馃嚦馃嚘NamibiaSouthern Africa
Real Madrid faces Clasico amid internal turmoil and managerial speculation
via The Namibian6 min read
Real Madrid is approaching its Clasico match against Barcelona in a state of high tension and disarray, with a loss potentially handing Barcelona the La Liga title. Alvaro Arbeloa's side trails the reigning champions by 11 points with four matches remaining, facing a second consecutive season without a major trophy. The club environment is reportedly toxic, with fans protesting against star player Kylian Mbappe for perceived lack of commitment, and two training ground bust-ups reported. President Florentino Perez is considering bringing back former coach Jose Mourinho, as current incumbent Arbeloa, who replaced Xabi Alonso in January, is at odds with several players. Midfielders Aurelien Tchouameni and Federico Valverde reportedly had a confrontation in training, and a previous incident between defenders Antonio Rudiger and Alvaro Carreras was also reported. Mbappe is a doubt for the Clasico due to a hamstring injury, and has faced criticism for a holiday taken during his recovery. Coach Arbeloa has also indicated a desire for more dedication from players. The potential return of Mourinho is seen by some as a way to restore order, while others believe it could lead to further chaos.
Free daily or weekly digest of the most important stories from across 18 African countries. No spam, unsubscribe any time.
This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by The Namibian.
Belgium played to a scoreless draw against Iran, a match that saw the Red Devils reduced to 10 men and facing potential group-stage elimination for a second consecutive World Cup. Despite controlling possession, Belgium, with players like Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku, struggled to create clear opportunities. Iran, in contrast, had the game's best chances, including a Mehdi Taremi goal disallowed for offside by VAR. Nathan Ngoy of Belgium was sent off in the second half for fouling Taremi after a misplaced backpass. This result means all three games in Group G have ended in draws, leaving Belgium with two points ahead of their final group match against New Zealand. Iran will need at least a point against Egypt. Protesters from Los Angeles' Persian exile community demonstrated outside the stadium against Iran's regime, and the Iranian anthem was met with boos and whistles inside the venue.
Tadej Pogacar secured his third stage victory this week, sealing overall success in the Tour of Switzerland. The world champion caught French climber Lenny Martinez 800 meters from the finish line after a 152km mountainous stage. Pogacar gradually closed a 1 minute 30 second lead held by Martinez, ultimately winning by seven seconds. The 27-year-old Slovenian expressed satisfaction with testing his legs and lungs on the climb. Martinez, 22, who was part of an 11-man breakaway, acknowledged Pogacar's strength and insatiable will to win. This marks Pogacar's first victory at the Tour of Switzerland, meaning he has now won six of the seven most historic week-long stage races. His overall margin of victory ahead of Ecuador's Richard Carapaz was 6 minutes 32 seconds. Pogacar has 13 wins from 16 race days this year, setting a strong precedent for his bid for a record-equalling fifth Tour de France victory next month.
Fifteen-year-old cricket player Vaibhav Sooryavanshi achieved the fastest half-century in List A history, reaching the milestone in just 11 balls during an India A match against Sri Lanka A in Dambulla. The Board of Control for Cricket in India BCCI praised the teenager for his performance. Sooryavanshi scored 94 runs off 29 deliveries, contributing to India A's total of 377-9. This left-handed batsman's 11-ball fifty established a new record for the quickest half-century in the 50-over format. Sooryavanshi was selected for India鈥檚 T20 squad for tours to Ireland and England, and the Asian Games, following his success in the Indian Premier League where he was the leading run-scorer for Rajasthan Royals with 776 runs, including one century and five half-centuries.