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Spanish Super Cup: Why Barcelona beat Real Madrid 5-2 – Ancelotti

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Real Madrid boss, Carlo Ancelotti has explained why Barcelona defeated his team 5-2 in the Spanish Super Cup final on Sunday.

Kylian Mbappe had given the Los Blancos an early lead in the 5th minute in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

But Barcelona bounced back to swing the match in their favour.

Lamine Yamal scored the equaliser in the 22nd for Hansi Flick’s side before Robert Lewandowski, Raphinha, and Alejandro Balde all scored before half-time to give Barca a 4-1 lead.

Raphinha then added a fifth after the break as Barca goalkeeper Wojciech Szczęsny was sent off for a foul on Mbappé in the 56th minute.

Rodrygo pulled one back for the LaLiga champions as the match eventually ended 5-2 in favour of the Blaugrana.

Speaking to the media in the press room of the King Abdullah Sports City stadium after the Spanish Super Cup final, Ancelotti insisted that his team did not defend well against the Catalan club.

“We have to look at the reality and that is that we did not defend well in the opposition half or with the low block,” Ancelotti said.

“They scored goals very easily and we didn’t work well either collectively or individually because we lost a lot of duels.

“We are sad and disappointed and we’ll take that sadness home with us. That’s football.”

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‘I want to do everything I can’ – Osimhen reacts to Galatasaray win over Fenerbahce

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Victor Osimhen has once again reiterated his desire to give his best to Galatasaray, Ekwutosblog reports.

 

Osimhen fired a brace to help Galatasaray beat Fenerbahce 2-1 in the quarter-final of the Turkish Cup on Wednesday night.

The forward fired a thunderous shot inside the box to give Okan Buruk’s side the lead in the 10th minute.

He scored his second of the game from the penalty spot 17 minutes later.

“As I have said in previous interviews, I have really loved this club since I came here, I loved the people here, I loved the fans. I want to reciprocate their love by working hard. My teammates are also very important to me,” the Nigeria international told the club’s official website.

“They always support me. Of course, scoring a goal in the derby was important. If my teammates had not done very important things, I would not have been able to score those goals. I am grateful to them in this regard. I want to continue my performance. I want to do everything I can for the team.”

Galatasaray lost 2-1 to another Istanbul rival, Besiktas in a league match last weekend.

Osimhen said the players were disappointed with the outcome and were determined to compensate their fans.

“We know that Galatasaray – Fenerbahçe matches are intense and difficult matches. It is necessary to focus from the first minute to the ninetieth minute. We were actually optimistic when we came.

“Unfortunately, we made our fans unhappy last week. We had to play well here to compensate for them. Now we will look at the upcoming matches and progress match by match,” he said.

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Comparing Liverpool’s record with and without Trent Alexander-Arnold

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Trent Alexander-Arnold © PA Images
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Trent Alexander-Arnold is set to leave Liverpool in the summer following nine years in the first team but data suggests the Anfield side may cope without him.

The creative full-back is on the verge of a move to Real Madrid having allowed his contract to run to its expiry and despite Liverpool’s attempts to renew him, Alexander-Arnold has declined any offer as he seeks a move abroad.

But as for Arne Slot’s side, data shows they should cope with the loss of one of their own.

Alexander-Arnold made his Liverpool debut at the age of 18 in the 2015-16 season and quickly became a first team regular for Jurgen Klopp’s side.

With the right back in the team, Liverpool have won 169 games in the Premier League, drawn 52 and lost 33, giving them a win percentage of 67%.

Without him, Liverpool have won 48, drawn 24 and lost seven meaning they have won 61% of games. Interestingly, Liverpool have actually lost a higher percentage (13%) of games with him in the side compared to without (9%).

While Alexander-Arnold is listed as a defender on the teamsheet, his talent has always been going forward and with him in the side, the team have scored 557 goals which is 2.19 goals a game. Without him, Liverpool score 2.16 goals a game.

In recent years, it is Alexander-Arnold’s defensive output that has seen him most heavily criticised. With him in the team, Liverpool have conceded 240 goals or 0.94 a game. Without him, that number is 78 with an average of 0.99 goals conceded.

Alexander-Arnold’s presumed heir is another academy product, Conor Bradley and there are already promising signs with him in the team. The 21-year-old Northern Irishman made his Liverpool league debut in January 2024 and has shown himself more than capable when called up.

With Bradley in the team, Liverpool have lost just two of 23 games.

Bradley’s competence will be further tested in the near future after Alexander-Arnold picked up an ankle injury. The 26-year-old is expected to be out until the end of April.

Here’s how Liverpool’s stats with and without Alexander-Arnold stack up going back to the 2015-16 season.

With Alexander-Arnold

Games: 254

Won: 169

Drawn: 52

Lost: 33

Win percentage: 67%

Loss percentage: 13%

Goals per game: 2.19

Goals conceded per game: 0.94

Without Alexander-Arnold

Games: 79

Won: 48

Drawn: 24

Lost: 7

Win percentage: 61%

Loss percentage: 9%

Goals per game: 2.16

Goals conceded per game: 0.99

READ NEXT: How Liverpool pundits have reacted to the Alexander-Arnold Real Madrid transfer saga

TRY A QUIZ: Can you name Liverpool’s XI from their 7-0 win over Man Utd in 2023?

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Barca never had financial room to register Olmo – La Liga

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Barcelona’s Spanish forward #20 Daniel Olmo celebrates after scoring a penalty kick and his team’s second goal during the Spanish league football match between FC Barcelona and CA Osasuna at Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys in Barcelona on March 27, 2025. (Photo by LLUIS GENE / AFP)
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La Liga said Wednesday Barcelona did not have the financial capacity to register players Dani Olmo and Pau Victor and still lack it, ahead of a decision by Spain’s sports council (CSD) over the duo’s eligibility to play.

In January Barcelona announced a deal had been reached to sell VIP boxes at the club’s Camp Nou stadium, currently being rebuilt, worth a reported 100 million euros ($108 million), which gave them the financial fair play room for new licences for the players.

La Liga said Barcelona used an unnamed auditor between December 31 and January 3 which recorded the deal on the club’s books, but their current auditor no longer includes it in the club’s interim financial statements for the first part of the 2024-25 season.

“No amount from the (VIP box deal) is ultimately recorded in the profit and loss accounts, contrary to what had been certified by the club and the auditor at the time of said transaction,” said La Liga in a statement.

La Liga said they were reporting the auditor Barcelona used between December 31 and January 3 to the Accounting and Auditing Institute.

“Barcelona… did not have on December 31, 2024, or on January 3, 2025, nor has it had since that date, nor does it currently have, (the financial fair play capacity) for the registration of the players Dani Olmo and Pau Victor,” continued La Liga’s statement.

Barcelona declined to comment when asked about the matter by AFP.

On January 8 the CSD granted Barcelona precautionary permission to use Olmo and Victor, after La Liga said Barca failed to register them before a deadline at the end of December when their temporary licences they were given after signing last summer expired.

The CSD decided Olmo and Victor could be selected by Barca until they make a definitive ruling in the club’s case against La Liga and the Spanish football federation (RFEF), who did not let the club renew their registrations. The ruling is set to come on or before April 7.

The players were initially registered on a short-term basis, as Barcelona took advantage of a financial loophole following an injury to defender Andreas Christensen.

Olmo, currently injured, has played 13 times since then, scoring two goals and providing four assists, while Victor has five substitute appearances.

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