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Kylian Mbappé’s replacement Endrick gave Real Madrid a 1-0 win at Real Sociedad in the first leg of the Copa del Rey semi-finals on Wednesday.
Madrid were without Mbappé after he had tooth removed and was forced to miss training on Tuesday. But 18-year-old Brazilian forward Endrick stepped in to score a goal on the counterattack after Jude Bellingham’s long pass.
Carlo Ancelotti rested regular starters Thibaut Courtois and Federico Valverde but his side are now in prime position to reach a final against either Barcelona or Atlético Madrid, who drew 4-4 on Tuesday. The second legs will be played in April. Madrid last won the Copa del Rey in 2023.
Empoli beat Juventus 4-2 on penalties to advance to the Coppa Italia semi-finals after a resilient performance helped them hold the defending champions to a 1-1 draw in regular time.
Dusan Vlahovic missed Juve’s first attempt from the spot, sending his effort way over the bar before Empoli keeper Devis Vásquez denied Kenan Yildiz and Empoli defender Luca Marianucci sealed the win for the visitors.
Youssef Maleh had put Empoli in front after 24 minutes, scoring with a powerful strike from outside the box, before Khephren Thuram levelled for the struggling hosts after the hour mark with a stunning individual effort from a tight angle.
Empoli will face Bologna in a two-legged semi-final in April. Inter and Milan will play each other for the other spot in the final.
RB Leipzig needed a well-taken second-half penalty from Benjamin Sesko to edge Wolfsburg 1-0 and reach the German Cup last four.
The back-to-back German Cup winners in 2022 and 2023 soaked up early Wolfsburg pressure in both halves before gradually improving. They bagged the winner in the 69th minute when Sesko sent Marius Müller the wrong way from the spot after a penalty awarded for handball.
Leipzig join holders Bayer Leverkusen and Stuttgart in the last four, as well as third-tier Arminia Bielefeld who stunned Werder Bremen 2-1 on Tuesday.
Paris Saint-Germain’s Gonçalo Ramos scored a hat-trick to lead the French champions to a crushing 7-0 win over fourth-tier Stade Briochin in the Coupe de France quarter-finals.
João Neves opened the scoring after 16 minutes when he pounced on a rebound off the crossbar to score at the far post. Ramos doubled the lead in the 36th minute with a close-range finish from Senny Mayulu’s cross. Ramos bagged his second from the penalty spot soon after the interval before setting up Désiré Doué to make it 4-0. Doué set up the Portuguese striker for his third goal and the 19-year-old also teed up Mayulu up for the sixth.
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Substitute Ousmane Dembélé struck a powerful shot to complete the rout five minutes from time, netting his first goal in the cup and 25th in all competitions this season.
Second tier Dunkerque, who knocked out Lille on penalties in the previous round, secured their second big upset with a 3-2 win over Brest to reach the semis.
Marseille’s president, Pablo Longoria, was given a 15-match ban on Wednesday after he accused French referees of corruption following a defeat last Saturday.
A furious Longoria spoke about “true corruption” after the 3-0 loss at Auxerre, claiming decisions went against his team and suggesting Marseille were the victim of an organised plot. His comments were widely criticised by the referee’s union, and Longoria has since apologised.
The French league’s disciplinary commission said in a statement that his ban includes “all official functions” such as the bench, and access to the dressing room as well as the tunnel, the field and all other areas leading there.
Former Marseille player Fabrizio Ravanelli, now acting as the club’s adviser, was handed a three-match ban after accusing the referee, Jérémy Stinat, of “not knowing what he was doing”.
