Fiorentina could be without key striker Moise Kean for a crucial Serie A clash against Cremonese on Monday evening.

The Viola are preparing for a high-stakes relegation battle at the Stadio Zini, pitting the third-bottom side against the team just above them. A victory would allow Fiorentina to open a four-point cushion above the drop zone, making the fixture potentially decisive for the closing stretch of their turbulent season.

The Tuscan side approach the match after their comeback victory over Rakow Czestochowa in the first leg of the Champions League round of 16, but domestic concerns now take priority as they look to secure vital league points.

Fiorentina hoping for Kean return in Cremonese clash

Head coach Paolo Vanoli is hoping to welcome Kean back into the squad, although the striker’s availability remains uncertain. The former Juventus forward has not played since March 2, when he was forced off in the 71st minute during Fiorentina’s defeat to Udinese.

Since then, Kean has missed the following Serie A match against Parma Calcio 1913 as well as the European fixture with Rakow due to a tibia issue.

Reports from Goal indicate the striker has still not returned to full group training and has continued to work individually in recent days. Fiorentina’s medical staff will monitor his progress closely over the coming days in the hope he can recover in time for the trip to Cremona.

Given the importance of the match, there is also the possibility Kean could be included even if he is not at full fitness, though a final decision will likely come closer to kick-off.

Roberto D’Aversa confirmed Che Adams will start tonight’s Serie A clash with Parma, explaining that the Scottish forward’s technical qualities make him the ideal choice against a side renowned for their defensive organisation.

“Parma concede very little, against a team that defends so well, we need to exploit Adams’ technical qualities,” D’Aversa told Sky Sport, via TuttoMercatoWeb, ahead of the 20:45 (local time) kick-off at the Olimpico Grande Torino.

In a colourful pre-match address, D’Aversa drew an unlikely but compelling parallel between his side’s required mentality and that of Italian tennis sensation Jannik Sinner.

“Sinner is an example of mental strength and hard work,” he said.

“Tonight we must also take to the pitch with the will to get a result, but also to be patient and stay lucid for 95 minutes.”

Torino vs Parma – D’Aversa identifies Pellegrino threat

It is the kind of motivational thinking that has characterised D’Aversa’s management style since taking charge, and his players have responded well, losing just once so far.

When asked about the threat posed by Parma striker Mateo Pellegrino, one of the most dangerous aerial threats in the division from set-pieces, D’Aversa acknowledged that corners represent Torino’s most vulnerable area.

“In terms of goals conceded from dead balls overall, we are around the average,” he said. “But the data on corners is more concerning. In every match we work on the details to limit the qualities of our opponents.”

With safety still not mathematically secured, every point matters, and D’Aversa will be hoping Adams and the Sinner mentality deliver the goods on Friday night.

Manchester United are looking to improve the midfield unit with the signing of Joao Gomes at the end of the season.

The 25-year-old has done quite well in the Premier League with Wolves, and he’s expected to leave them at the end of the season. They are the favourites to go down in the summer, and Gomes does not want to compete in the championship with them.

According to Sports Boom, Manchester United is prepared to provide him with an exit route. They need more quality in the middle of the park, and the 25-year-old Brazilian could be the ideal acquisition. He could be the ideal alternative to Casemiro, who is set to leave the club.

The 25-year-old will add physicality, defensive cover, and control to the team. The opportunity to play for Manchester United will be quite exciting for him. It would be a major step up in his career, and he will look to prove himself at a big club.

Meanwhile, Newcastle United are keen on the player as well. They could use more depth in the middle of the park, and Gomes would be an exceptional acquisition. He could form a solid partnership with Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimarães.

Both clubs have the financial muscle to get the deal done, and they will be attractive destinations for the Brazilian. It remains to be seen where Gomes ends up eventually. He is a reliable performer in the Premier League, and he could hit the ground running at Manchester United or Newcastle.

It remains to be seen whether either club can agree on a reasonable deal with Wolves in the summer. There have been rumours that Gomes could cost around €40 million.

The post Man United eye €40m ball-winner to transform Carrick’s midfield appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Atletico Madrid striker Julian Alvarez has been linked with a move away from the club at the end of the season.

The 26-year-old is a target for Arsenal and Chelsea. The London clubs are very serious about securing his signature, and it remains to be seen whether they can get the deal done. Barcelona are also interested in the player.

It remains to be seen how the situation develops.

If Barcelona failed to agree on a deal with Atletico Madrid and the player, he would have no problems returning to the Premier League. The former Manchester City striker is ready to return to England, and he would prefer to stay in London.

A source informed TEAMtalk: “Barca have been told from Alvarez’s side that this will not become a saga. They know both Arsenal and Chelsea are ready to go, they really want him.

“Alvarez’s camp talking to Arsenal and Chelsea is no tactic, they are very serious. He is happy to move to London and join one of Europe’s biggest clubs – that is not a problem to him and that has been made clear.”

Arsenal and Chelsea would have a major advantage in any race to sign the player. It remains to be seen how the situation develops.

Chelsea need an upgrade on Liam Delap, who has failed to live up to expectations. Alvarez would be an exceptional acquisition. He has been prolific since moving to La Liga, and he has shown his quality in England with Manchester City. He has been a star for his country as well.

Alvarez has 45 goals and 15 assists in 98 appearances for the Spanish club.

At Arsenal, he could prove to be an upgrade on Viktor Gyokeres, who has not been able to score consistently since the big-money move to Arsenal. The 26-year-old could transform both teams in the attack. It will be interesting to see where he ends up eventually. The player is likely to cost in excess of €100 million in the summer.

The post Arsenal & Chelsea in “very serious” talks to sign 45-goal hitman who wants London move appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Tottenham Hotspur are currently fighting for survival in the Premier League, and they are expected to make a managerial change at the end of the season. 

Igor Tudor has been brought in as the interim manager, but he is expected to be shown the door soon. According to GMS, they are keen on bringing Mauricio Pochettino back to the club in the summer. The Argentine manager is highly rated at Tottenham, and he is a fan favourite.

He helped Tottenham challenge for the league title during his time at the club and guided them to the final of the UEFA Champions League on a shoestring budget as well.

The report claims that Pochettino is open to managing Tottenham again and would not hesitate to join them, even if they are relegated to the Championship at the end of this season.

The Argentine is currently managing the United States national team, and he is expected to leave after the World Cup. It remains to be seen whether Tottenham can get the deal done to bring him back to the hot seat. There is no doubt that he is a quality manager, and he could help them bounce back strongly. He knows the club well, and he is well-liked by the fans.

Tottenham need someone who can lift the spirits around the club, and the South American manager would be ideal.

It will be interesting to see if Tottenham can survive the drop this season. There is no doubt that they have quality players at their disposal, and they should be doing a lot better. It remains to be seen whether the players can step up and produce a strong performance in the remaining matches of the season.

Apart from their poor performances, they have also struggled with injuries.

The post Report: Tottenham icon will not say no to return even if they are relegated appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Chelsea defender Reece James has signed a long-term contract with the club, and the Blues will be delighted to end the speculation surrounding his future.

The 26-year-old full-back has been linked with a move away from Chelsea in recent weeks, and Mark Brus has confirmed on the Daily Briefing that Manchester City were interested in securing his signature. They need to add more depth in the right-back department, and James would have been an exceptional acquisition.

James is undoubtedly one of the best players in his position in the Premier League, and he would’ve helped Manchester City improve. The fact that he has now committed his long-term future to Chelsea will come as a huge blow to the Manchester club. It will be interesting to see if they move on to other targets.

Real Madrid and Barcelona were also interested in signing the Chelsea defender.

The 26-year-old has had his fair share of injury problems in recent seasons, but he seems to have gotten over his injury nightmare, and he’s playing his best football once again. Chelsea will hope that he can stay fit and help them in the coming months. They will be hoping to fight for major trophies, and they need their top players firing on all cylinders.

James will also hope his injury problems are behind him and will look to perform at a high level consistently now. It remains to be seen whether he can help Chelsea secure Champions League qualification for the upcoming campaign.

Chelsea are looking to build a formidable squad capable of fighting for major trophies every season, and they need Champions League football in order to attract top players. Finishing in the top four will be an absolute priority for them.

The post Man City target has just made a decision on his future which will boost Chelsea appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Eclipsa Audio is coming to LG TVs, and there's a clear reason why this would be included when LG avoided similar alternatives.

The conflict in the Middle East has forced Meta's 2Africa Red Sea and 'Pearls' sections to go on hold.

At SXSW, Steven Spielberg said AI has uses in many fields, but not when it comes to replacing creative people in film and TV writing.

The AI industry is constantly churning out news, like major acquisitions, indie developer successes, public outcry, and existentially dangerous contract negotiations.

Kalanick's existing ghost kitchen company CloudKitchens will be rolled into Atoms, which also wants to get into mining and transport.

Atalanta have received a timely fitness boost ahead of Saturday’s trip to San Siro against Inter, with Brazil midfielder Ederson rejoining partial group training at Zingonia, a welcome development for Raffaele Palladino.

Ederson has been absent since the win over Napoli on February 22nd, making his potential return a significant one for the visitors.

Friday’s session will determine whether he makes the travelling squad, though his involvement is considered probable, via FCInterNews.

His presence would add considerable energy and physicality to the midfield.

Indeed, after it has been operating without one of its most important components for nearly three weeks.

Inter Vs Atalanta – Not Just Ederson As De Ketelaere & Raspadori Touch & Go

There is further cautious optimism around Charles De Ketelaere and Giacomo Raspadori, both of whom completed individual work on Thursday.

If either reintegrates into group training on Friday, they could yet make the journey to Milan, potentially from the bench.

Giorgio Scalvini, meanwhile, is fully fit after the knee contusion sustained against Lazio in the Coppa Italia.

The young centre-back is expected to complete Palladino’s back three.

He will play alongside Djimsiti and Anahor.

Indeed, with Hien and Kolasinac, who started against Bayern, currently behind them in the pecking order.

South Florida has started its search for its next women’s basketball coach.

Rob Higgins, the CEO of USF Athletics, announced on X the Bulls will not play in the WBIT and a national search for a full-time women’s basketball coach is underway. Higgins said interim coach Michele Woods-Baxter will be considered as a candidate.

Woods-Baxter was named interim coach when longtime USF head coach Jose Fernandez was hired by the Dallas Wings in October, days before the college season began. Woods-Baxter led the Bulls to a 20-12 record, 13-5 in the American Conference.

The Bulls had solid non-conference wins over Duke, Harvard and Navy under Woods-Baxter, but fell in the quarterfinals of the American tournament by 11 points on Thursday.

Higgins met with the team on Friday morning.

“This is one of the best women’s basketball programs in the country and we look forward to identifying the perfect leader to take us to championship heights in our next chapter,” Higgins said.

Under Fernandez, who coached the Bulls from 2000-25, USF became one of the signature mid-major programs in women’s college basketball. He won 485 games and took USF to nine of the past 12 NCAA Tournaments. The Bulls won three conference titles under Fernandez and the 2009 WNIT championship. They advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament five times.

Fernandez’s profile grew as USF kept winning. He is currently the president of the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association and had been approached by WNBA teams and Power 4 programs several times before departing for the Wings in October. Fernandez has also worked with USA Basketball as a coach in many capacities and is a scout for Team USA this week at the FIBA World Cup qualifying tournament in Puerto Rico.

Woods-Baxter had been an assistant — and then associate head coach — under Fernandez since 2008. Before joining the Bulls, she was the head coach at Monmouth where she went 51-51 in four seasons. She’s a native of Michigan and got her start in coaching in boys high school basketball in Florida.

Last summer, longtime USF athletic director Michael Kelly left for the U.S. Naval Academy and Higgins was named CEO of USF Athletics in September. 

With Fernandez leaving for the WNBA so close to the start of the season, there wasn’t time for Higgins to conduct a search for a head coach. In February, USA TODAY Sports reported unless USF won the American Conference Tournament to punch its ticket to March Madness, Higgins would likely conduct a national search to make his own hire. On Wednesday, USF started putting out feelers to potential candidates.

USF is viewed by industry sources — coaches, agents and administrators alike — as the best women’s basketball job in the American Conference and one of the best in the mid-major ranks.

If Higgins doesn’t keep Woods-Baxter, here’s who he might call:

Lindsay Edmonds, Rice head coach

Edmonds has never had a losing record in five seasons at Rice, her first stop as a head coach after spending eight seasons as an assistant at NC State. The Owls went to the NCAA Tournament in 2024, their first year in the American. This season, Rice is 27-4 — their second-most wins in program history, and are eying what would be their second NCAA Tournament bid in the last three seasons. Earlier this season, the Owls broke off a 22-game winning streak. The native of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and graduate of App State also coached at James Madison under Kenny Brooks. She’s proved her bonafides as a head coach at Rice and will continue to be a top candidate for many openings this year. 

Destinee Rogers, Arkansas State head coach

The 36-year-old has quickly turned Arkansas State into a winner, taking the Red Wolves to their first NCAA Tournament last season. Arkansas State went 24-9 this season, its most wins in a regular season in over a decade. While they won't play in the NCAA Tournament after losing in the Sun Belt semifinals, the Red Wolves will likely be invited to the WBIT. Rogers has a winning pedigree, as she helped Central Arkansas appear in March Madness as a player and then as an assistant coach. Rogers has displayed the ability to assemble talented rosters with the transfer portal — she has seven transfer players this season — and create a scheme and style that plays to her players’ strengths. The Red Wolves rank in the top 10 nationally in 3-point rate, total 3-pointers made, offensive rebounds per game and turnovers forced per game.

Gabe Lazo, Tennessee assistant coach

A Miami native who played at FIU got his start in collegiate coaching there, Lazo makes a lot of sense at USF because of his connections in a fertile recruiting area. Before joining the college ranks, Lazo coached a Florida-based AAU team to the Nike Nationals and was a three-time Coach of the Year at the high school level. Now an assistant at Tennessee, where he’s signed multiple McDonald’s All-Americans for Kim Caldwell, Lazo is widely regarded as one of the top recruiters in the sport. However, it should also be mentioned that Lazo is an ace scouter and has a strong acumen in X’s and O’s. In the 2023 NCAA Tournament, Mississippi State coach Sam Purcell gave Lazo – then an assistant for the Bulldogs – much of the credit for preparing the team in their upset of No. 6 Creighton. Purcell added Lazo’s “work ethic is unmatched” and he’s an “elite” player developer.

Other names to watch: Georgia Southern head coach Hana Haden, McNeese State head coach Ayla Guzzardo, FIU head coach Jesyka Burks-Wiley, High Point head coach Chelsea Banbury, Charleston head coach Robin Harmony

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Candidates to know as USF begins women's basketball coaching search

There are some new faces in Las Vegas this week. Most the Raiders signed in free agency and one they acquired in trade (Taron Johnson). And there are a couple of players who looked like they could be leaving in free agency, but got new deals instead (Malcolm Koonce, Eric Stokes).

The Raiders had by far the most money to spend under the cap this year and they spent a whole lot of it real quick. Then the Maxx Crosby trade fell through which meant his enormous cap figure wasn't off the books as the Raiders thought it would. Some worried the Raiders might have overspent in free agency and therefore couldn't absorb Crosby's contract back into the fold. That turned out not to be the case.

The question now is exactly how much money they actually have left to spend. First let's look at the cap hits for each of their new contracts and where they rank on the team. All of them land among the biggest cap hits on the team this coming season. The new contracts are in bold.

1.	Maxx Crosby	$35,791,250
2.	Kolton Miller	$22,540,000
3.	Tyler Linderbaum	$16,666,666
4.	Malcolm Koonce	$11,010,000
5.	Quay Walker	$10,000,000*
6.	Jeremy Chinn	$9,555,000
7.	Kwity Paye	$9,422,666
8.	Taron Johnson	$8,670,000
9.	Ashton Jeanty	$8,158,139
10.	Jalen Nailor	$8,010,000
11.	Nakobe Dean	$7,966,666
12.	Tyree Wilson	$7,956,296
13.	Eric Stokes	$6,680,000

*This is a conservative estimate based on known contract details. Walker's exact 2026 cap figure has not yet been released.

Since this group was signed, the Raiders have also signed K Matt Gay ($1.6 million), FB Connor Heyward ($1 milllion per season gtd), and WR Dereke Young (undisclosed).

Estimated available money under the cap: $21 million

The Raiders must hold onto a certain amount of money to sign their rookie class. Their current cap space needed to sign their rookies is $12.8 million. Which means...

Raiders estimated money available to spend: $8 million

Keep in mind, that's available cap money for just this season. Which means depending on how they arrange the contracts of the players they bring in, they could conceivably add a player with a cap hit that is much lower than their per-year average.

Top ten available free agents for Raiders needs

1.	QB	Kirk Cousins
2.	G	Wyatt Teller
3.	T	Jawaan Taylor
4.	WR	Jauan Jennings
5.	WR	Deebo Samuel
6.	QB	Joe Flacco
7.	RB	Najee Harris
8.	T	Fred Johnson
9.	RB	Brian Robinson Jr
10.	CB	Trevon Diggs

This article originally appeared on Raiders Wire: How much money do Raiders have to spend after first wave of free agency?

Chelsea attacker Lauren James has signed a contract extension with the club.

The Blues announced the news via a post on their official club website this evening.

The 24-year-old England international has agreed a new long-term deal which will keep her at Stamford Bridge until summer 2030.

James joined Chelsea from Manchester United in summer 2021. The player has gone on to make over 100 appearances for the South West Londoners in all competitions. James has won eight domestic trophies with Chelsea including four consecutive Barclays Women’s Super League titles.

James has a huge role to play at Chelsea in the coming years and the club have therefore moved to agree extended terms with the player.

After signing her contract extension with The Blues, James said “I’m really happy and over the moon to have signed a new contract with Chelsea. It’s been my club since I was young, so I’m really pleased to have extended my stay here. I can’t wait to make more memories, hopefully have more success and win more trophies with this amazing club.”

James will be hoping to add another medal to her collection this weekend when Chelsea contest the 2025/2026 Subway Women’s League Cup final with Manchester United at Ashton Gate in Bristol.

Real Sociedad and Osasuna go head-to-head at Reale Arena this Sunday in the La Liga. The match will be broadcast live at 20:00 on Premier Sports.

Real Sociedad currently have 35 points and lie in 8th position. In their last game, Sergio Francisco's team lost 3-2 against Atlético de Madrid (La Liga 2025/26).

Osasuna have picked up 34 points and currently lie in 11th position. Last time out, Alessio Lisci 's team drew 2-2 against Mallorca (La Liga 2025/26).

The last meeting between the two teams ended in a 2-2 draw.

Predicted lineups

Real Sociedad: Álex Remiro, Jon Aramburu, Duje Caleta-Car, Jon Martín, Sergio Gómez, Yangel Herrera, Carlos Soler, Pablo Marín, Luka Sucic, Ánder Barrenetxea, Orri Óskarsson

Osasuna: Sergio Herrera, Valentin Rosier, Alejandro Catena, Jorge Herrando, Javi Galán, Jon Moncayola, Lucas Torró, Raúl Moro, Aimar Oroz, Víctor Muñoz, Ante Budimir

Unavailable

Real Sociedad

• Álvaro Odriozola - Cruciate Ligament Tear

Osasuna

Last starting XIs

Real Sociedad ( vs Atlético de Madrid 2026-03-07): Álex Remiro, Jon Aramburu, Duje Caleta-Car, Jon Martín, Sergio Gómez, Pablo Marín, Yangel Herrera, Carlos Soler, Ánder Barrenetxea, Luka Sucic, Orri Óskarsson

Osasuna ( vs Mallorca 2026-03-07): Sergio Herrera, Valentin Rosier, Alejandro Catena, Jorge Herrando, Javi Galán, Lucas Torró, Jon Moncayola, Rubén García, Aimar Oroz, Víctor Muñoz, Ante Budimir

Did you know...by playmaker stats

MANAGERS

• Sergio Francisco faced Alessio Lisci on one occasion, recording a victory.
• Alessio Lisci faced Real Sociedad on three occasions, recording a win, a draw, and a loss
• Sergio Francisco faced Osasuna on one occasion, recording a victory.

TEAMS

• Away from home, Osasuna currently has one loss in the last five games.
• Away from home, Osasuna has gone two consecutive games without winning.
• Osasuna currently has one loss in the last nine games.
• Osasuna has conceded goals in three consecutive games.
• Osasuna has gone two consecutive games without winning.
• At home, Real Sociedad currently has one loss in the last eight games.
• At home, Real Sociedad has scored in 11 consecutive games.
• At home, Real Sociedad has gone seven consecutive games without losing.
• Real Sociedad currently has two losses in the last 16 games.
• Real Sociedad has scored in 17 consecutive games.

HEAD TO HEAD

• Real Sociedad and Osasuna have faced each other 106 times, with Real Sociedad having the advantage: 56 wins, against 28 victories for Osasuna.
• At the Reale Arena, Real Sociedad has an advantage in clashes against Osasuna: 35 wins in 54 games. Osasuna has eight victories.
• In the Spanish League, there have been 77 matches between the two teams, with Real Sociedad winning 38, 18 draws, and 21 victories for Osasuna.

Niclas Füllkrug is expected to leave Milan this summer as the club shifts its focus toward a different profile for the center-forward role.

According to Daniele Longo, the German striker is likely to return to West Ham at the end of the campaign. Despite showing resilience by playing through an injury earlier in the season, the management does not view his €5m option to buy as a viable long-term solution for the squad.

The decision to move on from Füllkrug aligns with the club’s pursuit of other targets, with Moise Kean emerging as a primary objective for the Rossoneri. As Milan looks to revitalize their attacking options for the next campaign, the veteran forward’s stint at the San Siro appears set to conclude after just one season.

Kean has previously played under Max Allegri, who can play a central role in a summer deal for the Fiorentina player.

Kaustubh Pandey I GIFN

Romeo Doubs entered Gillette Stadium on Thursday to officially sign his four-year contract with the team. Before he could put pen to paper, however, he needed to put the team-issue iPad with the offensive playbook loaded on it.

As the receiver then joined fellow free-agent addition to the GP Atrium at Gillette to be officially introduced as Patriots, the iPad came with him.

“I don’t know if you guys saw him up here, like, he was already in the playbook. He was on his iPad, learning the formations while I was trying to get him to sign his contract this morning. So, it was pretty cool,” Patriots executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf said.

After parting ways with Stefon Diggs this offseason, New England turned to Doubs in order to help replace that production. Doubs is coming off the best season of his career, catching 55 passes for 724 yards and six touchdowns. His best game of the year then came in the playoffs as he hauled in eight receptions for 124 yards and a touchdown.

Coming from the Green Bay Packers, Doubs primarily lined up on the outside but has shown the ability to win and separate from all over the field. That versatility will be a welcomed addition to Josh McDaniels’ offense.

“I think he has a really cool skill set,” Wolf said. “I think he can play outside, inside, he blocks, he can play Z, he can play X. He’s good on the short routes, he’s good on the deep routes, he’s good with the ball in his hands. He has a lot of route variance that we liked — strong for the ball. There’s some things that he can improve upon that we’ll try to help him with. But overall, just the competitor, the person.”

Doubs now joins a wide receiver depth chart that includes Kayshon Boutte, Mack Hollins, DeMario Douglas, Kyle Williams and Efton Chism III. New England may not be done adding at the position, but the newest acquisition projects to be Drake Maye’s top target.

That is a role Doubs never truly held with the Packers, and while he understands he has big shoes to fill replacing Diggs, it’s a role he says will come naturally if it develops.

“I’ll be really honest with you, I would love to stay true to just understanding where I am and coming into a new system under our offensive coordinator,” Doubs said. “And yeah, I wouldn’t really specify that I’m gonna go in with this amount of targets or that amount of targets, because I’ve come from a place where that didn’t really mean much, and I give credit, obviously, to New England welcoming me with open arms and Green Bay just based off their history and the situation that we were in while I was there.”

For Doubs, signing a four-year, $68 million contract in free agency to join the Patriots was an opportunity he could not pass up on.

“I know I’m going to be around a great group of guys. Going to be around a great young quarterback in Drake, great coaching staff in Coach Vrabel and Josh [McDaniels],” he said. “And even just from a defensive standpoint, I know I’m going to come across some great people, and I just look forward to it.”

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Timberwolves vs Warriors computer picks for March 13

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The Los Angeles Rams are reportedly interested in trading for superstar wide receiver AJ Brown from the Philadelphia Eagles. In addition to the Rams, the New England Patriots are another team with reported interest in Brown.

“At least two teams — the New England Patriots and Los Angeles Rams — in recent weeks discussed trading for Brown, whose frustrations in Philadelphia were a running subplot of the Eagles’ 2025 season,” Dianna Russini and Jourdan Rodrigue wrote.

“The Rams wound up using one of their two 2026 first-round picks to acquire All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie last week, but while dialogue slowed about a deal for Brown, Los Angeles continues to monitor the status of the three-time Pro Bowler with interest, league sources told The Athletic,” Russini and Rodrigue added.

Eagles general manager Howie Roseman has said Philadelphia will not trade Brown unless a team can come up with a fair return offer.

“We’ll do whatever’s in the best interest of our team to be better for this year and going forward. Anything that puts us in a position that we think to potentially win another championship. So every decision will be made with that, no matter who the player is,” Roseman said when asked about potentially trading Brown at the NFL Scouting Combine.

Rams Already Traded the No. 29 Overall Pick to the Kansas City Chiefs

The Rams had two 2026 first-round picks (No. 13 and No. 29) going into the offseason. Los Angeles used the No. 29 overall pick, a fifth and sixth round pick and a 2027 third-round pick to acquire star cornerback Trent McDuffie from the Kansas City Chiefs.

The Rams also signed McDuffie to a record-breaking four-year, $124 million contract extension to make him the highest-paid cornerback in NFL history.

Landing a three-time Pro Bowler like Brown will require a big return package from the Rams. But with the blockbuster moves the Rams have made so far this offseason, Los Angeles has made it clear the franchise will do what it takes to win the Super Bowl in 2026.

Photo Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images

The post Rams Still Interested in Blockbuster Trade for Eagles Star AJ Brown appeared first on LA Sports Report.

While the Dallas Cowboys are hard at work trying to convince every veteran of interest to a one-year deal, they are also paying attention to the pre-draft prospect. With the first salvo fired on Thursday, the club has now added a second candidate to their official pre-draft visit list, as at USC Pro Day, safety Kamari Ramsey revealed that he will also with the Cowboys. 

Ramsey ranks nicely as the No. 69 best prospect on Pro Football Focus' consensus big board. Armed with only one selection on Day 2 of the 2026 draft, (No. 92 acquired in the Osa Odighizuwa trade to the 49ers), the visit may end up just being due dilligence in case Ramsey falls further than expected, or the team adds more selections. 

Kamari Ramsey is a FS prospect in the 2026 draft class. He scored an unofficial 8.61 RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 170 out of 1213 FS from 1987 to 2026.

Pending agilities and bench, splits projected.https://t.co/mZqwEJdzyapic.twitter.com/9TNydvmARZ

— RAS.football (@MathBomb) February 27, 2026

NFL teams are allowed to bring in up to 30 players for Top-30 visits which is different than the advantageous Dallas Day, which are pre-draft visits from local area colleges and Dallas area natives.  The Cowboys have also set up a 30 visit with Indiana wideout Omar Cooper Jr., according to analyst Ryan Fowler.

The redshirt junior began his career at UCLA, where he played in 15 games notching 46 tackles,  four passes defensed, one interception, and 2.5 tackles for loss. In 2024 he transferred to USC, playing in 20 games, recording his second career interception and 87 tackles.

Prior to kicking off the 2025 season, Ramsey was named to the Chuck Bednarik Award watch list, awarded to the most outstanding defensive players in college football. He was also named Lott IMPACT Trophy Player of the Week for his 2024 opening week performance against LSU where he recorded a game-high nine tackles for the Trojans.

If drafted by Dallas, Ramsey will have a crowded room to compete with after the Cowboys signed safety Jalen Thompson and P.J. Locke in free agency to go along with holdovers Malik Hooker and Markquese Bell.

You can follow Angel on X @ArmyChiefW3 and be sure to follow Cowboys Wire on Facebook to join in on the conversation with fellow fans!

This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: USC safety Kamari Ramsey set for pre-draft visit with Cowboys

Lane Kiffin jabs Carson Beck while hanging out with Miami QB's ex-girlfriend originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

LSU coach Lane Kiffin took a jab at an old SEC rival Friday. He went after Carson Beck in a social media post that quickly caught the attention of many across the college football landscape. 

Kiffin shared a photo of himself on a tennis court alongside social media influencers Haley and Hanna Cavinder. The Miami twins posed with Kiffin for a photo which had the caption, “Beat them like we did Beck in ’24!!” 

The LSU coach had a backward cap and gave off cool dad vibes. One viral moment meant to be playful, but also a savage shot at the former Miami and Georgia quarterback. 

Beat them@like we did Beck in 24!! ⁦@CavinderHaley⁩ ⁦@CavinderHanna⁩ pic.twitter.com/CwulFHIvVI

— Lane Kiffin (@Lane_Kiffin) March 13, 2026

Kiffin was referencing the tennis match with the Cavinder sisters and his previous on-field matchup against Beck when Kiffin coached Ole Miss. In that 2024 meeting, Kiffin’s Rebels defeated Beck and Georgia 24-10. The Bulldogs had routed Ole Miss 52-17 the previous season.

Beck previously dated Hanna Cavinder before leaving Athens for South Florida. The two split last year amid widely circulated rumors about their relationship. There was no shortage of headlines about Beck or Cavinder during his transition to "The U." 

More: UNC great stuns fans by announcing boycott of Bill Belichick's team

Kiffin has built a reputation for trolling opponents and is one of the most visible college football coaches on social media. He offered no additional context for the post.

The moment comes as Kiffin begins his first season at LSU after leaving Ole Miss for a deal reportedly worth about $91 million over the next seven years. Expectations are high in Baton Rouge, where the Tigers are expected to contend for a College Football Playoff berth with a roster worth over $40 million. 

More college football news: 

• Jordon Hudson turns heads with 'barely there' rope dress at Maine charity event
• Deion Sanders buyout, contract details as Colorado Buffaloes coach
• Steve Sarkisian blasts Ohio State players for not going to class
• UNC great stuns fans by announcing boycott of Bill Belichick's team
• Ohio State's Ryan Day faces backlash after NFL Combine

The future is NOW.

Belal Muhammad was one of several fighters to get booked this week, and also one of several fighters to get snubbed for the UFC White House event. It seems no amount of begging or pleading could get the promotion’s top stars to leapfrog household names like Kyle Daukaus and Steve Garcia.

Muhammad echoed these sentiments about the invite-only event.

“People are going to hate, people are going to argue, but the fight at the White House, it’s not open to the public, to the real fans,” Muhammed said on YouTube. “When I picture the people that are watching, I picture ‘The Hunger Games.’ The first [movie] when Katniss was at a tryout, the rich, snobby people were at the top, not paying attention to her.”

“People were talking and she had to shoot the arrow through the pig, that’s what I feel it’s going to be,” Muhammad continued. “Not really paying attention to the cage, they see a bit of blood, they don’t see knockouts, but they are not real fans. So who cares, they get what they get.”

They certainly won’t get “the baddest card of all time.”

Muhammad, 37, will look to snap the first two-fight losing streak of his career when he tangles with fast-rising welterweight prospect Gabriel Bonfim atop the UFC Vegas 118 fight card on June 6 in Las Vegas, roughly one week before the promotion heads to Washington, D.C. for “Freedom 250.”

For more UFC White House news and notes click here.

Florida State had one of its top offensive line targets, three-star Elijah Morrison, on campus earlier this week. He got the experience of watching the Seminoles go through a spring practice.

This was the first time the 6-foot-4, 305-pounder made his way to Tallahassee for a visit since receiving an offer from FSU back in February. First impressions are everything, and the Seminoles passes with flying colors.

"It was amazing," Morrison said via Noles24.

He met with several coaches including head coach Mike Norvell, but of course, offensive line coach Herb Hand spent the most time with the Hebron Christian Academy star. Morrison spoke on what the biggest takeaway was that he got from watching practice.

"I took in the intensity the most," said Morrison. "It was really intense. Even without [pads], the intensity stood out and how detailed it was. Coach Hand is a very detailed coach."

Alabama, North Carolina, and NC State will all host Morrison during the spring. Georgia will also have him on campus during the spring, but they will also host him for an official visit on June 12. Clemson will host him for an official visit on May 29.

Morrison did mention that Florida State will likely get an official visit soon as well. That's good news for them considering how the offer list for Morrison has intensified since the beginning of the year.

He is the No. 415 player nationally and the No. 23 interior offensive lineman per 247Sports composite rankings. He's also the No. 45 prospect in the state of Georgia.

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: Elijah Morrison raves about Florida State visit

Before the Cincinnati Bengals signed Jonathan Allen in NFL free agency, much of the discourse focused on something else: 

The free agents the Bengals targeted…and missed. 

Unfortunately for the Bengals, that conversation is back on the menu just a day removed from the Allen news. 

This time, it’s all about linebacker Anfernee Jennings. Kelsey Conway of the Cincinnati Enquirer reported that the Bengals “are not in the mix” for him right now. 

Jennings was a major headline in the middle of the week when the New England Patriots cut the Super Bowl starter to save roughly $3.8 m million in cap space. 

A third-round pick in 2020, Jennings has appeared in 75 games since. He’s the prototypical veteran presence the Bengals appear to be seeking to add some serious leadership to the young spot on the depth chart. 

Bengals brass have confirmed they want to add a veteran presence to the linebacker room, yet failed to do so despite droves of obvious names being signed by other teams so far. 

The Bengals were reportedly never in the mix for Devin Lloyd at the very top of the market, so one can presume they might loop back to Jennings if he sticks around on the market for a while.

This article originally appeared on Bengals Wire: Bengals out on another free agent who would make perfect sense

Let’s start with the positive:

The Streak lives on.

Until this year, there has been at least one NMTC team to make the tournament in every single NCAA Tournament ever held. And this year, thanks to Queens and the ASUN Conference, that streak will continue. (Congratulations to the Queens Royals on making the tournament in their first year eligible!)

And the bad?

Well, just about everything else.

The ASUN guaranteed us our first NMTC graduation of the year – the third ASUN team to graduate in four years – late Saturday evening, when Queens took down ASUN co-champs Austin Peay. Earlier, the ASUN’s top seed and NMTC member Central Arkansas got past Florida Gulf Coast. With an all-NMTC ASUN final guaranteeing at least one graduate, the minds of NMTC fans dreamt of much, much stronger possibilities. Three No. 1 seeds were still in play, a No. 2 seed that many felt was a favorite, and many more “fighting chances”, so to speak.

What followed was methodical elimination. Carnage of the top seeds. Dark horses that sparked hope, only to fall in brutal fashion.

The only way to process is to recap all of it, every single one.

The Good

Thank god (or any other deity you may worship) for the ASUN.

The Atlantic Sun Conference has been a mini hotbed of NMTC qualifiers. As previously mentioned, three have made it out of the club in the last four years (Kennesaw State in 2023, Stetson in 2024, and Queens this year). 

Four eligible teams (North Alabama, Bellarmine, Queens, and Central Arkansas) made up the 12-team field this year, plus the much-improved and ineligible West Georgia. All eyes were on Central Arkansas after its record-setting breakthrough year. Out of nowhere, they blitzed their way to a 15-3 league record. They took down fellow NMTC Bellarmine and FGCU in their first two tourney games. Most captivating was star guard Camren Hunter, who played two years at UCA before departing for Wisconsin, where he got hardly any minutes, before returning to Conway this year. He averaged 21 points a game, second in the league, and did not disappoint in the big moments, dropping 54 points in the first two tournament games plus 49 in the ASUN title game.

Queens also had a breakout year, though overshadowed somewhat by UCA’s. But make no mistake, they were nasty. Head coach Grant Leonard, just four years removed from being an assistant on the Queens staff while they were D-II, has steadily improved them each of the last three years. This year, they were a top-20 scoring team in the nation and had six players average double-figure scoring. They won their first seven conference games on their way to a 13-5 finish, but they went 0-3 against the top two teams, Austin Peay and Central Arkansas.

That changed in a big way, obviously, in the tournament. They held off Austin Peay for the entire second half, matching every mini-run with an answer and never letting them draw even. Then, in the championship game, they fell behind 8-0 to Central Arkansas, before immediately matching that with an 8-0 run of their own and leading most of the rest of the way (75% of the game in total)

By the under-4 media timeout in the second half, Queen held an 11-point lead. A huge reason why was Chris Ashby (who has the apt Twitter handle @1Cashby). The fourth-year Queens Royal shot only three pointers on the night – 19 of them to be exact – and drilled 10 of them, on his way to a 34-point night, nearly tripling his 11.7 point season average.

But he was outdone by the aforementioned Hunter, whose truly ridiculous outburst at the regulation forced overtime in a game that looked in hand for Queens. Trailing 73-62 with just over three to play, Hunter scored ALL TWENTY OF UCA’S POINTS in the remainder of regulation. He made all but one of his shots and all but one of his free throws in this stretch, almost singlehandedly willing his Bears to keep their season alive. Queens, for their part, turned it over six times down this stretch and missed several free throws. With under five seconds to play, and down two points, Hunter hit a daring spin-move-to-floater combination that sent the game to overtime.

CAMREN HUNTER COMPLETES THE CRAZY CENTRAL ARKANSAS COMEBACK AND SENDS US TO OVERTIME IN THE ASUN FINAL!
FIVE EXTRA MINUTES TO DECIDE WHO WILL LEAVE THE NEVER MADE THE TOURNAMENT CLUB!! https://t.co/6I3N56F533

— Never Made the Tourney Club (@NMTC_Hoops) March 8, 2026

Queens didn’t let the blown lead ruin their season. Ashby scored the first five points of the extra period, and Hunter couldn’t muster the same amount of magic, getting up only three shots and turning it over three times. Hunter finished with a staggering tournament record of 49 points.

But in the end, Queens is the one dancing in their very first year of eligibility.

FROM THE CLIMB TO THE CROWN 👑

THE ROYALS ARE YOUR 2026 @ASUNSports TOURNAMENT CHAMPIONS 🏆#RoyalsRise | #QUeenCity | #CMA | #WinToday | #PTBpic.twitter.com/hTnfLBnaRn

— Queens (N.C.) Men’s Basketball (@queensMBB) March 8, 2026

We talk all the time about the Dumbest Rule. How it’s screwed over teams like Merrimack and Bellarmine. Well, Queens manipulated it perfectly, building a team until it peaked at just the right time. But not only that, recall that the Dumbest Rule transition postseason ban was shortened from four years to three last year. So Queens is making it in just its fourth year of Division I hoops, which means, as far as we can tell, in the transition period era, Queens now holds the distinction of fastest team to qualify.

If you were pulling for Central Arkansas, which has been an eligible NMTC member for a decade and a half now, that’s understandable. Not only that, but it’s always good to see NMTC teams qualify in years that they earn it by winning the regular season crown. 

But one more tidbit about Queens: just this past September, it was announced that Elon and Queens were merging. And with mergers often come merging of athletics (just ask LIU Brooklyn and LIU Post). For their part, they’ve announced that they’ll maintain separate athletic programs for now. But we have no idea how long that will last. Bottom line, we may have limited time to enjoy Queens as Queens. So maybe it’s a good thing that they’re the ones that made it.

Congratulations, Queens University of Charlotte. It’s time to go dancing.

DANCING QUEENS!!
FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER, THE @queensMBB ROYALS WILL BE PLAYING IN THE NCAA TOURNAMENT!! pic.twitter.com/kyO40dJyTP

— Never Made the Tourney Club (@NMTC_Hoops) March 8, 2026

The Bad, jk the Really Ugly

Just a couple of hours after securing our first bid, we were dealt a blow of reality. Remember all the stuff we were saying about not seeing the Summit League as a wretched league anymore? We might need to hold off on that.

St. Thomas was the preseason favorite and led the conference in most predictive metrics despite finishing the season two games behind North Dakota State. So we were at least looking for a run to the title game for the Tommies. An easy dub against the evil empire, South Dakota State, in the first seemed to confirm our suspicions that the curse might indeed be dead.

Then, a semifinal matchup against North Dakota, which hadn’t really joined in yet on the heartbreak-creating in this conference tournament. St. Thomas, an 11.5-point favorite, led for two-thirds of the game, to 13% for North Dakota. Yet the Tommies continued to let UND hang around. But when North Dakota turned it over to St. Thomas in a tie game with under 30 seconds to play, at least we were going to see St. Thomas have a shot at the win. Worst case, we go to overtime.

Well, guess what! There was an even worse case than overtime!

MADNESS IN THE SUMMIT LEAGUE!

ST THOMAS FOULS UND WITH 0.1 OF A SECOND REMAINING pic.twitter.com/kyAFbZus1Z

— Mid Major Hoops (@MidMajorMania_) March 8, 2026

So St. Thomas didn’t even get a rematch with NDSU, which it beat by more than 20 just a couple of weeks prior. Instead, it got to feel its own version of the Summit Plummet. Welcome to Division I basketball, buddy.

Oh well, couldn’t get that much worse, could it?

The Bad, jk the Excruciatingly Painful, the prelude

It feels right to do this next section in chronological order, starting on Tuesday evening, with the beginning of the end.

UMass Lowell and NJIT both grinded their way to well-earned home playoff games. UMass Lowell fought back from a rough start to finish in the top half of the league. NJIT had one of its best seasons in years. Both handled business in their home quarterfinal matchups. NJIT had a particularly exciting buzzer-beating win over fellow NMTC-er Maine that we were present for! 

NJIT TAKES THE LEAD! Ari Fulton under a second to go gives them a 60-58 lead!!! @mid_madnesspic.twitter.com/JhZRLZESXn

— Never Made the Tourney Club (@NMTC_Hoops) March 7, 2026

Sadly, both were handled easily on the road by UMBC and Vermont, respectively, in the semifinals. It was bad, but technically not unexpected, considering the seed lines and the fact that Vermont was involved. It would be fine once Merrimack won their title game…

The Bad, jk the Excruciatingly Painful, part 1

…oh, dang it, Merrimack. When will we be Merry together?

Last year, second-seed Merrimack fell in the semifinals, just after the top seed fell, and seemingly opened a path for them. This year, the top-seed Warriors, winners of a notoriously parity-filled MAAC by three full games, survived that round – barely. They were pushed by a game Marist team in a contest where everything seemed to conspire against them, but one blown layup and interesting time management by the Red Foxes in the dying seconds saw Merrimack through to the title game. Third-seed Siena, which Merrimack beat twice (both in close games), would be the final foe. 

Demons conquered? Not quite.

The demons seemed to be whispering to Merrimack that scoring in the first 10 minutes of halves was a bad thing to do and to do it as little as possible. Siena went on a 22-3 run to take the lead by 15 points just 10 minutes into the game. They missed 13 of 14 shots. Finally, they remembered to score, and scored ten straight points in the final two minutes to pull the margin back to 3.

But the demon-induced cold spell to start the second half spelled their doom. The Warriors missed their first 15 (!!) field goals of the first half (and missed their two free throws) in a scoreless first nine minutes of the half, as Siena went on a 12-0 run to make the margin 15 again. After Kevair Kennedy’s layup broke the streak, they went scoreless for almost another four minutes before again coming to life. In a nearly 3:30-minute stretch, Merrimack went on a 15-4 run to bring the deficit to four with just under four to play.

But they’d get no closer. A key triple by Siena pushed the lead out to seven with about two minutes left, and Merrimack did not recover. The banged-up Siena Saints, who played only six players, would go dancing. They outrebounded Merrimack 50-26. Merrimack shot just 29% for the game.

And here we are again, Merrimack. Four regular-season titles. One conference tournament title. Three championship game appearances. No NCAA Tournament appearances.

Joe Gallo, please don’t go until you see this thing through.

The Bad, jk the Excruciatingly Painful, parts 2 and 3

So, that was bad. But there’s always a new day. The next day, Bethune-Cookman, who entered as the SWAC’s only NMTC team, but also as that conference’s number one seed, would begin play. 

Wait, hold on, what? Vaquero noises intensifying?

Yeah, that’s right. Before Tuesday night was over, we were in for a roller coaster we didn’t see coming. UTRGV had a phenomenal season and beat McNeese at home, but still, beating McNeese and SFA on McNeese’s home floor seemed like a gargantuan task. They took the court in their semifinal game that night, determined to prove that wasn’t true, that they were a legitimate contender. Against McNeese in their building, they erased a double-digit first-half deficit and matched every single McNeese micro-run in the second half. With time winding down at the end of regulation, they had a shot at the upset.

UTRGV'S CHANCE GOES BEGGING! OVERTIME!@MCNEESEMBB AND @UTRGVMBB IN A SEMIFINAL CLASSIC!!!!

GET TO ESPN+! THIS IS MARCH!!!!!!!! pic.twitter.com/bFKBe0GhVv

— Southland Conference (@SouthlandSports) March 11, 2026

Overtime.

Again, UTRGV matched McNeese move for move. Again, with time winding down in overtime, they had another shot at the upset.

Koree Cotton can’t hit it at the buzzer!

We’re going to double overtime between McNeese and UTRGV in Lake Charles! Winner to the SLC championship game! pic.twitter.com/bi0HJKY5Gw

— KJ Doyle (@kjdoyletv) March 11, 2026

Double overtime.

Again, UTRGV matched McNeese move for move. Actually, they were doing better, holding a three point lead under two to play.

This time, there was an abysmal call though that changed the trajectory of the game. With a three-point UTRGV lead with just over a minute to play, McNeese missed a shot that caromed off a UTRGV player, before a different Vaquero player scooped up the ball in the corner. Only, the shot clock started off of the carom. So by the time UTRGV secured the ball in the corner, the shot clock was at 28, when it should have reset right there. They moved the ball up court against mild pressure, crossing the mid-court line with 20 seconds to go. The refs ruled a 10-second violation.

But even they sensed something was wrong. It didn’t feel like 10 seconds. So they went to the monitor and clearly saw that the shot clock started early. So they gave UTRGV the ball.

Except no, they didn’t. They saw clearly what happened and STILL said that it was a violation. McNeese ball. I don’t criticize refs too much, for it’s a hard job – but when you’re looking at a slow-motion replay of something obvious and STILL don’t get the call right, I’m going to call “corruption” until I hear a good explanation otherwise. And I still haven’t heard an explanation.

That's just a BAFFLING call. UTRGV called for a 10 second backcourt call where the shot clock started a second early. The refs reviewed it and let it stand. They got across halfcourt right when the clock read 20. WTF? https://t.co/mEbrhZQns0

— Matt Adkins 🏀 (@CBB_RunThePoint) March 11, 2026

McNeese used the extra possession to help tie the game again. And STILL, with time winding down in DOUBLE overtime, they had another shot at the upset.

WE ARE GOING TO TRIPLE OVERTIME

FIRST EVER TRIPLE OT TOURNAMENT GAME IN SOUTHLAND MEN'S BASKETBALL HISTORY@McNeeseMBB AND @UTRGVmbb STILL GOING AT IT IN AN INSTANT CLASSIC

ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED?!?!?!? pic.twitter.com/aLafxs0WF1

— Southland Conference (@SouthlandSports) March 11, 2026

Triple overtime.

Again, UTRGV matched McNeese move for move. 

Well, almost. This time, McNeese took a two-point lead before the final sequence. UTRGV had the ball down two, with another shot at the upset:

LARRY BLEEPING JOHNSON!!!!!!!!!!@MCNEESEMBB IS CHAMPIONSHIP BOUND!!!!!!

WHAT. A. GAME. pic.twitter.com/8tAv4DwDsz

— Southland Conference (@SouthlandSports) March 11, 2026

Unbelievable. Three hours. Four shots at the win. Wasted. On that.

The worst part is we weren’t really expecting this one. Then they drew us in. And gave us hope. And the refs snuffed out that hope.

UTRGV still hasn’t even been to a conference title game, let alone win one. And they’re one of the longer-tenured club members. Alas, the conference didn’t want anyone other than McNeese and SFA in the game. And so they wait longer. And so we seethe. Arrrrrrgh.

So we slept it off. Maybe Tuesday would be the end of it. As I said, Bethune-Cookman, top-seed in the SWAC, was going. When it took the floor on Wednesday afternoon, the NMTC was down badly, desperate for a win.

Bethune, like Merrimack, also won a notoriously crowded conference by three full games. It had looked competitive at times in the nonconference. Its first game was against the lowly 8-seed Prairie View A&M, but the task was not easy. Prairie View held the lead for most of the first half.

But then Bethune surged ahead. It had a seven-point lead with under seven to play, then watched as their opponents closed the gap, finally retaking the lead with 44 seconds to play. Bethune had one chance to respond. It had its shot blocked, Prairie View made its free throws. And another top contender had its season go up in smoke.

That was truly brutal, one of the more brutal stretches in NMTC history, perhaps. I make the argument that this might be the worst year of the NMTC ever. For people who say it isn’t because a team made the field, every year has seen an NMTC member graduate, so by definition, the worst year so far will have been a year where at least one team graduated. (The only argument you could make against that would be the year 2020, where, besides the fact that a global pandemic ruined everything, it wasn’t looking so hot for the NMTC. But I’m going to put that in a separate category.)

To have that many favorites fall in the way they did in such a short amount of time feels historically cruel. Of course, I haven’t been covering for all that long. This I tell you, though, if the WAC – the closest thing to a certain NMTC bid – somehow fails to produce one, this will be the worst year in history, unequivocally.

The WACky and Hopeful

Speaking of the WAC, somehow, the regular season outcomes in the final year of the WAC – where four of seven teams are Club members – weren’t the main focus of ours this year. The actual games of the tournament were arguably not the top story of the WACthis week.

Consider the Utah Valley Wolverines. A university that has remained pretty much out of the public eye except for its basketball team, a team that has become one of, if not the best, NMTC teams over the last few years. The last few years, they’ve been the only team to routinely be in the double digits of KenPom and/or NET.

With the WAC appearing to be on the verge of crumbling, they decided to jump ship to the Big West, where they’ll begin play next year. But the WAC apparently ordered them to pay a $1 million exit fee that it says was contractually obligated. When Utah Valley did not pay, the conference, at the beginning of February, banned UVU from participating in the postseason for all sports and removed it from all WAC streaming platforms. (Utah Valley contended that the other departing members of the conference didn’t pay the fee, so it didn’t need to pay.) Utah Valley ended up getting a judge to grant them an injunction to play in postseason tournaments for two weeks and return to streaming platforms. When the two weeks were about to expire just before the conference tournaments, it requested and received an extension.

Flash forward to Tuesday, the WAC unilaterally announced that if Utah Valley did not place the $1 million in escrow by 5 p.m. THAT DAY, then they would be removed from the basketball brackets.

UVU did end up doing this, and the WAC backed off. But the next day, UVU publicly acknowledged the fiasco with a statement in a nine-graphic thread on social media, claiming the school thought it had agreed with the league that it didn’t owe the exit fee. The school stated it worked with the District Court in Utah, and that the payment would be placed in an escrow account by the WAC’s self-imposed deadline. Finally, the Wolverines could play after months of back and forth with a conference that won’t exist in a few months.

(If you are looking for good, insightful local reporting on this, go read Brice Larson, a Utah sports reporter who has covered this saga.)

All this is overshadowing what should be a great NMTC moment. The WAC is as close to a sure thing as there could possibly be in terms of getting an NMTC team into the field. And they nearly banished our top soldier, Utah Valley, the regular-season champs. There are only seven teams in the WAC’s final year, and four of them are NMTC, including the top three seeds of the tournament: Utah Valley, Cal Baptist, and Utah Tech. We’ve now reached the semifinal stage, and the top seeds are still alive (sorry to Tarleton, which dealt with turmoil this year). If Utah Valley can beat the only remaining non-NMTC interloper in UT Arlington tonight, we are guaranteed a graduate.

So, we should be getting a second graduate tonight or tomorrow. But as I said, if somehow UT Arlington sneaks through and nabs the title, this will be forever known as the worst NMTC year on record.

Finally, The Normal Bad

Ah, Chicago State. The fan favorites pulled up the rear of the NEC in their second year in the league. But throw everything out the window, especially in the NEC. Long Island, the far-and-away best team in the conference, could not pull away from the visiting Cougars. Suddenly, it was just a two-point LIU lead, with Chicago State holding possession under 20 seconds to play. But CJ Ray picked up a charging foul, LIU made two free throws,s and hung on.

MAN! What a rush that would have been.

In the OVC, both UT Martin and Lindenwood had better-than-expected seasons. Unfortunately, neither could pull an upset in the tournament. 6-seed Lindenwood fell in a nail-biting quarterfinal to 3-seed SEMO, and 4-seed UT Martin suffered a third loss of the year to top seed and eventual tournament champs Tennessee State.

The 6-seed Presbyterian Blue Hose got in on the fun in the Big South. After trailing Radford by double digits early, Presbyterian forced overtime against 3-seed Radford on a deep, banked-in heave, and would go on to win. Against heavily favored Winthrop in the next round, the Blue Hose again fell behind big early, and still by eight points with under two minutes to play, before a late surge saw them down two points, bringing the ball up the court with seven seconds to play. Just as we all allowed hope to creep in, coach Quinton Ferrell called an interesting timeout as his player loaded up for a decent three-point look. Instead, inbounding with three seconds, Presbyterian only got a desperation heave, and the hope disappeared as soon as it arrived.

In the CAA, it looked like UNC Wilmington had to lose. William and Mary down at the sixth seed didn’t look too inspiring. Then, top-seed Wilmington Lost. Second-seed Charleston got crushed. Things were beginning to open up. Suddenly, if William and Mary could pull a similar upset against third-seed Hofstra, it would be the second-highest team remaining…and then the Tribe got crushed by 31 points.

The Dumbest Rule Strikes Yet Again?

Mercyhurst made the NEC title game in its second year in Division I. But the Dumbest Rule means they didn’t get to go to the dance, regardless of the result at Long Island last Tuesday. Mercyhurst didn’t win, but the Dumbest Rule, besides being unnecessarily punitive, is also a potential buzzkill of excitement. The champion was decided prior to the game, when Mercyhurst defeated the newly eligible Stonehill at home in the semifinals. In this case, the LIU-Wagner game then became the de facto championship, and since it was played after Mercyhurst’s game, it had the excitement. But in other instances, the emotion that should come from a team winning to clinch its spot in the dance can be delayed and muted.

Just get rid of it, NCAA. You can make sure the schools are fulfilling any checkpoints you want while also letting them play.

Women’s NMTC: shockingly slow!

As we mentioned last week, the women’s side tends to have more graduates a year, as there are just the same amount of teams (minus VMI and Citadel, trivia if you didn’t know), but the tournament has been around for 40 fewer years.

But at the time of writing, there have been 18 tickets punched, and not a single one has been NMTC.

The closest was North Dakota State, which won the Summit regular season crown this year but fell to powerhouse South Dakota State in the semifinals. We won’t bury them just yet, because the 28-4 Bison have a shot at an at-large bid – they’re right now in Charlie Creme’s first four out, for instance. (Come on, committee, do the right thing.)

Air Force, the 9-seed in the Mountain West, shocked everyone by upsetting top-seed and 19-1 in-conference San Diego State, and then followed it up with a win over Boise State. Alas, their Cinderella run ended at the hands of Colorado State in the finals. Lindenwood also made the OVC final but fell in a close one to Western Illinois. (Lindenwood had to beat Southern Indiana in the semis, a team that has also been victimized by the Dumbest Rule, having won the OVC tourney in 2024.)

There’s still plenty of hope, though. Charleston, the top seed in the CAA, is in the semifinals. As of typing, Maryland-Eastern Shore is in a semifinal battle to advance to the finals against Howard (and UMES hasn’t made it either men’s or women’s basketball, baseball, or softball, so this would be a rather big deal) Alabama A&M, the top seed in the SWAC, was just upset today by Southern in the semis, but 7-seed Arkansas-Pine Bluff is trying to keep its Cinderella story alive later this evening. 5-seed Tarleton will also go for an upset of WAC favorites Cal Baptist in the WAC semifinals.

The Quick Goodbyes

Elon, Denver, Kansas City, Sacred Heart, North Alabama, New Hampshire, and Youngstown State were eliminated as expected with little fanfare. 

Sacramento State’s first season of the Shaq- and Mike Bibby-led rebuild (and their last in the Big Sky before heading to the Big West) ended with an eighth-place regular season finish and first-round loss. USC Upstate closed out its season by losing to abysmal Gardner-Webb, who had only one Division 1 win all year (also against USC Upstate). South Dakota lost convincingly in its 4-5 Summit League matchup against last year’s grads, Omaha. UMES, who started 4-0 in MEAC play before losing 9 of their last 10, forced overtime against the 3-seed NC Central before falling.

The Citadel won a game! Then lost the next one. But hey, that single win should be celebrated.

———————————————————————

Thanks for reading! We will have one more closing article this year, but until then, stay tuned to our Twitter account (@NMTC_Hoops), Bluesky account (@nmtchoops.bsky.social), and our famous NMTC Spreadsheet, which tracks every NMTC team’s progress. See you next time!

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. — Jordan Spieth has a complicated relationship with TPC Sawgrass. Many professional golfers do. But Spieth's first appearance netted him a T-4, his best finish at the Players Championship. It's a mark he has been chasing since, but his impatience has gotten the better of him.

Pete Dye's masterpiece on Florida's First Coast has aggravated numerous players throughout the years. It's a fickle test of golf, with the line between excellence and disaster hardly noticeable. It's a place that sometimes good shots aren't rewarded and bad breaks are bound to happen. And those who get impatient will be punished.

Enter Spieth. The three-time major champion has gone nearly four years without a win, but in recent weeks he has found his best form since offseason wrist surgery ahead of the 2025 season and has shown flashes of the Spieth of old. That was never more apparent than Friday, when Spieth had perhaps his best stretch of golf in years, only for TPC Sawgrass steal all of his joy on the final hole for the second straight day.

"Things are really good, and I need to have even more patience here than I do other places," Spieth said, "It's just, 13 times in a row I continue to just — something gets me here, and I just don't quite have the patience for it."

Spieth, 32, sits at 3 under heading to the weekend at the 2026 Players, but even he knows that score should be much closer to the lead. After Friday's morning wave, he trailed solo leader Xander Schauffele by seven strokes. If not for two doubles to end each of Spieth's first two rounds, he would be only three back.

"It was just a bummer, both days finishing with doubles. I just played better than that," Spieth said. "Some days you wonder if you shot one stroke worse but you finished with a birdie if you would actually be happier.

"It's a weird deal. Weird game."

Spieth's relationship with golf has been complicated for years. He hasn't won since the 2022 RBC Heritage, a span that's nearing four years. This May, he heads to the PGA Championship with his 10th chance to clinch the career Grand Slam, having won the other three majors between 2015-17. But the thrilling Spieth who captivated millions of fans and became a Tour darling has struggled with swing issues, a wrist injury and other battles eating at a player who still has flashes of excellence.

Look no further than Friday. Spieth's round began with a bogey on the par-4 10th, but he quickly bounced back with a birdie on the ensuing par 5. He made four straight pars and then, on one of the most exciting three-hole stretches in golf, rattled off three straight birdies that came in a variety of ways.

Spieth nearly hit the green in two on the par-5 16th and comfortably two-putted for birdie. Then he hit it to 6 feet on the island green and poured in the putt, which marked the first birdie of the day at No. 17, and the crowd could sense something special brewing. Not even five minutes later, he pointed fore right on the 18th tee, avoiding the water that swallowed his golf ball less than 24 hours prior, but his ball smacked a tree and careened back into the fairway. Spieth capitalized, hitting another approach shot to 6 feet and walking it in.

"Rickie [Fowler] asked if I called bank and I didn't," Spieth said, "It wasn't just coming back into play, it also went forward. It was a phenomenal bounce."

By the time Spieth completed his march to the first tee to begin his second nine, a large crowd had started following he, Fowler and Sahith Theegala, one of the first round co-leaders. On the first, Spieth's approach shot was perhaps his best, landing about 7 feet past the pin and spinning back to 3 feet.

Four straight birdies.

Jordan Spieth is making moves on Friday @THEPLAYERS 🔥

📺 PGA TOUR LIVE on ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/Wja40RaXci

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) March 13, 2026

On the par-5 second hole, he pulled his tee shot into the left trees not far off the tee box, but another fortunate bounce saw his ball end up in the first cut between the tees and fairway. He hit two iron shots and ended up 49 feet from the hole, just off the green.

It never left the center of the cup. The putt dropped, and TPC Sawgrass was finally getting Spieth's best shot. Spieth was "Spiething," and the fans were bringing the energy.

"I hit a lot of really good shots in that stretch," Spieth said. "Made a couple bad swings today, and all in all, you just hope you get away with the bad swings, which I did on that one but I didn't on the other couple I made."

If the fans were loud when his putt dropped on the second, they were certifiably insane when his approach shot landed inside 5 feet on the third. He seemed destined for six straight birdies, but looking at the hole as he made his stroke, he saw the ball stay left and just miss. The momentum wasn't depleted, however, as he added a sixth birdie in seven holes on the fourth and was just three back of the lead.

He made an incredible par save on the sixth, pouring in a 26 footer after his tee shot embedded in a mogul left of the fairway and his second shot came up well short of the green after punching through the trees.

But then came his final hole of the day, the par-5 ninth. A day before, he made a routine par. But Friday had other plans. Spieth pulled his tee shot left into the pine straw and his ball came to rest near a tree that prevented him from taking a full swing. After an abbreviated punch shot back into the fairway, Spieth hit a 3-hybrid left of the green and also ended up behind a tree. He hit a provisional, thinking the ball went out of bounds because he hit it so far left.

It took two more shots to end up on the green, but he couldn't make the putt, ending another round with a double bogey.

"I toed a drive on 18 yesterday and then on one of the easiest holes I made a 7 today, and it's just a bit of a bummer to finish that way," Spieth said. "They don't tell the story of how I'm really playing; those were just two swings that I just needed to miss on the other side."

Spieth's performance at TPC Sawgrass on Friday was vintage Spieth: The young, fearless kid who dominated the PGA Tour and captured three majors and double-digit wins in the blink of an eye. Then there were moments of the grizzled, scar-laden veteran who has struggled to recreate the magic he so often experienced in the early days of his career. In recent weeks, there has been a lot more of the former, though there remain too many instances of the latter for Spieth to plot his way to victory again.

For those who got to experience the roller-coaster ride that is Jordan Spieth on Friday at the Players, they were taken back in time to the days when Spieth was world No. 1. This is only Spieth's fifth made cut at TPC Sawgrass since his T-4 debut in 2014. His best finish in that span is T-19. His mantra this weekend? Attack mode.

"I'm doing everything well," Spieth said. "The stats aren't necessarily showing exactly how solid things are. The last two or three tournaments, just feels like things are getting better and better each week."

And on Friday, Spieth was doing everything well. That is, until TPC Sawgrass got the best of him yet again.

This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Players 2026: TPC Sawgrass continues to test Jordan Spieth’s patience

Jacksonville Jaguars' free agent wide receiver Dyami Brown will be playing elsewhere in 2026.

According to Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network, Brown is returning to Washington, where his NFL career began, on a one-year deal worth up to $3 million.

Why didn't the Jaguars re-sign Dyami Brown?

When the Jaguars signed Brown to the offense, he immediately added another vertical presence to the offense with his speed. The Jaguars also thought he had the upside to attack other levels of the field and get the ball on designed touches out of the backfield.

However, as the season progressed, Brown's role was reduced and eventually became nonexistent, with him even being a healthy scratch in some games.

Veteran WR Dyami Brown is going back to Washington on a 1-year deal worth up to $3 million, per source. pic.twitter.com/uXgw24hkDv

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) March 13, 2026

Brown was unable to carve out steady playing time, and he was eventually jumped on the depth chart by Tim Patrick. He finished the season catching 20 passes for 227 yards with a touchdown.

Jaguars wide receiver depth chart

• Brian Thomas Jr.
• Parker Washington
• Jakobi Meyers
• Travis Hunter
• Chandler Brayboy
• Tim Jones
• Austin Trammell

(This article will be updated.)

This article originally appeared on Jaguars Wire: NFL free agency: Commanders sign Jaguars' free agent WR Dyami Brown

On a night dedicated to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander for breaking a notorious NBA record, Jaylen Brown ripped the mic out of his hand to steal some of the national spotlight — but for devious reasons.

The Oklahoma City Thunder came away with a 104-102 win over the Boston Celtics. In a game within a game, Gilgeous-Alexander made NBA history as he usurped Wilt Chamberlain for the longest 20-point streak ever at 127 consecutive games.

It was a classic back-and-forth affair on national TV. Those have become the norm during this homestand as several heavyweights have visited OKC to see if they can match up with the reigning NBA champions. As Payton Pritchard's Hail Mary attempt fell short, the Thunder survived a thriller that saw Gilgeous-Alexander and Brown exchange bucket for bucket in crunch time.

Afterward, Brown became the latest NBA figure on a long list to complain about miscellaneous items — such as what warrants a foul and what doesn't.

Brown finished with 34 points on 10-of-25 shooting. He went 13-of-14 on free throws. That included seven attempts in the fourth quarter alone as he barrelled through several Thunder defenders to draw contact. For comparison, OKC only took 17 free-throw attempts as a team. Gilgeous-Alexander had just eight.

Despite all of those receipts, Brown went to the complaining route. He brought up social media's favorite water-cooler talking point — ethical basketball. The buzzword has gained relevance in recent years. Fair or not, Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder have become the poster child.

The drive-heavy scorer has caused an uproar over the years. You can guarantee a few clips will make the rounds on social media about his foul-drawing ability and selling contact. Never mind the fact that he's not the first or last guy in NBA history to do that. After all, you gotta typically get a ton of free throws to average 30-plus points.

"I don't know, maybe it all works in the end, but I just don't foul bait," Brown said. "I'm not looking to flop or anything like that, but it's almost like you got to. There's a couple of plays in the fourth quarter where I felt like I drove strong, went up strong and I didn't get the benefit of the doubt. But maybe if I would've flopped, maybe I would've been able to sell that call. And those decide games."

While Brown didn't explicitly mention Gilgeous-Alexander, his smirk when he uttered his comments was a telltale sign that it was a shot at the Thunder. He's not the first or last guy to bring this talking point up after a loss to OKC. Alas, other teams downplaying their dominance comes with the territory of what they've done over the last two seasons.

Just funny to hear Brown say that, of all people. Especially on a night when he made the same foul-baiting moves all night to get to 34 points — because he certainly wasn't doing it from the field as the Thunder did a stellar job at forcing him to put up difficult shots that badly missed.

"We commend players for playing the game the right way, but we give the benefit to those who necessarily are trying to manipulate the game into their advantage," Brown said. "I just don't think it's basketball. Let's just play basketball. All the foul baiting, I think it's whatever for me."

This article originally appeared on OKC Thunder Wire: Jaylen Brown takes subtle shot at OKC: 'I just don't foul bait'

Wayne Rooney may not be entirely certain that Arsenal can secure the Premier League title at the conclusion of this season due to the continued threat from Manchester City, but he has no doubts that they have been the best team in England so far.

The Gunners have spent more time at the summit of the league table than any other club since the start of the campaign, demonstrating remarkable consistency under the management of Mikel Arteta, who is working tirelessly to guide the team to the championship, just as many observers expect.

Rooney’s Assessment of Arsenal

Rooney has expressed admiration for Arsenal’s performances this term and commented via Metro Sports:

‘For me it’s different, I think Arsenal are the most consistent team, whether they win it or not, I’m still not sure because of City, I don’t know.’

His statement highlights the challenge posed by Manchester City, who remain serious contenders for the title, but it also underscores the recognition of Arsenal’s quality and resilience throughout the season.

Domestic and European Form

In European competition, Arsenal have also impressed, advancing smoothly through the league stage and now reaching the round of 16, where they continue to be considered one of the strongest sides remaining in the tournament. Domestically, winning the Premier League remains the primary objective for their supporters, and the team still has a handful of crucial fixtures left to secure the top spot.

As Arsenal approaches the final stages of the league season, the margin for error is minimal. Every point matters, and maintaining focus will be essential if they are to convert their long-standing position at the top of the table into a title triumph. Rooney’s assessment captures both the promise and the challenge facing the club as they aim to finish the season on the highest note.

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There’s now less than two weeks to go until Opening Day, and things are definitely beginning to come into focus. We’ve lost our Opening Day starter, with Merrill Kelly’s nervous back ruling him out for that role. However, he started today’s game. Let’s start off with that section of the roster in more detail, shall we?

Starting rotation

1. Zac Gallen ($22m)
2. Brandon Pfaadt ($3.4m)
3. Ryne Nelson ($3m)
4. Eduardo Rodriguez ($21m)
5. Michael Soroka ($7.5m)

No changes in personnel here, but a move of Soroka back from the bullpen is in order, due to the Kelly situation hinted at above. It’s uncertain when Merrill will be considered adequately stretched out in order to return to the rotation: that should become closer as we move towards Opening Day. It may not require a stay on the 10-day injured list, but I suspect it will. The D-backs do not need a fifth starter until their ninth game on Saturday April 4. This is due to the (weird) off-day the first Sunday of the season. However, if the team IL Kelly on Opening Day, and backdate this the maximum permitted three days he wouldn’t be able to come off until April 7.

Alternatively, they could keep the rotation on point, and use Soroka for spot starts on March 31st and April 5th. Or not IL Kelly at all: there’s a case to be made that four innings of Kelly is better than no innings at all. Or, if you’re feeling less charitable, better than four innings of Soroka. That pair could just piggy-back when needed for a start or, at worst, two. We’ll likely know more as we see how long Kelly pitches in his upcoming Cactus League outings, which would be March 18 and 23, if he maintains a normal five-day rotation. It’s all uncertain for now.

Gallen has been anointed as Opening Day starter, his fourth consecutive year in the role. Though both this year and last, he backed into the role after the original candidate was unable to fulfill the responsibilities of the position. After him, Jack has mapped out the most likely order. Pfaadt, for example, has been pitching the day after Gallen this spring, so it make sense he’ll follow him once the regular season starts. Things thereafter do become a little more flexible, and the World Baseball Classic also affected things, with uncertainty around Eduardo Rodriguez

Bullpen

• Ryan Thompson ($3.95m)
• Kevin Ginkel ($2.725m)
• Taylor Clarke ($1.55m)
• Kade Stroud
• Paul Sewald ($1.5m)
• Jonathan Loáisiga
• Brandyn Garcia
• Andrew Hoffmann

Moving Soroka into the rotation opens a spot in the bullpen. Albeit probably a relatively short-term one. but it’s not a major issue, since the like of Stroud, Garcia and Hoffman all have minor league options available, when Soroka goes back to long relief. I’m no longer convinced that Drey Jameson will crack the roster. While his velo has been up, he has had his struggles this spring (an 8.44 ERA, on eight hits and five walks over 5.1 IP). Oddly, it seems like the team has been stretching him out a little, with his more recent spring outing lasting thirty pitches. He only reached that figure in one of his 19 appearances last year. May be significant, may not.

Garcia is still my pick for the left-handers spot, but had a bit of a blow-up yesterday, to put it mildly. Until then both he and Philip Abner had put up decent numbers in spring. Abner has allowed one run over six innings, on three hits and three walks with seven strikeouts. Garcia had given up no runs over 4 IP, with a K:BB of 5:1. But Thursday’s rough outing (BB, HBP, 1B, HBP, BB – 26 pitches without recording an out) was definitely a concern, and his ERA went from zero to 11.25. The pessimist in me is predicting an elbow specialist in his future, naturally. Even if that isn’t the case, the door is certainly still open for Abner.

It’s possible the team could go with both, if Torey Lovullo wants two lefties. But I like the chances of Hoffmann, who has had an excellent spring. He has allowed one run over 4.2 innings on four hits, with a K:BB of 7:1. If he sustains that over the remaining couple of weeks, he could fill the final spot. It would, however, perhaps be between him and Stroud for who gets the short-stay token, and goes down to Reno when it is time for Merrill Kelly to rejoin the rotation, pushing Soroka down.

Starting line-up

• Catcher: Gabriel Moreno ($2.55m)
• First base: Carlos Santana ($2m)
• Second base: Ketel Marte ($15m)
• Shortstop: Geraldo Perdomo ($6.25m)
• Third-base: Nolan Arenado ($5m)
• Left field: Alek Thomas ($1.96m)
• Center field: Jordan Lawlar
• Right field: Corbin Carroll (10.635m)
• Designated hitter: Pavin Smith ($2.25m)

The good news about Carroll has certainly made a tricky situation in the outfield a lot more bearable. He didn’t just make it back in time for Opening Day, he did so with two weeks to spare. That should give him plenty of time to get ramped up, and there are backfield opportunities should more at-bats be needed. Lawlar has also played encouragingly well this spring. He has a .323 average and 1.174 OPS going into play this afternoon, while not embarrassing himself in center [despite the near miss the other day]. We haven’t seem much of Thomas, due to the WBC, but with Mexico now eliminated, he should be back in camp.

This has all removed the need for Ryan Waldschmidt to be rushed out of the majors for Opening Day. While we may still see him in 2026, service time elements – not just direct years, but a desire to avoid potential Super 2 status – will become a factor. While he played well enough, I’m fine with letting him mature in Reno for a bit. His time will come, and it may not be far off. Elsewhere on the diamond, things are progressing as expected. Nobody has got hurt, and nobody has done much in terms of performance – either to play their way out of a starting spot or into one.

Bench

• James McCann ($2.75m)
• Tim Tawa
• Jorge Barrosa
• Ildemaro Vargas

The supposed deal for a utility player discussed last time still has been notable by its absence, but the need still seems to be there. However, every day which passes makes it seem more likely the team is going to be comfortable going with the quartet above, or something close to it. I’m a lot happier with Barrosa as a fourth outfielder than I was when it seemed like he might become an everyday left-fielder. With him being out of options, it will get a little tricky when Lourdes Gurriel comes back and a spot needs to be found. What happens may depend on how Lawlar fares in center: he does still have a minor-league option left, if needed.

Meanwhile, Vargas comes into play today batting .345, though has yet to take a walk. I suspect that batting average is not sustainable, but he really isn’t going to be on the roster for his bat. What Vargas does have, is over 100 MLB innings at each infield position, as well as in left-field, so he offers a lot of positional flexibility and experience. Between him, Tawa and Barrosa (plus, in a pitch, Pavin Smith can play the outfield – albeit for some loose definition of “play”), I feel like the D-backs have adequate coverage around the diamond.

Payroll

• Estimated 2026 Payroll: $195M
• Estimated Final 2025 Payroll: $188M

No change here since last time, so that’s nice.

Are you tired of talking about the NCAA Tournament bubble? I certainly am. Unfortunately for us Indiana men’s basketball is still on it and there’s probably a universe in which the Hoosiers do, in fact, receive a bid.

Will that happen? Almost certainly not. Indiana collapsed nearly as badly as it could’ve to (likely) close Darian DeVries’ first season as head coach with six losses in its last seven games, with only one of said losses coming by double digits. Two of those losses were to the same team, Northwestern, which is firmly out of the tournament picture. The Wildcats still not only beat the Hoosiers twice, but did so by an even greater margin the second time. Neither game was on the road.

Anyway,

If you think Indiana doesn’t go dancing, there’s several people who agree with you. Including the fans surveyed by SB Nation:

What else agrees with you? Vegas. Indiana’s odds entering the final stretch of the season were favorable to land a bid before completely flipping during the Hoosiers’ collapse. Unlike other bubble teams, Indiana is not listed in FanDuel Sportsbook’s national championship odds.

Another rough March in Bloomington for the men’s basketball program looks inevitable.

Pancake Pat blocking for Skat.

Like the sound of that, New York Giants fans? That is a likelihood the New York Giants have created by signing former Baltimore Ravens fullback Patrick Ricard to lead block for a backfield that includes head-banging running back Cam Skattebo.

The Giants gave Ricard a market-setting two-year, $7.63 million contract this week, making his $3.815 million average annual value the most ever paid to a fullback.

Why did they do that? Because Ricard is a 6-foot-3, 300-pound wrecking ball who has been named to the Pro Bowl six times in nine seasons.

“I’ve garnished the nickname Pancake Pat because I pride myself in how physical I am, the point of attack and pancaking defenders, and if I can continue to do that, that’s all I care about,” Ricard said. “It does not bother me if I don’t get the ball at all. Sometimes I’d rather have these other guys get the balls because they’re just, to be honest, they’re better. They’re more explosive. They can run a lot faster than me. I’m 300 pounds. So, I’d rather have the ball in their hands and me blocking for them.”

‘Physicality all over the place’

Ricard was, of course, asked what it would be like blocking for Skattebo, a player who spent time as a kid running into telephone poles for fun.

“It’s going to look like a lot of yards and a lot of touchdowns,” Ricard said. “It’s going to be just physicality all over the place. It’s going to just be exactly what the people want to see.”

What does Ricard know about Skattebo?

“I loved watching him last year, and I was just thinking to myself, I’m like, man, that guy has a lot of fun. And you can just tell by how he plays and the juice he brings to the team,” Ricard said. “I’ve had a couple conversations with him. He was recruiting me to come here. I’m close with Jermaine Eluemunor, both in the same draft class in Baltimore. Jermaine was FaceTiming me, and right in the background there’s Skatt just saying what’s up to me. So, I’m excited to work with them and get to know him more.”

Jermaine Eluemunor, salesman

When he wasn’t getting himself fitted for a fancy suit, it seems Eluemunor spent some time recruiting his former Ravens teammate.

“If you look at Jermaine’s journey, I mean he’s trying to find a home, kind of bouncing around, and that whole time, I was in Baltimore for the last nine years. He’s kind of bouncing around, and I’m in Baltimore, and for us to now finally be together again is just a full-circle moment,” Ricard said.

“And he was just telling me how great this place is and how much I’m going to love it and how much I’m going to love my teammates, the city. And he couldn’t have said anything better about this place. So, I’m just excited to be with him once again and to enjoy and see what the city is all about.”

A career rooted in defense

Ricard wasn’t always a fullback. He played defensive tackle at Maine, and split time his first two seasons in Baltimore between offense and defense. he has been a full-time fullback since 2019. How does having been a defensive tackle help him now?

“I think it’s the physical part of defense. Defense, you’re always on the attack. You’re always trying to be as physical as you can. You have to beat a offensive linemen. You have to chase down a quarterback. You have to do all these things to where for me playing fullback, I think it translated really well, on top of also understanding how defenses work, how a defensive line, how a front plays, how their gaps sound, how they blitz, how they pass rush, and I think I was able to take all those things that I learned from playing defense and use it in my game on offense,” Ricard said.

“And I think that helped me really understand and really learn, because I didn’t play offense in college. So for me to try to block and play in an offense against the best in the world, it was a huge learning curve, and I was just thankful for great coaches to help me, and the coaches here now, Coach [John] Harbaugh and Coach [Greg] Roman. So, I’m just grateful to be back with them again and continue my journey with them.”

Following his coach

In the end, Ricard just wanted to be wherever the only NFL head coach he has ever played for was.

“I’m just very grateful for Coach Harbaugh. I mean, he’s been in my corner my whole career. He’s believed in me,” Ricard said. “And as soon as I saw he got the job here, I was definitely interested. I even told him, like, look, if you were coaching a Pop Warner football team, I’m interested. I’m there doing something. I don’t even know if I’m like the water boy, you know what I’m saying?

“So, as soon as he was interested in me coming here, I was all in. I was just ready to just sign the contract and let’s get going.”

Ricard admitted that the Cleveland Browns, now coached by former Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken, tried to sway him.

“Ultimately, I made the decision to sign here. Felt like it was a better fit for me and my family, I felt like my history with Harbaugh,” Ricard said. “I obviously love Coach Monken, with him for the last three years now, I think it was. And just a ton of respect for him, and I know he’s going to do a lot of great things there. So I’m excited for the Browns, but I’m more excited for the Giants.”

Giants fans are excited for some Pancake Pat highlights.

The lead-up to FC Barcelona’s presidential elections should have been a debate about where the club was headed in the next five years.

Instead, it has petered out into a smear campaign built on old wounds, politically exploiting club legends and a general sense of lack of direction.

The election that should have been about 2026-2031

On Sunday, 15 March, 2026, Barcelona’s members will choose between Joan Laporta and Victor Font for the presidency through 2031.

More than 1,14,000 members will be eligible to vote, which is exactly why these presidential debates should have been one of the most serious conversations regarding the club’s future.

This isn’t an exercise to choose the mascot, a campaign slogan or the most familiar face in the room. They are choosing who gets to shape the sport, financial and institutional direction of one of Europe’s best clubs for the next five years and beyond.

And, this is precisely what makes the tone of this campaign so far so disappointing.

A club still dealing with debt due to financial mismanagement of the past, navigating through the consequences of financial levers while still trying to remain competitive and do so playing an attractive brand of football, deserved a battle of blueprints from the two candidates.

It deserved a real argument about governance, sporting continuity, Camp Nou revenues, member protections, and what Barcelona want to look like by the time this next presidential cycle ends. Instead, the campaign has too often sounded like a feud with microphones.

To be fair, neither Joan Laporta nor Victor Font are running without promises. Both have policies and campaign talking points. The issue, however, is the emphasis.

Instead of asking for votes through their policy positioning, both have resorted to a concocted smear campaign of who lied, who manipulated, who used whom, who damaged the club, who resembles Donald Trump, who is a good Barça fan, and who represents the true Barça spirit.

All this is a poor substitute for vision.

Laporta’s campaign of assumption

Will Laporta triumph again? (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

Laporta has entered this race with the confidence of a man who believes recent history is on his side. To be fair, he has earned that degree of assumption.

He returned to office in 2021, beating Font to the throne and has successfully navigated the club through extreme financial pressure, a revival under Hansi Flick and a feeling that he still remains the best option to run a club of this magnitude. There is substance to this narrative.

But what Laporta should have done is use this to his advantage and campaigned from a position of strength. Instead, he seems to be campaigning from a position of assumption.

Too often, he has sounded like a man asking for continuity on the basis of aura, memory, and emotional ownership of the institution. He often tends to argue that he understands Barça in a way that not many others can and that this should be sufficient to see him retain presidency.

He has spent much of his time in this electoral period sweeping the stadium, cooking in a restaurant and driving a tractor.

Laporta has often projected the air of a man who assumes the office remains his unless somebody produces a dramatic enough reason to take it away. That is powerful politics. It may even be effective politics. But it is not ‘Mes Que Un Club’.

Font’s opposition that has become obsession

If Laporta’s weakness has been his confidence often becoming complacency, Font’s has been his over-obsession in destructing his rival’s stature.

Yes, opposition candidates in a presidential race must attack. It is a part of the job. However, what Font has failed to understand is that it is not the entire job.

The 53-year-old’s campaign has too often heavily relied on being anti-Laporta, and it has overshadowed what plans he has for the club.

The clearest example of this is how he has dragged in club legends like Lionel Messi and Xavi Hernandez into this final stretch of the campaign.

Font has publicly urged the Argentinian to come out and “tell the truth” about his failed 2023 return, after Xavi alleged that Laporta had blocked it for personal reasons.

Will Victor Font succeed in overthrowing Laporta? (Photo by LLUIS GENE/AFP via Getty Images)

While that may be legitimate political ammunition, what it also tells you is that a candidate who claims to represent the future of the club has spent crucial days in the build-up trying to turn the pain of the past and names that still carry a lot of emotional influence at the club into weapons for his own selfish ambitions.

This is where Font has arguably disappointed the most. In 2021, he presented himself as a method man, a project man and a person with an eye on the bigger picture. He presented himself as the antidote to presidentialism by instinct and to governance by charisma.

Yet, this time, he has continually contradicted the same. He has leaned on wounds, on old fractures, on the vulnerability of Xavi and the unfinished romance of Messi, as if those names could do for his candidacy what a fully convincing public vision has not yet done on its own.

That is not just tactical. It is a betrayal of his original promise.

The real questions are still unanswered

And, meanwhile, the real presidency sits elsewhere and remains unanswered.

How will Barcelona manage debt over the next cycle? What governance safeguards will protect the member-owned model? What should Espai Barça become once the applause around construction gives way to the harder questions of use, cost, and development?

How does the club keep La Masia central without turning it into their only source of talent? What is the plan for Hansi Flick to take this project to the next level?

This is where the substance lies. The main reason this election has felt unsatisfying is that these hard truths have been drowned by more glamorous arguments that have no value with regard to the future of the club.

On Sunday, the members will still make their choice, and one of these men will still inherit the responsibility of carrying Barcelona into the next cycle. But whoever wins should hear the underlying truth.

Messi’s name is not a strategy. Xavi’s hurt is not a blueprint. Laporta’s aura is not a plan. Barcelona deserve a future, not a feud. They deserve a president who can describe the next five years in a rock-solid manner.

This election was supposed to be about architecture and the future. Instead, often it has been about ash.

The Dallas Cowboys made a pair of trades on Wednesday, but unlike their previous trade this week to bring in defensive lineman Rashan Gary, both of these latest trades involved the Cowboys trading away defensive linemen and receiving draft compensation instead. More specifically, the Cowboys traded away a pair of defensive tackles in Osa Odighizuwa and Solomon Thomas that started a combined 15 games in 2025.

Dallas trading away from a position of strength to address their positions of need was always in the cards as a possibility this offseason. Before reality could set in that defensive tackle was one such position after such an extended time where the Cowboys were perpetually undermanned there, the Cowboys parting with two rotational interior linemen has many fans worried they’ve swung the pendulum too far in the opposite direction.

The rumblings that in some way, shape, or form, last offseason’s priority re-signing in Odighizuwa could be the most notable ‘odd man out’ from the Cowboys transitioning to a 3-4 defense under Christian Parker compared to last year’s 4-3 with Matt Eberflus were already in place prior to being traded to the 49ers.

New defensive coordinator Christian Parker brings a new scheme to Dallas, and how Odighizuwa fits will loom large in their decision-making. For starters, a transition to a straight 3-4 defensive front makes Odighizuwa a fish out of water. He’s undersized for a 4i defense end, nor does he possess the traits of an outside linebacker on the edge.

Parker also asks his defensive ends to use gap-and-a-half principles, where he’ll be asked to hold at the point of attack and read the play before reacting. Osa is a pass-rushing 3-tech. He has a quick first step and is a one-gap penetrator. Odighizuwa is an effective pass-rushing defensive tackle, but isn’t a stout run defender. For a defense that wants to roll with lighter boxes, its defensive tackles must be capable of handling their run game assignments.

How Odighizuwa fits into the new scheme is an important consideration, especially given his cost. It would be great to keep him on the team, but not as an overpriced rotational player with a reduced role on the defense. After several big trades, the Cowboys are now handing out big chunks of cash to several players, so they need to be smart about where this money is being allocated.

The Cowboys received a third-round pick from the San Francisco 49ers in the deal, bringing their total number of top-100 picks in this year’s draft to three. The Cowboys still hold the 12th and 20th overall picks in the first round, still are without a second-round pick, and now have a third-round choice thanks to the 49ers. This compensation still does not tell the full story of the changes the Cowboys are going through defensively though.

Odighizuwa landed back with last year’s one-and-done defensive coordinator for the Cowboys in Matt Eberflus, who is now the 49ers assistant head coach of defense.

The Solomon Thomas trade, where the Cowboys also gave the Tennessee Titans a seventh-round pick and received the Titans’ seventh-rounder in return, also follows a similar script. Thomas played for head coach Robert Saleh and defensive line coach Aaron Whitecotton for the New York Jets prior to joining the Cowboys, where he was also coached by Whitecotton, who now along with Saleh are both reunited with the Titans.

Zoom out even further around the league and this type of transaction is common place. Within the Cowboys own division, the New York Giants have been busy bringing in a flock of former Baltimore Ravens under former Ravens and current Giants head coach John Harbaugh. Former Cowboys running back Rico Dowdle is back with Mike McCarthy with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Malik Willis was a significant domino to fall in the quarterback market, following former Packers coach Jeff Hafley to Miami where Hafley is now the Dolphins head coach.

All of this is to say that while the Cowboys have earned their fair share of praise for some coaching hires under HC Brian Schottenheimer, most recently choosing Parker as DC and allowing him the autonomy to build his staff. The outlying move from a year ago to hire the safe, familiar face to the organization in Eberflus is still going to hold them back in how quickly they can actually rebuild thatside of the ball. Having Mike Zimmer as defensive coordinator the season before Eberflus can be considered an extension of this same issue that’s only compounded it further. In the wildly fast-paced National Football League, not all mistakes are created equal, and the Cowboys defensive mistakes when it comes to recent coaching hires are creating a seismic lasting impact.

While other teams are using either their coaching continuity or, at very least, the connections to players their coaches have that are best forged through years of experience, the Cowboys have put themselves in no position to benefit from either of these on defense ever since Dan Quinn’s departure for the Commanders head coaching job.

Obviously, just because both Odighizuwa and Thomas have strong ties to the teams they were traded to does not mean the Cowboys had to part with them, as both were still under contract. But it also stands to reason that these connections helped put Odighizuwa on the 49ers radar and Thomas on the Titans’, helping the Cowboys get compensation for players that Parker apparently does not see as fits.

Eagles DTs
Jordan Davis – 336 lbs
Jalen Carter – 314 lbs
Moro Ojomo – 292 lbs

Former Cowboys DTs
Osa Odighizuwa – 280 lbs
Solomon Thomas – 285 lbs

Christian Parker knows what he likes.

— Jess Haynie (@CowboysAddicts) March 12, 2026

The only defensive tackle the Cowboys have added this offseason to provide insight into what Parker is looking for at the position is Otito Ogbonnia, a true nose tackle that came over from the Los Angeles Chargers. Rashan Gary as a pass rushing addition also stands out as more of the 3-4 linebacker type that will have rush responsibilities in Parker’s scheme compared to the types of traditional, hand-in-the-ground defensive ends the Cowboys would have targeted in the past with other 4-3 coordinators.

If these moves stand as the only personnel acquisitions in the front seven that show the Cowboys are going to give Parker the time to build this defense in his image, that general premise is a good one. Still, the overall sense of urgency falls well short of matching where this team should be on defense to catch up to an offense with so many stars on big contracts and top-paid QB that’s been on the outside looking in at the playoffs for two consecutive seasons. Even the idea of playing Odighizuwa and Thomas as scheme misfits and allowing their talent to compensate for it the best it can was a more comforting idea for some fans than now having neither on the roster with no players in return in either trade. There are concerns along the front seven going into a draft where the secondary was always going to be a priority as a position group still with glaring needs.

The 2025 Cowboys defensive experience with Eberflus was an abject failure, a brutal way to create yet another lost season for an offense that played well, and something that left the team no choice but to move on swiftly after one season. At this junction of the 2026 offseason though, it feels like some of the doldrums this experience created have yet to be realized, the scope of the defensive rebuild needed is larger than what the Cowboys can fully achieve before week one of this season, and this team’s path to victory will again be lopsidedly dependent on one side of the ball compared to the other.

Names like Trey Hendrickson and Bradley Chubb both also came off the available free agent board on Wednesday, pushing the Cowboys further into their old ways of needing to sell mid-tier acquisitions as star-level moves. These moves will carry the unfair expectation of creating a defensive turnaround that has a serious lack of name brand, blue-chip players to rally around at the moment, in the absence of both Odighizuwa and Thomas.

Even if the Cowboys are content to line up with Quinnen Williams, Kenny Clark, and Ogbonnia as the defensive tackles that will have to eat up the majority of snaps, the depth behind these scheme-friendly players was an asset they could have used following the addition of Rashan Gary to round out their EDGE group. Coming away with only the unrealized potential of draft picks in a draft where premier pass rush talent is expected to be off the board by the 12th overall pick Dallas holds has painted the Cowboys into a corner that fans will understandably have little patience to watch them get out of.

Hugo Viana and Manchester City could receive a significant cash boost this summer thanks to a 30 per cent sell-on clause in Máximo Perrone’s Como contract.

When City let Perrone leave permanently in 2025 for around €13 million, it was made sure that the deal was structured with future financial incentives, with the player having already spent time on loan in Italy where performances convinced Como he could be a key player.

City’s choice made sure they did not lose complete control over the player’s future, retaining both a buy-back and 30 per cent sell-on clause relevant to a future transfer – a common feature of the club’s transfer strategy.

The midfielder’s progress since moving to Italy full-time has been favourable for both the club and the player, with Como having had a great season and as they build a fight for a spot in the UEFA Champions League.

Maximo Perrone has been one of their best players, and his calmness on the ball and ability to control the pace of a game from deeper midfield positions proving to be essential components of Cesc Fabregas‘ tactical system.

Juventus and Inter Milan Eye Perrone

As such, interest from bigger clubs has followed, and according to reports from Calciomercato – translated and relayed by Sport Witness – both Juventus and Inter Milan have been monitoring the Argentine closely in recent weeks.

The former have one eye on strengthening midfield options during the coming summer, while Inter are looking at options in case Hakan Çalhanoğlu leaves the San Siro at the end of the ongoing campaign.

The report asserts Perrone could be worth around €50 million – a valuation partly shaped by contractual clauses retained by Manchester City, with Como knowing that any big sale would mean giving a share of the profits over to the Etihad stadium.

How Much Could City Earn from a €50m Deal?

Should Perrone be sold for around €50 million, and having bought the midfielder for a reported €13 million, Como could generate roughly €37 million in profit and 30 per cent of that profit meaning €11 million would head in the direction of Manchester.

For a player who did not get the opportunity to feature regularly at Manchester City, this kind of financial return would be an enormous incentive, and instead of blocking development or letting value stay the same, City chose a path that included loans to Como and Las Palmas.

From a recruitment and squad-building perspective, the situation shows a larger objective in Manchester City’s model, in that while not every promising player will end up getting a long-term spot in Pep Guardiola’s team, well-planned transfers can still help the club.

As Italy’s top clubs continue to show interest, Maximo Perrone’s future could become one of the most interesting stories of the upcoming transfer window, and a result could show healthily on Manchester City’s balance sheet and aid their own upcoming investments.

Manchester City continue their bid to keep pressure on Premier League leaders Arsenal this weekend. Pep Guardiola’s side travel to London to take on West Ham at the London Stadium on Saturday night. It is a must win match for City if they are to have any hope of winning this season’s Premier League title. City were well beaten by Real Madrid 3-0 at the Bernabeu on Wednesday night. That result has taken away a lot of the positive momentum after they had gone eleven games unbeaten before Wednesday night’s match. Up next for Manchester City is West Ham. It is a match that City simply must win, and they have no time to feel sorry for themselves after their disappointing result and performance in Madrid.

Manchester City will continue their fight for the Premier League title against a desperate West Ham side.

Following Wednesday night’s horror show from Manchester City against Real Madrid, it does feel like the air has come out of City’s season, so to speak. The manner of City’s defeat at the Bernabeu and how the match unfolded has cast doubt over whether or not City can maintain their chase to win the Premier League. One bad result doesn’t make a season. But how Pep Guardiola’s side was beaten in Madrid and all that surrounded it has taken away all of the positive momentum that surrounded Manchester City.

Up next for City is a West Ham side who are fighting for their Premier League survival. The Hammers sit 18th in the Premier League table with 28 points. They are level on points with Forest, who are 17th. West Ham have everything to play for at the London Stadium. Nuno Espirito Santo has turned around the Hammers’ fortunes. They will be up for the visit of City and will fancy their chances of getting something out of Saturday night’s match, especially considering that City will enter the match wounded after their horror show against Real Madrid.

Pep Guardiola has vowed that his team will continue to fight for everything.

Speaking during his pre-game press conference earlier today, Pep Guardiola has vowed that his team will continue to fight for everyone this season. He also said that he has quickly moved on from City’s poor performance against Real Madrid. He explained: “When you have won a lot of titles, every game is important. We have been struggling for many months for the Premier League, and we will not give up fighting until the end.”

“We cannot play the same eleven every three days, but I’m not thinking about Madrid. It would not be possible to win all the Premier League titles we have if we were not thinking about every single game.”

“The day after Madrid when I woke up was Nuno, West Ham and what we have to do. Tomorrow we have an important game for our Premier League position and then the second leg on Tuesday.”

“We are used to living these situations for many years and it’s a pleasure to be here because last season we could not live on that stage so it’s nice.”

Manchester City have to pick themselves up quickly from their loss to Real Madrid. There is no time to dwell on that performance for Pep Guardiola’s side. They will face a tough and desperate West Ham side at the London Stadium tomorrow night. It is a game that City have to win. They can’t afford to drop points again on Saturday night. Perhaps a win over West Ham will be the tonic for City to inject some life back into proceedings after a bad night at the Bernabeu.

World Baseball Classic pool play wrapped up on Wednesday night with one of the most exciting games of the tournament to date as the Dominican Republic beat Venezuela 7-3 in Miami. There were a lot of great moments like this epic Fernando Tatis Jr. blast:

FERNANDO TATIS JR. THREE-RUN HOMER!!! pic.twitter.com/6exLuQpTbk

— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) March 12, 2026

Juan Soto, also playing for the Dominican Republic, described it as the perfect bat flip. I must say I agree, honestly the whole show from bat flip to the slow, exaggerated trot around the bases was a 10/10 no notes type of performance. Don’t believe me, take a look at the reaction in Santo Domingo:

Last night in Santo Domingo’s Malecón 🇩🇴, thousands watching 🇻🇪 vs 🇩🇴 on a big screen by the ocean.

This was the reaction to Fernando Tatis Jr.’s 3-run HR. 🤯 #WorldBaseballClassicpic.twitter.com/rilrMuIICZ

— ADHD (@ADHDGoat) March 12, 2026

It’s going to be exceedingly difficult for anyone to top the swagger or caliber of play the Dominicans are bringing to the 2026 World Baseball Classic, but I have to believe the Contrerii playing for Venezuela, the Boricua who will be making their debut in Houston tonight and Japan, anchored by Cubs rightfielder Seiya Suzuki and the one and only Shohei Ohtani will give it a go as they make their debut against Venezuela in Miami on Saturday.

As much as my heart is shattered that Mexico missed the elimination rounds, I can’t take anything away from the incredible showing Italy and their espresso machine has put on so far this tournament. You can see the whole bracket below:

So with that, below are my hot takes on what is now a win or go home tournament. It’s gonna be lit, y’all. You can see how the crew at ESPN ranked the teams remaining in the tournament here.

David and Goliath: Korea vs. Dominican Republic

On paper this is a mismatch with a stacked Dominican team featuring a Latino murderers row of hitters that would strike fear in the hearts of the 1927 Yankees. Tatis & Soto are joined by Junior Caminero, Manny Machado, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Oneil Cruz,  Julio Rodríguez y mas. Just look at this swagger:

Juan Soto, Ketel Marte, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., and Fernando Tatis Jr. all homer as Team Dominican Republic secures the top seed in Pool D! 🇩🇴 pic.twitter.com/rIw4CCBYrE

— World Baseball Classic (@WBCBaseball) March 12, 2026

Oh, did I mention they can pitch? They can pitch. Former Cy Young winner Sandy Alcantara heads up a pitching roster that includes Red Sox starter Brayan Bello and at least four guys with MLB closing experience in Dennis Santana, Seranthony Domínguez, Camilo Doval, Carlos Estévez, Gregory Soto and Abner Uribe. Don’t fall behind against La República Dominicana.

But the beauty of a single elimination baseball tournament is that on any given day anyone can win, just ask Mark DeRosa and Team USA. Korea qualified for the elimination rounds for the first time in four tournaments. Former MLB pitcher Hyun Jin Ryu will toe the rubber for Korea tonight in Miami.

The Kings in the North: Canada vs. USA

Later tonight in Houston, a scrappy Canadian team will hope to repeat Italy’s performance and stun a stacked US team that ranks second in the ESPN power rankings. The Canadians are coming off a surprise win against team Puerto Rico in San Juan (admittedly, on a night where Puerto Rico’s manager Yadier Molina was resting many of his regulars after clinching a spot in the elimination rounds). The Americans are coming off a surprise loss against team Italy in Houston (admittedly on a night where USA manager Mark DeRosa maybe thought he clinched when he hadn’t but says he knew he hadn’t?).

Because one angle isn’t enough. 🫨 https://t.co/bf9RatFYa5pic.twitter.com/2yxf76C8Of

— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) March 11, 2026

Pete Crow-Armstrong was the star in a losing effort against Italy, but has generally been backing up Twins centerfielder Byron Buxton. Lineups are not out yet, but keep an eye out to see if PCA is in the game or on the bench.

The Canadians will have Giants ace Logan Webb on the mound while the Americans will counter with former Cub Michael Soroka.

Not gonna miss their shot: Puerto Rico vs. Italy

The middle of the bracket features two teams with MLB regulars and a few lineup flaws. Puerto Rico is without some of their heaviest hitters, but had a strong second place finish in San Juan. They’ll look for a strong outing from staring pitcher Seth Lugo, who’ll likely partner with defensive catcher extraordinaire Martín Maldonado behind the plate. Manager Yadi Molina will look from strong offensive performances from Nolan Arenado, Heliot Ramos and walkoff hero Darrel Hernaiz:

IT'S GONE!
PUERTO RICO WINS!
DARELL HERNAIZ, WALK-OFF HOME RUN! pic.twitter.com/L2kIDmzi5N

— World Baseball Classic (@WBCBaseball) March 8, 2026

The Italians will hope their espresso powered vibes and young electric bats like Jac Caglionne, Vinnie Pasquantion, Jakob Marsee along with former Cubs Jon Berti and Miles Mastrobuoni can score enough runs to make up for their lack of deep pitching. They’ll send Sam Aldegheri or Michael Lorenzan to the mound Saturday afternoon in Houston.

A League of Their Own: Japan vs. Venezuela

Japan will send the greatest baseball player on the planet, Shohei Ohtani and Cubs slugger Seiya Suzuki to anchor their offense with pitchers Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Yusei Kikuchi into their debut in Miami hoping to start yet one more run to the World Baseball Classic Championship. There will be incredible cheers, there will be vibes. There will be Ohtani:

SHOHEI OHTANI GRAND SLAM! #WORLDBASEBALLCLASSICpic.twitter.com/z0BXjlYInF

— World Baseball Classic (@WBCBaseball) March 6, 2026

Ohtani may be a unicorn but these are evenly matched teams with Venezuela countering Yamamoto with the pitching prowess of Ranger Suárez, backed up by a fierce offense featuring Ronald Acuña Jr., catching legend Salvador Perez and my favorite Contreras brothers for the nightcap on Saturday in Miami.

It’s a fascinating matchup with both teams offering star-studded MLB rosters, including All Star pitching.

There will be a game thread for tonight’s two games here at 5 p.m. CT.

Belal Muhammad has a grim comparison for what he expects to see at UFC White House.

The lineup for the historical June 14 event is official, and reactions have been mixed, with some arguing that title fights at the top featuring stars Ilia Topuria and Alex Pereira make it a strong card, while others have complained that the announced bouts failed to live up to the hype.

Reviewing the lineup on his YouTube channel, Muhammad believes that what has been booked is appropriate for the audience that will be in attendance, which will strictly be comprised of high-ranking officials and VIPs, not the average UFC fan.

“Obviously, people are going to hate, people are going to argue, but they’re fighting at the White House,” Muhammad sasid. “I mean, it’s not open to the public, it’s not open to real fans. When I picture the people that are there watching, I picture, like, The Hunger Games. The first one when Katniss is at the tryout and all the rich, snobby people are at the top not paying attention to her and they’re just talking, and she had to shoot the arrow through the pig. That’s what I feel like it’s going to be.

“They’re just going to be not really paying attention to what’s happening in the cage. If they see a little blood, they don’t see knockouts, but they’re not real fans, so who cares? They get what they get.“

It’s not the kindest comparison, given that The Hunger Games is a science fiction parable depicting a dark future in which adolescents from poor districts are annually pitted against one another in a lethal competition for the amusement of the powerful and privileged. But Muhammad’s broader point is that he doesn’t expect President Donald Trump’s invited guests to necessarily be hardcore fight fans.

It’s Trump who is responsible for some of the backlash to the UFC White House lineup, as he previously stated the card would have “eight or nine championship fights.”

“My thoughts initially was surprised,” Muhammad said. “Definitely not the card that I thought they hyped up. You had Trump saying, ‘10 title fights.’ What is there, two title fights on there?”

Muhammad acknowledged that both June 14 title fights make sense, with lightweight champion Ilia Topuria facing interim champion Justin Gaethje in a unification bout, and Alex Pereira making a highly anticipated move up to heavyweight to fight Ciryl Gane for an interim belt, but that they weren’t exactly what fans wanted with names like Islam Makhachev and Jon Jones also rumored to be part of the card.

Numerous American fighters had stated their desire to be on the card, including Colby Covington, who has long touted himself as Trump’s favorite fighter. Muhammad is greatly amused by his exclusion.

“For somebody like Colby, who says that he’s Trump’s BFF and Trump loves him, Trump didn’t ask for him to be on the card,” Muhammad said. “So this dork is going back to RAF and wrestling Dillon Danis, who’s a jiu-jitsu guard puller, so that’s a funny one, funny matchup for RAF to make. Obviously, what’s-his-face tweets a lot of dumb stuff, so there may be buildup with that one, but for Colby to keep talking like he’s the man, it’s kind of funny that he wasn’t on the card.”

Muhammad’s next assignment sees him headline at the Meta Apex in Las Vegas as he takes on Gabriel Bonfim at a UFC Vegas event on June 6.

we have a B-lineup today:

Jones RF

Brito 2B

Schneemann SS

Fry C

Kayfus 1B

Fairchild CF

Halpin LF

Rodriguez DH

Tolentino 3B

The 2026 College Basketball Invitational has been canceled, leaving the College Basketball Crown as the only men's postseason tournament besides the NCAA and NIT.

“Due to circumstances beyond our control, the CBI will not be held this year,” the CBI announced in a social media post Thursday. “We will see you next year!”

Messages seeking comment were left with the Gazelle Group, the New Jersey-based sports marketing firm that has put on the CBI since 2008.

The CollegeInsider.com Tournament folded last year.

Teams participating in the CBI and CollegeInsider.com tournaments were required to pay an entry fee.

The CBI had 16-team fields from 2008-19 and was considered the third-best postseason tournament behind the NCAA and NIT. The tournament was canceled in 2020 because of the pandemic, had an eight-team field in 2021 and was back to 16 teams for 2022 and ‘23. There were 14 teams in ’24 before dropping to 11 in '25.

The Crown had a 16-team field for its inaugural tournament last year but will have eight teams this year. The Crown is an attractive option for teams that miss the NCAA Tournament because participating teams receive name, image and likeness payments to divide among their players.

___

Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here and here (AP News mobile app). AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

Why Bengals $40.25 million safety addition from Chiefs was 'smart' decision originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Cincinnati Bengals have a lot of work to do on the defensive side of the ball this offseason. At least, that was the case as free agency began.

In the early goings of the offseason, the Bengals have made a few key additions. Jonathan Allen and Boye Mafe are massive pieces to bolster the defensive line, but the secondary also needed some work.

They made a splash, signing Bryan Cook, formerly with the Kansas City Chiefs, to a $40.25 million three-year deal. That signing, according to Matt Okada of NFL.com, was a "smart" decision by the Bengals front office for one reason: It was the best way to fill their need.

Bengals $40.25 million Bryan Cook signing called 'smart' by NFL writer

"Not only did the Bengals directly 'address the safety debacle' - following my suggestion with a player I listed - but they landed Cook on an extremely reasonable deal that comes in at just 13th in average annual value at the position," Okada writes.

Cook's $40.25 million three-year deal is not a bad one for the Bengals. It's just a hair above $13.4 million per-season, and while it's a bit expensive for a safety compared to players like Jaquan Brisker and Kevin Byard, it's a much more stable presence than those options.

He's a great tackler and is also good in both run defense and pass coverage. The two-time Super Bowl champion has started 47 games in his NFL career, 46 of which came in the last three seasons.

More: Bengals to sign Bryan Cook to $40.25 million contract

Cook has three career interceptions, 15 passes defended, one sack, 238 total tackles, four tackles for loss, and two quarterback hits.

He's not the top safety in the NFL, but by paying him the 13th most money among the position for 2026 and beyond, it's a very reasonable contract to hand out to fill a need.

While pass rusher might've been the bigger issue for the Bengals, they desperately needed a safety to pair with Jordan Battle next season, other than Geno Stone.

There is still more work to be done on the defensive side of the ball for the Bengals, but this addition of Cook at $40.25 million over three seasons was a "smart" move for the Bengals in Okada's opinion. And with how great a fit this is, it's hard to argue that point.

More Bengals news:

• Dalton Risner’s return gives Joe Burrow his first fully returning OL since NFL debut
• Falcons strongly linked to Joe Flacco as Michael Penix insurance
• Bengals' Tee Higgins reveals the $700,000 transformation Joe Burrow couldn't resist
• Bengals to sign Boye Mafe to $60 million three-year contract
• John Franklin-Myers to sign with Titans on $63M deal amid Bengals pursuit
• ESPN analyst praises Bengals for Boye Mafe $60M signing

After a humiliating night in the Champions League, Manchester City will shift their focus back to the Premier League title race on Saturday (20:00 GMT) against a rejuvenated West Ham United.

Real Madrid hammered Pep Guardiola's side 3-0 at the Bernabeu to put City's hopes of European glory in major doubt. They could potentially find themselves with a 10-point gap to make up at the top of the table come kick-off on Saturday too, as Arsenal play at home against Everton earlier in the day.

They may start the weekend in the bottom three, but there is momentum behind West Ham. They have won seven of their past 11 games and can move out of the bottom three with a positive result on Saturday.

Hammers seek alternative attacking plan

The positive feeling around London Stadium reached its high point on Monday night as the team progressed into the FA Cup quarter-finals after a penalty shootout win over Brentford. But it was punctured the day after by some injury news.

Crysencio Summerville has been key to the team finding some form in recent months, although he will not be available for this weekend's game because of a calf problem.

The Dutch winger has scored seven goals and registered one assist across his past 13 games, and West Ham's record without him in the side this season leaves a lot to be desired. They have won none of their five league games without him in 2025-26.

Summerville has also been crucial to West Ham getting into good positions in games. Four of his goals this season have put the Hammers 1-0 up, the highest proportion of opening goals of any player to score at least four times this term.

Even with their star winger, City would represent a big test for West Ham. They have not beaten them at London Stadium in nine attempts in the top flight, losing seven and drawing two. City are unbeaten in 20 Premier League games overall against the Hammers.

Haaland hindered by Semenyo arrival?

Wednesday's heavy defeat in Madrid will be tough for City to brush off. But they have no choice if they are to keep pace in the title race.

Although City have lost only one of their past 17 Premier League games, there is still a sense that the team is lacking balance. Since the arrival of Antoine Semenyo, there has definitely been a shift in style too.

City have started with a two-man strike force in eight of their past 10 matches. Guardiola has gone with two strikers in seven league games this calendar year; he had previously played with two up front just 10 times in the competition since joining City in 2016.

While Semenyo has been a big hit at City - he has seven goals and two assists already - he has yet to gel with star forward Erling Haaland.

The Norwegian scored 20 of his 22 goals this season before Semenyo joined and made his City debut, but he has netted only two goals in matches in which the January signing has also started since.

The Buffalo Bills are starting to reshape the defense with a pretty significant signing from their southern rivals, the Miami Dolphins. Defensive end Bradley Chubb, who knocked quarterback Josh Allen down a few times last season, is coming to Buffalo.

Not considered one of the premier names at the position by most despite being a former fifth-overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, Chubb is then a bit more of a gray area signing. Let’s crack open a nice, cold can of film and see how we think Chubb did against some familiar faces.

---

The Film

For my overarching thoughts, I think the headline gives it away. Bradley Chubb is a capable defender with most of his wins coming through sheer power. Chubb is good at gaining leverage and using it. Some bursts of speed show up on film for Chubb too, though I’m not counting on him to win too many footraces at this point in his career.

I didn’t see much in the way of finesse techniques. The occasional spin attempt and rip make their way in. On most plays Chubb isn’t about to bend around the edge like Jerry Hughes used to, win a complex hand-fight competition, or the like.

Ultimately, I don’t expect the buzz around Chubb to be as hopeful as Von Miller or Joey Bosa. If Chubb does one thing neither Miller or Bosa did, stay healthy, it’s possible he creates the bigger ripple on the team of the three. Chubb is a steady hand who can get the job done on a routine basis.

Play notes

1. This is a good representation of what Chubb can do. You know who Dion Dawkins is and Chubb is walking him backwards. The pair went back and forth pretty well in the two games last season.
2. Reggie Gilliam knows how to block, but couldn’t handle Chubb here.
3. The same for Jackson Hawes.
4. Remember how I suggested he might not excel at finesse techniques? Here’s an attempt at a rip move to get free of Dawkins.
5. There’s a little finesse here as Chubb uses his hands a bit to wade through the mess, but it’s more staying steady than any intentional method to get free of a block. I grabbed this play because it shows a little agility but mostly Chubb is able to get free because the offensive line was distracted to some degree elsewhere.
6. On this sack, Chubb shows off a long arm which he does have some skill with, and then some speed to cut back inside of Dawkins.
7. Run support is a little shaky in my opinion. I saw several plays were Chubb seemed to over or under shoot the mark, not see the play develop as quickly as I might like, or miss a tackle (there’s a couple just in the clips above).
8. Long arm and a little bit of speed again.

The Miami Dolphins have already signed two kickers (Riley Patterson and Zane Gonzalez) and a long snapper (Tucker Addington), so they only needed one punter to complete their kicking battery.

On Friday, Miami announced that they've signed punter Seth Vernon.

Vernon played collegiately at Portland State from 2019-21, averaging 44.6 yards per punt before he signed with the Atlanta Falcons as an undrafted free agent in 2022. He also spent time with the Minnesota Vikings and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

In 2025, Vernon moved to the UFL and spent the season with the Michigan Panthers, punting 23 times for a 45.4-yard average with eight punts landing inside the 20-yard line.

More Dolphins: Dolphins 2026 free agency tracker: Latest news, rumors and signings

This article originally appeared on Dolphins Wire: NFL free agency: Dolphins sign punter Seth Vernon for 2026

On Friday, the Pittsburgh Steelers made the signing of running back Rico Dowdle official. Dowdle was in the building, signed his contract and addressed the media as a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers. And on social media, Dowdle announced what his jersey number would be as a member of the Steelers.

According to Dowdle, he will wear No. 13 this season for the Steelers. This will be the fourth different number Dowdle has had during his career. When Dowdle played for the Carolina Panthers, he wore No. 5, and when he was with the Dallas Cowboys, he wore both No. 23 and No. 34.

13 😶‍🌫️ pic.twitter.com/LJUWDg3rm9

— Rico Dowdle (@ricodowdle) March 13, 2026

Most recently, wide receiver Scotty Miller wore No. 13. Miller was in Pittsburgh the last two seasons. Before Miller, wide receiver Myles Boykin wore No. 13 in 2022 and 2023 and before him, wide receiver James Washington wore it from 2018-2022.

Pittsburgh signed Dowdle after losing running back Kenneth Gainwell to free agency. Dowdle's rushing style meshes well with starter Jaylen Warren and his history with head coach Mike McCarthy will serve him well with the Steelers.

This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: Steelers RB Rico Dowdle announces new jersey number

Brighton make the long trip to Sunderland, where they have lost on their five visits. Meanwhile, the Black Cats will be happy to return their focus to the league after last week's shock FA Cup defeat by Port Vale.

Domestic knockout competitions have been a sorry story this season for Sunderland, who have been dumped out of both the Carabao Cup and FA Cup by League One sides. However, fans can still take comfort from their top-flight status – and hope that it could even result in qualifying for a European competition next season.

The Black Cats' win over Leeds in their most recent Premier League game took them to the 'magical' 40-point mark. While mathematically not yet safe, relegation is very unlikely - only three teams have ever gone down at the end of a 38-game Premier League season with 40 or more points.

Sunderland were actually one of those sides in 1996-97, when they were relegated with 40 points. But the last occasion it happened was back in 2002-03 when West Ham went down with 42 points.

It is an impressive achievement by Sunderland, given all three promoted sides have been relegated in both of the past two seasons. Furthermore, the Black Cats finished 24 points behind the Championship's top two last season and required stoppage-time winners in both their play-off semi-final and final to reach the top flight.

The club weren't afraid of overhauling their squad - they recruited 15 players over the summer, spending more than £160m, a record for a Premier League promoted club - and the gamble appears to have paid off.

Since 2009-10, only two promoted teams have earned more points at this stage of the Premier League season. But the job isn't quite done, and head coach Regis le Bris admitted that his side "didn't show enough" in their abject performance against League One bottom side Port Vale last weekend.

And after only losing five of their opening 24 matches of the season, the Black Cats have since lost five of their past nine.

Brighton remain three points short of the '40' mark – it's comfortably their lowest points tally and position at this stage for the season in four years, although given the tightness in the middle of the table, even at 14th they are still nearer the European spots than the relegation zone.

Their current relatively low standing is mainly the result of a mid-season lull, during which they won just one of 13 league games. Things have improved in recent weeks, which have included two wins and three narrow 1-0 defeats, including a somewhat unlucky loss to Arsenal 10 days ago.

In that game, Brighton didn't take their chances, and lack of goals has become a familiar story – after scoring 28 in their first nine league games, the Seagulls have scored just eight in their past nine.

But at least they haven't been conceding either – only leaders Arsenal have conceded fewer than Brighton's nine in the past 10 league games.

All of which doesn't necessarily make happy reading for neutrals, with Brighton's past 15 Premier League matches having included 30 goals, fewer than any other side in this period.

Pedro Neto’s behavior after receiving his second yellow in the match against Arsenal a couple weeks ago has been deemed egregious enough for our winger to be hit with an additional one-match ban, which he will serve this weekend, thus ruling him out from our game tomorrow against Newcastle United.

“Pedro Neto has been given a one-match suspension and a £70,000 fine for misconduct that occurred after he was sent off in Chelsea’s Premier League match against Arsenal on Sunday 1 March. It was alleged that the player acted in an improper manner by failing to leave the pitch promptly and/or using abusive words towards the match official/s following his dismissal in the 70th minute.

“Pedro Neto subsequently admitted the charge against him. An independent Regulatory Commission imposed these sanctions following a hearing, and the written reasons for its decisions will be published in due course.”

-FA statement; source: The Athletic

Neto served his original one-match ban against Aston Villa ten days ago, before starting against both Wrexham in the FA Cup and against PSG in the Champions League. He picked up an excellent assist in the latter, setting up Enzo Fernández’s equalizer. But he also got into a bit of an altercation with a ball boy later on, and though he’s apologized for his own behavior and made good with the kid with some swag, UEFA are now looking into potential disciplinary action as well.

Get it together, Pedro.

After late heartbreak in the Champions League for both Chelsea and Newcastle United, each side will be looking to bounce back when they meet in the Premier League at Stamford Bridge on Saturday (17:30 GMT).

Chelsea competed well for long spells against Paris St-Germain, only for a late capitulation to cost them three goals. They have a 5-2 deficit to overcome in the second leg next week back in London.

Newcastle were hit by a sucker punch at home to Barcelona in their own last-16 first leg. Having been the better side for much of the contest, an 86th-minute strike from Harvey Barnes was cancelled out by Lamine Yamal's penalty deep into injury time.

Joao Pedro and Fernandez cover up Chelsea defensive concerns

Head coach Liam Rosenior may still be struggling to find a balance at the back for Chelsea, but he has been able to get the best out of a number of attacking players - Joao Pedro especially.

While former head coach Enzo Maresca used the Brazilian in different ways, under Rosenior his focus has clearly shifted towards being at the point of the attack.

Under the new boss he is averaging more shots per game - up to 3.17 from 1.92 - and creating fewer chances as a result - 0.62, down from 1.32. He is also making more runs in behind the opposition defence and is coming short for the ball less often.

The end result has been a huge uplift in his goalscoring threat.

Chelsea also have one of the most productive midfielders in European football on their books in Enzo Fernandez.

Since the start of last season, only Bruno Fernandes (59) has more goal involvements among midfielders for Premier League clubs in all competitions than the Blues star. Fernandez was superb in Paris, grabbing a goal and an assist in a losing cause.

Chelsea need all the goals they can get as there are big problems at the back.

Rosenior is yet to name the same defence in any of his games in charge at Chelsea and they have kept only three clean sheets from his 16 games.

No forward momentum for Newcastle

At times this season there have been sections of the Newcastle team that have worked well. But in the final third they remain a puzzle.

Nick Woltemade and Yoane Wissa have both struggled since big-money moves in the summer. Eddie Howe handed an opportunity to William Osula to lead the line against Barcelona despite his inexperience, and at times he has opted against fielding a striker at all.

The search for a formula that works is no surprise given the respective performances of the players. The trio have made a total of 44 appearances between them this calendar year and have only six goal contributions to show for it - three goals and three assists.

It has been a running theme for Newcastle throughout the season. Of all the teams in the Premier League in 2025-26, their percentage of goals from forwards is the lowest in the division, with just a third of their 42 goals coming from attackers.

Even some of their best technical midfielders have struggled to find the back of the net. Sandro Tonali has had 28 shots without scoring in 2025-26, more than any other player in the league.

Stamford Bridge has not been a happy hunting ground for Newcastle in recent years either. They have lost 11 and drawn one of their past 12 games there since a 2-0 win in 2012.

Arsenal have the chance to temporarily go 10 points clear at the top of the Premier League on Saturday when they host away-day specialists Everton at Emirates Stadium (17:30 GMT).

The Gunners are in action before title rivals Manchester City - who travel to West Ham United later in the day - and can put the pressure on Pep Guardiola's side. Even with two games in hand, a double-digit deficit would feel like a lot for the chasers to claw back.

Everton represent stern opposition though, especially when they are on their travels. They have the fourth-best away record in the division this season and a European push is very much on the cards for David Moyes' side. They sit eighth going into the weekend fixtures.

Stacked Arsenal squad can crank up the pressure

It is Arsenal's turn to try to put the heat on City this weekend. After Pep Guardiola's side were annihilated 3-0 by Real Madrid in the Champions League in midweek, they could be a little fragile heading into their fixture at London Stadium.

Arsenal, by comparison, seem to be settling well into the run-in grind and will be buoyed by their 1-1 draw with Bayer Leverkusen thanks to a late Kai Havertz penalty.

If the Gunners were to win on Saturday then it would be their biggest advantage at the top so far this season. The nine-point gap they had on 7 February over City and Aston Villa was their largest, although City had played a game fewer at that point.

With the matches coming thick and fast, there will be an onus on Mikel Arteta to use his squad effectively. It is something he has done well so far, especially in terms of his in-game changes.

This season, the Gunners have more goal contributions from substitutes than any other team.

One player who could relish this encounter is Gabriel Jesus. He has eight goals and one assist in 15 appearances against the Toffees, meaning they are his favourite opponent since moving to the Premier League.

Can Everton continue remarkable away run?

While Everton have found it tough settling into life at their new stadium, Moyes has found a formidable formula on the road.

Since he returned to Merseyside to manage the club last January, only Arsenal have earned more points from away games. This season, it is also only the Gunners who have picked up more wins on the road.

Crucially, Everton may be the team best placed to cope with Arsenal's set-piece effectiveness. So far this season, the Toffees have not conceded a goal from a set-piece away from home; they are the only team in the league who have not.

The Blues' blueprint is clear in their away matches. They sit deep, look to remain tight and then try to pinch something from their attacking forays.

They do not mind surrendering the ball either. Everton have averaged the lowest amount of possession of all Premier League teams in away games this season.

Counter-attacking isn't something they rely on often, although they are effective when they do.

No team has produced fewer fast breaks than Everton's 13 this season, but the Blues have scored three times from them, which is the joint-seventh-best tally in the league.

For a second straight year, No. 1 seed Michigan State and No. 5 seed Ohio State will meet in the Big Ten Tournament at Munn Ice Arena in East Lansing, Mich.

In a rematch of last year's Big Ten Tournament Championship Game, the Spartans will host the Buckeyes on Saturday night in the semifinals of this year's conference tournament. Michigan State beat Ohio State last year in overtime to win their second straight conference tournament championship, and will look to book their trip to the championship game again this year with a win over Ohio State on Saturday.

Michigan State comes into this matchup as the regular season Big Ten champs and looking to lock up a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. The Spartans finished the regular season with an overall record of 25-7-2 and Big Ten mark of 16-6-2.

Ohio State picked up a blowout victory at Wisconsin on Wednesday to advance to Saturday's semifinals matchup against the Spartans. The Buckeyes are 13-20-2 overall and 8-15-1 in Big Ten play, and will need to win the conference tournament to earn a spot in this year's NCAA Tournament.

Ohio State was one of the few teams this season to experience success against the Spartans during the regular season. Michigan State went 1-2-1 against Ohio State in their four regular season games, which included a blowout loss for the Spartans at Munn Ice Arena just a few weeks ago.

The other semifinals matchup in the Big Ten Tournament pits No. 2 seed Michigan against No. 3 seed Penn State. That game will face-off prior to the Spartans-Buckeyes down the road in Ann Arbor, Mich., with the winners of these two games meeting in the championship game next Saturday.

Here's how to watch the Michigan State hockey game, including time, TV schedule and streaming information:

What channel is the Michigan State vs. Ohio State on Saturday? Time, TV schedule

Start Time: 7:30 p.m. ET on Saturday

Watch: Big Ten Network

Listen: Spartan Media Network (link)

Contact/Follow us @The SpartansWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Michigan State news, notes and opinion. You can also follow Robert Bondy on X @RobertBondy5.

This article originally appeared on Spartans Wire: How to watch MSU-Ohio State hockey Big Ten Tournament game on Saturday

The men's college basketball coaching carousel is spinning.

As of Friday, March 13, six Power conference jobs are already open — Georgia Tech, Boston College, Syracuse, Arizona State, Providence and Cincinnati. They aren't blue-blood jobs, but some of them should be intriguing to potential candidates, while others are a daunting task to take.

One of the best open jobs is already filled with Kansas State hiring Casey Alexander from Belmont.

Will Wade and LSU again? Desperation overshadows all hesitation

College basketball hot seat: 13 coaches who may be in trouble

As Power coaching positions become more available, here's a ranking of them from being great opportunities to tough jobs.

1. Syracuse

A program with a national title and multiple Final Fours should be an incredible opportunity, right? Well, there are a lot of unknowns in Syracuse.

The Adrian Autry experiment really set the Orange back, far away from the success of Jim Boeheim. The main issue is Syracuse lost its identity and has to figure out where it wants to be. It has a new president and a new athletic director coming in the summer, really setting the stage for how much it values the program. It does have investment, but not anywhere near the top of the ACC.

While there are questions, Syracuse does have a fan base tired of its shortcomings and ready to do what it takes to change that. There is a real chance to bring life into the JMA Wireless Dome. The sport is better with Syracuse contending, and it has a viable shot of happening compared to other ACC teams.

2. Cincinnati

Cincinnati lost its magic with no tournament appearances in five seasons under Wes Miller — and happened at a critical time. The Bearcats thrived under Mick Cronin to remain a contender in the American Conference, but it hasn't been able to replicate it since his departure and the move to the Big 12.

Hot board: Top candidates to replace Wes Miller as Bearcats coach

It was strange because Miller had the pieces to be successful, it just wasn't panning out. It's been mostly shoved around in the three seasons with the league.

There's a concern whether it fell behind too much to catch up in a loaded Big 12, but there is potential. With a rich history and dedicate fan base, Cincinnati can get behind a guy that can bring a spark to a program in need of it. It doesn't seem likely, but it won't take a lot to bring excitement back in.

3. Georgia Tech

It feels like ages ago Georgia Tech was 40 minutes away from a national championship in 2004. It's only won two games in four NCAA Tournament appearances since.

What's been the problem is the entire college basketball world ran past the Yellow Jackets while it stood still. It hasn't poured funds toward the program, Damon Stoudamire didn't adapt and it led to some down times for a team that shouldn't be as bad as it's been. It does have history it can lean on, and is right in a major hotbed for talent in Atlanta. Its next coach would need to make that a priority to keep local talent close.

4. Arizona State

Bobby Hurley couldn't get the Sun Devils acclimated to the Big 12, winning just 11 conference games in two seasons, leading to his departure after 11 seasons in Tempe.

Tempe has been a tough place to coach, with no Sweet 16 appearance since 1995. Its in-state rival Arizona is a major player, and the Big 12 move only made it harder to navigate. However, there are pieces that make it possible to get out of the shadow of the Wildcats.

First, the location is a major bonus, in a top market that can generate revenue. The athletic department has shown an investment in sports — largely football and women's basketball — and a reset is what men's basketball needs. The fan support is pretty solid for a middling program, and would explode with actual success. Look no further than the excitement Molly Miller has generated on the women's side.

Even though Arizona State hasn't been to the tournament since 2023, there's plenty available for the next coach to find some success it has been seeking since the turn of the century.

5. Providence

It's always interesting to see how schools where college basketball is king handle searches, especially in the Big East. Providence is on the hunt again, trying to get itself out of the bottom half of the conference.

The Friars aren't major title contenders, but they have history that shows it can be a successful program, evident in the 2022 Sweet 16 run. NCAA Tournament spots should be consistent. Providence is 47-51 in Kim English's three seasons. When you have rivals like Connecticut, St. John's and Villanova miles ahead, it makes it very difficult to climb the standings.

The money appears to be there for the Friars, and they have a loyal fan base that makes things a bit easier for a new coach. You just can't help but wonder if it's going to be a multi-year task to get back to the expected contending level.

6. Boston College

It is quite the task to be in charge at Boston College.

The Eagles haven't been much of a contender in nearly two decades. Their last NCAA Tournament appearance was in 2009, one of the longest droughts of any Power conference school. Basketball hasn't been a priority in Chestnut Hill. There aren't NIL funds or huge amounts of money coming in for staff. There's also the added task of having to get people to just show up to games, as Conte Forum often resembles a ghost town.

If there's one positive, Boston College is still in the ACC so that should draw some interest. But it comes with a major warning label: It doesn't get much tougher than this.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: College basketball coach openings: What Power job is most attractive?

I was really disappointed by Sunderland's defeat at Port Vale in the FA Cup, and not just because that was another prediction I got wrong.

It felt like an absolute gimme for Regis le Bris' side, and I wanted to see them have a decent cup run.

They have still had a great season and they have already hit 40 points so they will be absolutely fine in terms of staying up.

But they will still want to finish the season strongly, and that means they need to get their home form going again - after staying unbeaten there for so long, they have lost the past two at the Stadium of Light.

Brighton hit a sticky patch too around the turn of the year but they had picked up again with wins over Brentford and Nottingham Forest, before narrowly losing out to Arsenal last time out.

The Seagulls can reel Sunderland in and move above them in the table with a win but I don't think they will get one. Instead, I am going for a draw.

Sutton's prediction: 1-1

Read the full predictions and have your say here

Colts sign 25-year old free agent from Cowboys originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Not many players hit free agency in the NFL by 25 years old, but the Indianapolis Colts landed one of those on Friday.

They've signed Juanyeh Thomas, according to NFL insider Jordan Schultz. Thomas has spent his entire NFL career up to this point with the Dallas Cowboys.

Thomas played 36 games in his time with the Cowboys, recording a total of 62 tackles.

He's originally from Florida, and he attended Georgia Tech for college.

Thomas went undrafted in the class of 2022 and signed with the Cowboys, for whom he was with for the next four seasons.

In his NFL debut in 2023, Thomas blocked a field goal that the Cowboys returned for a touchdown.

MORE: Michael Pittman Jr. had to fly 28 hours after trade from Colts to Steelers

Thomas made another big play in Week 12 of the 2024 season, when he returned an onside kick for a touchdown.

He had a bigger role at the start of the 2025 season, making 26 tackles in seven games, before he was placed on the reserve/non-football injury list as he dealt with migraines that impacted his vision.

Evidently, the Colts believe Thomas to be moving in the right direction with his health.

As far as role, Thomas is capable both of playing on the defensive side of the football or contributing on special teams.

For Indy, they get a still young, talented player with some NFL experience already. It's a good low-risk addition for the Colts.

More NFL news:

• Dolphins have a historic link to Ravens' Maxx Crosby failed physical trade fail
• Panthers shell out $165 million for 2 free agent stars
• Travis Kelce reveals why he didn't retire and signed back with Chiefs
• Ravens' former 1st-round pick retires after 8 NFL seasons
• This list of Jets QBs since Geno Smith is wildly depressing
• It'd be hard for the Falcons' QB moves to be funnier

Chelsea's recent record against Newcastle at Stamford Bridge is really good - they have won 11 of their 12 league games there since 2012, and drew the other one.

I just wonder how deflated Liam Rosenior's side will be after being pumped in Paris on Wednesday night - Paris St-Germain's fifth goal felt like a real hammer blow.

This game finished 2-2 earlier in the season when Nick Woltemade put Newcastle 2-0 up, before Chelsea fought back in the second half.

Newcastle will be hoping Anthony Gordon is back at 100% after his illness that meant he was only a substitute against Barcelona on Tuesday.

But even if Gordon does start, I am still pretty confident Chelsea will win this one.

Sutton's prediction: 2-1

Read the full predictions and have your say here

I remember going for a 2-0 Bournemouth win when these two sides met before Christmas.

Bournemouth went 1-0 up, so I thought I was on to score 40 points when I heard there had been another goal late on, but it turned out to be a Burnley equaliser.

That's the way my season has been going with predictions, but I am actually going to go for another Cherries win, and by the same scoreline too.

I've been saying for a while that Burnley have got too much to do to stay up, and it definitely isn't happening now.

I still think Scott Parker's side will be competitive, but I don't see them getting anything against his old club this time.

Bournemouth have not lost in the league since 3 January but they have drawn their past three games, so they are due a win.

Sutton's prediction: 0-2

Read the full predictions and have your say here

Lazio and Milan go head-to-head at Stadio Olimpico this Sunday in the Serie A. The match will be broadcast live at 19:45 on TNT Sports 1.

Lazio have picked up 37 points and currently lie in 10th position. In their last game, Maurizio Sarri's team won 2-1 against Sassuolo (Serie A 2025/26).

Milan have won 60 points to date and are placed in 2nd position. In their last fixture, Massimiliano Allegri's team won 1-0 against Internazionale (Serie A 2025/26).

The last meeting between the two teams ended with Lazio winning 1-0.

Predicted lineups

Lazio: Edoardo Motta, Adam Marusic, Alessio Romagnoli, Mario Gila, Nuno Tavares, Kenneth Taylor, Reda Belahyane, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru, Gustav Isaksen, Daniel Maldini, Mattia Zaccagni

Milan: Mike Maignan, Fikayo Tomori, Koni De Winter, Strahinja Pavlovic, Alexis Saelemaekers, Samuele Ricci, Luka Modrić, Pervis Estupiñán, Youssouf Fofana, Christian Pulisic, Rafael Leão

Unavailable

Lazio

Milan

Last starting XIs

Lazio ( vs Sassuolo 2026-03-09): Edoardo Motta, Adam Marusic, Alessio Romagnoli, Mario Gila, Nuno Tavares, Kenneth Taylor, Danilo Cataldi, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru, Gustav Isaksen, Daniel Maldini, Mattia Zaccagni

Milan ( vs Internazionale 2026-03-08): Mike Maignan, Fikayo Tomori, Koni De Winter, Strahinja Pavlovic, Alexis Saelemaekers, Adrien Rabiot, Luka Modrić, Youssouf Fofana, Pervis Estupiñán, Rafael Leão, Christian Pulisic

Did you know...by playmaker stats

MANAGERS

• Maurizio Sarri has faced Massimiliano Allegri on 18 occasions, recording five wins, two draws and 11 losses
• Massimiliano Allegri has faced Lazio on 38 occasions, recording 23 wins, five draws and ten losses
• Maurizio Sarri has faced Milan on 21 occasions, recording seven wins, six draws and eight losses

TEAMS

• Away, Milan currently has one loss in the last nine games.
• Away, Milan comes from seven consecutive games scoring goals.
• Away, Milan comes from seven consecutive games without losing.
• Away, Milan comes from three consecutive victories.
• Milan currently has one loss in the last 13 games.
• Milan comes from two consecutive games without losing.
• Milan comes from two consecutive victories.
• At home, Lazio currently has three losses in the last 14 games.
• At home, Lazio comes from seven consecutive games conceding goals.
• At home, Lazio comes from two consecutive games without losing.
• Lazio currently has four losses in the last 18 games.
• Lazio currently has one victory in the last seven games.
• Lazio comes from three consecutive games conceding goals.
• Lazio comes from two consecutive games without losing.

HEAD TO HEAD

• Lazio and Milan have faced each other 191 times, with Milan having the advantage: 84 victories, against 41 wins for Lazio.
• At the Stadio Olimpico, Milan has an advantage in the clashes against Lazio: 27 victories in 93 games. Lazio has 26 wins.
• In the Italian League, there have been 167 matches between the two teams, with Lazio winning 33, 60 draws and 74 victories for Milan.

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The post Coordinated Diplomatic Efforts Facilitate Strategic Qatar Airways Repatriation Flights for Over 500 Stranded Indian Nationals appeared first on Travel And Tour World.

Carnival Cruise Line Updates 2026: Essential Guide for Global Travellers to Faster, Safer, and Stress-Free Cruises

Discover Carnival Cruise Line’s 2026 updates for faster sailings, smarter itineraries, and safer, more enjoyable cruises for global travellers.

The post Carnival Cruise Line Updates 2026: Essential Guide for Global Travellers to Faster, Safer, and Stress-Free Cruises appeared first on Travel And Tour World.

Etihad Airways Restores Network Connectivity with Enhanced Global Travel Protocols and Strategic Operational Resumption

The latest travel advisory from Etihad Airways as flight operations partially resume. Stay informed on safety protocols, check-in rules, and passenger updates.

The post Etihad Airways Restores Network Connectivity with Enhanced Global Travel Protocols and Strategic Operational Resumption appeared first on Travel And Tour World.

Etihad Airways Soars to New Heights, Growing Status of Abu Dhabi as a Global Aviation Powerhouse!

Etihad Airways reports 1.9 million passengers in February 2026, marking strong growth as it solidifies Abu Dhabi's role as a global aviation hub.

The post Etihad Airways Soars to New Heights, Growing Status of Abu Dhabi as a Global Aviation Powerhouse! appeared first on Travel And Tour World.

Warwickshire Based Castlebridge Hospitality Management Welcomes Rebecca Bozeat-Manzi and Scott Rankin to Senior Roles, Empowering Commercial Growth and Operational Innovation Across Its Portfolio

Castlebridge Hospitality promotes Rebecca Bozeat-Manzi and Scott Rankin to senior roles, ensuring continued growth and operational excellence.

The post Warwickshire Based Castlebridge Hospitality Management Welcomes Rebecca Bozeat-Manzi and Scott Rankin to Senior Roles, Empowering Commercial Growth and Operational Innovation Across Its Portfolio appeared first on Travel And Tour World.

Passengers Isolated In Canada As Vancouver International Airport Faced 13 Cancelled Flights And 85 Delays, Affecting WestJet Encore, Air Canada, Pacific Coastal Airlines And Other Airlines Across Toronto, Calgary, Seattle, Kelowna, And More

Travelers were grounded in Canada as 98 flight cancellations and delays hit Vancouver International Airport, disrupting routes to Toronto, Calgary, and more.

The post Passengers Isolated In Canada As Vancouver International Airport Faced 13 Cancelled Flights And 85 Delays, Affecting WestJet Encore, Air Canada, Pacific Coastal Airlines And Other Airlines Across Toronto, Calgary, Seattle, Kelowna, And More appeared first on Travel And Tour World.

Infrastructure Breakthrough: The 33.4 KM Indore-Hyderabad Four-Lane Expressway Expansion in India

A 33.4 km four-lane highway in Madhya Pradesh is being constructed by NHAI to halve travel time between Indore and Hyderabad and improve temple accessibility.

The post Infrastructure Breakthrough: The 33.4 KM Indore-Hyderabad Four-Lane Expressway Expansion in India appeared first on Travel And Tour World.

Travel Disruption Hits Sweden as 63 Flights Are Delayed and 25 Canceled in Stockholm, Gothenburg, Malmö, and Uppsala, with Airlines Including Lufthansa, SAS, and Ryanair Affected

Major flight disruptions at Stockholm‑Arlanda and Goteborg airports disrupt travel in Sweden with 63 delays & cancellations combined.

The post Travel Disruption Hits Sweden as 63 Flights Are Delayed and 25 Canceled in Stockholm, Gothenburg, Malmö, and Uppsala, with Airlines Including Lufthansa, SAS, and Ryanair Affected appeared first on Travel And Tour World.

New Airport Expansion in Turks and Caicos: Five Hundred Dollar Million Dream Scaled Back Amid Major Changes

Turks & Caicos government scales back the $500 million airport expansion.New phased development plan to ease congestion & improve capacity starts in 2026.

The post New Airport Expansion in Turks and Caicos: Five Hundred Dollar Million Dream Scaled Back Amid Major Changes appeared first on Travel And Tour World.

Europe Joins Africa, Middle East and Americas to Fuel Record Growth at Morocco’s Airports with Over 3.13 Million Passengers in January 2026

Morocco’s airports surged past 3.13 million passengers in January 2026, driven by strong international travel from Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and the Americas,

The post Europe Joins Africa, Middle East and Americas to Fuel Record Growth at Morocco’s Airports with Over 3.13 Million Passengers in January 2026 appeared first on Travel And Tour World.

Galaxy S26 Ultra screen controversy isn’t stopping anytime soon, but Samsung is still busy proudly advertising the Privacy Display technology. Recently, Samsung shared a set of infographics linked to the S26 Ultra’s coolest invention.

How the pixels actually work

Privacy Display manipulates light dispersion at the subpixel level. In Normal Mode, both narrow pixels and wide pixels fire at full capacity. You get maximum brightness, full viewing angles, the whole show.

Flip Privacy Display on, and the wide pixels drop to minimal output. Narrow pixels stay active; what you see head-on barely changes. What does the guy next to you see? Almost nothing.

It’s selective pixel behaviour, and it works in portrait or landscape.

Samsung’s recent Privacy Display infographics show this clearly.

Normal Mode disperses light across broad angles, whereas the Galaxy S26 Ultra’s Privacy Mode funnels it forward. The difference is immediate and honestly kind of unsettling the first time you test it with someone standing beside you.

Traditional privacy films cut brightness by 30% or more. Colours look wrong and outdoor visibility craters. Samsung’s approach preserves the screen; the S26 Ultra’s display is still the S26 Ultra’s display when Privacy Mode is active.

The S26 Ultra lets you trigger Privacy Display manually or automate it based on context. You can set it to activate when you punch in a PIN or when you open specific apps like your bank, email, and WhatsApp.

Partial Screen Privacy mode shields just the notification bar if you want usability with some cover. Maximum Privacy Protection cranks the side-angle blocking to full strength, with all happening automatically after setup.

Related articles:

• Galaxy S26 Ultra display causing eye strain and headache; Samsung is apparently investigating

The post Samsung explains the pixel science behind Galaxy S26 Ultra’s Privacy Display appeared first on Sammy Fans.

Deal | A new game can now be picked up on the Epic Games Store for free. Separate to the storefront's official giveaways, the new discounted title is squarely aimed at horror fans. Umm Oyoun is only available to claim for a limited time, though.

The new Samsung Magnet Wireless Battery Pack is now available to buy in various markets. Featuring a unique cutout design, it's the only Qi2 magnetic power bank that can properly fit the recent Galaxy S26 and S25 series.

Researchers have developed an artificial intelligence system that continuously monitors a driver's face to identify alcohol impairment, fatigue, and road rage, offering a hands-free alternative to breathalyzer tests.

The creator of Overwatch, Jeff Kaplan, revealed in a recent podcast with Lex Fridman some of the reasons for his departure from Blizzard half a decade ago.

A classic Casio digital watch in the style of a Leica M rangefinder camera, the Casio M-Edition aims to win over watch and photography enthusiasts alike. The watch with red display illumination, metal case and leather strap is finally available again.

iQOO recently launched the Z11 Turbo in China and is now set to expand the lineup with the Z11 variant. Ahead of the launch, the company has revealed the phone’s design and key features. In a post on Weibo, iQOO’s Product Manager Xing Cheng shared new details about the upcoming Z-series smartphone. They also included an image of the phone showcasing its design. The iQOO Z11 will come with a 165Hz refresh rate display and also offer a large 9,020mAh battery, the largest ever on an iQOO phone. The image included in the Weibo post shows the rear panel design of the handset. It appears...

The current United States men's national soccer team coach has been linked with a return to elite club action, and reports suggest he could arrive in Madrid with clear expectations about the squad he would inherit.

Speculation surrounding Mauricio Pochettino and Real Madrid continues to intensify as the Argentine manager emerges as one of the leading candidates to take over the Spanish giant in the coming years. The current United States men’s national soccer team coach has been linked with a return to elite club action, and reports suggest he could arrive in Madrid with clear expectations about the squad he would inherit. Intriguingly, one of the conditions reportedly involves a teammate of Lionel Messi from the Argentina national soccer team that won the 2022 FIFA World Cup, adding a layer of intrigue to the unfolding managerial saga.

While the rumors remain speculative for now, the possibility of Pochettino taking the reins at the Santiago Bernabeu has already begun shaping conversations across European soccer. The Argentine tactician is currently focused on preparing the United States for the 2026 World Cup, yet the allure of managing the most decorated club in Champions League history remains difficult to ignore.

ESPN has recently indicated that Real Madrid president Florentino Perez highly regards Pochettino and has considered him in the past as a potential manager. The managerial speculation stems largely from an inconsistent season at the Bernabeu under Alvaro Arbeloa, who took over following the departure of Xabi Alonso. Although Arbeloa has guided the team through a turbulent campaign, the club’s struggles across multiple competitions have reportedly forced the hierarchy to evaluate long-term alternatives.

Real Madrid’s season has been defined by uneven performances in La Liga, elimination from the Copa del Rey, and a challenging path in the UEFA Champions League knockout stages. Facing the realistic possibility of finishing the season without a major trophy, the club is said to be exploring high-profile managerial candidates for the 2026-27 campaign.

Among those mentioned alongside Pochettino are notable figures such as Jurgen Klopp, Massimiliano Allegri, Unai Emery, and former Madrid legend Zinedine Zidane. Yet Pochettino’s name continues to stand out due to his experience managing elite squads and his reputation for building cohesive teams.

What did Pochettino say about Real Madrid rumors?

When confronted about the speculation linking him to Real Madrid, Pochettino offered a philosophical response rather than a direct denial. “Everything in its own time. Football will take you where it wants to take you,” he told El Chiringuito when asked about the potential move.

The Argentine also acknowledged the constant noise that surrounds major managerial positions. “There are many rumors… almost always negative, so as long as they’re pleasant…” he remarked, while emphasizing that he maintains strong relationships across many clubs. Although measured, his response has done little to cool speculation about a possible future in Madrid.

The conditions behind a potential move

While the rumors about Pochettino’s interest in Real Madrid continue to circulate, reports suggest the Argentine would not accept the job without certain guarantees regarding squad reinforcements. According to Spanish outlet Defensa Central, two specific signings are part of his vision.

One of the players Pochettino reportedly wants is Cristian Romero, the Argentina national team defender and 2022 World Cup winner alongside Lionel Messi. The Tottenham centre-back has developed into one of the most aggressive and reliable defenders in European soccer, and Pochettino previously admired his qualities during his time monitoring Premier League talent.

The second name on the list is Marco Verratti, the experienced Italian midfielder currently playing for Al-Duhail. Pochettino worked closely with Verratti during his spell at Paris Saint-Germain, where the midfielder was a central figure in the team’s possession-based style. Together, these potential signings reflect Pochettino’s desire to reshape Real Madrid with a balance of defensive intensity and midfield control.

Beyond the rumors linking him to Real Madrid, Jurgen Klopp could return to coaching elsewhere after the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Since his departure from Liverpool in the summer of 2024, Jurgen Klopp has been linked with several clubs, including Real Madrid. So far those possibilities have been dismissed by the coach and his entourage, but now a more viable option could emerge after the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Serving as Head of Global Soccer for Red Bull since January 2025, Klopp has so far avoided a return to management. “A quick return to the sidelines of a top club is out of the question, according to sources close to Klopp,” Bild reported this week.

“However, another scenario is being discussed more and more loudly at RB – and is considered very conceivable: a move to the DFB and the role of national coach in the summer,” the report adds, referring to the possibility of taking charge of Germany after the 2026 World Cup.

According to Bild, executives at the DFB have contacted Klopp several times to offer him the job and, citing the words of Marc Kosicke, Jurgen’s advisor, “He feels more of an obligation, that he couldn’t always say no to the job.”

Germany have another coach currently in charge

The figure of Jurgen Klopp has long been linked with a potential stint with the Germany national team. This is obviously due to his nationality, along with the high profile he built as a coach, particularly with Borussia Dortmund and Liverpool, establishing himself as one of the best in the world and a natural option to lead Die Mannschaft.

However, that position is currently held by Julian Nagelsmann. The former Bayern Munich coach took over in September 2023 and has led the team through the entire cycle up to the World Cup that will be played this summer in North America.

During that span, results have been mixed. Nagelsmann has a 58% win rate with Germany, a respectable figure, and led the national team to qualification for the World Cup by winning Group A of the European qualifiers. However, they were eliminated in the quarterfinals of UEFA Euro 2024 at home against Spain and in the semifinals of the UEFA Nations League 2025 against Portugal.

This scenario could put Nagelsmann’s future in doubt depending on what happens at the World Cup. And that could open the door for Jurgen Klopp. “That this could happen in the summer, despite national coach Julian Nagelsmann’s (38) contract running until 2028, is considered very likely by a growing number of people at Red Bull,” Bild reported.

Türkiye Futbol Federasyonu (TFF) Tahkim Kurulu, Galatasaraylı futbolcu Leroy Sane'ye verilen 2 maçlık cezayı onadı.

TFF'nin sitesinde yer alan açıklamaya göre kurul, Sane'ye verilen 2 maç men cezasında değişime gitmedi.

Galatasaray'a verilen 330 bin lira para cezası ve kısmi tribün kapama cezasının yanı sıra Samsunspor'un kısmi tribün kapama cezası da kurul tarafından onandı.

RAMS Başakşehir'e çim saha sorumlusunun stat denetimine ve müsabaka organizasyon güvenlik ve eşgüdüm toplantısına katılmamasından dolayı talimatlara aykırılık nedeniyle verilen 220 bin lira para cezasının ise kaldırılmasına karar verildi.

Galatasaray'ı karıştırmaya yönelik bir operasyon daha başarısızlıkla sonuçlandı. Sosyal medyada Sacha Boey ve Mario Lemina arasında patlak veren "kavga" iddiaları, her iki oyuncunun jet hızıyla verdiği "kardeşlik" mesajlarıyla asılsız çıktı. Çirkin söylentilere prim vermeyen ikili dostluk tazeleyerek spekülasyonlara son noktayı koyarken; teknik direktör Okan Buruk, Liverpool maçı öncesi rotasyon sinyalleri verdi.

"Çirkefliğe" her zaman primi olan sosyal medya, bu kez de "Sacha Boey ve Mario Lemina arasında kavga çıktığı" iddialarına çanak tuttu. Normalde bu tip iddialar futbolcular tarafından görmezden gelinir. Ancak bu kez Galatasaray'ın iki yıldız ismi; hem Lemina hem de Boey cevap vermek zorunda hissetti. İkilinin arasındaki çirkin söylenti, karşılıklı sevgi gösterileriyle yerini dostluk mesajlarına bıraktı.

LEMINA İDDİALARI REDETTİ

İddiaların odağındaki isimlerden Mario Lemina, Boey ile aralarında hiçbir sorun olmadığını net bir dille ifade etti:

- Sacha’yı çok severim. Herhangi bir sorunumuz yok. O benim kardeşim.

BOEY DE AYNI FİKİRDE

Boey ise tecrübeli oyuncunun bu açıklamasına kayıtsız kalmayarak yorum yaptı. Aralarındaki bağın ne kadar güçlü olduğunu vurguladı. Sosyal medya üzerinden gelen bu karşılıklı hamleler, iddiaların asılsız olduğunu kanıtlar nitelikteydi.

Galatasaray'dan 2 isim Şampiyonlar Ligi kadrosunda

OKAN BURUK LIVERPOOL'U DÜŞÜNÜYOR

Bu arada saha dışındaki hareketliliğin yanı sıra bugün oynanacak Başakşehir maçı hazırlıkları da tamamlandı. Sakatlık riskini azaltmak ve oyuncuların kondisyonunu korumak adına dün farklı bir program uygulandı. Lemina, Osimhen, Barış Alper ve Abdülkerim dünkü antrenmanda takımdan ayrı olarak spor salonunda çalıştı. Buruk'un, Liverpool'u da düşünerek bu oyunculardan bazılarını dinlendirebileceği gelen bilgiler arasında.

Trendyol Süper Lig'in 26. haftasında Mısırlı.com.tr Fatih Karagümrük ile Fenerbahçe takımları, Atatürk Olimpiyat Stadı'nda karşılaştı. Eski Fifa Hakemi, Spor ve Hakem Yorumcusu Deniz Ateş Bitnel, Fenerbahçe ceza sahası içinde yaşanan pozisyonu değerlendirdi.

Deniz Ateş Bitnel: Mısırlı.com.tr Fatih Karagümrük - Fenerbahçe maçının genç hakemi Mehmet Türkmen. Adına talimat değiştirildi ve FIFA hakemi yapıldı. Geçtiğimiz hafta alt ligde oynanan maçta üç kez VAR müdahalesi ile siyah-beyaz olabilecek hatalara imza atabilecekken karar vermek zorunda kaldı ve ödüllendirilip bu maça verildi.

- Mehmet Türkmen, Yiğit Efe'nin Larsson'u arkadan çektiği, top ile mücadele olmayan ve penaltı ile birlikte kırmızı kart olması gerekilen pozisyonu değerlendirmedi. Değerlendirmek istemedi. Mehmet Türkmen kendini gram yetilştirmedi.

Bu gönderiyi Instagram'da gör

FotoSpor (@fotosporcom)'in paylaştığı bir gönderi

Inter'den transfer piyasasını sallayacak hamle geldi! Sezon başında Galatasaray'a Hakan Çalhanoğlu için kapıyı kapatan İtalyan devi, Şampiyonlar Ligi'ndeki Bodo/Glimt faciası ve Hakan Çalhanoğlu'nun kronikleşen sakatlıkları sonrası çark etti. Sarı-kırmızılıların "düşük fiyat" projesine karşı menajerler aracılığıyla Fenerbahçe'ye "gelin görüşelim" mesajı gönderildi.

Sezon başında Hakan Çalhanoğlu'nun Galatasaray'a vermeyen Inter çark etti. İtalyan devi son olarak Şampiyonlar Ligi'nde yaşanan Bodo-Glimt faciasından sonra Çalhanoğlu ile sözleşme yenilemekten vazgeçmiş gibi görünüyor. Milli takım kaptanının yaşadığı sakatlıkların da bunda etkisi olduğu konuşuluyor.

FENERBAHÇE'YE MESAJ

İtalyanlara göre Galatasaray, Inter'in kapısını çalarsa geçmişte konuşulan rakamlardan daha düşük olarak kabul edilebilecek 10 milyon euro civarında bir rakama transferin bitmesi gündeme gelebilir. Inter ise istediğin yakın rakamı Fenerbahçe'den alabieceğini düşünüyor.

HAKAN ÇALHANOĞLU İÇİN 15 MİLYON EURO

Aracı menajerler vasıtasıyla sarı-lacivertlilere "gelin görüşelim" mesaj gönderildi. Inter'de ilk görüşmelerde ortaya çıkan tabloye göre Hakan'ı 15 milyon Euro'ya vermeye hazır bir görüntü çizildi.

Hakan Çalhanoğlu masadan kalktı! Adım adım Galatasaray'a

SAKATLIKLARI GÖZ KORKUTTU

Hakan, Kasım'dan Şubat sonuna kadar 3.5-4 aylık süreçte 4'ü kas sakatlığı olmak üzere sakatlık atlattı. Bu sakatlıklar yaşına bağlı olarak sakatlık sorunlarının ilerleyen dönemde de artacağına işaret olarak algılanıyor.

23 Şubat 2026-27 Şubat 2026   Kas Sakatlığı     1 Maç

15 Şubat 2026-19 Şubat 2026   Kas Sakatlığı     1 Maç

12 Ocak 2026-13 Şubat 2026    Sol Alt Baldır Sakatlığı      6-8 Maç

10 Aralık 2025-18 Aralık 2025 Uyluk / Kasık Şikayeti  2-3 Maç

16 Kasım 2025-21 Kasım 2025   El Bileği Sakatlığı     1 Maç

Trendyol Süper Lig'in 26. haftasında deplasmanda Mısırlı.com.tr Fatih Karagümrük'e konuk olan Fenerbahçe'de teknik direktör Domenico Tedesco, ligde son oynadıkları Samsunspor maçına göre ilk 11'inde 1'i zorunlu 4 değişikliğe gitti.

İtalyan teknik adam, Atatürk Olimpiyat Stadı'nda oynanan karşılaşmada kaleci Ederson'u cezası nedeniyle oynatamazken, Anthony Musaba, Marco Asensio ve Archie Brown'u yedek soyundurdu.

Genç çalıştırıcı, bu isimlerin yerine Mert Günok, Yiğit Efe Demir, Fred Rodrigues ve İsmail Yüksek'i ilk 11'de görevlendirdi.

Fatih Karagümrük karşısında kalede Mert Günok'u oynatan Tedesco, dörtlü savunmasını Mert Müldür, Yiğit Efe Demir, Jayden Oosterwolde ve Levent Mercan'dan oluşturdu.

Orta alanda Matteo Guendouzi, İsmail Yüksek, N'Golo Kante ve Fred Rodrigues'e şans veren Tedesco, hücumda ise Kerem Aktükroğlu ve Sidiki Cherif'i görevlendirdi.

Fenerbahçe'de Tarık Çetin, Engin Can Biterge, Archie Brown, Milan Skriniar, Kamil Efe Üregen, Anthony Musaba, Oğuz Aydın, Marco Asensio, Dorgeles Nene ve Alaettin Ekici ise yedek soyundu.

Tedesco ve kardeşi kulübede yer almadı

Fenerbahçe'de Samsunspor maçında kart gören teknik direktör Domenico Tedesco, cezası nedeniyle kulübede yer almadı.

Öte yandan yardımcı antrenör olan kardeşi Umberto Tedesco ve idari menajer Emir Yolaç da kırmızı kart cezalısı oldukları için yedek kulübesinde görev yapamadı.

Fatih Karagümrük maçında takımın başında yardımcı antrenör Zeki Murat Göle yer aldı.

6 eksik

Fenerbahçe, Fatih Karagümrük karşısında 6 oyuncusundan yararlanamadı.

Sarı-lacivertlilerde cezalı Ederson'un yanı sıra tedavileri devam eden Edson Alvares, Milan Skriniar, Anderson Talisca, Çağlar Söyüncü ve Nelson Semedo, Fatih Karagümrük maçında kadroda yer almadı.

Asensio ve Nene riske edilmedi

Fenerbahçe'de Marco Asensio ve Dorgeles Nene, Fatih Karagümrük karşısında riske edilmedi.

Ağrısı bulunan her iki oyuncu da müsabakaya yedek kulübesinde başladı.

Skriniar yine takımı yalnız bırakmadı

Fenerbahçe'nin takım kaptanı Milan Skriniar, Fatih Karagümrük karşısında da takım arkadaşlarını yalnız bırakmadı.

Sakatlığı nedeniyle tedavisi süren Skriniar, Türkiye Kupası'nda Gaziantep FK ve ligde Samunspor maçlarında da kulübede yer almıştı.

Kaptan Fred

Fenerbahçe'de müsabakaya kaptan olarak Fred çıktı.

Brezilyalı futbolcu, takım kaptanları Milan Skriniar ve Çağlar'ın yokluğunda pazubandı koluna geçirdi.

Cagliari forması giyen Semih Kılıçsoy, Beşiktaş dönemine dair açıklamalarda bulundu. Genç futbolcu, siyah-beyazlı ekipte yaşanan teknik direktör değişikliklerinin kendisini mental olarak etkilediğini söyledi.

Cagliari forması giyen Semih Kılıçsoy, TRT Spor'a açıklamalarda bulundu. Beşiktaş'ta forma giyerken teknik direktör değişikliklerinin kendisini etkilediğini belirten genç futbolcu, "Oradaki misyonumu tamamlamadığıma inanıyordum." dedi.

"İLK BAŞLARDA ZORLANDIM"

"Burası çok güzel, çok güzel bir stadyum taraftarlarımız da iyi maç içinde coşkularını bize hissettiriyorlar. İnsanlar çok iyi Türk insanları gibi sıcak kanlı bizi çok seviyorlar. Kolay değildi benim için buraya gelmek. İlk defa yurt dışına transfer oluyorum, buranın dilini bilmiyorum, şehirle, ülkeyle alakalı birşey bilmiyorum o yüzden zorlandım biraz ilk başlarda ama şimdi alıştım.

"BENİ DOĞRU ROLDE KULLANDI"

Milli Takım hakkında konuşan genç futbolcu 18 yaşında Avrupa Şampiyonası'nda A Milli Takım kadrosunda olmak önemliydi. Kendisini ziyarete gelen milli takım teknik direktörü Montella için beni burada ziyaret etmesi mutlu etti dedi. Beşiktaş'ta henüz misyonunu tamamlamadığını söyleyen Semih Kılıçsoy, "Beşiktaş'taki teknik direktör değişiklikleri beni etkiledi. Mental açıdan çok zorlandığım bir dönem geçirdim. Fernando Santos beni en doğru rolde kullandı" Beşiktaş'ta üzerime yapışan kilo ve bencillik algıları vardı. İlk sezonla aynı kilodaydım. Gol attığım zaman her şey çok iyiydi... Sezon başı Van Bronckhorst 'Seni dinlendireceğim' dedi ve öyle başladık. Sonra da uzun bir süre dinlendik zaten." (Gülerek) şeklinde konuştu.

"FARKLI YANSITILDI..."

Semih Kılıçsoy: "Milli takım döneminde bazı şeyler medyaya biraz farklı yansıtıldı, olmayan şeyler olmuş gibi gösterildi. Ben ağlayan bir insan değilim. Bunu söylemek istiyorum çünkü anlatılan ve yaşananlarda, yapmadığım şeyler yapmışım gibi lanse edildi. Ben orada çok mutluydum."

GELECEĞİ

Cagliari'de mi devam edecek, Beşiktaş'a dönecek mi?

"Cagliari'nin olumlu düşündüğünü biliyorum ama ben bunları çok düşünmüyorum. Burada futbol oynamaktan mutluyum, burada olmaktan mutluyum. Geleceği çok düşünmüyorum. Ben şu anda takımın daha fazla puan kazanmasına yardımcı olarak devam etmek istiyorum."

Galatasaray, Trendyol Süper Lig'in 26. haftasında yarın sahasında RAMS Başakşehir ile karşılaşacağı maçın hazırlıklarını tamamladı.

Sarı-kırmızılı kulübün açıklamasına göre, Kemerburgaz Metin Oktay Tesisleri'nde teknik direktör Okan Buruk yönetimindeki idman, dinamik ısınmayla başladı.

İki grup halinde 8'e 2 pas çalışmasıyla devam eden antrenman, taktik çalışmayla sona erdi.

RAMS Park'ta oynanacak Galatasaray-RAMS Başakşehir mücadelesi, saat 20.00'de başlayacak.

Süper Lig'in orta sıralarını ilgilendiren maçta Antalyaspor ile Gaziantep FK karşı karşıya geldi. Mücadeleden konuk ekip 4-1'lık çok net bir galibiyet elde ederek taraftarını mest etti. Akdeniz ekibi ise düşüşünü bu maçta da sürdürerek puan kayıplarına devam etti.

Trendyol Süper Lig'in 26. haftasında Hesap.com Antalyaspor, Gaziantep FK'ya 4-1 yenildi.

MAÇTAN DAKİKALAR

10. dakikada Maxim'in attığı gol, hakem Gürcan Hasova'nın VAR incelemesi sonrası ofsayt gerekçesiyle iptal edildi.

38. dakikada Perez'in ceza sahası sağ çaprazdan şutunda kaleci Julian, ayağıyla topu kurtardı. Pozisyonun devamında meşin yuvarlağı sol çaprazda önünde bulan Lungoyi'nin şutunda kaleci Julian, aynı kurtarışla bir kez daha gole engel oldu.

45+1. dakikada Bayo'nun ceza sahası dışı sağ çaprazdan şutunda kaleci Julian gole izin vermedi.

Karşılaşmanın ilk yarısı golsüz eşitlikle tamamlandı.

59. dakikada konuk ekip öne geçti. Sağdan korneri kullanan Maxim'in ortasında ceza sahasında topla buluşan Kozlowski'nin şutunda top direkten döndü. Meşin yuvarlağı önünde bulan Bayo'nun şutunda top ağlara gitti: 0-1.

65. dakikada Gaziantep FK farkı 2'ye çıkardı. Maxim'in sol kanattan kullandığı kornerde Antalya savunması topu uzaklaştırdı. Ogün Özçiçek, ceza sahası dışından havalandırdığı meşin yuvarlağı, Abena kafayla indirdi. Arka direk önündeki Kozlowski'nin şutunda top filelerle buluştu: 0-2.

76. dakikada konuk ekip farkı 3'e yükseltti. Kaleci Burak Bozan'ın kullandığı serbest vuruşta Hüseyin Türkmen'in karşılayamadığı topu takip eden Bayo, ceza sahasına girip kaleci Julian'ı çalımlayıp meşin yuvarlağı ağlara gönderdi: 0-3.

82. dakikada Gaziantep FK farkı 4'e çıkardı. Bayo'nun ceza alanı sol çaprazdan pasında Camara, kaleci Julian'ın solundan topu filelere yolladı: 0-4.

90+3. dakikada Antalyaspor farkı 3'e indirdi. Van de Streek'in pasında Ramzi Safuri'nin ceza yayı üzerinden şutunda meşin yuvarlak filelere gitti: 1-4.

Müsabakayı, Gaziantep temsilcisi 4-1 kazandı.

Stat: Corendon Airlines Park Antalya

Hakemler: Gürcan Hasova, Erkan Akbulut, Ali Can Alp

Hesap.com Antalyaspor: Julian, Bünyamin Balcı (Dk. 80 Abdülkadir Ömür), Veysel Sarı, Hüseyin Türkmen, Paal, Ceesay (Dk. 63 Ramzi Safuri), Ballet, Soner Dikmen, Saric (Dk. 85 Erdoğan Yeşilyurt), Storm (Dk. 63 Doğukan Sinik), Van de Streek

Gaziantep FK: Burak Bozan, Nazım Sangare, Abena, Arda Kızıldağ, Perez, Kozlowski (Dk. 87 Sorescu), Ogün Özçiçek (Dk. 75 Gidado), Gassama, Lungoyi (Dk. Yusuf Kabadayı), Maxim (Dk. 80 Camara), Bayo

Goller: Dk. 59 ve 76 Bayo, Dk. 65 Kozlowski, Dk. 82 Camara (Gaziantep FK), Dk. 90+3 Ramzi Safuri (Hesap.com Antalyaspor)

Sarı kartlar: Dk. 6 Saric, Dk. 49 Ballet, Dk. 74 Veysel Sarı (Hesap.com Antalyaspor), Dk. 7 Arda Kızıldağ, Dk. 34 Kozlowski, Dk. 45+4 Lungoyi, Dk. 46 Nazım Sangare (Gaziantep FK)

Fenerbahçe Teknik Sorumlusu Zeki Murat Göle, Mısırlı.com.tr Fatih Karagümrük maçı öncesi açıklamalarda bulundu.

Trendyol Süper Lig'in 26. haftasında Fenerbahçe, deplasmanda Mısırlı.com.tr Fatih Karagümrük ile karşı karşıya geliyor. Sarı-lacivertlilerde teknik sorumlu Zeki Murat Göle, mücadele öncesi açıklamalarda bulundu.

Yayıncı kuruluşa konuşan Göle'nin açıklamalarından öne çıkanlar şu şekilde:

"KARAGÜMRÜK'E SAYGI DUYUYORUZ"

"Öncelikle Karagümrük'e çok büyük saygı duyuyoruz. Son sıralarda olmalarına rağmen oyun güçleri var ve mücadeleci bir takıma karşı oynayacağız. Biz de geçen hafta son dakikaya kadar mücadeleyi bırakmadık ve 3 puan aldık."

"SAKAT OYUNCULAR MİLLİ ARADA DÖNECEKLER"

"5 oyuncunun uzun süredir sakatlıkları devam ediyor. Tam verimli olarak milli arada dönecekler, hemen hemen hepsi dönecek. Ederson'un cezası var. Kadroda olan ve 11 başlatamadığımız oyuncular Asensio ve Nene. 2-3 haftadır fedakarlıkla maça çıkıyorlar ama bu maçta ağrıları arttığı için 11'de yer almıyorlar. Mümkün olduğunca onları koruyacağız. Biz bunları bahane olarak görmedik hiçbir zaman ama bazen bunları dile getirmek gerekiyor. Zor zamanlar ama bunları aşıp sonuna kadar mücadeleye devam edeceğiz. Bugün de inşallah 3 puan alacağız ve taraftarımızı mutlu edeceğiz. Mücadelemiz sonuna kadar devam edecek."

Trabzonspor, Trendyol Süper Lig'in 26. haftasında yarın sahasında oynayacağı Çaykur Rizespor maçının hazırlıklarını tamamladı.

Bordo-mavili futbolcular, Mehmet Ali Yılmaz Tesisleri'nde teknik direktör Fatih Tekke yönetiminde gerçekleştirilen antrenmanda, ısınma ve taktik çalışma gerçekleştirdi.

Yarın, Papara Park'ta saat 20.00'de başlayacak karşılaşmayı hakem Çağdaş Altay yönetecek.

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The post Is 10,000 XRP Enough for Financial Freedom in 2026? Analysts Say No appeared first on Coinpedia Fintech News

The long-running belief that holding 10,000 XRP could lead to financial freedom is now being reassessed. In a recent market breakdown, analysts from Cheeky Crypto said the strategy no longer reflects the financial reality many investors face today. 

So the big question remains—is 10,000 XRP really enough? Let’s find out.

The 10,000 XRP Myth Is Fading

As per the analysis, for years, many retail investors believed that building a relatively small stack of XRP would eventually allow them to retire once prices climbed higher. That thinking developed during an earlier stage of the crypto market, when the cost of living was lower, and purchasing power was stronger.

Since 2021, however, inflation and rising expenses have significantly changed the equation. Even if XRP reached $10, a portfolio of 10,000 tokens would be worth about $100,000 before taxes. While that remains a solid gain, it may not provide the level of financial freedom many investors originally expected.

Under these conditions, the 10K token target is increasingly viewed as a financial buffer rather than a complete retirement plan.

Why the “100,000 XRP Standard” Is In

In contrast, the analysts discuss what they describe as the “100,000 XRP standard.” In this framework, holding a larger position allows investors to benefit from more realistic price levels.

At a $10 valuation, a 100,000 XRP portfolio would reach roughly $1 million, a figure far closer to the type of wealth often associated with financial independence.

100,000 XRP × $10 = $1 million

Instead of relying on extreme price projections such as $100 in the near term, the approach focuses on accumulating a position large enough that moderate price growth can still create substantial returns.

Follow The Flow Dynamics 

The shift in thinking also reflects the growing involvement of institutions across the crypto sector. The market is gradually moving beyond retail-driven speculation toward infrastructure capable of supporting global financial transactions.

Companies such as Ripple are working to expand the role of the XRP Ledger in cross-border payment systems. If banks and financial institutions increasingly rely on blockchain networks to move capital internationally, demand for XRP could grow because it serves as a liquidity bridge for those transfers.

Meanwhile, supply dynamics could also influence future pricing. Mechanisms like escrow lockups and token burns may slowly reduce the amount of XRP available in circulation, tightening supply as usage expands.

Planning Exits Instead of Waiting for One Price

Beyond accumulation, the analysts also stress the importance of having a structured profit-taking plan. Rather than waiting for a single price milestone, investors may consider selling portions of their holdings gradually.

Taking profits at levels such as $3, $5, and $8 allows investors to lock in gains while keeping some exposure to potential long-term growth.

This staged approach is commonly used by professional traders, who typically secure returns at multiple price levels instead of trying to time the exact peak of the market.

Azərbaycan Premyer Liqasının 24-cü turunun “Sumqayıt” – “Şamaxı” matçı meydan sahiblərinin 0:1 hesablı məğlubiyyəti ilə başa çatdı.

Arena.az Sumqayıtda baş tutmuş bu matçın yekun protokolunu və icmalını təqdim edir.

Azərbaycan Premyer Liqası
24-cü tur
13 mart

“Sumqayıt” – “Şamaxı” 0:1
Qol: Karim Rossi, 78.
Sarı vərəqələr: Abdul Raşid Mumini, 18 (qeyri-idman hərəkəti). Emil Mustafayev, 39 (qeyri-idman hərəkəti). Danilo Beskorovaynı, 42 (qeyri-idman hərəkəti) – David Santos, 34 (qeyri-idman hərəkəti). Andrey Tırkovyanu, 40 (qeyri-idman hərəkəti).
Artırılan vaxt: Birinci hissədə 1 dəqiqə, ikinci hissədə 4 dəqiqə.
Saat 20:30. Mehdi Hüseynzadə adına Sumqayıt şəhər stadionu, 1000 tamaşaçı.

Baş hakim: Cavid Cəlilov.
Baş hakimin köməkçiləri: Kamran Bayramov, Müslüm Əliyev.
Dördüncü hakim: Əkbər Əhmədov.
VAR: Əli Əliyev.
AVAR: Vüsal Məmmədov.
Hakim-inspektor: Ömər Paşayev.
AFFA nümayəndəsi: Emin Cəfərov.

Sumqayıt: 22. Xəyal Fərzullayev (k), 7. Rüstəm Əhmədzadə, 29. Emil Mustafayev (6. Sedrik Badolo, 63), 21. Nihad Əhmədzadə (11. Aleksa Yankoviç, 63), 9. Aleksandr Ramalinqom, 72. Rayan Senhadji, 33. Danilo Beskorovaynı, 71. Masaki Murata, 80. Keffel Resende (97. Vüsal Paşayev, 68), 95. Nsana Simon (10. Nikola Ninkoviç, 63), 25. Abdul Raşid Mumini (75. Nadir Orucov, 46).
Ehtiyat oyunçular: 1. Mehdi Cənnətov, 12. Murad Ağamalıyev, 3. Höccət Haqverdi, 8. Səbuhi Abdullazadə, 24. Sənan Muradlı, 37. Nihad Orucəli, 23. Ronaldo Vaskes.
Baş məşqçi: Saşa İliç.

Şamaxı: 1. Rikardo Fernandes (k), 2. Abdulla Rzayev, 97. Oruc Məmmədov (88. Rodriqo Fernandeş, 90+4), 82. Rüfət Abbasov, 9. Karim Rossi, 10. Andrey Tırkovyanu (7. Edqar Adilxanov, 68), 3. Vladislav Veremeyev, 13. Rikardo Apolinario, 11. Dioqo Balau (8. Alfons Msanqa, 87), 4. Sezar Enrike, 44. David Santos.
Ehtiyat oyunçular: 62. Abdulla Seydəhmədov, 99. Səlim Həşimov, 17. Rafael Məhərrəmli, 5. Arsen Ağcabəyov, 80. Həbib İsmayılov, 21. Bilal İsmayılov, 27. Emil Süleymanov, 77. Nihat Mehralıyev, 19. Abdullahi Şuaybu.
Baş məşqçi: Ayxan Abbasov.

Bu gün futbol üzrə Azərbaycan çempionatında (Premyer Liqa) 2025/2026-cı illər mövsümünün 24-cü turuna start verilib.

Arena.az xəbər verir ki, ilk oyun gününün sonuncu görüşü “Sumqayıt”la “Şamaxı” arasında baş tutub.

Mehdi Hüseynzadə adına Sumqayıt şəhər stadionunda keçiriləcək görüşü Cavid Cəlilov idarə edib. Qarşılaşmanın taleyini bir qol həll edib. Şamaxının eyniadlı təmsilçisi səfərdə minimal hesabla qələbə qazanıb.

Premyer Liqa
24-cü tur
13 mart

“Sumqayıt” – “Şamaxı” 0:1
Qol: Karim Rossi, 78.
Hakimlər: Cavid Cəlilov, Kamran Bayramov, Müslüm Əliyev, Əkbər Əhmədov.
VAR: Əli Əliyev.
AVAR: Vüsal Məmmədov.
Hakim-inspektor: Ömər Paşayev.
AFFA nümayəndəsi: Emin Cəfərov.
Mehdi Hüseynzadə adına Sumqayıt şəhər stadionu.

Sumqayıt: 22. Xəyal Fərzullayev (k), 7. Rüstəm Əhmədzadə, 29. Emil Mustafayev, 21. Nihad Əhmədzadə, 9. Aleksandr Ramalinqom, 72. Rayan Senhadjic, 33. Danilo Beskorovaynı, 71. Masaki Murata, 80. Keffel Resende, 95. Nsana Simon, 25. Abdul Raşid Mumini.
Ehtiyat oyunçular: 1. Mehdi Cənnətov, 12. Murad Ağamalıyev, 3. Höccət Haqverdi, 8. Səbuhi Abdullazadə, 24. Sənan Muradlı, 75. Nadir Orucov, 37. Nihad Orucəli, 97. Vüsal Paşayev, 10. Nikola Ninkoviç, 6. Sedrik Badolo, 23. Ronaldo Vaskes, 11. Aleksa Yankoviç.
Baş məşqçi: Saşa İliç.

Şamaxı: 1. Rikardo Fernandes (k), 2. Abdulla Rzayev, 97. Oruc Məmmədov, 82. Rüfət Abbasov, 9. Karim Rossi, 10. Andrey Tirkovyanu, 3. Vladislav Veremeyev, 13. Rikardo Apolinario, 11. Dioqo Balau, 4. Sezar Enrike, 44. David Santos.
Ehtiyat oyunçular: 62. Abdulla Seydəhmədov, 99. Səlim Həşimov, 17. Rafael Məhərrəmli, 5. Arsen Ağcabəyov, 80. Həbib İsmayılov, 21. Bilal İsmayılov, 27. Emil Süleymanov, 7. Edqar Adilxanov, 77. Nihat Mehralıyev, 88. Rodriqo Fernandes, 19. Abdullahi Şuaybu, 8. Alfons Msanqa.
Baş məşqçi: Ayxan Abbasov.

Azərbaycan Premyer Liqasının 24-cü turunun “Araz-Naxçıvan” – “Karvan” matçı meydan sahiblərinin 2:1 hesablı qələbəsi ilə başa çatdı.

Arena.az Mərdəkanda baş tutmuş bu matçın yekun protokolunu və icmalını təqdim edir.

Azərbaycan Premyer Liqası
24-cü tur
13 mart

“Araz-Naxçıvan” – “Karvan” 2:1
Qollar: Hamidu Keyta, 38. Ba-Muaka Simakala, 40 – Kayl Spens, 51.
Sarı vərəqələr: Bəxtiyar Həsənalızadə, 14 (qeyri-idman hərəkəti). Ba-Muaka Simakala, 17 (qeyri-idman hərəkəti). Coşqun Diniyev, 87 (qeyri-idman hərəkəti) – Uğur Cahangirov, 76 (hakimin qərarına etiraz). Əmrah Bulud, 76 (hakimin qərarına etiraz).
Artırılan vaxt: Birinci hissədə 2 dəqiqə, ikinci hissədə 3 dəqiqə.
Saat 18:30. “Dalğa Arena”, 70 tamaşaçı.

Baş hakim: Kamranbəy Rəhimov.
Baş hakimin köməkçiləri: Zeynal Zeynalov, Kərim Zeynalov.
Dördüncü hakim: İslam Məmmədov.
VAR: Elvin Bayramov.
AVAR: İnqilab Məmmədov.
Hakim-inspektor: Munis Abdullayev.
AFFA nümayəndəsi: Eldəniz Musayev.

Araz-Naxçıvan: 94. Tərlan Əhmədli, 3. Bəxtiyar Həsənalızadə (k), 5. Slavik Alxasov, 8. Coşqun Diniyev, 4. Rahil Məmmədov, 6. Patrik Andrade, 17. İssuf Paro (77. Bruno Franko, 72), 23. Nuno Rodriqes (19. Bar Kohen, 86), 10. Felipe Santos, 11. Ba-Muaka Simakala (16. Ramon Maçado, 86), 7. Hamidu Keyta.
Ehtiyat oyunçular: 12. Kristian Avram, 14. Ülvi İsgəndərov, 86. İbrahim Piriyev, 33. Elmir Cəfərov.
Baş məşqçi: Andrey Demçenko.

Karvan: 99. Pedro Mateus, 32. Elvin Yunuszadə (k), 6. Vadim Abdullayev, 16. Rauf Rüstəmli (7. Araz Abdullayev, 82), 5. Emin Rüstəmov (8. Peter Kinqs, 90), 20. Coy Sleyd Mikels, 2. Şakil Sno, 11. Kayl Spens (14. Uğur Cahangirov, 74), 37. Mois Nqvisani, 19. Tompson Qavi, 21. İmani Barker.
Ehtiyat oyunçular: 1. Kamran İbrahimov, 25. Əmrah Bulud, 33. Eltun Turabov, 42. İbrahim Qədirzadə, 13. Vüsal Məsimov, 17. Samir Abdullayev, 4. Olavale Doyeni.
Baş məşqçi: Füzuli Məmmədov.

“Araz-Naxçıvan”ın baş məşqçisi Andrey Demçenko Premyer Liqanın 24-cü turunda “Karvan”a qarşı keçirdikləri oyunu şərh edib.

Arena.az xəbər verir ki, sözügedən komandaların bu gün “Dalğa Arena”da baş tutmuş görüşü Naxçıvan təmsilçisinin qələbəsi ilə yekunlaşıb – 2:1.

Demçenko qarşılaşmadan sonra təşkil edilmiş mətbuat konfransında bunları söyləyib:

“Birinci hissə bizim üçün daha uğurlu keçdi. İki baxımlı qol vurduq. İkinci hissədə isə səhvimizdən qol buraxdıq. Belə oyunda vacib olan nəzarəti əldə saxlamaq və qələbə hesabını qorumaqdır.

İkinci hissədə də yaxşı imkanlarımız oldu, amma istifadə edə bilmədik. Futbolda vurmursansa, sənin qapına qol vuracaqlar. Matçın sonları bizim üçün daha gərgin keçdi.

Fikrimcə, oyundan oyuna daha yaxşı oluruq. Çünki futbolçular məşqçilərin onlardan nə istədiklərini başa düşür, verilənləri yerinə yetirməyə çalışırlar”.

“Karvan”ın baş məşqçisi Füzuli Məmmədov Premyer Liqanın 24-cü turunda “Araz-Naxçıvan”a qarşı keçirdikləri oyunu şərh edib.

Arena.az xəbər verir ki, sözügedən komandaların bu gün “Dalğa Arena”da baş tutmuş görüşü Yevlax təmsilçisinin 1:2 hesablı məğlubiyyəti ilə yekunlaşıb.

Füzuli Məmmədov qarşılaşmadan sonra təşkil edilmiş mətbuat konfransında bunları söyləyib:

“Oyuna çox ciddi hazırlaşmışdıq. Qələbə qazanmaq istəyirdik. Düşünürdük ki, ən azından məğlub olmarıq. Birinci hissədə iki səhv etdik. Bundan sonra geridönüş etmək çətin oldu. İkinci yarıda daha aqressiv oynadıq. Bir qol vurduq. İkinci qolu vurmaq üçün epizodlarımız olsa da, dəyərləndirə bilmədik. İkinci hissədə irəlidə oynadıq. “Araz-Naxçıvan” kimi komandaya 2-3 qol vurmaq çətindir. Bəzi epizodlarda səhv qərarlar ikinci qolu vurmağa mane oldu. Qarşıdakı oyunlara hazırlaşacağıq”.

Fenerbahçe Beko, EuroLeague'in 31. haftasında deplasmanda Sırbistan'ın Kızılyıldız ekibiyle karşılaşıyor.

Antalyaspor ile karşılaşan Gaziantep FK'da sarı kart gören Arda Kızıldağ, Lungoyi ve Nazım Sangare, Fenerbahçe maçında cezalı duruma düştü.

Schalke forması giyen 39 yaşındaki Edin Dzeko, Hannover 96 ile karşılaşacakları maçta oynayabilecek.

İngiliz efsane Gary Lineker, Galatasaray - Liverpool maçını değerlendirdi ve sarı-kırmızılıların Victor Osimhen ile bulduğu golün iptal kararının yanlış olduğunu söyledi.

Misli Premyer Liqasının XXIV turunun “Sumqayıt” – “Şamaxı” oyunundan (0:1) sonra qonaq komandanın baş məşqçisi Ayxan Abbasov jurnalistlərin suallarını cavablandırdı.

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

– Maraqlı oyun alındı. Yuxarı sıralarda yerləşən komandalara çatmaq istəyirdik. Mübarizəli matç keçdi. Yaxşı atmosfer var idi. Vacib qələbə qazandıq. Futbolçulara mübarizələrinə görə təşəkkür edirəm. Acı məğlubiyyətlər də yaşamışıq, amma indi möhkəm komanda ola bilmişik. Bəlkə, mövsümün gedişində bəzi oyunlarda xal itirməsəydik, indi daha yuxarılarda ola bilərdik. Fasiləyə qədər bir oyun qalıb. Qarşıdan millinin də oyunu gəlir. Həqiqətən, yorulmuşuq. Amma istəməzdim fasilə olsun. Komanda son oyunlarda yaxşı çıxış edir. Tək “Qarabağ”a uduzmuşuq.

– Mövsümün sonunda gedəcəyiniz demək olar, dəqiqləşib. Qalmağınız üçün büdcə artmalıdır? Hansısa hərəkət var rəhbərlikdən?
– Klubun inkişafı üçün addım-addım işlər lazımdır. Ötən mövsüm aparıcı oyunçularımız getdi. Bu il də gələn oyunçular yaxşı çıxış edir. Bilirik ki, onları saxlamaq çətin olacaq. Nəsə qazanmaq istəyirsənsə, heyət qalmalı, güclənməlisən. Bunlar da büdcəylə bağlıdır. Klub olaraq da inkişaf etməliyik.

– Yaxşı nəticələr qazanırsınız, amma “kasıb” komandalarda iş tapırsınız.
– Bu sualın cavabı özümüzdədir. Nə zamana kimi özümüz özümüzə dəstək verməyəcəyiksə, düzəlməyəcək. Baxıram, adlı-sanlı məşqçilər yerliləri qınayır, onların yerinə göz dikir. Nə vaxt özümüzə qiymət verəcəyik, klub rəhbərləri yerli məşqçilərin arxasında duracaq, onda işləmək olar. Ancaq indi klub rəhbərlərinin 90 faizi yerli məşqçilərin arxasında durmur. Uzun məsələdir.

– Bəlkə, klub rəhbərlərinin dəyişməsinə ehtiyac var?
– Bir çox klub rəhbəri artıq getməlidir. Nəticə qazanmırlar. Onları da sorğu-sual etmək lazımdır. Nə qədər məşqçi dəyişəcək? Tək məsələ məşqçi deyil. Bir çox mütəxəssislər var, komandanı saxlayır, amma rəhbərliyin etdiyi yanlış transferlər problem yaradır. Bizim problemimiz tək məşqçi deyil. Gərək yerli məşqçilər də özlərinə dəstək olsun, bir-birinin arxasıyca danışmasın.

– Kərim Rossiyə yaxşı təklif var…
– Harda çalışmışam, hücumçularım yaxşı çıxıb. Əli Qurbani, Peyman Babayi, Riçard Qadze… Rossi iki il bundan öncə izlədiyim futbolçudur. Amma gələndə belə deyildi. Çox çalışdı. İndi onu “Şamaxı”da saxlamaq çətin olacaq. 9 qol vurub. İndi hücumçular var, 400-500 min alır, amma iki qol vura bilmirlər.

– O da gedəcək?
– Müqaviləsi bitir.

– İliçlə mübahisəniz olmuşdu. Bu qələbədən sonra sizi təbrik etdi?
– Peşəkar məşqçidir. Oyundan sonra da salamlaşdıq, təbrik etdi. Bizdə bir çox məşqçilər var ki, udanda yaxınlaşır, uduzanda yox.

– Yerli məşqçilər var ki, deyirlər, Ayxan niyə iki yerdə işləyir…
– Bilirəm, tələsməsinlər, yaydan bir yerdə işləyəcəm.

Şahin Cəfərov

“Sumqayıt” Misli Premyer Liqasının XXIV turunda “Şamaxı”ya uduzub – 0:1.

Futbolpress.az xəbər verir ki, matçdan sonra meydan sahiblərinin azarkeşləri komanda əleyhinə şüarlar səsləndirib. Əvvəlcə rəhbərliyi istefaya çağıran fanatlar daha sonra futbolçulara narazılıqlarını bildirib.

Oyunçuların tribunadan tez ayrılmasından daha qəzəblənən azarkeşlər xüsusi qapıçı Xəyal Fərzullayev əleyhinə şüarlar səsləndirib.

 

Misli Premyer Liqasının XXI turundan təxirə salınmış “Neftçi” – “Qarabağ” görüşünün keçiriləcəyi tarix və saat müəyyənləşib.

Futbolpress.az xəbər verir ki, “Palms Sports Arena”da baş tutacaq qarşılaşma 30 aprel saat 20:00-da start götürəcək və “CBC Sport” telekanalı vasitəsilə canlı yayımlanacaq.

Misli Premyer Liqasının XXIV turunun “Araz-Naxçıvan” – “Karvan-Yevlax” oyunundan (2:1) sonra meydan sahibi komandanın baş məşqçisi Andrey Demçenko jurnalistlərin suallarını cavablandırdı.

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

– Vacib qələbə qazandıq. Birinci hissə bizim üçün yaxşı oldu. Yaxşı qollar vurduq. İkinci hissədə buraxdığımız qol öz səhvimizdən idi. Oyunun sonları bir az gərgin keçdi. “Qarabağ”la oyunla müqayisədə futbolçuların gözündə alov var idi.

– Simakala çox epizod qaçırdı. Əvəzlənəndə də aranızda mübahisə oldu. Ötən oyundan sonra oynamaq istəməyən futbolçular olduğunu dediz. Simakala da onlardandır?
– Ad çəkməyəcəm. Yaxşı oynamayan oyunçular özləri bilirlər. Simakala hücumçudu, qol vurmalıdı.

– Nuno Rodrigesin oyunundan razı qaldız?
– Bəli, onun yerini dəyişdik. Yaxşı oynadı.

– Avrokuboklar mübarizəsində olduğunuzu hiss edirsiz?
– Təbii ki. Günbəgün daha irəliləyirik. Materialları daha yaxşı qəbul etməyə başlayırlar. Böyük komandalara qarşı xallar itirdik, amma hədəfimiz avrokuboklardı. Hər qələbə komandaya inam verir.

Misli Premyer Liqasının XXIV turunun “Araz-Naxçıvan” – “Karvan-Yevlax” oyunundan (2:1) sonra qonaq komandanın baş məşqçisi Füzuli Məmmədov jurnalistlərin suallarını cavablandırıb.

Futbolpress.az xəbər verir ki, mütəxəssis əvvəlcə görüşlə bağlı fikirlərini bölüşüb…

– Düşünürdük ki, azından məğlub olmarıq. Qələbə qazanmaq istəyirdik. Oyuna ciddi hazırlaşmışdıq. Birinci hissədə iki səhv etdik. Bundan sonra geridönüş etmək çətin oldu. İkinci yarıda daha aqressiv oynadıq. Bir qol vurduq. İkinci qolu vurmaq üçün epizodlarımız olsa da, dəyərləndirə bilmədik.

– İkinci qolu vurmaq üçün nə çatmadı?
– “Araz-Naxçıvan” kimi komandaya 2-3 qol vurmaq çətindir. İkinci hissədə irəlidə oynadıq. Bir qol vurduq. Bundan başqa da epizodlarımız oldu. Bəzi epizodlarda səhv qərarlar ikinci qolu vurmağa mane oldu.

– Kayl Spensin əvəzlənməsi nə ilə bağlı idi?
– Onda bir az yorğunluq hiss elədim.

Bitcoin price is once again testing the upper boundary of its trading range near $72,000, where selling pressure has historically emerged.

A suspected China-based cyber espionage operation has targeted Southeast Asian military organizations as part of a state-sponsored campaign that dates back to at least 2020. Palo Alto Networks Unit 42 is tracking the threat activity under the moniker CL-STA-1087, where CL refers to cluster, and STA stands for state-backed motivation. "The activity demonstrated strategic operational patience and

Meta has announced plans to discontinue support for end-to-end encryption (E2EE) for chats on Instagram after May 8, 2026. "If you have chats that are impacted by this change, you will see instructions on how you can download any media or messages you may want to keep," the social media giant said in a help document. "If you're on an older version of Instagram, you may also need to update the

Torino host Parma at the Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino this evening, as both sides look for valuable point in their race to guarantee Serie A survival.

Torino head into the game with one win and one defeat so far under Roberto D’Aversa, with an impressive 2-0 win over Lazio followed last weekend by a 2-1 defeat to champions Napoli.

The Turin side sit in 15th place, six points above 18th placed Cremonese, who have been in diabolical form as of late and slipped into the relegation zone following Fiorentina’s upturn in form.

Parma, meanwhile, are in a really good spot of form under Carlos Cuesta, who has earned plaudits for recent results that sees the Gialloblu five games unbeaten – including impressive wins against division heavyweights Milan and Bologna.

As a result, Cuesta’s side have climbed the table and sit in 12th place – yet just four points above tonight’s opposition – making it a really vital game to not lose for the visitors.

Torino vs Parma – Official Lineups

Torino: Paleari; Coco, Ismajili, Ebosse; Pedersen, Ilkhan, Gineitis, Obrador; Adams, Vlasic; Simeone

Parma: Suzuki; Delprato, Troilo, Circati; Cremaschi, Ordonez, Keita, Sorensen, Valeri; Strefezza; Pellegrino

Cesc Fabregas held his pre-match press conference ahead of Sunday’s crucial Serie A clash with Roma, and the Como head coach was in characteristically thoughtful and candid mood, touching on tactical philosophy, squad selection and the remarkable position his side find themselves in with ten games remaining.

Como head into the weekend sitting fourth in Serie A, and the significance of that is not lost on anyone, except, apparently, Fabregas himself.

When asked whether he thinks about his side’s Champions League position, his response was characteristically grounded, with quotes via TuttoMercatoWeb.

“If we get there, great, if we don’t, we continue to build. I would get angry if my players talked about Champions League right now. Not because of the subject itself, but because it’s not the moment. If it doesn’t happen, what are we, failures?”

Fabregas: ‘Roma improved more than anyone in January’

On Roma, Fabregas was respectful but confident.

“They had an extraordinary transfer window, they have raised their level more than anyone. We need the perfect game,” he said.

“Like when we won at Napoli or against Juventus. We must play our way, and then the pitch will speak.”

He dismissed the suggestion that the match was a must-win, describing it simply as “one more important game” rather than a defining moment.

Tactically, Fabregas offered an interesting insight into how he views Nico Paz‘s development.

Asked about potentially deploying the Argentine in a deeper midfield role, the Como coach was firm.

“Not yet. He is a trequartista, instinctive. In a deep role you need a specific way of reading the game, of analysing situations. That is not Nico yet. He is not Perrone or Baturina.”

He was equally direct when asked about Sergi Roberto potentially replacing the injured Perrone, using an unexpected reference point to make his point.

“You think Guardiola’s Manchester City always build from the back? They don’t. Sometimes the opponent presses you, sometimes you don’t have a Busquets or a Piqué. When a coach doesn’t trust his first phase, you must work hard and build that trust instead.”

Perrone himself trained individually and is expected to rejoin the group on Saturday, with his availability for Sunday still to be confirmed.

Gennaro Gattuso has less than a week to go before he is expected to announce his Italy national team squad for the crucial World Cup play-offs at the end of March. Here is a look at five young hopefuls who could be included in the Azzurri side for the Northern Ireland match on the 26th of this month. 

Italy are due to take on Northern Ireland in a one-legged World Cup play-off semi-final in Bergamo on March 26, and the winner of that tie will go on to face either Wales or Bosnia and Herzegovina away from home in a one-off decider for a spot at the final World Cup tournament on March 31. 

Should Italy fail to win both matches, they will miss out on the World Cup for the third tournament cycle in a row. The Azzurri have not qualified for the group stages since 2014 and have not won a knock-out game at the World Cup since lifting the trophy in 2006. 

Here are five youngsters who could be involved with the Italy side come the end of March. 

• Read more: 12 Italy players certain of a place in the next squad
• Read more: Seven Italy players currently unavailable through injury

Which Italy players could be involved for World Cup play-offs?

Marco Palestra 

The 21-year-old Cagliari right-back, on loan from Atalanta, is not only an option for the future, but very much a valuable addition for the present as well. 

Marco Palestra is enjoying a fantastic breakthrough season in Serie A and has been a mainstay in the Cagliari side, appearing in all 27 of his side’s league matches following his signing. In fact, he has only been taken off twice before full-time across his last 18 league outings. 

The 21-year-old plays week in, week out at right wing-back, an area where Italy are fairly light, and is also capable of playing in a back four should Gattuso stick with the 4-4-2 that he utilised in November. 

Michael Kayode 

Italy’s shortage at right-back could be solved with the inclusion of another 21-year-old in Michael Kayode, who is having a brilliant season on an individual and collective level in the Premier League with Brentford. 

Tipped for relegation by many at the beginning of the season, Kayode has been a crucial part of the Brentford side that currently sits in seventh place in the Premier League table and are pushing for an historic spot in Europe for next season. 

Kayode’s long throw has also been causing chaos for various Premier League sides over the course of the 2025-26 campaign, and could offer Gattuso that direct option, particularly if he has a strong headerer of the ball, like a Pio Esposito, on the pitch. 

Davide Bartesaghi 

Though Italy have been somewhat short on options on the right flank, Federico Dimarco and Destiny Udogie have provided decent options on the left for the last few seasons, and now, Milan’s Davide Bartesaghi is looking like an enticing option for Gattuso as well. 

Dimarco, tipped by some for the Serie A MVP award this season, is the expected starter at left back or left wing-back approaching Italy’s World Cup play-off campaign at the end of the month, but with Udogie still recovering from his latest hamstring injury, a spot in the squad for Bartesaghi is looking like an increasingly likely and deserved possibility. 

Bartesaghi has carved out a place for himself as Milan’s go-to left wing-back, despite their signing of the experienced Pervis Estupinan, who had been expected to be the guaranteed starter for the Rossoneri at the beginning of the campaign. 

And, should the unthinkable happen and Dimarco becomes available for whatever reason, Bartesaghi has more than proved himself a worthy understudy in 2025-26. 

Niccolo Pisilli 

Roma’s Niccolo Pisilli is now an expected call-up for the Italy squad heading into the World Cup play-offs at the end of March. 33-year-old Marco Verratti was rumoured to be in line for a return to the Azzurri set-up after a three-year absence, but he has not recovered from a knee injury and is now not expected to be involved this month. 

That means that there is a high chance that Pisilli is called up to the midfield department instead. 

The 21-year-old is unlikely to start ahead of the likes of Sandro Tonali, Nicolo Barella and Manuel Locatelli, but his increasingly prominent role under Gian Piero Gasperini at Roma should not go unnoticed. 

Pio Esposito 

The Inter ‘starboy’ is also expected to be included in Gattuso’s squad after earning a series of call-ups to the Italy side during the first half of the 2025-26 season. 

The 20-year-old already has three goals for the Italy senior side from his first five caps, and despite the expected call-ups of Moise Kean and Mateo Retegui, there are arguments that the youngster should be starting for the national team, particularly if Gattuso plays two up front. 

Esposito has also been handed an even more involved role with Inter in recent weeks, following the injury to Lautaro Martinez, and was trusted to lead the line in the recent Derby della Madonnina against rivals Milan. He has three goals and two assists to his name in Serie A since the start of the calendar year. 

 

Italian football’s hopes of securing a fifth Champions League place next season remain alive, just, but the path to achieving it is narrow and dependent on a sequence of results that is far from straightforward.

The basis for qualification is UEFA’s in-season coefficient ranking, which determines whether a fifth club from a given nation earns an additional Champions League spot, as noted by the Gazzetta dello Sport.

Italy currently sit fourth in that table, behind England, Spain and Germany, with Portugal close behind.

The encouraging news is that this week’s European results, despite Atalanta’s heavy defeat to Bayern Munich, actually allowed Italy to close the gap slightly on those above them and extend their lead over Portugal.

The updated standings make for slightly more optimistic reading than they did 24 hours ago.

Serie A clubs face uphill battle for 5th Champions League spot

The bad news, however, is more structural.

Of the four Serie A clubs still active in European competition, realistically only two are likely to progress to the next round.

Atalanta face a near-impossible task overturning a 6-1 deficit against Bayern, while the Bologna-Roma Europa League tie guarantees that one Italian club will be eliminated regardless of the result. Fiorentina’s Conference League progression looks the most straightforward following their 2-1 win over Rakow.

The real battle is with Spain, whose clubs, including Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid, are in strong positions across the Champions League and Europa League.

Germany’s picture is more complicated, offering Italy a slightly more realistic target to chase.

The true picture will become clear in seven days’ time, when the round of sixteen concludes. For now, the fifth spot remains a long shot, but not yet an impossibility.

Manchester United are looking to sign Nico Williams from Athletic Club Bilbao at the end of the season.

The club hierarchy is discussing offers in the region of €80 million for the Spanish international, as per reports from Spain. He is one of the finest attacking players in La Liga, and he has proven himself for club and country. He could add a new dimension to the Manchester United attack if he joins the club. Williams helped Spain win the UEFA Euro 2024.

They could use more cutting-edge in the final third. The 23-year-old will add explosive pace and flair to the team. Manchester United need more unpredictability going forward, and it will be interesting to see if they can sign Williams.

The Spanish club could be tempted to sell him if an offer of around €80 million is presented. It would help them improve multiple areas of the squad.

Meanwhile, Williams could be attracted to the idea of moving to the Premier League as well. It would be a huge opportunity for him to prove himself at the highest level. He has the physicality and technical attributes for English football, and he could make an immediate impact. His directness and flair make him a good fit for English football, and he could be a star for Manchester United.

Meanwhile, the attacker earns around €320,000 per week at the Spanish club. It will be interesting to see if Manchester United is willing to offer him such a contract.

The 23-year-old attacker has 10 goal contributions this season, and he has a long-term contract with the Spanish club until 2035. Manchester United will have to break the Bank if they want to get the deal done. It remains to be seen how the situation unfolds over the next few months.

The post Report: Man United plot €80m summer heist for €320k-a-week Euro 2024 hero appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez is now considering leaving the club at the end of the season.

The Blues recently crashed to a disappointing defeat against PSG in the UEFA Champions League, and the midfielder is now considering a potential exit to fight for trophies more regularly.

Chelsea are still going through a period of transition, and Fernandez wants immediate glory, according to reports from Spain. He is on the radar of clubs like Real Madrid. It will be interesting to see if any club is willing to come forward with an official offer to sign him in the summer.

There is no doubt that the 25-year-old is a top-class player and he’s one of the best in his position in the Premier League. He has the quality to succeed in La Liga, and Real Madrid will be able to provide him with the platform he needs. He has already won major trophies with his country, and he will now look to win league titles and the UEFA Champions League at the club level.

It remains to be seen whether Chelsea can convince the player to continue at the club. They will need to present him with an ambitious project in order to keep him at the club. Losing the midfielder would be a huge blow for the club. Fernandez is one of Chelsea’s best players, and his departure would weaken them immensely.

Chelsea will be hoping to fight for trophies next season, and they need to keep players like Fernandez at the club. The 25-year-old is one of the first names on the team sheet, and they simply cannot afford to lose him. It will be interesting to see if they can keep him at the club beyond this season.

The post Report: Chelsea rocked as superstar considers exit after PSG heartbreak appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Starring Michelle Pfeiffer and Kurt Russell as Clyburn family matriarch Stacy and patriarch Preston, here's how to watch The Madison season 1 online.

The EU Parliament's stance on untargeted scanning and encryption is clear. With the trialogue negotiations for the permanent law ongoing, will the Council and Commission be ready to follow suit?

Hackers access "non-critical part of the IT network" at Loblaw, and stole names, emails, and phone numbers.

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This HP Windows 11 laptop is perfect for students and remote & hybrid workers and it's under £280 in Amazon's spring sale.

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AEW

All Elite Wrestling will be in Los Angeles this weekend when AEW Revolution 2026 takes over the Crypto.com Arena this Sunday. The event will be headlined by a Last Chance Texas Death Match between reigning men's world champion MJF and "Hangman" Adam Page, and you can also expect to see women's world champion Thekla coming to blows with Kris Statlander to defend her title, a Continental Championship bout between Jon Moxley and Konosuke Takeshita, the men's world tag team championship, and more on this very stacked fight card.

The event will be available as a pay-per-view fight via HBO Max, Prime Video, PPV.com and YouTube. Here’s everything you need to know about how to watch AEW Revolution, including the full fight card and how you can stream every match. 

How to watch AEW Revolution 2026 this weekend:

Date: Sunday, March 15, 2026

Start time: Pre-show at 7 p.m. ET, main card at 8 p.m. ET

Location: Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, CA

TV channel/streaming: PPV via HBO Max, PPV.com, Prime Video, and YouTube

When is AEW Revolution 2026?

AEW Revolution is on Sunday, March 15. Coverage begins at 7 p.m. ET, with matches starting at 8 p.m. 

What channel is AEW Revolution on?

AEW Revolution 2026 will be available through pay-per-view in the U.S.. You can order it through HBO Max, Prime Video, PPV.com, and YouTube. And if you have a live TV plan through DirecTV, Sling, Fubo or Dish Network, you'll also be able to access the PPV event through those platforms, here's how. 

You can access AEW Revolution 2026 on these pay-per-view platforms for $49.99. (Note that the listed price on HBO Max is $39.99, but an HBO Max subscription, which starts at $10.99/month, is required for PPV purchase.)

Where to watch AEW Revolution:

AEW Revolution 2026 Match Card:

• Last Chance Texas Death Match: MJF (c) vs. "Hangman" Adam Page for the AEW Men's World Championship

• Two-out-of-Three Falls Match: Thekla (c) vs. Kris Statlander for the AEW Women’s World Championship

• No Time Limit: Jon Moxley (c) vs. Konosuke Takeshita for the Continental Championship

• FTR (c) vs. The Young Bucks for the AEW Men's World Tag Team Championship

• Kazuchika Okada, Kyle Fletcher & Mark Davis (c) vs. Kevin Knight, Mike Bailey & Mistico for the AEW World Trios Championship

• Andrade El Idolo vs. Bandido

• Brody King vs. Swerve Strickland

Birmingham City and Sheffield United go head-to-head at St Andrew´s @ Knighthead Park this Saturday in the EFL Championship.

Birmingham City currently have 52 points and lie in 10th position. In their last fixture, Chris Davies's team won 1-0 against QPR (EFL Championship 2025/26).

Sheffield United have won 49 points to date and are placed in 13th position. Last time out, Chris Wilder's team slipped to a 2-1 defeat against Norwich City (EFL Championship 2025/26).

The last meeting between the two teams ended with Sheffield United winning 3-0.

Predicted lineups

Birmingham City: James Beadle, Ethan Laird, Jack Robinson, Christoph Klarer, Tomoki Iwata, Jhon Solis, Paik Seung-ho, Patrick Roberts, Marvin Ducksch, Ibrahim Osman, Jay Stansfield

Sheffield United: Adam Davies, Harrison Burrows, Tyler Bindon, Japhet Tanganga, Femi Seriki, Jairo Riedewald, Sydie Peck, Andre Brooks, Callum O’Hare, Tom Cannon, Tyrese Campbell

Unavailable

Birmingham City

Sheffield United

Last starting XIs

Birmingham City ( vs QPR 2026-03-11): James Beadle, Tomoki Iwata, Christoph Klarer, Jack Robinson, Ethan Laird, Jhon Solis, Paik Seung-ho, Patrick Roberts, Marvin Ducksch, Ibrahim Osman, Jay Stansfield

Sheffield United ( vs Norwich City 2026-03-11): Adam Davies, Femi Seriki, Japhet Tanganga, Tyler Bindon, Harrison Burrows, Sydie Peck, Jairo Riedewald, Andre Brooks, Tom Cannon, Callum O’Hare, Tyrese Campbell

Formula 1 heads to the Shanghai International Circuit this weekend for the second race of the season. The 2026 Chinese Grand Prix will also host the first sprint race of the 2026 season.

Formula 1 barely had time to catch its breath after the season opener in Australia before heading straight to Shanghai for the Chinese Grand Prix, the second round of the 2026 championship. With teams still learning the sport's new regulations and power units, the weekend promises plenty of intrigue as the paddock arrives at a very different circuit.

The sprint weekend format means teams will only have one practice session to dial in their setups before qualifying begins. Friday's running concludes with Sprint Qualifying, which sets the grid for Saturday's sprint race. The sprint itself offers drivers a chance to score points while also providing an indication of race pace ahead of Sunday's main event.

The 2026 F1 Chinese Sprint Race is scheduled for Friday, March 13, with lights out set for 11:00 p.m. Eastern Time for viewers in North America. The 2026 F1 Chinese Grand Prix will go green on Sunday, March 15, at 3:00 a.m. Eastern Time.

How to Watch the 2026 Chinese Grand Prix

Broadcast coverage varies by region. In the United States, Formula 1's primary broadcast partner for the 2026 season is Apple TV, which streams every session live.

Apple TV+ carries live coverage of the championship, including practice sessions, qualifying, and the race itself. The event is also available through the sport's official streaming services, F1 TV Pro and F1 TV Premium.

For viewers catching up after the fact, Apple TV will also offer full session replays, highlight packages, and a condensed "Race in 30" format designed to recap the event without spoilers.

The service is available through the Apple TV app on iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV devices, smart televisions from brands including Samsung and LG, as well as streaming devices such as Roku and Amazon Fire TV. Gaming consoles like PlayStation and Xbox also support the app.

A subscription costs $12.99 per month in the U.S., with a seven-day free trial available for new users.

In the United Kingdom, Sky Sports continues to carry full live coverage of all F1 sessions. Highlights of the race will also be available on Channel 4. In Canada, viewers can access the broadcast via TSN.

Fans worldwide can also watch F1 TV, the series' official streaming platform.

2026 Formula 1 Chinese Grand Prix Storylines

The Shanghai International Circuit presents a very different test for teams compared with Melbourne. Its layout includes several heavy braking zones and one of the longest straights in Formula 1, placing unique demands on energy deployment and power unit management.

The most critical braking zone comes at Turn 14, at the end of the long back straight, where drivers brake sharply before entering a tight hairpin. The area will likely become a key overtaking point-and a prime location for drivers to deploy energy from the hybrid system. Other important braking areas include Turn 6 and Turn 11, while the unusual Turn 1–2 complex forces drivers through a tightening 270-degree curve that gradually slows the car.

Mercedes left Melbourne looking like the early team to beat. George Russell led home teammate Kimi Antonelli for a dominant 1-2 finish, leading to predictions that the Silver Arrows could be title favorites this season.

However, the opening race also indicated the competition might be closer than the result implied. Ferrari ran strongly throughout the weekend, with Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton finishing third and fourth, and at times challenging Mercedes' race pace. Ferrari knows their car is closer in race trim than in qualifying spec.

McLaren and Red Bull both showed flashes of speed in Australia but struggled to maximize performance from their new cars. Drivers and engineers across the grid know there is still plenty to learn about the new generation of machines. One team hoping for a stronger showing this weekend is Aston Martin. The opening race proved difficult for the squad, with reliability concerns affecting running early in the weekend.

McLaren's Lando Norris suggested the Mercedes power unit may currently be the strongest, while Ferrari appears to have one of the most competitive chassis packages.

The big question heading to Shanghai: will Mercedes maintain its advantage, or can Ferrari-or even McLaren and Red Bull-close the gap on a track with very different characteristics than Albert Park? With teams still learning how to manage the new power units and energy systems introduced this season, Shanghai could produce very different racing dynamics compared with the opener.

2026 Formula 1 Calendar

March 5-7: Qatar Airways Australian Grand Prix

March 12-15: Heineken Chinese Grand Prix

March 26-29: Aramco Japanese Grand Prix

April 10-12: Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix

April 17-19: STC Saudi Arabian Grand Prix

May 1-3: Crypto.com Miami Grand Prix

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The Ultimate Fighting Championship on Saturday will shift its efforts back to the UFC Apex, where UFC Fight Night 269 plays out in Las Vegas. A brief rundown for those who intend to catch the show:

Where to watch UFC Vegas 114 TONIGHT (March 14) in the United States

The broadcast for UFC Fight Night 269 “Emmett vs. Vallejos” streams live on Paramount+ at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. You can view it here: UFC Fight Night 269 on Paramount

Featherweights collide at the top of the ticket when Team Alpha Male mainstay Josh Emmett toes the line against Dana White’s Contender Series graduate Kevin Vallejos in the five-round main event, while Amanda Lemos confronts Gillian Robertson in the three-round women’s strawweight co-headliner at 115 pounds.

Emmett, 41, enters the cage in a bit of a tailspin, with losses in four of his past five bouts. The former West Coast Fighting Championship titleholder last saw action at UFC 320, where he submitted to an armbar from Youssef Zalal just 98 seconds into their Oct. 4 encounter. Wins over Ricardo Lamas, Mirsad Bektic, Calvin Kattar and Bryce Mitchell anchor Emmett’s extensive resume. Vallejos, meanwhile, steps into the spotlight with the wind of a six-fight winning streak at his back. The 24-year-old Argentinian last suited up on Dec. 13, when he bushwhacked Giga Chikadze with a spinning backfist and follow-up elbow strikes in the second round of their UFC on ESPN 73 clash. Vallejos has secured 14 of his 17 career victories by knockout, technical knockout or submission.


UFC Fight Night 269 “Emmett vs. Vallejos” also features a light heavyweight showcase pitting Ion Cutelaba against Oumar Sy, a heavyweight tilt matching Vitor Petrino with Steven Asplund and a pair of featherweight battles, as Andre Fili meets Jose Delgado and Marwan Rahiki faces Harry Hardwick. A flyweight scrap between ex-Legacy Fighting Alliance champion Charles Johnson and American Top Team’s Bruno Silva anchors the undercard, which streams to Paramount+ at 5 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT.

Where to watch UFC Vegas 114 TONIGHT (March 14) in the United Kingdom

TNT Sports is the lone broadcaster showing UFC Fight Night 269 live in the United Kingdom. Coverage begins at 10 p.m. GMT.

A look at the complete UFC Fight Night 269 card as of March 13, 2026:

• Josh Emmett vs. Kevin Vallejos – featherweight main event
• Amanda Lemos vs. Gillian Robertson – women’s strawweight co-main event
• Ion Cutelaba vs. Oumar Sy – light heavyweight bout
• Andre Fili vs. Jose Delgado – featherweight bout
• Marwan Rahiki vs. Harry Hardwick – featherweight bout
• Vitor Petrino vs. Steven Asplund – heavyweight bout
• Charles Johnson vs. Bruno Silva – flyweight bout
• Brad Tavares vs. Eryk Anders – middleweight bout
• Chris Curtis vs. Myktybek Orolbai – welterweight bout
• Bolaji Oki vs. Manoel Sousa – lightweight bout
• Luan Lacerda vs. Hecher Sosa – bantamweight bout
• Beatriz Mesquita vs. Montserrat Rendon – women’s bantamweight bout
• Elijah Smith vs. Su Young Yu – bantamweight bout
• Piera Rodriguez vs. Sam Hughes – women’s strawweight bout

More Coverage » • Preview: The Main Card
• Preview: The Prelims
• Why Josh Emmett Beats Kevin Vallejos at UFC Fight Night 269
• Why Kevin Vallejos Beats Josh Emmett at UFC Fight Night 269
• Top 5: Fighters on the Rise at UFC Mexico
• Top 5: Gillian Robertson Submissions
• Top 5: Ion Cutelaba Knockouts

Latest Rankings » • Sherdog’s Official Mixed Martial Arts Rankings
• Sherdog’s Pound-for-Pound Top 10 Rankings (Men)
• Sherdog’s Pound-for-Pound Top 10 Rankings (Women)

Bayer Leverkusen

Kasper Hjulmand has managed to steady the ship for Bayer Leverkusen, but Die Werkself still have struggled to pick up wins. Leverkusen have lost only one of their last thirteen games in all competitions, but have won only one of their last six, as draws have started to pile up.

They won't be too displeased with their most recent draw. Robert Andrich stunned Arsenal by putting Leverkusen ahead on a corner just a minute after the second half started in an eventual 1-1 draw. While Leverkusen could have won if not for a debated penalty kick in the 89th minute, it was a good result against a heavily-favored side.

Leverkusen will need more of the same to pull off an upset on Saturday. Bayern scored three goals when they faced off in November, and have scored three or more goals in five consecutive games. 

Team News:

Arthur, Loic Badé, Eliesse Ben Seghir, and Lucas Vázquez are all sidelined with injuries. Mark Flekken is not expected to be ready as he continues to recover from a knee injury he picked up in January. Nathan Tella, who picked up an injury that same game, will return to the squad.

Alex Grimaldo will miss the game due to suspension after he picked up his fifth yellow card of the season against Hamburger SV.

Predicted Lineup: Blaswich, Quansah, Andrich, Tapsoba, Oermann, Palacios, García, Poku, Maza, Terrier, Kofane

Bayern Munich

Bayern keep picking up wins, and big ones. A blip in form towards the end of January had some questioning the Bavarians, but Kompany's side have stormed back to win seven consecutive games in all competitions. They are now eleven points clear at the top of the Bundesliga.

Atalanta were the latest team to feel Bayern's wrath. Neither home-field advantage nor the highs of a comeback against Borussia Dortmund mattered as the Serie A club were thrashed in a dominant 6-1 win on Tuesday. That result essentially guarantees Bayern a spot in the Champions League Quarter-finals, barring a historic collapse.

Leverkusen had been Bayern's kryptonite in recent years, with Die Werkself going nearly two years and six games between losses to the Bavarians. However, under Kompany, Bayern have won their last three matches against Leverkusen.

Team News:

The notable absences come in goal, as both Manuel Neuer and Jonas Urbig picked up injuries over the past week. As a result, Sven Ulreich will start against Leverkusen. His last appearance came in September 2024.

Alphonso Davies returns to the sideline after suffering yet another injury against Atalanta, as do Jamal Musiala and David Santos Daiber. Hiroki Ito and Cassiano Kiala remain absent with long-term injuries.

Predicted Lineup: Ulreich, Stanišić, Min-jae, Tah, Laimer, Kimmich, Pavlović, Olise, Karl, Gnabry, Kane

Weston McKennie is having his best season yet at Juventus and he says it is his mental toughness that has allowed him to play through tough stretches during his time in Italy.

"My time at Juve has been an emotional rollercoaster," McKennie told The Cooligans this week. "I've always felt at home here. I've always felt like I've belonged here. I always stand by what I believe in and I ultimately believe in myself more than other people. I think that's what's gotten me through my career a lot.

"Being here, it's taught me a lot. Mentally, it's taught me a lot, backs against the wall, go forward, put your head down and work. Also, just maturity, in general. It's Italian culture — classy, mature, speak well. I think I've grown [in that aspect] as well."

The 27-year-old midfielder is second on the Serie A side with eight goals in all competitions this season. His manager, Luciano Spalletti, has played him in a more offensive role and it's paid off. McKennie's four goals in the Champions League came over the club's final six games in the competition.

John Dorton/ISI Photos/USSF via Getty Images

Success in Europe is something that McKennie has brought with him during international windows while representing the United States. He has 62 appearances for his country and will be part of Mauricio Pochettino's World Cup team this summer when the final roster is announced at the end of May.

The U.S. is co-hosting the World Cup with Canada and Mexico and expectations have grown for the team after a successful string of fall international friendlies. The pre-tournament tests will not get any easier when they host Belgium and Portugal later this month and then Senegal and Germany in late May and early June.

The men's team has only advanced beyond the Round of 16 once since 1990 when they reached the quarterfinals in 2002. While there is talk of lofty expectations for the USMNT this summer, McKennie is keeping all that noise to the outside.

"I'm not someone that thinks so much ahead, I'm someone that takes it day by day and game by game," McKennie said. "I wouldn't say that I have an expectation of where we should finish because ultimately our goal at the end of the day, just like any team playing in that tournament, is to go out there and try and win it. As athletes and as competitors that's what we're going there to try and do.

"I think our expectations as a team is probably higher than what other people have for us. Because we've been together for so long, there's been new faces, new additions, but as a team we know what we're capable of and we understand the game and what's happening when we're on the field better than anyone. So I think our expectations for ourselves is high and we don't really try to let the outside criticism or outside talk try and affect us as much because at the end of the day it's going to be that 26-man roster and the staff that are going to be there and ultimately the 11 players on the field are going to have to make the difference and it's not words on the outside that's going to be able to do it.

"So, you can talk all you can talk, but it depends on how you walk the walk."

Check out the full conversation on the “The Cooligans” podcast - and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you listen.

SGA speaks out after breaking Wilt Chamberlain's record originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Oklahoma City Thunder won their seventh straight game Thursday night, defeating the Boston Celtics in a tight game, winning by a score of 104-102.

With Jalen Williams and Isaiah Hartenstein sidelined, it was all Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

Last year's MVP scored 35 points to go along with nine assists, six rebounds, three blocks and two steals.

On the season, Gilgeous-Alexander is putting up another MVP-caliber campaign, averaging 31.8 points, 6.6 assists, 4.5 rebounds and 1.4 steals.

If the number holds, this would be Gilgeous-Alexander's fourth consecutive season averaging 30 points or more.

During the win, Gilgeous-Alexander also broke Wilt Chamberlain's record for the most consecutive games scoring 20 points or more (127).

Following the game, the four-time All-Star spoke on the team's current win streak and the new record.

“The streak is a streak, the awards are the awards. But the thing I’m most proud of is winning.”

This season alone, Gilgeous-Alexander ranks third in Player Efficiency Rating (PER), trailing only Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks and Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets.

Oklahoma City now sits at 52 wins, the highest total in the NBA, leading the next closest team by four victories.

This comes after an incredible season last year, where the Thunder went 68-14 and won an NBA Championship against the Indiana Pacers.

The Thunder are just 15 games away from another No. 1 seed this season.

They'll return to action Sunday after two days of rest, hosting Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves.

More NBA news:

• Former NBA All-Star calls Bam Adebayo's 83-point game 'not legit'
• JJ Redick speaks on Luke Kennard's incredible shooting season
• Lakers competition to re-sign Austin Reaves revealed by NBA insider
• Shai Gilgeous-Alexander gives hilarious one-liner after game-winning step back
• Collin Gillespie's 3-point success doesn't surprise teammate Devin Booker
• Charles Lee talks LaMelo Ball's signature one-legged three

Michael Pittman spoke to the media for the first time since becoming a Pittsburgh Steeler, and he shares one thing in common with potential 2026 starting quarterback Aaron Rodgers — he trains at the same facility in California.

When speaking with reporters, Pittman admitted that while he hasn't caught passes from Rodgers, they've talked a little bit in the past, and he plans to text him when he gets back to California.

Pittman also added that he knows Rodgers loves football and knows that he'll certainly consider playing for the Steelers in 2026.

Michael Pittman Jr. said he doesn't know what Aaron Rodgers is going to do, but: "Just knowing him, I know that he loves football and that he's going to consider it." https://t.co/De8OEibkeH

— Brooke Pryor (@bepryor) March 13, 2026

On Wednesday, the Steelers officially completed a trade with the Indianapolis Colts to acquire Pittman and a 2026 seventh-round draft pick in exchange for a 2026 sixth-round selection.

Rodgers hasn't given the Steelers a definitive decision as to whether or not he'll return in 2026, but there are rumors that Pittsburgh has a few different options in mind if the plan falls apart. Hopefully, a new receiving corps featuring Pittman and DK Metcalf could entice Rodgers to give it one more season.

For up-to-date Steelers coverage, including any offseason moves, follow us on X @TheSteelersWire and give our Facebook page a like.

This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: Steelers' Michael Pittman says he trains at same spot as Aaron Rodgers

49ers free agency tracker: Live rumors, news, updates on Mike Evans and San Francisco’s other potential signings originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The San Francisco 49ers finished the 2025 regular season with a 12-5 record. They were one of three NFC West teams to make the postseason, but watched as their rival Seattle Seahawks not only made it to the Super Bowl, but won it, beating the New England Patriots. 

The 49ers have questions to answer for wide receivers after the relationship with Brandon Aiyuk has deteriorated. He missed the 2025 season due to injury and is not expected to be back with San Francisco. Similarly, without a long-term extension, offensive tackle Trent Williams could be on the outs with the franchise, too. 

The 49ers are expected to be a top contender in the NFC in 2026, but still have plenty of needs to address through free agency to make sure they can compete alongside the Seahawks and Los Angeles Rams in their division. 

The Sporting News is tracking all of the live rumors, news and updates for the 49ers' 2026 free agency. 

MORE NFL FREE AGENCY: Live tracker | Team-by-team grades | Best players available

49ers free agency rumors, news, updates

All times ET.

March 11

12:25 p.m. -- ESPN's Nick Wagoner reported that the 49ers plan to release WR Brandon Aiyuk after the new league year begins at 4 p.m. ET on Wednesday. The release could come on Wednesday, but Wagoner said regardless it will happen soon. Aiyuk will come with a post-June 1 designation and will cost the 49ers $13.325 million in dead cap this year and $21.247 million in dead cap next year. 

March 9

2:30 p.m. -- Free agent wide receiver Mike Evans is joining the 49ers on a three-year deal worth $60.4 million, per Adam Schefter. 

12:16 p.m. -- Adam Schefter said on the Pat McAfee Show that San Francisco is expected to lose Jauan Jennings as he is predicted to sign elsewhere. Jennings had the most receiving yards for a wide receiver for the 49ers with 643 in the 2025 season, and led the entire team with nine receiving touchdowns. 

12:06 p.m. -- The 49ers were interested in signing free agent WR Alec Pierce. He wasn't tagged by the Indianapolis Colts and was allowed to pursue free agency. Pierce returned to the Colts on a massive four-year, $116 million deal. 

11:54 a.m. -- The 49ers are open to trading Williams, per Ian Rapoport. The offensive tackle is entering the final year of his current contract and has been seeking an extension. From the reporting, Williams has been frustrated with the process, and both sides could decide to just move on.

March 7 

5:58 p.m. -- The 49ers are signing veteran kicker Eddy Pineiro to a four-year, $17 million extension, per Eric Branch.  

MORE: Ranking the greatest 49ers of all time

49ers free agency signings

• K Eddy Pineiro (4 years, $17 million)
• LS Jon Weeks 
• WR Mike Evans (3 years, $60.4 million)

MORE: Tracking notable NFL salary cuts in the 2026 offseason

49ers completed trades

This will be updated when the 49ers complete a trade in the offseason. 

If there’s one division among NBA players these days, it’s about foul baiting.

The tactic, which essentially is when players seek unnecessary contact or exaggerate existing contact with flops, can be an effective tool to draw whistles and get to the free throw line.

And on the night when the Boston Celtics lost a close game to the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder, Celtics star Jaylen Brown called out players who foul baited and expressed frustration over the way officials reward that behavior.

“I just don’t foul bait,” Brown told reporters after Boston’s 104-102 loss. “I’m not looking to flop or anything like that, but it’s almost like you got to. Cause there’s a couple of plays in the fourth quarter where I felt like I drove strong, went up strong, and I didn’t get the benefit of the doubt. But maybe if I would have flopped, maybe I would have been able to sell those calls. And those decide games.

“So it’s like, we commend players for playing the game the right way, but we give the benefit to those who necessarily are trying to manipulate the game into their advantage. I just don’t think it's basketball. Let’s just play basketball. All the foul baiting, I think it’s whatever for me.”

Brown didn’t mention any player by name, but Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is one of the players most effective at drawing contact and getting to the line. He ranks first in the NBA in free throws made per game (8.2) and third in attempts (9.2).

During one sequence midway through the third quarter Thursday night, Gilgeous-Alexander was driving down the left side of the paint when he crashed into Celtics center Luke Garza, drawing the foul.

On-court microphones from the Amazon Prime broadcast clearly picked up Brown shouting at officials in response to the whistle: “That’s not basketball.”

Gilgeous-Alexander would convert both free throws.

“Just accentuating contact,” Brown said when asked to characterize foul baiting. “It’s one thing to get fouled, but it’s like when you’re not even trying to score when you’re driving and flailing your body just to make it look like you’re getting fouled. I think that’s the part where it’s like, all right, come on. But I mean, that’s where our league is at. That’s where the NBA is at. So it’s like, get down or lay down. So maybe I need to flop a little bit more.”

Part of Brown’s frustrations stem from his ejection in a game against the San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday, March 10. Brown played just 14:42 and was ejected for arguing an apparent no-call when Spurs guard Stephon Castle made contact with Brown as he dribbled the ball near the sideline, eventually losing it in a turnover. Brown was assessed two technical fouls. The Celtics would go on to lose 125-116.

Brown said he was especially “pissed” about the ejection because he had circled this game on his calendar, given San Antonio’s positioning in the standings.

“I felt great,” Brown said of his ejection against the Spurs. “I felt like I was ready to have a big-time performance, and my night got ended short. In certain spots, maybe I could have been a little bit better, but you’re passionate. It’s a big game. You want to see emotion. You want to see your star players showing that emotion. I don’t think I deserved to get tossed. And I think the NBA agreed, because I didn’t get fined or anything like that. So it is what it is. It happens. People make mistakes, but I’m just looking forward now.”

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NBA foul baiting 'not basketball,' Jaylen Brown complains

What's better than beating Ohio State two times in a season? Beating the Buckeyes three times. And Michigan basketball had that chance on Friday afternoon in Chicago.

After having a double bye as the No. 1 seed in the Big Ten Tournament, the Wolverines drew 8-seed OSU in the quarterfinals. The maize and blue jumped out to a 10-point lead at 15-5, but the Buckeyes weren't content to let Michigan blow it out, either. Even so, the Wolverines opened up by shooting the lights out, hitting on the first three 3-point attempts (with reserve guard Trey McKenney hitting two of them), with a 70% overall shooting percentage in the first half of the first half.

The maize and blue had some miscues, allowing OSU to get back within six, but a Nimari Burnett breakaway dunk and an Elliot Cadeau 3 (the Wolverines were 4-for-4 at this point) pushed Michigan to being up 11 with 8:36 remaining in the first half.

Michigan kept extending the lead to 11 while Ohio State continued to keep the game within distance. The Wolverines finally missed from beyond the arc when Cadeau couldn't hit, nursing an eight-point lead, 29-21, with 5:30 remaining in the first half. But the defense continued to hold the Buckeyes to just 33% from the floor; the only saving grace for OSU was that it was getting to the foul line and was dominating the offensive boards and getting second-chance points.

Even still, Michigan couldn't pull away, and moments later, that 11-point lead was down to just six at the under-four media timeout, with Bruce Thornton heading to the foul line. He hit both, making it a four-point Wolverines lead, and with Michigan missing on the other end, the defense was going to have to hold. It did, as McKenney's hot hand continued, pushing the lead back to six. But Amare Bynum hit a 3 after a missed jumper on the other end, and what was 11 was now just three.

McKenney had his first miss, but former Buckeyes guard Roddy Gayle stemmed the bleeding after collecting the miss and putting it back. However, Bruce Thornton responded with a 3, narrowly beating the shot clock, and it was a two-point game. After OSU missed an opportunity with a three-on-two, Yaxel Lendeborg threw it ahead to Gayle, who hit Aday Mara on the alley oop.

The press on the inbound led to Cadeau getting a steal and ultimately getting to the line, where he hit both shots. Thornton added two at the end of the half, so Michigan went into the locker room up 39-35 at halftime.

The second half started with a miss from Cadeau and a make for Ohio State guard John Mobley Jr., making it a two-point game. Mara and Mobley traded baskets before Morez Johnson Jr. hit a 3 to put the Wolverines back up by five. But Mobley answered with a 3 of his own, so the maize and blue still had some work to do. After Cadeau lost the handle, the turnover resulted in a Christoph Tilley layup, and the game was tied for the first time since the game was 0-0.

After a couple of errant 3-point attempts, not only were the field goal percentages growing close to even, but Michigan gave the ball back to the Buckeyes, giving Ohio State a chance to take their first lead of the game. Both teams missed 3-point attempts, and the game was tied 44-all at the under-16 media timeout. The Wolverines were shooting 33% in the second half while Ohio State was shooting 57%.

Michigan turned the ball over coming off the media timeout, but a Johnson block kept OSU from taking the lead. However, another missed 3 kept the game tied, though the Wolverines turned the Buckeyes back over with a Mobley travel. Finally, Cadeau broke the three-plus-minute scoring drought to put Michigan back up by two.

At this point, OSU had gone nearly four minutes without scoring, but Michigan only really had one score in that same period. Mara got a layup with the and-one to put the Wolverines back up five. A Thornton 3 rattled in and out, and Cadeau was fouled on the other end, drilling two free throws to put the maize and blue up seven. But Gabe Cupps hit a 3 to pull back within four. Moments later, Thornton hit a 3, and it was back to a one-point game. An alley oop from Cadeau to Mara pushed the lead back to three at the under-12 media timeout.

An Ohio State turnover led to a Mara jumper from just inside the arc to stretch the lead back to five. After a block by Mara, he went back to the line and drained both, and it was a seven-point lead with 9:20 remaining. Christoph Tilly broke the Buckeye drought, and when Trey McKenney missed another 3 attempt, Nimari Burnett got a foul on the rebound.

After having just two fouls for the first 11 minutes, the Wolverines picked up four in a one-minute span. Thornton hit two free throws to get the Buckeyes back within three coming out of the under-eight media timeout. On a three-minute scoring drought, Michigan turned it over, but the Wolverines kept OSU from scoring, leading to Thornton fouling Burnett, picking up his third of the game. Burnett missed the front end, but hit the back, four-point Wolverines lead, 6:30 remaining.

Gayle picked up his third foul, putting OSU in the bonus, and Bynum hit both to make it a two-point game. It had been over four minutes since Michigan had scored from the floor, and Gayle missed a 3-pointer to continue the drought. Ohio State hit a 3 on the other end to give the Buckeyes their first lead of the game, 61-60, with 5:40 remaining. Gayle was fouled on the other end, but missed the front end of the one-and-one, and Lendeborg picked up his first foul on the other end, allowing Tilly to score one and take a two-point lead.

It had now been over five minutes without a Michigan field goal, a streak that would continue as Tilly picked up his third foul, sending Cadeau to the line. He tied the game up at 62-all, and Mara got his second block of the game. Michigan broke its six-plus-minute field goal drought with Johnson managing to get a goaltended layup on a fast break. Gayle got a block on the Devin Royal 3 attempt, and Cadeau was fouled by Thornton on the fast break, his fourth. He missed his first but hit the second to make it a three-point game.

Johnson put Thornton on the line, and he hit both, closing the gap to one point. Mara answered with a layup after Cadeau was blocked, so with under three minutes left in the game, Michigan would just need to hang on and go basket for basket. OSU hadn't scored from the floor in nearly four minutes, but the Wolverines were still struggling to get much going on offense.

Michigan held serve on defense, and Lendeborg was fouled on the other end, but missed the front end. He hit the back, and it was a four-point lead for the Wolverines with 84 seconds left.

The maize and blue had a chance to go up six, but Mara missed from underneath the basket, and with a foul on the other end, Royal hit one of two free throws to cut it to three points. Mobley fouled Cadeau to put him on the line with 20 seconds left, and he hit one to make the lead four. Royal scored with six seconds left to cut it to a one-possession game. Royal managed to foul Lendeborg, and he struck both to put the game out of reach. The Wolverines beat the Buckeyes for the third time this year, 71-67.

Mara led the Wolverines with 17 points, Cadeau added 15, McKenney had 12, and Johnson had 11.

Michigan will now face the winner of Illinois and Wisconsin on Saturday at 1 p.m. EDT for a chance to play in the Big Ten Tournament championship game, with the game to be broadcast on CBS.

This article originally appeared on Wolverines Wire: Recap: Michigan beats Ohio State in Big Ten tournament

Stephen Robinson wants backing rather than booing from Aberdeen fans on Saturday as he looks to make a winning start to his tenure.

The Dons were barracked by their own support for much of the dismal 3-0 defeat at Dunfermline last weekend as their Scottish Cup defence ended with a whimper.

But Robinson is hoping for a more positive mood at Pittodrie on Saturday as he attempts to lead his new side to victory over Falkirk.

"Everyone's got an opinion. Everyone's entitled to that opinion," said the former St Mirren boss.

"Some are more educated than others of course. But look, we want to hit the ground running. We want to win the game on Saturday.

"Players don't respond to criticism. Nobody in life goes to work and responds when you're told you're not very good or you get booed.

"So we ask the fans to get behind the players. We can all have an opinion after the game. Any time that I've been to Aberdeen and any time Aberdeen have come to any team I've been involved with, it's been an incredible support."

Robinson has given the underperforming squad a clean slate.

"There's a lot of injuries, a lot of injuries at the back which will dictate certain things in the system we have to play, but everyone's got a chance," he said.

"Everyone's coming in fresh. When you look at people from afar you don't get a full picture, you don't know the circumstances. We've had a meeting and we said that everybody will start from scratch.

"I demand total respect and I demand that everybody respects each other and works as hard as they possibly can and shows their talent, and we'll pick the team accordingly. Every player will get an opportunity to be the best version of themselves."

Ohio State (21-12, 12-8) made it tough on them, but ultimately the Michigan Wolverines (29-2, 19-1) held on to win 71-67 in the Big Ten Tournament Quarterfinals matchup at the United Center in Chicago, Ill. Michigan will advance to play the winner of Wisconsin and Illinois and Ohio State will now wait to see where they are heading for the 2026 NCAA Tournament.

No. 8 seed Ohio State defeated No. 9 seed Iowa 72-69 on Thursday afternoon behind 24 points from all-time leading scorer Bruce Thornton to earn a spot in the quarterfinals, while No. 1 seed Michigan had a triple bye.

Michigan came into the contest with the upper hand on Ohio State, as they were 2-0 against the Buckeyes in the regular season.

The Wolverines started off shooting the ball well, scoring the first seven points and ultimately taking a 13-5 lead on 5-for-8 shooting from the field at the under 16 media timeout. Ohio State Freshman forward Amare Bynum, who had a strong game against Iowa in the Buckeyes first game, picked up two fouls in the first five minutes.

However, every Michigan run was answered by Ohio State and the Buckeyes fought back from multiple runs by Michigan to only by down 39-35 heading into the halftime break after a Bruce Thornton jumper.

Brandon Noel entered the game for Bynum, his first game action since Jan. 5. He played nine minutes in the first half.

In the opening half, Thornton led all scorers with 13 points on 5-for-7 shooting rom the field. He added three rebounds and an assist. John Mobley Jr. and Devin Royal added seven points each and Royal added four rebounds.

Trey McKenney led Michigan with ten points off the bench. Elliot Cadeau and Morez Johnson Jr. added seven and six points, respectively.

Ohio State actually outrebounded Michigan 19 to 14 in the first half, but the Buckeyes had eight turnovers, including three from Thornton. The Wolverines had 15 points off the Buckeye turnovers. Big Ten Player of the Year Yaxel Lendeborg was held to three first half points on 1-for-3 shooting.

Michigan finished the half 0-for-4 from three-point range after starting 4-for-4.

To open the second half, Mobley rattled off seven straight points and had an nice assist to Christoph Tilly to tie the game at 44 with 16 minutes remaining in the game. However, the Buckeyes went scoreless for four minutes and the Wolverines went on a 7-0 run to take a 51-44 lead.

Gabe Cupps went on a solo 5-0 run for Ohio State to cut into the lead. A Thornton three-pointer cut the Michigan lead to just three points at 55-52. Four quick Michigan points made the score 59-52.

The two teams went back and forth for the final six minutes of the game and Michigan led 68-64 with 30 seconds left. Devin Royal split a pair of free throws and Ohio State fouled Cadeau, who also split the free throws. Royal made a jumper with seven seconds left to cut the Michigan lead to two points.

Lendeborg was fouled and he hit both free throws and Michigan held on to win 71-67.

I know it is March and there are no moral victories in March, but here are some positive takeaways as we head into the Big Dance.

---

Brandon Noel returns

The Buckeyes have had some health issues over the past month, with multiple important guys missing extended time. No one has missed more time than Brandon Noel, who returned today and played his first game action since Jan. 5 and is a solid depth piece and a physical frontcourt player.

Bruce Thornton’s big first half

Thornton has struggled against Michigan this season due to the matchup problems they present with Yaxel Lendeborg being able to guard him in man defense, but he was 5-for-7 from the field with 13 points and kept the Buckeyes in the game in the first half, feeding off the momentum from his big second half against Iowa the day before.

John Mobley Jr. starts second half strong

Mobley came out of the locker room from halftime and scored the first seven points and had a nice assist to account for the Buckeyes first nine points. Bruce Thornton is the main scorer for the Buckeyes, but they level up as a team when Mobley is a consistent second scorer at the guard position.

Gabe Cupps makes his presence known

Cupps has not been known for his offensive output this season, but he had five straight points for Ohio State to end a five minute scoring drought. If he can provide some scoring off the bench, that will be huge for Ohio State to add to his solid defense.

The Buckeyes are off the bubble

This is more of a positive takeaway in general, but Ohio State will not have to sweat on Selection Sunday. They will hear their name called for the first time in four years and will be participating in the NCAA tournament. It is an expectation, but nice to see regardless.

Over the past two weeks, "WWE NXT's" ratings have declined after posting numbers above the 600,000 viewer mark for 11 weeks straight. Although it was expected the program would bounce back on Tuesday following Vengeance Day this past weekend, total viewership surprisingly hit a new low instead.

According to Wrestlenomics and Programming Insider, "NXT" averaged 541,000 viewers and posted a 0.08 in the key 18-49 demographic, which is the show's lowest totals of the year. When comparing both categories to the previous week, total viewership was down by 10%, while the 18-49 demo decreased by 11%. Despite the poor rating, "NXT" also went head-to-head with the NBA matchup between the Boston Celtics and San Antonio Spurs on NBC, which brought in 2.5 million viewers. Additionally, the developmental brand faced stiff competition from the NHL, which broadcasted 13 games on the night.

Along with posting its worst figures of the year, "NXT" has also struggled to grow its audience over the last 12 months, with total viewership dropping by 17% since March 2025. Perhaps more concerning is "NXT's" lack of improvement in the 18-49 demo, with the category plummeting by 47% since this time last year. With Stand & Deliver under a month away, "NXT" could see an increase in viewership as fans look forward to the brand's biggest PLE of the year, but it remains to be seen if this past Tuesday was an outlier, or if the decline in ratings will continue.

Read more: 30 Best Wrestlers Under 30 In 2025, Ranked By Wrestling Inc.

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Most were expecting the nightcap of Friday night’s ACC Tournament semifinals to be a rubber match between rivals Duke and North Carolina, but the Clemson Tigers had something to say about that, taking down the Tar Heels, 80-79, on Thursday night to set up a rematch of the Blue Devils’ 13-point win in Cameron Indoor Stadium in February.

Jon Scheyer’s team didn’t make it to the game easy, either, surviving a last-second three-point attempt by Florida State to beat the Seminoles, 80-79, on Thursday night.

It was a two-man show for top-ranked Duke against FSU as Isaiah Evans (32 points) and Cameron Boozer (23 points) combined for 55 of the Blue Devils’ 80 points, with no other Duke player reaching double digits in the victory. The Devils might need more of that as they are missing starting guard Caleb Foster and center Patrick Ngongba, limiting the depth to just seven regular players.

Brad Brownell’s team used a complete team effort to hold off the Tar Heels’ furious rally at the end of Thursday’s game, with six players scoring at least 10 points, led by Nick Davidson’s 17 points coming off the bench. 

In the first matchup, Boozer, Evans and Cayden Boozer combined for 47 points, and the Blue Devils held the Tigers to 35 percent from the field in the 67-54 victory. 

Duke and Clemson are set to tip off at 9:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2. 

Game Prediction

Thursday’s game showed how important Foster and Ngongba are to Scheyer’s squad, and the limited depth the Blue Devils have might catch up to them once and for all. Expect Clemson to come out and force Duke to get points from anyone but Cameron Boozer and Evans. If that works, it will be the Tigers’ night.

Clemson 71, Duke 67

This article originally appeared on Duke Wire: Duke vs Clemson game prediction, preview (ACC Tournament)

Two times this season, Northwestern lacrosse lost a game. Two times this season, opposing teams rushed the Ryan Fieldhouse turf after the final buzzer sounded, hugging each other as their cheers echoed through the indoor facility.

First, it was Northwestern’s 10-9 loss Feb. 9 against an unranked Colorado team, which celebrated by taking group photos with a giant Buffaloes flag in front of the scoreboard. Then it was No. 14 Syracuse’s 9-6 win over the ‘Cats Thursday night, accompanied by “Let’s Go Cuse” chants from the Orange faithful in the game’s waning minutes.

That’s what it means to beat a 2020s-era Northwestern lacrosse squad that doesn’t usually let up in this manner.

Of course, that’s not to discredit Colorado and Syracuse. The Buffaloes are 4-2 to start the season, while the Orange are better than their record shows, with competitive losses against No. 1 North Carolina, No. 2 Stanford and No. 3 Maryland.

But Northwestern hadn’t lost multiple home games in a season since 2020. To break that streak in the way it did Thursday night was nothing short of disappointing.

“We struggled to be aggressive in what we wanted to do,” Northwestern head coach Kelly Amonte Hiller said. “We have to learn from that. They’re a great team, they have a lot of athletic kids and we just got to regroup.”

The statistics tell a lot already. Northwestern committed 21 turnovers — even more than in the Colorado game, where protecting the ball was already a problem. The Wildcats’ top four scorers in Madison Taylor, Aditi Foster, Taylor Lapointe and Olivia Adamson combined for 11 of those.

Meanwhile, Taylor (who averages nearly five goals a game) was held to just one goal on four shots while Foster and Adamson were scoreless. To put Northwestern’s attacking struggles in perspective, its leading scorer with two goals was Annabel Child, a midfielder.

Beyond the numbers, Northwestern was playing catch-up from start to finish. The minute and eight seconds after Child’s opening goal with 13:25 left in the opening quarter was the first and only time the Wildcats led on Thursday — and one of the few times they even had a player cutting into the crease area.

Then, the struggle bus hit. Syracuse got going between the thirds as a result of its own transition play speed and Northwestern’s inability to recover loose ground balls on the attack. Molly Guzik scored three goals in under four minutes, giving the Orange an early 3-1 lead. That lead would have been even larger had the goalpost beside NU keeper Jenika Cuocco not robbed Syracuse of multiple scoring chances in the first frame when it outshot the Wildcats 12-4.

Amonte Hiller said Northwestern switched its defensive coverage after Guzik’s early hat trick, and to her credit, it worked. The Wildcat defense performed much better from then on, not allowing a Syracuse goal in the final eight minutes of the first quarter. However, the offense couldn’t replicate the same success to end the initial quarter, and then into the second.

Sure, Lapointe found the net at the end of the first. In the second quarter, a Maddie Epke free position and an acrobatic Child shot (made while a Syrcause defender rammed into her) helped negate goals from Guzik and Bri Peters that opened the frame. But even as Northwestern headed into halftime down just 5-4, the offensive problems that plagued it to start the game weren’t going away.

Taylor, the player who usually leads Northwestern’s offense in both scoring and playmaking, barely got the ball and finished the first half without taking a single shot. In fact, none of the Wildcats’ primary attackers were receiving the ball all that much, with players like first-year Kyle Finnell and Jenna Soto recording more touches than they typically get. The ‘Cats constantly passed to each other on the outskirts of the attacking third or behind the net, but rarely within the fan.

“They played great zone defense. They were pressuring us out, pinching in areas, containing our players,” Amonte Hiller said of the Orange.

If the halftime score gave Wildcats fans hope of a comeback, the second half extinguished it. Syracuse scored four goals unanswered in the opening 25 minutes of the second half, going up to a 9-4 lead with 4:54 left in the fourth. While Guzik, who led all players with six goals, nearly outscored the Wildcats herself, the problem again wasn’t the defense (the Orange scored just one more goal than it did last season, when Northwestern beat them 12-8). Instead, the issue was the turnovers continuing to pile up, while the Wildcats struggled to capitalize on their opportunities — passing off free position shots or firing way wide.

Northwestern attempted to make one final push at the end of the fourth quarter after Noel Cumberland broke her team’s scoring drought with 3:57 remaining. A quick Syracuse turnover then helped Taylor avoid going scoreless for the first time since the 2025 NCAA Tournament, as she made the score 9-6 Syracuse with a gritty goal through contact. It was too little, too late for the Wildcats, though, as the Orange defense did just enough to run out the clock and secure their upset.

The adage for perennially winning teams is that occasional losses are supposed to be turning points, the pivotal moment that motivates them toward a long winning streak. But between Thursday, the Colorado loss and the match against No. 13 Stony Brook that was decided by one goal, it’s clear that Northwestern is struggling against top opponents in a way that it didn’t in years past.

The road isn’t going to get any easier, either — in the coming weeks, the ‘Cats still have Maryland, North Carolina and No. 8 Johns Hopkins on their docket. If the Wildcats are struggling to produce against top-ranked teams right now, Big Ten play is going to get a lot more complicated.

Amonte Hiller wants her squad to move on, win or lose, to Sunday’s matchup against Ohio State, and that’s the mentality it needs to avoid spiraling. But Northwestern’s struggles, especially its stagnancy on offense, are consistent issues that need to be addressed.

“The season brings you what you need,” Amonte Hiller said. “Obviously, we needed to be tested today, and hopefully, we get some growth from it.”

On Thursday night, and against Colorado before that, Northwestern lacrosse put up an uncharacteristic performance. The goal now is to ensure that said performances don’t become the new norm.

Grammy Award winner Jelly Roll has so far competed in one pro wrestling match, when he teamed up with Randy Orton to take on Drew McIntyre and Logan Paul on the first night of last year's WWE SummerSlam. Jelly Roll impressed Paul "Triple H" Levesque, and it may only be a matter of time until he returns to the ring.

As advertised by WWE themselves, Jelly Roll is set to appear during tonight's "SmackDown." However, a report from Wrestlevotes Radio on Fightful Select states that there have been talks between Jelly Roll and WWE for a WrestleMania appearance. That means his presence on "SmackDown" could be setting up further involvement on the "Grandest Stage of Them All."

In the past, Jelly Roll has expressed the desire to not only wrestle again but even stick around for an extended run with the promotion. He noted that he understands why Bad Bunny felt the need to return to wrestling after his first match, insisting that he'd be up to perform every Friday for his proposed run with WWE.

Jelly Roll's foray into pro wrestling was a catalyst for his extreme weight loss journey over the last several years. During a clip on "WWE Unreal," the artist revealed that his nickname came from his size, and that his mother used to call him Jelly Roll in an endearing way. However, seeing his SummerSlam 2024 segment on television gave him a jolt of reality regarding his physique, kickstarting a 160 lb. weight loss journey.

Read more: These Wrestlers Ruined Their Career In A Matter Of Seconds

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Daizen Maeda has reflected on reaching 200 appearances for Celtic, in an interview with a Japanese reported which has been posted on Celtic TV…

Daizen Maeda celebrates as Benjamin chases. Scottish Cup quarter final on Sunday 8 March 2026. Photograph by Vagelis Georgariou

Amid the intense recent schedule for Celtic, Daizen Maeda reached the 200th appearance mark for the Hoops and his teammate Yang made it to 100 games for the club, in the crucial  2-1 win against Aberdeen at Pittodrie last Wednesday night.

You can watch the interview, which is in Japanese with English subtitles below. Daizen’s answers are short and to the point and he talks fondly about the brilliant support he has had from the Celtic fans.

Daizen Maeda has scored 70 goals for Celtic with 36 assists, giving the 28 year-old forward a grand total of 106 goal contributions. With Celtic having 10, or maybe 11 matches remaining this season, depending on how the Scottish Cup semi-final goes against St Mirren, it very much looks like it’s a countdown to the Daizen’s inevitable departure.

Last year he had cleared his dressing room locker and said his goodbyes to his teammates only for Celtic to cancel his £10m transfer to Bundesliga side Wolfsburg due to the Board’s failings in the transfer market. To his credit Daizen simply got on with things and even expressed his willingness in January to remain until the end of the season.

With Japan heading to the World Cup this summer, Daizen’s pressing and all-action approach will be there for all the world to see and a big money move seems inevitable.

 “To be honest, I never imagined that I would play this long overseas and make so many appearances for one club,” Daizen said. “So, I feel very proud of myself.”

Danny Finlayson of Livingston battling with Daizen Maeda of Celtic during the Scottish Premiership match between Livingston and Celtic at Set Fare Arena on December 27, 2025. (Photo by WM Sport Media/Getty Images)

Daizen admitted that he had no idea that he’d reached 200 appearances for the club, explains that he was celebrating Yang Hyun-jun’s 100th appearance when he was itoild he had reached 200.  “I actually had no idea,”Daizen admitted. “Somebody told me, ‘You’re actually at 200.’ That’s when I found out for the first time.”

Asked for a favourite moment at home, away and in Europe he chose his debit goal at Celtic Park against Hibs, an away goal at Ibrox and a Champions League goal against Club Brugge at Paradise.

Daizen Maeda. Celtic v theRangers. Premier Sports Cup, semi final at Hampden. 2 November 2025. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

Daizen acknowledged the role of his family for their brilliant support during his time at Celtic. He said: “My family has supported me throughout this journey, and without their support, I don’t think I would have been able to perform well here, score goals, and play so many matches. I am really grateful for them.”

The Celtic forward also spoke about the magnitude of Celtic as a football club and acknowledges the attention and pressure that comes with it.

“Celtic is a much bigger club than many people imagine,” he pointed out.

Daizen Maeda modelling the brand new Celtic FC x adidas Terrace Icons collection

“There is a lot of attention and pressure around the club, and it is very difficult to keep playing regularly, so you need to come with strong determination, not just for Celtic, but to compete in world football.

“I hope young players will take on that challenge with the right mindset.”

Watch Daizen Maeda’s interview below…

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