Spain

Who: Manchester United vs Tottenham Hotspur
What: UEFA Europa League final 2025
Where: San Mames Stadium in Bilbao, Spain
When: Wednesday at 9pm (19:00 GMT)

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Manchester United clash with Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday in an all-English Europa League final, which has major implications on and off the field.

The winner of this final not only – and unexpectedly, based on their horrendous bottom-five domestic form – take home a European crown, but also punch their golden ticket for entry into next season’s lucrative UEFA Champions League, resulting in tens of millions of dollars in extra revenue.

Al Jazeera Sport chronicles the key talking points ahead of a classic winner-takes-most showdown between two of England’s highest-profile clubs looking to reverse their regrettable seasons with an unexpected European triumph.

Are Man Utd, Spurs the lowest-ranked teams to play in the Europa League final?

There has never been any final, in any UEFA competition, where both clubs have been so low in their domestic league tables.

Both clubs head to Bilbao for the final, assailed by stinging criticism amid their worst seasons of the English Premier League era.

United sit 16th on the ladder, and Tottenham are one point worse off in 17th, with just one league game remaining.

Only the struggles of relegated trio Ipswich, Leicester and Southampton saved United and Tottenham from a highly embarrassing battle to avoid crashing into the second-tier championship.

Do the winners directly qualify for next season’s UEFA Champions League?

UEFA allows the winners of their second-tier Europa League competition direct entry into the 2025-26 UEFA Champions League, without the need for additional qualifying matches.

Additionally, they will earn the right to play against the winners of the 2024-25 Champions League in the UEFA Super Cup on August 13.

For the losers of the final in Bilbao, the hangover from this catastrophic domestic season threatens to be a long one, with the possibility of European football exile until at least the 2026-27 season.

How much is Champions League qualification worth?

The winners of the Europa League final could receive up to a 65-million-euro ($73m) boost.

This calculation is reached by combining the Europa League prize money and the TV and gate revenue derived from the winning team’s participation in the league phase of next season’s Champions League.

What happened the last time these teams played?

The teams last met at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London on February 16, with James Maddison’s 13th-minute game-winner handing the home team a 1-0 victory against United.

Spurs have won all three of their meetings with United in all competitions this season, twice in the Premier League and once in the EFL Cup quarterfinals.

What is Manchester United’s form?

United’s last win in the Premier League was on March 16, a 3-0 victory at Leicester. Since then, Ruben Amorim’s side has registered six defeats and two draws in the domestic competition.

United’s only two victories in May came in the Europa League semifinals against Athletic Club.

What is Tottenham’s form?

Spurs have been equally dreadful in the final two months of the Premier League season, losing five and drawing once in their last six games.

Their last domestic league victory was a 3-1 home win against Southampton way back on April 6, leading to constant media speculation that manager Ange Postecoglou’s job is under threat for next season.

Where will the 2025 final be played?

San Mames Stadium in Bilbao, Spain is the venue for the final.

With a seating capacity in excess of 50,000, the stadium is home to Athletic Club, who, by chance, are the team Manchester United defeated on May 8 in the Europa League semifinal to progress to the final.

UEFA has confirmed that the two teams will receive an allocation of 15,000 tickets each, with a further 11,000 tickets up for general sale and the remainder offered to hospitality and sponsors.

Team news: Manchester United

According to Manchester United’s official website, the Red Devils received a triple boost on the eve of the UEFA Europa League final with sidelined stars Diogo Dalot, Leny Yoro, and Joshua Zirkzee spotted taking part in the team’s build-up training session on Tuesday.

Zirkzee had been ruled out for the rest of the season after suffering a hamstring injury in April, but could be available for selection after missing United’s last eight games.

Another Dutchman, centre-back Matthijs de Ligt, is also questionable ahead of the match, but he was seen running through some training drills in an individual workout on Tuesday.

Striker Rasmus Hojlund, who has struggled up front for large parts of the season, is tipped to lead the line for Amorim’s side.

Team News: Tottenham

Spurs will line up without key midfield players Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski, as well as promising youngster Lucas Bergvall, who are all ruled out with injury.

Maddison, who was set to miss the rest of the season with a knee issue, did board the team bus for Bilbao, leading to rampant media speculation he might play in the final, despite being ruled out by Postecoglou.

Tottenham captain Son Heung-Min, who sustained a foot injury in April and missed seven consecutive matches, is on course to be fit for the final after making his first start against Aston Villa last Friday, according to the team.

Better news in the backline for Tottenham, with previously injured defenders Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven both available for selection.

Possible lineups

United possible starting XI: Onana (GK); Yoro, Maguire, Lindelof; Mazraoui, Casemiro, Ugarte, Dorgu; Fernandes, Amad; Hojlund

Tottenham possible starting XI: Vicario (GK); Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Udogie; Sarr, Bissouma, Bentancur; Johnson, Solanke, Son

What’s the prize money for the Europa League winners?

The winners of the 2025 Europa League final will receive a prize money of 13 million euros ($14.6m). The runners-up are allocated 7 million euros ($7.87m).

Both clubs could use the money to pay down their debt: Spurs recorded an annual operating loss of 26 million pounds ($34.7m) last year, while United’s deficit was 113 million pounds ($151m) over the same period.

What the managers and players had to say

Ruben Amorim, Manchester United manager: “I feel it’s a mixed feeling. I’m really excited, but at the same time, I know my responsibility as Manchester United coach. I have always [had] that feeling of frustration for the season, so I want really badly to help the team win this final. We’ve got to give something to the club, to the fans, to the staff, to everybody.”

Ange Postecoglou, Tottenham Hotspur manager: “I mean, who cares if we’re struggling in the league? Why is that important? If it’s so easy to get to a final, then why doesn’t everyone who finishes in the top three do it?

“We understand our league form hasn’t been great. We understand the struggles we’ve had. A lot of them are because of the situation we’ve been in. But how does that diminish the achievement of getting to a final?

“I couldn’t care less who’s struggling and who’s not. I think both us and United have earned the right to be there.”

Son Heung-Min, Tottenham captain: “We always respect our opponents, but I think it’s important to do what we need to do. I think the Manchester United players would think the same. It’s definitely going to be a great game, but it will be a difficult one. But I think we want to win it even more.

“I have accomplished everything in the 10 years I’ve been at Tottenham, except for one thing [winning a European title]. I’ve worked hard to make up for that and have always dreamed of winning a trophy in a Tottenham shirt. So, I hope we can make that dream a reality.”

BRITISH seas have been invaded by huge European octopuses devouring our crabs and lobsters.

The creatures have swum from the Mediterranean to the coast of Devon and Cornwall.

They break into crab and lobster pots “totally destroying” the seafood.

Fishermen have urged authorities to relax a bylaw stopping them selling 5kg octopus they find in their pots for £7 per kilo to eager Spain.

One, Brian Tapper from Plymouth, said: “This time of year we’d normally see 60 to 100kg of lobster a day and 500-800kg of crab.

“Last week we had 8kg of lobster and 50kg of crab.

“Suspending the law means we could ride out this Biblical invasion.”

The Devon & Severn Fisheries Authority ruled boats can exclusively target octopus.

But they cannot keep any found trapped in crab or lobster pots.

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AN EASYJET passenger was left petrified after a group of rowdy “drunk” Brits turned her Ibiza flight into a “nightclub”.

Furious Spaniard Erika Barrachina claimed she suffered a “panic attack” after the mid-air raucous where she had to cope with “scum” passengers.

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The Ibiza resident blasted that these type of tourists should never have been allowed to board the plane in the first place.

Shocking footage showed a packed plane with passengers appearing to bang on luggage compartments and yell: “Come on Ibiza!”

Multiple travellers appeared to be waving their arms and legs around while sat during the loud journey.

And some who seemingly found the whole situation hilarious decided to record the noisy chanting.

The Spanish local said that her “flight from London to Ibiza was absolutely horrible“.

The passenger said she was “scared” while travelling on the jet “full of real English animals”.

“Everyone standing, screaming, guys hitting each other, drinking bottles of alcohol one after the other and stopping the flight attendants from doing their job,” she added.

The appalled passenger called her experience: “Real hell.”

She said of the footage which she managed to record: “This video is the just the end because I couldn’t film what happened during the journey.”

Barrachina also claimed that Brit passengers were drunk and high before boarding.

She continued: “Taking pills and drinking alcohol at the same time, which I saw with my own eyes.

“It was a really wild 2.5 hour flight.”

The Spanish passenger raged: “This shouldn’t be allowed. They shouldn’t let scum like this get on a plane or sell alcohol on board.

“We don’t want this type of tourism in Ibiza, they should stay at home.”

She branded the uncontrollable Brits “wild animals”.

The Ibiza resident also told a local Ibizan newspaper: “I’m not afraid of flying because I’ve flown around the world but I had a panic attack because it was like being in a pub, in a nightclub, but in the air.”

She claimed that multiple air stewards asked some of the passengers for their documentation, only to be told: “F**k off.”

The “wild” passengers were let off the plane after reaching Ibiza airport and identifying themselves.

EasyJet told The Sun: “We can confirm that flight EZY2307 from Luton to Ibiza on May 16 was met by police on arrival due to a group of passengers behaving in a disruptive manner.

“The safety and wellbeing of passengers and crew is always easyJet’s priority.

“Whilst such incidents are rare we take them very seriously and do not tolerate disruptive behaviour onboard.”

Barrachina posted the footage on Saturday – one day before thousands of people marched in Canary Islands capitals as part of a new anti-mass tourism protest.

Locals in the Balearic Islands, which include Ibiza, are due to stage their protest on June 15.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez says Israel should be excluded from the Eurovision Song Contest over its war in Gaza. His comments follow protests against Israel’s participation at last weekend’s event in Switzerland, in which Israel finished second behind Austria.

The Government has ordered Airbnb to pull the listing in a bid to reduce the impact of tourism

Spain’s government has ordered Airbnb to block more than 65,000 holiday listings on its platform over rule violations. The Spanish consumer rights ministry said that many of the 65,935 Airbnb listings it had ordered to be withdrawn did not include their licence number or specify whether the owner was an individual or a company.

Others listed numbers did not match official records. Spain is grappling with a housing affordability crisis that has spurred government action against short-term rental companies.

In recent months, tens of thousands of Spaniards have taken to the streets in protest against rising housing and rental costs, which many say have been driven up by holiday rentals on platforms like Airbnb that have proliferated in cities like Madrid and Barcelona and many other popular tourist destinations.

Last year, Barcelona announced a plan to close down all of the 10,000 apartments licensed in the city as short-term rentals by 2028 to safeguard the housing supply for full-time residents.

Spain’s government said the first round of rentals affected by the order are located across the country, including in the capital Madrid, in Andalusia and also in Catalonia, whose capital is Barcelona.

The move comes as Steve Heapy, chief executive of airline and tour operator Jet2, said there is a “perception” among some people that overseas visitors are not welcome in Spain. Spanish residents in popular destinations have organised a number of demonstrations against tourism in recent years, with banners featuring messages such as “tourists go home”.

The impact of tourism on rental rates is a common theme at the protests. Speaking at an event at the Spanish embassy in London, Mr Heapy said: “We’ve had people ringing the call centre and going into travel agents, asking questions like ‘is Spain safe’, ‘are we still welcome in the resort’.”

He went on: “It is becoming a big issue unfortunately, and perception becomes truth.”

Mr Heapy said “unlicensed tourism” – such as people staying in private accommodation listed on Airbnb – is “causing a huge problem” and “needs to be controlled”. Issues such as uncertainty over visitor numbers, unpaid tourist taxes and properties that “could be death traps” are among the issues, he said.

“Unfortunately there’s been a massive explosion in unlicensed tourism properties.”

He went on: “Airbnb can be controlled. They don’t rule the world. They are an online platform that we can control and put legislation in place.”

Mr Heapy said if he was a politician he would introduce fines of “a quarter of a million euros” for Airbnb hosts found not to have the required licences or tax records. Manuel Butler, director of the Spanish Tourist Office in London, insisted it is “important to distinguish between specific local tensions and the broader national picture”.

He went on: “The vast majority of Spain remains enthusiastic in welcoming tourists. Where protests have occurred – in cities such as Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca and Santa Cruz – concerns stem from broader societal issues: housing pressures, rising costs of living, and environmental strain in high-density areas.”

He added: “Spain is taking concrete steps to address these issues – through legislation on short-term rentals, tourism taxes in certain regions, and more comprehensive destination management.”

Spain is the most popular overseas destination for people in the UK, with more than 18 million visits last year. Spain’s Secretary of State for Tourism Rosario Sanchez Grau said: “We are proud and grateful that Spain remains the number one holiday destination for UK visitors.

“It is our priority to protect and nurture this relationship for the future.”

EMI MARTINEZ is wanted by Manchester United and Barcelona after he hinted at an Aston Villa exit, reports in Argentina say.

Martinez joined Villa from Arsenal in 2020 – following eight years in North London where he was loaned six times.

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And he emerged as one of the best keepers in the league, also cementing his place as Argentina No1 before their 2022 World Cup win.

But Martinez – whose contract expires in 2029 after extending it in the summer of 2024 – appeared to hint that he is leaving the club.

He was seen tearfully waving to fans following Villa’s 2-0 home win against Tottenham – suggesting he is preparing for an exit.

And according to Argentine TV channel DSports, United and Barca are both interested in signing Martinez and the keeper has offers from both.

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In 2015, at the height of the refugee crisis in Europe, as a record 1.3 million people, mostly Syrians fleeing civil war, sought asylum, Pau Aleikum Garcia was in Athens, helping those arriving in the Greek capital after a perilous sea journey.

The then 25-year-old Spanish volunteer arranged housing for refugees in abandoned facilities like schools and libraries, and set up community kitchens, language classes and art activities.

“It was kind of a massive cascade of people,” Garcia recalls.

“My own memory of that time is oddly patchy,” he admits. Though there was one encounter that stood out.

In one of those schools in Athens’ Exarcheia neighbourhood, where refugees painted the external wall to illustrate their memories of their journeys, Garcia met a Syrian woman in her late 70s.

“I’m not afraid of being a refugee. I have lived all my life. I’m happy with what I have lived,” he recalls her telling him. “I’m afraid that my grandkids will be refugees for all their life.”

When he tried to reassure her that they would find a place to start anew, she protested: “No, no, I’m worried, because when my grandkids grow [up] and they ask themselves, ‘Where do I come from?’ they won’t be able to answer that question.”

The woman told him how, during the family’s journey to Greece, all but one of their photo albums were lost.

Now, she said, all the memories of their lives in Syria existed only in her and her husband’s minds, unrecorded and unrecoverable for the next generation.

Connecting generations

The woman’s story stayed with Garcia after he returned to Barcelona and his work as cofounder of the design studio, Domestic Data Streamers (DDS).

Over the years, the studio has grown into a 30-person team of experts in varied disciplines such as psychology, architecture, cognitive science, journalism and design. The studio has collaborated with diverse institutions such as museums, prisons and churches, as well as the likes of the United Nations, and uses technology to bring “emotions and humanity” to data visualisation.

Then, in around 2019, with the rise of generative artificial intelligence – a model of machine learning that uses algorithms to create new content from data scraped from the internet – the team began to explore image-generating technology, following the release of ChatGPT.

As they did, Garcia thought of the grandmother from Syria and how this technology might help someone like her by constructing images based on memories.

He believes that memories – captured through records like photographs – play an integral role in connecting generations.

“Memories are the architects of who we are. … It’s a big part of how social identities are built,” he says.

He also likes to cite Montserrat Roig, a Catalan author, who wrote that the biggest act of love is to remember something.

But in the past, people had fewer opportunities to document their lives than their mobile phone-wielding contemporaries, he says. Many experiences have been omitted or erased from collective memory due to lack of access, persecution, censorship or marginalisation.

So with this in mind, in 2022, Garcia and his team launched the Synthetic Memories project to use AI to generate photographic representations of memories that were lost, due to missing photos, for instance, or never recorded in the first place.

“I don’t think there was an eureka moment,” Garcia says of the evolution of the idea. “I’ve always been intrigued by how documentaries reconstruct the past … our goal and approach were more focused on the subjective and personal side, trying to capture the emotional layers of memory.”

For Garcia, the chance to recover such memories is an important act in reclaiming one’s past. “The fact that you have an image that tells this happened to me, this is my memory, and this is shown and other people can see it, is also a way to say to you, ‘Yes, this happened’. It’s a way of saying, of having more dignity about the part of your history that has not been depicted.”

Building memories

To create a synthetic memory, DDS uses open-source image-generating AI systems such as DALL-E 2 and Flux, while the team is developing its own tool.

The process starts with an interviewer asking a subject to recall their earliest memory. They explore various narratives as people recount their life stories before picking the one they think can be best encapsulated in an image.

The interviewer works with a prompter – someone trained in the syntax that the AI uses to create visuals – who inputs specific words to build the image from the details described by the interviewee.

Nearly everything, such as hairstyles, clothing, and furniture, is recreated as accurately as possible. However, figures themselves are usually depicted from behind or, if faces are shown, with a degree of blurriness.

This is intentional. “We want to be very clear that this is a synthetic memory and this is not real photography,” says Garcia. This is partly because they want to ensure their generated images don’t add to the proliferation of fake photos on the internet.

The resulting images – usually two or three from each session, which can last up to an hour – can appear dreamlike and undefined.

“As we know, memory is very, very, very fragile and full of imperfections,” Garcia explains. “That was the other reason why we wanted a model that could be full of imperfections and also a bit fragile, so it’s a good demonstration of how our memory works.”

Garcia’s team found that people who took part in the project said they felt a stronger connection to less detailed images, their suggestive nature allowing for their imagination to fill in the blanks. The higher the resolution, the more someone focuses on the details, losing that emotional connection to the image, Airi Dordas, the project’s lead, explains.

The team first trialled this technology with their grandparents. The experience was moving, Garcia says, and one that grew into medical trials to determine whether synthetic memories can be used as an augmentation tool in reminiscence therapy for dementia sufferers.

From there, the team went on to work with Bolivian and Korean communities in Brazil to tell their stories of migration, before partnering with Barcelona’s city council to document local memories. The sessions were open to the public and held last summer at the Design Museum in Barcelona, generating more than 300 memories.

Some wanted to work through traumatic experiences, like one woman who was abused by a relative who avoided jail and wanted to recreate a memory of him in court to share with her family. Others recalled moments from their childhood, like 105-year-old Pepita, who recreated the day she saw a train for the first time. Couples came to relive shared experiences.

There was always a moment, Ainoa Pubill Unzeta, who carried out interviews in Barcelona, says, “when people actually saw a picture that they would relate to, you could feel it … you can see it”. For some, it was just a smile; others cried. For her, this was confirmation that the image was done well.

One of the first memories Garcia recorded during their pilot sessions was that of Carmen, now in her 90s. She remembers going up to a stranger’s balcony as a child, her mother having paid the owners to let them in, because it looked into the courtyard of the jail where her father, a doctor for the Republican front during the Spanish Civil War, was being held. This was the only way the family could see him from his cell window.

By incredible coincidence, Carmen’s son was employed in the same prison as a social worker decades later, but neither son nor mother knew that. When the whole family came to see an installation at the Public Office of Synthetic Memories last year, her son recognised the prison immediately from his mother’s reconstruction. “It was a kind of closing the loop … it was beautiful,” Garcia says.

Clandestine assemblies

The team was particularly interested in telling stories of civic activists who have played a key role in different social movements in the city over the last 50 years, including those concerning LGBTQ and workers’ rights. While initially the focus was not on the dictatorship era, it “naturally brought us to engage with people who, by the historical circumstances, were activists against the regime,” Dordas explains.

One of them was 74-year-old Jose Carles Vallejo Calderon.

Born in Barcelona in 1950 to Republican parents who faced oppression under General Francisco Franco, Vallejo came of age during one of Europe’s longest dictatorships, which lasted from 1939 to 1975. During the civil war of 1936-39, and following the defeat of the Republican forces by Franco’s Nationalists, enforced disappearances, forced labour, torture and extrajudicial killings claimed the lives of more than 100,000 people.

Vallejo became involved in opposition to the fascist regime first at university, where he attempted to organise a democratic student union, and then as a young worker at Barcelona’s SEAT automobile factory.

He recalls an atmosphere of fear, with most people terrified of speaking out against the authoritarian government. “That fear sprang from the terrible defeat in the Spanish Civil War and from the many deaths that occurred during the war, but also from the harsh repression from the post-war period up to the end of the dictatorship,” he explains.

Informants were everywhere, and the circle of trusted individuals was small. “As you can imagine, this is no way to live – this was living in darkness, silence, fear, and repression,” Vallejo says.

“There were few of us – very few – who dared to move from silence to activism, which involved many risks.”

Vallejo was imprisoned in 1970 for attempting to set up a labour union among SEAT employees, spending half a year in jail, including 20 days being tortured by Barcelona’s secret police. After another arrest in late 1971 and the prosecution demanding 20 years for what were then considered crimes of association, organisation and propaganda, Vallejo crossed the border with France in January 1972. He ultimately gained political asylum in Italy, where he lived in exile before returning to Spain following the first limited amnesty of 1976, which granted pardons to political prisoners after Franco’s death in 1975.

Today, Vallejo dedicates his time to human rights activism. He presides over the Catalan Association of Former Political Prisoners of Francoism, created in the final years of the dictatorship.

He learned about synthetic memories through Iridia, a human rights organisation that collaborated with DDS to help visualise memories of police abuse victims during the regime in a central Barcelona police station.

Vallejo was drawn to the project, curious about how the technology might be applied to capturing resistance activities too dangerous to record during Franco’s rule.

In 1970, SEAT workers organised clandestine breakfasts in the woods of Vallvidrera. On Sunday mornings, disguised as hikers, they would make their way through the dense forests surrounding the Catalan capital to discuss the struggle against the dictatorship.

“I think I must have been to more than 10 or 15 of these forest gatherings,” Vallejo recalls. Other times, they met in churches. No records of these exist.

Vallejo’s synthetic memory of these meetings is in black and white. The image is vague, almost like someone has taken an eraser to it to blur the details. But it is still possible to make out the scene: a crowd of people gathered in a forest. Some sit, others stand beneath a canopy of trees.

Looking at the image, Vallejo says he felt transported to the clandestine assemblies in the Barcelona woods, where as many as 50 or 60 people would gather in a tense atmosphere.

“I found myself truly immersed in the image,” he says.

“It was like entering a kind of time tunnel,” he adds.

Vallejo suffered memory loss around the ordeal of his arrests, imprisonment and torture.

The process of creating the image provided “a feeling – not exactly of relief – but rather of reconciling memory with the past and perhaps also of filling that void created by selective amnesia, which results from complicated, traumatic, and above all, distant experiences”. He found the reconstruction a “valuable experience” that helped him process some of these events.

‘We are not reconstructing the past’

Emphasising that memory is subjective, Garcia says, “One of the things that we are kind of drawing a very big red line about is historical reconstruction.”

This is partly due to the drawbacks of AI, which reinforces cultural and other biases in the data it draws from.

David Leslie, director of ethics and responsible innovation research at the Alan Turing Institute, the United Kingdom centre for data science and AI, cautions that using data that was initially biased against marginalised groups could create revisionist histories or false memories for those communities. Nor can “simply generating something from AI” help to remedy or reclaim historical narratives, he insists.

For DDS, “It is never about the bigger story. We are not reconstructing the past,” Garcia explains.

“When we talk about history, we talk about one truth that somehow we are committed to,” he elaborates. But while synthetic memories can depict a part of the human experience that history books cannot, these memories come from the individual, not necessarily what transpired, he underlines.

The team believes synthetic memories could not only help communities whose memories are at risk but also create dialogue between cultures and generations.

They plan to set up “emergency” memory clinics in places where cultural heritage is in danger of being eroded by natural disasters, such as in southern Brazil, which was last year hit by floods. There are also hopes to make their finished tool freely available to nursing homes.

But Garcia wonders what place the project could have in a future where there is an “over-registration” of everything that happens. “I have 10 images of my father when he was a kid,” he says. “I have over 200 when I was a kid. But my friend, of her daughter, [has] 25,000, and she’s five years old!”

“I think the problem of memory image will be another one, which will be that we are … [overwhelmed] and we cannot find the right image to tell us the story,” he muses.

Yet in the present moment, Vallejo believes the project has a role to play in helping younger generations understand past injustices. Forgetting serves no purpose for activists like himself, he believes, while memory is like “a weapon for the future”.

Instead of trying to numb the past, “I think it is more therapeutic – both collectively and individually – to remember rather than to forget.”

Barcelona win back the La Liga title from rivals Real Madrid with a 2-0 win at neighbours Espanyol.

Barcelona clinched its 28th Spanish league title after Lamine Yamal starred in its 2-0 win at crosstown rival Espanyol.

Yamal scored in the 53rd minute of a tight match on Thursday, when the teenage phenom slid past two defenders along the edge of the area before he whipped one of his now-trademark left-footed curlers into the corner of the net.

Fermin Lopez scored in stoppage time to seal the win, but it was Yamal’s strike that stole the headlines and was a fitting culmination to the youngster’s season.

The 17-year-old excelled throughout for Barcelona with his goals, dribbling and playmaking as he confirmed his status as the next big star of global football.

The strike was his eighth league goal of the season, while he also has 12 assists to his name.

“Lamine’s goal is a move he practises a lot, he had scored twice today in the warmup, the same way. We have to look after him and let him enjoy it, he is fantastic,” his teammate Pedri told Movistar Plus after the game.

Barcelona edge nervy Catalan derby

The first half had been a much tighter affair with only one shot registered by each side, indeed, it was the home team that had the best of the early chances, offering Real Madrid some hope that their title defence may continue beyond this game. It was not to be for the Madrid club and, shortly after Yamal’s latest wonder goal, Espanyol were reduced to 10 men when Leandro Cabrera swung his left arm into the chest of Barca’s starlet.

Barcelona won the title with two rounds remaining. It completed a domestic double with the Copa del Rey title and reached the Champions League semifinals in a fantastic first season for coach Hansi Flick.

Flick’s team virtually ended Madrid’s title defence when they beat their top rival 4-3 on Sunday, making it four of four Clasico victories across all competitions this season.

Madrid’s victory over Mallorca on Wednesday prevented Barcelona from winning the title without playing. But the Catalan club needed just two points from its final three games of the season.

2️⃣8️⃣ for @FCBarcelona 🏆

💙 CONGRATULATIONS, CHAMPIONS! ❤️#LALIGAEASPORTS #DesenlaceLALIGA pic.twitter.com/EGgxpCb98v

— LALIGA English (@LaLigaEN) May 15, 2025

Fans injured in incident outside stadium

Several Espanyol supporters were injured after being hit by a car near the stadium minutes before the start of the Catalan derby.

At least 14 individuals sustained injuries of varying severity when a female driver, encircled by Espanyol fans in front of their home ground, lost control of her car, causing panic and chaos.

The woman was subsequently arrested and subjected to a breathalyser test by the Mossos d’Esquadra, Catalonia’s police force, which is also known as also known as the Policia de la Generalitat de Catalunya.

The Emergency Medical Service responded promptly, deploying 10 ambulances to the scene.

Of the 14 injured fans, four are reported to be in a less serious condition, while the others suffered minor injuries. The most severe injury reported was a broken leg.

According to authorities, the incident occurred as Espanyol fans gathered to welcome the team’s coach. The driver’s car was wedged between two containers, prompting several supporters to throw objects at the vehicle, which resulted in damage.

In response, the driver accelerated and struck approximately 20 fans.

“It was an accident, some people were injured, but not seriously. There are no major incidents to report,” Salvador Illa, the president of the Generalitat, who was present at the match, told Spanish TV channel Movistar Plus.

The Spanish capital is a vibrant city with plenty to see and do, and it’s also one of the ‘most budget-friendly’ city break destinations in Europe, according to travel insurance experts

Madrid, Spain’s capital and a hive of activity, has been crowned as one of the “best budget city break” locations for those looking to escape during the summer. Characterized by its energetic streets, Madrid is also celebrated by Spain’s tourist board for its “welcoming and diverse” atmosphere, affirming it as an ideal spot for every type of traveller.

Research by travel insurance gurus at Quotezone pinpoints Madrid as offering one of the most wallet-friendly getaways on the continent, standing out as the sole Spanish metropolis in the line-up and trumping other European hotspots like Athens, Vienna, Rome and Paris when it comes to saving those pennies.

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The selection was made by weighing up elements critical to frugal globetrotters – think tourist levies, snooze spots prices, cost for nosh and a pint, public transit fares, and how far you’ll need to trek from the tarmac.

As visitor taxes hike up elsewhere, Madrid’s lack of this surcharge is a notable highlight. The city also scores points for its reasonable food scene.

Despite having its share of swanky eateries, the capital doesn’t disappoint when it comes to more modestly priced meal choices, reports the Express.

You won’t have to splash out much in Madrid, with an average spend of about €14 (circa £12) for dining delights, the study reveals.

And, for those desiring a bevvy to sip in the sun, the typical price tag for a brew sits at around €3.50, which equates to near £3, albeit a tad steeper than the likes of Zagreb, where a local ale will set you back just about £2.50.

However, in contrast to the average pint price of £5.90 found in London, Madrid’s beer comes across as a significant money-saver.

As noted by Quotezone, a single public transport ticket in Madrid costs just €1.50 (around £1.30), representing a budget-friendly way to traverse the bustling cityscape.

Madrid offers a wealth of activities regardless of your holiday preferences; from its vibrant streets lined with a myriad of shops and global cuisine restaurants to bars and a pulsating nightlife.

History buffs will revel in the numerous museums and the plethora of historic buildings that can be found throughout the city.

“Madrid’s authenticity is hard to beat,” remarked the Spanish tourism board. “It is welcoming and diverse. Madrid is, without a doubt, one of Europe’s most interesting cities.”

Spain has launched a fresh crackdown on a specific group of pedestrians known as ‘phone zombies’ as it looks to cut down on road accidents in the country

Holidaymakers caught wandering dangerously with their phones in Spain could be slapped with a hefty fine.

Spain has initiated a tough new campaign against careless pedestrian conduct to tackle the surge in street mishaps – and it spells trouble for holidaymakers addicted to their smartphones. The Spanish traffic authority, the Dirección General de Tráfico (DGT), has delivered a stern caution to those who wander the pavements engrossed in their devices.

Under fresh rules, pedestrians caught using their mobile phones while walking, particularly close to or on streets, could face an €80 (£67) penalty, while graver infractions like jaywalking may incur fines up to €200 (£170).

Officials have identified the growing problem of “phone zombies” – individuals who meander into traffic while engrossed in texting or browsing – as a significant danger not only to themselves but also to other road users.

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In a direct message posted on its social media platforms, the DGT stated: “Use the zebra crossings properly, they’re there for a reason. Don’t use your phone while crossing, no, not even for a selfie. Eyes up, feet down, and only step out if it’s safe for you and the drivers.”

The statement continued with clear instructions: “Obey traffic signals. Stay off motorways and dual carriageways, they’re for wheels, not heels,” emphasising that the clampdown is vital for “safe mobility for all.”

Particularly, tourists planning trips to popular destinations like Majorca are being cautioned, reports the Express.

Authorities on the island, which has long been subject to complaints about both local and tourist driving standards, are facing increasing pressure to address traffic chaos and pedestrian risks. The problem is only anticipated to escalate as a proposal is being considered to permit learner drivers to practice with experienced drivers, not just instructors, at the helm.

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As Spanish roads become increasingly challenging for both drivers and pedestrians, both tourists and locals are being encouraged to pay more attention and look up from their phones, or they could face a substantial fine whilst on holiday.

There are plenty of other laws in place across Spain designed to control behaviour. In Alicante for example there are heavy fines for noisy tourists. Recently the city tightened versions of their 2019 rules placed by the city council. These simple rules against tourist noise pollution, however, could cost Brits over £25,000 if breached.

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The country as a whole has declared that tourists will now be fined as high as £8,000 for not having legal proof of their accommodation whilst travelling. This translates into a booking confirmation letter or email – which is easy enough for hotel stayers, but for those visiting friends and family that reside there, proof becomes a lot more complicated.

Cities like Benidorm have announced a new change to their tourist law: a beach fine for any who steps onto its sandy coasts between midnight and 7 AM. In an effort to preserve its beaches and prevent potential crime, Benidorm’s fines are a significant sum that can land between £640 and £1,030 and will also target romantics opting for a night-time swim or sleeping under the stars.

Defending champions Real Madrid come from behind to beat Mallorca and keep La Liga title defence alive.

Jacobo Ramon scored deep into stoppage time as Real Madrid rallied to beat Mallorca 2-1 and delay Barcelona’s title celebration.

Madrid needed the victory on Wednesday to keep Barcelona from clinching its 28th league title without winning another match. The Catalan club remains four points ahead and can still lift the trophy with a win at city rival Espanyol on Thursday.

Mallorca took the lead with a goal by Martin Valjent in the 11th minute and stayed ahead until Kylian Mbappe beat a couple of defenders to equalise in the 68th.

Ramon netted the go-ahead goal from inside the area five minutes into injury time, preventing Barcelona from winning the title, for now.

Mbappe is still in the race to be the league’s leading scorer, arriving for Wednesday’s match with 27 goals, two more than Barcelona’s Robert Lewandowski. Mbappe had a hat-trick in the loss to Barcelona on Sunday.

Barcelona virtually secured the title by coming from behind to beat Madrid 4-3 in Barcelona in the last “Clasico” of the season on Sunday. Madrid lost all four matches against Barcelona this season, being outscored 16-7. It was the first time Barcelona won every “Clasico” in a season that had at least three matches between the rivals.

Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti received a mostly indifferent reaction from the fans at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium on Wednesday after taking over the Brazil job.

The Italian was announced as Brazil’s new coach on Monday, and some Madrid fans criticised the coach for negotiating with the five-time champions with the La Liga season still under way.

There were no significant jeers or cheers when Ancelotti’s name was announced by the loudspeakers at the Bernabeu before the match, with most fans applauding and saying his name along with the announcer, following the tradition at the stadium.

Avoid the droves of bustling crowds with this pristine beach – located just 15 minutes away from one of Barcelona’s busiest hotpots – that has been described by one local as the ‘perfect escape’

A local has revealed the ‘perfect’ escape from Spain’s bustling beaches that most tourists struggle to find. Renowned for its Gaudí architecture, ubiquitous history, and fancy rooftop cocktail bars – Barcelona, located in Spain’s Catalonia region, has long been a tourist hotspot.

Last year, a staggering 15.6 million tourists flocked to cosmopolitan city, to soak up the sun and pretend they’re suddenly art and history connoisseurs. It’s a 100,000 decrease compared to 2023 overnight figures, but still means finding a beach where you’re not rubbing shoulders with a complete stranger an almost impossible feat.

Playa de Bogatell is a popular spot for sun-worshipping Brits, boasting sugar-like sands, cobalt waters, and a slew of sea-view eateries. However, in the peak seasons – the stretch of sand can become insufferably crowded.

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Luckily, TikTok channel Explorebarcelona explained that just a stone’s throw from the busy beach lies a stunning shore that has somehow managed to escape the tourist limelight. “Most tourists will never find this place, but most locals know it’s the perfect escape,” the account said.

“Tired of crowded beaches, and overpriced drinks? Just walk 15 minutes further and you will find Platja Nova Mar Bella, a hidden gem where locals actually relax. [There are] no vendors, no noise, just clean sand, clear water, and space to breathe.”

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On TripAdvisor, Platja Nova Mar Bella has garnered hundreds of five-star reviews from impressed travellers.”The sand was light coloured tan with no rocks and clean surroundings,” one visitor hailed. “The drop off into the sea was substantial and with smooth rocks to walk into the water. Beverages were easily attained as were umbrellas to rent.”

Another agreed, commenting: “[It’s] quieter than beaches nearer the town. There are spacious toilets, bike racks to lock up rental bikes, and showers. It’s a relaxed unintimidating beach for people of all ages and all shapes and sizes!”

A third added: “Very nice tapas bar in the middle of the beach, very nice sand and clean water. Very convenient and free parking,” while a fourth penned: “The beach was closed to swimming because of high wind and surf conditions but that didn’t stop us from dipping our feet in the water and enjoying the sun!”

However, others argued the beach’s pristine reputation had already started to fade. One-star reviews complaining about ‘aggressive’ vendors and pickpockets have now started to tarnish the review site.

“The place is nice and clean,” one person wrote. “The only downside is the shoppers. [They’re] very aggressive and insistent… they had to be put back in their place vigorously.”

Others pointed out the beach was actually a nudist beach, despite a lack of notice boards. Many have branded the beach a ‘gay beach’, as it tends to attract LGBTQ+ visitors.

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MCDONALD’S has opened its biggest site in Europe in a major Brit holiday hotspot – and it’s come just in time for the summer holidays.

The fast-food giant has launched a huge location in the airport of sun-drenched Majorca – and it measures up at over 10,000 square feet.

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The big Maccies includes eight digital kiosks, eight production lines as well as table service and McCafé products.

The launch of the massive site marks the company’s largest on the entire continent.

Around 750,000 Brits travel to Majorca every summer, so the chain will be sure to endure its fair share of hungry Brit holidaymakers.

The enormous branch is located at Level P30, Module A Airside of Palma de Mallorca Airport in the Spanish island.

It measures up at a whopping 10,765 square feet.

The terminal has also recently undergone refurbishment work to improve passenger comfort and security, and retail space.

The new site is part of this extraordinary renovation in Module A.

And it is seemingly very exclusive to Brits – as the McDonald’s will only be available to non-Schengen countries, according to What’s The Jam.

This means most European countries won’t be able to access it – paving the way for Brits and other international visitors to raid the kiosks.

The incredible new branch has reportedly created 200 new jobs, on top of the 1,000 workers already employed in the Balearic Islands.

Chief Restaurant Officer of McDonald’s Spain Ángel Castillo said: “This opening represents a new milestone and another example of our commitment to the Balearic Islands.”

He called the region “an area of strategic interest for the company where we already have over 20 restaurants“.

The spokesperson continued: “We are thereby contributing to the Spanish economy and the creation of quality employment, fulfilling our mission of supporting the communities where we operate.”

There are already 43,500 McDonald’s locations in over 100 countries worldwide.

And the biggest McDonald’s on the entire planet is located in Orlando, Florida.

Known as the Epic McD, this behemoth fast-food chain measures in at a whopping 19,000 square feet.

Meanwhile, the UK’s biggest McDonald’s is a “Disneyland for fast food fans” with nearly 300 seats and unique features.

The giant restaurant, in Formby on Merseyside, showcases “the latest innovations from McDonald’s”.

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Bayer Leverkusen’s Xabi Alonso poised to replace departing Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti, according to media reports.

Former Real Madrid midfielder Xabi Alonso is set to become the club’s next manager on a three-year deal when he leaves Bayer Leverkusen after this season, Spanish media report.

Alonso, 43, is expected to replace Real boss Carlo Ancelotti, who – despite having a year remaining on his Madrid contract – has just been confirmed as the new manager of Brazil in the run-up to the 2026 World Cup, the Brazilian FA (CBF) said on Monday.

Alonso, who said earlier this month that he was leaving Leverkusen after guiding them to the double last term, will join Real before the inaugural Club World Cup in the United States from June 15 to July 13, multiple media reports said.

Alonso, who also played for Liverpool and Bayern Munich, last season steered Leverkusen to their first Bundesliga title, ending the Bavarians’ 11-year domination, and they also won the German Cup and German Super Cup.

Ancelotti’s departure from the club come as no surprise after Real’s 4-3 defeat at Barcelona in a thrilling El Clasico on Sunday left his side on the brink of a trophy-less season.

The 65-year-old Italian, who returned for a second stint at Real in June 2021, led the Spanish giants to two Champions League and La Liga doubles, the latest of which came last season.

He exits Real Madrid as the most successful manager in the club’s history with a total of 15 trophies and the first coach to claim titles in Europe’s top five leagues.

However, this season Real were knocked out of the Champions League in the quarterfinals by Arsenal, and allowed Barca to fight back and win 3-2 in the Copa del Rey final.

Second-placed Real are seven points adrift of Barcelona, who could secure the league title on Wednesday without kicking a ball if Real fail to win at home to Mallorca.

Regardless of Real’s result, a Barca victory in the city derby away to Espanyol on Thursday would clinch the title.

An official announcement regarding a managerial change is expected before Real’s last game of the season at home to Real Sociedad on May 25.

Ancelotti is expected to receive a fitting farewell, recognising his four highly successful years with the club.