Bagnaia ‘happy’ with new Ducati bike after MotoGP Valencia test
By Lee Seng Foo1 month ago
Francesco Bagnaia gave a positive first impression of Ducati’s 2026 bike after completing the post-season Valencia test on Tuesday.
The Ducati Lenovo Team rider endured a difficult 2025 MotoGP campaign, finishing fifth in the riders’ standings and recording seven DNFs, including five consecutive retirements from Indonesia to the Valencia finale.
Despite ending the day only 10th on the timesheet and being the sole rider to run off into the gravel, the Italian was satisfied with his 50-lap session around Circuit Ricardo Tormo.
Karim Benzema’s departure from the French national team on the eve of Qatar 2022 remains one of modern football’s most lingering "what-ifs." Officially sidelined by a muscle injury, the 2022 Ballon d’Or winner has lived in international exile ever since.
While a social media post in December 2022 appeared to signal a final, frosty goodbye to Les Bleus, the narrative has shifted. In an expansive interview with L’Equipe, Benzema clarified that he has never truly closed the door on his country.
With the 2026 World Cup on the horizon, the striker seems ready to trade his retirement for one last shot at the global stage.
Le Ballon d’Or 2022 fête ses 38 ans aujourd’hui 🎂🥳
Despite the friction that has defined his relationship with manager Didier Deschamps, Benzema’s stance is now one of pragmatism and professional desire.
"Who doesn’t want to play in a World Cup?" Benzema asked rhetorically. "Everyone wants to play in this competition. As someone who loves football and competition, if you asked me to play for France in a World Cup and I said no, I would be a liar."
For a man with 97 caps, the lure of the tricolor jersey remains undimmed by past grievances. Benzema appeared to extend an olive branch—or perhaps a challenge—to the French coaching staff, insisting that his focus remains purely on the pitch.
"When someone calls me, I come. I play," he said. "I have goals. I love winning and I love trophies. That is what matters most. Right now, I am with my club, but if the national team calls, I am there to play football. It stops there."
The Road to 2026
France has already secured their place for the 2026 tournament, drawn into Group I alongside Senegal, Norway, and a playoff winner. Whether there is room for a 38-year-old Benzema in a squad brimming with young attacking talent remains the definitive question for Deschamps.
For now, Benzema’s reality is the Saudi Pro League. His immediate focus shifts to Sunday, December 28, as Al Ittihad host Al Shabab. It is a must-win fixture for Benzema’s side; currently languishing in 7th place and trailing leaders Al Nassr by 13 points, Al Ittihad’s title hopes are fading fast.
The match will be available to stream live on SPOTV NOW, where fans can see for themselves if the veteran striker still possesses the clinical edge required for one final international comeback.
Marc Marquez didn’t just win the 2025 MotoGP World Championship; he dismantled it. By the time the paddock arrived at the Mandalika Circuit in October, the title was already an afterthought, tucked safely away in the Spaniard's trophy cabinet since September.
The statistics from his 2025 campaign read like a fever dream: 11 Grand Prix victories supplemented by a staggering 14 Sprint race wins. It was a metronomic display of brilliance that only came to a halt when a violent crash in Indonesia forced him out of the final five rounds.
Had he stayed upright, the record books would likely have been rewritten entirely.
Yet, despite standing atop the mountain, the eight-time World Champion is remarkably quick to downplay the prospect of an encore.
The Perfect Storm
Speaking to El Periodico, Marquez admitted that even he was caught off guard by the sheer margin of his superiority. "I never imagined such a year," he confessed. "The goal was to fight for the title, but clinching it with five races to go? Not like this."
The reality of the modern "Sprint era" makes such gaps statistically improbable. With 37 points available every weekend, the room for error is microscopic. "Between the sprints and the long races, it’s almost impossible to repeat," Marquez noted. "There are just too many points up for grabs; staying that consistent is not easy."
A Renewed Grid for 2026
If the math doesn't stop him, the competition will. The 2025 season was defined as much by Marquez’s brilliance as it was by the absence of his primary rivals.
Jorge Martin: After an injury-plagued 2025 that saw him sidelined for the majority of the year, the "Martinator" returns in 2026 with a point to prove.
Francesco Bagnaia: Marquez’s own teammate will be his fiercest critic. After a disastrous 2025 campaign defined by uncharacteristic errors, Bagnaia is expected to undergo a "reset" to reclaim his status within the factory Ducati garage.
The Yamaha Wildcard: The arrival of Toprak Razgatlıoğlu at Yamaha adds a volatile new element to the front of the grid, with the Japanese manufacturer showing significant technical strides.
The Long Road to Recovery
Before Marquez can worry about Martin or Bagnaia, he must first conquer his own body. The crash in Mandalika has left him in a race against time, with his arm currently undergoing a grueling recovery process.
"The arm loses a lot of strength after five weeks of immobilization," Marquez explained. "The bone needs to heal properly, and the ligaments even more so. Right now, it’s just hours of physiotherapy and the hyperbaric chamber. Anything that helps is a bonus."
Marquez has proven before that he can return from the brink. But as the 2026 season looms, the question isn't just whether he can be fast again—it’s whether the rest of the world will ever let him be that dominant again.
Stream every 2026 MotoGP race live, only on SPOTV NOW.
Match DetailsFixture: Newcastle Jets vs Macarthur Bulls
Date: Friday, December 26
Venue: McDonald Jones Stadium
Kick-off: 7:35pm AEDT
Watch Live: Stream on SPOTV NOW
Current Standings
Newcastle Jets: 6th
Macarthur Bulls: 7th
Recent Results
Newcastle Jets: 2-0 win vs Sydney FC (H)
Macarthur Bulls: 1-1 draw vs Melbourne City (A)
Mark Milligan’s Newcastle Jets head into this Boxing Day clash brimming with confidence after a statement 2-0 victory over Sydney FC last weekend. The Jets stunned the title contenders thanks to second-half goals from teenage sensation Will Dobson (18) and rising star Xavier Bertoncello (20).
That performance also delivered Newcastle’s first clean sheet of the season—a timely boost for their defensive unit.
Macarthur, meanwhile, have shown resilience in a packed schedule. A brace of penalties from towering striker Harry Sawyer secured a 2-1 win over Brisbane in Round 9, before the Bulls battled to a hard-earned 1-1 draw away to Melbourne City on Tuesday night.
With the table tightly congested, three points here could propel either side into the top four—provided other results fall their way.
For Macarthur, the festive period is relentless. This clash marks the second of three consecutive away fixtures, a challenge compounded by their commitments in both the A-League and Asian Champions League Two. Midfielder Kristian Popovic, speaking ahead of the trip to Newcastle, insists the squad is ready for the quick turnaround.
“It’s quite normal now. Every three or four days we’re playing games, and the team is really fit and strong, so we’re ready for Friday,” Popovic said. “The main focus should be on us and how we can get the three points. I’m sure it will be a great game.”
With both sides eyeing a surge up the ladder, expect intensity, drama, and plenty of festive fireworks under the lights at McDonald Jones Stadium.
In conjunction with SPOTV NOW’s broadcasting rights of the Scottish Premiership in selected regions, we take a look at some of the league’s former stars who also experienced football in Southeast Asia.
After a brief spell with Ross County in the 2013-14 season, the Dutchman embarked on an extensive Southeast Asian career that spanned nearly a decade and six different clubs. His journey began in Thailand with Army United and Khon Kaen United before he moved to Laos to join champions Lanexang United.
De Leeuw then returned to Thailand, featuring for Lampang FC, Sukhothai FC and Chiangmai United. His footballing journey in Southeast Asia came to an end in 2023, when he returned to the Netherlands, concluding one of the longest post-Scotland careers in the region.
The former Premiership star uniquely made the switch to Malaysia on two separate spells. After stints with Dundee United, Heart of Midlothian and Motherwell, the powerful midfielder moved to Kelantan, where he became a key figure over three seasons. Gomis returned to Scotland in 2018 before making a surprise comeback to Kota Bharu in 2023 with Kelantan United.
His honours in Scotland include winning the 2010 Scottish Cup with Dundee United and the 2014-15 Scottish Championship with Hearts, which secured their return to the top flight.
The 2002 FIFA World Cup star did not arrive in Southeast Asia directly from Scotland. The controversial yet supremely talented Senegalese forward spent the 2010-11 season with Rangers, helping the club secure a league and cup double.
Following spells in England with Doncaster Rovers and Leeds United, the former Liverpool man made a shock move to Malaysia in 2014 to join Sabah in the Malaysian Premier League. His stint with the Rhinos marked the final chapter of his professional career, as he retired from football shortly after leaving the club.
Ricky Waddell
The Scotsman spent almost his entire playing career in his homeland, including two years with then top-flight side Partick Thistle. However, in 2006 he ventured outside his comfort zone with a move to Singapore, joining Hougang United, then known as Sengkang Punggol.
*BONUS* Jermaine Pennant
The former Arsenal and Birmingham City winger almost completed the journey in the opposite direction. After playing for Singaporean side Tampines Rovers in 2016, Pennant had a trial spell with Scottish Premiership club Hibernian. However, the move did not materialise into a permanent deal.
