Football: FIFA suspend Spanish football chief Rubiales after Hermoso kiss

BARCELONA, Spain -- FIFA suspended Luis Rubiales as president of Spain's football federation on Saturday for kissing Women's World Cup player Jenni Hermoso on the lips, while even his close friend Jorge Vilda joined the tidal wave of criticism.

The move by world football's governing body was the latest development in a deepening row pitting Rubiales and the federation (RFEF) against Hermoso and her Spain teammates, which the players say has tarnished the glory of winning the World Cup in Australia last Sunday.

"(We) decided today to provisionally suspend Mr. Luis Rubiales from all football-related activities at national and international level," FIFA said, banning him and the RFEF from contacting Hermoso or those close to her.

The suspension of Rubiales will last 90 days while FIFA undertake disciplinary proceedings against the 46-year-old.

Later Saturday the majority of the women's team's coaching staff offered their resignations over Rubiales' conduct, although controversial coach Vilda was not among them.

Meanwhile 81 players including Hermoso are on strike from the national team.

"I deeply regret that Spanish women's football's triumph has been harmed by the improper behavior of our leader Luis Rubiales, which he himself has acknowledged," said controversial coach Vilda in a statement to domestic EFE news agency.

Vilda, who was seen applauding Rubiales' speech on Friday in which he refused to resign despite unprecedented criticism, was told in it by the president he would be offered a new deal with a huge pay hike.

Six of Vilda's first-team staff and five others working in women's football in the RFEF offered to step down because of the "unacceptable attitudes and statements" from Rubiales.

They added that they supported Hermoso's version of events.

Hermoso and 80 other Spain players, including the entire World Cup squad, said they will not play for the national team until the "leadership" changes.

The RFEF responded to FIFA's suspension, saying Rubiales has "full confidence in the FIFA bodies" and will defend himself "so the truth prevails and his complete innocence is proven".

The federation also said Pedro Rocha would take over as interim president during Rubiales' suspension.

- Defiant -

Rubiales had been under intense pressure to quit but at an emergency RFEF meeting on Friday he was defiant, saying he refused to resign and claiming he was the target of a "social assassination"

On Saturday, the federation upped the ante by threatening legal action over Hermoso's "lies" about the kiss.

Hermoso said "at no time" did she consent to the kiss following the 1-0 win in the final against England in Sydney, which Rubiales described as "mutual, euphoric and consensual".

The RFEF responded, saying it would take "as many legal actions as necessary to defend the honor of the President of the RFEF."

Later Saturday the federation published another statement attacking Hermoso.

"Hermoso lies in all the statements she makes against the president, as we will have the opportunity to prove in due course," it read.

The RFEF said Hermoso had described the kiss as "a mere anecdote without significance" in statements to a FIFA welfare officer soon after it happened. Later they deleted the statement.

- 'Victim of assault' -

Hermoso hit back strongly against Rubiales' claims the kiss was consensual, saying she felt "vulnerable and the victim of an assault".

"I want to clarify that at no time did I consent to the kiss that he gave me and in no case did I seek to lift up the president," she said in the statement on Friday released through the women players' Futpro union.

The Spanish government had confirmed earlier Saturday they had also started a process which may allow them to suspend Rubiales from his post next week.

Spain's High Council for Sport (CSD) president Victor Francos said FIFA's suspension was "no obstacle" for the domestic investigation into Rubiales' conduct to continue.

Players from World Cup runners-up England released a statement in support of Hermoso on their social networks, signed "The Lionesses".

"Unacceptable actions allowed to happen by a sexist and patriarchal organization. Abuse is abuse and we have all seen the truth," it read.

Before the tournament 15 Spain players had taken a similar stance against the federation and Vilda, but many relented and three were part of the World Cup team.

Spain's men's coach Luis de la Fuente described Rubiales' behavior as "wrong".

"I hope that this unpleasant episode comes to an end as soon as possible for the good of Spanish football and that the competent bodies resolve and take the relevant decisions as quickly as possible," he told EFE.

Agence France-Presse

England, Spain pursue history in Women's World Cup final

SYDNEY — History will be made at the Women's World Cup on Sunday when England and Spain clash in the final in Sydney with both bidding to win the tournament for the first time.

The game kicks off at 1000 GMT (6 p.m. in Manila) in front of an anticipated sell-out crowd of about 75,000 at Stadium Australia.

It will be the final act of a tournament full of shocks which began one month ago and started with 32 teams, making it the biggest Women's World Cup ever.

Now they are down to the last two and it's a final too close to call. Neither team has ever got this far before.

The two sides last met at the European Championship last summer, when hosts England squeezed into the semi-finals 2-1 in extra time and went on to lift the trophy.

Coach Sarina Wiegman and defender Millie Bright said they were attempting to think of this as just another game, but the skipper admitted there was no getting away from the enormity of the occasion.

British media has been full of references to 1966 -- when the country won the men's World Cup for the only time.

"We know how passionate our nation is back home and how much they want us to win," Bright said on Saturday.

"But for us there is a process, we have a game plan to execute and we need to play the game of our lives."

Chelsea attacker Lauren James is back from a two-match ban for stamping on an opponent in the last-16 victory on penalties over Nigeria.

It would be a surprise, however, if Wiegman makes any changes to the side that impressively saw off Colombia 2-1 and then disposed of co-hosts Australia in the semi-final.

"We have grown through the tournament, we've grown in confidence and we are just preparing as we always do," said Wiegman.

'NEXT QUESTION'

Except against Nigeria, England have been mostly ruthless and machine-like in reaching the final, especially in silencing the home crowd in the 3-1 victory over Australia.

Spain are more slick and have often passed their opponents into submission, coupled with sparks of attacking flair.

England are unbeaten at the tournament, but a notable blip for Jorge Vilda's side was their 4-0 drubbing to a Japan team which hit Spain at pace on the counterattack in the group phase.

Spain had never even won a knockout match at the World Cup until this edition and their exploits are even more impressive for the turmoil that threatened to torpedo their chances.

In September last year, 15 players -- many of them from European powerhouse Barcelona -- came out and said they no longer wanted to represent their country.

They had numerous complaints, but their chief issue was with Vilda -- how strict he was, his lack of success, his tactics and his methods.

Three of the 15 mutineers returned for the World Cup and one of them, Barcelona midfield schemer Aitana Bonmati, has been among the best players at the tournament.

Vilda has been asked repeatedly by reporters at the World Cup about the missing players and was once quizzed about whether the ones he brought to Australia and New Zealand even liked him.

On the eve of the final he appeared to have had enough of that line of questioning, replying: "Next question, please."

He was more forthright about the spirit among his players, saying they were "united".

"The training sessions, the games, everything that's happened outside has been extraordinary," he said.

'SORRY' PRINCE WILLIAM 

Spain's Queen Letizia will be in attendance but Prince William -- chairman of England's Football Association -- has faced criticism for staying at home.

"Lionesses I want to send you a huge good luck for tomorrow," he said in a video with daughter Charlotte sitting next to him.

"We're sorry we can't be there in person but we're so proud of everything you've achieved and the millions you've inspired here and around the world."

Whoever wins, it will be a new name on the Women's World Cup.

The United States, who had been chasing a third title in a row, went out on penalties in the last 16 to Sweden.

Norway, Germany and Japan are the only other nations to have lifted the trophy.

Agence France-Presse 

Ronaldo denied as Portugal held by Spain

Cristiano Ronaldo hit the crossbar as Portugal and Spain played out a goalless draw in a compelling friendly in Lisbon on Wednesday.

Ronaldo and Renato Sanchez both struck the woodwork for Portugal, who then should have won it in injury-time only for Joao Felix to miskick at the back post.

Spain was the better team early on at the Jose Alvalade stadium and also went close through Dani Olmo but neither side was able to claim victory ahead of upcoming games in the Nations League.

“I think we were better than Portugal,” said Spain coach Luis Enrique. “We dominated the game. For sure they had two shots on the break that hit the bar and one that Kepa saved but we had chances as well.”

Both sit top of their Nations League groups, Portugal with maximum points after beating Croatia and Sweden while Spain has four after thrashing Ukraine and drawing with Germany.

Spain goes up against Switzerland on Saturday before playing against Ukraine three days later. Portugal face world champions France on Sunday and then play at home to Sweden.

During the first half, it was also announced by the football federations of the two countries they will stage a joint bid to host the 2030 World Cup.

They will be competing against Morocco, as well as another joint bid from Uruguay, Argentina, Paraguay and Chile.

The last time Spain and Portugal met was for the thrilling 3-3 draw at the 2018 World Cup, when Ronaldo scored a hat-trick, including a stunning late equalizer from a free-kick.

This was a far less dramatic contest, with both teams still rebuilding ahead of next year’s postponed European Championships.

It was the first time Spain had failed to score since losing to Italy at the 2016 European Championships in France.

Luis Enrique fielded an experimental eleven, which included Chelsea’s struggling goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga, Manchester City’s 19-year-old central defender Eric Garcia and the newly called-up Sergio Canales in midfield.

For Portugal, the 20-year-old Francisco Trincao, who has just joined Barcelona, started in a front three with Ronaldo and Andre Silva.

Spain enjoyed a superb opening quarter of an hour but had nothing to show for it, as Gerard Moreno missed from close range and Olmo volleyed wide.

Portugal went closest in the second half. Ronaldo shifted onto his left foot and thundered a shot against the crossbar. He then turned provider, curving a pass right to Renato, whose effort also crashed against the frame and bounced out.

The best chance though fell to Felix in injury-time, the ball finding him free at the back post, only for the youngster to slide and somehow fail to connect.

Agence France-Presse 

Barcelona FC to cut salaries during coronavirus stoppage

BARCELONA, Spain — Barcelona will reduce the salaries of its players amid the coronavirus outbreak.

The Spanish club said late Thursday that its executive board decided to temporarily suspend player contracts, which leads to a “proportional reduction of the remuneration provided for in the respective contracts.”


The player contracts will remain intact during the suspension. Employers in Spain are allowed to reduce labor costs while guaranteeing that workers will return to their jobs once conditions improve.

The club said it had not decided by how much the salaries will be lowered.

Barcelona is the first Spanish league club to say it will reduce salaries.

In the 2018-19 season, Barcelona said player salaries for its sports teams accounted for 671 million euros ($727 million) of its 973 million euros ($1.05 billion) in expenses. Barcelona also fields teams in basketball, handball and other smaller sports, but its soccer squad takes up most of its salary costs.

The Spanish league stopped play two weeks ago because of the coronavirus outbreak.

AP

FIBA will look to ease travel burdens at 2023 World Cup

BEIJING — FIBA will look at adjusting travel demands on teams at the next World Cup, after this tournament in China led to many complaints about the distances that nations participating in the knockout stages had to cover without much time to prepare for games.

Some teams faced major travel challenges at the tournament’s most crucial time. And multiple nations argued that the semifinal-game winners — Spain and Argentina — benefited from having two days off before those matchups, while semifinal losers Australia and France had only one day.

FIBA contended that playing a tournament-record 92 games in 16 days across eight cities meant some logistical headaches were inevitable. And with the next World Cup in 2023 set to be spread out over three countries — Indonesia, Japan and the Philippines — more challenges are likely then as well.

“After having experienced it, on paper sometimes it looks perfect,” FIBA Secretary General Andreas Zagklis said. “Then you see the imperfect aspects of it. These are the things we’re ready to improve in the future.”

Serbia coach Sasha Djordjevic, who resigned from his national team on Saturday, said the rest factor should be equal going forward. He also thought cramming so many games into such a short time span affected the quality of play as the tournament went along.

“Give the same conditions to all the competitors to have the same rest days, the same conditions to compete,” Djordjevic said. “After 15 days of games and games and game, and back to back … you need that rest to give your best basketball.”


In other matters addressed by Zagklis on Sunday:

USA STRUGGLE

Zagklis was asked his reaction to many top NBA players not making the trip to China for the World Cup, which is one of the reasons why the U.S. — which had won the last two titles at the event — finished only seventh in China, its lowest finish ever at a World Cup or Olympic event.

“It’s not our job to put together the roster of any of the 32 teams,” Zagklis said. “We set the stage, the conditions for all the teams and then each national federation has its own way of approaching the players and having them commit to play for the national team.”

Zagklis also said many nations, with the exception of the U.S. and Canada, brought most of their top NBA players.


BOGUT PROBE

Australia center Andrew Bogut complained loudly and profanely after his team’s semifinal loss to Spain, calling FIBA a “disgrace” and alleging that a call late in regulation against the Boomers cheated them of a spot in the gold-medal game.

Australia lost to Spain in double overtime. Bogut played in Sunday’s bronze-medal game, which Australia lost to France, but FIBA will still complete an inquiry into what he said and may take disciplinary action.

“We do have a very specific set of regulations and a set of principles,” Zagklis said. “Where these lines are crossed, we have a disciplinary procedure and in this case there will be a disciplinary procedure.”

OLYMPIC QUALIFYING

There will be 24 teams competing next year for the last four available spots in the men’s basketball tournament at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The U.S., Spain, France, Argentina, Nigeria, Iran, Australia and the host Japanese have already grabbed eight of the 12 slots in the field.

Zagklis said FIBA doesn’t plan to take long before announcing dates and sites for the four six-team tournaments that will decide those spots. The winner of each of those tournaments qualify for Tokyo.

Interested nations will have the right to bid to host one of the qualifiers, and will have to pay a hosting fee if selected.

Zagklis said the tournaments will take place on multiple continents, since both FIBA and the International Olympic Committee want the game exposed to as many parts of the world as possible.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Gerard Pique handed €2.1 million tax bill

Barcelona’s Gerard Pique will be forced to pay 2.1 million euros ($2.36 million) to Spain’s tax authorities after his conviction for rights-image fraud was confirmed, a legal source told AFP on Wednesday.

According to a May 13 decision the country’s National Court rejected Pique’s appeal against the 2016 sentence which required the former Spain international to pay 1.5 million euros in tax arrears and a 600,000 euros fine.

The tribunal concluded Pique had faked the handover of his rights images to his Kerad Project company to pay less tax for 2008, 2009 and 2010.

Pique, a World Cup and European Championships winner retains the right to appeal to Spain’s supreme court.

The verdict comes a month after his wife, Colombian musician Shakira, was questioned by a judge near the Catalan city over alleged evasion of 14.5 million euros in taxes.

Her press team released a statement in which they said the artist was innocent.

The center-back’s former teammate at the Camp Nou Neymar is under investigation by Spain’s fiscal authorities over a bonus he received at Barca as well as his world-record transfer to Paris Saint-Germain.

Another of Pique’s fellow club squad members Lionel Messi, paid a two-million-euro fine in 2016 in his own tax wrangle and received a 21-month jail term.

The prison sentence was later reduced to a further fine of 252,000 euros, equivalent to 400 euros per day of the original term.

A Spanish court in January handed Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo a suspended two-year prison sentence for committing tax fraud when he was at Real Madrid.

The player, who joined Italian side Juventus last year, also agreed to pay 18.8 million euros in fines and back taxes to settle the case, according to judicial sources.

Newspaper El Mundo reported in April authorities had accused Atletico Madrid attacker Diego Costa of fraud totaling 1.1 million euros related to taxes related to his image rights in 2014.

source: sports.inquirer.net

A show of force for 5G at CES 2019

The coming year will be a pivotal one for 5G, the fifth generation mobile communications standard which will set new bandwidth records. Mobile network operators and mobile phone manufacturers at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, running Jan. 8 to 11, will be unveiling a host of new smart solutions for homes, companies, cars and entertainment, which make use of this new technology.

Smart cities already figured large in discussions at the 2018 CES. This year’s show is expected to be marked by the emergence of practical applications in a range of areas: the internet of things, home automation, corporate environment automation, self-driving cars, entertainment, as well as virtual and augmented reality.


A number of 5G infrastructure projects will be unveiled at Las Vegas, with others expected for the end of February at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain. At a time when AT&T has only recently launched its network, which for the moment is limited to a dozen cities, Verizon and other competing operators may take advantage of the show to publicize their new offers.

With regard to the first 5G-compatible smartphones, these are also expected to be released in the first quarter of 2019. Hot on the heels of Qualcomm’s presentation of its latest 5G-compatible Snapdragon 855 processor, Chinese manufacturers OnePlus and Xiaomi are already embroiled in a telecom war over who will be the first to bring out a phone featuring this new 5G chip.

The arrival of 5G is set to pave the way for download speeds that are up to 100 times faster than those that are possible under 4G as well as game-changing developments in electronics markets such as very high definition streaming, the widespread adoption of the Internet of things, and the launch of self-driving smart vehicles. JB

source: technology.inquirer.net

Barcelona’s Messi sentenced to 21 months for tax fraud

BARCELONA — A court in Spain on Wednesday sentenced Barcelona striker Lionel Messi and his father to 21 months in jail for tax fraud and slapped them with a fine of 3.7 million euros ($4.1 million).

But these prison sentences are likely to be suspended as is common in Spain for first offences for non-violent crimes carrying a sentence of less than two years.

A court in Spain on Wednesday sentenced Barcelona striker Lionel Messi and his father to 21 months in jail for tax fraud and slapped them with a fine of 3.7 million euros ($4.1 million).

But these prison sentences are likely to be suspended as is common in Spain for first offences for non-violent crimes carrying a sentence of less than two years.

The Argentina and Barcelona star and his father Jorge Horacio Messi were found guilty of using companies in Belize and Uruguay to avoid paying taxes on 4.16 million euros of Messi’s income earned from his image rights from 2007-09.

The income related to Messi’s image rights that was allegedly hidden includes endorsement deals with Banco Sabadell, Danone, Adidas, Pepsi-Cola, Procter & Gamble and the Kuwait Food Company.

source: sports.inquirer.net

WATCH: High tech mattress can detect cheating partners

Cheats between the sheets, beware—there’s a new detective in town.

Men and women have a new way of finding out if their partner is being unfaithful, as Spanish firm Durmet has come up with a high-tech mattress that can monitor “suspicious movement” in the bed.

The ‘Smarttress’, a normal looking-mattress, offers a one-of-a kind “Lover Detection System”  that uses 24 ultrasonic sensors to detect when it’s in motion and how many occupants are using it.

Citing reports from the Huffington Post, the slick invention generates a 3D map to show which areas of the mattress are receiving greater pressure and what movement is taking place.

It gets better, the deception-detecting device also measures frequency, intensity, time of use and speed—which then sends an alert via a smartphone app, informing the worried party that their bed is being used.

The 1-minute and 41-seconds promotional video shown , also gave a glimpse of the company’s hilarious tag-line “If your partner isn’t faithful, at least your mattress is.”

According to Durmet, the idea behind ‘Smarttress’ stems from studies showing that men and women in Spain are the most unfaithful bunch in Europe.

“We came up with an idea that could reassure men and women not only during the night, but also during the day when they leave their home to go to work,” said company spokesperson Jose Antonio Muíño.

“Smarttress isn’t the type of product you’d go shopping for at the weekend with your partner if you suspected them of cheating, so it will only be available on request,” he added.

The infidelity-exposing mattress comes in four different sizes and buyers can expect total confidentiality with every purchase.

Those who seek to catch their partner red handed, however, must be prepared to shell-out a hefty $1,350 (P62,565). Khristian Ibarrola, INQUIRER.net

source: technology.inquirer.net

Clash of soccer fans in Spain leaves 1 dead, 11 injured

MADRID — One man died and 11 others suffered minor injuries after a fight broke out outside Atletico Madrid’s soccer stadium between its fans and those of visiting team Deportivo La Coruna, officials said Sunday.

Madrid’s Clinico San Carlos hospital said a man died of injuries sustained in the clash between rival fans that broke out hours before the game near the Vicente Calderon stadium. Police made several arrests.

The man, identified only as a 43-year-old Deportivo fan, had to be removed from Madrid’s Manzanares River and attended to by emergency services, which initially resuscitated him before transferring him to hospital where he died hours later.

Televised images on Canal Plus showed large groups of men wielding what appeared to be metal poles, tossing chairs and firing flares on the wide pavement along the bank of the river. Images also showed at least one man falling into the water.

The presidents of both clubs appeared together on television to lament the incident.

“This has nothing to do with football,” said Atletico president Enrique Cerezo. “Neither Atletico nor Deportivo have anything to do with these incidents, they are organized by radical groups who have their histories and accounts to settle.”

Sports minister Jose Ignacio Wert also said the clash was not linked to sport, but it nevertheless tarnished its image and “had to be eradicated.”

Two people who were at a bar linked to Atletico’s fan club in the northwestern city of A Coruna were slightly injured in a separate incident at noon when they were involved in a barroom brawl with six hooded men, Europa Press news agency reported.

Police said on its Twitter account they had made 24 arrests among four radical groups linked to football clubs, and named them as: “Riazor Blues, Atletico Front, Buccaneers, and Alkor Hooligans.”

The 11 injured included a police officer who suffered a broken finger.

“We are very sad, and we condemn this completely,” said Atletico coach Diego Simeone. “We hope these types of situations don’t happen again.”

The Spanish league said in a statement that it had tried to suspend the match before it began.

“The Spanish football league was firm in its conviction to suspend the match, but that wasn’t possible,” the league said in a statement without explaining why the match started as scheduled at 1100 GMT.

In December 1998 a Real Sociedad fan was killed outside Atletico’s stadium and a man was sentenced to a 17-year jail term for his murder.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Spain euthanizes pet dog of Ebola-infected woman

MADRID—The protesters, chanting “Assassins!” as they scuffled with police in front of a suburban Madrid apartment complex, made their demand clear: No matter how desperate officials might be to stop the spread of Ebola, an innocent pet must not be made a casualty.

By nightfall Wednesday, that campaign to save one family’s dog had turned in to a global outcry when the protest detonated online, generating hundreds of thousands of petition signatures and more social networking mentions than teen idol Justin Bieber. In the end, though, it did no good — Spanish health officials announced the pet had been  euthanized  and its body incinerated.

The brief but intense battle over the life of Excalibur, a light brown mixed breed belonging to a Spanish nursing assistant and her husband, began soon after the woman was diagnosed with the deadly virus Monday, contracted when she treated a victim who came from Sierra Leone.

Officials from Madrid’s regional government got a court order Tuesday to  euthanize  the pet, despite uncertainty over whether the dog was also infected or risked spreading the disease to humans. By that afternoon, 30 to 40 animal rights activists had taken up positions outside nursing assistant Teresa Romero’s apartment complex, determined to prevent officials from entering.

Then Romero’s quarantined husband, Javier, recruited a veterinarian who hosts a popular radio talk show in a bid to spare his dog’s life.

“I’m in the hospital and I’m making a call to all people to help me save my dog Excalibur because they want to kill him just like that, without following any procedure,” Javier Romero said in a video appeal from his hospital room. Within hours, the cause went viral.

On Twitter, the hashtag #SalvemosaExcalibur — “Let’s Save Excalibur” — was tweeted nearly 400,000 times in 24 hours, making it the social networking site’s second most popular meme worldwide. That outpaced new mentions of Bieber, and was second only to a hashtag drawing attention to a Syrian village on the border with Turkey under attack from the Islamic State militant group.

“We need to save Excalibur’s life!!,” a person self-identified as Massiel Ayleen tweeted. “Spain save him don’t sacrifice him, he deserves treatment.”

In an equally short time, a petition set up on the Change.org website demanding the dog’s life be saved garnered more than 380,000 signatures, and a second petition gathered 70,000 more.

At Romero’s apartment complex, the dog was seen pacing the balcony Wednesday. Police pulled away activists who blocked the road Wednesday when firefighters and workers in white hazardous materials suits tried to entered the complex.

But after refusing the say when the dog would be taken away, the Madrid regional government announced Wednesday evening that it had  euthanized  the pet.

Excalibur was “sedated beforehand to avoid suffering,” Madrid’s regional health agency said in a statement.

The corpse was then “put into a sealed biosecurity device and transferred for incineration at an authorized disposal facility,” the statement said.

The health agency said that the dog was killed because it posed a risk of transmitting the disease to humans.

There is no documented case of Ebola spreading to people from dogs. But at least one major study suggests dogs can get the disease without showing symptoms. Experts say they are uncertain of what risk that poses to humans. Spanish authorities, though, were taking no chances.

When the white veterinary van carrying Excalibur’s body left the apartment complex Wednesday, black plastic covered the outside of the windows. Dozens of protesters stood in front of it and forced it to stop, briefly. Then baton-wielding police officers beat back the crowd and the van drove away.

source: newsinfo.inquirer.net

Ronaldo, Diego Costa give Madrid, Atletico wins

BARCELONA, Spain — Cristiano Ronaldo scored his Spanish league-leading 25th goal to give Real Madrid a lackluster 1-0 win at Malaga on Saturday, when the pacesetters extended their unbeaten run to 30 matches in all competitions.

Diego Costa made sure Atletico Madrid stayed within three points of its crosstown rivals by scoring his 22nd league goal of the season in a 1-0 win at home over Espanyol.

Ronaldo netted the winner in the 23rd minute, and a tired-looking Madrid team was fortunate Malaga failed to muster a comeback after pushing the visitors into their area for the final 10 minutes.

Third-place Barcelona will enter Sunday’s match against Osasuna seven points behind Madrid in the league standings. The two powerhouses are set to clash in the Spanish capital next weekend.

Madrid’s win was tarnished by the loss of Karim Benzema to a right thigh injury after colliding with Ronaldo in the first half.

“We suffered, above all in the second half,” Madrid midfielder Xabi Alonso said. “They pressed us and it was tough for us to move the ball. These are three important points. There are 10 games left and we have to play each one like it’s the last.”

Elsewhere, Rayo Vallecano beat Almeria 3-1 to provisionally escape the relegation zone with a third consecutive victory, while Celta Vigo earned an entertaining 1-0 win at Levante.

The opening stage of the match at La Rosaleda Stadium was a vibrant back-and-forth exchange before Ronaldo put Madrid ahead with a wonderful solo effort.

He appeared to be hemmed in by two defenders on the edge of the area, but he took three touches to his right and lashed a bouncing strike beyond goalkeeper Willy Caballero. Ronaldo’s goal gave him 39 goals from 36 games in all competitions this season.

Ronaldo went close again twice, first being blocked by Caballero and then sending Gareth Bale’s lobbed pass into the side netting before he ran into Benzema.

Benzema was treated on the sideline by team doctors before he replaced by Angel Di Maria in the 31st.

Former Malaga player Francisco “Isco” Alarcon, who joined Madrid this summer, wasted a golden chance in the 51st when he sent the ball sailing high after Di Maria set him up for a one-on-one with Caballero.

Madrid, dominant in the first half, lost control of the ball and Malaga tilted the match in its favor led by tireless forward Nordin Amrabat. But defender Sergio Sanchez missed his team’s most promising opportunity to level in the 76th.

“This team is consistent game after game,” Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said. “We are ready for the clasico.”

But before receiving fierce rival Barcelona, Madrid hosts Schalke on Tuesday with one foot in the Champions League quarterfinals after winning their first meeting 6-1.

Atletico coach Diego Simeone continued to play down his team’s title chances, for now, saying there’s a long way to go in the season.

“When there are five games left and we are in the same situation, you will hear me say something different,” he said.

The first half at Vicente Calderon Stadium was dominated by the defenses and featured a good save each by Atletico’s Courtois Thibaut and Espanyol’s Kiko Casilla.

Diego Costa broke through in the 55th when he received a throughball from David Villa, easily fended off Diego Colotto’s timid attempt to slow him down, and fired the ball past Casilla.

“Espanyol played a great game and complicated our lives a lot,” Diego Costa said. “But that just makes us stronger.”

Rayo won thanks to Joaquin Larrivey’s double after Alberto Bueno headed in the opener. Fernando Soriano scored for Almeria.

Rayo rose three points above the danger zone. Almeria was left in the drop zone along with Valladolid and Real Betis before they play on Sunday.

Celta forward Manuel “Nolito” Agudo scored from a counterattack in the 19th. David Barral missed a penalty for Levante in the 61st.

Real’s Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates his goal during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Levante at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, Sunday, March 9, 2014. (AP Photo/Andres Kudacki)

source: sports.inquirer.net

Shares in Spain’s Repsol soar on news of YPF deal

MADRID, Spain—Shares in Spanish oil company Repsol are soaring following news it has struck a preliminary deal to receive compensation from Argentina for last year’s expropriation of its YPF unit.

Repsol’s shares rose by 4.2 percent to 19.22 euros ($25.97) in early trading Tuesday in Madrid.

Repsol, YPF and Mexico’s Pemex—which holds a stake in Repsol—said Monday they had agreed tentatively on a process for determining compensation. No further details were released.

Argentina expropriated Repsol’s controlling 51-percent stake in YPF in 2012, without payment. The seizure infuriated Spain and led to criticism by the European Union, the United States and some Latin American leaders.

The Spanish energy giant has demanded $10.5 billion in compensation.

The agreement must be ratified at a Repsol board meeting Wednesday.

source: business.inquirer.net

Ford puts phone apps in the driving seat

Barcelona, Spain (CNN) -- Not content with revolutionizing smart phones, mobile apps now appear to be in the driving seat of the auto industry as manufacturers increasingly surrender control of their vehicles to technology.

Signs of the increasing dominance of the app came on Monday with Ford's decision to launch its newest B-Max compact at Mobile World Congress -- a phone industry gathering in Barcelona -- rather than a motor show.


source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/02/27/tech/mobile/ford-mobile-technology/index.html

Unions protest Spanish labor reforms

Madrid (CNN) -- Spain's largest unions carried out mass protests across the country Sunday in response to labor-market changes announced by the government.

Protesters packed the streets of Madrid, marching against measures they said will make it cheaper and easier to fire workers.

Sunday's demonstrations were the first major union protests against Spain's new conservative government, which took office two months ago.

Spain's unemployment rate is nearly 23%, and its youth unemployment rate is nearly 50%. About 5.2 million people in the country are jobless.

Last week Spain's parliament approved the labor reforms, which the nation's Cabinet approved earlier this month.

Government officials have argued that the new labor reforms will reduce unemployment and give workers more rights, such as an annual 20-hour paid leave for training.

But protesters said the reforms -- which also reduce the amount of severance employers must pay -- will further cripple the country.

Business administration student Raquel Tapia Solascasas carried a large pair of cardboard scissors, protesting cutbacks in education.

Pedro Munoz, a welder, said he was marching Sunday because he was worried about his grandchildren's future.

source: CNN

Mercedes tops F1 test; Lotus fastest 2012 car

JEREZ, Spain (AP) — The new Mercedes car topped Formula One preseason testing for a second straight day, while Lotus was quickest of the season's new competitors.

Nico Rosberg was fastest around the Jerez circuit on Thursday with a lap of 1 minute, 17.613 seconds, following Michael Schumacher's leading pace on Wednesday.

French driver Romain Grosjean in a Lotus was the fastest in the 2012 designs at 1:18.419. It was more than eight-tenths of a second faster than two-time defending world champion Sebastian Vettel of Red Bull, who was driving for the first time.

Lewis Hamilton's first spin in the new McLaren placed him fourth ahead of Jean-Eric Vergne of Toro Rosso. Fernando Alonso kicked off his Ferrari campaign with the seventh-fastest time.


source: philstar.com