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Madrid Gets 3 Favorable VAR Decisions to Beat Last-Place Almeria

Real Madrid's defender Dani Carvajal (R) celebrates with his teammate Dani Ceballos (L) after scoring the 3-2 goal during the Spanish LaLiga soccer match between Real Madrid and UD Almeria, in Madrid, 21 January 2024. (EPA)
Real Madrid's defender Dani Carvajal (R) celebrates with his teammate Dani Ceballos (L) after scoring the 3-2 goal during the Spanish LaLiga soccer match between Real Madrid and UD Almeria, in Madrid, 21 January 2024. (EPA)
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Madrid Gets 3 Favorable VAR Decisions to Beat Last-Place Almeria

Real Madrid's defender Dani Carvajal (R) celebrates with his teammate Dani Ceballos (L) after scoring the 3-2 goal during the Spanish LaLiga soccer match between Real Madrid and UD Almeria, in Madrid, 21 January 2024. (EPA)
Real Madrid's defender Dani Carvajal (R) celebrates with his teammate Dani Ceballos (L) after scoring the 3-2 goal during the Spanish LaLiga soccer match between Real Madrid and UD Almeria, in Madrid, 21 January 2024. (EPA)

Real Madrid needed help from VAR — a lot of help — to avoid an embarrassing setback at home against last-place Almeria in the Spanish league on Sunday.

Madrid got three favorable video reviews in the second half, then scored a winner nine minutes into stoppage time to rally to a 3-2 win over the only team yet to win in the league this season.

The dramatic late victory kept Madrid one point behind Girona, which continued its surprising run for the title by routing relegation-threatened Sevilla 5-1 with a hat trick by Artem Dovbyk.

Madrid has a game in hand compared to Girona.

Barcelona moved back into third place with a 4-2 win over Real Betis, with substitute João Félix breaking the deadlock in the 90th minute and Ferran Torres completing his hat trick in stoppage time. The Catalan club remains seven points behind Madrid and eight behind Girona.

Dani Carvajal scored Madrid's winner from close range after a cross into the area, delighting the crowd at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium and sending the Almeria players into despair.

The goal came after three separate VAR decisions allowed Madrid to stay in the game after trailing 2-0 in the first half. Madrid was awarded a penalty kick that made it 2-1, saw an Almería goal disallowed that would have made it 3-1, and got the 2-2 equalizer after the goal had been initially disallowed by the referee.

“We played a good match, but someone decided that we couldn't win here,” Almeria defender Marc Pubill claimed.

Almeria coach Gaizka Garitano was sent off in the final minutes for complaining, and said it wasn't the first time this had happened to him at the Bernabeu.

“What can I say... I don't have words to summarize what has happened here,” he said.

Even Barcelona coach Xavi Hernández weighed in on the controversial VAR decisions at the Bernabeu.

“I had already said it, it’s going to be very difficult to win this league. There are things that are not making sense to me,” Xavi said. “We’ll see how it goes, but some things we can’t control. Everybody saw what happened today.”

Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti saw it differently.

“I understand why Almeria is upset with the VAR decisions, but I think they were all correct,” Ancelotti said.

Madrid was coming off a loss to Atletico Madrid in extra time in the round of 16 of the Copa del Rey on Thursday.

It was the fifth straight game in which Madrid conceded at least a goal. Opponents scored 10 times against Madrid in the team's last four matches in all competitions.

“We played very poorly in the first half and I'm mad at myself because I didn't evaluate the last practice session properly. The team was tired,” Ancelotti said.

Almeria took a surprising two-goal lead into halftime after Largie Ramazani scored from inside the area in the first minute and Edgar González found the top corner with a long-range strike in the 43rd. Both goals came after mistakes by Madrid defender Nacho Fernández.

Jude Bellingham moved Madrid closer by converting a penalty kick in the 57th after VAR and the referee determined there was a handball by an Almeria defender.

Almeria thought it had regained a two-goal lead when Sergio Arribas scored in a 61st-minute breakaway, but a video review said there was a foul by Almeria midfielder Dion Lopy on Bellingham in the buildup.

In the 67th, Vinícius Júnior had a goal disallowed by the referee because of a handball, but VAR notified the referee again, and he said the Brazil forward used his shoulder to score.

Almeria also complained after the referee gave 11 minutes of stoppage time. The game eventually ended with 13 minutes of added time.

TORRES' HAT TRICK

Barcelona kept pace with Madrid despite squandering a two-goal lead after Torres' pair of first-half goals.

Isco scored both goals for Betis, which dropped to ninth place. Manuel Pellegrini's team has only one win in its last eight matches in all competitions.

GIRONA CRUISES

Dovbyk scored his hat trick for Girona by the 19th minute, with Viktor Tsygankov and Cristhian Stuani adding second-half goals for the hosts.

It was the fourth league loss in a row for Sevilla, and its sixth in seven matches. It sits in 17th place, one point above the relegation zone.

Earlier Sunday, Osasuna squandered a two-goal first-half lead but earned a 3-2 victory over Getafe with a winner by Jesús Areso in the 80th.

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Neymar Says He May Retire by End of 2026

Santos' forward Neymar #10 looks on during the Campeonato Paulista football match between Santos and Botafogo de Ribeirao Preto at the Urbano Caldeira Stadium in Santos, Sao Paulo state, Brazil on February 5, 2025. (AFP)
Santos' forward Neymar #10 looks on during the Campeonato Paulista football match between Santos and Botafogo de Ribeirao Preto at the Urbano Caldeira Stadium in Santos, Sao Paulo state, Brazil on February 5, 2025. (AFP)
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Neymar Says He May Retire by End of 2026

Santos' forward Neymar #10 looks on during the Campeonato Paulista football match between Santos and Botafogo de Ribeirao Preto at the Urbano Caldeira Stadium in Santos, Sao Paulo state, Brazil on February 5, 2025. (AFP)
Santos' forward Neymar #10 looks on during the Campeonato Paulista football match between Santos and Botafogo de Ribeirao Preto at the Urbano Caldeira Stadium in Santos, Sao Paulo state, Brazil on February 5, 2025. (AFP)

Brazil striker Neymar, ‌who extended his contract with his childhood club Santos last month, said that he may retire by the end of the year.

The 34-year-old forward returned to his boyhood club Santos in January 2025 and played a key role in their survival in the Brazilian top flight, scoring five times in their last ‌five matches.

But Neymar, ‌who has struggled with ‌injuries ⁠in recent seasons, ⁠remains doubtful for participation at the World Cup this year.

"I don't know what will happen from now on, I don't know about next year," he told Brazilian online channel Caze on Friday.

"It ⁠may be that when December comes, ‌I'll want to ‌retire. I'm living year to year now."

"This ‌year is a very important year, not ‌only for Santos, but also for the Brazilian national team, as it's a World Cup year, and for me too," Neymar said.

Neymar, ‌who recently underwent successful knee surgery, has scored 79 goals ⁠for ⁠Brazil, the highest by any player, but he has not featured for the national side since October 2023.

Brazil manager Carlo Ancelotti has made it clear over the past year that he will only include players who are fully fit for the World Cup, scheduled to take place from June 11 to July 19 in Canada, Mexico, and the United States.

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Arteta Dismisses ‘Bottlers’ Talk Amid Title Wobble

Arsenal's Spanish manager Mikel Arteta applauds the fans following the English Premier League football match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Arsenal at the Molineux stadium in Wolverhampton, central England on February 18, 2026. (AFP)
Arsenal's Spanish manager Mikel Arteta applauds the fans following the English Premier League football match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Arsenal at the Molineux stadium in Wolverhampton, central England on February 18, 2026. (AFP)
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Arteta Dismisses ‘Bottlers’ Talk Amid Title Wobble

Arsenal's Spanish manager Mikel Arteta applauds the fans following the English Premier League football match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Arsenal at the Molineux stadium in Wolverhampton, central England on February 18, 2026. (AFP)
Arsenal's Spanish manager Mikel Arteta applauds the fans following the English Premier League football match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Arsenal at the Molineux stadium in Wolverhampton, central England on February 18, 2026. (AFP)

Arsenal manager Mikel ‌Arteta rejected the term 'bottlers' ahead of Sunday's Premier League visit to Tottenham Hotspur, as the title race heats up after their lead was cut short by successive Premier League draws at Brentford and Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Arsenal have won just two of their last seven league games, with second-placed Manchester City now five points behind with a game in hand.

Under ‌Arteta, the ‌North London club has finished as ‌the ⁠runners-up in their ⁠last three campaigns.

"It’s not part of my vocabulary and I don’t see it like this because I don’t think anybody wants to do that as an intention," Arteta told reporters on Friday, when asked about ⁠the term being used regarding their ‌latest wobble in ‌the title race.

"That’s individual opinion, perspective. You have to ‌respect that. That’s what I said after ‌in the press conference. You lose two points against Wolves in the manner that the game played out, you have to take it on ‌the chin. It's part of our role."

"What I’m very interested in ⁠is ⁠the next one, what we are made of, what we love about this and how we write our own destiny from here."

Arsenal have also reached the League Cup final and the round of 16 in the Champions League and the FA Cup.

Meanwhile, Tottenham, who are 16th in the Premier League, will enter into Sunday's game under newly appointed manager Igor Tudor, who replaced Thomas Frank last week.

Sports

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.