Google released Gemini 3 Pro on November 19, and today, exactly three months later, it's introducing Gemini 3.1 Pro. This model "represents a step forward in core reasoning", Google says, being "a smarter, more capable baseline for complex problem-solving". This, Google says, is reflected in its performance in various AI benchmarks. You can see Gemini 3.1 Pro compared to the other latest models from Google's competitors, as well as with Gemini 3 Pro, in the image below. Google highlights Gemini 3.1 Pro's performance in ARC-AGI-2, which it describes as "a benchmark that evaluates a...

Ligue 1 TV schedule

You will often find the Ligue 1 schedule updated before the information is officially released. It includes the PSG schedule, among other teams.

Browse the Ligue 1 TV schedule below for games shown on US television and the Internet. They range across channels such as beIN SPORTS, beIN SPORT Español, beIN SPORTS Connect, Fubo and Fanatiz.

In the United States, beIN SPORTS and beIN SPORTS en Español are the home of French Ligue 1 soccer. For instance, the league features teams such as Paris Saint-Germain, Olympique Lyonnais, Marseille, Saint Étienne, AS Monaco FC and others.

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There are 18 clubs in the league, which is a change from years prior. Because of that PSG hegemony, much of the intrigue for Ligue 1 revolves around other teams vying for top four. That regularly features teams like Marseille, Monaco, Nice or Lyon. Yet, the French division has produced great stories like Lens qualifying for the Champions League after the 2022/23 season.

Unfortunately for Ligue 1, the league does not carry the same following as competitions like the Premier League, Serie A or LaLiga.

English League Two TV Schedule

The English League Two TV schedule in the United States can be something hard to come by.

For one, the league represents the final tier of professional English soccer. That is not to say the fifth tier and below are so far beneath League Two. It is simply a moniker to divide the top-four leagues and the rest of the English pyramid.

Therefore, League Two holds a significance to a number of clubs. This is the stage where teams are considered professional and truly part of the same system as some of England’s biggest clubs.

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Some League Two games are shown on Paramount+. CBS signed a rights deal with the EFL to broadcast games from the second, third and fourth divisions in England for viewers in the United States.

In terms of format, the competition follows suit with League One and the Championship. Both of these also trail the Premier League in England’s hierarchy. However, the number of teams going up or down differs from League One.

In League Two, there are 24 teams, just like League One and the Championship. The differences come from the turnover in teams. At the end of the season, the top-three teams guarantee promotion to League One. Then, the teams finishing fourth to seventh compete in a playoff to be the fourth promoted side. On the other end of the table, the bottom two teams face automatic relegation outside the English Football League. Not only do these clubs lose their status as a member of the professional leagues, but they lose certain privileges.

The English League Two TV schedule shows that a number of games appear on TV across the world. Clubs in the fifth tier and below do not. Also, clubs in League One and League Two have the opportunity to compete in the EFL Cup, known as the Carabao Cup now.

All English clubs, regardless of league, can compete in the FA Cup.

READ MORE: League Cup TV schedule and streaming links

English League One TV Schedule

The English League One TV schedule breaks down when and where you can find England’s third tier. While most casual fans focus on the Premier League or the Championship, League One offers a unique blend of historic clubs and fierce competition.

League One features 24 teams vying to earn promotion to the second tier of the English pyramid. Many of these clubs have a storied history and a dedicated fan base, making every matchday a showcase of passion and resilience.

How to Watch League One in the USA

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Starting with the 2024/25 season and continuing through 2027/28, CBS Sports and Paramount+ are the exclusive home of the EFL, including League One, in the United States. This multi-year deal has significantly expanded the accessibility of the third tier for American fans.

The English League One TV schedule updates throughout the season to keep you up-to-date on all the league’s games throughout the season.

Many fans may recognize a number of these clubs from cup competitions that pit teams from different tiers of England’s system against each other. Teams from League One are seen as clear underdogs against a number of these clubs. However, everyone loves an underdog story.

Breaking down League One

English League One is the third tier of the professional soccer pyramid in England. At the end of the 46-game season, the top two teams earn automatic promotion to the English Championship.

The teams finishing third to sixth enter a high-drama playoff for the final promotion spot. This involves a two-leg semifinal followed by a one-off final at Wembley Stadium. On the other end of the table, the bottom four teams face automatic relegation to League Two.

History and Underdog Stories

League One is known for its “Giant Killings” in domestic cup competitions, where third-tier teams often punch above their weight against Premier League giants. A notable example is Bradford City in 2015, which knocked out the eventual Premier League winners, Chelsea, at Stamford Bridge.

With each passing year, League One continues to establish itself as a vital part of English soccer, offering fans a chance to see historic clubs and developing players in action.

Match Overview

A compelling first-round showdown is on deck as the LA Galaxy step into the spotlight looking to reestablish themselves as a legitimate contender in this CONCACAF Champions Cup. Despite their historic pedigree in MLS, Los Angeles is coming off a disastrous 2025 campaign that saw the club finish second-to-last in the Western Conference, a result that sparked major questions heading into 2026.

Now, the Galaxy have a fresh opportunity to reset the narrative against Sporting San Miguelito, the Panamanian underdogs eager to shock a marquee MLS opponent. While the odds tilt heavily toward LA on paper, Sporting San Miguelito will arrive motivated and fearless, aiming to turn this first-round matchup into an early statement.

League Cup TV schedule

If you’re looking for the English League Cup TV schedule for fans in the United States, you’ve come to the right place.

The Carabao Cup, also known as the English Football League (EFL) Cup, is the first major domestic trophy awarded in the English soccer season. Featuring all 92 professional clubs from the Premier League and the EFL, the 2025/26 tournament has been a showcase for high-octane drama and historic “giant-killings”.

The competition offers a fast-paced path to silverware and, crucially, a guaranteed spot in the UEFA Conference League playoff round for the following season. For many clubs outside the traditional “Big Six,” the Carabao Cup represents their most realistic chance at domestic glory and European football.

How to Watch the Carabao Cup in the USA

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Starting with the 2024/25 season and continuing through 2027/28, CBS Sports and Paramount+ are the exclusive broadcasters for the Carabao Cup in the United States. This multi-year deal represents a major shift from previous years when the competition was found on ESPN+.

Paramount+

Paramount+ is the essential destination for EFL fans. The service streams the vast majority of matches from every round of the competition, including the high-stakes semifinals and the final at Wembley. During the early stages, dozens of matches are available live, typically on Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons at 2:45 PM ET.

CBS Sports Network & Fubo

Marquee matchups and the later stages of the tournament frequently air on the CBS Sports Network. Since Fubo carries CBS Sports Network in its Pro and Elite plans, it is the premier choice for fans who want to watch on a traditional TV interface alongside other major European leagues.

CBS Sports Golazo Network

Select matches and whip-around analysis are also featured on the CBS Sports Golazo Network, a free 24/7 soccer channel available on Paramount+, Pluto TV, and the CBS Sports app.

Carabao Cup 2025/26 Format & Rules

The competition has undergone several changes to modernize the tournament and protect player fitness:

• No Extra Time: For all matches through the Quarterfinals, games tied after 90 minutes go directly to a penalty shootout. Extra time is only utilized during the Final at Wembley.
• Single-Leg Semifinals (New for 2025/26): Starting this season, the traditional two-legged semifinals have been replaced by single-leg matches to help alleviate the congested English football calendar.
• The 2026 Final: The Carabao Cup Final is scheduled for Sunday, March 22, 2026, at Wembley Stadium in London.

History of the League Cup

Founded in 1960 by Alan Hardaker, the League Cup was initially created to provide clubs with a midweek revenue stream following the installation of floodlights across English stadiums. Despite early criticism, the event quickly gained momentum as teams embraced the opportunity to compete for prizes outside the conventional league and FA Cup.

The tournament’s prestige skyrocketed in 1968 when the winners were first awarded a spot in European competition. Over the decades, it has been known by various sponsored names, including the Milk Cup, Coca-Cola Cup, and Capital One Cup, before becoming the Carabao Cup in 2017.

While elite clubs like Liverpool and Manchester City have dominated recently—with Liverpool holding the record for the most titles—the competition is famous for its “Giant Killings”. Underdog stories, such as Birmingham City’s 2011 triumph over Arsenal, remain at the heart of the tournament’s allure.

Barcelona has many great players to form a remarkable lineup every weekend. However, at this time of year they need every player available. That made Thursday’s training session a positive one for Hansi Flick, as he received updates on Marcus Rashford and Pedri.

After the loss to Atletico Madrid in the Copa del Rey semifinals, which left them at significant risk of elimination, and the defeat at Girona that put Real Madrid in the lead in La Liga, these reinforcements could be decisive.

In Wednesday’s session, Flick saw Rashford and Pedri taking part in team drills again. Even if they only participated in parts of the workout, their return to group training is encouraging. The manager plans to include them in the squad for the Levante match even if they are used as substitutes, according to Marca.

Pedri would be returning after a long absence

There are players like Lamine Yamal whose skills are irreplaceable. Goals are hard to come by. However, Barcelona has other talents who can be useful as well. That may not be true for Pedri.

The midfielder has been a vital part of the team’s functioning. Missing a player who combines work rate with the quality to retain possession is why the team looked lost at times.

Pedri has been sidelined since January 21, when he suffered a muscle injury with about 30 minutes remaining in the Champions League match against Slavia Prague. Even though a month might seem like a safe recovery period, Flick may be cautious with Pedri’s minutes.

Flick ran a different training session

It was a long week for Barcelona that could cost them two titles after those defeats. That prompted Flick to give the players two full days of rest following the loss at Girona. The decision was reinforced by how they started the day.

Flick had the players watch video from the recent matches to analyze mistakes. For an hour, that was all the German manager chose to do. Avoiding the same errors as Barcelona enters the toughest part of the schedule was the focus of the meeting.

Match Overview

South American champions collide in a high-stakes first leg as Argentina’s Lanus look to defend home turf against reigning continental powerhouse Flamengo, who stormed through 2025 by lifting both the Copa Libertadores and the Campeonato Brasileiro Serie A titles in a dominant run.

Meanwhile, Flamengo arrive as the team everyone is chasing and with more silverware in their sights, Lanus bring the grit and edge that have made them a dangerous threat to any heavyweight, setting the stage for an intense, statement-making showdown you won’t want to miss.

After several years of dominant performances from Robert Lewandowski, Barcelona are pointing toward an exit for the veteran as they look to rejuvenate their attack. In light of this, they have set their sights on several world-class strikers, but one Serie A star is emerging strongly. While it seemed they would face a difficult path, Hansi Flick’s team is reportedly the forward’s priority choice, further opening the door to his arrival in the 2026–27 season.

According to Tuttosport, Dušan Vlahović has informed those close to him that his priority is to sign for Barcelona. The Serbian striker is even waiting for a concrete move from the Blaugranas to secure his arrival at the club. However, Hansi Flick‘s team is not fully convinced about committing to the forward, as they remain in search of a profile with greater ability to link up with teammates and the physicality to press.

Given the limited approach from the Blaugranas, Vlahović is not closing the door on a contract renewal with Juventus, Tuttosport reports. Due to his reportedly strong relationship with Luciano Spalletti, the Serbian is open to working long term with the coach, as he seeks to rediscover the best version of himself that shone at Fiorentina. Moreover, he would prioritize renewing with the Italian side over offers from the Premier League.

With a season marked by injuries, Dušan is set to return to training with Juventus in early March. As a result, the Serbian could have around four months to recover his best form, aiming to find an ideal fit under Spalletti. Nevertheless, he has plenty to prove, as he has managed just six goals in 17 matches with the team this season. Should he rediscover his scoring rhythm, he could secure a lucrative contract renewal or a major deal with Barcelona.

Report: Juventus seek to offload two forwards, room for Vlahović

Throughout the 2025–26 season, Juventus have suffered significant instability in attack, as Lois Openda and Jonathan David have failed to meet expectations. On top of that, Dušan Vlahović’s injury left coach Spalletti with very limited options. Nevertheless, the Vecchia Signora are planning a revolution of their squad, looking to move on from two forwards. In doing so, they could be opening the door to a potential renewal for the Serbian.

According to Tuttosport, the Bianconeri are looking to sell Arkadiusz Milik and terminate Openda’s loan deal, as neither has performed at the expected level. In this context, Vlahović has the opportunity to fight for a starting role and a contract renewal, as they want him to remain part of the squad. In addition, other players such as Federico Gatti, Juan David Cabal, Vasilije Adžić, Edon Zhegrova, Mattia Perin, and Filip Kostić are also expected to be on their way out.

The return of is up in the air but there may be a title fight waiting for him in the welterweight division should he return. Davis has not won a fight since June 2024, with his solitary outing since being a controversial draw against Lamont Roach Jr last March – a fight which many fans […]

The post Gervonta Davis ‘top of the list’ for world title fight but would face big jump up in weight appeared first on Boxing News.

Sadece kazanmıyor, Avrupa futbolunun hiyerarşisine de meydan okuyor. Okan Buruk'un taktik tahtasında şekillenen Galatasaray, Manchester United'dan Juventus'a uzanan devler listesini birer birer dize getirirken; yüzde 0.4'lük şampiyonluk ihtimalini koca bir inanca dönüştürüyor.

Galatasaray, Okan Buruk liderliğinde Avrupa'da sadece maç kazanmakla kalmıyor; aynı zamanda rakiplerine karşı kurduğu üstünlükle bir zihniyet devrimi de gerçekleştiriyor. Bu sezon Liverpool'dan sonra Juventus karşısında alınan galibiyet, sarı-kırmızılıların "herkesi yenebiliriz" inancını perçinlemiş durumda.

OKAN BURUK KENDİNİ AŞTI

Okan Buruk, modern futbolun gerektirdiği "stratejik esnekliği" sahaya en iyi yansıtan teknik adamların başında geliyor. Manchester United, Bayern Münih, Tottenham, Liverpool ve son olarak Juventus... Buruk, bu devlere karşı sadece savunma yaparak değil, agresif bir pres ve net bir hücum planıyla sahaya çıkıyor.

ŞAMPİYONLAR LİGİ FİNALİ

Rakiplerini santim santim analiz eden Buruk, her büyük maç için özel bir "imzasını" bırakıyor. Florya’da artık sadece lig şampiyonluğu değil; PSG, Real Madrid veya Manchester City gibi devleri eleme hayali kuruluyor.

HEDEF GİT GİDE BÜYÜYOR

Opta verileri, Galatasaray'ın Avrupa'daki kalıcılığını ve ilerleme şansını rakamlarla ortaya koyuyor. Özellikle "Son 16" ihtimalinin bu kadar yüksek olması, takımın gruptaki dominasyonunu kanıtlar nitelikte.

- Son 16: %93.6

- Çeyrek final: %28.2

- Yarı final: %7.3

- Final: %1.4

- Şampiyonluk: %0.4

GALATASARAY TARAFTARLARININ HAYALİ

Şampiyonluk ihtimali düşük görünse de (Opta'ya göre 1'e 250), yaratılan sinerji ve büyük maç performansları bu yüzdelerin ötesinde bir hikaye yazıldığını gösteriyor.

Galatasaray'ın sahada gösterdiği başarı, dijital dünyada da karşılık buluyor. Juventus karşısında alınan galibiyetin özet görüntüleri 24 saat içinde 3.9 milyon izlenmeye ulaşarak global bir ilgi odağı haline geldi.

Spot ışıkları golcülerin üzerinde olabilir ama sahanın her metresinde onun ayak izi var. Batman'in Alfred'i, Kaptan Amerika'nın Bucky'si neyse; Galatasaray için Sallai o: Alkıştan uzak, başarıya en yakın güç!

Galatasaray’da son haftaların en çok konuşulan ismi, spot ışıklarının altında olmasa da sahanın her yerinde olan Roland Sallai. Macar yıldız, sarı-kırmızılı formayla gösterdiği performansla "yıldızların gölgesindeki güç" tanımını yeniden yazıyor.

Sallai’nin sahadaki rolü, aslında sinema dünyasındaki ikonik ikililerin hikayesine benziyor. O, sahada bir pelerin taşımıyor ama takımın en zor anlarında devreye giren o "gizli el" görevini üstleniyor.

Kaptan Amerika için Bucky Barnes neyse...

Batman için sadık ve stratejik Alfred Pennyworth neyse...

Iron Man için War Machine neyse...

Sallai de Galatasaray için tam olarak o. Başrol oyuncuları alkışları toplarken, o arkadaki asıl mimar olarak takımı ayakta tutuyor.

Sallai’yi sadece bir "görev adamı" olarak tanımlamak becerilerine haksızlık. Macar oyuncu, modern futbolun gerektirdiği tüm özelliklere sahip bir paket sunuyor. Sağ bekten hem çizgiye inebilmesi hem de iç koridora kat ederek oyun kurabilmesi, her oyuncunun harcı olmayan bir yetenek.

Savunma kalitesi ve reaksiyon hızıyla rakiplerin oyun kurulumunu bozuyor. Maçın başından sonuna kadar düşmeyen temposuyla standartların epey üzerinde bir profil çiziyor.

Ancak bu tarz oyuncuların kaderinde "görünmezlik" vardır. Olağanüstü bir teknik kaliteye sahip olmasına rağmen Sallai, iki maç üst üste form düşüklüğü yaşadığında en çabuk eleştirilen isimlerin başında gelebiliyor. Okan Buruk ise Sallai'ye herkesten daha çok inanıyor. Güveniyor.

Galatasaray'ın "Orta Saha Profesörü" Gabriel Sara, sarı-kırmızılı formayla sergilediği büyüleyici performansla sadece Türkiye'yi değil, dünya futbolunun devlerini ve Brezilya Milli Takımı'nı da ayağa kaldırdı. Juventus maçındaki resitaliyle lakabının hakkını veren Sara için artık milli takım kapıları da aralandı.

Performansıyla büyüleyen Gabriel Sara, sarı-kırmızılı formayla sadece Türkiye’yi değil, dünya futbolunun devlerini ve Brezilya Milli Takımı yetkililerini de kendine hayran bıraktı. Juventus maçındaki performansıyla "Orta sahanın Profesörü" lakabını perçinleyen Sara için artık milli takım da çok uzak değil.

Fotospor'un da belirttiği üzere Brezilya Milli Takım yetkilileri, Sara’yı yerinde izlemek için Torino’daki rövanş maçına gelecek. Brezilya basınında Gerson ve Jean Lucas gibi isimlerin önüne geçtiği konuşulan Sara; şu an Ederson, Joao Gomes ve Joelinton gibi isimlerle kıyasıya bir rekabet içinde.

8 numara için şu an Carlo Ancelotti'nin gözünde sadece Andrey Santos'un Dünya Kupasında forması garanti.

Sara, sadece koşmuyor; aynı zamanda Avrupa’nın en elit liginde oyunun kaderini belirliyor. 2025/26 Şampiyonlar Ligi istatistikleri, Sara’nın dev isimleri nasıl geride bıraktığını kanıtlıyor:

Oyuncu       Yaratılan Gol Pozisyonu

Gabriel Sara       19

Vinícius Júnior    18

Caio Henrique      14

Gabriel Martinelli   12

Raphinha     11

Galatasaray’ın Juventus’u fiziksel olarak domine ettiği maçta (GS: 114.7 km - Juve: 112.3 km), sahanın en çok koşan ikinci, takımın ise birinci ismi 12.3 km ile yine Gabriel Sara oldu.

Son 5 maçtaki koşu mesafeleri:

Juventus: 12.3 km

Manchester City: 11.9 km

Kayserispor: 12.5 km

Karagümrük: 12.1 km

Rizespor: 11.8 km

Sara sadece mesafe kat etmekle kalmıyor, yüksek şiddetli koşularda da fark yaratıyor. Juventus maçında 1090 metre yüksek hızda mesafe kat ederek, Noa Lang (895 m) ve Lucas Torreira’yı (834 m) geride bıraktı.

Süper yıldız Victor Osimhen, sarı-kırmızılı formayla sadece gol atmakla kalmıyor, transfer operasyonlarına da liderlik ediyor! Lookman'ın ardından gözünü Napoli'den eski dostları Fabian Ruiz ve Kim Min-jae'ye diken yıldız golcü, Avrupa devlerinin 100 milyon Euro'luk kıskacındayken, Galatasaray'a dünya yıldızlarını getirmek için canla başla çalışıyor.

Galatasaray'ın süper yıldızı Victor Osimhen, sadece attığı gollerle değil, kulüp için üstlendiği "gönüllü elçi" rolüyle de gündemi sarsmaya devam ediyor.

Galatasaray'da kalıcı olma sinyalleri veren Osimhen, sarı-kırmızılı formayı sadece giymekle kalmıyor, Avrupa’nın dev isimlerini de beraberinde getirmeye çalışıyor. The Players' Tribune'e konuşan yıldız golcü, Galatasaray tutkusunu anlatırken dünyaca ünlü savunmacı Virgil van Dijk ile aralarında geçen diyaloğu paylaştı:

- Galatasaray, dünyanın en tutkulu ilk 3 kulübünden biri. İnanmıyorsan git Van Dijk’e sor. Liverpool’la oynadığımız maçtan sonra bana, ‘Adamım, bu nasıl bir atmosfer böyle!?’ dedi. Ben de ona, ‘Kardeşim, buraya gelmemiş olsaydım ve biri bana anlatsaydı, asla inanmazdım’ dedim.

Osimhen'in hedefinde, daha önce birlikte forma giydiği ve "yıldız" statüsündeki dostları var. Lookman transferi için yoğun çaba sarf etse de sonuç alamayan Nijeryalı golcü, rotayı diğer eski dostlarına kırdı.

Fabian Ruiz (PSG): Osimhen’in Napoli’den eski takım arkadaşı. İkilinin sahada 55 kez birlikte ter dökmesi, bu transferde Osimhen’in en büyük kozu.

Kim Min-jae (Bayern Münih): Napoli’de şampiyonluk yaşadığı savunma duvarı Kim Min-jae ile 36 maçlık bir ortaklığı bulunan Osimhen, Güney Koreli yıldızı da ikna etmeye çalışıyor.

Osimhen her ne kadar Galatasaray'a yıldızları davet etse de, kendisi de devlerin listesinde bir numara. Fichajes'in haberine göre; Atletico Madrid, Bayern Münih ve PSG, yıldız oyuncuyu transfer etmek için sıraya girdi.

PSG’nin kozu Luis Enrique. İspanyol teknik adam, Osimhen'i PSG hücum hattını yönetecek "ideal lider" olarak görüyor. PSG'nin, Galatasaray'ın kapısını çok yüksek bir bonservis teklifiyle çalmaya ve oyuncuya reddedilemez bir sözleşme sunmaya hazırlandığı belirtiliyor. Sarı-kırmızılı yönetimin, Osimhen için pazarlık masasına 100 milyon Euro ve üzeri bir rakamla oturması bekleniyor.

Trendyol 1. Lig ekiplerinden Atko Grup Pendikspor, teknik direktörlük görevine Sinan Kaloğlu'nun getirildiğini duyurdu.

Kulüpten yapılan açıklamada, "Kulübümüz, teknik direktörlük görevi için Sinan Kaloğlu ile anlaşmaya varmıştır. Pendikspor ailemize katılan yeni teknik direktörümüz Sinan Kaloğlu'na 'hoş geldin' diyor; kendisine ve ekibine şanlı armamız altında üstün başarılar diliyoruz. Birlikte nice zaferlere." denildi.

Bugün oynadığı maçta Sakaryaspor'u deplasmanda 2-0 mağlup eden Atko Grup Pendikspor, Trendyol 1. Lig'de geride kalan 26 haftada topladığı 45 puanla, 5. sırada yer alıyor.

Fenerbahçe, UEFA Avrupa Ligi son 16 play-off turu ilk maçında Nottingham Forest'a 3-0 yenilerek turu mucizelere bıraktı. Karşılaşma sonrası açıklama yapan teknik direktör Tedesco, çok daha farklı yenilebileceklerini ve çok kötü oynadıklarını itiraf etti.

Fenerbahçe, Nottingham Forest'a sadece farklı yenilmedi, ayrıca çok kötü oynayarak taraftarlarını da büyük hayal kırıklığına uğrattı. Kendi liginde felaket bir sezon geçiren İngiliz ekibi karşısında sergilenen aciz futbol, teknik direktör Tedesco tarafından da itiraf edildi.

Karşılaşma sonrası açıklama yapan genç teknik adam; "Nottingham fiziksel olarak çok üstündü. Bugün ilk yarıda bir korner ve ikinci yarının başındaki pozisyon dışında hiç üretemedik. İkinci topları da alamadık. Kaybetmeyi hak ettik. Mağlubiyeti hak ettik. İlk yarı 4-0, 5-0 bile olabilirdi." diyerek çok acı bir itirafta bulundu.

FIBA Kadınlar Avrupa Ligi yarı final play-in ilk maçında Galatasaray Çağdaş Faktoring, Fransa'nın Basket Landes ekibini uzatmada 81-72 yendi.

FIBA Kadınlar Avrupa Ligi yarı final play-in ilk maçında Galatasaray Çağdaş Faktoring, Fransa'nın Basket Landes ekibini uzatmada 81-72 yendi.

Serinin ikinci maçı 25 Şubat Çarşamba günü Fransa'da oynanacak.

Bu turda iki galibiyete ulaşacak ekipler, Altılı Final'e yarı finalden, mağlup ekipler ise çeyrek finalden dahil olacak. İki maç sonunda eşitlik olması durumunda üçüncü karşılaşma 3 Mart Salı günü İstanbul'da yapılacak.

Salon: Sinan Erdem

Hakemler: Peter Praksch (Macaristan), Natasa Dragojevic (Karadağ), Nemanja Vlahovic (Sırbistan)

Galatasaray Çağdaş Faktoring: Smalls 5, Oblak 15, Juhasz 21, Johannes 3, Kuier 16, Williams 12, Ayşe Cora Yamaner 9, Sude Yılmaz, Gökşen Fitik, Derin Erdoğan, Elif Bayram

Basket Landes: Droguet 10, Djekoundade 2, Musa 21, Massey 2, Lacan 21, Wojta 3, Pardon 10, Ewodo 3, Macquet, Bussiere

1. Periyot: 14-11

Devre: 33-27

3. Periyot: 53-34

Normal Süre: 66-66

Trendyol 1. Lig'de 26. haftanın son maçında Atko Grup Pendikspor, deplasmanda Sakaryaspor'u 2-0 yendi.

Pendikspor deplasmanda Sakaryaspor 0-2 mağlup ederek puanını 45'e yükseltti ve haftayı 45 puanla 5. sırada tamamladı. Düşme hattından kurtulmak isteyen Sakaryaspor 24 puanla 18. sırada kaldı.

Stat: Yeni Sakarya Atatürk

Hakemler: Ömer Faruk Gültekin, Selahattin Altay, Harun Reşit Güngör

Sakaryaspor: Szumski, Serkan Yavuz, Burak Bekaroğlu, Arif Kocaman, Mete Kaan Demir, Vukovic, Fofana (Dk. 46 Soro), Ruan (Dk. 80 Haydar Karataş), Owusu (Dk. 58 Serkan Emrecan Terzi), Pena (Dk. 73 Mirza Cihan), Engin Poyraz Efe Yıldırım (Dk. 58 Melih Bostan)

Atko Grup Pendikspor: Deniz Dilmen, Kitsiou (Dk. 86 Adnan Uğur), Yiğit Fidan, Soldo, Sequeirra (Dk. 73 Ahmet Karademir), Hakan Yeşil, Mesut Özdemir, Wilks, Bekir Karadeniz, Denic, Clarke-Harris (Dk. 90 Berkay Sülüngöz)

Goller: Dk. 86 Clarke-Harris (Penaltıdan), Dk. 90+6 Wilks (Atko Grup Pendikspor)

Sarı kartlar: Dk. 19 Burak Bekaroğlu, Dk. 66 Pena, Dk. 84 Serkan Emrecan Terzi, Dk. 84 Vukovic (Sakaryaspor), Dk. 21 Sequeirra, Dk. 49 Mesut Özdemir, Dk. 80 Clarke-Harris (Atko Grup Pendikspor)

Samsunspor, UEFA Konferans Ligi'nde son 16 play-off turu ilk maçında Kuzey Makedonya'nın Shkendija takımına konuk oluyor.

UEFA Konferans Ligi son 16 turu play-off eşleşmesi 1. maçında temsilcimiz Samsunspor, Shkendija ile kozlarını paylaşıyor. Üsküp National Arena Todor Proeski Stadı'nda oynanan mücadeleyi Norveç Futbol Federasyonu'ndan Rohit Saggi yönetiyor.

SHKENDİJA - SAMSUNSPOR MAÇI HANGİ KANALDA?

19 Şubat Perşembe günü 23.00'te başlayan Shkendija - Samsunspor maçı TRT 1 ve Tabii platformundan canlı olarak yayınlanacak.

SHKENDİJA - SAMSUNSPOR MAÇI İLK İLK 11'LER

Shkendija: Gaye, Murati, Fetai, Meliqi, Webster, Ramadani, Alhassan, Tamba, Zejnullai, Spahiu, Ibraimi

Samsunspor: Okan Kocuk, Zeki, Satka, Van Drongelen, Tomasson, Makoumbou, Ntcham, Mendes, Holse, Assoumou, Ndiaye

Fenerbahçe, Nottingham Forest karşısında peş peşe goller yiyerek rövanşı mucizelere bıraktı. Sarı kart gören Jayden Oosterwolde İngiltere'deki maçta forma giyemeyecek.

UEFA Avrupa Ligi son 16 play-off turu maçında Nottingham Forest ile karşılaşan Fenerbahçe'de Jayden Oosterwolde, rövanş mücadelesinde cezalı duruma düştü.

Karşılaşmanın 68. dakikasında gördüğü sarı kartla cezalı duruma düşen savunmacı, takımını İngiltere'de yalnız bırakacak.

Fenerbahçe'de maçın ilk yarısında Milan Skriniar, sakatlığı nedeniyle oyundan çıkmak zorunda kalmıştı.

“Nyukasl”ın hücumçusu Antoni Qordon azarkeşlərin səsverməsinə əsasən UEFA Çempionlar Liqasında həftənin ən yaxşı oyunçusu seçilib.

Arena.az bu barədə UEFA-nın mətbuat xidmətinə istinadən xəbər verir.

Belə ki, ingilis futbolçu ÇL-in pley-off mərhələsi çərçivəsində ötən gecə Bakıda qarşılaşdıqları “Qarabağ”la ilk oyunda (6:1) 4 qol vuraraq komandasının qələbəsində əsas pay sahibi olub.

Qordon səsvermədə Due Dezire (PSJ), Kasper Heq (“Bodo Qlimt”) və Patrik Şiki (“Bayer”) qabaqlayıb.

Xatırladaq ki, Antoni Qordon UEFA Çempionlar Liqasının bir mövsümündə 10 qol vurmaqla “Nyukasl”ın turnirdəki rekordunu yeniləyib. Əvvəlki rekord 6 qolla Alan Şirerə məxsus idi.

Bununla yanaşı, Qordon turnirin pley-off mərhələsinin ilk hissəsində 4 qol vurmuş ilk futbolçu kimi tarixə düşüb. O, həmçinin Alan Şirer və Faustino Asprilyadan sonra “sağsağanlar”ın heyətində Çempionlar Liqasında het-trik edən üçüncü oyunçu olub.

“Qarabağ”ın qapıçısı Mateus Koxalski UEFA Çempionlar Liqasının (ÇL) cari mövsümündə ən çox qurtarış edən üçüncü qapıçıdır.

Arena.az xəbər verir ki, polşalı qolkiper turnirin Liqa və pley-off mərhələlərində 40 seyvlə yadda qalıb.

Norveçin “Bodo Qlimt” komandasından Nikita Haikin (52) birinci, İspaniya təmsilçisi “Real”dan Tibo Kurtua (44) ikinci sıradadır.

Koxalski ilə yanaşı, “Qarabağ”ın müdafiəçisi Kevin Medina da UEFA Çempionlar Liqasının fərqlənənləri sırasındadır. O, ÇL-in əsas mərhələsində oyun zamanı rəqiblərindən ən çox top qazanan üçüncü futbolçudur. 32 yaşlı kolumbiyalı müdafiəçi Liqa və əsas mərhələdə 68 dəfə buna nail olub. İlk sırada İspaniyanın “Atletik” klubundan Aytor Parades (77) yer alıb. İtaliyanın “Atalanta” komandasından Odilon Kossunu (73) ikincidir.

Yeri gəlmişkən, ötən gecə UEFA Çempionlar Liqasının pley-off mərhələsində “Qarabağ”ı Bakıda 6:1 hesabı ilə məğlub etmiş “Nyukasl” bir sıra rekordlara imza atıb.

Komandanın vingeri Antoni Qordon UEFA Çempionlar Liqasının bir mövsümündə 10 qol vurmaqla “Nyukasl”ın turnirdəki rekordunu yeniləyib. Əvvəlki rekord 6 qolla Alan Şirerə məxsus idi.

Bununla yanaşı, Qordon turnirin pley-off mərhələsinin ilk hissəsində 4 qol vurmuş ilk futbolçu kimi tarixə düşüb. O, həmçinin Alan Şirer və Faustino Asprilyadan sonra “sağsağanlar”ın heyətində Çempionlar Liqasında het-trik edən üçüncü oyunçu olub.

Klubun start heyətində 7 ingilis futbolçunun (Antoni Qordon, Xavri Barns, Nik Poup, Kiran Trippyer, Den Börn, Lyuis Holl və Co Uillok) yer alması isə 1998-ci ildəki “Mançester Yunayted” – “Monako” matçından bəri Premyer Liqa təmsilçiləri üçün rekord göstərici kimi qeydə alınıb.

Bundan başqa, “Nyukasl” turnirin pley-off mərhələsində ilk hissədən sonra 5 və ya daha çox qol fərqi ilə öndə olan ikinci komanda olub. Bu nəticəyə sonuncu dəfə 2015-ci ildə “Bayern” (Almaniya) – “Portu” (Portuqaliya) oyununda rast gəlinib.

Xatırladaq ki, “Qarabağ” ötən gecə “Nyukasl”a 1:6 hesabıyla məğlub olub. Komandalar arasında cavab matçı fevralın 24-dən 25-nə keçən gecə (saat 00:00) İngiltərədə baş tutacaq.

Vincenzo Italiano is full of praise for Santiago Castro after Bologna won 1-0 away to Brann in the Europa League play-off. ‘I saw a mature performance this evening.’

The Rossoblu had an ideal start in the freezing temperatures of Bergen, as Santiago Castro’s angled drive surprised the goalkeeper to give them the lead after nine minutes.

There were more chances to bolster the scoreline with Riccardo Orsolini and Thijs Dallinga forcing saves, though Lukasz Skorupski also needed a difficult double save on the only real Brann chance.

Italiano feels Bologna turned a corner

“We had to adapt to the conditions, because we knew it would be difficult, and fortunately we did check the pitch even in the dark last night,” Italiano told Sky Sport Italia.

The floodlights were switched off when the team arrived from Italy on Wednesday for their media duties.

“Clearly, we couldn’t do much more than this, as we didn’t want to run unnecessary risks. We managed to bring home the victory, but it only means we have a one-goal advantage.

“Now we hope to do better at the Dall’Ara, because it feels like every time we play at home, there is some sort of curse on us.”

It puts Bologna in a strong position going into the second leg of this play-off, which will be at the Stadio Dall’Ara on Thursday February 26.

The Rossoblu had struggled so badly at the start of 2026, winning just two out of 14 competitive games, but have now managed back-to-back victories after the 2-1 away to Torino in Serie A.

“We got a bit of enthusiasm with these two victories, because it’s tough to work when you have one defeat after another, playing every three days, it can damage the self-belief you built up over a year and a half,” continued Italiano.

“I saw a mature performance today, and hope that in future it can become a habit, starting with the right attitude and keeping concentrated.

“We aren’t conceding as much now compared to a few weeks ago, and that is making the difference. We’ve got to always be switched on.”

Castro has really found his form too, scoring in three consecutive games in all competition, and he ran over tonight to celebrate with his coach.

“Santi has something so important for this sport, which is the hunger he shows every day, every training session, every minute on the field. Even on the team bus, he’s the one talking about football,” explained Italiano.

“It is a pleasure to work with such young players who are so hungry, so eager to help their teammates. I’m very happy that he is now scoring regularly too.

“He really is very mature for his age, and a team player, who as a centre-forward makes enormous sacrifices for the squad with his work off the ball. I always tell him, that work will pay off, don’t worry.”

When these teams met back in November in the league phase, it ended 0-0, with Bologna creating far more chances despite being down to 10 men for over an hour.

It was one of several matches that left them with regrets, as they narrowly missed out on direct qualification for the Europa League Round of 16.

“We played a tough game against Torino last week, because we knew that we could not afford another mistake,” noted Italiano.

“The lads showed focus, solidity and spirit of sacrifice, that is all I ask for from now to the end of the season. We paid a heavy price at times for errors, and lost a lot of ground in the Serie A table, but we can change that trend, especially on home turf.”

Italian coach Carlo Ancelotti is loving life with the Seleçao and declares he expects to ‘extend my contract for another four years’ with the Brazil team.

The former Milan, Juventus, Chelsea, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain boss took on his first international job when called by Brazil last summer.

Even before experiencing his first real challenges in the role for the 2026 World Cup in the USA, Mexico and Canada, he is already looking to the future.

Ancelotti won over by Brazil job

“It is a new type of work, I was honestly really struck by it,” Ancelotti told Movistar.

“I think that I will renew my contract with Brazil for another four years.”

The plan is therefore to build something ready for the 2030 World Cup, as well as the Copa America in 2028.

The 66-year-old has overseen two victories, one draw and one defeat since signing the contract in May 2025.

Many had been hoping that he would leave the Brazil job and one day take over his own national team, as Italy have struggled under a series of coaches and missed two consecutive editions of the World Cup.

Santiago Castro has given Bologna a precious 1-0 first leg lead in the Europa League play-off, defeating SK Brann in Norway.

These teams met in November during the league phase, the Rossoblu unlucky not to win that 0-0 draw despite being down to 10 men for over an hour. Charalampos Lykogiannis was sent off in that game, but injured here, with Lorenzo De Silvestri cup-tied. Norwegians Brann were on a winter break, so spent the last couple of weeks in a Spanish training camp, but Niklas Castro and Saevar Atli Magnusson were out of action. The second leg of this play-off is at the Stadio Dall’Ara on February 26.

See how it all unfolded on the Liveblog.

It took nine minutes to break the deadlock, as Federico Bernardeschi intercepted a wayward clearance and Niccolò Cambiaghi’s disguised pass sent Santiago Castro down the left for a precise angled drive.

Ingason had penalty appeals for a cross charged down by Martin Vitik, but his arm was under his body as he went sliding in.

Lukasz Skorupski made a desperate double save on a corner, getting a hand to the Urik Mathisen glancing header and then throwing himself in the way of a Jon Dagur Thorsteinssen tap-in.

Riccardo Orsolini came on at half-time and made an immediate impact, stinging the goalkeeper’s gloves at the near post after a deflected Nikola Moro cross.

Cambiaghi and Orsolini had efforts charged down, while another trademark Orsolini curler was palmed away by Mathias Dyngeland.

Orsolini also shimmied away from two defenders to fire just past the far top corner, while Thijs Dallinga’s flick on a Juan Miranda cross looped up, forcing a tricky fingertip save under the crossbar.

Brann 0-1 Bologna

Castro 9 (Bo)

19-02-2026 17:45

Knockout phase play-offs

Brann Stadion

Brann

Bologna

0 - 1

Player statistic

1st half

		9'		Santiago Castro (Assist: Nicolò Cambiaghi)
		14'		Federico Bernardeschi
Nana Kwame Boakye		30'

Match statistic

65

Possession %

35

4

Total shots

13

2

Shots on target

5

2

Shots off target

4

0

Blocked shots

4

7

Corners

4

4

Offsides

1

14

Fouls

20

Brann

Bologna

Starting lineups

1

Mathias Dyngeland

Goalkeeper

21

Denzel De Roeve

Defender

3

Fredrik Pallesen Knudsen

Defender

17

Joachim Soltvedt

Defender

79'

4

Nana Kwame Boakye

Defender

8

Felix Horn Myhre

Midfielder

18

Jacob Lungi Sörensen

Midfielder

16

Jón Dagur Thorsteinsson

Attacker

79'

10

Kristall Máni Ingason

Attacker

69'

29

Noah Jean Holm

Attacker

14

Ulrik Mathisen

Attacker

79'

1

Lukasz Skorupski

Goalkeeper

26

Jhon Lucumí

Defender

33

Juan Miranda

Defender

41

Martin Vitik

Defender

20

Nadir Zortea

Defender

19

Lewis Ferguson

Midfielder

75'

6

Nikola Moro

Midfielder

75'

8

Remo Freuler

Midfielder

10

Federico Bernardeschi

Attacker

46'

28

Nicolò Cambiaghi

Attacker

87'

9

Santiago Castro

Attacker

46'

Substitutes

24

Mathias Engevik Klausen

Goalkeeper

43

Rasmus Holten

Defender

41

Lars Remmem

Midfielder

27

Mads Sande

Attacker

40

Jesper Nerhus Eikrem

Midfielder

12

Simen Vidtun Nilsen

Goalkeeper

23

Thore Pedersen

Defender

69'

11

Bard Finne

Attacker

79'

32

Markus Haaland

Attacker

79'

20

Vetle Dragsnes

Defender

79'

16

Nicolò Casale

Defender

13

Federico Ravaglia

Goalkeeper

21

Jens Odgaard

Attacker

João Mário

Defender

30

Benja Domínguez

Attacker

14

Torbjørn Heggem

Defender

25

Massimo Pessina

Goalkeeper

7

Riccardo Orsolini

Attacker

46'

24

Thijs Dallinga

Attacker

46'

4

Tommaso Pobega

Midfielder

75'

Simon Sohm

Midfielder

75'

11

Jonathan Rowe

Midfielder

87'

Fiorentina director Fabio Paratici sees ‘a strong signal’ with the number of academy products against Jagiellonia in the Conference League and defends his ‘courageous’ decision to leave Tottenham.

It kicks off at Chorten Arena in Bialystok at 20.00 GMT (21.00 CET).

You can follow all the build-up and action as it happens from this game and Brann vs. Bologna on the Liveblog.

The second leg will be at the Stadio Artemio Franchi on February 26.

While the Tuscans have traditionally done very well in the Conference League, reaching the Final twice and then the semi-final, this season it feels like a distraction from the focus of avoiding Serie A relegation.

Paratici has faith in Fiorentina future

“We are going through a delicate period, but we must divide Europe from Serie A, giving our all in every game,” Paratici told Sky Sport Italia.

“This evening we want to send a strong signal of motivation to the youth academy, as 13 players in the squad today were developed within the club. We are also playing with nine Italians, and four of the five defenders were formed in our club.

“We want to set the example, hoping to create something lasting for the future of Fiorentina.”

Fiorentina have David De Gea and Albert Gudmundsson injured, Manor Solomon has flu symptoms, Moise Kean and Dodo didn’t make the trip as they are carrying knocks, while Marco Brescianini, Oliver Christensen and Daniele Rugani are not on the Europa League list.

“We are trying to build a team that is functional to what the coach wants to do tactically,” continued Paratici.

“We wanted to move from a three-man defence to four, with midfielders who could take players on and give more quality.

“I was only partly involved in the January transfer window, because I was still working for Tottenham. We tried to build the best possible squad for the vision of this coach.”

Circa 350 brave Fiorentina fans have made the trip, greeted by reported temperatures of -8C in Bialystok this evening.

Considering the difficult situation that the club found itself in this season, sitting in the bottom three, why did Paratici leave Tottenham for this role?

“It might’ve seemed a mad decision, but instead it was courageous,” insisted the former Juventus director.

“Being courageous means being aware of the risks you are taking. Even in this difficult situation, I was convinced Fiorentina had the resources to emerge from this moment and build something for the future too.

“This is why I signed a very long contract. I’ve always spent many years at clubs in my career, I’ve never been someone just passing through.”

England youth International George Jobling has been released from the Chelsea Academy this week, and Tottenham have now secured his signature.

According to a report from TEAMtalk, the London club has secured the services of the England international, and he is expected to sign a professional contract with them when he turns 17. The teenage talent is highly rated at the youth level, and he has a bright future. He could prove to be a quality long-term acquisition for Tottenham.

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It is unclear why Chelsea decided to let the player leave, but there is no doubt that Spurs will be delighted to sign the young defender. They are looking to build a team for the future, and Jobling could prove to be a useful acquisition for them in the long-term. If they can help him develop and fulfil his potential, he could end up saving them millions in the transfer market.

Meanwhile, the young defender will be delighted to have joined one of the biggest clubs in the country. He will now focus on his development and force his way into the first team at Tottenham in the future. The defender will certainly look to prove that Chelsea has made a mistake in letting him leave.

Meanwhile, Tottenham should also look to bring in players who are first-team ready and can help them improve immediately.

It has been a disappointing season for them, and they are closer to the relegation zone than they are to Champions League qualification. It will be interesting to see if they can turn things around in the coming weeks. They have brought in Igor Tudor as their new manager, and he will be expected to turn things around.

The post Tottenham capitalise on Chelsea decision to secure defender agreement appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Karl Etta Eyong has been linked with a move away from Levante, and the Spanish club is willing to sanction his departure.

According to Ben Jacobs, Manchester United and Arsenal are showing ‘significant’ interest in the talented attacker, and it will be interesting to see if they are willing to make an official move in the summer.

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CSKA Moscow is interested in signing the player now and has submitted an offer in excess of €30 million. The Spanish club has already accepted their proposal and is forcing the player to leave. However, he has no interest in moving to Russia for now. It remains to be seen whether Manchester United and Arsenal step up to secure his signature.

They could use more quality and depth in the attacking unit, and the 22-year-old could be the ideal acquisition. He will add goals and creativity to the team. At Manchester United, he could compete with Benjamin Sesko for the starting spot. The Slovenian needs more support in attack. More competition for places will help both players improve.

Eyong has shown his quality in La Liga, and he has the technical attributes to thrive in the Premier League as well. It will be interesting to see if Manchester United can get the deal done. The Cameroon International has six goals and three assists in La Liga this season.

Meanwhile, Arsenal need more depth in the attacking unit. Eyong could compete with Viktor Gyokeres for the starting spot. The Swedish International has not been able to live up to the expectations, and Arsenal could use more cutting-edge in the final third. It will be interesting to see if they are prepared to sign the La Liga forward.

It is clear that he could be signed for a fee of around €30 million. The deal could prove to be a bargain in future. He is a talented player with significant potential, and he could easily justify the investment.

The post Arsenal & Man United have ‘significant’ interest in €30m-rated African phenomenon appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Alejandro Balde has been linked with the move away from Barcelona in recent weeks.

The 22-year-old has not been at his best, and it will be interesting to see if the club is willing to sanction his departure. The player is reportedly losing prominence at Barcelona. The 22-year-old is still a tremendous talent with a bright future, and he could prove to be an excellent acquisition in the right team.

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According to a report from Fichajes, Manchester United are keeping tabs on his situation, and they are considering an offer of around €40 million for him. They could use more quality and depth at fullback, and Balde would be an excellent long-term investment for them.

He could be the ideal long-term replacement for Luke Shaw at Old Trafford. If Manchester United can sign him for €40 million, Balde could prove to be a shrewd investment for them. He has the potential to become a top-class player, and Manchester United would do well to sign him.

Manchester United have done well to groom young players, and they could help regain his confidence. Balde could justify the investment in future.

A move to the Premier League could be ideal for the young defender. He will aim to establish himself as an important player for the Red Devils and contribute on both ends of the pitch. It remains to be seen whether Manchester United can get the deal across the line.

They have shown great improvement in recent weeks, but they need more quality in order to compete with elite clubs. They need to improve multiple areas of the squad in the summer, and signing a quality left-back will certainly be one of their priorities.

The post Man Utd plot €40m summer swoop for La Masia gem appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Arsenal remain interested in signing Nico Williams from Athletic Club Bilbao during the summer transfer window.

The 23-year-old has done well in La Liga and is also a target for Arsenal. He has a €100 million release clause in his contract, according to Fichajes, and it will be interesting to see whether Arsenal are prepared to pay up. It seems unlikely that the Spanish outfit will let him leave for a knockdown fee in the summer. They will look as much as possible from his departure.

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Arsenal need more quality on the flanks, and the 23-year-old would be the ideal acquisition for them. However, his release clause is quite high, and Arsenal will want to sign him for a more reasonable fee.

It will be interesting to see how the situation develops. Arsenal need more cutting-edge in the final third if they want to fight for major trophies. They need someone who can take on defenders and beat them in one-versus-one situations. They could use his explosive pace and technical ability in the final.

Meanwhile, Williams will look to fight for trophies and joining one of the biggest clubs in the world would be ideal for him. Arsenal have a tremendous team, and they are fighting for the league title and the UEFA Champions League. They will be an attractive destination for the attacker.

Williams is entering the peak years of his career, and this is the right time for him to join an elite club. Arsenal could be the ideal step in his career right now.

Meanwhile, Leandro Trossard has been linked with a move away from the club, and Gabriel Martinelli has struggled to hold down a regular starting spot. Williams could prove to be an upgrade on both players.

The post Arsenal ready to complete attacking puzzle with move for €100m-rated speedster appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Prediction: Match to end in 1-1 draw Best Odds: 9/2 Bookmaker: Zetbet Sunderland and Fulham will lock horns with each other in the Premier League this weekend. The match between the Black Cats and the Cottagers will be held at the Stadium of Light and is scheduled to kick off at 2pm UK time on […]

The post Prediction: Sunderland vs Fulham appeared first on Soccer News.

The post Prediction: Sunderland vs Fulham appeared first on Soccer News.

After MegaCrit missed its initial 2025 release goal for Slay the Spire 2, the beloved indie developer confirmed today that the long-awaited sequel to the popular roguelike deckbuilder will arrive on March 5, 2026. Announced during the Indie Fan Fest, its Early Access release trailer includes a few sneak peeks at gameplay mixed in between some high-quality animations. Back in September 2025, when MegaCrit confirmed that Slay the Spire 2 wouldn't arrive in 2025, it gave a release window that was vague and specific at the same time. The studio confirmed the game would arrive on "a secret Thursday in […]

Read full article at https://wccftech.com/slay-the-spire-2-release-date-megacrit/

Popular monitor maker AOC has added another QD-OLED gaming monitor in its Gaming series, filling the gap between Q27G4ZDR and Q27G4SDR. AOC Launches Gaming Q27G4ZD With 3rd-Gen QD-OLED Panel; Features 280 Hz Refresh Rate, QHD Resolution, and DisplayHDR400 Certification Monitor manufacturer AOC is back with another affordable gaming monitor in the Gaming series. AOC recently launched its first QD-OLED gaming monitors in the Gaming lineup, following a couple of high-end OLED monitors in the AGO PRO lineup. The Gaming OLED series has been further expanded with the launch of the Q27G4ZD gaming monitor, which fills the gap between the two […]

Read full article at https://wccftech.com/aoc-launches-q27g4zd-qd-oled-280hz-gaming-monitor/

Toronto-based developer Hilltop Studios has just revealed its second major project, Curse of Resthaven, a narrative-driven roguelike that studio director Scott Christian calls "a radical shift" from the team's award-winning debut game, Lil' Guardsman. Announced during the Indie Fan Fest, you'll enter the dark and gloomy island colony of Resthaven with seven days to discover the mystery behind the cursed island and save its inhabitants from the time loop. While the colourful presentation of Lil' Guardsman can make you feel like the stakes are relatively small, deciding whether or not to let people into the kingdom with its comedic twist […]

Read full article at https://wccftech.com/lil-guardsman-developer-reveals-curse-of-resthaven-radical-shift-from-debut-award-winning-game/

Intel has rolled out its virtual assistant on Microsoft's Copilot Studio platform, aiming to solve user queries about hardware problems and, hopefully, find solutions. Intel's Virtual Assistant Helps Users to Solve Out Redundant Problems, Redirecting Complex Queries to Humans Intel's efforts for consumers have been really interesting over the past few months, given that the company saw massive success with its Panther Lake launch, which suggests that, at least on the launch front, Team Blue is doing great. However, in terms of after-sales services and customer support, Intel has lagged on several occasions, and we saw significant flaws in how […]

Read full article at https://wccftech.com/intels-fix-for-system-problems-is-agentic-ai-a-microsoft-copilot-driven-bot/

Embark Studios has just revealed the next update and map condition coming to ARC Raiders, with hurricanes arriving next week on February 24, 2026, in the game's new Shrouded Sky update. The short teaser doesn't show any gameplay, but it does make it clear how disruptive and dangerous the hurricanes will be for raiders who choose to brave the weather while the condition is in effect. A blog post on the ARC Raiders' official website digs further into what raiders will have to deal with, and it's a little more than some high-speed winds. "The climate is damaged and unpredictable, […]

Read full article at https://wccftech.com/new-arc-raiders-hurricane-map-condition-arrives-in-shrouded-sky-update-next-week/

We've been surprised by video game studio closures before, like when Xbox shut down Arkane Austin and Tango Gameworks, but this latest studio closure is arguably the most shocking one we've seen in a long time. Bluepoint Games, the studio responsible for the Demon's Souls Remake and decades of remakes and remasters across several iconic franchises, is being shut down by PlayStation. It was Bloomberg's Jason Schreier who broke the news that just five years after the studio officially joined the PlayStation Studios family, its remaining 70 developers are losing their jobs in what is yet another baffling decision by […]

Read full article at https://wccftech.com/playstation-shutting-down-bluepoint-games/

A study in the Netherlands identified groups of people differing in the trajectories of their expectations that they will become parents across their reproductive age. Forty-four percent of men and 40% of women tended to have stable expectations that they will have children in the future, lasting until their mid-to-late 30s. Individuals with stable parenthood expectations tended to score higher on agreeableness and extraversion. The paper was published in the Journal of Personality.

During the past half-century, fertility rates have been decreasing worldwide. People, on average, have fewer children, and increasing numbers experience childlessness. Major factors contributing to this include longer time spent in education and the resulting postponement of marriage, new fertility regulation technologies that made having children a choice, and wider acceptance of individual rights to make life choices.

Consequently, fertility rates across the developed world have been below replacement level for the past several decades, producing a population decline in many countries. This has drawn significant research interest toward fertility intentions—people’s plans and expectations about having children.

Research shows that, in young adulthood, most individuals plan to have children, and often more than one. However, as time passes, many fail to enact these expectations, staying childless well into middle age or having fewer children than initially planned.

Study author İlayda Özoruç and her colleagues wanted to explore how fertility expectations develop and change in men and women living in the Netherlands across the reproductive age period. They also wanted to explore how the trajectories of change in these expectations are associated with individual personality traits.

The authors note that voluntary childlessness (i.e., being childfree) has become increasingly socially acceptable in the Netherlands. Consequently, they expected greater variation between individuals in how they imagine their future regarding having children.

The researchers analyzed data from the Longitudinal Internet Studies for the Social Sciences (LISS) panel. The LISS is an ongoing panel study that started in 2007. It includes 5,000 households in the Netherlands comprising nearly 7,500 individuals.

The data used in this study came from 5,231 participants who were non-parents at the start of the study and participated between 2008 and 2022. The average participant provided responses in 3 to 4 data collection waves during the studied period. Sixty-eight percent participated in more than one data collection wave. Fifty-two percent of participants were women. During this period, roughly 15% of participants became parents for the first time.

The authors used data on participants’ fertility expectations (“Do you think you will have children in the future?”), Big Five personality traits (obtained using the International Personality Item Pool), and parenthood status (tracking the transition to the first child).

The researchers categorized participants based on how their parenthood expectations developed during the study period. The largest category for both men and women was the normative category (44% of men and 40% of women). In this category, people started with expectations that they would have children in the future. As time passed, the majority became parents (84% of men and 92% of women in this group). For those who did not become parents, expectations of having children started dropping sharply in their mid-30s, so that by age 42, almost none expected to have children in the future.

The smallest category, including 8% of men and 7% of women, was the childfree category. People in this group mostly started out not expecting children or being unsure, and became increasingly certain they would not have children as time passed. Only a small percentage of people from this category eventually became parents (6% of men and 12% of women).

The remaining categories showed more complex trajectories, such as general uncertainty about future children (“uncertain trajectory”), switching expectations between yes, no, and unsure (“switching trajectory”), or starting uncertain but gaining expectation later (“postponement trajectory”). Women also showed a unique “abandoning trajectory” (15%), where expectations to have children existed at age 18 but dropped to “unsure” or “no” starting around age 25.

When personality traits were considered, results showed that both men and women from the normative group (stable expectation to become parents) scored higher on agreeableness and extraversion compared to the uncertain and childfree groups.

For men specifically, those in the normative group also tended to have lower neuroticism and higher conscientiousness and openness compared to the uncertain and childfree groups.

However, for women, personality differences were fewer. Unlike men, women’s levels of neuroticism, openness, and conscientiousness did not differ significantly between the expectation trajectories.

The study contributes to the scientific understanding of the development of fertility expectations throughout the reproductive age. However, it should be noted that all participants were from the Netherlands. Results regarding individuals from other countries and cultures might differ.

The paper, “Big Five Personality Traits and Trajectories of Fertility Expectations Across the Reproductive Age Period,” was authored by İlayda Özoruç, Jeroen Vermunt, Katya Ivanova, and Manon van Scheppingen.

OpenAI is serving ads inside ChatGPT, and new findings suggest the experience looks quite different from what the company originally envisioned.

What’s happening. Research from AI ad intelligence firm Adthena has identified the first confirmed ads appearing on ChatGPT for signed-in desktop users in the U.S.

The big surprise. Early speculation suggested ads would only surface after extended back-and-forth conversations. That’s not what’s happening. When a user asked “What’s the best way to book a weekend away?”, sponsored placements appeared immediately — on the very first response.

What they look like. The ads feature a prominent brand favicon and a clear “Sponsored” label, a design that differs slightly from the concepts OpenAI had previously shared publicly.

Why we care. ChatGPT is one of the most visited sites on the internet. Ads appearing in its responses marks a significant moment for the future of AI monetization — and a potential shift in how brands reach consumers at the point of inquiry.

Between the lines. The immediacy of the ad trigger suggests OpenAI is treating single, high-intent prompts — not just sustained conversations — as viable ad inventory. That’s a meaningful strategic signal for advertisers evaluating where to place budget.

The bottom line. ChatGPT’s ad era has quietly begun. For marketers, the question is no longer if they need an AI search strategy — it’s whether they’re already late.

First spotted. CMO of Adthena, Ashley Fletcher shared his team spotting the ads on LinkedIn.

Reddit is piloting a new AI-powered shopping experience that transforms its famously trusted community recommendations into shoppable product carousels — a move that could reshape how the platform monetizes its search traffic.

What’s happening. A small group of U.S.-based users are seeing interactive product carousels appear in search results when their queries signal purchase intent — think “best noise-canceling headphones” or “top budget laptops.”

• The carousels sit at the bottom of search results and include pricing, images and direct retailer links.
• Products are surfaced from items actually mentioned in Reddit posts and comments — not just ad inventory.
• For consumer electronics queries, Reddit is also pulling from select Dynamic Product Ads (DPA) partner catalogs.

How it works. The AI identifies purchase-intent queries, scans relevant Reddit conversations for product mentions, and assembles them into structured, shoppable cards. Users can tap a card to get more details and link out to retailers.

Why we care. Reddit’s shopping carousels give advertisers a rare opportunity to reach consumers at peak purchase intent — at the exact moment they’re seeking peer validation for a buying decision. Unlike traditional display ads, products surfaced here benefit from the implicit trust of Reddit’s community context, making them feel less like ads and more like recommendations.

For brands already running Dynamic Product Ads on Reddit, this is a direct pipeline from community buzz to conversion.

Between the lines. Reddit is doing something its competitors haven’t quite cracked — using organic, peer-driven content as the foundation of a commerce experience rather than pure ad targeting.

That’s a meaningful distinction. Consumers increasingly distrust sponsored recommendations, and Reddit’s entire value proposition is built on authentic community voice. Formalizing that into a shopping layer could give it a credibility edge over traditional retail media networks.

The big picture. Retail media is a fast-growing business, and platforms with high-intent audiences are racing to claim their share. Reddit’s search traffic has grown significantly since its Google search partnership, making this a natural next frontier.

The bottom line. Reddit is experimenting with turning intent-driven search into commerce, aiming to make it easier for users to move from recommendation to transaction — without leaving the community context that drives trust.

Dig deeper. In Case You Saw It: We are Testing a New Shopping Product Experience in Search

Horse Powertrain supplies hybrid and combustion systems globally to Geely, Renault, Volvo, Nissan, Mitsubishi, and Proton brands.

The post Geely-backed Horse Powertrain reveals renewable hybrid engine, targets 40% lower fuel use appeared first on CarNewsChina.com.

The post Why Is Bitcoin Down Today? What’s Next for the Market? appeared first on Coinpedia Fintech News

Bitcoin (BTC) price has dropped 1.4% in the past 24 hours to trade at $66,414 on Thursday February 19, 2026. Massive liquidations persist, wiping out $201 million in the last 24 hours, with Bitcoin liquidations accounting for $58.98. The flagship coin has also revisted levels last seen in April 2025, just before it hit a new all-time high of $126,000 in October.

Additionally, Bitcoin’s open interest has declined from about $75,000 to about $45,000 between October and press time. Meanwhile, BTC’s 24hour open interest has risen 1.84%, but this indicates a bearish momentum when coupled with the coin’s declining value.

Retailers flee crypto market following heightened economic uncertainty

According to CryptoQuant’s on-chain analyst, there is a massive exodus of retailers from the crypto market. This has been fueled by raised economic uncertainty due to fluctuating trade policies, and the geopolitical tensions between the US and Europe over Greenland. The State’s Treasury has also allocated liquidity in favor of its Treasury General Account (TGA) over more speculative assets like Bitcoin.

As such, the market has witnessed massive whale liquidations and ETF outflows, with BlackRock recording over $350 million in outflows last month. The crypto fear-and-greed index now reads extreme fear at 11/100. Additionally, the Relative Strength Index (RSI) reads 40.5, indicating crypto’s navigation deeper into the oversold territory.

Source: CoinMarketCap

The panic-driven market has brought Google searches for “Bitcoin going to zero” to new highs of 100. This surpasses the previous high score of 72 recorded during the 2022 bear season.

Key Opinion Leaders Read Bullish Signs

Despite the crypto blood bath, several crypto influencers think Bitcoin’s current position could catapult it to higher levels. 

“Retail capitulation at this scale has historically marked late-stage corrections. But it doesn’t mean immediate reversal,” CryptoQuant wrote in a post, adding, “The arrows in the chart illustrate this clearly: each prior extreme negative reading was followed by violent recoveries to new highs.”

Also bullish are Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong and Eric Trump. The two expressed bullish crypto predictions at yesterday’s World Liberty Forum (WLF) held in Palm Beach. 

Former BitMEX CEO and co-founder Arthur Hayes and MicroStrategy CEO Michael Saylor have conveyed similar views. The latter company even purchased 2,486 Bitcoin two days ago, bringing its holdings to 717,131 BTC. Meanwhile, JPMorgan Chase has expanded its pro-crypto services, citing institutional client pressure. In matters legal, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is keen on being accommodating when developing regulations for the crypto industry.

The Bollinger Bands indicator has narrowed to its tightest level on record, a rare technical setup that analysts say is a sign of a pending directional move.

The ETF invests exclusively in short-term US Treasurys and is structured for potential use by stablecoin issuers under US reserve requirements.

Trump administration officials held a similar event last week to discuss stablecoin yield within a market structure bill under consideration in Congress.

Heavy outflows haven’t erased the success of spot Bitcoin ETFs, which still hold $53 billion in cumulative inflows, according to Bloomberg analyst Eric Balchunas.

Bitcoin trades in a tight demand zone that formed in 2024, but previous bear market data suggests the channel will break and lead to new lows.

New Bitcoin price analysis set out key safety nets for bulls ahead of a potential showdown with Binance traders' aggregate deposit cost basis.

As both the SEC and CFTC explore 24/7 trading hours for US capital markets, several traditional financial exchanges file to expand hours in anticipation of such a move.

Public Bitcoin miners are developing 30 gigawatts of AI-focused power capacity, nearly triple current levels, as post-halving margin pressure reshapes the industry.

Basketbol üzrə Azərbaycan Kubokunda bütün yarımfinalçılar məlum olub.

Futbolpress.az xəbər verir ki, “Şəki” “Abşeron Lions”a qalib gəlib və adını yarımfinala yazdırıb.

Bölgə təmsilçisi final yolunda “Gəncə” ilə qarşılaşacaq.

Yarımfinalın digər görüşü isə “Ordu” ilə “Sabah” arasında olacaq.

Prediction: Over 3.5 goals Best Odds: 13/25 Bookmaker: Zetbet Barcelona and Levante will lock horns with each other in La Liga this weekend. The match between Hansi Flick’s side and Luís Castro’s team will be held at Spotify Camp Nou and is scheduled to kick off at 3:15pm UK time on Sunday. Barcelona Barcelona won […]

The post Prediction: Barcelona vs Levante appeared first on Soccer News.

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Prediction: Real Madrid to win 3-0 Best Odds: 12/1 Bookmaker: Zetbet Osasuna and Real Madrid will lock horns with each other in La Liga this weekend. The match between Alessio Lisci’s side and Alvaro Arbeloa’s team will be held at El Sadar Stadium and is scheduled to kick off at 5:30pm UK time on Saturday. […]

The post Prediction: Osasuna vs Real Madrid appeared first on Soccer News.

The post Prediction: Osasuna vs Real Madrid appeared first on Soccer News.

Palmeiras seak Liverpool deal

Brazilian club Palmeiras actively hope to seal a deal with Liverpool according to local outlet 'The Football'. Allan is the player in question, with €35m the hoped-for fee.

Palmeiras want to open this kind of partnership with the Reds, having previously done with Chelsea and Real Madrid for Estevao and Endrick. There's interest in Allan from plenty of clubs, clubs offering good fees, too, but they hope to 'open another door with a strong club from Europe'.

The Genesis Invitational is top of mind this week for Rory McIlroy, but Wednesday marked 50 days out from the 2026 Masters, where the Northern Irishman will be the defending champion for the first time.

During a Q&A with media just off the 18th green at Riviera Country Club the day before the first round of the 2026 Genesis, McIlroy was asked about an upcoming visit to Augusta National Golf Club.

There's often a bit of intrigue about trips to the private club and with McIlroy it's no different. He confirmed a trip to Augusta with his dad is coming up.

"I'm going to go up there and play with the chairman next week actually," he said, adding that this will not be his first trip back since winning the green jacket last April, as he had already paid another visit. "It was cool to get up to the champions locker room and see my nameplate alongside the other two champions that I share a locker with. It was somewhat nostalgic. I wouldn't say it was emotional but definitely there was nice memories. Different feels the first time staying on site without having to need a member there. There's a lot of perks you get with being a champion."

McIlroy said this trip wasn't really just to play the golf course.

More: The Masters is 50 days out. What you need to know about the 90th edition

"It wasn't even a round. I was doing some filming up there," he said, noting the one change that was made to the layout. "I was out on the course and was hitting some shots, but the course isn't real different. They haven't moved the tee box of 17 back, they've moved the plate where it was played from back 10 yards to make it 10 yards longer. But apart from that, the course is pretty much the same."

The 2026 Masters is set for April 9-12. McIlroy will attempt to become the fourth repeat champion, joining Jack Nicklaus (1965, 1966) Nick Faldo (1989, 1990) and Tiger Woods (2001, 2002).

This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Rory McIlroy recently visited Augusta National, said it was nostalgic

Feb. 11, 2026 An Indianapolis hotel

I’m staring at a collection of 1,095 circles organized by threes into tidy columns, visions of scantrons past dancing in my head. The fact that no one holds a master answer key does nothing to quell the stress of getting it right. 

It’s edging late into the night in Indianapolis ahead of the NCAA women’s basketball selection committee’s mock selection exercise at the national office, and I’m agonizing over this page. My task is to rank the 30-plus at-large teams I shaded for selection to or consideration for the NCAA tournament field. Washington above Notre Dame? Where do Princeton or Georgia fit? Is Syracuse No. 35 or a first-four out? 

At a breaking point, I begin scribbling school names onto a piece of stationery with alternating colored lines. There are too many variables to consider. Too few hairs to split between. By the time I reach “28,” I’m judging selections loosely on NET rankings with a pinch of any random criteria fitting the bill. I feel like the human embodiment of the shrug emoji as I try to rationalize each decision; I mentally force the flexed-biceps emoji instead.  

Do I think I can build an NCAA bracket? Of course. Don’t we all? 

Feb. 12, 2026 1:15 p.m. ET NCAA headquarters

A selection of reporters, broadcasters, conference personnel and NCAA leadership walk into a boardroom. The tables are arranged like a rectangular 2000s computer lab, the March Madness laptops and mice splayed in front of flat screens lowered in the middle of the room, facing the attendees. 

Those of us on the board-for-a-day go around and make introductions. If this were the real committee meeting, there would be no need. The time-intensive process of selecting, seeding and bracketing teams into the tournament field begins months prior to March. 

Each of the 12-person committee serves a five-year term and is assigned to monitor a primary conference and a secondary one. There are weekly and monthly check-ins that might include information like the impact of last month’s winter storm on teams and scheduling. Did a key player miss time? Was there a conference-defining victory recently? Who is in contention for an at-large bid?

(Cassandra Negley/Yahoo Sports)

They give reports at each of these committee meetings throughout the season, as well as reports from head coaches within regional advisory committees. They discuss game results, metrics, matchups to watch and rewatch. Their true work occurs during the long days from the Wednesday before Selection Sunday until hours before the reveal.  

Every bit of information a committee member receives needs to be shared with the group for optimal results. Everything is based on integrity in the three-prong process. Selection is the body of work. Seeding is the “who are they right now?” Bracketing is … well, that comes later.  

All conferences are discussed. All relevant conversations stay in the room. And historical benchmarks mean nothing.

2:15 p.m.

There are no March Madness-branded “I voted” stickers at the NCAA headquarters. If there were, they would run out fast. Unbeknownst to us newbies who agonized over the exact line seeding of our teams the night prior, our exact listing is irrelevant. It’s time to vote and vote and vote again as we whittle down a large group into chunks of entries. 

First, we each privately input into the software the names of up to 24 teams we believe should be at-large selections, plus an unlimited number of those under consideration. Teams are moved onto the at-large nomination board based on how many votes they received in each category. Our vote moved 22 onto the board. 

We then continue to evaluate using the committee's "list eight, rank eight, move four" process. We vote in our top eight selections from the board, resulting in a collective eight that move into a new board. We rank those eight individually, leading into four that will move into the field. We keep going in that manner, until it’s close to the end when cuts are near. The committee can then vote in two and even one sole team at a time. 

This is the process of selecting and later seeding a field. It’s arduous and intentional, a fail-safe to properly fit in each worthy team in a way that befits their résumé. 

It’s also very confusing, even to those of us in the room digitally clicking the bubbles of our choices, which is why the NCAA outlined, for transparency, the exact procedural steps. Because as much as the basketball of March Madness is a national pastime, so, too, is analyzing the committee’s work building a bracket. At least one fan base is bound to be mad, lobbing allegations of bias or purposefully helping/hurting their team. 

Dawn Staley felt her South Carolina Gamecocks were snubbed from the No. 1 overall seed last year. UConn fans were outraged about being placed on the West Coast, while for much of the previous decade, those outside Storrs were upset at the team’s prime regional location being a couple hours max from campus. There is a high chance this year that TCU, as a double-digit seed, doesn’t leave its own bed until the Final Four. 

None of that context is on the selection committee’s minds through this process. And if someone, for example, mentions as we’re seeding the 4-line that we’re voting for the final teams we believe should be hosting first-and-second round games, they’re politely corrected by the chair. It is about the next four best teams on the mini board that should be in the field. 

The results should not impact the process itself.

4 p.m.

It’s all made up, and the quads don’t matter. At least, that’s the joke running in my head. 

The time is finally here to seed teams, and the mock chair has been waiting to strike up this conversation. It’s UConn, right? Or, for the sake of discussion, could it be UCLA with its 14 Quad 1 wins?

Ah, but hold on. That large-font list of team selection criteria/priorities placed to the left of each computer doesn’t say anything about quadrant victories. NCAA personnel tell us that the four quadrants are an organizational tool for delineating game data into digestible points. Not all of them are built equal. Defeating a team ranked second in NET is different from one ranked 20th, even if they are both Quad 1. Context is ingrained everywhere.

Therefore, it isn’t a reason to seed a team before or after another. And with that, my muscle emoji begins to fade. I’d like to crumple up and shoot my top 30 list into a garbage can for at least one swish on the day. 

The chair decides we should go down the list (in alphabetical order) to compare: bad losses, common opponents, competitive in losses, early performance vs late performance, head-to-head, NET ranking, observable component, overall record, regional rankings, significant wins, strength of schedule, Wins Above Bubble (WAB) ranking. 

The instructors identify one major data point to which the committee has privileged access. There are five regions for the 32 conferences, and though it sounds odd, the Big Ten and Big East are together in one of those regions. Three times a year, the coaches rank the top 20 teams, and if we were the committee, we could ask the member leading that to tell us the coaches’ thoughts. We would then use it to inform our personal voting decision. 

It’s one of the most illuminating pieces of information of the day. The selection committee is often treated as a table of deities pulling levers and bopping buttons to design a bracket of their choosing. That’s not quite true. They are guided by rules and regulations, criteria and principles, and most importantly, they do not make these selections in a vacuum of their own control. 

We vote and vote, and end up with UConn, UCLA, South Carolina and Texas as our 1-4 seeds. Are we all good with that? 

I’m not. Nor are a few others in the room. We glance at our list of criteria/principles to hit our talking points. Texas and South Carolina split the season series, are similar in NET ranking and each lost to a different SEC power. Texas played the more difficult schedule, had the higher non-conference WAB and defeated UCLA, our No. 2 seed. 

If it were the actual committee, the chair could opt to put it to a secret vote: South Carolina or Texas for the No. 3 overall seed? And it’s not a one-shot choice, as real committee members reminded us consistently. Every day leading up to Selection Sunday, the committee could and would reassess any part of their work. 

Time to move on. We speed-seed the top 16 teams before dinner. Quite a few tiebreakers come up if two teams acquired the same number of points within a single ballot. LSU and Louisville are tied for the No. 6 seed. Louisville wins. Same for Kentucky and Michigan State at No. 14. This will be a more time-intensive process the week of Selection Sunday. 

At the moment, it all seems trivial. By the end, we appreciate the magnitude. 

6:30 p.m.

The impact of the Texas-South Carolina conversation lands as sour as the lemon cake at dinner. 

The NCAA tech team back-filled a full 68-team field for us so we could view the bracketing process in action. The flatscreens are filled with a spreadsheet separated into four columns, two each for the super-regional sites at Fort Worth and Sacramento. The seed list sits underneath. An NCAA administrator is poised with a list of principles. 

A cursor drags UConn to Fort Worth, the closer location of the two earned by the top overall seed. The Huskies will play Friday and Sunday, giving them the advantage of an extra day ahead of the Final Four. UCLA then goes to Sacramento, a move that benefits them, anyway. South Carolina is placed in Fort Worth, and Texas to Sacramento. 

The mock committee members begin to stir at the realization that one difference in true seed can impact more than the number. Texas could have been close to home, a pro for them as well as a fan attendance windfall, while South Carolina faced lengthy travel either way.  We can’t go back and adjust for that reason alone. We already did the work to fairly rank; now we’re bracketing based on that. 

It highlights that every opinion should be voiced, every critical decision put to a vote and that every individual seed deserves an in-depth conversation. It is a reality that carries on through the bracketing as we go seed-line by seed-line, taking into account travel distance from site, mode of transportation and fan accessibility. 

The errors compile. 

There are too many SEC and Big Ten teams. If the first four teams from one conference are seeded within the top four lines, they must be placed in different regionals. But, we also don’t want conference rematches until the regional final, whenever possible. The accumulation of seed numbers climbs at the bottom of each column as we attempt to keep it balanced. Our mock is a six-point differential. Not bad. 

The administrator lifts schools from the S-curve up into something of a criss-crossed zig-zag, daring someone to play connect-the-dots. It’s late, our mock chair accidentally found herself locked outside the floor-to-ceiling glass windows, and our brains are at capacity laughing at the absurdity. 

We’ve slammed multiple days of bracketing into a two-hour window, and I’m amazed my own personal seed-by-seed listing was my biggest conundrum 24 hours ago. Now we’re talking length of flights and fan attendance at first-round host sites; fairness and principles; if it’s right, the conference champion of America East might play the same second-round opponent in consecutive seasons. It’s too much for one person.

Each click of a team lights up the bracketing program like the ignition switch to a dying car’s dashboard. Don’t worry, some screens look more purple and others are more blue (denoting errors that violate various principles), we’re told. That doesn’t explain the other three colors glinting off the screens.

The program spells out the problem; it doesn’t solve it. That’s for us to puzzle out. The real committee will often save drafts at major conundrums so it can bracket out multiple versions. No matter which one is chosen, people are bound to be mad. 

9:20 p.m. An Indianapolis hotel

Back at the hotel bar, on the phone screen balancing against a stack of menus, Vanderbilt is beating the brakes off Texas. Arguing for the Longhorns as the No. 3 seed is a thing of the past. That same weekend, the real committee will move Texas down to No. 5.

Our mock bracket is already obsolete, less than an hour after we’ve called it a day. A few media members who have done this previously assured everyone before leaving that history says that will be the case. With our committee hats off, we can talk of tournaments past again. 

It is one thing to know the criteria and principles the committee follows to build a bracket. It is another entirely to sit in the room and experience a simulation of it. The informational input spreads far wider than 12 people’s thoughts, combined with stats on the screen. The voting system allows better fine-tuning than smushing together everyone’s lists. Processes for everything means no one can bend it to their own will. 

My pen will still be ready on Selection Sunday to mark up the bracket and scribble out talking points. Which teams were left on the bubble that shouldn’t have been? Is TCU really in Fort Worth? Did Duke deserve a better seed? But, I’ll also have a deeper appreciation for all the judgment calls that had to be made on a piece of paper that will eventually be ripped up by the masses. 

Everyone thinks they can build an NCAA bracket. That doesn’t mean it’s easy. 

Nottingham Forest captain Morgan Gibbs-White, speaking to TNT Sports after a 3-0 win at Fenerbahce: "I felt we had a real identity out there. We defended well and we created so many chances."

On the new manager: "His message to us is that we will have a real identity how we play and defend as a team. We have all bought into what he wants straight away.

"It is about keep learning off each other and take it game by game.

"We needed a clean sheet and we needed a win and today felt like the perfect moment. Our fans were top tonight, they were incredible. An all-round incredible day.

"You want to enjoy every moment as a player. I said yesterday it can be difficult as footballer to enjoy moments because of how quick the games come up. We can enjoy it tonight and then prepare for Liverpool at the weekend.

"We have been going through a difficult time, confidence is the main thing and tonight will boost confidence. We just have to stay together and be the most complete team."

Did you know?

• This was Fenerbahçe's joint-biggest home Europa League defeat, after also losing 3-0 to Borussia Monchengladbach in December 2012 and Olympiakos in September 2021.
• With tonight's 3-0 victory, Nottingham Forest recorded their biggest ever away win in major European competition. It was also their first win in the knockout rounds of any European competition since defeating Lyon 1-0 in the first leg of their UEFA Cup round of 16 tie in November 1995.
• Vitor Pereira has remained unbeaten in his first game in charge of a club, with Nottingham Forest his 15th spell at the helm of a team during his managerial career (W11 D4).
• No player has netted more goals than Igor Jesus in the UEFA Europa League this season (7), while his seven strikes are now the outright-most for the club during a major European campaign, overtaking Gary Birtles' six during the 1978-79 European Cup.

A late season surge has put the Texas Longhorns men's basketball team of verge of making the NCAA Tournament. According to barttorvik, a leading college basketball numbers cruncher, the Horns have an 88.3% to make it to March Madness in Sean Miller's first year at the helm.

Just a month ago, USA TODAY Sports' Bracketology projected the Longhorns missing the tournament as one of the "First Four Out." But since mid-January, Texas has been hot. Late in January, UT was projected in the tournament, but firmly on the bubble as a No. 10 seed.

Since losing back-to-back games to Texas A&M and Kentucky last month, the Longhorns have gone 6-1 and are a perfect 4-0 in February. Many teams have used late season success to a deep run in March Madness. The current Bracketology has Texas as a No. 8 seed and firmly in the field.

Texas Men's Basketball now has a 88.3% chance of making the NCAA Tourney! (Via BartTorvik)

The Longhorns have won 5 straight games and they are currently tied for 5th in the SEC

The Horns play at Georgia on Saturday at 2:30PM pic.twitter.com/bKXZRCmRWw

— Orangebloods.com (@orangebloods_) February 19, 2026

The Longhorns have five regular season games left: Georgia, Florida, Texas A&M, Arkansas and Oklahoma. Four of the five are projected to make the tourney, with OU a bubble team. Florida and the Hogs are ranked.

While Texas is now and 88.3% to make the tourney, that means they are also 11.7% to miss March Madness. That almost 18% would come into play if Texas loses out. If UT goes 1-4 down the stretch, they had better win a couple games in the SEC Postseason Tournament.

But things are looking good for new coach Sean Miller. It should be a fun ride from here on out.

This article originally appeared on Longhorns Wire: Texas Longhorns Basketball now 88.3% to make NCAA Tournament

Nottingham Forest enjoyed a sensational start to life under new manager Vitor Pereira, as they secured a commanding 3-0 victory away at Fenerbahce in the first leg of their Europa League play-off tie.

The emphatic win in Istanbul puts the Premier League side firmly in contention for a place in the last 16, marking a dream debut for Pereira, who becomes Forest's fourth manager of what has been a turbulent season.

Goals from Murillo, Igor Jesus, and Morgan Gibbs-White sealed a memorable night, providing a significant boost as the club navigates a challenging period.

This dominant performance means Forest are now strong favourites to progress, with only a catastrophic collapse in next week's return leg at the City Ground preventing a potential last-16 clash against either Real Betis or Midtjylland.

While European success is welcome, Pereira's primary mandate remains securing Forest's top-flight status. This result offers a crucial injection of confidence ahead of Sunday's crucial home fixture against Liverpool.

The Portuguese tactician, familiar with the Chobani Stadyumu from two previous stints managing the Turkish club, watched his side expertly nullify the early hostile atmosphere.

They established an accomplished rhythm, taking a deserved lead in the 21st minute and effectively silencing the home support.

Elliot Anderson passed to Murillo in the centre circle and the Brazil defender charged up the pitch and lashed a low shot into the bottom corner from 20 yards.

It was almost two moments later as Jesus played on, with Fenerbahce captain Milan Skriniar – the former Liverpool defender – down injured in the middle of the pitch.

Jesus wriggled into the box and had a fierce shot, but it hit Jayden Oosterwolde and went out from a corner.

The chances kept on coming as Gibbs-White headed straight at Ederson from eight yards out, Jesus could not direct a deflected free-kick goalwards and Callum Hudson-Odoi had a shot blocked.

Forest survived a scare before the break as a VAR check came back in their favour when Talisca’s shot hit the arm of Murillo, but it was ruled to be in a natural position.

And that proved pivotal as they doubled the lead in the 43rd minute.

Gibbs-White flicked on Anderson’s corner at the near post and Jesus was waiting at the back to nod home on the line.It was his sixth Europa League goal in seven games.

Fenerbahce had to come up with something in the second half and they almost got one back just 20 seconds after the restart when Sidiki Cherif got in down the right, but his effort was tipped over the crossbar by Stefan Ortega.

Any hopes of a home comeback were killed in the 50th minute as Forest went 3-0 up.

Jesus broke the offside trap and squared for Gibbs-White, who scooped the ball home from 12 yards.

It could have been even better, but Nicolas Dominguez whipped an effort over from a great position inside the area and Ederson got down well to deny Neco Williams.

Daniel Cormier recently challenged Jon Jones to a wrestling match for Real American Freestyle (RAF).

Careful what you wish for?

RAF co-founder Izzy Martinez believes “DC” would lose to “Bones” on the mats, just like he did inside the Octagon, first at UFC 182 and then again at UFC 214. Or maybe Martinez is just doing that promoter thing where he gets a talent riled up, said talent lashes out, hype gets manufactured, and boom we have a match.

“Daniel Cormier hasn’t beat Jon,” Martinez told MMA Junkie Radio. “I don’t think he can beat Jon at anything, but he needs to beat him at something, and the next best thing that he’s ever able to do is wrestle. So that’s always been the sh*t talk. ‘Oh, you could beat me in a fight, but I’d beat your ass in wrestling.’ Even when I was telling Hulk Hogan, it would be a hell of a dream because Daniel Cormier would actually think he’s going to come out here and kill Jon, and Jon will shock him again and the wrestling world will go crazy.”

Cormier, 46, was a three-time Louisiana state high school champion, a two-time junior college champion, and an NCAA All-American. “DC” would make the Olympic squad in 2004 and then again as Team Captain in 2008. As for Jones, 38, he won the New York state high school championship in 2005 and followed that up with an NJCAA National title for Iowa Central Community College the following year.

“Jon’s cool,” Martinez added. “He’s in his own world in a good way. He loves Gable Steveson. He’s down there. He loves his family. So I don’t think it’s a priority to put on wrestling shoes, give Daniel Cormier a shot at even coming close to him. I think Jon loves the fact that he lives in Cormier’s head. I don’t think Jon or ‘DC’ want to train that hard and put it on the line again. But if they do, they know who to call, baby.”

The first call will have to be to Jon’s orthopedist.

The Kentucky Wildcats have dropped their last two games, on the road at Florida and at home against Georgia. Head coach Mark Pope spoke to the media postgame after Tuesday’s loss to the Bulldogs and expressed concern about the number of minutes his starters are playing and the team’s lack of depth at the moment.

One guy the Wildcats could use right now is potential lottery pick Jayden Quaintance. Pope is still a bit hesitant about Quaintance’s status, which is concerning given the team’s only five games remaining in the regular season.

“He continues to make progress,” said Pope of JQ. “He is not ready right now. He’s not ready, and we’re not going to roll him out there till he’s 100%, and he’s a ways from that.”

Quaintance hasn’t played or practiced since January 7th, so if he is able to start practicing, there will be a ramp-up period before he’s able to play in games.

“We haven’t incorporated him back into practice, so that’s complicated. I don’t know how optimistic I am about that.”

Pope has been adamant that he wants Quaintance 100% before he gets back on the floor.

“He’s making great progress, but with a guy as explosive as he is, he’s got to be 100 percent ready. We’re working him back slowly but positively.”

Coming off an ACL tear, the Arizona State transfer has appeared in four games for the Wildcats. He’s averaged 5 points, 5 rebounds, and 0.8 blocks a game when active for the Wildcats.

Until something changes, Kentucky fans should not get their hopes up on Quaintance playing again this season.

As the 2026 NFL Draft approaches, the Los Angeles Rams should be studying the wide receiver class closely. With Tutu Atwell hitting free agency and no other clear-cut WR3 on the roster, the Rams need a playmaker to go with Puka Nacua and Davante Adams Jr.

Indiana’s Omar Cooper Jr. might be just what the doctor ordered. Though he doesn’t boast a rare combination of size, speed or athleticism, he’s exactly the type of receiver the Rams tend to look for.

Cooper is 6 feet tall and around 200 pounds, but he’s as physical as any wideout in the draft. He’s excellent at picking up yards after the catch, not only with his elusiveness in the open field, but by fighting for extra yardage through sheer effort.

It’s similar to the way Nacua fights through contact with the ball in his hands.

Last season, Cooper caught 69 passes for 937 yards and scored 13 touchdowns, also rushing three times for 74 yards with one touchdown on the ground.

What makes him particularly intriguing for the Rams is his willingness to block. That’s something Sean McVay always asks of his receivers, which allows Los Angeles to stay in 11 personnel as often as it does.

NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah went as far as calling Cooper “the Ramsiest WR” in the class.

Looking at my Omar Cooper Jr notes- He's the Ramsiest WR in the draft.

— Daniel Jeremiah (@MoveTheSticks) February 18, 2026

Todd McShay also raved about Cooper on his podcast recently, describing him as the type of receiver the Rams tend look for in the draft.

“He’s the most consistent, reliable, toughest son of a (expletive) blocker in this class at wide receiver,” McShay said. “He’s 6-foot, maybe just shy, but his effort, his angles, his ability to sustain, the way he fights is unparalleled.”

If that doesn’t sound like a Rams receiver, what does?

View this post on Instagram

McShay aptly compared him to Jarvis Landry, but a faster version of the former LSU standout.

“It’s like wide receiver heaven because when you start – (Landry’s) one of my favorite receivers to evaluate and now I’ve got a guy who’s so similar in so many ways, and is faster,” McShay added.

A physical slot receiver who can pick up yards after the catch would greatly benefit the Rams, allowing Nacua and Adams to align outside. Cooper isn’t exclusively a slot receiver, though, despite his lack of size. He can move around, just as Cooper Kupp did and just as Nacua does.

If the Rams are looking for a wideout late in the first round or potentially on Day 2, Cooper could be their guy.

This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: NFL draft: Indiana's Omar Cooper Jr. is type of WR Rams look for

Tennessee has placed two members on the late-season watch list for the Naismith Trophy. Point guard Ja’Kobi Gillespie and wing Nate Ament both made the cut for the award, which is given to the top player in college basketball each year.

The list features 30 of the top players in the country. Tennessee was one of five schools to have multiple players on the list, joining Arizona, Kansas, UConn and Texas Tech.

The SEC placed seven on the watchlist, with Arkansas’ Darius Acuff Jr., Auburn’s Keyshawn Hall, Florida’s Thomas Haugh, Alabama’s Labaron Philon Jr., and Vanderbilt’s Tyler Tanner joining Ament and Gillespie.

Ament, who has exploded over the last few weeks, was one of 11 freshmen to make the cut. The 6-10 wing has figured things out after a rough start, averaging well over 20 points per game now. It’s all working for Ament right now — passing, shooting, getting to the foul line — this is the top five overall prospect that we heard so much about heading into the season.

Gillespie is averaging 18.1 points and 5.5 assists per game in his lone season with the Volunteers. He’s shooting 35 percent from three, playing more consistently now with Ament picking up so much of the scoring load.

The two have led Tennessee to a 19-7 overall record with a 9-4 mark in SEC play. The Volunteers are in a three-way tie for second place in the conference standings with everyone still chasing Florida.

Tennessee will try to keep it going on Saturday with a trip to Vanderbilt.

LIVIGNO, Italy (AP) — Two-time Olympic medalist Cassie Sharpe was stretchered off the halfpipe after the Canadian freeskier crashed during qualifying at the Milan Cortina Games on Thursday night.

The 33-year-old Sharpe slammed hard on her left side after landing a jump off-balance and slid face-down to the bottom of the halfpipe.

After being attended to by medical staff for several minutes, Sharpe waved while being pulled away on the stretcher.

She fell on the latter of her two qualifying runs. After her first run, she was in second place, making it likely she will become one of the top 12 skiers who get a spot in Saturday's final.

Sharpe won the gold medal in halfpipe at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games and took silver four years later in Beijing.

___

AP Winter Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics

Subscribe to Football 301 with Nate Tice

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Nate Tice & Charles McDonald join forces to answer the NFL offseason’s biggest looming questions submitted by the audience. The duo start off by diving into the New York Giants’ potential NFL Draft plans with the 5th overall pick, how the Chicago Bears can fix their defensive line and whether or not Brian Daboll is a good fit with QB Cam Ward as the new Tennessee Titans OC.

Next, Nate & Charles discuss whether or not the Los Angeles Chargers can fix their offensive line in one offseason, if the Jacksonville Jaguars defense can take a leap next season, who the Denver Broncos should be targeting in free agency (Tyler Allgeier?) and what our expectations for the 2026 Washington Commanders should look like.

Later, the two hosts wrap up with thoughts on the New England Patriots’ upcoming offseason decisions, why Sean McVay changed to a duo run game style with the Los Angeles Rams, whether Sean McDermott was really the problem with the Buffalo Bills and more.

(2:40) - Biggest offseason questions: Giants draft plans, Bears DL, Daboll & Cam Ward

(24:30) - Biggest offseason questions: Chargers OL, Jaguars defense, Broncos, Commanders

(44:15) - Biggest offseason questions: Patriots, Rams, Bills & more

(AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

🖥️ Watch this full episode on YouTube

Check out all episodes of Football 301 with Nate Tice and the rest of the Yahoo Sports podcast family at https://apple.co/3zEuTQj or at yahoosports.tv

New England Patriots wide receiver Kayshon Boutte is confident in the team's ability to bounce back after their disappointing Super Bowl LX loss to the Seattle Seahawks.

Most fans didn't even expect the Patriots to make the playoffs in their first year under head coach Mike Vrabel. Yet, they defied the odds and finished the 2025 season with a 14-3 record, tying the Denver Broncos for the best record in the NFL.

They then went through the Los Angeles Chargers, Houston Texans and Broncos to win the AFC Championship and punch their ticket to the Super Bowl. Boutte uploaded a series of images to an Instagram post that simply stated, "We'll be back."

One of the images was a clear shot at the Patriots' AFC East rivals, including the New York Jets, Miami Dolphins and Buffalo Bills.

Kayshon Boutte on his IG:

😭😭😭 pic.twitter.com/nFd7Z4nj3P

— Savage (@SavageSports_) February 18, 2026

This post probably won't make fans of the other AFC East teams happy, but the Patriots earned the right to talk after winning the division.

They should also feel great about their situation in comparison to the other teams. The Jets remain a walking disaster, and the Dolphins appear to be undergoing a foundational rebuild. Meanwhile, the Bills still have Josh Allen, but they fired their head coach and promoted their struggling general manager.

The future looks bright in New England.

Follow Patriots Wire on Twitter and Facebook.

This article originally appeared on Patriots Wire: Kayshon Boutte takes shot at AFC East, claims Patriots will 'be back'

Manchester United’s pursuit of a new winger has taken a sharp twist with a transfer expert offering three major updates on the club’s primary targets.

Flying Wingers

The Red Devils are prioritising an overhaul of the midfield unit this summer, with Casemiro set to depart and the form of Manuel Ugarte ensuring the 24-year-old may join the Brazilian through the exit door.

However, a left-winger is also high on the agenda as the departure of Ruben Amorim – along with his ‘wingerless’ 3-4-2-1 system – has reignited the need for flying wide men at Old Trafford.

United’s first-choice option to upgrade the midfield is Nottingham Forest powerhouse Elliot Anderson, who is arguably the best midfielder not playing for a top six team in England. Brighton dynamo Carlos Baleba and Crystal Palace maestro Adam Wharton are also leading contenders.

All three players are expected to cost up to £100 million, however, with United believed to want to sign two, though cheaper alternatives on the continent are also under consideration.

This leaves little room in the budget for one of Europe’s premier wing wizards, such as RB Leipzig sensation Yan Diomande – with the German club understood to be demanding as much €100m for the Ivory Coast international.

Similarly, Newcastle and England star Anthony Gordon is another winger highly-regarded at Old Trafford, with the 24-year-old’s versatility and physicality of particular interest. He is also Premier League proven – an increasingly important trait for INEOS after the success of Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo this season.

But the Magpies would demand an exorbitant price for their prized asset, particularly if it was United who came calling, given the bad blood between the two northern rivals.

A cheaper option for the left-wing could come in the form of Wolverhampton Wanderers’ breakout star, Mateus Mane. The 18-year-old trickster has been a rare bright spot in an otherwise bleak campaign at Molineux, boasting the best dribbling metrics in the division since his debut.

The fact that Wolves are seemingly destined for relegation makes the prospect of cut-price deal far more likely – an opportunity United said to already exploring after opening talks to sign the Portuguese starlet.

Manchester United’s pursuit of a new winger has taken a dramatic turn, with a transfer expert offering three major updates on the club’s primary targets.

Flying Wingers

The Red Devils are prioritising an overhaul of the midfield unit this summer, with Casemiro set to depart and the form of Manuel Ugarte ensuring that the 24-year-old may join the Brazilian through the exit door. However, a left-winger is also high on the agenda, as the departure of Ruben Amorim – along with his ‘wingerless’ 3-4-2-1 system – has reignited the need for flying wide men at Old Trafford.

United’s first-choice option to upgrade the midfield is Nottingham Forest powerhouse Elliot Anderson, who is arguably the best midfielder not playing for a top six team in England. Brighton dynamo Carlos Baleba and Crystal Palace maestro Adam Wharton are also leading contenders.

All three players are expected to cost up to £100 million; however, United are believed to want to sign two, though cheaper alternatives on the continent are also under consideration.

This leaves little room in the budget for one of Europe’s premier wing wizards, such as RB Leipzig sensation Yan Diomande – with the German club understood to be demanding as much as €100m for the Ivory Coast international, who is enjoying a stellar debut season in the Bundesliga.

Yan Diomande Stats: 2025/26 Season

Similarly, Newcastle United and England star Anthony Gordon is another winger highly regarded at Old Trafford, with the 24-year-old’s versatility and physicality of particular interest. He is also Premier League proven – an increasingly important trait for INEOS after the success of Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo this season.

But the Magpies would demand an exorbitant price for their prized asset, particularly if it was United who came calling, given the bad blood between the two northern rivals.

A cheaper option for the left wing could come in the form of Wolverhampton Wanderers’ breakout star, Mateus Mane. The 18-year-old trickster has been a rare bright spot in an otherwise bleak campaign at Molineux, boasting the best dribbling metrics in the division since his debut.

The fact that Wolves are seemingly destined for relegation makes the prospect of a cut-price deal far more likely – an opportunity United are said to already be exploring after opening talks to sign the Portuguese starlet.

Hostile Raids

Speaking to the United Stand, Ben Jacobs firmly rejects this report, however. The talkSPORT reporter instead asserts that Mane is “not a priority target” for the Red Devils and reveals internal discussions are ongoing over a swoop on St James’ Park for Gordon.

United’s hierarchy are understood to see Newcastle United’s dismal chances of securing Champions League football next year as a catalyst to launch a hostile raid in the hope of striking a reduced fee for the England international. Jacobs states the Tyneside club may be forced into a “major sale” to balance their books, with United also closely monitoring Sandro Tonali as an option in midfield.

Jacobs also corroborates a report relayed by The Peoples Person of Diomande’s prospective asking price being slashed come the summer. He reveals figures at Old Trafford believe a price “closer to €60-70m” will be sufficient to prise the 19-year-old from Leipzig’s grasp.

Final Thoughts

If United were able to agree a drastic reduction in price for either Gordon or Diomande, the possibility of adding a top-class winger alongside two of their primary targets in midfield suddenly looks a very real possibility this summer.

A front three, for example, of Diomande, Benjamin Sesko and Mbeumo, backed up by an engine room of Anderson, Baleba and Fernandes, with players like Amad, Cunha and Kobbie Mainoo waiting in the wings, would truly be a return to the top of English football for the Red Devils.

Featured image Ben Roberts Photo via Getty Images

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The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social

Featured image Ben Roberts Photo via Getty Images

online polls

The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social

Real Madrid will lock horns with Osasuna on Saturday evening as they look to earn a win at home in La Liga. Los Blancos managed to secure a narrow 1-0 victory over Benfica in the UEFA Champions League recently, which should give them some momentum ahead of this clash.

Alvaro Arbeloa will set his players up in a 4-4-2 formation and is expected to make one change to his first team for this game. Gonzalo Garcia could play from the start of this game, while Vinicius Junior gets a rest on the bench.

4-4-2 Real Madrid Predicted Lineup To Face Osasuna

Defence

Thibaut Courtois will feature in between the sticks for Los Blancos after keeping a clean sheet in his last league appearance. Dean Huijsen will operate alongside Antonio Rudiger at the centre of the Real Madrid backline as they look to keep a good shape on the defensive end of the field.

Trent Alexander-Arnold will try to prove his worth as the right-back, while Alvaro Carreras looks to put in a good performance as the left-back. Both of them will have to pick and choose their moments to join in on the attack.

Dani Carvajal and Fran Garcia will provide cover for the full-back positions on the bench.

LISBON, PORTUGAL – FEBRUARY 17: Kylian Mbappe of Real Madrid takes a throw in during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Knockout Play-off First Leg match between SL Benfica and Real Madrid C.F. at Estadio do SL Benfica on February 17, 2026 in Lisbon, Portugal. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)

Midfield

Eduardo Camavinga and Aurelien Tchouameni will operate as the holding midfielders for Los Blancos as they focus on establishing their superiority over the opposition at the centre of the park.

Arda Guler will get a chance to shine as the left-winger, while Federico Valverde hopes to produce another hard-working performance on the right flank. Both of them would try to make some overlapping runs out on the flanks.

Brahim Diaz and Dani Ceballos will make up the numbers on the bench as they await their chance to influence the game in the second 45 minutes if needed.

Attack

Kylian Mbappe and Gonzalo Garcia will lead the line for the Madrid giants in the final third. Both of them will try to get in behind the opponent’s backline at every chance they can get.

Vinicius Jr. will get a rest on the bench and might come on to make an impact in the latter stages of the game if Los Blancos are in need of a goal by then.

Atlético de Madrid host Espanyol this Saturday at the Estadio Civitas Metropolitano on Match Day 25 of the La Liga.

Atlético de Madrid currently have 45 points and lie in 4th position. In their last outing, Diego Simeone's team drew 3-3 against Club Brugge (UEFA Champions League 2025/26).

Espanyol have 35 points to their name this season and occupy 6th position in the table. In their last fixture, Manolo González's team shared the spoils 2-2 with Celta de Vigo (La Liga 2025/26).

The last meeting between the two teams ended with Espanyol winning 2-1.

Unavailable

Atlético de Madrid

• Nicolás González - Muscle Injury

Espanyol

Last starting XIs

Atlético de Madrid ( vs Club Brugge 2026-02-18): Jan Oblak, Nahuel Molina, David Hancko, Marc Pubill, Matteo Ruggeri, Marcos Llorente, Koke, Antoine Griezmann, Giuliano Simeone, Julián Álvarez, Ademola Lookman

Espanyol ( vs Celta de Vigo 2026-02-14): Marko Dmitrović, Omar El Hilali, Clemens Riedel, Leandro Cabrera, Carlos Romero, Pol Lozano, Edu Expósito, Cyril Ngonge, Charles Pickel, Pere Milla, Roberto Fernández

Did you know...by playmaker stats

MANAGERS

• Diego Simeone faced Manolo González on three occasions, registering two draws and one loss
• Manolo González faced Atlético de Madrid on three occasions, registering one win and two draws
• Diego Simeone faced Espanyol on 24 occasions, registering 12 wins, seven draws, and five losses

TEAMS

• Away from home, Espanyol comes from five consecutive games scoring goals.
• Away from home, Espanyol comes from four consecutive games conceding goals.
• Away from home, Espanyol comes from three consecutive games without a win.
• Away from home, Espanyol comes from two consecutive losses.
• Espanyol currently has one victory in the last eight games.
• Espanyol comes from four consecutive games scoring goals.
• Espanyol comes from eight consecutive games conceding goals.
• Espanyol comes from seven consecutive games without a win.
• At home, Atlético de Madrid currently has three losses in the last 18 games.
• At home, Atlético de Madrid currently has one draw in the last 18 games.
• Atlético de Madrid currently has four losses in the last 17 games.
• Atlético de Madrid comes from two consecutive games without a win.

HEAD TO HEAD

• Atlético de Madrid and Espanyol have faced each other 194 times, with Atlético de Madrid having the advantage: 98 wins, against 60 victories for Espanyol.
• At the Civitas Metropolitano Stadium, Atlético de Madrid has an advantage in clashes against Espanyol: 65 wins in 95 games. Espanyol has 11 victories.
• In the Spanish League, there have been 165 matches between the two teams, with Atlético de Madrid winning 83, 34 draws and 48 victories for Espanyol.

Former Manchester City defender Aymeric Laporte has admitted that he has only been able to realise the scale of his success at the Etihad Stadium beyond life at the club.

The 31-year-old was a cornerstone of City’s most dominant era, having joined the club in January 2018 through the activation of his then club-record £57.2 million release clause at Athletic Bilbao.

Thrust straight into action, Laporte quickly became integral to Pep Guardiola’s possession-based system thanks to his composure, distribution, and ability to progress the ball from defence.

His early months in England ended with Premier League and Carabao Cup medals, and the silverware continued to follow, as the 2018/19 campaign proved particularly memorable having featured prominently in a side that swept up every major domestic honour, even scoring a crucial header on the final day against Brighton to seal the title.

Across five-and-a-half seasons in Manchester, Laporte would lift 13 major trophies, including five Premier League titles and the club’s first UEFA Champions League crown as part of the historic 2022/23 Treble-winning side.

Now speaking during a new conversation with RMC Sport, Aymeric Laporte has reflected extensively on his time at City, and the remarkable success won with the Premier League giants, culminating in a historic Treble success.

“Honestly my Manchester City years were incredible. We didn’t realise back then, thinking it was normal, but today we realise that was exceptional,” the Spain international admitted.

He continued, “All we did and lived was magic, in spite of the ups and downs. We didn’t win all the trophies we could, we could have won a lot more, but we could have won less as well.”

“I think everyone enjoyed that time. We as players enjoyed the play style, the passion, making a Club that wasn’t the most successful grow and win a lot of titles. I won five Premier League in six years.”

Looking back on the staggering competitive rivalry with Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool in particular, Laporte said, “The atmosphere during games against Liverpool was incredible, a true rivalry.

“It was amazing to live, it was a genuine competition, we knew it was the toughest game of the season, every mistake could be detrimental, we had to be second to none to win.”

But what about some of his standout teammates from that particular iteration of Manchester City?

“Kevin de Bruyne and Sergio Aguero are wonderful, but some players like David Silva are so good. He was able to move into tight spaces, find the perfect pass and manage the tempo as well. My best centre-back teammate was Vincent Kompany,” said the 31-year-old.

Aymeric Laporte’s reflections offer a rare insight into the mentality inside Manchester City’s dressing room during one of English football’s most relentless periods of dominance.

Intense competition for places, particularly following the arrivals of Ruben Dias and the resurgence of John Stones, pushed standards even higher, while Pep Guardiola’s tactical demands ensured no complacency could creep in.

From record-breaking league campaigns to European glory, Aymeric Laporte’s time in sky blue now stands as one of the most decorated spells by a defender in the club’s history, and an era that perhaps felt routine only through how extraordinary it truly was.

Manchester City host Newcastle United at the Etihad Stadium in Saturday’s Premier League late kick-off.

City beat Fulham 3-0 at home in their last league fixture, keeping them hot on the heels of leaders Arsenal.

Newcastle recorded a 2-1 win at Tottenham Hotspur, ending their four-game winless league run.

Match preview

Man City beat Salford City 2-0 in the FA Cup last weekend, extending their unbeaten run to seven matches across all competitions.

The Cityzens have picked up 11 points in their last six league games — only three teams have managed more within that period.

City have faced Newcastle three times this season, winning two and losing one. On both occasions they won, City relied on clinical finishing rather than outright dominance.

City boast the joint-best home record in the league and will be aiming to continue their impressive home form here. A victory takes them one point adrift of Arsenal.

Newcastle thrashed Qarabag 6-1 in the Champions League knockout play-off, recording their fourth consecutive away victory across all competitions.

While they have lost to City twice already this season, they have been let down by poor decision-making at both ends, not by a lack of competitiveness.

The Magpies will try to exploit City’s high defensive line and maintain a compact defensive shape without possession.

Newcastle have lost their last 12 games at City and will be hoping to end that in Saturday’s showdown.

Team news

Man City’s Josko Gvardiol and Mateo Kovacic remain sidelined with injuries, while Jeremy Doku and Savinho are doubts.

As for Newcastle, Bruno Guimaraes, Tino Livramento, Fabian Schar, and Emil Krafth are on the treatment table. Lewis Miley, Sven Botman, and Yoanne Wissa are doubtful.

Predicted line-ups

Man City (4-2-3-1): Gianluigi Donnarumma, Rayan Ait-Nouri, Marc Guehi, Ruben Dias, Matheus Nunes, Nico O’Reilly, Rodri, Antoine Semenyo, Bernardo Silva, Rayan Cherki, Erling Braut Haaland.

Newcastle (4-2-3-1): Nick Pope, Lewis Hall, Dan Burn, Malick Thiaw, Kieran Trippier, Sandro Tonali, Joe Willock, Antony Elanga, Nick Woltemade, Harvey Barnes, Antony Gordon.

Prediction

We predict a 3-2 victory for Man City.

Stats from whoscored.com

The Juventus Women’s First Team’s European campaign came to an end on Thursday evening, with Wolfsburg scoring twice without response to claim a second-leg win in the Women’s Champions League’s playoff round. The first leg in Germany had finished 2-2.

THE MATCH REPORT

The game began well for the Bianconere, who looked to attack from the first whistle. Inside two minutes, Barbara Bonansea went close but her effort was saved without too much fuss. Chiara Beccari also tried her luck before the quarter-of-an-hour mark, having been well set up by Eva Schatzer, but again had no success.

Wolfsburg struck in the 18th minute though. A swift counterattack ended with Vivien Endemann through to face Danielle de Jong and she made no mistake in finishing past the Dutch goalkeeper.

Both Bonansea and Beccari were again involved as the Bianconere looked to level. The former teed up Cecilia Salvai, who couldn’t finish, and Beccari then found Martina Lenzini, but she was equally unsuccessful. 

Coming out for the second half in need of a goal, Salvai and Emma Stolen Godo led the charge, but again were unable to find the target. 

The Bianconere’s biggest chance came before the hour mark. A chaotic few seconds in the box saw the ball fall behind Ana Capeta and she showed great improvisation in attempting an overhead kick, which unfortunately came back off the crossbar. 

Ex-Bianconera Lineth Beerensteyn came close to a second on the end of another counterattack, but the hosts had gained some control over the game and Amalie Vangsgaard forced a good save from Stina Johannes after a Cristiana Girelli cross. 

Johannes was again alert to pull off a great save from Paulina Krumbiegel in the dying minutes.

There was time, just, for Wolfsburg to score a second with the final kick of the game through Cora Zicai, again after a quick counterattack.

Gallery | UEFA Women's Champions League | Juventus-Wolfsburg

Those Steelers fans hoping to see a reunion between Mike McCarthy and Aaron Rodgers in 2026 might not want to hold their breath, according to new reports.

This week, NFL insider Aditi Kinkhabwala stopped by 93.7 The Fan in Pittsburgh, and during her appearance on the show, she disclosed that many sources around Aaron Rodgers – who served as the starting quarterback for the Steelers last season on a one-year deal – don't foresee the legendary quarterback returning to the Steel City in 2026.

“Great NFL insider Aditi Kinkhabwala says on 93. 7 The Fan that people around Aaron Rodgers believe there’s a ‘minuscule chance’ he’s back with the Steelers in 2026,” said Andrew Fillipponi, who serves as a host with 93.7, on X. “And that’s Rodgers decision. Not the Steelers. Based on what they observed at the end of last season.”

Great NFL insider @AKinkhabwala says on @937theFan that people around Aaron Rodgers believe there's a "minuscule chance" he's back with the Steelers in 2026. And that's Rodgers decision. Not the Steelers. Based on what they observed at the end of last season.

!!! pic.twitter.com/up4RZ2jYKJ

— Andrew Fillipponi (@ThePoniExpress) February 18, 2026

Rodgers just wrapped up his 21st season in the league, and his first season with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He finished the year with his best completion percentage (65.7%) since the 2021 season, and passed for 3,322 yards, 24 touchdowns, and seven interceptions during the regular season.

Reports indicated that, following the season's end, Rodgers had no interest in returning to the Steelers, but that was before the hiring of new head coach Mike McCarthy. McCarthy was the head coach for much of the gunslinger's tenure with the Green Bay Packers, and the duo captured Super Bowl XLV for the Packers in 2010.

This article originally appeared on Touchdown Wire: Latest update on Aaron Rodgers spells bad news for the Steelers

Tom Brady is looking to watch some history at the 2026 Winter Olympics on Thursday.

The seven-time Super Bowl champion is in attendance inside Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena for Thursday's women's hockey gold medal game between the United States and Canada, where he's taking the game in with a few legends in Billie Jean King and Mark Messier.

"Cheering on the incredible talent in Women's Hockey Gold Medal Game with some friends who know a thing or two about sports," Billie Jean King wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

Cheering on the incredible talent in the Women's Hockey Gold Medal Game with some friends who know a thing or two about sports.#Olympics2026@TomBradypic.twitter.com/8SEkKamD0e

— Billie Jean King (@BillieJeanKing) February 19, 2026

REQUIRED READING: USA faces Canada for Olympic women's hockey gold medal: Live updates

Brady was also shown on NBC's broadcast during the second period in a suite box talking to Mike Eruzione, the captain of the USA men's hockey "Miracle on Ice" team that beat the Soviet Union on their way to an Olympic gold medal at the 1980 Lake Placid Winter Olympics.

Thursday's women's hockey game is the second known event that the former New England Patriot and Tampa Bay Buccaneer quarterback has been spotted at during the 2026 Winter Olympics, as he was at figure skating earlier in the Winter Games.

Brady is one of several "decorated athletes" who reached out to U.S. figure skating star Illia Malinin after the "Quad God" lost out on an Olympic medal in the men's singles event following a disappointing and disastrous free skate performance.

The United States is currently trailing 1-0 after the second period in Thursday's medal game, at the time of this writing. Team USA is looking to win its third Olympic gold medal in history, and second since the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang.

The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Tom Brady at US women's hockey gold medal game with Billie Jean King

Vítor Pereira made an impact in his first game in charge, leading Nottingham Forest to a 3-0 victory at Fenerbahçe in the first leg of their Europa League playoff on Thursday.

Defender Murillo, forward Igor Jesus and captain Morgan Gibbs-White scored a goal apiece to put Forest in command ahead of the second leg at the City Ground.

In Thessaloniki, PAOK was beaten 2-1 by Celta Vigo on goals from Iago Aspas and Williot Swedberg in a rematch of the Greek side’s 3-1 loss to the Spanish team in the league phase.

Zakaria El Ouahdi scored twice and Bryan Heynen added one for visiting Genk in a 3-1 victory against Dinamo in Zagreb.

In Norway, Argentine forward Santiago Castro scored the winner for Bologna from a tight angle to secure a 1-0 victory over Brann.

Among late games, Celtic was in action against Stuttgart and Lille faced Red Star Belgrade.

Like in the Champions League, the top eight finishers in the league phase advanced automatically to the last 16. The teams placed from nine to 24 entered a two-leg playoff.

The second leg is scheduled for next Thursday.

Pereira’s promising debut

Pereira became struggling Nottingham Forest’s fourth coach of a turbulent season only on Sunday, replacing Sean Dyche, who was fired after being in charge for just 114 days.

This was his first game in charge ahead of hosting defending champion Liverpool on Sunday as Forest is 17th in the Premier League and one place above the relegation zone.

Murillo received a pass from Elliot Anderson and unleashed a fierce shot from outside the area which slightly deflected off defender Milan Škriniar before finding the bottom right corner of the net in the 21st.

Jesus doubled the lead with a header shortly before halftime off a corner kick with his seventh goal of the campaign.

The Brazil forward then set up the third in the second half for Gibbs-White.

Pereira is in his second coaching job of the season. In November, he was fired by Wolverhampton Wanderers after a winless start to the Premier League season.

Crystal Palace held

Crystal Palace had to settle for a 1-1 draw away at Zrinjski Mostar in Bosnia in the third-tier Conference League. Ismaïla Sarr gave the Premier League side a 1-0 lead but Karlo Abramović salvaged a draw for the Bosnian champion.

___

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

The next generation of Olympians is already making headlines.

At the 2026 Winter Olympics, family members from all over the world have flown in to cheer on their athlete parents as they take to the snow and ice — even the little ones. Several kids have created some "aww"-inducing moments with their antics in the stands or in the arms of their parents.

Ahead, see the sweetest family moments throughout the winter games.

01 of 08

Yannick Schwaller and Briar Schwaller-Huerlimann with Son River

Curling mixed doubles pair Yannick Schwaller and Briar Schwaller-Huerlimann's son River went viral after he picked up his mother's broom.

"I got my son after the game, cuddled him, he wanted to get down pretty quickly. He saw the curling broom, took it and held it like a rock star and threw off the whole entire show," Schwaller Huerlimann told Reuters. "I guess he's known as the curling baby now!"

02 of 08

Elana Meyers Taylor with Her Son

Following her gold medal win in women's monobob, making her the oldest victor in any Winter Olympics individual event as well as tied (with Bonnie Blair) for the most-decorated U.S. female winter Olympian, Elana Meyers Taylor signed "Mommy won!" to her sons Nico, 5, and Noah, 3, who are both deaf.

"They're tired, and they're exhausted, and they just want to go home and play and everything like that — even tonight, it was a late night for them, so just having them there meant so much to me,” the Olympian told NBC.

Parents everywhere also cheered when Meyers Taylor thanked her entire support system — and that included the childcare that helped her achieve the gold. “It took so many people to be here,” she said tearfully. “It took so much work for everybody. My husband. My kids. My nanny Macy. My nannies along the way. My parents. Everybody. I’m just so grateful right now.”

03 of 08

Kaillie Armbruster Humphries with Her Son Aulden

Meyers Taylor's fellow Team USA bobsledder Kaillie Humphries also had her son Aulden, 20 months, on hand o celebrate her bronze medal.

"Having my son, having that side of my goals and dreams complete, being able to be a mom, just gives me this whole other superpower," she told NBC ahead of the games.

04 of 08

Francesca Lollobrigida with Her Son

Italy's Francesca Lollobrigida shared her record-breaking gold medal win with her two-year-old son Tommaso, who later interrupted her post-race interview in a clip that has since garnered 3.5 million views on X.

“It’s not that easy to combine being a skater and a mom," the Olympic speed skater said in the interview, as Tommaso attempted to grab her mic and her medal, per The Athletic. “This (medal) is for myself, the people who believed in me, and the people who said, ‘Maybe she can’t do it, you know?’ They gave me the power to prove myself,” she added.

05 of 08

Mikael Kingsbury, Ikuma Horishima and Matt Graham with Their Families

Three dads stood on the podium of the men's dual moguls competition: Canada's Mikael Kingsbury, Japan's Ikuma Horishima and Australia's Matt Graham. The medalists came together for a group photo with their babies and partners.

06 of 08

Caroline Ouellette with Her Wife Julie and Daughters

Ahead of their match against Team USA in the final, Canadian hockey coach Caroline Ouellette (a multiple-time Olympic medalist for Team Canada) received a visit in Milan from her wife, former hockey player Julie Chu (herself an Olympic medalist for Team USA), and their two daughters, Liv, 8, and Tessa, 5.

07 of 08

Kendall Coyne Schofield with Her Son

Before Team USA's match against Sweden, Kendall Coyne Schofield shared a touching moment with her son Drew. Earlier in the week, Drew became known as "puck kid" after he caught a puck that flew into the stands.

08 of 08

Sarah Schleper with Lasse Gaxiola

Eighteen-year-old Lasse Gaxiola made his Olympic debut as an alpine ski racer, representing Team Mexico alongside his mother, seven-time Olympian Sarah Schleper. They are the first mother-son duo in Olympics history to compete in the same year.

Though Schleper finished last in the women's super-G, she told reporters, per NBC: “Racing with your son, I guess that’s better than a gold medal.”

Read the original article on People

On Wednesday, the news was revealed that the Miami Dolphins have had discussions with a number of other NFL teams about a possible trade for three-time All-Pro safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, and that they are willing to ship him off to a new home for the right price.

Fitzpatrick, who finished last season with 82 tackles, six pass deflections, and one interception, will surely be a hot commodity if the Dolphins are set to move him. Let's take a look at a few possible destinations for the star safety.

BREAKING: The Dolphins have had trade talks with teams about All-Pro S Minkah Fitzpatrick and are willing to move him for the right price 🚨

Fitzpatrick, 29, recorded 82 total tackles, 59 solo, 1 INT, 1 FF, and 2 FR and 6 PBUs this season.

(via @Schultz_Report) pic.twitter.com/hdxuq48ZjS

— Football Forever (@fballforeverhq) February 18, 2026

Potential trade destinations for Minkah Fitzpatrick

Dallas Cowboys - Before the Cowboys acquired Quinnen Williams and Logan Wilson for their defense last year, they were very interested in trading for Fitzpatrick. Now, another opportunity has arisen. Cornerback is a higher priority than safety for Dallas at the moment, but their safety room could also use work. Financials would be a problem if Fitzpatrick was a free agent, but a trade could make it work.

Chicago Bears - The Bears are set to see Jaquan Brisker and Kevin Byard become unrestricted free agents this offseason, and the franchise will likely only be able to retain one. Even with both, the secondary could use an elite veteran presence like Fitzpatrick if they want to take the next step towards an NFC Championship contender, and he could be the first move towards solidifying the Bears' defense.

Kansas City Chiefs - The Chiefs took a massive hit last offseason, losing Justin Reid, and are set to lose another veteran, Bryan Cook, this year. The position group is at its weakest in years for the franchise, and they are expected to target Caleb Downs in the NFL Draft this year, potentially. But the boost provided by a player like Fitzpatrick would be invaluable as the Chiefs look to return to the playoffs after missing the postseason for the first time in over a decade.

This article originally appeared on Touchdown Wire: Dolphins look to trade All-Pro safety: Exploring possible destinations

MILAN — Jordan Stolz had us spoiled.

By cruising to Olympic gold in the 500 meters and 1,000 meters, setting Olympic records in the process, he made this quest for history at the 2026 Winter Olympics look easy. Of course he could win the 1,500 meters and then the mass start, giving him four golds at a single Games, something no one but Eric Heiden has done.

But this was never going to be easy. It's not supposed to be. 

"I think two gold medals in itself is already a huge accomplishment, and silver's not bad," Stolz said after finishing second to China's Ning Zhongyan, who blazed to gold in an Olympic record 1:41.98. "To be able to have three medals is super cool.

"The pressure, with expecting four gold medals, that's not something I was thinking about too much. I was just focusing on my races and what I could do and what I could control. Today Ning had the better race. He was super good. I couldn't beat him."

Stolz had been unbeatable at the 1,500 meters this season, winning all five World Cup races. But that doesn't get you a head start at the Olympics. You don't get a couple of seconds shaved off your time because you won the World Cup season title.

Stolz has been the guy everyone wants to beat for three years now. While he was focusing on his own races, everyone else was focusing on him. The thought of him was what drove his competitors do that extra training session, to spend that extra hour in the gym.

It is one thing to win an Olympic gold medal. It's even better when you can do it by taking down the best of the best.

"I was never expecting that I could win the gold medal today. During the whole season, I never beat Jordan," Ning said, incredulous. "I still can’t believe I won the race today. After he finished his race, I couldn’t believe that I beat him. I was finally on top of the mountain."

And make no mistake, Stolz did not lose this race. Ning won it.

Skating two pairs before Stolz and matched with Kjeld Nuis, the defending Olympic champion and world record holder, Ning made his way around the rink as if he was powered by rocket fuel. He did his first lap in 22.99, a blistering pace.

When he finished, he'd eclipsed an Olympic record that was all of about five minutes old, set by Joep Wennemars of the Netherlands.

Stolz thought he could beat Ning, but only if he had a perfect race. When he saw he'd done a 25.4 in his first lap, however, he knew beating Ning was going to be "pretty difficult." Stolz was able to make up some ground, shaving almost 0.6 seconds off the gap in the last lap.

But it wasn't enough.

"I started to die off a little bit. I just couldn’t hold it to the finish to beat his time," Stolz said. "Maybe I could do better than that time on my best day. I think Ning had the race of his life, and he definitely earned it today."

That's how the Olympics goes. The best people don't always win. Often enough, as Stolz did in the 500 meters and the 1,000 meters. But time and again at these Games alone we've seen the favorite hasn't been the one standing atop the podium, for a variety of reasons.

For Stolz to maintain his peak for four races over a 10-day span, to hold off the pack at four different distances, well, there's a reason no one's come close to doing what Heiden did at the 1980 Olympics in Lake Placid, when he won five golds.

"It probably will never happen again," Stolz said. "I mean, five gold medals is insane."

And it's not because of the pressure.

Because he's been so dominant and because of the possibility of winning four golds, Stolz is one of the faces of these Games. He's in commercials and now has a laundry list of sponsors. But if there's anyone built to be impervious to that kind of pressure, it's Stolz.

Though he is only 21, he is about as even-keeled as they come. The next time he's ruffled will be the first.

Was he disappointed not to win? Of course. He's human, and he had to choke back some emotions as he stood on the medals podium.

But he is also sensible enough to know why he didn't win. And to be happy for Ning that he did.

"He tries really hard. He's always trying to be on the podium and now he was able to win, so that's super cool for him," Stolz said.

To think Stolz was going to waltz off with four gold medals wasn't just naive, it did a disservice to his competitors.

Ning, Stolz, Nuis and Wennemars — they all skated faster than the time Nuis did four years ago in setting what had been the Olympic record when the night began. This wasn't just a race, it was a heavyweight fight. Nine times out of 10, Stolz would win it.

But that's what makes the Olympics so compelling. Nothing is going to come easy, even for Jordan Stolz.

Get our Chasing Gold Olympics newsletter in your inbox for coverage of your favorite Team USA athletes

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Jordan Stolz's silver reminder Olympics aren't supposed to be easy

NEED TO KNOW

• Amber Glenn scored a redemptive 147.52 in her free skate in the women's final on Feb. 19
• Glenn pumped her fist with pride after finishing her performance
• The figure skater bounced back from a disappointing short program performance

Amber Glenn bounced back from a disappointing short program with a confident, redemptive free skate in the women's skating finals at the 2026 Winter Olympics.

Glenn, 26, broke down in tears upon finishing her short program on Feb. 17, as she failed to complete her triple axel, a required element. But two days later, she put her best foot forward, scoring an impressive 147.52 and putting her in first place at the Milano Ice Skating Arena in Italy on Thursday, Feb. 19.

Glenn was pleased with herself upon completing her performance, as she pumped her fist with pride before skating off into the kiss and cry. As she awaited her score, she shared a message to "everyone at home."

"Thank you for staying with me, believing in me," she told the camera. "I love you, and I'm gonna keep saying what I need to say."

She also told the audience that she "didn't fall at the Olympics."

Glenn is currently sitting in first place with 12 skaters to go, and will wait to see if she has a shot at a medal.

After Glenn's skate in the short program, the athlete took to social media to tell fans she was "coping well" in the aftermath.

"Landing my highest scoring 3Axel,” she wrote over a video that featured herself celebrating, then quickly switching up her mood to frustration. “Messing up the last jump and getting it invalidated.”

“I'm coping well thanks for asking 🤪” Glenn captioned the TikTok.

She also shared an adorable image of a dog wearing a baseball cap with an inspirational message to her Instagram Stories after her first skate.

“The world has ended for me many times and yet tomorrow still comes. Keep going,” the post read.

Glenn previously won a gold medal earlier in the Games as part of the team skating event alongside teammates like Alysa Liu and Ilia Malinin.

Malinin, 21, was in the audience during the short program, and one day later, he told PEOPLE he spoke to Glenn afterward to offer some words of support. "I've told her that, you know, this is something that we all go through," said Malinin, who also came up short of expectations in the single skate on Feb. 13.

"It's, you know, it's not always a pleasant feeling," Malinin continued, "but it's something that we need to embrace and we have to move on from no matter what, because no matter what happens, we always have to get up and go do it again."

Liu, 20, watched Glenn's first skate from the media mixed zone on Feb. 17 and spoke to reporters about her teammate, saying, “She’s gone through so much and she works so friggen’ hard, like genuinely, such a hard worker and she’s overcome a lot. I just want her to be happy. That’s genuinely all I want. And so I’ll be seeing her later, don’t worry guys. We’ll stick together.”

To learn more about all the Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls, come to people.com to check out ongoing coverage before, during and after the games. Watch the Milan Cortina Olympics and Paralympics, beginning Feb. 6, on NBC and Peacock.

Read the original article on People

Klint Kubiak has been busy this week filling out his first coaching staff with the Las Vegas Raiders, and has people in place for all three coordinator positions by hiring Andrew Janocko (offense) and Joe DeCamillis (special teams) while promoting Rob Leonard (defense). Kubiak has also hired a few position coaches, the NFL’s franchise tag window opened on Tuesday and the combine is next week, giving us plenty to talk about for this week’s mailbag.

As always, anything Raiders-related is on the table and fire away with anything that’s on your mind. Send your questions my way by either dropping a comment in the comments section below, tweeting at me (@MHolder95) or via email at SBPQuestions1@gmail.com. I’ll follow up with another column in the coming days.

If you don’t have a commenting account already, you’ll need to create one but the steps are pretty easy and it’s a seamless process. Also, we have full-time moderators to enforce the Community Guidelines. 

2026 Premier League Darts Night 3 Glasgow live results, scores and schedule: Bunting and Rock remain winless originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

After an early 140 finish from Josh Rock, Luke Humphries virtually had control of the rest of the match, going on to win 6-2.

Night 3 of the 2026 Premier League of Darts takes place in Glasgow, one of two cities in Scotland that host a PL week this year.

Unfortunately, we won't see Michael van Gerwen take on Luke Littler in the quarterfinals, as he was forced to withdraw due to illness, but we have six exciting games still to be played on Thursday.

2026 Premier League Darts Night 3 results, scores and schedule

Here is the schedule and the results from Night 3 of the 2026 PL.

MORE: 2026 Premier League Darts Night 3 draw, match predictions and 3 storylines to watch in Glasgow

Quarterfinals

MORE: 2026 Premier League Darts schedule, scores, results and updated table

Semifinals

MORE: 2026 Premier League Darts prize money explained

Final

More darts articles:

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• PDC announces darts schedule for 2026: World Championship, Premier League and more
• Ranking the best PDC Darts moments from 2025: 9-darters to shocking upsets
• 7 darts players who could be in Premier League Darts one day
• 2026 Premier League of Darts: Get to know the 8 participants
• 2026 Poland Darts Open: Draw, schedule, prize money and format explained

Pistons urged to steal Lakers' $53 million breakout star, NBA Cup champion originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Despite losing sharpshooting wing Malik Beasley in the offseason, the Detroit Pistons have successfully built on the successful 2024-25 campaign. 

The Pistons, led by star point guard Cade Cunningham, boast a 40-13 record, which is best in the Eastern Conference through 53 games. If Detroit doesn’t perform well under the bright lights, though, they’ll likely look to make significant adjustments to the roster in the offseason.

Piston Powered’s Aaron Kellerstrass believes that one of the adjustments could be stealing the Los Angeles Lakers’ 6-foot-5 breakout star and NBA Cup champion.

“(Austin) Reaves has averaged 25 points and six assists this season on strong shooting splits, so he’d be a nice fit,” Kellerstrass wrote Thursday.

“Getting him is a different story, though, as Reaves will be seeking a max deal that pays upwards of $35-40 million per season. The Pistons aren’t likely to have that kind of cap space to use, and even if they did, they would have to think twice about it with Ausar Thompson due for a raise in the offseason after this one.”

“It would take some roster moves for the Pistons to pull it off, so it’s a long shot, but one that can’t be ruled out, especially if Trajan Langdon decides another scorer is the final piece to winning a title.”

Things could get interesting if Reaves declines his $14 million player option in free agency. The Pistons are definitely a franchise that could appeal to the Oklahoma product. 

Like the Lakers, the Pistons have an established point guard who has proven he deserves high praise (Cunningham is averaging 25.3 points, 9.6 assists, and 5.6 rebounds per game this season). 

The Pistons also have a solid foundation and are trending upward after finishing with an abysmal 14-68 record in 2023-24. Adding Reaves, a dynamic ball-handler and shot creator, would almost certainly put Detroit over the top and give them every reason to be excited about the foreseeable future.

At the end of the day, it’ll all depend on which direction Reaves goes in with his player option.

More NBA: Lakers urged to finally cut ties with $101 million four-time NBA champion, 22-time All-Star

With the knockout phase of all three European competitions having started this week, how is the race for the extra places in the Champions League shaping up?

The two nations which perform best across the Champions League, Europa League and Conference League this season will be handed European Performance Spots (EPS) by Uefa.

That means fifth place in the Premier League table could go from being a Europa League place to a ticket into the Champions League - Newcastle benefited this way last season.

But will an English club get that reward again?

How do European Performance Spots work?

To work out who are the successful nations, Uefa takes into consideration the overall performance of clubs in the Champions League, Europa League and Conference League.

It creates an average by taking the total coefficient score and dividing it by the number of clubs each league has in European competition.

So, the Premier League has a total score of 188.625 this season. Divide that by nine clubs and you get an average of 20.958.

The top two leaguesin the table get an extra place in the Champions League.

Each win - regardless of the competition - is worth two coefficient points, with a draw worth one.

The key differential is in bonus points awarded based on clubs' finishing positions in the league phase and knockout rounds, as these are much higher in the Champions League.

By way of an example, the teams that finish 25th-36th in the Champions League got six bonus points - even though they were eliminated.

Yet the team who finished top of the Conference League table - Strasbourg - received just four points.

Bonus points for progressing through the knockout rounds are also weighted. In the Champions League it is 1.5, Europa League 1, and Conference League 0.5.

This means it is almost certain that one of the top European leagues will get the extra places each season because they have more clubs in the Champions League.

With all bonus points now dished out, the table is taking shape.

What does the table look like?

ENGLAND

England is the only country to still have all teams active - and there are nine of them.

It will be very hard for England to throw it away after bagging 72.50 bonus points from the Champions League final placings.

But nothing should be completely taken for granted, as England seemed destined to get an EPS slot in 2023-24 only to suffer a terrible set of results in the quarter-finals.

England can consolidate its position with results in the knockout play-off rounds. It has three teams active, while only Italy (five) of the major European leagues has more.

Newcastle are well-placed to make the last 16 of the Champions League after winning 6-1 at Qarabag.

Nottingham Forest are in a strong position after winning 3-0 at Fenerbache, while Crystal Palace drew 1-1 away to Zrinjski Mostar.

As a picture of how far England is ahead, Portuguese clubs are effectively 13 wins behind, for German sides it is 17 wins. Then for the Italian teams it is 20 victories and for the Spanish clubs 22.

GERMANY

Only Eintracht Frankfurt have been eliminated, so the Bundesliga is well placed to take an EPS slot alongside England.

Borussia Dortmund beat Atalanta in the Champions League knockout play-off round first leg. Bayer Leverkusen won 2-0 at Olympiakos, and that took Germany back into second place.

Stuttgart could pick up more coefficient points on Thursday.

Germany's chances are hampered by the bracket. If Leverkusen and Dortmund get through one of them must meet Bayern Munich in the last 16.

PORTUGAL

Portugal did not seem to really stand a realistic chance of making the top two after Santa Clara were knocked out out of the Conference League in the qualifying rounds.

Still, it moves into the knockouts with four teams active but will need all to go very deep to have any chance.

Only Benfica can add coefficient points in February and they lost the first leg at home to Real Madrid in the Champions League.

Even if Benfica pull off another surprise and knock out the La Liga giants, Portugal is likely to drop down the table. Other leagues have more teams in action.

SPAIN

With eight teams in Europe, Spain needed to have a strong campaign.

Chances were severely damaged by Villarreal and Athletic Club's Champions League elimination.

While Spain have six teams still active, each win is worth less to the coefficient than those of their rivals for second place.

La Liga does have three teams in action in February: Atletico Madrid, Real Madrid and Celta Vigo.

Real Madrid won away to Benfica to put themselves into a strong position for the last 16 and Atletico Madrid drew at Club Brugge, while Celta Vigo won 2-1 away to PAOK.

ITALY

Serie A had a slow start but it remains in contention despite losing Napoli from the Champions League.

With Italy having five teams in action in February there is the potential to significantly boost its score.

However, Atalanta, Juventus and Inter Milan all lost the first legs of their Champions League ties.

Bologna won 1-0 at Brann, while Fiorentina are also in the knockout play-offs.

POLAND

It will come as a surprise to many to find Poland so high up in the table, and that it was in the top two for a while. But Poland will not be here for long.

All four of the country's teams have been playing in the Conference League, while over a third of its points were picked up in the qualifying rounds.

At least the remaining trio are potentially at opposite ends of the Conference League bracket.

FRANCE

It has been a disappointing season for Ligue 1 teams, starting with Nice's failure to make it through Champions League qualifying.

It has not got much better from there for Nice, as they were theneliminated from the Europa League.

Lille, Monaco and Paris St-Germain will feature in the play-offs.

France's chances have been further reduced by Monaco and PSG drawing each other.

GREECE

Greece still has four teams active but is a long way behind the top two slots.

All of its teams will play in February to boost the score, but Olympiakos lost at home to Bayer Leverkusen and PAOK were beaten by Celta Vigo.

CYPRUS

Another surprise name on the list, boosted by Pafos reaching the Champions League for the first time.

But with only two teams still active, and both in the Conference League, Cyprus is not a contender.

DENMARK

Only FC Midtjylland remain, and Denmark is now mathematically out of contention.

• Champions League Debrief: Five English clubs through
• Why have English teams dominated as Real & PSG face play-offs?
• How much do teams earn for reaching Champions League knockouts?

What are the key future dates?

Last season, the Premier League's extra place in the Champions League was confirmed on 8 April.

Such has been the high level of English clubs' performance in the top competition this season that it could come earlier this time.

Here are some key dates for the diary:

24-26 February: Knockout play-off round second legs are played for all three competitions which will result in 24 more teams being eliminated.

27 February: Draws are held to place the top eight teams in each competition into the knockout bracket. This is very important as it creates the full path and determines each league's maximum coefficient score. It sets out potential meetings of clubs from the same league, or rival leagues for an extra Champions League place.

17-19 March: Second-leg ties for the round of 16 take place in each competition, with another 24 teams knocked out.

14-16 April: Quarter-final ties are completed. It is possible that the extra places will be confirmed.

5-7 May: Semi-final second legs take place, with the finals being held at the end of the month.

• Latest Champions League table
• Champions League scores & fixtures
• Follow the latest Champions League news

How does the Premier League race for Champions League places look?

Premier League leaders Arsenal (57 points) are four points ahead of Manchester City (53) with Aston Villa (50) in third.

Manchester United (45) are currently fourth and, right now, the extra place in the Champions League would go to fifth-placed Chelsea (44). Liverpool are in sixth place (42).

There are just four points between Chelsea and seventh-placed Brentford - so we could end up with a race for the prize of finishing fifth.

This article is the latest from BBC Sport's Ask Me Anything team.

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Europa League: Celtic's play-off tie with Stuttgart resumes after protest

ESPN is doubling down on women's sports with programming focused on the WNBA and NWSL.

On Thursday, the network announced plans to launch "Women's Sports Sundays." The weekly program is a first-of-its-kind franchise that will feature WNBA and NWSL matchups, highlight top stars, hone in on big moments, rivalries and more.

“Women’s sports are experiencing continued momentum, and 'Women’s Sports Sundays' is ESPN’s next step in meeting that demand,” Rosalyn Durant, ESPN executive vice president, programming and acquisitions, said via release.

“This franchise is about more than showcasing games — it’s about building a consistent, high-profile destination that reflects the passion, excellence and cultural impact of women’s sports today, while giving athletes and leagues the stage they deserve.”

“Sunday is a day of the week when we see a ton of our best women’s sports programming, and we will have events outside of our primetime window,” said Susie Piotrkowski, vice president of women’s sports programming and espnW.

ESPN will launch its women's sports-focused programming over nine consecutive weeks including 12 games. Details, including matchups and assigned talent for "Women’s Sports Sundays," will be announced at a later date.

"Women's Sports Sundays" debuts in Summer 2026.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: ESPN to start 'Women's Sports Sundays' highlighting WNBA, NWSL in 2026

The Chicago Bears concluded their 2025 season, where they finished with an 11-6 record, an NFC North title and their first playoff win in 15 years under first-year head coach Ben Johnson. And there's no denying that the future is incredibly bright.

Over the next couple of weeks, we'll be counting down our 15 Most Impactful Bears from the 2025 season, which features plenty of young talent that made huge contributions in Chicago's magical season. We'll recap their 2025 season and look ahead to how they factor into 2026. There were plenty of top talent to highlight this season, which made for difficult decisions when narrowing the field to just 15 players and/or coaches.

We continue at No. 13 with a standout rookie in wide receiver Luther Burden III, whose full potential wasn't realized or utilized in his first season. But, when he was involved, Burden showed that he could be a big-time playmaker for the Bears offense in the future.

The Basics

• Position: Wide receiver
• Age: 22
• Experience: 1st season
• 2025 cap hit: $1.99 million

2025 stats

• 47 catches, 60 targets, 652 yards, 2 touchdowns
• 6 rushes, 37 yards

2025 recap

Luther Burden III wasn't part of the plan heading into the pre-draft process, but he fell right into the waiting arms of Ben Johnson and the Bears at 39th overall. Now, Burden is looking like one of the biggest steals of the 2025 draft class after a modest but promising rookie season in Chicago. After suffering an injury during rookie minicamp that slowed him down, Burden immediately showcased his playmaking potential during training camp and preseason. But it came to fruition for the first time in Week 3 against the Dallas Cowboys, where he caught all three targets for 101 yards and a touchdown, including a 65-yard flea-flicker touchdown from quarterback Caleb Williams. While there were a lot of mouths to feed on offense, Burden got an opportunity to step up with Rome Odunze being sidelined with a foot injury. Burden's best game of the season came in a Week 17 shootout against the San Francisco 49ers, where he caught eight passes (on nine targets) for 138 yards and a score. While Burden's impact wasn't as big as his rookie counterpart Colston Loveland, it's clear that Burden has the potential to be a breakout star in Year 2 in this Ben Johnson-led offense.

2026 outlook

The Bears offense will enter its second season in Ben Johnson's scheme, which means a better understanding for their returning crop of characters. The only player whose future is in question at this point is receiver DJ Moore, whose $28.5 million salary cap hit could make him expendable. If that's the case, it indicates Chicago's confidence in their duo of young wideouts in Burden and Rome Odunze, along with tight ends Colston Loveland and Cole Kmet. Regardless of what happens with Moore, Burden is expected to be featured prominently in his second season after showcasing his amazing potential in the downfield passing game and his overall versatility and playmaking ability. There were times when Burden looked like he could develop into the Bears' WR1, especially with Odunze struggling with drops and an injury down the line last season. Another offseason to work in Johnson's offense and progress as a young player, Burden has the potential to be Chicago's breakout player in 2026.

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This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Most Impactful Bears of 2025: No. 13 Luther Burden III

All the talk of the town right now is Bayern Munich’s Jonas Urbig. An interesting winter signing from FC Köln last year was quietly become one of Bayern’s most important signings in recent years. With Neuer sidelined for the next few weeks, the young German goalkeeper has a massive opportunity to present himself as Bayern’s future #1, and possibly propel himself into a World Cup roster under Julian Nagelsmann.

As great as Urbig is, there is another goalkeeper in the Bavarian ranks earning some praise as well. Leonard Prescott, a 16 year old goalkeeper in Bayern Munich’s academy is making serious waves. Prescott is currently starting with Germany’s U-17 team and has impressed the club so far with his performances.

Prescott is primarily playing with Bayern’s U-19 team, but if Manuel Neuer were to retire and hand off the reins to Urbig, it is not hard to imagine a world where Prescott is backing up Urbig in the upcoming years. With both Neuer and Nübel’s futures uncertain, it is hard to anticipate what the goalkeeping depth chart will be for Bayern, but there are clearly plenty of options. Not a bad problem to have.

Should Bayern Munich trust its youth or let the experienced Neuer and Nübel have more time leading the charge? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!

Check out the best images from Thursday’s training at the CFA.

Men's Team

Stones hails supporters on Official Man City Podcast

The City squad were getting ready for the visit of Newcastle in the Premier League on Saturday at 20:00 (UK).

After a rare midweek off, the focus switches back to the title race with the opportunity of closing the gap at the top to two points.

Newcastle stand in the way as we face Eddie Howe’s side for a fourth time this season after clinching a place in the Carabao Cup final with a win in both of the two semi-final legs.

A fifth encounter will follow in the FA Cup next month but thoughts are lasered on our next match against the Magpies.

And the City squad were putting in the hard work for what will be another huge test at the Etihad Stadium.

View the best pictures from training into today’s gallery below…

Earlier this week, we got the sad news that former basketball player and coach Doug Moe passed away at the age of 87. Moe is probably best known as the coach of several NBA teams, most notably the Denver Nuggets in the 1980s. His Denver teams played a remarkably fast paced, motion offense, regularly scoring more than 120+ points per game. He was a fairly successful coach too, as his teams made the playoffs in nine of the 10 years he was in Denver, advancing to the conference finals in 1985.

Long before his coaching career, Moe was a player. In fact, he was a player at UNC who seemed to be on his way to great things before circumstances got in the way.

Moe came out of Brooklyn, he was part of the Frank McGuire/NYC pipeline, and began playing for the Tar Heels in the 1958-59 season. He fully broke out the following year, averaging a double double with 16.8 points and a team-leading 11.3 rebounds per game. Finally in 1960-61, he put up a remarkable 20.4 points and 14.0 rebounds a game, for which he was voted an All-American by several of the different voting bodies that hand out that honor.

However, later it was revealed that prior to the 1960-61 season, he had accepted $75 to take a meeting with some people who were looking to fix games. Unlike teammate Lou Brown, who set up the meeting, Moe was never implicated for anything beyond taking the meeting, never mind throwing games, but the damage was done. He was suspended from the university, and the resulting scandal led to McGuire losing his coaching gig at UNC. That, of course, led to Dean Smith getting the gig, so that worked out at least.

Meanwhile, Moe himself got blackballed from the NBA for his part, leading to him spending his playing career in the ABA. He got his start in coaching there as well, eventually coming over to the NBA following the merger. After his Nuggets’ stint, his last head coaching gig came with the 76ers in 1992-93. He mostly walked away from coaching after that, but did later return to the Nuggets as a consultant and assistant coach.

The way his UNC tenure ended makes things a little awkward for the school itself to celebrate him too much. However, Doug Moe was a very good basketball player for the Tar Heels, and that shouldn’t be forgotten.

Over the past few months, Real Madrid have been very active in strengthening their youth and reserve ranks with multiple new additions.

A number of exciting young Spanish prospects have already signed and more are expected to be on the way, including Atletico Madrid’s towering young defender Aimar Garcia.

Real Madrid want Owen Mira

Now, according to ESPN (h/t Mundo Deportivo), Real Madrid have set their sights on a move for Granada academy gem Owen Mira Chukwuemeka, a.k.a, Owen Emeka.

Born in 2009, the youngster is a right-footed winger, who plays on the left flank, and bears some physical resemblance to Real Madrid midfield superstar Jude Bellingham.

Having joined the Granada youth academy after spending time at Tiro Pichon, Mira has grown into an important player for the club’s Juvenil A setup, impressing in the Division de Honor and the Copa del Rey.

At the same time, the 16-year-old winger has already broken into Granada’s reserve team which plays in the RFEF Tercara Division and has featured regularly.

The teenage forward has also trained sporadically with the first-team squad, indicating the potential he possesses.

A number of other clubs are also understood to be showing an interest in Mira, which is why Real Madrid could move to close the deal quickly for his signing at the end of the season.

Anthony Joshua could return to the ring sooner than expected, after the boxing star was involved in a fatal car crash in December.

Just days after Joshua knocked out Jake Paul, beating the influencer in six rounds, he suffered injuries as a passenger in a car accident in Nigeria. The crash claimed the lives of two of Joshua’s teammates: Sina Ghami and Latif “Latz” Ayodele.

In the fallout of that accident, Joshua’s fighting future has been up in the air, with some fans questioning whether the former world heavyweight champion would box again.

However, “AJ” was soon back to training, and now his promoter has suggested that a competitive return could come as soon as July.

“Look, originally the plan with AJ was for him to fight in March, and then fight Tyson Fury in August,” Eddie Hearn told Boxing Scene on Thursday. “That’s not happening, he’s not fighting Tyson Fury next.

“He’s going to come back – I believe – late summer, but physically he’s not yet in a position to return to camp. So, I’m planning, but he’s just resting and preparing.

“So for me, I’m looking at options to get him back in the ring in July time, but we’ll only know if that’s a real possibility when he returns to camp, which will hopefully be in the next couple of weeks or a month.”

When asked whether Joshua’s next bout could be somewhat of a warm-up for a tougher test, Matchroom’s Hearn said: “I think every fight’s dangerous, coming off what he’s come off, but yeah, I think...

“We’re open to the Tyson Fury fight, but probably more likely end of the year, maybe early 2027.”

PLANS FOR AJ'S RETURN‼️

Eddie Hearn has confirmed to BoxingScene that he is planning a July return for Anthony Joshua.

Who should he face?🤔 pic.twitter.com/40GBcbizVM

— BoxingScene.com (@boxingscene) February 19, 2026

Joshua, 36, was linked with kickboxing champion Rico Verhoeven prior to December’s crash, but Hearn said: “I believe he’s fighting... rumours of him fighting [Oleksandr] Usyk, yeah.”

Usyk, who twice beat Joshua on points, is currently the unified heavyweight champion, while Fabio Wardley holds the WBO title. Elsewhere in the division, Fury will box Arslanbek Makhmudov on 11 April, as the Briton emerges from retirement for the fifth time.

As Hearn hinted, Joshua and Fury were on course for a long-awaited showdown this year, but AJ’s accident has disrupted those plans. It is currently expected that Fury, 37, will target a world-title fight if he beats Russia’s Makhmudov.

Fury vs Makhmudov will stream live on Netflix, like Joshua’s win over Paul, and it will take place one week after Derek Chisora fights Deontay Wilder. Chisora is a friend of Joshua, who has long been linked to a possible clash with Wilder.

LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Lakers have named Lon Rosen the new President of Business Operations, the team announced Thursday.

Lakers majority stakeholder and Dodgers owner Mark Walter continues to make his moves in the new era under his helm.

Rosen joins the Lakers after more than a decade with the L.A. Dodgers, where he served as executive vice president and chief marketing officer since 2012. Under his leadership, the Dodgers increased revenue every season, led Major League Baseball in attendance each year since 2013 and won three World Series.

The move marks a return to the organization where Rosen began his career. He interned with the Lakers while in college before becoming an executive in the team’s front office during the 1980s.

“For many years, I have seen the impact that Lon has had in our industry,” Lakers Governor Jeanie Buss said in a statement. “Over that time, I have learned that not only is Lon a great person, but he also has a deep understanding of both sports and entertainment and a true feel for where this business is headed.”

Rosen replaces Tim Harris, who announced earlier this week in an internal email that he would step down after more than 30 years overseeing the Lakers’ business operations.

“Finding someone who could fill Tim’s shoes overseeing the business side of our organization would never be easy,” Buss said. “The answer, we soon realized, was someone both Mark and I knew well — and who already understood the values, culture and commitment to excellence of both the Dodgers and the Lakers.”

Rosen also brings familiarity with the Walter-led ownership group, having worked closely with Walter during his tenure with the Dodgers.

Rosen emphasized adaptability as a core priority in his new role for the franchise.

“I’m beyond grateful to Jeanie and Mark for trusting me with this incredible opportunity,” Rosen said. “As everyone knows, the economics of the sports business are constantly changing — and they will continue to do so. But at root, my job is a simple one: figuring out how to do right by our employees and our partners while ensuring that the Lakers continue to provide an unparalleled experience for our fans in Los Angeles and around the world.”

Rosen added that he looks forward to working alongside Buss, general manager Rob Pelinka and the rest of the Lakers’ front office as the organization enters its next chapter under Walter.

Two days after former Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban argued on X that the NBA should actually embrace tanking, current Phoenix Suns and Mercury owner Mat Ishbia used social media on Thursday to call out intentional losing and voice his confidence in league commissioner Adam Silver.

"This is ridiculous! Tanking is losing behavior done by losers," Ishbia wrote on X. "Purposely losing is something nobody should want to be associated with. Embarrassing for the league and for the organizations. And the talk about this as a 'strategy' is ridiculous.

"If you are a bad team, you get a good pick. That makes sense. But purposely shutting down players and purposely losing games is a disgrace and impacts the integrity of whole league.   

"This is much worse than any prop bet scandal. This is throwing games strategically. Horrible for fans that pay to watch and cheer on their team. And horrible for all the real teams that are competing for playoff spots.

"Awful behavior that Adam Silver and the NBA will need to stop with massive changes, and I have complete confidence that with his leadership, he will fix it. Those of us in a position of influence need to speak out… the only 'strategy' is doing right by fans, players and the NBA community."

This past Saturday, during All-Star Weekend, Silver conceded that the league's observed worse tanking behavior this season than it's seen in recent memory.

He also made it clear that he's considering "every possible remedy" to stop that behavior. Silver's open to changing the draft structure, and he didn't rule out taking away picks from tanking teams.

Last week, the NBA fined both the Utah Jazz and the Indiana Pacers six figures for "overt" tanking and, more specifically, for their nefarious roster management in recent games.

The NBA currently has seven teams with fewer than 20 wins. The Jazz and Pacers are among that bottom-dwelling group that's looking toward the future, including this year's draft, which most notably features four potential franchise needle movers: Kansas' Darryn Peterson, BYU's AJ Dybantsa, Duke's Cameron Boozer and UNC's Caleb Wilson.

The Suns, however, are in playoff contention. Ishbia's passionate post quote a Yahoo Sports story from Tom Haberstroh, who power ranked the tanking teams based on a five-factor system.

Despite hitting the reset button — moving away from Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal — Phoenix isn't tanking or even in rebuild mode. It's in seventh place in a crowded Western Conference table.

At 32-23, the Suns have maximized a roster full of players who have a chip on their shoulder.

Their performance and the organization's refreshing transition after carrying the highest payroll in league history last season give Ishbia's comments on Thursday more credibility.

Former Olympic champion Cassie Sharpe was stretchered off the course during the women's halfpipe qualifiers at the Milan-Cortina Games on Thursday after suffering a heavy fall. 

The 33-year-old fell during her second run, losing her skis and poles and lying motionless on the ice.

Medical staff came to her aid and treated her for about nine minutes before she was pulled off the snow on a stretcher. She briefly waved to the crowd.

The 2018 Pyeongchang Olympic champion, who took silver in Beijing four years ago, was firmly on track to qualify for the final at the time of her crash.

jw/gj

U.S. men's national team captain Tim Ream said that he was sympathetic over fans' concerns about World Cup ticket prices, but emphasized that he and his teammates must focus on what they can control.

Ticket prices have been a major talking point around this summer's tournament, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada.

Fans have complained that FIFA's pricing is “extortionate” and claimed that following a team from the tournament's start to finish will cost nearly five times as much as the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

USMNT forward Tim Weah weighed in on the issue in an interview with French outlet Le Dauphiné last month.

"It is too expensive," Weah said. "Football should still be enjoyed by everyone. It is the most popular sport. This World Cup will be good, but it will be more of a show."

Those comments drew a rebuke from Weah's national team coach Mauricio Pochettino, who urged his players to stay away from non-soccer topics.

"First of all, I think players need to talk on the pitch, playing football, not outside of the [pitch]," Pochettino said. "It is not [Weah's] duty to evaluate the price of the ticket."

In an interview with USA TODAY Sports, Ream struck a balance.

"We know that there are other things going on, that this sport and what we do is not the be-all and end-all," Ream said. "For us it is our job, and it is the biggest tournament in the history of sport, and it is our job to focus on what we're trying to do.

"Do we sympathize with the paying fans? Absolutely. However, we can't control any of that. And for us as athletes, we always talk about what we can control. What are our controllables? And that's not one of them. Things that are off the field are not one of them, unfortunately for us.

"And so what can we do? We can focus on what we do on the field, putting in good performances and inspiring people all around the country to get on board and go through this journey and go through this World Cup with us."

Ream said that he was hopeful that a deep USMNT run in the tournament would help fuel the growth of soccer in the United States.

"It will be down to the players in the team to inspire the entire country, which is a lot of pressure," the Charlotte FC defender said.

"It's difficult but it's also a great challenge and if you can look at it as a challenge and you can change hearts and minds with a great performance at a World Cup, then why would we not attempt to do that?"

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: World Cup ticket prices get reaction from USMNT captain Tim Ream

With the final seconds ticking away in the first period of their Class AA State Tournament opener on Thursday morning, Hill-Murray coach John Pohl found himself paraphrasing a popular Taylor Swift song.

“The quote we use from time to time is, ‘We’ve seen this movie before,’ ” Pohl said, recalling a handful of games from the Pioneers’ 24-3-1 season, so far, where the defending state champions have out-shot foes by a large margin but have been frustrated by a hot goalie.

The Pioneers were outshooting Lakeville North 20-1 at the time, but had not yet solved Panthers goalie Beth Bigalke, who came to St. Paul on the strength of a pair of overtime shutouts in the section playoffs.

When it was all over, and Hill-Murray had won walking away, advancing to Friday evening’s semifinals with a 6-1 victory at Grand Casino Arena.

It was Addy McLay’s goal with seven seconds remaining in the first period that helped break things open. Olivia Braunshausen set up McLay for the goal, and said that not panicking, either due to the lack of early scoring or the ticking clock, was key in the opening 17 minutes.

“We had a faceoff in our D zone with I think like 32 seconds left, and I knew we were short on time,” Braunshausen said. “Addy was wide open and I know she can rip that home, so I was like, ‘I’ve gotta get this to Addy,’ and she did it.”

Hill-Murray broke it open in the second period with Braunshausen getting the eventual game-winner early in the middle frame, and Reese Unklesbay scoring one of her two goals in the game to give the Pioneers a 4-0 lead after two.

Starting goalie Piper Tam stopped all four shots she faced in the first two periods plus, with Charlotte Oscarson coming on in relief late. Allie Abeln cut to the net to score late for Lakeville North, which will take a 17-10-2 record into the consolation round.

“We came across a buzzsaw today,” Panthers coach Buck Kochevar said, calling Hill-Murray the best team his program has faced in eight trips to the state tourney. “They’re well-oiled and proved that they’re a top-end team, for sure.”

Bigalke finished with 38 saves for Lakeville North in the loss.

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GOODYEAR, Ariz. (AP) — Steven Kwan will get some time in center field during spring training for the Cleveland Guardians as manager Stephen Vogt assesses the best possible outfield combination.

Kwan is a four-time Gold Glove winner in left field. That is tied with Kenny Lofton for the most Gold Gloves in franchise history by an outfielder.

Vogt told reporters on Thursday that Kwan has expressed an interest in playing center at times. Kwan was primarily a center field in Cleveland's minor-league system but has seen action there in only eight games over his five seasons in the majors.

Rookie Chase DeLauter, who made his big-league debut in last season's AL Wild Card series against the Detroit Tigers, could see time in center and right. DeLauter dropped a high fly hit by Detroit’s Gleyber Torres during the first inning in his first game. Three innings later, he made a pinpoint throw to third base, where Zach McKinstry was tagged out by José Ramírez.

George Valera will likely play left field during Cactus League games.

Kwan, a two-time All-Star, and Ramírez were the lone consistent offensive threats on the Guardians last season as they repeated as AL Central Division champions.

“You’re going to see guys moving all over the field during spring, like we’ve done previous years,” Vogt said. “We're trying to optimize for both our best defensive team, coupled with maximizing our potential for offense is what we’re looking for on any given day.”

Vogt added that it could be a couple weeks before he tries Kwan in center.

___

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

GABRIEL BOUYS via Getty Images

MILAN — Redemption is possible, at least on the rink. After a single missed element in the short program doomed her best chance at a medal, Amber Glenn returned to the Olympic ice Thursday night and delivered a much more composed free skate. The audience at Assago Ice Skating Arena heralded her arrival on the ice with applause, and congratulated her on the conclusion of her program with a standing ovation. 

Starting the night in 13th place, Glenn finished her free skate with a score of 147.52, good enough for a conditional first place with 12 skaters left to go. She skated to a medley of “I Will Find You” by Audiomachine and “The Return” by CLANN, and appeared in control, confident and even grateful, pumping her fists and gratefully touching her heart as she skated off the ice. 

“This close,” she said to herself, knowing a slight bobble on her final jumping pass stood between her and near perfection on the routine.

She may leave Milan with only one medal, the team gold she earned last week, but she also leaves with her head held high and her self-esteem reclaimed.

Glenn and her Team USA teammates Alysa Liu and Isabeau Levito arrived in Milan two weeks ago riding a surge of nationwide popularity. The “Blade Angels,” as they dubbed themselves, were a perfect trio — the heartfelt Glenn, the quirky Liu, the understated Levito. They’d shown so much talent, so much promise — all three are national champions — that talk of a podium sweep even took flight. At the very least, one of them would almost surely break the American medal drought that’s existed in women’s figure skating since 2006. 

For Glenn, the first cracks started to show in the team event. Tasked with handling the free skate element — Liu had handled the women’s short program — Glenn was uncharacteristically tentative, ending her routine in third place. 

"If an average person were to watch, they'd probably be like, 'Oh, it's fine. Just a few little things (went wrong), but as skating people we know, there were many, many, many points left out on the table,” Glenn said afterward. “I did not feel or perform the way I wanted to. I physically didn't feel great. My legs were feeling heavy, I was tired, I just didn't feel my best, and I've been practicing here incredibly.”

The United States still claimed the team gold for a second straight Olympics, but Glenn’s face betrayed her anguish and fear that she’d cost Team USA a gold right up until the final results were announced. 

“I think I had some fatigue and I need to really manage that going into the individual event,” Glenn said at the time. “But I'm really proud of the mental strength that I've built over the years to be able to get through some mistakes in the beginning and really fighting in the second half.”

She had no idea that much worse was yet to come. Glenn and her fellow Blade Angels had more than a week between the team event and their individual events, a long time to maintain Olympic-level intensity. 

When Glenn finally took the ice for her short program on Tuesday, she began with a triple axel, a jump so difficult only one other skater in this year’s women’s event landed it. After another successful element, she prepared to do a triple loop, a relatively routine jump; virtually every Olympian on Tuesday’s program completed one. But a slight loss of balance meant she only did two loops instead of three, giving her zero points for the entire element. 

That loss sent her plummeting down the standings; she finished the program in 13th place, more than 11 points behind leader Ami Nakai of Japan. She was visibly devastated, and left the arena after only the briefest of interviews. 

Glenn returned to the ice on Thursday night with an opportunity to rewrite her narrative. She executed the jump she missed two days earlier and rallied to put up a score that will certainly move her well up the leaderboard. But no matter how her final routine went, she would leave Milan as a gold medalist. 

The Green Bay Packers are looking for a new special teams coordinator after Rich Bisaccia stepped down from the role this week. A fresh start could bring renewed hope the Packers can finally become an above average team on special teams for the first time in recent memory.

One of their key issues is the lack of a dangerous kick or punt returner. What is at the root of Green Bay’s inability to find the answer to a problem which has been prevalent season after season?

There is a sentiment building that part of the problem is the body types the Packers draft, particularly at wide receiver, which is the position most returners come from.

It is true that Green Bay has a type. They haven’t drafted a receiver weighing less than 187 pounds or shorter than 5-9 ⅖ since at least 2006. That is an organizational philosophy, at least partially due to the fact the Packers want receivers who can hold up in the cold weather, and also block.

Note, 187 pounds is not an especially low bar. Packers receivers do not have to be huge, but in general they are going to stay away from the 160-pounders.

Savion Williams was the team’s primary kickoff returner in 2025, and he is listed at over 220 pounds.

It is worth noting he was not a terrible returner, ranking 27th in PFF grade out of the 66 who qualified. He just wasn’t a difference maker, even before the foot injury he played through in the second half of the year.

He is more of an emblem for the Packers’ middling returners over the years rather than the issue itself.

One of Williams’ most notable strengths in college was his ability with the ball in his hands, which seems like a fair enough justification for Brian Gutekunst thinking he could bring something as a returner, but it didn’t translate all that well as a rookie.

So, is Green Bay’s preference for bigger receivers and therefore returners holding them back? It’s complicated.

Among the NFL players with at least 17 combined kick and punt returns in 2025, there were 17 players who had a PFF grade of 80 or above. The average weight of those players was just shy of 192 pounds. Not exactly petite.

There were some small players, like Isaiah Williams (180 pounds), Rashid Shaheed (180), Greg Dortch (175), Kameron Johnson (170) and KaVontae Turpin (153).

But there were also plenty of heavier ones, like Kene Nwangwu (210), Deonte Banks (205), Chimere Dike (195), Luke McCaffrey (195), Jaylin Noel (200), Ray Davis (216), Brashard Smith (196), Parker Washington (212), Malik Washington (194) and Raheem Morris (205).

It appears being an undersized player is not a prerequisite to being a good returner.

Is experience the answer? Williams only returned 15 kicks in college, and all of them were back in 2020. On that basis, the idea he could be a strong returner in the NFL was a bit of a projection.

The average number of college returns by the 17 players mentioned earlier was 49, but six of them had returned fewer than 15 times in college, including two players with only one return and one player with zero attempts.

It is definitely possible to be a capable returner despite a lack of experience. Just ask Keisean Nixon, who only returned three kickoffs at South Carolina before becoming an All-Pro in the NFL.

What about speed? The average 40 time of the players listed was 4.44. Williams ran a 4.48 at last year’s combine while carrying an injury. Regardless of whether he could’ve run a faster time if healthy, he is plenty fast enough in theory.

All of this information shows that finding a strong returner is not an exact science.

However, given that most returners are receivers, it can certainly still be argued that Green Bay is holding itself back due to their preferences, both athletically and in terms of production. They have not drafted a receiver under Brian Gutekunst who did not have at least 900 yards from scrimmage in one of their college seasons.

This year’s upcoming draft class is a good example of the problems their method can present.

There are eight returners eligible for the 2026 NFL draft who posted a 70+ return grade and are listed in the top 350 players on the consensus big board:

• Kaden Wetjen is shorter than 5-9 and had never had more than 158 receiving yards in a season
• KC Concepcion is expected to be drafted in the first round
• Barion Brown weighs 176 pounds and has never had more than 625 receiving yards in a season
• Caullin Lacy is shorter than 5-9
• Kevin Coleman weighs 174 pounds
• Zachariah Branch weighs 180 pounds

Jadarian Price could make some sense, but he is a running back expected to be drafted in the first two rounds, and it seems unlikely the Packers would do that with Josh Jacobs and MarShawn Lloyd still on the team.

That leaves Baylor’s Josh Cameron as the only player that ticks both boxes of being big enough and being a productive enough receiver.

Cameron is a 6-1 and 223-pound receiver who is ranked 135th on the consensus big board. He had 872 receiving yards and nine touchdowns last year, so he is a name to watch on Day 3 of the draft.

The Packers aren’t likely to spend a draft pick and a four-year commitment to take up a roster spot for just a returner. They want them to be productive players from scrimmage, too and a viable position player in their own right.

That makes sense, because what if it turns out the player you drafted just to be your returner, isn’t actually that good at it when they get to the NFL? As discussed earlier, experience isn’t everything, and then you have essentially lit a draft pick on fire.

But the combination of the bars they appear to set for athleticism and production do limit the pool of potential receivers they would even give a chance to.

What about an established veteran? Accomplished returners are not abundant in free agency each year, but if the Packers did want to go that route, Devin Duvernay, who is 5-10 and 200 pounds and had a 76.3 PFF grade last year, could be an option in free agency.

Perhaps Gutekunst would be more willing to use a roster spot for "just a returner" if he is more confident that player is actually the answer. Still, it is more likely they simply roll into training camp and let a battle commence among their existing players as normal.

If the Packers are ever going to become one of the better special teams units in the league, the return specialist is something they need to improve, and yes, they do make it harder on themselves with their process, but there is no tried-and-true path to follow in search of the solution.

This article originally appeared on Packers Wire: What is the answer to Packers' kick and punt return woes? It's complicated

Phoenix Suns owner lambasts NBA over tanking issue originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

It’s safe to say that Phoenix Suns owner Matt Ishbia isn’t a fan of tanking.

In a recent social media post, Ishbia lambasted tanking and the organizations that participate in it, painting it as a scourge on the league.  

"This is ridiculous! Tanking is losing behavior done by losers," Ishbia wrote. "Purposely losing is something nobody should want to be associated with. Embarrassing for the league and for the organizations. And the talk about this as a 'strategy' is ridiculous.

"If you are a bad team, you get a good pick. That makes sense. But purposely shutting down players and purposely losing games is a disgrace and impacts the integrity of whole league."

This story will be updated. 

More NBA news: 

• Rockets' Kevin Durant responds to burner account allegations
• Jalen Brunson sends clear message regarding his next contract with Knicks
• Jeanie Buss makes it clear that the Lakers are now Luka Doncic's team

Team USA and Canada women's hockey meet once again at Milan Cortina 2026.

When they hit the ice today, Thursday, Feb. 19 at 1:10 p.m. ET for puck drop, it's for all the marbles—an Olympic gold medal and the world's top accolade in the sport for the next four years.

It will be their seventh meeting under these circumstances. The two titans met in the earlier stages of this tournament, giving fans and players both an early perspective of how the two may match up. 

It resulted in a 5-0 win for the southern neighbors in the red, white, and blue, extending a seven-game winning streak against the Canadians.

Coming into this game, USA has outscored opponents 31-1. 

With one more assist or goal today against Canada, captain Hilary Knight can become the definitive all-time top points scorer in Team USA history at 33.

She tied Jenny Potter with an assist against Canada in the group stage.

• Watch Elite Junior, College & Professional Hockey On FloHockey
• FloHockey Launches Daily Reaction Show For Hockey In Milan
• USA Hockey Advances To Semifinals On Quinn Hughes Overtime Goal Vs. Sweden
• Read The Latest 2026 Winter Olympics Hockey Coverage On FloHockey
• Mitch Marner Scores Overtime Stunner To Send Canada To Semifinals

Canada will continue their mission for revenge and to defend their 2022 Beijing title.

Marie-Philip "Captain Clutch" Poulin, back in the line up after missing their first meeting, will hope to hand Team USA their first loss of the 2026 Winter Olympics when it matters most. Follow the live updates below.

USA vs Canada Women's Hockey Olympic Gold Medal Game Live Updates, Scores

Refresh your page regularly to view the latest live updates, scoring highlights and more for USA vs Canada in the 2026 Winter Olympics women's hockey Gold medal game on Thursday, Feb. 19.

Last update: 2:55  p.m. ET

3rd Period Is Live! - 19:38 3rd

USA 0, Canada 1

Stay tuned for live updates of the 3rd and potentially final period of the 2026 Winter Olympics women's hockey tournament as USA and Canada fight for a gold medal and so much more.

Carpenter and Turnbull met at center ice to start the third, Carpenter takes it back to give USA the first o-zone possession of the period.

USA and Canada Continue Tug Of War For Gold - End of 2nd

USA 0, Canada 1

After two periods, both teams have much to be proud of with defense taking the focal point following O'Neill's shorthanded goal early in the period.

Both USA and Canada were left searching for a way to create enough chaos in front of the crease to score. 

They're sending their fastest forwards flying towards the crease with set passes ready to go, but defense has taken the focal point across the ice as these incredible athletes put their bodies on the line for the gold.

USA has recovered quite a bit from their perceived nerves as the second period wound down, putting out multiple strong shifts with O-zone time.

Frankel and Desbiens continue to put on a show as well.

During the intermission, Hilary Knight noted in an interview on the broadcast that she was hoping to see more speed from her team and that Team USA is, in short, nowhere near their maximum.

Now playing: "you were born for this" speech from Miracle.

Shots on goal:

• USA: 20
• CAN: 21

Faceoffs Won:

• USA: 19
• CAN: 23

USA's got to find a way to pick up Frankel. She's giving them every chance and just completely saved that broken coverage in the DZ. A lot of players picking their worst day for a bad game.

— Chris Peters (@chrismpeters) February 19, 2026

Frankel Makes Huge Stop On Fillier - 4:24 2nd

USA 0, Canada 1

Fillier was flying towards the net with the tap-in waiting for the pass which came from Jaques. Frankel had her best save of the game so far with a great move from right to left to shut the door and stop the bleed for Team USA.

Edwards seemed to take issue with Maltais creating some traffic in front of Frankel on the next play as the intensity continues to rise.

Tug of War Continues, Desbiens Remains Strong - 5:45 2nd

USA 0, Canada 1

Canada's defense has been stifling even the likes of Abbey Murphy as she tries to break into the zone.

Pucks have been flying high through the air all around Desbiens, who has been able to wrangle them down and get the whistle blown.

Team USA continued trying to brute force their offense to regain momentum through the middle of the frame.

Shots on goal:

• USA: 16
• CAN: 12

Canada Finding Ways To Beat USA Defense - 8:40 2nd

USA 0, Canada 1

Unlike their first game, Canada has found better ways in this game to expose the United States defense as they pinch in for offensive chances. The open ice behind them gives Canada's forwards a chance to break out in transition.

While USA is finding moments of good where they can establish their offense in the zone, they aren't able to get a clear shot on Desbiens before turning it over.

Blocked shots by Canada's defense have been coming up big as well to limit pucks getting to the crease.

Shots on goal:

• USA: 14
• CAN: 11

Watch In US: Canada's Shorthanded Goal For The Lead

Watch Kristin O'Neill score the opening goal for the gold medal game between USA and Canada in Milan.

SHORTHANDED GOAL. 💪

It's Kristin O'Neill who gives Canada the lead. pic.twitter.com/vapn6D28Hj

— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) February 19, 2026

Bilka Gets Open Net, Shoots Wide - 15:26 2nd

USA 0, Canada 1

Heise and Bilka continue to be a dangerous duo for Team USA as they look for the tying goal to stay in this gold medal game. Bilka aimed for the top corner to beat Desbiens but it went wide and into the netting.

Physicality has been picking up as Canada tries to get into the Americans' heads with their lead. Maltais was guilty this time, getting some extra words in after the whistle behind Frankel.

Canada's experience is starting to show through as the nerves appear to be affecting USA's younger roster.

Shots on goal:

• USA: 10
• CAN: 10

Canada Short-Handed Goal! O'Neill From Stacey - 18:12 2nd

USA 0, Canada 1

USA started the period with the advantage as Canada looked to show off their own penalty kill unit and keep the Americans out of the net.

Laila Edwards was all over the place, putting up a no-look shot above the circle but it was Canada that recovered and surged back the other direction. 

O'Neill received the pass to the slot from Laura Stacey near the boards to put it past Aerin Frankel for the second allowed goal of the Olympics by this Team USA.

KRISTIN O'NEILL 🚨 SHORTHANDED 🇨🇦

🇨🇦 1 - 0 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/5vLt4ULN6K

— CBC Olympics (@CBCOlympics) February 19, 2026

The goal ruins USA's perfect record on the penalty kill.

USA scored 28 consecutive goals between their first and second goal of this tournament.

Shots on goal:

• USA: 9
• CAN: 9

USA Survives, Gets Power Play To Start Second - End Of 1st

USA 0, Canada 0

Chants of "USA" rained down in the arena as the clock ticked past a minute remaining of the first twenty of this epic North American gold medal game match-up.

Just before the clock hit zero, Bilka sent a shot in for a bumper deflection by Alex Carpenter to beat Desbiens, but it flew wide after hitting Carpenter's tape.

USA will return to the ice with the man-advantage after Canada was called for tripping. It's their first power play of the game after Canada had the first two, 0-2. 

USA's power play has been lackluster in the tournament so far, with just 4 goals on 20 attempts, but their penalty kill has been lights out with a now 13-0 perfect performance.

Oh yeah, plus they have a shorthanded goal making them +1 on the penalty kill this Winter Olympics.

It's the first time USA has not scored in the first period in the tournament. 

Six different players have put a shot on goal for both teams, but Poulin and Clark lead with two each.

Canada's power play has failed to convert twice, despite their tournament-best of 36.8% (7-19).

Shots on goal:

• USA: 6
• CAN: 8

Penalties In Minutes:

• USA: 4
• CAN: 2

USA survives its most challenging period of the tournament so far even 0-0. Power play to start the second period. Much needed reset at intermission.

— Chris Peters (@chrismpeters) February 19, 2026

Canada Got Another Power Play But USA Holds - 2:37 1st

USA 0, Canada 0

Joy Dunne was called for tripping as Ambrose went down near Canada's net, to Desbiens left. A frustrating penalty for the Americans to open up the opportunity for Canada to take control.

On the opening face off of the power play, Scamurra ran the puck down to Canada's end with clear ice but was back-checked before she could get a shot off.

Canada added just one shot on goal during their second power play of the game.

This Game Is Much Different Than Prelims - 5:00 1st

USA 0, Canada 0

Things are looking better for Canada after 15 than they did in the opening round game between the two. Here's Chris Peters' take.

This first period looks a heck of a lot different than last time these two teams met. USA not getting through the neutral zone clean and ending up on their heels far more than a team with their wheels should be.

— Chris Peters (@chrismpeters) February 19, 2026

Canada Finding Rhythm But Can't Convert - 7:42 1st

USA 0, Canada 0

Canada threaded together a number of chances in a row to throw the puck at Frankel. USA's defense held strong, blocking shots from across the line-up and not allowing a shot to make it to the netminder for over five minutes.

Missed passes and wide shots have also been an issue early as Canada try to calibrate in such limited spaces that this American team is giving them.

Momentum Hangs In Balance After Ten - 10:00 1st

USA 0, Canada 0

Both teams are still looking to grasp control of this gold medal game after the first half of the period.

Dangerous chances are about even, and still minimal so far. USA has spent more time in their defensive zone in this game than any other game in the tournament—a positive early sign for Canada.

Canada Gets First Power Play, USA Kills It Off - 12:27 1st

USA 0, Canada 0

Abbey Murphy was sent to the box moments after getting a breakout pass and shot on Desbiens. After the whistle and a short conversation, officials called the "too many men" penalty.

No doubt considering the additional scrutiny they are under after the controversial missed call on Czechia vs USA in men's quarterfinal match yesterday.

Ambrose had the best chance of the power play with less than 10 seconds remaining, forcing Frankel to making a sprawling save with the puck between her pads before it was cleared out.

Shots on goal:

• USA: 4
• CAN: 4

USA Holding Canada In Own End - 15:20 1st

USA 0, Canada 0

Two more shots on goal come from USA as Laila Edwards chucks it in from the point and the top line does a good job putting early pressure on Desbiens and the Canadian defense.

One good chance for Canada came from Marie-Philip Poulin, who skated with speed to Aerin Frankel's right side before slinging a wrist shot under the dot that was swallowed up. She looks hungry already.

Caroline Harvey Takes First Shot - 18:00 1st

USA 0, Canada 0

Desbiens was forced to make the first save of the game, stopping a shot from Caroline Harvey, the leading points scorer for Team USA.

Desbiens vs Frankel In Net, USA Wins Opening Face Off - 20:00 1st

USA 0, Canada 0

Let's have some fun today with some top notch Olympic gold medal hockey between two of the best teams in the world.

Alex Carpenter and Blayre Turnbull met at center ice with USA taking control on the opening face off.

It's so LOUD in the arena, this crowd came ready for a show.

Puck Drop Is Next: USA vs Canada In The Battle for Gold

Two teams meet at center ice in Milan to battle for an Olympic gold medal. Two familiar foes, USA and Canada, traveled to Europe to continue their long-time rivalry in front of the entire world.

After winning every preliminary and elimination game with just one goal allowed en route, Team USA is primed for victory.

Team Canada pursues their sixth gold medal with Marie-Philip Poulin in the lineup to try to put it to the Americans. They'll need contribution from across the lineup of their PWHL-packed roster to keep this game close and put USA on their heels.

Incoming pucks and A GOLD MEDAL GAME 👀 #WinterOlympicspic.twitter.com/e8cu8R85T4

— USA Hockey (@usahockey) February 19, 2026

USA Coach John Wroblewski "Put In The Work"

Before leading Team USA on the Olympic stage, John Wroblewski put in the work across the USHL, ECHL and AHL.

Now he’s coaching for gold. 🇺🇸🥇 Good luck to John and the U.S. Women’s Team in today’s final!@USHL | @ECHL | @TheAHL#MilanCortina2026#Olympics#USHL#ECHL#AHLpic.twitter.com/Kixr9FYhG4

— FloHockey (@FloHockey) February 19, 2026

Where To Watch USA vs Canada Olympic Gold Medal Game

The USA vs Canada game will be broadcast on Peacock, USA Network, and NBCOlympics.com.

In Canada, olympic hockey will be broadcast on CBC. 

Watch professional and junior hockey live streaming throughout February on FloHockey including the American Hockey League (AHL), ECHL, and many of North America's top junior leagues: OHL, QMJHL, and USHL.

When Does USA vs Canada Women's Hockey Play

Team Canada plays Canada today, Feb. 19 at 1:10 p.m. ET.

USA vs Canada Projected Lines For 2026 Winter Olympics Gold Medal Game

Here are the official projected lines for the 2026 Winter Olympics women's hockey gold medal game for Team USA and Team Canada.

Canada Women's Hockey Projected Lines vs USA Today

Forwards

• Watts - Poulin - Fillier
• Clark - Turnbull - Stacey
• Maltais - Nurse - Jenner
• Gosling - O'Neill - Spooner
• Gardiner

Defense

• Larocque - Fast
• Shelton - Jaques
• Thompson - Ambrose
• Tabin

Goalies

• Desbiens
• Maschmeyer

One last look. 🇨🇦

Pour une dernière fois. 🇨🇦#MilanoCortina2026pic.twitter.com/ZSuZ9aWVJT

— Hockey Canada (@HockeyCanada) February 19, 2026

Team USA Women's Hockey Projected Lines vs Canada

Forwards

• Dunne - Carpenter - Knight
• Bilka - Heise - Murphy
• Coyne - Pannek - Zumwinkle
• Curl - Janecke - Simms
• Scamurra

Defense

• Keller - Edwards
• Harvey - Winn
• Stecklein - Barnes
• Guilday

Goalies

• Frankel
• Philips

Gold medal game lines incominggg 🇺🇸#WinterOlympics game preview: https://t.co/D98mCtDmA8pic.twitter.com/s8WY7sxJUn

— USA Hockey (@usahockey) February 19, 2026

Top 5 Points Scorers, 2026 Winter Olympics - Women's Hockey

1. Caroline Harvey, USA (2g, 7a)
2. Daryl Watts, CAN (2g, 6a)
3. Hannah Bilka, USA (4g, 3a)
4. Thea Johansson, SWE (4g, 3a)
5. Laura Kluge, GER (3g, 4a)

Top 5 Goalies, 2026 Winter Olympics (≥3 GP) - Women's Hockey

1. Aerin Frankel, USA (0.25 GAA, .985 SV%)
2. Emerance Maschmeyer, CAN (0.47 GAA, .957 SV%)
3. Andrea Brändli, SUI (1.94 GAA, .952 SV%)
4. Ebba Svensson Träff, SWE (1.22 GAA, .944 SV%)
5. Klára Peslarová, CZE (2.01 GAA, .933 SV%)

Marie-Philip Poulin Shares Her Memories Of Golden Goal In Sochi 2014

Relive the golden goal that Team Canada captain Marie-Philip Poulin described as "one of the most memorable moments of her career" as she reacts to a photo from Sochi 2014.

Where were you when❓ Marie-Philip Poulin shares the memories of her overtime winner in the gold medal game at #Sochi2014.@HockeyQuebec | @PWHL_Montrealpic.twitter.com/wgptHSS0JW

— Hockey Canada (@HockeyCanada) February 19, 2026

Müller, Switzerland Defeats Sweden For Second Ever Olympic Medal

The Swiss women's national team defeated Sweden in overtime to secure their second Olympic medal—the first being Bronze in 2014 after defeating... you guessed it, Sweden.

The success marks another step in continuing their Olympic progression up the ranks after losing to Finland in the Bronze medal game in Beijing in 2022 and 5th place finish in 2018.

It was Boston Fleet forward Alina Müller who came up huge for the Swiss, sending and receiving the back-and-forth pass from Ivana Wey with less than a minute left of 3-on-3 overtime.

Müller was iconic throughout the tournament for Team Switzerland, with three goals and two assists. Her performance in 2026 pushed her career total to 28, good enough for 8th all-time in women's Olympic hockey (15g, 13a). 

MÜLLER FOR THE MEDAL.🇨🇭
Switzerland wins Olympic bronze in OVERTIME! pic.twitter.com/DZCHQxEz4u

— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) February 19, 2026

Watch: Instant Reactions To Yesterday's Men's Quarterfinals Chaos

FloHockey's Chris Peters and Robert Babiak break down all the action from the Milan-Cortina hockey tournaments in the Hockey Daily Reaction Show: Milan-Cortina presented by Fortune Tires.

Tune in to their reaction after the women's Olympic gold medal game this afternoon at 4:30 p.m. ET on YouTube, X, and anywhere you can watch the FloSports app.

FloHockey's Chris Peters and Robert Babiak break down all the action from the Milan-Cortina hockey tournaments in the Hockey Daily Reaction Show: Milan-Cortina presented by @fortunetiresusa. #FortuneTiresUSA#MilanCortina2026#livehttps://t.co/v9qBvAzSgE

— FloHockey (@FloHockey) February 18, 2026

What Would Winning Gold Mean To Team USA?

Hear from Team USA on what it would mean to bring the Olympic gold back to the states.

The journey reaches its peak. 🇺🇸
Gold medal game. Today at 1:10 p.m. ET on USA Network and Peacock. #WinterOlympicspic.twitter.com/E1hYnUEK3x

— USA Hockey (@usahockey) February 19, 2026

2026 Olympic Hockey Men's Semifinals Round Schedule: Here's The Bracket

Friday, Feb. 20 — Semifinals

• 10:40 a.m. ET – Canada vs Finland
• 3:10 p.m. ET – USA vs Slovakia

Saturday, Feb. 21

• 2:40 p.m. ET – Men’s Bronze medal game

Sunday, Feb. 22

• 8:10 a.m. ET – Men’s Gold medal game

Milan Cortina 2026 Live Coverage Coming To FloHockey

FloHockey is your source for the best coverage, live broadcasts, and all-access content below the National Hockey League—over the next few weeks that includes coverage of the 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Italy. 

Every day at 6:30 p.m. ET from Feb. 12-18, FloHockey analyst Chris Peters and co-host Robert Babiak will be bringing you the latest coverage, analysis, and news from Milan Cortina 2026.

Here's when to tune in on the final weekend, Feb. 19-22:

• Thursday, Feb. 19 - 4:30 p.m. ET
• Friday, Feb. 20 - 6:30 p.m. ET
• Saturday, Feb. 21 - 9:05 p.m. ET
• Sunday, Feb. 22 - 11:30 a.m. ET

Tune in LIVE on the FloHockey 24/7 FAST channel, available on Prime Video and Fubo, or watch for free on FloHockey YouTube.

Watch Hockey Live Streams Free On FloHockey

From the top 2026 NHL draft prospects to first-round picks looking to develop their game before making it in the National Hockey League—FloHockey has the best broadcast schedule for junior hockey and professional hockey below the NHL.

Each week, you can catch numerous Ontario Hockey League (OHL), Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL), American Hockey League (AHL), ECHL and many more games streaming live for free on FloHockey and YouTube.

NHL Prospect Coverage On FloHockey

The best, and most complete, coverage of the NHL minor league hockey and NHL Draft is found on FloHockey. Don't miss the latest new prospect guides, rankings and more from Chris Peters and the FloHockey staff.

Watch the AHL, ECHL, QMJHL, USHL, And More On FloHockey

FloHockey is the streaming home to some of the best hockey leagues in North America, including the ECHL and more. Check out the broadcast schedule to watch more hockey.

Join The Hockey Conversation On FloHockey Social

• Follow us on Twitter @FloHockey
• Follow us on Instagram @flohockey
• Follow us on TikTok @flohockeytv
• Watch us on YouTube
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Ian Hitchcock via Getty Images

Australian sports presenter Danika Mason apologized Thursday after drinking alcohol before a Channel Nine’s Today show live Winter Olympics broadcast. Mason slurred her words throughout the segment and went off-topic, discussing iguanas when the segment had been focused on coffee. Studio host Karl Stefanovic attempted to cover for Mason, saying that cold weather can affect speech.

“I want to take full responsibility, it’s not the standard I set myself,” Mason said Thursday. “So in saying that, I’m genuinely really sorry and I’m thanking everyone for those messages I’ve received as well.”

Mason added that she shouldn't have had a drink on an empty stomach and that the cold weather did not help.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, however, expressed his clear support for Mason.

“I’m pro Danika. Good on her,” Albanese said. “She’s over in Italy … and she would have been tired. It’s the time difference. It would have been having an impact. Nothing to see here."

AMD’s Zen 6 “Olympic Ridge” Zen 6 desktop CPUs will have between six and twenty-four CPU cores Core counts for AMD’s next-generation Zen 6 “Olympic Ridge” CPU lineup have leaked, confirming significant increases in core counts for AMD’s next-generation Ryzen processors. HXL (via WCCFTECH) has unveiled seven CPU core configurations, with four using a single […]

The post Next-gen AMD Ryzen “Olympic Ridge” Zen 6 desktop CPU core counts leak appeared first on OC3D.