05/05/2026

SPORTS TUESDAY | MAY 5, 2026

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FOR Atletico Madrid striker Julian Alvarez, the conse quences of tomorrow’s (3am Malaysian time) Champions League semifinal clash at Arsenal may go beyond book ing a ticket to Budapest at the end of May. The Argentine forward, linked with a move to Arsenal as well as to Spanish champi ons Barcelona, has seemed at times to be getting itchy feet in the Spanish capital. It is crucial for coach Diego Simeone and the club to con vince Alvarez that he can achieve his dreams at Atletico by ousting Mikel Arteta’s Premier League leaders in London. Alvarez first invited the rumours. “Maybe yes, maybe no, you never know,” he said in March, when asked if he would still be at Atletico next season. Later he brushed them away, keen to focus on his team’s chances of silverware this year and worry about his future later – at least in public. “I try not to pay too much attention to (rumours) because something new comes out every week, new information, and I don’t waste my energy on that,“ Alvarez said before the 1 1 first leg draw against Arsenal last week. “Instead, I try to focus on what we’re doing. “It’s the most important time of the season, and I want to be in good shape so I can help the team and do great things here.” Simeone lavished praise on the forward earlier this season, saying he was the team’s most vital player, and defended him during a run of poor form. Alvarez repaid him by bouncing back with 10 goals in his last 18 matches, including against the Gunners. Atletico showed they need have no inferiority complex when they head to the Emirates Stadium, with both sides yet to win the trophy, arguably the biggest clubs never to do so. Alvarez, 26, is coming to the point in his career where his ambitions may influence his decision-making more heavily than before. A two-time Premier League winner and European cham pion with Manchester City, and a World Cup winner with Argentina, Alvarez has acquired a taste for success. However since joining Atletico in 2024, the closest he has come to silverware was April’s Copa del Rey final defeat on penalties by Real Sociedad. The club are desperate to win the trophy for the first time, but beyond that, they can show Alvarez he does not need to look elsewhere to succeed. – AFP Atletico aim to show Alvarez ambition

Vinicius double delays Barca title celebrations

VINICIUS JUNIOR struck twice for Real Madrid in a 2 0 win over Espanyol yesterday to make La Liga lead ers Barcelona wait to be crowned Spanish champi ons. The Catalans would have completed their title defence if Madrid dropped points at Espanyol, but Alvaro Arbeloa’s side trimmed the gap on Barca to 11 points, with four matches remaining. Barcelona’s next chance to claim their 29th league title on Monday (3am Malaysian time), when they host Real Madrid in a spicy Clasico clash. Once again, only a Real win will do to stop Hansi Flick’s side. “We’ve got a big game coming against a great rival, who are doing things very well,“ Arbeloa told Real Madrid TV . “It’s special for the fans and for us. We’ll rest very well and prepare well for this game.” Without injured French superstar Kylian Mbappe

The Brazilian exchanged passes with substitute Gonzalo Garcia, left two Espanyol defenders for dead and slotted home at the near post. Around 10 minutes later Vinicius grabbed a sec ond, and it was an even better goal. England international Jude Bellingham back heeled the ball to Vinicius in the area and the for ward produced an exquisite finish into the top cor ner. “(Vinicius) had a great game, scoring two superb goals, and was the leader of the attack, a total threat,” Arbeloa told reporters. “Every time he gets the ball, he’s very aggressive, very intelligent, and as I always say, brave, constant, “A fantastic player, a born leader, a team-mate everyone loves.” – AFP

and with just three wins in their last nine league games, Real Madrid arrived in Catalonia at a low ebb. They knew that even with a victory to postpone Barca’s celebrations they are virtually certain to end a second consecutive season without a major trophy. The Catalans beat Osasuna in Pamplona on Sunday and were waiting for a Madrid slip-up to celebrate back-to-back Liga titles. Instead they will have the chance to claim the trophy at Camp Nou, in front of 60,000 fans. Madrid had more of the ball but were unable to convert that into real danger. Vinicius Junior came closest in the first half with a deflected shot which hit the post. Madrid nosed ahead early in the second half with a superb strike by Vinicius.

Scudetto champions Inter Milan win Serie A title for third time in six seasons

I NTER MILAN won their third Serie A title in six seasons yester day thanks to a 2-0 victory over Parma that ignited the celebra tions at a jubilant San Siro and across the city. Marcus Thuram’s side-footed fin ish just before half-time set Inter on their way before Henrikh Mkhitaryan’s second-half goal put the Scudetto beyond doubt. With three matches left, Inter have a 12-point lead over reigning champi ons Napoli and 15 more points than third-placed AC Milan. The San Siro was a sea of blue and black and thousands of fans also gath ered in front of Milan’s Duomo cathe dral to celebrate their team’s 21st Italian title. Inter have successfully overcome the traumatic end to last season under the calm guidance of coach Cristian Chivu, who was almost a novice at this level when he took over last summer. Less than a year after losing the 2025 title race by a point and collaps ing to a 5-0 humiliation by Paris Saint Germain in the Champions League final, Inter are back at the top. “Today, we are all happy, but we must not forget all the work accom plished, because it was very difficult to start again after the end of last season when we lost in all the competitions we could win,” Inter captain Lautaro Martinez said. “Now we have to keep winning, that’s the most important thing, and also the most beautiful in a league as balanced as Serie A,” the Argentine World Cup winner added. “We managed to do it this season

because we handled the final sprint well, staying focused and united.” Martinez, Serie A’s top scorer with 16 goals this season, praised the work done by coach Cristian Chivu, who succeeded Simone Inzaghi last June and won the title in his first full season at the helm of a Serie A club. “He brought energy, enthusiasm, and his smile to training. Even though we all gave everything for four years with Simone, maybe we needed a change,” he said. Inter can complete the third league and cup double in their history if they beat Lazio in the Coppa Italia final on May 13 at the Olympic Stadium in Rome. Juventus missed a chance to exploit AC Milan’s earlier slip and take third place in Serie A as they drew 1-1 at home with relegated Verona. The Turin giants did, however, climb three points clear of Como in the chase for the fourth Champions league qualify ing spot. AC Milan had relinquished their last, slim, hope of catching Inter at the top as they subsided 2-0 at mid-table Sassuolo. Massimiliano Allegri’s Milan side played with 10 for most of the match after English defender Fikayo Tomori was sent off in the 24th minute. “I understand our fans’ frustration; we all want to secure Champions League qualification as soon as possi ble,” Allegri told broadcaster DAZN . “In these difficult times, we must keep our heads held high. We have three matches left to play, and with two wins, we’ll be in the Champions League.” – AFP

Marcus Thuram (left) celebrates with teammates after Inter secure their 21st Scudetto following their league clash against Parma at San Siro Stadium yesterday. – AFPPIC

SHORTS

Esteban Lepaul before Lyon again powered ahead again through Afonso Moreira and Endrick’s classy fin ish made it 4-2 on the night. Close to bankruptcy 10 months ago, seven-time French champions Lyon sold off their stars to avoid relegation on appeal. Strasbourg, whose minds were on a Conference League semifinal second leg against Rayo Vallecano on Fridayday, fielded a second-string side and lost 2-1 at home to Toulouse. Chasing Champions League qualification, Lille were frustrated at home with a 1-1 draw with Le Havre that left the door open for Lyon to sneak past them on points. Paris FC thumped Brest 4-0 while Auxerre gave their fight against relegation a boost with a 3-1 home win over Angers.

Dortmund, who secured Champions League quali fication last week at the other end of the table, were toothless in attack against a Gladbach side who needed the 1-0 win at home to be mathematically safe. In the dying moments, Tabakovic broke through and finished past Dortmund goalie Gregor Kobel. Despite a third defeat in four games, Dortmund need just two points to take second spot behind champions Bayern Munich for the fifth time in the past eight seasons. “It wasn’t good,” Dortmund coach Niko Kovac said to DAZN . “Gladbach were sharp, they had bite – they played like they had a lot at stake, and it looked like we did not. The defeat was justified.” In an earlier match, goals from Phillip Tietz and Phillipp Mwene took Mainz to a 2-1 win at St Pauli, securing their top-flight status next season while pushing the hosts closer to relegation. Wolfsburg’s late draw at Freiburg pushed St Pauli, who are winless since February, into the automatic relegation spots. “We’ve got no time to dwell on these results,” St Pauli captain Jackson Irvine told DAZN .“We’ve got two matchdays to fight for our life.”

Endrick fires resurgent Lyon into third CASH-STRAPPED LYON edged clear of a clutch of clubs vying for Ligue 1’s last Champions League spot with a 4-2 win over Rennes yesterday capped by a goal from Endrick. The victory lifted Lyon clear third in the race for that precious third Champions League place behind Paris Saint-Germain and Lens. Brazilian teenager Endrick has shone for Lyon and has found his way into Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti’s World Cup plans since signing on loan from Real Madrid. Defending champions PSG have 70 points and Lens 64 with three games each remaining. Lyon have 60 and Lille are two points behind with Rennes another two behind them but all those teams only have two games remaining. In Lyon yesterday, Rennes took an early lead through Musa Al-Tamari before Lyon powered to a 2 1 half-time lead through Roman Yaremchuk and a Corentin Tolisso penalty. Rennes levelled right after the break through

Gladbach sink Dortmund, St Pauli edge closer to drop

BORUSSIA MOENCHENGLADBACH ensured they will remain in Germany’s top flight next season when Haris Tabakovic scored with two minutes remaining to beat Borussia Dortmund yesterday, while Mainz pushed St Pauli closer to relegation.