Author: Daily Sabah With Agencies

Real Madrid didn’t win a title on Wednesday – but it won a matter of pride. Jacobo Ramon struck deep into stoppage time as Madrid clawed back to beat Mallorca 2-1 at the Santiago Bernabeu, keeping Barcelona’s La Liga coronation on ice for at least another day. With the league all but lost, Madrid’s mission was singular: Don’t let Barça celebrate early. Mission accomplished – barely. Mallorca stunned the hosts with an 11th-minute opener from Martin Valjent, forcing Madrid into chase mode. The breakthrough came in the 68th minute, when Kylian Mbappe weaved through two defenders and slotted home the…

Just hours before a potential La Liga coronation, Barcelona suffered a blow as red-hot forward Ferran Torres was ruled out for the remainder of the season after undergoing emergency surgery for appendicitis. Torres, 25, was rushed into surgery late Tuesday at Hospital de Barcelona, where doctors Coroleu and Borras performed the operation under the supervision of club medics. The procedure was successful. “Appendicitis overcome!!” Torres posted on Instagram Wednesday morning. “It’s time to support the team tonight from here to be champions of La Liga!” The Spanish international had been expected to start in Thursday’s Catalan derby against Espanyol –…

The Mediterranean Turkish city of Antalya, venue of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, will host another high-profile diplomatic event on Thursday. Foreign ministers of NATO member states started arriving in the province for the summit, which will officially open on Thursday. Speaking ahead of the informal meeting, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte highlighted Türkiye’s significant role, particularly in resolving the Russia-Ukraine conflict through a much-anticipated meeting in Istanbul, also scheduled for Thursday. “President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is an amazing leader within NATO and really respected by his colleagues,” Rutte told Anadolu Agency (AA) in Antalya on Wednesday. “I think there is this…

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will be heading to the Ukraine-Russia talks in Türkiye on Thursday, President Donald Trump said Tuesday. Trump voiced optimism that the talks between Ukraine and Russia, set for Istanbul later this week, could yield “pretty good results.” “I’ve also been working relentlessly to end the terrible bloodshed between Russia and Ukraine, and very importantly, talks are being held in Turkey later this week, probably on Thursday, and they could produce some pretty good results,” Trump said in the Saudi capital of Riyadh. “Our people are going to be going there – (Secretary of State)…

Some lost their next of kin to acts of terrorism by the PKK, others had their children lured into joining the group. Their hope, however, is common: the campaign of violence that has lingered since the 1980s will finally come to an end. As the PKK formally announced on Monday that it would dissolve, it is deemed good news for millions in Türkiye. Among them were the Diyarbakır Mothers, a group of demonstrators who have been staging a sit-in in the eponymous Turkish province for years for the return of their sons and daughters brainwashed to join the PKK. Hours…

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte met President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in the capital, Ankara, on Tuesday. Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and the president’s chief foreign policy and security adviser, Akif Çağatay Kılıç, accompanied the NATO secretary-general and the president at the meeting at the Presidential Complex. The meeting precedes a two-day critical meeting of the alliance’s foreign ministers. Ministers will gather in the southern province of Antalya for an informal meeting on Wednesday and Thursday. The summit’s last day coincides with a much-anticipated meeting between Ukrainian and Russian officials for another attempt at peace in Istanbul. The gathering in Antalya will…

The Turkish Cup’s 63rd edition reaches its climax on Wednesday as last year’s runners-up Galatasaray lock horns with Trabzonspor at Gaziantep Stadium. Galatasaray arrive as last season’s Süper Lig champions, entering the tournament directly at the group stage. Placed in Group C alongside Başakşehir, Boluspor, and Konyaspor, the Lions stumbled out of the gates with a 2-2 draw against Başakşehir, bounced back with a commanding 4-1 win over Boluspor, then settled for a goalless draw against Konyaspor. With five points, they finished level on points and goal difference with Başakşehir but advanced to the knockout stage on fair play –…

Carlo Ancelotti has accepted Brazilian football’s ultimate dare – to rescue the Selecao from chaos and deliver World Cup glory in just over a year. The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) confirmed Monday that the decorated Italian tactician will officially take over on May 26, the day after La Liga ends, cutting short his tenure at Real Madrid by a year. The deal’s financials remain undisclosed, but the mission is clear: revive Brazil’s flailing squad and reclaim their global dominance by 2026. “Bringing Carlo Ancelotti to lead Brazil is more than a strategic move. It is a statement to the world,”…

Carlo Ancelotti has accepted Brazilian football’s ultimate dare – to rescue the Selecao from chaos and deliver World Cup glory in just over a year. The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) confirmed Monday that the decorated Italian tactician will officially take over on May 26, the day after La Liga ends, cutting short his tenure at Real Madrid by a year. The deal’s financials remain undisclosed, but the mission is clear: revive Brazil’s flailing squad and reclaim their global dominance by 2026. “Bringing Carlo Ancelotti to lead Brazil is more than a strategic move. It is a statement to the world,”…

Carlo Ancelotti has accepted Brazilian football’s ultimate dare – to rescue the Selecao from chaos and deliver World Cup glory in just over a year. The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) confirmed Monday that the decorated Italian tactician will officially take over on May 26, the day after La Liga ends, cutting short his tenure at Real Madrid by a year. The deal’s financials remain undisclosed, but the mission is clear: revive Brazil’s flailing squad and reclaim their global dominance by 2026. “Bringing Carlo Ancelotti to lead Brazil is more than a strategic move. It is a statement to the world,”…