Napoli have made their first move in the pursuit of Nicolò Zaniolo, with sporting director Giovanni Manna having opened exploratory talks with the Udinese midfielder’s entourage ahead of the summer transfer window.

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According to Kiss Kiss Napoli, via TuttoMercatoWeb, the approach represents a continuation of Manna’s long-standing admiration for the Italian, having previously targeted him during his time at Juventus.

Antonio Conte is also understood to be a fan of the player, though the extent of Napoli’s pursuit will depend heavily on whether the manager remains in charge next season, a question that has yet to be resolved following Aurelio De Laurentiis’ recent public comments from the United States.

Napoli keen on Zaniolo as Udinese man finds form

Zaniolo has rediscovered his best form this season, registering six goals and seven assists in 34 appearances for Udinese, a return that has underlined his quality when fit and in a settled environment.

The Italian international joined on loan from Galatasaray, and Udinese are understood to be ready to trigger their purchase option of approximately €9 million to make the deal permanent.

Manna is aware that other Italian clubs are also monitoring the situation, giving the contact an added urgency. Napoli are not prepared to be caught flat-footed in what promises to be a competitive summer window, and Zaniolo, available at a relatively modest cost given his current form, represents an attractive and attainable target.

Italy defender Riccardo Calafiori has not been included in Arsenal’s starting lineup or bench in Wednesday night’s UEFA Champions League quarter final match against Sporting.

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Arsenal won the first leg 1-0 in Portugal and are expected to come out on top at the Emirates Stadium.

Calafiori, however, will play no part in the match – indeed, after missing Saturday’s 2-1 home defeat against Bournemouth.

The Italian’s condition is not likely serious though, and the Italian may be available for the weekend’s huge match against Manchester City.

Arsenal vs Sporting – Official Lineups as Calafiori misses out

Arsenal: Raya; Mosquera, Saliba, Gabriel, Hincapie; Rice, Zubimendi, Eze; Madueke, Gyokeres, Martinelli

Sporting: Rui Silva; Quaresma, Diomande, Inacio, Araujo; Hjulman, Morita; Geny, Pedro Goncalves, Trincao; Suarez

Juventus are set to secure the long-term future of Manuel Locatelli, with an agreement in place to extend his contract until 2030.

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The Italy international’s current deal, which was due to expire in 2028, will be extended by a further two years, while also including a salary increase from €3m to €4m per season, according to CalcioMercato.

The official signing is expected to take place on April 17.

Locatelli renewal is huge boost for Juventus

Locatelli joined Juventus from Sassuolo in 2021 for €37.5m, having previously come through the ranks at AC Milan. Since arriving in Turin, he has made 224 appearances, contributing nine goals and 17 assists, and played a key role in the club’s Coppa Italia triumph in 2024.

At international level, he has earned 36 caps for the Italy national team, scoring three goals and being part of the squad that won Euro 2020.

Locatelli’s renewal is the latest in a series of key extensions for Juventus, following new deals for Kenan Yildiz, Weston McKennie and head coach Luciano Spalletti.

Attention will now turn to the future of Dusan Vlahovic, whose current contract is due to expire in 2026 and remains unresolved.

There’ll surely be huge demand for Manchester City vs Arsenal tickets as this weekend’s game at the Etihad Stadium looks like potentially deciding the Premier League title.

BUY MAN CITY VS. ARSENAL TICKETS

The Gunners have had a bit of a blip recently, while Man City have looked back to their best, and now they go head-to-head in this huge six-pointer.

If Arsenal win, then defeat in the last game against Bournemouth will quickly be forgotten, and they’ll be major favourites again, but a win for City will confirm what we appear to be seeing now, with Mikel Arteta‘s side perhaps bottling it again. A draw leaves us all guessing.

Years from now you’ll surely wish you’d been there, so read on for our Manchester City vs Arsenal tickets guide.

How to buy Manchester City tickets

Manchester City fans looking for tickets to this game will likely make the official site here their first port of call, but it’s not necessarily the best way to guarantee you’ll grab a seat.

We can also recommend following the link here for another dedicated ticket portal that is easy to navigate, reliable, and backed by a 150% money-back guarantee if, for whatever reason, you’re not satisfied.

How to buy Arsenal tickets

Arsenal’s official ticket page can be found here, but we would again recommend having a backup plan in place, as you’ll struggle to get ahead of season-ticket holders and club members for such an in-demand fixture.

You could also try following our link here for a better chance to make sure you get a seat in the Etihad Stadium away end, for what could end up being an unforgettable game that ends up taking a place alongside Anfield in 1989, Old Trafford in 2002, and White Hart Lane in 2004 in the club’s history books.

How Manchester City could line up vs Arsenal

City are in fine form at the moment, so will surely take the game to Arsenal with an attacking approach and as many of their stars on the pitch at once.

Pep Guardiola can’t fit everyone in, but he has plenty of good options that can cause the Gunners problems, as they did in the Carabao Cup final recently.

Expect something like the below…

Man City predicted line-up: Donnarumma; Nunes, O’Neill, Guehi, Khusanov; Rodri, Silva, Cherki, Semenyo, Doku; Haaland.

How Arsenal could line up vs Manchester City

Injuries continue to be a problem for Arsenal as they have been for so much of the season, with doubts over Martin Odegaard, Bukayo Saka, Jurrien Timber, and Riccardo Calafiori going into this game.

That makes it hard to predict Arsenal’s starting XI, but based on recent reports it’s probably more likely that Saka and Timber will be back than the other two.

We’ll go with this line-up for now…

Arsenal predicted line-up: Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Hincapie; Rice, Zubimendi, Eze; Saka, Trossard, Gyokeres.

Fine line between success and failure

Two wins, or even two draws for Arsenal this week will have them in the Champions League semi-finals and probably as title favourites. Two defeats and it’s likely they’re heading for another trophyless season.

These are the fine margins for Arteta now, whose own future as Arsenal manager will surely come into question if this project once again yields a second-place finish and failure to lift any of the other three trophies despite for so long this season looking like they might genuinely be in the running for a quadruple.

Quite simply, this is an absolutely massive game for Arsenal in their modern history – can their players rise to the occasion or will the pressure get to them again? Give us your predictions in the comments!

Leonardo Bonucci remains part of the Italy national team setup despite the recent overhaul at the Italian Football Federation, as he continues to build towards a future in coaching.

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The former Juventus defender is currently working as part of the federation’s technical structure, focusing on scouting and analysing players while completing the required steps to obtain his UEFA Pro licence, as per La Gazzetta dello Sport.

His role is independent of the previous coaching staff and remains valid until June 2026, meaning he has stayed on despite the departures of Gennaro Gattuso, Gabriele Gravina and Gianluigi Buffon.

Bonucci stays on pathway to Serie A coaching

Bonucci began his post-playing path in 2024 as an assistant to Bernardo Corradi with the Italy Under-20 side, before later being integrated into the senior national team environment. His current duties involve monitoring both established and emerging Italian players, compiling detailed reports as part of his coaching education.

This work is essential for completing the hours required to sit the final exams at Coverciano, which would allow him to coach in Serie A. He has already earned his UEFA A licence and is regularly attending matches across Italy and Europe to continue his development.

Bonucci’s contract is set to expire in June, when he will decide together with the federation whether to continue. For now, his focus remains on gaining experience and preparing for a future on the touchline, with several coaches, including Antonio Conte, having already shown interest in bringing him into their staff.

Cesc Fabregas confirms Como are targeting more Real Madrid talents after Nico Paz and Jacobo Ramon and hopes to remain at the Stadio Sinigaglia long term: ‘I’m in love with everything I’m doing here.’

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Como visit Sassuolo in a crucial Serie A match on Friday, as the Azzurri are just two points below a Champions League spot despite last Sunday’s 4-3 loss to Inter.

Como have mostly used a 4-2-3-1 system this term, but Fabregas has also made some tactical twists along the way.

“I don’t like to talk about a structure. There’s always an evolution, and it’s always very hard. We analyse all the time,” he said at a press conference via TMW.

“If you look at PSG, Liverpool, and Barcelona, they are all very dynamic.”

Argentine talent Nico Paz scored a goal and provided one assist in Sunday’s loss to Inter after managing just one goal in the previous four league fixtures.

“I congratulated Nico Paz; we have revived him. He’s the player we used to see,” Fabregas said.

Como remain the least-beaten defence in Serie A despite their recent heavy defeat to Inter.

“Our defence was not in confusion. We recovered possession many times with high pressing,” insisted Fabregas.

“Our defence was incredible, with top-notch pressing. It’s true that we didn’t do well on set pieces, but that had to do with the pressure at that moment, too.

“It’s been a constant growth, thanks to the players, a great staff and the intensity we put in every day. We push hard, we know we are ranked higher than we would have thought, but it all depends on the players and what they learn day by day,” he added.

“We continue to push, hoping to finish as high as possible. When you see the players’ determination, the result goes in the background. There will be moments when only the result is missing, but now we are building an idea.”

Speaking about the defensive attitude he wants to see from his players, Fabregas mentioned Barcelona’s 2-1 win over Atletico Madrid in the Champions League on Tuesday: “Yesterday, Eric García consistently anticipated the play and maintained the right positioning, even though he isn’t the most physical or the fastest. It’s exactly what we want.”

Fabregas was asked whether Lucas Da Cunha embodies his playing style, and the coach replied that the Frenchman has completed “96% of the training sessions” at Como over the last two seasons.

“Kolo Touré was somebody who didn’t miss any training sessions. It’s the typical player a scouting team must identify,” added Fabregas.

Fabregas confirmed that his assistant coach has travelled to Madrid twice in recent weeks to watch some Real Madrid Castilla players in action.

Nico Paz and Ramon have joined the Azzurri from the Merengues over the last two years, and Como fans should probably expect more reinforcements from the Spanish capital going forward.

“Yes, we are always on the move. It’s too important to watch players live,” Fabregas said.

“We are looking for players to improve. We know what Nico and Ramon have achieved here.”

Fabregas, a former Chelsea, Arsenal and Barcelona midfielder, reiterated that he’s not considering leaving Como at the end of the season, not even of the Italy national team job.

“It’s hard, right now, this is what I feel. I’m in love with everything I’m doing here,” he said.

“This won’t change. My life is about preparing for the Sassuolo game. I experienced it as a player. Today it all goes well, but lose two games and people would not want you anymore. People are accustomed to having a high bar, and I’m the first one who wants it.”

One final question was whether he’d like to replicate Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal career at Como, spending several years at the club and reshaping their identity: “I’d love it,” he concluded.

Arsenal are keeping tabs on the highly talented Fredrikstad FK midfielder Eirik Granaas.

According to a report from TV2, Arsenal are interested in the 16-year-old midfielder, and it remains to be seen whether they decide to make a move for him in the summer. He could prove to be a quality long-term investment for the club.

The 16-year-old is highly rated across Europe, and multiple clubs are scouting him. Along with Arsenal, RB Leipzig are keeping tabs on the talented young midfielder as well.

The opportunity to join a big club in the summer will be exciting for Granaas, and it remains to be seen where he ends up. He has a contract with the Norwegian club until December 20 27, and he could be available for a reasonable fee in the summer. That said, TV2 claims the Norwegian outfit will hold out for a club-record fee for the youngster. They sold Fallou Fall for just under 40 million kroner last year, and they will demand more than that for Granaas. 

Arsenal have the financial muscle to get across the line, and they will be an attractive destination for the young playmaker as well. They are among the biggest clubs in the world, and they have an outstanding track record of grooming young players. They could help Granaas fulfil his tremendous potential.

The 16-year-old has already broken through to the first team seen at the Norwegian club, and it remains to be seen whether he is prepared to live in the summer. He needs regular opportunities at a high level to continue his development. At Arsenal, he is unlikely to get opportunities in the Premier League right away.

Granaas should focus on his development for now. He will have plenty of opportunities to play for elite clubs if he fulfils his potential in future.

The post Arsenal ready to challenge Europe’s elite in record-breaking move for midfield prodigy appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Jose Mourinho has emerged as a “genuine contender” for a sensational return to the Premier League, with the Portuguese icon reportedly identified as the leading candidate to replace Eddie Howe at Newcastle United.

According to the latest from talkSPORT, the Newcastle hierarchy are seriously considering a change in leadership following a string of poor results that has seen the Magpies slump to 14th in the table.

The club’s Saudi owners are believed to be increasingly attracted to the idea of a “big-name” appointment to spearhead the next phase of their project at St James’ Park.

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The report suggests that Mourinho, currently managing Benfica, has significant admirers within the Newcastle boardroom.

While Eddie Howe has credit in the bank after delivering the League Cup last season, recent defeats, including a 2-1 loss to Crystal Palace where Newcastle surrendered a first-half lead, have put his position under immense scrutiny.

As per talkSPORT, if Howe leaves this summer, Mourinho is the main target, though he is also expected to be a top candidate for the Portugal national team after the World Cup should Roberto Martinez step down.

Jose Mourinho’s Premier League record

A move to Tyneside would mark Mourinho’s fifth stint in English football, having previously managed Chelsea (twice), Manchester United, and Tottenham.

His track record in the Premier League remains one of the most decorated in history:

• Premier League Titles: 3 (2004/05, 2005/06, 2014/15)
• Total PL Wins: 217
• Win Percentage: ~60%
• Major English Trophies: 3 Premier Leagues, 1 FA Cup, 4 League Cups

While his pragmatic style may not go down well with the Newcastle faithful, his history of delivering immediate silverware is precisely what the PIF-backed ownership desires.

Mourinho has previously teased a return to London, which he considers home, but the temptation of the “elite support and financial backing” at Newcastle may prove impossible to resist.

The post Jose Mourinho has emerged as ‘genuine contender’ to become manager of surprise Premier League club – report appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Manchester United and Chelsea are reportedly keeping tabs on Santiago Castro, and they will scout the player in action when Bologna takes on Aston Villa on Thursday night.

The two teams will be in action in the Europa League, and Castro will look to make his mark on the game, as per Il Resto del Carlino.

The player has 11 goals and four assists in all competitions this season, and he has impressed Manchester United and Chelsea with his performances. The 21-year-old is a talented young striker with a bright future, and he could prove to be a quality long-term investment for both clubs.

Manchester United and Chelsea have the financial muscle to get the deal done, and it remains to be seen whether they follow up on their interest with an official offer at the end of the season. Manchester United will need to replace Joshua Zirkzee in the summer. The Netherlands international is not a key player for them, and his performance in the Premier League has been mediocre. He will also want to move on in search of regular playing time.

Castro could compete with Benjamin Sesko for the starting spot at Manchester United next season. The competition for places could bring out the best in both players.

Meanwhile, Chelsea need more depth in the attacking unit as well. They have been overly dependent on Joao Pedro. Liam Delap has found the back of the net just once in all competitions. They need to replace him in the summer.

Castro has the technical attributes to do well in the Premier League, and he could be a superb option for Chelsea in the attack.

It will be interesting to see if Bolona is prepared to sanction his departure in the summer. They have a reputation for selling talented players for the right price, and they have sanctioned exits of Riccardo Calafiori, Joshua Zirkzee and Dan Ndoye in recent windows.

The post Man United & Chelsea ramp up pursuit with scouting mission for 15-G/A forward appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Liverpool striker Hugo Ekitike picked up a serious Achilles tendon injury against PSG in the UEFA Champions League last night.

The French International could be sidelined for 9 to 12 months. They are now looking to bring in two quality attackers at the end of the season. According to a report from TEAMtalk, they are interested in signing the Newcastle United attacker Anthony Gordon.

The former Everton star has done quite well for Newcastle this season, and he could be a superb acquisition for Liverpool. He is a dynamic attacker who can operate on the flanks as well as a Centre forward. He will add goals and creativity to the team. He is well settled in the Premier League, and he could make an immediate impact at Liverpool. In addition, he is a lifelong Liverpool fan, which could give Liverpool an edge in the transfer race.

It remains to be seen whether Newcastle is prepared to sanction his departure. They are struggling in the attack right now, and selling their best attacking player would be a huge blow.

Gordon has 22 goal contributions for Newcastle this season.

On the other hand, Liverpool are admirers of Iliman Ndiaye as well. The Senegal International has been outstanding for Everton, and it remains to be seen whether the Toffees are willing to sell him to their bitter rivals. Ndiaye has 9 goal contributions in the league.

The report further claims that Jarrod Bowen, Harry Wilson and Bazoumana Toure are on Liverpool’s radar as well. They will need to replace Mohamed Salah at the end of the season, and signing quality wingers should be a priority for them. They have not been able to replace Luis Diaz yet, who left the club at the start of the season. Investing in two quality wide players would be ideal.

Gordon and Ndiaye are indispensable assets for their respective clubs, and they are likely to cost a lot of money.

The post Liverpool want Premier League duo with combined 31-G/A this season after Ekitike injury appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Manchester United manager Michael Carrick faces a defensive crisis ahead of Saturday’s clash against Chelsea, with both Harry Maguire and Lisandro Martínez confirmed to miss the trip to Stamford Bridge.

The news would come as a significant blow to United’s pursuit of a top-four finish, as Carrick will be forced to field a makeshift backline against a Chelsea side currently sitting just seven points behind them in the table.

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Harry Maguire and Lisandro Martinez out of Chelsea clash

The FA confirmed on Wednesday, that it has upheld a misconduct charge against Harry Maguire, resulting in an additional one-match suspension and a £30,000 fine.

The 33-year-old was penalised for his aggressive reaction toward fourth official Matt Donohue following a red card in United’s recent 2-2 draw with Bournemouth.

Although Maguire had already served a suspension for the initial dismissal, the FA ruled that his “improper manner and abusive words” warranted further punishment.

Adding to Carrick’s woes, Lisandro Martínez will also be absent. The Argentine defender is starting a three-match ban for violent conduct after he was caught pulling the hair of Leeds United’s Dominic Calvert-Lewin during Monday’s 2-1 defeat.

With Matthijs de Ligt still sidelined through injury, United are expected to rely on 20-year-old Leny Yoro and teenage prospect Ayden Heaven to anchor the defense against the Blues.

??? Harry Maguire set to be banned for +1 game as “FA uphold charge of misconduct”, reports @lauriewhitwell.

Man United could be without Maguire and Lisandro Martínez against Chelsea. ?? pic.twitter.com/sQVZhqc9vy

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) April 15, 2026

Harry Maguire’s importance to the Carrick era

The timing of the suspension is particularly frustrating given Maguire’s recent “renaissance” at the club.

Just last week, Maguire signed a new contract extending his stay at Old Trafford until June 2027.

Since Carrick took over in January, Maguire has been an ever-present, starting every league game until his recent disciplinary issues.

His leadership has been a fundamental part of United’s climb to third in the standings, and his absence leaves a vocal void in a backline.

The post Massive blow for Carrick: Man United to be without two key players for match against Chelsea appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Igor Paixao has been linked with a move away from Marseille, and Liverpool are interested in securing his signature.

The 25-year-old has impressed with his explosive pace and dribbling ability at the French club. Liverpool is looking to add more cutting-edge in the final third, and they believe the 25-year-old Brazilian could be an excellent addition for them.

Paixao joined Marseille for a fee of €30 million, and the French outfit could look to double their investment in the player, as per SportsBoom. He has 19 goal contributions this season.

Along with Liverpool, Arsenal are also keeping tabs on his situation. Both teams need more quality in the final third. The Brazilian will add unpredictability and technical ability to the team. The opportunity to play for Arsenal or Liverpool will be hard to turn down. They are among the biggest clubs in the world, and they could provide him with the platform to fight for major trophies. It remains to be seen whether they are prepared to pay the asking price for him. €60 million is a lot of money, and they will hope to sign the player for a more reasonable fee.

The report claims that Arsenal are preparing an offer of €35 million plus bonuses for the Brazilian attacker. It remains to be seen whether they can beat Liverpool to his signature.

Noni Madueke and Eberechi Eze have not been able to live up to expectations since joining the club, and Arsenal need someone who can take on defenders, beat them in 1v1 situations, and create opportunities.

Liverpool will need to replace Mohamed Salah, who has announced he will leave the club in the summer. It remains to be seen where the Brazilian ends up.

The post Arsenal prepare cut-price offer as Liverpool join hunt for €60m dribbling sensation appeared first on CaughtOffside.

The March 2026 Google core update drove far higher ranking volatility than the December 2025 core update. Nearly 80% of top-three results shifted, and almost one in four top-10 pages fell out of the top 100, according to SE Ranking data shared exclusively with Search Engine Land.

The data. Volatility increased across every ranking tier.

• In the top 3, 79.5% of URLs changed positions, up from 66.8% in December. In the top 10, 90.7% shifted, compared to 83.1%.

• Stability dropped sharply. Only 20.5% of top 3 URLs held their exact position, down from 33.1%. In the top 10, that fell to 9.3%, from 16.9%.

• Churn intensified at the top. About 24.1% of pages ranking in the top 10 fell out of the top 100 entirely, versus 14.7% after the December update.

It’s (sort of) complicated. The March 2026 core update began rolling out a day after the March 2026 spam update completed. This complicated attribution, according to SE Ranking:

• Based on historical patterns and the scale of movement, most volatility was likely driven by the core update, with the spam update amplifying disruption.
• That overlap likely skews direct comparisons to December, though March still appeared more volatile.

More core update analysis. Meanwhile, independent analysis by Aleyda Solis, using Sistrix data from March 26 to April 11, found a consistent shift in where visibility concentrates. Rankings appeared to move from intermediary sites toward stronger destination sources. Website types gaining search visibility:

• Official and institutional.
• Specialist and niche.
• Established brands.
• Dominant platforms.

Losses were more common among aggregators, directories, and comparison-driven sites.

Winners and losers. Among the vertical shifts Solis highlighted:

• Dictionary and language reference sites declined, while larger reference platforms and major destinations gained visibility.
• Job aggregators like ZipRecruiter and Glassdoor lost ground, while employer sites and specialized platforms like USAJobs and Amazon.jobs surged.
• Government and institutional domains, including Census.gov and BLS.gov, saw strong gains on fact-driven queries.
• Travel and real estate visibility shifted away from broad discovery platforms toward stronger brands and primary destinations.
• Health results were re-sorted. Broad consumer health sites declined, while clinical, research-driven, and specialist sources gained.
• One exception: YouTube had the largest visibility loss in the dataset.

Why we care. The data suggests Google’s March 2026 core update raised the bar for ranking. Strong brands, owned data, and direct query value won. Intermediaries now look increasingly exposed.

Automation doesn’t fail on its own — it does exactly what it’s trained to do. The problem is that when Google Ads is fed incomplete, misaligned, or overly broad signals, it can optimize toward the wrong outcome faster than most advertisers realize.

In our second installment of SMX Now, our new monthly series, Ameet Khabra of Hop Skip Media will break down a real account where a 417% jump in conversions turned out to be the wrong kind of success. She’ll use that case study to explain the four key ways automation drift enters an account: signal drift, query drift, inventory drift, and creative drift.

You’ll leave with a practical framework for diagnosing drift early, understanding where human oversight matters most, and managing automation more deliberately so it works toward real business goals — not just platform-reported wins.

Join us May 6 at noon ET.

Save your spot

The NBA has declared its new television deals a resounding success after reporting record viewership figures for the past season.

The league announced on Wednesday that 170 million people in the United States tuned into NBA games across its four primary broadcast platforms – ABC/ESPN, Amazon Prime Video, NBC/Peacock, and NBA TV.

These figures mark the league's highest viewership in 24 years, representing an 86 per cent increase on last season.

This season marked the debut of Prime Video as part of the league's television rights package, while NBC/Peacock returned for the first time in a generation.

These platforms are part of a new 11-year media rights deal, valued at over $76 billion, signed in 2024, which commenced at the start of the current season.

Further highlights from the viewership data include the highest average viewership in 13 years, a 35 per cent rise from last season.

Fifty-seven telecasts this season attracted an average of two million viewers, the most since the 2011-12 season.

Furthermore, fans collectively watched NBA games for more than 920 million hours, a 25 per cent increase on last season and the highest total since 2011-12.

The NBA's social media platforms also saw record engagement, generating 228 billion views this season, according to Videocites, an increase of 13 per cent.

Arena attendance over the last three seasons has surpassed any comparable period in the league's history.

Viewership for NBA Cup group stage matches surged by 90 per cent, and the All-Star Game, broadcast on NBC, drew an audience of 8.8 million, making it the most-watched mid-season showcase since 2011.

The SoFI NBA Play-In Tournament began on Tuesday and is due to run until Friday.

The NBA playoffs will then start on Saturday, while the 2026 NBA Draft Lottery is scheduled for 10 May.

The Toronto Maple Leafs are facing mounting backlash after a turbulent 2025-26 NHL season collided with a controversial report involving artificial intelligence. A year that ended in a shocking playoff miss has now raised deeper concerns about decision-making at the top.

Toronto is going to finish last in the Atlantic Division and has a record of 32–35–14 with one game in hand, marking their first postseason absence since 2016. The off-season trade of Mitch Marner to the Vegas Golden Knights set the tone for a difficult campaign. Injuries only made matters worse, with Auston Matthews suffering a season-ending MCL tear, while Chris Tanev and Anthony Stolarz missed significant time.

The collapse led to the firing of general manager Brad Treliving in March, signaling a major shift in direction.

MORE: Pressure on Maple Leafs as Auston Matthews seeks clarity on Toronto’s direction

However, the biggest controversy emerged off the ice. Tuesday’s reports from The Athletic revealed that MLSE CEO Keith Pelley presented AI-generated trade ideas at the deadline.

“As one team source put it, fans would have been surprised to see just how involved a non-hockey executive was that day,” The column reads. “Pelley didn’t come empty-handed either. He had notes that included possible trade returns that Leafs staff members believed were generated by Large Language Models and Artificial Intelligence — tools that have become increasingly influential at the top of MLSE but hadn’t been part of the usual process with its NHL team.”

The involvement was reportedly influenced by MLSE executive Humza Teherany.

Fans react to reports of Maple Leafs management using AI-generated trade returns

The report immediately led to backlash from Maple Leafs fans, with many questioning leadership decisions. Critics argued that relying on AI during crucial moments showed a disconnect from hockey operations.

“Fire Keith immediately, this joker is going to run the team to the ground. I don’t even think the man knows any deep analytics, just knows the buzz words,” a fan said.

“Worst professional sports franchise in North America, 60 years and counting…,” another fan reacted.

“Can u imagine being in the organization for decades and this idiot comes into a meeting with an AI-generated spreadsheet on who to trade and for what. For all we know, he gave a lineup sheet to Craig that was AI-generated as well as plays. That’s why the Leafs [expletive],” a fan wrote.

“If all this is true, I’m starting to think Pelley has got to go. I’ve always known MLSE only cared about money. However, this crap? This will guarantee we go another 59 years without a cup.” One user pointed.

“These people have absolutely no [expletive] shame at all man. Embarrassing [expletive].” A fan reacted.

“What do you expect when someone that high up in the organization literally doesn’t know [expletive] about hockey and is also running like 6 other pro sports teams? What a [expletive] loser,” an angry fan wrote.

Pelley had claimed he was only observing during deadline day, but the report suggests he played a more active role. That contradiction has fueled clear frustration across the Maple Leafs’ fan base.

With on-ice struggles and front-office scrutiny, the Maple Leafs now face a defining offseason.

Liverpool and France forward Hugo Ekitike will miss the 2026 World Cup after suffering a serious injury in his club's Champions League loss to Paris Saint-Germain, his national team coach Didier Deschamps said Wednesday.

The 23-year-old crumpled in a heap holding his lower right leg with a suspected ruptured Achilles tendon during the first half of Liverpool's 2-0 quarter-final second-leg defeat to European champions PSG on Tuesday.

"Unfortunately, the severity of (Ekitike's) injury will prevent him from finishing the season with Liverpool and taking part in the World Cup," Deschamps said in a statement released by the French football federation.

"This injury is a huge blow for him, of course, but also for the French national team.

"I wanted to express my full support for him, as well as that of the entire coaching staff."

Ekitike has scored 17 goals in 45 matches in all competitions for Liverpool since arriving at Anfield for a fee of £79 million ($105.5 million) last summer.

Since winning his first France cap in a World Cup qualifier in September last year, Ekitike has been a regular in Les Bleus' set-up, scoring two goals and providing one assist in his eight caps.

jta/nf/mw

BENGALURU, India (AP) — Royal Challengers Bengaluru dismantled Lucknow Super Giants with incisive pace bowling in a five-wicket win to move atop the Indian Premier League on Wednesday.

Fast bowlers Rasikh Salam (4-24), Bhuvneshwar Kumar (3-27) and Australian Josh Hazlewood (1-20) shared eight wickets as Lucknow got bowled out for 146 after Bengaluru won the toss and elected to chase.

Virat Kohli, as an impact substitute, missed out on his third half-century of the season, but his 49 off 34 balls and impactful aggression in the power play led Bengaluru to 149-5 with nearly five overs to spare.

Lucknow got an injury scare when captain Rishabh Pant didn’t keep wickets after Hazlewood’s short ball struck the left-hander hard on his left elbow. Pant returned to bat but got dismissed for 1 off six balls when Phil Salt took a brilliant running catch at deep backward square leg.

Kohli struck six fours and a six off the first 14 balls he faced and set the platform of a solid run chase as Bengaluru raced to 60-1 runs inside the first six overs. Kohli holed out to long-on in the 11th over as he tried to complete a half-century with an ambitious shot against fast bowler Avesh Khan (2-23).

Rajat Patidar (27) and Jitesh Sharma (23) made sure Bengaluru displaced Rajasthan Royals from IPL's top spot on net run-rate with brisk knocks as the defending champions notched their fourth victory.

Fast bowler Prince Yadav, who removed Salt early in Bengaluru’s run-chase, dismissed both Patidar and Sharma in one over.

Earlier, Kumar and Hazlewood didn’t allow Lucknow to build momentum in the power play and Salam struck early when Aiden Markram (12) missed out on a low full toss and offered a tame catch at covers of a leading edge.

After Pant got retired hurt, Nicholas Pooran’s (1) disappointing season continued when the West Indian left-hander got dismissed for his third single-digit score in five games and was clean bowled by Hazlewood.

Left-arm spinner Krunal Pandya (2-38), who also completed 100 wickets in the IPL, then got quick wickets of Mitchell Marsh (40) and Abdul Samad (0) as Lucknow slumped to 83-4 in the 12th over.

Ayush Badoni made 38 off 24 balls before he Salam found the outside edge of the bat in his return spell. Mukul Choudhary made 39 off 28 balls but was one of the two Salam’s wickets in the final over.

___

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

Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Kyle Tucker came through for LA in Tuesday’s win, hitting a go-ahead single in the eighth inning.

Tucker signed with the Dodgers on a four-year, $240 million deal in the offseason, but hasn’t quite proven his worth since coming aboard. He has a 98 wRC+ through 17 games, and is slashing .242/.360/.306.

Ahead of Tuesday’s game against the Mets, manager Dave Roberts commented on what Tucker should do to improve at the plate.

“He’s getting out of his zone, I see,” Roberts said. “And he’s not a guy that typically chases down below, but he’s chasing a lot more down below, for me.

“Typically when guys chase, they’re trying to do a little bit too much.”

After his game-winning hit, Tucker gave a brief assessment of his performance this season and how it felt to finally come up big for the Dodgers.

“It was nice,” Tucker said. “Haven’t had as many hits or barrels as I would have liked, but still grinding out the at-bats, still have to take my walks and stuff and come up with a huge hit right there, y’know get the run and win the game, so I’ll take it.”

What is Kyle Tucker Lacking so far in 2026?

It’s impossible to tell whether or not Tucker’s struggles will persist through the remainder of the season after just 17 games, but there are some clear absences from Tucker’s game.

At the moment, the most noticeable differences between Tucker’s 2026 and his previous seasons are his increased strikeout rate and his greatly reduced slug.

Tucker’s average has certainly dipped to start 2026, but he’s still managed a hit in six of his last eight games. His .360 on-base percentage is also consistent with his career average. His slugging percentage this season, though, is the greatest cause for concern, as he has a mark of just .306.

Only two of his 15 hits this season have been for extra bases, and his strikeout rate has increased by 8% since 2025.

Tucker is still making consistent contact, though, as is evident by his ability to reach base regardless of power, and if he can cut down on chasing, he will surely bounce back and show his value as a Silver Slugger-caliber bat.

When do the Dodgers Play on Wednesday?

The Dodgers secured a fourth consecutive series win with Tucker’s help Tuesday, and will look to land their first sweep since the third series of the season against the Washington Nationals on the road.

Shohei Ohtani will make his third start of the season in the series finale, and will look to keep his streak of starts without allowing an earned run. Tucker is likely to feature in the matchup, and will hope to continue stringing together good at-bats as he tries to break out of his minor slump.

The Dodgers’ series finale against the New York Mets comes Wednesday at 7:10 p.m. PT.

Will Kyle Tucker continue to improve as the season goes on?

France national team manager Didier Deschamps has confirmed that Liverpool striker Hugo Ekitike (23) will miss out on the 2026 World Cup with Les Bleus after sustaining a serious Achilles injury on Tuesday against PSG. The Premier League side has yet to confirm the severity of Ekitike’s injury, but several outlets in France have confirmed Liverpool’s worst fears: the forward has ruptured his right Achilles tendon.

In a statement released by Fédération Française de Football, Deschamps confirmed that the severity of Ekitike’s injury will prevent him from finishing the season with Liverpool and from taking part in the 2026 World Cup. “Hugo is one of about ten young players who have made their debuts for the national team in recent months”, Deschamps added. “He had integrated perfectly into the group, both on and off the pitch. This injury is a huge blow for him, of course, but also for the France national team.”

Ekitike scored two goals already with France, after making his debut with Les Bleus last Autumn. Given his form, he was nailed on to make Deschamps’ squad for the 2026 World Cup. The 1998 and 2018 World Cup winner said that Ekitike was “immensely disappointed“, but he assures that the Liverpool man will eventually get back to his best. 

“I wanted to express my full support for him, as well as that of the entire staff. We know he will be fully behind the French team and we are all thinking of him.” Deschamps will unveil his World Cup squad next month, and Ekitike’s absence may play into the hands of several players, such as Tottenham Hotspur’s Randal Kolo Muani.

GFFN | Bastien Cheval

Bay FC midfielder Claire Hutton continues to put her name in the record books.

In the second match of the U.S. and Japan three-game series, Hutton, 20, became the youngest captain to start a match with the arm band since 2001.

“Literally everything,” said Hutton. “You dream of these moments.”

Only three other instances was there a player that started a match with the captain’s arm band who was younger than Hutton: Cat Whitehill was 19 years old on March 13, 2001 vs. Portugal; Aleisha Cramer was 18 years old on March 15, 2001 vs. Sweden and Cramer was still 18 years old on March 17 vs. Norway.

Only three of the San Francisco Giants Minor League Baseball affiliates were in action on Tuesday, as poor AAA Sacramento just can’t get in a game. The River Cats had both of their weekend games cancelled due to rain, which followed them as they traveled north from Sacramento to Tacoma, postponing their game on Tuesday. They’ll try again tonight, in what will hopefully be their first game since Friday, and the teams are scheduled for a doubleheader on Thursday. Now let’s get to the action.

Link to the 2026 McCovey Chronicles Community Prospect List (CPL)

All listed positions in the roundup are the position played in that particular game.

News

Help is on the way for San Francisco. Major League LHP Sam Hentges, who started his rehab assignment over the weekend with a perfect inning for Low-A San Jose, was moved up to AAA Sacramento. He’ll likely pitch a few times for the River Cats, and then be activated and added to the Major League roster.

Sacramento had to make space for Hentges on the roster, and they did so by sending RHP Will Bednar (No. 24 CPL) back to AA Richmond. That’s a bit of a bummer for Bednar, who was a non-roster invitee, and already dealt with the disappointment of beginning the year on the Development List, presumably also for roster logistics purposes. Bednar pitched well in a pair of games for the River Cats, with 4 strikeouts and just 2 baserunners in 3 scoreless innings. He’ll surely be back in Sacramento when roster space allows it.

AA Richmond (9-1)

Richmond Flying Squirrels beat the Hartford Yard Goats (Rockies) 11-7
Box score

If the Squirrels weren’t on fire before, they certainly are now. After losing their opener, Richmond has now won 9 consecutive games, as they’re off to a truly brilliant start to the season. Then again, all of the affiliates are off to a brilliant start … if only the team in San Francisco could get the memo!

Richmond won this game on the back of hits, hits, and then some more hits, as they totaled 17 in the contest en route to their 11 runs.

It started at the top of the lineup, where a pair of hitters set the table with 3-hit days. Leading off was left fielder Scott Bandura, who had a brilliant day, hitting 3-4 with a pair of doubles, while also adding both a sacrifice bunt and a sacrifice fly. That flurry of productive contact rewarded Bandura with a whopping 5 runs batted in for the day.

Bandura is really putting on a clinic on how to master a level the 2nd time around. The left-handed hitter, who was taken in the 7th round of the 2023 draft, was promoted to Richmond late last year, and had some struggles as he got his feet under him. Bandura posted a .626 OPS and an 88 wRC+ in 45 games with the Squirrels last year, but even those numbers look a little worse with some digging, as they were propped up by a lot of walks. The now-24-year old hit just .199, and struck out 30.6% of the time.

But the old adage of “one to measure, two to rake” doesn’t just apply to individual at-bats. Bandura appears to have applied that to his time in the Eastern League, as he’s raised his average to .333, while slashing his strikeout rate in half, all the way down to 14.9%. That, combined with his 6 extra-base hits, has given him a .913 OPS and a 140 wRC+ through 10 games this year.

We’re still a few months of good performance away from talking about Bandura in AAA, but it’s not exactly the rosiest of outfield situations in Sacramento. Hopefully Bandura keeps putting pressure on, and can earn a 2nd consecutive midseason promotion.

Hitting behind Bandura was second baseman Dayson Croes, who went 3-6 and also bopped a pair of doubles, while knocking in 3 runs. It’s been a sensational start to the year for Croes, a 26-year old who was signed out of indy ball a year ago. But that really shouldn’t surprise anyone, as the lefty was awesome in his stint with Richmond a season ago … and also awesome in his stint with Sacramento.

But the Giants are having Croes repeat AA, despite those strong results, primarily because fellow second baseman Nate Furman (No. 39 CPL) has earned the AAA priority. Croes is taking it in stride, by taking all of his good numbers in AA last year and making them even better: his average has jumped from .307 to .349, his on-base percentage from .354 to .391, his slugging percentage from .400 to .488, and his walk rate from 6.0% to 6.5%, while his strikeouts have dropped from 18.1% to 15.2%. All of that has resulted in an .880 OPS and a 134 wRC+. Unfortunately, it does feel like Croes will be unfairly stuck in AA for a while, unless the Giants decide they want him (or Furman) to try a new position, which seems unlikely given that they both struggle to handle second as is.

If the top of the lineup was the star that drove the team to victory, the bottom of the lineup was one hell of a wingman. The trio that hit in the 7-9 slots — catcher Drew Cavanaugh (No. 19 CPL), third baseman Diego Velasquez (No. 31 CPL), and right fielder Turner Hill — positively shined. Cavanaugh offered up the latest data point that his 2025 breakout season was not a fluke, as he hit 2-3 with a double, a walk, and a hit by pitch, while also striking out and getting caught stealing.

The 7 extra-base hits in 7 games is the headline-grabber for Cavanaugh, but I’d argue that the most important thing he’s shown is improved contact. He only got into 14 games for Richmond last year, but hit just .186 with a 26.8% strikeout rate and a 14.8% swinging strike rate. This year? A .435 average, a 9.1% strikeout rate, and a 7.6% swinging strike rate. Those numbers will come down (or up, as the case may be), but when you start that great, you have room to fall while staying in a strong place. The result, for now, is a blistering 1.432 OPS and a 262 wRC+. So watch out, those who fear the talking heads: the Patrick Bailey discourse has already become insufferable thanks to Daniel Susac and Jesús Rodríguez, don’t let Cavanaugh join the party!

As for the other pair, Velasquez hit 2-4 with a hit by pitch to raise his OPS to .798 and his wRC+ to 128, while Hill went 2-4 with a walk, bumping his OPS to 1.007 and his wRC+ to 164. I expect both of those players — who initially made it to Richmond in 2024 — to get their first real glimpse of AAA at some point this year (I say “real” because Hill has been an emergency fill-in for the River Cats on numerous occasions over the years). It’s certainly notable that Velasquez, who is still somehow only 22 years old, played third base in this game for the 1st time in his career. Some of that may be due to roster logistics in Richmond, but it also may be a way to prepare him for AAA since, as mentioned, Furman is blocking second base.

While it was the top and bottom of the order that carried the team, the prettiest swing of the day belonged to the heart of the order, as center fielder Bo Davidson (No. 4 CPL) left the building with a gorgeous swing of the bat in the 7th inning.

That salvaged an otherwise poor day for Davidson — he finished 1-5 with 3 strikeouts — but my goodness, that really might be the prettiest swing in the organization. The 23-year old is showing there’s still plenty for him to work on in AA — neither his .240 average nor his 28.6% strikeout rate are telling the organization that he’s almost ready for AAA — but he’s also emphasizing his game-changing abilities. So far he has 3 home runs in just 7 games, all while holding it down in center field. Perhaps it’s that new dad strength I’ve heard so much about!

The pitching was better than the score would suggest, as 5 of Hartford’s 7 runs came in the 9th inning, when RHP Cameron Pferrer got roughed up and couldn’t make it through the inning, forcing long reliever RHP Shane Rademacher into emergency duty to record the final out.

But the piggybacking starters pitched quite well, with RHP Logan Martin and LHP Jack Choate (No. 37 CPL) handling the Yard Goats quite adeptly. Martin, who was making his 2nd start with the organization after coming over this winter in the Mason Black trade, had a bounce-back game after a rough AA debut. The 2023 12th-round pick, who will turn 25 later this season, gave up just 3 hits and 1 walk in 4.1 innings, with 4 strikeouts and only 1 run allowed.

The strikeouts and walks will be worth watching for Martin, as they may determine whether he’s able to continue developing as a starter or will have to move to a relief role at some point. He only had 7.7 strikeouts against 3.6 walks per 9 innings in High-A in 2025, and the Giants will need to see improvement on that front.

Speaking of fluctuating between starting and relieving, it’s still not entirely clear what role Choate has, but he played it damn well on Tuesday, giving up just 2 singles and a walk in 3.1 innings, while striking out 6 batters (he also gave up an unearned run). Choate, a soon-to-turn 25-year old whom the Giants selected in the 9th round in 2022, has been playing something of a hybrid relief/piggybacking starter role, with 7.2 innings through 3 appearances this year. So far his strikeout stuff — which has always been surprisingly high given his lack of velocity — has taken a leap forward, from 10.8 per 9 a year ago, to 15.3 this season. That’s still a very small sample size though, so we’ll see how that holds. Either way, it’s been a great start to the year for Choate, who is trying to prove he belongs in AAA as he nears the 150-inning mark in AA.

High-A Eugene (8-2)

Eugene Emeralds beat the Everett AquaSox (Mariners) 7-1
Box score

A really phenomenal pitching showing for the Emeralds, who allowed just 4 hits on the day. They did issue 6 walks, but 4 of those came from RHP Trey Dillard who, like Pferrer with Richmond, entered the game late, struggled, and had to be relieved for the final out of the game.

But the 3 pitchers who came before him pitched wonderfully. It started with LHP Charlie McDaniel, who took down 3 scoreless frames with just 1 hit, 1 walk, and 1 hit batter, while striking out 4. McDaniel wasn’t the most efficient — he needed 52 pitches for those 3 innings, with just 32 strikes — but 4 strikeouts and 0 extra-base hits paint the picture of someone who made hitters uncomfortable all day long. Through 2 starts, the 24-year old UDFA has yet to allow a run.

Next up was LHP Esmerlin Vinicio, who is having a much-needed awesome season. Vinicio threw 19 of 30 pitches for strikes while tossing 2 shutout innings with just 1 hit allowed, and striking out 2 batters.

It feels like Vinicio has been in the system forever, though he only just turned 23 years old. He’s still lacking physicality, though this year he no longer looks like he could blow away with a strong gust of Pacific Northwest wind. Most importantly, after a few seasons of really struggling with walks, Vinicio has shown much better command through an admittedly tiny sample size: he’s issued just 1 walk in 4.2 innings, with 6 strikeouts (he’s also only given up 1 hit, and 0 runs). Vinicio, who was signed in 2019 out of the Dominican Republic, might need a strong year to stay in the organization.

And then it was RHP Ryan Slater, San Francisco’s 18th-round pick in 2024. He was utterly dynamic in 2 scoreless innings, giving up a hit and a walk while striking out 5 batters. Slater had a solid debut season last year with Low-A San Jose, but so far he’s been much better in High-A … though he’s only pitched 5 innings. Still, a great start to the year for the 23-year old, who has a 1.80 ERA and a 2.89 FIP.

Despite the 7 runs, it was a fairly mild-mannered day for Eugene’s offense, as they had 7 hits, just 2 extra-base hits, and 2 walks. But they made the most of their swings, no one more so than catcher Onil Perez, who hit 1-3 with a strikeout, but bashed his 1st home run of the season.

Perez was once one of the better catcher prospects in the system, but has fallen on some tough times as of late, which has resulted in a 4th consecutive year getting reps in the Northwest League. He did finally put up some good numbers with Eugene last year, but really struggled in AA. That, combined with the emergence of Drew Cavanaugh, pushed Perez back down a level, and now he’s 2nd on the depth chart behind Diego Cartaya.

He entered this game just 1-12 on the year, but every hit helps, and that’s doubly (or perhaps quadruply) true for big flies. The season is long, so there’s plenty of time for Perez — who is only 23 — to find his swing again.

Second baseman Zander Darby had the only multi-hit game for the Ems, as he went 2-4 with a stolen base and a strikeout. It’s been a dreamy start to the year for the 23-year old lefty, who was a 12th-round pick in 2024, as he has a 1.029 OPS and a 178 wRC+ through 8 games (ignore the 29.4% strikeout rate and 0.0% walk rate). Darby had an excellent 2 months with Low-A San Jose last year, but struggled mightily in his month to end the year with Eugene. Nice to see him adapt to the level and start to take care of it.

Quiet — but not bad — games for the team’s pair of top prospects. Center fielder Dakota Jordan (No. 5 CPL) hit 1-3 with a walk, while shortstop Gavin Kilen (No. 7 CPL) went 1-4 with a double and a strikeout. Jordan, who has an .804 OPS and a 112 wRC+, has just 1 strikeout in his last 4 games, after amassing 13 Ks in his 1st 5 games of the year. Kilen, who has a 1.067 OPS and a 176 wRC+, has 7 extra-base hits in just 9 games, as July’s 1st-round pick is off to a brilliant start to his 1st full season.

Low-A San Jose (7-3)

San Jose Giants lost to the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes (Angels) 12-6
Box score

The San Jose Giants did something we all desperately wish the San Francisco Giants would do: they hit a lot of home runs. Unfortunately, the end result for the Baby Giants was something the Adult Giants are all too familiar with: a loss.

But it wasn’t due to the long ball, as San Jose bopped a trio of big flies.

The 1st one came on the very 1st pitch of the day, from the very best prospect on the team, shortstop Jhonny Level (No. 3 CPL).

Level returned to the lineup after missing a few games, and wasted no time making his impact with a gorgeous swing of the bat. It was his only hit of the day, as the 19-year old switch-hitter ended the game 1-4 with a walk, a strikeout, and his 1st error of the season.

There have been a lot of star performers in the Minors for the Giants this year, but I’d argue no one has had a better year than Level, who is building on last year’s breakout campaign by hitting 15-31 through 7 games, with 3 home runs, 5 doubles, 4 walks, just 7 strikeouts, and 3 stolen bases, all while playing solid defense at shortstop. Level has started to pop up at the very end of some top 100 lists and, if he keeps performing even remotely like this, I think he’ll likely be residing in the top 50 in every midseason prospect list. Really couldn’t ask for a better beginning to the year for someone who, it’s worth repeating, is more than 2 years younger than the average player in the Cal League.

If Level is the MVP of the farm system at this point, then catcher Junior Barajas is first or second-team All-Farm. Last year’s 11th-round pick continues to rake in his debut season, as he hit 1-4 with a home run and a walk.

The 21-year old lefty isn’t playing every day due to his position, but he’s making the most of his playing time, going 10-31 with 3 homers, 4 doubles, 2 walks, and 6 strikeouts, for a 1.124 OPS and a 166 wRC+. Like Level, Barajas is doing that with solid defense at a premier position, as he’s wasted no time looking like the Giants latest late-round steal. We need more than 7 games before we can give him that crown, but still … the Giants have to be thrilled with what they’re seeing.

And rounding out the home run party was designated hitter Broedy Poppell, who hit 1-3 with a walk and his 1st career home run. That’s always worth celebrating!

Like Barajas, Poppell was a late pick by the Giants last year, as he went in the 13th round for a meager $50K signing bonus. The switch-hitter, who turns 24 soon, has been awesome in his debut season, hitting 6-20 with 5 walks against just 4 strikeouts. Normally an outfielder, Poppell is a little bit more a control the zone guy than a home run hitter, despite what he did Tuesday. That was his 1st extra-base hit, but he has more walks than strikeouts, which was also the case in his 2 seasons as a starter at Florida A&M.

Also a nice day for second baseman Dario Reynoso, who hit 2-4 with 1 walk and 2 strikeouts. The right-handed hitter, who just turned 21, has had something of a mixed bag of a season. Last year he dominated the Complex League (.999 OPS, 158 wRC+), but was awful in his short stint with San Jose (.472 OPS, 45 wRC+). Things are much rosier in his 2nd pass through the level, as he has a .785 OPS and a 125 wRC+. But the issue with his 2025 was that he struck out a lot … even while decimating ACL pitchers, Reynoso had a red flag strikeout rate at 31.7%, which rose to 38.6% in San Jose. It’s still a troubling number this year, at 31.3%. And finally, there’s the power issue: Reynoso sported a .258 ISO in the ACL last year, thanks to 10 home runs and 27 total extra-base hits in just 53 games. He has just 1 extra-base hit this season, and through 22 total games in Low-A only has 4 … all of which have been doubles.

I’m stalling on the hitters because the pitchers weren’t good and I don’t want to talk about them. RHP Keyner Martinez (No. 10 CPL) got the start, and it was a great game until it wasn’t.

Martinez was on absolute cruise control for a while, as he was perfect through the 1st 3 innings. But he ran into so much trouble in the 4th inning that he didn’t make it out of the frame, as he gave up 2 hits (both singles), 2 walks, and a hit batter, while only recording 2 outs. That, combined with RHP Mauricio Estrella allowing 2 of the inherited runners to score, tattooed 4 earned runs on Martinez’s ledger in just 3.2 innings, despite looking great for most of the game, and recording 5 strikeouts.

The 21-year old Martinez has yet to replicate last year’s breakout campaign, as he has a 9.45 ERA and a 6.57 FIP through 2 starts. But that’s a tiny sample size, and he has 9 strikeouts in 6.2 innings. There can be no denying that he has some of the best stuff in the system, he just needs to harness it.

RHP Melvin Pineda also showed off the strikeout stuff despite some struggles. The 2021 international signee from Venezuela, who turns 22 next month, gave up a hit, a walk, a hit batter, and a run in just 1.2 innings, but struck out 4 batters. He has 10 strikeouts through 5.2 innings this year.

Home run tracker

3 — Bo Davidson — [AA]
3 — Jhonny Level — [Low-A]
3 — Junior Barajas — [Low-A]
1 — Onil Perez — [High-A]
1 — Broedy Poppell — [Low-A]

Wednesday schedule

Sacramento: 6:05 p.m. PT at Tacoma (SP: Carson Whisenhunt)
Richmond: 4:10 p.m. PT at Hartford (SP: Greg Farone)
Eugene: 6:35 p.m. PT vs. Everett (SP: Tyler Switalski)
San Jose: 6:30 p.m. PT at Rancho Cucamonga (SP: Cody Delvecchio)

Reminder that almost all MiLB games can be watched on MLB TV.

Fielding Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappé on the same team sheet usually feels like something out of a video game fantasy.

For the occasion of the Champions League quarter-final second leg, we tried to put together the ultimate XI combining the Madrid and Munich squads.

From the wall that is Courtois to the metronome Olise, this mixed team highlights current form as much as historical prestige. A legendary XI for a quarter-final that is no less so.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇫🇷 here.

For Boston Celtics head coach, a summer league game is a preseason game is a regular season game is a playoff game. Or to put it more plainly, for the Celtics coach, you have to win the game that is in front of you if you want to achieve the ultimate goal of winning a title. The expectations and challengers might vary, but the process does not.

And the Rhode Island native broke down why he feels that way after a recent Celtics practice, saying "It's the same in the fundamentals and the execution. What's different is the intensity -- (and) obviously the stakes."

"And so when you have to execute details and be disciplined under higher amounts of duress, it requires another level of physicality and mindset that you have to get to."

"And so we can't be distracted by the things that we can't control is what we're saying," said Mazzulla. "You still have to rebound, you have to run back on defense, you have to defend without fouling, you have to screen, you have to know your personnel, you have to be able to execute, you've got to be able to read two-on-ones, all that stuff is no different than a pickup game."

"What changes is the physicality that you have to do it, but also the intensity. And so that's the piece that we have to be ready to bring."

Listen to "Havlicek Stole the Pod" on:

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This article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: Playoffs or preseason, approach the same for Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla

The Islanders offseason has begun with the signing of Quinn Finley to his two-year entry level contract.

Finley made the NCAA championship final with the University of Wisconsin as arguably the Badgers’ best forward in his junior year. They ultimately lost the title to Denver University, 2-1.

Listed at 6’, 190 lbs., the left-shooting winger was a third-round selection (78th overall) in the 2022 NHL draft. He played three seasons in the USHL before moving to the NCAA. He’s not a “top 100 NHL prospects” guy but could be a serviceable NHLer good AHLer.

Watching NHL draftees at the Frozen Four, the Athletic had this short blurb:

Finley was Wisconsin’s best forward for my money over the last two years, but he was less impactful this week. He spent a lot of his shifts in the offensive zone but struggled to break through.

That’s not as high as Scott Wheeler’s previous ranking of all Islanders prospects, where he put Finley in “Tier 3” (same as Isaiah George) and said Finley is a guy with:

above-average skill who processes the game at an advanced level and makes his plays without overstepping his boundaries. I like his work ethic, the consistency of his approach and his habits. He has a quick release and the instincts to get open for it as well. I’m not sure what his upside is as a pro, but he’s become an excellent college player and is on track to get signed. He plays a well-liked, well-rounded, versatile three-zone game that has shown more secondary skill over the last couple of years than I thought was there.

This signing was reasonably expected, so no big news here. Now the hard part begins.

Sunrise, Fla. — Paul Woods wasn't sure what the emotions were going to be.

Woods, 71, was set to do his last game as the Red Wings' radio analyst Wednesday when the regular season concluded against the Florida Panthers.

Working his 40th season as the Wings' radio analyst, Woods announced his retirement in February for this season's end.

"I'm not quite sure what to think," Woods said after the Wings' morning skate. "It's all good. Just so many great memories. I'm very satisfied with how everything turned out."

Woods played seven seasons and 501 games with the Wings before joining the radio booth in 1987, three years after his playing career ended. Woods accepted the radio opportunity on a lark, not expecting radio to be a long-time career, but suddenly "it grew on me."

"Just the game itself, to be able to see it and played at the highest level," Woods said of what he'll miss the most. "I was just going to do it for one year and then turned out to be 40. I love hockey. As a young kid on my house squirt team, I put on the Wings sweater and I wore it everywhere for two years.

"And now over 60 years later, it means a lot. I'll never forget it."

As for memories, calling the four Stanley Cup championships is foremost, but also the endless parade of Hall of Fame players that have played on the Wings and the special relationships around the team on a daily basis have made an impact with Woods.

"I love the game of hockey. I've had a great passion for it since I was 6 years old. I'll keep abreast of it. I'm just thrilled with how everything has turned out," Woods said. "I saw my first game at Maple Leaf Gardens (in Toronto) and the next one I was on the Wings playing against Toronto.

"This has all been a dream."

Woods is the longest-serving radio analyst in Detroit sports broadcasting history. Woods began his broadcasting career in 1987 working the booth with Bruce Martyn before Ken Kal replaced Martyn in 1995. Since then, Kal and Woods have become a favorite and trusted pairing for Wings fans for over three decades.

"Both of them are top play-by-play guys," said Woods, who worked his 3,000th game in 2022. "They just make the game so exciting and they drag into the fight, the tempo that they do with it.

"It's been exciting to be by their side."

Red Wings coach Todd McLellan has worked with Woods in two different stints, first when McLellan was an assistant on Mike Babcock's staff from 2005-08 and then when McLellan became head coach in 2024.

"I've been very fortunate," McLellan said. "Just his impact on the game and the ability to sell the game to Michigan for the past 40 years and the (seven) he played is remarkable."

As good a broadcaster Woods is, said McLellan, Woods the person has left an even bigger impact.

"Everybody can recognize his voice but maybe you don't recognize him at the grocery store or wherever it is," McLellan said. "But what I can tell you is, for as good a hockey man as he is, he's an even better human being. He's always positive. He means so much to the entire Red Wings family and to the game.

"I was just telling Ken Kal, we recognize players and coaches and managers, and they put statues up for people. I'm not saying Paul Woods needs a statue, but 48 years in one organization, we definitely have to acknowledge that."

Some Wings heading to playoffs

Defenseman Axel Sandin-Pellikka and forwards Carter Mazur, Michael Brandsegg-Nygard and Dominik Shine will return for Grand Rapids and take part in the Griffins' run toward an AHL championship.

McLellan feels the experience can be extremely beneficial.

"We talked about Dominik Shine (the Griffins' captain) and the role he plays down there, how he drags everyone into the game, and I know he'll do that," McLellan said. "We spoke to him about it already and he's very hungry to go down there and lead.

"Then for the other players, this is a beginning, not an end. Everybody else has an ending (of the season) and this is a beginning for them. They can learn some valuable lesson in the playoffs and understand what it's like to play against the same team and in some cases seven games in a row, in hostile environments, playing through injuries. Being counted on is the big thing, so they can gain a lot."

The AHL playoffs will begin the last week of April.

tkulfan@detroitnews.com

@tkulfan

This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Paul Woods calls it a broadcasting career after 40 years with Red Wings

The new defense the Buffalo Bills will run under the watch of coordinator Jim Leonhard will look different. That will cause some changes in personnel and new responsibilities for players already on the team.

In terms of the latter, edge defender Greg Rousseau is squarely in that area.

A defensive end in a 4-3 defense, in Leonhard's 3-4 front (three D-line, 4 LBs), where is Rousseau a fit? Speaking to The Athletic, general manager Brandon Beane has revealed the answer.

A linebacker position was the most-likely answer, getting down to specifics, the GM revealed Rousseau will take on a further outside positioning (5-tech) as opposed to a spot closer to the middle (4i-tech).

Beane's full breakdown on Rousseau can be found below:

“Yeah, I think he’ll be on the outside ‘backer. You’re not gonna see him dropping [into coverage] as much as you would some other guys. But he can still do it enough — he might do it one time a game. Could he go play the 4i? Yeah, he could. I don’t know if you’re getting his value there, to be honest. It doesn’t mean he couldn’t do it. I think he’s versatile enough. Like anything, if we needed him to go do it, if these guys are like, ‘man, you’re the best guy,’ Greg would. But we see him in the outside ‘backer group, not that 3-4, 5-tech, 4i type stuff.”

This article originally appeared on Bills Wire: Brandon Beane: Bills' Greg Rousseau will see position change

Red Sox dealt tough Roman Anthony lesson amid .699 OPS start originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Last season, the Boston Red Sox called up Roman Anthony, and there was a ton of optimism about how much of an impact he could have in the big leagues for Boston.

He immediately produced, accruing 3.1 bWAR in 71 games, hitting eight homers and posting an .859 OPS before an injury cut his season short. This year has been a lot different.

As Zachary D. Rymer of Bleacher Report noted, the Red Sox have been dealt a tough loss with Anthony after his .699 OPS start to the year. Despite how good Anthony can be, he just simply isn't a "finished product yet," according to Rymer.

Red Sox dealt a tough Roman Anthony lesson

"In all, the supposed savior of the Red Sox is really going through it," Rymer writes. "Perhaps there's something to the notion that he was tasked with too much, too soon."

The Red Sox were putting a lot on the 21-year-old's plate this season, and while he lived up to the hype last year, it's not too big of a surprise he's struggling this season.

Anthony has great potential, but he is struggling a good bit this season so far. A .699 OPS and one homer through the first 17 games of the season isn't great, and add in his very suspect defense when it comes to his arm, and the struggles are real.

More: Red Sox never close on Astros’ Isaac Paredes trade

Even though this isn't the start the Red Sox were hoping for out of Anthony this season, he's still playing at a decent level, especially with the rest of the lineup struggling in the early goings of the season.

But the team's superstar meant to lead the team, struggling like Anthony has made things seem a fair bit worse than they are.

Boston is 6-11 on the year, one of the worst records in Major League Baseball. But there's time to rebound, and this team has the talent to turn things around.

Anthony will be a big part of such a turnaround, as his current struggles, especially defensively, have been a tough lesson for the Red Sox to learn this season.

More MLB news:

• Braves predicted to trade Bryce Elder for Lars Nootbaar
• Jacob DeGrom is only 149 strikeouts from 2,000 for his career
• Three ways Pirates' Paul Skenes could lose NL Cy Young Award
• Mets didn’t want to trade Brett Baty while White Sox didn’t want Mark Vientos in Luis Robert Jr. trade
• Shohei Ohtani deemed more valuable than Aaron Judge in recent ESPN discussion piece

Andre Agassi pickleball: Tennis legend reveals why he loves trending sport before Pickleball Slam 4 originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The trendy new sport, pickleball, is in the spotlight on Wednesday.

Pickleball Slam 4 will be on national TV and it will feature the likes of Andre Agassi, James Blake, Ann Leigh Waters and Genie Bouchard.

Agassi is the eight-time Grand Slam champion, and he's also the Pickleball Slam defending champ.

The all-time great joined the Pat McAfee Show on Wednesday afternoon to promote the night's event.

Why does Andre Agassi play pickleball?

Agassi plays pickleball because he loves it.

"I fell in love with pickleball because it's added a lot to our lives internally as a family, we're actually making friends now, which is hard to do at my age," Agassi told McAfee. 

He then went on to speak about joining the sport.

"Truth is, it's a low point of entry, nobody is intimidated to try it," Agassi said. "Everybody gets better quickly at it. It brings community together. There's a lot of gifts to it. It's a great physical outlet, believe it or not, and mentally it also requires a lot to lock on."

How to watch Pickleball Slam 4

The event is televised on a national broadcast on ESPN at 7 p.m. ET on Wednesday.

It's also on fubo, which offers a free trial for all new users.

Waters plays Blake to start the competition. Then it's Agassi against Bouchard. And then the two male tennis greats will team up against the female pickleball standouts.

MORE: The roots of Jackie Robinson Day on April 15

Bayern Munich have officially confirmed this evening that Tom Bischof has suffered a minor muscle tear in his left calf.

The news has broken on the eve of the Bavarian club's Champions League quarter-final duel with Real Madrid which starts at 21:00 CET.

This diagnosis was the result of an examination by FC Bayern's medical department who ran tests on the young midfielder.

As a result, the German record champions believe the 20-year-old will therefore be sidelined indefinitely for the time being.

It comes as a big blow to Vincent Kompany's side given the versatile German has been key in enabling rotation in recent Bundesliga games.

Last Saturday, Bischof played 90 minutes at left-back in the 5-0 win over FC St. Pauli and scored twice the previous weekend in a 3-2 triumph in Freiburg. 

The chapter at Florida State has closed for Maximo Garcia-Plata, and the Madrid native has found his next home. The former Seminoles redshirt guard has committed to the University of the Incarnate Word, giving the San Antonio-based program a player with an intriguing international pedigree and untapped potential.

The 6-foot-4, 180-pound guard came to FSU from Madrid, Spain, having been a part of Real Madrid's basketball development system before arriving in Tallahassee. He played 19 games for Real Madrid's B team in the 2024-25 Tercera FEB league season, averaging 9.9 points per game while shooting 43.9% from the field and 31.2% from three-point range. He also represented Spain on the international stage at the youth level before making the jump to American college basketball.

Garcia-Plata signed with Florida State in August of 2025 and ultimately redshirted the 2025-26 season as the Seminoles navigated a guard-heavy roster under first-year head coach Luke Loucks. His departure was ultimately a product of roster math rather than talent concerns. FSU's staff loved what Garcia-Plata could become, but with multiple guards already in the pipeline, the numbers simply didn't add up for him to stay.

He has the positional size coveted in a lead guard and the versatility to play either backcourt spot. At Incarnate Word, he will have the opportunity to play meaningful minutes immediately, something that was not possible in Tallahassee, given the depth around him.

For Garcia-Plata, the move to Incarnate Word represents the fresh start he needs. He arrives with a full four years of eligibility, professional-level European experience, and a skillset that was never truly tested at the college level. If his production with Real Madrid's B squad, nearly 10 points per game against professional competition, translates to the Southland, the Cardinals may have landed one of the more underrated portal additions in the conference this cycle.

Follow us @FSUWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida State news, notes, and opinions.

This article originally appeared on FSU Wire: FSU Basketball: Maximo Garcia-Plata commits to Incarnate Word

Cavaliers superstar James Harden predicted to opt-out of current deal, receive $65 million contract update originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Cleveland Cavaliers finished off another good season, with a record of 52-30 and fourth in the Eastern Conference. Getting superstar James Harden at the trade deadline was also a key factor in their success.

However, Harden has the ability to leave after this season if he wants to. Luckily, Bleacher Report’s Eric Pincus predicts that he won’t, and will reject his option and will re-sign a longer contract with Cleveland.

MORE: Lakers predicted to upgrade from Deandre Ayton, sign $200 million All-Star center if current team doesn't extend him after breakout season

“The Cavaliers recently traded for Harden from the LA Clippers, knowing the former NBA MVP has the option to explore unrestricted free agency in July. Harden also had to approve the deal, which meant he lost his full rights (traded after re-signing for one year with the Clippers). Putting that all together, Harden and the Cavaliers presumably have an understanding that may include the veteran guard opting out to re-sign on a two-year deal starting at around $32.5 million (give or take $2.5 million).,” Pincus wrote.

Harden finished this season averaging 23.6 points, 4.8 rebounds, and eight assists in 34.8 minutes per game. He became a vital part of the Cavs’ offense, becoming the playmaking maestro they’ve needed for a while. 

MORE: Proposed blockbuster Knicks trade sees New York pair Jalen Brunson with $175 million two-time MVP, lose Karl Anthony-Towns in the process

Pincus is projected Harden will receive a two-year, $65 million deal. Currently, Harden only has a $42 million player option for next season, so this works better for the Cavs as they get Harden for two more years instead of one, and for a lower AAV.

With that lower AAV, it allows them to pursue other stars in free agency, such as LeBron James, who could come home for his possible final season. Hopefully, the Cavs realize this is a move they need to make, and get to work.

It was a mild surprise to the college football world when Dante Moore announced in January that he would be returning to Eugene for another season with the Oregon Ducks. Although Ducks fans might not have been caught as off-guard, the decision put the nation on notice for the Ducks to be championship contenders once again in 2026 with some continuity under center.

Moore was a projected top-5 pick in the upcoming NFL Draft, so his return meant one of, if not the best, quarterbacks in the country would be back in play. CBS Sports' Brad Crawford seems to believe in the latter, listing Moore atop his rankings for every power conference starter ahead of the 2026 season.

"Moore finished with 3,565 yards passing and 30 touchdowns in his first full season as a college starter, helping Oregon reach the College Football Playoff semifinals," Crawford wrote. "The former UCLA transfer will work with a new offensive coordinator this fall after spending the last two years with Will Stein, who's now leading Kentucky. He deserves the current spot as college football's top quarterback."

.@BCrawford247 ranked every projected Power Conference QB starter entering the 2026 season 👀

Full 1-68 ranking 🔗 https://t.co/MoEQBTcIGhpic.twitter.com/SpZnEjViQk

— CBS Sports College Football 🏈 (@CBSSportsCFB) April 15, 2026

Within the top 10 of the rankings, there are three other quarterbacks from the Big Ten, two of which are on Oregon's regular season schedule. Ohio State's Julian Sayin falls one spot behind Moore at No. 2, while USC's Jayden Maiava and Indiana's Josh Hoover take the No. 9 and 10 spots, respectively.

At the end of the day, preseason rankings are all speculation, but it sets the table for what is expected of Moore next season. The Ducks have a more challenging schedule this year, particularly in November with matchups against Ohio State, Michigan and Washington. Still, the Ducks expect to be back in the College Football Playoff and contending for the conference crown, thanks to another year of progression for Moore and his increased role as a leader in the locker room this spring.

Beyond the outlook of next season, the rankings also show that Moore leads the way for what is widely believed to be a loaded 2027 quarterback class ahead of the NFL Draft. That class should feature Moore, alongside Texas' Arch Manning, Ole Miss' Trinidad Chambliss, Miami's Darian Mensah and many more.

The spring has gone well for Moore, both on and off the field, and the Ducks have one of the best receiving groups the program has ever had at his disposal. Time will tell if Moore can take the next step forward and live up to all the preseason hype.

Contact/Follow @Ducks_Wire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oregon Ducks news, notes, and opinions.

This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: Oregon's Dante Moore tabbed top QB nationally in power conferences

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The Jose Soriano breakout is upon us.

The Los Angeles Angels right-hander has a microscopic 0.33 ERA through four starts and is tied for second in FanGraphs' Wins Above Replacement among qualified starters — New York Yankees righty Cam Schlittler is atop the board.

Soriano is still offering plenty of value in the latest Cy Young odds.

As the regular season continues apace, let's dig into the latest MLB odds and 2026 MLB Cy Young predictions below.

Odds to win AL Cy Young award 2026

Player
Tarik Skubal	+144
Bryan Woo	+429
Logan Gilbert	+429
Kevin Gausman	+558
Garrett Crochet	+567
Cam Schlittler	+614
Max Fried	+669
Jacob deGrom	+733
Nathan Eovaldi	+809
George Kirby	+817
Kyle Bradish	+910
Jose Soriano	+910
MacKenzie Gore	+910
Gavin Williams	+1011
Cole Ragans	+1595
Dylan Cease	+2281

Odds from PolyMarket.

Odds last updated on 4-15.

Odds to win NL Cy Young award 2026

Player
Paul Skenes	+223
Yoshinobu Yamamoto	+245
Cristopher Sanchez	+456
Shohei Ohtani	+492
Nolan McLean	+513
Chris Sale	+625
Zack Wheeler	+755
Freddy Peralta	+910
Jesus Luzardo	+1393
Tyler Glasnow	+1752

Odds last updated on 4-15.

MLB Cy Young futures bets

Bet	Odds	Bet date	Units
Eury Perez	+3500	March 25	0.25
Dylan Cease	+3000	March 25	0.25
Hunter Greene	+1400	February 24	0.25
Cole Ragans	+1300	February 24	0.25

The line movement hasn't been kind to our preseason picks. Hunter Greene is virtually out of the race due to a long-term injury, while both Eury Perez and Cole Ragans have seen their odds go in the opposite direction from when we took them.

Dylan Cease, at least, has seen his number go to +2000. 

Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal hit his first stumbling block of the season after failing to get out of the fifth inning vs. the Twins, allowing four runs on eight hits in a losing effort. It will take more than that to torpedo his status as the betting favorite, though, as he's still +205. 

It's been tough sledding for pitchers named Hunter, as Houston Astros right-hander Hunter Brown is out for an uncertain amount of time with a shoulder injury. His Cy Young odds have fallen to +3500, but I'd argue they should be much longer or off the board entirely. 

With someone like Skubal leading the pack, with Garrett Crochet and others on his tail, missing any substantial time makes it so much harder to contend.

Though I'm tempted to drop a speculative wager on Sandy Alcantara after his start, he's also been subject to many trade rumors, so a midseason move to the American League is a real risk, which would derail any awards chances.

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Previous Cy Young Award winners

Here are the last 10 winners of the AL and NL Cy Young Award, with Detroit, Cleveland, Houston, Washington, and the New York Mets each leading the way with two. Overall, the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers have the most Cy Youngs all time (12), followed by the Milwaukee/Atlanta Braves with eight and the Philadelphia Phillies, Boston Red Sox, and Mets with seven apiece.

Previous AL Cy Young winners

Year	American League Winner
2025	Tarik Skubal
2024	Tarik Skubal
2023	Gerrit Cole
2022	Justin Verlander
2021	Robbie Ray
2020	Shane Bieber
2019	Justin Verlander
2018	Blake Snell
2017	Corey Kluber
2016	Rick Porcello

Previous NL Cy Young winners

Year	National League Winner
2025	Paul Skenes
2024	Chris Sale
2023	Blake Snell
2022	Sandy Alcantara
2021	Corbin Burnes
2020	Trevor Bauer
2019	Jacob deGrom
2018	Jacob deGrom
2017	Max Scherzer
2016	Max Scherzer

Pitchers with multiple Cy Young awards

Twenty-two pitchers have won multiple Cy Young Awards, led by Roger Clemens' seven trophies. Of those 22 winners, five are still active in the majors.

Popular MLB futures markets

• MLB World Series odds
• MLB MVP odds
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• MLB HR title odds

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

NFL draft analyst Dan Brugler of The Athletic just put on a massive seven-round mock draft update just a week before the 2026 NFL Draft. Brugler didn't project any trades for the Steelers and instead made all 12 picks. This gives us a load of information to go over and break down so here we go.

First round - WR Omar Cooper Jr. - Indiana

Cooper is an ideal choice here because he's so strong inside after the catch but can also line up outside to allow DK Metcalf to slide in and create mismatches.

Second round - G Keylan Rutledge - Georgia Tech

Rock solid, day one starter who got better every week last season and carried that momentum into offseason workouts. Easy replacement for Isaac Seumalo.

Third round - LB Kyle Louis - Pitt

Louis is a tweener whose athleticism will get him drafted early but with the team's additions at safety, we aren't sure where he would play.

Third round - QB Garrett Nussmeier - LSU

We expect the Steelers to select a quarterback at some point and Nussmeier's ties to Mike McCarthy makes this choice make sense.

Third round - CB Chandler Rivers - Duke

Undersized but physical and probably best suited to compete with Brandin Echols in the slot.

Fourth round - TE Marlin Klein - Michigan

Solid sleeper tight end for that No. 3 spot on the depth chart. Great blocker and sneaky good as a receiver with his huge frame.

Fourth round - LB Jack Kelly - BYU

Not sure how to feel about coming back to Kelly here after taking Louis in the third. If Louis can't make the switch to safety you now have far too many linebackers.

Fifth round - DT DeMonte Capehart - Clemson

Capehart has a ton of potential as an inside/outside 3-4 defensive lineman but his length in particular meshes well on the outside.

Sixth round - EDGE Trey Moore - Texas

Big sleeper pick here and one our favorites in the draft. Great burst, highly productive and well coached.

Seventh round - OT Enrique Cruz - Kansas

Nice developmental tackle prospect this late in the draft.

Seventh round - WR Emmanuel Henderson - Kansas

Solid pickup this late with his skills as a returner.

Seventh round - P Ryan Eckley - Michigan State

Great college punter whose numbers were hurt by terrible special teams coverage at Michigan State.

This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: Breaking down the Steelers picks in new mock draft from The Athletic

The Steelers have now used all of their 30 pre-draft visit slots, with Steelers Now’s Alan Saunders reporting Wednesday that the team hosted Arizona cornerback/safety Treydan Stukes for a visit.

Stukes visited alongside Penn State quarterback Drew Allar, who was previously reported.

Now that the list is finalized, you can view BTSC’s pre-draft visit tracker here — all the top-30 visits as well as the three local visits.

Stukes, a 6’1, 190-pound defensive back, scored a strong 9.95 RAS ahead of the draft (no agility testing), headlined by a 4.33-second 40-yard dash.

“Sixth-year senior and team captain who went from walk-on to unquestioned leader of his defense. Stukes combines his infectious passion with hours of preparation that allow him to play fast,” NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein wrote in a pre-draft scouting report. “He communicates well from zone and works quickly from route to route. He has work to do in man coverage but possesses an excellent feel for disrupting catch-points at optimal angles despite a lack of ideal length. Stukes is an older prospect and has an ACL tear in his background (2024), but the football has a magnetic pull for him. Coaches will love his football character and versatility as a big nickelback or split safety.”

Stukes is an older prospect who will turn 25 in September. In 2025 with the Wildcats, he notched 52 total tackles, one sack, four interceptions, and six passes defensed. Per NFL Mock Draft Database, Stukes is projected as a second-round pick.

Aaron Sadler, communications director for the City of Little Rock, Arkansas, knows how to make a point.

For example, on buying marquee tickets for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, he said, “I suppose I’d have to take out a loan and sell a kidney.’’

Sadler, 49, has joined the chorus of shock and frustration over a presale ticket process marked by low inventory and high prices, according to Sadler and people sounding off online.

The price of four tickets to the Opening Ceremony for “OK’’ seats: $10,418.52, according to a screenshot on social media of the LA28 online checkout cart posted on X by @albertobelli.

Wrote Belli, “Guess I’m watching from the couch.’’

A scarcity of less expensive tickets for some events led to sticker shock. SwimSwam reported April 10 tickets to the Opening Ceremony still were available -- starting at $4,961.20 apiece. And tickets still were available for swimming prelims -- for $1,116.27, according to SwimSwam.

The highest price for non-couch seats at premiere events will exceed $5,000.

LA28, Los Angeles Organizing Committee for the 2028 Olympic & Paralympic Games, told USA TODAY its ticket program is "rooted in heavy analytics and extensive market demand research around entertainment and live sports in the U.S. Tickets are comparable to – or well under in many cases – professional sporting and major entertainment events in the U.S."  

Los Angeles residents, who had first access to tickets between April 2 and April 6, discovered the following: $28 tickets, billed as the lowest in modern Olympic history, quickly sold out; tickets for preliminary swimming priced at about $1,000; and, with virtually everything sold out, tickets for table tennis going for about $200 apiece.

Sadler entered the presale process with some experience. He bought tickets about a year before he and his wife attended their first Olympics, the Paris Games in 2024. Sadler shared a receipt showing he bought a pair of tickets for five events, including the women’s team gymnastics final, for about $3,500.

Tickets for some of the same events at the Los Angeles Games cost more than three times as much as the tickets for the Paris Games, according to Sadler.

“They’ve priced me out,’’ he said. “I don’t think it respects the spirit of the Games.’’

Responding to complaints from people who say they have found no $28 tickets, LA28 said, "Through the entire presale...there were $28 tickets available for purchase, which unsurprisingly were in high demand. We sold hundreds of thousands of $28 tickets during our LA & OKC Locals Presale — that's hundreds of thousands of locals who were able to get incredibly affordable tickets.''

Paris provides hope

Buying tickets during the presale required registering online, followed by a random draw. There will be multiple ticket drops, with the first one ending April 19.

Locals in Los Angeles and Oklahoma, site of Olympic softball and canoe slalom competition, got first crack. That left people like Sadler waiting until April 9 to look for tickets, with their experience with the Paris Olympics initially providing hope for him and his wife, Rev. Brittany Stillwell.

“So, I was reading an article in early 2023 about tickets for Paris,’’ Sadler said by email, “On a whim I just decided to register for a time slot. I had totally forgotten about it until May 2023 when I got an email about my ticket window.’’

In addition to tickets, they got something else: the idea of honeymoon during the Paris Olympics. At the time, Sadler and his wife weren't even engaged. They married in April 2024, three months before the Olympics started.

“In a way,’’ Sadler said, “you could say our Paris ticket buy was the catalyst for our marriage.’’

But talk of romance ends there.

What Sadler didn’t know when he logged on April 9 to buy tickets for the Los Angeles Olympics were the steeper prices, the scarcity of tickets for coveted events and the 24% service fee for purchased tickets compared to the 1.5% service fee charged for purchased tickets for the Paris Olympics.

“I would just like to know why it jumped that high,’’ Sadler said of the service fee.

LA28 told USA TODAY Sports the service fees "align with standard industry practices for ticketing live events in the U.S. Service fees cover the costs of securely processing and delivering tickets, such as ticketing platform development, customer service, payment processing, fulfillment and distribution. All-in pricing is displayed upfront, included within the prices people see as they shop, and a breakdown of the price and service fees are provided at checkout for further transparency." 

'OK, you guys win'

The 2028 Olympics will be privately funded, according to LA28, and the Los Angeles Times reported LA28 leaders project the Games will cost more than $7.1 billion.

LA28 told USA TODAY Sports the revenue goal for ticketing and hospitality (On Location packages) is $2.5 billion -- "an important part of delivering a fiscally responsible Games.'' 

Offered Sadler, "If the intent is to raise money and there is demand for a $2,400 gymnastics ticket, OK, you guys win. But I don’t see how that’s reflecting what the Olympics are all about."

Up to 14 million tickets will be available for the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Los Angeles, according to the IOC, which on its website states, “There is a wide range of prices catering to all types of fans, with entry point ($28) Olympic tickets available.’’

LA28 CEO Reynold Hoover has promised more $28 tickets.. Most tickets cost over $100, with premium seats topping $5,500, according to MSN, which reported Hoover defended the pricing, while saying the “average ticket price is under $200” and calling it “accessible.”

Mark Adams, Communications Director for the IOC, said nearly half of the tickets are less than $200; more than 75 percent of tickets, including for finals, will be less than $400; and only roughly 5% of all tickets will cost more than $1,000.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: LA Olympics ticket prices cause sticker shock for fans

The Butler Bulldogs have turned to a former player to turn things around after coach Thad Matta retired and moved into a different role with the program this offseason.

Butler hired Ronald Nored, who played for the team from 2008-12 and has spent the last 10 years working in the NBA. He's been the head coach for the G League's Long Island Nets, and he was an assistant for the Hornets, Pacers and, most recently, Atlanta Hawks.

Nored's college coach, Brad Stevens, had high praise for the hire in a statement posted online by Butler.

"I'll never forget driving down to Birmingham, Alabama, and meeting in that small room in Homewood High School," Stevens, who is currently the Boston Celtics president of basketball operations, said. "Walking out of there, not necessarily knowing how good of a player you would be, but knowing that you were the perfect Bulldog.

"As your high school coach told me: 'there's no better leader that he's ever been around.' And it was really clear from day one, when you walked into Butler, that you had a special ability to lead and to galvanize the room. And as a result: you're one of the best leaders I ever saw on the court and certainly one of the best that I have ever been around.

"We wish you nothing but the best and you know we are here for you whenever you need it. We are so thrilled that you will write the next chapter of Butler basketball.

"Go Dawgs!"

Ready to write the next chapter 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/xPUkuvhfa3

— Butler Basketball (@ButlerMBB) April 15, 2026

Nored will hope to lead the program to the same highs that it reached during his playing career, which featured back-to-back trips to the national championship game.

The Bulldogs haven't reached the NCAA tournament since 2018, and they've reached the Sweet 16 only once since Stevens left for the NBA, which came in 2017. Nored is back at Butler, and he'll look to turn it into a contender in the Big East the way that it was in the Horizon League.

Contact/Follow @College_Wire on X and @College_Wires on Threads. Like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of college sports news, notes, and opinions.

This article originally appeared on College Sports Wire: Brad Stevens praises Ronald Nored hire for Butler basketball

Cornish Pirates' upcoming match against Ealing Trailfinders is to be the club's "toughest" of the season, the club's joint-head coach has said.

Gavin Cattle's side head to West London on Saturday sitting sixth in the Champ table, and occupying the final play-off place after their impressive 57-21 win over rivals Chinnor.

However, Ealing are top of the league having won all 23 matches this season, and Pirates lost the reverse fixture 41-14 back in December.

"I think we can cause most teams in this league a bit of bother, but this is the toughest match in many ways," Cattle told BBC Radio Cornwall.

"They are unbeaten for a reason and, yes, they are well financed, but they are layered and have good coaching staff.

"Ealing are about as close as you can get to being Premiership ready," he told BBC Radio Cornwall.

Tomiwa Agbongbon, Matt Cannon, and Harry Yates are all on loan at the Pirates from Ealing and so would be blocked from playing on Saturday, Cattle said.

"It's also the hardest because we've had a few injuries and so we're at our weakest point in terms of availability."

But, Cattle added, there was still potential to clinch a bonus point if his side could score four or more tries in the match.

"We've got to chip away with those tries and score bonus points, and who knows what could happen.

"We are comfortable being called the underdogs, and if you're in the game in the last 20 minutes pressure can do some funny things."

Related internet links

• Cornish Pirates

Nobody can say Steve Smith Sr. doesn't know what it takes to succeed in the NFL -- just look at his five Pro Bowl appearances and four placements on the All-Pro team, or any of his frustratingly dominant games against the New Orleans Saints over the years. The former Carolina Panthers wideout has been scouting wide receiver prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft on his YouTube show, 89 with Steve Smith and James Palmer. One of his latest prospects to watch was Georgia Bulldogs wideout Zachariah Branch, who worked out privately for the Saints. And what he found warranted raising a big red flag.

"Bro listen to this. 52.1% of his routes were wide receiver screens. He ran a slant 7.4%, a hitch 5.3% and a crossing route 5.39%. So listen to this, and this is disturbing and utterly pathetic," Smith began, reading off the tracking data from Branch's route tree. "Corner route, post route, and a comeback route. One percent."

Noted wide receivers analyst Matt Harmon charted Branch for Reception Perception, and he had similar findings. Last year Branch ran post routes on just 6.8% of his total routes, hitting 1.4% on corner routes and only 0.5% on comebacks. A whopping 28.5% of his routes were screens, and Branch caught more than of his passes (54.8%) behind the line of scrimmage. That experience just doesn't translate easily to the pros.

But Smith made it clear that he didn't blame Branch for this. He blamed the team: "I almost cursed. You talking about banana in the tailpipe, setting a guy up to fail or not giving him enough opportunities to be drafted, is what the Georgia offense did to these wide receivers."

Smith went on to characterize Branch's usage at UGA as "hogwash," adding that these assignments haven't prepared him for an NFL playbook. He continued, "It's so hard. It's so difficult to tell because there are very few routes that you want to see him run that he gets an opportunity. Think about this, bro. Think about this. One percent corner, post, comeback? For a speed guy? Everybody runs post, man, run to the red car and go cut across, that's street ball, man."

It's not to say Branch won't be able to get open vertically and make big catches deep downfield. He just wasn't given a chance to show he could do it at the college level, and that makes him a big projection in this draft class. And that makes it tough to buy into the idea of drafting Branch early in Rounds 2 or 3. He may have to wait a day or two to hear his name called from the podium with so much to prove.

This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: 2026 NFL Draft: Steve Smith Sr. on Saints WR target Zachariah Branch

Szoboszlai wants bumper contract renewal

The 25-year-old has been with Liverpool since 2023 and is contracted up until 2028. But given the Hungarian’s consistency and form the club want to ward off interest from Real Madrid in his services with a bumper new deal.

Szoboszlai’s contract demands have been put at around £250k to £300k per week - in line with the renewal that Gravenberch signed for £277k per week.

And now a report in TEAMtalk claims that Szoboszlai is going to get his contract wishes granted by Liverpool - who he joined from RB Leipzig in a £60m deal.

“Liverpool are making progress in talks over a new contract for Dominik Szoboszlai,” the report reads.

“The playmaker is set for a significant pay rise, as the club looks to fight off interest from Real Madrid.”

New deal before next season for Szoboszlai

We can expect Szoboszlai to be extended before the start of the 2026/27 season according to the report with the No8 set to be placed in the top bracket of club earners.

“The club are now pushing to finalise terms before the start of the next campaign,” the report reads.

“Negotiations are moving in a positive direction, with the club preparing to accelerate talks in the coming weeks as they enter a crucial period ahead of the summer window.

“We understand that Szoboszlai is set to be rewarded with a new deal that will place him among Liverpool’s top earners, with a substantial pay rise already agreed in principle.”

Long-time NFL running back Steven Jackson enjoyed a solid career with the Los Angeles (then-St. Louis) Rams. He was drafted No. 24 overall in 2004, played nine years for the Rams and amassed 10,138 rushing yards with 56 rushing touchdowns.

Clearly, he understood how to build himself up in the NFL. And now he's offering his ideas on what the next generation of NFL running backs should do when talking with teams.

In a conversation on NFL Network's "Good Morning Football," Jackson said prospects should just be themselves, but also prove to teams that they shouldn't take you off the field.

"The advice is, you know, just be yourself," Jackson said. "Go into these meetings expecting to be challenged in a way that, you know, IQ-wise, you can tell them what you know on the field—your exposure to coverages and protection. But at the same time, let them know that you’re ready to be there, it’s something you’ve been working for for a lifetime, and once their name is called, they won't regret it.

"You know, these guys are all talented. When you start talking about who should go where, what—for me, I always just think about being a bell cow. Make it hard on the play-callers and the head coach to take you off the field. That’s the way I approach my game, and that’s the way I encourage them to go about it."

Former NFL RB @sj39 has some advice for those coming into the league 📝 pic.twitter.com/3bqTIayKBl

— Good Morning Football (@gmfb) April 15, 2026

Jackson was a true bell cow running back for the Rams during the majority of his career. He rushed at least 230 times in all but one of his nine seasons and led the team in rushing attempts in his last eight seasons for the Rams. Jackson finished his 12-year career with 2,764 carries — which is the 18th most in NFL history.

Now, this running back class might not have many bell cow-caliber players, but that doesn't mean they should go into meetings acting like that. Jackson's advice is all about propping up oneself before proving a player's indispensability — kind of like what Kyren Williams did for the Rams when he started to take on a bigger role in 2023.

This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Rams legend offers advice to 2026 draft prospects

Penn State has landed Roberts Blums out of the NCAA transfer portal, On3’s Jamie Shaw has learned. Blums will make his way to Happy Valley after previously being a member of the Davidson Wildcats.

To keep up with the latest players on the move, check out On3’s Transfer Portal wire. The On3 Transfer Portal Instagram account and Twitter account are excellent resources to stay up to date with the latest moves.

All four first round series in the NHL's Eastern Conference playoff bracket were settled on Tuesday, April 14.

One more Western Conference series can be set on Wednesday, April 15, with the Vegas Golden Knights having a chance to wrap up the Pacific Division title during their season finale. If they do, they will face the Utah Mammoth in the first round.

That would leave the second and third Pacific Division seeds, plus the second wild card in the West, up for grabs on the final night when the Edmonton Oilers, Anaheim Ducks and Los Angeles Kings play. If Vegas doesn't clinch on Wednesday, all four playoff seeds will be in play on Thursday.

Here's what to know about the NHL standings, including the latest playoff bracket, Wednesday's clinching scenario and the tiebreaker procedures for the 2025-26 season before the postseason begins on April 18:

Who's in the 2026 NHL playoffs?

Eastern Conference: Carolina, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Buffalo, Montreal, Tampa Bay, Boston, Ottawa

Western Conference: Colorado, Dallas, Minnesota, Vegas, Edmonton, Anaheim, Utah, Los Angeles

Who can clinch an NHL playoff seed today?

• The Vegas Golden Knights will clinch the Pacific Division title if they get at least one point against the Seattle Kraken.

NHL games today (Wednesday, April 15)

• Dallas at Buffalo, 7, TNT, tru
• N.Y. Rangers at Tampa Bay, 7
• Detroit at Florida, 7
• Toronto at Ottawa, 7:30
• San Jose at Chicago, 8:30
• Seattle at Vegas, 10

NHL playoff standings

NHL Eastern Conference standings 2025-26

After April 14 games. x-clinched playoff spot. y-clinched division. z-eliminated.

Metropolitan Division

• y-Carolina Hurricanes (113) Eastern Conference winner
• x-Pittsburgh Penguins (98)
• x-Philadelphia Flyers (98)

Atlantic Division

• y-Buffalo Sabres (108)
• x-Tampa Bay Lightning (106)
• x-Montreal Canadiens (106)

Wild card

• x-Boston Bruins (100)
• x-Ottawa Senators (97)

Out of the playoffs: z-Washington Capitals (95), z-Columbus Blue Jackets (92), z-Detroit Red Wings (92), z-New York Islanders (91), z-New Jersey Devils (87), z-Florida Panthers (82), z-Toronto Maple Leafs (78), z-New York Rangers (75)

NHL Western Conference standings 2025-26

After April 14 games. x-clinched playoff spot. y-clinched division. z-eliminated.

Central Division

• y-Colorado Avalanche (119) - Presidents' Trophy winner
• x-Dallas Stars (110)
• x-Minnesota Wild (104)

Pacific Division

• x-Vegas Golden Knights (93)
• x-Edmonton Oilers (91)
• x-Anaheim Ducks (90)

Wild card

• x-Utah Mammoth (92)
• x-Los Angeles Kings (90)

Out of the playoffs: z-Nashville Predators (86), z-San Jose Sharks (84), z-St. Louis Blues (84), z-Winnipeg Jets (82), z-Seattle Kraken (79), z-Calgary Flames (75), z-Chicago Blackhawks (70), z-Vancouver Canucks (58)

NHL playoffs if they started today

NHL Eastern Conference playoff bracket

Here is how the Eastern Conference playoff bracket would look if the season ended on April 14:

• Carolina (M1) vs. Ottawa (WC2) This series is set
• Pittsburgh (M2) vs. Philadelphia (M3) This series is set
• Buffalo (A1) vs. Boston (WC1) This series is set
• Tampa Bay (A2) vs. Montreal (A3) This series is set

The winner of the first series would play the winner of the second in the second round. The winner of the third series would play the winner of the fourth. Key: M - Metropolitan Division. A - Atlantic Division. WC - wild card

NHL Western Conference playoff bracket

Here is how the Western Conference playoff bracket would look if the season ended on April 14.

• Colorado (C1) vs. Los Angeles (WC2)
• Dallas (C2) vs. Minnesota (C3). This series is set
• Vegas (P1) vs. Utah (WC1)
• Edmonton (P2) vs. Anaheim (P3)

The winner of the first series would play the winner of the second in the second round. The winner of the third series would play the winner of the fourth. Key: C - Central Division P - Pacific Division. WC - wild card

NHL tiebreakers: What is the first tiebreaker in NHL standings?

If two teams are tied in points at the end of the regular season, here are the tiebreakers:

1. Regulation wins
2. Regulation and overtime wins (ROW)
3. Total wins
4. Most points earned in head-to-head competition: If teams had an uneven number of meetings, the first game played in the city that has the extra game is excluded. When more than two clubs are tied, the percentage of available points earned in games among each other (and not including any odd games) shall be used to determine standings.
5. Goal differential
6. Total goals

In the Pacific Division, the Oilers have the most regulation wins, followed by the Golden Knights, Ducks and Kings.

When does the NHL regular season end?

The NHL regular season is scheduled to end on Thursday, April 16, with six games.

When do the NHL playoffs start?

The NHL's Stanley Cup playoffs are schedule to begin on Saturday, April 18.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NHL playoff bracket, latest 2026 standings, scenarios, tiebreakers

The Copa Verde group stage, for the first time split into the Copa Norte and Copa Centro-Oeste, has a decisive round this midweek. This Wednesday, ten matches will shake up the competition. On Thursday, there will be two more.

In Group A of the Copa Norte, Nacional leads with 7 points and Trem is second with 6 points. In Group B, Porto Velho and Águia de Marabá are in front with 9 points.

In the Copa Centro-Oeste, the Group A leader is Rio Branco-ES with 7 points, followed by Vila Nova, which has 4. In Group B, first place belongs to Gama with 9 points. Then comes Anápolis, with 6 points.

Check out the matches for Wednesday and the penultimate round of the Copa Verde group stage:

This Wednesday (15) - Copa Norte

Paysandu x Independência, at 7 p.m. – Curuzu;

Grêmio Sampaio x Nacional, at 8 p.m. – Canarinho;

Guaporé x Trem, at 8:30 p.m. – Cassolão;

Amazonas x Porto Velho, at 8:30 p.m. – Carlos Zamith;

Águia de Marabá x Remo, at 8:30 p.m. – Zinho de Oliveira;

Galvez x Monte Roraima, at 9 p.m. – Tonicão (AC).

This Wednesday (15) – Copa Centro-Oeste

Rio Branco-ES x Araguaína, at 7:30 p.m. – Engenheiro Araripe;

Vila Nova x Capital, at 9:30 p.m. – OBA;

Gama x Anápolis, at 7:30 p.m. – Bezerrão;

Cuiabá x Porto Vitória, at 8 p.m. – Dito Souza.

This Thursday (16) – Copa Centro-Oeste

Operário-MS x Primavera, at 8:30 p.m. – Moreninhas;

Tocantinópolis x Atlético-GO, at 6 p.m. – Ribeirão (TO).

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.

Tom Aspinall has been the centre of attention for British MMA fans over the past few years.

The UFC heavyweight champion has featured as the main event in a number of cards held in his home country.

That’s why it caught many by surprise when he was absent from the card at UFC London back in March.

Why Eddie Hearn thinks Tom Aspinall missed UFC London

Tom Aspinall is still recovering from the eye injury he picked up at UFC 321 back in October.

While he wasn’t expected to be fighting anytime soon, many assumed he’d still turn up as a spectator. But Aspinall didn’t make an appearance, and fans wondered why.

Eddie Hearn has now shed some light on what happened, explaining why his Matchroom Talent Agency client missed the event on March 21.

“He was very surprised [that] he never got an invite,” Hearn said during an interview with Ariel Helwani when asked about Aspinall’s absence from UFC London.

“He got a text from Dana [White] at about 6pm on the day of the fight saying, ‘Would you like to come tonight?’ And he lives five hours away. So, that wasn’t ideal.”

Hearn went on to explain why it was strange for the UFC to not formally invite Tom Aspinall, especially given his status in British MMA. He pointed out that while Leon Edwards is also a champion, his relationship with the organisation isn’t as close as Aspinall’s.

The interviewer then added: “It would’ve been one thing if it were a big star-studded card.”

To which Hearn replied: “Exactly. Let’s be honest; it wasn’t exactly a card full of huge names.”

Tom Aspinall shares update on recovery and return plans

Tom Aspinall is still waiting to get clearance to fight after having double eye surgery to fix the damage from Ciryl Gane’s fingers.

The UFC has put an interim heavyweight title in place during his time away.

Gane is scheduled to face Alex Pereira for that interim belt on June 14.

Aspinall has already returned to light training as he waits for full-contact sparring approval.

“I’ve not had a lot going on, just been back in the gym doing a bit of light training,” he said earlier this month.

“I’m still waiting to get fully cleared for contact on my eye, but we are back in the gym doing a little bit.”

BYU added its third transfer this cycle as Clemson transfer Jake Wahlin announced his commitment to BYU. Sources tell me he chose BYU over Kansas State, Cincinnati, Cal, and others.

Jake signed with BYU before his mission, but after he returned home he played at Utah for two seasons. He played at Clemson this past season.

Listed at 6-foot-10, Wahlin started 29 games for Clemson this past season, averaging 5.3 points and 3.9 rebounds in 20 minutes per game. He shot 34.5% from three and 37% from three in ACC play. Jake was also top 10 in ACC play in defensive rebound percentage.

Jake gives BYU another experience piece to stretch out the rotation. At 6-foot-10, he can either play the wing or as a stretch four. Jake can hit shots and can rebound from his position. He’s also a versatile defender at his size and did a nice job guarding AJ in BYU’s matchup versus Clemson.

Jake grew up a BYU fan and will be able to finish his last season in the place where he originally committed and grew up rooting. I don’t expect him to start, but he’ll fill out BYU’s rotation and gives BYU positional size, rebounding, and shooting to lengthen out the rotation. One source told me that KY recently watched Wahlin’s film and made an aggressive push this week to land Jake.

Next up in the Green Bay Packers prospects series is the interior offensive line, where Green Bay could be searching to find more depth and competition in the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft.

Whether it is offensive tackles or the interior, the Packers have trended towards experienced college O-linemen, and it has also been extremely rare for them to draft a prospect who played exclusively at guard in college.

In fact, they have drafted only one true guard out of 34 offensive line picks since 2005, which was Simon Stepaniak in 2020, a sixth-round pick. That means their draft picks on the interior are pretty much all college centers.

Along with college experience, there are also physical factors the Packers take into account.

The average Green Bay draft pick on the interior since 2005 has been 6-3 ⅘, 307 pounds with 32 ¾” arms. The lowest marks in those measurements have been 6-2 ½ and 296 pounds (both Corey Linsley) with 32” arms (three players tied).

Hand size may also matter at center, which makes sense as they have to snap the ball. Packers interior picks have averaged 10” hands, with only two players falling below that: Linsley at 9 ⅞” and Jake Hanson, who was a big outlier at 9 ¼”.

If there is any reason to explain why they took Josh Myers over Creed Humphrey, hand size might be the only argument. Myers had 10 ⅜” hands, while Humphrey’s were only 9 ⅝”.

It is difficult to draw hard lines regarding the type of athleticism they are looking for on the interior, as five of the nine interior body types they have drafted had incomplete testing, including Myers, who they took in Round 2 (although his lack of testing was due to injury).

Seven of the nine did run the 40 though, in an average time of 5.16 seconds, which ranks in the 77th percentile. The average 10-yard split was 1.81 seconds, a 62nd percentile score. The average broad jump of the six players who participated was 9-1, an 88th percentile mark.

There may be something to the explosion testing mattering. The only testing Myers was able to do was the vertical jump, and he managed 29”, which ranks in the 77th percentile. Elgton Jenkins, their only other Day 2 pick on the interior, managed 28” and 9-1 in the broad.

Putting together the physical and on-field profiles, here are the best interior O-line fits ranked between No. 30 and 350 on the consensus big board, along with their ranking:

• Jake Slaughter - Florida (102)
• Jager Burton - Kentucky (158)
• Febechi Nwaiwu - Oklahoma (182)
• Pat Coogan - Indiana (201)
• Ar’maj Reed-Adams - Texas A&M (209)
• D.J. Campbell - Texas (280)
• Evan Beernsten - Northwestern (290)
• Josh Gesky - Illinois (310)
• Joshua Braun - Kentucky (312)
• James Brockermeyer - Miami (314)
• Tomac Rimac - Virginia Tech (349)

Slaughter is a "center only" prospect, so he may not be what the Packers are looking for with Sean Rhyan seemingly locked into that spot, but he does tick all the boxes in terms of experience, size and athleticism.

Burton stands out as a legitimate Day 3 option as a great athlete who has played all three interior spots. Nwaiwu is primarily a guard but logged starts at four of the five O-line positions in his college career. The Athletic’s Dane Brugler just mocked him to Green Bay in the fourth round.

Coogan has played both center and guard, and his arm length of 32” at his Pro Day just about passes the threshold.

Reed-Adams has played a bit of tackle as well as both guard spots, whereas Campbell, Beernsten and Braun are more in the Stepaniak mold of late-round flyers on very experienced "guard only" prospects. They all have over 2,600 snaps at guard on their resume.

The Packers hosted Gesky on a pre-draft visit. He has over 2,000 snaps at left guard and has played a little bit on the right side. More pertinently, he posted elite speed and explosion numbers, and did so at 329 pounds.

Brockermeyer is a two-year starter at center, while Rimac has played four of the five offensive line spots (everywhere but center) and posted elite athletic testing.

If the light is to be left on for a surprise "guard only" prospect early in the draft, Georgia Tech’s Keylan Rutledge would be the one to watch at No. 52 overall. He is an exceptional athlete and repped at center at the Senior Bowl, having exclusively played guard in college. 

In terms of other notable players left off the list, Auburn’s Connor Lew has small hands and is  a center only. He is also coming off a torn ACL. Kansas State’s Sam Hecht has sub-32” arms and also profiles as a center only. It is a similar case with Iowa’s Logan Jones, who has sub-31” arms.

With Green Bay’s 2026 starters seemingly pretty set, they are likely to be looking for versatility with any interior draft pick, who could theoretically fill multiple roles a year from now if needed.

This article originally appeared on Packers Wire: Packers prospects: 11 best interior O-Line fits in 2026 NFL Draft

New Miami Dolphins general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan offered a definitive update on the De’Von Achane trade chatter on Wednesday that should please fans of the team.

The Dolphins have been very active this offseason. After a 7-10 finish, ownership decided to clean house of the team’s leadership and brought in a new regime led by Sullivan and his pick to replace head coach Mike McDaniel, Jeff Hafley. But that was just the beginning.

Over the last month, the team has gone with an addition by subtraction approach to changing the roster by trading Jaylen Waddle and Minkah Fitzpatrick. And cutting Tua Tagovailoa, Tyreek Hill, and Bradley Chubb. It is a serious overhaul that comes with a ton of dead cap and serious limitations to fill those holes. Since the team has sent so many established stars packing, there has been a lot of speculation about whether De’Von Achane could be next.

After a Pro Bowl season in 2025 — his first — the running back would certainly have a lot of value on the trade market. Especially since the final season on the former third-round pick’s contract is a bargain at just over $2 million. But that is also probably why Sullivan has no interest in moving Achane this offseason.

Miami Dolphins GM shuts down De’Von Achane trade talk

During a Wednesday press conference with Dolphins media, Sullivan told reporters Achane “is not available for trade” no matter what the rumors suggest. Furthermore, with only one year left on his deal, he noted that he and the back’s representation have had “positive conversations” about an extension, and he believes talks are “trending in the right direction.”

After moving so many top players, the Dolphins have few core members left to build around. After a breakout season in 2025 despite it being a down year for Miami, Achane should become a core member of the team long-term.

Related Headlines

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The legal battle over Tiger Woods’ prescription medication records is officially underway in Florida.

After the famed golfer was arrested in Florida March 27 on suspicion of driving while impaired, Florida state prosecutors filed a notice in court April 7 that said they planned to subpoena Woods’ medication records since Jan. 1.

Now Woods’ attorney has fired back with a response that states Woods has a constitutional right to privacy with these records unless the state can convince the court why such records are relevant to the state’s criminal investigation of Woods.

“The defense objects to the issuance of a subpoena and requests the court to conduct a hearing to determine if the prescription records are ‘relevant to the criminal investigation,’” said Woods’ attorney, Douglas Duncan.

If the court grants the state’s request for a subpoena for these records, Woods’ attorney also wants a protective order governing the use and release of these records to shield them from public view.

Why is the state trying to get these records from Tiger Woods?

Woods, 50, was arrested in Jupiter Island March 27 after authorities say his Land Rover clipped the back of a trailer from behind in a residential neighborhood and then tipped over. Authorities suspected he was impaired by medications, not alcohol, after evaluating him on the scene.

After Woods refused to take a urine test, Martin County Sheriff John Budensiek said, “We will never get definitive results as to what he was impaired on at the time of the crash."

State prosecutors didn’t say why they wanted to subpoena Woods’ prescription records, but such records could help bolster their case regarding Woods’ alleged impairment. Meanwhile, Woods has pleaded not guilty and said he is “stepping away” to “seek treatment and focus on my health.”

Tiger Woods' driving history with suspected impairment

It was the fourth time since 2009 that Woods has been involved in a dangerous incident with his vehicle, including in 2017, when he was charged with driving under the influence in Florida after police found him asleep behind the wheel with the engine running. Several medications were found in his blood then, including the sleep drug Ambien and painkiller Vicodin.

In 2021, he broke his leg in Los Angeles County after his Genesis SUV veered off the road in a straight line at a high speed while his lane curved right. He wasn’t ticketed or charged then, raising questions about why Woods wasn’t investigated for impairment even though it looked like a classic case of falling asleep at the wheel.

In 2009, Woods was ticketed for careless driving after hitting a row of hedges and a fire hydrant outside his mansion in Florida. A witness described him as snoring at the scene afterward.

Follow reporter Brent Schrotenboer @Schrotenboer. Email: bschrotenb@usatoday.com

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Tiger Woods fights subpoena for prescription drug records in DUI case

Italy defender Riccardo Calafiori has not been included in Arsenal’s starting lineup or bench in Wednesday night’s UEFA Champions League quarter final match against Sporting.

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Arsenal won the first leg 1-0 in Portugal and are expected to come out on top at the Emirates Stadium.

Calafiori, however, will play no part in the match – indeed, after missing Saturday’s 2-1 home defeat against Bournemouth.

The Italian’s condition is not likely serious though, and the Italian may be available for the weekend’s huge match against Manchester City.

LEEDS, ENGLAND – JANUARY 31: Riccardo Calafiori of Arsenal arrives at the stadium prior to the Premier League match between Leeds United and Arsenal at Elland Road on January 31, 2026 in Leeds, England. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)

Arsenal vs Sporting – Official Lineups as Calafiori misses out

Arsenal: Raya; Mosquera, Saliba, Gabriel, Hincapie; Rice, Zubimendi, Eze; Madueke, Gyokeres, Martinelli

Sporting: Rui Silva; Quaresma, Diomande, Inacio, Araujo; Hjulman, Morita; Geny, Pedro Goncalves, Trincao; Suarez

In a recent report, Fichajes claimed that Manchester United are facing stiff competition for Newcastle United star Sandro Tonali. It has been mentioned that the Red Devils would have to rival Arsenal and Manchester City in the race to land the Italy international this summer.

Tonali’s Impressive Form In The Premier League

Tonali is having a decent campaign at the Tyneside club as he has put in a series of impressive displays for them at the centre of the park. The 25-year-old has registered three goals and earned seven assists in 48 matches for Newcastle this season across all competitions.

The Italy international is currently one of the most consistent performers in the Premier League. Hence, it is no surprise that Man United are in the running to land Tonali this off-season.

His current contract at St. James’ Park will run out in the summer of 2028, which could make it difficult for the Red Devils to sign him on the cheap later this year.

BERGAMO, ITALY – MARCH 26: Sandro Tonali of Italy in actio during the FIFA World Cup 2026 European Qualifiers KO play-offs match between Italy and Northern Ireland at Stadio di Bergamo on March 26, 2026 in Bergamo, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

Manchester United Are Facing Stiff Competition For Tonali: Is He Worth The Fight?

Tonali is a good tackler of the ball and can time his challenges well to earn the ball back for his side inside his half. He doesn’t mind putting his foot through the ball when required and is proficient at playing his way out from midfield.

The Italy international can shoot the ball with power from long range and is an energetic runner as well. Tonali is primarily a defensive midfielder but can also fill in as a box-to-box midfielder if asked to do so. He is already quite familiar with the Premier League and won’t take much time to adjust to life at the Mancunian club.

We can expect Tonali to bring more quality and depth to Man United head coach Michael Carrick’s midfield. He has what it takes to fight for a regular first-team spot at Old Trafford in the coming years.

At 25, Tonali has his peak years ahead of him, which makes him a worthy target for the Red Devils to pursue at the end of this campaign. He would be well worth the fight, so Carrick would be wise to step up his efforts to sign him later this summer.

Bayern Munich’s roster, heading into a huge second leg against Real Madrid in the Champions League, is largely fit and ready to go. Lennart Karl and Sven Ulreich remain unavailable through injury, but they were the only two confirmed to miss the clash vs Real.

That is, until just now. When Bayern revealed the team sheet for the game, Tom Bischof was notably absent from the subsitute’s bench. Confirmation on why this was the case came mere minutes later, as captured by @iMiaSanMia:

Tom Bischof has sustained a minor calf strain and is out of tonight’s game.

Clearly, missing such a big match is a big blow for the young German. He played in the last few minutes of last week’s clash, too, so he could have seen some minutes against the Spanish giants. One has to hope that the Germany U-21 international’s injury really is minor and that he will be ready to face Bayern’s next opponents, VfB Stuttgart, in the Bundesliga on Sunday.

If you are looking for more Bayern Munich and German national team coverage, check out the latest episodes of Bavarian Podcast Works, which you can get on Acast, Spotify, Apple, or any leading podcast distributor…

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Miami Dolphins general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan told reporters on Wednesday that running back De’Von Achane is not available for trade. Achane did not report to voluntary OTAs in April. His absence is expected to be contract-related.

Sullivan shared that the team is heading in the right direction on a contract extension with the running back. Achane could reportedly be aiming to beat the four-year, $48 million contract extension that Buffalo Bills running back James Cook signed last offseason, according to the Miami Herald’s Omar Kelly.

Achane is in the final year of his rookie contract and making $5.7 million. The Dolphins restructured his contract in March. They reportedly converted $4.6M of his salary into a signing bonus, added 4 void years and cleared $3.6M of cap space, according to Spotrac.

Dolphins head coach Jeff Hafley also told reporters it is part of the business and he believes it’ll work out. Sullivan has called Achane a pillar on the team, along with linebacker Jordyn Brooks and center Aaron Brewer.

Achane is coming off a career year with the Miami Dolphins, as he made his first Pro Bowl. The running back had 238 carries for 1,350 yards and 8 touchdowns. Achane also finished with the most receptions on the Dolphins with 67 catches for 488 yards and 4 touchdowns.

While Sullivan continues to downplay trade rumors involving Achane, he told reporters early this offseason that no one is untouchable; he traded wide receiver Jaylen Waddle to the Denver Broncos for multiple picks in March.

The Dolphins have also moved on from former centerpieces of the last regime this offseason, such as quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, wide receiver Tyreek Hill, pass rusher Bradley Chubb, safety Minkah Fitzpatrick and fullback Alec Ingold.

The Dolphins are coming off a 7-10 season and are expected to be rebuilding after taking on more than $170 million in dead cap this offseason. The Dolphins have missed the playoffs the last two seasons and have not advanced to the divisional round since 2000.

The Philadelphia Eagles have never been shy about planning, especially in the trenches. It's part of their identity. Build depth, protect the quarterback, and always have a backup plan ready before it's needed. That philosophy may be showing itself again as the NFL Draft approaches. This time, the name drawing attention carries a familiar ring. Former Penn State Nittany Lions center Nick Dawkins is one of three NCAA standouts who are meeting with the Eagles as part of a local pro day. He's the cousin of franchise legend Brian Dawkins, one of the most beloved figures in team history.

He says Buffalo Bills offensive tackle Dion Dawkins is a cousin, former Duke guard Andre Dawkins, too. He believes he’s related to former Philadelphia Eagles safety Brian Dawkins “somewhere down the line.”

And current Minnesota Timberwolves star Karl-Anthony Towns is another cousin.

“We play video games online together a lot — Fortnite, Madden … he’s a big Eagles fan, and we play (NBA) 2K,” Dawkins said. “And he gives me advice.

I’m told Penn State center Nick Dawkins is visiting the Eagles today

Nick is from Allentown and is the son of former Sixer Darryl Dawkins pic.twitter.com/cyhUzg93Pm

— John Clark (@JClarkNBCS) April 15, 2026

The connection alone makes this interesting. The fit makes it even more so.

In addition to being part of a great bloodline, Nick Dawkins gives the Eagles great insurance.

Dawkins isn't just a feel-good story tied to legacy. He's a legitimate prospect with production and character. A steady presence at Penn State, he earned All-Big Ten honorable mention honors and took home the 2024 Wuerffel Trophy, an award that speaks as much to leadership and character as it performs.

That combination tends to resonate in Philadelphia. More importantly, the timing makes sense. Cam Jurgens is locked in as the starter and remains one of the league's better young centers. A two-time Pro Bowler entering his fifth season, he's a cornerstone piece. Still, back injuries are tricky. See Tim Jernigan. They don't always follow a predictable path, and the Eagles have seen firsthand how quickly things can change along the offensive line.

Depth exists. Drew Kendall and Jake Majors are already in the mix, but neither brings the same blend of experience, upside, and intangibles that Dawkins offers. That's what makes this more than just another predraft visit. It's a reminder of how Philadelphia operates. They don't wait for problems to surface. They prepare for them. If that preparation happens to come with a familiar last name, that's even better.

This article originally appeared on Eagles Wire: Nick Dawkins met with the Eagles on a predraft visit

Bob Chesney at UCLA: Former JMU coach must overcome the school to succeed originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Bob Chesney was a good coach at Holy Cross in Massachusetts. This left James Madison to hire him away when Curt Cignetti left the Dukes to head to Indiana and the Hoosiers. Taking most of his roster with him.

Despite these defections, Chesney was able to rebuild the Dukes and compile an 8-4 regular season record and win his first bowl game as an FBS coach in the Boca Raton Bowl. His second year is what got him the UCLA position to replace DeShaun Foster.

In 2025, James Madison lost only one game in the regular season. A 14-point road loss to Louisville. They ran off an undefeated Sul Belt season and won the conference championship game to become the second Group of Six team to make the playoff field in 2025. Tulane, who played a harder schedule, received the 11-seed while James Madison, by virtue of being the fourth-highest ranked conference winner, got the 12-seed and a trip to Eugene, Oregon.

The game did not go as planned as the Dukes lost 51-34, but the ability to put up 34 on a solid Ducks defense was a feat in itself. In Brentwood, success will be measured differently than it was in Harrisonburg. James Madison’s students and community attend games, donate money and are completely invested in James Madison athletics.

For UCLA, the administration cares less about the football team than the fans even do. And the fans couldn't care less. It is all about basketball at UCLA and the football team is given the leftovers. This will not be a job with lofty expectations when compared to other schools in the Big Ten. They do not have the financial resources or the university backing needed to move into the upper echelon of the Big Ten. The most the Bruins and Chesney can hope for is to remain in bowl contention on a yearly basis and hope to get to eight wins every cycle.

To get to a bowl game this season, the Bruins will need to overachieve. FanDuel Sports book currently lists UCLA over/under at 5.5 wins, meaning anything less than going over means sitting home for another postseason. If the bowl season contracts like it should and is looking to do, UCLA will find it even harder to make the postseason in future years.

The real measure of success in the first year under Chesney will be if he is able to bring out the talent inside QB Nico Iamaleava. Something we saw at the end of his freshman season at Tennessee but have rarely seen since.

More:2026 NFL Draft stock reports: Who's trending up and down

Iamaleava was expected to be a three-year player at Tennessee after signing out of high school with the first major NIL contract to be publicized. After failing to live up to the hype and still demanding a pay raise, Iamaleava left to transfer to UCLA. Along with his younger brother, Madden, who left Arkansas at the same time. He again failed to live up to his potential in 2025 as the Bruins went 3-9, with the only accomplishment being that their win over Penn State was the catalyst for James Franklin getting fired just a week later.

If Chesney can make Iamaleava into a good quarterback who can get drafted into the NFL in the first round, recruits will see this. This could in turn lead to better recruits looking at the school and the perfect weather of Los Angeles when making their decisions. If the school decides to finally care, it would be even better. Just do not tell Mick Cronin you are taking anything from the basketball team. He is angry enough already.

More UCLA Football news

• Why fans didn't storm the Rose Bowl after UCLA's historic win
• UCLA turns down proposal to play at $5.5 billion stadium this year
• DeShaun Foster buyout, contract details for UCLA Bruins coach
• Former five-star quarterback Nico Iamaleava makes final decision on UCLA in 2026
• Nico Iamaleva does something no UCLA player has done in 30 years

Baylor sophomore Cameron Carr is reportedly declaring for the 2026 NBA draft after one season with the Bears, according to Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress.

Carr was named to the All-Big 12 third team, averaging 18.9 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.3 steals while shooting 37.4% from 3-point range in 34 games. He finished with 642 points, the fifth-most in a season in program history.

The 6-foot-5 guard played at Tennessee during his freshman year before redshirting last season after suffering a left thumb injury in November 2024. He also earned a selection to the Big 12 All-Newcomer team for his play with the Bears.

NEWS: Baylor's Cam Carr will declare for the NBA Draft, per Drew Gross and Bill Duffy of WME Basketball.

Carr, a projected 1st-round pick, averaged 18.9 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.4 assists, shooting 38% from 3. Plans to stay in draft and will not enter the transfer portal. pic.twitter.com/J4XYOjAI2a

— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) April 14, 2026

Carr is currently projected to be a mid-to-late first-round pick after a productive year, in which he set the program scoring record for a sophomore. While his 3-point shooting stood out, Carr flourished as an overall scorer, mixing in shots from all three levels.

The 21-year-old is reportedly planning on staying in the draft and forgoing his remaining college eligibility. He will have the opportunity to further improve his draft stock in team workouts and interviews, as well as at the combine next month in Chicago, Illinois.

Carr is a part of a highly touted draft class with the likes of Darius Acuff Jr., Cameron Boozer, Mikel Brown Jr., AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson and Caleb Wilson projected to be high selections. The group is considered one of the most talented in recent memory.

This article originally appeared on Rookie Wire: Baylor news: Cameron Carr to declare for 2026 NBA draft, forgo portal

Loïs Openda is on the brink of completing a permanent transfer from RB Leipzig to Juventus, multiple sources can confirm.

Due to an activated purchase obligation, Juventus will be required to sign the on-loan striker outright this summer.

Said obligation to buy the Belgian marksman was triggered after the Turin club's 1-0 victory against Atalanta Bergamo on Saturday.

That win ensured Juve can no longer finish outside the top ten of Serie A – a permutation which would have stopped the obligatory fee.

As a result, RB Leipzig will receive a transfer fee of €40.6million, payable by the Italian giants over the next four financial years.

Together with the already paid loan fee of €3.3 million and bonuses, this results in a total package of approximately €46million.

Openda moved to Leipzig from RC Lens in 2023 for around €40million , meaning the Red Bulls will make a profit on the deal.

However, the landscape has changed quickly for the 26-year-old who scored 24 goals and provided 7 assists for Leipzig in the 23/24 season.

In 33 competitive matches for Juventus, Openda has scored just two goals, started only nine times, and never played a full 90 minutes in a Serie A game.

Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano reports that Juventus will be looking to sell him in summer with clubs from Italy, Spain and England keen. 

MLB analyst pours cold water on Twins fans with Taj Bradley's hot start to 2026 originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Minnesota Twins have so far shocked the Major League Baseball world with their 11-7 start to the season. They're sitting atop the AL Central and have one of the best records in the sport.

But, while it's likely for their overall record to fall back a bit as the season goes along, the Twins do still have a lot of fun individuals to be excited about. One of them is Taj Bradley, who has a 1.25 ERA to begin the season.

However, Andy McCullough of The Athletic poured some cold water on Twins fans who are hyped about Bradley, calling this hot start a mirage rather than a real breakout.

Twins get cold water poured on Taj Bradley hype

"I lean toward mirage," McCullough writes, "even after Bradley put together another five innings of one-run baseball against Toronto last weekend."

So far this season, Bradley has a 1.25 ERA, and hasn't allowed a home run yet either. As McCullough notes, those are "not sustainable."

If Bradley's breakout this season were real, and he could keep this up for a full season, he'd be one of the better pitchers in baseball. Or, at the very least, a frontline starter.

But, McCullough see's Bradley as more of a "back-end" starter even with such a strong start to the season.

More: Marlins suggested to sign Max Kepler after Phillies’ OF was suspended for 80 games

While he isn't ruling out Bradley becoming a mid-rotation starter, this is a disappointing analysis of Bradley.

The 25-year-old the Twins picked up in a trade with the Tampa Bay Rays involving Griffin Jax has looked great this season, but with his 4.86 ERA in the previous 73 starts and 385.1 innings in his big league career, this 21.2 inning sample size isn't convincing.

Bradley might not be as dominant as his 1.25 ERA indicates, but seeing McCullough still have so little faith in Bradley as a possible frontline starter is a disappointing analysis. It's some cold water on Bradley, who's off to a very hot start this year.

More MLB news:

• Braves predicted to trade Bryce Elder for Lars Nootbaar
• Jacob DeGrom is only 149 strikeouts from 2,000 for his career
• Three ways Pirates' Paul Skenes could lose NL Cy Young Award
• Red Sox never close on Astros’ Isaac Paredes trade
• Shohei Ohtani deemed more valuable than Aaron Judge in recent ESPN discussion piece

Recordly is a desktop app for recording and editing screen captures with motion-driven presentation tools built in. Recordly has emerged as one of the most compelling free alternatives to paid tools like Screen Studio, offering smooth cursor tracking, automatic zoom effects, and clean motion.

Intel's Xe3P graphics architecture will focus on Crescent Island discrete GPUs for AI & Workstation, while missing out on the Arc gaming family. Intel Xe3P Goes Pro & AI With Crescent Island Discrete GPUs, Arc Gaming Lineup Missing In Action Intel's Xe3 GPU architecture has been phenomenal for Panther Lake CPUs, and as the blue team continues to develop its graphics architectures, there's some good news and bad news for the next-gen discrete GPU family. According to Jaykihn, Intel's Xe3P, the successor to Xe3, will feature discrete GPU options. These graphics series will be branded under the Crescent Island lineup. […]

Read full article at https://wccftech.com/intel-plans-crescent-island-ai-pro-discrete-xe3p-gpus-might-miss-arc-gaming-family/

In an era of price gouging and intentional sabotaging of one's competitors, as Apple appears to be doing right now, Qualcomm is seemingly taking the rare moral high ground by eschewing deliberately hobbling the vanilla Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 chip just to push OEMs towards its pricey 'Pro' counterpart. Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 chip appears good enough for most OEMs, muddying the demand outlook for its Pro variant The Weibo-based tipster, Digital Chat Station, has just penned an interesting post, highlighting the minimized disparity between the vanilla Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 chip and its Pro counterpart […]

Read full article at https://wccftech.com/qualcomm-takes-a-rare-moral-high-ground-by-minimizing-the-disparity-between-the-vanilla-snapdragon-8-elite-gen-6-chip-and-its-pro-counterpart/

Inflowave was built out of my own frustration managing 30 people with 5 IG accounts each. I ended that. When someone asks "How to scale our SMM Agency," I want the answer to be "Inflowave." That's my goal for 2026.

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Lolaloos lets children create personalized stories with their parents. Kids choose the place, hero, villain, age, and language, and Lolaloos generates a unique, illustrated book in minutes. They can create their own character to start adventures. Stories can be read on any device or downloaded for printing. Lolaloos supports English, Spanish, French, and German, so you can create a story in one language and translate or download it in others.

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Cyprus Leads Europe’s Warmest Island Escapes in May 2026, A Sun-Drenched Mediterranean Holiday Hotspot: All You Need to KnowDiscover Europe’s...

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Ethiopian Airlines Shakes Up Global Skies As Addis Ababa Rises As Africa’s Ultimate GatewayAddis Ababa and Bishoftu lead Ethiopia’s skyward...

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Read full article: https://www.travelandtourworld.com/news/article/airlines-lufthansa-delta-american-united-air-canada-emirates-virgin-atlantic-and-more-trigger-widespread-travel-disruption-as-over-120-flights-are-cancelled-across-lax-jfk-ord-atl-den-dfw/

Airlines Lufthansa, Delta, American, United, Air Canada, Emirates, Virgin Atlantic, and More Trigger Widespread Travel Disruption as Over 120 Flights...

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MSC Group Introduces Sandy Cay, a Luxury Private Island in The Bahamas, Boosting Cruise Tourism Growth with Exclusive Experiences for...

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RedMagic launched the 11 Pro back in November, and now it's working on a refresh of that model. According to a new certification by NBTC in Thailand, this will be called RedMagic 11s Pro. It has the model number NX809J. Interestingly, that's the model number of the China-only RedMagic 11 Pro+, but globally the 11 Pro incorporated that version's specs, so it's unclear what's going on here. We are of course hoping that this is not just a renaming and the 11s Pro will bring something new to the table compared to the 11 Pro. That said, unfortunately this certification doesn't reveal any...

The post XRP Price Breakout Next Week? Fractal Analysis Points to $40 Target Before End of May appeared first on Coinpedia Fintech News

An analyst stirred debate this week by claiming XRP is following a historical fractal pattern that could trigger a breakout next week, with a $40 price target achievable before the end of May.

The claim landed with immediate skepticism. XRP is currently trading around $1.37, meaning the $40 target would require a 2,800% rally in roughly six weeks. Critics have been vocal, pointing out the gap between the fractal theory and current market reality.

What More Measured Analysts Are Saying

Setting aside the $40 debate, the technical picture analysts are working with is considerably more realistic.

On the weekly timeframe, XRP’s longer-term trend remains technically bearish. A full reversal out of the larger bearish structure has not yet been confirmed. That said, the token is finding consistent support around $1.30, a level that has held firm across multiple tests.

On the four-hour chart, the range to watch is $1.30 to $1.35 as support and $1.38 to $1.39 as the first resistance zone. A clean break above that opens the next resistance at $1.44 to $1.45.

In the immediate near term, with Bitcoin showing signs of short-term cooling after its recent run, XRP is expected to chop sideways rather than make a decisive move in either direction over the next day or so.

Where XRP Actually Stands

The honest picture is one of a token sitting on strong support with a cautiously bullish short-term setup and a longer-term trend that has not yet reversed. The $1.30 level is what matters most right now. Hold it and the near-term case builds. Lose it and the broader bearish structure reasserts.

The $40 target will keep circulating on social media. The $1.44 resistance level is what traders are actually watching.

Bayern Munich showed that they are one of the best teams in the world by defeating Real Madrid. They managed to impose their dominance throughout the match, with Harry Kane and Serge Gnabry standing out. However, Kylian Mbappé kept the Spanish side’s hopes alive by reducing the deficit on the scoreboard. Because of this, today’s Champions League Quarterfinals clash is expected to be highly competitive.

Although they only shone in the final minutes, Real Madrid showed that they do not need to dominate, but rather to be clinical. Because of this, Los Blancos arrive with full expectations of overturning the aggregate score, needing a victory by two goals or more to secure their place in the semifinals. However, they face the significant absence of Aurélien Tchouaméni, forcing key changes in their lineup.

Coach Álvaro Arbeloa could opt to deploy Federico Valverde as a defensive midfielder, allowing Jude Bellingham to take on a more advanced role in central areas. With this setup, they aim to maintain defensive solidity while also having the power to counterattack the German side, where Kylian Mbappé and Vinícius Jr. are expected to be crucial, as they must be highly efficient in front of goal.

Holding an advantage on the scoreboard and playing at the Allianz Arena, Bayern Munich come in as clear favorites. In addition, coach Vincent Kompany keeps his squad intact, with Serge Gnabry returning from physical issues and Harry Kane and Manuel Neuer performing at their best. However, Michael Olise and Luis Díaz face the tough task of being efficient in front of goal, as their missed chances in the first leg significantly limited Bayern’s edge in the tie.

Arsenal are hosting Sporting CP this Wednesday, April 15, in the second leg of the 2025-26 UEFA Champions League quarterfinals at the Emirates Stadium. Follow along with our live blog for every goal, booking, and tactical shift in what promises to be a high-stakes European night.

The Gunners enter the home leg clinging to a slim but vital 1-0 aggregate lead following a gritty performance at the Jose Alvalade Stadium. After David Raya stood tall with several massive saves to preserve the clean sheet, Kai Havertz delivered the winner in the final moments of the first leg. Now, the Leoes must push for an epic comeback against an Arsenal side that remains undefeated in this season’s Champions League campaign.

However, momentum may have shifted over the weekend. Arsenal’s Premier League title hopes took a significant blow with a 2-1 home loss to Bournemouth, a result that could weigh on the squad’s confidence today. Meanwhile, Sporting CP arrives in London fresh off a 1-0 away victory over Estrela Amadora in Liga Portugal, a scoreline they would love to replicate this afternoon to force the series into extra time.

Unlike the previous season, Liverpool are having a disappointing campaign, no longer competing for the Premier League and being eliminated from the UEFA Champions League. Alongside these struggles, Hugo Ekitike had to be substituted in the previous match, reportedly suffering a season-ending injury. Because of this, the Reds have allegedly accelerated their plans, now adding a striker reinforcement in their objectives.

According to L’Equipe, Hugo Ekitike has suffered a torn Achilles tendon, ruling him out of the 2026 World Cup with France. As a result, the forward could be sidelined for 7–9 months, missing the first half of next season and possibly returning in top form by the end of the 2026–27 season. For this reason, the Reds have reportedly decided to accelerate their transfer plans for the summer of 2026, with Anthony Gordon as their target.

Following Mohamed Salah’s departure at the end of the season, the Reds had decided to pursue a winger, reportedly making Yan Diomande their top priority. Alongside the Ivorian, they have also targeted a striker, with Anthony Gordon of Newcastle United emerging as the main objective. However, Liverpool are also closely monitoring Jarrod Bowen, Harry Wilson, Iliman Ndiaye, and Bazoumana Touré, according to TEAMtalk.

Unlike Ekitike, Anthony Gordon is not a natural centre-forward, but he mainly excels as a left winger. However, the Englishman has shown the ability to perform in this role, making his arrival a strong possibility. In addition, he could also provide depth on the flanks once the Frenchman returns. For this reason, he would be an ideal fit for the squad, although his transfer could exceed $100 million.

Liverpool have already lost both of their starting forwards

Liverpool have not had success with their marquee attacking signings. After paying €240M (around $283M) for Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike, both have suffered serious injuries in their first season at the club. While the Swede suffered a severe fibula fracture, the Frenchman suffered an Achilles tendon rupture, with both missing the chance to shine on the pitch in the Reds’ initial plan.

Even though Isak is back, he’ll need to get back into competitive form, as he hasn’t managed to shine under Arne Slot. With just a few games left to secure a spot in the 2026–27 Champions League, the Swede will get plenty of playing time as he looks to recapture the form that made him shine at Newcastle United. Alongside him, Rio Ngumoha will play a more prominent role on the team, as he has impressed and will be untransferable for next season, reports Football Insider.

Hugo Ekitike had been the Reds’ most efficient striker. After playing 45 games, the Frenchman had emerged as the team’s top scorer, netting 17 goals. As a result, the team will face a tough challenge in replacing him, so Cody Gakpo and Mohamed Salah must step up to contribute to the scoring effort. With nearly nine months of recovery time, the possible arrival of Anthony Gordon would be an interesting alternative.

Arsenal host the second leg of their UEFA Champions League quarterfinal clash against Sporting CP at the Emirates Stadium this Wednesday, looking to protect a slim lead and advance to the final four. While the Gunners enter as heavy favorites, the availability of star winger Bukayo Saka remains the primary storyline surrounding the North London side.

Bukayo Saka is unlikely to feature in the return leg against Sporting CP. The England international was widely expected to return for Saturday’s fixture against Bournemouth but failed to make the squad; his subsequent absence from Tuesday’s training session further dims the prospects of him playing a role in this continental decider.

Manager Mikel Arteta was noncommittal when asked if Saka or defender Jurrien Timber might return to the fold, offering only that “maybe one of them” could be involved. However, when pressed on the nature of the winger’s injury and its recent persistence, the Spaniard provided a bit more clarity for the worried Emirates faithful.

“It’s something that he was carrying for a while. It was an Achilles issue,” Arteta said. “It’s progression but hopefully it’s going to be a matter of days and not weeks. But he has to see when the load is more how he responds to that kind of progression,” he added.

Arsenal navigating a fitness crisis

Saka isn’t the only concern for a depleted Arsenal squad; Tuesday’s training session raised red flags regarding several other key contributors. Missing from the main group were midfield anchors Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard, along with defender Riccardo Calafiori.

While Rice has reportedly recovered and should be available for selection, significant questions remain over whether Odegaard and Calafiori are fit enough to start. This personnel crunch may force Arteta to lean on his depth as he looks to defend a narrow 1-0 aggregate advantage in the Champions League clash.

Projected lineups for Arsenal and Sporting CP

Arsenal’s projected lineup (4-2-3-1): David Raya; Cristhian Mosquera, William Saliba, Gabriel, Piero Hincapie; Martin Zubimendi, Christian Norgaard; Noni Madueke, Eberechi Eze, Gabriel Martinelli; Viktor Gyokeres.
Head coach: Mikel Arteta.

Sporting CP’s projected lineup (4-2-3-1): Rui Silva; Giorgos Vagiannidis, Ousmane Diomande, Goncalo Inácio, Maximiliano Araújo; Morten Hjulmand, Hidemasa Morita; Geny Catamo, Francisco Trincao, Pedro Goncalves; Luis Javier Suarez.
Head coach: Rui Borges.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s influence continues to stretch far beyond his own performances, now shaping the early career of his son, Cristiano Ronaldo Jr., within Al-Nassr. As attention grows around the next generation, the young forward is beginning to attract headlines of his own. Playing for the same club in the youth setup, his development is already drawing comparisons that feel almost inevitable.

The connection between father and son has long fascinated soccer supporters. From training habits to playing style, Cristiano Ronaldo Jr. is steadily building his own identity while reflecting elements of one of the game’s greatest players. His journey through the academy system is being followed closely, especially as moments of brilliance begin to surface more frequently.

A recent video shared online sparked widespread excitement among fans. According to the viral 44-second clip circulating on social media, the teenager delivered a standout performance in a youth match. The clip, filmed during a night game, showcases the young talent in a competitive setting against Al-Fayha at youth level.

The short video offers glimpses of attacking movements, quick decision-making, and composure in front of the goal. It also reinforces the growing narrative that Ronaldo’s legacy could continue through his son’s progress within the same soccer environment.

Watch Ronaldo Jr.’s standout performance vs Al-Fayha

In fact, Cristiano Ronaldo Jr. scored a hat-trick in a 4-3 victory for Al-Nassr U-16, delivering a decisive contribution in a tightly contested game. As can be seen, one of the goals came from a direct free-kick, adding another layer to the performance.

Beyond the goals themselves, the celebration that followed captured just as much attention. He recreated his father’s iconic ‘siu’ celebration, a moment that resonated strongly with fans familiar with Ronaldo’s trademark style. The resemblance in both execution and confidence added to the sense of déjà vu surrounding the performance.

Growing under the spotlight

At 15 years old in 2026, Ronaldo Jr. is still in the early stages of his soccer journey. Fans highlighted how he seems to be gradually shaping his own identity while still mirroring key traits of his father. From movement off the ball to finishing instinct, the parallels between the two are becoming increasingly difficult to ignore.

The presence of Cristiano Ronaldo at Al-Nassr has clearly created an environment where his son is not only developing as a player but also growing within a global spotlight. Every performance is now viewed through the lens of legacy and expectation.

Christian Pulisic could soon share the dressing room with 2022 World Cup winner Paulo Dybala at Milan, with both names now circulating in a developing transfer story that has caught attention across Europe. At the center of the story is Dybala’s unclear future with Roma.

His contract is set to expire at the end of the season, and no renewal has been agreed, placing him among the most high-profile free agents potentially available. Despite receiving offers from abroad, his preference has been to remain in Italy and continue competing at the highest level.

Reports from Italy suggest that Dybala is seriously considering a move to Milan. According to Corriere dello Sport, the Argentine forward is willing to accept a significant salary reduction in order to join the club, underlining his desire to make the move happen.

Further reports reinforce the same idea, pointing to Dybala’s admiration for the opportunity to play at San Siro. Calciomercato notes that he could even accept a performance-based contract due to his recent injury history, reflecting a pragmatic approach to negotiations. His priority remains staying competitive in Europe, even as other options emerge.

The factor behind a possible move

While the prospect of the 32-year-old forward joining Milan is gaining attention, there is a key condition shaping the situation. The report adds that much depends on the future of Rafael Leao, whose role and consistency have come under scrutiny this season. His performances have been affected by tactical changes and fitness issues, leading to growing debate among supporters.

Milan faces a difficult decision regarding Leao, who remains one of the club’s most valuable assets. A potential departure would create both the financial space and tactical need for a player like Dybala, making the connection between the two situations impossible to ignore. Without that shift, any move becomes far more complicated.

Milan’s bigger transfer picture

The club is already exploring ways to reshape its attack ahead of the summer. Multiple names, including high-profile forwards like Robert Lewandowski and Dusan Vlahovic, have been linked as the Rossoneri evaluate how to strengthen their frontline, particularly with Champions League qualification still uncertain. Financial considerations continue to play a major role in every decision.

The uncertainty around Pulisic also adds another layer to the equation. While he remains an important figure, his recent form has been inconsistent, and the club is assessing its options carefully. A potential arrival like Dybala could either complement or complicate the existing structure.

Christian Pulisic finds himself at the center of growing transfer speculation despite a difficult run of form, as interest from Liverpool and Tottenham begins to intensify. The situation surrounding the winger has taken on a new dimension, with uncertainty over his future at Milan and questions about his role moving forward.

The season began with promise, as Milan found rhythm and attacking fluidity in the early months. Pulisic scored eight league goals between August and December, playing a central role in the team’s push near the top of the table. That early momentum, however, has faded as the campaign entered a more demanding phase.

The turn of the year has brought a dramatic shift in the Americans’ performances. He has not scored a competitive goal in 2026 and is currently enduring a drought of more than 100 days, a statistic that has raised concerns inside the club. Injuries have played their part, disrupting his consistency and limiting his overall impact in key matches.

Milan’s broader struggles have only increased scrutiny on Pulisic and the attacking unit. A heavy 3-0 defeat highlighted the team’s inconsistency, with just two wins in the last five league matches putting its Champions League hopes under threat. Despite being among the more active attackers on the pitch, Pulisic has found it difficult to influence decisive moments.

His inability to convert chances has mirrored the team’s struggles, contributing to a slide down the table at a crucial stage of the season. The Serie A giant remains in contention for a top-four finish, but the margin for error is shrinking. Upcoming fixtures are now seen as pivotal, both for Milan’s ambitions and for Pulisic’s future at San Siro.

Milan’s reported asking price revealed

As speculation grows, attention has shifted to Milan’s stance on a potential transfer. According to Il Giornale, Milan would consider offers in the region of $65 million for Pulisic. With just one year remaining on his contract worth approximately $5.5 million per season, the Italian outfit is under pressure to make a decision.

Selling the 27-year-old winger could generate significant funds to reinvest in the squad, especially if Champions League qualification is not secured. At the same time, the club must weigh the loss of a high-profile player who has played a key role in its recent rebuild.

Premier League interest gathers pace

The report adds that interest from England continues to gather momentum as two major clubs monitor the situation closely. Liverpool is reportedly exploring attacking reinforcements, while Tottenham views Pulisic as part of a potential rebuild. Both clubs see an opportunity to secure a proven player who has already experienced the demands of top-level soccer.

His revived reputation after leaving England, combined with his versatility and experience, makes him an attractive option despite recent struggles. The financial strength of Premier League sides means that meeting Milan’s valuation may not be a major obstacle. The key question is whether that interest will translate into a formal offer in the coming months.

Arnavutluk'ta 20-26 Nisan tarihlerindeki Avrupa Şampiyonası'nda mücadele edecek Grekoromen Güreş Milli Takımı için medya günü düzenlendi.

Sarıyer Mersinli Ahmet Kamp ve Eğitim Tesisleri'ndeki medya gününe İstanbul Valisi Davut Gül, Türkiye Güreş Federasyonu (TGF) Başkanı Taha Akgül, eski milli futbolcu Mesut Özil ve milli güreşçiler katıldı.

İstanbul Valisi Davut Gül, organizasyonda mücadele edecek sporculara başarı dileyerek "Şampiyonlarımız kampta. Başkanımla konuşup onları ziyarete geldik. Sadece kendileri için güreşmiyorlar. Bütün milletimiz ve devletimiz adına güreşiyorlar. Geçmişte, güreşte çok önemli başarılar yakaladık. Başkanımız Taha Akgül'ün de bu başarılara katkısı oldu. Bu rol modellerle geçmişte alınan madalyaların daha iyisini kazanabiliriz. Kampta her şey iyi gidiyor. Arkadaşlarımızın da morali iyi." diye konuştu.

Gençlerin spor yapmasının önemini vurgulayan Gül, "Okullarımızdaki öğrencilerimiz, şampiyonlarımızı örnek alıyorlar. Sporcularımız, şampiyon olduktan sonra öğrencilerle bir araya gelecek. Cumhurbaşkanımız Recep Tayyip Erdoğan'a, Gençlik ve Spor Bakanı Osman Aşkın Bak'a ve tüm ekibe emekleri için teşekkür ediyorum." ifadelerini kullandı.

TGF Başkanı Taha Akgül, ziyaretleri için İstanbul Valisi Gül'e teşekkür ederek "Sarıyer Mersinli Ahmet Kamp ve Eğitim Tesisleri, tarihi bir yer. 50 senedir burası Türk güreşine hizmet veriyor. Gençlik ve Spor Bakanlığının destekleriyle burada tadilat yapıldı. Burada gençlerimiz iyi şartlarda çalışıyor. Valimizi Sivas'tan tanıyoruz. Onun devlet adamlığını kendimize örnek alıyoruz. İnşallah Avrupa Şampiyonası'nda Cumhurbaşkanımız Recep Tayyip Erdoğan'a verdiğimiz sözleri yerine getiririz. Rıza Kayaalp, inşallah 13. kez şampiyon olup Rus Aleksandr Karelin'in rekorunu kıracak." değerlendirmelerinde bulundu.

Kampı ziyaret ettiği için çok mutlu olduğunu aktaran eski milli futbolcu Mesut Özil ise "Tüm arkadaşlara başarılar diliyorum. Rabbim utandırmasın. Bol bol dua edeceğiz." dedi.

- Rıza Kayaalp: "Aslanlar gibi mücadele edip, ülkemizi temsil edeceğim"

Milli güreşçi Rıza Kayaalp, Avrupa Şampiyonası öncesi fiziksel durumunun iyi olduğunu söyledi.

Avrupa Şampiyonası için son hazırlıkları yaptıklarını aktaran Kayaalp, "Amacımız, iyi bir derece elde etmek. Şimdiye kadar 14 kez finale yükseldim. 13. şampiyonluğumu yaşayıp rekor kırmak istiyorum. Kırılması zor bir rekoru kırmak, biraz stresli. Daha zorlarını yaşadım. Fiziksel durumum iyi. Aslanlar gibi mücadele edip, ülkemizi temsil edeceğim. Altın madalya kazanarak, bizi büyüten devletimize vefamızı göstermek istiyorum." diye konuştu.

Avrupa Şampiyonası'nda 13. kez şampiyon olması halinde Rus Aleksandr Karelin'in rekorunu kıracağına dikkati çeken Kayaalp, şöyle devam etti:

"Sonuçta 'kırılamaz' denilen bir rekoru yakalayıp kırmak, ülkem ve benim için büyük bir şeref. Avrupa rekorunun ve bu kadar şampiyonluğun uzun yıllar boyunca bir Türk'te kalması ülkem adına çok iyi olacak. Bireysel olarak her şey gelip geçici. Bir anda her şey değişebiliyor. Bazen başına istemediğin şeyler de gelebiliyor. Önemli olan 'Bu rekor kimde?' denildiğinde 'Bir Türk'te' denilmesi benim için yeterli."

Milli güreşçilerden Kerem Kamal, hazırlıklarda artık son aşamaya geldiklerini dile getirerek "Yaklaşık bir hafta gibi bir sürecimiz kaldı. Hocalarımızla bütün eksiklerimizi kapatmaya çalıştık. Şampiyonaya hazır olduğumuzu düşünüyoruz. Kaptanımız, büyük şampiyonumuz Rıza Kayaalp önderliğinde inşallah bu seneki Avrupa Şampiyonası'nda elimizden gelen bütün gayreti gösterip, herkesi mutlu etmek istiyoruz." dedi.

Milli sporcu Ahmet Yılmaz ise şu değerlendirmeyi yaptı:

"Kaptanımız Rıza Kayaalp'in aramızda olması bizim için büyük avantaj. Bizim yaptığımız spor ne kadar bireysel olsa da 'takım ruhu' denilen bir şey var. Biz birbirimizi destekleyerek, birbirimizin eksiklerini kapatarak Allah'ın izniyle aslanlar gibi mücadelemizi verip, ülkemizi en iyi şekilde temsil edip, takım olarak şampiyonluk hedefliyoruz. Allah yar ve yardımcımız olsun. Arnavutluk bize iyi gelmişti. Ben dünya şampiyonasında orada üçüncü olmuştum. İnşallah bu sefer de şampiyon olacağım."

Milli güreşçi Yüksel Sarıçiçek, birçok önemli isimle milli takımda yer aldığı için kendisiyle gurur duyduğunu anlatarak "Özellikle Rıza Kayaalp ile bu sezon birçok maça gittik. Güzel geçti benim için. İnşallah Avrupa Şampiyonası'nda da ülkemi en iyi şekilde temsil edeceğime inanıyorum." ifadelerini kullandı.

Juventus, kaptan Manuel Locatelli'nin sözleşmesini 2030'a kadar uzattı.

İtalya Serie A devlerinden Juventus, takım taptanı Manuel Locatelli'nin sözleşmesini yeniledi.

Fabrizio Romano'nun haberine göre; Juventus, 27 yaşındaki orta saha ile 2030 yılına kadar yeni sözleşme imzaladı.

BU SEZONKİ PERFORMANSI

Bu sezon Juventus formasıyla 41 kez sahaya çıkan Locatelli, 3 gol - 2 asistlik performans sergiledi.

Cənubi Azərbaycanın ən məşhur futbol komandası olan “Traktor” Asiya Çempionlar Liqasının 2025/2026 mövsümündə növbəti matçına çıxıb.

Arena.az xəbər verir ki, Təbriz klubu turnirin 1/8 mərhələsi çərçivəsində Birləşmiş Ərəb Əmirliklərinin “Şabab Əl-Əhli” komandası ilə qarşılaşıb.

Neytral meydanda (Səudiyyə Ərəbistanının Ciddə şəhərindəki “Əl-Faysal Abdullah” stadionunda) baş tutmuş bu oyunda təbrizlilər gözlənilməz məğlubiyyətə üzülüblər – 0:3. “Traktorçular” 52-ci dəqiqədən etibarən azlıqda mübarizə aparıblar. BƏƏ təmsilçisi qolları da məhz bundan sonra (65, 80 və 90+8-ci dəqiqələr) vurub.

Beləliklə, İran çempionu ÇL-də mübarizəni dayandırıb.

Xatırladaq ki, ötən mövsüm tarixdə ilk dəfə İran çempionu olmuş “Traktor” ölkənin Asiya Çempionlar Liqasının Elit turnirində yeganə təmsilçisi idi. Təbriz təmsilçisi ötən mövsüm Asiya Çempionlar Liqasının 2-ci turnirinə qatılmış və 1/4 finala qədər irəliləmişdi.

Futzal üzrə Azərbaycan millisinin baş məşqçisi Yevgeni Kukseviç Qazaxıstan yığmasına qarşı keçirdikləri yoxlama oyununu şərh edib.

Arena.az xəbər verir ki, millimiz iki gün öncə 2:9 hesabıyla uduzduğu qazaxlara bu gün 2:4 hesabıyla məğlub olub.

Kukseviç qarşılaşmadan sonra Azərbaycan Futzal Federasiyasının rəsmi saytına açıqlamasında bunları söyləyib:

“Birinci oyundan sonra istirahət etdik və yaxşı bərpa olunduq. Üstəlik, rəqibin adının gətirdiyi üstünlüyü, azarkeş amilini, zala uyğunlaşmaq baxımından yaşadığımız problemi bu dəfə bir kənara atdıq, psixoloji baxımdan matça tam hazır çıxdıq. Buna görə də yaxşı oynadığımızı deyə bilərəm. Əslində, yoxlama oyunlarını güclü rəqiblərə qarşı keçirmək yaxşı oldu. Zəif rəqibləri udub bayram etməkdənsə, səhvlərimizi, çatışmazlığımızı görüb, üzərində işləmək və inkişaf etmək lazımdır. Yenə deyirəm, bu oyunumuz da çox çətin idi, ancaq uşaqlar bacardıqlarını göstərdilər. Sadəcə, soyuqqanlılığımız çatmadı. Bəzi epizodlarda yaxşı mənada nələrsə etmək istədik, alınmadı. Bu cür oyunlarda uduzsaq da, meydanda gördüyümüz yaxşı işlər bizim üçün qələbəyə bərabərdir”.

Aktauda təlim-məşq toplanışında olan futzal üzrə Azərbaycan millisi bu gün Qazaxıstan yığması ilə ikinci yoxlama oyununa çıxıb.

Arena.az xəbər verir ki, ilk oyunla müqayisədə baş məşqçi Yevgeni Kukseviç 14-lükdə iki dəyişiklik etmişdi.

Eldar Zeynalov və Qüdrət Qasımzadənin əvəzinə Tofiq Mikayılov və Pünhan Qasımzadə komandamıza kömək edirdi. Birinci oyuna yorğun çıxmış millimiz bu dəfə daha inamlı təsir bağışlayıb. Düzdür, hesabı meydan sahibi komanda açıb. Ancaq Ülvi Əliyevlə dərhal bərabərliyi təmin edib. Növbəti qolu da qazaxlar vursa da, bu dəfə Ədalət Ələkbərov status-kvonu bərpa edib və komandalar fasiləyə “sülh”lə yollanıblar.

İkinci hissəyə komandamız daha yaxşı başlayıb. Hətta ilk real qol vəziyyətini millimiz yaradıb. Oqtay Rüstəmli qapıçı ilə üzbəüz qalsa da, hesabı xeyrimizə dəyişə bilməyib. Əvəzində 29-cu dəqiqədə meydan sahibləri fərqləniblər. Qazax futzalçılar 33-cü dəqiqədə fərqi 2 topa yüksəldiblər.

Xatırladaq ki, futzal millimiz Qazaxıstan yığmasına qarşı keçirdiyi ilk oyunda da məğlub olmuşdu. Buna qədər isə yığmamız Gürcüstanla oyunlarda ardıcıl iki məğlubiyyətə (2:4, 2:5) üzülmüşdü.

Yoxlama oyunu
15 aprel

Qazaxıstan – Azərbaycan 4:2
Qollar: Azat Valiullin, 13:35. Albert Akbalıkov, 16:42; 28:26. Damir Kairbai, 32:22 – Ülvi Əliyev, 14:29. Ədalət Ələkbərov, 17:25.
Hakimlər: Tanant Raymberniev, Timur Toktobaev, Erban Kurmamalıev (Hamısı Qırğızıstan).
Aktau. “BS Arena”. Saat 17:00

Qazaxıstan: 2. Leo İgita (k), 6. Edson Santos, 8. Erjan Karmenov, 9. Albert Akbalıkov, 17. Birjan Orazov, 16. Narun Serikov, 3. Arnold Knaur, 5. Akzol Daribay, 7. Azat Valiullin, 10. Cahangir Raşit, 11. Abdirassil Abdumanapulı, 14. Aqedil Madiyarov, 19. Damir Kairbai, 30. Aleksandr Deryabin.
Baş məşqçi: Kakau.

Azərbaycan: 1. Emin Kürdov (k), 7. Emil Həsənzadə, 8. Ülvi Əliyev, 10. Nihad İsmayılov, 17. Ədalət Ələkbərov, 19. Cavad Məmmədov, 3. Kənan Manafov, 4. Pünhan Qasımzadə, 5. Oqtay Rüstəmli, 9. Murad Quluzadə, 14. Tofiq Mikayılov, 15. Novruz Kazıxanov, 18. Tofiq Əliyev, 20. Fərid Abbasov.
Baş məşqçi: Yevgeni Kukseviç.

İtaliya A Seriyasının nəhəngi “Yuventus” təcrübəli yarımmüdafiəçisi Manuel Lokatelli ilə müqavilənin müddətini uzadıb.

Futbolpress.az xəbər verir ki, bu barədə məşhur insayder Fabrisio Romano məlumat yayıb.

Turin təmsilçisi 27 yaşlı futbolçunun müqaviləsini 2030-cu ilə qədər yeniləyib.

Manuel Lokatelli bu mövsüm “qara-ağlar”ın heyətində ümumilikdə 41 rəsmi matçda meydana çıxıb. O, bu qarşılaşmalarda 3 qol və 2 məhsuldar ötürmə ilə yadda qalıb.

​Avroliqa rəhbərliyi maaş limitini keçən 4 basketbol klubunu ümumilikdə 5 milyon avrodan çox cərimələyib.

Futbolpress.az xəbər verir ki, siyahıya rekord məbləğlə “Panatinaikos” başçılıq edir.

Sezonun ən yüksək büdcəli heyətinə sahib olan və Naycel Heys-Devisə böyük müqavilə təklif edən “Panatinaikos” 3 milyon avroluq cərimə ilə siyahının zirvəsində yer alıb.

​Digər cərimələnən klublar isə bunlardır:

​”Anadolu Efes” (Türkiyə): 1.1 milyon avro

​”Hapoel Tel Əviv” (İsrail): 1 milyon avro

​”Olimpiakos” (Yunanıstan): 300 min avro

Klublar cərimə məbləğlərini iyun ayının sonuna qədər Avroliqa rəhbərliyinə ödəməlidirlər.

Toplanan 5 milyon avrodan çox vəsait maraqlı bir şəkildə bölüşdürüləcək. Bu məbləğ cərimələnən 4 klub və maaş standartından aşağıda qalan “ASVEL” istisna olmaqla, turnirdəki digər 15 klub arasında bərabər şəkildə paylanacaq.

​”Beşiktaş”ın mövsümün sonunda Jota Silvanın satınalma hüququndan istifadə edəcəyi gözlənilsə də, Türkiyədən gələn son xəbərlər İngiltərə tərəfində ümidləri qırıb.

Futbolpress.az xəbər verir ki, Premyer Liqada qalıb-qalmayacağından asılı olmayaraq, yayda heyəti yenidən qurmağı planlaşdıran “Nottingem Forest” rəhbərliyi Jota Silvanın gedişini qəti hesab edirdi.

Lakin “Beşiktaş”ın portuqaliyalı vinger üçün nəzərdə tutulan yüksək satınalma məbləğini ödəmək niyyətində olmaması ingilislərin maliyyə planlarını pozub.

Bu vəziyyət Forest rəhbərliyini çətin seçim qarşısında qoyub. Jota Silvanın yay transfer pəncərəsi açıldıqda hansı klubda çıxış edəcəyi hələ də böyük sual işarəsi olaraq qalır.

Azərbaycanın qadınlardan ibarət 3×3 basketbol millisi Dünya Kubokunda mübarizə aparacaq.

Futbolpress.az xəbər verir ki, komandamız A qrupunda Niderland, Polşa, Çexiya və Madaqaskar seçmələri ilə mübarizə aparacaq.

Turnir iyunun 1-7-də Polşanın paytaxtı Varşavada keçiriləcək

Gabriele Gravina has admitted regret over his time in charge of the FIGC, acknowledging he may have stayed on too long before stepping down after acknowledging “what had been done could not be improved further.”

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Speaking to Le Iene, with quotes via TuttoMercatoWeb, Gravina said he felt “bitter” about failing to deliver the results fans deserved, particularly in light of Italy’s ongoing struggles on the international stage.

“I’m disappointed for not giving our fans what they deserved,” he said. “Above all, I regret not stepping aside earlier, when I realised that what had been done could not be improved further.”

Gravina pushes back against Italy critics

Gravina also pushed back against criticism of his leadership, highlighting key achievements during his tenure.

“What I cannot accept is being called unworthy,” he added. “Important work was done, especially in terms of financial stability. We secured co-hosting rights for Euro 2032, one of the biggest sporting events in the world. People forget that after 53 years we won the European Championship, and the Under-17 side also lifted their first European title.”

However, Italy’s failure to qualify for a third consecutive World Cup remains a major shadow. Gravina pointed to structural issues within Italian football, particularly the limited opportunities for domestic players.

“We produce talent, but it is not used,” he explained. “Around 70% of players are foreign, leaving only 30% eligible for the national team. Clubs operate as businesses, so you cannot force them to make different choices. The only solution is to change the culture and introduce incentives.”

He also clarified previous controversial remarks about other sports, insisting they were misunderstood.

“My comments were about regulations, not a lack of respect,” Gravina said. “I admire athletes from all disciplines and their sacrifices. I never intended to offend anyone.”

Chelsea face Manchester United this weekend in what could be the Blues’ last real chance to keep their Champions League qualification hopes alive.

BUY CHELSEA VS. MAN UNITED TICKETS

Liam Rosenior’s side are on an awful run of form at the moment, winning just one of their last six games in all competitions, and losing three in a row without even scoring a goal in the Premier League.

Still, there are five Champions League places up for grabs now and the gap with Liverpool is not insurmountable just yet, so can Chelsea pick up a vital win against Man Utd this weekend?

The Red Devils have been much-improved under Michael Carrick and are looking reasonably sure of Champions League qualification, but could that mean they end up taking their eye off the ball a little bit?

Either way, it should be an unmissable game between two big clubs who always put on a show when they meet, whether it’s been in title races or in top-four battles like this.

How to buy Chelsea tickets

Chelsea fans can find the club’s official ticket page via the link here, but there can be issues with both affordability and availability if you go down that route.

It’s well worth trying our alternative here as it allows you an easy-to-use site with direct access to the games you care about, without the extra cost and hassle of becoming a season ticket holder or club member.

How to buy Manchester United tickets

Manchester United supporters looking for the club’s official ticket page can use the link here, but we’d again suggest keeping an alternative in mind as well.

To make sure you don’t miss out on this big game and others, our link lets you follow your club without extra costs or getting stuck behind season-ticket holders in the queue.

BUY CHELSEA VS. MAN UNITED TICKETS

How Chelsea could line up vs Manchester United

Chelsea fans will no doubt be keen to see if Enzo Fernandez returns to Rosenior’s line up for this game after the club suspended him for two games.

If the Argentina international does make it back, it should give CFC a much stronger-looking side to take on United, though there are clearly still issues in this team.

It remains to be seen if Rosenior will be tempted to rotate some of the players who performed so poorly against Man City, but one imagines his lack of options probably means there won’t be too much rotation.

Chelsea predicted line-up: Sanchez; Gusto, Cucurella, Fofana, Hato; Caicedo, Fernandez, Palmer; Garnacho, Neto, Pedro.

How Manchester United could line up vs Chelsea

Man United’s team more or less picks itself these days, but Matthijs de Ligt and Patrick Dorgu remain long-term absentees from the squad.

Still others, like Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko, should be fit again for this game, while Harry Maguire will be back from suspension and will probably be back in the team.

Man Utd predicted line-up: Lammens; Dalot, Shaw, Maguire, Martinez; Casemiro, Mainoo, Fernandes; Mbeumo, Cunha, Sesko.

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Chelsea vs Manchester United head-to-head record

This fixture has tended to be quite close down the years, though going further back through history, it’s United who have the upper hand overall.

MUFC have won this fixture 84 times in total, drawing 57, and losing 57.

In more recent history, there’s been very little between them, with Chelsea winning three of their last twelve meetings, United winning the other three, and six draws.

At Stamford Bridge, however, United have a pretty poor record, having failed to win there since February 2020.

Reports in Italy claim that Milan sporting director Igli Tare recently met with Robert Lewandowski’s agent, but the Rossoneri’s CEO, Giorgio Furlani, doesn’t seem inclined to pay a high salary to a player well over 30.

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Milan are looking for a new centre-forward for 2026-27, given their strikers’ struggles in the current campaign.

Milan in talks with Lewandowski

Barcelona star Lewandowski, whose contract at the Nou Camp expires in June, has long been a transfer target for the Rossoneri, and according to Calciomercato.com, Tare recently met the striker’s representative, Pini Zahavi, for dinner.

Technically, Milan are interested in Lewandowski, who is said to have also attracted interest from Juventus and received a big-money offer from an unnamed MLS club.

However, according to Calciomercato.com and Corriere della Sera, Milan CEO Furlani is currently reluctant to make a major investment, even in salary terms, for a player who will turn 38 in August.

Milan signed Niclas Fullkrug on loan with an option to buy from West Ham in the January window, but seem eager to send the German back to London at the end of the season.

Arsenal are interested in signing the Sunderland defensive midfielder Noah Sadiki at the end of the season.

According to reports from Spain, they have identified the 21-year-old as a key target for the summer transfer window. The DR Congo International has impressed in the Premier League since joining the Black Cats at the start of the season. It will be difficult for them to hold onto him beyond this season. Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur also admire the player.

The 21-year-old midfielder has a contract with Sunderland until 2030, and they are under no pressure to sanction his departure in the summer. Arsenal will have to pay a premium to get the deal done. They could use an upgrade on Christian Norgaard, and signing the Sunderland star could be a wise investment. He is a young player with a bright future, and Arsenal could groom him into a star. He will add physicality and defensive cover to the team.

The opportunity to play for one of the biggest clubs in the country will be exciting for Sadiki as well.

Meanwhile, Tottenham will need to replace Joao Palhinha. The Portuguese international will leave the club when his loan expires. They need a defensive presence in the middle of the park, and the 21-year-old Sunderland star could be the ideal fit for them.

Chelsea already have Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia at their disposal. It will be interesting to see how they accommodate the 21-year-old in the starting lineup if they end up signing him. Sadiki will want to play regularly. Sitting on the bench at a big club will not appeal to him.

The post Chelsea and Spurs join Arsenal in race for breakout 21-year-old Premier League sensation appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Liverpool fans have been hit with the worst possible news as their season continues to spiral, with star forward Hugo Ekitike confirmed to miss up to nine months after suffering a devastating injury during Tuesday night’s Champions League exit to PSG.

The 23-year-old was stretchered off in tears after just 22 minutes at Anfield, having collapsed unchallenged while clutching his ankle.

The atmosphere at the club, already described as being at an all-time low, has plummeted further with the confirmation of a ruptured right Achilles tendon.

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Ben Jacobs gives update on Hugo Ekitike’s injury

Journalist Ben Jacobs has confirmed the severity of the situation, noting that the French international will not only miss the remainder of Liverpool’s campaign but is also officially ruled out of the 2026 World Cup in North America.

Jacobs posted the following on X:

“Hugo Ekitike faces several months out with an Achilles tendon injury sustained in the Champions League quarter-final defeat. The French international will miss the World Cup and could be sidelined for up to nine months.”

Ekitike, who has been Liverpool’s top scorer this season with 17 goals, might not return to training until 2027.

Manager Arne Slot, who had already seen his side dumped out of the FA Cup and Champions League in a matter of days, admitted the situation looks really bad.

Liverpool’s mounting attacking crisis

The timing of Ekitike’s injury creates a catastrophic vacuum in Liverpool’s frontline.

With Mohamed Salah officially confirmed to be leaving Anfield this summer and club-record signing Alexander Isak still struggling to find his rhythm after returning from a broken leg, the Reds are facing a total offensive rebuild.

Slot’s “star signings” from last summer have rarely been able to play together due to a persistent injury curse.

Hugo Ekitike stats for 25/26 via transfermarkt

With Ekitike sidelined for the bulk of next season, the recruitment team will now be forced back into the market to find an elite replacement.

Failure to do so could see the Reds’ poor season extend well into the 2026/27 campaign.

The post Journalist shares worst possible news for Liverpool fans as season hits rock bottom appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Chelsea are looking to replace Robert Sanchez at the end of the season, and they have identified James Trafford as a target.

The English goalkeeper has struggled for regular opportunities at Manchester City and might need to leave to play more often. He’s a talented goalkeeper with a bright future, but sitting on the bench at Manchester City could be detrimental to his development. He needs regular opportunities in order to fulfil his potential.

Trafford has been described as a “world class” goalkeeper in the past.

Sanchez has failed to live up to the expectations at Chelsea, and they are prepared to cash in on him. Replacing him with Trafford could be a wise decision. The Manchester City goalkeeper will be determined to prove himself at the highest level, and his hunger to succeed will be a huge bonus for Chelsea.

It will be interesting to see if Manchester City is willing to sanction his departure.

According to reports from Spain, the player’s market value is around €25 million. The 23-year-old certainly has the quality to justify the investment, and he could even prove to be a major bargain at that price.

Meanwhile, Chelsea is not the only club after him. Newcastle United and Tottenham are also monitoring his situation.

Newcastle need a quality long-term replacement for Nick Pope, who is in the twilight stages of his career. On the other hand, Tottenham need a replacement for Guglielmo Vicario, who has been quite inconsistent. The Italian has been linked with a return to his homeland, and Trafford could be the ideal replacement.

All three clubs have the financial muscle to get the deal done, and it remains to be seen where the 23-year-old Manchester City goalkeeper ends up eventually.

The post Chelsea face Tottenham battle for 23-year-old “world class” English talent appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Arsenal are prepared to sanction the departures of Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz at the end of the season.

Jesus has recently returned from injury and has struggled for gametime with the London club. He needs to leave in order to play more often. It is no surprise that Arsenal are prepared to sanction his departure. He is not a guaranteed starter for them, and they should look to cash in on the Brazilian and invest the proceeds into the squad.

According to reports from Spain, they are prepared to sell Jesus for €40 million in the summer. On the other hand, Havertz has fallen down the picking order at the north London club, and he could be sold for a fee of around €80 million. The German International has not been able to make the desired impact since joining Arsenal, even though he has shown flashes of his quality at times, and he has scored some important goals for the club.

Havertz has 33 goals and 16 assists in 104 matches for the Gunners.

The report claims that Arsenal view Viktor Gyokeres as the focal point of their attacking unit going forward, and therefore, they would be prepared to sell the two players for a substantial sum in the summer.

Arsenal will be hoping to fight for League titles and the Champions League in the coming season. They need a deeper squad in order to do well across multiple competitions. Keeping multiple quality players at the club should be a priority for them. Havertz and Jesus are dynamic attackers who can slot into multiple roles and perform at a high level. They could prove very useful to the club in the future.

Havertz, in particular, is a technically gifted player and tactically quite intelligent. He has been labelled as an “amazing player” by his teammates in the past. It remains to be seen how the situation develops.

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Google is giving advertisers more control when appealing disapproved ads in bulk — a small but meaningful update that could save time and reduce accidental resubmissions.

Driving the news. Google has added a new option in its bulk ad review workflow that lets advertisers select ads from specific campaigns when requesting a policy re-review.

Previously, advertisers appealing disapproved ads in bulk often had to resubmit all eligible ads across an account — including older campaigns that hadn’t been updated.

That created extra work and could clutter the review process with ads that weren’t actually fixed.

What’s new. Advertisers can now click a new “Select eligible campaigns” option on the Google Ads policy violations page when filing a bulk appeal.

That means they can:

• send only recently fixed ads for review,
• avoid including outdated campaigns,
• and streamline the appeal process.

Why we care. Bulk appeals are often used after widespread disapprovals or policy issues. Being able to narrow submissions by campaign should make the process faster, more precise, and easier to manage at scale.

For agencies and large accounts, the update could also reduce the risk of confusion when handling multiple policy fixes at once.

The bottom line. This isn’t a flashy product launch, but it’s the kind of workflow improvement advertisers have been asking for — giving teams more control and less friction when fixing disapproved ads.

First spotted. This update was first spotted by Hana Kobzová of PPC News Feed.

Verdict: Eli Junior Kroupi over 0.5 shots on target Best Odds: 7/10 Bookmaker: Dachbet Looking to pile more pressure onto Newcastle this weekend, Bournemouth will travel to St. James’ Park on Saturday afternoon. Newcastle Starting with the hosts, making history at Wembley 13 months ago as they were crowned EFL Cup champions and securing a […]

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