Sports
Alonso’s Tactical Brilliance Shines As Madrid Edge Barcelona In El Clasico Thriller
Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso announced his arrival on Spanish football’s biggest stage with a tactical masterclass that earned his side a 2–1 victory over Barcelona in Sunday’s El Clasico showdown at the Santiago Bernabéu.
The triumph, powered by goals from Kylian Mbappe and Jude Bellingham, not only snapped Barcelona’s four-game winning streak in the historic rivalry but also pushed Madrid five points clear at the top of La Liga.
In his first taste of the heated encounter, Alonso’s calm yet assertive approach helped Madrid dominate the key moments, blending structure and flair to expose Barcelona’s defensive gaps.
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Mbappe, the league’s top scorer, opened the floodgates with a clinical finish after being set up by Bellingham, before Fermin Lopez briefly silenced the home crowd with a well-taken equalizer in the 38th minute. But Madrid’s response was swift—Bellingham struck just before halftime to restore their lead after a clever assist from Eder Militao.
Despite a missed penalty by Mbappe in the second half, Madrid maintained control, neutralizing Barcelona’s possession-heavy play and cutting off supply lines to young star Lamine Yamal, who endured a frustrating evening.
Barcelona’s night worsened when Pedri received his marching orders for a reckless late challenge on Aurelien Tchouameni, igniting tempers on both benches.
Alonso’s men, who have now won nine of their ten league games, appear to have rediscovered the ruthless winning mentality long associated with the club. The win also eased concerns after their earlier derby setback against Atletico Madrid in September.
For Barcelona, assistant coach Marcus Sorg stood in for suspended manager Hansi Flick, who watched helplessly as his injury-ravaged squad—missing Lewandowski, Raphinha, and Olmo—struggled to match Madrid’s intensity.
As the Santiago Bernabéu roared in celebration, Alonso’s understated fist pump told the story — a manager reborn in white, ready to restore Madrid’s dominance both in Spain and Europe.
Portuguese football tactician Carlos Queiroz has made a surprise return as head coach of Ghana’s senior national team, the Black Stars.
The Ghana Football Association announced the 73-year-old’s reappointment on Thursday, weeks after he appeared to signal his departure from the team following their exit from the FIFA World Cup.
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Queiroz took charge of Ghana in April and guided the Black Stars to the last 32 of the tournament before they suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat to Colombia.
Shortly after the loss, the Portuguese coach appeared to announce his departure on social media.
However, following subsequent discussions, the Ghana FA has decided to bring him back for another spell.
The duration of Queiroz’s new contract was not disclosed, but the football association said he would be tasked with preparing the Black Stars for “a successful new phase on the international stage.”
The GFA said Queiroz’s extensive international experience, technical expertise and knowledge of the Black Stars made him the right man to lead the team into its next chapter.
Queiroz has managed several national teams, including Portugal, Iran, Egypt, South Africa, Colombia and Qatar.
He also had two spells as assistant manager at Manchester United under legendary manager Sir Alex Ferguson.
His immediate priority will be Ghana’s 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign, with the qualifiers scheduled to begin later this month.
The Black Stars have been drawn in Group C alongside Ivory Coast, The Gambia and Somalia, although the dates and venues for their opening two matches are yet to be announced.
The Ghana FA said further details on Queiroz’s mandate would be released in due course.
Nigerian winger Femi Azeez has completed a remarkable rise from non-league football to the Premier League after joining Brighton & Hove Albion from Millwall on a four-year contract.
The transfer, for an undisclosed fee, was completed after Brighton and Millwall submitted a deal sheet before the initial 11pm transfer deadline, extending the window until 1am on Wednesday.
Azeez, 25, joins Brighton following an outstanding 2025/26 campaign with Millwall, where he played a key role in the club’s push for the Championship play-offs.
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The Nigerian made 77 appearances for Millwall, scoring 15 goals and registering 13 assists. His impressive performances also earned him places in the PFA and EFL Championship Teams of the Season.
Brighton sporting director Mike Cave welcomed Azeez to the club, describing him as one of the most exciting attacking talents in the Championship.
“We are delighted to add Femi to the squad. He arrives off the back of an excellent season with Millwall, having played a key role for them as they finished in the playoffs,” Cave said.
“He was one of the most exciting attacking talents in the Championship, and we’re delighted to have finally agreed his transfer, and we now look forward to working with him.”
Azeez’s journey to the Premier League has been unconventional. After spending time in Watford’s youth setup, he moved into non-league football with Northwood before spells at Wealdstone and Hanwell Town.
He subsequently earned a move to Reading in 2019 before joining Millwall in 2024, steadily working his way up the English football pyramid.
The winger has also made a strong start to his international career with Nigeria. On his senior debut in June, Azeez scored both goals in the Super Eagles’ 2-0 victory over Zimbabwe.
Four days later, he provided an assist as Nigeria defeated Jamaica 3-0.
Real Madrid defender Raul Asencio has been convicted of drink-driving in Gran Canaria, Spain, after a court found him to have been driving with an alcohol level more than three times above the legal limit.
A court source confirmed the conviction to AFP on Wednesday, stating that the 23-year-old centre-back was fined €14,400 ($16,700) and had his driving licence suspended for eight months.
The case followed an incident on August 16 and was heard at a trial in San Bartolome de Tirajana, a village in Gran Canaria.
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Asencio, who is from the Canary Islands, was not with Real Madrid’s squad at the time of the incident as he was recovering from a hamstring injury suffered at the end of July.
The conviction comes amid another legal case involving the defender. Asencio is due to face a separate court hearing in Gran Canaria over the alleged non-consensual sharing of a sexual video dating back to 2023.
Spanish media reports say Asencio expects to be cleared in that case if the two women filmed in the video formally forgive him.
Three former Real Madrid reserve players are also on trial over allegations that they recorded and distributed the video. The trial is scheduled for September 3, 4 and 7.
The latest conviction adds to a difficult period for the young Real Madrid defender, who has been dealing with both injury and legal issues off the pitch.
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