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Vinicius Junior scores twice: Real shines even without Mbappé

Andrew Jackson
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Vinicius Junior scores twice: Real shines even without Mbappé

Real Madrid took the lead in the championship race with a 4-1 win over Real Sociedad on Saturday evening. The Royals were in good form and ended the Basques’ winning streak.

Real had to do without Mbappé, who had recently been injured. The Frenchman was on the bench and could have come on in an emergency, but in the end, the Royal’s top striker was not needed because his teammates put in a really good performance and left no doubt as to who would emerge victorious.

The Blancos got off to a perfect start, with Goncalo scoring the opening goal after just five minutes. The Basques, who have been playing extremely well under coach Pellegrino Matarazzo and had not lost any of their last eleven games, shook it off briefly and then equalized: After a foul by Huijsen on Herrara, Oyarzabal thundered home a penalty (21′).

But Real did not let that throw them off course and were also awarded a penalty shortly afterwards when Aramburu pulled Vinicius Junior’s legs away in the penalty area. The Brazilian took the penalty himself and made it 2-1 (25′). The Royals put in a really good performance and were rewarded a third time before the break: Fede Valverde’s fine curling shot found the right corner to make it 3-1 at the break (31′).

Vinicius Junior again from the spot

The second half had barely begun when Real were awarded another penalty, Aramburu again bringing down Vinicius Junior. Once again, the Brazilian took the penalty himself and converted it (48′). This early 4-1 lead for the favorites meant that the game was effectively decided early on.

The game then went back and forth, but neither team managed to score again. Real thus took the lead in the title race and ended the Basques’ unbeaten run of eleven games. For Los Blancos, it was their eighth league win in a row.
And what’s next? Real face Benfica Lisbon in the Champions League play-offs on Tuesday (9 p.m.). San Sebastian host Real Oviedo on Saturday (2 p.m.).

“You never score goals”: Woltemade’s taunts bear fruit once again

Sotd Editor
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“You never score goals”: Woltemade’s taunts bear fruit once again

After 14 competitive games without a goal, Nick Woltemade has scored again for Newcastle United. In the FA Cup away win at Aston Villa, the German played in an unfamiliar role – and decisively spurred on his teammate Sandro Tonali.

Nick Woltemade took advantage of a disastrous misplaced pass by opponent Lamare Bogarde in the 88th minute to seal the Magpies’ away win in the fourth round of the FA Cup. It was an important moment for the German international, who had been waiting for his next goal since December 20 (when he scored twice in a 2-2 draw with Chelsea).

“Personally, I had a long spell where I didn’t score any goals and didn’t play well. And of course I’m happy with my performance, my goal and our overall performance,” said Woltemade, relieved, on Saturday evening.

Woltemade “like an experienced midfielder”

After recently only being used as a substitute in the Premier League, coach Eddie Howe had something special in mind for the 24-year-old birthday boy this time: behind the equally tall center forward William Osula, Woltemade acted as a kind of deep-lying striker, sometimes even dropping back into midfield. It was a tactical move that teammate Sandro Tonali noted with approval. “I’m very happy for this great man,” said the Italian, who was undoubtedly impressed by Woltemade in his unfamiliar role: “He played like an experienced midfielder. He played very well and deserves everything, really.”

Thiaw and Tonali score after teasing each other

It was no coincidence that the two Magpies pros were asked to do a joint post-match interview. Unlike Woltemade, whose job description is naturally much more focused on scoring goals, the defensive midfielder found the back of the net for the first time since September 8, when he scored for Italy against Israel (5-4) in World Cup qualifying – twice, in fact.

It was a truly long goal drought, which his German teammate had pointed out to him beforehand – with success, as it turned out. “We always sit next to each other on the bus and at meals, and I said to Sandro, ‘You never score goals,’” Woltemade recalled with a grin.

This was the second time that the former Stuttgart player’s teasing had proved effective, as the striker had also longed for Malick Thiaw’s first Newcastle goals in the 4-1 win over Everton at the end of November. “We always joke that he can’t head the ball, and then today he scores two headers,” Woltemade said at the time.

Around two and a half months later, Woltemade was delighted with the outcome: “I think it’s crazy because we always said it was Malick – and now he’s scoring goals. Now I’ve said it to Sandro – and now he’s scoring too.”

No VAR: Howe criticizes “many mistakes”

With the away win at Villa Park, Newcastle not only secured their second consecutive victory after the 2-1 win at Tottenham, but also booked their place in the round of 16. An important result for Howe and his team – despite a less than perfect performance by the referees, who are not yet able to use video assistants in the fourth round of the FA Cup. “The referees don’t make decisions deliberately, it’s what they think at the time. But without VAR, I think there were a lot of mistakes today,” said the Magpies coach, referring primarily to the offside goal that made it 0-1 and a handball penalty that was not given – Lucas Digne had clearly blocked the ball with his arms inside the box, which incorrectly resulted in a free kick.

From the next round of the cup onwards, video evidence will be used in all Premier League stadiums. This comes as a relief to Howe, who believes that although the system sometimes dampens certain emotions, it would have been helpful on Saturday evening: “I wished VAR was in place when we conceded the first goal, and probably throughout the rest of the game as well.”

Salah scores and Liverpool brushes Brighton aside

Jason Maverick
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Salah scores and Liverpool brushes Brighton aside

Liverpool FC is through to the FA Cup round of 16. In a clash between two Premier League teams, the Reds made short work of struggling Brighton & Hove Albion. Salah was the match winner with a goal, an assist, and a penalty.

Liverpool coach Arne Slot made changes to the starting lineup from the 1-0 win at AFC Sunderland, bringing in Jones, Kerkez, Szoboszlai, and Chiesa in place of Endo, Robertson, Gravenberch, and Ekitiké. Against the visitors from Brighton, whose coach Fabian Hürzeler had recently been mocked by his own fans after five games without a win, the game developed into a fast-paced affair from the start.

Jones had the first good chance after a pass from Salah, but his deflected shot narrowly missed the goal (29′). A few moments later, the ball hit the back of the net for the first time, but goal scorer Gakpo was offside when Szoboszlai took the free kick (36′). Kerkez followed up with another good chance (37′) before the deserved lead finally came.

Kerkez found Jones with a half-height cross, who scored with a delicate half-volley from close range, hitting the underside of the crossbar (42′). Shortly afterwards, the visitors almost equalized out of nowhere after Jones slipped unluckily in front of his own box. However, Gomez failed to beat Alisson when one-on-one (45+1).

Szoboszlai powerful, Groß brings down Salah

After the break, Brighton had a brief upswing because Alisson first faltered (49th minute), but was wide awake shortly afterwards (54th minute). Apart from that, however, the second half belonged entirely to the Reds, who made it 2-0 through Szoboszlai (56′). Salah cleverly let a pass from Gakpo bounce into the path of the Hungarian.

Just under ten minutes later, Salah was back in the spotlight with a fine solo effort. First, he beat Kadioglu before being brought down by Groß in the box. The Egyptian made no mistake from the spot (68′). The only reason Brighton didn’t concede more was because Ngumoha’s goal was ruled out for offside – which, if it had been given, would have been a case for VAR (81′).

In the end, it remained a deserved and ultimately commanding victory for the Reds, who are now through to the round of 16. Liverpool’s next Premier League match is away to Nottingham Forest on Sunday (3 p.m.), while Brighton face Brentford the day before (4 p.m.).

Own goal, red card, Zielinski: Inter wins thrilling Derby d’Italia

T0m@dmin1
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Own goal, red card, Zielinski: Inter wins thrilling Derby d’Italia

In a thrilling Derby d’Italia, Inter Milan cemented its lead in Serie A. The Nerazzurri won 3-2 against Juventus Turin, which fought hard against defeat despite being a man down early on.

Three places and twelve points separated leaders Inter from fourth-placed Juve ahead of the Derby d’Italia. A significant difference, but one that had not mattered in the first leg. The Bianconeri had won 4-3 in a dramatic game that had seen Thuram score for both sides.

This was not to be repeated on Saturday evening, when Juventus coach Luciano Spalletti was unable to field the younger Thuram, Kephren. The Frenchman was injured in the 2-2 draw with Lazio Rome and was replaced by Miretti. Kelly and Francisco Conceicao also came on for Koopmeiners and Cabal.

No shot, one goal

Despite, or perhaps because of, the personnel and tactical adjustments, the visitors got off to a good start at the Guiseppe Meazza and looked more impressive in the first quarter of an hour – until Inter took the lead without creating a chance of their own. Luis Henriques’ low cross was deflected into his own net by Cambiaso, with Di Gregorio looking anything but comfortable – 1-0 (17′).

However, Christian Chivu’s home team did not take control of the game. Barella, who started in place of Mkhitaryan after the 5-0 win at Sassuolo, and his teammates were faced with a lot more Turin efforts to equalize, which led to success after McKennie’s header (21′) by Cambiaso of all people (26′).

Yellow card after double post

A lively game ensued. Yildiz tested Sommer (30′), Zielinski’s lob lacked a bit of pace (35′) – before things got really spectacular again shortly before half-time: Within a few moments, Di Gregorio first made a magnificent save against Thuram’s header, then Bastoni’s follow-up was denied by both inside posts, and Juve were suddenly down to ten men (42′). Kalulu, who had already been booked, briefly extended his arm against Bastoni. It was slight contact, but the Milan player made the most of it. However, being a man down did not cause the game to tip in favor of the Nerazzurri. In fact, it was Turin who had the best chance to take the lead after the restart. McKennie missed the opportunity after Cambiaso’s long-range shot (51′).

Juventus strikes back once again – but still loses

As the game progressed, Inter took control, while Juve’s energy waned. It took until the 76th minute, however, before substitute Esposito, a product of the club’s youth academy, headed home to give Inter the lead, after Di Gregorio in goal had made a number of impressive saves. But Juventus had an answer to that too, with Locatelli equalizing seven minutes later (83′).

But the league leaders had an answer once again: after Bisseck’s lay-off, Zielinski fired a long-range shot into the corner, wrong-footing Di Gregorio (90′). The celebrations were then unrestrained, as Juventus threw everything forward in added time but failed to score again.

Inter, now 15 points ahead of their guests in the table, face Bodö/Glimt in the Champions League play-offs on Wednesday at 9 p.m. The day before, Juve will be guests at Galatasaray Istanbul at the same time.

Lions stage comeback in Frankfurt, defeats for Ulm and Ludwigsburg

Jeffrey Gooding
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Lions stage comeback in Frankfurt, defeats for Ulm and Ludwigsburg

The Braunschweig Lions staged a late comeback against the Skyliners Frankfurt, while Ratiopharm Ulm and the Ludwigsburg Giants suffered bitter defeats in the battle for the playoffs. Meanwhile, the Towers Hamburg’s winning streak has come to an end.

Ulm with a weak performance in Vechta

Ulm wanted to catch up with the top teams in Vechta, but from the start, the Baden-Württemberg team lacked the necessary momentum. They got off to a bad start and were already trailing by double digits after the first ten minutes. While almost nothing went right for them offensively in the first half (37.5 FG%), the hosts played a really good game. They moved the ball superbly (13 assists) and shot well from the field (almost 60 percent), which is why they more or less maintained their lead at halftime (49:49). After the break, Ulm came back with noticeably more energy and cut the deficit to 3 points midway through the third quarter, but Vechta, led by the strong Tevin Brown (15 points), responded with an 11:2 run that restored their previous lead. Ulm made another run in the final quarter, but Vechta kept their cool and held on to their lead.

The visitors’ best player was star player Christopher Ledlum with 18 points, 11 rebounds, and three assists. Mark Smith contributed another 13 points and 12 rebounds. In addition to Brown, national team player Tibor Pleiß also shone for Vechta with 12 points and seven rebounds.

Lions stage late comeback in Frankfurt

For three quarters, it looked as if Frankfurt would celebrate a comfortable home win against the bottom team in the table. As has often been the case in recent weeks, the Lions got off to a weak start: they shot poorly from the field, turned the ball over too often and found themselves trailing by double digits early on.

But then, in the final quarter, the game suddenly turned around. The Skyliners couldn’t get anything to fall on offense and committed unnecessary turnovers, while the Lions cut the deficit bit by bit. A three-pointer by Luka Scuka made it -4 with two minutes left on the clock, before Grant Sherfield tied the game with nine seconds left. The Skyliners then had a chance to win the game, but William Christmas’ (22 points) layup missed its target, sending the game into overtime. Frankfurt closed the gap to one point in the final seconds, but Braunschweig kept their cool at the line and Isaiah Swope’s long three-pointer missed the target by a clear margin. That sealed Braunschweig’s first win after seven consecutive defeats. Kaza Kajami-Keane and Sherfield contributed another 14 points. Jaedon Le Dee (14 points, 13 rebounds) was the best player for the hosts alongside Christmas. Swope scored 13 points.

Important victory for Ludwigsburg, Towers’ winning streak comes to an end

Oldenburg laid the foundation for their clear victory with an outstanding first half. They came out of the gates firing on all cylinders and dominated offensively at will. They shot over 60 percent from the field and nearly 54 percent from beyond the arc, giving them a comfortable 14-point lead after 20 minutes. The outstanding Tomislav Zubcic and Nicholas Tischler were responsible for almost half of Oldenburg’s 56 points (27) at that point. After the break, the home team extended its lead even further, deciding the game before the final quarter. Zubcic was the top scorer with 25 points, and four other Oldenburg players also scored in double figures. For LuBu, Babacar Sane was the only player in normal form with 23 points, while the rest disappointed. A three-pointer by Devon Daniels (15 points) gave them their first lead since the final minutes in the middle of the final quarter.

The game remained close for a long time, until the Baskets took a +5 lead with 60 seconds left on the clock thanks to a difficult layup by Grayson Murphy, which sealed the deal.
With eleven points and eight assists, Murphy was also one of his team’s best players, led by Jeffery Garrett (18 points, 7 rebounds) and Alijah Comithier (16). Zsombor Maronka was the Hanseatic team’s most successful scorer with 17 points.

McLaren driver Oscar Piastri admits: We don’t know where we really stand

Phil Laffertey
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McLaren driver Oscar Piastri admits: We don’t know where we really stand

Can McLaren compete for the world championship title again this year? After the test drives, Oscar Piastri admits that they don’t yet know where they really stand.

During testing in Bahrain, Formula 1 is discussing Mercedes’ new power unit, fierce criticism from Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen, and Aston Martin’s crisis. The performance of McLaren, which started the new season as defending champion, has hardly been the focus of attention so far.

Perhaps this is because there is no answer yet. “I don’t know where we stand in the pecking order,” ponders McLaren driver Oscar Piastri himself. “I think it looks a bit like the top four teams are still the top four teams, but I don’t know exactly where we fit within that group at the moment.”

But: “I definitely don’t think it will be the Australian Grand Prix we had last year—unfortunately,” adds the Australian. Last year, McLaren dominated the season opener until a rain shower led to chaos and a costly mistake by Piastri.

Instead of a podium finish, the McLaren driver ended up in ninth place. “Hopefully it will be a little different in terms of the result,” he adds with a smile. “In any case, we won’t come out with the performance we had in Melbourne last year.”

A lot can happen before the first race

On the other hand, a lot could still change before the season starts in two weeks. “There are so many things that all the teams still need to sort out and get right,” warns the 24-year-old. “The difference between right and wrong isn’t a few hundredths or even a few tenths, but significant.”

“If things really go wrong, it can make more than half a second.” Piastri is therefore reluctant to make any predictions about the current balance of power after the first test drives in Bahrain. “I think everyone still has a lot to sort out.”

McLaren “probably doesn’t even know how fast we actually are,” adds the Australian. “We don’t know which problems are simply inherent in the system and cannot be fixed. We don’t know which problems we can solve tomorrow, which ones by the first race. And I think all eleven teams will have similar thoughts.”

Piastri: “The cars are definitely different”

However, Piastri is reluctant to criticize the new regulations. “The cars are definitely different, that’s for sure,” he says diplomatically. “I think the slow corners probably feel similar or maybe even a little better because the car is a little lighter.”

“But the performance in fast corners, in terms of downforce, is significantly lower compared to last year. We’ve learned a lot this week about how to get the most out of the power unit. It’s definitely unfamiliar, but it’s a new challenge for everyone.”

“Great school”: Why low points were not a disadvantage for Sebastian Vettel

Jeffrey Gooding
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“Great school”: Why low points were not a disadvantage for Sebastian Vettel

Sebastian Vettel talks about pressure and expectations in sport: Why low points and nervousness can actually be helpful—and what you can learn from them for life
Four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel has spoken openly about how he dealt with the low points of his Formula 1 career – and admitted that there is no universal recipe for dealing with nervousness and pressure. “I think it’s very individual,” says the 38-year-old.

“There is no one recipe that works for everyone,” adds Vettel in an interview with Entrepreneur Middle East when asked about dealing with the mental and physical aspects of Formula 1. “Everyone is different. Everyone performs differently. Everyone needs a different environment to perform.”

“But when you talk about pressure and how to deal with nervousness or expectations, you have to be open enough to ask yourself why you’re experiencing this feeling of nervousness right now and not, for example, the day before.”

“What’s actually so bad about it when it gets out of hand? How can you learn to control it? People often say, ‘I wish I wasn’t nervous.’ But actually, nervousness is good,” adds Vettel, emphasizing that a certain amount of tension can even be useful and helpful.

“You can channel nervousness in a positive direction”

“You need it because it also means that you’re ready, that you’re excited—and you can use that feeling and channel it in a positive direction. That’s exactly what I mean when I say it’s very individual.” That’s why the four-time world champion can’t give a blanket answer.

“But I think you shouldn’t be afraid to ask yourself why you feel the way you do, what you might be missing at the moment, what the environment around you is like, what gives you a feeling of well-being. You should try to create more of what gives you peace and security so that you can perform well – and perhaps reduce the things that are less good, or consciously face them.”

Vettel adds that he learned a lot from his time in Formula 1 about how to deal with difficult moments – and that he has carried these experiences with him into his life after his career ended. “Even within a season, there are ups and downs. You have to keep going. You have to look ahead.“

”There are many things that work against you and don’t work out the way you imagine. Even if it may look from the outside as if everything is happening very easily. It never is,” reveals Vettel. “There are many obstacles along the way, many challenges that you can’t see from the outside, but which you have to deal with. It’s a great learning experience for everything that comes after.”

Rivola declares war for 2026: “Aprilia can deliver more”

Lesley Summerville
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Rivola declares war for 2026: “Aprilia can deliver more”

Aprilia is starting the 2026 MotoGP season with a lot of confidence—Massimo Rivola talks about increased expectations but also warns of strong competition.

Aprilia CEO Massimo Rivola looks ahead after a strong 2025 season and sets out clear expectations for MotoGP 2026. Although last year was good, what matters most to him is looking to the future.

“It was a good season, but you know me, I prefer to look forward rather than back,” explains the Italian. The results achieved would bring with them additional responsibility. At the same time, he is convinced that the current structure of the company allows for more: “The way the company is set up now, it can deliver more.”

In 2025, Aprilia experienced its most successful MotoGP season to date: Despite Jorge Martin’s prolonged absence, the factory team achieved three Grand Prix victories, six further podium finishes, and three sprint victories, all achieved by Marco Bezzecchi. He finished third in the riders’ standings. Aprilia was the second-best manufacturer.

Patience with Martin, podium battle with Bezzecchi

With regard to the rider lineup, Rivola emphasizes that Aprilia is ready to fight in 2026 despite the different starting positions of the two riders. They have “two riders with different stories,” but the goal is clear: they want to attack.

Rivola talks about Martin in particular detail. Both the team and the rider himself need to be patient. “We know his character, his talent, his speed; he just needs to be 100 percent physically fit, then he will certainly be a force to be reckoned with,” believes the Aprilia racing boss.
At the beginning, he says, what is needed above all is calm and time to recover fully physically and then build confidence. Bezzecchi already managed to do that last year. Rivola enthuses that it now feels as if he has been “in the team for ten years, not just one.”

“He has proven his speed, and we expect him to start the season where he left off, namely in the fight for podium places.”

Apart from Ducati: Who else will be dangerous in 2026?

The strong finish to the 2025 season automatically raises expectations. When you finish like that, it creates pressure, explains Rivola. At the same time, we mustn’t forget that Marc Marquez missed the end of last season due to injury.

“That makes all the difference,” says Rivola. “We definitely have to remain very humble and continue working as we have been. Of course, there are expectations for Marco, expectations for the bike, and with Jorge we have to start building a common ground, because we haven’t done that yet.”

Basically, the situation is similar every year: you want to finally get started and see where you actually stand. Looking at the competition, Rivola expects an intense season.
Ducati is being kept in mind, but other manufacturers are also getting stronger. Rivola highlights KTM, among others: “We’ve seen Pedro [Acosta], and I think Maverick [Vinales] will also be very fast.” He also points to Honda: thanks to a noticeable improvement, the manufacturer has lost some of its concessions and will therefore certainly be “part of the game.”

His conclusion for 2026 is accordingly: Rivola expects strong challengers and many good races. “It will be a really nice challenge and exciting racing.”

After Verstappen’s criticism: Red Bull now under even greater pressure to succeed

Andrew Jackson
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After Verstappen’s criticism: Red Bull now under even greater pressure to succeed

Max Verstappen criticizes the new regulations and is “not enjoying himself” anymore: It is up to Red Bull to keep the world champion in Formula 1 with a car capable of winning.

Is Red Bull worried about its biggest draw? After Max Verstappen’s clear criticism that Formula 1 is “no fun” anymore under the new regulations, there seems to be only one option left for the Bulls to keep the four-time world champion: a car capable of winning.

“It’s not my goal to make him happy,” says technical director Pierre Wache when asked what the team can do to make Verstappen happier despite the current situation. But: “We can make him happy by winning races.”

“My job and the job of the team at my level is to make sure we give him the tools to fight at the top. The regulations themselves and how the car is designed—in other words, how the car feels as a result of these regulations—are beyond our control.“

”That’s a discussion with the FIA,“ Wache emphasizes. ”We can participate in that, but the main purpose and focus is to make the car better.” According to Wache, it is therefore up to the FIA and not Red Bull to convince Verstappen of the benefits of energy management and the new cars.

Max Verstappen needs a car that can win

What Red Bull can control, however, is the car itself: a winning car in the hands of Verstappen could drown out all the Dutchman’s concerns. But where the RB22 really stands remains unclear, as all teams are keeping their true pace a secret so far.
The test drives resemble a tactical game between the teams: Mercedes has good reasons to hide its own potential due to the discussion about its power unit and claims that Red Bull’s new power unit is the leader in sustainable energy use.

The Mercedes customer teams, led by McLaren, take a similar view but believe their power unit could be brought up to a comparable level. Red Bull denies having the most effective power unit, while Verstappen scoffs at Mercedes’ claim that the compression ratio trick only adds one or two horsepower.

Red Bull believes: “We are behind”

“It’s hard to say,” Wache ponders the current balance of power. “We are certainly not the benchmark. Clearly, the top teams, namely Ferrari, Mercedes, and McLaren, are ahead of us. According to our analysis, we are behind. But it’s difficult to say exactly where we stand because the teams’ schedules, fuel quantities, and power demands are hardly comparable.”

“At the moment, we see ourselves as the fourth fastest package, but that could be wrong,” adds the technical director, who apparently doesn’t look at the timesheets. “We don’t spend too much time worrying about that, but focus on improving the car.” And that’s mainly to convince Verstappen after all…

Tennis stars pull out of Dubai

Phil Laffertey
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Tennis stars pull out of Dubai

The top players have decided at short notice not to take part in the upcoming 1000-category tournament—for various reasons.

Tennis stars Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek will not be playing in the WTA 1000 tournament in Dubai as planned. Both withdrew from next week’s competition on Saturday.

“I have such a special connection to the tournament, the fans, and the city. Unfortunately, I’m not feeling 100%,” said world number one Sabalenka, according to the organizers. The four-time Grand Slam winner from Belarus has not played a match since losing the Australian Open final to Jelena Rybakina.

Swiatek, ranked number two in the world, played in the tournament in Doha this week but was eliminated in the quarterfinals by Maria Sakkari (Greece). Now the six-time Grand Slam winner from Poland has announced that she will not be competing in Dubai due to a change in schedule.

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