EXCLUSIVE The top sports topics from the past week / The Mbappé–China scandal, the Milan derby, and the surprises in the Cups

Over the past week, sports news was marked by controversies with international repercussions, tragedies and tributes, as well as derbies, surprises in cup competitions and remarkable individual performances, from decisive goals to winning the Women’s Ballon d’Or. An assessment carried out through the NewsVibe platform, which integrates artificial intelligence technologies to analyze content from the mass media and social networks, indicated the publication of 20,772 sports-related items during this period, in relevant web sources, on Facebook, YouTube and TikTok in Romania. The processed data revealed ten entities that benefited from an increased presence in the digital environment, analyzing both the factors behind this growth and the contribution of online channels to disseminating and reinforcing the messages. The ranking of trending topics is based on new trends that emerged over the past week. 

Top 10 trending entities in the sports context

1.Mao Zedong

2.Lecce

3.Derby della Madonnina

4.Toledo

5.Andrei Petrache

6.Antonio Bradu

7.Dylan Batubinsika

8.Alexia Putellas

9.Diogo Pinto

10.Fleetwood Town

Trending sports topics

The controversy between Kylian Mbappé and China erupted after the footballer said in an interview that he found a meme amusing in which his face appears on the body of Mao Zedong. The joke prompted condemnation from Beijing, the termination of several contracts and the suspension by Chinese public television of broadcasts of La Liga and Real Madrid matches. The topic’s visibility was amplified by the apologies and explanations offered by Mbappé and representatives of Spanish football, José Mourinho’s critical reaction and reports about a jersey bearing the player’s name being burned.

Athlete Julieta Gallego lost her life in the railway accident in the Spanish province of Toledo, which claimed at least 39 lives. The tragedy led to the postponement or suspension of 24 matches in Spain, including matches in the Copa del Rey.

The news that footballer Andrei Petrache had been found dead at just 26 years old, after having been reported missing, brought a tragic subject to the forefront. Reports focused on the circumstances of his death and the unanswered questions, as well as tributes paid by his former teammates at Rapid.

In Italian football, AC Milan defeated the team coached by Cristi Chivu, Inter, 3–1 in the Derby della Madonnina. Meanwhile, Daniel Bîrligea stood out with a brace in Frosinone’s 5–1 victory over Lecce on matchday nine of Serie A, contributing to his team’s emphatic success.

In Romanian football, Gloria Bistrița’s 1–0 victory over FCSB in the Romanian Cup brought Antonio Bradu, scorer of the only goal, and Dylan Batubinsika, a starter in the defeated team’s defense, to the attention of the sports press. The topic’s visibility was fueled by Bradu’s statements, reactions from Gigi Becali and FCSB players, as well as reports about the bonus received by Gloria’s footballers. In Batubinsika’s case, media interest also focused on statements about Laurențiu Reghecampf and reports that the defender had asked to leave FCSB, amid dissatisfaction with the club owner. Diogo Pinto also stood out by scoring the three goals in Dinamo’s 5–2 victory over Chindia Târgoviște in the same competition.

Winning the Women’s Ballon d’Or brought Alexia Putellas to the attention of the sports press, with reports following both the award she received and her statements after the ceremony.

Arsenal’s elimination from the English League Cup brought fourth-tier side Fleetwood Town into the spotlight. The 5–3 victory on penalties, after a 1–1 draw in regular time, generated reports about the competition’s surprise result, coach Matthew Lawlor’s journey and the financial disparity between the two clubs.

Top 15 online sources on sports topics over the past week

NewsVibe chart. Ranking of relevant web and social media sources that published the most articles and posts on sports topics over the past week

*****Summary prepared with the help of a data-monitoring feed provided by the NewsVibe Romania media monitoring platform. The analysis, data and images presented were enhanced with the help of Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence tools.