Sports

Osasuna stuns Barcelona with 4-2 victory in La Liga showdown

In the eighth round of La Liga, FC Barcelona suffered their first setback of the season, losing 4-2 to a spirited Osasuna in Navarra. The Barça, who had won their previous seven matches, appeared disoriented due to rotations in their lineup, which the home team capitalized on to secure a well-deserved victory.

Despite the defeat, Barcelona remains at the top of the table with 21 points. However, their closest rival, Real Madrid (currently in second with 17 points), could close the gap to just one point if they defeat Atlético Madrid in the Madrid derby on Sunday.

“Rotations are normal; there are many matches, but that’s no excuse. We needed to start focused as a team, and the halftime result affected us,” Pedri stated to Movistar+ after the match. “In the second half, we deserved more, but we conceded goals when we were playing better.”

Osasuna’s victory was solidified by a brilliant performance from Bryan Zaragoza, who first assisted Ante Budimir for the opening goal in the 18th minute and then finished expertly against Iñaki Peña in the 28th minute. For Zaragoza, Barcelona seems to be a recurring victim, as in October 2023, while playing for Granada, he scored a brace in a 2-2 draw against the Catalan side.

Although Barça reacted in the second half with a goal from Pau Víctor in the 53rd minute, it was not enough to turn the tide. Coach Hansi Flick, who fielded a lineup full of youngsters like Gerard Martín, Sergi Domínguez, Pablo Torre, and Pau Víctor, acknowledged his responsibility for the defeat due to making multiple changes to the lineup.

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“If anyone should be blamed for this defeat, it’s me,” Flick explained. “We made many mistakes in the first half. We made a lot of changes to the team, and that may be one of the reasons, but it was necessary due to the accumulation of matches. It’s my responsibility.”

Sports

Lamine Yamal and Raphinha lead Barça to a 4-1 aggregate victory over Benfica

Young talent Lamine Yamal and Brazilian forward Raphinha secured Barcelona’s spot in the Champions League quarterfinals with a 3-1 victory over Benfica (4-1 on aggregate) on Tuesday at the Estadi Olímpic de Montjuïc.

Raphinha (11’) opened the scoring for Barça after a brilliant assist from Yamal. However, Benfica’s Nicolás Otamendi (13’) quickly leveled the match with a header from a corner kick. Yamal restored the lead (27’) with a stunning goal, and Raphinha sealed the victory (42’) just before halftime.

Determined to avoid any surprises, Barcelona started aggressively, with early attempts from Yamal and Lewandowskisignaling their intent to dominate. All goals came in the first half, securing a convincing win and a place in the next round.

Sports

Manchester United knocked out of FA Cup after penalty shootout loss to Fulham

Another disappointment for Manchester United: the defending FA Cup champions were eliminated in this edition’s round of 16, losing in a penalty shootout (4-3 after a 1-1 draw) to Fulham on Sunday at Old Trafford.

Swede Victor Lindelof and Dutchman Joshua Zirkzee were the ‘Red Devils’ who missed their shots against goalkeeper Bernd Leno, sending the ‘Cottagers’ to the penultimate round of the oldest football competition.

The elimination is a heavy blow for a United team that is currently struggling in the Premier League, where they sit in a lowly 14th place.

Now, the Europa League, where they will face Real Sociedad in the first leg of the round of 16 next week, appears to be their only chance to lift a trophy this season. Last year, the FA Cup, in which United triumphed in the final against their neighbors Manchester City, was the competition that saved their campaign. The previous season, they had reached the final, finishing as runners-up.

Sports

The prince is back: Neymar’s homecoming to Santos draws thousands of fans

Neymar was greeted by thousands of fans at his childhood club, Santos, on Friday, with a concert at the local stadium and a sign that read, “The Prince is Back.”

The Brazilian star’s private jet landed in São Paulo from Saudi Arabia in the morning, but Neymar requested a few hours of rest before being flown to Santos by helicopter.

The 32-year-old forward is expected to sign a short-term contract with Santos as he aims to regain his standing in Brazil ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

Posters saying “The Prince is Back” were being sold for 10 reais (about $1.50) around the 20,000-seat Vila Belmiro Stadium, located on the outskirts of São Paulo.