Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti has admitted he was left hurt after his side’s painful loss to Barcelona in the Copa del Rey final on Saturday night.

Ancelotti watched his team battle hard but fall short as Barcelona edged a 3-2 win to lift the trophy. Goals from Pedri, Ferran Torres, Aurélien Tchouaméni, and Kylian Mbappé saw the match locked at 2-2 after full-time, before Jules Kounde grabbed the winner for Hansi Flick’s side in extra time. After the match, Ancelotti said it was tough to accept because Real Madrid had fought till the end.

“We dominated the second half and gave everything. I can’t fault the players, they did their best,” he said. “I’m hurt because we were so close to winning.” He added that the team would now turn their full focus to La Liga, where they are currently second, trailing Barcelona by four points.

Nigerian rapper Tochukwu Ojogwu, better known as Odumodublvck, has stirred conversation online after saying Barcelona’s rising star, Lamine Yamal, is better than football icon Lionel Messi.

The rapper shared his thoughts after Yamal’s standout performance in Barcelona’s thrilling 3-2 win over Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey final, where the 17-year-old winger delivered two crucial assists to help secure the trophy.

Praising Yamal’s display, Odumodublvck boldly stated that Messi, even during his teenage years, didn’t reach the level Yamal is showing now. Taking to his X page, he wrote, “Yamal is better than Lionel Messi. Na me, Kala, talk am. At 17, Messi no touch this level. I watched him live. Nobody fit whine me.”

Football transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has revealed that English clubs are struggling to meet Victor Osimhen’s financial demands. Osimhen, who is currently on a season-long loan at Galatasaray from Napoli, is expected to secure a permanent move away from the Serie A side this summer.

Top Premier League teams like Manchester United, Arsenal, and Chelsea have been linked with the Super Eagles striker, but Romano believes his wage expectations could block any potential transfer.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Romano explained that Osimhen wants to maintain the €12 million net salary he earns at Napoli, in addition to commissions and his €75 million release clause. “No English club is prepared to meet his €12 million net salary demand,” Romano said.

Last summer, Osimhen came close to joining Chelsea after the Blues reached a late loan deal with Napoli. However, the move collapsed as Chelsea refused to break their wage structure to accommodate him.