As AI agents reshape how advertising platforms are used, Google is bringing focus toward the developers behind the systems and create content specifically for them.

What’s happening. Google’s Advertising and Measurement Developer Relations team has launched Ads DevCast, a bi-weekly vodcast and podcast hosted by Cory Liseno. The show focuses on technical deep dives across Google Ads, Google Analytics, Display & Video 360 and related tools.

Zoom out. This is a companion to Ads Decoded, hosted by Google Ads Liaison Ginny Marvin, which focuses on campaign strategy. Ads DevCast is explicitly built for developers and technical practitioners.

Driving the news. Episode 1 — “MCPs, Agents, and Ads. Oh My!” — centers on what Google calls the “agentic shift,” where AI agents are becoming primary users of advertising APIs.

Why we care. Ads DevCast gives developers a direct line to the engineers building Google’s ad tools, which should help stay ahead of technical changes, discover new capabilities faster, and build more efficient integrations in an increasingly AI-driven ecosystem.

The big picture. AI is expanding who can work with ad tech systems. Google is seeing a shift from a narrow “Ads Developer Community” to a broader “Ads Technical Community,” where marketers can execute technical tasks without full development cycles.

What’s next. Ads DevCast is a pilot, and Google is collecting feedback to shape future episodes.

Bottom line. Google is positioning Ads DevCast as a tool to give developers a front-row seat to Google’s latest ads innovations, with practical insights to build, test, and adapt faster in an AI-first landscape.

A new Google Merchant Center update changes how e-commerce sites must handle out-of-stock products, with direct implications for product approvals and ad performance.

What’s happening. Google now requires that out-of-stock products must still display a buy button, but it can no longer be active or hidden. Instead, the button must be visibly disabled and appear grayed out. In other words, users should be able to see the button, but not click it.

This marks a clear shift from common practices where retailers either left the “Add to Cart” button clickable or removed it entirely. Both approaches are now non-compliant.

How it works. In practical terms, the requirement is simple. The buy button must remain on the page, but its functionality needs to be turned off. Typically, this is done by applying a disabled state so the button becomes unclickable and visually subdued.

The catch. The button change is only part of the update. Google also expects clear availability messaging on the product page, such as “in stock,” “out of stock,” “pre-order,” or “back order.” This information must match exactly with what is submitted in the product feed.

Any inconsistency between the page and the feed can lead to disapprovals.

The bigger shift. This update removes a long-standing workaround used by many retailers. Previously, it was possible to keep selling out-of-stock products by leaving the purchase button active. That approach is no longer allowed.

If a retailer still wants to accept orders for unavailable items, the product must now be labeled as “back order.” This status needs to be reflected consistently across both the landing page and the feed.

Bottom line. What looks like a small UI requirement is actually a meaningful policy change. Retailers will need to review how they manage out-of-stock products and ensure their pages and feeds are fully aligned to avoid disruptions.

First seen. This update was spotted by Google shopping specialist who shared the his how to video on LinkedIn.

Dig deeper. About landing page requirements

Google is testing AI-generated review replies in Google Business Profile.

Why we care. Responding to reviews can impact conversions and trust. But generic AI replies could be risky and erode trust, especially on negative reviews where authenticity matters most. Response quality matters more than whether a business replies to reviews.

What it looks like. Here’s a screenshot:

The details. Google appears to be rolling out a limited test of Reply to reviews with AI inside Google Business Profile.

• The feature generates suggested responses to customer reviews.
• Users can review, edit, and manually submit replies.
• Availability is inconsistent across accounts and reviews.
• The feature has been spotted in the U.S., Brazil, and India, but not widely in Europe.

Early behavior. Some users report prompts focused on older, unanswered negative reviews.

• In at least one test, users could trigger AI responses in bulk.
• There are conflicting reports on automation — some users say bulk responses still require review; others report fully automated replies can be published without edits.

First seen. The feature was first shared on LinkedIn by Chandan Mishra, a freelance local SEO specialist, and amplified by Darren Shaw, founder of Whitespark.

Google has released a new Android test update – Android Canary 2603. It is currently available for Pixel 6 and newer phones. This update is still in testing, so it may have some problems and changes may happen later.

This update gives us a preview of what future Android versions might look like. Google is working to make Android simpler, better looking, and more secure. While it is mainly for developers, regular Android users can also learn about the new changes coming soon.

What’s new in Android Canary 2603 

The update brings an improved design. Google has added more blur effects in the system. These can be seen in notifications and Quick Settings. The blur makes the screen look clean and modern, and helps users focus on important things.

Quick Settings is also getting a useful change. Wi-Fi and mobile data now have separate buttons again. Earlier, they were combined, which made it harder for some users. Now, you can turn them on or off easily with just one tap.

The update also introduces an app lock feature. This allows users to lock apps using a PIN, pattern, or fingerprint. It helps protect personal apps like messages, photos, and banking apps from others.

You can now turn apps into small floating bubbles on your screen. These bubbles can be moved anywhere, making it easier to multitask. You can close the bubble by long-pressing it or using the Dismiss option.

The long-press menu has been redesigned. App shortcuts are now hidden by default, making the menu look cleaner and less crowded. The permission screen has been redesigned to be simpler and easier to understand.

After stopping a screen recording, a new page appears where you can watch, edit, share, or delete your recording. The edit option opens Google Photos, making it easier to make quick changes.

Aside from these, there are minor fixes and improvements, which help the phone run more smoothly and work better overall. Since this is still a test version, it may not be perfect. Stay tuned for more information

The post Android gets a fresh look and extra privacy with Canary 2603 appeared first on Sammy Fans.

Huawei is launching the Enjoy 90 Pro Max in China on March 23, and the company already started teasing it alongside the Enjoy 90 Plus earlier this month. Today, a new rumor from the prolific Chinese leaker who goes by Digital Chat Station on Weibo purportedly reveals the Enjoy 90 Pro Max's battery capacity: 8,500 mAh. Huawei Enjoy 90 Pro Max official image That is the typical value which will be advertised. The rated capacity is 8,320 mAh. This will be the largest battery ever fitted to a device powered by Huawei's Kirin 8-series SoCs. The Enjoy 90 Pro Max is expected to feature...

Google’s revamped process for sideloading apps on Android will require several steps, including a mandatory 24-hour waiting period before installing apps from unverified developers. The “advanced flow,” as Google calls it, goes into effect from August and forces users to verify their identity by going through a 4-step process with the end goal of preventing potential scams. As Google explains in its Android Developers Blog post, most scammers rely on coercion and fake urgency to install malicious software. Google’s solution involves enabling developer mode, then confirming that you are...

In recent weeks, Argentina faced uncertainty regarding their fixtures for the March international break, following the cancellation of the Finalissima. On Friday, the friendly against Mauritania was confirmed, likely marking Lionel Messi’s last game on home soil before the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

“The team led by Lionel Scaloni is beginning to say farewell to their fans before departing to defend the World Cup title. On Friday, 27 March, at La Bombonera, the Argentina national team will take on Mauritania,” the Argentine Football Association said in a statement published on its official website.

The choice of Mauritania came from the need to find an opponent on short notice, after the Finalissima against Spain was cancelled and efforts to arrange friendlies against Honduras and Guatemala fell through.

Argentina had planned to play those two Central American national teams during the March international break in Buenos Aires, but the fact that both Honduras and Guatemala were scheduled to play matches in Europe during the same window made it impossible. FIFA rules prohibit a national team from competing on two continents during the same international break.

One of Messi’s last matches in Argentina

As AFA noted when confirming that the friendly against Mauritania will serve as something of a farewell to the country before the World Cup, it will also be one of Lionel Messi’s final opportunities to play in front of local fans.

In fact, Argentina’s 3‑0 win over Venezuela in the World Cup qualifiers in September 2025 was his last official match on Argentine soil. Messi scored twice in that game in Buenos Aires, in what was widely described as his final competitive home appearance for the national team before the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

It’s likely that Scaloni’s team will not return to Argentina before the World Cup, as the next FIFA international break falls just before the start of the tournament and the squad will already be based in the United States for that period.

What about Mauritania?

It is clear that for Lionel Scaloni’s planning, facing Mauritania will not be the same as what the match against Spain in the Finalissima would have represented. Far from the level of challenge presented by playing the European champions, their newly confirmed opponent will pose a much smaller test.

Mauritania have never qualified for a World Cup. In fact, in the African qualifiers for this summer’s FIFA tournament, they managed only one win in 10 matches. Mauritania currently occupy 115th place in the FIFA rankings.

has had his say after his father John claimed that ‘The Gypsy King’ was ‘finished.’ Fury is set to end his retirement and return to the ring on April 11 when he faces Arslanbek Makhmudov at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London. Ahead of that bout, it came as a shock earlier this week when […]

The post Tyson Fury speaks out after father John Fury says he is ‘finished’ appeared first on Boxing News.

A Milli Kadın Basketbol Takımı, 451,8 puanla FIBA Kadınlar Dünya Sıralaması'nda 16. sırada yer aldı.

Uluslararası Basketbol Federasyonu (FIBA), 2026 FIBA Kadınlar Dünya Kupası Elemeleri'nin ardından dünya sıralamasını paylaştı.

Dünya Kupası biletini alan A Milli Kadın Basketbol Takımı, 451 puanla 16. sıradaki yerini korudu.

Listede ABD zirvedeki yerini korurken, Fransa ikinciliğe yükseldi, Avustralya ise üçüncülüğe geriledi.

Portekiz Milli Takımı'nın aday kadrosu açıklandı. Hazırlık maçları öncesinde belirlenen listede dikkat çeken eksikler öne çıktı. Sakatlığı devam eden Cristiano Ronaldo'nun yanı sıra Ruben Dias ve Bernardo Silva da kadroya davet edilmedi.

Portekiz Milli Takımı, hazırlık maçlarında Meksika Milli Futbol Takımı ve Amerika Birleşik Devletleri Milli Futbol Takımı ile karşı karşıya gelecek. Teknik heyetin açıkladığı aday kadro, bu iki karşılaşma öncesinde kamuoyuyla paylaşıldı.

RONALDO KADRODA YER ALMADI

Cristiano Ronaldo'nun devam eden sakatlığı nedeniyle aday kadroda bulunmaması, listenin en dikkat çeken başlıklarından biri oldu. Portekiz futbolunun en önemli isimleri arasında yer alan yıldız oyuncunun yanı sıra Ruben Dias ve Bernardo Silva'nın da kadroya çağrılmaması, açıklanan listenin öne çıkan detayları arasında yer aldı.

Hazırlık sürecine eksik isimlerle girecek olan Portekiz'de gözler, teknik heyetin bu süreçte nasıl bir kadro tercihine yöneleceğine çevrildi. Meksika ve ABD ile oynanacak karşılaşmalar, takımın yeni dönem planlaması açısından da önem taşıyacak.

Galatasaray'ın Şampiyonlar Ligi'nde Liverpool ile oynadığı son 16 turu rövanş maçında dev bir kayıp yaşandı. Konate ile girdiği ikili mücadelede sakatlanan Victor Osimhen'in sağ ön kolunda kırık tespit edildi. Devre arasında oyundan alınan ve kolu alçıya alınan yıldız golcü için ameliyat kararı beklenirken, Nijerya'dan duygusal görüntüler geldi. Eski futbolcu Odion Ighalo, sakatlanan vatandaşı Osimhen'i dua etmesi için annesinin yanına götürdü; o anlar sosyal medyada kısa sürede viral oldu.

UEFA Şampiyonlar Ligi son 16 turu rövanş maçında Liverpool'a konuk olan Galatasaray'da Victor Osimhen, talihsiz bir sakatlık yaşamıştı. Nijeryalı golcü, Ibrahim Konate ile girdiği ikili mücadelenin ardından acı içinde yerde kalmış ve devre arasında oyundan alınmıştı.

Maçın ardından hastanede yapılan kontrollerde Osimhen'in sağ ön kolunda kırık tespit edilmişti. Yıldız futbolcunun koluna alçı uygulanırken, ameliyat gerekip gerekmediğine önümüzdeki günlerde yapılacak değerlendirmelerin ardından karar verileceği bildirilmişti

Nijeryalı eski futbolcu Odion Ighalo, sakatlanan Victor Osimhen'i dua etmesi için annesinin yanına götürdü. Sosyal medyaya düşen görüntüler kısa sürede viral oldu.

“Neftçi”nin baş məşqçisi Yuri Vernidub Azərbaycan Premyer Liqasının 25-ci turu çərçivəsində “İmişli”yə qarşı keçirdikləri oyunu şərh edib.

Arena.az xəbər verir ki, sözügedən komandaların bu gün Bakıda baş tutmuş görüşü paytaxt təmsilçisinin 6:0 hesablı qələbəsi ilə yekunlaşıb.

Yuri Vernidub matçdan sonra təşkil edilmiş mətbuat konfransında bunları söyləyib:

“Bundan qabaq “İmişli”yə bir dəfə uduzmuşduq, bir dəfə heç-heçə etmişdik. Bu da “Neftçi” üçün yaxşı nəticə deyildi. Biz öz borcumuzu qaytarmalıydıq. Futbolçular da bunu etdilər. Onlara minnətdaram. İstirahət üçün vaxtları olacaq. Ayın 24-dən məşqlərə başlayacağıq. Bizim səhv etmək şansımız yoxdur. Avrokuboklarda iştirak etməkdən üçün bu səhvlər olmamalıdır. Elə rəqiblərlə oyunlarımız olacaq ki, onlar da bu yerlər üçün oynayırlar. Orada artıq bizim xarakterimizi görə bilərik. Maraqlı olacaq.

Bassala Sambu və Vensan Abubakar zədəlidirlər. Ağadadaş Salyanski və Alessio Kurçi qalmışdı. Kurçi daha çox vingerdir, cinahlarda oynayır. Qəbələdə də Freddi Varqasa şans vermişdik. Düşündük ki, bu oyunda da ona həmin mövqedə şans verək. Danışdıq ki, o, daha çox gizli “9 nömrə” olsun. Pis də alınmadı, yaxşı nəticə oldu. Bütün futbolçularıma təşəkkür edirəm ki, oyuna böyük istəklə çıxmışdılar.

Hər kəs kimi, Ağadadaş Salyanskiyə də şans veriləcək. Baş məşqçi mənəm. Gördüyüm odur ki, indiki rəqabətdə digər oyunçulara bir az uduzur. Amma gəncdir, hələ həyatı qarşıdadır. Ona ümidlərim var. Daha çox məşq edərək, şans əldə edəcək. Bəzən səbr etmək lazımdır. Başa düşürəm, hamısı oynamaq istəyir.

Komanda uduzursa, günahkar məşqçidir, udursa, səbəbkar futbolçulardır. Kimisə günahkar çıxarmaq istəmirəm. Əlimizdən gələni edirik ki, uduzmayaq. Məğlubiyyyətlər qaçılmazdır. Amma əsas odur ki, bu məğlubiyyəti həzm edə biləsən və yola davam edəsən. Xoşuma gələn o oldu ki, biz uduzandan sonra iki matçda qalib gəldik. Futbolçularım məğlubiyyəti həzm edərək, qarşıdakı matçlara qələbə üçün çıxırlar.

Hər rəqibimizi yaxşı təhlil edib, öyrənirik. Baxırıq, görürük ki, rəqib 4 yoxsa, 5 müdafiəçi ilə oynayır. Strategiyamızı buna uyğun qururuq ki, sistemimiz bizə qələbə gətirsin. Çox ciddi təhlillər aparırıq. Gecə 2-3-dən tez yatmırıq, o qədər ciddi hazırlaşırıq. Səhər isə məşqə çıxırıq. Heç də asan iş deyil. Kənardan asan görünsə də, çox çətindir”.

“İmişli”nin baş məşqçisi Xorxe Kaskilya Azərbaycan Premyer Liqasının 25-ci turu çərçivəsində “Neftçi”ə qarşı keçirdikləri oyunu şərh edib.

Arena.az xəbər verir ki, sözügedən komandaların bu gün Bakıda baş tutmuş görüşü İmişli təmsilçisinin 0:6 hesablı məğlubiyyəti ilə yekunlaşıb.

Xorxe Kaskilya matçdan sonra təşkil edilmiş mətbuat konfransında bunları söyləyib:

“Nəticəyə görə azarkeşlərimizdən üzr istəyirəm. Bütün günahı, cavabdehliyi öz üzərimə götürürəm. Əlbəttə, məntiqli olaraq əhvalımız pisdir. “Neftçi”ni qələbə münasibətilə təbrik edirəm.

Hazırda çətin dövrdən keçirik. İki oyunda 11 qol buraxmışıq. Bir az gözlənilməzdir. Əslində, komandanın psixoloji durumu yaxşı idi. Bu qədər qol buraxacağımızı gözləmirdik. İki oyunun göstəricisi odur ki, biz erkən qollar buraxdıqdan sonra komanda emosional cəhətdən özünü itirir. “Sabah” və “Neftçi” kimi yüksək səviyyəli komandalar isə bundan istifadə edirlər. Buna baxmayaraq, futbolçularım əllərindən gələni edirlər. Bu, elə mövsümün əvvəlində müsbət nəticələri qazanan futbolçulardır. Mübarizəmiz sonadək davam edəcək. Qarşıdakı fasilənin bizə xeyiri olacaq. Komanda bu cür məğlubiyyətlərdən sonra psixoloji olaraq özünə gələ biləcək.

Premyer Liqada qalacağımıza dair heç vaxt şübhəm olmayıb. Biz toparlanacağıq, bərpa olacağıq və öz məqsədlərimizə doğru gedəcəyik”.

Bu gün futbol üzrə Azərbaycan çempionatında (Premyer Liqa) 2025/2026-cı illər mövsümünün 25-ci turunun növbəti oyunları keçirilib.

Arena.az xəbər verir ki, üçüncü oyun gününün sonuncu qarşılaşması Bakıda baş tutub.

“Neftçi” doğma meydanda “İmişli”ni sınağa çəkib. “Neftçi Arena”da baş tutmuş matçın baş hakimi Tural Qurbanov olub. “Ağ-qaralar” 3 xalı 6 cavabsız qolla qazanıblar.

Premyer Liqa
25-ci tur
20 mart

“Neftçi” – “İmişli” 6:0
Qollar: Breno Almeyda, 12. İmad Faraj, 15; 50. Emil Səfərov, 19; 60. Emin Mahmudov, 54.
Hakimlər: Tural Qurbanov, Asiman Əzizli, Cəmil Quliyev, Elvin Bayramov.
VAR: İnqilab Məmmədov.
AVAR: Kamran Bayramov.
Hakim-inspektor: Rəhim Həsənov.
AFFA nümayəndəsi: Elgiz Abbasov.
“Neftçi Arena”, 19:15.

Neftçi: 13. Kenan Piriç, 8. Emin Mahmudov (k), 17. Murad Xaçayev, 7. Emil Səfərov, 24. Mustafa Sek, 5. İqor Ribeyro, 18. İfeanyi Metyu, 33. Breno Almeyda, 70. Andrey Ştoqrin, 11. İmad Faraj, 10. Freddi Varqas.
Ehtiyat oyunçular: 1. Emil Balayev, 81. Məhdi Həsənov, 4. Elvin Camalov, 19. Ağadadaş Salyanski, 47. Murad Məmmədov, 14. Edvin Kuç, 77. Falaye Sako, 6. Sessi Dalmeyda, 27. Kristian Kostin, 22. Luis Ortis, 23. Cordan Rezabala, 28. Alessio Kurçi.
Baş məşqçi: Yuri Vernidub.

İmişli: 33. Andrey Sinenka, 19. Azər Salahlı (k), 3. Tuncay Yusifli, 94. Rafael Vyeqas, 10. Nikola Karaklaiç, 14. Ronaldo de Souza, 9. Dioqo Almeyda, 23. Dioqo Rollo, 79. Dioqo Kardoso, 17. Ezekiel Morqan, 7. Luis Silvestr.
Ehtiyat oyunçular: 1. Hüseynəli Quliyev, 99. İmam Əli, 21. Abbas Ağazadə, 90. Riad Abbaszadə, 97. Xəzər Mahmudov, 47. Orxan Fərəcov, 5. İdris İnqilablı, 44. Həzrət İsayev, 11. Vüsal Qənbərov, 30. Xəlil Mürsəlli, 20. Nazim Hüseynov.
Baş məşqçi: Xorxe Kaskilya.

Misli Premyer Liqasının XXV turunun “Neftçi” – “İmişli” oyunundan sonra meydan sahibi komandanın baş məşqçisi Yuri Vernidub jurnalistlərin suallarını cavablandırıb.

Futbolpress.az xəbər verir ki, mütəxəssis media nümayəndələri ilə görüşdə bunları deyib…

– Meydana hücumçusuz çıxıb, 6 qol vurursunuz. Bu, necə alındı?
– Həm Sambu, həm Abubakar zədələnib. Bir Ağadadaş Salyanski və Alessio Kurçi qalmışdı. Kurçi cinahlarda daha effektiv olur. “Qəbələ” ilə matçda Freddi Varqası hücumda oynatmışdıq. Bu gün də yoxladıq və pis alınmadı. Futbolçulara təşəkkür edirəm, arzulu idilər və gözəl əhvalları var idi. Bundan əvvəl “İmişli”yə qalib gələ bilməmişdik. Borcumuzu qaytarmalıydıq. Futbolçulara minnətdaram. Həm də qarşıdan istirahət vaxtı gəlir. 3 gün dincələcəklər. Bundan sonra hazırlaşacağıq. Səhv etməyə şansımız yoxdur. Avrokuboklara vəsiqə qazana bilmək üçün səhv etməməliydik. Qarşıda əsas rəqiblərlə oyunlarımız var. Bu matçlarda xarakteri görəcəyik.

– Ağadadaş demək olar, şans qazanmır. Rəqabətdə çox geri qalır?
– Hamıya şans verilir, ona da veriləcək. Baş məşqçi mənəm. Gördüyüm odur ki, indiki rəqabətdə o, digər futbolçulara uduzur. Gənc futbolçudur. Karyerası hələ qabaqdadır. Ona ümidlərim var. Çox məşq edərək, şanslarını əldə edəcək. Bəzi anlarda səbr etmək lazımdır. Başa düşürəm, hamı oynamaq istəyir.

– “İmişli”yə iki oyunda 5 xal itirmişdiniz. Bu gün 6 qol vurdunuz. Əvvəlki matçlardakı nəticələrin günahkarı kimdir?
– Komanda uduzursa, məşqçidir. Qələbə olarsa, səbəbkar futbolçulardır. Burda işə başlayandan cəmi bir dəfə uduzmuşuq. Əlimizdən gələni edirik. Məğlubiyyətlər futbolun bir parçasıdır. Lakin əsas odur ki, məğlubiyyətləri həzm edəsən və yoluna davam edəsən. Komandanın reaksiyası da buna önəmlidir. Məğlubiyyətdən sonra ardıcıl iki oyunu qazanmışıq.

– “İmişli” sıx müdafiəsi ilə bilinən komandadır. Bu gün onlara 6 qol vurdunuz. Növbəti matçlarda Abubakar və Sambu hazır olsalar belə, bugünkü taktikanı görə bilərik?
– Hər rəqibimizi təhlil edirik. Baxırıq, rəqib 4, ya 5 müdafiəçi ilə oynayır. Bunlar arasında fərqlər var. Strategiyamızı da bunlara uyğun qururuq. Rəqibləri ciddi araşdırırıq. Hətta, gecə 2-3-ə kimi təhlillər aparırıq. Heç də asan iş deyil. Kənardan asan görünə bilər, amma çətindir. Futbolu sevirsənsə, çalışmalısan.

– Freddi Varqas bu gün ən yaxşılardan idi. Həmişə belə oynamağa nəyi çatmır?
– Bu sualı ona verin. Çox texnikalı və istedadlı oyunçudur. Öz işinə daha ciddi və əzmlə yanaşsa, gözəl oyun sərgiləyər. Hər futbolçunun öz xasiyyəti var. Onlarla fərdi danışmaq lazımdır. Varqas çox çalışdı və göstərdi ki, istedadlı oyunçudur. Emil Səfərov da onun kimidir. Dayanmasa, o da çox gözəl futbolçu olacaq.

Şahin Cəfərov

Few players in recent Serie A history have had their careers so dramatically derailed by a single transfer as Juventus man Arthur Melo.

The Brazilian arrived at Juventus from Barcelona in 2020 amid enormous fanfare, only to endure five deeply frustrating years in Turin that yielded little of the elegance that had made him one of Europe’s most coveted midfielders.

Now, on loan at boyhood club Gremio, the Brazilian looks reborn, and he has his sights set on convincing Luciano Spalletti to give him one final chance at the Allianz Stadium.

The numbers from his return to Brazil have been striking.

Eleven appearances, a goal, and a pass completion rate of 95% in 2026 alone, capped by helping Gremio win the Gaucho, the Rio Grande do Sul state championship.

A minor muscular injury in the final against Internacional has been the only blemish.

Juventus Outcast Arthur Aiming To Convince Head Coach Spalletti

His self-assessment is characteristically bold, with quotes via La Gazzetta dello Sport.

“Luciano likes to have an organising midfielder, a fulcrum of the team, and I love that role,” he said. “Pizarro and Lobotka both flourished under Spalletti with possession-based, tactically intelligent football. It is not absurd to think I could adapt well. We will see.”

On his troubled spell in Turin, Arthur was thoughtful rather than bitter.

“I arrived during a period of transition at the club with many changes, and that probably affected everyone, including me,” he said. “I have the regret of not being able to show at Juventus what I am demonstrating at Gremio. But I learned a lot in Italy.”

He was equally philosophical about leaving Barcelona.

“It leaves a bittersweet taste, I was happy there. But Juventus allowed me to discover another culture and grow as a man, even through difficulties. Lessons I perhaps would never have learned staying in my comfort zone.”

Arthur also addressed his hopes of a Brazil World Cup call-up under Carlo Ancelotti, and took the opportunity to recommend two Gremio youngsters, 18-year-old defender Luis Guedes and 17-year-old winger Gabriel Mec, as future stars to monitor.

On playing alongside both Messi and Ronaldo, his verdict was suitably poetic. “Leo is magic. Cristiano is work, hunger, ambition: a winning mentality that pushes everyone around him. I feel privileged to have played with both.”

Luciano Spalletti held his pre-match press conference ahead of Juventus’ Serie A clash with Sassuolo, addressing a number of pressing topics including Dusan Vlahovic’s potential return, his own contract situation and the race for Champions League qualification with eight games remaining.

On Vlahovic, Spalletti was deliberately coy, directing reporters to the official squad list for confirmation.

“There are a couple of players with some discomfort to assess, we will have the final picture by tomorrow morning,” he said, with quotes via TuttoMercatoWeb.

The Serbian striker has been absent through injury and his return would be a timely boost for a side still pushing hard for a top-four finish.

Juventus coach Spalletti plays up renewal talks

Spalletti was more forthcoming on the subject of his own renewal, suggesting the international break provided an ideal window for productive discussions with the club.

“It seems like a correct moment, there is less stress and the necessary time,” he said. “On my part there is complete availability to hear what the club wants to say to me.”

He was careful, however, not to discuss potential signings, joking that talking about players he might want to bring in while his own contract is unsigned would make him “feel like an idiot.”

The Juventus coach also delivered a passionate defence of his squad’s motivation, dismissing any suggestion that missing the Champions League would be straightforward to absorb.

“Pressure is a privilege that belongs only to those who have a history to honour,” he said. “Our fans travelled to Bodo, overcoming all the costs and difficulties just to be there. We owe them everything.”

On the number nine debate that has followed Juventus all season, Spalletti was characteristically direct.

“It is the moment, the episodic decisions inside a game, that decides things, not a profile. We are not inferior to Galatasaray. The red cards decided that tie, not the level of football.”

Gennaro Gattuso has named his Italy national team squad for the World Cup play-off campaign coming up at the end of March and has included three uncapped players among his selections.

Which uncapped players are in Gattuso’s latest Italy squad?

Gattuso has called up a squad of 28 players for the World Cup play-off semi-final against Northern Ireland in Bergamo coming up on March 26. The winner of that tie will go on to face either Wales or Bosnia and Herzegovina away from home in the play-off final on March 31: A one-match decider for a spot at the final World Cup tournament. 

Given the importance of the occasion, Gattuso has understandably decided to stick with a core of trusted and experienced players.

The likes of Alessandro Bastoni, Riccardo Calafiori, Federico Dimarco, Sandro Tonali and Nicolo Barella are expected to start against Northern Ireland. There has also been a return to the squad for Federico Chiesa for the first time since EURO 2024. 

Only three of the 28 players called up have not previously played for Italy. Two of them are goalkeepers in Marco Carnesecchi and Elia Caprile, neither of whom have yet been given an opportunity over Gianluigi Donnarumma or Guglielmo Vicario. 

Cagliari right-back Marco Palestra, on loan from Atalanta, is the only uncapped outfield player to be selected in the latest Italy squad. The 21-year-old has impressed in his first real breakthrough season at Serie A level, and is also included in the Cagliari starting line-up to take on Napoli on Friday evening. 

You can see follow the action from Cagliari vs. Napoli on the Football Italia Liveblog.

{rsn-live-v2}

Scott McTominay and Kevin De Bruyne finally start alongside each other in the Napoli midfield again as Antonio Conte’s side prepare to take on Cagliari away from home in Serie A on Friday evening. 

Napoli have won their last three matches in succession heading into Friday night’s tie, all by 2-1 margins against Hellas Verona, Torino and Lecce.

Their run of form has brought them within one point of the second-placed Milan, and Antonio Conte’s side will overtake the Rossoneri with a victory this evening. 

Cagliari, meanwhile, are without a win since the end of January, when they beat Verona 4-0, and have only picked up two points from their last six matches since then. They are currently in 15th place, six points above the relegation zone. 

Napoli are without Giovanni Di Lorenzo, Amir Rrahmani, Antonio Vergara and David Neres through injury, but Conte’s ‘fab 4’ of Scott McTominay, Kevin De Bruyne, Stanislav Lobotka and Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa are finally all back and available for selection. 

McTominay, De Bruyne, Lobotka and Billy Gilmour are the chosen starters in midfield, supporting Rasmus Hojlund in the lone centre-forward role. Anguissa starts among the substitutes. 

Tonight’s game involves six players who have been called up to Gennaro Gattuso’s Italy national team squad for the World Cup play-offs coming up at the end of the month. Cagliari’s Elia Caprile and Marco Palestra are among the national team inclusions, as well as Alessandro Buongiorno, Leonardo Spinazzola, Matteo Politano and Alex Meret from the Napoli camp. 

Kick-off this evening is due at 17.30 GMT. 

Cagliari vs. Napoli: Confirmed line-ups 

Cagliari (4-3-3): Caprile; Zé Pedro, Mina, Dossena, Rodriguez; Adopo, Gaetano, Sulemana; Palestra, Folorunsho, Esposito. 

Napoli (3-4-2-1): Milinkovic-Savic; Beukema, Buongiorno, Olivera; Politano, Gilmour, Lobotka, Gutierrez; De Bruyne, McTominay; Højlund.

20-03-2026 17:30

MatchDay 30

Unipol Domus (Sardegna Arena)

Cagliari

Napoli

Live

0 - 1

Player statistic

1st half

		2'		Scott McTominay
		17'		Stanislav Lobotka
Zé Pedro		35'

Cagliari

Napoli

Starting lineups

1

Elia Caprile

Goalkeeper

22

Alberto Dossena

Defender

15

Juan Rodríguez

Defender

2

Marco Palestra

Defender

26

Yerry Mina

Defender

32

Zé Pedro

Defender

10

Gianluca Gaetano

Midfielder

90

Michael Folorunsho

Midfielder

8

Michel Adopo

Midfielder

25

Ibrahim Sulemana

Midfielder

94

Sebastiano Esposito

Attacker

32

Vanja Milinković-Savić

Goalkeeper

4

Alessandro Buongiorno

Defender

17

Mathías Olivera

Defender

3

Miguel Gutiérrez

Defender

31

Sam Beukema

Defender

6

Billy Gilmour

Midfielder

11

Kevin De Bruyne

Midfielder

8

Scott McTominay

Midfielder

68

Stanislav Lobotka

Midfielder

21

Matteo Politano

Attacker

19

Rasmus Højlund

Attacker

Substitutes

30

Leonardo Pavoletti

Attacker

14

Alessandro Deiola

Midfielder

28

Gabriele Zappa

Defender

4

Luca Mazzitelli

Midfielder

24

Giuseppe Ciocci

Goalkeeper

9

Semih Kılıçsoy

Attacker

12

Alen Sherri

Goalkeeper

27

Joseph Liteta

Midfielder

36

Nicola Grandu

Midfielder

37

Yael Trepy

Attacker

20

Agustín Albarracín

Midfielder

18

Othniel Raterink

Midfielder

31

Paul Mendy

Attacker

37

Leonardo Spinazzola

Defender

5

Juan Jesus

Defender

1

Alex Meret

Goalkeeper

99

Frank Anguissa

Midfielder

20

Eljif Elmas

Midfielder

14

Nikita Contini

Goalkeeper

30

Pasquale Mazzocchi

Defender

9

Romelu Lukaku

Attacker

23

Giovane

Attacker

27

Alisson Santos

Attacker

23

Giovane Nascimento

Attacker

The post Is Japan About to Trigger the Biggest XRP Move Ever? Here’s What the Charts Are Saying appeared first on Coinpedia Fintech News

The crypto market is entering a transition phase where macro forces are beginning to take control of price action.  However, the market could see a short-term drop before a stronger move higher, pointing to a dip-before-rise scenario rather than a full breakdown.

Basically, the main idea is that this is not just about price. A much larger setup is forming in the background, driven by global liquidity shifts and timing that may soon align.

Decoding the Japan Clues

A major part of the theory comes from a cryptic post by David Schwartz. Members of the XRP community noticed that the visuals in his post closely match patterns seen on Japanese yen notes, especially the circular designs and wave-like elements used as security features.

Japan is 100% the trigger. And this is what it seems like the red alerts are waiting for.

This has led to growing speculation that Japan could act as a major trigger for the market, and may be what current signals are pointing toward.

The idea goes further. Since similar features appear across many global currencies, some believe the message points to a more connected financial system. In this setup, XRP could serve as a bridge asset, helping move value between different currencies rather than replacing them.

The link between Japan, wave patterns, and Ripple also adds weight to the view that Japan could play an important role in the next phase of financial change.

There is a theory behind carry trade risk 

Beyond symbolism, the analysis highlights a real macro risk tied to Japan’s financial system. For years, investors have borrowed low-interest yen and invested it in higher-yielding assets globally.

The Bank of Japan has kept rates steady near 0.75 percent, helping maintain stability. However, even a small rate hike could trigger a chain reaction. Borrowing costs would rise, forcing investors to unwind positions and repay loans.

This could lead to widespread selling across stocks, crypto, and real estate, creating a liquidity crunch. According to the analysis, this unwind is not just a theory. It may already be in its early stages.

Technically, is it Bullish?

Adding weight to the theory, charts of the Japanese yen against the US dollar are showing strong bullish divergences across multiple higher timeframes. This is rare and has not been seen at this scale in recent years.

The analyst said that similar setups in 2024 and 2025 were weaker. Now, multiple timeframes are aligning, suggesting that momentum is building beneath the surface. A sharp yen move in the coming months could accelerate the carry trade unwind and increase global market pressure.

In this scenario, XRP is being positioned as a potential beneficiary. The goal is not that it replaces the US dollar, but that it becomes a liquidity bridge used by banks for cross-border transfers.

Moreover, if institutions begin holding XRP at scale, demand could rise quickly. A major liquidity event could push financial systems toward faster and more efficient solutions, where XRP fits naturally.

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The post Top Analyst Reveals What’s Next For Bitcoin, Ethereum and XRP Prices appeared first on Coinpedia Fintech News

Gareth Soloway, Chief Market Strategist at VerifiedInvesting.com, is doubling down on his bullish crypto calls,  and so far, the charts are proving him right.

About a month ago, when Bitcoin had just flushed to $60,000 and retail sentiment was bearish, Soloway turned bullish. Most people thought he was wrong. 

“When I see eight out of ten comments calling me a clown, I put more money into the trade,” he explained. For Soloway, extreme retail fear is not a warning, it is an invitation.

Bitcoin: The $74,000 Line That Changes Everything

Bitcoin is now trading above $74,000, marking eight consecutive days of gains. Soloway says the level to keep an eye on is a daily close above $74,000. If that holds, the next targets are $80,000 to $85,000.

The resistance at this level is not random. Soloway traced it back to a long-term trend line connecting multiple major price pivots, a classic technical setup where old support becomes new resistance. A clean break above it, he says, opens the door to the next significant leg higher.

Ethereum: A 45% Move Could Be on the Table

Ethereum has broken out of what Soloway describes as a textbook inside bar pattern, a structure where price compresses after a strong reversal before launching higher. ETH is now trading above $3,300 and confirming the breakout.

His price targets: $2,600 to $2,800 — which from the recent consolidation low would represent a 45% move. 

Solana and XRP Join the Party

Soloway is also long Solana, currently up around 15% on the trade, with targets of $115 to $118 after clearing the $100 resistance zone.

For the XRP community, Soloway revealed he picked up XRP over the weekend after spotting the same breakout pattern forming across the chart. He is already up 10% on the position and says the setup looks nearly identical to the other trades that have worked.

Despite the short-term bullishness, Soloway is clear-eyed about the macro backdrop. The larger trend, he says, still points downward. 

The post XRP Price Direction Irrelevant as Delta-Neutral Strategies Offer 8-15% Yields, Says Former Ripple Employee appeared first on Coinpedia Fintech News

A former Ripple employee, William Sculley, an early Ripple insider, laid out a detailed case for why the next wave of institutional money entering crypto will not be chasing price. It will be chasing yield, and XRP sits right in the middle of that story.

“Price Doesn’t Matter”

The headline claim sounds controversial, but the logic behind it is straightforward. Sculley’s thread breaks down what are known as delta-neutral strategies, a class of trades used by the world’s biggest hedge funds, including Citadel, Millennium, and Point72, to generate steady returns regardless of which direction markets move.

Whether XRP rises 50% or falls 50%, these strategies are structured to remain balanced and still deliver. The target return? A consistent 8% to 15% annually, with none of the whipsaw risk that defines most crypto investing.

As Sculley put it plainly: “You’re not betting on price — you’re capturing spreads, fees, or premiums.”

The $2 Trillion Problem Nobody Talks About

The bigger picture Sculley paints is striking. Crypto’s total market capitalization sits at roughly $2 trillion, yet less than 5% of that capital is actively deployed in yield-generating strategies through DeFi. The overwhelming majority sits idle or earns basic returns through centralised platforms.

For context, institutional asset managers like BlackRock and PIMCO keep less than 5% of portfolios in cash. They deploy the rest. Crypto, by comparison, is almost entirely unproductive by institutional standards.

That gap, Sculley argues, is not a weakness — it is an opportunity.

Why XRP Is Central to This Shift

Sculley’s framework, which he calls Financial Grade DeFi, is about bringing institutional-calibre yield strategies fully on-chain, accessible to anyone holding crypto, with no minimums and no middlemen.

For XRP holders specifically, this reframes the entire investment case. Rather than waiting for a price catalyst, holders could soon access basis trades, covered calls, and structured products built directly around XRP, the same tools previously reserved for the ultra-wealthy.

If institutions can generate reliable, direction-independent returns using XRP as collateral, the argument for large-scale capital deployment into the asset strengthens significantly, bull market or not.

Sculley’s conclusion is measured but pointed. Institutional strategies are already moving on-chain. The infrastructure is being built now. The only open question is who benefits first — and whether everyday crypto holders position themselves before the next wave of capital arrives.

The post XRP Price Near Breakout? Hidden Signal Shows Whales and ETF Demand Rising appeared first on Coinpedia Fintech News

XRP is sitting at a make-or-break level, and the signals are turning hard to ignore. The weekly chart shows price once again testing a long-standing ascending trendline, a zone that has repeatedly acted as a strong buying opportunity in past cycles. At the same time, momentum is quietly building beneath the surface. ETF inflows are climbing, and whales are pulling large amounts of XRP off exchanges, tightening supply just as price compresses near support.

With both technical and on-chain signals aligning, XRP’s current setup is starting to look less like consolidation, and more like a breakout waiting to happen.

ETF Inflows Cross $1.4 Billion, Underscoring Institutional Demand

Institutional participation in XRP has strengthened notably in 2026, with cumulative inflows into spot-based investment products surpassing $1.4 billion. This represents a sharp increase in demand and pushes total tracked volumes beyond $3 billion. 

Such sustained inflows typically reinforce price stability during corrective phases while establishing a base for medium-term expansion. The persistence of capital allocation into XRP-linked products indicates growing confidence among larger market participants, even as short-term price action remains subdued.

Large-Scale Whale Withdrawals Point to Supply Constriction

On-chain data highlights a parallel trend of significant XRP outflows from centralized exchanges, led predominantly by Binance. A single-day withdrawal of 530 million XRP in early February marked one of the largest movements in recent months, followed by consistent daily outflows averaging close to 50 million XRP through March.

Notably, transactions exceeding one million XRP continue to dominate activity, indicating that large holders are actively repositioning. This shift reduces available exchange liquidity and introduces the potential for supply-side pressure, a condition often associated with upward price repricing.

XRP Price Analysis: Descending Structure Approaches Inflection

XRP remains within a broader descending channel, characterized by a sequence of lower highs since its previous peak. However, price action has begun to compress near the lower boundary of the structure, suggesting weakening bearish momentum.

Immediate support is established in the $1.40–$1.43 region, which has so far prevented further downside expansion. A secondary support level is positioned near $1.20. On the upside, initial resistance is observed at $1.50, followed by a more significant barrier between $1.90 and $2.00, where both trendline resistance and a historical supply zone converge.

A breakout above the descending resistance could invalidate the current structure and initiate a broader trend reversal.

Analyst Insight: Long-Term Trendline Reinforces Bullish Structure

Market analyst Ali Charts has pointed to XRP’s long-term ascending trendline on the weekly timeframe, highlighting it as a key structural support. According to the analysis: XRP has respected this trendline across multiple cycles. Recent price action shows another bounce from this support zone. The structure suggests a potential higher-low formation

This external validation strengthens the broader technical outlook, indicating that XRP is not only stabilizing but doing so within a historically significant support framework.

Outlook: Accumulation Phase Nearing Resolution

XRP appears to be transitioning through a late-stage accumulation phase, supported by rising institutional inflows and continued whale activity. While price action remains constrained within a descending structure, the compression of volatility suggests that a decisive move may be imminent.

A confirmed breakout above the $1.90 resistance zone would likely open the path toward the $2.50–$3.00 range. Conversely, failure to maintain current support levels could delay recovery.

At present, XRP remains positioned at a critical inflection point, with both fundamental and technical indicators signaling the potential for a high-momentum move once key levels are breached.

The post PHA Price Explodes After Bithumb Listing Sparks Massive Outflows and Whale Activity appeared first on Coinpedia Fintech News

PHA price just did what most altcoins dream of waking up from a nearly doomed stage, even get listed, and immediately rip higher. A fresh KRW trading pair listing on Bithumb lit the fuse, and the reaction wasn’t subtle. We’re talking a sharp intraday move, backed by aggressive on-chain activity and a sudden shift in trader positioning.

And yeah, this isn’t just hype, there’s actual data behind the chaos.

Listing Hype Meets Real Demand

So here’s the deal. The Bithumb listing triggered a classic liquidity event, but instead of just inflows chasing the pump, something more interesting happened tokens started leaving exchanges.

Roughly 45 million PHA flowed out, while inflows lagged behind at 21.62 million. That imbalance screams accumulation. Traders aren’t just flipping; they’re pulling supply off the market, tightening availability, and effectively creating upward pressure.

Well, this kind of behavior usually doesn’t happen unless participants expect higher prices ahead. It’s not retail panic buying; it’s calculated positioning.

Whales And Metrics Flash Bullish

But let’s be real, exchange flows alone don’t tell the full story. Whale activity stepped in hard. Transactions above $100K spiked noticeably, confirming that bigger players weren’t sitting this one out. They showed up and they showed up fast.

At the same time, the 30-day MVRV ratio surged, dragging average investor positions close to breakeven. That’s important. It means holders who were underwater are now seeing relief, which often reduces immediate sell pressure, at least temporarily.

Add to that a rise in active addresses, and you’ve got a textbook case of growing network participation. Not just price chasing but shows actual engagement.

PHA Price Technical Levels Ahead

Now zooming out a bit. This rally didn’t come from nowhere infact the PHA price bounced from a monthly low near $0.021, marking a staggering 110% recovery, and 30% intraday surge. That’s not noise that’s clearly momentum that PHA price has just witnessed.

But momentum needs structure. Right now, the key level sits around $0.053, which aligns with the 200-day EMA. That’s the first real test. If bulls manage to flip it, the next logical targets stack up at $0.075 and $0.091.

Miss that breakout though? Things get messy again. Simple as that. 

So, what’s next? If demand holds and exchange supply keeps shrinking, this move might have legs. But if the hype fades, as it often does, then PHA price could just as easily stall right where it is.

The post Ledger Taps Ex-Circle Exec as CFO Ahead of Potential $4B IPO appeared first on Coinpedia Fintech News

Ledger, the crypto hardware wallet maker, has appointed John Andrews, a former Circle executive, as its new CFO. Andrews, who oversaw capital markets and investor relations at Circle and played a role in its IPO, will help Ledger prepare for a possible public listing valued above $4 billion. The company is expanding its U.S. presence, though market volatility could push back the IPO timeline. Ledger aims to strengthen its financial strategy ahead of the big move.

The post KITE Price Surges 20% as AI Narrative Ignites Fresh Momentum appeared first on Coinpedia Fintech News

The KITE price just caught a sharp bid and no, it’s not random. A sudden 20% jump from the $0.18 support level has traders scrambling for explanations, but the trigger is surprisingly straightforward: narrative meets timing, and the market eats it up.

AI Narrative Sparks KITE Price Surge

It all kicked off with a well-timed post tapping into the growing hype around AI’s next evolution is autonomous agents. The argument? Moving from chatbots to agents isn’t incremental… it’s exponential. Think 10,000x more compute demand and 100x more consumption. Sounds ambitious. Maybe even a bit too neat.

But here’s where it gets interesting. The real bottleneck isn’t compute but it’s payments. Machines can’t swipe credit cards. And when you’re talking about thousands of microtransactions per second, the traditional financial system starts looking like a relic. That’s the gap KITE claims to fill: a native economic layer for machine-to-machine transactions.

Markets love a good “infrastructure of the future” story. And this one landed right on cue.

Technical Setup Shows Early Strength

Now let’s strip away the hype and look at the chart. The KITE price bounced cleanly from $0.18 and is now wrestling with the 50-day EMA.

Momentum indicators are… cautiously optimistic. MACD is showing bearish pressure fading, which is a polite way of saying sellers are getting tired. RSI is pushing toward the midline, flirting with a shift into stronger momentum territory if it breaks higher.

And then there’s CMF which is still not screaming bullish, but definitely ticking upward. Translation? Money is starting to flow back in, just not aggressively yet.

Demand Spike Driven by Activity Surge

Well, this wasn’t just a narrative pump but a bit on-chain activity backed it up. A noticeable rise in 24-hour active addresses added fuel to the move, suggesting actual participation, not just speculative noise.

That said, let’s not pretend this is a straight line up. The immediate test sits around sustaining above that EMA band. If buyers keep pressing, the next logical move is a revisit toward $0.26. But if momentum stalls? This could just as easily fade back into the same range it came from.

Short-Term Outlook Remains Conditional

So, what’s next? The KITE price is at a crossroads. The setup is improving, sure but it’s not bulletproof. This is still a market that loves to overreact to narratives and just as quickly forget them.

If demand keeps building and indicators confirm, the move higher makes sense. If not, this rally risks becoming just another short-lived spike in a crowded altcoin landscape.

For now, KITE price is holding attention. Whether it holds momentum… that’s a different story.

The post “He made it really clear”: Rosenior’s big admission on Chelsea star’s future after private talks appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Mikel Arteta believes the EFL Cup final will be “one of the defining moments” of the season as Arsenal take on Manchester City at Wembley Stadium on Sunday. Arsenal booked their place in the showpiece with a victory over Chelsea in the semi-finals, while City got the better of Newcastle United over two legs. Arsenal […]

The post Arteta: EFL Cup final going to be one of the defining moments of the season appeared first on Soccer News.

The post Arteta: EFL Cup final going to be one of the defining moments of the season appeared first on Soccer News.

Making an immediate return to winning ways last week as they stormed their way to a 3-1 victory at home against Aston Villa, Manchester United have embarked on a remarkable resurge since Michael Carrick’s shock return to Old Trafford back in January. Skyrocketing up the table and currently sat in bronze medal position among England’s […]

The post Is Casemiro set to be replaced by another Brazilian superstar this summer? appeared first on Soccer News.

The post Is Casemiro set to be replaced by another Brazilian superstar this summer? appeared first on Soccer News.

Newcastle will host Sunderland at St. James’ Park on Sunday, with only two points separating the fierce rivals of the English north-east in the Premier League rankings going into the Tyne-Wear Derby. Here’s what Magpies boss Eddie Howe has to say ahead of the clash. “We’ve got to play like our lives depend on it.” […]

The post “We’ve gotta play like out lives depend on it” – Newcastle boss Eddie Howe looks ahead to Tyne-Wear Derby (Video) appeared first on Soccer News.

The post “We’ve gotta play like out lives depend on it” – Newcastle boss Eddie Howe looks ahead to Tyne-Wear Derby (Video) appeared first on Soccer News.

Chelsea have no immediate plans to sack Liam Rosenior as their manager, according to Fabrizio Romano. The well-known and well-respected Italian journalist has claimed that even though Chelsea suffered a heavy loss to Paris Saint-Germain in the last 16 of the UEFA Champions League this week, the Blues are going to continue with Rosenior, who […]

The post Fabrizio Romano says Chelsea will not sack Liam Rosenior appeared first on Soccer News.

The post Fabrizio Romano says Chelsea will not sack Liam Rosenior appeared first on Soccer News.

Newcastle United want to sign Nicolo Barella from Inter Milan in the summer transfer window, according to Sports Boom. The report has claimed that the Magpies have identified the Italy international midfielder as a replacement for Sandro Tonali. Tonali was linked with a move to Arsenal in the January transfer window. Arsenal remain keen on […]

The post Newcastle United want to sign Nicolo Barella appeared first on Soccer News.

The post Newcastle United want to sign Nicolo Barella appeared first on Soccer News.

Clubs in the Saudi Pro League are interested in signing Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konate as a free agent in the summer transfer window, according to Sports Boom. Konate is out of contract at Liverpool at the end of the season, and as it stands, no new deal is in place. Real Madrid have been heavily […]

The post Ibrahima Konate linked with Saudi Pro League move appeared first on Soccer News.

The post Ibrahima Konate linked with Saudi Pro League move appeared first on Soccer News.

Liverpool's major project has failed. That's despite the efforts of Michael Edwards as FSG CEO of Football.

Michael Edwards returned to the fold in 2024 for one major role. He didn't technically agree to join Liverpool - he instead signed up for FSG, the club's ownership.

The role was that of a multi-club project overseer. Edwards was the CEO of Football and that would include Liverpool and the other clubs that FSG intended to purchase.

However, that now won't happen. The Athletic reports that the multi-club idea is now dead, with FSG distancing themselves from the plan.

So why is that?

The multi-club failure

Strict ideas around what would actually be worth an investment appears to have been the problem. FSG wanted a club that was value for money, had genuine potential to play European football, and was based in an area that could attract potentially elite players and staff.

Now, was that possible? There's an old adage when buying something: Cheap, Quality, Great location - you can have two of the three.

It feels similar here. Cheap, Potential, Great Location. Finding all three is a nightmare.

They came close with Bordeaux but severe financial concerns, as well as further concerns over the ownership of the stadium, ended a deal.

Flamengo defeated Remo 3-0 at Maracanã on Thursday, the 19th, achieving their fourth consecutive victory in the Brasileirão Betano and entering the G4. Additionally, the current champion set the highest attendance of the competition at the end of this 7th round by bringing 62,075 fans to Maraca, surpassing their previous record (56,421) from the draw against Internacional 1-1 in the 2nd round.

With the new record, Flamengo reached an average of 55,237 fans per game and leads the list of clubs with the highest average attendance in the Série A of 2026. In 2025, the Rubro-negro recorded the highest average in the era of the points system, since 2003, by bringing 62,287 fans in the 19 games they played as hosts.

Check out the highest average attendances of Brasileirão 2026 up to the 7th round:

55,237 - Flamengo

38,929 - Bahia

26,019 - Fluminense

25,299 - Corinthians

25,239 - Coritiba

23,114 - Remo

22,197 - Atlético-MG

21,540 - Athletico-PR

21,023 - Palmeiras

20,072 - Vitória

19,729 - São Paulo

19,296 - Cruzeiro

18,491 - Grêmio

18,375 - Vasco

17,905 - Internacional

16,539 - Botafogo

16,367 - Chapecoense

11,032 - Santos

5,825 - Mirassol

3,746 - Bragantino

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

England have unveiled their home and away shirts for 2026.

The Three Lions have unveiled the shirts they will wear at the World Cup later this summer.

England have gone back to basics with both kits, opting for classic all-white as the home shirt and red for the changed strip.

Both of those were the colours when England won the World Cup in 1966. Is that an omen 60 years later?

The second round of the first phase of the Brasileirão Feminino A2 will take place this weekend. The 16 participating teams aim to be among the top eight to secure a spot in the knockout stage.

Most of the matches will be on Saturday (21), with four of them at 3 PM: UDA vs. Atlético Piauiense at Rei Pelé in Maceió (AL); Taubaté vs. Vasco da Gama at Joaquim de Morais Filho in Taubaté (SP); Pérolas Negras vs. Itabirito at Ronaldo Luis Nazário de Lima in Rio de Janeiro (RJ); Ceará vs. Paysandu at Franzé Morais in Itaitinga (CE). At 4 PM, two more matches will take place simultaneously: Ação vs. Instituto 3B at Dito Souza in Várzea Grande (MT); Itacoatiara vs. Sport at Floro de Mendonça in Itacoatiara (AM).

On Sunday (22), two games will conclude the round: Minas Brasília vs. Doce Mel/Jequié at Bezerrão in Gama (DF) at 4 PM; Atlético Rio Negro vs. Vila Nova at Canarinho in Boa Vista (RR) at 6 PM.

New format of the competition

In 2026, the Brasileirão Feminino A2, which guarantees access to the elite level of the sport in the country, was expanded with an increase in the number of games (from 70 to 134) and dates (from 13 to 21). There was also a change in the competition format. The 16 participating teams will face each other in a single round over 15 rounds. The top eight teams will advance to the knockout stage (quarterfinals, semifinals, and finals), which will feature home and away matches in each phase.

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

The 2026 season officially started for Notre Dame football on Friday morning, as the first practice of spring took place.

Every year in college football is different, and for the Irish, that is the case as well. They will return one of the most veteran groups in the country, but a new year brings new faces to the forefront of the program. One of those is the offensive line, and a position change could pave the way for a redshirt freshman to take over a starting job from another former freshman stater.

On3’s Jack Soble attended practice and reported back that the starting offensive line consisted of left tackle Will Black, left guard Anthonie Knapp, center Joe Otting, right guard Sullivan Absher and right tackle Guerby Lambert. The left side is where the change happened, with Knapp sliding inside opening up the spot for Black.

Coming out of high school, the new projected left tackle was a 5-star, and is looking like he’ll be living up to that billing. When looking at who could breakout this spring, Black wasn’t talked about because offensive line isn’t as sexy as running back or wide receiver.

However, it’s the guy upfront paving the way for the offense, and this unit has the potential to be an elite group. While Black might lack experience, he makes up for it in talent and potential.

Notre Dame's offensive line today: LT Will Black, LG Anthonie Knapp, C Joe Otting, RG Sullivan Absher, RT Guerby Lambert.

Mike Denbrock on Knapp's move to guard: "It's an effort, as always — during the spring in particular — how do we evaluate and figure out who the best five… pic.twitter.com/StkIMGscZp

— Jack Soble (@jacksoble56) March 20, 2026

Contact/Follow us @IrishWireND on X (Formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Notre Dame news, notes, and opinions.

Follow Mike on X: @MikeFChen

This article originally appeared on Fighting Irish Wire: Is Notre Dame going to have another freshman starting left tackle?

Alessandro Bastoni and Lautaro Martinez are both major fitness concerns for Inter Milan ahead of Sunday’s Serie A trip to Fiorentina, with the Italy defender a significant doubt and the Argentina captain confirmed absent as he targets an Easter comeback.

Bastoni has been training only partially with the group again today after the shin injury he sustained in the derby.

The discomfort is gradually easing, but a full recovery in time for Sunday remains difficult to envisage.

Bastoni was called up to the Italy squad by Gennaro Gattuso for the World Cup playoffs.

However, his availability for the Fiorentina trip looks unlikely, as per FCInter1908.

Cristian Chivu is expected to again turn to Carlos Augusto to fill the left centre-back role.

Indeed, as he did in the Atalanta draw.

Fiorentina Vs Inter – Bastoni & Lautaro To Miss Florence Trip

Lautaro‘s absence is already confirmed.

The Inter captain is following a structured recovery programme put in place by the medical staff, training separately but at a good pace.

The focus is firmly on Inter vs Roma at Easter, the fixture identified as his realistic return date.

And, indeed, no risks will be taken ahead of that target.

With the international break following immediately after Fiorentina, Inter have every incentive to be patient with their most important player.

England head coach Thomas Tuchel has provided an explanation for his decision to leave Real Madrid star Trent Alexander-Arnold out of his latest squad.

This comes amid backlash on the part of sections of both the Three Lions and Real fanbase.

Alexander-Arnold has spent recent weeks working his way back to both fitness and form, to establish himself as an important member of new Blancos boss Álvaro Arbeloa’s backline.

With Reece James sidelined at present through injury, the widespread expectation was therefore that TAA would be afforded a call-up for the upcoming March international break.

Thomas Tuchel, however, instead opted for a right-back trio of Djed Spence, Tino Livramento and Jarell Quansah.

Speaking to the media in the aftermath of his latest squad being unveiled, the subject of Alexander-Arnold’s absence was therefore inevitably put to England’s headmaster himself.

And Tuchel went on to explain:

“I know what Trent can give us, and we decided to stick with our players. I know his strengths, he’s a huge player but It’s a sporting decision… we stick with Quansah, Spence, Livramento.”

Conor Laird – GSFN

Athletic Bilbao and Real Betis face each other this Sunday at the San Mamés Barria for round 29 of the La Liga. The match will be broadcast live at 17:30 on Premier Sports.

Athletic Bilbao have won 35 points to date and are placed in 10th position. In their last fixture, Ernesto Valverde's team suffered a 3-0 reverse against Girona (La Liga 2025/26).

Real Betis have picked up 44 points and currently lie in 5th position. In their last fixture, Manuel Pellegrini's team won 4-0 against Panathinaikos (UEFA Europa League 2025/26).

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

Predicted lineups

Athletic Bilbao: Unai Simón, Andoni Gorosabel, Dani Vivian, Aymeric Laporte, Yuri Berchiche, Mikel Jauregizar, Iñigo de Galarreta, Robert Navarro, Oihan Sancet, Álex Berenguer, Iñaki Williams

Real Betis: Álvaro Valles, Héctor Bellerín, Natan, Marc Bartra, Júnior Firpo, Álvaro Fidalgo, Pablo Fornals, Marc Roca, Aitor Ruibal, Cucho Hernández, Abde Ezzalzouli

Unavailable

Athletic Bilbao

• Yeray Álvarez - Doping Ban
• Benat Prados - Cruciate Ligament Tear
• Nico Williams - Pubalgia

Real Betis

Last starting XIs

Athletic Bilbao ( vs Girona 2026-03-14): Unai Simón, Andoni Gorosabel, Aymeric Laporte, Dani Vivian, Yuri Berchiche, Iñigo de Galarreta, Mikel Jauregizar, Robert Navarro, Oihan Sancet, Álex Berenguer, Iñaki Williams

Real Betis ( vs Panathinaikos 2026-03-19): Pau López, Héctor Bellerín, Natan, Marc Bartra, Ricardo Rodríguez, Antony, Sofyan Amrabat, Pablo Fornals, Abde Ezzalzouli, Cucho Hernández, Aitor Ruibal

Did you know...by playmaker stats

MANAGERS

• Ernesto Valverde has faced Manuel Pellegrini on 14 occasions, recording five wins, five draws and four defeats
• Manuel Pellegrini has faced Athletic Bilbao on 28 occasions, recording 14 wins, seven draws and seven defeats
• Ernesto Valverde has faced Real Betis on 31 occasions, recording 13 wins, 11 draws and seven defeats

TEAMS

• Away from home, Real Betis currently have five defeats in their last 22 matches.
• Away from home, Real Betis have conceded in three consecutive matches.
• Away from home, Real Betis are on a run of two consecutive matches without a win.
• Away from home, Real Betis are on a run of two consecutive defeats.
• Real Betis currently have one win in their last six matches.
• Real Betis are on a run of two consecutive matches without defeat.
• At home, Athletic Bilbao have conceded in seven consecutive matches.
• Athletic Bilbao have conceded in 18 consecutive matches.
• Athletic Bilbao are on a run of four consecutive matches without a win.
• Athletic Bilbao are on a run of three consecutive defeats.

HEAD TO HEAD

• Athletic Bilbao and Real Betis have faced each other 138 times, with Athletic Bilbao holding the advantage: 55 wins, compared with 39 Real Betis victories.
• At San Mamés Barria, Athletic Bilbao have the edge in their meetings with Real Betis: 40 wins in 68 matches. Real Betis have nine victories.
• In La Liga, the two teams have met 119 times, with 48 Athletic Bilbao wins, 37 draws and 34 Real Betis victories.

Each week during the 2025-26 NBA season, we will take a deeper dive into some of the league’s biggest storylines in an attempt to determine whether trends are based more in fact or fiction moving forward.

Last week: The NBA will have another 100-point scorer

Fact or Fiction: The list of NBA title contenders is longer than you think

Stephen Curry once told us, “A good team, or a relevant team, wins the games they're supposed to win, steals a couple on the road against good teams and protects home court." By his definition, the NBA features plenty of good teams.

Draft your Yahoo Fantasy Baseball team for the 2026 MLB Season

So, last year, we set about finding out what makes a great team, and we discovered two simple truths about championship teams. They win more than the games they are supposed to, and they steal more than a couple on the road against good teams. In fact, this century’s champions have won on average 63.4% of their games against teams with a winning record and 63.9% of their games against teams on the road.

To succeed in the playoffs you must be able to beat good teams and win on the road. This isn’t rocket science. But it is a pretty tried-and-true theory. We should probably come up with a name for this. The Curryculum? We’re just spitballing here.

Only three teams have met those marks to date this season, the Oklahoma City Thunder, San Antonio Spurs and Detroit Pistons, and that is not such a bad list of title favorites, which was what made news of Cade Cunningham’s collapsed lung so massive. The injury threatens to undermine one of the teams that can win the title.

This is not to say that all other teams are excluded from winning the championship.

Then again, only one champion this century, the 2006 Miami Heat, owned a sub-.500 record (19-21) against teams with winning records, and only one champ this century, the 2023 Denver Nuggets, finished with a sub-.500 record (19-22) on the road. So, no team since 2000 has won a championship with a losing record in both categories.

If we expanded our list of potential champions to include teams that are .500 or better against both winning and road teams, we must now include the New York Knicks, Boston Celtics, Houston Rockets, Denver Nuggets, Cleveland Cavaliers and Los Angeles Lakers. Again: Not so bad a longer list of the potential title contenders.

Notably absent, the Minnesota Timberwolves, who are 15-17 against teams with a .500 record or better. However, they are a combined 4-3 against the Thunder and Spurs. They have both games left against the Pistons and a slew against teams with winning records remaining on the schedule. They can absolutely get to this baseline.

No other team, really, comes close.

Only eight teams this century have won better than 70% of their games against winning opponents and better than 70% of their games on the road: the 2000 Lakers, 2009 Lakers, 2013 Heat, 2016 Warriors, 2017 Warriors, 2018 Rockets, 2022 Suns, 2025 Cavaliers and 2025 Thunder. That is five champions, the 73-win Warriors and three great regular-season teams, all with 64 or more wins, in the past decade.

If you win 70% of your games against both winning and road opponents, then, you are more likely than not to go on to win the championship. Or, at least, until recently.

The Spurs, as you can see, are the only team this season to be winning 70% of their games against both winning and road opponents. They are on pace for 61 wins. Sure, they could join the 2018 Rockets, 2022 Suns and 2025 Cavaliers as paper lions, but just the same: We could say they belong as title favorites, even ahead of the Thunder.

One team that could join the list of title favorites, along with the Spurs, Thunder and those healthy Pistons, is the Celtics, who added Jayson Tatum to a team that was close to winning two-thirds of its games against both winning and road opponents.

If over the next month Tatum can return to form from Achilles surgery as a perennial All-NBA First Team candidate (and that is a big if), joining forces with Jaylen Brown, who could make an All-NBA First Team himself, then perhaps Boston will outperform its record against winning and road teams and belongs on a short list of favorites.

As for the contenders — not the favorites, but the teams that could threaten them, according to The Curryculum — that list notably includes the Lakers, who have won nearly two-thirds of their games on the road and are now .500 against winning teams.

The Lakers’ current eight-game winning streak, which has impressively included six wins against teams with a .500 record or better, has put them on a 53-win pace, third place in the Western Conference — and absolutely onto our short list of contenders.

Over that eight-game stretch, the Lakers own the league’s second-best offense, and they are bordering on a top-10 defense, outscoring opponents by 9.7 points per 100 possessions. Only the Spurs, Pistons and surging Atlanta Hawks have been better.

The Hawks? Well, they are winning the games they are supposed to on their current 11-game win streak. Ten of their 11 opponents in that span have losing records. They have, over the course of this season, stolen a couple of games on the road against good teams, and because of this streak they now own a winning record at home.

That makes them a good team, or a relevant team, in Curry’s eyes. Not a great team, though. But our list of great teams — which includes the Spurs, Thunder and Pistons as favorites and the Knicks, Celtics, Rockets, Nuggets, Cavaliers and Lakers as contenders (and the Wolves as lingering threats) — is maybe longer than you think, at least according to The Curryculum.

Determination: Fact. The list of NBA title contenders is longer than you think. At least by this metric.

NEW YORK (AP) — The Cleveland Guardians won't have to pay indicted pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz while Major League Baseball's investigation continues into allegations of pitch-rigging for gamblers.

Ortiz was placed on paid leave last July 3 and Clase on July 28, and they received their salaries while they didn't pitch for the remainder of the season. They were indicted on federal charges on Nov. 9 and a trial is scheduled for May 4 but could be delayed.

“As the legal proceedings involving Cleveland Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz continue to move forward, MLB and the MLBPA have agreed that both players will remain on non-disciplinary leave from the club without pay until further notice," Major League Baseball said in a statement Friday.

“This agreement is not an admission of any wrongdoing by Clase or Ortiz," the statement added. "MLB has been closely monitoring the matter since alerting federal law enforcement at the outset of its investigation and will have no further comment until its investigation has been completed.”

Clase has a $6 million salary in 2026, the final guaranteed season of a $20 million, five-year contract. Ortiz does not have enough service time for arbitration and makes around the minimum salary of $780,000.

Clase and Ortiz are charged by federal prosecutors with accepting several thousand dollars in payoffs to help two gamblers from their native Dominican Republic win at least $460,000 by placing more than 100 in-game prop bets and parlays on the velocity and the outcome of certain pitches. Charges include wire fraud conspiracy and conspiracy to influence sporting contests.

They entered not guilty pleas in Brooklyn federal court.

Clase is a three-time All-Star and two-time American League Reliever of the Year.

___

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Eddie Hearn has labelled Tom Aspinall’s UFC contract “a disgrace” after signing the heavyweight champion to his new talent agency.

This month brought the shock news that promoter Hearn, who runs Matchroom Boxing, had joined mixed-martial-arts star Aspinall in an advisory role.

Fans were quick to note Hearn’s ongoing rivalry with UFC president and CEO Dana White, who has launched several verbal attacks against the British promoter since the birth of Zuffa Boxing in January.

White is the face of the new promotion alongside Saudi government official Turki Alalshikh, while it is co-owned by combat-sports brand TKO and Saudi company Sela.

“I represent the UFC world heavyweight champion,” Hearn told media on Friday, as filmed by Pro Boxing Fans. “I’m gonna bite my tongue a little bit for now, but what I will tell you is: his contract is a f***ing disgrace. Right? A disgrace.

“I cannot believe the money that he is on, when you look at the commercial revenue that his fight would generate – against a Pereira or against a Gane in a rematch.”

Hearn was referencing Ciryl Gane and Alex Pereira, who will clash over the interim UFC heavyweight title at the White House on 14 June, after Gane’s eye pokes on Aspinall led to a no-contest in their October fight.

“And honestly,” Hearn continued, “if I’m Tom Aspinall, I’m looking at that contract, I go: ‘I don’t even think you should f***ing bother, mate.’ But he wants to come back, he wants to rematch Gane, he wants to fight Pereira. He wants to defend his world heavyweight title.

“By the time you’ve paid your tax and paid your team, there’s no f ***ing point in even fighting, especially when you’ve had four operations after your eye has got gouged out. Do you know what I mean? Honestly, it’s unbelievable, but I’m really glad that it’s been highlighted.”

Here, Hearn was referring to the two surgeries that Aspinall has had in recent months; Gane’s numerous fouls led to injuries in both of the Briton’s eyes, and the 32-year-old has still not returned to full training, five months on.

However, Aspinall provided a positive health update this month as he aims to return to the UFC Octagon.

When asked whether he will fight before the end of the year, the Wigan heavyweight said on The Ariel Helwani Show: “I hope so, I hope so. I think so.

“They’re giving me the indication that everything’s going in the right direction and improving fast. There was a time when things were all up in the air, because we had some complications with it, but everything now is moving good, and I’m feeling a lot better.

“And I can really see the difference in the way the vision is, because vision is something that you use obviously – every second of every day. So, mate, I’m feeling really good about it at the moment.”

Aspinall is 15-3 (1 no-contest) as a professional, with a UFC record of 8-1. His sole defeat in the promotion came just 15 seconds into a 2022 fight with Curtis Blaydes, as Aspinall suffered a knee injury. He avenged the loss in 2024, knocking out Blaydes in the first round.

Hearn and Aspinall’s shock link-up came just weeks after Conor Benn, one of Hearn’s most high-profile boxers, made a stunning switch to Zuffa Boxing.

Benn had been with Matchroom throughout the entirety of his pro career, and the company had stuck by him during a two-year saga in which he was unable to box in the UK after failing two drug tests.

In the fallout of Benn’s Matchroom exit, Hearn claimed he had lent the 29-year-old “hundreds of thousands of pounds” during that two-year spell. The Independent received no response after contacting Benn and one of his representatives.

Netflix’s first ever MMA event will also be a career first for headliner Gina Carano.

Carano, who hasn’t fought since 2009, will take on Ronda Rousey in the main event at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood on May 16.

The UFC chose not to host Rousey’s comeback bout, so her return will headline a Netflix card promoted by Jake Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions. It marks both Netflix’s and Carano’s debut in this kind of role.

But it won’t just be the streaming platform stepping into new territory — there are more firsts to come over the next few weeks.

Gina Carano reveals this is the first time she’s had a proper plan for a fight

Carano is widely viewed as one of the early trailblazers in women’s MMA, putting together a 7-1 record with stops in EliteXC and Strikeforce along the way.

Despite that, the 43-year-old says she never once fought with a real strategy in mind—even against someone like Cris Cyborg, her last opponent before stepping away from the sport.

Speaking on the JAXXON Podcast, Carano said: “Well, to be very honest, I was a bit crazy, a little out of my mind in my 20s. I was fighting out of a place of survival. I was fighting out of a place of—nobody ever really game-planned me for a fight.”

“Nobody ever sat me down and was like, ‘OK, this is your opponent, this is what you’re going to do.’ It was always me going and being like, ‘OK, get up from the bottom.’

“From the moment I started we’d go to smokers and you just show up and fight whoever’s in that gym. I remember showing up one time to a smoker and there was this dude. Very intimidating. Weighing in at 165 (pounds) and I was probably around 145 at that time… At smokers you just fight whoever’s there.

“But like no,” Carano continued. “Nobody ever planned me. We’re game planning now… It’s really cool to actually have a game plan for an actual person.”

Cyborg handed Carano her only loss—a first-round knockout—and that defeat also turned out to be her final appearance before moving on from MMA.

This time around though she looks determined not to leave anything to chance as she prepares alongside coach John Wood for what could be one last run under the lights.

Read more:

Spain’s long awaited Finalissima clash with Argentina has fallen apart, removing what would have been one of their most significant tests ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

The match between the champions of Europe and South America had been scheduled to take place in Qatar, but geopolitical tensions in the region forced a rethink.

Efforts were made to relocate the game, yet reports suggest negotiations became complicated, with Argentina not making the process straightforward.

That has left Spain without a marquee showdown in a crucial preparation window. For Luis de la Fuente, it also meant addressing whether his side played any role in the breakdown of talks.

Luis de la Fuente insists Spain pushed hard for World Cup test

Speaking on Friday, De la Fuente made it clear Spain were willing to play the Finalissima anywhere.

“We wanted to play the Finalissima in Doha, in Buenos Aires, in Miami… wherever they told us. We were desperate to play it. Let that be clear,” he stated in the press conference.

The comments underline Spain’s desire to face Argentina as part of their World Cup preparation. The fixture would have offered a rare benchmark against Lionel Messi’s side in a competitive setting.

Spain turn to Serbia and Egypt after Finalissima collapse

With the Finalissima cancelled, Spain have reshaped their March schedule. They will now face Serbia on 27 March at the Estadio de la Ceramica.

Four days later, De la Fuente’s side will take on Egypt at the RCDE Stadium, rounding off the final international window before the World Cup preparation takes place.

Those fixtures obviously provide useful preparation, but lack the prestige and intensity of facing Argentina.

Read more:

Where to Watch UFC London TODAY (March 21) in the United States

Where to Watch UFC London TONIGHT (March 21) in the United Kingdom

Welcome to “You’re Nuts” offseason edition, part one out of many. The Ohio State men’s basketball team’s season is over.

The Buckeyes lost to the TCU Horned Frogs on Thursday afternoon, 66-64, in Greenville, South Carolina in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. It was the first NCAA Tournament appearance for Ohio State since 2022, but they were unable to extend their stay beyond one day thanks to TCU’s Xavier Edmonds, who scored with four seconds remaining to put the final dagger in Ohio State’s season.

Jake Diebler and Ohio State are now staring a seven-month-long offseason in the face. Several players will be moving on from the program, none more important than Ohio State’s all-time leading scorer, Bruce Thornton. A four-year starter, Thornton leaves a hole at the point guard position that Ohio State has not had to deal with for four years. Brandon Noel and Christoph Tilly are also out of eligibility, so there will be roster spots that need to be filled with front-court players, too.

We’ll have months to discuss transfer portal priorities and news. For today, we’re looking back at the freshly dead body that is Ohio State’s 2025-26 season and grading their season. What’s an “A” or “A+” season is clearly subjective — some people may be satisfied with Ohio State’s accomplishments this year, while others may think that the Buckeyes fell disastrously short of what the program standard should be.

Last week, Connor and Justin debated who was Ohio State’s MVP in their Big Ten Tournament win over Iowa, which feels like it was a decade ago at this point. Connor went with Christoph Tilly, who dominated in the first half against Iowa and opened things up for Bruce Thornton to take over in the second half. Justin picked Thornton, who finished with 24 points and was generally unstoppable in the second half of that game.

Back to this week’s question: How did Ohio State do this year?

How would you grade the Ohio State men’s basketball team’s season?

Connor: B

Ohio State did not reach the lofty standard this season that Jake Diebler has for the program, but I think the Buckeyes more or less accomplished the bare minimum of what fans wanted to see from them this year. Ohio State finished in the top half of the Big Ten, finished the year playing its best basketball, and made it back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2022.

Not all, but the majority of fans expressed last summer that the “bare minimum” for Ohio State this season was to get back to the NCAA Tournament and make that the standard for the program moving forward. The Buckeyes did that, getting hot at the end of the season to play themselves off the bubble and safely into the NCAA Tournament field.

Fans want to see Ohio State winning Big Ten titles and placing towards the very top of the Big Ten every year, which are things Diebler himself has said are priorities of his, too. The Buckeyes fell well short of that this season, but I can’t imagine too many fans expected Ohio State to go from not making the NCAA Tournament for three consecutive seasons to making an Elite Eight run this season.

The Buckeyes won 21 games, 12 Big Ten games, and gave the fans a (brief) March Madness experience. The team shook off some poor play in February to play a scalding hot March, and earned an 8-seed in the NCAA Tournament.

Ohio State will have to increase the expectations moving forward. They made it to the Big Dance this year, but did not win a game. Next season — especially with Anthony Thompson on campus — simply making the tournament should not be the expectation. It’s been over a decade since Ohio State last made it to the second weekend of the tournament, and next year should probably be one of those years.

But after missing out on the NCAA Tournament for three consecutive seasons, this felt like a solid stepping stone season for Diebler in year two. It wasn’t excellent, but they mostly met the minimum of what fans wanted to see five months ago. Next year, they will need to make the NCAA Tournament and advance.

Justin: C

To me, this season was the definition of a “C” and average. The two highlights of the season were Bruce Thornton’s Senior Day and his breaking the all-time scoring record, and the Buckeyes making the tournament for the first time in four years.

They made the tournament, so it can’t be a failed season, because that shows that progress is being made and the program is at least moving in the right direction.

However, there were still some close losses — losses to teams that you shouldn’t lose to — and they were middle of the pack in the Big Ten.

Moving forward, the expectation for the program should be a top-25 team and a top-six team in the conference. Those are the steps they need to take to get to better than average. Making the tournament was good to get that conversation to end, but that is the bare minimum.

They were the Long Island University Blackbirds for the longest time. However, when the LIU Brooklyn Blackbirds and LIU Post Pioneers merged as schools, the Long Island University Sharks were born starting with the 2019-20 college basketball season. The campus is in Brooklyn, New York. For a small school, the team certainly has an interesting coaching history with one a Pro Basketball Hall of Famer, another having gone on to the NBA and another having starred in the Association. This is LIU's eighth appearance in the Division I NCAA tournament and it is looking for its first win.

LIU has rich basketball history

Decades and decades ago, the Blackbirds were a national power under famed coach Clair Bee. He was 360-80 in 18 seasons. Per the Pro Basketball Hall of Fame: Under Bee, LIU became a national power, winning 43 consecutive games, including undefeated seasons in 1935-36 and 1938-39. Three teams between 1935 and 1941 were "retroactively" ranked as the country's top team. That said, the program was stopped after a point-shaving scandal in 1951.

LIU coach went on to NBA

The late Roy Rubin coached LIU from 1965-72. He went 122-55 before leaving for the Philadelphia 76ers. That move did not work out. Rubin was 4-47 as coach in the NBA. That 76ers team was known as the worst in Association history as it finished 9-73. After basketball, Rubin eventually became the owner of an IHOP restaurant in Florida.

Current coach also has NBA history

The Sharks are currently coached by Rod Strickland, who was the 19th overall pick by the New York Knicks out of DePaul in the 1988 NBA draft. Strickland played for nine NBA teams from 1988-2005. He averaged 13.2 points and 7.3 assists in his NBA career.

Who is Strickland's godson?

Rod Strickland is the godfather to NBA star Kyrie Irving.

How did LIU earn its way into NCAA tournament?

The Sharks went 24-10 and won the NEC tournament by downing Mercyhurst. The tourney final mattered not because Mercyhurst was ineligible for the Big Dance this season because they are making the transition to Division 1.

Guards lead the Sharks attack

To the surprise of no one, given they are coached by a former star NBA guard, the Sharks' top four scorers play in the backcourt. Jamal Fuller leads tha way at 16.4 points per game, followed by Malachi Davis at 14.4 ppg, Greg Gordon (14.1) and Jomo Goings (10.0).

What are the school colors?

Blue and gold.

This article originally appeared on The List Wire: March Madness look at No. 16 seed LIU, from mascot to coach

The outdoor season is coming in fast, and the Tigers are ready for their first meet at the Yellow Jacket Invitational on Friday and Saturday, March 20-21. 

This meet will hopefully mark the season debut for Mizzou’s javelin throwers, adding an extra layer of excitement to the competition. It also gives many of our athletes the opportunity to showcase their skills in different events they did not have during the indoor season. 

“I would say expectations are to just kind of see where everybody opens up,” assistant coach Jordon Andreassen said. “It’s a new environment, outdoor is very different from indoor, different events, you know, new people traveling, so just kind of a different type of culture than indoor, so I think this is a really good opener. The weather should be great.”

Friday’s Meet Schedule

According to Georgia Tech’s meet schedule, the meet will kick off at 11:30 a.m., with hammer throw. Field events will resume at  5:30 p.m., with the shot put, javelin, pole vault and long jump Running events are scheduled for approximately 6 p.m., beginning with the 100-meter hurdles, 110m H, 100m, 1500m, 300m steeplechase, and concluding with the 5000m. Each running event will start with the women and finish with the men’s race. 

Saturday’s Meet Schedule

Saturday’s slate of events will start a bit later in the afternoon, at 12 p.m., with field events. There will be high jumpers, women’s pole vault, triple jumper and discus throw for both women and men. Shortly after, running events will begin at 1 p.m., starting with the 4x100m relays, followed by the 400m intermediate hurdles, 400m, 800m, 200m and finishing with the 4x400m relay. Each event will start with the women’s race, and conclude with the men’s. 

Schedule of events link: https://ramblinwreck.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Yellow-Jacket-Inv-2026-Schedule-TENTATIVE-3.pdf 

Last Year’s Yellow Jacket Invitational 

Last year, the meet took place Friday and Saturday, March 21-22. During the first day of events,Petra Gombas placed seventh which advanced her to the finals on Saturday. Clayton Kamp did the same with an eighth place finish. 

On another high note, 14 Tigers managed to earn personal bests that day and Robert Hines finished in bronze in the men’s 100m race. Ryan Eddington took the podium during the men’s 1500m race as well. 

During Saturday’s slate of events, Hines and other athletes claimed Mizzou’s ninth best record in the 4x100m race. Also, Hines claimed a personal best in the men’s 200m. Anna Vedral claimed seventh overall in the women’s pole vault and Ames Burton finished fourth in the discus. 

This Meets Expectations 

With this being the Tigers first outdoor season outing, a lot of Mizzou fan favorites will return after last year’s success. 

Valentina Barrios will hit the ground running after capturing the school’s record in the javelin and hit marks no one has ever had for the University. Barrios advanced to the World Athletics Championship where her talent was displayed for the world to see. 

Other athletes that the fans are waiting for are Skylar and Taylor Ciccolini. They are both javelin throwers and Skylar claimed sixth in the javelin at last year’s NCAA Outdoor Championships and Taylor had high remarks in 2022. 

The discus and hammer throw will also resume, and Mizzou throwers are ready for action. The outdoor season introduces different events for both sprinters and distance runners. Unlike the indoor season, which is held on a 200-meter track, the outdoor season takes place on a 400-meter track. This allows for a wider range of events, including longer races for sprinters.

“I’m excited to see the Ciccolini’s Taylor and Skylar compete. Valentina, all the jav girls, really,” Andreassen said. “Yeah, they’ve been working their butts off all indoor, just preparing for outdoor, and it can seem like a long, a long time for them without seeing a competition, so I’m really excited to see how they do some of our throwers as well, you know, in the hammer and the discus, to see how they how they pan out.”

The outdoor season will feature six meets, before heading to the SEC Outdoor Championships in Auburn, Ala. The competition will not be light on their journey to the top and the Tigers will have to pounce during every occasion. 

Their schedule highlights a two-day border war versus Kansas, a three-day Big Red Classic meet and the Battle on the Bayou in Baton Rouge, La. This will set the stage for a stacked and highly competitive 2026 season.

To read more about Missouri’s Track and Field team, follow @Rock MNation and @SophBleedsLA on twitter/X.

Dwyane Wade has revealed he is deliberately waiting for LeBron James to retire, with one personal reason behind the decision.

The two share one of the closest relationships in NBA history, which makes even small moments between them carry added meaning.

This latest detail shows how that connection still shapes how Wade views LeBron’s career.

Dwyane Wade is waiting for LeBron James retirement for a selfish reason

Wade, on The Tonight Show, explained why he has held off on completing something tied to their legacy.

“I have it, and it has not got signed yet, gotten signed yet by LeBron. I’m actually waiting until he retires. Maybe 2038,” Wade said.

He added: “And I already know the retirement gift I want him to get me when he retires, and it’s just a signature of this photo. So I’m waiting. I’m waiting until you retire.”

The idea is simple but meaningful: Wade wants the moment to carry more weight when LeBron’s career officially ends.

It reflects how certain milestones feel more significant when tied to a final chapter rather than the present.

Dwyane Wade admits he will miss LeBron James’ impact on the NBA

Wade also made it clear that the thought of LeBron retiring is not something he is ready for.

“I know it’s like ‘He’s old, he should retire,’ but at the same time I’m gonna miss him. I’m gonna miss how great he’s been for our game. So I’m just taking these moments in,” Wade continued.

“We don’t know when the last one is coming. But to see him still be able to get some posters, and his daughter now can see that her father is good,” the Heat legend concluded.

The comment shifts the focus from nostalgia to appreciation, recognising that LeBron is still performing at a high level.

For Wade, that makes the present just as important as the legacy that will follow. It also explains why he is waiting, not just for a signature, but for a moment that truly marks the end of an era.

Read more:

Spurs vs Nottingham Forest Preview: Premier League Survival Stakes Rise

There are matches that feel like punctuation marks in a season, moments where narrative tightens and consequence sharpens. Tottenham’s meeting with Nottingham Forest belongs firmly in that category. A relegation contest in north London, framed less by spectacle and more by necessity, where the Premier League table presses in from all sides.

Spurs sit just one point above the drop zone. Nottingham Forest occupy the space beneath it. The arithmetic is simple, the tension unavoidable. Victory reshapes the picture, defeat deepens the uncertainty. This is not merely a fixture, it is an examination of resilience.

Recent Form Offers Spurs Fragile Momentum

Tottenham arrive with something resembling belief, though it has been hard earned. Their 3-2 win over Atletico Madrid offered energy, urgency and, perhaps most importantly, clarity in attacking intent. The broader context remains complicated, elimination from the Champions League after a 7-5 aggregate defeat tempers celebration.

Yet performances matter. Xavi Simons operated with freedom and purpose, scoring twice in a role that allowed him to drift between lines. Pedro Porro advanced into unfamiliar territory, while Mathys Tel stretched play from the left. These are fragments of a more expressive Spurs, glimpses of what Igor Tudor is attempting to construct.

Photo IMAGO

Forest, by contrast, continue to gather points in quieter ways. A 0-0 draw with Fulham followed a result against Manchester City, evidence of a side capable of frustrating stronger opponents. Their approach may lack flourish, but it carries discipline and intent.

Team News Shapes Spurs and Nottingham Forest Outlook

Spurs have been buoyed by returning players. Conor Gallagher’s reappearance after illness adds energy in midfield, while Destiny Udogie and Lucas Bergvall provide depth following injury layoffs. Cristian Romero’s return from concussion offers leadership at the back.

Photo IMAGO

Absences remain significant. Dominic Solanke was not involved, Joao Palhinha continues his recovery, and Yves Bissouma is sidelined. Longer term injuries to Wilson Odobert, James Maddison and Ben Davies continue to limit options. There is potential for Mohammed Kudus and Rodrigo Bentancur to return, though Dejan Kulusevski remains unavailable.

Photo IMAGO

Forest’s list of absentees is equally notable. Goalkeeper John Victor and wing back Nicolo Savona are out for the season, as is Willy Boly. Jair Cunha’s ankle issue reduces defensive depth, while Chris Wood continues his recovery, with hope of a late season return.

Photo IMAGO

Match Details and Broadcast Information

Tottenham vs Nottingham Forest is scheduled for a 2.15pm GMT kick off on Sunday, March 22, 2026, at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

The game will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Main Event, with coverage beginning at 2pm GMT. Subscribers can access the match via the Sky Go app.

Prediction: Spurs vs Nottingham Forest in Premier League

This game invites uncertainty. Tottenham have shown flashes of attacking cohesion, yet their league form has been inconsistent. Forest have demonstrated resilience, but their lack of cutting edge can limit their threat.

Much depends on which version of Spurs emerges. If the intensity and fluidity seen against Atletico can be sustained, they possess the tools to take control. The stakes, however, may alter behaviour, compressing risk and narrowing margins.

Forest will look to disrupt rhythm, to turn the contest into one of attrition. Spurs must resist that drift, impose tempo and convert opportunity.

In a match shaped by urgency, Tottenham may find a way through.

Tottenham to win 3-2.

Head to Head Record

Tottenham wins: 59Nottingham Forest wins: 40Draws: 29

Bayern Munich star striker Harry Kane is in incredible form, but has racked up a lot of minutes (3,105) and wear and tear this season. Given that, England coach Thomas Tuchel made Kane one of 11 players who will join the England camp late and miss the Uruguay match.

“All of all of these guys have played 3,500 plus minutes. Some of them have 4,000 minutes. All of these players have contributed in September, October, November, so they have a bit of credit with me and we think that to give them a break, mentally and physically, we will benefit from it,” said Tuchel.

For Kane, the rest is probably not wanted, but it could be very beneficial for the Englishman. A healthy — and fresh — Kane could be an absolute smashing machine for Bayern Munich down the stretch this season.

England’s full squad list — which is an absolutely crazy amount if players — is below:

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

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Professional Fighters League (PFL) is set to stage PFL Madrid later TODAY (Fri., March 20, 2026) inside the Palacio Vistalegre in Madrid, Spain, featuring a Middleweight title fight as division king, Costello van Steenis, defends his belt against Fabian Edwards.

This will be a rematch almost five years in the making as van Steenis defeated Edwards via split-decision at Bellator Milan 2 in Sept. 2020. Both have enjoyed success since their first encounter, with Edwards racking up a record of 7-3, which includes winning the 2025 PFL Middleweight tournament by knocking out Dalton Rosta last August (see it again here). Edwards came up short twice before in his bid to win the Bellator 185-pound strap against Johnny Eblen, and now he hopes to finally get over that hump.

As for van Steenis, he has gone 4-1 since defeating Edwards which includes a spectacular come-from-behind submission win over the aforementioned Eblen last summer to win the strap (relive it here). Now, he is looking to put Edwards in his rear-view mirror for good with another win over the brawling Brit.

In the co-main event of the evening, AJ McKee will face of against Adam Borics, while Heavyweights Linton Vassell and Jose Augusto collide in main card action.

Many readers check in before, during and after the fights to share their thoughts on all of the action, with “Prelims” set to begin at 1 p.m. ET streaming live on the ESPN App, with the main card starting at 4 p.m ET. Feel free to leave a comment (or several) about the bouts and chat with all the other Maniacs during the show — it’s always a lot of fun!

PFL MADRID QUICK RESULTS

185 lbs.: Costello van Steenis vs. Fabian Edwards
145 lbs.: A.J. McKee vs. Adam Borics
145 lbs.: Yassin Najid vs. Franco Tenaglia
115 lbs.: Jacinta Austin vs. Benita van Rooij
265 lbs.: Jose Augusto vs. Linton Vassell
135 lbs.: Kevin Cordero vs. Luciano Pereira
155 lbs.: Mark Ewen vs. Gino van Steenis
135 lbs.: Mattia Giordano vs. Ernesto Schisano
165 lbs.: David Mora vs. Claudio Pacella
145 lbs.: Ignacio Campos vs. Mathys Duragrin

PFL MADRID MAIN CARD HIGHLIGHTS

For all the latest PFL news and notes click here.

Rodri has refused to rule out an exit from Manchester City this summer amid interest from Real Madrid.

Manchester City have been heavily dependent on Rodri’s presence at the base of midfield ever since he arrived from Atletico Madrid in 2019. The Spaniard’s leadership and positional discipline are essential to the team’s tactical identity.

Rodri‘s influence is evident whenever he is available, even in a season where the team’s performances have been inconsistent.

A serious ACL injury and meniscus damage suffered in September 2024 in a Premier League fixture against Arsenal sidelined the Spain international for a prolonged period.

Real Madrid targeting Manchester City’s Rodri as part of €100M summer transfer spree

Rodri’s Man City return in numbers

His return to fitness has been slow and in the first few months of the current season, he had some small setbacks that made it challenging for him to get back into full match-sharpness.

However, in the last few weeks, his condition has improved. Rodri has accumulated over 1,200 league minutes across 18 Premier League appearances this season.

His numbers this season are consistent with his established level, indicating that he can regain influence in midfield – 1.9 tackles, 5.1 ball recoveries, 1.9 clearances, a 63% success rate in ground duels and a 78% success rate in aerial duels per game highlight his continued reliability.

However, City’s overall performances have been inconsistent. A recent 1-1 draw with West Ham United demonstrated that the creativity in the final third is still a problem for Pep Guardiola’s team this season.

Real Madrid to test Man City resolve to keep Rodri

The result added to a pattern of dropped points that have left City with a mountain to climb in the title race against Arsenal, who are nine points clear at the top of the Premier League table ahead of this weekend’s Carabao Cup final face-off between the pair at Wembley.

Speculation on Rodri’s imminent future after this season has started gaining attention. In the last few weeks, there have been new reports about the midfielder’s ongoing links with Real Madrid

Los Blancos are prioritising a swoop for Rodri in the coming transfer window, with less than 15 months left on the 29-year-old’s current deal at the Etihad Stadium and no indication at present of a renewal beyond 2027.

After Manchester City’s recent 1-1 draw with West Ham in London, Rodri acknowledged his frustrations over the Blues’ inconsistencies and was quizzed on his club future by Cadena Ser.

Why Manchester City delayed Rodri contract talks as Real Madrid prepare summer bid

Rodri on Man City future: We’ll see after this season ends

Yes, a little frustrated, but that’s pretty much the theme this season,” the former Atletico Madris star said, as quoted by AS and relayed by Sport Witness.

“We’re struggling in that final third. The ‘last third’, as they say here in England. That quality to score the final goal. Perhaps it’s costing us a lot, but in football, the most important thing is putting the ball in the net.”

When asked directly about the possibility of leaving Manchester City this summer, Rodri refused to offer a clear answer. “No, no. I’m not going to answer that,” he said. “It’s a time to think about what we have now, with my team, about my season, which is quite a lot – and then we’ll see.”

The response leaves open the possibility of the Ballon d’Or winner – who Transfermarkt values at €65 million – making a decision on his future near the end of the season. However, without great clarity on an extension, the situation could develop into a crucial consideration for City’s planning.

What’s next for Rodri and Man City after Champions League exit?

For now, the four-time Premier League winner will be desperate to help turn the ship around for Manchester City, who have endured a horrible few weeks and seen their title hopes falter as well as witnessed an exit from the UEFA Champions League at the hands of Real Madrid.

Guardiola and co must win in the Carabao Cup final to regain the momentum they have lost this month as they bid for a miraculous albeit improbable hijack of what is increasingly looking like a first Premier League title for Arsenal in 22 years.

Rodri’s comments indicate that he is putting short-term targets ahead of long-term ones. For Manchester City, that uncertainty makes things more complicated for one of Guardiola’s most important players.

Any decision that is made will probably have significant consequences for the club’s midfield structure for years to come, though Manchester City director of football Hugo Viana and co are ahead of the curve in recruitment – having put themselves in pole position to sign Nottingham Forest and England midfielder Elliot Anderson this summer.

Ahead of Arsenal’s game against West Ham, Renee Slegers gave an update on Frida Maanum and Leah Willamson, and discussed the incredible impact of Olivia Smith since her arrival.

Arsenal will host West Ham at the Emirates Stadium on the weekend, hoping to cut the gap to Manchester United in third place. Head coach Slegers delivered an update on Maanum and Williamson, both of whom have been ruled out of the fixture, due to illness and injury respectively.

“Frida Maanum has been ill this week, so we don’t expect her to be able to play tomorrow,” Slegers confirmed.

“Leah has been managing some problems with her hamstring, so we also don’t expect her to be ready for Saturday, but otherwise the same,” she added.

Asked about the impact of Smith this season, the Arsenal coach was full of praise for the young Canadian.

“I think if you look at Olivia Smith, we’re so happy she joined us because she’s taking us to the next level,” Slegers said.

“We knew it was going to take some time for new players to adjust to our environment, but if you look at the impact that she’s had from the start of the season, it was there from the start. I think she’s really finding her feet now,” she continued.

The 21-year-old joined Arsenal last summer from Liverpool, becoming the first £1million player in women’s football. Impressing with her versatility up front and her work rate both on and off the ball, Slegers said Smith has been a “brilliant” addition to the team.

“We have seen different sides of her as well. We’ve asked her to play in different roles, also in the nine, on the left and right. She’s been brilliant and I’m happy that she’s performing well,” the coach added.

“It’s not only the qualities that she has on the ball and her athleticism, it’s also the hard work that she’s willing to put in, out-of-possession work,” she concluded.

With a bevy of teenagers not just on the roster, but contributing in major ways, Red Bull New York could be one of the most exciting clubs to watch in MLS this year. But the youth movement isn’t anything new for the club. 

When Red Bull New York opened the 2026 MLS season against Orlando City SC, precocious 17 year-old striker Julian Hall led the line while Eric Choupo-Moting, 36 years young and a veteran of Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain, warmed the pine. To Hall’s right and left were, by comparison, grizzled veterans Jorge Ruvalcaba, 24, and Cade Cowell, 22.

Hall found the back of the net three times in his first two league appearances, while his fellow teenagers Adri Mehmeti, 16, and Matthew Dos Santos, 17, turned in performances wildly more professional than one might reasonably expect from players their age. 17-year-old Tanner Rosborough also made a cameo in each of Red Bull’s first two victories against Orlando City and New England.

A 3-0 loss to Montreal brought the Red Bulls back to Earth (we are all powerless at the hands of a Wiki Carmona revenge game), but it’s abundantly clear that a new generation has arrived in Harrison, New Jersey.

This youth revolution comes with the appointment of Michael Bradley as head coach, who at 38 is something of a young man himself, and is the third-youngest coach in the league.

Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images

Bradley will know first-hand the rewards and challenges of giving young players significant minutes with the senior team, as he began his professional career with the MetroStars, precursors to the modern Red Bull organization. The son of a highly accomplished coach, Bradley has a sort of leg up on your typical new coaching hire. He took over the New York Red Bulls II midway through the 2025 season, and led the reserve team to a MLS Next Pro title. It was enough to convince the Red Bull brass that he had the juice to take over the first team.

In 2018, The Athletic published a concerning report, claiming that Major League Soccer fell well behind other top soccer leagues in terms of minutes allotted to players aged 22 and younger. It’s counterintuitive, given that relegation doesn’t exist in MLS, but North American coaches and GMs had a habit of building their rosters around a mix of reasonably-priced journeymen and lavishly compensated international superstars. This, if you believe the doom-sayers, spelled disaster the United States’ long-term prospects as a soccer nation.

But the Red Bulls were never the problem. In fact, they’ve long been an integral part of the solution. Bradley’s trust in the kiddos is nothing new for the Jersey-based club; in fact, he is another in a proud lineage of Red Bull coaches to have put their faith in untested youngsters and have a surprising amount of success in the process. It also comes at a pivotal moment in the history of MLS as a whole, at which clubs like San Diego and Philadelphia are pouring millions into state-of-the-art academy facilities and developmental programs, and in turn translating that to success on the pitch.

But who are the MLS academy pioneers, you might ask? From the outside, the inscrutable Red Bull New York organization may come across as aloof and unambitious, but peeling back the layers, we find that soccer in the United States just might owe a great deal of its recent success to the Red Bull Academy model.

The Chelsea Game

Perhaps the defining moment of the Red Bulls’ “play the kids” corporate mission statement came during a 2015 friendly match against reigning English Premier League champions Chelsea as part of the short-lived “competition” known as the International Champions Cup.

The game amounted to little more than a glorified training session for each side. The Red Bulls had been bounced from the U.S. Open Cup by the Philadelphia Union only a few days earlier, so young upstart manager Jesse Marsch elected to rest his more senior players, including a litany of names familiar to modern viewers of MLS 360, such as Bradley Wright-Phillips, Sacha Kljestan, Dax McCarty, and Mike Grella (he works for CBS, but you get the point).

Marsch, you’ll remember, was still weathering the storm of having replaced the massively popular Mike Petke as head coach, and while the 2015 side would go on to win the Supporters’ Shield, by July they’d found themselves in a bit of a slump, having lost five of their previous nine league games and bounced from the Open Cup by nearby rivals. It would have been tempting for Marsch to run out his strongest side in a game against Premier League opposition and throw down a marker on the world stage.

Instead, Marsch elected to start the game with a lineup composed mainly of New York Red Bulls II players, at the time of the USL Championship division, handing first-team debuts to 15 youngsters in the process. The Red Bulls roster on the day boasted no fewer than nine academy graduates in an era during which the pathway to MLS was either through college or international transfers.

Photo by Charlie Crowhurst/Getty Images

Chelsea, in comparison, were coming off a Premier League campaign in which they positively sauntered to the title, clinching the trophy with three games left to play. This was the culmination of the new Jose Mourinho project, as the Portuguese Special One returned to West London after six years in the wilderness in 2013.

The sky seemed to be the limit for his Blues, and Mourinho seemed determined to succeed on all fronts during the coming season. And while Marsch saw fit to rest his superstars, Mourinho attempted to get valuable game minutes into the legs of John Terry, John Obi Mikel, Cesc Fabregas, Cesar Azpilicueta, Gary Cahill, Thibaut Courtois, and Kurt Zouma (the cats of North Jersey cowered in fear that day).

The game began predictably, with the Premier League champions dominating possession and registering the better chances. A baby-faced Sean Davis signaled the Red Bulls’ intent on the day by putting a scare into Courtois when he dragged a shot just wide in the 13th minute, but Chelsea struck first through Loic Remy on an assist from Oscar in the 26th minute. Mourinho looked passingly pleased as he assumed, much as everyone else, that his side would romp to victory.

As first half gave way to second, the Baby Bulls looked as though they were merely holding onto the honor of only just barely losing to superior opposition, opponents who exceeded them in experience, market value, popularity, and capacity for growing facial hair. Then, seemingly clear out of the great blue yonder, Chelsea captain and purported wife-stealer Terry left a backpass for backup keeper Asmir Begovic. Red Bull debutant Franklin Castellanos nipped in and buried a shot to level the match. Mourinho glowered on the sidelines and implored his team to weather this punch in the kisser.

As a card-carrying Chelsea Hater, I can enthusiastically admit that the scenes of implosion the television cameras managed to capture from this theoretically meaningless friendly are simply *chef’s kiss.*

Photo by Elsa/Getty Images

The goals kept flying in. The young Red Bulls possessed an endless font of pressing energy, and they harried and harassed each and every Chelsea player who got on the ball. An almost unrecognizable young Tyler Adams headed in from a free kick, and Davis added two classy finishes about three minutes apart. Mourinho sat back in his padded chair, a sourpuss plastered on his bronzed visage, looking, as Dan Ripley of the Daily Mail described, “like a child who’s been told Christmas is cancelled.”

The Red Bulls claimed a famous victory on the day. A handful of the players involved in the historic win have gone on to have productive careers in myriad top flights of worldwide soccer, but the real curiosity of this match comes not from the New York side but from its outsized impact on the Blues of West London.

Chelsea entered the summer as clear favorites to repeat as Premier League winners. Mourinho was back where he belonged, it would seem, and the Pensioners had a good case for being considered contenders for the Champions League as well. But the loss to the Red Bulls kicked off a downward spiral of results, and by August Mourinho was subbing off Terry at halftime of a humiliating 3-0 loss to Manchester City. By the end of November, Chelsea had collected a paltry 11 points from 11 games, and languished in 15th place.

Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images

Mourinho would be fired on December 17, after losing nine of 16 league matches. He was replaced by Dutch manager Guus Hiddink on an interim basis, and finished the season in an embarrassing 10th place. In true Chelsea “if you can’t beat them” fashion, they went out and signed New York Red Bulls defender Matt Miazga during the following summer’s transfer window. He’d only make two appearances for the West London club.

Davis must have sat at the training facility in Whippany with a virgin margarita, whispering “Tell Jose. I want him to know it was me.”

Academy Structure and Pathways

The Red Bull organization was an early opponent of the then-ubiquitous “pay-to-play” system, in which talented youngsters were required to shell out money hand over fist in order to join up with the nation’s premier soccer academies. This created an imbalanced system in which kids whose parents had deep pockets were preferred to kids who were, you know, actually talented. The RBNY Academy has been free for families since 2008, which starkly contrasts with competitors such as the Portland Timbers, a club that didn’t eliminate pay-to-play until 2015.

In 2010, the club unveiled the “Regional Developmental School,” a satellite-based supplementary training program for talented youth players who might not be quite ready to live and learn away from their families in a full-time academy environment. According to Red Bull, 95% of eventual academy participants begin their playing careers in these satellite programs.

While the United States has some of the highest youth soccer participation in the world, bridging the gap between talented amateur and full professional has been a sticky wicket for most clubs. But the Red Bulls, as part of a global soccer syndicate that’s essentially a side hustle for an energy drink company, were privy to the best-practices established by their sister clubs operated in a continent with decades more knowledge on how to run a successful academy.

Photo by Joerg Mitter/Red Bull Content Pool via Getty Images

RB Salzburg was particularly helpful in providing a model for the RBNY academy setup. Jurgen Klopp recently took the helm of Red Bull GmbH and waxed lyrical about the academy setup in New Jersey, stating that he was “massively, massively impressed” with the facilities and the players the academy has produced. The smiley German cuts an affable and unifying figure in the world of the Red Bull group, and he’s got this Red Bulls fan convinced that we are not just a redheaded stepchild after all.

A selling point of the academy in its early days was the concept of a player pathway, which delineates in black and white the path a youth player would take up through the youth teams to eventually, hopefully, fingers-crossedly arrive at the first team. Apart from being a motivational factor for ambitious young players, it takes the guesswork out of a frequently convoluted and confusing morass of youth teams, reserve teams, academy teams, tournaments, and training camps. Transparency allows parents to make grounded decisions to give their children the best possible chance to succeed without being sucked in by false promises or unrealistic expectations.

Most importantly, Red Bull Academy players are imbued with the club philosophy. Energy Drink Soccer is a real thing, and the German gegenpress system requires of players active motors, tactical awareness, and the ability to recognize and execute lightning-quick transitions to capitalize on mistakes. When players grow up in the environment of high-energy pressing, moving up the age levels and confronting bigger and faster opposition is more intuitive and familiar-feeling.

Nationwide Impact

Look across Major League Soccer rosters and you’ll be hard-pressed to find a team that doesn’t employ an RBNY academy graduate or two.

The 2018 New York Red Bulls set a then-points record en route to capturing the Supporters’ Shield for the third time in club history. That season, a full 25% of MLS minutes went to Red Bull Academy graduates. Each Red Bulls team dating back to the beginning of its impressive 15-year playoff run included at least one academy product as a regular starter.

Red Bull products have made countless U.S. men’s national team rosters in recent years, from the youth levels all the way to the senior squad. Daniel Edelman, now of St. Louis City SC but recent scorer of one of the more important penalty kicks in RBNY history, captained the U.S. team at the 2023 U-20 World Cup in Argentina.

Examining the potential USMNT roster for this summer’s World Cup, there is one name that’s sure to be first on the team sheet if healthy: Tyler Adams. When he’s not angrily asking opponents if they know where he’s from (answer: Wappinger’s Falls, a quaint suburb of Poughkeepsie), Adams is bossing the midfield for Premier League regulars Bournemouth.

He became a vocal leader of the Red Bulls’ midfield at a young age, leading the squad to the semifinals of the CONCACAF Champions League (that’s what it used to be called, I think) in 2018.

Photo by Cathrin Mueller/Getty Images

Adams made the leap from the New York Red Bulls to RB Leipzig the following year, reuniting with Marsch, the same manager that had given him that start against Chelsea four years prior. He suffered injury woes while in Germany, but after a brief stopover with Leeds United, he seems to have settled in nicely on England’s south coast. Adams served as captain for the USMNT during the 2022 World Cup, becoming the youngest American captain at the competition since 1950.

Left back John Tolkin seems to be trodding the Adams path of late, as he gained immense popularity and importance playing a pivotal role for the Red Bulls on their wild ride to the MLS Cup Final in 2024. He then signed with Holsten Kiel of the Bundesliga to develop his tactical acumen and taste in haircuts. Tolkin is only the latest in a long line of Red Bull exports to play meaningful minutes for a European club.

Miazga, Omir Fernandez, Alex Muyl, Derrick Etienne Jr., Kyle Duncan, Peter Stroud, and Jared Stroud are just a few of the solid MLS players to have come out of the Red Bull system. These are only a few of the players who saw meaningful action at a young age, at a stage in their careers where their skillsets and habits were still malleable, when they were supremely coachable and could combine their budding physical prowess with the neuroplasticity of people whose prefrontal cortices haven’t fully developed.

New York, San Diego, and Philadelphia have created a new generation of higher-floor players precisely because they were willing to trust them in high-pressure moments early in their careers. Stakeholders have slowly realized that the key to strong development in terms of domestic stability as well as international performance lies in forging players in the fire, so to speak.

The worldwide impact speaks for itself. These days, dynamic young players like Lamine Yamal, Lennart Karl, and Estevao are scoring in spades for top European teams.

While some bemoan the lack of depth across the clubs of MLS, it’s fair to say that the Red Bull Academy has raised the standard league-wide.

Is it Lazy?

Red Bulls supporters (I count myself among them) have frequently accused the club of lacking the requisite ambition to become a real powerhouse in Major League Soccer. Careening between appearing as miserly spendthrifts and avant-garde paragons of soccer’s future tends to give even the most dedicated of RBNY supporters debilitating whiplash. Providing the next generation of U.S. Soccer superstars and investing in the future of the sport nationwide is all well and good, but the point of supporting a soccer team is enjoying the possibility that the team might, you know, win something at some point.

As rival fans are keen to point out at every possible opportunity, RBNY remains one of two original MLS clubs never to have taken home an MLS Cup (don’t you go getting any ideas, New England Revolution), and despite three Supporters’ Shields, the Curse of Caricola continues to haunt the New Jersey denizens come playoff time.

Bringing in proven playoff performers from around the league, logic would hold, could do more to get Red Bull over the line than even the best youth development program. But some view the club as unwilling or unable to recruit real difference makers. They’re more interested, posit some critics, in serving as a feeder club for the real priorities of the Red Bull Group: the teams in Salzburg and Leipzig.

But building a competitive MLS roster doesn’t have to be a binary. Clubs shouldn’t have to choose between bringing in aging superstars and churning out their own homegrown talent. The challenge, at the end of the day, lies in striking a balance between winning now and creating a sustainable future. In the modern age of soccer, a robust academy just might hold the key to both.

College pro days are in full swing and NFL teams are bringing in lots of potential prospects for the 2026 NFL draft in for pre-draft visits. You can keep up with all the Pittsburgh Steelers pre-draft visits on our tracker. On Friday, 93.7 The Fan confirmed four big-time visits for Friday that will count against the Steelers

One of the players the Steelers are bringing in for a Top 30 visit on Friday is Texas Tech linebacker Jacob Rodriquez. This is in addition to North Dakota State quarterback Cole Payton, Washington cornerback Tacario Davis and Georgia Tech offensive lineman Keylan Rutledge.

#Steelers visits Friday

- Washington CB Tacario Davis
- North Dakota state QB Cole Payton
- Texas Tech LB Jacob Rodriguez
- Georgia Tech OL Keylan Rutledge

— 93.7 The Fan (@937theFan) March 20, 2026

Rodriquez is the picture you see when you look like inside linebacker in the dictionary. He's not going to blow anyone away on the track, although he did run a very good 4.57-second 40 at the combine, and there are going to be more fluid athletes in this class. But none of them play with the football instincts, high football IQ and intensity that Rodriquez does. Rodriquez is a solid third-round pick and a guy the Steelers could use one of their three picks in that round on.

This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: Steelers host physical LB Jacob Rodriguez for Top 30 visit

Pittsburgh Steelers fans received a scare on Friday morning when reports began to surface that legendary defensive tackle “Mean” Joe Greene had passed away at age 79. However, Steelers Nation was later able to breathe a sigh of relief.

As it turns out, the NFL legend was the subject of a death hoax, and his family passed along the news that he is alive and well. The original rumor began circulating on an AI-generated page on Facebook, which creates fake news for engagement.

NFL reporter John McClain spoke to Greene’s family and passed along the good news on social media.

MORE: 2026 NFL mock draft: Ohio State takeover & only 1 QB

“Fortunately, Joe Greene has NOT died. I got that from his family. That report was fake news,” McClain shared on X. “Joe is doing great!!!”

Greene played 13 seasons in the NFL, recording 77.5 sacks and 16 fumble recoveries. He was a two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year, won four Super Bowls, and earned 10 Pro Bowl nods.

He is the last living member of the legendary Steel Curtain defense.

— Enjoy free coverage of the top news & trending stories on The Big Lead —

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It’s Game Day!

The Arizona Wildcats (32-2) open the 2026 NCAA Tournament against the Long Island Blackbirds (24-10). Arizona is the No. 1 seed in the West Region while LIU is the No. 16 seed.

Here’s all the info you need to watch, listen to or follow the game online. Come chat with us!

Arizona-Long Island game time, details:

• Date: Friday, March 20, 2026
• Time: 10:35 p.m. PT
• Location: Viejas Arena; San Diego, Calif.
• Line: According to FanDuel Sportsbook, Arizona is a 30.5-point favorite and the over/under is 150.5. KenPom.com gives the UA a 99.6 percent chance of winning.

How can I watch Arizona-Long Island?

Arizona-Long Island will be shown on TNT. Kevin Harlan (play-by-play), Robbie Hummel (analyst), Stan Van Gundy (analyst) and Lauren Shehadi (sideline) will be calling the game.

How can I stream Arizona-Long Island online?

The stream of Arizona-Long Island can be viewed on NCAA.com.

How can I listen to Arizona-Long Island on the radio?

You can listen to Arizona-Long Island on Wildcats Sports Radio 1290 AM.

How can I follow Arizona-Long Island?

By following us on Twitter (X) at @AZDesertSwarmand our editor Brian Pedersen (@realBJP) or the team account (@ArizonaMBB).

Arizona-Long Island pregame coverage:

• SB Nation Reacts: Arizona men’s basketball fans expecting deep NCAA Tournament run
• NCAA Tournament notebook: Arizona freshmen ready for next big stage, Long Island not just happy to be here
• NCAA Tournament: Battle-tested Arizona men’s basketball ready for deep run
• Finally, everything points to this being the year for Arizona men’s basketball
• NCAA Tournament: Arizona Wildcats a popular pick to win national championship
• A look back at Arizona’s NCAA tournament appearances under Tommy Lloyd
• NCAA Tournament: Long Island previews the Arizona men’s basketball matchup, makes a score prediction
• NCAA Tournament: Arizona’s reliance on freshmen far from the norm for recent title contenders, past Wildcat Final Four squads
• NCAA Tournament: 3 things Arizona must do to be successful and 3 things it can’t do
• Arizona men’s basketball stays at No. 2 in AP Top 25
• NCAA Tournament: Get to know Long Island, Arizona’s opening round opponent
• What Tommy Lloyd and Ivan Kharchenkov said about the NCAA Tournament
• NCAA Tournament: Tip-off time, TV info, odds announced for Arizona’s 1st round game vs. LIU
• NCAA Tournament: Arizona men’s basketball earns No. 1 seed in West Region, opens vs. Long Island

Even after its 13-12 triple overtime victory over Virginia, No. 11 Maryland men’s lacrosse enters Big Ten play with more questions than answers. The Terps lost their most nonconference games since 2009, adding more pressure to the final five regular season games.

Injuries have hindered Maryland’s success this year. Eric Spanos, the Terps’ leading goalscorer last year, has missed the last three games. Will Schaller suffered a noncontact injury in Saturday’s first overtime period. Those injuries to Maryland’s top attacker and defender could spell trouble during conference play.

But even before the injuries unfolded, the Terps were hit by the turnover bug. Maryland has had double-digit giveaways in every game this season, including 37 over its last two games — its most since the beginning of Big Ten play last year.

While the Terps blew a three-goal fourth-quarter lead against Virginia, Leo Johnson forced overtime with 39 seconds remaining. That set the stage for Zach Whittier’s game-winning goal in the third extra period. However, Maryland wouldn’t have been in that situation without a season-high 14 saves from Brian Ruppel.

The Terps will need more performances like that going forward, especially as it travels on the road to face No. 9 Penn State on Saturday. The game starts at 3 p.m. and will air on Big Ten Network.

No. 9 Penn State Nittany Lions (4-3, 0-0 Big Ten)

2025 Record: 12-5, 3-2 Big Ten

Head coach Jeff Tambroni has built an impressive resume during his 16-year tenure at Penn State. While he lacks a national championship, Tambroni has brought the Nittany Lions to two Final Fours in the last three years. He is also seventh among active Division I coaches in career victories, including three straight winning seasons.

Penn State cruised through nonconference play last season, winning six of its first seven games — the lone loss came to then-No. 8 Princeton. But a pair of defeats to Maryland left the Nittany Lions limping into the NCAA Tournament. Despite Penn State squeaking out two victories, Cornell ultimately got its revenge in the Final Four, ending the Nittany Lions’ season.

After a strong NCAA Tournament run, Penn State’s 2026 campaign has been a rollercoaster. The Nittany Lions suffered early losses to Villanova and Navy. In between, though, Penn State garnered a quality road win over then-No. 3 Princeton. It followed that up with a 19-7 thrashing against then-No. 7 Cornell before dropping a close one to No. 5 North Carolina.

Players to watch

Kyle Lehman, junior attacker, No. 4 — Inside Lacrosse’s No. 7-ranked class of 2023 recruit quickly ascended on the national scene. Following a 14-goal, 10-assist freshman campaign, Lehman netted the team’s third-most goals (26) last season. He did so operating primarily as an off-ball attacker, only notching seven assists.

But that’s changed this season. Penn State’s offense has often run through Lehman, and it’s been quite successful. He has totaled a team-high 15 goals and eight assists. Lehman’s scoring has come in an efficient manner, with only 29 shots on goal.

Reid Gills, sophomore faceoff specialist, No. 32 — Gills dominated at the X as just a freshman, corralling a 60.8% faceoff win rate. While he wasn’t the Nittany Lions’ primary taker last season, the Maryland native has earned a larger share of the workload in 2026. It’s paid off. Gills’ 65.7% faceoff win percentage is the nation’s fourth-highest clip.

Alex Ross, senior defender, No. 6 — In a conference filled with talented defenders, Ross has made his mark. The two-time All-American honorable mention doesn’t have gaudy stats, but his impact is still felt on the field. Ross has slowed down some of the nation’s top attackers while also causing the second-most turnovers (15) in the Big Ten.

Strength

Faceoff success. While Penn State boasts a top-10 offense, that wouldn’t be the case without its faceoff unit. Gills and junior Colby Waldwin have only lost the battle at the X just once this season, leading to the Nittany Lions’ 60.5% win rate — good for the sixth-highest nationally. Those extra possessions have allowed their attackers to thrive and wear out opponents.

Weakness

Net protection. Preston Hawkins hasn’t seen much traffic in front of his cage, only facing 112 shots on goal. But the inexperienced freshman has shown some flaws. Hawkins has the 15th-worst save percentage (46.4%) in the country and only has 7.4 stops per game. Still, Penn State concedes just 10.14 goals.

Three things to watch

1. Status of Spanos and Hunter Aquino. Maryland and Penn State navigated nonconference play with knocks to their top scorers. The pair have combined for 20 goals in their eight appearances this season. While the Nittany Lions still picked up quality wins, the Terps desperately need a return from their All-Big Ten first team attacker. 

2. Pressure on Peter Laake. With Schaller’s expected lengthy injury, Laake will be cast into the top defenseman role. The sophomore handled it well in the remaining moments of Saturday’s game, but Big Ten play will be a more difficult task. Riley Reese will likely start in Schaller’s place, marking his first career start.

3. Signature victory. Maryland has faced three ranked teams this year and yet to produce a top-20 win. It hasn’t really been close either. But with five ranked Big Ten squads, the Terps will have chances to improve their resume. They have little margin for error, though. Maryland will need to come away with a winning record in conference play.

Chicago Cubs trade idea brings in Yankees prospect who has been tabbed as generational originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Chicago Cubs are in a weird spot in their outfield following Seiya Suzuki’s injury, and some thing they need to make a trade. 

Mark Powell of FanSided proposed a deal between Chicago and the New York Yankees that would send Jasson Dominguez to Chicago, with New York landing Josiah Hartshorn and Brandon Birdsell in return.

For the Cubs, losing Suzuki creates an issue in the lineup, and with uncertainty surrounding his long-term future as well, adding a controllable outfielder is interesting. Dominguez hasn’t been the player he was expected to be, but has all the tools in the world to eventually be.

“Dominguez was once one of the most exciting prospects in the Yankees system, but has since proven he cannot be relied upon defensively. Sure, Dominguez can put on a show in batting practice, but if his limited time in the major leagues is to be taken at its worth, then he's a league-average hitter. 

“Still, there is value in a league-average starting corner outfielder under team control for the foreseeable future. That's why Chicago could take a swing while they can, acquiring a possible replacement for Suzuki, who could leave in MLB free agency after this season,” he wrote.

This trade makes a bit more sense for the Cubs than it does for New York. Not that the Yankees have much of a spot for Dominguez, but trading him for a non-big league player would be tough to justify.

More MLB news:

• Derek Jeter shared a hilarious story about winning, telling his daughter that she needs to win
• Yankees’ Cam Schlittler throws shade at Red Sox again, and it was pretty funny
• Yankees make decision that impacts Anthony Volpe ahead of Opening Day
• St. Louis Cardinals fans will be ecstatic after being linked to former fan favorite as next manager
• New York Yankees linked to another former player if Aaron Boone were to get fired
• Boston Red Sox connected to WBC manager if Alex Cora fails this season

The Boston Celtics will make the trip to the state of Tennessee to face the Memphis Grizzlies at their home arena of FedEx Forum this Friday (March 20) night. The Celtics will be looking to keep their current win streak alive vs. their Western Conference opponent. On the other side of the court, the Grizzlies will be looking to keep their winning ways moving forward as well after a high profile victory vs. a West contender.

We expect a Celtics win, but as we saw in their last tilt, Memphis is not a ball club to mail it in against.

Records, standing, and streaks

At present, the Celtics have a 46-23 record and a three game win streak, which has them second in the Eastern Conference standings.

The Grizz are the owners of a 24-44 record, good enough for 11th place in the West.

What happened in the last game for each team?

Boston beat the Golden State Warriors 120-99 at home.

Memphis beat the Denver Nuggets 125-118, also at home.

Injuries

For Boston, Nikola Vucevic (hand) is out.

For Memphis, Santi Aldama (knee), Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (finger), Brandon Clarke (calf), Zach Edey (ankle), Jahmai Mashack (ankle), Ja Morant (UCL), Scotty Pippen Jr. (toe) are out, and Taj Gibson (foot), GG Jackson (knee) are doubtful.

Probable starting lineups - Celtics

• Derrick White
• Jaylen Brown
• Sam Hauser
• Jayson Tatum
• Neemias Queta

Probable starting lineups - Grizzlies

• Olivier-Maxence Prosper
• Cedric Coward
• GG Jackson
• Jaylen Wells
• Ty Jerome

What time is tipoff, and on what channels?

Here's when you should tune in to see the game:

• Date: 3/20
• Time: 8:00 p.m. ET
• TV Channel: NBC Sports Boston
• Live Stream: Fubo (watch for free)

Listen to "Havlicek Stole the Pod" on:

Blue Wire: https://tiny.ee/CdKp

iTunes: https://tiny.ee/RK47

YouTube: https://tiny.ee/cOW3

This article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: Celtics at Grizzlies: Stream, lineups, injury reports, broadcast (3/20)

It wasn’t pretty, but the tenth-seeded Virginia Cavaliers women’s basketball team did just enough to pull out a 57-55 win over fellow No. 10 seed Arizona State in the NCAA Tournament’s First Four on Thursday night.

Inside Iowa’s Carver-Hawkeye Arena, the ’Hoos took the floor in the Big Dance for the first time since 2018. Slow starts have doomed Virginia recently — a big part of why the ’Hoos were limping into March Madness on a three-game losing streak — but Coach Mox’s squad finally got out to an early lead (by shooting 54% from the field in the first quarter) and managed to fend off the Sun Devils the rest of the way.

With the win, Virginia will advance to face seventh-seeded Georgia in the Round of 64 on Saturday. Tip-off is set for 1:30 PM EST with coverage available on ESPN2.

In the meantime, here are three takeaways from Thursday night’s huge win over Arizona State:

Big-time players make big-time plays

On Selection Sunday, Coach Mox went on ACC Network’s Nothing But Net and set the stage for her All-ACC First-Team point guard, Kymora Johnson.

“[Kymora] belongs on the big stage,” Coach Mox prophesied. “She knew what she was coming to do here at UVA, and she has stayed true to that process … She wanted to come here and get her hometown school back on the map, and she’s done a great job of that. So, I’m happy that she gets to showcase her talent on the big stage.”

Four days later, with the score tied and less than a minute on the clock against ASU, Johnson delivered on her coach’s words. Though she was just 4-of-17 from the field and 1-of-7 from 3-point range to that point, Johnson didn’t blink in the game’s biggest moment.

As soon as ASU’s best defender, Gabby Elliott, gave her an inch of space, Johnson pulled up and drained a go-ahead triple to put UVA up 54-51 with 30 seconds to play.

The junior point guard from Charlottesville finished her evening with 17 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists, making winning plays throughout the game even as her shots weren’t falling. In March, sometimes the best play is to simply put the ball in your star’s hands and get out of the way. That’s what UVA did late on Thursday, and it paid dividends.

Survive and advance.

Between four seasons’ worth of ACC Tournaments and a 2024 WBIT run, Virginia was just 2-5 in postseason contests under Coach Mox entering Thursday evening. A program that has been capable of taking down top-10 teams in recent years (evidenced by UVA’s upset of then-No. 8 Louisville on the road in late February), UVA just hasn’t been able to overcome shaky performances to survive postseason games lately.

That was not the case against the Sun Devils.

Though the ’Hoos didn’t bring their A-game (or perhaps even their B-game) to Carver-Hawkeye Arena, Virginia brought more than enough heart and made just enough plays to survive and advance.

Between UVA and ASU, the two teams shot a combined 34.2% from the floor and 27.5% from three (and Virginia only made 11-of-17 free throws). But with the shots not falling, the ’Hoos did all the little things right.

Virginia won the battle of the boards (including grabbing 15 offensive rebounds), took care of the basketball (committing just 10 turnovers against a chaos-causing ASU defense), and played without fouling (just nine fouls).

Sometimes you have to win ugly in March. But a win’s a win, and the ’Hoos live to fight another day.

Next up: Georgia

Virginia will have less than 48 hours to gameplan for the seventh-seeded Georgia Bulldogs, who enter the weekend 22-9 and 8-8 in the SEC. But as we’ve already seen in the men’s tournament this season, the team that has had the chance to shake off the rust and nerves by playing in the First Four can be at an advantage in the Round of 64.

Georgia sits just two spots above Virginia in the NET rankings (34th), though they bring a very balanced attack into Saturday’s matchup. The Bulldogs rank 35th in adjusted offensive efficiency and 28th in adjusted defensive efficiency, according to BartTorvik.com, and boast impressive wins over Kentucky and Vanderbilt this season.

It won’t be easy, but Virginia already has a win under its belt in the tournament (and the confidence of a victory without even delivering its best performance). ESPN Analytics currently gives UVA a 45.1% chance to knock off the Bulldogs. But if they can shoot more efficiently from the floor and get out in transition, the ’Hoos are more than capable of pulling the upset.

One of the most notable things that needed to be re-worked this offseason by the New Orleans Saints was their special teams unit. While Charlie Smyth showed a little bit of promise last year, and Zach Wood is a long-time staple of the franchise, the punter spot and return positions were all somewhat in limbo. One of the first moves the team made in response to that was signing punter Ryan Wright to a four-year contract, solidifying a role that has been hit-or-miss for years.

On top of that, though, there is a previous connection between Wright and current Saints long snapper Zach Wood, which makes for a positive start to his tenure here immediately. Wright noted recently in an interview with Meagan Glover of WGNO-TV that he and Wood go back to his college days.

"When I was here at Tulane, he would come out here with Thomas (Morstead) and Wil (Lutz), and get some work in, so we go way back," Wright said. "I would warm him up a little bit, play some catch with him, back when I was a freshman here, and it's just so cool that I get to be a teammate with him now."

New #Saints punter Ryan Wright (@rjwright14_) says his relationship with Zach Wood dates back to his freshman year at Tulane.

"When I was here at Tulane, he would come out here with Thomas (Morstead) & Wil (Lutz) & get some work in. So we go way back."

(1/2).... pic.twitter.com/ZJ0pIalZxB

— Meagan Glover (@MeaganGTV) March 17, 2026

This means that the two could go back as far as 2018, Wright's first season at Tulane, which means they could have known each other for nearly a decade at this point. With how much turnover has been experienced on special teams since Wil Lutz and Thomas Morstead were let go, it is good to see two players having some work together in the past, as the rest of the roles continue to be filled in.

This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: Saints' new punter Ryan Wright shares history with snapper Zach Wood

Morgan Scalley inked a five-year deal to become the Utes’ head coach, according to a copy of his employment contact obtained by the Deseret News through a public records request.

Scalley’s deal with the University of Utah runs through the 2030 football season. His total base compensation, which does not include performance-based bonuses, is $5.1 million, including $1 million annually from Utah multimedia rights partner JMI and $500,000 from apparel outfitter Under Armour.

That total base compensation is scheduled to increase by $150,000 annually.

In addition to his base salary, Scalley could make up to $1.5 million annually in performance-based bonuses, including $25,000 for making the conference championship game and $50,000 for winning it, $200,000 for making the first round of the College Football Playoff and $900,000 for playing in the national championship game or $1.2 million for winning a national championship.

There are also bonuses for academic achievements: $25,000 if the team’s Academic Progress Rate is at least 980, something Utah has regularly accomplished, and $25,000 if the team’s NCAA Graduation Success Rate is at least 80%, something Utah also accomplishes — the Utes have a 90% of higher GSR rate in each of the last eight years.

Scalley’s buyout amount is “75% of the Coach Scalley’s Base Salary, Outfitter Payment and MMR Payment for each year (or partial year on a prorated basis) through the remainder of the Term or Extended Term (“Post Termination Payments”) as if the Agreement were not terminated."

Other benefits of the contract include an automobile provided to Scalley, including car insurance, a membership to the Salt Lake Country Club and a private luxury box at Rice-Eccles Stadium for his family.

After a three-year hiatus, IMSA will return to Lime Rock Park on September 25, 2027. IMSA is returning with the second-tier Pilot Challenge championship rather than the top category with factory-supported classes like GTP and GTD Pro. The event will continue the IMSA and Lime Rock Park legacy that dates back to 1972.

Although it is not quite as exciting as a top-class return, IMSA is still bringing some serious machinery. The 2027 FCP Euro Northeast Grand Prix will include the Michelin Pilot Challenge and the VP Racing SportsCar Challenge, both of which feature GT4 cars among other racers. Organizers have also confirmed that an additional support series will be added to the event lineup, with more details expected to be announced at a later date.

Lakeville, Connecticut, is a beautiful place to be in late September. The early fall season is even more special with the sights and sounds of IMSA race cars ripping around the historic 1.5-mile circuit.

“IMSA racing has always produced incredible competition here and we know our fans are excited to welcome back the teams and drivers for the FCP Euro Northeast Grand Prix,” said Dicky Riegel, President and CEO of Lime Rock Park.

The last IMSA race at Lime Rock Park was held in July 2023. That event was headlined by a GT-only race for IMSA's top championship, part of a format dating back to 2017. Top-class prototypes have not raced at the notoriously small Lime Rock Park since a 2013 American Le Mans Series race.

“The early fall is a special time of year at Lime Rock and we know it will provide a breathtaking backdrop and ultra-competitive racing as competitors in both series will battle it out with championships on the line. We are grateful to Dicky Riegel and his team for working with us to bring our brand of sports car racing back to the rabid fans at Lime Rock in 2027,” said IMSA President John Doonan.

In addition to the IMSA round set for 2027, Lime Rock hosts historic events, club racing, and a standalone round of the NASCAR Truck Series. That race debuted last year and will be held again this June.

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The New England Patriots are reportedly hosting Ole Miss wide receiver De'Zhaun Stribling on a top-30 visit ahead of the 2026 NFL draft, according to NFL analyst Ryan Fowler.

Stribling was an electric wide receiver for the Rebels. The wideout recorded 55 receptions for 811 yards and six touchdowns last season. He began his career at Washington State in 2021, where he earned All-PAC-12 honorable mention as a freshman.

The wide receiver played at Oklahoma State in 2023 and 2024 and had a career-high 882 receiving yards and six touchdowns in his 2024 campaign.

Stripling measures at 6-foot-2 and 207 pounds. He has speed and great jump-ball skills to serve as a real playmaker in the right offense.

Source: Ole Miss WR De’Zhaun Stribling has visits set up with both the Chicago Bears & New England Patriots.

6’2”, 207 ran 4.36 in Indy. Excellent vertical ability with legit juice after the catch.

— Ryan Fowler (@_RyanFowler_) March 19, 2026

The Patriots need a dynamic playmaking receiver, and Stribling could be that player.

Stefon Diggs is no longer on the roster, and Demario Douglas is entering the final season of his contract. The Patriots signed Romeo Doubs in free agency, but there are serious question marks surrounding the offensive pieces around quarterback Drake Maye for his third NFL season.

Stribling would be the perfect wide receiver to strengthen the position.

Follow Patriots Wire on Twitter and Facebook.

This article originally appeared on Patriots Wire: Patriots reportedly set up pre-draft visit with playmaking SEC wideout

The Boston Red Sox have their sights set on a deeper playoff run after being bounced by the rival New York Yankees in a Wild Card series last year.

After cutting ties with franchise slugger Rafael Slugger well before the trade deadline, the Red Sox enjoyed a surprising surge in the standings that pushed them into the postseason. And following that success, the team has acquired several veteran stars to bolster the roster.

After the team added Ranger Suarez, Willson Contreras, Sonny Gray and Caleb Durbin to the roster, it’s easy to imagine the Red Sox battling the Yankees once again and with some better results next season. But as some heated matchups await, manager Alex Cora sent his rival skipper some praise.

“It’s more Boonie than anybody else,” Cora said of the other managers he is close to, according to The Boston Globe’s Peter Abraham. “We worked together (at ESPN). But I truly believe we feel for each other. We’re in similar cities.”

MORE FROM FORBESFormer Padres Player Who Made Perfect Game History Against Cubs DiesBy Peter Chawaga

Boston Red Sox Manager Alex Cora Responds To New York Yankees Aaron Boone Claim

While Cora’s relationship with Boone extends off the field, it’s also clear that the Red Sox manager is very aware of how the Yankees skipper utilizes his roster. When asked about a recent claim by Boone that the Yankees are the American League East division’s “least analytical” team, Cora was able to instantly identify Boone’s preference to avoid platoons.

“I don’t know what he meant by that, but if it’s platoons, he doesn’t platoon that much,” Cora told The Athletic’s Chris Kirschner. “If that’s what he meant, well, yeah, his personnel is that they play straight up. I think they’re really good with information and data on the pitching staff.”

Cora’s response about Bone’s claim seemed to be meant as a compliment, but it might have also included an inadvertent reference to one of the Yankees’ biggest roster issues.

MORE FROM FORBESYankees Make Ryan Weathers Decision After Brutal Spring Training Gets WorseBy Peter Chawaga

Boston Red Sox Manager Alex Cora Notes New York Yankees’ Anthony Volpe Decision Amid Struggles

Cora noted that Boone has refused to deploy a platoon for shortstop Anthony Volpe, among others, who has regressed offensively over the last couple of seasons.

“Jazz (Chisholm Jr.) plays against lefties, Volpe against righties,” Cora noted.

Many Yankees fans will be quick to point out that Volpe’s leash in general, and particularly against right-handed pitchers, has grown far too long. Volpe batted just .212 last season and just .195 against right-handed pitching as Boone stubbornly stuck with him last year. A warmer embrace of analytics and a platoon approach for Volpe would have been a go-to solution for many other managers, though Boone has continued to avoid it.

Cora’s message about Volpe did not seem to be meant as a criticism of the Yankees manager or the shortstop. But the Red Sox’s skipper was able to instantly identify Volpe’s offensive struggles as a clear example of how Boone refuses to embrace a solution that the hitting analytics make clear.

Following the Indianapolis Colts' latest move at offensive tackle, what is the current state of this position group, and what does the current depth chart look like?

On Friday, the Colts announced that they re-signed free agent Luke Tenuta. His presence will help bolster the depth and competition on the back end of the depth chart, giving the Colts a swing tackle option off the bench.

Leading the way at this position is left tackle Bernhard Raimann. With Braden Smith now a member of the Houston Texans, Jalen Travis is in line to be the Colts' starting right tackle this season.

As a rookie in 2025, Travis didn't see extensive playing time until Week 14, when he took over for Smith, whose season ended on IR. In those games, Travis held his own, allowing one sack and 12 pressures over 175 pass-blocking snaps. He also graded out well as a run-blocker by PFF's metrics.

While the Colts appear to have their two starting tackles on the roster, there are real question marks around the depth of this unit.

Even with Tenuta back in the mix, he has appeared in only three games offensively in his career, while Blake Freeland has hardly played since his rookie season in 2023 and has been inconsistent when called upon in his career.

Other tackles on the roster include Jack Wilson and Bayron Matos.

Colts projected offensive tackle depth chart after latest roster move

• Bernhard Raimann
• Jalen Travis
• Luke Tenuta
• Blake Freeland
• Jack Wilson
• Bayron Matos

Re-signing Tenuta should not stop GM Chris Ballard from continuing to add to this position, whether it be in free agency or the NFL draft.

This article originally appeared on Colts Wire: NFL free agency: Colts updated OT depth chart after re-signing Luke Tenuta

Derek Jeter shared a hilarious story about winning, telling his daughter that she needs to win originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

In his career, Derek Jeter built his name on winning. During his time with the New York Yankees, that's all Jeter did.

To this day, it sounds like it's still something he strives for.

Jeter recently shared a hilarious story when it comes to teaching his children about sports. In a time when participation trophies and enjoyment are more important for most, the Yankees legend said that he's looking to win.

“Is that you do your best, and you have fun, and you root for your teammates. You understand? And regardless of what happens, mommy and daddy are proud of you,” Jeter told his daughter. “No, you want to have fun, you will have fun. The goal is to win, don’t get it twisted. Win. Beat them down, all of them, you beat 'em down. You run faster, you hear me? You finish, first. That’s what we do, we finish first.”

That's the same mentality that helped define one of the most successful careers in baseball history. Jeter had a lot of personal accolades but as long as the Yankees won, he was happy.

Him saying that to his young daughter is pretty funny and shows the type of guy he is, but we all know that at this point.

More MLB news:

• Yankees’ Cam Schlittler throws shade at Red Sox again, and it was pretty funny
• Yankees make decision that impacts Anthony Volpe ahead of Opening Day
• St. Louis Cardinals fans will be ecstatic after being linked to former fan favorite as next manager
• New York Yankees linked to another former player if Aaron Boone were to get fired
• Boston Red Sox connected to WBC manager if Alex Cora fails this season
• Philadelphia Phillies linked to 703 home run slugger to be their next manager

Projecting what Team North America would look like at the 2028 World Cup of Hockey originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The NHL is set to host the 2028 World Cup of Hockey in Edmonton, Calgary, and Prague, with the tournament taking place for the first time since 2016.

At that 2016 event, the competition added two interesting, nontraditional teams. Team Europe and Team North America were introduced to the tournament for the first time in any competition.

Team Europe was formed by players who were from European countries that weren’t already represented in the tournament.

As for Team North America, the roster consisted of American and Canadian players under 24. It made for a talented, young, and exciting lineup, featuring the likes of Connor McDavid, Auston Matthews, Nathan MacKinnon, Connor Hellebuyck, Jack Eichel, Dylan Larkin, and more.

So, in 2028, what would a Team North America look like if they brought back the team for the upcoming World Cup?

MORE: 3 candidates for Hockey Canada's next GM

Forwards:

Logan Cooley - Macklin Celebrini - Will Smith

Gavin McKenna - Connor Bedard - Beckett Sennecke

Adam Fantilli - Ben Kindel - Ryan Leonard

Zach Benson - Michael Misa - Gabriel Perreault

Extras: Calum Ritchie, Porter Martone

This is easily the most talented area of this hypothetical team. With Macklin Celebrini leading the way, who already represented Canada at the Olympics, there is an overload of offensive flair.

Along with Celebrini, the other centerpieces of this forward group include Connor Bedard and Logan Cooley, who are difference-makers for their NHL clubs.

Other names that would catch the opponent’s attention include Beckett Sennecke, who is competing to lead all rookies in scoring this year; the projected 2026 first-overall pick, Gavin McKenna; and Ryan Leonard, a skilled winger who brings a physical element.

And of course, these youngsters are going up against NHL veterans, so the team needs as much experience and spunk as possible. That’s why the likes of Zach Benson, Ryan Leonard, and Adam Fantilli will be key pieces to this team.

With that, Calum Ritchie and Porter Martone make it as extras, a pair of right-handed forwards with size. 

Imagn Images

Defensemen:

Matthew Schaefer - Keaton Verhoeff

Zeev Buium - Zayne Parekh

Cole Hutson - Sam Dickinson

Extra: Landon DuPont

There is a little less depth on the back end for the 2028 Team North America roster. While there is some top-end talent from rookie sensation Matthew Schaefer and even Zeev Buium, the rest of the D-corps will need to develop.

It’s not that the potential isn’t there. Zayne Parekh had 13 points in seven games at the 2026 World Junior Championship, leading all defensemen and third overall in the competition. 

Cole Hutson and Sam Dickinson have had their taste of NHL hockey, Dickinson making 57 appearances this season, while Hutson made his NHL debut on Wednesday. However, they are just scratching the surface of what they can become by the time 2028 rolls around.

The same can be said about Keaton Verhoeff, who is set to be a top-three pick in the 2026 draft. He is projected to be an incredible defenseman, but a lot can change from now to 2028. 

Landon DuPont also falls into that realm of someone expected to be very good in a few years. Granted, DuPont will be 18 in 2028 and can only be drafted in 2027. But with 71 points in 61 WHL games as a 16-year-old D-man, expect DuPont to be in the conversation.

MORE: What you need to know about the 2028 World Cup of Hockey

Goaltenders

Jacob Fowler

Trey Augustine

Extra: Jack Ivankovic

North America has some solid goaltenders coming through the ranks who have made names for themselves at the world juniors.

Jacob Fowler is already competing for a full-time position in the NHL with the Montreal Canadiens. Thanks to his late birthday, he’ll be 23 when the 2028 World Cup comes around, and if there is a Team North America, he's expected not only to make the team but also to be the starting netminder.

Just behind him is fellow American Trey Augustine, who’s been rock-solid in the NCAA for Michigan State University. Over the past three seasons of college hockey, Augustine has averaged a .923 save percentage across 97 appearances. He’d be an undeniable choice for this team.

And finally, Canadian Jack Ivankovic would make up the three goaltenders. Other Canadian netminders, such as Carter George and Joshua Ravensbergen, were in contention to make this team. But Ivankovic has been hanging with Augustine as one of the best goaltenders in the NCAA. Ivankovic has been backstopping the University of Michigan with a .924 save percentage in 31 games.

More NHL News

• Which 3 teams could target Rangers' Vincent Trocheck in the offseason?
• 3 candidates for Hockey Canada's next GM
• NHL power rankings: Playoff teams struggle while lottery teams pick up wins
• What you need to know about the 2028 World Cup of Hockey
• NHL Vezina Trophy rankings: Ilya Sorokin, Andrei Vasilevskiy continue to jostle for top spot

The 2025 Cincinnati Reds won more games than they lost, finished 3rd in the National League Central, and still somehow found a way to sneak into the expanded playoff system (for a minute).

Clearly, Nick Krall and the rest of the front office think they’re on to something, as the club went out and signed slugger Eugenio Suárez off another 49 homer season and spent diligently to build a proven, competent bullpen. That’s all after an attempted pursuit of Kyle Schwarber – fresh off a 56 dinger season of his own – as evidence that this franchise is convinced they’ve got the chops to win even more games in 2026.

Where does that put them in the grand scheme, though? Did they do enough to leapfrog the Chicago Cubs in the division, the club who let Kyle Tucker walk? Have they built themselves up with another year of experience to tackle the mighty Milwaukee Brewers, who led all of baseball in wins last season?

Just how high will they finish in the division in 2026?

That’s what we asked you earlier this week, and your responses pretty clearly indicate that you’ve got higher expectations for the 2026 Reds than you did for last year’s club, too.

Over two-thirds of you anticipate these Reds finishing in one of the top two spots in the NL Central this season, meaning they’re going to have to not only take down one of the Cubs or Brewers but also fend off a Pittsburgh Pirates club that is much improved themselves.

It isn’t outlandish to expect such things as it currently stands. Elly De La Cruz is healthy again, while Matt McLain finally looks back to his old self with another offseason removed from his shoulder issues. Nate Lowe and JJ Bleday look to be savvy additions brought in on the cheap, and Sal Stewart is ready to roll for a full season. Hunter Greene’s absence is daunting, to be sure, but this team has drafted and acquired the kind of starting pitching depth that the rest of baseball desires – and Greene’s going to be back mid-summer, too.

It’s going to take ~90 wins to jump into the top two in the division, in all likelihood, and this is off an 83 win season from these Reds. So, you’re betting on there being enough improvement across the board for Terry Francona to guide this team to a place they’ve not been since all the way back in 2013.

I cannot tell you how much I hope you are correct.

MLB Reacts is brought to you by FanDuel Sportsbook.

3-time All-Star asks to leave Twins and is released originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Minnesota Twins made what, on paper, appears to be a surprising release on Friday.

Liam Hendriks, less than a week before Opening Day, has been sent packing by the Twins.

The Athletic's Dan Hayes reported the news, but the language of the move is important:

"(Twins) have granted Liam Hendriks his release. Had an opt out."

That suggests that Hendriks had some kind of language built into his contract that allowed him to head to free agency if he wasn't going to make the Minnesota roster for the season ahead.

Hendriks was technically a non-roster invite to Spring Training.

The 37-year old Australian relief pitcher is a three-time All Star but had a 6.59 ERA at the MLB level last season in 14 appearances.

MORE: Cubs' Daniel Palencia completes improbable rise for Venezuela

This spring, Hendriks has been solid. He has allowed two runs in six innings pitched while striking out four.

The Twins may have read more into Hendriks' recent seasons at the MLB level to decide what they're doing here. At the very least, one side of this relationship didn't have enough confidence in the other side.

Minnesota's bullpen doesn't shape up to be too strong, but Hendriks is now gone from having a chance to impact that.

He'll surely try to latch on elsewhere sooner rather than later so he can potentially still be on an Opening Day roster.

More MLB news:

• Aaron Judge confirms Yankees fans' worst fears in WBC
• Bryce Harper had his crowning WBC moment, at least for a few minutes
• This Yankees hitter uses more than 100 bottles of cologne
• Mariners may have no choice but to promote top prospect
• Jose Altuve is making things tough on the Astros

Wright State has spent nearly four decades as a Division I basketball program. If the Raiders can find a way to upset Virginia Friday afternoon, they'll notch the first men's NCAA Tournament win outside the First Four since the program was crushing Division II competition in the early- to mid-1980s.

Wright State stacked wins under longtime coach Ralph Underhill as a D2 power, but its jump to the highest level of the sport has brought only five NCAA Tournament appearances in 39 seasons. While the program earned a play-in victory in 2022 over Bryant University, every game the team has played as part of the field of 64 has ended in a defeat of 17 points or more.

While the school was named after the godfathers of aviation, the Wright Brothers, nearby University of Dayton had already cornered the market on related nicknames by calling its athletic teams the Flyers for decades before Wright State was founded. Thus, the very different and slightly boring Raiders, personified in logo and mascot form by a... gray wolf. Sure.

Anyway, let's see why the Raiders have a homecourt advantage in any play-in game.

Wright State is located in Dayton, Ohio

It's about 10 miles northwest of the University of Dayton. Fittingly, the school is sandwiched between the Wright Brothers Memorial and the neighborhood of Wrightview.

This article originally appeared on For The Win: Where is Wright State located as Raiders play in March Madness?

The New York Mets are experimenting with a new pitch-calling format, with catcher Francisco Alvarez occasionally glancing into the dugout to get signals from catching coach J.P. Arencibia, according to an ESPN report written by Jorge Castillo and Alden Gonzalez. 

The Mets aren’t doing this all the time, and they’re not the originators of this idea, either. Other teams have experimented with it, with the Miami Marlins being the leaders in this trend. The Mets used it for Kodai Senga’s last start, and manager Carlos Mendoza indicated that the Mts are still “working through it.”

"There's a lot,” Mendoza added. “It's new. It's new for a lot of people here. We've done it with [minor league pitchers]. They need to be working on pitches. And the feedback, the buy-in has been really good. So I don't think we're going to call every pitch, but we're kind of working through some scenarios where if they need help, we'll be ready."

The Marlins tried this throughout their minor league system last year, then brought the concept to the majors for last nine games of the regular seasons last year. Miami believes it made a difference, and they’ll continue to call pitches from the dugout this year, according to the writers. 

This makes some sense for the Marlins given that they’re a small-market team known for having inexperienced players up and down their roster. The Mets, meanwhile, are a hodgepodge of veterans and young players, which makes doing this a lot more complicated, but Mendoza added that the Mets are doing it in a different way. 

Basically, this is a double shake-off situation. Catchers can change the pitch if they don’t like what they’re getting from the dugout, and pitchers can do the same if they have a different idea of what they want to throw. One Mets player described he dugout sign as a “suggestion,” the writers added. 

Given the potential for confusion in this unique relay system, it’s fair to ask why try it at all. 

"They've got to have a feel for the game," Mendoza said. "They've got to be able to make adjustments."

The Marlins are very systematic in the way they do it, with catchers have a wrist list they can check against the dugout call, and the catcher then has to input the call to PitchCom to relay to the pitcher. As a result their system generates of a lot of analytics data, which is beloved in baseball right now.

The other team that’s considering this full-time is the Colorado Rockies, which isn’t surprising given how bad the Rockies have been and how many other things they’ve tried to escape from the NL West basement. It makes a lot more sense to try this at the lower minor-league levels where players are looking for total guidance, but spring training is the time for experimentation so the Mets are giving it a go here and there.

Mets predicted to have MLB's best rotation depth en route to postseason success originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Coming into the 2026 MLB season, the New York Mets have plenty of optimism with their revamped roster. While the bullpen and the lineup have undergone big changes, the rotation might be the best part of the roster.

Led by Nolan McLean and Freddy Peralta, the Mets have a great starting rotation entering the season. They also have a few other strong starters to round out a six-man deep rotation.

With such a good rotation, The Athletic's Eno Sarris is predicting that the Mets will have the best depth in their rotation in all of Major League Baseball and ride that to the NL pennant this season. This would be a great outcome for the Mets, and it's fairly realistic.

Mets predicted to have best SP depth in MLB 

"Mets ride MLB's best pitching depth to NL pennant," Sarris predicts. "... Teams use around 10 starters to get through the season, on average. Those depth innings matter a lot. And the New York Mets might have the best pitching depth in baseball."

Outside of McLean and Peralta, the Mets' current crop of options in the Majors includes David Peterson, Clay Holmes, Sean Manaea, and Kodai Senga.

That's a strong six-man rotation for the Mets, and that's far from all the depth options the Mets have at their disposal for the upcoming season.

Currently injured and on the 60-day injured list are Tylor Megill and Justin Hagenman. But their best depth comes in the form of three starters who are already on the 40-man roster.

More: Joey Wentz is out for the season with a torn ACL for the Braves

Rounding out the depth for the Mets, with their starter pitching options beyond the current projected six-man rotation are Jonah Tong, Tobias Myers, Christian Scott, and Jonathan Pintaro.

And what's to say the Mets don't go out and acquire more pitching help if the right opportunity arises? Pitching depth is a must for postseason contenders, and there's always room to add more depth, as seen by the Los Angeles Dodgers over the past two years.

Coming into 2026, the Mets have 10 possible starting pitching options, with McLean, Peralta, Peterson, Manaea, Holmes, Senga, Tong, Scott, Myers, and Pintaro forming what Sarris is calling the deepest rotation in baseball.

More MLB news:

• Blue Jays sign Joe Mantiply to minor league contract
• Dodgers’ Roki Sasaki will return to rotation, not bullpen according Dave Roberts
• Konnor Griffin projected to make Pirates Opening Day roster by two analysts
• Alex Cora announces Caleb Durbin is Red Sox starting third baseman
• Reds’ Hunter Greene to be out until July amid brutal injury news
• Braves predicted to trade Bryce Elder for Lars Nootbaar
• Jesus Luzardo’s $135 million extension is a steal for Phillies

Gennaro Gattuso has named his Italy national team squad for the World Cup play-off campaign coming up at the end of March and has included three uncapped players among his selections.

Which uncapped players are in Gattuso’s latest Italy squad?

Gattuso has called up a squad of 28 players for the World Cup play-off semi-final against Northern Ireland in Bergamo coming up on March 26. The winner of that tie will go on to face either Wales or Bosnia and Herzegovina away from home in the play-off final on March 31: A one-match decider for a spot at the final World Cup tournament.

Given the importance of the occasion, Gattuso has understandably decided to stick with a core of trusted and experienced players.

The likes of Alessandro Bastoni, Riccardo Calafiori, Federico Dimarco, Sandro Tonali and Nicolo Barella are expected to start against Northern Ireland. There has also been a return to the squad for Federico Chiesa for the first time since EURO 2024.

ROME, ITALY – MARCH 04: Marco Carnesecchi of Atalanta reacts during the Coppa Italia match between SS Lazio and Atalanta BC at Olimpico Stadium on March 04, 2026 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Paolo Bruno/Getty Images)

Only three of the 28 players called up have not previously played for Italy. Two of them are goalkeepers in Marco Carnesecchi and Elia Caprile, neither of whom have yet been given an opportunity over Gianluigi Donnarumma or Guglielmo Vicario.

CAGLIARI, ITALY – FEBRUARY 16: Marco Palestra of Cagliari in action during the Serie A match between Cagliari Calcio and US Lecce at Stadio Sant’Elia on February 16, 2026 in Cagliari, Italy. (Photo by Enrico Locci/Getty Images)

Cagliari right-back Marco Palestra, on loan from Atalanta, is the only uncapped outfield player to be selected in the latest Italy squad. The 21-year-old has impressed in his first real breakthrough season at Serie A level, and is also included in the Cagliari starting line-up to take on Napoli on Friday evening.

You can see follow the action from Cagliari vs. Napoli on the Football Italia Liveblog.

Miami Heat trade proposal finally brings in 10-time All-Star but moves Tyler Herro and more originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Miami Heat have not been known as a team willing to take a big swing when a superstar becomes available, but that could change if the right player comes up.

Gray Deyo of SI proposed a mock trade in which the Heat would do this. His deal would see Miami land Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis from the Milwaukee Bucks in exchange for a massive package centered around Tyler Herro, Terry Rozier, Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., and four unprotected first-round picks.

For the Heat, the idea is that they’re already competitive, but not at the level of true title favorites. Antetokounmpo would change that overnight, as long as the other right moves are made.

“Where the Heat currently are, they are just an Antetokounmpo away from being a title contender. They currently have a record of 38-30, slotting them in the seventh seed in the East.

"The Heat do lose a lot of young talent in the following mock trade, but it is well worth it. They have guys whom they have hit on in previous drafts, Pelle Larson being one, and players in general on their roster who are more than capable of stepping up and becoming depth pieces. With them on their squad, moving off the players in this mock deal for Antetokounmpo is a no-brainer," he wrote.

Miami would be sacrificing much of its young core and future draft capital, going all-in on a championship window. However, that’s often the price of landing a generational talent like Antetokounmpo. For the Bucks, there's even an argument that this won't be enough.

More NBA news:

• Golden State Warriors’ Jimmy Butler provides important health update after undergoing surgery
• Anthony Edwards injury update: Timberwolves star sidelined with knee soreness
• Shai Gilgeous-Alexander passes Wilt Chamberlain, breaks longstanding NBA record
• Former 76ers, Lakers center announces retirement from basketball
• LeBron James shares incredibly high praise for Kawhi Leonard

Asadula “The Dagestan Ninja” Imangazaliev produced the most electrifying performance of his career, knocking out living legend Nong-O Hama at 0:44 of round two in the main event at ONE Friday Fights 147, live in Asia primetime, on March 20 at Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.

But the 22-year-old Russian was denied the vacant ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Championship after failing his hydration test at the pre-event weigh-ins.

Imangazaliev set the tone from the opening bell. “The Dagestan Ninja” opened with an immediate push kick to the face of the eight-time ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Champion, a statement of intent that made clear he had no intention of being overawed by the occasion.

Nong-O, the 39-year-old Thai legend, adapted quickly, moving in and out of the pocket to avoid his opponent’s unorthodox attacks while landing right body kicks at will to build his own rhythm. But the second round ended in a flash.

The two traded on the outside until Nong-O attempted to land a straight right to the body. Imangazaliev read it perfectly, stepped back, and fired a left hook to the head, right hook to the body, and left hook back to the head in a seamless combination that put the legend out before he even hit the canvas.

The referee waved it off immediately, which improved the knockout machine’s overall record to 12-0 and 8-0 in ONE Championship. His seventh highlight-reel finish on the global stage cemented him as the most dangerous man in the flyweight Muay Thai division.

Although the divisional gold remains vacant, Imangazaliev, in his post-fight interview, entertained the idea of battling former divisional king Rodtang “The Iron Man” Jitmuangnon for the crown.

Source

Google Chrome 146 fixes 26 security vulnerabilities but with no evidence of active exploitation so far. The update addresses three critical memory-related flaws, along with several high-risk issues impacting components like WebGL and the V8 JavaScript engine.

Wirewiki lets you explore internet infrastructure across domains, IPs, and DNS servers. You can search domain profiles, inspect IP addresses, and run lookups for DNS propagation, SPF, MX, TXT, reverse DNS, and website-to-IP. The platform helps you trace delegation paths, check zone transfers, and validate email sender records to troubleshoot issues or research setups. It's a quick way to answer routing questions and review how domains are configured.

View startup

Whether you're scaling a company or building a business, getting real value from AI is harder than it should be. Cuadra AI lets you build your own AI that continuously learns from your business, runs on any model, and works wherever your users are. You can synchronize your documents, Notion, or Google Drive, allowing your AI and knowledge to grow together. Connect with WhatsApp, Slack, SMS, or Telegram to meet your users where they already are. If you have a team, you can access your model in your own private workspace.

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Google is testing AI-generated headline rewrites in Search results, describing it as a small, narrow experiment for now.

What’s happening. Google confirmed to The Verge (subscription required) that it’s testing AI-generated titles in traditional Search results, not just Discover.

• The test is “small” and “narrow,” and not approved for broader rollout.
• It impacts news sites but isn’t limited to them.
• The goal is to better match titles to queries and improve engagement, Google said.

One example showed Google replacing original headlines with shorter or reworded versions, sometimes changing tone or intent (e.g., reducing “I used the ‘cheat on everything’ AI tool and it didn’t help me cheat on anything” to “‘Cheat on everything’ AI tool.”).

Why we care. Google Search is already sending fewer clicks. Now you also have to contend with Google generating entirely new headlines with AI, risking changes to meaning, brand voice, and click-through rates.

Dig deeper. Google changed 76% of title tags in Q1 2025 – Here’s what that means

What they’re saying. Sean Hollister, senior editor at The Verge, wrote:

• “This is like a bookstore ripping the covers off the books it puts on display and changing their titles. We spend a lot of time trying to write headlines that are true, interesting, fun, and worthy of your attention without resorting to clickbait, but Google seems to believe we don’t have an inherent right to market our own work that way.”

Title links. According to the Google Search Central section on title links, originally published in 2021:

Google’s generation of title links on the Google Search results page is completely automated and takes into account both the content of a page and references to it that appear on the web. The goal of the title link is to best represent and describe each result.

Google said it uses these sources to “automatically determine title links”

• Content in <title> elements
• Main visual title shown on the page
• Heading elements, such as <h1> elements
• Content in og:title meta tags
• Other content that’s large and prominent through the use of style treatments
• Other text contained in the page
• Anchor text on the page
• Text within links that point to the page
• WebSite structured data

What to watch. Google called this one of many routine experiments, but that’s no guarantee it stays small. The Verge noted a similar “experiment” in Discover later became a full feature.

• Any future launch may not rely on generative AI, but Google didn’t explain how that would work.

Reaction. After seeing this news, Louise Frahm, SEO director at ESPN, wrote on LinkedIn:

• “After 10+ years in news SEO, I’ve come to find that a headline is the most prominent element for attracting readers in timely windows, to provide a targeted synopsis that elevates your brand voice. If that vision gets altered and facts are misrepresented, long-term audience trust will be compromised.”

Google has started giving users a new feature in Google Messages – Real-time location sharing. This feature was announced earlier in March 2026, and now it is gradually becoming available to many users.

With this feature, you can share your live location with someone while chatting. This means the other person can see where you are in real time. It can be useful when you are meeting someone or want to let your family know where you are.

To use it, open a chat in Google Messages and tap the plus (+) icon. Then choose “Real-time location.” By default, your location will be shared for one hour. But you can change this easily.

Image via 9to5Google

You can choose to share your location for just one hour, for the whole day, or until you turn it off yourself. You can also set a custom time. For example, you can choose any time up to almost 24 hours. There is a simple clock tool that helps you set the time.

This feature uses Google’s system to give accurate location details, so it works well in most cases. There is also a small change in the app design. A tiny dot appears on the plus icon. This dot is likely there to show that there is something new. 

The new feature is simple and helpful as it makes it easier to share your location with others and keeps Google Messages up to date with other messaging apps. It is rolling out gradually, so all Android users will soon receive it.

The post Google Messages finally adds this missing feature appeared first on Sammy Fans.

Despite having first-mover advantage, Amazon has failed to capitalize on the AI craze with its Alexa-powered smart speakers. Trying to turn things around, Amazon released a generative AI upgrade for Alexa and launched the Alexa+ chatbot last year. There’s more happening behind the scenes – Reuters reports that Amazon is building an AI-focused phone. We all remember what happened the last time the company tried to make a phone. To be fair, the Amazon Fire Phone was over a decade ago. Interestingly, this may be marketed as a sort of anti-smartphone similar to the Light Phone. Using AI,...