19/05/2026

SPORTS TUESDAY | MAY 19, 2026

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Sevilla safe despite Real defeat

VINICIUS JUNIOR earned Real Madrid a 1-0 win at Sevilla yesterday in La Liga in the penultimate round of fixtures, but results elsewhere mean the hosts have secured safety from relegation. Levante earned a vital 2-0 win over Mallorca, who are 19th and in grave danger, along with Girona, 18th after a 1-0 defeat at Atletico Madrid. Raphinha struck twice for champions Barcelona in a 3-1 victory over Real Betis at Nou Camp, mean ing the Catalans have won all of their home matches this season in the top flight. Their rivals Real Madrid will finish the season without a major trophy for the second year run ning, but produced a focussed display to beat Sevilla. “Today it was Vini’s turn to score, but Kylian did a great job – let’s see if he has better luck next

them to rise up to 15th and leave the islanders in the drop zone. Mallorca face Oviedo in their final match but, even with a win, will be left relying on results else where going their way to survive. Elche, 17th, defeated Getafe 1-0 to boost their hopes of avoiding relegation. They will face Girona on the final day of the season in a potentially deci sive clash. Valencia edged Real Sociedad 4-3 in a thrilling battle to rise up to ninth, while Celta Vigo guaran teed they will play in Europe next season with a 1 1 draw at Athletic Bilbao. Rayo Vallecano fans gave veteran midfielder Oscar Trejo a fond farewell in his final appearance at their Vallecas stadium as they beat third-place Villarreal 2-0. – AFP

time top scorer… “Thank you for making us happy every day,”said Atletico captain Koke. Griezmann’s former club Barca also bid farewell to veteran Polish striker Robert Lewandowski in his final home game. Espanyol ensured their safety by beating Osasuna 2-1 to record a second consecutive vic tory, after an astonishing 18-match run without a win. Alaves also secured their top-flight status with a 1-0 win over already-relegated Real Oviedo. Levante’s crucial victory over Mallorca allowed

weekend,” said Arbeloa. “I’m very satisfied with all my players, with their effort. We’re aware that we haven’t met our objec tives (this season).” In the capital, Atletico’s Antoine Griezmann started against Girona in his final match at the Metropolitano stadium before joining MLS side Orlando City. The French forward, playing for the 500th time in Atletico colours, Griezmann set up Ademola Lookman for the game’s only goal. “I always have to say goodbye to people I love. Now my brother is leaving. Atletico Madrid’s all

PSG beaten in Ligue 1, Lille qualify for CL

Sinner’s six streak Italian extends Masters dominance ahead of Paris bid J ANNIK SINNER has his eyes on a first Roland Garros title after winning the Italian Open yesterday to claim a record men’s champion in Rome since Adriano Panatta 50 years ago. Only Novak Djokovic had previ

team are not out of the picture yet as they have a better head-to-head record than Roma and a significantly better goal difference than Milan, so dropped points from both those teams or Como would leave an opening. Inter Milan will be officially awarded their 21st league title at the San Siro after drawing 1-1 Verona, with the trophy presentation on the pitch before a parade around Milan for the rest of the day. – AFP PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN lifted the Ligue 1 trophy but then lost 2-1 away to neighbours Paris FC yesterday in their last game before the Champions League final against Arsenal, as Lille secured qualification for Europe’s elite club competition on the final night of the French season. PSG clinched a fifth straight French title, and a record-extending 14th overall, with a 2-0 win over nearest challengers Lens on Wednesday, and were handed the trophy before kickoff at the Stade Jean-Bouin. Coach Luis Enrique included many of his most important players in his line-up in PSG’s last outing before they face Arsenal in Budapest on May 30, when they will attempt to retain the European crown they won for the first time in the club’s history last season. But they were dealt a blow when Ousmane Dembele, last year’s Ballon d’Or winner, came off before the half hour in an apparent injury scare. Bradley Barcola gave PSG the lead early in the second half, but substitute Alimami Gory equalised and then scored a stoppage-time winner for Paris FC, who finish 11th in their first season since promotion to the top flight. “I think it was just due to fatigue,” said Luis Enrique of Dembele. “It has been a tricky end to the season but now we have two weeks to prepare for the biggest match in our history.” Lille clinched third place after after Lyon were hammered 4-0 at home by Lens, Lille will return to the Champions League for next season, despite ending the campaign with a 2-0 defeat at home to Auxerre. At the bottom, Nice were condemned to a two-legged relegation playoff against Ligue 2 side Saint-Etienne after they could only draw 0-0 with Metz. That was while relegation rivals Auxerre won in Lille and Le Havre clinched survival by winning 2-0 in Lorient. – AFP

great rival Alcaraz out of action, few would bet against him securing a first title on Paris clay. “I need to keep myself in form because there’s my most important tournament of the year coming up,” Sinner told reporters. “I don’t want to put too much pressure on myself because the pressure comes anyway. The most important thing to do right now is take a break and do the right things. “I don’t even want to think too much about tennis right now.” Ruud has won more matches and tournaments on clay than any one else on the men’s tour since the start of 2020 – his last title on the surface coming at the Madrid Masters last year – but he couldn’t beat Sinner for the first time. Norwegian Ruud had never won a set against Sinner in any of their previous four meetings, but imme diately improved on the fearful hammering he received here from the Italian last year by winning the first two games. But Sinner broke straight back and took the lead in the match after an opening set in which the world No. 25 held his own against a player he’d previously said “cannot lose”. Sinner then broke Ruud again at the start of the second set and from there it was just a matter of time before he won the championship, even though Ruud performed with credit in front of a packed centre court crowd. “I know that in football it’s a dif

ghosts of last year’s final when he wasted three championship points before losing to Carlos Alcaraz. And his run of match wins is even longer in Masters 1000 tour naments – now at 34 – another record he has established in a sea son in which he has dominated the men’s tour. Sinner can complete his collec tion of Grand Slams and, with his

ously won all nine Masters 1000 events before yesterday, but there was little doubt about Sinner tri umphing over the last 10 days. Sinner heads into Roland Garros, which starts next weekend, on a 29-match winning streak and will be intent on banishing the

extending consecutive Masters 1000 tournament victory. World No. 1 Sinner beat Casper Ruud 6-4, 6-4 to complete the “Golden Masters” by winning all of the ATP’s top-ranked events, in the process becoming the first Italian sixth

ferent story,” joked Ruud, whose country will play in a World Cup for the first time since 1998. I never played the big three in their prime . But I’m sure Roger, Novak, Rafa, 25, 26 years old was also the same feel ing for the other players,” said Ruud of Sinner to reporters afterwards. – AFP Roma near Champions League return, Napoli secure top four

Jannik Sinner (bottom) and his coaches pose for a photo with the trophy after winning the 2026 Italian Open final against Casper Ruud yesterday. – REUTERSPIC

ROMA took a huge step towards returning to the Champions League by beating local rivals Lazio 2-0 yesterday in a feisty derby which finished with both teams down to 10 men, while Napoli won 3-0 at Pisa to secure a top four spot. Gianluca Mancini smashed home two headers from corners, one in each half, at the Stadio Olimpico to move Roma up to fourth thanks also to

Christopher Nkunku penalty five min utes after halftime and Zachary Athekame’s drilled strike eight minutes from the end. Juventus, who looked like the one team who would easily stay in the top four, now need a helping hand after a dismal performance against Fiorentina team which had nothing to play for other than to give a bloody nose to their fierce rivals. Luciano Spalletti’s

from both fifth-placed Como, 1-0 win ners against Parma, and Juve who are now sixth. “We should be happy because now it depends on us, we no longer have to rely on other teams’ results,” Roma coach Gian Piero Gasperini told report ers. AC Milan are third, level on 70 points with Roma after a hard-fought 2-1 win at Genoa which came thanks to a

Juventus’ shock 2-0 home defeat to Fiorentina. Roma haven’t played in the Champions League since being knocked out in the last 16 by Porto in 2019, an absence which has left the capital club lagging behind their rivals. But a win next weekend at relegated Verona will guarantee Roma a spot in Europe’s elite club competition thanks to a two-point gap separating them