
Real Madrid beat Barcelona for first time in women's Clasico
23 Mar 2025 17:55
Barcelona (AFP)Real Madrid's women's team earned their first ever victory over Liga F champions Barcelona with a shock 3-1 away triumph on Sunday at the Olympic stadium.Pere Romeu's Barcelona remain top of the table, four points ahead of second place Madrid after losing their second league match this season under rain and hail before a crowd of nearly 36,000 fans.Barcelona have won the Spanish top flight five years running and last season lifted the quadruple.However they have not hit the same heights so far in the current campaign, with a 46-game unbeaten streak in Liga F ended by Levante in February, as Barca suffered a first ever domestic defeat at their Johan Cruyff stadium."We're upset, like the day when we lost against Levante at home," said two-time Ballon d'Or winner and Barcelona midfielder Alexia Putellas."It's part of sport, losing, winning or drawing. You can never be certain of winning."Over the 90 minutes when the result is like this, we did something badly and they did something well so we have to correct that and continue."Real Madrid's women's team began in 2020 after taking over CD Tacon, which was founded in 2014.Alba Redondo sent Madrid ahead just before half-time, before Caroline Graham Hansen levelled for Barca in the 67th minute.Jana Fernandez netted for Barcelona but the goal was controversially disallowed for offside, when it appeared to be on -- and with VAR not operating in Liga F the decision stood.Real Madrid's Scottish attacker Caroline Weir fired the visitors ahead in the 87th minute and struck again in stoppage time to round off a famous win."It's special," Madrid's Redondo told DAZN. "Clasicos are Clasicos, there was a nice atmosphere, playing at a place like Montjuic... we will keep evolving."We always believed (we could beat them), we have a big squad, they have a lot of quality to be at the top, but we believe we can win all games."Today is a party because it's the first time (we've done it)."
Real Madrid visit Arsenal in the women's Champions League on Wednesday boasting a 2-0 advantage from the quarter-final first leg, while Barcelona host Wolfsburg on Thursday with a 4-1 lead.

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Time Out Abu Dhabi
6 hours ago
- Time Out Abu Dhabi
These are the best swimming pools for fitness in Abu Dhabi
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The National
a day ago
- The National
Christian Vieri: Atletico Madrid to win Club World Cup and Al Hilal to be surprise package
Christian Vieri was a legendary striker through the 1990s and early 2000s, finishing his career with an incredible 236 goals in 476 games. Vieri played for some of Europe's biggest clubs and also managed 23 goals in 49 caps for the Italian national team. This summer, three of his former clubs – Juventus, Inter Milan and Atletico Madrid – will take part in the expanded Fifa Club World Cup. Vieri will be there to see it as a pundit for broadcaster DAZN. With the tournament set to begin on Saturday, he spoke to The National to offer his predictions for the weeks ahead. All 63 games will be live on DAZN for free. Q: With 32 teams now involved, how do you feel about the new format of the Club World Cup? A: It's like a mini Champions League. I read in the papers last week that whoever wins is going to win $120 million, something like that. That is big prize money. So all the teams are going to go there and try to win. It is a lot of money. I think when Fifa organises something, they always do an amazing job. Q: Do you think the expansion enhances global football or do you think it dilutes the prestige? A: I think it's good for football. Of course, there's a lot of games during the season. So a lot of people say that the players need to go on vacation, and I understand that because they play a lot of games. But when you've got a tournament like this, and teams from all over the world playing, I think it's good. It's good for the clubs because they're going to make a lot of young players play, that didn't play too much during the season. At the end, it's not easy to play in the summer in America. It's going to be very hot. But I think it's going to be good for the clubs and for the young players. Q: As someone who played for Inter, Atletico Madrid and Juventus, what does it mean for these clubs to represent their leagues on this stage? A: It's very important because we're talking about the biggest teams in the world. And like I said, maybe Lautaro [Martinez] is not going to play all the games and some young players are going to play. So I think it's good for the clubs to see the young players. These are the biggest teams in the world. They're always going to go play a tournament to win. Like I said, it's like winning a Champions League in one month instead of one year. Atletico is going to go to win, Juventus, Inter [the same]. Q: In your role as a pundit, which games are you excited to be watching and commenting on? A: I like talking about strikers, teams that attack. Because I want to have fun, like you guys, like the fans that go to the stadium and pay the ticket. I want to see games, I want to have fun, I want to laugh. I don't want to talk about tactics because I never talk about tactics. When I work here in Italy, I always say, 'If you guys want the tactic guys, go get the guys with the glasses'. I'm another thing. I want to have fun. I don't want to talk about tactics. 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There's one or two Scudetti that we left there during the season. The fans feel it – we should have won more. Even the players know they left something during the season. But like I said, two finals in three years of the Champions League, that's a lot. He did an amazing job. I would've liked to see him for another two, three years because Inter has a big team and they could have kept going with him. But that's how it is. You've got clubs that change coaches three times in a year. He left. He wanted a change. He had no more energy after the 5–0. That game took all the energy out of him. He wanted a change. He spoke to the club, and that's what they decided to do. Q: Do you think Al Hilal made the right decision? Do you think that Inzaghi can win this competition with them? A: I think maybe not for this one. It's not easy to come in and win a tournament. If they win, it's because the team is already there. Like you said, they've got big names. But he's a good coach, he likes to win games and win trophies. He's got something more than other coaches. They did good getting him for the next two years. It was a good proposition, a lot of money, but a good choice for the club. Q: His first game in charge is against Xabi Alonso's Real Madrid. How do you see that one going? A: Wow! That's going to be a phenomenal game. Two new coaches. Real's a big team. It's not easy for Inzaghi, your first game is against Real Madrid? That's tough. Whatever the result, it's a big game. But I think in the next two years, Inzaghi's going to do well with the team. Hopefully he does a good Club World Cup. If he gets past the first couple of games, he might even face Inter. It's going to be a heart attack. Q: The Gulf region is growing in football. Do you see more players and coaches doing what Inzaghi did and moving there? A: Yeah, I think so. Listen, what they have is the money. But it's not just throwing money away. If you want Inzaghi, you have to pay Inzaghi. If you want Cristiano Ronaldo, you've got to pay Cristiano Ronaldo. But it's going to become one of the biggest competitions in the world. Slowly, eventually. You get [Karim] Benzema, Cristiano – all the players are going to go there. And instead of taking 25 years, maybe it takes five to 10. Even if they're in their thirties, they don't want to lose games. I think they're on the right track. And getting the right coaches is key – you need good coaches to make teams better. I think it's already one of the big leagues in the world. Q: Juventus are in a tough group with Manchester City and Al Ain from the UAE. How do you see that group going? Any surprises or is it City all the way? A: City, all the way. Juventus, I don't know. This year, they didn't play good. Thiago Motta got sacked halfway [through the season], then Igor Tudor came – one good game, one bad. Juventus need to play better. They are a big club. The fans weren't happy. 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It's good for the players to work with a coach like that. He played for Inter for a lot of years. He knows the club, he knows the players. I remember reading in the papers that they wanted someone young, with fresh ideas. We'll know more in a few months.


The National
a day ago
- The National
When does Club World Cup 2025 start and how to watch in UAE?
The Fifa Club World Cup is upon us and there is a sense of cautious optimism as an expanded tournament with a huge prize pool kicks off in a new territory. Home team Inter Miami kickstart the 32-team tournament this weekend against Egyptian giants Al Ahly, marking the beginning of a new journey for the sport. Football is making its first big inroad in North America this century. The Club World Cup will not only bring the global sport to a relatively untapped and lucrative market but also serve as preparation for the big event next year – the Fifa World Cup that takes place across the US, Canada and Mexico. Some of the biggest clubs in the world will be in action in the US over the coming weeks, from European giants Real Madrid, PSG and Manchester City to Saudi Arabian heavyweights Al Hilal, South American powerhouses Boca Juniors and Fluminense and representatives of all confederations. However, things have been far from smooth. President Donald Trump's travel bans, tightening rules around overseas visitors and a deteriorating law and order situation in Los Angeles, one of the host cities, over immigration policies have shifted the focus away from the actual tournament. According to reports, there is lukewarm demand for tickets for the Club World Cup, forcing Fifa to slash prices. Even so, the stakes are very high for the competing teams. The 32-team tournament has a staggering $1 billion in prize money on offer, with the top teams standing to take home up to $125 million. The incentive will be even bigger for teams like South Africa's Mamelodi Sundowns, who will receive a guaranteed minimum of almost $10 million, which is equivalent to the prize money for 10 domestic titles. When does the Club World Cup start and how to watch in UAE? The 2025 Club World Cup begins on Saturday with a clash between Egypt's Al Ahly and home team Inter Miami at the Hard Rock Stadium. The match begins at 4am (UAE time) on Sunday. All 63 matches will be shown live around the world on streaming platform DAZN. Fans can sign up here and watch the competition on any device. Group A guide: Opening fixtures Saturday, June 14 Al Ahly v Inter Miami (Group A), Hard Rock Stadium, Miami, (4am Sunday UAE time) Sunday, June 15 Bayern Munich v Auckland City (Group C),TQL Stadium, Cincinnati (8pm) PSG v Atletico Madrid (Group B), Rose Bowl Stadium, Los Angeles (11pm)