Alvaro Arbeloa: “We cannot allow this to happen on a football pitch in 2026”
Real Madrid head coach Alvaro Arbeloa spoke to the media after his team’s 1-0 win over Benfica on Tuesday. He was asked about Prestianni’s remarks on Vinicius Jr, to which he said: “You need to ask the Benfica player. We all deserve to hear his answer. It’s clear that there must be no tolerance for racism. We cannot allow things like this to happen on a football pitch in 2026.”
Arbeloa on what he said to Vinicius Jr
“All I told him was that if he wanted to keep playing, we’d be by his side, whatever decision he made. Always by his side. We rode together, we died together, and when something like this happens, we’re always there for him. We’ll always fight together, just like today.”
Arbeloa on whether they considered leaving the pitch
“The referee told me he didn’t hear anything and couldn’t do anything. It was Vinicius’s decision. We can’t tolerate this kind of behaviour. Of course, we would have stood by him.”
Arbeloa on Jose Mourinho’s quotes about provocation
“I didn’t see Vini’s celebration. I did see the amazing goal, though. I think José, when he finds out what happened and what his player said, will be the first to say he won’t allow it. Zero tolerance, and we’re very happy with the team. This is the Real Madrid we want to see.”
Arbeloa on how Vinicius Jr is doing
“Good. The sad thing is, it’s not the first time. Vini isn’t just a spectacular player, but a guy everyone loves. When you get to know him, you realise what a good person he is. He’s always had to overcome situations like this, and we’ll be there for him.”
Arbeloa on whether he believes Vinicius Jr
“I believe what Vini says. Of course. I would never doubt Vini’s words.”
Arbeloa on the game
“Yes. The first half was very good, and we deserved a few more goals. Everything changed after that. We kept trying to create chances. They exposed themselves more, and we lost control. But we saw the Madrid we want to be playing very well, a very solid team that puts in a lot of effort. I’m very happy with the difference compared to the game three weeks ago.”
Arbeloa on the return leg
“Don’t make the mistake of writing off a Mourinho-coached team at 0-1. They’re already preparing for the next match, and this Benfica side won’t let us let up. The Bernabéu will be waiting for Benfica, and that will be crucial. We have 90 minutes of great football ahead of us.”
Arbeloa on Arda Güler
“Arda is a player with qualities that help us a lot. He’s able to link Vini with Kylian. He’s special, different. He’s becoming very important, and his development benefits us. These matches help him grow, and I’m very happy and proud to have a guy like him.”
Arbeloa on what he was worried about with Benfica
“I was worried watching my team. The match three weeks ago was the furthest we’ve been from where we should be, and this one was the closest. Benfica really ran at us on the counter-attack; they were fast. And it wasn’t just about defending, but about attacking with more organisation. And we did that; we finished a lot of chances. There’s room for improvement, but this is the right path.”
Arbeloa on Aurelien Tchouameni
“Spectacular, not just today. He’s been playing at a high level for several matches since I arrived. We’re improving him a lot, getting him into the opposition’s half with the ball.”
Arbeloa on Trent-Valverde-Güler
“These are synergies that we try to work on. Those three players on the right are doing very well. They complement each other and are doing a great job.”
Arbeloa on Kylian Mbappé
“He’s been sidelined for many days. Knee problems are preventing him from performing at 100%. But he’s the best in the world, and at 80% he still is. We appreciate his effort.”
UFL 2026: Full Regular-Season Schedule Released for All 8 Teams
The 2026 UFL season is set to kick off on Friday, March 27, when FOX Sports returns with FOX UFL Friday, and will consist of a 10-week regular season ending on May 31, followed by playoffs starting the week of June 7 and the championship game later that month. There are new teams, new coaches, new players and new uniforms this season — and that's just the beginning. The league’s media partners — FOX, FS1, ABC, ESPN and ESPN2 — combine to broadcast all 43 games during the UFL’s third season. Select games in Spanish will also air across FOX Deportes and ESPN Deportes. Single-game tickets will be available to the public on Monday, February 2, starting at 11 a.m. ET. Fans may access information about season, group and suite ticket packages here. Here are the full 2026 schedules for all eight UFL teams: Week 1 (March 27-29) [UFL 2026: New, Updated Uniforms and Colorways for All 8 Teams] Week 2 (April 3-7) [UFL 2026: Every Player Drafted by Position for All 8 Teams] Week 3 (April 10-12) [UFL 2026: Anthony Becht, AJ McCarron, Ted Ginn Jr. Headline New Head Coaches] Week 4 (April 16-18) Week 5 (April 24-26) Week 6 (April 30-May 3) Week 7 (May 8-10) Week 8 (May 15-17) Week 9 (May 22-24) Week 10 (May 29-31)
Michigan basketball thunders through Purdue on the road
WEST LAFAYETTE, IN – In the matchup between No. 1 Michigan basketball and No. 7 Purdue, it was the visitors who delivered the impression of a freight train early in an 91-80 victory on Tuesday, Feb. 17.
The Wolverines ripped off a 16-0 run to turn a February Big Ten slog into a runaway for U-M midway through the first half at a practically vibrating Mackey Arena.
Nine Wolverines scored in the first half as Michigan stretched its lead as far as 20 points before bringing it into the halftime station leading, 48-32.
Elliott Cadeau led the Wolverines with 17 points – including eight of U-M's first 10 points in the second half – while Aday Mara added 10 points and 12 rebounds and Yaxel Lendeborg had 13 points and seven assists.
Big Ten tournament picture
The win by the Wolverines (25-1, 15-1) extends U-M’s lead in the Big Ten to 2½ games over Illinois (12-3) and three games over Nebraska (11-3). The Cornhuskers played late Tuesday night at Iowa, while the Illini visit USC on Wednesday night. Michigan has four games remaining in league play and could clinch its first regular-season title since 2021 with victories in its next two Big Ten contests.
Next up for Michigan basketball
But first, the Wolverines have to deal with No. 3 Duke in a neutral-site nonconference matchup in Washington on Saturday (6:30 p.m., ESPN). The winner at Capital One Arena this weekend could have the inside track for the No. 1 overall seed in next month’s NCAA Tournament. After the Blue Devils, the Wolverines return to Big Ten play again Minnesota at Crisler Center on Tuesday (8:30 p.m., Big Ten Network).
Maize and (deep) blue
The Wolverines started slow, making just one of their first six shots (including misses on four 3-point tries) to fall behind, 5-0, just over three minutes in. And after that, it was all U-M; Aday Mara got the Wolverines on the scoreboard with a dunk, and after a pair of 3-point misses, U-M ripped off a 24-5 run to take command.
That included a scorching performance beyond the arc; after missing their first four 3s, the Wolverines sank eight of 12, with seven players contributing at least one long ball. The lone exception? Lendeborg, who went 2-for-5 from outside, en route to 10 first-half points. That tied him for U-M’s top scorer with Mara, who hit all four of his shots from the field and added eight rebounds.
Perhaps the only problem for Michigan was, surprisingly, in the paint, as the Boilermakers topped the Wolverines there, 18-14. But with U-M winning the rebounding battle, 21-14, and getting 14 second-chance points to Purdue’s four, the Boilermakers simply couldn’t keep up in a 16-point game at the half.
Tony Garcia is the Wolverines beat writer for the Detroit Free Press. Email him at [email protected] and follow him on X at @RealTonyGarcia.
This story will be updated.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan basketball shows why it's No. 1 with pounding of Purdue
United Strand's 500 Days With No Haircut: Man United's Draw Keeps Streak Going
Manchester United fan and social media influencer Frank Ilett, better known as The United Strand, has hit the milestone of 500 days without cutting his hair until his beloved Red Devils win five games in a row. Ilett came close to shaving off his curls last week, before United drew with West Ham, halting their run at four wins in a row, agonizingly short of his target. The United Strand's rise to fame Back in October 2024, The United Strand channel was born, with Ilett sitting down in front of a camera and claiming that he would not be cutting his hair until United won five consecutive games. Since then, the Red Devils have been through three different managers, a series of highs and lows, but have never been able to get the job done. Tomas Soucek's goal was the difference between him being able to finally shed the hair, but instead, he must now continue growing it. The United Strand's campaign did not gain much traction at first, but as the months crept by, and his hair became longer and more noticeable, football fans have taken a keen interest in his journey. Across all platforms, Ilett has accrued thousands of followers and built a brand for himself. He has starred in mainstream adverts and worked with major companies as his cause spread across the globe. Plans to celebrate latest milestone A week after that agonising draw with West Ham, Ilett has announced on social media that he will be commemorating the 500-day mark by giving away a signed United shirt. In a post, he said: "Not only is it day 500, but it's Chinese New Year, the year of the horse, and pancake day," Ilett said on Instagram as he pulled both a toy horse and a pancake from his hair. "To mark the day I'll be doing a giveaway of a signed shirt on my Instagram page later today, so keep an eye out." United Strand divides the dressing room Both head coach Michael Carrick and the likes of Matheus Cunha have publicly acknowledged Ilett's challenge, which is being done for charity. However, the response from inside the dressing has been one of frustration, with players claiming that it is taking the focus away from their efforts and putting more pressure on them. Club legend Wayne Rooney slammed The United Strand during a recent podcast, admitting the entire saga was driving him mad. Speaking on the 'No Tippy Tappy Football' podcast, he said: "I'd put him to the other side of the country. He's doing my head in. "We're talking about Michael Carrick and Man United trying to win their fifth game in a row, and the whole thing is about to get this guy his hair cut. I bet he'd be devastated if Man Utd win the fifth game, because all of a sudden he's irrelevant." Cunha followed a similar path, adding: "People are more worried about getting five wins because of the haircut than about the 15 points. "So, I'm more for the 15 points, I don't care about his haircut at all. We talk about it sometimes, but it's not very motivating for us. We don't see it as cool. No-one wants those five wins more than we do, or more wins, whatever. But I think having this pressure from his haircut hides a bit of the beauty that could be in the season, you know?" March the next opportunity for a trip to the barbers With the win counter now reset to zero, Ilett will not be able to visit his barber until at least March 20. However, for that to happen, United must beat Everton, Crystal Palace, Newcastle, Aston Villa and Bournemouth. It is not an impossible task, considering the previous run included wins over Manchester City, Arsenal and Tottenham. First up for Carrick's men is a trip to the Hill Dickinson Stadium on Monday night, a tough test for the club, despite having had nearly two weeks off, after they were knocked out of the FA Cup in the third round by Brighton.