MADRID: Kylian Mbappe said he had bounced back from hitting rock bottom after helping Real Madrid thrash Sevilla 4-2 on Saturday to move second in La Liga above stuttering rivals Barcelona.
After Atletico Madrid beat Barca on Saturday to claim top spot at Christmas, Carlo Ancelotti’s side also took advantage with a comfortable home win which leaves them a point behind the leaders.
Madrid coach Ancelotti said ahead of Sevilla’s visit that Mbappe’s adaptation period had ended following his summer switch from Paris Saint-Germain and the French forward proved the coach right with a strong performance and his 14th goal of the season across all competitions.
Fede Valverde also netted a brilliant effort from range, with Rodrygo Goes and Brahim Diaz on the scoresheet for the hosts too, the latter assisted by a clever Mbappe pass.
Isaac Romero and Dodi Lukebakio scored for Sevilla, although they were thoroughly outplayed on veteran defender Jesus Navas’ final game for the club.
“I think that we know each other better, my arrival changed a lot of things, and now, as the coach said, the adaptation is over and I feel very good in the team,” Mbappe told Real Madrid TV.
“We can see on the pitch that I click better with my team-mates and now we’re all playing better.”
Mbappe, back after a brief absence with a thigh injury, scored for Madrid in midweek as they won the Intercontinental Cup.
It was welcome relief for the forward after missing two penalties in recent weeks against Liverpool and Athletic Bilbao, as well as suffering criticism for his form.
“I know I’ve got much more in my legs than I’m showing, but in the last games I’ve played better,” Mbappe added.
“The Bilbao game was good for me, I hit the bottom, I missed a penalty and it was a moment to realize that I have to give everything for this shirt and show my personality.”
With Vinicius Junior suspended, Mbappe took the reins and broke the deadlock in the 10th minute as Madrid brought the ball out from the back and worked it to Rodrygo on the left flank.
The Brazilian squared to Mbappe on the edge of the area, who took one touch to control, another to set himself and with his third, smashed a fierce effort past the helpless Alvaro Fernandez.
“I think (Mbappe) has been self-critical, he’s come out of a situation that could have been complicated for him,” Ancelotti told reporters.
“Yesterday I said his adaptation period was over, today he showed it, sometimes I’m not wrong.”
The coach said Madrid had found their footing after struggling at times in the first half of the season.
“We’re running a bit more, playing with more intensity, we’re doing things well again, as we have to do — they’ve been complicated months,” Ancelotti added.
Madrid’s second, 10 minutes later, was even better, with Valverde firing a screamer into the top corner from over 30 yards out after a short corner.
Ancelotti’s side were in full flow and the third followed in the 34th minute when Lucas Vazquez crossed for Rodrygo.
Sevilla hit back within a minute, with Romero nodding home from Juanlu Sanchez’s cross.
Madrid stretched their lead after the break with Mbappe dinking a superb pass through for Diaz to finish clinically.
Sevilla brought on Navas after the hour mark and he was applauded by the Santiago Bernabeu, with this his 705th and final appearance for the club, far more than any other player.
Madrid and Sevilla players together gave the retiring Spanish great — a World Cup winner in 2010 and two-time Euros champion — a guard of honor at the start of the game.
Navas, 39, won four Europa Leagues and two Copa del Rey trophies with Sevilla, but his final appearance ended in disappointment for the Andalusians.
Lukebakio pulled one back late on for Sevilla as Madrid were able to finish an impressive year, in which they became Spanish and European champions, with positive vibes.
“Today was a spectacle, I haven’t seen anything like that in my life at an away ground, it was crazy,” an emotional Navas told reporters.
“I was thinking of all the moments that I’ve lived through, the joys I’ve given to my Sevilla and my national team.”
Mbappe back from ‘bottom’ as Real Madrid down Sevilla
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Mbappe back from ‘bottom’ as Real Madrid down Sevilla
- Mbappe, back after a brief absence with a thigh injury, scored for Madrid in midweek as they won the Intercontinental Cup
Al-Hilal fly the flag for Asia in Club World Cup
- Riyadh footballers through to tournament knockout stages after win in their last group match
NASHVILLE, Tennessee: Al-Hilal will be the sole representatives from Asia in the knockout stages of football’s glittering Club World Cup in the US.
The Riyadh club held Real Madrid to a draw in their opening match and won a decisive clash with Pachuca of Mexico in their last group-stage game, to ensure finishing second behind the Spanish giants and progressing to the last 16 of the tournament.
All but three of the teams through to the final stages are from Europe and South America. The exceptions are Al-Hilal, Monterrey from Mexico, and Inter Miami, where Lionel Messi leads a side filled with former Barcelona stalwarts.
Egypt’s Al-Ahly and Tunisia’s Esperance brought plenty of fans to create atmosphere in the large US stadiums, but went home disappointed. “The moment you drop a little bit your level against this quality of opponents, you pay a price,” Al-Ahly coach Jose Riveiro said.
“But the players had the opportunity to showcase their talent and a fantastic platform to do it. It’s a special occasion, for sure.”
Players forced to give up vacation to play Club World Cup, says Raphinha
- Raphinha said: “Marquinhos and Beraldo, from Paris St. Germain, won the Champions League and didn’t even get to celebrate properly”
- “If PSG reach the Club World Cup final, they will have the Super Cup right away. It doesn’t stop“
BARCELONA: Brazil’s Barcelona forward Raphinha regretted that the players were not consulted about extending their season to play at the Club World Cup, adding that nobody should be obliged to give up their vacation time.
The first expanded edition of the Club World Cup started on June 14 and will run until July 13. The competition followed the European league season which concluded in late May and an international window at the beginning of June.
“Speaking particularly as someone who plays for a European team, we would (currently) be on vacation,” Raphinha said.
“Marquinhos and Beraldo, from Paris St. Germain, won the Champions League and didn’t even get to celebrate properly. They came to the national team and then went to the Club World Cup. They still haven’t stopped.
“Many say that this is an excuse. It may or may not be, but having to give up our vacations out of obligation is very complicated. It’s our right. Everyone deserves at least a month of vacation. And many of them won’t get it.”
Most of the major European leagues will be back in action in mid to late August, with the pre-seasons starting early in the month.
“If PSG reach the Club World Cup final, they will have the Super Cup right away. It doesn’t stop,” Raphinha added.
“It depends on your point of view. From my point of view, it’s very bad to give up your vacation to play something that you are forced to do. At no point did they ask the players if they wanted to.
“It (should be) up to us to accept it. Having to give up your vacation to play in a new tournament is very complicated.”
PSG will face Tottenham Hotspur for the Super Cup on August 13.
Norris bounces back as McLaren take 1-2 in Austrian practice
- Norris clocked a best lap in one minute and 4.580 seconds to beat Piastri by 0.157 seconds
- Four-time champion Max Verstappen was third fastest for Red Bull, adrift by 0.318 seconds
SPIELBERG BEI KNITTELFELD, Austria: Lando Norris bounced back from his Canadian catastrophe with his customary smile on Friday after topping the times ahead of team-mate and championship leader Oscar Piastri as McLaren reeled off a solid 1-2 in practice at the Austrian Grand Prix.
As the paddock digested news that Mercedes had held talks about possibly signing Max Verstappen from Red Bull alongside George Russell in 2026 Norris clocked a best lap in one minute and 4.580 seconds to beat Piastri by 0.157 seconds.
Four-time champion Max Verstappen was third fastest for Red Bull, adrift by 0.318 seconds.
For Norris, who sat out the first session at the Red Bull Ring, it was a relief to move on from his collision with team-mate Piastri in Montreal where he retired pointless, admitting he had “made a fool of myself.”
“I didn’t mind sitting on the pit wall,” he said, with a grin, referring to missing the morning session.
“I actually felt a lot more relaxed there than in the car, especially here.
“I’ve always enjoyed this track. The car felt good right from the start. Alex (Dunne, reserve driver) gave solid feedback this morning after FP1 and was on pace straight away, which was encouraging to see.”
Norris added that he was pleased with the development of the car with McLaren’s latest upgrades.
“They definitely moved the car in the right direction for FP2,” he said.
“Now, we just need to figure out if we want more of that tomorrow, less, or somewhere in between.
“So, it’s a good step forward, but hopefully there’s still a bit more to come.”
McLaren came to the Styrian Alps with three performance-based updates including aerodynamic revisions of the front and rear of the car and suspension.
Piastri, who leads Norris by 22 points in the title race, said he was satisfied with his first day in the car.
“It looked pretty good,” he said.
“Max is still close, so I think he’ll definitely be a threat this weekend, but the car’s feeling good. I think the pace is quite good, so a positive first day.”
He added that both he and Norris had “all the parts that we think will make the car faster” on their cars.
Verstappen, who took his time to improve through the sessions, said: “We didn’t have any big issues.
“We lack a bit of pace and had too much understeer, both on the short and the long run. So that is something we have to try to get rid of.”
Lance Stroll was fourth for Aston Martin ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, George Russell of Mercedes, who won last year and two weeks ago in Canada, and Yuki Tsunoda in the second Red Bull.
Gabriel Bortoleto was eighth for Sauber ahead of two-time champion Fernando Alonso of Aston Martin and seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton, struggling in his updated Ferrari.
Norris added: “We’ve shown a bit more pace than some others, so I certainly think they’re going to catch up. Max is not far behind and they normally improve a lot on Saturday.
“So I expect a good day tomorrow (Saturday) and I’m sure we’ll improve on some things, but it’s not as easy as maybe it looked.
“I think it’s still going to be tight tomorrow — it always is. There’s no reason for it not to be, but we’ll work hard to make it as big of a gap as possible.”
Twisted Minds top cross-game leaderboard after 19 Saudi eLeague tournaments
- More than 40 clubs have competed across 14 titles in the Elite category and 5 in the Women’s division
- With the league now at its halfway point, every point earned is a step closer to final success
RIYADH: Twisted Minds are top of the Saudi eLeagues, the Kingdom’s premier esports league, following 19 tournaments in the season so far.
Organized by the Saudi Esports Federation and hosted at the SEF Arena in Boulevard Riyadh City, the league brings together Saudi Arabia’s top esports clubs competing across multiple games and divisions.
So far, more than 40 clubs have competed across a total of 19 tournaments — 14 in the Elite category and five in the Women’s division — in the race for points on the coveted Clubs Cross-Game Leaderboard. These points will also determine which teams secure spots in the championship, the league’s marquee event where the best teams will clash for the ultimate title and a share of the SR7 million ($1.87 million) prize pool.
As the dust settles on the first phase of the season, the leaderboard is beginning to take shape:
• Twisted Minds, last year’s cross-game champions, remain unshaken at the top with an impressive 912 points. Their dominance across multiple titles continues to set the standard for consistency and excellence.
• Team Falcons hold second place with 705 points, delivering solid performances across major titles like Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 and Valorant, proving their resilience as perennial contenders.
• Al-Qadsiah Esports, the breakout team of the season, sit third with 618 points. With standout victories in both the men’s and women’s brackets, they are proving a force to be reckoned with.
Each tournament has added its own narrative to the Saudi eLeague, from Overwatch 2, VALORANT and Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 to EA SPORTS FC 25 and battleground drama in PUBG and PUBG MOBILE.
Meanwhile, the Women’s division has delivered some of the league’s most inspiring moments, highlighting the rising skill level and growing depth of talent in Saudi Arabia’s esports scene.
With the league now at its halfway point, every point earned is a step closer to final success. Twisted Minds may sit top for now, but with Team Falcons and Al-Qadsiah Esports breathing down their necks, the race will continue apace.
“The halfway point of this year’s Saudi eLeagues highlights just how extraordinary and competitive this season has been,” said Abdullah Alnasser, head of esports products at the Saudi Esports Federation.
“What sets this year apart from previous seasons is the sheer intensity and depth of competition across all categories. From the Elite tournaments to the Women’s division, we’ve witnessed remarkable growth — not just in the number of clubs participating, but in the level of skill, strategy and determination on display.
“The race for the top is far from over, and every match continues to push the boundaries of what our players and teams can achieve. This season is shaping up to be something truly special, a milestone moment for Saudi esports that reflects the incredible progress of our scene.”
Messi’s PSG reunion, Real Madrid face Juventus in Club World Cup last 16
- Botafogo are the reigning Brazilian and South American champions
- Highly rated Flamengo coach Filipe Luis has his work cut out to keep Bayern at bay
PHILADELPHIA: From Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi facing former side Paris Saint-Germain to Real Madrid meeting Juventus and Chelsea taking on Benfica, AFP Sport looks ahead to the Club World Cup last 16.
Saturday, June 28, in Philadelphia (1600 GMT)
All four Brazilian representatives reached the last 16 and at least one will be in the quarter-finals, as Palmeiras and Botafogo face each other.
Botafogo are the reigning Brazilian and South American champions and beat European champions PSG on the way to qualifying from their group at Atletico Madrid’s expense.
Sao Paulo side Palmeiras — featuring Brazil prodigy and future Chelsea winger Estevao Willian — won their group and are above Botafogo in the Brazilian league. However, Botafogo are unbeaten in their last five meetings with Palmeiras, including the two legs of a Copa Libertadores last-16 tie last year.
Saturday, June 28, in Charlotte (2000 GMT)
Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea finished second in their group but avoided a strong Bayern Munich side by doing so, pitting them against Benfica. The Portuguese powerhouses, who boast veteran playmaker Angel Di Maria, edged the German giants in their final group game.
Benfica will believe they can upset their inconsistent Premier League opposition and former Benfica midfielder Enzo Fernandez. New Chelsea striker Liam Delap is looking to continue adding to his tally after getting off the mark in the group stage.
Sunday, June 29, in Atlanta (1600 GMT)
Messi’s Inter Miami were a surprise package in the group stage, beating Porto on their way to progressing to the last 16, but a late collapse against Palmeiras meant they finished second and must face the Argentine playmaker’s former side PSG.
This season PSG ended a long wait to win the Champions League for the first time and Luis Enrique’s side are expected to vanquish their MLS opponents, but Botafogo beat them in the group stage to prove they are not untouchable.
Sunday, June 29, in Miami (2000 GMT)
Brazilian side Flamengo stunned Chelsea in the group phase to claim top spot but must overcome the might of Vincent Kompany’s Bayern if they are to progress.
With Harry Kane, Michael Olize and a Thomas Mueller looking to end his time at Bayern with a new trophy, the possession-hungry Bundesliga giants have as much firepower as anyone left in the tournament.
Highly rated Flamengo coach Filipe Luis has his work cut out to keep Bayern at bay.
Monday, June 30, in Charlotte (1900 GMT)
Recent runners-up in the Champions League, Inter ground out wins over Urawa Red Diamonds and River Plate to finish top of their group and will now hope to avoid becoming the latest European team to stumble against Brazilian opposition.
Fluminense, of Rio, held Borussia Dortmund en route to qualifying for this stage and will be full of motivation to claim a major scalp against Cristian Chivu’s side.
Monday, June 30, in Orlando (0100 Tuesday, July 1)
City come into the knockout phase in ominous form after being the only team at the tournament to win all three group games.
They have scored 11 times in their last two matches, with a 5-2 destruction of Juventus coming after they put six past Al Ain of the United Arab Emirates.
A game against Al Hilal, the 2021 Asian champions, will give City no reason to be afraid, even if the Saudi club boast numerous former stars of leading European leagues, including Joao Cancelo.
Tuesday, July 1, in Miami (1900)
This is a clash between two traditional European titans who have met 21 times before. There have been two Champions League finals between the clubs, both won by Real.
A 5-2 defeat for Juventus against Manchester City suggests they may find the going tough against Madrid.
Real are adapting to life under a new coach in Xabi Alonso, who experimented with a three-man defense against Salzburg. He will hope to have Kylian Mbappe back after the Frenchman missed the group stage with illness.
Tuesday, July 1, in Atlanta (0100 Wednesday, July 2)
Dortmund coach Niko Kovac has not held back on expressing his feelings about having to play in extreme heat at the tournament so he will be happy the game against Mexican side Monterrey is at the covered and air-conditioned Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Despite their complaints Dortmund have grown into the tournament. They face former Real Madrid star Sergio Ramos and a Monterrey team that has impressed, notably a creditable draw against Inter Milan.
