Premium Travel Trend 2026: onefinestay Expands High-End Leisure Focus with Exclusive Property Portfolioonefinestay refines its portfolio by transferring over 200...
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Samsung has reportedly begun the firmware development for the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2. The company is working on two premium smartwatches for 2026, including a Galaxy Watch 9 and a Galaxy Watch Ultra 2.
The new smartwatches will likely be unveiled alongside the Galaxy Z Fold 8, Z Flip 8, and Z Fold 8 Wide in July this year. Galaxy Watch 8 will get a successor as usual, but the Classic model may be on hold in the year 2026.
Previously, the internal firmware of Galaxy Watch 9 was spotted on Samsung’s server, indicating the beginning of development. Now, the initial firmware for Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 (BT and 4G/5G) has appeared, via Aptivi.
Watch Ultra 2 (Bluetooth) – L710XXU0AZDB
Watch Ultra 2 (LTE/5G) – L715NKOU0AZDB
Qualcomm recently introduced the Snapdragon Wear Elite chipset for next-gen Wear OS devices. The company also confirmed that the next-gen Samsung watches will be equipped with its advanced wearable platform.
Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 is said to launch with 5G network compatibility for the first time. However, the availability may be limited and vary by region.
Samsung has been using Exynos W series chips in the Watch for recent years. The company may not entirely dump its evolving portfolio for Qualcomm. That said, we could see the Galaxy Watch 9 adopting the Exynos W platform.
The next Unpacked is rumored to take place on July 22, 2026. The venue could not be Seoul or San Francisco, but London. Samsung eyes the European smartphone market and that’s how the event is considered in the UK.
Morpheus Android spyware, linked to Italian firm IPS, tricks targets into installing a fake update app by cutting off their mobile data first, then hijacks their WhatsApp account using biometric spoofing.
Just announced, and in the office, meet the Infinix GT 50 Pro, a high-end phone with some clever gaming-centric innovation. You can check out our quick unboxing video here.
The Infinix GT 50 Pro comes in Black Abyss, Red Blaze, and Silver Glacier colors, and in either 12/256GB or 12/512GB trim. Prices start from IDR 6,499,000 ($376/€330 converted), and sales begin tomorrow. Let's unbox it.
The phone comes with a 45W charger, a USB cable, and a case with a magnetic ring on the back.
Those magnets play a crucial role when using the GT 50 Pro with Infinix's new MagCharge Cooler 2.0...
Getafe CF and FC Barcelona meet in a Matchday 32 clash during the 2025/26 La Liga campaign. Here’s all the key information, including kickoff schedules and how to watch the matchup live via television and streaming services.
Here are all of the details of where you can watch Getafe vs Barcelona on US television and via legal streaming:
This La Liga clash features a Getafeside enjoying a remarkable season, unexpectedly pushing for a European qualification spot. Currently sixth in the standings, their recent 1-0 victory over Copa del Rey champions Real Sociedad was a statement of intent, showcasing their grit and tactical discipline. A match against the league leaders is the ultimate test of their ambitions and provides a massive stage to prove they belong among Spain’s elite.
For Barcelona, the mission is clear: secure another three points and move one step closer to clinching the La Liga title. Hansi Flick‘s squad sits comfortably at the top of the table with a nine-point lead over Real Madrid, riding an impressive eight-game winning streak in the league. With the Champions League no longer a distraction, their entire focus is on domestic dominance, and they will be looking to dispatch a tricky Getafe side to avoid any late-season drama.
Tactical Analysis & Match Context
The season trajectories of these two clubs present a fascinating contrast. Barcelona has been a dominant force, leading the league with the most potent attack. Their high-risk, possession-based style has them on a clear path to the title. Getafe, on the other hand, has built its success on a rock-solid defense, boasting the third-best record in La Liga. However, their attack is one of the league’s weakest, highlighting their reliance on organization and efficiency over firepower.
This sets up a classic tactical battle. Barcelona will control the ball, looking to break down Getafe‘s deep, compact 5-3-2 formation. The key for the league leaders will be their clinical finishing, as they cannot afford to waste chances against a team that concedes so few goals at home. Getafe will aim to disrupt Barcelona‘s rhythm with a physical, stop-start approach, averaging over 15 fouls per game at home, while looking to hit on the counter-attack with direct balls to their forwards.
The motivations for both teams are at a fever pitch. Getafe is in a tight race for a coveted European spot, and every point is crucial in their quest to cap off an incredible season. For Barcelona, the urgency is to lock up the La Liga title and prevent any glimmer of hope for their rivals. After a demanding season, maintaining focus and intensity against a highly disciplined opponent will be paramount to securing the win and continuing their march towards the championship.
Head-to-Head Record & Historic Trends
Historically, Barcelona has overwhelmingly dominated this fixture. The Catalan giants are undefeated in their last ten encounters with Getafe, securing six wins and four draws. Getafe‘s last victory against Barcelona dates all the way back to 2020, underscoring the challenge they face. Earlier this season, Barcelona cruised to a comfortable 3-0 victory in the reverse fixture.
However, recent history at Getafe‘s home ground, the Estadio Coliseum, tells a completely different story. Getafe has successfully turned their stadium into a fortress against Barcelona, remaining unbeaten in their last five home matches against them, with four of those ending in draws. Barcelona‘s last victory on Getafe‘s turf was in 2019, proving that this is one of the toughest away days on their calendar.
The data points towards a tight, low-scoring affair. The last six matches between these two at the Coliseum have all featured under 2.5 goals, with a mere five total goals scored across those games. Furthermore, Getafe has managed to score just a single goal against Barcelona in their last eight meetings, home or away. This trend suggests that goals will be at a premium and that a single moment of brilliance could decide the outcome.
Squad News & Projected Lineups
Both managers will have to contend with significant absences, but Barcelona‘s attacking options have been hit particularly hard by recent injuries.
Getafe is monitoring a hamstring issue for Mario Martin, while Zaid Romero serves a suspension and key forward Borja Mayoral remains sidelined with a long-term knee injury. These absences test their depth, but their core defensive unit remains intact, which is crucial for their game plan against the league leaders.
Barcelona faces a more severe injury crisis. The devastating news is the hamstring injury to star winger Lamine Yamal, who could potentially miss the rest of the season. With Raphinha also out, their attacking firepower is significantly diminished. The squad is further depleted by the suspension of defender Eric Garcia and injuries to Marc Bernal, Joao Cancelo, and Andreas Christensen, forcing Hansi Flick to make several adjustments.
Expect Getafe to deploy their trusted defensive setup, aiming to suffocate the midfield and deny Barcelona any space. Luis Milla‘s creativity will be vital on the counter, while the backline, marshaled by Dakonam, will be tasked with containing Barcelona’s fluid attack.
With key attackers missing, Ferran Torres will likely lead the line, supported by Dani Olmo and youngster Roony Bardghji. The world-class midfield trio of Gavi, Pedri, and Fermín López will be responsible for controlling the tempo and creating chances to break down Getafe‘s stubborn defense.
More details on how to watch
You can find the Getafe vs Barcelona live stream on Fubo. The service is compatible with a wide range of devices, including Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, and mobile devices running iOS or Android.
A subscription to Fubo gives you access to more than just La Liga. You can also watch other top soccer competitions like Ligue 1 and Copa Libertadores, ensuring you never miss a moment of the action from around the world.
The service is available for a monthly fee of $14.99/mo. This plan gives you access to all live matches, as well as on-demand replays and highlight shows, making it a comprehensive package for any soccer fan.
If you’re abroad, you may need to use a virtual private network (VPN) in order to watch games using your usual streaming service. A VPN, such as Nord VPN, allows you to establish a secure connection online when streaming.
Wolverhampton Wanderers host Tottenham Hotspur in a Matchday 34 clash of the 2025/2026 Premier League campaign. Find all the essential details here, including kickoff schedules and viewing options on TV and streaming platforms.
Here are all of the details of where you can watch Wolverhampton vs Tottenham on US television and via legal streaming:
Wolvesenter this match with their fate already sealed. Officially relegated from the Premier League, the club now plays only for pride in front of their home supporters at Molineux. Without the crushing weight of a survival battle, Rob Edwards‘ side could play with a dangerous freedom, looking to end a disastrous season on a positive note and disrupt their opponents’ plans.
For Tottenham, the stakes could not be higher. Mired in the relegation zone, every single point is critical to their survival hopes. With new manager Roberto De Zerbi at the helm, the urgency to secure a victory is immense. This clash against the league’s bottom side is a must-win, and anything less than three points would be a catastrophic blow to their chances of staying in the top flight.
Tactical Analysis & Match Context
The season trajectories for these two clubs are a study in contrasts. Wolves have been anchored to the bottom of the table, plagued by a lack of firepower and the league’s second-worst defense. Their relegation is the culmination of a campaign filled with struggles. Tottenham, on the other hand, has experienced a dramatic second-half collapse, plummeting into the relegation zone after collecting just three points in their last ten matches.
Tactically, Tottenham is expected to dominate possession and push the pace. De Zerbi’s side will likely be the aggressors, desperately searching for goals against a porous Wolves defense that has shipped 12 goals in its last four games. Wolves have the second-highest expected goals against (xGA) in the league, meaning Spurs should create plenty of scoring opportunities. However, with the pressure off, Wolves could prove to be an unpredictable counter-attacking threat.
The motivations are clear and starkly different. Tottenham is fighting for its Premier League life, and the financial and reputational implications of relegation are massive. Every player will feel the immense pressure to perform. Wolves are playing purely for professional pride and for their fans, which can make them a dangerous spoiler against a nervous and desperate Tottenham squad.
Head-to-Head Record & Historic Trends
Historically, this fixture has recently been dominated by Wolverhampton. Spurs are winless in their last six encounters with Wolves, a run that includes four losses and two draws. The last time Tottenham managed a victory against this opponent was back in 2022, making Molineux a difficult ground for them to visit.
A look at the last five meetings reveals a clear pattern of high-scoring and competitive matches. Wolves have secured three wins (4-2, 2-1, 2-1), while two matches have ended in draws (1-1, 2-2). Tottenham has consistently struggled to contain the Wolves attack, and the results underscore their recent difficulties in this matchup.
The most significant trend for bettors is the frequency of goals. Both teams have scored in each of the last five Premier League meetings between the clubs. These games have produced an average of 3.6 goals per match, suggesting that another open and attacking contest is highly likely on Saturday.
Squad News & Projected Lineups
Both teams head into this crucial fixture grappling with significant injury concerns, particularly in defense and in goal.
Wolves are sweating on the fitness of goalkeeper Jose Sa, who has been dealing with a shoulder injury. Yerson Mosquera is unavailable due to suspension, while Matt Doherty is a doubt after picking up a knock. These absences will force manager Rob Edwards to shuffle his defensive lineup.
Tottenham‘s injury list is even more concerning. First-choice goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario is sidelined, meaning Kinsky will start between the posts. The defense is further weakened by the absence of Cristian Romero and Ben Davies. Key attackers Dejan Kulusevski and Mohammed Kudus also remain unavailable, placing more pressure on the available forwards to deliver.
Wolves Projected XI (3-4-3): Sá; T. Gomes, Krejčí, S. Bueno; Tchatchoua, André, J. Gomes, H. Bueno; Mané, R. Gomes, Adam Armstrong. This lineup reflects Wolves‘ standard formation. With their fate sealed, expect them to play with freedom, with Adam Armstrong leading the line and looking to exploit a makeshift Tottenham defense.
Tottenham Projected XI (4-3-3): Kinský; Porro, Danso, van de Ven, Udogie; Gallagher, Bissouma, Bentancur; Tel, Simons, Solanke. De Zerbi is forced into several changes due to injuries. The responsibility will fall heavily on Dominic Solanke in attack to find the goals needed to secure a season-saving victory for Spurs.
More details on how to watch
You can watch the Wolves vs Tottenham match on DirecTV Stream. The service is compatible with a wide range of devices, including Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, and mobile devices running iOS or Android.
In addition to the Premier League, a subscription to DirecTV Stream gives you access to other top soccer competitions from around the world. Enjoy coverage of leagues like LaLiga, Liga MX, and the Bundesliga, as well as major cup tournaments.
The most basic subscription to DirecTV Stream comes in at $69.99 per month. This plan offers a comprehensive package for soccer fans, ensuring you never miss a moment of the action from your favorite leagues.
If you’re abroad, you may need to use a virtual private network (VPN) in order to watch games using your usual streaming service. A VPN, such as Nord VPN, allows you to establish a secure connection online when streaming.
One of ‘s most fierce rivals has sent a warning to the British heavyweight. Joshua is expected to fight twice this year, first in a warm-up in the summer and then in a long-awaited showdown against towards the end of the calendar. ‘AJ’ has boxed only once since a devastating knockout defeat to back in […]
called time on his professional career last year and one boxing icon believes ‘Bud’ dodged a bullet by never stepping into the ring with him. Crawford defeated all comers that were put in front of him throughout his professional career, as he hung up the gloves with a perfect 42-0 record. Over the years he […]
Juventus forması giyen milli futbolcumuz Kenan Yıldız, Avrupa'nın 5 büyük liginde en fazla başarılı dripling yapan üçüncü isim... Onun hücum etkisini, Dünya Kupası'nda da bekliyoruz.
Avrupa'nın 5 büyük liginde en fazla başarılı dripling yapan oyuncular şöyle sıralanıyor:
NOT: Bu rakamlara son hafta maçları dahil edilmemiştir. Avrupa'nın 5 büyük ligi; İngiltere (Premier Lig), İspanya (La Liga), İtalya (Serie A), Almanya (Bundesliga) ve Fransa (Ligue 1) olarak kabul ediliyor.
RAKİPLERİN BELALISI
Kenan Yıldız, hücumda rakipler için tam bir baş belası... 20 yaşındaki kanat oyuncusu bu sezon Serie A'da 32 karşılaşmaya çıktı. Sahada 2.571 dakika kaldı. Juventus adına 10 gol ve 7 asist üretti. 1.87 boyundaki futbolcu, Dünya Kupası'nda da ülkemiz adına en önemli isimlerden biri olacak...
SABAHIN KÖRÜNDE
Ay-Yıldızlı ekibimiz, dev organizasyonda D Grubu'nda yer alacak. Rakipler ve fikstür ise şöyle:
Avustralya-Türkiye (14 Haziran): 07.00
Türkiye-Paraguay (20 Haziran): 06.00
Türkiye-ABD (26 Haziran): 05.00
Saat farkı sebebiyle karşılaşmalar kelimenin tam anlamıyla sabahın köründe oynanacak!
Galatasaray'ın 10 numara transferinde favori adayı; Bernardo Silva... Portekizli yıldız, Manchester City'den bedelsiz şekilde ayrılacak. Ancak menajer Jorge Mendes, Aslan'ın canını sıkacak bir hamlede bulundu.
Manchester City ile sezon sonunda mukavelesi bitecek olan Bernardo Silva, takımdan ayrılacak. Bu konuda hem kulüp hem de oyuncu tarafından resmi açıklamalar gelmişti. Galatasaray çok uzun bir süredir Portekizli 10 numarayı kadrosuna katmak istiyor. Konuyla ilgili temaslar da sürüyor.
REAL MADRİD'E ÖNERDİ!
Ancak menajer Jorge Mendes'in, Silva'yı Real Madrid'e önerdiği ortaya çıktı. Şu anda Madrid cephesinin bu teklifi değerlendirdiği belirtildi. Kısa süre içinde olumlu veya olumsuz şekilde kararlarını vermeleri bekleniyor. Elbette bu gelişme en çok Galatasaray'ın canını sıktı...
FARKLI SEÇENEKLER DE MASADA
31 yaşındaki futbolcuyla Galatasaray dışında şu takımlar da ilgileniyor:
Juventus
Arsenal
Flamengo
Inter Miami
Son olarak Real Madrid seslerinin de yükselmesiyle birlikte ortalık iyice karıştı. Tecrübeli yıldızın kariyeriyle ilgili son kararını Dünya Kupası öncesinde vermesi bekleniyor.
Ligin bitmesine kısa bir süre kala gelecek sezon için de çalışmalarını sürdüren Galatasaray, orta saha bölgesi için Manchester United forması giyen Manuel Ugarte ile ilgileniyor.
Süper Lig'de şampiyonluk yarışında liderliği elden bırakmayan Galatasaray bir taraftan da gelecek sezonun kadro planlaması için kolları sıvadı. Sarı-kırmızılılar her bölge için çalışmalarını yürütse de ağırlığın orta sahaya verilmesi bekleniyor. Galatasaray aradığı ismi buldu.
UGARTE İLE İLGİLENİYOR
TeamTalk'ın haberine göre, Galatasaray, Manchester United'ın 25 yaşındaki orta saha oyuncusu Manuel Ugarte ile ilgileniyor.
Yine aynı haberde, 2029'a kadar sözleşmesi olan 25 yaşındaki Uruguaylı orta saha oyuncusunun sezon sonunda ayrılmayı düşündüğü aktarıldı.
SEZON PERFORMANSI
Ugarte, Manchester United forması altında bu sezon 23 maçta süre bulan Manuel Ugarte, 915 dakika sahada kaldı.
Trabzonspor, Leicester City'den ayrılmak isteyen Abdul Fatawu için devrede... Ancak Ganalı sağ kanat oyuncusunun çok sayıda talibi bulunuyor. Bu da işleri doğal olarak zorlaştırıyor.
Trabzonspor yaz döneminde hem sağ hem de sol kanat bölgelerini güçlendirecek. Sağ taraf için düşünülen isimlerden biri; Leicester City forması giyen Abdul Fatawu'ydu... Leicester küme düştüğü için 22 yaşındaki futbolcu ayrılmak istiyor. 1.77 boyundaki oyuncunun 30 Haziran 2029 tarihine kadar mukavelesi var.
DÜZENLİ FORMA GİYDİ
Bordo-Mavililer, konuyla ilgili temaslarını sürdürüyor. Ancak Abdul Fatawu'nun peşinde hem Premier Lig hem de Championship'ten bazı takımlar var. 22 yaşındaki futbolcu bu sezon Championship'te 44 karşılaşmaya çıktı. Sahada 3.722 dakika kaldı. 9 gol ve 8 asist üretti.
EN YÜKSEK BEDELLERLE
Gana Milli Takımı'nın da bir parçası olan 1.77 boyundaki sağ kanat oyuncusunun tahmini piyasa değeri 24 milyon euro... Leicester City Yönetimi, birçok önemli oyuncusunu satacak. Ancak bu satışları mümkün olan en yüksek bedellerle yapmak istiyorlar. Abdul Fatawu'nun talipleri fazla olduğu için, Trabzonspor açısından işler çok zor...
Milli futbolcu Merih Demiral, Asya Şampiyonlar Ligi'nde üst üste ikinci zaferi hedeflediğini belirtti.
Suudi Arabistan ekibi Al Ahli'de forma giyen milli futbolcu Merih Demiral, Asya Şampiyonlar Ligi'nde üst üste ikinci kez şampiyonluğa ulaşmak istediklerini söyledi.
Milli oyuncu, bu akşam Al Ahli ile Japon ekibi Machida Zelvia arasında oynanacak final müsabakasından önce AA'ya özel açıklamalarda bulundu.
Merih Demiral, final için heyecanlı olduğunu anlatarak, "Asya Şampiyonlar Ligi finalinde üst üste ikinci kez yer almak bizim için büyük bir gurur." dedi.
Elde ettikleri başarıyla ilgili de konuşan 28 yaşındaki futbolcu, "Bu sadece kulübümüz adına değil, Suudi futbolu için de çok önemli bir başarı. Bu seviyede süreklilik göstermek ne kadar doğru yolda olduğumuzu gösteriyor." ifadelerini kullandı.
Kupayı kazanmak için ellerinden geleni yapacaklarını belirten deneyimli oyuncu, "Takım olarak çok çalıştık ve yine kupayı kazanmak için sahaya çıkacağız. Taraftarlarımızın desteğiyle kupayı kazanacağımıza inanıyoruz." değerlendirmesinde bulundu.
Merih Demiral, geçen sezon Asya Şampiyonlar Ligi finaline çıkan ve çıktığı birinci finalden zaferle dönen ilk Türk futbolcu olma başarısını elde etmişti.
Suudi Arabistan'ın Cidde kentindeki Kral Abdullah Spor Şehri Stadı'nda bugün oynanacak Asya Şampiyonlar Ligi final maçı, saat 19.15'te başlayacak.
Galatasaray Kulübü, Haliç Kongre Merkezi'nde kulübün Yıllık Olağan Bütçe Toplantısı düzenlendi. Galatasaray Kulübü Muhasip Yönetim Kurulu Üyesi İbrahim Hatipoğlu yeni dönem için bütçe sunumu yaptı.
Galatasaray Kulübü Muhasip Yönetim Kurulu Üyesi İbrahim Hatipoğlu, 2026-2027 bütçe döneminde 6 milyar 978 milyon lira gelir, 8 milyar 884 milyon liralık gider beklediklerini söyledi.
Hatipoğlu, Haliç Kongre Merkezi'nde gerçekleştirilen yıllık olağan bütçe toplantısında gerçekleştirilen ve yeni dönemde hedeflenen bütçelerle ilgili sunum yaptı.
Sarı-kırmızılı kulübün yöneticisi, 1 milyar 977 milyon lira olarak bütçelenen gelirin 3 milyar 376 milyon lira; 3,5 milyar lira olarak öngörülen giderin 5,2 milyar lira olarak gerçekleştiğini dile getirdi.
Hatipoğlu, 1,5 milyar lira olarak bütçelenen gelir-gider farkının 1,9 milyar lira olduğunu vurguladı.
İbrahim Hatipoğlu, 2026-2027 dönemi bütçesinde 4 milyar 165 milyon liralık gelir, 3 milyar 803 milyon liralık gider ile 361 milyon liralık kar hedeflendiğini bildirdi.
Hatipoğlu, faiz giderleri ve kur farkları ile diğer kalemlerin eklenmesiyle 6 milyar 978 milyon lira gelir, 8 milyar 884 milyon liralık giderle 1 milyar 905 milyon liralık zarar öngörüldüğünü kaydetti.
Florya'dan ilk fon geliri bütçede
Galatasaray Kulübü, Florya'dan elde edilecek gelirde ilk fon getirisini 2026-2027 döneminde elde edecek.
Florya Metin Oktay Tesisleri'ni hasılat paylaşımı modeliyle konut yapımı için devreden sarı-kırmızılı kulüp, bu projeden gelecek parayı bir hesapta bloke tutarak getirisini amatör branşlara ve tesislere harcayacak.
Yakında inşaat çalışmaları başlayacak Florya'dan hedeflenen gelir ilk kez bütçede yer aldı. Kulüp, 2026-2027 bütçesinde Florya gelirinin getirisinden 92 milyon lira kazanmayı amaçlıyor.
Humanity Protocol (H) price has surged nearly 40% and is holding firm above the $0.120 level, with price consolidating near highs instead of reverting to the prior range, an early indication of strength following the breakout. The level, which capped upside through the previous phase, is now acting as support, and the absence of immediate selling pressure keeps the structure tilted higher.
At the same time, participation is expanding alongside price, reinforcing the move rather than fading into it. With gains being retained and activity building in parallel, the setup shifts from a breakout event toward a continuation structure.
On-Chain Data Signals Rising Participation
On-chain metrics are moving in line with the price shift. Whale transactions have climbed to their highest level in five months, indicating that larger holders are actively positioning during the early phase of the move rather than distributing into strength.
At the same time, network growth has accelerated to a two-month peak, reflecting increasing user activity and fresh participation entering the ecosystem. When both large-holder activity and network expansion move together, the structure tends to strengthen. It suggests that demand is not isolated but distributed, supporting stability at higher levels and reducing the likelihood of a short-lived move.
After multiple sessions of compression around the $0.09–$0.10 zone, downside attempts continued to stall, with selling pressure getting absorbed rather than extended lower. That phase established the base from where the move developed.
As the structure tightened, the descending trendline that capped prior rallies came back into focus. Once that barrier gave way, expansion followed quickly, carrying the move through $0.120 and into a higher range. From there, the key signal was not the breakout itself but the reaction that followed. Instead of rotating back into the prior range, the market held above $0.120 and began forming higher lows just above that level. This shift indicates that the breakout zone is being defended rather than retested as resistance.
Meanwhile, pullbacks have remained shallow, with each dip finding support sooner than the previous one. That behavior keeps the range compressed near highs and limits the ability for supply to re-enter the market. As this structure continues to hold, the breakout remains valid, with $0.120 acting as the base for the current move. A sustained hold above this level keeps the path open toward the next resistance band near $0.16–$0.18, where the market is likely to encounter the next supply.
However, a move back below the breakout zone would shift the structure back into its previous range. Until then, the current flow remains aligned toward continuation.
Long/Short Ratio Reflects Strength Without Overcrowding
Positioning data continues to support the broader structure. The long/short ratio holding near 1.39 reflects a bullish bias, but without the imbalance typically seen in overcrowded trades. At the same time, leverage remains contained, reducing the risk of sharp liquidation-driven volatility.
As positioning builds gradually rather than aggressively, the environment remains supportive of continuation, allowing the structure to develop without destabilizing pressure.
Final Take
With the breakout holding and structure stabilizing above $0.120, the current setup continues to lean higher as long as acceptance at this level persists. While upside remains open toward the $0.16–$0.18 zone, the move now depends less on expansion and more on whether the market continues to hold above its base without slipping back into the prior range. A sustained hold keeps continuation in play; a loss of structure would shift the focus back to consolidation.
Axie Infinity (AXS) price has surged over 34% in the past 24 hours, climbing to $1.48—but this isn’t just another random altcoin spike. The move comes after weeks of compression and a clear break from a declining structure, backed by a sharp expansion in volume. That shift matters. Because when low-liquidity tokens like AXS move this fast, it’s rarely organic—it’s driven by positioning, liquidations, and sudden liquidity inflows.
Now the market is at a pivotal point: Is this the start of a real trend reversal or just a short-lived squeeze that fades as quickly as it appeared?
What Triggered the AXS Price Rally?
The AXS price didn’t move on hype; it moved on positioning and liquidity shifts, backed by clear data. No specific catalyst seems to have fueled the rally, nor any partnership news, nor any ecosystem catalyst. The move occurred while the BTC price was slightly down, showing strong alpha independent of the broader market. Alongside, here are the key drivers of the recent move.
Volume expansion: Daily volume jumped to around $170M–$200M+, a sharp spike compared to previous sessions, confirming real participation behind the move.
Short squeeze fuel: A 30%+ intraday move in a low-liquidity asset likely triggered millions in short liquidations, accelerating the rally vertically.
Key breakout level reclaimed: Price broke above the $1.17–$1.20 resistance zone, which had capped the price for weeks, flipping the structure short-term bullish.
Upside extension: The move pushed AXS toward $1.56 (0.5 Fibonacci level) within hours, showing aggressive momentum rather than gradual buying.
The breakout does not seem to be organic, but it was a liquidity-driven breakout amplified by leverage and thin order books.
Axie Infinity (AXS) has broken out of a multi-week descending channel, marking a clear shift in short-term market structure. The price reclaimed the $1.17–$1.20 resistance zone, now acting as support, while pushing toward the $1.56 Fibonacci (0.5) level. This move is supported by a sharp volume spike above $170M, confirming strong participation behind the breakout. At the same time, momentum indicators are turning bullish, with RSI trending higher without entering extreme overbought territory, suggesting room for further upside.
The $1.56–$1.63 zone now acts as immediate resistance, and a decisive breakout above this range could open the path toward $2.13 (0.786 Fibonacci level), aligning with a broader recovery structure. On the downside, failure to hold above the $1.17–$1.20 support zone would invalidate the breakout and expose AXS to a sharp pullback, especially given its low-liquidity nature. While the technical setup favors continuation, confirmation will depend on price holding above reclaimed levels alongside sustained volume and momentum.
Can Axie Infinity (AXS) Price Rally Hold the Move?
The AXS price has delivered a high-momentum breakout, but the real test is whether it can sustain itself above reclaimed levels. Moves of this magnitude, 30%+ in a single session, are often driven by short-term liquidity and liquidations, not steady accumulation. That means follow-through is critical. If volume remains elevated and price consolidates above the $1.20 support zone, it signals strength and increases the probability of continuation toward higher resistance levels.
However, if volume starts to fade while price stalls near $1.56–$1.63, it raises the risk of momentum exhaustion. In low-liquidity tokens like Axie Infinity, failed continuation setups often lead to sharp reversals, not gradual pullbacks. The key signal now is simple: sustained buying and higher lows confirm trend strength, while weakening participation turns this into a classic breakout trap driven by short-term positioning rather than long-term demand.
Dogecoin (Doge) is once again catching traders’ attention after a steady price rise this week. The meme coin has climbed around 6%, but the real story is what’s happening behind the chart. Crypto analyst Ali Martinez highlights a key resistance level that is being tested again and again.
So, is DOGE finally ready to break out?
Dogecoin (DOGE) Gets a Major Regulatory Boost
Dogecoin’s recent price rise comes after a major regulatory update. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission have now classified Dogecoin as a digital commodity under a new crypto framework.
This clearly separates DOGE from digital collectibles and other token types. It is now placed in the same category as Bitcoin and Ethereum, which brings long-awaited clarity to the market.
This clarity has been missing for years, and now that it’s here, it gives DOGE a stronger foundation.
Dogecoin On-Chain Activity Picks Up
Dogecoin has started gaining momentum again as the overall crypto market santiment improves. Recently, the price moved close to $0.10, which pushed trading activity higher.
Data from Coinglass shows that open interest jumped near $1.4 billion, reaching its highest level in over two months.
At the same time, large investors are stepping in. Data shows that whales have bought over $330 million worth of Dogecoin in the past week.
Thus, crypto analyst Ali Martinez noted a potential breakout movement for Dogecoin.
Tight Range Signals a Bigger Move
Ali Martinez highlighted a key pattern on the 4-hour chart. According to him, Dogecoin is trading inside a parallel channel, where the price is getting squeezed into a narrow range.
This type of setup often points to a big move ahead. As the price continues to tighten, pressure builds, and sooner or later, a breakout usually follows.
Right now, the most important level to watch is $0.1018. This level has acted as strong resistance, stopping the price from moving higher multiple times. In fact, DOGE has already been rejected here five times.
This shows that sellers are still active. However, repeated attempts to break the same level can weaken resistance over time.
Breakout Could Trigger Rally
There are early signs that buyers are gaining strength. If Dogecoin manages to close above $0.1018 on the 4-hour chart, supported by strong volume, it could confirm a breakout.
If that happens, the next target could be around $0.1172, which is near the top of the channel. A move to this level would signal a strong short-term rally for DOGE.
Ripple released a detailed four-phase roadmap on April 20 to protect the XRP Ledger from future quantum computing attacks, with Phase 2 testing already underway, targeting full post-quantum cryptography implementation no later than 2028, as SoFi separately enabled XRP deposits…
BNB Chain has officially become the leading blockchain network for autonomous AI agents, with more than 150,000 on-chain deployments as of April 20, a 43,750% increase from the fewer than 400 agents that existed across all blockchains at the start…
Morgan Stanley Investment Management launched the Stablecoin Reserves Portfolio on April 23, a government money market fund exclusively designed to hold the cash reserves backing stablecoin issuers’ outstanding tokens, positioning the Wall Street giant to capture reserve management business ahead…
A coalition of more than 120 crypto organizations led by the Crypto Council for Innovation and the Blockchain Association sent a joint letter to the Senate Banking Committee on April 23 demanding an immediate markup of the CLARITY Act, warning…
Cybersecurity researchers have discovered a new Lua-based malware created years before the notorious Stuxnet worm that aimed to sabotage Iran's nuclear program by destroying uranium enrichment centrifuges.
According to a new report published by SentinelOne, the previously undocumented cyber sabotage framework dates back to 2005, primarily targeting high-precision calculation software to tamper
Galatasaray, yeni sezon öncesi orta saha için transfer çalışmalarına başlarken, İngiliz basını sarı-kırmızılıların Manchester United forması giyen bir yıldız için harekete geçtiğini duyurdu.
Galatasaray ilk 30 dakika ağları 22 kez sarsarken, Fenerbahçe en çok (14) bu sürede gol yedi. Sarı-lacivertliler 61-75 arasında fileleri 12 defa bulurken Sarı kırmızılılar ise 8 gol gördü.
Galatasaray ile Fenerbahçe arasında oynanacak kritik mücadele, yaklaşık 600 milyon euroluk kadro değeriyle Süper Lig tarihinin en pahalı derbilerinden biri olmaya hazırlanıyor.
Beşiktaş, Ziraat Türkiye Kupası'nda final başarısı ve şampiyonluklarıyla öne çıkıyor. Çıktığı son 6 finali de kazanan siyah-beyazlılar, 2006'dan beri en fazla zafere uzanan takım olarak dikkat çekiyor.
Hakemin ceza almasının bir işe yaramadığını vurgulayan Fenerbahçe, "2 puan kaybından sonra cezanın ne anlamı var? Bari Yasin Kol, adil maç yönetsin ve sonuca etki etmesin" tepkisini verdi.
Türkiye Kupası'nda yarı final eşleşmelerinin belli olmasıyla birlikte Avrupa biletine dair hesaplar hız kazanırken Beşiktaş, seri başı olma avantajıyla rakiplerinden bir adım öne çıktı.
Beşiktaş'ın kaptanı Orkun Kökçü, Avrupa'nın dev kulüplerine kapıyı kapattı. Siyah-beyazlı takımla 2030'a kadar sözleşmesi bulunan deneyimli oyuncunun kariyer hedefi de belli oldu. İşte detaylar...
“Arsenal”ın baş məşqçisi Mikel Arteta İngiltərə Premyer Liqasında çempionluq yarışından danışıb.
Futbolpress.az xarici mətbuata istinadən xəbər verir ki, mütəxəssis hələ heç nəyin dəqiqləşmədiyini bildirib:
“Qarşıda oyunlar var. Necə olacağını bilmirik. Fərqli ssenarilər üzərində işləyirik. Məncə, vəziyyətə görə başqa şeylər düşünə bilərik. Önümüzdə 5 oyun var və bütün gücümüzü qoymalıyıq”.
“Arsenal” 33 turdan sonra 70 xalla ikincidir. Eyni xala sahib “Mançester Siti” isə birinci pillədə qərarlaşıb.
“Barselona” Belçikanın “Brügge” klubunun futbolçusu Cessi Bisivu ilə maraqlanır.
Futbolpress.az xəbər verir ki, bu barədə insayder Florian Plettenberq məlumat yayıb. Xəbərdə Kataloniya təmsilçisinin 18 yaşlı vingeri transfer etmək üçün danışıqlara başladığı bildirilib.
Bisivu “Brügge”nin B komandasında çıxış edir. O, bu mövsüm 15 oyunda 2 məhsuldar ötürmə edib.
According to reports in Italy, Inter are ready to make Manuel Akanji’s move from Manchester City permanent for €15m, but have also begun preliminary talks with Udinese for Oumar Solet.
Inter are prepared to sign Swiss defender Akanji on a permanent deal from Manchester City for €15m, reports Fabrizio Romano.
Akanji joined the Nerazzurri on loan with an option to buy last summer, and Inter are now ready to make his move permanent.
LECCE, ITALY – FEBRUARY 21: Manuel Akanji of Inter celebrates his team’s second goal during the Serie A match between US Lecce and FC Internazionale at Stadio Via del Mare on February 21, 2026 in Lecce, Italy. (Photo by Maurizio Lagana/Getty Images)
According to Romano, the deal will be formalised in May.
Inter are preparing for a defensive overhaul in the 2026-27 campaign, given that three of their defenders, Francesco Acerbi, Stefan de Vrij and Matteo Darmian see their contracts expire in June.
According to Gazzetta, 38-year-old De Vrij is the only one who might be offered a new deal, while Acerbi and Darmian are expected to leave at the end of the season.
UDINE, ITALY – FEBRUARY 15: Oumar Solet of Udinese celebrates scoring his team’s first goal during the Serie A match between Udinese Calcio and US Sassuolo Calcio at Stadio Friuli on February 15, 2026 in Udine, Italy. (Photo by Timothy Rogers/Getty Images)
According to multiple sources, the Serie A table leaders have already reached a verbal agreement with Sassuolo centre-back Tarik Muharemovic, but the Bosnia and Herzegovina international is not the only possible summer reinforcement at the back.
Gazzetta, in fact, reports that the Nerazzurri have begun preliminary talks with Udinese over 26-year-old centre-back Solet, who will be allowed to leave for an offer between €20m and €25m.
Liverpool coach Slot provided a fitness update on Italian centre-back Leoni, who is recovering from a serious knee injury suffered at the beginning of the season.
“If you look at Giovanni Leoni, I don’t know if you once in a while see some Instagram posts from the club, this guy becomes a beast!” Slot said at a press conference, via ThisIsAnfield.
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 23: Giovanni Leoni of Liverpool receives medical treatment to an injury before being substituted off during the Carabao Cup Third Round match between Liverpool and Southampton at Anfield on September 23, 2025 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)
The English media outlet notes that Leoni has been building muscle in his upper body while recovering from the injury he sustained in September 2025 during his first-ever appearance with the Reds.
Leoni, 19, joined Liverpool from Parma in a deal worth nearly €30m last summer.
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 23: Giovanni Leoni of Liverpool is stretchered off having suffered an injury during the Carabao Cup Third Round match between Liverpool and Southampton at Anfield on September 23, 2025 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Jan Kruger/Getty Images)
Leoni had played only 19 matches in Serie A with Parma, scoring one goal, before his move to Anfield in 2025.
The Italian centre-back remains under contract with Liverpool until June 2031.
The ex-Parma talent was called up once to the senior Italy national team in September 2025 but has yet to make his international debut with the Azzurri.
According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, both Alexander Sorloth and Leon Goretzka are willing to join Milan and have already approved a potential move in the summer transfer window.
Latest Milan transfer news: Sorloth and Goretzka approve summer moves
Milan are preparing to strengthen their team for 2026-27 when they will likely return to the Champions League.
The Rossoneri will be looking to add quality and depth to their team, and a new centre-forward is among their priorities for the summer.
According to Gazzetta, Norway international Sorloth has given the green light to a possible move to San Siro, so the Rossoneri will now negotiate with Atletico Madrid.
MADRID, SPAIN – JANUARY 18: Alexander Sorloth of Atletico de Madrid celebrates scoring his team’s first goal during the LaLiga EA Sports match between Atletico de Madrid and Deportivo Alaves at Riyadh Air Metropolitano on January 18, 2026 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)
Club-to-club talks are expected to begin in the coming weeks, as the Colchoneros and their striker are now fully focused on their Champions League campaign after reaching the semifinals of Europe’s elite competition.
According to the report, Milan will make an opening €20m offer before the World Cup and hope to secure a deal before the competition begins next summer, to avoid a potential price increase.
The same goes for Goretzka who is also involved in the Champions League semifinals with Bayern Munich.
The German is available on a free transfer as he won’t extend his expiring contract with the Bavarians, but he is in no hurry to finalise talks.
MUNICH, GERMANY – MARCH 18: Leon Goretzka of FC Bayern Munich acknowledges the fans following the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 Round of 16 Second Leg match between FC Bayern München and Atalanta BC at Football Arena Munich on March 18, 2026 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images)
According to Gazzetta, Milan have offered a three-year contract with an option for a further campaign.
The German midfielder has approved the transfer, but more offers may arrive in the coming weeks, and the 31-year-old will only choose his next club at the end of the season.
Manchester United to scout Leao during Milan vs. Juventus
Premier League side Manchester United will scout Milan attacker Leao during Milan’s match against Juventus at San Siro on Sunday night.
MILAN, ITALY – FEBRUARY 18: Rafael Leao of AC Milan reacts during the Serie A match between AC Milan and Como 1907 at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on February 18, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
Tuttosport confirms that the Portugal international is one of the Red Devils’ targets for next season and that preliminary talks between the Premier League side and the player’s camp have already begun.
Barcelona are also among the clubs interested in Leao and have established initial contacts with the winger’s representatives, yet talks with the Catalans or the Red Devils are not at an advanced stage.
Leao has had ups and downs at San Siro this season, being deployed as a centre-forward in a 3-5-2 system rather than his natural role as a left winger.
Leao has scored ten goals and provided three assists in 27 appearances across all competitions this season.
La Gazzetta dello Sport recently reported that Milan will be open to offers for Leao in the summer, even suggesting that €50m would be enough to secure the winger’s signature at the end of the season.
I've been completely consumed by Marathon over the last month, and I'm hoping the game's first sale encourages more people to try Bungie's fascinating extraction shooter.
The Gunners are big admirers of the talented young Brazil international, and sources with links to the agents industry have informed me that he’s one of the names they’re looking at as they explore the market for attacking players this summer.
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In general, there’s also a lot of interest growing in Real Madrid players who could be available this summer, with a major shake-up expected after a disappointing season at the Bernabeu.
When Real Madrid loaned out Endrick to Lyon in January, the message I was getting from my sources was that he very much wasn’t available on a permanent deal, or in a loan deal that included a buy option.
At that time, a straightforward loan to Lyon suited all parties well, but the situation is set to be reviewed again this summer as Real may need to make sales to help them bring in the signings they want, while an anticipated change of manager could also lead some of this squad to be open to moves elsewhere.
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“Arsenal are keeping an eye on Endrick’s situation,” one source said to me. “It’s nothing advanced, they’re not making any offers or entering into any negotiations, but he’s a player they like and one of the options they’ll consider when it comes to signing a new striker this summer.”
Numerous sources confirmed to me that signings in attack are a priority for Arsenal after their issues in that department this season, and Gabriel Jesus in particular is someone expected to leave the Emirates Stadium. There are question-marks too over both Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Martinelli.
Endrick can play up front or out wide and looks like a good fit for Mikel Arteta’s side, while he’s also young enough that he can still improve after a tricky start to life in Madrid.
The 19-year-old has shone during his loan spell at Lyon, and sources close to the player suggest that returning to Real is still his priority.
Endrick warming up for Lyon (Photo by Jose Manuel Alvarez Rey/Getty Images)
The Spanish giants will not definitely be selling, but there’s just the beginning signs here that this is going to be one to watch in the weeks and months ahead, with more clarity likely at the end of the season.
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That’s according to a report from Fichajes, which states that the Ligue 1 giants have made a €100m bid for Saliba, while it’s also suggested that the player would welcome a return to France.
It’s easy to see why a club like PSG would want Saliba, with Fichajes claiming that manager Luis Enrique views him as an ideal partner for Willian Pacho.
Still, AFC are in control here, and it’s hard to imagine a scenario where they’d agree to sell such an important player at this moment in time.
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The 25-year-old is one of the best central defenders in the world and should still have a big future at Arsenal.
It could be that Saliba might soon consider his future if Arsenal don’t win anything this season, so perhaps that’s what’s led to PSG exploring this option.
Even then, Saliba would have to really do his bit to force a move or there’s surely no chance of Arsenal agreeing to let him go.
That’s according to a report from Fichajes, which states that Bayern are asking for €60m to let Davies go this summer, while they also mention interest from the Premier League.
There’s no specific club named in their report, but it could make sense for the Red Devils to sign the 25-year-old as an upgrade on the ageing and injury-prone Luke Shaw.
What Christian Falk said about Man United’s interest in Alphonso Davies
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“They were at the tablewhen questions were being askedas to whether he would sign a new contract at Bayern Munich. They’re still monitoring this player, but he’s, of course, since signed a new contract at the Allianz Arena, so it will be difficult to get him at the moment.
“But there are also discussions going on at the club as to whether they need a new backup player, given all the injuries Davies keeps picking up. Before, they thought they didn’t need a player on the left-hand side because Hiroki Itō can play there as well.
“However, if there were an offer on the table (and don’t forget it cost Bayern a lot of money to extend Davies), there would be a discussion. But I can say right now that there has yet to be a concrete offer from Manchester United. If there’s an offer, perhaps Bayern will consider it, as the injuries keep coming.”
Is Alphonso Davies worth the risk for Man Utd?
Davies no longer looks to be at the peak of his powers, so it’s debatable if he’d really be the right choice for MUFC this summer.
Overall, United could probably do better, even if it’s understandable that Davies would be on their radar and one of the more tempting options due to his availability.
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Former Gunner scores damaging late goal against Real Madrid
Former Gunner Hector Bellerin scored a big late goal for Real Betis against Real Madrid, all but ending the away side’s La Liga title chances.
Photo by Fran Santiago/Getty Images
Former Arsenal right-back Hector Bellerin hasn’t always been a starter for Real Betis this season, making the lineup in 18 of their 50 games in all competitions so far.
But the defender seems to be trusted in the big games, and he was handed a start against Real Madrid on Friday night.
The visitors from Madrid were desperate for a win to stay alive in the title race, having already lost a lot of ground on La Liga leaders Barcelona, and they took an early lead as Vinicius Junior pounced on a rebound for 1-0.
Photo by Fran Santiago/Getty Images
Yet Betis hung on and competed, outshooting their opponents 19 to 12 across the length of the match.
In the end, that pressure paid dividends, as Bellerin latched onto a loose ball in the 94th minute and placed a first-time finish into the net for 1-1.
The result leaves Real eight points adrift having played a game more than Barcelona, and their title chances appear to be at an end. Even a win in May’s El Clásico likely won’t be enough to get them back into contention.
Bellerin recently spoke to the media of his hopes for the remainder of the Premier League season, including an Arsenal title in May.
“I really hope so, it’s been a long time coming,” Bellerin said. “I think they’re doing a great job. I watch them a lot, lots of old teammates and I’m still a Gunner as well, deep inside.”
The interviewer then revealed he was a Spurs fan, and that he hopes the team don’t get relegated.
Bellerin responded with a smile: “Well, I can’t say the same.”
Carolina Panthers president of football operations and general manager Dan Morgan seems to be getting pretty good at this whole drafting thing, isn't he?
The former linebacker began the 2026 selection process by allowing Georgia's Monroe Freeling, perhaps the best true left tackle of this class, to fall into his lap with the 19th overall pick. Morgan then attacked Day 2 by trading up for All-American defensive tackle Lee Hunter in the second round and scooping up the speedy wideout Chris Brazzell II in the third.
So, how will Morgan and company close this one out on Saturday afternoon?
Here is our Day 3 mock draft for the Panthers . . .
Fourth round (No. 119): Jalon Kilgore, S, South Carolina
The Panthers finally address the safety/nickel position by shopping at their favorite local spot—the University of South Carolina.
At 6-foot-1 and 210-pounds, Kilgore is a lengthy defensive back with plenty of potential. While there's certainly room to grow for the 21-year-old, he's already put his ball skills on record—with eight interceptions and 21 passes defensed over 36 games in college.
Fifth round (No. 158, via MIN): Kaleb Elarms-Orr, LB, TCU
Carolina also finally gets in the mix for an inside linebacker, giving 2024 third-round pick Trevin Wallace some potential competition.
Elarms-Orr, who the front office is reportedly high on, has the production and the athleticism that Morgan looks for. He recorded 130 tackles and 4.0 sacks in 2025, then posted a Relative Athletic Score of 9.92.
Sixth round (No. 196, via MIN): Jager Burton, C, Kentucky
Like former starting center Cade Mays, Burton offers a bit of versatility throughout the interior of the offensive trench.
Sixth round (No. 200): Tanner Koziol, TE, Houston
Koziol—6-foot-6, 247 pounds—put up some relatively stellar numbers to finish out his collegiate career. He recorded 168 catches for 1,566 yards and 14 touchdowns between 2024 and 2025.
The Dallas Cowboys have done a great job of filling in holes on their defense over the first two days of the draft. The team resolved their issues at nickel defender, drafting uber-intelligent, do-everything safety Caleb Downs. They then addressed their pass rush by selecting Malachi Lawrence, who has an array of pro-ready moves.
On Day 2, Dallas made two swipes at fixing their hideous linebacker depth, grabbing veteran Dee Winters in a trade. Winters started 17 games last year and is still on his rookie contract. The team then selected Jaishawn Barham of Michigan with plans to play him similar to Zack Baun in Philly, mostly at off-ball LB but adept at blitzing and able to shift to the edge.
But what about the offense? In our final mock draft for the 2026 season, here's a look at what we'd love to see on Day 3.
4.112: CB Malik Muhammad, Texas
While the Cowboys added boundary corners Cobie Durant and Derrion Kendrick in free agency, they still need some young contenders for the rotation. Muhammad meets new DC Christian Parker's athletic mold, standing at 6-foot even. Parker's secondary players tend to be this height and under.
Johnson is an instinctive runner who knows how to set up blocks. He has great pass-catching potential out of the backfield, but needs to improve his pass pro before getting the bell cow label. That may take a couple seasons, good thing Dallas has Williams.
According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, the Steelers are "open to dealing Mason Rudolph at some point this offseason", following their third-round selection of Penn State quarterback Drew Allar.
Appearing in 26 games for the Steelers and eight games for the Tennessee Titans, Rudolph has thrown for 4,925 yards and 30 touchdowns from 2019 to 2025.
Allar, who was selected by the Steelers with the No. 76 overall pick in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft, will likely open the season as QB3, behind Will Howard and potentially Aaron Rodgers, respectively.
If the Steelers ultimately find a trade partner for Rudolph, an estimated asking price could be around a sixth- to seventh-round draft pick, considering his ceiling as a backup quarterback.
For up-to-date Steelers coverage, including any offseason moves, follow us on X @TheSteelersWire and give our Facebook page a like.
Day 2 of the 2026 NFL Draft might not have carried the same weight as the first round, but the stakes were still significant throughout the order.
Eight teams finally made their first selections after sitting out Day 1, while other franchises carried on filling out their classes. With a number of big names coming off the board, some organizations seized on opportunities to address key deficiencies and build for the future. Others, however, raised questions about the path they're taking in the roster-building process.
Here are the biggest winners and losers of Rounds 2 and 3 in the 2026 NFL Draft:
Winners of NFL draft Day 2
Cleveland Browns
The immediate and impressive returns on last year's draft class were perhaps the only non-Myles Garrett silver lining for the Browns last fall. With Todd Monken taking over as coach and uncertainty lingering at quarterback, Cleveland needed to continue refurbishing its roster with another infusion of the young talent it long lacked.
And Andrew Berry appears to have delivered once again.
After landing Spencer Fano and KC Concepcion in the first round, Cleveland struck it big on Day 2 with wide receiver Denzel Boston and safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, either of whom would have been entirely reasonable choices at the No. 24 overall pick the night before. Boston can open up back-shoulder throws and more deep heaves for the offense, while McNeil-Warren can help match up against tight ends and lock down the middle. Third-round offensive tackle Austin Barber offers some upside as a developmental option up front.
The Terrell family
Atlanta Falcons cornerback A.J. Terrell was sure to be ecstatic no matter where little brother Avieon landed. But when the Falcons made their secondary a sibling affair by scooping up the fellow Clemson product and cornerback, it sparked one of the cooler moments of the entire event.
It's a family affair for the Terrell brothers in ATL ❤️
The Falcons select Avieon Terrell at No. 48 overall where he'll join his brother, A.J.‼️ pic.twitter.com/xKglzWzCXR
This isn't just a feel-good story for a family that can now watch the brothers compete alongside one another. Avieon is a highly capable cover man who can hold down either the outside spot opposite A.J. or work from the slot, though his skill set seems better suited for the latter. Not a bad way for Matt Ryan to begin his reign.
Kayden McDonald
The Ohio State defensive tackle was understandably emotional after his extended green-room wait finally came to an end. Once thought to be a leading candidate to be the first player at his position taken, he heard two other interior linemen have their names called on Day 1 while he was left in limbo.
In the end, however, McDonald ended up in a highly favorable situation.
After all, what better spot is there for a defensive tackle between Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter? The Houston Texans leapfrogged the New York Giants to secure McDonald, and he figures to serve a vital role along DeMeco Ryans' front. With a rapid acclimation period, he can put his draft wait behind him in short order.
Tight ends
As teams skew toward higher run rates, getting multiple tight ends on the field has become en vogue. That dynamic looks set to continue in 2026, as eight players at the position were taken on Day 2.
Perhaps even stranger than the sum of tight ends taken was how many teams that already appeared set there jumped into the fray. The Los Angeles Rams added Max Klare to a group that already includes Colby Parkinson and 2025 second-rounder Terrance Ferguson, among others, and the Chicago Bears brought on third-rounder Sam Roush behind Colston Loveland and Cole Kmet. It speaks volumes that two of the league's biggest trendsetters in Sean McVay and Ben Johnson are having their rosters built his way.
It was long clear that this draft class was short on potential starting ball carriers. Day 2, however, drove home how few established backs were in jeopardy of having their roles reduced. After former Notre Dame teammates Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price became NFC West rivals in Round 1, Kaelon Black (No. 90 overall, San Francisco 49ers) was the only player at the position selected in either Round 2 or 3.
Black won't do more than spell Christian McCaffrey on inside runs. And his selection might speak more to Kyle Shanahan's pattern of investing in mid-round running backs than his leaguewide value. Meanwhile, Arkansas' Mike Washington Jr., Nebraska's Emmett Johnson and Washington's Jonah Coleman continue to wait despite having the makeup of potential starters.
Losers of NFL draft Day 2
Jermod McCoy
When the 2024 All-American slid out of Round 1, many assumed he was headed for a trajectory similar to that of Will Johnson, the former Michigan cornerback who lasted to the second round in 2025 amid injury concerns. McCoy's tumble, however, is far more precipitous - and it's still yet to meet a resolution.
The Tennessee cornerback heads into Day 3 as the clear top player available. Yet talent isn't the X-factor here. NFL Network reported on April 20 that a bone plug used to repair cartilage in his knee has clouded McCoy's stock after his recovery from a torn anterior cruciate ligament suffered last January.
At some point, a team should be drawn in by the potential payoff. But this is a rather harsh reality for McCoy to face after he spent much of the pre-draft process being seen in a comparable category to Mansoor Delane, who went No. 6 overall to the Kansas City Chiefs.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Omar Khan made it clear in the run-up to the draft that he wanted what lots of people envision from an AFC North quarterback: a statuesque figure with a strong arm. He found one in Allar, the former Penn State quarterback whom the general manager nabbed in the third round.
Therein lies the problem with Allar, however. He resembles an ideal at quarterback but doesn't come close to actually embodying one.
The former five-star recruit has long tantalized with his 6-5, 228-pound build and capacity for threatening defenses vertically in the passing game. But a final season in which many expected Allar to make a long-awaited leap in his development laid bare all his shortcomings. Before suffering a season-ending ankle injury, he was repeatedly undone by sloppy footwork, erratic ball placement and a hesitant approach that consistently leaves him out of rhythm.
With their focus on physical traits, the Steelers might be adopting an "I can fix him" mentality here. Allar, however, can't be trusted to step in for Aaron Rodgers anytime soon, regardless of whether the four-time NFL MVP re-signs with the team. And while it's understandable that the Steelers would want to bring along a passer behind Rodgers, they very well might be looking to do so with another passer in the near future.
After making themselves the subject of widespread ridicule with their selection of running back Jeremiyah Love at No. 3 overall, the Cardinals looked due for a reprieve on Day 2. It seemed as though they were headed for one with their second-round pick of offensive guard Chase Bisontis, who upgrades a rickety front.
Then, the Cardinals again engineered one of this year's strangest moves in grabbing quarterback Carson Beck.
Hitting on a mid-round signal-caller would surely expedite what looks to be an extensive build for general manager Monti Ossenfort and first-year coach Mike LaFleur. But this isn't really a sound investment strategy so much as an attempt to cash in on a lottery ticket.
And Beck isn't a prospect who looks to have a particularly high payoff even if everything goes right for him. At his best, he can be a competent distributor from the pocket. But he can come undone in the face of pressure, and he doesn't have the toolkit to buy second chances. That's not so much the profile of a potential legitimate starter, but rather a trustworthy backup capable of filling in.
Beck might be a worthwhile project for some franchises to take on. Arizona, however, can't fritter away early third-round picks.
The LSU gunslinger once looked to be on relatively equal footing with Beck and Allar in the second tier of quarterbacks in this class, with many even placing him above his two peers. But the 6-2, 203-pound passer took a backseat to more prototypical players at his position.
This isn't merely all about size. Nussmeier's devil-may-care approach might have been a deterrent for some teams, who also might have had a sour taste in their mouth from a disappointing final season marred by injuries. Now as a Day 3 prospect, however, he won't amount to much more than a dart throw for whatever team takes him on. That doesn't render him irrelevant, as Shedeur Sanders' rise from fifth-round pick to rookie starter reinforced. But his climb will be a steep one.
James Gladstone
In his inaugural draft, the Jacksonville Jaguars general manager made a bold statement by trading up for Travis Hunter Jr. at No. 2 overall. With diminished capital this time around, Gladstone got this year's class off to a pretty puzzling start.
The second-round selection of tight end Nate Boerkircher set the tone for the night. The Texas A&M product was taken ahead of several more high-upside alternatives at tight end. While Jacksonville might not have been on the hunt for a receiving threat at the position with Brenton Strange in the fold, there was better value available at this spot than a player who might top out as a good blocker. He then doubled-down on his reaches by closing out the evening with Jalen Huskey, a defensive back with some substantial coverage limitations. The Jaguars have a promising core, but this felt like a missed opportunity to supplement that group.
The New York Giants followed up an explosive first night of the 2026 NFL draft with an equally explosive second night, snagging Tennessee cornerback Colton Hood in the second round before trading up into the third round for Notre Dame wide receiver Malachi Fields.
While the additions have been impressive, the Round 3 trade and multiple previous trades (dating back to last year) have left the Giants somewhat depleted. They enter the final day of the draft with a trio of sixth-round picks and nothing more.
Still, there is value to be had when the Giants find themselves on the clock. They will make three picks over an eight-selection span, giving them a chance to land a surprise gem.
Here is a look at 10 prospects the Giants could potentially target on Day 3.
Cameron Ball, DT, Arkansas
The Giants have yet to address the interior of their defensive line, and precious few picks remain. By the time they come up in Round 6, the pickings will be slim, but it's possible Cameron Ball remains as the best available.
A two-and-a-half-year starter at Arkansas, Ball lined up primarily over the A-gap in former defensive coordinator Travis Williams’ 4-2-5 base scheme. Recruited out of high school mostly as an offensive lineman, the Razorbacks gave him a chance to play defense, and he developed into a solid role player. His senior year was better on tape than in the stat sheet, as he finished with only 27 tackles and zero sacks while averaging 53 defensive snaps per game.
Ball has above-average size and length with functional athleticism. As a run defender, he is balanced at the point with steady hat/hand use. He generates most of his power from his hips and upper half, although he needs to get stronger in his lower half to combat double teams. Though he flashes pass-rush ability, he tends to rush aimlessly and high and can get pushed/pulled off his path.
Bryson Eason, DT, Tennessee
Again, the pickings might be slim at this point. While a bit on the older side (24), Bryson Eason is another large man in the middle who could fit into a rotation designed to replace Dexter Lawrence.
A two-and-a-half-year starter at Tennessee, Eason shuffled between 2i-, three- and 4i-technique in defensive coordinator Tim Banks’ four-down front. He made the transition from inside linebacker to defensive line in 2022 and was a solid rotational player for the Vols defense, despite lackluster production (his defensive snap count jumped from 27.8 per game in 2024 to 39.3 in 2025).
Eason moved into the trenches without sacrificing his athletic twitch. He is at his best in the run game when he utilizes his length to establish an anchor and strain through engagement. However, he tends to be too reactive, which can put him in trail mode. He has pass-rush potential with his get-off and heavy hands, but he relies more on effort than a tactical rush plan.
Michael Taaffe, S, Texas
Similar to defensive tackle, the Giants have yet to address the safety position. Michael Taaffee is a bit undersized for the position, but his value would come on special teams -- the wheelhouse for late-round picks and a John Harbaugh preference.
A three-year starter at Texas, Taaffe was a versatile safety in former defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski’s 4-2-5 base scheme. A former walk-on, he made himself into an indispensable part of the Longhorns’ secondary, both on and off the field. He was a finalist for the Burlsworth Trophy (nation’s top walk-on) and earned All-SEC honors as a senior.
Taaffe is an easy player to appreciate because of his feel for the game and toughness — even if his size, strength and athletic traits fall below what most teams desire at the position. He is at his best working from the post, as opposed to near the line of scrimmage (where his lack of size is more noticeable). His anticipation helps him make plays, although a misstep can be a death sentence.
Robert Spears-Jennings, S, Oklahoma
Perhaps the Giants want to add a little speed in centerfield. Robert Spears-Jennings ran the fastest 40-yard dash for safeties at the 2026 NFL Combine.
A two-year starter at Oklahoma, Spears-Jennings lined up as the free safety in head coach Brent Venables’ scheme. After originally committing to Lincoln Riley, he stayed with the Sooners once he found out Venables would be bringing his defense to Norman. He started to see meaningful defensive snaps as a freshman and grew into a valuable starter.
Spears-Jennings might not play quite as fast as his stopwatch speed (fastest 40-yard dash among safeties at the NFL combine), but he gets from A to B in a hurry and throws his body into contact. Though he’s fearless attacking the line of scrimmage, he needs to be consistent reading his keys and keeping his leverage. He has experience patrolling deep from Cover 2, but he struggles making plays on the ball — his game translates best working top down or near the box.
Jeremiah Wright, G, Auburn
The Giants currently have an abundance of guards and already intend to play Francis Mauigoa at right guard. Still, perhaps they'd prefer a youth movement over Joshua Ezeudu and Evan Neal, the latter of whom has $0 guaranteed in his contract. Auburn's Jeremiah Wright could be that guy.
A two-year starter at Auburn, Wright was a fixture at right guard in former head coach Hugh Freeze’s balanced (gap and zone) scheme. A sixth-year prospect, he bounced between the offensive and defensive lines his first few seasons on The Plains before becoming a full-time starter over his junior and senior seasons.
Wright is big, strong and wants to move people off the ball on combos and base blocks. He looks to overpower anything in his way, which is understandable for a former defensive lineman, but he’s still learning to introduce more skill into his play. He works hard to stay square in pass pro but has shaky moments responding to savvy rushers.
Thaddeus Dixon, CB, North Carolina
The Giants may have drafted Colton Hood in Round 2, but it's not exactly as if they have an overabundance of cornerback talent. There's no way Jermod McCoy slides all the way to Round 6, so Thaddeus Dixon, who learned under Bill Belichick in 2025, could fit the bill.
A one-year starter at North Carolina, Dixon followed the opponent’s No. 1 receiver in defensive coordinator Steve Belichick’s scheme, aligning both inside and outside (Bill Belichick: “He could probably play any position in the secondary.”). With few options out of high school, he earned his way from the juco level to Washington, and then to the Tar Heels, although his final season was marred by injury.
Dixon is a high-energy cover man and carries himself with maturity, both on and off the field. He doesn’t usually jam at the line but trails routes and disrupts catch points. He is more likely to face guard than find the football, which hinders his interception opportunities. He also relies more on physicality than pure speed to recover, which can be an asset versus the run but will get him in trouble when facing NFL athletes.
J'Mari Taylor, RB, Virginia
The Giants haven't been shy about poking around the running back market, but they've yet to land one. Round 6 presents a solid opportunity to find a diamond in the rough. J'Mari Taylor, who had back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons in 2024-2025, is a guy who can do a little bit of everything.
A one-year starter at Virginia (and two-year starter overall), Taylor was a productive runner in offensive coordinator Des Kitchings’ zone-based run scheme. A former walk-on in the FCS, he is accustomed to betting on himself. He topped 1,000 yards rushing as a first-year starter in 2024 at NC Central, then transferred up to Virginia for his final season. After scoring 17 touchdowns in 2024, he accounted for an ACC-best 16 touchdowns last season.
Taylor is a patient, quick-reading zone runner who can find creases and gets what is blocked for him (plus a little extra). He can be a bowling ball when needed to burrow in short yardage or bounce off contact in the lane, although I wouldn’t classify him as a creative runner. His blocking and pass catching show promise but aren’t selling points for his game just yet.
Le'Veon Moss, RB, Texas A&M
If the running back pool is thinner than expected, the Giants could take the chance on Le'Veon Moss. He's a practice squad candidate who could be developed into a carry-eater over time.
A starter for two-and-a-half years at Texas A&M, Moss shared backfield duties in former offensive coordinator Colin Klein’s zone-based run scheme. He was productive as a starter for the Aggies, averaging 5.9 yards per carry over his junior and senior seasons and scoring a touchdown every 12.4 rush attempts. However, he missed significant time because of injuries (third on the team in rushing in 2025) and collected just 345 combined offensive touches over four years in College Station.
Moss is a good-looking back with the run strength to work downhill, but he also has the feet to press holes and make sharp cuts against pursuit. He doesn’t appear to have the same open-field burst and long speed as he once did and will lean more toward being a grinder than a playmaker on the NFL spectrum. His inconsistencies as a pass blocker and receiver will need to improve.
Cade Klubnik, QB, Clemson
At the very least, the Giants will need a quarterback for their upcoming rookie minicamp. While one could easily be found in the undrafted free agent pool, perhaps head coach John Harbaugh & Co. would prefer someone they feel could be developed and later traded. Cade Klubnik anyone?
A three-year starter at Clemson, Klubnik was efficient in former offensive coordinator Garrett Riley’s balanced, RPO-based scheme (primarily “11” personnel). The top-ranked quarterback recruit four years ago, he started 40 games for the Tigers and finished No. 3 in school history in career passing yards, behind only Tajh Boyd and Deshaun Watson. However, he was inconsistent as a senior and struggled to build off a productive junior year.
Klubnik delivers with above-average touch to all levels of the field and shows enough arm strength to drive the ball down the seam or outside the numbers, when his mechanics are sound. He is light on his feet and comfortable moving the pocket, although he has moments of panic under duress, which lead to bad habits and rushed decisions.
Eli Heidenreich, Weapon, Navy
There is no player more versatile in this draft than Eli Heidenreich, who does a little bit of everything and could be the Giants' fullback of the future. Should he remain when Big Blue is on the clock, they should run their card to the podium as quickly as possible.
A starter for two-and-a-half years at Navy, Heidenreich played the “Snipe Z” position in the Midshipmen’s modern triple-option offense, which includes aggressive pass concepts (play action, verticals, etc.). He split his 2025 snaps between the backfield (44.4 percent), wide (35.4), slot (14.7) and inline (5.5), and he accounted for a sky-high 45.7 percent target share. He set Navy records for career receiving yards (1,994), single-season receiving yards (941) and single-game receiving yards (243). Heidenreich and Tavon Austin are the only FBS players since 1956 with 925-plus receiving yards and 475-plus rushing yards in the same season.
Heidenreich is a versatile all-purpose athlete with acceleration and body control as both a route runner and ball carrier. More quick than explosive, he has mismatch-creating potential out of the slot and catches everything thrown his way, regardless of placement or positioning. He is unproven in pass protection, although there are no questions about his competitive toughness.
Here are Game 4 predictions from Beacon Journal writers Ryan Lewis and Nate Ulrich:
Cavs vs Raptors Game 4 predictions
Lewis: The Cavaliers took a punch and were outmuscled in Game 3 on the road. James Harden never looked comfortable. And the Raptors received strong performances from their starters, along with some excellent contributions off the bench.
Both teams have signs of optimism, in ways, heading into Game 4.
For the Cavs, it's that despite finishing with 22 turnovers, Game 3 was still in doubt well into the fourth quarter, which probably shouldn't have been the case, though the Raptors did pull away with a flurry of 3-pointers. For the Raptors, it's that the series is at 2-1 and Brandon Ingram has yet to get going. Dean Wade deserves a great deal of credit for that, but players of Ingram's caliber often eventually "find their levels," as former Guardians manager Terry Francona used to say. And even if he doesn't, Scottie Barnes and Co. showed they can work around that with enough physicality.
Game 4 might be the one that truly goes down to the wire. Raptors 112, Cavaliers 110
Ulrich: The crystal ball originally showed this would be a seven-game series, but we figured it might be defective and asked for a refund after the Cavs completely controlled Game 1 and Game 2 in Cleveland. After seeing how the Raptors were revived during Game 3 in Toronto, it's fair to wonder if the crystal ball actually worked well all along.
On the other hand, a bunch of factors worked in favor of the Raptors in Game 3, and it's hard to be convinced they're sustainable.
The Raptors dominated the Cavs down the stretch of Game 3, but some of Toronto's performances had outliers written all over them. No one should expect Raptors rookie forward Collin Murray-Boyles to score 22 points or grab five of his eight rebounds in the fourth quarter again. Toronto forward Jamison Battle caught fire with all 14 of his points in the fourth quarter of Game 3, and the former Ohio State player may never match 5-of-5 shooting from the field (4 of 4 on 3-pointers) in a single quarter for the rest of his NBA career.
What also should trigger the fluke detector is Cavs guards James Harden (18 points) and Donovan Mitchell (15 points) simultaneously struggling mightily on offense. The Cavs are talking a good game about needing to be the aggressor to bounce back in Game 4. This is a guess they will be mature enough to back it up. Cavs 114, Raptors 108
Ryan Lewis and Nate Ulrich cover the Cavaliers for the Akron Beacon Journal.
Mike Organ's pick: Kyle Larson, No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Now that his winless streak has reached a full year, it’s time for the 2025 Cup Series champion to take control of a race like he did last week at Kansas and hang on this time.
Nick Gray's pick: Michael McDowell, No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
McDowell is a very good drafting driver who is due for a strong result, as is Spire at large.
Tom Kreager's pick: Bubba Wallace, No. 23 23XI Racing Toyota
Wallace will need to curb his frustrations and stay away from having a role of the Big One. But he's had a history of running well at Talladega. He has three top-10 finishes over the past four races with one top-five finish. The Toyotas have been the dominant manufacturer in 2026. That continues this week.
The now 17-year-old Williamson County girl started dancing at the Dance Mania Nashville studio when she was five, but she said she always had aspirations of making it to the big stage. As she twirled around stages as a soloist, she said she dreamed of dancing as a part of the studio's competition team.
“Our team competes at the USASF Dance Worlds, which is the most elite competition for all dance teams. It is an invitation-only competition that takes place in Orlando each year,” her coach Kirstin Hawk explained. So, when Dance Mania’s sister studio reached out with a unique opportunity, it felt like fate.
Dance Mania All Stars in Melbourne, Florida, qualified for the DanceAbilities division at the World competition, but one of their dancers got sick and wouldn’t be able to participate, Hawk said. So they asked if Nashville had anyone, and after five years of wishing and waiting, Lily has her chance and she says she couldn't be more thrilled.
“I like to be the star of the show,” she said. “Everybody cheers me on and makes me happy.”
The USASF Dance World Competition brings together more than 3,500 dancers from all over the U.S. and 40 countries to vie for world champion titles in senior and international club divisions and categories. One of those categories, DanceAbilities, is for dancers with special needs.
Dance Mania Nashville has a 1Team1Goal program that helps students with special needs participate in studio activities and prepare for competitions like DanceAbilities.
“Lily’s opportunity to compete in the DanceAbilities division at a world-level competition represents progress toward a more inclusive and equitable dance world. It shows that dancers of all abilities belong on every stage, including the most elite ones,” Hawk said. “For Tennessee, it sets a new standard and opens doors for other dancers with special needs to dream bigger and be seen.”
Lily's addition to the Florida team makes her the first special needs dancer in Tennessee to participate in this dance event, Hawk said.
“Lily is joy personified,” she added. “She brings energy, humor, and a genuine love for dance into every room she enters. As a dancer, she is expressive and courageous, willing to step on stage even when she feels nervous, and give it her all.”
And even though she will be dancing a new routine with a different team, her Nashville Dance Mania family is fully supporting her, her coach said.
“Her peers...celebrate her, and learn from her just as much as she learns from them,” Hawk added. “Lily reminds all of us what dance is really about: connection, confidence, and the courage to show up fully as yourself.”
As the competition neared, Lily said she was nervous, but also excited, about the opportunity.
“I just learned the dance, so I hope I don’t mess up,” she said. “It is scary to be on stage by myself, but it will be less scary with my new friends.”
USAF Dance Worlds runs through April 27. More information about Dance Mania Nashville can be found at www.dancemanianash.com/.
Excitement is building for the 2026 Kentucky Derby, horse racing’s most prestigious Triple Crown opener.
The 152nd edition of the iconic race is set for May 2 at the legendary Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky, where tradition, pageantry, and world-class competition converge for the annual "Run for the Roses."
Hailed as "the most exciting two minutes in sports," the Kentucky Derby challenges 3-year-old Thoroughbreds to deliver peak speed, stamina, and composure over 1 ¼ grueling miles on Churchill Downs’ storied dirt track.
Among this year’s top contenders, Renegade leads the pack after a commanding victory at the Arkansas Derby. Commandment, sitting atop the points leaderboard thanks to a decisive Florida Derby win, enters as a horse to watch due to his consistency. Further Ado, boasting three qualification wins and a reputation for dominance, completes a trio vying for the coveted garland of roses.
The final lineup of elite contenders will be revealed at the post position draw on Saturday, April 25, and here's how to watch.
The post position draw for the 2026 Kentucky Derby is set for Saturday, April 25, at 2:15 p.m. ET. This event will establish the starting gate assignments for the 152nd Run for the Roses.
How to watch 2026 Kentucky Derby post position draw
The 2026 Kentucky Derby post position draw will be broadcast live on FanDuel TV and streamed on KentuckyDerby.com. Local viewers in Louisville can see it on WAVE-3.
When is 2026 Kentucky Derby?
The 152nd Run for the Roses at Churchill Downs is set for Saturday, May 2, 2026. Fans can watch the Kentucky Derby on NBC and USA Network, with streaming options on Peacock.
Pavia, who led Vanderbilt to a record-setting season last year, finished second to No. 1 overall pick and fellow quarterback Fernando Mendoza of national champion Indiana in the Heisman voting.
Pavia, the outspoken 24-year-old also made headlines off the field, such as when he criticized Heisman voters on Instagram.
Where is Diego Pavia expected to be drafted?
Pavia is projected as a seventh-round pick or to be an undrafted free agent.
Where does Diego Pavia rank on Mel Kiper's big board?
Pavia was ranked the No. 12 quarterback on the ESPN analyst's board behind Mendoza, Ty Simpson, Carson Beck, Garrett Nussemeier, Drew Allar, Cole Payton, Taylen Green, Cade Klubnik, Luke Altmyer, Sawyer Robertson and Haynes King. He is ranked two spots ahead of former Tennessee quarterback Joey Aguilar.
Which quarterbacks have already been taken in the 2026 NFL Draft?
Fernando Mendoza, Indiana, No. 1 overall by the Raiders
Ty Simpson, Alabama, No. 13 overall by Rams
Carson Beck, Miami, No. 65 overall by Dolphins
Drew Allar, Penn State, No. 76 overall by Steelers
How tall is Diego Pavia?
Vanderbilt listed Pavia as 6-foot. However, he was measured at the Senior Bowl as standing 5-9⅞. That will play a large part of Pavia getting drafted.
What were Diego Pavia's college stats?
In 2025, Pavia was 267-for-378 passing for 3,539 yards and an SEC-best 29 touchdowns while also leading the conference in quarterback rating (170.4) passing % (70.6), yards gained per pass attempt (9.4) and adjusted yards gained per pass attempt (9.94). He also ran for 862 yards and 10 touchdowns.
In two seasons at Vanderbilt, Pavia was 444-for-676 for 5,832 yards and 49 touchdowns and 12 interceptions passing in 26 career games. He ran for 1,663 yards and 18 touchdowns.
Paul Skrbina is a sports enterprise reporter covering the Predators, Titans, Nashville SC, local colleges and local sports for The Tennessean. Reach him at pskrbina@tennessean.com and on the X platform (formerly known as Twitter) @paulskrbina.
Alicia, who has asthma, said she trained for the race in her local parks [BBC]
Thousands of children across London have been sharing in the running excitement, with the TCS Mini London Marathon.
Open to children from Reception age to Year 12, the annual event on Saturday welcomed 20,000 runners and formed part of the London Marathon weekend.
The event, which started at Horse Guards Parade and finished on The Mall, included either a mile or 1.6-mile distance which children could jog, walk or wheel.
Alicia from south London told BBC London she was "very excited" to run the Mini Marathon, and had been training for the race in her local parks.
"I'm feeling a bit nervous at the same time, because it's my first time doing it," she added.
"I've got quite a few friends who are running it with me."
Eddie and Harry hoped to run the race together [BBC]
Friends Eddie and Harry, from Enfield, said they would try to run the race together.
Harry added: "I'm feeling good, I think I'll get a good time.
"We both love running in school."
Another runner, Cameron, said he loved trying to beat his own records when competing.
There were 600 London schools taking part in the race.
Suzie, from Surrey, said she was excited to take part: "I love running and getting outside so I am really happy."
Leslie, Suzie's headteacher, said she felt "so lucky" her pupils could take part in the children's marathon.
"This is our second year of competing, and the children are so excited - there is such a buzz around the school community.
The NFL recently announced that the 2026 NFL Draft will feature community guests who will announce selections. The Kansas City Chiefs will be represented by Elias, a 19-year-old from Pennsylvania, and a St. Jude Children's Research Hospital patient.
This year in Pittsburgh, inspirational fans, community leaders, and special guests will participate in the 2026 NFL Draft by announcing select picks live on stage.
Elias is scheduled to announce the Chiefs' 148th overall pick in the fifth round on day 3 of the draft. According to the NFL press release, Elias is a patient who has spent more than six years undergoing treatment for a rare brain tumor. After multiple surgeries and intensive care, Elias continues to pursue his dream of becoming a professional barber while inspiring others with his resilience and outlook. A devoted Pittsburgh Steelers fan, he represents the strength and spirit of young people navigating serious illness, supported by compassionate care and the community around them.
Through its partnership with the NFL, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital helps create meaningful moments for patients like Elias, connecting them to the game they love. Initiatives like NFL PLAY 60 also help raise awareness and support for the St. Jude mission, bringing communities together around children faced with cancer and other life-threatening diseases.
Today in Boston Celtics history, Hall of Fame Celtics forward John Havlicek passed away in 2019 at the age of 74 in Jupiter, Florida, following a prolonged battle with Parkinson's disease. Affectionately known as "Hondo," he was born in Martins Ferry, Ohio, in 1940 and played his collegiate basketball at nearby Ohio State, where he helped his team win the NCAA championship in 1960.
He was picked up seventh overall in the 1962 NBA Draft by the Boston Celtics and had a 16-season career with the team, during which he won a total of eight NBA championships. Havlicek was also honored with 13 All-Star selections, 11 All-NBA team selections, and 8 All-Defensive team selections, among numerous other accolades.
Havlicek's jersey was retired by Boston immediately after his playing career ended in 1978, and he was elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1984.
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It was on this date in 1950 that Celtics wing luminary Chuck Cooper became the first African American drafted into the NBA, taken out of Duquesne by Boston with the 14th overall pick. Cooper joined Nat "Sweetwater" Clifton and Earl Lloyd as the first African Americans to play in the league that season, making his debut on Nov. 1 against the (then) Fort Wayne (now, Detroit) Pistons. Cooper played four seasons for the Celtics, averaging 6.8 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game over that stretch. He was elected to the Naismith Hall of Fame in 2019.
On the same day, Boston selected Ed Macauley in the St. Louis Bombers dispersal draft, done to distribute the players from that franchise among the other NBA teams in the league after that franchise went under. Macauley played six seasons with the Celtics and was elected to six All-Star games and four All-NBA teams over that stretch, during which he averaged 18.9 points, 8.1 boards, and 3.7 assists. "Easy Ed" was later dealt with Cliff Hagan's contract to the St. Louis Hawks for Boston big man luminary Bill Russell.
It is also the date of the 1951 NBA draft, held in New York City, in which the Celtics drafted two players of note. The first was point guard Jim Luisi, taken 56th out of St. Francis college. Luisi never played for Boston, instead fighting in the Korean War before returning to play a season for the Baltimore Bullets. He later became an actor. The other was shooting guard Ernie Barrett, selected by the Celtics seventh overall out of Kansas State. Barrett played two seasons for Boston, averaging 4.9 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game in his Celtics tenure.
Historic milestones
It is also the anniversary of the 1965 NBA Championship won by Boston over the Los Angeles Lakers. The Celtics ended the best-of-seven series in Game 5 with a 129-96 blowout. The loss came despite guard Jerry West's 33 points. Boston legend Russell pulled down 30 rebounds to go with his 22 points.
Finally, it is the anniversary of the famous fight between Tree Rollins of the Atlanta Hawks and current team president and then-Celtics shooting guard Danny Ainge. Rollins and Ainge were involved in a benches-clearing fight during the 1983 Eastern Conference playoffs' first round. During the fight, Rollins was caught chomping on Ainge's finger. Both were fined for the altercation, leading to one of the greatest headlines in sports history, "Tree Bites Man."
Co-owner Wes Edens of the Milwaukee Bucks (left) talks with Rwandan president Paul Kagame during a Basketball Africa League finals game in 2021.Photograph: Nicole Sweet/BAL/Basketball Africa League/Getty Images
As the NBA enters its postseason crescendo, its carefully cultivated image as one of the most progressive leagues in sports is once again in the spotlight due to its partnership with Rwanda, which has long been accused of human rights abuses and war crimes.
In March 2026, the Trump administration announced sanctions targeting Rwanda’s military and four senior officials for its role in abuses and military aggression in the neighbouring Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Shortly after the announcement, one of the top teams competing in the Basketball Africa League (BAL) – a premier continental league co-founded by NBA Africa – suddenly withdrew from the competition. As it turned out, that team had deep ties to Rwanda’s sanctioned military.
Armée Patriotique Rwandaise Basketball Club, commonly known as APR, is a prominent Rwandan basketball club based in Kigali that dates back to the Rwandan genocide in the 1990s. The team is owned and funded by the Rwanda Defence Force – a fact that is proudly stated on the team’s BAL profile page. In January 2026, the RDF even hosted a luncheon for APR players and staff to celebrate their victory in the local Super Cup.
Under US treasury sanctions, any assets held by the RDF within American jurisdiction are frozen, and US entities are prohibited from engaging in transactions with the military or individuals connected to it. Because the BAL operates under the NBA – a US-based organization – permitting a team directly tied to a sanctioned military body to compete could expose the league to serious sanctions compliance risks. While the sanctions are limited to the RDF and do not extend to other sectors of the Rwandan government, it brought renewed attention to the NBA and its friendly ties with Rwanda’s infamous president, Paul Kagame.
Serving as the de facto ruler of Rwanda since 1994, Kagame drew international praise for commanding the rebel force that ended the Rwandan genocide. However, he has since ruled his country with an iron fist, allegedly committing severe and systematic human rights abuses both within Rwanda and beyond its borders. This includes forced disappearances, assassinations of political opponents, torture and state-imposed censorship. In 2024, Kagame topped his own record by winning the presidential election with more than 99% of the vote, reflecting his totalitarian grip over the African nation.
The NBA’s relationship with Rwanda officially began in August 2015, when some of the top coaches from the league hosted a basketball camp in the capital of Kigali as part of the Giants of Africa program. The following year, Kagame attended an NBA Africa luncheon with league commissioner Adam Silver as part of the All-Star Game festivities. In 2018, he delivered a keynote speech at a reception hosted by the NBA in New York City.
At the time, Kagame’s regime had already helped launch two wars in the DRC, which led to the deaths of millions of people in the region. Thousands of Kagame’s soldiers and allied M23 militia continue to operate in eastern DRC, displacing hundreds of thousands of people, plundering mines rich in strategic mineral resources and leaving a trail of massacres, rapes and other gross human rights abuses. Nevertheless, the NBA continued to deepen its ties to Kagame. When NBA Africa and Fiba launched the BAL, Rwanda secured the hosting rights for the inaugural season in 2021.
By positioning Rwanda as a key hub for basketball and the NBA in Africa, Kagame was able to frame himself as a leading African figure in a sport that was among the most popular in the United States and was gaining traction across the African continent. He has since made regular appearances at NBA games – flanked by an entourage of friends and family – attended NBA summits as a guest of honor, and made Rwanda a key player in Africa’s basketball aspirations.
In December 2023, Kagame’s former aide and cabinet minister, Claire Akamanzi, was appointed CEO of NBA Africa, further consolidating Kagame’s influence over the sport on the continent. Less than two years later in September 2025, Visit Rwanda – the official tourism brand of the Rwanda Development Board – announced a multi-year sponsorship agreement with the Los Angeles Clippers, further cementing its presence across the sport. The deal further expanded Visit Rwanda’s global sports portfolio, which also includes deals with Paris Saint-Germain and Atlético Madrid.
In February 2026, Kagame once again attended the NBA All-Star Game before meeting with top NBA officials to discuss the future of the game in Africa. Among those present at the discussions was NBA deputy commissioner Mark Tatum, who had previously defended the NBA’s ties to Kagame in an ESPN story. When two US senators later accused the NBA of “putting profit over principle”, Tatum once again defended the league by stating that the NBA follows “the lead of the US government as to where it’s appropriate to engage in business around the world”.
“If American policies were to change regarding business activities in and relating to Rwanda or any other BAL market, our actions would of course change accordingly,” Tatum wrote in response to the senators. After the withdrawal of the RDF-funded APR, the BAL announced that APR would be replaced by another local team called the RSSB Tigers, which is owned by the Rwanda Social Security Board. The team has since qualified for the BAL playoffs, which are set to take place in Kigali in May.
When contacted by the Guardian, the NBA reiterated that the league continues to comply with US government guidance regarding its engagement in Rwanda, and pointed me to Tatum’s previous statements on the subject.
For now, the NBA remains in compliance with US foreign policy, which has so far targeted only Rwanda’s military and a handful of officials. But whether its relationship with Rwanda, and with Kagame, will pose greater risks down the line remains an open question.
With their gap at the top of the Premier League table zeroed out completely, Arsenal begin the neck-and-neck chase for the top flight title as they host Newcastle at Emirates Stadium on Saturday.
Manchester City have closed the gap, with the two title contenders now dead even in the race.
Arsenal's recent form has been a significant talking point over the past two months, as they have failed to win five of their last six games across all competitions, including four defeats in that span.
Newcastle, meanwhile, have lost three straight of their own in league play and have dropped to 14th in the table, putting Eddie Howe's job at risk as the season concludes.
The Sporting News looks at the key details ahead of this game, including how to watch the match, kickoff times and the weekly schedule.
Arsenal vs. Newcastle live stream, TV channel
Here's how to watch this Premier League match in English across the United States:
TV channel: USA Network Live stream:None
The match between Arsenal and Newcastle will be televised on USA Network, which is available to watch via DIRECTV.
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What time does Arsenal vs. Newcastlekick off?
This Premier League clash takes place at Emirates Stadium in London, England and kicks off on Saturday, April 25 at 5:30 p.m. local time.
Here's how that time translates across the United States:
A world-renowned event in long-distance running, the 2026 London Marathon returns to the streets of the UK this weekend.
As one of the Abbott World Marathon Majors, the London Marathon is a lifetime goal for athletes across the globe. The course takes runners past many of the historic parts of London, from Greenwich to the Tower Bridge, Big Ben and the London Eye.
There are many elite storylines to follow this weekend, with last year's champions Sebastian Sawe and Tigst Assefa both returning. Sawe clocked the second-fastest time in London history with 2:02:27, and he's looking to chase a world record Sunday.
Be sure to tune in for this thrilling race.
Here's everything you need to know about the 2026 London Marathon, including TV channel and streaming options for the annual event.
There won't be a traditional TV broadcast of the London Marathon in North America, but those looking to follow along can turn to live stream coverage.
The 2026 London Marathon will be available for live streaming on the FloTrack and the FloSports app in the United States and Canada.
London Marathon 2026 start time
The London Marathon is set to take place on the morning of Sunday, April 26, local time in London. Here are the start times of all the elite races:
3:50 a.m. ET— Elite wheelchair men's and women's races
4:05 a.m. ET — Elite women's race
4:35 a.m. ET — Elite men's race followed by mass start
London Marathon 2026 prize money, purse for winner
The prize purse remains unchanged this year, with $55,000 awarded to each winner, $30,000 (£23,100) going to the runners-up, and $22,500 (£17,400) for third place finishers.
There are some performance bonuses on the line as well. Runners who dip under 2:02 (men) or 2:15 (women) can bag an additional $150,000 (£115,900). Set a new world record and you'll be rewarded with $125,000 (£96,500). Break the course record? That's another $25,000 (£19,300) on offer.
London Marathon 2026 route
As the London Marathon enters its 46th year, over 50,000 runners are set to take on route that has remained largely unchanged. The 26.2-mile run will begin at historic Greenwich Park then head east to Woolwich.
With its predominantly flat course, runners will pass some of London's most iconic sights, including Tower Bridge, the towering skyscrapers of Canary Wharf, and the timeless visage of Big Ben. The finish line is set at The Mall near Buckingham Palace.
London Marathon past winners
Men
Here are the five most recent male winners of the London Marathon:
Year
Runner (Country)
Time
2025
Sabastian Sawe (Kenya)
2:02:27
2024
Alexander Mutiso (Kenya)
2:04:01
2023
Kelvin Kiptum (Kenya)
2:01:25 (Course record)
2022
Amos Kipruto (Kenya)
2:04:39
2021
Sisay Lemma (Ethiopia)
2:04:01
Women
Here are the five most recent female winners of the London Marathon:
HOUSTON, TX - APRIL 24: Jazz Chisholm Jr. #13 of the New York Yankees celebrates with teammates in the dugout after hitting a solo home run in the fourth inning during the game between the New York Yankees and the Houston Astros at Daikin Park on Friday, April 24, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Michaela Schumacher/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Since splitting that strange four-game set with the Angels in the Mike Trout/Aaron Judge Show, the Yankees haven’t lost. They swept the Royals, shipped up to Boston and did the same to the Red Sox, and are now coming off a decisive win in Houston last night, their seventh in a row. The only bad part was Giancarlo Stanton leaving early with a calf injury. As we await word on whether Stanton will need IL time, the Yanks are still sitting pretty and eyeing and eight-game winning streak with Ryan Weathers taking the bump tonight. Very nice!
Today on the site, Nick will present his first edition of the monthly Reliever Confidence Index, Madison will run through the latest the Rivalry Roundup, and Matt will celebrate the 143rd birthday of a forgotten Deadball Era one-year wonder. Later, Matt will return to create an All-Star team of April birthdays in Yankees history.
Today’s Matchup
New York Yankees vs. Houston Astros
Time: 7:10 p.m. EST
Video: YES Network, Space City Home Network
Venue: Daikin Park, Houston, TX
Questions/Prompts:
1. What were your impressions of the Astros after seeing the 2026 iteration for the first time this year?
2. Now that the dust has settled a bit on the NFL Draft, did you have any quick reactions to the first couple days?
Once he had time to catch his breath, Mauigoa backed up his spontaneous proclamation when he spoke on a conference call with Giants reporters.
“That should be everybody’s mentality,” he said. “As offensive linemen we should be able to put everything on the line because the quarterback is the key of the offense. So, to be able to block for a quarterback and to be able to make plays and open up holes for the running back, that’s what we’re supposed to do. It’s not something that people want us to – It’s something that we’re expected to do, that’s what we need to do.”
Reese lined up all over the field at Ohio State. He played 56% of his snaps at outside linebacker, 38% at inside linebacker and 6% at defensive back. This shows the kind of versatility Reese brings to the Giants’ defense. It fits what they’re trying to do — disguise coverages and make opposing offenses adjust to them rather than the other way around.
Mauigoa allowed a 1.1% pressure rate at offensive tackle this past season while being named an All-American at Miami. That was third best in the FBS. He allowed only two sacks in 522 plays pass blocking. Clearly, he was a dominant player on the field. Giants general manager Joe Schoen also noted that Mauigoa stood out while watching the Miami practice film where he went against Rueben Bain Jr. and Akheem Mesidor on a daily basis.
Arvell Reese wants to be a reason the Giants win
"I want people to remember the Giants won. And then I want them to remember, 'damn, Arvell was one of those reasons.'"
Winners: The Giants had two top-10 picks and devoted those resources to acquire two foundational pieces that should help upgrade both their offensive and defensive fronts. With the fifth pick, they took Ohio State pass rusher Arvell Reese, and five picks later, they took offensive tackle Francis Mauigoa.
5. New York Giants: Edge Arvell Reese, Ohio State. Pick Grade: Very Good. Reese doesn’t have much experience working as a traditional edge rusher, but that doesn’t mean he can’t impact the quarterback as a pass rusher, even if he ends up playing primarily off-ball for New York. Reese is a tremendous athlete who plays with physicality, and there’s plenty of room for growth at just 20 years old. This marks back-to-back years in which the Giants have used an early pick on a pass rusher with off-ball experience (Abdul Carter in 2025), providing versatility to their defensive front and pass-rush packages.
10. New York Giants: T Francis Mauigoa, Miami (FL). Pick Grade: Good. There’s a good chance Mauigoa starts his career on the interior, where the Giants have a more immediate need after bringing back Jermaine Eluemunor at right tackle. However, he provides potential tackle flexibility in case of injury or future roster movement. Mauigoa is a powerful run blocker who is coming off a 2025 season at Miami in which he earned an 87.0 PFF pass-blocking grade at right tackle.
Winner: New York Giants … Mostly. I was ready to declare the Giants the biggest winners of the night before the 10th pick of the draft was announced. New York had already landed linebacker Arvell Reese—who may have been the best prospect in the entire class—at no. 5. And his Ohio State teammate Caleb Downs—whom many believed they were considering with their first pick—was still on the board. Instead of taking Downs, though, the Giants went with Miami offensive tackle Francis Mauigoa.
Mauigoa was a solid pick. Some analysts had him as the best tackle in the draft, and he may have gone higher if not for a herniated disk that’s considered asymptomatic for now but could require major surgery if it gets worse in the future. I don’t have any medical expertise, but back health isn’t the sort of thing that tends to improve with age—especially not when your job requires repeated collisions with 300-pound men.
3. Giant surprise helps John Harbaugh build a dangerous pass rush in New York. So now the Giants have a pass rush that includes Reese, All-Pro Brian Burns (16.5 sacks last season), Kayvon Thibodeaux (11 sacks in 2023 before injuries started to hurt him), and Abdul Carter, the No. 2 overall pick in the draft last year. That rotation may not evoke memories of Michael Strahan, Osi Umenyiora, Justin Tuck and Mathias Kiwanuka just yet. But they should be a lock to improve on their 38 team sacks last year. And that could be enough to make one of the NFL’s worst defenses into a competitive unit, at least. No quarterback will be comfortable playing against this team.
That pick, plus the addition of Miami (Fla.) offensive lineman Francis Mauigoa with the 10th overall pick (which they got from Cincinnati for defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence), played right into new coach John Harbaugh’s plan. He promised his team would be strong in the trenches. And in the first round, they got much stronger on both sides of the ball.
Unhappiest NFL players, coaches and GMs. 3. Giants EDGE Kayvon Thibodeaux. The Giants were a popular projected landing spot for a wide receiver (Carnell Tate or Jordyn Tyson) and a defender (Caleb Downs) in mock drafts. Then Arvell Reese “fell” to No. 5, and the Giants scooped him up, adding an absolutely ridiculous athlete to their pass rushing/linebacking group. Reese was viewed as a top-two or top-three player in this class.
Brian Burns had 16.5 sacks last year. After a bit of a slow start, rookie Abdul Carter had 3.5 sacks in his final five games. Much of his surge came after Thibodeaux’s season-ending shoulder surgery. A 2022 first-round pick, Thibodeaux was in trade rumors this offseason. After 11 sacks in 2023, he has just eight over the last two seasons combined. Now, he could be fourth in the Giants’ EDGE rotation. That’s not appealing, especially going into a contract year.
When Bleacher Report host Adam Lefkoe put a hypothetical to him on BR NFL Draft Live — what would it mean if the Giants took wide receiver Jordan Tyson with the fifth overall pick? — Nabers didn’t wave it off or give a politically safe answer.
“Understand like, okay, you draft a receiver at five and you put him on side of me. Yes. But you’re basically going to pay him more than me, right? And I’m your number one receiver, right?” Nabers said.
New York Giants legend and Pro Football Hall of Fame linebacker Lawrence Taylor. was hospitalized in New Jersey on Friday following a medical emergency. TMZ reported that the 67-year-old New York Giants legend arrived at an emergency room and was later transferred within the facility. The situation is not considered life-threatening, and Taylor is expected to be released shortly.
LONDON, ENGLAND - APRIL 05: General view outside London Stadium on April 05, 2026 in London, England. (Photo by Steve Bardens/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Match Preview
Everton are back on the road again watching their chance of making European competition diminishing again, but that is exactly the situation in which they have thrived and bounced back in.
They will be away at West Ham who are stuck in a duel with Tottenham Hotspur to not become the third team to drop to the Championship, and only have a two-point advantage over Spurs.
David Moyes will be minus Jack Grealish and Jarrad Branthwaite for the remainder of the season, with Beto missing out due to a concussion and Charly Alcaraz still recovering from injury. Nuno Espirito Santo has a full squad to choose from.
Match Details
Competition: Premier League Matchweek 34
Date and start time: Saturday, April 25th at 7:00 a.m. PT / 10:00 a.m ET / 3:00 p.m. BST
Stadium: London Stadium, London, England, United Kingdom
Capacity: 68,013
Weather: 68°F/20°C, sunny, 0% chance of precipitation, 1 mph winds
How to Watch/Listen
TV: NBCSN, Peacock – United States; TNT Sports 1, TNT Sports Ultimate – United Kingdom; Fubo– Canada, beIN Sports HD 6, SuperSport Premier League ROA, SuperSport MaXimo 1, SuperSport Action Africa
The two sides had fought out a 1-1 game at Hill Dickinson Stadium, with Michael Keane grabbing the Blues’ only goal. That was the third draw in a row between the two sides, with a nil-nil stalemate at London Stadium last season.
TURIN, ITALY - OCTOBER 05: Jonathan David of Juventus competes for the ball with Matteo Gabbia of Milan during the Serie A match between Juventus FC and AC Milan at Allianz Stadium on October 05, 2025 in Turin, Italy. (Photo by Image Photo Agency/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Juventus head to AC Milan on Sunday with their sights firmly set on boosting their chances of securing Champions League qualification at the end of the season. While Inter Milan are nailed on to win the Serie A title this term, the battle to join them in the top four could feasibly go down to the final weekend. Milan and Napoli entered Matcday 34 locked together on 66 points with five games remaining, with Napoli’s win on Friday giving them the advantage in second place for the time being. Juventus are three points adrift of that duo, while Como and Roma are five points behind fourth place.
Juventus strengthened their grip on a top four spot with a stylish 2-0 home victory over Bologna last weekend. Head coach Luciano Spalletti was understandably pleased with the performance. “We couldn’t afford to come into this with the wrong attitude and we started well, then we had to maintain that and take advantage of things during the game,” Spalletti said after the win.
“The guys did really well, and they shaped the game immediately by being able to score. We played with quality, with a level of players who deserve to be in the Champions League. We had an opportunity that we couldn’t afford to waste. Winning games makes a big difference – it gives you the chance to consolidate everything. We have to go out to try to win games.”
Juventus will now switch their attention to the trip to the San Siro, where they will face a Milan side which has been inconsistent in recent weeks. They have lost three of their last five outings in Serie A, and will be eager to bounce back to form when Juventus visit Milan. The fixture will undoubtedly be shaped by some key individual battles.
Let’s take a look.
Matteo Gabbia vs. Jonathan David
Jonathan David has failed to live up to expectations since joining Juventus on a free transfer last summer, but he still has time to redeem himself. He has shown improvement in recent games, most notably when he opened the scoring in last week’s victory over Bologna at the Allianz Stadium.
Juventus are reportedly open to offers for David this summer, but could reconsider their stance if he ends the Serie A season with a flourish. The 26-year-old will be keen to demonstrate his talent, particularly with the 2026 World Cup on the horizon. He will be crucial to Canada’s hopes of making progress at the tournament.
David’s battle with Milan defender Matteo Gabbia is expected to be a key element in the clash between Milan and Juventus at the San Siro this weekend. Milan struggled to produce their best form when the 26-year-old was recently sidelined with injury, but look more settled with him marshalling the backline at Verona last weekend.
Luka Modric vs. Manuel Locatelli
Luka Modric’s move to AC Milan last summer raised plenty of eyebrows, but he has proved that he still has what it takes to compete at a high level. The 40-year-old was recently named Croatia’s best player for the 13th consecutive year, underlining his consistency and influence for club and country.
While a tally of two goals and three assists in 32 Serie appearances looks modest on paper, Modric’s impact on Milan’s midfield should not be underestimated. His ability to retain possession is invaluable to Milan, allowing players with younger legs to make their mark in dangerous areas of the pitch.
Manuel Locatelli will need to keep a close eye on Modric at the San Siro, as he did when the two sides met in Turin earlier in the season. Locatelli undoubtedly had the upper hand on that occasion, but the Croatian star could cause him more problems in front of his own fans.
Christian Pulisic vs. Lloyd Kelly
Christian Pulisic has bagged eight goals and three assists in 26 Serie A appearances, which looks a respectable return at first glance.
However, delving deeper into his numbers paints a concerning picture. Pulisic has not scored since December 28 and has registered just one assist since them.
He was also hugely underwhelming for the United States as they were outclassed in recent friendly internationals against Belgium and Portugal.
With the start of the World Cup less than two months away, the 27-year-old winger will be desperate to rediscover his best form with Milan.
Defender Lloyd Kelly will need to be at his best to keep Pulisic in check, particularly when he drifts into wide areas on the pitch.
Kelly has helped Juventus keep five clean sheets in their last six outings, and is playing a key role as the team strives to secure Champions League qualification.
Mönchengladbach, Germany - October 25: goalkeeper Manuel Neuer of FC Bayern Muenchen and goalkeeper Jonas Urbig of FC Bayern Muenchen celebrate after winning the Bundesliga match between Borussia Mönchengladbach and FC Bayern München at Stadion im Borussia-Park on October 25, 2025 in Mönchengladbach, Germany. (Photo by Oliver Kaelke/DeFodi Images/DeFodi via Getty Images) | DeFodi Images via Getty Images
This is one of those classic late-season dilemmas for Bayern Munich: protect your No. 1 or keep him sharp. On one hand, Neuer is the established leader and still one of the best big-game goalkeepers in the world. With a massive clash against Paris Saint-Germain looming, the instinct is to wrap him in bubble wrap and avoid any unnecessary risk. At his age and with his injury history, even a routine Bundesliga match carries some level of danger.
On the other hand, rhythm matters — especially for a goalkeeper. Neuer thrives on timing, positioning, and command of his back line, and those things can dull without consistent minutes. Sitting him entirely could introduce just enough rust to matter in a high-stakes European tie.
That is where Urbig enters the conversation. Giving the young keeper a start against Mainz could preserve Neuer while also rewarding Urbig’s development. However, it is not without trade-offs. Mainz is not a guaranteed walkover, and Bayern Munich cannot afford a slip if the title race is still mathematically alive.
The balanced approach might be a compromise: start Neuer to maintain sharpness, but manage his minutes if the match is under control. Still, if the priority is PSG above all else, trusting Urbig could be the smarter long-term play.
So what matters more—keeping Neuer fresh or keeping him in rhythm?
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…
PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - APRIL 24: A general view of Pittsburgh Steelers pick during Round Two of the 2026 NFL Draft at Acrisure Stadium on April 24, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Steelers moved up not once, but twice on Day 2 of the 2026 NFL Draft to secure players the team wanted. Now, after entering the event with 12 selections, Pittsburgh has added five players and traded away a net of two picks, entering Day 3 with just five more scheduled.
Steelers draft trade details
To move up to select Alabama wide receiver Germie Bernard in the second round, the Steelers traded Nos. 53, 135 and 237 to the Colts for Nos. 47 and 249.
Essentially, Pittsburgh moved up six spots in the second round, moved down 12 spots in the seventh round, and lost a fourth-rounder.
Then, to move up to select Iowa offensive lineman Gennings Dunker in the third round, the Steelers traded Nos. 99 and 216 to the Seahawks for Nos. 96 — moving up three spots but losing a sixth-rounder.
Interestingly, the fourth- and sixth-round picks the Steelers lost were both compensatory selections.
Antoine Semenyo admits to “laughing” on his own during first Pep Guardiola meeting
Antoine Semenyo has hit the ground running following his £62.5 million move from Bournemouth in January.
The Ghanaian has registered five goals in 12 Premier League appearances, proving a vital asset in their late-season surge.
Semenyo’s arrival coincided with City’s Carabao Cup final victory over Arsenal in March, as they chase a domestic Treble.
Pep Guardiola left Antoine Semenyo “laughing” to himself during the first meeting as a squad featuring the Ghanaian forward, he has admitted in a new interview.
The 26-year-old attacker has become an instant hit in Manchester since his big-money winter arrival, penning a deal through to 2031 after completing a deal sanctioned by City’s Sporting Director Hugo Viana.
The Ghana international was largely brought into the club to provide much-needed explosive pace and versatility to a frontline that was looking to regain its edge following a mid-season dip in form.
Antoine Semenyo’s integration into the City machine has been seamless, aided by the genius of Guardiola, as City now head into the final weeks of the campaign having just reclaimed top spot in the Premier League with a 1-0 win at Burnley on Wednesday.
Insider Access: Pep’s CFA Office and his constant ‘pacing’
Speaking exclusively to the All Out Football podcast, Antoine Semenyo has reflected on his first interactions with Pep Guardiola as his new manager, offering insider access into the Catalan’s personal office within the City Football Academy.
“He was just so energetic. Went into his office, soft music playing in the background, smells so nice in his office,” revealed Semenyo.
“He was like, ‘We’re happy to have you here. Continue your fine form and hopefully [we’ll] compete for the league’.”
The former Bournemouth star continued, “He’s generally relaxed. It’s when you get into meetings, that’s where he’s serious.
“I remember the first meeting I had, he was just pacing in front of the room. [I was] thinking, ‘Is this normal?’ Looking back, no-one’s laughing, so I’m on my own. He’s so passionate.”
The quest for a fourth consecutive FA Cup Final
Antoine Semenyo’s reflections come at a pivotal moment for the club, as Manchester City travel to Wembley for an FA Cup semi-final showdown against Championship flyers Southampton.
The Saints, currently fourth in England’s second division, represent the final hurdle before a potentially historic fourth consecutive FA Cup final appearance for the Citizens.
With Rodri and Ruben Dias currently recovering from respective injury issues amid the gruelling run-in, Semenyo is among the names expected to play a prominent role against the South Coast side.
Pep Guardiola press conference: Rodri injury update ahead of FA Cup semi-final against Southampton
Pep Guardiola is likely to rely on the forward’s fine form as City look to maintain their momentum in a season that could yet see them sweep all domestic honours before the manager makes a final decision on his Manchester City future.
Confirmed 2. Bundesliga Lineups: Hertha BSC vs. Holstein Kiel
Hertha BSC hope to maintain their slight hopes of promotion with a home win against relegation-battling Holstein Kiel side on Saturday afternoon. The visitors are enjoying a good spell under Tim Walter as last week's 3-0 victory over Kaiserslautern made it three wins in the last four games.
Here are the lineups for the game at the iconic stadium, Olympiastadion.
TAMPA, FLORIDA - NOVEMBER 9: Drake Maye #10 of the New England Patriots talks with offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels prior to an NFL football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium on November 9, 2025 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The New England Patriots added a pair of players on Day 2 of the NFL Draft, first moving up to draft edge rusher Gabe Jacas before selecting tight end Eli Raridon in Round 3.
Here’s who the pick impacts for better, or worse, moving forward.
Winners
OC Josh McDaniels: New England’s offensive coordinator has a new weapon to deploy, and it should be one that he will like. Raridon’s size and athleticism will allow McDaniels to use him in multiple ways moving forward, while he has the potential to develop into an every-down, well-rounded tight end for the offense in future seasons — also making him a nice piece for Drake Maye.
“Some untapped potential there,” Eliot Wolf said.
OLB coach Mike Smith: One coach in particular made an impact on Gabe Jacas during his pre-draft visit to Gillette Stadium: Mike Smith. As Eliot Wolf shared, Smith and Jacas “really connected” during the visit and Smith now adds another powerful, violent rusher to his group of pass rushers.
“Just fell in love with the coaching staff, especially coach Mike Smith, outside linebacker coach there. And just his philosophy and his mindset on just the position, I just loved it,” Jacas said.
He then later added: “I’m so glad that I have coach Mike Smith, someone that I just speak highly of because of the way he presented himself, which is – that’s like my type of guy, my type of coach.”
Losers
OLB Bradyn Swinson: The addition of Jacas won’t impact Harold Landry and Dre’Mont Jones’ roster status atop the depth chart, but this year’s second rounder will immediately join the rotation behind the veterans from the start. That will make it ever harder for last year’s fifth-round pick Bradyn Swinson to see the field, and even question his spot on the 53-man roster.
TE C.J. Dippre: After ending last season on the active roster, Dippre has seen the Patriots sign Julian Hill in free agency and now draft Eli Raridon in the third-round of the draft. Dippre now sits as the fourth tight end on the roster, a spot that may not exist on the 53-man squad with the team additionally keeping a fullback.
Two Arsenal targets set to miss their Emirates audition for Newcastle
Newcastle United will be without two Arsenal transfer targets when they face the Gunners in the Premier League today, in a fixture that carries major importance for both clubs. With the season reaching a decisive stage, neither side can afford to drop points in such a significant contest.
Arsenal need a victory to keep their title hopes alive, while Newcastle require a positive result to improve their difficult position in the league table. At this point in the campaign, every match has added pressure, and any setback could prove costly in the race for respective objectives.
Newcastle Dealt Major Blow
The Magpies are still expected to provide stern opposition at the Emirates and will look to frustrate the home side throughout the afternoon. Newcastle have shown enough quality this season to trouble strong opponents, even when circumstances have not gone in their favour.
However, according to The Daily Mail’s Craig Hope, Tino Livramento and Anthony Gordon are now confirmed absentees for the match, and neither player will feature in the fixture. Newcastle had reportedly hoped that at least one of them would be available, but both are now set to miss out.
Arsenal Given Added Opportunity
Their absence could hand Arsenal an important advantage against a side that would normally rely on the energy and quality of both players. Losing two influential figures before such an important encounter is far from ideal for Newcastle as they attempt to secure a valuable result.
Arsenal are believed to admire both men and are interested in signing them at the end of the season. This fixture would have offered Livramento and Gordon an ideal stage to demonstrate that they possess the quality required to play at the Emirates in front of Arsenal supporters.
Even so, Arsenal must remain fully focused on the challenge ahead rather than the missing names in the visiting squad. Newcastle will still arrive determined to compete strongly, and the Gunners know they must deliver a disciplined performance if they are to claim the points they need.
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CLEMSON, SOUTH CAROLINA - OCTOBER 18: Avieon Terrell #8 of the Clemson Tigers celebrates a broken up pass against the Southern Methodist Mustangs at Memorial Stadium on October 18, 2025 in Clemson, South Carolina. (Photo by Tom Hauck/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Falcons were armed with only five picks in the 2026 NFL Draft and a lot of needs to take care of. Luckily, Atlanta absolutely nailed Day 2 of the draft with two slam-dunk selections in CB Avieon Terrell and WR Zachariah Branch with picks 48 and 79. Kevin Knight breaks down the selection of both players and why he’s so excited for the team’s future with Ian Cunningham leading the front office. Fellow Falcoholics, welcome to another episode of the Dirty Birds and Brews podcast!
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We hope you enjoy the show! If you have comments, we’d love to hear them. Send them to us on Twitter (@FalcoholicLive), leave them below, or e-mail the show at falcoholiclive@gmail.com.
KATONAH, N.Y. – As a trainer at a busy horse show barn, Laena Romond found herself with a rare few hours off on a Sunday morning in December 2024.
Romond is also a runner; she doesn’t get to race that much because she works on weekends. There was a half marathon that morning in West Palm Beach, near her winter horse show stable in Wellington, Fla.
“We were supposed to show that day and someone canceled or our plans changed on Saturday afternoon, so my Sunday morning opened up,” she said. “The race started at 6 (a.m.). I was like, ‘If I run it and run fast, I can still be at work at 8:30.’”
She laughed. Not only did she run, Romond, 43, won the 13.1-mile race and was interviewed after by a local TV station.
“Five minutes later, all these different people were texting and asking me, ‘What are you doing?’” she said, laughing. “An hour later, I was at a horse show.”
Romond, who lives in Brookfield, works at Heritage Farm in Katonah, N.Y. Mondays are off days after the busy weekends, so Romond can run the Boston Marathon. In her fourth time running Boston last Monday, Romond was the top Connecticut female finisher in 2 hours, 43 minutes, 35 seconds. She was followed by Mira Records of Middletown (2:50:26) and Jessica Smith of Stafford (2:51:08).
Romond’s job is physical; she rides and shows horses at a high level and teaches students. She’s either on her feet or on a horse all day. So when does she find time to train for marathons?
In Florida, where the New York-based barn moves for four months in the winter, she gets up early, sometimes at 3 a.m., to run. She does her long runs usually on Mondays.
“I’ll do a 5K here and there,” she said. “Our work schedule is six days a week and Monday is the off day. Most races are not on Mondays so Boston is very convenient.
“I was never big into racing for that reason. I could do a Turkey Trot or Fourth of July if I had a holiday off.”
Romond grew up riding horses and ran cross country and track for her high school team in Colchester, Vt. She went to Mount Holyoke College and in 2002, her freshman year, won the USEF/Cacchione Cup as the top collegiate hunt seat rider.
She was inspired to run her first marathon after watching Des Linden win at Boston in miserably cold, wet conditions in 2018.
“It had always been in my head to run a marathon,” she said. “They run (the) Vermont City (Marathon) where I grew up and I had run it as part of a relay. I wanted to run the full distance, but I was never sure how to navigate the training in this lifestyle.
“I decided I’m going to figure out how to do it.”
She ran the 2018 Philadelphia Marathon and finished in 3:22:27, qualifying for the 2020 Boston Marathon. But Boston was postponed due to the pandemic and that June, Romond fell off a horse and landed hard on her feet, rupturing ACLs in both knees.
“I had to go to a few surgeons to find someone who would do them both at the same time,” she said.
She had surgery July 1 and didn’t run again until April 2021. At that point, Boston had been postponed again, to October of 2021.
“I cycled all that winter and I was a physical therapy beast,” she said. “So I wasn’t starting from nothing. I wasn’t sure how the running was going to go. My surgeon was not optimistic about how it was going to go in that timeframe or in general.”
Yet Romond made it to the start line in Hopkinton in October.
“I was emotional at the start because I got to that point,” she said. “When I knew I was going to make it, it was pure elation; that was at the top of Heartbreak Hill. That was a peak marathon experience.”
Now her marathon training is just part of her schedule.
“I’m on a horse between 5:30 and 6 in the morning, so it doesn’t work for me to do my runs at the end of the day after that kind of day,” she said. “Once I figured out just getting up early worked better, that’s been my routine. I go to bed really early.”
Last fall, Romond was the women’s winner of the Faxon New Haven Road Race half marathon in 1:19:05, her personal best half time. She enlisted a running coach over the winter and trained better and more efficiently and had a four-minute PR last Monday in Boston.
The horses and trainers at Heritage Farm returned from the Florida show circuit a few weeks ago and now everyone at the barn is preparing for the spring show season, which starts in a few weeks.
Romond said the running has helped her stamina and fitness when she’s riding, although if she’s run a longer training distance, sometimes her first horse of the day can be a little tough on the legs.
“The first horse needs to be not too cold, not too hot and definitely not spooky,” she said. “Once I get my legs under me, I’m good.”
And riding or running: Which does she like better?
“That’s not a fair question,” she said. “Riding is the sport when I’m doing it, I’m not thinking about anything else. You’re thinking about how you’re feeling with your horse so it’s clearing my mind.
“Running is my chance to be in my head. I spend a lot of time when I’m running thinking about horses.”
The always-controversial Jarell “Big Baby” Miller makes his return to the ring tonight to face rising Cuban hopeful Lenier Pero in a heavyweight main event on DAZN.
The show starts at 8 pm ET, as will Bad Left Hook’s live coverage, which is led tonight by Wil Esco.
Along with Miller vs Pero in the main event, the show will feature a 10-round showdown between Freudis Rojas and Damian Sosa at 154 lbs, plus more!
Join us tonight for fight-by-fight results and reactions in the post, and live discussions down in the comment section!
How to watch Jarrell Miller vs Lenier Pero
Date: Saturday, April 25, 2026
Start time: 8:00 pm ET
Main event ring walks: approx. 10:45 pm ET
Streaming: DAZN (subscription)
Location: Fontainebleau – Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
Miller vs Pero full card lineup
Main Event
Jarrell Miller vs Lenier Pero, heavyweights, 12 rounds
Undercard
Freudis Rojas vs Damian Sosa, super welterweights, 10 rounds
Alan Chaves vs Miguel Madueno, lightweights, 10 rounds
Angel Barrientes vs Luis Espinoza, super bantamweights, 8 rounds
Nishant Dev vs Juan Carlos Guerra Jr, super welterweights, 8 rounds
Phillip Vella vs Edwin Rodriguez, bantamweights, 6 rounds
Feb 28, 2023; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Denver Broncos general manager George Paton during the NFL combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
The Denver Broncos came away from the first two days of the 2026 NFL Draft with just a single draft pick. That being Texas A&M defensive tackle Tyler Onyedim with the 66th overall selection after trading out of the second round.
However, they still have seven draft picks for Day 3, with two of those coming at start in the fourth round. General Manager George Paton was asked about those seven picks and his focus point is how the middle round picks is how a team defines their draft and views those first two picks as defining of their 2026 draft class.
“We’re in a good position, especially with the two [fourth rounders]—we have the seventh pick in the fourth round and the eleventh, I believe, 4-07, 4-11,” Paton said last night. “So you start with that… We’ve gone through all these third days. We feel like we’re a week ahead, so we already know the scenarios we’re in for, starting with these first two. That kind of sets the tone. Sean and I, as we go through our discussions, these two fourth-round picks will define this draft. We should, if we’re doing our job, we should hit on the second, or now third-round pick. But really these, the middle picks, that really define your draft, especially since we’re picking in the fourth up high.”
I would agree. With Onyedim, they went with traits and development potential. A building to the future piece of the puzzle. But with these two picks out of the gate, they will likely be looking for early contributors in their rookie year. That could mean a running back and another position that can contribute early on — wide receiver and linebacker come to mind.
Either way, I am pleased with the start. The draft board didn’t go down like any of us thought it would, so they traded back and picked up an additional pick. You can’t be mad at that.
Mar 30, 2026; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson during the 2026 NFL Annual League Meeting at the Arizona Biltmore. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
2nd City Gridiron is our video home! So hit the link and help us grow that brand!
THE RULES
Windy City Gridiron Community Guidelines – SBNation.com– We strive to make our communities open and inclusive to sports fans of all backgrounds. The following are not permitted in comments. No personal attacks, politics, gender-based insults of any kind, racial insults, profanity, etc.
2nd City Gridiron Podcast Channel which includes Bears Banter hosted by Bill Zimmerman, Bear & Balanced from Jeff Berckes and Lester A. Wiltfong Jr., Bears Over Beers featuring Ryan Droste and Bryan Orenchuk, Making Monsters with Taylor Doll, The Mac & Read Show from Evan McLean and Ross Read, The Chicago Draft Room with Ari Temkin and Jacob Infante, and an occasional T Formation Conversation from Lester; Steven’s Streaming Twitch Channel from Steven Schweickert is another fun one.
CARSON, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 22: Luis Chavez speaks to the media ahead of the CONCACAF Final Nations League match against Panama at Dignity Health Sports Park on March 22, 2025 in Carson, California. (Photo by Omar Vega/Getty Images) | Getty Images
MLS
Hirving ‘Chucky’ Lozano – San Diego FC
Still no news about his future.
Hector Herrera – Houston Dynamo vs. Austin
Saturday April 25, 2026 – 5:30 PM PT/7:30 PM CT/8:30 PM ET – Apple TV
Eredivisie
Mateo Chavez – AZ Alkmaar vs. Twente
Sunday May 3, 2026 – 7:45 AM PT/9:45 AM CT/10:45 AM ET – ESPN
Stephano Carrillo – 2nd Division – FC Dordrecht vs. Willem ll
Friday April 24, 2026 – 11:00 AM PT/1:00 PM CT/2:00 PM ET – No broadcast available in the United States.
Premier League
Raul Jimenez – Fulham FC vs. Aston Villa
Saturday April 25, 2026 – 4:30 AM PT/6:30 AM CT/7:30 AM ET – Universo, USA Network, FuboTV, SlingTV
LaLiga
Alvaro Fidalgo – Real Betis vs. Real Madrid
Friday April 24, 2026 – 12:00 PM PT/2:00 PM CT/3:00 PM ET – ESPN, ESPN+, ESPN Deportes, FuboTV
Obed Vargas – Atlético de Madrid vs. Athletic Club
Saturday April 25, 2026 – 12:00 PM PT/2:00 PM CT/3:00 PM ET – ESPN, ESPN+, ESPN Deportes, FuboTV
Super League Greece 1
Orbelin Pineda – AEK Athens
No game this weekend.
Jorge Sanchez – PAOK vs. OFI
Saturday April 25, 2026 – 10:30 AM PT/12:30 PM CT/1:30 PM ET – ANT1 Satellite
Serie A
Johan Vasquez – Genoa vs. Como
Sunday April 26, 2026 – 6:00 AM PT/8:00 AM CT/9:00 AM ET – Paramount+
Santiago Gimenez – AC Milan vs. Juventus
Sunday April 26, 2026 – 11:45 AM PT/1:45 PM CT/2:45 PM ET – Paramount+
Russian Premier League
Luis Chavez – Dynamo Moscow vs. PFC Sochi
Sunday April 26, 2026 – 7:00 AM PT/9:00 AM CT/10:00 AM ET – No broadcast available in the United States.
Cesar Montes – Lokomotiv Moscow vs. Krylia Sovetov
Saturday APril 25, 2026 – 7:00 AM PT/9:00 AM CT/10:00 AM ET – No broadcast available in the United States.
Super Liga
Rodrigo Huescas – FC Copenhagen – Recovering from injury.
Cypriot First Division
Guillermo Ochoa – AEL Limassol vs. Anorthosis
Monday April 27, 2026 – 9:00 AM PT/11:00 AM CT/12:00 PM ET – No broadcast available in the United States.
Scottish Premiership
Julian Araujo – Celtic FC – Recovering from injury.
Aldahir Valenzuela – Dundee FC vs. Dundee United
Sunday April 26, 2026 – 6:00 AM PT/8:00 AM CT/9:00 AM ET – Paramount+
Saudi Pro League
Julian Quiñones – Al Qadsiah FC – No game this weekend.
Belgian Pro League
Cesar Huerta – Anderlecht – Recovering from injury.
Heriberto Jurado – Cercle Brugge vs. Dender
Friday April 24, 2026 – 11:45 AM PT/1:45 PM CT/2:45 PM ET – DAZN
Süper Lig
Edson Alvarez – Fenerbahçe – Recovering from injury.
With so many Mexicans playing abroad there may have been some news missed. If you feel that is the case, reach out and let us know. See you next week!
Mizzou baseball’s recent struggles continued Friday evening with a 5-0 loss against No. 24 Arkansas. The defeat clinches a third straight series loss in Southeastern Conference play and leaves the Tigers without an SEC win at home since their 12-11 victory over Auburn in May. 10 2024.
The Tigers will have one more chance to earn their first victory against Arkansas since Mar. 26, 2022, on Sunday at 2:00 P.M CT and avoid the sweep in this year’s edition of the Battle Line rivalry.
In that game, the Tigers accumulated 13 hits, including two RBI singles, an RBI double, and a solo homer from their lineup. The bats in the order on Friday weren’t able to provide this level of execution or production. Two hits, three walks, and five strikeouts were all that Missouri had to show for against Razorbacks starter Cole Gibler and reliever Steel Eaves.
‘We do meetings, and we talk about what the pitchers’ arsenal is and how they’re going to be pitched,” Jackson said. “Our guys are armed with a ton of information. But for whatever reason, there are times where we get into the box, and we have a bunch of anxiety, and we forget the things we’ve talked about, so just being mindful of that and telling them to execute when it comes to the offensive strategy.”
Mizzou and the Razorbacks couldn’t find anything to separate them for the opening three innings, as Gibler and Tigers starter Brady Kehlenbrink were both putting up zeros. No runners left on base, seven strikeouts, and no hits were surrendered by Kehlenbrink as he cruised through his opening three innings of work.
Well, except for Kaden Peer providing Tigers fans with some extravagance in the outfield. For the third time this season, Peer took away a home run from the opposing side. The robbery victim this time was Maikia Niu, who had connected on a 1-0 pitch to deep center field.
Despite getting into three-ball counts in the opening inning, Kehlenbrink struck out the side, and by the third, he began to attack the zone with more aggression, while maintaining the accuracy, mowing down three more Razorbacks by the way of the strikeout.
Arkansas broke the deadlock in the fourth inning in a big way. Cam Kozeal was second in the home run category on the Razorbacks coming into the series. He made his mark with a two-run shot off of Kehlenbrink that a jumping Pierre Seals couldn’t provide Tigers fans another SportsCenter Top 10 moment.
The rockiness of the outing began for Kehlenbrink in the sixth, after a pair of singles by the two-headed monster of the Razorbacks lineup, Kozeal and Ryder Helfrick. Eli Skidmore took the reins and immediately ran into trouble, surrendering an RBI double to Niu, who ended up getting his RBI anyhow.
After issuing a free pass to Nolan Souza, Zack Stewart extended the Arkansas lead to four on his shallow single into center field. After retiring the next batter, another walk by Skidmore led to his replacement. Left-handed reliever Isaiah Salas closed the inning, as Carter Rutenbar grounded out to short to conclude the productive three-run sixth for the Razorbacks.
Salas pitched through the eighth, and following an error at second base by Blaize Ward on a ground ball to open the inning, Nolan Souza found himself on base and took full advantage, stealing second immediately after. A groundout that moved Souza to third base, followed up by an RBI single from Reese Robinett.
QUIET NIGHT FOR MISSOURI OFFENSE
You might have just read through that debriefing and thought to yourself, “Where was the mention of the Tigers’ offense?” That offense, as described earlier, earned two hits, coming from outfielders Donovan Jordan and Pierre Seals, and left a total of four runners on base.
Cole Gibler earned his season-high in innings pitched against the Tigers, an offense that has proven itself to be explosive and timely at certain points in the season. It hasn’t shown those colors enough throughout the course of their latest nine-game losing streak, four of those occasions scoring three runs or less.
In Missouri’s 5-4 defeat to Arkansas on Thursday, there were brief moments from Jase Woita and Blaize Ward, a pair of homers that gave a spark from plate appearances. The candle was very much snuffed out in Friday’s at-bats for the Tigers.
“We’re allergic to offense and executing two-strike pitches,” Missouri coach Kerrick Jackson said. That’s ultimately what today’s game came down to…There’s a pride aspect of it where you can’t keep going up and doing the same things and expecting it to be different. Hitting is hard, and I think our guys are chasing hits and not quality at-bats.”
PITCHING STAFF FEELING EFFECTS OF PLATE STRUGGLES
As the outs continued to pile up, fellow MU baseball writer Amber Winkler and I looked through the previous games where the Missouri offense had faltered in a quality outing.
To her credit, Amber had found that in two of Mizzou’s four shutout losses, Brady Kehlenbrink has been on the mound. Now, following this defeat, it’s been five shutout losses, three Kehlenbrink outings.
The Tigers had also scored fewer than three runs in five of their outings, and each of these has now increased by one, respectively, following the 6-0 defeat on Friday. Jackson had this to say post-game on those pair of statistics.
“I think it’s tough for anybody,” Jackson said. “In one of those shutouts we lost 1-0, I think anytime you’re not scoring, and you’re going out and putting your team in a position to win, you want to be in a better position when it comes to that. So I’m sure there’s frustration on his part, but he’s no more frustrated than we are.”
UP NEXT
Missouri will look to avoid the sweep in the series finale at 2:00 P.M. Saturday. Claiming a victory in the Battle Line rivalry and breaking its recent losing streak is what the Tigers will be looking for to turn their fortunes.
A short clip of Max Verstappen standing on a Monaco balcony with Lily, his one-year-old daughter with his partner Kelly Piquet, has been doing the rounds on r/formula1 this week, and the comments section has done what comments sections always do when an F1 driver shows up holding a small child. It has skipped past the wholesome part and gone straight to building a fantasy grid for 2045.
The video itself is about as soft as Verstappen content gets. He is filmed from behind in a plain white t-shirt, no Red Bull logos anywhere on him, holding Lily in one arm and pointing down at the streets below.
The Ronettes’ “Be My Baby” plays over the top. A car, likely involved in the Grand Prix de Monaco Historique, drifts through frame somewhere down on what is, depending on the time of year, sometimes a public road or sector two of the Monaco Grand Prix circuit.
The text overlay reads: “Okay so he’ll wear red bull merch everywhere… except when he’s with his daughter.”
The OP captioned it with the line every F1 fan immediately heard in their head: “See that’s where you brake early and prioritise the fast exit.” Lily, for her part, is also pointing. Whether she is identifying the apex or a pigeon is unclear.
The Comments Have Already Built the 2045 Grid
The top reply, from user swannyhypno, lays out what we all hope happens: “Lily Verstappen Vs Leonard Alonso Vs Robin Raikkonen at Monaco in 20 years can’t wait.”
Another user added “Vs Fernando Alonso,” which got 244 upvotes because the joke writes itself. A third followed up with “Vs Hakkinen back from sabbatical.”
ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES – DECEMBER 06: Pole position qualifier Max Verstappen of the Netherlands and Oracle Red Bull Racing Second placed qualifier Lando Norris of Great Britain and McLaren and Third placed qualifier Oscar Piastri of Australia and McLaren during qualifying ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi at Yas Marina Circuit on December 06, 2025 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Rudy Carezzevoli/Getty Images) // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool // SI202512060492 // Usage for editorial use only //
The Schumacher fan in the room, Kaptainoff, added, “This is where you don’t push in order to charge the battery,” which is the kind of comment that only works if you have spent too much of your life laughing at the comments Verstappen has been making recently about the new regs.
User _Antipodes_ went with the bleaker comment: “Formula Nepo downloading.” Another user called it “The mufasa and simba kingdom meme irl,” which I much prefer. LeBron and Bronny got mentioned, inevitably, as did the prediction that Verstappen “ain’t retiring till his 40s.”
Then the thread changed, as Reddit threads do, into real estate. User carlos_castanos pointed out that the balcony in the clip appears to be in Mareterra, the new development built on reclaimed land in Monaco where a penthouse reportedly just sold for €450 million.
“Seems like Max has upgraded lol,” they wrote. Another user added: “Must suck so much for the apartments that had a nice open sea view but now look at this new apartment block instead.”
The most accurate comment in the entire thread, though, came from user FutBineApasat, who predicted Verstappen’s future Monaco GP routine: watching the race from the balcony. The reply underneath is probably more realistic: “Can’t watch from his sim you kidding me.”
Whatever Lily grows up to do, the internet has already decided she is racing Fernando Alonso. Given how Alonso’s career has gone so far, that may not actually be a joke.
Sep 30, 1988; Seoul, SOUTH KOREA; FILE PHOTO; (left to right) Igors Miglinieks, Valery Tikhonenko, Rimas Kurtinaitis, Arvydas Sabonis, Viktor Pankrashkin and Valdemaras Chomicius of the Soviet Union wave to the crowd after receiving their medals for winning the men's basketball tournament at the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games at Jamsil Gymnasium. Mandatory Credit: George Long-USA TODAY NETWORK
When the best big men in basketball history are discussed, people always say the same basic names: Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russell, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Hakeem Olajuwon, Shaquille O’Neal, Tim Duncan, David Robinson, and Bill Walton.
Arvydas Sabonis always gets overlooked.
There are valid reasons for that. First, a Lithuanian by birth, he grew up a Soviet citizen and was not allowed to move to the NBA during his prime, and chose to play overseas for a time after the USSR fell.
And don’t forget that he competed for the Soviet Union, and during those years, the Americans saw everyone in the USSR as Russian, and, therefore, suspect.
So he was a Russkie, as people might have called him then, and was mostly off the radar as a young player, and then suffered a series of injuries, including a torn Achilles, when that was much more devastating than it is today.
Nonetheless, when you look at this clip, and how easily he competed against the likes of David Robinson and Ralph Sampson, and what a shockingly well-rounded game he had, it’s difficult not to think of him as one of the all-time greats.
He was very nearly a 7-3 version of Larry Bird. In his prime, and with top-flight medical care, Sabonis could have competed against anyone on the list of greats above. He was a phenomenal talent.
Rounds 4 through 7 conclude the 2026 NFL Draft on Saturday. The New Orleans Saints have already added Arizona State wide receiver Jordyn Tyson with their first round choice, defensive tackle Christen Miller in the second round, and tight end Oscar Delp with their third round choice. Tyson and Miller fill glaring needs. Delp necessarily doesn't, but New Orleans clearly saw value here.
Entering Day 3, barring trades, the Saints have two picks in the fourth round (132 and 136 overall), two in the fifth (150 and 172), and one in the sixth round (190). New Orleans addressed needs at receiver and defensive tackle with their previous picks, but not holes at either edge rusher or cornerback. Now, they'll focus on value and depth with a surprising opportunity to still add a highly-rated corner. Here are the best remaining defensive players who the Saints could target.
Edge Rusher
LT Overton, Alabama
Dani Dennis-Sutton, Penn State
Mikail Kamara, Indiana
Many thought that the Saints would bolster edge rusher with their first round pick. Re-signing New Orleans great Cameron Jordan is certainly in play and most likely will happen. By ignoring better pass rushers for earlier picks, it seems apparent that the Saints are confident in a Jordan return.
Cornerback
Keionte Scott, Miami
Will Lee III, Texas A&M
Devon Marshall, NC State
Charles Demmings, Stephen F Austin
Keith Abney, Arizona State
Jermod McCoy, Tennessee
Malik Muhammad, Texas
New Orleans has young corners Kool-Aid McKinstry and Quincy Riley, but lost Alontae Taylor in free agency. Remember that the Saints got Riley in the fourth round last draft. Some of that same kind of value looks avaliable this year in Day 3 at this position. Scott and Lee were both projected to go as high as the second round. McCoy was a consensus first round choice if not for a devastating knee injury that has caused major red flags. Still, he's a low-risk/high-reward player as a Day 3 choice.
Defensive Tackle
Rene Konga, Louisville
Nick Barrett, South Carolina
Dontay Corleone, Cincinnati
Tim Keenan, Alabama
One glaring need from an improved New Orleans defense last season was the lack of a big-bodied run stuffer. That's why they targeted Miller in the second round. These other specific names are mentioned here for that same reason. All are wide bodies that don't fill up a stat sheet, but tie up blockers and clog inside rushing lanes while making a team much more physical in the trenches.
Linebacker
Kyle Louis, Pitt
Kaleb Elarms-Orr, TCU
Taurean York, Texas A&M
Drue Watts, Memphis
Bruce Boettcher, Oregon
New Orleans lost elite linebacker Demario Davis this offseason. They brought back Kaden Elliss in free agency, but it's a position that comes into the draft with some questions. There's some decent value here. Any of these potential selections could at least push Isaiah Stalbird or Jaylan Ford for a spot on the depth chart and also be a potential special teams contributor.
Safety
Zakee Wheatley, Penn State
Jalon Kilgore, South Carolina
DeShon Singleton, Nebraska
Michael Taafe, Texas
A third corner or someone to cover the slot was the primary need. However, Alontae Taylor was a versatile defender who filled multiple roles. Additionally, the Saints have also relied on their backup safeties to be crucial roles on special teams. Cornerback is the much more obvious need, but the Saints could instead target a safety that bolsters the physicality of the defense with an added coverage element.
The Premier League weekend includes seven matches from Friday to Monday - and you can keep tabs on all of the games across the BBC.
Nottingham Forest took a big step towards survival by kicking off the weekend with a 5-0 win at Sunderland.
Arsenal have the chance to regain top spot in the Premier League, while West Ham and Tottenham are battling to avoid relegation.
Throughout the season, you can watch highlights from every game on Match of the Day, listen to all the talking points on Football Focus and keep across all the goals as they go in on Final Score.
Listen wherever you are in the UK via BBC Radio 5 Live and the BBC Sounds app.
Live text commentary will also cover all of the weekend action, while digital highlights will be available on the BBC Sport website and app.
Who is playing?
Arsenal could lose their top spot in the Premier League to Manchester City this week [Getty Images]
Match of the Day will bring you all the goals and analysis from this week's Premier League games [BBC]
Match of the Day will bring you all the best of the action and talking points from the Premier League on BBC One on Saturday at 22:30 BST.
The BBC Sport website will feature highlights of every Premier League match during the 2025-26 season.
At weekends, these will be available on the BBC Sport app, website and iPlayer on Saturdays and Sundays - ordinarily from 20:00 BST.
If there is an evening match, highlights from all matches that day will be available 30 minutes after the final game of the day finishes.
Highlights of weeknight matches will be published at 22:30 BST.
You can join Alex Scott and guests every week on Football Focus (Saturday, 12:00 BST) for all the big talking points, reaction and interviews with players.
Don't miss any of the goals as they go in on Final Score - starting on BBC iPlayer and the BBC Red Button from 14:45 BST and BBC One at 16:30 BST on Saturdays.
How to listen on BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Sounds
[BBC Sport]
BBC Radio 5 Live is bringing you 209 live Premier League commentaries this season, meaning more live Premier League matches than anywhere else.
Every matchday this season, you can listen to selected live commentaries, plus updates from all matches, on BBC Sounds, the BBC Sport app and website, and via your smart speaker.
Sports Extra 2 and Sport Extra 3 are new radio streams available only on BBC Sounds, offering you the chance to discover and enjoy more live Premier League.
You can now listen to commentaries via your smart speaker, so if you're busy at home you don't need to miss a moment.
Just ask your smart speaker to 'play 5 Live' or 'play Sports Extra 3', for example.
Or if you want to find your Premier League team, you can also - for example - say 'ask BBC Sounds to play the Fulham match', or 'ask BBC Sounds to play Fulham v Aston Villa'. This is available on most smart speakers.
This article is the latest from BBC Sport's Ask Me Anything team.
Apr 23, 2026; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; The video board with the NFL Draft logo at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
The Cincinnati Bengals remained committed to overhauling their defense by taking Washington Huskies cornerback Tacario Davis in Round 3 with the 72nd overall pick in the 2026 NFL draft.
The Bengals were high on Howell throughout the whole process. They spent time with him at the combine and brought him in for a Top 30 visit that went pretty long.
Among the highly touted prospects still waiting for their phones to buzz and their names to be called in the 2026 NFL draft is Tennessee cornerback Jermod McCoy, who missed all of last season with a torn ACL.
Two days of the 2026 NFL draft down, one to go. I broke down what I liked (and didn’t like) in Round 1 on Thursday night, and now I’m doing the same for Rounds 2-3.
Lyon predicted XI v Auxerre: Roman Yaremchuk returns in Champions League chase
Olympique Lyonnais host relegation-threatened AJ Auxerre this afternoon at the Groupama Stadium. Lyon have a chance to maintain their grip on the podium with a win today following last weekend’s victory over Paris Saint-Germain.
Paulo Fonseca will go with a largely unchanged side from the team that won away at the Parc des Princes last Sunday. There will likely be no room for Ruben Kluivert in the defence, with Abner Vinícius expected to drop back into left back from his more experimental role in midfield.
With Kluivert likely to be on the bench, Fonseca should have room in his line-up for Olympiacos loanee Roman Yaremchuk to start in the no.9 role. Fonseca remains without Malick Fofana, Rémi Himbert, and Ernest Nuamah in his attack, with all three on the sidelines due to injury.
Tottenham Hotspur Starting XI vs Wolves: Confirmed Team News and Predicted Lineup
Tottenham Hotspur vs Wolves: Predicted XI and Latest Team News
Tottenham Hotspur head to Molineux with urgency building around Roberto De Zerbi’s side. Results have yet to follow performances, and with Wolves next on the fixture list, this Premier League clash carries real weight in the relegation battle.
Injury setbacks hit Spurs squad
Tottenham Hotspur have been dealt another blow with Destiny Udogie ruled out after picking up a fresh muscle issue. The Italian full back had only recently returned from a hamstring problem, adding to a frustrating campaign disrupted by injuries.
“Destiny has a problem, I think he can’t play tomorrow,” De Zerbi confirmed.
“I’m sorry because he played a great first half, the second half as well, but the first one was great.
“But we have Spence, Souza is available to come with us, it’s not a big problem. I hope Destiny can be available next week in Villa Park.”
Djed Spence is expected to step in, offering energy down the flank, though the defensive reshuffle adds another layer of uncertainty for Spurs.
Goalkeeper concerns remain, with Guglielmo Vicario still unavailable. De Zerbi provided a brief update, stating:
“No, Vicario is not available for tomorrow.
“I hope I can work with him from Monday.”
Photo: IMAGO
Midfield selection taking shape
In midfield, Tottenham Hotspur are beginning to see some stability. Rodrigo Bentancur is likely to retain his place after an encouraging return, bringing composure and forward drive. Yves Bissouma should partner him, forming a double pivot tasked with controlling tempo against Wolves.
James Maddison’s situation is more delicate. After a long spell out with an ACL injury, he returned to the matchday squad last week but will not feature here.
“No, he’s not available yet, especially this week, he felt pain, but it’s not such an important problem.
“Tomorrow he’ll come with us on the bench because it’s important if he plays or not. It doesn’t matter, it’s better if he plays for sure, but also as a guy, as a leader, as a positive guy.
“Inside my dressing room I want to see nice people, positive people, and it’s important also for his team-mates.”
Pape Matar Sarr also remains sidelined, leaving De Zerbi with limited options in the centre of the park.
Attacking setup and Predicted XI
Further forward, Tottenham Hotspur will look to spark creativity through Xavi Simons and Conor Gallagher, while Randal Kolo Muani offers movement and directness from wide areas. Dominic Solanke is set to lead the line, tasked with converting possession into goals.
With Wolves organised and dangerous on the counter, Spurs must find efficiency in the final third.
Predicted XI, 4-2-3-1:Kinsky, Porro, Danso, Van de Ven, Spence, Bissouma, Bentancur, Kolo Muani, Gallagher, Simons, Solanke
Pressure building at Molineux clash
Tottenham Hotspur’s position in the table leaves little margin for error. Without a league win since late December, the trip to Wolves represents another opportunity that cannot be wasted.
De Zerbi has spoken about belief and momentum, but results remain the currency that matters. Against a Wolves side comfortable at Molineux, Spurs need a complete performance, one that balances defensive discipline with attacking clarity.
Three points would not solve everything, but it would shift the narrative, and for Tottenham Hotspur, that shift is overdue.
Apr. 25—COLUMBIA — Ethan Lizama hit a first inning grand slam and Dawson Harman hit a pair of home runs as South Carolina defeated Kentucky 10-9 in a thriller at Founders Park.
After allowing a run in the first, USC (21-22, 6-13 SEC) responded with a five-spot in the bottom of the first, capped by Lizama's slam after hits from Will Craddock, Tyler Bak and Talmadge LeCroy. Kentucky came right back and scored four in the second to tie the game.
Carolina took the lead for good in the bottom of the third on KJ Scobey's eighth home run of the season. Harman then went yard, making it 8-6 in the fifth. Harman's second home run of the night in the seventh and LeCroy's RBI double in the eighth gave the Gamecocks insurance that they needed.
Kentucky (26-14, 8-11) opened the ninth with a pair of walks, an RBI double and a hit by pitch. Parker Marlatt came in and induced a pop out. An RBI fielder's choice made it 10-9 Gamecocks. After an error, Marlatt got Tyler Bell to fly out to end the game.
Bak, LeCroy and Harman had two hits apiece while Lizama drove in four.
Cooper Parks earned the win on the mound, striking out three and allowing just one hit in 32/3 innings. Marlatt picked up his first save with the hitless ninth.
The Citadel 2, UNC Greensboro 1
Headlined by a combined 14-strikeout performance by starter Will Holmes and closer Michael Gibson, The Citadel (20-21, 5-8 SoCon) staved off visiting UNCG (15-27, 2-11 SoCon) in the opening contest of a three-game weekend series, topping the Spartans in a pitcher's duel behind a final 2-1 decision Friday evening at Riley Park.
Gibson, who also served as the designated hitter, notched two hits for the Bulldogs (20-21, 5-8 Southern Conference), including a double, and scored the go-ahead run in the second frame. Christian Stratis contributed a infield knock and crossed home plate as well. Lane Tobin logged the lone RBI for The Citadel, bringing in Stratis on a sacrifice fly with the bases loaded.
On the mound, Holmes (3-4) tossed 62/3 innings en route to the victory, punching out nine while surrendering two hits, one run and three walks. Gibson took over for the final 21/3 innings, securing his fifth save of the season while allowing three hits with one walk and setting down five Spartans on strikes.
Noah Chapman (2-6) pitched a complete eight innings for the Spartans, giving up two earned runs on three hits with one walk while striking out nine as well.
Charleston Southern 12, UNC Asheville 2
ASHEVILLE, N.C. — Titus Von Kapff held UNC Asheville in check and was backed by a 12-hit attack as Charleston Southern cruised to a 12-2 win.
Charleston Southern jumped out to an early 5-0 lead.
In the second and the fourth, UNC Asheville was able to scrap their runs across on an RBI single and a wild pitch. This brought their deficit down to 5-2
After this, the Buccaneers (23-17, 8-8 Big South) went on to tally the final seven runs. Collins had an RBI triple, Wright had an RBI groundout and Alex Marot had an RBI double in the sixth. In the seventh, Blake Edgmon had an RBI double of his own. In the eighth, Marot had an RBI off a fielder's choice while Nathan Martinez collected one on an RBI single. The scoring was capped off with Edgmon getting a solo home run to left center to push their advantage to double digits.
Caden Wolfley finished 3 for 6 for the Bucs, while Collins, Edgmon and Garrison Barile had two hits each. Edgmon and Marot had two RBIs apiece.
Von Kapff (5-4) tossed 72/3 innings, allowing a pair of runs to go with four hits and four walks.
Louisville 13, Clemson 10
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Louisville took advantage of five Clemson errors to score four unearned runs and pull out a 13-10 victory.
Nate Savoie, Luke Gaffney and Talan Bell homered for the Tigers (26-17, 6-13), with Gaffney finishing 3 for 3 with two walks and two RBIs. Jack Crighton was 2 for 5 with a double and two RBIs, while Savoie and Bell each finished with two hits.
Clemson starter Aiden Knaak (2-5) went four innings, allowing five runs — only two earned — on seven hits and two walks while striking out four.
Campbell 16, College of Charleston 1 (7)
MOUNT PLEASANT — College of Charleston was routed 16-1 by Campbell in seven innings at Patriots Point.
Campbell (27-14, 18-4 CAA) led 4-0 before breaking the game open with four runs in the fifth.
Sophomore Alex LaCoste singled to center in the home half of the sixth to get the Cougars (20-21, 10-9) on the board while extending his hitting streak to 11 games.
On the eve of AC Milan v Juventus, a top‑level clash and the final fixture of our April, Coach Allegri will speak at a press conference from Milanello. His words will be broadcast LIVE on the AC Milan Official App and Milan TV.
Match kits, clothing, accessories, gift ideas and much more: visit AC Milan online Store!
Dunker is the second Hawkeye to be selected during Friday's Day 2 festivities along the banks of the Allegheny River in Pittsburgh, Penn., with the Chicago Bears picking center Logan Jones in the second round at No. 57 overall. Interestingly, Dunker is now the fourth Hawkeye to be chosen by the Steelers in the past three NFL Drafts.
With the rugged and foundational 6-foot-5, 319-pounder remaining in the Black and Gold color scheme in the Steel City, here are some of the best social media reactions from both Steelers and Hawkeyes fans to Dunker's draft selection:
At 6’5”, 315 pounds of pure Iowa corn-fed chaos, this offensive tackle doesn’t just block defenders — he distracts them with a mullet so glorious it has its own zip code and a mustache that even Tom Sellick would bow down to.
The @steelers just got a lot NASTIER inside with Gennings Dunker out of Iowa. 6’5” 319lbs of raw power and nasty disposition. His 38 starts comes with leadership and a lineman who can help this offense dictate the flow of the game for the next decade.#NFLDraft#RG3#OuttaPocket… pic.twitter.com/LNxl9xT7OW
Contact/Follow us @HawkeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Iowa news, notes, and opinions.Follow Scout on X: @SpringgateNews
Given the unrelenting pleas from fans and local media to add another ferocious weapon to aid Hutchinson on the Lions' outside defensive pressure, Detroit's selection of Moore immediately addresses that need and injects a bit of local flair with now two Wolverines coming off the edge on every snap.
"LFG!! Another Mich Man in the building.. love the pick," Hutchinson tweeted following the Lions trading up to select Moore.
LFG!! Another Mich Man in the building.. love the pick
In Moore's four seasons in Ann Arbor, the 6-foot-3, 280-pounder recorded 95 tackles (62 solo, 33 assisted), 24.5 tackles for loss, 21 sacks, eight passes defended, three forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, and one fumble recovery returned for a touchdown across 53 games played.
With the Lions obtaining two of their most important needs in the first two days of the 2026 NFL Draft, Detroit will look to head back to the Motor City with another tremendous haul of talent, with the final four rounds occurring on Saturday morning.
The Oklahoma City Thunder lead the 2026 NBA Playoff series against the Phoenix Suns 2-0, with Game 3 scheduled for Saturday, here's how to watch. (Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images)
IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect / Reuters
The Oklahoma City Thunder are looking for their second consecutive NBA title this year, and they're on their way, having won their first two playoff games against the Phoenix Suns. The teams will meet for Game 3 of the series this Saturday at Phoenix's Mortgage Matchup Center, tipoff is at 3:30 p.m. ET, and you can tune in on NBC and Peacock. To see how all the teams in the league stack up, you can take an in-depth look at the playoff bracket for every NBA team right here.
Here's everything you need to know so you won't miss Saturday's game, and check out the schedule for the rest of the Thunder vs. Suns playoff series below.
Game 3 between the Thunder and the Suns tips off at 3:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, April 25.
Thunder vs. Suns Game 3 game channel:
The next NBA playoff game of the Thunder vs. Suns series will be broadcast nationally on NBC.
How to watch the Thunder vs. Suns Game 3 without cable:
Saturday's Thunder vs. Suns game will stream live on Peacock. You can also tune in to NBC on platforms like DirecTV, YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV and more.
More ways to watch the NBA playoffs:
Thunder vs. Suns playoff schedule:
Game 3: April 25 Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Phoenix Suns: 3:30 p.m. ET (Peacock, NBC)
Game 4: April 27 Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Phoenix Suns: 9:30 p.m. ET (Peacock)
Game 5: April 29 Phoenix Suns vs. Oklahoma City Thunder, TBD*
Game 6: May 1 Phoenix Suns vs. Oklahoma City Thunder, TBD*
Game 7: May 3 Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Phoenix Suns, TBD"
*if necessary
Remaining NBA playoffs key dates:
May 4: Conference Semifinals begin (can move up to May 2 or 3)
May 19: Eastern Conference Finals begin on ESPN/ABC (can move up to May 17)
May 20: Western Conference Finals begin on NBC/Peacock (can move up to May 18)
June 3: NBA Finals 2026 – Game 1 on ABC, 8:30 p.m. ET
June 5: NBA Finals 2026 – Game 2 on ABC, 8:30 p.m. ET
June 8: NBA Finals 2026 – Game 3 on ABC, 8:30 p.m. ET
June 10: NBA Finals 2026 – Game 4 on ABC, 8:30 p.m. ET
June 13: NBA Finals 2026 – Game 5 on ABC, 8:30 p.m. ET (if necessary)
June 16: NBA Finals 2026 – Game 6 on ABC, 8:30 p.m. ET (if necessary)
June 19: NBA Finals 2026 – Game 7 on ABC, 8:30 p.m. ET (if necessary)
Delhi Capitals (DC) take on table-toppers Punjab Kings (PBKS) on 25 April 2026 today at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. The afternoon clash, scheduled for 3:30 PM IST, is crucial for DC as they look to bounce back from a heavy defeat, while PBKS aim to extend their unbeaten run in IPL 2026.
Delhi Capitals return home under pressure as they face an unbeaten Punjab Kings. After a strong start, DC have lost three of their last four matches and slipped to sixth place, struggling with batting inconsistency, despite improved form from KL Rahul. Their bowling has been led well by Lungi Ngidi, but spin concerns persist with Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel yet to deliver consistently.
In contrast, PBKS sit comfortably at the top with 11 points, excelling in both batting and bowling. With Arshdeep Singh back in form, they look like a well-balanced side and enter the match as clear favourites, while DC must produce a near-perfect performance to revive their campaign.
DC vs PBKS: Head-to-Head
Matches played: 34
Delhi Capitals won: 17
Punjab Kings won: 17
DC vs PBKS Today IPL Match: Pitch Report
The pitch at the Arun Jaitley Stadium for today's DC vs PBKS match is expected to be a batting-friendly surface. Historically known for assisting spinners, the ground has recently transformed into a high-scoring venue with a flat, firm wicket that rewards stroke-makers. As this is a 3:30 PM IST start, the intense Delhi heat (peaking at 44°C) will dry out the moisture. This is expected to slow the pitch down in the second innings, offering more grip and turn for spinners like Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal.
DC vs PBKS IPL Match: Delhi Weather Update
The weather in Delhi for today's DC vs PBKS match is dominated by an intense heatwave, making it one of the hottest matchdays of the season. Temperatures are expected to peak at 44°C during the first innings. This will be physically grueling for the fielding side. Since this is a day-night game ending early, dew will not be a factor. The pitch is likely to stay dry and potentially offer more turn for spinners in the second innings.
Punjab Kings (Playing XI): Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh (wk), Cooper Connolly, Shreyas Iyer (c), Marcus Stoinis, Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh, Marco Jansen, Xavier Bartlett, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal
Impact Player: Vijaykumar Vyshak
DC vs PBKS: Live Streaming details
The DC vs PBKS clash will be held at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi with the match set to begin at 3:30 PM IST. The game will be broadcast on the Star Sports Network, while live streaming will be available on JioHotstar.
GLENDALE, ARIZONA - JANUARY 08: De'zhaun Stribling #1 of the Ole Miss Rebels makes a catch defended by Xavier Lucas #6 of the Miami Hurricanes in the third quarter during the 2025 College Football Playoff Semifinal at the VRBO Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium on January 08, 2026 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images) | Getty Images
49ers take Ole Miss WR De’Zhaun Stribling with No. 33 pick in 2026 NFL Draft (paywall) “Ted Nguyen’s analysis: De’Zhaun Stribling is a perfect fit for Kyle Shanahan. There were rumors the 49ers wanted to keep trading down, and now, we see why. Stribling is a bit of a reach, but it’s clear to see what the 49ers are envisioning with him. He’s an excellent run blocker and averaged more yards after the catch (7.3) than Omar Cooper Jr. He can be a supercharged version of Jauan Jennings who can win deep with physicality.
Matt Barrows: The 49ers had a distinct lack of yards after the catch in 2025, finishing 28th in the league in that category. That’s Stribling’s specialty. He averaged 7.3 YAC per reception last season, one of the best marks in the nation. Stribling’s 40-yard dash time obviously caught the team’s eye. More than that, however, is his ability to maintain that speed after the catch, an asset in a 49ers passing attack that is heavy on crossing patterns and throws across the middle.”
New 49ers WR De’Zhaun Stribling discusses being drafted “”Yeah, I haven’t really had a favorite NFL team, growing up in Hawaii, but I’ve always liked watching [Los Angeles Rams WR] Puka Nacua’s game. I’m a big fan of him and also loved watching [Pittsburgh Steelers WR] DK [Metcalf] growing up. So, very excited to be in the league now and compete with all these guys and also learn from them.”
Why the 49ers drafted a running back in the 3rd round again “Christian McCaffrey led the NFL in touches in 2023 and 2025. He turns 30 in June. There’s no way you should be surprised by Kyle Shanahan taking a running back. It’s Year 10. This is what he does.
Black finished fourth in this class in Boom percentage (passing or rushing plays that result in an EPA of +1) and positive percentage (plays that result in positive EPA). It was painfully obvious that Shanahan did not trust Brian Robinson Jr. last year because he left a ton of meat on the bone as a runner. Those numbers tell us Black won’t have those same issues.”
5 things to know about 49ers third-round pick Romello Height “It’s crazy,” Height told reporters after he was drafted. “I had a dream about it. I had a dream about it. It wasn’t actually the Niners, but it was the Niners’ colors. And man, look at God.”
Even if he hadn’t seen it in his dreams, the interest the 49ers had in Height thinking he could receive a call from general manager John Lynch on draft day.
“It’s not a surprise,” Height said. “I kind of felt it. I’ve just been having that feeling all week that it was going to be the 49ers. I was telling my agent the whole time that it was either going to either be the Colts or Niners. Thank God it was the Niners.”
49ers draft RB Kaelon Black in Round 3, a familiar move from Kyle Shanahan “Nick Baumgardner grades the pick: Not a big fan of this. Black was a very effective one-cut back for Cignetti’s Indiana offense, but he was a system player. He’s almost 25, he’s small, and there were better running back options on the board for me, including Mike Washington and Emmett Johnson. Even Navy gadget back Eli Heidenreich intrigues me more than Black.
Grade: C+
Matt Barrows: Black is the kind of one-cut runner the 49ers have looked for in the past, and he excelled at the longer runs that were missing from San Francisco’s offense last season. More than half of his rushing yards last season came after contact. Like fellow third-round pick Romello Height, Black will be 25 during the coming season. He is more than two years older than Jordan James, whom the 49ers took in the fifth round last year.”
John Lynch, Kyle Shanahan review 49ers’ Day 2 draft picks; Romello Height, Kaelon Black address reporters “Well, I think we’re getting a guy who loves the game. We did have a nice visit. He met with, these poor guys, they’re asked who they met with. They meet with a lot of people. When we bring them in, we take them over to TopGolf. And Romello actually came before the TopGolf thing because he had a schedule conflict, but Romello, we had a tremendous visit. He met with K.J., he met with [defensive line coach Kris] Kocurek, he met with a lot of people, met with Kyle and I, and handled himself really well.”
5 things to know about 49ers third-round pick RB Kaelon Black Black had a visit scheduled with the Cincinnati Bengals, but he wound up getting stuck at the airport in Chicago due to weather. Black slept at the airport, then he rode all the way to Cincinnati early the next morning to make his scheduled meeting.
“I was coming from Vegas on a visit and got stuck in Chicago because a lot of rain,” Black said. “I think Cincinnati was around a five-hour drive away, and the next available flight wasn’t until 1 pm the next day. So I pretty much would have missed the visit. So they were like, ‘Yeah, we’re just going to get you guys an Uber.’ We got in the uber and took the ride, and by this time it was probably like 9, 10 am when we found out we got to Cincinnati. So we were in the airport for a long time, but it’s just a testament to character — just doing whatever, going through whatever to make things happen. And I feel like that’s a character trait I carry in my life as well.”
A few hours ago, a rumor started circulating about Insomniac Games canceling the leaked Venom standalone game. The rumor originated from a fairly credible source: Nadji Jeter, the voice actor of Miles Morales in the Spider-Man games, claimed as much in an interview with YouTube channel Love it Film. Let me give y'all an exclusive. We were going to have a Venom game. Yeah, we were going to have a Venom game and a Venom DLC, but we lost Tony Todd. They showed me how it was going to start. They showed me how everything was going to be. It […]
TSMC's key supplier has stated that no technology was leaked to China, but it also filed a lawsuit against its former General Manager. TSMC Supplier Denies That Key Technology Was Leaked To China, But Files A Lawsuit Against Its Former General Manager GPTC (Grand Process Technology Corporation), which is a key supplier for TSMC's Advanced Packaging solutions such as CoWoS, has denied recent reports that key TSMC technology was leaked to China. In a recent press release, the company confirmed that no technology leaks were observed after recent rumors emerged. However, at the same time, the company has filed a […]
Scaylr lets you generate mockups by applying images to PSD templates at scale. Upload PSD templates, drop in PNG, JPG, or WEBP designs, and use auto-assign or drag-and-drop to fill template slots. Create multiple input columns to compare variations side by side and produce one output per template for each combination. You can reorder files, manage multi-slot templates, and speed up production of marketing and handoff assets with consistent, repeatable results.
Italy is trialling a humanoid robot as a museum guide at historic sites in Turin and Genoa, with early visitor feedback showing strong approval for the technology. The robot, known as R1, moves on wheels […]
Çelebi Aviation has announced its entry into the Kenyan market, marking a key milestone in its expansion across Africa and reinforcing its focus on high-potential regions. With more than 65 years of experience in ground […]
Global travel has fully rebounded, and with it, the modern traveller’s awareness of air quality has sharpened considerably. Destinations like Delhi, Bangkok, Jakarta, Hanoi, and Beijing remain among the most visited cities in Asia while […]
Malaysia Airlines and cricket team Mumbai Indians have unveiled a one-of-a-kind aircraft livery, bringing together the iconic blue and gold of one of cricket’s most celebrated franchises to the skies with the blues of Malaysia Airlines. […]
Russia Joins Turkey, China, India, South Korea, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and More Countries in Boosting Uzbekistan’s Inbound Tourism, Achieving an Impressive...
Moore’s Law is Dead has revealed Nvidia plans to show off its N1X laptop CPU at Computex this year. However, one might have to wait a while before they can buy a laptop powered by the chip.
Garmin smartwatches are getting a new feature that could help recover devices that have become unusable due to software issues. It offers several recovery options directly on the watch. Based on our own experience with failed reset attempts, this addition looks particularly valuable.
could be set for a world title shot against , but there is one reigning world champion who claims that the Briton recently pulled out of a shot at his belt, despite ‘the whole deal being set up’. Benn made his Zuffa Boxing debut earlier this month, outpointing Regis Prograis in a 150lb catchweight bout […]
David Price suspects one fighter has regressed more than the other as and inch closer towards their long-awaited showdown. While an official announcement is yet to emerge, the pair are nonetheless expected to lock horns in November, as per the terms of Joshua’s proposed two-fight contract. This deal was offered by Turki Alalshikh ahead of […]
Beşiktaş'ın devre arasında kadrosuna kattığı Güney Koreli forvet Hyeon-gyu Oh, Siyah-Beyazlı formayla 12 karşılaşmaya çıktı. İnanılmaz bir skor katkısı yaptı.
Beşiktaş, ara transfer döneminde Genk Kulübü'ne 14 milyon euro ödeyerek Hyeon-gyu Oh'u kadrosuna kattı. Güney Koreli forvetle 30 Haziran 2029 tarihine kadar mukavele yapıldı. 1.87 boyundaki futbolcu hakkında bazı tartışmalar bulunsa da, skor tabelaları farklı bir hikaye anlatıyor.
İŞTE O TABLO
25 yaşındaki futbolcunun şu ana kadarki Beşiktaş kariyeri şöyle:
Süper Lig: 10 maç, 6 gol-2 asist
Türkiye Kupası: 2 maç, 2 gol-1 asist
Yani yıldız isim, 12 karşılaşmada toplam 11 skor katkısı sağladı (Gol+asist). İstatistiksel olarak harika bir grafik çizdi.
BİR FORVET DAHA
Beşiktaş Yönetimi, 2026 yazında bir forvet transferi daha yapacak. Çünkü önümüzdeki sezonun sadece Hyeon-gyu Oh'la tamamlanması pek mümkün değil! Ayrıca Teknik Direktör Sergen Yalçın, zaman zaman çift forvete de dönmeyi düşünüyor. Bu yüzden yıldız bir santrfor takviyesi son derece önemli...
Bayern Münih sezon başında Joao Palhinha'yı satın alma opsiyonuyla birlikte Tottenham'a kiralamıştı. İngiliz ekibi küme düşerse, Portekizli futbolcu Bayern'e dönecek. Sonrasında hem Galatasaray hem de Beşiktaş'ın teklif sunması bekleniyor.
Bayern Münih, 2024 yazında Fulham'a 51 milyon euro ödeyerek Joao Palhinha'yı kadrosuna katmıştı. Portekizli ön liberoyla 30 Haziran 2028'e kadar mukavele yapıldı. Ancak hem sakatlıklar hem de performans sebebiyle oyuncu gözden düştü. Bu sezon başında da satın alma opsiyonuyla birlikte Tottenham'a kiralandı.
KALMASINI İSTİYORLAR
İngiliz ekibi, bonuslar dahil 30 milyon euroyu bulan opsiyonu kullanmayı düşünüyor. Ancak 30 yaşındaki futbolcu, sezonun tamamlanmasını bekliyor. Çünkü Tottenham, kabus gibi bir sezon geçiriyor. Ve Championship'e düşmeleri halinde Joao Palhinha takımda kalmayı kesinlikle düşünmüyor.
DAHA DA DÜŞECEK
Beşiktaş ve Galatasaray da oyuncunun durumunu takip ediyor. Tottenham düşerse, iki İstanbul ekibinin resmi teklif sunacağı öğrenildi. Bayern Münih'in, Tottenham'dan beklediği bonservis bedeli 30 milyon euroydu. Ancak rakamın 2026 yazında daha da düşmesi bekleniyor.
Beşiktaş'ın önümüzdeki sezon kanat rotasyonu için düşündüğü isimlerden biri; Başakşehir forması giyen Yusuf Sarı... 27 yaşındaki futbolcunun sosyal medyadaki bir hareketi ise bu ihtimali hayli yükseltti.
Beşiktaş, 2026 yazında hem sağ hem de sol kanat bölgelerini güçlendirecek. Listede ağırlıklı olarak yabancı isimler bulunuyor. Ancak yerli havuzunun da mutlak şekilde genişletilmesi gerek... Kartal'ın bu sebeple Başakşehir forması giyen Yusuf Sarı'yla ilgilendiği konuşuluyordu.
ORKUN KÖKÇÜ'YE MESAJ
27 yaşındaki sağ kanat oyuncusunun sosyal medyada yaptığı bir hareket ise iddiaların seviyesini farklı bir boyuta çıkardı. Yusuf, Beşiktaş'ın yıldızı Orkun Kökçü'nün paylaşımına kalp ve alev emojisi attı. Doğal olarak gözlerde transfere çevrildi. Yusuf'un, Başakşehir'le 30 Haziran 2028 tarihine kadar mukavelesi var.
1.68 boyundaki kanat oyuncusu bu sezon Süper Lig'de 19 karşılaşmaya çıktı. Sahada 1.303 dakika kaldı. 7 asist üretti. Beşiktaş, bu transferi uygun bir bedelle tamamlamayı umuyor. Yusuf, kanattaki ilk tercih olmayacak. Ancak rotasyondaki Türk oyuncuların varlığı, takımlar açısından çok önemli...
Bir dönem kiralık olarak Fenerbahçe forması giyen Allan Saint-Maximin'in, Trabzonspor'un gündemine geldiği öğrenildi. Fransız sol kanat, sezon sonunda boşa çıkacak.
Fenerbahçe, 2024 yazında Al-Ahli'den 8 milyon euro karşılığında Allan Saint-Maximin'i kiralamıştı. Fransız kanat oyuncusunun, Sarı-Lacivertli forma altındaki performansı hep tartışıldı. Sezon sonunda ise Suudi Arabistan ekibine döndü. Orada da fazla kalmadı. 2025 yazında 10.3 milyon euro bedelle, Meksika ekibi CF America'ya satıldı.
IRKÇILIK OLAYLARI
Orada ise farklı sıkıntılar yaşandı. 29 yaşındaki futbolcu, kendisinin ve çocuklarının ırkçı saldırılara maruz kaldığını belirterek devre arasında ayrıldı. Bedelsiz olarak Fransız ekibi Lens'e gitti. Fransız ekibiyle mukavelesi ise bu sezonun ardından tamamlanacak.
GÖRÜŞMELER YAPILACAK
1.73 boyundaki sol kanat, Ligue 1'de 8 karşılaşmaya çıktı. Sahada sadece 284 dakika kalmasına rağmen 2 gol ve 3 asist üretti. Trabzonspor'un, 29 yaşındaki oyuncuyla ilgilenmeye başladığı öğrenildi. Futbolcunun menajeriyle kısa süre içinde görüşmeler yapılacak. Eğer imzalar atılırsa, Allan Saint-Maximin, Fenerbahçe sonrasında Trabzonspor'la Süper Lig'e dönüş yapacak.
Osimhen'in kolundaki koruyucu materyalle ilgili Fenerbahçe'nin itirazı olmuştu. Derbinin hakemi Yasin Kol, derbi öncesinde bu aparatın tehlikeli olduğuna karar verirse, Nijeryalı yıldıza oynama izni vermeyebilir. Ancak bu ihtimale karşı da bir plan var...
Liverpool deplasmanında kolunda kırık oluşan Victor Osimhen, takım arkadaşlarını uzun süre yalnız bırakmıştı. Nijeryalı süper yıldız, koruyucu aparatla Gençlerbirliği karşılaşmasında şans buldu. Yarınki Fenerbahçe derbisine de ilk 11'de çıkması bekleniyor... Ancak ortada bir tartışma konusu var...
ORTALIK KARIŞACAK
Fenerbahçe, 27 yaşındaki santrforun kolundaki aparatın futbolcu sağlığını tehdit ettiği gerekçesiyle itirazda bulunmuştu. Konuyla ilgili son kararı, karşılaşmanın hakemi Yasin Kol verecek. Kol, eğer Osimhen'in koruyucu materyalle oynayamayacağına karar verirse ortalık karışacak.
KORUMAYI ÇIKARIN!
Bu durumda Osimhen'in, kolundaki ateli çıkaracağı öğrenildi. Nijeryalı, her durumda derbide oynamak istiyor. Koruyucu materyalin kullanılmadığı durumda yıldız ismin kolu, yumuşak bir pedle sarılacak. Yani 27 yaşındaki futbolcu bütün riskleri alacak. Her şey, mücadele öncesinde Yasin Kol'un vereceği karara bağlı olacak.
Galatasaray ve Fenerbahçe yarın Ali Sami Yen'de karşı karşıya gelecek. Peki derbi öncesinde iki takımın yıldız stoperlerinin karşılıklı istatistikleri nasıl?
Yarın tüm Türkiye'nin gözü Galatasaray-Fenerbahçe derbisinde olacak. Sarı-Kırmızılı ekibin Kolombiyalı savunmacısı Davinson Sanchez ve Kanarya'nın Slovakyalı stoperi Milan Skriniar'ın performansları da merakla bekleniyor. Bu ikili, takımlarının defansif kurgusunda hayati bir rol oynuyor.
İŞTE RAKAMLAR
İki yıldız stoperin şu ana kadarki Süper Lig performansları şöyle gerçekleşti (90 dakika başına ortalama):
Top Kazanma: 12.05 Sanchez/11.26 Skriniar
Araya Girme: 4.85 Sanchez/3.77 Skriniar
Uzaklaştırma: 2.74 Sanchez/2.32 Skriniar
Şut Engelleme: 0.76 Sanchez/0.6 Skriniar
İsabetli Uzun Pas: 1.77 (%38) Sanchez/1.92 (%55) Skriniar
Kazanılan Hava Topu: 1.77 (%57) Sanchez/2.52 (%58) Skriniar
Yerde Kazanılan İkili Mücadele: 4.68 (%59) Sanchez/3.65 (%65) Skriniar
ÇOK SIKINTI ÇEKİLDİ
Milan Skriniar'ın sakatlığı sebebiyle forma giymediği dönemde Fenerbahçe ciddi sıkıntılar yaşamıştı. Tecrübeli savunmacı, maçlara çıkabilmek için idmanlarda adeta korumaya alındı. Davinson Sanchez ise Galatasaray'daki istikrarlı çizgisini sürdürüyor. 29 yaşındaki yıldız, Abdülkerim'le birlikte savunmanın göbeğinde iyi bir iş çıkarıyor.
Herkesin gözü yarın oynanacak Galatasaray-Fenerbahçe derbisinde... Peki iki ezeli rakip bu haftaya kadar Süper Lig'de nasıl bir performans sergiledi? İşte yanıtı...
Süper Lig'de geride kalan 30 haftada Galatasaray 71 puan topladı. İkinci sıradaki Fenerbahçe'nin ise 67 puanı var. Ezeli rakipler yarın Ali Sami Yen'de karşılaşacak. Sarı-Kırmızılılar kazanırsa, aradaki fark 7'ye çıkacak. Sarı-Lacivertliler 3 puana ulaşırsa, mesafe 1'e düşecek. Kağıt üzerinde beraberlik de Galatasaray açısından çok kötü durmuyor.
İŞTE O TABLO
Aslan ve Kanarya'nın bu sezonki Süper Lig performansları şöyle gerçekleşti (Ortalama):
Attığı Gol ve Gol Beklentisi: 2.3 (2.07) Galatasaray/2.27 (1.98) Fenerbahçe
Rakip Ceza Sahasında Topla Buluşma: 24.13 Galatasaray/22.83 Fenerbahçe
İsabetli Şut: 5.5 Galatasaray/5.9 Fenerbahçe
Yediği Gol ve Kalesindeki Gol Beklentisi: 0.77 (1.16) Galatasaray/1 (0.96) Fenerbahçe
Kilit Pas: 5.73 Galatasaray/4.87 Fenerbahçe
Kazanılan İkili Mücadele: %49 Galatasaray/%51 Fenerbahçe
BERABERE BİTMİŞTİ
Sezonun ilk yarısında Kadıköy'de oynanan maç, 1-1'lik beraberlikle sonuçlanmıştı. Şu anda Fenerbahçe'nin kadrosunda bulunmayan Jhon Duran, son anlarda takımına 1 puan getirmişti. Yarınki sınav elbette şampiyonluk yarışı bakımından daha büyük önem taşıyor...
Yarınki Galatasaray-Fenerbahçe karşılaşmasında Kerem Aktürkoğlu da Ali Sami Yen'e dönüş yapacak. Derbide, o ve Barış Alper Yılmaz'ın neler yapacağı merakla bekleniyor. İki eski dostun karşılıklı kıyaslaması da hayli ilgi çekici...
Galatasaray, 2024 yazında Kerem Aktürkoğlu'nu Portekiz ekibi Benfica'ya satmıştı. 1 sezon sonra milli futbolcu, Fenerbahçe formasıyla Süper Lig'e döndü. Cim-Bom, toplamda 13.05 milyon euro bonservis geliri elde etti. Kanarya ise Benfica'ya 22.5 milyon euro ödedi (+2.5 milyon euroluk bonus maddeleri de var). Kerem'in, Galatasaray sonrasında ezeli rakibi imza atması elbette çok konuşulmuştu.
MERAKLA BEKLENİYOR
Yarınki derbide o ve eski takım arkadaşı Barış Alper Yılmaz'ın göstereceği performanslar merakla bekleniyor. İkilinin bu sezonki karşılıklı Süper Lig performansları şöyle gerçekleşti (90 dakika başına ortalama):
Şut Pası: 1.72 Barış/2.09 Kerem
Başarılı Dripling: 3.04 Barış/1.78 Kerem
Golle Biten Atak Aksiyonunda Bulunma: 0.98 Barış/1.17 Kerem
Rakip Ceza Sahasında Topla Buluşma: 3.98 Barış/3.11 Kerem
Rakip Sahada Top Kazanma: 1.39 Barış/2.09 Kerem
AZ KALSIN GİDİYORDU
Barış Alper Yılmaz'ın sezon başında Suudi Arabistan ekibi NEOM'a transferi söz konusuydu... Hatta bu sebeple büyük kriz çıkmıştı. Sonrasında olay tatlıya bağlandı ve milli futbolcu, Galatasaray'da kaldı. Barış'ın özellikle Şampiyonlar Ligi'nde gösterdiği performanslar, onu Avrupa'nın dev ekiplerinin radarına soktu.
Yarın oynanacak Galatasaray-Fenerbahçe derbisinde, iki takımın orta sahalarının göstereceği performanslar belirleyici olabilir. Aslan adına Torreira, Kanarya adına ise Matteo Guendouzi'nin karşılıklı kıyaslaması ise ilginç...
Futbolda orta sahalar hayati bir rol oynuyor. Özellikle de derbilerde bu bölgede üstünlük sağlayan taraf, istediği sonuçları sıklıkla elde ediyor. Yarınki Galatasaray-Fenerbahçe karşılaşması öncesinde de doğal olarak Lucas Torreira ve Matteo Guendouzi'nin performansları merak ediliyor.
İSTATİSTİKLER ORTADA
İki yıldız ismin bu sezon Süper Lig'deki karşılıklı istatistikleri şu şekilde (90 dakika başına ortalama):
Şut Pası: 0.76 Torreira/0.83 Guendouzi
Başarılı Dripling: 0.13 Torreira/0.96 Guendouzi
Rakip Driplinglere Karşı Top Kazanma: 0.76 Torreira/0.62 Guendouzi
Rakip Sahada Araya Girme: 1.43 Torreira/1.38 Guendouzi
Rakip Sahada Top Kazanma: 4.54 Torreira/4.34 Guendouzi
3. Bölgeye İsabetli Pas: 6.56 (%86) Torreira/6.96 (%83) Guendouzi
Yerde Kazanılan İkili Mücadele: 4.16 (%55) Torreira/4.89 (%63) Guendouzi
DEVRE ARASINDA GELDİ
Fenerbahçe, Guendouzi'yi devre arasında Lazio'dan transfer etmişti. Fransız orta saha oyuncusu, Süper Lig'de 13 karşılaşmaya çıktı. Sahada 1.164 dakika kaldı. 1 gol ve 1 asist üretti. 2022'den beri Galatasaray forması giyen Lucas Torreira'nın ise bu sezon ligde 27 maçı var. Uruguaylı yıldız, toplamda 2.002 dakika görev yaptı. 2 gol ve 4 asisti bulunuyor.
Yarın oynanacak Galatasaray-Fenerbahçe derbisinde tribünde sürpriz konuklar olacak. Real Madrid gözlemcilerinin, Osimhen'in son durumunu takip etmek için Ali Sami Yen'e geleceği öğrenildi.
Liverpool deplasmanında kolunda kırık oluşan Victor Osimhen, takım arkadaşlarını uzun bir süre yalnız bırakmıştı. Nijeryalı süper yıldız, kolundaki özel koruyucuyla sahalara döndü. Türkiye Kupası'nda Gençlerbirliği'yle oynanan maçta kısa süreliğine de olsa görev yaptı.
KESİNLİKLE İLK 11'DE
Yarın sezonun en önemli karşılaşması oynanacak. Galatasaray, Ali Sami Yen'de ezeli rakibi Fenerbahçe'yi konuk edecek. 27 yaşındaki forvet, ilk 11'de görev yapacak. Dev mücadele öncesinde ise kritik bir gelişme yaşandı. Real Madrid gözlemcilerinin de tribünde bulunacağı öğrenildi.
GERÇEK BİR FORVET
Dünya devi, bu sezon istediği sonuçları elde edemedi. Real Madrid, yaz döneminde gerçek yeri santrfor olan bir yıldız transfer edecek. Ve Osimhen de en ciddi adaylardan biri... Nijeryalı futbolcunun, Fenerbahçe'ye karşı göstereceği performans yakından takip edilecek. Raporlar doğrultusunda Galatasaray'a astronomik bir teklif yapılabileceği belirtildi.
Fenerbahçe, derbide yarın Galatasaray'a konuk olacak. Sarı-lacivertlilerin şampiyonluk şansını devam ettirebilmek için kazanmaktan başka şansı yok.
Fenerbahçe, Trendyol Süper Lig'in 31. haftasındaki derbide yarın deplasmanda Galatasaray ile karşılaşacak.
RAMS Park'ta oynanacak ve saat 20.00'de başlayacak müsabakayı hakem Yasin Kol yönetecek.
Ligdeki son maçında evinde Çaykur Rizespor ile berabere kalarak 2 puan yitiren sarı-lacivertliler, haftaya 67 puanla Galatasaray'ın 4 puan gerisinde ikinci sırada giriyor.
Fenerbahçe, rakibini yenerek son 3 haftaya şampiyonluk umutlarını taşımayı hedefliyor.
Ligin ilk yarısında evinde rakibiyle 1-1 berabere kalan sarı-lacivertliler, Süper Kupa'da ise Galatasaray'ı 2-0 mağlup etmişti.
Sarı-lacivertliler, rakibini yenmesi durumunda ikili averajda da avantaj sağlayacak.
Asensio dönüyor
Fenerbahçe'de yıldız futbolcu Marco Asensio, derbide kadroya dönecek.
Yaşadığı sakatlık nedeniyle bir süredir takımdan ayrı kalan tecrübeli oyuncu, sakatlığını atlattı ve hafta içinde bireysel çalışmalar gerçekleştirdi.
Teknik direktör Domenico Tedesco'nun Galatasaray karşısında İspanyol futbolcuyu sahaya sürmesi bekleniyor.
Tek eksik Edson
Fenerbahçe, derbi müsabakasına tek eksikle çıkacak.
Sarı-lacivertlilerde sakatlığını atlatan ancak maç eksiği bulunan Edson Alvarez'in kadroda olması beklenmiyor.
Sınırda 7 isim
Fenerbahçe, derbi müsabakasına sarı kart sınırında 7 isimle çıkacak.
Sarı-lacivertlilerde Nelson Semedo, Dorgeles Nene, Archie Brown, Kerem Aktürkoğlu, Mert Müldür, Anthony Musaba ve Matteo Guendouzi derbide kart görmeleri durumunda RAMS Başakşehir karşısında forma giyemeyecek.
Muhtemel 11
Fenerbahçe'nin derbiye çıkması muhtemel ilk 11'i şöyle:
Telegram founder Pavel Durov has raised alarm over a sharp rise in crypto-related kidnappings in France, linking the trend to alleged leaks of tax and investor data. He argues that increasing exposure of personal financial information is making crypto holders easier targets for organized crime groups operating across the country.
“More data = more victims,” Durov said in an X post, pointing to what he described as massive tax database leaks and misuse of sensitive crypto investor records.
Rising Crypto Kidnappings in France
Durov said France has already recorded around 41 kidnappings involving crypto holders in the first months of 2026. He noted that the pattern shows a direct link between leaked personal data and physical attacks, where criminals use exposed information to identify and track wealthy crypto owners.
Reports suggest the situation has escalated into a recurring security issue, with France now seeing roughly one crypto-linked kidnapping every 2.5 days. What once appeared as isolated incidents has turned into a consistent pattern of violent crime across multiple regions.
Reported Crypto Kidnapping Cases
• Jan 2025: Ledger co-founder kidnapped in France in a ransom case
• May 2025: crypto CEO’s daughter targeted in a daylight kidnap attempt in Paris
• May 2025: crypto investor’s relative abducted, ransom demanded in crypto
• 2026: multiple “wrench attacks” forcing victims to transfer funds
Alleged Tax Data Leak Case
Durov highlighted the case of former French tax official Ghalia C., detained in 2025 for allegedly selling crypto investor data to criminal groups. The information was reportedly used in extortion schemes and kidnapping operations targeting investors.
He said once criminals access details such as names, addresses, and financial links, identifying high-value crypto holders becomes significantly easier, increasing physical risk.
High-Profile Incidents
Several cases have intensified concern in the crypto community. In 2025, Ledger co-founder David Balland and his wife were kidnapped and subjected to severe violence during a ransom attempt.
In another incident, a crypto entrepreneur’s family in Burgundy was abducted, with attackers demanding a 400,000 euro ransom. A separate home invasion in Ploudalmézeau saw multiple family members held hostage for hours, highlighting the growing threat.
Law Enforcement and Privacy Debate
French authorities have confirmed ongoing investigations and arrests in several cases involving organized groups, including cross-border networks. Officials say investor protection is now a growing priority.
Durov, however, criticized expanding government access to personal data, saying it increases risks rather than reducing them. He added that Telegram would leave the French market rather than allow access to private messages, framing it as a conflict between privacy and state surveillance.
Algorand price is starting to shift after months of pressure, with ALGO price pushing higher and holding gains, an early sign that the structure may be turning.
While previous rallies failed to sustain, the current move is showing a different behavior, as price holds near $0.1149 instead of fading. Meanwhile, rising participation and fresh catalysts are beginning to align. As this setup develops, the question is no longer about a short-term bounce, but whether ALGO price is positioning for a broader move toward $0.1700.
ALGO Price Structure Begins to Shift as Downtrend Weakens
While the broader trend has remained under pressure, recent price action suggests the structure is beginning to transition. As ALGO price approaches the upper boundary of its descending channel, repeated tests are gradually weakening resistance. Meanwhile, higher lows forming near the demand zone indicate that buyers are stepping in earlier, reducing downside momentum.
As Algorand price stabilizes above short-term moving averages, the trend is shifting from passive decline toward early reversal conditions. With resistance thinning near the upper channel boundary, a decisive breakout could trigger a fast move toward the $0.1500–$0.1700 range as overhead liquidity begins to get cleared. However, failure to hold current levels would delay the reversal and keep Algorand price within its broader corrective structure.
Participation Expands as Derivatives Activity Builds
While price begins to stabilize, derivatives data confirms that market participation is returning. As futures volume rises to $72.48 million and open interest climbs to $51.44 million, activity is expanding alongside price. Meanwhile, this increase suggests traders are positioning around the current setup rather than exiting.
With both volume and open interest trending higher, the move is supported by engagement rather than isolated price action. However, rising participation also introduces the potential for volatility if positioning becomes crowded, making sustained stability above current levels critical.
Regulatory Catalyst Adds Institutional Weight
While technical structure improves, a key regulatory development is strengthening Algorand’s broader positioning. As ALGO secures inclusion in Japan’s JVCEA Green List, the asset gains a regulated pathway for listings across Japanese exchanges. Meanwhile, oversight by Japan’s Financial Services Agency adds a layer of institutional credibility that extends beyond short-term market sentiment.
Big news for Algorand in Japan.$ALGO has been added to the JVCEA Green List, a register of cryptos approved for fast-tracked listings across Japanese exchanges.
The JVCEA is overseen by Japan's FSA, the same regulator that governs banks, insurers, and stock exchanges.
With regulatory clarity often acting as a long-term driver, this development reinforces confidence in the ecosystem. As market attention begins to align with both structure and narrative, Algorand price is gradually transitioning into a more constructive phase.
Outlook
As Algorand price builds strength above recent levels, the structure is shifting from recovery toward early trend development. While ALGO price continues to test resistance within its broader trend, sustained stability reinforces the potential for continuation.
Meanwhile, rising participation and regulatory catalysts provide a stronger foundation for the move. With momentum building and resistance nearing exhaustion, the next phase will depend on whether price can break through and hold higher ground. With early signs of strength now visible, the next move will reveal whether this is just a recovery, or the beginning of a broader trend shift.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced on April 24 that the US government has sanctioned multiple crypto wallets linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps under a campaign called Operation Economic Fury, with Tether executing the freeze of $344 million in…
President Trump delivered a keynote address on April 25 at a Mar-a-Lago gala restricted to the top 297 holders of his Official TRUMP memecoin, with a private VIP reception and champagne toast reserved for the top 29, as Senators Elizabeth…
Azərbaycan millisinin hücumçusu Mahir Emreli Almaniyanın “Kayzerslautern” klubunun “Braunşveyq”ə qarşı oyununda iştirak etməyib.
Arena.az xəbər verir ki, 28 yaşlı futbolçu 2-ci Bundesliqanın 2025/2026-cı illər mövsümünün 31-cu turu çərçivəsində qarşılaşdıqları “Braunşveyq”lə matçın iştirak ərizəsinə də daxil edilməyib.
Doğma meydanda baş tutmuş bu görüş “Kayzerslautern”in 0:2 hesablı məğlubiyyəti ilə yekunlaşıb.
31 turdan sonra 46 xalı olan “Kayzerslautern” 18 iştirakçı arasında 7-ci pillədə qərarlaşıb. Komanda keçirdiyi 31 oyunda 14 qələbə qazanıb, 4 heç-heçə edib, 13 məğlubiyyətə üzülüb.
Xatırladaq ki, Mahir Emreli “Kayzerslautern”lə 2025-ci ilin yayında 3 illik müqavilə bağlayıb. Azərbaycanlı futbolçu bu komandanın heyətində 11 oyuna çıxıb, 2 qola imza atıb.
Mahir ötən mövsümü Almaniyanın digər klubu “Nürnberq”də keçirib. Azərbaycanlı futbolçu sözügedən komandanın heyətində 25 rəsmi matça çıxıb, 11 qol vurub, 1 assistlə yadda qalıb.
“Bakı”nın yetirməsi olan Emreli karyerası ərzində “Qarabağ”, “Legiya” (Polşa), “Konyaspor” (Türkiyə) və “Dinamo” (Zaqreb, Xorvatiya) klublarında da forma geyinib. Hücumçu Azərbaycan milli komandasının heyətində meydana çıxdığı 59 oyunda 6 qol vurub, 3 məhsuldar ötürmə müəllifi olub.
ürkiye Kupası'nda yarı final eşleşmelerinin belli olmasıyla birlikte Avrupa biletine dair hesaplar hız kazanırken Beşiktaş, seri başı olma avantajıyla rakiplerinden bir adım öne çıktı.
Galatasaray, 2000 yılı ve sonrasında ligin zirvesindeyken evinde çok önemli 8 derbi maça çıktı. Bu süreçte 7 galibiyet 1 yenilgi yaşadı. 13 gol atarken kalesinde ise sadece 2 gol gördü.
Beşiktaş'ta teknik direktör Sergen Yalçın, sezonun kritik virajına girilirken savunmanın merkezinde ideal ikilisini Agbadou ve Emirhan Topçu ile kurma kararı aldı.
Derbide Fenerbahçe'yi konuk edecek Galatasaray'da teknik direktör Okan Buruk, futbolcularından hakeme odaklanmamalarını, sadece sahada kalmalarını istedi ve ekledi: "İlk yarım saatte saldırın, işi bitirin."
Alperen Şengün'ün double-double yaptığı maçta Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Lakers'e 112-108 mağlup oldu. Celtics'in Philadelphia 76ers'ı 108-100 yendiği karşılaşmada ise Adem Bona'nın 10 sayısı mağlubiyete engel olamadı. İşte gecenin NBA sonuçları
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Gelecek sezon transferlerini erkenden bitirmek isteyen Trabzonspor bu kez rotasını Arjantin'e çevirdi. Bprdo-mavililer, Boca Juniors'tan Exequiel Zeballos'u izlemeye başladı.
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“Qalatasaray”ın bu mövsüm UEFA Çempionlar Liqasından qazandığı məbləğ məlum olub.
Futbolpress.az xəbər verir ki, bu barədə klubun prezidenti Dursun Özbek Türkiyə mətbuatına açıqlamasında deyib.
Turnirdə 1/8 final mərhələsinə qədər irəliləyən “cim-bom” ümumilikdə 60 milyon avro gəlir əldə edib. “Qalatasaray” 1/4 final yolunda “Liverpul”a uduzub (0:1, 0:4).
Misli Premyer Liqasının XXIX turunun “Neftçi” – “Qarabağ” matçına 6000 ədəd bilet satılıb.
Futbolpress.az xəbər verir ki, satışı davam edən biletləri “Neftçi”nin mobil tətbiqindən və “https://bilet.neftchi.az” saytından onlayn şəkildə əldə etmək olar. Stadionun kassasında isə biletlər oyun günü saat 12:00-dan etibarən satışda olacaq.
Bundan əlavə, matçdan əvvəl azarkeşlər üçün 3 nöqtədə əyləncəli fan zona təşkil olunacaq.
Bütün biletlərin satılmaq ehtimalının yüksək olduğunu nəzərə alaraq, giriş-çıxışı daha rahat təşkil etmək, tıxac və növbə problemi ilə üzləşməmək üçün “Palms Sports Arena”ya oyunun başlanma vaxtından 2 saat öncə gəlmək tövsiyə olunur.
Sabah keçiriləcək matça saat 19:00-da start veriləcək.
Braziliyanın Fos-du-İquasu şəhərində boks üzrə keçirilən Dünya kubokunda 1/4 final mərhələsinin döyüşləri başa çatıb.
Futbolpress.az xəbər verir ki, Azərbaycan millisinin bu mərhələdə rinqə çıxan 4 idmançısının hamısı yarımfinala vəsiqə əldə edib.
50 kq-da Sübhan Mamedov Rudolf Qarboyan (Ermənistan) üzərində qələbə qazanıb. Rəqib zədələndiyindən döyüşü davam etdirə bilməyib. Mamedov növbəti görüşündə Anvarjan Xodjiyevlə (Qırğızıstan) üz-üzə gələcək.
Nəbi İsgəndərov (70 kq) ardıcıl üçüncü qələbəsini qazanıb. O, 1/4 finalda Farux Toxtassunovu (Qazaxıstan) da mübarizədən kənarlaşdırıb – 3:2 (29:28, 30:27, 29:28, 27:30, 28:29). İsgəndərov yarımfinala Kaian Reisi (Braziliya) sınağa çəkəcək.
Səidcəmşid Cəfərov (75 kq) Sanjar-Ali Beqaliyevə (Qazaxıstan) qalib gəlib. Boksçumuz rəqibini 4:1 (30:27, 29:28, 29:28, 28:29, 29:28) hesabı ilə məğlub edib. O, finala gedən yolda Qabriel Quidi Rontani (İtaliya) ilə döyüşəcək.
Məhəmməd Abdullayev (+90 kq) də növbəti qələbəsini qazanıb. 1/4 finalda hər 3 raundu aktivinə yazan milli üzvü Luka Pratljaçiçə (Xorvatiya) heç bir şans verməyib – 5:0 (30:27, 30:27, 30:27, 30:27, 30:27). O, üçüncü qarşılaşmasında Omar Şina (Norveç) ilə döyüşəcək.
Yarımfinala yüksələn 4 boksçumuzun hər biri özü üçün azı bürünc medalı təmin edib.
Qeyd edək ki, Dünya kubokuna aprelin 26-da yekun vurulacaq.
Dortmund “Borussiya”sının sabiq baş məşqçisi Edin Terziç yeni mövsümdə İspaniyada çalışacaq.
Futbolpress.az xəbər verir ki, mütəxəssis “Atletik”in təklifini qəbul edib. Bu barədə insayder Fabrizio Romano məlumat yayıb. Terziç ilə razılaşma yaxın zamanda rəsmən açıqlanacaq.
Bilbao təmsilçisinə hazırda Ernesto Valverde rəhbərlik edir. O, yayda komandadan ayrılacaq.
“Atletiko” La Liqada 32 turdan sonra 41 xalla 9-cu sıradadır.
La Gazzetta dello Sport insists that Pep Guardiola is a credible candidate for the Italy job, as the Manchester City coach is keen on a national team role if he leaves the English club at the end of the season.
Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport reports that Manchester City coach Guardiola is keen on international management after the end of his spell at the Etihad Stadium.
The pink paper insists that Guardiola is strongly considering leaving Manchester City at the end of the season, especially if he completes a comeback over Arsenal and manages to win the Premier League.
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 18: Pep Guardiola, Manager of Manchester City, reacts during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD1 match between Manchester City and SSC Napoli at City of Manchester Stadium on September 18, 2025 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Dan Istitene/Getty Images)
Guardiola still has a year left in his contract with Manchester City.
Gazzetta confirms that ex-Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca has been identified as the ideal replacement at Manchester City, while Guardiola would be happy to take charge of a national team.
Gazzetta is currently the only Italian sports paper extensively reporting on Guardiola’s possible appointment as Italy’s coach; a scenario that would require help from FIGC sponsors to afford the Spaniard’s hefty wages.
MILAN, ITALY – NOVEMBER 16: General view inside the stadium prior to the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifier match between Italy and Norway at San Siro Stadium on November 16, 2025 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
Guardiola has built a solid bond with Italy, having played for Brescia and Roma as a footballer.
According to Gazzetta, people “who know Guardiola well” in Italy are convinced that the Manchester City coach is eager to take charge of a national team.
“Just as Carlo Ancelotti chose Brazil after winning everything at a club level, Pep could embark on a similar challenge once he leaves Manchester City,” wrote The Pink Paper.
Gazzetta argues that Guardiola would need to feel supported by the entire system, especially after his time at Manchester City, where he has worked in a united, cohesive environment.
It kicks off at 18:00 CET (17:00 BST) at the Stadio Dall’Ara.
The home side must cope without Lukasz Skorupski, Thijs Dallinga, Federico Bernardeschi and Nicolò Casale, while Roma have travelled to Bologna without Artem Dovbyk, Evan Ferguson, Manu Koné and Lorenzo Pellegrini.
As reported by Sky Sport and other Italian media outlets, Wesley returns to the Roma starting XI, and Paulo Dybala is available for the first time in several weeks, but the Argentine is expected to start on the bench.
It’s day one of a new era for the Giallorossi, as Senior Advisor Claudio Ranieri was fired on Friday after a public dispute with coach Gian Piero Gasperini, and sporting director Frederic Massara is expected to be the next to leave the Olimpico.
ROME, ITALY – APRIL 18: Donyell Malen of AS Roma shoots during the Serie A match between AS Roma and Atalanta BC at Stadio Olimpico on April 18, 2026 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Paolo Bruno/Getty Images)
Roma are still fighting for a Champions League spot, being five points below fourth-placed Juventus, who visit Milan at San Siro on Sunday night.
On the other hand, Bologna sit 8th in the standings, six points below Atalanta in a Conference League placement.
Bologna vs. Roma – where to watch on TV
The match will be broadcast live on DAZN in the UK and Ireland and on Paramount+ in the USA. Football Italia will provide live updates via a liveblog.
Chivu can win the Scudetto on May 2 without playing, or the day after at San Siro against Parma.
Green light to the revolution to win
Sorloth, yes to Milan
The Norwegian from Atletico is the No. 9 chosen by the Rossoneri. Double coup ready: Goretzka is close
Juve at the Devil’s home. Conceiçao in Salah style
Roma, Gasp: ‘The Friedkins are with me.’ Ranieri’s rage.
It’s possible. Guardiola wants to be a national team coach and the Azzurri pathway.
Corriere dello Sport
Ranieri replies to the Friedkins: ‘I left because of Roma’s unilateral decision.’
‘I was fired.’
More tension and a game against Bologna at 18:00. Club statement: ‘We thank Claudio for the work undertaken, the future has a clear direction.’ Gasp: ‘The owners are with me. Massara? No feeling.’ A new sporting director is incoming: the first target is Manna.
Conte postpones the party
Napoli reaction: Cremonese crushed, 4-0. The Champions League is close for Antonio.
McT delays Inter’s Scudetto
No shots in the match lost against Lazio, last night, 14 just in the first half. The Scotsman opened the scoring, then Terracciano’s own goal, De Bruyne’s and Alisson’s goals. Chivu at Torino’s home tomorrow. The title can come on May 3 against Parma.
Max-Lucio, the nice thing about opposites
Milan-Juve tomorrow, Yildiz can catch Leao at 66.
United by experience, but divided by endless discussions about playing style and results. Behind the scenes: Allegri had told De Laurentiis to hire Spalletti. Pulisic to partner with Rafa. David books a super season finale after the goal against Bologna.
Thrilling Lecce: safety at stake
Tuttosport
Stadium, Cairo’s move
Toro present a preliminary declaration of interest to the city council.
Interview with Llorente
‘Lewa is a Tevez for Lucio.’
The ex-Juve striker: ‘Lewandowski grants 20 goals per season. They’d take a step forward with him. And if Bernardo Silva arrives…Spalletti will win 1-0 at San Siro with a goal from Conceiçao.’ United to scout Leao tomorrow. Comolli sets sights on Stuttgart’s Stiller. Yildiz’s doubt, Boga is ready.
Peruzzi: ‘Spalletti, the pathway of entertainment is the right one.’
Agnelli returns! He invests in sports, but not in Juve.
Napoli delay Inter’s party
McTominay (who also missed a penalty), De Bruyne, Alisson and Terracciano’s own goal. The Maradona celebrates again and Conte returns to second. Chivu must wait a little longer for the mathematical Scudetto.
Gasp, a lone man in command
Ranieri’s exit official: ‘An unilateral decision from the club.’ The coach: ‘I have nothing to do with it, I just want to do football. Massara? Zero feeling.’
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According to MaxFSport of the Observer, Rosenior gave feedback to Chelsea about the state of the current squad he found himself working with, and it seems pretty damning on the mentality of a lot of the players.
See below as Rosenior called for Chelsea to sign more men who would be fighters for the team, with even the senior members of this group described as being “too quiet”…
Exclusive: Understand some of Rosenior's feedback and advice on the current squad was to sign more 'men', he believed that apart from a select few players, not many would actually 'stand up and fight' when the tide got tough. The few senior players Chelsea do have were also… pic.twitter.com/wYM6F9VYQM
“Exclusive: Understand some of Rosenior’s feedback and advice on the current squad was to sign more ‘men’, he believed that apart from a select few players, not many would actually ‘stand up and fight’ when the tide got tough,” MaxFSport posted.
“The few senior players Chelsea do have were also understood to be ‘too quiet’. A few squad members were also understood to have the behaviour of ‘petulant children’ when they were not picked or something did not go their way.”
Who’s to blame for Chelsea’s woes?
Chelsea have made a series of seemingly poor managerial appointments under this current ownership, but there’s arguably also an issue with the recruitment.
A lot of these CFC players don’t come anywhere near the legends of the past, though it was always going to be a challenge to replace the likes of John Terry, Frank Lampard, and Didier Drogba from that golden era.
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This current crop of players is really struggling and it may be that Rosenior has a point about the kind of characters he was working with.
Still, it’s hard to escape the idea that the ownership and current board must be in large part to blame for the overall strategy that’s been in place over the last few years.
Liverpool recruitment chiefs have reportedly already held talks with the representatives of RB Leipzig winger Yan Diomande.
The in-form 19-year-old is attracting a lot of interest at the moment after 13 goals and six assists in all competitions so far this season, and he could make sense as a perfect long-term replacement for Mohamed Salah.
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It seems Liverpool have already done some work on this deal, according to the Telegraph, but one issue is that Bayern Munich are also interested and Leipzig want as much as £87m to let him go.
The report adds that it’s not yet clear if the Reds will be prepared to pay quite that much for Diomande, while another issue could be that the Bundesliga side try to keep him for one more year, as previously reported by TEAMtalk.
Is Yan Diomande worth the big transfer fee?
Diomande certainly looks expensive considering his lack of experience, but he’s also fast earning the reputation as one of the best young players in the world.
The Ivory Coast international looks like he has all the qualities to enjoy a great career at the highest level, while he already compares really well to the likes of Mohamed Salah and Bukayo Saka, as the graphic below shows…
Yan Diomande stats vs Mohamed Salah and Bukayo Saka (DataMB)
It was never going to be easy for LFC to replace Salah, but in Diomande, it looks like the perfect candidate is emerging, so they just have to make sure they see off competition for his signature.
Arsenal also have an interest in Diomande, as we understand it, and it’s easy to imagine him also being a quality addition to breathe new life into this struggling Gunners attack.
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Chelsea legend Frank Lampard has admitted that the Blues remain a big part of his life but distanced himself from leaving his current job as Coventry City manager.
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At the same time, however, there is now a vacancy at Chelsea after this week’s sacking of Liam Rosenior, so it could be that Lampard will be one of the names in the frame.
Lampard has previously had a spell as Chelsea manager and also returned for a brief second spell as caretaker manager, but he seems to have improved a lot since taking over at Coventry.
Frank Lampard on Chelsea manager links
While Lampard didn’t completely rule out returning to Stamford Bridge, it seems like he remains committed to Coventry for the time being, as per his quotes on Fabrizio Romano’s X page…
?? Frank Lampard on Chelsea job: “Chelsea is a big part of my life and at the moment that’s their business and my business is here”.
“I’d like to think Coventry fans would just be enjoying where we are, the world of management, lots are out of control, you just control your… pic.twitter.com/dQQ4l7KNFX
“Chelsea is a big part of my life and at the moment that’s their business and my business is here,” Lampard said.
“I’d like to think Coventry fans would just be enjoying where we are, the world of management, lots are out of control, you just control your work.
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“At the minute I think we should just enjoy where we are, we’ve had an amazing season and I am really proud and pleased to be part of it, I enjoy what I’m doing here, I can’t control who worries or not.”
Who should be next Chelsea manager?
Chelsea really need to get their next managerial appointment right after a difficult few years under this current ownership.
CFC parted ways with Rosenior this week, but he’d only been in the job for three months after Enzo Maresca also left earlier this season.
Prior to that, Mauricio Pochettino and Graham Potter are also two big names who’ve failed in the Chelsea job under Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali.
The west London giants probably need someone with more top-level experience than Lampard, but it might also be tricky to convince some of the game’s bigger names to join under these conditions.
I’m aware there’s been talk of Tottenham reaching an agreement in principle to sign Bournemouth centre-back Marcos Senesi, so I thought I’d chip in with the information I’m currently getting.
The Argentine is close to being a free agent as he’s decided he won’t sign a new contract at Bournemouth, but for now I’m not currently aware of him agreeing anything with any other club.
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Sources in the industry have told me that Tottenham are indeed “in advanced talks” over signing Senesi, but nothing can be fully agreed until the club know if they’ll still be in the Premier League next season.
“It’s not agreed yet. Spurs are in advanced talks, they’re really keen on the player, but no final decision yet,” one source said.
Marcos Senesi transfer yet to be fully agreed
It may be that Senesi is leaning towards Spurs if they stay up, but my understanding is that other clubs like Liverpool remain in the race for his signature.
The Reds are exploring the centre-backs market as they’re really keen to add depth even if Ibrahima Konate stays and signs a new contract.
Senesi is one name they like, as is Juventus defender Pierre Kalulu. Both players are also on the radar of Manchester United as they’re another club in the market for someone in that position.
I previously mentioned the likes of Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, and Chelsea also being keen on Senesi, but it now seems their interest has cooled. Meanwhile, the player is understood to have rejected offers from Juventus and Borussia Dortmund as they didn’t meet his demands.
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Can Tottenham stay up?
It’s a vital few weeks ahead for Tottenham as they face a fight to survive in the Premier League, with Roberto De Zerbi’s side currently two points from safety.
THFC would surely ideally be preparing summer moves now, but the uncertainty over the north London club’s situation makes it harder for obvious reasons.
Senesi and others would likely be open to joining Spurs if they are still in the top flight, as the project could have big potential under De Zerbi, but that means scraping through the next few games first.
George Russell has backed a comment made by Lewis Hamilton regarding the new Formula 1 regulations, which are set to take effect in 2026.
The FIA has introduced several changes for 2026, including cars that are smaller and lighter, with a greater emphasis on battery power. The aim is to make racing more exciting and improve the overall spectacle.
But not everyone is convinced. Max Verstappen has been vocal in his criticism, calling the new rules ‘anti-driving’ and suggesting they could harm the sport more than help it.
The Dutchman didn’t hold back, even likening the changes to playing Mario Kart rather than real racing. After Verstappen’s remarks following the Japanese Grand Prix, there were reports he might consider leaving F1 at the end of 2026.
George Russell pushes back against negative feedback on F1’s 2026 rule changes
Russell spoke recently on the BBC’s Chequered Flag podcast about the backlash against F1’s new rule changes.
The 28-year-old noted that he doesn’t share the same outlook as some of his fellow drivers, including Verstappen, who compared the new era to ‘Mario Kart’.
Russell also pointed out a ‘great point’ Hamilton made in favour of the 2026 regulations.
He said: “I definitely don’t share that at all. I’m personally really enjoying the car. The power unit and the engine are definitely different. And it just needs some fine-tuning to really optimise it.
“But it’s given an opportunity to battle harder, and back-and-forth racing. We’re here at a kart track now. And Lewis made a great point – in a kart race, you overtake one corner, he overtakes back. And they overtake again.
“And no one’s ever called that Mario Kart or yo-yo racing or whatever the terminology is. We actually call it pure racing and great racing. It’s easy to highlight things we don’t like and forget about a lot of the goodness of it.”
George Russell confident that new rule tweaks will benefit F1 drivers
Speaking ahead of the Miami Grand Prix, Russell explained why he believes the changes will make life easier for everyone involved.
“There are some small quirks, which the FIA have done their best to eradicate those quirks. These are details that are sort of so complicated, and honestly, fans don’t really need to understand,” he said.
“From this race forward, with these minor changes the sport are making, it will make our life easier. We’ll be flat out in the straights on a qualifying lap, and we won’t have to lift off to manage any of the energy.”
With the first test of these tweaks set for Miami, fans and teams alike will be watching closely to see if they deliver as promised.
Napoli’s Manna also linked as potential Massara replacement
The relationship between Ricky Massara and Gian Piero Gasperini has never really taken off, and the coach’s comments confirm a rift that seemed destined to occur.
According to Corriere della Sera, Massara, who is currently with the team in Bologna, has no intention of resigning.
His position, however, appears increasingly fragile, and it seems almost certain that he will be removed from the Giallorossi management by the end of the season.
Gasparini has repeatedly emphasized his desire to work with a management figure aligned with his vision and who shares the same ambition to lead Roma to growth.
However, the collaboration with Massara has never worked out as expected. This has created a tense situation that now appears to be coming to an end.
The sporting director doesn’t appear to be willing to voluntarily step down. However, it’s clear that his position has become untenable in an environment where the coach holds absolute leadership and technical decisions are increasingly in his hands.
With Massara’s departure now likely, Roma is already searching for a replacement.
The names circulating as his successor include Giuntoli, D’Amico, and Manna. However, the final decision will rest with Gasperini, who will have a key role in deciding who will be Roma’s new sporting director.
The 30-year-old has been impressive with his performances in Turkey, starting 26 Super Lig games and keeping six clean sheets.
He received a lot of praise this week when he saved three penalties to lead his team to victory against Samsunspor in the Turkish Cup quarter-finals.
Trabzonspor president Doğan admitted after the game that he wanted Onana to stay at the club.
He told NTV Spor: “Onana’s career is already established. We like him. I’ve said this before. He has a certain plan for his career. If the conditions are right, we want him to stay. The final decision will be Onana’s.”
Onana has been earning rave reviews with his displays at Trabzonspor, but United have no plans to reintegrate him into the squad.
Lammens has brought a much-needed sense of calm to the defence, and the Red Devils want him to continue as their first-choice goalkeeper.
Altay Bayindir has served as a number two, but he is expected to leave the club this summer.
Nelly Korda is playing with so much control even her misses are right where she's aiming. She birdied her last two holes on Friday with exquisite irons shots for another 7-under 65, giving her a daunting six-shot lead going into the weekend at The Chevron Championship.
Korda has made only one bogey through 36 holes at Memorial Park, missing a 3-foot putt on the sixth hole after a nifty chip from below the green.
Otherwise, the two-time major champion has been practically flawless in reaching 14-under 130 that makes her appear to be playing a different course.
"I'm comfortable with my game," Korda said. "I think where I'm the most comfortable is definitely with my mindset of knowing when I mess up I'll figure it out. Sometimes I think you get stuck in wanting to play well and wanting to be at the top always that you have this tension of not wanting to make a mistake.
"I think there is a power in knowing it's OK to make a mistake and just bounce back."
Patty Tavatanakit had another bogey-free round with a 69. Another shot behind were Ina Yoon (68), Ryan O'Toole (68) and Texas junior Farah O'Keefe (69), one of five amateurs to make the cut.
O'Keefe didn't get her invitation to The Chevron until after the Augusta National Women's Amateur three weeks ago, and she's making the most of it. She played bogey-free in the second round, though she only managed one birdie on the par 5s.
But her scrambling saved her, and the 20-year-old didn't seem all that fazed by Korda on the verge of running away with this major.
Nelly Korda was in excellent touch at Memorial Park (Getty)
"I compared it to Rory (McIlroy) at the Masters. You never know what can happen in golf," O'Keefe said, referring to McIlroy losing a six-shot lead on the weekend at the Masters before going on to win for the second straight time.
"There is so much random out there that you can get a bad break and it's just kind of that thing," she said. "My dad and I called it that golf is a staring contest and all you have to do is not blink first. So I'm just trying not to blink. Just trying to keep playing my game, and whatever that ends up at the end of the week is where it ends up."
Korda, however, has hit her stride again. She won the season opener in a weather-shortened event, and has played in the final group in all four of her tournaments.
She looks calm and poised, and there is power.
Korda began her great closing stretch with a 3-wood into the wind from 221 yards that landed in the perfect spot to roll out 15 feet beyond the hole, leaving an eagle putt that grazed the right edge of the cup.
She missed an 8-foot birdie chance on the par-5 16th, and then finished with a flourish — a 7-iron that danced around the cup and settle 10 feet away for birdie, and then a 9-iron that again scared the hole and left her 4 feet for her 15 birdie in 36 holes.
Mimi Rhodes struggled on Friday and missed the cut (Getty)
It was the lowest 36-hole score in her career in the majors, and the third-best 36-hole score in LPGA majors behind Jeongeun Lee6 (127), Brooke Henderson (128) and In Gee Chun (129), all at the Evian Championship, the tournament in France the LPGA chose to designate as a major in 2013.
There was disappointment for England’s Mimi Rhodes, though, shooting a six-over round of 78 to miss the cut. Compatriots Charley Hull (-2) and Lottie Woad (+1) did make the weekend.
New Washington wide receiver Antonio Williams was one of several wideouts the Commanders hosted on top-30 visits in recent weeks. On Friday, Washington used the No. 71 overall pick on Williams, joining Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles in the 2026 class.
Williams, who caught 208 passes for 2,336 yards and 21 touchdowns during his career at Clemson, joins a wide receivers room in desperate need of help opposite Terry McLaurin. Williams has experience playing outside or in the slot, and can help Washington at either spot in 2026.
Shortly after being drafted by the Commanders, Williams spoke with the local Washington media via Zoom and explained what Washington is getting in the rookie wideout.
"I would say I'm just a smooth operator out there on the field, whether that's running a route, making somebody miss, making a acrobatic catch," he said. "I just play real smooth out there and just have a lot of confidence in myself and what I can do."
Smooth operator. That checks out.
His film backs up what he says. There's a level of suddenness to Williams' game. While he may not be the top overall athlete in the class, Williams is an excellent athlete, but that's not what sets him apart. He runs outstanding routes, he's phenomenal after the catch and he knows how to beat man coverage, which is huge in the NFL.
After Gnabry's injury: this breakout star now battles for the World Cup
Last Saturday evening, the German record champions made the bad news official: "FC Bayern will be without Serge Gnabry for a longer period. The attacker has suffered a tear of the adductor muscles in his right thigh," the Munich club announced briefly and precisely through their own channels.
The injury to the attacker, who had been in very strong form for large parts of the season, is bitter in three different ways. First, Bayern will be without him during the crucial phase of the DFB-Pokal and the Champions League. Second, the 30-year-old apparently suffered the injury during penalty training before the match against VfB Stuttgart, not in a competitive game.
The third reason, of course, is this year's upcoming World Cup. Under national team coach Julian Nagelsmann, Serge Gnabry had been a regular starter and would in all likelihood also have played an important role at the World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico. "The dream is unfortunately over for me," the Bayern star confirmed a few days after his injury.
📸 Alexander Hassenstein - 2026 Getty Images
What remains unclear now is who can replace the Bayern star in Germany's starting XI this summer and who will secure the likely open squad spot for the tournament. Since Gnabry had recently mostly been used as a relatively flexible attacking midfielder, it seems especially likely that Flo Wirtz, who has lately been playing as a left-sided attacker, and Jamal Musiala will provide the spark in attack. But who will move into the squad in Gnabry's place?
After the topic had already been debated endlessly in recent months, one name has to come up immediately here: Said El Mala. The Cologne superstar was allowed to travel with the senior national team for the first time last autumn after his outstanding start to the season, but Julian Nagelsmann did not include him during the last international break in March.
Instead of letting his head drop, El Mala has once again made a big impact on the pitch in recent weeks. The youngster scored for FC both in the derby against Gladbach and in the important 3-1 home win over SV Werder Bremen. Since the dismissal of Lukas Kwasniok, the Fritz Walter Medal silver winner has also started every game for Cologne, rather than coming on to dribble past tired legs.
📸 Dean Mouhtaropoulos - 2026 Getty Images
By now, the Cologne livewire is up to eleven goals in his first Bundesliga season, well ahead of other World Cup hopefuls such as Jamie Leweling, Maxi Beier or Chris Führich. In addition, the Cologne man scored his goals in fewer minutes than, for example, Leweling, who kept getting game time in a Germany shirt during the last international breaks. Although someone like Leweling or Beier knows the teammates and the environment better than Cologne's reliable scorer, the raw numbers currently speak in his favor.
To convince the national team coach, Said El Mala will have to surpass himself in the final four Bundesliga matches. Against Leverkusen, Union Berlin, Heidenheim and FC Bayern, Cologne's great hope must prove that he can raise his form even further in order to help the national team at the World Cup.
It would certainly help if Cologne's market-value king shines against Leverkusen or FC Bayern. Delivering top performances against teams of that caliber would send a clear signal to Nagelsmann & Co. that he can keep up with the best national teams on the planet.
📸 Christof Koepsel - 2026 Getty Images
Against Union and Heidenheim, however, El Mala must of course not take it easy either. Against those two "basement clubs," who will in all likelihood defend deep, the silky technician can show that he could also be a trump card against deep-lying underdogs in Germany's World Cup group, such as Curaçao.
If the youngster gives everything for the dream of the World Cup, anything is possible. The old motto applies here: "Now or Never." With a stunning finish to the season in top form, Nagelsmann may yet rethink things and take Said El Mala with him. If the upcoming performances are only average, the World Cup train could leave the station rather quickly. For the dribbling artist, then, the final four matchdays of the Bundesliga are clearly all about making the World Cup squad.
Bundesliga forwards becomes ‘new obsession’ for Pep Guardiola – €65 million bid pending
Pep Guardiola has reportedly made Bayer Leverkusen’s Ibrahim Maza his next “obsession.”
Manchester City are now preparing a package of €65 million plus a sell-on clause.
Maza is viewed as a primary candidate to help offset the confirmed departure of Bernardo Silva.
Pep Guardiola is reportedly eyeing a big-money move for the next Algerian star on the scene, reportedly having a ‘new obsession’ with Bayer Leverkusen’s Ibrahim Maza.
The 20-year-old has taken the Bundesliga by storm this season, establishing himself as a vital cog in Bayer Leverkusen’s machine with five goals and six assists across 38 appearances this term.
With interest in his performances expected across the continent, Maza has perhaps most notably caught the eye of Manchester City scouts during standout performances, particularly in European competition.
With City currently locked in a fierce Premier League title race against Arsenal and preparing for an FA Cup semi-final against Southampton on Saturday, the club’s hierarchy is already working behind the scenes to future-proof the squad.
And the need for creative reinforcements has become paramount following the news that club captain Bernardo Silva will call time on his illustrious Etihad Stadium career at the end of the 2025/26 campaign, and the conclusion of his existing contract.
The €65 Million pursuit: City’s strategy for Maza
According to a new report from Africa Foot, Ibrahim Maza has become Pep Guardiola’s ‘new obsession’, with the Algerian forward set to be targeted by Manchester City in the next transfer window.
Remarkably, it is claimed that City have already made an initial attempt for the player with a €50 million bid, which was turned down Bayer Leverkusen, who are refusing to sell.
That being said, it is further claimed that Etihad Stadium bosses are now willing to offer €65 million plus a 5 per cent sell-on clause, giving those at the Bundesliga club plenty to mull over in the weeks and months ahead.
Elsewhere, Sport Witness have further pointed out that British agency CAA Stellar – who also manage Manchester City’s Rayan Aït-Nouri and Omar Marmoush – are representatives of the Bayer Leverkusen star.
Building the Post-Bernardo Silva era
The interest in Ibrahim Maza signals a clear intent from Hugo Viana to pivot toward elite youth recruitment, and while City have been linked with Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson as a more direct Premier League-proven replacement, Maza offers a different skillset.
The Algerian’s perceived ability to operate as a No.10 or drift wide mirrors the versatility that made Bernardo Silva indispensable for nearly a decade.
As we approach the final month of the season, Bayer Leverkusen’s resolve will certainly be tested, whether that be by approaches from within Manchester City, or elsewhere in Europe.
Having signed Maza from Hertha Berlin for just €12 million last summer, Leverkusen are reportedly holding out for a figure much higher, and it would come as no surprise to see him potentially keen on a move to the Premier League given its history with Algerian icons.
COLOGNE, GERMANY - MARCH 21: Felipe Chavez of 1. FC Köln plays the ball during the Bundesliga match between 1. FC Köln and Borussia Mönchengladbach at RheinEnergieStadion on March 21, 2026 in Cologne, Germany. (Photo by Ralf Ibing - firo sportphoto/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Felipe Chávez perhaps did not get a lot of playing time at Bayern Munich this season, but what he did show was fairly impressive. Manager Vincent Kompany even brought the 18-year-old onto the field in a loss to FC Augsburg, underlining the faith the Belgian had in the youngster.
It would be this exposure to the Bundesliga that put Chávez on the radar of some clubs, with Köln the team that eventually signed the Peruvian international on loan as he looked to take the next steps in his development by playing regularly at a high level. But, clearly, Köln did not get memo. In the months he has been at the club under both former Köln manager Lukas Kwasniko and current manager René Wagner, Chávez has made no starts and has accumulated just 62 minutes from a possible 900 total. Surely both Bayern and Chávez expected more from this loan.
Asked about the youngster in a press conference ahead of a Bundesliga clash against Bayer Leverkusen, Wagner gave a very vague answer: “Felipe gives it his all in every training session, he’s a young player and has high quality with the ball. All the guys who haven’t been in the starting lineup lately are throwing themselves into it,” Wagner attempted to explain, as captured by @iMiaSanMia_GER. “That’s why the decisions aren’t easy for the coaching team.”
It sure does not sound as if the talented attacking midfielder will get a chance to start anytime soon for the relegation threatened club.
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…
Nov 1, 2024; East Hartford, Connecticut, USA; Georgia State Panthers wide receiver Ted Hurst (16) makes a touchdown catch against the Connecticut Huskies in the second quarter at Rentschler Field at Pratt & Whitney Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images | David Butler II-Imagn Images
Sun Belt representation finally struck the 2026 NFL Draft in the third round.
At pick No. 84, Georgia State wide receiver Ted Hurst landed to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Hurst set a new program record for earliest draft pick in the 16-year history of the program, landing 105 picks before the previous record holder in Christo Bilukidi (189th overall pick in 2012).
When Hurst’s name was called on stage in Pittsburgh on Friday night, the Sun Belt officially matched its 2025 NFL Draft output by producing a single prospect.
Hurst arrived at Georgia State by way of Division II. The Augusta, GA native originally mastered his game at Valdosta State where he logged over 1,000 yards for the D2 power. He immediately ascended into a No. 1 option upon arriving at Georgia State in 2024, collecting 961 yards and nine touchdowns on 56 receptions as a Second Team All-Sun Belt honoree. In 2025, Hurst pushed the boundaries of his capabilities with 1,004 yards on 71 receptions — concluding his career as a First Team All-Sun Belt pick. He was one of 22 FBS receivers to cross the millennium mark last fall, and his 2025 campaign featured the second-most receptions and fifth-most receiving yards in Georgia State history.
Of the 319 NFL Combine selections, Hurst was the only one to hail from the Sun Belt. He capitalized on the opportunity, particularly impressing in the 40-yard dash and broad jump drills.
The 6’4” receiver’s combination of length and speed made him an intriguing prospect for NFL teams, causing him to become the 15th receiver taken in the 2026 draft. The big-play receiver averaged 15.5 yards per catch in college, and now those home run capabilities move from Atlanta to Tampa.
Hurst joins a Buccaneers roster replacing franchise legend Mike Evans, who signed with the San Francisco 49ers in free agency after 13,052 yards in 12 seasons with Tampa Bay. The Buccaneers still retain one of their longtime veterans in Chris Godwin, but the rest of the core receiving group is somewhat of a youth movement. 2025 rookies Emeka Egbuka and Tez Johnson, as well as 2024 draft selection Jalen McMillan, are among the primary targets that will work alongside Hurst in his new home.
Supporters who witnessed Southampton's greatest day are heading back to Wembley almost 50 years later.
In 1976, Saints shocked Manchester United 1-0 to win the FA Cup for the first and only time.
Now they face another Manchester giant in Manchester City, with a place in the final at stake.
Those who saw the underdog triumph first-hand hope a new generation can experience the magic of cup glory.
The style of the 70s was all around for cup final day [Getty Images]
John Sorrell was 14 when he stood outside a pub in North Baddesley with his best friend Kevin Screech, waiting for the coach to Wembley.
A big fan of Slade and the glam rockers of the era, he remembers wearing his best flares for the occasion.
"If your jeans didn't cover your shoes you weren't cool," says Sorrel.
With a silk Saints scarf tied around his wrist, sandwiches in hand and a yellow and blue rosette pinned to his chest, he boarded the coach with Screech, then 13.
"No parents or anything, just unbelievable. You wouldn't imagine that now," Sorrell says.
It was the one and only time that the south coast side achieved FA glory [Getty Images]
Manchester United were strong favourites, but Sorrell remembers Southampton was full of belief.
"All the shops had displays and the whole city got behind the team. I think there was a genuine belief we could do it."
The teenagers stepped off the coach into what Screech describes as "a sea of yellow and blue".
The south coast side, synonymous with the colours red and white, wore their away kit for the match, so that they did not clash with the Red Devils.
"Wembley was something else, just to see the twin towers and realise 'we're here, this is it'," says Screech.
They both recall a tense game but then came Bobby Stokes' winner in the 83rd minute.
"I can still picture the ball going in the back of the net and looking around to see John screaming," Screech says.
The final whistle went and "you've never heard such a roar in all your life".
They admitted they were unsure about whether to stay for the trophy presentation, as they were "scared" of the Manchester United fans just below.
"We stayed and it was the best feeling ever to see that cup presented," says Sorrell.
The moment had an extra layer of history attached to it, as it was the last time Queen Elizabeth II presented the trophy to the winning team.
"The only bad thing about your team winning the FA Cup at 13 is you don't get to celebrate it properly," says Screech.
He remembers a joyous drive home before having a night in watching the game again on Match of the Day.
As half a century has passed both will return for Saturday's semi-final.
Sorrell, now living in West Tytherley, still has a season ticket with his wife and son.
"There's always that optimism as a Saints fan that we will do it again," he says.
"Winning an FA Cup is something special and it could be once in a lifetime."
Screech still has his matchday programme from 1976 proudly framed with his ticket stub in his dinning room.
This time around he will be attending Wembley with his daughters and thinks it will be an emotional day in the capital.
"The cup win was something special, it would be nice for other people to witness it," he says.
"I know I'd definitely celebrate it properly this time, I'd be straight off into town I think."
Love and football
They were not the only young fans among the 99,000 crowd that day.
Richard Shelley, 59, from Southampton, was nine when he went to Wembley with his parents after following much of the cup run.
"I remember a mass of people from the moment we got on the coach in Bedford Place," he says.
He says there were bed sheets and banners reading "come on saints" draped off the bridges along the motorway on the journey up.
Shelley, an aspiring goalkeeper, watched his hero Ian Turner closely as the Southampton the keeper "got his body in the way of everything".
"And then the goal was just bedlam," he says, recalling being hoisted onto someone's shoulders.
[Getty Images]
Cup runs hold a special place in Shelley's heart. His first date with future wife Miranda, also a Saints fan, was Southampton's FA Cup tie with Tottenham in 2003.
"We went to the next game and the next game and so on, and then romance blossomed," he says.
The pair went to the final in Cardiff in 2003, and even though Southampton lost 1-0 to Arsenal, the couple continued to go from strength to strength and married in 2006.
Shelley says they have been going to games home and away ever since, seeing those trips away as a good chance to travel the country.
"I went with my parents, then went with some mates and now I go with my wife," he says, as he looks back on a lifetime of following the Saints.
The lucky fans all remember the jubilant 1976 bus parade in Southampton the following day and now hope another upset can bring Wembley glory - and perhaps another homecoming celebration.
LeBron James has won four NBA titles, most recently with the Lakers in 2020 [Getty Images]
LeBron James made a three-pointer to force overtime before the Los Angeles Lakers moved to the brink of a series victory in the NBA play-offs.
The NBA's four-time Most Valuable Player levelled the score with 13 seconds left against the Houston Rockets and almost clinched victory as he hit the rim with a three-pointer on the buzzer.
But the Lakers went on to win 112-108 in overtime to claim a 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven first round of the play-offs.
James, 41, again stepped up in the absence of the injured Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, claiming a team-high 29 points and 13 rebounds.
Marcus Smart also recorded a double-double, scoring eight of his 21 points in overtime and adding a team-high 10 assists.
"With two of our best players down, we've got to play desperate," said Smart. "We've got to be the most desperate team.
"That's how we've been playing, and that's how we're winning, right? The chemistry has been good, and you're starting to see guys' confidence go up because of that."
An ankle sprain ruled out Houston's leading scorer Kevin Durant for the second time in the series.
The Rockets also host game four on Sunday and must win to prevent the Lakers earning a sweep of the series and booking their place in the Western Conference semi-finals.
Conference rivals San Antonio lead the Portland Trail Blazers 2-1 after fighting back to claim a 120-108 win on the road.
Stephon Castle scored 33 points for the Spurs while rookie reserve Dylan Harper added career bests of 27 points and 10 rebounds.
Victor Wembanyama was on the Spurs bench but could not play as this season's defensive player of the year remained in concussion protocol after suffering a head injury in game two on Tuesday.
The Boston Celtics took a 2-1 lead over Eastern Conference rivals Philadelphia as they claimed a 108-100 win at the 76ers.
Jayson Tatum scored 11 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter while Jaylen Brown also scored 25 points for Boston.
Fabrizio Romano confirms Liverpool’s interest in £21m star – Arne Slot loves him
Liverpool Transfer Watch: Fabrizio Romano Drops Denzel Dumfries Hint
Fabrizio Romano has once again placed Liverpool supporters on alert, with fresh comments suggesting a possible summer move for Denzel Dumfries, who has a £21.7m release clause in his contract.
Speaking on his Italian YouTube channel, Romano urged observers to “keep an eye on” developments involving the Inter Milan right back. Liverpool’s interest is not new, with contact made during the January window, although a deal failed to materialise due to differing conditions between the clubs.
Romano explained: “Denzel Dumfries is a hot topic for the summer, an issue that we need to keep monitoring. He has a release clause active in the summer, so that opens up the market potential. All the various opportunities are being explored for Dumfries. The release clause has a very limited timeframe.
“One team to keep an eye on Denzel Dumfries remains Liverpool. Liverpool already wanted him during the January transfer window. It wasn’t possible, partly because Dumfries was injured.
“Inter wouldn’t have agreed to a loan deal in January, which was perhaps the only reason why Liverpool could even consider that kind of move, but Inter immediately said no.
“Let’s see whether this summer Liverpool go back in for Dumfries. He’s certainly a player highly rated by the manager, Arne Slot. There’s a very good feeling there, but it remains to be seen whether Liverpool will choose Dumfries as their main priority target or not.”
Right back concerns shaping recruitment
Liverpool’s right back situation has required careful management this season. Injuries to Jeremie Frimpong and Conor Bradley have disrupted continuity, forcing tactical adjustments under Arne Slot.
At times, midfielders have been deployed out of position, highlighting a lack of consistent availability rather than a shortage of quality. This context helps explain renewed monitoring of Dumfries, particularly with a release clause offering a defined opportunity in the market.
Dumfries profile offers experience and power
Dumfries brings a wealth of top level experience, with over 400 senior club appearances and more than 70 caps for the Netherlands. His profile aligns with a physically dominant, forward thinking full back.
Analysts have highlighted his relentless engine and explosiveness down the flank, with a capacity to influence matches through direct running and attacking intent. That blend of pace and strength could complement Liverpool’s tactical framework, especially in transition phases.
Photo: IMAGO
Fitness record raises key questions
Availability remains a central concern. Dumfries has experienced multiple injury setbacks in recent seasons, including a three month absence earlier in the current campaign.
For Liverpool, reliability in selection is a key requirement in this position. While Dumfries offers pedigree and attacking output, his fitness record may complicate any decision making process.
Liverpool already possess two high potential options in Frimpong and Bradley. Any move for Dumfries would likely depend on market conditions and whether the club prioritises experience over continuity.
With the summer window approaching, Romano’s update ensures the situation will remain under close scrutiny. Liverpool’s recruitment team, led by Richard Hughes, will weigh up risk, value, and squad balance before making any firm move.
Shreyas Iyer is one of the most compelling names in cricket right now. The way he has bossed the IPL has reignited calls from fans and pundits alike for his return to India’s T20I setup. But this surge is not built on one standout season alone. In the past few years, since embracing the demands of captaincy, Iyer has not only shown how able a leader he can be, but also as a batter who has dominated seasons while balancing the dual roles of anchor and aggressor.
In IPL 2020, he was the captain of Delhi Capitals, and under his leadership, the team reached its first IPL final. In that season, Iyer contributed significantly with the bat as well, scoring 519 runs in 17 innings at a strike rate of 123.27. Soon after, when he became the captain of Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2024, the team won their third title after 12 years under his leadership, and he contributed 351 runs in 15 matches.
In IPL 2025, he was picked by the Punjab Kings, and the team reached the final for the first time in 11 years. That season turned out to be career-defining for Iyer, as he delivered his most explosive batting performance, accumulating 604 runs in 17 matches at a strike rate of 175.07.
One common factor in his leadership is that he not only guides his teammates but also contributes himself, whether on the field or with the bat, relieving pressure in tight matches. Last year in Qualifier 2 against the Mumbai Indians, he single-handedly dominated the chase, even hitting the world’s best bowler, Jasprit Bumrah, for a six with complete authority.
Struggling Form of Suryakumar Yadav
Suryakumar Yadav, who is currently India’s T20I captain, has had a very successful campaign overall. He led India to the T20 World Cup 2026 title and the Asia Cup 2025 title, and he also holds the record for the highest win percentage among Indian T20I captains (minimum 20 matches). In 52 matches as captain, he has led India to 40 wins, 8 losses, and 2 no-results.
However, concerns over his leadership revolve around his age and recent dip in batting form. He scored 242 runs in the five-match home series against New Zealand in early 2026, breaking Virat Kohli’s previous record of 231 runs. He also completed 1,000 T20I runs as India’s captain during his match-winning 84 (49) against the USA in the 2026 T20 World Cup.
But in ICC tournaments, his contributions with the bat have been relatively limited. In the Asia Cup 2025, he scored just 72 runs in 7 matches, and in the T20 World Cup 2026, he scored 242 runs in 9 innings. Despite India winning the World Cup, his strike rate of 136.72 was the lowest among Indian batters in the tournament, and he struggled in the knockout stages, including a duck in the final against New Zealand.
In IPL 2025, he emerged as the MVP, scoring 717 runs in 16 matches. However, in the ongoing IPL season, his numbers have dipped, managing just 121 runs in 6 matches so far. His recent outing against Punjab Kings on April 16 resulted in a golden duck, where he was dismissed by Arshdeep Singh and against Gujarat Titans on Monday, he started well, but was cleaned up by an absolute seed from Kagiso Rabada for 15.
Looking ahead, the next major T20I event is the T20 World Cup 2028, where India will defend their title and the same year cricket will be part of the 2028 LA Olympics. By then, Suryakumar Yadav will be 38. And alongside an Iyer, players like Rajat Patidar, are pushing for opportunities in the middle-order, meaning a continued dip in form for SKY could put his place under pressure in the next cycle.
Now, Why Does Shreyas Iyer Fit in the Leadership Scheme of India?
Iyer has not only won titles but has also performed consistently across formats and with different teams and players, making him a frontrunner.
However, Iyer will face tough competition from other players in the T20 setup. Patidar, who led RCB to a title in his first season after an 18-year wait, has also impressed with both bat and leadership. Axar Patel, who has served as India’s vice-captain, is also in the leadership race, although his recent form has dipped. Sanju Samson, who has a regular place in the T20I setup, is another strong contender, having played crucial knocks in major matches.
What makes Iyer unique among them is his consistency over the years. He has continuously performed with the bat and delivered results as a leader. In the 2024-2026 seasons, Shreyas Iyer has received widespread appreciation from the cricket fraternity for his tactical maturity and leadership resilience, especially after guiding three different franchises to IPL finals.
Expert Commendations on Leadership
Anil Kumble: Termed him a "certainly underrated skipper," highlighting the difficulty of switching franchises and immediately leading them to a final, a feat Iyer achieved by taking PBKS to the 2025 final in his debut season.
Ricky Ponting: The PBKS head coach stated that Iyer has "taken his game to a whole another level" and described him as a leader who has completely matured both personally and tactically.
Brad Haddin: Lauded him as a "game-changer" who truly cares for his players, noting his unique record of leading three different teams (DC, KKR, PBKS) to IPL finals.
Recently, Ravichandran Ashwin highlighted how Shreyas Iyer’s red-hot form fueling his captaincy
"Just the comfort that he is creating around the team, to say, we will have a brotherly conversation. It's a brotherhood here. At the end of the day, I have played in teams where there is always that layer that you can't... You are just not able to go up to the captain or the coach and say, 'I will deliver this for you'. And it's happened. Just the fact that he has kept it simple like how it is being done in your gully or in your tennis-ball game back home, where we do this all the time with our captain or with our friend. That atmosphere is amazing. And I think the way he is batting, he is growing into the role of a leader that the players are looking up to, which is a lethal combination," Ashwin said.
Shreyas Iyer’s rise as both a batter and a captain makes him one of the strongest contenders to make a comeback in India’s T20I setup for next T20I World Cup cycle and leadership scheme. While Suryakumar Yadav remains the current leader, the combination of Iyer’s consistent performances, proven captaincy across teams, and ability to handle pressure situations puts him in a strong position for the future.
Serie A: Bologna vs. Roma – probable line-ups, where to watch on TV
Gian Piero Gasperini will look to Donyell Malen and Matias Soulé for Roma’s away game against Santiago Castro’s Bologna.
It kicks off at 18:00 CET (17:00 BST) at the Stadio Dall’Ara.
The home side must cope without Lukasz Skorupski, Thijs Dallinga, Federico Bernardeschi and Nicolò Casale, while Roma have travelled to Bologna without Artem Dovbyk, Evan Ferguson, Manu Koné and Lorenzo Pellegrini.
As reported by Sky Sport and other Italian media outlets, Wesley returns to the Roma starting XI, and Paulo Dybala is available for the first time in several weeks, but the Argentine is expected to start on the bench.
It’s day one of a new era for the Giallorossi, as Senior Advisor Claudio Ranieri was fired on Friday after a public dispute with coach Gian Piero Gasperini, and sporting director Frederic Massara is expected to be the next to leave the Olimpico.
ROME, ITALY – APRIL 18: Donyell Malen of AS Roma shoots during the Serie A match between AS Roma and Atalanta BC at Stadio Olimpico on April 18, 2026 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Paolo Bruno/Getty Images)
Roma are still fighting for a Champions League spot, being five points below fourth-placed Juventus, who visit Milan at San Siro on Sunday night.
On the other hand, Bologna sit 8th in the standings, six points below Atalanta in a Conference League placement.
Bologna vs. Roma – where to watch on TV
The match will be broadcast live on DAZN in the UK and Ireland and on Paramount+ in the USA. Football Italia will provide live updates via a liveblog.
At a time when Indian cricket is scaling new heights on the global stage, vice-president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), Rajeev Shukla, shares insights into the system driving this sustained success.
In a conversation with TOI, Shukla speaks about the depth of India’s talent pool, the role of structured domestic platforms, and the impact of leagues like the IPL. Excerpts:
Q: India’s cricket is at an all-time high, winning multiple World Cups in recent years. What are the key reasons behind this success?
Indian cricket’s success is built on the strength of its vast talent pool. Today, for every position, we have 4-5 equally capable players, which ensures depth and healthy competition. There is a strong focus on grassroots development, where young talent is identified and nurtured early. The high-performance ecosystem, including the centre of excellence in Bengaluru, plays a crucial role not only in training but also in injury management and player longevity. Structured tournaments across all age groups — men and women — ensure continuous exposure and growth. Platforms like the IPL and WPL have further accelerated this development by providing world-class exposure.
Q: There has been a demand for four UP teams in domestic cricket. What is your view?
This matter is governed by the Supreme Court’s directives, which clearly state that one state can have only one team, with limited historical exceptions like Gujarat and Maharashtra. Therefore, under the current framework, Uttar Pradesh cannot have multiple teams unless there is a bifurcation of the state. However, an effective alternative is to create high-quality competitive platforms that provide wider exposure. Initiatives like a professionally structured T20 league with six teams have enabled participation of over 200 players, offering them a stage with global visibility and opportunities for higher recognition.
Q: How do you see Indian cricket progressing from here?
Indian cricket is poised to grow stronger. With continued investment in infrastructure, player development, and sports science, coupled with early exposure and professional training, the pipeline of talent will only improve. The system ensures that players are well-prepared from a young age. With sustained focus on nurturing talent, Indian cricket will scale new heights globally.
Q: Do you think chief selector Ajit Agarkar should continue till the 2027 World Cup?
Such decisions rest with the BCCI management. These are collective calls taken at the appropriate time, keeping the larger interests of Indian cricket in mind. When the time comes, the board will take a considered view.
Q: Are you satisfied with the performance of UP in domestic cricket recently?
We are very encouraged by the progress of Uttar Pradesh cricket. A state association’s primary role is to develop players who can represent the national team and bring international recognition to the state. UP has been consistently contributing talent at the highest level. In white-ball cricket, the team has shown exceptional form, including a remarkable run of seven consecutive victories in the Vijay Hazare Trophy against some of the strongest state sides. Platforms like the UP T20 League have significantly strengthened the talent pipeline. We have about 18 players from UP across the teams playing in IPL.
English brothers Matt and Alex Fitzpatrick joined forces to continue their fine individual seasons by carding the round of the day in a PGA pairs event.
They hit a seven-under 65 to move one shot off the lead in the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, behind American pair Alex Smalley and Hayden Springer, who lead on 16 under after two rounds.
The event is played over four rounds at TPC Louisiana, with teams of two alternating between four-ball (best ball) in the first and third rounds and foursomes (alternate shot) in the second and fourth rounds.
The Fitzpatricks were six shots behind overnight leaders Smalley and Springer after carding a 64 in their opening round, but fired an eagle and six birdies, with just one dropped shot, to move up the leaderboard on Friday.
Matt Fitzpatrick has risen to number three in the world rankings following two victories on the PGA Tour this season.
Meanwhile, his younger brother Alex, 27, claimed his first career title on the DP World Tour in March at the Hero Indian Open.
"Obviously playing here as a family has been great for us, not seeing each other that much in the year," said Alex.
The English pair are in a three-way tie for second place on 15 under, alongside Americans Davis Thompson and Austin Eckroat, and Billy Horschel and Tom Hoge.
Six other teams are two shots off the lead on 14 under.
Englishman Aaron Rai is on 12 under with American partner Sahith Theegala, while the English pairings of Matt Wallace and Marco Penge, and John Parry and Dan Brown are on 11 under.
The top 33 teams and ties made the 36-hole cut, which landed at 10 under par.
Irish Ryder Cup star Shane Lowry teamed up with American five-time major winner Brooks Koepka for the first time, but the pair missed the cut by a single shot after rounds of 66 and 69.
Off-your-seat magic: The Premier League’s Most Watchable Stars Ranked
Who is the the Premier League's most watchable player? Football is an entertainment sport and fans cherish players who are capable of getting them off their seat.
Watchability is difficult to determine, with personal preference, but we've attempted to rank the most watchable names in thePremier League right now.
5. Erling Haaland - Manchester City
Erling Haaland will not win many prizes for footballing aesthetic, but the Norwegian is thrilling in his own brand.
Haaland's unstoppable surges towards goal have illuminated the Premier League since his arrival at the Etihad, with the City striker blitzing defences with terminator-like destruction. The term goal machine has never felt more appropriate.
4. Hugo Ekitike - Liverpool
Hugo Ekitike has oozed cool since rocking up in a red shirt last summer, with the French forward certainly bringing a certain Je ne sais quoi to Anfield.
From his quirky split personas on Instagram, to silky touches in Arne Slot's forward line, Ekitike has made a big impression in the Premier League. A tall number nine with smooth dribbling and relentless shot-volume, he's been a fantastic watch.
3. Cole Palmer - Chelsea
You don't get the nickname 'Cold' Palmer for nothing.
Sure, Palmer's not reached past heights this season during an injury-impacted season, but few do nonchalant quite like theChelsea star.
His ludicrous temperament under pressure and complete lack of robotic media training has made Palmer a Premier League poster boy.
"The way you dribble past three, four players in the Prem, that's skills to me."
Ndiaye's rise has been remarkable. From non-league and YouTube football to international honours, he's carried the street footballer style from the pavement to the Premier League. Unpredictable and slippery in tight areas, the Senegalese schemer has sprinkled star-dust on an often pragmaticEverton team.
1. Rayan Cherki - Manchester City
Sometimes a footballer comes along who just does things no one expects.Rayan Cherki is one of those footballers.
The Frenchman has been the maverick propellingManchester City's pursuit of the Premier League, a gloriously gifted game-changer.
Pep Guardiola has been criticised in the past for over-coaching innovation out of attacking talents, but when it's married with end product, he's prepared to give them the keys to the side.
Cherki has waltzed into the Premier League and put his stamp on it, and it's a scary sight for opposition teams that he's likely to only get better.
Watch: Fans reprimand Real Madrid stars after another frustrating draw
Real Madrid’s La Liga title push has taken a damaging hit, and this time the reaction has not just come from pundits or media – it has come directly from the stands.
The 1-1 draw against Real Betis has left Madrid trailing further behind Barcelona, and the frustration is now clearly visible among the supporters.
One of the most striking images from the match was Vinicius Jr., who scored Madrid’s only goal but embodied the team’s overall mood.
Every missed opportunity, every decision, and every lost duel seemed to add to his visible frustration.
His reactions towards the officials in the closing stages reflected a team struggling to maintain composure when it mattered most.
Frustration within the fanbase
The tension reached the stands after the full-time whistle, where sections of the travelling support were far from convinced by what they were seeing on the pitch.
As cameras focused, chants began to emerge.
“How shameless you are, show your faces,” shouted the fans.
As such, that reaction summed up the growing disconnect between the team and its supporters.
Notably, even when Madrid found the net, there was little sense of belief or momentum.
There were flashes of resistance, particularly through Andriy Lunin, whose series of saves kept Madrid in the game for long periods.
But even that felt temporary. Betis continued to create chances, and the late equaliser from Hector Bellerin felt less like a surprise and more like an inevitability.
Now, with Barcelona pulling further ahead in the title race, the reality is becoming unavoidable.
Real Madrid currently trail the Blaugrana by eight points, with the latter having one-game advantage.
So, if Hansi Flick’s side registers a win over Getafe later today, Real Madrid can technically say goodbye to their title push.
De Jong, Roony start in a 4-2-3-1 – How Barcelona can line up against Getafe
FC Barcelona have a golden opportunity to take a huge step towards retaining their La Liga crown when they face Getafe later today at Coliseum Alfonso Perez.
With Real Madrid dropping points against Real Betis on Friday night, Barça can now stretch their lead at the top of the table to 11 points with a win, pretty much getting one hand on the trophy.
The Blaugrana come into the game on the back of a 1-0 victory over Celta Vigo, which came at some cost as Lamine Yamal suffered a season-ending injury, while Eric Garcia got suspended after his fifth yellow card of the season.
However, the league leaders can draw confidence from their 3-0 victory over Jose Bordalas’ side earlier in the season and push for a repeat performance today at Coliseum Alfonso Perez.
Flick has some major selection decisions to make, considering the likes of Lamine and Eric are unavailable. With that in mind, here’s how Barcelona could take the field against Getafe later today.
Defence
Joan Garcia has enjoyed a fine debut campaign at Barcelona, and with each passing game, he is edging closer to the Zamora Trophy triumph. He will continue guarding the goal for the visitors.
Jules Kounde is expected to continue at right-back, but the Frenchman will need to tighten up his performances after a drop in his level compared to last season.
On the left, we may see a change with Alejandro Balde replacing Joao Cancelo after the Portuguese defender picked up a knock in the last game, which did not result in a serious injury.
Alejandro Balde to replace Cancelo? (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)
Pedri is a permanent fixture for Barcelona in the middle of the park, and his quality will be key in unlocking Getafe’s deep defensive block at Coliseum Alfonso Perez.
As for his partner in midfield, Flick had started Eric Garcia in the last two matches, who is unavailable due to suspension.
With Marc Bernal still sidelined as well, it should pave the way for Frenkie de Jong to start his first match in over two months, having gotten minutes under his belt in the last three games since returning from injury.
Fermin Lopez, who was used as a substitute in the previous game, ought to replace Dani Olmo in the No. 10 position for Barcelona.
Attack
Lamine Yamal’s absence creates a major hole in the side for Barcelona. His absence is bound to have an impact on the team, but in Roony Bardghji, the Catalans have another young, dynamic winger capable of making things happen from the right flank.
The Swede has struggled for minutes in his debut season and is set to be given a major opportunity to prove himself in the final phase of the season.
Meanwhile, Gavi, on the back of continued impressive performances in recent games, should once again start as the false left-winger for Barça in the continued absence of Raphinha.
Up top, Ferran Torres is expected to feature from the get-go once again, having rediscovered his form after a rough phase.
CINCINNATI, OHIO - NOVEMBER 15: Jake Golday #11 of the Cincinnati Bearcats jogs across the field during the third quarter against the Arizona Wildcats at Nippert Stadium on November 15, 2025 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The first Bearcat is off the board at the 2026 NFL Draft.
Cincinnati outside linebacker Jake Golday was selected as the 51st overall pick of the second round by the Minnesota Vikings. The earliest Bearcat chosen since 2022, Golday extends Cincinnati’s streak to 11-straight seasons with an NFL Draft pick.
Before starring in the Big 12, the Arlington, TN native originally suited up for Central Arkansas at the FCS level, where he spent the first three seasons of his college career. Golday arrived at Cincinnati prior to the 2024 campaign and immediately thrived in his new home. The outside linebacker — who started eight of 12 games in his first go-around as a Bearcat — ranked second on the team with 58 tackles and 7.0 tackles for loss.
In 2025, Golday elevated his game to another level. He attained status as Cincinnati’s only First Team All-Big 12 selection behind 105 tackles, 6.0 tackles for loss, and 3.5 sacks. Only Texas Tech’s Jacob Rodriguez (who landed to the Miami Dolphins eight picks before Golday) and TCU’s Kaleb Elarms-Orr racked up more tackles last fall than the Cincinnati outside linebacker.
Golday earned an invite to the 2026 NFL Combine where he elevated his stock. He measured above 6’4” and weighed in at 239 pounds. His most impressive measurements at the linebacker position included his 4.62-second 40-yard dash, 39-inch vertical, and 10-foot-5-inch broad jump.
Golday is the non-edge linebacker selected in the 2026 NFL Draft, following Arvell Reese, Sonny Styles, Jacob Rodriguez, and Josiah Trotter. He joins a Minnesota Vikings squad that currently employs the last Cincinnati linebacker to register 100 tackles in a season — Ivan Pace Jr. Although they weren’t college teammates, the two Bearcat linebackers are now united in Minnesota in a room that also includes Andrew Van Ginkel, Blake Cashman, Eric Wilson, and Dallas Turner.
Virat Kohli reclaimed the top spot in the Orange Cap standings with a commanding knock of 81 runs while chasing a target of 205. He played at a blistering strike rate of 184.09, smashing 8 fours and 4 sixes in a match-defining innings. Kohli had an early scare, as he was dropped on zero by Washington Sundar off the very first ball of the chase, a costly miss for the Titans. He made the most of that lifeline and went on to script history, becoming the first player to register 800 fours and 300 sixes for a single franchise in IPL history.
He stitched together a dominant 115-run partnership for the second wicket with Devdutt Padikkal, who contributed a rapid 55 off 27 balls, effectively taking the game away from the opposition. Kohli was eventually dismissed in the 14th over, clean bowled by Jason Holder while attempting a pull shot, but by then he had already done the bulk of the work in the chase, something he is renowned for.
With this innings, Kohli now leads the Orange Cap race with 328 runs. The victory also propelled RCB to second place in the IPL 2026 points table, with 10 points from 7 matches.
Hot on his heels is Abhishek Sharma of Sunrisers Hyderabad, who has 323 runs from 7 matches. The left-hander has been explosive, boasting a staggering strike rate of 215.33 - the highest among the top contenders, along with an average of 53.83. His unbeaten 135 remains one of the standout knocks of the tournament.
SRH’s dominance in the batting charts continues with Heinrich Klaasen, who has scored 320 runs in 7 matches. With an average of 53.33 and a strike rate of 153.11, Klaasen has been a reliable middle-order enforcer, providing both stability and acceleration.
Gujarat Titans skipper Shubman Gill has also been among the leading run-getters. In 6 matches, Gill has scored 297 runs at an average of 49.50 and a strike rate of 149.24, anchoring the innings with trademark composure.
Rounding off the top five is Sanju Samson, representing Chennai Super Kings this season. Samson has scored 293 runs in 7 matches, averaging a remarkable 58.60 - the highest among the top five, with a strike rate of 178.65. With two centuries already, he has been one of the most impactful batters of the campaign.
Before the draft, Tennessee cornerback Jermod McCoy was a betting favorite to go in the first round. He didn't. He also didn't hear his name called in the second round. Or the third.
Heading into Day Three of the draft, McCoy is now just hoping to get drafted in the fourth round, as concerns about a knee injury have tanked his draft stock.
A second-team All-American in 2024, McCoy missed the entire 2025 college football season after tearing an ACL while working out in the offseason. But he was expected to make a full recovery and be ready to go as a rookie. McCoy worked out at Tennessee's Pro Day, and from all accounts appeared to be in great shape.
But news emerged last week that NFL team doctors are concerned that McCoy could need another knee surgery, to repair a bone plug for a cartilage defect in McCoy’s knee. And that if the second surgery doesn't go well, McCoy might never fully recover.
Some team will almost certainly take a chance on McCoy on Saturday. But his NFL future no longer looks so bright, as that knee injury represents a dark cloud over a once-bright prospect's future.
Edmonton Oilers (41-30-11, in the Pacific Division) vs. Anaheim Ducks (43-33-6, in the Pacific Division)
Anaheim, California; Sunday, 9:30 p.m. EDT
LINE: Oilers -136, Ducks +113; over/under is 7
NHL PLAYOFFS FIRST ROUND: Ducks lead series 2-1
BOTTOM LINE: The Anaheim Ducks host the Edmonton Oilers in the first round of the NHL Playoffs with a 2-1 lead in the series. The teams meet Friday for the seventh time this season. The Ducks won the last matchup 7-4.
Anaheim has a 17-11-1 record in Pacific Division games and a 43-33-6 record overall. The Ducks have a -23 scoring differential, with 265 total goals scored and 288 conceded.
Edmonton has a 41-30-11 record overall and a 17-9-3 record in Pacific Division games. The Oilers have allowed 265 goals while scoring 282 for a +17 scoring differential.
TOP PERFORMERS: Cutter Gauthier has scored 41 goals with 28 assists for the Ducks. Mikael Granlund has one goal and 10 assists over the past 10 games.
Evan Bouchard has 21 goals and 74 assists for the Oilers. Connor McDavid has six goals and nine assists over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Ducks: 4-5-1, averaging 3.7 goals, six assists, 3.1 penalties and 7.1 penalty minutes while giving up 3.9 goals per game.
Oilers: 4-4-2, averaging 3.3 goals, six assists, 2.9 penalties and 6.7 penalty minutes while giving up 3.1 goals per game.
INJURIES: Ducks: Radko Gudas: day to day (lower body), Petr Mrazek: out for season (lower-body), Jansen Harkins: out (hand), Ross Johnston: day to day (lower-body).
Oilers: Jason Dickinson: day to day (undisclosed), Adam Henrique: out (lower-body), Max Jones: out (lower-body), Mattias Janmark: out for season (undisclosed).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Tampa Bay Lightning (50-26-6, in the Atlantic Division) vs. Montreal Canadiens (48-24-10, in the Atlantic Division)
Montreal, Quebec; Sunday, 7 p.m. EDT
LINE: Lightning -116, Canadiens -104; over/under is 6
NHL PLAYOFFS FIRST ROUND: Canadiens lead series 2-1
BOTTOM LINE: The Montreal Canadiens host the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round of the NHL Playoffs with a 2-1 lead in the series. The teams meet Friday for the eighth time this season. The Canadiens won the last matchup 3-2 in overtime.
Montreal is 18-9-2 against the Atlantic Division and 48-24-10 overall. The Canadiens have a 21-6-6 record in games decided by one goal.
Tampa Bay is 17-9-3 against the Atlantic Division and 50-26-6 overall. The Lightning have a 17-7-4 record when they serve fewer penalty minutes than their opponent.
TOP PERFORMERS: Nicholas Suzuki has scored 29 goals with 72 assists for the Canadiens. Juraj Slafkovsky has four goals and five assists over the last 10 games.
Brandon Hagel has 36 goals and 38 assists for the Lightning. Nikita Kucherov has four goals and six assists over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Canadiens: 6-3-1, averaging 2.5 goals, 4.6 assists, 5.7 penalties and 14.9 penalty minutes while giving up 2.7 goals per game.
Lightning: 4-4-2, averaging 2.4 goals, 4.1 assists, 6.7 penalties and 17.4 penalty minutes while giving up 2.8 goals per game.
INJURIES: Canadiens: Patrik Laine: out (abdomen), Noah Dobson: out (thumb).
Lightning: Charle-Edouard D'Astous: day to day (undisclosed), Victor Hedman: out (personal), Pontus Holmberg: out (upper-body).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Buffalo Sabres (50-23-9, in the Atlantic Division) vs. Boston Bruins (45-27-10, in the Atlantic Division)
Boston; Sunday, 2 p.m. EDT
LINE: Bruins -115, Sabres -105; over/under is 6
NHL PLAYOFFS FIRST ROUND: Sabres lead series 2-1
BOTTOM LINE: The Buffalo Sabres visit the Boston Bruins in the first round of the NHL Playoffs with a 2-1 lead in the series. The teams meet Thursday for the eighth time this season. The Sabres won 3-1 in the last meeting.
Boston has a 45-27-10 record overall and a 12-14-3 record in Atlantic Division games. The Bruins rank second in league play serving 11.9 penalty minutes per game.
Buffalo has a 50-23-9 record overall and an 18-7-4 record in Atlantic Division play. The Sabres have a 46-4-8 record when scoring three or more goals.
TOP PERFORMERS: Morgan Geekie has 39 goals and 29 assists for the Bruins. Mark Kastelic has three goals and one assist over the last 10 games.
Rasmus Dahlin has 19 goals and 55 assists for the Sabres. Alex Tuch has scored six goals and added four assists over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Bruins: 3-5-2, averaging 2.4 goals, 4.5 assists, 4.4 penalties and 10.7 penalty minutes while giving up 2.3 goals per game.
Sabres: 6-3-1, averaging 3.4 goals, 5.7 assists, 5.3 penalties and 14.4 penalty minutes while giving up 2.5 goals per game.
INJURIES: Bruins: None listed.
Sabres: Jiri Kulich: out for season (ear), Sam Carrick: out (arm), Josh Norris: day to day (undisclosed), Justin Danforth: out for season (kneecap).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Hibernian have won both of their past two home league games against Hearts; they had won just one of their previous nine home Edinburgh derbies in the Scottish Premiership before this (D4 L4).
After their 1-0 win in February, Hearts are looking to win back-to-back Scottish Premiership meetings with rivals Hibs for the first time since April 2014; this is the 28th top-flight game between the two sides since then.
Hibs remain unbeaten in nine home league games (W6 D3), keeping a clean sheet in their last three; they haven't recorded four successive home shutouts in the top flight since December 2009 under John Hughes.
Hearts are the first non-Old Firm club (Celtic/Rangers) to earn 70+ points in a Scottish Premiership season since Aberdeen in 2017-18 (73), while it's Hearts' most in a top-flight campaign since 2005-06 (74).
Hearts are winless in their past four away league games (D1 L3), this after only failing to win four of their first 12 on the road in 2025-26 beforehand (W8 D2 L2).
LUCKNOW: Former Ranji player from Lucknow, Tanmay Srivastava, is set to make his debut as an on-field umpire in the IPL during the Punjab Kings vs Rajasthan Royals match at Mullanpur on April 28.
Srivastava, who made his IPL debut as a player for Punjab Kings in 2008, will return in a new role after 18 years in a match of the same team.
He became the first umpire from Uttar Pradesh to officiate an IPL match as an on-field umpire. Last year, he made his IPL debut as a fourth umpire.
He has been assigned four matches as an on-field umpire this season: Punjab Kings vs Rajasthan Royals (April 28), Delhi Capitals vs Chennai Super Kings (May 5), Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Mumbai Indians (May 10), and Chennai Super Kings vs Sunrisers Hyderabad (May 18). He will also serve in several matches as a fourth umpire and TV umpire.
A member of India’s Under-19 World Cup-winning team, Srivastava began his cricket journey in the lanes of Lucknow. He initially played at Chowk and KD Singh Babu Stadium before moving to Green Park Hostel, where he progressed from Under-14 cricket to first-class cricket while representing Kanpur.
Srivastava also worked as a scout with RCB and later moved into coaching and cleared the Level 2 coaching examination. He also served as fielding coach of the Jammu & Kashmir Ranji team and was part of the National Cricket Academy set up as batting coach of the Under-16 side.
He then turned to umpiring and has been involved in officiating over the past three years. Srivastava, a former India Under-19 captain, played 90 first-class matches and scored 4,918 runs.
Rotherham United finished 13th in League One last season in their first year back in the third tier, following relegation from the Championship in 2023/24.
The Millers regularly yo-yo between the second and third tiers and have spent five years in each division in the last decade. However, they will start next season in the fourth tier for the first time since 2013, after relegation was confirmed in mid-April.
They currently sit 23rd in the league, five points above bottom side Northampton Town. Their recent form has been poor, seeing four losses and one win in their last five games. They come into this weekend’s game off the back of a 0-2 home defeat to Luton Town during the week, after two goals from Kasey Palmer.
The two sides faced each other back in November, playing out a 1-1 draw at the Select Car Leasing Stadium, where Charlie Savage scored a second-half equaliser after Josh Benson gave the Millers the lead in the first half.
The boss
Lee Clark: Clark was appointed Rotherham manager in mid-March, signing a deal until the end of the season, following Matt Hamshaw’s sacking after almost a year in charge.
The former midfielder had a 16-year career as a player, representing the likes of Newcastle United, Sunderland and Fulham. Post-retirement, Clark started his managerial career at Huddersfield Town in 2008, where he spent just over three years.
He then went on to manage Birmingham City and Blackpool before a spell north of the border at Kilmarnock. Clarke then had spells managing Bury and non-league Blyth Spartans before moving overseas to manage Sudanese club Al-Merrikh. He had a spell in Oman managing Al-Ittihad before rturning to Al-Merrikh in 2022.
After just over four years out of the game, Clark was appointed Rotherham manager in March with the task of keeping them in the division. Unfortunately, the 53-year-old has been unable to avoid the drop, winning only one of his seven games in charge of the Millers.
Squad
Rotherham have a number of players out injured including goalkeeper Cameron Dawson, defender Marvin Kaleta and midfielders Liam Kelly, Hamish Douglas, Shaun McWilliams, Kian Spence and Joe Powell.
10. Sam Nombe: Forward Nombe joined Rotherham in August 2023 from Exeter City for an undisclosed fee.
He came through the youth ranks at MK Dons and made his debut for the club in 2017. While at the Dons he had two separate loan spells at Oxford City and another at Maidenhead United. Nombe managed to break into the MK Dons first team in the 2019/20 season, scoring two goals for the club.
He had a loan spell with Luton Town in the 2020/21 season, but ended up joining Exeter on a permanent deal the following season. Nombe made 84 appearances for Exeter over the course of two seasons, scoring 27 goals.
Since moving to Rotherham, the 27-year-old has added another 30 goals to his career tally, with 12 of those coming this season. Nombe usually plays as a striker and is a counter-attacking threat who is a strong finisher.
One to watch
15. Jamal Baptiste: Defender Baptiste joined Rotherham on a season-long loan last summer from Championship side Sheffield United.
He started his career in the youth setup at West Ham United, signed his first pro deal with the club in 2020, and made his Hammers debut the following year. Baptiste went on to join Manchester City in 2023 and spent time on loan in Belgium with Lommel.
A permanent move to Sheffield United followed in 2024, where he has played twice, before being loaned to Rotherham this season to gain more first-team experience.
The 22-year-old has represented England at under-15, under-16, under-17 and under-19 levels, with 15 Young Lions caps to his name. Baptiste is a centre-back who is strong in the air but also has good pace on the ground.
Coco Gauff’s complicated relationship with clay continues, even in victory. As the 22-year-old delivered a comprehensive 6–3, 6–0 win over Léolia Jeanjean in the Round of 64 of the Madrid Open, she marked the end of a seven-month statistical burden that had followed her game.
“Well, first of all, did you see how many times I fell today? I’m always leaving this clay swing with new scars on my body. That’s the first thing. My socks, shoes, and everything get dirty. I like it for my game, but it’s the little, small icks that kind of get on my nerves. Clay treats me well, just a few icks I need to get over,” she said during her post-match interview.
Moreover, Madrid’s high altitude (approximately 650-670 meters) also poses a big challenge for the players. The city stands at a higher elevation than most other European capitals, which can affect players’ condition on the court, as some may find it difficult to breathe when exhausted during a match.
However, Gauff feels that she has adapted well to Madrid’s altitude in recent years and has now become used to it.
“Well, at first, when I played this tournament, I couldn’t get past the Round of 16, so I would say it hurt. But last year I made it to the final. I think I’ve learned to play with the altitude, so I think it is helping. It helped a lot with my serve today. So yeah, I think it helps and enhances for sure. But I prefer playing closer to sea level,” she added.
Gauff gave a remarkable performance against Jeanjean in the Spanish capital. After looking shaky in the first set at times, she completely took the game away from her opponent in the second set. Though the world No. 3 has had a habit of serving double-faults throughout her career, she made sure not to repeat the same mistake this time around.
The encounter against Jeanjean proved to be the first match in seven months where Gauff didn’t serve a double-fault. She was strong with her serve throughout the match and held it on most occasions.
On the other hand, she didn’t let the 30-year-old settle and repeatedly broke her serve. Gauff converted seven of her 16 break points during the match and wrapped things up in 82 minutes. Now, that’s quite a show, given that she had delivered some momentous performances in Madrid last year as well.
After defeating Dayana Yastremska, Ann Li, Belinda Bencic, Mirra Andreeva, and Iga Świątek, she finally reached the Madrid Open final, where she faced Aryna Sabalenka. Gauff fell short against the then–world No. 1, 3–6, 6–7. Sure, the first set was difficult, but the American did everything she could in the second to narrow the gap; it just wasn’t enough against the Belarusian.
Then, in 2024, she had a relatively short run in Spain, reaching only the Round of 16, where she lost to Madison Keys (6–7, 6–4, 4–6). A year earlier, she exited in the Round of 32 after losing to Paula Badosa (3–6, 0–6). Her 2022 campaign also ended in the Round of 16, where she lost to Simona Halep.
This year, however, Gauff didn’t look in the best condition during the first set and was forced to take a medical timeout at 4–3.
Coco Gauff suffers an injury scare at the Madrid Open
The 22-year-old appeared to have suffered a blister on her thumb during the match and had to call in the physio to inspect. Though it didn’t look to be anything serious, the cut could have seriously affected Gauff’s game.
Miami Open Presented by Itau 2026 – March 27 Miami, Florida – March 27: play, react and celebrate during the Womens Singles Final match between Aryna Sabalenka and Coco Gauff of USA on day 12 of the Miami Open at Hard Rock Stadium on March 27, 2026 in Miami, Florida, United States. Copyright: xLatinxSportxImagesx
But the American shrugged off the minor setback and continued to play in her rhythm. She wouldn’t allow Jeanjean to win another game and would go on to win the next eight consecutively.
Gauff has had injury problems this year and had to retire from the Round of 32 match against Alexandra Eala at the Indian Wells Masters. She had injured her left arm during the match but didn’t miss any tournaments due to the setback and was back in action at the Miami Open.
With the Madrid Open still going on, and the Rome Masters and French Open on the horizon, Gauff will be hoping not to get injured at such an important part of the tour.
Gauff will be taking on Sorana Cirstea in the Round of 32 at the Madrid Open. She currently leads the H2H record by 2-0 and will be aiming to win her third consecutive match over the Romanian as the two meet in the Spanish capital.
Roy Keane and Ian Wright discuss Man City game and Odegaard
Roy Keane believes Martin Odegaard should be producing better performances for Arsenal, both as a player and as a leader, with the Gunners struggling to win the league this season.
Odegaard has become an injury-prone player at the Emirates, which has made it difficult for Arsenal to rely on him consistently throughout much of the campaign. Despite those setbacks, the club still consider him a valuable member of the squad, and he has delivered positive displays when available, including in the recent Premier League match against Manchester City.
Injuries have limited the overall impact he can make on the side, but Odegaard has still matured into an important performer for Arsenal during the term.
(Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
Debate over Odegaard’s influence
He remains one of the players Mikel Arteta trusts most, with supporters often pleased when he is on the pitch. However, there is growing discussion over whether he should be doing more in decisive moments, particularly given his role as captain and creative leader.
Former players have now weighed in on the subject following Arsenal’s defeat against Manchester City, with questions raised about midfield balance and whether changes should have been made during the match.
Wright and Keane assess Arsenal options
Ian Wright shared his own tactical view, while Roy Keane also gave his assessment, as reported by Football365.
Wright said: “I would have put Declan in Zubimendi’s position. I would put Odegaard in where Declan is, and then I would put Eze as a 10.”
Keane observed: “I still don’t think Odegaard is enough. He’s neat and tidy and he’s good but…”
Keane’s remarks suggest he wants greater authority and influence from Odegaard, particularly in matches where Arsenal need leadership and creativity to overcome strong opposition.
Arsenal will continue to depend on the midfielder when fit, but maintaining his fitness and increasing his consistency in the biggest matches could be crucial if the club are to challenge successfully for major honours next season.
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Liverpool get green light as top target tells club he wants to leave
Van de Ven wants to leave Spurs
And who better than Micky van de Ven? The Tottenham defender has emerged as one of the best central defenders in the Premier League - despite his club being embroiled in a relegation battle.
TEAMtalk is now reporting that with contract talks with Spurs at an impasse the Netherlands international has made it clear that he wishes to leave.
Van de Ven’s representatives have been putting the feelers out across Europe about his next move and Liverpool are named among the left-footer’s Premier League suitors.
Micky van de Ven has little intention of signing a new contract at Tottenham Hotspur, regardless of whether the club avoid relegation, the Dutch defender is already looking towards a move away.
Liverpool in chase for Van de Ven
Van de Ven’s representatives have now made it clear to Tottenham that he would like to leave this summer, alerting a number of top clubs across Europe.
“Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United are all showing strong interest in the left-sided centre-back, while Real Madrid are also monitoring the situation as they explore options to strengthen with a natural left-footer, having previously tracked Borussia Dortmund’s Nico Schlotterbeck,” the report reads.
The 25-year-old is signed up until 2029 but with contract talks on hold the North London side could be forced to face a sale of their top defensive asset.
Van de Ven is well known to Liverpool head coach Arne Slot - who has twice tried to sign him previously. Across managerial spells at AZ and Feyenoord the 47-year-old eyed up deals for his compatriot - whose career took him off in a different direction.
Michael Carrick: Alan Shearer delivers bold verdict on United coach
Manchester United are preparing to host Brentford at Old Trafford on Monday, 27 April, in the Premier League. A win will further solidify the Red Devils’ quest to bring the Champions League back to the Theatre of Dreams next season.
The Premier League giants are yet to feature in the new format of the European club tournament, with their last appearance coming in the 2023/24 campaign, before the recent reforms. Erik ten Hag was the manager then, but he lost the job in October 2024, with United appointing former Sporting manager Ruben Amorim as the Dutchman’s replacement.
The Portuguese head coach, however, endured a disappointing 14-month reign at Old Trafford. Despite finishing 15th in the Premier League as well as losing the Europa League final last season, Amorim kept his job, only to be removed from his position this January.
INEOS moved to appoint Michael Carrick as the caretaker manager until the end of the campaign, with a permanent appointment expected this summer. However, the Englishman is now one of the favourites for the job after a superb three months in charge.
A strong contender for the permanent position
When Carrick walked in through the doors at Carrington in January to steady the ship, United were struggling for identity and form. The Englishman abandoned the 3-4-3 system and implemented a 4-2-3-1 formation that the squad was better suited to.
The Red Devils roared back into form, winning four games on the trot, including impressive wins against Manchester City at home and against Arsenal away at the Emirates. Carrick has since registered eight wins and two draws in his 12 games in charge so far, taking the team to third in the Premier League after 33 games.
While calls to make his stay permanent have been gathering pace for a while, recent defeats against Newcastle United and Leeds United did raise quite a few questions. However, Carrick masterminded a hard-fought 1-0 win over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge last weekend, further consolidating his candidature for the full-time job.
Newcastle United legend Alan Shearer believes that his countryman could be the right man for the Old Trafford job, but on one condition.
Shearer wants Carrick on short-term deal
Speaking on The Rest is Football podcast, Shearer criticised United for their lack of patience in recent times. He said: “I just think it’s been such a bad look for Man United when they’ve had to shell out so much on terms of directors of football paying for them, sacking them, paying for managers them, sacking them, giving them huge amounts to spend and then sacking staff who have been there for years. I think that’s such a poor look.”
INEOS have already sacked Ten Hag and Amorim so far since assuming charge and also removed former sporting director Dan Ashworth from his position within five months of appointing him in the summer of 2024. The Red Devils are still looking for a suitable replacement for the legendary Sir Alex Ferguson, more than a decade since his retirement.
Shearer went on to state that United should hand Carrick a short-term deal if they secure Champions League football, adding: “Under Michael (they) have definitely improved and it looks as if they’re going to qualify for Champions League.”
“I guess if they do, I’d be for giving him the job. Not on a long term basis and they’ll make mistakes as they’ve done last time, but maybe even give him a one year deal with different incentives in it if he hits different targets.”
Final Thoughts
Carrick’s knowledge of the club and his previous experience of working at Old Trafford under Jose Mourinho and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer also make him a strong candidate for the job. With experienced candidates like Thomas Tuchel, Carlo Ancelotti and Luis Enrique unlikely to be available this summer, the Englishman’s only competition could be Julien Nagelsmann, Andoni Iraola and Oliver Glasner.
Michele Alboreto was not someone who became interested in racing only once he was involved. He was like you or I – a pure fan – long before he became a driver, and each year he’d make the 45min journey from home in Milan to Monza for the Italian Grand Prix.
In 1970, he was left tearful on witnessing Jochen Rindt’s fatal accident in practice, then felt the exhilaration 24 hours later as Clay Regazzoni, in only his fifth Grand Prix, won the race for Ferrari. In one weekend, 13-year-old Michele had experienced motor racing in extremis.
Perhaps in honor of Rindt, he became a fan of Lotus and in particular, Ronnie Peterson. Each year, Albo would bravely stand among the die-hard Ferrari-or-nothing tifosi but waving a Lotus flag for his hero. As soon as he started racing for Scuderia Salvati in Formula Monza in 1976 this young Italian lad adopted Peterson’s Swedish helmet colors, blue with a yellow peak. It would remain that way to the end.
Salvati, impressed with its new charge, moved him into Formula Abarth for 1978, and steady improvement in technique and understanding of racecars in general culminated in victory at Magione and fourth in the championship. That was enough to land Alboreto a drive in the final Italian Formula 3 championship round of the year – again at Magione – and on his debut he finished fourth.
Joining Giampaolo Pavanello’s Euroracing team for ’79, Alboreto raced in both the European and Italian championships. In the national series, it was a successful year, and he finished second overall, having triumphed at Magione, Misano and Imola. Inevitably the competition was tougher on the European stage, where he finished sixth, his highlights being poles at Magny-Cours and Monza, runner-up finishes at Zolder and Enna, a third place at Monza, and five fastest laps.
Rather than rush up the ladder series, 22-year-old Alboreto stayed on in F3 for ’79 and put his experience to good use, beating future F1 winner Thierry Boutsen’s Martini-Toyota to the European crown, while also grabbing third in the Italian Series. No less impressive was a one-off trip to Silverstone for a foray into the British Formula 3 scene. After qualifying 10th from 35 entrants, Alboreto raced his way up to fourth in the first heat, finished third in the second heat and took third overall – the lone Alfa-powered machine in a Toyota-dominated Top 10.
The Minardi-BMW was a long way from being the hottest F2 property in ’81, but Alboreto took pole at Pau and won at Misano.
The Minardi-BMW was a long way from being the hottest F2 property in ’81, but Alboreto took pole at Pau and won at Misano.
While F3 of course took priority when pursuing an open-wheel career, Alboreto was one of several young drivers who at this time raced for the Lancia Corse sportscar team in the World Championship for Makes, forerunner to today’s World Endurance Championship. Driving a Group 5 Beta Montecarlo Turbo, he started four races that year, two partnering future F1 rival Eddie Cheever, and two alongside rally legend Walter Rohrl. Alboreto’s three second places and a fourth helped Lancia very narrowly edge Porsche for the title.
Disappointed at being unable to land a works drive with March or Ralt for Formula 2 in 1981, ‘Albo’ joined Minardi in Formula 2, despite the team’s 281 chassis being off the pace. However, after four races he got word that Ken Tyrrell needed a new partner for Cheever in Formula 1, since incumbent Ricardo Zunino had been 1.7 and 2.4sec off the American’s pace in his two outings in the admittedly outmoded Tyrrell 010 Cosworth. ‘Uncle Ken’, also lacking a major sponsor, signed up Albo for the San Marino Grand Prix, the wheels to the deal having been oiled by funds from Count Zanon (one of Peterson’s former supporters who had become a friend of Alboreto), and sponsorship from Imola Ceramica, a local tiling company.
Michele regarded working with Ken Tyrrell as essential to his fledgling F1 career. Partnering the same driver in both sportscars and F1 – Eddie Cheever – provided a good baseline too.
Michele regarded working with Ken Tyrrell as essential to his fledgling F1 career. Partnering the same driver in both sportscars and F1 – Eddie Cheever – provided a good baseline too.
The new kid made an immediate impression by outqualifying the more experienced Cheever, although this would happen only one more time in the year-old Maurice Philippe-designed 010 as the rookie struggled initially to adapt to the numb ground-effect chassis. It wasn’t until the replacement 011 arrived mid-season that Alboreto showed more faith in finding the car’s limit and crept closer to Cheever’s pace – despite running Avon tires compared with his teammate’s Goodyears.
Alboreto’s simultaneous F2 campaign was fraught, the Minardi rarely capable of threatening the works teams, yet he earned pole in Pau, and later won in Misano, but necessarily skipped a couple of rounds to fulfill his F1 commitments. Arguably the high points of his season came in sportscars, finishing second in the Group 5 class in the 24 Hours of Le Mans after sharing a Beta Montecarlo with Cheever and touring car ace Carlo Facetti, and then winning the Watkins Glen 6 Hours outright with Riccardo Patrese.
The Lancia Beta Montecarlo Turbo of Alboreto, Cheever and Facetti heads for second in class at Le Mans in 1981.
The Lancia Beta Montecarlo Turbo of Alboreto, Cheever and Facetti heads for second in class at Le Mans in 1981.
Rival Formula 1 teams made offers to Alboreto for 1982, but the pragmatic 25-year-old elected instead to sign with Tyrrell for two more years and continue his Grand Prix education.
“For me, driving for Tyrrell was the best thing at that stage in my career,” he explained to Maurice Hamilton in an Autosport interview. “Absolutely fantastic. Ken taught me so much and yet never put me under pressure. I started learning the day I arrived and I was still learning the day I left. It was just the right experience for a driver starting in Formula 1.”
Elevated to team leader status for 1982, and with his 011 now running Goodyears, Albo scored two fourths in the opening three races of the season and, in the race boycotted by most FOCA teams at San Marino, he joined Ferrari drivers Didier Pironi and Gilles Villeneuve on the podium. At Zolder, the Ferrari entries were withdrawn following Villeneuve’s tragic death in qualifying, and Alboreto lined up fifth on the grid, but his usually reliable Cosworth engine let go on race day.
Albo's first podium finish came in the 1982 San Marino GP driving the Tyrrell 011.
Albo's first podium finish came in the 1982 San Marino GP driving the Tyrrell 011.
The normally aspirated teams were facing an uphill battle; compared with the turbo cars of Ferrari and Renault and soon Brabham-BMW, they were giving away some 300hp in qualifying and 150 on race day. Yet Alboreto, like eventual champion Keke Rosberg (Williams) and the McLaren drivers (Niki Lauda and John Watson) was at the forefront of the Cosworth battle. In fact, Alboreto’s next batch of points would come on what were very much ‘power tracks’ – sixth at the original Paul Ricard with its mile-long Mistral Straight, fourth at the original Hockenheim and fifth at Monza. His reputation was burgeoning. Come the finale at Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, Albo was outqualified only by the Renaults, and when one blew up (Rene Arnoux) and the other developed a bad tire vibration (Alain Prost), the Tyrrell driver was there to pounce with 24 laps to go, and land his first victory – and Ken’s first in more than four years.
Reigning supreme in Vegas -
Rosberg has just won the 1982 World Championship, Diana Ross has awarded the trophies, and Alboreto has just landed his first GP victory.
Reigning supreme in Vegas -
Rosberg has just won the 1982 World Championship, Diana Ross has awarded the trophies, and Alboreto has just landed his first GP victory.
Alboreto had continued to put his name up in lights in what was now called the World Endurance Championship, as Lancia moved up to Group 6 with its svelte barchetta, the LC1. Whenever his car finished, he would triumph – with Patrese again in the Silverstone 1000km, with both Riccardo and Teo Fabi in the Nurburgring 1000km, and with Piercarlo Ghinzani in the Fuji 6 Hours. However, these would remain his last sportscar wins for well over a decade, as in ’83 Lancia produced a Group C car, the LC2, and it was blown aside by the Porsche 956s. And anyway, for the next 10 years, Albo needed to focus on F1.
Silverstone 1000km – the first of three WEC wins for Alboreto's Lancia LC1 in the 1982 World Endurance Championship.
Silverstone 1000km – the first of three WEC wins for Alboreto's Lancia LC1 in the 1982 World Endurance Championship.
If the Cosworths had been struggling in ’82, things became even tougher the following season. The best normally aspirated cars were 4-5sec off pole at tracks such as Paul Ricard, and since the turbo-powered cars were becoming more reliable, so there were fewer opportunities for a ‘Cossie’ to swoop in for wins. The last to do so with the Cosworth DFV were Watson at Long Beach and Rosberg at Monaco, while Alboreto ran the development DFY unit from Monaco onwards and scooped a fortunate win at Detroit when Nelson Piquet’s Brabham picked up a puncture. Ford would not win again in F1 for six years, while Tyrrell would never win again.
The Tyrrell 012 was a neat car and Albo won in Detroit, but anyone lacking a turbo was going to struggle on more open tracks.
The Tyrrell 012 was a neat car and Albo won in Detroit, but anyone lacking a turbo was going to struggle on more open tracks.
Following Alboreto’s Vegas triumph the previous year, Enzo Ferrari had publicly commented: “I have said, and I confirm it, that the day Alboreto becomes available, I will be happy to put a car at his disposal.” In the mean time, for 1983 Il Commendatore had retained Villeneuve’s replacement, Patrick Tambay, and signed Arnoux from Renault, following Pironi’s F1 career-ending shunt at Hockenheim. Both Tambay and Arnoux performed well through the 1983 season and between them kept the Harvey Postlethwaite-penned Ferrari 126C2Bs and 126C3s prominent, so it seemed curious that Ferrari was willing to break up this team. Yet that is precisely what happened. Alboreto, made aware that Tyrrell had no turbo engine manufacturer lined up for the following year, put himself on the market and signed with Ferrari in July. A couple of months later he and others learned that the deal was at the expense of his friend Tambay.
Ken Tyrrell would miss his Italian ace, as he told Autosport a couple of years later.
“The thing about Michele was that he related so well to what was, for him, a foreign team,” said Ken, who had watched his team dominate in the Jackie Stewart era and then become occasional winners with Jody Scheckter, Patrick Depailler and Alboreto. “He has no airs or graces. If he says he will be somewhere at 3 o’clock, he will be there at 3 o’clock. He is a gentleman – and he’s bloody quick in a racing car!”
Race engineer Brian Lisles, later of Newman/Haas Racing Indy car team fame, observed: “[Alboreto] is one of the few drivers around who purposely adopts a completely different style for qualifying; he really put our car through its paces for that one lap. He would say that this was when he used ‘the extra half-second I carry in my pocket.’ He would come in, grinning from ear to ear, and the poor old car would sit there, breathlessly tinging and pinging as it cooled down. He really liked that. So did we.”
Ken Tyrrell (bottom) and race engineer Brian Lisles (standing highest) remained big fans of Michele, even after he left for Ferrari.
Ken Tyrrell (bottom) and race engineer Brian Lisles (standing highest) remained big fans of Michele, even after he left for Ferrari.
So too did Ferrari but there’s no doubt Alboreto expected more from the relationship when he signed up. Despite the trauma of its 1982 season, Enzo’s squad had won the Constructors’ Championship that year, and then retained it in ’83. The omens were good. And yet Michele would discover the following year’s 126C4 was rarely a match for John Barnard’s new TAG Porsche-engined McLaren MP4/2 piloted by Alain Prost and Niki Lauda.
In more recent times, Ferrari’s combination of Jean Todt, Ross Brawn and Michael Schumacher would become a prime example of how, by operating with a ‘one for all and all for one’ integrity and a desire for continuity, a Formula 1 team comprising prime talents can dominate. And that period in the Scuderia’s history may cause one to forget how very differently it had been run in previous eras. Pre-Todt, Ferrari was infamous for damaging polemics, leaks to the media and various internal factions pulling in several different directions, each competing to have the ear of the Old Man at Maranello. Power struggles, personal agendas and sometimes sheer spite had been as much a part of the fabric of this great institution as scarlet cars, prancing horse logos and trophies.
Michele greatly admired Enzo Ferrari but insisted he wasn't caught up in the marque's mystique. Team manager Marco Piccinini is in shades, while Michele is obscuring one of Enzo Ferrari's 'lieutenants', Franco Gozzi. Michele's wife Nadia is on the right of frame.
Michele greatly admired Enzo Ferrari but insisted he wasn't caught up in the marque's mystique. Team manager Marco Piccinini is in shades, while Michele is obscuring one of Enzo Ferrari's 'lieutenants', Franco Gozzi. Michele's wife Nadia is on the right of frame.
Such impediments to progress resulted in squandered opportunities and were something that the direct and stubborn John Surtees and direct and wily Lauda had both tried to resolve, if only fleetingly. Another Ferrari legend, Villeneuve, had somehow risen above the morass of politics and was adored, but this can be done only if you’re both supernaturally quick and willing not to meddle too much on the technical side. Maybe Alboreto thought that he too could stay immune to the watch-your-back atmosphere that pervaded the corridors of power at Maranello because, despite being a student of racing heritage, his move to Ferrari was borne not of passion for the marque but of pragmatism.
“I don’t feel this famous mythology about the Ferrari team,” he told journalist Mike Doodson. “It is just a very good team with a lot of history behind it. I like Mr. Ferrari because he is such a strong man. I want to be able to grow old like him and to be like that myself… But I don’t feel the mythology when I a driving: I don’t see the color of the car or the little horse on my steering wheel. I just see the two front wheels and my hands on the steering, and I try to go as quick as possible.”
That was quick enough to put him on the front row for the 1984 season-opener in Brazil, but a loose bolt in a brake caliper allowed the fluid to drain away and he was forced to retire when the system overheated. At the next round in Kyalami, the Ferraris were well off the pace. But in Belgium, Alboreto and Arnoux locked out the front row, and Michele led from start to finish, while Arnoux took third. Thereafter, however, the team was overwhelmed by not only McLaren’s red-n-whitewash, but also reliability issues for Alboreto and distinctly up-and-down performances from Arnoux. The pair would finish in very distant fourth and sixth places respectively in the drivers’ championship, while Ferrari’s second place in the Constructors’ points table saw them finish with fewer than half of McLaren’s tally.
The start at Zolder ’84, and Alboreto is about to dominate. Behind him are teammate Arnoux, Keke Rosberg's Williams, Derek Warwick's Renault, the Lotus of Elio de Angelis and Manfred Winkelhock in an ATS.
The start at Zolder ’84, and Alboreto is about to dominate. Behind him are teammate Arnoux, Keke Rosberg's Williams, Derek Warwick's Renault, the Lotus of Elio de Angelis and Manfred Winkelhock in an ATS.
“After Belgium, we seemed to be on the right path,” recalled Alboreto, “but we made a wrong turning and it was downhill after that… The car was not good and there were problems within the team…Was it me? Was it the car?… I think the middle of the season was the worst time. The pressure to do well was incredible… I had to close my mind to everything outside and just get on with the driving – think of nothing else but the driving.”
Endless testing at Fiorano and constant changes of setups on Grand Prix weekends appeared to help the team rally, so that Albo scored a couple of runner-up finishes toward the end of the year, but still in qualifying the Ferraris were light years behind their principal rivals. Legendary engineer Mauro Forghieri was a primary casualty in this period, but the relationship between the drivers was not. Arnoux, an 18-time polesitter, was recognized as one of the very quickest drivers in Formula 1 in the early ’80s, so might reasonably have been upset when his latest teammate outpaced him most weekends. Yet Rene insisted that was never an issue.
Aside from a brilliant drive from the back in Dallas, Arnoux was overshadowed by Alboreto in ’84, but never let it affect their relationship.
Aside from a brilliant drive from the back in Dallas, Arnoux was overshadowed by Alboreto in ’84, but never let it affect their relationship.
"Michele was a fantastic guy,” he told me, “and the atmosphere between myself, Michele and Enzo was very good. It was not a good year for Ferrari but we all worked hard as a team. Whenever he was quicker than me, it was not a problem. And when he got good results, I would say, 'Congratulations, I am very happy for you'. It's very easy for there to be war between teammates, but with Michele and me it was impossible! He was a perfect man. It was the best relationship I ever had with a team partner.”
The pair remained together into ’85 – but only for one race. For reasons never explained, Arnoux was abruptly let go after just a single race – although qualifying 1.8sec behind his polesitting teammate, and being lapped twice on race day hardly helped his cause. Alboreto was left reasonably content with a runner-up finish on that occasion and was confident that the imperious McLaren team, which had switched from Michelin to Goodyear tires during the offseason, was now a bit more beatable with his new 156/85.
The Ferrari 156/85 was a strong contender in the first half of the 1985 season but its form rapidly declined from midseason.
The Ferrari 156/85 was a strong contender in the first half of the 1985 season but its form rapidly declined from midseason.
At a soaking Estoril, the #27 Ferrari was the only car left unlapped by the brilliantly-driven Lotus of Ayrton Senna. At Imola, Alboreto retired but set fastest lap. Then, on May 19 at Monaco, came arguably his greatest performance. Having qualified third, behind Senna and the Williams-Honda of Mansell, Albo pulled a stunning fishtailing pass on the Briton under braking for Ste Devote at the start of the fourth lap, and was hounding the Lotus for the lead on lap 13 when its Renault engine blew. Alboreto then pulled away from his opponents but, as leader, was the first to discover a major oil slick at Ste Devote five laps later. He shot up an escape road, kept the engine alive and turned around to rejoin the track, but saw Prost slip past into P1. Yet on lap 23, Michele caught and re-passed the Frenchman, and again appeared to have the race in his pocket. Then fate intervened once more: a punctured left-rear tire forced him to slither to the pits, and dropped him to fourth.
The Ferrari rocketed back out and Alboreto began a series of mesmerizing, qualifying-style laps, grazing the Armco barriers. Past Andrea de Cesaris' Ligier into third. Past the other Lotus of Elio de Angelis for second. Only Prost to go... Sadly, he ran out of time. Despite recording a fastest lap more than 1sec quicker than even his best rivals, despite pulling off more moves than anyone else on a track where it’s supposedly impossible to pass, Alboreto had to be satisfied as a gutsy and exhilarated runner-up.
In Canada a month later, he led new teammate Stefan Johansson to a Ferrari 1-2, finished third behind Rosberg and Johansson at Detroit, and then suffered a turbo failure at the French GP. Far more perturbing than this retirement, though, were the British Grand Prix, when he finished runner-up but was lapped by winner Prost, and Austrian GP, when again he finished on the podium but in qualifying had found himself two seconds slower than the Frenchman’s McLaren.
Close call! Alboreto dives down the inside of Rosberg's Williams to take the lead in the German GP. He would go on to win, and take the lead of the championship. It wouldn't last.
Close call! Alboreto dives down the inside of Rosberg's Williams to take the lead in the German GP. He would go on to win, and take the lead of the championship. It wouldn't last.
“We tried to respond and went the wrong way,” said Alboreto summing up this period. “We make everything in our factory – engine, chassis, gearbox, all of the car – [so] to put together a competitive package is very difficult. When you have problems and you don’t know exactly what is wrong, there is a panic, a grande casino, as we say in Italian. With Ken it was different. He never had enough money to have a grande casino…”
In between the British and Austrian rounds, Alboreto won in Germany at the new Nurburgring. An overambitious passing attempt at Turn 1, Lap 1, saw him collide with Johansson, puncturing one of the Swede’s rear tires – Stefan was stoical, Michele apologetic – and after Senna’s engine cried enough, Alboreto eventually performed an elbows-out pass on Rosberg and clinched victory. He now led the championship by five points from Prost. But sadly for him, that race had been the anomaly, Silverstone and Osterreichring were the trend, and Ferrari's fortunes plummeted thereafter. Albo failed to finish the last five races of the year, so as championship runner-up, his points tally was undeservedly distant from that of champion Prost.
As Johansson recalled: “I think Ferrari had changed turbos earlier in the season, and the engine just got worse and worse. We had one of the quickest cars at the start of the year, the other teams caught up, we tried to find more power, and then the reliability went. By the end of the season we had neither."
The vanquished and le vainqueur in the 1985 title battle. Albo and Prost remained friends throughout and afterward.
The vanquished and le vainqueur in the 1985 title battle. Albo and Prost remained friends throughout and afterward.
Aside from the reliability issues, Alboreto felt Ferrari’s testing policy was fundamentally flawed. He told Doodson: “I think Fiorano is not always an advantage for Ferrari. Sometimes it is the opposite, because Fiorano is too slow for these Formula 1 cars… It has slow hairpin-type corners. In fact we always find that our car is really good at Monte Carlo, but unfortunately there is only one race there each year! It is in the high-speed tracks like Silverstone, Zeltweg [Osterreichring] and Zandvoort where we have our problems.”
On the back of that disastrous end to 1985, the drivers were dismayed to discover the prospects for '86 were worse. As Johansson remembered, “When we were first shown the F186, Michele and I looked at each other and said, ‘Fuck! This is going to be a long season'."
The Ferraris of Alboreto and Stefan Johansson head down pitlane at Hockenheim in ’86. As usual that year, they had a dreadful race.
The Ferraris of Alboreto and Stefan Johansson head down pitlane at Hockenheim in ’86. As usual that year, they had a dreadful race.
The drivers’ misgivings over the scarlet humpback whale, one of the few bad creations by the talented Dr. Harvey Postlethwaite, were borne out: it never came close to winning a race. And in these circumstances, Stefan, although still slower than Michele in qualifying, frequently raced harder for longer. Ferrari’s backroom politics were finally dissolving the resolve of the Italian, and the fact that he was a Postlethwaite apostle would soon also put him out of step with Ferrari management. The good doctor, having created something of a dud, was being edged out in favor of newly signed ex-McLaren genius John Barnard.
Alboreto leads Gerhard Berger at Monaco in 1987. Michele matched Gerhard on qualifying pace for the first half of the season but disillusionment and a subsequent drop in pace were just around the corner.
Alboreto leads Gerhard Berger at Monaco in 1987. Michele matched Gerhard on qualifying pace for the first half of the season but disillusionment and a subsequent drop in pace were just around the corner.
Before the 1987 season started, Alboreto, alarmed at being unable to find common ground with the new technical director – he would later describe the trenchantly UK-based Barnard as “like a doctor trying to operate by telephone” – started speaking with Frank Williams about a possible move to the British squad for ’88. Williams, who had refused to be brow-beaten by Honda into replacing Mansell with Satoru Nakajima (!), was aware that the Japanese company would therefore likely respond by terminating its contract with the team one year early and placing Nelson Piquet elsewhere. However, until Williams got word that the two-time – soon to be three-time – World Champion was definitely heading for the exit, he couldn’t confirm there was a vacancy.
Michele understood and so re-signed for another year with Ferrari in ’88… not long before Honda confirmed that yes, it would be switching its engine supplies from Williams and Lotus to McLaren and Lotus the following year – and yes it would be placing Piquet in the latter team. With Alboreto off the market, Frank signed Patrese to partner Mansell for a desultory year driving the Judd V8-powered FW12s.
Chasing Piquet's Lotus while holding off Patrese's Williams at Rio in ’88. Piquet and Honda's departure from Williams chould have left a vacancy for Albo, but the team opted to retain Patrese – and the same situation would arise again one year later.
Chasing Piquet's Lotus while holding off Patrese's Williams at Rio in ’88. Piquet and Honda's departure from Williams chould have left a vacancy for Albo, but the team opted to retain Patrese – and the same situation would arise again one year later.
For that one season, you could regard these enforced circumstances had played out in Michele’s favor. At least, in this final (for now) year of F1 regulations allowing forced induction, he had a turbocharged car and could collect a bunch of podium finishes behind the all-conquering McLarens. But by then his morale was shot. When the brave, cocky and quick Gerhard Berger had first arrived to replace McLaren-bound Johansson for '87, Michele had risen to the challenge and the pair were evenly matched in qualifying and in race pace. However, not long into the second half of the year, the Berger-Barnard axis gained preeminence and Alboreto’s outright speed started slipping.
Through most of ’88 he looked a shadow of his former self, a man clearly serving out his time in a car desperately limited by its inability to match the McLaren-Honda MP4/4’s fuel efficiency. Albo summed up his disillusionment with both car and team at the Portuguese Grand Prix: as his F187/88 coasted down the pit straight to the checkered flag in Estoril, its fuel tank dry, two cars passed him and he dropped from third to fifth place. On emerging from the cockpit, a fuming Michele snarled, “Pah! At Ferrari, even the fuel gauges lie.”
Pope John Paul II visited Maranello on June 4, 1988, but Enzo was too ill to attend and he would die on August 14, less than a month before Berger and Alboreto scored a Ferrari 1-2 at Monza. On the right of His Holiness in this image is Enzo's son, Piero Lardi Ferrari.
Pope John Paul II visited Maranello on June 4, 1988, but Enzo was too ill to attend and he would die on August 14, less than a month before Berger and Alboreto scored a Ferrari 1-2 at Monza. On the right of His Holiness in this image is Enzo's son, Piero Lardi Ferrari.
His anger on this occasion was doubtless exacerbated by the fact that he was in no-man’s land regarding his immediate future. The idea of joining Williams had resurfaced one year on when he learned Mansell was heading in the other direction to replace him at Ferrari, and now Frank’s squad was a far more enticing prospect for he had inked a deal with Renault, the French manufacturer returning to Formula 1 for the start of the new normally-aspirated regs. Albo was sure he had a deal in place with the UK team, but just before the Italian GP, learned this was not so. Williams and engineering director Patrick Head didn’t like to hire two new drivers at once, and with Thierry Boutsen’s imminent arrival as Mansell’s replacement, they had elected to retain Patrese.
Alboreto heads to his final F1 podium finish at Mexico in 1989. The Tyrrell 018 was a fine car, but sadly Michele would be gone by mid-season.
Alboreto heads to his final F1 podium finish at Mexico in 1989. The Tyrrell 018 was a fine car, but sadly Michele would be gone by mid-season.
One man who'd never lost faith in Alboreto was Ken Tyrrell, and briefly their 1989 reunification worked. The Tyrrell 018, designed by Postlethwaite and Jean-Claude Migeot, was a sharp tool that made the most of the Cosworth DFR V8 unit which couldn’t match the huge-budget V10s of Honda and Renault and V12 of Ferrari. Alboreto’s fifth place in Monaco and a remarkable third place in Mexico both suggested the team was in the ascendancy and proved that a motivated Michele was still a potent force. However, a dispute over clashing cigarette sponsors – Tyrrell landed a Camel deal, Michele was a long-time Marlboro man – ended the relationship midseason. That couldn’t have been the entire story, however, because Albo saw out the remainder of the season in the Camel-backed Larrousse team! Once again he let his head drop, regularly outperformed by a teammate as flaky as Philippe Alliot.
Sir Jackie Stewart and Alboreto – the Tyrrell team's first F1 winner and final F1 winner. We'll assume they're attempting to look inconspicuous while mingling with the natives, since this was taken in Phoenix in ’89.
Sir Jackie Stewart and Alboreto – the Tyrrell team's first F1 winner and final F1 winner. We'll assume they're attempting to look inconspicuous while mingling with the natives, since this was taken in Phoenix in ’89.
Yet the switch to Arrows for 1990 saw Alboreto’s enthusiasm revived, despite piloting a car – the A11B update of a one-year-old design – that now, even on its good days was an also-ran, on its worst days a non-qualifier. Alboreto proved a match for young gun teammate Alex Caffi and believed better times lay right ahead: team owner Jackie Oliver had done a deal with Porsche for a V12 in 1991.
The final outing for the wretched Porsche V12, at Canada in ’91. By the time the car raced again, in the French GP, the Footwork Arrows FA12s had been equipped with trusty Cosworth DFRs.
The final outing for the wretched Porsche V12, at Canada in ’91. By the time the car raced again, in the French GP, the Footwork Arrows FA12s had been equipped with trusty Cosworth DFRs.
The new unit was a disaster. So unexpectedly bulky was it that the team, now branded for its title sponsor Footwork, had to start the year with the Porker shoehorned into an A11C, while designer Alan Jenkins hastily revised the dimensions of his ‘definitive’ 1991 car, the FA12. If that car was any better, the gutless 3.5-liter V12 anchor in the back prevented anyone knowing. By Round 7, the humiliated Porsche brand had gone and the team reverted to the trusty Cosworth. Even so, the season was an alphabet soup of DNFs, DNQs and DNPQs (Did Not Pre-Qualify in an era of 30-plus entrants for F1 races). Alboreto, Caffi and – while the younger Italian recovered from a huge shunt at Monaco – Stefan Johansson never had a hope of scoring points.
But Albo kept pushing, kept himself sharp, so he was primed to bounce back when Oliver signed a deal to use Mugen-run previous-generation Honda V10s for 1992. While these were neither on the cutting-edge nor light, they were reasonably powerful, exceptionally reliable and fitted well into Alan Jenkins’ simple and dependable new FA13. Michele posted just two retirements, blew new teammate Aguri Suzuki into the weeds and, had the current F1 point system been in place, would have scored 12 times in the 16-race season! However, back then, points were only distributed to the top six finishers, so while Alboreto scored a pair of fifths and a pair of sixths, he also racked up a frustrating string of six seventh places.
Alboreto (and Arrows) enjoyed a renaissance in 1992, thanks to Mugen-Honda V10s and a trustworthy FA13 chassis.
Alboreto (and Arrows) enjoyed a renaissance in 1992, thanks to Mugen-Honda V10s and a trustworthy FA13 chassis.
Alboreto quit Arrows after three seasons to join BMS Scuderia Italia for a disastrous year wrestling the Ferrari-powered Lola T93/30 at the very back of the grid. The veteran knew this luminous leviathan was a disaster right from its shakedown test. He told journalist Adam Cooper, “The first time I drove it I thought someone was playing a joke on me… It was big, heavy, no downforce – absolutely no downforce at all. I think it was the only F1 car of the modern era which worked on gravity, not aerodynamics! It was terrible just having to try and qualify the thing.”
Poignant moment at Donington in 1993, as Alboreto in the hopeless Lola-Ferrari duels with his replacement at Arrows, Derek Warwick.
Poignant moment at Donington in 1993, as Alboreto in the hopeless Lola-Ferrari duels with his replacement at Arrows, Derek Warwick.
Despite this, his rookie teammate that year, reigning Formula 3000 champion Luca Badoer, has good memories of 1993, primarily because of the chance to work with Alboreto. He said of his 37-year-old compatriot: "We spent a lot of time together – testing, practice, driving to and from hotels. I was only 22 and Michele was like a father to me. On track we would fight each other – there was no-one else to fight at the speed we were going! – but off track we were friends.
“It felt a little strange, though, because back in the 1980s, Alboreto was a famous name on TV in Italy, but now here he was, my F1 teammate. I wasn't surprised at how quick he still was, but I couldn't believe how much pleasure he got just from driving – even that car!”
A little joy for Albo in a tragic season for Grand Prix racing - scoring sixth in Monaco for Minardi. 1994 would be his last year in F1.
A little joy for Albo in a tragic season for Grand Prix racing - scoring sixth in Monaco for Minardi. 1994 would be his last year in F1.
Before the season finished, the team dissolved and merged into Minardi, where Alboreto spent his last F1 season. He scored a point with sixth place at Monaco, but for this prematurely gray-haired veteran, F1’s appeal was dissipating rapidly. Two weeks before Monaco, at Imola, one of his rear wheels fell off in pitlane and injured some Ferrari and Lotus mechanics, and a few days after that, he was in Brazil attending Senna’s funeral. This pair had despised each other back when they were fighting for wins and podiums, but as Albo’s star faded, they became friends. The 1994 calamities, including Roland Ratzenberger's death and Karl Wendlinger's devastating accident in Monaco, were always going to take a mental toll on a driver in his 14th year of F1. At year’s end, with 194 Grands Prix to his name and approaching his 38th birthday, Michele retired.
Alboreto was never at ease in the Schubel-run Alfa Romeo 155 V6TI in 1995's DTM and ITC series.
Alboreto was never at ease in the Schubel-run Alfa Romeo 155 V6TI in 1995's DTM and ITC series.
But only from F1. He couldn’t quit racing. A dismal season in International Touring Cars followed – some veteran open-wheel drivers adapt well to tin-tops, while others such as Michele do not. Then came three impressive drives in the inaugural season of the Indy Racing League, when the teams were using the uber-powerful one-year-old CART cars. But what Michele really desired was a return to endurance racing. The Scandia/Simon IRL opportunity had given him a taster, since the deal also included Daytona 24 Hour and Sebring 12 Hour drives in the gorgeous Ferrari 333SP.
Scoring fourth on his Indy car debut at Walt Disney World in 1996, driving for Scandia/Simon Racing.
Scoring fourth on his Indy car debut at Walt Disney World in 1996, driving for Scandia/Simon Racing.
It was the legendary Reinhold Joest who provided Albo with the golden opportunity he sought. Racing a Joest-run TWR Porsche WSC-95 at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1996 resulted in a DNF, but a year later, Michele took pole and, partnered by future Le Mans legend Tom Kristensen and former teammate Johansson, Le Mans victory was achieved.
"It was very satisfying," said Johansson. "It felt like Michele and I had closed our circle of friendship. Twelve years on from when we’d first become teammates at Ferrari, we were again working together and had won together – and in one of the biggest races in the world."
Johansson wishes longtime buddy and polesitter Michele good luck before the start of their ultimately victorious run in the 1997 Le Mans 24 Hours. Their co-driver and eventual LM24 legend Tom Kristensen looks on. Reinhold Joest is on the left.
Johansson wishes longtime buddy and polesitter Michele good luck before the start of their ultimately victorious run in the 1997 Le Mans 24 Hours. Their co-driver and eventual LM24 legend Tom Kristensen looks on. Reinhold Joest is on the left.
Joest was impressed and when Audi asked him to run its works sportscar team, Alboreto was one of his chosen drivers. It led to a happy and fulfilling new portion of his career, and a close bond with one of his co-drivers, Rinaldo “Dindo” Capello.
"You would never have known Michele had been a Grand Prix winner,” Capello told me a couple of years after his friend's death. “He didn't act like a superstar; he was so open and so friendly, and still quick. Because he was not doing the full American Le Mans Series, Michele had been driving in the dark much less than the rest of us and once he realized he had lost a bit of pace at night, he used to ask for an extra stint in the daylight and one less stint in the dark, so the car would not lose time. He didn't have a big ego.”
Joest's Audi R8 team for the 2000 American Le Mans Series: Frank Biela, Emanuele Pirro, Tom Kristensen, Allan McNish, Rinaldo 'Dindo' Capello, Michele Alboreto.
Joest's Audi R8 team for the 2000 American Le Mans Series: Frank Biela, Emanuele Pirro, Tom Kristensen, Allan McNish, Rinaldo 'Dindo' Capello, Michele Alboreto.
This pair, along with Allan McNish, took victory for Audi at Petit Le Mans in 2000 and then, with Laurent Aiello, conquered the Sebring 12 Hours in March 2001.
"I remember so clearly,” said Capello. “He was so incredibly happy on the podium, like an 18-year-old scoring his very first victory! That is the picture I will always remember.”
It was a mental image that would flash back with dreadful poignancy little more than a month later. Audi was conducting straight-line speed tests at the Lausitzring facility when Alboreto’s R8 suffered a puncture to its left-rear tire – possibly caused by a stone. At more than 200mph, the car’s tail started to slide, Michele corrected, but then the car ‘sat down’ on its affected corner, allowing the air to catch the flat underside of the R8. Police reports stated that it flew 100 meters, cleared the guardrail and landed upside down in a grass area. With the car’s rollhoop torn off, poor Albo didn’t stand a chance. He died aged 44.
"I was on my way to join Michele at Lausitz that day,” Capello sighed. “I was waiting at the luggage carousel when there was an announcement, 'Mr. Capello, please go to the information desk'. A few seconds later my wife called me and said, 'I think Michele has had a crash. It's on the news'.
Laurent Aiello, Capello, and Alboreto celebrate victory in the 2001 Sebring 12 Hours. Five weeks later, Michele was gone.
Laurent Aiello, Capello, and Alboreto celebrate victory in the 2001 Sebring 12 Hours. Five weeks later, Michele was gone.
"I tried his mobile number, then I called the doctor over at the track, and he told me what had happened. He said, 'Please do not come to the track, go straight to the hotel'. I just couldn't believe it. But then I got a call from Michele's wife, Nadia, asking if I could bring all his stuff home…"
As always in such cases, the grief felt by Nadia, their daughters Noemi and Alice, and the entire family, can only be imagined. The tributes from Albo’s former rivals, teammates and team colleagues were heartfelt and without reservation – he had been an excellent driver but also a lovely guy.
A shocked Berger, then competitions director at BMW, recalled: “I saw him not long ago, and he said, ‘Gerhard, what you’re doing is completely wrong. You should come with me and do long distance races. We’ll phone up Stefan Johansson and the three of us can go racing as a group!’ I said, ‘No, Michele, that’s what you do – I don’t want to hurt myself any more.’ Maybe he should have stopped racing some years ago, but he just couldn’t leave it, and he died doing what he loved.”
Happy times, with wife Nadia in 1984
Happy times, with wife Nadia in 1984
Rosberg said: “Outside of the guys I’ve actually worked with, in my life in motor racing there were two others I thought exceptional people, in every sense of the word. One was Elio [de Angelis] and the other was Michele.”
The Finn also said: “When [Alboreto] was at Ferrari, he was at the peak of his career, and he was very, very good. The problem was that the car just wasn’t good enough to win the championship, and so he finished second to Alain in ’85.”
That was a particularly golden year of F1, with wins divided up between six former or future World Champions – Prost, Lauda, Senna, Rosberg, Mansell and Piquet – plus de Angelis and Alboreto. While there are drivers who had the talent to be F1 champions but for a wide variety of reasons never accomplished the feat, there are also those who have great races – sometimes enough of them in one year to have a distant shot at the title – but who don’t quite make it to the summit.
In this latter category you’ll find Michele. No, he was not perennially on par with the aforementioned champs, although one wonders what it would have done to his confidence had he clinched a title. Instead, team politics or poor cars, while never corroding his love of driving, would blunt the edge of the motivation required to push to the nth degree. Whereas a Rosberg or Senna could bullheadedly wring the neck of a recalcitrant car just as they could shut off from intra-team strife, Albo just wasn’t built that way.
Millimeter perfect, Monaco ’85, on his day of days.
Millimeter perfect, Monaco ’85, on his day of days.
But make no mistake, on his best days he was a match for anyone, while also remaining an affable, loveable person of great modesty – and huge enthusiasm for the sport. That latter attribute is significant for it explains both Michele’s ability to maintain equanimity while driving some quite hopeless F1 cars during the nine winless years after his zenith, and also the fact that, post-F1, he wanted to try touring cars, Indy cars, and sports cars. This sheer love of driving fast is also why his final race was not the 2001 Sebring 12 Hours but a Lamborghini Trofeo event at Monza, and why he relished his role as not just an Audi driver, but also an ambassador for the brand: because it allowed him to dress like Tazio Nuvolari and demonstrate the mighty pre-War Auto Unions!
“He was one of the very few drivers who you could be friends with and a rival at the same time – a very difficult thing to do!” said a moist-eyed Prost the week after his old rival's death. “I met him first when we were both in Formula 3 in 1979 [and] in both F3 and F1 we competed in a good way.
"He was a very friendly guy, a lovely man. You just could not have a problem with him.”
The Minnesota Vikings have onboarded five rookies since Thursday night: Caleb Banks (DT), Jake Golday (ILB), Domonique Orange (DT), Caleb Tiernan (OT), and Jakobe Thomas (S). It’s time for about four more from Rounds 4 through 7.
Day 3 brings longer odds, but Minnesota still has useful roster paths to chase.
Interim general manager Rob Brzezinski has two picks in Round 5 and two in Round 7 on Saturday, absent a 4th-Rounder because of the 2024 Cam Robinson trade. This list eliminates players who will probably be unavailable because of Round 4 draft stock.
Late-Round Offense and Cornerback Depth Could Be in Play
The prospects are listed in ascending order (No. 1 = top target for the Vikings to consider)
Navy slotback Eli Heidenreich (22) hauls in a touchdown catch against Army at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, Maryland, on Dec 13, 2025, finishing the play during the second half of the Army-Navy game as the Midshipmen offense capitalizes in a rivalry matchup. Mandatory Credit: Danny Wild-Imagn Images.
Disclaimer
These players would be fantastic for the Vikings, but probably won’t be on the board at No. 159 — or about 60 picks from the start of Saturday:
Jonah Coleman (RB)
Dani Dennis-Sutton (OLB)
Sam Hecht (C)
Connor Lew (C)
Malik Muhammad (CB)
Chandler Rivers (CB)
If Minnesota has a 4th-Rounder, those four would’ve headlined the list.
10. Eli Heidenreich | RB/WR, Navy Where the Vikings Could Get Him: Round 6-7
There’s some debate over which position Heidenreich will play in the NFL, with some thinking he’s a slot receiver and others insisting he’s a running back.
We believe a smart offensive coordinator will use Heidenreich as a running back, maybe as a poor man’s Christian McCaffrey. If the current draft trend continues with the Vikings not securing a rookie tailback, they should take a Round 7 flyer on Heidenreich.
9. Mason Reiger | EDGE, Duke Where the Vikings Could Get Him: Round 7
Reiger actually met with the Vikings, and as an old rookie — 24 in August — he should be more game-ready than most. He scored the defensive MVP and the Shrine Bowl. Minnesota suddenly needs EDGE depth after trading Jonathan Greenard to the Philadelphia Eagles. Tsk tsk.
8. Logan Fano | EDGE, Utah Where the Vikings Could Get Him: Round 6-7
Fano will also turn 24 this summer, so edit-copy-paste the scribbling above about Reiger. Let’s face it: a 6th- or 7th-Round outside linebacker cannot be trusted to be immediate depth in Brian Flores’s defense, but one EDGE lottery ticket from the draft is better than zero.
7. Eric McAlister | WR, TCU Where the Vikings Could Get Him: Round 6-7
McAlister is 6’4″ and ran a 4.53 forty. He’s tall and fast. The Horned Frog will need refinement with route-running, separation, and footwork, but that’s what Keenan McCardell is for. In a utopia, McAlister could battle Tai Felton or a free agent to be named later for the vacant WR3 job.
6. Brenen Thompson | WR, Mississippi State Where the Vikings Could Get Him: Round 5
Thompson has WR3 upside and made Bruce Feldman’s famous “Freaks” list. For a 5th-Rounder and a team that needs a wide receiver, why not use a late-round pick on Thompson? He ran a 4.26 forty — yes, you read that right — at the NFL Combine, which is just unholy fast.
The bad part? He’s 5’10 and 165 pounds. Fans will have to hope that nobody can ever tackle him. He’s tiny.
5. Matt Gulbin | C, Michigan State Where the Vikings Could Get Him: Round 5
The draft run on centers has already begun, and the Vikings were not part of it. They also don’t have the aforementioned 4th-Round pick, prime territory to draft the “other” two centers in this draft: Connor Lew and Sam Hecht.
So, Minnesota is in a spot of examining players like Gulbin, who will turn 24 in October. He was a team captain at Michigan State and is worth a 5th-Rounder to develop for a year behind Blake Brandel, who appears on deck to start at center in September.
4. Brian Parker II | C/G, Duke Where the Vikings Could Get Him: Round 4-5
Parker may not be an option for Minnesota; he’s a tweener between Rounds 4 and 5. But he started 32 games in college and is durable. If selected by the Vikings, he could showcase a trait the team loves: versatility. He played tackle at Duke, declaring himself a center for the draft.
3. Domani Jackson | CB, Alabama Where the Vikings Could Get Him: Round 6-7
A dirty little secret about this draft: the Vikings have drafted no cornerbacks, despite five opportunities. After Byron Murphy Jr., Isaiah Rodgers, and James Pierre on the current depth chart, the club could use an upside youthful alternative.
Alabama defensive back Domani Jackson (1) secures an interception against South Carolina at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, on Oct 12, 2024, making a fourth-quarter play that helps preserve the Crimson Tide lead late in the game. Mandatory Credit: Will McLelland-Imagn Images.
Jackson could be that guy. He’s 6’1″ and 195 pounds with 4.41 speed. He can play special teams, too. If Alabama trusted him as a two-year starter, Minnesota should spend a 6th- or 7th-Round pick on him.
2. Emmett Johnson | RB, Nebraska Where the Vikings Could Get Him: Round 4-6
The Vikings met with Johnson a couple of times between the Combine and a Top 30 visit. He’s campaigned on people’s podcasts to join the Vikings because he grew up in Minneapolis.
Nebraska running back Emmett Johnson (21) crosses the goal line for a touchdown against USC at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, California, on Nov 16, 2024, finishing a first-half run that helps Nebraska build early momentum on the road. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images.
Johnson ran a 4.56 forty in Indianapolis, which turned heads, and not in a good way. Later, he rebounded at Nebraska’s Pro Day with 4.49 speed. If Johnson tumbles to Round 5, and Jonah Coleman of Washington is not on the board — he probably won’t be — this may be the Vikings’ running back of the future.
1. Nicholas Singleton | RB, Penn State Where the Vikings Could Get Him: Round 5-6
Go to YouTube and watch some Nick Singleton tape. It’s dazzling. Injuries have sullied his pre-draft lead-up; once upon a time, pundits thought he’d leave the draft in Round 3 or 4. Now, he’s a 5th- or 6th-Rounder. Why? The injuries. He has not palpable pre-draft measurable.
Singleton squats 570 pounds, however and is 6’0″ + 220lb. He is said to have 4.35 speed, though the damn injuries canceled his Combine showing and Pro Day. The 22-year-old has a knack for game-breaking plays, which the Vikings could use when they’re ready to move on from Aaron Jones and/or Jordan Mason.
Philipp Lahm "curious" about new German U21 league – but insists senior-level minutes remain key for young players
Last month, the German Football League announced that a new voluntary U21 competition for clubs in the Bundesliga and 2. Bundesliga will be introduced from the 2026/27 season, with the aim of offering young players another opportunity to gain playing time at a competitive level.
Germany and FC Bayern legend Philipp Lahm has now shared his view on the new league, saying that while he is open to the idea, he believes the most important factor for young players is gaining experience at senior level.
Lahm himself made 63 appearances for Bayern’s second team against senior opposition in the Regionalliga Süd before breaking into the first team – and he feels that experience made a big difference for him.
“First and foremost, I think it’s important to always keep developing. It did me a lot of good when I was an amateur or U23 player that I was facing seasoned senior players. That was a very important part of my maturation process. That’s why I prefer that path,” Lahm told Bulinews.com.
“But I also understand that people want to compare talented players directly against each other. I’m curious about it. I’m always open to new approaches – you have to see how it works in practice,” added the German World Cup winner.
The importance of lean squads
According to Lahm, another key factor is ensuring that there is space in professional squads for young players to break through and earn regular playing time.
As an example, he pointed to 18-year-old Lennart Karl, who has enjoyed a breakthrough season at FC Bayern after being given consistent opportunities.
“What matters more to me is that young players are used in professional first teams and get opportunities to show themselves, and that squads in professional football aren’t too large. A good example is Lennart Karl at Bayern. Their squad isn’t big, and that gives young players the chance to get minutes regularly. That’s more important than any specific league setup,” said Lahm, before concluding:
“Young players need opportunities to show what they can do. You only recognise whether they have the quality when they play regularly.”
Karl has featured 35 times for FC Bayern's first team this season, scoring nine goals and providing seven assists.
Here are the top five Penn State players still available on Day 3.
Penn State football's best available players, Rounds 4-7
The Nittany Lions still have six top prospects on the board for the third and final day of this NFL Draft.
Nearly all of them could go early on Saturday, starting with defensive end Dani Dennis-Sutton, who received plenty of second-round draft grades. Most interesting: How close together will running backs and good friends Kaytron Allen and Nick Singleton be picked?
Dani Dennis-Sutton, defensive end
Dani Dennis-Sutton certainly possesses the size and strength (6-foot-6, 256 pounds) to be an immediate contributor, particularly with his ability to hold up against the run.
He's best when he combines his elite athletic skills with a high-energy, relentless pursuit effort. That may have to carry him while he refines his pure pass-rushing abilities that never quite lived up to expectations in college.
"He'll get bounced around because his pad level is too high, but he’s tough to finish and finds his way to the action when it’s near him," writes NFL.com's Lance Zierlein in his draft analysis. "Dennis-Sutton is equipped to muddy running lanes but might not make many impact plays."
Zakee Wheatley, safety
The long, lean safety offers exceptional versatility with elite instincts as a pass defender (six career interceptions) and willing aggression in run support.
Those instincts and better-than-advertised game speed allows him to cover plenty of ground. He's shown improved ability and confidence in preventing game-changing, big-yardage plays as the last line of defense.
He's talented enough to earn a major playing role in the NFL. But does he own the functional size and strength to be more than a special teamer or situational defender right away?
Kaytron Allen, running back
Kaytron Allen may be one of the "safest" skill position picks in the draft, considering his consistency, reliability and no-nonsense approach. He was never flashy at Penn State, just ultra-efficient and productive.
What he lacks in moves and breakaway speed, he makes up for with elite running vision, physicality and a knack for rarely, if ever, losing ground. He figures to be an under-the-radar draft bargain in the lower rounds.
Improve his little-used receiving skills and Allen could become one of the better third-down backs in the league.
Nick Singleton, running back
Nick Singleton is one of the strongest and most explosive skill position players in the country. But one coming off a lackluster senior season who's recovering from a recent foot injury.
Despite last year's lofty draft projections falling, his high-end athletic skills and hard-work diligence offer tantalizing possibilities as a situational NFL running back and dynamic returner.
Zane Durant, DT
Zane Durant's outlier quickness and athleticism for his position offer intrigue for NFL teams. He just needs the right defensive scheme fit and maybe even position flexibility to thrive. Another potential Day 3 bargain.
Drew Shelton, OT
Drew Shelton provides consistent, reliable and high-grade pass blocking attributes as a multi-year starter. He just doesn't possess the expected strength and size to be considered an NFL high-end, left tackle prospect, at least not right away.
Nonetheless, Shelton projects as a potential early contributor because of his strong technique, experience and potential for growth.
Frank Bodani covers Penn State football for the York Daily Record and USA Today Network. Contact him at fbodani@ydr.com and follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @YDRPennState.
St. Thomas Aquinas High School’s Alyssa Collins has taken a giant step forward in her final season.
She entered her senior softball campaign with a .262 career batting after hitting .222 as a junior and has promptly tripled last year’s batting average this spring to .690 entering this week. Through Friday, she’s hit safely in all but one game this year for the top-tier Red-American division leaders and has multiple hits in all but two games, with three hits in five of her eight games against lofty competition.
Her five extra-base hits have surpassed her total from her first three seasons and her .897 slugging coming into this week is greater than the .212, .358 and .241 she registered over those campaigns, combined.
She is batting .600 for the season, through Friday, with three doubles, two triples, 12 runs and 10 RBIs. She’s also walked seven times and stolen four bases.
She is the Week 3 MyCentralJersey.com Softball Player of the Week.
“Alyssa has had a tremendous senior season so far, and it’s been incredibly exciting to watch her growth from last year to now,” said St. Thomas head coach Chelsea Mattis. “She put a lot of work into improving at the plate, and coming into this season we knew she could be a difference maker at the top of our lineup. She’s embraced that role with her speed, instincts, and ability to pressure defenses, whether it’s with a drag bunt, power slap, or finding any way to get on base. Once she’s on, she can change a game instantly. I’m incredibly proud of the work she’s put in, and this honor is well deserved.”
Staff writer Simeon Pincus has been covering NJ sports since 1997, and has been on the softball beat since 1999. He can be reached at CourierSoftball@aol.com. Follow him on Twitter @SimeonPincus
Josh Rosenfeld contributed to this report. He covers GMC softball. Follow him on Twitter/X @JoshPRosenfeld
Larne CEO Eric Perez insists he and Redball Global FC are at Larne "for the long haul".
Alongside Nick Giannotti, Perez joined the Inver Reds' board of directors in July following the purchase of Kenny Bruce's 50% stake in the club.
On Saturday, Larne can claim a third Irish Premiership title in four seasons should they avoid defeat at home to Dungannon Swifts which would mark the first trophy win under the stewardship of Redball.
Perez has a track record in professional sports, beginning with rugby league in his native Canada where he founded professional club Toronto Wolfpack before moving across the Atlantic to work with Bradford Bulls in the Super League.
He is also CEO and chairman of Truro City in English football's National League but now believes that his chance at Larne is "one of the biggest opportunities in UK sport".
"It's a beautiful part of the country and a club that represents so much more than football, but a community striving for something better," Perez told BBC Sport NI's Mark Sidebottom.
"European ambition is another big reason we are here and being the first club from here to qualify for a European group stage, we'd like to build on that.
"It's been a question of taking it to the next level and that challenge is what brought me here."
All-Ireland league idea poses problems
A league title in his first season at the club will secure a place in next season's Champions League qualifiers and the financial benefits that come with it.
Larne qualified for the group phase of last season's Uefa Conference League, while the League of Ireland's Shamrock Rovers and Shelbourne - who twice got the better of Linfield in European qualifiers - reached that stage this season.
While some may feel that the idea of a combined league on the island of Ireland may work, Perez feels there is more to factor in.
"If you did that [all-Ireland league] you have the advantage commercially which adds to the market, but we'd lose the European places, so what do you want to prioritise - Europe or growing a bigger league?," he questioned.
"You'd need to bring a big broadcasting deal or sponsorship to make up for the loss of European spots.
"Going all-Ireland also increases expenses with travel and hotels so the budget would have to increase to be competitive with some really big clubs down there."
Outspending their rivals is not the vision Perez has for Larne, but instead balancing success with sustainability.
While he insists they won't live beyond their means, Perez concedes that should "the league and support grow, we will grow the budget" and having overseen the support at Truro grow significantly in his three years there, feels Larne has similar potential.
"We're not going to be spending big money because, just like at Truro City where we won the league with one sixth of the other teams' budget, it's about people and a chemistry which we have at Larne and that can supersede what others are paying," he stressed.
"We're 100% here for the long haul - I don't do short term.
"When we do move on, if the club is not in a substantially better place than it is now, I will have failed and I don't fail."
Few expect Larne to fail in their quest to lift the Gibson Cup this weekend.
Hosting a Dungannon Swifts side who may have one eye on next week's Irish Cup final suggests Gary Haveron's team hold all the aces, but football can produce the unexpected and Perez admits "the anticipation and tense feeling is palpable".
"We know what we have to do, but you have to go out and get it done," he added.
"It's been an unbelievable season, the boys have pulled together. We were not favourite to win it this year, so what that boys have done has been unbelievable and I'm looking forward to a very exciting day on Saturday."
Barcelona look to continue their charge towards the La Liga title as they visit Getafe on Saturday.
Out of the Champions League, the Blaugrana hold a nine-point advantage at the top of the domestic Spanish league table, looking to fend off a late charge from Real Madrid down the stretch of the campaign.
They will finish the season without superstar Lamine Yamal, who picked up a hamstring injury in their last match, a 1-0 victory over Celta Vigo. The 18-year-old scored a penalty for the game's only goal, but pulled up lame in the process, and will be sidelined the rest of the season as he prepared to recover in time for the World Cup this summer.
The Sporting News looks at the key details ahead of this game, including how to watch the match, kickoff times and the weekly schedule.
Getafe vs. Barcelona live stream, TV channel
Here's how to watch this La Liga match in English across the United States:
This match will be streamed exclusively on ESPN Select in English.
Catch all your favorite ESPN+ action with ESPN Select! Just download the ESPN app, sign in with your ESPN account, tap Subscribe to ESPN Select, and you're set to stream live sports, originals, and more—all in one place.
What time does Getafe vs. Barcelonakick off?
This La Liga clash takes place at Estadio Coliseum in Getafe, Spain and kicks off on Saturday, April 25 at 4:15 p.m. local time.
Here's how that time translates across the United States:
Saturday, the Carolina Hurricanes will be back at it again in the Canadian Capital as they face the Ottawa Senators in Game 4, as they hope to close out their first-round series.
The game is scheduled for 3:00 PM EDT.
Thursday, the Hurricanes achieved a 2-1 win over the Senators in their first game in Ottawa, Ontario, of the postseason, but it didn’t come without some form of mayhem.
In the second period, Taylor Hall assessed a two-minute minor penalty after an illegal check to the head of the Senators’ top-pairing defenseman, Jake Sanderson. After playing two more shifts following the incident, Sanderson left the game.
Friday, it was announced that Sanderson would miss Game 4 due to concussion protocol, and that Hall would not receive disciplinary action from the NHL’s Department of Player Safety.
Nonetheless, the game was a showcase for both teams’ penalty kills, which were perfect throughout the several power plays faced.
For the Hurricanes, there is a possibility that Brandon Bussi will start, but most likely Frederik Andersen will take the crease again. Andersen has been incredible throughout the series, and as the Hurricanes are up 3-0, it would be as good a time as any for the next guy up to get some play in. However, during Friday afternoon’s press conference, head coach Rod Brind’Amour said that he has been given no reason to believe that Andersen needs the break, and that the decision to rest or play would be primarily Andersen’s, depending on how he feels.
Meanwhile, it is all but certain that the Senators will once again play Linus Ullmark. He has arguably been their best player throughout the series, and with their backs against the wall, they will need him if they want to keep their playoff dream alive this postseason.
Expected Carolina Hurricanes Lines
Andrei Svechnikov – Sebastian Aho – Seth Jarvis
Taylor Hall – Logan Stankoven – Jackson Blake
Nikolaj Ehlers – Jordan Staal – Jordan Martinook
William Carrier – Mark Jankowski – Eric Robinson
Defense
Jaccob Slavin – Jalen Chatfield
K’Andre Miller – Sean Walker
Shayne Gostisbehere – Alexander Nikishin
Goaltenders
Frederik Andersen / Brandon Bussi
Expected Ottawa Senators Lines
Brady Tkachuk – Tim Stützle – Drake Batherson
Ridly Greig – Dylan Cozens – Claude Giroux
Warren Foegele – Shane Pinto – Michael Amadio
Nick Cousins – Lars Eller – Fabian Zetterlund
Defense
Thomas Chabot – Nikolas Matinpalo
Dennis Gilbert – Jordan Spence
Tyler Kleven – Cameron Crotty
Goaltenders
Linus Ullmark / James Reimer
Hurricanes Game Notes
This is the first time that the Hurricanes have had the 3-0 advantage going into a Game 4 since the first-round series against the New York Islanders in the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
In each of the three games played thus far in the postseason, the opening goal has been scored by Logan Stankoven with an assist from Taylor Hall. Stankoven is just the second player in NHL history to score the first goal in each of his team’s first three games of the postseason.
The Hurricanes are one of just three teams that remain perfect on the penalty kill this postseason.
How To Watch
TV: TBS, TruTV, HBO MAX, FDSNSO, SN, TVAS, OMNI Radio: 99.9 The Fan
The Philadelphia Flyers (3-0) have the chance to go for the sweep of their cross-state rival, the Pittsburgh Penguins (0-3), in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs on Saturday at Xfinity Mobile Arena in South Philadelphia.
Philly has been in control of the entire series. Slow starts in each of Games 1 and 2 brought the game to what ended up being decisive second periods in both of the first two games. The Flyers ended up controlling play from there.
On Wednesday, the Penguins scored in the first period, the first time either team scored in the first 20 minutes of a game this series. Pittsburgh had its first lead of the series before the Flyers eventually took control of the game in the second period and closed it out from there.
On Saturday, the Flyers will look to get back to scoring first and controlling the game from the beginning.
Puck drop is at 8:00 p.m. EST at Xfinity Mobile Arena, though I’d expect it to be later, like Game 1. Here is how the Flyers are expected to line up.
The Philadelphia Flyers have not swept a playoff series since 1995 when the swept the New York Rangers in the semifinals. They’ve been swept multiple times since then, but have not done so themselves in a long time. The Flyers have the chance to do it on Saturday against their bitter rival in South Philadelphia.
One of the biggest headlines heading into the game is Dan Vladar’s health. He collided with Bryan Rust incidentally during Wednesday’s game. That warranted a visit from the trainer, where Vladar was visibly banged up. He remained in the game, but it will be a game-time decision on Saturday.
If Vladar cannot go, it will be Sam Ersson’s net. It has not been the season of Ersson’s dreams, especially in a contract year. He finished the regular season with an .870 SV% and a 3.12 GAA. However, he was more than excellent after the break, posting a .912 SV% and a 1.99 GAA in 9 appearances. If Ersson does get the nod, the Flyers should be more than confident when doing so.
Wednesday’s game was very chaotic. I would expect it to stir strong emotions on both sides. The Penguins will come out with a lot of intensity, angered by the result of Game 3, and with their backs against the wall. It will be important for the Flyers to maintain focus and discipline if they want to move on.
How to Watch Flyers vs. Penguins
TV: TBS, TruTV, HBO Max, NBC Sports Philadelphia Radio: 97.5 The Fanatic
Puck drop is at 8:00 p.m. EST at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Again, I would expect the game to start closer to 8:30, since it’s the last game on TBS of the day.
Real Madrid loanee’s father slams club over poor handling: ‘They took away his playground’
Real Madrid are facing fresh scrutiny over their handling of young talents after strong comments from the family of Endrick.
The Brazilian wonderkid, who arrived with huge expectations, struggled to secure consistent minutes in Madrid.
That lack of opportunities ultimately led to a winter loan move to Lyon, a decision that now appears to have transformed both his form and mindset.
Since making the switch, Endrick has looked like a completely different player.
With seven goals and six assists in just 17 matches, he has established himself as a key attacking presence.
His recent performance against PSG, where he both scored and assisted, only reinforced the idea that regular football is bringing out his best.
Endrick’s father takes aim
However, beyond the numbers, the most revealing insight has come from his father, Douglas Sousa, who openly questioned Real Madrid’s role in his son’s stalled development.
While reflecting on Endrick’s time in Spain, Sousa used a striking analogy to describe the situation, suggesting that his son had been deprived of the one thing he values most – playing football.
Endrick has been thriving at Lyon. (Photo by Jose Manuel Alvarez Rey/Getty Images)
“They took away his playground,” Douglas told ESPN Brasil.
Sousa explained what that phrase truly represents in Endrick’s mindset – the idea that football is not just a profession, but his natural environment.
“Endrick has a saying: his playground is the football pitch. What he wanted was to play football.
“In a way, they took that playground away from him. And he has found that happiness at Lyon. He’s happy, the whole family is happy,” he added.
At the French club, the Real Madrid loanee has been trusted, involved, and given the freedom to express himself, factors that have directly translated into performances.
Lastly, Sousa revealed that the decision to move to Lyon was not taken lightly, with family playing a key role in shaping the outcome.
“My daughter-in-law (Endrick’s wife) was instrumental in Endrick moving to Lyon. That’s what matters to us: seeing him happy,” he concluded.
The Bhoys are back at Paradise this weekend for the first post-split fixture against Falkirk on Saturday, April 25. Kicking off at 5:30pm, Martin O’Neill’s side are fighting to secure a crucial three points as we head into the final stretch of the season.
You can find out everything you need to know about the fixture below.
EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT MATCHDAYS AT CELTIC PARK
You’ll find all the important matchday timings and safety information ahead of today’s match on our dedicated Matchday Information page on celticfc.com.
The Superstore at Celtic Park will be open from 9am-8pm for supporters looking to pick up some matchday essentials.
Treat yourself to the 25/26 Away Kit, now reduced to just £20 for both adult and junior sizes!
11AM | TICKET OFFICE OPENS
The Ticket Office will be open from 11am until kick-off at 5:30pm to assist supporters on matchday.
Please note tickets for this fixture are now sold out.
1:30PM | SPORTS BAR OPENS
The Sports Bar at Celtic Park will open from 1:30pm to supporters with a valid match ticket. Please see the Sports Bar page for all the information you need.
After the game, head back to the Sports Bar to enjoy a drink until 9pm.
4PM | STADIUM OPENS – PLEASE ENTER VIA CORRECT TURNSTILE
The stadium will open from 4pm.
Supporters are reminded to enter the stadium at the turnstile location shown on your ticket to access your allocated seat. Additional concourse ticket checks will be in place to ensure adherence.
SAFETY INFORMATION
Please familiarise yourself with all the important safety information on the Matchday page.
THE OFFICIAL CELTIC APP
Get even closer on matchday with the brand-new Official Celtic FC App.
Keep connected in real-time with official team news before kick-off, plus all the reaction and highlights from Saturday’s contest on your phone.
Players must be aged over 18 years. Celtic Development Pools Ltd is licensed and regulated by the Gambling Commission.
CASHLESS FOOD & BEVERAGE KIOSKS
Please note that the food and drink kiosks in the concourse areas are now fully cashless – meaning our kiosks can only accept contactless payment methods.
5:30PM | KICK-OFF
Be in your seat for kick-off as the Hoops look to take all three points at Paradise.
Make the most of your matchday experience at Celtic Park and arrive early for the Premiership match against Falkirk on Saturday, April 25 (5:30pm KO).
Getafe captain sends strong warning to Barcelona: ‘We will come out firing on all cylinders’
Barcelona face a potentially tricky away test as Getafe prepare to host them, and captain Djene Dakonam has already made his intentions clear.
The defender, known for his aggressive and disciplined style, spoke to AS ahead of the clash and stressed that his team will not change their approach despite facing one of the strongest sides in Europe.
When asked whether Getafe treat Barcelona differently in their preparations, Djene said that the process remains consistent, even if the opponent is of elite quality.
“No, we analyse the footage in the same way. We’ve studied the team, and tomorrow we’ll come out firing on all cylinders.
“The good thing is that we’re playing at home; for the fans and for all of us, we have to get a good result.”
Getafe have historically made life difficult for Barcelona at their home ground, and Djene believes that is no coincidence.
He pointed to the team’s intensity and mindset as key reasons behind their ability to disrupt Barça’s rhythm.
“It’s we who cause them problems, and tomorrow we’re going to do the same.
“We’ll go out to win the match, full of energy, and with the help of our fans, we’re going to get a good result.”
Djene showed respect for the Barcelona youngster while acknowledging the tactical impact his absence could have.
Djene Dakonam has warned Barcelona. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)
“I’m really sorry about his injury. I’m sending him lots of strength, and I hope he comes back stronger.
“We’ve been talking about Lamine Yamal all week, and in the end, he’s not coming.
“He’s one of the best players in the world; his absence isn’t good news for them, and, on a personal level, I wanted him to come and play here.
“But we’re focusing on our own game. Barça are one of the best teams in the world and, without him, I’m sure there’ll be another player to step up.”
Away from the immediate fixture, Djene also reflected on his personal inspirations growing up, revealing admiration for one of Barcelona’s most iconic midfielders.
“When I started playing, I really admired Iniesta. He’s a role model for me.
“I really like his personality and his approach to life, which is why I always say he’s one of my idols.”
Djene emphasised the importance of responsibility and education in tackling such incidents.
“I didn’t hear about what happened, but if things like that do happen, the solution is to stop the match and report it. It’s a matter of upbringing that starts at home.
“Parents have to educate their children. Sometimes a father does it with his son sitting right next to him, and you can be sure the child will copy him.
“We have to set an example so that this scourge disappears,” he concluded.
ATHENS, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 2: Oscar Delp #4 of the Georgia Bulldogs dives in for a touchdown during the fourth quarter against the Tennessee Martin Skyhawks at Sanford Stadium on September 2, 2023 in Athens, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The New Orleans Saints became the latest NFL team to pilfer the Georgia tight end room in the third round of the NFL Draft on Friday night, selecting Oscar Delp with the 73rd overall pick.
With Delp’s selection, a Georgia tight end has been drafted for the seventh time in eight seasons.
Casual NFL fans may not have seen as much highlight-wise of Delp during his Georgia career, and sharing time at a position with Brock Bowers part of his time in Athens clearly had a bit to do with that. But in times when Georgia has leaned on the tight end the past few years is when Delp thrived as a blocker and receiver.
“I think it’s the most important thing you can do as a tight end is to be able to block and bring that to your game,” Delp told Nola.com “I love being able to dominate another man, and in a successful offense, you have to have a tight end that can dominate the perimeter and own the C gap.”
It’s also of note that Delp was not targeted more than 32 times in a single season at Georgia, so the thinking is may be what he showed in Athens could be magnified even more with additional passes thrown Delp’s way.
That, combined with an impressive pro day that included a 4.49 40-yard dash time makes Delp a nice pickup for New Orleans, a team seeking to beef up its offensive arsenal and build on quarterback Tyler Shough’s growth.
Someone with Delp’s measurables and capabilities plays right into that agenda for the Saints.
LINE: Tigers -110, Reds -109; over/under is 9 1/2 runs
BOTTOM LINE: The Cincinnati Reds face the Detroit Tigers, leading the series 1-0.
Cincinnati is 17-9 overall and 7-6 in home games. The Reds are 10-1 in games when they scored five or more runs.
Detroit has gone 4-11 on the road and 14-13 overall. Tigers pitchers have a collective 3.80 ERA, which ranks 10th in MLB play.
Saturday's game is the second time these teams meet this season.
TOP PERFORMERS: Sal Stewart has a .284 batting average to lead the Reds, and has five doubles and eight home runs. Elly De La Cruz is 11 for 42 with three home runs and eight RBIs over the last 10 games.
Kerry Carpenter is fourth on the Tigers with seven extra base hits (a double and six home runs). Dillon Dingler is 10 for 40 with three doubles, three home runs and 11 RBIs over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Reds: 8-2, .218 batting average, 3.30 ERA, outscored opponents by 15 runs
Tigers: 6-4, .270 batting average, 4.28 ERA, outscored opponents by one run
INJURIES: Reds: Jose Trevino: 10-Day IL (back), Caleb Ferguson: 15-Day IL (oblique), Hunter Greene: 60-Day IL (elbow), Nick Lodolo: 15-Day IL (finger)
Tigers: Bailey Horn: 60-Day IL (elbow), Trey Sweeney: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Reese Olson: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Parker Meadows: 60-Day IL (head/arm), Zach McKinstry: 10-Day IL (hip/abdominal), Jackson Jobe: 60-Day IL (elbow), Justin Verlander: 15-Day IL (hip), Troy Melton: 60-Day IL (elbow), Beau Brieske: 60-Day IL (groin)
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Intel's next-gen Xeon "Diamond Rapids" CPUs will offer up to 512 cores, while Coral Rapids will bring back SMT on 8-channel platforms in 2028. Intel Diamond Rapids 16-Channel Slips Into 2027, Features Up To 512 Cores Intel Diamond Rapids "Xeon" CPUs were going to launch this year, but delays in plans have pushed it to 2027. The delay can be attributed to several reasons, such as yields and the fact that the 8-channel line was cancelled. Now, Intel plans to launch Diamond Rapids "Xeon" CPUs in 2027. As per Jaykihn, Intel's mid-2027 plans for Diamond Rapids include a volume launch […]
Intel's upcoming GPU plans have been disclosed, highlighting Xe3P without discrete gaming parts, Xe4 in 2027 & a next-gen Xe architecture in 2028. Intel Xe GPU Plans: Xe3P In iGPU & AI Discrete Flavors, Xe4 In 2027, Xe-Next In 2028 Intel is working on three next-gen Xe GPU architectures, which will form the basis of its graphics lineup in the years ahead. At the same time, the lineups include both integrated and discrete GPUs; the discrete gaming lineup is missing out on the action. Intel Xe3P GPU Architecture In 2026 Starting with the first Xe microarchitecture, we have Xe3P, which […]
BYD's Yangwang has announced a four-seater version of its flagship U8L SUV, and a limited edition of the U9 Xtreme, the world's fastest production car.
NailTheQuote offers tradespeople over 240 free calculators, templates, and pricing tools for HVAC, electrical, roofing, painting, landscaping, plumbing, and more. Each tool uses trade-specific terms, benchmarks, and formulas so you can quote jobs, set labor rates, size equipment, and generate invoices with confidence. All tools work well on mobile and in the field, with no upsells or paid tiers—just fast tools you can use on the job site.
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Teams use it for cold email and proposal simulation, competitive analysis, and buyer-panel insights, with plans ranging from solo users to enterprises and CRM integrations.
BearingAI Monitor is an AI-powered predictive maintenance platform for industrial equipment with rotating components. It analyzes vibration, temperature, and operating data to detect early signs of bearing wear and failure before breakdowns occur. The platform helps companies reduce downtime, improve maintenance planning, and extend equipment life.
Lincoln, UK Ignites Creative Tourism Boom as Stamperama Craft Festival 2026 Transforms Lincolnshire into a Hands-On Art Experience HubStamperama Craft...
You may have been noticing a battery drain problem on Galaxy phones, but never suspected that Samsung Keyboard could be the culprit.
Users of Galaxy phones reported a battery drain problem in the Community forum, and Samsung Keyboard turned out to be the cause. The company’s moderator confirmed it to multipleusers, but there’s good news, too.
Samsung phones are decent at battery life, but a software-driven bug can ruin everything. The same happened with the Samsung Keyboard app. Well, the problem has been addressed, and an update is rolling out through Galaxy Store.
The moderator advised Samsung users to update the Keyboard app to version 5.9.30.81. This build carries a fix for the problem that was draining the battery.
This rollout reiterates why Samsung reminds users to keep updating system apps to the latest versions for an optimal experience. Phones don’t just play with operating system, but apps play a key role in providing the experience.
Samsung has also rolled out the April 2026 security update to Galaxy devices. The patch includes fixes for forty-seven CVE and SVE items. Updating the Keyboard app will further elevate security and battery life on Galaxy.
So, whether you’ve encountered a battery drain or not, it’s recommended to update the Samsung Keyboard app on your Galaxy device. Open Settings of Samsung Keyboard or Galaxy Store to install the latest version of the app.
April 30 could mark the beginning of the Stable One UI 8.5 update rollout. It will first appear for the Galaxy S25 series, probably in South Korea, with Global expansion reportedly taking place starting the 4th of next month.
For a few years, Lenovo used soldered Wi-Fi in all enterprise ThinkPad laptops. With the new Lenovo ThinkPad P16 Gen 3, Lenovo increases modularity by bringing socketed Wi-Fi back.
The Samsung Galaxy A57 and A37 only just hit store shelves and the A57 is already sporting a massive price cut – the 8/256GB variant is 27% off. That puts it at an equal price with the A37 and the A57 is easily the better phone. You can check out our versus article to see how these two compare, but here’s a summary.
Samsung Galaxy A57
€160 off
Read our review
8/256GB - €430 at Amazon DE
The Galaxy A57 has a slimmer 6.9mm metal frame vs. 7.4mm plastic frame, it’s...
Eddie Hearn has revealed key discussions with Oleksandr Usyk ahead of ‘s return to the ring. Joshua was last seen exchanging verbal blows with Tyson Fury earlier this month, shortly after ‘The Gypsy King’ ended his 16-month layoff with a points victory over Arslanbek Makhmudov. Instead of granting his rival’s request for a face-off, though, […]
The Polish new passenger car market is euphoric in March at +20.4% year-to-date to 63,900 units. The Q1 volume is up 6.7% to 151,650 as a result. Toyota (+10.6%) disappoints somewhat at 12.8% share vs. 15.5% year-to-date. In a Top 5 unchanged on last month it is followed by Skoda (+26.6%), Volkswagen (+5.2%), BMW (+34%) and Audi (+4.5%). This way, BMW overtakes Audi in the YTD order to reach #4, a ranking it also held over the Full Year 2025. Volvo (+34%) also shines at #9 with 4.3% share. Below, BYD (+316.7%), Omoda (+191.5%), Mazda (+153.4%), Peugeot (+50.4%) and MG (+47.5%) stand out.
Model-wise, the Toyota Corolla (+25.4%) snaps the top spot over the Skoda Octavia (+28.1%) for just five sales, ahead of the Nissan Qashqai (+1.8%) back to a traditionally strong month of March. The Volvo XC60 (+46.1%) repeats at a record 4th place, the third time it reaches that ranking alongside April 2025 and last month. distancing the Kia Sportage (+38.3%), Hyundai Tucson (+62.9%) and Toyota Yaris Cross (+26.8%) all in outstanding shape. The BMW X1 breaks into the Top 10 at #10.
Toyota Center'da oynanan maçın son 25 saniyesine 101-95 geride giren Lakers, Marcus Smart’ın serbest atışları ve LeBron James’in üçlüğüyle maçı uzatmaya taşıdı.
Lakers'ta LeBron James 29 sayı, 13 ribaunt, Rui Hachimura 22 sayı, Marcus Smart 21 sayı, 10 asistle galibiyete katkıda bulundu.
Luka Doncic ve Austin Reaves’in sakatlıkları nedeniyle sahada olmadığı konuk takımda, 41 yaşındaki James 45 dakika 4 saniye süre aldı.
Milli basketbolcu Alperen Şengün'ün 33 sayı, 16 ribaunt, 6 asist, 3 top çalmayla takımına liderlik ettiği Rockets'ta, Amen Thompson 26 sayı, 11 ribaunt, Jabari Smith Jr. 24 sayıyla oynadı.
Galatasaray Kulübü Başkanı Dursun Özbek, sarı-kırmızılı kulübün yıllık olağan bütçe toplantısında açıklama yaptı.
Galatasaray Kulübü Başkanı Dursun Özbek, sarı-kırmızılı kulübün yıllık olağan bütçe toplantısında açıklama yaptı. Dursun Özbek derbiye hakem Yasin Kol'un atanmasına tepki gösterdi.
Dursun Özbek'in açıklamaları şöyle:
-Erkek futbol takımımız üst üste dördüncü, toplamda 26. şampiyonluğa doğru emin adımlarla ilerliyor. Avrupa'da uzak kaldığımız hedefleri yakalamış olduk. Bu başarılarımızı daha da ileriye taşıyacağımıza inanıyorum.
-Sezon başında gerçekleştirdiğimiz, çoğu kişinin hayal bile edemediği yüksek profilli transferlerle Avrupa'da uzun süredir uzak kaldığımız hedefleri yeniden yakaladık. Amacımız bu seviyelerde kalıcı olmak. Bu yıl Avrupa'daki performansımızı daha da ileri taşıyacağımıza inanıyorum.
-Yarın Ali Sami Yen'de çok önemli bir maça çıkacağız. Ben inanıyorum ki hocamız ve oyuncularımız bu maçtan iyi bir sonuçla ayrılacak ve bizi 26. şampiyonluğa bir adım daha yaklaştıracaklar.
"SİNİR UÇLARIMIZLA OYNUYORLAR!"
-Her gün nelerle mücadele ettiğimizi çok iyi şekilde anlamanızı istiyorum. Maçımıza yapılan hakem atamasına bir bakar mısınız? FIFA kokartı olmayan, sezon içinde gösterdiği performansı, saha içindeki duruşu tartışmalı bir hakemi bu maça atayarak bizim sinir uçlarımızla oynuyorlar.
-Dünya üzerindeki sayılı derbilerden birine, Türkiye'deki tüm kulüplerin tartıştığı bir hakemi atayarak neyi amaçladıklarını anlamak mümkün değil.
-Türk futbol kamuoyunun birleştiği bir nokta var; Bu hakem bu maça göre bir hakem değil. Biraz önce de belirttim, FIFA kokartı yok. Diğer FIFA kokartlı hakemler dururken bu hakemin atanmasını Türkiye sorguluyor, biz de sorguluyoruz.
Amaç ne olursa olsun, hedefleri ne olursa olsun...Bizim varacağımız noktaya, bizim hedefimize zerre kadar etkisi olmayacaktır.
-Zannetmeyin ki bu ilk defa olan bir şey... Son 3 senedeki şampiyonluğun günlerini hatırlarsanız bunun gibi birçok olayla karşılaştık. Hepsinin de üstesinden geldik. Bunu çok anormal karşılamayın. Çünkü Galatasaray özellikle futbolda öyle bir seviyeye çıktı ki, birçok mihrak Galatasaray'ın bu yükselişten rahatsız.
-Galatasaray'a yapılan saldırıların hepsinin üstesinden gelmeyi bildik.
-Hep birlikte büyük emekler vererek elde ettiğimiz başarılar ne yazık ki sadece takdir edilmekle kalmamakta, aynı zamanda kıskanılmaktadır. Bu kıskançlık kulübümüzü de hedef haline getirmektedir. Bu durum artarak devam edecektir. Emin olun önümüzdeki sene bu seneden daha zor olacaktır.
-NBA Europe projesiyle ilgili görüşmelerimiz devam ediyor. Yapılan görüşmelerde NBA Europe yetkileri Galatasaray'ın taraftar gücünden ve Aslantepe projesinden ne kadar etkilendiklerini söylüyor. Kadın voleybol takımımızın kazandığı kupayla Galatasaray Avrupa'da futbol, basketbol ve voleybolda şampiyonluk yaşayan ilk Türk kulübü oldu. Mutluyuz ve gururluyuz.
-Dışarıda sıkça sorulan bir soru var: Galatasaray bu finansal güce nasıl ulaştı? Bunun temelinde, başarıyla birlikte büyüyen bir gelir modeli yatıyor. Göreve geldiğimizde 90 milyon Euro seviyesinde olan hasılatımız, bugün yaklaşık dört katına çıktı. Yıllık hasılatımızın, iki rakibimizin toplamından fazla olması da hepimiz için ayrı bir gurur kaynağı.
-Aslantepe Vadisi yalnızca bir proje değildir; Galatasaray’ın geleceğini güvence altına alan, bu doğrultuda hazırlanmış bir çalışmadır. Bu projeyle basketbol, voleybol ve amatör branşlarımızı tek bir çatı altında toplayacağız.
-Mağazacılık çatısı altında 'Cafe il Gala' markası ile bir kafe zinciri kurmayı planlıyoruz. Hedefimiz 5 yıl içinde yurt dışı da dahil olmak üzere 500 lokasyona ulaşmak. İlk 10 mağazayı da bu yıl sonuna kadar açmayı hedefliyoruz.
-Bu sezon forma satışlarımızda Nisan ayı itibarıyla 945 bin forma satış seviyesine ulaştık. Toplam ürün satış adeti ise 4.9 milyona çıktı.
-Geçen yaz transfer edilen Osimhen, Singo ve Uğurcan transferlerinin toplam 130 milyon eurolouk bonservisinin 80 milyon eurosunu ödedik.
-Şampiyonlar Ligi’ndeki performansımızla birlikte, son 2 ayda 60 milyon euroluk bir gelir elde ettik.
Lider Galatasaray, Trendyol Süper Lig'in 31. haftasında yarın Fenerbahçe'yi konuk edecek.
RAMS Park'ta yapılacak derbi, saat 20.00'de başlayacak. Müsabakada hakem Yasin Kol düdük çalacak.
Ligin geride kalan bölümünde 22 galibiyet ve 5 beraberlik alan sarı-kırmızılı ekip, 3 mücadeleden ise yenilgiyle ayrıldı. Galatasaray, topladığı 71 puanla haftaya liderlik koltuğunda girdi.
Şampiyonluk yarışındaki Fenerbahçe ise 19 galibiyet, 10 beraberlik ve 1 yenilgi yaşadı. Sarı-lacivertliler, 67 puanla Galatasaray'ın 4 puan gerisinde ikinci sırada yer aldı.
Bu sezonki üçüncü karşılaşma
İki takım, bu sezon üçüncü kez karşılaşacak.
Süper Lig'in 14. haftasında Kadıköy'de yapılan derbi, 1-1 eşitlikle sona erdi. Galatasaray, müsabakanın 27. dakikasında Leroy Sane'nin golüyle öne geçerken Fenerbahçe, Jhon Duran'ın 90+5. dakikada bulduğu golle beraberliği kurtardı.
İkinci randevu ise Turkcell Süper Kupa finalinde yaşandı. Atatürk Olimpiyat Stadı'ndaki derbiyi sarı-lacivertliler Matteo Guendouzi ve Jayden Oosterwolde'nin golleriyle 2-0 kazanarak kupaya uzandı.
Eren Elmalı sarı kart sınırında
Galatasaray'da milli oyuncu Eren Elmalı, sarı kart sınırında bulunuyor.
Bu sezon ligde 3 sarı kart gören Eren, yarınki müsabakada da cezalandırılması durumunda 32. haftadaki Samsunspor maçında forma giyemeyecek.
Milli aradan iyi dönmedi
Galatasaray, milli maçlar nedeniyle Süper Lig'e verilen aradan sonra çıktığı 5 resmi maçta sadece 2 kez kazanabildi.
Sarı-kırmızılı ekip, milli aranın ardından ilk maçına 28. haftada Trabzonspor deplasmanına çıktı. Sahadan 2-1 yenik ayrılan Galatasaray, bu müsabakanın ardından 27. hafta erteleme karşılaşması için Göztepe'ye konuk oldu. İzmirli renktaşını 3-1 mağlup eden "Cimbom", 29. haftada sahasında Kocaelispor ile 1-1 berabere kaldı.
Galatasaray'ın milli aradan sonra ligde çıktığı 4. maç deplasmandaki Natura Dünyası Gençlerbirliği müsabakası oldu. Sarı-kırmızılı ekip, 2-1 kazanarak liderliğini sürdürdü.
Galatasaray, 5. resmi maçını ise Ziraat Türkiye Kupası çeyrek finalinde Gençlerbirliği ile sahasında yaptı. Sarı-kırmızılı ekip, 2-0 yenilerek kupaya veda etti.
Osimhen forma giyecek
Galatasaray'da Nijeryalı Victor Osimhen, derbide forma giyebilecek.
UEFA Şampiyonlar Ligi'ndeki Liverpool müsabakasında kolu kırıldığı için ameliyat edilen Osimhen'in karşılaşmada kolundaki özel koruyucu aparatla oynaması bekleniyor.
Osimhen'in forma giymediği Trabzonspor maçını kaybeden sarı-kırmızılı ekip, Göztepe ve Gençlerbirliği'ni yenerken, Kocaelispor ile berabere kaldı.
Osimhen, hafta içinde Gençlerbirliği'ne 2-0 kaybettikleri Türkiye Kupası maçının son bölümünde süre aldı.
Ligin en çok gol atanı, en iyi savunanı
Galatasaray, Süper Lig'deki 18 ekip arasında en golcü ve en iyi savunma yapan ekip konumunda bulunuyor.
Bu sezon çıktığı 30 mücadelede 69 kez rakip fileleri havalandıran sarı-kırmızılılar, ligin en fazla gol atan takımı oldu. Galatasaray'ı bu alanda 68 golle Fenerbahçe ve 57 golle Trabzonspor takip ediyor.
Kalesinde ise 23 gol gören Galatasaray, en iyi savunma yapan takım ünvanının da sahibi. Sarı-kırmızılıları, İzmirli renktaşı Göztepe (27) ile şampiyonluktaki rakibi Fenerbahçe (30) takip etti.
Ligde son 33 iç saha maçında yenilmedi
Galatasaray, ligde iç sahadaki son 33 maçta mağlubiyet yaşamadı.
Sahasındaki son yenilgisini 19 Mayıs 2024 tarihinde Fenerbahçe ile oynadığı karşılaşmada yaşayan sarı-kırmızılılar, sonrasındaki lig mücadelelerinde 26 galibiyet aldı. "Cimbom" bu süreçte 7 kez berabere kaldı.
The European Central Bank has taken a major step toward launching the digital euro by partnering with Europe’s biggest payment standard bodies. The aim is to bring the Digital Euro into everyday European payments to improve adoption and reduce costs.
This move signals stronger preparation to reduce dependence on American and global payment technology.
ECB Signs Three Major Agreements To Launch Digital Euro
In a recent press release, the European Central Bank officially signed partnership agreements with three of Europe’s most important payment standards organizations: the European Card Payment Cooperation (ECPC), Nexo Standards, and the Berlin Group.
The goal of these agreements is to use existing open standards that everyone can access to process digital euro payments across Europe.
This will help the digital euro work smoothly with current payment systems, so banks and businesses can use it easily without making big changes.
ECB Executive Board member Piero Cipollone said,
“This partnership shows our strong commitment to making sure the digital euro works with existing European standards that the private sector can also use.”
Why These Agreements Crucial for Europe
Europe’s payment system has long depended on American and global payment technology. When you tap your Visa or Mastercard anywhere in Europe, the transaction flows through infrastructure owned by US companies.
When you pay with Apple Pay or Google Pay, the rails belong to American tech giants.
This dependence creates real problems. European banks and businesses have to pay fees to foreign companies for basic payments. It also makes it hard for local payment providers to grow in other countries because systems are different everywhere.
For example, a French payment system cannot easily expand to Germany or Spain without costly upgrades to payment machines.
The digital euro agreements are designed to fix exactly this. These standards support contactless payments, mobile transactions, and merchant systems. This means users will experience smoother and more consistent payments across different countries.
What Nexts?
These agreements do not mean the digital euro is launching tomorrow.
The European Central Bank has said it can only move forward after the European Union approves a law to make the digital euro official money across the euro area.
The digital euro still needs final approval from EU lawmakers. Once approved, it is expected to gain legal tender status, giving more confidence to businesses and users.
The Solana price is setting up for a breakout as the market heads into the weekend—but the conviction still feels incomplete. The price is holding near $86, up marginally, while volume has dropped over 23%, showing that participation hasn’t expanded yet. But the structure is shifting. Old resistance is now acting as support, and that’s not random; it’s a sign the move is building from strength, not hype.
Now that the market is at a trigger point, will SOL lead the weekend rally toward $120–$130, or is it still waiting for Bitcoin to make the first move?
Solana spot ETFs have recorded consecutive net inflows in the past five trading days, amounting to close to $1.45 billion. Momentum intensified after Goldman Sachs disclosed a nearly $108 million Solana position. Currently, the buyers are defending the current range around $85, with the 50-day MA acting as a strong support. As the price has maintained a consistent upswing since the start of the month, a breakout seems to be underway.
The Solana price is currently consolidating within a tight range between $80 and $92, showing signs of compression after a sharp corrective phase. The chart highlights a clear range-bound structure, with strong support forming near the $75–$80 zone and resistance clustered around $88–$92. Price is now holding above the mid-range level near $86, while Bollinger Bands are narrowing, indicating declining volatility and a potential breakout setup.
At the same time, RSI is gradually trending higher, suggesting building momentum without overbought conditions. If SOL manages a sustained move above the $92 resistance, it could trigger a breakout toward higher targets, while failure to hold above the mid-range may keep the price locked in consolidation or push it back toward support.
Collectively, the SOL price is building a breakout setup, but it’s not confirmed yet. A clean move above $92 could unlock a 10% upside toward $100. If Solana fails to break the consolidation, it is likely to remain within a range-bound, making $92 a decisive level to decide whether the rally will reach $100 or not.
More than 100 crypto firms urge Senate to move on U.S. market structure bill according to CoinDesk, as regulators face pressure to define clear SEC and CFTC roles. At the same time, Solana price prediction flags $87 as a breakout level, plus it shows SOL trading near $85.95 with key resistance levels shaping short-term direction. Uneven altcoin flows show that capital is still stuck in uncertainty, not conviction.
In this kind of environment, attention is slowly shifting away from pure price speculation and moving toward structured income models like Varntix, where returns are designed to be more predictable than market-driven assets.
Solana Price Prediction Shows Strength, But Market Still Lacks Stability
Solana continues to hold attention as analysts track a possible move toward the $100 zone, supported by rising RWA activity crossing $2B and growing ETF inflows. The primary breakout point stays at $87 because multiple rejections at this price level have created temporary market doubts while the overall market continues to grow.
Source: X
The price movement shows different patterns because Solana maintains its trading range between $85 support. The price movement shows different patterns because Solana maintains its trading range between $85 support and $87 to $89 resistance points.
This gap between strong fundamentals and unstable pricing is also visible across other altcoins.
Capital Rotation Starts: Why Investors Are Moving From Solana Bets To Varntix Income Accounts
As Solana struggles to confirm direction and XRP continues to fluctuate, investors are increasingly questioning whether holding volatile assets alone is enough. This is where Varntix is gaining attention for offering a different approach through structured income instead of price speculation.
Varntix is a digital wealth platform built to help users earn fixed yields on their crypto through structured savings accounts. Instead of constantly tracking charts or waiting for breakouts like Solana moving toward $100, users focus on planned income streams that are designed in advance. It shifts crypto from a reactive asset into something closer to a financial planning tool.
What makes Varntix stand out is its fixed structure. It offers savings plans across 6, 12, and 24-month durations, with estimated returns reaching up to 24% on stable assets like USDT and USDC. Rather than depending on market direction, users lock capital into a predefined cycle and receive returns on a set schedule. This turns uncertainty into a more predictable income pattern instead of hoping for price movement.
$7,000 in Solana vs the Varntix Income Model
To understand the difference, consider a $7,000 allocation.
If this capital is placed in Solana during current market conditions, returns depend entirely on whether the price breaks resistance near $87 and moves toward higher targets like $100. If Solana rises 15%, the portfolio value becomes approximately $8,050. If it stays sideways, returns may remain close to zero in realized gains. If it falls, the capital can also drop in value.
Now compare this with a Varntix fixed income approach at an estimated 20% APY model:
$7,000 annual return $1,400 per year
Monthly equivalent of $116 in structured payouts
This is why structured models are gaining traction. In a market where direction is unclear but volatility remains high, investors are starting to value predictable outcomes more than uncertain upside.
Why Varntix is the Ultimate Solution
The crypto markets display mixed signals because Solana shows strong growth potential, but its price remains uncertain, while XRP experiences ongoing price fluctuations under market pressure. The market shows bullish predictions, yet their execution lacks continuous performance.
The modern financial environment requires Varntix to provide structured income as an investment alternative, which excludes speculative assets. Investors who want stable returns during times of uncertainty find predictable yield models to be better investment options.
The cryptocurrency industry is once again facing questions about one of its core promises: decentralization.
Charles Hoskinson recently revisited a widely discussed essay by Moxie Marlinspike, renewing debate over whether Web3 systems are as independent from centralized control as the industry claims.
Hoskinson argued that while blockchain networks themselves may be decentralized, most users still depend on a small number of companies and platforms to access them.
“People don’t want to run their own servers… and they never will,” Marlinspike wrote, challenging one of the foundational assumptions behind Web3.
Centralized Services Still Power Much of Web3
Although blockchain networks operate without a central authority, many users access them through companies such as Infura and Alchemy, which provide infrastructure and data services.
Marlinspike argued that users often trust these intermediaries rather than independently verifying blockchain data.
“So much work has gone into trustless systems… but clients just trust these companies.”
The criticism highlights a gap between the decentralized design of blockchain networks and the centralized services that support day-to-day use.
NFT Ownership Faces Questions
Marlinspike’s essay also raised concerns about how non-fungible tokens, or NFTs, function in practice.
Many NFTs do not store images or media directly on a blockchain. Instead, they link to content hosted on external servers, meaning the material can potentially be changed or removed.
In one experiment, Marlinspike created an NFT that displayed different content depending on where it was viewed. When the item was removed from an online marketplace, it also disappeared from digital wallets.
“What you bid on isn’t what you get,” he said.
The example raised broader questions about ownership when access to digital assets depends on centralized platforms.
Slow Blockchain Systems Compared With Platforms
Marlinspike also argued that decentralized systems tend to evolve more slowly than centralized technology platforms.
He compared older internet systems such as email with modern apps that rapidly add features and update services.
“Protocols move much more slowly than platforms.”
According to Marlinspike, much of the innovation in Web3 is happening through off-chain services rather than on the blockchain itself.
Hoskinson Says Infrastructure and Regulation Are Key
Hoskinson agreed with many of the criticisms and said the industry failed to fully decentralize the infrastructure surrounding blockchain networks.
“We said users would run everything… but we didn’t finish the job,” he said.
He argued that stronger infrastructure and clearer regulation are needed for the sector to grow beyond its current limitations.
Hoskinson also raised concerns about government-linked cryptocurrency projects and political involvement in digital assets, saying the lack of clear rules has delayed broader adoption.
He pointed to proposed U.S. legislation such as the CLARITY Act as an important step toward defining how the industry should operate.
According to Hoskinson, uncertainty around regulation continues to limit institutional investment and slows infrastructure development.
He said clearer rules could encourage larger inflows of institutional capital, improve investment in crypto infrastructure and support a more stable market structure.
France is facing a sharp rise in kidnappings linked to cryptocurrency, with 88 suspects charged across 12 cases, including minors, most now in custody. Investigators say these crimes are part of organized networks targeting crypto holders and their families for ransom. Victims are often abducted, threatened, and forced to transfer digital assets. Authorities report dozens of incidents already in 2026, with attacks occurring every few days, highlighting how growing crypto wealth is increasingly attracting violent, coordinated crime.
Momentum is building in Washington for the proposed CLARITY Act, a bipartisan crypto regulation bill that lawmakers say could bring long-awaited legal certainty to the U.S. digital asset industry. But even as Congress moves closer to defining crypto oversight, industry experts warn that complicated crypto tax rules remain one of the biggest obstacles to mainstream adoption.
Senator Bernie Moreno said he expects the legislation to be “done by the end of May,” cautioning that failure to act now could stall U.S. crypto legislation for years. Senator Cynthia Lummis echoed the urgency, saying,
“We have bipartisan support… this is our moment.”
Crypto Taxes, IRS Rules, and DeFi Compliance Emerging as Next Major Challenge
Even with clearer regulation on the horizon, Patrick Wilson, General Counsel at the Solana Policy Institute, said crypto taxation remains a major friction point for users and businesses.
“Tax and the complexities around crypto… [are] a real gating issue to folks adopting crypto at a larger scale,” Wilson said.
He noted that the current U.S. tax framework treats cryptocurrency as property, meaning even routine transactions can create taxable events. According to Wilson, that approach makes everyday crypto use unnecessarily difficult.
“The number of taxable events… from something simple is so complex… it just becomes an administrability nightmare,” he said.
Industry participants have long argued that the current system discourages practical use cases such as payments, decentralized finance (DeFi), and microtransactions because users must track gains and losses for nearly every transfer.
De Minimis Crypto Tax Exemption Gains Attention
Wilson pointed to a growing push for a de minimis tax exemption, which would remove tax reporting requirements for small crypto transactions.
“Small transactions shouldn’t turn into a big headache come tax time,” he said, adding that similar exemptions already exist in traditional finance systems.
He also suggested regulators could ease some of the burden without waiting for Congress to pass new laws.
“With the stroke of a pen… [regulators] could really ease the burden for everyday Americans,” Wilson said, referring to possible adjustments to existing IRS guidance.
DeFi and Cross-Border Crypto Transactions Complicate Global Tax Policy
As decentralized finance and international crypto usage expand, policymakers face increasing pressure to modernize tax frameworks that were designed before blockchain technology became mainstream.
Wilson said future crypto tax policy must better reflect how decentralized networks operate globally.
“Whatever tax rules are in place need to match the capability of the technology,” he said.
He also emphasized the need for fair tax sourcing rules so users are taxed based on where they reside, rather than where blockchain infrastructure or protocols operate.
Crypto Industry Says Regulatory Clarity Alone Is Not Enough
The CLARITY Act is widely viewed by the crypto industry as a major step toward establishing clearer oversight between U.S. regulators and encouraging investment in digital assets. However, Wilson said regulation alone will not drive mass adoption unless tax compliance becomes easier for ordinary users.
“If we are going to realize the full potential… people need to be comfortable using it,” he said.
XRP price is starting to show signs of a deeper shift, even if price action hasn’t caught up yet. Over the past few days, a mix of on-chain outflows, ETF accumulation, and whale activity has created a setup that analysts say the market isn’t fully pricing in.
According to Santiment, the XRP Ledger recorded 34.94 million XRP in exchange outflows, marking the 6th largest 24-hour outflow of the year. These large outflow events have historically been followed by bullish price action, as tokens leaving exchanges typically reduce immediate selling pressure.
This isn’t just retail movement either. Whale activity is dominating the flow. Large holders accounted for 94.4% of recent Binance outflows, showing that most of the movement is coming from big players. At the same time, whale transfers back to Binance rebounded to around 3,000 transactions on April 23–24, after dropping close to zero earlier, suggesting active repositioning rather than clear distribution.
XRP ETF Flows Are Telling a Different Story
While attention remains on Bitcoin and Ethereum, XRP’s institutional story is quietly strengthening. Data from SoSoValue shows that U.S. spot XRP ETFs now hold $1.08 billion, or 1.23% of the total supply.
In just one day, ETFs saw $3.89 million in inflows, driven primarily by the Franklin Templeton XRP ETF (XRPZ). But the bigger picture matters more; over $75 million has flowed into XRP ETFs in April, with no meaningful outflows since April 9, aside from a minor $661K dip.
As one market observer noted, “XRP ETFs quietly pulling in $75M in April while everyone watched BTC and ETH… that disconnect doesn’t usually last long.” The steady inflows with minimal noise suggest long-term positioning rather than short-term speculation.
Adding to this trend, Tuttle Capital has filed for an XRP Income Blast ETF, showing continued expansion in institutional exposure.
Ripple XRP Price Holds While Pressure Builds
Despite these strong underlying signals, XRP’s price remains range-bound. It recently tested resistance before pulling back to around $1.43, holding above the key $1.40 support level.
Staying above this range keeps the path open for a move toward $1.50–$1.51, with further upside targets at $1.54 and $1.60 if momentum builds. On the downside, a break below $1.38 could push XRP toward $1.35 or even $1.30.
The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) on Friday added four vulnerabilities impacting SimpleHelp, Samsung MagicINFO 9 Server, and D-Link DIR-823X series routers to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, citing evidence of active exploitation.
The list of vulnerabilities is below -
CVE-2024-57726 (CVSS score: 9.9) - A missing authorization vulnerability in
İspaniya millisinin və “Barselona”nın cinah hücumçusu Lamin Yamal La Liqada 2026-cı ilin aprel ayının ən yaxşı oyunçusu seçilib.
Arena.az xəbər verir ki, bu barədə La Liqanın rəsmi saytı məlumat yayıb.
18 yaşlı futbolçu aprel ayında keçirdiyi 3 oyunda 2 qol vurub və 2 məhsuldar ötürmə ilə yadda qalıb. O, bu mükafat uğrunda mübarizədə Lukas Boye (“Alaves”), Vedat Muriqi (“Malyorka”), Karlos Soler (“Real Sosyedad”) və Federiko Vinası (“Real Ovyedo”) geridə qoyub.
Yamal bu mövsüm üçüncü dəfə ayın oyunçusu adını qazanıb. O, daha əvvəl noyabr və dekabr aylarında da bu mükafata sahib çıxmışdı.
Cari mövsümün ilk belə mükafatını “Vilyarreal”da çıxış edən Nikolas Pepe qazanmışdı. Sentyabr və okyabr aylarında “Real”ın fransalı hücumçusu Kilian Mbappe fərqlənmişdi. Yanvarda Vedat Muriqi (“Malyorka”), fevralda Georges Mikautadze (“Vilyarreal”), martda Karlos Espi (“Levante”) ayın ən yaxşı oyunçusu adına layiq görülmüşdü.
Xatırladaq ki, Lamin Yamal “Barselona”nın məzunudur. İstedadlı gənc 2022/2023-cü illər mövsümündən Kataloniya təmsilçisinin əsas komandasında çıxış edir. Yamalın “Barselona” ilə müqaviləsinin müddəti 2031-ci ilin iyun ayının sonuna qədər qüvvədədir.
Yamal cari mövsümdə “blauqrana”nın heyətində 45 oyuna çıxıb. O, bu oyunlarda 24 qol və 18 məhsuldar ötürmə ilə fərqlənib.
Lamin Yamalın “Barselona”da çıxışının ümumi mənzərəsi 151 oyun, 49 qol və 52 məhsuldar ötürmədən ibarətdir.
Onu da qeyd edək ki, vinger sol bud əzələsindən zədə aldığına görə 2025/2026-cı illər mövsümünün qalan hissəsini buraxacaq.
Yamal 2023-cü ilin sentyabr ayında debüt etdiyi İspaniya yığma komandasının heyətində 25 oyun keçirib, 6 qol vurub, 12 məhsuldar ötürmə verib.
Yamalın qənimətlər muzeyində “Barselona” ilə qazandığı İspaniya La Liqası (2022/2023, 2024/2025), İspaniya Kral Kuboku (2024/2025) və İspaniya Super Kuboku (2024/2025) var. Həmçinin Yamal İspaniya yığması ilə AÇ-2024-ün qalibi olub.
“Transfermarkt” internet-portalı 18 yaşlı ispaniyalı sağ cinah hücumçusunun transfer dəyərini 200 milyon avro məbləğində qiymətləndirir.
“Mançester Siti”dən ayrılacağı açıqlanan Bernardu Silva karyerasını İspaniyada davam etdirə bilər.
Futbolpress.az xəbər verir ki, bu barədə AS nəşri məlumat yayıb. Futbolçunun meneceri Jorje Mendeş onu “Real”a təklif edib. Madrid klubu hələ qərar verməyib.
31 yaşlı futbolçu yayda azad agent olacaq.
Silva bu mövsüm 46 oyunda 3 qol vurub, 5 məhsuldar ötürmə edib.
“Qarabağ”ın futbolçusu Marko Yankoviç “Sabah” oyunundan sonra baş hakim Rəvan Həmzəzadə ilə mübahisəsindən danışıb.
Futbolpress.az xəbər verir ki, monteneqrolu yarımmüdafiəçi həmin epizodların yer aldığı videoya bu şərhi yazıb:
“Özünü ciddi jurnalist və ağıllı insan kimi təqdim edirsənsə, mən səndən aşağıdakı suallara cavab verməyini istəyirəm:
Əgər mən onu vurmaq istəsəydim, bunu etmək üçün kifayət qədər imkanım olmazdımı?
Əgər 20 nəfərin reaksiyası eynidirsə, mümkündürmü ki, onların hamısı dəli və yalnız 1 nəfər haqlı olsun?
Aranızda heç özünə sual verən olubmu ki, hakimin hansı sözü və ya hərəkəti, məndə belə bir reaksiya doğurdu?
Və xeyr, bu, penalti olduğunu düşündüyüm üçün deyil. Məsələ ondadır ki, meydanda ilk dəfə ondan VAR-a baxmağı xahiş edəndə o, mənə qırmızı vərəqə verdi və “rədd ol” dedi! Təkcə bir dəfə deyil, dəfələrlə və yalnız mənə yox! Üstəlik, meydanda ən sakit davranmalı olan şəxs – hakim, məni paltardəyişmə otağına dəvət edir?! Niyə? Mənimlə dava etmək üçün? Bu, absurddur və onun peşəsinə qarşı tam qeyri-peşəkar və hörmətsiz davranışdır. Qərarı ilə razılaşmaya bilərəm, amma onu təhqir etməmişəm. Unutmayın ki, bu, “Qarabağ”da 4 il ərzində ilk qırmızı vərəqəmdir və karyeramda ikinci dəfədir. Fikirləşin”.
İtaliyanın “Komo” klubunun rəhbəri Mirvan Suvarso komandanın baş məşqçisi Sesk Fabreqasın adının “Çelsi” ilə hallanmasına münasibət bildirib.
Futbolpress.az “City AM” portalına istinadən xəbər verir ki, funksioner mütəxəssisin istəyəcəyi halda, ona qarşı çıxmayacaqlarını bildirib:
“Komo” Fabreqası buraxmağa hazırdır? Bəli, özü istəsə, gedə bilər. Fabreqas komandada möhtəşəm işlər görür. Biz onun yolunu kəsmək niyyətində deyilik. Əslində, istərdik ki, uzun müddət bizimlə qalsın, amma yenə də özü qərar versə, “Çelsi”yə gedə bilər”.
Qarabağ”ın futbolçusu Marko Yankoviç “Sabah”la oyundan sonra baş verənlərə münasibət bildirib. Msport.az xəbər verir ki, xorvatiyalı futbolçu “Qafqazinfo”nun instaqram hesabındakı […]
The Tech Week sale at Amazon UK features some surprisingly strong deals on laptops, gaming accessories, smartwatches, appliances, and more — I've picked out the 24 best deals starting at £16.
Chelsea are reportedly set to accelerate their pursuit of a new manager by the end of the season, with initial talks expected to take place in the next few days.
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That’s according to David Ornstein, who says the Blues are likely to start sounding out representatives of managerial candidates, before then moving on to asking for clubs’ permission to speak to them.
Liam Rosenior was sacked by Chelsea earlier this week, and now Ornstein has provided the following update to NBC, as quoted by CFC Daily below…
?@David_Ornstein on NBC: “In the next days I would expect conversations between Chelsea & representatives of candidates & then in the weeks ahead they’ll be asking clubs for permission to potentially speak to them and that process will accelerate towards the end of the season…
“In the next days I would expect conversations between Chelsea and representatives of candidates and then in the weeks ahead they’ll be asking clubs for permission to potentially speak to them and that process will accelerate towards the end of the season and I do expect an appointment early in the summer,” Ornstein said.
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Who could be next Chelsea manager?
There will likely be plenty of speculation in the coming days and weeks about who could be coming in to replace Rosenior at Chelsea.
Former CFC midfielder Cesc Fabregas, currently impressing as manager of Como, will surely be one name to watch, while Xabi Alonso is available after leaving Real Madrid earlier this season.
Premier League experience could also be key, though, and the likes of Andoni Iraola and Marco Silva have impressed at Bournemouth and Fulham, respectively.
Chelsea legend Frank Lampard has already had two spells in charge of the Blues, but those didn’t go too well, even if he looks to have improved recently with a hugely impressive job of earning Coventry City promotion to the Premier League.
Como manager Cesc Fabregas has responded to questions about links with the Chelsea job after essentially being given permission to move to Stamford Bridge.
The Spanish tactician has become highly regarded in the game after doing impressive work during his time with Como, and his connections with Chelsea make him an obvious candidate after the sacking of Liam Rosenior this week.
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Still, Fabregas doesn’t seem to be allowing himself to get distracted by the links with the Blues as he insisted it’s not important and he’s only focused on Como’s games.
“I don’t have to say anything,” he said, as quoted by the Evening Standard. “I don’t know anything about it. It would be stupid to think about things that aren’t important now, because this isn’t important to me.
“The most important thing is Genoa, the next match, and we want to do everything we can to win.
“I think I’ll continue as Como’s coach: my experience as a player gives me peace of mind.”
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Cesc Fabregas is free to leave Como, says club president
Fabregas’ comments follow the intriguing public declaration made by Como’s president Mirwan Suwarso yesterday.
Speaking to City AM, Como chief Suwarso was asked about the Fabregas to Chelsea links, and responded: “If that makes him happy, that’s him. You want your employees to stay with you for as long as possible but at the end of the day we don’t own him and he’s free to go to Chelsea if he wishes.”
This certainly sounds like a situation CFC should be exploring right now, though they’ll also perhaps want to take their time to assess all other candidates who could be available.
Even if Fabregas looks tempting due to his impressive work at Como and his time at Chelsea as a player, he’s also a lot less experienced than some other names who are set to be available.
Xabi Alonso and Andoni Iraola look like they’d be strong candidates for Chelsea, while someone like Julian Nagelsmann could be worth looking at depending on how Germany’s World Cup goes.
Leao has undoubtedly shown moments of real quality during his time with Milan, so it’s perhaps not surprising that first the Daily Mail and now Calciomercato have reports on interest from the Red Devils.
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Still, given his recent stats, injury record, age, and likely high transfer fee, we came up with the score below for Leao and United…
Rafael Leao
TOTAL SCORE: 11/25
Transfer fee
*
Performance
***
Achievements
***
Career phase
**
Squad need
**
MUFC already have a pretty decent attack, so it seems clear to us that this is not a deal that would be worth risking so much money on this summer.
11/25 is the lower end of medium – not a disastrous signing by any means, but a combination of factors mean it has the feel of one of those expensive deals that United have got wrong in the past.
Rafael Leao stats vs Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha (DataMB)
What next for Rafael Leao?
Milan surely won’t be too keen to let Leao go, so it will be interesting to see if this speculation really leads anywhere.
Arsenal have also recently been linked with the 26-year-old by Football Transfers, so that could be another saga to watch out for, and in fairness the Gunners probably need someone of that profile a bit more than United do right now.
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United will likely focus on other priorities this summer after signing a whole new front three last year as they brought in Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo, and Benjamin Sesko.
Leao, having never played in the Premier League before, would probably find English football quite a big step up from Italy.
Liverpool midfielder Curtis Jones is likely to be a transfer target for Aston Villa this summer if he is made available by the Reds.
The 25-year-old seems to be facing some uncertainty ahead of the next transfer window after struggling to hold down a regular starting spot in Arne Slot’s side.
A recent report from TEAMtalk claimed that Villa were preparing a concrete move for Jones, and the story really seems to be gathering momentum.
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Former Premier League scout Mick Brown has now stated that he can see Villa moving for Jones this summer, and that the English midfielder will have a lot of interest if Liverpool decide they’re open to letting him go.
Curtis Jones tipped to be Aston Villa transfer target
Discussing Jones’ future with Football Insider, Brown said: “If he’s (Jones) available to leave Liverpool this summer, there are going to be a lot of teams interested, and I certainly expect Aston Villa will be among them.
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“He’s lively, he’s quick, he’s sharp, and he would help Aston Villa in an area where they feel they are a bit weak in the middle of the park.
“Villa could lose players this summer because of these financial issues, so they have to look at who they might be able to bring in to improve the squad.
“If they could get Curtis Jones, it would definitely be a good move for them, and probably for him as well because he would be able to play more than he does at Liverpool.”
Will Curtis Jones leave Liverpool?
LFC certainly have a decision to make on Jones this summer as he’s going to be in the final year of his contract, so there’s the risk of losing him for free next summer.
From that point of view, the Merseyside giants should probably cash in on Jones now, as it’s perhaps hard to imagine them offering him a new contract.
Even if Jones is a useful squad player, that might not be a role he’s happy with, so there’s also the possibility that he wouldn’t be looking to agree to a new deal.
Inter Milan showed an interest in Jones, as reported by Fabrizio Romano back in January, so perhaps there’s been an openness from all sides over an exit for some time…
???? Inter are in direct club to club talks with Liverpool for Curtis Jones on loan deal with buy option clause.
Negotiations ongoing but linked to Davide Frattesi exit with #NFFC waiting for an answer.
“It’s perfectly normal that Curtis Jones is in the interest of big clubs, like us, trying to extend with him and clubs wanting to sign him. He will be part of our plans for the upcoming weeks, months and also for next season,” the Dutch tactician said.
So, mixed messages overall, and perhaps something that won’t be that easily resolved for some time yet.
Miami quarterback Carson Beck and Penn State quarterback Drew Allar both landed in ideal spots that could offer opportunities to them sooner rather than later.
Beck, who some refused to believe could be the third quarterback drafted, became exactly that when he was selected by the Arizona Cardinals with the first pick in the third round (65th overall) on Friday night. He’ll enter a Cardinals franchise that expects to have Jacoby Brissett as a bridge starter in 2026, but will be motivated to get a look at Beck if he earns it. With the 2027 expected to be loaded with first-round quarterbacks, I think Arizona will try to get a look at Beck at some point as a rookie starter if he proves worthy. If only to know whether the franchise will need to go back to the draft well in next year’s deeper class. For Beck, that potentially means stepping into an offense with No. 3 overall pick Jeremiyah Love at running back, first team All-Pro tight end Trey McBride, and Michael Wilson and Marvin Harrison Jr. at the wideout spot.
As for Allar, it’s my understanding that his drafting has no impact whatsoever on the team’s hope that Aaron Rodgers returns for 2026. Right now, it’s my belief that Rodgers is coming back and that new head coach Mike McCarthy will let Allar and Will Howard battle it out with Mason Rudolph to determine who fills out the rungs under Rodgers on the depth chart. Assuming a Rodgers return, it’s likely the fourth quarterback in that mix is eventually cut or traded — and that player will not be Allar.
I think the hope is that Rodgers comes back in 2026 and that Allar finally puts his considerable raw talent together under the tutelage of McCarthy, with an eye on him succeeding Rodgers whenever that time comes. And if Rodgers doesn’t return, I think Allar will be given the opportunity to show whether he deserves to be in a QB competition with Rudolph and Howard.
However it ultimately unfolds, the point for Allar is that there will be some kind of opportunity in Pittsburgh. It might be this season, in 2027 or beyond. But it will eventually be there, and that’s all you can ask for as a third-round draft pick.
BENGALURU: Under the bright M Chinnaswamy Stadium floodlights, Royal Challengers Bengaluru delivered a statement performance in their last league-stage outing at the venue. Chasing a daunting target, the defending champions leaned on a vintage partnership between Virat Kohli (81) and Devdutt Padikkal (55) to script a composed five-wicket win over the Gujarat Titans.
Chasing 206, the home side overhauled the target with seven balls to spare. In the process, Sai Sudharsan’s magnificent century — the cornerstone of GT’s innings — was rendered a footnote in a contest that ultimately belonged to the batters.
The chase began with an early let-off that proved decisive. Kohli, who was yet to get off the mark, was dropped by Washington Sundar in the opening over. The seasoned star wasted no time in making Gujarat pay.
He unfurled crisp boundaries off Kagiso Rabada, while Padikkal, after Jacob Bethell’s early dismissal to Mohammed Siraj, settled in seamlessly and injected fluency into the innings. The duo ensured RCB ended the Powerplay at 58/1, laying the foundation for what would become a dominant chase.
If the early exchanges set the tone, the middle overs firmly tilted the game. Kohli blended control with aggression, reaching his 50 off 30 balls, while also bringing up his 300th IPL six with a towering strike off Rashid Khan.
— IPL (@IPL)
At the other end, Padikkal was equally fluent, racing to a half-century off just 20 deliveries and punishing anything loose.
Their 115-run stand off 59 balls all but broke the back of the chase, taking RCB past the 100-mark in under nine overs and leaving the Titans searching for answers.
Padikkal’s departure off Rashid’s bowling briefly offered GT a glimmer, and Kohli’s dismissal for a superb 81 off 44 balls — an innings studded with eight fours and four sixes — gave the visitors a flicker of hope. But by then, the equation had eased considerably. Rajat Patidar contributed just 8, as RCB lost a couple of wickets in a brief stutter. But Tim David (10*) and Krunal Pandya (23*) ensured there would be no late drama.
Earlier, Titans rode a brilliant century from Sai Sudharsan to post 205/3 after RCB chose to bowl. The left-hander, rediscovering his touch after a lean patch, anchored the innings with 100 off 58 balls, laced with 11 fours and five sixes. RCB’s new-ball pair of Bhuvneshwar Kumar (1/31) and Josh Hazlewood (1/40) tested him early, but Sudharsan settled quickly, reaching 46 in the powerplay as GT made 57 without loss in six overs.
PSG continue their Ligue 1 campaign with an away trip to Angers on Saturday evening.
The Parisians currently sit top of the table with 66 points from 29 matches, holding a three-point lead over second-placed Lens, who have played one game more.
Luis Enrique’s side are in strong form, winning seven of their last eight matches in all competitions. After a setback against Lyon, they responded well with a comfortable 3-0 win over Nantes.
PSG have also impressed in Europe, booking a place in the Champions League semi-finals with a 4-0 aggregate victory over Liverpool. At the back, they have been particularly solid, keeping four straight away clean sheets ahead of this game.
PSG team news
With a huge Champions League clash against Bayern Munich coming up, PSG are expected to rotate their squad for this fixture.
Vitinha remains a major doubt due to a heel issue and is unlikely to be risked despite returning to light training.
Quentin Ndjantou Mbitcha is still unavailable, while Nuno Mendes, who is recovering from a thigh problem, could be rested even though he has resumed team training. In goal, the choice between Matvey Safonov and Lucas Chevalier will be decided late.
Fans may also see changes in attack, with players like Ousmane Dembele potentially starting on the bench.
Celtic face Falkirk in the first match after the split in the Scottish Premiership on Saturday night at Celtic Park.
With just three points separating the league leaders Hearts and Celtic as Celtic currently sits in third position with 67 points, every match is crucial for Martin O’Neill’s men as they chase the title.
Celtic vs Falkirk – Match preview and team news
Date: Saturday, 25th April.
Kick-off: 5:30pm BST.
Venue: Celtic Park, Glasgow.
Celtic team news
Martin O’Neill welcomes back several key figures, though his defensive options remain severely depleted.
Centre-half Liam Scales returns from suspension and is expected to go straight back into the starting lineup.
In a massive boost, long-term absentees Alistair Johnston and Callum Osmand have both returned to training and are available for selection after months out with hamstring injuries, though they may start on the bench as they are eased back into competitive action.
Captain Callum McGregor is also fit to start despite recent minor fitness concerns. However, the Hoops are still missing several players.
Kasper Schmeichel (shoulder), Cameron Carter-Vickers (Achilles), Jota (ACL), Julian Araujo (thigh), and Colby Donovan (hamstring) are all confirmed absentees, leaving the squad thin ahead of this critical opening post-split fixture.
Falkirk team news
Falkirk manager John McGlynn faces what he described as a “huge blow” with three regular starters ruled out shortly before the trip to Glasgow.
Goalkeeper Scott Bain, who was set to face his former club, is sidelined with an ankle injury that could keep him out for several weeks.
Joining him in the treatment room are key defenders Liam Henderson and Filip Lissah, both of whom picked up injuries during the recent Scottish Cup semi-final.
These fresh absences add to an already difficult situation, as Louie Marsh and Ethan Williams were previously confirmed to be out for the remainder of the season.
Barney Stewart is expected to lead the line for the Bairns. McGlynn must now reshuffle a defence that has lost two first-choice defenders and its primary goalkeeper, making an already daunting task at Celtic Park even more challenging.
Form
Celtic
Celtic enters this match in strong form, having won four of its last five matches. Most recently, they secured a dominant 6–2 victory against St Mirren in the Scottish Cup and a narrow 1–0 league win over the same opponent. Despite a recent 2–0 loss to Dundee United, they remain formidable at Celtic Park, where they have historically dominated Falkirk with eight consecutive head-to-head wins.
Falkirk
Falkirk’s recent form has been inconsistent, recording just one win in their last five outings. They suffered a heartbreaking penalty shootout defeat to Dunfermline Athletic in the Scottish Cup semi-finals after a 0–0 draw. While they recently beat Motherwell 3–2 on the road, their defence struggled in a high-scoring 6–3 loss to Rangers, leaving them as underdogs for the trip to Glasgow.
Celtic vs Falkirk – Predicted lineup and team news
Celtic take on Falkirk at Celtic Park on Saturday night in their first game after the Scottish Premiership split.
With only three points separating leaders Hearts and Celtic, who sit third on 67 points, every game is vital for Martin O’Neill’s side in the title race.
Celtic come into this fixture in good form, winning four of their last five matches. They recently beat St Mirren 6–2 in the Scottish Cup and followed that up with a 1–0 league win over the same team. Although they did lose 2–0 to Dundee United, they remain very strong at home and have won their last eight meetings against Falkirk at Celtic Park.
Celtic team news
There is some positive news for Martin O’Neill as Liam Scales is back from suspension and is expected to return straight to the starting lineup.
Alistair Johnston and Callum Osmand have both returned to training after long spells out with hamstring injuries. They are available but may begin on the bench as they build up match fitness.
Captain Callum McGregor is also fit and ready to start despite recent minor fitness issues.
However, Celtic are still without several key players. Kasper Schmeichel (shoulder), Cameron Carter-Vickers (Achilles), Jota (ACL), Julian Araujo (thigh), and Colby Donovan (hamstring) are all ruled out.
PSG continues their Ligue 1 journey as they face Angers away from home on Saturday evening.
PSG are leading the league table by three points. They are on 66 points from 29 matches while second-placed Lens have 63 points from 30 matches.
Angers vs PSG – Match preview and team news
Date: Saturday, 25th April.
Kick-off: 6pm BST.
Venue: Stade Raymond Kopa, Angers.
Angers team news
Angers faces a daunting challenge against the league leaders while navigating a severe injury crisis that has depleted their defensive options.
The most pressing concern involves starting goalkeeper Hervé Koffi, who sustained a foot injury during Friday’s training session; if he cannot feature, Melvin Zinga is prepared to deputise.
The casualty list is extensive, with Harouna Djibirin, Carlens Arcus, and Yassin Belkhdim all confirmed out with various ailments ranging from ankle to groin injuries.
Additionally, the presence of Pierrick Capelle will be missed, and Marius Courcoul remains unavailable after a recent knock.
There are also lingering doubts regarding the fitness of Ousmane Camara. Despite these setbacks, manager Alexandre Dujeux will look up to Branco van den Boomen in midfield, and Prosper Peter up front to break the 19-match head-to-head losing streak against PSG.
PSG team news
Paris Saint-Germain enters this fixture with a focus on squad management ahead of their massive Champions League semi-final against Bayern Munich.
Manager Luis Enrique is likely to implement rotation to protect key assets. In terms of fitness, Vitinha is a major doubt as he continues to recover from right heel inflammation; while he has resumed individual training, the staff is unlikely to risk him.
Youngster Quentin Ndjantou Mbitcha remains sidelined under medical protocol, and Nuno Mendes is being monitored closely following a thigh issue.
While Mendes has rejoined group sessions, he may be preserved for European duty. In goal, a late decision will be made between Matvey Safonov and Lucas Chevalier.
Supporters can expect a modified frontline, with stars like Ousmane Dembélé potentially starting on the bench.
Form
Angers
Angers approach this fixture struggling for consistency, having collected only two points from their last five league outings. Currently sitting 13th, their recent results include a 1-1 draw against Le Havre and a 1-2 defeat against Rennes away from home.
PSG
PSG are in dominant form, sitting atop Ligue 1 with seven wins in their last eight matches across all competitions. After their loss against Lyon, they bounced back to winning ways and secured a convincing 3-0 victory over Nantes. PSG have maintained an impressive European run, reaching the Champions League semi-finals after defeating Liverpool 4-0 on aggregate. Defensively, the Parisians have been solid, keeping four consecutive clean sheets in away matches heading into today’s clash.
Predicted lineups
Angers: Zinga; Raolisoa, Louer, Biumla, Lefort, Ekomie; Mouton, van den Boomen, Belkebla; Peter, Sbai
With the series tied 1-1 and their Defensive Player of the Year and MVP candidate Victor Wembanyama sidelined in concussion protocol, the San Antonio Spurs took Game 3 on the road, defeating the Portland Trail Blazers 120-108.
Here are three key takeaways from Game 3:
Rookie takeover
Dylan Harper had just 5 points at halftime. He scored 22 in the second half, finishing with 27 on 9-of-12 shooting — 4-of-5 from 3, 5-of-6 from the line — and a game-high plus-24. He attacked Portland's closeouts, knocking down shots with confidence, making quick, decisive reads and finishing in traffic. He was unbelievable, becoming the second-youngest player in NBA history to score 20 points in a playoff game coming off the bench. Oh, and he’s the fourth rookie to have 25 points and 10 rebounds off the bench in a playoff game.
Carter Bryant didn't score, but he made his presence felt. He went 1-for-5 and finished with 3 points. He also had 4 blocks, 6 rebounds and closed the game plus-17. Bryant’s scrappiness on the glass led to four offensive rebounds and his defense was the deterrent the Spurs needed without Wembanyama. Mitch Johnson's decision to trust both of them in the second half of a playoff road game speaks volumes to their development and impact.
Second-year guard Stephon Castle was the engine underneath all of it, pacing the Spurs with 33 points (10-18 FG, 3-4 3PM, 10-11 FT) and 5 assists. Castle led the Spurs with 11 in the fourth and was locked in offensively all night.
Mitch Johnson's adjustment won the second half
Portland led by six at halftime and looked like the better team. Then Johnson went small. Between Harper’s explosive scoring and leaning on Bryant and Keldon Johnson, the Spurs’ bench brought the physical and defensive identity that was muted in the first half. It finished +61 for the game.
Together, that small-ball group changed Portland's approach at the rim, forced contested looks and made the Blazers' role players uncomfortable in the half-court throughout the second half. San Antonio outscored Portland 61-43 after the break.
Not to get lost in the second-half dominance, Luke Kornet filled in admirably for Wembanyama. The Spurs were 20-5 in the regular season with Kornet as a starter, so this wasn’t unfamiliar territory. He was great, going 6-for-9 from the field and scoring 14 points with 10 rebounds (5 offensive). The Spurs scored almost half of their 22 second-chance points in the third and fourth quarters, showing that extra effort is what helped them take over midway through the third and not look back.
Portland ran out of answers
Holiday and Henderson were the reasons Portland led at halftime. They combined for over 31 first-half points, shooting an efficient 12-for-19 from the field and 7-for-11 from 3. Big man Robert Williams III stepped up as well, finishing with 11 points, 9 rebounds and 2 blocks in 25 minutes off the bench. Though Williams remained solid, the rest of his team went cold.
Portland shot 4-of-17 from 3 in the second half, including 1-of-7 in the fourth quarter. A team that scored 65 points through two quarters managed just 43 in the final two. Deni Avdija is the defining example, finishing with 19 points (3-15 FG, 12-16 FT) and 9 assists but shooting 2-for-7 in the second half.
Across the final two frames, the Blazers shot 36% from the field, 24% from 3 and 7-of-12 from the line. Their depth couldn’t keep up with Harper’s onslaught, as he doubled the output of the Blazers bench in the final two quarters. Interim head coach Tiago Splitter has to improve his rotations (more Time Lord, less Donovan Clingan), and Portland’s role players have to contribute more offensively.
It's almost crazy to see how much some of these guys get paid in the NFL nowadays, even first-round rookies. While every player in the NFL makes a lot of money nowadays, it's cool to see how much some of these youngsters are making, including Cleveland Browns first-round pick Spencer Fano.
According to the latest from Spotrac, Fano is set to make a ton of money, making $32.2 million over four years.
The offensive lineman will have a lot to work on during his time in the league, just like every other young player in football.
However, he's very excited about getting that job done, and he's thankful that he doesn't have to go up against the Browns' star Myles Garrett.
"I'm so excited," Fano said. "I just gotta be honest, one of my first thoughts was I don't have to play Myles Garrett on Sundays. So that's something to be excited about in itself. But I mean just to be here, be with these teammates, to be able to play for these fans, it's an honor."
As they tend to do, the 49ers went off the board with their Day Two skill position picks, the first of whom was Ole Miss’s De'Zhaun Stribling at No. 33 overall. The former Rebel bounced around a few schools with modest production before landing at Ole Miss for his fifth season of college ball. Stribling led his team with 811 yards and six scores. He wasn't particularly efficient, averaging a measly 2.15 yards per route, bringing his career mark to 1.69. Stribling got more love from the film-watchers, with his crisp intermediate routes leading many to believe he would work well in a Kyle Shanahan offense. I, however, am skeptical that Shanny even knows what he wants in skill position players.
Every skill position the 49ers have drafted on Day 2 in the Shanahan era
WR De'Zhaun Stribling
TE Cameron Latu
RB Tyrion-Davis-Price
WR Danny Gray
RB Trey Sermon
WR Deebo Samuel
WR Jalen Hurd
WR Dante Pettis
Strilbing has more than impressive physical traits. He ran a 4.36 40 at 6’2/207, and that speed shows up on tape. Still, his weak production profile and Shanahan’s mercurial relationship with the players he hand-selects in the draft have me taking a cautious approach with Strilbing in my upcoming rookie rankings.
Browns double up on wide receivers
The Browns made a great pick in Round 1 with Texas A&M wideout KC Concepcion. He is a dynamic wideout who can win at any level, even if his money is made on short and intermediate throws. They made a complete 180 at pick 39, going for Washington’s No. 1 boundary wideout in Denzel Boston. Boston was one of eight receivers in the country last year to catch over 70 percent of their contested targets (min. 10 opportunities). He is more than capable of earning separation, though. Only 13.7 percent of his targets were contested. Between Boston, Concepcion, Harold Fannin Jr., and Quinshon Judkins, the Browns could have a top-flight skill position corps this year. We may never know, given how bad the quarterback play is expected to be. That will make Concepcion and Boston tough bets from a fantasy perspective, but Browns fans should be happy with this haul.
Steelers draft Bama WR Germie Bernard
Bernard is a Steeler to his core. He’s not overly impressive at any one thing. He averaged a solid 6.4 YAC for his career with an aDOT of 10.5. Bernard logged over 500 career routes from both out wide and in the slot. He’s a rugged wideout with 36 career carries and a mean streak as a run blocker. All of that being said, a career mark of 1.9 yards per route is below-average and he never earned a College Dominator (combined yardage and touchdown shares) over 23 percent. Bernard has some Robert Woods in his game and NFL teams are going to love that until the day he retires. For now, he looks like a distant WR3 on a Steelers team that may or may not have Aaron Rodgers as their quarterback.
Eagles find Dallas Goedert heir in Eli Stowers
Vanderbilt’s No. 1 pass-catcher was billed as somewhat of a WR/TE hybrid after his impressive 2025 season. He posted a 62-769-4 receiving line but did so at just 6’4/239. He wasn’t asked to do much of the dirty work as a blocker didn't look the part when he did have to put his hand in the ground. With a career YPRR of 2.34 and a final-season mark of 2.55, Stowers was always going to be a favorite of the spreadsheet nerds. There was, however, a real risk that the NFL viewed him as a positionless tweener. That is at least untrue for one franchise: the Philadelphia Eagles. Philly used the No. 54 pick on him a day after trading up for USC receiver Makai Lemon. The Eagles have also not been shy about moving Dallas Goedert — a 2027 free agent — around the formation either. He ran 49 percent of his routes from the slot and 14 percent from out wide in 2025. Stowers had a 66 percent slot rate and an eight percent wide rate in 2025. He will undoubtedly need to get more comfortable as an inline tight end, but there is a path for him to be drafted as a breakout TE1 bet next year if he flashes as a rookie.
Jags start a run of blocking tight ends
As was the case with our Day One Draft Recap, this article is largely focused on the fantasy fallout of the picks. There were plenty of blocking tight ends taken in the second and third rounds. Not all of them need a lengthy write-up, but I’ll give them all some love here.
Nate Boerkircher, Jaguars, No. 56 overall
Boerkircher played five years of college football and never hit 200 yards in a season. He averaged under one yard per route for his career. There’s almost no receiving profile here, but PFF graded him as their No. 22 run-blocking tight end in 2025. Despite having an offensive guru head coach, the Jags couldn’t get anything going outside of 11-personnel.
Adding a physical TE2 could help them solve this issue.
Marlin Klein, Texans, No. 59 overall
This is another blocking pick… for now. Klein grew up in Germany for and didn’t pick up football until later in his youth, as far as future professional football players go. He spent most of his time at Michigan as a backup and the team didn’t throw much even when he was on the field. Klein ran an impressive 4.61 40 and earned a 9.05 RAS, giving him the athletic profile of a productive tight end. It will likely take multiple years for him to hone his skills as a pass-catcher, but he could be something down the road.
Sam Roush, Bears, No. 69
Roush could have been an interesting fantasy bet on another team, but he isn’t usurping Colston Loveland anytime soon. Roush is a true Y tight end who posted a solid 49-545-2 receiving line as a senior. Rush is a good blocker and logged an elite 9.94 RAS at the NFL Combine. The bad news is that he is likely the Cole Kmet replacement plan for Ben Johnson’s offense. Kmet’s role as the versatile TE2 could be vacated if Chicago cuts him for cap purposes next year, but it’s not a job we should expect to produce a fantasy-relevant player.
Oscar Delp, Saints, No. 73
Delp is a film-watcher's dream tight end. He’s a tenacious blocker whose highlight reel features loads of YAC. He went for 509 yards over the past two years and 309 of them came after the catch. Delp then crushed the Underwear Olympics with a 4.49 40 and a 9.82 RAS.
Oscar Delp is a TE prospect in the 2026 draft class. He scored a 9.82 RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 26 out of 1388 TE from 1987 to 2026.https://t.co/BSHyixQrAspic.twitter.com/WSdtfCbba2
The spreadsheets tell a different story. Delp averaged a pitiful 1.23 career YPRR and clocked a final season College Dominator of eight percent. A player with this little production turning into a TE1 fantasy option would be extremely rare. With Juwan Johnson occupying a receiver-first tight end role for the Saints, Delp’s path to playing time in 2026 will be as a blocking No. 2 tight end.
Will Kacmarek, Dolphins, No. 87
Kacmarek was a backup to Max Klare in his final season, serving almost exclusively as a blocking tight end. He caught just 15 passes and only reeled in eight the previous year. Pro Football Focus graded him as a solid blocker in both run and pass pro, but that’s all we’re getting from him in the NFL.
Rams won’t stop until they employ every tight end
Moving on to a slightly more interesting tight end, the Rams just keep adding them. They signed Colby Parkinson two years ago and brought Tyler Higbee back in free agency this offseason. LA drafted Terrance Ferguson out of Oregon last year and even has Davis Allen as a nice depth piece. Sean McVay, of course, reinvented his offense around multi-TE sets in 2025, meaning he needs a stable of players who can fill the various facets of that role. He kept adding this year with Ohio State’s Max Klare. Klare dominated Purdue’s offense in 2024, operating as a de facto WR1. He then transferred to OSU where Carnell Tate and Jeremiah Smith comfortably outshone him. Klare put on some weight and got extra reps as a blocker with the Buckeyes, rounding out his skill set ahead of the draft, even if his counting stats (43-448-2) were hurt by the move. He should be the favorite to take over Parkinson’s role as the top snap-earner on LA’s roster in 2027 when the latter hits free agency. For now, fantasy managers will have to wait.
Cardinals get their QB
The Cardinals were comfortable favorites to land Ty Simpson heading into Round One, but the Rams blew that plan up with the 13th pick. Instead, Arizona pivoted to Miami’s Carson Beck with the first pick of the third round. The Cardinals have Jacoby Brissett penciled in as their Week 1 starter, but he went 1-11 in that role last year. He may have the approval of first-year head coach Matt LaFleur right now, but will that hold up when the team is 2-9 coming out of the bye? I doubt it. Beck has NFL size at 6’5/233 and is coming off a run to the National Title game. He looks the part of a pro passer, but neither the data nor the film are buying it. His efficiency was middling in 2025 and scouts aren’t awfully impressed by his arm or his decision-making. Beck will make some starts this year, and that has some value in Superflex leagues. Beyond that, this is simply a flyer for the Cardinals as they bide their time until the 2027 draft.
Commanders land slot receiver Antonio Williams
Washington needed a layup target for Jayden Daniels. They passed on receiver in the first round and circled back at pick No. 71. Williams was a solid producer at Clemson who did most of his damage out of the slot. He ran 93 percent of his routes from the slot in 2025 and went for 604 yards in 10 games, missing a handful of contests due to injury. Williams also excelled on manufactured touches, scoring a rushing touchdown in each of his final two games with a pair of passing scores to boot. Williams’ YAC production was just average at 5.3 per catch and he stalled out at a 26 percent College Dominator as a junior. This is a high-floor pick for a team that needs more easy-button looks on offense, but I don’t know if Williams has much of a ceiling for fantasy purposes.
Giants finally replenish WR with Malachi Fields
New York lost Wan’Dale Robinson in free agency and has Malik Nabers recovering from a torn ACL. Receiver wasn’t their top need heading into the draft, but it was on the list. At 6’5/218, Fields has true alpha size. He ran nearly 90 percent of his routes from the boundary at Notre Dame and Virginia while bringing in just shy of half of his contested targets. Fields is also a willing blocker in the run game. He wasn’t particularly efficient in college, averaging 1.94 YPRR for his career, though that did rise to 2.0 in 2024 and 2.2 in 2025. A 4.61 40-yard dash means he doesn’t have the speed to separate from NFL defenders, but he could operate as a full-time X receiver, freeing Nabers up to move around the formation more often.
Dolphins draft a pair of third-round receivers
Miami double-tapped receiver in Round Three with Texas Tech’s Caleb Douglas at No. 75 and Louisville’s Chris Bell at 94. I and every big board on the planet would have flipped those picks before giving Douglas another 50-slot discount. For reference, Douglas was ranked just outside the top 200 players on Arif Hasan’s Big Board, which is just an aggregate of over 100 boards from around the industry. Douglas plateaued around 800 yards in both of his seasons at Texas Tech and averaged 1.79 YPRR for his career. At 6’4/206, you would want to see Douglas bully corners on 50/50 balls, but he brought in just 41 percent of his career contested targets and averaged a middling 1.7 YPRR against press coverage in 2025.
Bell, on the other hand, eviscerated press coverage at 3.2 YPRR in 2025 and corralled 55.9 percent of his career contested looks. At 6’2/222, Bell is built like a wrecking ball. Douglas’s biggest advantage in 2026 will be time. Bell tore his ACL late in the 2025 season, meaning he will likely miss most, if not all, of the offseason program and some games. Douglas will get to spend the summer stacking up against Jalen Tolbert, Tutu Atwell, and Malik Washington in practices. Even though I’m down on him as a prospect, he could easily shine when his competition is that weak.
Steelers keep Drew Allar in-state
Drew Allar is a strange prospect. He was a high-pedigree passer on a first-round trajectory ahead of 2025. Then he struggled for two months, the Penn State football program imploded, and Allar bowed out early with a broken ankle. At 6’5/228, Allar has NFL size and looks capable of making almost any throw. He simply struggles to get in rhythm for more than a few plays in a row, often leading to frustrating blunders. He’s an interesting developmental piece if he gets to sit behind Aaron Rodgers for a year. Things will get ugly in a hurry if Rodgers retires and Allar is rushed into the lineup.
Falcons address WR depth at pick 79
The Falcons had to add a name to their WR2 mix. They entered the draft with Jahan Dotson and Olamide Zaccheaus vying for the role. Instead, they left the draft with a gadget WR3 candidate. Zacharia Branch ranked second in the country in screens (44) and 135th in non-screen catches (37) during his lone season at Georgia. He averaged 7.8 YAC, which would normally be an elite mark. After adjusting for his 3.6 aDOT, it’s just good. The Falcons don’t have a YAC guy, and Branch brings plenty of that to the table. With an extremely limited skill set at 5’9/177, he may not get on the field enough to make a major impact as a rookie.
Ravens nab USC WR Ja’Kobi Lane
Lane played second-fiddle to Makai Lemon at USC, but he carved out a role as the team’s X receiver early on. Lane scored a whopping 12 touchdowns in 2024. Even though that fell to four last year, he upped his yardage total to 745. Lane’s 4.47 wheels at 6’4/200 are impressive, but he doesn’t have the physicality to separate from corners despite his speed. Nearly a third of his career targets were contested, and he brought down just under half of them. Matt Harmon’s Reception Perception data also shows a player simply unable to pull away from DBs in man coverage.
New Ravens WR Ja'Kobi Lane is definitely a projection. He did not separate well, per @MattHarmon_BYB's charting.
"He turned in a 50.9% success rate vs. man coverage. It’s not just the lowest score in this class; it’s the lowest across the last three classes combined." pic.twitter.com/Z7Hqob8zfy
At a high level, Lane is very similar to Alec Pierce as a prospect when the latter was coming out of Cincinnati. At his best, Pierce has been a feast-or-famine WR3. Lamar Jackson’s arm could unlock similar production from Lane, though he’s no threat to take over as Baltimore’s No. 1 receiver anytime soon.
A pair of deep threats head to the NFC South
Chris Brazell and Ted Hurst were two of the most interesting Z receiver candidates in this class. Both players are lengthy boundary wideouts with career aDOTs over 14 and slot rates under 20 percent. Hurst was a bit more versatile at Georgia South compared to Brazzell at Tennessee, but his landing spot is a tough one for fantasy purposes. At pick No. 84, the Bucs nabbed Hurst, potentially sticking him in a WR4 role for his rookie season. Brazzell, on the other hand, has a chance to take over as his team’s WR2 by going one spot earlier to the Panthers. Brazzell played a limited, deep-ball role in Tennessee’s highly specialized offense, meaning it may take a year or more for him to learn a “real” receiver position.
Bears muddy the receiver room with Zavion Thomas
Thomas peaked at 503 receiving yards as a sophomore at Mississippi State. He eventually transferred to LSU, where 488 yards was his high-water mark. He did, however, add 99 yards and a score on the ground. Thomas has two career kick return touchdowns and another house call on a punt. Thomas cemented himself as one of the best return specialists in the class with a blazing 4.28 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine. The Bears are fully committed to Luther Burden and Rome Oduzne as their top two wideouts, but there is a WR3 gig up for grabs. I expect Ben Johnson to have a veteran such as Kalif Raymond fill that role like he did with Zaccheus last year, but Thomas could push him for the job at some point in 2026.
Indiana runner Kaelon Black makes history
This was the first draft in the Super Bowl era to have only one running back go on Day Two (the second and third rounds). Indiana’s Kaelon Black became Kyle Shanahan’s latest fixation, though that has rarely worked out. Shanny’s only hit at running back so far is Elijah Mitchell, who ran for 963 yards as a rookie and has never hit 300 in a season since. More importantly, Black doesn’t have a strong profile as a runner. He ranked 104th in the country in yards after contact per carry (3.5) while being out-carried by backfield mate Roman Hemby, a fellow 2025 prospect. It was Black’s sixth collegiate season and he added a measly four catches through the air. The 49ers rarely give any deference to the consensus of the draft community when making their picks, and that has come back to bite them more often than not. Maybe this time will be different.
Pats make a move at tight end
New England made the last skill position pick of Day Two by taking Notre Dame tight end Eli Raridon at No. 95 overall. Raridon is a monster athlete with 4.62 speed at 6’6/245. He also recorded burst measurables over the 90th-percentile at the NFL Combine, giving him a 9.81 RAS.
Eli Raridon is a TE prospect in the 2026 draft class. He scored an unofficial 9.81 RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 27 out of 1356 TE from 1987 to 2026.
He didn’t perform the agility drills, which makes sense for what he brings to the table. Raridon is a straight-line seem-strecher without much wiggle when the ball gets in his hands. The Pats will park him behind Hunter Henry as a rookie, but his size/speed combo could be a great complement to Drake Maye’s elite arm strength when his time comes.
Can Michael Keane’s Everton rollercoaster peak again in the run-in?
If we rewind 12 months, it appeared to be the end of the road for Michael Keane at Everton. The defender’s deal was due to expire, and few anticipated an extension, given only 11 league starts for the campaign.
As a summer of wholesale change took place, a decision was made to extend Keane’s contract for a further season. The veteran has divided opinion during an Everton career marked by peaks and troughs, but few would suggest that the extension wasn’t sensible now.
Keane has started 24 games in the Premier League this season. Jarrad Branthwaite’s issues, and the failure to sign the recognised right-back that would allow Jake O’Brien to operate centrally, have thrust the 33-year-old into the side more often than most anticipated. A large number would suggest that, despite his limitations, he’s been Everton’s most reliable defender, and the Toffees need him now more than ever.
Branthwaite’s season-ending hamstring injury was a body blow to hopes of European football, and David Moyes looks set to turn to Keane in his absence. A once-maligned figure has a big role to play across the run-in, starting with this weekend’s trip to West Ham.
The Hammers are fighting for their lives, but lack the pace, at least in central areas, that could truly trouble the Achilles heel of the Keane-Tarkowski axis. January recruit Taty Castellanos is a presence, though he has a style that Tarkowski and Keane should relish facing.
Furthermore, Keane’s reintroduction to the side could benefit the Blues at the other end. Only four players in the squad have scored more Premier League goals than Keane (3) this season. While that’s an indictment of a lack of firepower, it demonstrates his threat in the opposition’s box.
Excluding penalties, West Ham have conceded the joint-most goals from set pieces in the Premier League this season (17), alongside Bournemouth. 15 of those goals have been conceded from corner kicks, a league high.
Keane’s future beyond this season was clarified this week. Again, out of contract, another extension was finalised that will take his time with the club to a decade. It’s a deal that has been earned, and one perhaps designed to free funds to address more pressing needs.
The natural evolution of the side means Keane should feature less regularly next season but, for now, he looks set to be a shoo-in for the remaining games. If he can play a prominent part in European qualification, it would represent an unexpected high on a nine-season rollercoaster ride that looked over a year ago.
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Aston Villa Starting XI vs Fulham: Confirmed Team News and Predicted Lineup
Aston Villa vs Fulham Preview: Predicted Lineup and Selection Calls
Emery Balances Momentum with European Ambition
Unai Emery approaches Aston Villa’s trip to Craven Cottage with both confidence and calculation. With a Europa League semi final looming, rotation might have been expected. Instead, Aston Villa look set to field a strong side against Fulham as they chase Champions League qualification.
Injuries have largely cleared, giving Aston Villa rare stability at a decisive stage. Boubacar Kamara remains sidelined with a long term knee issue, while Alysson continues to recover from a separate fitness concern. Beyond that, Emery has options, and that depth may prove decisive.
Watkins Form Central to Aston Villa Attack
Ollie Watkins carries Aston Villa’s attacking threat into this fixture. His recent form has been sharp and decisive, with six goals in his last five appearances, including a brace in the 4-3 win over Sunderland. Notably, Watkins has also scored six times in nine games against Fulham, a record that underlines his reliability in this fixture.
Photo IMAGO
Behind him, Morgan Rogers is expected to operate in an advanced role, linking midfield to attack. His movement and composure have added a new dimension to Aston Villa’s forward play, offering both creativity and tactical flexibility.
Selection Dilemma on Left Flank
Emery faces a more nuanced decision on the left side. Jadon Sancho and Emiliano Buendia are both pushing for inclusion, each offering a different interpretation of the role. Sancho brings directness and pace, while Buendia offers subtlety and control.
If either is selected, Ross Barkley may drop to the bench, a reflection of the competition within Aston Villa’s midfield. On the opposite flank, John McGinn is likely to retain his place, providing energy and balance.
Defensive Stability Key Against Fulham
At the base of midfield, Andre Onana and Youri Tielemans are expected to anchor the side. Their partnership offers control and structure, allowing Aston Villa to dictate tempo against Fulham.
The defensive unit looks settled. Matty Cash, Ezri Konsa, Tyrone Mings and Ian Maatsen are set to continue, though Lucas Digne remains an alternative at left back. Behind them, Emiliano Martinez provides consistency in goal.
Aston Villa arrive with purpose and form, Fulham present a different kind of challenge at home, yet the balance of Emery’s side suggests they travel with both intent and belief.
The NFL Draft is always an exciting time for teams, but it's also a life-changing moment for players. Not only is there a great sense of all the hard work finally paying off, but there's a lot of money involved.
At the end of the day, guys want to make money, and New Orleans Saints draft pick Jordan Tyson is going to benefit from that.
According to Spotrac, Tyson is set to make $32.4 million over four years on his rookie contract.
Tyson has been nothing but a joy early on with his comments, showing that he's very grateful for what's to come and the Saints taking him. He sounds thankful for everything that happened and showed a lot of emotion during the NFL Draft.
"I wasn't supposed to be here," Tyson said in his news conference with the Saints.
"I'm not supposed to be here without God blessing me with an amazing family and an amazing support system and bringing the right people in my circle, I wouldn't be here. It's all credit to God and what He did with my life and all the people around me."
While the focus for Tyson now is on winning a job and doing what's needed, there's also a lot of money involved.
Erm… can we just put what we just saw into words? Well, Martin and Brett join Chris to try and put some words together to describe what happened at the Stadium of Light as the Lads go down 5-0 at home! On today’s show…
Decent start?
Why did we keep making the same mistakes?
Did we see a reaction after the break?
Should Ballard’s goal have been allowed?
How significant is this defeat?
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With the second overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, the New York Jets selected David Bailey, an edge rusher out of Texas Tech.
Bailey certainly deserves everything that's going to come his way, and one of the first things that will come his way is a lot of money. While the pressure of playing in New York won't be easy to handle, the youngster will have a nice paycheck to look at at the end of the day.
According to Spotrac, Bailey will make $54.6 million over four years on his rookie contract.
Speaking to reporters about how he thinks he'll fare in the NFL, there's reason to believe that he has a lot of confidence in his ability. On the same side, he also understands that he's going up against grown men, and the game will be a lot different than it was in college.
"I'm going to be completely honest with you, obviously, there's no way to tell," he said.
"I haven't played against anyone in the NFL. You know, those are grown men, seasoned men that have been playing the game for a long time. But, you know, I'm confident in my ability. I think my main thing is just staying focused, maintaining that same hard work that I put into my collegiate career, and just taking that next step up."
Bailey will have to get up to speed fast, as he'll certainly be getting paid like one of the top youngsters in the league.
UCLA infielder and outfielder, Roch Cholowsky (1) and Will Gasparino (9), respectively, celebrating a double during a NCAA baseball game against UC San Diego on February 13, 2026 at Jackie Robinson Stadium in Los Angeles, CA.
The No. 1 UCLA Bruins walked off due to an infield error to defeat the Sacramento State Hornets 6-5, Friday night.
UCLA had their backs against the wall following Sacramento State's three-consecutive innings of scoring that gave them a 5-3 lead going into the eighth inning. But late-game heroics from Mulivai Levu and Roman Martin were enough to steal a victory in game one of the weekend series.
In the bottom of the eighth, Levu drove an inside pitch toward the right field corner and off of the foul pole for a home run. His 11th home run of the season put UCLA behind one run to start the inning.
But the Bruins ran into trouble in the top of the ninth, after two consecutive Hornets were hit by pitches from left-hander Ian May. A pitching change brought UCLA junior Justin Lee to the mound with one out and two runners on base. Lee secured a strikeout and fly out to send the game into the bottom of the ninth.
Pinch hitter Aiden Aguayo snuck a leadoff single up the middle to start the ninth, followed by a sacrifice-bunt by Phoenix Call to move the game-tying run to second. Next at bat, Dean West grounded out to short stop and moved Aguayo to third.
With two outs, projected number one pick in the upcoming MLB 2026 draft Roch Cholowsky took the plate. Sacramento State pitcher Elijah Rogalski walked Cholowsky on five pitches. Levu stepped to the plate again and was also walked to load the bases for Martin.
With an 0-2 count, Martin poked an inside pitch between Sacramento State's first and second basemen. The ball ricocheted off the glove of first baseman Luis Pimentel-Guerrero to allow Aguayo to score. Second baseman Cameron Sewell recovered the ball and fired to home plate, but the wild ball shot toward the back stop and pulled catcher Nikhil Beasley away from home. Cholowsky rounded third base and safely scored the game-winning run, prompting Bruins players to flood onto the field and parade around Martin all of the way into the center field wall.
The narrow victory makes it the fifth straight win for UCLA and the first of the three-game series against Sacramento State. UCLA improved their record to 38-3 on the season, as Sacramento State's record dropped to 19-24.
Game two of the series will start at 2 p.m. on Saturday at Jackie Robinson Stadium.
“At the minute” – Frank Lampard addresses speculation linking him with Chelsea return
Frank Lampard seemingly refused to rule out a return to Chelsea when asked about the vacant head coach position.
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The Blues sacked Liam Rosenior on Wednesday less than four months into a six and a half year deal, with Calum McFarlane placed in interim charge for the remainder of the season.
Rosenior became the second head coach to leave Chelsea this season, after Enzo Maresca walked out in January.
Lampard, who’s had to previous spells in charge of the club, as well as being a legend as a player is a name mentioned by fans.
The 47-year-old has guided Coventry back to the Premier League after winning the Championship this season, and he was asked about the vacant Chelsea job.
“I’d like to think Coventry fans would just be enjoying where we are, the world of management, lots are out of control, you just control your work,” he said as quoted on X.com.
“At the minute I think we should just enjoy where we are, we’ve had an amazing season and I am really proud and pleased to be part of it, I enjoy what I’m doing here, I can’t control who worries or not.”
“Chelsea is a big part of my life and at the moment that’s their business and my business is here.”
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In other news…
Chelsea are reportedly one four genuine suitors for Aston Villa star Morgan Rogers, along with Arsenal, Manchester United and PSG.
I really like what the New York Jets have done during the first two days of the 2026 NFL Draft, and a big reason for that is them landing Omar Cooper Jr. in the first round, taking him at pick 30.
To me, Cooper was one of the best offensive players in the country a season ago, if not the most impressive wide receiver at times.
I keep bringing it up, but it's very important to remember that when Indiana struggled offensively last season, he was often the one who could bail out Indiana and Fernando Mendoza.
However, some question whether the Jets gave up too much to get him, and in a sense, it's not unfair.
“Biggest question: Did the Jets give up too much to get Cooper? They traded up three spots, giving a second-round pick (33) and a fifth-rounder (179) to the 49ers to move up three spots.
“That second-round pick was valuable because, at the top of the round, it would've attracted suitors for a potential trade. The Jets didn't want to take a chance on losing Cooper to someone else, and they also wanted that fifth-year option for a first-rounder. That's why they moved up, giving them a three-player haul in the first round,” Rich Cimini of ESPN wrote.
While moving two draft picks in the process could be viewed as a questionable thing, I don't think moving up from the 179th pick is that big of a problem here. Cooper is a lot better than anybody they would have been able to take at 179, so this was the right play from the Jets' perspective.
The San Antonio Spurs have been the favorites to beat the Portland Trail Blazers in their first-round series. However, that changed when Victor Wembanyama went down with a concussion in Game 2.
Heading into Game 3, speculations were present regarding Wembanyama's status. When it was confirmed he would miss the game, the onus was on the remaining Spurs to step up. The rookie, Dylan Harper, made sure to step up with an amazing performance.
Dylan Harper relishes in his matchup against Scoot Henderson
The Trail Blazers had a strong lead early in the third quarter, but after Scoot Henderson received a technical foul for celebrating in Dylan Harper's face, it changed the game.
It felt like that moment motivated Harper to show why he is also a top talent. The rookie finished the game with a career high of 27 points, while Stephon Castle had a game-high 33 points for the Spurs.
Harper and Henderson have been going at each other for the past three games. This came to a head when Henderson celebrated after making a tough layup over Harper. Unfortunately for Scoot, Harper won this matchup in Game 3.
For Harper, he is glad that he getting to play against Henderson because it shows that they are having fun and being passioante about the game.
"It's Playoff basketball, it's the best basketball in the world. We are both competitive players, at the end of the day, we're going to compete. Words are exchanged, but it's always basketball," Harper said about his matchup against Henderson.
"I can respect that, and I respect him as a player. He's having a really good series, going back at him, and not backing down from anyone."
As the series continues, the Spurs look to be favorites again, especially with Wembanyama's impending return. However, it has shown that players like Scoot deserve more of the spotlight because he has been fantastic against the Spurs.
Pep Guardiola, Pep Lijnders and Kolo Toure have arrived at a system that suits Manchester City's players [Getty Images]
Pep Guardiola has an uncanny ability to time his season right.
Like a long-standing sitcom, much of Guardiola's Manchester City career follows the same story arc: a bright September before his side begin to struggle.
As fans and pundits begin to predict City's downfall, Guardiola tinkers with his squad before a long winning streak results in his club being crowned Premier League champions.
Whether that storyline plays out at the end of this season is yet to be seen but Guardiola has finally landed on a system he trusts for the run-in.
Getting here, however, hasn't been easy.
Gameweek one
Manchester City started the season with a 4-0 win at Wolves [Getty Images]
Of the team that started last Sunday's win over Arsenal, only three started their opening league match on 16 August – Erling Haaland, Jeremy Doku and captain Bernardo Silva.
City won 4-0 against now relegated Wolves.
The key differences then were that Rico Lewis and Rayan Ait-Nouri moved in-field from their full-back positions to support Nico Gonzalez while Silva moved into a more attacking midfield position alongside Tijjani Reijnders.
Out of possession, City pressed high. Doku and Oscar Bobb defended close to Haaland, but that often left Wolves' full-backs free.
That detail would become important. Across the season, City would repeatedly tweak their defensive structure as opponents found various ways to find the spare man.
Early on, City leaned into attacking transitions.
Inspired by assistant Pep Lijnders and signings like Reijnders, they attacked quicker than previous Guardiola sides, destroying Wolves on the counter. This also suited Haaland, who started the season in impressive scoring form but was something Guardiola later reeled in, preferring more measured games.
Rayan Ait-Nouri and Rico Lewis move into more narrow positions from full-back. Nico Gonzales anchors the midfield with Tijjani Reijnders and Bernardo Silva pushing on [BBC]
Gameweek two
On 23 August, City lost 2-0 at home to a Tottenham side who are now battling relegation.
Omar Marmoush replaced Doku, while Rayan Cherki came into midfield instead of Silva alongside Gonzalez and Reijnders.
The principles stayed the same – invite pressure before looking to release fast attackers into space.
As the season progressed, man-to-man pressure has been a key trend. Guardiola's early attempts to deal with this lay in drawing opponents on to City before launching the ball early, looking to find Haaland and Marmoush two against two in the opposing half.
City drew Spurs' players on to them from goal-kicks, leaving Marmoush and Haaland up top resulting in a two against two [BBC]
City pressed in what looked like a 2-3 shape. Haaland jumped to the centre-back in possession while Bobb and Marmoush started narrow before being asked to press the full-backs. At times they were slow to get across, allowing Pedro Porro to play accurate long balls down the line.
Spurs vacated the centre and overloaded the flanks, resulting in Gonzalez often finding himself with nobody to mark while the defence played a high line and offside trap to minimal success.
For Spurs' first goal, Pedro Porro played long down the line. Pape Matar Sarr, Spurs' third midfielder, stepped into attack alongside Richarlison, attracting attention from Ruben Dias who had been dragged out of position. John Stones tried to apply an offside trap, slipping in the process. [BBC]
Gameweek three
Problems, particularly in defence, continued to grow as City lost to Brighton on 31 August.
City tweaked their press again. The wingers now pressed the centre-backs instead of the full-backs.
The left winger pressed Jan Paul van Hecke while left-back Ait-Nouri had to sprint long distances to reach Brighton's right-back Joel Veltman once Brighton progressed the ball.
A Rodri short of rhythm after injury returned but found himself on the same island Gonzalez did the week prior, disconnected from both defence and midfield, without a player to mark.
Brighton outnumbered City's defenders with their forward line, a damning indictment of the visitors' set-up.
Brighton progress the ball from centre-back to central midfielder before finding their right full-back. This triggers City's left-back to run but the distances are too large to cover [BBC]
Gameweek four
City responded with a 3-0 derby win over Manchester United on 14 September.
Reijnders started his fourth game in a row, this time alongside Phil Foden, both playing in front of Rodri. The pair would form a key partnership in the opening months.
Doku drifted inside from his left-wing position in build-up play, while Nico O'Reilly, starting at left-back for the first time that season, pinned Noussair Mazraoui back.
This worked remarkably well and Doku's narrow and roaming winger role became a key Guardiola weapon for the rest of the season.
It helped City create a four-man overload against United's midfield two and nudged Guardiola's men in the right direction.
Nico O'Reilly stands on the touchline, Jeremy Doku moves into midfield and City have an overload centrally [BBC]
Gameweek six
City beat Burnley 5-1 on 27 September with Gonzalez, Foden and Reijnders in midfield. O'Reilly kept his place at left-back with Josko Gvardiol, Dias and Matheus Nunes making up the back four.
Guardiola was beginning to identify pieces he liked.
Doku and Haaland were mainstays in the front three now. The right-wing position, subject to change, was filled by Savinho.
Pep's thinking at this point was to deploy traditional wingers – Doku and Savinho, who could get to the byline with Foden and Reijnders expected to arrive into the box to help Haaland score goals.
City's full-backs could rotate out wide but generally tucked into midfield aiming to support attacks and protect City from counters.
Protection centrally and late runs into the box have been key principles for Guardiola throughout his career.
As the season progressed, Guardiola altered his instructions hoping to find the right combination of players to carry out these tasks. O'Reilly, the manager realised with time, was far more valuable as a scorer than a player who prevented counter-attacks.
Jeremy Doku gets to the byline as Phil Foden and Tijjani Reijnders (white) attack the box. Full-backs Nico O'Reilly and Matheus Nunes (yellow) support centrally [BBC]
Gameweek nine
In City's 1-0 loss to Villa on 26 October, Guardiola started with a midfield of Silva, Reijnders and Foden and an attack of Savinho, Haaland and Bobb.
Villa were able to pass around City's high press and it was telling that Guardiola changed things in the 61st minute with a triple substitution.
Gonzalez, Doku and O'Reilly came on together, a nod to what Guardiola now knew mattered more than ever. Given the current state of the Premier League, embodied by an imposing Villa side, City's had learned a valuable lesson around the value of physicality.
Gameweeks 10 and 11
Guardiola outclassed Bournemouth 3-1 on 2 November and Doku again was given his free role in-field. O'Reilly and Doku were beginning to form an impressive and rotating partnership that Guardiola would rely on for the run-in.
Bournemouth pressed in a strict, aggressive man-to-man fashion and as they followed the winger into awkward positions, O'Reilly burst into the open space.
Cherki started on the right, moving in-field too. The Frenchman's influence gradually began to increase from this point on and in the small spaces, alongside Doku and Foden, Bournemouth struggled to find any reference against their fluidity.
With Andoni Iraola's men stepping up, City were able to find Haaland running in behind and won comfortably.
City persisted with this narrow front three against Liverpool on 9 November with the full-backs tracking Doku and Cherki into their own half before O'Reilly again showcased his dynamic running ability with Guardiola taking note of just how effective this was.
Jeremy Doku and Rayan Cherki were extremely narrow and given licence to roam against Liverpool on 9 November. This dragged the Liverpool full-backs inside and gave left-back Nico O'Reilly space to run into [BBC]
Gameweeks 13 to 17
Guardiola began to experiment with Foden's role.
Concerns were growing over City's over-reliance on Haaland for goals, so the manager looked to get both Foden and Reijnders in attacking positions while retaining defensive balance. Before, Foden's role was more of an all-action box-to-box midfielder.
Silva paired Reijnders ahead of a duelling Gonzalez. Foden was played as a right winger allowed to move centrally with Doku mirroring him on the left.
This worked. Foden scored twice, including the winner, in a 3-2 victory over Leeds on 29 November.
Following Doku's injury in December, Foden's position change to a narrow winger became more permanent. Reijnders crashed the box to score against West Ham with Silva providing cover, with Haaland picking up two in City's 3-0 win on 20 December.
Having cut inside from the right, Phil Foden was able to score City's winner against Leeds [BBC]
Gameweeks 21 to 24
The new year brought changes.
City signed Marc Guehi and Antoine Semenyo, with Guardiola quickly trusting the latter. With Doku, Marmoush, Cherki and Semenyo competing for wing spots, Foden was moved back into midfield, tasked with scoring and assisting.
With Bernardo Silva now undroppable as the box-to-box midfielder, the two positions that had suited Foden were occupied. The Englishman's minutes began to dwindle.
City were struggling to put away their chances and with no wins in four consecutive league games, Guardiola shook things up by looking for security in midfield and goals from the attackers, rather than midfielders.
Gameweeks 25 to 30
With his main out-and-out winger Doku missing much of February and March, Guardiola needed another solution.
He leaned into wingers that played more like strikers, using Marmoush or Semenyo alongside Haaland – sometimes in a front two. Defenders focused on Haaland, leaving spaces for others.
In a pivotal 2-1 win at Anfield on 8 February, City used a narrow front three of Marmoush, Haaland and Semenyo with a physical midfield trio of O'Reilly, Silva and Rodri behind them.
In their 3-0 win against Fulham on 11 February, O'Reilly kept his midfield position as Guardiola realised the value of both his scoring and his physical defending here. O'Reilly's ability to do both reduced the need for Reijnders in midfield whose minutes began to dry up too.
City's physical midfield three support the narrow front three of City consisting of Omar Marmoush, Erling Haaland and Antoine Semenyo [BBC]
City's current system
Guardiola finally landed on arguably his best system in the 2-0 Carabao Cup final win against Arsenal on 22 March.
Cherki stood out in a 2-1 Champions League last-16 second-leg loss against Real Madrid on 17 March as City aimed to overturn a 3-0 deficit. The extent of the deficit probably contributed to Guardiola opting to reintroduce the Frenchman into the side - a lucky decision in retrospect.
Doku's return to fitness and Semenyo's output kept them in the team either side of him.
Behind them sat Silva and Rodri. O'Reilly and Nunes played at full-back, and Abdukodir Khusanov was a mainstay in defence following Gvardiol and Dias' injuries.
The pieces had clicked.
City's new 4-2-4 shape provides defensive solidity and gets Cherki, Doku and Semenyo attacking in a balanced fashion [BBC]
Guardiola's greatest strength
Looking back, clues to this final system had been there all season.
Doku's one-against-one threat on the left had required teams to double up on him since August. O'Reilly's runs began to bear fruit as early as September.
Silva's intelligent pressing and build-up helped mitigate City's areas of weakness from November onwards.
Haaland and Semenyo moving in-field as Nunes pushed up to provide width, supplied by the two-footed Cherki, gave City solutions teams were unable to prepare for.
Behind them, Khusanov's pace provided City with a get-out-of-jail-free card when they held their high line.
Their press evolved too. Guardiola tried several versions through the year before settling on one where the wingers pressed centre-backs while blocking passes wide, with Haaland and Cherki blocking the middle of the pitch. Those roles suited the more physical wingers and protected the less defensive Haaland and Cherki.
City were compact and Silva and Rodri swept up any second balls too.
A common myth in football is that "playing like Guardiola" is creating a side that looks like Barcelona did in 2009.
Guardiola has admitted that he wins because of the players he has, which is partly down to City's ability to spend big.
His ability to continually reinvent his squads in response to the players he has available and the tactical trends of the league, however, remains second to none.
Entering the offseason, there were questions about how the Chicago Bears would improve on the defensive side of the ball.
Offensively speaking, the Bears seem to be in a very good spot, but they needed a lot of help in the secondary and could still use some help off the edge.
The secondary might not be all figured out, but the Bears did make a first-round pick to improve the unit, selecting Dillon Thieneman out of Oregon.
Concerningly enough, the Bears lost their top three defensive backs in terms of snaps from a year ago in the offseason.
"Why they picked him: The Bears' top three defensive backs in snaps last season all left in free agency, including safeties Kevin Byard III and Jaquan Brisker. While assistant GM Jeff King said the team would be confident starting Elijah Hicks and Cam Lewis, who boast a combined 29 starts, Thieneman gives Chicago a high-end Day 1 starter opposite marquee free agent signing Coby Bryant.
"From Bryant to Lewis and now Thieneman, Chicago has focused heavily on replenishing its secondary over the past two months after its defense allowed 61 completions of 20-plus yards (tied second most) and 13 passing touchdowns of 20-plus yards (tied for the most with Dallas),” Courtney Cronin of ESPN wrote.
It was all but guaranteed that the Bears would go with a player of his caliber at his position; it was more about who they would take.
Chicago decided to take the All-American Big Ten player, hopeful that it can work out.
ISLAMABAD (AP) — Spectators will be allowed to attend the Pakistan Super League final after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif approved a request from franchise owners, a top official of the Pakistan Cricket Board said on Saturday.
PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi, who is also interior minister in the government, wrote on social media that Sharif has “graciously approved” the presence of fans at the May 3 final in Lahore.
Pakistan’s biggest sports spectacle of the year started behind closed doors late last month with fans asked to stay home because of soaring fuel prices related to the Iran war.
Pakistan’s government had urged people to restrict travel and to work from home because of rising fuel prices and Naqvi had said it wouldn’t be right to have 30,000 fans attending cricket matches every day while the government is asking the public to stay home.
The PCB also reduced the number of PSL venues from six to two as part of austerity measures, but barred spectators from PSL games at Lahore and Karachi.
Naqvi said while Sharif was inclined to permit fans, the prime minister emphasized that austerity measures are currently in place across Pakistan, with efforts underway to minimize fuel consumption.
Peshawar Zalmi, led by Babar Azam, Multan Sultans and three-time champions Islamabad United have already qualified for next week’s playoffs ahead of the final.
Defending champions Lahore Qalandars, first-timers Hyderabad Kingmen and Karachi Kings are still in the running to secure the fourth playoff spot.
Real Betis boss Manuel Pellegrini – “We were better than Real Madrid”
Real Madrid’s La Liga hopes have taken a decisive hit after a frustrating 1-1 draw against Real Betis, and the reaction from the opposition dugout only adds more weight to the result.
Betis manager Manuel Pellegrini did not hold back in his post-match assessment, making it clear that his side not only competed with Madrid, but outperformed them for large stretches of the game.
The result leaves Madrid trailing significantly behind Barcelona in the title race, with the gap now looking too wide to realistically close.
With only a handful of matches remaining, the momentum has firmly shifted towards Hansi Flick’s side.
Pellegrini’s analysis
Speaking after the match, Pellegrini expressed his belief that Betis should have taken all three points, highlighting his team’s control and attacking intent throughout the game.
“You always need the three points. But I think we were better than Real Madrid here.
“We controlled the match and deserved to have scored a few more goals earlier on,” said the Betis manager.
Real Betis secured a crucial draw against Real Madrid. (Photo by Fran Santiago/Getty Images)
Pellegrini then pointed to key adjustments in midfield that allowed his team to dictate possession and create more fluid attacking patterns against Real Madrid’s defence.
“It wasn’t easy to pick the starting XI. We were up against Madrid and wanted to keep possession.
“We decided to change the formation with Roca, giving Fornals more freedom. Then we brought on Isco and Gio.
“They started to link up well, and we created chances until we finally scored.”
The Betis manager also addressed a controversial moment during the match involving Hector Bellerin’s goal.
There were suggestions of a possible foul in the build-up, but Pellegrini dismissed those claims, backing the referee’s decision to allow play to continue.
“I saw it as a push; perhaps the Madrid player went down a bit too easily. It wasn’t enough to call a foul; there are plenty of incidents like that in matches,” he concluded.
‘Keep an eye on…’ – Fabrizio Romano hints at potential Liverpool move for ‘relentless’ full-back
Fabrizio Romano has advised to ‘keep an eye on’ Liverpool regarding a potential transfer for an experienced Serie A right-back in the summer.
That area of the pitch has been quite problematic for the Reds this season, with Jeremie Frimpong and Conor Bradley both missing a substantial amount of time with injury and Arne Slot frequently deploying midfielders to deputise in that position.
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Romano: ‘Keep an eye on’ Liverpool for potential Dumfries move
In an update on his Italian language YouTube channel, Romano claimed that Liverpool could potentially go back in for the 30-year-old in the summer transfer window by taking advantage of a release clause.
He stated: “Denzel Dumfries is a hot topic for the summer, an issue that we need to keep monitoring. He has a release clause active in the summer, so that opens up the market potential. All the various opportunities are being explored for Dumfries. The release clause has a very limited timeframe.
“One team to keep an eye on Denzel Dumfries remains Liverpool. Liverpool already wanted him during the January transfer window. It wasn’t possible, partly because Dumfries was injured.
“Inter wouldn’t have agreed to a loan deal in January, which was perhaps the only reason why Liverpool could even consider that kind of move, but Inter immediately said no.
“Let’s see whether this summer Liverpool go back in for Dumfries. He’s certainly a player highly rated by the manager, Arne Slot. There’s a very good feeling there, but it remains to be seen whether Liverpool will choose Dumfries as their main priority target or not.”
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Would Dumfries solve Liverpool’s right-back issues?
With more than 400 senior club appearances and 71 Netherlands caps to his name, Dumfries is a seasoned operator at a high level in Europe, and adding a player of his experience to the Liverpool squad would go some way to making up for the loss of that commodity from the exits of Mo Salah and Andy Robertson.
A recent tactical analysis from Breaking The Lines lauded his ‘relentless engine’ and his ‘explosiveness’ when driving forward along the right flank, boasting a combination of pace and power, along with an ‘ability to change games through sheer force of will’.
However, what Liverpool need most at right-back is someone reliable in terms of their availability, and that’s where the 30-year-old falls down, having had several injury absences over the past three years and missing three months of this season with an ankle problem (Transfermarkt).
The Reds already have two excellent options in Frimpong and Bradley, and the only reason they’d need to consider recruiting in that position is because of the injury issues of that duo. Based on his track record, Dumfries wouldn’t be an antidote to that dilemma.
Right now we can’t envisage LFC pushing particularly hard to sign the 30-year-old, but if he were to become a tempting market opportunity, that might yet prompt Richard Hughes to take affirmative action. Let’s see what transpires over the coming weeks and months.
"It's hard" – St. Pauli's Abdoulie Ceesay opens up on tactical struggles and "frustrating" goal drought
Gambian forward Abdoulie Ceesay has found minutes hard to come by in 2026, playing just 21 minutes of Bundesliga football for FC St. Pauli across six brief appearances since the turn of the year.
With only four league matches remaining and St. Pauli currently sitting in the relegation playoff spot, the 22-year-old is trying to stay motivated, hoping for a chance to help his side secure another season in Germany’s top flight.
“It’s hard, but you have to stay strong in this kind of situation. You don’t look at yourself first; you look at the position of your teammates, and then you try to push yourself to help the team stay in good shape,” Ceesay told Bulinews.com.
While acknowledging that head coach Alexander Blessin’s system is not an ideal fit for him, the forward wants to make the most of every opportunity he gets on the pitch.
“To be honest, the way we play is a bit difficult for me, especially as a central striker. The formation we use is hard for strikers. But the coach makes the tactics and the game plan, and you just have to adapt and prove yourself on the pitch," said Ceesay, who has featured a total of 20 times this season without starting.
“It's hard. But it's the system of the coach. He's the leader, and you have to do what he wants and bring quality to the pitch.”
“Frustrating” goal drought
Almost a year and a half after joining St. Pauli from Estonian side Paide, Ceesay is still waiting for his first goal for the club. The 22-year-old admits this is “frustrating” and says he is eager to finally score in front of the fans.
“It's very frustrating not to have scored since joining the club," Ceesay said.
“It's going to be a special moment for me. I look forward to it every game, and I hope it will happen before the end of the season. It stopped me a bit in the beginning, but you have to stay strong,” he added.
Ceesay also reveals it took time to adjust to the Bundesliga level after stepping up from the Estonian league, but feels he is now in a much better place.
“The level here is far, far different. It was tough in the beginning, but I can see that I'm getting to the level step by step," the striker explained.
“When I arrived, everything was so quick – the tempo, the training, everything. The coach helped me with the basics and how he wants to play.
“The transitions are so fast here; if you lose the ball in certain positions, you hurt your own team because opponents can score in just two or three passes. He has helped me understand where to position myself and how to create space to finish quickly.”
No thoughts of summer move amid relegation battle
Despite his limited playing time, Ceesay insists he is not currently thinking about a move at the end of the season, instead focusing fully on St. Pauli’s relegation battle.
“I have no idea," he responded when asked by Bulinews.comif a summer transfer could be on the cards for him.
“Right now, my only focus is on the team and helping us stay in the league. That's the main thing for me. Once that's done, we'll see what happens in the future," added Ceesay, who is now facing a crucial relegation six-pointer with St. Pauli on Saturday away to bottom side 1. FC Heidenheim.
“We have four important games to stay in the league, and we’re looking forward to them. We’re very focused,” the striker underlined.
Explained: How Barcelona could secure La Liga title before El Clasico
Barcelona are now firmly in control of the La Liga title race after Real Madrid dropped crucial points in a disappointing draw against Real Betis.
The result has dramatically shifted the balance of power in Spain, as Real Madrid now sit on 74 points, trailing league leaders Barcelona, who have 82 points and still hold a game in hand.
Victory at the Estadio Coliseum would not only strengthen Barcelona’s grip on the title but also create a near-unassailable gap.
An 11-point lead at this stage of the season would leave Madrid with virtually no margin for error.
What happens next?
The schedule ahead only adds to Barcelona’s growing confidence, as after Getafe, Flick’s side will face Osasuna away from home, while Madrid prepare to take on an Espanyol team battling to avoid relegation.
On paper, both fixtures present challenges, but the pressure now clearly sits on Madrid’s shoulders.
Another draw for Real Madrid could hand Barcelona the league title. (Photo by Fran Santiago/Getty Images)
If Barcelona manage to secure back-to-back wins and Madrid fail to win their next outing, the title race could be mathematically settled before the season’s biggest fixture.
In that scenario, Barcelona would head into El Clasico already crowned champions, holding a 13-point lead with only four matches remaining.
That possibility shows just how quickly the situation has turned. Only weeks ago, the title race appeared competitive, but now, Barcelona are on the verge of wrapping it up in dominant fashion.
However, another outcome still remains on the table.
If both teams win all their remaining matches, Barcelona would enter El Clasico with an 11-point lead.
In that case, Flick’s side would only need a draw to officially secure the title, while a defeat would keep Real Madrid’s faint hopes alive due to goal difference.
Wide receiver help has been a big priority for the Cleveland Browns during the 2026 NFL Draft, something that had to be solved for an offense that was one of the worst in the NFL a season ago.
There are still plenty of questions about what the Browns' offense will look like due to their quarterback situation, but that shouldn't be as much of a problem any longer at the wide receiver position with KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston both being selected in the first two rounds of this draft.
Concepcion seems like someone who could be a very good player for Cleveland in the future, but some concerning questions and stats suggest he might not be as good as it is hoping for.
“Why they picked him: The Browns needed to upgrade the wide receiver room, which has been the NFL's least productive since the 2025 season. Cleveland's receivers accounted for the fewest receptions, yards and touchdowns last season.
“KC Concepcion was one of the most dynamic wide receivers in college football and also a threat as a returner. Biggest question: Can Concepcion fix his issues with drops? His 6.7% drop rate ranked 285th out of qualifying pass catchers,” Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN wrote.
Dropping passes in college football and coming to the NFL is certainly a red flag, as catching the football in the NFL is a lot more difficult.
However, I don't want to put too much emphasis on this just yet, as numbers like this can be skewed at times due to offensive schemes and quarterback situations.
NEW DELHI: In the IPL 2026 match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Gujarat Titans (GT) at Bengaluru on Friday, things got a bit spicy between spinner Suyash Sharma and Shubman Gill.
After getting Gill out, Suyash didn’t just celebrate normally, he cheekily copied Gill’s own ‘bow down’ celebration, which Gill had famously used after knocking RCB out of the playoffs in 2023.
Suyash even waved his cap at the crowd, clearly enjoying the moment and giving it back to the opposition captain in a playful but bold way.
Gill tried to go big but mistimed his shot and was caught near long-on, giving Suyash a key wicket. The GT skipper could only amass 32 off 24 balls.
What followed grabbed attention more than the dismissal itself. Suyash’s imitation of the ‘bow down’ move was a direct callback to Gill’s earlier celebration, turning the moment into a bit of on-field banter.
The crowd at Chinnaswamy loved the drama, as it added extra edge to an already intense clash.
Watch:
— Purple_Petals12 (@Purple_Petals12)
GT’s strong batting effort
Despite Gill’s dismissal, Gujarat Titans had a solid outing with the bat. Gill and Sai Sudharsan built a strong 128-run opening partnership. Sudharsan took control early, scoring freely while Gill played a supporting role before picking up pace.
Sudharsan went on to score a brilliant century off 58 balls, his third in the IPL, anchoring the innings and pushing GT to a big total of 205.
His dominance, especially during the Power Play, set the tone for the innings, even though Gill couldn’t convert his start into something bigger.
Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal help RCB secure another win in IPL 2026
Virat Kohli (81) and Devdutt Padikkal (55) played smart and aggressive innings to guide RCB to a five-wicket win over Gujarat Titans, successfully chasing 206 despite Sudharsan’s century.
Their quick 115-run partnership for the second wicket put the chase firmly in control, helping RCB finish the match in 18.5 overs and climb to second place in the points table with 10 points.
With 4:48 left in the third quarter, Portland took a 15-point lead on a Jerami Grant free throw. The Trail Blazers appeared in control of Game 3 against a shorthanded Spurs team without Victor Wembanyama.
That control was an illusion.
San Antonio stormed back behind the play of rookie Dylan Harper — by the end of the third quarter, the Spurs were already ahead by one. Then, in the middle of the fourth quarter, San Antonio went on a 15-1 run to pull away. By 4:05 left in the game, it was a 15-point Spurs lead — a 30-point swing in San Antonio's favor.
During that run, Dylan Harper scored 20 of his 27 in the night, shooting 7-of-8, including 3-of-3 from beyond the arc. He was putting on a show.
San Antonio held on to win 120-108 on the road, taking a 2-1 series lead. Game 4 is on Sunday in Portland.
San Antonio got this win without Victor Wembanyama, who suffered a concussion on a brutal face-first fall in Game 2. While he traveled with the team to Portland and was on the bench for this game, he was not cleared to play in Game 3, and his status for Game 4 remains unclear. The only update Spurs coach Mitch Johnson would give is that Wemby is "progressing."
Stephon Castle led the Spurs with 33 points, while De'Aaron Fox added 18 points. Luke Kornet, starting at the five in place of Wembanyama, finished with 14 points and 10 rebounds, both career playoff highs.
However, it was Harper who provided the spark and was making history.
Dylan Harper is the second-youngest player to score 20+ points off the bench in a Playoff game 40 years.
This is a tough loss for the Trail Blazers, who needed to pick up a win while Wembanyama was out. It was also the team's first home playoff game since 2021.
Jrue Holiday had 29 points to lead the Trail Blazers and was their best player on the night. Scoot Henderson added 21 points, and while Deni Avdija scored 19, he shot just 3-of-15 from the floor (12-of-16 from the free throw line).
The New York Jets have made a lot of the right decisions during the 2026 NFL Draft, and one of them was taking Kenyon Sadiq. However, while the Jets made the right decision so far, that doesn't mean there aren't questions about why they did what they did.
Sadiq has a chance to be one of the better players from this draft class, especially on the offensive side of the ball, as he's uber-athletic and proved during his time at the University of Oregon that he can be among the elite in college football.
However, the Jets spent a second-round pick on Mason Taylor, a tight end, a year ago. And an ESPN insider questioned that move a bit, as Sadiq will now be competing for playing time with him.
“Biggest question: Should they have picked a wide receiver instead of Sadiq? There were some good ones still on the board, including Makai Lemon and Omar Cooper Jr. The Jets used a second-round pick last season on Mason Taylor, who still figures prominently in their plans.
“They will be using a lot of two-tight-end packages, deploying Sadiq as the flex and Taylor as the traditional in-line tight end. This doesn't bode well for veteran Jeremy Ruckert, who signed a contract extension late last season,” Rich Cimini of ESPN wrote.
It’s fair to question the move, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be the right one.
Rasmus Hojlund: Man United loanee shines for Napoli in massive victory
Manchester United had one player in loan action on Friday night.
To find out where all of Manchester United’s loanees are plying their trade this season, click here.
A rollercoaster season
After struggling massively in front of goal last season, Rasmus Hojlund sealed a loan move to SSC Napoli in Italy.
He has had an up-and-down season, as he is currently joint fifth top scorer in the league with 10 Serie A goals.
Nonetheless, he has also spent a significant amount of time not scoring and failing to contribute much else in matches.
Performance versus Cremonese
Hojlund returned to form by forcing an own goal and delivering a strong overall performance as Napoli ran out 4-0 winners against Cremonese.
The Dane carried the ball forward and raced towards the box. He unleashed an effort at goal, and the ball deflected off Filippo Terracciano, completely wrong-footing the keeper.
Hojlund was substituted after 61 minutes with the home side 4-0 up and coasting towards an important win in the Champions League race.
He took four shots on goal, but none hit the target and one effort was blocked by the defence.
The striker also completed 100% of his dribble attempts and made two key passes in the match, creating one big chance.
Hojlund also won both his ground duels and two out of three of his aerial battles in a strong night’s work for the 23-year-old.
Their victory means Napoli stay in second and have an 11-point lead ahead of fifth-placed Como.
Napoli and Hojlund’s next fixture will be a tough-looking trip to Como on Saturday, 2nd May, where they could clinch a top four place with a victory.
Rasmus Hojlund stats vs Cremonese
Featured image Marco M. Mantovani via Getty Images
LOS ANGELES — Ryan Rolison had not pitched in 10 days when Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell turned to the lefty reliever.
The Cubs needed outs. And in that moment, when everything had been working against the Cubs heading into the sixth inning Friday night at Dodger Stadium, Rolison delivered. He threw three shutout innings and allowed just two base runners, giving the Cubs offense a chance to chip away at a four-run deficit.
The Cubs tallied six runs and eight hits over the final three innings against the Dodgers bullpen to rally for a 6-4 victory for their 10th consecutive win. It represents the Cubs’ longest winning streak since 2016.
“It was just a great team win,” Counsell said. “Ryan Rolison, to me, is the story of the game. … I don’t know if I wasn’t expecting three innings from him . I was hoping to get two innings from Ryan — it’s a day that you win a game, you put your bullpen back in order, and it’s one guy did it really, he did it.”
Alex Bregman delivered his biggest hit in a Cubs uniform, connecting on a game-tying solo home run off Blake Treinen in the eighth. Dansby Swanson provided the dagger in the ninth. His two-run blast gave the Cubs (17-9) their first lead of the night. Right-hander Corbin Martin retired the Dodgers in order for his first save of the season.
Hours after losing another high-leverage reliever — Caleb Thielbar — to the injured list, further depleting the bullpen, the Cubs managed just three hits off Los Angeles Dodgers starter Emmet Sheehan. They didn’t let their struggles against Sheehan’s electric stuff carry over to the Dodgers bullpen. Swanson’s two-out, two-run triple in the seventh got the Cubs on the board, and Nico Hoerner followed with a single to pull the Cubs within one.
After hearing booing from Dodgers fans all night, continuing the trend from his Houston Astros days, Bregman took an 0-1 sweeper on the outside edge and pulled it over the left-field wall to lead off the eighth.
Stellar defense in the bottom of the seventh kept the Cubs within a run to set up Bregman’s and Swanson’s heroics. Seiya Suzuki and Hoerner teamed up on a perfectly executed relay to throw out Andy Pages at third as he tried to stretch out a double to open the seventh. On the ensuing play, Hoerner’s instincts and athleticism shined. He barehanded a deflected ball off Michael Busch’s mitt and in one motion threw to the covering Rolison at first for the second out.
“There’s a lot of positives, but I think it shows the heart and the character of this team, and it gives you that feeling of, no matter what the deficit is, you can still come back and win,” catcher Carson Kelly said.
Confirmed: Incredible Liverpool star in contention to return today
Liverpool could welcome one star back to the team today. That's been confirmed.
Arne Slot has confirmed that Alisson Becker could return to the Liverpool lineup today against Crystal Palace. The Brazilian has been out since the middle of March with an injury.
Liverpool were dealt another blow at the weekend as Giorgi Mamardashvili, the clear replacement, went down injured against Everton. He's now out for weeks - potentially the rest of the season.
Freddie Woodman is the likely player to step in for now. Slot, however, made it clear that Alisson could be back later today. Though, it doesn't sound like anyone should get their hopes up.
"No Giorgi [Mamardashvili] will definitely not be available tomorrow and not for the upcoming weeks," Slot told a press conference on Friday. "Ali [Alisson] is close to returning to play. Let's see if tomorrow comes too early.
"That leaves Freddie [Woodman] as an option who is definitely fit."
Joe Gomez is also back fit, while Wataru Endo might play again this season as he continues his recovery. A few positive injury updates, then.
Alisson Becker: Situation Summary
Season Stats and Injury Update
As of 24 April 2026, Alisson Becker has made 25 Premier League appearances this season, recording eight clean sheets and an 81% pass completion rate. He has also kept four clean sheets in six Champions League matches. However, the 33-year-old has missed the last six games due to a hamstring injury. In today's pre-match press conference, Arne Slot confirmed Alisson is nearing a return, though tomorrow's match against Crystal Palace may come too early. With backup Giorgi Mamardashvili ruled out for several weeks due to a knee wound, Freddie Woodman is poised to start if Alisson isn't ready.
Contract and Juventus Agreement
Despite Liverpool recently triggering a 12-month extension to keep him until June 2027, reports on 22 April indicate Alisson has reached a verbal agreement to join Juventus this summer. He is reportedly open to a Serie A return, though talks with the club are expected soon to assess his future. Liverpool are reportedly seeking between €10m and €15m for the Brazilian, having been "irritated" by suggestions of a free transfer.
International Standing
Alisson remains Brazil’s undisputed number one under Carlo Ancelotti. Despite his recent injury lay-off, he has confirmed he will be in "full playing condition" to lead the Seleção at the 2026 World Cup this June.
The Los Angeles Rams made the most questionable pick of the first round in the 2026 NFL Draft, selecting quarterback Ty Simpson with the 13th pick.
Not to say that Simpson can't be a very good player one day, but with quarterback Matthew Stafford on the roster and a chance to win a Super Bowl as early as next year, it's a bit questionable why a team would take a quarterback when they have one of the best in the world already and not address another need.
However, there are other reasons for making these decisions, and an ESPN insider recently outlined them, despite all of the questions that have come with this pick.
“Biggest question: What went into the decision to think about the future at quarterback instead of solving an immediate need on a team considered a Super Bowl contender in 2026? Ultimately, Snead and the Rams hope they're not picking this high in the first round of the draft in the foreseeable future, as this is the pick they have after trading out of the first round a year ago.
“Snead has been clear that the Rams want to maximize the roster for as long as Stafford is playing, but by going into the draft with no major voids on the roster, it allowed them to take a player who they hope can help keep their Super Bowl window open after Stafford's retirement,” Sarah Barshop of ESPN wrote.
The Rams will simply have to be hopeful that this type of decision works out. They might look back in a few years and realize that they should have gone with someone else, but Simpson also has a chance to be a very good player one day, and when Stafford decides to hang them up, that should be a good thing.
The biggest slide in the 2026 NFL Draft felt like it started Monday, even as it had been brewing for months.
Doing the rounds with league sources that day — personnel departments, coaching staffs and agents — a simple query of “You hearing anything?” produced a theme. One of the best players in the draft, and a potential top-10 pick, had drawn a significant medical red dot due to a knee concern.
“The buzz is Jermod McCoy is going to slide,” one league source predicted. “Will Johnson-style.”
The reference was to 2025 prospect Will Johnson, a Michigan cornerback who was widely considered one of the best defensive players in that draft — but who tumbled to the 47th overall pick due to concerns of a chronic knee issue that could shorten his NFL career. One year later a similar cloud has built over McCoy, a Tennessee cornerback who missed his 2025 season with an ACL tear. Even with that injury, McCoy was widely branded a potential top-10 to 15 pick as one of the top cornerbacks in this year’s draft.
Now we’ve reached Saturday, the last day of the league’s selection process. One hundred picks have come and gone, and McCoy is still undrafted. This goes way beyond last year’s Will Johnson slide.
Initially it was believed that McCoy’s ACL tear — which is now fully healed — could be the culprit behind the apprehension and a potential draft fall. But early this week it began to circulate that teams had a concern that went significantly beyond a surgically repaired ligament. Sources told Yahoo Sports that McCoy’s knee also had a repair that included a “bone plug,” which involves taking a graft of bone and cartilage from a non-load-bearing part of the knee and transplanting it into a damaged area. The concern with the procedure is that over time, it can call for re-operation and the kind of chronic cartilage issues that end athletic careers.
As a team source told Yahoo Sports, the concern with McCoy is threefold. First, he could be drafted and require surgery immediately to repair the previous plug, which would sideline him early in his career for potentially a full season. Second, the issue could call for another future surgery, which would also translate into significant lost time. And finally — perhaps most important — the next surgery won’t successfully resolve cartilage issues and McCoy’s career could effectively be cut short permanently.
McCoy hasn’t played in a game since December 2024, when he tore the ACL in his right knee during his junior season with the Volunteers. Initially, there was a thought in the personnel community that McCoy could — and would — return during some portion of the 2025 campaign. When he didn’t, it raised red flags about whether the knee injury was either worse than initially feared, not healing correctly, or simply worse than what was initially made public. Once he declared for the draft and began going through the medical check process, concerns began to develop over cartilage in his knee and whether there was a degenerative issue that almost always shorten NFL careers.
Jermod McCoy is still waiting to hear his name called at the NFL Draft. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The concern clearly materialized in the first two days of the draft, as McCoy went unselected despite taking part in a pro day that saw him run a 40-yard dash that was clocked in a high 4.3-second range, notch a 38-inch vertical and a 10-foot-7 broad jump. He also took part in positional drills and posted a performance that suggested he would be ready to play immediately as a rookie. That again elevated McCoy into territory that would have at least made him a first-round pick, if not one of the top two cornerbacks off the board alongside LSU’s Mansoor Delane, who was drafted sixth overall by the Kansas City Chiefs on Thursday.
But by Monday of draft week, word began to circulate that McCoy’s surgically repaired knee was a more pressing concern than was initially reported after his pro day. And by Thursday, it was clear that a draft slide could occur. What was once thought to be a slide from Round 1 to somewhere in Round 2 — similar to Johnson last year — has snowballed into McCoy now being on the board to open the fourth round.
The Buffalo Bills go into the fourth round holding the 101st pick, followed by the Las Vegas Raiders at 102 and New York Jets at 103. The Raiders and Jets have cornerback needs. How much further McCoy falls will showcase whether or not teams believe his knee will require some kind of immediate surgery, or whether he may be able to play on it until another procedure is necessary down the line.
Whatever the assessment, the risk versus reward for a player who could have been one of the top picks in the draft clearly has begun favoring teams willing to take a gamble.
Other Day 2 NFL Draft observations
RB Mike Washington’s strong combine performance wasn’t enough to land him in Rounds 2-3
In what seems to be an annual reminder not to trust a glow-up in the league’s annual scouting combine, Arkansas running back Mike Washington Jr. is still on the board heading into the fourth round.
Leading up to the combine, that was considered the kind of territory talent evaluators thought Washington would be drafted. Then he wowed at the combine with multiple measurables, including a 4.33-second 40-yard dash, a 39-inch vertical, a 1.51 10-yard split and 10-foot-8 broad jump. At 6-foot-1 and 223 pounds, it suggested some explosiveness in Washington’s game that could push him up draft boards. Possibly to a point that he could challenge to be the second running back off the board.
That hasn’t materialized, with Washington heading to the third day of the draft without a team and having watched Indiana’s Kaelon Black get selected by the San Francisco 49ers (somewhat surprisingly) as the third running back.
Not only did Berry trade back three spots (from No. 6 to 9) in the first round and still land his top target in Utah right tackle Spencer Fano, but he reeled in two complementary wideouts in Texas A&M slot dynamo KC Concepcion and big-bodied X receiver Denzel Boston out of Washington. For good measure, he added true left tackle depth with Florida’s Austin Barber in the third round, who started at the position for three years with the Gators.
The Browns also drafted 6-foot-3 Toledo safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren in the second round, who many evaluators believed was one of the best “small” school defensive prospects in the draft.
What the group does on the field will tell the story, but this feels like another quality draft class in the making.
Utah Mammoth left wing Lawson Crouse (67) celebrates with defenseman MacKenzie Weegar (52), right wing Clayton Keller (9), defenseman Mikhail Sergachev (98) and center Nick Schmaltz (8) after scoring his second goal of the game during the second period of game 3 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff series against the Vegas Golden Knights at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, April 24, 2026.
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Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
The Delta Center was so loud Friday evening that Utah Mammoth head coach André Tourigny had a tough time communicating the line rotations to his team.
“Seriously, we had some confusion on the bench,” he said. “Guys didn’t know who was up — and, for people who know me, I can be pretty loud."
Mammoth star forward Dylan Guenther said there was one point when he even hopped onto the ice when he wasn’t supposed to because whoever was supposed to go didn’t hear his name.
For Guenther’s money, that was the loudest game in franchise history, and remember, he’s the one who scored the team’s first-ever goal.
“That’s something I won’t forget,” he remarked.
At another point, Tusky, the mascot, held up a sign with a built-in decibel meter, which got up to 112 dB. One reporter in the building clocked 120 dB on his Apple Watch after a Mammoth goal.
Needless to say, hockey is alive and well in Utah two years into the NHL’s presence in the state, and fans were rewarded as the Mammoth beat the Vegas Golden Knights 4-2 in Game 3 of their first round Stanley Cup playoff series to take a 2-1 lead.
I don't know if the jersey swap had anything to do with it, but there were far fewer Golden Knights fans in the stands tonight than in previous games against them.#TusksUp#ForgedInGold
After taking the split on the road in the first two games of the series, the Mammoth had an opportunity to return home and command a lead Friday.
Game 3 worked out exactly as they’d hoped, as they scored on four of their first eight shots for a 4-0 lead halfway through the contest.
The Golden Knights notched a couple to keep it interesting, but it ended in a convincing Utah victory.
“We did a good job to weather the storm,” Tourigny said after the game. “... Obviously in the third (period), they had a big push and they played well.
“They’re a good team. They played really well. Proud of the way we defended and the way we weathered the storm in the first period, no doubt.”
Utah Mammoth goaltender Karel Vejmelka (70) makes a save against Vegas Golden Knights center Tomas Hertl (48) during the third period of game 3 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff series at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, April 24, 2026.
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Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
A fan waves a rally towel during the third period of game 3 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff series between the Utah Mammoth and the Vegas Golden Knights at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, April 24, 2026.
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Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
A fan starts a chant during the third period of game 3 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff series between the Utah Mammoth and the Vegas Golden Knights at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, April 24, 2026.
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Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
Utah Mammoth goaltender Karel Vejmelka (70) is showered with an assortment of vegetables after being announced as the second star of the game after the Utah Mammoth defeated the Vegas Golden Knights 4-2 in game 3 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff series at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, April 24, 2026.
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Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
Vegas Golden Knights right wing Cole Smith (22) skates to the bench after assisting on a goal by center Nic Dowd (26) during the third period of game 3 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff series against the Utah Mammoth at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, April 24, 2026.
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Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
Utah Mammoth defenseman Mikhail Sergachev (98) and defenseman MacKenzie Weegar (52) sit in the penalty box during the third period of game 3 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff series against the Vegas Golden Knights at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, April 24, 2026.
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Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
The Utah Mammoth celebrate their first ever home playoff win after defeating the Vegas Golden Knights 4-2 in game 3 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff series at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, April 24, 2026.
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Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
Utah Mammoth right wing Clayton Keller (9) lines up a hit on Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Shea Theodore (27) during the third period of game 3 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff series at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, April 24, 2026.
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Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
Utah Mammoth center Logan Cooley (92) protects the puck from Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Noah Hanifin (15) during the third period of game 3 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff series at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, April 24, 2026.
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Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
Vegas Golden Knights head coach John Tortorella speaks with media after game 3 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff series between the Utah Mammoth and the Vegas Golden Knights at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, April 24, 2026.
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Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
Utah Mammoth left wing Lawson Crouse (67) speaks with media after game 3 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff series between the Utah Mammoth and the Vegas Golden Knights at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, April 24, 2026.
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Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
Utah Mammoth right wing Clayton Keller (9) speaks with media after game 3 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff series between the Utah Mammoth and the Vegas Golden Knights at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, April 24, 2026.
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Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
Utah Mammoth head coach André Tourigny speaks with media after game 3 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff series between the Utah Mammoth and the Vegas Golden Knights at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, April 24, 2026.
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Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
Utah Mammoth right wing Clayton Keller, left, and left wing Lawson Crouse, right speak with media after game 3 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff series between the Utah Mammoth and the Vegas Golden Knights at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, April 24, 2026.
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Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
Utah Mammoth head coach André Tourigny speaks with media after game 3 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff series between the Utah Mammoth and the Vegas Golden Knights at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, April 24, 2026.
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Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
Utah Mammoth head coach André Tourigny speaks with media after game 3 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff series between the Utah Mammoth and the Vegas Golden Knights at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, April 24, 2026.
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Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
Fans cheer during the first period of game 3 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff series between the Utah Mammoth and the Vegas Golden Knights at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, April 24, 2026.
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Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Brayden McNabb (3) jumps on the back of Utah Mammoth right wing Clayton Keller (9) during the second period of game 3 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff series at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, April 24, 2026.
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Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
Vegas Golden Knights right wing Keegan Kolesar (55) reacts after losing his stick while fighting for a loose puck with Utah Mammoth defenseman Ian Cole (28) during the second period of game 3 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff series at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, April 24, 2026.
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Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
Utah Mammoth left wing Michael Carcone (53) protects the puck from Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Shea Theodore (27) during the third period of game 3 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff series at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, April 24, 2026.
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Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
Utah Mammoth left wing Lawson Crouse (67) celebrates with the bench after scoring his second goal of the game during the second period of game 3 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff series against the Vegas Golden Knights at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, April 24, 2026.
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Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
Utah Mammoth defenseman Nate Schmidt (88) checks Vegas Golden Knights right wing Cole Smith (22) into the boards during the second period of game 3 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff series at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, April 24, 2026.
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Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
Utah Mammoth left wing Michael Carcone (53) dives to poke the puck away from Vegas Golden Knights center Brett Howden (21) as he prepares to shoot against Utah Mammoth goaltender Karel Vejmelka (70) during the second period of game 3 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff series at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, April 24, 2026.
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Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel (9) celebrates after scoring during the second period of game 3 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff series against the Utah Mammoth at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, April 24, 2026.
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Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
Utah Mammoth center Kevin Stenlund (82) clears the puck away from Vegas Golden Knights center Tomas Hertl (48) during the third period of game 3 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff series at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, April 24, 2026.
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Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
Utah Mammoth right wing Kailer Yamamoto (56) controls the puck ahead of Vegas Golden Knights center Nic Dowd (26) during the first period of game 3 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff series at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, April 24, 2026.
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Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
Rally towels are draped over seats ahead of Game 3 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff series between the Utah Mammoth and the Vegas Golden Knights at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, April 24, 2026.
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Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
Fans take photos on the Zammoth ahead of Game 3 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff series between the Utah Mammoth and the Vegas Golden Knights at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, April 24, 2026.
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Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
Rally towels are draped over seats ahead of Game 3 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff series between the Utah Mammoth and the Vegas Golden Knights at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, April 24, 2026.
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Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
Kids play street hockey on the plaza ahead of Game 3 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff series between the Utah Mammoth and the Vegas Golden Knights at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, April 24, 2026.
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Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
Kids play street hockey on the plaza ahead of Game 3 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff series between the Utah Mammoth and the Vegas Golden Knights at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, April 24, 2026.
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Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
People walk around the plaza outside ahead of Game 3 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff series between the Utah Mammoth and the Vegas Golden Knights at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, April 24, 2026.
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Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
Josh Likes, of Utah County, gets a temporary tattoo ahead of Game 3 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff series between the Utah Mammoth and the Vegas Golden Knights at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, April 24, 2026.
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Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
Rally towels are draped over seats ahead of Game 3 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff series between the Utah Mammoth and the Vegas Golden Knights at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, April 24, 2026.
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Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
Fans get temporary tattoos ahead of Game 3 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff series between the Utah Mammoth and the Vegas Golden Knights at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, April 24, 2026.
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Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
People walk around the plaza outside ahead of Game 3 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff series between the Utah Mammoth and the Vegas Golden Knights at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, April 24, 2026.
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Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
Rally towels are draped over seats ahead of Game 3 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff series between the Utah Mammoth and the Vegas Golden Knights at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, April 24, 2026.
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Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
A Tusky plushy sits on the hat of a fan ahead of game 3 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff series between the Utah Mammoth and the Vegas Golden Knights at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, April 24, 2026.
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Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
A general view of the inside of the Delta Center before game 3 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff series between the Utah Mammoth and the Vegas Golden Knights in Salt Lake City on Friday, April 24, 2026.
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Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
Fans enjoy pre-game festivities in the plaza before game 3 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff series between the Utah Mammoth and the Vegas Golden Knights at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, April 24, 2026.
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Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
Fans wave a flag outside the Delta Center before game 3 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff series between the Utah Mammoth and the Vegas Golden Knights at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, April 24, 2026.
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Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
A general view of the inside of the Delta Center before game 3 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff series between the Utah Mammoth and the Vegas Golden Knights in Salt Lake City on Friday, April 24, 2026.
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Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
A general view of the inside of the Delta Center before game 3 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff series between the Utah Mammoth and the Vegas Golden Knights in Salt Lake City on Friday, April 24, 2026.
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Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
A general view of the inside of the Delta Center before game 3 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff series between the Utah Mammoth and the Vegas Golden Knights in Salt Lake City on Friday, April 24, 2026.
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Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
Fans walk to the Delta Center before game 3 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff series between the Utah Mammoth and the Vegas Golden Knights at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, April 24, 2026.
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Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
Fans walk to the Delta Center before game 3 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff series between the Utah Mammoth and the Vegas Golden Knights at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, April 24, 2026.
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Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
Utah Mammoth right wing Clayton Keller (9) warms up before game 3 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff series against the Vegas Golden Knights at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, April 24, 2026.
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Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
Fans look on during warmups before game 3 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff series between the Utah Mammoth and the Vegas Golden Knights at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, April 24, 2026.
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Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
Utah Mammoth right wing Dylan Guenther (11) warms up before game 3 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff series against the Vegas Golden Knights at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, April 24, 2026.
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Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
The Utah Mammoth warm up before game 3 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff series against the Vegas Golden Knights at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, April 24, 2026.
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Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
Alex Darrow and his son Charlie, 9, cheer before game 3 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff series between the Utah Mammoth and the Vegas Golden Knights at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, April 24, 2026.
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Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
Fans pound the glass as players warm up before game 3 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff series between the Utah Mammoth and the Vegas Golden Knights at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, April 24, 2026.
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Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
Fans cheer after Utah Mammoth defenseman MacKenzie Weegar (52) scored the first goal during the first period of game 3 during the first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff series against the Vegas Golden Knights at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, April 24, 2026.
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Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
Fans wave rally towels before game 3 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff series between the Utah Mammoth and the Vegas Golden Knights at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, April 24, 2026.
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Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
Utah Mammoth goaltender Karel Vejmelka (70) skates onto the ice during player introductions before game 3 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff series against the Vegas Golden Knights at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, April 24, 2026.
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Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
Fans film during pre-game festivities before game 3 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff series between the Utah Mammoth and the Vegas Golden Knights at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, April 24, 2026.
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Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
Vegas Golden Knights center Tomáš Hertl (48) chases down a puck during the first period of game 3 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff series against the Utah Mammoth at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, April 24, 2026.
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Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
Fans stand for the national anthem before game 3 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff series between the Utah Mammoth and the Vegas Golden Knights at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, April 24, 2026.
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Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
Utah Mammoth defenseman MacKenzie Weegar (52) fires a shot past Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Carter Hart (79) to open the scoring during the first period of game 3 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff series at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, April 24, 2026.
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Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
Vegas Golden Knights right wing Mark Stone (61) reacts after Utah Mammoth defenseman MacKenzie Weegar (52) scored during the first period of game 3 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff series at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, April 24, 2026.
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Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
A young fan pounds the glass after a goal by Utah Mammoth defenseman MacKenzie Weegar (52) during the first period of game 3 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff series against the Vegas Golden Knights at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, April 24, 2026.
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Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
Fans cheer after a goal by Utah Mammoth defenseman MacKenzie Weegar (52) during the first period of game 3 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff series against the Vegas Golden Knights at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, April 24, 2026.
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Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
Utah Mammoth defenseman MacKenzie Weegar (52) celebrates after scoring the Mammoths first ever home playoff goal during the first period of game 3 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff against the Vegas Golden Knights series at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, April 24, 2026.
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Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
Utah Mammoth defenseman Nate Schmidt (88) centers the puck past Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Shea Theodore (27) during the first period of game 3 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff series at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, April 24, 2026.
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Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
Fans cheer as Utah Mammoth right wing Dylan Guenther (11) celebrates scoring a power play goal during the first period of game 3 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff series against the Vegas Golden Knights at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, April 24, 2026.
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Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
Utah Mammoth right wing Dylan Guenther (11) celebrates after scoring a power play goal during the first period of game 3 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff series against the Vegas Golden Knights at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, April 24, 2026.
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Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
Utah Mammoth defenseman Nate Schmidt (88) bats down a puck ahead of Vegas Golden Knights right wing Cole Smith (22) during the second period of game 3 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff series at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, April 24, 2026.
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Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
Utah Mammoth goaltender Karel Vejmelka (70) makes a save during the second period of game 3 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff series against the Vegas Golden Knights at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, April 24, 2026.
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Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
The Utah Mammoth celebrate a goal by Utah Mammoth left wing Lawson Crouse (67) during the second period of game 3 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff series against the Vegas Golden Knights at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, April 24, 2026.
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Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
Utah Mammoth right wing JJ Peterka (77) hits Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Kaedan Korczak (6) during the second period of game 3 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff series at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, April 24, 2026.
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Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
Utah Mammoth right wing Clayton Keller (9) controls the puck during the second period of game 3 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff series against the Vegas Golden Knights at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, April 24, 2026.
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Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
Utah Mammoth defenseman Sean Durzi (50) lines up a hit on Vegas Golden Knights center Brett Howden (21) during the second period of game 3 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff series at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, April 24, 2026.
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Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
Utah Mammoth left wing Lawson Crouse (67) shoots past Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Carter Hart (79) to score his second goal of the game during the second period of game 3 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff series at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, April 24, 2026.
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Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
The Utah Mammoth celebrate a goal by Utah Mammoth left wing Lawson Crouse (67) during the second period of game 3 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff series against the Vegas Golden Knights at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, April 24, 2026.
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Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
Utah Mammoth left wing Lawson Crouse (67) celebrates with defenseman MacKenzie Weegar (52), right wing Clayton Keller (9), defenseman Mikhail Sergachev (98) and center Nick Schmaltz (8) after scoring his second goal of the game during the second period of game 3 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff series against the Vegas Golden Knights at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, April 24, 2026.
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Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
Vegas Golden Knights right wing Reilly Smith (19) hits Utah Mammoth center Liam O'Brien (38) during the second period of game 3 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff series at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, April 24, 2026.
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Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
Utah’s penalty kill was perfect for the first time in a game this series, holding Vegas, the NHL’s sixth-best power play team in the regular season, to no goals on four opportunities.
But that doesn’t mean the Mammoth played a perfect game.
Per Natural Stat Trick, the Golden Knights controlled 72% of the scoring chances and 75% of the high-danger scoring chances. They also out-shot the Mammoth 31-12.
That’s simply the difference between a hot goalie and one that’s struggling, but Golden Knights head coach John Tortorella isn’t worried about that aspect of his team’s game.
“I know Carter (Hart) well enough. He wants to work through it and I have full faith in him,” Tortorella said of his goaltender. “There was no thought of taking him out.”
Game 4 is set for Monday, though the start time is still to be determined. It depends on how the other series go — specifically, if the Philadelphia Flyers complete the sweep of the Pittsburgh Penguins, it will open a time slot in the broadcasting schedule for an earlier game in Utah.
Meanwhile, the Mammoth and the Golden Knights will take their two days off to rest and game plan. This series is far from over.
Unleashing the first line
In Game 1 of the Utah-Vegas series, the Mammoth’s first line of Clayton Keller, Nick Schmaltz and Lawson Crouse was a collective -8 with zero points among the three of them.
Their goal differential improved to a positive number in Game 2, but they still failed to register any points. With Keller ending the regular season on a 10-game point streak, the group doesn’t expect to struggle like that.
After Thursday’s practice, Schmaltz told the Deseret News that it was time for his line to get going. He specifically mentioned three things:
Forechecking.
Getting pucks to the net.
Creating rebounds.
It worked.
The group scored two of Utah’s four goals in Game 3 Friday, both off Lawson Crouse’s stick. Forechecking and getting pucks to the net were key components of their success, and creating rebounds would have been if Hart had managed to stop a single one of their shots.
“Just a little execution, little details that go a long way,” Keller said. “We’ve had times throughout the regular season, too, where we’ve struggled a bit and kind of had to reset, and we’re still confident, we still have lots of chemistry. And, you know, we’re just going to continue to watch video and continue to get better each game.”
With a primary assist on Crouse’s first goal, Schmaltz joined Liam O’Brien as Mammoth players to register their respective first-career playoff points on Friday.
The bulk of Utah’s offense comes from the top two lines, and in the absence of the first, the second has stepped up all series long. Friday’s game was no exception.
Guenther’s one-timer is finally getting the league-wide recognition it deserves, and he used it to score his second goal of the series.
Hockey fans have spent the week debating on social media where Guenther’s release ranks among the NHL’s top snipers. Tortorella weighed in.
“No one is stopping Guenther’s shot. That’s just a bomb,” he said.
The Miami Dolphins have a ton of needs on both sides of the ball, and while they had a good first round, including taking Kadyn Proctor, the University of Alabama offensive tackle with pick 12, there are still loads of questions about what the future of this organization looks like.
Nonetheless, one of the biggest problems for the Dolphins over the past few years has been their inability to keep their quarterback upright, though Proctor is hopeful to do just that.
However, the Dolphins already have Patrick Paul at left tackle, so some are starting to question whether Proctor will actually play the position he played at Alabama.
“Biggest question: Where will he play? Proctor played left tackle for the Crimson Tide, but it's unlikely he takes Paul's job in Miami. Jackson has struggled to stay healthy over the past few seasons but is productive when he's on the field -- so right guard might be Proctor's clearest path to early playing time,” Marcel Louis-Jacques of ESPN wrote.
While it might be unlikely that he takes his job, it's also not the worst idea to bring in a youngster who has some flexibility to play multiple spots on the offensive line.
Even if Proctor were to struggle a bit early on, having him and Paul eventually form a good duo on the offensive line would do this Miami team a lot of help.
It's only spring, but football is coming back into the picture. Notre Dame is getting ready for the program's annual Blue-Gold game this weekend.
The Fighting Irish will host their 95th annual spring game Saturday, giving a preview for the 2026 season. Notre Dame had a rough end to the season in December after getting ranked 11th by the selection committee and missing out on the College Football Championship entirely. The program then declined a non-playoff bowl invitation.
Despite recent shortcomings, the Irish are back and ready for redemption. Notre Dame's core squad might look a bit different after the departures of Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price, but head coach Marcus Freeman is locked in and looking to lead his program to its first national title since 1988.
Be sure to tune in for an early showing of this year's squad.
Here's everything you need to know about the 2026 Notre Dame Blue-Gold game, including TV channel and streaming options for the spring football matchup.
What channel is the Notre Dame Blue-Gold game on today?
Notre Dame's spring game will not be available on traditional television. Cord cutters and those without cable can instead stream the game on Peacock this weekend.
Peacock features live coverage of NFL Sunday Night Football, the NBA, the Olympic and Paralympic Games, Premier League soccer, Big Ten football and basketball, Notre Dame football, Big East and Big 12 basketball, PGA Tour golf, and more.
What time is Notre Dame's spring game?
Date: Saturday, April 25
Time: 2 p.m. ET
Notre Dame's spring game will kick off from Notre Dame Stadium at 2 p.m. ET on Saturday, April 25, with Tony Simeone (play-by-play), Ian Book (analyst) and Caroline Pineda (sideline reporter) on the call.
Notre Dame football schedule 2026
Here is Notre Dame's schedule for the 2026 season. Game times have not yet been announced.
Date
Game
Sept. 6
Wisconsin*
Sept. 12
vs. Rice
Sept. 19
vs. Michigan State
Sept. 26
at Purdue
Oct. 3
at North Carolina
Oct. 10
vs. Stanford
Oct. 17
at BYU
Oct. 31
Navy^
Nov. 7
vs. Miami (Fla.)
Nov. 14
vs. Boston College
Nov. 21
vs. SMU
Nov. 28
at Syracuse
* Game at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis. ^ Game at Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Mass.
Apr 24, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) gives the ball to guard Bronny James (9) during the fourth quarter against the Houston Rockets during game three of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Toyota Center.
HOUSTON -- The Los Angeles Lakers made a math-defying escape Friday night in Houston to manufacture a 3-0 first round series lead over the Rockets. Houston possessed the ball with under 30 seconds remaining while clinging onto a 6-point lead, but Lakers cashed in two late steals for six points, forcing overtime in their eventual 112-108 road triumph.
The defining moment of the playoff thriller transpired with 13.1 seconds remaining when LeBron James perfectly swished the game-tying three immediately after forcing a Rocket turnover. It was merely another entry to James’ laundry list of iconic playoff moments over a 23-year career.
But that 25-foot three-pointer from the wing will not be the play the 41-year old veteran remembers most fondly from the Game 3 victory in Houston. Instead, it was a second quarter sequence that he shared with his own namesake.
Given the Lakers’ shorthandedness at guard down Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, head coach JJ Redick inserted Bronny James into the lineup to start the second quarter, giving the 21-year old meaningful rotation minutes alongside his father. Such a moment can be difficult even for the NBA’s oldest player to compartmentalize, as the intensity of playoff basketball suddenly intersects with fondness of family.
“There are many moments that happen over the course of the game,” LeBron said. “In a postseason game, I’m always super locked in. And over the last three games, there have been many moments where I kind of locked out. And all those moments have been with Bronny.”
Despite the emotions of the moment for the James family, the shared LeBron and Bronny minutes went swimmingly for the Lakers. In the middle of the period with Bronny as the ball handler, LeBron sealed off Rockets small forward Jae’Sean Tate. Rockets point guard Reed Sheppard then went under the screen to provide Bronny an open three. The second-year player saw the opportunity and capitalized for his first career playoff points.
After a subsequent defensive stand, LeBron snagged a rebound, pushed the ball to the 3-point line, and then tossed a lob to Bronny. The younger James corralled it in midair and finished with a smooth reverse layup, extending the Lakers’ lead to 52-40. To no surprise, it was the first father-to-son assist in the history of the NBA Playoffs.
When overtime concluded, LeBron checked out with team-highs of 29 points and 13 rebounds, in addition to contributing the game-defining shot. Despite delivering such heroics on the playoff stage, his eyes lit up in a different fashion postgame when speaking about Bronny’s 5-point performance.
“He just keeps getting better and better,” LeBron said. “For him to come in — you see the five points — but it’s his attention to detail, his defensive mindset, and his prowess on the ball guarding and defending.”
The No. 55 overall pick in 2024, Bronny remains on a journey to earn consistent rotation minutes at the NBA level. But his own father believes the positive playoff experience accrued in Friday night’s victory — even for a brief nine minutes — can work wonders for his blossoming career.
“The amount of confidence that a young kid in our league can get from a postseason game — you’d never get nervous from a regular season moment ever again when you play meaningful postseason games and postseason minutes,” LeBron said. “He’s done that, and I think that’s pretty cool for his career and for his confidence.”
Six-time champions Manchester City continue their late-season push for glory on two fronts with an FA Cup semi-final against in-form Southampton.
The Championship’s form side, Saints got the better of Arsenal in their quarter-final with a late 2-1 victory, and are enjoying a sparkling run of 20 games in a row unbeaten, including their last eight in the second tier - although a 2-2 draw with Bristol City on Tuesday stalled their promotion push somewhat.
Both sides are full of self-confidence and belief at this late stage of the season, with City proven winners in this competition and Saints driven by the memory of their FA Cup glory 50 years ago, setting up a fascinating clash at Wembley.
Here’s everything you need to know.
When is Man City v Southampton?
Man City face Southampton in the FA Cup semi-finals at Wembley on Saturday 25 April, with kick-off at 5.15pm BST.
How can I watch it?
Viewers in the UK can stream the tie for free on BBC One and BBC iPlayer, with coverage from 4.45pm BST. The game will also be broadcast live on TNT Sports and HBO Max, with coverage from 4pm BST.
Team news
City will be without talismanic midfielder Rodri, who limped off in the win over Arsenal and missed the trip to Burnley, with Pep Guardiola saying they would not risk the Spaniard ahead of the title race run-in. Long-term absentees Josko Gvardiol and Ruben Dias remain sidelined.
Saints will be missing the suspended Ryan Manning and Flynn Downes - the latter was suspended for three games for violent conduct in their win over Swansea City - while captain Jack Stephens is a doubt after pulling up with a calf problem in the warm-up before their draw with Bristol City. Mads Roerslev and Alex McCarthy remain absent.
Predicted line-ups
Man City XI: Trafford; Nunes, Khusanov, Guehi, Ait-Nouri; Bernardo, O'Reilly; Savinho, Cherki, Marmoush; Haaland
The Cleveland Browns have made it a priority to improve on the offensive side of the football during the 2026 NFL Draft, and did that in the first round with their first pick by selecting Spencer Fano, an offensive tackle out of the University of Utah.
Fano will have some questions in the NFL, just like everybody else, but his are a bit different from those of some other players.
Insiders are questioning whether he’s actually a left tackle, as there have been concerns about whether he can move to another position during the draft process.
“Biggest question: Is Fano's future actually at LT? Throughout the draft process, there has been speculation that Fano could move inside to guard or tackle because of his sub-33-inch arm length. Cleveland has added a pair of interior linemen this offseason (Elgton Jenkins and Zion Johnson) but only one offensive tackle (Tytus Howard),” Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN wrote.
Right now, I don't think it's too big of a deal if Fano doesn't have an exact spot on the field, as long as he's able to do what's needed to be suitable at one of them. It's obvious that the young man has a lot of talent, so being versatile can actually be a good thing for this organization and himself moving forward.
Arsenal are in a desperate battle to save their Premier League title challenge after a nine-point lead was reduced to a second place on goals scored and Mikel Arteta’s former title-winners-in-waiting now look in danger of collapsing yet again.
But Arteta’s men can wrestle it back as they face 14th-placed Newcastle, who are mired in a slump of their own, on Saturday.
The Magpies have lost eight top-flight games in 11 and their last four in succession, and pressure is mounting on boss Eddie Howe after an alarming 2-1 late defeat to Bournemouth in their most recent outing.
A result this weekend feels critical to both sides - and could have an outsized impact on the title race.
Here’s everything you need to know.
When is Arsenal v Newcastle?
Arsenal host Newcastle at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday 25 April, with kick-off at 5.30pm BST.
How can I watch it?
Viewers in the UK can watch the game on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Premier League. If you’re not a Sky customer, you can grab a NOWTV Day Pass here to watch without a subscription.
Team news
Arsenal will welcome back Bukayo Saka and Riccardo Calafiori from injury but Jurrien Timber is likely to miss out.
Newcastle are expected to be without Tino Livramento, who came off with a groin issue against Bournemouth, and Anthony Gordon is another absence with a similar problem. Joelinton is suspended for the game but talisman Bruno Guimaraes is likely to make his return to the starting lineup in a major boost to the Magpies.
I really like what the New Orleans Saints did with their first pick in the first round, selecting Jordyn Tyson out of Arizona State.
Tyson will have an opportunity to be a very good player for New Orleans, pairing him with Chris Olave. It was reported multiple times throughout the draft process that the Saints were looking to improve the offense by giving Tyler Shough more options around him, and Tyson will provide him with just that.
However, just like every draft pick, there will always be questions about whether it was the right or wrong decision. That was recently brought up about Tyson, as some question his injury history.
“Biggest question: Tyson's injury history is extensive, which could be a concern. Olave, the Saints' No. 1 wideout, suffered health issues of his own when he had several concussions in 2024. Tyson has had hamstring issues, knee issues, an ankle injury and a broken collarbone. Keeping him healthy will be a top priority for the Saints, who have admitted they are more risk-averse when drafting than they might have been in the past,” Katherine Terrell of ESPN wrote.
While there are questions about every player who will be drafted, that doesn't mean there aren't real concerns about injuries. Tyson's injury history is fair to bring up, and something the organization will have to hope improves moving forward.
Harry Newton ran his first marathon at the age of 57 [James Russell Photography]
An 88-year-old retired grocer set to become the oldest runner in this year's London Marathon has said it is "never too late to start".
Harry Newton, from Macclesfield, did not begin his running career until the age of 57, when a fellow grocer discussed the London Marathon with him at a conference.
Harry, who has previously raised money for Christie's Hospital in Manchester after he was successfully treated for cancer, is this year raising funds for the British Heart Foundation.
He told BBC Radio Manchester: "You're never too old are you?"
'Move it or lose it'
Harry recorded his personal best for a marathon when he was 70, completing the route in three hours, 53 minutes and 30 seconds.
A month after that he felt a lump in his neck and was diagnosed with lymphoma.
After six months of chemotherapy he was declared to be in remission and has been back to running ever since - with a current total of 31 marathons under his belt.
The Covid lockdown did not deter Harry, who ran two virtual marathons - 461 laps per race - in his back garden.
Harry, a member of the Macclesfield Harriers running club, said he was no longer chasing personal best times but noted that he is "quite often first in my age group".
"There's usually only first of one or something like that, you know, or first of two," he joked.
"Keep exercising whatever age you are. Move it or lose it, they say!"
Feb 26, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Texas A&M defensive lineman Cashius Howell (DL41) runs the 40-yard dash during the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
The Cincinnati Bengals laid in wait on Night 1, as they dealt their No. 10 overall pick for defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence. And, despite some league insiders claiming that the team might be willing to maneuver on Night 2, they stayed put for both of their picks.
And, despite the adding of six defenders via free agency/trade, the team went that route again with their first two picks of 2026 NFL Draft picks. Cincinnati once again fortified the defense. At No. 41 overall, the team selected edge defender Cashius Howell, following it up with Washington cornerback, Tacario Davis.
How big of an imoact will these two make in 2026?
John Sheeran and Anthony Cosenza of The Orange and Black Insider Bengals podcast went live a couple of times on Friday night to break it down.
On this episode:
What does Cashius Howell bring to the Bengals?
Al Golden’s stamp on the Bengals’ defense
What is the immediate impact of Tacario Davis?
And more
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Just minutes after the Eagles used their second-round pick, No. 54 overall, on tight end Eli Stowers, who up until three years ago was a college quarterback, Roseman showed everyone what he thought of the edge rushers in the draft by trading with the Vikings for Jonathan Greenard.
Then he signed Greenard to a four-year contract worth as much as $100 million.
The Eagles emerged less than an hour later by taking Miami left tackle Markel Bell in the third round, pick No. 68. Bell happens to be 6-foot-9, 346 pounds, and the tallest in the draft.
And as Bell put it, "I may still grow, you know?"
Then the Eagles were done − for a while. They traded away their other third-round pick (No. 98) for Greenard. They traded away both of their fourth-round picks (Nos. 114 and 137) to move up for Lemon in the first round.
Their next scheduled pick is at No. 178, a compensatory pick at the end of the fifth round on April 25. That means the Eagles are going a span of 110 spots without making a pick.
You think Roseman cares in a draft that has as much depth as a wading pool?
"You tell me who’s going to be available at the pick, and I’ll tell you how good the draft is," Roseman said. "There’s not going to be a pick that we have in this draft that we won’t be excited about taking, I’ll promise you that. It was more about the quality of the player. It was more about the impact they could have on the team."
In other words, Greenard, who had 12.5 sacks in 2023 and 12 sacks in 2024 before dropping down to 3 sacks last season, was better in the Eagles' eyes than any edge rusher the Eagles could have drafted in the first, second or third round.
Greenard, thus, is a plug-in replacement for Jaelan Phillips who left in free agency to sign a four-year deal worth as much as $120 million, or $20 million more than what the Eagles are paying Greenard through the 2031 season.
"We just felt like we had a really good D-line, but we really wanted to elevate it to another level," Roseman said. "Obviously, we saw how that happened last year (with Phillips). As we went through the draft, it really made sense with where our football team was to acquire this player."
It was the same with the draft picks.
Sure, the Eagles could have addressed the offensive line with the second-round pick. But why force a pick when there was a freakish athlete at tight end in Stowers, who had a 45.5 inch vertical leap at the NFL scouting combine? That set a Combine record for tight ends, and was the second best for all positions since 2003.
Yes, Stowers needs to improve as a blocker, refine his routes, and so on. But wow, that potential.
"The guy is super talented," Eagles coach Nick Sirianni said. "Athletically, he does some things that nobody else can do. And just to be able to create mismatches with him on third downs, and first and second down situations, he is a tough cover. He catches everything, good after the catch, speed, quickness, so really excited to have him."
The same is true with Bell in the third round.
Bell was on a Hurricanes team that reached the national championship game. He didn't allow a single sack last season. And he's just 21 years old.
Roseman said Bell was a "passion player" for the Eagles in that he hasn't reached his potential. And he'll have at least a season to learn behind future Hall of Fame right tackle Lane Johnson and left tackle Jordan Mailata.
Roseman said had Bell gone back to Miami instead of declaring for the draft, he would've been drafted much higher next year.
"When we were studying both of those guys, the word ‘unusual’ came up a lot," Roseman said about Stowers and Bell. "Both of those guys are unusual. And with that comes the character … and the willingness to learn and get better.
"We know that these guys aren’t finished products. But we’re really excited about what the ceiling can be with both of those guys."
They don't have to be finished products right now. Stowers can learn behind Dallas Goedert and Johnny Mundt, a blocking tight end signed in free agency. Bell can learn from Johnson and Mailata.
"Dallas is actually one of the guys I used to watch on film a lot, just to learn at the tight end position," Stowers said. "Tight end is a new position to me still. So the last few years, I’ve been trying to soak up as much film as I can and learn … Being able to learn from him and Johnny, too, I’m just so excited to be around them and be able to help me in my career."
If those picks reach their potential, along with Lemon, the Eagles could have the equivalent of three first-round picks. Make it four with Greenard.
That's how you own an NFL draft.
Contact Martin Frank at mfrank@delawareonline.com. Follow on X @Mfranknfl. Sign up for the "Eye On The Eagles" newsletter, emailed to your inbox every Friday morning. Read his coverage of the Eagles’ championship season in “Flying High,” a hardcover coffee-table book from Delaware Online/The News Journal. Details at Fly.ChampsBook.com
The New York Jets' decision to take David Bailey second overall in the 2026 NFL Draft has certainly been questioned, as they also allowed the New York Giants to select Avrell Reese because of it. While the Jets don't know whether they made the right decision just yet, the move will continue to be questioned until everything plays out.
Examining if the Jets made the right decision, some question whether they blew it by not taking Reese, which might not be an unfair assessment.
“Did they blow it by passing on Arvell Reese? Most talent evaluators believe Reese has a higher ceiling than Bailey. Another question will be about Bailey's liability against the run. By his own admission, this is an area where he needs to improve. He had only eight run stops (tackles at or behind the line of scrimmage) in 14 games. The Jets will leave themselves vulnerable against the run if they roll with Bailey (251 pounds) and Will McDonald IV (245) as their two edge defenders,” Rich Cimini of ESPN wrote.
If I were in the Jets' position, I would have gone with Reese because I think he has more potential in the long term, and I also think he's a better player right now. However, Bailey felt like more of a safe pick, which isn't necessarily the wrong thing for the Jets.
San Antonio Spurs (62-20, second in the Western Conference) vs. Portland Trail Blazers (42-40, eighth in the Western Conference)
Portland, Oregon; Sunday, 3:30 p.m. EDT
LINE: Spurs -5.5; over/under is 219
WESTERN CONFERENCE FIRST ROUND: Spurs lead series 2-1
BOTTOM LINE: The San Antonio Spurs visit the Portland Trail Blazers in the Western Conference first round with a 2-1 lead in the series. The Spurs won the last meeting 120-108 on Saturday, led by 33 points from Stephon Castle. Jrue Holiday led the Trail Blazers with 29.
The Trail Blazers are 29-23 in conference games. Portland ranks sixth in the NBA with 46.0 rebounds led by Donovan Clingan averaging 11.6.
The Spurs have gone 36-16 against Western Conference opponents. San Antonio is second in the league with 47.0 rebounds per game. Victor Wembanyama leads the Spurs with 11.5.
The Trail Blazers average 14.5 made 3-pointers per game this season, 1.5 more made shots on average than the 13.0 per game the Spurs give up. The Spurs average 119.8 points per game, 4.0 more than the 115.8 the Trail Blazers allow.
TOP PERFORMERS: Clingan is averaging 12.1 points, 11.6 rebounds and 1.7 blocks for the Trail Blazers. Deni Avdija is averaging 25.2 points over the last 10 games.
De'Aaron Fox is scoring 18.6 points per game and averaging 3.8 rebounds for the Spurs. Devin Vassell is averaging 2.1 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Trail Blazers: 6-4, averaging 113.8 points, 44.2 rebounds, 24.8 assists, 8.9 steals and 5.8 blocks per game while shooting 45.2% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 108.8 points per game.
Spurs: 7-3, averaging 119.7 points, 47.1 rebounds, 27.9 assists, 7.5 steals and 5.4 blocks per game while shooting 48.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 111.1 points.
INJURIES: Trail Blazers: Damian Lillard: out for season (achilles).
Spurs: Jordan McLaughlin: day to day (ankle), David Jones Garcia: out for season (ankle), Victor Wembanyama: day to day (concussion).
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Darren Harris has been training with his running guide and feels ready for the bug day in London [Darren Harris]
England's most capped and decorated blind footballer is set to run the London Marathon to raise awareness about eye cancer.
Darren Harris, from Wolverhampton, was diagnosed with bilateral retinoblastoma at just 15 months old and as a result of the treatment he lost his vision.
On Sunday, he will run 26-miles for the Childhood Eye Cancer Trust.
The 52-year-old, made his debut for the country's blind team in 1996 and went on to make 157 appearances, scoring 34 goals while winning 10 world and European medals.
"The truth is, living with constant uncertainty about your health—while trying to build a career, relationships, and a future—takes a toll that's hard to put into words," he said.
"It can feel like a ticking time bomb. Today, that reality is also what drives me."
Aiming for personal best
The Wulfrunian's friend and former teammate Robin Williams died from the condition in December last year, prompting the footballer to take up the challenge to raise awareness.
It's not the first time he has lined up for the legendary race, but 29 years later he has a bigger ambition.
In 1997, he completed the gruelling 26.2 miles (42 kms) challenge in four hours and 27 minutes. This time around, he plans to lop an hour off that time.
Harris is England's most-capped and decorated blind footballer [Darren Harris]
Speaking about the challenges blind runners face, he told BBC Radio WM: "Everybody wears headphones and when you're running behind someone and trying to give them some information to warn them that you're approaching, they are not paying any attention.
"At the feeding stations, people just veer off left and right - there's no indicators so they run the risk of tripping you up.
"There's a lot for my guide to take on board and look out for when he's running with me."
Harris has set a goal of raising £10,000 for the charity.
"I want to help ensure that families facing RB today and in the future have the support, information, and hope they deserve," the footballer added.
"Their work supporting children, survivors, and families affected by retinoblastoma is vital—from diagnosis, through treatment, and long into adulthood."
Back in January, we checked out the ASUS Zenbook Duo at the ASUS booth at CES 2026, where ASUS confirmed that the new dual-screen productivity laptop would feature Intel's Panther Lake CPUs, a new Ceraluminum coating, and redesigned hinges that bring the device's top and bottom displays closer together. Now, following the launch of the ASUS Zephyrus Duo, ASUS has officially launched the Zenbook Duo 2026 with two distinct models available for purchase at the time of writing. The biggest difference between the Zenbook Duo US8407AA-DS99T and the UX8407AA-PSXT is that the former uses the less powerful Intel Core Ultra 9 386H CPU, while the latter comes with the Core Ultra X9 388H. The two CPUs share similar CPU performance, but the 388H gains a significant lead when it comes to iGPU performance, thanks to the inclusion of the Intel Arc B390 iGPU compared to the more standard Xe3 graphics in the 386H.
Both models share the same dual touch-enabled, 14-inch, 2880×1800p, 16:10, 144 Hz OLED displays with 1,000 nits HDR brightness and 500 nits of SDR brightness. Similarly, both laptops come with 32 GB of LPDDR5X memory and a 1 TB NVMe PCIe 4.0 SSD by default. While ASUS positions the Zenbook as a sort of catch-all laptop capable of doing everything from creative work to general productivity, and even a little gaming, the ports tell somewhat of a different story. Both have a single USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A port, dual Thunderbolt 4 ports with both USB Power Delivery and support for external displays, a single HDMI 2.1 FRL port, and a 3.5 mm audio combo jack. The Zenbook Duo comes with the ASUS Pen 3.0 with wireless charging as well as a Zenbook laptop sleeve, and the bottom display has a detachable wireless keyboard. The Zenbook Duo is available directly from the ASUS store, with the Core Ultra 9 386H variant starting at $2,499.99 and the Core Ultra X9 version starting at $2,699.99. The Core Ultra 9 version is expected to start shipping on May 11, while the Core X9 version will only be available in "late Q2."
Yitch is like Yelp but in reverse. When you finish a job, you can leave a review for the customer, just like they can leave one for you. Other businesses can see that history before taking a job. Customers who pay on time, communicate clearly, and treat workers with respect build a good reputation. Customers who don't are known to others.
Available now on the App Store, coming soon for Android.
A new legal challenge in the US is targeting Samsung foldable phones, with claims that could have serious implications if they hold up in court.
Lepton Computing LLC has filed a patent infringement lawsuit (via SeoulWire) against Samsung Electronics and its US subsidiary in the US District Court for the Eastern District of Texas.
The complaint alleges that Samsung Galaxy Z Fold and Z Flip foldable phones, along with its new Galaxy Z TriFold, infringe on a portfolio of nine patents tied to foldable smartphone technology.
The patents cited in the filing cover a wide range of enabling technologies that define modern foldables. This includes hardware structure, hinge design, and display protection, but also software behavior.
One key example is App Continuity, where an app seamlessly transitions between the outer and inner displays depending on whether the device is folded or unfolded.
The complaint also details how internal components are arranged within tight spatial constraints. Sensors, magnets, cameras, and speakers must all coexist with a flexible OLED panel that bends within a controlled radius.
Lepton positions itself as an early pioneer in foldable devices. It also points to a prototype device called the “Lepton Flex,” which it describes as the first foldable smartphone developed in the US.
The company is targeting newer generations, starting from the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and later.
All of these remain allegations and requests. The court has not made any determination yet. For Samsung, this is another high-stakes legal battle in a category it effectively brought into the mainstream.
According to a new rumor from the prolific Digital Chat Station on Weibo, Redmi is currently working on not one, not two, but three different smartphones which will all have a 10,000 mAh battery.
The battery used in these handsets will be single-cell (so no chance of seeing it in the EU unfortunately), and will support 100W wired charging. The devices that will use it will be both in the mainstream Note line, as well as in the performance-oriented K series.
The Redmi Notes in China have, in recent years, either been quite different from their similarly-named international...
The Tesla Model Y is the best-selling vehicle in Colombia in March.
It’s another astonishing month for new vehicle sales in Colombia, up 53.5% year-on-year in March to 28,196 units. The Q1 volume is up 47.9% to 73,776. Brand leader Kia (+65.3%) manages to outpace the galloping market to 14.3% share and over 4,000 sales. It distances Renault (+8.6%) a lot more muted. The performance of the month goes to Tesla: up to #3 brand overall with 8.7% share for its first full month in market, a stunning initial success for the American brand. Mazda (+43.9%) is up one spot on February to #4, leapfrogging past Chevrolet (+17%) and Toyota (-8.5%). Volkswagen (+69.9%) also shines at #8.
History is made in the models charts: the Tesla Model Y storms into pole position with a stunning 1,793 sales and 6.4% share, all this in its very first appearance in the ranking! It’s an extraordinary success for Tesla’s star model. At the same time, the Model 3 climbs to #6 with 2.4% of the market. The Kia K3 is up one spot on last month to #2, overtaking the Kia Picanto (+73.4%) at #3. The Mazda CX-30 (+35.5%) and Renault Duster Nacional (+18.2%) round out the Top 5. The Kia Stonic (+246.7%) and Sportage (+416%) surge ahead to close the Top 10.
Price predictions for 2026 range from $100 to $150.00.
Long-term outlook suggests gradual growth potential toward $1000+ by 2030.
Litecoin remains one of the most reliable payment-focused cryptocurrencies, known for fast transactions and low fees. As the market shifts toward practical use cases, LTC continues to hold relevance, especially in stable, utility-driven environments. At the same time, price action is starting to stabilize.
Currently trading near $56, Litecoin is holding its ground after a prolonged consolidation phase. The $50–$55 zone has acted as a consistent support, with buyers stepping in on dips and preventing further downside.
Instead of trending lower, LTC is now forming a base, with volatility tightening and selling pressure fading. Such phases often precede stronger moves once momentum returns. In this Litecoin price prediction, we examine whether this stability can translate into a breakout phase in 2026.
Litecoin is currently trading within a tight $50–$60 range, and this range has held for several weeks without a breakout. The $50–$52 zone is acting as a strong demand area. Each dip into this region is being bought quickly, indicating that sellers are losing control at lower levels. However, the $58–$60 resistance continues to cap upside, with repeated rejections showing that buyers are not strong enough to push through.
This creates a clear compression setup, where volatility is shrinking and price is getting squeezed. If LTC breaks above $60, the next move is likely toward $65–$70, as this would break the lower high structure If LTC loses $50, price could drop toward $44–$46, which is the next demand zone.
Coinpedia’s Litecoin Price Prediction 2026
Litecoin’s price prediction for 2026 points to a measured recovery phase rather than an aggressive breakout cycle, with price action largely dependent on its ability to reclaim key resistance levels. At present, LTC continues to trade within a well-defined range, with $50 acting as a strong demand floor and repeated rejections near the $60–$65 zone highlighting persistent supply. This structure indicates that while downside pressure has eased, bullish momentum remains constrained.
A sustained move above $60–$65 would be the first indication of structural improvement, as it would break the sequence of lower highs and allow Litecoin to advance toward the $80–$100 range. If this zone is reclaimed and held, the market could gradually expand toward $100–$125, aligning with previous distribution levels. However, failure to overcome this resistance band is likely to keep LTC in a range-bound environment, with intermittent rallies being capped and price rotating between established levels.
On the downside, a loss of the $60 support zone would expose Litecoin to a deeper pullback toward $44–$46, which represents the next significant demand area. That said, current price behavior suggests that buyers are actively defending this region, limiting the probability of extended downside unless broader market conditions weaken.
Overall, 2026 is expected to act as a rebuilding year for Litecoin, where the asset stabilizes, absorbs overhead supply, and gradually attempts to transition into a stronger trend.
LTC Crypto Price Prediction 2026 – 2030
Year
Potential Low ($)
Potential Average ($
Potential High ($)
2026
100.00
125.00
150.00
2027
150.00
200.00
280.00
2028
220.00
290.00
380.00
2029
290.00
370.00
530.00
2030
430.00
650.00
1000.00
Litcoin (LTC) Price Prediction 2026
Litecoin’s price may range between $100 and $150 in 2026.
LTC Price Forecast 2027
Litecoin (LTC) price range can be between $150.00 to $280.00 during the year 2027.
LTC Prediction 2028
In 2028, Litecoin could reach a low of $220, an average of $220, and a high of $380.
LTC Price Targets 2029
Thereafter, the LTC price for the year 2029 could range between $290.00 and $530.00.
Litecoin (LTC) Price Prediction 2030
Finally, in 2030, the price of LTC is predicted to maintain a steady and positive. It may trade between $430.00 and $1000.00.
LTC Price Prediction 2031, 2032, 2033, 2040, 2050
Based on the historic market sentiments and trend analysis of the largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization, here are the possible LTC price targets for the longer time frames.
Year
Potential Low ($)
Potential Average ($)
Potential High ($)
2031
570.00
750.00
900.00
2032
720.00
840.00
1200.00
2033
800.00
920.00
1300.00
2040
1000.00
1200.00
1800.00
2050
1200.00
1500.00
2200.00
LTC Price Prediction: Market Analysis?
Year
2026
2027
2030
Changelly
$165
$245.00
$420.00
CoinCodex
$130.00
$220.00
$280.00
Binance
$150.00
$250.00
$310.00
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FAQs
What is Litecoin (LTC) and how does it work?
Litecoin is a fast, low-fee digital currency designed for payments, using a secure blockchain similar to Bitcoin for peer-to-peer transfers.
When is the next Litecoin halving event?
Litecoin will likely undergo its next halving in July 2027, cutting block rewards in half and potentially influencing supply and price over time.
Can Litecoin be a long-term investment?
Litecoin offers stable growth potential as a payment-focused blockchain, making it a strong option for diversified crypto portfolios over time.
What is the Litecoin (LTC) price prediction for 2026?
Litecoin may trade between $100 and $150 in 2026, with a gradual recovery likely as it reclaims key resistance levels above $60–$70.
How high can Litecoin (LTC) price go by 2030?
Litecoin could reach between $430 and $1000 by 2030, depending on adoption, market cycles, and its ability to sustain long-term bullish momentum.
What will Litecoin (LTC) price be in 2040?
Litecoin could trade between $1000 and $1800 by 2040, driven by long-term adoption and its role as a reliable payment network.
The XRP price has been consolidating within a narrow range for the past few days, stuck around a pivotal range. The price attempted a breakout but got smacked back down. The token pushed up to $1.44, teasing a move higher, but later rolled over as the BTC price rally cooled off near $80,000. Despite this, the price just flashed a signal that traders don’t usually ignore. A huge amount of XRP tokens were moved off exchanges in a single day, marking one of the largest outflow spikes this year.
The current chart pattern and the on-chain data suggest something is building beneath the surface. It would be interesting to watch whether this is the start of an accumulation or just another false signal within the range.
Massive XRP Outflows Hint at Accumulation — But There’s a Catch
According to Santiment data, XRP just recorded its 6th-largest exchange outflow day in 2026. Historically, these spikes tend to align with moments where sell pressure drops and accumulation increases.
When tokens leaves exhanges, it indicates they are less likely to be sold immediately. With this supply available for trading, decreases and market conditions quietly tighten. This is why similar spikes in the past have often appeared near local bottoms or early trend reversals. However, outflows are just a set-up signal but not a confirmation. Without price reacting, they remain latent bullish pressure, not an active trend.
XRP Price Analysis: Stuck in a Range, But Breakout Not Confirmed
Despite strong on-chain signals, the XRP price is still trading within a defined range, not a confirmed uptrend. Price continues to hover around $1.35 to $1.45, with the key resistance remaining around $1.60. The higher timeframe structure is still neutral to slightly bearish as the momentum is building, but it has not resolved itself. This creates a classic disconnect where on-chain suggests bullish bias, and the price is waiting for confirmation.
Currently, XRP is entering a high-stakes phase, and if the price starts to align with outflows, the move can accelerate quickly. But if dosen’t, this becomes just another range-bound fake signal. However, RSI is incremental and holding the rising trend line, while the OBV just broke above the descending trend line. This suggests price is preparing for a breakout, but without strong follow-through, the XRP price may be restricted below the resistance, resulting in a rejection.
Wrapping it Up: Key Levels to Watch Next
XRP price is approaching a pivotal price range, with $1.60 acting as the key breakout level that could define the next trend. A successful move above this resistance would confirm bullish momentum and open the path toward $1.76, followed by a stronger upside target near $2.13, with potential extension toward $2.40+ if buying pressure sustains.
However, failure to reclaim $1.60 could keep XRP locked in consolidation, with immediate support at $1.30–$1.35. A breakdown below this range would weaken the bullish setup, while a drop under $1.12 would invalidate the structure entirely and signal a shift back to bearish control.
Bitcoin is currently trading at: $ 77,428.65391738
Bitcoin holds strong near $75K in 2026, signaling accumulation. A breakout above $80K could drive BTC toward $120K–$150K this cycle.
BTC remains range-bound between $70K–$80K, with strong demand below. Analysts predict a bullish expansion toward $150K+ before 2026 ends.
Bitcoin’s consolidation phase in 2026 reflects accumulation, not weakness, with long-term forecasts targeting $250K+ and up to $900K by 2030.
As April 2026 approaches its final phase, Bitcoin price continues to hover within the $70K–$80K zone, now stabilizing near the upper end around $76K–$78K, and the market is increasingly recognizing that this isn’t weakness, it’s a phase of positioning. Earlier, BTC struggled to sustain moves above the $72K–$76K resistance, but recent price action shows clear acceptance at higher levels, with dips toward the $70K–$72K range being absorbed quickly. This behaviour reflects a shift where selling pressure has faded, while buyers are gradually gaining control through consistent accumulation rather than aggressive chasing.
Large-cap stability continues to define the current phase. Bitcoin is holding firm while broader market participation remains selective, a pattern typically seen when capital is rotating into strength rather than expanding across the board. Each pullback is being met with steady buying interest, suggesting that stronger hands are building exposure, while the lack of sharp rejection near current levels indicates that overhead supply is thinning.
This push-and-pull dynamic has resulted in a tight compression structure, where volatility continues to contract and price action becomes increasingly controlled. Such phases are not a sign of exhaustion, they reflect preparation. With Bitcoin now holding closer to the upper range, the structure suggests that the market is building pressure near a key inflection zone, where the next move could define the broader trend into May.
With that in focus, let’s move into Bitcoin’s price prediction for 2026 and understand what lies ahead.
Bitcoin (BTC) Price Prediction for April – May 2026
Bitcoin is now holding firm near the $76K–$78K region, and the structure has evolved beyond simple consolidation into a phase where continuation is becoming increasingly probable. After reclaiming the $72K–$74K zone earlier in April, price has managed to sustain above it, reinforcing that demand is stepping in early on dips rather than reacting after moves. This shift remains significant, as it reflects accumulation at higher levels rather than distribution.
At the same time, the broader backdrop remains mixed. Global macro conditions continue to present headwinds, with uncertainty around rate direction, liquidity conditions, and overall risk appetite keeping the market cautious. These factors are not reversing Bitcoin’s trend, but they are slowing the pace of expansion, keeping price action controlled rather than impulsive.
Within this environment, Bitcoin is now pressing against a critical resistance band. The $78K–$85K zone continues to act as the immediate ceiling, where price is encountering supply. However, the nature of pullbacks remains constructive. Dips are shallow, quickly absorbed, and lacking follow-through to the downside, suggesting that buyers remain active and confident near current levels.
This is where the setup strengthens into May. If Bitcoin continues to hold above the $74K–$75K base while gradually absorbing supply near resistance, the probability of a breakout increases in the near term. In that case, a move toward the $80K–$85K range becomes a realistic extension, supported by steady accumulation and improving market confidence.
However, confirmation is still required. If resistance continues to hold or macro pressure intensifies, Bitcoin may extend its consolidation within a tighter range before expansion. Even in that scenario, the structure does not signal weakness, but rather a controlled buildup beneath resistance.
Overall, Bitcoin is not stalling, it is compressing near highs, and once the $80K level is decisively reclaimed, the move toward $82K–$85K is likely to unfold with stronger momentum into May.
Coinpedia’s Bitcoin (BTC) Price Prediction 2026
Bitcoin’s price structure in 2026 points toward a transition year, where the market is gradually shifting from consolidation into expansion rather than entering a fresh bearish phase.
The first key trigger remains the $80K–$90K range. A sustained reclaim of this zone would indicate strengthening momentum, allowing BTC to move toward the $100K–$110K region, where the next resistance is likely to emerge. If price stabilizes above this level, it would confirm a shift out of the current range, opening the path toward the $120K–$130K zone in the later part of the year.
At the same time, external uncertainties continue to keep the upside controlled. Periodic spikes in geopolitical tensions, sudden liquidity shifts, and risk-off reactions across global markets are creating intermittent pressure, preventing immediate breakout continuation. This is one of the key reasons why Bitcoin, despite holding strong support, is still struggling to trend decisively.
However, what stands out is the consistency in demand. Every dip toward lower levels is being absorbed, suggesting that the market is building a base rather than weakening. This kind of structure typically forms before expansion, especially when downside follow-through remains limited. On the downside, failure to hold the $67K support zone could trigger a temporary correction toward the $60K–$62K region. But unless this level breaks decisively, the broader structure remains intact.
Overall, 2026 is shaping up as a rebuilding and controlled expansion phase, where Bitcoin is stabilizing under external pressure while gradually preparing for its next major move.
Bitcoin Price On-chain Outlook
Bitcoin’s on-chain data is currently reflecting a strong shift in supply dynamics and holder behavior, aligning closely with the ongoing range-bound structure on the chart. One of the most notable developments is the decline in Bitcoin reserves on major exchanges like Binance, which have dropped to their lowest levels since the start of 2026. This reduction in available supply suggests that coins are increasingly being moved off exchanges into cold storage or long-term holdings, effectively reducing immediate selling pressure in the market.
At the same time, a contrasting trend is visible on platforms like Upbit, where reserves have climbed to their highest levels since 2024. This divergence highlights a shift in liquidity distribution, where global supply is tightening while regional trading activity, particularly in the Korean market, is increasing, often acting as an early signal of rising demand or short-term volatility.
Alongside this, holder behavior is undergoing a significant transition. Data shows that Bitcoin accumulated during late 2025 has now crossed the 155-day threshold, moving into the long-term holder (LTH) category. This shift indicates that a large portion of previously active supply is no longer being traded, but instead held with conviction. Historically, the transition from short-term holder dominance to long-term holder dominance marks a move away from speculative trading toward accumulation-driven phases. The current environment reflects a similar pattern, where conviction-based holding is beginning to outweigh short-term market activity.
Taken together, these on-chain signals suggest that Bitcoin is in a phase where supply is tightening while holding behavior is strengthening, even as price remains range-bound. This kind of setup typically forms when the market is building a base, where reduced sell pressure and increasing long-term conviction gradually set the stage for a stronger directional move ahead.
Recent Events Affecting Bitcoin’s Price
The shift from late 2025 into 2026 has completely changed Bitcoin’s momentum. After hitting its peak near $120K+, the market entered a cooling phase as profit-taking kicked in and the price slipped into a prolonged consolidation. This marked the transition from a high-momentum rally into a structure-building phase, where volatility started to compress.
The biggest trigger in recent months has been the ongoing Iran conflict, which has injected uncertainty across global markets. Rising tensions, drone strikes, and threats around the Strait of Hormuz have disrupted energy markets and increased volatility, keeping risk assets like Bitcoin, capped despite strong support.
Institutional behavior has also influenced price direction. Earlier outflows and profit booking created downward pressure, but recent sessions have shown renewed positioning near lower levels, preventing deeper breakdowns and supporting the current range-bound structure.
Another layer of uncertainty comes from ongoing regulatory developments in the U.S., where delays and debates around crypto legislation continue to impact sentiment. Proposals affecting stablecoins and broader market rules have created hesitation among investors, limiting aggressive upside momentum.
Meanwhile, global markets themselves remain unstable. Fluctuations in oil prices, shifts in bond yields, and defensive positioning by investors have created a mixed environment, where Bitcoin is reacting to both risk-on and risk-off signals without a clear trend.
Bitcoin Crypto Price Prediction 2026 – 2030
Year
Potential Low ($)
Potential Average ($
Potential High ($)
2026
100k
150k
180k
2027
170K
250K
330K
2028
200K
350K
450K
2029
275K
500K
640K
2030
380K
750K
900K
Bitcoin Price Prediction 2026 Forecast
The BTC price range in 2026 is expected to be between $100K and $180K.
BTC Price Prediction 2027
Subsequently, the Bitcoin price range can be between $170K to $330K during the year 2027.
Bitcoin (BTC) Price Prediction 2028
With the next Bitcoin halving, the price will see another bullish spark in 2028. Specifically, as per our Bitcoin Price Prediction, the potential BTC price range in 2028 is $200K to $450K.
BTC Price Target For 2029
Thereafter, the BTC price for the year 2029 could range between $275K and $640K.
Bitcoin (BTC) Price Prediction 2030
Finally, in 2030, the price of Bitcoin is predicted to maintain a positive trend. Indeed, the BTC price is expected to reach a new all-time high, ranging between $380K and $900K.
The long-term projection assumes Bitcoin (BTC) sustains relevance in overall cryptocurrency adoption and the continued development of blockchain payment solutions, with growth moderating over time as the asset matures.
Year
Potential Low ($)
Potential Average ($)
Potential High ($)
2031
540,830
901,383
1,261,936
2032
757,162
1,261,936
1,766,711
2033
1,059,945
1,766,711
2,473,477
2040
5,799,454
9,665,757
13,532,059
2050
161,978,188
269,963,647
377,949,106
Bitcoin Prediction: Analysts and Influencers’ BTC Price Target
“Jack Dorsey, former Twitter CEO (now X), predicts Bitcoin could exceed $1 million by 2030 due to its ecosystem growth and increasing adoption.”
Cathie Wood, CEO of Ark Invest, projects Bitcoin to reach $1.5 million by 2030, driven by institutional adoption and its position as digital gold.”
“Wall Street broker Bernstein believes 2026 will mark the start of a tokenization “supercycle,” maintaining its $150,000 Bitcoin price target for this year and $200,000 for the 2027 cycle peak.”
“Brad Garlinghouse, the Ripple CEO, predicts Bitcoin will hit $180,000 in 2026, due to favorable market and regulatory conditions.”
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FAQs
What is the Bitcoin price prediction for 2026?
Bitcoin is expected to range between $100K and $180K in 2026, with bullish momentum building as consolidation near $70K shifts into expansion.
How much will 1 Bitcoin be worth in 2030?
Bitcoin could range between $380K and $900K by 2030, with an average target near $750K as adoption, scarcity, and institutional demand grow.
What will 1 BTC be worth in 2040?
By 2040, Bitcoin could range between $5,799,454 and $13,532,059, with an average estimate near $9,665,757 as adoption and scarcity increase.
How much will Bitcoin be in 2050?
Bitcoin in 2050 could range from $161M to $377M, with an average estimate near $269M, driven by long-term adoption, scarcity, and global demand.
Is it safe to invest in Bitcoin today for long-term?
Bitcoin can be a strong long-term asset, but it remains volatile. Investing gradually and holding long-term may reduce risk and improve potential returns.
Is it worth putting $100 into Bitcoin?
Yes, investing $100 in Bitcoin can be a good start. It allows beginners to gain exposure, learn the market, and benefit from potential long-term growth.
Qadın güləşi üzrə Avropa üçüncüsü olmuş Jalə Əliyeva (57 kq) Albaniyadakı qitə birinciliyi ilə bağlı təəssüratlarını bölüşüb.
Arena.az xəbər verir ki, o, Azərbaycan Güləş Federasiyasının rəsmi saytına açıqlamasında bunları söyləyib:
“Bu yarışa çox güclü hazırlaşmışdıq. Məqsədim çempion olmaq idi. Ötən il də yarimfinalda zədələndiyim üçün görüşü davam etdirə bilməmişdim. Bu dəfə çempion olmaq istəyirdim. Təəssüf ki, alınmadı. Müəyyən səhvlərə yol verdim. Bu səhvlərin üzərində çalışıb, əlimdən gələnin ən yaxşısını edəcəyəm”.
Xatırladaq ki, Albaniyanın paytaxtı Tiranada keçirilən Avropa çempionatında 57 kq çəki dərəcəsində mübarizə aparan Jalə Əliyeva almaniyalı Amori Andrixə və inlandiyalı Yenna Hemiaeyə “tuş”la qalib gələrək yarımfinala yüksəlib. Finalın bir addımlığında türkiyəli Elvira Kamaloğluna 2:6 hesabıyla məğlub olan Əliyeva bürünc medal uğrunda görüşdə belaruslu Arina Demçankayla üz-üzə gəlib. Rəqibinə “tuş”la qalib gələn həmyerlimiz fəxri kürsünün üçüncü pilləsinə yüksəlib. Bu, Jalənin böyüklər arasında analoji yarışda üçüncü (1 gümüş, 2 bürünc) medalı olub.
Bu gün futbol üzrə Azərbaycan çempionatında (Premyer Liqa) 2025/2026-cı illər mövsümünün 29-сu turuna start veriləcək.
Arena.az xəbər verir ki, ilk oyun günündə iki qarşılaşma baş tutacaq.
Turun açılış oyununda “İmişli” “Sumqayıt”la üz-üzə gələcək. Quba Olimpiya İdman Kompleksinin stadionunda təşkil ediləcək oyuna saat 16:00-da start veriləcək. Qarşılaşmanı FİFA referisi Elçin Məsiyev idarə edəcək.
Günün digər oyunu “Qəbələ” ilə “Araz-Naxçıvan” arasında keçiriləcək. Qəbələ şəhər stadionunda baş tutacaq matçın start fiti saat 18:30-da səslənəcək. Oyunun baş hakimi FİFA referisi Kamal Umudlu olacaq.
29-cu turun qalan görüşləri aprelin 26-da (“Şamaxı” – “Kəpəz”, “Neftçi” – “Qarabağ”) və 27-də (“Turan Tovuz” – “Zirə”, “Sabah” – “Karvan”) keçiriləcək.
Premyer Liqa 29-cu tur 25 aprel
“İmişli” – “Sumqayıt” Hakimlər: Elçin Məsiyev, Elşad Abdullayev, Pərvin Talıbov, Alik Yunusov. VAR: Elvin Bayramov. AVAR: Müslüm Əliyev. Hakim-inspektor: Anar Salmanov. AFFA nümayəndəsi: Eldar Məmmədov. Quba Olimpiya İdman Kompleksinin stadionu, 16:00.
“Qəbələ” – “Araz-Naxçıvan” Hakimlər: Kamal Umudlu, Namiq Hüseynov, Vüsal Məmmədov, Ruslan Quliyev. VAR: Vüqar Həsənli. AVAR: Əkbər Əhmədov. Hakim-inspektor: Orxan Məmmədov. AFFA nümayəndəsi: Elçin Məmmədov. Qəbələ şəhər stadionu, 18:30.
İngiltərə millisinin sabiq hücumçusu Ueyn Runi açıqlama verib.
Futbolpress.az BBC-yə istinadən xəbər verir ki, mütəxəssis keçmiş komanda yoldaşı Kriştiano Ronaldonun yayda keçiriləcək dünya çempionatını qazanmasını istədiyini deyib:
“Arzum odur ki, Ronaldo dünya çempionu olsun. Mundiala baxıb, zövq almaq istəyirəm. İnanıram ki, Portuqaliya millisi və Ronaldo üçün uğurlu yarış olacaq”.
Portuqaliya millisi K qrupunda Özbəkistan, Kolumbiya və Konqo ilə mübarizə aparacaq.
ABŞ, Kanada və Meksikanın ev sahibliyi edəcəyi dünya çempionatı iyunun 11-də start götürəcək.
Bu gün Misli Premyer Liqasında XXIX tura start veriləcək. “Sumqayıt” səfərdə “İmişli”nin qonağı olacaq, “Qəbələ” “Araz-Naxçıvan”ı qəbul edəcək. “Şamaxı”nın bu turdakı rəqibi “Kəpəz” olacaq.
Avrokuboklara vəsiqə uğrunda mübarizə aparan “Neftçi” “Qarabağ”ı qəbul edəcək. “Turan Tovuz” “Zirə”nin, “Sabah” isə autsayder “Karvan-Yevlax”ın müqavimətini qırmağa çalışacaq.
25 aprel 16:00 İmişli – Sumqayıt Əvvəlki oyunlar: 0:1, 0:3 (texniki məğlubiyyətlə)
Tura Qubada start veriləcək. Son üç matçda uduzmayan “İmişli” ötən turda qələbəsizlik seriyasını qıran “Sumqayıt”ı qəbul edəcək. Hər iki komanda liqadakı yerini demək olar, qoruyub. “İmişli” son turlarda qazandığı xallarla autsayderlər zonasından uzaqlaşa bilib. Jorj Jaşkilyanın yetirmələrinin sonuncu olmayacağı dəqiqləşib. “İmişli” kompakt müdafiəsi və standart vəziyyətlərdə təhlükəli oyunu ilə fərqlənir. “Sumqayıt” bu gün Qubadan xalla dönmək üçün ilk növbədə standartlarda maksimum diqqətli oynamalıdır. Görüşdə məhsuldarlığın aşağı olması gözlənilir.
25 aprel 18:30 Qəbələ – Araz-Naxçıvan Əvvəlki oyunlar: 2:1, 1:2
“Qəbələ” liqada qalmaq uğrunda mübarizə aparır. Autsayder “Karvan-Yevlax”ı 5 xal qabaqlayan “qırmızı-qaralar” pley-off zonasından da qurtulmağın yollarını axtarır. Ötən turda “Sumqayıt”a qarşı böyük üstünlüklə oynayan, ancaq heç cür qol vura bilməyən “Qəbələ” uğursuz sindromunu azarkeşləri önündə qırmaq niyyətindədir. Yevlax klubunun bu turda lider “Sabah”la oyunu var və “Qəbələ” qalib gələcəyi halda, yenidən sonuncu ilə xal fərqini artıra bilər.
“Araz-Naxçıvan”ın isə iddiası qalmayıb. Komanda avrokuboklara vəsiqə verən yerlərlə xal fərqini açıb. Baş məşqçi Andrey Demçenko üçün qarşıdakı turlar komandanı görmək adına daha mühüm olacaq.
26 aprel 16:00 Şamaxı – Kəpəz Əvvəlki oyunlar: 2:0, 1:4
“Şamaxı” liqada yerini təmin edib. Ayxan Abbasovun yetirmələri “Qarabağ” və “Zirə”dən xal aldıqdan sonra ötən turda gözlənilmədən autsayder “Karvan-Yevlax”a uduzub. “Şirlər” çempionatda 4 oyundur, qələbə qazana bilmir. “Kəpəz”lə matç seriyanı qırmaq üçün önəmlidir. Liqada iddiası qalmayan “Şamaxı”nın bundan sonra həm də daha çox gənclərə üstünlük verəcəyi ehtimal edilir.
“Kəpəz” isə ardıcıl üç oyundur, uduzur. Gəncə təmsilçisi pley-off zonasından qurtulmaq üçün səfərdən qələbə ilə dönmək niyyətindədir. Klubda baş məşqçi Azər Bağırovla bağlı çıxan ayrılıq iddiaları komandaya da təsirsiz ötüşmür. Situasiyadan çıxmaq üçün qələbə vacibdir və bu tur qazanılacaq üç xal həm turnir cədvəli, həm də komanda üçün xüsusi əhəmiyyət daşıyacaq.
26 aprel 19:00 Neftçi – Qarabağ Əvvəlki oyun: 0:2
Bu mövsüm komandalar bir dəfə üz-üzə gəlib. Dövrənin 2-ci oyunu “Qarabağ”ın Çempionlar Liqasında “Nyukasl”la matçına görə təxirə salınıb və beş gün sonra – 30 apreldə oynanılacaq. “Qarabağ”da liqada çempionluq əldən gedib, bir neçə gün əvvəl də kuboka vida oldu. Bu mövsüm Çempionlar Liqasında tarix yazan, Premyer Liqaya isə heç cür köklənə bilməyən “Qarabağ” derbi qələbəsi ilə azarkeşlərini ruhlandırmaq niyyətindədir.
“Neftçi” üçün isə demək olar, rəqibin bu durumu fürsətdir. Komanda avrokuboklara vəsiqə uğrunda mübarizə aparır. Əsas rəqiblərdən “Zirə” bu turda “Turan Tovuz” səfərinə yollanacaq və “qartallar”ın xal itirmə ehtimalı böyükdür. “Neftçi” bu şansdan yararlanıb, həm “Qarabağ”ı məğlub etməklə derbidəki uğursuz seriyasını sonlandırmaq, həm də dördüncü yerə yüksəlmək niyyətindədir.
27 aprel 18:00 Turan Tovuz – Zirə Əvvəlki oyunlar: 2:0, 0:0
Komandalar Azərbaycan Kubokunun yarımfinalında üz-üzə gəlib və “Zirə” finala yüksəlib. Tərəflər arasındakı ilk matçda yaşanan hakim səhvləri nəticəyə böyük təsiri göstərib. Ona görə də bu tur görüşün prinsipial keçəcəyi gözlənilir. “Turan Tovuz” yerli publika önündə rəqibinə gücünü göstərməyə çalışacaq. Həm də komandanın gümüş medallar qazanmaq şansı var. “Qarabağ”ın “Zirə”yə məğlub olması tovuzlularçün ikiqat motivasiya olacaq.
“Zirə” çempionatda dördüncü sıradadır və kubokda finalda. Rəşad Sadıqovun yetirmələri kuboku qazana bilməzsə və mövsümü dördüncü pillədə bitirərsə, komanda avrokuboklara yollanacaq. İndiki məqamda “qartallar”ın şansları böyükdür. Buna görə “Zirə” hər iki fürsətdən maksimum yararlanmağa çalışacaq.
27 aprel 20:00 Sabah – Karvan-Yevlax Əvvəlki oyunlar: 4:1, 2:0
Premyer Liqada birinci sırada qərarlaşan “Sabah” bu turda tarixinin ilk çempionluğunu rəsmiləşdirə bilər. “Qarabağ”ı 13 xal qabaqlayan “bayquşlar” “atlılar”ın “Neftçi”yə uduzacağı və özünün qələbə qazanacağı halda, sona dörd tur qalmış qızıl medalları təmin edəcək. “Sabah” kubokda da finala yüksəlib. Mövsümü iki titulla başa vurmaq arzusunda olan “Sabah”ın autsayderlə oyunda büdrəyəcəyi gözlənilmir.
“Karvan-Yevlax” son iki oyunda qazandığı qələbələrlə 11-ci pillədəki “Qəbələ” ilə fərqi 5-ə endirib. Yevlax təmsilçisinin riyazi şansları davam edir, lakin komandanın sərgilədiyi oyun liqada qalmaq mübarizəsində güclü inam yaratmır. Ötən tur “Şamaxı”ya qarşı böyük qüvvə ilə müdafiə olunan bölgə klubu bu dəfə “Sabah”a qarşı da eyni taktikadan istifadə etməyə çalışacaq. Lakin “bayquşlar” bu mövsüm əla formadadır və son mərhələdə bolqollu və gözəl oyunla fanatlarına zövq yaşatmaq niyyətindədir.
Azərbaycan millisinin futbolçusu Mahir Emrelinin formasını geyindiyi “Kayzerslautern” II Bundesliqada növbəti oyuna çıxıb.
Futbolpress.az xəbər verir ki, sözügedən komanda azarkeşləri önündə “Braunşveyq”lə qarşılaşıb. Matç “Kayzerslautern”in məğlubiyyəti ilə başa çatıb – 0:2.
Mahir görüşdə iştirak etməyib. Onun adı heyətə daxil edilməyib.
“Kazyerslautern” 31 turdan sonra 46 xalla 7-ci sıradadır.
Futbolpress.az xəbər verir ki, “kral klubu”nun hücumçusu Kilian Mbappe zədələnib. Bu barədə komandanın baş məşqçisi Alvaro Arbeloa La Liqada “Betis”lə matçdan (1:1) sonra jurnalistlərə açıqlamasında deyib. O, Mbappeni zədə aldığına görə ikinci hissədə əvəzlədiyini deyib.
Fransalı hücumçu bu mövsüm 41 oyunda 41 qol vurub, 6 məhsuldar ötürmə edib.
Manchester United are reportedly continuing to closely monitor Juventus defender Pierre Kalulu, with a club official set to attend the player’s next game tomorrow.
The Frenchman, who can play centre-back or right-back, is valued at around €32m by Transfermarkt, and it seems the Red Devils will be watching him in Sunday’s game between Juve and AC Milan, according to Tuttomercatoweb.
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The report doesn’t actually specify if this is a United scout going to the game, merely a club ‘official’, so it could also be that someone will be heading there for talks of some kind.
Do Manchester United need Pierre Kalulu?
Kalulu looks like a fine player and like someone who could strengthen this United defence next season, with the club surely in need of more options in that department.
Matthijs de Ligt has had a lengthy absence through injury this season, while fitness has long been an issue for Lisandro Martinez as well.
Meanwhile, the jury is still out on Leny Yoro, who perhaps hasn’t quite lived up to expectations so far, so Kalulu could come in and make an impact straight away.
All in all, this seems like a worthwhile deal that could be done on the cheap, even if some might argue that MUFC could also possibly do better to pay a bit more money for someone a little younger, and who’s played in the Premier League.
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What our sources said about Pierre Kalulu
As previously reported in our exclusive, we’ve been told that United and Liverpool have had positive feedback from their scouts after watching Kalulu.
“United are looking at a long list of options and Kalulu is one they really like,” another source added. “We can also expect Liverpool to step up their interest, whether or not they lose Ibrahima Konate.”
The Dallas Cowboys have cast a wide net when it came to finding additional talent for their 2026 roster. The club had numerous holes to fill, specifically on defense, and through two rounds of picks, they've added four new players who should contribute in a major way. Thus far, the team has added players they've worked extensively on, adding three college players and one veteran they've been discussing trading for over the past 6-to-8 weeks.
Dee Winters was acquired from the San Fracisco 49ers for the team's final remaining fifth-round pick. Back in 2023, Winters wa a Dallas Day participant. Meanwhile, the team's draft choices at No. 11, No. 23 and now No. 92 were all pre-draft 30 visitors. Caleb Downs, Malachi Lawrence and Jaishawn Barham all visited The Star and got the royal treatment, continuing to prove the Draft Commandment alive and well.
So in trying to figure out which direction the Cowboys will go with their three fourth-round picks, number 112, 114 and 137, the 30 visit list and the Dallas Day list of invites is the first place to look. Here's a look at four names who are still available from Dane Brugler's Top 100.
CB Jermod McCoy, Tennessee - 30 visit - No. 14
DB Keionte Scott, Miami - 30 visit - No. 53
QB Garrett Nussmeier - Dallas Day - No. 81
CB Malik Muhammad - Dallas Day - No. 87
Widening the net now to use CBS Sports' Big Board of over 300 prospects, here are additional names that made their way to the Cowboys' facilities.
For the second straight night of the 2026 NFL Draft, Carolina Panthers president of football operations and general manager Dan Morgan was excited over his work. To be specific, the former linebacker told reporters on Friday that he was jacked over his haul of nose tackle Lee Hunter and wide receiver Chris Brazzell II.
In Hunter, the Panthers have themselves a 318-pound, first-team All-American space eater to help plug up the middle of their defensive line. And in Brazzell, they may finally have that home-run threat they were looking for—and in the form of a lengthy 6-foot-4 target.
So, are the experts just as jacked up as Morgan is?
Here are some of their grades for Carolina's second- and third-round picks . . .
Expert grades for DL Lee Hunter (49th overall)
Christian D'Andrea/Robert Zeglinski (For The Win): C
Sky: Door now wide open for Man Utd to seal ‘incredible bargain’ after entering race for 43-capped Portugal whiz
Rafael Leao could be available for as little as £40 million if he departs AC Milan this summer.
The 43-capped Portugal star is considering pulling the curtains on his San Siro tenure in the coming months after seven years in Italy.
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MUFC among Rafael Leao’s suitors this summer
Should he decide to do so, there will be a number of top European clubs forming an orderly queue to try and secure his signature – Manchester United being one.
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While midfield will take priority in INEOS’ plans, attacking depth will be necessary if United are to be playing Champions League football next season.
Additionally, they are poised to facilitate the exits of forwards Marcus Rashford and Rasmus Hojlund, as well as Jadon Sancho, who is out of contract in June.
Leao could be a ‘bargain’ coup for teams
Amid reports Leao might be available for such a cut-price fee of £40m, Sky Sports journalist Dougie Critchley has said it’s an ‘incredible potential bargain’.
At only 26, the player has a list of accolades and experience to his name that sets him apart from plenty of his counterparts across the continent, such as being a Scudetto winner and Serie A MVP winner.
He has returned nine goals and three assists in 25 league appearances this term. Last season, he registered only eight goals in 34 matches, but did contribute 10 assists.
Los Angeles Rams quarterback Ty Simpson attends his first presser after being drafted in the first round of the NFL Draft on April 24th, 2026 at Hollywood Park.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. — The plane touched down sometime after midnight.
Ty Simpson had slept maybe two hours, his head pressed against a window at 30,000 feet, dreaming with his eyes open.
He didn't need rest. He needed this.
The California number that rang at 6:20 p.m. the night before had turned a kid from Tennessee into property of the Los Angeles Rams.
First round. Thirteenth pick.
A redneck in Los Angeles, by his own admission.
"I slept on the plane for like two hours," Simpson said, his voice carrying the rasp of a man hopped up on adrenaline like a case of Monsters. "But I was super fired up. I was like, man, I get to talk to LA media. I'm blessed to be here."
Blessed. The word he keeps coming back to.
The word that anchored him through three years on the Alabama bench, through the Rose Bowl disaster, through the doubt that clings to a quarterback with only 15 college starts like a second skin.
SoFi Stadium rose out of the Inglewood flatland like a spaceship that landed wrong. Simpson had been here before. He remembered it differently.
"We did a walkthrough in SoFi, and it was raining, too," Simpson said. "I was like, man, this is really weird. Why am I feeling rain, and it's in Cali, and it's like a dome? That was the last thing I ever thought about SoFi. Ironically enough, it's going to be my home stadium."
Irony is the backbone of this story.
The same building where he completed 11 of 24 passes for 98 yards and an interception against Indiana, where Alabama's season died in the College Football Playoff, now houses his locker.
The same tunnel where he told a friend, "I've never felt more alone," now leads to his workplace.
He lost everything here once. Now he's being asked to win everything here someday.
"I guess like a redneck in Los Angeles, California," he said. "We'll see how that goes."
Nick Saban taught him something that stuck deeper than any playbook.
Expectations are anchors. They drag you down before you ever learn to swim.
"I learned from Coach Saban that if you have expectations, you're always bound to fail," Simpson said. "If I come in here and say, well, I want to win rookie of the year. Well, Matthew Stafford just won the MVP. How's that going to be? That's going to be a fail."
So he arrived with no expectations. Only process.
Only the next meeting, the next rep, the next day of getting better.
He didn't come to Los Angeles to become something. He came to Los Angeles to become.
"My plan is to just get better each day," Simpson said. "Today starts my NFL career, and tomorrow will be the second day. I just want to get better each and every day so eventually I have a long career like Matthew."
Sean McVay's offense is not foreign to him. It's familiar like running into an old friend at a new job.
Ryan Grubb's system at Alabama demanded detail. Footwork. Steps. Play-action fakes that look exactly like run plays. Under-center drops.
Manipulating defenses with your eyes, your shoulders, your feet. McVay's system asks the same questions.
"It starts with the line of scrimmage," Simpson said. "You can tell Matthew is in the huddle, taking control. He's going up to the line, making sure we're in the right formation, right checks. We're under center, we're going seven-step drops, play action. The unique ways to get to different routes. Puka Nacua inserting and running across. We're in 13 personnel running boots. Matthew's footwork of manipulating the defense. Everything is just so detail-oriented."
Detail-oriented––the phrase that separates backup quarterbacks from starters in McVay's world.
Simpson watched Stafford on tape the way a thief studies a vault. He saw the footwork. He saw the control. He saw a man who doesn't flinch.
"Matthew Stafford throws the ball with conviction," Simpson said. "Doesn't care what happens. He might throw a pick on the drive before. He's coming back and throwing the same type ball. That dude is an assassin."
Stafford didn't call first. Kelly Stafford did.
She found Simpson on Instagram, welcomed him to Los Angeles, told him to hit her up if his family ever needed anything. The reigning MVP's wife broke the ice before the reigning MVP said a word.
"I have not talked to Matthew yet," Simpson said. "But Kelly has texted me. I can't wait to talk to Matthew. I'm super ecstatic because I just want to pick his brain about everything, soak up all that knowledge."
Soak. The verb of a man who knows he's not ready but refuses to stay that way.
Simpson compared his situation to his apprenticeship in Alabama.
He sat behind Bryce Young. He sat behind Jalen Milroe. He learned by watching, by waiting, by wondering when his time would come.
"The years that I sat were just as probably more important than the years that I played," Simpson said. "I had to learn how to practice. I had to learn how to study when I wasn't playing because I didn't know when that time was going to come. Whenever that time did come, I made the most of it."
McVay's reputation preceded him. Simpson had heard the stories.
The energy. The football obsession. The first meeting confirmed every rumor.
"He's got the juice, man," Simpson said. "That dude is a guy who's just a fireball. He loves ball. I'm so blessed to be a part of this organization and have him as a coach because you can really tell that he cares for his players."
Caring––the intangible that doesn't show up in playbooks but shows up in wins. Simpson noted the similarity to his last college coach.
"It's very similar to how it was with Coach DeBoer at Alabama. I'm super pumped to get in that room," Simpson said.
Quinton Lake texted him first. A defensive back reached across the aisle to welcome the new quarterback.
Dresser Winn, a former Ram and family friend, was at the draft with Simpson when Lake's message came through. Winn's reaction said everything.
"He was like, dude, he's so cool, that's awesome," Simpson recalled. "I can't wait to say what's up to him and get to know everybody. I'm super pumped to get in the locker room and create those relationships."
Relationships––the currency of a quarterback who knows he can't do this alone.
Simpson hasn't met Stetson Bennett yet, the incumbent backup he'll supposedly compete with, but he's heard the stories. Two national championships at Georgia. A winner.
"I've heard he's a great guy," Simpson said. "David Morris worked with him on his draft prep. He's a Georgia guy. A guy who won two national championships, so he's a really good player. I'm really looking forward to being in a room with him."
Underneath the playbook and the press conferences, Simpson built his first 24 hours on something older than football. Faith. Family. The refusal to let a game define a man.
"I'm a profound Christian," Simpson said. "I firmly believe that my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ died on the cross for our sins. I was taught that at a young age from my parents. I lean on the Lord through everything, through the trials and tribulations that I had at Alabama. Starting off the year not great, losing to Florida State, then going on a run and winning nine in a row versus five ranked opponents, six ranked opponents."
Football isn't the world to him. That's the secret. That's why he can walk into SoFi Stadium, remember the rain, remember the loss, and still smile.
"Football isn't the world to me," Simpson said. "Don't get me wrong, I love football, and I want to be here until I can't, but my faith is the biggest thing for me. I want to not only be the best football player I can be, but I want to be a better teammate, a better person. I want people to come in the locker room and smile knowing that, hey, Ty's here. I want to leave, influence people."
He turned down $6 million in NIL money to return to Alabama for one more year. Then he turned around and declared early anyway, betting on himself against the advice of common sense.
"I have no regrets at all," Simpson said. "I bet on myself. I felt like I was ready. Now I just got to prove it. Coach Saban always said, 'This is not the end. This is just the beginning.' Well, this is just the beginning of my NFL career."
The beginning. Twenty-four hours old. Two hours of sleep. One dream materialized.
Simpson walked through the Rams facility with his family beside him: his father, Jason, who'd held him up when the draft call came, and his people, who'd sacrificed time and money and weekends for this single moment.
"It's been a blessing," he said. "Something I've worked really hard for. They've sacrificed a lot for me, a lot of their time to come to my things. God has blessed us in so many different ways. Giving all the glory back to him is why we're here. Spreading the good news. The fact that I get to do that on a national platform and a professional platform like the NFL is something I couldn't ask for a better script."
He stood in front of cameras running on fumes and faith, answering questions about a future he can't predict and a present he refuses to take for granted. Simpson talked about play-action fakes, footwork details and Matthew Stafford's assassin's calm.
He talked about being a redneck in Los Angeles and making SoFi Stadium his home.
But the sentence that mattered most came early. Simple. Almost thrown away.
"Today starts my NFL career," Ty Simpson said. "Tomorrow will be the second day."
One day at a time. No expectations. No shortcuts. Just process. Just work.
Just a kid from Tennessee who lost in Pasadena and refuses to lose himself in Los Angeles.
HOUSTON — Technically, the Lakers had not gotten across the finish line yet — 35 seconds and a five-point lead still flashed on the overtime clock hovering over Toyota Center — but the teary-eyed look of defeat across every member in red as they trudged back on the floor told a painful, regretful tale. The white flag had already fallen out of their collective pocket.
In the blink of an eye, the Rockets had gone from hopeful to horrendous. The valiant efforts taken to eradicate a 15-point deficit and turn it into a six-point lead were now wiped from memory. A series of critical errors in a span of roughly half a minute — a pair of careless turnovers by Jabari Smith Jr. and Reed Sheppard, leading to a pair of subsequent steals by Marcus Smart and LeBron James — highlighted the spectrum of experience that has spanned across three games this series and what ultimately threatens Houston’s existence.
The tunnel that connects both locker rooms depicted just as much; cheers and high-fives at one end, silence and shuffling of feet at the other. The Rockets, for large portions of Game 3, had no business being in that contest, yet failed to grasp the olive branch the Lakers dangled out on Friday evening; a reminder that life is all about second chances, just not in April.
“Horrendous mistakes,” head coach Ime Udoka said following Houston’s 112-108 overtime loss that pushed his team into a 3-0 hole after it had a 99.8% chance of winning with a six-point lead in the final 35 seconds of regulation, according to InPredictable. “I don’t know if you want to say youth, scared of the moment or whatever the case, but you have a six-point lead with 30 seconds to go. Just have to hold the ball and get fouled. To combat it, make it worse and [commit] a terrible foul, another turnover and James makes a tough shot. And then the final play for the last shot, we don’t run what was drawn up. All of the above.”
The bitter truth for the Rockets, as they stare at a deficit no team in NBA history has ever come back from, is that this game and series is a microcosm of the issues that have plagued them since October. For the third straight game, the Rockets attempted more field goals (19 more, to be exact) than Los Angeles. They snagged twice as many offensive rebounds (18 to 9) as their opponent, scored more points off those second chances, turned the ball over less and scored more in transition and also in the restricted area. From a pure possessional standpoint, the crux of which today’s basketball — and especially the postseason — is based upon, there’s not much more the Rockets could have done structurally speaking.
But the problems, oh the problems, are aplenty. Houston generated a meager 85.9 points per 100 half-court possessions, a rate worse than Utah, Sacramento, every modern tanking team known to mankind and the Sunday rec league faithfuls. The Rockets, a low-volume 3-point shooting team by nature, have been forced out in the middle of the dance floor of a middle-school homecoming, and, like an awkward teenager, have been embarrassed, shooting just 28.7% from long distance, third-worst among playoff teams.
Without Kevin Durant, who missed Game 3 nursing an ankle sprain, one could have assumed the Lakers, who had already built a reputation on doubling and trapping the veteran scorer, would dial down their attempts. Not only did Los Angeles continue to mix in traps and doubles for both Reed Sheppard and Alperen Şengün — who missed 27 combined shots and turned the ball over eight times — but they consistently forced Houston to take low-percentage shots. During the regular season, Durant-less lineups had an effective field-goal percentage of just 53.1%, with a poor turnover and free-throw rate. That same monster reared its ugly head in Game 3, with the Rockets finishing with a 46.4 effective field-goal percentage, turning the ball over on nearly 17% of possessions and finishing with a negative free-throw rate — despite posting otherworldly offensive rebounding numbers.
(With or without Durant in Game 4, the Rockets desperately need both Şengün and Sheppard to come with elimination-level desperation and efficiency. Şengün took three quarters to arrive at the party, scoring 16 points in the fourth quarter and overtime, but rushed his final few possessions. Sheppard, for all intents and purposes, struggled against the Lakers’ size and strength and looks overmatched physically in the series.)
“It wasn’t enough,” Şengün said. “I guess I could have done more on defensive positions, some missed shots. I still did a good job, but like I said, it wasn’t enough, so I’ve got to come better on Sunday.”
Game 4 on Sunday, Houston’s last chance of survival, will require a collective energy unseen in these parts this season. Despite the loss, there are certainly positive takeaways that should spill over. The Rockets did a phenomenal job in the second half defensively, leaning on their brute force, switching and taking away some of the Lakers’ go-to actions, holding them to just 38 points in the second half. Smith, who finished with 24 points and shot 6-of-10 from 3, displayed the combination of aggression, versatility and shot-making that this team has been crying out for since he was drafted in 2022. Amen Thompson, with 26 points and 11 rebounds, was a decisive downhill force and found success when the Lakers extended their defensive shell.
But if LeBron and Smart continue to turn back the clock, if Rui Hachimura continues to score efficiently and if Bronny James, with five points in nine minutes, is going to outscore Houston’s entire bench again, Cancun is going to become quite populated in the very near future.
“This is very, very disappointing,” Smith said. “So definitely a terrible feeling, but from here on out we got to win. Every game is a Game 7 and got to dig deep, find it and win four in a row.”
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers let the board fall their way to land Rueben Bain Jr. in Round 1, and on night two, they kicked things off by landing multiple playmakers. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected linebacker Josiah Trotter out of Missouri with the 48th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, but then they added wide receiver Ted Hurst with the 84th overall pick.
Hurst is a player we did not get eyes on during our scouting window. However, NFL Media's Lance Zierlein wrote up a scouting report on the Georgia State wide receiver, and we wanted to share some of those notes.
He writes, "Long-legged, vertical-minded wideout with the speed and ability to stress corners from snap to whistle. Hurst is quick to beat press and hit the accelerator into his route work. He has the hips, feet and balance to run a more robust route tree than what we saw from him in college. He’s an above-average ball-tracker deep and a dangerous catch-and-run option. The hands are average and he needs to become more assertive on 50/50 balls on all three levels. Hurst appears capable of surviving the jump in competition and projects as a 'Z' receiver with quality upside."
He gave Hurst a round two grade, which makes this a great value for the Bucs. It will be interesting to see how new playcaller Zac Robinson is able to utilize him in 2026 and beyond.
NEW DELHI: Former New Zealand and Essex all-rounder Doug Bracewell has been handed a two-year suspension after testing positive for cocaine during an English County Championship match last year.
Bracewell’s positive test came on September 25, 2025, while he was playing for Essex County Cricket Club against Somerset County Cricket Club at Chelmsford. After being notified of the positive result, Bracewell retired from cricket on December 28.
The 35-year-old admitted to using cocaine after the first day of the fixture and again in the early hours before the start of play on the second day.
Despite his retirement, Bracewell - who had signed for Essex for the final three Championship matches of the season - was still handed a two-year ban by the Cricket Regulator.
He had previously served a one-month suspension in 2024 after testing positive for cocaine during New Zealand’s ‘Super Smash’ T20 competition.
The latest suspension has been backdated to November 24, 2025 - the date of his provisional ban - and will remain in effect until November 23, 2027.
Bracewell, who represented New Zealand in 69 matches across formats, has accepted the sanction, while Essex will not face any punishment.
“Essex can confirm that Doug Bracewell failed a routine drugs test in September 2025,” the club said in a statement on Friday.
“The club supports the Cricket Regulator's decision to impose a period of ineligibility of two years. All employees are required to meet the highest standards of professional conduct.
“While the club does not condone Bracewell's behaviour, we are committed to supporting him through rehabilitation in line with our policies and procedures.”
That's been a position that has been named as one of the Patriots' top needs in the draft, and New England wasted no time in securing a top defender to add to the depth chart.
In the second round, the Patriots traded up and selected Illinois edge Gabe Jacas, whom executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf said came as a surprise that he was still available.
"Yeah, we were exploring the board, and Gabe was the highest-rated player that we had on there. Obviously, at a position of need, and we just felt like rather than waiting," Wolf told reporters following the conclusion of rounds 2 and 3. "I was a little bit surprised that he wasn't off the board already. So, we tried to pull the trigger. We were calling a bunch of teams before we ended up making the trade, and fortunately, the Chargers wanted to acquire some more picks, so we were able to get up and get the player that we coveted."
Wolf added that the play style is what they are "all about," adding that they noticed his "toughness, determination, grit."
"He plays a ton of snaps. He plays really hard. He's super physical," he added. "He runs to the ball. Not afraid to take on blockers. His junior year, he played a little bit more inside on third downs and things like that, so that's something that we felt like he could do. Just really the play style is something that stood out, and as far as the visit, this guy is high energy. He's all about football. He wants to be good. He's powerful.
And with that, it also helps that the entire coaching staff was a huge fan of Jacas, with Wolf saying they were "ecstatic" to draft him.
"He was one of the guys that came in and everyone was just kind of gushing about him," Wolf explained. "His energy, his personality. He's all about football. He's a tough guy. Frank Piraino, our strength coach, was fired up about him because he's a weight room guy and a wrestler which, obviously, Frank has that background as well. So yeah, he made quite an impression when he was here."
One thing is clear: Jacas is in the right place to develop into a truly top-tier defender.
Michael Carrick: Bruno Fernandes pays ultimate compliment
Manchester United are a transformed team under Michael Carrick, and the results prove it.
When Ruben Amorim was sacked, United were sixth in the Premier League table, 11 points behind Aston Villa in third, and also trailing Liverpool and Chelsea in the race for Champions League football.
Fast forward four months, and the Red Devils are third, in the driving seat to qualify for Europe’s premier club competition, with multiple players looking reborn under the caretaker head coach.
Bruno Fernandes is the perfect example. Having played in a deeper role under Amorim, the club captain is back doing what he does best: terrorising defences while playing in the No.10 role.
Bruno Fernandes, a player reborn under Michael Carrick
And the Portuguese superstar lavished praise on the former United midfielder for the impact he has had in such a short span of time.
Speaking to Wayne Rooney, the 31-year-old explained (via BBC), “When he came in, he had the positive energy the team needed.
“Not just nice words but when he needed something stronger, or something softer, something to bring the team together. That was not just important for the team but the whole environment.
“We weren’t thinking about what could have been or what we should have done. Very quickly we changed to, ‘it didn’t work out, let’s turn on to the other one and push to achieve what we want this season’.
Skipper lavishes praise on Michael Carrick
The Portugal international always knew Michael Carrick had what it takes to be a great head coach during his first spell in charge of the team following Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s sacking.
“He had three games as a manager. The way he prepared for the games and the way he spoke to us made you think he was more than an assistant manager. He was ready for the next step.”
Interestingly, Fernandes also added that he and his teammates did not think they would climb up to third so quickly.
“We have got very good results. This league is so tough and at this moment, we are in the best position we could be. When Michael came in, we never thought at this moment, we would be third.”
Job not done yet
The ex-England international‘s impact cannot be understated. While performances have been inconsistent recently, the fact that United are in such a strong position shows what a great job he has done.
However, the head coach cannot afford to rest on his laurels just yet. United need a maximum of six points to guarantee Champions League football from their remaining five games. Who knows? In the process, Michael Carrick might just cement his place in the dugout for the long term as well.
Three brilliant saves at the end of the first half kept Real Madrid in front, and two of them were above and beyond expectation. Added another excellent fingertip stop from Natan in the second. A strong response to some criticism in recent days, there was no wishing for Thibaut Courtois in this match.
Trent Alexander-Arnold – 8
Should have had an assist for a ridiculous golf drive in behind the Betis defence, and played several lovely passes. In the opening hour, he was also one of Real Madrid’s most active players on the ball, trying to unpick the opposition and arriving at the right time. Docked points as Betis caused more of their issues down his side, and he went missing a couple of times against Ez Abde.
Antonio Rudiger – 5.5
Lucky to get away with a weak header that sent Cedric Bakambu through on goal. Otherwise relatively correct for most of the game, but neither did he impress.
Dean Huijsen – 5.5
Huijsen read the game really well for the most part, but a couple of times his touch of all things let him down, allowing Betis to regain possession. Was caught out and forced to swipe down Antony on one of those occasions where he saw it, but couldn’t get there. Had a couple of nice blocks.
Ferland Mendy – 6
Antony was essentially a non-factor in terms of his dribbling, and Mendy was the reason for that. Does what he does very well, but little on the ball. Water is wet. Regardless of the debate over the foul in the goal, Mendy should have been stronger.
Jude Bellingham – 7
Bellingham is no longer one of the players Real Madrid are trying to play for, and while that’s taking something away from him in the opposition box, it is providing some rhythm to his game. Another smooth performance on the ball, if he could have made better use of his shooting opportunities…
Thiago Pitarch – 4.5
What started as a moment of inexperience is now a habit. One bad giveaway that resulted in a clear chance, and another missed clearance in the box that also required Lunin to bail him out. Pitarch had one really nice move and pass for Kylian Mbappe, and was diligent otherwise, but fortunate again.
Fede Valverde – 6.5
His shot leads to the Vinicius goal, and he gets through a lot of defensive work. Yet there is the inescapable feeling that the game continues to pass him by in the middle. Did have one very nice run and shot late in the second half.
Brahim Diaz – 6.5
Always busy, but struggled to make an impact in this one. Los Blancos were somewhat constipated in front of the Betis box, and Brahim was a contributor to that.
Kylian Mbappe – 4
Missed a clear chance after being sent through by Alexander-Arnold, showing a baffling lack of composure. A couple of nice moves, but failed to make anything of them, embodied by his break down the right side, and failure to pick out Vinicius on the other side of the box. Seems completely disconnected from his teammates at times. Came off late on with an apparent injury.
Vinicius Junior – 7
Got the crucial goal in the first half, but struggled to really cause Hector Bellerin the issues you might expect. Went long periods without really getting involved. Late on had a brilliant run to seal the match, only for him to take an air shot at the last moment.
Substitutes
David Alaba – 6
Completely misjudged a tackle that allowed Cucho Hernandez past him. Otherwise largely correct and untested.
Eduardo Camavinga – 6
Had made a couple of nice runs forward, but perhaps could have been more alert to close down Antony in the equaliser. Familiar wings and roundabouts.
Manuel Angel – 6.5
Had little time to make an impact.
Gonzalo Garcia – 5.5
On for the final 10 minutes for Mbappe, but couldn’t make himself a nuisance to the Betis defence.
Real Madrid star Kylian Mbappe exits Real Betis draw after requesting substitution
Real Madrid star Kylian Mbappe has picked up an injury during their 1-1 draw with Real Betis on Friday night at La Cartuja, Hector Bellerin coming up with a late equaliser to further close the door on their title challenge. The French forward was the one that requested the change, without clear indication of what had happened.
Around minute 80 during the tie, with Real Madrid leading Betis by a goal, Mbappe went down the right side taking on defenders, before playing a pass across the box to Vinicius, after which he briefly went to the ground. Back on his feet quickly, Mbappe immediately asked for a substitution. He then went straight down the tunnel, without being examined by the medical staff.
“I don’t know, no idea. He had discomfort. And we’ll see how he progresses in the coming days,” he noted. Los Blancos will no doubt be hoping that it is not a similar case to that of Arda Guler and Eder Militao, who were ruled out for the season on Thursday.
Mbappe believed to have suffered hamstring strain
Militao also exited Real Madrid’s win over Alaves as a precaution, before being diagnosed with a hamstring tear. The hope will be that Mbappe fares better, with Diario AS reporting that the suspicion is a hamstring strain. If that is the case, Mbappe would likely be back in time to face Espanyol next weekend, and Barcelona in El Clasico in two weeks’ time.
Manchester City vs Southampton: Latest City injury news and predicted City starting XI
The Premier League takes a back seat for Manchester City this weekend as Pep Guardiola’s side faces Southampton today at Wembley in the first FA Cup semi-final. Southampton enter today’s match off the back of a 20-match unbeaten run, and the Saints have positioned themselves well in the Championship to potentially earn promotion. So while City are the red-hot favourites for today’s match, a tough challenge does await Manchester City at Wembley.
Here is the latest City injury news and my predicted City starting eleven for today’s FA Cup semi-final.
Latest City injury news.
Manchester City enter today’s match with three players unavailable due to injury. Once again, Josko Gvardiol and Ruben Dias will miss today’s match. Gvardiol is building his way back to fitness from the right tibial fracture he sustained at the beginning of 2026. Ruben Dias remains sidelined due to an ankle injury, and he may return at the beginning of next month for the final stages of this season.
Lastly, Rodri will not feature in today’s FA Cup semi-final. Pep Guardiola told the media that City will not take any risks with the fitness of their midfield general. When asked yesterday, during his pre-game press conference, if Rodri would play today, Guardiola said: “No. We don’t want to take the risk. I don’t know yet [if he will feature against Everton – hopefully, but as I say, we don’t want to take risks.”
“If he’s injured we lose him for the next three and he’s so important.”
While Southampton will be a tricky opponent for Manchester City today, you do sense that Pep Guardiola may rotate his squad for today’s match at Wembley. During Manchester City’s 1-0 win over Burnley, it did look like fatigue had hit Pep Guardiola’s first-choice starting XI. Today’s match may be an opportunity for Pep Guardiola to give his fringe players an opportunity to impress and prove that they can contribute on the biggest stage for Manchester City. My predicted City starting XI has come from this notion and can be seen below.
Meg Jones has won 35 for caps for England as well as travelling to three Olympics - Rio 2016, Tokyo 2021 and Paris 2024 - as part of the Great Britain Sevens set-up [Getty Images]
Asked to pick her favourite rugby memory, Meg Jones side-steps the obvious.
England's Rugby World Cup win back in September may be the pinnacle of her professional career, but Jones spools back a few more years to when the stage was smaller, but, for her, the stakes were just as high - a trial for Cardiff Schoolboys Under-12 team.
"It was just one of those turning points in your journey," Jones tells BBC Sport.
"I was the only girl. I had trialled the year before and not got in. That was the first time I'd ever faced some sort of rejection or maybe things not going my way within the game."
Jones wasn't concerned that her gender was counting against her. Instead she saw parental bank balances tipping the selection scales.
"It was very much the rich boys who got in," she says.
"If your dad was rich, you were probably getting in. My dad was a pipefitter welder from Cardiff, so I was part of a very working-class family. The team I played for - Glamorgan Wanderers - were from a very low socio-economic area in Cardiff, called Ely.
"I spoke to one of the boys from that trial literally years later and he said: 'You know, I was meant to be selected for that, but you were so good they had to pick you.'
"That day just cemented all the values and beliefs that I had in this game: If you're good enough, you're good enough. No matter where you're from, what you look like, what gender you are, whether you're big, small, all these things, if you're good enough, you will be respected."
On Saturday, Jones - a fluent Welsh speaker, born and raised in Cardiff - will captain England against her home country for the first time.
On the face of it, crossing between camps in one of rugby's oldest and fiercest rivalries might strain respect.
Jones, whose mother was English and who headed east to famous rugby nursery Hartpury College aged 16, is an exceptional case however.
Gwennan Harries taught Jones at Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Glantaf, the school she attended in north west Cardiff, and remembers the reverence her rugby skills were held in.
"I was a student teacher during Meg's time here," says Harries.
"But I'd heard about her pretty quickly because she played in the boys team and she did carry the team a little bit.
"The boys actually loved her. They were a talented bunch themselves, but they were gutted when Meg had to stop playing with them."
Jones went from under-15s rugby to playing for England in just three years [Huw Evans Picture Agency]
Rules preventing mixed teams meant as a teenager Jones' rugby was confined to evenings and weekends with her club - Cardiff Quins. But she continued to excel at school sport.
"With that good a skillset, she could transfer across a number of different sports," remembers Harries. "She was part of the talented hockey team that won a national title."
Every Friday, at Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Glantaf, the pupils would sing the Welsh anthem. Harries herself has sung it on bigger stages, representing Wales in football on 56 occasions. Jones initially imagined doing the same, with her own rugby future in red.
But as she got older and assessed the best route for her own development, Jones decided to pursue England, rather than Wales.
It paid off. Jones made her Red Roses debut at just 18, starting at fly-half in a 26-7 defeat by New Zealand in July 2015.
She has fulfilled all that youthful potential; becoming one of the women's game's best players, a World Cup winner and a nominee for World Player of the Year.
And this year, after the announcement that Zoe Stratford was stepping away from the game to have a baby, she became England captain.
There is a corner of the skipper that remains forever Cardiff though.
"I still represent them, do you know what I mean?," says Jones.
"Just because I've got the red rose on my chest... I still represent those parts of me, of course I do."
Back in Cardiff, that link is deep, real and reciprocated.
"Even though she's wearing the red rose, which obviously is not something that is normally celebrated much in Wales, everybody here is Meg's biggest supporter," says Harries.
"What we all really admire about Meg is the fact that she's chosen her own path, but she hasn't forgotten her roots.
"It'd be very easy to be all in now with England and leave that side of it. But she's always willing to do any interviews in Welsh and celebrate her Welshness. She's very, very proud of where she came from.
"And that's massive for the pupils here, for them to see that you can chase your dreams, but never forget where you've come from.
"Never forget your roots, and be proud of that, and be proud of who you are, and celebrate that you've got those different sides to you.
"She's a real inspiration to everybody, whether you're a rugby fan or not, whether you're Welsh or whether you're English, it doesn't matter.
"She's just a real true role model in every essence of the word."
Jones regularly returns to her old school, doing coaching sessions, presenting awards and inspiring the next generation.
While there was no girls school rugby team for Jones to represent during her time at Glantaf, now there are several.
Jones senior has helped nurture her younger namesake, putting on a one-on-one kicking session on a visit to Glantaf. On another occasion she presented young Meg with a pair of her boots, prompting the pupil to dissolve into tears of joy.
Harries has taken photos of the two Meg Joneses together through the years in the hope that one day the two will complete the montage by posing together after facing each other at senior level.
"We'd absolutely love that. It would be a great story, wouldn't it?" says Harries.
If it comes to fruition, there would be no sentimental soft-pedalling from Jones though.
After more than a decade of representing England, the ties are strong.
"I've given so much for this shirt," Jones says of England.
"I would fight to hell and back for this team and I've done that for years. I'd do anything for this team and to be the best version of myself for them, 100%.
"But, in the back of my head, I think that Welsh fire, that Welsh passion, that little bit of grit - those are also the things that I bring. And the Welsh accent doesn't leave you!"
A split identity, but undivided loyalty. Jones is a unifying figure for women's rugby on both sides of the border.
After two days, the Los Angeles Rams have yet to select a wide receiver in the 2026 NFL Draft. This offseason, much of the media coverage was about their failed attempt to acquire A.J. Brown and their relationships with the top pass catchers in the draft, especially after the franchise attempted to trade up for Tetairoa McMillan and Emeka Egbuka last season.
All of those potential prospects have been plucked by other squads, leaving the situation in a state of uncertainty. Following their Day 2 selections, head coach Sean McVay and general manager Les Snead spoke about their decision not to draft a receiver so far and what their process looks like heading into Saturday.
Snead stated that there will be a possibility that the Rams draft a receiver, saying they could consider a receiver with just about every pick.
"Yeah, definitely know that," he said of the need to address wideout. "So, probably every pick we go to, there's a receiver we could pick, but I think we were intentional."
McVay added they have confidence in their current receiver room of Davante Adams, Puka Nacua, Jordan Whittington, Konata Mumpfield, and Xavier Smith, while also acknowledging there were receivers they liked on Friday who got picked before them.
"There was receivers that we had like for that that were there today that were part of the discussions, and sometimes, the other teams kind of end up making some of those decisions for you," McVay said.
"But it is important, but we've also got some guys that are going to get better," he continued. "You know, Jordan Whittington, he's going to continue to get better. You look at Mumpfield, he's going to continue to get better. Xavier Smith, these guys are the way they approach it, they're going to continue to improve. We obviously know that, you know, our pass game is going to be heavily revolved around Puka and Davante, but that is something that we definitely have talked about and we'll see if that comes to fruition tomorrow."
The Rams are clearly leaving their options open, taking each selection as it comes. As a result of the trade for Trent McDuffie, the Rams only have four remaining selections: one in the sixth round and three in the seventh. The Rams have drafted QB Ty Simpson, TE Max Klare, and OL Keagen Trost so far.
A Day 2 pick of the Carolina Panthers from 2025 seems happy about a Day 2 pick of the Carolina Panthers from 2026.
On Friday night, the reigning NFC South champions traded up in the second round to select defensive lineman Lee Hunter with the 49th overall pick. The Texas Tech standout and 2025 first-team All-American is an eye-catching prospect—from his 6-foot-3, 318-pound frame to the destruction he displays on the field.
Well, Hunter seemed to catch the eye of Panthers outside linebacker Princely Umanmielen. Umanmielen, who actually had his name called this time last year, posted the following to Twitter/X following Hunter's selection:
Hunter's tape shows a space-eating wrecking ball that can open up opportunities for the defenders behind him. And that should certainly appeal to Umanmielen, as the 2025 third-rounder looks to take the next step forward as a pass rusher in 2026.
But for now, Hunter may have a new fan in a new teammate.
It took over four hours, but we finally made it. The 2026 NFL Draft now has three rounds complete, which makes it a good time to take a survey of the skill positions.
Understand, this year’s draft class isn’t the buzziest group for immediate fantasy purposes. In a sense, this almost feels like a gap year — an ellipses before the loaded Class of 2027 gets ready for its NFL close-up. But any seasonal fantasy player needs to be up to date with rookies who hold plausible upside, and we’ll address that here.
Let’s break down some active teams by position, starting with the signature spot, wide receiver.
Wide receiver all the rage
A whopping 17 wideouts have been selected through the first three rounds, and we know from experience that even second- and third-round wideouts have a chance to pop in their first season. Let’s highlight the teams making the most noise.
Eagles passing game ready to fly again?
The Eagles have remodeled their receiver room more than any other team this offseason, surely with the knowledge that A.J. Brown will be traded in June. USC star Makai Lemon was drafted in Thursday’s first round, on the heels of several veteran additions (Dontayvion Wicks, Hollywood Brown, Elijah Moore). The Eagles also took seam TE Eli Stowers with a second-round pick, no immediate threat to Dallas Goedert but an interesting future option, and OT Markel Bell to fortify the offensive line.
With Jalen Hurts heading into his sixth full season as a starter, I wonder if the Eagles will become more pass-friendly. Hurts only has one season with more than 500 pass attempts. Lemon won’t be handed a starting job on arrival, but he has enough talent to push for flex value as a rookie.
Browns and Dolphins give WR rooms much-needed makeovers
The Browns also recognized they needed an offensive makeover, and four of their first five picks landed on that side of the ball. First-round WR KC Concepcion is a splash play waiting to happen, and given how pedestrian the Cleveland receiver room was last season, he should get reps right away. While Concepcion is a smaller speed merchant, second-round WR Denzel Boston is a power forward, checking in at 6-foot-3 and 212 pounds. He’s terrific at making contested catches, and could quickly become a trust throw for whoever the Browns start at quarterback.
These picks don’t reflect well on Jerry Jeudy, who is coming off a poor season. It’s also very likely second-year TE Harold Fannin Jr. will lead this team in receiving in 2026. But for once, it’s nice to see the Browns teeming with upside at the pass-catcher spots. Your move, Todd Monken.
The Dolphins entered this month with the worst receiver room in the NFL, so it was no surprise to see them select Caleb Douglas and Chris Bell in the third round. Douglas offered more tools (4.39 speed; 6-foot-4, 206 pounds) than output in his college career, though he did post 114-1,723-13 numbers for Texas Tech the last two years. There’s no reason he can’t be one of the team’s primary receivers early in 2026. Bell is a wait-for-it upside pick, coming off ACL surgery in mid-December. He had a possible first-round grade before the injury; keep expectations tempered for 2026.
Quick-hitters
The Titans needed a legitimate No. 1 target and they trust Carnell Tate (the fourth pick Thursday) can be that guy, even if Tate was a secondary option at Ohio State (Jeremiah Smith is that good).
The Saints will be happy if WR Jordyn Tyson is a solid second target next to Chris Olave, and the Jets have similar hopes for Omar Cooper Jr. (a slot playmaker to complement Garrett Wilson).
WR De’Zhaun Stribling is probably a future pick for the 49ers, given they already have Mike Evans and Ricky Pearsall on the roster. He’s a physical player and a willing blocker, which makes me wonder if he’s Jauan Jennings 2.0. He’ll need an injury break to become fantasy relevant this season.
The Steelers have an outstanding track record finding values at WR, but second-round pick Germie Bernard won’t need to be fast-tracked, given the depth Pittsburgh already has.
Washington would love third-round WR Antonio Williams to take his quick-twitch abilities into the slot, working off veteran Terry McLaurin.
Malachi Fields perhaps lasted to the third round because of his slow 40-time, but the Giants like him to be a physical receiver who complements alpha target Malik Nabers.
Day 2 turns into the RB dead zone
It’s almost like the entire NFL is embracing Zero RB right now. Oh, the Cardinals stepped up with Jeremiyah Love (adding to their RB collection) and the Seahawks closed the first round with Jadarian Price, the likely successor to the departed Kenneth Walker III. Just one running back was called for Rounds 2 and 3 — Kaelon Black, heading from Indiana to the 49ers, set to challenge for the backup job to Christian McCaffrey.
Keep in mind this draft shift is a commentary on the supply of the position, not necessarily the talent. A handful of backs who are taken on Saturday will be worth immediate fantasy dissection, depending on their landing spots.
Rookie QBs will likely have to play waiting game
You know how it goes with the quarterback spot, it’s enormously important in real-life football but something of an afterthought in the fantasy space. We’ve seen four of them taken through three rounds, and none of them profile for immediate use.
— Fernando Mendoza, Raiders: The No. 1 pick won’t have to be rushed into action. Las Vegas understands this is a rebuild. Mendoza can learn from veteran Kirk Cousins, who he reminds me of, a little bit. If the Raiders are lucky, perhaps Mendoza is as good as another common comp, Matt Ryan. But I doubt Mendoza starts early in 2026.
— Ty Simpson, Rams: He’s going to wait at least 1-2 years before the Rams hand him the keys to the offense. He’s here to provide clipboard or headset support, and learn, while Matthew Stafford pilots the Sean McVay offense.
— Carson Beck, Cardinals: He was an interesting pick for Arizona, leading off the third round. Jacoby Brissett was passable last season but is still a journeyman, and Gardner Minshew is a known commodity, a steady backup but not a legitimate starting candidate. Beck’s career took off at Miami and perhaps the Cardinals can find some upside here. If not, well, next year’s draft will have plenty of front-page quarterback options.
— Drew Allar, Steelers: I liked Pittsburgh making a similar upside pick with Allar, a big kid and a strong-armed prospect from Penn State. The Steelers have a project on their hands with Allar, who had a mediocre completion percentage and too many turnovers in college, but at least he has most of the measurables. We’ll probably see another year of Aaron Rodgers in Pittsburgh, but I hope Allar gets a chance to play this fall. His draft stock was probably higher back in 2024; he wasn’t great in his final college season.
Landing spots leave tight end class with uphill battle
Crowding was a problem with several of the tight ends picked Thursday and Friday.
Kenyon Sadiq heads to a Jets offense that has a similar player in Mason Taylor.
Max Klare landed with the Rams in the second round and joins an offense that has tight ends all over the place.
Eli Stowers has upside in Philly, but he’s blocked by Dallas Goedert, and certainly no one expects third-round pick Sam Roush to threaten Colston Loveland in Chicago.
A bunch of the tight end rookies will be asked to block more than they’re asked to run routes; let them come to you in 2026, don’t chase them proactively.
Heading into the 2026 NFL Draft, it was no secret that the Washington Commanders were targeting a wide receiver. Whether with the No. 7 overall pick or their third-round pick, the Commanders were in the market for another playmaker for quarterback Jayden Daniels.
Washington selected Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles with its No. 7 overall pick. Without a second-round pick, the Commanders weren't on the clock again until No. 71 overall, where they selected Clemson receiver Antonio Williams.
The 5-foot-11, 187-pound Williams is a former freshman All-American at Clemson and an All-ACC pick, starting three of his four seasons. The one season he didn't was when he was injured. Williams is projected to play inside at the next level, but also has plenty of experience playing outside.
You can't make everyone happy, but almost everyone praised Washington's pick. Let's look at some of the best reactions.
Robert Griffin III
The @Commanders just got the SMOOTHEST slot technician in the entire 2026 WR class. Might as well call him Picasso because his route running paints a filthy picture. He breaks ankles at the top of routes and is fearless over the middle. He will be a chain mover in Washington.… pic.twitter.com/Y9uVzbR8F2
Antonio Williams breakdown is up on my YouTube channel 🔥link
Big fan of the player - as I always am with these good route runners who beat man coverage from the slot - and he's a top 10 WR in the class, to me. Dove into his #ReceptionPerception charting to spotlight some of the… pic.twitter.com/R5ly4ehoMD
One thing I have to dig on is why Antonio Williams’ 2025 numbers weren’t more prolific.
🏈 55 catches but lacked explosives 🏈 70 rec yds just twice in 10 games 🏈 Only 4 TD and 2 were vs FCS 🏈 Only 8 catches of 20+ yards 🏈 Drop rate did fall from 9.6% to 1.8% pic.twitter.com/FobVTkxR5D
Separation. Separation. Separation. It’s allll over Antonio Williams’ tape.
Inside-out versatile and a glider in the open field. Hands improved in ‘25 and is a dynamic threat after the catch. He’s going to be a target hog in David Blough’s offense. Excellent compliment to…
With their final selection on Day 2, at pick 100 overall, the Jacksonville Jaguars selected Maryland safety Jalen Huskey.
Here are four things to know about the selection.
How does Jalen Huskey fit in the Jaguars' defense?
The addition of Huskey adds another versatile presence for defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile to work with. He has experience playing deep safety, down in the box, and at the nickel.
With Eric Murray and Antonio Johnson returning, the Jaguars' starting roles are likely filled, but we did see a lot of three-safety looks from Campanile last season. Huskey could find himself competing with 2025 third-round pick Caleb Ransaw for those snaps.
Jalen Huskey's athletic profile
Jalen Huskey was drafted in round 3 with pick 100 in the 2026 draft class. He scored a 7.04 RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 390 out of 1313 FS from 1987 to 2026.https://t.co/90Dt7W1v0Apic.twitter.com/riNtCqvoxT
He is a sound tackler. This allowed him to make an impact in the run game, where he was one of PFF's higher graded safeties, and in the pass game, where he was able to limit opponents to just 7.4 yards per catch last season.
Jalen Huskey's NFL draft profile
For more on Huskey's game, here is what NFL.com's Lance Zierlein had to say:
"Three-year starting split-field safety with adequate size but deficient speed. Huskey piled up interceptions, showing his ball skills and instincts. However, he’s slow to accelerate from transitions and lacks quality make-up speed, so receivers can get open and stay open when he’s forced to match them. He’s not a thumper but does his job near the line of scrimmage as a run defender. Huskey’s ball production and willingness in run support will be counter-balanced by his lack of speed/short-area quickness in coverage. A back-end roster spot could be his ceiling."
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Beckett Sennecke and Leo Carlsson scored 42 seconds apart in the third period, Mikael Granlund had a goal and two assists, and the Anaheim Ducks celebrated their first home playoff game in eight years with a 7-4 victory over the Edmonton Oilers and a 2-1 series lead on Friday night.
Jeffrey Viel and Jackson LaCombe also scored in the third and Lukas Dostal made 20 saves for the upstart Ducks, who have poured in 16 goals in three games to take an early lead in this first-round series against the two-time Western Conference champion Oilers. Mason McTavish and Alex Killorn scored early goals.
Backed by a raucous sellout crowd hungry for Orange County’s first playoff hockey since 2018, the Ducks overcame their season-long defensive shortcomings by outscoring the powerhouse Oilers even after Connor McDavid recorded his first points of the series. Game 4 is Sunday night in Anaheim.
McDavid had a power-play goal in the third period and an assist for Edmonton. Vasily Podkolzin, Kasperi Kapanen and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins also scored, and Connor Ingram stopped 32 shots.
Appropriately for a defense-deficient series, the Ducks capitalized on two transition sequences early in the third to take control.
Moments after Sennecke ripped a wrist shot for the tiebreaking goal and the precocious rookie’s first playoff point, Carlsson clinically finished a textbook 2-on-1 rush with Troy Terry.
McDavid trimmed the Oilers’ deficit with a fortunate deflection off Pavel Mintyukov’s stick, but the Oilers superstar short-circuited another power play later in the third by cross-checking Tyson Hinds.
Viel then flipped home a backhand with 3:03 left to cap a strong game by the Ducks’ fourth line, and LaCombe lofted home an empty-net goal all the way from the Ducks’ goal line to seal Anaheim’s first home playoff victory since May 14, 2017, in the conference finals against Nashville.
The clubs split the series’ first two games in Edmonton, but the Ducks demonstrated they could stay with the playoff-tested Oilers despite the obvious deficiencies of an inexperienced group that allowed more goals this season than any other playoff team.
Anaheim rode the wave of crowd energy and dominated play early in Game 3, putting 20 shots on Ingram in the first period. Killorn tied it for Anaheim in the second with his 39th career playoff goal.
Oilers forwards Adam Henrique and Jason Dickinson missed Game 3 with injuries.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers let the board fall their way to land Rueben Bain Jr. in Round 1, and on night two, they kicked things off by landing another playmaker. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected linebacker Josiah Trotter out of Missouri with the 48th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Trotter is a player that we have taken a closer look at in recent weeks for Bucs Wire. Our writer, Mason Riney, wrote up a scouting report on the Missouri linebacker, and we wanted to share some of those notes.
"He shows strong traits across the board, but mastering the communication and coverage responsibilities in Bowles’ scheme takes time. . .Long term, he has the instincts and physical tools to grow into a starting-caliber off-ball linebacker and an efficient inside signal caller. For now, he projects as a Day 2 to early Day 3 selection who offers depth, toughness, and developmental upside within a disciplined defensive system."
Trotter will be fun to see alongside Alex Anzalone as they start the post-Lavonte David era on the Bucs defense.
Jan 19, 2026; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Miami Hurricanes defensive back Jakobe Thomas (8) against the Indiana Hoosiers during the College Football Playoff National Championship game at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images.
The Minnesota Vikings used their 1st-Round pick on Florida defensive tackle Caleb Banks on Thursday night, and set sail on Friday with what would turn out to be four more selections before the start of Round 4.
Minnesota’s draft class expanded quickly with defense, depth, and one offensive tackle.
All told, Minnesota added three more defenders and an offensive tackle.
Day 2 Gave the Vikings Several New Youthful Paths
The Vikings made a 2nd-Round Pick for the first time in four years.
Cincinnati Bearcats linebacker Jake Golday (11) closes in on UCF quarterback Cam Fancher (14) during the second half at Nippert Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio, on Oct 11, 2025, attempting a tackle in open space as the defense works to limit a developing play in a competitive conference matchup. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-Imagn Images.
Round 2 — Jake Golday | LB, Cincinnati
Suddenly, the Vikings’ off-ball linebacking corps is deeper than the Atlantic.
In addition to rostering Blake Cashman, Eric Wilson, and Ivan Pace Jr., Minnesota has Golday in a slow cooker, biding his time to take over, probably for Wilson in 2027. Golday is a natural fit for Brian Flores’s defense, and it’s easy to see. At 6’5″ with 4.62 speed, he possesses the tools to be a significant problem for offenses at the next level.
His lean frame is the only notable concern, but the rest of his game appears solid. Golday played extensively at Central Arkansas and Cincinnati, maintained his health throughout his college career, and even earned First-Team All-Big 12 honors in 2025.
For Vikings fans, there’s a notable connection: Golday and Ivan Pace Jr. both came up through the Cincinnati program. Wilson also attended Cincinnati a decade ago.
Some claim Golday is “raw,” so with the aforementioned depth, he may not see the field a ton in 2026. Always remember, though: Cashman usually misses at least four games per season.
Best NFL Comp:Leighton Vander Esch or Germaine Pratt
Then, the Trade
Record for the DJ’s record scratch? It happened. After weeks of rumors, the Vikings traded outside linebacker Jonathan Greenard to the Philadelphia Eagles for two 3rd-Rounders, while giving Howie Roseman’s club a 7th-Rounder as sweetener.
The Vikings flipped the first 3rd-Rounder into Jakobe Thomas — more on him momentarily — and stashed the second for 2027’s already deep rookie class. Greenard is no longer a Viking. Dallas Turner’s promotion has arrived.
Round 3 — Domonique Orange | DT, Iowa State
The man called Big Citrus is in the house. Minnesota drafted not one, but two, big defensive tackles in 24 hours, landing Orange from Iowa State. Immediate context: Orange is a nose tackle; Banks is not.
Orange projects as an early-down interior lineman capable of contributing immediately. At 6’2″ and 325 pounds, he possesses a strong first step, a solid anchor, and noticeably long arms — traits all evident on tape.
His inclusion on Bruce Feldman’s “Freaks” list last year is fitting, given the physical traits. Pass rushing, however, is not a major component of his game, and he rarely employs a bull rush compared to his DT draft peers. Having just turned 22 last month, he has ample time for further development.
If you need a simple way to process it: Banks is a Viking to sack quarterbacks, Orange is the run-stuffing guy.
Best NFL Comp:Dalvin Tomlinson
Round 3 — Caleb Tiernan | OT, Northwestern
With Christian Darrisaw’s ACL recovery not necessarily progressing swimmingly in 2025, plus Brian O’Neill’s 2027 free agency, Minnesota evidently wanted an OT insurance policy, finding that in Tiernan.
The Northwestern alumnus is known for pass protection. Above all else, that is his baby. He’s also huge at 6’8″ and 320 pounds. He can play left tackle and right tackle and has five years of starting experience. The dude is game-ready. He’ll turn 24 during next year’s playoffs.
Northwestern offensive lineman Caleb Tiernan (72) celebrates with teammates after a touchdown at Ross-Ade Stadium in West Lafayette, Indiana, on Nov 2, 2024, joining quarterback Jack Lausch and running back Joseph Himon II as the Wildcats react to a scoring play against Purdue. Mandatory Credit: Alex Martin-Imagn Images.
Tiernan also has a basketball background if you need a flavor of his athleticism.
The Athletic‘sDane Brugler on Tiernan, a newcomer to the Vikings’ mock-draft cycle: “Tiernan is a large-framed blocker with the controlled, efficient movements as a pass blocker to stay square against various pass-rush angles. His use of hands is advanced for his age, and it allows him to quickly reset and toy with defenders.”
“His recovery skills and body control aren’t as consistent in the run game, which leads him to lose control of reps. Tiernan relies on refinement to compensate for his average length and redirect skills, using disciplined hands and poise to execute assignments. He’ll have swing tackle ability, although his best position long-term might be guard.”
Best NFL Comp:Mike McGlinchey
Round 3 — Jakobe Thomas | S, Miami
No, the Vikings did not leave the draft with Oregon’s Dillon Thieneman — he went to the Chicago Bears, of all places — or Toledo’s Emmanuel McNeil-Warren. But they did snag a decent consolation prize in Thomas, as starting safeties can be plucked from the draft’s middle and late rounds more than any position, at least per finding quality starters.
Thomas is 6’1′ and 211 pounds with 4.57 speed. The size and speed are there, as are real-time processing, a turnover-forcing gene, and versatility. He can play any safety role that Flores requests.
Miami defensive back Jakobe Thomas (8) lies on the field after a defensive play against SMU at Gerald J. Ford Stadium in Dallas, Texas, on Nov 1, 2025, receiving attention following a second-quarter stop during a game that featured physical defensive efforts. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images.
Weaknesses? Thomas fell to the bottom of Round 3 because of tackling and, hence, run defense. Someone must teach him to tackle at a more consistent clip.
NFL.com’s Lance Zierein on Thomas: “A productive, fifth-year safety prospect, Thomas is wired to play forward and race into the action wherever it is present. He overflows pursuit and has too many missed or broken tackles on his stat sheet, but his impact against the run is a net positive.”
MONTREAL (AP) — Lane Hutson scored on a slap shot at 2:09 of overtime and the Montreal Canadiens beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-2 on Friday night to take a 2-1 lead in the first-round series that has opened with three extra-time thrillers.
Hutson fired a shot from the top of right circle that went through traffic and found the top left corner behind goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy on the only shot on goal in overtime.
Kirby Dach tied it for Montreal with 7:17 left in the second period. He fired a snap shot through traffic from the top of the right circle that beat Vasilevskiy on the short side.
Game 4 is Sunday night in Montreal. The Canadiens took the opener 4-3 on Sunday and the Lightning countered 3-2 on Tuesday night.
MAMMOTH 4, GOLDEN KNIGHTS 2
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Lawson Crouse scored twice in a 5:42 span in the second period and Utah won the first NHL playoff game in the state, beating Vegas for a 2-1 series lead.
Game 4 of the best-of-seven series is Monday night in Salt Lake City. In Las Vegas in the first two games, Vegas won the opener 4-2 on Sunday and Utah replied with a 3-2 victory Tuesday.
The Mammoth are in their second season in Utah after leaving Arizona.
MacKenzie Weegar and Dylan Guenther scored for Utah in the first period, with Guenther striking on a power play. Crouse had a tip-in at 4:06 of the second and struck on a long shot at 9:48 to make it 4-0.
Karel Vejmelka made 29 saves for the Mammoth, who had only 12 shots on goal against Carter Hart. Clayton Keller had two assists.
DUCKS 7, OILERS 4
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Beckett Sennecke and Leo Carlsson scored 42 seconds apart in the third period, Mikael Granlund had a goal and two assists, and Anaheim celebrated their first home playoff game in eight years with a victory over Edmonton and a 2-1 series lead.
Jeffrey Viel and Jackson LaCombe also scored in the third and Lukas Dostal made 20 saves for the upstart Ducks, who have poured in 16 goals in three games to take an early lead in this first-round series against the two-time Western Conference champion Oilers. Mason McTavish and Alex Killorn scored early goals.
It was about time someone showed appreciation for Mike Trout's loyalty to the Los Angeles Angels. The outfielder, who was drafted in the 2009 MLB draft, has stuck with the team throughout despite no notable postseason achievements.
On Friday's Foul Territory show, former Toronto Blue Jays star Kevin Pillar showed appreciation to Trout's loyalty towards the Anaheim-based MLB franchise for as long as anyone can remember, despite what the league has turned out to be today.
“People could talk about his lack of competitiveness and not wanting to play in a winning organization, but I think he should be applauded for his loyalty,” Pillar said. “I’m an NBA fan, you see it all the time, and the NBA players want to team up so that they can create super teams. Mike, as drafted, developed by Anaheim, has always wanted to be there. He’s always wanted to win there, and unfortunately it hasn’t happened, but I think we should applaud him for his loyalty.”
Mike Trout's Angels loyalty yet to meet World Series accomplishment
Despite having Mike Trout, the Angels have only made the postseason once. In the age of modern contracts and trades, the players don't hang around enough without any competitive motivation in sight, but Trout's loyalty is rooted deep in the Angels system.
Over the last few years, trade speculations have been rampant, with many asking him to get traded so that he can have the best shot to win the World Series before his career wraps up. Even Shohei Ohtani knew when it was time to leave the Angels and join the Dodgers and now he's a back-to-back World Series champion.
However, when Trout has been asked about his opinion on joining a contender, his answer has remained the same. The three-time MVP wants to bring a World Series to Anaheim.
Even though the odds are not great for the Angels to win it all this year, his loyalty remains something for which Trout will always have our respect.
HOUSTON (AP) — Leading by six with under 30 seconds to go, the Houston Rockets were on the verge of their first victory against the Los Angeles Lakers.
Instead, they fell apart and eventually lost 112-108 in overtime on Friday night and are on the brink of elimination in their first-round Western Conference playoff series.
“Horrendous mistakes,” coach Ime Udoka said. “I don’t know if you want to say youth or scared of the moment, or whatever the case.”
Even with Kevin Durant out for a second game in this series — this time with a sprained ankle after missing Game 1 with a knee injury — the Rockets were in position to close out the game after LeBron James had consecutive turnovers that Houston turned into a 101-95 lead.
It was then that everything went wrong for the Rockets. Marcus Smart was fouled on a 3-point attempt with 25 seconds to go in the fourth after a Houston turnover and made all three free throws to get the Lakers within three.
James then stole the ball from Reed Sheppard and his 3-pointer tied it at 101-all with 13 seconds to go in the fourth.
“It was a stupid turnover,” Sheppard said. “(Alperen Sengun’s) man came up. I should have hit Alpie right over halfcourt and just made the simple play. I tried to split the two defenders.”
The Rockets had a chance to take the lead after that, but Sengun’s 7-footer was off. James grabbed the rebound and called a timeout. He caught the inbounds pass and had a chance to win it at the buzzer, but his 3-point attempt bounced off the rim to send it to OT.
Houston struggled at times to close out games in the fourth quarter during the season and the problem continued Friday night.
“It’s obviously a weakness of ours to close out and finish,” Udoka said. “The amount of mistakes or the type of mistakes are egregious and you can’t have those.”
This is the second straight playoff trip for the Rockets after they returned last season for the first time since 2020. They were eliminated in the first round in seven games by Golden State.
With that playoff experience under their belts, Udoka doesn’t see any excuse for their collapse Friday night and had a message for his team going forward.
“Grow up,” he said he told them. “You’re not that young anymore.”
Sengun, who led the Rockets with 33 points and 16 rebounds Friday night, said they must find a way to move on as they prepare for Game 4 on Sunday night in Houston.
“We’ll be upset tonight. That’s for sure,” he said. “But we’ve got to get over it. Nobody’s giving up.”
It's unclear if Durant will return Sunday to help them stave off elimination.
“Up in the air,” Udoka said. “I think we made some progress in the last few days, but we’ll see how that (goes) with only one day in between.”
Udoka made the Rockets watch the last 30 seconds of regulation immediately after the game to try and help his players learn from their mistakes. Then he told them to start looking forward.
“Now you've got to go get one on Sunday and don’t let this one beat you twice,” he said.
Have you ever looked at a player and just known they are destined to be a Pittsburgh Steeler someday? This has always been the case with Iowa guard Gennings Dunker. So when the Steelers traded up at the end of the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft we smiled.
But where does Dunker fit on the Steelers roster and what do we see as his role? Despite his time at Iowa being at tackle, Dunker definitely projects as a guard in the NFL This is more to do with measureables than skills but for Pittsburgh they surely see him the same way after drafting offensive tackle Max Iheanachor in the first round.
As far as the depth chart, there's no reason Dunker cannot compete for and win the starting left guard job at some point in his rookie season. He's well coached, smart and powerful. The Steelers best options right now are veterans Brock Hoffman and Spencer Anderson. At the bare minimum, Dunker is the No. 2 left guard behind Anderson until he's ready to take over the starting job.
The Green Bay Packers are going into Day 3 of the 2026 NFL draft with five picks, including two in the seventh round. Brian Gutekunst traded away his second fifth-round pick to move up and get defensive lineman Chris McClellin in the third round. The Packers general manager said he is willing to move around the board on Saturday, and it's possible he aggressively targets a player early on Day 3 or trades back to get an extra pick this year or next.
Who could the Packers target during Rounds 4-7?
Here’s a 50-player list, keeping in mind overall athleticism, roster need and pre-draft interest:
RB Mike Washington, Arkansas (elite athlete, need, pre-draft visitor)
EDGE Dani Dennis-Sutton, Penn State (elite athlete, need)
WR Elijah Sarratt, Indiana (size/athleticism fit)
CB Malik Muhammad, Texas (size/athleticism, need)
DL Kaleb Proctor, SE Louisiana (elite athlete, need, pre-draft visitor)
OL Brian Parker II, Duke (size/athleticism, need)
S Jalon Kilgore, South Carolina (elite athlete)
CB Will Lee III, Texas A&M (size/athleticism fit, need, pre-draft visitor)
MIAMI GARDENS — The Miami Dolphins enter Day 3 of the NFL draft with boxes checked for best player available (BPA) but not for filling needs, specifically at edge rusher.
Here are the Dolphins’ top options for the final day of the draft (in no particular order):
Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee
McCoy (6 foot, 188 pounds), a projected first- or second-round pick who sustained a knee injury in January 2025 and missed the season, has become one of the biggest stories of the draft because of how far he’s slipped. He’s got good skills but the knee injury is a major concern.
Keionte Scott, CB, Miami
Scott (5-11, 183), who projects as a nickel/slot, is a playmaker, evidenced by 2 INT return TDs, 13 TFL (tackles for loss), 5.0 sacks, 2 FF (forced fumbles) and 5 PBU (passes broken up).
Cole Payton, QB, North Dakota State
Payton (6-3, 232), a dual-threat QB, comes from a small school but the same one that produced Carson Wentz, Easton Stick, Trey Lance and Dolphins QB Cam Miller. Payton had 16 TDs and 4 INTs to go along with 777 rushing yards and 13 TDs.
Dani Dennis-Sutton, Edge rusher, Penn State
Dennis-Sutton (6-6, 256) is a big player who recorded 42 tackles, 8.5 sacks, 12 TFLs, 3 blocked kicks and 3 FF. He’s a tough, edge-setter who doesn’t have strong pass rush skills. He’s not a playmaker but can be disruptive.
LT Overton, Edge rusher, Alabama
Overton (6-3, 274), who is long-armed and tough, totaled 42 tackles, 4.0 sacks and 6 TFLs. He has the versatility to move inside. He’s a good run defender although his game could use polish in most areas.
Taylen Green, QB, Arkansas
Green (6-6, 227) has 4.36-second 40-yard dash speed as well as a strong arm that he used to total 19 TDs and 11 INTs and 777 rushing yards and 8 TDs. Green takes risks but is regarded as someone with good upside. He might never be an NFL starter.
Lew (6-3, 310) sustained an ACL injury in October and missed the remainder of the season. He isn’t an especially strong blocker but he’s effective and gets the job done. He was a three-year starter who started as a true freshman.
Chris McClellan, DT, Missouri
McClellan (6-4, 313) had 48 tackles and an impressive 6.0 sacks among his 8 TFLs last season. He has good hands and is hard to move. He handles double teams pretty well.
Logan Taylor, G, Boston College
Taylor (6-7, 314), a fifth-year senior, played for coach Jeff Hafley at Boston College from 2020-23. Taylor is versatile having started all 12 games last season with eight at RG, three at LT and one at RT.
VJ Payne, S, Kansas State
Payne (6-3, 206) had 59 tackles, 3 TFLs and 3 PBUs. He has 4.4 40-yard dash speed and also has a desire to come up and make tackles. He’s not great in coverage but good in attacking the run.
NEW DELHI: The comparisons between Pakistan batter Babar Azam and India’s batting stalwart Virat Kohli have persisted for a long time. Whenever Babar finds form, scores runs or leads his team to victory, comparisons with Kohli flood social media, especially among Pakistan fans. However, former India cricketer Wasim Jaffer has dismissed these comparisons, saying the Pakistan star is overhyped.
“Dekhiye, achhe player hain, isme koi shak nahi hai. Main personally unko kaafi like bhi karta hoon. Lekin mujhe lagta hai ki unko unki had se zyada hype mil gayi. Unko itna chadha diya gaya ki unki comparison Virat Kohli se hone lagi, unko ‘king’ bola jane laga [Look, he is a good player, there’s no doubt about that. I personally like him a lot. But I feel he has been hyped beyond his limits. He was elevated so much that comparisons with Virat Kohli began, and he started being called ‘king’],” Jaffer said in a video posted on his social media handle.
“Jab aapko baar-baar Virat Kohli se compare kiya jata hai, media aapko ‘king’ bulata hai, toh pressure automatically aata hai. Mujhe lagta hai kahin na kahin unhone try kiya Virat jaisa banne ka - ya us tarah perform karne ka jaise Virat ne Indian team ke liye kiya. Lekin Virat, Virat hai - is generation ke greatest players me se ek. Ye unnecessary comparison unpe pressure banata gaya [When you are constantly compared to Virat Kohli and the media calls you ‘king’, pressure automatically builds. I feel that somewhere he tried to become like Virat - or tried to perform the way Virat has for the Indian team. But Virat is Virat - one of the greatest players of this generation. These unnecessary comparisons kept adding pressure on him],” he added.
Babar had been going through a lean patch, struggling for runs, but made a strong comeback by scoring a century for Peshawar Zalmi against Quetta Gladiators in the Pakistan Super League. He brought up his hundred in just 52 balls.
Babar last represented Pakistan in the 2026 T20 World Cup, where he endured a poor run with the bat - one of the reasons behind Pakistan’s disappointing campaign in the tournament. He scored just 91 runs in six matches at an average of 22.75 and a strike rate of 112.34, as Pakistan failed to progress beyond the Super Eights stage.
— WasimJaffer14 (@WasimJaffer14)
When asked about the reasons behind Babar’s dip despite being a highly skilful batter and a cricketing icon in Pakistan, Jaffer said: “Mere hisaab se do cheezein thi - ek toh overhype aur comparison, aur doosra captaincy. Captain ke taur par wo us tarah ki team build nahi kar paaye jaisi karni chahiye thi. Unke paas chances the, team finals tak bhi gayi - World Cup final, Asia Cup final - lekin wo Pakistan cricket ko next level par consistently nahi le ja paaye [In my view, there were two reasons - one was overhype and comparisons, and the other was captaincy. As a captain, he couldn’t build the kind of team he should have. He had opportunities, the team even reached finals - World Cup final, Asia Cup final - but he couldn’t consistently take Pakistan cricket to the next level].”
“Aaj bhi, without a doubt, wo Pakistan ke best batters me se ek hain. Talent aur class dono hai unme. Bas expectations aur pressure ka handling thoda better hota, toh picture aur alag ho sakti thi [Even today, without a doubt, he is one of Pakistan’s best batters. He has both talent and class. It’s just that if he had handled expectations and pressure a bit better, the picture could have been very different],” Jaffer said.
Jacob Gonzalez clubbed a pair of three-run homers in Charlotte’s win on Friday. | Laura Wolff/Charlotte Knights
Charlotte Knights 11, Nashville Sounds 9 The Knights pulled off their first three-game win streak of April in a duel that nearly came down to the wire. The bats steadily put up runs as the pitching slowly relented as the innings progressed. Jarred Kelenic, who is clinging to what prospect standing he retains after a rough start to the season, was responsible for one of four home runs, and he took two additional trips around the bases thanks to two walks.
Jacob Gonzalez had himself a night, going yard once in fourth and once in the sixth to bump his home run total to five and OPS to .833. Recasting himself as a slugger has done wonders for Gonzalez, as he’s growing into a Lenyn Sosa-esque player with his defensive versatility and thump in his bat. But that probably means he’ll be shipped off for a PTBN and pennies next year.
Unfortunately, the pitching didn’t have as successful a night. Shane Smith got beat up in his third game back in the minors, unable to make it through three innings while giving up five runs, three walks and a home run. Charlotte’s always rough on pitchers, but Smith really doesn’t look ready to return to Chicago before Memorial Day. While Ben Peoples got the win after relieving Smith, Adisyn Coffey and Wikelman González couldn’t finish their outings without costing the Knights several runs. At least González stretched his save opportunity to 2 ⅔ innings and struck out six to make his one run allowed forgivable and give most of the bullpen a night off in advance of Saturday’s twinbill.
Columbus Clingstones 5, Birmingham Barons 3 The Barons were ousted in a pitching battle that unfortunately came down to Jairo Iriarte. Jake Palisch’s six-inning, two-runs allowed start was spoiled by a slow offense backed by an Alec Makarewicz solo shot, bases-jammed walk induced by Wilfred Veras and a Braden Montgomery RBI single that extended his hitting streak to 12 games. While Bham had a slight edge going into the ninth up, 3-2, Iriarte couldn’t close the night out. Instead of securing a save, he gave up a two-out bomb to the Clingstones’ Jordan Groshans, sending the game to extras.
The night only got worse for Iriarte from there. He got two quick strikeouts in the 10th, but then allowed the ghost runner to steal third, walked the next guy and gave Columbus the lead with a wild pitch.
The Clingstones took advantage of Iriarte being thrown off-guard and squeaked a second security run before the inning ended. Columbus banked on a tired Bham offense, and it paid off. Jeral Pérez grounded into a double play with the bases loaded, and the Barons continue their slog through April.
Hub City Spartanburgers 10, Winston-Salem Dash 7 After taking a brutal beating on Thursday, the Dash succumbed to another night of poor pitching. Justin Sinbaldi took the brunt of the runs allowed, giving up seven off 10 hits, including two home runs, through five. Jack Young got Winston-Salem through two scoreless innings before Hub City tacked on three more runs against Seth Keener, who has stood hardly any chance against hitters in his six games to accumulate 10 earned runs in 10 ⅓ innings.
The bats packed a couple of punches, but it wasn’t enough to knock out Hub City. Caleb Bonemer notched his sixth home run of the season — remind me again why he’s still in High-A? — alongside Colby Shelton to keep pace with the Spartanburgers. But, the second and third hitters couldn’t carry the lineup, and the Dash are slowly coming back down to earth after their hot start. George Wolkow, who had the spotlight in his face last year during Spring Training, has been struggling to contribute in a meaningful way for some time. He’s barely staying afloat in two levels below the majors (.185/.270/.369), but hopefully he’s just a late bloomer and not a bust.
Kannapolis Cannon Ballers 7, Charleston RiverDogs 6 Hope isn’t lost for Kanny! The Cannon Ballers are hunting their first series win after evening the series against the RiverDogs. Help was sparse, but Billy Carlson, Javier Mogollón and Stiven Flores held steady in the middle of the lineup, playing small ball and combining for four of the six Dash hits and three of the seven total runs. While Kanny’s 33% conversion rate with RISP wasn’t ideal, all the Ballers had to do was outlast the RiverDogs.
The pitching did just enough to escape Charleston’s adamant bats. Caedmon Parker could’ve fared better off the jump, handing three runs to the RiverDogs before the third inning ended. Trey Cooper cut Kanny’s 6-3 lead close in the sixth by giving up a three-spot as if he was relying on the offense for some relief. While he didn’t get his wish, the CBs managed to do without the insurance and evaded a third straight loss.
There's a significant issue with the way the San Francisco 49ers have executed their NFL draft picks under head coach Kyle Shanahan. They reach for picks. A lot. That trend continued with their trio of Day 2 picks in the 2026 draft.
On Twitter, SFdata9ers put together a list of how much teams reached or didn't reach by comparing their player selections to a consensus big board compiled by nflmockdraftdatabase.com. San Francisco has been the worst team in the NFL when it comes to reaching against the consensus big board, and it hasn't worked out well for them.
Of their 20 biggest reaches, only three have completed their rookie contracts with the 49ers, and only one received a second contract. They'll be adding more players to their list of reaches this year.
At the No. 33 pick they selected wide receiver De'Zhaun Stribling. He was ranked No. 91 on the consensus big board, marking a 58-spot reach.
It got better at No. 70 where they took No. 77 overall ranked defensive end Romello Height. A seven-spot reach isn't egregious, particularly because Height filled a specific need on the defensive line.
However, the 49ers were right back to big reaches at the 90th pick. They selected Indiana running back Kaelon Black, who was the 180th player on the consensus big board, good for a 90-spot reach.
San Francisco isn't alone in the reaching business. Ultimately the goal is to just find good players. The consensus big board typically does a good job of ranking players, though and the 49ers' penchant for picking against it hasn't gone well for them in the recent past. It's particularly bad when they reach 90 spots for a running back in the third round when they have other needs in the secondary and along the offensive line.
With five picks slated for Day 3, including four in Round 4, the 49ers have a chance to find some value. History tells us they'll go reaching again, though. And that may become a significant issue down the line.
ESPN NFL Draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. did not take long to come to the realization after looking at the top-10 prospects for the 2027 NFL Draft.
"That draft is potentially loaded," Kiper said on a teleconference April 16. "You've got a lot of talent in next year's draft. If those guys all play up to the level of their talent – then that is a loaded draft. … Teams will be very reluctant to be parting ways with any pick next year just because on paper it looks like one of the better drafts we've had in a while."
Ohio State receiver Jeremiah Smith is at the top of Sporting News Top 50 Big Board. The Buckeyes' receiver is one spot ahead of Texas quarterback Arch Manning, who was No. 1 on our Big Board last year. Manning is at the top of a loaded quarterback class, and he is one of six Texas players in our Top 50. Notre Dame has five players, including standout cornerback Leonard Moore. Georgia, Ole Miss and Oregon have four players apiece.
The 2027 NFL Draft will be in Washington, D.C.
Here is a look at the top 50 best players projected to be available in the 2026 NFL Draft, regardless of position, and how high each might be selected based on team needs, position scarcity and other factors.
NFL Draft prospects 2027: Big board of top 50 players
1. Jeremiah Smith*, WR, Ohio State
Smith (6-3, 233) is the best player in the 2027 NFL Draft. He has a 77.3% catch percentage – 163 catches on 211 targets – the last two seasons, according to Pro Football Focus. Is it possible to be a safe pick at No. 1? Smith had 1,243 yards and 12 TDs last season with increased attention from opposing defenses, and perhaps no player has carried a larger presence in college football the last two years at the position. A receiver has not been selected with the No. 1 pick since the New York Jets took Keyshawn Johnson with the No. 1 pick in 1996. Smith will challenge that.
2. Arch Manning*, QB, Texas
Manning (6-4, 219) is back in our top five – and this time the second-year starter will deliver on that help. He averaged 255.9 passing yards with 13 TDs and two interceptions in Texas' last seven regular-season games. The Cheez-It Bowl performance against Michigan – where he totaled 221 passing yards, 155 rushing yards and four TDs – was a reminder that he brings a combination of a deep-ball passing attack and above-average mobility. He needs to clean up mistakes and accuracy in the intermediate passing game – but the patience will pay off for the next Manning quarterback to become a first-round pick.
3. Colin Simmons*, EDGE, Texas
Simmons (6-3, 240) gives the Longhorns a go-to pass rusher in 2026. He led the SEC with 12 sacks last season after compiling 10.5 sacks as a freshman. Simmons had at least one sack in each of Texas' last five games. Simmons ranked 10th in the FBS with 59 pressures, according to PFF, and his win percentage (21.5%) was a touch behind Texas Tech's David Bailey (21.6%). Simmons will build on that in 2026.
4. Dante Moore*, QB, Oregon
Moore (6-3, 206) could have been a top-five pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. He opted to return to the Ducks, where he had 15 TDs and two interceptions on passes of 20 yards or more last season. The arm talent is there – but he will need to cut down on interceptions in 2026. He had 12 TDs and seven interceptions against top-25 teams in 2025. The fact he stayed in school shows the confidence to maintain his spot in the QB pecking order.
5. Leonard Moore*, CB, Notre Dame
Moore (6-2, 195) put up seven interceptions and 18 pass breakups the last two seasons as an elite cover cornerback for the Irish. He makes game-changing plays – Moore also forced three fumbles in his first two seasons. He is a complete cornerback; part of a Notre Dame defensive backs pipeline that has sent Kyle Hamilton (2022), Benjamin Morrison (2025) and Xavier Watts (2025) to the next level.
Seaton (6-5, 330) was a blue-chip recruit who transferred to LSU after two seasons with Colorado. He allowed two sacks last season, and the combination of size and strength has carried over from his blue-chip high school career. Seaton missed four games because of injuries last season, and he will have to make the adjustment to the SEC with first-year coach Lane Kiffin. It's a talent-rich tackle class – so Seaton will have to live up to those expectations.
7. Cadyen Green, OT, Missouri
Green (6-5, 324) switched to left tackle after playing guard at an All-America level the previous two seasons – one with Missouri and one with Oklahoma. He allowed just two sacks and played – and the versatility to play multiple positions in a year where he could pass off as the top interior lineman is going to make the senior an attractive prospect. He should emerge as an even better left tackle with a year of experience.
8. Will Echoles, DT, Ole Miss
Echoles (6-3, 310) had 68 tackles last season – including 39 on run plays – which matched Ohio State defensive tackle Kayden McDonald this season. Echoles added five sacks, and is at the top of a strong defensive-tackle class for 2027. Ole Miss lined up Echoles in the backfield on occasion – a nod to that athleticism that will flash at the 2027 NFL Scouting Combine.
9. Dylan Stewart*, EDGE, South Carolina
Stewart (6-5, 245) is a freakish talent off the edge who averages six sacks and 32 quarterback hurries through the last two seasons. Stewart dealt with a back injury last season – and he was limited in spring practice. The upside here is similar to Jadeveon Clowney, a Gamecocks' pass rusher who was the No.1 pick in the 2014 NFL Draft. Stewart can firm this ranking up with a productive junior season.
10. Rasheem Biles, LB, Texas
Biles (6-1, 220) was a high-school teammate of Sonny Styles at Pickerington Central (Ohio) High School and could see a similar rise up draft boards next season. Biles is a converted defensive back who had 101 tackles, 17 tackles for loss and two interceptions at Pitt last season. He transferred to Texas and will fill a void left by Anthony Hill Jr.
Sayin (6-1, 208) remains one of the most-efficient passers in college football. He had a FBS-best 77% completion percentage in 2025, a stat that overshadows the five-star talent that put up 3,610 yards and 32 TDs as a Heisman Trophy finalist in Year 1 as a starter. Sayin will work with new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith – who has an extensive NFL background – in 2026. That means Sayin should be ready to handle the pressure of being a franchise quarterback.
12. Cam Coleman*, WR, Texas
Coleman (6-3, 201) is another Texas transfer to keep an eye on. While most of the focus will go on Jeremiah Smith, Coleman will be in the mix to be a top-10 pick. He had 13 TDs at Auburn the last two seasons. According to PFF.com, Coleman had 13 contested catches and a 59.1% contested catch percentage; numbers that should lead to improved totals with Manning at Texas – especially in the red zone. It seems like a reach now, but it won't be next April.
13. KJ Bolden*, S, Georgia
Bolden (6-0, 195) is the prototype Georgia safety. He had 76 tackles, two interceptions and five pass breakups. He also had just four missed tackles for the Bulldogs, and he played well in huge SEC games against Ole Miss and Alabama. Bolden is a team leader – and he should test well at the NFL Combine to ensure his spot as the top safety in the 2027 NFL Draft.
14. Ellis Robinson IV*, CB, Georgia
Robinson (6-0, 180) had four interceptions and seven pass breakups in his sophomore season with the Bulldogs. According to PFF, he allowed just 15 receptions on 35 targets. Robinson's interception in the regular-season finale against Georgia Tech displays his tracking ability – not to mention athleticism – with the ball in the air. He was the top cornerback recruit of the 2024 recruiting class.
15. Trinidad Chambliss, QB, Ole Miss
Chambliss (6-0, 200) could have been a first-round pick this year, but he took advantage of a sixth-year waiver to return to Ole Miss. He's a great decision-maker who had 22 TDs and three interceptions last season, and the ability to make off-script plays stood out in the College Football Playoff semifinal run. Chambliss did not have an interception on 102 pass attempts between 10-19 yards, according to PFF.com. He should be getting more first-round consideration.
16. CJ Carr*, QB, Notre Dame
Carr (6-2, 210) is yet another quarterback prospect in the first round. He's ranked among the Heisman Trophy favorites in 2026 – and he had eight TDs and no interceptions on passes of 20 yards or more in his first season as a starter. Carr also is a candidate to return for another season with the Irish. Notre Dame has not had a QB selected in the first round of the NFL Draft since Brady Quinn in 2007. We are tempering our projection for now.
17. Ahmad Hardy*, RB, Missouri
Hardy (5-10, 206) led all returning Power 4 running backs with 1,649 rushing yards in 2025. He averaged 6.4 yards per carry – and that included a FBS-best 4.6 yards after contact. He also had 43 rushes of 10 yards or more – which was four more than Notre Dame's Jeremiyah Love last season. Hardy will manage another heavy workload for Missouri in 2026 – and he has the talent to be a first-round back.
18. Trevor Lauck*, OT, Iowa
Lauck (6-5, 310) is yet another elite tackle in this class off an Iowa pipeline that produced three draft picks in Gennings Dunker, Logan Jones and Beau Stephens in 2025. Lauck did not allow a sack in 701 snaps at left tackle last season, and he's a clean run blocker who will be a reliable player for the Hawkeyes in 2026. Indiana's Carter Smith, Texas' Trevor Goosby and Ohio State's Austin Siereveld all could go in this range, too.
19. Chris Peal, CB, Syracuse
Peal (6-1, 200) transferred from Georgia, and he had 47 tackles and seven pass breakups in his first full season as a starter for the Orange. He is a wide corner with shut-down capabilities, and another year of development with Fran Brown at Syracuse should translate into first-round value that stacks up with the other elite corners in this draft.
20. Matayo Uiagalelei, EDGE, Oregon
Uiagalelei (6-5, 272) can be a hand-in-the-dirt defensive lineman or a stand-up pass rusher, and he's maintained first-round value with the Ducks. He had six sacks and 35 total pressures in 2025 – which was tied with Stewart. Uiagalelei is a consistent producer who had 10.5 sacks in 2024. He will be a safe first-round value pick in 2027.
Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
21. Suntarine Perkins, EDGE, Ole Miss
Perkins (6-2, 220) was ranked No. 39 on our Big Board last season. He had 4.5 sacks and 22 quarterback hurries for the Rebels. Perkins has compiled 15 sacks and 26.5 tackles for loss in the last two seasons, and he had seven pass breakups. He needs to be more consistent as a senior to work into the top 10 – but the upside is there.
22. A'Mauri Washington, DT, Oregon
Washington (6-3, 330) returned to Oregon for his senior season. He had 34 tackles and 4.5 sacks – and he displayed active hands in passing lanes on the interior pass rush with eight pass breakups. Washington is an excellent run-stopper, too, and this draft isn't quite as deep on defensive tackles. He's paired with Bear Alexander for the Ducks – and both defensive tackles will be selected in the early rounds.
23. Zabien Brown*, CB, Alabama
Brown (6-0, 192) flashed play-making skills in the secondary each of the last two seasons for the Crimson Tide. He had two interception returns for TDs last season and three interceptions as a freshman. He allowed a 54.7% catch percentage when targeted in coverage, according to PFF. Brown was limited in spring practice.
24. Terrance Carter, TE, Texas Tech
Carter (6-2, 245) is a top returning tight end who had 55 receptions on 74 targets – a 74.3% catch percentage. He finished with 624 yards and five TDs – and that included nine catches for 72 yards in the CFP quarterfinal loss to Oregon. He did not get targeted much outside of the short-passing game – which is something to watch in his senior year with the Red Raiders.
25. Zach Lutmer, Iowa
Lutmer (6-0, 205) bypassed the 2026 NFL Draft and is one of the most-unique defensive prospects for next year. He played slot corner, box safety and even logged snaps on the defensive line for the Hawkeyes, and he totaled 71 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss and three interceptions. Lutmer is drawing comparisons to Cooper DeJean – who was a second-round pick in 2024.
Jason Clark/Getty Images
26. Ryan Williams*, WR, Alabama
27. Drayk Bowen, LB, Notre Dame
28. Carter Smith, T, Indiana
29. Jayden Maiava*, QB, USC
30. Trevor Goosby, T, Texas
31. Chris Cole*, LB, Georgia
32. David Stone*, DT, Oklahoma
33. Darian Mensah, QB, Miami
34. Nate Frazier, RB, Georgia
35. Ryan Wingo*, WR, Texas
36. Koi Perich, S, Oregon
37. Bryant Wesco Jr.., WR, Clemson
38. Austin Siereveld, T, Ohio State
39. John Henry Daley, EDGE, Michigan
40. Jamari Johnson*, TE, Oregon
41. Isaac Brown, RB, Louisville
42. Mark Fletcher Jr.*, RB, Miami
43. Bray Hubbard, S, Alabama
44. Ben Roberts, LB, Texas Tech
45. Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa, LB, Notre Dame
46. Jamari Sharpe, CB, Indiana
47. Tae Johnson*, S, Notre Dame
48. Keway Lacy*, RB, Ole Miss
49. A.J. Holmes, DT, Texas Tech
50. Jaylen McClain*, S, Ohio State
2026 NFL Draft prospect ranking by position
Quarterback
1. Arch Manning, Texas (2) 2. Dante Moore, Oregon (4) 3. Julian Sayin, Ohio State (11) 4. Trinidad Chambliss, Ole Miss (15) 5. CJ Carr, Notre Dame (16) 6. Jayden Maiava, USC (29) 7. Darian Mensah, Miami (33)
Running back
1. Ahmad Hardy, Missouri (17) 2. Nate Frazier, Georgia (34) 3. Isaac Brown, Louisville (41) 4. Mark Fletcher Jr., Miami (42) 5. Kewan Lacy, Ole Miss (48)
Wide receiver
1. Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State (1) 2. Cam Coleman, Texas (12) 3. Ryan Williams, Alabama (26) 4. Ryan Wingo, Texas (35) 5. Bryant Wesco Jr., Clemson (37)
1. Colin Simmons, Texas (3) 2. Dylan Stewart, South Carolina (9) 3. Matayo Uiagalelei, Oregon (20) 4. Suntarine Perkins, Ole Miss (21) 5. John Henry Daley, Michigan (39)
Defensive tackles
1. Will Echoles, Ole Miss (8) 2. A'Mauri Washington, Oregon (22) 3. David Stone, Oklahoma (32) 4. A.J. Holmes, Texas Tech (49)
SUNDERLAND, ENGLAND - APRIL 24: Granit Xhaka of Sunderland and teammates appear dejected after they concede the opening goal during the Premier League match between Sunderland and Nottingham Forest at the Stadium of Light on April 24, 2026 in Sunderland, England. (Photo by George Wood/Getty Images) | Getty Images
John Wilson says…
A decent-ish start
I actually think we looked quite impressive in the first ten to fifteen minutes.
Everyone was up for it and the crowd was still behind the lads at 0-2 down, but it all went pear-shaped in that first half.
A bit of resilience after the break
We came out fighting in the second half and all credit to the players — and also to the crowd that roused the team.
There was a strong feeling of togetherness and unity in the crowd. 0-4 down and folk were shouting their hearts out. It was defiant and tremendous but just a shame the fightback was never quite on.
Some shocking Sunderland defending
We pride ourselves on having a solid defence but last night, there was poor marking and challenges all across our box and it’s hard to understand how such good habits can be lost or forgotten.
I’m sure they haven’t been, but the defence was very disjointed and unrecognisable from previous games. No one player can be picked out, but I highlighted how Robin Roefs’ kicking was becoming laborious and slow at the last home game, so hopefully that’s the lesson he needed to be taught.
Of course he’s an excellent keeper but hopefully he can learn from this and move the ball more quickly as he was doing when he first came into the team.
Oh, Nordi
I don’t know what happened at half time, but it looked like he was gesturing and arguing with fans in the East Stand.
Whatever ignited his annoyance, it didn’t look good and was quite a depressing sight. That being said, I don’t understand us booing this team. How does that help?
Jon Guy says…
A gritty second half display
We could’ve collapsed in the second half but they put a shift in and showed some pride in the shirt after an abysmal first half.
Sunderland fail to adapt
We simply didn’t learn our lessons as Forest stuck to a simple plan and we didn’t adapt.
It wasn’t a miraculous system and we could’ve adapted as a team without a strategy masterclass. It’s as naive as I’ve seen us all season.
No cutting edge
We simply dont look like scoring regularly.
We looked different when Wilson Isidor came on but it’s actually an issue for next year.
The defence is found wanting
When the team was announced, I thought the back four looked solid.
However, we looked so disjointed and the goals were the results of mistakes we simply weren’t making a few weeks ago.
Malc Dugdale says…
The bigger picture: a positive season!
I didn’t dream we would be pushing for the fringes of Europe after over thirty games of our first season back up, but we are.
This is a blip in that undeniably positive situation. Not good enough, but still a blip.
Expectations surpassed and then some
I imagined even less that we would take six points from the Mags this season, but we did.
We’ve won games we had no real right to, drawn when it seemed impossible, and now we’ve lost one that we expected to do ok in.
That’s football. We’ve had it way harder than this, and we need to remember that.
A dreadful night all around
We lacked everything last night: organisation, application, ideas, shape, concentration and luck.
I was worried that Forest needed this more than us but to lose in that way with it all over before half time was a massive gut punch.
Not good enough, and a major reaction is needed during the remaining games to stop a potential downturn in morale, despite the great season we’ve had in general terms.
Moving forward, unity is key
Last night was the first time I’ve seen disunity in the squad and an air of friction with the fans.
The team has taken the adoration when much deserved, so they need to take it on the chin and show accountability when they don’t perform well enough — and Régis Le Bris too.
Granit Xhaka and Le Bris need to regather this group and remind them that this has been a great season, apologise to the fans for getting this badly wrong, and show with their response that this means as much to them as it does to us all.
One swallow does not a summer make; one bad loss doesn’t wipe out all the progress we’ve made, but how they react will be a telling sign of the summer we’ll see unfold.
Tom Albrighton says…
More defensive woes
Nine goals conceded in two games is unacceptable at this level.
It really is and I don’t think there’s much more to say, especially after shelling for goals at the weekend.
Trai Hume has been a consistent weak link at the back in recent months.
Playing out from the back bites us
I get it.
I really do, but what I don’t get is doing it when it’s clear after five minutes the opposition has sussed out your only exit pattern and butchered it with a four-man press.
At 0-1, we could’ve managed the game; after the second goal, heads were on Mars (or the beach, if you were in a Sunderland shirt).
Habib Diarra, what do we do with you?
At the weekend, I was a staunch defender.
However, after another abject performance including such hits as not tracking back, not trapping a bag of cement and tackling your own player — as well as the smash hit of getting booked for the second time this season for waving an imaginary yellow card, I really think it’s best that he sits out for a couple of weeks.
Sunderland’s selection riddles
Whether you’re ‘Le Bris in’, ‘Le Bris out’ or ‘Le Bris, shake it all about’, you do have to wonder why certain things are happening.
Lutsharel Geertruida can’t buy a minute of football.
Chemsdine Talbi is the same and whilst Diarra stinks the place out more often than not, Enzo Le Fée is forced to play wide whilst the man who can play wide watches from the sidelines, and that’s before we get to why Eliezer Mayenda is cast to the shadows.
A few things fail to make sense and perhaps have done for some time.
When the system works, it really does work, but it’s seemingly limited to working against teams that want to have more of the ball and as soon as we come up against the opposite, it all goes to sea. Being flummoxed by a standard 4-4-2 just raises that question further.
I’m not actually bothered about that result and it shows why not getting Europe might be a blessing in disguise for a squad that needs improvement in the summer with survival being the main aim again.
Call it unambitious, but avoiding ‘second season syndrome’ generally sees you stick around for a while longer, but I’ve enjoyed this season so I’m quite glad it all means nothing.
Regis Le Bris, manager of AFC Sunderland, looks on as his team concedes four goals during the first half of the Premier League match between Sunderland and Nottingham Forest at the Stadium of Light in Sunderland, United Kingdom, on April 24, 2026. (Photo by Scott Llewellyn/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images) | NurPhoto via Getty Images
I hate the automation; the robotic and soulless droid-like phrasing, but AI was invented to write about games like that — simply to spare Sunderland-supporting writers from reliving the sheer gutlessness of it all.
Régis Le Bris’ sides have never heard of the word “capitulation”. Indeed, “There isn’t a direct translation for it in French,” I wrote, before discovering that there actually is, and it’s literally like-for-like: “la capitulation”.
Regardless, the point remains. Le Bris’ sides rarely get walked over and our success both this term and last has been built on principled discipline, rigid strategy and undying belief.
Is that thirty-minute showing what dropping a monumental bollock feels like? It’s been so long that I’d forgotten the sensation, as had thousands of others as we collectively headed to the bars for a premature half-time pint.
I think we took the phrase Welcome to Sunderland a little too literally. “Here, lads. Here’s four goals — three of which will come in a quicfire six minutes. Make yourselves at home, feel free to walk around naked, eat our food and maybe invite your mates over.”
Paradoxically, for the most part, we weren’t as poor as the scoreline suggested. But we were also spanked 5-0, and made a string of calamitous errors. Football, eh?
For the opening fifteen minutes, we were brilliant, and the fluidity in our build-up was some of the best it’s been this season, with intricate flicks and neat interplay between Brian Brobbey, Enzo Le Fée and Chris Rigg. Dan Ballard also got in on the act with a marauding run that resulted in an “almost”.
That was a microcosm of our display; the story of our evening, and our profligacy came back to bite us on the arse.
While we failed to take our chances, typically, Nottingham Forest were clinical with every sight of goal. Six shots on target, five goals. There was a fragility to Sunderland after that opener, and Vitor Pereira’s side sensed that.
After their midweek rendezvous in Europe last Thursday, the Europa League semi-finalists hadn’t lost sight of the precariousness of their domestic situation as they looked to create further breathing room between themselves and the perils of the Championship.
They played with urgency and every time they got forward, there was a genuine threat through Morgan Gibbs-White, Omari Hutchinson (who was excellent, by the way), and Igor Jesus.
A special mention to the Forest fans, who brought with them arguably the best chant any set of away supporters this season: “He walks on the Trent, he walks on the Trent…Igor Jesus, he walks on the Trent!”
We’ve come to believe in miracles of our own on Wearside in recent times, so credit where credit is due.
After half time, our fans embodied what it means to be a Sunderland supporter. Following last week’s comeback, and the “Til the end” mentality that’s become such a staple of our identity of late, we still managed to instil a semblance of belief in a team that was up against it.
Unfortunately, Nordi Mukiele’s disallowed goal, which took an age for a VAR review, was enough to suck the life out of the place, and Elliot Anderson’s stoppage time goal was just a reminder that it wasn’t our day.
These results happen. It’s how we respond that’ll teach us more about this squad — as well as Le Bris’ and Granit Xhaka’s leadership.
Barry Siddall, Sunderland goalkeeper (Photo by S&G/PA Images via Getty Images) | PA Images via Getty Images
One of many “What if?” endings to a Sunderland season.
Yet again, the Lads did all they could to secure promotion to the top division after just missing out the season before, absolutely blitzing Sheffield United by six goals to two at Roker Park to move top of the table with only two games left.
There seemed little chance of such jubilant end-of-game celebrations in the early stages of the match, as the visitors took the lead through defender Tony Kenworthy in the fourth minute, who headed in from close range. However, in the thirteenth minute, Alan Brown was felled in the box and Wilf Rostron sent the goalkeeper the wrong way from the penalty spot.
Shortly afterwards, a Steve Whitworth cross was knocked down by Bob Lee, only for Mick Buckley to crash a first-time drive against the inside near post. Before the Blades could react, Tim Gilbert accelerated into the box, and angled a shot which visiting goalkeeper Conroy fumbled and allowed to roll over the line.
It was 2-1 at half time, and the game was still open.
Mick Buckley came close early in the second half when his shot hit Conroy’s body after a defence-splitting pass from the ever-industious Kevin Arnott.
Not long after that, in the forty-seventh minute, the goal-feast began when a long clearance from Barry Siddall was flicked on by Lee for Brown to use his speed and race towards goal, rounding the hapless Conroy and prodding home.
Ten minutes later, a raucous Roker Park crowd watched as Lee struck to make it 4-1.
Sheffield’s skilful Alex Sabella reduced the lead with a thunderous shot that went in off the underside of the bar and eight minutes later, the crowd were all on their feet, applauding a superb save from Siddall.
Bruce Rioch touched a free kick to Gary Hamson, who sent a ferocious shot goalwards. It took a deflection but even so, Siddall was able to show his amazing reflexes, saving the ball cleanly on the line.
With only three minutes remaining, Brown sent Rostron through, who was brought down in the box, and for the second time in the game, he sent Conroy the wrong way to make it 5-2.
A minute later, the crowd went berserk as Rostron struck again with a blistering left foot drive, completing his hat-trick — but the drama wasn’t over as in the dying seconds, Ashurst brought down Anderson and referee Richardson pointed to the spot for the third time in the game.
Hamson stepped up for the kick, only for ‘Super Siddall’ to fling himself to the right and make a brilliant save. It preserved the four goal cushion we needed in order to top the division.
However, Sunderland boss Billy Elliott should’ve known better than to make predictions at that tense stage of the season.
We want locking up if we don’t go up now — that’s the best feeling I’ve had since I came back into English football.
I said a few weeks ago that we would go up as champions, and now we’re in a great position to do just that. I am confident we can take full points from our last two games, and then nothing can stop us.
Well, no-one was locked up (I don’t think), but there was to be more end-of-season agony for the Rokerites — somehow, I can’t imagine such confident predictions from Régis Le Bris?
Elliott went on to praise a Sheffield team that played far better than their bottom three position might suggest, and gave a special mention to their Argentinian Sabella, saying he was the best player from that country of the lot, and even better than Ossie Ardiles. High praise, indeed!
However, Ken Knighton (who later would go on to fill Elliott’s shoes) was a little more cautious.
We shouldn’t get carried away with ourselves, and our main concern now is bringing the lads back down to earth.
Obviously it’s a fantastic feeling at the moment, and it would be great to go up as champions, but our main concern was just to win the match, so that amazing performance at the end was simply an unbelievable bonus.
Unfortunately, we lost our next game at Cardiff, yet could still have been promoted if the final games of the season had gone our way, but it wasn’t to be. Still, the everlasting memory of 1979 for me was beating the Mags 1-4 at St James’ Park, thanks to that Gary Rowell hat-trick.
Sunderland team huddles during the Premier League match between Sunderland and Nottingham Forest at Stadium Of Light in Sunderland, United Kingdom, on April 24, 2026. (Photo by Alfie Cosgrove/News Images/NurPhoto via Getty Images) | NurPhoto via Getty Images
Sunderland collapse in the most brutal fashion imaginable
Wow. Wow. And wow again.
Amid a season marked by ferociously committed performances both at home and away, with Sunderland’s players showing the kind of never-say-die spirit and will to win that had carried them very firmly into the shakeup for European football, it all came crashing down (hopefully temporarily) on a brutal evening as Nottingham Forest ran riot.
Five goals conceded without reply. A hapless performance with most of the lads in red and white performing way, way below the standards they’ve set for themselves, and an outcome that quite possibly hammers a large silver nail into our European coffin.
I don’t mind admitting that I’m a little shellshocked after watching that unfold.
Quite where it came from, and how, I have no idea, but it was easily the lowest point of what’s been a fantastic season and this two-game losing run simply can’t be allowed to develop into a fully-fledged end-of-season slump. Standards have been raised and they can’t be permitted to slip with four games remaining.
A bad night all round and despite dreams of witnessing continental football on Wearside, the evidence suggests that we simply aren’t equipped for Europe — nine goals conceded in two games tells a story in itself and it’ll be interesting to see how the players deal with this setback.
The Lads are unrecognisable in the worst possible way
Remember those scenes in Space Jam, in which five elite NBA players lose their talent as a group of alien invaders attempts to execute a plan to conquer humanity via the medium of basketball? I couldn’t help but be reminded of that as I watched eleven Sunderland players blunder their way to easily the worst defeat of the Régis Le Bris era.
Simply put, this was not the same team that’s acquitted itself so well during 2025/2026, racking up several eye-catching victories at home and away and doing their level best to give the fans — of whom there were very few left at the final whistle, justifiably or not — hope that the good times are here to stay.
Robin Roefs was on edge all evening; the defensive unit misfired badly, we created next to nothing from out wide and the midfield was about as watertight as the hull of a weather-beaten Spanish galleon. The net result was a catalogue of errors and poor decisions on which the visitors gleefully pounded and left Le Bris and his players looking thoroughly embarrassed.
This was not a night to remember fondly and it’s difficult to highlight one Sunderland player aside from the industrious Chris Rigg and perhaps Wilson Isidor that emerged from this debacle with any credit.
Nowhere near good enough on any level. Le Bris will take the flak but for me, he was let down by his men last night.
Habib Diarra’s struggles continue
It felt like an act of mercy when the Senegal international exited the fray in the second half, and it feels like a safe bet that he may find himself out of the starting eleven for the upcoming matches.
Perhaps eager to make amends for his missed opportunity against Aston Villa, Diarra’s evening was Sunderland’s incarnate: a real struggle with a lot of frustration on display and a yellow card gained for his brandishing of an imaginary card following a flashpoint. Wrong gesture, wrong time, regardless of how much you want to show how much you care — and he was scarcely more effective on the ball, either.
I like Diarra.
I don’t think he’s a lost cause, but it’s not been a good week for the midfielder and I suspect Le Bris may make the decision to withdraw him from the firing line in the wake of two challenging games. For his long-term development, that may be the smart move.
And on that non-memorable bombshell…
I’ve written many editions of Talking Points during my time at Roker Report and I genuinely believed that the days of composing truly soul-destroying analyses of defeats were becoming fewer and farther between, but despite Sunderland’s ineptitude, you have to give immense credit to Forest for the way in which they went about their business and essentially ended any lingering relegation fears in the process.
Whether we hyped this game up too much (something of which I was guilty, calling for a “Coventry City playoffs vibe” earlier in the week) and the players weren’t able to channel that, or were perhaps still carrying baggage from Sunday’s heartbreaking defeat to Aston Villa is very much open for discussion,
Nonetheless, the outcome was tough to swallow and with four games left, the Lads need to somehow park this loss, remain focused on becoming the first Sunderland team since 2001 to rack up fifty points at this level, and hit back very strongly next time out.
This felt like an absolute one-off and a true aberration. Let’s hope that turns out to be accurate.
Vitor Matos says his players deserve the credit for the turnaround in fortunes which has put them in contention for a top-10 Championship finish.
Swansea were staring at a relegation scrap after defeat in Matos' first two games in charge last November left them outside the bottom three only on goal difference.
But the Swans have since won 13 of 26 league fixtures to ensure they head into the final week of the season with a chance to improve on last year's 11th-place finish.
Swansea have taken an average of 1.53 points per game under Matos – compared to 1.06 this season before he arrived – while the goals scored per game average has gone from 0.9 to 1.42.
Their average goals conceded has dropped marginally, while they have nine clean sheets from Matos' 28 league games compared to three in the first 16 second-tier outings this season.
Most significantly, perhaps, Swansea's win ratio has gone from 25% in those first 16 games to 46% in the next 28.
When asked about the turnaround in form, Matos said: "I always said the squad has a lot of potential. There's a lot of things that are still a lot to unlock if we want, but for that you need time, you need training, you need consistency.
"It's not always possible to have everything built straight away and I think that's what we wanted - step by step, sorting the problems in the short term but also preparing for the future.
"The players bought into the ideas brilliantly. I think their character and their mentality is probably the main reason, not me."
[Huw Evans Picture Agency]
Swansea face a difficult trip to in-form Norwich City on Saturday (15:00 BST) as they look to end what has been a challenging season on the road with three successive away wins.
Their final game of the campaign is at home to Charlton Athletic on Saturday, 2 May.
Two victories could see Swansea finish as high as ninth, although Matos says he is "really happy" with his team's progress regardless of their league position.
"What we want is that the players feel they love to play with each other, that they love to stay in this club and they love to be here," he added.
"They have connected with the fans, that was quite important as well.
"Then of course, quality of the game, you need to improve that. If you want to be dominant with the ball, be an offensive team, you need to press right, you need to counter-press - that's massive for us.
"Then step by step, while adapting to this intensity - because it's also not easy when you press and you counter-press as much as us - we want to find a way to play with speed, but not rushing the game."
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers turned to the offensive side of the ball in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft, selecting wide receiver Ted Hurst, a pick that comes in with a C+ grade.
From a traits standpoint, Hurst brings something the Bucs’ receiver room has been lacking: true size. At 6-foot-4 with 4.42 speed, he immediately becomes the biggest wideout in the group and offers a much-needed red zone presence. This was a team that, at times in 2025, found itself throwing fade routes to 5-foot-10 Sterling Shepard, so adding a legitimate boundary target with length and catch radius gives them back the size they lost in Mike Evans.
Even with the size addition, the wide receiver room is still crowded. Chris Godwin Jr is now the veteran of the offense, while Emeka Egbuka, Jalen McMillan, and Tez Johnson are all behind him, carving their roles and looking to take the next step. That’s a lot of competition for targets, and it makes it difficult to project where Hurst fits in immediately. He may solve a specific problem, but he’s entering a room where opportunities won’t come easily.
There's also the fact Tampa Bay still has questions in the secondary and skipped over it to draft Hurst. Particularly when it comes to depth at cornerback and safety. After a rocky 2025 season from now-top corner Zyon McCollum, adding competition and insurance on the back end felt like a priority. Passing on that here makes this pick feel more like a luxury addition than a necessity. That’s what ultimately holds this grade down despite the fit.
Hurst brings size, speed, and a skill set that fills a real gap in the offense, especially in the red zone. But with a crowded receiver room and more pressing needs elsewhere, this feels like a pick that may take time to justify its value long-term.
The state of the NL East's high-spending clubs has not been great to start the 2026 MLB season.
First, the New York Mets went on a 12-game losing streak, their longest in decades. But now, a different star-loaded squad, the Philadelphia Phillies, already faces a huge uphill path to a fifth-straight postseason berth.
The Phillies, after their loss on Apr. 24 to the Braves, now own the worst record in baseball while riding a double-digit losing streak.
Here's a look at where Philadelphia's cold stretch ranks among its longest losing streaks ever.
Things have not been going well for the Phillies to open 2026 — a rotation missing ace Zach Wheeler hasn't performed to standards, while Philadelphia's star bats haven't stepped up. Pressure will only mount on manager Rob Thomson and his team as the summer approaches, with the squad facing World Series-or-bust expectations entering 2026.
The Phillies' current losing streak, as of Apr. 24, is at 10 games, their first double-digit losing streak since 1999. However, Philadelphia, for now, can rest assured that it would take a lot more struggles to break the franchise's longest mark for consecutive losses.
The 1961 Phillies don't just hold the team record for consecutive losses — they hold the MLB record. That Philadelphia squad lost 23 straight games, finally beating the Braves 7-4 to end it. Since then, no other Phillies team has even reached a 13-game losing streak, while the 1988 Orioles and 2024 White Sox approached the record at 21 straight losses.
Philadelphia's longest losing streak since 1990 was 11 straight in 1999. Between the 1984-85 seasons, the team also lost 12 straight games.
Here's a look at the longest Phillies losing streaks ever.
The Phillies' last win in 2026 came on Monday, Apr. 13, when they beat the Cubs 13-7. Notably, the Phillies have only been beaten by two teams on their streak: Chicago and Atlanta.
Here's a look at the results from each game since then:
April 14: Cubs 10, Phillies 4
April 15: Cubs 11, Phillies 2
April 17: Braves 9, Phillies 0
April 18: Braves 3, Phillies 1
April 19: Braves 4, Phillies 2
April 20: Cubs 5, Phillies 1
April 21: Cubs 7, Phillies 4
April 22: Cubs 7, Phillies 2
April 23: Cubs 8, Phillies 7
April 24: Braves 5, Phillies 3
Most losses in MLB history
Not only do the Phillies own the MLB record for most consecutive losses (23 in 1961), but they also own the distinction of the league's all-time losses leader.
Philadelphia has around a 400-loss lead over the Braves as MLB's all-time leader, with 11,410, per StatMuse. A deep franchise history has played a role there, but the Phillies have also had some tough eras in their history.
Here's a look at the all-time losses leaders:
Team
Total Games
Losses
Phillies
21,836
11,410
Braves
22,406
11,043
Pirates
21,986
10,921
Reds
22,027
10,854
Cubs
22,442
10,846
Phillies upcoming schedule
Philadelphia still has to finish out its three-game series against Atlanta, marking its 12th and 13th-straight games against either the Cubs or Braves in a unique portion of the schedule.
After that, the Phillies will be hosting the Giants from Apr. 28-30.
Haulcy will immediately be in the mix for playing time, competing with Jonathan Owens, Junayeh Thomas, and Hunter Wohler for snaps next to Cam Bynum. Haulcy has the skill set to fill the role that Nick Cross left behind after signing with Washington in free agency. This addition adds another strong coverage defender to the Colts' secondary.
For more on Haulcy's game, here is what NFL.com's Lance Zierlein wrote in his pre-draft scouting report:
"Haulcy, aka Mr. Give Me That, is a throwback safety with a compact, densely muscled frame and a pro feel for reading the field. He’s a rare blend of ballhawk and enforcer who can scurry into passing lanes for takeaways or run through a receiver to break up a pass. His pattern recognition and instincts are top-notch and he’s decisive in his reactions. A lack of sustained top-end speed could create mismatches in man coverage. He’s more effective playing forward than he is at guarding large spaces in deeper coverages. He’s rock-steady as a finisher but sees the missed tackle total tick higher as an open-field tackler. Haulcy’s frame and game are pro-ready, though. He projects as a good NFL starter in a zone-heavy scheme."
The first 100 picks of the 2026 NFL Draft have been made, three of them by the Los Angeles Rams. So far, the Rams have stuck to the offense with all three selections, taking Ty Simpson, Max Klare and Keagen Trost in the first three rounds.
Now, they enter Les Snead's wheelhouse: Day 3.
This is where Snead and the Rams make a living, finding diamonds in the rough like few other teams can. They'll try to uncover a few more gems on Saturday with their final four picks, though it'll be more challenging due to a lack of any selections in the fourth or fifth rounds.
Here are the 30 best available players entering Day 3, according to the consensus big board assembled by Arif Hasan of Wide Left. Jermod McCoy is obviously the biggest name still out there, coming into the draft as the 14th-ranked player overall on the consensus big board; a knee issue has caused him to plummet.
With needs at wide receiver, linebacker, edge rusher and perhaps even cornerback, the Rams can keep their options open when they go on the clock next at No. 207. By then, it's possible none of these players will be available, but they could always trade up.
Note: QB Garrett Nussmeier, TE Justin Joly and TE Michael Trigg were excluded due to their positions.
To the surprise of most, things have gone very well for the Los Angeles Lakers so far in their first-round NBA playoff series against the Houston Rockets. They have scratched and clawed their way to a 3-0 series lead after a gritty 112-108 overtime win in Game 3 on Friday, and things are apparently about to get even better for them.
Austin Reaves, who has been out since sustaining an oblique strain on April 2, was abruptly listed as questionable for Game 3. He went through his pre-game preparations before the decision was made to hold him out of action.
"When you look at the Lakers-Rockets series, Austin Reaves is on his way," Charania said on Friday before the start of Game 3. "He's getting closer to coming back from a Grade 2 oblique injury. My understanding is, Austin Reaves is trying to play in Game 3 tonight. If not Game 3, then Game 4. He started on-court work in the last several days. He's progressed through it. There's been no setbacks. You think about the timeline that Austin Reaves had earlier this month — four to six weeks. He definitely has a chance to beat that by a hair."
Needless to say, Reaves' return will take plenty of pressure off his teammates. He will give Los Angeles not only a big scoring threat but also another ball-handler and facilitator. Over the last few weeks, LeBron James, at age 41, has reverted to his old role as L.A.'s main scorer and facilitator, while sharpshooter Luke Kennard has played on the ball much more than he is accustomed to.
Reaves averaged 23.3 points, 5.5 assists and 4.7 rebounds a game during the regular season. He previously missed several weeks in the middle of the season with a gastrocnemius strain.
Meanwhile, Luka Doncic, who suffered a Grade 2 hamstring strain on April 2, doesn't seem close to returning. However, he has started doing some light shooting under the supervision of the Lakers' coaching staff.
Manchester City vs Southampton – Predicted lineup and team news
Manchester City aim to secure their place in a record fourth consecutive FA Cup final today when they take on Championship side Southampton.
Pep Guardiola’s side currently sit top of the Premier League table. They have won five straight matches across all competitions during an incredible spring run. City have won their last twenty-one FA Cup games against lower-league opposition. However, the manager must shuffle his pack due to significant fatigue within the squad.
City have scored eighty-four goals during their unbeaten run against non-Premier League sides. They look to add to their seven FA Cup trophies this season. That said, Guardiola has struggled with results at the national stadium previously. Six of his seven FA Cup defeats occurred at Wembley Stadium.
Manchester City team news
Rodri is the biggest injury concern after being forced off against Arsenal. It is unlikely Guardiola will risk him against Championship opposition tonight. Ruben Dias and Josko Gvardiol also remain on the treatment table for the Cityzens. Meanwhile, Abdukodir Khusanov and Marc Guéhi should continue their defensive partnership.
James Trafford is expected to replace Gianluigi Donnarumma in goal this afternoon. Erling Haaland could be given a rest with Omar Marmoush potentially starting. Phil Foden will also hope for a rare start in the attacking unit. In his absence, Nico O’Reilly might shift into midfield to provide cover for the absent Rodri.
Manchester City predicted lineup
Man City predicted XI vs Southampton: Trafford, Nunes, Khusanov, Guéhi, O’Reilly, Rodri, Silva, Cherki, Semenyo, Doku, Haaland
When will the match kick off?
Saturday’s high-stakes semi-final will kick off at 17:15 BST at Wembley Stadium.
How to watch Manchester City vs Southampton?
Viewers in the United Kingdom can watch the match live on BBC One and TNT Sports 1. The fixture is also available for streaming via BBC iPlayer, Now TV, and Prime Video UK.
Southampton XI vs Manchester City – Predicted lineup and team news
Southampton aim to become the first second-tier side in nearly two decades to reach the FA Cup final as they face Manchester City in this afternoon’s semi-final at Wembley.
The Saints enter this clash on a stunning twenty-match unbeaten streak. Tonda Eckert has transformed the club since taking over earlier in the campaign, guiding them to fourth in the Championship as they hunt automatic promotion.
At Wembley, however, history is not on their side. Southampton have been eliminated in nine of their 13 semi-final appearances and have lost 8 of their last 11 matches at the national stadium.
That said, they stunned top-flight leaders Arsenal in the quarter-finals this month — a result that demonstrated this side is capable of defying the odds. They now seek to topple another Manchester powerhouse, fifty years on from their famous 1976 triumph.
Southampton team news
Eckert heads into the tie with several selection concerns. Flynn Downes and Ryan Manning are both unavailable through suspension, while captain Jack Stephens faces a late fitness test after pulling out on Tuesday. Alex McCarthy and Mads Roerslev remain sidelined with wrist and knee issues, respectively. Daniel Peretz is expected to start in goal as a result.
Shea Charles will be a key figure after his winner against Arsenal, bringing momentum and confidence into the middle of the park. Ross Stewart and Léo Scienza are expected to lead the attack, with Caspar Jander providing defensive stability in midfield alongside them. Eckert remains confident in his squad’s depth to find a tactical solution against a clinical City side.
Saturday’s high-stakes semi-final will kick off at 17:15 BST at Wembley Stadium.
How to watch Manchester City vs Southampton?
Viewers in the United Kingdom can watch the match live on BBC One and TNT Sports 1. The fixture is also available for streaming via BBC iPlayer, Now TV, and Prime Video UK.
Fulham vs Aston Villa – Match preview and team news
Fulham welcome Champions League hopefuls Aston Villa to West London for a vital lunchtime kick-off on Saturday.
The visitors occupy fourth place and hold an eight-point cushion over their nearest rivals. Recent form has been erratic despite their victory over Sunderland last weekend. Meanwhile, Fulham look for a late-season surge to secure a top-half finish. Marco Silva’s side sit twelfth after a goalless draw at Brentford. They hope to rediscover their scoring touch against a leaky Villa backline.
Fulham vs Aston Villa – Match preview and team news
Date: Saturday, 25 April 2026
Kick-off: 12:30 BST
Venue: Craven Cottage, London
Referee: Michael Oliver
VAR: Paul Howard
Last Meeting: Aston Villa 3–1 Fulham (28 September 2025, Premier League)
Team news
Fulham
The hosts will be without Kevin and Kenny Tete for the visit of the Lions. Alex Iwobi faces a late assessment after picking up a thigh problem recently. Sander Berge and Harrison Reed are both pushing for starts in the midfield. Oscar Bobb and Samuel Chukwueze compete for a starting spot on the left flank.
Aston Villa
Boubacar Kamara remains sidelined with a long-term knee injury for the visitors. January signing Alysson is also out as he continues to manage a fitness issue. Lucas Digne could replace Ian Maatsen at left-back this weekend. Unai Emery may rotate his squad ahead of the Europa League semi-finals next week.
Form
Fulham
Fulham have failed to find the net in four of their last five matches. They have managed just four first-half goals since the turn of the year. That said, they have claimed nearly two-thirds of their points at home. Silva knows a fast start is essential to unsettle the visitors tonight.
Aston Villa
Villa have conceded at least three goals in three of their last five games. Their defensive collapse against Sunderland hinted at potential fatigue within the ranks. That said, they have won their last six Premier League meetings with Fulham. Emery has won all eight of his matches against the Cottagers.
Fulham vs Aston Villa – Predicted lineup and team news
Fulham aim to snap a barren goalscoring run when they face Aston Villa at Craven Cottage on Saturday.
Marco Silva’s side have failed to score in four of their last five Premier League matches. They have managed seventy-one shots during this spell but scored only three times. That said, Silva believes a fast start is essential to unsettle the visitors today. Breaking their first-half goal hoodoo would be a significant step forward for the group. The Cottagers must be clinical to secure a vital home victory against a superior Villa side.
Fulham currently sit twelfth in the table following a goalless stalemate against Brentford. They remain safe from danger but seek a strong finish to the campaign. However, they have won just one of their last nine games against top-half sides. Success today would keep their slim hopes of European qualification alive. Silva expects his creative players to exploit the space behind the Villa backline.
Fulham team news
Marco Silva heads into the tie with several selection concerns regarding his regular defensive and wide options. Kevin and Kenny Tete are both unavailable today through foot and ankle injuries. Alex Iwobi faces a late fitness test after picking up a thigh problem last weekend. In his absence, Oscar Bobb and Samuel Chukwueze compete for a starting spot on the left flank.
Bernd Leno remains the most reliable figure in the Fulham squad as he extends his historic appearance record. The German has started 145 consecutive Premier League matches, the longest ongoing run of any current player. Only five players in competition history have managed longer sequences of starts than the former Arsenal man. He produced a man-of-the-match display during the recent goalless draw at Brentford to secure a point.
Sander Berge is pushing to start in the engine room alongside Sasa Lukic to provide more physicality. Silva is considering a shake-up in his midfield following several lukewarm performances in the previous weeks. Harrison Reed remains a viable alternative if the manager seeks more energy and defensive coverage. Emile Smith Rowe may get the nod ahead of Josh King to operate in the number ten role.
Raul Jimenez is expected to lead the line today ahead of the out-of-form Rodrigo Muniz. Muniz has started recently but has not scored a goal for the Cottagers since last August.
Meanwhile, Harry Wilson continues on the right wing and will look to supply the necessary crosses. Fulham have managed only four first-half goals this year, a record they must improve to unsettle Villa. Breaking their scoring hoodoo today would be a massive step forward for Silva’s frustrated group.
Manchester City vs Southampton – Match preview and team news
Manchester City and Southampton clash at Wembley on Saturday with a spot in the FA Cup final at stake.
The Sky Blues sit top of the Premier League after a hard-fought midweek victory at Burnley. They aim to become the first team to reach four consecutive FA Cup finals. Pep Guardiola’s side arrive in London on a five-game winning streak. However, they face a resilient Southampton side currently enjoying a twenty-match unbeaten run.
The Saints enter the national stadium after stunning Arsenal in the quarter-finals. Tonda Eckert has transformed the Championship club into a genuine force this season. They are chasing promotion and an FA Cup final appearance simultaneously. Southampton have lost eight of their last eleven matches at Wembley. That said, they won their last visit during the 2024 play-off final.
Manchester City vs Southampton – Match preview and team news
Date: Saturday, 25 April 2026
Kick-off: 17:15 BST
Venue: Wembley Stadium, London
Referee: Craig Pawson
VAR: Tony Harrington
Last Meeting: Southampton 0–0 Manchester City (10 May 2025, Premier League)
Team news
Manchester City
Rodri is the primary injury concern following a groin problem sustained against Arsenal. Ruben Dias and Josko Gvardiol remain sidelined and will miss this trip to Wembley. James Trafford is expected to start in goal for the seven-time winners. Erling Haaland might be rested as Guardiola manages heavy squad fatigue.
Southampton
Flynn Downes and Ryan Manning are both unavailable today through suspension. Captain Jack Stephens faces a late assessment after pulling out against Bristol City. Alex McCarthy and Mads Roerslev remain out with wrist and knee injuries, respectively. Daniel Peretz is set to start between the posts for the Saints.
Form
Manchester City
City have won each of their last three FA Cup semi-finals. They have scored 157 goals in this competition since 2016. Despite this dominance, they have lost six of seven cup ties under Guardiola at Wembley. They thrashed Liverpool 4–0 to reach this stage of the competition.
Southampton
The Saints have not lost a match in any competition since January. They reached the last four by winning every previous round by a one-goal margin. However, they have been knocked out in nine of their thirteen semi-final appearances. They aim to become the first non-Premier League finalist since 2008.
Predicted lineups
Manchester City Predicted XI: Trafford, Nunes, Khusanov, Guéhi, O’Reilly, Rodri, Silva, Cherki, Semenyo, Doku, Haaland
Viewers in the United Kingdom can watch the match live on BBC One and TNT Sports 1. The fixture is also available for streaming via BBC iPlayer, Now TV, and Prime Video UK.
Aston Villa XI vs Fulham – Predicted lineup and team news
Aston Villa aim to cement their Champions League spot with a victory at Fulham on Saturday.
Unai Emery maintains a flawless record as a Premier League manager against the Cottagers. He has won all eight of his previous encounters with the London side. Emery knows that defensive solidity will be key at Craven Cottage today. Villa conceded three goals in the second half against Sunderland last week. This collapse hinted at potential fatigue within the defensive ranks lately.
The Lions occupy fourth place and hold an eight-point cushion over sixth-placed Brighton. A victory today would move them eleven points clear with five games remaining. The squad aims to strike early and control the lunchtime fixture. However, Emery must balance his selection with a European semi-final approaching. Rotation appears likely as they prepare for next week’s continental clash.
Aston Villa team news
Unai Emery must navigate the absence of several key players as he manages a busy schedule. Boubacar Kamara remains sidelined with a long-term knee injury and will not feature this afternoon. January signing Alysson is also out as he continues to manage a lingering fitness issue. That said, Lucas Digne could replace Ian Maatsen at left-back to provide more experience.
Ollie Watkins enters this fixture as one of the most clinical strikers in the division recently. The England international has scored six goals in his last five appearances for the Birmingham side. He also boasts a fine record against Fulham, netting six times in nine career games against them. Only against Brighton and Arsenal has the striker scored more frequently in his professional top-flight career.
Amadou Onana and Youri Tielemans should anchor the midfield engine room for the visiting side. They provide the necessary defensive screen for a backline that has looked vulnerable in recent weeks. Villa have conceded over two goals per game in their last five matches across all competitions. Meanwhile, Morgan Rogers could operate in an advanced central role behind the primary striker.
Jadon Sancho is a candidate to start on the left flank to freshen the attacking unit. Emery may rotate his squad today ahead of the Europa League semi-finals scheduled for next week. Emiliano Buendia offers another creative option if the manager decides to rest his key creative starters.
Villa averaged under a goal per game conceded earlier this term but have struggled lately. The Lions aim to strike early and control the lunchtime fixture to consolidate their top-four position.
Aston Villa predicted lineup
Aston Villa Predicted XI: Martinez, Cash, Konsa, Mings, Maatsen, Onana, Tielemans, McGinn, Rogers, Sancho, Watkins
When will the match kick off?
The fixture begins at 12:30 BST at Craven Cottage on Saturday, 25 April 2026.
How to watch Fulham vs Aston Villa?
UK viewers can watch the match live on Sky Sports Premier League.
GLENDALE, ARIZONA - DECEMBER 31: Bud Clark #26 of the TCU Horned Frogs celebrates after returning an interception for a touchdown during the first quarter against the Michigan Wolverines in the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium on December 31, 2022 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Seattle Seahawks went all-in on the secondary in Day 2 of the 2026 NFL Draft. For those worried about whether or not they’d gain extra draft capital, I have great news!
Seattle began its Friday by staying at No. 64 to select TCU’s Bud Clark, a ball-hawking safety who registered 15 interceptions with the Horned Frogs. The follow-up in the third round was to trade down at long last, moving from 96 to 99 in a swap with the Pittsburgh Steelers, who took popular Iowa offensive lineman Gennings Dunker. Seattle remained at 99 to take tall, physical Arkansas cornerback Julian Neal. Seattle gained pick No. 216 for Saturday, the last selection of the sixth round.
For whatever reason, we had a lot of tight ends go off the board (eight, to be exact), which did not seem likely given consensus opinion on this year’s class. The San Francisco 49ers surprised by taking Ole Miss receiver De’Zhaun Stribling at the top of Round 2, then they snagged Indiana’s Kaelon Black in Round 3 for their umpteenth mid-round running back pick under Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch. Meanwhile, the Arizona Cardinals turned to Miami’s Carson Beck as their quarterback pick to start Round 3, whereas the Los Angeles Rams focused in on Ohio State tight end Max Klare in the second and Missouri offensive lineman Keegan Trost in the third.
It’s abundantly clear the Seahawks aren’t feeling this edge rusher class, with all of the top names off the board by the end of Friday. The rest of the NFL also doesn’t seem particularly high on either Mike Washington or Jonah Coleman, both of whom will be available in Round 4.
Here are the full results of Day 2 of the draft. Day 3 resumes at 9 am PT on Saturday, Apr. 25 on ESPN, ABC, and NFL Network.
Seattle Seahawks 2026 NFL Draft picks
Round 1, Pick 32: Jadarian Price, RB, Notre Dame
Round 2, Pick 64: Bud Clark, S, TCU
Round 3, Pick 99: Julian Neal, CB, Arkansas
Remaining Seahawks draft picks
Round 4: N/A
Round 5: N/A
Round 6: No. 188 (from Cleveland Browns)
Round 6: No. 216 (from Pittsburgh Steelers)
Round 7: N/A
NFL Draft 2026 results, Round 2
33.) San Francisco 49ers (via NYJ) – De’Zhaun Stribling, WR, Ole Miss
The Rams picked offensive lineman Keagen Trost with the 93rd overall pick in the draft.
Trost provides versatility to the offensive line room, with the ability to play as either a guard or a tackle. He also displayed a level of durability, playing in all 13 games for Missouri this past season. His college career spans over seven years and he played for four different universities.
Trost is the Rams’ highest-drafted offensive lineman since the team drafted center Steve Avila with the 36th pick in 2023.
"Trost took a significant step forward last season, and he offers versatility along any front. He offers depth for a team that looks settled along the front for now but could use some long-term solutions." -Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz
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Singapore Airlines Brings FIFA World Cup 2026 Live to the Skies: Watch Matches with Premium In-Flight EntertainmentSingapore Airlines will broadcast...
Samsung is on the verge of facing an 18-day labor strike over a bonus dispute, which could potentially make RAM and memory even more expensive. Internal estimates put potential strike losses at up to 30 trillion won (about 20.32 billion).
Rising AI demand has already made general-purpose DRAM and NAND flash memory chips pricier, and a potential Samsung labor union strike could worsen the situation further.
The strike
The Samsung Electronics branch of the Samsung Group Super Enterprise Labor Union held a rally at the Pyeongtaek campus on the 23rd, with around 40,000 people showing up.
The union, which now counts more than 76,100 members and represents the first majority union at Samsung, is demanding that 15% of annual operating profit be distributed as performance bonuses.
The potential damage
Here’s the part the headlines aren’t emphasizing: 18 days is probably a floor, not a ceiling.
If cleanroom operations and equipment maintenance halt for any significant stretch, engineers say it takes over a month just to restore normal operating conditions.
During a memory supercycle, when the entire industry is sprinting to ship as much product as possible, a month-long slowdown compounds into something much uglier.
SK Hynix and Micron are watching this closely. If Samsung’s production stumbles, both stand to collect a premium on high-performance server DRAM and enterprise SSDs
Union leader Choi Seung-ho said Samsung would see the production losses in numbers if it kept treating workers like figures on a spreadsheet.
Don’t be surprised if you see the Galaxy S28 Pro and/or Ultra launching with a curved display, as Apple is reportedly exploring this radical redesign for the iPhone 20.
According to Weibo leaker DigitalChatStation, Apple plans to use a quad-curved display in the iPhone 20 next year, and Samsung might consider bringing it to the Galaxy S28 Pro or Ultra, just an assumption.
Apple surprised the industry with the 10th anniversary iPhone, and the next shock is being planned for the 20th anniversary model. iPhone 18 Pro is coming this year, and Apple will bring iPhone 20 in 2027, skipping iPhone 19.
The Cupertino giant is collaborating with the Korean company to develop a four-sided micro-curved display panel. The idea is currently in an early phase, and we may see a shift too, as the tentative launch is more than a year away.
Apple plans to bring a bezel-less design to the iPhone 20. The company has actively trimmed the thickness of bezels, but the next year’s model may completely eliminate that letdown by featuring quad-curved display tech.
Additionally, the iPhone’s screen may ditch the legacy polarizer layer for a pol-less design. This technological shift could offer extended brightness. Besides, the thickness of the screen will be reduced, and efficiency will improve.
Samsung is accused of blindly copying Apple in recent years. Removal of the charging adapter, adoption, and elimination of titanium frame are recent examples. The display redesign may also be explored for the following Galaxy model.
Xgimi Japan has opened its Makuake crowdfunding campaign for the Elfin Flip 4K and Flip Laser projectors. The slim projectors measure less than 8 cm (~3 in.) when folded, enabling convenient storage in bookshelves when space is at a premium. Both offer 1,600 ISO lumens of brightness and 7W Harman Kardon speakers.
The first ever iPhone was unveiled in January 2007, and went on sale in June that year. Thus, in 2027, Apple is celebrating the iPhone's 20th anniversary. The company has long been rumored to be planning something special for this occasion, and today, a new leak from Digital Chat Station on Weibo purports to bring us more information.
According to the prolific leaker, Apple is working with Samsung on developing the 20th anniversary iPhone's screen. The panel will not have a polarizer, and will come with a quad-curved design, with the curvature radius customized by Apple.
So after...
A Hyperliquid whale holds large short positions against Bitcoin and several altcoins. Does the position provide any signal on the markets’ future outcomes?
In a recent conversation with Paul Barron, Bitwise strategist Juan Leon has opened up about how institutions are no longer just testing crypto with tiny allocations; they’re starting to rethink it as a core part of portfolios.
Leon makes it clear that XRP’s recent stability doesn’t mean the opportunity is gone; it actually signals a shift toward a more mature phase. Earlier volatility, he explains, was largely tied to uncertainty.
“A lot of the volatility… was driven by the uncertainty of the regulatory and legal status,” Leon says. With that now mostly resolved, price action has cooled, but the bigger picture remains bullish. “There’s still definitely a lot of growth ahead for the digital asset ecosystem.”
Global Push Is Where the Real Story Lies
Instead of hype, XRP’s future now depends on execution. Leon highlights how the network is expanding globally—partnering with SBI in Japan, rolling out RLUSD in Singapore, and exploring African markets. “Every quarter… they’re looking to expand… with banks and payment providers,” he said.
He also points out that rising stablecoin market cap, growing transaction volumes, and increasing partnerships will fuel momentum.
“As we see more partnerships and more of those revenues start flowing… all of that should drive the price.”
Strong Tech + Regulation = Investor Confidence
A big reason for growing institutional interest is the strength of the XRP Ledger. Leon highlights its efficiency, with sub-5-second settlement and transactions that are over 60% cheaper than traditional systems like SWIFT.
“It’s a very efficient settlement ledger,” he says.
On top of that, RLUSD adds a regulated layer to the ecosystem. It’s backed by short-term treasuries, held with custodians like BNY Mellon, and supported by independent attestations. It’s also expanding across Ethereum and Layer 2 networks like Optimism and Base.
He further added that “There’s a lot of conviction from investors around it.”
AUM Growth and Market Outlook
Leon points out that digital asset ETFs currently hold around $160 billion in AUM, with Bitcoin dominating at $120 billion, Ethereum at $18 billion, and XRP at roughly $2.5 billion, leaving significant room to grow.
He says future upside depends on catalysts like the Clarity Act and improving macro conditions. With Bitcoin previously hitting $125K and now below $80K, a recovery could reignite the market.
“If we resume the bull run… we could go to new all-time highs over the next 12 to 18 months,” he concluded.
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Nov 9, 2025; Mesa, AZ, USA; Chicago Cubs catcher Owen Ayers during the Arizona Fall League Fall Stars Game at Sloan Park. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Other than the ones involving the major league team which we’ve covered elsewhere:
Right-hander Jace Beck was promoted from Double-A Knoxville to Triple-A Iowa.
Right-hander Ben Johnson was promoted to Knoxville from Low-A Myrtle Beach.
Trent Thornton was activated off the injured list and made his season and Iowa debut tonight. He pitched two scoreless innings, allowing just two hits. Thornton struck out two and walked one.
The I-Cubs went into the ninth with a 3-1 lead, but Ryan Jensen couldn’t hold it. Jensen allowed two runs on three hits and four walks over 1.2 innings. Jensen struck out two.
With Iowa out of pitchers, Casey Opitz had to pitch the tenth and eleventh innings. He acquitted himself well, allowing only the automatic runner to score in both innings. But Iowa was unable to score the tying run in the eleventh when automatic runner Kevin Alcántara was thrown out at the plate on a single. So Opitz got the loss.
First baseman Jonathon Long was 4 for 5 with a double and a game-tying RBI single in the tenth. Long scored once.
Jake Knapp pitched the first 2.1 innings and allowed three runs, two earned, on two hits. However, Knapp walked six batters and struck out just two.
Ben Johnson gave up three runs in his Double-A debut, but he ended up getting the win anyways. Johnson’s final line was three runs on three hits over three innings. All three of the runs came on a home run in the eighth inning. Johnson struck out five and walked just one.
First baseman Ethan Hearn hit a two-run home run in the second inning, his first of the season. He was 1 for 4.
Catcher Owen Ayers hit his first Double-A home run in the third inning with the bases empty. Ayers was a perfect 2 for 2 with a double, the home run and three walks. He scored twice.
Later in the third inning, center fielder Alex Ramírez hit a two-run home run, his first on the year. Ramírez went 1 for 5.
The Smokies saved the best for last as their fourth and final home run was a grand slam by right fielder Andy Garriola. It was his fourth of the year and third in two games. Garriola was 1 for 2 with three walks and two runs scored.
Left fielder Carter Trice was 2 for 4 with a double and two runs scored.
Here’s Ayers’ home run.
After rough couple of games, Owen Ayers is beginning to find his footing in Double-A.
He’s 2-for-2 with a HR, a 2B, and a BB tonight and is now batting .308 since his promotion. pic.twitter.com/WtQq1Non68
Koen Moreno started and took the loss after he allowed five runs, three earned, on four hits over three innings. Moreno had trouble finding the plate as he walked five and struck out just one.
Left fielder Kane Kepley was 1 for 2 with a double and a walk. He scored twice.
Center fielder Kade Snell was 1 for 3 with an RBI double and a walk. He scored one run.
DH Cameron Sisneros was 1 for 1 with a double, a walk and a sacrifice fly. He drove in two and scored once.
Here are Snell and Sisneros’ doubles, which both came in the third inning.
Victor Zarraga started and took the loss. Zarraga gave up two runs on three hits over 2.1 innings. He walked four and struck out three.
Edwardo Melendez relieved Zarraga and gave up one run on two hits over 3.2 innings. But most impressively, Melendez struck out eight and walked no one.
The Pelicans only had three hits tonight and their two runs were both scored by Jose Escobar on a passed ball and a wild pitch. Escobar was 1 for 3 with a walk.
Right fielder Eli Lovich was 1 for 1 with three walks.
With the 93rd pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, the Los Angeles Ramsselected Missouri's Keagan Trost. An offensive tackle, Trost fills a critical need for the team, while also providing position flexibility.
Here are three observations from the selection.
The Rams have a swing tackle for now
With Warren McClendon Jr. inheriting Rob Havenstein's role as a starter, the team needed someone to replace McClendon's old job as a backup swing tackle. The Rams likely won't re-sign D.J. Humphries, and David Quessenberry is more of a body than an instant backup. Trost brings needed depth at a position that's difficult to resupply during the season.
Warren McClendon Jr. has one year to prove himself
McClendon is entering a contract year and has never been the Rams' full-time starting tackle. The Rams love McClendon and I do not see this being a move to replace him. However, the Rams have tough financial decisions to make regarding their stellar 2023 draft class. They can not commit big-time money to players who won't produce, so before McClendon can see the cash, he likely has 17 games to prove his worth.
The Rams are not ready to say goodbye to their interior offensive line
While the Rams are likely to lose either Kevin Dotson, Steve Avila, or Coleman Shelton next offseason, they haven't decided who will get the boot. Trost is able to play all five positions, and while he solves an immediate need as depth, the fact that the Rams did not select a pure interior lineman means they're evaluating every player moving forward.
Chicago Bears top draft pick Dillon Thieneman is headed to Chicago. The highly-touted safety was introduced at Halas Hall Friday afternoon.
Meanwhile, the team continued to make more selections Friday night the second and third rounds of the 2026 NFL Draft.
The Bears selected Iowa center Logan Jones with the 57th overall pick in the second round.
The Bears selected Stanford tight end Sam Roush with the 69th overall pick in the third round. The Bears had traded the 60th overall pick in the second round to the Tennessee Titans in exchange for the 69th overall pick in the third round and the 144th overall pick in the fifth round.
The Bears selected LSU wide receiver Zavion Thomas with the 89th overall pick in the third round.
The draft wraps up Saturday, when the Bears will make four more draft selections in round five through seven.
Thieneman was an All-American this past season at Oregon. He also played at Purdue. He fills an immediate need for the Bears and will compete for a starting slot.
Bears fans are buzzing about the draft, feeling pretty confident ahead of next season.
Several NFL experts are calling the Thieneman pick the best of the night for any team and they're hoping that momentum continues Friday night.
Bears fans are excited and optimistic this morning with the Monsters of the Midway first round pick.
"I think it was a great pick," Bears fan Joel Dziedzic said. "Based on what was there I think he's going to do very well."
"He's going to bring some fresh blood to the team and he's got swagger that we need to that we all love in Chicago," Bears fan Victoria Maclean said.
No stranger to the Midwest, Thieneman hails from Indiana.
The Bears were determined to get faster on defense, and Thieneman certainly helps them do just that. He's got great closing speed and is expected to be a perfect complement to line up alongside Coby Bryant at safety.
"Some speed that we need back in the safety, defensive backs," Bears fan Daryl Glaz said. "I'm happy with it. I think he was the best one. A lot of people didn't think he was gonna be around. But we got a steal."
At 6 feet, 201 pounds, the Indianapolis native was Big 10 "Freshman of the Year" at Purdue the first of two seasons with the Boilermakers, before transferring to Oregon last year, hoping to step up his game for this NFL opportunity.
"I feel like making the leap to Oregon was kind of preparing me for the next level already, like I'm going to a new place, new coaches, new scheme, new environment," Thieneman said. "So I'm kind of used to that change, and I know how to make it and what works for me and what doesn't. So I'm kind of able to grow from that last experience. And I think hit the ground running."
The Bears said he checked all the boxes, so they're thrilled to make him their first round pick in this year's draft.
"He was standing out, elevated on the board," Bears GM Ryan Poles said. "We kind of work lateral to see who's up there. And he was the number one on our priority list. We take the board obviously before all this kicks off and we sequence it. And he was the top sequence guy on our board." His head coach at Oregon said Thieneman is the best safety he's ever coached, which says a lot.
Chicago Bears first-round draft pick Dillon Thieneman reacts during an NFL football news conference Friday, April 24, 2026, at Halas Hall in Lake Forest, Ill. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)
Thieneman was Halas Hall Friday afternoon as fans wish for more stellar draft selections Friday night.
"I think we still need defensive players so defensive end, defensive tackle that would be great," Dziedzic said.
"Keep up with the defense," Glaz said. "I think the office has been great. It's been explosive as it is. We need more defense line edge somebody get at the quarterback of the other team. None of sacks last year."
Fans said they're hopeful this team has Super Bowl potential.
You can catch rounds two and three of the draft on ABC7 starting at 6 p.m. Thursday. Eyewitness News at 6 p.m. will be available wherever you stream ABC7.
The Alabama Crimson Tide have so far seen three players drafted in the opening rounds of the 2026 NFL draft.
Star offensive lineman Kadyn Proctor was drafted by the Miami Dolphins with the No. 12 overall pick, while the Los Angeles Rams selected quarterback Ty Simpson at No. 13. Germie Bernard was the lone Crimson Tide player drafted in the second round on Friday evening, as Bernard was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers with the No. 47 overall pick.
Here’s a look at the top Crimson Tide players remaining on the board entering day three of the NFL draft.
LT Overton, Defensive Line
Overton is an extremely talented defensive lineman with elite NFL potential. The 6-foot-5, 278 pound lineman will more than likely shine on any team that chooses to draft him, as Overton will undoubtedly hear his name called on the third and final day of the NFL draft.
Overton recorded six TFL and four sacks during his final season at Alabama, as the talented big man has yet to be drafted to the suprise of many.
Tim Keenan lll, Defensive Tackle
Keenan is an extremely athletic lineman given his size. The 6-foot-2, 320 pound big man could potentially emerge as a difference maker throughout his rookie campaign in the NFL, as Keenan is widely regarded as one of the top overall defensive tackles remaining on the board.
Keenan could undoubtedly be one of the first players to hear their name called on day three of the NFL draft, as the talented big man will look to thrive at the professional level following an elite career at Alabama.
Parker Brailsford, Center
Brailsford played an essential role on the Tide’s offensive line during the 2025 campaign. The talented center will serve as an excellent depth option to begin his NFL career, as Brailsford certainly has the potential to work his way up to a starting role.
Brailsford finds himself in prime position to be drafted on Saturday afternoon, as the promising center could very well thrive in the NFL next season and beyond.
Deontae Lawson, Linebacker
Lawson was a focal point on Alabama’s defense across the past few seasons. The talented linebacker recorded 283 tackles and 6.5 sacks across his career with the Crimson Tide, as Lawson could prove to be an everyday player in the NFL next season.
The former Alabama star will more than likely thrive throughout his rookie campaign, as Lawson remains available despite some second and third round expectations prior to draft night.
Justin Jefferson, Linebacker
Both Lawson and Jefferson were widely regarded as two of the top linebackers in the country last season. Jefferson will more than likely emerge as a fourth round selection on Saturday, as the talented player was nothing short of elite throughout his career with the Tide.
Jefferson has the potential to compete for an everyday role during training camp this season, as any team that drafts him will undoubtedly find themselves with a late round steal.
Domani Jackson, Cornerback
Jackson impressed throughout his time at both USC and Alabama. The talented cornerback is expected to be a late sixth or seventh round selection on Saturday, as Jackson will more than likely find himself competing for a roster spot throughout training camp.
Jackson could quickly prove to shine throughout his rookie campaign next season despite being still available, as the former Alabama star was excellent during his time in Tuscaloosa.
Josh Cuevas, Tight End
Cuevas played a pivotal role on the Alabama offense when fully healthy last season. The talented tight end recorded 411 yards and four touchdowns in 2025, as Cuevas could prove to be a regular contributor in the NFL next season.
Cuevas is considered to be the top remaining tight end available entering day three, as the former Alabama star will undoubtedly be drafted at some point on Saturday.
Jaeden Roberts, Offensive Guard
Roberts is a massive offensive lineman with elite NFL potential. The former Crimson Tide big man finds himself still available on day three of the NFL draft, as Roberts will more than likely find himself fighting for a roster spot this summer in similar fashion to Jackson.
Roberts could come off the board Saturday, should a team take a chance on him in the draft, as the lineman was excellent on the Crimson Tide offensive line in 2025.
Jam Miller, Running Back
Miller is a talented running back that struggled throughout his final season at Alabama. The former Crimson Tide running back could emerge as a seventh round pick on Saturday, but Miller finds himself facing an uphill battle following an underwhelming season in Tuscaloosa last year.
Miller has elite size and speed and could truly shine when fully healthy, as the talented running back will hope to hear his name called on day three of the NFL draft.
Alabama will more than likely have a plethora of talented drafted through rounds four-seven tomorrow afternoon, as the Tide continue to produce elite NFL talent on a yearly basis.
Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion.
MILWAUKEE (AP) — The Milwaukee Brewers had the daunting task of facing the AL and NL Cy Young Award winners in consecutive games. The results were mixed, with both ending in losses for the defending NL Central champions.
After having late-inning success against the Tigers’ Tarik Skubal on Thursday in Detroit, the Brewers had to deal with Pittsburgh’s Paul Skenes and his signature “splinker” pitch, a combination of split-finger and sinker, for which Milwaukee had no answer, leaving Skenes with a perfect game into the seventh inning Friday in Milwaukee.
Skenes (4-1) didn’t allow a base runner until Jake Bauers’ sharp single to right with two outs in the seventh. The 23-year-old right-hander gave up one hit over seven shutout innings. He struck out seven and didn’t walk a batter.
Skenes had another no-hitter close call in Milwaukee on July 11, 2024, when he allowed no hits over seven innings in a 1-0 win.
When asked if that’s the best the Brewers had seen from Skenes in his five outings against them, Brewers manager quickly responded.
“That’s the best I’ve seen from anyone, I think,” Murphy said.
Skenes’ dominance called for desperate measures, he added.
“I was thinking about telling guys just to jump in front of it,” Murphy said. “You know what I mean? Just jump in front of it and try to get hit.”
Facing ruling Cy Young Award winners had happened just once before in the majors, and it was just last year, according to Sportradar, when the Red Sox faced Skubal and the Tigers in Detroit on May 14 and Atlanta’s Chris Sale at home on May 16. The Red Sox, like the Brewers, lost both games.
On Thursday, the Brewers rallied from a 3-1 deficit in the seventh, with Blake Perkins tying it with a double off of Skubal that scored Gary Sanchez and Luis Matos. David Hamilton then put the Brewers up 4-3 when his single off reliever Tyler Holton brought home Perkins.
Milwaukee ended up losing 5-4 on Spencer Torkelson’s walk-off home run.
Skubal was dominant early in the game, retiring the first 11 batters and throwing strikes on 24 of his first 26 pitches. But he didn’t factor into the decision and finished allowing four runs on seven hits and striking out five.
“I was really proud of our club (on Thursday) with our three main guys down and to still compete the way we did,” Murphy said. “You never like to lose and I’m not into moral victories, but it certainly said something that they got (Skubal) out of there.”
But the Brewers were stymied by Skenes a night later.
“He had elite stuff tonight. Perfect game stuff. Really impressive,” Pirates manager Don Kelly said. “Sometimes we lose sight of the fact that he’s just in his third season in the big leagues. He’s continuing to get better, which is amazing considering what he’s already done in the game.”
With the No. 92 pick in the 2026 NFL draft, the Dallas Cowboys selected Jaishawn Barham, linebacker out of Michigan. The team didn’t have a pick in the second round, sat tight and used their third-round choice on a second edge player in three picks.
Barham was used as an outside linebacker and pass rusher in his final season at Michigan, but he was primarily an off-ball linebacker until that point. The Cowboys, under new defensive coordinator Christian Parker, plan to use him in both capacities, similar to the way that Zack Baun has been used in Philadelphia.
The third-round pick played two years at Maryland before landing with the Wolverines for his final two seasons. He finished with 12 sacks and 23 tackles for a loss during his four years in the Big 10, and now will join Malachi Lawrence in Dallas' revised front.
Under Parker the Cowboys have chosen a path of finding younger, more athletic options instead of adding veterans to fill the pass rushing void.
NBA veterans LeBron James and Kevin Durant will go head-to-head in the first round of the NBA Playoffs as the Lakers take on the Rockets.
Los Angeles was picking up momentum and wins throughout March, but the franchise lost two powerhouse starters to injuries in early April. Luka Doncic (hamstring strain) and Austin Reaves (oblique strain) both went down in a 43-point loss to Oklahoma City and have been sidelined ever since.
Houston could easily take advantage of the Lakers' injuries. The Rockets have a top-five defense for the second year in a row, and the combination of KD and Alperen Şengün makes the offense pretty strong as well. If the Rockets can contain LeBron in the postseason, they have a good chance at stealing this series.
Who will prove themselves in the first round?
Here's everything you need to know about Lakers vs. Rockets, including TV channel and streaming options for each game of the playoff series.
The Lakers vs. Rockets series will air across multiple platforms thanks to the NBA's expanded broadcast deal, which will see games split among the ESPN networks, NBC and Peacock, and Prime Video.
Games on ABC, ESPN networks and NBC can be streamed live on DIRECTV, which offers a free trial to new users.
Fans can also turn to the streaming homes for each broadcast partner — Prime Video, Peacock or the ESPN app — for games on those platforms.
Vanderbilt QB Diego Pavia put up a combined 4,401 yards both through the air and on the ground in the 2025 season. The runner-up for the Heisman Trophy scored almost 40 touchdowns combined. A 170-season rating average and almost 71% completions should have put him firmly in the top 100.
However, there are several factors working against Pavia. He was listed by Vanderbilt to be 6'0. While that is respectable, it is below the mark of what NFL teams look for. That was made into an even bigger concern when he measured 5'9" and 7/8" at the Senior Bowl. Excluding Kyler Murray's NFL Rookie of the Year season, there has not been a 'successful' NFL QB under 5-foot-10 since 2000.
Despite the size concern there is a skill set concern. What Pavia did at Vanderbilt can work in the college game, but has very little success at the NFL level. Too many big plays off the platform, relies too much on his legs, and he is not viewed as a QB that can stand and deliver from the pocket.
Then there's off the field antics. Pavia is making the same mistakes that Shedeur Sanders and others have made in recent memory. He's trying to speak a draft stock into existence that no one else agrees with. He has been dismissive of the talent level of other players. He confirmed to Jon Gruden that he would not hire an agent.
Diego Pavia live updates and social media reactions
April 24
We've hit the end of Day 2 with Pavia still not off the board. 100 picks in and this isn't good news for the former Vandy QB
Offensive players still on the board after Round 3 include:
QB Garrett Nussmeier QB Taylen Green QB Cole Payton QB Cade Klubnik QB Jalon Daniels QB Luke Altmyer QB Haynes King QB Behren Morton QB Diego Pavia RB Mike Washington Jr. WR Deion Burks WR Skyler Bell WR Elijah Sarratt
With Fernando Mendoza and Ty Simpson going at the top end of the first round, when will the next QB come off the board?
The big sports law question for the 2026 NFL Draft: When will Vanderbilt QB Diego Pavia—who began what has become more than 70 eligibility lawsuits against the NCAA to extend their time as college athletes—be drafted?
The 2026 NFL draft kicks off at 8 p.m. ET on Thursday in Pittsburgh (ESPN, ABC and NFL Network-- available on Fubo), The Las Vegas Raiders will likely select Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 overall pick.
Through the first three rounds of the 2026 NFL draft, the San Francisco 49ers have made multiple trades to acquire picks later on, but have only taken three players.
After going without a pick on Day 1, they added wide receiver De'Zhaun Stribling, defensive end Romello Heigt and running back Kaelon Black on Day 2.
San Francisco still needs help if they want to reach their full potential in 2026 after coming up short in 2025 due to injuries and inconsistent play down the stretch.
With Day 3 of the draft set to start at 12 p.m. ET on Saturday, let's take a look at the best players available.
CB Jermod McCoy, Tennessee
CB Keith Abney II, Arizona State
CB Keionte Scott, Miami (FL)
WR Skyler Bell, UConn
WR Bryce Lance, North Dakota State
EDGE Joshua Josephs, Tennessee
EDGE Dani Dennis-Sutton, Penn State
DL Gracen Halton, Oklahoma
RB Mike Washington Jr., Arkansas
WR Elijah Sarratt, Indiana
WR Deion Burks, Oklahoma
DL Darrell Jackson Jr., Florida State
C Connor Lew, Auburn
LB Kyle Louis, Pittsburgh
S Kamari Ramsey, USC
CB Chandler Rivers, Duke
C Sam Hecht, Kansas State
CB Devin Moore, Florida
EDGE LT Overton, Alabama
QB Garrett Nussmeier, LSU
The 49ers don't have many starting jobs open, but they could definitely use a guard, and depth, as we saw last year, is always important. That's why general manager John Lynch needs to make the right moves on Saturday to help the team.
The backfills of Seahawks departures on their top-ranked, Super Bowl-champion secondary continues.
Seattle used its third-round selection in the 2026 NFL draft on Julian Neal, a tall, strong cornerback from Arkansas at 99th-overall pick, the next-to-last one of the third round.
Neal is 6 feet 1 5/8 inches tall and 203 pounds. He played three seasons at Fresno State before going to the Southeastern Conference for the 2025 season. He’s known for his physical, press coverage at the line of scrimmage — a prerequisite in Macdonald’s Seahawks defense.
“I’m the most physical corner in this draft class,” Neal declared Friday night after he got drafted, from his family home in San Francisco. “I use my arms to my advantage. I use my length. I use my durability -- never gotten hurt. I never missed a game in college from being hurt.
“I hit guys at the line. It’s box time!”
Oh, yes, the newest Seahawks cornerback will have a friend in Pro Bowl veteran Devon Witherspoon. Neal does not lack in confidence.
“I’m going to go punch on somebody,” he said of his style of playing cornerback. “I’m going to go punch somebody at the line. I’m in press. I’m going to get all up in your face.”
The native of San Francisco was recruited by Eastern Washington University. He played safety initially at Fresno State at safety, then moved to safety. He’s also played nickel, slot coverage inside.
Seattle lost cornerback Riq Woolen in free agency to Philadelphia last month. Woolen, a former Pro Bowl Seahawks, signed a $12 million, one-year deal with the Eagles.
The selection came after the Seahawks traded back three spots from 96 with Pittsburgh, and gained from the Steelers the final pick of the sixth round Saturday. Seattle now has five total choices in this draft, tied for fewest in the league this weekend.
The trade down then pick came about a couple hours after Seattle selected ball-hawking TCU safety Bud Clark to end the second round. That choice came a month after starting safety Coby Bryant left the Super Bowl champions and signed a rich, free-agent contract with the Chicago Bears.
All three of the Seahawks’ picks in this draft so far are filling for notable departures off the team that won Super Bowl 60 in February.
It has been a whirlwind 24-hour stretch for the Minnesota Vikings and their fans. During day two, Minnesota would ship out Jonathan Greenard for a pair of thirds, one of which is no. 98 overall. The Vikings would take DT Caleb Banks, LB Jake Golday, and DT Domonique ahead of pick 97, where they would take Caleb Tiernan, tackle out of Northwestern.
Tiernan is a monster of a man, standing 6'7 almost 320 lbs. He's athletic and brings a ton of experience to the table.
Shorter arms make you wonder where he will play in the NFL, if he will stay at tackle or kick inside to guard. It is always a plus to get depth on the offensive line, and that appears to be the plan here. Spending day two picks on depth pieces may not be the best decision, but he does have potential if he were to kick inside.
The Chargers entered the 2026 NFL Draft with just five picks. However, by Friday night, general manager Joe Hortiz had transformed that limited capital into a deeper roster of nine total selections through a series of trades.
In the second round, the Bolts traded the 55th overall pick to the Patriots. In exchange, they moved down to No. 63 and picked up a fourth-rounder (No. 131) and a sixth-rounder (No. 202).
Shortly after, Hortiz swung another trade, sending the 86th overall pick (Round 3) to the Browns. This move netted them No. 105 (Round 4), No. 145 (Round 5), and No. 206 (Round 6).
Most notably, Tennessee cornerback Jermod McCoy – who was widely viewed as a top-10 talent – was not selected amid injury concerns about his knee. A couple of other players took tumbles into the second and third round before ultimately being scooped up by teams later on in the evening.
These excellent value picks were created by a handful of head-scratching decisions from NFL teams. That included a strange selection atop the second round and a surprising run that saw eight tight ends selected across the 68 picks in the draft's second and third rounds.
What were the most dubious picks of the 2026 NFL Draft's second day? Below are six of the most confounding selections, both on a basis of value and strategy.
2026 NFL Draft Day 2: Most head-scratching picks
San Francisco 49ers: WR De'Zhaun Stribling, Ole Miss (No. 33)
The 49ers had the top overall selection in the second round. Many thought they might target Denzel Boston – who was widely considered a first-round talent in mock drafts – with the 33rd selection.
Instead, John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan opted for Stribling. The Ole Miss product was a late riser in the lead-up to the 2026 NFL Draft, but few expected him to be among the first receivers selected on Day 2.
Stribling has good size (6-2, 207 pounds), ran a 4.36-second 40-yard dash and was good with the ball in his hands at Ole Miss. That could afford him an opportunity to emerge as a playmaker in San Francisco's offense alongside Mike Evans and Ricky Pearsall.
That said, Stribling was No. 147-ranked player on USA TODAY Sports' top 150 big board. As such, taking him with the 33rd overall selection was undoubtedly a reach, especially with a player like Boston still on the board.
Jacksonville Jaguars: TE Nate Boerkircher, Texas A&M (No. 56)
The Jaguars didn't have a first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft because of their 2025 trade-up for Travis Hunter. They made their first selection at No. 56 overall and surprised many be selecting a tight end in the second round.
It wasn't just the position that was a surprise. The Jaguars ended up going with Boerkircher, who was viewed as more of a Day 3 pick than a Day 2 option. He didn't crack USA TODAY Sports' top 150 big board and never had more than 19 catches or 198 yards in a season across his five-year college career.
The Jaguars already have Brenton Strange entrenched as their No. 1 tight end anyway. The 2023 second-round pick is coming off a career-best season during which he logged 46 catches for 540 yards and three touchdowns.
Maybe Jacksonville is trying to protect against Strange leaving in free agency, but even so Boerkircher profiles as more of a complementary tight end at the NFL level. He can be a rock-solid No. 2 tight end, but spending a second-round pick on a player of that ilk – especially one who will be a 25-year-old rookie – is certainly questionable.
Houston Texans: TE Marlin Klein, Michigan (No. 59)
Klein wasn't quite as surprising of a second-round tight end selection as Boerkircher, but most had the Michigan product graded as a Day 3 prospect.
Klein has great size at 6-6, 248 pounds and ran the 40-yard dash in 4.61 seconds at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine. While he undoubtedly has upside, he only started 12 games in college and posted 38 total catches for 364 yards and one touchdown across his four seasons at Michigan.
All that's to say Klein is a raw prospect. He will likely need time to develop at the next level, and it's worth wondering whether he will even be able to beat Cade Stover for the backup job behind Dalton Schultz ahead of his rookie season.
Arizona Cardinals: QB Carson Beck (No. 65)
There was some speculation the Cardinals could select Carson Beck with the 34th overall selection. They deserve credit for not doing that – and for landing a quality guard, Chase Bisontis, to upgrade their blocking in front of Jeremiyah Love – but it's fair to wonder how significant an upgrade Beck might be for Arizona's quarterback room.
The good: Beck is an experienced, sixth-year quarterback who started 43 games with Georgia and Miami. He has prototypical size (6-4, 220 pounds) and throws with good touch and anticipation. The bad: there are concerns about his arm strength – which was merely average in 2025, his first season since having surgery on the UCL in his throwing elbow – and he has a tendency to struggle under pressure.
The entire evaluation of Beck boils down to one thing. Does he have the ceiling needed to be a starting quarterback, or does he profile as more of a career backup? The Cardinals selected him at a juncture that seems to indicate they believe he can become the former.
If Beck can't achieve that goal, Arizona may find itself picking early in the 2027 NFL Draft, which is believed to be strong at the quarterback position. If that happens, the Cardinals may find themselves ruing their decision to use a third-round pick on a backup quarterback, especially since they were in range to land more trench help like Beck's teammate, offensive tackle Markel Bell, or a productive edge rusher like Romello Height.
Las Vegas Raiders: CB Treydan Stukes, Arizona (No. 38) and Edge Keyron Crawford, Auburn (No. 67 overall)
Just to be clear, Stukes and Crawford absolutely fits their respective draft ranges. They are head-scratching selections because of the Raiders' overall strategy in the 2026 NFL Draft.
The Raiders spent the No. 1 overall pick on Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza. Many expected Las Vegas to focus on upgrading his supporting cast on Day 2, as the team still had holes along the offensive line and at receiver it needed to plug to give Mendoza a fighting chance as a rookie should he start over veteran Kirk Cousins.
Instead, Las Vegas used its first two selections on defense. They did so despite having receiver Denzel Boston on the board at No. 38 and a trio of quality receivers – Chris Brazzell II, Ted Hurst and Antonio Williams – available at 67.
The Raiders made up for their defensive emphasis by taking interior offensive lineman Trey Zuhn III with the 91st overall selection, but if they can't land some quality receivers on Day 3, Mendoza or Cousins could be in for a frustrating season.
MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA - JANUARY 19: Kaelon Black #8 of the Indiana Hoosiers runs with the ball against the Miami Hurricanes during the second quarter in the 2026 College Football Playoff National Championship at Hard Rock Stadium on January 19, 2026 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The San Francisco 49ers sure love their third-round running backs. In a huge surprise, the 49ers took Indiana Hoosiers running back Kaelon Black at No. 90 overall, becoming the third team to take a running back in the 2026 NFL Draft.
The running backs took a while to come off the board this year. After the Arizona Cardinals took Notre Dame’s Jeremiyah Love at No. 3 and the Seattle Seahawks took Notre Dame’s Jadarian Price at No. 32, no running back came off the board all the way until the 49ers took Black at No. 90.
This pick was a part of San Francisco’s trade down on Thursday. The 49ers acquired the No. 30 and No. 90 picks from the Miami Dolphins in exchange for the No. 27 and No. 138 picks, giving them a third-round pick after they lost theirs in the Osa Odighizuwa trade.
San Francisco ended up with two third-round picks after trading out of the second round with the Cleveland Browns, taking Texas Tech edge rusher Romello Height at No. 70. Now, they took Black at 90.
With such a surprising move, let’s break down the pick for the 49ers.
Was Black a reach at No. 90?
This was one of the biggest away-from-consensus picks through the first three rounds. Black was considered a Day 3 pick (and a late Day 3 pick by a number of evaluators), and was even thought of as the No. 2 running back on his own team behind Roman Hemby.
It wasn’t surprising that the 49ers went with a running back. I had the position as a top-five need for the 49ers going into the draft, especially considering San Francisco wants to soften the load on Christian McCaffrey this season.
It also wasn’t too surprising that San Francisco went with a running back at No. 90, though I thought the value for the position was far better in the fourth round. But the addition of Black is quite a surprise, given that a run on running backs hadn’t started and that the 49ers had their pick of the litter at the position.
Arkansas’s Mike Washington, a projected Day 2 pick, was available. So was Penn State’s Nicholas Singleton, Nebraska’s Emmett Johnson, Wake Forest’s Demond Claiborne, and the remainder of the running back class.
It’s clear that Black was the 49ers’ guy. But this was definitely a reach, according to consensus, and it continues a troubling trend that San Francisco has had with midround running backs. Under this regime, the 49ers have taken Jordan James in the fifth round, Isaac Guerendo in the fourth round, Tyrion Davis-Price in the third round, Trey Sermon in the third round, and Joe Williams in the fourth round.
While James is yet to be seen, that’s an ugly track record, so there isn’t much confidence in the 49ers’ evaluation and development at the position.
Who else was available at 90?
Offensive line remains a need, and a ton of the players available at No. 70 were still available at No. 90.
Texas A&M’s Trey Zuhn, Iowa’s Gennings Dunker, Northwestern’s Caleb Tiernan, Missouri’s Keegan Trost, Texas A&M’s Dametrious Crownover, and Duke’s Brian Parker were among the offensive linemen available who were seen as consensus late Day 3 or early Day 4 picks. Zuhn, Dunker, and Tiernan went at the end of the third round.
Didn’t want an offensive lineman? There was a group of cornerbacks available on the board, including the surprising slide of Tennessee cornerback Jermod McCoy. There were also a number of consensus defensive tackles that could’ve been taken.
Even if the 49ers wanted a running back, there were quite a few other options available that would’ve made more sense fit-wise.
Evaluating the Black pick
What was the most surprising part of the Black pick was the fit.
Black isn’t a third-down threat at all, having just four catches on six targets at Indiana in 2025. That doesn’t sound like a great fit with Christian McCaffrey, as the 49ers have another running back who can’t fill the third-down need or add some variability with McCaffrey off the field.
The biggest part that evaluators praised Black for was his pass protection. Perhaps that’s how he breaks his way on the field?
Black is athletic and well-sized at 5’10, 200 pounds, but he’s turning 25 this season, which raises serious questions about a potential second contract.
Black looks like a bowling ball that can absorb contact well and run hard. He could be a solution in the red zone, which seems like his best fit at the moment, but there are a lot of questions around this pick.
The 49ers clearly have a vision for the Indiana running back, but the ceiling doesn’t seem very high with his age, he was selected far below consensus, and the fit feels very questionable with McCaffrey. Here’s to hoping that Black fares far better than the 49ers running backs taken before him.
Jan 19, 2026; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Miami Hurricanes quarterback Carson Beck (11) against the Indiana Hoosiers during the College Football Playoff National Championship game at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Needless to say, one selection that the Arizona Cardinals have made in the 2026 NFL Draft is drawing a lot of… backlash.
After a mostly 60/40 positive split on the Jeremiyah Love pick, and a nearly universal positive response to picking up Chase Bistontis with their pick in round two, the team took the stage one more time on day two, kicking off the third round.
After a rousing celebration of America, the Cardinals came out and took Carson Beck.
The response has been… something.
Per sources, Arizona was Beck's No. 1 visit in the process. He vibed with OC Nathaniel Hackett on his 30 visit, was enamored with the weapons there and there's obviously an opportunity to win the starting job. https://t.co/MSDJK9KK7o
Good swing for Arizona—if it works out, great. If not, nothing holding the Cardinals back from taking a quarterback in the first round next year. https://t.co/aMFpeE2QgU
This feels like a relative slap in the face to Cardinals fans. Your offseason investment at the most valuable position is a 24-year old with limited tools after you’ve taken a running back and a guard. Is this guy really going toe-to-toe with Matt Stafford or Sam Darnold in that division? It feels like when the Texans drafted Davis Mills 67th in 2021. I’d rather they passed on quarterback entirely and prayed for a better crop of quarterbacks in 2027. (Mike Renner)
It’s understandable that Arizona might want to take a stab at finding a developmental quarterback. Beck, however, is a robotic passer who can wilt under pressure, and his decision-making and ball placement can be erratic. This doesn’t move the needle much for a team preparing to roll with Jacoby Brissett. With so much work to do, Arizona should take a more patient approach to roster-building.
Dane Brugler on The Athletic Football Show:
"I'm not a Carson Beck guy. I know what he is. I think the ceiling's pretty low for him in terms of what he is as an NFL quarterback. … To me, you just don't draft that at pick 65."
Here’s the thing, the Beck pick in a vacuum is fine. As Albert Breer said, it is a swing on a quarterback in the third round and does nothing to keep you from drafting another guy in 2027.
If Beck can get back to the arm strength he had at Georgia before the UCL injury maybe he can become something more, because he has shown to be a competent starter in the NFL.
But, his off the field stuff, his injury status and his age all leave questions, and while I don’t think they deserve the roasting, it is understandable.
The writing is now on the wall for third-year RB Isaac Guerendo, who the 49ers selected in the fourth round of the 2024 draft.
Guerendo's spot as Christian McCaffrey's backup was put in jeopardy last year when the club selected RB Jordan James in the fifth round out of Oregon. His hold on that spot slipped further while he spent the entire season contributing on special teams. He didn't log a single offensive snap while James was the go-to option late in the 49ers' blowout playoff loss to the Seattle Seahawks.
It looked like James was poised to go into this season as the No. 2 RB behind McCaffrey. The selection of Black at No. 90 overall is a sign that Guerendo's place on the depth chart has slipped again. Perhaps the 49ers trade Guerendo before camp, but it looks for now like the 2024 fourth-round pick will need to have a huge training camp where he's healthy and capable of contributing on offense and special teams in order to keep a 53-man roster spot.
Day 2 of the 2026 NFL Draft is in the books, and it was another night full of incredible moments and surprises. One of the biggest surprises following the second and third rounds is the dramatic fall of Tennessee Volunteers cornerback Jermod McCoy, who has medical concerns about his knee.
The concerns were clearly more serious than most realized, and he will be available as we enter the final of the draft on Saturday.
On Friday night, we saw two quarterbacks selected, with the Arizona Cardinals kicking off Round 3 by selecting Miami’s Carson Beck, before the Pittsburgh Steelers stayed in state and took Penn State signal-caller Drew Allar with the No. 76 overall pick, which got the home crowd on its feet outside of Acrisure Stadium. .
Feb 28, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Penn State quarterback Drew Allar (QB02) during the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
It’s going to be exciting to see how the final day of action plays out on Saturday afternoon, as we count down to Mr. Irrelevant.
If you missed out on Friday night’s action, we have you covered.
A full look at the Day 2 results in the 2026 draft can be seen below.
Wednesday, April 22, 2026; On the scoreboard at Acrisure Stadium features the NFL Draft and logos of all 32 NFL teams.
Round 2
No. 33, San Francisco 49ers: De’Zhaun Stribling, WR, Mississippi No. 34, Arizona Cardinals: Chase Bisontis, G, Texas A&M No. 35, Buffalo Bills: T.J. Parker, EDGE, Clemson No. 36, Houston Texans: Kayden McDonald, DT, Ohio State No. 37, New York Giants: Colton Hood, CB, Tennessee No. 38, Las Vegas Raiders: Treydan Stukes, S, Arizona No. 39, Cleveland Browns: Denzel Boston, WR, Washington No. 40, Kansas City Chiefs: R Mason Thomas, EDGE, Oklahoma No. 41, Cincinnati Browns: Cashius Howell, EDGE, Texas A&M No. 42, New Orleans Saints: Christen Miller, DT, Georgia No. 43, Miami Dolphins: Jacob Rodriguez, LB, Texas Tech No. 44, Detroit Lions: Derrick Moore, EDGE, Michigan No. 45, Baltimore Ravens: Zion Young, EDGE, Missouri No. 46, Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Josiah Trotter, LB, Missouri No. 47, Pittsburgh Steelers: Germie Bernard, WR, Alabama No. 48, Atlanta Falcons: Avieon Terrell, CB, Clemson No. 49, Carolina Panthers: Lee Hunter, DT, Texas Tech No. 50, New York Jets: D’Angelo Ponds, CB, Indiana No. 51, Minnesota Vikings: Jake Golday, LB, Cincinnati No. 52, Green Bay Packers: Brandon Cisse, CB, South Carolina No. 53, Indianapolis Colts: CJ Allen, LB, Georgia No. 54, Philadelphia Eagles: Eli Stowers, TE, Vanderbilt No. 55, New England Patriots: Gabe Jacas, EDGE, Illinois No. 56, Jacksonville Jaguars: Nate Boerkircher, TE, Texas A&M No. 57, Chicago Bears: Logan Jones, C, Iowa No. 58, Cleveland Browns: Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, S, Toledo No. 59, Houston Texans: Marlin Klein, TE, Michigan No. 60, Tennessee Titans: Anthony Hill Jr., LB, Texas No. 61, Los Angeles Rams: Max Klare, TE, Ohio State No. 62, Buffalo Bills: Davison Igbinosun, CB, Ohio State No. 63, Los Angeles Chargers: Jake Slaughter, C, Florida No. 64, Philadelphia Eagles: Bud Clark, S, TCU
Round 3
Feb 28, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Miami quarterback Carson Beck (QB04) during the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
No. 65, Arizona Cardinals: Carson Beck, QB, Miami No. 66, Denver Broncos: Tyler Onyedim, DT, Texas A&M No. 67, Las Vegas Raiders: Keyron Crawford, EDGE, Auburn No. 68, Philadelphia Eagles: Markel Bell, OT, Miami No. 69, Chicago Bears: Sam Roush, TE, Stanford No. 70, San Francisco 49ers: Romello Height, EDGE, Texas Tech No. 71, Washington Commanders: Antonio Williams, WR, Clemson No. 72, Cincinnati Bengals: Tacario Davis, CB, Washington No. 73, New Orleans Saints: Oscar Delp, TE, Georgia No. 74, New York Giants: Malachi Fields, WR, Notre Dame No. 75, Miami Dolphins: Caleb Douglas, WR, Texas Tech No. 76, Pittsburgh Steelers: Drew Allar, QB, Penn State No. 77, Green Bay Packers: Chris McClellan, DT, Missouri No. 78, Indianapolis Colts: A.J. Haulcy, S, LSU No. 79, Atlanta Falcons: Zachariah Branch, WR, Georgia No. 80, Baltimore Ravens: Ja’Kobi Lane, WR, USC No. 81, Jacksonville Jaguars: Albert Regis, DT, Texas A&M No. 82, Minnesota Vikings: Domonique Orange, DT, Iowa State No. 83, Carolina Panthers: Chris Brazzell II, WR, Tennessee No. 84, Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Ted Hurst, WR, Georgia State No. 85, Pittsburgh Steelers: Daylen Everette, CB, Georgia No. 86, Cleveland Browns: Austin Barber, OT, Florida No. 87, Miami Dolphins: Will Kacmarek, TE, Ohio State No. 88, Jacksonville Jaguars: Emmanuel Pregnon, G, Oregon No. 89, Chicago Bears: Zavion Thomas, WR, LSU No. 90, San Francisco 49ers: Kaelon Black, RB, Indiana No. 91, Las Vegas Raiders: Trey Zuhn III, C, Texas A&M No. 92, Dallas Cowboys: Jaishawn Barham, EDGE, Michigan No. 93, Los Angeles Rams: Keagen Trost, OT, Missouri No. 94, Miami Dolphins: Chris Bell, WR, Louisville No. 95, New England Patriots: Eli Raridon, TE, Notre Dame No. 96, Pittsburgh Steelers: Gennings Dunker, G, Iowa No. 97, Minnesota Vikings: Caleb Tiernan, OT, Northwestern No. 98, Minnesota Vikings: Jakobe Thomas, S, Miami No. 99, Seattle Seahawks: Julian Neal, CB, Arkansas No. 100, Jacksonville Jaguars: Jalen Huskey, S, Maryland
ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN - OCTOBER 18: Jaishawn Barham #1 of the Michigan Wolverines while playing the Washington Huskies at Michigan Stadium on October 18, 2025 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After a long wait on Friday night, the Cowboys finally got to make another pick and took versatile EDGE/LB Jaishawn Barham out of Michigan. How does he potentially fit into Dallas’ defense?
While listed as an EDGE throughout most of the draft process, Barham played mostly off-ball linebacker in 2025 for the Wolverines. At only 240 lbs., his size is better suited to that role. But with explosive traits as a pass rusher, Barham figures to be moved around the front seven and do plenty of blitzing as well.
Despite being their first draft pick on Friday night, Barham wasn’t the first addition to Dallas’ linebacker corps. Hours earlier, the Cowboys traded their fifth-round pick to the 49ers for Dee Winters. While the smaller Winters factors in as a clear nickel LB and will see base formation reps as well, Barham offers much more bulk and run-stopping potential. Adding both tonight is a tremendous boost to Dallas’ weakest position going into the draft.
Barham getting more off-ball work with the Cowboys would make sense given the addition of Malachi Lawrence in the first round. Lawrence is a clear edge rusher in the NFL, joining numerous other options with Donovan Ezeiruaku, Rashan Gary, James Houston, Sam Williams, and some additional prospects.
Before tonight, the Cowboys only had DeMarvion Overshown, Shemar James, and Justin Barron as inside linebackers. Still, Winters and Barham won’t stop Dallas from looking at other LB prospects, especially with three fourth-round picks coming up. Even if they’re done filling the position through the draft, a veteran free agent could still easily find his way here in the coming week.
If Dallas goes with another true inside LB in the fourthth round, it may indicate that they do see Barham more as a pass rusher. But either way, just as with Caleb Downs, Barham’s versatility is a trait that likely brought him to the Cowboys. It not only allows for unpredictable usage in games, but it’s good insurance against medical concerns for Overshown and general depth issues.
Whatever Jaishawn Barham does best, Dallas needs it. We’ll see what his ultimate positional home is on the team, but the Cowboys’ needs allow for Barham to find success in multiple ways.
MIAMI GARDENS, FL - JANUARY 19: QB Fernando Mendoza #15 of the Indiana Hoosiers hands off the ball to RB Kaelon Black #8 of the Indiana Hoosiers runs with the ball during the Indiana Hoosiers versus the Miami Hurricanes College Football Playoff National Championship Game Presented by AT&T on January 19, 2026, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, FL. (Photo by Doug Murray/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The San Francisco 49ers selected Kaelon Black in the third round with the 90th overall pick. He was 179th on Dane Brugler’s board. Black was 197th on the consensus big board. He was 187th on PFF’s big board.
The 49ers reaching for a running back in the 3rd round? We’ve seen this movie before. Black had six targets last season at Indiana. He did not play on third downs for the national champion Hoosiers. Black is a sixth-year senior.
Black suffered a serious knee injury in 2021. His frame suggests he is a bowling ball style that runs low with good contact balance. He split time with Roman Hemby, but was mostly the backup due to not playing on passing downs.
Black had 11 rushes of 15+ yards last season, which is good for 41.6 percent. The 49ers must feel like that is not scheme-related, and Black can bring some big-play ability to their rushing attack that struggled a season ago.
This is also the same team that drafted Jordan James last year. Perhaps the team plans on using multiple running backs this year, or has a plan to move on from Isaac Guerendo.
Black, despite not being targeted much, was supposedly excellent in pass protection. So, perhaps this is his role:
For what it’s worth, Black only had 37 pass pro reps last season. His teammate, Roman Hemby, had 58. Per PFF, Black allowed two pressures and zero quarterback hits. Black was seventh in EPA per rush and positive play rate among backs in this class last year. He also averaged 3.4 yards after contact per attempt.
Black was also on Bruce Feldman’s Freak List last summer:
“One of the former James Madison players who followed Curt Cignetti to Bloomington, the 5-10, 210-pounder rushed for 251 yards and two TDs in limited action,” Feldman wrote. “Black vertical jumped 40 inches, bench pressed 415 pounds and squatted over 500 this summer.
“He’s our biggest Freak for sure,” said DL Mikail Kamara. “When he lifts, everything moves so fast. He’s ridiculous. I’ve never seen him struggle (in the weight room). I saw him bench press 415 the other day, and it was butter. It touched his chest and went right back up. It looked like a warmup set. And he’s hella fast.”
Christian McCaffrey led the NFL in touches in 2023 and 2025. He turns 30 in June. There’s no way you should be surprised by Kyle Shanahan taking a running back. It’s Year 10. This is what he does.
Black finished fourth in this class in Boom percentage (passing or rushing plays that result in an EPA of +1) and positive percentage (plays that result in positive EPA). It was painfully obvious that Shanahan did not trust Brian Robinson Jr. last year because he left a ton of meat on the bone as a runner. Those numbers tell us Black won’t have those same issues.
With runners on second and third with one out and the Mets' infield drawn in down by a run to the Rockies in the seventh inning, Sean Manaea threw a first pitch fastball to Troy Johnston who pounced on it and rocketed it towards second baseman Marcus Semien.
A little to his right, the gold glove second baseman couldn't quite corral the ball hit 102.9 mph off the bat and it trickled into center field to score two runs and extend Colorado's lead.
That play ended up being the difference in the game after New York scored two in the eighth to make it 4-3. They would not get any closer thanks to an unlucky lineout double play (107.7 mph off the bat) by Mark Vientos to end the rally.
"Your reaction time is key," Semien said after the game about the play. "I didn’t get to it unfortunately and that ended up being the difference in the game, two-run single there right past me. It’s a tough play."
It was certainly a tough play -- a hot shot off the bat -- but one that Semien would have loved to make.
"I’d love to get every ball that’s hit anywhere near me but I didn’t make the play," he said.
While not an easy play, it's the kind of play the Mets brought Semien, an excellent defender still at the age of 35, in to make after David Stearns prioritized run prevention over the offseason. Fair or not, it's also a play that Semien needs to make while he continues to provide very little offensively. (He was the only player in the starting lineup not to get a hit on Friday and is hitting .228 with a .602 OPS.)
Manager Carlos Mendoza was asked about that key moment in the game and if he thought Semien should have made that play. While the skipper said he'd have to take another look, he defended Semien with the difficulty of the play.
"I will have to look," he said. "It was 102 [mph off the bat], playing the infield in, 102 to his right. Any time you’re in that infield in and the ball is hit hard at you, and if it’s not right at you, it’s going to be a tough one there."
FOXBOROUGH, MA - DECEMBER 01: Retro Patriots helmet featuring the old Pat Patriot logo during a game between the New England Patriots and the Buffalo Bills on December 1, 2022, at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The 2026 NFL Draft is underway, and the New England Patriots were willing to be aggressive. It showed: they traded up in both the first and the second round in order to add to their roster and fill some needs.
Their targets in those moves? Offensive tackle Caleb Lomu and defensive edge Gabe Jacas, the first two members of a 2026 rookie class that looks as follows:
1-28 OT Caleb Lomu (Utah): Offensive tackle was one of the biggest needs on the Patriots’ roster heading into the draft, and they wasted little time addressing it. They did so by picking an impressive athlete who started 24 games at the University of Utah over the last two seasons. Caleb Lomu still has some work to do particularly as a run blocker, but he is a natural athlete who has the skillset to develop into Morgan Moses’ heir at the right tackle position. With him and 2025 first-round pick Will Campbell in the fold, New England has its long-term bookends. | News | Analysis | Profile | Instant grades
2-55 ED Gabe Jacas (Illinois): The Patriots had their eyes on this edge class, but they needed to get aggressive to pick one of its top players. After trading up in Round 2, they brought in a player who has a relentless motor and is one of the best run-defending outside linebackers in the entire draft class. Jacas might not wow you with his speed or bend around the corner, but he is a relatively clean and playable defender with plenty of college experience despite not turning 22 until May. | News | Analysis | Profile | Instant grades
3-95 TE Eli Raridon (Notre Dame): Following a pair of trade-ups in the first and second round, the Patriots did not move off their pick at No. 95 and decided to invest in one of the top tight ends in the class. Raridon, a one-and-a-half-year starter at Notre Dame, has the potential to become an all-around player at the position. While more polished as a receiver than a blocker coming out of college, he has a solid foundation in both areas as well as the size and athleticism needed to succeed in the NFL. | News | Instant grades
The Patriots originally entered the draft as the owners of 11 total picks. Following their investments in the first three rounds, they are left with five picks entering Saturday.
MADISON, WI - SEPTEMBER 20: Maryland Terrapins defensive back Jalen Huskey (22) celebrates a big 3rd down stop during a college football game between the Maryland Terrapins and the Wisconsin Badgers on September 20th, 2025 at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, WI. (Photo by Dan Sanger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
With the No. 100 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, the Jacksonville Jaguars selected Jalen Huskey, safety, Maryland.
After letting veteran Andrew “Dewey” Wingard walk in free agency, the Jags had to find someone to fill his role as a backup safety and core special teams contributor. Huskey figures to immediately challenge for that spot and attempt to carve out a rotational role in Anthony Campanile’s defense.
Three-year starting split-field safety with adequate size but deficient speed. Huskey piled up interceptions, showing his ball skills and instincts. However, he’s slow to accelerate from transitions and lacks quality make-up speed, so receivers can get open and stay open when he’s forced to match them.
Huskey doesn’t have top-tier speed and balance, but he has outstanding ball instincts and a feel for overlapping underneath zones. He can give an NFL team depth at strong safety.
Huskey is a versatile, ball-hawking free safety with very good range, that can make an impact as a deep defender and an open-field tackler right away, and has the potential to be a true 3-level impact safety.
Jalen Huskey is the biggest sleeper at the safety position in this class. The football IQ and ball production is impressive for a safety who recently made the transition. A willing participant in the run game, he takes part in every phase with the same enthusiasm.
Highlights
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