Sports
Projecting the CFP top 12 after Week 9: Vandy’s in the field!
Nowhere in the College Football Playoff selection committee’s protocol does it refer to anything about a team’s history and tradition — or lack thereof. It’s not supposed to care that Vanderbilt hasn’t been 7-1 in 84 years.
The 12 people in that room will absolutely care, though, that Vanderbilt is 7-1 now — with back-to-back wins against ranked SEC opponents LSU and Missouri. Vanderbilt — the story of the season — is on the brink of making its first appearance in any CFP ranking during the playoff era.
And not only will the Commodores crack the committee’s top 25, but they also will have a legitimate chance to make their debut in the coveted top 12 when the first ranking is released Nov. 4. If the playoff were today, they would already be in. A lot can — and will — change with one Saturday remaining before the first ranking is revealed, but here is a snapshot of what it might look like through Week 9 results.
Projecting the top 12
Why they could be here: The Buckeyes remain safe at the top after a bye week, as Indiana’s home win against a UCLA team that is now 3-5 wouldn’t be enough to sway the committee into flipping them. Ohio State entered Week 9 ranked No. 1 in the country in total efficiency, No. 1 in defensive efficiency, and No. 6 in offensive efficiency. The Buckeyes also have three Big Ten road wins to Indiana’s two, and are No. 1 in ESPN’s Game Control metric with a slight edge over No. 2 Indiana. Ohio State’s win at Washington would also be strongly valued by the committee, as the Huskies improved to 6-2 on Saturday.
Why they could be lower: Indiana keeps making statements – even against unranked teams like UCLA. The Hoosiers’ win at Oregon is better than Ohio State’s victory against Texas, even though the Longhorns managed an epic overtime comeback Saturday at Mississippi State. The selection committee also compares common opponents, and while Ohio State and Indiana beat Illinois with ease, the Hoosiers did it in historic fashion, handing coach Bret Bielema the worst loss of his career.
Need to know: Ohio State’s spot at the top isn’t a guarantee as the season progresses. If Alabama runs the table and wins the SEC, the selection committee will at least consider the Tide for the No. 1 spot. Alabama entered Saturday with the No. 2 toughest schedule in the country — Ohio State was No. 33. The question would be if enough committee members could forgive the season-opening loss to Florida State, which has looked worse every week. So while this pecking order has been fairly stable with the Big Ten at the top, the possibility of shuffling remains — and that includes a promotion for the Hoosiers, too, if they finish as undefeated Big Ten champs.
Toughest remaining game: Nov. 29 at Michigan. The Buckeyes are trying to avoid a fifth straight loss to their rivals.
Why they could be here: The Hoosiers asserted themselves against a recharged UCLA team, leaving no doubt they were better in another lopsided win. Indiana still owns the best win in the country, Oct. 11 at Oregon, and the historic 63-10 rout against Illinois is another separation point between the Hoosiers and other contenders. They don’t have a nonconference victory, though, that stacks up against Ohio State’s season-opening win against Texas.
Why they could be higher: Indiana’s sheer domination of UCLA was yet another statement of the Hoosiers’ relentless consistency. They don’t play down to their opponents and have beaten everyone but Iowa by double digits. The 30-20 triumph at Oregon is better than Ohio State’s home win against the Longhorns on the overall résumé, and IU entered Saturday ranked No. 2 in the country in ESPN’s Strength of Record metric — just ahead of Ohio State.
Need to know: The Hoosiers have passed their most difficult tests of the season. Their task now is to avoid what would be a shocking November upset. None of their remaining opponents are ranked and only Maryland (4-3) is above .500. If the Hoosiers run the table and play for the Big Ten championship, they should be a CFP lock. Even if they lose the title game, they should be in contention for a top-four finish and first-round bye.
Toughest remaining game: If Indiana is a playoff team, it shouldn’t lose in November. Three of IU’s last four games are on the road, but Maryland has lost three straight, Penn State has lost four straight and Purdue has lost six in a row. The Hoosiers’ last home game is Nov. 15 against a struggling Wisconsin team. Indiana has at least a 70% chance to win each remaining game.
Why they could be here: The Tide avoided an upset on the road against a scrappy South Carolina team, preserving its position as what should be the committee’s top one-loss team. Alabama hasn’t lost since its season opener at Florida State and has four wins against ranked opponents. The Tide entered Saturday ranked No. 4 in ESPN’s Strength of Record metric, No. 2 in strength of schedule and in the top 15 in offensive and defensive efficiency. The win against Georgia will keep the Tide above the Bulldogs as long as their records remain the same because of the committee’s tiebreaker protocol.
Why they could be lower: The loss to Florida State happened, and the Noles are 3-4. Meanwhile, Texas A&M is still undefeated after its convincing road win at LSU, further enhancing its résumé with a second road victory against a ranked opponent.
Need to know: Alabama has a much-needed bye week and won’t play again before the selection committee releases its first ranking Nov. 4. This eight-game résumé is what the group will use to determine where Alabama starts.
Toughest remaining game: Nov. 13 vs. Oklahoma. The Tide should be favored to prevail at home, but it’s a week after hosting LSU. Alabama has at least a 72% chance to win each of its remaining games, according to ESPN Analytics. Alabama and Georgia have the best chances in the conference to reach the SEC title game.
Why they could be here: With the win at LSU on Saturday, the Aggies have compiled one of the most impressive résumés in the country, further cementing their place in the top four. Texas A&M now has two road victories against ranked opponents, including the Sept. 13 nonconference win at Notre Dame. It was also their second straight SEC road triumph after escaping Arkansas. The Aggies are No. 1 in the country in ESPN’s Strength of Record metric and entered Week 9 ranked No. 8 in Game Control. Even with one loss, though, Alabama has four wins against ranked opponents. Texas A&M could be held back by the committee because LSU and Notre Dame are the only opponents it has defeated with winning records. Everyone else is a combined 20-26.
Why they could be higher: The Aggies are undefeated and some committee members will have a hard time forgetting Alabama’s loss to Florida State.
Need to know: The Aggies and Tide don’t play each other during the regular season but could settle the debate in the SEC championship game. Texas A&M also doesn’t play Georgia during the regular season.
Toughest remaining game: Nov. 28 at Texas. The Longhorns’ playoff hopes could be on the line, and finishing the season on the road against a rival is never easy.
Why they could be here: The Bulldogs had a bye week, but their Oct. 18 victory against Ole Miss looks even better today after the Rebels won at Oklahoma. Georgia’s head-to-head win against Ole Miss will keep it above the Rebels as long as their records are comparable because of the tiebreaker in the committee’s protocol. A three-point loss to Alabama will also keep the Bulldogs below the Tide for the same reason. The overtime road win against what should be a CFP Top 25 Tennessee team adds to their résumé and helps separate Georgia from other one-loss contenders.
Why they could be lower: Lopsided wins against Marshall and Austin Peay aren’t going to impress anyone in the committee meeting room. Kentucky and Auburn have at least four defeats each. The Bulldogs entered their bye week No. 6 in ESPN’s Strength of Record metric.
Need to know: Rival Georgia Tech has the best chance of any team to reach the ACC championship game, which means Georgia has an opportunity to possibly enhance its résumé with a victory against the eventual ACC champion or runner-up.
Toughest remaining game: Nov. 28 vs. Georgia Tech. The Yellow Jackets are undefeated and pushed the Bulldogs to eight overtimes last year. This year’s game will be played at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
Why they could be here: The Rebels earned their first road win against a ranked SEC opponent Saturday at Oklahoma, adding to an already impressive résumé that includes victories against Tulane and LSU. The eight-point loss at Georgia on Oct. 18 is the only blemish, and it’s one of the best ways to lose in the eyes of the committee — on the road to a ranked opponent in a close game. That head-to-head result, though, will keep Ole Miss behind Georgia as long as their records remain the same.
Why they could be lower: The Rebels entered Week 9 ranked No. 71 in defensive efficiency, well below most other contenders here. Typically, top playoff teams rank in the top 10 to 15 in offense and defense. Ole Miss had allowed 22 points per game through the first seven games and was No. 108 in the country with 10 sacks. The Rebels also are one of the most penalized teams in the nation, giving up 69 yards per game through the first seven games.
Need to know: In this projection, Ole Miss would earn the No. 6 seed, which would mean a first-round home game as the higher seed. The Rebels might need help to get into the SEC championship game because of the setback to Georgia but shouldn’t lose again. Ole Miss likely won’t face another ranked opponent this season.
Toughest remaining game: Nov. 28 at Mississippi State. The Egg Bowl is always interesting, but a loss to the Bulldogs could mean a first-round road trip instead of a home game — or getting bumped out of the bracket entirely.
Why they could be here: The Canes got off to a slow start at home against Stanford, but eventually pulled away to avoid what would have been a devastating defeat to a sub-.500 team. The Hurricanes rebounded from their Oct. 17 loss to Louisville, and still have a decent résumé, but it’s lost some of its luster. The win against South Florida remains respectable, but the Bulls chances of winning the American took a hit Saturday with their loss to Memphis. Florida has already fired coach Billy Napier, and Florida State has lost four straight. Miami’s season-opening win against Notre Dame, though, is still one of the best nonconference wins in the country and continues to help separate the Canes from other contenders with weaker schedules. It also helped Miami that Louisville beat Boston College and should be a one-loss CFP Top 25 team, softening the blow of that loss a little. And Miami is still performing well, ranking in the top 12 in offensive and defensive efficiency.
Why they could be lower: Some selection committee members could argue that Vanderbilt has a better résumé than Oregon and Miami as far as one-loss teams. Even before the Commodores earned their second victory against a ranked opponent, they were No. 11, sandwiched between No. 10 Oregon and No. 12 Miami in ESPN’s Strength of Record metric.
Need to know: The Canes will leave their home state for the first time all season when they travel to SMU on Saturday.
Toughest remaining game: Nov. 29 at Pitt. The Panthers have captured four straight games, including a stunning 53-34 win against NC State on Saturday.
Why they could be here: The 10-point home loss to Indiana is the only blemish, and the committee would consider that a decent loss. They would also still look somewhat favorable upon the double overtime win at Penn State, considering the Nittany Lions still had their head coach and it was an unforgiving environment and crowd. It certainly isn’t a statement win, but nobody in the room is going to penalize Oregon for it, either. The Ducks entered Week 9 ranked No. 10 in ESPN’s Strength of Record metric.
Why they could be lower: The Ducks came out flat against a struggling Wisconsin team, and don’t have a lot on their résumé to compare with other one-loss teams. Vanderbilt has two better wins, and undefeated BYU can argue better wins against Utah and Iowa State. The committee would point out an FCS win against Montana State, and Oklahoma State and Oregon State are a combined 2-14. Overall, Oregon entered Saturday with the No. 31 strength of schedule — just slightly ahead of No. 34 Vanderbilt.
Need to know: Oregon has more chances to impress the selection committee in November, with games against Iowa, USC and at Washington looming — all teams with winning records and potentially ranked in the CFP Top 25. The committee doesn’t project ahead, though, and Oregon has a bye week heading into the first ranking. Don’t be surprised if the Ducks are lower than some might expect the defending Big Ten champions to be when the first ranking is revealed on Nov. 4. Last year’s results don’t impact the committee’s decisions this year, but schedules do. Oregon has a bye before the first ranking is revealed, and not a lot on its résumé to impress the group. Eye test will play a role.
Toughest remaining game: Nov. 29 at Washington. The 6-2 Huskies have only lost to Ohio State and on the road against Michigan.
Why they could be here: The committee would have a difficult decision, putting the one-loss Commodores ahead of two undefeated teams, but could justify it because Vanderbilt’s two best wins are better than BYU’s wins against Utah and Iowa State — and better than any of Georgia Tech’s wins. The lone loss was to Alabama, which should be the committee’s top one-loss team. The Commodores have now won back-to-back games against ranked SEC opponents. They also earned a convincing 31-7 win at South Carolina, which just pushed Alabama to the brink. Vanderbilt would be compared with one-loss Texas Tech, and the Commodores have better wins than the Red Raiders, and a better loss, as Texas Tech lost to Arizona State.
Why they could be lower: The committee could reward the undefeated Big 12 and ACC teams simply because they haven’t lost yet.
Need to know: This position could change quickly, as Vandy is at Texas on Saturday, it’s last chance to make a first impression on the selection committee before its first ranking. Vandy’s last two games against ranked SEC opponents are both on the road; Saturday at Texas and in the regular-season finale on Nov. 29 at Tennessee.
Toughest remaining game: Saturday at Texas. The Longhorns are desperately trying to keep their playoff hopes alive by avoiding a third loss, and ESPN Analytics gives them at least a 70% chance to win.
Why they could be here: BYU entered Week 9 ranked No. 60 in ESPN’s Strength of Schedule metric, which would be a significant drawback in the committee meeting room — but it’s ahead of Georgia Tech in both schedule strength and Strength of Record, where BYU was No. 5 on Saturday. BYU rallied at Iowa State to earn its fourth road win of the season and remains the only undefeated team left in the Big 12. Its best wins, though, are against Utah and Iowa State, which are both over .500 but borderline CFP Top 25 teams.
Why they could be lower: The committee would discuss an FCS win against Portland State, and a win against a sub-.500 team in West Virginia. BYU also needed double overtime to win at unranked, three-loss Arizona on Oct. 11.
Need to know: This was BYU’s last chance to impress the selection committee before the first ranking is revealed on Nov. 4 because they have a bye week on Saturday. The committee will have an undefeated Big 12 team to consider for its first of six rankings.
Toughest remaining game: Nov. 8 at Texas Tech. The Red Raiders rebounded from their loss at Arizona State with a convincing win against a beleaguered Oklahoma State team on Saturday. BYU and Texas Tech have the highest chances to reach the Big 12 title game, according to ESPN Analytics, followed by Cincinnati. The Cougars have to play both opponents on the road during the regular season, but have a bye week to prepare for the Nov. 8 game at Texas Tech.
Why they could be here: Undefeated Georgia Tech entered this week ranked No. 72 in ESPN’s Strength of Schedule metric, which will probably keep the Jackets lower in the committee’s top 12. Their best nonconference win is at Colorado, and the committee would note an FCS win against Gardner-Webb. Even without three injured starters, though, Georgia Tech pulled away to beat Syracuse soundly on Saturday — and the committee considers injuries to key players. The Jackets needed a convincing win after struggling multiple times to get separation against unranked opponents.
Why they could be higher: The Yellow Jackets would likely be behind BYU because the Cougars have better wins, but they could both be above Vanderbilt if more committee members keep the Commodores lower because of their loss to Alabama.
Need to know: Without any CFP Top 25 wins on their résumé, style points could come in handy in November in case Georgia Tech loses to rival Georgia and doesn’t win the ACC. A win against Georgia, though, would impress the committee any way it happened. That would make it much easier for the group to include Georgia Tech as an at-large team if the Jackets’ lone loss is to the ACC champion.
Toughest remaining game: Nov. 28 vs. Georgia. The Yellow Jackets took their rival to eight overtimes last year before losing, 44-42, in Athens.
Why they could be here: The Irish remain on the bubble following their bye week, but the Oct. 18 home win against USC catapulted them back into the conversation. It was their first win against a ranked opponent, and the fifth straight win since an 0-2 start. Notre Dame was No. 9 overall in ESPN’s Strength of Schedule metric entering Saturday, but some committee members will have trouble voting the Irish much higher because of the two losses — even though they were by a combined four points to two ranked opponents. The victory against 6-2 Boise State was one of Notre Dame’s best wins, and that was part of a string of three games in which the Irish defense held its opponents to 13 points or fewer.
Why they could be lower: With the losses to Miami and Texas A&M, Notre Dame checked in at No. 18 in ESPN’s Strength of Record metric entering Saturday. It didn’t help that Miami lost to Louisville.
Need to know: If the playoff were today, Notre Dame would be bumped out to make room for the fifth-highest-ranked conference champion, which is guaranteed a spot in the 12-team field. Right now that team — Memphis as the projected American champion — would be ranked outside the top 12. As an independent, Notre Dame can’t lock up a spot in the playoff as one of the five conference champions, so its only path is through an at-large bid.
Toughest remaining game: Nov. 15 at Pitt. Notre Dame is projected to win each of its remaining games, but this one is on the road against an ACC team above .500. The Irish entered Week 9 with the best chance in the country to win out (68.4%).
Bracket
Based on the rankings above, the seeding would be:
First-round byes
No. 1 Ohio State (Big Ten champ)
No. 2 Indiana
No. 3 Alabama (SEC champ)
No. 4 Texas A&M
First-round games
On campus, Dec. 19 and 20
No. 12 Memphis (American champ) at No. 5 Georgia
No. 11 Georgia Tech at No. 6 Ole Miss
No. 10 BYU (Big 12 champ) at No. 7 Miami (ACC champ)
No. 9 Vanderbilt at No. 8 Oregon
Quarterfinal games
At the Goodyear Cotton Bowl, Capital One Orange Bowl, Rose Bowl Presented by Prudential and Allstate Sugar Bowl on Dec. 31 and Jan. 1.
No. 12 Memphis/No. 5 Georgia winner vs. No. 4 Texas A&M
No. 11 Georgia Tech/No. 6 Ole Miss winner vs. No. 3 Alabama
No. 10 BYU/No. 7 Miami winner vs. No. 2 Indiana
No. 9 Vanderbilt/No. 8 Oregon winner vs. No. 1 Ohio State
Over three years have passed since the Premier League announced it was charging Manchester City for breaching a long list of rules related to alleged wrongdoing. Most of them relate to actions taken to circumvent financial regulation, from false accounting to making payments off the books to failing to cooperate with investigators. City deny the charges.
Depending on the number of charges on which they are found guilty (if any) City could face a range of sanctions, from fines and points deductions to being stripped of titles to outright expulsion from the Premier League. If they’re found guilty — depending on the nature and number of the charges — they also run the risk of having to pay damages via the league’s arbitration process as other clubs could seek compensation for lost revenue. A three-person independent panel is tasked with issuing a verdict.
“While the complexity of the Manchester City case is undeniable — and unique in a sporting context — similar commercial cases have reached decisions in far less time than the 15 months we’ve seen here,” Stefan Borson, head of sport at London-based law firm McCarthy Denning, tells ESPN. “There are few legitimate excuses, and there is an urgent need for progress.”
Let’s start with the obvious: Why is this taking so long?
To some degree, we can only speculate because the whole process is shrouded in secrecy. This is partly due to the fact that the Premier League’s own rules allow defendants to request confidential hearings, and partly due to British law and safeguards that protect defendants in certain situations.
One example illustrates this well. The investigation into City began in Dec. 2018 following the publication of the “Football Leaks” documents by the German magazine “Der Spiegel.” But we only found out that there even was an investigation in March 2021 after a High Court judgement ruled against City, who had tried to block investigators’ access to documents. The start date of the investigation was later confirmed in official documents, but there wasn’t even confirmation from the Premier League that City were even under scrutiny.
It’s a similar story with the hearings themselves, which are confidential and held in private. We know they started on Sept. 16, 2024, at the International Dispute Resolution Centre in London because this was leaked, and media photographed lawyers for both sides arriving and leaving the venue. We know the hearing concluded in Dec. 2024 because Manchester City mention it in their 2024-25 annual report and because, in Feb. 2025, Pep Guardiola, the City coach, said the verdict would come out “in one month.”
One month? Wow, it’s been 12 months and counting…
Yes, and that tells you the degree to which everybody’s lips have been sealed in this process. There is so little that we know about it, other than the charges. For example, we don’t even know for certain the identity of the three members of the independent commission that will sit in judgement. The trio was assembled by Murray Rosen, chair of the Premier League’s judicial panel at the time. Some reports suggest Rosen named himself to the panel, but that is unconfirmed.
Anyway, if the hearing concluded in Dec. 2024, why it is taking so long for the panel to issue a verdict?
Correct.
We’re in the realm of speculation here, but there are several reasons cited by sports lawyers.
The first is that this is a massive, hugely complicated case. We’re not even certain of the exact number of charges. It came to be known as the “115 charges” case because that’s the number of bullet points in the original document, but according to multiple reports, the number of individual rule breaches in the document is 130, though it’s possible that some are overlapping (i.e. one action violates multiple rules).
It’s also possible, as some reports have suggested, that since the original document was issued, more charges were added, most likely relating to failure to cooperate. Whatever the number, each of the charges must be proved individually with specific evidence.
Furthermore, many of the charges in practice allege deliberate intent to mislead regulators and/or obstruct investigators. The panel isn’t just deciding whether City breached spending regulations, but whether they intentionally breached them and then covered it up to violate the spirit of the rules and, later, knowingly withheld evidence. To make an analogy, it’s the difference between speeding on the highway and speeding on the highway while remotely manipulating the police officer’s radar gun and then spewing a bunch of sovereign citizen nonsense to intentionally screw up your traffic stop. The burden of proof is far higher in the latter case.
Bear in mind that the panel won’t just be issuing a verdict and a sentence. It will be issuing what are known as “written reasons” detailing how it arrived at its conclusions. These “written reasons” could form the basis of any appeal — whether by City or by the Premier League — and therefore need to be “bullet-proof” when it comes to scrutiny.
Still… They’ve had more than a year to issue a verdict since the hearing concluded in Dec. 2024 and, presumably, they have staff to help them…
That’s where another factor comes in. It’s highly likely that the panel members aren’t working on this full-time. You’d assume all three have day jobs and other commitments; presumably, the panel allocated a certain amount of time to hear and deliberate on the case, but it proved to be far more complex than anticipated, and so they members have had to work around their calendars, finding time as and when.
“The members of the independent commission have undoubtedly had other commitments since the hearing ended and they will be acutely aware of making the decision as robust against appeal as possible, given the unprecedented scrutiny this ruling will attract,” said Borson.
Why wouldn’t more time have been allocated to the deliberations?
That’s another mystery. I guess if you want top-notch legal and financial experts to deliberate, you have to accept that they will be in demand elsewhere. This isn’t a jury that’s being sequestered in a room; these are senior figures who handle very important cases in their everyday lives. They can’t just check out indefinitely.
There’s another potential explanation here. While it’s a remote possibility, it would help explain a number of the mysteries surrounding this case.
What’s that?
What if, separate from the arbitration proceedings, the Premier League and City are trying to hammer out some sort of settlement deal? After all, the Premier League is nothing more than its 20 member clubs. If they all agree on an outcome, that’s that. Now, I think it’s unlikely, partly because clubs are notoriously leaky (and there hasn’t been a peep) and partly because it would be extremely difficult to agree to something all sides could accept.
What might it look like? City would need to admit to some level of wrongdoing and take some level of punishment, while rival clubs would need to drop threats of legal action to recover damages.
How would one even do this? Maybe by dumping the blame on the people running the club and arguing that City’s owners were entirely unaware and were, in fact, duped by the folks they employed. And then negotiating a sanction severe enough — massive fine? Some vacated titles? — that the “victim clubs” accept it, but not so severe that it ruins City’s chance of being competitive in the medium term. Why? Because otherwise, they’re not going to accept it and will take their chances with the commission and, possibly, the appeal.
Again, I think it’s highly unlikely, but it would explain why deliberations are taking so long. And it would give the Premier League closure and allow it to move on. Because even when the verdict does come in, it’s highly likely that the losing side will appeal. And this will only drag the process out further, which is not good for the Premier League.
After being loudly booed, Vinícius Júnior danced again. This time in front of Real Madrid supporters while leading his team to the round of 16 of the Champions League, a week after accusing a Benfica opponent of racially insulting him.
The Brazilian scored in the 80th minute to clinch a 2-1 victory for the record 15-time European champions in the second leg of their playoff tie to progress 3-1 on aggregate.
Vinícius celebrated by dancing by the corner flag just like in the first leg — then in front of Benfica fans — which ignited a confrontation with the Portuguese team’s players and the accusation that Gianluca Prestianni called him a racist slur.
“I’m glad Vini dances and keeps dancing, that means he’s scoring goals,” said Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.
“That’s our Vinícius,” added midfielder Aurélien Tchouaméni, who scored Madrid’s first goal in the 16th, a couple of minutes after Benfica had taken the lead through Rafa Silva.
Prestianni, who has denied racially insulting Vinícius and has been defended by Benfica, was provisionally suspended one match by UEFA and did not play Wednesday even though the Argentine traveled to the Spanish capital. UEFA earlier Wednesday rejected Benfica’s last-minute appeal against the provisional suspension.
Last week’s match was halted for nearly 10 minutes after the referee installed the anti-racism protocol following Vinícius’ complaint to him.
On Wednesday, Vinícius scored on a breakaway, calmly sending a low shot past the goalkeeper for his sixth goal in his past five matches for Madrid.
The more than 3,000 Benfica fans at the Bernabéu jeered nearly every time Vinícius touched the ball. They celebrated when he lost control of the ball early in the game. The Benfica supporters also booed emphatically when the name of the Brazilian player was announced in the starting lineup ahead of the match.
The boos gradually lost force as the match went on and Madrid took control of the game.
Vinícius also participated in the buildup of what would have been Madrid’s second goal, but it was disallowed for offside.
Before Wednesday’s match, Madrid fans displayed a banner saying “No To Racism.” A “respect” banner also was shown behind one of the goals at the Bernabéu.
Real Madrid said in a statement after the match it “urgently requested” the club’s disciplinary committee to open a procedure to expel a fan who was caught by television cameras performing a Nazi salute before the match.
Madrid said the supporter appeared to be part of its organized fan group behind one of the goals at the Bernabeu.
“This member was identified by the club’s security staff moments after appearing on the broadcast and was immediately expelled from the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium,” the club said. “Real Madrid condemns this type of gesture and expression that incites violence and hatred in sports and society.”
Madrid fans also jeered when Benfica central defender Nicolás Otamendi touched the ball. Otamendi, who is also Argentine, was one of the players that confronted Vinícius after the Brazilian’s celebration by the Benfica flag.
Also missing for Benfica was coach José Mourinho, the former Madrid coach who was sent off late in the first leg for complaining to the referee. Mourinho did not participate in the pregame news conference Tuesday and was expected to watch the match from the stands at the Bernabéu.
Madrid defender Raúl Asencio had to be carried off the field on a stretcher and taken to a local hospital for tests after a hard collision with teammate Eduardo Camavinga in the second half.
The central defender hit the ground hard and had to be attended to for a few minutes on the field. The medical staff immobilized him before taking him off the field.
Madrid coach Álvaro Arbeloa said Asencio apparently injured his neck but “it wasn’t serious.”
Madrid were already without France forward Kylian Mbappé, who missed Wednesday’s game with a knee injury.
“I hope it’s not serious, and he can come back in a few days or weeks,” Arbeloa said.
“Without Kylian, we need [Vini] even more. … He has to be our leader.”
ESPN’s Alex Kirkland and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
- India beat Zimbabwe by 72 runs in Super Eight clash.
- Zimbabwe scored 184/6 while chasing 257-run target.
- Hardik Pandya bags Player of the Match award.
Blistering fifties from Abhishek Sharma and Hardik Pandya, complemented by a clinical bowling performance, steered India to a dominant 72-run triumph over Zimbabwe in their crucial Super Eights encounter of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Thursday.
The victory marked India’s first win in the Super Eights stage and kept them in contention to qualify for the semi-finals.
Furthermore, the outcome of the crucial Group 1 fixture also marked Zimbabwe’s exit, confirming South Africa’s qualification into the knockouts.
Consequently, India’s remaining Super Eights match, scheduled to be played against West Indies in Kolkata on Sunday, has now become a virtual quarter-final as both teams have two points in as many games.
Set to chase a daunting 257-run target, the Chevrons’ batting unit could accumulate 184/6 in their 20 overs despite Brian Bennett’s unbeaten half-century.
The right-handed opener waged a lone battle for Zimbabwe against the home side, top-scoring with 97 not out from just 59 deliveries, featuring eight fours and six sixes.
He also shared crucial partnerships with fellow opener Tadiwanashe Marumani and skipper Sikandar Raza, who remained the other notable run-getters for Zimbabwe, scoring 20 and 31, respectively.
Left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh was the standout bowler for India as he took three wickets for 24 runs in his four overs, while Varun Chakravarthy, Shivam Dube and Axar Patel chipped in with one apiece.
Zimbabwe captain Sikandar Raza’s decision to field first backfired as his team’s bowling unit conceded 256/4 in their 20 overs.
The home side got off to a decent start to their innings as their new opening pair of Sanju Samson and Sharma put together 48 runs at a blazing pace until Blessing Muzarabani got rid of the former in the fourth over.
Samson, who played his second match of the tournament, made a 15-ball 24, laced with two sixes and a four.
Following his dismissal, Sharma was joined by in-form top-order batter Ishan Kishan in the middle, and the duo further strengthened India’s command by knitting a 72-run partnership.
Zimbabwe captain Sikandar Raza eventually broke the threatening partnership in the 11th over by dismissing Kishan, who walked back after scoring 38 off 24 deliveries with the help of four fours and a six.
Sharma was then involved in a brief 30-run partnership with captain Suryakumar Yadav until eventually falling victim to Tinotenda Maposa in the 13th over.
The left-handed opener, who registered ducks in each of his first three T20 World Cup 2026 matches, remained the top-scorer for India with a 30-ball 55, studded with four sixes and as many fours.
Yadav followed suit 11 balls later and walked back after a blazing 33-run cameo, which came off just 13 deliveries, and featured five boundaries, including three sixes.
Tilak Varma and Hardik Pandya then ensured an equally dominant finish with the bat for India as they raised an unbeaten 84-run partnership for the fifth wicket.
Pandya was the core aggressor of the quickfire stand and made an unbeaten 50 off just 23 deliveries, smashing four sixes and two fours.
Varma, on the other hand, was equally impressive, scoring a 16-ball 44 not out, comprising four sixes and three fours.
For Zimbabwe, Richard Ngarava, Maposa, Muzarabani and skipper Raza could pick up a wicket apiece.
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