Barcelona secured a spectacular 5–3 win over Real Betis on Saturday night in a high-scoring La Liga encounter. Despite Betis leading early through an Antony strike in the sixth minute, Barcelona responded with dominance, led by Ferran Torres, who completed his hat-trick within the first half. Rooney Bardghji and Lamine Yamal added further goals to seal the victory for Hansi Flick’s side.

Real Betis showed resilience in the second half, pressing hard and managing two late goals through Diego Llorente and Cucho Hernández, but the deficit proved too large to overcome. Barcelona’s attacking efficiency and Torres’s finishing were the highlights of the match.

With this result, Barcelona remain at the top of the La Liga standings with 40 points from 16 matches, four points ahead of archrivals Real Madrid, who have a game in hand. The win reinforces Barcelona’s strong title ambitions under Flick’s management as the season approaches its midpoint.

Real Madrid missed the chance to reclaim the top spot in La Liga after being held to a 1-1 draw by Girona. Despite Kylian Mbappe scoring from the penalty spot in the 67th minute, Real could not secure a win. Earlier, Girona took the lead just before halftime through a powerful strike from Azzedine Ounahi. Mbappe had a goal disallowed for handball before Girona’s opener. Real Madrid pushed hard in the second half, with Vinícius Júnior creating several chances, but an offside call denied him a goal. The draw leaves Real Madrid in second place, one point behind Barcelona, who remain at the top of the table. Girona, with 12 points, stay near the relegation zone but earned a valuable point against one of the league’s giants.

Real Madrid returned to winning ways after 25 days as Kylian Mbappe scored four goals to secure a thrilling 4-3 victory over Olympiacos in the UEFA Champions League. The Spanish giants had not won since their 4-0 triumph against Valencia on November 2, enduring a three-match winless run across all competitions. Olympiacos took an early lead through Chiquinho’s long-range strike, but Mbappe responded with a quick hat-trick within just over six minutes—the second-fastest in Champions League history. Substitute Mehdi Taremi pulled one back for Olympiacos, but Mbappe’s fourth goal restored Real’s control. Despite a late goal from Ayoub El Kaabi, Real held on for their fourth win in five group matches. This victory also marked Real Madrid’s first-ever win in Greece after seven previous attempts. Mbappe now has nine goals in five Champions League appearances this season, three ahead of Victor Osimhen. The result lifted Real’s morale following their previous defeat to Liverpool.

Barcelona marked their long-awaited return to Camp Nou with a commanding 4-0 victory over Athletic Bilbao on Saturday, moving level on points with Real Madrid at the top of La Liga. The club returned to their iconic home after nearly two and a half years of reconstruction delays, with around 45,000 fans filling every available seat despite high ticket prices. Robert Lewandowski opened the scoring in the fourth minute, followed by goals from Ferran Torres, Fermin Lopez, and another from Torres late in the match. Goalkeeper Joan Garcia made a successful comeback from injury, keeping a clean sheet for the first time since September. The evening was filled with nostalgia as fans chanted Lionel Messi’s name, while young star Lamine Yamal impressed with two assists. Barcelona expect to expand seating in 2026 and restore full 105,000 capacity next season, making this victory a symbolic new beginning at their renovated home.

After more than two years away, FC Barcelona will finally return to their iconic home ground, Camp Nou, on November 22 for a La Liga match against Athletic Bilbao. The Catalan club confirmed the news in a statement on Monday. The team last played at Camp Nou during the 2022–23 season and has since been hosting matches at the Olympic Stadium on Montjuïc Hill due to extensive renovation work. The €1.5 billion ($1.75 billion) redevelopment faced multiple delays, pushing the reopening back by a year. Initially, the stadium will reopen with a temporary capacity of 45,401 spectators, which will eventually expand to 105,000 once the upper tiers are completed. Earlier this month, a test event was held with 23,000 fans attending an open training session. Barcelona also hopes to host their December 9 UEFA Champions League match against Eintracht Frankfurt at the revamped Camp Nou, pending UEFA approval.

Spain has scrapped a third major defense deal with Israel worth approximately €207 million, citing the ongoing genocide in Gaza and mounting international pressure.

The decision was approved in a cabinet meeting last Tuesday, where the Spanish government imposed a complete arms embargo on Israel. This ban halts all imports and exports of military equipment, defense technology, and related materials.

Finance Minister Carlos Cuerpo hailed the move as a “bold and pioneering step,” calling it a significant advancement in the international campaign to hold Israel accountable.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has strongly condemned Israel for its actions in Gaza, accusing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of committing crimes similar to those of Russian President Vladimir Putin in Ukraine. He criticized the European Union for not taking sufficient steps to address the humanitarian crisis in Palestine, warning that Israel’s actions will be remembered as a dark chapter of the 21st century. Sánchez called on European nations to act decisively and stated that any country violating EU principles, weaponizing hunger and war to destroy a legitimate state, cannot remain a partner of Europe.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has urged the European Union to take immediate action against Israel for violating its human rights commitments under the EU-Israel Association Agreement.

“While the EU has passed 18 sanction packages against Russia for its aggression toward Ukraine and Europe, it has failed to suspend its agreement with Israel—even though Israel is clearly violating Article 2 of that treaty,” Sánchez said.

He stressed, “The EU must not delay any further. I will push for an immediate suspension of the agreement with Israel.” Meanwhile, the EU has so far responded only with calls for dialogue.

Spain has accused Israel of severe human rights violations during its military operations in Gaza, resulting in nearly 56,000 deaths over 20 months. Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares will call on the EU to suspend its agreements with Israel and impose arms sale bans. Over 110 organizations, including Human Rights Watch, support these measures, citing ignored International Court of Justice rulings. The EU-Israel trade agreement may be halted, reinstating tariffs to hold Israel accountable for alleged war crimes and occupation violations.

Spain has cancelled a $7.5 million arms deal with Israeli firm IMI Systems due to pressure from left-wing coalition partners. The move comes after prior criticism of Israel’s war in Gaza, and follows a February deal to purchase 15 million rounds of ammunition, which the government has now scrapped.

A coal mine accident in Cerredo, Asturias, Spain, on Monday resulted in the deaths of five miners and injuries to four others. The incident occurred at 9:32 AM local time due to machinery failure inside the mine. Emergency services responded with three helicopters and two ambulances. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez extended condolences to the victims’ families.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has pledged to oppose US President Donald Trump’s plan to transform Gaza into the “Riviera of the Middle East.” Speaking at a rally in the Basque Country on February 15, Sánchez stated, “No real estate venture can cover up the horrific human rights violations we have witnessed in Gaza in recent years.” He emphasized that Spain would not approve such plans and condemned the support that US Vice President Mike Pence has shown for right-wing groups in the region. Sánchez, leader of Spain’s Socialist Workers’ Party, advocates for a two-state solution that would allow Palestinians and Israelis to live in “peace, harmony, and security.”