Fenerbahçe'nin efsane ismi Aykut Kocaman, futbol gündemini sarsacak açıklamalarda bulundu. Teknik direktörlük kariyerine dair sessizliğini bozan Aykut Kocaman, dönmek için sadece iki adresi işaret etti: "Ya Fenerbahçe ya da Milli Takım!" Süper Lig'deki puan ortalamalarına da değinen Kocaman, Galatasaray'ın 2.46'lık ortalamasına rağmen "Bu Galatasaray iyi değil" diyerek çarpıcı bir analize imza attı.

Fenerbahçe'de hem futbolcu hem de teknik direktör olarak görev yapmış sarı-lacivertli ekibin efsane isimlerinden Aykut Kocaman, A Spor'da Gündem Özel programında açıklamalarda bulundu.

İŞTE AYKUT KOCAMAN'IN AÇIKLAMALARI

'YA FENERBAHÇE YA MİLLİ TAKIM'

"Yöneticiler, pandemi döneminde seyirci yokken daha hızlı karar vermeye başladılar. Ayrıca çalıştığımız insanlar, personellerin ve oyuncuların ödemesini yapamamaya başladı. Oyunculardan bir şey isterken, yükümlülüklerin yerine getirilmesi gerekiyor. Bunlar da antrenörlükle mesafemi açtı. Oyuncularla hep aram iyi oldu. Ufakça çatışmalar olabiliyor ama belli bir süre sonra hep olması gibi gitti. Başakşehir'de son dönemde oyuncularla ilişkilerde sıkıntılar oldu. Sonra bir karar verdim. Bundan sonra 'Ya Fenerbahçe ya da Milli Takım'da çalışacağım' dedim. Kararıma uygun devam ediyorum. Bunu olursa diye söyledim."

"İstanbulspor eğer TMSF'ye kalmasaydı, hala İstanbulspor'da devam edebilirdim."

"BU GALATASARAY İYİ DEĞİL!"

"Galatasaray'ın ortalaması şu an 2.46! Ki bu Galatasaray iyi değil! Şampiyonluk puanı önceden 75'lerdeydi. Bu rakamlar, artık başka bir ligin oynandığını gösteriyor. Son 4 yıldır böyle."

KOSOVA-TÜRKİYE MAÇI HAKKINDA

"Bu kadar yatırımın, verilen önemin karşılığında 24 sene Dünya Kupası'na gidememek, uzun bir süre. Avrupa şampiyonası, Dünya şampiyonası finallerinde Türkiye'nin tesadüfen olmaması lazım! Hep oralarda olmamız lazım. Olmadığımız zaman tesadüf olmalı. Perşembe gününden itibaren Kosova ve Türkiye bu maça kilitlendi. İki takımın da olumlu ve olumsuz özellikleri söylendi. Daha eklenecek bir şey yok. Daha etkileyici ne olabilir diye düşündüğümde, o gün duyguları yönetmek olacak. Antrenörlüğün de sırrı bu. Dünya Kupası da bir kaç ay sonra başlayacak, duygular öne çıkacak. Kosova'nın kendi evinde oynaması ve saha zeminindeki sıkıntılar... Zeminde problem yaşarsak, maçta bütün dengeler değişebilir. Bunun sonucunda Kosova'da duygusal patlama olabilir. Ciddi istekli bir grup."

MONTELLA HAKKINDA

"Milli Takım'ın şahane bir jenerasyonu var. Hakkını teslim etmek lazım. Vincenzo Montella çok iyi idare ediyor. Küçük zigzaklar içinde eğrisi yukarı doğru diye düşünüyorum. Çok iyi yönetiyor. Milli Takımı izlerken, canla başla oynayan oyuncular gördüğümde çok mutlu oluyorum. Şu an Milli Takımı izlerken bunu yakalıyorum. Bunu yapan teknik direktörün hakkını teslim etmek lazım. İyi yönetiyor bence."

BURAK YILMAZ MI AYKUT KOCAMAN MI?

"Burak Yılmaz mı, ben mi? Vincenzo Montella, beni tercih eder gibi. Aslında şaka yaptım burada (gülerek). Burak Yılmaz'a takılmak için söyledim. Burak Yılmaz'ın kariyeri benim çok çok üstümde. Bunu söylerken de vazgeçtim. Öndeki oyunculardan baskı istiyor Montella. Bu yüzden biraz önceki şakamı geri alıyorum. Maçlarda dolaşan, adam eksiltebilen, kenara gelebilen forvet arıyor."

Fenerbahçe Kulübü, Passolig anlaşmasına ilişkin kamuoyunda yer alan iddialar üzerine bir açıklama yayımladı.

Fenerbahçe Kulübü, son günlerde kamuoyunda yer alan Passolig anlaşmasına ilişkin iddialar üzerine resmi bir açıklama yaptı.

Sarı-lacivertli kulüpten yapılan açıklamada şu ifadeler yer aldı:

"Son günlerde, Kulübümüzün biletleme sistemi anlaşmasına ilişkin kamuoyunda dolaşıma sokulan eksik, çarpıtılmış ve gerçeği yansıtmayan değerlendirmeleri dikkatle takip etmekteyiz.

Kulübümüzün Passolig ile ilk anlaşması 2014 yılında, ikinci anlaşması ise 2019 yılında imzalanmıştır.

Bahsi geçen her iki dönemde de yapılan anlaşmalar kapsamında, Kulübümüz imza bedellerini peşin olarak tahsil etmiştir.

Mevcut sözleşmenin 2024 yılı itibarıyla sona ermesinin ardından Kulübümüz tarafından bu süreçte yeni bir sözleşme imzalanmamış; 2025 yılı içerisinde farklı biletleme sağlayıcılarıyla görüşmeler gerçekleştirilmiş ve yapılan değerlendirmeler sonucunda, Kulübümüzün menfaatlerini en üst düzeyde koruyan ve gelir açısından önemli bir seviyeye ulaşan yeni anlaşma, rekor bir tutarla imzalanmıştır.

Passolig ile yapılan bu anlaşma kapsamında elde edilen gelir, kulübümüzün biletleme süreçlerinin ilgili platform üzerinden yürütülmesine ilişkin iş birliğinin imza bedeli niteliğinde olup; gelecekteki sezonlara, maçlara veya hasılatlara ilişkin gelirlerin önden kullanılması gibi bir durum söz konusu değildir.

iddia edilenlerin tam aksine; yapılan bu yeni anlaşma, tüm şartlarıyla Kulübümüz lehine yeniden yapılandırılarak imzalanmıştır.

Camiamızın bilgisine sunar; aksi yönde oluşturulmaya çalışılan algılara itibar edilmemesini önemle rica ederiz."

NE OLMUŞTU?

Kamuoyunda yer alan iddialarda, Fenerbahçe'nin Passolig anlaşması kapsamında 5 yılda elde edeceği 600.000.000 TL'lik geliri peşin aldığı öne sürülmüştü.

Voleybol Sultanlar Ligi ekibi Göztepe, 11 oyuncu ile yolların ayrıldığını duyurdu.

Voleybol Vodafone Sultanlar Ligi ekiplerinden Göztepe'de 11 oyuncuyla yolların ayrıldığı bildirildi.

Kulüpten yapılan açıklamaya göre takım kaptanı Ceren Kestirengöz Kapucu, İlayda Uçak, Kayla Haneline, Emine Arıcı, Kara Bajema, Bihter Dumanoğlu Yarkın, Sherridan Atkinson, Nehir Kurtulan, Eda Kafkas, Amelie Rotar ve Lana Scuka ile yollar ayrıldı.

2026 FIFA Dünya Kupası Avrupa Elemeleri play-off finalinde yarın Kosova ile karşılaşacak A Milli Futbol Takımı, mücadelenin oynanacağı başkent Priştine'ye geldi.

Ay-yıldızlı takıma Gençlik ve Spor Bakanı Osman Aşkın Bak, Türkiye Futbol Federasyonu (TFF) Başkanı İbrahim Hacıosmanoğlu, TFF Başkan Vekili Mecnun Otyakmaz ve yöneticiler eşlik etti.

Kafilenin kamp yapacağı otele girişi sırasında AA muhabirine açıklamalarda bulunan Mecnun Otyakmaz, çok kritik bir mücadeleye çıkacaklarının altını çizdi.

Kosova halkının A Milli Futbol Takımı'na olan ilgisiyle ilgili de konuşan Otyakmaz, "Ben Sivasspor başkanıyken Gaziantep'e gitmiştik, çok güzel izzet-i ikramda bulunmuşlardı ama maçı kaybetmiştik. Bunların hiçbirinin önemi yok. Kardeşlerimiz inşallah çok güzel bir oyunla gerekeni yapacaklar. Zor bir maç olacak. İşimizi ciddiye alıyoruz. Onlar ne yapacaklarının farkındalar. İnşallah gerekli mücadeleyi gösterip buradan mutlu şekilde ayrılacağız. Kosovalılara da misafirperverliklerinden dolayı teşekkür ediyoruz." ifadelerini kullandı.

Gençlik ve Spor Bakanı Osman Aşkın Bak'ın da kafileyle birlikte Priştine'ye gelmesine değinen Otyakmaz, "Sayın Bakanımız da burada, bu da ayrı bir güç veriyor. Yarın da katılımlar olacak. Burada hep beraber, birlik içinde inşallah arzu ettiğimiz sonucu alacağız." diye konuştu.

A Milli Takım Teknik Direktörü Vincenzo Montella ve kaptan Hakan Çalhanoğlu, Kosova maçı öncesi düzenlenen basın toplantısında dikkat çeken açıklamalarda bulundu.

Karşılaşmanın oynanacağı Fadil Vokrri Stadı'nda düzenlenen basın toplantısında açıklamalarda bulunan Hakan Çalhanoğlu, şu ifadeleri kullandı:

"Küçüklükten bu yana hayal ettiğimiz dünya kupası... 2002’de ağabeylerimiz başardı, bizi gururlandırdılar. Biz onlarla büyüdük, onlarla hayal kurduk ve şimdi ben yarın sahaya çıkacağım. Bizim sadece bir maçımız kaldı, çok yakınız, 90 dakikamız var. Önceliğimiz her zaman ülkemizi en iyi şekilde temsil etmek, milletimizi gururlandırmak. Hocamızla 2,5 yıldır beraber çalışıyoruz, önemli adımlar attık. Takımın havası çok iyi, motivasyonumuz yüksek. Ayrıca baskıyı da hissediyoruz, heyecanlıyız ama güzel bir heyecan. Tek hedefimiz dünya kupasına katılmak, bu başarıyı elde etmek. Aslında benim kaptan olarak tek isteğim şu, inşallah dünya kupasına katılırsak, 2002'de oynamış olan ağabeylerimizi de aramızda görmek istiyorum. Tugay, İlhan, Yıldıray, Alpay ağabey, Bülent Korkmaz... onlarla beraber ABD'ye gitmek istiyorum. Tarkan Ağabey'in güzel bir şarkısı var "Bir oluruz yolunda" diye, bir olursak daha güzel tablo ortaya çıkar. Bizim milli takımımızda gördüğüm eksik, eski başarılı futbolcular uzakta ama onları davet etmek, aramızda görmek istiyorum. Bizim onlara ihtiyacımız var, onların tecrübesi bizim için çok önemli. Güzel bir tablo olur diye düşünüyorum."

Türkiye'nin Kosova ile oynadığı ilk maçta da forma giydiğini belirten Hakan, "Kosova milli takımı artık güçlü, kaliteli oyunculara sahip, takdir etmek gerekiyor. Buralara gelmelerinin sebebi iyi bir organizasyon olduğunu gösteriyor. Hocaları da iyi, kaliteli oyuncuları var, tanıdığım Vedat var, Como'da oynayan oyuncuları var. Arnavutça kelimeler biliyorum ama sandığınız kelimeler değil. O yüzden söylemeyeyim. Kosovalı çok yakın çevrem var hepsini çok seviyorum. Güzel sohbetlerimiz oluyor. Birbirimize saygı ve sevgi çerçevesinde olan sohbetler oluyor. O yüzden en iyisi bir kelime söylemeyeyim. Sadece bir oyuncu değil, birçok tehlikeli oyuncuları var. Çok iyi geçiş yapan, kontraatağa çıkan bir takım. Fisnik Asllani tehlikeli, Vedat zaten kale önünde ve duran toplarda tehlikeli, Kenan ile birlikte Juventus'ta oynayan oyuncu kaliteli. Hepsi iyi oyuncu." değerlendirmesinde bulundu.

"Hiçbir zaman sorunumuz olmadı"

Hakan, iki gün önce antrenmanda takımdan ayrı koşu çalışması yaptığının hatırlatılması ve takımdaki havanın sorulması üzerine şöyle konuştu:

"Durumum gayet iyi, son maçta ayağıma kramp girdi, hiçbir sorun olmadı, hocanın değiştirmesini istedim. Şu an iyiyim, idman iyi geçti. Yarın için hazırım inşallah. Takımın motivasyonu, neşesi her şey güzel. Bazen kışkırtmaya çalışan kişiler var ama hiçbir zaman böyle bir şey olmadı. Siz de yakından takip ediyorsunuz. Tek amacımız dünya kupasına gitmek, başka bir hedefimiz, düşüncemiz yok. Birbirimize nasıl sevgi ve saygıyla yaklaştığımızı görüyorsunuz. Bazen dışarıdan gelen art niyetli şeyler hoş değil ama biz bunları da aştık. Geçen sene Avrupa Şampiyonası'nı da yaşadık hiç öyle olmadığını da gösterdik. Aramızda olan bu bağ, bizi birbirimizden koparmaya çalışanlar istediği kadar uğraşabilir hiçbir zaman başarılı olamayacaklar. Birbirimizi gerçekten çok seviyoruz. Buraya gelmek için can atıyoruz. Merih sakat geldi, gelmeyebilirdi ama burayı çok özlüyoruz. Yarın oynayan ya da oynamayan herkes hocanın kararlarına saygı duyuyor. Hiçbir zaman sorunumuz olmadı."

"Bu benim kesinlikle kariyer maçım"

Kaptan Hakan, "Yarınki maç kariyerinin en önemli maçı mı olacak?" sorusuna, "Bu benim kesinlikle kariyer maçım. Milli takımı seçtiğimde bu hayalleri kurmuştum. Çok yakınım, inşallah nasip olur. Bunun için çok çalıştık, çok uğraştık tırnaklarımızla kazıyarak geldik, kimse bunu hediye etmedi. Son bir maçımız kaldı, elimizden gelen her şeyi yapacağız, ülkemizi en iyi şekilde temsil etmek istiyoruz. İnşallah bunu başarırız. Bunu hak ettiğimizi düşünüyorum. Zor yollardan geldik, son 2,5 yıl iyi geçti, bu takımın hak ettiğini düşünüyorum. İnşallah yarın başaracağız." yanıtını verdi.

Hakan Çalhanoğlu, yurt dışında büyüyen Türk oyuncuların milli takım tercihleri hakkında ise, "Herkesin düşüncesine saygı duyarım, Almanya'da doğup büyüdüm. Tüm kulüplerime minnettarım, onların sayesinde Hakan Çalhanoğlu oldum. Her zaman şunu söylüyorum, kalbinizin sesini dinleyin, ne olursa olsun. Gelecekteki Türk gurbetçiler de inşallah ülkemizi seçerler. Benden sonra Orkun, Kenan, Can geldi. Bu güzel bir örnek. Çünkü biz 80 milyonluk ülkeyiz, yetenekli oyunculara sahibiz." ifadelerini kullandı.

Hakan son olarak, "TFF Başkanının "Romanya, Kosova, Slovakya'yı yenemezsek Dünya Kupası'na katılmayalım' açıklaması oldu. Bu sizde ekstra bir baskı oluşturuyor mu?" sorusunu, "Herkesin bakış açısı farklıdır. Futbolcu gözüyle bakıyorum, hiçbir rakibi hayatım boyunca küçümsemedim. En büyük örnek Şampiyonlar Ligi’nde Bodo Glimt’e elendik, o yüzden hiçbir rakibi küçümsemiyorum. Başkanın bakış açısı farklıdır. Hedefimiz Dünya Kupası'na katılmak, son bir maçımız kaldı, son bir 90 dakika. Gerekli analizleri yaptık, yarın sadece kalite değil, kalbini daha çok ortaya koyan kazanacak. Biz de bunun farkındayız, elimizden gelen her şeyi yapacağız, hazırız." şeklinde yanıtladı.

Bu gün Azərbaycan Basketbol Liqasında (ABL) müntəzəm mövsümün sonuncu – 20-ci turunun növbəti oyunu keçirilib.

Arena.az xəbər verir ki, üçüncü oyun günündə də bir qarşılaşma baş tutub.

Günün yeganə matçında A qrupunda yer alan komandalar – “Neftçi” ilə NTD üz-üzə gəliblər. Bakı İdman Sarayında baş tutmuş qarşılaşma “ağ-qaralar”ın 93:83 hesablı qələbəsi ilə bitib.

A qrupunda 20-ci tura martın 31-də yekun vurulacaq.

A qrupu: Sabah – 37. Abşeron Lions – 36. Neftçi – 30. Gəncə – 29. NTD – 23. Şəki – 22.

Xatırladaq ki, ABL oyunları dörd dövrədən və 20 turdan ibarət olacaq. Müntəzəm mövsümün oyunları A və B qruplarına bölünməklə keçirilir. Müntəzəm mövsümdə A qrupunu ilk 3 sırada tamamlamış klublarla yanaşı, B qrupunu lider bitirmiş komanda pley-offun 1/4 final mərhələsinə vəsiqə qazanacaq. A və B qruplarında digər yerləri tutmuş komandalar isə pley-offun 1/8 final mərhələsində üz-üzə gələcəklər. Bu mərhələdə ən tez iki qələbə qazanacaq klublar 1/4 finala yüksələcəklər. Həm 1/4 final, həm də yarımfinal seriyaları 2 qələbəyə qədər davam edəcək.

Final seriyasında isə ən tez 3 qələbə qazanacaq klub Azərbaycan Basketbol Liqasının çempionu olacaq.

Futbol üzrə Azərbaycan millisi bu gün ölkəmizdə keçirilən “FIFA Series-2026” beynəlxalq turniri çərçivəsində son oyununa çıxıb.

Arena.az xəbər verir ki, Ayxan Abbasovun rəhbərlik etdiyi millimiz turnirdəki ikinci matçında Syerra Leone yığması ilə qarşılaşıb.

Sumqayıtda keçirilmiş görüşü Özbəkistandan olan hakimlər briqadası idarə edib.

Xatırladaq ki, millimiz bu turnirdəki ilk oyununda Sent Lüsiya yığması ilə qarşılaşmışdı. Eyni məkanda baş tutmuş görüşdə komandamız 6:1 hesablı qələbəyə sevinmişdi.

Syerra Leone yığması isə bu turnirdə ilk görüşünü keçirib. Çünki Oman yığması Bakıya gəlməkdən imtina etdiyi üçün, Afrika təmsilçisinin martın 27-də keçirilməli olan ilk görüşü baş tutmamışdı.

Bu dəfəki görüşün əsas vaxtında qalib müəyyənləşməyib. Bu üzdən penaltilər seriyasına ehtiyac duyulub. 11 metrlik zərbələrini daha dəqiq yerinə yetirmiş Azərbaycan millisi beynəlxalq turnirin qalibi olub.

Oyundan sonra mükafatlandırma mərasimi təşkil edilib. Turnirdə 3-cü yeri tutan Sent Lüsiya bürünc, 2-ci pillənin sahibi Syerra Leone gümüş medallarla təltif olunub. “FIFA Series – 2026” beynəlxalq turnirinin qalibi Azərbaycan millisinə isə qızıl medallar və kubok təqdim edilib. Həmçinin millimizin müdafiəçisi Elvin Cəfərquliyev turnirin ən yaxşı futbolçusu mükafatına layiq görülüb.

Mükafatlandırma mərasimində AFFA-nın baş katibi Cahangir Fərəcullayev, icraçı vitse-prezidenti Sərxan Hacıyev, Syerra Leone Futbol Assosiasiyasının vitse-prezidenti Alie Badara Taravali və Sent Lüsiya Futbol Assosiasiyasının vitse-prezidenti Valdes Ceyms iştirak ediblər.

FİFA Series-2026

30 mart

Azərbaycan – Syerra Leone 1:1 (penaltilər 9:8)
Qollar: Rahil Məmmədov, 72 – Daniel Kanu, 28.
Baş hakim: Asker Nacafaliyev
Baş hakimin köməkçiləri: İslom Azimov, Baxtiyorxuca Şavkatov
Dördüncü hakim: Axrol Ruskullayev (Hakimlər briqadası Özbəkistandandır).
Mehdi Hüseynzadə adına Sumqayıt şəhər stadionu.

Azərbaycan: 12. Aydın Bayramov, 3. Elvin Cəfərquliyev, 5. Anton Krivotsyuk, 8. Emin Mahmudov (k), 9. Renat Dadaşov, 10. Aleksey İsayev, 13. Emil Səfərov, 14. Elvin Bədəlov, 15. Bədavi Hüseynov, 21. Qismət Alıyev, 22. Musa Qurbanlı.
Ehtiyat oyunçular: 1. Səlahət Ağayev, 23. Rza Cəfərov, 2. Rəhman Daşdəmirov, 4. Rahil Məmmədov, 6. Abdulla Xaybullayev, 7. Toral Bayramov, 11. Xəyal Əliyev, 16. Anatoli Nuriyev, 17. Vüsal İsgəndərli, 18. Cəlal Hüseynov, 19. Rüstəm Əhmədzadə, 20. Rəhim Sadıxov, 24. Rüfət Əhmədzadə, 25. Rzayev, 26. Ayxan Hüseynov.
Baş məşqçi: Ayxan Abbasov.

Syerra Leone: 25. Jallo, 4. Kabia, 5. Turay, 9. Bakayoko, 11. Kaikai (k), 13. Kabia, 14. Kanu, 15. Kanu, 16. Kallon, 21. Bah, 22. Konte.
Ehtiyat oyunçular: 1. Sesay, 23. Koroma, 2. Fornah, 7. Que, 8. Koroma, 12. Jallo, 17. Qandi, 18. Taravelli, 19. Samadia, 24. Kamara.
Baş məşqçi: Məhəmməd Kallon.

Kişi voleybolçular arasında təşkil edilmiş Azərbaycan çempionatında (Yüksək Liqa) bu gün ilkin mərhələyə yekun vurulub.

Arena.az xəbər verir ki, Fövqəladə Hallar Nazirliyinin idman zalında sonuncu – 20-ci tur çərçivəsində “Ordu” – “Gənclər”, “Neftçi” – “Azərreyl” və “Murov” – “Xilasedici” qarşılaşmaları baş tutub.

Gərgin və maraqlı keçən bu oyunlarda “Ordu” (3:2), “Azərreyl” (3:2) və “Xilasedici” (3:0) komandaları qələbə qazanıblar.

Beləliklə, 20 turun yekununda turnir cədvəlinin ilk dörd pilləsində qərarlaşmış “Xilasedici”, “Neftçi”, “Ordu” və “Murov” komandaları yarımfinala yüksəliblər.

Reqlamentə əsasən, yarımfinal iki oyundan (ev və səfər) ibarət olacaq. İki qarşılaşmadan sonra komandaların qələbələri bərabər olarsa, qalibi müəyyən etmək üçün qızıl set oynanılacaq. Bürünc və qızıl medal uğrunda isə bir oyun olacaq.

Qeyd edək ki, yarımfinal oyunları aprelin 7-də start götürəcək.

Yüksək Liqa
20-ci tur
30 mart

“Ordu” – “Gənclər” 3:2 (23:25, 22:25, 25:16, 25:19, 15:6)

“Neftçi” – “Azərreyl” 2:3 (25:22, 20:25, 25:17, 23:25, 12:15)

“Murov” – “Xilasedici” 0:3 (17:25, 23:25, 19:25)

Yarımfinal mərhələsinin cütləri:

“Xilasedici” (1) – “Murov” (4)

“Neftçi” (2) – “Ordu” (3)

“FIFA Series-2026” turnirinin finalında keçirilən Azərbaycan – Syerra-Leone oyunundan (1:1, penaltilər 9:8) sonra millinin baş məşqçisi Ayxan Abbasov jurnalistlərin suallarını cavablandırdı.

Futbolpress.az xəbər verir ki, mütəxəssis əvvəlcə görüşlə bağlı fikirlərini bölüşdü:

– Azarkeşlərə təşəkkür edirəm. Bizə dəstək oldular. Oyunların fərqli olacağını bilirdik. İlk hissədə səhvlər etdik, hücumda aqressivlik çatmadı. Rəqib bizi əks-hücumda yaxaladı və fərqləndi. İkinci hissədə yaxşı müdafiə olunub, hücumların effektivliyini artırmalıydıq. Sonda hesabı bərabərləşdirdik. Penaltilər seriyası maraqlı alındı. Turnirdə qalib olduğumuz üçün sevincliyik. Bu oyun bizə siqnallar verdi. Rəqiblər güclü olduqca biz də artırmalıyıq. Gələcək oyunlara baxacağıq. Qarşıda iki yoxlama oyunu olacaq. Bununla Millətlər Liqasına hazır olmağa çalışacağıq.

– İlk dəfə çempion olduq, ilk dəfə penaltilərdə qələbə qazandıq. İlk penalti təcrübəniz haqda fikirlərinizi bilmək istəyirdim…
– İlk deyil. Kubokda “Sumqayıt”da işlədiyim vaxt “Qarabağ”ı penaltilər seriyasında keçmişdik. Futbolçular məşqlərdə penaltiləri yoxlayırdılar. Bugünkü seriya da bir təcrübədir. Bu oyun milli üçün faydalı olacaq.

– Bu turnir milliyə hansı təcrübəni qazandırdı?
– FIFA-nın turniridir. Rəqiblərimizdən Lixtenşteyn də burda mübarizə aparırdı. Onların qrupunda daha zəif komandalar var idi və elə zəif olan qalib oldu. Bu toplanışda millidə yeni adlar oldu, sınaqdan keçdi. Bəlli sistem üzərində çalışırıq. İnşallah, xeyrini görəcəyik.

– İki oyundan sonra Millətlər Liqası üçün optimal heyəti təxminən formalaşdımı?  
– Müəyyən fikirlər yaranır. Turnirə hələ var. Zədələr həmin vaxt işimizi çətinə sala bilər.

– Litva və Lixtenşteyn yığmasını izləmisinizmi?
– İki komandanı da təhlil edirik. Litva möhkəm komandadır. Evlərində çox yaxşı çıxış edirlər. Məncə, onlarla şanslar bərabərdir. Çalışacağıq ki, maksimum nəticə əldə edək.

– Bu oyundan aldığınız siqnallar hansılardır?
– İki oyunda da sonradan meydana daxil olan futbolçu oyunu dəyişdi. Ruhdan düşmürlər, çox istəklidirlər. Millidə rəqabət olduğu hiss edildi. Bu, gələcək üçün təkan verəcək. Bir çox futbolçunu yaxından izlədik. İnanıram ki, bizi təəccübləndirən yeni oyunçular da olacaq.

– Sadiq Baqıyev var Rusiyada. “Torpedo”da ən yaxşı futbolçu seçildi bu yaxınlarda. Tək o deyil, digər oyunçulardan da izlədikləriniz varmı? Bəyəndiyiniz futbolçu olsa, dərhal pasport məsələsi həll oluna bilər?
– Bəyəndiyimiz olsa, problem olmaz. U-21 yığma komandamıza da namizəd futbolçular izlənilir. Sadiq Baqıyevi U-21 yığmasına çağırdıq. Lakin bəzi məsələlər oldu, legioner statusu ala bilərdi deyə, imtina etdi. Biz də istəyirik ki, burda oynamaq istəyənlərə kömək edək.

Şahin Cəfərov

Azərbaycan yığması “FIFA Series-2026” turnirinin qalibi olub. Milli həlledici görüşdə Syerra Leoneni məğlub edib – 1:1, penaltilər 9:8.

Futbolpress.az xəbər verir ki, görüşdən sonra AFFA-nın baş katibi Cahangir Fərəcullayev “CBC Sport”a fikirlərini bölüşüb:

“Hər kəsi təbrik edirəm. Qələbəni kiçiltmək lazım deyil. Uşaqlar iki oyunda yaxşı mübarizə apardı, layiqli qələbə qazandı. Hesabda geri düşməyimizə baxmayaraq, sona qədər mübarizə apardıq, penaltilərdə qələbə qazandıq. Bu, bizim üçün vacibdir.

Rəqiblər haqda deyilə bilər ki, tanınmır. Amma bu, bizim üçün yolun başlanğıcıdır. Davamı gəlsin”.

Gennaro Gattuso assures Italy ‘see no difference between Wales and Bosnia’ with high praise for ‘good friend’ Edin Dzeko, as he sees some poker mind games for the World Cup play-off.

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It kicks off at the Stadion Bilino Polje in Zenica on Tuesday at 19.45 UK time and a winner will be decided after 90 minutes, extra time or even a penalty shoot-out.

The Azzurri squeezed past Northern Ireland 2-0 in Bergamo on Thursday, while Bosnia needed penalties to defeat Wales after a 1-1 draw in Cardiff.

Their original plan had been to fly in earlier, but the state of the pitch amid rain and snow prompted them to have today’s training session in Italy instead, not arriving in Zenica until this evening.

Gattuso not underestimating Bosnia

“Anyone who is in football lives for moments like this,” Gattuso told Sky Sport Italia following a pitch inspection.

“Personally, I feel the tingle of tension, there’s nothing better than that. If you don’t feel it, then you have to hang your boots up, or as a coach just go home. We know there is a lot at stake, we’re well aware that Italy have not participated in the last two World Cups, but we also must reserve all that energy for the pitch tomorrow and not waste it beforehand.”

Gattuso was already part of the 2006 squad that won the World Cup and had an entire nation celebrating, so now he can provide a different type of gift to the country by qualifying as a coach.

“I do feel great responsibility from the first day I took the Nazionale job, but I cannot think about what happens if there’s something positive or negative. I have to look into my players’ eyes and give them confidence. That’s not because I want to gift them something, but because I believe we can achieve this target.

“In the last seven months, the team has improved a great deal. We might not be particularly pretty, but that’s fine. Our history says that with mentality, hunger, and the ability to suffer through difficulty, so many of us were able to achieve amazing and entirely unexpected things wearing this shirt. So that is something we cannot do without.”

It is widely reported that Gattuso is not planning on making any changes to the starting XI that played against Northern Ireland, despite calls for Francesco Pio Esposito and Marco Palestra to step in for Mateo Retegui and Matteo Politano.

That was a slog until Sandro Tonali broke the deadlock, then he provided the assist for Moise Kean to make it 2-0.

“I was speaking to my staff and we knew there could be difficulties. I say thank goodness Northern Ireland tried to pass it around more, because if they had just done the usual and pumped balls into the box, we could’ve struggled more,” replied Gattuso.

“Tomorrow will be a different type of game, as Bosnia have two very fast wingers with quality, two strikers who move very well to reach balls pulled back from the by-line. We need to have courage on the ball, because Bosnia are a real team who know what they want to do.”

Bosnia and Herzegovina coach Sergej Barbarez said in his pre-match press conference that he’s ready to ‘park the bus’ if they take the lead over Italy, but Gattuso isn’t buying it.

“I know Sergej is a great poker player, so I don’t believe this is a team that wants to park the bus. They have a lot of quality and respect their opponents, so we need to do the same.

“Despite what happened the other day, we know the truth of the matter is there isn’t a difference between Wales and Bosnia. That controversy emerged, Federico did very well to comment, but it’s honestly not a cliché to admit this is a tough match and we respect them.”

This was in reference to the clip showing Federico Dimarco, Guglielmo Vicario and other Italy players celebrating when Bosnia beat Wales on penalties, suggesting they preferred not to go to Cardiff for the play-off final.

Edin Dzeko also commented on that situation, confirming his love for Italy after so many years in Serie A.

“I am glad you asked me this question,” replied Gattuso.

“I made many mistakes in life, but when it comes to football, I rarely get it wrong. I was talking to Dzeko for two months last year when I was at Hajduk Split and wanted to sign him from Fenerbahce, but the club didn’t have the resources to agree a deal.

“An incredible rapport still developed, he is light years ahead of so many as a professional, so it’s no fluke that he still gets the ball in the net at age 40 and says things that are not to be taken for granted.

“It’s proof that he is a great champion, a great man, and I am not surprised by any of that. We’ve formed a strong friendship, and I compliment him as a player and a person.”

Finally, does Gattuso have a message for the Italian fans back home?

“I saw that there were 10 million television viewers when we played Northern Ireland, and going around Italy the last few months, I know it’s up to us to give them that joy.”

Gianluigi Donnarumma admits ‘there’s no point saying we don’t feel the tension’ as Italy prepare for the World Cup play-off final with Bosnia. ‘We mustn’t repeat the mistakes against Northern Ireland.’

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It kicks off at the Stadion Bilino Polje in Zenica on Tuesday at 19.45 UK time and a winner will be decided after 90 minutes, extra time or even a penalty shoot-out.

The Nazionale reached this final thanks to a 2-0 victory over Northern Ireland on Thursday, sealed by Sandro Tonali and Moise Kean goals.

Bosnia also played that day, needing extra time and a penalty shoot-out to get the better of Wales in Cardiff following a 1-1 draw.

Donnarumma confession as Italy fired up

“We are human beings, there’s no point saying we don’t feel the tension, we all want to do well and go to the World Cup, but it’s the right kind of tension,” assured Donnarumma on Sky Sport Italia.

“We’re ready, we need to do what we prepared in training, focus on what we are capable of, and the rest will come as a consequence.”

The pressure is palpable in the Azzurri camp, as they lost the World Cup play-offs for the tournaments in both 2018 and 2022.

They had been the favourites in both those ties, losing to Sweden and North Macedonia.

“Everything adds up to valuable experience. We are a young squad, it’s only natural there is some anxiety and the adrenaline is racing, but that’s part of the sport,” added Manchester City goalkeeper Donnarumma.

“Tomorrow is a very important match we need to approach in the right way. We mustn’t repeat the mistakes we made in the first half against Northern Ireland.

“The team is ready and fired up to put in a great performance so we can achieve this target.”

Donnarumma is the captain of the Azzurri squad, as he is the player with by far the most senior caps, despite being still relatively young.

“I am truly proud of everything I’ve done so far with the Nazionale. There has been joy and pain, I missed out on two World Cups, and we want to bring Italy back where it deserves to be.

“Only we know how much we suffered at not getting to the World Cup, so we need to learn from that ugly experience and put it all onto the pitch tomorrow. We want to bring joy to all Italians, but also to ourselves, because I feel we deserve it for all that we’ve been doing.”

Giovanni Di Lorenzo is injured, but he has joined Guglielmo Vicario in flying to Zenica with their Italy teammates for the World Cup play-off against Bosnia and Herzegovina.

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It kicks off at the Stadion Bilino Polje in Zenica on Tuesday at 19.45 UK time and a winner will be decided after 90 minutes, extra time or even a penalty shoot-out.

Italy players stick together in crucial play-off

Vicario was spotted in the stands and stayed at the training camp with his teammates for the semi-final 2-0 victory over Northern Ireland last week, despite undergoing surgery only a few days ago.

The Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper wanted to be involved in the process of earning a spot at the 2026 World Cup, and he isn’t the only one.

Napoli defender Di Lorenzo was spotted with Vicario during the pitch inspection this evening as the Italy squad arrived at the Stadion Bilino Polje.

They were both wearing bright blue coats, to differentiate them from the players who are part of the official training camp and match squad.

According to Fabrizio Romano, Inter Miami have opened talks with Casemiro over the possibility of the veteran midfielder moving to Florida after the expiration of his contract with Manchester United this summer. Casemiro has already revealed he would be leaving Old Trafford at the end of the season, and despite some more recent speculation about […]

The post Inter Miami move for Casemiro appeared first on Soccer News.

The post Inter Miami move for Casemiro appeared first on Soccer News.

Kimi Antonelli's rapid rise in Formula 1 continued at Suzuka, where the Mercedes rookie claimed his second consecutive victory in the 2026 Japanese Grand Prix-and, in the process, took over the lead of the Drivers' Championship.

The 19-year-old Italian didn't have the cleanest start to the race, but a combination of strategy, pace, and a timely Safety Car helped swing the result in his favor on one of the calendar's most popular circuits.

Safety Car Turns the Race

The pivotal moment came on lap 22, when Haas driver Oliver Bearman suffered a heavy crash at the high-speed Spoon Curve. While battling with Alpine's Franco Colapinto, Bearman lost control on the grass after experiencing an extreme difference in speed due to Colapinto's car harvesting energy. Bearman's Haas hit the barriers at high speed, triggering a Safety Car.

Fortunately, the British driver was able to exit the car under his own power, although with a heavy limp; he was later taken to the medical center for precautionary checks after the 50g impact with the barriers.

Up front, the timing of the incident proved crucial. Antonelli had yet to make his pit stop, while rivals Oscar Piastri and George Russell had already pitted. The neutralization allowed the Mercedes driver to stop with minimal time loss and rejoin in the lead-a position he would not relinquish.

Antonelli Capitalizes

Even without the Safety Car, Mercedes believed Antonelli had the pace to challenge for victory. Once in clean air, he had been lapping faster than the early stoppers and building a gap that could have kept him in contention.

After the restart, Antonelli wasted no time asserting control, pulling clear of Piastri and managing the race from the front to secure back-to-back wins.

"It feels pretty good," Antonelli said after the race. "It's too early to think about the championship, but we're on a good path. I had a bad start, but after that the pace was really strong."

The win makes Antonelli the youngest driver ever to lead the Formula 1 championship, opening up a nine-point advantage over teammate Russell.

Piastri Shines as McLaren Recovers

While the result ultimately went Mercedes' way, McLaren showed a marked improvement after a difficult start to the season. Piastri led early and looked capable of controlling the race before the Safety Car shuffled the order.

The Australian held on for second place-his first podium of the year-and suggested that, without the interruption, victory may have been within reach.

"A bit of a shame we didn't get to see how it played out," Piastri said. "But to be disappointed with second is a good place to be."

Leclerc Takes Third After Fierce Battles

Behind the leading duo, Charles Leclerc completed the podium for Ferrari after a hard-fought race that featured multiple battles with both Russell and teammate Lewis Hamilton.

Russell, who had been in the fight for victory early on, faded to fourth after struggling with energy management issues following the restart. He also lost time during a brief system anomaly that allowed Leclerc to slip past.

The Mercedes driver mounted a late challenge but ultimately couldn't reclaim the podium, finishing just behind the Ferrari.

Midfield and Notable Moments

Further back, Lando Norris recovered from McLaren's earlier struggles to finish fifth, passing Hamilton in the closing laps. The Ferrari driver settled for sixth after a late-race duel between the pair.

Pierre Gasly led the midfield in seventh for Alpine, followed by Max Verstappen in eighth after another difficult outing for Red Bull. Liam Lawson and Esteban Ocon rounded out the top ten.

When Is Formula 1's Next Race?

The Japanese Grand Prix now marks the final race before an unexpected pause in the calendar. The next two scheduled rounds in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia have been canceled due to America and Israel's war in Iran, leaving teams with a five-week break before the season resumes in Miami.

But after Suzuka, one thing is clear: Formula 1's newest star has arrived-and he's leading the championship.

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During the insanity following Braylon Mullins’ last-second three-pointer that gave UConn a one-point lead over Duke with 0.4 seconds left, something went unnoticed: Huskies’ coach Dan Hurley stepping up to a referee and lightly head-butting him.

I can't imagine another coach not getting a technical here. https://t.co/en0FeGqsso

— Scott Dochterman (@ScottDochterman) March 30, 2026

Hurley has a reputation as being a wild-card, so this action isn’t exactly out of his wheelhouse, but considering everything going on, the question is this: Did this warrant a technical foul?

Duke broadcasters were already arguing that a technical foul should have been called on UConn player Malachi Smith, who ran to halfcourt to celebrate with Mullins and their teammates following the shot despite the game still being played. We’ve seen a technical foul called for just that, but amid the emotions, it is understandable that a player would do what Smith did.

What Hurley did was a grown adult making contact with an official for no reason whatsoever. The UConn coach is known to push referees to the limit, but this action should have resulted in a technical foul and possibly cost his team the game. Let’s see if there are any repercussions coming forward for Hurley as the Huskies head to the Final Four.

This article originally appeared on Duke Wire: Dan Hurley deserved a technical following contact with official

A breath of fresh air for Clemsonbasketball fans, Zac Foster is coming back for another year.

After a freshman season that was cut short by an ACL injury in December, the Clemson guard is set to return to the Tigers, giving Brad Brownell a key piece back in the backcourt heading into next season.

Before the injury, Foster had started to write himself out a real role on the team, appearing in 12 games and averaging 6.9 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game. His ability to create off the dribble flashed early, and now Clemson gets that back with a full offseason to build.

Clemson freshman guard Zac Foster will return to the Tigers, he told @TheFieldof68.

The former top-65 recruit played in 12 games, averaging 6.9 ppg, 2.8 rpg and 2.5 apg before suffering a season-ending ACL tear vs. South Carolina in December. pic.twitter.com/xi2nmfYNwT

— The Field of 68 (@TheFieldOf68) March 30, 2026

Foster is expected to be alongside Ace Buckner next season, giving Clemson a young guard duo with real upside. Two guards who can play on or off the ball with hustle? That makes anyone invested in the future of this program's opinion very validated.

Ace Buckner continues to impress.

His offensive capability is apparent, but what will earn him minutes is his hustle on the defensive side.

Brad Brownell said Buckner is the most competitive on the team, and it shows when he's on the floor.

— Grayson Mann (@gray_mann21) November 12, 2025

Coming out of high school, Foster brought a strong résumé with him, and it’s easy to see why Clemson stayed invested in his development. According to 247Sports, Foster was “a multi-talented combo guard in the midst of a clear ascension,” adding that “with skill, feel, good instincts, and still untapped physical tools, his best basketball is very likely still a way in front of him.”

He was a perfect fit as a contemporary combo guard because of "his smooth and skilled" handle and "quick and clean shooting stroke," which allowed him to play both on and off the ball. His length and instincts were evident even on defense; according to 247, he's "a fluid lateral mover who utilizes his length well" and has already made an impression with a high steal rate in high school.

247 pointed out that “the biggest limitation in Foster’s game right now is physical strength,” noting his frame is still filling out, something that affects his ability to finish through contact. But that’s also where the upside comes from.

Foster, a 180-pound, 6'4" four-star guard, was ranked No. 70 total in the class of 2025 and the No. 11 combo guard, per 247Sports. As a senior, he led his team to a 24-4 record, averaged 17.4 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 4.5 assists, and was named First Team All-State and Region Player of the Year.

Clemson star Avieon Terrell suffers injury setback ahead of NFL draft

📸 David Jensen, Getty Images https://t.co/tX6LdT2V1Dpic.twitter.com/PY1Q06kZUy

— Clemson Wire (@Clemson_Wire) March 30, 2026

Now that the season is over, Foster is back not only as a depth player but also as someone who has the potential to make significant progress. And if he does, along with Buckner, Clemson's backcourt could subtly emerge as one of the ACC's more intriguing units next year.

Contact us @Clemson_Wire on X (formerly known as Twitter), and like our page on Facebook for ongoing coverage of Clemson Tigers news and notes, plus opinions.

This article originally appeared on Clemson Wire: Freshman prodigy Zac Foster to stay with Clemson basketball

Denver Nuggets pull away from Warriors with third-quarter turnaround

Denver’s 116–93 win over the Golden State Warriors came off the back of a halftime shift that was easy to spot.

“You have to at least give the effort to the game plan,” head coach David Adelman said postgame.

The team responded. Denver allowed 53 points in the first half but clamped down in the second, giving up just 40 more. That included a decisive third quarter where Golden State went 0-for-13 from three-point range.

How Denver’s defence set the tone

It wasn’t a strong start for the Nuggets. They lost track of cutters, overcommitted on defence, and left shooters open, which kept Golden State in rhythm early. That changed after halftime.

“Second half was much better… intensity, energy,” Nikola Jokic said.

Denver increased their ball pressure, stayed closer to shooters, and forced 15 turnovers overall. They turned those mistakes into 22 points. The improved execution was noticeable right away in the third quarter, and it carried through the rest of the game.

Jokic’s control of the third quarter changed the game

Jokic’s stat line reflected his influence, finishing with 25 points, 13 rebounds, and 8 assists. But it was his play in the third quarter that helped swing the momentum.

“We just found a way to win,” he said.

Murray finished with 20 points, six boards, and seven assists. All four of his turnovers came before halftime.

Bench support added to the defensive change

The impact went beyond just the starting five.

“We were more physical, stopped turning the ball over, and didn’t give up backdoor cuts,” Bruce Brown said postgame.

Zeke Nnaji and Peyton Watson both helped Denver clean up its perimeter defence, allowing fewer clean looks from deep.

The Warriors managed only 19 points in the fourth quarter, struggling to find any of the flow they had earlier in the game.

Denver found the spark needed in the second half

“Take the challenge… look yourself in the mirror,” Tim Hardaway Jr said.

The numbers backed up that approach. The Nuggets finished at 50 per cent from the field and 47.5 per cent from three, combining defensive control with consistent shot-making.

Denver has reached this level before, but it’s often been in short bursts. This time, it stretched across two halves and gave them a full sample of what they’ve shown in flashes this season.

The test now is whether that play sticks around or fades back into inconsistency.

Read more:

"The Queen" Charlotte Flair is holding court, and she's in favor of The Bella Twins' (Nikki and Brie) return to the ring. However, she will do what it takes to jump the line for her and Alexa Bliss to get their WWE Women's Tag Team Titles back.

"No, I think it's awesome the Bellas are back," the 14-time WWE women's champion complimented in her interview with "Complex Graps." "I think the competitiveness and the tag division just elevates everyone and makes us want it that much more. The fact that the Bellas wanted to come back and fight for them, obviously it's just another team that's in our way that, ultimately, I think, will make Lexi and I try that much harder."

This interview, which was held before her match with the Bellas on "WWE SmackDown" this past Friday, might change her favoredness of their comeback. Luckily for Flair, she was not on the receiving end of the pinfall loss that her partner Bliss had to eat from Brie. But during the match, Nikki was visibly hurt. Based on the newest reports surfacing on Monday, it appears the Hall of Famer is fine, and hopeful that her half of the "Twin Magic" will help her and her sister win the tag team titles that slipped past them years ago.

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit "Complex Graps Wrestling Podcast," with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription. 

Read more: WWE Botches That Left Wrestlers Seriously Injured

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Read the original article on Wrestling Inc.

GUWAHATI, India (AP) — Young sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi smashed a 15-ball half-century as Rajasthan Royals thrashed Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League on Monday.

On a pitch which was under covers for most of the last two days due to wet weather, Chennai was put in and crumbled to 127 all out in 19.4 overs. All six Rajasthan bowlers shared the wickets.

The 15-year-old Sooryavanshi was dropped on the first ball he faced from Matt Henry but powered the chase with 52 off 17 balls — raising the third fastest fifty in the IPL — as Rajasthan cruised to 128-2 in only 12.1 overs.

Sooryavanshi's miscued pull shot against Henry was dropped by debutant Kartik Sharma, a tough two-handed catch over his shoulders while running backward from midwicket. Sharma failed to chase the ball and dribbled over the boundary, the first of Sooryavanshi's four boundaries plus five sixes.

Sooryavanshi gave Rajasthan a blazing start of 74-0 in the powerplay. He clobbered wrist-spinner Noor Ahmad for successive sixes and raised his half-century off just 15 balls before he holed out to Sarfaraz Khan at sweeper cover in the seventh over.

Fellow opener Yashasvi Jaiswal had a front row seat to Sooryavanshi's artistry. He was dropped on 26 before finishing 38 not out off 36 balls.

New Rajasthan skipper Riyan Parag’s decision to bowl first in favorable conditions was vindicated when Chennai slumped to 38-4 against the express pace of Jofra Archer (2-19) and Nandre Burger (2-26).

Former Rajasthan skipper Sanju Samson (6) had a forgetful first game for his new franchise Chennai when Burger flattened his off stump with a 140 kph delivery.

Samson was hired to fix the top order batting issues for Chennai, which finished in last place last season, but captain Ruturaj Gaikwad also made only 6 when he exposed his stumps against Archer’s pace and was clean bowled.

Left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja (2-18), playing for Rajasthan after 17 seasons with Chennai, struck twice in his first over to reduce Chennai further to 57-6.

With Mahendra Singh Dhoni not available for the first two weeks due to a calf injury, Chennai was in danger of opening its campaign with less than 100 runs. But Jamie Overton top-scored with 43 off 36 balls before he was run out in the last over.

___

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

Brazil and Croatia are set to face off in an international match on Tuesday, March 31, at Camping World Stadium in Orlando. The game will start at 8 p.m.

The game is part of the “Road to 26” series, which features top-ranked teams preparing for the 2026 World Cup. The event is expected to attract large crowds to the Orlando area.

Expect heavy traffic near the stadium throughout the afternoon, with road closures beginning at 3:30 p.m. to accommodate the event.

Stadium officials have announced that parking at the venue will be limited for the match. Fans are urged to park downtown Orlando and take advantage of a free shuttle to get to the stadium.

The upcoming match is a rematch of the 2022 World Cup quarterfinals held in Qatar. On December 9, 2022, Croatia defeated Brazil following a 1-1 draw.

Croatia won the match 4-2 on penalties after Bruno Petković scored a late equalizer in extra time.

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Aurelien Tchouameni’s journey at Real Madrid has not been straightforward. There were periods of doubt and significant external criticism, with fans at the Santiago Bernabeu jeering and whistling at him.

Rather than falter, the French international remained focused, continued working and allowed his performances to speak for themselves. That process has now delivered results.

Untouchable

Indeed, according to MARCA, Tchouameni is now considered ‘untouchable’ at Real Madrid despite continued interest from major European clubs.

It was Zinedine Zidane who identified Tchouameni as a future prospect while the midfielder was still developing at Bordeaux. His progression at AS Monaco confirmed those expectations, before Real Madrid ended up investing in his signing.

Since arriving in Madrid, his progression has been consistent under successive managers. For Carlo Ancelotti, he provided essential balance in midfield. Xabi Alonso built his system around him as a central figure.

Now, under Alvaro Arbeloa, he has expanded his influence, contributing more to attacking play while maintaining defensive discipline

Untouchable at Real Madrid. (Photo by Florencia Tan Jun/Getty Images)

As highlighted by the report, no player in the squad has completed more passes than him, either in La Liga or Champions League. He also maintains a passing accuracy above 90% in both.

In La Liga, he has completed 1,426 passes across 26 matches, achieving a 91.41% success rate. In the Champions League, across 12 matches, he has reached 600 completed passes with an accuracy of 92%.

These figures underline not only his reliability but also his role as the central organiser of Real Madrid’s play.

It goes without saying that Tchouameni has established himself as one of the most reliable figures at Real Madrid, and, has thus become an indispensable part of the club’s long-term project.

With his contract running until 2028, a new deal could be around the corner.

*Player valuation in title obtained from transfermarkt.com on date of publication.

Liverpool weigh Dumfries move as release clause emerges

Liverpool are exploring a move for Inter Milan’s Denzel Dumfries, with L’Interista reporting that the Netherlands international has a €25m release clause embedded in his contract. For a player previously described as “world-class”, the figure has inevitably caught attention at Anfield as the club prepares for a significant summer rebuild.

Photo IMAGO

This interest comes amid a broader reassessment of Liverpool’s squad. Despite heavy investment last summer, the campaign has been inconsistent, leaving the club battling for Champions League qualification. Reinforcement on the right side has become a priority, particularly with Mohamed Salah expected to depart.

Contract clause creates opportunity in market

Dumfries’ situation presents a rare opening. Under contract until 2028, he included a €25m clause when signing his current deal in 2024, providing a clear pathway for interested clubs. Inter are now attempting to renegotiate, offering an extension designed to remove that clause.

The timing is notable. Dumfries has found himself in a reduced role under Christian Chivu this season, a shift from his previous status as a key contributor to Inter’s run to the Champions League final. That change has introduced uncertainty, both for player and club.

Photo IMAGO

Liverpool are understood to be monitoring developments closely. Personal terms are not expected to be an obstacle, with the financial landscape of the Premier League offering a clear advantage.

Tactical fit raises key questions

From a football perspective, the potential move carries both logic and complexity. Liverpool’s current options at right-back, Jeremie Frimpong and Conor Bradley, have struggled with injuries, prompting the need for additional depth.

Photo IMAGO

Dumfries brings physicality, direct running and experience at elite level. He is also capable of operating further forward, which offers tactical flexibility. Yet his profile overlaps with Frimpong, raising questions about squad balance.

Photo IMAGO

This is where recruitment decisions become more nuanced. Liverpool must determine whether Dumfries represents a complementary addition or a duplication of existing strengths. The answer will shape how serious their interest becomes.

Summer strategy reflects evolving priorities

The wider context is clear. Liverpool are entering a window that will define their next phase. Identifying value in the market, particularly through release clauses, forms part of that strategy.

Dumfries’ availability aligns with that approach. A proven performer, available at a relatively modest fee, represents an opportunity that is difficult to ignore. Whether Inter succeed in removing that clause may ultimately dictate the outcome.

Our View – EPL Index Analysis

This move raises as many questions as it answers. Dumfries is undoubtedly an accomplished player, but the fit within the current Liverpool squad is not entirely clear. With Frimpong already offering similar qualities, there is a risk of redundancy rather than reinforcement.

There is also the broader concern around recruitment direction. After significant spending last summer, fans will expect a more targeted approach. Identifying genuine weaknesses, rather than adding depth for its own sake, should be the priority.

The release clause makes the deal attractive financially, yet value is not solely defined by price. How Dumfries integrates into the system, and whether he addresses a specific need, will determine success.

Supporters may prefer investment in areas that feel more urgent. If Liverpool proceed, it must be with a clear plan for utilisation. Otherwise, this risks becoming another move that looks sensible on paper but lacks conviction in execution.

Indianapolis Colts veteran cornerback Charvarius Ward, who seemingly intends to return for the 2026 season, posted a motivational question on his personal social media account (via The Athletic’s James Boyd):

While Ward hasn’t officially announced his return, he hasn’t elected for retirement either, and all signs point toward him lacing them up again for next season’s campaign.

Despite contemplating his football future earlier this offseason after suffering three documented concussions last year—and ultimately being placed on season-ending injured reserve, all indications are that Ward is intending to return for the 2026 season:

“ . . . I don’t want to say still deciding, but all indications are that he’s wanting to move forward and return,” said longtime Colts general manager Chris Ballard on Ward just a few weeks ago at his end-of-season press conference (via Colts.com).

Because of re-occurring concussions, the 29-year-old veteran didn’t have the debut season in Indianapolis both sides were ideally hoping for, recording 25 tackles (17 solo), 7 passes defensed, and a fumble recovery in a limited 7 starts.

That being said, when Ward was healthy and truly going right, he was as good as advertised for the Colts. Per PFF, Ward received a +77.1 overall grade, including a +77.4 coverage grade this past season. That was their 9th best overall grade at his position and just one spot ahead of teammate Sauce Gardner in their corner rankings.

Unfortunately, Colts fans only got to see the former NFL All-Pro starting outside cornerback tandem of Ward and recently acquired shutdown corner Sauce Gardner play together for just one game, during Week 12 on the road against the Kansas City Chiefs because of injuries to both players respectively.

To be fair, Ward was rightfully rusty too, having not played since Week 6, following a freak concussion after accidentally colliding with his teammate Drew Ogletree during pregame warmups—and now facing Chiefs All-Pro quarterback Patrick Mahomes fresh off his return.

If Ward can stay healthy and right, there’s no question he’s one of the league’s best cornerbacks opposite Gardner—as the Colts standout CB2. It’s just a matter of whether those concussions will continue to be re-occurring, and Ward continues to stay on the field.

At a certain point, he may have to make a decision regarding his life after football and continuing to play.

The post What Are Some of the Most Likely Stanley Cup Finals Matchups? appeared first on The Lead.

Formula 1 competed in Japan for its final race until May, and it was a competitive event. Oscar Piastri took the lead after a strong start; however, a massive accident by Haas driver Ollie Bearman caused a safety car. At the end of the day, one of the Mercedes drivers took advantage of the timely incident.

Kimi Antonelli and the No. 12 team for Mercedes won the Japanese Grand Prix, earning their second victory of the 2026 Formula 1 season. Antonelli dropped to sixth at the start of the race and played the perfect strategy to regain the needed track position to win the event.

YOUNGEST CHAMPIONSHIP LEADER IN F1 HISTORY!

✨ Kimi Antonelli ✨#F1#JapaneseGPpic.twitter.com/6jTtxZMaio

— Formula 1 (@F1) March 29, 2026

Heading into the month-long break, Antonelli holds a nine-point lead in the standings over Mercedes teammates George Russell. It has been an amazing start to the 2026 Formula 1 season for Antonelli, and he hopes to continue this momentum into Miami in May.

Formula 1 results: Japan (March 2026)

1. No. 12 Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes)
2. No. 81 Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
3. No. 16 Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
4. No. 63 George Russell (Mercedes)
5. No. 1 Lando Norris (McLaren)
6. No. 44 Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari)
7. No. 10 Pierre Gasly (Alpine)
8. No. 3 Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
9. No. 30 Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls)
10. No. 31 Esteban Ocon (Haas)
11. No. 27 Nico Hulkenberg (Audi)
12. No. 6 Isack Hadjar (Red Bull)
13. No. 5 Gabriel Bortoleto (Audi)
14. No. 41 Arvid Lindblad (Racing Bulls)
15. No. 55 Carlos Sainz (Williams)
16. No. 43 Franco Colapinto (Alpine)
17. No. 11 Sergio Perez (Cadillac)
18. No. 14 Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin)
19. No. 77 Valtteri Bottas (Cadillac)
20. No. 23 Alexander Albon (Williams)
21. No. 18 Lance Stroll (Aston Martin)
22. No. 87 Oliver Bearman (Haas)

This article originally appeared on Motorsports Wire: Kimi Antonelli wins Formula 1 race in Japan in 2026, full results

The 2026 Final Four doesn't have Duke. It doesn't have defending national champion Florida. Yet, it's still an event with sexy national semifinal games and a national championship game, which is likely to be fun and compelling. Let's give you 10 fascinating facts about this gathering in Indianapolis, with UConn, Illinois, Arizona and Michigan all vying for the trophy on Monday Night, April 6.

Streak broken

The last two Final Fours had a national championship game between No. 1 seeds. That streak was snapped this year with Duke losing to UConn. Arizona and Michigan will play in the national semifinals, but the winner will not face a 1 seed in the title game.

New coaches

Two of the coaches at the Final Four are first-timers: Brad Underwood of Illinois and Tommy Lloyd of Arizona. Three of the coaches are making their first Final Four appearance at their current employer. Dusty May reached the Final Four at Florida Atlantic, but this is his first Final Four as Michigan's coach.

UConn at the Final Four

UConn has reached the Final Four seven times before this one. The Huskies have won the Final Four six of those seven times, easily the most efficient track record in college basketball history other than John Wooden's UCLA teams of the 1960s and 1970s. UConn is easily the most ruthless lockdown closer at the Final Four since the NCAA Tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1985.

UConn's only Final Four loss in seven appearances: the 2009 national semifinals against Michigan State in Detroit, a virtual road game for the Huskies. Otherwise, they're perfect. They won both games in the 1999, 2004, 2011, 2014, 2023, and 2024 Final Fours. Their game record at the Final Four, all-time: 12-1.

Long waits

Arizona is in its first Final Four since 2001. Illinois is in its first Final Four since 2005. Irony: Arizona got to the 2001 Final Four by beating Illinois in the Elite Eight. Illinois got to the 2005 Final Four by beating Arizona.

Indianapolis intersection, part one

The last time the Big Ten won the national title was at an Indianapolis Final Four in 2000. Michigan State won. That Final Four had two Big Ten teams, with Wisconsin being the other.

Indianapolis intersection, part two

Arizona's last national title was won in Indianapolis at the 1997 Final Four. That Final Four, like this one, had a Big Ten No. 1 seed: Minnesota.

Trophy case

UConn has six national titles. The other three programs have no more than one championship. Michigan and Arizona have one each; Illinois has none.

Three of four

UConn is aiming for a third national title in four seasons at this Final Four. Has any school other than UCLA under John Wooden achieved that? Yes: Kentucky from 1948 through 1951.

1 on 1

From 2016 through 2024, the Final Four had a total of one national semifinal between No. 1 seeds: Kansas-Villanova 2018 in San Antonio. In 2025 and now 2026 with Michigan-Arizona, the Final Four will have had three national semifinals between No. 1 seeds.

Michigan men

Michigan is going for its third national championship game appearance in the past 13 NCAA Tournaments. The only schools with three in that span: UConn and North Carolina. UConn could gain a fourth title game berth in the past 13 NCAA Tournaments if it beats Illinois. UConn-Michigan, if it happens, would be a matchup of teams with a combined seven title game appearances out of a possible 26 slots in the past 13 NCAA Tournaments (2013-2026, with no tournament being held in 2020 due to the pandemic).

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

This article originally appeared on College Sports Wire: March Madness: 10 Final Four facts you need to know

Forward Matheus Cunha did not echo the idea that this Tuesday’s (31) friendly in Orlando (USA) against Croatia can be seen as revenge for what happened in the quarterfinals of the 2022 World Cup. On that occasion, Brazil was leading 1-0 and conceded a goal due to a lapse in concentration right at the end. Then, in the penalty shootout, they lost 4-2.

“There’s no way to see it as revenge. We see it as an opportunity, and we want to go out there and come away with the win, because there is no other mindset when wearing this shirt than to win the match,” said the Manchester United forward during a press conference held this Monday (30) in Orlando.

Matheus Cunha waiting for a new opportunity with the national teamCredits: Rafael Ribeiro / CBF

He praised the opponent and also mentioned France, which beat Brazil 2-1 in a friendly played last week, also in the United States.

“Croatia and France are national teams on the highest shelves of world football. Normally, we don’t get many experiences like these matches. We play within South American football. It’s wonderful to be having this opportunity.”

He stressed that the loss to France did not shake the group’s confidence.

“Nothing has changed. You journalists and we players have the same idea of what to do. (We want) to be World Cup champions, like great idols. Regardless of the defeat, which leaves us disappointed, it also shows us a certain calmness, because we have a path. Nothing has changed in our confidence. It’s good to know that we have a lot of room for improvement.”

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

Fresh off the heels of a big Opening Day weekend, the Mariners and KING 5 made a significant announcement this morning. Friend of the blog Joe Veyera had speculated on this two days ago after coming across a peculiar TV scheduling on April 10:

And it all became official this morning:

This is a pretty excellent step by the Mariners in terms of both growing the local fanbase and making games more easily accessible for all fans. With the Torrent, Kraken, and Storm all regularly airing games on free over-the-air channels like KONG and FOX 13+, it’s high time the Mariners got in on that action. Seahawks game have obviously been free to watch locally for decades because football is king and there are only 16 games, not 162. Many things about football make its fandom a lower bar to clear, but MLB teams being squirreled away on regional sports networks has long been an unnecessarily high barrier for local fans. Comcast cable is ludicrously expensive. The new Mariners-only local streaming options for subscribers have been incredible the last few seasons, but not everyone has $100 to drop to access it, of the $20 monthly fee. While it’s only 10 games, being able to go home, press one or two buttons and have the Mariners game pop on? Phenonemal. The way it should be and the way….it used to be before streaming on myriad different platforms took over.

I digress. This is great news in general for Mariners fans. Can anyone tell me what season was the last time the Mariners had regular season home games on free over-the-air cable? I’m trying to figure it out and haven’t gotten a good answer yet. Sound off in the comments!

Injuries will be a thing from start to finish throughout the fantasy baseball season. It is a reality that we must face, but we do not have to be dead in the water. We can identify these injuries and plan better than our competition may. It is all part of the abstract winning equation. These are key injuries ahead of the first full week of the MLB 2026 season.

Zack Wheeler

Wheeler is rehabbing and looking quite good, per reports. As for his return, it may yet be a couple of weeks away. There is no clear next-man-up in fantasy baseball; stash him until he gets the call.

Jacob deGrom

DeGrom is dealing with neck soreness, thus he is listed day-to-day. The team is optimistic that deGrom will pitch his scheduled start on Tuesday. However, be wary of below-peak performance.

Kyle Stowers

We listed Stowers as a breakout candidate, but he has stalled with this hamstring injury. Stowers is not going to be back on the field until late April, at the earliest. In turn, this actually slightly hurts the values of Jacob Marsee and Xavier Edwards in runs to be batted in.

Trey Yesavage

Yesavage is a Rookie of the Year candidate, so make sure to keep him stashed. Yesavage may be weeks away from his shoulder injury, but expectations remain high for his eventual return to play.

Jackson Chourio

A pitch hit Chourio in the World Baseball Classic, thus fracturing his left hand. Chourio is about another 2-4 weeks, but he will be among the better players at his position when he returns. Look to Christian Yelich to be a bit of a boost for the time being.

Carlos Rodon

Rodon is on the 15-day IL to start the season, but his return will be expected sometime in April. Immediately, Rodon will trend highly in fantasy baseball as an above-average starting pitcher on one of MLB's best teams.

JP Crawford

Crawford has endured shoulder inflammation since the beginning of spring training. This lands Crawford on the 10-day IL, and it may remain an issue for much of the short-term future. Leo Rivas is starting, but he has no current fantasy baseball value.

Tommy Edman

The return date for Edman remains much in the air. He is taking batting practice, but until his return is set in stone, he lacks much value that can land him in fantasy baseball free agency. The Dodgers' lineup is so stacked as it is, and Edman may be stuck at the back of the lineup.

More Fantasy Sports On SI News:

• Konnor Griffin And 3 More Top Fantasy Baseball Prospects (Hitters)
• Best Position-by-Position Fantasy Baseball Must-Start Players on Monday, March 30
• Top NFL Landing Spots For Ty Simpson: The Alabama Quarterback Could Be A Fit For 3 Teams
• Fantasy Baseball Owners Hit the Ceiling of Tarik Skubal in this Potential MLB Trade

This article was originally published on www.si.com/onsi/fantasy as Fantasy Baseball Week 1 Key Player Injury Report: Stash or Drop These MLB Stars.

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Welcome to the bracket-busting madness of 2026 — where unpredictability reigns, and opportunity follows. For three weeks, casual logic fades, but for us, the chaos is where long-term value lives.

While others are locked into every first-round spread, we’re focused on the bigger picture. From uncovering Final Four sleepers to grabbing national title futures before the odds shift, this is your betting headquarters.

So grab your Gatorade, check your bankroll, and let’s secure some championship value.

2026 March Madness futures predictions

Bet		Date	Units
❌ National Title:  Duke	+350	Mar. 1	0.5
💸 Make Final Four:  UConn	+350	Mar. 1	0.5
💸To Make NCAA Tournament:  Santa Clara	-150	Mar. 1	1.0
National Title:  Arizona	+475	Mar. 13	0.5
💸 West Region:  Arizona	-135	Mar. 18	1.0
💸 Elite Eight: Iowa State	-115	Mar. 18	1.0

National Title: Duke Blue Devils (+350)

The Michigan Wolverines have the best championship odds, even though the Duke Blue Devils are at the top of every rating system and beat them on a neutral site two weeks ago.

In addition, Michigan lost key reserve LJ Cason to a season-ending injury on Saturday, and I don't trust Elliot Cadeau as the primary ball-handler. I'd much rather back the Blue Devils, who do a much better job taking care of the ball and forcing turnovers. 

Final Four: UConn Huskies (+350)

Michigan (-170), Duke (-160), Arizona (-115), and Florida (+145) have separated themselves atop the Final Four odds board, but nobody wants to face the UConn Huskies and Dan Hurley in March. 

Hurley almost led the Huskies to an upset win against the eventual champion Gators in last year's tournament. He could go much further with a significantly upgraded roster this season.

The Huskies are loaded with experience and shoot significantly better from the perimeter than Arizona and Florida. Their biggest flaw is their sky-high opponent FT rate, but refs tend to swallow their whistles during the tourney.

To Make NCAA Tournament:  Santa Clara Broncos (-150)

The biggest concern about the Santa Clara Broncos is whether the selection committee will choose to give the West Coast Conference three bids. After all, Gonzaga and Saint Mary's are locks, and the WCC hasn't had three bids since 2022.

However, despite losing decisively to Gonzaga and Saint Mary's down the stretch, the Broncos still have model chances in the 70% range and a Top-40 resume.

The Broncos have a 24-7 record and wins against McNeese State, Xavier, and Minnesota earlier in the season have puffed up their mid-major resume. As long as they don't get bounced too early from the WCC tournament, they'll sneak into March Madness.

National Title: Arizona Wildcats (+475)

Michigan (+340) looked vulnerable after falling to Duke, and sixth-man L.J. Cason tore his ACL. Now Duke (+320) lost starting point guard Caleb Foster to a season-ending injury, while starting center Patrick Ngongba II is dealing with a foot injury and might be less than 100%. Without Foster and Ngongba, the Blue Devils barely beat Florida State in the ACC tourney, proving just how volatile tournaments can be.

It's becoming clear that there isn't much separating the Arizona Wildcats from Duke and Michigan, so getting the Wildcats at +475 is tempting. Tommy Lloyd's team is 30-2 and claimed the regular-season title in the Big 12 gauntlet. The Wildcats are elite on both ends of the floor, and their 3-point shooting (their lone weakness) is starting to improve.

West Region:  Arizona Wildcats (-135)

Arizona, Duke, and Michigan have separated themselves atop the futures board, but the Wildcats have the easier path to the Final Four with the Blue Devils and Wolverines placed into tougher regions. Duke also lost starting point guard Caleb Foster to a season-ending injury just before the conference tournament, while Michigan will be missing key reserve LJ Cason.

Meanwhile, Arizona is at full strength, and its freshmen starters seem to be hitting their stride. The Wildcats power through the West Region, where every other top team has major flaws.

Elite Eight:  Iowa State Cyclones (-115)

The Iowa State Cyclones are led by Tamin Lipsey, Joshua Jefferson, and Milan Momcilovic, who might be the best trio in college hoops. This is a balanced team that plays extremely well on both ends of the floor and can get buckets from every level.

Unlike past versions of Iowa State, this squad rebounds at a high level and has the grit to win games when the shots aren't falling. The three toughest possible opponents on the road to the Elite Eight are Kentucky, Tennessee, and Virginia, and the Cyclones are rated significantly higher than all of them.

How to Bet March Madness futures: A 4-step guide

Betting on March Madness futures requires a shift in mindset from daily picks. While a daily bet is a sprint, futures are a marathon where you are essentially buying "stock" in a team’s path through the bracket.

1. Diversify

Unlike daily bets, futures tie up your money for weeks. You shouldn't put your entire bankroll on one team to win it all.

Instead of one large bet, consider splitting 2–3 units across four different teams in different regions of the bracket. This ensures you have a "horse in the race" as the field narrows.

2. Identify high-value markets

When betting futures, you aren't just picking winners; you're looking for paths to victory. Here are two to consider:

• To Reach the Final Four: Often better value than the outright winner. You only need a team to win four games, not six. Look for teams with a "soft" region where the No. 1 or No. 2 seeds have poor efficiency metrics. Check out our Final Four odds now to see how teams stack up.
• March Madness MVP (MOP): This award almost always goes to a player on the winning team. We track all the top players throughout the tournament on our March Madness MVP odds page.

3. Learn from history

Historical data shows that national champions almost always fit a specific statistical profile by Selection Sunday.

4. Hedge

Futures betting is about the bracket. A great team with a "Group of Death" (tough No. 8/9 seeds followed by a dominant No. 4 seed) is a bad bet.

Look for "Quadrant 1" Wins. A team with 10+ Quad 1 wins is battle-tested, but a team with a high seed but only 3-4 Quad 1 wins is a potential "fraud" candidate.

If you bet a team at +2000 to win the title and they make the Final Four, you can bet against them in the semifinal to guarantee a profit regardless of the outcome.

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

TORONTO — The Magic made history in more ways than one during Sunday’s game against the Raptors inside Scotiabank Arena.

First, Orlando allowed Toronto to score 31 consecutive points between the end of the first quarter and the start of the second, marking the largest run in league history since play-by-play tracking began during the 1996-97 season.

Then, by the end of the night, the Raptors captured a 139-87 victory over the Magic — a 52-point difference that represents the largest loss in Orlando franchise history. The Magic’s worst previous loss was by 47 points against the Bulls in April 2017, a 122-75 defeat.

“Gotta find ways to stop runs like that. We didn’t,” Magic forward Paolo Banchero said in the locker room. “If you want to be a good team, you can’t give up runs like that.”

Good teams also don’t lose seven of their past eight games against opponents both in front of them (Atlanta and Toronto) and way behind them (Indiana) in the standings over the final month of the regular season.

That’s where Orlando finds itself with less than two weeks remaining in a regular season that’s been nothing but inconsistent for an organization that’s searching to return to the NBA playoffs for the third consecutive year.

Sunday’s game might as well have carried the implications of a playoff game, too, due to the impact it would have on the Eastern Conference standings. Although the Magic were still in eighth entering Monday’s slate of games, the gap between them and the teams in front of them has only grown as of late.

Last Monday, Orlando also sat in eighth, but only a half-game behind Philadelphia. After the Sunday night, the No. 7 Sixers (41-33) had a two-game lead on the Magic (39-35), who lead No. 9 Miami (39-36) and No. 10 Charlotte (39-36) by just a half-game.

“Emotions are kind of high,” Magic center Wendell Carter Jr. told the Orlando Sentinel after the loss. “Guys are frustrated. … We’ll have a real, together conversation about what to do moving forward.

“We didn’t treat this one like a playoff game, which we knew it was going to be coming into it,” he added. “We’ve just gotta find a way to figure this thing out.”

So, what happened?

According to Magic coach Jamahl Mosley, blame the historic loss on him.

“I can tell you exactly what it is,” he said. “I’ve got to make sure I do a better job for this group to get them and put them in the position to know exactly what they’re going to face on a night-to-night basis, especially with the last nine games, now eight games, coming down the stretch.

“And us as a group we’ll go look at it, we’ll talk about it, we’ll make sure we practice it and make sure we get the job done knowing you’re going to see similar games coming down the stretch,” he added.

The players in the locker room felt differently about the situation.

“Well, I wouldn’t blame him,” veteran guard Jevon Carter told the Sentinel. “The players got to take on that responsibility as well. I can’t just say it was his fault that that weren’t prepared. I mean, we know Toronto.

“We know Toronto comes out and plays hard and they try to junk the game up,” he added. “So, it was like, we knew, (but) it just didn’t go well.”

To Carter’s point, Sunday’s game was the third time the teams played this season. After splitting the first pair of contests, Toronto clinched the regular-season series 2-1 over Orlando.

Both sides were missing key players Sunday, too. The Magic were without Franz Wagner, Anthony Black and Jonathan Isaac while the Raptors didn’t have leading-scorer Brandon Ingram, starting guard Immanuel Quickley and reserves Collin Murray-Boyles and Jamison Battle.

Perhaps Banchero summed up who’s at fault for the loss best when he was asked about Mosley’s post-game comments.

“It’s all a collective,” the Magic forward said.

Regardless, all of it has left Orlando without an identity, little confidence and a short amount of time to recapture both before the postseason.

The Magic notched their fewest points of the season (87) and allowed their most (139) when they fell to 0-8 scoring less than 100 points and 1-7 when giving up 130-or-more points this year.

In addition, the Magic turned the ball over 28 times (which led to 37 Toronto points), the most turnovers they’ve committed since April 13, 2011 (28 against the Pacers).

“That’s the big thing,” Desmond Bane said. “You’ve gotta walk into games understanding the challenge, but always expecting to win. There’s like a certain swagger that you have to have about yourself over the course of an 82-game season, have that belief that whether or not you’re up 20, down 20, you wouldn’t be able to tell by the swag and the joy that we play with.

“We’ve had it in stretches but we definitely don’t have it right now,” he added.

Despite that, Mosley believes his messaging still resonates with the group.

He said he thinks his message is still getting through to the team. “You get hit in the mouth by (52) points, you understand exactly what you need to do,” he said. “You’re not as bad as you think you are in your losses, and you’re not as great as you think you are in your wins.

“So, we’re somewhere in between,” he added. “We’ve got to make sure we get on the right mentality coming down to these last eight games.”

Two of the final eight come quickly. Orlando hosts Phoenix on Tuesday night and Atlanta on Wednesday night.

The Magic lost a double-overtime game to the Suns on Feb. 21 and have dropped the first three meetings of the regular season to the Hawks by an average of 10.3 points.

“We’ve got to show up ready to play,” Banchero said.

Jason Beede can be reached at jbeede@orlandosentinel.com

Up next …

Magic vs. Suns

When: 7 p.m., Tuesday, Kia Center

TV: FanDuel Sports Network Florida

ATLANTA — U.S. men's national team midfielder Johnny Cardoso will miss Tuesday's friendly against Portugal due to a leg injury, head coach Mauricio Pochettino said.

Cardoso played the first half of Saturday's 5-2 defeat against Belgium. After the game, Pochettino said Cardoso was withdrawn in a planned substitution after experiencing some discomfort in training during the week.

At his pre-game press conference on Monday, Pochettino said that discomfort continued after the game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

"He arrived from Madrid with some small issues but we care about him, and he arrived in a perfect condition to play Saturday," Pochettino said on Monday at his pre-game press conference.

"The plan was to play 45 minutes but when he finished after 45 minutes, he felt again this type of uncomfortable things in some part of his leg. Now we decide not to force [it] and send [him] back to Madrid."

Pochettino added that the injury didn't appear to be serious.

"He will be recovering as soon as possible because he's trained in the gym today," Pochettino said.

The 24-year-old will return to Spain, where he'll be suspended for Atlético's league match against Barcelona on Saturday, April 4.

Atlético will face Barcelona again just four days later in the first leg of a Champions League quarterfinal, a game in which Cardoso will aim to make his return.

Cardoso has earned 23 caps for the USMNT, but has only managed to make five international appearances since the start of 2025.

Despite continuing to fare well in La Liga with Real Betis and now Atlético, Cardoso has often failed to replicate that form with the USMNT.

The USMNT will face Portugal at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Tuesday, March 31, with kickoff set for 7 p.m. ET.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Johnny Cardoso injury news: USMNT midfielder out vs. Portugal

England Under-21s boss Lee Carsley says Myles Lewis-Skelly has shown a "great attitude" with the Young Lions and has put himself in a "strong position" if called upon by Arsenal.

The 19-year-old, who has six caps for the senior team, made his debut for the under-21s in Friday's 1-1 draw in Andorra.

"He's shown such a great attitude and it's really benefited him this week playing minutes and training at a good level," Carsley said.

"I think that's one of the things that we always look for with the [senior] players and I'm thinking of Lewis Hall, Tino Livramento, Rico Lewis. A lot of players have done that, so Myles is not on his own.

"We look at attitude, we look at the desire to play and he was really enthusiastic about coming to the 21s. He sees that potentially as a route into getting minutes and then potentially going to play for Arsenal and then England.

"He had such a rise so quickly and this is football. This is what happens. There is lots of ups and downs, but he's responded well to it this camp."

On the impact Lewis-Skelly could make back at Arsenal, Carsley added: "I think you can train all you want, but there is nothing like match minutes where you are competing against someone and the intensity of it.

"The fact now that he's potentially going back having played a lot of minutes for England puts him a strong position where, if he is called upon or gets a chance, he is ready to go. He doesn't [now] need one or two games, which you don't get at that level, to bed in."

Bills free agent Brandin Cooks gets contract news on return to Buffalo originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Right now, Brandin Cooks doesn't have a team.

After finishing the season with the Buffalo Bills, Cooks remains a free agent.

There's at least a chance of him returning to Buffalo.

This is what Bills reporter Sal Capaccio posted on X on Monday:

"Brandon Beane said he’s had conversations with Brandin Cooks and his agent. Cooks remains a free agent right now."

MORE: Eagles' new signing flew himself as a pilot to Philadelphia

Cooks is at the point in his career where he can wait things out and seek out what ends up being the best opportunity as the season gets closer.

By the same token, if he and the Bills liked one another enough, there's no reason for the 32-year old to wait too long, if Buffalo is offering a contract that he feels is fair. 

Cooks joined the Bills late in the 2025 season as a last-ditch WR option, and in five regular season games, he had five catches for 114 yards.

In the postseason, Cooks added five catches for 78 yards in two games.

Of course, his most notable moment was the one not called a catch in overtime against the Broncos, a play that was instead ruled an interception for Denver that set up the game-winning field goal.

Maybe it'd be tough vibes for Bills Mafia to have Cooks back -- or maybe it'd be a feeling of trying to get some redemption.

Either way, the Bills at this point aren't in position to turn away potentially helpful wideouts. Cooks could still be useful as a guy lower on the depth chart.

More NFL news:

• Patriots subtly insult Rob Gronkowski
• Michael Pittman Jr. had to fly 28 hours after trade from Colts to Steelers
• Travis Kelce's new Chiefs contract has a simple retirement plan
• It has quickly become depressing for Malik Willis with Dolphins
• How the Vikings actually feel about J.J. McCarthy
• Replacement refs could impact Aaron Rodgers' retirement decision

Ever since his dismissal at Red Bull, rumors have persisted over a potential return to Formula 1 from former team principal Christian Horner.

Now one of his former rivals is pouring cold water on that idea, due to “repercussions” from his time on the grid.

In an interview with the Press Association, Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff addressed the idea of a Horner return, stating that he is of “two minds” on the topic.

“I am in two minds about it,” outlined Wolff. “The sport is missing personalities. And his personality was clearly very controversial and that is good for the sport. I said to [Ferrari team principal] Fred Vasseur that it needs the good, the bad, and the ugly. And it is now only the good and the ugly left. The bad is gone.”

You, dear reader, can decide who Wolff believes is the “good” and the “ugly” between him and the Ferrari boss.

“He has broken quite a lot of glass, and these things have repercussions in our microcosm. When you say things… but that is what he has done all his life, and that is what he knows best,” continued Wolff.

Since his dismissal at Red Bull, Horner has been linked to other teams on the grid. In recent days reports surfaced that Lawrence Stroll approached Horner about a move to Aston Martin, although F1 journalist Andrew Benson at BBC Sportnoted that Aston Martin managing technical partner — and former colleague of Horner — Adrian Newey was opposed to the idea.

Another potential option for Horner comes at Alpine, as that team is rumored to be selling a minority stake in the operation. Horner’s name has been linked to that potential sale, as has Wolff’s current team, Mercedes.

Wolff dismissed the idea that his comments were related to that potential sale.

“Us looking at that stake [in Alpine] is in no connection with Christian,” Wolff said. “And the idea that there is a rivalry between Christian and me around who buys an Alpine stake is made up. It would be quite sad if that was a consideration of doing such an investment or not. We are looking at it from different angles, and we haven’t come to any conclusions. We want to know whether it makes sense.”

Horner also outlined how he might find it difficult to “share objectives” with his former rival.

And while pointing to their competitive rivalry, he also noted that Horner has accomplished a great deal in the sport.

“Would I consider that he could ever be an ally or someone that shares objectives? I don’t think so,” Wolff added. “But even when I had the biggest frustration and anger with him, you need to remind yourself that even your worst enemy has a best friend so there must be some goodness.

“If there wasn’t that competitive rivalry over so many years, and if there was more water down the river, I am sure I could have had hung [out] with him over dinner and a had a laugh. Over those years it was just too intense, too fierce, and things happened which even today I cannot comprehend why he has done them.

“I certainly don’t wish him bad. And we need to give each other credit. There are not many team principals who have done what he has done. I see a situation that whatever happens, whatever outcomes there may be, whether he comes back to Formula 1 or not, I am at ease with it.”

As the Florida State Seminoles look to add to their 2027 recruiting haul, they have taken their efforts to the state of California. The target is three-star edge Godschoice Eboigbodin, and he announced to offer from FSU on social media.

"So blessed to receive an offer from FSU football @FSUFootball . Thanks to the coaches and staff," Eboigbodin wrote.

Eboigbodin is a versatile player. In addition to taking snaps at edge, he's also lined up at linebacker and tight end. He's also a multi-sport athlete, as he also excels in basketball.

The 6-foot-5, 235-pounder had a very good junior campaign at JSerra Catholic High School in San Juan Capistrano, California. Eboigbodin finished with 31 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, 10 quarterback hurries, one forced fumble, one pass breakup, one blocked punt, and one blocked field goal.

The 247Sports composite rankings have Eboigbodin listed as the No. 472 overall recruit and the No. 38 edge. They have also listed him as the No. 41 prospect in the state of California.

Contact/Follow us @FSUWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida State news, notes and opinions. You can also follow Matthew on X @StarConscience

This article originally appeared on FSU Wire: FSU Football: Florida State offers edge Godschoice Eboigbodin

Head coach Steve Clarke has been addressing the media at the Hill Dickinson Stadium in Liverpool before his Scotland side face Ivory Coast in Tuesday's friendly.

Here are the key lines:

• "A big, difficult challenge" awaits against Ivory Coast, who are "strong, direct, quick, good in attack and defence and were very clinical against South Korea," said Clarke, who reiterated that his players don't like him for picking difficult opponents.
• "No injuries is the ultimate priority," adds Clarke, "then performance, then result," insisting "we [players and staff] all think the same."
• On the subject of building "momentum", Clarke thinks it is a "buzzword" that is growing in football: "I don't know if momentum is good, bad or indifferent... I'll tell you in the summer."
• On perhaps taking "easier" friendlies to boost morale and Scotland's poor friendly record, he said: "I'm more interested in our record in competitive games and tournament record."
• Clarke is "fine" with expectations of his squad growing - in response to the reaction and booing after Saturday's defeat to Japan - adding: "The more you do, the more people expect of you, but I'd rather that than people not be bothered. If that level of expectation rises, that's fine - we can handle it."
• On his squad for the World Cup, Clarke confirmed it is a Fifa requirement to name 55 players for his provisional squad and he will "find them" before whittling them down to 26.
• On returning to the city of Liverpool, he said he had "a great time in a great city where I loved working with Kenny [Dalglish]."

Dodgers' Yoshinobu Yamamoto's competition for Cy Young is Phillies lefty, not Paul Skenes originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Los Angeles Dodgers are the top team in all of Major League Baseball and have the best chances of winning the World Series this season.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto, the ace of the Dodgers' pitching staff, is also a leading candidate for the NL Cy Young award in 2026. It's not a surprise, especially after a solid 2026 season debut against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

However, as ESPN's David Schoenfield noted, following the initial series of the year across all MLB teams, Yamamoto's biggest competition for the NL Cy Young award isn't Paul Skenes, but instead a Philadelphia Phillies lefty.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto's top Cy Young competition is Phillies lefty

"The NL Cy Young race is wide open after the Pirates' collapse," Schoenfield writes. "Meanwhile, fellow National League Cy Young contenders Cristopher Sanchez and Yoshinobu Yamamoto found better success in their Opening Day starts."

While Skenes, the Pittsburgh Pirates Cy Young winner from a year ago, would easily be the top contender for the Cy Young award this season, his disastrous season debut has opened the door for a new winner.

It might only be one start, but Skenes now has a 67.50 ERA after allowing five runs in just 0.2 innings pitched against the New York Mets on Opening Day.

Yamamoto, on the other hand, went six innings against the Diamondbacks, allowing two runs on five hits with one home run allowed and six strikeouts. His ERA after one start sits at 3.00.

More: Dodgers’ Roki Sasaki will return to rotation, not bullpen according Dave Roberts

He's bound to get better as the year goes on, and he has a significant leg-up on Skenes to begin the year in the Cy Young race. Now, Yamamoto's biggest competition isn't Skenes, but the Phillies lefty Cristopher Sanchez.

Against the Texas Rangers, Sanchez went six innings, allowing only three hits, no walks, and no runs allowed while striking out 10 for an incredible season debut.

The Dodgers got a good look at Sanchez in the postseason last year, and know well how good a pitcher the Phillies' lefty can be.

If Sanchez can continue to pitch well all year while staying healthy, he will be Yamamoto's biggest competition for the NL Cy Young Award, not Skenes, this season.

More MLB news:

• Reds’ Hunter Greene to be out until July amid brutal injury news
• Joey Wentz is out for the season with a torn ACL for the Braves
• Braves predicted to trade Bryce Elder for Lars Nootbaar
• Jesus Luzardo’s $135 million extension is a steal for Phillies
• This 19-year MLB record is finally over for the Giants
• Luis Gil sent down to minor leagues in strange Yankees roster move
• Jacob DeGrom is only 149 strikeouts from 2,000 for his career
• Three ways Pirates' Paul Skenes could lose NL Cy Young Award

There’s been a lot of consternation from Browns fans in the last week about the future of the best defensive player in the NFL, with the team making several curious moved with Myles Garrett’s contract which could hint to there being a trade. Now we can shut the door on that idea with this latest news:

The Browns had put forward a prospective rule change that would have allowed teams to trade picks up to five years in advance, up from three. It was a shortsighted move that could have led to more tanking in the NFL, as well as fans having to suffer the horrible decisions GMs had made to save their jobs with poor trades.

Now that is all dead with the Browns removing their plan, which is tantamount to saying that Garrett isn’t going anywhere, presumably because Cleveland was seeking multiple years of picks in a Garrett trade. It also comically comes on the same day that Rams head coach Sean McVay threw cold water on the idea that Los Angeles would trade for Garrett.

Read between the lines a little here: The Browns put forward a motion to allow more picks to be traded, then structured Garrett’s contract to be trade-ready, now they Rams pull out of any discussion, so they remove their motion to trade multiple picks.

Just too funny.

Gianluigi Donnarumma admits ‘there’s no point saying we don’t feel the tension’ as Italy prepare for the World Cup play-off final with Bosnia. ‘We mustn’t repeat the mistakes against Northern Ireland.’

It kicks off at the Stadion Bilino Polje in Zenica on Tuesday at 19.45 UK time and a winner will be decided after 90 minutes, extra time or even a penalty shoot-out.

BUDAPEST, HUNGARY – SEPTEMBER 08: Sandro Tonali of Italy looks on during a Italy training session at Bozsik Stadion on September 08, 2024 in Budapest, Hungary. (Photo by Claudio Villa/Getty Images)

The Nazionale reached this final thanks to a 2-0 victory over Northern Ireland on Thursday, sealed by Sandro Tonali and Moise Kean goals.

Bosnia also played that day, needing extra time and a penalty shoot-out to get the better of Wales in Cardiff following a 1-1 draw.

Donnarumma confession as Italy fired up

BERGAMO, ITALY – MARCH 26: Manuel Locatelli, Federico Gatti and Gianluigi Donnarumma of Italy interact after the FIFA World Cup 2026 European Qualifiers KO play-offs match between Italy and Northern Ireland at Stadio di Bergamo on March 26, 2026 in Bergamo, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

“We are human beings, there’s no point saying we don’t feel the tension, we all want to do well and go to the World Cup, but it’s the right kind of tension,” assured Donnarumma on Sky Sport Italia.

“We’re ready, we need to do what we prepared in training, focus on what we are capable of, and the rest will come as a consequence.”

The pressure is palpable in the Azzurri camp, as they lost the World Cup play-offs for the tournaments in both 2018 and 2022.

They had been the favourites in both those ties, losing to Sweden and North Macedonia.

MILAN, ITALY – NOVEMBER 16: Gianluigi Donnarumma of Italy warms up prior to the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifier match between Italy and Norway at San Siro Stadium on November 16, 2025 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

“Everything adds up to valuable experience. We are a young squad, it’s only natural there is some anxiety and the adrenaline is racing, but that’s part of the sport,” added Manchester City goalkeeper Donnarumma.

“Tomorrow is a very important match we need to approach in the right way. We mustn’t repeat the mistakes we made in the first half against Northern Ireland.

“The team is ready and fired up to put in a great performance so we can achieve this target.”

Donnarumma is the captain of the Azzurri squad, as he is the player with by far the most senior caps, despite being still relatively young.

“I am truly proud of everything I’ve done so far with the Nazionale. There has been joy and pain, I missed out on two World Cups, and we want to bring Italy back where it deserves to be.

“Only we know how much we suffered at not getting to the World Cup, so we need to learn from that ugly experience and put it all onto the pitch tomorrow. We want to bring joy to all Italians, but also to ourselves, because I feel we deserve it for all that we’ve been doing.”

While Nico Schlotterbeck is expected to sign a new contract with Borussia Dortmund, another defender could be heading for the exit door. 

According to Sky Germany, Waldemar Anton's future at the Westphalian giants is now an interesting topic of discussion.

BVB's recently dismissed sporting director, Sebastian Kehl, is said to have already held initial talks with Anton regarding a contract extension. 

Now, his replacement Ole Book is expected to continue them, with the 29-year-old's salary set to be adjusted based on his performances.

Furthermore, Dortmund are under some pressure to sign Anton, as the German international has attracted interest from other clubs.

According to the pay-TV channel, Manchester United, Aston Villa and Atlético Madrid have already inquired about the defender.

Anton's current contract with Dortmund runs until 2028, therefore the club holds most of the cards should it boil down to negotiations. 

After getting knocked around Saturday to the tune of a 10-2 loss, the 2026 Nats showed a level of resilience hardly ever shown by the 2025 club, taking command early thanks to a 3-run shot by Joey Wiemer to defeat the Cubs 6-3 and win their first opening series since 2018. The story of the weekend was the aforementioned Wiemer, who had yet to record an out and is tied for the major league lead in fWAR with 0.6, despite playing just 2 games compared to the other leaders, who have played 4.

The club now heads to Philadelphia, where they’ll take on the currently last-place Philadelphia Phillies (Have to take every opportunity you get to say that). The Phils won on opening day before dropping the final 2 games of their opening series, backed by a strong start by MacKenzie Gore in his Rangers debut yesterday, going 5 1/3 innings and allowing 2 runs. The trio of former Nats at the top of the Phillies lineup were all cold in the first series of the year, with Trea Turner and Kyle Schwarber batting .154, and Bryce Harper batting .091.

Game One – Saturday 6:40 PM EST

WSH: LHP Foster Griffin

PHI: RHP Taijuan Walker

Griffin will make his Nationals debut tonight and his first big league appearance since 2022. He showed promise in his 2 Spring Training starts (3 including the exhibition against team Venezuela), posting a 2.53 FIP across 8 innings.

Walker had a solid bounce-back 2025 season for the Phillies after getting roughed up to an ERA over 7 in 2024, posting a 4.08 ERA in 123.2 innings pitched. He’ll make his season debut today against a Nats team he has a 3.56 career ERA against.

Game Two – Monday 6:40 PM EST

WSH: TBD

PHI: RHP Andrew Painter

Monday is Littell’s scheduled day in the rotation, but the Nationals have not announced a starter yet. If he is unable to go, the Nats could roll with a variety of options, from a Brad Lord spot start to a bullpen game, to a starter callup from Triple A with a corresponding roster move.

Painter was on the fast track to the big leagues for the Phillies before Tommy John Surgery knocked him out of the 2023 and 2024 season, but after 22 starts in Triple A in 2025 with middling results, the Phillies trust him to be their 5th starter in 2026, at least to begin the year. He will make his big league debut Monday night against the Nats.

Game Three – Tuesday 1:05 PM EST

WSH: RHP Cade Cavalli

PHI: LHP Cristopher Sanchez

Cavalli only went 3 2/3 innings in his start on Opening Day, being limited by some command issues, but the swing and miss stuff looked on point, striking out 5 Cubs batters. He’ll be tested again in his second career start against a strong Phillies lineup, but one he did throw 7 scoreless against last season for his first big league win.

Sanchez dominated against the Rangers on Opening Day, throwing 6 shutout innings with 10 strikeouts. He’ll now face a lefty-heavy Nats lineup that has had success in their 2 games against lefty starters so far in 2026, scoring 16 runs in both games combined.

A Chance To Make A Statement

Taking the opening series on the road against a playoff team from last season was a strong start for Butera and his ballclub, but if they can go into Philadelphia and take a series from their hated division rivals, a team filled with former Nats, it would send a message to the NL East and baseball this Nationals club isn’t a pumching bag for them anymore.

If you wanted Lloyd Cushenberry III to become the Minnesota Vikings’ new center after Ryan Kelly’s retirement, you’ll have to pivot to a Plan B. The Buffalo Bills grabbed Cushenberry III off the free-agent wire late last week.

Buffalo’s move narrowed the Vikings’ center options by one more name.

It’s down to Ethan Pocic in free agency for starting-caliber centers on the open market.

Minnesota’s Remaining Paths at Center Get Even Thinner

He probably wasn’t on the Vikings’ radar at all.

Cushenberry III to BUF

Buffalo squared away center depth, as ESPN’s Alaina Getzenberg wrote Thursday, “The Bills added some veteran depth to the roster with a series of one-year deals announced by the team Thursday. The team signed two interior offensive linemen in guard/center Austin Corbett and center Lloyd Cushenberry III, in addition to bringing back wide receiver Trent Sherfield Sr.“

“Cushenberry had played in 23 games for Tennessee over the past two seasons. He was entering the third year of a four-year, $50 million deal he signed with the team in 2024 after spending the first four years of his career with the Denver Broncos. The deal made him one of the highest-paid centers in the NFL.”

Not long ago, the veteran center was the hottest center commodity on the free-agent market. His stock has fallen after a lousy stop in Tennessee.

The Bills’ Center Depth

Cushenberry III certainly won’t start in Buffalo at center; that’s Connor McGovern’s job. Here’s the Bills’ center depth chart as of late March:

• Connor McGovern
• Sedrick Van Pran-Granger
• Lloyd Cushenberry III

Cushenberry III’s career is a tale of two acts: early struggles in Denver, followed by a breakout performance in his final season of his rookie contract. He parleyed his strong 2023 into a four-year, $50 million contract two offseasons ago. After two seasons, he hit the open market because the Titans had seen enough.

His strengths and weaknesses are clearly established. Cushenberry is a more effective pass protector than run blocker. While his pass-blocking grade of 65.2 last season is adequate for a starting center, his run-blocking grade of 51.2 detracts from his overall performance and limits his fit in run-oriented offenses.

This is Cushenberry III’s Pro Football Focus resume:

• 2025: 55.2
• 2024: 55.4
• 2023: 73.2
• 2022: 56.2
• 2021: 64.3

Who Else for the Vikings at Center?

Over a half dozen starting centers have joined new teams in free agency, leaving the Vikings out in the cold. Minnesota has three paths remaining at center:

1. Promote Blake Brandel or Michael Jurgens to the starting job in 2026. Brandel improved at center each week when he filled in for the aforementioned Kelly last season. For Jurgens, well, he’s a late-rounder from the 2024 NFL Draft. Perhaps the coaching staff values his upside.
2. Draft a center next month; there may be about five or six rookies with starting upside when it’s all said and done.
3. Sign free-agent Ethan Pocic, who has consistently started for the Cleveland Browns.

Pocic, a 30-year-old center with considerable experience, is projected to earn $6-8 million annually. However, the figure could continue to decline if his free-agent market remains quiet. His consistent play is reflected in his 2023 PFF grades: 62.2 in pass protection, 63.2 in run blocking, and an overall grade of 63.8, suggesting he is a dependable player rather than a game-changer.

After being drafted in the 2nd Round in 2017, he finished his first contract with Seattle before moving to Cleveland in 2022, where he earned a starting position.

The main concern surrounding Pocic is his durability, as he typically misses 3–4 games each season. Fortunately, Minnesota appears well-equipped to handle this, with the aforementioned Brandel and Jurgens ready to step in as competent backups.

For veteran centers, Pocic is the last man standing if the Vikings want a starting center from the free-agent wire.

Our Janik Eckardt on Pocic as a free-agent option: “The Vikings lost center Kelly to retirement and the in-house replacements — versatile guard and tackle backup Blake Brandel and 2024 draftee Michael Jurgens — lack experience. Pocic has plenty of reps at center under his belt, having played over 5,000 of those for the Seahawks and Browns.”

“He’s not a great center by any means, but he can provide average play for the season if the Vikings strike out in the draft and aren’t happy with their current option, providing a reliable veteran presence in the middle of their offensive line.”

The Draft Options

If it’s the draft that Minnesota prefers for a Kelly replacement, the board looks like this, with the caveat that the rounds are approximate:

• R3 — Connor Lew (Auburn)
• R3 — Sam Hecht (Kansas State)
• R3 — Jake Slaughter (Florida)
• R3/4 — Logan Jones (Iowa)
• R5 — Parker Brailsford (Alabama)
• R6 — Pat Coogan (Indiana)

There is no single stud center in this draft, but it offers 6-7 possible starting options down the road. Minnesota also has nine draft picks, two more than usual.

The Vikings have just over $4 million in remaining cap space at the time of this article’s publication.

Mohamed Salah has been linked with a reunion with Roma after announcing his departure from Liverpool, while Juventus have been after Sandro Tonali for years. However, neither of the two Premier League stars is likely to return to Serie A for economic reasons.

According to Fabrizio Romano and Matteo Moretto (via SOSFanta), the forward has quickly received mammoth offers from a few foreign leagues, especially from the Saudi one. Inter Miami aren’t in the mix for now. He could head back to Italy only if he took a very steep pay cut. He hasn’t signaled he’s willing to do that at this stage.

Roma and other potential Italian suitors are trailing in the Salah race, while Juventus risk being overtaken by the English powerhouses for Tonali. He could indeed be on the move, but the two Manchester franchises and Arsenal have started eyeing him.

The Magpies value him at about €100M. His suitors are assessing the viability of the deal. The midfielder wouldn’t mind returning to the Peninsula at some point. However, he’s basically unreachable at that valuation.

Our Take on Salah and Tonali

Players who have spent time in Serie A, even foreigners, tend to find their way back eventually, but the financial state of the league doesn’t help. It’s more likely in the first case if the Liverpool star opted for one last hurrah in a top-five championship before riding into the sunset. Roma wouldn’t be the frontrunners despite the past ties. The Azzurri star has always looked like a pipe dream for Juventus, even though they are surely keen. He’d have to pick them directly, and they would need to concoct a multi-player trade, and not with some slouches, to get anywhere near those numbers.

The Wisconsin Badgers have kicked off spring ball, with this week being off due to spring break. Reporters have gotten to see a couple of practices with the new-look team that has 45 new players and a number of projected starters.

With pads coming on soon, it’s still far too early to say how several position battles will play out, but there is a ton of competition at a lot of key positions. Running back, wide receiver, tight end, defensive line, cornerback, and safety all saw overhauls this offseason, with transfers being projected starters at every position.

The defensive line group is especially new, as Wisconsin had to replace all of its top production with players in the transfer portal. They do have some players coming back, such as Charles Perkins and Nolan Vils, who will look to have bigger roles in 2026, but it is a group that will have a lot of competition throughout the offseason.

Who has taken the biggest strides so far this offseason?

“Well, first of all, I got to say this, Perk (Charles Perkins) has, knock on wood, keep rolling, but he’s shown great strides,” Tressel. “That’s really exciting to see. Also say (Nolan) Vils has taken great strides. So before you even get to the new guys, but when you get to the new guys, Junior (Poyser) is like the old man of the group. Like, he’s going to give you everything the exact same every single time, and sort of keeps anybody in the group from having these types of things. And there’s been times where we’ve had some ups and downs in terms of just the mentality and the strain. And he’s one that keeps it. And he’s a big physical dude. So that’s really exciting and great leadership for us.

“DeNigel Cooper, he’s a little bit undersized. We’re putting the weight on right now, but he is a twitchy dude and doesn’t take blank from anybody, which is really fun to see. Jake Anderson, I know, is going to be a dude that’s absolutely Mr. Reliable in there. And every day you can see him get better. He got banged up in the last game of the year, and he’s just feeling more and more and more comfortable. And quite honestly, all of them, like, we’re going against a Big Ten line every day. So there’s a little adjustment, but I think we have depth like we had last year. I think we do. We still have time to work. I can give you a better answer to that after the spring, but I like the direction.”

The Badgers will need to have some pass rush in that group, and they’re hoping for a lot of that crew to take the next step playing up a level. But they should have the depth needed in the Big Ten, and the bigger bodies should help against the run.

Still, it’s a good sign that the returners are catching the eye of the coaching staff, with Nolan Vils being a player who has consistently flashed and risen up the depth chart.

UCF fired women’s basketball coach Sytia Messer following four consecutive losing seasons.

The school announced the move on Monday, less than a month after the Knights finished with an 11-19 record.

“This afternoon, we met with women’s basketball head coach Sytia Messer to inform her that we will be moving in a new direction with the leadership of our program. We are grateful to Sytia for her commitment to UCF and the care she has shown for our student-athletes over the past four years. We wish her the best moving forward,” UCF athletics director Terry Mohajir said in a statement.

“Our goal remains building a program that competes at a high level while providing exceptional educational services that prepare our student-athletes for success beyond graduation. In this next chapter for women’s basketball, we are continuing to align our strategy to ensure we are investing in the ways that most directly impact success in today’s landscape.

“We will conduct a national search for a head coach who embraces this vision and can lead us forward in this new era.”

Messer, 48, was hired on April 4, 2022, replacing Katie Abrahamson-Henderson, who had left UCF to become the women’s basketball head coach at the University of Georgia. Her deal was for five years and featured a base salary of $625,000 with an annual increase of $25,000.

According to a source familiar with the situation, Messer’s departure will have no financial impact on the program.

Matt Murschel can be reached at mmurschel@orlandosentinel.com

Giovanni Di Lorenzo is injured, but he has joined Guglielmo Vicario in flying to Zenica with their Italy teammates for the World Cup play-off against Bosnia and Herzegovina.

It kicks off at the Stadion Bilino Polje in Zenica on Tuesday at 19.45 UK time and a winner will be decided after 90 minutes, extra time or even a penalty shoot-out.

Italy players stick together in crucial play-off

Guglielmo Vicario’s Instagram story on March 23, 2026.

Vicario was spotted in the stands and stayed at the training camp with his teammates for the semi-final 2-0 victory over Northern Ireland last week, despite undergoing surgery only a few days ago.

The Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper wanted to be involved in the process of earning a spot at the 2026 World Cup, and he isn’t the only one.

Napoli defender Di Lorenzo was spotted with Vicario during the pitch inspection this evening as the Italy squad arrived at the Stadion Bilino Polje.

They were both wearing bright blue coats, to differentiate them from the players who are part of the official training camp and match squad.

The Colorado Avalanche (48-14-10) complete a two-game homestand against the Calgary Flames (31-34-8). Puck drop is scheduled for 6:45 p.m. MT.

Key Stories to Watch

• Nazem Kadri is set to play his former team for the first of three meetings between the two clubs over the next 16 days. Kadri spent more than three and a half seasons in Calgary and didn’t miss a single game in that time.
• The Avalanche have lost their last four games at home (0-3-1), but have a six-point lead on the Dallas Stars with two games in hand. Still, you’d like to see Colorado get back on track at Ball Arena, especially against a team near the bottom of the standings.
• Scott Wedgewood gets the nod after playing just one of the previous five games. He’ll go up against Dustin Wolf for the Flames.
• Calgary has played well since selling off pieces at the trade deadline, which includes Mackenzie Weegar and Kadri. The Flames are 6-3-1 in their last 10 games.
• Former Avs forward Victor Olofsson also returns to Denver. He has two goals and two assists in 11 games.
• Nic Roy was on the ice before morning skate began. Head coach Jared Bednar said the forward will be back in the lineup well before the end of the regular season on April 16.

Season Series

• March 30 vs Calgary Flames
• April 9 vs Calgary Flames
• April 14 at Calgary Flames

Avalanche Injuries

• Nicolas Roy (upper body, will miss time)

Projected Avalanche Lines (Subject to Change)

Artturi Lehkonen — Nathan MacKinnon — Martin Necas
Gabriel Landeskog — Brock Nelson — Valeri Nichushkin
Ross Colton — Nazem Kadri — Logan O’Connor
Parker Kelly — Jack Drury — Joel Kiviranta

Brett Kulak — Cale Makar
Devon Toews— Sam Malinski
Josh Manson — Brent Burns

Scott Wedgewood
Mackenzie Blackwood

Projected Starters (Subject to Change)

• Confirmed: Scott Wedgewood (COL)
• Confirmed: Dustin Wolf (CGY)

Upcoming Milestones

• Josh Manson — needs 1 points for 200, 2 games for 700
• Valeri Nichushkin — needs 2 assists for 200
• Devon Toews — needs 3 points for 300
• Ross Colton — needs 6 games for 400

How to Watch

• TV: Altitude TV
• Radio: 92.5 FM

The post Avalanche Game 72 vs Calgary Flames: Kadri’s Reunion, Lines, Notes & How To Watch appeared first on Colorado Hockey Now.

John Cena may have retired from WWE in December last year, but the 17-time champion has found a new way to stay involved with the company without having to get in the ring.

Cena announced via social media that he will play host of WrestleMania 42 in Las Vegas this year.

Since retirement, my “road” has looked a little different… but now I can officially say I’m headed to WrestleMania!!!! See you in Las Vegas! pic.twitter.com/nyNypOhRpk

— John Cena (@JohnCena) March 30, 2026

The announcement comes less than a month after Cena stirred the rumor mill after hinting that he'd found a way to contribute to WWE following his retirement. Now, the truth is clear. Cena's hosting role gives him an opportunity to remain involved with WWE even after his farewell tour with the company last year.

When did Cena retire from WWE?

John Cena's 23-year career with WWE ended following his loss to Gunther at "Saturday Night's Main Event" in December 2025. The event aired on Netflix and saw Cena tap out to "The Ring General."

The match capped off Cena's retirement tour, filled with incredible moments, including seeing Cena win his 17th world championship by defeating Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania 41.

When is WrestleMania 42?

WrestleMania 42 will take place on April 18 and 19 from Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. This will be the second straight year that Allegiant Stadium has hosted WWE's premier event.

Already some heavy hitters are on the card for the event including CM Punk defending the World Heavyweight Championship against Roman Reigns, while Cody Rhodes looks to maintain his Undisputed WWE Championship against Randy Orton.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: John Cena to host WrestleMania 42 for WWE

As the Road to WrestleMania 42 rages on, WWE is set to return to familiar ground for tonight's "Raw," which will be hosted by New York City's Madison Square Garden. Past WWE events at MSG have always drawn intrigue, big matches, and big names, and this show appears to be no different, with Penta defending the WWE Intercontinental Championship against Kofi Kingston, Judgment Day's Roxanne Perez reportedly set to return, and top stars such as CM Punk, Roman Reigns, and Brock Lesnar all expected to appear.

And it appears WWE isn't stopping there. Fightful Select reports that Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes is in town for "Raw," despite currently wrestling on the "SmackDown" brand. He's not the only unexpected name backstage, as WWE EVOLVE star Nikkita Lyons is also at MSG for tonight's show. At this time, it's unclear if one, or both, will appear on the show, or if they will simply be hanging out backstage.

Of the two, Lyons' appearing on "RAW" would be the bigger shock. The 26 year old has yet to wrestle on the WWE main roster, despite being with the promotion for almost five years, instead splitting her time between "NXT" and "EVOLVE" when not dealing with injuries. As such, it seems Lyons may be more likely to wrestle on "WWE Main Event" than appear on "Raw." "Main Event" remains the closest Lyons has come to working on the main roster, having wrestled on the show against Ivy Nile back in December.

As for Rhodes, the WWE's top star comes into "Raw" fresh off returning to "SmackDown" to confront his WrestleMania 42 opponent Randy Orton, just weeks after Orton betrayed Rhodes in a brutal attack. Orton himself remains unadvertised for tonight's "Raw," and no word has emerged regarding whether he too will be making a surprising appearance.

Read more: WWE Botches That Left Wrestlers Seriously Injured

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Read the original article on Wrestling Inc.

The San Francisco 49ers are scheduled to begin their 2026 season in Melbourne, Australia, against the Los Angeles Rams. While that may be exciting for growing the NFL’s international footprint, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan isn’t enthusiastic about having to travel so far for his team’s opening game.

“I don't see any pro,” Shanahan told reporters at the NFL owners meetings in Phoenix on Monday.

“It's cool for the league to play globally. I think that's awesome,” he added. “But as far as the team doing it, no, there's not much benefit to it. Sometimes it's nice to get a bye week after, but doesn't happen in Week 1."

[Draft your Yahoo Fantasy Baseball team for the 2026 MLB Season]

The 49ers-Rams matchup is scheduled for Friday, Sept. 11, in Melbourne, which is 15 hours ahead of the Eastern time zone in the United States. Thus, kickoff for the game will be at 10:35 a.m local time. But it’s ideally scheduled for prime time in the U.S., 8:35 p.m. ET on Thursday, Sept. 10.

Shanahan referenced the significant time difference in a sarcastic response to questions about playing in Australia.

“Oh, so fired up,” Shanahan said, via the San Francisco Chronicle. “So we’re going back in time or into the future? I think we gain a day or lose a day? Not sure which one yet, but it is what it is. We’ll deal with it.”

Though the game is scheduled for Thursday night, a network has not yet been announced for the broadcast, according to Pro Football Talk. Over 100,000 fans are expected to attend the matchup played at Melbourne Cricket Ground.

General manager John Lynch said the team is planning to travel to Australia a few days before the game to get accustomed to the setting and circumstances.

The 49ers will also play a game in Mexico City in December. The opponent for that matchup has not been determined and will be revealed with the release of the 2026 NFL schedule in May. With that, San Francisco will become the first team to play international games in different countries in non-consecutive weeks on the schedule.

“I think there’s eight international games [this season],” Shanahan said. “We got two of them. So we’re fired up about that.”

Golf legend Tiger Woods has no plans to hire a driver and thinks he is “fine to drive,” according to a People magazine source.

Woods, 50, faces charges of driving under the influence (DUI), property damage, and refusal to submit to a lawful test on Friday, March 27. That’s because the Land Rover he was driving tipped on its side after it clipped a pickup truck pulling a trailer in Jupiter Island, Florida. There were no injuries.

The 15-time major champion spent about eight hours in the Martin County jail before his release.

MORE: 2026 Masters broadcast team, announcer lineup revealed

But even after other crashes in 2009 and 2021 and a DUI arrest in 2017, Woods has told friends he will continue to drive himself, according to the People story. TMZ posted the story on X.

The reason is simple. People’s source said Woods “doesn’t want anyone to watch over him or know what he is doing. … “He is not a social butterfly and prefers to hang around his home with his kids, or hitting balls, or playing video games. He despises public scrutiny.”

Woods is dating Vanessa Trump. Meanwhile, he and ex-wife Elin Nordegren share a daughter, 18-year-old Sam, and son, 17-year-old Charlie.

According to CNN, law enforcement said Woods had been driving erratically in the moments before the latest crash. Also, Woods crawled out of the passenger side of the SUV after it tipped.

The golfer’s other car-related issues include, per Golfweek:

• On Nov. 27, 2009, Woods crashed into a fire hydrant in his neighbor’s yard. There were no charges.
• Then, on May 29, 2017, Woods was found passed out in his car, which had damage on the driver’s side. Authorities arrested him, and he pled guilty to reckless driving.
• On Feb. 23, 2021, Woods had a serious single-car accident in Southern California that authorities say was caused by excessive speed. Woods had leg surgery to fix serious leg injuries. Law enforcement ruled the crash an accident.

Woods returned to competitive golf on March 24 in the TGL with Jupiter Links GC, for the first time since undergoing back surgery. He hoped to play in the Masters Tournament, which begins April 9 at Augusta National.

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Luis Castillo will take the mound in what were friendly confines for him last season as the New York Yankees open a series with the Seattle Mariners.

On the other side, Ryan Weathers will make his debut for the Bronx Bombers after being acquired from the Marlins last season. We think this pitch pairing sets up both teams to keep the runs down.

My Yankees vs. Mariners predictions and MLB picks break down why we like a low-scoring affair on Monday, March 30.

Yankees vs Mariners predictions

Yankees vs Mariners best bet: Under 7.5 (-110)

Luis Castillo's home numbers last season were legitimate: a 2.60 ERA and 1.00 WHIP across 100+ innings, with his strikeout rate jumping to 25%. He's in a position to attack a New York Yankees lineup with plenty of swing and miss. 

On the other hand, it is difficult to know what to make of Ryan Weathers, but a short outing is a near certainty. That will turn things over to a well-rested New York bullpen that has yet to allow a run this season.

Two quality pitching outings (one by committee) in one of baseball's most suppressive offensive environments.

COVERS INTEL: Luis Castillo's 2.11 ERA home-road differential last season was among the largest of any qualified starter. Quite frankly, he was literally a different pitcher at home than away..

Yankees vs Mariners same-game parlay (SGP)

While the sample is small, it’s pretty easy to say the Yankees haven’t fixed much of the strikeout issues that have plagued them for the (checks notes) at least the last five years. 

They are averaging just under 10 over the first three games, but the whiff rate remains in the Top 5 of the league, much like it has over the past few seasons.

With that in mind and the context of Castillo at home, I paired his strikeout number with the best bet for today’s SGP.

Yankees vs Mariners SGP

• Under 7.5
• Luis Castillo Over 5.5 strikeouts

Yankees vs Mariners home run pick: Randy Arozarena (+475)

Randy Arozarena is in a good spot if he can avoid the whiff (and he’s done a good job of that so far this season). Few players on the Seattle Mariners roster hit the ball harder than him consistently, and his early-season barrel rate reeks of someone due for a bomb.

What’s particularly noteworthy about this matchup is how it lines up with the pitch mix of Weathers. He’s mostly a two-pitch thrower, and Arozarena was in the top three of Mariners players in hard-hit rate last season against the two pitches he’ll see. 

Yankees vs Mariners odds

• Moneyline: New York -110 | Seattle -110
• Run line: New York +1.5 (-225) | Seattle -1.5 (+195)
• Over/Under: Over 7.5 | Under 7.5

Yankees vs Mariners trend

The Yankees have cashed the first-five moneyline in 42 of their last 70 games for +16.15 units and a 14% ROI. Find more MLB betting trends for Yankees vs. Mariners.

How to watch Yankees vs Mariners and game info

Yankees vs Mariners latest injuries

Yankees vs Mariners weather

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

The Duke Blue Devils men's basketball team was upset by the UConn Huskies during a heartbreaking Sweet 16 loss, but it was such an avoidable mistake.

Huskies freshman Braylon Mullins hit an unreal game-winning shot, completing an improbable comeback and ending the March Madness run for the Blue Devils.

None of this would have happened if Duke head coach Jon Scheyer called a timeout after UConn's Silas Demary Jr. made a free throw. This would have allowed everyone on the offense to get organized before the brutal season-ending blunder.

A timeout also would have given him an opportunity to make sure he told his players to follow his advice that he gave them earlier this season.

that Duke education 😅🧠 @Tre3Jonespic.twitter.com/EZPhdbA4Kh

— Duke Men’s Basketball (@DukeMBB) March 6, 2026

Earlier this month, Duke's social media team posted a clip of Scheyer studying game film of clock management by former Blue Devils guard Tre Jones.

In this video, Scheyer notes that the Bulls were up by two with four seconds to go. That's nearly identical to the scenario what Duke found itself in during the loss against UConn. The Duke coach quizzed his guys on what to do.

During the NBA situation, when Jones had the ball, he decided to throw it high and directly up in the air. Scheyer emphasized that it was a good idea because it would stretch out the clock without a possibility for a turnover like extra passes did during the game on Sunday evening.

After the Bulls won, Jones was complimented for his game awareness. Jones said that it was that "Duke education" that helped him with that one.

That irony of that is so painful and brutal and will sting for Scheyer and Cayden Boozer, who committed the turnover, for a long time.

This article originally appeared on For The Win: Jon Scheyer prepared Duke to avoid exact scenario that led to disaster

Microsoft prepares for “the return of Xbox” Asha Sharma, Microsoft’s recently installed CEO of Xbox, has unveiled this year’s Xbox Games Showcase. This year’s Xbox Games Showcase will be presented on Sunday, June 7th, followed by Gears of War: E-Day Direct. Gears of War: E-Day will be shown in detail after Microsoft’s main Xbox showcase. […]

The post Microsoft confirms this year’s Xbox Games Showcase alongside Gears of War: E-Day Direct appeared first on OC3D.

The post Best Crypto Presale to Buy Now: How Pepe Coin Went From $0 to $11B Marketcap? – Pepeto Targets 300x Over TRUMP and SOL appeared first on Coinpedia Fintech News

Pepe launched at a fraction of a cent and reached $11 billion, turning early wallets into millionaires. BNB sold for $0.15 in its 2017 presale and trades above $600 today.

The best crypto presale to buy now follows that pattern. Pepeto raised more than $8 million during Fear 9, and if the regret from missing Pepe and BNB still sits with you, last cycle made millionaires out of the wallets that moved first, and this is that same moment with a confirmed Binance listing approaching.

Pepe Turned $0 Into $11B and BNB Turned $0.15 Into $600: Where the Best Crypto Presale to Buy Now Fits

Pepe coin went from zero to $11 billion on pure meme energy with zero products, turning early wallets into millionaires, according to CoinGecko. 

BNB sold for $0.15 in its presale and now trades above $600 after building exchange tools behind the token, according to CoinDesk. 

The best crypto presale to buy now is where the same math lives, because the distance between presale price and listing price is where life changing returns get made, and that window closes permanently when trading starts.

The Verified Entry That Survives Every Cycle Because the Tools Create the Demand

Pepeto

One problem has punished crypto investors for years: scams and trap tokens that drain wallets before anyone sees what happened. The simple answer is a smarter way to check before your money moves, and that answer is Pepeto.

The verified exchange monitors code for hidden risks and catches sudden capital changes in real time. If large wallets move significant funds or capital gets pulled, the system flags it instantly before the price drops.

The platform spots hype and finds real opportunities in one clean space. PepetoSwap removes every trading fee, and the cross chain bridge moves tokens at zero cost.

Real checking stays essential across every market condition, which is what positions the best crypto presale to buy now to deliver after listing and keep delivering through every cycle that follows. More than $8 million raised at $0.000000186 with 191% APY staking compounding positions while stages fill. SolidProof reviewed every line of code, and the same person who launched the original Pepe coin to $11 billion on 420 trillion tokens built the exchange alongside a former Binance expert.

Wallets are entering before the Binance listing at current pricing. Once the presale closes and trading opens, the entry is gone permanently. That is exactly why analysts project 300x, and the window at Pepeto is still open, but it will not stay open much longer.

Official Trump

TRUMP went from $0.18 to $73 after the election win, one of the fastest meme coin runs ever. But the token recently hit an all time low near $2.85, and a gala dinner for the top 297 holders cannot replace the utility it never had. 

The best crypto presale to buy now with verified tools and a confirmed Binance listing at 300x is the stronger entry.

Solana

SOL holds $82,40 according to CoinMarketCap, with support intact and ETF inflows of $17 million over five days. A break above $89 opens $98, but rejection sends it toward $75. 

SOL has institutional backing, but even reaching $120 is a 50% move, not the return the presale at 300x from one listing delivers to the wallets that entered during fear.

Best Crypto Presale to Buy Now Confirms This Is the Second Chance to Be Early

While TRUMP hits new lows and Solana grinds sideways, the verified exchange is well positioned as the best crypto presale to buy now because the tools create real demand that drives adoption from day one, potentially delivering the 300x that analysts project from the Binance listing. 

If you still regret missing Pepe at zero or BNB at $0.15, no other project combines the same cofounder, verified tools, and a confirmed listing. 

The Pepeto official website is where entering now before the listing is how you make sure this time you are the one who acted early and made the life changing returns instead of the one who recognized the same pattern for the third time and let it pass while the presale closed.

Click To Visit Pepeto Website To Enter The Presale

FAQs:

Why is Pepeto the best crypto presale to buy now compared to hype tokens?

The verified exchange tools create daily demand across every cycle, unlike tokens that crash when attention fades. The Binance listing is confirmed with 300x projections from analysts.

Why is the best crypto presale to buy now better than large cap entries?

Large caps need billions for small gains. The Pepeto official website is where presale pricing at 300x from one listing delivers what SOL and BTC cannot from their current market caps.

When is the right time to enter the best crypto presale to buy now?

The presale fills during Fear 9 and the listing approaches. Once it closes, the entry price is gone permanently, and the wallets inside make what everyone else chases at a higher price.

The MSI MAG 242F is down to $85 from its usual ~$120 price, offering strong value for budget gamers. It packs a 24-inch FHD IPS panel with a 200Hz refresh rate, 0.5ms response time, and adaptive sync for smooth gameplay, along with HDMI and DisplayPort connectivity and an adjustable stand.

Read full article: https://www.travelandtourworld.com/news/article/experience-luxury-wellness-at-mandara-spa-best-traditional-healing-spa-in-the-maldives/

Experience Luxury Wellness at Mandara Spa, Best Traditional Healing Spa in the MaldivesMandara Spa at Cinnamon Hakuraa Huraa Maldives has...

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TUI Embarks on Next Stage of Transformation with Restructured Executive Board, Enhancing Synergy Across Tourism Segments to Lead the Future...

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Hotel Okura Manila’s Easter Buffet: A Feast For Families And TouristsHotel Okura Manila launches Easter Sunday lunch buffet Pastels and...

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Poland Joins UK, Canada, Sweden, Ireland and Australia as Global Powers Unite to Issue High-Level Travel Warnings for Cuba Amid...

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Samsung has announced that it is starting work on a new technology – silicon photonics. The company shared this news at the OFC 2026 event in Los Angeles.

Silicon photonics is a way to transmit data using light rather than electricity. Using light makes data travel faster and uses less power. This is very useful because AI data centers are growing and need to move a lot of data quickly.

Samsung reportedly announced it is ready to start making these new chips when customers send their designs. The company has already prepared everything needed for production.

First, Samsung will focus on making chips called photonic integrated circuits (PICs). These chips combine many small parts into one. These parts help turn electrical signals into light, send the light, and then turn it back into electrical signals. Earlier, these parts were made separately, but now they are placed on one chip. This makes the system faster and more efficient.

Samsung also said its technology can reach speeds of 224 Gbps per lane. This means future devices can be very fast, up to 1.6 Tbps. At the beginning, the company will sell these chips for optical modules, even though other companies are already in this market.

In the coming years, Samsung plans to improve its technology step by step. It aims to launch optical engines in 2027, better chip packaging in 2028, and full co-packaged optics (CPO) by 2029. This will help it compete strongly in the future. Stay tuned for more information.

The post Samsung takes on silicon photonics market with ambitious 2030 vision appeared first on Sammy Fans.

vivo just announced the X300s alongside the X300 Ultra, and Oppo is unveiling its competitor to the latter next month in the form of the Find X9 Ultra. But the company is also eager to let us know that it has an X300s competitor of sorts in the pipeline as well, namely the Find X9s Pro. The company has just published the teaser video you can see below on its official Weibo account. The Find X9s Pro will have a 200MP main camera and a 200MP periscope telephoto camera, which is a setup that has also been rumored in the past for the non-Pro Find X9s. There's also a 50MP ultrawide, and...

Google's Gary Illyes and Martin Splitt discuss page weight growth, the 15MB crawl limit, and whether structured data is adding bloat to web pages.

The post Google: Pages Are Getting Larger & It Still Matters appeared first on Search Engine Journal.

Tufts index projects 9M U.S. jobs at risk from AI. Writers and Authors, Computer Programmers, and Web and Digital Interface Designers top the risk list.

The post New AI Jobs Index Ranks 784 Occupations By Loss Risk appeared first on Search Engine Journal.

A bug in Google Ads Editor is causing structured snippet extensions copied between accounts to remain unintentionally linked. When advertisers change the language in one account, it can automatically update the same extension in another.

Why we care. This bug creates hidden inconsistencies for advertisers managing multi-market campaigns, especially when different languages are required across accounts.

What advertisers are seeing. The issue surfaced while managing Czech and Slovak e-commerce accounts by digital marketer Marcin Wsół. Changing the snippet language in one account triggered the same change in the other.

• The extensions appear separate but behave as if synced.

Zoom in. Using the Google Ads web interface can temporarily correct the issue, however, further edits in Editor may cause the language settings to toggle again.

Also. The bug isn’t limited to cross-account use. PPC News Feed founder, Hana Kobzová, founder that copying structured snippets within the same account can also lead to incorrect language settings after edits.

Between the lines. Advertisers relying on bulk edits in Editor may unknowingly overwrite localization settings, leading to mismatched messaging across markets.

Bottom line. Until fixed, advertisers should double-check structured snippet languages after copying or editing in Google Ads Editor—especially when working across accounts or regions.

First seen. This error was first picked up by Wsół, which was picked up by PPC News Feed.

Google says a new compression algorithm, called TurboQuant, can compress and search massive AI data sets with near-zero indexing time, potentially removing one of the biggest speed limits in modern search systems.

What it is. TurboQuant is a way to shrink and organize the data that powers AI and search without losing accuracy. It reduces memory use while keeping results precise and cuts the time to build searchable AI indexes to “virtually zero,” according to the research paper.

How it works. Modern search converts content into vectors (lists of numbers that represent meaning). Similar ideas sit close together in this numeric space, and search finds the closest matches.

However, these vectors are large and expensive to store and search. TurboQuant addresses this by using much smaller data that behaves almost exactly like the original, through:

• Smart compression. It rotates the data mathematically to compress it cleanly, like organizing messy items into neat boxes.
• Error correction. It adds a 1-bit signal to fix small compression errors and preserve accuracy.

What it means. Vector search — the system behind semantic search and AI answers — has been slow and expensive at scale. TurboQuant makes it faster and cheaper. Google says it enables faster similarity search, lower memory costs, and real-time processing of massive datasets.

Why we care. Google can evaluate far more documents per query, not just a small subset. If/when Google adopts this in Search, AI Overviews could pull from a broader, more precise set of sources, making it easier to generate instant summaries from large data pools.

More about TurboQuant:

• Google: TurboQuant: Redefining AI efficiency with extreme compression
• Research paper (arXiv): TurboQuant: Online Vector Quantization with Near-optimal Distortion Rate
• Marie Haynes: TurboQuant has the potential to fundamentally change how Search (and AI) works

After establishing as one of the best players in Serie A, Nico Paz has attracted the attention of numerous clubs such as Inter Milan. Given his strong performances, the Argentine has reportedly caught the eye of Real Madrid, who are seeking a return. Alongside him, two other players have joined the list of potential returns that Los Blancos are targeting ahead of the 2026–27 season.

According to Francisco José Delgado via Cadena SER, Real Madrid have decided they will count on Nico Paz, Endrick, and Víctor Muñoz ahead of the 2026–27 preseason. While the Brazilian is on loan and would not require a fee, they would need to trigger the buy-back clauses for the Argentine, valued at €9 million, and the Spaniard, valued at €8 million. Despite this, their continuity in the squad would not be guaranteed.

Although Endrick, Paz, and Víctor have been shining with their respective teams this season, they will have to prove themselves at Real Madrid, where a final decision will be made on their futures. However, the Argentine arrives established as one of the best players in Serie A, meaning he could directly compete with Thiago Pitarch for a starting spot. Alongside him, the Brazilian could remain in the squad, serving as rotation for Kylian Mbappé or Vinícius Jr.

Víctor Muñoz may find it harder to stay at Real Madrid. He could be a natural replacement for Vinicius Jr. However, coach Álvaro Arbeloa has decided to adjust his lineup, leaving room for only two forwards. Furthermore, the presence of Franco Mastantuono, Rodrygo Goes, and Brahim Díaz could close the door on him. Given this, the Spaniard could leave again, but on loan to control his future.

Real Madrid could make significant changes to their offense

Throughout the 2025–26 season, Real Madrid have struggled to maximize the level of several of their players. Because of this, the potential returns of Víctor Muñoz and Endrick open the door to possible departures. Neither Rodrygo Goes nor Franco Mastantuono have managed to establish themselves as regular starters. In addition, Brahim Díaz and Gonzalo García could also be affected, so the upcoming preseason may open the door to exits.

As young players, Gonzalo García and Franco Mastantuono could be the most likely to leave Los Blancos, as they still need to prove their potential. With this, Víctor Muñoz and Endrick would gain more space in the rotation. Despite this, the continuity of Álvaro Arbeloa or the arrival of a new coach could reshape all plans. Therefore, the only certainty is that several players will define their future during the next preseason.

Tottenham TV schedule and streaming links

Following Tottenham Hotspur from the United States has never been more vital for supporters as the club navigates a season of significant transition. Now competing in the UEFA Champions League following their continental success last spring, Spurs are a fixture of mid-week and weekend television. World Soccer Talk’s Tottenham TV Schedule provides the current broadcasting landscape to ensure you never miss a minute of the action from North London.

Tottenham Hotspur: At a Glance

• Stadium: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
• Major Honors: 2 League Titles, 8 FA Cups, 2024/25 UEFA Europa League Champions
• Current Pillars: Cristian Romero, Mohammed Kudus, Xavi Simons

How to Watch Tottenham in the United States

To see every Spurs match in the 2025/26 season, fans must navigate a combination of traditional networks and primary streaming platforms.

Premier League: NBC Sports & Peacock

The Premier League remains the core of the Spurs schedule, with NBC Universal holding the exclusive US rights.

• National TV: Marquee matchups for Tottenham are typically broadcast on USA Network or the main NBC channel. These can be streamed through live services like Sling Blue, Hulu + Live TV, and DirecTV Stream.
• Peacock Exclusive: Many of Tottenham’s league fixtures—particularly early Saturday kickoffs—are found only on Peacock Premium.
• Spanish Language: Look to Telemundo or Universo for high-quality Spanish broadcasts.

UEFA Champions League: Paramount+

Following their 2025 Europa League title win, Spurs have returned to the Champions League.

• Paramount+: This is the exclusive English-language home for every UCL fixture.
• ViX: Provides the corresponding Spanish-language streaming coverage for European nights.

Domestic Cup Ties: FA Cup & Carabao Cup

• The FA Cup: All rounds of the FA Cup are broadcast exclusively on ESPN+.
• The Carabao Cup: These fixtures generally air on Paramount+, which serves as the US home for the English Football League’s cup competition.

The Identity of the Modern Spurs

Tottenham Hotspur has entered a new chapter defined by a blend of proven international stars and a commitment to elite young talent. Under the lights of their world-class stadium, the club continues to chase the “Glory, Glory” tradition that has defined its history. Having re-established themselves as a force in Europe, the focus now remains on finding domestic consistency during a transitional season.

The current identity of the squad is anchored by the leadership of captain Cristian Romero. With the summer 2025 arrivals of Mohammed Kudus and Xavi Simons, the Spurs attack has taken on a new, explosive dimension. The club is building toward a future that honors its heritage of attacking, entertaining football while competing against the elite of the global game.

Despite Michael Carrick’s impressive performance, Manchester United are reportedly still searching for candidates to become the new head coach. In light of this, Roberto De Zerbi emerged as a strong contender. However, the Red Devils appears to be on the verge of losing him, as the Italian is reportedly close to joining Tottenham Hotspur on a lucrative contract to take over this season.

According to reports by Ben Jacobs and Alex Crook on X (formerly Twitter), Tottenham Hotspur have decided to prioritize the imminent arrival of Roberto De Zerbi. After leaving Olympique Marseille as a free agent, the Italian is reportedly on the verge of joining the English club, as he has been offered a five-year contract with a high salary. As a result, the Red Devils have lost their supposed top choice for the new head coach position.

Amid Spurs crisis, the decision to back Roberto De Zerbi is generating more concern than relief. Throughout his professional career, the Italian has not faced a challenge like pulling a team away from relegation, something Tottenham are experiencing this season. In addition, he has not managed to last more than two seasons at his last three clubs, which makes the long-term contract a source of concern.

While Roberto De Zerbi was a highly regarded option at Manchester United, they weren’t looking to get into a bidding war to secure his signing either. The Italian coach has yet to win titles in Europe’s top leagues, so his arrival reportedly didn’t generate widespread support. Consequently, his move to Spurs appears to be a smart move for his career, but a risky one for the team’s survival in the Premier League.

Carrick continued tenure at Manchester United could be real

Michael Carrick has had a positive impact at Manchester United. Since his arrival, the team has put in solid performances and secured a spot in the UEFA Champions League. In addition, he has helped improve the performance of several players, including Kobbie Mainoo, Benjamin Sesko, and others. Given the difficulty in securing a highly experienced head coach, Carrick’s continued tenure as head coach could become a reality.

According to ESPN, the Red Devils are considering Julian Nagelsmann, Andoni Iraola, Unai Emery, and Oliver Glasner as leading candidates for the head coaching position. Despite this, Carrick stands out as the top candidate, as he has had a positive impact not only on results but also on the team’s play and the development of the roster.

While Carrick does not have solid experience as head coach, he has reshaped the Red Devils roster into a highly competitive one. Coming from several wrong bets in the coaching spot, Manchester United may look to build on their current success, as several of the team’s stars seem quite comfortable and the results are promising.

could be set to challenge for a world title in his next fight. Itauma proved yet again on Saturday why he is one of the most exciting stars in boxing after he recorded a destructive fifth round knockout win over Jermaine Franklin at Co-Op Live in Manchester. Franklin had never been stopped before heading into […]

The post Heavyweight champion ‘ready’ to fight Moses Itauma next: “Anywhere” appeared first on Boxing News.

A Milli Takım Teknik Direktörü Vincenzo Montella, Kosova maçı öncesi düzenlenen basın toplantısında açıklamalarda bulundu.

A Milli Futbol Takımımız, 31 Mart Salı günü 2026 Dünya Kupası play-off final maçında Kosova ile deplasmanda karşılaşacak. 'Bizim Çocuklar' mücadeleyi kazanarak 24 yıllık Dünya Kupası hasretine son vermek istiyor. Mücadele öncesi milli takımımızın teknik direktörü Vincenzo Montella ve futbolculardan basın toplantısında açıklamalarda bulundu.

MONTELLA'NIN AÇIKLAMALARI

"İLK GÜNDEN BUGÜNE KADAR TFF'NİN DESTEĞİNİ HİSSETTİM"

"Öncelikle 2,5 senenin özetini yapmak istiyorum. Öncelikli olan futbolcularımız, onlar gerçek adamlar! Büyük futbolcu olmadan önce, büyük adamlar olarak ellerinden gelenin en iyisini yaptılar. Çok kritik bir dönemde geldim. Kendi tarihi boyunca kendi evinde kaybetmemiş Hırvatistan'ı yendik. O günden itibaren oyuncular, bana her zaman, her şeylerini verdiler. Oynayan, oynamayan herkes savaşan bir grup oldu. Formalarının arkalarında kendi isimlerinin değil, büyük milletin isminin yazdığını fark ettiler. Bu ülkenin, bana kendinden biri gibi davrandığını da kalbimde taşıyorum. İlk günden bugüne kadar TFF'nin desteğini hissettim. Resmi maçlarda en yüksek puan ortalamasını sahipsem, bu bana verilen destek ile oldu. Dünyada saygı duyulan bir milli takım haline geldik. Uluslar Ligi'nde yükseldik, FIFA sıramalasında yükseldik. Herkese teşekkür ederim. Oyuncularımı kendi evlatlarım, ailem gibi hissediyorum. Sayın Hacıosmanoğlu'na teşekkür ederim. Uzun süredir hayalini kurduğumuz Dünya Kupası hayalimiz için elimizden geleni yapacağız."

"SONUÇ NE OLURSA OLSUN..."

"Kosova maçında sonuç ne olursa olsun, oyuncularıma karşı düşüncelerim asla değişmeyecek. Onları hiçbir şeye değişmem."

"FİNAL MAÇINA ÇIKACAĞIZ"

"Kosova hak ederek buralara geldi. Taktiksel olarak kurguları görüldü, çok net bir oyun ve fikir var. Bunu maç içinde görebiliyorsunuz. Final maçına çıkacağız. Biz de en iyi şekilde hazırlanarak, ne yapmak istediğimizi biliyorum."

"24 YILIN SORUMLUSU BU ÇOCUKLAR DEĞİL"

"Baskıyı herkes hisseder. Bu bir final. 24 yıldır gitmedik ama oyuncularımızın çoğu doğmamıştı. 24 senedir gidemediysek, sorumlusu onlar değil. Bu kez gitmek istiyoruz, ülkemiz için en iyisini yapacağız."

"FARKLI BİR MAÇ OLACAK"

"Kosova'nın güçlü yönlerini törpülemek gerekiyor. Buna çalıştık. Kendi özelliklerimizi de ön plana çıkaracağız. Farklı bir maç olacak."

"BİRLİKTE HAREKET EDERSEK HER ŞEYİ BAŞARABİLİRİZ"

"Oyuncularımız yürekleriyle oynarken, bayrağımız altında herkesi birleştirdi. Neleri başarabileceğimize şahit olduk. Birlikte harekete edersek, her şeyi başarabiliriz."

"SADECE KOSOVA MAÇINI DÜŞÜNÜYORUZ"

"Dünya Kupası'ndaki rakiplerimize bakmadım bile. Avustralya, ABD, Paraguay ile ne yaparız diye düşünmedim. Sadece Kosova maçını düşünüyoruz. Paraguay'ın Yunanistan ile maçı vardı ama ekibimizden kimseyi göndermedik. Bizim tek hedefimiz şu an bu maç"

"TÜRK GİBİ HİSSEDİYORUM"

"Zorlayarak konuşmuyorum, gerçekten Türkiye'de çok iyi hissediyorum. Başkanımızla dostluğumuz çok iyi. Yarın farklı kararlar alırken de zorlanmayız. Kültürlerimiz çok yakın, ben de benzer şekilde büyüdüm. Türk gibi hissediyorum."

ZEKİ ÇELİK HAKKINDA

"Zeki Çelik konusunda ilk maç riske girmek istemedik. Kosova maçı için de duruma bakacağız."

EL Chirinquito programında Real Madrid'in Kylian Mbappe'nin bu yaz takımdan ayrılmasına engel olmayacağı açıklandı.

Ayrılık nedeni olarak Fransız santraforun sürekli elini ısınan dizine götürmesi neden olarak gösterildi.

Mbappe'nin piyasa değeri 200 milyon Euro olatak değerlendiriliyor.

Football Insider'ın haberine göre Manchester City, Erling Haaland'ın takımdan ayrılmasına izin vermeyecek.

Fichajes, Norveçli golcünün takımdan ayrılması halinde Real Madrid ve Barcelona'nın ilk tercihleri olacağını yazdı.

Haaland bu yıl 22 gol atarak, Premier Legaue gol krallığında zirvede.

Fenerbahçe Beko Erkek Basketbol Takımı'nda 32 yaşındaki oyun kurucu Scottie Wilbekin ile yolların ayrıldığı duyuruldu.

Sarı-lacivertli kulüpten yapılan açıklamada, "Her şey için teşekkürler Scottie Wilbekin! Fenerbahçe Beko Erkek Basketbol Takımı'mız, 2022-23 sezonunda kadromuza katılan ve çubuklu formamızla mücadele ettiği dört sezonda elde edilen birçok başarıda pay sahibi olan oyuncumuz Scottie Wilbekin ile karşılıklı anlaşarak yollarını ayırmıştır. Scottie Wilbekin'e takımımıza yapmış olduğu katkılar için teşekkür ediyor, kariyerinin bundan sonraki döneminde kendisine başarılar diliyoruz." denildi.

ABD doğumlu olan Wilbekin, daha önce Türk Milli Basketbol Takımı'nda forma giymişti.

Wilbekin, Fenerbahçe Beko'nun yanı sıra Türkiye'de Darüşşafaka'da görev aldı.

Trabzonspor, Trendyol Süper Lig'in 28. haftasında 4 Nisan Cumartesi günü sahasında Galatasaray ile yapacağı maçın hazırlıklarını sürdürdü.

Mehmet Ali Yılmaz Tesisleri'nde teknik direktör Fatih Tekke yönetimindeki antrenmanın ilk bölümünde oyuncular, dinamik ısınma çalışması gerçekleştirdi.

5'e 2 ile devam eden antrenman, dar alan oyunuyla sona erdi.

Bordo-mavili takım, hazırlıklarına yarın yapacağı antrenmanla devam edecek.

Galatasaray'ın 1 numaralı transfer hedefi Bernardo Silva... Portekizli 10 numara, Manchester City Yönetimi'yle görüşerek son kararını onlara iletti.

Bernardo Silva, sözleşmesi 30 Haziran'da bittiğinde takımdan ayrılacağını Manchester City Yönetimi'ne bildirdi. Aslında bu gelişme bekleniyordu. Zaten Premier Lig ekibiyle Portekizli yıldız arasındaki yeni mukavele görüşmeleri çok uzun bir süre önce durmuştu.

Galatasaray'ın 10 numara listesinde Bernardo Silva zirvede bulunuyor. 31 yaşındaki futbolcunun adı aynı zamanda Juventus, Inter Miami ve Barcelona'yla da anılıyor. Sarı-Kırmızılılar bir süredir oyuncu cephesiyle görüşüyor. Portekizli yıldız, son kararını City ile kontratı tamamlandıktan sonra verecek.

Galatasaray Mertens'in ayrılığı sonrasında 10 numara bölgesinde sorun yaşıyordu. Birçok farklı oyuncu bu görevi üstlendi. Ancak asıl bölgesi 10 numara olan kimse yoktu. Sarı-Kırmızılılar benzer problemlerle karşılaşmak istemiyor. Silva ve çeşitli alternatifler konusunda çalışmalar sürüyor.

Silva & van Dijk elele! Rüya gerçeğe dönüşüyor

Fransalı keçmiş yarımmüdafiəçi Mişel Platini “Real”ın 27 yaşlı mərkəz hücumçusu Kilian Mbappe haqda fikrini bildirib.

Arena.az Platininin müvafiq fikrini təqdim edir:

“Mbappe ilə canlı görüşməmişəm. Onun oyunlarını ancaq televizorda izləmişəm. Onu ancaq futbolçu olaraq qiymətləndirə bilərəm. Kilian meydanda inanılmaz şeylər edir”, deyə Platini vurğulayıb.

Kilian Mbappe futbola Fransanın “Bondi” klubunda qədəm qoyub. Ardınca “Klerfonten”ə keçib, oradan isə “Monako”ya yol tapıb və böyük futbolda məhz “Monako” ilə debüt edib. 2015-2018-ci illərdə Knyazlıq klubunun əsas komandasında çıxış etmiş Mbappe, 2018-ci ilin iyul ayında 180 milyon avro məbləğ müqabilində PSJ-yə keçib. Kilian 2018-2024-cü illər aralığında Paris klubunun heyətində 307 oyuna çıxıb, 256 qol, 108 məhsuldar ötürmə ilə fərqlənib. Vurduğu 256 qolla Kilian PSJ tarixinin ən sərrast futbolçusudur.

Kilian Mbappe 2024-cü ilin iyul ayında PSJ-dən azad agent qismində ayrılaraq “Real”a keçib. “Kral klubu” fransalı hücumçu ilə müddəti 2029-cu ilin iyun ayının sonuna qədər qüvvədə olacaq müqavilə imzalayıb.

Mbappe cari mövsümdə “Real”ın heyətində 35 oyuna çıxıb, 38 qol vurub, 4 məhsuldar ötürmə verib. Fransalı futbolçunun Madrid klubunun heyətində ümumi statistikası isə belədir: 94 oyun, 82 qol, 11 məhsuldar ötürmə.

Kilian Mbappe hazırda kapitanı olduğu, 2017-ci ilin mart ayında debüt etdiyi Fransa yığmasının heyətində 96 oyun keçirib, 56 qol vurub və 40 məhsuldar ötürmə verib. Kilian “xoruzlar”la 2018-ci ildə Rusiyada keçirilmiş dünya çempionatının (DÇ-2018) və UEFA Millətlər Liqasının (2021) qalibi olub.

“Transfermarkt” internet-portalı 27 yaşlı fransalı hücumçunun transfer dəyərini 200 milyon avro məbləğində qiymətləndirir.

“Atalanta”nın hücumameyilli yarımmüdafiəçisi Daniel Maldini icarədə oynadığı “Latsio”dakı durumunu dəyərləndirib.

Arena.az xəbər verir ki, Maldini “Latsio”da məmnun olduğunu bildirib:

“Məşqçimiz (italyan mütəxəssis Mauritsio Sarri) mənə inanır. Mən bunu duyuram. Bu, yaxşı çıxış etməyim üçün çox vacibdir”, deyə Maldini vurğulayıb.

“Milan”ın məzunu olan Maldini bundan mövsümün sonunadək “Latsio”da çıxış edəcək. Sözügedən klub 25 yaşlı italyan futbolçunu satınalma şərti ilə icarəyə götürüb. “Latsio” Danielin yarım mövsümlük icarəsi üçün Berqamo təmsilçisinə 1 milyon avro ödəyib. Yarımmüdafiəçi paytaxt təmsilçisinin heyətində 9 oyuna çıxıb, 1 qol vurub, 2 məhsuldar ötürmə müəllifi olub.

Xatırladaq ki, Daniel Maldini “Milan”ın yetirməsidir. Hücumameyilli yarımmüdafiəçi “Montsa”, “Spetsiya” və “Empoli”də də çıxış edib. “Atalanta” Maldinini 2025-ci ilin əvvəlindən “Montsa”dan 13 milyon avro müqabilində heyətinə qatmışdı. Onun bu klubla müqaviləsi 2029-cu ilin iyun ayının sonuna qədər qüvədədir.

Maldini “Atalanta” üçün 22 oyun keçirib, 3 qol və 1 məhsuldar ötürmə ilə fərqlənib.

Daniel Maldini İtaliyanın U-18, U-19 və U-20 yığmalarında oynayıb, əsas yığmada isə 2024-cü il oktyabrın 14-də debüt edib. Maldini millidə 6 oyun keçirib, fərqlənə bilməyib.

Daniel Maldininin qənimətlər muzeyində “Milan”la İtaliya A Seriyası çempionluğu (2021/2022) var.

“Transfermarkt” internet-portalı 24 yaşlı italyan yarımmüdafiəçinin transfer dəyərini 10 milyon avro məbləğində qiymətləndirir.

Xatırladaq ki, Daniel “Milan”ın əfsanəvi futbolçusu Paulo Maldininin oğludur.

PSJ-nin gürcü hücumçusu Xviça Kvaratsxeliya 2025-ci ilin yanvar ayında “Napoli”dən Paris klubuna keçidini əsaslandırıb.

Arena.az gürcü futbolçunun müvaviq açıqlamasını təqdim edir:

“Həmin vaxt digər seçimlərim də vardı. Amma Luis Enrike və Luis Kamposun, PSJ layihəsini mənə necə təqdim etmələri, məndə böyük təəssürat oyatdı”, deyə Kvara vurğulayıb.

Xatırladaq ki, PSJ Kvaratsxeliyanı 2025-ci il yanvarın 17-də heyətinə qatıb. Tərəflər arasında müqavilənin müddəti 2029-cu ilin 30 iyununa qədərdir. Gürcü futbolçu Paris klubuna 2022-ci ildən çıxış etdiyi “Napoli”dən 70 milyon avro məbləğ müqabilində keçib.

Xviça indiyə qədər PSJ-nin heyətində 69 oyuna çıxıb, 20 qol vurub, 15 məhsuldar ötürmə müəllifi olub.

Gürcü futbolçu klub karyerası ərzində “Dinamo” (Batumi), “Rubin” (Kazan), “Lokomotiv” (Moskva), “Rustavi”, “Dinamo” (Tiflis) və “Napoli” komandalarında oynayıb. O, Neapol klubu ilə İtaliya çempionu olub.

Xviça Kvaratsxeliya 2019-cu ilin iyununda debüt etdiyi Gürcüstan yığmasının heyətində 49 oyuna 22 qol vurub, 10 məhsuldar ötürmə verib.

“Transfermarkt” internet-portalı 25 yaşlı gürcü sol cinah hücumçusunun transfer dəyərini 90 milyon avro məbləğində qiymətləndirir.

Xatırladaq ki, Xviçanın atası Badri Kvaratsxeliya vaxtilə Azərbaycanın “Kəpəz” və “Şəmkir” komandalarında çıxış edib. Badri Kvaratsxeliya həm də Azərbaycan milli komandasının uğurları üçün çalışıb.

“Mançester Yunayted”in futbolçusu Manuel Uqarte karyerasını İtaliyada davam etdirə bilər.

Futbolpress.az xəbər verir ki, “Yuventus” uruqvaylı yarımmüdafiəçinin xidmətində maraqlıdır. Bu barədə İtaliya mətbuatı məlumat yayıb.

Uqaret “Mançester Yunayted”dən ayrılmağa müsbət yanaşır. Onun klubla müqaviləsi 2029-cu ilin yayına kimidir.

Source

Reports in Brazil claim Milan have made a new and improved offer worth €22m for midfielder André after Corinthians had internal disagreements.

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The 19-year-old is considered one of the most promising young talents in Brazilian football and is eager to join the Rossoneri.

He hopes to help the move go through by giving up his 30 per cent stake in the deal, but even then, President Osmar Stabile blocked the transfer when a €17m move had been seemingly agreed.

André a firm target for Milan

That was a few weeks ago, and according to ESPN Brasil, Milan came back with a new and improved bid now worth €22m including add-ons.

That is represented by €18m plus another €4m in bonuses.

It remains to be seen if that will be sufficient, but the player is under contract with Corinthians until December 2029.

Since he was promoted to the senior squad, he has contributed four goals in 28 competitive games.

There is competition from other clubs for André, including Atletico Madrid, who see him as an alternative to Atalanta’s Ederson.

The Italian media is warning Gennaro Gattuso and his Italy players that while Bosnia do have strengths, the biggest thing they have to fear in the World Cup play-off is fear itself.

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Having struggled to see off Northern Ireland 2-0 in the semi-final, the Azzurri go head-to-head with Bosnia and Herzegovina on Tuesday evening for a place in the 2026 World Cup.

The tension is palpable, as is perhaps inevitable for a nation that missed out on the World Cup in both 2018 and 2022 by losing these play-offs.

Anxiety is Italy’s worst enemy

This double-edged sword is something the Gazzetta dello Sport warns about in its opinion page, where Sebastiano Vernazza notes “the primary enemy is anxiety.”

In this situation, and having been spotted celebrating the Bosnian victory over Wales in a penalty shoot-out, the biggest risk is that the Nazionale are under-estimating their rivals.

On the other hand, that can go too far the other way and create a sense of panic within the group that hinders their performance.

To quote Franklin D Roosevelt, the only thing Italy “have to fear is fear itself. Nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyses needed efforts to convert retreat into advance.” The Nazionale are scared of their own shadow, which takes the form of two consecutive World Cup play-off failures.

When taking on Bosnia, the Gazzetta warns “it’d be a mistake to underestimate them and a mistake to overestimate them, to believe they are the most difficult of obstacles.” The risk is that too much focus on the pressure will just add more of it to a team already struggling with the weight of a nation’s expectations.

There is going to be a fiery atmosphere in Zenica, but no less than they would’ve faced in Cardiff. Wales are 35^th in the FIFA world ranking, compared to Bosnia in 71^st place, remarkably two places lower than Northern Ireland.

The pitch is going to be a mess and there are reports of more snow, which could make losing the ball cheaply to spark a counter-attack very likely indeed. “But the rest is the terror of not making it for a third time in a row, so anxiety will be the most insidious opponent.”

Brazil national team head coach Carlo Ancelotti has sent his best wishes to the Italy side ahead of their World Cup play-off final against Bosnia and Herzegovina on Tuesday evening and has given even more praise to his former Real Madrid midfielder, Luka Modric, now at Milan: ‘There’s nobody like him on the world market’. 

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Ancelotti: ‘I hope Italy qualify, but I won’t be able to watch’

Italy will be in World Cup play-off final action away against Bosnia and Herzegovina at 19.45 BST on Tuesday evening, while Brazil, who have already qualified for the 2026 tournament, will take on Croatia in a friendly in Florida, USA, later on in the same night, kicking off at 1.00 BST in the early hours of Wednesday morning. 

Speaking at his pre-match press conference on Monday, Ancelotti told reporters: “I hope Italy qualify for the World Cup, but I won’t be able to watch the national team tomorrow. We have to prepare for our match against Croatia.” (via ANSA).

Among the opposition for Ancelotti’s Brazil in their upcoming friendly will be former Ballon d’Or winner Luka Modric, who has excelled in Serie A at the age of 40 this season. 

“Modric can play in every position in the midfield, because he is a complete and modern player, one of the best players I have ever coached and a spectacular professional with an extraordinary passion for football,” Ancelotti said ahead of his reunion with the Rossoneri veteran. 

He concluded: “There is nobody like Modric on the world market.” 

There is mixed news for Fiorentina, as while Dodo picked up an injury in training, tests showed no serious damage.

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The Brazilian was forced to leave the training session early on Saturday after feeling pain in his right thigh, and there were fears of a strain.

Dodo still a doubt for this weekend

A formal statement from the club today confirms that tests were performed and showed no lesions to the flexor in the right leg.

This means that a lengthy lay-off will not be required, but Dodo will continue to train separately from the group and work on a full recovery.

It makes him a major doubt to feature in the relegation battle with Hellas Verona at the Stadio Bentegodi on Saturday evening.

The 27-year-old has made 39 competitive appearances for Fiorentina so far this season, contributing two goals and three assists.

The Viola are currently 16^th in the Serie A table, just two points clear of the drop zone.

Juventus had already been linked with Raphael Guerreiro for January, and it’s now confirmed he will be a free agent when his Bayern Munich contract expires on June 30.

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The Portugal international left-back joined Bayern Munich for free from Borussia Dortmund in 2023 and his current deal only runs to the end of the season.

This afternoon there was a formal announcement on the Bayern Munich website confirming that the club and player have mutually agreed not to extend his contract.

Juventus target Guerreiro will leave Bayern Munich

“We would like to express our sincere thanks to Rapha for the time he has spent with us,” wrote board member Max Eberl on the club website.

“We could always rely on Rapha on the pitch, and he is one of those characters who enriches any dressing room. Our discussions with him were constructive and based on trust and mutual understanding.

“We are now focusing, alongside him, on our goals for the rest of the season – there’s still a lot we want to achieve together.”

Guerreiro has so far made 89 competitive appearances for Bayern Munich, scoring 12 goals and providing eight assists.

Although primarily a full-back, he can also play in central midfield.

Juventus had already been linked with a possible swoop for the 32-year-old in January, where he would effectively replace Filip Kostic, another player who will be a free agent in July.

The highly sought-after Nicolo Tresoldi still has three senior national team options available to him, but reports in Germany claim that Argentina are making attempts to pin down the talented 21-year-old, who was born in and is eligible to represent Italy. 

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Could Italy and Germany miss out on Tresoldi?

Tresoldi, who has 13 goals from 30 appearances to his name in the Belgian Pro League with Club Brugge this season, is eligible to represent Italy, Germany and Argentina at senior international level. 

The 21-year-old centre-forward was born in Italy to an Italian father, Emmanuele, who played for Atalanta, and an Argentine mother, but moved to Hanover with his family at the age of 11 and has since gone on to represent Germany at U19 and U21 level. He has 12 goals from 23 Germany U21 caps. 

According to BILD, who describe Tresoldi as Germany’s ‘greatest striking talent’, Argentina are in contact with the player’s entourage and are hoping to secure his services for their senior national team. 

There have, however, also been calls in Germany for Julian Nagelsmann to give the youngster an opportunity in their senior national side, calls that resurfaced after the 21-year-old netted a brace in a 3-1 victory over Northern Ireland’s U21s on Friday. 

Speaking in an interview in October, Tresoldi confirmed that he had not received any calls from the Italy set-up: “I’m not surprised Italy didn’t call me. Italy already has many great strikers, so there is a lot of competition for places there,” Tresoldi said in an interview with Il Messaggero. 

“Seeing as my mother is from Argentina, I even have the possibility of playing for them, but I have not made a decision yet.”

Former Milan, Roma and Juventus coach Fabio Capello saw the ‘usual flows’ of Italian football in the Azzurri’s 2-0 win over Northern Ireland, but enjoyed the ‘reaction’ and the contribution of Francesco Pio Esposito.

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Italy are off to Zenica today, on the eve of the World Cup play-off Final against Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The Azzurri trained at Coverciano on Monday morning, before taking a private flight to Bosnia. Later today, coach Gennaro Gattuso and captain Gigio Donnarumma will preview the Final during a pre-match press conference.

The Azzurri beat Northern Ireland 2-0 in Bergamo last week with goals from Sandro Tonali and Moise Kean in the second half.

“Having overcome that obstacle with a shy first half and a second half in which we found ourselves again was psychologically very important,” Capello told Gazzetta.

“It certainly helped the players understand our real value, and I believe that Gattuso, ahead of the match with Bosnia, will also work on this.”

The Azzurri were not let down by a mediocre first-half performance in Bergamo last week and, after the break, created several goal-scoring opportunities, securing a deserved victory.

Capello examined the positives and negatives of the latest Azzurri performance.

“Starting with the negatives, I’d say the usual flaws we often see in Italian football. Sideway passing, slowness, little vertical play and a lack of personality when in possession,” he said.

“As for the positives, the reaction was important, and I also liked the introduction of Pio Esposito, who brought a certain balance. All three attacking options are good, but Retegui and Kean are a bit too similar. Pio, on the other hand, especially in key moments, has that strength and aerial ability that can become fundamental, along with excellent vision.”

Capello: ‘Italy have good defenders, but…’

The Azzurri will likely face a hostile environment, but Capello is more worried about what might happen on the pitch.

“I’m concerned about corner kicks and free kicks, particularly how we’ll defend inside the penalty area,” he said.

“We have very good defenders with the ball at their feet, but they are less suited to marking. Bosnia relies heavily on this, and just on Thursday night, Dzeko managed to get the better of players strong in the air, like those from Wales. We’ll be facing a national team with quality and personality, starting with that 18-year-old who took the last penalty, Alajbegovic.”

Surely, the ex-Italian tactician will follow the match with the same passion he had as a coach: “I suffer for the national team. I suffer too much…I scream,” he said. Just as an ordinary fan.

Italy Under-21 coach Silvio Baldini took the unusual step of announcing his starting XI ahead of tomorrow’s European qualifier in Sweden. ‘We are making just one change.’

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The fixture kicks off in Boras on Tuesday at 17.30 UK time.

The Azzurrini are currently second in Group E on 18 points compared to Poland’s 21, while Sweden picked up 10 points from their seven matches so far.

Italy are fresh off a 4-0 victory over North Macedonia and Baldini is keeping his team largely intact.

Baldini puts faith in Italy U21 team

“The only change we’ll make is bringing in Seydou Fini, because Luigi Cherubini has a slight back ache, but will be available off the bench,” said the coach in his press conference.

“We can’t kid around with Sweden, who are physically strong, and we’ve got to make sure that we press them back, not the other way around.

“To achieve that, we need a high tempo, intensity, and be sure to win it back quickly when we lose the ball. I think Sweden will be set out in a 4-4-2 in possession, and a 4-3-1-2 off the ball, alternating with the 3-4-3 option.”

The Italy Under-21 side won all its games in the European Championship qualifiers, except for the 2-1 in Poland when down to 10 men.

As Poland have a 100 per cent record, that is the difference between the two teams so far going for top spot in the group.

“The lads understood they need to be a team, to have a clear idea of the approach and how to develop it. They’ve improved so much since I first saw them in September, also thanks to more playing time for their respective clubs.

“They must improve every day with what they do in training, remembering it is only thanks to good performances that you can achieve victories. Everyone tracks back to help, starting with the strikers.

“This also helps create the spaces for attacks from midfield, which is why so many of them have been on target.”

When Italy beat North Macedonia 4-0 last week, the goals came from Cher Ndour, Luca Lipani, Jeff Ekhator and Fini.

Italy U21: Palmisani; Favasuli, Comuzzo, Charodia, Bartesaghi; Ndour, Lipani, Dagasso; Fini, Ekhator, Koleosho

Leon Goretzka has been heavily linked with a move away from Bayern Munich at the end of the season.

His contract with the German champions expires in June, and Manchester United are interested in securing his signature. They will compete with Arsenal for the 31-year-old German International, according to reports from SportWitness.

Goretzka has been a reliable performer for club and country in recent seasons, and there is no doubt he has the quality to succeed in the Premier League. He will add defensive cover, physicality and drive in the middle of the park. Manchester United need someone of his quality and experience, especially with Casemiro leaving the club in the summer.

Signing a player of his quality on a free transfer could be a masterstroke from Manchester United. It remains to be seen whether they can beat Arsenal to his signature. Goretzka has six league titles and one Champions League trophy to his name.

The midfielder will demand wages of around €7 million per season, and Manchester United certainly have the financial muscle to afford him. Meanwhile, Arsenal could use more depth in the middle of the park, and the German International would be an upgrade on Christian Norgaard.

Arsenal are favourites to win the Premier League title, and they will be an attractive destination for top players in the summer.

On the other hand, Manchester United is still in the midst of a rebuilding period. It will be interesting to see if the Bayern Munich star is prepared to join them instead of Arsenal.

Manchester United need to improve the engine room if they want to fight for major trophies next season. Apart from the 31-year-old German, they should look to invest in a midfield controller as well, who will help them dominate contests in the middle of the park.

The post Man United eye perfect Casemiro replacement with move for €7m/yr Arsenal target appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Tottenham correspondent Alasdair Gold has revealed that Spurs are closing in on a deal to appoint Roberto De Zerbi as their new head coach.

The North London club, currently embroiled in a dire relegation scrap, are moving swiftly following the departure of Igor Tudor, who left the club by mutual consent after just 44 days and zero Premier League wins.

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Alasdair Gold gives update on Roberto De Zerbi

Writing on X, Gold shared that the “feeling within Spurs” is one of growing confidence that they have found their man in the former Brighton and Marseille boss.

The Italian’s expansive, possession-based philosophy is seen as a perfect stylistic match for the club’s identity, a “high risk, high reward” approach that Spurs missed under Thomas Frank.

Gold noted internal “question marks” regarding how quickly De Zerbi can implement his complex tactical demands with only seven games remaining to save the club’s top-flight status.

Furthermore, the reporter highlighted potential friction with the fanbase following De Zerbi’s controversial comments regarding Mason Greenwood when he signed him for Marseille.

While Spurs are reportedly offering a lucrative five-year deal to lure the 46-year-old, Gold pointed out that the Italian’s track record doesn’t scream long term.

Gold stated: “Feeling within Spurs is they’re closing in on their man in Roberto De Zerbi. His football matches how club want to play. Question marks over how quickly he can implement it & reaction to his Greenwood comments. Track record doesn’t scream long term but Spurs rarely do long term.”

Feeling within Spurs is they're closing in on their man in Roberto De Zerbi. His football matches how club want to play. Question marks over how quickly he can implement it & reaction to his Greenwood comments. Track record doesn't scream long term but Spurs rarely do long term.

— Alasdair Gold (@AlasdairGold) March 30, 2026

The post “Closing in on their man” – Alasdair Gold drops exciting Tottenham update appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Belgian midfielder Mandela Keita has been linked with a move away from Parma at the end of the season and Tottenham Hotspur are keen on him.

The North London club have scouted him extensively and they are prepared to make a move in the summer. It remains to be seen whether the Italian club is prepared to sell the 23 year-old at the end of the season. The defensive midfielder has been a key player for them, and his departure would be a blow.

However, the opportunity to join a Premier league club will be hard to turn down for the Belgian. It would be a massive opportunity for him, and he will look to take the next step in his career. Tottenham need a quality defensive midfielder like him who can help them protect the back four and control games.

As per reports via SportWitness, Aston Villa are interested in the player as well. They need more quality and depth in the team if they want to build a side capable of competing in Europe regularly.

The midfielder has a contract with Parma until 2029, and they are under no pressure to sell him in the summer. Tottenham and Aston Villa will have to come forward with an outrageous offer in order to convince them.

The 23 year-old has the physical and technical attributes for Premier League football and he could establish himself as a key player for either club. Even though they might have to pay a premium right now, the Belgian might be able to justify the investment in future.

Aston Villa are currently pushing for Champions League qualification. On the other hand, Tottenham are fighting for survival in the Premier League. It will be interesting to see where the 23 year-old ends up.

The post Tottenham ready summer swoop for Belgian powerhouse amid Aston Villa interest appeared first on CaughtOffside.

According to Fabrizio Romano, Inter Miami have opened talks with Casemiro over the possibility of the veteran midfielder moving to Florida after the expiration of his contract with Manchester United this summer. Casemiro has already revealed he would be leaving Old Trafford at the end of the season, and despite some more recent speculation about […]

The post Inter Miami move for Casemiro appeared first on Soccer News.

The post Inter Miami move for Casemiro appeared first on Soccer News.

Football fans in the Democratic Republic of Congo have been waiting a long time to right the wrongs of their solitary World Cup campaign in 1974.

That was the year US President Richard Nixon resigned over the Watergate scandal, the Rubix Cube was invented and Muhammad Ali beat George Foreman in the Rumble in the Jungle in the Congolese capital Kinshasa.

Victory for the Leopards in Tuesday's intercontinental play-off final against Jamaica will end that 52-year wait and guarantee Africa a 10th representative at this year's tournament in Canada, Mexico and the USA.

"I'd definitely consider it as the biggest game in my football career," Burnley defender Axel Tuanzebe told Sportsworld on BBC World Service, while former captain Gabriel Zakuani labelled it "the biggest game in our history".

Should DR Congo win, over 110 million people back home, as well as a huge global diaspora, will pray things go better this time than they did in West Germany, when their country competed as Zaire.

That campaign kicked off poorly with a 2-0 defeat against Scotland, careened off the tracks in a 9-0 humiliation against Yugoslavia and descended into farce during a 3-0 loss to Brazil which produced one of the World Cup's most memorable moments.

Not in a good way.

"What on Earth did he do that for?" was the question posed by BBC commentator John Motson when right-back Mwepu Ilunga charged out of the defensive wall and booted the ball downfield as Brazil lined up a free-kick on the edge of the Zaire penalty area.

Ilunga received a yellow card, but the damage done to African football's reputation was more severe, creating an impression that players from the continent did not even know the rules.

"We were not a bad team," Mohamed Kalambay, one of the goalkeepers in the 1974 squad, told BBC Sporting Witness in 2022.

"When you look at the teams in Africa, there are just a few that have been to the World Cup, but we were there and we deserved it."

Darker reasons have been suggested for Ilunga's moment of madness and the team's underperformance, ranging from unpaid bonuses to threats of violence.

Now a new generation hope to create their own iconic moments to banish those ghosts.

Victory against Jamaica will see them join a group containing Portugal, Uzbekistan and Colombia.

"The aim is to also compete and put on a good show," said Zakuani, an assistant coach with DR Congo's Under-20s, "not just be participants, not just be happy to be part of the party, but also to create history".

• The ex-Peterborough man helping World Cup dreams come true

War, dictators and football's power to 'unite'

When they qualified in 1974, Zaire were only the third African side to reach the World Cup after Egypt (1934) and Morocco (1970).

Since then this huge, resource-rich nation – Africa's second largest by area and fourth by population – has been forced to watch enviously as smaller rivals such as Ghana, Senegal and Tunisia have made multiple appearances at global football's showpiece.

The explanation comes in the form of corruption, political instability and war – constants since the end of Belgium's extractive colonial rule in 1960.

The 1974 side, who were also reigning Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) champions, were backed by President Mobutu Sese Seko, the iron-fisted dictator who ran the country from 1971 to 1997, using his power to amass a huge personal fortune, some of which he invested into football.

"We were at the presidency. We went to see him because he wanted to encourage us," is how Kalambay remembered the man who gave each member of the Afcon-winning side a house and a car.

Congo have not been back to the Afcon final since.

"The impact over the last 50 years has been profound," said sports journalist Jean-Jacques Akengelaka, who points to facilities which have been "destroyed" and "corruption and poor governance within sport".

"Unlike other African countries, DR Congo has long lacked structured training centres, pitches, quality facilities and technical coaching."

Mobutu's reign was ended by conflict as the two Congo wars, which ran from 1996-2003, pulled in nine different African nations and claimed up to six million lives.

Fighting continues in the east of the country, where the M23 rebel group controls key cities including Goma and Bukavu, something which inspired DR Congo's squad to use their semi-final appearance at the 2023 Afcon to call for peace.

During the national anthem players covered their mouth with one hand while using the other to point like a gun at their temple.

Newcastle forward Yoane Wissa said at the time that he hoped the run to the last four had allowed those affected to "smile a bit", while Tuanzebe describes football as "giving a breath of fresh air to the country".

Freddy, a fan in Bukavu, told BBC Sport Africa that while not everyone views it that way, the majority "live out of football" and its power to "unite".

"It will really have much impact on my life and that of my neighbours," he said ahead of the clash with Jamaica, which is being played in Mexico.

But while Bukavu has plenty of social venues, the time difference, which means kick-off will be in the middle of the Congolese night, will see most fans watching at home.

"It is really very dangerous and deadly to move out in clubs, in bars to watch the match," Freddy explained.

"Whenever someone moves out late in the night, automatically he must be killed. Our area here in Bukavu is really dangerous due to the rebel occupation."

• What's the fighting in DR Congo all about?
• DR Congo and Rwanda agree to ease tensions after talks in US

'This is bigger than just football'

The Leopards reached Fifa's intercontinental play-offs after finishing second behind Senegal in their qualifying group.

They then had to negotiate a four-team African play-off, beating Cameroon before overcoming Nigeria on penalties in the final.

Recruiting players from the diaspora has been key to the team's success, both at Afcon and now in World Cup qualifying – a tactic deployed to good effect by other African nations including Cape Verde, who have already qualified for their maiden World Cup.

For example, both Tuanzebe and fellow defender Aaron Wan-Bissaka are former England youth internationals.

"I didn't have any doubts. As soon as I joined, they welcomed me, accepted me, I was happy and everything's been smooth ever since," West Ham's Wan-Bissaka told BBC Sport Africa at the recent Afcon in Morocco, where DR Congo exited in the last 16.

"It's where my parents are from. I grew up in a Congolese household, and I was just proud to represent them."

Of the current 26-man squad, 10 were born in head coach Sebastien Desabre's home nation France, five in Belgium, two in Switzerland and one in England.

Eight were born in Congo, yet many spent their childhoods in Europe.

Only two, midfielder Meschak Elia and forward Fiston Mayele, have played senior football for a Congolese club side.

"Many talented players have to go abroad at a very early age," explainedAkengelaka.

"There is unstable organisation, insufficient funding and little media coverage of competitions at national level."

It seems unlikely the league system will produce international-quality players any time soon.

The 2022-23 Linafoot season went unfinished after the government withdrew subsidies to help clubs pay air fares - the only way to get around this vast country - while individual teams have recently failed to find the funds to finish their campaigns.

The national federation, Fecofa, has been unable to improve things, having been without an elected leader since former president Constant Omari was suspended from all football-related activity for a year in June 2021.

A Fifa-appointed normalisation committee has run Fecofa since April 2023, with planned elections recently postponed again.

The government, meanwhile, has pumped millions into sponsorship deals with Barcelona, AC Milan and Monaco, angering those who say the money should be funding Congolese football.

The BBC has also heard from civil servants, whose salaries have gone unpaid, who are unhappy with the money spent supporting the Leopards' bid for World Cup glory.

"We're very privileged to have everything that we need. We're not longing for anything andit enables us to go and perform the best we can," admitted Tuanzebe, who hopes the team can now hold up their end of the bargain.

"This is one of those moments where this is bigger than just football, this is leaving a legacy behind, a moment in our history that we'll always remember and always cherish."

• Nigeria allege DR Congo 'fraud' as they hunt World Cup reprieve
• Fifa sanctions Nigeria and DR Congo over World Cup play-off

Tiger Woods' latest fall from grace poses questions for the future running of men's professional golf as well as the personal life of the 15-time major champion.

Such has been Woods' standing in the game, his influence has grown with seniority despite a history of wayward driving stretching back almost two decades.

Never mind the multiple infidelities revealed after hitting a hydrant and tree (2009), a reckless driving conviction (2017) and a high speed crash that miraculously involved no other vehicle (2021), Woods has been golf's go-to guy.

Last Friday, he flipped his Range Rover on a quiet residential street on Florida's Jupiter Island and the world was treated to another disheveled mugshot of one of sport's most famous faces.

Charges of driving under the influence (despite passing a breathalyser test for alcohol), refusing a urine test and property damage will follow due process.

Meanwhile, we wait for a response from Woods and wonder if he will show up at Augusta for next week's Masters. The odds are against.

And already observers are wondering whether this is the incident that should finally shake golf from its Tiger Woods dependency, because the sport has repeatedly seemed duty bound to turn to the 50 year-old to shape its future.

Augusta wanted a new public nine-hole golf course - "The Loop". Let's get Tiger to design it.

The PGA Tour sets ups a committee to decide its future shape. Let's get Tiger to chair it.

The US needs to win back the Ryder Cup. Let's get Tiger to be Captain America.

The list goes on.

Woods has been a player director on the PGA Tour Policy Board since August 2023 and vice chairman of the PGA Tour Enterprises board for the past two years.

The tour also brought in a special rule to make Woods eligible for all of their big money Signature Events, even though the current world number 3,736 has completed all four rounds in only four tournaments since 2020.

His TMRW Sports company, in conjunction with Rory McIlroy, set up the TGL Indoor league, supported by the PGA Tour. Its second season concluded last Tuesday with a perspiring Woods making a TV ratings-boosting appearance in the finals.

"His on-course presence is matched by his voice or his off-course presence," PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan told ESPN four years ago, when his circuit was desperately trying to fight off the threat of the breakaway LIV Golf league.

"I think his peers look at him as a leader; the leader on the golf course, but also a leader off of it."

But for how much longer?

Will Woods be present for the scheduled opening of "The Loop" next week?

Or will he be lying low, as he has done when previous car crashes have revealed a troubled side to his life?

And if he does disappear from the fray, how can he continue to chair the US tour's future competitions committee? Bosses want the time ahead mapped out by the end of June - for them the timing could not be worse.

This might be a dawning moment, when the golfing world realises that someone capable of winning a record-equalling 82 PGA Tour titles might not be the best qualified to shape its future.

Holing pressure putt after pressure putt to dominate golf tournaments does not equip one to understand a balance sheet, cashflow projection or forecast rights revenues.

Such talent and sporting temperament did put him in a spotlight that no other golfer has ever endured and it would seem such scrutiny for a fundamentally shy man may have been too much to bear.

And so even on golfing matters, Woods credentials are being questioned. Is he the best man to lead a Ryder Cup team? He only appeared on one winning side in eight attempts and often gave an impression that would rather be elsewhere.

Furthermore he was too busy to captain the 2025 team and has not exactly jumped at the chance of doing the job next year.

American officials want their captain appointed quickly and Woods is hardly in the right place to be able to accept their job offer. They are likely to be actively trawling an alternative list, set to be headed by former Open champion Stewart Cink.

Another alternative might have emerged in Gary Woodland, a vice captain at Bethpage last year. Woodland's stirring Houston Open win last Sunday, his first since brain surgery 30 months ago, came three weeks after revealing a PTSD diagnosis and is the stuff of sporting legend.

Woods has often been lauded for his comebacks from injury which have fed his remarkable reputation, but Woodland has achieved his with a grace that has always seemed beyond his near namesake.

Of course, Woodland has never led the harshly spot-lit life of Woods, but his openness regarding his struggles is an interesting counterpoint to Tiger's ultra private existence.

Dangerously, it takes car smashes for the problematic side of the former world number one's life to be revealed.

And this latest fender bender might be the one that finally illuminates dashboard warning lights for those bosses who have always so hastily turned to Woods in the past.

Uefa will broadly freeze ticket prices for Euro 2028 - meaning supporters will be able to buy five for the price of a single parking space at a World Cup stadium in the United States this summer.

The Euros in England, Scotland, Wales and the Republic of Ireland will see 40% of tickets allocated to the two most affordable "Fans First" categories.

For Euro 2024 in Germany, the cheapest group stage tickets cost 30 euros (£26) and 60 euros (£52). Uefa aims to keep these below £30 and £60 respectively for 2028.

There will be four categories in total, plus a small number of VIP+ tickets which will provide the funding to freeze prices for general fans.

Group stage tickets in the more expensive categories at Euro 2024 were 150 euros (£130) and 200 euros (£174). No detail on pricing at this level has yet been confirmed.

It is a stark contrast to Fifa's controversial pricing policy at this summer's World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada.

The cheapest group-stage games for England were originally priced at $220 (£167), with the most expensive $700 (£523).

Fans at Euro 2028 could potentially see all three group games at the Euros for the price of one category three World Cup ticket.

Fifa eventually bowed to pressure over its pricing and introduced a very limited number of $60 (£45) tickets for all 104 matches.

• Complaint filed over World Cup ticket prices
• Infantino defends World Cup ticket prices
• World Cup ticket prices 'monumental betrayal' say fans' group