When President Donald Trump’s name was ordered removed from the Kennedy Center this spring, it seemed that an opening to move on from his reign over the performing arts center might have emerged.
“I have instructed the Department of Commerce to make all necessary arrangements with Congress to allow a full and complete transfer of this Institution, giving them the responsibility for its Operation, Maintenance, and Management,” the president wrote in a late-May Truth Social post, seemingly relinquishing the control he’d seized a year prior.
Speculation even bubbled up among some of the more than a dozen “ex-officio,” board members — who don’t get a vote but are not allied with Trump — over whether the former board chairman, billionaire philanthropist David Rubenstein, could be brought back to help restore the center’s fundraising and programming, two sources familiar with the matter told CNN. (CNN has asked Rubenstein for comment.)
But after Trump said he would remain chairman, “it kind of all squelched pretty quickly,” one of the sources said. The hope that his crusade to rename a monument dedicated to the memory of John F. Kennedy had ended turned out to be wishful thinking.
Instead, nine months from a cold December day when cranes first placed Trump’s name on the marble façade, the institution has been brought to the brink by the president still very much engaged in a fight: lights have been turned off inside, infrastructure is crumbling and protests swirl while legal battles mount.

#center

After five LaLiga matches, Elche are creating more attacking threat than last season, with npxG created at 1.13 per 90 compared with 0.97 across last season's 38 games. At the other end, they are allowing 1.37 npxG per 90, up from 1.34. They are scoring 1.13 goals and conceding 2.45 per 90, compared with 1.21 and 1.41 respectively last season.
2025-26's leading chance creator was Germán Valera with 42 chances created (1.27 per 90), 11 of them big, and 4.60 xA. He leads again in 2026-27, now on 8 chances (1.68 per 90) from 429 minutes.
The 2026-27 most-used starters include five of the 11 players in the 2025-26 selection. Gonzalo Villar, Fer Niño, Buba Sangaré, Federico Redondo, Facundo Buonanotte and Tete Morente are now in that group. The centre-backs are receiving the ball deeper than last season. They are winning 5.6 second **** per game, down from 6.2.
Their main source of passing threat remains the left flank in the final third, which accounts for 33%, up from 26% last season. Passes from the right flank in the final third contribute 27%, up from 21% last season.

#flank

Real Madrid have published their squad list for Tuesday's match against Elche in La Liga. While this game is expected to be a manageable one for Los Blancos, it will also be crucial to not only get the three points but gain some confidence and momentum ahead of Sunday's Madrid Derbi.
REAL MADRID SQUAD:
Goalkeepers: Courtois, Lunin, and Sergio Mestre.
Defenders: Asencio, Huijsen, Trent, Konaté, Cucurella, Á. Carreras, Rüdiger, and Dumfries.
Midfielders: Bellingham, Camavinga, Valverde, Tchouameni, Arda Güler, Bernardo, and Thiago.
Forwards: Vini Jr., Endrick, Mbappé, C. Espí, Brahim, and Yan Diomande.
HOW TO WATCH, STREAM LA LIGA
Date: 09/15/2026
Time: 21:30 CEST, 03:30pm EST.

#squad

Barcelona have received a timely boost with Gavi back in contention for upcoming matches against Feyenoord and Levante after recovering from the knee problem that briefly interrupted his start to the season.
According to Mundo Deportivo, the 22-year-old midfielder is now expected to feature in Hansi Flick's rotation plans, beginning with Wednesday's meeting with Feyenoord.
Gavi returned to the squad at the weekend after missing Barcelona's home victories over Athletic Club and Rayo Vallecano because of discomfort.
He was named among the substitutes for Sunday's 5-0 win at Valencia but did not enter the game. His presence on the bench was nevertheless another indication that the injury is behind him.
Gavi's injury initially raised concerns after Barcelona's opening-day victory at Elche.

#gavi #injury #levante

Rayo Vallecano and Racing Santander clash this Saturday at the Estadio Municipal de Butarque for round four of the La Liga.
Rayo Vallecano have 1 point to their name this season and occupy 18th position in the table. Last time out, Beñat San José's team slipped to a 5-2 defeat against Barcelona (La Liga 2026/27).
Racing Santander have won 4 points to date and are placed in 10th position. Last time out, José Alberto López 's team triumphed 3-2 against Elche CF (La Liga 2026/27).
The last meeting between the two teams ended with Rayo Vallecano winning 2-1.
Rayo Vallecano: Dani Cárdenas, Iván Balliu, Pathé Ciss, Florian Lejeune, Pelayo Fernández, Gnangoro Bouare, Jorge De Frutos, Óscar Valentín, Unai López, Álvaro García, Sergio Camello

#racing #santander #time

Fulham have added another defensive option with David Affengruber arriving from Elche CF on a four-year contract.
The 25-year-old Austrian centre-back has signed a deal running until 2030, with Fulham holding an option to extend it for another year. The transfer is reportedly worth close to €10 million.
Affengruber leaves Elche after two seasons with the Spanish club, having joined from Sturm Graz as a free agent in 2024. He quickly established himself as a key figure and played an important role in their rise to La Liga.
His performances also earned international recognition, with the defender making his Austria debut and being included in their squad for the 2026 World Cup.
Fulham manager Álvaro Arbeloa had been keen to strengthen his defence and sees Affengruber's pace and reliability as valuable additions to the backline.

#year #spanish

One week into the Texas high school football season and several Wichita Falls-area players have made their mark. From career-high games to quarterbacks leading their teams to crucial opening-week wins, Week 1 produced no shortage of standout performances.
We narrowed the field to four candidates for Wichita Falls-area Athlete of the Week. Nominations can be sent by 5 p.m. Saturday by coaching staffs in and around the Wichita Falls area to sportstimesrecordnews.com.
Read about each nominee below and cast your vote. The poll is set to close at noon Friday, Sept. 4.
Birkhead made the most of his first game as Memorial's starting quarterback, throwing for 394 yards and a school-record seven touchdowns in the Mavericks' 54-34 season-opening win over Fort Worth Paschal. Six of his touchdown passes came in the first half as Memorial built a 47-22 halftime lead to help Ross Dillard pick up his first win as a head coach.
Belcher accounted for seven touchdowns in Windthorst's 49-43 win over Holliday. The senior quarterback completed 22 of 30 passes for 318 yards and four touchdowns while adding 122 rushing yards and three scores to help the Trojans down the Eagles in both teams' season opener. He nearly came down with an interception on defense as well but was ruled out of bounds.

#high #school

Barcelona will play their second home game of the season at the Spotify Camp Nou on Monday when they welcome Rayo Vallecano for a La Liga Matchday 2 fixture.
Under Hansi Flick, FC Barcelona have started the new La Liga season in excellent form, claiming victories in both opening matches and sitting top of the table. They began with an emphatic 5-0 win away at Elche, then followed that up with a convincing 2-0 home success against Athletic Club, highlighting a potent attack and a reliable defence.
As they prepare for their Matchday 3 La Liga tie, Barcelona face several midfield absences that have forced Flick to reorganise his options.
Gavi is definitely out after suffering a right knee injury in the season opener against Elche; the club are managing his recovery cautiously with an eye on a mid-September return.
Frenkie de Jong also remains unavailable while he continues to recover from a persistent knee problem dating back to the World Cup, with no clear return date yet.

#matchday #flick #elche

La Liga giants Barcelona will again be forced to make do without the contributions of midfield star Gavi in the club's next outing. This comes amid the understanding that the youngster has not yet been cleared for competitive action.
Gavi of course set alarm bells sounding across the Barcelona fanbase last weekend. En route to the Blaugrana's 5-0 opening day drubbing of Elche, the Spanish international was forced off with a knee complaint.
After a round of medical tests back at the Ciutat Esportiva the following day, all of a Barca persuasion breathed a sigh of relief, as it was confirmed that Gavi had suffered only bruising.
The 22-year-old was nevertheless left out of Hansi Flick's squad to face Athletic Club on Thursday, yet to return to group training in Catalunya's capital.
And if the latest word stemming from the media on Friday is anything to go by, then a comeback this weekend also appears to have been all but ruled out. As per a report from journalist Moises Llorens of ESPN:

#gavi #elche #ciutat #esportiva

The debate around Barcelona has largely been happening at the other end of the pitch.
Is Julian Alvarez on the way? Should Raphinha continue as Hansi Flick's number nine?
Those questions have dominated the conversation around Barça's early weeks, but the strongest evidence of the team's progress may be coming from a defence that has made the perfect start to the La Liga season.
Two matches, two victories and, crucially, two clean sheets.
Barcelona began their campaign by beating Elche 5-0 before following it up with a 2-0 win over Athletic Club. Alongside Real Betis, they are the only side in La Liga still to concede a goal.

#Barcelona #liga #alvarez #elche

Barcelona's game against Athletic Club last night may well have been as dominant as the team's win over Elche, but the scoreline did not reflect the same.
The Catalans were the dominating side by some distance once again and barely gave the visitors any chances at all. However, their efficiency in front of goal was not as clean as the previous time around, and that made all the difference.
Raphinha opened the scoring in the first half with a cold finish, handing the team the lead at half-time and putting in a captain's shift once more. The team, however, struggled to find the second goal for long time.
Eventually, Fermin Lopez delivered by poaching a goal in the 81st minute to make it 2-0 and put the result beyond doubt.
Barça Universal brings you the player ratings from Barcelona 2-0 Athletic Club.

#time #once #half #catalans

Barcelona is back on the pitch Thursday for its second La Liga match of the 2026-27 season.
The reigning league champions began their campaign with a dominant 5-0 win over Elche on Aug. 23.
Lamine Yamal and Co. are playing Athletic Club on Thursday. Here's what to know:
Time: 2:55 p.m. EST
TV: ESPN2

#yamal

Alvaro Cortes appears increasingly close to leaving Barcelona, with journalist Gerard Romero identifying Elche as one of the possible destinations for the young defender.
Cortes has decided to bring his time at the club to an end this summer after Barcelona's plans to strengthen the left side of their defence changed his prospects of earning regular opportunities in the first team.
The academy graduate had hoped to remain at the club he has spent his career with and fight for his place in the senior squad.
Instead, Barcelona's decision to search for a specialist left-footed centre-back has altered the sporting picture around him.
His departure is now believed to be only a matter of time, with Elche emerging as one of the options available to him.

#cortes #alvaro #romero

Barcelona will play their first home LaLiga fixture of the season at the Camp Nou on Thursday, hosting Athletic Club in a midweek encounter.
The hosts arrive in excellent form after an emphatic 5-0 victory over Elche that launched their campaign. Under Hansi Flick, Barcelona have displayed sharp tactics and a potent attacking threat. They have claimed three wins in their past five league outings, with their forward play clicking — averaging just over two goals per game during that period.
FC Barcelona look set to hand a long-awaited club debut to high-profile summer signing Rodri, who has completed successive training sessions following a minor back operation and is expected to be named among the substitutes.
Flick appears ready to tweak his back line at the Spotify Camp Nou, with Pau Cubarsí, Jules Koundé and João Cancelo likely to return to the starting XI after being rested last time out.
The Catalans do, however, face a midfield concern as Gavi is doubtful after suffering a heavy knee contusion against Elche; scans excluded a serious ligament injury, but he missed the squad's final training session.

#flick #training #thursday

FC Barcelona star Gavi, who is recovering from a minor injury after playing 45 minutes in a 5-0 win over Elche, has sent a message of support to a child who was hurt by a police officer prior to the start of the game.
A video showed several fans being hit by police using batons outside the Estadio Manuel Martínez Valero after pro-Catalan independence flags, known as Esteladas, were confiscated on Sunday.
Yesterday, a photo published by the Penya Barcelonista de Sant Antoni, a Barcelona fan group, appeared to show the youngster smiling with a bandage on his head.
And today, Gavi left a comment which was simply four emojis: flexed bicep, flexed bicep, blue heart, red heart. The meaning was simple as well – sending strength and love to a fellow culé.
Club President Joan Laporta called the police actions "disproportionate and violent."

#police

Alejandro Balde's future at Barcelona may have become one of the more unexpected talking points of the summer, but the club has no intention of pushing the left-back towards the exit door.
According to Mundo Deportivo (h/t FCB World), Barcelona will not force Balde to leave despite the strong message recently delivered by Hansi Flick.
The defender's omission from the squad for the match against Elche, coupled with Xavi Espart being selected to start, has intensified speculation surrounding his situation.
Yet, for all the uncertainty surrounding his role, Balde remains focused on staying and fighting for his place in the Barcelona starting XI.
Barcelona's position is clear: Balde will only be allowed to leave if he personally decides that he wants a new challenge and is able to bring an attractive offer to the club.

#surrounding #World

FC Barcelona are considering abandoning a ceremony that planned to celebrate seven players' involvement in Spain's 2026 FIFA World Cup victory as political tensions continue to rise amongst the club's fanbase.
Sunday's trip to Elche, which saw Barcelona claim a convincing victory to kickstart their LaLiga campaign, was marred by an act of violence that saw police officers use disproportionate force to detain a fan – believed to be a minor – who had an Estelada flag draped over his shoulders.
The Estelada is a version of the Catalan senyera flag that features a star and represents the fight for independence from Spain.
FC Barcelona confirmed on Monday that they are awaiting "explanations corresponding to the events and reserves the right to take actions that it considers fit to defend the integrity, the rights, and the freedom of expression of its members and fans."
It appears that one of those actions may involve scrapping plans to showcase the 2026 FIFA World Cup trophy at the Spotify Camp Nou ahead of Thursday's LaLiga match against Athletic Club. Seven Barça players were part of Luis de la Fuente's squad that claimed victory over Argentina in North America last month, and the club planned to pay homage to their achievements.

#Barcelona #victory #club #planned

Andreas Christensen was one of Barcelona's unsung heroes in their 5-0 win over Elche CF in the opening game.
It was the first time the Dane had managed to play the full ninety minutes since September 28, as he started alongside Gerard Martin in central defence.
Christensen kept things tidy at the back, and his timely resurgence is sure to serve as a massive boost for Hansi Flick.
Now, the Dane will set his sights on earning yet another start when Barcelona take on Athletic Club in their next La Liga encounter.
As reported by Mundo Deportivo, Christensen is just one match away from reaching 100 competitive appearances for Barcelona.

#dane

Although the Bundesliga season is about to begin, Borussia Dortmund are still in the hunt for defensive reinforcements. According to Ruhr Nachrichten and numerous other sources, the BVB front office is in negotiations with FC Barcelona for right-back and La Masia graduate Hector Fort. While a deal has not yet been reached, the club is reportedly confident that the transfer will go through soon.
The transfer fee will likely be within the €10-20 million range, with Barcelona willing to go a little lower if Dortmund is willing to add a sell-on clause. While other clubs including Real Sociedad are interested, Fort apparently has a clear preference for Dortmund.
Fort has not had much senior experience. He spent last season on loan at Elche, where he played about 500 minutes, missing most of the season with a shoulder injury. At least he suffered this injury while celebrating a spectacular goal which was apparently voted the La Liga Goal of the Month for December.
While Fort is viewed highly in Barcelona, there is little room in the squad with Eric Garcia, João Cancelo, and at Xavi Espart all ready to play at right-back. With the departure of Yan Couto to Como, BVB desperately need reinforcements at right-back. Hopefully Ole Book can get the move across the line soon.

#transfer #soon

Barcelona star Fermín López has taken to social media on Monday, to show his appreciation for the efforts of new teammate and attacking partner-in-crime Anthony Gordon.
This of course comes after the latter got his stint in the famed Blaugrana red and blue underway in nothing short of superb fashion.
Barcelona kicked the defence of their La Liga ****** le into gear on Sunday night, courtesy of a trip to the Estadio Martínez Valero to face Elche. When all was said and done, Hansi Flick's troops made short work of their hosts, to the tune of a 5-0 drubbing.
The aforementioned Anthony Gordon was forced to watch on from the bench from the off in Alicante, but was introduced to proceedings for his debut during the 2nd-half.
And the England international wasted little time in providing the Barca faithful with a glimpse of his talents, laying on a pair of ****** ists within six minutes of stepping onto the pitch.

#short

Barcelona star Alejandro Balde was not expecting the decision of manager Hansi Flick to drop him entirely from matchday duties for the club's opening fixture of the new campaign.
Barca, of course, are fresh off a spectacular opening to the defence of their La Liga ******* le on Sunday night. After making the trip to Alicante to take on Elche, the Blaugrana ran riot to the tune of a 5-0 triumph.
For the aforementioned Balde, however, from an individual standpoint, Sunday proved an evening to forget…
Amid mounting speculation surrounding his future in Catalunya's capital heading into the final week of the summer transfer window, the Spaniard was omitted from Barcelona's travelling squad bound for the Estadio Martínez Valero.
And this call, it has since been revealed, left Balde somewhat taken aback. As per a report from journalist Helena Condis of COPE:

#flick

FC Barcelona's biggest signing of the summer so far, Rodri, is already preparing for his competitive debut, reports Mundo Deportivo.
After working individually last week because he joined the squad with limited pre-season preparation following his World Cup triumph and a minor back procedure, Rodri trained alongside his teammates for the first time on Monday.
As Hansi Flick had announced before the match against Elche, the midfielder worked with the players who either played limited minutes or did not feature at Estadio Manuel Martinez Valero.
The starters completed a recovery session instead. Among those who played against Elche, only Raphinha, Fermin Lopez, Karim Adeyemi and Pedri took to the pitch at the ***** o Vilanova training ground.
Rodri has now begun his return to full training with Thursday's match against Athletic Club in mind.

#rodri #elche #played #deportivo

Barcelona's 5-0 win over Elche should have been a night of celebration. Instead, the sight of Gavi sitting on the pitch holding his right knee created an immediate sense of worry.
The Barcelona midfielder was forced off in the 44th minute after going down following a collision with Marc Aguado.
Gavi immediately signalled that he could not continue, and the concern was obvious from his reaction as he sat on the grass, removed his shin guards and repeatedly held the affected area.
Notably, the discomfort came in the same right knee in which Gavi suffered a serious anterior cruciate ligament injury in November 2023, along with damage to the lateral meniscus.
That history means Gavi's injury will be watched closely until Barcelona receive the results of his medical tests.

#injury #instead

Alejandro Balde was omitted from Barcelona's matchday squad against Elche last night amid growing uncertainty over his future.
The 22-year-old was among three players to have been left out for Barcelona's La Liga opener, along with Marc Casado and Hector Fort.
Fabrizio Romano revealed towards the end of last week that Manchester United had approached Balde's agents to gauge whether a deal would be feasible this summer.
They are in the market for a young but proven left-back, and the Catalan giants are seemingly looking to cash in while their academy graduate has suitors interested.
Reports over the weekend have even suggested that Balde has already privately green-lit a switch to Old Trafford, despite wanting to stay at Barcelona past the deadline.

#last #elche #marc #fort

Tension at the Metropolitano after the boos aimed at Julián Álvarez headline a matchday in which FC Barcelona showed overwhelming dominance against Elche, Mourinho stepped in amid the 'Vinicius case', and Ligue 1 witnessed Ferran Torres' instant resurrection in Paris. On top of that, the transfer market is delivering dramatic twists just days before the deadline.
The atmosphere among the Atlético faithful is reaching boiling point. Atlético de Madrid fans showed strong disapproval toward Julián Álvarez after he made clear his intention to leave the club. After the final whistle against Villarreal, boos echoed around the stands, and the forward headed alone to the dressing room by decision of the club hierarchy to avoid further incidents.
The reigning champion kicked off LaLiga by laying down the law with an emphatic 0-5 win. In a brilliant attacking display, Raphinha and Fermín led the team with a brace each, joined by Adeyemi opening his account as a Barça scorer. A standout cameo from debutant Gordon in just 20 minutes put the finishing touch on an imposing start.
José Mourinho has spoken out after the controversial incidents in Cornellá. The Real Madrid coach publicly defended the Brazilian attacker, taking command within the Madrid dressing room and trying to ease the external pressure once again closing in on his biggest star.
He came, he saw, he conquered. Ferran Torres enjoyed a dream start in Ligue 1, rescuing PSG from the brink against Rennes. After trailing 0-2 at half-time, the Spanish forward took control in an extraordinary second half and scored a crucial brace to level the match.

#lvarez

Barcelona clubbed Elche 5-0 to get their La Liga ******* le defence up and running. The Catalan giants made an easy meal of their opponents in a rampant display.
Raphinha opened the scoring with a penalty that he won and set up Karim Adeyemi to double the lead on his debut just before the half-time break.
Anthony Gordon came on as a substitute and ******* isted Raphinha's second, then set up Fermin Lopez's second when he could have shot for himself.
Lopez, who has returned from the injury that forced him to miss the 2026 World Cup, is looking immaculate again this season.
The Spaniard produced a wonderful turn to get past one defender and scored his second, Barca's fifth.

#Barcelona #liga #raphinha

Barcelona could hardly have asked for a more convincing start to their La Liga **** le defence.
A 5-0 win away at Elche gave Hansi Flick's side three points, five goals and plenty of reasons to feel positive about the season ahead.
Raphinha and Fermin Lopez both scored twice at the Martínez Valero, while Karim Adeyemi also found the net as Barcelona made a powerful statement in their first league outing. Yet the result was only part of the story.
With Barça playing without a recognised centre-forward, questions over the club's plans for a new No. 9 remain firmly alive.
Flick also used his post-match press conference to praise Raphinha's leadership, explain the situation surrounding Alejandro Balde and provide an update after Gavi was forced off with a knock to his right knee.

#liga #hansi #raphinha #valero

Hansi Flick revealed why he was "concerned" about Barcelona's first-half performance against Elche, as the Blaugrana went on to secure a dominant 0-5 win to kickstart their LaLiga campaign.
Much has been made of Barcelona's lack of an out-and-out striker, but finding the back of the net was not a problem for the clinical visitors on Sunday as they scored with five of their seven shots on target.
Raphinha and Fermín López both bagged braces, while Karim Adeyemi also found his way onto the scoresheet on his competitive debut for the club and Anthony Gordon registered two ***** ists on his first outing in Blaugrana.
Speaking in his post-match press conference, Flick praised Raphinha's mindset and flexibility to play in any required position, explaining that "he's the player for me who is a good example for intensity, a good example for improving this and also to start the pressing.
"When he's doing this, the other players are following him and this is great. This, for me, is a captain."

#flick #hansi #elche #sunday

La Liga giants Barcelona have omitted a trio of transfer-linked members of the club's first-team setup from their matchday squad to face Elche.
Hansi Flick's troops are of course primed to kick the defence of their Spanish top-flight ****** le into gear on Sunday evening. After seeing arch rivals Real Madrid get the better of Espanyol on Saturday, Barca will be hopeful of responding with a three-point haul of their own.
In efforts towards as much, though, the Blaugrana will make do without the contributions of any of Alejandro Balde, Marc Casadó, or Héctor Fort.
Defenders Balde and Fort, as well as midfielder Casadó, have all been heavily linked with respective departures from Barcelona ahead of the summer transfer deadline.
Out of the plans of boss Hansi Flick, the Camp Nou brass are hopeful of securing considerable sums for all three over the coming days.

#casad

The next Barcelona match is upon us! The Blaugrana kick off a new season with a trip to Elche for the first La Liga game of the campaign, and Hansi Flick has called up the following 23 players for Sunday's clash:
Goalkeepers: Joan Garcia, Wojciech Szczesny, Eder Aller
Defenders: João Cancelo, Pau Cubarsí, Andreas Christensen, Gerard Martín, Jules Kounde, Eric Garcia, Álvaro Cortés, Jordi Pesquer
Midfielders: Gavi, Fermín López, Pedri, Dani Olmo, Marc Bernal, Brian Fariñas, Xavi Espart
Forwards: Lamine Yamal, Raphinha, Karim Adeyemi, Anthony Gordon, Hamza Abdelkarim

#garcia #elche #goalkeepers #wojciech