Sports
Barcelona stare at Copa elimination as Atletico hold 4-goal edge
Barcelona walk into Tuesday semifinal second leg against Atletico Madrid carrying the weight of a 4-0 first-leg humiliation, knowing that anything short of an extraordinary performance at Camp Nou will end their Copa del Rey campaign.
The defeat in Madrid was not merely a loss but a tactical and physical dismantling, as Diego Simeone’s side imposed their tempo, dominated key duels and exposed gaps that Hansi Flick’s men could neither close nor compensate for.
An early own goal by Eric Garcia tilted the tie in Atletico’s favor, and from there the visitors played with ruthless clarity.
Antoine Griezmann added to the tally, Ademola Lookman struck with power and Julian Alvarez capped a devastating first half that left Barcelona reeling before the interval.
For a club accustomed to controlling ties rather than chasing them, the scale of the deficit presents both a psychological and structural test, because overturning four goals against one of Europe’s most disciplined defensive units requires patience, precision and relentless attacking conviction without sacrificing balance at the back.
There are, however, strands of optimism woven into Barcelona’s season that prevent this contest from feeling entirely lost.
Flick’s side sit top of La Liga and arrive on the back of a convincing 4-1 win over Villarreal, a match illuminated by Lamine Yamal’s first senior hat trick, which underlined the teenager’s growing influence and willingness to shoulder responsibility on the biggest stages.
The return of Pedri, Raphinha and Marcus Rashford after missing the first leg restores creativity between the lines and pace in wide areas, giving Barcelona the technical tools that were absent in Madrid.
Even so, the injury list continues to shape the narrative.
Eric Garcia is suspended following his red card, Robert Lewandowski is sidelined with a fractured eye socket, Andreas Christensen remains out with a cruciate ligament injury and Frenkie de Jong is unavailable due to a thigh problem, while Gavi, although back in training, is unlikely to be risked from the start.
Ferran Torres is therefore expected to lead the line, tasked not only with scoring but also with initiating the aggressive press that could unsettle Atletico’s buildup.
Atletico, for their part, travel to Catalonia in a position of authority built on structure, discipline and experience.
Simeone’s blueprint rarely wavers in high-stakes knockout ties, and with a four-goal cushion, his team are expected to defend in compact lines, restrict central spaces and wait for moments to counter through Alvarez and Alexander Sorloth, with Lookman offering thrust from deeper positions.
Koke and Marcos Llorente will provide balance and control in midfield, while Nahuel Molina anchors a back line that understands the value of concentration over spectacle.
Their recent form supports their confidence, with three wins in their last five matches, including a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Real Oviedo in which Alvarez struck late, reinforcing the sense that Atletico have added efficiency in front of goal to their traditional defensive resilience.
Even with Johnny Cardoso ruled out through injury and Pablo Barrios still sidelined, the visitors possess both the personnel and the temperament to manage momentum swings in hostile environments.
Recent meetings between these sides have produced decisive outcomes rather than stalemates, and that pattern suggests Tuesday’s contest will again lean toward drama rather than caution, particularly if Barcelona find an early breakthrough that forces Atletico to adjust their shape.
World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz powered past Cameron Norrie 6-3, 6-4 on Thursday to book a semifinal showdown with Daniil Medvedev at Indian Wells, after the Russian knocked out defending champion Jack Draper 6-1, 7-5.
In the women’s draw, world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka advanced to the last four with a tight 7-6 (0), 6-4 victory over 19-year-old Canadian Victoria Mboko, while Iga Swiatek fell to Elina Svitolina 6-2, 4-6, 6-4.
Fresh off his title at the Australian Open, Alcaraz stretched his perfect start to the season to 16-0 with a composed performance in the night session, keeping his bid for a third Indian Wells crown firmly on track.
The Spaniard cruised through the opening set and, after briefly trailing 0-2 in the second, quickly wrestled back control to close out the match against Norrie and set up a semifinal clash with two-time runner-up Medvedev.
“It was really difficult. I struggled with Cameron’s style,” Alcaraz said.
“I was trying to play my best, but there was a little bit of confusion. His forehand has super topspin and his backhand is very flat, so sometimes it’s tricky to play against him and find the right shots.
“But I played solid and aggressive when I could. I’m happy to be at this level.”
Russian 11th-seeded Medvedev was also in impressive form against Draper, who had little time to recover after his stunning three-set win over Novak Djokovic on Wednesday.
Draper raised his level in the second set and stayed with his opponent to 5-5, but Medvedev secured a late break before serving out the match.
“The first set was unreal. I couldn’t miss a ball. It was an unbelievable level,” said Medvedev, who reached the semifinals for the fourth consecutive year.
Fourth-seeded Alexander Zverev beat Frenchman Arthur Fils 6-2, 6-3 to reach the Indian Wells semifinals for the first time and become only the fifth player to complete the set of last-four appearances at all nine ATP Masters 1000 events.
The German faces a major test next as he takes on world No. 2 Jannik Sinner, after the Italian made light work of American Learner Tien 6-1, 6-2.
Svitolina upsets Swiatek
World No. 2 Swiatek struggled early against Svitolina, with the Ukrainian capitalizing on five double faults to secure three breaks and take the opening set in 38 minutes.
Swiatek found her rhythm in the second to force a decider, but Svitolina regained the upper hand by securing the only break in a tight third set before confidently closing out the match.
“I’m extremely happy. It was a tough match,” said Svitolina, who is back in the semifinals for the first time in seven years. “Iga always brings a bit extra out of me with that fighting spirit. I had to really push myself to close that match.”
Belarusian Sabalenka had a battle on her hands against rising talent Mboko. The top seed was pushed to a first-set tiebreak, which she won to love, a career first.
The second set followed a similar script, with Mboko clawing back to 5-4 and threatening another tiebreak. But four-time Grand Slam champion Sabalenka closed it out to reach the semifinals.
“She is definitely a future Grand Slam champion,” Sabalenka said. “It’s incredible to see how brave these young girls are these days.”
Sabalenka next plays Linda Noskova, who ended Australian qualifier Talia Gibson’s fairytale run 6-2, 4-6, 6-2, the Czech reaching her second WTA 1000 semifinal.
Australian Open champion Elena Rybakina advanced with a 6-1, 7-6 (4) victory over Jessica Pegula to reach another Indian Wells semifinal, where she will face Svitolina.
The victory ensures Rybakina will leapfrog Swiatek and reach a career-high world No. 2 when the WTA rankings are updated on Monday.
The Houston Rockets endured a harsh reality check Wednesday night, falling 129-93 to the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena in a pivotal Western Conference clash.
The loss dropped Houston to 40-25, handing Denver a 40-26 record and a 3-1 edge in the season series, including a critical tiebreaker in the playoff race.
The Rockets stayed competitive early, trailing 53-47 at halftime after trading blows in the first two quarters.
But Denver’s third-quarter surge, outscoring Houston 40-22, dismantled the visitors. The Nuggets closed with a 36-24 final period, leaving Houston’s hopes in ruins.
Houston’s perimeter shooting collapsed, making just four of 33 attempts from beyond the arc, a miserable 12.1% clip.
Alperen Şengün, the Turkish national team standout, tallied 10 points with three blocks, three assists, and two fouls in 24 minutes, showing flashes of defensive versatility but struggling against Jokic and Denver’s dominant frontcourt.
Amen Thompson led Houston with 16 points, while Kevin Durant added 11 points on his fewest field-goal attempts of the season, unable to ignite a comeback.
Houston also fell behind on the boards, losing control of the paint and turning the ball over at key moments.
Denver’s balance and efficiency were impossible to stop.
Jamal Murray carried the scoring load with 30 points on 11-of-21 shooting, knocking down three of four from deep and adding four assists and a steal.
Nikola Jokic orchestrated the attack with a triple-double, 16 points, 12 rebounds, and 13 assists, while also collecting five steals and a block.
Remarkably, Jokic completed the triple-double before the fourth quarter, marking his 25th of the season and 187th of his career, highlighting his unique ability to control games on both ends of the floor.
Bench contributions from Christian Braun (19 points) and Cameron Johnson (17 points) kept Denver’s momentum high, with the Nuggets finishing 55.2% from the field and 53.1% from three.
The second-half margin of 76-46 underscored the stark contrast in execution and intensity between the teams.
Max Verstappen did not sugarcoat his view of Formula One’s new technical era.
The four-time world champion says the sport has become “a jungle” under the sweeping 2026 regulations, warning that the complicated hybrid systems and large performance gaps between teams are making racing unpredictable and, at times, dangerous.
Speaking ahead of the Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai, Verstappen acknowledged that Red Bull salvaged a respectable result in the season-opening race in Australia.
The Dutchman stormed from last on the grid to finish sixth in Melbourne.
But the comeback did little to change his broader concern about the competitive landscape.
“Honestly, it’s such a jungle out there at the moment,” Verstappen said. “I would hope things get a bit closer, but right now we cannot fight with those cars.”
A widening gap at the front
Verstappen believes Red Bull remain a step behind the leading pace set by Mercedes and Ferrari, a gap he expects will again define the fight in China.
Even with a stronger starting position in Sunday’s race at the Shanghai International Circuit, the 28-year-old suggested the team’s ceiling may only be fifth place.
The frustration reflects a wider debate around Formula One’s 2026 overhaul.
The new cars combine dramatic aerodynamic changes with redesigned hybrid power units that split power output almost evenly between the turbocharged 1.6-liter V6 engine and electrical energy recovered from braking.
Drivers say mastering the system requires a driving style unlike anything used before.
Battery concerns and a near disaster
One of Verstappen’s biggest concerns involves energy management at race starts.
Under the new system, drivers can begin a race with depleted batteries. That scenario nearly caused a serious crash at the Australian Grand Prix when Franco Colapinto’s car launched slowly off the line, narrowly avoiding Liam Lawson.
For Verstappen, the risk is obvious.
“Starting with zero percent battery is not a lot of fun and also quite dangerous,” he said. “We almost had a massive shunt in Melbourne.”
He added that technical tweaks could solve the problem if the FIA approves them, insisting the issue is “easily fixed.”
Verstappen pushes for change
Despite the criticism, Verstappen says he is not planning to walk away from Formula One.
He has spoken with the FIA and Formula One management about improving the rules and hopes adjustments could arrive as soon as next season.
“I don’t want to leave,” he said. “But of course I hope it gets better.”
At the same time, Verstappen is beginning to explore racing beyond the F1 paddock.
The Dutch star confirmed he will compete in his first 24-hour endurance race at the legendary Nürburgring Nordschleife in May. The brutal circuit has not hosted Formula One since 1976, when reigning champion Niki Lauda survived a fiery crash that nearly claimed his life.
For Verstappen, the challenge is irresistible.
“It’s one of the best tracks in the world,” he said. “In a GT car that’s the perfect speed for that circuit. Faster than that can be a bit dangerous.”
After nearly a decade in Formula One and four world titles, he says the timing feels right to broaden his racing horizons.
“I’ve achieved everything I wanted in F1,” Verstappen said. “I don’t need to be only a Formula One driver. I want to try other things while I’m still young.”
Russell sets the early pace
While Verstappen voiced concerns about the sport’s future, Mercedes set the early benchmark on track in Shanghai.
George Russell topped the lone practice session of the sprint weekend with a blistering lap of 1:32.741 on soft tires, edging teammate Kimi Antonelli by 0.120 seconds.
World champion Lando Norris led McLaren’s recovery effort in third, followed by Oscar Piastri, as the British team rebounded after a difficult start in Australia.
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton finished fifth and sixth.
Haas rookie Oliver Bearman impressed in seventh, while Verstappen could manage only eighth, a worrying 1.8 seconds behind Russell.
Nico Hulkenberg and Pierre Gasly rounded out the top ten ahead of sprint qualifying.
Chaotic practice session
Teams had just one hour to dial in their setups on a circuit that presents a different challenge from Melbourne.
Shanghai’s long back straight and complex corner sequences demand precise battery deployment and energy harvesting, making it a critical early test for the new hybrid systems.
Hamilton endured a messy session. The seven-time champion briefly spun after locking his brakes at the end of the straight and later brushed wheels with Norris in the final corner.
Elsewhere, rookie Arvid Lindblad’s debut appearance in Shanghai ended prematurely after smoke poured from his cockpit just five laps into the session.
Ferrari have gone a year without a Formula One win since Lewis Hamilton’s sprint race triumph in Shanghai, and this weekend’s return to China offers both teams a chance to close the loop.
Ferrari, which last stood atop the podium in 2024, showed strong pace in last weekend’s Australian opener, with Charles Leclerc finishing third and Hamilton fourth, trailing the one-two of George Russell and Kimi Antonelli.
“For me, the main feeling is that we now have a real fight on our hands with Ferrari,” Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff said after Melbourne. Mercedes remain the benchmark, with Russell once again the favorite, but after a difficult 2025 season that saw him miss the podium entirely, seven-time world champion Hamilton enters round two with renewed optimism.
Could this weekend mark Hamilton’s first podium for Ferrari?
Red the color of good fortune
The team has a loyal following in China, where the color red symbolizes happiness and good fortune, and Hamilton is also the most successful driver there with six wins from previous stints at McLaren and Mercedes.
That only went so far last year, with Hamilton winning on Saturday before both cars were disqualified on Sunday.
“Of course, we’re not as fast as Mercedes, we’ve got work to do, but we’re right in the fight,” Hamilton said after last Sunday’s race in Melbourne. “I do believe we can close the gap.”
Leclerc said he had been positively surprised by the race pace in Melbourne, but Shanghai, the first sprint weekend of the sport’s new engine and chassis era, represents another big challenge.
“I think it’s going to be crucial to be straight on top of everything, which will be extremely difficult,” the Monegasque said. “To have a sprint race so early in a season like this will be a huge challenge for everybody.”
The sprint format means only one hour-long Friday practice session, at a time when every lap counts for teams getting to grips with their new cars, but also more points are on offer, with eight for the Saturday winner.
The Australian Grand Prix featured 120 overtakes, compared with 45 a year earlier, with the lead changing hands repeatedly early on as Russell and Leclerc charged and deployed energy from the increased electrical component.
The Shanghai circuit has two long straights, and Russell, leading the championship for the first time but with the jury still out on Formula One’s new format, suggested China would be very different. “You’ve got one big, long straight, so the majority of drivers will be using their energy on that one straight,” he said. “You don’t need to divide it up between four like in Melbourne.”
Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur agreed: “Conditions will probably be much colder in China. And we’ll have the sprint format, which means much less time to adapt the strategy. It will be a completely different exercise.”
McLaren looked like the third-fastest team in Australia, with champion Lando Norris finishing after teammate Oscar Piastri crashed before the start.
Piastri won the main race from pole in China last year, with Norris second for the second consecutive year.
Red Bull, which had only four-time world champion Max Verstappen finish last Sunday after Isack Hadjar retired during the race, also hopes for better. Aston Martin faces a far tougher weekend after struggling with powertrain problems and completing few laps. Their chances of even finishing in Shanghai look remote.
“That will be optimistic, but we can try,” said Fernando Alonso, a two-time winner in Shanghai.
Fenerbahçe travel to Atatürk Olimpiyat Stadı on Friday to face a desperate Fatih Karagümrük in gameweek 26 of the 2025-26 Turkish Süper Lig.
Kickoff is at 5:00 p.m. local time, setting up a clash that highlights the league’s sharp divide between contenders and strugglers.
Fenerbahçe remain unbeaten after 25 matches, sitting second with 57 points, four behind Galatasaray (61).
Their record of 16 wins and nine draws, with 57 goals scored and 25 conceded, underscores their dominance.
Trabzonspor (51 points) and Beşiktaş (46) trail in the chase, while Fenerbahçe boast the league’s strongest defense and an attack averaging 2.28 goals per game.
Karagümrük, meanwhile, sit in 18th with 14 points from 25 games, with just three wins, five draws, and 17 losses.
Their goal difference of -24 reflects a shaky defense, compounded by poor home form, collecting only nine points at their stadium. Survival is slipping away with nine games left and an eight-point gap to safety.
Form guide
Fenerbahçe have been in unstoppable form. They are unbeaten in 26 league matches, including a 4-0 Turkish Cup win over Gaziantep following their Europa League playoff exit against Nottingham Forest.
Away from home, they have eight wins and five draws, with 50% clean sheets in the last 12 trips, and a 15-match unbeaten streak on the road across all competitions.
Karagümrük have struggled to find consistency. Winless in 13 of their last 15 league games, they have lost 17 overall.
Their recent run shows flashes of resilience but remains patchy: one win in the last five matches, poor home form, and an average of just 0.88 goals per game.
Head-to-head edge
Fenerbahçe hold a clear advantage, winning the last five meetings, including a 2-1 victory in the reverse fixture on Oct. 19, 2025.
Karagümrük have not beaten Fenerbahçe in 12 encounters, with only one draw at home in the last three, making this a tough climb.
Team news
Karagümrük (Aleksandar Stanojevic) will be without Davide Biraschi and Joao Camacho, along with Muhammed Kadıoğlu and Burhan Ersoy.
Anıl Çınar returns from suspension, and Serginho pushes for a start after scoring in the recent draw at Gaziantep.
Fenerbahçe (Domenico Tedesco) face a depleted squad.
Suspended goalkeeper Ederson is replaced by Mert Günok.
Absences include Edson Alvarez, Nelson Semedo, Anderson Talisca, Çağlar Söyüncü, Archie Brown, İsmail Yüksek, Milan Skriniar, Mert Hakan Yandaş, and Dorgeles Nene.
Fenerbahçe are heavy favorites, with statistical models giving them roughly a 68% chance to win.
Karagümrük may score on the counter, but Fenerbahçe’s unbeaten streak, firepower, and squad depth make them likely to take all three points.
Both teams to score remains possible given recent trends.
This matchup mirrors the 2025-26 Süper Lig story: a top club chasing the championship versus a bottom side fighting for survival.
Sports Minister Ahmad Donyamali signaled Wednesday that Iran may be unable to compete at the 2026 World Cup, a tournament set to be co-hosted by the United States, offering the strongest indication yet that the country could withdraw from global football’s showpiece event.
No official withdrawal has been announced, but the remarks are likely to heighten concern within FIFA, which may now have to consider the unprecedented possibility of replacing Iran in a tournament scheduled to begin in early June across the United States, Mexico and Canada.
Donyamali said Iran’s participation would be impossible following airstrikes launched by the United States and Israel on Feb. 28 that killed Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, an attack that has ignited a widening regional conflict with no clear sign of easing.
While it always seemed counterintuitive that Iran would take part in a World Cup while at war with one of the co-hosts, FIFA was on Tuesday still clearly banking on Team Melli lining up for its first group game against New Zealand in Los Angeles on June 15.
Only a few hours before Donyamali’s statement, FIFA president Gianni Infantino cited an assurance from President Donald Trump that Iran was “welcome to compete in the tournament in the United States.”
A withdrawal would be governed by Article 6 of the World Cup regulations which, while stipulating a series of financial penalties for such a move, also states that FIFA would be at liberty to call up any nation it chooses to fill the void.
“There’s no modern precedent for this and, according to FIFA’s own tournament regulations, they have full discretion to do whatever they want in the case of a team withdrawing,” James Kitching, FIFA’s former director of football regulatory, told Reuters.
“That means, for example, a team that withdraws would not have to be replaced by a team from the same confederation, or even replaced at all. Whether either of those scenarios would be politically tenable is a different question.
“The tournament regulations also provide disciplinary sanctions for any federation whose team withdraws. However, if Iran withdrew for any reason related to this current conflict, I doubt FIFA would impose any sanctions given the circumstances.”
Iran qualified for a fourth successive World Cup by topping Group A in the third round of Asian qualifying last year, and a replacement from Asia would appear most logical, even if that is not as straightforward as it may seem.
Travel freeze complicates Iraqi preparations
Iraq is due to participate in the intercontinental playoffs in Mexico this month for a spot at the finals, while the United Arab Emirates, which lost to Iraq in an eliminator in November, has also been mentioned as a potential candidate.
The travel freeze in the Middle East caused by the conflict is affecting Iraq’s ability to get to Mexico and prepare for its match against either Bolivia or Suriname on March 31.
Iraq coach Graham Arnold has proposed that FIFA postpone the fixture until closer to the finals, saying that would be fair to Iraq and allow the Iran situation to develop further.
“Let Bolivia play Suriname this month and then a week before the World Cup, we play the winner in the U.S. The winner of that game stays on and the loser goes home,” Arnold told the Australian Associated Press (AP) on Monday.
“In my opinion, it also gives FIFA more time to decide what Iran is going to do. If Iran withdraws, we go into the World Cup and it gives the UAE, who we beat in qualifying, the chance to prepare for either Bolivia or Suriname.”
FIFA has yet to comment on Donyamali’s statement, while a source at the Asian Football Confederation said it “is closely monitoring the situation and remains in contact with FIFA” over the potential replacement of Iran.
“Matters relating to the World Cup fall under FIFA’s remit,” the source said. “At this stage, it would be premature to speculate further.”
World Cup places are highly coveted by the confederations, however, and it is likely that the AFC would lobby strongly for the replacement to come from Asia.
With Europe’s final participants also set to be decided at the end of March, Kitching believes FIFA will not make any firm decisions until early April.
“I would expect a decision is not going to be made until after the final playoffs are finished and for FIFA to take a pragmatic and consultative approach to the situation,” he said.
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