13/01/2026

SPORTS TUESDAY | JAN 13, 2026

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B ARCELONA retained the Spanish Super Cup with an entertaining 3-2 Clasico win over Real Madrid in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, yesterday. Raphinha struck twice for the Catalans with Robert Lewandowski also on target as they beat Xabi Alonso’s team for a record-extending 16th tri umph, despite Frenkie de Jong’s late red card for a foul on Kylian Mbappe. The French forward could only feature in the final stages as a substitute after a knee sprain, with the defeat likely to bring back recent doubts around Madrid coach Xabi Alonso’s future. After Raphinha sent Barcelona ahead Vinicius Junior pulled Madrid level with a fine individual goal to kick-start a frenetic end to the first half in Jeddah. Lewandowski chipped Barca back in front but Gonzalo Garcia struck deep in stoppage time to send the teams in level at the break. The battle was decided by a deflected

Thriller in Jeddah Barca edge Real Madrid to retain Spanish Super Cup

Lens continue winning streak

LIGUE 1 leaders Lens ploughed to a 3-0 vic tory at third-tier Sochaux in a snow-delayed round of 32 French Cup match yesterday, while Real Madrid loanee Endrick scored his first goal for Lyon as he netted the winner against Lille. In a match postponed from Saturday evening by a blizzard, Lens, who have never won the French Cup, rested only veteran midfielder Florian Thauvin against oppo nents who have won the competition twice. Odsonne Edouard gave Lens a 22nd minute lead but the visitors only locked up a ninth consecutive victory in all competi tions with goals from Matthieu Udol in the 87th minute and Abdallah Sima in the 89th. In the north of France, Brazilian 19-year old Endrick tucked home a tidy poacher’s finish to hand Lyon a 2-1 win at Lille on his debut. The match started in frantic fashion as Afonso Moreira flicked a long punt forward past Lille goalkeeper Arnaud Bodart to prod Lyon into the lead 49 seconds after the referee had signalled the start of the match. Nathan Ngoy levelled for the hosts two minutes before the half-hour after Lyon failed to clear the danger and Hakon Haraldsson took advantage to tee up the defender. Against the run of play head

dium, but this was a far closer affair. “We’re very happy, another trophy, it’s always a big game against Madrid,” Lewandowski told Movistar . “We played well in the first half, the second too, we were looking for more goals but we won and that’s the most important thing.” Barcelona coach Flick commended Raphinha’s mindset after the Brazilian winger’s double yester day took his goal tally to seven in his last five matches. Raphinha has been out injured for around two months as Barca’s form dipped in October and November, but has come back strongly. “His mentality is unbelievable, his dynamic affects the whole team,” Flick told reporters. Raphinha missed a fine chance in the first half but almost immediately fired Barca into the lead before netting the winner with the help of a deflec tion. “He missed the first chance but the second one, he was there and (scored) the first goal, and it gave the team more confidence,” con tinued Flick. “This is what Raphinha brings on the pitch, it’s a lot of intensity and we need this.” Flick said he hoped the victory would help the La Liga leaders achieve their other ambitions this season. “We are in a good mood, we have a lot of confi dence now,” said Flick, after Barca’s 10th consecu tive victory across all competitions. “This final was very important for us because against Real Madrid it’s always something special. Again we won a final, and this is fantastic.” Flick has won all eight finals he has competed in as a coach, including two last season against Madrid. “When we are focused, we concentrate and play like we did today, I have a really good feeling with the team, because it’s important,” added Flick. The coach brought on defender Ronald Araujo in the final stages, after the Uruguayan took a mental health break of around a month. “To be on the pitch and to win this title means a lot for him,” said Flick.

Raphinha effort after 73 minutes, as Barca claimed the fourth trophy of coach Hansi Flick’s reign. Alonso is still looking for his first after arriving in June, and Madrid’s run of five consecutive wins across all competitions was brought to an end by their arch-rivals. “Whatever way you lose it hurts, but it’s clear that this was a very even game, hotly competed, with a bit of everything,” Alonso told Movistar . “We were very close to equalising, we fought it out until the end and I have to congratulate Barca.” Barca thrashed Madrid 5-2 in last season’s final, also at the King Abdullah Sports City sta

ing into half-time, Endrick showed why Spanish giants Real Madrid splashed out a reported €47.5 million (RM237m) for his services in 2024 as he ghosted in at the back post to clinically slot home a Corentin Tolisso flick-on and seal Lyon’s place in the last 16. Elsewhere, struggling Nice beat fellow Ligue 1 side Nantes 5-3 on penalties after their tie finished one apiece. Montpellier won 4 0 at Metz and Rennes beat fourth-tier

Chantilly 3-1 while Le Mans advanced with a 4-1 shoot-out victory following their stale mate with Nancy. – AFP

FROM LEFT: Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal, Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha celebrate after winning the Spanish Super Cup final at the King Abdullah Stadium in Jeddah yesterday. –AFPPIC

“I’m really happy that he’s back, and happy that it seems like it’s okay – we will support him always.” – AFP

‘McBro’ earns Napoli precious point

Trio in way of Morocco’s Afcon dream THE Africa Cup of Nations has reached the semifinal stage and a tournament devoid of shocks now offers up two mouthwater ing ties with hosts Morocco looking to see off the challenges of their fellow continen tal heavyweights. standing player. “He can become the best player in the world if he wants to,” remarked Regragui after the Cameroon game. Thursday’s other semifinal in Tangiers between Egypt and Senegal is a repeat of the 2022 final, which the Lions of Teranga won on penalties.

S COTT MCTOMI N AY kept Napoli in touch with Serie A leaders Inter Milan with a brace in yesterday’s entertain ing 2-2 draw at the San Siro, after AC Milan were held to a 1-1 draw at Fiorentina. “McBro”, named given by Naple fans, twice equalised to make sure that the reigning champions would stay four points behind Inter, who seemed set to move five clear of sec ond-placed Milan after taking the lead through Hakan Calhanoglu’s penalty in the 73rd minute. Instead, Inter stay three points ahead of their local rivals, with Roma in fourth and level on 39 points with Napoli who were saved by a stellar performance from McTominay. Calhanoglu’s spot-kick, rattled in off the post past penalty specialist Vanja Milinkovic-Savic, seemed to be the decisive blow with Inter in the ascendency and Napoli livid. The awarding of the spot-kick, for Amir Rrahmani stepping on Henrikh Mkhitaryan’s foot, sent Antonio Conte into a wild rage on the touch line and he was sent off for his rant at

Arsenal and Borussia Dortmund coming up later this month. “We should have done better on both goals but you have to recognise the quality of the opposition because they have great players,” said Inter defender Alessandro Bastoni. “In any case I’m happy with what we’ve done in the first half of the sea son, because I remember what was said about us at the start of the year.” Christopher Nkunku lashed home Milan’s leveller in the 90th minute at the Stadio Artemio Franchi to deny Fiorentina just a third win of a trou bled season. Fiorentina had looked set for the points after Pietro Comuzzo headed home the opener in the 66th minute, but Nkunku’s late strike left the Tuscans on 14 points in 18th place. “We played well in the first half and created a lot of chances that we failed to convert,” said Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri to DAZN . “We’re second in the league and we need to keep it up, but we also need to be more clinical when we’re dominating play.” – AFP

officials in which he loudly called the decision “a disgrace”. “I think we should move on and focus on the performance which was excellent, as was the reaction after conceding the penalty,” said assistant coach Cristian Stellini in place of Conte. “That gives a lot of faith to a team that tonight, at a tough ground against the league leaders, showed itself worthy of being called champi ons.” But with nine minutes remaining the Scotland midfielder, who in the first half cancelled out Federico Dimarco’s brilliant early opener, deftly volleyed home his fifth league goal of the season from Noa Lang’s hooked cross to give Napoli a deserved point. For Inter it was another missed opportunity in a big match, with just one point collected from their four fixtures played against Napoli, Milan and fifth-placed Juve who face Cremonese on Monday. That is a worrying trend ahead of key Champions League clashes with

Mohamed Salah’s Egypt, Victor Osimhen’s Nigeria and Sadio Mane’s Senegal all remain in contention to win the trophy in Rabat on Sunday, even if home advantage still makes Morocco favourites. World Cup semifinalists in 2022, Morocco are Africa’s top-ranked team and approach Thursday’s (4am Malaysian time) semifinal against Nigeria in the capi tal defending an unbeaten record since losing to South Africa at the last Afcon. Walid Regragui’s side have conceded just one goal in five matches here and doubts about their ability to handle the enormous pressure of playing at home were blown away with their performance in beating Cameroon 2-0 in the quarterfi nals. Captain and current African player of the year Achraf Hakimi is fit again after injury, and in Real Madrid winger Brahim Diaz – scorer of five goals in five games – they have probably the tournament’s out

Senegal, ranked second in Africa and 19th in the world, were seen as the big gest threat to Morocco before the tourna ment and stand one game away from a third final appearance in four editions. They have an experienced side which includes Mane, who will come up against his old Liverpool teammate Salah. “I have won almost every honour, but this is the one I am waiting for,” said Salah after the quarterfinal win over Ivory Coast, before insisting the Pharaohs are now the outsiders. “We are coming up against really good teams, most of whose players are based in Europe, which makes it easier for them. “We have very good players but most play in Egypt. We have three players play ing abroad but all of them are in a difficult situation – none of them are playing for their clubs just now,” he added, with a nod to his own problems at Anfield. – AFP