Mbappé to the rescue as Real Madrid salvages crucial draw in the Madrid derby.
Real Madrid secured a 1-1 draw against Atlético Madrid in a tightly contested La Liga derby at the Santiago Bernabéu. Atlético dominated the first half and took the lead in the 35th minute when Julián Álvarez calmly converted a penalty after Aurélien Tchouaméni fouled Samuel Lino in the box. Los Blancos struggled to create chances before halftime but came alive in the second half. Kylian Mbappé equalized in the 50th minute, pouncing on a loose ball and slotting past Jan Oblak. Jude Bellingham nearly put Madrid ahead, rattling the crossbar with a header, while Rodrygo and Vinícius Júnior also saw efforts denied. Atlético pushed forward in the closing stages, but neither side could find a winner. The draw keeps Madrid atop LaLiga with 50 points, one ahead of Atlético. Barcelona, third with 45 points, can close the gap when they face Sevilla on Sunday.
FT: Real Madrid 1-1 Atlético Madrid.
REAL MADRID & ATLETICO MADRID BOTH DROP POINTS, HEAVENLY RESULT FOR BARCELONA WHO COULD TAKE HUGE ADVANTAGE TOMORROW! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/bxjGH7d364
— TheEuropeanLad (@TheEuropeanLad) February 8, 2025
Chelsea crashes out of the FA Cup after 2-1 loss to Brighton.
Kaoru Mitoma’s second-half strike sealed Brighton’s 2-1 comeback victory over Chelsea, sending the Seagulls into the FA Cup fifth round. Chelsea struck early in the fourth-round clash, taking the lead within five minutes when Cole Palmer’s cross was mishandled by Brighton goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen, resulting in an own goal. However, Brighton responded swiftly. Just six minutes later, Joel Veltman delivered a pinpoint cross, allowing Georginio Rutter to power a header into the bottom corner. Chelsea struggled to regain control in the second half, and Brighton capitalized. A defensive lapse from Tosin Adarabioyo and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall saw the ball fall to Mitoma, who calmly chipped it over Robert Sánchez to complete the turnaround. Despite late substitutions from Enzo Maresca, Chelsea failed to mount a comeback, crashing out of the competition. Brighton, rebounding from their recent heavy defeat to Nottingham Forest, advance to the next round.
FT: Brighton 2-1 Chelsea.
CHELSEA ARE KNOCKED OUT OF THE FA CUP TOURNAMENT! ❌ pic.twitter.com/LxE1To0Nto
— TheEuropeanLad (@TheEuropeanLad) February 8, 2025
Deadline Lakers’ trade for Mark Williams rescinded after failed physical.
The Los Angeles Lakers announced Saturday that their Trade for Charlotte Hornets centre, Mark Williams had been rescinded after he failed his physical. According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, the 7-footer’s Exam revealed multiple issues, though not related to his back. Williams has played just 85 of a possible 212 games in his first two and a half NBA seasons. Initially, the Lakers were confident in his medical history, with general manager Rob Pelinka expressing optimism after the trade deadline. The deal, which would have sent rookie Dalton Knecht, Cam Reddish, and future draft picks to Charlotte, was agreed upon Wednesday and finalized Thursday. However, with the trade deadline passed, adjustments could not be made. With Williams returning to Charlotte, the Lakers remain at 15 rostered players and will need to waive someone to make room for a buyout market signing. Jaxson Hayes will continue as their starting center following the Anthony Davis-Luka Dončić trade.
The trade to send Dalton Knecht to the Hornets and Mark Williams to the Lakers has been rescinded, Lakers say. pic.twitter.com/wtfIOaVu3g
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) February 9, 2025
De Bruyne saves Manchester City from FA Cup upset against Leyton Orient.
Manchester City narrowly avoided an FA Cup fourth-round upset, securing a 2-1 victory over third-tier Leyton Orient thanks to a late winner from Kevin De Bruyne. City fell behind in the 16th minute when Jamie Donley’s stunning long-range strike hit the crossbar before deflecting off goalkeeper Stefan Ortega into the net. Pep Guardiola’s side struggled to respond, and their woes deepened as £50m signing Nico González suffered a back injury on his debut, while fellow newcomer Vitor Reis was substituted at halftime. Guardiola introduced John Stones and Abdukodir Khusanov before later calling on De Bruyne and Phil Foden. City finally equalized in the 56th minute when Khusanov redirected Rico Lewis’s shot. Jack Grealish then set up De Bruyne in the 79th minute, ensuring City’s progression and sparing them extra time in a match that proved far more difficult than expected.
FULL-TIME | Into the next round 💪
🔴 1-2 💛 #ManCity | @okx pic.twitter.com/13g06fVymX
— Manchester City (@ManCity) February 8, 2025
Antony shines at Real Betis with first goal and back-to-back MVP Awards.
After a difficult spell at Manchester United, Antony is making an impressive start to his Loan at Real Betis. The Brazilian winger scored his first goal for the LaLiga club in just his second appearance, netting a well-taken strike in the 10th minute against Celta Vigo on Saturday. Despite Betis taking a 2-0 lead through Diego Llorente, they ultimately fell to a 3-2 defeat. Antony, who joined Betis on loan until the end of the season, was also named MVP for the second consecutive match after earning the honor in his debut, a 2-2 draw against Athletic Club. The £80 million signing from Ajax in 2022 failed to register a goal or assist in the Premier League for over a year, making his strong start in Spain a surprise to many. His contract with United runs until 2027, with an option to extend until 2028.
🟢⚪️ Antony scores his first goal as Real Betis player after 11 minutes against Celta Vigo.
It’s his second game as he was Man of the Match on his debut last week, right after joining on loan from Man United. pic.twitter.com/oF23EXjUs9
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) February 8, 2025