With Mbappé injured, Real Madrid forward Gonzalo García impresses with a hat trick
Barcelona (AP): Gonzalo García scored his first, second and third goals in La Liga for Real Madrid with his hat trick dominating a 5-1 rout of Real Betis.
The 21-year-old forward was making a rare start in place of the injured Kylian Mbappé, the league's top scorer, who is sidelined with a left knee sprain.
García came up through Madrid's youth sides before debuting with its first team in November 2023. He has had steady minutes under Xabi Alonso this campaign.
“It was a dream game for him," Alonso said about García. “Playing at the (Santiago) Bernabeu (stadium), first season with the first team, and to hit a hat trick. He wanted to score here, and I'm happy for him and with how he works every day whether or not he gets the chance to play. He has an unbelievable attitude and he's a fantastic example of what it means to be a Real Madrid academy graduate.”
García got going in the 20th minute when he headed in a free kick from Rodrygo after getting free of his marker at the far post.
He deftly controlled a pass with his chest before volleying a strike home from the edge of the area to make it 2-0 in the 50th.
After defender Raúl Asencio headed in Rodrygo's corner for a third Madrid goal shortly after, Betis striker Cucho Hernández pulled one back for the visitors in the 66th.
García got his hat trick in the 82nd with a flick of his heel to turn in a pass by Arda Guler before he was substituted to loud applause.
His replacement, Fran García, rounded off the victory in stoppage time.
“I've been a Madrid fan ever since I was a kid, and I've spent many years in the academy, so to come off to a standing ovation from these fans is a very special moment that will stay with me forever," Gonzalo García said. "I hope there are loads more goals, loads more wins to come, and a special year for all of us.”
The win kept second-placed Madrid within four points of Barcelona after the league leader won 2-0 at Espanyol on Saturday. Third-placed Villarreal trails Madrid by seven points but has played two fewer games than Madrid and Barcelona.
The win came after a two-week winter break for Spanish clubs. Prior to that break, Madrid had been struggling and pressure was building for Alonso to oversee a convincing win like the one his team delivered against Betis.
Madrid's most convincing victory in a month comes before Alonso's side heads to Saudi Arabia where it will participate in the Spanish Super Cup. It will have to beat crosstown rival Atletico Madrid in Jeddah on Thursday to face either Barcelona or Athletic Bilbao in the final on Jan. 11.
“It was an important and well-deserved win to start the year at home," Alonso said. “Getting underway like this is crucial, calmly and with positive feelings around the place ahead of the Super Cup.”
Promising starts
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Levante upset Sevilla 3-0 on the road in the debut of new Portuguese coach Luís Castro.
With his team leading 2-0, Levante goalkeeper Mathew Ryan saved a penalty by Isaac Romero and his attempt to head in the rebound in the 90th minute before Levante scored its final goal.
Levante broke a run of eight rounds without a win and moved out of last place.
Oviedo fell to the bottom after a 1-1 draw at Alaves.
Real Sociedad made a promising start under new American coach Pellegrino Matarazzo after holding fourth-placed Atletico Madrid to a 1-1 draw.
Former Sociedad striker Alexander Sorloth put Atletico in front in the 50th, but Goncalo Guedes equalized five minutes later for the hosts.
Girona left the relegation zone with a 2-1 win at Mallorca.
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Constitution amendment bill defeat was BJP’s first embarrassment in Parliament: Margaret Alva
Bengaluru (PTI): Senior Congress leader Margaret Alva on Monday said that the constitution amendment bill's defeat in the Lok Sabha on April 17 was the first embarrassment faced by the BJP-led government in Parliament.
She also alleged that the BJP has no real concern regarding women’s reservation.
The opposition INDIA bloc defeated the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill that sought to facilitate the implementation of women's reservation by expanding the strength of the Lok Sabha, apart from making changes to delimitation.
"This is the first embarrassment and defeat faced by the NDA government in the Lok Sabha," the former Governor of Gujarat and Rajasthan said in a press conference here.
According to her, the women’s reservation has been under discussion since the time of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi.
"During Rajiv Gandhi’s tenure, a 14-member committee was formed, and I was appointed as its chairperson. We prepared a report after studying what needed to be done to enhance the dignity of women across 12 sectors. This was submitted to the government in 1989,” Alva, 84-year-old veteran Congress leader, said.
She said political empowerment for women was emphasised in that report, without which, empowerment in any other sphere is not possible.
“Many people in Parliament used to question me — should we vacate seats for women and stay at home cooking? Why insist on this? Has anyone written these seats in your name? This debate has been ongoing since 1975,” Alva explained.
The Congress leader said Rajiv Gandhi had introduced 33 per cent reservation for women in local bodies.
“At that time, all opposition parties united and defeated the Bill,” she pointed out.
Again, during the tenure of former Prime Minister late P V Narasimha Rao, the 33 per cent reservation Bill in local bodies was passed.
“It was the Congress party that first introduced women’s reservation. Now they are falsely accusing us of being anti-women,” Alva charged.
In 2023, the Women’s Reservation Bill was passed with much fanfare, but it was not immediately implemented.
According to her, a condition was imposed for its implementation that it would be enforced based on census data.
"Once it is in the statute book, what is preventing its implementation? Two years for the census and another two years for delimitation — this means it cannot be implemented by 2029. It was not given in 2024, and there is no possibility even in 2029," Alva charged the BJP-led government at the Centre.
The Congress leader said the BJP is saying that the Bill can be implemented based on the 2011 Census, but when the same suggestion was made in 2023, the BJP rejected it.
On increasing the Lok Sabha seats by 50 per cent, she sought to know the basis for it.
“Where did this (idea) come from? Whose advice was taken? Was it decided by the RSS? Or ordered by a court?” Alva asked.
The former union minister said the Constitution amendment bill, which was defeated on April 17 appears to favour certain North Indian states.
“We pay taxes, but they receive greater benefits and allocations. If seats are increased by 50 per cent based on their calculations, we would get only 14 additional seats, while they would get 40. How is this fair?” she questioned.
While 298 members voted in support of the bill in Lok Sabha, 230 MPs voted against it. Out of 528 members who voted, the bill required 352 votes for a two-third majority.
According to the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, Lok Sabha seats were to be increased to "operationalise" the women's reservation act before the 2029 parliamentary polls, following a delimitation exercise based on the 2011 Census.
Seats were also to be increased in state and Union territory Assemblies to accommodate 33 per cent reservation for women.
