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Conference League Final Offers Redemption for Chelsea or Recognition for Betis 

Betis players (L-R) Isco Alarcon, Cedric Bakambu and Marc Bartra greet their supporters after the Spanish LaLiga soccer match between Real Betis and Valencia CF, in Seville, Spain, May 23, 2025. (EPA)
Betis players (L-R) Isco Alarcon, Cedric Bakambu and Marc Bartra greet their supporters after the Spanish LaLiga soccer match between Real Betis and Valencia CF, in Seville, Spain, May 23, 2025. (EPA)
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Conference League Final Offers Redemption for Chelsea or Recognition for Betis 

Betis players (L-R) Isco Alarcon, Cedric Bakambu and Marc Bartra greet their supporters after the Spanish LaLiga soccer match between Real Betis and Valencia CF, in Seville, Spain, May 23, 2025. (EPA)
Betis players (L-R) Isco Alarcon, Cedric Bakambu and Marc Bartra greet their supporters after the Spanish LaLiga soccer match between Real Betis and Valencia CF, in Seville, Spain, May 23, 2025. (EPA)

Chelsea and Real Betis have come from starkly different starting points to get to Wednesday's UEFA Europa Conference League final.

Chelsea, twice Champions League winners and six times English top-flight champions, are seeking redemption in Europe's third-tier competition following a sub-par domestic campaign.

Betis, on the other hand, are eagerly anticipating their first major European final after undergoing a transformation under the astute leadership of former Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini.

Energized by Brazilian winger Antony and midfield maestro Isco, Betis are going through one of the best spells in their history and have finally managed to emerge from the shadow of city rivals Sevilla, record six-time Europa League winners, to become the team of the moment in Andalusia.

For a traditional club whose passionate fans have celebrated a Spanish league title only once -- 90 years ago -- and who have taken part in the Champions League only once -- three decades ago -- reaching the Conference League final is a dream scenario.

In contrast, playing the Conference League final could feel a bit underwhelming for big-spending Chelsea, who won the Champions League four years ago.

The Blues left it late to hit their target for this season by qualifying for the 2025-26 Champions League, thanks to a final-day victory at Nottingham Forest on Sunday.

With more than one billion pounds invested in players by the club's US owners since 2022, coach Enzo Maresca came under immediate pressure in his first season at Stamford Bridge.

A strong start saw Chelsea climb to second in the Premier League in December before a poor run -- coinciding with injuries to striker Nicolas Jackson and midfielder Romeo Lavia -- put a top-five finish in doubt until they managed to get back on track and finish fourth.

The return of Belgium midfielder Lavia helped and midfielder Moises Caicedo had a great season too, while defender Marc Cucurella has popped up at the right time on a few occasions in a season that started with him helping Spain to win the European Championship in Germany last July.

At Betis, Pellegrini has revived the careers of veteran Isco and Antony, who have become the heart and soul of this surprising, highly entertaining team.

Isco, 33 and a former Champions League winner with Real Madrid, has rekindled his form, earning LaLiga's Player of the Month award in March and prompting calls for him to be recalled to the Spanish national team.

The 25-year-old Antony, on loan from Manchester United, has also flourished, becoming the potent attacking threat Betis needed and the difference-maker the Red Devils thought they had signed for nearly 81 million pounds ($109.40 million) from Ajax in 2022.

The stage in Wroclaw, Poland, is set for a compelling final. Antony, with his blistering runs down the right channel, is expected to challenge Chelsea's defense, while the Blues will be looking for a performance that justifies their investments and secures some much-needed silverware for the under-fire Maresca.

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Sports

Pressure on Morocco to Deliver as Africa Cup of Nations Kicks Off

Morocco's head coach Walid Regragui speaks during a press conference at Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat, Morocco, 20 December 2025. (EPA)
Morocco's head coach Walid Regragui speaks during a press conference at Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat, Morocco, 20 December 2025. (EPA)
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Pressure on Morocco to Deliver as Africa Cup of Nations Kicks Off

Morocco's head coach Walid Regragui speaks during a press conference at Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat, Morocco, 20 December 2025. (EPA)
Morocco's head coach Walid Regragui speaks during a press conference at Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat, Morocco, 20 December 2025. (EPA)

Morocco carry a huge weight of expectation into their opening game at the Africa Cup of Nations on Sunday as the hosts, with star man Achraf Hakimi returning from injury, aim to see off stiff competition to claim continental glory.

Senegal, reigning champions Ivory Coast, Mohamed Salah's Egypt and a Nigeria side led by Victor Osimhen are among the biggest rivals for Morocco at the AFCON, which runs into the New Year with the final on January 18.

Morocco, Africa's best team in the FIFA rankings in 11th place, kick off the tournament on Sunday at 1900 GMT against minnows Comoros at the new 69,000-seat Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat.

There is huge pressure on the Atlas Lions, semi-finalists at the 2022 World Cup who come into the Cup of Nations on a world-record run of 18 consecutive victories.

"I have always said the objective is to win this AFCON at home in front of our fans," coach Walid Regragui insisted on Saturday.

"The country that will have the most difficulty winning the AFCON is Morocco, because of the expectation on us," he nevertheless warned as they look to claim the title for the first time since 1976.

"The pressure on us is positive, but anything other than victory will be a failure."

Paris Saint-Germain right-back Hakimi, the African player of the year, says he is ready to take part despite not having played since suffering an ankle injury in early November.

"I feel good," said Hakimi, although Regragui admitted that the former Real Madrid man may not play against Comoros with further Group A matches to come against Mali and Zambia.

Hakimi added: "I'm not thinking about me as an individual. If I only play one minute and the team wins, then that's fine."

They have been good at winning of late -- Morocco won the recent Under-20 World Cup and the country's triumph in the FIFA Arab Cup final against Jordan in Doha this week brought fans onto the streets in celebration.

For Morocco, this tournament is also about showcasing some world-class stadiums as it hosts a first AFCON since 1988.

The Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, which will also stage the final, is one of four being used in Rabat.

A huge 75,000-seat stadium in Tangier will host a semi-final, while games will also be played in Casablanca, Marrakesh, Agadir and Fez as the country builds towards the 2030 World Cup which it will co-host with Spain and Portugal.

The introduction of FIFA's expanded Club World Cup last June and July forced the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to push back its flagship tournament.

They could not wait until next June because of the World Cup, and they can no longer stage the Cup of Nations in January and February because of the new UEFA Champions League format.

The only solution was to start in December and continue into the New Year, at a time when many European leagues -- where so many African stars play -- take a break.

Confederation of African Football president Patrice Motsepe on Saturday acknowledged the need to address the scheduling problem as he announced a decision to play the Cup of Nations every four years following a planned edition in 2028.

"We want to make sure that there is more synchronization," said Motsepe, and that "the football calendar worldwide is more in harmony".

Morocco are aiming to follow the example of Ivory Coast, who won the last AFCON as hosts in 2024.

North African teams have won four of the last five editions held in the region, including Algeria's triumph in Egypt in 2019.

It remains to be seen whether the doubts surrounding Salah's Liverpool future impact Egypt's chances of winning a record-extending eighth title.

Elsewhere Senegal, winners in 2022 and with a squad featuring Sadio Mane and Iliman Ndiaye, are serious contenders.

Runners-up last year, Nigeria will hope to make amends here for missing out on World Cup qualification.

In contrast, Ghana and Cape Verde are both going to the World Cup, but neither are present in Morocco.

After Sunday's opening game there will be three matches on Monday, including South Africa against Angola and Egypt versus Zimbabwe in Group B.

Sports

Isak Injury Leaves Slot Counting Cost of Liverpool Win at Spurs

Liverpool's Alexander Isak reacts after sustaining an injury during the English Premier League soccer match between Tottenham and Liverpool in London, Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025. (AP)
Liverpool's Alexander Isak reacts after sustaining an injury during the English Premier League soccer match between Tottenham and Liverpool in London, Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025. (AP)
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Isak Injury Leaves Slot Counting Cost of Liverpool Win at Spurs

Liverpool's Alexander Isak reacts after sustaining an injury during the English Premier League soccer match between Tottenham and Liverpool in London, Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025. (AP)
Liverpool's Alexander Isak reacts after sustaining an injury during the English Premier League soccer match between Tottenham and Liverpool in London, Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025. (AP)

Arne Slot was left to count the cost of Liverpool's chaotic 2-1 win at nine-man Tottenham after Alexander Isak's rare goal was followed by a potentially damaging injury.

Isak fired Liverpool into a second-half lead in north London with a clinical finish, only to limp off moments later after being injured by Micky van de Ven's failed attempt to stop him scoring.

The Sweden striker's third goal for Liverpool since his British record £125 million ($166 million) move from Newcastle on transfer deadline day had offered hope that he was finally set to live up to his hefty price tag.

Instead, Reds boss Slot now faces an anxious wait to determine how long the 26-year-old will be sidelined with his ankle problem.

Slot would only say that Isak's injury was "not a good thing".

It could not have come at a worse time for fifth-placed Liverpool after Egypt forward Mohamed Salah's departure to the Africa Cup of Nations and an injury to Dutch winger Cody Gakpo.

Adding to Slot's fitness issues, Isak only came off the bench at half-time after right-back Conor Bradley was injured.

Although Liverpool are unbeaten in their last six games in all competitions -- winning three in a row -- the brief flicker of promise engendered by the sight of Hugo Ekitike, Florian Wirtz and Isak combining for the opening goal was quickly snuffed out.

The trio cost around £300 million to bring to Anfield in the close-season, with only Ekitike, the least expensive of the group, living up to the hype during the Premier League champions' troubled first half of the season.

French striker Ekitike maintained his strong start to life with Liverpool by heading their second goal against Tottenham.

But even then, Liverpool made heavy weather of it as Tottenham, already down to 10 men after Xavi Simons' first-half dismissal for a crude foul on Virgil van Dijk, pulled one back through Richarlison in the closing stages.

Tottenham captain Cristian Romero's stoppage-time dismissal for a needless second booking after he kicked Ibrahima Konate let Liverpool off the hook just as they looked set to blow the lead in a frenzied finale.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Slot said: "A good goal (for Isak), assisted by Florian Wirtz, and I said last week already players are getting better, the team is getting better.

"I thought to be honest with nine, we will probably be able then to keep them away from our goal, but it looked as if we were down to nine and they were on 11 because it was attack after attack after attack.

"Again, it wasn't perfect, especially not in the last 10 minutes but in the meantime, we pick up points and I see the team developing in a way I like to see."

Meanwhile, under-fire Tottenham boss Thomas Frank blasted referee John Brooks.

Frank was furious with Simons' red card -- which was upgraded from a booking after a VAR review -- and the failure to disallow Ekitike's goal for a push on Romero.

"I don't like this as a red card. I think the game is probably too big to say gone, but for me it's not reckless and it's not exceptional force," said Frank, whose side are languishing in 13th place.

"He is chasing Van Dijk. He is trying to put pressure and then he changes direction. Unfortunately, his foot is on Achilles. You can say 'Ah, you need to be smarter, don't do it and all that' but so are we not allowed to have physical contact anymore?

"The second goal is a mistake from the referee. There are two hands in the back. I don't understand how you can do that.

"I think that was the biggest mistake in my opinion and from VAR but apparently that was not enough."

Sports

Mbappe Levels Ronaldo Calendar Year Real Madrid Goal Record

Real Madrid's French forward #10 Kylian Mbappe celebrates scoring his team's second goal during the Spanish league football match between Real Madrid CF and Sevilla FC at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid on December 20, 2025. (AFP)
Real Madrid's French forward #10 Kylian Mbappe celebrates scoring his team's second goal during the Spanish league football match between Real Madrid CF and Sevilla FC at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid on December 20, 2025. (AFP)
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Mbappe Levels Ronaldo Calendar Year Real Madrid Goal Record

Real Madrid's French forward #10 Kylian Mbappe celebrates scoring his team's second goal during the Spanish league football match between Real Madrid CF and Sevilla FC at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid on December 20, 2025. (AFP)
Real Madrid's French forward #10 Kylian Mbappe celebrates scoring his team's second goal during the Spanish league football match between Real Madrid CF and Sevilla FC at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid on December 20, 2025. (AFP)

French superstar Kylian Mbappe equaled Cristiano Ronaldo's record of 59 Real Madrid goals in a calendar year by scoring on Saturday against Sevilla in La Liga.

Mbappe, on his 27th birthday, tucked home an 86th-minute penalty to match Ronaldo's club record set in 2013 and send his team 2-0 up at the Santiago Bernabeu.

The striker won the European Golden Shoe and La Liga's top scorer award last season and leads the Spanish standings again in the current campaign with 18 strikes.

Xabi Alonso's Real Madrid side have struggled this season, but Mbappe has been their key player, boasting 29 goals in 24 games across all competitions.

Mbappe has admitted he had posters of Ronaldo on his bedroom walls as a child and that it was a dream to sign for Madrid when he arrived in the summer of 2024 from Paris Saint-Germain.

After a few months searching for confidence and his top level, by the time 2025 began Mbappe was back to his lethal best.

Portugal international Ronaldo scored 450 goals in 438 matches for Real Madrid to become their all-time top goalscorer, with Mbappe now on 73 in 83 games.