The Club once again gives the chance to members older than 16 years to enjoy a first team fixture from the basketball, handball, futsal or roller hockey teams from the Presidential Box at the Palau Blaugrana. Those interested need to register on the website between 10am CEST on 27 August and 7pm CEST on 7 September for a draw to take place in the presence of a notary on 9 September.
To take part members must be older than 16, have their membership payments up to date, have an updated members’ card with photograph and not to have been sanctioned by the Disciplinary Committee or the Anti-Violence Commission.
For the games assigned for the Open VIP Box, there will be four winners who can also bring a guest over the age of 16. The Club will be contact with the lucky winners with the details of the game to be attended.
Athletic Bilbao beat Rayo Vallecano 1-0 on Monday to remain unbeaten after two games for their best start to La Liga since 2013 as Getafe also maintained their perfect run 2-1 at Sevilla.
Athletic, competing in this season’s Champions League, moved to a five-way tie at the top of the table thanks to Oihan Sancet.
Sancet made his mark on his return to action after three weeks on the sidelines with a knee injury sustained in a friendly match against Liverpool.
He won and converted a penalty in the 66th minute to join champions Barcelona, Real Madrid, Villarreal and Getafe on six points.
Getafe made it two wins from two with Adrian Liso scoring both goals in a 2-1 win at Sevilla.
Liso scored the opener after quarter of an hour, adding a second six minutes after the break.
Getafe defender Juan Iglesias accounted for Sevilla’s only goal when he accidently bundled the ball into his own net just before half-time.
On Sunday a brace from Kylian Mbappe helped Real Madrid to a 3-0 win over promoted Osasuna, 24 hours after Barcelona fought back from two goals down at newly-promoted Levante to win 3-2.
The ceremony was held at the Sun City Superbowl on Sunday evening, SA Rugby won the award for top governing body for the second consecutive year. Erasmus is a former recipient of the Coach of the Year award.
This year’s edition – themed, “Celebrating Sporting Excellence” – paid tribute to the remarkable achievements of athletes, coaches, administrators, and media professionals who have not only excelled in their respective disciplines but have also inspired a nation through resilience, passion, and performance.
“This recognition is not ours alone – it belongs to every individual and organisation that forms part of the SA Rugby family,” said Mr Alexander.
“From our provincial unions and associate members to our clubs, schools, universities and grassroots programmes, your unwavering commitment continues to shape rugby into a force for unity, pride and transformation.
“We salute our coaches, players, administrators, match officials and support staff who give tirelessly of themselves, week after week. Your dedication fuels the excellence we celebrate today.
“To our sponsors and partners – thank you for your belief in our vision and for walking this journey with us. Your support enables us to reach further, dream bigger and serve with purpose.
“And to the millions of rugby fans who stand behind our players at every level of the game – from school fields to stadiums – you are the soul of South African rugby. Your passion, belief and loyalty inspire us to give our best and it is because of you that we are able to carry this honour with pride.
“This award is a tribute to all of you. May it inspire us to continue building a legacy worthy of our shared pride.”
World number one Jannik Sinner opens his bid for back-to-back US Open titles on Tuesday as former champions Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff set out to reclaim the women’s crown at Flushing Meadows.
Italy’s Sinner headlines the day three action when he faces unseeded Czech Vit Kopriva at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Sinner has won two of this season’s three Grand Slams, the Australian Open and Wimbledon, while also reaching the final of the French Open in June where he lost an epic to Carlos Alcaraz in a fifth-set tiebreak.
The 24-year-old defending champion is a heavy favourite in New York, where he is aiming to become the first man to repeat since Roger Federer capped a remarkable run of five straight championships in 2008.
His preparations for the US Open were blown off course last week when illness forced him to retire while trailing 5-0 to Alcaraz in the Cincinnati Open final.
Sinner said subsequently he was still “not 100 percent” but expected to be fully recovered for Tuesday’s opener.
The Italian’s US Open victory last year came despite a doping scandal which exploded on the eve of the tournament.
He initially escaped a ban after testing positive for an anabolic steroid at Indian Wells earlier in 2024.
Sinner eventually agreed to a three-month suspension, served earlier this year, despite doping authorities accepting that he had been inadvertently contaminated.
The Italian says he has turned the page on that controversy and was fully focused on victory in New York.
“I feel like it’s over,” Sinner said. “We are focusing on hard work again and trying to get better as an athlete.
“I’m very happy to be back here. It’s obviously the last Grand Slam we have for this season so the motivations are very high.”
Poland’s Swiatek, the 2022 champion, will be looking to extend her impressive recent form when she faces unseeded Emiliana Arango in the first round.
The second seed, once viewed as a clay-court specialist, has developed her all-round game this season, with results indicating she is increasingly comfortable on faster surfaces.
She warmed up with victory at the WTA Cincinnati Open hard-court tournament, which followed her breakthrough win on the grass of Wimbledon in July.
The 2023 US Open champion Coco Gauff, seeded three, gets under way against Australia’s Ajla Tomljanovic in a night game on Arthur Ashe.
On Monday, Sinner’s rival Alcaraz opened his campaign with a 6-4, 7-5, 6-4 straight-sets defeat of unseeded American Reilly Opelka.
Tour de France stage winner Bauernfeind joins Lidl-Trek through 2027
Lidl-Trek is pleased to welcome Ricarda Bauernfeind to the Team. The 25-year-old German will race in Lidl-Trek colors through 2027.
Now in her third year in the Women’s WorldTour, Bauernfeind has built a reputation as a courageous climber who isn’t afraid to roll the dice. Her biggest result to date came at the 2023 Tour de France Femmes, where she claimed a memorable solo victory on stage 5 after attacking with 40km to go. Bauernfeind has also proven her ability in general classification battles, finishing inside the top five at the Vuelta a España Femenina and top 10 at the Tour de France Femmes.
Since 2024, a knee injury has slowed her momentum, but Bauernfeind is motivated to return to her best, and Lidl-Trek is confident it can help her rediscover her top level.
What truly stands out is the Team’s commitment to athlete development—giving riders the time and space to grow.
“I learned how to be a road racer at Canyon SRAM,” explained Ricarda Bauernfeind. “From the Generation team to the Women’s WorldTour, I grew tremendously—learning the ropes, developing as an athlete, and celebrating some unforgettable victories with a supportive team.
“Now, joining Lidl-Trek opens up an exciting new chapter filled with fresh challenges and opportunities. I’ve always admired the Team’s professional structure, which continues to evolve with Lidl’s growing involvement. The riders, the racing style, and the long-term vision have consistently impressed me. What truly stands out is the Team’s commitment to athlete development—giving riders the time and space to grow. That’s something I value deeply, especially as I still feel I have untapped potential, particularly in my GC ambitions.
“Lidl-Trek believes in my path, even after a challenging season with injury and fewer results. I’m incredibly motivated to learn from the best in the world — both riders and staff — and to give everything I have for this Team. I’m confident we’ll reach the next level together.”
“Ricarda’s talent is clear, and while the last two seasons have been particularly challenging, we believe she can return to her best — and go even further,” said Luca Guercilena, Lidl-Trek General Manager. “She has excellent racing instincts, as she showed with her Tour de France Femmes stage win. At just 25, Ricarda still has plenty of time to grow, and we will give her the right environment, expertise and support to help her maximise her potential. I’m confident we will see her back to winning ways in a Lidl-Trek jersey.”
It is the second day of badminton’s 2025 BWF World Championships on Tuesday, 26 August 2025.
The Championships are being held in Paris, France, at the same venue which hosted badminton during the Olympic Games Paris 2024.
Olympics.com is live on site and you can find updates from the French capital from selected matches in the first round:
Men’s singles: Matthias Kicklitz (GER) v Jonatan Christie (INA, 5)
Men’s singles: Anthony Sinisuka Ginting (INA) v Toma Junior Popov (FRA, 15)
Men’s singles: Uriel Canjura (ESA) v Kunlavut Vitidsarn (THA, 3)
Women’s singles: Bernice Teoh (AUS) v Yamaguchi Akane (JPN, 5)
Women’s singles: Kaloyana Nalbantova (BUL) v P.V. Sindhu (IND, 15)
Men’s singles: Jonathan Matias (BRA) v Anders Antonsen (DEN, 2)
You can also stream the event live on Olympic Channel via Olympics.com and Olympics mobile apps in some territories, subject to geographical restrictions.
Please refresh this page for latest updates through the day. Most recent updates are at the top and all times are French local time (Central European Summer Time, CEST +2).
Former Australia opener and coach Justin Langer has questioned whether England have the “killer instinct” to win the Ashes on Australian soil this winter.
After embracing a new era under captain Ben Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum, England are set to head Down Under for a defining series for the regime as they attempt to win an away Ashes series for the first time since 2010-11.
The tourists have failed to win a single Test on their three trips to Australia since that success, with the hosts generally dominant and securing drawn series on their last two visits to England.
Under Stokes and McCullum, England’s results have improved significantly – though they were frustrated to squander opportunities to secure a series victory against India during their home summer.
Ex-opener Langer, who spent four years in charge of Australia between 2018 and 2022, believes both that series and the last Ashes here, which was also drawn 2-2, betray a lack of winning edge within the England side.
“I think it is going to be a really close series,” he told the For the Love of Cricket podcast. “My question for England will be have you got the killer instinct to finish off a series, if you get a chance?
“I’ve seen it with the 2-2 here in the last Ashes series, 2-2 against India. It was a good series, but England had their chances to win that series. Have you got the killer instinct to win the Ashes in Australia? That’s going to be the big question.”
England squandered a strong position on the second day at Lord’s in 2023 (AP)
The 2023 series between the two sides saw England’s uber-aggressive approach with the bat worry Australia at times, though they fell 2-0 behind in the series and had to battle back to secure a draw in the fifth Test at the Oval.
The intervention of rain at Old Trafford perhaps proved costly with the hosts on top in Manchester, though the key moment of the series for Langer came at Lord’s in the second Test.
Just after tea on the second day with England progressing well in reply to Australia’s first innings 416, visiting spinner Nathan Lyon suffered a series-ending calf injury.
England were, however, unable to take advantage of Australia’s remaining four-pronged seam attack with a series of soft dismissals on their way to a 91-run first-innings deficit – which proved key as they fell 2-0 behind.
“Remember when Nathan Lyon hurt his calf muscle at Lord’s in the last series here at Lord’s?” Langer continued. “I remember sitting with people watching and I said, ‘that’s the end of the series, that’s the series done’. He is so important. He goes down, and then that next two hours of batting was the dumbest batting I’ve seen in my life. I nearly walked out of Lord’s as a cricket tragic.
Nathan Lyon was injured during day two of the 2023 Ashes Test at Lord’s (Getty Images)
“That was the moment. I know the Test went close and there was the Alex Carey [stumping of Jonny Bairstow] and that sort of stuff later in the Test, but that two hours, Australia started bouncing England and blokes were running down trying to hook it. That was the moment right then.”
Liverpool boss Arne Slot has slammed ten-man Newcastle’s set-piece driven approach in Monday’s Premier League thriller at St James’ Park. The night will ultimately be remembered for 16-year-old Rio Ngumoha, who sealed a 3-2 victory for the Reds with a composed strike in the 100th minute, leaving Eddie Howe’s team devastated.
Slot slams Newcastle’s style
Ngumoha’s late winner stuns St. James’ Park
The ball was in play for just 40.8 percent of the time
Dirk Nowitzki, the retired Dallas Mavericks forward and NBA Hall of Famer, has appeared in TikTok dance videos after being encouraged by his niece.
The former Finals MVP, known for his career-defining footwork and post fadeaway, has taken part in short clips that have circulated widely online.
In the videos, Nowitzki can be seen grooving to Fifth Harmony’s “Work From Home” and Zeddy Will’s “Can’t Go Broke” alongside his niece.
Since retiring in 2019, Nowitzki has remained connected to basketball in a formal role as a special advisor to the Mavericks. He has otherwise kept a relatively low profile, though he occasionally makes light-hearted appearances in media.
Last season, he joined broadcaster Taylor Rooks in recreating Ja Morant’s well-known finger gun and grenade celebration, a clip that also gained traction among NBA fans.
The 2011 NBA champion, who spent his entire 21-season career with Dallas, is considered one of the greatest international players in league history. His foray into TikTok follows a wider trend of retired athletes engaging with social media platforms to connect with younger audiences.
Equally inspiring was the performance of Pakistan’s women’s squad, which entered the tournament with a small roster of just 10—12 players but showcased grit and determination. Their effort was rewarded with a bronze medal in their very first international competition.
Head coach Kameron Sabir, an Edmonton-based physician who also coached the men’s side, praised the women’s resilience. “The women did such an amazing job. Tremendous performance for their first tournament. They had only 10-12 players, so hats off to them,” he added.
Bright future for ice hockey
Mariya Rauf, who both coached and represented the team while also playing NCAA Division I hockey for Yale University, highlighted the deeper meaning of the victory. “Cricket is our national sport, but after this, it shows ice hockey is growing every single day in Pakistan. There is talent, and we are just going to keep getting better.”
Holding a cricket bat gifted by her players, she emphasised how the women’s achievement would inspire young girls back home to take up the sport. Breaking barriers for Pakistan sport
Ashfaq has been storming the UAE media scene for over 27 years. As Senior Assistant Editor, his insights, analysis and deep understanding of regional dynamics have helped make sense of the unfolding news.
He’s the go-to guy for deep dives into the South Asian diaspora, blending heart, and hardcore reporting into his pieces. Whether he’s unpacking Pakistani community affairs, chasing down leads on international political whirlwinds, or investigative reports on the scourge of terrorism and regional drama — Ashfaq doesn’t miss a beat.
He’s earned kudos for his relentless hustle and sharp storytelling. Dependable, dynamic, and unstoppable, Ashfaq does not just report the news, he shapes it.
