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LA ROJA MARCH TOWARD WORLD CUP AFTER OYARZABAL, TORRES SHINE

Spain thrashed Georgia 4-0 in World Cup qualifying, with Ferran Torres and Mikel Oyarzabal on target. La Roja are all but mathematically through to the 2026 tournament, needing to avoid a huge loss to Turkey.

La Roja march toward World Cup after Oyarzabal, Torres shine
Georgia 0-3 Spain - Photo Credit: Image via RFEF

Despite not being mathematically guaranteed a spot in the tournament next summer, Luis de la Fuente's team has won all five of their Group E games, and their significantly better goal differential makes it extremely improbable that Turkey will be able to overtake them.

Following their 2-0 victory over Bulgaria, Vincenzo Montella's team is now three points behind Spain in their last group match against Turkey on Tuesday.

Turkey would need to defeat Spain by seven goals or more in order for Spain not to advance straight from the group to the World Cup.

La Roja easily won in Tbilisi despite missing star winger Lamine Yamal and other important players Rodri Hernandez, Dani Carvajal, and Nico Williams.

In the first half, Ferran Torres and Martin Zubimendi extended their lead after Mikel Oyarzabal's penalty kick opened the scoring. Oyarzabal then scored twice.

With 19 goals in the group and no goals given up, they have virtually guaranteed a spot in the World Cup for the 13th time in a row.

Torres told TVE, "We feel pretty happy after today, and we performed a really excellent job as a team."

"We are going into our final game to earn a spot in this World Cup, but it is not yet mathematical.

"We are confident in ourselves, but we can never take anything for granted."

Following their victory at Euro 2024, De la Fuente assured his team that they were headed for "legendary" status, and Spain's brutal performance easily defeated the hosts.

Torres' attempt was touched by Giorgi Gocholeishvili, resulting in an early penalty that Oyarzabal calmly scored for his 20th goal for Spain and the 100th of the De la Fuente period.

After 22 minutes, Fabian Ruiz passed in Zubimendi to finish with aplomb for the second goal as Spain controlled the ball and Alex Baena struck the post.

As the visitors went into overdrive, Oyarzabal set up Torres to score the third goal from close range.

Spain came very close to scoring a fourth goal before halftime when Liverpool goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili blocked Oyarzabal's attempt to safety.

After 63 minutes, Oyarzabal scored his second goal off a cross from Torres to add even more gleam to a resounding win.

Oyarzabal told TVE, "I am happiest when I can contribute in this way."

"We must play to win and secure this qualification in the best possible way (against Turkey)."

Late in the game, Georgia attempted to become the first team to score against Spain in the group, but they were unable to find a way through, and Pau Cubarsi deflected the ball against his own post.

Always looking to get better, Arsenal midfielder Zubimendi told TVE, "Even though we won 4-0, there are things we can do better."

Willy Sagnol's Georgia, who made an impression at Euro 2024, will not be able to advance to the play-offs after the loss, ending their hopes of making it to the World Cup finals for the first time.

WHY DID CRISTIANO RONALDO CRY? LUKA MODRIC EXPOSES JOSE MOURINHO’S HARSHEST LECTURE

Luka Modric reveals Jose Mourinho once reduced Cristiano Ronaldo to tears at Real Madrid for failing to track back defensively.

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Modric and Balague confirm the 2013 Valencia clash that shattered Real’s locker room

Luka Modric says that Jose Mourinho once gave Cristiano Ronaldo such a harsh lecture that the guy was in tears.

Ronaldo, who's 40 now, played really well under Mourinho, who's 62. They were together at Real Madrid for three seasons, but apparently, they didn't always get along off the field.

Even though things got off to a slow start, the Portuguese superstar still managed to score 168 goals in 164 games while playing for Mourinho. He also helped Mourinho win three trophies in his first two seasons.

But get this: even with superstars like Karim Benzema and Angel Di Maria on his team, Mourinho was still super critical of Ronaldo's effort on defense.

Modric, who Mourinho signed from Tottenham back in 2013, told a story about one argument that made Ronaldo cry. Apparently, it was because he didn't chase after his assigned player.

"I saw him make Cristiano Ronaldo cry in the locker room," Modric told Corriere della Sera, an Italian news outlet. Can you believe it? A guy who always gives it his all on the field, and he's getting yelled at because he didn't chase some defender.

Modric moved to Real Madrid in 2013 and only played under Mourinho for a year.

Modric, who played alongside Kaka and Mesut Ozil in the midfield after arriving for a big £33 million, didn't say which game the argument happened in.

Guillem Balague, a Spanish soccer journalist, wrote in Ronaldo's biography that Ronaldo and Mourinho almost fought after Mourinho yelled at him in the locker room following a 2-0 win against Valencia in January 2013.

Mourinho was mad because Ronaldo didn't seem willing to help out on defense during the game. And Ronaldo supposedly replied, After everything I've done for you, this is how you treat me? How dare you say that to me!

Later that season, which turned out to be Mourinho's last with the team, Ronaldo was constantly asked about Mourinho's future. "I don't care," he said once. What I care about is my own future and the club.

This was a big change from earlier that year, when Mourinho said before the 2012 Ballon d'Or race, If Messi is the best on the planet, Ronaldo is the best in the universe!

After Mourinho left Real Madrid, he went on Spanish TV to talk about what caused the problems between him and Ronaldo.

"I only had one problem with him," he said. It was simple. When a coach gives a player feedback on tactics, they are trying to help them get better, in my opinion. He didn't take it well because he probably thinks he knows everything, and the coach can't help him.

Mourinho also said that they didn't really have a relationship. But time seemed to fix things, as he later said that coaching Ronaldo was the best thing that ever happened in his career.

Ronaldo also seemed to warm up to Mourinho later on, even saying that he was the best coach he ever had, even better than Sir Alex Ferguson. "I'd put him at the top; I always say that," Ronaldo said.

Ronaldo scored 168 goals in 164 games while playing for Mourinho during their three years together.

Even though Modric didn't win any trophies in his first season at Madrid, he was so impressed by Mourinho that he repeated something Mourinho famously said about himself.

He's special, as a coach and as a person, Modric said. He was the one who wanted me at Real Madrid. I wouldn't have come without him. I'm sad I only had him for one season.

Modric spent 13 years at Real Madrid, mostly managed by Carlo Ancelotti. Now he's at AC Milan and managed by Massimiliano Allegri. But he says Mourinho is the toughest of the three.

He added, "Mourinho is really direct with the players, but he's honest." He treated Sergio Ramos and new players the same way. If he had something to say, he'd say it. Max is the same way. He tells you what's right and wrong to your face. Honesty is key.

Modric also shared his opinion on the never-ending debate of who's better, Lionel Messi or Ronaldo, but said he doesn't really like talking about it.

"I don't like that question," he said. They both defined an era. I'm closer to Cristiano because I played with him; he was my teammate at Madrid, and I can tell you he's not just a great player, he's an amazing person. People don't know it, but he has a big heart and is always ready to help others. He's just a simple, normal guy.

He added, "I don't know Messi personally, but I'm sure he's great too." As a player, he's incredible.

CELTIC FANS DEMAND BOARD SACK WILFRIED NANCY AFTER SHOCK MOTHERWELL DEFEAT TONIGHT

Wilfried Nancy dismisses sack talk after Celtic's 2-0 loss at Motherwell. With Rangers closing in, the Old Firm looms large.

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Wilfried Nancy’s future on the line after fifth loss in seven

After Celtic's fifth loss in seven games under his leadership, Wilfried Nancy brushed off ideas that Saturday's Old Firm game would decide his future.

Tuesday's match at Fir Park, called 'El Passico' due to both teams' open play styles, saw Motherwell outperform the Frenchman's team. Ibrahim Said and Elliot Watt scored on either side of halftime.

The 2-0 defeat, Celtic's 17th this year, meant Hearts stayed three points ahead in the league, while Rangers closed in, now just three points behind Nancy's squad after a 2-1 victory over St Mirren.

At the end of the game, visiting fans chanted for the board to be sacked, and some even demanded the manager's immediate dismissal. When asked if his first derby was a make-or-break moment, Nancy responded, No, not really. Every game matters to me and the team.

I'm not focused on my future. I'm focusing on what I'm doing now, what I need to do to help the team get better, and what we need to do as a team to improve. That's how I see it.

When asked if he understood the fans' deep worry about the lack of progress during his time, Nancy was indignant.

Progress? "There is progress," he insisted. But tonight, the situation and the opponent were tough.

This is a fact. Now, we need to figure out how to get better, and that's what we've been working on from the start. Tonight was rough. That's the truth.

When questioned about feeling the pressure after such a bad start as the champion's manager, Nancy added, As a manager, I don't want this, obviously.

Pressure doesn't change how I think. We know we have to perform well.

But right now, this is how it is. I knew it could be like this. We've had good games at times. Tonight was a hard one.

Regarding whether he was sure he could turn things around, Nancy said, Yes, I'm sure. I had to make some choices about the team tonight. I believe in what we're trying to do and where we're going. This was a hard game, difficult for us, but I think we'll improve.

Motherwell's manager, Jens Berthel Askou, praised his team, saying it was probably their best game of the season.

"We knew we'd probably need our best, most solid, and most complete performance, both with and without the ball, to win," he said.

We've had really big and good performances, but they haven't led to wins against Rangers or Celtic. So, that's what we got, and that's what we needed. It was amazing to see.

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