Endrick Scores in Extra Time to Help Madrid top Celta in Copa. Titleholder Athletic Loses to Osasuna

Soccer Football - Copa del Rey - Round of 16 - Real Madrid v Celta Vigo - Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid, Spain - January 16, 2025 Real Madrid's Endrick celebrates scoring their fifth goal REUTERS/Juan Medina
Soccer Football - Copa del Rey - Round of 16 - Real Madrid v Celta Vigo - Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid, Spain - January 16, 2025 Real Madrid's Endrick celebrates scoring their fifth goal REUTERS/Juan Medina
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Endrick Scores in Extra Time to Help Madrid top Celta in Copa. Titleholder Athletic Loses to Osasuna

Soccer Football - Copa del Rey - Round of 16 - Real Madrid v Celta Vigo - Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid, Spain - January 16, 2025 Real Madrid's Endrick celebrates scoring their fifth goal REUTERS/Juan Medina
Soccer Football - Copa del Rey - Round of 16 - Real Madrid v Celta Vigo - Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid, Spain - January 16, 2025 Real Madrid's Endrick celebrates scoring their fifth goal REUTERS/Juan Medina

Real Madrid needed two goals from Endrick in extra time to get past Celta Vigo in the round of 16 of the Copa del Rey and avoid another embarrassing setback less than a week after losing 5-2 to Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup final.
Federico Valverde also scored in extra time Thursday as Madrid reached the quarterfinals with a 5-2 victory after squandering a 2-0 lead in a 2-2 draw in regulation at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium.
Kylian Mbappé and Vinícius Júnior scored a goal in each half but Celta rallied with goals by Jonathan Bamba in the 83rd minute and Marcos Alonso in stoppage time.
The 18-year-old Endrick, who entered the match in the 79th, put Madrid ahead in the 108th with a shot from outside the area and then sealed the victory in the 119th with a back-heel flick after Valverde had added to the lead in the 112th.
“It was tough, but with Madrid it’s always like this, we keep fighting until the end and we come out on top,” said Endrick, who profusely celebrated his first goal by taking off his shirt. “We never give up.”
Madrid was looking for a comfortable victory to bounce back from the rout against Barcelona. Carlo Ancelotti's team is trying to keep pace with Atletico Madrid at the top of the Spanish league and improve its standings in the league phase of the Champions League.
It was the first of a three-game home stretch for Madrid, which on Sunday hosts Las Palmas in the Spanish league and on Wednesday takes on Salzburg in the Champions League.
Mbappé put Madrid ahead in the 37th minute after picking up the ball before the midfield line and making a run all the way into the Celta area to finish with a left-footed cross shot. It was Mbappé’s second goal in his last five matches with Madrid. Vinícius scored his first goal in five matches after a breakaway in the 48th.
Celta pulled closer after Madrid midfielder Eduardo Camavinga lost possession near the area and allowed Bamba to score in the 83rd, and the Vigo team evened the match early in stoppage time with a penalty kick converted by Alonso after Bamba was fouled inside the area.
Endrick got off to a strong start in his first season with Madrid but had not been given much playing time by Ancelotti recently.
“(Ancelotti) knows what he's doing," Endrick said. “He doesn't have to do what's best for Endrick, he has to do what's best for the team. He knows that I've been working hard.”
Aurélien Tchouaméni, who struggled in the Super Cup final against Barcelona in Saudi Arabia, was booed by part of the crowd at the Bernabeu.
Defending champion beaten Titleholder Athletic Bilbao rallied from a two-goal deficit in the first half but still lost 3-2 to Osasuna at home.
The visitors took the lead with goals by Aimar Oroz in the 40th and Ante Budimir in the 44th before Athletic evened the match with Nico Williams in first-half stoppage time and Óscar de Marcos in the 55th.
Budimir netted the winning goal in the 70th to help Osasuna advance two years after it had eliminated Athletic in the semifinals.
Also Thursday, Real Sociedad advanced by defeating Rayo Vallecano 3-1 at home.
On Wednesday, Barcelona beat Real Betis 5-1. Atletico Madrid defeated second-division club Elche 4-0, while Getafe won 1-0 at fourth-division team Pontevedra and Leganes won 3-2 at second-tier side Almeria.



Forest Great Robertson, 'Picasso of Our Game', Dies at 72

FILE PHOTO: Football - Nottingham Forest v West Ham United - Coca-Cola Football League Championship - 04/05 - The City Ground , 26/9/04 Former Nottingham Forest players Peter Shilton , John Robertson , Tony Woodcock and Frank Clark at the City Ground to pay respects to the late Brian Clough Mandatory Credit: Action Images / Michael Regan/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Football - Nottingham Forest v West Ham United - Coca-Cola Football League Championship - 04/05 - The City Ground , 26/9/04 Former Nottingham Forest players Peter Shilton , John Robertson , Tony Woodcock and Frank Clark at the City Ground to pay respects to the late Brian Clough Mandatory Credit: Action Images / Michael Regan/File Photo
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Forest Great Robertson, 'Picasso of Our Game', Dies at 72

FILE PHOTO: Football - Nottingham Forest v West Ham United - Coca-Cola Football League Championship - 04/05 - The City Ground , 26/9/04 Former Nottingham Forest players Peter Shilton , John Robertson , Tony Woodcock and Frank Clark at the City Ground to pay respects to the late Brian Clough Mandatory Credit: Action Images / Michael Regan/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Football - Nottingham Forest v West Ham United - Coca-Cola Football League Championship - 04/05 - The City Ground , 26/9/04 Former Nottingham Forest players Peter Shilton , John Robertson , Tony Woodcock and Frank Clark at the City Ground to pay respects to the late Brian Clough Mandatory Credit: Action Images / Michael Regan/File Photo

John Robertson, the Nottingham Forest winger described by his manager Brian Clough as "a Picasso of our game", has ​died at the age of 72, the Premier League club said on Thursday.

He was a key member of Clough's all-conquering Forest team, assisting Trevor Francis's winner in their 1979 European Cup final victory over Malmo before scoring himself ‌to sink Hamburg ‌in the 1980 final.

"We ‌are ⁠heartbroken ​to ‌announce the passing of Nottingham Forest legend and dear friend, John Robertson," Forest said in a statement, Reuters reported.

"A true great of our club and a double European Cup winner, John’s unrivalled talent, humility and unwavering devotion ⁠to Nottingham Forest will never ever be forgotten."

Robertson spent ‌most of his career ‍at the City ‍Ground, making over 500 appearances across two ‍stints at the club.

Clough once described him as a "scruffy, unfit, uninterested waste of time" who became "one of the finest deliverers of a football ​I have ever seen", usually with his cultured left foot.

Robertson was a ⁠stalwart of Forest's meteoric rise from the second division to winning the English first division title the following season in 1978 before the two European Cup triumphs.

He earned 28 caps for Scotland, scoring the winning goal against England in 1981, and served as assistant manager to former Forest teammate Martin O'Neill at several clubs, including ‌Aston Villa.

"Rest in peace, Robbo... Our greatest," Forest said.


Morocco Coach Dismisses Aguerd Injury Talk, Backs Ait Boudlal ahead of Mali Test

Soccer Football - Africa Cup of Nations - Round of 16 - Morocco v South Africa - Laurent Pokou Stadium, San Pedro, Ivory Coast - January 30, 2024 Morocco coach Walid Regragui reacts REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko
Soccer Football - Africa Cup of Nations - Round of 16 - Morocco v South Africa - Laurent Pokou Stadium, San Pedro, Ivory Coast - January 30, 2024 Morocco coach Walid Regragui reacts REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko
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Morocco Coach Dismisses Aguerd Injury Talk, Backs Ait Boudlal ahead of Mali Test

Soccer Football - Africa Cup of Nations - Round of 16 - Morocco v South Africa - Laurent Pokou Stadium, San Pedro, Ivory Coast - January 30, 2024 Morocco coach Walid Regragui reacts REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko
Soccer Football - Africa Cup of Nations - Round of 16 - Morocco v South Africa - Laurent Pokou Stadium, San Pedro, Ivory Coast - January 30, 2024 Morocco coach Walid Regragui reacts REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko

Morocco coach Walid Regragui has dismissed reports that defender Nayef Aguerd is injured, saying the center back was fit and ready for ​Friday’s Africa Cup of Nations Group A clash against Mali.

"Who told you Aguerd is injured? He’s training as usual and has no problems," Regragui told reporters, Reuters reported.

Regragui confirmed captain Romain Saiss will miss the game with a muscle injury sustained against Comoros in their tournament ‌opener, while ‌full back Achraf Hakimi, ‌recently ⁠crowned ​African Player ‌of the Year, is recovering from an ankle problem sustained with Paris St Germain last month and could feature briefly. "Hakimi is doing well and we’ll make the best decision for him," Regragui said. The coach also heaped praise on 19-year-old ⁠defender Abdelhamid Ait Boudlal, calling him "a great talent".

"I’ve been following ‌him for years. I called ‍him up a ‍year and a half ago when he was ‍a substitute at Rennes and people criticized me. Today everyone is praising him – that shows our vision is long-term," Regragui said. "We must not burn the ​player. We’ll use him at the right time. We’ll see if he starts tomorrow ⁠or comes in later."

Ait Boudlal echoed his coach's confidence.

"We know the responsibility we carry. Every game is tough and requires full concentration. We listen carefully to the coach’s instructions and aim to deliver a performance that meets fans’ expectations," he said.

Morocco opened the tournament with a 2-0 win over Comoros and will secure qualification with victory over Mali at Rabat’s Prince Moulay Abdellah ‌Stadium.

"It will be a tough match against a strong team," Regragui added.


Mali coach Saintfiet hits out at European clubs, FIFA over AFCON changes

Mali coach Tom Saintfiet pictured at his team's opening AFCON game against Zambia in Casablanca on Monday © Abdel Majid BZIOUAT / AFP/File
Mali coach Tom Saintfiet pictured at his team's opening AFCON game against Zambia in Casablanca on Monday © Abdel Majid BZIOUAT / AFP/File
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Mali coach Saintfiet hits out at European clubs, FIFA over AFCON changes

Mali coach Tom Saintfiet pictured at his team's opening AFCON game against Zambia in Casablanca on Monday © Abdel Majid BZIOUAT / AFP/File
Mali coach Tom Saintfiet pictured at his team's opening AFCON game against Zambia in Casablanca on Monday © Abdel Majid BZIOUAT / AFP/File

Mali coach Tom Saintfiet on Thursday railed against the decision to play the Africa Cup of Nations every four years instead of two, insisting the move was forced upon the continent by FIFA and European clubs motivated by money.

"I am very shocked with it and very disappointed. It is the pride of African football, with the best players in African football," the Belgian told reporters in Rabat ahead of Friday's AFCON clash between Mali and Morocco, AFP reported.

"To take it away and make it every four years, I could understand if it was a request for any reason from Africa, but it is all instructed by the big people from (European governing body) UEFA, the big clubs in Europe and also FIFA and that makes it so sad."

Saintfiet, 52, has managed numerous African national teams including Gambia, who he led to the quarter-finals of the 2022 Cup of Nations.

He was appointed by Mali in August last year and on Friday will lead them out against current AFCON hosts in a key Group A game at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium.

The Cup of Nations has almost always been held at two-year intervals since the first edition in 1957 but Confederation of African Football president Patrice Motsepe last weekend announced that the tournament would go ahead every four years after a planned 2028 tournament.

"We fought for so long to be respected, to then listen to Europe to change your history -- because this is a history going back 68 years -- only because of financial requests from clubs who use the load on players as the excuse while they create a World Cup with 48 teams, a Champions League with no champions," Saintfiet said.

"If you don't get relegated in England you almost get into Europe, it is so stupid," he joked.

"If you want to protect players then you play the Champions League with only the champions. You don't create more competitions with more load. Then you can still play AFCON every two years.

"Africa is the biggest football continent in the world, all the big stars in Europe are Africans, so I think we disrespect (Africa) by going to every four years.

"I am very sad about that -- I hoped that the love for Africa would win over the pressure of Europe."