Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola says a top-five finish and Champions League qualification is still in his side’s hands after being held to a goalless draw by relegated Southampton.
MATCH REPORT: Southampton shut out Man City to move past record low points total
Loren Allred, the sensational voice behind the global hit Never Enough from The Greatest Showman, is making an emotional return to the Britain’s Got Talent stage tonight for the live semi-final – and she says it still feels “surreal.”
The American singer, who stunned audiences in 2022 with her powerhouse vocals, credits the ITV talent show for helping her step out of the shadows and into the spotlight. “Britain’s Got Talent was a real turning point in my career,” Loren tells The Mirror. “I’d spent years behind the scenes in the music industry – singing guide vocals, doing studio work, lending my voice to other projects. But I hadn’t really stepped forward as me. BGT gave me that opportunity.”
Loren, 36, had long been known in the industry as the voice behind Never Enough, even though she didn’t appear on screen in The Greatest Showman. While the song became a global phenomenon, her face remained largely unknown – until she wowed the BGT judges and audience with a show-stopping live rendition of the very song she originally recorded.
“The show allowed me to tell my story and connect with people as a person, not just a voice,” she says. “The support I received was incredible, and it opened so many doors I never imagined.”
Now, she’s back for a special performance in the semi-final, and it’s an emotional moment. “There’s this beautiful mix of nostalgia and excitement. It’s such a warm, full-circle feeling to be back.”
Loren also says she’s looking forward to seeing the judging panel again – especially Simon Cowell, who has been one of her biggest champions. “Simon was so supportive during my time on the show. We’ve crossed paths since, and he’s always been incredibly encouraging. He really helped me build the confidence to step forward as an artist in my own right.”
Reflecting on Simon’s evolution on the show, she adds, “I think he’s definitely mellowed in recent years. He still has that sharp instinct and high standard, but there’s a softer, more reflective side to him now. You can see how genuinely invested he is in people’s stories, not just their performances. It’s really heartwarming.”
She also had a message for this year’s semi-finalists: “Be fearless in your vulnerability. Don’t try to fit a mould – just show up as your authentic self. That’s where the magic happens.”
Loren remains close friends with fellow performers Sydnie Christmas and Jasmine Rice. “Sydnie and I bonded instantly – our duet of Over the Rainbow always brings us to tears. And Jasmine is just phenomenal. Every time I see her perform, I’m inspired all over again.”
As Loren Allred returns to the BGT stage, she’s living proof that sometimes, all it takes is one moment – and one stage – to change everything.
Hansi Flick called on his Barcelona players to brush off their Champions League semi-final elimination and bounce back strongly against Real Madrid on Sunday in a vital La Liga Clasico.
Barca lead the Spanish top flight by four points ahead of rivals and defending champions Real Madrid with four matches remaining.
The Catalans were ousted in Europe on Tuesday by Inter Milan, ending dreams of a potential quadruple.
“We spoke about what they (the players) are thinking, what they are feeling, it’s important in a group that we speak about that,” Flick told a news conference Saturday.
“Everyone knows that in a Clasico you have to be on your highest level, that’s what we have to do.
“We want to be active, we want to see the team (play) with intensity on the pitch, dominant as normal, and we know it’s a really fantastic team from Real (against us).”
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Barcelona have beaten Real Madrid in all three Clasicos played this season, beginning with a 4-0 win in La Liga at the Santiago Bernabeu in October.
The Catalans then thrashed Madrid 5-2 in the Spanish Super Cup final in January and edged them 3-2 in extra time in the Copa del Rey final in April.
Even if Barcelona lost, they would still be top of the table by a point, but Flick said his team was out to defeat Los Blancos again.
“We always go into the match to win the match, doesn’t matter about the table,” he added.
“(We’ll) focus on this match, give everything to get three points…
“The Clasico is important for our fans, everyone, for Barca, for the players, for me, my coaching staff, it’s great to play against them and compete against them.”
Barcelona were handed a boost as Alejandro Balde and Marc Casado were passed fit to play on Saturday after injury.
Midfielder Casado has been missing for almost two months after a knee ligament injury, while Balde missed the last month with a hamstring problem.
Robert Lewandowski returned from injury to play as a substitute against Inter on Tuesday.
Flick said all three players were more likely to be on the bench on Sunday than to be selected as starters.
“After this match, we have three more matches,” noted the coach.
Britain’s Josh Tarling claimed his first Grand Tour stage win with victory in the time trial on stage two of the Giro d’Italia.
Ineos Grenadiers rider Tarling, 21, beat Slovenia’s Primoz Roglic by one second over the 13.7km course in Albania’s capital city Tirana.
Roglic did just enough to take the leader’s pink jersey off stage-one winner Mads Pedersen and now leads the Dane by one second in the general classification.
Australia’s Jay Vine finished third on the stage, three seconds back on Tarling.
Time trial specialist Tarling completed the course in 16 minutes seven seconds then faced an agonising wait for 58 riders, including other stage favourites and overall contenders, to finish.
“I can’t believe it, I’m so happy,” said Tarling.
“The wait was not nice, I don’t want to do it again, it was a long day for 13km.”
Tarling is now the youngest winner of a time trial in Giro history and has a chance for another time trial victory on stage 10 on 20 May.
Britain’s Ethan Hayter finished ninth on the stage, 14 seconds back on Tarling.
Though he missed out on the stage win, 2023 Giro champion Roglic, 35, gained time over his rivals for the title.
Spain’s Juan Ayuso is now 16 seconds down on Roglic, with Italy’s Antonio Tiberi nine seconds further back.
British twins Simon and Adam Yates, Ecuador’s Richard Carapaz and Colombia’s Egan Bernal are all over 30 seconds down on Roglic but there is plenty of climbing to come in the three-week stage race.
Pedersen went out last and almost held on to the leader’s jersey, missing out by two seconds as he finished seventh, 11 seconds back on Roglic.
A hilly 160km route on Sunday’s stage three, starting and finishing in Vlore, marks the end of the race in Albania before it moves to Italy following Monday’s rest day.
Britain’s Josh Tarling claimed his first Grand Tour stage win with victory in the time trial on stage two of the Giro d’Italia.
Ineos Grenadiers rider Tarling, 21, beat Slovenia’s Primoz Roglic by one second over the 13.7km course in Albania’s capital city Tirana.
Roglic did just enough to take the leader’s pink jersey off stage-one winner Mads Pedersen and now leads the Dane by one second in the general classification.
Australia’s Jay Vine finished third on the stage, three seconds back on Tarling.
Time trial specialist Tarling completed the course in 16 minutes seven seconds then faced an agonising wait for 58 riders, including other stage favourites and overall contenders, to finish.
“I can’t believe it, I’m so happy,” said Tarling.
“The wait was not nice, I don’t want to do it again, it was a long day for 13km.”
Tarling is now the youngest winner of a time trial in Giro history and has a chance for another time trial victory on stage 10 on 20 May.
Britain’s Ethan Hayter finished ninth on the stage, 14 seconds back on Tarling.
Though he missed out on the stage win, 2023 Giro champion Roglic, 35, gained time over his rivals for the title.
Spain’s Juan Ayuso is now 16 seconds down on Roglic, with Italy’s Antonio Tiberi nine seconds further back.
British twins Simon and Adam Yates, Ecuador’s Richard Carapaz and Colombia’s Egan Bernal are all over 30 seconds down on Roglic but there is plenty of climbing to come in the three-week stage race.
Pedersen went out last and almost held on to the leader’s jersey, missing out by two seconds as he finished seventh, 11 seconds back on Roglic.
A hilly 160km route on Sunday’s stage three, starting and finishing in Vlore, marks the end of the race in Albania before it moves to Italy following Monday’s rest day.
Iga Swiatek suffered a shock elimination from the Italian Open on Saturday as the reigning Rome champion was dumped out by Danielle Collins 6-1, 7-5.
World number two Swiatek was hunting a fourth title at the Foro Italico but failed to get past the third round of the last major tournament before the French Open.
Collins will now face one of Elina Svitolina or fellow American Hailey Baptiste in the last 16 as the world number 35 hunts an unlikely second WTA 1000 title after winning in Miami last year.
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Swiatek’s early exit is a major shock for the Pole who usually dominates her rivals on clay and has a hugely impressive record in the Italian capital.
The manner of her defeat is another worrying sign ahead of Roland Garros as she was also thrashed in straight sets by Coco Gauff in the semi-finals of the Madrid Open earlier this month.
Swiatek was barely recognisable from the player who has won four French Open titles, being broken four times in the first set and failing to impose herself at all on Collins, against whom she had previously won eight of nine meetings.
Later men’s world number one Jannik Sinner makes his return to action against Argentina’s Mariano Navone following a contested three-month doping ban.