Barca Edge Past Albacete into Copa Del Rey Semis

Barcelona's Lamine Yamal celebrates the opening goal during a Copa del Rey quarter-final match between Albacete and Barcelona, in Albacete, Spain, Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026. (AP)
Barcelona's Lamine Yamal celebrates the opening goal during a Copa del Rey quarter-final match between Albacete and Barcelona, in Albacete, Spain, Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026. (AP)
TT

Barca Edge Past Albacete into Copa Del Rey Semis

Barcelona's Lamine Yamal celebrates the opening goal during a Copa del Rey quarter-final match between Albacete and Barcelona, in Albacete, Spain, Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026. (AP)
Barcelona's Lamine Yamal celebrates the opening goal during a Copa del Rey quarter-final match between Albacete and Barcelona, in Albacete, Spain, Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026. (AP)

Lamine Yamal and Ronald Araujo goals helped Barcelona reach the Copa del Rey semi-finals with a nervy 2-1 win at Albacete on Tuesday.

The record 32-time cup winners were pushed to the end in a tight quarter-final clash by their second division opponents, who stunned Real Madrid in the previous round.

Yamal fired Barca ahead just before half-time and Araujo headed home the second early after the break on his first start since taking a month-long mental health break at the end of last year.

Albacete created several chances in the last half hour and Javi Moreno headed home with three minutes to go to give Hansi Flick's Barca a scare.

"The last few minutes... it's normal, they got a goal, the cup is like this," Araujo told Barca's media channel.

"I'm very happy (to start again), it was an important step... a hug to the coach, he helped me a lot."

Holders Barca spurned some fine chances, just as they did in their win over Elche in La Liga on Saturday.

"It was a tough match at the end, it was very hard. We could have made it much easier for ourselves, we missed many chances, but I think also we deserved (to win)," said Flick.

"I'm happy, proud of the team and we're in the semi-finals, and that's the best thing."

Barcelona controlled the game in the first half but could not easily break down Albacete's resistance.

Marcus Rashford spurned a couple of decent openings in the opening few minutes, and after that the hosts shut up shop against Flick's side.

Spanish champions Barcelona's brightest player was, as usual, teenage star Yamal, and he struck in the 39th minute.

Rashford pressed well to win the ball back, and Frenkie de Jong's pass bobbled into Yamal's path for the 18-year-old to curl home.

Antonio Puertas got in behind Barcelona's defense at the other end but took a heavy touch and goalkeeper Joan Garcia was able to snag the loose ball.

The stopper accidentally gave away a corner as he walked off the pitch with it to pat Araujo on the head, in a comical moment before the break.

Dani Olmo should have doubled Barca's lead early in the second half when Rashford put the ball on a plate for him but his shot was blocked.

Puertas's volley deflected off De Jong and just over Garcia's goal as the hosts threatened sporadically.

Araujo headed in Rashford's corner as Barcelona doubled their lead and seemed set to cruise to victory, before some late Albacete resistance threatened an upset.

- Holding on -

Jefte Betancor, who scored Albacete's stunning winner against Real Madrid, cut inside Araujo and whipped a shot just wide.

Puertas put the ball in the back of Barca's net with seven minutes to go but there was an offside earlier in the move and it was disallowed.

Albacete finally scored in the 87th minute when Moreno's powerful header from Jose Lazo's free-kick flew past Garcia, but they could not find another to force the game to extra-time.

Gerard Martin headed Fran Gamez's effort off the line as Barca endured a nervy five minutes of stoppage time to triumph.

"We have to finish with more conviction," said Flick, who said he was happy that Araujo netted on his return to the starting line-up.

"He scored a very important goal for us, it could help him to get more confidence and believe in himself," added the German coach.

In the other quarter-finals Valencia welcome Athletic Bilbao and Real Sociedad visit Alaves on Wednesday, while Atletico Madrid travel to face Real Betis on Thursday.



Portugal Changes How No. 7 Is Written to Honor Cristiano Ronaldo

Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates after scoring the 1-2 goal during the FIFA World Cup qualifying match against Hungary, in Budapest, Hungary, 09 September 2025. (EPA)
Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates after scoring the 1-2 goal during the FIFA World Cup qualifying match against Hungary, in Budapest, Hungary, 09 September 2025. (EPA)
TT

Portugal Changes How No. 7 Is Written to Honor Cristiano Ronaldo

Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates after scoring the 1-2 goal during the FIFA World Cup qualifying match against Hungary, in Budapest, Hungary, 09 September 2025. (EPA)
Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates after scoring the 1-2 goal during the FIFA World Cup qualifying match against Hungary, in Budapest, Hungary, 09 September 2025. (EPA)

The Portugal football team is making a change to how the No. 7 is written to honor the recently-retired Cristiano Ronaldo.

Ronaldo, who wore the number and went on to make it his own as “CR7,” retired from international soccer last week, ending a remarkable career that spanned six World Cups, a European title, and the men’s all-time international scoring record.

“Time to debut a new 7. Because there’s one that will be eternal,” the Portuguese national team wrote on social media on Saturday. The post included a goat emoji to signify “Greatest Of All Time.”

It also included a video that showed a horizontal crossed line through the No. 7 as it’s commonly written in Europe, suggesting that Ronaldo’s successors will all have that cross to bear when they wear the number.

Portugal, already assured of reaching the quarterfinals, was hosting Denmark in the Nations League later Saturday.

The 41-year-old Ronaldo quit on Nov. 5 after falling out with coach Jorge Jesus. His last appearance with Portugal was Sept. 24 in a 1-0 home win over Wales in the Nations League.

Jesus kept him on the bench for the following match and said he didn’t plan to start him in the next one, so the superstar forward decided to leave the team’s training camp.

Jesus later said Ronaldo would be welcome back and the decision to return was up to him.


Ronaldinho Poised for Ravenna Start and, Perhaps, One Last Goal

Brazilian football legend Ronaldinho waves during Ravenna FC’s team presentation for the 2026-27 season in Marina di Ravenna, Italy, Aug. 20, 2026. (AFP)
Brazilian football legend Ronaldinho waves during Ravenna FC’s team presentation for the 2026-27 season in Marina di Ravenna, Italy, Aug. 20, 2026. (AFP)
TT

Ronaldinho Poised for Ravenna Start and, Perhaps, One Last Goal

Brazilian football legend Ronaldinho waves during Ravenna FC’s team presentation for the 2026-27 season in Marina di Ravenna, Italy, Aug. 20, 2026. (AFP)
Brazilian football legend Ronaldinho waves during Ravenna FC’s team presentation for the 2026-27 season in Marina di Ravenna, Italy, Aug. 20, 2026. (AFP)

Ronaldinho will roll back the years this weekend when the 46-year-old Brazilian starts his first competitive match in over a decade, and in the unlikely setting of an Italian third-tier derby the World Cup winner may realize his dream of scoring one last time.

The Brazil great and Ballon d'Or winner signed for Ravenna in June, also taking a stake in the club, but because he had not played since his final appearance for Fluminense in 2015, doubts remained over whether fans would ever see him in action.

Ravenna revealed ‌three weeks ago ‌that the former Barcelona and AC Milan player ‌would ⁠make his return ⁠in Sunday's home clash with local rivals Forli, and on Friday, manager Andrea Mandorlini told reporters that Ronaldinho would start the match.

"He will play from the start, there's no doubt," Mandorlini said.

"Then together we will decide how long he plays. He is one of the greatest players of the modern era. And we have to get a ⁠result. We always play with three forwards. He will ‌be one of the three."

Ronaldinho was ‌welcomed by the Ravenna fans in August, without committing to a return ‌to the pitch. He returned to Italy on Friday afternoon and ‌will have just one training session with his teammates on Saturday before making his club debut.

A temporary stand has been erected at the Stadio Bruno Benelli to cater for the crowd, and if this does turn out ‌to be one last hurrah for Ronaldinho, he may well get the chance to score his 300th ⁠professional goal.

"I ⁠scored my first Italian goal in the derby," Ronaldinho told Corriere della Sera, referring to his first official goal for AC Milan, which came against Inter Milan.

"It was a special evening that will remain in the memory of all AC Milan fans. It was September 28, 2008. I scored with a header, which is not my specialty. Who knows if I'll be able to repeat that feat tomorrow."

"... Returning to the pitch at 46 is the best move of my career."

Simone Rabbi will play alongside the Brazilian up front for Ravenna, and in Friday's press conference he said that if his side are awarded a penalty on Sunday, Ronaldinho will take the spot kick.


Andreeva Says She Is Learning to Move on Faster from Defeats After WTA Finals Sweep

Mirra Andreeva plays Diana Shnaider during day six of the FAGE WTA Finals at Indian Wells Tennis Garden on November 13, 2026 in Indian Wells, California. (Getty Images/AFP)
Mirra Andreeva plays Diana Shnaider during day six of the FAGE WTA Finals at Indian Wells Tennis Garden on November 13, 2026 in Indian Wells, California. (Getty Images/AFP)
TT

Andreeva Says She Is Learning to Move on Faster from Defeats After WTA Finals Sweep

Mirra Andreeva plays Diana Shnaider during day six of the FAGE WTA Finals at Indian Wells Tennis Garden on November 13, 2026 in Indian Wells, California. (Getty Images/AFP)
Mirra Andreeva plays Diana Shnaider during day six of the FAGE WTA Finals at Indian Wells Tennis Garden on November 13, 2026 in Indian Wells, California. (Getty Images/AFP)

Mirra Andreeva said she has learned to recover more quickly from setbacks after the Russian teenager completed an unbeaten run through the WTA Finals round-robin stage on Friday.

Andreeva won her third group-stage match in straight sets after a late opponent change, having already secured a semi-final berth. The 19-year-old said the match against tournament alternate Diana Shnaider presented a new mental challenge because her progression was guaranteed, but she still wanted to preserve her momentum.

"Before the tournament started I was afraid ‌that I ‌wouldn't win a match in the group," ‌Andreeva ⁠told reporters. "Now you ⁠see how it turned out."

The victory set up a first career meeting with American Jessica Pegula on Saturday. Andreeva described Pegula as one of the calmest players on tour and said coach Conchita Martinez would help prepare a detailed tactical plan.

Andreeva's poise in the desert marked a contrast with her emotional ⁠exit from Indian Wells in March, when ‌she lost her title defense ‌to Katerina Siniakova. Frustrated by the defeat, Andreeva launched into a profanity-laced ‌tirade toward spectators and was booed as she left ‌the court.

The French Open champion said her response to losses has changed significantly over the course of the season.

"Before it was super bad. I was very dramatic," Andreeva said. "It would take me a ‌good two, three days. I wouldn't talk to anybody. I would just sit in the ⁠room locked ⁠up, not wanting to practice."

Now, she said, disappointment generally lasts a day at most before the demands of the tour force her attention back to training or the next match.

Andreeva said the Indian Wells setback came while she was trying to incorporate changes made in practice into her match play, which produced inconsistency and frustration. She said continued work on court, along with sessions with psychologists, helped her make progress.

The results have followed. Andreeva won her first Grand Slam title at Roland Garros this year and arrived at the WTA Finals for her singles debut after a 50-win season.