“CBC Sport” telekanalı Çempionlar Liqasında “Bavariya” – PSJ oyununun efirə verilməməsi ilə bağlı bəyanat yayıb.

Futbolpress.az xəbər verir ki, bununla bağlı feysbuk hesabında paylaşım edilib. Bəyanat:

“Əziz və hörmətli futbol azarkeşləri,

mayın 6-da UEFA Çempionlar Liqasının yarımfinal mərhələsinin cavab oyunları çərçivəsində keçirilən “Bavariya” – PSJ qarşılaşmasının yayımı texniki səbəblərdən mümkün olmayıb.

Gün ərzində yayım prosesi ilə bağlı aparılan ənənəvi testlər zamanı hər hansı problem aşkarlanmasa da, matçın başlamasına təxminən 5 dəqiqə qalmış gözlənilməz texniki nasazlıq yaranıb. Problem qeydə alınan andan etibarən onun aradan qaldırılması üçün bütün zəruri tədbirlər görülüb. Məqsədimiz nasazlıq aradan qalxan kimi, oyunun hansı dəqiqəsinin getməsindən asılı olmayaraq dərhal efirə qoşulmaq idi. Lakin texniki heyətin görüş boyu davam edən səylərinə baxmayaraq yayımı bərpa etmək mümkün olmayıb.

Baş verən bu xoşagəlməz hadisəyə görə məsuliyyətimizi tam dərk edir, oyunu sizə təqdim edə bilmədiyimiz üçün bütün futbolsevərlərdən üzr istəyirik.

Əziz idmansevərlər, anlayışınıza ümid edir və belə halların bir daha təkrarlanmaması üçün bütün lazımi addımların atılacağını bildiririk.

Hörmətlə, “CBC Sport”

“Karvan-Yevlax” Misli Premyer Liqasında 30 turdan sonra 14 xalla sonuncu sıradadır.

Yevlax təmsilçisi pley-off zonasından – 11-ci sıradan altı xal geri qalır. Komandanın kapitanı Vadim Abdullayev “Futbolpress.az“a açıqlamasında liqada qalmaq şanslarını dəyərləndirdi:

“Qarşıda üç oyun var. Hamı istəyir ki, nələrsə dəyişsin. Nə şansımız varsa, dəyərləndirməyə çalışacağıq. Amma indiki məqamda hər şey tək bizdən asılı deyil. “Qəbələ” amili də var. Əlimizdən gələni edəcəyik ki, çempionatda qalaq”.

“Karvan-Yevlax” son oyunlarda topladığı xallarla “Qəbələ” ilə fərqi endirib. Abdullayev geridə qalan matçların bəzilərində məğlubiyyətə layiq olmadıqlarını bildirdi:

“Elə matçlar var idi ki, xallar qazana bilərdik. Oyunumuzla buna layiq olmuşuq, amma alınmayıb. Lakin indi geriyə baxmağın faydası yoxdur. Qarşıdakı matçlara diqqət etməli və qalan şansımızdan yararlanmalıyıq”.

Kapitan klubdakı taleyinə də toxundu:

“Çalışırıq ki, liqada qalaq. İndi klubdakı gələcəyimlə bağlı nəsə demək doğru olmaz. Diqqətimiz oyunlardadır və yalnız bunu düşünürük”.

Şahin Cəfərov

“Real” klubunun iki futbolçusu məşq zamanı mübahisə edib.

Futbolpress.az xəbər verir ki, bu barədə “Marca” nəşri məlumat yayıb. Məşq zamanı epizodların birində yarımmüdafiəçilər Federiko Valverde ilə Orelyen Çuameni arasında kobud oyundan sonra mübahisə yaranıb və vəziyyət əlbəyaxa dava həddinə çatıb.

Digər futbolçuların müdaxiləsi ilə sakitləşən tərəflər daha sonra paltardəyişmə otağında da mübahisə ediblər.

Peşəkar Futbol Liqası ilk Azərbaycan Kubokunun qalibi “İnşaatçı” (Bakı) komandasının baş məşqçisi olmuş Məmmədəli Məmmədovla müsahibə hazırlayıb.

Futbolpress.az xəbər verir ki, o, final matçı ilə bağlı bir çox maraqlı məqamlara toxunub:

“1992-ci ildən danışırıqsa, həmin il bizim üçün tarixi alınmışdı. Komandamızda ulduz futbolçu yox idi. Kollektiv oyun nümayiş etdirərək gücümüzü göstərməyə çalışırdıq. Kubok qazanmağa layiq komanda idik”

Məmmədov final matçı öncəsi klub rəhbəri ilə olan maraqlı dialoqlarından, eyni zamanda kubokdakı rəqibləri barədə də söz açıb:

“Sponsorumuz olan evtikmə kombinatının rəhbəri oyundan iki gün əvvəl keçirilən iclasda bizə yaxşı vəd verdi. Bildirdi ki, kuboku qazanacağınız təqdirdə komandanın üzvlərindən birinə ikiotaqlı ev, digərlərinə pul mükafatı verəcək. Kubokda hər mərhələ keçdikcə pul mükafatı alırdıq”.

Bu gün UEFA Konfrans Liqasında finalçılar məlum olacaq.

Futbolpress.az xəbər verir ki, türkiyəli mütəxəssis Arda Turanın rəhbərlik etdiyi “Şaxtyor” İngiltərədə “Kristal Pelas”ın qonağı olacaq.

Fransa təmsilçisi “Strasburq” isə İspaniyanın “Valyekano” komandasını qəbul edəcək.

UEFA Konfrans Liqası
Yarımfinal mərhələsi, cavab oyunları

7 may

23:00 Kristal Pelas – Şaxtyor
İlk oyun 3:1

23:00 Strasburq – Valyekano
İlk oyun 0:1

Çempionlar Liqasında finala yüksələn “Arsenal” baş məşqçisi Mikel Arteta ilə müqaviləni uzatmaq niyyətindədir.

Futbolpress.az xəbər verir ki, bu barədə insayder Fabrizio Romano məlumat yayıb. London klubunun rəhbərliyi yayda mütəxəssislə danışıqlara başlayacaq.

Artetanın hazırki müqaviləsi 2027-ci ilin yayına kimidir.

Çempionlar Liqasında finala yüksələn “topçular” İngiltərə Premyer Liqasında da sona üç tur qalmış liderdir.

1inch said its protocols, infrastructure and user funds were not affected by the exploit targeting independent resolver TrustedVolumes.

BNY is partnering with Finstreet and ADI Foundation to offer regulated Bitcoin and Ethereum custody to UAE clients from the Abu Dhabi Global Market.

Source

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Reports in Italy confirm that Italy internationals Sandro Tonali and Nicolo Fagioli have been handed their final punishments as the investigation into their illegal gambling activity finally comes to a definitive end. 

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Tonali and Fagioli betting investigation reaches definitive conclusion

Tonali and Fagioli both served lengthy bans between 2023 and 2024 for their involvement in illegal gambling practices, which involved betting on football matches, which is prohibited for professional players. 

In October of 2023, the FIGC confirmed that Tonali would have to serve a 10-match suspension for his involvement, as well as being ordered to pay a fine of €20,000 and to attend a series of events warning others against the dangers of gambling addictions. Fagioli was also handed a seven-month suspension and a fine of €12,500. 

These were ‘sporting’ punishments handed out by the Italian football association, but that is separate from the criminal investigation that was opened in April 2025. Tonali and Fagioli were accused of gambling on illegal betting sites, of promoting these platforms among other professional athletes, and of opening accounts and delivering payments on behalf of their colleagues. 

Reports from various outlets in Italy on Thursday, including the Corriere dello Sport, confirm that the investigation into the illegal gambling case has now drawn to a conclusion, which means that the matter is now definitively over. 

Tonali will have to pay a fine of €78,000, while Fagioli has been handed a one-month suspended prison sentence. 

Reports in Italy claim that Rafael Leao is at risk of being dropped from Massimiliano Allegri’s starting line-up and that the Rossoneri could look to sell the Portugal international in the upcoming summer transfer window. 

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Could Leao be dropped and then sold by Milan?

Leao and his Milan teammates are on a disappointing run of form heading into the final few games of the 2025-26 season, with just four points to their name from their last five Serie A matches. 

Leao is without a goal in over two months, dating back to the 2-0 win over Cremonese on March 1. The Portugal international is yet to cross double figures in the league, currently on nine goals, heading into the final three Serie A matches of the season. That is despite the fact that he has spent most of the season playing as a centre-forward in a 3-5-2.

According to updates from La Gazzetta dello Sport, Milan are ‘growing tired’ of waiting for Leao to become a consistently reliable player. 

It has been said that the 26-year-old is not impacting games in the way that he used to in years gone by, and his lack of defensive effort has constantly been a complaint among Rossoneri supporters. His icy reactions to being substituted off in recent matches has not gone down well, either. 

For these reasons, La Gazzetta dello Sport claim that Leao is at risk of losing his place in the starting XI for Milan’s upcoming Serie A match against Atalanta on Sunday evening. Thursday’s report explains that Leao still has another few days to convince Allegri to keep the faith in him, but as things stand, he is ‘a step behind’ Christian Pulisic and Santiago Gimenez in the pecking order. 

La Gazzetta dello Sport predicts that this could be the summer that Milan decide to part ways with Leao as well. The Pink Paper claims that Milan ‘will not only evaluate, but encourage’ offers for the winger-turned striker this coming window. 

Leao has a staggering €175m release clause in his Rossoneri contract, which is not expected to be activated. In fact, Milan might be looking at offers of less than a third of the value of the release clause. 

La Gazzetta dello Sport’s prediction is that offers in the region of €50m-€60m could be enough to convince Milan into a sale this summer.

Reports on Thursday claim that former Italy national team head coach Gennaro Gattuso could potentially be offered a three-year contract to return to Serie A as head coach of Torino, but he is not the only candidate that the Granata have in mind. 

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Gattuso has been out of work since leaving his position as head coach of the Italy national team at the beginning of April, shortly after the failure to qualify for the World Cup for the third time in a row. 

The 48-year-old has not coached in Serie A since leaving Napoli in 2021. Since then, he has had experiences with Valencia in LaLiga, Marseille in Ligue 1, Hajduk Split in the Croatian Football League, and most recently with Italy. 

Could Gattuso return to Serie A with Torino after short-lived Italy stint?

According to reports from Tuttosport, Torino are keen on the idea of appointing Gattuso as their head coach for the 2026-27 campaign. 

If Torino are to head down the Gattuso route, Tuttosport reports that he will likely be offered a three-year contract at the Stadio Olimpico Grande. 

The ex-Italy CT is a figure that club President Urbano Cairo is said to like, as does sporting director Gianluca Petrachi, and Thursday’s reports claim that this is not the first time that Gattuso has been sounded out for the Torino job. Tuttosport claims that the Granata had also looked at the possibility of appointing Gattuso before and after Ivan Juric’s spell in charge. 

A return to Torino for Juric can’t be ruled out either. The Croatian has been without a job since leaving Atalanta earlier this season. Torino had also looked at bringing Juric back to the club before he decided to move to Bergamo, which led the Granata to appoint Marco Baroni ahead of the 2025-26 campaign instead. 

There is also a possibility, albeit an increasingly slim one, that Torino decide to stick with current head coach Roberto D’Aversa, who is on a short-term contract that expires at the end of June. Thursday’s front page claims that the current head coach is at the bottom of the pecking order as things stand, though.

With talismanic forward Mohamed Salah already confirmed to be departing Anfield at the end of the 2025/26 campaign, shockwaves have struck the fanbase following recent reports that club captain Virgil van Dijk is seriously contemplating an exit of his own.

Salah is leaving, Andy Robertson has announced he will leave the club as well, while another iconic Liverpool player, Alisson Becker, is being constantly linked with a move away from the club.

Now sepculation has started over the future of club captain Van Dijk, who could also leave Liverpool after an illustrious spell at Anfield.

Virgil Van Dijk is assessing his Liverpool future

According to Turkish outlet FotoMac, the Dutch colossal is assessing his future, potentially triggering the complete dismantling of the historic core that brought Champions League and Premier League glory back to the Reds.

The 34-year-old, who turns 35 this summer, signed a contract extension last April, tying him to the club until 2027.

However, the aggressive restructuring initiated by the Reds’ sporting hierarchy has seemingly prompted the captain to evaluate his place in Arne Slot’s long-term vision.

The club is actively working to renew Ibrahima Konate’s contract and invested heavily in younger profiles, such as the winter signing of Jeremy Jacquet and the future integration of Giovanni Leoni.

With high-profile scouts also monitoring European standouts like Inter Milan’s Alessandro Bastoni and Borussia Dortmund’s Nico Schlotterbeck, it is increasingly clear that Liverpool are accelerating their preparations for a post-Van Dijk reality.

Recognising this shift, Van Dijk may feel that stepping away now is the most dignified way to close his legendary Premier League chapter.

More Stories / Latest News

Van Dijk transfer bombshell could truly mean the end of an era for Liverpool

May 7 2026, 11:42

Talks ongoing: Chelsea still have a chance to land world class manager but he needs convincing

May 7 2026, 11:36

‘It’s a no-brainer’ – Berbatov names his choice for next permanent Man United manager

May 7 2026, 11:27

Dutchman has been the pillar of the Merseyside club

Van Dijk has been the undisputed bedrock of Liverpool’s backline this season, starting all 35 Premier League matches and logging over 3,150 minutes while chipping in with four goals.

Despite the club’s poor performances, his leadership role has been praised.

Before making any definitive decisions regarding his club future, Van Dijk will first focus on leading the Netherlands as captain into the 2026 World Cup in North America.

For the Anfield faithful, the summer of 2026 is shaping up to be an emotional and foundational reset.

Arne Slot, or whoever is the manager of Liverpool this summer, will have a busy transfer window, not only to sign new players and rebuild the squad, but to also lay the foundation of the next successful Liverpool team.

Liverpool leapfrog rivals in the race to sign “phenomenal” South American star

The post Van Dijk transfer bombshell could truly mean the end of an era for Liverpool appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Chelsea are reportedly still continuing in talks over hiring Xabi Alonso, who may still need some convincing to take the job.

The Spanish tactician is out of work after leaving Real Madrid earlier this season, and it seems he’s one of Chelsea’s top targets.

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According to Simon Phillips, the Blues are continuing in their efforts to persuade Alonso to join, but their manager search has supposedly proven tricky so far.

In general, it seems a lot of the candidates Chelsea have been approaching are unsure about the job, and some have already outright rejected the west London giants’ advances.

Latest on Chelsea’s pursuit of Xabi Alonso

Discussing the latest on the Alonso to Chelsea situation, Phillips wrote in his Substack: “Chelsea have continued talks with their top managerial target Xabi Alonso this week, and the fact that these talks are continuing, means there is still a chance.

“Overall, as reported yesterday, Chelsea have been finding it very hard to convince manager targets to come. And we’ve heard that some managers have already rejected their approaches.

“However, Alonso has not walked away from talks yet, but does need a lot of convincing and promises in order to take the role. Chelsea are offering Alonso more control, which is what he has asked for. He’s also been asking around recruitment, especially centre backs, and who they will be looking to bring in.

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“There is a lot of planning and Alonso is insisting that if he is to take the role, then he needs much more of a say than previous managers have had, and more assurances overall around the project and the flexibility on it all. At the moment, Chelsea are working to give those assurances to Alonso, and see him as the main target they want in.”

Is Xabi Alonso the right fit for Chelsea?

The Chelsea job looks like a particularly challenging one at the moment, and it’s unclear if even a talented coach like Alonso could be up to the task.

The 44-year-old seems keen to have a lot of control, but that’s surely unlikely to happen under this ownership and board structure.

Alonso also has the habit of using three at the back and wing-backs, which is not a system that has always had a lot of success in English football.

More Stories / Latest News

Van Dijk transfer bombshell could truly mean the end of an era for Liverpool

May 7 2026, 11:42

Talks ongoing: Chelsea still have a chance to land world class manager but he needs convincing

May 7 2026, 11:36

‘It’s a no-brainer’ – Berbatov names his choice for next permanent Man United manager

May 7 2026, 11:27

It might be that Chelsea could make it work, as they did in the 2016/17 season under Antonio Conte, while Alonso might also be flexible and able to adjust his methods.

Overall, however, Alonso looks a risky candidate in some ways, while he also needs to pick his next club carefully after the difficulties he encountered at Real Madrid.

The post Talks ongoing: Chelsea still have a chance to land world class manager but he needs convincing appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Following a dramatic late-season resurgence under the interim leadership of Michael Carrick, resulting in a crucial top-four finish and Champions League qualification, the debate over the permanent vacancy in the dugout is intensifying.

A number of high profile names have been linked with the United job and understandably so.

It is one of the biggest jobs in football and every other manager would want the opportunity to get that major role.

Recently, the support for Carrick is increasing after his team secured qualification for the Champions League.

Berbatov backs Carrick for Man United job

Now, former Red Devils icon Dimitar Berbatov has weighed in, emphatically declaring that his former teammate is the undisputed choice to lead the club forward next season.

Speaking recently to Sky Sports, Berbatov did not mince words regarding the current situation at Old Trafford.

For the Bulgarian hitman, who shared the pitch with Carrick during United’s dominant, trophy-laden era under Sir Alex Ferguson, handing the 44-year-old a permanent contract is simply a “no-brainer.”

Asked if Carrick has done enough to get the job, Berbatov told Sky Sports, as reported by Metro:

‘And more, in my opinion, and more.

‘The team has qualified for the Champions League, the team is playing free-flowing football with swagger, with so much belief, scoring goals.

‘Of course there is work to be done as well, for sure. But looking where the team were, with all the problems, with things that were going on, and now with how things have improved.

‘Michael Carrick and his staff, and of course the players, deserve the credit and I think if you ask anyone, probably 99 per cent will say of course!

‘I heard some of the interviews from the players who are supporting him. “We are going to die for him on the pitch. He knows how to speak with us, the results are here.”

‘For me, it’s a no-brainer, he needs to stay.’

More Stories / Latest News

Van Dijk transfer bombshell could truly mean the end of an era for Liverpool

May 7 2026, 11:42

Talks ongoing: Chelsea still have a chance to land world class manager but he needs convincing

May 7 2026, 11:36

‘It’s a no-brainer’ – Berbatov names his choice for next permanent Man United manager

May 7 2026, 11:27

Carrick has internal backing at the club

Berbatov highlighted Carrick’s intimate understanding of the club’s DNA, his notably calming presence in a high-pressure environment, and his immediate tactical impact as key reasons why the INEOS sporting hierarchy should abandon any search for external candidates.

Furthermore, Berbatov’s sentiments echo a growing consensus within the Old Trafford dressing room.

Players like Amad Diallo and Casemiro have broken their silence and backed Carrick to become the next permanent manager of the club.

As Sir Jim Ratcliffe and the INEOS leadership deliberate their next decisive move, the pressure to make the right appointment is immense.

If Berbatov’s passionate plea and the squad’s vocal backing are anything to go by, Man United may already have the perfect architect for their long-term rebuild sitting right in front of them.

Just In: ‘Best player in the Premier League’ open to joining Man United

The post ‘It’s a no-brainer’ – Berbatov names his choice for next permanent Man United manager appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Paris Saint-Germain manager Luis Enrique may have unintentionally aimed a bit of a dig at Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta as they prepare to meet in the Champions League final.

PSG triumphed 6-5 on aggregate against Bayern Munich in their semi-final yesterday, while Arsenal ended a 20-year wait to reach the final again after beating Atletico Madrid 2-1 on aggregate.

The Gunners will now surely be the underdogs against holders PSG in the final later this month, with Enrique’s side also coming out on top when these two teams met in the semi-finals last season.

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Luis Enrique’s slightly patronising Mikel Arteta comment

Interestingly, as Enrique and Arteta prepare to renew their rivalry, the PSG manager referred to his opponent as “Mikelito” after last night’s game.

See below for the quote, via Fabrizio Romano on X, while the Telegraph’s Sam Dean suggested it might not go down well…

? Luis Enrique: “I appreciate Mikelito Arteta! We used to be teammates when we were kids, he did a great job at Arsenal”.

“It will be difficult, hard game but we believe in our football style”. pic.twitter.com/8JlK6uVlD5

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) May 6, 2026

“I appreciate Mikelito Arteta!” Enrique said. “We used to be teammates when we were kids, he did a great job at Arsenal. It will be difficult, hard game but we believe in our football style.”

Despite the praise for Arteta, “Mikelito” could be seen as a slightly demeaning comment, as it means little Mikel.

Wonder how Mikel Arteta will feel about Luis Enrique calling him "Mikelito" in a post-match interview last night.

— Sam Dean (@SamJDean) May 7, 2026

Enrique probably didn’t mean to sound insulting to Arteta, but it’s very possible that the Arsenal manager will take it that way and look to get one over his older ex-teammate.

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Arsenal chasing Premier League and Champions League double

Arsenal are getting closer and closer to a truly great season in their history as they’re now top of the Premier League and 90 minutes away from winning the Champions League for the first time.

Of course, it’s so delicately poised that this campaign could still end trophyless for the Gunners, so it’s going to be a big test of Arteta and his players in the next few weeks.

More Stories / Latest News

Van Dijk transfer bombshell could truly mean the end of an era for Liverpool

May 7 2026, 11:42

Talks ongoing: Chelsea still have a chance to land world class manager but he needs convincing

May 7 2026, 11:36

‘It’s a no-brainer’ – Berbatov names his choice for next permanent Man United manager

May 7 2026, 11:27

Arsenal have an easier run-in than Manchester City on paper, but this season has been full of twists and turns as both sides have missed opportunities to run away with the title.

PSG have the advantage of being able to focus mainly on the Champions League as Ligue 1 is not as competitive as the English top flight, so that could give them a big advantage when they meet Arsenal in Budapest at the end of this month.

The post Luis Enrique aims subtle dig at Mikel Arteta as PSG book CL final place vs Arsenal appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Barcelona are reportedly preparing to make a bid for the transfer of Tottenham right-back Pedro Porro in order to beat Real Madrid to his signature.

The Spain international has impressed during his time at Spurs, but could be a likely candidate for the exit door this summer after a hugely challenging season.

Tottenham still look in danger of relegation, and even if they just about survive the drop, someone like Porro would surely be looking to move on.

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According to Spanish outlet Fichajes, the 26-year-old has interest from both Barcelona and Real Madrid as he could return to La Liga.

Porro has previously had spells with Girona and Valladolid, and Fichajes now report that Barca look prepared to bid €30m for him in order to get ahead of their rivals.

Pedro Porro could leave Tottenham in summer shake-up

Even if THFC would probably ideally like to keep Porro around, it might not be the worst idea for the club to undergo a major squad overhaul after such a poor campaign.

The likes of Porro, Micky van de Ven, and Xavi Simons are all big names with plenty of potential, but for one reason or another it just hasn’t happened for them at Spurs.

This could be a chance for the north Londoners to raise some money from sales and use that to make some better recruitment decisions moving forward.

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Barca or Real for Pedro Porro?

Porro is a fine player on his day, but it’s perhaps hard to make sense of his possible move to Real Madrid, who signed Trent Alexander-Arnold last summer.

More Stories / Latest News

Van Dijk transfer bombshell could truly mean the end of an era for Liverpool

May 7 2026, 11:42

Talks ongoing: Chelsea still have a chance to land world class manager but he needs convincing

May 7 2026, 11:36

‘It’s a no-brainer’ – Berbatov names his choice for next permanent Man United manager

May 7 2026, 11:27

The former Sporting Lisbon man would probably be more likely to play regularly at Barcelona, where he’d arguably be an upgrade on Jules Kounde.

Kounde’s Barcelona future is in doubt, so that could mean Porro can come in and play a key role at the Nou Camp straight away.

The post Bid prepared: Barcelona to offer €30m to sign Tottenham star ahead of Real Madrid appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Atlético Madrid have reportedly slapped a staggering €100 million price tag on Julian Alvarez.

Arsenal, along with Barcelona, are exploring the opportunity to sign the World Cup winning striker in the summer transfer window.

To add more intrigue to the transfer saga, Paris Saint-Germain have also been recently linked with a move for the La Liga attacker.

Prying him away from the Spanish capital will require a monumental financial package and if reports from Mundo Deportivo are to be believed, it is going to cost clubs €100 million to sign Alvarez.

Atletico Madrid are ready to demand a premium fee

Atlético Madrid’s uncompromising stance on the €100 million fee is firmly rooted in their recent financial commitments and contract security.

Having signed Alvarez from Manchester City in the summer of 2024 in a landmark club-record deal worth up to €95 million, Diego Simeone’s side are determined to secure a return on their prized asset.

Furthermore, with the World Cup winner securely tied down to a long-term contract running until 2030, Atlético possess ultimate leverage at the negotiating table.

They are under zero institutional pressure to facilitate a cut-price exit.

The competition for Alvarez’s signature is undeniably fierce. Arsenal, who just locked horns with the Argentine during a tense Champions League semi-final clash this season, have heavily monitored his situation as they seek a transformative addition for their frontline.

More Stories / Latest News

Van Dijk transfer bombshell could truly mean the end of an era for Liverpool

May 7 2026, 11:42

Talks ongoing: Chelsea still have a chance to land world class manager but he needs convincing

May 7 2026, 11:36

‘It’s a no-brainer’ – Berbatov names his choice for next permanent Man United manager

May 7 2026, 11:27

Arsenal face competition to sign Alvarez

Meanwhile, Paris Saint-Germain boast the sheer financial muscle required to meet Atlético’s valuation without hesitation, viewing Alvarez as a versatile, elite-level profile to bolster their squad.

Despite the deep pockets of their European rivals, Barcelona remain at the center of the narrative
Alvarez is internally prioritizing a move to Camp Nou over a return to the Premier League or a switch to Ligue 1.

Knowing this, Barcelona’s hierarchy is biding its time, hoping the 26-year-old will actively take a stand and formally inform Atlético Madrid’s management of his desire to push for a move to Catalonia.

“Might just help Arsenal…” – Steven Gerrard makes interesting CL final prediction 

The post Arsenal learn staggering price tag of Atletico Madrid striker Julian Alvarez appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Arsenal are reportedly among the clubs showing a great interest in the potential transfer of Porto midfielder Victor Froholdt.

The talented 20-year-old has enjoyed something of a breakthrough season this term, contributing eight goals and seven assists.

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Froholdt was previously on the books at Copenhagen, but he’s stepped up well since moving to a bigger club in a more competitive league.

According to Bold.dk, Arsenal are now up against the likes of Liverpool and Newcastle United for his signature this summer.

This follows our exclusive information earlier this season on Arsenal and Tottenham eyeing Froholdt, who looks like he’ll be a tricky player for Porto to hold onto for much longer.

Victor Froholdt set for Arsenal transfer?

It remains to be seen if Arsenal are making serious progress on this potential transfer, or if it’s still something at a relatively early stage.

Still, the Gunners will likely be looking for a player of this profile this summer – a young midfielder who can give Mikel Arteta more depth behind Declan Rice and Martin Zubimendi.

Christian Norgaard has struggled to impress since moving to the Emirates Stadium, so there’s surely room for someone like Froholdt to come in and initially be a squad player, but perhaps then later grow into a starter once he has more experience under his belt.

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Liverpool might also be able to lure Froholdt as they are another club who could do well to make some changes in the middle of the park.

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Still, it’s been a pretty dire season for the Reds, so it might be that the Gunners’ project looks more tempting at the moment.

Arsenal are top of the Premier League table and in the final of the Champions League, while Liverpool have dropped to fourth in the table and are set to finish trophyless.

The post Arsenal showing great interest in Liverpool transfer target after breakthrough season appeared first on CaughtOffside.

RCB vs LSG head-to-head IPL: Last 5 matches, records at M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru and Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow originally appeared on Cricket News. Add Cricket News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

KEY TAKEAWAYS: 

• Royal Challengers Bengaluru take on Lucknow Super Giants at Ekana Stadium in IPL 2026 on May 7.
• The rivalry has interestingly seen the sides chase and defend high and low scores, respectively.
• RCB lead the overall head-to-head record 5-2, while LSG won twice at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium until before this season.

IPL 2026 HUB:Latest IPL news | IPL points table | Team stats | IPL 2026 squads

RCB vs LSG head-to-head: Key stats and venue records in IPL

With their playoff hopes fading, Lucknow Super Giants take on Royal Challengers Bengaluru at Ekana Stadium on Thursday, May 7.

The intense rivalry between the sides rapidly developed in recent times. With the arrival of LSG in 2022, the match-up has been marked by tension, exciting last-ball finishes, verbal sparring, and high-scores.

To date, the head-to-head series score is 5-2 in favour of RCB, including winning each of the two games held in Lucknow.

A few noteworthy batting performances in the rivalry include run chases of 213 and 228 runs by RCB and LSG, respectively.

MORE:Explained: Why RCB's M Chinnaswamy stadium could miss hosting IPL 2026 final

RCB vs LSG: Last 5 match head-to-head results

1. RCB vs LSG (April 15, 2026)

LSG: 146/10 (19.6 overs)

RCB: 149/5 (15.1 overs)

Result: RCB won by 5 wickets.

2. LSG vs RCB (May 27, 2025)

LSG: 227/3 (20 overs)

RCB: 230/4 (18.4 overs)

Result: RCB won by 6 wickets.

3. RCB vs LSG (April 2, 2024)

LSG: 181/5 (20 overs)

RCB: 153/10 (19.4 overs)

Result: LSG won by 28 runs.

4.LSG vs RCB (May 1, 2023)

RCB: 126/9 (20 overs)

LSG: 108/10 (19.5 overs)

Result: RCB won by 18 runs.

5.RCB vs LSG (April 10, 2023)

RCB: 212/2 (20 overs)

LSG: 219/9 (20 overs)

Result: LSG won by 1 wicket.

MORE:'Want to play World Cup with Virat & Rohit': LSG's Prince Yadav

RCB vs LSG: Head-to-head record in IPL

There have been a total of seven encounters between RCB and LSG in the IPL’s history. RCB has an upper hand, winning five games against LSG, who have won twice.

In the only play-off meeting between the two sides, RCB defeated LSG by 14 runs in an Eliminator tie during IPL 2022.

RCB vs LSG: Head-to-head record at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium

Both of LSG's wins against RCB have come at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. In a flashpoint at this venue, during IPL 2023, Virat Kohli reacted aggressively after LSG won the game on the last ball, and Avesh Khan threw his helmet to celebrate the victory.

MORE:Which IPL team has the most consecutive losses at home?

RCB vs LSG: Head-to-head record at Ekana Stadium

RCB have dominated the rivalry at Ekana Stadium, winning both of their meetings at this venue, notably stifling LSG for just 108 while defending a score of 126/9.

To keep up to date with all the latest cricket news and share your opinion on the biggest topics visit our Facebook, Instagram and X (Twitter) pages.

Did Yuzvendra Chahal vape on a flight? Arshdeep Singh posts, then allegedly crops viral video amid Riyan Parag vaping row originally appeared on Cricket News. Add Cricket News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• Yuzvendra Chahal allegedly filmed vaping on a flight with PBKS teammates.
• Arshdeep Singh's vlog was reportedly edited, with Chahal footage allegedly cropped.
• Rajasthan's Riyan Parag was separately fined for vaping in the dressing room.

Did Yuzvendra Chahal vape on a flight? Viral video allegations rock Punjab Kings mid-season

A video posted on Punjab Kings pacer Arshdeep Singh's official YouTube channel has landed the franchise in the middle of an uncomfortable controversy.

In the footage, Yuzvendra Chahal, seated beside vice-captain Shashank Singh during what is believed to be a team flight from Ahmedabad to Hyderabad, appears to be concealing and lighting a smoking object.

The clip was part of a travel vlog Arshdeep had uploaded, which seemingly showed the squad in transit during the ongoing IPL 2026 season.

A social media user posted screenshots and short clips from Arshdeep's vlog, alleging that Chahal was vaping aboard the aircraft. The same user later claimed that the original video was subsequently edited and made shorter, with the portions showing Chahal allegedly removed from the final cut. 

The user further alleged possession of the unedited version and doubled down on the accusation that Chahal had brought a vaping device onto the plane.

WATCH: Chahal allegedly vaping inside a flight

Yuzi Vaping on Flight ?? How did he took it inside flight?? CISF doesn't allow Vapes or E-Cigarettes on Flights! #IPL2026#PBKS#YuziChahalpic.twitter.com/251KtppCmn

— Ankan Kar (@AnkanKar) May 7, 2026

This Chanchal chutmarika Chahal vaping in flight on Arshdeep YouTube video.

Arshdeep has now edited the video and cropped Yuzi Chahal from most of it.

You can see here the video duration was 16:56 minutes, but now the video duration is 16:01 minutes.

Also, you can still notice… pic.twitter.com/YB0K51EjL9

— Jo Kar (@i_am_gustakh) May 6, 2026

Neither Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Punjab Kings, nor the IPL has responded to or acknowledged the allegations in any official capacity. The claims are entirely unverified at this stage, and no independent confirmation of the video's contents or context has been possible. 

Riyan Parag was caught in a separate  vaping incident

Rajasthan Royals captain Riyan Parag was caught on broadcast cameras appearing to use an electronic vaping device inside the dressing room during his side's IPL fixture against Punjab Kings.

The cameras picked up the moment in the 16th over after Parag had been dismissed and returned to the dugout. The Board of Control for Cricket in India acted swiftly, docking 25% of Parag's match fees and handing him 1 demerit point. 

MORE: WATCH: Riyan Parag caught vaping in dressing room

The Cricket News Opinion: Not a good advertisement for IPL

The Parag incident was confirmed on camera and dealt with through proper channels.  

Now, it remains to be seen if Chahal also faces the brunt from the board. Nonetheless, it is not a good advertisement for the cricket board or the IPL brand. 

To keep up to date with all the latest cricket news and share your opinion on the biggest topics visit our Facebook, Instagram and X (Twitter) pages.

What happened in the last 5 IPL matches at Ekana Cricket Stadium? Results, toss trends and Lucknow pitch report originally appeared on Cricket News. Add Cricket News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• LSG began its IPL 2026 campaign with an opener against DC in Bengaluru.
• LSG are struggling in the 2026 campaign.
• Ekana Stadium in Lucknow,  pitch report, and toss trends detailed.

Last 5 T20 match results and scores at Ekana Stadium, Lucknow

The Ekana Stadium in Lucknow has hosted 32 IPL matches in its history. It will host its fifth match in 2026 on May 7 when Lucknow Super Giants will take on Royal Challengers Bengaluru.

1. LSG vs RCB (May 27, 2025)

LSG: 227/3

RCB: 230/4

Result: RCB won by 6 wickets (with 8 balls remaining)

2. LSG vs DC (Apr 1, 2026)

LSG: 141/10

DC: 145/4

Result: DC won by 6 wickets (with 17 balls remaining)

3. LSG vs GT (Apr 12, 2026)

LSG: 164/8

GT: 165/3

Result: GT won by 7 wickets (with 8 balls remaining)

4. LSG vs RR (Apr 22, 2026)

RR: 159/6

LSG: 141/10

Result: RR won by 40 wickets

5. LSG vs KKR (Apr 26, 2026)

LSG: 155/7

KKR: 155/7

Result: KKR won in super over

Toss trends: Should teams choose to bat or bowl first?

Due to the nature of the surface at the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow, the team winning the toss would prefer bowling first, as teams chasing on this ground are more likely to win. 

Pitch report

Lucknow's Ekana Stadium is generally a good surface for the batters. In the last six innings, five of them have had scores of above 200. 

IPL 2026 Schedule - Ekana Stadium, Lucknow

Who do you think will win IPL 2026?To keep up to date with all the latest cricket news and share your opinion on the biggest topics visit our Facebook, Instagram and X (Twitter) pages.

The IPL 2026 playoff race is beautifully, brilliantly poised. Sunrisers Hyderabad after the initial poor run has made a very strong comeback. Pat Cummins’ side are sitting  top with 14 points from 11 matches, winning seven and looking every inch like a team that knows exactly what it is doing. 

Punjab Kings are on a string of poor run of form with three losses on the bounce but they had such a strong start they have breathing space. They are second with 13 points. 

Royal Challengers Bengaluru, meanwhile, carry the most devastating run rate in the tournament at +1.420. They have played nine matches and have won six.

Rajasthan Royals sit level on 12 points alongside Gujarat Titans, both sides scrapping furiously for that fourth playoff berth, separated only by the finest of margins in run rate.

Chennai Super Kings, the old warhorses, are not done yet. Five wins from ten matches keeps them firmly in the hunt.

Delhi Capitals and Kolkata Knight Riders find themselves in uncomfortable territory — eight and seven points respectively — needing wins and favours from elsewhere to keep their seasons breathing.

Mumbai Indians have been a profound disappointment. Three wins from ten matches and need plenty of things to go their way to have any chance.And Lucknow Super Giants, rooted to the bottom with just four points, face the very real prospect of being the first side to be eliminated if they don’t get the job done against RCB tonight! 

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Who won IPL 2025?

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) won the IPL 2025 title, claiming their first-ever IPL trophy after 18 seasons. In a thrilling final at Ahmedabad, RCB defeated Punjab Kings (PBKS) by 6 runs. RCB posted 190/9 in 20 overs, with captain Rajat Patidar leading the charge and Virat Kohli contributing a steady 43.

Punjab Kings, despite a valiant 61 off 30 balls from Shashank Singh, finished at 184/7 in their 20 overs. Key bowling performances for RCB included Krunal Pandya (2/17) and Bhuvneshwar Kumar (2/38), who took crucial wickets at the death overs.

When is the IPL 2026 season?

IPL 2026 kicked off on March 28 with reigning champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru hosting Sunrisers Hyderabad in Bengaluru. The league will run till 31 May. 

IPL 2026 winner odds and latest betting

The latest betting odds for IPL 2026, by Dafabet:

* Odds correct at time of publish but subject to change

How to Bet on IPL 2026 Games

IPL 2026 is just around the corner and the excitement is already building up! You can place your bets on all IPL 2026 matches right here on Dafabet, one of India's most trusted betting platforms. From match winners to outright tournament champions, Dafabet covers it all. Simply head over to Dafabet, create your account, and start betting on your favourite IPL teams today!

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Ireland head coach Scott Bemand has made one changes to his starting XV for Saturday's Women's Six Nations home game against Wales at the Affidea Stadium.

Eve Higgins replaces Nancy McGillivray, who is not involved in the matchday squad, at centre in the sole alterations from the 26-7 defeat against France in Clermont two weeks ago.

Higgins started the opening 33-12 defeat against England before she came off the bench in the big 57-20 win over Italy and 26-7 loss against France.

Following the tournament's fallow week, Ireland will look to get back on track and pick up their second home victory in the campaign.

Wales are looking to pick up their first win of the campaign after defeats by Scotland, France and England.

Stacey Flood continues at full-back with Beibhinn Parsons at right wing and Robyn O'Connor on the opposite side.

Aoife Dalton is partnered by Higgins in midfield with Dannah O'Brien and Emily Lane - who has three try assists in this year's tournament - remaining in the half-backs.

Ellena Perry, Cliodhna Moloney-MacDonald, who scored Ireland's only try against France, and Linda Djougang form an unchanged front row, with Dorothy Wall partnering Fiona Tuite, who has played every minute of the tournament, in the second row.

Aoife Wafer, captain Erin King and Brittany Hogan are in the back row for the fourth game in a row, while Bemand has made a number of changes to the bench in opting for a 6:2 split.

Sadh McGrath and Grace Moore are back among the replacements, while 20-year-old full-back Niamh Gallagher is set to make her debut off the bench.

Ireland line-up

Ireland: Flood; Parsons, Dalton, Higgins, O'Connor; O'Brien, Lane; Perry, Moloney-MacDonald, Djougang, Wall, Tuite, Hogan, King (capt), Wafer.

Replacements: Jones, McGrath, Cahill, Campbell, Monaghan, Moore, Whelan, Gallagher.

• Dalton feared for Ireland future after first Six Nations
• Ireland must be 'more clinical' in final two games
• Wales centre duo give Wales fitness boost against Ireland

FSU second baseman Marin Heller has not played since she collided with a Georgia Tech base runner on April 24, forcing her to undergo surgery and miss the final six games of the regular season. Head coach Lonni Alameda spoke with the media on Wednesday, and while she has not been cleared to play, she gave a positive update on her status moving forward.

"She will be going to ACC's with us, she'll be travelling from now on out with us," Alameda said. "I do think that there is hope for her to be on the field. So we're just kind of day-by-day with her. But she's doing everything possible to make sure she gives herself a chance to be out there."

The freshman suffered the injury on the final play of the game when she went to field a grounder, putting her in the basepath between first and second, with the runner on first colliding with her. She was down on the ground for several minutes before she walked off.

Heller started the first 48 games for FSU and was named to the All-ACC Second Team and All-Freshman teams after hitting .353 with a .451 on-base percentage. The freshman has 15 doubles, four triples, two home runs, and 25 RBI. She has drawn 23 walks and struckout 16 times. She has also stolen 13 bases on 15 attempts and made just four errors in 173 chances, giving her a .977 fielding percentage.

The Seminoles will start their ACC Softball Tournament run on Thursday against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. FSU swept them in their regular-season series.

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

This article originally appeared on FSU Wire: FSU Softball: Marin Heller injury update

On Wednesday morning, the PWHL officially announced it is heading to Detroit for the 2026-27 season. It won’t be the only big expansion announcement in the coming weeks.

In an email obtained by The Athletic, PWHLPA executive director Malaika Underwood told players “the league intends to move forward with a four-team expansion.” When asked about the email, Amy Scheer, the PWHL’s executive vice president of business operations, said the league could add two, three or four teams.

Selecting expansion markets has been a fluid process for league executives, who have spent months working through the available options. “The answers will come when we feel comfortable making a final decision,” Scheer told The Athletic last month.

There’s been no shortage of online discussion over where the league might eventually land. And over the last few weeks, there’s been increased chatter among league circles that San Jose has emerged as a prime option.

Expansion to San Jose might feel out of left field — especially as fans in established NHL cities such as Washington, D.C., and Pittsburgh have long clamored for a team — but that doesn’t mean it’s not an intriguing fit.

The Bay Area has become a premier hub for women’s sports with the additions of NWSL and WNBA franchises in recent years. Bay FC broke the NWSL attendance record last season with over 40,000 fans at Oracle Park (a record since broken by the league’s newest team, Denver Summit FC).

In the WNBA, the Golden State Valkyries topped the league average attendance table last season with over 18,000 fans per game and became the first franchise valued at $1 billion, according to CNBC, just one season into their existence.

The Bay Area also topped The Athletic’s list of women’s sports cities back in November.

As The Athletic’s Marcus Thompson II wrote: “The Bay doesn’t just support women’s sports, it centers them. It elevates them. It multiplies them. It invests in them by buying tickets and merch. Tens of thousands of people will drop everything to watch women hoop, swim, skate, run, pass, score. Shine.”

After adding expansion teams in Vancouver and Seattle last season, there is likely a need for the PWHL to continue adding teams on the West Coast. Especially if the PWHL splits two conferences; Scheer told the Associated Press the league is exploring the idea.

A team in San Jose would make the league more geographically balanced — with at least three teams out west, two in the Midwest and five out east — and could cut back on Seattle and Vancouver’s travel, which was an issue to some degree this season. Both expansion teams struggled in their inaugural seasons and finished bottom-two in the league standings. Vancouver head coach Brian Idalski was vocal about the challenges of travel.

“We’re both struggling,” he said after a two-week road trip that ended last month. “There’s something there. There’s something with the travel and us going back and forth that’s happening to our bodies.”

Hockey in general is on the upswing in San Jose, too, with 19-year-old superstar Macklin Celebrini driving one of the highest year-over-year attendance growth rates in the NHL this season. The San Jose Sharks averaged just over 16,000 fans at the SAP Center this season, up from around 14,000 in 2024-25.

The SAP Center is the most likely primary venue for a PWHL team in San Jose, and should be more available compared to other options in California. It’s also undergoing a $425 million renovation to modernize the rink. Crypto.com Arena is home to three professional teams (in the NHL, NBA and WNBA) and hosts tons of concerts and events. The Intuit Dome, home of the Los Angeles Clippers, is exclusively used for basketball and concerts.

There have been Canada-USA Rivalry Series games at Tech CU Arena — where the Sharks’ minor league affiliate plays — in San Jose in the past. But women’s hockey has outgrown that arena’s 4,200-seat capacity.

If the league indeed expands to San Jose — or another appealing West Coast market — that leaves room for two more teams. Given the consistently strong attendance numbers in the league’s current Canadian markets — Toronto, Ottawa, Vancouver and Montreal — at least one new franchise should be North of the border.

Calgary — with a brand new building opening in 2027-28 — would be an obvious landing spot for the PWHL. But if the league is bullish on getting to 12 teams in its second round of expansion — and limiting the amount of consecutive seasons it shakes up rosters — Calgary will have just missed out.

There are other strong options, however, in Hamilton, Quebec City and Halifax.

Last month, The Athletic reported that Hamilton’s stock was on the rise; that doesn’t appear to have changed. A team in Hamilton would work well within the league’s current footprint with manageable bus trips to Detroit, Ottawa and nearby Toronto. Montreal (393 miles away from Hamilton, or a six-hour drive on a good traffic day) is right on the line of the CBA’s six-hour or 400-mile threshold for air travel.

Hamilton could draw some amount of fans from the Greater Toronto Area, but also further south into Ontario and as far as Buffalo. The Toronto Sceptres have been such a success that the team’s core fan base shouldn’t be overly impacted.

Adding a team in Hamilton would also give the league a sixth — and perhaps final, for now — eastern conference team. If that’s the PWHL’s calculus, then perhaps there’s another West Coast option.

This article originally appeared in The Athletic.

San Jose Sharks, Toronto Sceptres, Minnesota Frost, Vancouver Goldeneyes, New York Sirens, Montreal Victoire, Ottawa Charge, Seattle Torrent, Boston Fleet, NHL, Sports Business, Women's Hockey

2026 The Athletic Media Company

From the moment the WNBA collective bargaining agreement was signed in March, A’ja Wilson began signaling her commitment to remain with the Las Vegas Aces.

A three-time champion and four-time MVP in her eight seasons with Las Vegas, Wilson is the lynchpin of every bit of success the Aces have achieved in the 2020s. They have a deep core of talent surrounding Wilson, but the formula works because of the generational superstar at the center of it all.

The hardest part of building a championship team is getting the player who can be a finals MVP. While other teams scrambled to acquire the core of a title team, the Aces could laser in on retaining Wilson and figure out how to pay her without losing their other stars.

Wilson clearly stating her intentions to return was the first domino to fall that compelled the rest of the starting lineup (Jackie Young, Chelsea Gray, NaLyssa Smith and Kierstan Bell) and key reserves Jewell Loyd and Dana Evans to re-sign with the Aces.

“We focused on player retention,” Aces president Nikki Fargas said this week. “When you have a roster that is as talented and seasoned as ours going into this offseason, that was huge for us.”

But with a new CBA and higher salaries on the line, there are more complications, and there’s more at stake in this new era when it comes to creating a champion team.

With players secured, Las Vegas could pivot toward managing the roster under the constraints of a new salary cap. Not only did the cap increase nearly five-fold from $1.5 million in 2025 to $7 million in 2026, but players could now earn a larger share of the cap. The supermaximum salary now accounts for 20 percent of the salary cap, compared to less than 17 percent a year ago. The standard maximum salary is currently 17 percent of the cap.

That distinction was of particular interest to the Aces, one of the few teams to have multiple players who merit a max contract. Wilson, Young and Gray had all been playing on extensions below the max during the 2025 season. They were all due for raises, both in total salary and how much of the cap they could command.

Young ended up signing for a one-year maximum deal worth $1.19 million, less than a potential supermax, while Gray agreed to a three-year deal starting at $1 million with 5 percent raises.

No one took advantage of the opportunity more than Wilson, who signed a three-year supermaximum contract that is worth 20 percent of the cap during each year of the deal, per sources with knowledge of the contract. If the cap rises as much as possible through 2028, Wilson’s deal — which starts at $1.4 million in 2026 — could pay her more than $4.7 million total over three seasons. At the time of signing, it was the richest contract in WNBA history.

“We really capitalized on the platform that we have, and there’s nothing better than a room full of women that has one goal, and they want to make sure they obtain it,” Wilson said at media day about the work of the WNBPA in CBA negotiations. “This is just the beginning. I don’t want us to be satisfied in this. At the same time, I’m happy, I’m blessed, and I’m pleased about the work that we’ve put in, but it was due. It’s our time, and so I’m greedy, and I want a little bit more for us. And I don’t really care who has anything to say about that.”

Wilson’s contract is unique — it’s called a “floating” supermax — in that it is specifically tied to how much revenue the league brings in. Unlike previous CBAs that had a fixed salary cap for each year of the agreement, the current CBA only prescribed a salary cap for 2026. The cap for every season beyond this one for the rest of the eight-year term will be dictated by the business of the WNBA; the only aspect that is fixed is how much the cap can increase or decrease each year. Because the cap is based on revenue, that means players’ salaries can also grow with revenue.

The Aces center is placing a bet on the league to continue growing so that her salary increases commensurately over the next two seasons. The cap can rise by as much as 13 percent in 2027 and then another 10 percent in 2028. That is far greater than the 5 percent raises Wilson would otherwise be bound to in a standard veteran contract.

Although the unique nature of her deal creates uncertainty for Wilson, it clarifies Las Vegas’ future planning. Without knowing how much revenue will rise in the coming years, the front office at least knows it has 80 percent of the cap available for the remainder of its roster. In a sense, the three-year contracts that Gray and Loyd signed create more ambiguity on the cap sheet because it’s unclear what percent of the cap they take.

The Aces understand the value of their star talent. The only players on three-year deals are Wilson, Gray and Loyd. The priority is to maintain the core and flexibility to retain Young next offseason rather than lock into long-term commitments with role players, even as the front office tries to maintain continuity.

“There is loyalty on both sides here, where there are players that feel loyal to us and obviously, the organization has loyalty to them as well,” Fargas said. “We wanted to make sure that we have a stable core of players, not too much movement because they understand our culture.”

As a result, the majority of Las Vegas’ roster chose to return despite coming off a championship and likely being able to command a higher salary elsewhere. Consider that Megan Gustafson, who averaged 10 minutes in the playoffs, signed for $500,000 in Portland. That is more than every non-All-Star will make on the 2026 Aces, including Smith, a starter for the defending champs.

“I get that we have great players and people want to be anywhere and everywhere in this league, if they really wanted to,” Wilson said. “I’m thankful to be able to be a part of a franchise that people want to be a part of. People want to make history. People want to be a part of this legendary run that we’ve been on.”

That legendary run now includes a historic payday that directly takes advantage of the new gains of the CBA.

This article originally appeared in The Athletic.

Las Vegas Aces, WNBA, Sports Business

2026 The Athletic Media Company

Carys Cox and Hannah Dallavalle return to Wales' backline for the Six Nations trip to Ireland on Saturday (18:30 BST).

Cox missed the defeats by France and England after picking up a knock in training, while Dallavalle was a late withdrawal against the Red Roses.

Cox slots back into midfield alongside Courtney Keight, while Dallavalle, usually a centre herself, moves out to the wing in place of Seren Singleton.

Georgia Evans is the third starting change, taking her place in the second row in place of the injured Gwen Crabb.

It will be Evans' first start of the campaign and she is partnered by Branwen Metcalfe who trades positions with Jorja Aiono in the back row.

Nikita Prothero is set for a debut off the bench, while Natalia John could win her 50th cap.

Bethan Lewis will lead the side out at Affidea Stadium, with Kate Williams ruled out of the rest of the tournament with a leg injury.

• Wales' rising star Aiono proud of Samoan heritage
• Wales' Metcalfe signs new Gloucester-Hartpury deal

Wales are winless in the tournament so far, with their most recent Six Nations victory coming against Italy in 2024.

And despite the wooden spoon looming large for a third consecutive year, they are encouraged by their four-try showing against world champions England last time out.

"We are excited to resume the Six Nations and build on the grit and resilience we showed against England," said Wales head coach Sean Lynn.

"We took another real step forward in building our playing style and team identity and we know we have to do the same against Ireland in their own backyard.

"This is a new-look Wales squad and it's all about sticking to our principles and process and focussing on what we want to do and expect from ourselves in the Test arena.

"Ireland are an ambitious side and will be hurting after their run of results in the tournament and we know they will be looking to make a statement in Belfast on Saturday."

How they line up

Wales: Powell; Dallavalle, Cox, Keight, J Joyce; George, Bevan; Pyrs, Jones, Tuipulotu, Metcalfe, Evans, Aiono, Lewis (capt), King

Replacements: Reardon,Davies, Rose, John, A Joyce, Lockwood, Bell, Prothero

Officials

Referee: Aurélie Groizeleau (FFR)

Assistants: Alexandra Ferre (FFR), Beatrice Smussi (FIR)

TMO: Paulo Duarte (FPR)

FPRO: Dan Jones (RFU)

Kylian Mbappé is sidelined with a hamstring injury.

Lamine Yamal is out for the rest of the season and so is Brazil star Estêvão.

There was also a scare when Mohamed Salah hurt his hamstring recently.

Injuries to some of soccer's biggest names are mounting ahead of the World Cup which starts in five weeks.

Mbappé is expected to play again for Real Madrid this month and there is no suggestion his issue will rule him out of the World Cup. But every setback to France's best player will be of concern to the national team.

Barcelona's teenage sensation Yamal — recuperating from a leg muscle injury — is also expected to be part of Spain's squad and appear at his first World Cup.

And initial fears about Salah have been dispelled.

Others, however, have not been so fortunate.

France's Hugo Ekitike sustained an Achilles injury in April that could take more than six months to fully recover, ruling him out of the tournament co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico and possibly the start of next season.

Brazil stars Rodrygo and Éder Militão are definitely out. So is Bayern Munich and Germany forward Serge Gnabry after injuring his adductor in training.

Meanwhile, the absence of Spain and Manchester City midfielder Rodri in recent weeks because of a groin injury is also worrying after he missed the majority of last season due to ACL damage. City manager Pep Guardiola has given positive updates about Rodri's recovery in recent days and the former Ballon d’Or winner should play again this season.

Players and coaches have increasingly warned about the impact of an ever-packed playing schedule, and the expanded World Cup comes a year after the relaunched, supersized Club World Cup. The Champions League has also been expanded in recent years.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta describes the demand on players as “an accident waiting to happen."

Players definitely ruled out of the World Cup

Argentina: Joaquín Panichelli (ACL)

Brazil: Éder Militão (hamstring), Rodrygo (ACL)

France: Hugo Ekitike (Achilles)

Germany: Serge Gnabry (adductor)

Netherlands: Xavi Simons (ACL)

United States: Cameron Carter-Vickers (Achilles), Patrick Agyemang (Achilles)

Ones to watch

Algeria: Goalkeeper Luca Zidane, the son of France icon Zinedine Zidane, is a doubt after a facial injury during an on-field collision last month.

Argentina: Cristian Romero has been ruled out for the season with a knee injury. It has not yet been confirmed if he is out of the World Cup, with Tottenham not giving a timeframe for his recovery.

Brazil: Teenage sensation Estêvão will not play again for Chelsea this month after a hamstring injury. There are conflicting reports as to whether he will recover in time for the World Cup.

Croatia: Veteran midfielder Luka Modrić broke his cheekbone last month but is expected to be available for the World Cup.

Morocco: Paris Saint-Germain defender Achraf Hakimi has been sidelined with a right thigh injury.

United States: Defender Miles Robinson hasn’t played since April 18 because of a leg injury.

___

James Robson is at https://x.com/jamesalanrobson

___

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

The NFL's regular-season schedule might be an intricate puzzle, but any notion of equity quickly falls by the wayside when it comes to optimizing the broadcast slate.

For as much as the league touts its pervasive parity, that dynamic rarely extends to the balance – or lack thereof – in how prime-time games are distributed. Franchises in key markets and large audiences remain fixtures of the standalone slate, while others are left to fight for scraps.

But the allotment can vary greatly from season to season as expectations shift for each organization. Ahead of this year's schedule release, here are five teams that deserve fewer prime-time games in 2026:

Atlanta Falcons

With five prime-time games and a standalone window for their Germany matchup in 2025, the Falcons received a major vote of confidence from the league. A breakthrough for Atlanta and quarterback Michael Penix Jr. never materialized, and Arthur Blank cleaned house in response to the disappointment.

Even with new coach Kevin Stefanski aboard, the Falcons hardly qualify as must-see TV. A quarterback competition between Penix and Tua Tagovailoa likely won't move the needle with viewers or produce much better results through the air. A stagnant Atlanta roster has also been passed up by its competition in the NFC South, with the Carolina Panthers and New Orleans Saints showing serious signs of growth. It's time to spread the wealth in the division, which can easily be achieved by bumping the Falcons down to a slate befitting a team stuck in neutral.

Miami Dolphins

The NFL made it all the way to Week 16 last year before flexing a prime-time matchup, giving the rudderless Dolphins and Cincinnati Bengals the boot. That was perhaps a harbinger of how the league might treat the former this spring after reserving five such slots for the team in 2025.

First-year general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan has left no doubt that Miami is going full bore with its teardown, which has sent away the likes of Tagovailoa, wide receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, edge rusher Bradley Chubb and more. All that's left in the rubble: various low-cost holdovers, bargain free-agent signings and rookies trying to find their way. And while quarterback Malik Willis provides some panache with his big-play capabilities as a runner and downfield thrower, he's sure to be inhibited by a receiving corps lacking any established options. This looks like a season that will be spent toiling and tweaking before the Dolphins can establish any real competitive credentials. It's probably best for the group to do that away from the limelight.

Washington Commanders

In 2025, the league's schedule-makers embraced a Washington team coming off an unexpected run to the NFC championship game, giving the franchise five prime-time games along with a Christmas slot and a standalone international window. The Commanders went on to lose all seven of those contests, though three of those defeats were only sealed on the last play.

Is that a sign of a rapid re-emergence? With Jayden Daniels getting a fresh slate after a spate of injuries spoiled his sophomore campaign, there's reason to believe Washington should be far more formidable in 2026. Yet the Commanders will be working in two first-time coordinators, with David Blough instituting what likely will be a more methodical offense that emphasizes more under-center work. That's not exactly a scintillating setup for a team that didn't do much from a personnel standpoint to support Daniels, who still lacks a viable No. 2 target alongside Terry McLaurin.

The Commanders should find a more stable resting point between the high of 2024 and last season's nadir. But Washington remains decidedly outside of the NFC's prime class of contenders, and its schedule should reflect that reality.

Arizona Cardinals

Since getting rid of its mandate for every team to be scheduled for at least one prime-time game, the NFL hasn't been shy about keeping some of its duller and less competitive operations out of the spotlight. That could mean trouble for Arizona, which got two prime-time appointments in 2025 but could be blanked this fall.

First-year coach Mike LaFleur might see better fortune on the health front – the Cardinals finished last season with 24 players on injured reserve – and in close contests than predecessor Jonathan Gannon did. Yet the team that finished with the worst point differential in the NFC (-133) remains a long way off from challenging anyone in its division after going 0-6 against NFC West foes last year. No matter whether Jacoby Brissett holds onto the starting quarterback job or gives way to third-rounder Carson Beck, the offense looks bound to be boxed in by its limitations behind center. And while the arrival of Jeremiyah Love might spark some mild intrigue, running room likely will be hard to come by – as will any game times outside of Sunday afternoons.

New York Jets

Maybe this seems harsh for a team that was already pushed to the fringes, with their prime-time tally being razed from six in 2024 to two last year. Yet even matching that amount this fall would be generous for a regime that still hasn't conjured a reason for others to tune in.

Gang Green very well might be a more competent operation after absorbing some necessary lessons from Aaron Glenn's turbulent first year at the helm. But are the Jets any more compelling than they previously were? The defense still seems stuck in a transitional phase after dealing away Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams at midseason, and the new pairing of quarterback Geno Smith and coordinator Frank Reich doesn't inspire a ton of confidence for an offensive surge.

The Jets, of course, are too big a brand to be shunted aside completely. But while a "Thursday Night Football" game against an AFC East rival might be reasonable, anything beyond that might be a stretch.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 2026 NFL schedule: Five teams that deserve fewer prime-time games

Gloucester forward Freddie Thomas said the team refined and simplified their gameplan prior to their win against Exeter which allowed them to play more to their potential.

The 34-31 win against the Chiefs at the end of April was only the third Prem win of the season for the Cherry and Whites.

The 2025-26 campaign has largely been a season to forget for eighth-placed Gloucester, but they are hoping to finish on a high with four games remaining.

"We've done well the last couple of weeks of refining our gameplan and making it super simple so boys can go out there and do what they do best - being physical and being confident and it showed last week," Thomas told BBC Radio Gloucestershire.

"As a player the more you have to think about the less you're thinking about the rugby and being in the moment, so we've done quite well to refine it down, let boys just focus on playing rugby."

A run of nine defeats in 10 games from the start of the season ended Gloucester's chance of making the season-ending Prem play-offs before the campaign had really got going.

Wales international lock Thomas conceded the change could have happened earlier to try and stop the poor run, but that is easy to say with hindsight.

"Potentially we should have [made the change] but I think the gameplan earlier in the season was there and it was what we thought was the right thing to do," he said.

• Prem rugby 2026-27 season to begin on 25 September
• Gloucester edge past play-off chasing Chiefs
• Prem breaks 'tricky' for momentum - Skivington

Gloucester host Sale in their next outing on Friday (19:45 BST), a team that has similarly struggled this season and sit just six points ahead in the table in seventh, also out of the play-off race.

Despite having no trophy to challenge for, Thomas said that did not mean the players are "throwing in the towel" on the their final games.

"Skivs [George Skivington, head coach] has been very vocal on how there is things to play for," Thomas said.

"He doesn't like that narrative of, 'We're not in the top four and there's nothing to play for, we're not going at it', because that's just not true.

"We've still got fans paying their money to come and watch us and we've got that individual ambition in the team to try and build it for next year.

"There's lots of different things we have going on that's making us push for it - there's definitely no sign of throwing in the towel."

Joe Cordina says he will be achieving an American dream when he fights Abdullah Mason in Ohio on Independence Day. Well almost.

The former world super-featherweight world champion had set his sights on emulating fellow Welshman Joe Calzaghe in winning world title fights in Las Vegas and New York.

Instead on 4 July, his US mission will be to challenge WBO lightweight champion Mason in the 22-year-old's hometown of Cleveland.

"I've achieved everything I've wanted to achieve, I've still got ambition of being a world champion but I've always wanted to have a big fight in America against a big name," 34-year-old Cordina told BBC Radio Wales' Drive programme.

"And, at this present moment, Abdullah Mason is a massive name, especially being the youngest world champion. It's a massive test but it's one I'm more than capable of."

• Cordina to fight Mason for WBO lightweight title
• Two-weight world champion goal motivates Cordina

Former world super-middleweight and light-heavyweight champion Calzaghe won twice in America in a stellar unbeaten career.

In April 2008 he defeated Bernard Hopkins at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, before beating Roy Jones Jr at New York's Madison Square Garden later that year in his final fight.

"I remember when [Joe] went over to fight Roy Jones and Bernard Hopkins and he had the same sort of ambition as me, he wanted them big in America," added Cordina, whose fight with Mason was confirmed this week.

"Ideally, my goal was to fight in America and fight in Vegas or Madison Square Garden.

"Unfortunately it can't be done, it's in his hometown in Cleveland, so it is what it is, but at the same time, it's one of them nights and to follow in the footsteps of the likes of Joe Calzaghe and other British fighters - Ricky Hatton, Carl Froch and many others - it's just a massive achievement for me.

"I'm over the moon to get it over the line and I'm looking to come and get the job done."

If Cordina can get the job done at the CSU Wolstein Centre in July, he would emulate Calzaghe by becoming a two-weight world champion.

Since losing his IBF super-featherweight crown to Anthony Cacace in May 2024 - his only defeat in 19 professional fights - Cordina has already won twice in the heavier 135lb division.

After beating Jaret Gonzalez Quiroz to claim the vacant WBO global lightweight title in July last year, in December he dominated Gabriel Flores Jr for a unanimous victory on points in California.

"I started my career off at lightweight and I think my first nine fights, my 10th fight was at super-feather," added Cordina, who won British and Commonwealth titles at lightweight earlier in his career.

"I was just making the weight too easy, so we went down.

"As I'm getting older, your metabolism slows down a little, so it's not as easy to make the weight. So I decided to move up.

"I feel very comfortable at lightweight and I think you're going to see the best of me at lightweight, especially in the next couple of years. I think I'll be in some very exciting fights."

Cordina may be looking forward to the prospect of returning to America for a second Stateside contest in eight months, but he is enjoying spending more time with family since settling his life back in his own home city of Cardiff.

Having trained in Sheffield as an amateur, and with Tony Simms in Brentwood at the started of his professional career, in 2025 he returned to south Wales to work with Gary Lockett at Cardiff's Llanrumney Phoenix Boxing Club.

"I missed all my early adult years," said Cordina.

"I missed my 18th birthday, my 21st, my 30th, just from travelling back and forth to Sheffield. Then when I turned pro I was up in Essex, so I almost missed all three of my kids' births. Then all their first birthdays I missed, and I missed many of their birthdays along the way.

"The sacrifice kept me hungry but I just think at this present moment in my career, my life, I think mentally it's a lot better for me to be at home and I know the game inside and out now.

"I just need someone to guide me in the right direction, I think Gary Lockett's the right man to do it."

• Boxing schedule and results 2026
• Notifications, social media and more with BBC Sport

Zach Benson is Buffalo's 'rat' — and he's exactly who the Sabres need originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Zach Benson is the epitome of the athlete who you love when he’s on your team and hate when he’s on the other side.

Even his own Buffalo Sabres teammates lovingly call him their “rat.” Pick whatever noun you’d like: Pest. Annoyance. Pain in the you know what.

Benson may be small, 5-foot-10, but on this night, with the Sabres in the second round of the playoffs for the first time in 19 years, he was a giant.

The third-line winger was Montreal Canadiens enemy number one on Wednesday night in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals, a 4-2 win for the Buffalo Sabres to gain an immediate edge. 

“He’s one of the guys that you definitely don’t want to play against,” Benson’s lineman Josh Doan told The Sporting News after the game. “That’s the biggest honor you can have as a player is hated to play against. Those are the guys that you want on your team. We’re pretty fortunate to have Benny with us.”

MORE: Sabres 'blend in well with this city' in Game 1 win

Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff chose to start Benson’s line on Wednesday, the nominal third-line group with Josh Norris and Josh Doan, for a quick burst of energy. Ruff was quick to question afterward, though – “Who said they were our third line?”

The number didn’t matter.

Benson and his feisty linemates did.

It took Benson just 30 seconds to draw a tripping penalty on Lane Hutson, and while Buffalo didn’t score on that powerplay, the tone was set.

Benson created Buffalo’s first goal soon enough. He had a nifty takeaway near the benches -- again making Hutson look bad -- drove into the offensive zone, then set up the easiest tap-in of Doan’s life for 1-0 Sabres.

“We’re building together,” Doan said of his partnership with Benson. “You get paired with a guy over and over again, you’re gonna start finding each other. We play the game very similarly.”

The “rat” had the primary assist on the second goal, too, dishing to Ryan McLeod for a 2-0 lead.

“If he was on the other side, I wouldn’t want to be coaching against him,” Buffalo head coach Lindy Ruff said after the game. “I thought his effort was tremendous.”

MORE: Maple Leafs winning lottery doesn't mean what you think for Auston Matthews

The only thing Benson couldn’t manage on this night was a goal of his own.

He came closest to getting an empty-netter for Buffalo, but the timing in the offensive zone didn’t work out quite right against a scrambling Montreal defense.

That didn’t matter, though. Benson scores goals, but he isn’t a goal scorer. 

He’s the guy who will do whatever it takes to win. He’ll get into scraps with defensemen who are eight inches taller than him. He’ll crash into the boards, fall down, and get right back up to take the puck away anyway.

Every time Benson touched the puck, or even approached it on Wednesday night, the Buffalo crowd buzzed in anticipation.

He’s still just 20 years old, but he’s everyone in Buffalo’s favorite show right now. If Benson is on the ice, something is bound to happen, and right now, it’s almost always something good for the Sabres.

“That line gave us a great night,” Ruff said. “(Benson’s) effort on a lot of different plays made a difference in the game.”

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Barcelona’s interest in Julian Alvarez is no secret and with Atletico Madrid out of the Champions League, the matter can be resolved decisively in the coming weeks. The Blaugrana have made it clear to the Argentina international both that he is their preferred number nine signing this summer, and what he must do to make the move happen.

As per MD, Alvarez will now take a period of time to reflect on his future, weighing up what to do next, something he said he would do back in November during an interview with L’Equipe. Atletico Madrid are keen to get him to sign a contract renewal with a wage rise, and Barcelona are keen to sign him, while there have also been conversations with Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain in recent months. So far Alvarez has been non-committal on his future.

Barcelona lay out next step to Julian Alvarez

Despite making him their top target, Barcelona have been clear that they will not pay over the odds for Alvarez, seemingly setting a €100m budget for the operation. They believe the only way the move happens is if Alvarez openly declares a desire to move, forcing Atletico into action, and to accept a cut-price deal.

Atletico Madrid stance on transfer saga

The same outlet also provide the perspective from the Metropolitano. They say that Atletico are not overly concerned by Barcelona’s interest, something they have dealt with before with Antoine Griezmann, and they feel it is likely to end in the same manner as their interest in Nico Williams or Luis Diaz over the past two summers – not being able to front the money to make a deal happen.

On the other hand, if Alvarez were to request a move, Atletico would prioritise selling him abroad rather than to a direct competitor, and feel there would be sufficient interest to do so. This is something they see as unlikely, given he is comfortable, and has the stability he wants, with a strong Argentine core around him in Juan Musso, Nahuel Molina, Thiago Almada and Giuliano Simeone. Either way, it seems Los Colchoneros are confident that Alvarez will not end up in Barcelona this summer.

Sir Dave Brailsford is no longer a director at Manchester United, a filing by the Premier League club has confirmed.

The 62-year-old played a key role before and after Sir Jim Ratcliffe completed his minority takeover of the club in February 2024, a period which saw him step down as team principal of the Ineos Grenadiers cycling team.

It emerged last June, however, that Brailsford’s role at the club would be scaled back as part of a reshuffle, leading to his return as director of sport for the wider Ineos group.

The break from United was formalised on April 30, a document on Companies House published on Thursday confirmed, with Brailsford’s role as director of the club terminated.

He was appointed as a director on February 19, 2024 and United finished 15th, losing the Europa League final, in his only full season with the club.

United currently sit third in the Premier League standings having secured Champions League qualification with three matches to spare.

As the years go by, the Seattle Sounders' 2022 triumph in the Concacaf Champions Cup increasingly looks like more of an anomaly than a sea change.

The Sounders' win snapped a series of 16 straight continental champions hailing from Mexico, and many MLS fans − and many in the league office − hoped it would signal that teams from the U.S. and Canada were set to win additional continental trophies.

How many Concacaf Champions Cup finals have Liga MX teams won in the modern era?

Instead, Liga MX is starting another streak, with this year's final confirmed to be taking place between Toluca and Tigres. That will mark the fourth consecutive Mexican champion and make it 20 of the past 21 teams who win the top club tournament in the region hailing from Mexico. It also means that all but one champion since 2008-09, considered the modern era when the governing body made key changes to further professionalize the tournament, has been from Liga MX.

Toluca erased LAFC star Son Heung-min from the second leg of their series and notched an emphatic 4-0 win at home Wednesday, May 6. The Diablos Rojos will host the final in the Estadio Nemesio Diez, nicknamed La Bombonera, thanks to better CCC results than fellow finalist Tigres.

Tigres were able to secure 1-0 wins over Nashville SC both in Tennessee and at home in Nuevo León to return to the final for the first time since they lifted the trophy in 2020.

One MLS club made the final in each of the last three years, with LAFC, the Columbus Crew and the Vancouver Whitecaps all falling short in the final − which has been a one-off match since 2024 after years of being played as a two-legged series.

But since the 2008-09 edition, 10 finals have been between two Mexican clubs, including this year's, which will take place on May 30.

For now, the balance of power continues to stay with the Mexican league, even as MLS states its ambitions to join the top leagues in the world.

With the advent of Leagues Cup, a knockout tournament that pits MLS and Liga MX teams against each other, MLS has not only seen some success but increased its chances in CCC. The tournament awards CCC places to its top three finishers, which have been filled by MLS teams in every edition.

But that tournament is played only in the U.S. − with matches taking place in Mexico for the first time in this summer's competition.

List of Concacaf Champions Cup winners in the modern era

2008-09: Atlante

2009-10: Pachuca

2010-11: Monterrey

2011-12: Monterrey

2012-13: Monterrey

2013-14: Cruz Azul

2014-15: Club América

2015-16: Club América

2016-17: Pachuca

2018: Chivas

2019: Monterrey

2020: Tigres

2021: Monterrey

2022: Seattle Sounders

2023: Club León

2024: Pachuca

2025: Cruz Azul

2026: Toluca vs. Tigres, May 30, Estadio Nemesio Diez

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Toluca-Tigres Concacaf Champions Cup final confirms Liga MX domination

After a busy offseason, the Tennessee Titans appear to be trending in the right direction after adding a new coaching staff and talent to both sides of the ball. Unfortunately, there is still a long way to go until the season kicks off, and right now, everything is speculation.

With offseason team activities on the horizon, there is definitely a lot to like about the Titans and navigating the rest of the offseason. But as Bryan DeArdo of CBS Sports points out, there are reasons for optimism in 2026.

Tennessee TitansExperienced leadership

Tennessee's rebuild is being led by second-year general manager Mike Borgonzi and new coach Robert Salah. Prior to arriving in Nashville, Borgonzi won three Super Bowls while serving in the Chiefs' front office. Salah has 21 years of NFL experience, including two successful tenures as the 49ers' defensive coordinator.

The Titans' coaching staff also includes offensive coordinator Brian Daboll, who led the Giants to their only playoff win since Super Bowl XLVI. Daboll also had a successful run in Buffalo while serving as Josh Allen's first offensive coordinator. He will look to have similar success now with second-year quarterback Cam Ward.

The atmosphere in Nashville surrounding the Titans feels completely different this offseason, and from general manager Mike Borgonzi down to head coach Robert Saleh and his coaching staff, everything appears to be in lockstep, with a clear identity being built. Yes, there are still holes and work to be done, but the Titans are looking more like a team on the rise than a basement dweller heading into the season.

This article originally appeared on Titans Wire: Why Tennessee Titans should be optimistic in 2026

Ralf Schumacher named the one driver on the grid who has a seat because of the financial backing he brings to the team.

In Formula 1, earning a spot on a team takes more than just skill behind the wheel. The sport’s huge financial demands mean drivers often need to bring more than just talent—they have to be marketable and profitable, too.

Sponsorship money is what keeps most F1 teams running. A driver who can attract sponsors doesn’t just help fill seats; they add real value beyond their performance on track.

Sometimes, that ability can even buy extra time when results aren’t there. Ralf Schumacher believes that’s exactly what’s happening with Alpine and Flavio Briatore’s continued patience with Franco Colapinto.

Ralf Schumacher suggests Franco Colapinto’s Alpine role is down to money

Speaking on the latest episode of Backstage Boxengasse, Ralf Schumacher suggested that Franco Colapinto has Flavio Briatore’s backing at Alpine because of financial reasons.

Schumacher pointed out that Colapinto brings valuable sponsorship to the team, which he feels is a key reason why Briatore has chosen to back him.

“I truly believe that Flavio Briatore partly believes in Franco Colapinto and attributes a certain talent to him. There’s no question about that.

“But I think he has a few million reasons to do so. In the development phase, where the team is, it doesn’t necessarily matter if they finish in the last 10.”

“Gasly is someone he can rely on. Colapinto is someone who can be faster at times and slower. But he brings money that he urgently needs to get the team back on track,” Schumacher said.

“Renault and the investors want to contribute as little as possible, and every dollar is important.

“I don’t mean to diminish his achievement, but that’s part of the truth as to why Flavio Briatore agreed to go along with him. And if he ultimately gets his way because he adjusts his performance again, then all the better for him.”

Franco Colapinto’s Alpine future tied to Flavio Briatore’s support

While Briatore had initially pushed for Colapinto to leave Alpine before he re-signed with the team, he is now expected to support the Argentine strongly going forward.

Briatore has spoken highly of Colapinto since his performances began to improve, viewing him as a valuable asset to Alpine.

Colapinto’s future at Alpine is still uncertain though. There are voices within the organisation who believe that someone else might be a better fit for the team.

Despite being critical in the past, if Colapinto can maintain results like his P7 finish in Miami, there’s a good chance Briatore will stand by him moving forward.

Read more:

After taking former Georgia Bulldogs standout Zachariah Branch in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft, the Atlanta Falcons agreed to terms with five more wide receivers as undrafted free agents. That accounts for nearly a third of the team's 16 reported UDFA signings.

More than anything, this shows how big of a need the wide receiver position was for Atlanta going into the draft. Continuing with our Falcons undrafted free agent spotlight series, today we examine former Miami wide receiver Keelan Marion.

Falcons UDFA profile: WR Keelan Marion

• 2025 Stats: 57 catches, 746 yards, 2 TD

Marion began his career at Connecticut, recording 32 catches for 563 receiving yards over two seasons before transferring to BYU in 2021. After failing to make much of an impact with the Cougars, Marion transferred to Miami in 2025 and had a career year.

He finished the season with 57 catches for a 746 receiving yards and two touchdowns. Marion recorded 133 catches for 1,871 receiving yards and nine touchdowns over his five collegiate seasons.

Marion, like the others on this list, has experience as a kick returner. He returned 50 career kicks for 1,174 yards and two touchdowns. Marion showed some ability out of the backfield as well, rushing for 161 yards and five touchdowns over the last three seasons at BYU and Miami.

At 6-foot, 195 pounds, Marion's role on offense would likely be in the slot. The former Hurricane is an above-average route runner and he's quick enough to be a force after the catch.

"Marion stems his routes well to attack angles and leverages to set up his route breaks. He is adept at locating and working into the defender's blind spot in bail technique (cover 3 drop)," wrote Bleacher Report's Damian Parson. "He runs good routes and operates in areas of the field that translate to the NFL."

Keelan Marion in the Fiesta Bowl:

7 REC
114 YDs
1 TD

WHAT A GAME. pic.twitter.com/xIy3XPEVBd

— CanesMuse (@canes_muse) January 9, 2026

Check out the Falcons' unofficial list of free agent signings below.

Falcons' undrafted free agents (unofficial)

1. QB Jack Strand, MSU-Moorhead: According to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero, the Falcons are signing MSU-Moorhead quarterback Jack Strand. Atlanta met with Strand before the draft and now he joins the team as its fourth quarterback. Last season, Strand had 3,546 yards and 42 touchdowns with 14 interceptions.
2. RB Cash Jones, Georgia: The Falcons are signing undrafted Georgia running back Cash Jones, per SI draft expert Justin Melo. Jones met with the team ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft. The pass-catching weapon is someone to watch in training camp.
3. TE Brandon Frazier, Auburn: According to NFL insider Jordan Schultz, the Falcons are signing undrafted free agent Auburn tight end/h-back Brandon Frazier. A blocking specialist, Frazier gives the team some much-needed tight end depth.
4. TE Jack Velling, Michigan State: The Falcons are signing undrafted Michigan State tight end Jack Velling, per NFL insider Jordan Schultz. Last season, Velling had 36 catches for 359 receiving yards and three touchdowns over 12 games in East Lansing.
5. WR Keelan Marion, Miami: The Falcons are signing undrafted Miami wide receiver Keelan Marion, per report. Marion had 57 receptions for 746 receiving yards and two touchdowns for the Hurricanes last season.
6. WR Andrel Anthony, Duke: According to USA TODAY reporter Arye Pulli, the Falcons are signing undrafted Duke wide receiver Andrel Anthony. The former Blue Devil had 26 catches for 246 receiving yards and five touchdowns last season.
7. WR Malik Rutherford, Georgia Tech: The Falcons are signing Georgia Tech wide receiver Malik Rutherford according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero. The 5-foot-9 wideout recorded 46 catches for 519 yards and three touchdowns last season.
8. WR Vinny Anthony, Wisconsin: According to NFL insider Jordan Schultz, the Falcons are signing Wisconsin wide receiver Vinny Anthony. The former Badgers wideout will reportedly get $265,000 guaranteed to join Atlanta. Last season, he had 31 catches for 391 receiving yards and one touchdown.
9. WR Le'Meke Brockington, Minnesota: According to NFL insider Aaron Wilson, the Falcons are signing Minnesota wide receiver Le'Meke Brockington. Last season, he had 46 catches for 484 receiving yards and four touchdowns for the Golden Gophers.
10. CB Malcolm Dewalt, Akron: The Atlanta Falcons are signing Akron CB Malcolm Dewalt, according to NFL reporter Easton Butler. Dewalt had two interceptions, one forced fumble and eight passes defended last season.
11. OL Kam Dewberry, Texas A&M: The Falcons are signing Alabama Crimson Tide offensive lineman Kam Dewberry, per reporter Wyatt Fulton. Dewberry is another developmental guard prospect with some upside.
12. OL Riley Mahlman, Wisconsin: The Falcons are signing Wisconsin offensive lineman Riley Mahlman, per NFL reporter Aaron Wilson. The 6-foot-8 left tackle is an intriguing developmental prospect.
13. C James Brockermeyer, Miami: The Atlanta Falcons are signing Miami center James Brockermeyer, per NFL reporter Matt Zenitz reported. Brokermeyer can provide depth behind Ryan Neuzil in 2026.
14. DT Carlos Allen, Houston: "Former Houston DT Carlos Allen is signing with the Falcons, per source," NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero reported on Saturday evening. The Falcons needed help at defensive tackle and Allen is someone to watch in training camp.
15. DL CJ Nunnally, Purdue: The Falcons are expected to sign former Purdue defensive lineman CJ Nunnally, according to NFL reporter Matt Zenitz.
16. LSPhilip Florenzo, Clemson: The Falcons have signed long snapper Philip Florenzo, per report. Florenzo was one of just seven long snappers at the combine.

The Falcons begin OTAs on May 26 and mandatory minicamp kicks off on June 9.

This article originally appeared on Falcons Wire: Atlanta Falcons UDFA class: WR Keelan Marion scouting report

Entering his third season, Texas A&M head coach Mike Elko has proven his ability to pick up where former coach Jimbo Fisher left off on the recruiting trail, securing back-to-back top 10-ranked signing classes, and currently holds the No. 1-ranked 2027 cycle after landing four five-star prospects, now including elite offensive lineman Kennedy Brown.

This week, Elko and his staff received a prediction from On3 insider Steve Wiltfong to land a commitment from five-star cornerback Joshua Dobson, who, just a few months ago, looked like a lock to land with the LSU Tigers, but ever since his recent visit to College Station, the blue-chip defensive back is on great terms with Texas A&M heading into the summer.

Set to take an official visit with the Aggies on June 5, Dobson is still considering LSU, as well as South Carolina, Auburn, and the Michigan Wolverines, who all possess a long history of developing cornerbacks for the NFL. Dobson will also take official visits to LSU, South Carolina, and Auburn, which have been confirmed.

Right now, Rivals has Texas A&M with a 60% chance to secure Dobson's commitment, and during his recent interview with the insider Chad Simmons, the North Carolina native further confirmed that the way Mike Elko and his staff have laid out the red carpet and continue to communicate at a high level directly led to his week's prediction.

“How they are recruiting me definitely matters… coming in with a great group of guys like that would make me better,” Dobson stated. “I like the defensive mind of the head coach (Mike Elko) is too… You don’t find that a lot. The development, the culture, everything there is top-notch. They have the coaches, a great plan and it is a 40-year plan there.”

While early predictions aren't definitive by any means, Dobson's tone and tenure when discussing Texas A&M and his recruitment speak volumes heading into his OV. Still, LSU, now headed by Lane Kiffin, should be considered a major player moving forward.

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions. Follow Cameron on X: @CameronOhnysty.

This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: 2027 5-star CB Joshua Dobson discusses Texas A&M's '40-year plan'

The WNBA is back as the league tips off its 30th season in Friday, May 8.

The Las Vegas Aces will be looking to run it back as defending champs with the reigning MVP, A'ja Wilson, leading the way. Lots of other contenders hope to have something to say about that including the Atlanta Dream, New York Liberty and Indiana Fever.

The Fever, who were without floor leader Caitlin Clark for much of last season, are fully healthy. The Liberty, who were also bitten by the injury bug last season, already have Sabrina Ionesco on the sidelines after she rolled her ankle in a preseason game against the Connecticut Sun.

The Atlanta Dream also made the trade of the offseason, getting Angel Reese from the Chicago Sky to add to a roster which won 30 games last season.

Who will win the postseason awards and the WNBA championship? USA TODAY Sports polled its Studio IX reporters Nancy Armour, Callie Fin, Meghan L. Hall, Cydney Henderson, Danielle Lerner and Mitchell Northam and the results are below. Each also made an WNBA Finals prediction.

MVP

A'ja Wilson, Las Vegas Aces

In true sports legend fashion, A’ja Wilson finds motivation where the mere mortal wouldn’t. From a fourth-place MVP vote in 2023 to being left out of conversations for the award during most of the 2025 campaign, the league’s most decorated player sees the haters and uses it all as motivation. This year, she said she’s using people’s anger as fuel for more domination. There’s no logical reason to add to her personal bulletin board. − Callie Fin

Defensive Player of the Year

A'ja Wilson, Las Vegas Aces

A'ja Wilson has won three of the last four Defensive Player of the Year titles and is poised to win another in 2026. Wilson is a walking mismatch who can guard every position, often forcing teams to game plan around her because she causes that much disruption. In 2025, she helped the Aces to 99.2 defensive rating and led the league in blocks, with a career high 2.3 blocks per game. Wilson was also ranked second in rebounds (10.2) and fourth in steals per game (1.6) − Meghan L. Hall

Rookie of the Year

Azzi Fudd, Dallas Wings | Olivia Miles, Minnesota Lynx

The No. 1 overall pick of the WNBA draft has gone on to win Rookie of the Year 16 out of 24 times, including each of the past four seasons. Azzi Fudd, the No. 1 over pick by the Dallas Wings, is in prime position to continue that streak. Fudd led the nation in made 3-pointers last season at UConn and will use her perimeter shooting to fill a glaring need for Dallas. However, Fudd can expect a run for her money from Olivia Miles, who went No. 2 overall to the Minnesota Lynx. Miles can impact the game in a variety of ways, as evidenced by her six triple-doubles at TCU last season. Miles will slide right into the starting lineup as the primary point guard and benefit from the veteran leadership surrounding her. − Cydney Henderson

Sixth Player of the Year

Naz Hillmon, Atlanta Dream

Reigning Sixth Player of the Year Naz Hillmon has a path to win again. The former Michigan Wolverine, who had a 95.8 defensive rating in 2025, has a non-stop motor and a knack for getting timely rebounds, causing turnovers or shutting down top players. She also added a more consistent 3-point shot, which should help lead the Dream's bench unit, which prides itself in causing as much disruption as possible. −Meghan L. Hall

Coach of the Year

Becky Hammon, Las Vegas Aces

With a career winning percentage of 73.1%, it’s difficult to doubt Becky Hammon and the Aces at this point. After a bumpy start last year, the Aces turned it around and finished the regular season on a 16-game winning streak, then went on to win their third championship in four years. All the key pieces are back for Las Vegas, including reigning MVP A’ja Wilson. With her on the court and Hammon on the sidelines, the Aces will always be contenders. This season, the Aces will aim to join the Houston Comets, Minnesota Lynx and Seattle Storm as four-time champions.  − Mitchell Northam

WNBA Finals predications

Las Vegas Aces over New York Liberty

Aces beat Liberty in six. Las Vegas and New York have been a step above the rest of the W the last three seasons and this year is no different. The addition of Satou Sabally gives the Liberty another offensive threat and strengthens their defense. But the Aces are still the Aces, and it’s their title to win until someone says different. − Nancy Armour

Las Vegas Aces over New York Liberty

On paper, this is the matchup that makes the most sense — and a storied one at that. The Liberty are back in super team mode after having retained Breanna Stewart, Jonquel Jones and Sabrina Ionescu while making a major free agency addition in Satou Sabally. The Aces are the reigning champions, pursuing their second back-to-back title run in five years. They’ve also retained their core, while adding frontcourt pieces (Stephanie Talbot, Brianna Turner) and potentially making the steal of the offseason by signing electric guard Chennedy Carter back into the league. All of that gives Las Vegas the edge.  − Callie Fin

Las Vegas Aces over New York Liberty

There are few teams in this league that have the consistency within their core players that the Las Vegas Aces and New York Liberty do. Las Vegas and New York will return to the WNBA Finals, with the Aces winning in seven games for their fourth franchise title. − Meghan L. Hall

Las Vegas Aces over Atlanta Dream

The Las Vegas Aces retained its entire starting lineup from last year's championship run and are in prime position to run it back. The franchise kept its core of A'ja Wilson, Jackie Young and Chelsea Gray, while also maintaining its depth with Jewell Loyd and the additions of Chennedy Carter, Brianna Turner and Stephanie Talbot. The Atlanta Dream enter this season with a chip on their shoulder after being upset in the first round of the playoffs last year. The Dream also returns its core, plus two-time All-Star Angel Reese to get them over the hump. But the Aces' experience will make all the difference. − Cydney Henderson

Atlanta Dream over Las Vegas Aces

While New York and Indiana are legitimate contenders in the East, Atlanta is a standout title threat after adding two-time All-Star Angel Reese to play alongside a returning core that includes Allisha Gray, Naz Hillmon, Rhyne Howard and Brionna Jones. The Dream boast tenacious interior rebounding to complement their versatile perimeter players, and that balance will ultimately deliver the franchise its first WNBA championship. − Danielle Lerner

Las Vegas Aces over Indiana Fever

Assuming Caitlin Clark stays healthy, Indiana has all the pieces to contend for a championship this year. However, Las Vegas — powered by A’ja Wilson — has everything it needs to run it back and repeat for the second time in five seasons. − Mitchell Northam

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Preseason WNBA predictions: Las Vegas Aces, A'ja Wilson to continue domination

Former New York Giants quarterback Russell Wilson has received an offer from the Jets, reports Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post.

Wilson began the 2025 season as the Giants' starting quarterback but was extremely underwhelming in his lone year with the team. He was benched for rookie quarterback Jaxon Dart after just four weeks, having failed to perform consistently at a high level aside from his strong Week 2 outing in Dallas.

Wilson met with the Jets at their facility last week and now appears to have a chance to reunite with his former teammate Geno Smith in New York. Following the visit, the 37-year-old quarterback addressed his options as he weighs his next move.

"It was great," he said. "They offered me, and I'm trying to figure out what the next best thing is for me to do. I still know I can play ball at a high level, but also I have an opportunity to do TV, so we'll see what happens."

A 14-year veteran and likely future Hall of Famer, Wilson threw for 831 yards and three touchdowns in six games with the Giants in 2025. He now faces a decision after receiving the contract offer from the Jets.

Should he sign, Wilson would serve as the Jets' backup quarterback behind Geno Smith and would find himself back in New York for the 2026 season.

This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: Ex-New York Giants QB Russell Wilson weighing offer from Jets

Kendall Wells is giving a new meaning to Boomer Sooner.

Oklahoma's 19-year-old freshman catcher is closing in on college softball history as she chases down a 31-year-old single-season home run record set in 1995 by Arizona's Laura Espinoza (37) in 72 games. Wells has 36 home runs in 54 games, with 32 of those matchups ending early in run-rule victories.

There's still lots of softball to be played and opportunities to break the record. Oklahoma kicks off the SEC Tournament on Thursday with a quarterfinal matchup against either No. 8 LSU or No. 9 Georgia after the Sooners earned the No. 1 seed by claiming the 2026 SEC regular-season championship. The NCAA Tournament comes after and the Sooners could play their way into the Women's College World Series.

But as the nation eagerly watches the home run record chase that's emerged between Wells and UCLA sluggers Megan Grant and Jordan Woolery, Oklahoma head coach Patty Gasso offered Wells a simple word of advice.

"Kendall (Wells) obviously is in this big race that I am not even considering a race," Gasso said ahead of the SEC Tournament. "I just keep telling her... that records are going to be broken, whether it's by you or someone else. So just be you and not try."

Wells has rewritten the record books all season. She set the SEC single-season record with her 27th home run of the year on March 31 to pass Bri Ellis' previous mark at Arkansas. Her 31st homer broke the NCAA freshman single-season record previously shared by fellow Sooners Jocelyn Alo and Lauren Chamberlain, in addition to Hawaii's Kelly Majam. Wells' 35th home run claimed Oklahoma's single-season home run record previously held by Alo.

Wells' home run quest has resulted in some teams pitching around the freshman slugger. Wells has been walked nine times in Oklahoma's past four games and hasn't hit a home run, her longest drought of the season. But Gasso said Wells has remained patient and noted her frustrations haven't spilled into her defense.

"I can't say enough about her offense. Everyone loves it, but if you watch the quickness that she has picking up bunts, I mean, she is jumping out. She is making some phenomenal defensive plays," Gasso said. "I care as much about that as I do about the way she's hitting the ball. So this is going to be a good test for her going into (the postseason), she's going to get a lot of fanfare when she shows up."

History makers in Oklahoma 🤩

Kendall Wells hit her 35th HR this season, breaking a tie with Jocelyn Alo (34 in 2021 & 2022) for the Oklahoma single-season record, moving into third on the NCAA single-season HR list in just her 49th game of the season 👏 pic.twitter.com/1UROwXEvuR

— ESPN Insights (@ESPNInsights) April 25, 2026

Wells isn't the only player chasing Espinoza's record. UCLA's Megan Grant and Jordan Woolery are also in the running with 35 and 33 home runs, respectively, as the Bruins approach the Big Ten tournament. Grant's 34 homers broke Stacey Nuveman’s UCLA single-season home run record (31) set in 1999, while Woolery's 106 RBIs leads the nation and also marks a program record.

"Just watching greatness in front of me is such an honor and I feel like I have the best seat," said Woolery, who bats behind Grant in the lineup. "I get to watch her hit every day. Even being on deck too, I'm like five feet away from her and I feel like it's so cool to see what she's doing and it's so impressive and I think just how hardworking she is. I strive to be like her too in that sense. It's awesome to see."

Wells, Grant and Woolery all have a chance to become the first player in college softball history to hit 40 homers in a single season as offense as a whole has surged this year. Oklahoma and UCLA both lead the nation with 173 total home runs this season. (The previous single-season home run record was 161).

USA TODAY Sports is tracking the single-season home run record chase as the postseason begins:

Single-season home runs leaders in college softball

Players in bold are actively competing this season.

Here's a look at the single-season home runs leaders in the history of college softball:

Reach USA TODAY National Women’s Sports Reporter Cydney Henderson at chenderson@gannett.com and follow her on X at @CydHenderson.

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

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Home run record watch — Oklahoma’s Kendall Wells nears historic milestone

Tuesday's celebrations included Mikel Arteta and his players joining hands and running towards each end of the Emirates.

Bradley Busch is a chartered sports psychologist who runs Inner Drive, a sports psychology training centre, and he told BBC Sport the collective celebration indicated a "very healthy team and squad mindset".

"The technical phrase that is used in research for this is known as 'emotional contagion', which basically says behaviours and attitudes and unity can spread and ripple through the team," he said. "One way you can do that is through celebrating together.

"On a more fundamental level, players aren't doing that to try to improve future performance - they're doing it because it's a sheer release of thinking and breathing about this stuff 24/7 and realising your goals.

"In what is such a high-pressurised environment I think it's really healthy for it not all to build up and bubble, and to celebrate on the pitch."

Busch added that anyone suggesting Arsenal's reaction was over the top "feels a bit like the old celebration police going on there".

"The nearest you can get to defining over-celebration is anything that negatively impacts the future performance," he explained.

"We sometimes see that with players and teams during the match - where they might think they have already won, which can lead to showboating or playing with much less intensity, or if it's interrupting the preparation for the next match. But this is a world away from that.

"As a Tottenham fan, I absolutely do hope it's a case of over-celebration - but that's more of my personal opinion than professional one!"

Read more on Arsenal's celebrations here

As a performance coach who frequently works with athletes and corporate executives on finding their purpose, the first step is asking them if their actions and their values are in alignment.

If clients are considering taking action on something they're not quite sure about, I will implore them to ask themselves this question: “If I take a step in this direction, will this action be in alignment with my values?”

I often do this with myself as well if I am having “analysis paralysis” (indecisiveness) when faced with problems. I recently put this into practice when I was struggling with whether or not I should buy tickets for the upcoming World Cup in the United States.

Soccer brings people together

Soccer has been an integral part of my life for a long time.

I was first introduced to the sport by my father in the late 1970s. He took me to watch our hometown Memphis Rogues compete in the old North American Soccer League.

I was hooked instantly. Over the years, I have been involved in virtually every aspect of "the beautiful game" – as a player, coach, referee and fan.

I love that all these years later, the game still connects me with people in often unexpected ways.

Just the other day, I was chatting with an Uber driver from Cameroon. I had the best ride with him while talking about Roger Milla, the legendary striker for his country's national team, which is nicknamed the Indomitable Lions.

I recently ate at a Colombian restaurant where the waiter and I had a blast talking about the passing and dribbling acumen of Carlos Valderrama, a former star player from his home country.

It never fails to delight me when this happens. In a world that seems so divided these days, I am grateful that soccer still enables me to connect with a vast array of people.

A beautiful game, with ugly pricing

I’m sad to say that I will not be attending the 2026 World Cup in my home country, though.

This event is supposed to showcase the game on a global scale and give optimism for the growth of the sport in the United States. Instead, as recent headlines indicate, it has become an apparent greedy cash grab from seemingly every entity involved.

The powers that be thought it would be a good idea to charge astronomical prices for tickets, change seating for many who bought reserved seats, allow restrictions on tailgating, charge a fortune for parking and gouge on public transportation costs – to name just a few of the boneheaded decisions that have been made. (FIFA officials have responded to the criticism by saying they are charging fair market prices.)

It sickens me that this World Cup seems to be more about maximizing profit to a gross degree than showcasing the sport and building goodwill between people from all over the world.

Another view: ICE looms over the 2026 World Cup | Opinion

My deep appreciation for soccer’s ability to connect people was cemented at Montverde Academy, traditionally one of the strongest high school programs in the nation. I spent time there as a player and later as the school's coach.

During my playing days there in the 1980s, I had the distinction of being the only American in the starting 11. It would be an understatement to say that a boy from Memphis, Tennessee, playing on a top squad at a boarding school in Florida with teammates from all over the world experienced a most impactful cultural education from this.

Many years have passed since, and my teammates have all returned to their countries of origin, but I still consider those guys my brothers.

On the 10th anniversary of our graduation from Montverde, I reunited with some of my international teammates the last time the World Cup was held in the USA, in 1994.

We had a great time watching Germany play Spain at Soldier Field in Chicago. The average price of a World Cup ticket back then was $58.

This year, ticket prices range from several hundred to several thousand dollars each. While most of us could probably dig deep into our pockets to attend, we have all decided that it is not worth it.

Our next soccer reunion will have to wait for another event that is more feasible.

World Cup will give America a global stage, and a stress test | Opinion

World Cup organizers are alienating loyal fans

From posts and articles I have read on this subject, my Montverde brothers aren’t the only fans who are opting not to attend the games. For example, the U.S. national team’s World Cup debut on June 12 isn't sold out.

Most of the tickets for this game are more than $1,000. That price is enough to keep even the most hardcore fans from attending.

As a student of the game, I have read many books about the corruption and greed that often stain this sport at its top levels. As a fan, I have to compartmentalize the corruption and greed from the play on the pitch.

I will do this, again, when I watch this tournament on television from home.

We all know the saying: “Don’t hate the player. Hate the game.” In this instance, it’s the exact opposite. Hate the players behind the scenes, not the game.

My decision sits well with me, as my actions and values are definitely aligned with this.

Greg Graber, the author of "Slow Your Roll ‒ Mindfulness for Fast Times," is a mental performance and leadership coach. He supports Arsenal Football Club.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: I love soccer, but I can't justify overpriced World Cup | Opinion

Heading into the 2026 WNBA season, there has been a lot of discourse and debate about where Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark ranks among the best players in the league. One WNBA legend, however, has a pretty clear opinion on the matter.

Diana Taurasi is one of the greatest and most accomplished women’s basketball players of all time. After 20 years in the league, she retired as the WNBA’s all-time leading scorer and is a six-time Olympic gold medalist with Team USA. Needless to say, she knows a great player when she sees one.

Taurasi hasn’t always spoken highly of Clark. Ahead of Clark’s rookie season, Taurasi infamously warned the young phenom that “reality is coming” once she gets to the WNBA and begins playing against professional-caliber players.

“Reality is coming,” Taurasi said before Clark entered the league. “There’s levels to this thing. And that’s just life, we all went through it. You see it on the NBA side and you’re going to see it on this side, you look superhuman playing against 18 years olds but you’re going to come play with some grown women that have been playing professional basketball for a long time.”

It did not take long for Taurasi to change her tune. Less than two months later, Taurasi had nothing but praise for Clark after the rookie posted a triple-double against Taurasi and the Phoenix Mercury.

“I mean it’s amazing. What Caitlin’s been able to do in her short career so far has just been nothing short of remarkable,” Taurasi said back in June of 2024. “And the one thing that I really love about her is she really loves the game. You can tell she’s put the work in.

“Even throughout her short WNBA career, it’s been a lot of pressure, a lot of things thrown at her. She keeps showing up and keeps getting better every single game, so her future is super bright. Being a veteran, being in this league for a long, long time, it’s pretty cool to see that and going into the future.”

Taurasi went as far as to give Clark her stamp of approval when the Fever star chose to wear No. 12 for Team USA – the number Taurasi wore with the team for all six of her gold medals.

“It’s so cool to see Caitlin not only wear the USA jersey, but number 12. I spent two decades wearing that jersey and that number, and I couldn’t think of anyone better to take it and put it on and just have an amazing career,” Taurasi told Sports Illustrated back in March.

Heading into the 2026 season, however, there has been some debate about just how well Clark stacks up against some of the other players in the league. After winning the league’s Rookie of the Year award in a landslide with a record-breaking rookie season, Clark’s stats dipped across the board in her second season, which was also cut short by an injury.

With the dropoff in production last season, coupled with the injury, her reputation around the league seems to have taken a bit of a hit. Clark was left off of The Athletic’s preseason first-team All-WNBA list and was ranked just No. 10 on ESPN’s list of the top-50 players in the WNBA.

Taurasi, however, does not share that skepticism of Clark’s game.

Recently, the women’s basketball legend was asked which WNBA player is currently on Clark’s level. Taurasi had a pretty clear and blunt response: “Nobody.”

While she was once a critic of Clark and her game, Taurasi is now one of Clark’s biggest and most outspoken supporters. And she’s made that very clear.

The post WNBA legend Diana Taurasi has made her opinion on Caitlin Clark very clear appeared first on The Comeback: Today’s Top Sports Stories & Reactions.

Two weeks before the NFL Draft, the New England Patriots opened the Gillette Stadium doors to prospects from local colleges. Among them was a player the would later select with their final pick, Boston College edge defender Quintayvious Hutchins.

It was not the first point of contact between the two sides after already having met at the Scouting Combine in late February. For the Patriots, however, it was a crucial step toward Hutchins eventually becoming a target in the draft.

“Had the opportunity to work him out at our local day, which was really cool for him and his agents to decide to come work out,” executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf later explained.

“A lot of times guys that worked out at the Combine aren’t willing to do that, and he showed what kind of competitor he is with his willingness to come over there. I think he helped himself definitely — you know, [Mike] Vrabel with the pad. He was hitting that pad and Vrabel was feeling his strength, so it was pretty cool to see.”

Hutchins being willing to go the extra mile to put himself in a position to succeed is nothing new. Look no further than his college career at BC, which saw him start 16 games on the edge, average 110 special teams snaps per non-redshirt season, and even make a brief move to tight end.

While it is unlikely he will be employed quite as multi-dimensionally as a Patriot, the 23-year-old knows that the mindset behind his college usage will go a long way toward NFL job security.

“You’re going to get an energetic, young kid that’s ready to work and put one foot in the door to lead to two,” he said during his introductory call with the local media.

“You’re going to see a dynamic special teams player; my career started out with special teams where it comes to kickoffs, kickoff return, punt, punt block. You’re going to get a hard worker, a third down guy, also a run stopper. I feel like I have a lot of bend, explosiveness when it comes to third down, second-and-long.”

“Really, really physical player,” added Wolf. “Has some length, has some traits that we like. Went back and watched some of the special teams when he was younger and that really stood out as well.”

As with all rookies, and particularly those selected in the late seventh round, the challenge of acclimating to the pro level will be significant. However, Hutchins has one small advantage: staying home.

“I’ve been there, at BC, for the past five years. So, coming back to my second home, besides Alabama, it feels good,” he said. “Being able to play under the coaches that were able to run our pro day, it just feels like I’m able to go in comfortably to just keep my head up and just work.”

Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes has set a remarkable new club record, as he eyes the Premier League Player of the Year award.

Captain fantastic

Fernandes has led the charge this season, playing a crucial role in United’s qualification for the Champions League.

While he didn’t get on the scoresheet or officially register an assist in Sunday’s 3-2 victory over Liverpool, he was still instrumental, delivering the ball that led to Benjamin Sesko’s finish.

Fernandes boasts eight goals and 19 assists. He is just two assists shy of breaking the Premier League record (20), which is held jointly by Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne.

During the 3-1 win over Aston Villa in March, Fernandes surpassed David Beckham to become the United player with the most assists in a single Premier League season. Beckham had previously held the record with 15 assists in the 1999/2000 campaign.

Statman Dave has now revealed that Fernandes leads every United player, past or present, in yet another elite category.

Unmatched record

Statman Dave notes, “Bruno Fernandes has created more chances in the Premier League this season (120) than any other Manchester United player ever has on record.”

This is just another remarkable achievement for Fernandes, who is undoubtedly operating at a new level in his career.

Interim head coach Michael Carrick has repeatedly spoken of the Portugal international’s importance to the team and how big of a pleasure it is to work with him.

Heading into the summer, there is still some speculation over Fernandes’ future amidst rumours that he could be on his way out. In addition to the Saudi Pro League, he also continues to be linked to clubs like Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain and Galatasaray.

But as the numbers show, United can scarcely afford to part ways with the playmaker.

Fernandes and his teammates are next in action on Saturday when they go away to Sunderland.

Featured image by Michael Regan/Getty Images

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

A place in the Europa League final is on the line as Aston Villa prepare to host Nottingham Forest at Villa Park on Thursday night in the second leg of their all-English semi-final.

Villa are heading into this clash on the back foot, having lost 1-0 in the first leg. But there’s still all to play for when these two sides reconvene in Birmingham.

Europa League specialist Unai Emery will fancy his chances of overturning the first leg result, and Villa’s remarkable home record against Forest could be the key.

Villa are unbeaten in their last 10 home games against Forest since a 2-0 defeat in October 1994.

Before the first leg, Villa had lost just one of their previous five meetings with Forest (W3, D1), falling to a 2-1 defeat in December 2024 courtesy of a last-minute goal from Anthony Elanga.

Tonight’s rematch gives them a chance to re-establish their dominance over the Tricky Trees, and they can’t afford to squander it with a place in the final on the line.

Since Emery took over, Villa have gradually been rebuilding their European pedigree.

They reached the Europa Conference League semi-final in 2024 before making the Champions League quarter-final last season.

The Villans will now be determined to take one more step to reach their first European final since their famous European Cup triumph over Bayern Munich in 1982.

Despite entering the game on the back of a Premier League defeat to Tottenham Hotspur, Villa will be brimming with confidence on home turf.

They have won nine consecutive home games on the continental stage and scored in 31 of their last 32 European home games, proving they have what it takes to hurt Forest.

How Aston Villa could line up

Emery named a heavily rotated side for the Tottenham defeat, so he’ll return to a more familiar line-up against Forest, albeit with one slight tweak.

Emiliano Martinez will remain in goal, with Matty Cash, Ezri Konsa, Pau Torres, and Lucas Digne ahead of him. The only tweak to the line-up could come in midfield.

Douglas Luiz will likely step in for Lamare Bogarde, whose performances in midfield have been below par.

Luiz hasn’t started a game for Villa since the 2-0 round of 16 second leg victory against Lille over six weeks ago. That could be additional motivation for the 27-year-old to stake a first-team claim.

Meanwhile, the attacking set-up is expected to remain the same with Morgan Rogers and John McGinn on either side of Emiliano Buendia, while Ollie Watkins leads the line.

Paris Saint-Germain manager Luis Enrique has given his thoughts on Arsenal and Mikel Arteta, after booking his team’s place in a Champions League final against the Gunners.

Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images

Paris Saint-Germain edged past Bayern Munich in Wednesday night’s Champions League semi-final second leg, drawing 1-1 on the night to secure a 6-5 aggregate victory and progression to the final.

Arsenal had already qualified for the final the previous day, seeing off Atletico Madrid 2-1 on aggregate, so the two finalists will meet for the fourth time in two seasons.

The Gunners defeated PSG in last season’s League Phase, only to lose home and away to the French side in the knockouts. They’ll now have an opportunity for revenge in Budapest on May 30th.

Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images

Speaking to the media after his team’s win, Luis Enrique had positive things to say about Mikel Arteta and his Arsenal side.

“I appreciate Mikelito Arteta,” Enrique said (via The Mirror and Sky Sports). “We used to be team-mates when we were kids, he did a great job at Arsenal. It will be a difficult, hard game but we believe in our football style.

“Arsenal, one of the best teams this season. What they did throughout the season has been incredible. They are stilll playing for the Premier League and they are in the (Champions League) final. That’s something we need to appreciate.

“But I have so much confidence in my team and I think it’s important to value them.”

Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images

Aided by a national league more than willing to move fixtures around to give PSG extra rest, the team have had a strong knockout-stage run. After narrowly eliminating Monaco 5-4 on aggregate, they eased past Chelsea 8-2 and Liverpool 4-0, before getting the better of Bayern 6-5.

Enrique’s team clearly don’t struggle to score goals, but they haven’t done so well at keeping them out. They’ve kept five clean sheets to Arsenal’s nine, and let in 22 goals to Arsenal’s six (two of which were conceded with backup goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga between the sticks).

It’s going to be an intriguing battle of contrasting styles at the end of May, and Arsenal fans will certainly be looking forward to it.

Reports in Italy claim that Rafael Leao is at risk of being dropped from Massimiliano Allegri’s starting line-up and that the Rossoneri could look to sell the Portugal international in the upcoming summer transfer window.

Could Leao be dropped and then sold by Milan?

Leao and his Milan teammates are on a disappointing run of form heading into the final few games of the 2025-26 season, with just four points to their name from their last five Serie A matches.

Leao is without a goal in over two months, dating back to the 2-0 win over Cremonese on March 1. The Portugal international is yet to cross double figures in the league, currently on nine goals, heading into the final three Serie A matches of the season. That is despite the fact that he has spent most of the season playing as a centre-forward in a 3-5-2.

CREMONA, ITALY – MARCH 01: Rafael Leao of AC Milan in action during the Serie A match between US Cremonese and AC Milan at Stadio Giovanni Zini on March 01, 2026 in Cremona, Italy. (Photo by Francesco Scaccianoce/Getty Images)

According to updates from La Gazzetta dello Sport, Milan are ‘growing tired’ of waiting for Leao to become a consistently reliable player.

It has been said that the 26-year-old is not impacting games in the way that he used to in years gone by, and his lack of defensive effort has constantly been a complaint among Rossoneri supporters. His icy reactions to being substituted off in recent matches has not gone down well, either.

For these reasons, La Gazzetta dello Sport claim that Leao is at risk of losing his place in the starting XI for Milan’s upcoming Serie A match against Atalanta on Sunday evening. Thursday’s report explains that Leao still has another few days to convince Allegri to keep the faith in him, but as things stand, he is ‘a step behind’ Christian Pulisic and Santiago Gimenez in the pecking order.

BOLOGNA, ITALY – FEBRUARY 03: Rafael Leao of AC Milan during the Serie A match between Bologna FC 1909 and AC Milan at Renato Dall’Ara Stadium on February 03, 2026 in Bologna, Italy. (Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images)

La Gazzetta dello Sport predicts that this could be the summer that Milan decide to part ways with Leao as well. The Pink Paper claims that Milan ‘will not only evaluate, but encourage’ offers for the winger-turned striker this coming window.

Leao has a staggering €175m release clause in his Rossoneri contract, which is not expected to be activated. In fact, Milan might be looking at offers of less than a third of the value of the release clause.

La Gazzetta dello Sport’s prediction is that offers in the region of €50m-€60m could be enough to convince Milan into a sale this summer.

Liverpool ‘have to buy pace’ this summer and could need at least five new signings across the squad during the upcoming transfer window.

That’s according to James Pearce, who was asked about what FSG’s priorities are likely to be for the summer market as the Reds go in search of a significant improvement on this campaign.

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The Merseyside club emphatically let off the handbrake last year by spending almost £450m on new signings, two of whom cost £100m or more, but the 2025 trolley dash hasn’t brought renewed success on the pitch – a situation not helped by injury problems for several of those recruits.

Pearce outlines what Liverpool need to prioritise this summer

In replying to one supporter’s query in a Q&A for The Athletic, Pearce outlined what he thinks Liverpool need to prioritise in the summer transfer window.

The journalist has urged FSG to sign ‘at least two attackers’ given that Mo Salah is leaving, Federico Chiesa is ‘set to follow’ and Hugo Ekitike is just beginning his long road to recovery from rupturing his Achilles. He specified that ‘they have to buy pace’ during the off-season.

Pearce is also keen for LFC to bolster their options in the middle of the park, writing: ‘The midfield needs strengthening and how much needs to be done in that area depends on whether Curtis Jones moves on.’

In terms of the defence, he stated: ‘There are issues to address in both full-back positions. Liverpool must decide whether to buy a left-back to act as Milos Kerkez’s understudy following Andy Robertson’s exit or turn to Kostas Tsimikas after his loan at Roma. I think they also need a right-back to compete with [Conor] Bradley once he’s fit again.’

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It’s a lot for Liverpool to pull off in one summer, but it’s needed

Two forwards, two full-backs and a midfielder – it’s a lot for FSG to try and address in one transfer window, especially after such heavy recruitment last summer, but that needs to be the target if Liverpool are to be competitive next season.

The forward line simply has to be addressed given Salah’s exit, Ekitike’s injury, ongoing fitness worries over Alexander Isak, the decline of Cody Gakpo’s form and Chiesa’s continued peripheral status.

A winger like Yan Diomande would provide the Reds with the injection of pace that Pearce has rightly identified as essential for the summer transfer window, and ideally a versatile attacker who can play anywhere across the frontline will also be added.

There’s a growing sense that Jones could soon depart, and Liverpool don’t have a long-term natural defensive midfield option at present. Somebody like Adam Wharton or Mamadou Sangare would address that void.

Further competition for Kerkez would be welcome if Tsimikas exits permanently, and while we have two capable right-backs in Jeremie Frimpong and Bradley, both have missed a sizeable portion of this season with injury problems.

Player sales will be inevitable in order to fund incoming activity this summer, and the mission for FSG is to ensure that they get the balance right and don’t leave Slot with a dearth of options in any part of the squad.

Manchester United are preparing to face Sunderland at the Stadium of Light on Saturday, 9 May, in the Premier League. A win this weekend could all but confirm the Red Devils’ position in third place in the league table this season.

That would mark a significant improvement from the 15th-placed finish under former head coach Ruben Amorim last season. The Portuguese was removed from his position in January this year following an indifferent 14-month spell, with Michael Carrick taking over as caretaker manager.

The Englishman’s arrival sparked the team back into life, and inspired a blistering run of 10 wins and two draws in 14 games. That has turned United’s season around and also strengthened the case for Carrick to be appointed as permanent manager.

The Red Devils are expected to make a decision on the permanent appointment at the end of this season. Former United forward Dimitar Berbatov has now explained why United must continue with the English manager next season.

The logical decision

Speaking to The Athletic, Berbatov acknowledged that handing Carrick the full-time job appears to be the logical decision, but warned that logic does not always work in football. He said: “United were in a bad situation before, now we are third, and we are going to qualify for the Champions League.”

“So if that’s not Michael Carrick and his team doing the right job, I don’t know what it is. So I truly hope that whoever needs to decide their next coach says, ‘Michael, you’ve done a terrific job, pulled us out of a difficult situation, and you deserve to continue’. I mean, that’s logical thinking. But sometimes in football, logic is not present.”

Berbatov and Carrick shared the pitch on 104 occasions during their playing careers with United, even contributing four goals together.

Communication is key

Carrick has managed to extract the most out of a squad that appeared out of ideas under Amorim. Berbatov went on to suggest that communication may have played a key role in United’s rise, adding: “The players are the same from Amorim, but you can see the clear difference in how the team is playing.”

“Sometimes it’s not even about tactics; it’s about the manager’s ability to communicate with the players. When you’re talking about big teams, it usually means big players with big egos, so you need to know how to speak with them. You need to know how to put your message into them so they can put it onto the pitch.”

“Sometimes, these players just need to know that you believe in them and give them the freedom to do what they need to do on the pitch. You know this is also about conversation, dialogues between each other. Casemiro has won five Champions Leagues — he knows how to boss a midfield. Just go out there and do your job.”

“You have managers who understand man-management, how to speak with you differently, because everybody is different. That’s exactly what United needed, and Michael has produced it.”

Michael Carrick Managerial Career Stats

Source: Wikipedia.

Final Thoughts

With every passing day, it looks increasingly likely that Carrick will remain in the hot seat at Old Trafford beyond this summer. With experienced managers like Carlo Ancelotti, Luis Enrique and Thomas Tuchel unavailable, perhaps the Englishman is the perfect candidate for the job.

Featured image by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images

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Q: Ira, found it interesting that you posted about the Heat getting a good player even if they don’t move up in the lottery. But that has been the problem since the Big 3. We’ve had a lot of “good” players but no superstars. Even your list said there are four, five or six elite players in this lottery. That’s why losing would have helped. – Alan.

A: But every draft, there also are what I would refer to as “trap” players, those who tempt a fall into the best of lottery odds, only to wind up no better than those taken in the middle of the first round, which is where the Heat have selected over the past decade. Such examples would include Zaccharie Risacher (No 1, Hawks, 2024), Jaden Ivey (No. 5, Pistons, 2022), Jalen Green (No. 2, Rockets, 2021), James Wiseman (No. 2, Warriors, 2020), Jarret Culver (No. 6, Timberwolves, 2019). But, yes, this year’s draft very much has an elite edge at the top, to be followed by several likely contributing, starting-level players. In fact, a case could be made that if the Heat do move into the first four on Sunday, the player taken this June could wind up as the best on the roster in ensuing years.

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• Submit your “Ask Ira” question here!

Q: Watch Pat Riley, he’ll move up in the lottery and then trade the pick. Save your lists, Ira. – Stephen.

A: And he just might. Look, that’s what the Cavaliers did when they won the first pick and turned Andrew Wiggins into Kevin Love. And don’t kid yourself, if the Heat do move up, especially close to the top, they will be the ones fielding calls. Suddenly, the Bucks could become their best friends. Or even the Clippers. And who knows, Joe Cronin this time might be the one wondering if the other side will pick up the phone.

Q: I asked a few AI models if there has ever been an 81-year-old GM in the history of professional sports who ever built a title team and they could not find any. So if Pat Riley does it, he will be the first.  – Tom.

A: But there certainly were some heavy hitters working into their 80s in such a role, including 83-year-old Lou Lamoriello in that role currently with the Islanders and 83-year-old Jerry Jones currently with the Cowboys. Previously, Connie Mack was in charge of the Athletics in MLB until age 87, with Red Auerbach active with the Celtics into his late 80s. And remember that Al Davis was highly involved with the Raiders until his death at 81. And in soccer, you have Adriano Galliani, 81, with AC Milan and Florentino Pérez, at 79, with Real Madrid. Nothing wrong with sage advice. And if you question the Heat’s ability to persevere, then you also question Erik Spoelstra, Andy Elisburg, Adam Simon and the rest of the Heat scouting staff, front office and ownership suite, with the group working in lockstep.

According to a recent story from ESPN, the Detroit Lions were all prepared to hired Matt Campbell as their new head coach in 2021. Campbell, the Iowa State head coach at the time, initially agreed to be the Lions’ new head coach, but eventually pulled out, per the story.

In 2021, Campbell initially agreed to coach the Detroit Lions before changing his mind; the Lions hired Dan Campbell instead,

“Leaving Ames wasn’t something that I was looking to do or wanting to do,” he said.

This is the latest development in a story that had conflicting reports almost immediately after Detroit hired Dan Campbell.

At the time, there was certainly a lot of smoke regarding Matt Campbell and the Detroit Lions. There is no debate as to whether he interviewed the job—he did—but what happened after has been disputed.

A few months after the Lions ended up hiring Dan Campbell, there were reports that Matt had turned down an eight-year contract with the Lions worth $68.5 million. A few days after that, a conflicting report came out that Detroit never even offered Matt Campbell a contract, with a team source telling the Detroit Free Press that his pursuit never went beyond a first interview.

Back during Dan Campbell’s introductory press conference, team president Rod Wood avoided questions about the team’s interest in Matt Campbell.

“I’m not going to comment on any college coaches,” Wood said. “I think we talked to a couple of you about that out of respect for their current position and recruiting. I’m not going to say whether we interviewed a college coach or whether we didn’t or whether we extended an offer. I’ll just leave it at, ‘No comment,’ on any college coaches.”

Of course, the details of this coaching search hardly matter at this point. Dan Campbell has gone on to help build a winner in Detroit, amassing a 48-36-1 record (2-2 in the playoffs) despite starting his career 4-19-1 in his first 24 games in Detroit. He’s the first Lions coach to get Detroit to the NFC Championship in three decades, and under Campbell, the Lions set a franchise record for wins in a season with 15 (2024). He already sits fourth in Lions coaching history in wins (48), just 18 behind Wayne Fontes, and his .571 win percentage also ranks fourth in team history.

Meanwhile, Matt Campbell stayed at Iowa State through the 2025 season before opting to take the Penn State job back in December.

With three matchdays left in Serie A, with Inter already crowned champions of Italy and the Champions League race still wide open, the usual managerial merry-go-round has already begun off the pitch. 

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Last year the situation heated up right after the Champions League final, with Simone Inzaghi’s departure from Inter setting off the domino effect. This year too, though, plenty could still happen.

Napoli, the Conte puzzle

One of the hottest dugouts is undoubtedly Napoli’s. Despite a still competitive season, Antonio Conte’s future remains uncertain. In the coming weeks, a summit is expected between the coach from Salento and Aurelio De Laurentiis to understand whether the partnership will continue or not.

If Conte leaves — having already been linked several times with the national team as Gattuso’s successor — the name in pole position is Maurizio Sarri, as reported by Di Marzio and Pedullà. The profiles of Fabio Grosso, who is doing extremely well at Sassuolo, and Vincenzo Italiano (a former ADL favorite) should not be ruled out either.

Roma, confidence in Gasperini but keep an eye on the Friedkins

Despite the 4-0 win over Fiorentina on Monday night that put Roma right back into the thick of the Champions League race, things at Trigoria still haven’t fully settled down. After Ranieri’s departure — one of the conditio sine qua non for Gasperini to stay — common ground with the management still needs to be found, as Massara’s position is anything but stable.

The Giallorossi coach, speaking at the post-match press conference on Monday, was clear: "I respect everyone’s ideas, but if I have to work, I work with mine. If I have to work with other people’s ideas, then it’s better if I find another place". The Friedkins seem to be on his side, but this ownership has made us used to sudden and, seemingly, inexplicable decisions: just ask Daniele De Rossi.

Lazio: the Sarri-Conte link and a rising name

Whether Maurizio Sarri stays on Lazio’s bench next season will depend, as well as on the club’s choices, also on Conte’s future at Napoli. That’s because the Tuscan coach is one of the first names — if not the favorite — for the Naples job. For now he is dodging the issue, with two hugely important matches still to play, the derby and the Coppa Italia final against Inter, but the rumors are growing stronger and stronger. 

As his replacement, the club seems intent on bringing in an emerging profile, someone who can develop the players signed on the market without expecting to build an instant-team: the most appreciated names are Fabio Pisacane and Fabio Grosso.

Milan, optimism over Allegri but watch the Champions League

At Milanello there is optimism filtering through over Massimiliano Allegri staying on the Rossoneri bench, so much so that the coach has already begun meetings with the management to plan next season.

Between theory and practice, however, there are several steps to take: first and foremost, qualifying for the Champions League or not. Given the Diavolo’s latest performances, that issue is anything but settled. If Milan were to finish the league outside the top four, the coach’s position would be less secure.

The two-year contract worth €5.5 million with an option for renewal seems to tie him firmly to the bench, but a change of direction cannot be ruled out in the event of a final collapse. Also keep an eye on the national team situation: if the Rossoneri fail to qualify for the Champions League and Conte does not take over the Azzurri, Allegri would be back in the running. In short: confirmed at Milan, but with some reservations.

Atalanta, Palladino in doubt

After the mid-season change at the start of the campaign, La Dea seemed to have found its balance with Raffaele Palladino. But his performances have been far too inconsistent, culminating in the 10 goals conceded against Bayern Munich and the Coppa Italia elimination on penalties against Lazio. His future is uncertain after a clearly declining end to the season.

The management wants to assess his situation once the season is over, while several names are already beginning to circulate: the frontrunner for now is Thiago Motta.

Fiorentina: between Vanoli, 3 names and 2 dream targets

Paolo Vanoli has revived Fiorentina’s season, and in the second half of the campaign they are keeping up a points average worthy of the top half of the table. A clear improvement compared to the early disaster, but nothing special given the Viola’s pedigree.

Vanoli’s future is hanging in the balance because, after practically securing safety, the group has faded: the 4-0 defeat to Roma is a serious sign, perhaps the resurfacing of some structural problems in the team’s mentality.

At the end of the season there will certainly be a meeting between Vanoli and Paratici. The idea of confirming him should not be ruled out, but there is no shortage of appreciated profiles: De Rossi (who has however renewed with Genoa), Sarri (in Napoli’s orbit), Grosso and then two dream targets, Valverde (who will leave Athletic) and Farioli (very closely tied to Porto).

Inter, certainty and continuity after the Scudetto

At Inter, the situation appears clear: the league triumph has cemented Cristian Chivu’s position, after he led the Nerazzurri through a dominant season that saw them win the title with three games to spare.

The management’s choice has proved a winning one and, barring sensational and unexpected upheaval, the club will continue in the name of continuity, with a renewal and pay rise. 

Juventus, Spalletti confirmed

In Turin, after the mid-season change with Luciano Spalletti arriving in place of Igor Tudor, Juventus’ season has definitely taken on a different look and Juve are now just two points off third place and fully in the race for Europe’s top competition.

His confirmation is a formality and was certified by the renewal announced at the beginning of April: a deal locked in until 2028.

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

The Jacksonville Jaguars selected 10 players in the 2026 NFL draft. Let's take a look at how each player fared during their final college seasons with Pro Football Focus' grading system as our guide.

But first, below is a look at PFF's grading system for some context. While this metric is very helpful when it comes to quantifying a player's performance, PFF's grading system isn't the be-all and end-all either. It is one metric out of many that are out there to evaluate play.

• 90.0+: Elite
• 80-89.9: High quality
• 70-79.9: Good
• 60-69.9: Above average
• 50-59.9: Average
• 40-49.9: Below average
• 39.9 or less: Poor

TE Nate Boerkircher

PFF grade: 74.5

Boerkircher had one of the highest run-blocking grades among all tight ends last season. He caught 19-of-22 passes for 198 yards with three scores.

DT Albert Regis

PFF grade: 72.5

Among all defensive tackles last season, Regis ranked tied for 10th in run stop rate. As a pass rusher, he generated 13 pressures and one sack.

OL Emmanuel Pregnon

PFF grade: 86.7

Pregnon was excellent in pass protection, allowing just one sack and five pressures over 471 pass-blocking snaps in 2025. He had a run-blocking grade of 85.8.

DB Jalen Huskey

PFF grade: 83.6

Quarterbacks had a passer rating of just 55.9 when targeting Huskey. He allowed only 7.4 yards per catch with four interceptions and a pass breakup on only 17 targets. Huskey was also good against the run, with a run defense grade of 82.5.

DE Wesley Williams

PFF grade: 71.9

Williams' 46 pressures this past season were tied for the 28th-most among all defensive ends. He was stout against the run as well, with a grade of 80.4.

TE Tanner Koziol

PFF grade: 78.9

A pass-catching threat, Koziol caught 74-of-94 targets in 2025, totaling 727 yards with six touchdowns. Over 50% of his snaps came from the slot.

WR Josh Cameron

PFF grade: 72.4

A reliable target in the passing game, Cameron caught 67.6% of his 102 targets last season, totaling 872 yards with nine scores.

WR CJ Williams

PFF grade: 76.5

Out of 92 targets last season, Williams was credited with only two dropped passes. He caught 64% of those passes for 749 yards with six touchdowns. He also graded out well by PFF's metrics as a run-blocker.

DE Zach Durfee

PFF grade: 77.4

Durfee ranked 11th in pass rush win rate among defensive ends last season, showcasing his ability to win often and quickly. His run defense grade was 64.9.

LB Parker Hughes

PFF grade: 74.7

Hughes was a very sound tackler, missing only seven of his 108 attempts. That contributed to his run defense grade of 76.9. In coverage, Hughes forced three pass breakups and two interceptions.

This article originally appeared on Jaguars Wire: 2026 NFL draft: PFF grades for all 10 Jaguars' selections

Mercedes Formula 1 driver Kimi Antonelli has "earned the right" to be leading the drivers' championship, according to former driver David Coulthard.

The 19-year-old driver took the lead of the championship after back-to-back wins at the Chinese and Japanese Grands Prix, becoming the youngest driver in the history of the series to lead the standings. His win in Miami extended his lead over his team-mate George Russell to 20 points.

As Russell struggled around the Miami International Autodrome, a track he admits is not one that plays to his strengths, Antonelli successfully converted pole position into another race win despite a difficult start.

"He's come of age," Coulthard explained on the Up To Speed podcast. "He may only be in his second season of Formula 1, but in dealing with not only the pressure of having Lando there ready to pounce, but he also had some technical difficulties with the paddle shift that meant he was having inconsistent downshifts.

"And he was calmed down by his engineer Bono when he had an elevated voice trying to figure out what the problem was. And I'm sure they'll have a conversation about that afterwards as well because in the end, the problem is the problem. You just need to get the information to the team and they will try and find a solution for you.

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

"So I think he's absolutely come of age. He has absolutely earned the right to be leading this world championship. And the expectation is now, and this will be uncomfortable for George, but the expectation is that he is leading the team and clearly in results.

"Now George has the experience, he has the quality, he has all of the skills to be able to take ownership of that back again. They both cannot win. Someone's got to be first. Someone's got to be second.

"And while they're trying to figure that out, look where McLaren were. Look at the improvements from Ferrari and Red Bull. It's difficult to win in what's perceived as the best car. There's been many examples where people haven't managed it." 

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Today in Boston Celtics history, in 1987, the team signed center Mark Acres. Originally drafted by the Dallas Mavericks in 1985 out of Oral Roberts University, where he played under his father, Acres spent two seasons playing in Europe before joining the Celtics as a free agent.

Acres had a middling career with the team as a reserve over two seasons, putting up 3 points, as many rebounds, and 0.4 assists per game while in green and white. Acres would leave the team after being selected by one of two new NBA teams -- the Orlando Magic -- in the 1989 expansion draft held to populate the Magic's and Minnesota Timberwolves' rosters as they joined the league that season.

He was the sole Celtics player taken by either team in that draft.

Historic milestones

It is also the anniversary of a 96-87 Game 5 playoff win over the Milwaukee Bucks in the 1974 NBA Finals. The win gave the Celtics a 3-2 lead in the series and homecourt advantage after forward John Havlicek and big man Dave Cowens each scored 28 points. "We were the David and they were the Goliath," said then-head coach Tommy Heinsohn via Onmilwaukee.com. Boston went on to win its 12th championship in seven games.

In 2011, the Celtics defeated the Miami Heat 97-81 in Game 3 of the NBA Eastern Conference semifinals. Kevin Garnett and a one-armed point guard in Rajon Rondo carried the day for Boston, the latter with a dislocated shoulder.

This article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: Celtics history: Marc Acres signed; Game 5 of 1974 NBA Finals won

The Pittsburgh Pirates defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks last night 1-0 in a Paul Skenes gem, but it was Pirates outfielder Bryan Reynolds that made the history.

Reynolds went-2-for-4 in the game, giving him 1,000 hits for his career. It also makes him just the fifth Bucco to go for 1,000 hits, 200 doubles and 140 homers, joining Andrew McCutchen, Willie Stargell, Dave Parker and Roberto Clemente. Elite company indeed.

It also bumped Reynolds up to a .260 average on the season. He also has 4 homers and and 22 RBIS, as well as an .OBP on the year of .402, which is good for 11th in all of Major League Baseball. 30 walks in 37 games will do that to you. He’s also slugging .420 and has an .OPS of .822, which is third best on the team behind Brandon Lowe and Ryan O’Hearn.

The other news from last night is that the Pirates are finally out of the basement of the NL Central. The Bucs are tied with the Cincinnati Reds with a 20-17 record, but the Bucs are techincally above the Reds due to owning the season series thus far. The Milwaukee Brewers are an identical 5 games back as well, but they have slightly higher winning percentage than the Bucs and Reds, so they are techincally in third place. The St. Louis Cardinals are in second, 3.5 games back of the division leading Chicago Cubs. It is still very much anyone’s division.

And lastly, I think we need Jamain calling for more Paul Skenes innings more often. Just a couple days after he asked for more Skenes, we got an eight-inning gem out of the Pirates’ ace. Skenes also dropped his ERA to a more Skenes-like 2.36 and now stands with a 5-2 record on the season. Nicely done.

The Bucs are back in action this afternoon with another one versus the D’Backs.

Even though the Wisconsin Badgers football program didn't have a single player drafted, Mason Reiger is a name NFL fans might get used to hearing.

The 6-foot-5 EDGE rusher was an undrafted free agent, but more often than not, players fall through the cracks. This year, Reiger is one of those guys that the Miami Dolphins are taking a chance on.

It's easy to look past a Badgers football program that has struggled these past two seasons, but Reiger came to the Badgers in 2025 and made quite an impact.

Now, Bleacher Report's Kristopher Knox is a firm believer there's a place for the former Wisconsin defensive standout on the Dolphins.

"The Dolphins needed edge-defender help in a big way after trading Jaelan Phillips and cutting Bradley Chubb. While they signed the likes of Josh Uche and David Ojabo before using a fourth-round pick in Trey Moore, they might find room for Reiger in the rotation," he wrote.

Knox added, "While Reiger may not have the polish or the play strength to be an every-down edge-setting defender early in his career, he might just carve out a rotational role in Miami's even front."

While it's still extremely early, Reiger is one of two Badgers who have been making some noise. On the offensive side of the ball, wide receiver Vinny Anthony II seems to be trending in the right direction to make the Atlanta Falcons roster.

Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion.

This article originally appeared on Badgers Wire: Wisconsin alumni Mason Reiger eyes Miami Dolphins roster spot

BYD's Denza has begun deliveries of the refreshed D9 MPV and Z9 GT. Available as EVs and PHEVs, both models are now capable of Flash Charging.

The post BYD’s refreshed Denza D9 MPV and Z9 GT with Flash Charging reaches dealers in China appeared first on CarNewsChina.com.

CATL and Turkish EV maker Togg partner to develop EV models using its "Bedrock" skateboard chassis.

The post Turkish EV maker Togg to launch EVs developed on CATL’s skateboard chassis by 2027 appeared first on CarNewsChina.com.

It’s fixed now, but Windrose was quietly killing PC SSDs with excessive data writes The hit pirate game Windrose, which recently reached a peak player count of over 220,000 in Steam Early Access, has been found to be causing excessive data writes on PC players’ SSDs. While the issue has now been patched, the YouTuber […]

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NVIDIA is bringing 10x manufacturing capacity and creating over 3000 high-paying jobs in the US through its partnership with Corning. U.S. Optical Connectivity Manufacturing Sees A Big Boost From NVIDIA & Corning Partnership Press Release: NVIDIA and Corning Incorporated today announced a multiyear commercial and technology partnership to dramatically expand U.S.-based manufacturing of the advanced optical connectivity solutions needed to power next-generation AI infrastructure. Corning will increase its U.S.-based optical connectivity manufacturing capacity by 10x and expand its U.S. fiber production capacity by more than 50% to meet the accelerating demand driven by AI factory buildouts. The expansion includes the construction of […]

Read full article at https://wccftech.com/nvidia-to-expand-manufacturing-capacity-in-us-by-10x-through-corning-partnership/

PCI-SIG has released the PCIe 8.0 specification with the 0.5 draft detailing up to 1 TB/s bandwidth & 256 GT/s data rates. PCIe 8.0 Standard Will Be Ready by 2028, Made For Next-Gen Data Centers With 1 TB/s Bandwidth The PCIe 8.0 specification highlights a major uplift versus existing standards, offering 8x the raw data rate and bandwidth of PCIe 5.0. On paper, PCIe 8.0 offers a 256 GT/s data rate and 1 TB/s of raw bi-directional bandwidth via a 16x lane configuration. The standard utilizes the PAM4 signaling technology and is backward-compatible with existing PCIe technology. PCI-SIG states that […]

Read full article at https://wccftech.com/pci-sig-releases-pcie-8-0-specification-1-tbps-bandwidth-256-gtps-data-rate-by-2028/

CAPCOM's PRAGMATA launched last month on PC and consoles after years of development. Although the long development cycle did not bode well for the company's new IP, the game turned out great, selling over 1 million copies in just a few days of availability. The game's success wasn't limited to its launch window, as Hugh and Diana's adventure has been confirmed to have hit over 2 million copies sold worldwide, while the game received some surprise improvements on PlayStation 5 Pro that make this version of the game even more the definitive console version. While celebrating this new sales milestone […]

Read full article at https://wccftech.com/pragmata-2-million-sales-ps5-pro-resolution-bump-ray-tracing/

Motherboard shipments are going to see a sharp decrease in 2026 as PC component prices continue to rise, and consumer interest is at an all-time low. Motherboard Makers Will Ship Several Million Lower Units Than Last Year As Consumer Interest In PC Hardware Spirals Down PC component prices are at an all-time high. The worst-affected products are memory, graphics cards, and storage. Meanwhile, CPUs have also started to get more expensive as AI demand continues to get wilder each passing day. And it's not a matter of just rising prices; consumer hardware also sees wide-spread shortages. The main reason is […]

Read full article at https://wccftech.com/pc-manufacturers-massive-decline-motherboard-shipments-rising-prices-low-demand/

WaySpend unifies your finances on one dashboard so you can track spending, manage budgets, and see net worth across cash, stocks, crypto, and real estate. Connect thousands of banks via Plaid or import CSV/PDF statements and get AI-powered insights on where your money goes. It helps you plan for financial independence with FIRE simulations, Coast FIRE tracking, and lifestyle inflation detection. It uses read-only bank access with 256-bit encryption and never stores your credentials.

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Inkfluence AI turns a single prompt into a structured, professionally formatted ebook. You can write, edit, brand, and export as PDF, EPUB, or DOCX with layouts ready for Amazon KDP. The platform includes a cover designer, AI audiobook conversion, translation into 30+ languages, and real-time cloud sync across web and iOS. Create guides, lead magnets, and client deliverables you can sell or share with consistent branding and export-ready files.

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Lufthansa Sets a New Standard for Luxury Air Travel with FOX as a Major Investment in Premium Service Offering Unrivaled...

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UK And Thailand Joins UAE, India, Iraq, Bahrain, Syria, And More Countries In Accelerating Tourism Growth As Qatar Airways Introduces...

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Singapore Overtakes China, Australia, India, Thailand, Indonesia, Japan And More Asian Countries In Shaping Malaysia’s Tourism Future, Welcoming Two Million...

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Why the Karate One Youth League in Manila is the Must-Visit Sports Tourism Event of the YearDiscover how Manila’s Karate...

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The OnePlus Nord CE6 has been launched in India, featuring a Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 chipset, a big display, and a massive battery. The device will go on sale in the country starting tomorrow. Up front, the Nord CE6 features a 6.78-inch AMOLED display with a 144Hz refresh rate and 1.5K resolution. The panel supports up to 1,800 nits of brightness in high-brightness mode (HBM). On the inside, the Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 chipset is paired with 8GB of LPDDR4X RAM and up to 256GB of UFS 3.1 storage. As for optics, the device offers a dual rear setup led by a 50MP primary camera using the...

Huawei unveiled the new Watch Fit 5 and Watch Fit 5 Pro last month in China, and today the brand is announcing their international debut. They are both available later today from the Huawei Store. The Watch Fit 5 costs £159.99, and the Watch Fit 5 Pro is priced at £249.99. Until June 21, if you purchase either one you'll get a £30 discount coupon, a free strap, and a Huawei Scale 3. Huawei Watch Fit 5 You can also enjoy the Watch Fit 5 Multipass, which includes up to three months free premium sport and fitness subscriptions for apps including Huawei Health+, Komoot, and Urunn, along...

On Saturday, and go toe-to-toe for the WBO heavyweight title, and Johnny Fisher – who has sparred both – has laid out his prediction for the bout, anticipating a dramatic finish. Wardley has never been dropped and has won via stoppage in all but one of his 20 career triumphs, with that solitary decision victory […]

The post Heavyweight who sparred Wardley and Dubois predicts one man will survive a knockdown to win by KO appeared first on Boxing News.

Aziz Yıldırım, Türkiye Gazetesi'nden Tahir Kum'a verdiği röportajda "kızım hedef alındı" diyerek aday olduğunu açıkladı. Ancak efsane başkanın kızı 2024'te hedef alındı. Tüm camia ayaklandı. Yıldırım'a destek oldu. O ahlak dışı olay 2024'te yaşandı. Yıldırım 2025'teki seçime "gençler girsin" diye girmedi. Ancak 2026'daki seçimde adaylığını Yaz Yıldırım'a yapılanlar yüzünden aldığını karara bağladı. Akıllara ise tek bir soru geldi: O zaman neden 2025'te aday olmadı?

Aziz Yıldırım'ın "kızım hedef alındı" diyerek adaylık sürecini başlatması kafa karışıklığına neden oldu. Yıldırım'ın kızı Yaz'la ilgili en somut ve üzücü olay 2024 yılının Aralık ayında yaşandı. Yaz Yıldırım, Başakşehir maçı öncesi seremonide İrfan Can Kahveci ile fotoğraf çektirdi.

OLAYIN BAŞLANGICI 2024

Kulübün resmi hesapları dahil pek çok paylaşım yapıldı. Paylaşımların altına bir sosyal medya kullanıcısı ahlak dışı bir yorum yaptı. Bu durum camiada infiale yol açtı. Hukukçu Fenerbahçeliler Derneği suç duyurusunda bulundu. Aziz Yıldırım, bu olayı "itibar suikastı" olarak değerlendirdi.

SERT TONDA TEPKİ GÇSTERDİ

Aziz Yıldırım o dönemde yaptığı açıklamalarda oldukça sert bir ton kullanarak şu ifadeleri kullandı:

- Benimle her türlü mücadeleyi yapabilirler, her şeyi söyleyebilirler ama 13 yaşındaki bir çocuğu bu işlere karıştırmasınlar. Bu, namus meselesidir.

ALİ KOÇ'UN SÖZLERİ VARDI

Bu olaydan kısa süre önce (Kasım 2024'te), Ali Koç ve Aziz Yıldırım EuroLeague maçında yan yana geldi. Ali Koç, Yaz Yıldırım için "koca camianın yapamadığını bir küçücük kız yaptı, Aziz Yıldırım'ın kızı böyle olur" diyerek övgü dolu sözler sarf eti.

2025'TE NEDEN ADAY OLMADI

Ancak bu olaydan sonra 2025'te de seçim oldu. Yıldırım aday olmadı. Sadettin Saran, Ali Koç'un karşısına çıkarak seçimi kazandı. Fenerbahçe başkanı oldu.

İKİ ANA BAŞLIĞI VARDI

Yıldırım, Eylül 2025'teki kritik süreçte aday olmamasının nedenlerini 2 ana başlıkta açıklamıştı:

- Bu kulüpte Aziz Yıldırım, Ali Koç, şu, bu olmasın. Gençler gelip bu kulübe sahip çıksınlar.

Seçimin yapılma şeklini ve zamanlamasını onaylamadı

- Fenerbahçe'nin imkanlarıyla mevcut yönetimin arzusu adına yapılan bir süreç.

Hücum hattını güçlendirmek isteyen Benfica, Trabzonsporlu Felipe Augusto'yu gündemine aldı. Record'un haberine göre Trabzonspor, 15-20 milyon euro arasında bonservis bedeli talep ediyor.

Mourinho'nun takımı Benfica, hücum hattındaki rotasyonu güçlendirmek amacıyla rotasını Türkiye’ye çevirdi. Record gazetesinin manşetlerine taşıdığı habere göre; Benfica, Trabzonspor’un başarılı ismi Felipe Augusto’yu transfer listesinin ilk sıralarına ekledi.

Bordo-mavili ekip, oyuncunun takımdaki kritik rolü ve potansiyeli nedeniyle düşük bir bonservis bedeline sıcak bakmıyor. Trabzonspor yönetiminin bu transfer için belirlediği alt limitin 15 milyon euro olduğu, beklentinin ise bonuslarla birlikte 20 milyon euro bandına kadar çıktığı belirtiliyor.

Benfica, Vangelis Pavlidis ve Franjo Ivanovic'in ayrılık ihtimalleri üzerine "yeni nesil forvet" profilindeki Augusto'yu hedefe koyduğu belirtiliyor.

Beşiktaş–Trabzonspor maçının bilet fiyatları açıklandı. Tüpraş Stadyumu'nda oynanacak karşılaşmada VIP tribün biletleri 15 bin TL'ye kadar çıkarken, en düşük bilet fiyatı 1.250 TL olarak belirlendi.

Trendyol Süper Lig’in 33. haftasında Beşiktaş, 9 Mayıs Cumartesi günü sahasında Trabzonspor’u konuk edecek. Siyah-beyazlılar, karşılaşmanın bilet fiyatlarını açıkladı.

Beşiktaş Kulübü’nden yapılan açıklamada, “Beşiktaşımız, Trendyol Süper Lig’in 33. haftasında 9 Mayıs Cumartesi günü saat 20.00’de Tüpraş Stadyumu’nda Trabzonspor ile karşılaşacak.” ifadelerine yer verildi.

BİLETLER SATIŞA ÇIKIYOR

Açıklamanın devamında biletlerin satış süreci de duyuruldu.

Buna göre karşılaşmanın biletleri bugün saat 11.00’de BJK SuperApp üzerinden ön satışa sunulacak, saat 15.00’te ise genel satış başlayacak.

Beşiktaş - Trabzonspor maçı bilet fiyatları şu şekilde;

VIP 100: 15.000 TL

VIP 101-126: 12.500 TL

1.Kategori: 4.250 TL

2.Kategori: 3.850 TL

3.Kategori: 3.450 TL

4.Kategori: 3.250 TL

5.Kategori: 3.000 TL

6.Kategori: 2.750 TL

Doğu Üst: 3.000 TL

7.Kategori: 1.500 TL

8.Kategori: 1.250 TL

Futbol üzrə Almaniya yığmasının və Dortmund “Borussiya”sının mərkəz müdafiəçisi Niklas Süle karyerasını başa vurub.

Arena.az xəbər verir ki, 30 yaşlı futbolçu bu barədə Bundesliqa təmsilçisinin rəsmi saytına açıqlamasında bildirib.

Almaniya millisinin sabiq üzvü aprelin 18-də “Hoffenhaym”a uduzduqları (1:2) oyunda zədələndikdən sonra bu qərarı verib:

“Karyeramı başa vurduğumu elan etmək istəyirəm. “Hoffenhaym”la oyundan sonra həkimimiz paltardəyişmə otağında məni müayinə etdi, fizioterapevtə baxdı və başını yellədi. Duşa girdim və təxminən 10 dəqiqə ağladım. Düşündüm ki, vəziyyət çox pisdir. Ertəsi gün MRT müayinəsinə getdim və xoş xəbər aldım. Mənə 1000 faiz aydın oldu ki, artıq özümü riskə atmamalıyam. Budur, hər şey bitdi. Yaşamaq, tətilə getmək, uşaqlarımla vaxt keçirmək şansını gözləyərkən 3-cü dəfə açıq diz zədəsindən daha pis bir şey təsəvvür edə bilməzdim”.

Xatırladaq ki, Niklas Süle “Hoffenhaym”ın yetirməsidir. O,
sözügedən komandanın heyətində 117 oyun keçirib, 8 qol və 4 assistlə yadda qalıb. 2017-2022-ci illər aralığında Almaniya nəhəngi “Bayern”də çıxış etmiş futbolçu burada 171 oyunda 7 qol və 5 assist müəllifi olub. Müdafiəçi 2022-ci ildən Dortmund “Borussiya”sının şərəfini qoruyurdu. Alman futbolçu bu komandanın heyətində 109 oyun keçirib, 3 qol və 5 məhsuldar ötürmə ilə yadda qalıb.

Süle klub karyerasındakı bütün titullarını (14) “Bayern”lə qazanıb:

UEFA Çempionlar Liqası (2019/2020)
UEFA Super Kuboku (2020/2021)
FİFA Klub Dünya Kuboku (2020/2021)
Almaniya Bundesliqası (2017/2018, 2018/2019, 2019/2020, 2020/2021, 2021/2022)
Almaniya Kuboku (2018/2019, 2019/2020)
Almaniya Super Kuboku (2017/2018, 2018/2019, 2020/2021, 2021/2022)

Almaniyalı futbolçu 2017-2023-cü illər aralığında ölkəsinin əsas millisinin heyətində 49 oyun keçirib, 1 qol vurub. O, milli komanda ilə 2017-ci ildə FİFA Konfederasiyalar Kubokunun qalibi olub.

Dünyanın ən ali futbol qurumu FIFA Azərbaycan Premyer Liqasında mübarizə aparan “Neftçi” klubuna transfer qadağası qoyub.

Arena.az xəbər verir ki, bununla bağlı qərar FİFA-nın rəsmi saytında dərc olunub.

Cəzanın səbəbi açıqlanmayıb. Lakin adətən belə qərarlar ya klubun hazırkı və ya sabiq futbolçuları/məşqçiləri qarşısında borcları və ya maliyyə tələblərini pozmasına görə qəbul olunur.

Rəsmən təsdiqlənməsə də, cəzanın vaxtilə paytaxt klubunda çıxış etmiş Alessio Kurçiyə qalmış borcun tam ödənilməməsi ilə bağlı olduğu bildirlir.

“Neftçi” ilə bağlı qərar qarşıdakı 3 transfer dövrünü əhatə edir: 2026-cı ilin yay, 2027-ci ilin qış və yay transfer pəncərələri. Bu o deməkdir ki, qadağa müddəti dəyişilməsə, “Neftçi” yeni oyunçu transferini yalnız 2028-ci ilin qışından etibarən həyata keçirə biləcək. Lakin paytaxt klubundan verilən məlumata görə, transfer qadağası tezliklə aradan qaldırılacaq. Bir futbolçu ilə bağlı borcun tam bağlanmasından sonra bu prolemin də yoluna qoyulacağı gözlənilir.

Luffa, the global leader in intelligent ecosystem platforms, today officially announced a major brand upgrade, repositioning itself as the AI × Web3 Super Connector.

Bithumb’s tie-up with SSI Digital positions it for Vietnam’s strict crypto exchange pilot as competition for scarce licenses heats up and scrutiny mounts at home.

Near One says blockchains may need new ownership verification systems if quantum attacks compromise wallet keys and expose private assets.

“Bavariya” klubu Çempionlar Liqasının yarımfinalında PSJ-yə qarşı keçirdikləri oyunun idarəçiliyindən narazı qalıb.

Futbolpress.az xarici KİV-ə istinadən xəbər verir ki, bu barədə Münhen təmsilçisinin direktoru Yan-Kristian Drezen açıqlamasında deyib:

“Oyunun hakimi Pinheyro anlaşılmaz qərarlar verdi. Nə danışacağımızı bilmirik. Çempionlar Liqasında cəmi 15 oyun idarə etmiş hakimin belə matça təyinat alması qəribədir. Açığı, qərarları da onun təcrübəsizliyini göstərdi”.

“Bavariya” iki oyunun nəticəsinə görə (4:5, 1:1) PSJ-yə uduzub və mübarizəni dayandırıb. Münhen klubu 1:1 hesabıyla başa çatan cavab görüşündə üç dəfə penalti qərarı gözləsə də, hakim “11 metrə” təyin etməyib.

“Şaxtyor”un baş məşqçisi Arda Turan Konfrans Liqasında “Kristal Pelas”a qarşı keçirəcəkləri oyundan əvvəl fikirlərini bölüşüb.

Futbolpress.az xəbər verir ki, mütəxəssis birinci matçda 1:3 hesablı məğlubiyyətə baxmayaraq, final üçün mübarizə aparacaqlarını deyib:

“İlk oyun geridə qaldı. Matça yenidən başlaya bilərik. Həmişə yaxşı oynamaq mümkün deyil, lakin sona qədər döyüşmək lazımdır. Birinci oyunda “mat” oldum. Bu dəfə vəziyyəti dəyişməyə, ən azı məğlub olmamağa çalışacağıq”.

“Kristal Pelas” – “Şaxtyor” oyunu saat 23:00-da start götürəcək.

PSJ-nin futbolçusu Markinyos Çempionlar Liqasının tarixinə düşüb.

Futbolpress.az xəbər verir ki, yarımfinalda “Bavariya” ilə matçda meydana çıxan müdafiəçi turnirdə ən çox oyun keçirən braziliyalı futbolçu adını qazanıb. Münhendəki görüş Markinyosun ÇL-dəki 121-ci matçı olub.

Bundan əvvəlki rekordçu Roberto Karlos idi. Keçmiş müdafiəçi turnirdə 120 oyun keçirmişdi.

“CBC Sport” telekanalında Çempionlar Liqasının yarımfinal mərhələsinin “Bavariya” – PSJ oyununu yayımlamaması sosial şəbəkələrdə narazılığa səbəb olub. Matçın anonsu edilsə də, görüş saatında yayımın baş tutmamasına görə telekanal tənqidlərə məruz qalıb.

“CBC Sport”un baş redaktoru Şəmsəddin Abbasov “Futbolpress.az“a açıqlamasında texniki problem yaşadıqlarını və tamaşaçılardan üzr istədiklərini bildirdi:

“Texniki problem idi, səhvimizi etiraf edirik. Günah bizdədir, texniki səbəblərdən qaynaqlanıb. İstəməzdik belə olsun. Məsuliyyəti dərk edirik. Tamaşaçılarımızdan üzr istəyirik, görünür, taleyimiz belə gətirib”.

Şahin Cəfərov

Dortmund “Borussiya”sının futbolçusu Niklas Süle karyerasını bitirib.

Futbolpress.az xəbər verir ki, 30 yaşlı müdafiəçi bu barədə klubun mətbuat xidmətinə açıqlamasında deyib. O, Bundesliqada “Hoffenhaym”la oyunda aldığı zədədən sonra bu qərarı verib.

Süle Almaniya millisinin də sabiq üzvüdür. Müdafiəçi yığmada 49 oyuna çıxıb.

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