Borussia Dortmund Edge Monterrey, Earn Matchup with Real Madrid

Soccer Football - FIFA Club World Cup - Round of 16 - Borussia Dortmund v CF Monterrey - Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia, US - July 1, 2025 Borussia Dortmund's Serhou Guirassy after the match IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters/Brett Davis
Soccer Football - FIFA Club World Cup - Round of 16 - Borussia Dortmund v CF Monterrey - Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia, US - July 1, 2025 Borussia Dortmund's Serhou Guirassy after the match IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters/Brett Davis
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Borussia Dortmund Edge Monterrey, Earn Matchup with Real Madrid

Soccer Football - FIFA Club World Cup - Round of 16 - Borussia Dortmund v CF Monterrey - Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia, US - July 1, 2025 Borussia Dortmund's Serhou Guirassy after the match IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters/Brett Davis
Soccer Football - FIFA Club World Cup - Round of 16 - Borussia Dortmund v CF Monterrey - Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia, US - July 1, 2025 Borussia Dortmund's Serhou Guirassy after the match IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters/Brett Davis

Serhou Guirassy scored two early goals and Borussia Dortmund held on to defeat CF Monterrey 2-1 on Tuesday night in Atlanta to reach the FIFA Club World Cup quarterfinals.

Karim Adeyemi assisted both goals to bring Guirassy's tournament total to three.

German Berterame scored his third of the competition early in a much-improved second half for Monterrey that gave their German opponents some nervy moments. That included Sergio Ramos' header early in second-half stoppage time that missed narrowly wide of the top left corner.

Dortmund prevailed to become the fifth and final European side to reach the last eight, and the second from Germany along with Bayern Munich. Borussia Dortmund will face Real Madrid on Saturday in East Rutherford, N.J.

Monterrey was the last of five CONCACAF entrants eliminated after Inter Miami's 4-0 loss to Paris Saint-Germain in another round-of-16 clash on Sunday.

Berterame cut Monterrey's deficit to 2-1 with a powerful downward header inside the right post after an initial cross from the left took a fortunate deflection off teammate Erick Aguirre, Reuters reported.

Eleven minutes later, Monterrey's Jesus Corona was played into a one-on-one by Sergio Canales' through ball, but he fired his potential game-tying effort straight at Dortmund goalkeeper Gregor Kobel with a defender closing.

Guirassy and Adeyemi combined twice in the opening 24 minutes.

In the 14th, Guirassy took a pass at the edge of the 18-yard box from Ramy Bensebaini with his back to goal and quickly slotted the ball to Adeyemi next to him.

Adeyemi's instant return pass played Guirassy into position for a low finish inside the left post and beyond the outstretched leg of charging goalkeeper Esteban Andrada.

Ten minutes later, Adeyemi chased a long ball down the right side, held up play and delivered a square pass into the run of Guirassy, who drove a 17-yard effort on the run that left Andrada little chance.

Guirassy could have had a hat trick before halftime. In the 31st minute, he fired narrowly wide of the right post after Jobe Bellingham's feed. In the 34th, Andrada's remarkable recovery and save denied him after a cross from Pascal Gross.



Guardiola Vows to Continue to Speak Up for Victims of Global Conflicts

 Football - Premier League - Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester City - Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London, Britain - February 1, 2026 Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola reacts. (Action Images via Reuters)
Football - Premier League - Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester City - Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London, Britain - February 1, 2026 Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola reacts. (Action Images via Reuters)
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Guardiola Vows to Continue to Speak Up for Victims of Global Conflicts

 Football - Premier League - Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester City - Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London, Britain - February 1, 2026 Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola reacts. (Action Images via Reuters)
Football - Premier League - Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester City - Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London, Britain - February 1, 2026 Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola reacts. (Action Images via Reuters)

Pep Guardiola said he will continue to use his platform as Manchester City manager to speak up for victims of global ​conflicts and violence.

Guardiola was speaking at a pre-match press conference ahead of City's League Cup semifinal second leg against Newcastle United, five days after he voiced support for children in the occupied Palestinian territories at a charity concert in Barcelona.

"Never, ever in the history ‌of humanity ‌have we had the information ‌in ⁠front ​of ‌our eyes watching more clearly than now," Guardiola told reporters on Tuesday in Manchester.

"The genocide in Palestine, what happened in Ukraine, what happened in Russia, what happened all around the world - in Sudan, everywhere," he said, referring to the ⁠Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories.

"What happened in front of us? Do you ‌want to see it? It's ‍our problems as human ‍beings. It's our problems."

He said society must ‍work collectively to improve.

"Look what happened in the United States of America, Renee Good and Alex Pretti were killed. Tell me how you can defend ​that," Guardiola said. The fatal shootings of the two US citizens by federal immigration ⁠agents sparked widespread protests in the United States.

"When I see the images, I am sorry it hurts. That is why in every position I can help speak up to be a better society, I will try and will be there. All the time. It is for my kids, my families, for you.

"There is not a perfect society, nowhere is perfect, I am ‌not perfect, we have to work to be better."


Kremlin Welcomes FIFA Boss Infantino's Comment on Lifting Russia Ban

FILED - 13 July 2025, US, East Rutherford: FIFA President Gianni Infantino speaks during the DAZN pre-match interview ahead of the Club World Cup final soccer match between Chelsea FC and Paris Saint-Germain at Metlife Stadium. Photo: Sven Hoppe/dpa
FILED - 13 July 2025, US, East Rutherford: FIFA President Gianni Infantino speaks during the DAZN pre-match interview ahead of the Club World Cup final soccer match between Chelsea FC and Paris Saint-Germain at Metlife Stadium. Photo: Sven Hoppe/dpa
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Kremlin Welcomes FIFA Boss Infantino's Comment on Lifting Russia Ban

FILED - 13 July 2025, US, East Rutherford: FIFA President Gianni Infantino speaks during the DAZN pre-match interview ahead of the Club World Cup final soccer match between Chelsea FC and Paris Saint-Germain at Metlife Stadium. Photo: Sven Hoppe/dpa
FILED - 13 July 2025, US, East Rutherford: FIFA President Gianni Infantino speaks during the DAZN pre-match interview ahead of the Club World Cup final soccer match between Chelsea FC and Paris Saint-Germain at Metlife Stadium. Photo: Sven Hoppe/dpa

The Kremlin on Tuesday welcomed FIFA president Gianni Infantino's comments on ending a ban on Moscow from international competitions over its Ukraine campaign, while Kyiv denounced his words as "irresponsible" during the war.

Infantino -- who previously had friendly relations with Russia's Vladimir Putin -- said in an interview a day earlier the ban on Russia had "not achieved anything."

His words provoked fury in Ukraine, which said the ban should be in place "as long as Russians continue to kill Ukrainians."

Russia has been mostly banned from international sport since its February 2022 Ukraine attack.

"We have seen these statements (by Infantino) and we welcome them. It's high time to think about this," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

"Our footballers, our national team, must have their rights fully restored... We hope that sooner or later such discussions will take place in FIFA," he added.

In an interview with Britain's Sky News, Infantino said the ban should be lifted, arguing it had "just created more frustration and hatred."

He said he believes "having girls and boys from Russia being able to play football games in other parts of Europe would help."

Ukraine reacted with fury.

Ukraine's sports minister Matviy Bidnyi called Infantino's comments "irresponsible" and "infantile".

"Let me remind you that the Russians have killed more than 650 Ukrainian athletes and coaches during their full-scale aggression," he said on social media on Monday.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga said "679 Ukrainian girls and boys will never be able to play football -- Russia killed them."

He added: "And it keeps killing more while moral degenerates suggest lifting bans, despite Russia's failure to end its war."

A few Russian athletes in other sports have been allowed to compete again under a neutral flag recently.


Benzema Moves to Al-Hilal Following Al-Ittihad Departure

Al-Ittihad's Karim Benzema celebrates at the end of the Soccer Club World Cup first round soccer match between Al-Ittihad and Auckland City FC at King Abdullah Sports City stadium in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Dec. 12, 2023. (AP)
Al-Ittihad's Karim Benzema celebrates at the end of the Soccer Club World Cup first round soccer match between Al-Ittihad and Auckland City FC at King Abdullah Sports City stadium in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Dec. 12, 2023. (AP)
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Benzema Moves to Al-Hilal Following Al-Ittihad Departure

Al-Ittihad's Karim Benzema celebrates at the end of the Soccer Club World Cup first round soccer match between Al-Ittihad and Auckland City FC at King Abdullah Sports City stadium in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Dec. 12, 2023. (AP)
Al-Ittihad's Karim Benzema celebrates at the end of the Soccer Club World Cup first round soccer match between Al-Ittihad and Auckland City FC at King Abdullah Sports City stadium in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Dec. 12, 2023. (AP)

Karim Benzema has joined Al-Hilal, the Saudi Pro League leaders announced on ​Monday, following the termination of his contract with Al-Ittihad.

Local media reported that the move to Al-Hilal came after Benzema rejected an offer to extend his contract with Al-Ittihad. The former France striker had missed the ‌team’s previous ‌two league matches.

"Al-Hilal ‌signed ⁠French ​star ‌Karim Benzema on a free transfer to represent the football team for one and a half years," the Saudi club said in a statement.

Benzema had a successful spell with the Jeddah-based ⁠Al-Ittihad, leading them to the league title and ‌the King's Cup last ‍season. It was ‍the first domestic double in Al-Ittihad's ‍history.

"This journey gave me a lot, both personally and professionally," Benzema, who joined Al-Ittihad on a free transfer in 2023 ​after 14 years with Real Madrid, said on X.

"I leave with ⁠my head held high, proud to have worn these colors and of everything we shared."

The former Real Madrid striker, 38, scored 16 goals in 21 matches for Al-Ittihad in all competitions this season.

Al-Hilal sit top of the league standings with 47 points, one point ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo's Al-Nassr. ‌Al-Ittihad are sixth with 34 points.