Sergi Roberto believes Barcelona's victory over Valencia provides another example of their LaLiga title-winning pedigree after being made to work hard at Camp Nou.
Barca defeated 19th-place Valencia 1-0 at Camp Nou through Raphinha's 15th-minute header to move 10 points clear of Real Madrid, who travel to Real Betis later on Sunday.
The Catalan giants squandered a big chance to effectively kill off Valencia in the 55th minute when Ferran Torres failed to convert a penalty.
A red card issued to Ronald Araujo four minutes later for bringing down Hugo Duro as last man changed the complexion of the contest, but Valencia failed to hit back.
It was far from a vintage display from Barca, but Sergi Roberto is pleased with the manner in which they dug deep to claim a fifth straight league win in this fixture.
"We showed we know how to suffer," he told Movistar. "The red card meant we found ourselves defending more as a team. This is part of a winning team.
"When you go ahead, you need to find a second goal to give yourself some peace of mind. If the penalty had gone in... well. It's a pity, but you have to know how to suffer.
"Leagues are won in matches like this. We have left Madrid 10 points behind, which is something we have to value."
Sunday's match marked the first time Barca have had a player sent off and also missed a penalty in a LaLiga game since March 2007 against Sevilla.
Sergi Roberto played 81 minutes of the contest and finished with the best passing accuracy (92.9 per cent) of any Barcelona player, completing 26 of his 28 passes.
The Barca academy product signed a new one-year contract on Friday, making it 14 seasons for the versatile right-back at Camp Nou.
"It is clear that I have been here for many years," he said. "I am happy to continue at this club I've spent my life with. It is where I want to be, where the coach wants me to be.
"It has been easy and we understood each other quickly. I hope that years of many titles will come."
Barcelona have now won eight games by a 1-0 scoreline in LaLiga this season, which is their most in a full season in the competition's history.
Head coach Xavi watched this latest win from high up in the stands as he served a one-match ban and was put through the wringer by his side.
"I'm never going to protest again because watching the game up there has caused me a lot of anxiety," Xavi joked. "Not being able to communicate with my players was tough.
"The red card was clear as [Araujo] was the last man. It's a shame because we were in control but didn't deal with the danger well. It's a red card.
"You have to know how to close out games. Many times we haven't done it and today we were made to suffer even more because of the sending off.
"A lack of effectiveness is making us suffer. But with many absentees today, and a red card, we showed we still won."
Arsenal 'learning from hiccups' under Slegers, says Fox
Emily Fox says Arsenal are "learning from hiccups at the start of the season" as they settle into life under interim manager Renee Slegers.
The Dutchwoman has won five and drawn one of her six games since taking over after Jonas Eidevall's departure in October.
Arsenal sit second in their Champions League group and have won each of their last two games in the competition, scoring exactly four goals on both occasions – the Gunners are aiming to win three in a row in the group stage for just the second time after doing so in 2021-22 (W3).
They face Juventus on Thursday in their final game before the international break, and Fox is hopeful their growing confidence will show through in the result.
"I think right now we are all very confident in each other and ourselves. With the entire team, we feel together," said Fox.
"Each game has been very difficult, and we have been learning from each other. We're learning from the hiccups at the start of the season.
"Renee brings a lot of confidence, is very even-keeled and is just straightforward. I think with that, you have clarity and also freedom.
"As a team, we all want to do better. It’s never just one person or one reason why we're doing bad.
"It's a collective responsibility and accountability to come together and make things work to be better."
Arsenal have had off-the-field issues in the Champions League this season though, as a fixture clash with the men's team has forced the team to get "special dispensation" from UEFA to play their tie against Bayern Munich at Meadowpark instead of the Emirates Stadium.
Slegers admitted it was a "challenge", but believes Arsenal are still in a good position as a club to keep pushing women's football forward.
"I was playing for Arsenal's academy in 2006, so I know how big Arsenal have been over time in women's football. That's why I came to England," Slegers said.
"So historically, Arsenal has been leading in pushing the development of women's football and I think it will do that in the future as well. This was a bump in the road, which will always happen.
"It's like player development, you will not go up in a straight line, there will be challenges on the way. This is a challenge, but we're all very proud of what Arsenal tries to do to push women's football forward."
Mbappe must improve to 'follow Ronaldo's path' at Madrid, says France World Cup winner Candela
Kylian Mbappe can "follow Cristiano Ronaldo's path at Real Madrid" if he works harder, according to former France defender and World Cup winner Vincent Candela.
The former Paris Saint-Germain forward has endured a tricky start to life with Los Blancos since making the switch as a free agent.
Despite scoring eight goals in 16 appearances across all competitions, Mbappe is yet to truly catch fire at Santiago Bernabeu, where his displays have been subjected to widespread criticism.
The France forward has underperformed his season's expected goals (xG) total by 2.04, while he was left out of Les Bleus' squad for their recent Nations League matches after failing to find the net in his last four appearances.
Mbappe is averaging a goal every 166 minutes in all competitions this term, compared to one every 88 minutes in his final campaign with PSG, and was flagged offside eight times during the humiliating 4-0 defeat to Barcelona in October.
Candela, who was part of France's squad that won the 1998 World Cup, says Mbappe must up his game in the Spanish capital.
However, the 51-year-old is confident his compatriot will do that and, if he does, can potentially emulate a Madrid icon, who became the club's leading scorer and won four Champions League titles during his glittering spell.
"He has to work harder in Spain. He can still grow and become a stronger player," Candela said in an interview with RB Sports, via Diario Sport.
"At Real Madrid, Mbappe is a player among others, while at PSG, he was an icon.
"I hope Mbappe can follow Cristiano Ronaldo's path at Real Madrid, but it's too early to compare them. First, he has to win the Champions League, as the Portuguese has done several times."
Dwight Yorke backs push for T&T’s citizenship reform to boost Soca Warriors’ World Cup bid
Soca Warriors Head coach Dwight Yorke has warmly embraced the government’s initiative to review the nation’s citizenship laws, a move that could significantly bolster his squad's depth and aspirations for the 2026 Fifa World Cup.
The proposed changes, currently under discussion, would allow foreign-based players with Trinidad and Tobago-born grandparents to represent the Twin Island Republic, a significant step up from the current Constitution, which states that “A person shall not become a citizen of T&T if, at the time of his birth—(a) neither of his parents is a citizen of T&T.”
This adjustment could expand the Soca Warriors player pool and, by extension, create new opportunities for Trinidad and Tobago to remain competitive on the global stage across various sports.
Minister of Sport and Community Development Shamfa Cudjoe-Lewis explained that steps are being taken to explore legislative reforms.
The Ministry of National Security, the Office of the Attorney General, and the TT Football Association (TTFA) are also involved in discussions about the initiative to draw insights from policies in other Caribbean nations.
“We’re starting with football. We are exploring the policies of our neighbours and the legislation to work out an arrangement suitable for T&T. So we’re at the discussion stage right now,” Cudjoe-Lewis said during Yorke’s unveiling recently.
“For the drafters of the legislation and the persons looking at the policy, it’s a little more complicated, and a proper, thorough study on policy development must be done. It’s not something you want to rush,” she added.
Although a timeline for implementation has not been established, the initiative has already sparked interest across Trinidad and Tobago’s broader sporting community, with other national sporting organizations inquiring about similar eligibility expansions for their athletes.
“As we started looking at football, many of the other sporting bodies started reaching out, saying they want to be able to use persons whose grandparents were born in T&T for them to be able to play for national teams,” Cudjoe-Lewis shared.
“You have to pass the legislation and the policy in such a way that it is fair and just. We’re starting with football, and we are just looking at and exploring the policy of our neighbours and the legislation, so we’re at the discussion stage right now,” she stressed.
Yorke, a former Soca Warriors and Manchester United stalwart, understands the potential impact such reforms could have but emphasized that any additions to the squad must be carefully considered to ensure they fit seamlessly into the team’s long-term strategy.
He referenced the success of global football powerhouses like France, England, and Germany, which have leveraged similar eligibility rules to assemble world-class teams.
“It’s been talked about, and we’ve seen over the years where other teams, predominantly big teams in world football, all have some type of inheritance. We are looking at the situation, one that we will implement at some point, but it has to be the right players to come into the equation,” Yorke said.
Yorke also praised the December restart of the TT Premier Football League, which he believes will serve as a proving ground for local talent with national team ambitions.
“For the players who have aspirations of representing T&T, it gives them additional incentive when they get out there to know what’s at stake. Any young man who is playing at that level should have aspiration to be part of the national team.
“So that’s the message. In terms of me, Russell Latapy, Derek King (assistant coaches), and the backroom staff, we’re collectively looking for the best talent in the country,” Yorke declared.
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