Barca win dramatically, Real sign Xabi Alonso.

Sports news update for April 20th, with highlights including a dramatic Barca win and Real Madrid's signing of Xabi Alonso.

Barca win dramatically

In the 32nd round of La Liga 2024-2025, Barca faced immense difficulties against their nemesis Celta Vigo. Ferran Torres opened the scoring for the home team in the 12th minute, but a hat-trick from Iglesias (15th, 52nd, and 62nd minutes) helped Celta Vigo turn the tide.

Raphinha celebrates the winning goal that sealed the 4-3 victory. Photo: FC Barcelona

Needing a win to consolidate their top spot, Barca launched a full-scale attack. After numerous attempts, Olmo scored in the 64th minute, reducing the deficit to 2-3. Just four minutes later, Raphinha equalized at 3-3, before the Brazilian himself sealed the 4-3 victory in the 90+8 minute with a successful penalty.

With a dramatic 4-3 victory, Barca consolidated their position at the top of the league table with 73 points, 7 points ahead of second-placed Real Madrid but having played one more game. With six rounds remaining in the season, the championship remains within the grasp of coach Flick's team.

Real Madrid signs Xabi Alonso.

Spanish media reports that coach Ancelotti will leave Real Madrid after the 2024-2025 season ends, making way for Xabi Alonso. Since taking over Leverkusen, the Spanish coach has quickly made a name for himself with a modern football philosophy: high-pressure pressing, ball control, and intense attacking. Under his leadership, Leverkusen has not only become a real contender in the Bundesliga but also a formidable force in European competitions. Xabi Alonso still has a contract with Leverkusen until 2026, but many believe this would not be a barrier if Real Madrid truly wanted to bring the former player back to the Bernabeu.

Man City struggled to secure 3 points.

Despite being considered the favorites, Manchester City struggled to secure three points with a 2-0 victory over Everton in the final minutes of the 33rd round of the Premier League. The two goals for the home side were scored by O'Reilly (84th minute) and Kovacic (90+2 minute). This result puts Guardiola's team in fourth place in the standings with 58 points.

Kovacic scored to seal a 2-0 victory over Everton. Photo: Man City

Fabregas's team impressed.

Despite playing away at Via del Mare, Como had an excellent game, defeating Lecce 3-0 and extending their winning streak to three consecutive matches in Serie A. Under the leadership of Cesc Fabregas, the newly promoted team is making a spectacular breakthrough in the relegation battle.

The victory propelled Como to 13th place with 39 points, creating a safe 15-point gap from the relegation zone with only 5 rounds remaining in the season. Conversely, Lecce languished in 17th place with 26 points, just 2 points ahead of Venezia and Empoli, and having played one more game.

Bayern unleashes its anger.

After a bitter elimination from the UEFA Champions League, Bayern Munich secured a resounding 4-0 victory against Heidenheim in the 30th round of the 2024-2025 Bundesliga season. This win helped Bayern ease the disappointment of their Champions League exit and solidified their position at the top of the Bundesliga table. Coach Kompany's team now leads Leverkusen by 9 points, despite having played one more game, and holds a significant advantage in their quest to reclaim the Bundesliga title.

Yamal is the most expensive player in the Champions League semi-finals.

According to the CIES Football Observatory, Barcelona's young talent Yamal is the most expensive player in the 2024-2025 UEFA Champions League semi-finals, valued at €197 million. Following him are: Saka (€127 million), Pedri (€126 million), Joao Neves (€110 million), Lautaro Martinez (€109 million), Pau Cubarsi (€104 million), Rice (€99.5 million), and Bradley Barcola (€98.4 million).

HOAI PHUONG (compiled)

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