Ayuso pounces to win Giro stage seven, Roglic takes pink jersey
May 16 (Reuters) - Spain's Juan Ayuso made his move on the climb to the finish to win stage seven of the Giro d'Italia on Friday, his first Grand Tour stage success, with Primoz Roglic moving into the overall lead.
The first mountain stage of the race, a 168km ride from Castel di Sangro to Tagliacozzo, came down to Ayuso having the legs to get away from his rivals in the final 400 metres, with his UAE Team-Emirates colleague Isaac del Toro coming second.
Colombian Egan Bernal (Ineos Grenadiers) was third, denying Roglic (Red Bull–Bora–Hansgrohe) a place on the podium, but the Slovenian did take the pink leader's jersey from Mads Pedersen, with the Dane losing touch on the final climb.
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Telegraph
44 minutes ago
- Telegraph
Watch: Trent Alexander-Arnold wows at Real Madrid unveiling by speaking fluent Spanish
The era of Alexander-Arnold the Liverpool legend is officially over and that of Trent the Galactico has begun at Real Madrid. The presentation of the right-back's No 12 'Trent' jersey at his formal Bernabeu unveiling completed the journey from the Anfield academy to the heights of those footballers considered so famous that they are referenced by Christian name, the request symbolic of a new brand and a fresh start. 'It is quite an easy explanation,' said the 26-year-old. 'I have always found when I travel to Europe the name confuses a lot of people with it being three names, double-barrelled. People call me Arnold, Alexander, Alex and Trent. I just thought let's make it simple with Trent on my back. That's my name so that's what I guess people will call me.' That said, those watching the England player's opening address could have been forgiven for thinking adopting the title Don Juan might have been as appropriate. If Alexander-Arnold's transfer was considered the consequence of a prolonged Bernabeu seduction, this time the charm offensive was from the £10 million recruit as the ex-Kop idol introduced himself in fluent, pitch perfect Spanish. 🗣️🇪🇸 Señor Alexander-Arnold #WelcomeTrent — Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) June 12, 2025 'Thank you for this opportunity. It does not happen every day. It is a dream come true and I am happy and proud to be here. I want to show Real Madrid fans how I play. I am going to give my all for the team,' Alexander-Arnold said in the native tongue of the Madridistas. 'Wow. Impressive. He has clearly had this on his mind for a couple of years,' swooned the translators from Real Madrid TV. 'A few months,' Alexander-Arnold later clarified, no doubt aware that cynics will presume this was an inauguration speech long in its preparation. Given he is such a quick learner, those advertising foreign language crash courses have found a new poster boy. Tougher assignments await the England man in La Liga, but as first impressions go this could not have been better choreographed, even if those left behind at Anfield tuning in may have been watching from behind the sofa, struggling to readjust to such an unfamiliar sight. Alexander-Arnold proved adept at identifying potential hand grenades within questions, careful to be respectful of all that he has left behind while deferential to the status and history of the club he has joined. Asked to compare Real Madrid and Liverpool, he suggested the biggest difference might be the weather. 'I'm fortunate to have played for the biggest club in England and now I am at the biggest club in Spain. There are a lot of similarities,' he said. 'You are expected to win. You are expected to perform week in and week out. That does not change. We are expected to win trophies. That is a demand. We have to deliver. 'It was never a question of where [to go], it was whether or not to go. I have known for a long time that if I did leave Liverpool it would only be for Real Madrid. It was not an easy decision because of how long I have been there for, but eventually you have to make a decision and in my mind it was the right one.' When Alexander-Arnold was encouraged to say he had dreamed of being a Real player even when training on the pitch as a Liverpool teenager in the Champions League, he politely declined the invitation. 'At that time, 10 or so years ago, I was not thinking about being here today,' he said, while the references to his Kop sending-off rightly focused on the day of the trophy presentation and the well-wishers of the club's hierarchy, as well as players, staff and the majority of supporters. Ironically, the formalities began like a tribute to Liverpool as an assortment of clips showcased Alexander-Arnold's many spectacular assists and goals under Jurgen Klopp and Arne Slot. Whatever Real paid to sign the right-back a month early, Liverpool might have grounds to charge more in syndication rights given how many of the commentaries were courtesy of the Premier League's champions own media channel. The Anfield connection continued with references to Real's new manager, Xabi Alonso, being one of Alexander-Arnold's boyhood idols. 'He inspired me because of the way he passed the ball. I told him that,' said the defender of the former Liverpool midfielder. Another topic he seemed enthusiastic to address was the notion that England team-mate Jude Bellingham has acted as a super-agent on Real's behalf, the friendship between the pair vastly over-exaggerated as influential in the move. 'A lot of people think he played a large part in me coming here, but the club speaks for itself,' Alexander-Arnold said. 'We spoke a lot about Liverpool and Madrid as players and friends. You want to know what it's like, of course.' Of all the questions, one stood out as the wolf in sheep's clothing, a seemingly innocuous request to sum up the qualities of Real's local hero Dani Carvajal, whose position Alexander-Arnold wants to make his own. 'He is a fantastic player and I have nothing but respect,' he said, aware there is no bigger legend than the home-grown hero. Alexander-Arnold was that once. Now 'Trent' has accepted the challenge of matching the standards of one of the VIP guests listening to his every word, Roberto Carlos, alongside the current crop of superstars. 'I'm very lucky and proud to be here,' Alexander-Arnold said. 'These are the kinds of players I want to play with. I have admired them. I have played against them, so I know how good they are. To be a part of the team and to be playing with them, rather than against them, will be good.'
BBC News
an hour ago
- BBC News
Cazorla, 40, sends Oviedo into La Liga play-off final
Eight years after being told he should be satisfied if he could walk again, 40-year-old former Arsenal midfielder Santi Cazorla scored the goal that put boyhood club Real Oviedo into the La Liga play-off Spaniard came off the bench at half-time with his side trailing 1-0 to Almeria in the play-off semi-final second leg. Within four minutes, the midfielder scored a free-kick with his weaker left foot to put Oviedo 3-2 up on aggregate. The 1-1 second-leg draw was enough for Oviedo to reach the play-off final, where they will face either Mirandes or Racing Santander."I'm just trying to enjoy what is left of my career, knowing that the end is closer," Cazorla said after the game. "I try to enjoy myself, which is the most important thing. I was sad that I wouldn't start the game but I knew that this game was important. I'm happy I was able to help the team."Cazorla, a two-time European champion with Spain, spent six years at Arsenal and made 180 appearances before leaving in final two years of his time in north London were plagued with suffered an Achilles injury in October 2016, with the midfielder going on to have 11 operations to cure the of the operations led to gangrene with doctors telling Cazorla he should be satisfied to walk the Spaniard pushed to restart his football career and he had his Achilles reconstructed, with doctors grafting skin from his left arm - featuring a tattoo - to his right ankle. Cazorla spent two years at La Liga club Villarreal after leaving Arsenal in 2018, before a three-year stint in re-joined boyhood club Oviedo in 2023, taking on a minimum salary in the hope of returning the club to the top-flight for the first time since 2001.
The Guardian
an hour ago
- The Guardian
Trent Alexander-Arnold's big day in Madrid
If the football doesn't work out for him at Real Madrid, Trent Alexander-Arnold can try his luck as a regular panellist on the Spanish version of Just A Minute, a popular BBC Radio 4 comedy show, in which assorted comedians and luvvies are challenged to speak for one minute on a given subject without 'hesitation, repetition or deviation'. Football Daily is prepared to concede that – written down like that – it actually sounds really boring, but readers who are unfamiliar with the show will just have to take our word for it when we say the show is actually very funny. Or at least it was when we last listened to it about 25 years ago. Of course there is no Spanish version of Just A Minute, almost certainly because most Spaniards of our acquaintance can speak for up to three hours uninterrupted on any given subject without hesitation, repetition or deviation. But we were certainly impressed when Alexander-Arnold stood behind a lectern in the bowels of the Bernabéu at his unveiling as a Real Madrid player, giving a welcome address of more than 60 seconds in what appeared to be perfectly fluent Spanish without once stuttering, pointing at a beer tap or bellowing 'EGG AND CHIPS!!!' at the top of his voice. Short of clacking a pair of castanets or missing the presentation entirely because it clashed with his siesta, Madrid's new signing could scarcely have appeared more native, and his command of a language he appears to have been taking lessons in for a while will do little to allay [or should that be olé? – Football Daily Ed] the suspicions of Liverpool fans that he has been plotting his move to the Spanish capital for a very long time. He may even have been listening to Duolingo through his headphones on the team bus to Brighton a month ago. Either that or he's a very quick learner, because when one hack asked him how long he'd been learning Spanish, Alexander-Arnold smiled and replied 'a few months'. The 26-year-old later added that being a Real player is a 'dream', saying: 'It is something special, I don't take it for granted and I am very happy.' During his unveiling, it was also revealed his shirt number will be 12 (as opposed to his favoured 66) because Spanish rules preclude senior squad players from having anything higher than 25 and the nomenclature under which it will appear will be 'Trent' because why not? A big enough signing to merit a presentation but not so galactico that he had to live out Football Daily's recurring fever dream of being tossed a football and forced to do keepy-uppies in the centre-circle of a packed ground, prior to his Spanish masterclass, Trent and his nearest and dearest sat through a montage of his best bits. Featuring performances from Liverpool and England but mainly Liverpool, it included goals, free-kicks, raking 60-yard diagonals, that corner to tee up Divock Origi for his Big Cup winner against Barcelona, footage of Luis Díaz kneeling to buff his boot with an imaginary rag and almost as an afterthought … some boring defensive interventions. A showreel that left his mum dabbing her eyes with emotion, it was followed by a lengthy oration speech by Florentino Pérez that had her gazing intently at her phone. 'I want you to know that the defining trait of Real Madrid is that, in addition to being great players they are all true Madristas, you will quickly understand what Real Madrid is,' declared their president. At least that's what we think he said but we might need to check with a fluent Spanish-speaker like Trent. Join Niall McVeigh from 8pm BST for hot MBM coverage of the Czech Republic 1-2 England at the European U-21 Championship. 9 June: 'I haven't been captain for a year or two. I've been wearing the armband for 11 years, and I've been playing for the national team for 17. It seemed to me that such matters should be handled differently. Everything was communicated over the phone. It really shouldn't be like this. The coach betrayed my trust' – Robert Lewandowski refuses to play for Poland under Michal Probierz after a row over the international captaincy. 12 June: 'I have come to the conclusion that in the current situation the best decision for the good of the national team will be my resignation from the position of coach. Performing this function was the fulfilment of my professional dreams and the greatest honour in my life' – Probierz comes off second best in the power struggle and takes his leave. If I send you £740,000, will you please send me $1bn, as per the exchange rate on yesterday's News, Bits and Bobs (full email edition) element about Gianni's Club World Cup?' – Chris Hale (and 1,056 others). The solution to England's problems is staring the FA in the face: sack Thomas Tuchel immediately, appoint Ange Postecoglou now and, as usual, you're guaranteed a trophy – mate, it's the 2026 World Cup – in his second season' – Adrian Irving. Re: Mike Slattery's call on naming suggestions for Gianni's latest behemothic construction (yesterday's Football Daily letters), it seems to me that, at least for this edition, Top Trumps would be appropriate' – David Ford. May I suggest Big Bucket? Or – with a bit more hype – the MegaMug?' – Derrick Cameron. Re: the question 'is it OK to play in vintage football boots' (yesterday's last line, full email edition), I still have my Puma boots bought in 1970 – and keep them in their original Puma box. These weren't bought because Pelé was wearing such boots at the 1970 World Cup, but because Leeds United's Allan 'The Sniffer' Clarke (surely the greatest player ever to bestride the Football League, and not to be confused with the lead singer in The Hollies) favoured a pair. I'm now 73, so unfortunately cannot test the OK-ness of playing in them' – Paul Sanderson. If you do have any, please send letters to Today's winner of our prizeless letter o' the day is … Adrian Irving. Terms and conditions for our competitions, when we run them, can be viewed here. Is the game ready for this Club World Cup? The Football Weekly team deliver an extra dose of podcasting action. Everyone loves Santi Cazorla. When he was at his swaggering best for Arsenal – taking corners on different sides with different feet, scoring bangers from outside the box, generally making other midfielders look a bit silly – there was always an unconditional love from Gunners supporters and begrudging respect from opposition fans for the outrageous talent in the Spaniard's boots. And when Cazorla left the Londoners seven years ago, it felt too soon. Now, aged 40 and playing for his boyhood club, Real Oviedo, Cazorla is still doing bits and has just scored a textbook free-kick (with his left foot) to send his side to the Segunda División playoff final, his goal securing a 3-2 aggregate victory over Almería. The outpouring of joy in the stands and on the pitch is almost as good as the goal – Cazorla joined Oviedo's youth team aged eight but didn't play a senior game for them for another 30 years, before signing on the minimum wage, €93,000 (£80,000) per year, so that he wouldn't financially burden his beloved side. 'I would play for free but you're not allowed,' Cazorla told Big Website and (Oviedo fan Sid Lowe) last year. We're not sure when people started using the phrase 'good egg' and when lazy pundits first started using the term 'technician', but Football Daily is pretty sure they were almost certainly talking about Cazorla. Thomas Frank could be announced as the new Spurs boss while you're reading this, and former Brentford player Christian Eriksen reckons that'll be a good thing. 'I think he is the right coach for Tottenham,' cooed Eriksen. 'I have had Thomas at various times and I think he is the perfect match for Tottenham, and it would be great if Thomas takes on that challenge.' The words 'New York Jets owner Woody Johnson' should possibly set alarm bells ringing if you're of an NFL persuasion. And potentially of a Crystal Palace one amid the whole John Textor business. Matheus Cunha. Manchester United. £62.5m move done. 'Ever since I was a child in Brazil watching Premier League games on TV at my grandmother's house, United was my favourite English team and I dreamed of wearing the red shirt,' he trousered. The English pyramid is 'under strain' in a climate of tension between commercial imperatives and the needs of fans, according to a new Deloitte report. England boss Thomas Tuchel has continued his smooth start, now ingratiating himself with Jude Bellingham. 'If he smiles, he wins everyone but sometimes you see the rage, the hunger and the fire and it comes out in a way that can be a bit repulsive,' tooted Tuchel. 'For example, for my mother when she sits in front of the TV. I see that. But in general, we are very happy to have him.' Sheffield United are considering whether to bin off Chris Wilder. And Tom Cleverley – or TC23 for you old-school brand heads – is about to be back in the game, this time at Plymouth Argyle. Spain's Esther González is one of the world's best strikers and she talks to Megan Swanick for the latest edition of our sister email. Sky Sports News's golden age is very much at an end. John Brewin tunes in and explains why. You can keep up with all the latest transfer moves across the summer with our men's and women's interactives. And the Rumour Mill sifts through all the t1ttle-tattle to produce this. A tidy bit of goalmouth action as Marcus Stewart (left) scores for Huddersfield Town to make it 2-2 in their FA Cup fifth-round draw with Derby County at the McAlpine Stadium in February 1999. 'We will win the replay,' declared Terriers boss Peter Jackson. They would lose it 3-1. Remarkably for old-time emails such as ourselves, it's now more than 30 years since Huddersfield moved to the ground from Leeds Road.
