Barcelona suffered a 2-1 defeat to Girona on Monday night at Estadio Municipal de Montilivi, losing their top position in the Spanish La Liga standings. The Catalan club, previously one point ahead, dropped to second place with 58 points from 24 matches, while Real Madrid moved two points clear at the top with 60 points. Despite taking an early lead and attempting 26 shots, coach Hansi Flick’s side could not avoid defeat.

Girona matched Barcelona’s intensity throughout the match, with goalkeeper Joan Garcia making several crucial saves to deny at least seven clear scoring chances. Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal missed a penalty in first-half injury time, hitting the post, which could have secured at least one point for the visitors. The loss marked Barcelona’s first league defeat after leading a match since December 21, 2014, when they lost 2-1 to Atlético Madrid.

The result leaves Barcelona under pressure in the title race, as Real Madrid’s earlier 4-1 win over Real Sociedad ensured their return to the top of the table.

At least five people were killed and four others injured when a fire broke out in a five-storey residential building in Manlleu, a city in Spain’s northeastern province of Barcelona, on Monday evening. According to local authorities, the blaze started on the roof floor, prompting a rapid response from the Catalan fire service. Firefighters managed to bring the fire under control within about half an hour, but five people on the upper floor were found dead.

The four injured individuals were taken to a nearby hospital, though officials have not released details about the severity of their conditions. Police have launched an investigation to determine the cause of the fire, with local patrol units assisting in the inquiry. Authorities are also working to identify the victims.

Officials confirmed that other residents of the building were safely evacuated, and assessments are underway to determine the extent of structural damage caused by the blaze.

Atletico Madrid defeated defending champions Barcelona 4-0 in the first leg of the Copa del Rey semifinal at the Metropolitano Stadium in Madrid. Despite dominating possession, passing, and attacking statistics, Barcelona failed to score, while errors and precise finishing from Atletico sealed the heavy loss. An own goal by Eric Garcia, followed by strikes from Antoine Griezmann, Ademola Lookman, and Julian Alvarez, gave the hosts a commanding lead before halftime.

Barcelona attempted to recover after the break, but a disallowed goal for offside and missed chances from Ferran Torres left them scoreless. Eric Garcia’s red card in the 85th minute ended any remaining hopes of a comeback. The Catalan side had beaten the same opponent to reach last season’s final, but this time face a steep challenge.

Barcelona must overturn a four-goal deficit in the return leg at Camp Nou on March 3 to keep their title defense alive, while Atletico Madrid move closer to a place in the final.

Barcelona advanced to the semifinals of the Copa del Rey after defeating second-division side Albacete 2-1 in the quarterfinals. The match, held in Albacete, saw goals from Lamine Yamal and Ronald Araujo secure victory for the Spanish giants. Yamal opened the scoring in the 39th minute following a sequence involving Marcus Rashford and Frenkie de Jong, while Araujo doubled the lead in the 56th minute with a header from a Rashford corner. Albacete managed a consolation goal through Moreno late in the game.

Albacete had previously made headlines by eliminating Real Madrid from the tournament, creating one of the biggest surprises of the competition. However, they could not repeat that feat against Barcelona, who maintained control for most of the match. Despite a disallowed goal for offside in the 83rd minute, Albacete’s late effort was not enough to overturn the deficit.

With this win, Barcelona move into the last four and now set their sights on reaching the Copa del Rey final.

The Spanish government, led by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, has announced a major decision to legalize more than half a million undocumented migrants living in the country. The move follows a historic agreement that will be formalized through a royal decree expected on Tuesday, January 27. It marks Spain’s largest regularization initiative for migrants in the past two decades.

Under the new policy, individuals residing in Spain before December 31, 2025, will be eligible to apply for legal status, provided they can prove continuous residence for at least five months. Successful applicants will receive a one-year temporary residence permit, renewable thereafter. The permit will grant them the right to work legally and access Spain’s healthcare and social security systems.

Human rights organizations have welcomed the government’s decision. Officials say integrating a large number of people into the formal economy will help curb labor exploitation and boost national economic growth, with expectations of a significant rise in GDP.

Barcelona secured a 4-2 victory over Slavia Prague in their UEFA Champions League group match at Fortuna Arena. Despite conceding an early goal to Czech forward Vasil Kusej in the tenth minute, the Spanish champions came back strongly. Fermin Lopez scored twice, while Dani Olmo and Robert Lewandowski added one goal each. Slavia Prague’s second goal came from an own goal by Lewandowski in the first half.

Barcelona dominated possession with 59 percent and registered 17 shots, 12 of which were on target, compared to Prague’s eight shots with only two on target. Coach Hansi Flick had to field his team without Lamine Yamal due to a card suspension. Dani Olmo scored just a minute after coming on as a substitute in the 61st minute, and Lewandowski redeemed his earlier own goal with a strike in the 70th minute.

With this win, Barcelona climbed to ninth place in the standings with 13 points from seven matches, keeping their hopes alive for a place in the round of 16. Three other teams above them also have 13 points, with one group-stage round remaining.

Spain’s largest train drivers’ union, SEMAF, has announced a nationwide strike following a series of train derailments that have shaken the country. The latest incident occurred near Barcelona on Tuesday when heavy rain caused a retaining wall to collapse onto the tracks, derailing a commuter train. The train’s driver was killed and four passengers were seriously injured, according to Reuters. Rail operator Adif reported a third derailment in the same regional network during the storm, though no casualties were reported.

Just two days earlier, a high-speed train derailed near Adamuz in Córdoba province, about 360 kilometers south of Madrid, colliding with another train and killing at least 42 people, including the driver. The back-to-back accidents have sparked nationwide concern over railway safety.

In a statement, SEMAF said it would seek criminal accountability for those responsible for ensuring railway infrastructure safety. The union had previously warned Adif in August about severe track deterioration, citing potholes, bumps, and power line imbalances causing frequent mechanical failures across several high-speed lines.

A commuter train derailed in Barcelona on Tuesday evening, killing the driver and injuring 37 passengers, five of them seriously. The train reportedly struck a wall beside the tracks before crashing to the ground. Local officials confirmed that all passengers were safely evacuated, and one person trapped inside was later rescued. The injured were taken to various hospitals for treatment.

The incident occurred just three days after another major train accident in southern Spain that left at least 40 people dead. Authorities have attributed the latest derailment to severe weather conditions affecting several regions of the country. Around the same time, another commuter train in Barcelona also derailed after hitting stones on the track during a storm, though no casualties were reported.

Despite high alerts issued for coastal and northeastern areas due to adverse weather, Spain has faced two serious train accidents within a short span, raising concerns about rail safety under extreme conditions.

Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus has expressed profound grief and sorrow over a devastating high-speed train accident near Adamuz, close to the city of Córdoba in southern Spain. In a condolence message sent to Spanish President Pedro Sánchez Pérez-Castejón, Yunus conveyed sympathy on behalf of the people and government of Bangladesh, as well as personally, to the families of the victims and those affected by the tragedy. The message was released by the Chief Adviser’s Press Wing on Tuesday.

Yunus stated that the news of the tragic loss of lives and injuries deeply saddened the people of Bangladesh. He extended heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and the people of Spain during this time of mourning. He prayed for peace for the departed souls and strength for their families to endure the irreparable loss.

The Chief Adviser also wished a speedy and full recovery for all those injured in the accident, reaffirming Bangladesh’s solidarity with Spain in this moment of grief.

A high-speed train operated by Irio derailed and collided with an oncoming train in Adamuz, Andalusia, on Sunday night, killing 40 people and injuring more than 120. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced three days of national mourning following what has become the country’s deadliest rail disaster since 2013.

Regional leader Juan Manuel Moreno said rescue operations were still underway and that it could take 24 to 48 hours to confirm the final death toll. Heavy machinery was deployed to remove damaged carriages. Irio stated that the train had been inspected three days earlier and was nearly new, while Renfe president Álvaro Fernández Heredia suggested the cause was likely a mechanical or track fault rather than human error or excessive speed.

Survivors described the crash as a terrifying experience, and local residents rushed to assist with water, blankets, and rescue tools. Pope Leo XIV and French President Emmanuel Macron expressed condolences to the victims and their families.

At least 39 people were killed and about 100 injured after two high-speed trains collided in southern Spain’s Andalusia region on Sunday evening, January 19, 2026. The crash occurred near the town of Adamuz when a Malaga-to-Madrid train derailed and entered the opposite track, colliding with another oncoming train. Both trains derailed, carrying over 400 passengers in total.

Andalusia’s emergency services reported that 73 people were hospitalized, including 24 in critical condition and four children among them. Rescue teams said the wreckage was severely twisted, making recovery operations dangerous. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez expressed sorrow, calling it a night of deep grief for the nation. Transport Minister Óscar Puente described the crash as highly unusual but said the official cause remains unknown, with investigations expected to take at least a month.

Following the accident, all rail services between Madrid and Andalusia were suspended, and train operations will remain halted through Monday as recovery and investigation efforts continue.

At least 21 people were killed and around 100 others injured in a high-speed train accident in southern Spain, according to a BBC report published on Monday, January 19, 2026. The incident occurred on Sunday evening near the city of Adamuz when a train traveling from Malaga to Madrid derailed about ten minutes after departure. Several carriages fell onto a parallel track and were struck by another high-speed train coming from the opposite direction, causing both trains to derail and multiple carriages to overturn. Emergency services are continuing rescue operations, and local authorities have warned that the death toll may rise.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez expressed his condolences following the tragedy, describing it as a night of deep sorrow for the nation. The crash has prompted widespread concern as rescue teams work to recover victims and clear the wreckage.

Authorities have not yet provided details on the cause of the derailment, and investigations are expected to continue as emergency response efforts proceed.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said that a US military attack on Greenland would make Russian President Vladimir Putin the happiest man in the world and signal the death knell for NATO. He made the remarks in an interview published Sunday in the Spanish newspaper La Vanguardia, according to Reuters. Sánchez argued that any US military action against Denmark’s vast Arctic island would damage NATO and legitimize Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The comments came after former US President Donald Trump shifted his stance on Greenland, pledging to raise tariffs on European allies until the United States is allowed to purchase the island. In a Truth Social post, Trump announced that starting February 1, a 10 percent import tariff would apply to goods from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Finland, and Great Britain, rising to 25 percent on June 1 if no purchase deal is reached. Danish and Greenlandic leaders have reiterated that the island is not for sale and that they do not wish to become part of the United States.

Sánchez’s warning underscores growing tensions between Washington and European allies over Greenland and NATO’s unity amid global geopolitical strains.

Barcelona delivered a dominant performance in the Spanish Super Cup semifinal, defeating Athletic Bilbao 5-0 at King Abdullah Sports City in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday night. The Spanish champions scored four goals within just 16 minutes, with Raphinha netting twice and Ferran Torres, Fermin Lopez, and Runi Bardghji each adding one. Barcelona controlled 80 percent of possession, taking 14 shots with nine on target, while Bilbao managed nine shots, four of which were on target.

The match saw Ferran Torres open the scoring in the 21st minute, followed by goals from Lopez, Raphinha, and Bardghji before halftime. Raphinha added his second goal in the second half, sealing the emphatic victory. Despite several more chances, no further goals were scored.

With this win, Barcelona, who have already won nine consecutive La Liga matches, moved closer to their first trophy of the season. Their opponent in the Spanish Super Cup final will be decided on Thursday when Real Madrid face Atletico Madrid in the second semifinal.

Real Madrid secured a commanding 5-1 victory over Real Betis at Santiago Bernabéu on the night of January 4, 2026, reducing the points gap with Barcelona from seven to four. Joan Garcia scored a hat-trick, while Raúl Asensio and Fran Garcia added one goal each. Playing without star forward Kylian Mbappé, Real took the lead in the 20th minute through Garcia’s header from a Rodrygo free-kick. The first half ended 1-0, and Real dominated the second half with four more goals.

Garcia doubled the lead early in the second half before Asensio made it 3-0 in the 56th minute. Betis pulled one back through Hernández at the 60-minute mark, but Garcia completed his hat-trick in the 82nd minute with help from Franco Mastantuano. Francisco Garcia sealed the win with a stoppage-time goal. After this result, Barcelona lead the table with 49 points from 19 matches, while Real Madrid sit second with 45 points from the same number of games.