what to (also) remember from the sports weekend

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Yes, the European Rugby Cup has taken on the French accent, with three clubs qualifying for the semi-finals, La Rochelle, Bordeaux-Bègles and Toulouse.

Yes, Brest qualified for the first time in its history in the semi-finals of the Handball Champions League, after its draw against Metz on Saturday (26-26).

Yes, the Slovenian Primoz Roglic won on the Tour of the Basque Country, trapping his compatriot Tadej Pogacar during the last stage won by the French David Gaudu on Saturday.

But something else happened this weekend that you might have missed.

The three weekend lessons

  • Of your mastermind, you will be wary
Marcelo Bielsa, left, and Pep Guardiola at the edge of the pitch during the match between Leeds and Manchester United.

Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola holds Leeds counterpart Marcelo Bielsa in high regard. “ He manages to convince his players to follow him thoroughly. This is how we recognize the best. People say he hasn’t won any titles. Give him Manchester City, he’ll win some “, He declared before the meeting between the two teams Saturday. The Argentinian did not lie to the Citizen : his players went to seek a prestigious victory on the lawn of the Etihad Stadium (2-1), even if their opponent had only posted a reorganized team between the two confrontations against Dortmund in the Champions League.

If Leeds had to give up possession of the ball so dear to “El Loco”, his players once again worked tirelessly to win, yet reduced to 10 at the end of the first half and suffered close about thirty shots. With this success, Leeds has almost assured its maintenance for its return to the top flight.

Article reserved for our subscribers Read also Marcelo Bielsa, the obsessional who makes Leeds dream
  • With your most threatening pursuer, the title, you will win

The Béziers-Mulhouse match on Saturday was shaping up to be the final before the time of the French women’s volleyball championship. With a victory for the Héraultaises, their immediate pursuers in the League A standings, and the only ones still able to challenge them for first place, the Alsaciennes could definitely put themselves out of reach and win the title even before the last two meetings of the season. . This is what they did, winning 3 sets to 1. The volleyball players of ASPTT Mulhouse are thus crowned for the second time in their history champions of France (after the title of 2017).

Here they are well launched: the French rowers Hugo Boucheron and Matthieu Androdias won the title of European champion of the pair, Sunday in Varese (Italy). In a tough final, with several pairs of Worlds finalists in 2019, the 2018 world champions placed their decisive acceleration 300 meters from the finish line to beat the Dutch Melvin Twellaar and Stef Broenink. Bodes well for a little over a hundred days before the Games, where the French duo are aiming for a medal.

Woman of the Weekend: Rachael Blackmore

Rachael Blackmore and her horse Minella Times won the Grand National on Saturday April 10th.

Barriers, she is used to flying over them, like Elisabeth Taylor in the Grand National, 1944 American film which recounted the exploits of a young horsewoman. Irish jockey Rachael Blackmore became the first woman to win the Aintree Grand National on Saturday in the 173e edition of the toughest horse show in the UK.

She was only the 20e woman to compete in the history of this competition which only became mixed in 1975. At 31, Blackmore accumulates victories: three weeks ago, she had won the prestigious Cheltenham Festival, another first for a woman. ” I don’t feel like a woman or a man. It’s just amazing », She reacted after the race.

The weekend figure: 78.60

DeAnna Price of the United States is the reigning hammer throw world champion.

It is, in meters, the distance covered by the hammer thrown, Friday night in Columbia (Missouri), by the American DeAnna Price, allowing her to establish a new national and continental record. The reigning world champion (in Doha, 2019) had already achieved the best world performance of the year, on March 20, with 76.82 meters. She is still just over four meters from the discipline record, held since August 2016 by the Polish Anita Wlodarczyk (82.98 meters), but is approaching the second best throw of all time, that of the German Betty Heidler (79.42 meters, in 2011).

The declaration of the weekend

“See you next week in Portimao. “

Marc Marquez, in Jerez (Spain) in July 2020.

Spanish motorcycle rider Marc Marquez gave a hello full of promises to his fans on Saturday. on his Instagram account. Absent from the circuits since July 2020, after having a big fall that left him without a right arm – victim of a “Pseudarthrosis of the right humerus” -, the six-time world champion will be present at the Portuguese Grand Prix on April 18. He was cleared by a medical team to “Resume competition”, announced his team, Repsol Honda.

The weekend video

Real Madrid are still in the race for a Spanish league-Champions League double and owe it in large part to Karim Benzema. Already decisive to limit the damage when the Merengue suffered in the middle of winter, the French striker continued to illuminate the Madrid attack on Saturday night during the clasico against Barcelona. The striker opened the scoring with a heel in the middle of the race on a cross from Lucas Vasquez. Zinédine Zidane’s men signed a sixth consecutive victory (2-1). It is also the first time since 1978 that they have beaten Barça three times in a row.

The quiz

Florian Soenen