Sports
Despite Yamal’s form, Atleti wash away Barça out of Champions League
MADRID — How confident was Hansi Flick of turning this UEFA Champions League quarterfinal tie around?
“Nine or ten [out of ten],” the Barcelona coach told Spanish TV before kickoff, undeterred by Atlético Madrid‘s imposing 2-0 first-leg lead.
And why not? When you’ve got Lamine Yamal, you’ve got every reason to be positive. The teenager is already so good, so decisive, so often, that it was no surprise to see him dominating this second leg at the Metropolitano right from the start, unfazed by the occasion or the atmosphere.
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“Since I was a kid, I’ve taken on a lot of responsibility,” the 18-year-old said the day before the game. “I’m used to it. I don’t mind.”
Yamal’s first-half performance made the prospect of a comeback possible, putting Barça 2-0 up on the night and 2-2 on aggregate. But the hosts endured, as veterans like Antoine Griezmann and captain Koke were outstanding, and they found a way back.
“It was really hard for us at first today,” Koke said afterwards.
“But we were able to get back into the game. I kept saying, ‘We’re level in the tie, we have to keep going, and get a goal.’ And that’s what we did.”
At kickoff, Atlético would have been determined to keep Yamal and the opening stages as quiet and incident-free as possible, protecting that two-goal advantage. Good luck with that. Just 30 seconds had passed when the teenager picked up the ball, charged straight at the Atlético defense, and saw his shot tipped around the post by goalkeeper Juan Musso.
It was a warning for the home side, if they needed it. But keeping Yamal quiet was never likely to be an option, especially for this makeshift Atlético defense, with Robin Le Normand and Clément Lenglet — neither first-choice for coach Diego Simeone this season — starting at center back.
Four minutes in, Yamal made it 1-0, and the culprit was Lenglet, who often looks an accident waiting to happen when he appears in these high-profile games. Under pressure, the defender gave the ball away. Ferran Torres played in Yamal, who finished through Musso’s legs.
It was the 18-year-old’s 11th Champions League goal. No player has scored more before his 19th birthday, as Kylian Mbappé had only managed 10 at the same age. Already, Atlético were wobbling, the stadium’s raucous pre-match confidence shaken. On 23 minutes, it was 2-0, Torres finishing from Dani Olmo‘s clever through ball.
Torres had been a brave selection from Flick, picked ahead of Robert Lewandowski. Torres went 13 games over two months before scoring against Espanyol last weekend. Here, Flick made the right call, as Torres delivered again.
Only a long break in play, as Fermín López received treatment for an injury to his face, allowed Atlético to compose themselves. Ademola Lookman‘s 31st-minute goal, after Griezmann played in Marcos Llorente on the right, helped the Metropolitano crowd find its voice again. Lookman has now been involved in nine goals since joining Atlético in February, second only to Julián Alvarez.
By halftime, Barcelona had created five big chances, according to Opta. Yamal had scored one of them and created three others, for Olmo, López and Torres. But they were still behind in the tie. Their 2-0 defeat at Camp Nou last week had given them so much to do. Even Lamine’s magic hadn’t yet been enough.
In the second half, there were more heart-in-mouth moments for Atlético — Torres had a goal disallowed for offside, and Olmo shot over the bar when well placed — but Barcelona never quite recovered the Yamal-led momentum of the first-half push.
Eric García‘s late red card, for a last-man shirt pull on substitute Alexander Sørloth, made the task that much harder. It was Barcelona’s second red card of the tie, after Pau Cubarsí’s early dismissal last week, two sendings off which have complicated an already difficult task. In all competitions, Barcelona have received eight red cards this season and three of them have come against Atlético.
In eight minutes of added time, Flick resorted to throwing Ronald Araújo up front, and Barça were almost rewarded when he headed over the bar in the 97th minute. After that, there was time for one last Yamal dribble, a cross to the far post towards Araújo, and it was game over.
“We played well, and we gave everything,” Frenkie de Jong said. “We tried. The feeling is that luck wasn’t on our side. We have to keep going, we’re going in the right direction. With one player fewer, it’s always more difficult.”
Simeone and Atlético’s Champions League record against Barcelona is impeccable, advancing in the quarterfinals in 2014, 2016 and now in 2026. The last two times, Atlético reached the final, only to lose to rivals Real Madrid.
This current edition is a more exciting and more vulnerable team than their reputation — and that of Simeone — might suggest. Already well adrift in LaLiga, they have a Copa del Rey final on Saturday against Real Sociedad — and then will be able to focus all their efforts on this competition.
As for Barcelona and Yamal, their season is almost certain to end with a second consecutive LaLiga title, but hopes of a first Champions League win since 2015 will have to wait another year.
“The next step is to win LaLiga,” said Flick. “We are on the way. It’s not done yet. It’s a big dream to win the Champions League. We have a young team and they can and will improve.”
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LAS VEGAS – Paul Walter Hauser is an actor who has been in “The Naked Gun,” “Blackbird,” and “Richard Jewell.” But on Friday night at Maple Leaf Pro’s first U.S. event, MLP Multiverse, there was no acting going on.
Hauser squared off against QT Marshall in a sin city street fight at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas. It was the final show of Slam Fest. The two pro wrestlers pulled out all the stops and left the ring in complete disarray.
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Paul Walter Hauser competed against QT Marshall at Maple Leaf Pro Multiverse on April 18, 2026 in Las Vegas. (Fox News Digital)
It was a rematch of their brawl at Ring of Honor’s Death Before Dishonor event. Marshall went on the attack first, throwing in all kinds of foreign objects into the ring, including a piece of wood wrapped with barbed wire, a table, a cane, chairs and even a door was brought into the match.
Hauser was able to regain momentum in the match. He set up the barbed-wire object in the corner. Marshall countered and was trying to whip Hauser into the barbed wire. However, Hauser stopped himself. As Marshall tried to take Hauser by surprise, the movie star avoided Marshall and tossed him into the barbed wire.
Marshall was busted open, but wasn’t done. Hauser was trying to inflict more pain. He set up a table near one corner of the ring and poured thumbtacks on top of it. Marshall was able to powerbomb Hauser through the tacked table.
Paul Walter Hauser is pictured on Thursday, Feb. 1, 2024. (Nathan Congleton/NBC)
BLUE PANTHER AND ÚLTIMO GUERRERO STEAL THE SHOW AT CMLL’S FIRST-EVER US EVENT IN LAS VEGAS
Hauser was left with thumbtacks in his back and one in his head. He managed to power through and put Marshall into a sharpshooter. Marshall tapped out. Hauser picked up the victory.
Hauser got his start in pro wrestling in 2023 at Pro Wrestling Revolver. He worked his way through appearances at All Elite Wrestling before he signed with Major League Wrestling in 2024.
He’s currently Progress Wrestling’s Progress proteus champion.
Elsewhere, Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL) world heavyweight champion Hechicero defended his championship against Jonathan Gresham, Maple Leaf Pro Canadian women’s champion Gisele Shaw fended off Shotzi Blackheart, Persephone and surprise entrant Killer Kelly to keep the title.
Mistico, Mascara Dorada and Amazing Red defeated The Rascalz at Maple Leaf Pro Multiverse on April 18, 2026 in Las Vegas. (Fox News Digital)
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The show started with Subculture, the tag team duo of Mark Andrews and Flash Morgan Webster, defeated Vaughn Vertigo and Guy Cool. The Demand’s Ricochet, Bishop Kaun and Toa Liona defeated Sidney Akeem, Michael Oku and Rich Swaan, Steve Borden defeated Kiran Gray and Mistico, Mascara Dorada, Amazing Red defeated The Rascalz – Desmond Xavier, Zachary Wentz and Myron Reed.
Liverpool face competition from Manchester United and Real Madrid to sign Crystal Palace midfielder Adam Wharton, while Arsenal want Leicester City wonderkid Jeremy Monga. Join us for the latest transfer news and rumors from around the globe.
Transfers home page | Men’s winter grades | Women’s grades
TRENDING RUMORS
– Liverpool lead the race to sign Crystal Palace midfielder Adam Wharton, TalkSPORT reports. Liverpool face strong competition from Manchester United and Real Madrid for the England international’s signature, while he is under contract at Selhurst Park until June 2029 and Palace are demanding a fee of at least £80 million. Curtis Jones‘ exit from Liverpool could help the club raise extra funds, and he has been linked with a move to Italian giants Internazionale.
– Arsenal are keen on signing Leicester City wonderkid Jeremy Monga, as per The Telegraph. Monga, 16, has already agreed terms on a professional contract with the Foxes, but attention from the Premier League may yet complicate matters. The winger has played 25 times in the Championship this season, scoring once and grabbing a pair of assists.
– Newcastle United‘s asking price for the transfer of Anthony Gordon this summer is around £80 million, according to iNews. Bayern Munich have serious interest in the winger and are expected to make a formal bid to sign him at the end of the season. The England international has also been linked with a move to Arsenal, while Liverpool are thought to be long-term admirers.
– Tottenham Hotspur have struck an agreement in principle to sign Bournemouth center back Marcos Senesi on a free transfer, TalkSPORT has revealed. The Argentina international is expected to make the switch to North London at the end of the season, once his contract expires, though Spurs potential relegation could complicate things. Indeed, the proposed transfer hinges on them staying up as Senesi is not prepared to play in the Championship, while Manchester United and Atletico Madrid are also tracking his development.
– Borussia Dortmund have internally discussed a move for West Ham United defender Konstantinos Mavropanos in recent weeks, Sky Germany reports. The 28-year-old is wanted by several Bundesliga and Premier League clubs after a string of impressive recent performances, and is reported to be “seeking a new challenge” so will push to leave the club at the end of the season, despite having a contract until 2028.
EXPERT TAKE
ESPN’s resident scout Tor-Kristian Karlsen looks at Adam Wharton’s skillset.
Less than two years after making his debut, Wharton is now undoubtedly one of the Premier League’s most accomplished distributors of the ball. He constantly asks to receive it and is trusted not to lose possession under pressure. Then, once in control, his pass selection is outstanding: he can hit 35-yard switches with precision, incisive line-breaks through pressure, or well-weighted deliveries played into a teammate’s stride.
The quality of Wharton’s left foot is one standout feature, though it’s also his vision and ability to “map” the play around him that is key, as they allow him to move the ball at tempo with ease and fluidity.
Wharton has also shown he is comfortable in a high-intensity style of football. Under Oliver Glasner at Palace, the England midfielder has performed in an energetic, vertical scheme, where demands on speed of thought and defensive reactions are higher. Though he was impressive last season, he has lifted his key-pass output by roughly 10% this year, while still maintaining accuracy and pass variation. Crucially, the distribution isn’t location-specific either and he is as reliable starting attacks from deep as he is contributing in the final third.
OTHER RUMORS
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Craig Burley reflects on Coventry City’s promotion to the Premier League.
– Newcastle United are ready to cut their losses by letting striker Yoane Wissa leave the club at the end of the season for as little as £15 million after a disappointing £55 million transfer from Brentford. (iNews)
– Wolfsburg have reignited their interest in West Ham United striker Niclas Füllkrug. The Germany international is expected to return to East London this summer after AC Milan opted against activating his £5 million permanent option. (Sky Germany)
– Real Madrid midfielder Dani Ceballos, 29, is a target for Dutch club Ajax after falling down the pecking order in the Spanish capital. (AS)
– Defender David Alaba, 33, is expected to leave Real Madrid when his contract expires at the end of the season. (Fabrizio Romano)
– AC Milan are among the clubs monitoring Sporting center back Ousmane Diomande. (Nicolo Schira)
– Bournemouth and Besiktas are tracking Internazionale winger Luiz Henrique heading into the summer transfer window. (Nicolo Schira)
– Eintracht Frankfurt and Roma are leading the race to sign Bayern Munich youngster Noël Aséko (currently on loan at Hannover), whose transfer is valued around €12 million mark. (Florian Plettenberg).
– Manchester City remain interested in signing Troyes youngster Mathys Detourbet, although no agreement exists between the two clubs at this stage. (Santi Aouna)
– Defender Jack Hendry will be leaving Al Ettifaq on a free transfer this summer. (Fabrizio Romano)
– Everton are expected to try to sign Al Ahli striker Ivan Toney this summer, as he is open to a Premier League return. (Ekrem Konur)
KARACHI: Pakistan and Argentina have held initial discussions over the possibility of an international friendly between their football teams, as part of broader talks on football development cooperation, sources privy to the matter said.
According to sources, officials from the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) and the Argentine Football Association (AFA) held early-stage discussions during an online exchange, where they reviewed multiple areas of cooperation, including coaching development, technical training programmes and a potential friendly fixture.
Both sides also discussed the possibility of Argentinian coaches visiting Pakistan under a structured development initiative and explored a wider technical collaboration framework aimed at strengthening Pakistan’s football structure.
An official statement shared by Pakistan’s mission in Argentina said a “productive and forward-looking meeting” was arranged and coordinated by the mission, bringing together the PFF and the AFA following AFA’s launch of the “AFA Pakistan” brand and its expressed interest in building “meaningful engagement with Pakistan’s football ecosystem.”
The meeting, chaired by Ambassador Hassan Afzal Khan, was attended by PFF President Syed Mohsin Gilani and his team, along with AFA Marketing Director Francisco Lemmi, the statement said.
According to the statement, Ambassador Hassan said the development presented “an excellent opportunity to strengthen collaboration and contribute to the growth of football in Pakistan”.
It added that Gilani welcomed AFA’s outreach and emphasised the importance of developing the partnership in a “structured and sustainable manner” aimed at long-term cooperation and mutual benefit.
If finalised, the proposed friendly would take place after the Fifa World Cup, with both federations agreeing to continue working on various logistical and technical aspects before any confirmation.
The statement described the engagement as a “promising step toward international collaboration in sports development” that opens new avenues for football advancement in Pakistan.
Sources emphasised that discussions remain at an early stage, with further coordination required before any agreement on a friendly match or formal development programme is reached.
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