La Liga
Barcelona thrash Beckham’s Miami 6-0 in friendly
Raphinha marked his Barcelona debut with a goal and two assists as the Spanish giants kicked off their four-match US tour with a comprehensive thrashing of David Beckham’s Inter Miami on Tuesday (July 19).
The Brazilian, signed from Premier League club Leeds United earlier this month for around €60 million (S$85.5 million), capped a promising first outing for his new club with a well-taken first-half strike after Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang had given the La Liga giants the lead at a sold-out Drv Pnk Stadium.
With fellow new signing Robert Lewandowski not involved ahead of his official unveiling in Miami on Wednesday – following his move from Bayern Munich – it was left to Raphinha, 25, to get the thousands of Barcelona fans in attendance excited about the future.
The Brazilian was making his debut alongside fellow newcomer Andreas Christensen, who left Chelsea at the end of the season, and both were impressive against Phil Neville’s side.
Predictably, Barcelona dominated possession against the MLS team and former Arsenal forward Aubameyang went closest on 15 minutes to opening the deadlock when his close range effort flashed past the post.
There was no denying him soon after when he coolly chipped the ball past Inter Miami keeper Nick Marsman following good work from Pedri and then Raphinha.
And on 25 minutes it was Raphinha’s turn to get on the scoresheet, the Brazilian expertly guiding home an Alejandro Balde cross to double Barcelona’s lead.
It was completely one-way traffic and Raphinha capped a good night’s work with another assist just before half-time, teeing up Ansu Fati who expertly smashed home from close range.
Both teams made a raft of changes after the interval but the outcome was never in doubt, Gavi’s excellent finish from a Memphis Depay corner making it four on 55 minutes before the Dutch forward produced a sublime turn and finish to make it 5-0.
Ousmane Dembele’s driving run helped set up a sixth of the evening with 20 minutes remaining as Neville’s side were completely outclassed.
This was the first game of Barca’s US tour which will see them face Real Madrid, Juventus and the New York Red Bulls before the start of the new La Liga season on Aug 12.
-AFP
A Spanish court on Wednesday handed Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti a one-year prison sentence for failing to pay tax on his image rights revenues in 2014 when the Italian was Real Madrid manager, according to a statement.
Ancelotti, who managed Real Madrid from 2013 to 2015 and between 2021 and 2025, was cleared of a similar charge in 2015, as the court could not prove he had stayed long enough in Spain to incur tax liabilities, the court added. He moved to London after Real Madrid sacked him in May 2015.
Under Spanish law, any sentence under two years for a non-violent crime rarely requires a defendant without previous convictions to serve jail time.
The 66-year-old former Bayern Munich, AC Milan and Chelsea manager is the latest of several soccer celebrities to be investigated and convicted by the Spanish tax authority for alleged tax fraud.
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Raphinha knew there was no reason to panic as Barcelona struggled to break down Espanyol on Thursday and said it was only a matter of time before the “golden feet” of Lamine Yamal steered them to a title-winning victory with a glorious goal.
Yamal, 17, took the ball on the right touchline and made a superb lateral run across the edge of the box before unleashing a curling strike between two defenders and into the top corner to break the deadlock early in the second half.
The stunning strike set Barca on course for a 2-0 win that secured the LaLiga title, with Real Madrid seven points back with only two games left to play.
“We didn’t have many clear chances but we have a kid in there who sometimes pulls something out of the golden feet he has and he gave us peace of mind to stay in the game more calmly,” Raphinha said.
“In January some people were saying we would fight to be third. We have confidence in ourselves. That’s the key. We trust in the work and in what we know we can do.”
Raphinha has scored 18 league goals this season, including a brace in Saturday’s crucial 4-3 win over Real Madrid, and was quick to credit the trust shown in him by coach Hansi Flick.
The Brazilian tripled his goal tally from last season and also has the third-highest number of assists in the competition with nine, three less than leader Yamal.
“The most important thing was the confidence of the coach. Knowing at the start of the season that he was counting on me, a person who controls the team … it changes you in the end,” he said.
-Reuters
Former Spain midfielder Xabi Alonso is set to become the next Real Madrid manager on a three-year deal when he leaves Bayer Leverkusen after this season, Spanish media reported on Monday.
Alonso, 43, is expected to replace current Real boss Carlo Ancelotti, who is being lined up for the vacant Brazil job ahead of the 2026 World Cup, soccer sources told Reuters.
Despite the Italian having a year remaining on his contract, Real’s underwhelming season and his desire to coach Brazil have led to a mutual agreement to part ways, the sources added.
Alonso, who said earlier this month that he was leaving Leverkusen after guiding them to the double last term, will join Real before the inaugural Club World Cup in the United States from June 14 to July 14, multiple media reports said.
Alonso, who also played for Liverpool and Bayern Munich, last season steered Leverkusen to their first Bundesliga title, ending the Bavarians’ 11-year domination, and they also won the German Cup and German Super Cup.
Reports of Ancelotti’s likely departure come as no surprise after Real’s 4-3 defeat at Barcelona in a thrilling ‘El Clasico’ on Sunday left his side on the brink of a trophyless season.
The 65-year-old Italian, who returned for a second stint at Real in June 2021, led the Spanish giants to two Champions League and LaLiga doubles, the latest of which came last season.
He is the most successful manager in the club’s history with a total of 15 trophies and the first coach to claim titles in Europe’s top five leagues.
However, this season Real were knocked out of the Champions League in the quarter-finals by Arsenal and allowed Barca to fight back and win 3-2 in the Copa del Rey final.
Second-placed Real are seven points adrift of Barcelona, who could secure the league title on Wednesday without kicking a ball if Real fail to win at home to Mallorca.
Regardless of Real’s result, a Barca victory in the city derby away to Espanyol on Thursday would clinch the title.
An official announcement regarding a managerial change is expected before Real’s last game of the season at home to Real Sociedad on May 25.
-Reuters
Schmuelgen/File Photo
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