Sports
Holders Barca open La Liga title defense in style against Mallorca
Spanish champions Barcelona opened their Liga campaign on Saturday with an island cruise as they played almost an hour against nine men on their way to a 3-0 victory in Mallorca.
Barcelona’s second-half stroll did not please coach Hansi Flick.
“They’re three important points, but I didn’t like the match,” he told broadcaster Movistar. “After going two goals up and following Mallorca’s two red cards, I think the team only gave 50% and I didn’t like that.”
“Playing at 50 or 60% is not possible against nine players.”
Two of Barcelona’s Ballon d’Or nominees combined to put the visitors ahead after seven minutes, Lamine Yamal crossing for Raphinha to head in.
Yamal played a key role in the second goal after 23 minutes. Mallorca defender Antonio Raillo headed away the teenager’s shot and then fell to the ground.
As the referee waved play on and Mallorca failed to clear, the ball fell to Ferran Torres. He fired home from the edge of the box.
“If I would be on the other side of the decision, I also would be not happy, but I always say to my team until the referee stops the match we have to continue,” said Flick speaking in English at the post-match press conference.
“The referee didn’t stop the match, so there you go. That they are unhappy with that decision, I can also imagine.”
Manu Morlanes was one of two Mallorca players booked for dissent as they told the referee he should have stopped the game.
Ten minutes later, Morlanes received a second yellow for a challenge on the rampant Yamal and was sent off.
In the 39th minute, as Barcelona’s debutant goalkeeper Joan Garcia jumped to head a ball clear, Mallorca striker Vedat Muriqi challenged with his boot so high he planted his studs on Garcia’s cheek. Muriqi also saw red.
Barcelona strolled through the second half. Flick brought on summer loan signing Marcus Rashford, whose league registration only cleared on Saturday morning, for his Liga debut.
Deep into injury time Yamal picked up the ball on the right, left three defenders trailing as he cut across the top of the penalty area and curled a left-foot shot into the top corner with the final kick of the game.
“He surprises you every day. He’s a spectacular player,” said Flick.
In the evening’s late games, Valencia drew 1-1 at home to Real Sociedad. Diego Lopez gave the hosts a 57th-minute lead, Takefusa Kubo replied three minutes later.
In Vitoria, Argentine centre back Facundo Tenaglia fired home from close range after a free kick in added time to give hosts Alaves a 2-1 victory over promoted Levante.
Atletico Madrid start their campaign on Sunday at home to Sevilla. Real Madrid close the opening round on Tuesday against Osasuna.
On Friday, Jorge de Frutos scored the first goal of the new La Liga season to set Rayo Vallecano on their way to a 3-1 win over 10-man Girona.
Real Oviedo’s return to the top flight after a 24-year absence began on a flat note with a 2-0 defeat at Villarreal.
Khamzat Chimaev overwhelmed Dricus du Plessis to claim the UFC middleweight title in Chicago on Saturday, a one-sided victory underscored by striking statistics that highlight the uphill battle awaiting any future challenger.
Apart from the last couple of minutes of the final round, the Chechen-born Chimaev, who began training in MMA while living in Sweden before moving to Abu Dhabi and fighting under the flag of the United Arab Emirates, utterly smothered his South African opponent.
Despite being the champion, Du Plessis came into the fight as the betting underdog and it quickly became apparent why. Having built his career on his suffocating wrestling, the 31-year-old Chimaev immediately took the champion down and the punishment began.
In all, Chimaev fired off a whopping 567 strikes over the course of five five-minute rounds, landing a stunning 529 of them. Du Plessis managed a mere 68 and landed only 45.
Nothing the challenger did was either unexpected or fancy. He took the fight to the mat with a double-leg takedown and then advanced to a crucifix position, trapping the right arm of Du Plessis with his legs and lying across his opponent’s torso to control his other arm.
That left Du Plessis almost defenseless as Chimaev fired short left hands at his head, knowing that one wrong move by the man on the bottom while trying to escape could put him in a worse position, or even see him knocked out.
To his great credit Du Plessis, who is also 31, never quit but by the end of the third round he was so far behind on the scorecards that he needed a finish. He somehow found the energy to go on the offensive in the final two minutes of the fight, but to no avail.
Incredibly for such a one-sided fight, the toughness of Du Plessis managed to keep the fans in attendance at the United Center on the edge of their seats, despite knowing that Chimaev was on his way to a one-sided unanimous decision victory.
The UFC had a number of middleweight contenders sitting cage-side, and their only consolation as they watched the brutal beat-down of Du Plessis and Chimaev’s coronation might have been that he didn’t manage to finish the fight early with a violent knockout or submission.
If that is indeed his only flaw, none of them will be heading to the gym on Monday morning and relishing the prospect of facing the new champion and challenging him for the belt.
Six-time MotoGP champion Marc Marquez won the Austrian Grand Prix on Sunday, his first victory at the track, marking the 1,000th premier class race and extending his championship lead over brother Alex to 142 points.
Having won Saturday’s sprint from the second row, Marquez claimed the sprint-race double for the sixth Grand Prix in a row, with the Spaniard unbeaten since the British Grand Prix in May.
Not since 2014 had Marquez claimed six Grand Prix wins on the bounce as he inches closer to a seventh MotoGP crown with nine rounds left.
Gresini Racing rookie Fermin Aldeguer found late race pace to finish second while Aprilia’s pole sitter Marco Bezzecchi, who kept Marquez at bay for as long as he could, finished third. Alex Marquez finished 10th after serving a long-lap penalty.
“Super, super happy to finally take the first victory here in Austria,” Marquez said.
“I’m happy with six victories in a row, but (I need to) keep focus, next week we have another race.”
Bezzecchi had claimed his first pole with Aprilia on Saturday and despite finishing fourth in the sprint, this time he had the perfect launch to lead Francesco Bagnaia and Marquez into turn one.
The two Ducatis went side by side on lap one when Marquez briefly overtook his teammate but Bagnaia did not relent and took the place back to stay in second.
However, Marquez made the same move on the next lap to take second and set his sights on Bezzecchi, waiting for the right opportunity to pounce.
“In the first part he (Bezzecchi) was super strong but then I just waited, I tried in the beginning but it was too risky, then I preferred to wait and attack in the end,” Marquez added.
Alex Marquez had a poor start and with a long-lap penalty to serve for causing a crash at the Czech Grand Prix, the younger Marquez sibling fell out of the top 10 when he rejoined the field.
Marquez pressure
Bezzecchi soaked up the pressure but the Aprilia rider was unable to shake off the red Ducati hunting him down.
Bagnaia was struggling with his bike and he eventually began fading, giving way to KTM’s Pedro Acosta and Aldeguer as the two youngsters fought for third.
Bagnaia had been undefeated in Austria for three years but he was a shadow of the ringmaster who had dominated at the Red Bull Ring since 2022 as he was bumped down to eighth.
Marquez finally attacked on lap 19 and squeezed past the Aprilia but Bezzecchi put his head down and took first place back from the Spaniard, eager to deny him a first victory at the Red Bull Ring.
But Marquez was on the ascendancy and he finally broke Bezzecchi’s resistance on the next lap, using the Aprilia’s slipstream to dive into turn one and take the lead.
As Bezzecchi made a futile attempt to reel Marquez in, Aldeguer then made a play for second place and the Gresini rookie made his move with five laps to go on turn one to slot in behind Marquez.
Marquez responded to the challenge and kept Aldeguer at bay to take the chequered flag but the rookie was over the moon with his best result in MotoGP.
“I’m super happy because at the end, Austria is not one of my favourite tracks like Le Mans,” he said. “Making two podiums on bad tracks for me is incredible.”
Beşiktaş overcame an early deficit to defeat Ireland’s St. Patrick’s Athletic 3-2 (7-3 agg.) in the UEFA Conference League third qualifying round return leg on Thursday, advancing to the play-off round to face Swiss side Lausanne.
The match began in dramatic fashion when Gabriel Paulista handled the ball in the box, awarding St. Patrick’s a penalty in the third minute.
Carty converted to give the Irish side an early 1-0 lead. McLaughlin doubled the advantage in the 34th minute, leaving Beşiktaş trailing 2-0.
Demir Ege Tıknaz, a product of Beşiktaş’s youth academy, scored his first professional goal for the senior team in the 43rd minute to pull one back before halftime.
The comeback continued in the second half when Tammy Abraham equalized in the 49th minute, and Joao Mario’s 79th-minute strike secured a 3-2 victory. Combined with a 4-1 first-leg win, Beşiktaş advanced comfortably.
Despite the win, defensive concerns remain. Beşiktaş has conceded in all four of its official matches this season, including four goals against Shakhtar Donetsk at home and two in the away leg. Against St. Patrick’s, they allowed two more goals in Istanbul.
Frustrated by the defensive lapses, fans voiced their displeasure, jeering players after the second St. Patrick’s goal and chanting against club leadership. Demonstrations continued briefly after halftime, with some fans also directing chants against Israel.
Demir Ege’s goal marked a milestone for the young midfielder, who spent last season on loan at Rio Ave in Portugal, scoring four goals.
Mustafa Erhan Hekimoğlu made a brief appearance, coming on in the 64th minute for Abraham but leaving injured three minutes later, replaced by Kartal Kayra Yılmaz.
Joao Mario maintained his scoring streak, finding the net again in the 79th minute after entering in the 63rd minute for Orkun Kökçü. Mario has now scored in every match he has played this season, continuing his pivotal role for the team.
St. Patrick’s manager Stephen Kenny acknowledged his team’s disappointment but praised their effort. “We started the match boldly, went 2-0 up, but after conceding, Beşiktaş showed their quality,” Kenny said. “Our players are disappointed with elimination, but I am proud of their performance and fight.”
Kartal Kayra Yılmaz highlighted the team’s resilience after the match. “We didn’t start as well as we wanted, but our reaction shows character,” he said. “We want to go all the way this season and compete for trophies. Every match is a step toward our goal.”
Beşiktaş manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer credited tactical adjustments for the win. “We made the match harder for ourselves with the early penalty, but at halftime, we changed strategy, scored two goals, and controlled the game,” Solskjaer said. He emphasized the importance of pressure, preparation, and squad depth while noting that key players like Al Musrati missed the match due to illness.
Solskjaer also addressed fan expectations, saying, “The pressure and high expectations are welcome. Our goal is to build a strong, competitive squad. Young players need to learn to handle criticism, and our experienced players understand it. We aim to be a team that can handle the demands of a top club throughout the season.”
Israeli football fans sparked outrage in Poland on Thursday by displaying a banner that read, “Murderers since 1939” during a match against a Polish team.
Polish President Andrzej Duda condemned the display, saying it insulted the memory of Poles – including Jews – killed during World War II.
Poland was occupied by Nazi Germany during the war. Its prewar Jewish population of 3.2 million, the largest in Europe, was nearly annihilated, with many victims sent to Nazi death camps.
An additional 3 million non-Jewish Poles also perished under the occupation.
Disputes over the history of World War II and the Holocaust have previously strained relations between Poland and Israel.
Studies have shown that some Poles were complicit in the killing of Jews by Nazi Germany, but many Poles reject such findings, saying they attempt to dishonor a country that suffered immensely during the war.
The “Murderers since 1939” banner was displayed prominently across a row of seats by fans of Israeli club Maccabi Haifa during their Europa Conference League match against Rakow Czestochowa, which was played in Debrecen, Hungary, for security reasons.
“The scandalous banner displayed by Maccabi Haifa fans insults the memory of Polish citizens – victims of World War II, including 3 million Jews,” Polish President Karol Nawrocki, a former head of the country’s Institute of National Remembrance, wrote on X. “Stupidity that no words can justify.”
Polish Interior Minister Marcin Kierwinski said, “Anti-Polonism and the scandalous distortion of Polish history by Israeli hooligans demand strong condemnation.”
The Israeli Embassy in Warsaw also condemned the banner.
“There is no place for such words and actions, from any side, neither at the stadium nor anywhere else. Never!” the embassy wrote on X. “These shameful incidents do not reflect the spirit of the majority of Israeli fans.”
Rakow Czestochowa won the game 2-0, securing a 2-1 victory on aggregate.
China launched the three-day World Humanoid Robot Games on Friday, spotlighting its cutting-edge advances in artificial intelligence and robotics with 280 teams from 16 countries.
Robots went head-to-head in traditional sports like track and field and table tennis, while also tackling robot-specific challenges, including medicine sorting, material handling, and cleaning tasks.
Participating teams hailed from countries such as the United States, Germany, and Brazil, with 192 representing universities and 88 from private enterprises, including China’s Unitree and Fourier Intelligence. Many teams deployed robots from Chinese manufacturers like Booster Robotics.
“We come here to play and to win. But we are also interested in research,” said Max Polter, a member of HTWK Robots football team from Germany, affiliated with Leipzig University of Applied Sciences.
“You can test a lot of interesting new and exciting approaches in this contest. If we try something and it doesn’t work, we lose the game. That’s sad but it is better than investing a lot of money into a product which failed.”
At the robot games in Beijing, which charged 128 to 580 yuan ($17.83-$80.77) for tickets, humanoids crashed into each other and toppled over repeatedly during football matches, while others collapsed mid-sprint during running events.
During one football match, four robots crashed into each other and fell in a tangled heap. In the 1500-metre running event, one robot suddenly collapsed while running at full speed, drawing gasps and cheers from spectators.
Despite frequent tumbles requiring human assistance to help robots stand, many managed to right themselves independently, earning applause from audiences.
Organisers said the games provide valuable data collection opportunities for developing robots for practical applications such as factory work.
Football matches help train robots’ coordination abilities, which could prove useful for assembly line operations requiring collaboration between multiple units, commentators said.
China is investing billions of dollars in humanoids and robotics as the country grapples with an ageing population and growing competition with the U.S. over advanced technologies.
It has staged a series of high-profile robotics events in recent months, including what it called the world’s first humanoid robot marathon in Beijing, a robot conference and the opening of retail stores dedicated to humanoid robots.
Morgan Stanley analysts in a report last week noted a surge in attendance to a recent robot conference from the general public compared to previous years, saying this showed “how China, not just top government officials, has embraced the concept of embodied intelligence.”
The Spanish league kicks off with its top clubs arriving with contrasting ambitions.
Defending champion Barcelona aims to maintain its momentum and prove it remains the team to beat. Real Madrid is seeking a reset after a disappointing season under new coach Xabi Alonso.
Atletico Madrid hopes a retooled squad can keep pace with its rivals.
Here’s what to know about the upcoming season: Barcelona comes off one of its strongest campaigns in years, having claimed the league, Copa del Rey and Spanish Super Cup, while reaching the Champions League semifinals for the first time since 2019.
In his second year at the helm, coach Hansi Flick looks to build on that success, adding English forward Marcus Rashford to a fearsome attacking trio alongside Lamine Yamal and Robert Lewandowski.
Last season, Barcelona’s front line led both La Liga, scoring over 100 goals, and the Champions League in goal output, establishing one of Europe’s most potent attacks.
Leaving the team are veteran defender Inigo Martinez, who has signed with Saudi club Al-Nassr, and Ansu Fati, who went on loan to Monaco after limited playing time last season. The club also added former Espanyol goalkeeper Joan Garcia.
Barcelona will open its season at Mallorca on Saturday.
Madrid is coming off a disappointing season by its high standards, losing the Spanish league title to Barcelona and failing to reach the final in the Club World Cup and Champions League. It also lost all four “Clasico” matches against its Catalan rival.
That led to a coaching change, with Carlo Ancelotti leaving to manage Brazil and former player Alonso taking over as widely expected.
The coach couldn’t do much to help Madrid at the Club World Cup, with the team losing to Paris Saint-Germain in the semifinals.
The attack will again be led by Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior, but the defense, which struggled last season due to a series of injuries, was strengthened by the signings of young Spain central defender Dean Huijsen and right back Trent Alexander-Arnold, who joins English countryman Jude Bellingham.
Luka Modric left to join AC Milan after more than a decade with the Spanish club. Lucas Vazquez also departed, and questions remain over whether Rodrygo will return.
Madrid’s first match is at home against Osasuna on Aug. 19.
Atletico Madrid had high expectations last season but failed to challenge for the league title, finishing behind Barcelona and Madrid, and were again eliminated by the city rival in the Champions League.
Coach Diego Simeone reshaped the squad in the offseason, with the departures of Angel Correa, Rodrigo de Paul, Axel Witsel, Rodrigo Riquelme and Cesar Azpilicueta. Arrivals include Alex Baena, Johnny Cardoso, Thiago Almada, Giacomo Raspadori, Matteo Ruggeri, Marc Pubill and David Hancko.
The team will still be led up front by Antoine Griezmann and Julian Alvarez.
Atletico kicks off at Espanyol on Sunday.
Other teams that made strong runs last season and will try to stay near the top include Athletic Bilbao, Villarreal and Real Betis. Levante, Elche and Oviedo were promoted this season, replacing relegated Leganes, Las Palmas and Valladolid.
Barcelona and Real Madrid are among the teams not at full strength to start the season. The Catalan club begins without veteran goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen, who is recovering from lower back surgery.
Ter Stegen had a dispute with the club over his recovery timeline and was provisionally stripped of his captaincy for refusing to sign a medical report about the injury, but he and the club eventually reached an agreement restoring his role as captain.
Veteran striker Robert Lewandowski is also not expected to play early in the season because of a muscle issue.
Madrid will be without Bellingham for the first few rounds after surgery to address a recurrent dislocation of his left shoulder.
Real Betis playmaker Isco is expected to miss the first few months after fracturing his leg in a friendly against Malaga.
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