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Embarrassing Ouattara Panenka caught on camera: Brentford fails in penalty shootout

Premier League seventh-placed Brentford suffered a somewhat surprising defeat in the FA Cup round of 16 at basement club West Ham on Monday evening. Penalties were already a hot topic of discussion during regular time, before Ouattara finally sealed the Bees’ fate with an embarrassing Panenka from 11 meters.
It has become something of a tradition this season for FA Cup matches involving West Ham United to go into extra time at the very least. In the third round, the Hammers advanced against Queens Park Rangers after 120 minutes (2-1), and West Ham also needed extra time to beat Burton Albion (1-0). Monday evening’s all-Premier League clash with Brentford was set to go one step further.

But first things first: The Bees, who are eleven places above West Ham in the Premier League, started the game at London Stadium with determination. A first dangerous warning shot from Henderson (6′) was followed by the first big chance from Kayode – but the advancing defender’s shot was far too central (11′).

The home side proved much more efficient, suddenly taking the lead in the 19th minute: after a cross from Mateus Fernandes, Ajer unfortunately set up Bowen, who finished coolly from five yards out. The response came from Igor Thiago, who deflected a powerful Collins header with his chest (28′).

A clear miss – but the whistle remains silent

But West Ham did not let that throw them off course and took the lead again with a VAR penalty: Bowen took advantage of Kayode’s gift (foul on Adama) to make it 2-1 (34′). Just five minutes later, however, the visitors vehemently demanded a penalty when Mateus Fernandes clearly stepped on Schade’s foot in the penalty area and then looked guilty. Referee Andrew Madley let play continue and was not called to the screen by VAR – a highly controversial decision (39′).

After the break, West Ham looked for the decisive goal through their busy substitute Summerville, but were not clinical enough in front of the opponent’s goal. That’s why the Premier League’s bottom club actually had to swallow the equalizer: Once again, the lively Ouattara initiated the move, Summerville clumsily pushed opponent Kayode in the back in the five-meter box – and this time there was a penalty. Igor Thiago stepped up and, like Bowen before him, scored a brace (81′).

Donovan misses the chance to seal the win

Once again, it was “only” enough for extra time for the Hammers. In extra time, Bees substitute Donovan missed the best chance (105+2), which is why it ultimately went to penalties. West Ham’s professionals converted with dreamlike certainty, mostly into the top right corner. In the end, a single miss decided the game: Ouattara, who had played strongly throughout the 120 minutes, took Brentford’s second penalty and attempted an embarrassing Panenka, which keeper Areola had been waiting for and therefore caught the ball.

Now the Hammers are even dreaming of the big prize: before the kickoff, the draw had already determined that the winner of the match at London Stadium would face Premier League newcomers Leeds United at home. In the big game, Manchester City will face Liverpool FC.

Xavi on successor Flick: “Came to my house to apologize”

Almost two years after leaving FC Barcelona, club legend Xavi has had harsh words for the club’s management under Joan Laporta—and defended his successor Hansi Flick. The current president immediately countered, suspecting a conspiracy.

Hansi Flick has been coach of FC Barcelona since the summer of 2024 – and has been very successful with the Catalans. With eleven games to go before the end of the season, the Blaugrana are back in first place in La Liga, four points ahead of their great rivals Real Madrid. In Flick’s first year, they won the double, the league title and the Copa del Rey.

At the time, the club had installed the former national coach as the successor to club legend Xavi, who had experienced turbulent years as coach and had only won one championship. In addition, Barca failed twice in the preliminary round of the Champions League under him. Nevertheless, Xavi had wanted to fulfill his contract until 2025, after having announced his resignation in the meantime. However, the club opted for Flick.

Flick apologized to Xavi

Almost two years later, he has now lashed out at the club’s management team led by president Joan Laporta: During the period when “the club had already decided to sack me, but no one told me to my face,” those responsible had already held initial contract talks with Flick, Xavi told Catalan newspaper La Vanguardia.

His successor later apologized personally for this approach: “The club told him not to say anything to me, so he came to my house to apologize,” Xavi continued. His relationship with Flick is ‘excellent’ and they communicate well: “We text each other all the time,” Xavi emphasized.

However, the former coach sharply criticized Laporta and Co. His beloved club needs “a fundamental change” in “its structure and professionalism,” Xavi explained: “We cannot rely on dishonest people.” In the summer of 2023, the president also prevented the return of Lionel Messi, which had already been agreed between the two former teammates: “Laporta told me in no uncertain terms that he would declare war on Leo if he came back and that he couldn’t allow that to happen. Suddenly, Leo stopped answering his phone because he had been told it was impossible.”

Meanwhile, Laporta fired back in Marca: “The facts show me that I was right, because with Xavi we would have continued to lose. I understand that he is hurt, because with the same players he had and with whom he lost, Flick is winning.” The former midfielder’s statements are an attempt to damage him in the ongoing battle for the presidency, in which Xavi is supporting rival candidate Victor Font: “He has allowed himself to be used by Victor Font, who is behind him and wants to dirty the process,” Laporta claimed.

After publicly criticizing the referee: Rodri fined

After the draw at Tottenham Hotspur, Rodri publicly criticized the referee’s performance. As a result, the Manchester City midfielder has now been fined.

“I know we’ve won too often and people don’t want us to win, but the referee has to be neutral,” Rodri said after the game at Spurs (2-2), referring to referee Robert Jones. It comes as no surprise that this was not particularly well received, especially by the English refereeing community and the English Football Association (FA).
Consequently, the Spaniard has now been sanctioned for this statement.
In a statement issued by the FA on Monday, it said: “An independent regulatory commission has sanctioned Rodri for his comments to the media after Manchester City’s Premier League match against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday, February 1.”
Specifically, Rodri must pay a fine of £80,000 (around €92,000) for “inappropriate behavior.”
Specifically, Rodri must pay a fine of £80,000 (around €92,000) for “inappropriate behavior.” However, the 2024 Ballon d’Or winner has avoided a suspension, which had also been on the table.

In a letter that was also part of the proceedings, Rodri apologized and explained that his statements were made “in a moment of frustration after a disappointing result.” He added that his team had been affected by similar decisions “two or three games in a row.”

Nevertheless, in a second letter, he acknowledged that his comments were “inappropriate and fell short of the expected standards.” “I have always had great respect for referees and the difficult job they do in a fast-paced environment under high pressure, and I continue to have that respect.”

In the game in North London, ManCity had given up a 2-0 lead. The Skyblues were particularly unhappy about the goal that made it 1-2, as Dominic Solanke, who later scored the equalizer with a great “scorpion kick,” had kicked Marc Guehi in the calf beforehand.

BVB newcomer gets involved: 23 red cards in match in Brazil

After a seven-year dry spell, Cruzeiro has won the regional championship in Minas Gerais. However, a late mass brawl between the players pushed this into the background.

Cruzeiro has successfully prevented archrival Atletico Mineiro from winning another title. However, this year’s final of the regional championship in Minas Gerais, Brazil, known as the Campeonato Mineiro, is unlikely to be remembered for that reason. In the final seconds, the match, which was played on Sunday in Belo Horizonte, got completely out of control.

With stoppage time already underway and Cruzeiro leading 1-0, Cruzeiro striker Christian collided with Atletico goalkeeper Everson, who had just parried a shot in his own five-meter area and secured the ball. Christian, who had fallen spectacularly over Everson in the collision, quickly got back to his feet—only to be violently wrestled back to the turf by the goalkeeper. With his knee on Christian’s chest, Everson prevented him from getting up.

The striker’s teammates quickly rushed to his side, whereupon a wild brawl broke out around the Atletico goal. Punching and kicking ensued, often with runners taking a run-up, along with numerous shoves. It took around ten minutes for tempers to calm down somewhat with the help of security forces and military police.

Hulk: “I’ve never seen such violence at a soccer game”

A total of 23 red cards were subsequently listed in the match report, after referee Matheus Delgado Candancan had initially not imposed any sanctions. Among those sent off were former star striker Hulk, who plays for Atletico at the age of 39, and 17-year-old defender Kaua Prates, who will move from Cruzeiro to Borussia Dortmund in the summer.
“I’ve never seen such violence in a soccer game,” Hulk told local media afterwards, apologizing for what had happened. “We mustn’t set such an example, because it has an impact on the whole world. We have a responsibility to protect our image and that of the club.” When you’re hot-blooded and see a teammate being attacked, you react “automatically.” “Nevertheless, it shouldn’t have happened like that.”

Just a side note for now was that Cruzeiro, coached by former Brazilian national coach Tite, celebrated its first title in seven years in the traditional Campeonato Mineiro, ending the streak of record winners Atletico.

Spectacular MVP showdown with Jokic: SGA gives OKC cause for celebration with game-winning shot

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander decided the game between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Denver Nuggets with a game-winning shot. The reigning champions prevailed 129-126 in a spectacular game against Nikola Jokic and Co.

The Thunder also won the third rematch of last year’s Western Conference Semifinals (4-3 OKC), but it was another close game. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander sank the decisive three-pointer for the win with three seconds left, and with no timeouts left, the visitors had to take a desperation shot from their own half, which missed by a wide margin.

Thus, the Nuggets’ comeback remained uncrowned, as they were still trailing by seven points with about 90 seconds left. Nikola Jokic had made it exciting once again. First, the Serbian scored a four-point play when he was elbowed in the face by Lu Dort, and shortly thereafter he cut the deficit to one point with a hook shot.

Gilgeous-Alexander hit a three-pointer with 14 seconds left, but Jokic had the answer from outside and Jamal Murray was fouled in the process, giving the Canadian a bonus free throw to tie the game – until SGA finally put the game away.

Thunder win without three starters

The Thunder were without their two big men, Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein, as well as All-Star Jalen Williams, while Denver continued to miss Peyton Watson. Nevertheless, the Nuggets had clear advantages on the board, with 26 second chance points keeping them in the game. Jokic recorded another triple-double with 32 points (12/19 FG), 14 rebounds, and 13 assists, while Gilgeous-Alexander impressed on the other side with 35 points (14/21 FG) and 15 assists.

The X-factor for the Nuggets was Tim Hardaway Jr. (28) with eight three-pointers, while Aaron Gordon (23, 10 rebounds) recorded a double-double. On the Thunder side, Hartenstein’s replacement Jaylin Williams (29, 7/11 3P, 12 rebounds) and Ajay Mitchell (24) also broke the 20-point mark.

The Thunder have won all their games (6-0) since SGA’s return, while the Nuggets slip to sixth place after the defeat and are now only 1.5 games ahead of the Phoenix Suns.

BVB championship debut: “Terrible to watch” – but “indescribably” beautiful

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Dortmund hadn’t expected to win the title, but they did it anyway. Perhaps that’s why it was so difficult for the BVB players to put their triumph in the VBL Club Championship into perspective.

Francesco Allocca and Dennis Malcherczyk had not agreed on anything on Sunday evening. There wouldn’t have been time for that anyway. Immediately after winning the German club championship in FC 26 and a brief detour to the presenter’s couch, the Dortmund eSports players gave the traditional winner’s interview. They chose the same term.

Allocca in English, Malcherczyk in German: It felt “indescribable” to hold up the Virtual Bundesliga Club Championship (VBLCC) trophy. “I have no idea what to say – it’s just awesome,” added the latter. This was the spontaneous reaction of two eSports players who are currently experiencing the highlight of their careers so far. And who hadn’t expected it.

“Honestly? No, I didn’t expect that two days ago,” Malcherczyk admitted. It was only the round of 16 on Saturday that really sparked their belief in their chances of winning the title. On the one hand, because of the “absolutely awesome” victory in the local derby against Schalke 04. On the other hand, because of the defeat of defending champions RBLZ Gaming against TSG Hoffenheim.

“The fact that Leipzig lost on the first day gave us the feeling that anything was possible,” said Malcherczyk, who became the match winner in the duel with S04. After Allocca’s 3-4 defeat to Okan Dalgic, he turned the overall result around with a 6-4 victory over Bastian Rupsch. It was a small taste of what was to come over the weekend, when the previous roles were reversed.

‘Denninho’ becomes Dortmund’s MVP in the final

While Allocca had been the more consistent Dortmund player during the league phase, Malcherczyk turned up the heat in the final round. In the quarter-final against Paderborn, he turned a 2-3 deficit after game 1 into a 5-2 overall victory. He then decided the final after a 4-4 draw in the opening game with a 4-3 win against Bayern Munich’s Furkan Kayacik.

Malcherczyk, whose gamertag is ‘Denninho’, became aware of this comeback strength in the last showdown before the final round against Elversberg. At that time, he had to turn the tide for BVB after a 3:5 deficit in match 1 – which he succeeded in doing. “That’s when I realized I could do anything,” said the Dortmund final MVP.

And Allocca, who had played a great regular season but faltered at times in the final round? He was rooting for ‘Denninho’ – especially in the second final match against FCB: “It was terrible to watch. I trust him completely, I wanted it so badly.” The pain of defeat would also have been difficult to describe. But instead, the BVB eSports players were able to celebrate the first eFootball championship in the club’s history – just two and a half years after joining the Virtual Bundesliga. “The biggest title we could win in Germany at club level,” Malcherczyk enthused.

The Dortmund native wanted to save the numerous digital congratulations from friends and family for a few more hours on Sunday evening: “My phone is still in airplane mode. It’ll be a surprise when I go to bed later.”

Liam Lawson on his battle with Sergio Perez: “It was like he was fighting for the world championship!”

Liam Lawson is irritated by the intensity of the battle for 16th place and suspects that old wounds from their Red Bull past have not yet healed.

An intense battle for 16th place is providing new talking points in Formula 1. At the center of it all are Liam Lawson and Sergio Perez, whose duel was almost unbeatable in terms of intensity.
Although it was only a position in the lower midfield at stake, the two drivers did not give each other an inch. Lawson in particular was noticeably irritated by his opponent’s approach in the aftermath.

After the race, the New Zealander stated unequivocally: “He’s fighting me as if it were the world championship, when we’re racing for P16.” This statement illustrates the enormous tension that erupted on the track and seemed to go far beyond a normal battle for position.

Perez vs. Lawson: There was something there

The particular intensity of the duel stems from a complex shared history. Both drivers have experienced a rollercoaster career in the Red Bull universe, marked by twists and turns. Perez lost his place in the top team at the end of 2024 to the up-and-coming Lawson.

However, his meteoric rise was short-lived, as he was transferred back to sister team Racing Bulls after only two races with Red Bull Racing. This sets the stage for a new, old constellation: two drivers whose paths cross on equal footing in the midfield and who both have a score to settle with the past.

Even before Lawson’s recent guest appearance in the A team, for example at the 2024 Mexican Grand Prix, they had already engaged in thrilling duels that gave a glimpse of today’s intensity. To be fair, Lawson said in an interview afterwards that he did not consider Perez’s action to be against the rules: “No, it wasn’t illegal. He was just aggressive.”

Entertaining or unnecessary?

At the same time, he put the incident into perspective in terms of its significance for his own race: “To be honest, I don’t care, it’s about 16th place. My race was already over at that point anyway.”

Sergio Perez himself gave a deliberately matter-of-fact assessment of the incident. “For me, it was just racing, an entertaining duel. There’s nothing more to say about it.” The Mexican refrained from any emotional response and instead focused on the sporting conditions.

His main argument for his aggressive approach was his inferior technology. “I was in a significantly slower car. So I think it’s absolutely fine to fight like that.” For the experienced driver, it’s a question of sporting survival to compensate for the disadvantages of the material with driving skill and maximum determination.

The episode between Lawson and Perez is a prime example of how the personal history of two drivers fuels the dynamics on the race track. Regardless of their World Championship standings, their shared past ensures that every direct encounter promises to be particularly intense.

Adrian Newey: We didn’t recognize Honda’s inexperience

Newey confirms that Aston Martin only realized the extent of Honda’s structural problems in November 2025. What does this mean for the factory team?

Adrian Newey has revealed that Aston Martin only realized in November 2025 how inexperienced Honda’s new Formula 1 team actually is. The project is fundamentally different from the successful years with Red Bull Racing. Many experienced engineers are no longer involved.

When Newey appeared at the FIA press conference in Melbourne, the tense situation was already palpable. The team boss shared more details than he had at the winter tests. He revealed that Honda only had two batteries left for the first race weekend in 2026. But the most important statement was another.

It concerned the overall state of the Honda project. It is well known that the current structure is not comparable to that of the Red Bull era. Newey confirmed this publicly on Friday and explained the background. He emphasized that history was important in this regard.

Difficult restart

“Honda pulled out at the end of 2021. They returned at the end of 2022, so to speak, meaning they were out of competition for about a year. When they reformed, most of the original group had disbanded and were working on solar panels or whatever,” said Newey.

He added: “Many of the newly formed group are newcomers to Formula 1. They didn’t bring the experience they used to have.” The 2023 comeback also coincided with the first year of the engine budget cap. The competition had developed freely in 2021 and 2022.

According to Newey, Honda started with an estimated 30 percent of the original team and under budget restrictions. “So they had a very difficult start and unfortunately struggled to catch up,” said the Briton, explaining the difficult starting position of the project.

Was Aston Martin unaware?

It is particularly noteworthy that, according to Newey, Aston Martin was unaware of this situation for a long time. The factory team contract with Honda was announced in May 2023. At that time, Lawrence Stroll’s organization was apparently unaware of the extent of Honda’s inexperience.

“No, we didn’t know that. We only became aware of it in November last year when Lawrence, Andy Cowell, and I traveled to Tokyo,“ said Newey. The reason for this was rumors that Honda would not achieve its performance targets for the first race.

Newey continued: ”It turned out that many of the original employees had not returned when operations resumed.” This statement is explosive if it does not serve a political purpose. Other teams suspect that the communication could be aimed at the FIA in order to obtain more development opportunities.

Inexperienced factory team not an advantage

If this is not the case, the situation revealed by Newey would be sobering. It would mean that Aston Martin did not fully know what it was getting into when it signed the contract. This raises questions about the preliminary checks that were carried out.

The status of a factory team sounded tempting, and in the long term it is. But the new partner was significantly weaker than during the Red Bull years. Integrating the power unit into the chassis is theoretically a big advantage, but it also carries a risk.

Aston Martin could request complex solutions that Honda would not refuse. However, these could be too ambitious for an inexperienced group. Japanese media reported on such scenarios before the Australian Grand Prix, but HRC President Koji Watanabe denied this.

Honda has its own people instead of external expertise

It’s a difficult balance. Optimal integration of the engine and chassis must be exploited. But given the current problems, Honda must first lay the groundwork. That alone seems to be a challenge.

The projects of Honda and Red Bull Powertrains are difficult to compare. Red Bull built its engine department on its own campus in Milton Keynes. Honda operates mainly from Sakura. This alone creates a completely different reality in terms of logistics. In addition, Red Bull has recruited a wealth of external expertise, primarily from Mercedes HPP. Former Honda employees have also been hired. Honda, on the other hand, built the current project largely from within, which is why, according to Newey, it lacks Formula 1 experience.
Red Bull’s decision to take matters into its own hands was born out of necessity. It followed Honda’s decision to officially leave Formula 1 at the end of 2021. Had Honda not pulled the plug prematurely, the project would look very different today.

Max Verstappen with new criticism: “That’s what I do when I play Mario Kart”

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After the Formula 1 season opener in Australia, Max Verstappen once again criticized the new regulations and drew a comparison with Mario Kart.

It is now well known that Max Verstappen is not a fan of the new Formula 1 regulations. The four-time world champion had already criticized the new Formula 1 during test drives, saying it was “like Formula E on steroids.” After the season opener in Australia, the Red Bull star has once again voiced his criticism.

“If you enjoyed the race, okay,” Verstappen makes clear in an interview with Viaplay. “But I do that at home when I play Mario Kart. Personally, I can’t enjoy it.” After his accident in qualifying, the Dutchman had to start from the back of the grid and fight his way through the field.

Verstappen was able to limit the damage with a sixth-place finish, but he is not satisfied given the new rules and the resulting change in driving style. “So let’s see what we can do,” he said, hoping that there may still be changes to the regulations.

“We’re not just criticizing for the sake of criticizing”

“I hope that we can perhaps even come up with some different solutions in the course of this year to make it more entertaining for everyone,” adds Verstappen, who remains tight-lipped about a possible departure from Formula 1 but rules out leaving in the near future.

“I love racing, but at some point it has to end, right?” says the four-time world champion. “Of course, I hope that something finally happens. Because I’m not the only one saying this, and I think many others feel the same way. Whether we’re drivers or fans, we just want what’s best for the sport.”

“We’re not just criticizing for the sake of criticizing,” emphasizes Verstappen, who is competing in this year’s 24-hour race at the Nürburgring. “We’re criticizing for a good reason: we want Formula 1, the real Formula 1 on steroids. Today, of course, that was not the case again.”

Leclerc: “It’s like the mushroom in Mario Kart”

The world champion is supported by Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc, who already reacted on the team radio during the race after dueling with Mercedes driver George Russell in the early stages. “It’s like the mushroom in Mario Kart,” the Monegasque joked with his engineer.

Cadillac driver Sergio Perez was already amused before the race and commented mischievously in an interview with Sky Sport F1: “Let’s see what happens in this video game race.” Haas driver Oliver Bearman also added when asked that it feels “a bit” like a video game.

“It was like I was in Formula 1 and everyone else was in Formula 2,” the Brit recalls a scene during the race when he was significantly faster thanks to electric power. “But then, of course, you have to recharge the battery, otherwise you’re dead on the next straight.”

“So there are a lot of things to think about, which is complicated,” says Bearman. “But the fact that I finished in P7 means I’m satisfied, even though the car wasn’t the most fun this weekend.”

“It destroys you”: Formula 1 stars appalled by the start of the 2026 season

The Formula 1 season opener in Melbourne demands everything from the drivers—Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz find clear words for the logistical borderline experience.

The Formula 1 season opener in Melbourne is traditionally a highlight on the calendar, but for the drivers and teams, the 2026 Australian Grand Prix marks the beginning of a logistical and physical endurance test. Alex Albon and his Williams teammate Carlos Sainz find clear words for the start of the record-breaking season: “It destroys you.”

In the latest edition of the Williams podcast Team Torque, the two drivers vented their frustration about the strain of traveling. The problem is not only the long journey to Down Under, but also the route that follows. The season opener in Australia is immediately followed by the Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai—a classic double-header.

“It’s interesting that Melbourne is the first race, because it’s far from ideal for our internal clocks,” explains Albon. While the change from Australia to China is manageable due to the similar time zones, the subsequent break causes real chaos in our biorhythms.

Back and forth

Instead of staying in Asia, most teams and drivers return to their European headquarters during the week off after the Chinese Grand Prix.

The travel schedule in detail:
– Week 1: Melbourne (Australia)
– Week 2: Shanghai (China)
– Week 3: Return to Europe
– Week 4: Suzuka (Japan)

“During this week off, we fly back to the UK and land right in the middle of jet lag limbo,” Albon explains the problem. “Just when you’ve gotten used to European time again, you’re back on a plane to Japan – and then it’s back to Europe again.”

Sainz also at his limit

Carlos Sainz agreed with his teammate and reminded everyone that the ordeal is far from over: “And then we have Miami on the other side [of the world],” the Spaniard interjected.

For Albon, it’s clear that this cold start to the world championship is taking its toll: “The start of the season is over in a flash. It destroys you physically. I’m sure everyone in the paddock feels the same way, but it’s a damn hard way to start a season. You have to have your sleep management absolutely perfect.”