Barca hit five as they return to winning ways at Mallorca

Barca hit five as they return to winning ways at Mallorca
Barcelona’s Frenkie de Jong celebrates with Raphinha and Pedri after scoring his side’s fourth goal during their La Liga match against Mallorca at the Son Moix stadium in Palma de Mallorca, Dec. 3, 2024. (AP)
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Updated 04 December 2024
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Barca hit five as they return to winning ways at Mallorca

Barca hit five as they return to winning ways at Mallorca
  • The comprehensive victory brings the Catalans to 37 points at the top of the league table
  • Mallorca stay sixth in La Liga, still two points behind Bilbao in the final Champions League spot

PALMA: Raphinha and Lamine Yamal inspired Barcelona to a first win in four La Liga outings as they beat Mallorca 5-1 on Tuesday.
The comprehensive victory brings the Catalans to 37 points at the top of the league table, four ahead of second-placed Real Madrid, but with two extra matches played.
Carlo Ancelotti’s Spanish and European champions will have the chance to cut that lead back to one point on Wednesday when they travel to Athletic Bilbao.
Mallorca stay sixth in La Liga, still two points behind Bilbao in the final Champions League spot.
Ferran Torres gave Barcelona the lead, before Vedat Muriqi equalized to ensure the sides were level at the end of an even first half.
Raphinha and Yamal then lit up the second half as the away side ran riot with the Brazilian scoring a double, followed by strikes from Frenkie de Jong and Pau Victor.
“We knew how important it was to win again. In the last three games something has been missing. Today we were good, it wasn’t our best game but winning was the most important thing,” Barcelona captain Raphinha told Movistar.
Barcelona were boosted by the return of teenage starlet Yamal, who started the match after recovering from an ankle problem.
Hansi Flick’s side dropped points in the two league outings Yamal missed, and were also defeated last time out at home to Las Palmas when he was only fit enough to start on the bench.
The hosts gifted Barca the lead in the 12th minute when panicked defending resulted in Torres being presented with a golden opportunity when there seemed to be no danger.
As a trio of Majorcan defenders shepherded the ball back to their goalkeeper, full-back Johan Mojica suddenly decided to try to lash it away, only to smash the ball straight into Antonio Raillo and it fell perfectly to the feet of the Barcelona forward, who duly stroked home the opener.
The Catalans’ high defensive line caught Mallorca out on several occasions as they tried to spring their attackers with passes over the top.
Mallorca were, however, starting to build pressure on Barcelona, though the visitors remained dangerous on the counter with their fleet-footed attacking quartet of Yamal, Dani Olmo, Raphinha and Torres.
A second goal in the match did not seem far away, for either side, and it came for the hosts in the 43rd minute.
Inigo Martinez was deeper than the rest of the Barcelona line and Pablo Maffeo timed his run onto Sergi Darder’s pass to perfection, before rolling the ball across to Muriqi to tap into an open net.

Another defensive lapse nearly restored the visitors’ lead on the stroke of half-time, but goalkeeper Leo Roman bailed out Raillo for his poor back-header by denying Raphinha one-on-one.
The Mallorca ‘keeper thwarted the Brazilian again early in the second period, punching away a fizzing free-kick from close range.
But it was eventually third time lucky for Raphinha in his duel with Roman as he flashed a 56th-minute penalty just beyond the Spaniard’s reach.
The sheer pace of the returning Yamal had earned the spot-kick as he raced onto Olmo’s through-ball, before being brought down by Mojica inside the box.
Barcelona struggled creatively in Yamal’s absence, and the 17-year-old displayed his brilliance again moments later when an inspired backheel created a chance out of nothing, until Pedri’s snapshot was blocked.
Raphinha made the game safe for Barcelona with 14 minutes remaining when he knocked home a magnificent outside-of-the-foot cross courtesy of Yamal.
“I’m living my best moment but I don’t want to stop there. I want to do much more for this crest. It’s a club that I love enormously. Everything I can give on the pitch, I’ll give it,” said Raphinha.
Euro 2024 winner Yamal repeated the trick five minutes later, this time finding the forward run of Victor, whose pass across goal was cut out, but only as far as the onrushing De Jong who finished unerringly.
De Jong then turned provider in the final 10 minutes as he squared for 23-year-old substitute Victor to score.
Yamal could have capped off a superb second-half showing, but his dinked finish near the end was well saved by the defiant Roman.


Sam Curran and Sherfane Rutherford shine as Desert Vipers record second-consecutive ILT20 win

Sam Curran and Sherfane Rutherford shine as Desert Vipers record second-consecutive ILT20 win
Updated 15 January 2025
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Sam Curran and Sherfane Rutherford shine as Desert Vipers record second-consecutive ILT20 win

Sam Curran and Sherfane Rutherford shine as Desert Vipers record second-consecutive ILT20 win
  • Curran was unbeaten on 42 and Rutherford added 40 off 18 balls as the Vipers reached their target of 120 in 17.4 overs to defeat Gulf Giants
  • Bowlers set the tone for the Vipers early, with captain Lockie Ferguson and Mohammed Amir dismantling the Giants’ batting order

DUBAI: The Desert Vipers cruised to a six-wicket victory over Gulf Giants in a low-scoring contest at the Dubai International Stadium on Tuesday.

It was a second-consecutive win for the Vipers in the DP World International League T20, with an unbeaten 42-run knock from all-rounder Sam Curran anchoring their chase. Sherfane Rutherford added some fireworks with 40 runs off only 18 balls, helping his side reach their target of 120 in 17.4 overs.

The bowlers set the tone for the Vipers early, as captain Lockie Ferguson and Mohammed Amir dismantled the Giants’ batting order.

Ferguson claimed three wickets, Amir two, as the Giants were restricted to 119/9 in 20 overs. Skipper James Vince fought valiantly, scoring an unbeaten 76 off 62 balls, but lacked support as the wickets fell at regular intervals.

His side struggled after losing wickets early on. Amir trapped Adam Lyth LBW in the first over, and Lockie Ferguson removed Rehan Khan and Shimron Hetmyer soon after. By the sixth over, the Giants were reeling at just 32/3.

Wanindu Hasaranga then bowled Ollie Robinson for a duck and as Amir and Ferguson continued to dominate, the Giants limped to 50/6.

Vince provided a measure of stability, however, rotating the strike and finding late boundaries. Aayan Afzal Khan briefly offered some support, contributing 15 runs off 18 balls in a 36-run stand.

But Khan’s dismissal by Luke Wood in the 15th over dashed hopes of a competitive total. Nevertheless, Vince reached his half-century off 47 balls and added crucial runs in the final overs to give his side at least a fighting chance.

Chasing 120, the Vipers faced early setbacks when Mark Adair dismissed Fakhar Zaman and Dan Lawrence in the second over. Curran and Alex Hales then managed to steady the ship, adding 49 runs for the third wicket, before Curran let loose in the seventh over, smashing a six and a four off Daniel Worrall. Hales fell for 20 runs off 30 balls and then Azam Khan departed for just seven, leaving the Vipers on 66/4 in 12.2 overs.

But then Curran and Rutherford took control, with the latter hitting two sixes and a four in the 18th over to seal the victory. The former remained unbeaten on 42 from 43 balls, including four fours and a six.

“It is nice to be here for the start of the tournament and it is nice to win on a tricky pitch,” said Curran, who was named player of the match.

“It was almost a bit of a test match out there, trying to trust your defense. I knew they were going to go for their best seam bowlers at the top, so I had to adjust accordingly.”

Reflecting on the defeat, Vince said: “It was a tough gig batting first; there seemed to be a bit more moisture in the wicket than the last game. One-hundred-and-twenty is always going to be tough to defend. We needed a bit of luck going our way on a wicket like that. If we had held onto our chances, it could have been a bit tricky for them.”


Man City and Chelsea both draw in Premier League after late goals

Man City and Chelsea both draw in Premier League after late goals
Updated 15 January 2025
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Man City and Chelsea both draw in Premier League after late goals

Man City and Chelsea both draw in Premier League after late goals
  • City conceded in the 82nd minute and again two minutes into stoppage time in a 2-2 draw

MANCHESTER: Manchester City showed more fallibility in squandering a two-goal lead to draw at Brentford in the Premier League on Tuesday as Chelsea's slump deepened despite a last-gasp equalizer.
City conceded in the 82nd minute and again two minutes into stoppage time in a 2-2 draw after Phil Foden scored twice for the struggling champions, who are battling to simply qualify for the Champions League this season.
Chelsea salvaged a 2-2 draw at home to Bournemouth thanks to Reece James' free kick in the fifth minute of stoppage time but saw their winless run in the league extend to five games.
West Ham beat Fulham 3-2 for a first win under new manager Graham Potter.
First-place Liverpool were playing third-place Nottingham Forest in the late game.


Pressure builds on Dortmund boss Sahin after loss at Kiel

Pressure builds on Dortmund boss Sahin after loss at Kiel
Updated 14 January 2025
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Pressure builds on Dortmund boss Sahin after loss at Kiel

Pressure builds on Dortmund boss Sahin after loss at Kiel
  • Dortmund were heavily favored against their promoted opponents
  • Kiel have now won two of their last three to boost their chances of avoiding a direct relegation

KIEL, Germany: Borussia Dortmund’s struggles in the league continued with a 4-2 loss at Holstein Kiel on Tuesday, raising the heat on under-fire coach Nuri Sahin.
Dortmund were heavily favored against their promoted opponents, who sit second-last in the table, but were overrun as Kiel scored three goals in 22 first-half minutes.
Shuto Machino, Phil Harres and Alexander Bernhardsson found the net to have Kiel up by three at half-time.
Dortmund’s Gio Reyna and Jamie Gittens scored in the second half but the visitors could not pull off an unlikely comeback, with Jann-Fiete Arp scoring Kiel’s fourth in stoppage time.
Kiel have now won two of their last three to boost their chances of avoiding a direct relegation.
With half the season played, Dortmund sit eighth, 14 points behind league leaders Bayern Munich.
Questions will continue to be asked of coach Sahin, who replaced Edin Terzic in the summer, despite the latter taking Dortmund to the Champions League final in June.
With want-away forward Donyell Malen joining Aston Villa just an hour before kick-off, Sahin handed teenage forward Julien Duranville a starting XI debut.
In cold, foggy conditions on Germany’s northern coast, Dortmund dominated possession for much of the first half-hour, but were unable to break through the dogged hosts.
With 27 minutes gone, Kiel forced Julian Brandt into an error near his own penalty box, Bernhardsson then found Machino who blasted in the opener.
Harres, a fourth-division player this time last season, doubled Kiel’s lead with a clever header on the counter shortly afterwards.
Kiel hit a third just before half-time, Bernhardsson tapping in a Harres cross to have Dortmund reeling.
Sahin made four attacking changes in the opening 15 minutes of the second half as Dortmund pursued an unlikely comeback.
But despite goals by Reyna and Gittens, the visitors were unable to find a third, with local boy Arp scoring in the dying moments to seal a famous Kiel win.
Later on Tuesday, champions Bayer Leverkusen can close the gap on league leaders Bayern Munich with a victory at home against fifth-placed Mainz.


Arsenal forward Gabriel Jesus to undergo surgery for ACL injury

Arsenal forward Gabriel Jesus to undergo surgery for ACL injury
Updated 14 January 2025
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Arsenal forward Gabriel Jesus to undergo surgery for ACL injury

Arsenal forward Gabriel Jesus to undergo surgery for ACL injury
  • “Gabby will undergo surgery in the coming days and will soon begin his recovery,” Arsenal said
  • He is expected to miss the rest of the season

LONDON: Arsenal forward Gabriel Jesus will undergo surgery for an ACL injury sustained in the team’s FA Cup loss to Manchester United on Sunday.
The Premier League club on Tuesday confirmed the Brazil international’s injury after completing scans of his left knee.
“Gabby will undergo surgery in the coming days and will soon begin his recovery and rehabilitation program,” Arsenal said in a team statement.
He is expected to miss the rest of the season, though no timetable was specified.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta had earlier warned that the forward’s injury was “not looking good at all.”
Second-place Arsenal, which host Tottenham on Wednesday, are already without Bukayo Saka due to a hamstring injury.
The team are “actively looking in the market to improve the squad” during the January transfer window, Arteta added.
“It would be naive not to do that because it is always an opportunity to evolve the team and improve the squad, especially with the circumstances,” he said.
“So yes, we are looking and we are trying and let’s see what we are able to do.”


Jurgen Klopp says fans of Red Bull clubs ‘deserve good football’ as he defends new role

Jurgen Klopp says fans of Red Bull clubs ‘deserve good football’ as he defends new role
Updated 14 January 2025
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Jurgen Klopp says fans of Red Bull clubs ‘deserve good football’ as he defends new role

Jurgen Klopp says fans of Red Bull clubs ‘deserve good football’ as he defends new role
  • “I thought, do they not deserve good football?” Klopp asked, referring to the Leipzig supporters
  • Watzke said he remained friends with Klopp, but that they would no longer be able talk about Dortmund

SALZBURG: Jürgen Klopp’s charm offensive as Red Bull’s head of global soccer began in Salzburg, Austria on Tuesday when the former Liverpool manager was officially presented in his new role and hit back at critics of the move.
Klopp’s decision to join the energy drinks giant to develop its branded soccer clubs around the world has confounded fans of his previous clubs – particularly in Germany, where as coach he led Mainz to Bundesliga promotion in 2004, then Borussia Dortmund to Bundesliga titles in 2011 and 2012.
On Sunday, Klopp was in Leipzig to see the Red Bull-backed team reclaim fourth place with a 4-2 win over Werder Bremen.
“I thought, do they not deserve good football?” Klopp asked, referring to the Leipzig supporters. “I really felt they deserve it. And it’s not only there, it’s in Salzburg, the football fans in New York deserve it if they want to be part of that journey, in Japan, in Brazil, they deserve support, improvement, all these kind of things. That’s why I want to do it. I love football.”
But Klopp is joining an organization that’s seen by many soccer fans in Germany as the antithesis of everything they love about the game.
Supporters in Mainz responded with protests when Red Bull announced Klopp’s signing in October.
“Have you forgotten everything we gave you?” asked one banner during a match against Leipzig, referring to Klopp’s tearful farewell speech when he left the club after 18 years as a player and coach in 2008.
Klopp’s decision also stung in Dortmund.
“Jürgen knows full well he could have almost picked his job at Borussia Dortmund,” the club’s chief executive Hans-Joachim Watzke told Sport Bild last month.
Watzke said he remained friends with Klopp, but that they would no longer be able talk about Dortmund. Watzke had previously said that Leipzig only existed as a marketing campaign.
“Football is played there to get a drinks can to perform,” Watzke said in 2016.
The Red Bull website pays tribute to co-founder Dietrich Mateschitz for developing “not only a new product but also a unique marketing concept” when he launched the drink in 1987.
Red Bull, which announced record turnover of 10.5 billion euros in 2023, started locally when it began investing in extreme sports in Austria in 1988. It branched into motorsport in the following year by sponsoring Austrian Formula 1 driver Gerhard Berger, and went international in 1994 by sponsoring windsurfers Robby Naish and Björn Dunkerbeck.
The company’s foray into soccer started in 2005 when it bought SV Austria Salzburg and rebranded the club with its own livery. Despite opposition from the club’s supporters, violet was discarded in favor of Red Bull’s red and white, and the club was renamed Red Bull Salzburg.
The company repeated the feat in Germany in 2009 when it purchased the playing license of fifth-tier SSV Markranstädt, and rebranded the club as it had Salzburg. The club was named Rasenballsport (lawn-ball-sport) Leipzig as the company was prohibited from using its name for the club. But it financed the team’s steady ascent to the Bundesliga, which it reached in 2016.
Klopp will oversee a stable of Red Bull-backed clubs around the world that also includes New York Red Bulls, Bragantino in Brazil and Omiya Ardija in Japan. The company also has a minority stake in second-tier English club Leeds, and is set to become a minority stakeholder in French second-division club Paris FC, which Klopp observed in action on Saturday.
“I think if you want to understand you can understand, if you don’t want to understand, you will not. That’s how it is,” Klopp said of the criticism.