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Madrid Draws with Betis with Likely Starters for Champions League Final and Kroos Says Farewell

Real Madrid's German midfielder #08 Toni Kroos is thrown in the air by teammates during the Spanish league football match between Real Madrid CF and Real Betis at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid on May 25, 2024. (AFP)
Real Madrid's German midfielder #08 Toni Kroos is thrown in the air by teammates during the Spanish league football match between Real Madrid CF and Real Betis at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid on May 25, 2024. (AFP)
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Madrid Draws with Betis with Likely Starters for Champions League Final and Kroos Says Farewell

Real Madrid's German midfielder #08 Toni Kroos is thrown in the air by teammates during the Spanish league football match between Real Madrid CF and Real Betis at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid on May 25, 2024. (AFP)
Real Madrid's German midfielder #08 Toni Kroos is thrown in the air by teammates during the Spanish league football match between Real Madrid CF and Real Betis at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid on May 25, 2024. (AFP)

Real Madrid drew with Real Betis 0-0 on Saturday in its last warmup game before facing Borussia Dortmund in the Champions league final.

Madrid wrapped up the Spanish league title three weeks ago, and since then coach Carlo Ancelotti has rotated his lineups to rest his starters. But the Italian likely had his top-choice players back in his starting 11 against Betis at the Santiago Bernabeu.

There were only two changes from the Champions League semifinals victory over Bayern Munich.

The versatile Eduardo Camavinga was in the spot of injured holding midfielder Aurélien Tchouaméni, who will miss the final due to a foot injury.

The other tweak was goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois starting over Andriy Lunin, the backup who played most of the season before the Belgian recovered recently from an ACL injury.

Ancelotti, however, would not confirm that this will be his starting team for the final in London on June 1.

“I have a week to think about it, we may still have some doubts,” Ancelotti said. “We will enjoy preparing for the final and arrive at our best form on Saturday and try to win it.”

KROOS HONORED

Toni Kroos played his last home game for Madrid. The 34-year-old midfielder announced this week he will retire after playing for Germany at this summer’s European Championship.

Kroos' teammates donned his No. 8 shirt to hold an honor guard for him before kickoff. When he was substituted late, his teammates and coach took turns hugging him. Kroos then embraced his three young children.

He can add to his 22 titles, including four Champions League crowns, with Madrid next weekend.

“I couldn’t have asked for more,” Kroos said. “These have been 10 unforgettable years. Now the best way for me to finish would be winning another title.”

DOVBYK EYES TOP SCORER

Ukraine striker Artem Dovbyk is set to finish the Spanish league as its top scorer after his main challenger fell one goal short of his mark.

Dovbyk, who is expected to play in Euro 2024, leads the league in the final round with 24 goals.

Villarreal striker Alexander Sorloth has 23 and had a chance to equal Dovbyk when it visited Osasuna. But the Norway striker appeared to suffer a leg injury early and had to be substituted without scoring.

Dovbyk was two goals behind Sorloth in the goals race until he bagged a hat trick to fuel a 7-0 rout of Granada on Friday.

Dovbyk's last outside threat is Robert Lewandowski, who has 18 before Barcelona visits Sevilla on Sunday in Xavi Hernández's last game in charge.

Dovbyk joined Girona last summer from Ukrainian club SC Dnipro-1 and helped transform the small club into a European sensation. The Catalan club partly owned by Manchester City's Adu Dhabi ownership qualified for the Champions League for the first time with a third-place finish.

Villarreal drew at Osasuna 1-1 after Sorloth's replacement, José Luis Morales, scored a second-half equalizer.

Osasuna striker Ante Budimir, who is on Croatia's Euro 2024 squad, netted his first goal since recovering from fractured ribs to give the hosts a first-half lead. He finished the league with 17 goals.

Villarreal will likely conclude the campaign with the league’s top assist-maker. Midfielder Álex Baena, who could be on Spain’s Euros 2024 squad, made it 14 assists by setting up Morales. Villarreal said that tied a club record set by Juan Riquelme.

The game also featured the farewell of coach Jagoba Arrasate after his six years at Osasuna. Arrasate announced in March that he turned down the offer of a contract extension, saying he needed a fresh start.

NICO SHINES

Nico Williams capped his superb season by scoring to give fifth-placed Athletic Bilbao a 1-0 win at Rayo Vallecano. Williams helped Athletic win the Copa del Rey and is a sure bet to play for Spain at Euro 2024.

Fourth-placed Atletico Madrid got goals from Samuel Lino and Reinildo Mandava to defeat sixth-placed Real Sociedad 2-0.

The final round had no drama with the title, European berths and relegation spots all decided beforehand.

Madrid, Barcelona, Girona and Atletico will play in the Champions League next season, while Athletic and Sociedad are Europa League bound. Betis will play the Conference League.

FINALLY A REASON TO CHEER

Almeria, which was relegated a month before the season ended, was at least able to escape last place and give its fans something to cheer about after crushing Cadiz 6-1. Luis Suárez and Sergio Arribas both notched braces in the rout.

Almeria pushed Granada to the bottom. Cadiz will join them in the second division next season.

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Isak and Gakpo Injured on Int’l Duty in Blow to Liverpool

Cody Gakpo of the Netherlands during the UEFA Nations League match between the Netherlands and Germany at the Johan Cruijff ArenA, in Amsterdam, Netherlands, 24 September 2026. EPA/OLAF KRAAK
Cody Gakpo of the Netherlands during the UEFA Nations League match between the Netherlands and Germany at the Johan Cruijff ArenA, in Amsterdam, Netherlands, 24 September 2026. EPA/OLAF KRAAK
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Isak and Gakpo Injured on Int’l Duty in Blow to Liverpool

Cody Gakpo of the Netherlands during the UEFA Nations League match between the Netherlands and Germany at the Johan Cruijff ArenA, in Amsterdam, Netherlands, 24 September 2026. EPA/OLAF KRAAK
Cody Gakpo of the Netherlands during the UEFA Nations League match between the Netherlands and Germany at the Johan Cruijff ArenA, in Amsterdam, Netherlands, 24 September 2026. EPA/OLAF KRAAK

The international break is not being kind to Liverpool, with key attackers Alexander Isak and Cody Gakpo both sustaining injuries while on duty with their countries.

Isak has left the Sweden squad and returned to Liverpool because of what the club has described as a “minor injury.” The striker played the full match as Sweden beat Romania 2-1 on Friday but will not be involved in the country's next three Nations League matches.

Gakpo came off in the 17th minute of the Netherlands' 2-1 win over Serbia on Sunday with an apparent ankle injury suffered a few minutes earlier. The forward tried to continue playing before leaving.

Liverpool's first game back after the international break is against Manchester City at Anfield on Oct. 11.

Sports

Messi and Alcaraz Love it, Now Padel Takes Step Closer to Olympics

Technical equipment is seen as Hong Kong's Mohammed Khan and Sean Lo Escoto (top) play against Kazakhstan's Zhakas Kozbak and Rodion Pak during the men's pairs padel first round match at the Nagoya City Highashi Sports Center in Nagoya on September 28, 2026. (Photo by DAVID GRAY / AFP)
Technical equipment is seen as Hong Kong's Mohammed Khan and Sean Lo Escoto (top) play against Kazakhstan's Zhakas Kozbak and Rodion Pak during the men's pairs padel first round match at the Nagoya City Highashi Sports Center in Nagoya on September 28, 2026. (Photo by DAVID GRAY / AFP)
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Messi and Alcaraz Love it, Now Padel Takes Step Closer to Olympics

Technical equipment is seen as Hong Kong's Mohammed Khan and Sean Lo Escoto (top) play against Kazakhstan's Zhakas Kozbak and Rodion Pak during the men's pairs padel first round match at the Nagoya City Highashi Sports Center in Nagoya on September 28, 2026. (Photo by DAVID GRAY / AFP)
Technical equipment is seen as Hong Kong's Mohammed Khan and Sean Lo Escoto (top) play against Kazakhstan's Zhakas Kozbak and Rodion Pak during the men's pairs padel first round match at the Nagoya City Highashi Sports Center in Nagoya on September 28, 2026. (Photo by DAVID GRAY / AFP)

Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Carlos Alcaraz are all obsessed with it, and on Monday the fast-growing racquet sport of padel made its Asian Games debut with officials hoping a place at the Olympics is getting closer.

Padel, a cross between tennis and squash on courts surrounded by glass walls, is played by an estimated 38 million people and has ambitions to become a major global sport.

It took another step towards that goal at the Asian Games in Nagoya after being added to the continent's biggest sporting spectacular as a medal event.

After winning her opening match with doubles partner Danna Abad, Philippines player Joshea Malazarte told AFP: "Padel in Europe is really big and it has just started here, so we're just glad that they added padel."

Padel originated in Latin America and has exploded in popularity in the last decade, notably in Europe.

Officials say the sport is played in 170 countries and territories, with 85,000 courts around the globe.

It is still relatively unknown in Games host Japan, and there was curiosity among some of the crowd at the modest Higashi Sports Center.

Tickets for the event were free, and one spectator told AFP that she and her friend had dropped in to take a look before heading off for lunch.

Another, 60-year-old Yuko Hiraiwa, said she enjoyed the action but thought the crowd was "a bit quiet".

"I play padel but this was the first time I've seen it live," she said.

"It was really dynamic and exciting."

The sedate atmosphere in Nagoya was a far cry from padel's popularity in other parts of the world.

The sport has a professional tour circuit and an event held at the Roland Garros tennis stadium in Paris this month attracted over 80,000 people.

A galaxy of padel-playing sports stars including football icons Ronaldo and Messi and Formula One driver Max Verstappen have also given it a boost.

Padel has already appeared at the European Games, and International Padel Federation (IPF) official Donatella Del Gaudio said the next goal is the Olympics.

"We are working hard to make it happen soon," she said.

"We just need to be patient, diligent and respect the Olympic timeline."

Padel is usually played as a doubles game and uses solid rather than stringed racquets.

The courts are much smaller than in tennis and enclosed by glass walls, which can be used to hit balls off similar to squash.

Philippines player Malazarte said padel was "more like a chess match" than tennis.

"You have to open up the angle in order to win, you don't rush the points," she said.

"Whereas in tennis if you have a really good forehand, really good backhand, you can win a point."

Padel officials say the sport is enjoyed by people of all ages, and that 50 percent of the worldwide playing population are women.

But not all sports that enjoy high playing numbers translate into successful spectator events.

Despite millions of players around the world squash failed with four bids to become an Olympic sport until it was finally added to the program for the 2028 Los Angeles Games.

So is padel as much fun to watch as it is to play?

"When I watch tournaments live, from the first rounds, every year is getting more and more full," said Kuwaiti player Mariam Al-Sarraj.

"Now it's almost fully booked, so I feel like people like to watch it."

The sport certainly won some new converts in Nagoya, with the crowd gasping in appreciation at some of the shots and rallies.

Interest was raised by the involvement of Japan's Teruaki Ando and Shinnosuke Nakamura, who won a tense thriller against a pair from Lebanon.

IPF official Del Gaudio said padel's Asian Games debut was "a source of pride" for everyone in the sport.

"It's confirmation of padel's growth worldwide," she said.

"It represents a closer step to the Olympics."

Sports

Xavi Pleased with 1st Week as Netherlands Coach, but Wants More

Netherlands head coach Xavi Hernandez gestures during the UEFA Nations League soccer match between Serbia and Netherlands in Belgrade, Serbia, 27 September 2026. EPA/ANDREJ CUKIC
Netherlands head coach Xavi Hernandez gestures during the UEFA Nations League soccer match between Serbia and Netherlands in Belgrade, Serbia, 27 September 2026. EPA/ANDREJ CUKIC
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Xavi Pleased with 1st Week as Netherlands Coach, but Wants More

Netherlands head coach Xavi Hernandez gestures during the UEFA Nations League soccer match between Serbia and Netherlands in Belgrade, Serbia, 27 September 2026. EPA/ANDREJ CUKIC
Netherlands head coach Xavi Hernandez gestures during the UEFA Nations League soccer match between Serbia and Netherlands in Belgrade, Serbia, 27 September 2026. EPA/ANDREJ CUKIC

Netherlands coach Xavi Hernández is pleased with his first week in charge but now wants his side to show an even more attacking game in their next two Nations League fixtures.

The Spanish World Cup winner wants the Dutch side playing with more of the attacking intensity that paid off last Thursday when their persistent forays forced a late equalizer against Germany in Amsterdam.

This was followed by their first victory under Xavi, a 2-1 defeat of Serbia on Sunday.

“It is always most important to get the three ⁠points, I’m happy ⁠that we managed to do that. But we do need to play better, because, especially in the first half, we did not press well," he said.

“Nevertheless, I'm very satisfied after a week of work.”

Xavi singled out AZ Alkmaar striker Mexx Meerdink, who made his a ⁠debut as a substitute against Germany and then marked his first start for the Dutch by scoring both goals against Serbia.

“Mexx is a very hard worker who understands how we want to play," Reuters quoted Xavi as saying.

“He helped the team with more than just his goals, although those certainly helped. The work he did for the team was fantastic.”

The Dutch side face Greece next, in Thessaloniki on Thursday, then entertain Serbia in Eindhoven on Sunday. Xavi ⁠was clear ⁠about where improvements on last week were needed.

“For example, there were many moments when we needed to attack the spaces, but we didn’t do it. That is something we need to improve. But also things such as making the pitch wider and moving the ball around more quickly," he said.

“But the most important thing is that we are creating a lot of chances. The players feel comfortable on the pitch with the structure we are playing in, so a lot of things are also going well."