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Real Madrid Beats Atletico to Set Up Clasico Final at the Spanish Super Cup in Saudi Arabia

Real Madrid's Federico Valverde, right, is congratulated by Real Madrid's Jude Bellingham after scoring the opening goal during the Spanish Super Cup semifinal soccer match against Atletico Madrid at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026. (AP)
Real Madrid's Federico Valverde, right, is congratulated by Real Madrid's Jude Bellingham after scoring the opening goal during the Spanish Super Cup semifinal soccer match against Atletico Madrid at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026. (AP)
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Real Madrid Beats Atletico to Set Up Clasico Final at the Spanish Super Cup in Saudi Arabia

Real Madrid's Federico Valverde, right, is congratulated by Real Madrid's Jude Bellingham after scoring the opening goal during the Spanish Super Cup semifinal soccer match against Atletico Madrid at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026. (AP)
Real Madrid's Federico Valverde, right, is congratulated by Real Madrid's Jude Bellingham after scoring the opening goal during the Spanish Super Cup semifinal soccer match against Atletico Madrid at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026. (AP)

Real Madrid got goals from Federico Valverde and Rodrygo to beat Atletico Madrid 2-1 on Thursday, setting up a clasico final at the Spanish Super Cup played in Saudi Arabia.

Valverde put Madrid ahead just two minutes into the match in Jeddah when the Uruguay midfielder scored directly from a free kick with a fierce strike that Jan Oblak could not keep out.

Valverde then helped make it 2-0 in the 55th when he threaded a pass through the middle of Atletico’s defense to meet Rodrygo’s run. The Brazil forward, who is playing well after a subpar season last year, did the rest by beating Oblak with a low strike for the winner.

Alexander Sorloth pulled Atletico close three minutes later when the striker headed in a cross by Giuliano Simeone. Atletico pressed for the equalizer but came up short.

Madrid was playing without the injured Kylian Mbappé, sidelined with a left knee sprain for a second straight game.

Xabi Alonso’s team will face Barcelona in the final of four four-team tournament on Sunday.

Valverde’s goal was his first of the season. He has struggled to join the attack this campaign because he has been forced to play out of position at right back due to injuries to Dani Carvajal and Trent Alexander-Arnold.

“After so many games without scoring, today was a great day to find the net again and for the team to win,” Valverde said. “We must be prepared, rested and focused to win the final.”

Atletico created several chances to score in the final half but goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois did well to parry a point-blank header by Sorloth and a long strike by Alex Baena.

Atletico had beaten Madrid 5-2 when they met in La Liga in September.

Barcelona routed Athletic Bilbao 5-0 on Wednesday in the other semifinal. Last year, Barcelona thumped Madrid 5-2 in the Spanish Super Cup final.

Derby record for Koke Atletico midfielder Koke Resurrección set a new record for Madrid derbies after playing his 44th game against his crosstown rival. That broke a tie he had with former Madrid star defender Sergio Ramos.

But after the loss, Koke concentrated on the missed opportunity for his team.

“It hurts because we wanted to be in the final,” the 34-year-old Koke said. “We got off on the wrong foot after (Valverde’s) great goal. We had our chances, but the ball wouldn’t go in.”

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Sports

De la Fuente Pleased with Injury-Free Friendly as Spain Turn Focus to US

Spain's coach Luis De La Fuente during an international friendly soccer match against Iraq in A Coruna, Spain, Thursday, June 4, 2026. (AP)
Spain's coach Luis De La Fuente during an international friendly soccer match against Iraq in A Coruna, Spain, Thursday, June 4, 2026. (AP)
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De la Fuente Pleased with Injury-Free Friendly as Spain Turn Focus to US

Spain's coach Luis De La Fuente during an international friendly soccer match against Iraq in A Coruna, Spain, Thursday, June 4, 2026. (AP)
Spain's coach Luis De La Fuente during an international friendly soccer match against Iraq in A Coruna, Spain, Thursday, June 4, 2026. (AP)

Coach Luis de la Fuente was ‌happy Spain came through their final home friendly without injuries and used the opportunity to hand debuts to several youngsters, but said the intensity would step up a notch once they arrived in North America for the World Cup.

Spain, one of the favorites to lift the World Cup, were held to a 1-1 draw by Iraq in a warm-up match in La Coruna on Thursday, fielding a heavily rotated lineup.

"Today was about sensations and giving opportunities to other players. No injuries — that's important," de ‌la Fuente ‌told reporters.

"Now we enter a new phase with ‌more ⁠intensity and more ⁠players contributing. Tomorrow we're in the United States, and that puts our focus exactly where it needs to be."

Spain, who will be based in Chattanooga, Tennessee during the World Cup, face Peru in their final friendly in Puebla, Mexico on Monday before their Group H campaign against Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia and ⁠Uruguay.

De la Fuente rested several key players, including ‌Lamine Yamal, Nico Williams, David Raya, ‌Victor Munoz, Marc Cucurella, Pedri, Fabian Ruiz, Martin Zubimendi, Rodri and ‌Mikel Oyarzabal due to fitness concerns.

Meanwhile, Marc Bernal, Jon Martin, ‌Gonzalo, Turrientes, Javi Guerra, Marc Pubill, Javi Rodriguez and Leo Roman were handed senior debuts against Iraq.

"They all earned it. The match allowed us to give debuts to players who deserved the chance. They ‌helped us a lot," the 64-year-old said.

"They're players for the future, and we'll see them with ⁠the senior ⁠team soon. Another objective accomplished."

Spain will face Cape Verde in their opening match on June 15, though doubts remain over Yamal's fitness.

The Barcelona forward is recovering from a left hamstring injury that cut short his season in April, and de la Fuente said on Wednesday that the 18-year-old could be ready for the opener, though there were no guarantees.

"The plan is to stick to what we'd planned, and that schedule gave us confidence that he could be ready by the 15th," he said.

"Things are generally going very well, but there might be a day when we have to put something on hold."

Sports

France Brush Off Ivory Coast Loss, Call It Timely World Cup Reminder

Ivory Coast's Amad Diallo, center, celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the international friendly match between France and Ivory Coast in Nantes, France, Thursday, June 4, 2026. (AP)
Ivory Coast's Amad Diallo, center, celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the international friendly match between France and Ivory Coast in Nantes, France, Thursday, June 4, 2026. (AP)
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France Brush Off Ivory Coast Loss, Call It Timely World Cup Reminder

Ivory Coast's Amad Diallo, center, celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the international friendly match between France and Ivory Coast in Nantes, France, Thursday, June 4, 2026. (AP)
Ivory Coast's Amad Diallo, center, celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the international friendly match between France and Ivory Coast in Nantes, France, Thursday, June 4, 2026. (AP)

France brushed aside concerns after ‌suffering a surprise 2-1 defeat by Ivory Coast in a World Cup warm-up match on Thursday, insisting the setback would serve as a useful reminder rather than a cause for alarm ahead of the tournament.

Didier Deschamps' side led through a superb first-half goal from Rayan Cherki but were overrun after the break as Guela Doue and Amad Diallo turned the game around for the Elephants in Nantes.

With France opening their World Cup campaign against Senegal in New York on June 16, midfielder Aurelien ‌Tchouameni said the ‌result should be viewed in the context ‌of ⁠preparations rather than ⁠as a warning sign.

"It's a pity to lose but we're in a preparation phase, we stay confident," Tchouameni said.

"There is no conclusion to draw from this game, even if we had won it. We will be ready."

France fielded an experimental side, with several Paris St Germain players rested after last weekend's Champions ⁠League final triumph, and made numerous changes after ‌halftime.

Defender Lucas Hernandez also played ‌down the significance of the defeat.

"We always want to win but we're ‌in a phase of preparation and there were a ‌lot of substitutions," Hernandez said.

"We're in good spirits."

Deschamps, however, admitted his side had lost control of the contest after an encouraging opening 45 minutes and warned that France would face opponents with similar qualities in ‌the United States.

"A defeat is never pleasant, even if we did some good things in ⁠the first ⁠half," Deschamps said.

"In the second half we made a lot of changes but that's no excuse. We were not as good after the break and they brought a lot of pace.

"We will face the same type of team on June 16."

The France coach said the result could prove useful if it prevented his players from becoming complacent before the tournament.

"It's a reminder, if we needed one, not to think we're better than we are," he said, with Cherki adding: "It's a little warning, and I can tell you we're not going to the World Cup thinking we're favorites but we're going to crush everyone."

Sports

Iran Beats Mali in Last World Cup Warm-up Before Heading to Tijuana

Iran's Saeid Ezatolahi, right, poses for a photo with a fan after a friendly soccer match between Iran and Mali, in Antalya, southern Türkiye, Thursday, June 4, 2026, ahead of the World Cup soccer tournament. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)
Iran's Saeid Ezatolahi, right, poses for a photo with a fan after a friendly soccer match between Iran and Mali, in Antalya, southern Türkiye, Thursday, June 4, 2026, ahead of the World Cup soccer tournament. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)
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Iran Beats Mali in Last World Cup Warm-up Before Heading to Tijuana

Iran's Saeid Ezatolahi, right, poses for a photo with a fan after a friendly soccer match between Iran and Mali, in Antalya, southern Türkiye, Thursday, June 4, 2026, ahead of the World Cup soccer tournament. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)
Iran's Saeid Ezatolahi, right, poses for a photo with a fan after a friendly soccer match between Iran and Mali, in Antalya, southern Türkiye, Thursday, June 4, 2026, ahead of the World Cup soccer tournament. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)

Iran will head off to their World Cup base this weekend with a spring in their step after beating Mali 2-0 in a friendly in Türkiye on Thursday, even if some uncertainty still clouds their participation in the tournament.

Goals from midfielder Saeid Ezatolahi and right back Ramin Rezaeian either side of halftime gave Team Melli a record of three wins and a single loss in their four friendlies this year in the Turkish resort city of Antalya, Reuters reported.

The friendlies are the only competitive football the Iran-based players have played since the ⁠domestic league was ⁠suspended in the wake of US and Israel air strikes on Iran in late February that triggered a regional war.

The squad have received visas for Mexico, officials confirmed this week, and will leave Türkiye on Saturday for their tournament base in the border city of Tijuana.

Mexico's President ⁠Claudia Sheinbaum agreed to host the squad after being told that the US authorities did not want Iran staying in their original base in Arizona throughout the June 11 to July 19 tournament.

The squad have not yet received the visas they will need to get into the US to play their group games against New Zealand and Belgium in Los Angeles and Egypt in Seattle, however.

Iranian FA (FFIRI) President Mehdi Taj told Iranian media this week that the US ⁠visas were ⁠the main concern for the federation as Iran's tournament opener against New Zealand on June 15 approaches.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Tuesday there was "no problem" with the Iran squad entering the country, but Washington would not let officials or staff with ties to the Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) accompany them.

Both the US and Canada, who are co-hosting the World Cup with Mexico, classify the IRGC as a "terrorist entity."

Taj was refused entry into Canada for the FIFA Congress in late April because of his links to the elite military force.