Latest news with #Almería
Morocco World
14 hours ago
- Sport
- Morocco World
Rachad Fettal: Real Madrid Castilla's new Moroccan forward
Rachad Fettal is a name football fans in Spain and Morocco may hear more often in the coming years. The 20-year-old striker joined Real Madrid Castilla in July 2025 after a promising season with UD Almería, where he made his first-team debut and scored his first professional goal. Now, he is hoping to continue his development at one of the biggest clubs in the world. Fettal was born in Torre-Pacheco, in the Spanish region of Murcia, on January 16, 2005. He holds both Spanish and Moroccan nationality and has chosen to represent Morocco at the international level. He started playing football at a young age and joined local club EF Torre Pacheco, where he quickly stood out. At 13, he scored 28 goals in 30 games. That led to a move to UCAM Murcia's youth setup before joining UD Almería in 2020. His father, he says, has been a key figure in his career. 'He is the one who got me into football and has accompanied me to all games since I was little,' Fettal told AS. In the 2022–23 season, he was the top scorer in the Copa del Rey Juvenil, helping Almería's U19 team reach the final. He was then promoted to Almería B and made his senior debut at 16. In the 2023–24 season, Fettal made his first appearance for Almería's first team in La Liga, coming on against Real Betis in December 2023. He scored his first professional goal in September 2024 in a 2–2 draw with SD Eibar. 'I'm very grateful to coach Rubi, and I'm pleased he spoke well of me, even though we lost,' he said to La Voz de Almería after a league match. Fettal's season was interrupted by a knee injury in January 2025, which kept him out for three months. He returned in April and finished the season with 14 league appearances and one goal. On July 11, 2025, Real Madrid confirmed the signing of Fettal, who signed a three-year contract and joined Castilla, the club's reserve side, which plays in the third tier of Spanish football. At 1.84m, Fettal is a classic centre-forward. He is left-footed and known for his pace, strength, and movement off the ball. Spanish media have compared his playing style to that of former Barcelona and Uruguay striker Luis Suárez. 'He is a fighter. He doesn't stop pressing, he's got grit, and he never hides,' wrote Marca. Fettal has represented both Spain and Morocco at the youth level. He played for Spain U18 in 2023, scoring twice in three appearances, but later accepted a call-up to the Morocco U20 team. 'I still have a lot to improve, and I work every day on the details,' he told AS. Fettal is expected to compete for a starting role with Castilla in the 2025–26 season under coach Álvaro Arbeloa. If he continues to progress, a call-up to the Real Madrid first team — or Morocco's senior side — may not be far off. Tags: CastillaMoroccorachad fettalReal Madrid
The Sun
20-07-2025
- The Sun
My son had the dream life in Spain – then a phone call changed everything, I may never get the answers I need
A YEAR ago, Sandra Adams received a call that will haunt her for the rest of her life. She was on her way home from work on 22 July last year and she says at that moment her old life ended. 6 6 She was told that her only son Brett Dryden, had been found dead at his home in Spain. While Sandra says that at times the grief is unbearable, she is kept going by her quest for the truth about the circumstances of his death. She is driven by a burning sense of injustice, because she believes police bungled the initial investigation and Brett's death remains a mystery- one she is determined to solve. Brett seemingly had the perfect life in the sun. The 35-year-old father-of-one, originally from County Durham, moved to Spain in 2019 with his partner. They had a daughter. The relationship didn't work out and the couple split but Brett stayed in Spain to build his business and remained a doting father. He lived in the laid-back Spanish seaside town of Mojácar in the province of Almería where he ran a legal cannabis club called The Dawg House. Sandra, from Chester-Le-Street, says: 'When he moved, I was devastated but it was his choice. 'He had an amazing life there. He loved it. He had loads of friends and said he would never move back.' But that dream life ended on July 22 last year, the day Sandra received a call from one of Brett's friends in Spain who had found his body in his villa. 'I couldn't believe what I was hearing,' she says. Tributes Pour In for Father-of-Three Who Tragically Died in Benidorm 'My world caved in, I was in utter disbelief and I'm still in shock today.' In a daze, Sandra, a carer, 56, and her husband and Brett's stepdad Rob flew to Spain that day. One of the friends who found Brett claimed he'd overheard the Spanish police known as the Guardia Civil saying they believed Brett had been struck in the head with an axe. However, the friends had been allowed to walk through the villa several times, which was potentially a murder scene. A post-mortem was performed the following day. It concluded Brett died of a pulmonary embolism, caused by a blood clot in his lungs. The case was closed. 'They said it was a terrible accident. He fell and banged his head,' Sandra explains. She was immediately sceptical. Rob had taken photos and video of blood stains in several locations around the property. Her suspicions were further raised when she went to see her son's body. 6 6 'He was in the chapel of rest, and there was a huge wound in the side of his head,' she recalls. 'I knew in my gut that something was not right. He had other visible injuries. To me it looked like there had been a struggle.' The family have only recently been given details of what was contained in the full Spanish autopsy report. They hired a Spanish lawyer who gained access to official documents in the case. According to him, the autopsy report detailed injuries to Brett's legs, arms, head and neck and fingernail marks, cuts and bruises on his face. There were nail wounds to his lips and neck. There was also a four-centimetre wound to his head and bruising to his ear, eye and skull on his left side. Pathologists found internal bleeding to the right side of his head and 'intense encephalic congestion' - an injury resulting in the brain's blood vessels becoming swollen and congested. The report also reveals police had admitted to pathologists that Brett had been the victim of a home invasion. The report stated: 'During the examination signs of a struggle were observed on the body such as droplets of blood in various locations on the body.' Despite all this the autopsy also said there was cocaine in Brett's system and concluded this was what triggered the pulmonary embolism and within a day of the original postmortem the case was closed. Still raw and in shock at their loss, Sandra and Rob did their own digging. They discovered several of Brett's personal belongings were missing including his mobile phone, his wallet and his designer sunglasses. In the days after his death Sandra used Brett's MacBook to track the missing iPhone which was still being used and pinged at several locations in the nearby town of Vera. She showed the police. Four days after Brett's death, with so many unanswered questions, a local court ordered the police to reopen the case and treat it as a homicide investigation. Sandra believes cops were hoping to sweep the death under the carpet to protect the reputation of the area, which relies on tourism. 'If they could have covered it up, they would have done,' claims Sandra. In addition to the phone location, the Adams also discovered potential CCTV evidence after Rob knocked on neighbours' doors looking for video footage. Sandra explains: 'One neighbour confirmed they had footage but under Spanish law they're not allowed to give the CCTV footage to anybody but the police, who now have the footage. 'We haven't seen it but our lawyer has seen reference to it in the police reports, which he says clearly shows two people leaving Brett's villa the day he died. 'He says the people were carrying what appeared to be the same type of bag Brett used to carry the takings from his club. 'What's more, the manager of Brett's club also told police that he was on the phone to Brett before he died and that Brett cut the conversation short with the words: 'I've got to go, they're here.'' Where to seek grief support Need professional help with grief? Child Bereavement UK Cruse Bereavement Relate The Good Grief Trust You can also always speak to your GP if you're struggling. You're Not Alone Check out these books, podcasts and apps that all expertly navigate grief… Griefcast: Cariad Lloyd interviews comedians on this award-winning podcast. The Madness Of Grief by Rev Richard Coles (£9.99, W&N): The Strictly fave writes movingly on losing his husband David to alcoholism. Terrible, Thanks For Asking: Podcast host Nora McInerny encourages non-celebs to share how they're really feeling. Good Mourning by Sally Douglas and Imogen Carn (£14.99, Murdoch Books): A guide for people who've suffered sudden loss, like the authors who both lost their mums. Grief Works: Download this for daily meditations and expert tips. How To Grieve Like A Champ by Lianna Champ (£3.99, Red Door Press): A book for improving your relationship with death. Sandra now believes that people who knew Brett tried to rob him, and that he fought back and was killed. 'He was only a little chap,' she says. 'He was five foot five and a half. But I know he wouldn't have let anybody come into his house and not defended himself. 'I just don't understand how we're nearly a year on and no further forward.' After Brett's body was repatriated, UK authorities held their own autopsy. The results have yet to be released. 'When we get those details, we can compare them with the Spanish postmortem report,' says Sandra. 'If I didn't have this to fight for, I don't think I'd be was my only son. 'When I had him, I wasn't with his dad, so it was me and him until I met Rob. 'He was a great boy. He was always smiling. He had a really good heart. He was happy-go-lucky and he would help anybody if he could.' Sandra says Brett's daughter is struggling to cope with the loss. 'She's a really brave little girl,' says Sandra. 'She talks about her daddy openly, but she talks about him as if he is still here. She misses him terribly because they were really close.' And when Sandra was diagnosed with early-stage womb cancer in 2023 and needed a hysterectomy, Brett was there to support his doting mum. On the anniversary of his death the family will fly out to Spain to remember him. Brett's daughter, his sister, Shannon and his aunt and his nieces and nephews will be there. 'I am going to lay flowers up at the villa,' says Sandra. ''We will go to Zeppelin Bar where he spent most of his nights with his friends and where I'm going to raise a glass to him. 'I'm going to make it a celebration of his life. I'm not dreading it because I feel close to him out there. I feel at peace there.' But until she's satisfied that she knows what happened, Sandra remains in limbo. The family have set up a Go Fund Me page to help with their legal costs. 'I want justice, I want to know what happened and I want the police to take accountability for the mess they made of it because they clearly tried to cover it up in the beginning,' she says. 'I'm going to keep talking about it and keep looking for answers because I need to keep the case out there, and to let the authorities, and whoever did it, know that I'm not going away.' A court spokesman previously said of the case: 'The investigation hasn't been suspended or closed. It is still open, and this incident remains under investigation. "The court is waiting for the Guardia Civil to complete their full report and present their conclusions. For the time being there's nothing more we can say.' The Sun reached out to the Guardia Civil for comment. 'I'm hoping that they do find who did this,' says Sandra. 'I would hate for anybody to go through what we're going through. It's hell on earth every single day. 'He was my only son. I don't think I'll ever come to terms with it. I think I'll cry every day for his loss. I navigate through my grief. I'm doing the best I can. He deserves justice.' 6 6
Geek Vibes Nation
14-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Vibes Nation
'Hot Milk' Review - Familiar Threads Tied Together By Propulsive Performances
There are flickers of madness billowing beneath the surface as Sofia (Emma Mackey) spends her days tending to her ill mother Rose (Fiona Shaw). Their mother-daughter bond is the epitome of a codependent relationship, and Rose takes on an almost vampiric facade vis-à-vis Sofia. She is zapping life and energy from her daughter, who has a straightforward desire to be free. Hot Milk is as much a battle cry for independence as it is a deconstructive and tragic character study. A pervasive sense of duplicity pervades the bewildered stares and fragmented discussions. A wide-ranging look at trauma and generational baggage, Hot Milk is far from a revolutionary enterprise. Still, it does possess a spirit thanks to the volatile performances by Mackey and Shaw. Set in the scorching summer heat, in the Spanish seaside town of Almería, Sofia takes her mother Rose to consult with a shamanic doctor who possibly holds the cure to the mysterious illness that has left her in a wheelchair. The years of caring for her ill have zapped Sofia of any spirit or zest for life. However, that all changes when she meets Ingrid (Vicky Krieps), an enigmatic traveler who helps her shed her inhibitions and sets her on a course to break free from her controlling mother. As she wrestles with her guilt, resentments, and bitter trauma, the mother-daughter relationship begins to spiral out of control. Fiona Shaw and Emma Mackey in Rebecca Lenkiewicz's HOT MILK. Courtesy of Nikos Nikolopoulos. An IFC Films Release. The greatest strength of Hot Milk is the pairing of Mackey and Shaw as daughter and mother. Their relationship is built on fragile grounds, and the film brings us into the fold from the start. Instantly, we are aware of the fractuous nature made as a result of Rose's condition. Through her dealings with the doctor (Vincent Perez) and her own conflicting statements, we begin to realize Rose's condition is more psychological than physiological. The tension is equivalent to someone dropping a match in a closet and letting the flame slowly burn until the house becomes completely engulfed. Mackey projects a cautious demeanor at the start. Even as her patience grows paper-thin with her mother, she wears a mask. Her point of view is directionless as she goes through life, merely counting the days. At one point, her character is stung by a jellyfish, and it is in this moment that we see that Sofia is desperate to feel anything, even pain. Her life is a series of tragedies and entrapments; she sees the world moving past her while she remains in neutral, not unlike her mother. 'The Ugly Stepsister' Review - The Grimmest Fairy Tale Fiona Shaw and Emma Mackey in Rebecca Lenkiewicz's HOT MILK. Courtesy of Nikos Nikolopoulos. An IFC Films Release. Enter Ingrid, who, as a character, is essentially an enigma, but she is not there to reveal much about herself or add little more than tangential specks to the story. Her function is a trigger for Sofia. As they fall into an intimate relationship, Sofia learns more about herself and ends up seeing Ingrid as a mirror image of herself. A woman beset by tragedy, forever living in the past. This revelation is a jumping-off point for Sofia, who sheds her wallflower demeanor and blossoms. Now the film is clever as it never endorses nor rejects Sofia's transformation. Here is where the film works best as a character study. The destructive and controlling nature of Rose leads Sofia into a dark place. As the summer heat takes its toll, we see a change. Rose, for her part, remains the same, ultimately making this Sofia's story. She is the one transforming and, in a way, becoming free. Vicky Krieps and Emma Mackey in Rebecca Lenkiewicz's HOT MILK. Courtesy of Nikos Nikolopoulos. An IFC Films Release. Conversely, the film suffers in part by playing with familiar material we have seen in countless films. Portrait of a Lady on Fire comes to mind. So, in a way, Hot Milk is not stale, but repetitive. In addition, the ending is likely to make it or break it for audiences. It is far from a shocking conclusion, but some may question if the construction of the story justifies it. For this observer, the ending has a payoff that, while expected, is the perfect conclusion for Sofia's character. Again, Mackey commands our full attention and leaves in both shock and awe. Hot Milk is unlikely to start a whirlwind of discussion based on its plot, but the intricate nature of the story and the arresting performances give it something to say. Shaw proves indomitable, and Mackey is a wonderful chameleon as she blossoms from a wallflower into a wily wildflower. Hot Milk is currently playing in select theaters courtesy of IFC Films.
Yahoo
12-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Official: Real Madrid sign Rachad Fettal
La Liga giants Real Madrid have this weekend closed a deal to add to the club's attacking ranks. This comes amid confirmation that Los Blancos have signed Rachad Fettal from fellow Spanish outfit Almería. Advertisement Fettal, for his part, is a 20-year-old attacker, who primarily operates in a centre-forward role. The youngster was already an established first-team player at Almería, having managed 15 league appearances this past season. And along the way, Fettal evidently did enough to leave an altogether positive impression on those behind the scenes at the aforementioned Real Madrid. Earlier this month, word was forthcoming that the brass at the Santiago Bernabéu had kicked into gear talks with Almería over a deal for the Moroccan youth international. And as alluded to above, late this week, such discussions have officially borne fruit. Advertisement As per a report from transfer insider Fabrizio Romano: 'Official: Real Madrid have signed 20 year old striker Rachad Fettal from Almería. Fettal will join Castilla team, as planned.' Conor Laird – GSFN
Daily Mail
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
'Daunted' A Place In The Sun buyer breaks down in tears after host Ben Hillman takes things 'too far' on property tour
A 'daunted' A Place in the Sun buyer broke down in tears after host Ben Hillman took things 'too far' during a property tour on a previous episode of the Channel 4 show. The instalment, which originally aired on 1 May 2023, saw credit manager Candy and construction worker Mark ask for Ben's help to find them the dream home in Almería, Spain, for just £75k. The pair, from Kent, explained that they wanted a three-bed with views and traditional features. And Mark even confessed that he 'wanted something to do' and was keen on the idea of building himself a swimming pool. That meant that they wouldn't be put off if the perfect property needed a little TLC. So taking that into account, Ben took them to a 1940s village property in Rambla de Oria. 'They did ask for a project, and this is a big one!' Ben confessed, just before showing off the home to viewers. Despite the fact that their initial reaction was quite positive, it soon fell flat when they stood inside realising that there was actually a lot more work that needed to be done than they originally thought. Standing in the dining space, Candy confessed: 'I'm just not feeling this at all.' Ben replied: 'I understood you incorrectly. I know you said a project is fine and the fact you are a builder as well. 'Have I run away with that?' 'I'm finding that a little bit more daunting, the level of renovations so maybe we've not made it entirely clear?,' Candy pointed out. 'One of two rooms need a project, but this to me is quite daunting.' 'Is this a flat no?' Ben asked. 'Yeah unfortunately so, sorry Ben' Candy said as she started to cry. Ben pointed out: 'You're getting emotional... 'What's going on?' Struggling to get words out, Ben added: 'It's not what you were imagining? 'Not what you were hoping for? This is a project too far is it?' Candy said: 'It is, I'm sorry.' Ben told them: 'I don't want you to apologise... 'This is all about finding you the right place.' However in a happy turn of events, when the couple viewed the third house, Mark becoming visibly moved. Witnessing Candy's enthusiasm for the property, Mark couldn't help but reveal his sentiment, saying: 'I'm getting emotional now! It's lovely.' Ultimately, Mark and Candy decided on a bid of £76,250 for their chosen home. Ben had to liaise with the estate agent about whether furniture could be included in the offer, but later delivered the good news that the offer had been accepted, sparking tears of happiness from the couple. Last month a squirming Ben was left 'shocked' after a couple walked out of a property tour with a cutting six-word swipe. Ian and Emily, who share three kids, had a budget of £440k and were very interested to buy in the town of Pollença, which is in east Mallorca. Ian and Emily explained that they need three bedrooms, space for a car and potentially a communal pool. Unlucky for Ben, the first two properties didn't tick all their boxes, so the interior designer took them to a £358k four-bedroom townhouse in Old Town Pollensa. At first glance, Emily described it as 'lovely' and 'gorgeous'. Despite the positive start, it soon fell flat as Ian said it had 'baked in character', Emily brutally confessed: 'It's not doing it for me.'
