08/08/2026

SPORTS SATURDAY | AUG 8, 2026

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Real tie down Vinicius Long-term deal ends Arsenal speculation as Brazilian forward remains key to Madrid rebuild R EAL MADRID have secured the long-term future of Vinicius Jr, with the Brazil forward signing a new con Spain and England, with Premier League champions Arsenal report edly monitoring the situation and exploring a potential move for the Brazilian. The renewal also comes just days after Vinicius spoke positively about working with Mourinho, who returned to Real in June for a second spell in charge. After his second pre-season train campaign last season, finishing behind Barcelona in La Liga, exiting the Champions League in the quarter finals and ending the season without a major trophy.

Benfica hit six as Rangers stumble in Europa League qualifiers B ENFICA produced the biggest state ment among the established clubs in the Europa League third qualifying round after thrashing Hearts 6-1 yes terday, while Rangers were left with work to do after suffering a 2-1 defeat away to Jagiellonia Bialystok. The Portuguese giants dominated from the start at the Estadio da Luz, scoring three goals in each half to take almost complete control of the tie. Benfica, three-time Europa League finalists, showed their attack ing quality as they overwhelmed the Scottish side, who struggled to con tain the hosts’ movement and finish ing. The result leaves Benfica in a com manding position ahead of the return leg in Scotland next week and puts them within touching distance of the play-off round. It was also a night to forget for Hearts, who suffered one of their heaviest defeats in European competition. Rangers endured a far more diffi cult evening in Poland despite mak ing a promising start. The Scottish giants took the lead through an own goal early in the match, but Jagiellonia Bialystok responded quickly before Kajetan Szmyt scored twice to complete the turnaround. The 2-1 defeat means Rangers will need a strong performance at Ibrox in the second leg if they are to keep their Europa League hopes alive. Rangers, who have reached two European finals in their history, were hoping to build momentum under their new campaign but were pun ished after failing to protect their early advantage. Besiktas also secured a narrow first-leg victory, beating Hradec Kralove 1-0 away in the Czech Republic. The Turkish giants were forced to defend for long periods after Kassim Ouattara was sent off in the second half, but Semih Kilicsoy scored late to give Besiktas a valuable advantage heading into the return match. Anderlecht recorded one of the more impressive away wins of the round, defeating PAOK 1-0 in Thessaloniki. The Belgian side scored inside the opening minute and survived a missed penalty from the Greek hosts to secure a result that ended PAOK’s long unbeaten home record in Europa League qualifying. RB Salzburg also claimed a narrow advantage, beating Pafos 1-0 after a match disrupted by heavy rain. The Austrian side eventually found the breakthrough late in the game to take control of the tie. Lech Poznan edged KI Klaksvik 1 0, while CSKA Sofia produced one of the biggest surprises of the night by beating Maccabi Tel Aviv 3-0. Ferencvaros also took a slender lead after defeating Gornik Zabrze 1 0, while KuPS Kuopio drew 1-1 with Universitatea Craiova. The winners of the third qualify ing-round ties will advance to the Europa League playoff round, one step away from reaching the league phase. – Agencies

tract until June 2032 and ending months of speculation over a possible move to Arsenal. The 26-year-old had entered the final year of his previous deal, which was due to expire in June 2027, leaving Real facing the prospect of losing one of their most valuable players on a free transfer. Instead, the Spanish giants have reached an agreement that keeps one of the club’s most important attacking players at the Santiago Bernabeu for another six years. “Real Madrid and Vinicius Jr have agreed to extend our player’s contract, which now keeps him with the club through June 30, 2032,” the club said in a statement. Real described Vinicius as “one of the most important players during one of the most successful periods in our history”. The new agreement brings an end to a prolonged renewal saga that had attracted considerable attention in

Real have responded aggressively in the transfer market, strengthening several areas of the squad. The club have brought in teenage winger Yan Diomande from RB Leipzig in a club-record deal, while Bernardo Silva, Ibrahima Konate, Marc Cucurella and Denzel Dumfries have also arrived as part of an ambi tious rebuilding programme. The arrival of Diomande is par ticularly significant given the teen ager’s attacking potential, but Real’s decision to retain Vinicius underlines that the club see the Brazilian as a cor nerstone rather than a player who can be replaced. For Arsenal, meanwhile, the devel opment represents a significant set back in their summer recruitment plans. The London club have already strengthened their squad in several areas but had reportedly viewed Vinicius as a potential marquee addi tion to their attack. – Reuters Salah left Liverpool in the close season after nine years, having scored 257 goals in 442 appearances and having won the Premier League twice and the Champions League. His output waned last season and he was left on the bench in Champions League games, leading to a public spat with Liverpool’s then manager Arne Slot. Salah started his career in Europe at Swiss side Basel in 2012 and later joined Chelsea. He also had stints at Fiorentina and AS Roma between 2015 and 2017 before joining Liverpool. Trabzonspor – generally consid ered to be the fourth-biggest team in Turkey after Istanbul sides Fenerbahce, Galatasaray, and Besiktas – finished third in the Super Lig last season to qualify for the Europa League playoff round. The club’s last domestic league championship was in the 2021-22 season. – Reuters

Arsenal’s interest had intensified as Vinicius’ contract situation remained unresolved, with reports suggesting the London club were pre pared to make a major financial com mitment if the forward became avail able. That possibility has now disap peared, with Real making it clear that Vinicius remains central to their plans under new manager Jose Mourinho. Vinicius has enjoyed an extraordi nary rise since joining Real from Brazilian club Flamengo in 2018. He has scored 128 goals and pro vided 100 assists in 375 appearances, while helping the club win 14 major trophies, including two Champions League titles and three LaLiga crowns. He also scored in both of Real’s most recent Champions League final victories, against Liverpool in 2022 and Borussia Dortmund in 2024, fur ther cementing his status as one of the club’s biggest stars. MOHAMED SALAH has signed a two-year deal with Trabzonspor, under which the Egypt forward will receive €17 million (RM88m) a season, the Turkish club said yesterday. The announcement came as Trabzonspor fans prepared to head for the club’s stadium in the eastern Black Sea city for a ceremony to mark the former Liverpool player’s signing on a free transfer. Thousands of supporters cheered in

ing session under the Portuguese coach, Vinicius said he was enjoying the new environment and revealed Mourinho wanted him to retain the personality that had helped make him successful in Madrid. “It has gone very well, getting to know the new coach and the new players, and training very hard,” Vinicius told Real Madrid TV. “Mourinho wants me to be as I have always been: happy, cheerful and playing my football.” Those comments came while uncertainty over his future was still dominating the headlines, but the subsequent contract agreement has now provided a clear answer. Mourinho will therefore begin his rebuilding project with Vinicius firmly established as one of his key attacking weapons. The Portuguese coach returned after Real endured a disappointing Trabzonspor’s stadium, waving club flags, holding torches and chanting songs. “The last couple of days, it’s an experience I’ve never had in my life. I just want to thank every one of you for being here today. I am feeling so much love here I never expected that reception,” the 34-year-old Salah said during the signing ceremony. “I am here to win, I wanna win something with this club because you showed me so much love. I appreciate that.” The club’s statement to the Turkish stock exchange said Salah will receive a 20% share from products sold under his name, plus conditional bonuses each season. The statement did not say how high the bonuses could go and what the bonuses are tied to.

Salah signs two-year deal with Trabzonspor

Mohamed Salah waves to Trabzonspor supporters during his signing cerenomy at Papara Park Stadium in Trabzon, Turkiye yesterday. – AFPPIC

Kompany eyes Champions League glory with new signings

B AYE R N MUNICH coach Vincent Kompany said yes terday it would be “really tough” to improve on last season’s performances but was hopeful new signings could help power the German giants to a first Champions League title since 2020. The Bavarian side won a league and cup double last season but went out of Europe’s top competition in the semifinals to eventual champions Paris Saint Germain. The thrilling 6-5 aggregate defeat extended the wait for continental glory at Germany’s wealthiest and most decorated club, where domestic success is often taken for granted. “Right now, I will say our goal is to win the Champions League,” Kompany told reporters in Hong Kong ahead of yesterday’s friendly against Aston Villa. “During the season, I will tell you we have to focus on the next game, because you cannot win the

the former Manchester City captain said. He also shrugged off a question about a report by German newspaper Bild that Olise is in a dispute with a former partner over allegedly unpaid child support. “Private life is private life,” Kompany said. Olise has not commented publicly on the report. A few thousand fans filed in to watch Bayern’s open training session on Thursday at Hong Kong’s Kai Tak stadium, where the match against Villa will take place. Villa are adjusting to life without Morgan Rogers after the England midfielder moved to Chelsea last month for a reported British record fee of £117 million (RM608m). The Europa League champions have signed Swiss midfielder Johan Manzambi for a club-record fee, as well as Joao Gomes from Wolves and Alejandro Garnacho on loan from Chelsea. – AFP

Champions League in September, you cannot win it in October. “I think we have improved a little bit as well on the squad, with some of the transfers. “Hopefully this gives us a chance to achieve our goal. It’s tough to do better than last year, really tough, but it has to be our goal.” Bayern have made two major signings this sum mer, bringing in Moroccan midfielder Ismael Saibari from PSV Eindhoven and German defender Nathaniel Brown from Eintracht Frankfurt. Several of their World Cup stars, including French attacker Michael Olise and England captain Harry Kane, have not travelled with the squad to Asia. Kompany echoed Bayern CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen’s insistence last week that Olise would remain at the club, despite rumours that he has been a target for Real Madrid. “The topic (of a transfer) was never open for me,”