Flick and Alonso set for El Clasico showdown as Barcelona and Real Madrid eye trophy in Jeddah

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Updated 10 January 2026
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Flick and Alonso set for El Clasico showdown as Barcelona and Real Madrid eye trophy in Jeddah

JEDDAH: Barcelona coach Hansi Flick said his side are ready to give everything in Sunday night’s El Clasico final in Jeddah, as they stand one win away from lifting the trophy.

“It’s Clasico time and we can win a title. Against Athletic (Bilbao), we played as a team, as a unit. That’s what I want to see. We want to show it on the pitch; that’s the most important thing,” Flick said at his pre-match press conference.

“We want to win the final. Before Athletic, we were two games away from the title. Now it’s one. That’s what we have to think about. Ninety minutes to give it our all, 100 percent. To play as a team.”

Flick confirmed all available players are fit and the squad is preparing for every scenario, including the possibility of penalties.

“Yes, all the players are ready to be on the team. It’s great to have them all with us,” he said when asked about forward Lamine Yamal’s readiness to start.

The German also praised the setting in Jeddah.

“The atmosphere is great, the organization is very special, the fans here are supportive and outstanding, and everything is at the highest level,” he added.

Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso said his side are fully focused as they prepare for a final he described as allowing no room for error.

“It’s a special match. We’ve wanted to be here for a long time. Tomorrow the emotional aspect will be important; we have to know how to compete in order to win,” Alonso said.

On Kylian Mbappe’s condition, he added: “When he trains today, we’ll have all the information we need to assess him and see if he’s ready to start or play a little less.”


Gilgeous-Alexander leads Thunder in rout of Cavaliers

Updated 20 January 2026
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Gilgeous-Alexander leads Thunder in rout of Cavaliers

  • Reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Gilgeous-Alexander’s 30-point haul led the way, with center Chet Holmgren providing offensive support with 28 points and Luguentz Dort adding 18 points

Los Angeles: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 30 points as the Oklahoma City Thunder returned to winning ways with a 136-104 pummeling of the Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday.
Two days after suffering an upset defeat by Miami on Saturday, the NBA champions ensured there would be no repeat against Cleveland as the league marked the Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday with a packed slate of fixtures.
Apart from a brief spell at the start of the first quarter, Oklahoma City led throughout, building up a double-digit lead before accelerating away with a 45-point fourth quarter.
Reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Gilgeous-Alexander’s 30-point haul led the way, with center Chet Holmgren providing offensive support with 28 points and Luguentz Dort adding 18 points.
Isaiah Joe chipped in with 16 points from the bench while Aaron Wiggins finished with 12 as five Thunder players recorded double figures en route to a victory that sees Oklahoma City improve to 36-8 at the top of the Western Conference.
Donovan Mitchell led Cleveland with 19 points while four Cavs players — Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen, Jaylon Tyson and De’Andre Hunter — all finished with 16 points apiece.
In Monday’s other early game, Giannis Antetokounmpo’s 21 points helped the Milwaukee Bucks hold off a late rally in a 112-110 road win over the Atlanta Hawks.
Milwaukee opened a 23-point lead midway through the third quarter but a stubborn Atlanta line-up chipped away at that advantage and grabbed a slender one-point lead with just over a minute remaining before the Bucks reasserted themselves to dig out victory.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker led Atlanta’s scoring with 32 points off the bench including seven three-pointers, with Jalen Johnson finishing with 28 points for the home side.