MUNICH (AP) — Real Madrid coach Álvaro Arbeloa slammed referee Slavko Vinčić’s “inexplicable” decision to send off Eduardo Camavinga toward the end of Bayern Munich’s 4-3 win in the Champions League on Wednesday.
Vinčić blew the whistle for a foul after Bayern forward Harry Kane went down under minimal contact from Camavinga and clutched his shin as if in pain. Vinčić then showed the Madrid substitute his second yellow card, but appeared to forget that he’d booked him already. He was reminded by Bayern players including Jamal Musiala, Joshua Kimmich, and Aleksandar Pavlović, and subsequently sent the player off.
Luis Díaz scored three minutes later to equalize at 3-3 on the night, putting Bayern 5-4 up on aggregate, before Michael Olise made sure of the win in stoppage time, giving Bayern a 6-4 win over two legs.
“Everything was over with the red card,” Arbeloa said. “It’s unbelievable. You cannot send off a player for this action. It’s not fair in a match like that, and well, we are very, very upset, very angry, but also congratulations to Bayern Munich.”
Arda Guler scored twice and Kylian Mbappé scored the other as Madrid threatened a comeback after losing the first leg of the quarterfinal 2-1 in Madrid last week.
Arbeloa said the sending off was “completely inexplicable and unfair.”
“The tie slipped away from us in a way that was beyond our control, and I feel terrible for my players, for the effort they put in,” he said.
“I’m very proud of them, of the fans, of everyone who traveled, of those at home, and of the club. What hurts most about this defeat is that we won’t win the sixteenth (European title) this year, and – above all – because of the way it happened.”
Madrid faces the prospect of a second consecutive season without a trophy as it trails Barcelona by nine points in La Liga with seven rounds remaining and was knocked out of the Spanish Cup by second-division side Albacete Balompié in January.
It will most likely be the second season Mbappé finishes without a major trophy since joining Madrid from Paris Saint-Germain in 2024.
PSG won the Champions League the next season and is back in the semifinals – where it faces Bayern – later this month and May.
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Real Madrid's Eduardo Camavinga reacts after receiving a red card during the Champions League quarterfinal second leg soccer match between Bayern Munich and Real Madrid in Munich, Germany, Wednesday, April 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Lennart Preiss)
Real Madrid's head coach Alvaro Arbeloa gestures during the Champions League quarterfinal second leg soccer match between Bayern Munich and Real Madrid in Munich, Germany, Wednesday, April 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Lennart Preiss)
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The NCAA confirmed Wednesday it is exploring a move to an age-based eligibility model that would give athletes a window of five years to compete in Division I starting immediately after their high school graduation or 19th birthday, whichever comes first.
The Division I Cabinet discussed the possibility at meetings that concluded Wednesday but did not take a formal position. The Cabinet supports having NCAA staff continue to discuss the idea with other stakeholders to gather feedback.
The Cabinet said the new model would include possible exceptions for circumstances such as pregnancy, military service and religious missions.
The age-based model is similar to an idea included in an executive order issued by President Donald Trump on April 3.
Currently, athletes generally are allowed four seasons of competition over five years with no age restrictions.
The possibility of an age-based model comes after numerous athletes have challenged NCAA eligibility rules in lawsuits with the hope of extending their college careers and ability to earn money through revenue sharing and name, image and likeness deals.
During its meetings, the Cabinet approved changes to preenrollment eligibility rules, including one that would bar athletes who have entered and remained in a professional sports draft from competing in college.
One of the rules requires prospects to withdraw from opt-in professional league drafts, including the NBA draft, to bring precollege enrollment draft rules in line with postcollege enrollment draft rules. Men’s ice hockey and baseball would not be affected because athletes don’t opt in to those sports’ drafts.
The change came after two basketball players, Alabama’s Charles Bediako and Baylor’s James Nnaji, played in college this season after entering the 2023 NBA draft.
Bediako played two seasons at Alabama and entered the draft. He wasn’t selected but played three years in the G League, the NBA’s minor league. He played in five games this past season before the Alabama Supreme Court upheld a ruling that made him ineligible.
Nnaji was selected by the Detroit Pistons in the second round. He played professionally overseas before he enrolled as a freshman at Baylor in December. He was granted eligibility because he had never signed an NBA contract or played in the G League. He would be ineligible in 2026-27 under the new rules.
In other changes, athletes are allowed to sign with agents prior to enrolling for purposes other than name, image and likeness and are allowed to accept prize money in their respective sports without impacting eligibility.
AP college sports: https://apnews.com/hub/college-sports
A official holds a ball during the first half of an NCAA college basketball tournament semifinal game between Arizona and Michigan at the Final Four, Saturday, April 4, 2026, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
