The 2026 Winter Olympic women’s figure skating short program, held on February 17 at the Milano Ice Skating Arena, was a showcase of Japanese technical depth and high-stakes drama for Team USA. Out of the 29 qualified skaters, the top 24 advanced to the free skate, with the top of the leaderboard dominated by Japan.

The Leaders: Japanese Dominance

Seventeen-year-old Ami Nakai of Japan, the youngest competitor in the event, took a surprise lead with a career-best score of 78.71. Her performance to "La Strada" was highlighted by a soaring triple Axel—one of only two successfully landed in the competition—and a high-scoring triple Lutz-triple toe loop combination.

Close behind in second place was teammate Kaori Sakamoto, the reigning three-time world champion, who earned 77.23 points. Performing to "Time to Say Goodbye," Sakamoto delivered an emotional and powerful skate that earned the highest program component scores of the night. Although she expressed some initial anxiety, she recovered to finish strongly, keeping herself in gold-medal contention. Japan's strength was further solidified by Mone Chiba, who placed fourth with 74.00 points, meaning Japanese skaters occupied three of the top four spots.

Team USA: The "Blade Angels"

The American trio, self-monikered the "Blade Angels," had a night of mixed results.

• Alysa Liu delivered a standout performance to secure third place with a score of 76.59, an international personal best. In her second Olympics following a two-year retirement, Liu looked calm and centered, landing a difficult triple Lutz-triple loop combination. She is the first American woman to be in the top three after an Olympic short program since 2006.

• Isabeau Levito finished in eighth place with 70.84 points. While she displayed her signature classical elegance and balletic quality in her Sophia Loren-inspired program, she was docked points for an under-rotated jump and lost a level on her step sequence.

• Amber Glenn experienced a heartbreaking segment, finishing 13th with 67.39 points. Glenn opened her Madonna-themed program with a "superb" triple Axel that earned over 10 points, the highest-scoring single jump of the event. However, she later "popped" a planned triple loop into a double. Because a double loop is an invalid element in the women's short program, she received zero points for the jump, causing her score to tumble.

Neutral Athletes and Other Competitors

Adeliya Petrosian, competing as an Individual Neutral Athlete, placed fifth with a score of 72.89. Despite her status as an "unknown variable" due to lack of recent international experience, she delivered a clean skate to a Michael Jackson medley, showcasing a technical arsenal that kept her within striking distance of the podium. Other notable qualifiers included Georgia's Anastasiia Gubanova in sixth and Belgium's Loena Hendrickx in seventh.

Moving Forward to the Free Skate

The competition remains tight heading into the free skate on February 19. While the Japanese skaters are positioned for a potential podium sweep, the narrow margins between the top five skaters—and the high-base-value jumps available to skaters like Glenn and Petrosian—ensure that the final medals remain undecided.

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The rivalry between SL Benfica and Real Madrid reached a new peak during their Champions League knockout phase playoff first leg on February 17, 2026. Played at the Estádio da Luz in Lisbon, the match ended in a 1-0 victory for Real Madrid, providing redemption for the Spanish giants after a dismal 4-2 defeat they suffered against the Portuguese side in the league phase just weeks earlier.

The game's decisive moment occurred in the 50th minute when Vinicius Junior scored what was described as a "wonder goal," curling a sumptuous effort into the top corner. However, the victory was heavily overshadowed by a major controversy involving allegations of racial abuse aimed at the Brazilian forward. Following his goal celebration—for which he was booked by referee Francois Letexier—Vinicius engaged in a heated confrontation with Benfica's Gianluca Prestianni.

Vinicius informed the referee that Prestianni had called him "mono" (the Spanish word for monkey). This accusation led Letexier to implement the official racism protocol, resulting in a match stoppage that lasted more than 10 minutes. While Jose Mourinho stated that Prestianni denied the slurs, Real Madrid players, including captain Federico Valverde and Kylian Mbappé, vocally supported Vinicius, with Mbappé calling for Prestianni to be banned from the competition.

The managerial battle between former colleagues was equally volatile. Jose Mourinho was sent off in the 85th minute for his vociferous protests, meaning he will be suspended for the second leg at his "old hunting ground," the Santiago Bernabéu, next week. Despite the 12 minutes of added time following the long stoppage, Benfica could not find an equalizer against Álvaro Arbeloa’s sturdier defense, which saw the return of Antonio Rüdiger and Trent Alexander-Arnold.

This modern clash adds another chapter to a fixture with deep historical roots. The two clubs were the only teams to have won the trophy prior to their famous meeting in the 1962 European Cup final. In that historic match at the Olympisch Stadion in Amsterdam, Benfica defeated Real Madrid 5-3 to successfully defend their title. That final was notable for Ferenc Puskás becoming the first player to score a hat-trick for a losing side in a European Cup final.

In the lead-up to the 2026 playoff, the rivalry was further intensified by Benfica's recent 4-2 victory in January 2026, a match highlighted by a dramatic 98th-minute header from Benfica goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin. Despite that recent loss, Real Madrid's narrow 1-0 win in the playoff first leg now gives them the advantage as they prepare for the return leg in Spain.

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On February 16, 2026, Girona secured a 2-1 comeback victory against FC Barcelona in a high-stakes Catalan derby at the Estadi Montilivi. This defeat marked a significant turning point in the LaLiga title race, as Barcelona missed the opportunity to reclaim the summit, leaving Real Madrid at the top of the table.

Match Summary and Key Goals

The match remained scoreless until the second half, despite Barcelona dominating early possession. The deadlock was finally broken in the 59th minute when Pau Cubarsí put the Blaugrana ahead with a towering header into the top-right corner, following a cross from Jules Koundé.

However, Barcelona’s lead lasted only three minutes. In the 62nd minute, Thomas Lemar leveled the score for Girona with a close-range strike after a cross from Vladyslav Vanat caused confusion in the box. The winning moment arrived in the 87th minute when substitute Fran Beltrán slotted a low shot into the bottom-left corner after being set up by Joel Roca.

Missed Opportunities and Controversy

The sources highlight that Barcelona’s inability to capitalize on first-half chances proved costly. Key moments included:

• Raphinha hitting the woodwork early in the game.

• Lamine Yamal missing a penalty in first-half stoppage time after Dani Olmo was fouled inside the box.

• Girona goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga denying Yamal from point-blank range.

Controversy emerged surrounding the winning goal, as some reports suggest the play began after an uncalled foul on Koundé that neither the referee nor VAR addressed. In the closing moments of the match, Girona's Joel Roca was sent off in added time for a reckless foul on Lamine Yamal.

Tactical Context and Impact

Under manager Hansi Flick, Barcelona continued to employ an aggressively high defensive line intended to compress space and force offsides. While this strategy has been effective throughout the season, the sources note it left gaps that Girona’s Bryan Gil exploited with his pace. Despite the loss, Barcelona goalkeeper Joan García was praised for several "outstanding one-handed saves" that prevented a larger margin of defeat.

Personnel and Injuries

Barcelona entered the match with several key players out, including Gavi, Pedri, and Andreas Christensen. Although Raphinha returned to the starting lineup from an adductor strain, his presence was not enough to maintain his personal unbeaten streak when starting this season. Adding to the team's frustrations, Eric García was forced off with an injury in the 73rd minute, a development described as "one of the worst pieces of news" for a defense already struggling with consistency.

Standings and Outlook

Following the match, Barcelona remains in second place with 58 points, two behind Real Madrid. For Girona, the win snapped a three-match winless run and propelled them to 12th place in the standings with 29 points, providing a significant boost away from the relegation zone. Barcelona must now regroup after suffering successive defeats in all competitions for the first time since October.

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