Football

Madrid: Real Madrid coach Alvaro Arbeloa insisted Saturday he would stand by the team's star players and give them as many minutes as possible, despite debate over whether the team can function effectively with them all on the pitch. Los Blancos, who were beaten at Benfica in the Champions League on Wednesday to drop into the play-off round, have sometimes struggled for balance when too many of their attacking talents play together. Kylian Mbappe, Jude Bellingham and Vinicius Junior have completed each of the last four games for Arbeloa, along with goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, while midfielder Fede Valverde started all four and been substituted once. "I always want to have the best players on the pitch, and the more minutes they can be available to the team for me, the better," Arbeloa told a news conference, when asked if those five players were "untouchable". "These are players who can shake up a match at any moment. There will be people who aren't Madrid fans who don't want them on the pitch, but I imagine Madrid supporters want their best players always available, always on the field. "I think the five players mentioned are among the top ten in the world, and so they have my full trust. And it's not just my trust -- their performance is what's putting them on the pitch." Real Madrid host Rayo Vallecano on Sunday in La Liga, looking to bounce back from the defeat by Benfica and put pressure on leaders Barcelona. French superstar Mbappe criticised the team for their inconsistency and Arbeloa said Madrid are working on solving that issue. "Look, we're working to find the consistency we want in our game and at all levels, and I think right now it's neither a time for disappointment nor a time for euphoria," said Arbeloa. "It's a time for work, nothing more."

Tennis

Melbourne: Rafael Nadal says he has "full respect" for old rival Novak Djokovic but tipped Spanish compatriot Carlos Alcaraz to win Sunday's Australian Open final. The 22-time Grand Slam winner, who retired from tennis in 2024, is set to attend the blockbuster title match in Melbourne. A two-time Australian Open champion himself, Nadal believes world number one Alcaraz is the clear favourite, but would not be surprised if 38-year-old Djokovic caused an upset. "I think the favourite is Carlos," Nadal told host broadcaster Channel Nine on Saturday. "He's young, he has the energy and he's in his prime. But I mean, Novak is Novak. He's a very special player. "I don't know if Novak has lost a final here. It's always a challenge and he likes the challenges. "(But) favourite is Carlos from my point of view." Read Also Ice-cool Rybakina beats Sabalenka in tense Australian Open final Video: Star-studded Match for Hope raises over QR45Mn donations for education History beckons for Djokovic and Alcaraz in Australian Open final Speaking separately to the Melbourne Age newspaper, Nadal said it was a "positive thing" to have somebody at Djokovic's age fighting with Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner. Djokovic stunned 24-year-old Sinner in the semi-finals over five tough sets to surge into his 11th Australian Open final. He has won all previous 10. "I really believe that he is here for one simple reason -- because if I don't get injured, probably I will be here playing too," said Nadal, who is one year older than Djokovic. "When you like to do this thing, if you are not injured and if you are not super tired mentally, why wouldn't you be here? "I think it's a positive example of commitment, of resilience. "I mean, Novak, for obvious reasons, he's not at his prime, but he is still very, very competitive at an age that is difficult to be very competitive. So full respect." Djokovic is bidding to become the oldest man to win the Australian Open. The 37-year-old Ken Rosewall won it in 1972. He is also striving to finally win a record 25th Grand Slam and surpass Margaret Court, who is also expected to be watching in Rod Laver Arena on Sunday.

Tennis

Melbourne: Elena Rybakina took revenge over world number one Aryna Sabalenka to win a nail-biting Australian Open final Saturday and clinch her second Grand Slam title. The big-serving Kazakh fifth seed held her nerve to pull through 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 at Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne in 2hrs 18mins. It was payback after the Belarusian Sabalenka won the 2023 final between two of the hardest hitters in women's tennis. The ice-cool Rybakina, 26, who was born in Moscow, adds her Melbourne triumph to her Wimbledon win in 2022. It was more disappointment in a major final for Sabalenka, who won the US Open last year for the second time but lost the French Open and Melbourne title deciders. She was into her fourth Australian Open final in a row and had been imperious until now, with tears in her eyes at the end. With the roof on because of drizzle in Melbourne, Rybakina immediately broke serve and then comfortably held for 2-0. Rybakina faced two break points at 4-3, but found her range with her serve to send down an ace and dig herself out of trouble, leaving Sabalenka visibly frustrated. Rybakina looked in the zone and wrapped up the set in 37 minutes on her first set point when Sabalenka fired long. Incredibly, it was the first set Sabalenka had dropped in 2026. The second game of the second set was tense, Rybakina saving three break points in a 10-minute arm-wrestle. They went with serve and the seventh game was another tussle, Sabalenka holding for 4-3 after the best rally of a cagey affair. The tension ratcheted up and the top seed quickly forged three set points at 5-4 on the Kazakh's serve, ruthlessly levelling the match at the first chance to force a deciding set. Sabalenka was now in the ascendancy and smacked a scorching backhand to break for a 2-0 lead, then holding for 3-0. Rybakina, who also had not dropped a set in reaching the final, looked unusually rattled. She reset to hold, then wrestled back the break, allowing herself the merest of smiles. At 3-3 the title threatened to swing either way. But a surging Rybakina won a fourth game in a row to break for 4-3, then held to put a thrilling victory within sight. Rybakina sealed the championship with her sixth ace of the match. The finalists were familiar foes having met 14 times previously, with Sabalenka winning eight of them. Sabalenka came into the final as favourite but Rybakina has been one of the form players on the women's tour in recent months. She also defeated Sabalenka in the decider at the season-ending WTA Finals. Rybakina beat second seed Iga Swiatek in the quarter-finals and sixth seed Jessica Pegula in the last four in Melbourne. Rybakina switched to play under the Kazakh flag in 2018 when she was a little-known 19-year-old, citing financial reasons.