Messi-less Barca enter Super Cup final

CORDOBA • Barcelona booked their place in the final of the Spanish Super Cup after overcoming the absence of injured Lionel Messi to beat Real Sociedad 3-2 in a penalty shoot-out following a 1-1 draw after extra time on Wednesday.

Barca midfielder Riqui Puig kept his cool to score the decisive fifth penalty - sending the Catalans into Sunday's final in Seville against Real Madrid or Bilbao - after Antoine Griezmann and Frenkie de Jong had squandered their spot kicks.

Barca goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen also played a crucial role, denying Sociedad's Jon Bautista and Mikel Oyarzabal, while Willian Jose struck the post.

REUTERS

Fosu-Mensah off to Leverkusen for €1.7m

BERLIN • Manchester United's Dutch defender Timothy Fosu-Mensah has joined Bayer Leverkusen, it was announced on Wednesday, after a lack of first-team opportunities at Old Trafford this season.

The 23-year-old centre-back, with just over 100 minutes playing time in three games for United this season, has switched to the Bundesliga and joined Leverkusen on a contract until June 2024. His transfer reportedly cost Leverkusen around €1.7 million (S$2.74 million).

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

Sumo king negative for Covid, discharged

TOKYO • Japan's top-ranked sumo wrestler Hakuho has been discharged from hospital after being treated for a coronavirus infection, Sports Hochi reported yesterday.

The Japanese sports daily said Mongolian-born Hakuho, who is the longest-serving yokozuna - top-ranked sumo wrestler - in the sport, has now tested negative for Covid-19. The 35-year-old tested positive on Jan 5 just five days before the ongoing sumo New Year Grand Tournament in Tokyo began.

REUTERS