Sports

La Liga: Barca Return To Winning Ways, Thrash Mallorca 5-1

Published

6 months ago

December 3, 2024

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 Athletic Bilbao in the final Champions League spot.

Ferran Torres gave Barcelona the lead, before Vedat Muriqi equalised to ensure the sides were level at half-time.

Raphinha and Yamal 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.

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 lowly 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.

•⁠ ⁠Yamal show –

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 recently 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 latched onto a magnificent outside-of-the-foot cross courtesy of Yamal.

The Euro 2024 winner repeated the trick five minute 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.

AFP

Sports

Arsenal Release Names Of 20 Players To Be Offloaded This Summer [Full List]

Published

4 days ago

June 4, 2025

Editor

Arsenal release names of 20 players to be offloaded this summer [Full list]
Arsenal have released the names of 20 players set to leave the Emirates Stadium this summer following the expiration of their contracts on June 30.

The list includes individuals from the men’s senior team, under-21s, under-18s, and the women’s squad. These departures are part of the club’s annual end-of-season review and include players who have represented Arsenal across various levels.

Full List of Departing Players

Nathan Butler-Oyedeji
Reece Clairmont
Khayon Edwards
Jakai Fisher
Romari Forde
Teyah Goldie
Jimi Gower
Jack Henry-Francis
Lina Hurtig
Amanda Ilestedt
Jorginho
Max Kuczynski
Salah-Eddine Oulad M’Hand
Ismail Oulad M’Hand
Neto
Brian Okonkwo
Elian Quesada-Thorn
Zacariah Shuaib
Raheem Sterling
Kieran Tierney

While many of the exits from the women’s team had been previously confirmed, this update provides a full overview of all players moving on.

Arsenal noted that the contracts of Chloe Kelly, Thomas Partey, and Michal Rosiak are due to expire in June 2025.

However, the club revealed that discussions are ongoing with these players, and further updates will be provided once decisions have been finalised.

Sports

Man City Agree Fee With AC Milan For Midfielder Reijnders

Published

4 days ago

June 4, 2025

Editor

Manchester City have agreed a deal with AC Milan for Dutch midfielder Tijjani Reijnders — their first major signing of the summer transfer window, reports said Wednesday.

The deposed Premier League champions are set to pay 55 million euros ($63 million) for the 26-year-old, who is understood to have agreed a five-year contract, with the formalities yet to be finalised.

City hope to complete the deal for the Netherlands international in time for the FIFA Club World Cup in the United States, which kicks off on June 14.

Sports

Messi, Inter Miami Fight Back For 3-3 Draw At Philadelphia

Published

2 weeks ago

May 25, 2025

Editor

Inter Miami fought back from 3-1 down to grab a 3-3 draw at MLS Eastern Conference leaders the Philadelphia Union on Saturday thanks to a stoppage-time leveller from substitute Telasco Segovia.

Israeli forward Tai Baribo scored twice for Philadelphia to give them the two goal advantage but Lionel Messi gave Miami hope with an 87th-minute free-kick before Venezuelan Segovia dramatically grabbed the point.

Quinn Sullivan, called up this week by Mauricio Pochettino to the US national team squad, fired Philadelphia ahead in the seventh minute with a sweet strike after Miami’s defence had failed to close down.

Baribo made it 2-0 with an instinctive finish in the 44th minute as Miami’s defensive troubles continued.

The visitors got a foothold in the game in the 60th minute when Noah Allen floated in a cross from the left which was met by a firm header from Argentine Tadeo Allende.

But Philadelphia restored their two-goal cushion when, from a long throw, Miami were unable to clear and Jean-Jacques Danley pounced on the loose ball and Baribo fired home.

Messi beat Union keeper Andrew Rick with a characteristically well driven free-kick for his sixth goal of the season three minutes from the end of regulation time to set up a frantic finale.

Jovan Lukic hit the bar from inside the box early in stoppage time as Philly looked to wrap-up the win but they were left crestfallen in the fifth minute of stoppage time when, after good work from Messi, Segovia pounced and blasted home.

There was still time for one more chance but an unmarked Danley, who had an outstanding game in midfield, somehow headed wide from close range.

While the result was a welcome sign of character from Miami, they remain with just one win in their past eight games in all competitions having conceded 23 goals.

Javier Mascherano’s side are sixth in the Eastern Conference and the former Barcelona and Argentina midfielder praised his team’s response.

“We showed character, personality. It was another difficult start of the game for us because in the beginning we conceded the goal… but the guys showed they want want to fight to get out of this situation,” said the Miami coach.

“We are in a bad trend, but with a lot of spirit to come back to be the team we were at the beginning of the season,” he added before demanding better from his back line.

“We cannot concede every single corner kick and every single throw in and give opponents opportunities to score… we need to be more focused in those situations,” Mascherano said.

USA forward Patrick Agyemang had scored twice for Dean Smith’s Charlotte but Malte Amundsen looked to have earned the Columbus Crew a point before Spaniard Pep Biel grabbed a 75th-minute winner for a 3-2 triumph.

Mexican star Hirving ‘Chucky’ Lozano’s stoppage-time header earned San Diego a 2-1 victory over the winless defending champion Los Angeles Galaxy.

Former Arsenal and France striker Olivier Giroud’s 77th-minute goal earned Los Angeles FC a 2-2 draw at Montreal while Duncan McGuire’s first league goal of the season gave Orlando a 1-0 victory over the Portland Timbers.

Argentine Max Urruti’s 84th-minute goal gave the New England Revolution a 3-3 draw at Sporting Kansas City after the visitors had let an early 2-0 lead slip.