عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Sports

Real Madrid Crush Schalke in Friendly as Diomande Debuts

Kylian Mbappe of Real Madrid in action during the friendly soccer match between Schalke 04 and Real Madrid in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, 16 August 2026. (EPA)
Kylian Mbappe of Real Madrid in action during the friendly soccer match between Schalke 04 and Real Madrid in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, 16 August 2026. (EPA)
TT
TT

Real Madrid Crush Schalke in Friendly as Diomande Debuts

Kylian Mbappe of Real Madrid in action during the friendly soccer match between Schalke 04 and Real Madrid in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, 16 August 2026. (EPA)
Kylian Mbappe of Real Madrid in action during the friendly soccer match between Schalke 04 and Real Madrid in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, 16 August 2026. (EPA)

Jose Mourinho's Real Madrid eased to a 3-0 win at Schalke on Sunday in their final friendly, with Kylian Mbappe on the scoresheet and record signing Yan Diomande playing for the first time.

After going two seasons without a major trophy Madrid appointed veteran Mourinho for a second spell in charge and made a slate of signings this summer to overhaul the squad.

French superstar Mbappe, playing under Mourinho for the first time, intercepted a poor back pass and fired home in the sixth minute to send the 15-time European champions ahead.

Dean Huijsen headed home the second from Arda Guler's corner as Madrid took full control against their German opponents.

Half-time substitute Carlos Espi nodded home Madrid's third in the second half, before 140 million euro ($162m) Ivory Coast winger Diomande and England international Jude Bellingham also joined the fray from the bench.

Elsewhere Spanish champions Barcelona recorded an entertaining 5-2 victory at Basel in a friendly as summer signing Anthony Gordon played for the first time since his switch from Newcastle.

Another new arrival Karim Adeyemi put the Catalans ahead after being teed up by Raphinha, but youngster Jean Doucoure slammed home before the break to level for the Swiss.

Egyptian forward Hamza Abdelkarim restored Barca's advantage early in the second half after Adeyemi fed him.

Lamine Yamal, making his first appearance since winning the World Cup with Spain, tucked home a penalty for the third after Jules Kounde was fouled.

Kazeem Olaigbe netted from the spot for Basel before Barca substitute Jesse Bisiwu, signed from Club Brugge, hit a brace in a late but electric cameo.

Barcelona have one more friendly to play, at home against Al Ahly on Wednesday, before their La Liga season begins at Elche on August 23.

Most Viewed

 
 
Sports

Odegaard Says Arsenal ‘Want to Win Everything’ After Community Shield Success

Arsenal's Norwegian midfielder #08 Martin Odegaard lifts the trophy as Arsenal's players celebrate their victory after the English FA Community Shield football match between Arsenal and Manchester City at The Principality Stadium, in Cardiff, south Wales on August 16, 2026. (AFP)
Arsenal's Norwegian midfielder #08 Martin Odegaard lifts the trophy as Arsenal's players celebrate their victory after the English FA Community Shield football match between Arsenal and Manchester City at The Principality Stadium, in Cardiff, south Wales on August 16, 2026. (AFP)
TT
TT

Odegaard Says Arsenal ‘Want to Win Everything’ After Community Shield Success

Arsenal's Norwegian midfielder #08 Martin Odegaard lifts the trophy as Arsenal's players celebrate their victory after the English FA Community Shield football match between Arsenal and Manchester City at The Principality Stadium, in Cardiff, south Wales on August 16, 2026. (AFP)
Arsenal's Norwegian midfielder #08 Martin Odegaard lifts the trophy as Arsenal's players celebrate their victory after the English FA Community Shield football match between Arsenal and Manchester City at The Principality Stadium, in Cardiff, south Wales on August 16, 2026. (AFP)

Martin Odegaard warned Arsenal's rivals that the Premier League champions want to "win everything" after starting their season by sweeping aside Manchester City in the Community Shield.

Arsenal captain Odegaard delivered a man of the match performance capped by the final goal in his team's dominant 3-0 victory in Cardiff on Sunday.

Riccardo Calafiori netted Arsenal's opener after just 24 seconds and Kai Havertz was also on the scoresheet before half-time in the annual curtain raiser to the English top-flight season.

Just four months ago, Odegaard lifted Arsenal's first Premier League crown since 2004 after they finished seven points ahead of second-placed City.

The Norway midfielder believes the dynamic display against City, now managed by Enzo Maresca instead of Pep Guardiola, showed the north Londoners have not lost their hunger for silverware.

"We played some brilliant football. Great performance and a great way to start the season," Maresca said.

"We showed our level today. We're showed we're ready. We're serious and we want to do it again. We want to attack it. We want to do it again.

"When you get a taste of how nice it is you want to do it again. We want to win everything."

Installed as the bookmakers' favorites for a second successive title, Arsenal begin their Premier League charge at home to promoted Coventry on August 21.

- 'Things to work on' -

City open their bid for a first title since 2024 with a visit from Bournemouth on August 24 and Maresca admitted they have a lot to improve before then.

"We have many things to work on. The season's just started so there are many things we need to do better," he said.

"The goal we conceded after 24 seconds unfortunately affected the game. Disappointed with that because in this kind of game the level is so similar that when you concede a goal, it then becomes difficult."

Maresca endured the joint-heaviest defeat by a City manager in their first game in charge, tying a 4-1 loss for Harry Newbould's side against Arsenal in 1906.

It was also Maresca's joint-worst loss as a manager in England after a 3-0 defeat against Brighton during his time with Chelsea in 2025.

Since the start of the 2023-24 season, City have only won two of their nine matches against Arsenal, showing the widening gap between them that Maresca must find a way to close.

"After the goal, the reaction was quite good. We had three or four chances to score and draw the game. Unfortunately, we conceded the second one and it became more complicated," he said.

"From next Sunday we start the Premier League and the focus has to be about that."

Sports

Bayern Yet to Update on Jamal Musiala After Collapse During Friendly Match

Football - Pre-Season Friendly - Bayern Munich v RB Leipzig - Allianz Arena, Munich, Germany - August 15, 2026 Bayern Munich's Jamal Musiala before the match. (Reuters)
Football - Pre-Season Friendly - Bayern Munich v RB Leipzig - Allianz Arena, Munich, Germany - August 15, 2026 Bayern Munich's Jamal Musiala before the match. (Reuters)
TT
TT

Bayern Yet to Update on Jamal Musiala After Collapse During Friendly Match

Football - Pre-Season Friendly - Bayern Munich v RB Leipzig - Allianz Arena, Munich, Germany - August 15, 2026 Bayern Munich's Jamal Musiala before the match. (Reuters)
Football - Pre-Season Friendly - Bayern Munich v RB Leipzig - Allianz Arena, Munich, Germany - August 15, 2026 Bayern Munich's Jamal Musiala before the match. (Reuters)

Bayern Munich was yet to give an update Sunday about the condition of Jamal Musiala, who collapsed the day before during a friendly game against Leipzig.

The 23-year-old Musiala fell to the field shortly before the end of the match, causing alarm among his teammates before medical staff rushed to his side. They attended to the player before one of them eased the tension by raising a thumbs-up.

Musiala was able to leave the field unattended and descend the steps into the players’ tunnel by himself, though he still appeared dazed, news agency dpa reported.

“The main thing is that he’s OK,” a Bayern board member for sport said several hours later, but there were no further details given on the player’s condition, nor what caused him to collapse.

High temperatures may have played a role – it was over 30 degrees Celsius (86 Fahrenheit) in Munich at the time.

The Associated Press has asked Bayern for an update on Musiala's condition.

Sports

Salah’s Trabzonspor Debut Ends in Draw After Kasimpasa Fight Back

Trabzonspor's Mohamed Salah in action during the Turkish Super Lig football match between Kasimpasa and Trabzonspor in Istanbul, Türkiye, Saturday, Aug. 15, 2026. (AP)
Trabzonspor's Mohamed Salah in action during the Turkish Super Lig football match between Kasimpasa and Trabzonspor in Istanbul, Türkiye, Saturday, Aug. 15, 2026. (AP)
TT
TT

Salah’s Trabzonspor Debut Ends in Draw After Kasimpasa Fight Back

Trabzonspor's Mohamed Salah in action during the Turkish Super Lig football match between Kasimpasa and Trabzonspor in Istanbul, Türkiye, Saturday, Aug. 15, 2026. (AP)
Trabzonspor's Mohamed Salah in action during the Turkish Super Lig football match between Kasimpasa and Trabzonspor in Istanbul, Türkiye, Saturday, Aug. 15, 2026. (AP)

Mohamed Salah made his competitive debut for Trabzonspor on Saturday, coming off the bench in their Turkish Super Lig opener as Kasimpasa rallied from a goal down to secure a 1-1 draw.

Trabzonspor took the lead in the first half through Noah Saviolo ‌before Kasimpasa's ‌Adrian Benedyczak levelled from ‌the ⁠penalty spot in ⁠the second half.

Salah, who joined Trabzonspor on a free transfer after nine seasons at Liverpool, was introduced in the 58th minute shortly after Kasimpasa scored the ⁠equalizer.

The Egypt forward, deployed ‌on the ‌right wing, helped create a number of ‌openings for the visiting side ‌but Trabzonspor were unable to find a winner.

"It's a sad start today. It was a game we had ‌to be victorious in, but we couldn't succeed. Thursday ⁠is ⁠really important, we play a match in Europe, and the opponent is far better than us," Trabzonspor coach Fatih Tekke said.

Trabzonspor, who finished third in the Super Lig last season and won the Turkish Cup, will face Hungarian side Ferencvaros in the Europa League play-off round on August 20.