07/02/2026

SPORTS SATURDAY | FEB 7, 2026

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Dortmund dare to dream as Bayern’s title march falters IN just two matchdays, Borussia Dortmund have cut Bayern Munich’s lead atop the Bundesliga ladder by five points, drawing six behind the league leaders and potentially reviving a title race long considered dead. After Bayern played the best opening half to a sea son in Bundesliga history, another league crown seemed a mere formality. for three competitions this season. Dortmund’s current points total of 45 from 20 games is their highest tally at this stage of the season since the 2018-19 campaign. Dortmund host Bayern in late February in a match with growing title ramifications.

INTE R MILAN visit Sassuolo this weekend with the chance to stretch their lead at the top of the Serie A table to eight points with title rivals AC Milan not in action. Cristian Chivu’s men extended their unbeaten run in the league to 11 matches last week, a streak which includes 10 wins, by seeing off Cremonese. With AC Milan unable to use the San Siro this weekend due to the stadium hosting the Winter Olympics opening ceremony, Inter can extend their advantage in the title race when they visit Sassuolo on Monday (3.45am malaysian time). Inter are bidding to win back the Scudetto after Napoli’s tri umph last year, but striker Lautaro Martinez insists they can not be complacent despite their excel lent form. “It’s not a message to the rest of the league, it’s a message to ourselves,” said Martinez after their win over Cremonese. “There’s still a long way to go and it’s a very evenly-balanced divi sion.” Inter are still fighting on three fronts after beating Torino 2-1 on Wednesday to reach the Italian Cup semifinals. They also take on Bodo/Glimt in the Champions League knockout playoff round later this month. “We had a busy January and will have an even busier February,”Chivu said after the Cup quarterfinal victory. “I’m not talking about league titles, trebles, or the Champions League – we just want to be com petitive and be the best version of ourselves. We want to fight on all fronts.” Milan, despite not playing in Europe and being out of the Cup, will play three games in 10 days later this month due to the Olympics. But Rossoneri coach Massimiliano Allegri says this week’s break will be beneficial to his players. “It was important for us to get to 50 points for the season because our goal has always been to reach the top four,”he said after their 3-0 success at Bologna on Tuesday. “We’ll enjoy this break, because we’re not playing this weekend, and will hope to have all our players available again.” Third-placed Napoli, nine points adrift, visit Genoa tomor roe (1am) looking to keep their slim hopes of defending their title alive despite being hit by a raft of injuries. Juventus have revived their season under Luciano Spalletti to climb into the top four and host a Lazio side struggling for any con sistency. Fiorentina will bid to bounce back from successive league defeats when they take on Torino. Paolo Vanoli’s men are still lan guishing in 18th place, one point from safety, and remain in serious danger of dropping out of the top flight for the first time since 2003/04. – AFP Inter out to squeeze Milan

chances to snatch at least a point. In last week’s 3-2 home win over last-placed Heidenheim, Dortmund fell behind and could easily have dropped points late. Against second-last St Pauli in January, Dortmund led by two goals but needed a stoppage-time penalty to win. “As a coach I can’t be focused on the result, I see the game itself,” Kovac said. Kovac’s men would be much closer to the Bavarian giants by seeing games through. The 2024 Champions League finalists have dropped 10 points in the league having led inside the final 20 minutes. Bayern’s opponents Hoffenheim were relegation candidates last season but have climbed to third in the table this campaign. They have won 11 of their past 14 league games, losing just once. – AFP

Ever circumspect, Dortmund coach Niko Kovac said yesterday his side needed to focus on controlling what they can in their own performances. “We can determine our own fate by ensuring the others don’t catch us. We can’t determine the fate of others,” Kovac said of the battle with Bayern. “We’re six points behind and we play Bayern Munich only once. But if there’s anything more than that at stake, you can be sure we’ll give our all.” Dortmund’s only loss this league season came at Bayern, a 2-1 defeat in which the visitors had several

But Bayern’s shock home loss to Augsburg – their first league defeat in 10 months – along with a hard fought draw in Hamburg last week have allowed Niko Kovac’s Dortmund to edge closer. Dortmund play at wobbling Wolfsburg today (10.30pm), while Bayern clash with red-hot Hoffenheim on Monday (12.30am). A Dortmund victory would draw them three points behind Bayern – at least for 24 hours – turning the screw on the Bavarian giants who are in the mix

Consistency is key for Real Madrid coach, Mbappe want more from struggling Madrid as La Liga race heats up

R EAL MADRID coach Alvaro Arbeloa and his star striker Kylian Mbappe agree on at least one thing, ahead of Sunday’s visit to face Valencia in La Liga – the need for consis tency. “I’m not Gandalf the White,” said Arbeloa after his team scraped a 2-1 win over Rayo Vallecano last weekend in La Liga, to stay one point behind leaders Barcelona. The Spaniard meant, unlike the fictional Lord of the Rings wizard, he is not capable of magic to transform Real Madrid’s fortunes. Only hard work will suffice. “What I want from my players is what I’m seeing, commitment, attitude, men tality, knowing that to win each game quality is not enough, consistency is key,” said Arbeloa, six games into his tenure.

because they were not involved in the cup quarterfinals. “In these (free) weeks we’ll try and work the team and take it to where we want to be,” said Arbeloa. Mbappe himself has been a paragon of the consistency he demands from his team mates, leading the scoring charts at home and in Europe with 37 goals in 30 games across all competitions. By contrast some of the team’s other stars, including Jude Bellingham and Vinicius Junior, have been far from their best at times, while still occasionally producing some extraordinary moments of quality. Neither will be available at Valencia’s Mestalla stadium, with Vinicius suspended and Bellingham injured for the next month. Arbeloa has defended his star players but may find their absence allows him to deploy a more stable Madrid side, with playmaker Arda Guler hoping to rekindle his link with Mbappe that shone in the early part of the season under Xabi Alonso. Madrid started the campaign with solid, consistent performances and a run of victo ries, but that crumbled away in the winter before Alonso’s exit in January. Playing on the road could suit Madrid after the whistles and jeers they faced at their Santiago Bernabeu home from their owns fans in recent league wins over Rayo and Levante. However Arbeloa said that every match was harder for his team because their oppo sition were more motivated by facing the 15 time record European champions. “I’m sure that Valencia will face Real Madrid at their home with it being the ‘game of the year,’” said the coach. “For us to win, we will have to put in a superb performance.” By the time Madrid face Los Che they could be four points behind Barcelona again, with the Catalans hosting Mallorca on Saturday and looking to ramp up the pres sure on their arch-rivals. – AFP

“We will work on that, in terms of performance, mentality, ambition and attitude.” Last week Madrid fell to defeat against Benfica in the Champions League, out played and out-fought, leaving them facing a playoff round double header against Jose Mourinho’s Portuguese side once again.

Real’s Vinicius Junior (left) celebrates with coach Alvaro Arbeloa during a Champions League match against Monaco at the Santiago Bernabeu. – REUTERSPIC

“The problem is we aren’t consistent in our play, we have to fix that, you can’t have one day (playing well) and another not, a champion team does not do that,” said a frustrated Mbappe after that defeat in Lisbon. Under Arbeloa Madrid have already experienced some highs, thrashing Monaco 6-1, and coasting past Villarreal, as well as lows – his debut Copa del Rey defeat at second-tier Albacete. That shocking loss could play into Madrid’s favour at Valencia, after enjoying a rare midweek off

PSG brace for tough run against Marseille PA R I S S AINT-GE R MAIN coach Luis Enrique expects his side to be pushed hard over the closing months of the Ligue 1 season, starting with Monday’s (3.45am) visit of unpredictable arch-rivals Marseille. European champions PSG have won their last six league games but face an unexpected title challenge from a dogged Lens, who are just two points back and reached the French Cup quarterfinals in midweek.

“Sometimes they’re met, sometimes not.” “It’s a strange team, hard to figure out,” added De Zerbi. “We’re looking for a bit of continuity and consistency.” Marseille beat PSG 1-0 in September and nearly got the better of Luis Enrique’s team again in last month’s Champions Trophy in Kuwait, losing on penalties after conceding a stoppage-time equaliser in a 2-2 draw. PSG will be without the suspended Hakimi on Monday while winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia is an injury doubt, but Ze Derbi knows Marseille will have to be at their best to win. “PSG are the strongest team in Europe,” said De Zerbi. “I’m not saying that just because they won the last Champions League - I really believe it.” – AFP

PSG have had a rare week between games after their surprise exit in the domestic cup but must navigate a two-legged Champions League playoff with Monaco later in February for a place in the round of 16. Marseille seemed to be heading for the knockouts as well before an improbable turn of events sent them crashing out, provoking a furious reaction from supporters. “The fans are smarter and more knowledgeable than people think. They almost always tell the truth,” said De Zerbi. “They were disappointed and they’re right.” “We have a team that gives you the impression of being very strong, so it’s normal that there are expectations.

“It’s a very hard league,” said Luis Enrique after last week’s 2-1 victory at Strasbourg, where PSG grabbed a late winner after being reduced to 10 men when Achraf Hakimi was sent off. “Lens deserve to be up there with us. It will be difficult. Marseille and Lyon are improving as well. It’s going to be a tough end to the season.”