Max Verstappen powered to another dominant win in Sunday’s Chinese Grand Prix – as Lewis Hamilton complained his car was “slow” and “broken” after he finished ninth.
Verstappen emerged unscathed from two safety car periods to secure his 38th win from the last 49 staged in Formula One on his unstoppable march towards a fourth straight championship.
But for Hamilton, now 50 races and 868 long days without a victory, this marked another sobering afternoon in his uncompetitive Mercedes.
McLaren’s Lando Norris delivered an impressive performance to finish second, one place ahead of Verstappen’s Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez, with Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz fourth and fifth for Ferrari.
George Russell could manage only sixth for Mercedes as the grid’s once-dominant team endured another race to forget.
F1 is back in Shanghai following a five-year absence, and it was a venue that Hamilton once ruled, winning a record six times here.
But the sport has a new king now, with Verstappen securing his fourth win from the opening five rounds – his only downfall in Australia when his Red Bull engine expired. For Hamilton, hampered by starting only 18th, his worst-ever season continued.
As Verstappen blasted away from his marks to convert his pole position into an all-too predictable early lead, Hamilton was evidently struggling for speed in his Mercedes.
Hamilton started on the quickest, but less durable soft rubber, but just two laps into this 56-lap affair, his complaints began.
“I am making no ground on this tyre,” he said after dropping from 18th to 19th. Hamilton made the first of his two pit-stops on lap nine, and re-joined back in 19th, 53 seconds behind Verstappen.
“That was the worst tyre, man,” said the despondent 39-year-old after switching to the medium rubber.
Up front and Fernando Alonso, who moved from third to second following a fine move around the outside of Perez at the opening bend, was starting to slip down the order.
On lap five, Perez sailed past the evergreen Spaniard, before Norris swooped ahead at the penultimate corner two laps later.
Back to Hamilton, and he was now 15th after making his way ahead of RB’s Yuki Tsunoda at the first bend. But his mood had not improved.
“I can’t even catch him (Alpine’s Esteban Ocon), man,” he said. This car is so slow.”
Speed has not been a problem for Verstappen since he denied Hamilton a record eighth crown at the 2021 decider in Abu Dhabi.
Temporarily demoted to third by virtue of changing tyres earlier than his competitors, the Red Bull star breezed past Leclerc on lap 16 before re-taking the lead from Norris three laps later.
Hamilton’s fortunes improved on lap 21 when he stopped for a second time with the VSC deployed after Valtteri Bottas broke down. And as the marshals struggled to shift Bottas’ stricken Stake, the VSC was upgraded to a full safety car, promoting Hamilton up the order. He would be 12th at the re-start, but he was still bemused by his machine.
“The car is just sliding around everywhere,” he said. “It just feels like something is broken. It is really bad.”
In came the safety car on lap 26, but it was back out moments later after Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll clumsily thudded into the back of Daniel Ricciardo, and Kevin Magnussen punted Yuki Tsuonda off.
Ricciardo suffered floor damage, elevating Hamilton into 10th and a single-point paying position before he swatted Haas’ Nico Hulkenberg aside for ninth on lap 41.
Hamilton was then up to eighth as Alonso made a maverick third stop for tyres. But the 43-year-old took advantage of his fresh rubber to blast back through the field, relegating Hamilton back to ninth with seven laps remaining. Alonso would cross the line in seventh.
Verstappen took the chequered flag 13.7 sec clear of Norris to extend his championship lead to 25 points with Hamilton – almost one minute behind his one-time rival – still searching for a top-six finish this season.
Tottenham have confirmed left-back Destiny Udogie will miss the rest of the season after undergoing surgery on his left thigh.
Udogie has flourished in his first campaign in the Premier League and made 30 appearances in all competitions for Spurs.
The Italian defender has caught the eye with his ventures into midfield under Ange Postecoglou but he revealed on Saturday night his 2023-24 campaign was over.
Spurs said in a statement on their website: “We can confirm that Destiny Udogie has undergone surgery to his left quadriceps, having sustained an injury in training earlier this week.
“The defender will continue his rehabilitation with our medical staff and is expected to rejoin the squad during pre-season.”
News of Udogie’s injury is untimely for a Tottenham team who lost 4-0 at Newcastle last weekend. Spurs lost ground in the battle for Champions League qualification as a result and are currently three points behind fourth-placed Aston Villa.
Thomas Frank is excited about Brentford’s attacking potential going into next season after Saturday’s 5-1 thrashing of Luton.
The Bees ran riot at Kenilworth Road with Yoane Wissa on target twice and Bryan Mbeumo able to pull the strings as the fulcrum of a fluid attack.
Keane Lewis-Potter also got on the scoresheet along with substitute Kevin Schade, while Mikkel Damsgaard caught the eye in a display all the more impressive given Ivan Toney’s absence.
With Toney eager to move on this summer, the five-goal spree at Luton was a timely example of Brentford being able to show there will be life after the anticipated departure of their talisman.
“We were very good offensively,” Frank acknowledged.
“Wissa getting two goals, a fantastic goal. Keane got a goal, Kevin Schade coming off the bench and got a goal.
“Bryan probably should have got a goal, but was at least two assists and was involved in all the goals, so very pleased with that.
“I think it is promising. I was actually going into this season very optimistic.
“I am always optimistic. Sometimes too optimistic! But I think it is good to have belief in your players.
“Then we have been so unlucky with injuries. You can see when we get more of our best players back the potential in the team.”
Saturday’s comprehensive win extended Brentford’s unbeaten run to five matches and Frank has set the target of ending a “tough season” on a high.
The Bees could be boosted by the return of Toney at Everton next weekend after he was absent at Luton due to his ongoing hip issue.
Frank revealed: “He was very close. If this was a play-off final, which it wasn’t, then I would have played him, but we need to get him absolutely right and fully fit.
“I meant what I said before, after Sheffield United, that I thought he would be ready for this game. It was just too short so I strongly believe he is ready for Everton. I really hope that.”
Meanwhile, Luton boss Rob Edwards admitted there would be no major repercussions following their second consecutive 5-1 loss.
“I didn’t rant and rave,” Edwards explained.
“I am not sure it would have had too much of an effect right there and right then. It might be a case on Monday. I’ll see how I feel once I have reviewed things.
“This week we need to show the things we’ve not done well enough and try to correct some things, but at this stage of the season as well what we can’t do now is lose people or blame people.
“I can’t become a different person just because we’ve lost a game of football.”
On this day in 2013, Liverpool striker Luis Suarez attracted criticism after biting Branislav Ivanovic on the arm in a 2-2 draw with Chelsea.
The Uruguay international was at the centre of several of the game’s key moments in an eventful afternoon at Anfield.
Suarez conceded a penalty in the second-half for handling the ball in the box and Eden Hazard converted from the penalty spot.
Stoppage-time was jam-packed with drama as the Liverpool forward sank his teeth into Ivanovic’s arm, but no action was taken by referee Kevin Friend, who missed the incident, and Suarez went on to rescue a point for the Reds with an equaliser in the final minute of added time.
The forward apologised to Ivanovic on Twitter and through a statement issued on the Liverpool website, saying: “I am deeply sorry for my inexcusable behaviour earlier today during our match against Chelsea.
“I have issued an apology and have tried to contact Branislav Ivanovic to speak to him personally. I apologise also to my manager, playing colleagues and everyone at Liverpool for letting them down.”
Three days after the Chelsea game Suarez was hit with a 10-match ban for the bite after pleading guilty to a violent conduct charge.
It was not the first time Suarez had brought controversy to the club – he had been banned for eight matches the previous season after being found guilty of racially abusing Patrice Evra.
He also had a history of biting at former club Ajax, where he bit PSV Eindhoven midfielder Otman Bakkal and was handed a seven-match ban.
Suarez would go on to reoffend while on international duty for Uruguay at the 2014 World Cup, where he bit Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini in their group stage clash.
Scottie Scheffler’s PGA Tour dominance looks to be showing no signs of slowing down as the world number one heads into the final day of the RBC Heritage with a one shot lead on 16 under.
Fresh off securing his second Masters title in three years, the 27-year-old shot up the leaderboard at Hilton Head on Saturday with a bogey-free third round score of eight under 63.
He leads by one stroke from Austria’s Sepp Straka, while America’s Collin Morikawa sits outright third on 14 under.
Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy carded a second straight round of 68 to be tied for 12th place on 10 under.
Meanwhile, defending champion Matt Fitzpatrick is tied for 25th after the Englishman carded a third round score of 70.
Nikola Jokić had 32 points and 12 rebounds and got ample help from his teammates as the defending NBA champion Denver Nuggets continued their recent mastery of the Los Angeles Lakers with a 114-103 win in their Western Conference playoff opener on Saturday.
Jamal Murray tallied 22 points and 10 assists, Aaron Gordon added 12 and 11 rebounds and Michael Porter Jr. contributed 19 points and eight boards as the Nuggets won their ninth straight against the Lakers.
Anthony Davis matched Jokic with 32 points and 14 rebounds and LeBron James scored 27 points, but D’Angelo Russell was held to 13 points on 6-of-20 shooting – including 1 of 9 from 3-point range – and Rui Hachimura managed just seven points in 31 minutes.
Los Angeles hasn’t beaten Denver since Dec. 16, 2022, and will try again Monday in Denver, where the Nuggets are 34-8 this season.
Denver’s lead was down to 103-96 with five minutes left but Porter Jr. hit a 3 and Jokic dunked off a turnover by James to push the lead to 12.
Knicks’ reserves step up in win
Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart each scored 22 points and the New York Knicks got a huge lift from their bench for a 111-104 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference first-round series.
Deuce McBride outscored the 76ers by himself with 13 points in the second quarter and finished with 21 on 7-of-12 shooting, including 5 of 7 from long range. Bojan Bogdanovic added 13 points and Mitchell Robinson came off the bench to add eight points, 12 rebounds and four blocks.
Joel Embiid had 29 points, eight rebounds and six assists and Tyrese Maxey scored 33 points for the 76ers, who will try to even the series in Game 2 on Monday.
Embiid was listed as questionable to play and went down with 2:49 left in the first half with an apparent injury to his surgically repaired knee. He walked to the locker room area and missed the rest of the first half but returned to start the second.
Hart made a pair of huge 3-pointers in the fourth quarter, the second extending the Knicks’ lead to 107-100 with one minute remaining.
Edwards powers Timberwolves past Suns
Anthony Edwards scored 18 of his 33 points in the third quarter and grabbed nine rebounds to lift the Minnesota Timberwolves to a tone-setting 120-95 win over the visiting Phoenix Suns in their series opener.
Karl-Anthony Towns had 19 points, Nickeil Alexander-Walker added 18 and Rudy Gobert tallied 14 points, 16 rebounds and stellar defence to help Minnesota to its first home win in the playoffs in 20 years.
Edwards keyed a 19-4 run to close the third quarter for a 20-point cushion and put a bow on his performance by stealing the ball from Kevin Durant and finishing with a slam on the other end to give the Timberwolves a 111-91 lead with 3:37 left.
Durant scored 31 points on 11-of-17 shooting, but Devin Booker was held to 18 on 5 for 16 from the field. The Suns were outrebounded 52-28 and outscored 52-34 in the paint.
Game 2 is in Minnesota on Tuesday before the best-of-seven series shifts to Phoenix for Game 3.
Zack Wheeler took a no-hitter into the eighth inning and Brandon Marsh hit a two-run homer as the surging Philadelphia Phillies defeated the lowly Chicago White Sox, 9-5 on Saturday.
Wheeler held the White Sox hitless until Korey Lee’s one-out single in the eighth. The right-hander struck out eight, walked two and threw 75 of 106 pitches for strikes.
A night earlier, Spencer Turnbull didn’t allow a hit until Gavin Sheets’ one-out single in the seventh.
The Phillies won their fifth straight and moved five games over .500 in April for the first time since 2019.
Marsh’s home run in the second off Michael Soroka gave Philadelphia a 3-0 lead and Trea Turner’s two-run double in the seventh made it 9-0.
The White Sox scored their first runs of this series with five in the ninth but dropped to a major league-worst 3-17.
Streaking Mets beat Dodgers
Starling Marte belted a go-ahead, three-run homer and Pete Alonso made a stellar defensive play to lift the New York Mets to their sixth straight victory, 6-4 over the struggling Los Angeles Dodgers.
Marte finished with four RBIs and Francisco Lindor drove in two runs as the Mets improved to 12-3 after an 0-5 start.
The Dodgers went 2 for 12 with runners in scoring position and left 13 on base. They have lost three consecutive series for the first time since June, and three straight series at home for the first time since August 2018.
Marte’s 432-foot shot off reliever Ryan Brasier in the sixth snapped a 2-2 tie.
Los Angeles had the bases loaded in the sixth trailing 5-4 before Max Muncy grounded to Alonso, who fielded the ball near the edge of the outfield grass, sprinted in and dove to tag the bag for the third out.
New York won despite issuing 10 walks, its most since Aug. 15. They last walked 10 in a win on May 13, 2014, in a 12-7 victory over the Yankees.
D’Arnaud homers again in Braves’ win
Charlie Morton combined with three relievers on a five-hitter and the Atlanta Braves defeated the Texas Rangers 5-2 for their sixth straight win.
Morton gave up two runs and four hits with two walks in six innings. Joe Jimenez and A.J. Minter each pitched one inning and Raisel Iglesias worked the ninth for his sixth save in as many chances.
D’Arnaud, who drove in six runs with three home runs on Friday, hit a two-run shot in the eighth off Austin Pruitt to close the scoring.
Luis Guillorme had an RBI double and scored on Michael Harris’ single before Matt Olson’s sacrifice fly snapped a 2-2 tie in the second.
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta stood in unison with Manchester City counterpart Pep Guardiola in condemning the fixture schedule.
Guardiola said it was “unacceptable” that his side had to play an FA Cup semi-final less than 72 hours after being in action in the Champions League on Wednesday night as they beat Chelsea at Wembley on Saturday tea-time.
The Gunners’ plight was arguably worse as they were also in Europe on Wednesday night but had to travel back from Germany on Thursday following their Champions League exit to Bayern Munich.
They made light of that quick turnaround as they beat Wolves 2-0 on Saturday to go back to the top of the Premier League before they play again on Tuesday night against Chelsea.
“It’s not about us, Pep or myself, it’s about the well-being of the players,” Arteta said after Leandro Trossard and Martin Odegaard goals sent his side one point above City.
“Especially when you are competing in European competition, everything has to be competed in the same way.
“You cannot have a team that hasn’t played for seven days or three days before and has more recovery time and you have to play in the Premier League or the FA Cup.
“It is not right. If you look at it any angle it’s not right. If you want to protect and you always talk about the players and the protagonists, let’s protect them and think about them and do everything we can to give them the maximum time so they can recover and they can maintain the show they put on every week.
“We stayed in Munich, I think we had two hours sleep, wake up and we started to talk about Wolves first of all and then understand what we had to do to win the game.
“The boys were unbelievable. You look at the amount of games we have played in the last few weeks, the type of games we have played and the attitude and the way they have run today is top.”
It was a good recovery from the Gunners after a horror week where their title hopes were damaged by a 2-0 home defeat to Aston Villa last week before their Champions League exit in Munich.
But they could be four points clear of City by the time Guardiola’s side next play as they try to wrestle control of a thrilling title race.
Arteta added: “It was really good, I really liked the performance, the result, the clean sheet but also the way individually and a team they showed they still have a step forward to make.
“We realised we want to be involved in big competitions, fighting for the Champions League, fighting for the Premier League, the level it requires, we have to do something special. You have to have that love to compete.”
Wolves battled hard but are crippled by injuries, with the majority of their key attacking players sidelined.
They are now six games without a win, but boss Gary O’Neil was proud.
“I thought it was an incredible performance, it exceeded my expectation of what we were able to produce today,” he said.
“We didn’t deserve to lose 2-0, losing 1-0 and not quite being able to break them down is probably as bad as it should have been for us.
“We came up just short against one of the best teams in world football so there’s no disgrace in that.”
Luca Brecel fell victim to the so-called ‘Crucible curse’ as qualifier David Gilbert reeled off the final four frames to claim a stunning 10-9 win over the defending champion on the opening day of the World Snooker Championship in Sheffield.
The Belgian became the 19th first-time champion to fail to defend his title at the famous venue as Gilbert, a semi-finalist in 2019, surged back level with three successive half-centuries then dispatched a nerveless 65 which proved enough to secure a famous win.
When Brecel shook hands with only one snooker required, it marked a stunning end to his kamikaze reign as champion, which had seen the 29-year-old switch his focus firmly to high-value acquisitions off the table while he struggled to reach a solitary ranking quarter-final on it.
For Gilbert it completed a stunning revival, having won a single Crucible match in the four years since his run to the last four, during which he found himself frequently questioning his motivation to continue.
A missed green off its spot when Brecel stood on the brink of victory at 9-8 proved one of many decisive moments as Brecel mixed a display of stunning potting with wild shot choices and careless errors that constantly prevented him from making the decisive move.
Brecel had blasted two centuries and two more breaks over 70 in a quickfire opening session that he shaded 6-3, seemingly dispelling fears that he was returning to Sheffield woefully ill-prepared to avoid the fate of so many former champions.
A break of 115 helped Gilbert hang onto his opponent’s coat-tails but he failed to take a series of chances in the early stages of their resumption, and Brecel had one foot in the last 16 at 9-6 before Gilbert summoned his dramatic twist.
Earlier, Judd Trump rode his luck to establish a 6-3 overnight lead over Hossein Vafaei.
Third seed Trump looked sharp and focused against the dangerous Iranian qualifier, but Vafaei was left to rue a series of missed opportunities ahead of their resumption on Sunday afternoon.
The 29-year-old could easily have headed into the mid-session interval with a 4-0 lead over the 2019 champion, but instead it was Trump who kept his nerve to carve a 3-1 advantage that he never looked likely to relinquish.
Stephen Maguire produced two centuries but could not shake off ninth seed Ali Carter, who takes a 5-4 lead into their conclusion on Sunday.
The Scot, a two-time semi-finalist, made a storming start with breaks of 93 and 114 but showed his frustration as untimely errors scattered the rest of the session, before a nervy 55 in the ninth frame enabled him to keep in touch with the two-time former finalist.
Zhang Anda, the 11th seed, trails 5-2 after the opening session against qualifier Jak Jones, in a low-quality match that was hauled off two frames early due to slow play.
Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk insists “anything is possible” as the Reds seek to overhaul Manchester City and Arsenal in what could be a thrilling season finale.
Jurgen Klopp’s side dropped to third last weekend after defeat to Crystal Palace and the initiative is now with their rivals.
However, Van Dijk remains optimistic about their chances over the final six games.
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“Big six. Anything is still possible. We have to give it everything and we will give it everything,” said the Netherlands captain.
“We have to focus on each game as they come.”
A Europa League exit to Atalanta in midweek was another blow to confidence but Van Dijk does not see the point in dwelling on past results.
“We have all the reasons to be disappointed. But it’s our own fault,” he added.
“It’s not one factor, it’s multiple. We’re all human beings, we all want to do well, keep clean sheets and score goals.
“But we are where we are and the situation is what it is. When the games don’t go well – obviously didn’t happen many times this season – we all have to switch it back on.
“We have to focus on ourselves like we always have been doing and that never changes.”
Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag “can’t be bothered” with criticism of the job he is doing at Old Trafford and claims he has only been able to pick his strongest team once in 18 months.
The Dutchman delivered an encouraging first season, winning the League Cup and finishing in the top four, but this campaign has been far more difficult.
They were knocked out of the Champions League at the group stage and are in a battle to finish in the top six in the Premier League, with his position coming under scrutiny following Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s minority purchase and takeover of the football operations.
United can salvage their season by winning the FA Cup and they aim to reach a second successive final when they host Championship Coventry on Sunday.
Ten Hag insists he shuts out the noise when it comes to speculation on his future.
“I don’t put energy into this, if I’m judged fairly or not,” he said. “I know what we are doing here, why I’m here, to bring trophies, to also create economic value, so we are working on those and in a process you have setbacks.
“I look at this and can see it realistically, so I see the nuance, some comments miss that, but I can’t be bothered about it, can’t go into emotions.
“I see it realistic, rationale, and I’m only focussing on my team, to improve the team and individuals. That’s what I’m here for.”
United have had injury problems to deal with and the Dutchman says the home win over Manchester City last year was the only time he had a full squad to choose from.
“I don’t have any concern about what is said on the outside,” he said. “What concerns me is that in 18 months I have never had my favourite team on the pitch in 18 months.
“That concerns me. Because the players are injured. One time (I could pick my strongest XI) was against City last season in the home game.
“That was the only time where we had a full squad, where I can pick my team and in all the other games there was always an injury aspect where we have to deal with.
“That is normal in football but not so many as we have had. And I know when we have so many injuries as we have had and on crucial key positions, you can’t deliver the results you want to bring and that is OK.
“But that is my truth. And others can have a different truth. But I can’t put energy in that.”
The man in the opposite dugout should provide a timely reminder to Ten Hag that fortunes in football can change in an instant.
Sky Blues boss Mark Robins is widely acknowledged to be the man who saved Sir Alex Ferguson’s job in 1990 when his third-round goal against Nottingham Forest ended a run of 11 games without a win.
United went on to win the FA Cup that year and the rest is history.
“Yes, I know (the story). In football, it’s sometimes like this, that a shot on the post or in the net makes a huge difference,” Ten Hag said.
“See 1966, eh? Only one time but it made them (England) world champions.”
Harry Kane scored his 40th Bayern Munich goal of the season in a 5-1 Bundesliga thumping of Union Berlin.
After reaching the Champions League semi-finals in midweek, Bayern took a step towards securing second place in the league with an emphatic victory.
Leon Goretzka opened the scoring and Kane curled in a free-kick just before half-time to take his league-leading tally to 33.
Thomas Muller scored twice in the second half, either side of a goal from Mathys Tel, with Union limited to a late consolation effort from Yorbe Vertessen.
Fourth-placed RB Leipzig needed a late winner from Lois Openda to claim a 2-1 victory at Heidenheim.
Benjamin Sesko put the visitors ahead late in the first half but Nikola Dovedan levelled before Openda secured the points five minutes from time.
Robin Hack’s hat-trick was not enough to prevent Borussia Monchengladbach from falling to a 4-3 defeat at Hoffenheim.
Hack thought he had earned a point for the visitors when he scored twice late on after Hoffenheim had taken a 3-1 lead with goals from Wout Weghorst, Grischa Promel and Ozan Kabak.
But Anton Stach found the winner for the home side in the first minute of injury time.
Koln’s hopes of survival were dealt a major blow by a 2-0 loss to bottom side Darmstadt, who appear doomed to relegation, while Bochum remain in trouble after a 1-0 loss to Wolfsburg.
Girona’s 4-1 victory over relegation-threatened Cadiz in LaLiga ensured they will be playing European football next season.
Early goals from Eric Garcia and Ivan Martin set the tone, with Artem Dovbyk and Portu making sure of the points in the second half.
Real Betis boosted their hopes of joining Girona with a 2-1 victory away at Valencia.
Ayoze Perez scored twice for the visitors – who sit eighth, two points behind Real Sociedad – either side of a Pepelu penalty.
Celta Vigo went behind at home to Las Palmas but responded brilliantly to claim a 4-1 victory that lifts them six points clear of the bottom three.
Juanma Herzog opened the scoring but Iago Aspas netted twice for Celta along with one each from Williot Swedberg and Anastasios Douvikas.
Rayo Vallecano also eased their relegation fears, Pep Chavarria and Isi Palazon scoring in the final 10 minutes in a 2-1 win over Osasuna.
In Serie A, struggling Empoli stunned defending champions Napoli 1-0, Alberto Cerri scoring the only goal in the fourth minute.
The big match at the bottom had a dramatic finish as Diego Coppola struck in injury time to earn Verona a 1-0 win over Udinese.
Rennes kept alive their hopes of sneaking into the European places in Ligue 1 by beating lowly Nantes 3-0 but they remain four points behind Lens, who defeated bottom side Clermont 1-0 thanks to an early penalty from Florian Sotoca.
Girona guaranteed they will be playing European football next season with a 4-1 thumping of struggling Cadiz in LaLiga.
After last weekend’s defeat by Atletico Madrid, third-placed Girona moved seven points clear of the capital side ahead of their meeting with Alaves on Sunday.
They took the lead in the ninth minute, Eric Garcia heading in Savio’s cross, and Yangel Herrera then saw a shot saved before Ivan Martin doubled the advantage with 22 minutes gone with a shot into the bottom corner.
Maxi Gomez had a header blocked as Cadiz sought a way back into the match but Girona nearly found a third just before half-time, Savio hitting the bar with a shot from outside the box.
The visitors, who are six points from safety, made changes for the second half and they came out positively, Chris Ramos twice going close while Lucas Pires also had a shot saved.
But Girona added a third in the 71st minute through Artem Dovbyk, whose shot found the bottom corner.
Cadiz kept pushing and got their goal in the 81st minute when Gonzalo Escalante found the net from close range following a corner.
But a minute later Girona struck again, this time Portu adding the final flourish on a historic night for the Catalan side.
Mark Robins insists his FA Cup reunion with Manchester United should not distract from his Coventry side’s own dreams of Wembley glory.
Robins was a predecessor to the fabled ‘Class of 92’ at Old Trafford, but the glory years of David Beckham, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and Gary Neville may have looked a lot different were it not for his efforts.
His match-winning goal in the third-round match against Nottingham Forest in 1990 is widely credited with keeping Sir Alex Ferguson in a job, and he was a late substitute as the Red Devils beat Crystal Palace in the final to kick off a trophy-laden golden era.
On Sunday he finds himself back at the national stadium in an FA Cup semi-final, with the fate of another United manager – the under-pressure Erik ten Hag – potentially in his hands.
Yet the 54-year-old has been happy to leave the past in the past and has not been bending his squad’s ears with tales of times gone by.
“Absolutely not. They were all born after 1990, so none of them (know about it),” he said on the eve of the game.
“I don’t speak about things like that. It doesn’t matter what I did, I just talk about them. This is totally different and management is totally different to playing.
“It’s not about me, it’s all about the players and the preparation and how they can execute against a top, top team.
“These players have got an aspiration to play in the Premier League so for me, for them, it’s a chance to see how they perform, regardless of anything else around the game.”
Robins lays no claim to the disputed version of events that paints him as the reason for sparing the most dominant manager of his generation the sack, but can still be tempted into some mild nostalgia.
“In fairness I was substitute in a cup final 34 years ago, a brilliant occasion for us as Manchester United. It was fantastic,” he said.
“There were only two substitutes in those days so to get on the bench in the first place, when there was a lot of talented individuals who didn’t make it, puts it into perspective. I’d just broken into the squad and played a part in the run up to the final.
“It’s part of my experience, it’s part of my footballing background, but it was a long, long time ago.”
One of the Sky Blues players players hoping to make some cup memories of their own is 18-goal striker Ellis Simms. A childhood Manchester City fan, Simms scored twice in the dramatic quarter-final victory over Wolves including the decisive strike in the 10th minute of added time.
He confirmed Robins has kept his own playing days firmly in the background in the build-up to a match that represents a career high for many in the Coventry squad, but believes his efforts in the dugout should be receiving greater attention.
“It was obviously a few years ago, probably before my time, but I’ve heard bits of it,” Simms said of Robins’ FA Cup success.
“He’s very humble, but we know he was a top player back in the day. Now it’s about us as players but he’s going to do everything he can to help us.
“He should get more praise than he does. Getting us this far in the competition, the majority of people didn’t think we would get this far so it’s massive credit to him.”
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