Madrid

Real Madrid is owned entirely by members who decide its president. Each pay an annual fee of around £130 and nearly 100,000 of them will vote on Sunday.

Following his first election in 2000, Perez pursued a ‘Galacticos’ policy of signing expensive world-class players including Luis Figo, David Beckham and Zinedine Zidane.

Real Madrid won two La Liga titles and a Champions League before Perez resigned in 2006 amid disappointing results.

In 2009, he successfully stood for the presidency again unopposed and has done so a further four times in his 17-year second term.

Trailing La Liga champions Barcelona by eight points, Real Madrid ended the 2025-26 season with no major trophies for the second season in a row.

As the season drew to a close, Perez called a news conference in which he railed against the club’s enemies and urged those unhappy with his leadership to run against him for president.

Renewable energy magnate Riquelme stepped forward, leaving Perez to compete with another candidate to retain his role for the first time in 20 years.

On Wednesday, Perez promised voters he would initiate a Galacticos-style transfer bid days after he hopes to be re-elected.

“I have some news for you,” he told Spanish TV show Horizonte.

“On Tuesday or so, I’m going to make an offer to a major Champions League club for a great player. It would be the largest transfer fee Real Madrid has ever paid in its history.”

Perez was asked the identity of his target and the scale of the fee.

“Olise is a great player but it’s not Olise,” Perez said. “It’s not Doku either.

“We’re going to make a significant offer, at least around 150m.

“He needs to be a player from midfield who can go forward. And it’s not Haaland.

“The player is not from the Premier League. And the first thing we’ll do is talk to the club.

“It’s a signing meant to generate excitement because that’s what it’s all about, generating excitement.”

He also reminded voters his re-election would activate already-agreed deals for manager Jose Mourinho, Inter Milan defender Denzel Dumfries and Ibrahima Konate, whose contract at Liverpool won’t be renewed.

Enrique Riquelme held up a Real Madrid shirt bearing Erling Haaland’s name, while campaigning for club presidency.

Manchester City is considering legal action after Real Madrid presidential ⁠candidate Enrique Riquelme ⁠said he would sign the Premier League club’s Norwegian striker Erling Haaland if elected.

Riquelme, a renewable energy entrepreneur challenging incumbent Florentino ⁠Perez, made the pledge during an appearance on Spanish television on Wednesday, where he held up a Real Madrid shirt bearing Haaland’s name.

“The stories which ⁠have emerged from Spain regarding the future of Erling Haaland are untrue,” a City spokesperson said on Thursday.

“There is no chance of this happening, and there is no contractual clause to enable it. We are considering legal action for ‌the use of our player’s image in this context.”

Riquelme said Haaland, who scored 38 goals in all competitions last season, had a release clause and wanted to move to the Spanish club, adding that he would make the transfer a priority if he wins Sunday’s election.

A joint statement from the 25-year-old footballer’s father, Alfie Haaland, and his agent, Rafaela Pimenta, swiftly ⁠rejected the suggestion, describing it as “not true”.

Riquelme added he ⁠would try to sign City’s Spain midfielder Rodri, saying he had spoken to the player’s agent and would “do everything possible” to bring the Ballon d’Or winner to Madrid.

The remarks come against ⁠the backdrop of Real’s presidential election, the first in two decades in which Perez is not running unopposed, ⁠after the club’s two seasons without a major ⁠trophy.

Voting is scheduled for Sunday, with some 100,000 club members eligible to take part.

Haaland had the option to join Real in 2022, when he left Borussia Dortmund. But he chose City, where ‌his father played.

While the striker, who won the Premier League Golden Boot for the third time in four seasons, said he would like to play ‌for ‌Real one day, there has been no suggestion he is unhappy at City. He signed a new nine-and-a-half-year contract in January 2025.

Perez announced on Wednesday that, should he be elected, he would bring Benfica manager Jose Mourinho back to Real Madrid for a second term at the helm of Los Blancos.

The Portuguese former manager of Manchester United, Chelsea and Inter Milan previously won the La Liga title during a three-year spell in Madrid.

Manchester City are contemplating taking legal action over a promise to sign striker Erling Haaland by a candidate in Real Madrid’s presidential election.

Enrique Riquelme – a renewable energy magnate who is challenging current president Florentino Perez for the position – unveiled a Real Madrid shirt bearing Haaland’s name while on television on Wednesday, saying: “He has a release clause and would like to join Real Madrid.”

A swift denial was issued in a joint statement by Haaland’s father and agent, before City rubbished the suggestion.

“The stories which have emerged from Spain regarding the future of Erling Haaland are untrue,” the statement read. “There is no chance of this happening and there is no contractual clause to enable it.

“We are considering legal action for the use of our player image in this context.”

More to follow.

Real Madrid president Florentino Perez says he will bring Jose Mourinho back as manager if he wins Sunday’s election.

Jose ‌Mourinho will return to manage Real Madrid if Florentino Perez wins ⁠the club’s presidential ⁠election on Sunday, the sitting president has declared as he campaigns for another term at the helm of the La Liga ⁠club.

Perez, facing renewable energy entrepreneur Enrique Riquelme in the club’s first contested election in 20 years, delivered the campaign announcement on his social media ⁠channels with a short video featuring Mourinho simply saying “Yes!”

The clip followed the slogan “So MOUch history to be made”, a not-so-subtle nod to the Portuguese coach who guided Real to a record La Liga points tally in 2012, but last lifted ‌a league title with Chelsea in 2015.

The move for Mourinho follows a disappointing domestic campaign in which Barcelona secured back-to-back league titles.

Real, 15-time Champions League winners, have also exited Europe’s top club competition at the quarterfinal stage in the last two seasons, with the absence of major silverware prompting Perez to call elections.

Perez’s announcement landed while Riquelme was ⁠appearing on Spanish television programme El Hormiguero, in which he ⁠said Manchester City midfielder and Spain captain Rodri would be his first signing if elected.

He said he would also target Manchester City striker Erling Haaland, and that former forward and ⁠club great Raul would be his sports director.

Since leaving Chelsea, Mourinho’s trophy haul has been more modest. He ⁠won the League Cup and Europa League with ⁠Manchester United, and later led AS Roma to the third-tier Conference League title.

His managerial road has also taken him to Tottenham Hotspur, Fenerbahce and Benfica, where he was under contract until ‌June 2027 and had said the Portuguese club had proposed a renewal.

While pundits argue that the game has moved beyond Mourinho’s pragmatic style, Perez appears ‌to ‌see him as the manager to restore discipline and edge to a squad featuring Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Jr and Jude Bellingham.

Mourinho previously stated that no contact had been made with Real, despite heavy reports linking him with a return to the Bernabeu.

Should Perez win the election, Mourinho would return to the club 13 years after his departure in 2013.

Mourinho first joined Real Madrid in 2010, spending three seasons at the club.

During his tenure, he won one La Liga title, a Copa del Rey and a Spanish Super Cup.

Xabi Alonso was sacked by Real in January, in his first season in charge of the Madrid club, while Alvaro Arbeloa carried the team to the end of the season as interim coach.

Mourinho was seen speaking with Vinicius after he walked off the pitch following the interaction with Prestianni.

But it was Mourinho’s post-match comments that were the most shocking.

While publicly backing his player Prestianni, Mourinho suggested Vinicius had incited tensions through his celebration in front of the home support.

“You score a goal from another world, why celebrate like that?” Mourinho said.

“The same thing always happens in so many stadiums. In how many states has this happened? In how many stadiums? How many? How many?

“He’s an out of this world player, I love him. Vinicius tells me one thing and Prestianni tells me another. I want to be balanced.”

The remarks sparked widespread criticism, with many accusing Mourinho of shifting attention away from the racism allegations and placing responsibility on the victim instead.

In addition to expressing his belief that Vinicius had been disrespectful with his goal celebration, he pointed to the club’s legendary striker Eusebio as proof that Benfica are not a racist club.

Asked if he felt Vinicius incited the crowd, Mourinho said: “Yes. I believe so.

“It should be the crazy moment of the game, an amazing goal. Unfortunately [he was] not just happy to score that astonishing goal. When you score a goal like that, you celebrate in a respectful way.”

He added: “When he was arguing about racism, I told him the biggest person in the history of this club [Eusebio] was black.

“This club, the last thing that it is, is racist. They [Vinicius and Prestianni] told me different things. But I don’t believe in one or another. I want to be an independent.”

Real’s absence from Spain’s World Cup squad, while Barca dominate picks, explained by coach as ‘united nation’ first.

Luis de la Fuente has stressed that Spain’s badge outranks any club crest after naming a World Cup squad with a distinctly Barcelona hue ⁠and, for the first time, no Real Madrid player in sight.

The European champions head into next month’s tournament among the favourites, with coach De la Fuente’s 26-man squad built around eight Barcelona players and none from the Spanish capital’s biggest club, bringing ⁠the fierce El Clasico rivalry into the national team’s debate.

Defenders Dean Huijsen and Dani Carvajal were among the Real Madrid names to miss out on a team chasing Spain’s second World Cup title after their 2010 triumph in South Africa.

De la Fuente on Tuesday dismissed the idea that the decision could cost him support among Real Madrid fans.

“For me, the greatest team there is – the very ‌greatest – is the Spanish national team,” De la Fuente said during a breakfast with media representatives organised by Spanish public broadcaster RTVE and news agency EFE.

“I don’t look at where players come from or their background. What matters are Spanish players who are proud to represent their country’s national team and to be part of a united nation.”

Yamal raring to go for Spain at World Cup after injury

Barcelona’s contingent comprises Joan Garcia, Pau Cubarsi, Eric Garcia, Gavi, Pedri, Dani Olmo, Lamine Yamal and Ferran Torres, while seven players called up are based in the Premier League.

The manager said sporting considerations ⁠alone guided his selection, even if squad decisions inevitably carried a subjective element.

“The day I ⁠make a mistake, fail to make the right choice, or act in a way that might be beneficial just to get a result, I’m putting my job on the line,” he said. Spain open Group H against Cape Verde before facing Saudi Arabia and Uruguay, but De la Fuente ⁠may yet take a cautious approach with Lamine Yamal, Nico Williams and Mikel Merino, who are all recovering from fitness concerns.

“We’re in contact with all the clubs,” he said. “We know that ⁠these players are in good physical shape; each one is making good ⁠progress in their recovery process. I’m very optimistic; I think they’ll be available for the first match.”

Still, De la Fuente said Spain’s view stretched beyond the opener.

“If we have to take a risk, mate, we’ll take it in a World Cup,” he said. “But… our view goes beyond the first match and ‌also the second. So, if we have to wait a little longer, we’ll wait.”

On Yamal, the 18-year-old Barcelona winger expected to carry much of Spain’s attacking threat, De la Fuente said youth had not dimmed his sense of occasion.

“Yamal is absolutely ‌thrilled ‌and raring to go,” he said. “He’s a very young lad, just 18, but he has a remarkable sense of maturity and knows that this is his moment.

“You have to seize the moment. And he knows this is his moment.”

Yamal, one of eight Barcelona players named in the 26-man squad, with seven Arsenal players picked by Luis de la Fuente.

Lamine Yamal has been included in Spain’s squad for the FIFA World Cup, named by coach Luis de la Fuente, who also included Arsenal midfielder Mikel Merino in the European champions’ roster after his recent return from injury.

For the first time since 1950, Spain’s World Cup squad will not include a Real Madrid player as De la Fuente opted against naming one in his 26-man squad announced on Monday.

Real Madrid’s Dean Huijsen was dropped due to an injury, and veteran Dani Carvajal was also excluded after struggling through an injury-hit campaign.

Along with teenage Barcelona star Yamal, Athletic Bilbao’s Nico Williams played a key role as Spain won Euro 2024, and he is in the squad despite a season badly disrupted by fitness issues.

Yamal, 18, is a doubt for the first matches of the tournament after suffering a hamstring injury with Barca, which has kept him out since late April.

De la Fuente played down the absence of Madrid’s players, preferring to highlight those who are in the squad.

“I’m the manager, and I don’t look at where the players come from. They’re ‌national team players; I don’t look at one club or another. I don’t have the same local bias that a fan might have. All I want is for these players to feel proud to represent the national team,” De la Fuente told reporters.

In addition to Yamal, Barcelona’s contingent includes Joan Garcia, Pau Cubarsi, Eric Garcia, Gavi, Pedri, Dani Olmo and Ferran Torres, while seven players called up are based in the Premier League.

“Excitement is the keyword. Passion,” De la Fuente said.

“The reaction of people all over Spain – adults and children ⁠alike – is that they are fully behind the national team. It is an ⁠honour for me to represent the national team.”

Arsenal provide three of Spain’s Premier League-based players in goalkeeper David Raya and midfielders Martin Zubimendi and Mikel Merino, while Manchester City’s Rodri gives De la Fuente a commanding presence in midfield.

The coach also addressed the injury concern regarding ⁠Yamal and Williams, who will arrive at the tournament nursing hamstring issues.

“We’re very relaxed. Barring any setbacks, we’ll have everyone available from the very first match. ⁠We’re in close contact with the clubs’ medical teams,” he said.

“We’ll call ⁠on them when we deem it appropriate. I’d like to reiterate that we’ll have everyone in top form and we’ll be able to enjoy watching them in the tournament.”

Spain will arrive at the World Cup carrying the confidence of their European Championship triumph in Germany two years ‌ago, but with the weight of expectation from a passionate fanbase.

Spain’s World Cup 2026 squad

Goalkeepers: Unai Simon, David Raya, Joan Garcia

Defenders: Marcos Llorente, Marc Pubill, Pedro Porro, Aymeric Laporte, Eric Garcia, Pau Cubarsi, Marc Cucurella, Alejandro Grimaldo

Midfielders: Rodri, Martin Zubimendi, Mikel Merino, Pedri, Gavi, Fabian Ruiz, Alex Baena

Forwards: Yeremy Pino, Victor Munoz, Mikel Oyarzabal, Ferran Torres, Lamine Yamal, Dani Olmo, Nico Williams, Borja Iglesias

Arbeloa says he will not be coaching the team next season, amid reports that Jose Mourinho is returning to the club.

Alvaro Arbeloa has confirmed he will leave his role as Real Madrid coach at the end of a trophy-less season.

“Yes,” Arbeloa said at a news conference on Friday when asked to confirm that he would not be coaching the team next season, amid widespread reports that veteran manager Jose Mourinho is returning to the club.

Los Blancos host Athletic Bilbao on Saturday at the Santiago Bernabeu in their final La Liga match of a turbulent campaign.

Real Madrid President Florentino Perez appointed Arbeloa to replace Xabi Alonso in January.

The Spaniard, Arbeloa, said he would not work as a member of Mourinho’s staff if the Portuguese coach is appointed as his successor.

“Mou has a fantastic technical team, he’s got good people around him, if he comes to Madrid he will come with his team,” said Arbeloa.

“There’s no chance that I would be with him. Then, my future … from Monday I’ll think about that.”

Arbeloa, who played at Madrid from 2009-2016 and later coached there at the youth level, said he hoped this match was a “see you later” rather than a goodbye.

“I hope it’s a see you later… I’ve always considered this my home, I’ve belonged to Madrid for 20 years in various roles,” said Arbeloa.

“It will be my last game this season as coach of Real Madrid; I don’t know if it will be the last game of my life as coach of Real Madrid.

“We never know. I’ll try and enjoy it and try to get the win.”

Arbeloa has also faced criticism from France striker Kylian Mbappe after he was left out of the starting line-up for Los Blancos’ 2-0 win over Real Oviedo.

Mbappe had missed his side’s two previous games, including last weekend’s El Clasico which Barcelona won to secure the league title, with a thigh injury and was whistled by his own fans when he came on.

The World Cup winner has faced scrutiny over his commitment to the club in recent weeks while an online petition calling for ‘Mbappe Out’ attracted tens of millions of signatures.

But the manager played down the incident on Saturday.

“I’ve just bumped into him, I told him to stay calm. I understand that these kinds of things make headlines, but it’s something much more normal than you think,” Arbeloa said.

“I used to be a player, I know what they can feel in these situations – playing every day, then playing less or not at all.

“I totally understand that Kylian wasn’t happy about not playing on Thursday, and I like that.

“I wouldn’t understand it if he didn’t want to play. My relationship with him remains the same.”

The fall may not have been deep, but the landing has been hard.

A second trophy-less season for Real Madrid, the most successful La Liga and Champions League club, was confirmed in the worst way possible: a defeat at Barcelona, who, with their win, defended the Spanish title.

Los Blancos kept the title race alive by their fingernails as they crawled their way to Catalonia, knowing that doing so could result in the cruellest of heartbreaks for their fans. And so it came to pass.

Down by two at half-time at Camp Nou – and it could have been a lot more –  hanging in there to limit the damage and humiliation was key, but the 2-0 defeat will have cut deeply for a club that has lifted 36 league and 15 Champions League titles.

The defeat means Real will finish second this season, not an unusual circumstance in what has regularly been a two-horse race in La Liga. The manner, however, of their failure this season – including their quarterfinal exit from Europe’s top table – has left far more questions than answers in the Spanish capital after another season of discontent.

How do Real solve a problem like Mbappe?

The signing of Kylian Mbappe from Paris Saint-Germain two seasons ago was seen as a return to the days of collecting the world’s finest talents and collectively calling them “galacticos”.

Real had just completed the league and European double under the illustrious Carlo Ancelotti, the most successful manager in European history and no stranger to managing the top names, having led a list of galacticos in his previous spell as Los Blancos manager.

Last season did not go to plan, though.

Mbappe’s arrival broke up the 4-3-3 formation that had served Real so well for so long, with English midfielder Jude Bellingham playing a key, advanced role, while Vinicius Junior thrived in front of and around him.

Both were forced to shift position to accommodate Mbappe, who prefers to drop deep from his central position to link up play or run with the ball.

It trod on the toes of the two key performers. Even Ancelotti was not immune to the famed Real chop as rumours circulated all season that his failure to gel the team would bring to an end the Italian’s Spanish love affair.

Enter Xabi Alonso.

Heralded as the answer to Madrid’s problems after sweeping through German football with Bayer Leverkusen, Alonso is also hailed as a midfield maestro as a player for both Madrid and the Spanish national team.

Rumours were rife from the off that the players did not buy into Alonso’s system, and friction was often apparent with Mbappe, despite the forward’s refound scoring ability. His 24 goals have him two clear at the top of this season’s Spanish scoring chart.

Alonso’s time was clearly up long before the end came, just after the clock ticked in the new calendar year. Alvaro Arbeloa was given the task of guiding the seemingly rudderless ship to the end of the season as interim head coach.

Mbappe’s troubles were only just beginning, though. By the end of the season, a “Mbappe out” petition raised more than 33 million signatures, and the Frenchman was the latest focal point of the Madridistas’ displeasure.

Reconnecting Mbappe with the fans and connecting him with his teammates’ style of play will be the number one focus for the new season.

Can Real resolve Vinicius Jr’s fallout with fans?

Prior to the campaign waged against Mbappe, Vinicius fell foul of the home support, with boos for the forward ringing around a series of performances either side of the Champions League exit at the hands of Bayern Munich.

The Brazilian went on a 19-game run without a goal for club and country between October 10 and January 11.

Ironically, he broke his unwanted streak in the 3-2 Spanish Super Cup final defeat by Barcelona, Alonso’s last game in charge.

The ruptures were apparent, however, and rumours abounded that the 25-year-old’s stay at the only club he has ever known could be coming to an end.

Manchester United were the first to be linked with a move for the versatile forward, but all of Europe’s elite will be on red alert should there be any indication that Real may consider Vinicius as the way to reshape the team around their most bankable asset on and off the field: Mbappe.

Will Valverde and Tchouameni survive dressing-room bust-up?

As the day of destiny at Barcelona approached, the last thing Real needed were more unwanted headlines, let alone from two of the brighter spots in an otherwise dark campaign.

Uruguay’s Federico Valverde and France’s Aurelien Tchouameni were involved in a training-ground bust-up on Thursday, which left the former needing a trip to hospital for a head injury, ruling the midfielder out of the coming weeks.

Real swiftly fined both players on Friday, but Tchouameni was still named in the starting lineup at Barcelona.

Should Real decide that one or both were required to leave to avoid a potential toxic fallout in the dressing room, then, much like in the case of Vinicius, the phone lines of Europe’s top clubs will be working overtime to seal one or the other.

Is Jose Mourinho’s return the answer for Real?

Cometh the hour, cometh the man?

Given the extent of the discontent across the club, the job of replacing Alonso on a full-time basis will require something not far short of a miracle.

Mourinho was not a popular choice in his time in the Real dugout, given his pragmatic tactics, seen as defensive by some, which were out of keeping with Real’s free-flowing philosophy.

Given the chasm between Los Blancos and Barca – not to mention the German and French top teams and the financial power of the English Premier League – Real fans may find themselves being a little more forgiving of Mourinho’s style.

The return of Ancelotti – a man born out of an Italian Serie A that only knew a defence-first mindset – proved successful and popular, and Real are known for their desire for managers with lengthy and proven track records.

Mourinho, who says there has been no contact to date with Real, would ruffle feathers, as his stint at Manchester United proved. But he regarded his second-placed finish behind cross-city rivals City with the Old Trafford club as one of his greatest achievements.

Lifting Real one place from their successive runner-up spots in La Liga may not be beyond the 63-year-old, who won La Liga, the Copa Del Rey and the Spanish Super Cup with Real in his 2010-2013 stint. The spell also resulted in three Champions League semifinal appearances.

The Portuguese also provided an early-season wake-up call for Real in this campaign, when his Benfica side claimed a 4-2 league-phase win that pushed Los Blancos into the Champions League playoffs, which they did eventually progress from with a win against Benfica in a rerun over two legs.

Who else could be the next Real manager?

The rally-rousing Jurgen Klopp would certainly help with the reconnection Real so desperately need with their fans. He is renowned in his title-winning spells, both domestic and European, with Borussia Dortmund and Liverpool, for uniting the players and fans in a shared, focused mindset. It could be the antidote for the current malaise, a cathartic approach that contrasts with the momentum building behind Mourinho’s latest comeback.

Another widely respected German is Julian Nagelsmann, who is currently in charge of his country’s national side, but may call time on the role after the 2026 World Cup.

At 38 years old, it may be seen as a risk – not dissimilar to the 44-year-old Alonso – but a three-year stay with Bayern Munich, prior to taking on the German job in 2023, may count in his favour.

It is thought that Didier Deschamps may also be coming to the end of his time in charge of the France team, and his former French international teammate Zinedine Zidane is also linked with a second spell at Real. Despite his 57 years, Deschamps has limited experience as a club manager, a contrast with another of the perceived frontrunners, Massimiliano Allegri, who led Juventus to five consecutive league titles in his native Italy.

The task of leading one of the most successful clubs in football is becoming unenviable. But the rebuild begins now, and the rise will start out of the ashes of the crash and burn that culminated in Sunday’s defeat, deep in enemy territory, at Camp Nou.

Barcelona clinched their 29th La Liga title with a 2-0 El Clasico victory over bitter rivals Real Madrid, opening an unassailable 14-point lead at the top of the table with three games remaining.

Marcus Rashford and Ferran Torres struck in the first half on Sunday to help Hansi Flick’s side clinch La Liga in consecutive years, while consigning Madrid to a trophy-less season.

This was only the second time the outcome of La Liga has been decided directly by the result of a Clasico, with record 36-time champions Real Madrid winning their first title in 1932 after a draw with Barca.

Flick’s team were disappointed to be knocked out in the Champions League quarterfinals by Atletico Madrid in April, but still determined to celebrate in style.

“This title is more special for winning it at home against Madrid. Now we have to enjoy it with the fans,” Barca midfielder Frenkie de Jong told Movistar.

“We have been the best team in Spain. Of course, we [also] want to win the Champions League – that’s the objective.

“Next year, we will have another opportunity.”

Madrid arrived at the match embroiled in chaos after midfielder Fede Valverde was ruled out with a head injury following a training ground scuffle with teammate Aurelien Tchouameni, who started.

Barca coach Flick also received bad news before the game, with his father passing away, but he still took his place on the touchline to oversee his side’s comfortable triumph.

The German opted for the energetic Rashford, on loan from Manchester United, on the right wing in place of the injured teenage star Lamine Yamal.

The Catalans, who only needed to avoid defeat, came out with their eyes firmly locked on the prize, racing into a two-goal lead inside 18 minutes.

Rashford opened the scoring with a superb free kick, whipping the ball into the top left corner from 20 yards out, right of centre.

Torres doubled the hosts’ advantage at a jubilant Camp Nou, the 62,000-strong crowd enjoying the first Clasico back there since the stadium was reopened.

Dani Olmo produced a clever backheel to allow Torres to burst into the box and ram past Thibaut Courtois.

Gonzalo Garcia, playing in place of injured Madrid superstar Kylian Mbappe, prodded narrowly wide after racing in behind Barca’s high defensive line.

Urged on by coach Alvaro Arbeloa on the touchline, unlikely to be at the helm next season, Madrid battled to stem the bleeding.

Rashford could have added a third before the break but fired wide, with Fermin Lopez unmarked and well placed to finish.

Torres should have struck early in the second half but Courtois saved from the Spain international as he ran through.

Jude Bellingham put the ball in Barcelona’s net but the goal was ruled out for offside, while Joan Garcia thwarted Vinicius Junior as Madrid threatened.

Barca fans batted inflatable beach balls around to taunt the Brazilian over his unfulfilled Ballon d’Or ambitions, and lapped up the party atmosphere.

Courtois saved from substitutes Raphinha, back after injury, and Robert Lewandowski as Madrid saw out the remainder of the match without taking further damage.

Flick’s side remain on course to match the record of 100 points in a league season and can win all their home matches if they defeat Real Betis in the one remaining.

Barcelona’s boss told La Liga TV that he “will never forget this day” following the match.

“It was a tough day for me to start – my father passed away. But my team is fantastic. It is like a family,” Flick said.

“They gave everything today. I am proud of the fans. It is amazing [to win] in this stadium and in an El Clasico against Real Madrid to win La Liga.

“It was not easy. Everyone thought we could win this, but Real is a fantastic team. We played really good and made the goals in the right moment.”

Meanwhile Madrid finish a second consecutive season without a major trophy, staring down the barrel of a summer reshuffle, including former coach Jose Mourinho being linked with a potential return.

Arbeloa congratulated Barcelona and said his side would “learn from what happened this season and work even harder” in comments to the media after the game.

“I feel a greater responsibility now, knowing that our season ended today. The one thing we can’t do is give up, absolutely not,” he said.

“There are three matches left that we must go out and win. Here, we’re defending something much bigger than all of us and much bigger than our personal pride; it’s the Real Madrid crest and millions of fans.”

Follow the build-up, analysis and live text commentary of a crucial Clasico as Barcelona need a point to win La Liga.

Questions surrounding the altercation between midfielders Federico Valverde and Aurelien Tchouameni dominated Arbeloa’s news conference on Saturday.

The incident left Valverde ruled out of El Clasico because of concussion symptoms, while both players were fined 500,000 euros (£432,000) following a club investigation.

Tchouameni returned to training on Friday and remains available for the match, although Arbeloa declined to confirm whether the France international would start.

“The players have acknowledged their mistake, expressed their regret and asked for forgiveness. That’s enough for me,” Arbeloa told reporters.

“These two players deserve for us to turn the page and allow them to keep fighting for this club. I’m very proud of them. I won’t allow this to be used to question their professionalism.”

Former Liverpool, Real Madrid and Spain defender Arbeloa also suggested dressing-room disputes were not unusual in elite football environments.

“I’ve had a team-mate who picked up a golf club and swung it at another player,” the 43-year-old said.

“What happens in the Real Madrid dressing room should stay in the Real Madrid dressing room, and that’s what hurts me the most.”

Arbeloa was referring to an incident during his time at Liverpool in 2007, when a disagreement between Craig Bellamy and John Arne Riise during a training camp in Portugal reportedly escalated into Bellamy confronting his team-mate with a golf club.

“These are situations that have always happened, although I’m certainly not justifying it,” Arbeloa added.

“It was an incident and we were unfortunate that Fede ended up with a gash. It was more bad luck than anything else.”

The Madrid coach also accepted responsibility for the situation.

“If you want to blame someone, here I am,” he said.

Despite the controversy, Arbeloa insisted the focus remained on Sunday’s meeting with Barcelona.

“We face the Clasico with the ambition to do things well and go to win.”

Arbeloa does not appear to have a long-term future in his current post, with reports in Spain already linking several high-profile names, including Jose Mourinho, to the role for next season.

Pressure has also intensified on club president Florentino Perez, with questions being raised over a period that has seen Real Madrid go through three managers in two campaigns without lifting a trophy.

The club’s next appointment is now viewed as one of the most significant decisions of Perez’s presidency, as Madrid attempt to restore stability and competitiveness after a turbulent season on and off the pitch.

Despite the scrutiny, Arbeloa strongly defended the 79-year-old president.

“There is no-one more prepared than Florentino Perez to turn this situation around,” he said.

“I remember how the club was before his arrival. He is the president with the most titles in Real Madrid history and he brought the club back to where it belongs. We all have to fight together.”

Real do not impose sporting sanctions saying 500,000 euro fines concludes the ‘internal procedures’ against the pair.

Real Madrid have fined Aurelien Tchouameni and Federico Valverde 500,000 euros ($588,000) each after a training ground clash that left the latter needing hospital treatment.

The club did not impose any sporting sanctions on the two players, saying in a statement that the fine “thereby concludes the internal procedures” launched against them.

Valverde will miss Sunday’s Clasico against Barcelona as a result of the head injury he suffered during the altercation. The club said he would be out for up to two weeks.

Tchouameni took part in training on Friday and could feature at Camp Nou this weekend.

Madrid said on Friday that both players “expressed their complete remorse for what happened and apologised to each other” while taking part in a club investigation.

“They extended their apologies to the club, their teammates, the coaching staff, and the fans, and both have made themselves available to Real Madrid to accept whatever sanction the club deems appropriate,” read a club statement.

Uruguay international Valverde was accompanied to the hospital facility near the club’s Valdebebas training complex by Madrid coach Alvaro Arbeloa, according to Spanish reports, which said the player needed stitches to treat a facial wound.

Valverde sought to downplay the severity of the altercation with the France midfielder.

“The strain of the competition and frustration caused the situation to escalate,” Valverde wrote on social media, expressing regret at the media coverage of the incident.

“I accidentally hit a table during the argument, causing a small cut on my forehead that required a routine visit to the hospital,” he said.

“At no point did my teammate hit me, and I didn’t hit him either.”

According to reports, the two players quarrelled on Wednesday during training, and their argument continued on Thursday during and after the session.

Spanish media reported Valverde refused to shake Tchouameni’s hand and later fouled him in Thursday’s training session, with the pair scrapping afterwards in the dressing room when the injury occurred.

Tensions are running high at Real Madrid with the club on the verge of a second consecutive season without a major trophy.

Los Blancos trail Barca by 11 points at the top of La Liga, with Hansi Flick’s side able to clinch back-to-back league titles on Sunday if they do not lose.

Barcelona are set to storm La Liga this year and could seal title in Sunday’s Clasico, but what is the history of the Real Madrid rivalry?

Barcelona and Real Madrid will contest the 264th El Clasico when the Spanish giants come together in a La Liga clash on Sunday.

Rarely will there have been a more highly charged atmosphere with a heavily demoralised Real arriving in the Catalan capital, facing the prospect of watching their fiercest rivals crowned champions on the day.

Although knocked out of the UEFA Champions League at the quarterfinals, as Los Blancos were too, Barca are well on course to defend their La Liga crown – and at a canter.

Al Jazeera Sport takes a look at the talking points heading into the game and what the history is of a 124-year-old rivalry.

Will Kylian Mbappe play for Real Madrid against Barcelona?

The headline news surrounding Sunday’s game is the availability of Kylian Mbappe, with the French striker a doubt for the Clasico because of a hamstring injury.

The 27-year-old striker tops the scoring charts in the Spanish league this season with 24 goals. Mallorca’s Vedat Muriqi is a surprise second on the list with 21 strikes, while Barca’s Lamine Yamal, who is out for the remainder of the season, has netted 16 times and is third on the list.

Despite Mbappe’s goalscoring achievements, a “Mbappe out” petition has garnered more than 33 million signatures calling for the club to sell the striker, who joined from Paris Saint-Germain two seasons ago.

What happened to Real Madrid’s Federico Valverde?

Federico Valverde will definitely miss out on El Clasico after a training ground bust-up on Thursday resulted in the midfielder being taken to hospital.

The 27-year-old Uruguayan is understood to have sustained a head injury following an incident with teammate Aurelien Tchouameni.

Real have said they are investigating internally, and have already decided to open disciplinary proceedings against both players.

It is not yet clear if Frenchman Tchouameni will be available for Sunday’s match as a result.

How can Barcelona win La Liga in Sunday’s El Clasico?

Alvaro Arbeloa’s Real trail Hansi Flick’s reigning champions by 11 points with four matches remaining, and are sinking towards a second straight season without a major trophy.

Anything but a win for Real on Sunday will see Barca lift the trophy in their own stadium against the only side to have won La Liga more.

What is meant by El Clasico?

The term El Clasico first appeared in a Spanish newspaper during the 1960s in reference to matches between the two biggest club teams in Spain.

The simple translation is “The Classic”.

By that time, the match had already been long considered one of sport’s fiercest derbies.

How did El Clasico become Spain’s greatest rivalry?

Originally, the phrase “Viejo Clasico” (Old Classic) was a term that referred to the Madrid derby between Real and Athletic Bilbao.

The match between the pair has historically been the most-played fixture in Spanish football before the rise of Barcelona to one of the two most prominent teams in the country.

The term El Clasico, although a 1960s invention in Spain, became a more widely popular and globally associated name when the rivalry between Real Madrid and Barcelona peaked in the 1990s.

Johan Cruyff’s Barcelona were a side to be feared on the global stage, but Quinta del Buitre’s Real were putting up a stern test. In the late 90s, Real’s superstar lineup was dubbed the Galacticos following the heavy financial investment in overseas stars such as Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldo and David Beckham.

By the turn of the century, the rivalry was recognised as one of the biggest match-ups in world sport and heralded in the era of Pep Guardiola vs Jose Mourinho in the dugouts – and the small matter of Lionel Messi vs Cristiano Ronaldo on the field.

When was the first El Clasico between Barcelona and Real Madrid?

The first match between the clubs took place on May 13, 1902, in the Copa de la Coronacion (a predecessor to the Copa del Rey).

Barcelona won the match 3-1 in the Spanish capital against Madrid FC (the club later became Real Madrid).

Who has won more El Clasico matches, Real Madrid or Barcelona?

Of the 261 matches between the clubs over the last 124 years, Real have won 106, while Barcelona have won 105.

How many times have Real Madrid and Barcelona won La Liga?

Real have lifted the La Liga trophy 36 times while Barca are targeting their 28th title.

Who has scored the most El Clasico goals?

1. Lionel Messi (Argentina) – 26 goals for Barcelona
2. Alfredo Di Stefano (Portugal) – 18 goals for Real Madrid
3. Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal) – 18 goals for Real Madrid
4. Karim Benzema (France) – 16 goals for Real Madrid
5. Raul (Spain) – 15 goals for Real Madrid

What are the last five results between Barcelona and Real Madrid?

• January 11, 2026 – Spanish Super Cup final: Barcelona 3-2 Real Madrid
• October 26, 2025 – La Liga: Real Madrid 2-1 Barcelona
• May 11, 2025 – La Liga: Barcelona 4-3 Real Madrid
• April 26, 2025 – Copa del Rey final: Barcelona 3-2 Real Madrid (after extra time)
• January 12, 2025 – Spanish Super Cup final: Real Madrid 2-5 Barcelona

How can I follow Sunday’s El Clasico between Barcelona and Real Madrid?

We will bring you our comprehensive text commentary stream of Sunday’s match, starting with our usual extensive build-up – including all the news, analyses and opinion surrounding the game.

Spain international Dani ⁠Carvajal injured his right foot during a training session for Real Madrid last week.

Spain manager ‌Luis de la Fuente says ⁠Dani ⁠Carvajal could still make his World Cup squad but the right back must prove his ⁠fitness and form after suffering a foot injury in training ⁠with his club Real Madrid last week.

“Carvajal is a very important figure in our dressing room,” de la Fuente said on Wednesday.

“I actually spoke with him yesterday, so I’m aware ‌of what’s going on. He doesn’t have a specific injury, nothing serious, but he needs time to get back to his usual level.

“We’ll see in the remaining matches whether he truly gets the opportunity and delivers the performances.”

De ⁠la Fuente added that Carvajal, ⁠who made just one appearance for Spain in 2025, would understand if he is left out of the squad for the ⁠World Cup, which is being held in the United States, Canada ⁠and Mexico from June 11 to ⁠July 19.

He joins a list of players who have sustained injuries in the weeks before the World Cup with Spanish teammate Lamine Yamal among them.

Carvajal, 34, is approaching the final weeks of his contract with Real and has struggled for game time this season ‌amid competition from Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Spain begin their World Cup campaign against Cape Verde on June 15 ‌and ‌also face Saudi Arabia and Uruguay in Group H.

Bukayo Saka reacts quickest as Leandro Trossard’s shot is saved by Jan Oblak, putting in the rebound from close range to give Arsenal a 1-0 lead against Atletico Madrid in the second leg of their Champions League semi-final at the Emiates Stadium.

MATCH REPORT: Champions League – Arsenal 1-0 Atletico Madrid (2-1 agg)

Available to UK users only.

It might seem odd to suggest an English club reaching a Champions League final have been in danger of going under the radar – but that has almost been the case for Arsenal this year.

Such has been the immense pressure piled upon Mikel Arteta’s side to end a 22-wait for a Premier League title, their remarkable unbeaten run to the European showpiece in Budapest has arguably not got the credit it deserves.

Bukayo Saka’s first-half tap-in gave the Gunners a 1-0 win over Atletico Madrid in Tuesday’s semi-final second leg, securing a 2-1 aggregate victory.

In truth, while their display at Emirates Stadium was not necessarily vintage, some of Arsenal‘s best performances of the season have come in Europe.

The Gunners remain the only unbeaten team left in the Champions League, defeating teams like Bayern Munich, Inter Milan and Sporting along the way.

There has been a desperation to win the league – which, indeed, they could well go on to do as well given Manchester City‘s draw at Everton 24 hours before this semi-final.

But there has been a quiet ruthlessness in Arsenal‘s European games – rarely troubled, rarely in danger of going out.

“I don’t think you can underestimate what we have done in this competition up to this point,” midfielder Declan Rice told Amazon Prime.

“We have every right to celebrate that moment. The most prestigious competition in club football. We are just trying to soak it all in.

“We knew coming into the game what was at stake. If you can’t get up for that, then you can’t get up for any game of football.

“When we went 1-0 up, I knew we were going to win. I could feel something special building.”

The Arsenal supporters welcomed the team bus with flares and chants – the first time that has happened at the stadium – setting the tone and atmosphere for what Arteta described as “an incredible night”.

“We made history again together,” said Arteta. “I cannot be happier, prouder for everybody that’s involved in this football club. The manner that we [were] received outside the stadium was special and unique.

“The atmosphere, our support has created the energy, the way they managed every ball with us… I never felt that in the stadium [before].

“We knew how much it meant to everybody… the boys did an incredible job and after 20 years and a second time in our history, we are back in the Champions League final.”

Why go now

Madrid’s current boomtown dynamics are driving the city centre way upmarket, pushing the average punter to outer barrios in search of cheaper rent. As seen in New York and elsewhere, the creative class is moving too – crossing the River Manzanares to open studios in the former factories and metalworks of Carabanchel. Now the city’s most populous district, this used to be a separate municipality, which was annexed to the capital in 1948 and built up into canyons of high-rise flats to house the postwar influx from the provinces, and later from Latin America.

Today, old and new Madrid coexist here in a certain harmony: coffee roasters and bistros slot in beside weathered blue-collar tapas bars and Colombian or Peruvian cantinas, but the neighbourhood still feels a bit like an independent republic. Long-term residents roll their eyes at claims made for the area’s coolness, and some express pride, or resistance, through a popular T-shirt slogan: “This is not Soho. This is Carabanchel.”

Where to eat and drink

The district’s focal point is La Capa, a defunct 1960s cafe revived by three local men, who gave the original interior a good scrub and upgraded the kitchen to serve exemplary dishes such as chicken escalope with red pepper confit and premium wines from small bodegas, many sold at cost price.

Three actors have repurposed an old corner shop as a small, bright bar called Merinas. The walls are hung with caricatures of famous film directors, the palm-shaded patio creates a beach-like feel in a landlocked city, and the judicious menu runs to guest wines, charcuterie boards and spectacular sandwiches with fillings like cured tuna and payoyo cheese on organic sourdough rolls.

Cultural experiences

Sabrina Amrani recalls the opening night of her new Carabanchel gallery in 2019, when one guest almost cried while telling her that she had changed the map of Madrid by bringing art across the river. “Perhaps we helped open a door,” she says, “but many artists were based here before we arrived, and they generated a different kind of energy in the neighbourhood.”

While Amrani converted a car workshop into a showroom for work by international talents such as Alexandra Karakashian, native street artist Sfhir made space for more than 200 painters, muralists and sculptors in a nearby underground garage now called 95 Gallery.

Carabanchel has its own punky, DIY music scene, too, packed around a cluster of low-cost recording studios and rehearsal rooms, with raucous gigs at Gruta 77, battles of the bands at Madreams, and after-hours DJ sets at industrial complex turned arts hub CasaBanchel.

Where to shop

At Planeta Ganga, retired film producer María Arellano draws on her contacts in wardrobe departments to source and sell outfits seen in Spanish films and TV shows such as Elite. Prices are surprisingly low, and a big cut goes to an orthopaedic charity for kids (Arellano’s daughter was born with mobility issues).

Local rockabillies buy their Harrington jackets and boogie shoes at specialist boutique Rocket, and the barrio’s first dedicated bottle shop for natural wines also doubles as a tiny late-night hangout, Luz Verde.

Don’t miss

Far removed from the city’s historic core, Carabanchel has its own architectural legacy, from the modernist turrets and chalets of an early 20th-century writers’ colony, the Colonia de la Prensa, to the medieval brickwork hermitage of Santa María La Antigua – one of the oldest buildings in Madrid.

Where to stay

Cielo Studios offers stylish modern guest apartments from €80, with a rooftop garden and lounge overlooking the surrounding block of bars and galleries.

Vinicius Jr scores twice as Real Madrid beat Espanyol 2-0 to keep Barcelona waiting to win the La Liga title, which they could now do when the two rivals meet in next Sunday’s El Clasico.

MATCH REPORT: Espanyol 0-2 Real Madrid

Available to UK users only.

World number one Jannik Sinner remains on course for a record fifth consecutive Masters 1,000 title after reaching the Madrid Open final with a straight-set win over Arthur Fils.

The Italian won his 22nd successive match to reach Sunday’s final, where he will face either second seed Alexander Zverev or unseeded Belgian Alexander Blockx.

Sinner, 24, has won the opening three ATP 1,000 events of the season – in Indian Wells, Miami and Monte Carlo – and also triumphed in Paris late last year.

The four-time Grand Slam winner broke twice to take the first set 6-2 against 21st seed Fils, who won the clay-court Barcelona Open two weeks ago.

Fils, 21, was 3-2 up in the second set having saved two break points, but Sinner finally broke to move 5-4 ahead and served out the match to progress 6-2 6-4.

Zverev and Blockx play their semi-final later on Friday.