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Real Coach Alonso Looking for Team to Bounce Back Against Man City 

Real Madrid's Spanish coach Xabi Alonso gestures to players during the Spanish league football match between Real Madrid CF and RC Celta de Vigo at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid on December 7, 2025. (AFP)
Real Madrid's Spanish coach Xabi Alonso gestures to players during the Spanish league football match between Real Madrid CF and RC Celta de Vigo at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid on December 7, 2025. (AFP)
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Real Coach Alonso Looking for Team to Bounce Back Against Man City 

Real Madrid's Spanish coach Xabi Alonso gestures to players during the Spanish league football match between Real Madrid CF and RC Celta de Vigo at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid on December 7, 2025. (AFP)
Real Madrid's Spanish coach Xabi Alonso gestures to players during the Spanish league football match between Real Madrid CF and RC Celta de Vigo at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid on December 7, 2025. (AFP)

Real Madrid go into Wednesday’s Champions League clash against Manchester City reeling from a surprise home setback at the weekend and a lengthy injury list, but coach Xabi Alonso says they need to bounce back quickly.

Real lost their 100% home record in the Spanish league on Sunday in a shock 2-0 defeat to Celta Vigo, and fell four points behind leaders Barcelona, but have little time to reflect on the setback before their Champions League assignment.

“We need to turn the page as quickly as possible,” Alonso said as Monday’s Spanish sports press speculated on the state of his relationship with his players.

“There's a long way to go in La Liga. And we have the Champions League match against City to react and get rid of this bad taste in our mouths.”

With Real winning only one of their last five LaLiga fixtures, Alonso has come under scrutiny for his relationship with players, system of playing and tactical decisions, while injuries have suddenly piled up again.

“We're struggling with injuries. It was hard for us to react,” added Alonso, whose side finished Sunday’s game with two red cards.

“It hurts, we're angry, and we understand why people are angry."

Defender Eder Militao hobbled off the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu pitch in the first half on Sunday and joins David Alaba, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Dani Carvajal, Dean Huijsen and Ferland Mendy on the injury list. Jude Bellingham also suffered a cut above the eye but is expected to feature against Manchester City.

“The situation is tight due to injuries. We have to make adjustments for each match, and we'll see how things go for Wednesday,” added the coach, who took over from Carlo Ancelotti at the start of the season.

Sports newspaper AS said Alonso was unable to motivate his team while Marca claimed he would not be able to fix things.

But the coach offered a different outlook: “We're all united and know that we can turn things around. There's still a long way to go, and you can have a bad game at home. We know what the demands are at this club. Defeats hurt a lot, but we have to look ahead.”

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Sports

Gauff Battles Through Illness to Reach Madrid Open Last 16

Coco Gauff of the US returns the ball to Sorana Cirstea of Romania during the Madrid Open tennis tournament in Madrid, Sunday, April 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Coco Gauff of the US returns the ball to Sorana Cirstea of Romania during the Madrid Open tennis tournament in Madrid, Sunday, April 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
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Gauff Battles Through Illness to Reach Madrid Open Last 16

Coco Gauff of the US returns the ball to Sorana Cirstea of Romania during the Madrid Open tennis tournament in Madrid, Sunday, April 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Coco Gauff of the US returns the ball to Sorana Cirstea of Romania during the Madrid Open tennis tournament in Madrid, Sunday, April 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

World number three Coco Gauff fought off more than just her opponent at the Madrid Open on Sunday, overcoming illness and vomiting to beat Sorana Cirstea 4-6 7-5 6-1 and advance to the last 16.

Gauff rallied from a set down despite battling what appears to be a bug affecting several players at the tournament, with the American admitting she was "trying not to throw up on the court" during the match.

Gauff did end up throwing up on court midway through the second set, which she described as 'embarrassing', before the 22-year-old recovered from a break down in the second set and then dominated the ⁠decider, Reuters reported.

"Honestly, I was ⁠just trying to finish the match and one point turned into another," said Gauff, who finished runner-up in Madrid and Rome last year before winning the French Open.

"I think I got what everybody else is having here in Madrid, unfortunately. So I'm just going to try to push through for tomorrow."

On Saturday, ⁠six-times Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek retired from her match against American Ann Li due to illness, saying she had a virus that had left her with "zero energy".

Gauff, however, managed to battle on and take control as the match continued but the American barely had the energy to celebrate her victory as she hunched over her racquet after securing progress.

"It was a weird feeling today. I don't know how I got through it," Gauff added.

"I'm not someone who likes to pull out so I didn't want ⁠to pull ⁠out again today. I'm glad that I was able to get through it."

Medical intervention proved crucial in Gauff's comeback, with the third seed feeling significantly better by the final set.

"I did start to feel better (in the final set), not feeling like I had to throw up. They gave me some pills so that definitely helped, but I was really tired," she said.

"I could play while being tired. The first part was literally just trying to keep whatever I ate down and once they gave me something to help with that, then I was just nauseous and tired. But I can deal with that."

Sports

Chelsea Beat Everton to Keep Alive Faint WSL Title Hopes

Soccer Football - Premier League - Everton v Chelsea - Hill Dickinson Stadium, Liverpool, Britain - March 21, 2026 Chelsea's Alejandro Garnacho, Marc Cucurella and Jorrel Hato look dejected as they applaud fans after the match REUTERS
Soccer Football - Premier League - Everton v Chelsea - Hill Dickinson Stadium, Liverpool, Britain - March 21, 2026 Chelsea's Alejandro Garnacho, Marc Cucurella and Jorrel Hato look dejected as they applaud fans after the match REUTERS
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Chelsea Beat Everton to Keep Alive Faint WSL Title Hopes

Soccer Football - Premier League - Everton v Chelsea - Hill Dickinson Stadium, Liverpool, Britain - March 21, 2026 Chelsea's Alejandro Garnacho, Marc Cucurella and Jorrel Hato look dejected as they applaud fans after the match REUTERS
Soccer Football - Premier League - Everton v Chelsea - Hill Dickinson Stadium, Liverpool, Britain - March 21, 2026 Chelsea's Alejandro Garnacho, Marc Cucurella and Jorrel Hato look dejected as they applaud fans after the match REUTERS

Striker Sam Kerr scored a brace for Chelsea as they beat Everton 4-1 to keep the pressure on Women's Super League leaders Manchester City, who slumped to a shock 3-2 defeat by Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday, as the season approaches its climax.

Still heavy favorites to win a first league title since 2016, City top the standings on 49 points, six ahead of Chelsea with two games left to play, but waiting in the long grass to punish any slip-ups are Arsenal, who are fourth on 38 points with three games in hand over the top two.

The Gunners did not take part in this weekend's league action as they were facing French side OL Lyonnes (formerly known as Olympique Lyonnais) in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final later on Sunday.

Linked with a move to North America in the summer, Chelsea's Kerr struck early in each half on Sunday as the reigning champions, who have won the last six league titles in a row, cantered to a 4-1 win over the Merseysiders.

Third-placed Manchester United's hopes of Champions League football next season suffered a blow when Tottenham Hotspur dominated them in North London, and they were lucky to escape with a scoreless draw that leaves them on 39 points with 20 of their 22 games played.

Spurs are fifth on 30 points, and Martin Ho's side will be left wondering how they failed to score on a day when they let half-a-dozen gilt-edged chances go begging.

With the league expanding to 14 teams next season, Leicester City still occupy bottom spot after a 5-1 thrashing by London City Lionesses, and they will likely face a playoff against the team that finishes third in the Women's Championship to see if they can retain their top-flight status.

Birmingham City and Charlton Athletic can both secure promotion to the top flight later on Sunday if they can avoid defeat against Ipswich and Southampton respectively.

Sports

Egypt National Team Director: Injured Salah to Miss Rest of Liverpool Season

Brennan Johnson of Crystal Palace (R) in action against Mohamed Salah of Liverpool (C) during the English Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Crystal Palace, in Liverpool, Britain, 25 April 2026. EPA/ADAM VAUGHAN
Brennan Johnson of Crystal Palace (R) in action against Mohamed Salah of Liverpool (C) during the English Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Crystal Palace, in Liverpool, Britain, 25 April 2026. EPA/ADAM VAUGHAN
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Egypt National Team Director: Injured Salah to Miss Rest of Liverpool Season

Brennan Johnson of Crystal Palace (R) in action against Mohamed Salah of Liverpool (C) during the English Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Crystal Palace, in Liverpool, Britain, 25 April 2026. EPA/ADAM VAUGHAN
Brennan Johnson of Crystal Palace (R) in action against Mohamed Salah of Liverpool (C) during the English Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Crystal Palace, in Liverpool, Britain, 25 April 2026. EPA/ADAM VAUGHAN

Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah will miss the rest of the season after suffering a hamstring injury in a 3-1 Premier League win over Crystal Palace, Egypt national team director Ibrahim Hassan said on Saturday.

The 33-year-old Egyptian winger, who has announced he will leave the reigning Premier League champions at the end of the season, applauded the crowd as he walked off injured in the 60th minute.

Liverpool did not announce any update on Salah's condition. However, Hassan ⁠said the Egyptian talisman ⁠has played his last game for the reds.

"He has suffered a hamstring tear and will require four weeks of treatment," Hassan told Reuters. After nine trophy-filled seasons, Salah's journey with Liverpool reaches its conclusion.

His farewell will be marked by words ⁠rather than goals, addressing the fans following the season finale against Brentford.

Liverpool have two home fixtures remaining - against Chelsea on May 9 and Brentford on May 24 - and visit Manchester United on May 3, a side Salah has regularly tormented, and play Villa away on May 17.

Liverpool's third-highest goalscorer of all time, Salah has recorded 12 goals and nine assists across all competitions this season.

Hassan said Salah will be ⁠fit ⁠for the 2026 World Cup, where Egypt will face Belgium, New Zealand and Iran in Group G.

However, Salah is determined to recover in time for the tournament in North America, which starts on June 11 and avoid a repeat of the injury setback he suffered before the 2018 edition.

He injured his shoulder in a 3-1 defeat by Real Madrid in the Champions League final, and despite scoring twice in two matches, Egypt were eliminated at the group stage in Russia.