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Bellingham Impresses Again as Real Madrid Deals Girona Its 1st Defeat of Season to Go Top of League

Real Madrid's Jude Bellingham celebrates after scoring the 0-3 goal during the Spanish LaLiga match between Girona FC and Real Madrid at Montilivi stadium in Girona, Spain, 30 September 2023. (EPA)
Real Madrid's Jude Bellingham celebrates after scoring the 0-3 goal during the Spanish LaLiga match between Girona FC and Real Madrid at Montilivi stadium in Girona, Spain, 30 September 2023. (EPA)
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Bellingham Impresses Again as Real Madrid Deals Girona Its 1st Defeat of Season to Go Top of League

Real Madrid's Jude Bellingham celebrates after scoring the 0-3 goal during the Spanish LaLiga match between Girona FC and Real Madrid at Montilivi stadium in Girona, Spain, 30 September 2023. (EPA)
Real Madrid's Jude Bellingham celebrates after scoring the 0-3 goal during the Spanish LaLiga match between Girona FC and Real Madrid at Montilivi stadium in Girona, Spain, 30 September 2023. (EPA)

Jude Bellingham gave Girona a reality check on Saturday after he led Real Madrid to a 3-0 away victory over the early-season sensation in the Spanish league.

Girona had entered the round undefeated and on a six-game winning streak that had taken it to the top of the standings for the first time in the club's history.

But Bellingham put Madrid on course for the win by producing a superb pass for Joselu Mato’s 17th-minute opener. After Aurélien Tchouaméni quickly doubled the advantage, Bellingham rounded off the scoring with his league-leading sixth goal in eight rounds.

"It was an important win," Bellingham said. "We made a statement of intent to La Liga — three goals and a clean sheet against a team that was doing very well."

Madrid climbed over Girona and Barcelona to the top of the standings. Carlo Ancelotti’s Madrid now leads Barcelona by one point and Girona by two.

Girona, which is partly controlled by Manchester City’s Abu Dhabi ownership, had the early initiative until Bellingham again showed why Madrid spent big to acquire the 20-year-old England player from Borussia Dortmund this summer.

Girona twice threatened to score in the opening five minutes when Yangel Herrera headed over the bar and Artem Dovbyk headed off the post.

Then it was Bellingham's turn to use the outside edge of his right boot to bend a pass around three defenders and connect with Joselu at the far post where the striker fired home. Goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga got his gloves on the shot but couldn’t keep it out.

"That pass by Bellingham was spectacular and that goal hurt us a lot because until then we were playing well," Girona coach Míchel Sánchez said. "Madrid was full-on today and that opener made us realize how tough the game was going to be."

Bellingham said his pass was inspired by teammate Luka Modric, the veteran midfielder who was on Madrid's bench.

"I’ve been watching Modrić every day for three months," he said. "I just want to be creative. It was a good goal because it took the pressure off us that they put on us at the start."

Tchouaméni added a second goal in the 21st when he was left enough room to head in Toni Kroos’ corner kick.

Girona saw a chance to get back into the game five minutes after halftime when David López got his head on a corner, only for Kepa Arrizabalaga to swat the ball to safety.

Míchel sent on more attacking players and Girona pushed forward, but Madrid never had trouble defending its area and was eventually exposed in defense.

Joselu returned the assist for Bellingham in the 71st when the former Espanyol striker found Bellingham to score after a three-on-two counterattack.

Madrid lost defender Nacho Fernández in injury time when he saw a direct red for a studs-first tackle on Girona’s Cristian "Portu" Portugués. Portu had to be carried off on a stretcher. The foul led to a brief confrontation between players.

Ancelotti apologized to Girona for the foul that he called "senseless." Míchel said that Portu will undergo tests to determine the extent of his injury.

Madrid visits Napoli on Tuesday in the Champions League.

Basque derby

Real Sociedad rolled to a 3-0 win over Athletic Bilbao in the Basque Country’s biggest derby.

Robin Le Normand, Takefusa Kubo and Mikel Oyarzabal scored for the hosts, which moved ahead of Bilbao and into fourth place.

Falcao penalty

Radamel Falcao scored from a retaken stoppage-time penalty to snatch a 2-2 draw for Rayo Vallecano with Mallorca.

Predrag Rajkovic saved the initial spot kick taken by Falcao, but the referee ruled that Mallorca’s goalkeeper had left his line too early. Falcao didn't squander his second chance.

Ten-man Villarreal salvaged a 0-0 draw at Getafe after midfielder Álex Baena was sent off with a direct red card in the 24th for elbowing an opponent. Baena scored in his debut for Spain earlier in September.

Filip Jörgensen made several saves to preserve the point for Villarreal.

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IOC Boss Coventry Hails Milano Cortina Games a Success

20 February 2026, Italy, Milan: President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Kirsty Coventry holds a press conference. (dpa)
20 February 2026, Italy, Milan: President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Kirsty Coventry holds a press conference. (dpa)
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IOC Boss Coventry Hails Milano Cortina Games a Success

20 February 2026, Italy, Milan: President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Kirsty Coventry holds a press conference. (dpa)
20 February 2026, Italy, Milan: President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Kirsty Coventry holds a press conference. (dpa)

The Milano Cortina Olympics exceeded expectations despite a shaky build-up, IOC President Kirsty Coventry said on Friday, hailing the first spread-out Winter Games a success.

"These Games are truly ... successful in a new way of doing things, in a sustainable way of doing things, in a way that I think many people thought maybe we couldn't do, or couldn't be done well, and it's been done extremely well, and it's surpassed everyone's expectations," Coventry told a press conference.

It was the International Olympic Committee chief's clearest endorsement yet of a format that split events across several Alpine clusters rather than concentrating them in one host city.

Her assessment came after two weeks in which organizers sought to prove that a geographically dispersed Games could still deliver a consistent athlete experience.

The smooth delivery ‌comes after years ‌of logistical and political challenges, including construction delays at Milan’s Santagiulia Arena ‌and ⁠controversy over building ⁠a new sliding center in Cortina against IOC advice.

Organizers have also faced isolated disruptions during the Games, such as suspected sabotage on rail lines and protests in Milan over housing and environmental issues.

Transport concerns across the dispersed venues have been mitigated by limited cross-regional travel among spectators, though some competitors had to walk to the Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium in heavy snowfall that stopped traffic.

Central to the success of the Games, Coventry argued, was the effort to standardize conditions across multiple athlete villages despite the distances separating venues from Cortina d’Ampezzo to ⁠Livigno and Bormio.

Italian athletes’ performances also helped ticket sales, which amounted to ‌about 1.4 million.

"And the athletes are extremely happy. And they're happy ‌because the experiences that the MiCo (Milano Cortina) team and my team delivered to them have been the same," she ‌said.

Mixed relay silver medalist Tommaso Giacomel did, however, lament the fact there was no Olympic village near ‌the Antholz-Anterselva Biathlon Arena and that competitors were dotted around different hotels near the venue instead of in one place.

TWO OPENING CEREMONIES

Two opening ceremonies were held - the main one at Milan’s San Siro stadium and a more low-key parade on Cortina d’Ampezzo's Corso Italia, where athletes and spectators were within touching distance.

Feedback from competitors suggested the more intimate ‌settings had in some cases enhanced the Olympic atmosphere, Coventry said, taking the Cortina opening ceremony as an example.

The Zimbabwean, presiding over her first Games ⁠as IOC chief after elections in ⁠2025, framed Milano Cortina as proof of concept for future hosts grappling with rising costs and climate constraints, while acknowledging adjustments would follow.

"It allows us to really look at ourselves and look at the things that we have in place and how we're then going to make certain adjustments for the future," she said.

Beyond logistics, Coventry pointed to the broader impact of the Games, highlighting gender balance - with women making up 47% of competitors - and global engagement as marks of progress.

"But it's been an incredible experience and we're all very proud to have gender equity playing a big role in the delivery of the Games," she said, describing a "tremendous Games" in which athletes have "come together and shared in their passion".

With the closing ceremony in Verona approaching, Coventry said the focus would soon shift to a formal evaluation process, but insisted the headline conclusion was already clear.

"So we look forward to doing that and to learning from all the incredible experiences that I think all of the stakeholders have had across these Games, across these past two weeks," she said.

Sports

‘A Huge Mistake.’ Kompany Hits Out at Mourinho for Vinícius Júnior Comments

14 February 2026, Bremen: Bayern Munich coach Vincent Kompany gestures during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Werder Bremen and Bayern Munich at Weserstation. (dpa)
14 February 2026, Bremen: Bayern Munich coach Vincent Kompany gestures during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Werder Bremen and Bayern Munich at Weserstation. (dpa)
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‘A Huge Mistake.’ Kompany Hits Out at Mourinho for Vinícius Júnior Comments

14 February 2026, Bremen: Bayern Munich coach Vincent Kompany gestures during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Werder Bremen and Bayern Munich at Weserstation. (dpa)
14 February 2026, Bremen: Bayern Munich coach Vincent Kompany gestures during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Werder Bremen and Bayern Munich at Weserstation. (dpa)

Bayern Munich coach Vincent Kompany has criticized José Mourinho for attacking the character of Vinícius Júnior after the Real Madrid star accused an opponent of racially insulting him during a Champions League match.

Benfica coach Mourinho suggested that Brazil forward Vinícius had incited Benfica's players with his celebrations after scoring the only goal in Tuesday's playoff match.

Vinícius accused Benfica's Gianluca Prestianni of calling him "monkey" during a confrontation after his goal.

Mourinho also questioned why Vinícius, who is Black and has been subjected to repeated racist insults in Spain, was so frequently targeted.

"There is something wrong because it happens in every stadium," Mourinho said. "The stadium where Vinícius played something happened. Always."

Speaking on Friday, Kompany condemned Mourinho's comments.

"So after the game you have the leader of an organization, José Mourinho, who attacks the character of Vinícius Júnior by bringing in the type of celebration to discredit what Vinícius is doing in this moment," Kompany said. "And for me in terms of leadership, it’s a huge mistake and it’s something that we should not accept."

Mourinho’s celebrations

UEFA appointed a special investigator on Wednesday to gather evidence about what happened in Lisbon in Madrid’s 1-0 win in the first leg of the Champions League playoffs. Madrid said it had sent "all available evidence" of the alleged incident to European soccer's governing body.

Referring to Vinícius' celebrations after curling a shot into the top corner, Mourinho said he should "celebrate in a respectful way."

Kompany pointed out Mourinho's own history of exuberant celebrations — such as when he ran down the sideline to cheer when his Porto team beat Manchester United in the Champions League.

Kompany said Mourinho's former players "love him" and added "I know he’s a good person."

"I don’t need to judge him as a person, but I know what I’ve heard. I understand maybe what he’s done, but he’s made a mistake and it’s something that hopefully in the future won’t happen like this again," he said.

Prestianni denied racially insulting Vinícius. Benfica said the Argentine player was the victim of a "defamation campaign."

‘Right thing to do’

Kompany said Vinícius' reaction "cannot be faked."

"You can see it — his reaction is an emotional reaction. I don’t see any benefit for him to go to the referee and put all this misery on his shoulders," he said. "There is absolutely no reason for Vini Junior to go and do this.

"I think in his mind he’s doing it more because it’s the right thing to do in that moment."

Kompany added: "You have a player who’s complaining. You have a player who says he didn’t do it. And I think unless the player himself comes forward, it’s difficult. It’s a difficult case."

Sports

FIFA to Lead $75m Palestinian Soccer Rebuilding Fund

President of FIFA Gianni Infantino attended the inaugural meeting of US President Donald Trump's 'Board of Peace'. CHIP SOMODEVILLA / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP
President of FIFA Gianni Infantino attended the inaugural meeting of US President Donald Trump's 'Board of Peace'. CHIP SOMODEVILLA / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP
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FIFA to Lead $75m Palestinian Soccer Rebuilding Fund

President of FIFA Gianni Infantino attended the inaugural meeting of US President Donald Trump's 'Board of Peace'. CHIP SOMODEVILLA / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP
President of FIFA Gianni Infantino attended the inaugural meeting of US President Donald Trump's 'Board of Peace'. CHIP SOMODEVILLA / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP

FIFA will spearhead a $75 million fund to rebuild soccer facilities in Gaza that were destroyed by the war between Israel and Hamas, President Donald Trump and the sport's governing body said Thursday.

Trump made the announcement in Washington at the first meeting of his "Board of Peace," an amorphous institution that features two dozen of the US president's close allies and is initially focused on rebuilding the Gaza strip, said AFP.

"I'm also pleased to announce that FIFA will be helping to raise a total of $75 million for projects in Gaza," said Trump.

"And I think they're soccer related, where you're doing fields and you're getting the greatest stars in the world to go there -- people that are bigger stars than you and I, Gianni," he added, referring to FIFA president Gianni Infantino, who was present at the event.

"So it's really something. We'll soon be detailing the announcement, and if I can do I'll get over there with you," Trump said.

Later Thursday, FIFA issued a statement providing more details, including plans to construct a football academy, a new 20,000-seat national stadium and dozens of pitches.

The FIFA communique did not mention Trump's $75 million figure, and said funds would be raised "from international leaders and institutions."

Infantino has fostered close ties with Trump, awarding him an inaugural FIFA "Peace Prize" at the World Cup draw in December.

At Thursday's meeting, the FIFA president donned a red baseball cap emblazoned with "USA" and "45-47," the latter a reference to Trump's two terms in the White House.

In FIFA's statement, Infantino hailed "a landmark partnership agreement that will foster investment into football for the purpose of helping the recovery process in post conflict areas."

The "Board of Peace" came together after the Trump administration, teaming up with Qatar and Egypt, negotiated a ceasefire in October to halt two years of devastating war in Gaza.

The United States says it is now focused on disarming Hamas -- the Palestinian group whose unprecedented October 7, 2023, attack on Israel triggered the massive offensive.