French judoka Romane Dicko, who was aiming for a sixth continental title, had to settle for bronze at the European Championships. Lyon won 2-1 on the pitch of Paris SG to climb onto the podium, inflicting a 5th defeat in Ligue 1 on the Parisian leader, closely followed by Lens. As for Victor Wembanyama, he scored 35 points for the first play-off game of his NBA career.

Published on: 04/20/2026 - 10:59

The sporting events that you shouldn't miss during the weekend: here is the France 24 sports recap.

A fiery first match in the play-offs for Wemby

Victor Wembanyama, with 35 points, did not miss his first in the NBA play-offs. He largely contributed to the success of the San Antonio Spurs against the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday at home (111-98).

The 22-year-old French phenomenon has just reached a new stage in his career, as usual with great strides, with a resounding entry into the new world of the final stages, concluded with 35 points, 5 rebounds, 2 blocks, and almost total domination.

After a successful first season in 2023 (rookie of the year) but few victories (22, for 60 defeats), a second well launched (first selection for the All-Star Game), but ended in February with a venous thrombosis, "Wemby" joined during this third exercise the circle of the best players in the North American league at the heart of a collective making dazzling progress.

Also read: Victor Wembanyama, an MVP season for the young Frenchman from Spurs?

The San Antonio Spurs have indeed gone in twelve months from thirteenth (34 successes) to second place in the Western Conference (62 successes), and the 22-year-old Frenchman is a candidate for the individual MVP award, for which he is one of the three finalists with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokic.

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Arthur Son, Prince of Barcelona

Frenchman Arthur Fils, 30th in the world, won his 4th title on Sunday at the ATP 500 tournament in Barcelona, ​​dominating Russian Andrey Rublev (15th) 6-2, 7-6 (7/2) in the final. Promising one month before Roland-Garros.

Arthur Fils, who will once again become N.1 tricolor at the expense of Arthur Rinderknech, adds his name to the prestigious list of winners of the Catalan tournament that Rafael Nadal has won twelve times. A performance that no Frenchman since Thierry Tulasne in 1985 has managed to achieve.

This is his third title on clay after Lyon and Hamburg. He was also crowned on hard court in Tokyo in October 2024. A few months ago, Fils seemed far from it. Injured his back at Roland-Garros in 2025, he was away from the courts for eight months and only returned in February.

Six Nations Tournament: a second victory for the Blue

The French women's XV won their second match of the Six Nations Tournament against Wales on Saturday in Cardiff (38-7), with the offensive bonus, remaining in the race for the Grand Slam despite a still mixed first period.

The Blues, weighed down by their indiscipline and the balls carried, were held in check at the break (7-7) before winning in the second half. They will face Ireland in Clermont-Ferrand next weekend, a tougher adversity than the Welsh, who have only won one match in the last two editions of the Tournament.

Read alsoSix nations: the Blue win in Wales (38-7), a second improved success

After a clear improved victory against Italy (40-7, but only 5-0 at the break) to start the Tournament and the mandate of the new coach François Ratier, the Blues keep all the cards in hand for victory in the competition, won systematically by the English, current world champions, since 2019.

Evenepoel takes revenge on the Amstel Gold Race

Belgian cyclist Remco Evenepoel justified his status as big favorite and took his hand with authority on the Amstel Gold Race by taking his revenge on Sunday on Mattias Skjelmose, who had deprived him of victory a year earlier.

Beaten in a three-way sprint in 2025 by the Dane and the Slovenian Tadej Pogacar, absent this year, the Belgian did not miss this time when concluding a race controlled from start to finish. Ideally placed by his teammates from the Red Bull-BORA-Hansgrohe team who led a breakneck pace during the first part of the race, Evenepoel never left the front of the peloton while waiting for the finale where he did as he pleased.

Among the women, the Spaniard Paula Blasi won the 12th edition of the women's Amstel Gold Race on Sunday in Valkenburg by surprising the favorites after a solo breakaway 22 km from the finish.

The Polish Kasia Nieuwiadoma and the Dutch Demi Vollering failed half a minute behind the Spaniard, taking 2nd and 3rd places respectively. The two former winners of the Tour de France were slow to react when the rider from the UAE team launched her attack.

Dicko dethroned

Frenchwoman Léa Fontaine won the silver medal in the +78 kg at the European Judo Championships on Sunday in Tbilisi, where Romane Dicko, who was aiming for a sixth continental title, had to settle for bronze.

A five-time European champion, Dicko was aiming for a sixth European crown, which would have made her the most successful Frenchwoman on the continental scene. But the 26-year-old judoka was only able to win the bronze medal. Undefeated in five appearances, the Frenchwoman was picked in the quarter-finals, suffering the first setback of her career at the European Championships.

The double Olympic bronze medalist and 2022 world champion lost to Estonian Emma-Melis Aktas, only 18 years old, during overtime, while the Frenchwoman seemed to generally dominate the match. Reversed in the repechage, she then won against the Israeli Yuli Alma Mishiner, before dominating the Croatian Helena Vukovic by immobilization in her fight for bronze.

On the last day of competition, the Blues won a third medal thanks to Kaïla Issoufi in bronze in the -78 kg, bringing their total to twelve, including two titles, those won at the opening by Luka Mkheidze (-60 kg) and Shirine Boukli (-48 kg). “A very good result” in the context of “a very tough championship”, estimated Frédérique Jossinet, general manager of the French teams.

The French women's team managed to get a medal in each weight category, while the men, in the absence of Teddy Riner, won four podiums. The Blues thus finished second in the medal rankings behind the host country, Georgia, and its four titles

France: OL punishes PSG

Lyon got back on the Ligue 1 podium by knocking PSG down at the Parc des Princes (1-2) to move closer to the Champions League on Sunday, but Rennes, victorious in Strasbourg (0-3), keeps up the pressure.

Monaco, held in check by the play-off Auxerre (2-2), and Marseille, defeated at Lorient (0-2) on Saturday, are the two big losers of the 30th day with a view to qualifying for the lucrative C1.

OL (3rd, 54 pts) had a second consecutive success, Endrick (scorer and passer) once again proving decisive, more than a week after being publicly criticized by his coach Paulo Fonseca, who demanded more from his 19-year-old Brazilian nugget.

Read alsoLigue 1: by beating Paris, Lyon relaunch the race for the title and Europe

PSG, who reduced the gap in added time through Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, must win their late match on Wednesday against Nantes, to overtake Lens, back to one point. The clash on May 13 between the two teams will be enticing for the race for the title of champion of France.

Germany: a 35th title for Bayern Munich

Bayern Munich won the 35th German championship title in its history, the 13th in the last 14 seasons, after its success against Stuttgart (4-2) on Sunday, during the 30th day.

The Bavarians won their first trophy of the spring, before the semi-final of the Champions League against Paris SG and that of the German Cup against Leverkusen, two other titles that they are eyeing. With 79 points on the clock, the Munich residents are now out of reach of Borussia Dortmund (64 pts) four days before the end of the season.

Trailing on a goal from Chris Führich for Stuttgart (21st), Bayern turned the match around in the space of six minutes by Raphaël Guerreiro (31st), Nicolas Jackson (33rd) and Alphonso Davies (37th). In the second half, Harry Kane scored his 32nd goal in the Bundesliga this season (the 51st in all competitions). Vincent Kompany's men thus won their 7th victory in the Bundesliga after falling behind (25 points won, adding four draws).

First in the championship from the first day thanks to their 6-0 victory against Leipzig, the Munich residents have only lost once so far in the season, a setback on their lawn against Augsburg (1-2) in January.

Italy: Naples collapses

Outclassed at home by Lazio Rome (0-2) on Saturday, Naples now needs a miracle to retain its Italian champion title which could return to Inter Milan next weekend.

To still hope to get ahead of the Nerazzurri, winners the day before Cagliari (3-0) and at the top of Serie A with twelve points ahead, Napoli had to achieve a flawless performance over the last six days, but they fell from very high on Saturday. In their Diego-Armando-Maradona stadium, Antonio Conte's players had the cup like rarely this season and did not exist against Lazio, who inflicted on them a first defeat at home in the league since December 2024.

Five days before the end of the season, a maximum of fifteen points to pocket, Inter is twelve points ahead of Naples and twelve over AC Milan (3rd) who beat Verona (0-1) on Sunday.

The Nerazzurri could win the 21st Scudetto in their history next weekend if they win at Torino on Sunday, if Naples does not beat Cremonese on Friday and if AC Milan does not win their next match.

England: Manchester City restarts the title race

In a match not to be lost against its runner-up, Arsenal was stunned on Sunday at the Etihad Stadium by Manchester City (2-1), who are attacking the Premier League leader.

With this victory obtained thanks to two goals from Rayan Cherki and Erling Haaland, the Mancuniens - who have a match in hand against Crystal Palace to play - are only three points behind the Londoners, with five days remaining.

The Citizens thus confirmed their spring resurgence, facing the Gunners in full doubt after already two title possibilities gone in a few weeks (League Cup and FA Cup), and a narrow qualification in the semi-final of the Champions League against Sporting Portugal.

Read alsoManchester City dominates Arsenal and revives the title race in the Premier League

Without shining, but thanks to a headed goal in added time from Virgil van Dijk (90th + 1) from a corner, Liverpool for their part snatched the derby from Everton (1-2) to the wire, and distanced their pursuers in qualifying for the Champions League. Eliminated in the quarter-finals of the queen of European competitions by Paris SG, the Reds are now seven points ahead of Chelsea (6th), beaten the day before by Manchester United (0-1), the Blues' fourth consecutive defeat in the league.

Liverpool are three lengths behind Aston Villa (4th), who snatched victory against Sunderland (4-3) in stoppage time during a crazy match, where the Villans led 3-1 before coming back to 3-3, and finally snatched the victory in stoppage time.

Spain: Real Sociedad lifts the Copa del Rey.

Atlético Madrid's French striker Antoine Griezmann saw his first opportunity to cover his "last dance" in Madrid in gold in the final of the Copa del Rey, won on penalties (2-2, 4-3 tab) by Real Sociedad, his training club, disappear on Saturday.

It was certainly not the outing he dreamed of: the French world champion left the pitch in the 70th minute, head down and without the trophy he had come to get, finally, at 35, before leaving Madrid for good for Orlando, in MLS.

Four days after the Colchoneros qualified for the semi-finals of the Champions League at the expense of FC Barcelona, ​​the top scorer in the history of the rojiblanco club watched helplessly as his team lost on penalties from the sidelines.

Neither “God”, nor “destiny”, invoked by Simeone before the meeting, were enough to properly reward Griezmman for the efforts made during their ten years of collaboration, marked by two disappointments in the C1 final (2014, 2016). There will perhaps be a third, at the end of May in Budapest, so that the No.7 can leave his favorite club as it should: at the top.

Victor Wembanyama finishes his third NBA season with impressive statistics, making him one of the favorites for the MVP award. His impact has been considerable on offense, but also and especially on defense, with his San Antonio Spurs team, candidate for the title after qualifying for the playoffs for the first time since 2018.

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Scottish referee Hollie Davidson was once again a pioneer as the first woman to officiate on Saturday in the Top 14, during Clermont-Lyon (41-23). Accustomed to international games, she perfectly managed the rivalry between the two neighboring clubs (three yellow cards shown), by interacting in English and French with the players in the match.

"It would be great to come back. I really loved my stay here. I have already thanked Mathieu Raynal [responsible for the Top 14 referees, editor's note] for giving me this opportunity. And this Top 14 is fantastic!", she commented in comments reported by Midi Olympique.

With AFP and Reuters

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