Sports

Kylian Mbappe scored twice as Real Madrid held off a determined Celta Vigo 3-2 to maintain pressure on LaLiga leaders Barcelona ahead of next weekend's crucial Clasico. Following Barcelona's narrow comeback victory at Valladolid on Saturday, Madrid's hard-fought win Sunday preserves the four-point gap between the rivals before their highly anticipated meeting. The defending champions, currently second in the standings, were forced to withstand intense late pressure from seventh-placed Celta, who harbor European qualification ambitions this season. Despite their Champions League exit and Copa del Rey final defeat to Barcelona last week, Madrid remain hopeful of overtaking Hansi Flick's side in the league race. Carlo Ancelotti's team entered the match facing defensive injury concerns but weathered early Celta opportunities before gaining control through 20-year-old Turkish midfielder Arda Guler's creative influence. Filling in for the ill Rodrygo, Guler demonstrated his ambition […]

Jonathan Tah's anticipated move to FC Barcelona faces mounting uncertainty. Despite the club identifying the 29-year-old Bayer Leverkusen center-back as a priority summer signing and securing a verbal agreement, several rivals are now attempting to hijack the deal. Tah's Leverkusen contract expires on June 30, making him an attractive free transfer target. However, Barcelona's persistent Financial Fair Play constraints have prevented them from finalizing the agreement, leaving the door open for competitors. Most notably, Tah's current manager Xabi Alonso is reportedly interested in bringing the German defender with him to Real Madrid. According to Mundo Deportivo, Alonso, who is set to replace Carlo Ancelotti at the Santiago Bernabeu, views Tah as a key reinforcement for Madrid's defense. The situation has left Tah in a state of limbo. While reports indicate he has not signed with any club and still prioritizes […]

The AFC Champions League Elite semi-final between Saudi League powerhouses Al Hilal and Al Ahli kicks off Tuesday night at what promises to be a packed Alinma Stadium in Jeddah. League champions Al Hilal are familiar with this tournament stage - the Riyadh giants, who hold a record four Champions League titles, have reached the semi-finals eight times previously in the Champions League era. Al Ahli last made the semi-finals in 2012, defeating local rivals Al Ittihad 2-1 on aggregate before losing the final to South Korea's Ulsan Hyundai. The teams have already faced each other three times this season with mixed results. Al Hilal claimed a 2-1 victory in their first league meeting (Matchweek 6), while Al Ahli won the return fixture 3-2 in February's Matchweek 23 behind Ivan Toney's hat-trick. Their earliest encounter came in August when Al […]