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Tomiyasu Makes Japan Return as Moriyasu Names World Cup Squad

Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup 2026 - Japan World Cup squad announcement - Tokyo, Japan - May 15, 2026 Japan head coach Hajime Moriyasu during the press conference REUTERS/Issei Kato
Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup 2026 - Japan World Cup squad announcement - Tokyo, Japan - May 15, 2026 Japan head coach Hajime Moriyasu during the press conference REUTERS/Issei Kato
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Tomiyasu Makes Japan Return as Moriyasu Names World Cup Squad

Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup 2026 - Japan World Cup squad announcement - Tokyo, Japan - May 15, 2026 Japan head coach Hajime Moriyasu during the press conference REUTERS/Issei Kato
Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup 2026 - Japan World Cup squad announcement - Tokyo, Japan - May 15, 2026 Japan head coach Hajime Moriyasu during the press conference REUTERS/Issei Kato

Former Arsenal defender Takehiro Tomiyasu has been included in Japan's World Cup squad by head coach Hajime Moriyasu despite not playing for the 'Samurai Blue' for almost two years due to a series of injuries.

The central defender, who currently plays for Ajax after his contract was annulled by mutual consent with Arsenal last year, was included in the 26-man squad announced by the coach in Tokyo on Friday.

Tomiyasu last played for Japan in a World Cup qualifier ⁠against Syria on ⁠June 11, 2024. He had been included in the squad for the March international window before withdrawing.

Also selected were Liverpool midfielder Wataru Endo, who has endured an injury-hit season, and 39-year-old fullback Yuto Nagatomo, Reuters reported.

Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Kaoru Mitoma did ⁠not make the cut due to a hamstring injury sustained against Wolverhampton Wanderers earlier this month.

The Japanese will kick off their eighth appearance at the World Cup finals against the Netherlands in Dallas on June 14 before taking on Tunisia on June 20 and Sweden on June 25 in their remaining Group F fixtures.

Japan reached the round of 16 at the last two World Cups, losing ⁠to ⁠Belgium in 2018 and to Croatia, on penalties, in Qatar four years later.

Moriyasu will be leading the team into his second World Cup as coach.

Japan squad

Goalkeepers: Zion Suzuki, Tomoki Hayakawa, Keisuke Osako
Defenders: Yuto Nagatomo, Shogo Taniguchi, Ko Itakura, Tsuyoshi Watanabe, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Hiroki Ito, Ayumu Seko, Yukinari Sugawara, Junnoske Suzuki
Midfielders/Forwards: Wataru Endo, Junya Ito, Daichi Kamada, Koki Ogawa, Daizen Maeda, Ritsu Doan, Ayase Ueda, Ao Tanaka, Keito Nakamura, Kaishu Sanno, Takefusa Kubo, Yuito Suzuki, Kento Shoigai, Keisuke Goto

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Five Things to Look Out for in La Liga This Weekend

Football - La Liga - Atletico Madrid v Celta Vigo - Riyadh Air Metropolitano, Madrid, Spain - May 9, 2026 Atletico Madrid's Antoine Griezmann looks dejected after the match. (Reuters)
Football - La Liga - Atletico Madrid v Celta Vigo - Riyadh Air Metropolitano, Madrid, Spain - May 9, 2026 Atletico Madrid's Antoine Griezmann looks dejected after the match. (Reuters)
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Five Things to Look Out for in La Liga This Weekend

Football - La Liga - Atletico Madrid v Celta Vigo - Riyadh Air Metropolitano, Madrid, Spain - May 9, 2026 Atletico Madrid's Antoine Griezmann looks dejected after the match. (Reuters)
Football - La Liga - Atletico Madrid v Celta Vigo - Riyadh Air Metropolitano, Madrid, Spain - May 9, 2026 Atletico Madrid's Antoine Griezmann looks dejected after the match. (Reuters)

With Barcelona crowned champions for a second consecutive season, attention in La Liga turns to other matters in the penultimate round of fixtures, including a gripping relegation battle.

AFP Sport picks out five things to look out for this weekend in the Spanish top flight.

Griezmann's farewell

French forward Antoine Griezmann could not end his time at Atletico brandishing a trophy as he would have loved, but will still receive a warm goodbye from the club's supporters this weekend.

Diego Simeone's side host Girona in their final match at the Metropolitano stadium before Griezmann heads to the United States to play for MLS side Orlando City.

"We have had a genius with us for many years, and hopefully, we can give him a great send-off," said Simeone this week.

Griezmann is Atletico's all-time top goalscorer over two spells at the club totaling a decade in red and white.

Relegation tightrope

La Liga's bottom half is bunched together extremely tightly, meaning several teams are looking over their shoulders at the relegation zone.

Salvation is not guaranteed for teams between 10th and 19th place, with only Real Oviedo so far guaranteed to go down.

Several sides have been in the bottom three in recent weeks and keep changing places.

Record seven-time Europa League winners Sevilla have recently surged towards safety with three straight wins, but face Real Madrid this weekend.

Espanyol failed to win for 18 straight games before beating Athletic Bilbao this week, while Alaves moved out of the drop zone with a win against champions Barca.

Mallorca and Levante start the weekend placed 18th and 19th respectively, but it's anybody's guess who will be in there by Sunday night.

Barca perfect at home

Hansi Flick's newly crowned champions lost at Alaves in midweek to scupper their target of matching the La Liga record of 100 points, but can still finish at home on a high against Real Betis.

The Catalan giants have won every single home match in the top flight this season and would complete the set by beating Manuel Pellegrini's team, who have already sealed qualification for the Champions League.

After playing the first months of the season at Montjuic's Olympic stadium and even hosting a couple of games at the tiny Johan Cruyff training ground stadium, Barca finally returned to their partially rebuilt Camp Nou home in November last year.

This might also be striker Robert Lewandowski's final home match for Barcelona, with the Polish veteran out of contract in the summer.

Getafe Euro charge

Jose Bordalas's Getafe are a team often derided for their direct style of play and physical approach, but despite the limitations of their squad they are on the brink of reaching European competition.

They last competed in the Europa League in the 2019-20 season.

"I have no words to describe the outrageous thing this team is doing," said the proud coach after beating Mallorca on Wednesday.

Getafe are seventh, which would take them into next season's Conference League, but trail sixth-placed Celta Vigo, in a Europa League spot, by just two points with two games to go.

Golden boot battle

Because of injury issues in the second half of the season and Real Madrid's inconsistent form, Kylian Mbappe's lead in the top scorer standings has been whittled down.

The French forward has 24 goals, leading Mallorca target man Vedat Muriqi by just two, with two games remaining.

The islanders are still fighting for survival and Kosovan striker Muriqi is their main weapon in a key battle against Levante.

Sports

History Tilts Odds in Favor of Egypt's Zamalek for CAF Cup

USM's Brahim Benzaza (L) in action against Zamalek's Adam Kaied (C) during the CAF Confederation Cup final, 1st leg soccer match between USM Alger and Zamalek, in Algiers, Algeria, 09 May 2026. (EPA)
USM's Brahim Benzaza (L) in action against Zamalek's Adam Kaied (C) during the CAF Confederation Cup final, 1st leg soccer match between USM Alger and Zamalek, in Algiers, Algeria, 09 May 2026. (EPA)
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History Tilts Odds in Favor of Egypt's Zamalek for CAF Cup

USM's Brahim Benzaza (L) in action against Zamalek's Adam Kaied (C) during the CAF Confederation Cup final, 1st leg soccer match between USM Alger and Zamalek, in Algiers, Algeria, 09 May 2026. (EPA)
USM's Brahim Benzaza (L) in action against Zamalek's Adam Kaied (C) during the CAF Confederation Cup final, 1st leg soccer match between USM Alger and Zamalek, in Algiers, Algeria, 09 May 2026. (EPA)

History favors Egyptian club Zamalek when they seek to overcome a 1-0 deficit against Algerian visitors USM Alger on Saturday in the CAF Confederation Cup final second leg.

In 22 previous editions of the African equivalent of the UEFA Europa League, three teams have built solitary-goal leads at home in the first leg of title deciders.

But Dolphins of Nigeria (2005), Club Africain of Tunisia (2011) and Renaissance Berkane of Morocco (2019) all surrendered their slim advantage after the return match.

Dolphins fell 3-0 at FAR Rabat of Morocco and Club Africain and Berkane lost penalty shootouts against MAS Fes of Morocco and Zamalek respectively following 1-0 losses.

Twice Confederation Cup winners, Zamalek are trailing ahead of the second leg in Cairo after a dramatic climax to the first encounter in Algeria last weekend.

Brazilian substitute Juan Bezerra netted in the first minute of added time, and celebrated what he and his teammates believed was the match winner.

But VAR officials intervened, informing the Mauritanian referee that USM substitute Rayane Mahrouz had been fouled in the Zamalek box prior to the goal.

The Zamalek goal was cancelled and a penalty awarded to USM, which Ahmed Khaldi slammed past Mahdi Soliman to give the hosts a 98th-minute lead.

"Winning is the most important thing in a final, no matter the performance. We need to improve some technical issues," Senegal-born USM coach Lamine N'Diaye told reporters.

"We should not underestimate what we achieved -- Zamalek rank among the most experienced clubs in Africa. They have won 13 CAF titles, we (USM) have won two."

N'Diaye can boast of two African successes, guiding TP Mazembe from the Democratic Republic of Congo to the 2010 CAF Champions League and 2011 CAF Super Cup titles.

- 'Extremely disappointing' -

He joined 2023 Confederation Cup winners USM three months ago on a contract until the end of this season and has already guided the club to victory in the Algerian Cup final.

In the opposite dugout will be Moatamed Gamal, an Egyptian who hopes to lead Zamalek to the Confederation Cup and Egyptian Premier League titles by May 20.

Zamalek host Ceramica Cleopatra next Wednesday and maximum points will ensure they become Egyptian champions for the first time in four seasons.

"We had hoped to come away from Algeria with at least a draw, so having a goal disallowed and then conceding was extremely disappointing," said Gamal.

"However, it is only half-time in the final and we will have home advantage in the second half. I see no reason why we cannot overcome the deficit.

"Zamalek have many players used to competing in Africa and I believe their experience will play a key role in the second leg."

At home, the Cairo White Knights won four matches and drew two en route to the final, scoring six goals and conceding two.

Bezerra and Tunisian Seifeddine Jaziri have claimed four goals each in 13 matches and Palestine international Oday Dabbagh three.

USM have had mixed results on the road, winning twice, drawing twice and losing twice, scoring five goals and conceding five.

Ahmed Khaldi has bagged four goals, three of them from penalties. But the Algerian club are still waiting for a first goal from Ivorian Dramane Kamagate.

He was signed after netting six times for San Pedro, who lost twice to USM in the group phase and were eliminated.

Away goals count double in the event of an aggregate draw in CAF competitions, and that rule enabled USM to win their quarter-final and semi-final ties.

Sports

Mbappe Says he is Fourth-choice Forward Under Arbeloa at Real Madrid

Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe kicks the ball during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Real Oviedo in Madrid, Spain, Thursday, May 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe kicks the ball during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Real Oviedo in Madrid, Spain, Thursday, May 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
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Mbappe Says he is Fourth-choice Forward Under Arbeloa at Real Madrid

Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe kicks the ball during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Real Oviedo in Madrid, Spain, Thursday, May 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe kicks the ball during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Real Oviedo in Madrid, Spain, Thursday, May 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

France captain Kylian Mbappe said he is now the fourth-choice forward at Real Madrid after manager Alvaro Arbeloa left him out of the starting line-up for their 2-0 win over Real Oviedo on Thursday.

The Frenchman, who missed Sunday's 2-0 defeat by Barcelona and was booed by his own fans on his return from a hamstring injury, came off the bench in the 68th minute after Arbeloa opted to play Vinicius Junior and Gonzalo Garcia in attack.

According to Reuters, Mbappe told reporters fitness ⁠was not an ⁠issue.

"I’m 100% fine. I haven’t played because for the coach I’ve been the fourth striker in the squad behind (Franco) Mastantuono, Vini and Gonzalo," he said.

"I was ready to start, it’s his decision and it always has to be respected.

"I have no ⁠problem at all with Arbeloa. You have to accept the coach's philosophy and I have to do better to play ahead of Vini, Gonzalo and Mastantuono."

Mbappe has faced criticism from fans for travelling to Sardinia while recovering from his injury, though he said the club had authorized the trip.

Arbeloa said there was no way he could start Mbappe after he missed the Barcelona match and dismissed the ⁠suggestion he ⁠had told the Frenchman he was fourth choice.

"I had a conversation with him before the game and I don't know what he could have interpreted," the Spaniard told reporters.

"For me it is very clear that a player who four days ago could not be on the bench (against Barcelona), today should not start. Especially because it's not a final, it's not a game of life or death."

Arbeloa added that Mbappe would start Real's next match at Sevilla on Sunday.