SEVILLE, Spain: Barcelona cut the gap on La Liga’s top two with an entertaining 4-1 win over Sevilla on Sunday, despite playing out the final half-hour with 10 men after Fermin Lopez’s red card.
Robert Lewandowski, Lopez, Raphinha and Eric Garcia struck for the Catalans, who were able to capitalize on leaders Real Madrid’s 1-1 draw with second-placed Atletico Madrid on Saturday.
Hansi Flick’s Barca climbed within two points of Los Blancos and moved one behind Atletico to crank up the tension in the title race.
Lewandowski’s early strike was canceled out by Sevilla’s Ruben Vargas, with Lopez and Raphinha pouncing early in the second half.
Lopez was sent off for a high tackle but Barcelona held out and extended their lead when Garcia nodded home late on.
“Today we had to win to stay in the title race and now we’re putting the pressure on,” Barca defender Inigo Martinez told DAZN.
“I think the team played a brilliant match and this is the way forward...
“If we stay secure and solid at the back, up front we all know what our forward are capable of.”
The match at Sevilla’s Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan stadium got off to an explosive start with teenage winger Lamine Yamal forcing Sevilla goalkeeper Orjan Nyland into a superb save with a curling effort.
Barcelona took the lead moments later from the resulting corner, played short, with Raphinha eventually crossing for Martinez to nod the ball across goal.
Veteran Polish striker Lewandowski prodded home from close range after seven minutes to reach 19 league goals and extend his lead as the division’s top goalscorer.
Sevilla were level almost instantly, with Ronald Araujo playing Saul Niguez onside and the Spaniard crossed for Vargas to turn home in the eighth minute.
Araujo’s unfortunate evening was compounded by an injury sustained when fouled by Saul, with Pau Cubarsi replacing him in the 22nd minute.
Barca stopper Wojciech Szczesny made a good save from an acrobatic Dodi Lukebakio effort as the hosts, 13th, gave as good as they got in the first half.
Flick sent on Lopez at half-time for Gavi and the midfielder scored and got sent off within the space of 15 minutes.
Lopez netted at the start of the second half, heading home from playmaker Pedri’s inviting cross.
Vargas netted from an offside position at the other end before Raphinha extended Barcelona’s lead with a vicious effort from distance in the 55th minute.
Lopez was dismissed for a rash high challenge on Djibril Sow on the hour mark, leaving the Catalans the job of protecting their lead with a man fewer.
Szczesny saved low from Suso’s drive but Sevilla created little else of note as Barcelona largely kept the Andalucians at arm’s length.
Garcia nodded home at the far post in the final stages as Raphinha’s deflected cross fell kindly to him to wrap up Barcelona’s emphatic victory.
Barca rout Sevilla to mantain title charge
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Barca rout Sevilla to mantain title charge
- Hansi Flick’s Barca climbed within two points of Los Blancos and moved one behind Atletico to crank up the tension in the title race
What the Trump travel ban means for the 2026 World Cup and 2028 Olympic Games
Iran is the only targeted country to qualify so far for the World Cup being co-hosted by the US, Canada and Mexico in one year’s time.
GENEVA: US President Donald Trump often says the 2026 World Cup and 2028 Los Angeles Olympics are among the events he is most excited about in his second term.
Yet there is significant uncertainty regarding visa policies for foreign visitors planning trips to the US for the two biggest events in sports.
Trump’s latest travel ban on citizens from 12 countries added new questions about the impact on the World Cup and the Summer Olympics, which depend on hosts opening their doors to the world.
Here’s a look at the potential effects of the travel ban on those events.
What is the travel ban policy?
When Sunday ticks over to Monday, citizens of 12 countries should be banned from entering the US
They are Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen.
Tighter restrictions will apply to visitors from seven more: Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela.
Trump said some countries had “deficient” screening and vetting processes or have historically refused to take back their own citizens.
How does it affect the World Cup and Olympics?
Iran, a soccer power in Asia, is the only targeted country to qualify so far for the World Cup being co-hosted by the US, Canada and Mexico in one year’s time.
Cuba, Haiti and Sudan are in contention. Sierra Leone might stay involved through multiple playoff games. Burundi, Equatorial Guinea and Libya have very outside shots.
But all should be able to send teams to the World Cup if they qualify because the new policy makes exceptions for “any athlete or member of an athletic team, including coaches, persons performing a necessary support role, and immediate relatives, traveling for the World Cup, Olympics, or other major sporting event as determined by the secretary of state.”
About 200 countries could send athletes to the Summer Games, including those targeted by the latest travel restrictions. The exceptions should apply to them as well if the ban is still in place in its current form.
What about fans?
The travel ban doesn’t mention any exceptions for fans from the targeted countries wishing to travel to the US for the World Cup or Olympics.
Even before the travel ban, fans of the Iran soccer team living in that country already had issues about getting a visa for a World Cup visit.
Still, national team supporters often profile differently to fans of club teams who go abroad for games in international competitions like the UEFA Champions League.
For many countries, fans traveling to the World Cup — an expensive travel plan with hiked flight and hotel prices — are often from the diaspora, wealthier, and could have different passport options.
A World Cup visitor is broadly higher-spending and lower-risk for host nation security planning.
Visitors to an Olympics are often even higher-end clients, though tourism for a Summer Games is significantly less than at a World Cup, with fewer still from most of the 19 countries now targeted.
How is the US working with FIFA, Olympic officials?
FIFA President Gianni Infantino has publicly built close ties since 2018 to Trump — too close according to some. He has cited the need to ensure FIFA’s smooth operations at a tournament that will earn a big majority of the soccer body’s expected $13 billion revenue from 2023-26.
Infantino sat next to Trump at the White House task force meeting on May 6 which prominently included Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem. FIFA’s top delegate on the task force is Infantino ally Carlos Cordeiro, a former Goldman Sachs partner whose two-year run as US Soccer Federation president ended in controversy in 2020.
Any visa and security issues FIFA faces — including at the 32-team Club World Cup that kicks off next week in Miami — can help LA Olympics organizers finesse their plans.
“It was very clear in the directive that the Olympics require special consideration and I actually want to thank the federal government for recognizing that,” LA28 chairman and president Casey Wasserman said Thursday in Los Angeles.
“It’s very clear that the federal government understands that that’s an environment that they will be accommodating and provide for,” he said. “We have great confidence that that will only continue. It has been the case to date and it will certainly be the case going forward through the games.”
In March, at an IOC meeting in Greece, Wasserman said he had two discreet meetings with Trump and noted the State Department has a “fully staffed desk” to help prepare for short-notice visa processing in the summer of 2028 — albeit with a focus on teams rather than fans.
IOC member Nicole Hoevertsz, who is chair of the Coordination Commission for LA28, expressed “every confidence” that the US government will cooperate, as it did in hosting previous Olympics.
“That is something that we will be definitely looking at and making sure that it is guaranteed as well,” she said. “We are very confident that this is going to be accomplished. I’m sure this is going to be executed well.”
FIFA didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment about the new Trump travel ban.
What have other host nations done?
The 2018 World Cup host Russia let fans enter the country with a game ticket doubling as their visa. So did Qatar four years later.
Both governments, however, also performed background checks on all visitors coming to the month-long soccer tournaments.
Governments have refused entry to unwelcome visitors. For the 2012 London Olympics, Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko — who is still its authoritarian leader today — was denied a visa despite also leading its national Olympic body. The IOC also suspended him from the Tokyo Olympics held in 2021.
UAE President’s Cup returns with €100,000 purse on Sweden’s national day
- The race is a significant milestone in the UAE’s ongoing efforts to promote Arabian horse racing on the world stage
Abu Dhabi: The storied UAE President’s Cup series for purebred Arabian horses makes a landmark stop in Sweden today, bringing the richest Arabian horse race in Scandinavian history to the heart of Stockholm.
Held on Sweden’s National Day at the famous Gardet turf track, the sixth leg of the 32nd edition of the global series offers a €100,000 purse, drawing top talent from Europe and the Middle East.
The race, a 1,500-meter listed event for horses aged four and older, continues the cup’s international campaign under the patronage of Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, vice president, deputy prime minister, and chairman of the presidential court of the UAE.
It is also a significant milestone in the UAE’s ongoing efforts to promote Arabian horse racing on the world stage.
A field of nine elite runners is set to compete, headlined by the returning Swedish fan favorite Rasmy Al-Khalediah, a two-time winner of this leg (2021, 2022), trained by Poland’s Janusz Kozłowski and ridden by Eduardo Pedroza.
The UAE is represented by the promising filly Hawlah, owned by Yas Horse Racing Management. Sired by Mehabb and out of Dahyah bint Munjiz, she is trained by France’s Elisabeth Bernard with Valentin Seguy in the saddle.
Another major threat is Fareedah B, the winner of the 2023 and 2024 Swedish legs and fresh off a victory in the Netherlands stage earlier this season. Owned and trained by Peter Deckers, she will again be ridden by experienced French jockey Fabrice Veron.
Also in the mix are Wasmey Al Khalediah, Mashho T, No Risk No Reward, Ayman, Gindor de Bozouls, and Cappuccino — each hoping to break through on one of the biggest stages in European Arabian racing.
The Sweden leg follows successful stops in Tunisia, Morocco, France, the United States, and Italy, with each race reinforcing the cup’s mission to promote the legacy and competitiveness of the Arabian breed worldwide.
Matar Suhail Al-Yabhouni Al-Dhaheri, chairman of the higher organizing committee, emphasized the strategic importance of this stop.
“Under the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, the UAE President’s Cup continues to drive the modern Arabian horse racing industry forward. Our Sweden stop highlights the strategic expansion of our support for owners and breeders across Europe.
“This leg reinforces our global commitment to Arabian horse racing, showcasing the UAE’s vision under his highness’s leadership,” he added.
As the race today adds to Sweden’s national celebrations, all eyes will be on the track at Gardet for what promises to be a thrilling display of speed, heritage, and international rivalry at the highest level of Arabian flat racing.
Rakan Alireza: From Jeddah’s waters to Milan’s Olympic slopes
- A Saudi Games rowing champion, the 29-year-old is now focusing on representing the Kingdom at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy
JEDDAH: Cross-country skier Rakan Alireza has made history as the first Saudi athlete to compete in cross-country skiing at the 2026 Winter Olympics. He is now focused on leaving an even bigger mark on the sport.
Known for his unique dual-sport talent in skiing and rowing, Alireza last year won a rowing gold medal at the Saudi Games, the Kingdom’s premier national sporting event held annually.
Having steadily progressed on the international ski circuit, he has recently competed in several global events, including the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships. Above all, Alireza has successfully qualified for the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics and is already focused on preparing for the prestigious event.
“I’ve been working toward this goal for years,” Alireza told the media recently. “It’s a dream that’s coming closer, but there’s still a lot of work to do.”
Despite tough competition and limited snow exposure at home, his international experience and discipline keep him in the running.
Alireza’s journey has already inspired many in the Kingdom. He trains year-round, alternating between alpine slopes and watersport arenas.
His ambition extends beyond personal milestones. “If I can qualify, it opens the door for others. It shows that Saudis belong in winter sports too,” he told Arab News.
With growing institutional backing and increasing public interest, Alireza represents a shifting athletic landscape in Saudi Arabia, one where snow is no longer off-limits.
For most athletes, preparing for the Winter Olympics involves snow, mountains, and early mornings in alpine silence. For Rakan Alireza, it begins in the desert heat of Jeddah.
Now 29, the Saudi athlete will represent the Kingdom in cross-country skiing at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina. Reflecting on the moment he learned he had qualified, Alireza called it “bittersweet.
“Because when you work for a goal for such a long time, and once you reach it, it feels like the end,” he said.
He remembers standing among the crowd at the Milan-Cortina slopes years ago — not as an athlete, but as a spectator — quietly dreaming of carrying his nation’s flag across that snow.
“I saw different flags. I remember clearly. I felt like I can’t wait to raise the Saudi flag there. That’s the only thing I remember.”
Skiing is now the sport driving his every move. His routine is a cycle of relentless fitness training.
“Wake up early. Two to three hours of steady-state cardio. Go to work. Do it again in the afternoon. Ninety percent of my training is just cardio,” he says, laughing. But the weight of Olympic qualification is never far from his mind. “(In) 2026, I’m going to Milan. In like eight months; it’s really close.”
Cross-country skiing and rowing may seem worlds apart, but Alireza sees them as complementary.
“They’re both the most aerobic sports in the world. Being in the rowing team helps because I’m surrounded by competitors that make me work hard.
“If you go see the cross-country skiing field, I stick out like a sore thumb. I’m too big for the sport,” Alireza added. “I drop from 91 kg to 85 during the season. Here in Jeddah, I just can’t. It’s a struggle.”
His choice to pursue both sports was not always welcomed. “They wanted me to focus strictly on one. But I didn’t believe that was my way. I’d rather fail my way than succeed someone else’s way.”
His commitment to sporting excellence is deeply personal. “It’s a privilege to do what I do. I don’t want to waste it. I don’t regret anything. Even the race I didn’t win, I’d do it again.”
Alireza believes that mental strength can be forged through a dedication to motion.
“Anyone who tells me he has problems, I tell him: Go run. Do something boring for a while. You’ll be in your head a lot. You need to push past that.”
A key figure in his journey is his coach, Christer Skog, a seasoned Swedish trainer who has led national teams in Sweden, the Czech Republic, the UK, and Australia.
“Now he has me. We fight. We eat cake. We move forward,” Alireza laughs. Skog’s unconventional methods resonate with him. “He once told me to go pick mushrooms for dinner instead of training. I ended up hiking for three hours. He just knows how to get my head back into it.”
Despite the rigorous training, Alireza remains grounded in humor and family.
“My dad still thinks I should work, but he supports me. My mom is my biggest cheerleader.”
Apart from his skiing and rowing adventures, Alireza is also a sports entrepreneur and is currently working with Kona Jeddah Marine Sports Club, Saudi Arabia’s first wakeboarding facility.
“I started three years ago. It was a coincidence,” he said. “I had just returned from a winter trip. I had no job. I was supposed to attend a wedding, but I stayed at the training center instead. That’s when my boss saw me and said, ‘You’re Rakan Alireza? Stay.’ Two weeks later, I was hired.”
Kona Jeddah is more than a sports club. It’s a grassroots incubator offering wakeboarding, stand-up paddleboarding, kayaking, and electric surfboards.
“We introduced wakeboarding in Saudi. We have the first cable system here. The IWWF (International Waterski and Wakeboard Federation) certified us. Now they want to host international competitions. It’s something I can contribute to.”
Alireza hopes Kona will one day produce Olympic-level athletes.
“We already have MoUs with federations,” he said. “Rowing, swimming, kayaking. I want someone to go to the Olympics from a sport we built here.”
Alireza sees such targets as part of his contribution to the Kingdom’s Vision 2030.
“When people say I’m ambitious, I say I’m just following the lead. Our leadership, King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, are ambitious. The country is ambitious. It’s a duty for us to contribute.”
The 2026 Winter Olympics will run from Feb. 6-22 next year, and as the countdown to the action in Milan continues, Alireza’s focus is sharpening.
“I called the CEO of the rowing federation. He said, ‘We’d love to have you back, but you should focus on skiing now. You have eight months. Give it your best.’
“Everything runs its course,” Alireza said. “I haven’t reached the point where I hate it. I’ll always be in something.
“Maybe retirement from sport? Golf,” he grins. “But not yet. Not now.”
Jordanians bask in glory of World Cup qualification
- Fans drove their cars through Jordan’s capital Amman late Thursday, honking their horns and chanting victory while others waved the national flag in triumph
- Jordan sealed their place on the penultimate day of Asian qualifying for the 2026 tournament, which will be played in the United States, Mexico and Canada
AMMAN: Huge celebrations erupted in Jordan after the national team qualified for the 2026 World Cup, earning a spot in the tournament for the first time following a decisive 3-0 victory against Oman.
Fans drove their cars through Jordan’s capital Amman late Thursday, honking their horns and chanting victory while others waved the national flag in triumph.
“We are all with you!” and “It’s getting closer, heroes” read messages written into the night sky in a spectacular drone light show.
Jordan sealed their place on the penultimate day of Asian qualifying for the 2026 tournament, which will be played in the United States, Mexico and Canada.
Ali Olwin netted a hat-trick as the 2023 Asian Cup runners-up etched their name in the history books.
They secured their spot in the World Cup when South Korea defeated Iraq, also on Thursday, 2-0.
The royal court published pictures of King Abdullah II wearing a national team jersey as he watched the game from the embassy in London, where he was on a visit.
“This historic qualification is well-deserved by our team, which includes stars and cadres of whom we are proud,” he wrote on X.
“Special thanks go to our loyal fans who have been our support and encouragement.”
Sohad Idrissi, a 48-year-old housewife who watched the game with her siblings, beamed with pride as she said that her side had played “a beautiful game and deserved to qualify for the World Cup.”
“Today the joy is two-fold: there is the joy of Eid Al-Adha, and the joy of Nashama qualifying,” she said, using a nickname for the Jordanian team.
Fadi Qalanzi, a 21-year-old university student, called the win “a dream that is finally coming true.”
“Our team put on a beautiful performance, and they truly deserved to qualify,” he added.
Osama Al-Shreeda, a 60-year-old retired civil servant, also called it a dream come true.
“I’ve been following Jordanian football since 1978, and a relative of mine used to play with the national team,” he said.
“It’s a great opportunity for our team and its players to be recognized globally,” he added, calling it an achievement not just for Jordan but for the wider Arab region.
“It was about time, this is a joy we’d been waiting for a long time,” said 55-year-old schoolteacher Nashat Badr.
Brazil held in Ancelotti debut, Paraguay move closer to qualifying
- Thursday’s result leaves the Selecao in fourth place in the qualifying table on 22 points while Ecuador, the surprise package in the campaign, remain in second on 24 points
- The top six teams in the 10-team qualifying group head directly into the World Cup draw while the seventh placed team must enter the inter-confederation playoffs
MONTEVIDEO: Carlo Ancelotti’s debut as coach of Brazil ended in a goalless draw in Ecuador in South American World Cup qualifying on Thursday.
Argentina, already assured of a place in next year’s tournament, beat Chile 1-0 in Santiago with a goal from Julian Alvarez, a result which guarantees Lionel Scaloni’s team top spot and leaves bottom placed ‘La Roja’ with virtually no hope of qualifying.
Ancelotti, the 65-year-old Italian, who left Real Madrid at the end of the European season, has been charged with taking Brazil through the latter stages of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup.
The former AC Milan and Chelsea manager replaced Dorival Junior, who was sacked at the end of March after the 4-1 thrashing at the hands of reigning champions and bitter rivals Argentina.
Thursday’s result leaves the Selecao in fourth place in the qualifying table on 22 points while Ecuador, the surprise package in the campaign, remain in second on 24 points.
Argentina lead the standings on 34 points and are the only team to have officially secured their place in the tournament which will be held in the US, Canada and Mexico.
Paraguay, who enjoyed a 2-0 win over Marcelo Bielsa’s Uruguay, sit in third place, level on points with Ecuador.
Ecuador knew a win would put them on the brink of qualification and there was a packed crowd at the Estadio Monumental in Guayaquil.
But the home side were dealt a blow just before kick-off when goalkeeper Hernan Galindez suffered a muscle strain in the warm-up and replacement Gonzalo Valle was hurriedly sent out to make his debut.
If Valle had any nerves they eased when he did well to parry a shot from inside the box from Vinicius Jr. who had been set up by Gerson following a turnover.
Chances were limited in a contest where neither side was able to get control of midfield.
The pattern continued after the break with Ecuador, missing their injured striker and talisman Enner Valencia, struggling to pose a threat.
Real Madrid star Vinicius was quiet for much of the game and with Rodrygo absent, Brazil also lacked potency in attack.
The best opening came in the 75th minute when Vinicius broke down the left and cut back to Casemiro, but the Manchester United midfielder, recalled to the national side by Ancelotti, saw a tame side-footed effort easily dealt with by Valle.
While there was no instant impact from Ancelotti, Vinicius, who played under the coach in Madrid, said he needed time to make his impact felt.
“I’m very happy to have Ancelotti here with us, because I’ve always said he’s the best coach I’ve ever worked with. Having the opportunity to work with him in the Brazilian national team is the best,” the winger told SporTV.
“He hasn’t had time to show his work, his game plan, because he’s only had two or three days of training,” he added.
Atletico Madrid striker Alvarez put Argentina ahead at the Estadio Nacional in the 16th minute with a deft finish after he had been put through by a perfectly weighted pass from Thiago Almada.
Lionel Messi came off the bench in the 57th minute but Chile sensed a chance to get something from the game and created more as the game progressed.
Argentina keeper Emiliano Martinez made a series of crucial saves and Lucas Cepeda went closest with a fierce shot which struck the bar.
Cepeda then had the best chance of the game when he was found at the back post but he blasted his volley wide.
Messi set up Giuliano Simeone with a chance to make it 2-0 but the son of former Argentina captain and Atletico Madrid coach Diego, fired his shot into the side netting.
A header from midfielder Matías Galarza just 13 minutes into the game and a late penalty from Julio Enciso earned Paraguay a crucial victory over a depleted Uruguay.
The victory left Paraguay on the verge of securing their return to the World Cup for the first time since qualifying for the 2010 finals in South Africa.
Victory in Sao Paulo on Tuesday against Brazil would secure their place in the tournament.
The top six teams in the 10-team qualifying group head directly into the World Cup draw while the seventh placed team must enter the inter-confederation playoffs.
