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Atletico Madrid Squanders Lead and Loses Opening LaLiga Match for 1st Time Under Simeone 

Espanyol's players celebrate at the end of the Spanish LaLiga soccer match between RCD Espanyol and Atletico Madrid, in Barcelona, Spain, 17 August 2025. (EPA)
Espanyol's players celebrate at the end of the Spanish LaLiga soccer match between RCD Espanyol and Atletico Madrid, in Barcelona, Spain, 17 August 2025. (EPA)
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Atletico Madrid Squanders Lead and Loses Opening LaLiga Match for 1st Time Under Simeone 

Espanyol's players celebrate at the end of the Spanish LaLiga soccer match between RCD Espanyol and Atletico Madrid, in Barcelona, Spain, 17 August 2025. (EPA)
Espanyol's players celebrate at the end of the Spanish LaLiga soccer match between RCD Espanyol and Atletico Madrid, in Barcelona, Spain, 17 August 2025. (EPA)

Despite debuting most of its new signings, Atletico Madrid couldn't avoid conceding two late goals and losing its opening Spanish league match for the first-ever time under coach Diego Simeone.

Host Espanyol's 2-1 win on Sunday was Atletico's first opening defeat since Simeone took over in late 2011. It hadn't previously lost an opening league game since 2009.

It was a good start for Espanyol under the ownership of England-based group Velocity Sport Limited and its American shareholders.

“What a wonderful way to start the season, with a win against Atletico Madrid!” US businessman Alan Pace posted on Instagram after attending the match in Barcelona.

Simeone started the match with five of the club's new signings for the season — Álex Baena, Thiago Almada, Johnny Cardoso, David Hancko and Matteo Ruggeri. Giacomo Raspadori also made his debut coming off the bench in the second half.

Atletico took the lead with Julián Alvarez's free kick in the 37th minute but conceded goals by Miguel Rubio in the 73rd and Pere Milla in the 84th.

“It happens,” Simeone said. “The result hurts, but it’s going to make us improve and grow. I’m left with all the good things the team did.”

Last season, Atletico only twice lost a league match that it was leading.

“We played a very good first half and we had the match under control in the second,” Atletico midfielder Koke said. “But after their first goal they turned things around.”

Barcelona began the defense of its Spanish league title with a comfortable 3-0 win at nine-man Mallorca on Saturday. Real Madrid hosts Osasuna on Tuesday

Nico leads Athletic

With transfer rumors in the past, Nico Williams led Athletic Bilbao to a 3-2 win over Sevilla in its opening Spanish league match.

Williams, who had been linked with a move to Barcelona in the offseason but seems set to stay with his boyhood club, put the hosts ahead by converting a 36th-minute penalty kick.

Athletic, coming off a fourth-placed finish last season, added to the lead with a goal from Maroan Sannadi in the 43rd before Sevilla rallied with goals by Dodi Lukebakio in the 60th and Lucien Agoume in the 72nd.

Robert Navarro put Athletic back in front for good by scoring in the 81st.

Goalkeeper Unai Simon helped the hosts secure the victory as Sevilla pressed forward to the end.

It was Athletic's first match with Iñaki Williams, Nico Williams' older brother, as its main captain — a first for a Black player at the club that traditionally only fields players from Spain’s northern Basque Country region or adjoining areas.

Depleted Getafe wins away

Getafe got off to a 2-0 win at Celta Vigo with second-half goals from Adrián Liso and Christantus Uche.

The Madrid club had a depleted squad after not being able to register many of its new players because of financial fair play regulations.

It was a disappointing start for Celta after a season in which it finished in the European places.

On Friday, Rayo Vallecano won at Girona 3-1 and Villarreal defeated promoted Oviedo 2-0.

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Ancelotti Shrugs off Neymar Chants After Brazil Lose to France

Carlo Ancelotti, head coach of Brazil, looks on prior to the international friendly match between Brazil and France at Gillette Stadium on March 26, 2026 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Getty Images/AFP)
Carlo Ancelotti, head coach of Brazil, looks on prior to the international friendly match between Brazil and France at Gillette Stadium on March 26, 2026 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Getty Images/AFP)
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Ancelotti Shrugs off Neymar Chants After Brazil Lose to France

Carlo Ancelotti, head coach of Brazil, looks on prior to the international friendly match between Brazil and France at Gillette Stadium on March 26, 2026 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Getty Images/AFP)
Carlo Ancelotti, head coach of Brazil, looks on prior to the international friendly match between Brazil and France at Gillette Stadium on March 26, 2026 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Getty Images/AFP)

Brazil manager Carlo Ancelotti ‌played down fans' chants for Neymar, who was not selected for the squad, after their 2-1 defeat to France in a warm-up game in Boston on Thursday, saying the focus should remain on the players involved.

Neymar was left out after the 34-year-old missed a recent Santos FC match with muscle fatigue - a game Ancelotti had planned to watch in person as part of his assessment ahead of naming the ‌squad.

"Right now we ‌have to talk about those who ‌are ⁠here, who played, ⁠who gave everything, who showed character, who worked very hard. And I am satisfied," Ancelotti told reporters.

"I think Raphinha played very well. He had some muscle discomfort at the end of the first half and we had to substitute him, but he had ⁠many opportunities and very good movement ‌off the ball.

"And Vini (Vinicius Jr.) ‌always tries; he always makes the difference. A striker ‌cannot always score, but the work done by ‌both of them was good."

Neymar, Brazil's all-time leading scorer with 79 goals, has not played for the national team since suffering a serious knee injury in October 2023 and ‌has struggled to maintain a consistent run of matches since returning to Santos ⁠last year.

Ancelotti ⁠has repeatedly said the forward will be considered if he is fully fit. Despite the defeat and Neymar's absence, the Italian said the performance reinforced his belief in the squad's potential.

"I think today's game makes it very clear to me that we can compete with the best teams in the world. I have no doubt about that," Ancelotti said.

Brazil will next face Croatia on March 31 in Orlando ahead of the June 11 to July 19 World Cup in North America.

Sports

White Deserves Another Chance with England, Says Tuchel

England's German head coach Thomas Tuchel attends a press conference at Wembley Stadium, west London, on March 26, 2026, ahead of their international friendly football matches against Uruguay and Japan. (AFP)
England's German head coach Thomas Tuchel attends a press conference at Wembley Stadium, west London, on March 26, 2026, ahead of their international friendly football matches against Uruguay and Japan. (AFP)
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White Deserves Another Chance with England, Says Tuchel

England's German head coach Thomas Tuchel attends a press conference at Wembley Stadium, west London, on March 26, 2026, ahead of their international friendly football matches against Uruguay and Japan. (AFP)
England's German head coach Thomas Tuchel attends a press conference at Wembley Stadium, west London, on March 26, 2026, ahead of their international friendly football matches against Uruguay and Japan. (AFP)

England manager Thomas Tuchel ‌said Ben White deserves another chance with the national team after the Arsenal defender returned to the squad for the first time in more than three years for World Cup warm-ups against Uruguay and Japan.

White left the 2022 World Cup camp in Qatar early for personal reasons and later made himself unavailable for the remainder of Gareth Southgate’s tenure, which ended after Euro 2024.

"First of ‌all, I ‌think everyone deserves a second chance," ‌Tuchel ⁠told reporters on ⁠Thursday ahead of the Uruguay match.

"Second, I don't know exactly what happened. I was also not 100% interested because I wanted to open a new page and a new book and a new opportunity.

"Once I asked Ben if he would be ⁠ready to play for me and ‌for England, he straightaway, ‌without hesitation, said he would love to come back ‌and was desperate to come back."

Tuchel said he ‌expects White to be supported by the crowd but noted the defender may still need to smooth things over inside the dressing room.

"I think it's necessary he ‌clears the air with his teammates and I think he will with ⁠players who ⁠come back who were in the World Cup together with him," the German said.

"Then we go from there. Let's see how it goes and let's see how he feels, if he feels as comfortable and as confident as he thought he would."

England host Uruguay at Wembley later on Friday before facing Japan at the same venue four days later as part of their preparations for the June 11 to July 19 World Cup in North America.

Sports

Jordan Dream of Morocco-Style Run as World Cup Debut Nears

Football - International Friendly - Jordan Training - Regnum Carya Golf & Spa Resort, Antalya, Türkiye - March 26, 2026 Jordan head coach Jamal Sellami speaks to the media during training. (Reuters)
Football - International Friendly - Jordan Training - Regnum Carya Golf & Spa Resort, Antalya, Türkiye - March 26, 2026 Jordan head coach Jamal Sellami speaks to the media during training. (Reuters)
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Jordan Dream of Morocco-Style Run as World Cup Debut Nears

Football - International Friendly - Jordan Training - Regnum Carya Golf & Spa Resort, Antalya, Türkiye - March 26, 2026 Jordan head coach Jamal Sellami speaks to the media during training. (Reuters)
Football - International Friendly - Jordan Training - Regnum Carya Golf & Spa Resort, Antalya, Türkiye - March 26, 2026 Jordan head coach Jamal Sellami speaks to the media during training. (Reuters)

Jordan head coach Jamal Sellami has called on his players to emulate Morocco's shock run to the World Cup semi-finals four years ago as they prepare for their first appearance at the global football showpiece in North America.

Jordan will face Austria, Algeria and Argentina in Group J at the June 11 to July 19 World Cup and are holding their final training camp in Antalya this week.

Media access to training sessions has been tightly restricted as the team fine-tuned tactics.

Some players say they can barely sleep in anticipation of the tournament, but Sellami wants them ‌to draw confidence ‌from Morocco's achievement at the last World Cup, where ‌they ⁠lost 2-0 to ⁠France in the last four.

"In big competitions, many teams can surprise. My country Morocco reached the semi-finals in the last World Cup," he said. "That gives us belief."

Jordan will play Costa Rica later on Friday and Nigeria on Tuesday as part of a four-team regional tournament that also includes Iran and was relocated from Jordan to Türkiye due to the war in the Middle ⁠East.

"Of course we feel sad about what is happening. ‌I hope there will be peace," midfielder ‌Noor Al-Rawabdeh said at the camp.

"But this is football — we moved here and ‌we need to adapt. In the World Cup you face the unknown, ‌so we must be ready for everything."

Despite their underdog status, the players say they are not going to the World Cup just to make up the numbers. "For us, we are not going just for participation," Al-Rawabdeh added. "We are aiming to go ‌as far as we can in the tournament.

"To be honest, sometimes we don't sleep when we think about ⁠it," he ⁠added. "It’s a dream come true for us."

Jordan secured an automatic berth at the World Cup after finishing second behind South Korea in their Asian qualifying group. Defender Mohammad Abu Alnadi said the squad were relishing the opportunity to compete on football's biggest stage.

"It's truly amazing. All of us are excited. It's one of the highest levels any player can play," he said.

"We want to go as far as possible — like any other team — and make history again."

Sellami said the Antalya camp was a key stage in building experience ahead of facing elite opposition.

"We are preparing step by step. We've played against different football cultures," he said.

"We are collecting experience and, Inshallah (God Willing), we will surprise many people."