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Haaland Scores Two as Man City Beats Young Boys 3-0 and Advances in Champions League 

Erling Haaland (R) of Manchester City scores his second goal during the UEFA Champions League Group G match between Manchester City and Young Boys Bern, in Manchester, Britain, 07 November 2023. (EPA)
Erling Haaland (R) of Manchester City scores his second goal during the UEFA Champions League Group G match between Manchester City and Young Boys Bern, in Manchester, Britain, 07 November 2023. (EPA)
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Haaland Scores Two as Man City Beats Young Boys 3-0 and Advances in Champions League 

Erling Haaland (R) of Manchester City scores his second goal during the UEFA Champions League Group G match between Manchester City and Young Boys Bern, in Manchester, Britain, 07 November 2023. (EPA)
Erling Haaland (R) of Manchester City scores his second goal during the UEFA Champions League Group G match between Manchester City and Young Boys Bern, in Manchester, Britain, 07 November 2023. (EPA)

The Champions League is European club soccer’s most testing stage.

Try telling that to Erling Haaland.

The Norway striker extended his record in the competition to 39 goals in 34 games as Manchester City advanced to the knockout round with a 3-0 win against Young Boys on Tuesday.

Haaland scored twice, including a brilliant long-range effort in the second half, to move him to within two of City great Sergio Aguero's total of 41.

It seems inevitable he will one day challenge Cristiano Ronaldo’s record of 140 Champions League goals. And after losing out to Lionel Messi in the battle for the Ballon d’Or last week, he will likely be back in contention for soccer’s biggest individual prize next year if he continues his scoring streak.

“If he, with his mates, win a lot of trophies, there will be chance to win it,” City manager Pep Guardiola said. “If not, we won’t do anything.”

City's defense of the Champions League is going smoothly. Guardiola's team extended its perfect record after four games in Group G and also extended its unbeaten home run in the competition to 28.

Haaland opened the scoring at Etihad Stadium with a 23rd minute penalty and Phil Foden made it 2-0 in first-half stoppage time.

Haaland then fired into the top corner from the edge of the area six minutes after the break — but was denied a hat trick when he was substituted in the 61st.

By then there was little doubt that City was on course for a 23rd straight home win in all competitions in a game that saw Young Boys reduced to 10 men when Sandro Lauper was sent off for high foot on City substitute Nathan Ake in the 53rd.

After Matheus Nunes was brought down in the area by Lauper in the first half, Haaland stepped up and sent goalkeeper Anthony Racioppi the wrong way by firing into the bottom left hand corner.

On Foden's goal, the forward received a pass from Jack Grealish on the right and then showed quick feet to beat Ulisses Garcia inside the area. He still had a tight angle to shoot from, but swept the ball past Racioppi and into the far corner.

“Of course we are incredibly happy to have qualified with two games left. Finish first. We have time to think about it,” Guardiola said. “The word that defines this group of players for many years is the consistency. We have high standards and that is why we are still in the Premier League up there and qualified from the Champions League.”

City defender John Stones was substituted at halftime because of a muscle problem and could be out for a while, Guardiola said.

“It is a pity, it is bad news for us. I don’t know how long (it will be).”

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Sports

Madrid’s Mendy Suffers Another Injury Setback

Real Madrid's Ferland Mendy receives medical attention during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between RCD Espanyol and Real Madrid, in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, 03 May 2026. (EPA)
Real Madrid's Ferland Mendy receives medical attention during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between RCD Espanyol and Real Madrid, in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, 03 May 2026. (EPA)
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Madrid’s Mendy Suffers Another Injury Setback

Real Madrid's Ferland Mendy receives medical attention during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between RCD Espanyol and Real Madrid, in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, 03 May 2026. (EPA)
Real Madrid's Ferland Mendy receives medical attention during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between RCD Espanyol and Real Madrid, in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, 03 May 2026. (EPA)

Injury-plagued Real Madrid defender Ferland Mendy has suffered a thigh injury, with Spanish media reporting on Monday that he will be sidelined for several months.

Left-back Mendy was replaced after just 14 minutes of Sunday's 2-0 win over Espanyol, which delayed Barcelona winning the La Liga title.

The France international will undergo surgery in the coming hours after suffering his 16th injury since joining Madrid from Lyon in 2019.

"Following tests carried out today on our player Ferland Mendy... he has been diagnosed with a rectus femoris tendon injury in his right leg," Madrid said in a statement.

Mendy made his last France appearance in June 2024 and was unlikely to be in contention for a place in Didier Deschamps's World Cup squad.

Sports

Asharq Al-Awsat Reveals Saudi FA Financials With SAR 88 Million Surplus

Asharq Al-Awsat Reveals Saudi FA Financials With SAR 88 Million Surplus
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Asharq Al-Awsat Reveals Saudi FA Financials With SAR 88 Million Surplus

Asharq Al-Awsat Reveals Saudi FA Financials With SAR 88 Million Surplus

The Saudi Arabian Football Federation is set to approve its consolidated financial statements for the period from July 1, 2024 to December 31, 2025, at its general assembly meeting scheduled for May 18 in Riyadh. The move reflects the close of the financial cycle and entry into the formal approval phase.

Asharq Al-Awsat has obtained detailed figures from those statements through its sources. Total revenue reached SAR 2.599 billion (about $693.1 million), compared with expenditures of SAR 2.511 billion (around $669.6 million), generating a surplus of SAR 88.4 million (approximately $23.6 million). The outcome points to balanced finances despite elevated spending levels.

Competition-related spending topped the expenditure categories at SAR 717 million (about $191.2 million). This figure covers the organization of domestic competitions as well as hosting regional, continental, and international tournaments. It also includes club support and prize money totaling SAR 246 million (around $65.6 million), underscoring the scale of investment in domestic competitions.

For national teams, the federation reported spending of roughly SAR 467 million (about $124.5 million), while allocations for referees reached SAR 210 million (around $56 million), reflecting a clear push to strengthen technical and organizational standards and develop officiating and training camps.

On the human resources front, total salaries and incentives for federation staff and all Saudi national teams, men’s and women’s (19 teams), amounted to SAR 543 million (about $144.8 million).

In terms of operating revenue, sponsorship agreements, broadcasting rights, and matchday income generated SAR 256 million (around $68.3 million). Meanwhile, travel and transportation costs for federation personnel and national teams totaled SAR 229 million (about $61.1 million), a category tied to the domestic and international scope of activities.

As for the general assembly agenda, it includes announcing the session and confirming its formation in line with the statutes, approving the agenda, and delivering the president’s address. This will be followed by the appointment of three delegates to review the meeting minutes, the designation of independent auditors, and ratification of the previous meeting’s minutes.

The assembly will also review the president’s report on activities since the last meeting, before presenting the external auditor’s report and approving the consolidated financial statements, including the statement of financial position and activities report.

Members will then vote on proposed amendments to regulations and standing orders, culminating in the appointment of an independent external auditor based on a board recommendation, in a session with a distinctly regulatory and financial focus that will shape the next phase.

Sports

Top Tennis Players Slam Roland Garros Prize Money, Citing a Shrinking Share of Tournament Revenue

Tennis - Madrid Open - Park Manzanares, Madrid, Spain - April 28, 2026 Belarus' Aryna Sabalenka reacts during her quarterfinal match against Hailey Baptiste of the US. (Reuters)
Tennis - Madrid Open - Park Manzanares, Madrid, Spain - April 28, 2026 Belarus' Aryna Sabalenka reacts during her quarterfinal match against Hailey Baptiste of the US. (Reuters)
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Top Tennis Players Slam Roland Garros Prize Money, Citing a Shrinking Share of Tournament Revenue

Tennis - Madrid Open - Park Manzanares, Madrid, Spain - April 28, 2026 Belarus' Aryna Sabalenka reacts during her quarterfinal match against Hailey Baptiste of the US. (Reuters)
Tennis - Madrid Open - Park Manzanares, Madrid, Spain - April 28, 2026 Belarus' Aryna Sabalenka reacts during her quarterfinal match against Hailey Baptiste of the US. (Reuters)

A group of leading players including Novak Djokovic, Jannik Sinner, Aryna Sabalenka and Coco Gauff have expressed “their deep disappointment” at the level on prize money at Roland Garros amid a lingering dispute with Grand Slam tournament organizers.

The clay-court Grand Slam event starts later this month in western Paris. The players said they have other demands that have not been addressed by officials, including better representation, health and pensions.

The players' call came after French Open organizers announced last month the Roland Garros prize money has increased by about 10% for an overall pot of 61.7 million euros ($72.1 million), with the total amount up 5.3 million euros from last year.

“Players’ share of Roland Garros tournament revenue has declined from 15.5% in 2024 to 14.9% projected in 2026,” the group of players responded in a statement on Monday.

Play begins on May 24 at Roland Garros. Men’s and women’s singles champions each receive 2.8 million euros and the runners-up 1.4 million euros. Semifinalists earn 750,000 euros and first round losers get 87,000 euros. Men’s and women’s doubles winners pocket 600,000 euros and the mixed doubles champions get 122,000 euros.

But the statement said “the underlying figures tell a very different story,” claiming that players receive a declining share of the value they contribute to generate.

“According to tournament officials, Roland Garros generated 395 million euros in revenue in 2025, a 14% year-on-year increase, yet prize money rose by just 5.4%, reducing players’ share of revenue to 14.3%,” they said. “With estimated revenues of over 400 million euros for this year’s tournament, prize money as a percentage of revenue will likely still be less than 15%, far short of the 22% that players have requested to bring the Grand Slams into line with the ATP and WTA Combined 1000 events.”

French Open organizers did not immediately respond to a request for comments.

The same group of 20 players had already signed a letter sent to the heads of the four Grand Slam tournaments last year, seeking more prize money and a greater say in what they called “decisions that directly impact us.”

They said in their latest statement they remain “united in their desire to see meaningful progress, both in terms of fair financial distribution and in how the sport is governed.”

They insisted they have not received any response to their proposals on welfare, including pension and long-term health, adding that no progress has been made “on fair and transparent player representation within Grand Slam decision-making.”

“While other major international sports are modernizing governance, aligning stakeholders, and building long-term value, the Grand Slams remain resistant to change,” they said. “The absence of player consultation and the continued lack of investment in player welfare reflect a system that does not adequately represent the interests of those who are central to the sport’s success.”