World Champion Marquez Crashes Out as Aldeguer Wins Indonesia MotoGP

MotoGP Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider Pedro Acosta (L) of Spain and Gresini Racing MotoGP rider Alex Marquez (R) of Spain in action during the race at the Motorcycling Grand Prix of Indonesia at Mandalika Circuit in Mandalika, Indonesia, 05 October 2025. EPA/ADI WEDA
MotoGP Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider Pedro Acosta (L) of Spain and Gresini Racing MotoGP rider Alex Marquez (R) of Spain in action during the race at the Motorcycling Grand Prix of Indonesia at Mandalika Circuit in Mandalika, Indonesia, 05 October 2025. EPA/ADI WEDA
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World Champion Marquez Crashes Out as Aldeguer Wins Indonesia MotoGP

MotoGP Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider Pedro Acosta (L) of Spain and Gresini Racing MotoGP rider Alex Marquez (R) of Spain in action during the race at the Motorcycling Grand Prix of Indonesia at Mandalika Circuit in Mandalika, Indonesia, 05 October 2025. EPA/ADI WEDA
MotoGP Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider Pedro Acosta (L) of Spain and Gresini Racing MotoGP rider Alex Marquez (R) of Spain in action during the race at the Motorcycling Grand Prix of Indonesia at Mandalika Circuit in Mandalika, Indonesia, 05 October 2025. EPA/ADI WEDA

Newly crowned world champion Marc Marquez and polesitter Marco Bezzecchi crashed out at high speed after colliding in the opening lap as Spanish rookie Fermin Aldeguer won a chaotic Indonesia MotoGP on Sunday.

Spanish great Marquez "suffered an injury to his right collarbone" and will fly to Madrid for medical tests, his Ducati team tweeted, with fears he may have a fracture.

Ducati-Gresini rider Aldeguer pulled away and cruised to a maiden victory after Bezzecchi ran into the back of Marquez, sending both flying off their bikes, AFP reported.

Aldeguer finished more than six seconds ahead of KTM's Pedro Acosta in second and nearly eight seconds in front of teammate Alex Marquez in third.

"I don't believe it. I am super happy. To be a rookie, we are doing incredible work. We have to continue like this," said Aldeguer, 20, who secured his first MotoGP win.

Bezzecchi dominated in qualifying on Saturday with a lap record at the Mandalika track, but the Italian had a disastrous start on Sunday in humid conditions on Lombok island.

After slipping from pole to seventh behind Marquez, he tried to overtake the seven-time world champion but slammed into the back of him.

It sent the pair sliding into the gravel. Both walked away from the collision with Marquez -- who has a history of bad injuries -- clutching his right shoulder.

Ducati team manager Davide Tardozzi said there was evidence of a fracture on Marquez's right shoulder.

Marquez was crowned MotoGP champion last week at Japan's Motegi and had already set a single-season points record for a MotoGP rider of 545 before Sunday's race.

His points total was boosted by a sixth-place finish in the sprint because Luca Marini was hit with a post-race tyre pressure penalty.

Despite Aldeguer storming to victory there was a dramatic battle for the podium places between half a dozen riders.

Alex Rins' Yamaha began to falter and he fell out of podium contention as Alex Marquez rose to take third and increase his grip on second place in the overall standings behind his brother.

"I was a little bit better every lap. Congrats to my teammate, he had an amazing weekend. For us it is really important to be here on the podium," said Alex Marquez.

Brad Binder finished fourth, followed by Marini, Raul Fernandez and Fabio Quartararo.

Second-placed Acosta said he still wanted to improve but was content with a podium place after the frenetic battle with his rivals.

"We have to be happy all the time we are on the podium. We have many races where we have a good rhythm and a good potential, maybe not for the win but to be on the podium," he said.

Marc Marquez's Ducati team-mate Francesco Bagnaia, who started a lowly 16th on the grid, crashed out when he was last on the track in what was a dismal weekend for the two-time world champion.

Joan Mir and Enea Bastianini also crashed out.

Only 19 riders made it to the race's start line on Sunday, with Maverick Vinales withdrawing with an ongoing shoulder injury.



Barcelona Beats Real Madrid Again to Win Spanish Super Cup in Saudi Arabia Clasico

Players of Barcelona celebrate with the trophy after winning the Spanish Super Cup final soccer match between Barcelona and Real Madrid in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, 11 January 2026. (EPA)
Players of Barcelona celebrate with the trophy after winning the Spanish Super Cup final soccer match between Barcelona and Real Madrid in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, 11 January 2026. (EPA)
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Barcelona Beats Real Madrid Again to Win Spanish Super Cup in Saudi Arabia Clasico

Players of Barcelona celebrate with the trophy after winning the Spanish Super Cup final soccer match between Barcelona and Real Madrid in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, 11 January 2026. (EPA)
Players of Barcelona celebrate with the trophy after winning the Spanish Super Cup final soccer match between Barcelona and Real Madrid in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, 11 January 2026. (EPA)

Raphinha scored twice as Barcelona beat Real Madrid 3-2 on Sunday in the final of the Spanish Super Cup played in Saudi Arabia.

Raphinha's 73rd-minute winner came in a fortuitous manner after he slipped while shooting and the shot deflected off Madrid defender Raúl Asencio to fool goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.

The clasico final featured a hectic end to the first half when three stoppage-time goals were scored before the break, two by Real Madrid and one by Barcelona. Barcelona beat Madrid 5-2 in last year's final, when Raphinha also scored twice.

“We gave all we had,” Raphinha said. “I was emotional at the end of the match, we needed a win like this."

It was the 16th Super Cup title for Barcelona, more than any other club. Madrid is second with 13 titles.

Kylian Mbappé, who had missed the semifinals of the mini-Super Cup tournament because of a knee issue, entered the match in the 76th but couldn't do enough to help Madrid equalize. The France forward missed Madrid’s win over Atletico Madrid in the semifinals on Thursday but then traveled from Spain to Saudi Arabia to be available for the final of the mini-tournament.

Robert Lewandowski also scored for Barcelona. Madrid’s goals were scored by Vinícius Júnior and Gonzalo García.

The trophy was lifted by Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo, who had been out since November because of private reasons. Spanish media reports said he was on a mental health break.

The Catalan club opened the scoring in Jeddah on Sunday with Raphinha in a breakaway in the 36th. Madrid equalized with a superb goal from Vinícius two minutes into first-half added time, with the Brazil forward capping a nice run by splitting a couple of defenders before scoring from inside the area.

Vinícius hadn’t scored in 16 matches with Madrid, since October.

Lewandowski put Barcelona back ahead two minutes after Vinícius’ goal, and García evened the game again three minutes later at the end of the first half.

Madrid had two golden chances to equalize again in added time but couldn't capitalize on them.

“We have to turn the page as soon as possible,” Madrid coach Xabi Alonso said. "It’s just one game, one competition, and it’s the least important one we have. We have to look ahead, try to get everyone back together, recover our morale, and move on.”

Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong was sent off in second-half stoppage time.

Barcelona reached the Super Cup final by routing Athletic Bilbao 5-0, while Madrid defeated Atletico Madrid 2-1.

Barcelona is the first league champion in eight seasons to win the Super Cup, and the first team to retain the trophy since Pep Guardiola’s team won three in a row in 2010, 2011 and 2012.


Fragile United Need to Dig Deep, Says Fletcher

Football - FA Cup - Third Round - Manchester United v Brighton & Hove Albion - Old Trafford, Manchester, Britain - January 11, 2026 Manchester United interim manager Darren Fletcher reacts after the match. (Reuters)
Football - FA Cup - Third Round - Manchester United v Brighton & Hove Albion - Old Trafford, Manchester, Britain - January 11, 2026 Manchester United interim manager Darren Fletcher reacts after the match. (Reuters)
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Fragile United Need to Dig Deep, Says Fletcher

Football - FA Cup - Third Round - Manchester United v Brighton & Hove Albion - Old Trafford, Manchester, Britain - January 11, 2026 Manchester United interim manager Darren Fletcher reacts after the match. (Reuters)
Football - FA Cup - Third Round - Manchester United v Brighton & Hove Albion - Old Trafford, Manchester, Britain - January 11, 2026 Manchester United interim manager Darren Fletcher reacts after the match. (Reuters)

Manchester United interim manager Darren Fletcher said Sunday's FA Cup defeat by Brighton and Hove Albion at Old Trafford exposed the fragile nature of the squad.

Near silence greeted the final whistle as the ​2-1 third-round loss ended United's hopes of silverware while some boos rang out as the players trudged off the pitch.

Former United midfielder Fletcher stepped up from his role as the club's Under-18s coach to take charge of the first team after the sacking of Ruben Amorim last week.

But after a 2-2 draw away to Burnley in the Premier League, his hopes of providing a boost at Old Trafford were frustrated as former United player Danny Welbeck scored for the visitors after Brajan Gruda put them in ‌front early on.

"It ‌was mixed really, we started okay but the goal ‌knocked ⁠the ​stuffing out ‌of us," Fletcher said. "Our passing was quite slow so I challenged them at halftime. It was similar to the game in the week, we needed to move the ball with more tempo.

"When we got back to 2-1, I thought here we go, the crowd was up, the energy was up, but ultimately we couldn't get the equalizer. I think you can see the players are fragile and need to build themselves up. It's up to them to ⁠respond."

United are expected to announce a caretaker manager for the rest of the season next week but Fletcher said ‌that whoever that is, it is up to the players ‍to dig deep.

"Confidence is the most ‍powerful thing in football, but when you don't have it you have to dig ‍deep, battle, grind and work and work to win games, then the confidence comes back."

United have failed to survive a round in either of the domestic cup competitions for the first time since 1981-82 and with no European football, the season threatens to fizzle out.

They are seventh in the ​Premier League, however, and only a point behind fifth place which is likely to be a Champions League qualification spot.

"They are experienced players. They've ⁠got to make sure they have a lot to play for this season," he said. "This team is still good enough to achieve success this season but they have to dig deep."

Fletcher was critical of referee Simon Hooper for showing teenager Shea Lacey a second yellow card for hurling the ball down in frustration near the end.

"Shea Lacey's yellow card is ridiculous compared to the fouls that we had against us all game, which ultimately then the lad makes a mistake and is sent off," Fletcher said.

"For me it is poor refereeing."

Lacey apologized and said he had let the club down.

"I want to apologize to all of my teammates, staff and the fans," he posted on social media.
"I let everybody down tonight, I shouldn’t ‌let my emotions get the better of me, I will do everything I can to make this right."


Ukraine’s Kostyuk Defends ‘Conscious Choice’ to Speak Out About War

Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine speaks after defeat in the women's singles final against Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus at the Brisbane International tennis tournament in Brisbane on January 11, 2026. (AFP)
Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine speaks after defeat in the women's singles final against Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus at the Brisbane International tennis tournament in Brisbane on January 11, 2026. (AFP)
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Ukraine’s Kostyuk Defends ‘Conscious Choice’ to Speak Out About War

Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine speaks after defeat in the women's singles final against Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus at the Brisbane International tennis tournament in Brisbane on January 11, 2026. (AFP)
Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine speaks after defeat in the women's singles final against Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus at the Brisbane International tennis tournament in Brisbane on January 11, 2026. (AFP)

Ukrainian tennis player Marta Kostyuk has defended her "conscious choice" to address the plight of her country during the trophy presentation of a pre-Australian Open event in Brisbane.

The world number 20 did not shake hands with top-ranked Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka after being beaten in Sunday's final in straight sets.

Like many Ukraine players, Kostyuk refuses to shake hands with Russians or Belarusians following Moscow's invasion of her homeland.

In her speech at the trophy presentation, the 23-year-old Kostyuk said: "I want to say a few words about Ukraine.

"I play every day with a pain in my heart and there are thousands of people who are without light and warm water right now.

"It's minus 20 degrees outside and it's very painful to live this reality every day," she said, her voice cracking with emotion.

Post-final ceremonies usually involve players congratulating their opponents.

Kostyuk did however thank "all the opponents I've played this week".

Sabalenka, who has said in the past that she does not support the war, congratulated Kostyuk on reaching the final in her on-court speech.

Writing on Instagram, where some users accused Kostyuk of poor sportsmanship, she wrote: "The words I shared after the match sparked a lot of reaction.

"For me, it's a conscious choice to keep reminding people of what Ukraine and its citizens are going through.

"Thank you to everyone who showed support. And thank you to all the players I faced on the other side of the net this week."

Both players will be at the Australian Open starting on Sunday, where Sabalenka is favorite to win the title for the third time in four years.