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• Hansi Flick Turned Barcelona into a Family – and Runaway La Liga Champions

  Hansi Flick, despite learning of his father’s death on La Liga title-winning day, led Barcelona to victory against Real Madrid. His empathetic coaching style fostered a strong ‘family’ atmosphere, transforming a young squad into champions. The team’s resilience and unity were key to overcoming early challenges and securing the league title.
  

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• Zinedine Zidane rejects Man United approach for verbal agreement with France

  Zinedine Zidane has reportedly turned down long-standing interest from Manchester United after reaching a verbal agreement to manage the French national team following the 2026 World Cup.

  ​Zinedine Zidane is reportedly finalizing a verbal agreement to succeed Didier Deschamps as France manager after the 2026 World Cup.

  This move effectively ends years of speculation linking the former Real Madrid boss to Manchester United.

  Zidane previously expressed hesitation regarding the Premier League due to language barriers, stating: “I understand English but I don’t fully master it… I work differently.”

  ​The 53-year-old has remained out of management since 2021, strategically waiting for the national team vacancy.

  While United recently appointed Michael Carrick on a temporary basis, Zidane’s focus remains on Les Bleus.

  He recently reaffirmed his long-term ambitions, telling the Festival dello Sport: “My feeling is that I want to be able to coach the national team in the future… I would like to one day.”

• Raphinha sidelined with thigh strain following Elche win

  Barcelona winger Raphinha will miss the match against Albacete and face a week on the sidelines after scans confirmed an adductor strain in his right thigh.

  Barcelona have confirmed that first-team star Raphael Dias, known as Raphinha, has suffered a strain in the adductor muscle of his right thigh.

  The injury follows his early withdrawal during the club’s recent victory over Elche.

  Despite the player’s initial optimism, medical assessments revealed the muscular issue, which will temporarily halt the Brazilian’s impressive run of form under manager Hansi Flick this season.

  The winger is set to miss the upcoming fixture against Albacete as a precaution, with a recovery period estimated at one week.

  Raphinha has been a vital component of the Barça lineup, contributing 13 goals in 22 appearances while spearheading the team’s high-intensity pressing game.

  Flick will now have to adjust his tactical setup without the forward’s trademark energy for the next match.

• How Kylian Mbappé reacted to Gonzalo Garcia’s hat-trick in Betis win

  Injured superstar Kylian Mbappé enthusiastically celebrated from the stands as youngster Gonzalo García scored twice to lead Real Madrid to a 3-1 win over Real Betis.

  Real Madrid’s rising star Gonzalo García stole the spotlight at the Santiago Bernabéu on Sunday, delivering a dominant performance against Real Betis.

  Filling in while senior stars watched from the sidelines, the young forward proved his worth to manager Xabi Alonso.

  Gonzalo opened the scoring with a clinical header before doubling the lead with a spectacular second-half volley, anchoring a 3-1 victory for the league leaders.

  Watching from the stands, an injured Kylian Mbappé could not hide his excitement for his young teammate’s breakthrough.

  As Gonzalo’s “worldie” hit the back of the net, cameras captured the French superstar looking “nothing short of delighted for his young teammate.”

  Mbappé’s visible support highlighted a strong sense of camaraderie within the squad, even as he remains temporarily sidelined from domestic action.

  The result solidifies Real Madrid’s position at the top of the La Liga table under Alonso’s guidance.

  While Gonzalo García dominated the headlines with his first career brace for the senior side, the match also served as a testament to the club’s depth.

  With veterans and youngsters clicking in unison, Los Blancos continue to look like the team to beat in Spain’s top flight this season.

• AFCON VAR malfunction denies Benin penalty in DR Congo defeat

  A technical VAR failure prevented a crucial late penalty review for Benin during their 1-0 loss to DR Congo at the Africa Cup of Nations.

  Democratic Republic of Congo secured a 1-0 victory over Benin in their AFCON Group D opener, but the match was overshadowed by a significant VAR malfunction.

  Theo Bongonda scored the decisive goal early on, capitalizing on a defensive lapse by Yohan Roche.

  While the technology successfully intervened earlier to disallow a second DRC goal for offside, it failed at a critical juncture in the second half when Benin appealed for a handball.

  The controversy erupted when DRC captain Chancel Mbemba appeared to block a cross with his arm.

  Despite the potential for a match-altering penalty, referee Abongile Tom was unable to review the incident because the pitchside monitor stopped working.

  Replays remained inconclusive, and officials later confirmed the system had failed. The glitch left Benin unable to equalize, sparking outrage within their camp as they slumped to a narrow defeat.

  Benin head coach Gernot Rohr praised his team’s resilience despite the technical drama.

  Addressing the media, he stated: “We witnessed a very good football match that did not deserve a loser. My team made me proud.

  We will now prepare well for the match against Botswana, with the advantage of having our suspended players back.”

  Meanwhile, VAR was restored for the day’s subsequent fixture between Burkina Faso and Equatorial Guinea.