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Portugal defender João Cancelo returns to Barcelona on loan from Al-Hilal

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Barcelona said Tuesday that Portugal defender João Cancelo is back with the club on a loan from Saudi Arabia club Al-Hilal.

Barcelona said Cancelo was set to sign a contract through the end of the season.

The 31-year-old Cancelo had played for the Catalan club in the 2023-24 season on a loan from Manchester City. He appeared in 42 matches at the time, scoring four goals and providing five assists. He then moved to Al-Hilal, where he played 45 matches.

Cancelo had previously played for Benfica, Valencia, Inter Milan, Juventus and Bayern Munich, in addition to Man City.

Barcelona leads the Spanish league at its halfway point, four points ahead of second-place Real Madrid.

The Catalan club sits in 15th place in the league phase of the Champions League.

It’s next match is at Racing on Thursday in the round of 16 of the Copa del Rey.

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

The arrival of AJ Dybantsa gives Wizards hope

For the first time in almost a half-century, the Washington Wizards could be closer to contending for an NBA title with the arrival of AJ Dybantsa. The team drafted the 6-foot-9 forward with the first pick of the 2026 NBA draft after finishing as one of the worst teams in the league in the past three years. They got the No. 1 overall pick after winning the draft lottery in May for the first time since 2010 -- when they drafted John Wall. The Wizards hope, with the arrival of Dybantsa, that they can start winning games and competing for the playoffs with a chance to win their first championship since 1978. In the past three seasons, they finished with a combined record of 50-196. “We’re definitely getting a difference maker on the basketball court. There’s no doubt about that,” Wizards general manager Will Dawkins said. “What I would want our fans to know night one is that he is a worker. He is a passionate person who loves basketball and will continue to work and get better.”
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