Logan Costa and Thijs Dallinga both scored twice as Toulouse thrashed holders Nantes 5-1 in a one-sided Coupe de France final, handing Les Violets their first major trophy in their current guise.

Nantes never looked likely to defend their crown at the Stade de France, falling behind within four minutes as centre-back Costa climbed to head Branco van den Boomen's corner home.

Toulouse's dream start continued as they capitalised on another set-piece six minutes later, Stijn Spierings crossing for Costa to nod in from close range after Nantes half-cleared a free-kick.

Nantes almost got one back as Gabriel Suazo denied Mostafa Mohamed with a goal-line clearance, but Toulouse had a third 23 minutes in, Dallinga racing onto Suazo's pass to beat Alban Lafont with a dinked finish.

Any slim hopes of a Nantes comeback were then crushed as Dallinga tapped in his second after Lafont saved from Fares Chaibi, stunning Les Canaris' supporters into silence.

Nantes captain Ludovic Blas got one back from the penalty spot when Rasmus Nicolaisen scythed down Fabien Centonze with 15 minutes remaining, but Zakaria Aboukhlal swiftly blasted into the top-left corner to round off the scoring for Toulouse.

While Toulouse can celebrate lifting a first major trophy since predecessors Toulouse FC won this competition in 1957, Nantes must recover quickly as they battle to preserve their Ligue 1 status.

Raphinha scored one goal and assisted another as Barcelona restored their 11-point lead at the LaLiga summit with a comfortable 4-0 victory over 10-man Real Betis.

Real Madrid cut the gap at the top to eight points with a 4-2 victory over Almeria before Saturday's kick-off at Camp Nou, but Barca reclaimed their significant advantage in style.

Andreas Christensen's early header from Raphinha's delightful cross set the Blaugrana on their way before Robert Lewandowski struck after a mindless first-half dismissal for Betis substitute Edgar Gonzalez.

Raphinha added a third goal soon after, before a Guido Rodriguez own goal sealed a dominant victory for Barca, who introduced 15-year-old debutant Lamine Yamal in the closing stages.

Barca raced into the ascendancy after 14 minutes when Raphinha delivered a pinpoint right-wing cross for Christensen, who headed down past the helpless Rui Silva from close range.

A needless Gonzalez foul on Pedri then saw the Betis defender, brought on for the injured Luiz Felipe, dismissed for two quickfire cautions in the 33rd minute.

Lewandowski capitalised just three minutes later when firing a right-footed strike into the bottom-left corner from Jules Kounde's low cross.

Raphinha inflicted further damage by smashing past the onrushing Silva following Sergio Busquets' disguised throughball, with the goal given after the VAR overturned an on-field offside decision.

Lewandowski rattled the right post when one-on-one with Silva after the break but Betis suffered further punishment when Rodriguez turned Ansu Fati's low cross into his own net.

Xavi took the opportunity to hand teenager Yamal his debut as Barca eased to victory.

What does it mean? Barca get back on track as title awaits

With just one win in their past five games in all competitions, Barca appeared to be stumbling – rather than cruising – to their first title of the post-Lionel Messi era.

Yet Xavi's side got back on track with their eighth win in nine league games against Betis, maintaining their unbeaten record at Camp Nou this season in LaLiga (W13 D3).

Bayern Munich and Union Berlin are the only other two clubs to boast such unbeaten runs across Europe's top five leagues this term, with Barca's home form proving the difference in their quest for the title.

Rampant Raphinha

Raphinha seemed simply unplayable at times as left-back Juan Miranda and the Betis defence were unable to cope with the Brazil winger on the right-hand side.

The Barca attacker's glorious cross for Christensen took his assists tally to 11 for the season, as many as Neymar managed in his first Blaugrana campaign in the 2013-14 term.

Poor Pellegrini

Manuel Pellegrini must be wondering what he must do to defeat Barca, the Betis coach losing 13 of his past 14 games in LaLiga against the Blaugrana.

Pellegrini will still have European hopes for Betis this term, with his side in sixth – three points clear of the chasing pack and Europa Conference League qualification.

What's next?

Barca host Osasuna on Tuesday, while Betis visit Athletic Bilbao two days later.

Carlo Ancelotti compared Karim Benzema's relationship with Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo to the one the striker shared with Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale, after his first-half hat-trick helped Real Madrid down Almeria.

Benzema needed just 42 minutes to complete another treble in a 4-2 win over the LaLiga strugglers, benefitting from fine assists from Vinicius and Rodrygo before converting a penalty.

Rodrygo then added a spectacular fourth from range, while goals from Lazaro and Lucas Robertone ensured Almeria kept the scoreline respectable at the Santiago Bernabeu on Saturday.

After the game, Ancelotti was asked whether Madrid's current forward trio could match the talents of those who fired Los Blancos to four Champions League titles in five seasons between 2013-14 and 2017-18.

"It's a good question," the Italian said. "They are similar in effectiveness and quality, with different characteristics of the players. 

"It's a different trio, but they are both very good. The 2014 trio was very dangerous and the trio now is also very dangerous."

Having also scored hat-tricks in resounding wins over Real Valladolid and Barcelona this month, Benzema has three trebles in eight games for Madrid – as many as he hit in his previous 120 club matches.

Asked about the Ballon d'Or holder's display, Ancelotti said: "Benzema is in good shape and he has shown it. 

"In attack we are very good, we are dangerous. Even while we are well behind [in LaLiga], the team comes out very well in offensive terms."

Stefano Pioli feels Milan dropped two points against Roma despite Alexis Saelemaekers snatching a draw with a 97th-minute equaliser at Stadio Olimpico on Saturday.

The Rossoneri headed into the match in the Champions League places but above fifth-placed Roma on just goal difference, and it appeared the Giallorossi would leapfrog Pioli's men as Tammy Abraham scored in the 94th minute with the match's first shot on target.

But with Roma seconds away from a huge win, Saelemaekers turned home from Rafael Leao's deep cross to break the hosts' hearts and keep Milan in the top four.

Despite his team snatching a draw at the death, Pioli still felt Milan dropped two points, with city rivals Inter just three points behind and with a game in hand.

When asked if Roma had dropped points, Pioli replied: "For us too, it means that tonight we all go home unhappy. It's not the result we wanted.

"We didn't play badly, we lacked the right decisions in the last 30 metres. It's a shame we didn't exploit situations. We knew that the difficulty was to unlock the match, we didn't succeed."

Roma may have seen a crucial three points slip through their fingers with seconds to play, but head coach Jose Mourinho remained appreciative of his players' efforts, telling reporters: "I'm sad, but I'm more proud than sad. 

"Only we can do what we've done, only us with all our limitations, only us with all the players we've lost, could play this match against Milan. Milan have two teams, one on the pitch and one on the bench. I'm not envious of Pioli; he is always fair and nice to me.

"I'm super proud and I'm sure Roma fans go home like I do, sad but proud."

Cameron Norrie finally delivered some British success in Madrid as he beat Yosuke Watanuki in straight sets.

With Andy Murray and Dan Evans crashing out in the first round and Emma Raducanu withdrawing on the eve of her match due to a hand injury, it had been a rotten week for the Brits.

But Norrie went some way to putting that right with his 6-4 7-6 (5) victory.

The British number one, who is looking to kickstart his European clay court season after early exits in Monte Carlo and Barcelona, made an inauspicious start against the Japanese and trailed 4-1.

But he found his rhythm and reeled off five successive games to take the first set.

The second was tighter, though it was the Brit who was the enforcer, seeing two break points saved as it went to a tiebreak.

And Norrie was able to get the job done, winning on his second match point.

Evans, seeded 19th, had earlier crashed to a straight-sets defeat to Bernabe Zapata Miralles.

The Spaniard, ranked 42 and a clay-court specialist, won 6-3 6-2.

Tim Murtagh recorded a 10-wicket match haul as Middlesex secured a second successive LV= Insurance County Championship victory at the expense of Kent in Division One.

The seamer reached 1000 wickets in all formats for his team after taking six for 42 – and match figures of 10 for 82 – as Kent fell to 128 all out at Lord’s.

Ben Compton and Jack Leaning had dragged Kent back into contention with an 87-run partnership but seven wickets tumbled cheaply, setting Middlesex a comfortable chase of 86 as Sam Robson and Pieter Malan steered them to victory with nine wickets remaining.

Surrey also secured a nine-wicket victory with a dominant display against Warwickshire at Edgbaston.

The visitors added 70 to their total, with Jamie Smith top-scoring on 88, to set a first-innings lead of 131, but a fantastic spell from Kemar Roach saw the fast bowler take three for nine, leaving Warwickshire 22 for four at lunch.

Roach finished with a five-for as the hosts fell to 141 all out and Surrey knocked off the required 11 runs in two overs.

In Division Two, Matthew Potts starred with the ball picking up five wickets as Durham claimed victory by an innings and seven runs against Derbyshire at Chester-Le-Street.

The visitors had made a good start to day three with Matthew Lamb and Luis Reece putting on 149 runs for the sixth wicket, but Durham sparked into life after Lamb fell just short of his century on 99, pinned lbw by Ben Raine.

England seamer Potts then skittled through Derbyshire’s lower order, taking five for 65 for Durham to extend their lead at the top of the table.

Sussex continued their push for victory against Gloucestershire, sparked by substitute fielder Tom Clark’s direct-hit run out of Marcus Harris.

A chaotic period then saw Nathan McAndrew claim the wickets of James Bracey and Graeme van Buuren from successive balls for Gloucestershire to go four down at tea.

Sussex took five further wickets in the late session, with McAndrew finishing the day with figures of five for 53 to leave Gloucestershire 198 for nine at the close, still 257 runs behind their opponent’s first-innings total.

Chris Cooke and Michael Neser starred with the bat as Glamorgan fought back against Leicestershire.

Chasing 407, Glamorgan were struggling on 225 for seven in their opening innings before Cooke and Neser shared an eight-wicket partnership of 211 to help move the side on to 446 for eight.

Cooke remained unbeaten on 121 at the close of play, with Neser departing for 90 after being bowled by Chris Wright.

England boss Shaun Wane insists England can only continue to improve after a side stacked with debutants thumped France 64-0 in a one-sided mid-season international in Warrington.

Captain George Williams was one of only three survivors from last year’s World Cup squad to feature as Wane rang the changes, with one eye on this autumn’s much tougher three-test series against Tonga.

England coasted into a 36-0 interval lead, but Wane revealed he still demanded plenty of improvements against opponents who were thoroughly outclassed in every department and scarcely managed to muster any attacking intent.

“I was quite harsh on them defensively at half-time, because I had an eye on how we were going to play against Tonga, and the improvements in the second half were probably the most satisfying thing for me,” said Wayne.

“We looked a lot stronger and what it said to me was that this is a really young team, with so many debutants, and with how well we’ve adapted it just shows how strong we are with World Cup players to come back.”

Williams and Ash Handley both helped themselves to hat-tricks, while Danny Walker scored twice and Jake Wardle, Kai Pearce-Paul and Harry Smith also crossed.

Smith added 18 points with the boot before Williams, who also produced the pivotal move in four of his side’s tries, kicked the last conversion to ensure the men’s result mirrored that of an equally one-sided women’s international earlier.

“I was really happy,” added Wayne. “There were certain things I wanted them to work on and they’ve delivered. It was outstanding and those 13 debutants are a credit to their Super League clubs and their chairmen.

“My talk before the game was about Tonga and how we can put a stamp on our position, so credit to the RFL for getting that series on. It is something for us to look forward to and conversations with players and clubs will be easier because of that.”

Adding specific praise for the influential Williams, taking on the captaincy role for the first time due to the absence of Sam Tomkins, Wane added: “How he’s spoken this week and how he’s developed as a leader, it’s great to see how he’s come on.”

Shell-shocked France boss Laurent Frayssinous called the result a “reality check” as he begins the daunting process of building a team capable of impressing when they host the next World Cup in 2025.

“It is a reality check about where we are – obviously the scoreboard is pretty tough and the dressing room is shattered, but it is where we are, and it is a learning curve for a few kids here,” he said.

“We’ll take our medicine and we’ll keep working and just make sure we handle the situation better next time. I was not expecting to lose by 60 – if I thought about it I would have stayed at home.

“I thought we had the respect of England and I don’t want England to judge us on that scoreboard tonight, because next time we will be better, I guarantee.”

Karim Benzema scored a first-half hat-trick as Real Madrid beat Almeria 4-2 at the Santiago Bernabeu to move within eight points of Barcelona at the top of LaLiga.

After Girona and Rayo Vallecano dealt the top two surprise midweek defeats, Madrid had the chance to cut Barca's lead – at least temporarily before the Blaugrana face Real Betis. 

Benzema ensured they seized that opportunity in emphatic fashion, benefitting from excellent assists from Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo before stroking home a third from the penalty spot. 

Lazaro and Lucas Robertone netted either side of a long-range fourth from Rodrygo as Almeria fought gallantly, but Madrid were ultimately deserved winners.

Benzema was heavily involved from the off and had already tested Fernando Martinez by the time he opened the scoring five minutes in, tapping home after Vinicius darted down the left to cross with the outside of his boot.

His second, arriving after 17 minutes, owed much to Rodrygo, who turned Samu Costa with a brilliant piece of skill before teeing up Benzema to sweep home.

Largie Ramazani headed wide as Almeria sought a response, but the winger was then at fault as Benzema clinched his hat-trick, tripping Lucas Vazquez to allow the Frenchman to convert from the spot.

Almeria clawed one back on the stroke of half-time, Lazaro tapping in Ramazani's low cross from the left.

But any hopes of a comeback were extinguished within three minutes of the restart, when Rodrygo rifled into the top-right corner after finding space on the edge of the area.

Almeria hit back again when substitute Robertone headed past Thibaut Courtois, but Madrid remained in control – twice going close to a fifth when Benzema shot against the post and Eduardo Camavinga had a header ruled offside.

A 97th-minute Alexis Saelamaekers equaliser stunned Roma and earned Milan a point at Stadio Olimpico on Saturday to maintain their place in the Serie A Champions League places.

Milan headed into the game above the Giallorossi on just goal difference, and it appeared it would remain that way as a quiet affair was moments away from finishing goalless.

But in the fourth minute of stoppage time, Abraham fired into the bottom corner to send the home fans into raptures and seemingly lift Jose Mourinho's men above the visitors.

However, Saelemaekers stuck in the dying seconds to nick a draw for Milan and extend their unbeaten Serie A streak against Roma to seven matches.

Roberto De Zerbi credited Brighton’s Wembley agony as the stimulus for Saturday’s history-making 6-0 Premier League demolition of Wolves.

De Zerbi hailed the finest performance of his managerial career after the ruthless Seagulls ripped apart Wanderers to emphatically reignite their European push.

Doubles from Deniz Undav, Pascal Gross and Danny Welbeck at the Amex Stadium paved the way for Albion’s greatest result in the top flight.

The thumping triumph moves the Sussex side on to 52 points – two behind Tottenham in fifth – to match the club-record tally, accrued in 1982.

De Zerbi felt his team’s stunning display was a direct response to the pain of last Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final penalty shoot-out loss to Manchester United, which was followed by a meek 3-1 midweek defeat at lowly Nottingham Forest.

“I think it’s the best performance in my career as a coach,” said the Italian former Sassuolo and Shakhtar Donetsk manager.

“We scored six goals but if we speak about the level of the play, the style of the play, the quality of the play, I think we are playing a very high level of football.

“This victory started in Wembley, not today, because today we showed pride, we played well.

“We suffered a lot after Wembley because we deserved to win, we suffered a lot in Nottingham because we played the Nottingham game with the heads still in Wembley and today you watched the reaction.

“The players are not like the players on the PlayStation or robots. They gave soul, heart and in those five days they suffered a lot.”

De Zerbi opted to begin with influential trio Moises Caicedo, Alexis Mac Allister and Kaoru Mitoma on the bench due to fatigue fears amid a hectic fixture list.

But the surprising selection did not remain a talking point for long as the reshuffled Seagulls blitzed their shell-shocked visitors in the south-coast sunshine.

German forward Undav fired Brighton ahead in six minutes with his first Premier League goal before Gross’ brace and a Welbeck header made it 4-0 at the break.

Woeful Wolves were frequently exposed defensively and, despite making three changes for the second period, former England forward Welbeck claimed his second just after the restart before Undav’s delightful dinked finish compounded their misery

Wanderers boss Julen Lopetegui apologised to the travelling fans as he took responsibility for the humiliation.

The Spaniard conceded his side contributed to their own downfall as they slipped to an embarrassing loss which keeps them looking over their shoulders in the battle to avoid relegation.

“It’s a very bad day for us,” said Lopetegui, whose side sit eight points above the drop zone.

“I accept my responsibility today. We are sorry a lot for the fans who came here. I don’t recognise my team today, my players they are better than they showed.

“I am guilty more than ever today because I am the coach. In the same way, the players have to know they have to do better.

“I apologise for the fans. It’s a bad day for them. We play for them and we are very sad about the end (result).”

George Williams and Ash Handley both helped themselves to hat-tricks as England scored 11 tries in an overwhelming 64-0 win over feeble France in Warrington.

Home favourite Williams marked his debut as captain with a dominant display, playing the crucial ball in all three of Handley’s efforts, while the Leeds winger returned the favour in a scintillating two-man show.

Danny Walker scored twice, while Jake Wardle, Kai Pearce-Paul and Harry Smith also crossed and Smith added 18 points with the boot, as Shaun Wane’s new-look side oozed potential ahead of a much tougher test against Tonga in the autumn.

Williams, Pearce-Paul and Jack Welsby were the only survivors from November’s World Cup semi-final heartbreak to feature in Wane’s 18-man squad as the England coach sets his sights firmly on the build-up to the 2025 World Cup in France.

Of his raft of debutants, Wigan duo Morgan Smithies and Ethan Havard also shone, but France, beaten 42-18 by England in the second round of the World Cup in November, were dreadful, singularly failing to threaten the England line and seldom mustering a move into their attacking half.

England took less than five minutes to get their assault under way when a neat kick by Williams, the lynchpin of Warrington’s remarkable Super League resurgence this season, sent Handley scampering over in the right corner.

Williams sparked the move that led to England’s second, spraying the ball out to Jake Wardle, who, showing no ill-effects from an earlier challenge from Paul Marcon that sent the pair spiralling through the advertising boards on to the concrete concourse, neatly switched inside to send Smith clear.

Smithies’ short pass sent Walker in for his first after 25 minutes, then Walker’s pinpoint 40-20 set up Welsby, reverting to his favoured full-back role in the absence of World Cup captain Sam Tomkins, to send Wardle over on the left.

Welsby proved pivotal once again five minutes before the break when he burst through the flat-footed French rearguard and sent the always-ready Williams over under the posts.

Williams’ looping ball out wide found Handley, who cut inside Marcon to touch down for his second, and the other side of the interval the Leeds man returned the favour by pouncing into space on the right flank and feeding Williams the simplest of opportunities.

As France wilted England stepped up the pace, Handley grasping a Williams kick in the corner then Pearce-Paul barging clear, again prompted by Williams carving open the opposing defence.

Williams completed his hat-trick after a break down the flank by Handley, then Walker went over for his second, Williams duly stepping up to take over kicking duties and wrap up a thoroughly convincing victory.

Max Verstappen accused Formula One bosses of creating “artificial excitement” and ordered them to “scrap” the new sprint schedule.

F1 has revamped the weekend format in Baku by introducing two qualifying sessions. One on Friday, which decided the order for Sunday’s Grand Prix, and a second shorter qualifying session to make up the grid for Saturday’s sprint race, which was won by Sergio Perez.

The sport’s chiefs believe the revamp will enliven a race weekend and appeal to their younger audience. Practice has been reduced from three hours to just one to make way for more on-track action.

Verstappen has already threatened to quit F1 if the sprint calendar – set at six events this season – is expanded.

And pressed for his assessment of the new format, the double world champion, who finished third on Saturday, said: “It is terrible. Just scrap the whole thing.

“It is hectic. It is not proper racing. It is more like gambling. I will have more success in Las Vegas when I go to the casino.

“I like racing. I am a pure racer but this is more for the show. Of course, it is important to have entertainment but if all the cars are closer you create better entertainment.

“That is what we have to try and aim for and not to implement this artificial excitement.

“It feels like a football match when one team is winning 3-0 and then suddenly you just reset it to 0-0. I find it unnecessary.”

The changes, which gained support from the grid’s 10 teams following a unanimous vote on Tuesday, will apply to the five other sprint rounds in Austria, Belgium, Qatar, Austin and Brazil this year. A regular grand prix weekend will remain as it is.

Verstappen, who holds a 13-point lead in the championship, continued: “I got bored in qualifying [on Saturday] to be honest. I like to have one qualifying where you put everything in it.

“I did that yesterday which I enjoyed and then we had to do it again today and I was like ‘my God another qualifying’. I just don’t enjoy that.”

Late strikes from Ivan Toney and Josh Dasilva saw Brentford come from behind to condemn Nottingham Forest to another Premier League defeat on the road.

Forest had led through birthday boy Danilo, who celebrated turning 22 with a goal in first-half stoppage-time.

But Toney equalised with a free-kick eight minutes from time, taking his Premier League tally for the season to 20.

And with Forest down to 10 men after Danilo went off injured, substitute Dasilva secured a 2-1 win to send relegation-threatened Forest spinning to a seventh straight away defeat.

Brentford dominated the first half and Bryan Mbuemo’s early cross was met with a glancing header from Rico Henry which flew across goal and wide.

Kevin Schade then headed straight at Forest goalkeeper Keylor Navas from Vitaly Janelt’s cross.

Forest’s first chance of the opening half came when Serge Aurier overlapped and played the ball back to Brennan Johnson.

The striker lofted the ball high into the box where Taiwo Awoniyi looped his header over David Raya and over the crossbar.

Navas was called into action again to save Ethan Pinnock’s close-range shot in a crowded area with Mikkel Damsgaard unable to connect with the rebound.

The Costa Rica keeper then held Ben Mee’s header from another Mbeumo free-kick, before Forest took a shock lead.

Morgan Gibbs-White’s shot from the edge of the box ricocheted off the heel of Mee into the path of Danilo, who rifled the ball home from eight yards.

The January signing from Palmeiras, who scored his first goal for the club in their midweek against Brighton, celebrated with a Samba dance in front of the travelling fans.

After the break Dasilva saw a shot blocked and Mee’s attempted scissor-kick flew over.

Raya saved from Gibbs-White and then held an acrobatic overhead kick from Moussa Niakhate as Forest searched for a second.

But they were undone after Cheikhou Kouyate fouled Frank Onyeka 25 yards out.

Toney, who had done little of note all afternoon, stepped up to curl the free-kick between Navas and his far post.

In doing so the striker became the first Bees player to hit 20 goals in the top flight since the 1930s.

Forest, who had used all their substitutes, had to see out the match a man down after Danilo limped off.

Brentford sensed their chance and Navas scrambled to keep out Onyeka’s deflected shot before Aaron Hickey drove narrowly wide.

It was Dasilva who hit the knockout blow, cutting in from the right wing and lashing home the winner in stoppage time.