Although Real Betis, inspired by the enigmatic Dani Ceballos, took the game to Barça, a clear, ungiven goal for the champions could have title repercussionsNot so long ago Roger Federer visited Rafael Nadal in Mallorca, where they talked about playing an exhibition match. They weren’t much use for anything else any more, they joked, and as it turned out they couldn’t even do that. “I was on one leg and he had a wrist problem,” Federer said. Yet three months on, there they were walking out for the final of the Australian Open. Three hours, 37 minutes later Federer had won his first tennis Grand Slam in five years – the final, decisive point decided by technology. The ball was...
With the La Liga club struggling, the local-born manager who took them back to the top has departed, saying the team do not reflect him any moreThe revolution ended in tears. “This is hard,” Abelardo Fernández said, voice breaking, fingers rubbing at his eyes and kneading at his temples while the president gently laid a hand on his neck. “I’m not crying because I’m no longer the coach of Sporting Gijón,” he insisted, “I’m crying because of the affection I have for everyone here.” Wednesday morning at Mareo in the green, rolling hills south of Gijón where cowbells ring, and the man who declared “Sporting are revolutionary, like Asturias” , who rescued and represented the club, who often seemed to...
Real Madrid were set to extend their unbeaten run to 41 matches until a late own goal, against his old club, by Sergio Ramos sparked Sevilla’s comebackZinedine Zidane smiled that smile, the one that has served him so well. What had his team lacked, he was asked; what was it they had needed? “Five minutes,” he said gently. Not long, but long enough to change everything. No one had beaten Real Madrid in 40 matches, going back nine months, 30 teams and five competitions, but Sevilla beat them in five minutes. “We knew that this would happen one day,” Zidane said. He just didn’t expect it to happen like this; by 10.30pm on Sunday, he didn’t expect it to happen...
His amazing dribble against Espanyol was my moment of the week, festive season and possibly year, conveying a feeling of goodwill and childish wonderOne of the most remarkable things about Christmas is its basic reach, the layers of ritual and habit, the way this very special time of year manages to smear itself like a basting of goose fat across every one of the vital senses. Overwhelmed by these ruddy-cheeked riches, it can be a tricky choice. We all have our preferences. But in the end it’s really just a personal choice which part of Christmas you hate the most.The list is endless. Motorway gridlock. Men who use the word Chrimbo. Adorable bright-eyed, husky-voiced, bowl-headed American children in family movies...
The podders reflect on City’s controversial comeback against Arsenal. Plus: Hull hit rock bottom, Manchester United’s decent run continues, and Real Madrid win the Club World Cup for a second timeIt must be (nearly) Christmas, because on today’s Football Weekly, my true love sent to me AC Jimbo, Barry Glendenning, Paolo Bandini, and Barney Bloody Ronay!We kick things off at the Etihad where City came from behind to beat Arsenal, much to the chagrin of Arsène Wenger. Elsewhere, Manchester United made it three wins in a row and eight games sans defeat with a Zlatan double against West Brom, Jamie Vardy saw red as Leicester battled to a 2-2 draw with Stoke, and Hull hit rock bottom after they lost...