Football

Real Madrid's relentless pursuit of La Liga glory continued on Saturday with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Celta Vigo. Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior emerged as the heroes for the Spanish giants, scoring crucial goals to secure the three points.Mbappe, despite facing allegations of rape, showcased his brilliance on the pitch. The French striker opened the scoring with a stunning long-range effort, leaving Celta goalkeeper Agustin Marchesin helpless. Williot Swedberg equalized for the hosts, but Vinicius restored Madrid's lead with a clinical finish.Madrid's victory was not without its challenges. Celta Vigo played with determination and created several scoring opportunities. However, Thibaut Courtois stood firm in goal, making crucial saves to deny the Galicians.Carlo Ancelotti, Madrid's manager, praised his team's resilience. "I'm happy because we won after the international break, which is not always easy," he said. "When they equalized, our changes gave new energy to the team, and it was a very important win."Ancelotti also highlighted the impact of Luka Modric, who came off the bench to provide the assist for Vinicius's winning goal. "It's a pleasure to coach Modric," he said. "He's a top professional and a great guy."The victory keeps Madrid level on points with Barcelona at the top of La Liga. The two giants will face off in the highly anticipated Clasico next weekend, which promises to be a pivotal moment in the title race.

French soccer star Kylian Mbappé's representatives have vehemently denied allegations of a rape investigation against him in Sweden, labeling the reports as "false and irresponsible."Swedish media outlets, including Expressen and Aftonbladet, reported that the Real Madrid striker was the subject of a rape claim following a visit to Stockholm last week. However, Swedish prosecutors have since issued a brief statement confirming a rape report but refraining from naming any suspects.Mbappé's communications team has condemned the Swedish media for spreading "slanderous" rumors. They emphasized that Mbappé "will under no circumstances tolerate his integrity, reputation, and honor being sullied by unfounded insinuations."The French star himself took to social media to dismiss the allegations as "FAKE NEWS!!!!" and linked to a French article covering the Swedish reports. He also hinted at a possible connection between the reports and a legal hearing in Paris regarding unpaid wages from his former club, Paris Saint-Germain.Swedish media had previously reported on Mbappé's brief stay in Stockholm, publishing photographs of him and his entourage. The French star had been granted permission to skip international duty due to a minor thigh injury.Mbappé's lawyers have expressed bewilderment over the allegations, stating that they are unaware of any specific complaint against their client. They emphasized that a complaint does not constitute proof of guilt.The allegations have sparked widespread attention and concern, given Mbappé's status as one of the world's most prominent soccer players. His representatives have vowed to take legal action against any media outlets that continue to spread false information.

Real Madrid regained their winning ways in La Liga with a 2-0 victory over Villarreal on Saturday, bouncing back from their midweek Champions League defeat at Lille. Fede Valverde and Vinicius Junior scored the goals for Los Blancos, who moved level on points with leaders Barcelona ahead of their match on Sunday.Valverde's deflected effort gave Madrid the lead in the 14th minute, while Vinicius sealed the win with a stunning strike from outside the area in the second half. The victory was marred by an injury to defender Dani Carvajal, who was stretchered off in stoppage time.Madrid's victory was hard-fought, as Villarreal put up a strong challenge. The visitors came close to equalizing on several occasions, but Madrid's defense held firm. The win extends Madrid's unbeaten run in La Liga to 10 matches, and they remain the only team in the division yet to lose a game.Villarreal, meanwhile, remain in third place, four points behind Madrid. They have now lost two of their last three matches, but they will be encouraged by their performance against the league leaders.

Reigning Spanish and European champions Real Madrid have endured a sluggish start to the season, culminating in their first defeat since January. Carlo Ancelotti's side succumbed to a setback at Lille in the Champions League and trail Barcelona by three points in La Liga.Madrid host Villarreal on Saturday, aiming to level points with their Catalan rivals at the summit of the table for the first time this season. Los Blancos commenced the campaign with a draw at Mallorca and have been playing catch-up ever since.Barcelona's seven-match winning streak was halted at Osasuna last weekend. Madrid failed to capitalize fully, drawing 1-1 with Atletico Madrid. However, they can apply pressure on Barca, who visit Alaves on Sunday, with a victory at the Santiago Bernabeu.To achieve that against a formidable Villarreal side, just a point behind Madrid in third, they will need to elevate their performance significantly. Madrid's loss in France marked their first defeat in 37 matches across all competitions."When we lost the derby (against Atletico) last year, it was a fantastic wake-up call, and hopefully, this defeat can also be a fantastic wake-up call," said Ancelotti. "We did everything wrong -- with the ball, transitions, the intensity, we lost the duels... we have to look at things with a cool head and not throw everything away, but we have to improve."Madrid welcomed Kylian Mbappe against Lille after a thigh injury, and the French striker could start against Villarreal. Despite Villarreal's strength, led by Spain international Ayoze Perez, they have conceded in every match this season.Madrid continue to struggle without midfield maestro Toni Kroos, who retired after helping the team to a La Liga and Champions League double. Los Blancos will also field Ukrainian goalkeeper Andre Lunin between the sticks with Thibaut Courtois out injured."We have to analyze and improve in the next game because there is no time -- there are many games, and we have to win," said Lunin after the Lille defeat.Villarreal may be without Perez, who missed Monday's win over Las Palmas with muscular discomfort, and Gerard Moreno is also sidelined. However, striker Thierno Barry is finding form for Marcelino Garcia Toral's side. The French striker scored and got an assist as Villarreal moved up to third with the 3-1 win.Girona and Atletico Madrid also suffered Champions League defeats on Wednesday and both are in action on Sunday, against tricky Basque sides Athletic Bilbao and Real Sociedad respectively.

Real Madrid's impressive unbeaten streak came to an abrupt end with a disappointing 1-0 defeat against Lille in the Champions League. Coach Carlo Ancelotti acknowledged the team's subpar performance and welcomed the criticism that followed.Ancelotti admitted, "The criticism we've received for today's game is fair and accurate. We must accept it. We played poorly." Jonathan David's penalty just before halftime sealed Lille's well-deserved victory.This defeat marked Real Madrid's first loss in 37 games across all competitions since January and their first in the Champions League since May 2023. Ancelotti, who led the team to victory in last season's final, acknowledged, "This hasn't happened to us much lately. Our opponents outplayed us and deserved to win."Despite having chances towards the end, Ancelotti recognized that a draw would have been undeserved. "We need to learn from this. There are areas we need to improve."Ancelotti dismissed concerns about the potential consequences of the defeat in the new Champions League format, which features 36 teams in a single pool. "The disappointment stems from the team's performance. You can lose games, but the way we played was not acceptable," he said.Real Madrid had previously defeated VfB Stuttgart 3-1 in their opening game but now joins Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern Munich, and Atletico Madrid in losing one of their first two matches. The top eight teams after eight games will advance directly to the last 16, while the remaining spots will be determined through play-offs.Jude Bellingham, a Ballon d'Or candidate, had a disappointing performance for Real Madrid. Ancelotti noted, "He's playing in the same position as last season but without the same success. It wasn't a good night. We need to improve."In contrast, Lille coach Bruno Genesio expressed his delight at overseeing one of the club's most significant European victories. "It's a fantastic performance from everyone and a wonderful reward for the club and our fans," Genesio said. "This shows what we're capable of, but we need to build on it."Genesio added, "It demonstrates that we can challenge the best teams in Europe over 90 minutes," acknowledging that Lille's next matches will be away to Atletico and at home to Juventus.

Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior is poised to make a strong case for the Ballon d'Or award in October, but his immediate focus is on leading his team to victory in the Champions League. The Brazilian forward has stepped up in the absence of injured star Kylian Mbappe, becoming Madrid's primary attacking threat.After a slow start to last season, Vinicius exploded in the second half, playing a pivotal role in Madrid's record-extending 15th European Cup triumph. Despite initial teething issues with Mbappe, the duo seemed to be developing a strong partnership before the Frenchman's injury.Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti has backed Vinicius to win the Ballon d'Or, citing his impressive performances in the Champions League last season. However, Ancelotti emphasized that the team will continue to perform regardless of the outcome.Mbappe's arrival at Madrid raised questions about how he and Vinicius would coexist, given their similar playing styles. Ancelotti has kept Vinicius in his preferred left-wing position, with Mbappe often playing centrally.Despite criticism for his performances with Brazil, Vinicius has responded with strong displays for Madrid. He has scored two goals in his last three appearances, including a crucial equalizer against Espanyol.Vinicius' contract with Madrid expires in 2027, but reports suggest he may consider his options next summer. For now, his focus is on helping Madrid succeed in Europe and domestically.With Mbappe likely to miss the Champions League clash against Lille, Vinicius will be expected to lead the attack once again. The Brazilian has shown signs of improvement in recent weeks and will be eager to prove his worth on the biggest stage.

The Madrid Derby, a fierce rivalry in football, will witness Real Madrid's visit to Atletico Madrid's Civitas Metropolitano on Monday (IST). Real Madrid, undefeated in their last 50 matches across La Liga and the Champions League, will face Atletico Madrid, who have strengthened their squad with key additions.Real Madrid's last defeat came against Atletico Madrid in the Copa del Rey at the same venue. Since then, they have embarked on an impressive 33-match unbeaten streak. Atletico Madrid, on the other hand, have bolstered their team with the signings of Julian Alvarez, Alexander Sorloth, and Conor Gallagher.Real Madrid manager Carlos Ancelotti believes the match will be a "spectacle" and has suggested that Atletico Madrid will be contenders for the title this season. The match will be played on Monday, September 30, at the Civitas Metropolitano in Madrid, Spain, and will start at 12:30 AM IST.While there will be no live telecast of the match in India, it will be streamed live on the Galaxy Racer (GXR) website (gxr.world). The match promises to be an intense battle between two of Spain's top clubs, with both teams eager to secure a victory in this prestigious rivalry.

Real Madrid will face their rivals Atletico Madrid on Sunday in La Liga without star signing Kylian Mbappe, who is sidelined for three weeks with a hamstring injury. Despite the absence of their star forward, coach Carlo Ancelotti remains confident in his team's ability to cope."Obviously playing without Mbappe changes things a bit, but not much," Ancelotti said. "We're used to playing without him because last year he wasn't here. It's a pity that he's not here, but his absence we can cover for well."Real Madrid boasts a formidable attacking lineup that includes Jude Bellingham, Rodrygo Goes, and Vinicius Junior, who is a potential Ballon d'Or winner. The Brazilian has been in scintillating form lately and is expected to lead the charge against Diego Simeone's side.However, Vinicius has been subjected to racial abuse in the past, including during previous visits to Atletico's Metropolitano stadium. This week, a group of Atletico supporters launched a campaign encouraging fans to wear face masks to the stadium to facilitate undetected abuse.Ancelotti declined to comment on the issue but expressed confidence that the match would be an entertaining spectacle. "It's a difficult game, that's clear, but each match has its own story and we have a plan, let's see if it goes well," he said.Real Madrid lost to Atletico in September 2023 but has remained unbeaten in 39 La Liga matches since. "We have to avoid the mistakes of last year, that's quite obvious," Ancelotti said. "What we've learned could serve us well for tomorrow's game."Ancelotti confirmed that French midfielder Eduardo Camavinga has recovered from an injury and is fit to participate in the derby.

Real Madrid, the reigning Spanish and European champions, face their toughest test of the season so far when they travel to the Wanda Metropolitano to take on city rivals Atletico Madrid in a highly anticipated La Liga derby clash on Sunday.Atletico, under the astute leadership of Diego Simeone, are the only team to have defeated Real Madrid in the league in the past year, inflicting two losses on Carlo Ancelotti's side. The Rojiblancos also eliminated Madrid from the Copa del Rey in January 2024, marking the only defeat Madrid has suffered in the calendar year.Real Madrid will be without star summer signing Kylian Mbappe, who sustained a thigh injury in the midweek win over Alaves. However, Ancelotti still has a plethora of attacking options at his disposal. Brazilian forward Vinicius Junior, who has been a frequent target of abuse from Atletico supporters, has hit top form ahead of the derby. Jude Bellingham, the highly-rated English midfielder, could be given more attacking responsibilities.Another option for Ancelotti is to deploy Luka Modric as an extra midfielder in a return to the 4-4-2 formation, rather than maintaining the 4-3-3 used so far, to help Madrid minimize Atletico's threat.After a sluggish start to the campaign, Madrid have won five consecutive matches across all competitions. "We're getting better and it suits us because the schedule is very demanding," said Ancelotti. "We've come back well after the break and we want to continue like this for Sunday's game, which is going to be very tough."Madrid, currently second in the standings, trail leaders Barcelona by four points. Atletico, meanwhile, are two points behind their city rivals after a fortunate late 1-0 win at Celta Vigo.Atletico forward Julian Alvarez, who scored the winning goal against Celta, could start after coming off the bench in recent matches. Simeone has praised Alvarez's versatility, saying, "He's a versatile player, he can play upfront, he can play (in midfield), he gives us more options."