lay-off to get Atletico's fifth early in the second half.Dominic Solanke fired in on 76 minutes to make it 5-2, perhaps giving Spurs a glimmer of hope for the return.<h2>Brilliant Bayern hit six</h2>However, it is hard to see how they arrest a slump which has seen them lose all four games under new coach Tudor, and six on the bounce overall."Unfortunately, it happened in this big game, these mistakes. So we paid for this start of the game, it was too much for us," lamented Tudor, who said he needed to "preserve" the devastated Kinsky by taking him off."I've been coaching for 15 years, I've never done this. It was necessary to preserve the guy, preserve the team."Earlier, Liverpool lost by a single goal to Galatasaray, just as they had when the clubs met in Turkey in the league phase.Mario Lemina scored the only goal for the Turkish league leaders, heading in from close range after Victor Osinhen nodded down a corner.Osimhen had the ball in the net again in the second half, only for an offside decision to come to Liverpool's rescue.The Anfield side will need to do much better if they are to turn the tie around next week at home."It's already a difficult place to come to, but when you're 1-0 down it makes it even harder," said Liverpool boss Arne Slot.Bayern confirmed their status as one of the leading contenders to win the competition by crushing Atalanta in Bergamo, with Michael Olise in inspired form.Harry Kane played no part as Josip Stanisic tapped in an early opener and Olise applied a great finish to make it 2-0 midway through the first half.Olise set up Serge Gnabry to make it 3-0 before half-time, and the latter also hit the bar late in the first half.Nicolas Jackson got the fourth early in the second half, and the outstanding Olise curled in the fifth, his 15th of the season.Jamal Musiala netted the sixth, and there is surely no way back for Atalanta, even if Mario Pasalic got one back in stoppage time.

Atletico Madrid piled more misery on Tottenham Hotspur by winning 5-2 on a nightmare evening for visiting goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky, while Bayern Munich are all but through to the quarter-finals after thrashing Atalanta 6-1 in Italy

Lamine Yamal's last-gasp penalty earned Barcelona a 1-1 draw at Newcastle United in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie on Tuesday, while Liverpool lost 1-0 to Galatasaray in Istanbul for the second time this season. Atletico Madrid piled more misery on Tottenham Hotspur by winning 5-2 on a nightmare evening for visiting goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky, while Bayern Munich are all but through to the quarter-finals after thrashing Atalanta 6-1 in Italy. At St James' Park, Newcastle were heading for a night to savour when Harvey Barnes broke the deadlock on 86 minutes as he turned in a Jacob Murphy cross for his sixth Champions League goal this season. Also Read - What happens if Iran pulls out of FIFA World Cup 2026 However, Barcelona were awarded a penalty deep in injury time when Dani Olmo was tripped by Malick Thiaw and Yamal -- a peripheral figure throughout the game -- converted with the last kick of the match in the 96th minute. That will make Newcastle's task harder going to the Camp Nou for the return next Wednesday as they aim to reach the quarter-finals for the first time. "There's hope, of course there is. We believe in ourselves, we believe in our capabilities. I think we've shown that today," said Newcastle manager Eddie Howe. The winners of that tie look likely to face Atletico in the last eight, after Diego Simeone's side tore apart Spurs at the Metropolitano, with Julian Alvarez scoring twice. It was a horrible night for struggling Tottenham and an especially dreadful one for their Czech goalkeeper Kinsky, whose two previous appearances this season had come in the League Cup. His slip when attempting to clear led to Marcos Llorente slotting in Atletico's sixth-minute opener, and Antoine Griezmann then took advantage of a Micky van de Ven slip to grab another for the hosts. The game was just 15 minutes old when Kinsky made a complete mess of an attempted first-time pass, gifting the ball to Alvarez for 3-0. The 22-year-old Kinsky's humiliation was compounded as he was then substituted by coach Igor Tudor, but replacement Guglielmo Vicario could not keep out Robin Le Normand's header to make it 4-0 midway through the first half. Pedro Porro pulled one back, but Alvarez ran half the length of the pitch following a superb Griezmann lay-off to get Atletico's fifth early in the second half. Dominic Solanke fired in on 76 minutes to make it 5-2, perhaps giving Spurs a glimmer of hope for the return. Brilliant Bayern hit six However, it is hard to see how they arrest a slump which has seen them lose all four games under new coach Tudor, and six on the bounce overall. "Unfortunately, it happened in this big game, these mistakes. So we paid for this start of the game, it was too much for us," lamented Tudor, who said he needed to "preserve" the devastated Kinsky by taking him off. "I've been coaching for 15 years, I've never done this. It was necessary to preserve the guy, preserve the team." Earlier, Liverpool lost by a single goal to Galatasaray, just as they had when the clubs met in Turkey in the league phase. Mario Lemina scored the only goal for the Turkish league leaders, heading in from close range after Victor Osinhen nodded down a corner. Osimhen had the ball in the net again in the second half, only for an offside decision to come to Liverpool's rescue. The Anfield side will need to do much better if they are to turn the tie around next week at home. "It's already a difficult place to come to, but when you're 1-0 down it makes it even harder," said Liverpool boss Arne Slot. Bayern confirmed their status as one of the leading contenders to win the competition by crushing Atalanta in Bergamo, with Michael Olise in inspired form. Harry Kane played no part as Josip Stanisic tapped in an early opener and Olise applied a great finish to make it 2-0 midway through the first half. Olise set up Serge Gnabry to make it 3-0 before half-time, and the latter also hit the bar late in the first half. Nicolas Jackson got the fourth early in the second half, and the outstanding Olise curled in the fifth, his 15th of the season. Jamal Musiala netted the sixth, and there is surely no way back for Atalanta, even if Mario Pasalic got one back in stoppage time.

Atletico Madrid piled more misery on Tottenham Hotspur by winning 5-2 on a nightmare evening for visiting goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky, while Bayern Munich are all but through to the quarter-finals after thrashing Atalanta 6-1 in Italy.

Champions League R16: Yamal saves Barca, Liverpool lose to Galatasaray and Atletico pile more misery on Spurs

The controversial European Super League is all set for a permanent halt after Real Madrid, the last remaining club of the original roster, pulled out of the tournament on Wednesday (Feb 11). Real Madrid reached an agreement with UEFA (European football’s apex body) to end the dispute surrounding the league. With Real Madrid pulling out, the proposed league is now set to be dissolved, with top clubs opting for an expanded version of the Champions League.<h2>Real Madrid pull out of European Super League</h2>Spanish giants Madrid, whose president Florentino Perez has relentlessly championed the idea of a Super League, and promoters A22 Sports Management, were seeking $4 billion in damages from European football governing body UEFA after the project collapsed.&nbsp;"UEFA, the European Football Clubs (EFC, the sole, independent body representing football clubs within Europe) and Real Madrid CF reach an agreement for the good of European club football," read a statement published by Real Madrid and UEFA.&nbsp;"This agreement of principles will also serve to resolve their legal disputes related to the European Super League, once such principles are executed and implemented."&nbsp;In the statement Real Madrid and UEFA said their agreement was over "respecting the principle of sporting merit with emphasis on long-term club sustainability" and "the enhancement of fan experience through the use of technology".&nbsp;Last week, Spanish champions Barcelona confirmed their withdrawal from the Super League, which was launched by 12 clubs in 2021 but quickly folded under the weight of immense fan and institutional pressure.&nbsp;ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-chris-gayle-to-brendon-mccullum-5-batters-to-score-fastest-t20-world-cup-hundreds-rilee-rossouw-ahmed-shehzad-1768553361691">From Chris Gayle to Brendon McCullum, 5 batters to score fastest T20 World Cup hundreds</a>&nbsp;Shortly after the semi-closed Super League project was announced, the six English clubs involved -- Manchester City, Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester United, Tottenham and Chelsea -- all withdrew.&nbsp;Four other clubs, Atletico Madrid, Inter Milan, AC Milan and Juventus, followed suit by 2024, leaving only Barca and Real Madrid still involved.&nbsp;ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/meet-indians-to-score-most-runs-in-each-of-last-5-t20-world-cups-ft-virat-kohli-kl-rahul-rohit-sharma-2026-t20-world-cup-1768479871185">Meet Indians to score most runs in each of last 5 T20 World Cups ft Virat Kohli</a>&nbsp;After a Spanish court ruled that opposition to the Super League from world and European football governing bodies FIFA and UEFA "prevented free competition", Madrid and A22 plotted legal action against UEFA.&nbsp;A source close to the matter told AFP that Wednesday's announcement was "a historic agreement" and the beginning "of a period of peace" which would benefit all parties.&nbsp;In 2022, UEFA decided to expand the Champions League to 36 teams and introduce the league phase, grouping all sides in the same table and increasing the number of matches from six to eight, for the 2024/25 season onwards.

Real Madrid reached an agreement with UEFA (European football’s apex body) to end the dispute surrounding the league. With Real Madrid pulling out, the proposed league is now set to be dissolved, with top clubs opting for an expanded version of the Champions League.

The controversial European Super League is all set for a permanent halt after Real Madrid, the last remaining club of the original roster, pulled out of the tournament on Wednesday (Feb 11). Real Madrid reached an agreement with UEFA (European football’s apex body) to end the dispute surrounding the league. With Real Madrid pulling out, the proposed league is now set to be dissolved, with top clubs opting for an expanded version of the Champions League. Real Madrid pull out of European Super League Spanish giants Madrid, whose president Florentino Perez has relentlessly championed the idea of a Super League, and promoters A22 Sports Management, were seeking $4 billion in damages from European football governing body UEFA after the project collapsed. "UEFA, the European Football Clubs (EFC, the sole, independent body representing football clubs within Europe) and Real Madrid CF reach an agreement for the good of European club football," read a statement published by Real Madrid and UEFA. "This agreement of principles will also serve to resolve their legal disputes related to the European Super League, once such principles are executed and implemented." In the statement Real Madrid and UEFA said their agreement was over "respecting the principle of sporting merit with emphasis on long-term club sustainability" and "the enhancement of fan experience through the use of technology". Last week, Spanish champions Barcelona confirmed their withdrawal from the Super League, which was launched by 12 clubs in 2021 but quickly folded under the weight of immense fan and institutional pressure. ALSO READ | From Chris Gayle to Brendon McCullum, 5 batters to score fastest T20 World Cup hundreds Shortly after the semi-closed Super League project was announced, the six English clubs involved -- Manchester City, Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester United, Tottenham and Chelsea -- all withdrew. Four other clubs, Atletico Madrid, Inter Milan, AC Milan and Juventus, followed suit by 2024, leaving only Barca and Real Madrid still involved. ALSO READ | Meet Indians to score most runs in each of last 5 T20 World Cups ft Virat Kohli After a Spanish court ruled that opposition to the Super League from world and European football governing bodies FIFA and UEFA "prevented free competition", Madrid and A22 plotted legal action against UEFA. A source close to the matter told AFP that Wednesday's announcement was "a historic agreement" and the beginning "of a period of peace" which would benefit all parties. In 2022, UEFA decided to expand the Champions League to 36 teams and introduce the league phase, grouping all sides in the same table and increasing the number of matches from six to eight, for the 2024/25 season onwards.

Real Madrid reached an agreement with UEFA (European football’s apex body) to end the dispute surrounding the league. With Real Madrid pulling out, the proposed league is now set to be dissolved, with top clubs opting for an expanded version of the Champions League.

Real Madrid pull out of controversial European Super League, reach agreement with UEFA

Alvaro Carreras and Kylian Mbappe's goals earned Real Madrid a battling 2-0 win at Valencia on Sunday to close the gap to La Liga leaders Barcelona to one point. After the Spanish champions had beaten Mallorca on Saturday, Alvaro Arbeloa's side eked out a tight victory at Mestalla to keep the pressure on their arch-rivals.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/lindsey-vonn-s-olympic-comeback-ends-in-heartbreak-after-downhill-crash-airlifted-to-hospital-1770567013247">Lindsey Vonn's Olympic comeback ends in heartbreak after downhill crash</a>Missing suspended forward Vinicius Junior and injured midfielder Jude Bellingham, Los Blancos lacked sparkle but did just enough to claim three points on Spain's east coast.England international Trent Alexander-Arnold made his return after injury as a substitute in the second half of Madrid's victory.Arbeloa's side had the better chances in the first half but failed to create danger on a consistent basis in a gritty encounter.Arda Guler's shot deflected narrowly wide, while Valencia stopper Stole Dimitrievski saved well with his legs from Mbappe's fierce drive.Madrid right-back David Jimenez, from the club's youth academy, came closest to scoring after French superstar Mbappe teed him up, but the Macedonian goalkeeper denied him too.Midway through the second half, Carreras conjured a goal out of nothing to give Madrid the lead.Drifting inside from the left of the box, the defender used his weaker right foot to stroke the ball inside Dimitrievski's near post.Valencia might have levelled but Lucas Beltran's effort on the stretch beat Thibaut Courtois and clipped the post.Arbeloa brought on Alexander-Arnold for his first appearance since early December following a thigh injury, as Madrid looked to close out the game.They eventually secured the three points in stoppage time as Brahim Diaz teed up La Liga's top scorer Mbappe, who finished calmly for his 23rd goal in the competition this season.Valencia's fans, some of whom had waved white handkerchieves during the match in protest at the club's situation, headed for the exits with Los Che 17th, one point above the drop zone.

Missing suspended forward Vinicius Junior and injured midfielder Jude Bellingham, Los Blancos lacked sparkle but did just enough to claim three points on Spain's east coast.

Alvaro Carreras and Kylian Mbappe's goals earned Real Madrid a battling 2-0 win at Valencia on Sunday to close the gap to La Liga leaders Barcelona to one point. After the Spanish champions had beaten Mallorca on Saturday, Alvaro Arbeloa's side eked out a tight victory at Mestalla to keep the pressure on their arch-rivals. Also Read: Lindsey Vonn's Olympic comeback ends in heartbreak after downhill crash Missing suspended forward Vinicius Junior and injured midfielder Jude Bellingham, Los Blancos lacked sparkle but did just enough to claim three points on Spain's east coast. England international Trent Alexander-Arnold made his return after injury as a substitute in the second half of Madrid's victory. Arbeloa's side had the better chances in the first half but failed to create danger on a consistent basis in a gritty encounter. Arda Guler's shot deflected narrowly wide, while Valencia stopper Stole Dimitrievski saved well with his legs from Mbappe's fierce drive. Madrid right-back David Jimenez, from the club's youth academy, came closest to scoring after French superstar Mbappe teed him up, but the Macedonian goalkeeper denied him too. Midway through the second half, Carreras conjured a goal out of nothing to give Madrid the lead. Drifting inside from the left of the box, the defender used his weaker right foot to stroke the ball inside Dimitrievski's near post. Valencia might have levelled but Lucas Beltran's effort on the stretch beat Thibaut Courtois and clipped the post. Arbeloa brought on Alexander-Arnold for his first appearance since early December following a thigh injury, as Madrid looked to close out the game. They eventually secured the three points in stoppage time as Brahim Diaz teed up La Liga's top scorer Mbappe, who finished calmly for his 23rd goal in the competition this season. Valencia's fans, some of whom had waved white handkerchieves during the match in protest at the club's situation, headed for the exits with Los Che 17th, one point above the drop zone.

Missing suspended forward Vinicius Junior and injured midfielder Jude Bellingham, Los Blancos lacked sparkle but did just enough to claim three points on Spain's east coast.

La Liga: Real Madrid beat Valencia to stay within a point of Barca

Barcelona returned to owning the first position on the La Liga standings after beating Real Oviedo on Sunday (Jan 25) at home, courtesy of goals from Dani Olmo and the two wingers, Raphinha and teenage sensation Lamine Yamal. Following Real Madrid’s win on Saturday, which helped them take the pole position, Barcelona bounced back to sit at the top.&nbsp;On the other hand, Atletico Madrid also edged past Mallorca to strengthen its position at the top of the table, just eight points behind toppers Barcelona. Although Oviedo lingers at the bottom of the rankings, they did push the hosts to work for the win. &nbsp;Meanwhile, Hansi Flick’s side was back playing their best football following last week’s shock league loss, as attacking midfielder Dani Olmos opened the scoring for his team this time. However, the pick of the goals came from Yamal, who converted an impressive volley from Olmos to secure Barcelona’s triumph.<h3>Watch Yamal's sensational strike -</h3>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://t.co/jr3Ey013YH">pic.twitter.com/jr3Ey013YH</a>&mdash; browltopykw (@browltopykw) <a href="https://twitter.com/browltopykw/status/2015468002037092758?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 25, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

"We have game after game, a lot of travel, we came back late at night (from Prague in midweek), almost no days off, and that's what you also have to see," Flick told reporters, defending his players after they struggled to make inroads in the first half. "In the first half we struggled a little bit, we didn't have the confidence we normally need... but in the end the second half was much better." &nbsp;The coach praised Yamal for his hard work in terms of pressing and said it was even more crucial than his impressive strike. &nbsp;"For me, much more important was the first goal, how he pressed, that he recovered the ball, that we scored the first goal because that was the key to open this game for us and get the three points," explained Flick. "It was more important than the third goal, but everyone loves to see this in football, and I'm happy he scored such a (great) goal." &nbsp;Barca could not get out of first gear in a dry first half, and their passing was unusually imprecise. Injured midfield maestro Pedri Gonzalez watched on from the stands with an unimpressed expression. They came out with renewed energy for the second half and soon took the lead. &nbsp;After Yamal and Raphinha pressed in the box, the ball broke loose to Olmo, who steered home. &nbsp;Oviedo gave away a poor second goal after 57 minutes, with Raphinha running on to an undercooked back-pass from David Costas and lobbing home. &nbsp;Barcelona's third was expertly taken by Yamal, as Olmo's cross was falling behind him, he produced an eye-catching sideways scissor-kick to wrap up the victory. &nbsp;"We are talking about a player from another galaxy," said Oviedo coach Guillermo Almada of Barca's 18-year-old star. “He has so much quality and delivers in key moments in games.”&nbsp;(With inputs from AFP)

Barcelona leads rivals Real Madrid by just one point in the Liga standings, having played 21 games each. 

Barcelona returned to owning the first position on the La Liga standings after beating Real Oviedo on Sunday (Jan 25) at home, courtesy of goals from Dani Olmo and the two wingers, Raphinha and teenage sensation Lamine Yamal. Following Real Madrid’s win on Saturday, which helped them take the pole position, Barcelona bounced back to sit at the top. On the other hand, Atletico Madrid also edged past Mallorca to strengthen its position at the top of the table, just eight points behind toppers Barcelona. Although Oviedo lingers at the bottom of the rankings, they did push the hosts to work for the win. Meanwhile, Hansi Flick’s side was back playing their best football following last week’s shock league loss, as attacking midfielder Dani Olmos opened the scoring for his team this time. However, the pick of the goals came from Yamal, who converted an impressive volley from Olmos to secure Barcelona’s triumph. Watch Yamal's sensational strike -

Barcelona leads rivals Real Madrid by just one point in the Liga standings, having played 21 games each.&nbsp;

Yamal’s super strike against Oviedo powers Barcelona back to top of Liga standings - WATCH

From Real Madrid to Bayern Munich here is a list of five richest football clubs in the world. The list also features the likes of Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain and Liverpool. The data used is analysed by Deloitte Football Money League. 

From Real Madrid to Bayern Munich here is a list of five richest football clubs in the world. The list also features the likes of Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain and Liverpool. The data used is analysed by Deloitte Football Money League.&nbsp;

From Real Madrid to Bayern Munich, 5 richest football clubs in the world

Barcelona stay afloat for a top-eight finish in the Champions League phase following their crucial away win at Slavia Prague on Wednesday (Jan 21). Fermin Lopez’s first-half brace and one goal each by Dani Olmo and Robert Lewandowski in the second half helped the Catalans win 4-2. This win, however, propels them up to the ninth position, with 13 points from seven contested matches, tying them with three teams ahead of them in the standings. Barcelona will next face Copenhagen at home in their final league phase next week.&nbsp;"I'm happy that we came back and the team played really good and I also think at the end we deserved the points," Barca coach Hansi Flick told reporters. "We didn't start well in this Champions League, but at the end we still have the chance to reach the (top) eight and this is what we want, because then we'll have two games less," he added.&nbsp;Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/champions-league-round-up-liverpool-cruise-as-bayern-munich-enter-last-16-caicedo-guides-chelsea-home-1769052487375">Champions League round-up: Liverpool cruise as Bayern Munich enter last 16; Caicedo guides Chelsea home</a>&nbsp;The La Liga champions returned to winning ways on a freezing night in Prague after Sunday's La Liga loss at Real Sociedad ended a run of 11 successive victories.&nbsp;Reigning Czech champions Slavia, returning from a winter break, had previously only managed three draws and two goals in the Champions League this season. But they took the lead on 10 minutes as striker Vasil Kusej forced the ball across the goal line at the far post after Tomas Holes's glancing header from a corner.&nbsp;Lopez pulled Barca level in the 34th minute following a pass from skipper Frenkie de Jong that found him unmarked in the box. He then gave the Catalans the lead eight minutes later with a low shot that caught Slavia goalkeeper Jindrich Stanek unprepared. But Slavia drew level just before half-time as Lewandowski deflected a corner into Joan Garcia's net.&nbsp;Olmo spared Barca blushes as he blasted superbly into the top corner in the 63rd minute, three minutes after replacing Pedri who had limped off the pitch.&nbsp;&nbsp;Watch Olmo's goal -

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Special Olmo strike 😍 Clever Szoboszlai free-kick 🧠 Lovely Fermin finish 👏 Clinical Serrano volley 🎯 Favourite goal? 🤔<a href="https://twitter.com/Heineken?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Heineken</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UCLGOTD?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UCLGOTD</a> <a href="https://t.co/SeT56FCahl">pic.twitter.com/SeT56FCahl</a>&mdash; UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChampionsLeague/status/2014115930020675616?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 21, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

And Lewandowski found the right net on 71 minutes when he slotted home from close range from a Marcus Rashford pass.&nbsp;(With inputs from AFP)

Placed ninth on the Champions League standings, former champions Barcelona has one game left in the league phase to push for a top-eight finish.

Barcelona stay afloat for a top-eight finish in the Champions League phase following their crucial away win at Slavia Prague on Wednesday (Jan 21). Fermin Lopez’s first-half brace and one goal each by Dani Olmo and Robert Lewandowski in the second half helped the Catalans win 4-2. This win, however, propels them up to the ninth position, with 13 points from seven contested matches, tying them with three teams ahead of them in the standings. Barcelona will next face Copenhagen at home in their final league phase next week. "I'm happy that we came back and the team played really good and I also think at the end we deserved the points," Barca coach Hansi Flick told reporters. "We didn't start well in this Champions League, but at the end we still have the chance to reach the (top) eight and this is what we want, because then we'll have two games less," he added. Also read | Champions League round-up: Liverpool cruise as Bayern Munich enter last 16; Caicedo guides Chelsea home The La Liga champions returned to winning ways on a freezing night in Prague after Sunday's La Liga loss at Real Sociedad ended a run of 11 successive victories. Reigning Czech champions Slavia, returning from a winter break, had previously only managed three draws and two goals in the Champions League this season. But they took the lead on 10 minutes as striker Vasil Kusej forced the ball across the goal line at the far post after Tomas Holes's glancing header from a corner. Lopez pulled Barca level in the 34th minute following a pass from skipper Frenkie de Jong that found him unmarked in the box. He then gave the Catalans the lead eight minutes later with a low shot that caught Slavia goalkeeper Jindrich Stanek unprepared. But Slavia drew level just before half-time as Lewandowski deflected a corner into Joan Garcia's net. Olmo spared Barca blushes as he blasted superbly into the top corner in the 63rd minute, three minutes after replacing Pedri who had limped off the pitch. Watch Olmo's goal -

Placed ninth on the Champions League standings, former champions Barcelona has one game left in the league phase to push for a top-eight finish.

Champions League: Barcelona inch closer to last-8 finish with comfortable win at Prague

A train driver has been killed and at least 37 people injured, five seriously, after a commuter train derailed and crashed near Barcelona just days on from a deadly two-train collision in southern Spain on Sunday.

Spain Train Accident: Communter Train Crashes After Retaining Wall Falls on Tracks, Kills Driver

Barcelona Train Accident: Train Derailment Near Barcelona Injures 30+ Passengers

A train driver has been killed and at least 37 people injured, five seriously, after a commuter train derailed and crashed near Barcelona just days on from a deadly two-train collision in southern Spain on Sunday.


Spain Train Accident: Over 30 Injured After Train Derails Near Barcelona

Ferran Torres and Lamine Yamal fired Barcelona to a 2-0 win over Racing Santander and into the Copa del Rey quarter-finals on Thursday.&nbsp;The Spanish internationals' strikes helped holders Barca defeat second division leaders Racing to progress from a surprisingly tight last 16 clash and record an 11th consecutive victory across all competitions.&nbsp;The hosts had two goals disallowed for offside and record 32-time winners Barca did just enough to claim victory.&nbsp;"We didn't think they would be so hard to break down," admitted Torres to Movistar.&nbsp;"We knew that we had to stretch the game, be calm and in the end it went well."&nbsp;Having seen Real Madrid eliminated at second-tier Albacete on Wednesday Barca coach Hansi Flick named a fairly strong side, including teenage star Yamal.&nbsp;After a 15 minute delay with some fans stuck outside, the match kicked off at Racing's Sardinero stadium, and Barca quickly took control of the ball.&nbsp;The Catalans struggled to turn possession into a meaningful opening though, and when they finally did Dani Olmo missed his kick from Marcus Rashford's dangerous cross.&nbsp;ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-steve-smith-to-joe-root-5-active-batters-with-most-runs-in-ashes-ben-stokes-jonny-bairstow-usman-khawaja-1762275784636">From Steve Smith to Joe Root, 5 active batters with most runs in Ashes</a>&nbsp;Racing looked to breach Barcelona's high defensive line but when they did get in behind the visitors managed to mop up well.&nbsp;Giorgi Guliashvili's low effort from range was fielded comfortably by Joan Garcia, and that was as close as the hosts came.&nbsp;Barcelona continued to push forward in the second half and Rashford had a shot tipped away and also drilled narrowly wide.&nbsp;Eventually the Spanish champions took the lead through Torres, after Fermin Lopez sent him through on goal. The Spain international rounded Racing goalkeeper Jokin Ezkieta and rolled home.&nbsp;ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-leonard-hutton-to-don-bradman-5-batters-with-highest-individual-score-in-ashes-bob-simpson-bob-cowper-ashes-2025-26-1762276944046">From Leonard Hutton to Don Bradman, 5 batters with highest individual score in Ashes</a>&nbsp;The hosts were forced on the offensive and twice had the ball in Barcelona's net, but both of Manex Lozano's goals were ruled out for offside.&nbsp;Barca goalkeeper Garcia made a superb save to thwart Lozano one-on-one deep in stoppage time and avoid the game going to extra-time.&nbsp;Barca wrapped up their win with the last kick of the match, Yamal tapping in Raphinha's cross at the back post.&nbsp;"We played the game we had to play, we played a 10 out of 10 match, (with) two offside goals and the chance at the end... it's okay, it's football," said Racing defender Alvaro Mantilla.&nbsp;Elsewhere Valencia won 2-0 at Burgos to reach the last eight.&nbsp;Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.&nbsp;

Having seen Real Madrid eliminated at second-tier Albacete on Wednesday Barca coach Hansi Flick named a fairly strong side, including teenage star Lamine Yamal.

Ferran Torres and Lamine Yamal fired Barcelona to a 2-0 win over Racing Santander and into the Copa del Rey quarter-finals on Thursday. The Spanish internationals' strikes helped holders Barca defeat second division leaders Racing to progress from a surprisingly tight last 16 clash and record an 11th consecutive victory across all competitions. The hosts had two goals disallowed for offside and record 32-time winners Barca did just enough to claim victory. "We didn't think they would be so hard to break down," admitted Torres to Movistar. "We knew that we had to stretch the game, be calm and in the end it went well." Having seen Real Madrid eliminated at second-tier Albacete on Wednesday Barca coach Hansi Flick named a fairly strong side, including teenage star Yamal. After a 15 minute delay with some fans stuck outside, the match kicked off at Racing's Sardinero stadium, and Barca quickly took control of the ball. The Catalans struggled to turn possession into a meaningful opening though, and when they finally did Dani Olmo missed his kick from Marcus Rashford's dangerous cross. ALSO READ | From Steve Smith to Joe Root, 5 active batters with most runs in Ashes Racing looked to breach Barcelona's high defensive line but when they did get in behind the visitors managed to mop up well. Giorgi Guliashvili's low effort from range was fielded comfortably by Joan Garcia, and that was as close as the hosts came. Barcelona continued to push forward in the second half and Rashford had a shot tipped away and also drilled narrowly wide. Eventually the Spanish champions took the lead through Torres, after Fermin Lopez sent him through on goal. The Spain international rounded Racing goalkeeper Jokin Ezkieta and rolled home. ALSO READ | From Leonard Hutton to Don Bradman, 5 batters with highest individual score in Ashes The hosts were forced on the offensive and twice had the ball in Barcelona's net, but both of Manex Lozano's goals were ruled out for offside. Barca goalkeeper Garcia made a superb save to thwart Lozano one-on-one deep in stoppage time and avoid the game going to extra-time. Barca wrapped up their win with the last kick of the match, Yamal tapping in Raphinha's cross at the back post. "We played the game we had to play, we played a 10 out of 10 match, (with) two offside goals and the chance at the end... it's okay, it's football," said Racing defender Alvaro Mantilla. Elsewhere Valencia won 2-0 at Burgos to reach the last eight. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Having seen Real Madrid eliminated at second-tier Albacete on Wednesday Barca coach Hansi Flick named a fairly strong side, including teenage star Lamine Yamal.

Copa del Rey: Torres, Yamal shine Barcelona edge Racing Santander to reach quarters

Barcelona have retained the Spanish Super Cup with a thrilling 3-2 El Clasico win over Real Madrid in Saudi Arabia.


Barcelona beat Real Madrid in El Clásico to retain Spanish Super Cup 

Xabi Alonso's Real Madrid beat Atletico Madrid 2-1 in a tight Spanish Super Cup semi-final in Saudi Arabia on Thursday to set up a Clasico final clash against rivals Barcelona.&nbsp;Fede Valverde's blistering free-kick and a Rodrygo Goes strike helped Madrid claim a fifth consecutive victory across all competitions, with Alexander Sorloth pulling one back for Diego Simeone's Atletico, who came up short in Jeddah.&nbsp;Alonso was close to the sack after a run of inconsistent form towards the end of 2025 but his team have slowly found their footing in the shape of positive results, even if some performances have not been entirely convincing.&nbsp;The Spanish coach led Madrid to a win over Barcelona in his first Clasico at the helm in October, before his team began to slump.&nbsp;"After so many games without scoring, today was a great game to get back to it, to help the team win," Valverde told Movistar after netting his first goal of the campaign.&nbsp;"We have to keep being self-critical too, we had chances but they had more and played much better than us, we have to keep correcting that and improving."&nbsp;Alonso did not agree with Valverde's analysis.&nbsp;"It's a semi-final, having scored early gives you that advantage that you want to defend," said the coach.&nbsp;"There were phases where we were defending but the objective was to go through to the final, and we're happy to be playing that on Sunday."&nbsp;With French superstar Kylian Mbappe out as he recovers from a knee sprain, Alonso kept young striker Gonzalo Garcia in the centre of the attack after his hat-trick against Real Betis on Sunday.&nbsp;Atletico beat their city rivals 5-2 when the teams met in September in a La Liga derby but this was a far closer affair.&nbsp;Los Blancos took the lead after just two minutes when Valverde's ferocious free-kick flew past Sorloth in a poorly-positioned wall and rocketed past Jan Oblak.&nbsp;The Norwegian Atletico forward might have done more to block it and Oblak got his hand to the shot but could not keep it out because of the sheer power.&nbsp;Valverde celebrated vehemently, slapping his own head, clearly delighted at breaking his duck in a difficult season to date.&nbsp;By taking the lead Real Madrid earned the right to sit deeper and force Atletico to try and attack them to pull back level.&nbsp;Madrid hit the Rojiblancos when they could on the counter, with Oblak saving well from Rodrygo after he floated inside from the right.&nbsp;Atletico began to create some chances and could have pulled level before the interval.&nbsp;Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois tipped away Sorloth's header and then the target man clumsily nodded Conor Gallagher's cross off-target from close range.&nbsp;ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-leonard-hutton-to-don-bradman-5-batters-with-highest-individual-score-in-ashes-bob-simpson-bob-cowper-ashes-2025-26-1762276944046">From Leonard Hutton to Don Bradman, 5 batters with highest individual score in Ashes</a><h2>Rodrygo's hot streak</h2>Rodrygo extended Madrid's lead in the 55th minute with his third goal in five games, continuing a rich vein of form across the past few weeks after a run where he failed to score for 32 games straight.&nbsp;The Brazilian found a gap to burst through in the middle of Atletico's defence and kept his cool to sweep the ball past Oblak.&nbsp;Three minutes later Atletico hit back, with Sorloth finally finding the net with a header from Giuliano Simeone's cross.&nbsp;The striker gave defender Raul Asencio just enough of a shove to put him off without being penalised for it before nodding in.&nbsp;"Valverde scored a great goal, it was an extraordinary free-kick," said Atletico coach Simeone.&nbsp;ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-steve-smith-to-joe-root-5-active-batters-with-most-runs-in-ashes-ben-stokes-jonny-bairstow-usman-khawaja-1762275784636">From Steve Smith to Joe Root, 5 active batters with most runs in Ashes</a>&nbsp;"Despite that my team played very well, but we had to win and didn't, they had the quality to be able to finish (their chances)."&nbsp;The Atletico coach goaded Madrid winger Vinicius Junior when he was substituted, with the Brazilian failing to score for a 16th consecutive game.&nbsp;"I didn't like that, I saw (Simeone) said something to Vinicius, and for me that goes against the respect that you should have for opponents... you can't just do anything (you want)," said Alonso.&nbsp;Madrid face Barcelona on Sunday in the final at the King Abdullah Sports City stadium after the Catalans thrashed Athletic Bilbao 5-0 on Wednesday.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Fede Valverde's blistering free-kick and a Rodrygo Goes strike helped Madrid claim a fifth consecutive victory across all competitions, with Alexander Sorloth pulling one back for Diego Simeone's Atletico, who came up short in Jeddah.

Xabi Alonso's Real Madrid beat Atletico Madrid 2-1 in a tight Spanish Super Cup semi-final in Saudi Arabia on Thursday to set up a Clasico final clash against rivals Barcelona. Fede Valverde's blistering free-kick and a Rodrygo Goes strike helped Madrid claim a fifth consecutive victory across all competitions, with Alexander Sorloth pulling one back for Diego Simeone's Atletico, who came up short in Jeddah. Alonso was close to the sack after a run of inconsistent form towards the end of 2025 but his team have slowly found their footing in the shape of positive results, even if some performances have not been entirely convincing. The Spanish coach led Madrid to a win over Barcelona in his first Clasico at the helm in October, before his team began to slump. "After so many games without scoring, today was a great game to get back to it, to help the team win," Valverde told Movistar after netting his first goal of the campaign. "We have to keep being self-critical too, we had chances but they had more and played much better than us, we have to keep correcting that and improving." Alonso did not agree with Valverde's analysis. "It's a semi-final, having scored early gives you that advantage that you want to defend," said the coach. "There were phases where we were defending but the objective was to go through to the final, and we're happy to be playing that on Sunday." With French superstar Kylian Mbappe out as he recovers from a knee sprain, Alonso kept young striker Gonzalo Garcia in the centre of the attack after his hat-trick against Real Betis on Sunday. Atletico beat their city rivals 5-2 when the teams met in September in a La Liga derby but this was a far closer affair. Los Blancos took the lead after just two minutes when Valverde's ferocious free-kick flew past Sorloth in a poorly-positioned wall and rocketed past Jan Oblak. The Norwegian Atletico forward might have done more to block it and Oblak got his hand to the shot but could not keep it out because of the sheer power. Valverde celebrated vehemently, slapping his own head, clearly delighted at breaking his duck in a difficult season to date. By taking the lead Real Madrid earned the right to sit deeper and force Atletico to try and attack them to pull back level. Madrid hit the Rojiblancos when they could on the counter, with Oblak saving well from Rodrygo after he floated inside from the right. Atletico began to create some chances and could have pulled level before the interval. Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois tipped away Sorloth's header and then the target man clumsily nodded Conor Gallagher's cross off-target from close range. ALSO READ | From Leonard Hutton to Don Bradman, 5 batters with highest individual score in Ashes Rodrygo's hot streak Rodrygo extended Madrid's lead in the 55th minute with his third goal in five games, continuing a rich vein of form across the past few weeks after a run where he failed to score for 32 games straight. The Brazilian found a gap to burst through in the middle of Atletico's defence and kept his cool to sweep the ball past Oblak. Three minutes later Atletico hit back, with Sorloth finally finding the net with a header from Giuliano Simeone's cross. The striker gave defender Raul Asencio just enough of a shove to put him off without being penalised for it before nodding in. "Valverde scored a great goal, it was an extraordinary free-kick," said Atletico coach Simeone. ALSO READ | From Steve Smith to Joe Root, 5 active batters with most runs in Ashes "Despite that my team played very well, but we had to win and didn't, they had the quality to be able to finish (their chances)." The Atletico coach goaded Madrid winger Vinicius Junior when he was substituted, with the Brazilian failing to score for a 16th consecutive game. "I didn't like that, I saw (Simeone) said something to Vinicius, and for me that goes against the respect that you should have for opponents... you can't just do anything (you want)," said Alonso. Madrid face Barcelona on Sunday in the final at the King Abdullah Sports City stadium after the Catalans thrashed Athletic Bilbao 5-0 on Wednesday.

Fede Valverde's blistering free-kick and a Rodrygo Goes strike helped Madrid claim a fifth consecutive victory across all competitions, with Alexander Sorloth pulling one back for Diego Simeone's Atletico, who came up short in Jeddah.

Spanish Super Cup: Real Madrid edge Atletico to set up El Clasico final against Barcelona

Barcelona rout Athletic Bilbao 5-0 to reach Spanish Super Cup final. Fermin Lopez and Raphinha star for Barca as Yamal comes on as a late sub in the Supercopa semifinal in Jeddah.


Barcelona beat Athletic Club 5-0 in the semi-finals 

Barcelona crushed Athletic Club 5-0 in the Spanish Super Cup semi-final in Saudi Arabia, securing their spot in the final with goals from Ferran Torres, Fermín López, Roony Bardghji, and a Raphinha brace.

Barcelona Blitz Athletic 5-0, Into Super Cup Final 

Andreas Christensen and Marcus Rashford scored late for Barcelona in a 2-0 win over third-tier side Guadalajara on Tuesday to seal a place in the Spanish Copa del Rey last 16.&nbsp;In their opening game of the tournament, last season's winners Barcelona faced more resistance than expected from the home side, with both goals coming in the last fifteen minutes.&nbsp;Dane Christensen broke through for the Catalans after 77 minutes with England's Rashford adding the second after 90 minutes to send the La Liga leaders into the next round.&nbsp;ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-leonard-hutton-to-don-bradman-5-batters-with-highest-individual-score-in-ashes-bob-simpson-bob-cowper-ashes-2025-26-1762276944046">From Leonard Hutton to Don Bradman, 5 batters with highest individual score in Ashes</a>&nbsp;Real Mallorca suffered the only upset on Tuesday with their 1-0 elimination by second-tier Deportivo de La Coruna.&nbsp;ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-steve-smith-to-joe-root-5-active-batters-with-most-runs-in-ashes-ben-stokes-jonny-bairstow-usman-khawaja-1762275784636">From Steve Smith to Joe Root, 5 active batters with most runs in Ashes</a>&nbsp;Elche won 1-0 away to second-tier Eibar while Valencia triumphed 2-0 away to Sporting Gijón and Real Sociedad overcame third-tier Eldense 2-1 with a goal in the 90+6 minute.&nbsp;Real Madrid enter the fray on Wednesday, visiting third-division Talavera.&nbsp;Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

In their opening game of the tournament, last season's winners Barcelona faced more resistance than expected from the home side, with both goals coming in the last fifteen minutes.

Andreas Christensen and Marcus Rashford scored late for Barcelona in a 2-0 win over third-tier side Guadalajara on Tuesday to seal a place in the Spanish Copa del Rey last 16. In their opening game of the tournament, last season's winners Barcelona faced more resistance than expected from the home side, with both goals coming in the last fifteen minutes. Dane Christensen broke through for the Catalans after 77 minutes with England's Rashford adding the second after 90 minutes to send the La Liga leaders into the next round. ALSO READ | From Leonard Hutton to Don Bradman, 5 batters with highest individual score in Ashes Real Mallorca suffered the only upset on Tuesday with their 1-0 elimination by second-tier Deportivo de La Coruna. ALSO READ | From Steve Smith to Joe Root, 5 active batters with most runs in Ashes Elche won 1-0 away to second-tier Eibar while Valencia triumphed 2-0 away to Sporting Gijón and Real Sociedad overcame third-tier Eldense 2-1 with a goal in the 90+6 minute. Real Madrid enter the fray on Wednesday, visiting third-division Talavera. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

In their opening game of the tournament, last season's winners Barcelona faced more resistance than expected from the home side, with both goals coming in the last fifteen minutes.

Copa del Rey: Andreas Christensen, Marcus Rashford send Barcelona into last 16

Raphinha hit a brace to give Barcelona a narrow 2-0 win over Osasuna on Saturday and take them seven points clear at the top of La Liga. The Brazilian winger broke the deadlock after 70 minutes with a fizzing strike from the edge of the box to earn Barca their seventh-straight top flight win. Second place Real Madrid visit Alaves on Sunday, aiming to cut the gap on the champions back down to four points.&nbsp;Barca lacked their usual sparkle but ground out their victory, keeping a first clean sheet in six matches across all competitions. They also recorded a fifth victory in five games at their partially reopened Camp Nou home.&nbsp;Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/premier-league-salah-sets-up-goal-on-return-as-liverpool-beat-brighton-2-0-chelsea-return-to-winning-ways-against-everton-1765649108986">Premier League: Salah sets up goal on return as Liverpool beat Brighton 2-0; Chelsea return to winning ways against Everton</a>&nbsp;"(The win) has a lot of merit, they were well organised, it was hard to find a way through. With patience and a lot of possession, we finally did it," Barca defender Gerard Martin told Movistar. "A clean sheet gives stability to the team and then the goals, they always come."&nbsp;Ferran Torres, chosen to start over Robert Lewandowski after his hat-trick last weekend against Real Betis, might have sent Barca ahead early on but hooked high over the bar from Lamine Yamal's dangerous cross.&nbsp;At the other end, Ante Budimir's low effort was fielded comfortably by Joan Garcia, with Osasuna looking to hit Barca on the counter.&nbsp;Yamal had a couple of drives beaten away in a mostly frustrating first-half for both the teenager and for Barca.&nbsp;Torres headed home from Marcus Rashford's cross but the goal was disallowed for an offside in the build-up. The Spain international sent an acrobatic overhead effort inches wide, and Garcia denied Budimir with another fine save before the break.<h3>Eventual breakthrough</h3>&nbsp;Osasuna goalkeeper Sergio Herrera tipped a Rashford free-kick to safety early in the second half as Barca sought to extend their winning run. They were having trouble breaking Osasuna down but found a way through when the excellent Pedri roamed forward and found Raphinha on the edge of the box to slam a shot into the bottom right corner.&nbsp;Osasuna's Jorge Herrando, who was sent off on his debut for the club at the old Camp Nou in 2023, had a strike ruled out after Alejandro Catena collided with Barca goalkeeper Garcia.&nbsp;Moments later, Raphinha tapped home at the back post after Alejandro Catena deflected Jules Kounde's cross into the Brazilian's path with four minutes remaining.&nbsp;Raphinha, who started the match out of position in a central attacking midfield role, was one of the club's key players last season as they won a domestic treble and, after a spell out injured, has made an impact on his return.&nbsp;"We've got a lot of good players and Rapha, or whoever else plays inside, in the end they give us a lot of solutions in that position," added Martin.&nbsp;Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for the WION audience.

Barcelona is seven points clear of second place Real Madrid after win over Osasuna. 

Raphinha hit a brace to give Barcelona a narrow 2-0 win over Osasuna on Saturday and take them seven points clear at the top of La Liga. The Brazilian winger broke the deadlock after 70 minutes with a fizzing strike from the edge of the box to earn Barca their seventh-straight top flight win. Second place Real Madrid visit Alaves on Sunday, aiming to cut the gap on the champions back down to four points. Barca lacked their usual sparkle but ground out their victory, keeping a first clean sheet in six matches across all competitions. They also recorded a fifth victory in five games at their partially reopened Camp Nou home. Also read | Premier League: Salah sets up goal on return as Liverpool beat Brighton 2-0; Chelsea return to winning ways against Everton "(The win) has a lot of merit, they were well organised, it was hard to find a way through. With patience and a lot of possession, we finally did it," Barca defender Gerard Martin told Movistar. "A clean sheet gives stability to the team and then the goals, they always come." Ferran Torres, chosen to start over Robert Lewandowski after his hat-trick last weekend against Real Betis, might have sent Barca ahead early on but hooked high over the bar from Lamine Yamal's dangerous cross. At the other end, Ante Budimir's low effort was fielded comfortably by Joan Garcia, with Osasuna looking to hit Barca on the counter. Yamal had a couple of drives beaten away in a mostly frustrating first-half for both the teenager and for Barca. Torres headed home from Marcus Rashford's cross but the goal was disallowed for an offside in the build-up. The Spain international sent an acrobatic overhead effort inches wide, and Garcia denied Budimir with another fine save before the break. Eventual breakthrough Osasuna goalkeeper Sergio Herrera tipped a Rashford free-kick to safety early in the second half as Barca sought to extend their winning run. They were having trouble breaking Osasuna down but found a way through when the excellent Pedri roamed forward and found Raphinha on the edge of the box to slam a shot into the bottom right corner. Osasuna's Jorge Herrando, who was sent off on his debut for the club at the old Camp Nou in 2023, had a strike ruled out after Alejandro Catena collided with Barca goalkeeper Garcia. Moments later, Raphinha tapped home at the back post after Alejandro Catena deflected Jules Kounde's cross into the Brazilian's path with four minutes remaining. Raphinha, who started the match out of position in a central attacking midfield role, was one of the club's key players last season as they won a domestic treble and, after a spell out injured, has made an impact on his return. "We've got a lot of good players and Rapha, or whoever else plays inside, in the end they give us a lot of solutions in that position," added Martin. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for the WION audience.

Barcelona is seven points clear of second place Real Madrid after win over Osasuna.&nbsp;

Raphinha hits brace as Barcelona extend Liga lead in win over Osasuna

Unlikely goalscoring hero Jules Kounde bagged two headers to help Barcelona beat Eintracht Frankfurt 2-1 on Tuesday in the Champions League and bolster the club's chances of a top-eight league phase finish. Ansgar Knauff sent the visitors into a surprise lead but French defender Kounde's brace early in the second half put last season's semi-finalists in control. In the club's first Champions League match back at Camp Nou since 2022, they gained revenge against a Frankfurt side who humiliated them in the Europa League in that same year.&nbsp;The Bundesliga team packed the Camp Nou with their own fans and knocked Barca out of that competition at one of their lowest ebbs under Xavi Hernandez.&nbsp;Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/argentine-football-association-raided-by-police-in-money-laundering-investigation-1765302178496">Argentine Football Association raided by police in money laundering investigation</a>&nbsp;With a domestic treble and a run to the final four of the Champions League, Xavi's successor Hansi Flick has changed the mood around Barca, but this season the team have struggled at times. Defeats by Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain left Barca in a difficult position in Europe, but by beating Frankfurt they are still hopeful of avoiding the play-off round.&nbsp;"I wasn't surprised (it was hard), the Champions League is different... I am very proud," Flick told reporters.&nbsp;The coach said making the comeback "shows a lot about our attitude", but accepted it would be "a better situation" to take the lead in games.&nbsp;Barcelona made tickets harder for Frankfurt fans to obtain this time around by delaying their sale, and beyond a small number of visiting supporters who appeared to be ejected from home areas, there was little trouble.&nbsp;Barcelona controlled the opening period, pinning the visitors, who lost 6-0 against RB Leipzig on Saturday in the Bundesliga, back in their own territory.&nbsp;Veteran striker Robert Lewandowski put the ball in the net but it was ruled out for an offside earlier in the move.&nbsp;Despite their dominant start, the Catalans fell behind after 21 minutes, caught out by a rapid Frankfurt counter-attack.&nbsp;Lamine Yamal dribbled into trouble and Nathaniel Brown surged forward from the back before dropping a ball in behind Barca's high defensive line for Knauff to charge on to.&nbsp;Gerard Martin tried and failed to intercept it with a flick of the leg and the German striker held off Alejandro Balde before finishing neatly.&nbsp;Frankfurt defenders scrambled to block a Fermin Lopez effort, as Barca struggled to create clear openings.&nbsp;Teenage star Yamal could not find a way past Brown in one of his more erratic outings for Barca.&nbsp;Ellyes Skhiri slammed a shot just over the bar as Frankfurt missed a good chance to extend their lead before half-time, and it came to cost them.&nbsp;Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

The coach said making the comeback "shows a lot about our attitude", but accepted it would be "a better situation" to take the lead in games.

Unlikely goalscoring hero Jules Kounde bagged two headers to help Barcelona beat Eintracht Frankfurt 2-1 on Tuesday in the Champions League and bolster the club's chances of a top-eight league phase finish. Ansgar Knauff sent the visitors into a surprise lead but French defender Kounde's brace early in the second half put last season's semi-finalists in control. In the club's first Champions League match back at Camp Nou since 2022, they gained revenge against a Frankfurt side who humiliated them in the Europa League in that same year. The Bundesliga team packed the Camp Nou with their own fans and knocked Barca out of that competition at one of their lowest ebbs under Xavi Hernandez. Also read | Argentine Football Association raided by police in money laundering investigation With a domestic treble and a run to the final four of the Champions League, Xavi's successor Hansi Flick has changed the mood around Barca, but this season the team have struggled at times. Defeats by Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain left Barca in a difficult position in Europe, but by beating Frankfurt they are still hopeful of avoiding the play-off round. "I wasn't surprised (it was hard), the Champions League is different... I am very proud," Flick told reporters. The coach said making the comeback "shows a lot about our attitude", but accepted it would be "a better situation" to take the lead in games. Barcelona made tickets harder for Frankfurt fans to obtain this time around by delaying their sale, and beyond a small number of visiting supporters who appeared to be ejected from home areas, there was little trouble. Barcelona controlled the opening period, pinning the visitors, who lost 6-0 against RB Leipzig on Saturday in the Bundesliga, back in their own territory. Veteran striker Robert Lewandowski put the ball in the net but it was ruled out for an offside earlier in the move. Despite their dominant start, the Catalans fell behind after 21 minutes, caught out by a rapid Frankfurt counter-attack. Lamine Yamal dribbled into trouble and Nathaniel Brown surged forward from the back before dropping a ball in behind Barca's high defensive line for Knauff to charge on to. Gerard Martin tried and failed to intercept it with a flick of the leg and the German striker held off Alejandro Balde before finishing neatly. Frankfurt defenders scrambled to block a Fermin Lopez effort, as Barca struggled to create clear openings. Teenage star Yamal could not find a way past Brown in one of his more erratic outings for Barca. Ellyes Skhiri slammed a shot just over the bar as Frankfurt missed a good chance to extend their lead before half-time, and it came to cost them. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

The coach said making the comeback "shows a lot about our attitude", but accepted it would be "a better situation" to take the lead in games.

Champions League: Barcelona rock Frankfurt in comeback win to bolster top eight finish

Ferran Torres netted a first-half hat-trick to help Barcelona thrash Real Betis 5-3 and move four points clear at the top of La Liga on Saturday. Lamine Yamal and Roony Bardghji scored the other goals as the champions racked up what was mostly a comfortable victory in Seville, until they conceded two late goals. Real Madrid, second, host Celta Vigo on Sunday aiming to reel Hansi Flick's side back in, while fourth-place Atletico Madrid visit Athletic Bilbao later Saturday.&nbsp;&nbsp;After some shaky performances Barca beat Atletico Madrid in midweek and then built on it with another triumph at Betis.&nbsp;"We are fighting and (my players) were exhausted, so at the end not everyone was 100 percent, and this is normal," Flick told reporters. "Today is positive. Really positive and compliments for my players."&nbsp;Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/premier-league-mohamed-salah-hints-at-liverpool-exit-with-thrown-under-the-bus-rant-arne-slot-1765076856783">Premier League: Salah hints at Liverpool exit with ‘thrown under the bus’ rant</a>&nbsp;Flick opted to make some rotations, with a key Champions League clash against Eintracht Frankfurt on Tuesday in mind. The German coach started Bardghji on the right wing and Torres up front in place of Robert Lewandowski, as well as moving teenage star Yamal into a central attacking midfield role, where he impressed.&nbsp;Former Manchester United forward Antony opened the scoring for Betis, fifth, at their temporary La Cartuja home, blasting home after Jules Kounde played him onside. The French defender made amends to help Barca get back level five minutes later, with Torres polishing off his cross at the end of a sharp team move.&nbsp;Torres struck again in the 13th minute in similar fashion from Bardghji's cross to put Barca in front, and they never looked back. Bardghji scored the third himself after good work by Pedri to bring the ball forward, the Swedish winger finishing with aplomb.&nbsp;Torres completed his hat-trick before half-time with a stroke of luck, as his shot deflected home past Alvaro Valles. It was his 11th league goal, making him the second top scorer in La Liga behind Madrid's Kylian Mbappe.&nbsp;"I already knew I could do this," Torres told Movistar. "That's what you have to do at Barca, and I'm aiming for many more (goals)."&nbsp;Yamal netted Barca's fifth from the penalty spot before the hour mark, after former Blaugrana defender Marc Bartra was harshly penalised for handball.&nbsp;Marcus Rashford's shot was blocked by Bartra but the ball flew up and struck his hand.&nbsp;Yamal should have scored when clean through but shot too close to Valles, and Rashford also fired wide one-on-one.&nbsp;Betis nabbed two late goals, with Diego Llorente turning home at the back post from a corner that Barca defended badly.&nbsp;Kounde clumsily felled another former Barca player in Ez Abde and Cucho Hernandez rolled home from the spot.&nbsp;Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for the WION audience.

Ferran Torres, with 11 league goals, makes him the second top scorer in La Liga behind Madrid's Kylian Mbappe.

Ferran Torres netted a first-half hat-trick to help Barcelona thrash Real Betis 5-3 and move four points clear at the top of La Liga on Saturday. Lamine Yamal and Roony Bardghji scored the other goals as the champions racked up what was mostly a comfortable victory in Seville, until they conceded two late goals. Real Madrid, second, host Celta Vigo on Sunday aiming to reel Hansi Flick's side back in, while fourth-place Atletico Madrid visit Athletic Bilbao later Saturday. After some shaky performances Barca beat Atletico Madrid in midweek and then built on it with another triumph at Betis. "We are fighting and (my players) were exhausted, so at the end not everyone was 100 percent, and this is normal," Flick told reporters. "Today is positive. Really positive and compliments for my players." Also read | Premier League: Salah hints at Liverpool exit with ‘thrown under the bus’ rant Flick opted to make some rotations, with a key Champions League clash against Eintracht Frankfurt on Tuesday in mind. The German coach started Bardghji on the right wing and Torres up front in place of Robert Lewandowski, as well as moving teenage star Yamal into a central attacking midfield role, where he impressed. Former Manchester United forward Antony opened the scoring for Betis, fifth, at their temporary La Cartuja home, blasting home after Jules Kounde played him onside. The French defender made amends to help Barca get back level five minutes later, with Torres polishing off his cross at the end of a sharp team move. Torres struck again in the 13th minute in similar fashion from Bardghji's cross to put Barca in front, and they never looked back. Bardghji scored the third himself after good work by Pedri to bring the ball forward, the Swedish winger finishing with aplomb. Torres completed his hat-trick before half-time with a stroke of luck, as his shot deflected home past Alvaro Valles. It was his 11th league goal, making him the second top scorer in La Liga behind Madrid's Kylian Mbappe. "I already knew I could do this," Torres told Movistar. "That's what you have to do at Barca, and I'm aiming for many more (goals)." Yamal netted Barca's fifth from the penalty spot before the hour mark, after former Blaugrana defender Marc Bartra was harshly penalised for handball. Marcus Rashford's shot was blocked by Bartra but the ball flew up and struck his hand. Yamal should have scored when clean through but shot too close to Valles, and Rashford also fired wide one-on-one. Betis nabbed two late goals, with Diego Llorente turning home at the back post from a corner that Barca defended badly. Kounde clumsily felled another former Barca player in Ez Abde and Cucho Hernandez rolled home from the spot. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for the WION audience.

Ferran Torres, with 11 league goals, makes him the second top scorer in La Liga behind Madrid's Kylian Mbappe.

Torres’ first-half hat-trick helps Barcelona extend Liga lead in thumping win over Betis

Real Madrid were held to a third consecutive La Liga draw in a 1-1 tie at Girona on Sunday, allowing Barcelona to retain pole position. Azzedine Ounahi fired the hosts into a surprise lead before half-time, with Kylian Mbappe earning Madrid a point from the penalty spot. After Barcelona beat Alaves on Saturday to move top of the table, Madrid needed a victory at Girona to reclaim top spot but now sit second, a point behind the champions.&nbsp;Earlier, Alberto Moleiro helped Villarreal, third, move back ahead of fourth-place Atletico Madrid with a stoppage time winner in a 3-2 victory at Real Sociedad.&nbsp;Real Madrid's draw increases the pressure on Madrid coach Xabi Alonso, after recent rumours suggesting his future is insecure in the Madrid dugout.&nbsp;"We are up there, it's all very even, it's a long season and we have to continue," Alonso told reporters. “I liked the reaction from the players. It was not enough to turn it around but we were close, and we have to continue with the unity we have, being self-critical enough, and wanting to win away from home.”&nbsp;Madrid travel to face Athletic Bilbao on Wednesday for a fourth consecutive league match on the road, a game moved because of the club's participation in the Spanish Super Cup in January.&nbsp;"The table will be hard-fought, there will be lots of movement," added Alonso.&nbsp;Mbappe and Arda Guler fired off target for Madrid early on in a hotly-contested but scrappy clash, in front of a raucous home crowd. French superstar Mbappe had a goal ruled out for handball moments before Morocco international Ounahi fired Girona ahead, rifling home from just inside the area to stun their illustrious visitors.&nbsp;Catalan minnows Girona, 18th, have twice beaten Real Madrid at Montilivi since making their top flight debut in 2017 and for a while it looked like they were going to manage it again.&nbsp;Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois made a stunning save to tip away Vanat's drive across goal before Los Blancos fought back. After having a goal disallowed for offside Vinicius was clumsily felled in the box by Hugo Rincon.&nbsp;Mbappe smashed the resulting penalty into the bottom left corner past Gazzaniga's dive for his 14th La Liga goal of the campaign.&nbsp;"Absolutely not the result we wanted tonight, but the league is still on and very long," wrote Mbappe on social media network Instagram. "We need to change this dynamic and show who we are as a team."&nbsp;Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Barcelona lead the La Liga table with 34 points, while Madrid sit in second place with one point shy. 

Real Madrid were held to a third consecutive La Liga draw in a 1-1 tie at Girona on Sunday, allowing Barcelona to retain pole position. Azzedine Ounahi fired the hosts into a surprise lead before half-time, with Kylian Mbappe earning Madrid a point from the penalty spot. After Barcelona beat Alaves on Saturday to move top of the table, Madrid needed a victory at Girona to reclaim top spot but now sit second, a point behind the champions. Earlier, Alberto Moleiro helped Villarreal, third, move back ahead of fourth-place Atletico Madrid with a stoppage time winner in a 3-2 victory at Real Sociedad. Real Madrid's draw increases the pressure on Madrid coach Xabi Alonso, after recent rumours suggesting his future is insecure in the Madrid dugout. "We are up there, it's all very even, it's a long season and we have to continue," Alonso told reporters. “I liked the reaction from the players. It was not enough to turn it around but we were close, and we have to continue with the unity we have, being self-critical enough, and wanting to win away from home.” Madrid travel to face Athletic Bilbao on Wednesday for a fourth consecutive league match on the road, a game moved because of the club's participation in the Spanish Super Cup in January. "The table will be hard-fought, there will be lots of movement," added Alonso. Mbappe and Arda Guler fired off target for Madrid early on in a hotly-contested but scrappy clash, in front of a raucous home crowd. French superstar Mbappe had a goal ruled out for handball moments before Morocco international Ounahi fired Girona ahead, rifling home from just inside the area to stun their illustrious visitors. Catalan minnows Girona, 18th, have twice beaten Real Madrid at Montilivi since making their top flight debut in 2017 and for a while it looked like they were going to manage it again. Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois made a stunning save to tip away Vanat's drive across goal before Los Blancos fought back. After having a goal disallowed for offside Vinicius was clumsily felled in the box by Hugo Rincon. Mbappe smashed the resulting penalty into the bottom left corner past Gazzaniga's dive for his 14th La Liga goal of the campaign. "Absolutely not the result we wanted tonight, but the league is still on and very long," wrote Mbappe on social media network Instagram. "We need to change this dynamic and show who we are as a team." Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Barcelona lead the La Liga table with 34 points, while Madrid sit in second place with one point shy.&nbsp;

La Liga: Real Madrid’s title hopes dented at Girona in third straight draw

Chelsea romped to a dominant 3-0 win at home to 10-man Barcelona in the Champions League on Tuesday, while Pep Guardiola's much-changed Manchester City went down to their first defeat of the campaign against Bayer Leverkusen. In a battle between the second-placed sides in the Premier League and La Liga, Chelsea emerged emphatic winners thanks to goals from 18-year-old Estevao and Liam Delap after a Jules Kounde own-goal had given the 2021 Champions League winners a first-half lead.The visitors played just over half the encounter a player down following captain Ronald Araujo's dismissal for two bookable offences on the stroke of half-time.After stalling last time out -- Chelsea being held 2-2 by Qarabag and Barca drawing three-apiece with Club Brugge -- both sides came into the match at Stamford Bridge looking to get their campaigns back on track.Victory propelled Chelsea to fifth in the league phase standings on 10 points."It's a big win, especially because the other team was Barcelona," Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca said.After two Enzo Fernandez strikes were disallowed for offside, the hosts finally took the lead on 27 minutes.A short-corner routine ended with Marc Cucurella firing the ball across the box. Pedro Neto's attempted flick towards goal had the Barcelona defenders tying themselves in knots before France international Kounde inadvertently knocked it into his own net.The game took a decisive turn in the 44th minute when Araujo received a second yellow card for a poor challenge on Cucurella.Much of the pre-match build-up centred on talk around the young starlets on both sides, but it was Chelsea's Estevao who stole the show over Barcelona's Spain winger Lamine Yamal.A moment of magic by the Brazilian teen put the game beyond the Spanish champions as he received the ball on the right before beating two defenders and lashing it into the roof of Joan Garcia's net five minutes before the hour."I don't really have any words to sum up how I'm feeling right now," Estevao told Amazon Prime. "It really was the perfect night."Substitute Delap then put the game to bed in the 73rd minute.A second defeat has the Catalans down in 15th spot, but Barcelona coach Hansi Flick insisted he was "really positive" about their chances of automatic qualification to the last 16."We've got players coming back now and there are three games to play and nine points to win," the German said.<h2>‘Full responsibility’</h2>Guardiola surprisingly rested the majority of his stars at the Etihad, with Erling Haaland, Ruben Dias, Bernardo Silva and Gianluigi Donnarumma all left out of the starting line-up as Man City went down 2-0 to Leverkusen.A first loss of the campaign for Man City, coming hot on the heels of Saturday's 2-1 defeat at Newcastle in the Premier League, leaves the 2023 winners on 10 points."I take full responsibility, still I think the players that started were exceptional players but we missed something needed at the highest level," Guardiola said."I think playing every two or three days we need to make changes but seeing the result, maybe it's too much."While defeat shall likely not prove fatal to their hopes of reaching the knockout stages, it was a chastening 100th European match in charge of City for Guardiola.Slack defending allowed Alex Grimaldo the chance to put the away side in front in the 23rd minute, before Patrik Schick glanced in a second half-an-hour later.In the south of France, Marseille roared back from an early Ashley Barnes goal to beat Newcastle 2-1 thanks to a second-half Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang double.Marseille's Mason Greenwood -- who left Manchester United following allegations of attempted rape and sexual assault, the charges for which were dropped by prosecutors in February 2023 -- was kept quiet by Newcastle in what was his first time facing English opposition since the allegations.An injury-time goal by Jonathan David snatched a 3-2 win for Italian giants Juventus in the Arctic Circle against Norway's Bodo/Glimt.Sondre Brunstad Fet's 87th-minute penalty had looked like it had secured a third draw for winless Champions League debutants Bodo until the Canadian bundled home in the 91st minute.Serhou Guirassy netted a brace as Borussia Dortmund moved up to fourth with a 4-0 victory over 10-man Villarreal, despite the Germans missing two penalties at the Westfalenstadion.Serie A champions Napoli beat Qarabag 2-0 at home, while Benfica won by the same scoreline at Ajax.Union Saint-Gilloise of Belgium won 1-0 away to Galatasaray and Athletic Bilbao played out a goalless stalemate at Slavia Prague.

In a battle between the second-placed sides in the Premier League and La Liga, Chelsea emerged emphatic winners thanks to goals from 18-year-old Estevao and Liam Delap after a Jules Kounde own-goal had given the 2021 Champions League winners a first-half lead.

Chelsea romped to a dominant 3-0 win at home to 10-man Barcelona in the Champions League on Tuesday, while Pep Guardiola's much-changed Manchester City went down to their first defeat of the campaign against Bayer Leverkusen. In a battle between the second-placed sides in the Premier League and La Liga, Chelsea emerged emphatic winners thanks to goals from 18-year-old Estevao and Liam Delap after a Jules Kounde own-goal had given the 2021 Champions League winners a first-half lead. The visitors played just over half the encounter a player down following captain Ronald Araujo's dismissal for two bookable offences on the stroke of half-time. After stalling last time out -- Chelsea being held 2-2 by Qarabag and Barca drawing three-apiece with Club Brugge -- both sides came into the match at Stamford Bridge looking to get their campaigns back on track. Victory propelled Chelsea to fifth in the league phase standings on 10 points. "It's a big win, especially because the other team was Barcelona," Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca said. After two Enzo Fernandez strikes were disallowed for offside, the hosts finally took the lead on 27 minutes. A short-corner routine ended with Marc Cucurella firing the ball across the box. Pedro Neto's attempted flick towards goal had the Barcelona defenders tying themselves in knots before France international Kounde inadvertently knocked it into his own net. The game took a decisive turn in the 44th minute when Araujo received a second yellow card for a poor challenge on Cucurella. Much of the pre-match build-up centred on talk around the young starlets on both sides, but it was Chelsea's Estevao who stole the show over Barcelona's Spain winger Lamine Yamal. A moment of magic by the Brazilian teen put the game beyond the Spanish champions as he received the ball on the right before beating two defenders and lashing it into the roof of Joan Garcia's net five minutes before the hour. "I don't really have any words to sum up how I'm feeling right now," Estevao told Amazon Prime. "It really was the perfect night." Substitute Delap then put the game to bed in the 73rd minute. A second defeat has the Catalans down in 15th spot, but Barcelona coach Hansi Flick insisted he was "really positive" about their chances of automatic qualification to the last 16. "We've got players coming back now and there are three games to play and nine points to win," the German said. ‘Full responsibility’ Guardiola surprisingly rested the majority of his stars at the Etihad, with Erling Haaland, Ruben Dias, Bernardo Silva and Gianluigi Donnarumma all left out of the starting line-up as Man City went down 2-0 to Leverkusen. A first loss of the campaign for Man City, coming hot on the heels of Saturday's 2-1 defeat at Newcastle in the Premier League, leaves the 2023 winners on 10 points. "I take full responsibility, still I think the players that started were exceptional players but we missed something needed at the highest level," Guardiola said. "I think playing every two or three days we need to make changes but seeing the result, maybe it's too much." While defeat shall likely not prove fatal to their hopes of reaching the knockout stages, it was a chastening 100th European match in charge of City for Guardiola. Slack defending allowed Alex Grimaldo the chance to put the away side in front in the 23rd minute, before Patrik Schick glanced in a second half-an-hour later. In the south of France, Marseille roared back from an early Ashley Barnes goal to beat Newcastle 2-1 thanks to a second-half Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang double. Marseille's Mason Greenwood -- who left Manchester United following allegations of attempted rape and sexual assault, the charges for which were dropped by prosecutors in February 2023 -- was kept quiet by Newcastle in what was his first time facing English opposition since the allegations. An injury-time goal by Jonathan David snatched a 3-2 win for Italian giants Juventus in the Arctic Circle against Norway's Bodo/Glimt. Sondre Brunstad Fet's 87th-minute penalty had looked like it had secured a third draw for winless Champions League debutants Bodo until the Canadian bundled home in the 91st minute. Serhou Guirassy netted a brace as Borussia Dortmund moved up to fourth with a 4-0 victory over 10-man Villarreal, despite the Germans missing two penalties at the Westfalenstadion. Serie A champions Napoli beat Qarabag 2-0 at home, while Benfica won by the same scoreline at Ajax. Union Saint-Gilloise of Belgium won 1-0 away to Galatasaray and Athletic Bilbao played out a goalless stalemate at Slavia Prague.

In a battle between the second-placed sides in the Premier League and La Liga, Chelsea emerged emphatic winners thanks to goals from 18-year-old Estevao and Liam Delap after a Jules Kounde own-goal had given the 2021 Champions League winners a first-half lead.

Champions League: Chelsea romp to win against Barcelona, Manchester City lose to Bayern Leverkusen

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