There was an almost dystopian feel to Barcelona’s home La Liga game against Valencia last Monday.

Defending champions Barca kicked off knowing they needed a win to keep alive any faint hopes of retaining the title — or at least postpone the inevitability of Real Madrid taking the championship away from them for as long as possible.

Valencia’s visit to Montjuic was also Barca’s first game since it was confirmed Xavi would continue as head coach next season, having said in January he’d step down in the summer — in theory, something positive for their fans to get behind.

Still, the 30,167 crowd was the lowest of the season at what is their temporary home during extensive renovations at Camp Nou. The heavy rain was a factor, but their fans were also hurting after a tough few weeks, including the double pain of a Champions League exit to Paris Saint-Germain and a Clasico defeat at the Bernabeu in La Liga.

Those present got to see a quite entertaining 4-2 home win against a young Valencia team still with hopes of qualifying for Europe — but the quality was not good.

Valencia were handed their goals through farcical mistakes from goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen and centre-back Ronald Araujo. Xavi’s team often struggled to find zip and creativity, even playing against 10 men after Giorgi Mamardashvili was sent off just before half-time. With the score level at 2-2, it seemed another night of frustration was coming for a team who have been through a lot lately.

This was when the home crowd began to rise to their feet, as a Mexican Wave rippled around the ground.

🌊 Así estaba Montjuïc con 2-2 en el marcador.

📽️ @jordicardero pic.twitter.com/FdUeqI6U0F

— Relevo (@relevo) April 29, 2024

Waves are not unheard of at games in Spain, but they do generally occur when contented supporters have something to celebrate and nothing of real consequence is happening on the pitch.

The images of the wave sweeping around a half-full, rain-swept Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys, with Barca struggling and Xavi looking stressed on the bench, were startling to many observers.

“The wave at Montjuic is like an episode of Black Mirror,” posted broadcaster DAZN’s Miguel Quintana on X, referencing the normality-warping science-fiction TV series. It struck a chord. Quintana explained that he was not trying to be the “celebration police”, but the wave did seem to show a lack of respect for Barcelona’s proud history.

It also furthered a debate over how representative that crowd was of Barca’s traditional base. They only sold 17,500 season tickets at the hilltop venue, which many locals consider to be awkwardly inaccessible. Some supporters had spared themselves the hassle of the trip on a rainy April night, so many present were curious visitors to the Catalan capital, families who rarely go to games or international Barca fans making a rare and expensive pilgrimage to see their team in the flesh rather than on a screen.

Meanwhile, the sound of cackling could be heard all the way from the Bernabeu.

Everything seems to be coming up Madrid at the moment. Carlo Ancelotti’s team had taken another step closer to the title with a grimly determined 1-0 win at Real Sociedad on the previous Friday evening. A sixth successive La Liga victory was never really in doubt, even after Ancelotti rotated heavily ahead of the Champions League semi-final first leg against Bayern in Munich.

Expectations and optimism among Madrid fans are sky-high. The lengthy €1billion (£860m; $1.1bn) renovation of their stadium is almost complete, and supporters have been packing into the shiny new structure to cheer their team.

The mood was already jubilant around the Bernabeu on Saturday afternoon, from hours before kick-off. There was an inevitability about the 3-0 home win that followed, even with Cadiz desperate for points in their relegation struggle and Ancelotti rotating again. Back-up creative spark Brahim Diaz was outstanding with a goal and assist, the rested Jude Bellingham scored a few minutes after coming on just past the hour. When club captain Nacho burst forward to set up Joselu for the final goal in added time, the 72,654 crowd rose to their feet chanting ‘Campeones’. On the final whistle, the players stayed on the pitch afterwards to sing and dance and celebrate.

GO DEEPER

How Real Madrid won La Liga – artful Ancelotti, brilliant Bellingham, new heroes

That was followed a few hours later by another disaster for Barcelona at Catalan neighbours Girona.

Barca were 2-1 up with an hour played and could have put the game out of reach but crumbled to a deserved 4-2 defeat. Afterwards, Xavi and club president Joan Laporta raged again about the unfairness of it all, but the consequences of over a decade of really bad decision-making at Barca is coming home to roost.

This is a golden age for Madrid’s fans — and their club look set to strengthen significantly this summer. Everyone at the Bernabeu expects Kylian Mbappe’s arrival from Paris Saint-Germain to finally be confirmed once this season is over, although the history of him changing his mind has kept them cautious.

Brazilian wonderkid Endrick definitely is arriving — and the 18-year-old showed his great promise when scoring at Wembley and the Bernabeu in international friendlies in March. Luka Modric and backup defender Nacho look like they might leave, maybe Dani Ceballos and Joselu too, but high-quality replacements are being lined up, such as Bayern left-back Alphonso Davies and Lille centre-back Leny Yoro.

So Madrid should be even stronger in La Liga next season, having already cruised to this championship with their first-choice goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois and Ancelotti’s preferred centre-back pairing Eder Militao and David Alaba missing most of the season. They have the best defensive record in the division (just 22 conceded after 34 games) and have lost just once in the league, away against city rivals Atletico in September.

Madrid fans celebrating in the city on Saturday night (Diego Radames/Europa Press via Getty Images)

Girona’s surprise title challenge aside (and maybe Xavi’s histrionics), this has not been a very dramatic La Liga season.

For months, it has looked almost certain that Almeria, Granada and Cadiz would be relegated. With four rounds of games to play, the only real jeopardy left is whether in-form Villarreal or that youthful Valencia team might pip Real Betis to seventh and the Europa Conference League spot it brings.

It has been a fantastic campaign by Girona, whose fantastic display of belief and skill against Barca on Saturday clinched Champions League qualification. The Catalan club are part of the City Football Group, but their annual budget is €60million — compared to Madrid’s €600m, Barcelona’s €500m and Atletico’s €300m. Their highest previous La Liga finish was 10th.

This is a spectacular achievement, and Girona coach Michel is being talked about as one of Europe’s most promising managers. But their startling success can also be taken as another sign of the general level falling within La Liga.

European football’s best up-and-coming managers

Spanish football still has a tremendous production line of young players — Lamine Yamal and Pau Cubarsi at Barca and Nico Williams at Athletic Bilbao have enjoyed superb seasons. Las Palmas playmaker Alberto Moleiro, Valencia centre-back Cristhian Mosquera and Atletico midfielder Pablo Barrios have all made exciting steps forward. Villarreal playmaker Alex Baena looks ready to make a big impact at the top level.

But all of these players are more likely to move to the Premier League than become part of a new domestic project that could challenge Madrid.

Barcelona’s ongoing financial woes mean key players could be sold this summer. Atletico are on a cost-cutting drive, and Sevilla, Valencia and Villarreal are all trying to rebuild on the cheap. La Liga’s strict financial rules just do not permit anyone to take over a club and quickly launch them forward with a big splash of investment. Its Saudi Arabian-owned side, Almeria, have been relegated.

Barcelona’s Ronald Araujo could be sold this summer (Lluis Gene/AFP via Getty Images)

The mood at Atletico’s stadium was indicative when they beat Athletic 3-1 on April 27 in what was almost an elimination match for fourth spot and the final Champions League place on April 27.

Atletico were the better team against an Athletic side still hungover from their much-celebrated Copa del Rey victory a few weeks before. A first major trophy in four decades means Athletic’s players and fans are already very happy with how 2023-24 has gone, and many quite like the idea of playing in the Europa League next year as its final will be at their San Mames home.

Views on the current campaign are much more mixed at Atletico, with midfielder Rodrigo De Paul annoying some fans when he said: “In general lines, this has been a great season for Atletico.”

De Paul cited making the Copa del Rey semi-finals and Champions League’s last eight while ensuring a 12th consecutive season in Europe’s elite club competition. That Atletico are a full 20 points behind neighbours Madrid in the Primera Division standings did not seem to matter too much.

For Madrid fans, things are likely to keep getting better and better.

Bellingham, Vinicius Junior, Federico Valverde, Rodrygo, Militao, Aurelien Tchouameni and Eduardo Camavinga are all still in their early-to-mid-twenties, and Endrick and, of course, Mbappe should provide another big leap forward in talent.

But supporters of all the other La Liga clubs fear the dystopia will continue.

(Top photo: Oscar del Pozo/AFP via Getty Images)

The Caitlin Clark era is off to a raucous start.

In front of a sold-out crowd in Dallas for her first WNBA game, albeit preseason action, Clark was just as impactful as she was the past four years at Iowa (perhaps in part because of all of the familiar Big Ten foes on the court). Although the Indiana Fever lost to the Dallas Wings 79-76, with Wings guard Arike Ogunbowale nailing a go-ahead 3-pointer with three seconds to play, Clark finished with a team-high 21 points and made five 3-pointers.

“I thought we played really hard. Just a great atmosphere for women’s basketball,” Clark said postgame on the Bally Sports broadcast. “I think it’s a good kickoff to the WNBA season.”

Caitlin Clark in her WNBA preseason debut:

◽️ 21 PTS
◽️ 3 REB
◽️ 5 threes

🎥 @IndianaFever pic.twitter.com/ZNvuoQN2q8

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— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) May 4, 2024

Clark started alongside Erica Wheeler, which allowed the former Iowa star to play both on and off the ball. In her first possession as the de facto point guard, she delivered a pitch-perfect outlet pass to forward NaLyssa Smith the full length of the court. After Smith’s attempt at the rim was blocked, Clark went into shooting guard mode, hitting a deep 3-pointer off the inbounds for her first professional points.

The triples kept flowing in the first half. Clark equaled the Wings’ total, with four 3-pointers of her own before intermission, including one that required dazzling footwork against Natasha Howard, a former Defensive Player of the Year. Howard got switched onto Clark on the perimeter, and the No. 1 pick created just enough space with a hesitation dribble and then a step back to her left to drain the jumper.

14 PTS for Clark with 4 made threes! 🔥 2Q is underway

📲: WNBA App pic.twitter.com/KCLiJeZqRW

— WNBA (@WNBA) May 4, 2024

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Clark didn’t venture much towards the rim early, but her shooting was WNBA-ready, including one pull-up midrange shot near the end of the second quarter. In the first half, Clark had 16 points, leading both teams.

Still, there was much to improve on from Friday night’s performance. Clark finished with a game-high five turnovers, and was whistled for four fouls. She said afterward the Fever could have gotten into their offense better and there is room to understand more about when to push in transition and when to slow down the game’s pace. She also said the team’s passing could have been better.

“Overall, a lot to learn from,” Clark said. “These are good learning experiences for us. This doesn’t count. Go back and watch the film, film doesn’t lie and learn from that.”

“This is a process, right? We just started practicing on Sunday,” Fever coach Christie Sides said. “We’re still learning each other. She worked really hard to get some shots that she doesn’t need to work so hard for anymore.”

Last year’s Rookie of the Year Aliyah Boston finished with eight points and eight rebounds in her preseason debut, while Smith, the No. 2 pick in the 2022 WNBA Draft, finished with 20 points and six boards. Fellow Fever rookie Celeste Taylor finished with five rebounds in 11 minutes.

Ogunbowale’s 3-pointer was her lone made triple of the game, though she finished with 19 points. Rookie guard Jaelyn Brown led the Wings with 21 points.

Jacy Sheldon, the No. 5 pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft, played 13 minutes off the Wings bench and recorded two assists.

The Fever’s second, and final, preseason game is set for Friday, May 10.

Reese finishes one rebound shy of double-double in debut

Former LSU star Angel Reese also made her preseason debut on Friday night, as the Chicago Sky faced off against the Minnesota Lynx. Reese started the contest, and had a layup attempted blocked by star Minnesota forward Napheesa Collier only three minutes into the game. Though Reese didn’t score in the first quarter, she settled in during the second quarter, both getting on the scoresheet and also showing offensive chemistry with center Kamilla Cardoso.

With 3:49 to play before halftime, Reese found Cardoso cutting to the basket for a lay-up, a hoop which Chicago forward Brianna Turner said looked even better in person.

Looked even better in person 🤩🫶🏾 https://t.co/t2N7cwthzn

— Brianna Turner (@_Breezy_Briii) May 4, 2024

Chicago lost 92-81, but Reese finished with 13 points, and was aggressive around the rim. She attempted 10 free throws and made nine. She also added a game-high nine rebounds. Cardoso, the No. 3 pick in this past April’s draft, came off the Chicago bench and finished with six points and four rebounds in 13 minutes of action.

Former Utah star Alissa Pili made her preseason debut for the Lynx, but struggled on the offensive end, making only one of her seven shot attempts in 13 minutes of action.

Required reading

(Photos: Cooper Neill / NBAE via Getty Images)

They certainly didn’t pull any punches.

In a live show on Netflix that lasted over three hours, a roast of Tom Brady didn’t spare any jokes at the expense of the seven-time Super Bowl winner. Everything from his divorce from Gisele Bündchen, Spygate, Deflategate and Brady’s relationship with Alex Guerrero were on the table.

“Before I got to the New England Patriots, we heard about Spygate. Then after I left, we heard about Deflategate,” Randy Moss said. “So I only got one question for you, Tom: ’Why the f— didn’t we cheat when I was there?! I wanted to cheat, too. My kids always ask me, ‘Daddy, why does everyone have a ring but you?’ You know how hard it is to look your kids in the eyes and say, ‘They just don’t trust me enough to cheat’?”

A wide array of former teammates and comedians spent a few hours trading barbs with each other — but especially Brady.

“A lot of people assume I have a lot of animosity toward Tom Brady,” Drew Bledsoe joked. “So I’m here tonight in front of millions of people to tell you — they’re correct.”

And then, toward the end of the night, Bill Belichick, the uber-serious, seldom-joking former head coach of the Patriots, crushed with a 10-minute set.

“People have said it — Tom and I butted heads a lot,” Belichick said, setting up his joke. “And in a way that was true. But it was hard to butt heads with Tom — because he was so far up Alex Guerrero’s ass.”

At first, Brady sat in good spirits and tried to laugh off the relentless (and often ruthless) jokes — even if there were some uncomfortable moments. Here are some of the highlights from the roast.

Jokes from Brady’s former teammates (and Belichick)

Moss: “Even though we didn’t win it all, I still got everything that I wanted because I got to play with the greatest quarterback that ever lived. And for three years — it was a short time — we scared the entire National Football League. Tom, you’re still my quarterback — even though you did not want me to be your accomplice.”

Bledsoe: “There were rumors that coach (Bill) Belichick was going to be here tonight. Turns out he has some time on his hands. At least when I got fired, somebody else wanted me.”

Belichick: “I’m honored to be here at the roast of Tom Brady on Netflix. Not to be confused with the roast of Bill Belichick on the 10-part Apple-TV series.”

Julian Edelman: “Alex Guerrero is the snake oil salesman that turned Tom into a complete weirdo.”

Rob Gronkowski on the similarities between Brady and Belichick: “You’re both hard asses that hate fun. You both live and breathe football. Neither of you are married anymore. You’re both even divorced from football — and both of you take full credit for the dynasty.”

Best one-liners from the comedians

Comedian Jeff Ross: “Tom was drafted 199th in the NFL draft. He sat there for days waiting and waiting and was finally picked in the sixth round when Bill Belichick’s dog stepped on the keyboard by accident.”

Nikki Glaser: “You have seven rings — well, eight now that Giselle gave hers back.”

Some uncomfortable moments

It wasn’t all just laughs. It seemed Brady learned pretty quickly that this wasn’t going to be some light-hearted, good-natured ribbing. That started with Kevin Hart’s opening monologue, which went heavy on jokes about Bündchen and her reported new boyfriend, who has a background in jiu-jitsu.

But the most awkward moment may have been after Ross made a joke about Robert Kraft and massages. Afterward, Brady stood up from his seat and seemed to say to Ross, “Don’t say that s— again.”

Belichick’s roast

The best set of the night probably goes to Glaser, though Belichick’s bit was great and hit on everyone from comedians (joking that Hart can’t say no to an opportunity) to Danny Amendola’s career highlights (that’s “what Randy would call a decent first half”) to, of course, Brady (“Really, Tom, why are all these people so hard on you? Do you miss me?” Belichick joked.)

With Belichick back in the fold, he opened himself up to ribbing, including from Edelman, who noted that Belichick for several years used to say in team meetings that players at Foxboro High School could’ve done what the Patriots messed up.

“(Now) Foxboro High is the only job offer you have,” Edelman said. “… Do your job? More like need a job, coach.”

Bill Belichick to Rob Gronkowski: “Please stop doing your job.” #TomBradyRoast pic.twitter.com/pbn6tOVEqX

— Netflix (@netflix) May 6, 2024

Robert Kraft’s quips

With the rift between Kraft and Belichick well known, the Pats owner figured he’d quickly address it when he got the mic while Belichick was seated next to Edelman on stage.

“Like many family reunions, there’s some people here I’m desperately trying to avoid — coach Belichick, good to see you,” Kraft joked.

Then he turned toward Brady’s impending purchase of a share of the Las Vegas Raiders.

“Tom, good luck buying the Raiders,” he said. “They did your favorite thing for you already — they got rid of Jimmy Garoppolo.”

Robert Kraft cheersing Bill Belichick… never thought we’d see the day! #TomBradyRoast pic.twitter.com/X5D3nKOpCm

— Netflix (@netflix) May 6, 2024

How did Brady take the roasting?

Finally, at the end of a long night with some brutal jokes, Brady cracked a few jokes of his own while displaying a cocky version of himself fitting of a roast.

He said that Gronkowski was a great tight end for the Patriots —“Although the bar for Patriots tight ends was pretty low back then.” He joked that the NFL could’ve saved the $20 million it spent on Deflategate “and I would’ve just told you I f—-ing did it.” And Brady added that he’s trying to buy a share of the Raiders because, “I’m tired of owning just the Colts and the Bills.”

At the end, Brady turned toward Belichick, the coach with whom he’s had a turbulent relationship.

Required reading

(Photo: Michael Tran / AFP via Getty Images)