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Barcelona Reaches Copa Del Rey Quarterfinals. Atletico Also Advances

Barcelona's Gavi gestures during a Spanish Copa del Rey round of 16 soccer match between Barcelona and Real Betis at the Lluis Companys Olympic Stadium in Barcelona, Spain, Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)
Barcelona's Gavi gestures during a Spanish Copa del Rey round of 16 soccer match between Barcelona and Real Betis at the Lluis Companys Olympic Stadium in Barcelona, Spain, Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)
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Barcelona Reaches Copa Del Rey Quarterfinals. Atletico Also Advances

Barcelona's Gavi gestures during a Spanish Copa del Rey round of 16 soccer match between Barcelona and Real Betis at the Lluis Companys Olympic Stadium in Barcelona, Spain, Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)
Barcelona's Gavi gestures during a Spanish Copa del Rey round of 16 soccer match between Barcelona and Real Betis at the Lluis Companys Olympic Stadium in Barcelona, Spain, Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)

Barcelona followed up its rout of Real Madrid in the Spanish Super Cup final with a comfortable 5-1 victory over Real Betis in the round of 16 of the Copa del Rey on Wednesday.
Gavi and Jules Koundé scored a goal each in the first half-hour and Raphinha, Ferran Torres and Lamine Yamal added to the lead in the second half to give the Catalan club the win and a spot in the quarterfinals.
It was the fourth straight victory in 2025 for Barcelona, which on Sunday defeated Madrid 5-2 in Saudi Arabia to win the Spanish Super Cup.
“We wanted to keep the momentum from the Super Cup here at home in front of our fans,” Barcelona defender Pau Cubarsí said. “We continue like this and keep the foot on the throttle. The (Christmas) break did well for us, we were able to refresh.”
Barcelona had lost its last two games in 2024 before going on a winning streak against Barbastro in the Copa del Rey and Athletic Bilbao and Madrid in the Spanish Super Cup.
Playmaker Dani Olmo, registered in the last minute after a long battle between Barcelona, the Spanish league and Spain's federation because of a missed deadline by the club, helped set up Gavi's opening goal in the third minute at Montjuic stadium. Yamal gave the pass for Koundé's goal in the 27th.
Koundé thought he had added to the lead in first-half stoppage time but his effort was disallowed by video review because he was offside. Yamal also had one called back by the VAR because of offside early in the second half.
Barcelona's third goal finally counted when Raphinha found the net in a breakaway in the 58th. Torres scored the fourth from inside the area in the 67th, a few minutes after coming off the bench, and Yamal sealed it after a nice run in the 75th.
Vitor Roque scored Betis' lone goal by converting an 84th-minute penalty kick.
Atletico Madrid, playing without many regular starters, routed second-division club Elche 4-0 to extend its record winning streak to 15 matches.
The club had never won more than 13 games in a row across all competitions before.
Alexander Sorloth scored from close range in the eighth and converted a 29th-minute penalty kick. Rodrigo Riquelme scored the third from long range in the 61st, and Julián Álvarez closed the scoring in the 75th.
Elche played a man down from the 50th after Nicolás Fernández was sent off with a second yellow card.
Other results Álvaro Rodríguez scored two minutes into the match as Getafe won 1-0 at fourth-division club Pontevedra.
The visitors played a man down from the 41st after a straight red card was shown to Rodríguez.
An 86th-minute goal by Diego García gave Leganes a 3-2 win at second-division club Almeria.
In other round-of-16 matches on Thursday, defending champion Athletic Bilbao hosts Osasuna and Real Madrid welcomes Celta Vigo.

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Sports

Freiburg's Höler Scores Another Bundesliga Stunner to Deny 10-man Dortmund

Freiburg's Lucas Hoeler, right, celebrates after scoring his side's first goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match between SC Freiburg and Borussia Dortmund in Freiburg, Germany, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025. (Tom Weller/dpa via AP)
Freiburg's Lucas Hoeler, right, celebrates after scoring his side's first goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match between SC Freiburg and Borussia Dortmund in Freiburg, Germany, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025. (Tom Weller/dpa via AP)
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Freiburg's Höler Scores Another Bundesliga Stunner to Deny 10-man Dortmund

Freiburg's Lucas Hoeler, right, celebrates after scoring his side's first goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match between SC Freiburg and Borussia Dortmund in Freiburg, Germany, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025. (Tom Weller/dpa via AP)
Freiburg's Lucas Hoeler, right, celebrates after scoring his side's first goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match between SC Freiburg and Borussia Dortmund in Freiburg, Germany, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025. (Tom Weller/dpa via AP)

Freiburg forward Lucas Höler scored with a spectacular bicycle kick to hold 10-man Borussia Dortmund to a 1-1 draw in the Bundesliga on Sunday.

Höler stopped Christian Günter´s cross with his left boot, then turned and struck the ball with his right to send the ball in off the right post in the 75th minute, denying Dortmund the chance to move second, The Associated Press reported.

The goal came a day after Bayer Leverkusen´s Martin Terrier scored a contender for goal of the season on Saturday.

Dortmund had Jobe Bellingham sent off in the 53rd for a foul on Philipp Treu, who would have been through alone on goal after cutting out a poor pass from Dortmund goalkeeper Gregor Kobel.

Ramy Bensebaini had opened the scoring in the 31st after Freiburg´s defense failed to deal with Yan Couto´s free kick.

It´s Dortmund´s second consecutive draw after the disappointing 2-2 draw at Bodø/Glimt in the Champions League on Wednesday.

League leader Bayern Munich was hosting bottom side Mainz later, with Stuttgart visiting Werder Bremen after that.

Sports

Haaland Stars in Win over Palace to Fire Man City Title Charge

Manchester City striker Erling Haaland (R) celebrates scoring against Crystal Palace © Glyn KIRK / AFP
Manchester City striker Erling Haaland (R) celebrates scoring against Crystal Palace © Glyn KIRK / AFP
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Haaland Stars in Win over Palace to Fire Man City Title Charge

Manchester City striker Erling Haaland (R) celebrates scoring against Crystal Palace © Glyn KIRK / AFP
Manchester City striker Erling Haaland (R) celebrates scoring against Crystal Palace © Glyn KIRK / AFP

Manchester City closed the gap on Premier League leaders Arsenal as Erling Haaland's double inspired a 3-0 win against Crystal Palace on Sunday.

Pep Guardiola's second-placed side moved within two points of Arsenal after a hard-fought success at Selhurst Park.

Norway striker Haaland opened the scoring late in the first half and England forward Phil Foden netted after the break.

Haaland bagged his 23rd goal in all competitions this season to complete City's fifth successive win in all competitions, AFP reported.

Arsenal's dramatic late win over bottom of the table Wolves on Saturday had put pressure on City to respond and Guardiola's men were up to the task, overcoming a spluttering display in large part because of the quality of their finishing.

After coming from behind to win 2-1 at Real Madrid in their glamour Champions League clash in midweek, a trip to freezing south London to face their FA Cup tormentors was a testing trip for far different reasons.

City were facing Palace for the first time since their shock FA Cup final defeat against the Eagles at Wembley in May.

Glasner out-witted Guardiola with a tactical masterclass in the final.

But City avenged that loss to keep the title race bubbling ahead of the hectic Christmas period.

The astute Glasner spotted another flaw in City's game-plan this season, noting their defence is vulnerable to pace and passes played in behind them

Yeremy Pino should have exploited City's defensive frailty when Adam Wharton's sublime pass sent him sprinting clear of the visitors' creaky offside trap, but his shot smashed off the crossbar with just Gianluigi Donnarumma to beat.

With Palace set up to neutralise City's attacks, Guardiola's men struggled to find any rhythm for long periods and Pino threatened again with a low shot that forced Donnarumma into action.

It took City half an hour to muster their first shot on target as Foden's free-kick was parried by Dean Henderson.

Haaland had barely had a kick before he put City ahead in typically predatory fashion in the 41st minute.

Matheus Nunes curled a pin-point cross towards the far post and Haaland peeled away from Chris Richards to thump a superb header past Henderson from six yards.

Donnarumma preserved City's lead, diving at Jean-Philippe Mateta's feet and then saving the France striker's close-range effort.

Palace had won four of their previous six league games, losing only once, and they were inches away from a second half equaliser when Wharton robbed Nico Gonzalez and lashed against the post from the edge of the area.

Without Belgian winger Jeremy Doku due to a leg injury, City were nowhere near the best and Guardiola's frustration boiled over as he argued with Glasner on the touchline.

But Foden eased Guardiola's angst with his sixth league goal in his last four games in the 69th minute.

Rayan Cherki sparked the goal with a dynamic run towards the Palace area before Foden arrowed a low drive past Henderson from 18 yards.

Haaland wrapped up City's gritty win in the 89th minute, calmly sending Henderson the wrong way from the penalty spot after the Palace keeper had fouled Savinho.

Sports

Saudi National Team Coach: Our Goal Is to Reach the Final of FIFA Arab Cup

Saudi national team coach Hervé Renard - SPA
Saudi national team coach Hervé Renard - SPA
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Saudi National Team Coach: Our Goal Is to Reach the Final of FIFA Arab Cup

Saudi national team coach Hervé Renard - SPA
Saudi national team coach Hervé Renard - SPA

Saudi national team coach Hervé Renard said that the current phase requires a focus on recovery and proper preparation after qualifying for the semifinals, affirming the players’ readiness for the upcoming match against Jordan, SPA reported.

During a press conference held today in Doha, Renard praised the strong support of Saudi fans, noting their remarkable presence in the previous match, and expressed hope for their continued backing of the team.

He explained that the Jordanian national team is characterized by speed in offensive transitions and strong defensive organization, as demonstrated in its previous matches. He stressed the need for caution while affirming that the Saudi national team possess the necessary capabilities to face the opponent.

The coach reiterated that the match will not be easy and that full focus is directed toward reaching the final of FIFA Arab Cup.

For his part, Saudi national team player Nawaf Boushal affirmed the team’s strong preparations for the upcoming match, noting that they will face a strong and respected opponent.