Real

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.”

ELLA Bright left fans absolutely stunned when she revealed her ‘real’ voice on The Kelly Clarkson Show.

The Off Campus actress, 19, has seen huge success in her role as college junior Hannah Wells on the new YA series, where she speaks in an American accent.

However, both Kelly and viewers were left absolutely stunned by what her day-to-day speaking voice actually sounds like.

Bringing it up with Ella, a surprised Kelly said: “Your accent is f*****g throwing me. It’s throwing me, it’s crazy.

“It’s weird. I was doing research on you last night because you were coming on and I was like, ‘Oh my God, she’s British.’

“Because I only saw the clips from Off Campus so I was like, ‘Wait, what?’

Read more Kelly Clarkson Show

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waist a minute

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“You do such a great American accent!”

Fans watching the clip felt the same way and commented about it on TikTok.

One user said: “I didn’t know she was British. Wow.”

A second shared: “I’m loving that raspy voice.”

A third added: “Insane insane insane.”

Season 1 of Off Campus debuted earlier this month, corresponding to the first book in Elle Kennedy’s viral series, The Deal, released in 2015.

It follows aspiring film composer Hannah as she pretends to date cocky Briar U hockey captain Garrett Graham to win the attention of her real crush, Justin Kohl (Josh Heuston).

Ella’s on-screen partner, Garrett Graham (Belmont Cameli), is 28 years old and also plays the role of a college student.

It’s caused a stir among fans because Ella is actually only 19 years old.

She is the youngest among her co-stars, who range from their mid to late twenties.

Coronation Street fans think they have figured out why Idris Nazir is keen on a romance with Leanne Battersby, and it could be linked to a past villain on the ITV soap

Fans of Coronation Street think newcomer Idris Nazir is targeting Leanne Battersby in a new twist.

Leanne met Idris this week, while it soon emerged they had actually met years earlier. Idris is related to Leanne’s late ex Kal Nazir, but that hasn’t stopped the pair pursuing a romance.

Corrie had revealed Idris would be Leanne’s new love interest before he debuted, and then this week we saw them kiss. Amid Idris’ cousin Alya Nazir being unimpressed by their blossoming romance, some fans think Idris has a motive.

Viewers are theorising that Idris is targeting Leanne on behalf of someone else, and perhaps he knows a past Corrie villain. A new theory has predicted that Idris is “in cahoots with” Harvey Gaskell, who was sent to prison after Leanne helped the police put him behind bars.

Harvey escaped and tried to kill Leanne, actually murdering Sam Blakeman’s mother Natasha in a case of mistaken identity. Harvey then went back to prison.

But fans are wondering if there is more to Idris’ sudden arrival and his interest in Leanne. With it heavily teased he is involved in some dodgy dealings, a theory being shared online is that Idris could be working for Harvey, and targeting Leanne for him.

Taking to social media, one viewer posted: “I know that Idris is a wrongun but, does anyone else think that he might be in cahoots with Harvey and that’s why he’s coming onto Leanne?” A fan replied: “Never thought of that!!!”

Another said: “Oooooh never thought of that it’s not gonna be good news whatever.” A further post read: “Good theory and Leanne said she knew him from somewhere – could have been one of Harvey’s henchmen.”

A further fan confessed: “I really hope not! Couldn’t stand Harvey, hated when they kept bringing him back!” A final fan said: “I’ve just seen someone saying on Facebook they think Idris could be connected to Harvey and that’s why he’s wanting to be with Leanne.

“Might be a bit of a stretch but it could explain why after about 3 hours they’re pursuing a romance, so fast when they barely know each other, AND he’s related to her late partner, all a bit weird.”

Coronation Street airs weeknights at 8:30pm on ITV1 and ITV X. * Follow Mirror Celebs and TV on TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads .

KATIE Price has found hubby Lee Andrews after two weeks — and he claims he was detained on suspicion of spying.

She spoke to conman Lee, 43, for two minutes this morning after his dad put her in touch. Katie, 48, says the call came from Dubai’s Al Awir jail.

She said: “It was very rushed but he said the authorities out there thought he was a spy.”

Relieved Katie added: “I told him how worried I’d been and that I loved him.”

Panicked Katie raised the alarm on May 13, telling fans Lee had been tied up, put in a van and taken to a “black site” after being “arrested”.

Now she says Lee has told her he was detained on suspicion of spying, and is being held at Dubai’s Al Awir prison.

LONG LOST LEE

Katie Price reveals first chat with husband Lee after he’s ‘arrested’

HE’S BACK!

Katie Price reveals she’s FOUND ‘missing’ husband Lee after ‘call from prison’

Katie’s contact with her husband came after his dad Peter texted her to explain his whereabouts.

She said: “I have found him. He is alive, and he is OK. I told him how worried I had been and told him I loved him.

“It was very rushed, but he said the authorities out there thought he was a spy. I don’t know much more than that right now.”

Lee, who lives full-time in Dubai, is believed to have been arrested on May 14.

The Sun, however, understands he has been detained over claims relating to a private civil matter. Authorities have confirmed to us he was NOT held over spying charges.

He is due for release on Monday, but must pay a four-figure fine.

Lee once reposted an Instagram post suggesting he should be the next James Bond.

And he is seen “acting” in an excruciating 2016 video on his YouTube channel titled “Charity TV show: The Agent”.

A comment adds: “Featuring billionaire defense (sic) contractor H.E Weslee Peter John Andrews.”

Espionage is one of the most serious crimes in the United Arab Emirates.

In 2018 Brit PhD student Matthew Hedges was held at Dubai airport on suspicion of spying.

He was jailed for life but pardoned and released following intense international pressure.

In the days before Lee’s arrest he had moved belongings out of his rental apartment, and had moved in briefly with his father, staying in his run-down villa.

It is not known where he disappeared to after this, and his family filed a missing person’s report at the British embassy in Dubai.

On May 19, The Sun told how Lee duped our Clemmie Moodie into investing £1,000 on the promise of quadrupling her investment. It was a bogus scheme, seemingly using documents made using AI.

Before our front-page revelations, two of Lee’s exes shared horror stories involving the fraudster.

Texan nurse Crystal Janke said she had put £123,000 into one of his schemes on the promise of getting £1million, only to lose it all.

Lee’s ex-fiancée Alana Percival — who he proposed to over rose petals and champagne five weeks before rehashing the method with Katie — branded him a manipulative narcissist who feigned a heart condition for sympathy.

Alana claimed he was a swindler and told Katie to “run for the hills”.

Mum-of-five Katie and Lee wed in Dubai in January, days after meeting in person for the first time. He is said to be subject to a travel ban there following imprisonment for fraud last October.

Lee has been exposed for faking his CV, claiming he had worked for the King’s Trust and had a doctorate from Cambridge university.

He has never worked for the Labour Party — as he had claimed on his LinkedIn page.

Last week Katie admitted she was “giving up the search” for Lee after deleting an update about his situation.

She told podcast The Katie Price Show she was “leaving it to the police”, adding: “There’s nothing more I can do, that I can say.

“I’m just staying quiet because it’s getting ridiculous now, people taking the p**s out of everything.”

Katie added: “The police are now handling it, the British police, British consulate, the Foreign Office, Interpol they’re looking for Lee. All I can do is just get on with my life. I’ve got lots of exciting things coming up, and I’m just waiting for a call. What am I supposed to do, sit here and cry and do nothing, stay in bed? For my own sanity, I am taking a step back.”

Last weekend Lee’s dad Peter told the Daily Mail: “Lee is OK. He has not been kidnapped but is under arrest. I don’t know on what charge. I’m not sure where he is being held.”

Katie wrote: “This is fake news. Lee is still missing. Me and his family know what’s going on and are working with the authorities.”

The drama started earlier this month when Lee was due to fly to the UK for an interview with Katie on ITV’s Good Morning Britain.

He failed to turn up, leaving her to face the music on her own, humiliating her in the process.

• IN tomorrow’s Sun, we reveal how HSBC investigated Clemmie’s payment to Lee, and within 24 hours her money had been returned — vindicating allegations of him being a scammer. The bank’s head of fraud reveals the steps you can take to avoid getting swindled and how to claim back your money, step by step, should you have fallen victim to a similar scam.

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

Women’s basketball is finally getting the queer rom-com it deserves.

Media company Run-A-Muck has announced that it is developing “Courtside,” a sports romantic comedy set in the world of professional basketball. WNBA All-Star Gabby Williams, two-time WNBA champion Sydney Colson and 2022 WNBA champion Theresa Plaisance are among those set to appear in the movie, according to Deadline.

“If you like ‘Love & Basketball’ and ‘Bend It Like Beckham’ and ‘Bring It On’ but you found yourself wondering, ‘Could this maybe be a little bit gayer?’ We have great news for you,” Colson said in a Thursday Instagram post. “The answer is yeah, you could always make it gayer.”

Colson, a Texas A&M standout who was drafted to the WNBA in 2011, is also one of the executive producers on “Courtside.”

Written by “Abbott Elementary” writer-producer Brittani Nichols and directed by Carly Usdin, the movie will follow an injury-plagued women’s basketball superstar with championship ambitions who is thrown for a loop when she falls for a teammate.

“Making a movie like this is super exciting to me because I grew up playing basketball,” Colson added. “I would have loved as a young person to see my story depicted … on screen so to see a team of people who want to ensure that others can see characters and storylines that feel personal and familiar to them. I’m so excited about it.”

Colsen and Plaisance, who won a championship together as teammates on the Las Vegas Aces in 2022, share a podcast and also starred in the unscripted buddy comedy “The Syd + TP Show” together. Williams, who plays for France in international competition, currently plays on the Golden State Valkyries.

“It feels like I’ve been waiting my whole life for this kind of excitement to surround women’s basketball, and I’m excited to blend my love of sports, lesbian tension, and comedy into one project,” Nichols told Deadline. According to the outlet, Run-A-Muck co-founder and “The L Word” star Jennifer Beals is also slated to appear in the project.

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.”

Sony Pictures Television has acquired controlling interest in the reality TV production company behind “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” and “Vanderpump Rules.”

The Culver City studio, which produces “Jeopardy!” and “Wheel of Fortune,” announced Monday that it has closed its purchase of a majority stake of Alex Baskin’s three-year-old production firm, 32 Flavors. Baskin’s company has been expanding beyond its audience-addicting programs on Bravo to develop podcasts and documentaries.

NBCUniversal will continue to own “Real Housewives” and the other programs it televises, including “The Valley,” and spinoff show, “The Valley: Persian Style.” Baskin will continue as executive producer on his Bravo shows and stay on as chief executive of his production company.

Sony declined to disclose deal terms.

“Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” and “Real Housewives of Orange County,” are produced through Baskin’s company.

“32 Flavors has been on a remarkable trajectory, and with Sony’s support, we expect that momentum to accelerate meaningfully,” Baskin said in a statement.

Sony Pictures Entertainment studios in Culver City.

(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

Sony already owns nonfiction production companies, including Sharp Entertainment, Embassy Row, Brass Monkeys Media and 19 Entertainment, the powerhouse behind “American Idol.” It also owns formats for “Shark Tank,” and “90 Day Fiancé,” and an upcoming adaption of the board game, Clue.

“As the market evolves, we see real opportunity in premium nonfiction, and 32 Flavors strengthens our ability to deliver high-impact, returnable formats that connect with audiences and buyers around the world,” Katherine Pope, president of Sony Pictures Television Studios, said in a statement.

Pope gained responsibility for the unscripted TV business earlier the spring as part of a restructuring and dramatic downsizing, which resulted in hundreds of layoffs in the Japanese company’s entertainment business. At the time, Sony said the cuts reflected a business shift under Sony Pictures Chief Executive Ravi Ahuja.

KATIE Price has revealed the real reason she is refusing to go back to Dubai – and it has nothing to do with her marriage to Lee Andrews.

The mum-of-five landed back in the UK last week after spending some more time with the self-proclaimed billionaire businessman at his home in the UAE.

But now she has revealed she has no plans to return to Dubai – especially after hubby Lee confirmed he would be coming to the UK but failed to show up.

Now, amid a mystery relating to his current whereabouts, with Katie yesterday confirming she had not heard from him in three days and suggested he’d been kidnapped after he claimed to be in the back of a van with his hands tied up, she has revealed the real reason she would not return to Dubai.

And despite her looming marital woes, the answer is all connection to Katie’s work.

She revealed she wants to remain in the UK in order to produce content for her OnlyFans page and safely distribute it and engage with her followers on the platform.

KATIE’S LOVE

Katie Price reveals secret nickname for husband Lee after ‘kidnap’ fears

LEE MISSING

Katie Price fears husband Lee Andrews has been ‘kidnapped’ as he goes ‘missing’

Posting on the adults-only site is believed to be Katie’s primary source of income – after years of being belaguered with money problems.

Speaking in a YouTube video, Katie said: “I am glad to be back [in the UK].

“When I am out there, I cannot do my OnlyFans.

“I can’t do it when I am in the country there, so I can only do it here.”

She also further revealed how she was also able to produce better quality YouTube content in the UK with her cameraman Ben who does not accompany her to Dubai.

Her YouTube channel is also understood to net Katie a decent sum.

As a result of laws in the United Arab Emeriates, Katie is banned from using OnlyFans.

Whilst the website itself isn’t explicitly banned per se, it can likely only be accessed via a VPN,

Furthermore, in the UAE, the creation, distribution, and promotion of adult content is forbidden by law as a result of the country’s strict policies.

Anyone found to be creating adult content in the country and distributing it can face punishments of lengthy prison stints or a whopping fine of around £102,000.

Despite this, Lee set up his own OnlyFans content and teased raunchy content on the site – despite already claiming to have billions in the back and the laws regarding the matter in the Middle East country.

Katie has had a turbulent weekend after she admitted she had failed to be in touch with Lee for a number of days.

The former glamour model, 47, was left furious with Lee, 43, after he failed to board a flight AGAIN to the UK, and told him “time is running out”.

In a statement last night, she revealed she is concerned that her husband has been “kidnapped” and the police cannot find any record of him being detained.

The star insisted he is a “missing person” now and revealed the last time she spoke to him, he had “ties around his hand and was in a van” with a “hood over his head”.

Katie said: “I don’t know where to really begin, but I know there is all this speculation about Lee when I met him but something really serious has happened.

“I’ve been forced that I have to say this now.”

For more than 40 years, Barry Walters has been closely watching the dance floors of New York and San Francisco, chronicling the ways in which LGBTQ+ culture has influenced mainstream culture. As a writer for the Village Voice, the Advocate and Spin, among others, Walters became one of music journalism’s most eloquent and crucial voices, championing artists like the Pet Shop Boys and Madonna during their formative years.

Walters’ new book, “Mighty Real,” draws on his deep firsthand knowledge, offering a comprehensive history of LGBTQ+ music from 1969 to 2000. I recently spoke with Walters about Babs, Madge and Bowie.

✍️ Author Chat

In the book, you make a distinction between pre-Stonewall LGBTQ music and post-Stonewall LGBTQ music.

Gay culture before Stonewall really had to be hidden, or at least secretive. I think of Barbra Streisand as a quintessential pre-Stonewall figure. Judy Garland, as well. These women are tough, and even though they sing songs written by men, it’s not in a submissive way. They are singing like they are the champions, even when they are suffering through what men do to women through the torch songs they perform.

What can you say about the encoded nature of certain songs that spoke to gay culture in a way that flew under the radar of hetero listeners in the pre-Stonewall era?

The music that spoke to gay culture, by necessity, had to be encoded. “Secret Love” by Doris Day is a good example. It’s about struggling to have something that’s otherwise forbidden. Sinead O’Connor covered that song. There was a song I loved as a young child called “Have I The Right?” by the Honeycombs, which was written by two British gay men at a time when homosexuality was illegal in England. You know, have I the right to be with whomever I want to be with?

What, in your view, was the big bang of post-Stonewall LGBTQ music?

David Bowie to a large degree. Right around the time that “Hunky Dory” was being released in 1971, he told the Evening Standard newspaper that he was gay, flat out just said it. And it was such a strange thing to say that many people doubted his sincerity.

Barry Walters, a writer for the Village Voice, the Advocate and Spin, among others, wrote a new book about the history of LGBTQ+ music.

(Kelly Lawrence for Walters)

I remember seeing Bowie wearing that dress on the cover of “The Man Who Sold The World,” thinking that was the most transgressive act any rock star had ever committed.

And then he performed “Starman” on Top of the Pops in 1972 and he put his arm around his guitarist Mick Ronson, who also looked gorgeous. They were displaying a familiarity men aren’t supposed to have.

I thought I knew everything about pop music, but you have uncovered so many fascinating stories. Tell me about Olivia Records.

Olivia Records was an independent record label in the Bay Area owned and controlled by lesbians for female artists. This is years before punk or indie rock, when so many small labels cropped up. They pioneered so much. They would recruit fans in different cities to man the merchandise and to help get their records in stores. The idea of a merch table was something new at the time. They also created the forerunner of Burning Man. They would go find a farm somewhere and create an impromptu village, with food, sanitation and the rest.

You have given the most space in your book to Madonna, whom you have written about extensively over the years. Why is Madonna such a huge figure in the history of LGBTQ music?

Her art is so queer. I feel like she is one of us. She’s very much like Grace Jones, in that her sensibility is so aligned with gay culture. I related to Madonna on multiple levels. In the early ‘80s, I would see her around town, dancing at the same New York clubs I was frequenting, like Danceteria. She was steeped in gay culture, and then she brought all of this into the mainstream, and that was profound. I also feel like she was misunderstood in many ways. When straight men called her a slut, things like that. That is so far from the truth. She is such a complex artist. If you are making that claim, you don’t know anything about her.

(This Q&A was edited for length and clarity.)

📰 The Week(s) in Books

(Javier Pérez / For The Times)

Pulitzer prize winner Elizabeth Strout has a new novel called “The Things We Never Say,” and Julia M. Klein approves. “[Strout] reprises her familiar themes: the mysteries of human personality, the perils of solitude, the occasional possibility of grace … in deceptively simple, occasionally mannered prose that draws readers in and immerses them in her fictional worlds,” Klein writes.

They’re on a boat! Paula L. Woods climbed aboard a 130-foot yacht in Marina del Rey to soak in the vibes of the Yacht Girls Book Club. “I wanted conversations with like-minded women that were intellectual but fun,” club founder Aloni Ford told Woods. “And talking about books seemed to be the ideal way to achieve that.”

“PEN15” co-creator Anna Konkle has written a memoir called “The Sane One,” and Rachel Brodsky talked to her about it. “In some ways, ‘PEN15’ was a reaction to loving memoirs,” she tells Brodsky. “Raw memory has always been very exciting to me.”

Finally, our Times critics take the measure of this summer’s hottest beach reads.

📖 Bookstore Faves

Kinokuniya bookstores sell Japanese manga, stationery and literature.

(Courtesy of Kinokuniya)

When Kinokuniya opened its first L.A. shop in 1977, it was primarily to provide Japanese expats with imported books and magazines to read in their native tongue. Forty years later, the store has become a locus of Japanese printed matter for Angelenos eager to scoop up Japanese literature and manga in Japanese and English, as well an expansive selection of imported stationery products that, in L.A., can only be found in Kinokuniya’s three stores. I spoke with Sakura Yamaguchi, who manages two of Kinokuniya’s stores downtown (the third is in Mar Vista) about its many-splendored pleasures.

How did the store travel from Japan to Los Angeles?

Books Kinokuniya was founded by Moichi Tanabe in 1927. Located in the Shinjuku district of Tokyo in a two-story wooden building, the first Kinokuniya started with five employees, including Mr. Tanabe himself. In 1969, Kinokuniya opened its first overseas bookstore in San Francisco. The first Los Angeles store opened in 1977.

Who are your customers?

We first started as a store for Japanese customers, so we imported Japanese books and magazines and sold them, mainly. But in the past 10 years, Japanese manga/anime, stationery and literature has been quite popular in the U.S. Therefore our customers are a mix of Japanese-speaking customers and non-Japanese speakers who are interested in Japanese culture.

What percentage of your clientele buys Japanese–language products?

Forty percent Japanese-language products versus 60% English books.

What specific titles are selling for you right now?

“Witch Hat Atelier Grimoire Edition, Volume 1,” “JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Purple Smoke Distortion” and the “Strange Houses” series.

Are you seeing more young people turning to printed matter? It seems like there is an analog revival at the moment.

We have been trying to make exclusive editions that come with freebies to make the printed manga more attractive, but without that our English manga sales have been increasing and our main target for the manga is young people. There are many titles that are published exclusively in e-book format, but we frequently hear from customers asking when they will be released in print form. Also, recently there has been a growing number of cases where titles that were originally available only in digital format have later been published as physical books.

Kinokuniya at the Bloc in Los Angeles is located at 700 W 7th St.

(Please note: The Times may earn a commission through links to Bookshop.org, whose fees support independent bookstores.)

Harare, Zimbabwe – Zimbabwe’s real estate and farming sectors are seeing a surge in diaspora-driven investment, with two young content creators quietly emerging as unexpected influencers shaping the trend.

Kundai Chitima, 31, and Kelvin Birioti, 20, each running their own social media channel, have built followings that seem to influence a growing number of Zimbabweans abroad considering return or investment.

On YouTube and Instagram, they share short videos and posts highlighting opportunities in Zimbabwe. Their popular content ranges from property tours and agricultural tips to market trend analysis.

For some in the diaspora, decisions about returning or investing increasingly appear to be shaped less by official narratives and more by social media content offering on-the-ground perspectives of life in Zimbabwe.

One of those influenced is Catherine Mutisi, who spent 17 years living in the United Kingdom working as an accountant. During that time, she had already begun investing in Zimbabwe, building two houses, buying a small plot and starting a business.

She said her thinking shifted after coming across Birioti’s content during construction.

“Gradually, my mind and plans shifted from just visiting Zimbabwe towards wanting to permanently relocate,” she said.

Mutisi said earlier narratives about Zimbabwe had made her cautious, but online content presented a different perspective.

“Previously, I was just building my houses for my family to get some money. But after watching the videos, my eyes opened,” she told Al Jazeera.

Her experience is not isolated. Both Chitima and Birioti say they hear similar accounts from the Zimbabwean diaspora reassessing their long-term plans.

UK-based Zimbabwean Nyashadzashe Nguwo, an Africa market entry and global expansion adviser, said many people like Mutisi are relocating to Zimbabwe due to what he described as a combination of emotional and lifestyle-driven factors.

“There’s a strong desire among many in the diaspora to reconnect with their roots and contribute meaningfully to national development. For some, the lower cost of living and the opportunity to build something impactful at home outweigh concerns about economic instability,” Nguwo told Al Jazeera.

Two influencers

After growing up in Chinhoyi, a town in northern Zimbabwe about 120km (75 miles) northwest of the capital, Harare, Birioti sought a new start and enrolled at Zimbabwe Ezekiel Guti University (ZEGU) in Bindura. He dropped out, however, due to financial challenges and decided to move to Harare.

There, he met Chitima and began learning content creation. From the outset, he said he avoided entertainment-style content, instead focusing on what he saw as an information gap.

“I saw a gap: the diaspora community was being scammed.”

He built his platform about real estate, rural development and farming projects, often working with diaspora Zimbabweans who granted access to their properties for documentation.

On the other hand, Chitima worked as a teacher in South Africa before returning to Zimbabwe in 2015.

He said workplace inequality influenced his choice: “We were earning lower than my South African colleagues. I thought of my dignity and made a decision to return home.”

Chitima returned to Zimbabwe with limited resources and a pregnant wife, entering a very different economic environment from the one he had left.

Before his time in South Africa, he had worked as a civil servant. After returning, he gradually moved into content creation, beginning in 2015 and later training younger creators who went on to build large audiences.

Today, he reflects on his platform as both educational and protective for diaspora audiences.

“I receive calls from people crying … they have been scammed.”

He says his content aims to replace uncertainty with grounded information about the realities and opportunities in Zimbabwe.

Economic pressure and unemployment

While no official figures are publicly available on the exact number of Zimbabweans leaving the country or their reasons for doing so, reports from the International Organization for Migration and independent migration studies indicate consistent migration.

The Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (Zimstat) reported a 21.8 percent unemployment rate in the third quarter of 2024, based on strict International Labour Organization definitions.

Between 76 percent and 80 percent of workers are in the informal sector, relying on subsistence or unregulated employment. Youth unemployment is particularly acute: a 2025 World Bank report estimates it at 76.8 percent.

For many young people, stable employment is increasingly difficult to secure.

Susan Sibanda, 26, describes moving between short-term and informal work.

“I have been switching from one casual job to the next,” Sibanda said.

Her experience reflects a wider labour market where formal employment continues to shrink. In recent years, several big retailers, including Choppies, Truworths, OK Zimbabwe, and N Richards, have downsized or closed operations.

Emigration pressures remain strong

Against that backdrop, migration still features heavily in the decisions of young Zimbabweans.

Sibanda said she now considers that “leaving Zimbabwe is in my best interest”.

Economist Tashinga Kajiva said the story of emigration from Zimbabwe has largely remained high, driven by a combination of push and pull factors that encourage people to seek what they see as greener pastures.

“Zimbabwe’s economy is marked by complex and, some would say, difficult dynamics. For ordinary citizens, disposable income remains low while the cost of living continues to rise. The marginal propensity to save among working-class citizens is also low, as many are living hand to mouth,” he told Al Jazeera.

Zimbabwe’s diaspora is concentrated in South Africa, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United States, according to government figures.

Keeping ties alive from abroad

The economic link between Zimbabwe and its diaspora remains strong.

According to real estate agents, diaspora buyers now account for a significant share

They state that up to 50 percent of high-end residential properties sold were purchased by Zimbabweans living abroad in recent years. In some regions, land prices have risen by 20–30 percent year-on-year, a surge partly attributed to diaspora buyers.

Diaspora investment is also noticeable in agriculture. Reports from the Zimbabwe Farmers Union indicate that about 10-15 percent of new farm leases over the past two to three years involve diaspora investors, with activity concentrated in Mashonaland Central and Matabeleland regions.

Remittances reached $1.7bn in 2023 and continue to rise. In 2025, Zimbabweans abroad sent $2.45bn home, with the UK and South Africa the largest sources, according to government data. A significant portion of these funds is reportedly invested in real estate, agriculture, and small businesses.

This reflects both practical necessity and emotional attachment to home, as well as a preference for investing in familiar environments, according to economists.

Still, return seems to generate mixed reactions.

Some diaspora Zimbabweans appear cautious, citing political developments and recent protests abroad over governance concerns.

For them, financial ties to Zimbabwe are still strong, but physical return remains uncertain.

With social media reshaping perceptions of life in Zimbabwe, many in the diaspora remain caught between investment opportunities and the country’s economic realities.

As content creators like Chitima and Birioti reshape how some see opportunity in Zimbabwe, domestic economic pressures appear to be pushing others away, leaving the country’s relationship with its diaspora open-ended and still evolving.

“For many Zimbabweans living abroad, investing back home is not just about profit – it’s about staying connected to their roots and shaping the future of their communities,” said Chitima.

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.”

FOR someone whose face never moves, Katie Price couldn’t hide her emotion yesterday as her husband Lee Andrews stood her up on live TV.

What was supposed to be the loved-up couple’s chance to quieten the naysayers turned Katie into a laughing stock as she desperately tried to explain Lee’s absence amid claims he had been detained in the UAE. We’re told the public humiliation was a step too far for those close to Katie, 47, but has it been enough for her to see the light?

An insider said: “It’s not nice to see Katie put on the spot like that. All she ever does is try to be the perfect wife, but she’s struggling with the constant uncertainty.

“Her inner circle are worried it’s going to take its toll on her. It’s put a lot of pressure on the other relationships in her life – like with her sister Sophie, who has been terrified about Lee’s intentions from the start.

“Katie has been through so much heartache in the past and been treated so badly by men, and they think she deserves more – or at least some transparency.

“It’s one thing Lee supposedly missed the flight, but the videos of him at the airport while he desperately insists he is still coming are a hard watch. There is a feeling that he needs to accept the game is up, and they are just worried about how Katie will react when she realises that something is amiss.”

The couple, who tied the knot in January, were due to appear on GMB yesterday. It was set to be their first joint telly interview and a chance for them to set the record straight. 

But while Katie, who had been visiting Lee in Dubai, made it back to the UK, Lee was nowhere to be seen. What followed was a bizarre game of will-he, won’t he, while poor Katie was left struggling alone. 

There is ongoing speculation that Lee, 43, is unable to leave the United Arab Emirates city after allegedly forging his ex-girlfriend Dina Taji’s signature to secure a £200,000 loan – something he’s strongly denied. 

Presenters Susanna Reid and her co-host Ed Balls told how they had approached the Foreign Office to see if Lee had a travel ban.

They said they had been informed they had “supported a British man detained in the United Arab Emirates”.

When the pair quizzed Katie as to whether this was Lee, she said he had denied it in a voice note and added laughing emoji icons to his message.

Explaining the reason for his no-show, Katie, who wore a pink shirt and gold hoop earrings for her chat, said: “He just didn’t make the flight.

“He’s coming here to spend quite a few months now. He’s been sorting out my visa, my international driving licence.

“He’s flying from Muscat, and he had things to do; he didn’t make the flight, but he’s at the airport now”.

Lee reinforced her words as he took to his social media page from the departures lounge.

He praised Katie’s appearance on GMB and said: “Yes, I am at the airport and flying to my wife, who did very well on GMB today.

“And I am on my way to her. I had a couple of things that I had to do last-minute; I couldn’t make the show. I was hoping to get on there with the Zoom link, but they carried on with Kate, and she did really, really well”.

Mum of three Susanna mused: “I wonder if he’s telling you everything, do you trust him?” to which Katie said, “Yes”.

He then asked if Lee was normally unreliable, and she replied: “Not with me”.

Our insider added: “Katie was desperate to keep painting a happy picture, but the cracks are starting to show. She will have been upset about the line of questioning about the man she loves. She is a hopeless romantic and wants to believe the best in Lee, even if no one else does.”

The interview was a disaster, and clips of Katie frantically trying to defend Lee quickly went viral, and Lee was heavily scrutinised. Some people claimed the video he shared wasn’t filmed where he said it was, while others felt sympathy towards her.

Who is Katie Price’s husband Lee Andrews?

KATIE Price tied the knot with Lee Andrews in January 2026. Yet who is he?

• Katie Price has married businessman fiancé Lee Andrews in a whirlwind wedding
• It is the fourth time Katie, 47, has been a bride. She has also been married to Peter Andre, Alex Reid and Kieran Hayler
• Katie and Lee met just after being introduced on social media
• Lee claimed he is a billionaire in a failed clip from his acting career
• He now claims to be a Dubai-based businessman
• Yet The Sun has unmasked him as a fantasist who faked celebrity links using AI-generated photos and recently talked about marrying two other women
• Failed actor is just another title to add to Lee’s questionable CV, after he claimed to have once worked as the Director of Philanthropy at The Prince’s Trust (now The King’s Trust)
• Lee also shared images – since proven to be AI – of him working with Elon Musk and Kim Kardashian
• It’s been revealed shameless Lee told former girlfriends that he had studied at Cambridge University, and has a PhD in biotechnology science
• But The Sun has seen a response from the university explaining it could not find a record of Lee being registered as a student with a date of birth they had provided
• His LinkedIn profile says Lee has been a Member of the Board of Advisors to the Labour Party since 2015
• Lee was also mocked for repeating the exact same wedding proposal on Katie – that he did for another woman just four months ago.

One person commented: “I actually feel a bit sorry for her.”

Another remarked: “This is so sad. The penny still has not dropped, even though GMB know its him that’s been detained as they would have had it confirmed. I hope Suzannah told her after the cameras stopped rolling.”

And as the day went on, it seemed less and less likely Lee would actually arrive, despite his insisting he was on his way.

There certainly seems to be some confusion with the couple’s timeline – over 12 hours before she was due on GMB, Katie posted on her social media – in a video which has now been deleted – to reveal Lee was joining her 

She said on social media: “Where the hell is my husband? Lee will not be on Good Morning Britain with me!!”

She added: “Well, he is not coming, which is gutting really as he said he was coming, so I’m getting the house ready for me”.

And for the first time, the tide might be slightly turning for Katie, and in a surprise movie, she did lay down an ultimatum.

Katie said that although Lee “pays for” her flights to Dubai, she needs him to be more present in the UK.

The mum-of-five, who hasn’t even been able to introduce her kids to Lee, said: “I’ve been in Dubai, I came back on Friday.

“But because I can’t keep going to Dubai, because obviously I’ve got work and my kids here.

 Susanna quipped: “And it’s expensive”, and Katie replied: “Well, he pays for it anyway.”

“But I can’t keep going to Dubai.”

Katie believes that Lee will now be joining her for a few months in the UK, but whether he ever makes remains to be seen. 

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.”

Coronation Street fans had a lot to say after Abi Webster actress Sally Carman celebrated her birthday.

Coronation Street fans have been left floored after learning the real age of Abi Webster actress Sally Carman.

Abi made her debut on the long-running ITV soap back in 2017 – and it’s fair to say she has quickly become a firm favourite with fans. The character has also played a part in several big storylines during her stint on the soap.

From her drug addiction, the tragic death of her son Seb (Harry Visinoni), and, more recently, her affair with Carl Webster (Jonathan Howard) behind her husband Kevin’s (Michael Le Vell) back, her time in Weatherfield has not been short of drama.

Away from the cobbles though, on Saturday (May 9) Abi actress Sally celebrated her birthday – and fans couldn’t believe her real age.

On a Coronation Street Facebook fan page, one person paid a sweet tribute to Sally and said: “Sally Carman is 51 today. Happy Birthday Sally.” And rushing to the comments section, fans were left gobsmacked by her age.

One person wrote: “51?! She looks in her 40s!” Another added: “She doesn’t look a day over 30.” A third chimed in: “I’d have guessed she was in her 40s.” Someone else wrote: “She doesn’t look that age! Gorgeous lady.”

Last year, Sally revealed the secrets behind her remarkably youthful looks. In an interview with The Sun, Sally confessed: “Oh, it’s no secret – I have fillers, I have Botox, facials…. I do all of it.”

Sally continued: “I’m really open about it. I don’t think there’s anything worse than someone promoting a cream saying: ‘Buy this mega-bucks cream and your face will be as smooth as mine.’ I’m like: ‘Yeah, whatever.’ So there’s no cream – well, there is, but there are other things on top.”

Meanwhile earlier this year, Sally confirmed that fans will be seeing her playing Abi until at least 2027 as she signed another year-long contract. Speaking exclusively to Radio Times at the TV Choice Awards, she confirmed: “Just signed for another year, which is great. My goodness, I love it. It’s my favourite job I’ve ever done.”

The soap star also shared that she would be honoured to follow in the footsteps and have the same screen longevity as Corrie royalty Sally Dynevor, who recently marked the milestone of playing Sally Metcalfe for 40 years. “If they’ll have me, yeah!” Sally joked.

In addition to her success on Coronation Street, Sally has also found love on the show. She met her co-star Joe Duttine, who plays Tim Metcalfe, on set in 2017, and the couple got engaged in 2020 before tying the knot two years later.

Discussing their unique engagement tale on Kate Thornton’s podcast, White Wine Question Time, Sally shared: “It was while we were in lockdown and we were staying in the Dales with his sister, who has a lot of space, with, his kids” she said.

She added: “We were walking around this big field on this walk and he went: ‘Kids, have a look in between the dry stone walling because you know, they used to put coins and precious things to hide them in the walls.”

Sally continued: “So I’m having a look and there’s this box. And I opened it. I’m like: ‘No way.’ And then there was another box inside. And I turned around and he was on one knee.”

Coronation Street airs Monday to Friday at 8:30pm on ITV1 and ITVX

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.