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Barcelona Loses at Home for 1st Time This Season, Falling 2-1 to Las Palmas

epa11749529 UD Las Palmas Fabio Silva celebrates after scoring the 1-2 lead during the LaLiga EA Sports match FC Barcelona against UD Las Palmas at the olympic stadium Lluis Companys in Barcelona, north-eastern Spain, 30 November 2024. (EPA)
epa11749529 UD Las Palmas Fabio Silva celebrates after scoring the 1-2 lead during the LaLiga EA Sports match FC Barcelona against UD Las Palmas at the olympic stadium Lluis Companys in Barcelona, north-eastern Spain, 30 November 2024. (EPA)
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Barcelona Loses at Home for 1st Time This Season, Falling 2-1 to Las Palmas

epa11749529 UD Las Palmas Fabio Silva celebrates after scoring the 1-2 lead during the LaLiga EA Sports match FC Barcelona against UD Las Palmas at the olympic stadium Lluis Companys in Barcelona, north-eastern Spain, 30 November 2024. (EPA)
epa11749529 UD Las Palmas Fabio Silva celebrates after scoring the 1-2 lead during the LaLiga EA Sports match FC Barcelona against UD Las Palmas at the olympic stadium Lluis Companys in Barcelona, north-eastern Spain, 30 November 2024. (EPA)

Barcelona lost at home for the first time this season when the Spanish league leader was stunned 2-1 by Las Palmas on Saturday.

Barcelona had played superbly in the first three months under new coach Hansi Flick and was flying high after convincing victories over Real Madrid in the domestic competition and Bayern Munich in the Champions League. It had won all eight home games overall.

But it has now gone three rounds of La Liga without a win. Prior to the loss to Las Palmas, it fell 1-0 at Real Sociedad and drew 2-2 at Celta Vigo.

Madrid, despite its own troubles especially in the Champions League, can now move ahead of Barcelona in the Spanish league. It trails Barcelona by four points with two games more to play.

Sandro Ramirez and Fábio Silva scored for the Canary Islands club on either side of Raphinha’s equalizer.

It was the first time the modest club that wears all yellow uniforms won at Barcelona since the 1971-72 season and just its third victory at the Catalan club overall. Las Palmas' other visits to Barcelona have ended in defeat 34 times, with three draws.

“We are thrilled because we have made history,” Sandro said. “When you start the season you think that these games are usually going to end in wins for the bigger side, but if there is one thing we believe in is our capacity to work hard all week to get results like this.”

Barcelona's Lamine Yamal returned from a right ankle injury that had sidelined with for three weeks as a halftime substitute, but Jasper Cillessen saved his best shot. The Las Palmas goalkeeper also did well to palm a Raphinha free kick over his bar in the final minutes.

Sandro, a former Barcelona youth player, capped a fine five-pass buildup by Las Palmas starting from its own box as it masterfully undid Barcelona’s high pressure in the 49th minute.

Raphinha had already hit the crossbar in the first half before he equalized in the 61st. The Brazil forward took a short pass from Pedri just outside the area, skirted across the edge and drilled a shot between two defenders.

It was Raphinha’s ninth league goal of the campaign. Only teammate Robert Lewandowski, with 15, has scored more in the league.

But Barcelona was caught pushing forward for a second goal when Silva controlled a ball from Javi Muñoz and sent a shot bouncing past Iñaki Peña and into the corner of the net in the 67th.

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Sports

Newcastle Must Grow Under Camp Nou Pressure, Urges Howe

Newcastle's head coach Eddie Howe attends a press conference in Barcelona, Spain, 17 March 2026. (EPA)
Newcastle's head coach Eddie Howe attends a press conference in Barcelona, Spain, 17 March 2026. (EPA)
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Newcastle Must Grow Under Camp Nou Pressure, Urges Howe

Newcastle's head coach Eddie Howe attends a press conference in Barcelona, Spain, 17 March 2026. (EPA)
Newcastle's head coach Eddie Howe attends a press conference in Barcelona, Spain, 17 March 2026. (EPA)

Newcastle coach Eddie Howe on Tuesday called on his players to grow rather than shrink under the lights at Camp Nou when they face Barcelona in the Champions League last 16.

The Premier League club outplayed the Spanish champions in the last 16 first leg, but a late Lamine Yamal penalty to snatch a 1-1 draw last week on Tyneside.

Newcastle, aiming to reach the Champions League quarter-finals for the first time in the club's history, know the challenge will be different on Wednesday at the home of the five-time winners.

"I don't think they will (be overawed), we've got an experienced group, we've got many players who have played in so many big games now we've become accustomed to it," Howe said.

"You almost want that size of the game to lift the players and to make us grow -- certainly we can't shrink -- but with many, many internationals within the squad I don't see that as an issue.

"It's just making sure from my side that we get the plan right, they've got a lot of dangerous players that we need to deal with."

Newcastle are ninth in the Premier League in a frustrating campaign, but Howe said the club are in their best moment of the season.

"(The players) are the happiest they have been throughout the season, it's been one of a lot of change... early season we struggled to find our rhythm, our relationships in the team were new," continued Howe.

"Their confidence was affected slightly. We worked really hard to try and bring some stability to the team."

"In the last few weeks we've returned to a really good flow. It's been a much better feel, better individual performances in return, better collective performances."

Newcastle beat Chelsea 1-0 on Saturday with a strong defensive display, which Howe said the team would have to draw from against the likes of Raphinha and teenage star Yamal.

"You have to be optimistic and you have to be positive, and that's why the Chelsea result and performance was so important," explained Howe.

"We proved to ourselves that we can defend our goal really well... I think we're as good a place as we've been at any stage this season, both on and off the pitch.

"We had to be in this position to give ourselves the best chance, and now we're just putting it over the line."

Barcelona beat Newcastle 2-1 in the league phase at St James' Park before last week's draw, but Newcastle defender Kieran Trippier said his team were on a high heading into the clash against the La Liga leaders.

"Yeah, we feel really confident, (although) I think we've had a mixed season," Trippier told reporters.

"There's a really good feeling around the place, so we come here calm and relaxed, looking forward to the game tomorrow, it's a big opportunity, and we know the rewards are going to be there if we put in a good performance."

Howe said the game at Camp Nou was "probably" the biggest of his career and Trippier defended his coach against some criticism he has received this term.

"I have great respect for what he's done for this football club, he's remarkable," added the defender.

Sports

Hansi Flick Says Barcelona Will Be His Last Coaching Job

FC Barcelona's head coach Hansi Flick attends a press conference following the training of the team held at Joan Gamper Sports Complex in Barcelona, Spain, 17 March 2026. (EPA)
FC Barcelona's head coach Hansi Flick attends a press conference following the training of the team held at Joan Gamper Sports Complex in Barcelona, Spain, 17 March 2026. (EPA)
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Hansi Flick Says Barcelona Will Be His Last Coaching Job

FC Barcelona's head coach Hansi Flick attends a press conference following the training of the team held at Joan Gamper Sports Complex in Barcelona, Spain, 17 March 2026. (EPA)
FC Barcelona's head coach Hansi Flick attends a press conference following the training of the team held at Joan Gamper Sports Complex in Barcelona, Spain, 17 March 2026. (EPA)

Barcelona may be the last team Hansi Flick coaches.

Flick said on Tuesday he doesn't plan on coaching anymore when his stint with Barcelona is over. He spoke ahead of the match against Newcastle in the Champions League round of 16 on Wednesday. The teams drew 1-1 in England last week.

Newly re-elected club president Joan Laporta said he plans to extend the German coach’s contract until 2028. Flick said it's not the time to talk about renewing a contract which ends in 2027, but hinted he was keen to end his career at Barcelona.

“Everyone knows I’m happy here, but I also need to talk with my family,” the 61-year-old Flick said. “There will be time for that. I love working here. I’ve got a fantastic family and great support in Barcelona. In football, I always aim for the highest level. I’m not thinking about leaving. Barça will be my last club.”

He did not elaborate on a possible plan in place for his retirement.

Laporta was re-elected on Sunday for another five years after winning a leadership vote among members.

Flick, a former Bayern Munich and Germany coach, came to Barcelona in 2024.

Sports

Van de Ven Insists It’s ‘Nonsense’ to Say Players Don’t Care About Spurs’ Plight

Tottenham Hotspur defender Micky van de Ven attends a press conference in London, Great Britain, 17 March 2026. Tottenham Hotspur will face Atletico Madrid on 18 March 2026 in the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 2nd leg match in London. (EPA)
Tottenham Hotspur defender Micky van de Ven attends a press conference in London, Great Britain, 17 March 2026. Tottenham Hotspur will face Atletico Madrid on 18 March 2026 in the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 2nd leg match in London. (EPA)
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Van de Ven Insists It’s ‘Nonsense’ to Say Players Don’t Care About Spurs’ Plight

Tottenham Hotspur defender Micky van de Ven attends a press conference in London, Great Britain, 17 March 2026. Tottenham Hotspur will face Atletico Madrid on 18 March 2026 in the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 2nd leg match in London. (EPA)
Tottenham Hotspur defender Micky van de Ven attends a press conference in London, Great Britain, 17 March 2026. Tottenham Hotspur will face Atletico Madrid on 18 March 2026 in the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 2nd leg match in London. (EPA)

Micky van de Ven is adamant that it is "nonsense" to suggest that Tottenham Hotspur players are indifferent about the threat of relegation from the Premier League.

Spurs are just a point above the bottom three and their season went from bad to worse with a club-record sixth consecutive defeat in a 5-2 loss away to Atletico Madrid last week in the first leg of a last-16 tie in the Champions League.

Spurs did rally with a 1-1 draw at Liverpool on Sunday to provide fresh belief and Van de Ven, criticized for a red card against Crystal Palace earlier this month, has dismissed accusations that some players have "checked out" in the battle to beat the drop.

"The only thing I can say is it's not true," he told reporters on Tuesday on the eve of the second-leg tie with Atletico.

"It would be strange if a player was in the dressing room now and saying, 'I'm going to leave either way, or... it doesn't affect me'. So, I think it's just nonsense."

The 24-year-old added: "The other day when we read something about one guy that said to everyone that he's probably going to leave and doesn't care about the situation they're in... People are just making things up.

"It's just frustrating for us because it brings so much more trouble, because the fans are starting to believe this.

"Trust me, all the people involved on the pitch, the staff, the players, everyone, they care so much about the situation we're in right now.

"We just want to turn things around and that's the most important, that's the main focus for everyone."

Van de Ven could only watch on television, following his red card against Palace, as Spurs battled hard for a point at Anfield and the Dutch defender is eager to play his part against Atletico, and in Sunday's relegation 'six-pointer' with Nottingham Forest.

"What they showed, the character they showed in the game was unbelievable, and when Richy (Richarlison) scores and it's 1-1, it's just happiness at home, screaming towards the TV," he said.

"Tomorrow it's just a beautiful game. We have nothing to lose. We want to do something special.

"We're going to do everything to change things around, tomorrow first, and then afterwards in the Premier League games coming up."