12/05/2026

SPORTS TUESDAY | MAY 12, 2026

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Team ‘before’ individuals: Arbeloa

REAL MADRID coach Alvaro Arbeloa said his club needs to work together better as a unit rather than as a collec tion of individuals, after Barcelona beat them on Sunday to retain La Liga. “We need to collectively take a step forward, to have a much clearer idea of what it is we want to do,” Arbeloa told reporters. “To put the collective before the individual, because, beyond talent, we always need to have

be with this season,” added the Spanish coach. “All we can do is work, looking towards the future, learning from eve rything we did badly this year, knowing that Real Madrid always come back.” Arbeloa is unlikely to remain at the helm next season and former Madrid coach Jose Mourinho has been linked with a potential return. “We will have a conversation with the club, as is normal, and what I want right now is that the team finishes (the season) well,” said Arbeloa.

SHORTS

‘Pure joy’ for Eta UNION BERLIN swept to a 3-1 win at Mainz in the Bundesliga yester day to give manager Marie-Louise Eta her first victory in charge. Eta, the first female coach of a men’s team in a top European league, took over in April and lost her first two games in charge before picking up her first point in a 2-2 home draw with Cologne last week. The draw secured Union’s place in the Bundesliga next season. “We’re really happy that we could show such a good perform ance in a difficult match,” she told DAZN . “You’re happy to win games, that’s always the case, and it was simply nice that we could do it in the style and manner we did. It’s pure joy.” Earlier, promoted Hamburg celebrated securing top-flight status for next season by beating Europa League finalists Freiburg 3-2 at home. Elsewhere, Heidenheim contin ued their late-season resurgence against the drop, winning 3-1 at Cologne. The win took them to 17th spot, level with 16th-placed Wolfsburg and 18th-placed St Pauli, who play each other in the season’s final match next week. PSG seal it PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN effectively wrapped up another Ligue 1 title yesterday as a 1-0 win over Brest left them six points clear of nearest rivals Lens with two games remain ing, with Luis Enrique’s side also boasting a superior goal difference. PSG will be officially crowned French champions for the fifth sea son running, and the 12th time in the last 14 years, if they avoid defeat away to Lens on Wednesday. Lens guaranteed a place in the league phase of next season’s Champions League with a 1-0 win against Nantes on Saturday. Lille climbed up to third thanks to a 1-0 victory away at Monaco on the penultimate weekend of the season yesterday. They went above Lyon, who lost 2-1 away in Toulouse. Rennes in fifth came from behind to win 2-1 at home to Paris FC. Marseille have endured a miser able second half of the season but they won 1-0 in Le Havre. At the bottom, Auxerre moved out of the relegation playoff place a 2-1 win at home to Nice. Angers drew 1-1 with Strasbourg while Lorient won 4-0 at Metz.

liked that he was 100 percent and that he was able to play, that’s what I would have liked,” said Arbeloa. The coach said he could understand supporters being upset with the team this season, after they finished without a major trophy for a second year running. “We can’t say a lot (to the fans), because we

games where we shouldn’t have.” After signing French superstar Kylian Mbappe in the summer of 2024, Madrid have lacked balance when playing the forward alongside Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham. Madrid’s top goalscorer Mbappe was unable to play against Barcelona because of a thigh injury. The France captain drew criticism after going

a clear idea, and for me this is the start. “Above all, we have to learn that we dropped a lot of points against teams and in

understand the frustration, their upset, how unsatisfied t h e y have to

“That will be my objec tive… and we’ll see about the future from the 24th or 25th of May.” – AFP

on holiday to Sardinia during his recovery process.

“I would have

FROM LEFT: Barca’s Pablo Gavi, Lamine Yamal and Raphinha celebrate after winning the La Liga at the Nou Camp yesterday. – REUTERSPIC

Flick praises his players after Barca claim La Liga title with Clasico win over Los Blancos B ARCELONA secured their 29th Spanish league title after beating Real Madrid 2-0 in the Clasico yesterday. Marcus Rashford and Ferran Torres struck in the first half to help we (also) want to win the Champions League, that’s the objective. “Next year we will have another opportunity.” Madrid arrived at the match embroiled in chaos, after midfielder Fede Valverde was ruled out with a head injury following a training ground scuffle with team-mate Aurelien Tchouameni, who started. “And I said, okay, I want to get the information to the players. And what they did (then) was unbeliev able. I will never forget this moment. “I’m really happy and really proud about every one. Every player in the team. My staff around as well, and the club.” ‘I’ll never forget this day’

Hansi Flick’s side clinch La Liga in consecutive years, while consigning Madrid to a trophyless season. Barca moved an unassailable 14 points clear of second-place Los Blancos with three matches remaining. This was only the second time the outcome of La Liga has been decided directly by the result of a Clasico , with record 36-time champions Real Madrid winning their first title in 1932 after a draw with Barca. Flick’s team were disappointed to be knocked out in the Champions League quarterfinals by Atletico Madrid in April, but were still determined to cele brate in style. “This title is more special for winning it at home against Madrid, now we have to enjoy it with the fans,” Barca midfielder Frenkie de Jong told Movistar . “We have been the best team in Spain – of course

Flick, who was tossed into the air by his players in celebration at full-time, said he had “never” felt so much love in a stadium as on this day. The coach said his team were still hoping to match the record of 100 points in a La Liga season in their final three league matches, and their big goal for next season was to end their 11-year wait for the Champions League. Spanish media have reported Flick will extend his contract, which expires in 2027, by a year. “I’m feeling in the right place, at the right time, and I think we all want to continue, and we want to give more for this club,” added Flick. “I know everyone here and also in Barcelona wants to win the Champions League. We try next season again, and hopefully we can achieve this goal.” – AFP “Two years ago today we were promoted to Serie A and today we’re qualifying for Europe,” said coach Cesc Fabregas. “The team, the club, the fans have all grown. It’s incredible. We will remember this day 20 years from now.” Last-gasp penalty drama gave Roma a dramatic 3-2 win as Gian Piero Gasperini’s team struck twice in stoppage time to pile pressure on Milan and Juve, who are a further point ahead in third. Earlier Jamie Vardy scored his first goal since January as Cremonese thumped rock-bottom Pisa 3-0 to boost their survival hopes. – AFP

Hours after the death of his father, Barcelona coach Flick led the Catalan giants to a second straight La Liga title and said it was a day he would “never” forget. Flick said he was grateful to his team for their sup port and commitment. “I’m proud. I’ll never forget this day. Never. I’m happy about this (triumph) and the atmosphere in this stadium is unbelievable,” Flick told reporters. The German coach said his mother called him in the morning to tell him that his father had died. “This morning, my mum called me and she said that my father passed away. And so I thought about (whether) I should hide it, or should I speak with my team? Because for me it’s like a family,” explained Flick. tailspin after collecting just seven points since beating local rivals Inter Milan two months ago. In that time Milan have scored only six goals, three of which came in one match, and the level of anger at the team peaked when winger Rafael Leao – once a fan favourite – was substituted just before the hour. Defeat capped an awful day for Milan whose key rivals for a Champions League spot, Como and Roma, won at Verona and Parma respectively. Como were only promoted to Serie A in 2024 and could yet finish the season in the top four, as they sit just two points behind Milan in sixth.

Milan’s Champions League return at risk

AC MILAN slumped into a full-blown crisis yester day after a 3-2 home defeat to Atalanta put their Champions League return at risk, while Como qualified for Europe for the first time. Boos and whistles rang around at full time in a San Siro which had been abandoned by a large chunk of the over 70,000 fans well before the end of a match whose final score didn’t reflect the bal ance of play. Before leaving the stands, hardcore supporters loudly voiced their aggravation at the club’s own ers, American investment fund RedBird. The chants only grew louder after Ederson,

Davide Zappacosta and Giacomo Raspadori rattled Atalanta three goals ahead by the 51st minute. Strahinja Pavlovic headed Milan back into the game in the 88th minute while Christoper Nkunku netted from the penalty spot in stoppage time, but those goals won’t hide what was a dismal perform ance. “The responsibility is mine, I’m the one leading the players. We’ve got a difficult match at Genoa next week and we have to do what we can to win,” said coach Massimiliano Allegri. Milan are still just about in Serie A’s top four but level on 67 points with fifth-placed Roma and in a