09/05/2026

SPORTS SATURDAY | MAY 9, 2026 28 Barca have knives out History-chasing Catalans eye title party in La Liga Clasico W ITH the sting of Champions League disappointment fading but not forgotten, Barcelona are aiming to clinch back-to Lamine Yamal, who is out for the next few weeks with a hamstring injury. Brazilian winger Raphinha returned to the bench last weekend after injury but did not appear in the win at Osasuna which moved Barca to the brink of the title.

Madrid to punish Valverde, Tchouameni after bust up R EAL MAD R ID said they would punish midfielders Federico Valverde and Aurelien Tchouameni after a clash on Thursday at the club’s training ground which left the former needing hospital treatment. “Following the incidents that occurred this morning during the first team’s training session, (the club) has decided to open disciplinary proceedings against our players Federico Valverde and Aurelien Tchouameni,” said Los Blancos in a statement. Uruguay international Valverde was accompanied to the hospital facility near the club’s Valdebebas training complex by Madrid coach Alvaro Arbeloa, according to Spanish reports, which said the player needed stitches to treat a facial wound. Madrid said Valverde had suffered a head injury but was in “good condition” and needed to rest for up to a fortnight. The 27-year-old will miss Monday’s Clasico clash with rivals Barcelona in La Liga, when the Catalans can claim the Spanish title. Valverde sought to downplay the severity of the altercation with Tchouameni. “The strain of the competition and frustration caused the situation to escalate,” he wrote on social media, expressing regret at the media coverage of the incident. “I accidentally hit a table during the argument, causing a small cut on my forehead that required a routine visit to the hospital,” he said. “At no point did my teammate hit me, and I didn’t hit him either.” – AFP

Real Madrid won the first of their record 36 leagues by drawing 2-2 against Barcelona in the 1931/32 season to clinch the title. Barca are aiming to seal their 29th this weekend, with Madrid keen to postpone those celebrations by scoring a second vic tory over Flick’s team this season. They are waiting to see if top goalscorer Kylian Mbappe can be involved after a thigh injury, while Vinicius Junior is expected to lead the line for Los Blancos . “He’s the player who has given me the most problems,” said Kounde of the Brazil international. “He’s a great player, very fast, and he changes direction constantly.” There is great tension around Arbeloa’s side, about to finish a second consecutive season without a major trophy. Still, for Flick’s young side, wounded in Europe but dominant domestically, beating Los Blancos to claim the title would help them finish the season on a high note. – AFP

back La Liga titles on Monday (3am Malaysian time) when they host bitter rivals Real Madrid. Leading by 11 points, Hansi Flick’s side only need a draw in the Clasico to be crowned champions again, although a vic tory against a Los Blancos team in crisis would keep them on course to make history – and celebrate in style. If Barcelona win their last four league games this season, starting with the battle against Alvaro Arbeloa’s fracturing Madrid, they will match the all-time league record of 100 points. That was first achieved by Jose Mourinho’s Real Madrid in 2011-12 and fol lowed the season after by Tito Vilanova’s Barca. However, they are without teenage star

“I see the team in great shape, very focused – we’re all really looking forward to playing the Clasico ,” said Barca defender Jules Kounde this week. “We can win La Liga with a draw, but a win would be the best.” This is the first Clasico at the partially rebuilt Camp Nou in over three years. In March 2023, Xavi Hernandez’s Barca snatched a late victory with Franck Kessie’s goal which helped them open up a 12-point lead on Madrid and made them virtually assured of the title. Only once before in Clasico history has the title actually been decided by the result of the game, as could happen again on Monday.

Kuebler sends Freiburg into final

LUKAS KUE B LE R scored in each half as Freiburg beat Braga 3-1 at home yesterday to win 4-3 on aggregate and and qualify for the Europa League final where they will face Aston Villa. Freiburg trailed by a goal from the opening leg but were given a leg up after seven minutes when Mario Dorgeles of Braga received a straight red card. Kuebler’s opener and Johan Manzambi’s brilliant effort had the hosts 2-0 up and one

could do both with a win over Villa in the final in Istanbul. Freiburg defender Matthias Ginter, who won the 2014 World Cup with Germany, said yester day’s game was “the most important home match in the club’s history”, but called on his side to go one better in the final. “And now we’ve got the biggest match in the club’s history – and we’re going to give it a real go.” The defeat ended Braga’s hopes of returning to the Europa League final for the first time since 2011, when they lost 1-0 to domestic rivals Porto. Locked at 1-1 for much of the opening leg, Braga winger Dorgeles’ late goal gave Braga a first leg advantage. Braga coach Carlos Vicens rewarded the Ivorian, naming him in the starting XI in the only change. Just seven minutes in however, Dorgeles turned villain for the visitors. With Freiburg’s lightning-quick Jan-Niklas Beste on the attack, Dorgeles brought the Freiburg winger down and was shown red for a last-man foul. The hosts took the lead with 19 minutes gone when Braga’s Vitor Carvalho’s clearance hit an on-rushing Kuebler and trickled in at the far post. Manzambi got the second when he drove through the middle and unleashed a curling strike past the diving Lukas Hornicek. Kuebler than headed in a Vincenzo Grifo freekick to give Freiburg a two-goal cushion. Braga had two late chances to level but were kept at bay by some acrobatic goalkeeping from Noah Atubolu. At the final whistle, the Freiburg ultras stormed the pitch in celebration of reaching the second major final in their history, after the 2022 German Cup. – AFP

ahead in the tie by halftime. Kuebler added another in the second half. Pau Victor pulled one back for Braga late, Freiburg held on to reach a first European final. Goalscorer Kuebler said the result was a “dream come true” and thanked the home fans. “The atmosphere was unbelievable throughout – the fans carried us.” Freiburg have never won a major trophy nor qualified for the Champions League but

Freiburg’s Lukas Kuebler (2nd left) scores his team’s third goal pass Sporting Braga keeper Lukas Hornicek (right) during the Europa League semifinal 2nd leg match yesterday. – AFPPIC

Rayo down Strasbourg to set up first European finale with Palace

R AYO VALLECA N O are through to the first European final in their history after ending Strasbourg’s hopes with a 1-0 win in France in the second leg of their Conference League last-four tie yester day, as a 2-0 aggregate success set up a decider against Crystal Palace later this month. Rayo travelled to France with a lead to defend after a solitary goal by Alemao last week in Madrid, and the Brazilian striker scored again late in the first half here as the visitors ran out

against Palace in the final in Leipzig. Nevertheless, the team coached by Inigo Perez, a former assistant to Andoni Iraola before the latter moved to Bournemouth, were widely seen as the outsiders against Strasbourg and ultimately ran out worthy victors. Strasbourg, who belong to the same BlueCo consortium which owns Chelsea, were targeting a first European trophy of their own and were hopeful of succeeding the London club as winners of the third

deserving winners at the Stade de la Meinau. The team from the sprawling Vallecas neighbourhood in the south of the Spanish capital have never really been a regular presence in La Liga and their only European campaign before this season came in 2000/01 when under Juande Ramos they got to the Uefa Cup quarterfinals. Now they are just one more win away from a first major trophy, although they will be underdogs

score twice without reply just to force extra-time, but they never really looked like finding the net once, at least until injury time. That was when they were awarded a spot-kick for handball against Rayo captain Oscar Valentin, but Julio Enciso’s effort was saved by Augusto Batalla. The final whistle then sparked joy ous celebrations in the corner of Rayo fans in the crowd of more than 31,000. – AFP

tier continental competition. The Spaniards carried the greater attacking threat, having numerous chances to open the scoring on the night before doing so in the 42nd min ute. When a ball was delivered into the home box, Florian Lejeune’s attempt was parried by Mike Penders, but the on-loan Chelsea goalkeeper could do nothing to keep out Alemao’s follow up effort. That left Strasbourg needing to