Orlando Magic forward Franz Wagner will be available in Wednesday's game against the Atlanta Hawks. Wagner is reportedly expected to be on a minutes restriction, according to the Orlando Sentinel's Jason Beede. Wagner last played on Feb. 11 after suffering an ankle injury.

This story will continue to be updated.

CINCINNATI (AP) — Paul Skenes quickly shrugged off the shortest start of his dominant major league career.

Pirates fans shouldn’t worry either after Skenes returned to form on Wednesday.

The reigning NL Cy Young winner allowed one run in five innings and struck out five in the Pirates’ 8-3 win over the Cincinnati Reds.

“I’m pretty insulated from a lot of stuff that’s out there. The stuff that I do see or hear, I don’t really care anyway because it doesn’t have anything to do with the play. I’m just thinking about getting back to execution and executing my pitches,” Skenes said. “Nothing matters except for the game and the pitches.”

Skenes walked Cincinnati’s TJ Friedl, then retired eight straight, including three strikeouts. He walked Friedl twice in three innings before Elly De La Cruz singled for the Reds’ first hit. Two batters later, Nathaniel Lowe doubled in De La Cruz, ending Skenes’ 31-inning scoreless streak against Cincinnati.

Skenes’ scoreless run was the fourth-longest by a Pirates pitcher against an opponent since 1961. Vernon Law holds the mark, blanking the Mets for 40 innings during 1965-66.

The right-hander retired four of the last five batters he faced and departed after throwing 77 pitches, including 51 strikes.

“Definitely progress. Nice to get some volume and be out there for more than two-thirds,” said Skenes, who improved to 5-0 with a 0.53 ERA in six career starts against the Reds. He has 45 strikeouts and only four walks while holding Cincinnati to a .197 batting average.

Further helping Skenes, the Pirates gave strong run support, scoring three in the first on Oneil Cruz’s homer to right.

“With Skenes on the mound, you hate to give them anything early because you know you’re going to have to fight to get anything you can get,” Reds manager Terry Francona said.

Manager Don Kelly said he wanted to avoid overworking Skenes early, especially after his 37-pitch, two-thirds-inning start in the Mets’ opening day win on Thursday. Skenes allowed five runs, tying a career high, with two walks and a strikeout in the 11-7 loss.

“When you’re going off one outing and 37 pitches, we had targeted 80 for him,” Kelly said. “It was something that we need Paul for the long haul, and he did a great job getting through five. As we go, he’s going to be throwing more than five (innings) and 77 (pitches).”

Skenes has a 2.10 ERA through his first 57 starts, the fourth-best mark by any pitcher since 1920. It is also the lowest mark by a Pittsburgh hurler in any span of 57 starts since Babe Adams had a 2.06 ERA between 1918 and ’20.

___

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

Roman Anthony Rebounds With Pinch-Hit Home Run In Red Sox Loss originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Roman Anthony at least offered the Boston Red Sox a silver lining at the end of Wednesday's 6-4 loss to the Houston Astros.

Alex Cora omitted Anthony from the starting lineup following Tuesday's four-strikeout game. In the ninth inning, the manager had the outfielder pinch-hit for second baseman Isiah Kiner-Falefa.

Anthony responded by taking Astros closer Bryan Abreu deep for a solo home run, his first of the 2026 season. He went the opposite way to clear Daikin Park's high left-center fence.

Here's a look at Anthony's home run:

Roman Anthony hit his FIRST home run of the season 🚀 pic.twitter.com/JqYCoW0jhZ

— NESN (@NESN) April 1, 2026

Anthony began his first full season with immense expectations, and he started by reaching base four times on Opening Day. The 21-year-old then fell into a slump, going 1-for-17 with 10 strikeouts in four straight Red Sox losses.

Perhaps it's a reality check for those anticipating an MVP campaign in 2026, but it's also far too early to draw any meaningful conclusions. 

Unfortunately for the Red Sox, Anthony's home run didn't affect Wednesday's outcome. Abreu recovered to record his first save of the season and conclude a three-game sweep for the Astros.

The Red Sox will attempt to snap a five-game losing snide when they host the San Diego Padres in Friday's home opener at 2:10 p.m. ET.

More MLB: Red Sox's Triston Casas Shut Down 'For A While' With Injury Setback

Giovanni Leoni is expected to return to team training at Liverpool by the end of April this year.

This claim comes from Mondo Primavera, with the Italian outlet claiming that the centre-back has returned to individual training on the pitch.

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The summer signing from Parma arrived for a fee of £26m (plus add-ons) on a then six-year deal.

Giovanni Leoni set to return to Liverpool team training soon

It would now seem that Leoni has gotten past the worst of his rehabilitation program after suffering a torn ACL.

Want more Empire of the Kop coverage? Add us as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list for news you can trust

The 19-year-old had, quite tragically, picked up the issue after falling awkwardly in the Reds’ 2-1 victory over Southampton in the Carabao Cup. The same clash that saw Hugo Ekitike handed his marching orders after removing his shirt for a goal celebration while already on a yellow card.

Giovanni Leoni recounted the experience back in January, revealing that he’d told Conor Bradley, “I’ve done my cruciate” after feeling the “strongest pain I have felt in my life.”

It’s a welcome sign that we’ll soon see the footballer back on the pitch and hopefully getting his development back on track.

Liverpool still need a defender but must not give up on Leoni

When Liverpool signed the Italian, they knew they’d bagged one of the most promising defensive talents in Europe.

That much appeared to be confirmed in a tremendous display from Leoni against Southampton – right up until his exit in the 82nd minute.

There is a serious concern for us that the injury could mean we see a totally different player by the time he’s pulling on the famous red shirt again.

In that case, Liverpool will have to significantly alter their transfer plans in the upcoming summer window.

Either way, we still think the club could do with an extra centre-back if possible.

But we want to be absolutely clear that Giovanni Leoni deserves opportunities to prove that he can still fulfil his vast potential in the sport.

Leoni could save Liverpool millions

Assuming that the club feels they’re happy to proceed with the youngster going into the 2026/27 pre-season, it could provide considerable transfer relief.

Given the price tags we’ve seen around players like Castello Lukeba (£56.7m) and Alessandro Bastoni (£43.5m-plus), it’s fair to assume that landing another top young talent will probably cost Liverpool north of £25m-30m.

It’s a decent chunk of change.

More Stories / Latest News

Excitement at Liverpool as tremendous update could save the club millions

April 1, 2026 22:30

‘Contract talks already started’ – Fabrizio Romano confirms transfer news with big impact for Liverpool

April 1, 2026 19:19

Excellent news coming out of Liverpool on Wednesday afternoon

April 1, 2026 17:01

With March coming to a close on Tuesday, Zyron Forstall became the latest 5-star recruit in the 2027 class to commit, choosing Texas A&M.

The IMG Academy standout was the second five-star to commit in the month after a slow month of February with only one. In total, nine of the nation’s 20 five-stars in the Rivals Industry Ranking are currently committed. And that number will expand to 32 later in the cycle to match the number of picks in the first round of the NFL Draft.

We’re sure to see even more fireworks in April, and heading into the month, Rivals breaks down the nine committed five-stars:

The Rivals Industry Ranking is a proprietary algorithm that compiles ratings and rankings from all three primary recruiting media services. The Rivals Industry Ranking is the industry’s most advanced, complete, and unbiased measurement. It equally weights the primary recruiting media services as follows: Rivals (33%), 247Sports (33%), and ESPN (33%). 

DL Jalen Brewster – Texas Tech

Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 1
Rivals300 Ranking: No. 1
247Sports: No. 6
ESPN: No. 1
School: Cedar Hill (Cedar Hill, TX)
Scouting Summary: Uber-athletic defensive line prospect with true game-wrecking ability. Measured in at around 6-foot-3, 300 pounds prior to his junior season. Tests as an elite athlete in the combine setting, easily cracking 5.0 seconds in the 40-yard dash. Carries that athleticism over to the field where he has flashes of dominance on Friday nights. Lines up all over the defensive line for Cedar Hill (Texas) while facing top competition. Dangerous pass rusher from any spot. Combines explosive get-off with the movement skills of a much smaller player, carrying elite testing numbers directly onto the field. Consistently collapses pockets and disrupts plays before they develop. Has legitimate game-wrecking moments on film. The quickness to dart into the backfield and the speed to hunt down ball carriers is eye-popping. May not possess premier length. Father was a third-round pick by the Dallas Cowboys. Tracking as the top defensive line prospect early on in the 2027 cycle with the upside to be an early NFL Draft pick.

EDGE David Jacobs – Ohio State

Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 3
Rivals300 Ranking: No. 12
247Sports: No. 1
ESPN: No. 4
School: Blessed Trinity Catholic (Roswell, GA)
Scout’s Take: “Jacobs looks to have one of the highest floors of the group and has done enough to earn a fifth star for Rivals. Jacobs is one of the more physically-developed edge rusher prospects in the cycle, checking in at around 6-foot-5, 235 pounds. He had a great junior season at Roswell (Ga.) Blessed Trinity, racking up 24 sacks and 16 tackles for loss. The Buckeye pledge has a quick first step and quality bend. He also had back-to-back good showings at the Under Armour All-America Game and the Polynesian Bowl in January. While Jacobs lacks prototypical length for top prospects at the position (sub 32-inch arms), the level of polish and high floor make him one of the safer bets of the 2027 edge rusher group at this point.” — Charles Power, Rivals Director of Scouting and Rankings

RB Kemon Spell – Georgia

Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 6
Rivals300 Ranking: No. 11
247Sports: No. 7
ESPN: No. 8
School: McKeesport (McKeesport, PA)
Scouting Summary: All-encompassing running back that can win with power and elusiveness on inside and outside runs. 5-foot-9, 200-plus pounds with tremendous twitch and leg drive. Plays with low pad level and an excellent center of gravity in order to deliver blows and take them himself. Has breakaway speed in order to hit the homerun. Ran sub-11 in the 100m during his sophomore track season. Shows the ability to catch the ball away from his frame as a pass catcher. Has all the physical and athletic tools to make an immediate impact at the next level and beyond. Younger prospect for the cycle.

WR Easton Royal – Texas

Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 9
Rivals300 Ranking: No. 5
247Sports: No. 30
ESPN: No. 12
School: Brother Martin (New Orleans, LA)
Scouting Summary: The most dynamic pass-catcher early in the 2027 cycle and a threat to score every time he touches the ball. Measured at around 5-foot-11, 185 pounds prior to his junior season. One of the fastest top prospects in the cycle, running a scintillating 10.3-second mark in the 100 meters as a sophomore. Brings that elite speed to the gridiron—lethal on vertical routes, easily pulling away from defensive backs downfield. Tough to tackle in the open field and will take it the distance if he finds space at the second level. Shows natural shiftiness as a route-runner, giving him the ability to separate at every level. Among the more productive top wide receivers in the 2027 cycle as a junior. Can continue improving his ability to attack catches with his arms extended, but has shown an expanded catch radius with several highlight-reel grabs. One of the youngest top prospects in the class with a late July birthday prior to his freshman season of college football. Athleticism, budding polish, and big-play ability make him one of the top overall playmakers in the cycle with the potential to develop into a first-round NFL Draft pick.

OT Cooper Hackett – Oklahoma

Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 15
Rivals300 Ranking: No. 6
247Sports: No. 41
ESPN: No. 27
School: Fort Gibson (Fort Gibson, OK)
Scouting Summary: Hyper-athletic offensive tackle prospect with rare natural movement skills and a frame that points to immense long-term upside as one of the highest-ceiling linemen early in the 2027 cycle. Measured around 6-foot-7, 260 pounds with elite length (arms over 34 inches) and big hands prior to his junior season. Has the frame to add significant mass once in a college strength program. Lines up at right tackle for his high school, where his athletic traits immediately stand out. Moves with rare fluidity for his size and plays with surprising power through his lower half, generating torque and leverage at the point of attack. Shows balance and body control that project well to the next level. Displays loose flexibility and consistently lowers his pads to handle shorter defenders. Plays with a physical edge and looks to finish blocks through the whistle. Further showcases his athleticism as a disruptive defensive end. Doubles as a talented basketball player on the high school and AAU circuit who can run the court and play above the rim. Will need to add considerable mass and adjust to stronger competition at the next level, which could delay early playing time. Possesses an outstanding developmental profile with the big frame, movement skills, and multi-sport coordination that give him the upside to develop into an early-round NFL Draft pick.

EDGE Zyron Forstall – Texas A&M

Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 16
Rivals300 Ranking: No. 146
247Sports: No. 13
ESPN: No. 11
School:IMG Academy (Fla.)
Scouting Summary: Electric pass rusher who is already showing signs of dominance as a high school underclassman. Measured in at 6-foot-3.5, 235 pounds prior to his junior season. Registers as a strong athlete in the combine setting. An apex predator off the edge. Flashes excellent first-step quickness, knifing into the backfield with regularity. Considerable power at the point of attack. Sinks his hips and drives through offensive linemen. Lives behind the line of scrimmage, where he’s an emphatic, physical finisher. Has shown early signs of a pass rush skill set with an explosive spin move. Also lines up as an off-ball linebacker at times. Motor runs white hot. Stalks down ball carriers from sideline to sideline. Totaled nearly 30 tackles for loss and double-digit sacks as a sophomore. Has game-wrecking qualities, forcing fumbles at a high rate.

WR Jamier Brown – Ohio State

Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 17
Rivals300 Ranking: No. 48
247Sports: No. 20
ESPN: No. 9
School: Wayne (Wayne, OH)
The Skinny: The five-star pass-catcher has already been committed to Ohio State for over a year. He made his pledge on Nov. 23, 2024 and has shown no signs of backing off since, even with the departure of Brian Hartline. The Buckeyes inked five-star WR Chris Henry Jr. after a long-standing commitment and they’ll now hope to do the same with Brown. He’s the top-ranked prospect in Ohio.

ATH Honor Fa’alave-Johnson – USC

Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 18
Rivals300 Ranking: No. 36
247Sports: No. 22
ESPN: No. 19
School: Cathedral Catholic (San Diego, CA)
Scout’s Take: “Fa’alave-Johnson is one of the more unique athletes to come out of the West in some time and could legitimately play four positions at the college level. He was recruited primarily as a running back and safety but we’ve seen him play receiver and corner and he’s very capable at those two positions as well. He’s a true home run threat at running back with explosive speed and 22.76 MPH on the GPS as a junior. He has some power to him as well, excellent contact balance and can run through would be tacklers. At safety, he’s smart, rangy, has excellent ball skills and plays with a mean streak. He has an edge in his game and is one of those players you love on your team but hate to play against. He brings special teams value as a return man as well and has all the talent to compete for playing time immediately at the college level.” — Greg Biggins, Rivals National Analyst

SAF Kamarui Dorsey – Texas A&M

Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 19
Rivals300 Ranking: No. 24
247Sports: No. 39
ESPN: No. 20
School: Hampton (Hampton, GA)
Scouting Summary: Physically imposing, versatile safety prospect that plays with violence in the run game who has massive range as a middle of the field rover. Verified 6-foot-3, 200 pounds with great length. Two-way player who doubles as a receiver for his high school program. Shows excellent movement skills on tape on both sides of the ball and in the camp circuit. Has great long-speed in order to cover sideline to sideline as a center fielder or when coming downhill to run the alley. Excellent trigger when working downhill and has no problem detonating ball carriers, very comfortable around the box. Has the ability to play man coverage in the slot or outside. Needs to continue developing hip flexibility and fluidity in order to be more reliable as a coverage player in the underneath and intermediate levels of the field. Has the ability to walk in and compete as a heavy nickel early on at the next level that will eventually develop into a true three-dimensional defensive back that has the ability to play man, zone, and stop the run.

Former Denver Broncos outside linebacker Von Miller is signing with the Las Vegas Raiders — or so he'd like you to believe. April Fools!

Miller posted on Instagram that he would be signing with one of Denver's oldest rivals, the Las Vegas Raiders on Wednesday. "Sin City let’s get crazy!" posted captioned his post.

Raiders minority owner Tom Brady leaned into the joke, commented on the post with three fire emojis. Miller and Brady have grown closer over the years, even playing in a flag football tournament together recently.

Relax, Broncos Country! Earlier in the offseason, Miller responded to speculation that he could join Las Vegas during free agency. "(Playing for Las Vegas is) really the only thing that could make Broncos Country not love me no more," said Miller on his "Free Range" podcast in February. "If I'm going (back) to the AFC West, it's going to be the Denver Broncos."

View this post on Instagram

Miller has pulled this joke multiple times in years past, making similar April Fools posts in 2017, 2018 and 2020, among other years.

Miller is still a free agent after the Washington Commanders let his contract expire. The ferocious pass-rusher has had a wonderful career to this point, including two Super Bowl wins and a Super Bowl MVP. He is still looking to make his mark on the league, and still hopes to one day return to the Broncos.

Social: Follow Broncos Wire on Facebook and Twitter/X! Did you know: These 25 celebrities are Broncos fans.

This article originally appeared on Broncos Wire: NFL news: Von Miller trolls with Raiders 'news' (Tom Brady’s in on it)

Sammy Smith is seeking his first win of the 2026 NASCAR O'Reilly Series season and it could be coming soon. Smith and the No. 8 team for JR Motorsports have been very strong to start the 2026 season with six top-10 finishes in the first seven races. The driver of the No. 8 car is tied with Justin Allgaier and Corey Day for the most.

Smith is experiencing what could be a breakout season in the O'Reilly Series. The JR Motorsports driver already has four top-5 finishes, putting him on pace to shatter his career high of eight during the 2025 NASCAR season. Smith also has an outstanding 8.7 average finishing position going into Rockingham Speedway.

Speaking of Rockingham, it was the only race that Smith won during the 2025 NASCAR season after Jesse Love was disqualified. The No. 8 team has been very consistent through the first seven races, and Smith is getting close to victory lane. All it takes is one win and dam might break for Smith in 2026.

More: Justin Allgaier takes big NASCAR O'Reilly points lead into Rockingham

This article originally appeared on Motorsports Wire: Sammy Smith seeking first win of 2026 after strong start to season

The Alabama Crimson Tide will face the Texas Longhorns in a three-game series beginning on Thursday evening at 6 p.m CT.

The Tide enter the matchup as one of the hottest teams in all of college softball, and a potential series victory over the Longhorns would certainly gibe Alabama an argument to be made as the best team in the country. The Tide enter the contest with an overall record of 33-2, as Alabama will look to keep things rolling against the No. 1 ranked team in the nation. 

Here are three bold predictions for Alabama’s series vs. Texas this weekend.

Brooke Wells stays red hot at the plate, records 2+ home runs 

Wells has been considered to be a top hitter in all of college softball throughout the entire 2026 campaign. The star sophomore is currently batting a team-high .467 AVG on the year, as Wells continues to dominate at the plate on a nightly basis. 

The talented infielder will need to stay red hot against the Longhorns this weekend, as Wells has been excellent on a nightly basis for the Tide this season. 

Vic Moten continues to thrive, records 12+ strikeouts

Moten has continued to dominate on a nightly basis for the Tide this season. The star pitcher was excellent against NDSU this past Friday, as Moten surrendered just one earned run on three hits through seven innings pitched while improving to a 13-2 record on the year.

Moten recorded an impressive 14 strikeouts against the Bison as well, as the talented flamethrower could shine yet again against Texas this weekend. 

Ambrey Taylor shines again, records 3+ home runs 

Taylor continues to emerge as an excellent addition to Alabama’s lineup this season. The talented freshman hit two home runs during the Tide’s 13-0 victory over NDSU on Saturday, as Taylor continues to earn herself an everyday role in Alabama’s lineup this season. 

Taylor is currently hitting .410 on the year despite having just 39 at-bats, as the rising star continues to shine despite having limited opportunities.

Alabama will begin their three-game set against Texas on Thursday at 6 p.m. CT, as the Tide will look to stay red hot against the No. 1 ranked team in the country. 

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

This article originally appeared on Roll Tide Wire: Alabama softball bold predictions for series vs. Texas Longhorns

Last game: 6-2 win over Angels

Next game: Friday, April 3, vs. Guardians at Cleveland, 3:10 p.m. CT. TV: Marquee Sports Network.

Cubs regular season radio: WSCR 670/104.3 The Score (all regular season games), Cubs broadcast radio affiliates, Cubs Sirius XM radio schedule

Current MLB standings

2026 Cubs regular season schedule

Cubs 2026 regular season record: 3-3 (3-3 home, 0-0 road)
Al’s 20265 regular season record: 3-3 (all home)

Cubs 2026 regular season record on various TV channels

Marquee Sports Network: 3-3
Fox: 0-0
NBC/Peacock: 0-0
ESPN: 0-0
Apple TV+: 0-0

Cubs 2026 regular season record wearing various uniforms

White pinstripe: 3-3
Chicago Blues: 0-0
Blue alternate: 0-0
Road gray: 0-0

Cubs 2026 spring training record: 14-18 (14-17 Spring Training, 0-1 WBC exhibition)
Al’s 2026 spring training record: 7-8 (7-7 Spring Training, 0-1 WBC exhibition)

Yep… It’s that day.

Is it just me, or does April Fools’ Day just not hit the same anymore? Maybe it’s because the world is already flooded with misinformation, so every day kind of feels like April 1. Or maybe it’s because I’m in my mid-30s and slowly turning into the “old man yelling at clouds.”

Probably both.

I still remember back in 2007 when I pranked my poor mom by telling her I totaled my brand-new Nissan Maxima on the freeway because I was on my phone. She was distraught… and then, eventually, she laughed it off.

(For what it’s worth, I actually totaled that Maxima two years later. Karma is real.)

Anyway…

April Fools’ Day is especially brutal in the MMA news cycle. Every headline, every clip, every “breaking” story — you’ve got to double-check it twice before even thinking about reacting.

And let’s be honest: some of these are actually clever… while others are just painful.

Here are some of the best — and worst — pranks floating around social media today:

Arman Tsarukyan posted this last night before April Fools’ Day hit America — and no lie, he got me.

Michael Chiesa, who retired last weekend at UFC Seattle, is unretiring.

Both Sean O’Malley and Aiemann Zahabi were in on the joke by saying their UFC White House bout is now an interim title fight.

Bo Nickal is going to coach at one of his rival colleges, Iowa.

Regional fighter Erko Jun is fighting Conor McGregor in Brave.

Jake Paul’s next opponent revealed

UFC is starting a Master’s division, and former Australian UFC fighter Elvis Sinosic is returning.

Top regional promotion Cage Warriors has added new Speedos (shout out Dennis Hallman).

Nina Drama is going to compete in Powerslap.

So yeah, be safe and don’t get fooled today.

Uruguayan full-back Maxi Araujo has won the favour of both Juventus head coach Luciano Spalletti and the club’s sporting director, Marco Ottolini.

The Montevideo native began his career at the academy of Wanderers in his home country before moving to Mexico, where he had experiences at Puebla and Toluca between 2020 and 2024.

The 26-year-old joined Sporting Club in the summer of 2024 for circa €13 million, and has now established himself as a protagonist at the club.

Maxi Araujo attracts Juventus interest

On Tuesday, Araujo started for Uruguay in an international friendly against Algeria held at the Allianz Stadium in Turin.

Juventus were heavily represented in the stands, with club president Gianluca Ferrero attending the contest, alongside Ottolini, who took the opportunity to monitor several players, including Manchester United midfielder Manuel Ugarte.

While the contest ended goalless, Tuttosportclaims that the Juventus sporting director was impressed with what he saw from Maxi Araujo.

The source adds that the Uruguay international had already made an impression on Spalletti when the Bianconeri hosted Sporting in a Champions League group stage contest on November 4.

Araujo opened the scoring for the Portuguese giants, but Dusan Vlahovic rescued a point for the home side. However, the report insists that the Juventus manager wasn’t only impressed by the goal but also by the player’s general performance.

Araujo’s playing role & market value

On Tuesday, Uruguay head coach Marcelo Bielsa fielded Araujo as a left winger in his 4-4-1-1 system, with Napoli’s Mathias Olivera playing behind him on the same flank.

Nevertheless, Araujo mostly plays at left-back for Sporting, and is only occasionally moved higher up the field.

Therefore, the Turin-based newspaper believes the Uruguayan could be a potential replacement for Andrea Cambiaso if he ends up leaving Juventus in the summer.

Araujo contributed with six goals and four assists in his 35 appearances this season. Transfermarktestimates his current value at €25 million.

• Arne Slot facing upto eight injury absences for Saturday’s FA Cup quarter-final vs Manchester City
• Liverpool chasing cup glory to mask poor Premier League title defence amid UCL chase
• Manchester City can set up FA Cup semi-final trip to Wembley after recent Carabao Cup final win

Liverpool defender Jeremie Frimpong was taken off in Netherlands’ 1-1 friendly draw with Ecuador on Tuesday night.

The Reds are set to take on Manchester City in the FA Cup quarter-final on Saturday upon the return of club action after the ongoing international break.

City recently tasted their first piece of silverware in two seasons by defeating Arsenal in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley, with Nico O’Reilly netting a brace in a 2-0 win for the Blues.

Pep Guardiola and co are still chasing Arsenal in the Premier League title race and can build on their recent Wembley heroics by setting up another visit to the English capital if they can see off Liverpool this weekend.

Gallery: Manchester City’s Carabao Cup celebrations and behind-the-scenes at Wembley

Man City vs Liverpool: Injury Situation

Manchester City saw John Stones return to the north-west over the weekend after the 31-year-old – whose contract is expiring in June – suffered a calf injury with England last week.

Mateo Kovacic is nearing a return to action for the Blues, with Josko Gvardiolstill on the sidelines as he recovers from a tibial fracture on his right leg he sustained in January. Elsewhere, the Blues have a fully fit squad.

Liverpool are hoping that Mohamed Salah can be fit to feature at the Etihad Stadium. Alisson Becker missed Liverpool’s recent Premier League defeat to Brighton and Hove Albion, with Hugo Ekitike also going off after nine minutes at the Amex Stadium. Federico Chiesa also withdrew from international duty with Italy.

Liverpool receive Mo Salah injury update ahead of Manchester City clash

Conor Bradley is ruled out for the rest of the season; Wataru Endo is facing a lengthy lay-off after an injury in mid-February; Giovanni Leoni is not expected to play again this season after an ACL rupture; Stefan Bajcetic is making his way back from a long-term injury.

Frimpong adds to Slot’s fitness woes

Liverpool manager Arne Slot has been handed yet another worrying selection headache after full-back Jeremie Frimpong was taken off after 60 minutes in Netherlands’s 1-1 friendly draw with Ecuador on Tuesday night.

Netherlands manager Ronald Koeman addressed the change after the draw. “That was a real setback – we had to take him off,” Koeman said on Frimpong’s injury, the nature and full extent of which remain unknown but could become more clear when Slot previews the FA Cup quarter-final in Friday’s press conference.

The Premier League champions are fighting for a top five league finish this season to secure UEFA Champions League qualification for next season, currently sitting in fifth place in the table – one point ahead of fellow Europe hopefuls Chelsea.

Guardiola will also face the press on Friday afternoon to provide a comprehensive fitness update on his squad ahead of a monumental run of games against Liverpool (FA Cup), Chelsea (Premier League) and Arsenal (Premier League) in the next three weeks.

Everton left-back Vitaliy Mykolenko reportedly picked up an adductor injury while away with Ukraine during the March 2026 international break. The 26-year-old, a regular for his country since 2018, was a surprise omission from the starting lineup for Tuesday’s World Cup playoff against Albania. Ukraine had already seen their 2026 World Cup dreams slip away after a 3-1 playoff semi-final loss to Sweden, with Bohdan Mykhailichenko stepping in for Mykolenko against Albania.

Mykolenko Picks Up Adductor Injury With Ukraine

Ukraine boss Serhiy Rebrov later cleared up the confusion, explaining that the Everton defender had seen doctors the day before without telling the coaches. Though he initially tried to declare himself fit, the injury ultimately sidelined him. Rebrov noted that Mykolenko described the issue as not that serious and expects to be back on Merseyside after five days of rest. This situation is critical, as Mykolenko’s contract expires at the end of the season, making every fitness update a major talking point.

“Unfortunately, he felt (something). He says that yesterday he went to the doctors, but I didn’t know anything about it. And when we were deciding with the main squad, he said that he was ready,” the Ukraine manager explained.

“Unfortunately, he got this injury, but as far as I can see now, he says that it’s not that serious, and he has 5 days off now. I’m sure that he will return to Everton in normal condition.” (Via Sport Witness)

Is This Injury a Bigger Problem For Everton Than It Looks?

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND – MARCH 21: Vitalii Mykolenko of Everton during the Premier League match between Everton and Chelsea at Hill Dickinson Stadium on March 21, 2026 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)

It’s been another inconsistent year for Mykolenko at Everton, though he has kept his spot in David Moyes’s XI. While this latest knock seems minor, it fits a worrying pattern. This isn’t a one-off; he suffered a similar adductor injury just minutes into a pre-season friendly against Roma in August 2025. These muscle problems tend to linger, and Mykolenko’s medical history at Goodison, stretching back to hip issues in 2022, is becoming hard to ignore.

His stats this season are also a mixed bag. A 35% dribble success rate and losing possession nearly 15 times per game aren’t the numbers of a top-tier attacking fullback. However, he still offers defensive grit. In the Sweden match, his 106 touches and eight duels won showed he can still impact big games.

Will This Affect Everton?

Honestly, Not Much Right Now. In the short term, this shouldn’t derail Everton’s season. A five-day recovery for a mild strain is manageable, and Moyes needs him ready for the final seven-game push for Europe. The real issue is the summer. With his contract up, re-signing a player with recurring muscle injuries is a massive gamble. I suspect Everton will let him walk. Given his durability issues and polarising form, it’s time for a cold assessment over sentiment. Everton should look for a fresh start at left-back rather than doubling down on more uncertainty.

Spring practice is alive and well in Happy Valley so we’re going to go position-by-position to preview what the Nittany Lions have heading into the 2026 season.

We’ll be live at 7 p.m. EST on YouTube.

The audio for the show will be up on Apple and Spotify at some time tomorrow.

The Red Sox cannot wipe away this road trip fast enough. Fenway Park, here they come.

Another loss to the Houston Astros, a 6-4 final on Wednesday, spelled more of the same. Too many strikeouts. Too many errors. Not good enough in any phase. Not even Crochet Day could put the Red Sox back in the win column. Wilyer Abreu and Roman Anthony tried to save the day with late home runs, but Boston heads east with just their Opening Day win in Cincinnati to show. 

Here are three takeaways from Boston’s series finale in Houston. 

Shaky, not sharp for Crochet

The Astros certainly do not fear the 2025 American League Cy Young Award runner-up. In fact, they attacked him unlike any other offense since he donned the Red Sox uniform.

Houston tagged Crochet for five runs in just four innings of work last August. Wednesday at Daikin Park marked more of the same for the lefty. Crochet finished five innings, the only Red Sox pitcher of the series to do so. The Astros took flight in that span with six hits and five runs (four earned) in another offensive burst.

The southpaw struck out seven, though Carlos Correa delivered the backbreaking swing of the start. The veteran infielder walloped a 1-2 sweeper into the Crawford boxes. The Astros took the lead, knocked Crochet out following the inning and delivered another gut punch to the visitors.

Connor Wong: XBH machine?

Boston’s backup catcher was an offensive liability last season. He didn’t log his first extra-base hit until July 25. 

Well, aided by Carlos Narvaez’s mysterious scratch, Wong is as hot as any Red Sox hitter thus far. He roped his third double of the season Wednesday afternoon. Sustainable? Doubtful, but we’ll see. In any measure, a serviceable Wong would be a welcomed Red Sox surprise. 

So long, Mr. Alvarez

The good news? The Red Sox are done pitching to Yordan Alvarez (for now). 

The bad news? They’ll see him again in exactly a month. 

Alvarez is as much of a Red Sox killer as any slugger to ever face Boston. The stat ran through multiple broadcasts during the series: No qualified hitter (100 at-bats) has a higher OPS (1.280) in history against Boston than Alvarez — next in line in that stat is some guy named Babe Ruth. The 2021 ALCS MVP continued his reign with another monstrous series to the tune of a .545 average with two homers and a 1.888 OPS. He added two more hits and a pair of runs scored Wednesday, along with a staredown of Crochet after Boston’s starter plunked the Houston slugger.

Alvarez comes to Fenway Park with the Astros the first weekend of May. Beware. 

Tiger Woods, who was arrested last week after a rollover car crash near his home in Florida, is reportedly seeking treatment outside of the United States.

The 50-year-old pro golfer — who pleaded not guilty to charges of driving under the influence with property damage and after refusing to submit to a urine test — was granted approval to travel outside the country, TMZ reported on Wednesday, April 1.

A filing made by attorney Douglas Duncan stated, per the outlet, that Woods wanted to leave America to “begin comprehensive inpatient treatment.”

“Based upon the Defendant’s treating physician, the out of country treatment facility recommendation is based upon the Defendant’s complex clinical presentation and the urgent need for a level of care that cannot safely or effectively be done within the United States, as his privacy has been repeatedly compromised,” the legal docs reportedly said.

Citing privacy concerns, Duncan claimed that if Woods were under pressure in the States, it could “result in setbacks and an inability to fully engage in treatment.”

The award-winning golfer, who was previously arrested in 2017 for allegedly driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, was also involved in a car crash in 2021 (though no charges were filed that year).

His most recent accident on March 27 came after the 15-time major champion allegedly clipped a truck and was reportedly found with opioids on him.

While the athlete claimed he had not consumed any alcohol — he blew a 0.0 on the breathalyzer — or illegal substances when police asked, he did tell them he took “a few” when questioned about prescription medications, per an arrest affidavit obtained by Page Six.

Though Woods is expected to leave the U.S., his team assured he will be present for any future court dates, according to TMZ.

Following the ordeal, Woods released a statement on March 31 via X, writing, “I know and understand the seriousness of the situation I find myself in today. I am stepping away for a period of time to seek treatment and focus on my health.”

“This is necessary in order for me to prioritize my well-being and work toward lasting recovery,” the statement continued.

“I’m committed to taking the time needed to return in a healthier, stronger, and more focused place, both personally and professionally. I appreciate your understanding and support, and ask for privacy for my family, loved ones and myself at this time,” he concluded.

Read More From Globe

• Tiger Woods Skipping Masters Amid DUI Arrest, But Will He Play US Senior Open?
• Tiger Woods Pleads Not Guilty to DUI After Police Found Opioids on Him and Noticed 'Signs of Impairment’
• Dr. Drew Says Tiger Woods 'Needs Expertise' in Managing 'Chronic Pain and Addiction' Amid DUI Arrest

This story Tiger Woods Looks to Begin ‘Comprehensive Inpatient Treatment’ Outside U.S. After DUI Arrest first appeared on Globe. Add Globe as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Jacksonville Jaguars are heading to Orlando for the 2027 season and officials talked about the temporary move on Wednesday.

Orlando, Jacksonville, and Jaguars leaders said that they’re excited about the opportunity.

>>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<<

“It’s exciting in that it just sort of signals the next step in our Stadium of the Future and I’m excited to see. Because this has to happen in order for us to finish that stadium. But at the same time, it’s a little bit heart-wrenching because, you know, you don’t want the team to move out of the city for any time,” Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan said.

The unanimous vote at Tuesday’s NFL owners meeting in Phoenix made the Jaguars’ 1-season move to Orlando’s Camping World Stadium official.

“And I believe the league got it right yesterday with the unanimous approval of Orlando as our home here next year in 2027,” Jaguars owner Shad Khan said.

Camping World Stadium is going through a $400 million renovation and will be ready for the Jaguars to call home while the “Stadium of the Future” construction finishes up in time for the 2028 season at EverBank Stadium.

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The Jags will play seven to 10 home games at Camping World Stadium.

“That building needs to be sold out for the entire season. That’s the chance that Shad, and Mark and the team have given us and we gotta rise to the occasion and show them that Orlando can sell out an NFL season,” Florida Citrus Sports CEO Steve Hogan said.

This doesn’t appear to be a one-way relationship just benefitting Orlando. This gives the opportunity for the Jaguars and the City of Jacksonville to regionalize their brands.

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“We believe that there’s in excess of 200,000 Jaguar fans who currently live in Central Florida. I think we’ll be able to deliver a much, much closer connection between our fans in Central Florida and the Jaguars,” Jaguars President Mark Lamping said.

Orlando and Jacksonville officials and the Jaguars are looking at this as a collaboration and they don’t want to leave out Jaguars fans.

Season ticket holders will have the first opportunity to buy tickets for the 2027 season in Orlando.

You can watch the team’s Wednesday news conference as it aired on the Action News Jax YouTube channel below:

Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.

Lakers’ Luka Doncic lands between Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant on historic NBA scoring list originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Luka Dončić continued his incredible late-season MVP push with a 42-point, 12-assist, 5-rebound masterpiece in the Los Angeles Lakers' 127-113 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday night.

The 27-year-old phenom finished the month of March averaging 37.5 points on 49.2/39.2/79.4 shooting splits in 16 appearances, making NBA history in the process.

After his latest scoring explosion, Dončić became the third-youngest player ever to notch 15,000 career points at 27 years and 31 days old, according to ESPN Insights.

Dončić beat out former Lakers legend and Hall of Famer Kobe Bryant by 105 days and only trails 15-time All-Star Kevin Durant (26 years, 78 days) and his teammate LeBron James (25 years, 79 days).

Another impressive outing helped Dončić to maintain his league-leading scoring average of 33.8 points. Even with this latest accomplishment, the 6-time All-Star has only managed to place fourth in the NBA's latest MVP ladder behind the San Antonio Spurs' Victor Wembanyama, Oklahoma City Thunder's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Denver Nuggets' Nikola Jokić.

Aside from his individual achievements, Dončić's continued stellar play has led the Lakers to a late-season push as a collective, as he's helped the group to the Western Conference's No. 3 seed and a 50-26 record.

The 2025-26 campaign marks the third consecutive season of 30-plus point scoring numbers for the ex-Dallas Mavericks superstar, and he's now entering further into rarefied air thanks to the pace at which he's put the ball in the basket throughout first eight NBA seasons.

More NBA: Rockets' Kevin Durant reacts to Houston Comets returning to Houston

From afar, they have been circling each other like two young hawks zeroing in for an attack. On Saturday, June 27, WBA and WBO 154-pound world champion Xander Zayas and former unified IBF/WBA welterweight world champion Jaron “Boots” Ennis will get their wish when they fight for Zayas’ super welterweight world titles at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, live on DAZN.

At age 23, Zayas (23-0, 13 KOs) is the youngest 154-pound world champion in boxing, unifying his championships by winning the vacant WBO title with a unanimous decision over Jorge Garcia Perez in July 2025, and taking the WBA belt with a split decision over former titleholder Abass Baraou in late January. At age 28, Ennis (35-0, 31 KOs) has been touted the past few years as the next great star in boxing, making his 154-pound debut with an easy first-round stoppage of Uisma Lima in October.

In an Uncrowned exclusive, both fighters and their trainers spoke about the impending matchup.

Ennis was supposed to fight 154-pound contender Vergil Ortiz, but that fight was stopped when Ortiz’s promoter, Golden Boy Promotions, obtained a restraining order to halt the bout from happening without their involvement.

“I’m not sure if [Zayas] poses any real problems for me,” Ennis tells Uncrowned.

“He’s a good fighter. I respect him. I feel great going into this fight. I’m about to extend my legacy in the boxing game as a two-time unified weight-division champion. What I know about him is I watched him a few times — he’s a solid fighter. He does nothing that concerns me. A big deal is fighting at 154 pounds, I still feel my best is yet to come. I had a lot of energy during fight week in my last fight. I like Xander, I respect him. But I’m someone he’s never faced before.”

Ennis had been tormenting himself to make 147 pounds over the previous two years. He says he was fighting at around 80% of his full capacity trying to make 147, and it simply became too taxing on his body. No one on Ennis’ team felt like they were getting the real version of him since 2023. The move to 154 pounds had to be made.

“I feel better, and going to 154 was the best thing for me,” Ennis says. “Every time someone says my next opponent is supposed to be my toughest test, I always rise to the challenge and make it look easy. It’s what I plan on doing June 27. I’m already working in camp. You know I live in the gym, so we’ll work on a fight plan.

“I give [Zayas] credit though — he was willing to step up when everyone else [at 154] wasn’t. I see this a great opportunity to show the world who I am and what I can do.”

Zayas, on the other hand, feels Ennis may be overlooking him.

“He can think anyway he wants. I know I can give ‘Boots’ a problem,” Zayas says. “He’s never been in the ring with someone like me. If I get the chance, I’ll rip out his heart. He’s going to feel uncomfortable, and I’m going to put him there. He won because he’s bullied guys, beating guys he was bigger than and more athletic than. Let him face me. I’m someone who is as big as he is, just as athletic as he is, and probably stronger than he is, because I’m a natural 154-pounder. I’m as athletic and will be as composed and as smart in the ring as he is.

Mark Robinson via Getty Images

“Some of these fans do not understand the game and the work ethic and the business. I am very athletic, and when you have the work ethic, with athleticism, it shows you belong. ‘Boots’ has shown he belongs among the best. It will be a competitive fight, but I can do a lot more things in the ring than he can. Go down the list at 154 — I have something over all of them. I’m a two-time world champion and I am 23 years old. I’m comfortable making 154. I have been very professional my whole career and very happy that I am the youngest and most accomplished in the whole division. I want two more fights this year. I’m not the hunted — the way I see it, I’m still hunting. [WBC champion Sebastian] Fundora and [IBF champion Josh] Kelly have the two belts I want. Facing [Ennis] is a big test for me, on the way to bigger things.”

Ennis is listed at 5-foot-10, though may be 5-foot-11, with a 74-inch reach and fights from an orthodox stance. However what makes him dangerous, other than his hand speed and superior ring IQ, is he can — and has — switched to southpaw during fights. Zayas is also listed at 5-foot-10, though may be closer to 6-foot, also has a 74-inch reach. Zayas has stopped one of his past five opponents, while Ennis has stopped three of his past four opponents. Ennis handed previously undefeated Eimantas Stanionis his first loss, by sixth-round knockout, though may not have faced anyone as good as Zayas.

I’m not sure if [Zayas] poses any real problems for me. He’s a good fighter, I respect him. [But] he does nothing that concerns me.Jaron "Boots" Ennis

Ennis, however, does get away with mistakes against fighters who do not have his hand speed and athleticism. Ennis is a slightly better athlete, but Zayas may be bigger, may have better footwork and has sound ring IQ. Zayas will need to box and move, and his legs will be the key, attacking on angles. He has a habit of backing straight up. Zayas is very good punching while moving. Ennis is a boxer-puncher, and his lapses come in concentration out of boredom. He’s never had his chin tested.

These are two young fighters still in search of their signature victories.

“No one else wanted to fight us, and I knew form the beginning Ortiz did not want to fight,” says Bozy Ennis, ‘Boot’s’ father and trainer. “Xander is a tough kid, he’s OK. This will be a good fight and I give Xander credit for the balls to step into the ring. I do like him as a fighter. There is no doubt ‘Boots’ will win this fight. Xander stood up; plus, he’s young, 23. [But] ‘Boots’ can do everything. He can fight and box, and he has different ways to fight and win.

“This fight will take ‘Boots’ to another level. But I don’t think Xander is the toughest fighter ‘Boots’ has ever faced. Stanionis was supposed to be tough and look what ‘Boots’ did to him. [Sergei] Lipinets and [Thomas] Dulorme were supposed to be tough and look what ‘Boots’ did to them [in knockout wins]. I think they were tougher than Xander.

“Nothing is wrong with Xander, he’s a good boxer. This will be a good test for ‘Boots.’ I think Xander is a better test than Ortiz, who comes to you. Xander will box and move.”

Al Bello via Getty Images

Javiel Centeno, Zayas’ trainer since the start of his career and one of more underrated trainers in the game, feels confident going into this fight.

“We want to face the version of ‘Boots’ we think he can be, and the ‘Boots’ that we have seen in the past,” Centeno says. “After we beat Baraou, we were looking to fight the next best fight. We tried the Fundora route and that never happened. The whole Ortiz-’Boots’ debacle left the door open for us. ‘Boots,’ without a doubt, is the best fight for us at 154. Josh Kelly wasn’t going to fight us. Fundora wasn’t going to fight us. We said yes to Ortiz twice and Xander wanted that fight. They ghosted us for a while, and after Xander won the [WBO] title, we wanted the fight in Puerto Rico. Ortiz did not want the fight in Puerto Rico.

“This is the best fight for us. Xander is right mentally and physically. He knows himself. Top Rank has done a good job of putting him in front of different styles and different looks. These are two great fighters looking to face the best.”

Less than one month away from the 2026 NFL Draft, several wide receiver prospects have emerged as potential first-round options for the Pittsburgh Steelers. But one may stand above them all.

Look no further than Arizona State Sun Devils WR Jordyn Tyson, a once-projected top-10 prospect whose draft stock has taken a hit due to nagging injury concerns.

Here's a look at Tyson's scouting report, containing information on his bio, strengths, concerns, stats, and highlights.

Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State

• Height: 6 feet 2 inches
• Weight: 203 pounds
• 40-yard dash: N/A (did not test)
• Projection: Mid-to-late first round

Strengths

• Versatility to line up at every receiver spot
• Elite route runner
• Outstanding in contested-catch scenarios
• Coached by Steelers legendary WR Hines Ward

Concerns

• Past issues with drops
• Major injury concerns (knee in 2022, collarbone in 2024, hamstring in 2025)
• Average straight-line speed (projected 4.5-second 40-yard dash)

Stats

• 2022: 22 receptions, 470 yards, 4 touchdowns
• 2023: 0 receptions, 0 yards, 0 touchdowns
• 2024: 75 receptions, 1,101 yards, 10 touchdowns
• 2025: 61 receptions, 711 yards, 8 touchdowns

Highlights

126 seconds of Jordyn Tyson creating easy separation pic.twitter.com/PWM6SOxNBk

— Ian Hartitz (@Ihartitz) March 13, 2026

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 NFL Draft scouting report: Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State

Chipotle Nationals opening round: live updates, scores from No. 9 Wasatch Academy vs. No. 10 Link Academy originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

FISHERS, Indiana, April 1 — The field is set, and the Chipotle Nationals tournament will finally get under way Wednesday evening at Hamilton Southeastern High School in Fishers, Indiana.

The opening game is set to tip at 6 p.m. EST when The Sporting News preseason No. 1 Link Academy [Branson, MO] Lions (25-4) take on the Wasatch Academy [Mt. Pleasant, UT] Tigers (24-6). Link is currently ranked No. 10 and also enters the nation's premier high school boys basketball tournament as the #10 seed.

Wasatch, meanwhile, is No. 9 in the rankings, but they are the #7 seed heading into the opening-round contest against the Lions.

HOW TO WATCH: A complete guide to all of the action at The Chipotle Nationals

The two teams played all the way back on November 24 with Link Academy escaping with a 70-66 win. It was part of 15-0 run to start the season for the Lions who are no longer in the running for The Sporting News High School Boys Basketball national championship after losing four games down the stretch.

Wasatch is also eliminated from national title consideration, but the two teams certainly have an opportunity this week in Indiana to play a role in determining the national champion if they can make a deep run.

STREAM:Watch Link Academy vs. Wasatch Academy on the YouTube League Ready channel

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• Date: 6 p.m. EST local, Wednesday, April 1
• STREAM:Watch Link Academy vs. Wasatch Academy on the YouTube League Ready channel

MORE HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL

• The latest SN High School Girls Basketball Top 25
• The Sporting News High School Boys Basketball Top 25
• South Carolina's SCHSL boys basketball state champions
• Mississippi's MHSAA boys basketball state champions
• Washington D.C.'s DCSAA boys basketball champions

Elliot Cadeau allergic reaction: Michigan PG receives medical attention days before Final Four originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Final Four hasn't even started yet, and news about the Michigan Wolverines has already broken.

On Wednesday afternoon, junior guard Elliot Cadeau needed medical attention after a food he had eaten possibly induced an allergic reaction at the Wolverines' Player Development Center. The team was getting ready to travel to Indianapolis, but Cadeau needed to be taken off the bus due to the health scare.

Here is the latest on Cadeau and what this means for his Final Four playing chances.

MARCH MADNESS HQ:Live NCAA bracket | TV schedule | Latest news and more

Elliot Cadeau allergic reaction

On Wednesday afternoon in Ann Arbor, a video was released showing a Michigan Wolverine being wheeled away in a stretcher shortly after sitting on the team bus. Originally, all that was known was that the player needed medical attention, which was needed due to an allergic reaction. Here is the video.

NEW... a member of the Michigan Wolverines basketball team needed medical attention as the team prepared to depart for the Final Four this afternoon from Ann Arbor. Sources say an allergic reaction. Player, said to be fine, expected to join the team later.
VIDEO: Jon Hewett pic.twitter.com/uF3h1h1Mf0

— WWJ 950 (@WWJ950) April 1, 2026

It was later announced that the player involved was guard Elliot Cadeau.

What caused Elliot Cadeau's allergic reaction?

Cadeau reacted to a food he ate at the Player Development Center in Ann Arbor, according to sources. It is unclear what the guard specifically ate that caused the reaction at the moment. 

The Michigan player should be okay, but still received medical attention after the event.

SN AWARDS: All-America team | Boozer Player of the Year | Lloyd Coach of the Year 

Will Elliot Cadeau play in the Final Four?

While it's unclear if Cadeau will definitely play in Michigan's Final Four game against Illinois on Saturday, the Wolverines announced that he will travel to Indianapolis later on the same day he needed medical supervision.

With Cadeau traveling to Indianapolis, he should be okay to play for Saturday's Final Four game against the Fighting Illini.

Michigan statement on Elliot Cadeau allergic reaction

Michigan Athletics issued a statement regarding Cadeau's reaction shortly after it happened. Here is what the university said.

Statement from Michigan athletics: Before the team departed the Player Development Center today, Elliot Cadeau alerted the medical staff that he may have had an allergic reaction to something that he ate. The doctors evaluated Elliot and he is fine.

— Chris Balas (@Balas_Wolverine) April 1, 2026

Balas also added that, "Out of an abundance of caution, he is receiving medical supervision and will be traveling to Indianapolis later today."

MORE: SN's greatest college basketball players from the all-time All-American team

For the second time this off-season, a big time Texas high school quarterback will taking his talents over to the state of California.

According to the Orange County Register on Wednesday, Class of 2027 signal caller Hayes Cloutier has transferred from 2024 UIL Class 6A-Division I state champion North Crowley (TX) to California powerhouse JSerra Catholic (Calif.). Cloutier had a big 2025 season with the Panthers, throwing for 2,058 yards along with 21 touchdowns and the quarterback added 323 yards on the ground plus two scores.

Cloutier becomes the second high-profile transfer to leave the Lone Star State for the Golden State, with Nash McElree transferring into Mission Viejo (Calif.) from Aledo (TX) last month.

JSerra Catholic this off-season hired former NFL linebacker Hardy Nickerson, who spent more 16 seasons in the NFL playing middle linebacker between four separate teams, as head coach. Nickerson led Bishop O’Dowd to a state title in California as the Dragons went 11-4 last season and won the CIF 5-AA championship.

This past 2025 season, JSerra Catholic was out-scored by opponents 402-223 and the Lions were a lowly 3-12 when it came to playing within the vaunted Trinity League, one of the toughest high school football leagues in the country. The Lions this past 2025 season finished with a 12-2 record and ranked No. 7 according to the final 2025 California High School Football Massey Rankings.

More about JSerra Catholic High School

JSerra Catholic High School, located in San Juan Capistrano, California, is a respected private Catholic school known for its rigorous academics, competitive athletics, and strong emphasis on spiritual growth. Offering a variety of AP and honors courses, the school prepares students for higher education and future careers. JSerra’s athletic teams are highly successful, frequently achieving state championships and showcasing school pride. Emphasizing leadership, faith, and community service, the school ensures students are well-rounded and ready for future challenges.

How to Follow California High School Football

For California high school football fans looking to keep up with scores around the Golden State, staying updated on the action is now easier than ever with the Rivals High School Scoreboard. This comprehensive resource provides real-time updates and final scores from across the Golden State, ensuring you never miss a moment of the Friday night frenzy. From nail-biting finishes to dominant performances, the Rivals High School Scoreboard is your one-stop destination for tracking all the California high school football excitement across the state.

Analyst urges Chiefs to load up in one area in NFL Draft originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Kansas City Chiefs' offseason has seen the franchise do some moving and shaking as general manager Brett Veach has tried to refresh the roster.

Kenneth Walker has come in, but Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson have gone to the L.A. Rams, so the roster is going to look a little different.

But Kansas City has two first-round draft picks to work with, which many think is ideal to continue this soft reset from the AFC West franchise. 

However, who should the Chiefs have their eyes on? NFL.com's Eric Edholm has named Kansas City's ideal two first picks, and he's landed on LSU's Mansoor Delane and UCF's edge Malachi Lawrence.

"Chiefs fans weren’t crazy about the Delane-Lawrence pairing in my latest mock, but they’d be getting the top corner in the draft and a rush project who fits their mold well," Edholm wrote. "My thinking was that it would be harder finding a corner of Delane’s caliber at the end of Round 1, and I suspect they’ll draft multiple players at the position.

"With picks coming at Nos. 40 and 74, the Chiefs can afford to gamble on Lawrence’s upside and swing back later for help at tackle, receiver and possibly tight end."

More:Ravens have Lamar Jackson in mind with ideal draft pick

Chiefs' draft approach a fascinating watch

The franchise is going to be able to address several needs, given that they have nine draft selections.

The first two round picks, plus a selection in each of the next three rounds, before the Chiefs have three picks in the fifth-round, before one pick in the sixth round.

So, there are multiple avenues the franchise can attack, and who knows, they might even package some of those fifth-round picks and look to trade up into the earlier rounds.

If you are going to do a soft reset like the Chiefs are planning, they've executed their plan nicely.

Now, all that is left is to nail the draft, and with nine picks, the Chiefs have the odds in their favor.

More NFL news:

• Giants select ideal Malik Nabers running mate in latest mock draft
• Vikings QB predicted to follow Super Bowl champion path
• Browns' Todd Monken outlines intriguing QB plan
• Giants open to bringing back Super Bowl-winning WR
• ESPN drops brutal reality check for Colts' Anthony Richardson
• Eagles still coy on A.J. Brown's future
• Ravens urged to sign key free agent for Lamar Jackson

Arsenal’s resolute performance saw them edge Chelsea to reach the Women’s Champions League semi-finals, despite Sjoeke Nusken’s late breakthrough in a frantic second leg at Stamford Bridge.

The Blues managed no shots on target in the first half as Arsenal’s well-drilled defence stood firm, with Stina Blackstenius’ header chalked off for offside in the 80th minute.

Nusken’s venomous strike in stoppage time gave Chelsea a very late lifeline, but their hopes for an elusive Champions League trophy had slipped away with the holders going through.

As it happened

Chelsea had a two-goal deficit to overturn and the onus was on them to emulate the comeback they pulled off at this stage of Europe’s premier competition last season against Manchester City.

As they did at the Emirates in last week’s first leg defeat, Chelsea applied the pressure in the opening stages and created the better openings.

Ellie Carpenter’s burst of speed down the right flank had Katie McCabe scampering back before she picked out an onrushing Nusken, who dragged her shot wide of the right post.

Caitlin Foord then drove inside from the right flank and fired straight into the gloves of Hannah Hampton.

The 31-year-old winger was isolated in promising situations a handful of times in the first half as Arsenal amassed 11 shots, but the Gunners were also content to rely on soaking up the pressure.

Lucy Bronze threaded it through to Erin Cuthbert, and the ball broke to Alyssa Thompson with a slice of good fortune.

The American instinctively pulled the trigger, but at the expense of accuracy as she was slightly rushed.

Lauren James showcased the latest instalment of her dribbling prowess, but the Arsenal defence continued to diligently protect their goal.

Sam Kerr and Thompson’s fluid interchange yielded another attempt for the latter, who couldn’t find the target again as her strike sailed over the bar.

Arsenal goalkeeper Daphne van Domselaar was left untroubled in the first half as Chelsea’s more measured advances had been disrupted as less patient attacks crept in.

Renee Slegers was forced to take off Steph Catley through injury before the interval and entrusted Taylor Hinds to slot in and shuffled McCabe into centre-back.

Their assured setup needed to remain sturdy to keep Chelsea from scoring the all-important opener, while their early effort in the second half could have given them an even healthier lead in the tie.

McCabe swung a corner in for Arsenal, which was met by an unmarked Stina Blackstenius. She powered her header towards goal from close range as teammate Little couldn’t maneuver away and blocked the effort.

Nusken alertly spotted the space for Kerr to exploit and arrowed an inviting throughball for the Blues striker to latch onto.

Emily Fox and Lotte Wubben-Moy covered ground sharply to delay Kerr’s straight path to goal. The Australian still dug out a floating shot aimed towards the top right corner and van Domselaar was called into a flying stop.

The sides traded blows as substitute Beth Mead fiercely crossed to Blackstenius lurking in the area, but the Swede couldn’t replicate her headed precision from the first leg as she couldn’t set herself and saw the ball rise over.

James remained Chelsea’s most enterprising player when she zipped a low-driven cross into the box with Kerr waiting to pounce. Chelsea’s focal point strayed offside and placed her shot into the body of van Domselaar.

Blackstenius laid it off to January signing and compatriot Smilla Holmberg to cross back to her once she continued her run. She nodded down into the bottom left corner, only for a narrow offside review to deny Arsenal’s fourth of the tie.

Chelsea almost capitalised moments after this VAR intervention when James found Nusken, who awkwardly craned her neck to redirect the ball, but her header went wide.

She would have another chance, though, the other side of teenager Veerle Buurman’s agonising attempt hitting the post from a rebounded Lauren James strike.

Bronze’s pinpoint cross was met by the German midfielder with Chelsea destined to halve the deficit until van Domselaar’s heroic outstretched dive saw the effort tipped onto the right post and trickle along the goal line.

A last roll of the dice from Chelsea but still unable to breach the Gunners defence.

Arsenal withstood the late surge and almost inflicted the nail in the coffin, courtesy of Mead when she rattled the upright.

With two minutes remaining, Kerr glided down the left wing and passed inside to Nusken, who notched a deserved goal for herself. It ended up as a consolation.

Sonia Bompastor picked up a second yellow card and was dismissed beyond the allotted five minutes with tensions spilling over, as Arsenal prevailed.

The defending champions will face the winner of Lyon vs Wolfsburg in the semi-finals of the Women’s Champions League, while Chelsea’s hopes to be crowned European champions for the first time were snatched away by their London rivals.

Chelsea FC – Arsenal Live Score

Mike Norvell takes unconventional approach while still on the hot seat originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

In recent news coming out of Tallahassee, where spring training is fully underway for the Florida State Seminoles, that could be seen as high risk but extremely high reward.

The first bit of news that we all expected was that it has been clear that it’s a two-man race for QB1 between redshirt freshman Kevin Sperry and transfer senior QB Ashton Daniels. Both of whom appeared in under a handful of games last season.

Norvell himself also stated that two four-star true freshmen wideouts, Devin Carter and Jason Lopez, will see meaningful snaps this season. The wide receiver room as a whole will be led by Duce Robinson and Michahi Danzy.

Sources have told @On3 that after the first Florida State scrimmage, it’s a clear two-way QB competition between Ashton Daniels and Kevin Sperry.

More: https://t.co/js8uYXnInShttps://t.co/XSi1bljx80

— Pete Nakos (@PeteNakos) March 31, 2026

Battle for QB1

Reported by Pete Nakos of On3, there is no clear timeline of when Norvell will name who of the two will be starting for the Noles this season.

Daniels does have the upper hand in experience as a senior with two full seasons starting at Stanford before transferring to Auburn last season, appearing in four games and starting/playing the majority of the time in three of them. He put up 797 passing yards, three passing touchdowns, two interceptions, 280 rushing yards, and two rushing touchdowns across all appearances last year.

As for Sperry, as a true freshman last year, he appeared in three games, going 12/17 for 194 yards and two touchdowns. A three-star recruit out of Denton, Texas, has overachieved from what we’ve seen of him on the field, and enough for Norvell to make it clear that it is a battle.

Youth in the receiving room

Make no mistake, Duce and Danzy will get the bulk of the work after breakout seasons in 2025, but the receiving core is thin with two starters hitting the portal in Lawayne McCoy and tight end Randy Pittman. Others, such as Elijah Moore (transfer) and Squirrel White (not eligible), are also no longer with the team.

That said, both Carter, a legacy of the program, and Lopez, a dual sport athlete, have impressed enough in the spring for Norvell to openly commit to them seeing playing time.

"Devin and Jasen, they’re going to play," Norvell told reporters. "They would have to almost regress from where it is right now. And I’m not saying, ‘Oh, hey, they’re going to be first line,’ I think it’ll be that, but from what you see in a short period of time, they definitely belong in what we’re asking them to do, what that looks like.”

More: Alabama led college football in one crucial off-the-field stat last year

The Seminoles are two seasons removed from their 13-1 run to an ACC Championship and have gone 7-17 over the last two years, leaving Norvell on arguably the hottest seat in the country. They open up the 2026 season with a Week 0 matchup in Doak against New Mexico State.

More college football news: 

• MAC announces 2026-27 college football schedule
• Ex-BYU QB Jake Retzlaff returns to Provo after Tulane exit
• DJ Lagway has some interesting things to say about his time at Florida.
• Pitbull taking heat for not following through on FIU deal
• Ohio State's Ryan Day faces backlash after NFL Combine

While the golf world focuses on the annual Masters tournament in Augusta, Georgia, Tiger Woods might well be overseas.

One day after Woods announced he was seeking treatment for an unspecified health concern, the golfer was granted a request to travel outside the United States and enter a comprehensive inpatient treatment facility, according to court records cited by ESPN.

MORE: Tiger Woods breaks silence with major personal news after DUI arrest

Mark Schlabach reported April 1 that attorney Douglas Duncan made the motion to travel on behalf of Woods, citing his client’s urgent need for an “intensive, highly individualized and medically integrated program” and privacy from media and public scrutiny.

Martin County (Fla.) Court Judge Darren Steele granted the motion following a teleconference with Duncan and Assistant State Attorney Caroline Houston on April 1, according to the report.

MORE: Tiger Woods uninjured, but arrested for DUI after rollover crash in Florida

According to police reports, Woods attempted to pass a slower vehicle in Martin County on March 27. His SUV clipped the other car and flipped onto its side.

The crash resulted in the golfer being arrested for suspicion of DUI.

MORE: 2026 Masters broadcast schedule, times & channels revealed

On March 31, Woods made a revealing personal announcement.

“I know and understand the seriousness of the situation I find myself in today,” read the statement, which Woods posted to his X account. “I am stepping away for a period of time to seek treatment and focus on my health. This is necessary in order for me to prioritize my well-being and work toward lasting recovery.

“I’m committed to taking the time needed to return in a healthier, stronger, and more focused place, both personally and professionally. I appreciate your understanding and support, and ask for privacy for my family, loved ones and myself at this time.”

Steele upheld the claim that Woods’ privacy necessitated the unusual step of allowing him to seek treatment abroad.

“Based upon the Defendant’s treating physician, the out of country treatment facility recommendation is based upon the Defendant’s complex clinical presentation and the urgent need for a level of care that cannot safely or effectively be done within the United States, as his privacy has been repeatedly compromised,” Duncan wrote in the motion, according to ESPN.

“Ongoing medical scrutiny and public exposure create significant barriers to his care and would result in setbacks and an inability to fully engage in treatment.”

Caleb Williams’ breakout season with the Chicago Bears has created a new nickname in the NFL, but it has also sparked an unexpected dispute with one of basketball’s most recognizable legends.

According to Fox Business, the Bears quarterback recently filed trademark applications for “Iceman,” a moniker that gained traction after his late-game performances during Chicago’s playoff run.

But just days later, NBA Hall of Famer George Gervin moved to protect the same nickname, arguing that he has been associated with “Iceman” for decades.

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Williams’ filing came after a season in which the second-year quarterback became one of the NFL’s fastest-rising stars. According to the trademark applications, he is seeking to use “Iceman” on a wide range of merchandise, including footballs, apparel, backpacks, water bottles, sunglasses, posters, and digital trading cards.

The filings also include two silhouettes based on Williams’ dramatic fourth-and-8 completion to Rome Odunze against the Green Bay Packers in the NFC wild-card round.

The issue is that “Iceman” has long been linked to Gervin, whose smooth scoring style made him one of the NBA’s defining players of the 1970s and 1980s. Gervin became known by the nickname during his playing career and has used it commercially for years.

Four days after Williams filed his applications, Gervin submitted trademark filings of his own, stating that he has used “Iceman” in connection with goods and services since 1979. Gervin also spent part of his NBA career with the Chicago Bulls, creating an unusual connection between the two athletes and the city of Chicago.

Gervin made clear that his issue is not with Williams personally, but with the use of the name itself. “I’ve got nothing but respect for [Williams],” Gervin said. “He’s already proved greatness and his potential upside is great. Like an ‘Iceman.’ But that name is taken. All I’m saying is: Young fella, we’ve already got one ‘Iceman.’”

Jerald Barisano, president and CEO of Gervin Global Management, said the organization believes the nickname is inseparable from Gervin’s legacy. “All they’ve got to do is one Google search, and they’ll see hundreds and hundreds of articles on the ‘Iceman,’ George Gervin,” Barisano said.

The dispute arrives at a time when Williams’ profile is rapidly expanding. After being selected first overall in the 2024 NFL Draft, he led the Bears to an NFC North title and a trip to the divisional round in his second season.

Williams threw for 3,942 yards, added 489 rushing yards, and accounted for 27 touchdown passes against only seven interceptions. His 4,352 total yards set a new franchise record for a Bears quarterback.

For Gervin, however, “Iceman” is not just a marketing slogan. It is one of the most enduring nicknames in sports history. The Hall of Famer was a 12-time All-Star across the NBA and ABA, won four scoring titles, averaged 25.1 points per game, and was named to the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team.

Trademark officials will now have to decide whether one of sports’ most famous nicknames can belong to a new generation, or whether there is still room for only one “Iceman.”

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Tiger Woods will not be the captain of the United States Ryder Cup team in the 2027 competition at Adare Manor.

The PGA of America announced Wednesday that Woods told the organization he was passing on the chance to captain the team in Ireland next year. He was considered the favorite in the clubhouse for the job and had been pondering the decision for months, though nothing had been announced publicly.

However, after Woods' arrest last Friday and his Tuesday announcement that he was stepping away and seeking treatment, the PGA of America is beginning the search in another direction.

"The PGA of America stands in full support of Tiger Woods as he steps away to focus on his health and well-being," the statement says. "During this time, we are keeping Tiger in our thoughts and prayers, with sincere hope for his strength, comfort, and recovery. Tiger has meant to much to our Association and to the game of golf. Since his Ryder Cup debut in 1997, he has been an enduring part of the PGA of America family. His connection to our PGA of America Golf Professionals, and his lasting impact on the sport, have inspired generations and profoundly shaped the game.

"We commend Tiger for prioritizing his long-term health and deeply respect the courage it takes to make such a personal decision. Tiger has shared with us that he will not serve as Captain of the 2027 Ryder Cup Team and we support his decision. The PGA of America will share further updates regarding the Ryder Cup Captaincy when appropriate."

Early last month, it was announced Luke Donald would return for a third stint as European Ryder Cup captain. About a week before, Woods was asked about the vacant position and was mum on how close he was to making a decision.

"Yeah, they have asked me for my input on it, and I haven't made my decision yet," Woods said at the Genesis Invitational. "I'm trying to figure out what we're trying to do with our tour. That's been driving me hours upon hours every day and trying to figure out if I can actually do our team, our Team USA and our players and everyone that's going to be involved in the Ryder Cup, if I can do it justice with my time."

With Woods' commitment to the PGA Tour on its Future Competition Committee, helping shape the PGA Tour schedule for 2027 and beyond, it's likely the PGA of America had a Plan B ready to go in case Woods decided he wasn't ready for his shot to captain the U.S. team.

Now, that plan comes to fruition.

This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Tiger Woods passes on 2027 Ryder Cup captaincy

In a year where teams and analysts feel unsure about the quality of this year’s overall NFL Draft class, there’s one player above all who represents the split feelings: Florida defensive tackle Caleb Banks.

At first glance, the idea that Banks would be considered a first-round talent seems ridiculous. He played three games last season and finished with two tackles in another disappointing year for the Gators’ football team. Pair that with his incredible performance at the NFL combine and the rough framework of Banks’ profile would suggest that he’s a project player for the NFL, which isn’t fully true.

Banks is one of the most fascinating players in this year’s draft class, showing bonafide top-five traits with a critical flaw: He just can’t tackle right now. It’s such a confusing problem when directly compared to everything else he’s able to do, but the case for Banks and how to value him comes down to one question: Can we teach this dude how to tackle? 

Guys with Caleb Banks’ athletic profile just don’t come around often

There’s long been the idea of “planet theory” ascribed to Bill Parcells in regard to NFL roster construction. Essentially, there are only so many 300-pounders in the world with legitimately elite athletic traits, and it would behoove NFL teams to collect as many of these humans as they feasibly can. Banks certainly fits into that description, as he showed at the NFL combine. At 6-foot-6 and 327 pounds, Banks ran a 5.04-second 40-yard dash, jumped 32 inches in vertical jump and also hit 9 feet, 6 inches in the broad jump. For a defensive tackle prospect, those are all strong numbers, but when considering his size, it puts him into the class of truly elite athleticism.

Simply put, Banks can generate an unusual amount of explosion for someone this heavy. To make it even wilder, he did this on a broken foot — equally impressive and concerning. It’s never good to have feet problems at his size, but the fact he was able to notch those numbers with the injury suggests there’s even more here to tap into. 

Banks’ athleticism immediately shows up on tape too. He is on a different level athletically than the blockers he faced, overwhelming them with explosion paired with sheer size. However, there’s more to him than just that unrefined level of explosion. He’s not like Shemar Stewart last year, for example, who was selected in the first round with 1.5 sacks during his final collegiate season. Where Stewart struggled with reading blocks and diagnosing plays in real time, Banks really excels. He’s almost always technically sound within the structure of Florida’s defense, plays with great technique in terms of leverage and footwork. He’s incredibly disruptive while remaining true to the structure of the defensive play call … but he just can’t finish. 

Missed tackles are an egregious flaw — but also the only one in Caleb Banks’ game

In the three games that Banks played in 2025, he could have put up a season’s worth of tackles for loss. He was incredibly stout and just too much for the opposing offensive line, but the running backs he was trying to get his hands on did not have as difficult of a time. Despite showing incredible balance through the contact and force of opposing 300-pounders, he loses all semblance of that high-end coordination when it’s time to actually finish the player.

Strictly talking on-field, this is really the only egregious flaw in Banks’ game. He has work to do as a pass rusher, but even then, he has a few pass rush moves that he likes to employ and can gain pressure through sheer applied force and athleticism. It’s not even a huge weakness — the fact that a 330-pounder can even be thought of as a pass-rush threat is fairly rare.

However, his tackling struggles actually create a big strain on the defense. It’s great that Banks can be so sound while penetrating into the backfield and beating blocks, but when he doesn’t finish in the backfield, the defense is suddenly down a man in terms of the framework of how they defend the run.

That became even more dangerous when Florida deployed defensive fronts where he was responsible for two gaps. Now a runway is open where Banks was. It’s a frustrating dichotomy to watch because on one hand, it’s just hard to find players who can consistently function as forceful, disciplined actors within a defense, but the inability to get guys on the ground is unacceptable — especially for someone who is just too talented to sit on the bench. 

Caleb Banks needs to be healthy on a more consistent basis too

Even for Banks’ supporters, he undoubtedly comes packaged with a lot of questions regarding what’s next for him. It’s possible he lands with a staff that helps him fix his tackling issues and he becomes one of the truly elite front seven players in the league. That would also require his health struggles from college through the combine to level out so he can stay on the field long enough to be worth a first-round pick. Those are major questions to answer, because they’ve been persistent problems in his career up to this point.

However, Banks has so many traits that are either hard to find or hard to teach at this point. His understanding of where he needs to be and the techniques to execute those assignments is truly elite, and the physical profile is not something that an NFL staff can build. It comes down to whether or not a team thinks they can fix his tackling.

There should be a reason to stay optimistic if he can stay healthy. There’s just too much talent and proven ability to stay balanced while defeating blocks that there has to be a way to translate that into more production at the point of finishing a play. 

Banks is not perfect, but there are plenty of defensive line coaches looking at his tape and saying the ever-toxic phrase that has plagued many throughout the course of their lives: “I can fix him.”

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Justin Gainey vowed Wednesday to bring toughness and stability back to N.C. State after his alma mater suddenly had a coaching vacancy for the second year in a row.

The former Wolfpack guard said he can be a bridge to different eras of the program as he becomes a head coach for the first time.

“I’m humbled. I’m grateful and I’m ready,” Gainey said as he was formally introduced. “It’s a surreal moment for me. It’s like a dream come true that hasn’t fully set in.”

But it was really a reintroduction — billed as a homecoming celebration — to a player who was a staple in the N.C. State lineup for four seasons from 1996-2000.

“It’s time for us to have that home feel that we deserve,” Gainey said.

The hiring comes less than a week after Will Wade’s agent informed N.C. State officials that he was leaving following one season to return to LSU. N.C. State athletic director Boo Corrigan was tasked with finding the next coach, but Gainey had been involved in the interview process last year, so much of the vetting had taken place.

Corrigan seemed relieved to have someone on board with Wolfpack ties.

“Welcome home,” he said.

Many of the boosters who attended what was billed as a “closed event” but had elements of a pep rally were pleased that one of their own would occupy the coaching position.

“It’s a full-circle moment to say a former player became coach,” said TJ Warren, a former N.C. State and NBA player who attended the formal introduction.

Without directly addressing Wade’s abrupt departure and the hurt feelings associated with that, Corrigan said Gainey’s arrival should be celebrated as a sign of “the right moral compass for this fan base, who understands what N.C. State is all about.”

While Wade’s introduction in March 2025 came with plenty of bravado, Gainey was more grounded — perhaps in line with how he played when he was in a Wolfpack uniform.

“I’m going to bring that toughness,” he said.

Gainey, 49, spent the past four seasons as associate head coach under Rick Barnes at Tennessee. He’ll leave behind the rigors of the Southeastern Conference to compete amid the tradition-rich area of North Carolina that includes Atlantic Coast Conference neighbors Duke and North Carolina.

“I understand what being on Tobacco Road is all about,” Gainey said.

Gainey, an in-state product of a Greensboro Day School program that regularly churns out Division I players, said he’ll make in-state recruiting a priority and branch out from there. He said tapping into the transfer portal will be part of the process in building a roster, but he stressed a no-exceptions philosophy of examining the character of any players he signs.

And, of course, success on the court will be among the goals.

“We’re in this to win championships,” Gainey said.

N.C. State went 20-14 under Wade, reaching the NCAA Tournament’s First Four before a second loss of the season to Texas for its eighth defeat in the final 10 games. The Wolfpack, who made a brief appearance in the AP Top 25 in November, tied for seventh place in the ACC.

___

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Charlotte has welcomed some of the top names in tennis for the past two years and has proven it can handle big events.

One of the biggest events in the sport could be coming to the Queen City in 2027, the WTA Finals.

Well-respected tennis journalist Ben Rothenberg first reported the news in his newsletter, Bounces. The WTA Finals are expected to leave Saudi Arabia after this year’s tournament.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Charlotte emerges as front-runner for elite sporting event

Charlotte tennis legend Don Keistler, of Don’s Tennis, has 50 years of experience running a tennis store in the Queen City.

He said Charlotte is the perfect host city for the Women’s Tennis Association Finals and is excited about the prospect.

“I think it would fill up the place and truly get more people into tennis,” he said.

The WTA Finals is the sport’s signature year-end championship event. WTA officials recently visited the Spectrum Center, and the Charlotte Sports Foundation is courting the tournament.

“Charlotte is growing as a sports city, right on the international stage,” Charlotte City Council Member Dante Anderson said.

Charlotte City Council Member Dante Anderson said the past two years of the Charlotte Invitational show the Queen City is a great fit for this event.

She said the city has a great case because of the renovations to the Spectrum Center and all of the flights into and out of the Charlotte Douglas International Airport.

Polish media reports the WTA Finals are either coming to Charlotte or Gdansk, Poland.

“I haven’t been there before, but I think we can definitely take them on,” Anderson said.

The WTA says no decisions have been made yet on the new home for this world-class global event.

In a statement, the organization said:

“We have an incredible opportunity to bring the WTA Finals, a world-class, premium global event showcasing the best in women’s tennis, to a new home. This is a historic moment in women’s sports, and we are having conversations around the globe with potential partners. No decisions have been made yet about a location for the 2027 Finals, but as with all decisions regarding the future of the WTA, we are working closely with players and focused on continuing to build a strong future for women’s tennis.”

VIDEO: Tennis stars Venus Williams and Madison Keys to clash at Charlotte Invitational

LSU men’s basketball brought back fan favorite head coach Will Wade last week, convincing the previously fired LSU head coach to leave NC State to return to Baton Rouge. Wade was the second significant hire LSU made this offseason, and arguably just as controversial as the first — that, of course, being Lane Kiffin.

Kiffin was asked about Wade’s return during a press conference on Tuesday, and his response gave some insight into how Kiffin sees Wade as a relatable figure and how much he values Wade’s loyalty to the program.

“I talked to [Wade] the other day, obviously, he’s extremely excited about it,” Kiffin shared. “From what I know, which I don’t know a lot about basketball, you know, he’s been very successful everywhere he’s been. And I think too, if you’re passionate about a place, and you’re a really good coach, that’s a really good combination.

I know there’s been a lot of judgment about whether he should go, and he just got there, and all of those things, I probably have a unique view of that. But I just think everything is everybody’s story, they’ve got one life to live, and what they choose to do, and what they believe their story is after they get the best information that they can from the people that are closest to them, then they make their decisions. Then, in my opinion, it’s that person’s job to prove that decision right.”

Kiffin and Wade’s respective hirings share many parallels. Wade was dismissed from LSU after the NCAA officially issued a notice of allegations based on investigations into reports of recruiting violations. Wade was then hired by McNeese State University the following year, where he served for the next two seasons. NC State signed Wade to a six-year contract in March 2025, which Wade coached under for only one season before LSU hired him away last week. This decision caused a lot of anger from NC State’s fanbase, similar to Ole Miss’ when Kiffin left for LSU last December.

Now, Wade has returned to LSU, where he is being welcomed with open arms. Wade wants desperately to be at LSU, something Kiffin highlighted when discussing the news.

“It speaks volumes about LSU,” Kiffin said. “There’s somebody that understands everything about LSU, understands the power of LSU, went through a very unique situation, kind of had a breakup, and then makes the decision to come back. To me, that says a lot about LSU.”

While there are certainly a lot of negatives that can be drawn from these two hirings, what they ultimately demonstrate that LSU is one of the superpowers in college athletics. The fact that Wade and Kiffin were willing to risk their respective reputations in order to coach for this school shows just how powerful LSU truly is.

This article originally appeared on LSU Wire: Lane Kiffin comments on LSU hiring men's basketball coach Will Wade

Last night, LSU baseball welcomed Southern into Alex Box Stadium for a game that was slated to start at 6:30, but Mother Nature had her own plans. The game would be delayed until 7 PM, and Jaden Noot would get the start on the mound.

Southern did not greet Noot kindly as they forced him to be pulled from the game after just 1.1 innings. In that span, Southern took a 3-0 lead over the Tigers. In the bottom of the third inning, the comeback for LSU began. The Tigers would ride that wave to a 16-6 run-rule victory in seven innings. Here are three takeaways from the game.

Derek Curiel got LSU back in the game

PUCKER UP & KISS IT DC6@DerekCuriel | SECN+ pic.twitter.com/Xkccw1mpS8

— LSU Baseball (@LSUbaseball) April 1, 2026

With one swing of the bat in the bottom of the third inning, Derek Curiel got LSU back into the game against Southern. His grand slam gave LSU the shot in the arm that it needed to keep fighting and win the game.

Good night for Dardar

Seth 🤝 Monster 🤝 Zach

📺 SECN+ pic.twitter.com/X3jmoyOj9b

— LSU Baseball (@LSUbaseball) April 1, 2026

Seth Dardar looked good tonight on defense and in the batter's box. He was 2-for-3 with a triple and an RBI, and he had a nice double play in the top of the fifth inning.

Danny Lachenmayer gets his first win

Got 'Em Chasing @dannylachenmay2 | SECN+ pic.twitter.com/DBwTd6Xsdn

— LSU Baseball (@LSUbaseball) April 1, 2026

Danny Lachenmayer went out to pitch in the top of the fourth inning for LSU and recorded two flyouts and a strikeout against Southern in a 13-pitch inning. In the bottom of the fourth, the game would enter another rain delay, but eventually LSU would take the lead, and Lachenmayer would be credited with his first win of the season.

This article originally appeared on LSU Wire: Three takeaways from LSU baseball's Tuesday night victory

NC State AD goes viral after repeatedly misnaming Justin Gainey at introductory press conference originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The NC State basketball program has been run through the ringer since the First Four loss to Texas. If there was any indication Will Wade might be returning for another season in Raleigh, he quickly killed any hope after announcing he would be headed to LSU for a second stint with the program he once threw in turmoil. 

The Wolfpack will try to turn the corner with former alum Justin Gainey as their new head coach. He returns after serving as an assistant at Tennessee, which was his sixth stop over the past two decades. This was a quality hire after being abandoned by Wade, and one that is expected to turn the program back into an ACC contender over the next few years. 

Gainey, 49, played for NC State from 1996 to 2000 and began his career at the school eight years later. 

That's the hope going into the 2026-27 season for the Wolfpack. Gainey was introduced as the program's next head coach on Wednesday. Everything was going smooth as the room full of supporters were happy to leave Wade in the dust. But there were a few minor hiccups before Gainey walked to the podium. 

A live look at how things are going at NC State. AD Boo Corrigan forgets his new hires name.... TWICE calling Justin Gainey, a FORMER NC STATE PG Jason.#GoPack#StrengthInThePackpic.twitter.com/t29zIm71aC

— Sammy Profeta (@profeta_sammy) April 1, 2026

NC State athletic director Boo Corrigan was in the midst of his short intro of Gainey when he called him the wrong name twice, somehow referring to him as "Jason," instead of Justin. He eventually got it right at the end, but this was a rough look for a program that has got through tough times. The moment caught fire on social media with many calling attention to Corrigan's mishap. 

More: Will Wade video feels like an April Fools' Day joke for NC State — It's not

For whatever it's worth, this will pass and Gainey will prepare the Wolfpack for better days ahead. Maybe the Jason reference can be called upon later down the line when NC State starts beating teams in upset fashion. Like the 'Friday the 13th' series with fictional character Jason Voorhees as an alter ego for Gainey. Sounds like a whole PR campaign waiting to be drafted up. 

NC State and Gainey agreed to a five-year contract. He became the 21st men's basketball hire in school history. 

More college basketball news:

• Two fans ejected from NCAA Tournament after bringing FAFO energy, lose $6K
• Duke’s Jon Scheyer pulls off historic feat Mike Krzyzewski never achieved
• John Calipari says college athletics is broken — Here’s his plan to fix it
• Kenny Smith reacts to UNC coaching rumors
• Nate Burleson's wardrobe gets roasted during March Madness coverage

Rockies 1 at Blue Jays 2 (10)

It was one of those games where the starting pitcher was going to have to be almost flawless for his team to win. Kevin Gausman was up to the task and did his damnedest in holding the Rockies at bay for six innings, a but bullpen wobbles and a lack of hitting, first timely and then outright, undermined the effort as the Blue Jays fell in 10 innings.

Gausman was especially dominant over the first four innings, almost perfect really as he set the first 12 batters in order. The fastball was popping and well located, the splitter diving off the plate as he struck out six of those and a liner to third the only time the Rockies got close to touching him. Hunter Goodman had a particularly rough time, befuddled as Gausman dispatched him.

He was more human the last couple ininngs, as Ezequiel Tovar battled him for a long at-bat and lined a single up the middle to start the 5th. Hesitation on a roller allowed Tovar to beat the throw the second and create a real jam, though Gausman extricated himself with a couple strikeouts. After another hard hit in the 6th, he got another pair of strikeouts to end the inning in double digits for the second time, finishing 6 shutout innings with 10 strikeouts.

The bats were able to create opportunities early against Kyle Freeland, but couldn’t land decisive blows and largely squandered the chance to build a substantial lead:

• A lead off single in the 2nd from Okamotot was erased by a Kirk GIDP sanchwiched around another single
• Myles Straw blooped a single leading off the 3rd, scoring on a one-out Davis Schneider single after a Springer walk. Vladdy was (barely) hit by a pitch to load the bases with one out and really set up a big inning, but Okamoto struck out and Kirk flared out.
• Another Straw single in the 4th put two one after a HBP, but advanced no further.

From that moment in fact, the bats were essentially shut down, managing just two singles over the last 6.2 innings, after eight of the first 17 batters reached over the first 3.1 innings.

So Gausman exited clinging to a slim 1-0 lead. Tyler Rogers was first out and uncharacteristically fallible, allowing a pair of hard singles. In fact, only Addison Barger’s arm (or the threat thereof) kept a run off the board as TJ Rumfield held up at first after smashing a ball to the wall and would likely have scored from second with two out on the latter single.

The highwire act could onyl last so long however. Tommy Nance was next for the 8th, and it wasn’t his day either . Nine hitter Kyle Karros walked leading off, yielding to Jake McCarthy who stole scored in quick order on a single. Another walk, wild pitch, and stolen base created a real mess but John Schneider inflicted a little dose of the Flu(harty), whose two strikeouts prevented the Rockies from taking the lead.

Jeff Hoffman was equally as on point in the 9th, sharp sliders dispatching the Rockies to strikeout the side in order. With Braydon Fisher and Louis Varland down from previous heavy use, that left Brendon Little, and well….

Honestly, he wasn’t even terrible, but a sharp ground ball up the middle plated the do ahead run. For their part, Springer popped out on the second pitch in the bottom of the 10th before Nathan Lukes battled Jimmy Herget to 12 pitches before ultimately rolling one over. Vladdy cracked a ball, but to dead CF where it was easily caught and so it goes.

Jays of the Day: Gausman (+.36 WPA), Fluharty (+0.25), Hoffman (+0.14), Davis Schneider (+0.12)

Boo Jays: Nance (-0.40) , Vlad (-0.22), Kirk (-0.14), Jimenez (-0.13). Lukes (-0.13) had the number but not giving him one for that 10th inning AB.

Tomorrow, the Jays are now off, with the White Sox home opener now scheduled for 2:10 EDT with Dylan Cease taking the hill against his former team.

Forever and ever, JJ Peterka and Josh Doan will draw comparisons to one another. That’s what happens when you get traded: Everyone wants to know which team won the deal.

Buffalo Sabres fans, who had a love-hate relationship with Peterka throughout his time there, have declared themselves the winners as the first post-trade season nears its end. Josh Doan has really broken out this season, and he has already been rewarded with a life-changing contract — and there’s still a chance that the other player in the deal, Michael Kesselring, could find his stride too.

While Doan deserves all the recognition (and money) coming his way, those Sabres fans don’t realize how much Peterka has evolved.

The tricky thing about evaluating hockey players is that defensive metrics aren’t as complete as offensive ones. It’s obvious that a player is having a good season if his goals and assists are higher than normal, but there’s no singular statistic that measures the magnitude of a player’s defensive game.

So, seeing that Peterka is on pace for three fewer goals and 21 fewer points than last year gives Buffalonians something to point at. But in reality, Peterka is a much more complete player than he was in the East.

Mammoth defenseman Ian Cole said much of the change, both offensively and defensively, comes from the difference in systems. After all, the Sabres were eighth in the league in goals-for in Peterka’s final season there, while being fourth-worst in goals against.

“Our team game and our structure and how we want to do things, if you buy in inside of that structure (and) play really well individually, those numbers can for sure go up,” he said.

Within the Sabres’ system, Peterka was on the ice for 83 goals against through 77 games in 2024-25. Through 74 games with the Mammoth so far, he has allowed just 43.

To put that into context, his on-ice goals-against at even strength are better than all but one player currently penciled in for my Selke ballot.

Does matchup strength have to do with that? Of course. He won’t get Selke votes because he doesn’t always face opponents’ top players and the team doesn’t deploy him in key defensive situations.

But in an area where Peterka was a liability in Buffalo, he excels in Utah.

Mammoth coach André Tourigny mentioned Peterka’s effort as a reason for the change, and he denied that coaching has much to do with it.

“Believe it or not, I’m not talking to JJ much about his defense,” Tourigny said. “It’s not a topic of conversation between him and I. It’s more about all the grind of the game, you know? The forecheck part, the puck protection part, the winning loose-puck battles, the net presence.”

Peterka sees it as a combination of awareness, experience and structure.

“We’re a super good team in the D zone. I think we’re, like, top in the league, so I think that helps,” he told the Deseret News. “But I think (it’s) just awareness. I mean, I’m trying to get better and grow every year, and that was a big aspect for me, going into this year’s season, to just focus a little bit more in the D zone and play on the right side of the puck.”

“... “I think stick-wise, I got way better. I think I was committed last year as well. I think it’s just, maybe, like, the reps, maybe just getting more experienced.”

As much as fans want to declare the winner and loser of the trade, Peterka is glad to see the Sabres succeeding after suffering through so many years of playoff-less hockey.

“Obviously, I have so many buddies still there — so many great people. So, I’m always cheering for them, talking to them a lot," he said. “All of them are super hyped, and also for the fan base and stuff, it’s super to see them succeed and to be in such a good spot. I’m excited for them.”

Defending champions Arsenal withstood a late Chelsea onslaught to book their place in the women's Champions League semi-finals despite a 1-0 defeat at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday to progress 3-2 on aggregate.

The damage for the Blues was done in last week's first leg as their long wait to win the competition goes on despite their domestic dominance in England over the past decade.

Arsenal ended an 18-year wait for an English winner of the women's Champions League when they shocked Barcelona in last season's final and dug deep to remain on course to defend their crown.

The Gunners kept Sonia Bompastor's side at arm's length until a frantic finale in which both sides should have netted multiple times.

Stina Blackstenius looked to have killed the tie off when the Swede headed in 10 minutes from time but the goal was ruled out after a VAR check for a marginal offside.

Buoyed by that let-off Chelsea suddenly sprang into life.

Lauren James stung the palms of Daphne van Domselaar and Veerle Buurman fired the rebound off the post with the goal gaping.

Moments later Van Domselaar produced an incredible stop to turn Sjoeke Nusken's header onto the post.

At the other end Beth Mead also struck the woodwork as Arsenal threatened to take advantage of Chelsea's desperation on the counter-attack.

When the opener finally arrived, four minutes into added time, it was too late for Chelsea.

Nusken connected sweetly to fire in at the near post from Sam Kerr's cross.

But there was still time for more drama as Bompastor was shown a red card for two bookable offences after a hair pull on Alyssa Thompson by Katie McCabe went unpunished.

Arsenal will face either eight-time winners Lyon or Wolfsburg in the last four.

The Germans lead 1-0 ahead of their second leg in France on Thursday.

On the other side of the draw, Bayern Munich beat Manchester United 5-3 on aggregate and will almost certainly face Barcelona, who hold a 6-2 first-leg lead over Real Madrid, in the semi-finals.

kca/jc

Florida State has simply not lived up to the program's standard over the last two seasons with a 7-17 combined record. It starts at the top as to why the Seminoles have struggled some much recently, and that means head coach Mike Norvell.

As is the case before every season, especially when it comes to the top-tier programs in the country, coaches are on the hot seat, and Norvell is no different. Recently, a list of coaches with the most to prove in 2026 was released, and ESPN's Andrea Adelson named Norvell.

It has to be Florida State head coach Mike Norvell. Nothing has gone right since the CFP snub following a 13-0 ACC championship season in 2023. Since then, Florida State has won only seven games in two years. Despite all that, the school's administration opted to retain Norvell for a seventh season, but there is little doubt the Seminoles have to get back to the postseason. Norvell and everyone associated with the program know the past two seasons have not been acceptable. Florida State made structural changes to its personnel department and went heavy into the portal again to try to win now.

The biggest frustration for FSU since the 2023 season has been their lack of success in the ACC. They have gone 3-13 within the conference, which includes back-to-back losses to their biggest rivals in the conference Miami and Clemson. At Florida State, that's just not acceptable.

Norvell was able to land a top-15 recruiting class despite the lack of success his team has had lately. While that is extremely commendable, it won't mean a thing if FSU misses a bowl game for the third consecutive season.

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: ESPN named Mike Norvell coach with the most to prove

Carson Kvapil is looking to rebound at Rockingham Speedway after a tough race at Martinsville Speedway. Despite running well and earning a few stage points, Kvapil finished in 28th place after his JR Motorsports teammate Lee Pulliam had horrible restarts near the end of the NASCAR O'Reilly Series event.

The driver of the No. 1 car now sits fifth in the point standings after some up and down finishes. Through seven races, Kvapil has three finishes of 19th place or worse despite having speed in all of those events. It has been an unlucky start to the 2026 NASCAR season for the JR Motorsports driver.

However, Rockingham could be the perfect track for Kvapil to capitalize on a good points day. The track should fit Kvapil's driving style and allow him to bounce back with a possible top-5 finish. After all, Kvapil is still looking for his first O'Reilly Series win and Rockingham would be a great place to experience that moment.

More: Justin Allgaier takes big NASCAR O'Reilly points lead into Rockingham

This article originally appeared on Motorsports Wire: Carson Kvapil looks to rebound after tough finish at Martinsville

EVANS, Ga. — Asterisk Talley was in need of a caddie just days before the Augusta National Women’s Amateur. She originally had top-ranked amateur golfer Miles Russell set to be on the bag, but when he got into this week’s Lecom Suncoast Classic on the Korn Ferry Tour after a T-15 last week in Savannah, Talley and her family pivoted. They didn’t have to panic. They simply phoned a friend.

Talley got Ryan Zak to caddie for her. He's known the Talleys for a long time and has been on the teenager’s bag many times before, including at last year’s ANWA, when Talley finished runner-up to Carla Bernat Escuder.

Their partnership is working well once again. Talley shot a bogey-free six-under 66 and is tied for third, one shot back of leaders Maria Jose Marin and Soomin Oh after Wednesday’s first round at the Champions Retreat.

The 17-year-old phenom from Chowchilla, Calif. is in great position after 18 holes in her third ANWA start. Talley is in her comfort zone, especially with Zak, whose plans for the week changed merely from spectator mode to caddie.

“I did it last year, so I was prepared. I brought what I needed to be prepared in the event something happened. I didn’t think it was going to, and I came out to hang out,” Zak said. “Dad [James] knows I’m on standby whenever they need me, that’s what I told them years ago. They were kind enough to invite me out to be a fan. My vacation got cut short by a few days. I got put to work. It’s been great.”

Talley’s seamless caddie change was surely a relief on many levels, both in course knowledge and demeanor. Zak gave Talley a couple of tips with her stance in the bunker on 18th hole (her ninth of the round), where she blasted out and into the cup for an eagle to complete an ANWA record of 31 for the first nine holes of the tournament.

“He’s just pretty chill,” Talley said. “I like a caddie who is helpful, but not too pushy, and I think he's great at finding the middle in that. He knows that I know how to play golf and what I do need help with. He knows my dad really well, and he kind of tells him what I'm working on, so I think they kind of [collaborate] in that. Then he obviously knows the course since he caddied last year, so I mean, we're just having some fun out there.”

Talley has been having fun playing golf, which makes sense when you’re playing well. She got off to a fast start, with three birdies and an eagle on her front nine.

Asterisk Talley and caddie Ryan Zak have worked many times together through the years.

Maddie Meyer

“I can’t wait to see it,” Zak said of a replay of the bunker shot at 18. “We could barely see it from her vantage point. We knew it went in, but I’d like to see it how it rolled out and what the pace was. Didn’t see all that. It’s always cool when something drops for an eagle. I asked her when the last time she holed out from the bunker and she couldn’t remember, so it was pretty special to do it here.”

A Stanford commit and World Amateur No. 9, Talley finished T-29 in the LPGA’s Ford Championship last week, playing on a sponsor’s exemption. She shot a second-round 65 and was in the top 10 after 36 holes, but finished with a final-round 74. Leading up to that, Talley, the No. 1 ranked girl in the AJGA, won her three previous junior tournaments.

She’s a different player here at Champions Retreat than a couple years ago, and she’s finished in the top 10 in each of her previous two ANWA starts. Last year, she closed with a final-round 68 at Augusta National Golf Club and lost to Escuder by a single shot.

“I'm definitely hitting it a lot farther, so it makes the course a little shorter and more accessible,” Talley said. “But also mature, just knowing that I don't have to go for every flag. Honestly, that's just putting me in better positions on every hole and just knowing that I don't need to hit it to five feet every time. I hit it to 20 feet every time on [her second nine], and I shot one-under. So it wasn't too bad out there.”

Her 66 on Wednesday was five shots better than her opening round last year, when she shot 66 in the second round.

“It’s pretty crucial just knowing that scores are going to be low here and just knowing that someone is going to catch fire at least one of the days,” Talley said. “I think shooting low is pretty much a need to have a good position going into Augusta and honestly just going into [Thursday] too.”

Talley was considered a favorite to win before the tournament began and even more so after her impressive first round, even though that’s not a label she wears this week.

“I don't really like to think of myself as a favorite. I think of everyone in this field is a favorite,” Talley said. “Everyone here is pretty good. So, I'm just trying to put myself in a good position for the rest of the field and trying to play my best golf.”

As for Russell, he already messaged Talley before she got to post-round interviews Wednesday. “He texted me ‘good round today,’" Talley said. “He is supportive since we're friends, but., you know, I'm excited for him to get to play this week. I'm wishing him luck tomorrow, and I'm sure he'll be doing the same.”

UEFA Women's Champions League

Chelsea (2) 1 - 0 (3) Arsenal FT

Holders Arsenal held on to secure an aggregate victory over rivals Chelsea and reach the Women's Champions League semi-finals - despite conceding a late goal to Sjoeke Nusken.

Renee Slegers' side - 3-1 up from the first leg of their quarter-final - produced a mature display at Stamford Bridge even though they ended up losing on the night.

The visitors had a goal disallowed late on as Smilla Holmberg was offside before teeing up Stina Blackstenius to head in from close range, and Beth Mead struck the post in stoppage time.

That came during a frantic period in which Gunners keeper Daphne van Domselaar made two impressive late saves at the other end - the first to beat away a Lauren James shot before Veerle Buurman turned the follow-up against the post, and then to push a Nusken header on to the same upright.

Nusken eventually scored in the fourth minute of stoppage time to go but Chelsea - who needed to score twice to bring the teams level - could not find the victory they needed.

And in a frantic finish, Chelsea manager Sonia Bompastor was sent off.

After their first-leg win at Emirates Stadium last week, the European champions were in a strong position and they played bravely throughout the tie.

Knowing Chelsea needed to score, Arsenal defended well and remained composed as the hosts attempted to claw back the deficit on a frustrating evening in London.

The Blues had chances before the late flurry - USA international Alyssa Thompson had the best of them in the first half, while Sam Kerr came close after the break - but they failed to capitalise.

It caps a brilliant few weeks for the Gunners, who have won 10 of their past 11 matches in all competitions and are unbeaten since January.

They face a semi-final against Lyon or Wolfsburg, who play their second leg on Thursday, with the German side leading 1-0 on aggregate.

Arsenal analysis: Gunners survive chaotic end

Having earned a two-goal lead at Emirates Stadium last week, Arsenal knew the onus was on Chelsea to come at them in the second leg - and were happy to let them try.

They expected an early storm and Chelsea did threaten for the opening 15 minutes, but it was not enough to rattle Arsenal, who looked composed and confident throughout the first half.

The defending champions kept their cool and took the sting out of the the first half, frustrating Chelsea by slowing down the tempo and controlling midfield.

Slegers would have been delighted at half-time as Chelsea's players trudged down the tunnel having not really got a foothold in the game, despite creating a few chances.

England defender Lotte Wubben-Moy was a rock at the back, taming Chelsea's talented front three for large spells, while Scotland midfielder Erin Cuthbert was marked out of the game.

But as the clock ticked on, Chelsea's desperation grew and Arsenal were under heavy pressure to maintain their clean sheet.

Kerr forced a sublime save from goalkeeper Van Domselaar, before Nusken eventually got one goal back deep in stoppage time.

Chaos followed as Chelsea boss Bompastor could not contain her frustration, sent off after receiving a second yellow card.

Arsenal, though, delivered just about the perfect gameplan and will go into the semi-finals full of confidence.

Their domestic form has lifted them to third in the Women's Super League with two games in hand – putting them in a strong position to qualify for next season's Women's Champions League.

However, their focus is on defending their crown this year - and their semi-final opponents will not enjoy facing them.

Chelsea analysis: Rivals deal ultimate blow

With the WSL title beyond their reach, Chelsea's season has quickly unravelled, and this was a crushing blow dealt by their London rivals.

Pressure has built around manager Bompastor and the club, and this latest setback will only increase that external noise.

However, there was no shame in Chelsea's Champions League exit. They faced one of Europe's most talented squads and struggled with an injury-depleted squad.

Bompastor's side attempted everything at Stamford Bridge – hitting the post through Buurman late on in a frantic ending, after Kerr had tested goalkeeper Van Domselaar on several occasions.

The French manager lived every emotion and it got the better of her in stoppage time as another complaint to the officials earned her a red card and she stormed down the tunnel, knowing the tie was over.

Bompastor has consistently called for more squad depth - and they will need a summer rebuild.

With Arsenal having developed into one of Europe's leading clubs, and Manchester City looking set to clinch the WSL title, Chelsea know they cannot afford to drop behind.

What's next for both teams?

Chelsea take on Tottenham in the quarter-finals of the Women's FA Cup on Monday, 6 April (13:30 BST) and return to WSL action against Everton on Sunday, 26 April (12:00 BST).

Arsenal host Brighton in their FA Cup match on Sunday, 5 April (13:00 BST), before travelling to Aston Villa in the WSL on Sunday, 26 April (14:15 BST).

Head here to get involved

• Get the latest WSL news on our dedicated page

Ravens have Lamar Jackson in mind with ideal draft pick originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Baltimore Ravens' offseason has been a roller coaster, and the franchise is still approaching the NFL Draft with a handful of holes to address.

With Tyler Linderbaum and Isaiah Likely moving on in free agency, those are two areas that could be improved.

But how the draft falls will ultimately determine which way the Ravens will go in the first round, and with questions over both guard spots with Andrew Vorhees and John Simpson, could Baltimore look to address that as well?

NFL.com's Eric Edholm thinks Penn State guard Vega Ioane is the ideal pick for the Ravens.

"Ravens fans might be sick of seeing the same name here, but Ioane would be an immediate upgrade at right guard and give them more talent and depth up front," Edholm wrote. "Guards might not be high on the positional-value scale, but this could be a synergistic addition for an incomplete offensive line."

More:Bills' ideal draft pick centers around Josh Allen

Ioane not flashy but important pick 

The Ravens know that the team will only go as far as Lamar takes them. That means he's got to be protected.

No, Ioane isn't a "sexy" signing, and it could be met with a groan from Ravens fans, but it could be a key pick in solidifying the interior of the offensive line.

Will the Ravens want to go offensive line with their first pick? They could, though defense is also on the table for Jesse Minter's team.

Baltimore will enter the 2026 season under pressure to perform after last season, and it will be Lamar who is tasked with getting this roster back to the postseason.

More NFL news:

• Giants select ideal Malik Nabers running mate in latest mock draft
• Vikings QB predicted to follow Super Bowl champion path
• Browns' Todd Monken outlines intriguing QB plan
• Giants open to bringing back Super Bowl-winning WR
• ESPN drops brutal reality check for Colts' Anthony Richardson
• Eagles still coy on A.J. Brown's future
• Ravens urged to sign key free agent for Lamar Jackson

HOUSTON (AP) — Carlos Correa put Houston on top with a three-run homer and Christian Vázquez added a solo shot to lead the Astros to a 6-4 win over the Boston Red Sox on Wednesday to complete a three-game sweep.

It’s the fifth consecutive win for the Astros and gives Boston five straight losses since an opening day victory.

Pinch-hitter Roman Anthony homered off Bryan Abreu to start the ninth and get the Red Sox within two. But Abreu struck out the next three batters to get his first save.

Houston starter Mike Burrows (1-1) allowed five hits and two runs in five innings for the win after giving up nine hits and five runs in his Astros debut Friday after an offseason trade from Pittsburgh.

The game was tied with one out in the fifth when Jose Altuve singled before Garrett Crochet (1-1) hit Yordan Alvarez in the ribs with a pitch. There were two outs with a 1-2 count when Correa smacked an off-speed pitch into the seats in left field to make it 5-2.

Crochet allowed six hits and five runs — four earned — in five innings after throwing six scoreless innings in the opening day win over the Reds.

Vázquez connected off Danny Coulombe to open Houston’s seventh and push the lead to 6-2.

Wilyer Abreu hit his third home run this season on a solo shot that cut the lead to 6-3 with one out in the eighth.

Willson Contreras' RBI single with one out in the first gave Boston an early lead.

Alvarez hit a one-out double in the bottom of the inning before a double by Isaac Paredes tied it. Correa reached on a fielding error by Trevor Story before an RBI single by Christian Walker put Houston up 2-1.

The Red Sox tied it when Isiah Kiner-Falefa scored on Jarren Duran's groundout in the second.

The Red Sox played without catcher Carlos Narváez after he was scratched from the lineup Wednesday. Manager Alex Cora didn't say why he was taken out of the lineup.

Up next

Both teams are off Thursday before the Red Sox open a series against San Diego on Friday night and the Astros begin a series with the Athletics in Sacramento.

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

CHICAGO (AP) — Matthew Boyd struck out 10 while pitching into the sixth inning, and the Chicago Cubs beat the Los Angeles Angels 6-2 on Wednesday.

Nico Hoerner had three hits for Chicago on a chilly and windy afternoon at Wrigley Field. Matt Shaw had two hits and two RBIs, and Alex Bregman reached three times in the rubber game of the three-game series.

Boyd (1-1) allowed two runs, one earned, and two hits over 5 2/3 innings in his second start of the season. The left-hander was tagged for six runs in 3 2/3 innings in a 10-4 loss to Washington on opening day.

Zach Neto had two of the Angels' four hits. Yusei Kikuchi (0-1) was charged with five runs and six hits in 5 1/3 innings.

Chicago grabbed control with five runs in the third inning. Miguel Amaya walked and scored from first on Hoerner's double into the gap in left-center. Bregman singled in Hoerner, and Dansby Swanson drove in Ian Happ with a sacrifice fly. Shaw and Pete Crow-Armstrong contributed two-out RBI singles.

It looked as if first-year Los Angeles manager Kurt Suzuki wanted a replay review of the play at the plate when Amaya scored but was denied because he took too long to decide on the challenge.

The Angels chased Boyd while scoring two runs in the sixth. Jo Adell singled in Neto, and Mike Trout scampered home on an error on Bregman at third.

The Cubs tacked on an unearned run in the seventh. Trout dropped Carson Kelly's leadoff flyball to center for an error, and Kelly scored on Shaw's one-out single.

Up next

Angels: Following an off day, LHP Reid Detmers (0-0, 5.79 ERA) starts for the Angels in their home opener on Friday night. RHP Bryan Woo (0-0, 3.00 ERA) takes the mound for Seattle.

Cubs: RHP Cade Horton (1-0, 2.84 ERA) starts the opener of a weekend series at Cleveland on Friday. LHP Joey Cantillo (0-0, 4.91 ERA) gets the ball for the Guardians.

___

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

The Syracuse Orange men’s basketball team will not be competing in the 2026 Players Era Festival, a team spokesperson confirmed to TNIAAM on Wednesday.

Syracuse was one of 18 teams who participated in the NIL-based tournament in 2025, which was based out of Las Vegas. It went 0-3 in the Players Era, with losses to Houston, Kansas and Iowa State.

The spokesperson also confirmed whether Syracuse was paid for taking part in Players Era last year. Sportico had previously reported several programs who participated were still awaiting NIL payouts.

“Syracuse has received its tournament payout from the 2025 event,” the spokesperson wrote in a statement to TNIAAM.

Recently, it was unclear whether Syracuse would be competing in the 2026 version of the tournament, which first began in 2024 with eight teams.

A social media post by Players Era in mid-February notably included Syracuse guard Kiyan Anthony and said the 2026 field would “be elite, powered by all the returning programs from 2025.”

Including Syracuse, 18 teams competed in the 2025 tournament. Syracuse and Notre Dame were the only two schools from the ACC who participated in the event this past season.

Initial reporting hinted Syracuse would likely not be heading back to Vegas for the upcoming year.

In a recent article released by Sportico, the outlet said “several programs” who were set to partake in the 2026 Players Era Tournament were “now unlikely to do so.” Syracuse was among the programs mentioned in the story.

Regarding the 2026 schedule, Syracuse has reportedly locked in two opponents: neutral-site games versus Providence in Boston and against Indiana in Indianapolis. The Orange will also have a third TBD opponent as part of the ACC/SEC Challenge.

We’ll continue to keep you posted as more scheduling news is released.

LAS VEGAS – Chris Duncan admits Renato Moicano beat him up when he first joined American Top Team years ago, but he will look to show how much he's evolved in Saturday's UFC Fight Night 272 main event.

Duncan (15-2 MMA, 6-1 UFC) has spent many training sessions with Moicano (20-7-1 MMA, 12-7 UFC) on the mats in Coconut Creek, Fla. Given the depth of talent at that team, it's always a possibility that two fighters will be matched up. That happened for the upcoming five-round headliner at Meta APEX (Paramount+), and now it's just days away.

Although the two were isolated as much as possible, Duncan (15-2 MMA, 6-1 UFC) revealed he still crossed paths with Moicano throughout camp. It might seem weird to some, but for Duncan, it's just business.

"He was there (at ATT)," Duncan told MMA Junkie and other reporters at Wednesday's UFC Fight Night 272 media day. "He was in the same gym and we were in the sauna together. A lot of people don't get what I'm doing and what me and Moicano do. We have so much respect for each other that it's going to be fighting and it's going to be an equalizer on Saturday night. Whoever wins, wins. People can't fathom that, and that's why people like to watch, because people are not bred like me. I'm on a different level."

Duncan enters his first octagon headliner on a four-fight winning streak, while Moicano is looking to bounce back from two consecutive losses. It's an important fight in the career of both, and Duncan is going into it with a serious mindset.

"I feel like I get to express myself a little bit better with the five rounds," Duncan said. "He's obviously a fantastic opponent. Unfortunately, he's a teammate, but I'm absolutely ecstatic to be stepping across the octagon in front of him. What an opponent. The actual caliber of opponents he's had in the past. Jose Aldo. Islam Makhachev. The resume is insane.

"I'm not thinking any further into the future. Moicano (on) Saturday. Home (on) Sunday. That's all I've got planned."

This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Chris Duncan: Renato Moicano history an 'equalizer' at UFC Vegas 115

Embed AI into your app or site in just 3 lines of code. Normally, building AI into mature apps or websites requires dealing with vector databases, custom integration pipelines, authentication, and brittle LLM calls, which distract core engineering teams from shipping product features. EmbedAI solves this by providing a drop-in component that abstracts away infrastructure, letting you inject AI into your app logic without restructuring your backend. It requires zero backend maintenance or database provisioning, offers seamless UI matching your brand rules, and gives you complete control with your own API keys.

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Lutily gives salons a branded booking page at yourname.lutily.com that lets clients pick services, choose a staff member, and reserve a real open slot in under a minute. It never shows competitors, charges no commission, and has no per‑staff fees. Every booking is phone‑verified to reduce no‑shows.

Use Lutily to stack appointments to fill gaps, run a smart waitlist that auto‑offers newly opened times, and control working hours by date. Manage a color‑coded calendar, team permissions, client history and notes, and automatic SMS confirmations and reminders, with instant rescheduling and cancellations.

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Alaska Tourism Boosts Growth by Targeting Indian Travelers with Exclusive Roadshows and New Travel OpportunitiesAlaska's tourism sector targets Indian travelers...

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MSC Cruises Unveils Major Changes for 2026-27 Season and Cancels Middle East Itineraries While Introducing MSC World Europa to the...

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Passengers Left Stranded as KLM, easyJet, Lufthansa, and Ryanair Cancel 13 Flights and Delay Over 380 at Amsterdam Schiphol, Impacting...

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Floyd County Joins Mitchell, Clay, Robeson, Wayne, Lincoln, Blaine, Thomas and More US Counties Facing Brutal Wildfire, Spreading Dangerously and...

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WhatsApp is adding new emojis to its Android app through a latest beta update, making chats more fun and expressive. These emojis come from the new Unicode 17.0 update, which introduces fresh symbols for users to share their feelings and ideas more easily.

Previously, WhatsApp had already added some emojis from Unicode 16.0. These included a tired face with eye bags, a fingerprint, a dry tree, and more. Now, the app is adding more new emojis and making them available directly in the emoji keyboard.

Some of the new emojis are very interesting. The “Distorted Face” emoji can be used when someone feels confused or stressed. The “Ballet Shoes” emoji is good for talking about dance or shows.

There is also an “Orca” emoji, which is perfect for people who like the sea or animals. Another fun emoji is the “Hairy Creature,” which is inspired by Bigfoot or the Yeti.

Image via WABetaInfo

There are more emojis like “Landslide,” which shows that things are going out of control, and the “Fight Cloud, which can show a fight or confusion. Music lovers can use the “Trombone” emoji, and the “Treasure Chest” emoji can be used for things like rewards, surprises, or adventure.

Earlier, some of these emojis were already in WhatsApp, but could not be used easily from the keyboard. Now, WhatsApp has made them simple to find and send in chats.

The post WhatsApp expands emoji library with Unicode 17.0 support appeared first on Sammy Fans.

Samsung has brought back attention to its old “Wireless Charger Trio,” a $90 charger that can power three devices at once. Even though it is being shown as a new product on Samsung’s website, it is actually the same charger that first came out around 2020, with no real upgrades.

The charger has two wireless charging spots for phones or earbuds, as well as a special place to charge a Galaxy Watch. It works with Samsung devices and other gadgets that support Qi wireless charging. It sounds useful, especially for people who want to charge everything in one place.

However, the charger feels outdated in 2026. Its charging speed is quite slow compared to newer options. It can charge Samsung phones at up to 15W, but other devices only get 7.5W. Many modern chargers are faster and more efficient.

The big issue is that the charger does not use the newer Qi2 technology, which helps devices snap into the right position using magnets. Because of this, users often have trouble placing their phones correctly, and charging may not start unless the device is perfectly positioned.

Notably, newer Galaxy phones have large camera bumps, which can stop the phone from lying flat on the charger, which is also an issue. This makes charging even more difficult.

While some people still like the convenience of charging multiple devices together, many others are not satisfied. The Wireless Charger Trio still works, but it feels old and less useful compared to newer wireless chargers available today.

The post Samsung reintroduces wireless charger trio without changes appeared first on Sammy Fans.

A couple of days ago some details about the upcoming HMD Crest 2 Pro got leaked alongside an image, and today the same prolific source of HMD-related leaks is back with another image and some extra details. The phone allegedly has the Snapdragon 4 Gen 4 SoC at the helm, with 5G support, and this is paired with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. The Crest 2 Pro also features a 6.78-inch FHD+ AMOLED screen with 120Hz refresh rate, a triple rear camera setup (64MP main, 8MP ultrawide, 2MP decorative sensor), a 50MP selfie snapper, dual speakers, an IP65 rating for dust and splash resistance,...

After shining in his return to Santos, Neymar seemed to be edging closer to a return for the 2026 World Cup. Despite this, Brazil’s Carlo Ancelotti has decided not to count on him throughout his tenure with the national team. With only a few months left before the anticipated tournament, the veteran’s hopes appear to be fading, as Endrick and two other stars reportedly lead the race for a place in the squad.

According to Cahê Mota via GeGlobo, Carlo Ancelotti and his coaching staff view Neymar’s call-up to the 2026 World Cup as unlikely, dimming his hopes. Instead, they are reportedly considering Endrick, who impressed with his performance against Croatia and earned the benefit of the doubt. However, he faces competition from Lucas Paquetá and Igor Thiago for a place on Brazil’s roster.

Neymar reportedly disappointed Brazil’s coaching staff after missing the Santos vs. Mirassol match. Despite the veteran knew that Ancelotti would be attending the game, he stayed away due to workload management. As a result, he missed a great opportunity to make a case for his return to the 2026 World Cup roster. However, Cahê Mota reports that the coach remains open to calling him up, but it depends on his performance.

Unlike the 34-year-old, Endrick is in top physical condition, shining at Olympique Lyon. Because of this, he seems close to securing his place, as Ancelotti has called him ‘the future of the national team.’ In this context, Neymar Jr. would have to compete with Lucas Paquetá and Igor Thiago, who are already part of Brazil setup. Because of this, it looks quite difficult for him to make the 2026 World Cup.

Neymar Jr. keeps shining with Santos amid Ancelotti’s doubts

Following his knee surgery, Neymar has managed to shine with Santos FC, showing that he is in full condition. In the five matches he has played, he has scored three goals and provided two assists, standing out as the team’s most influential player. He is not only scoring goals, but also organizing the team, giving them ideas amid the chaos they are currently experiencing.

Despite his strong performances, coach Carlo Ancelotti remains full of doubts regarding his return. With the need to manage his workload to avoid further injury, the veteran raises questions about whether he will be ready to compete in the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Because of this, he has just over a month to convince the head coach of his return, as the final squad list will be announced on May 18 in Rio de Janeiro.

Carlo Ancelotti spoke after Brazil’s matches during the March international break and addressed the process of selecting the 26-player squad that will compete in this summer’s 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America, acknowledging that he has increasing doubts about it.

After giving playing time in friendlies against France and Croatia to several players who had not previously been considered, the coach was candid in admitting: “The new players have contributed a lot, they’ve taken their opportunity and, obviously, it increases the doubt over the final list.”

These remarks only add to the uncertainty in Brazil, with just over two months remaining until the start of the tournament in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. And considering that the deadline to submit the roster is May 30, the timeline is even tighter.

Ancelotti expressed satisfaction with the team’s performances. “The idea was to play like this. There are things to improve, obviously, but we’re on the right track,” he said, according to TyC Sports. “Everyone contributed, which is a positive sign for the team.”

Regarding the next steps in the coming months, the coach was clear: “Now we will continue evaluating what happens in the European leagues and in the Brazilian league… We have a good team structure, a good atmosphere, we’re working very well; for now, we’re calm.”

Endrick fights for a place in Brazil

Among the players who were given their first opportunity under Carlo Ancelotti during this March FIFA international break is Endrick. The Real Madrid forward, on loan at Olympique Lyon, did not feature in Sunday’s 2-1 loss to France but did see minutes in the match against Croatia.

Endrick came on in the 76th minute to replace Luiz Henrique and played a key role: he won the penalty that led to the second goal and assisted Gabriel Martinelli on the third. “He played very well,” Ancelotti said when asked about the young forward.

In addition, other players also earned their first minutes in this cycle and made positive impressions. Botafogo midfielder Danilo Santos scored one of the goals against Croatia, while Brentford forward Igor Thiago featured in both matches during the international break and also found the net.

There were important matches during the last international window. However, no team drew more attention than Italy as they tried to qualify for the World Cup against Northern Ireland first and then Bosnia and Herzegovina, which they failed to do. Fabio Capello described the country’s feelings better than anyone.

Capello said in an interview with Marca: “I couldn’t sleep all night; I still can’t believe what happened. We are talking about a four-time World champion. It’s a sports tragedy. It’s embarrassing. It’s some of the worst that has happened to Italian soccer in its recent history.”

Italy had to go through two rounds to reach the World Cup again for the first time since 2010. They defeated Northern Ireland to face Bosnia and Herzegovina in their final match. Despite taking a 1-0 lead, they allowed the equalizer with a few minutes left after spending most of the match with 10 men following Andrea Bastoni’s red card. The penalties later decided that they would miss the event for the third straight time.

Capello wants a change

The manager has worked at clubs like Real Madrid, Milan and Juventus, so he knows well what should be expected in organizations of that level that aim for the biggest titles in their respective competitions.

For Capello, the blame should not fall only on the current manager Gennaro Gattuso or even the players. In his opinion, something must change at the highest levels of the federation.

Capello said: “Here nobody resigns, and that’s the most concerning thing. The first person that should take responsibility is the president of the Federation (Gabriele Gavrina) with the executive directors. The problem isn’t just results, it’s structural.”

Capello on what the elimination means for Italy

Even if this has happened recently as well, missing the World Cup is not taken lightly by the fans. Capello said: “Italy is mourning. For a country so tied to the sport, it’s very hard to accept.”

The FIFA rankings received their final update of the March international break ahead of the 2026 World Cup, bringing with it several significant changes. The most notable is that Kylian Mbappe‘s France have claimed the top spot, leapfrogging Lamine Yamal’s Spain and Lionel Messi’s Argentina in the process.

The previous ranking update dates back to late January, following the conclusion of the Africa Cup of Nations, which saw Senegal crowned champions with a 1-0 win over Morocco. While that update had a limited impact, largely affecting African nations and leaving the rest of the table largely undisturbed, the March window brought far greater movement, driven by high-profile friendlies and the final rounds of World Cup qualifying.

After the first week of matches, changes were already beginning to emerge, with France overtaking Argentina for second place as the most notable early shift. Then on April 1, FIFA released the full updated rankings, with Les Bleus claiming the top spot for the first time since September 2018, just months after winning the World Cup in Russia.

Key changes in the FIFA rankings

Fueled by wins over Brazil and Croatia, Mbappé’s side now sits atop the rankings with 1,877.32 points, with Spain and Argentina close behind at 1,876.40 and 1,874.81 respectively. Yamal’s draw against Egypt and Messi’s side facing lower-ranked opposition in Mauritania and Zambia proved costly, giving France the opening it needed to claim first place.

England took a significant hit after their defeat to Japan but managed to hold on to fourth place, while Portugal, without Cristiano Ronaldo, overtook Brazil to move into fifth. Another notable development sees Mexico climb to 15th with 1,681.03 points, surpassing the United States, who dropped more than four points to sit 16th with 1,673.13.

This latest update also serves as a significant benchmark for national teams, as it will be the last ranking cycle with major movement before the 2026 World Cup kicks off in June. Between now and then, nations will be finalizing their squad lists and arranging pre-tournament friendlies, expected to take place just weeks before the competition gets underway.

FIFA ranking top 10 ahead of the 2026 World Cup

1. France — 1877.32 points.
2. Spain — 1876.40 points.
3. Argentina — 1874.81 points.
4. England — 1825.97 points.
5. Portugal — 1763.83 points.
6. Brazil — 1761.16 points.
7. Netherlands— 1757.87 points.
8. Morocco — 1755.87 points.
9. Belgium — 1734.71 points.
10. Germany — 1730.37 points.

Former two-division world champion has admitted that one undefeated contender is indeed the real deal. Bradley defeated Junior Witter to become the WBC super-lightweight world champion back in 2008, before unifying the titles with a win over WBO titleholder Kendall Holt – defending the WBO crown against Lamont Peterson, Devon Alexander and Joel Casamayor. The […]

The post Tim Bradley says unbeaten fighter with 85% KO ratio is ‘something else’: “He’s going to the top” appeared first on Boxing News.

"Bizim Çocuklar" sahada tarih yazdı, 2026 Dünya Kupası biletini kaparak 85 milyonu sokağa döktü. Şimdi gözler TFF Başkanı İbrahim Hacıosmanoğlu'nun "villa" vaadini yerine getirmesinde! Bodrum-Milas hattında yükselen 4 bin konutluk dev projeden milli yıldızlara söz verilen, piyasa değeri toplamda 3 milyar TL'yi bulan lüks villalar için geri sayım başladı. Fotopor olarak "TFF kasasından değil cebimden vereceğim" diyerek çıtayı arşa çıkaran Başkan İbrahim Hacıosmanoğlu'nun, kaptan Hakan Çalhanoğlu'nun belirleyeceği isimlere tapularını teslim edeceği tarihi merakla bekliyoruz.

Türk futbolu uzun süren (2002'den bu yana 24 yıllık) Dünya Kupası hasretine son verdi. 2026 biletini cebine koydu. Sahada ter döken "Bizim Çocuklar" ay-yıldızlı bayrağı ABD, Kanada ve Meksika’daki dev arenaya taşımayı başardı. Şimdi herkesin dilinde tek bir soru var:

- TFF Başkanı İbrahim Hacıosmanoğlu'nun söz verdiği Bodrum’daki villalar ne zaman teslim edilecek?

TFF Başkanı İbrahim Hacıosmanoğlu, görev süresinin başında çıtayı arşa çıkarmıştı. Milas-Bodrum sınırındaki Tuzla (Bargilya) Sulak Alanı bölgesinde, kendi şirketi ATR Yapı üzerinden yükselen devasa projeden futbolculara ev sözü vermişti:

- 2026 Dünya Kupası'na katıldığımız takdirde, Bodrum’daki projemizden futbolcularımıza birer villa vereceğiz. Bu prim federasyon bütçesinden değil, tamamen kendi şirketimizden karşılanacak.

Dünya Kupası şarkımız ne olacak? ''Bir Oluruz Yolunda''

Piyasa uzmanlarına göre, Bodrum’un en gözde lokasyonlarından birinde yer alan bu müstakil villaların her birinin değeri 2 ila 3 milyon dolar arasında değişiyor.

Teknik heyet ve 25-30 kişilik futbolcu kafilesi düşünüldüğünde, toplam primin değeri 75 ila 90 milyon dolar (yaklaşık 2,5-3 milyar TL) bandına ulaşıyor.

Hacıosmanoğlu, "Kaç kişi olacaklarına kaptan Hakan Çalhanoğlu karar verecek" diyerek, ödül listesinin kapsamını tamamen takımın iç dinamiklerine bırakmıştı.

Milliler dolar milyoneri oldu: İşte Türkiye'nin kasasına girecek rakam!

Villaların verileceği bölge, flamingoların ve göçmen kuşların uğrak noktası olan dünyaca ünlü Bodrum-Milas Kuş Cenneti’ne komşu. Daha önce Ali Ağaoğlu ile ortak yürütülen ancak sonrasında Hacıosmanoğlu'nun tek yetkili olarak devraldığı bu dev proje, 4 bin konutu kapsayan bir "şehir içinde şehir" projesi niteliğinde.

Milli Takım oyuncuları, saha içindeki görevlerini eksiksiz yerine getirerek Türkiye’yi sevince boğdu. Şimdi spor kamuoyu, Başkan Hacıosmanoğlu’nun bu "maddi sınırı olmayan" vaadini hayata geçirmesini bekliyor. Futbolcuların tatillerini kendi villalarında yapıp yapmayacağı, önümüzdeki günlerde yapılacak tapu teslim törenleriyle netlik kazanacak.

Halkbank Kadınlar Basketbol Süper Ligi play-off final serisi ikinci maçında Fenerbahçe Opet, sahasında Galatasaray Çağdaş Faktoring'i 77-75 yendi.

Fenerbahçe Opet,Halkbank Kadınlar Basketbol Süper Ligi play-off final serisi ikinci maçında sahasında Galatasaray Çağdaş Faktoring'i 77-75 yendi.

Bu sonuçla sarı-lacivertli takım, seride durumu 2-0'a getirdi.

Üç galibiyete ulaşan takımın şampiyon olacağı seride üçüncü mücadele, 4 Nisan Cumartesi günü saat 16.00'da Sinan Erdem Spor Salonu'nda oynanacak.

Karşılıklı basketlerle başlayan ilk periyodun 5. dakikasını Fenerbahçe Opet, 14-10 üstün geçti. Mücadelenin 7. dakikasında Sevgi Uzun'un basketiyle sarı-lacivertlilerin farkı 8 sayıya çıkarmasının ardından Galatasaray Çağdaş Faktoring molaya gitti. Oyun üstünlüğünü ele geçiren Fenerbahçe Opet, ilk çeyreği 29-17 önde bitirdi.

İkinci çeyreğe iyi başlayan taraf Fenerbahçe Opet oldu. Sarı-lacivertli takım, üç sayılık atışlarla farkı açarken Galatasaray Çağdaş Faktoring ise rakibine karşılık vermekte zorlandı. Karşılaşmanın 18. dakikasında sarı-kırmızılılar, Williams'ın pota altındaki etkili oyunuyla farkı 7 sayıya kadar indirdi: 41-34. Periyodun son dakikalarında sayı üretmekte zorlansa da ev sahibi ekip, soyunma odasına 43-36 üstün gitti.

Müsabakanın üçüncü çeyreği çekişmeli başladı. 25. dakikada Fenerbahçe Opet, farkı tekrar çift hanelere yükseltirken (57-46) konuk ekip, boyalı alandan bulduğu basketlerle farkı eritmeye çalıştı. Son bölümde de baskın oyununu sürdüren sarı-lacivertliler, üçüncü periyodu 63-55 önde tamamladı.

Tamamı çekişmeli bir oyuna sahne olan dördüncü periyotta da üstün gelen Fenerbahçe Opet, karşılaşmadan 77-75 galip ayrılarak seride durumu 2-0'a getirdi.

Salon: Fenerbahçe Metro Enerji

Hakemler: Aydın Karaçam, Fatih Güler, Samet Biner

Fenerbahçe Opet: Sevgi Uzun 18, Olcay Çakır Turgut 5, Meesseman 20, Rupert 12, Allemand 12, Williams 8, McCovan 2, Tuana Vural

Galatasaray Çağdaş Faktoring: Ayşe Cora Yamaner 4, Derin Erdoğan 9, Juhasz 11, Johannes 13, Kuier 18, Smalls 8, Williams 8, Gökşen Fitik 2, Elif Bayram 2

1. Periyot: 29-17

Devre: 43-36

3. Periyot: 63-55

Juventus'ta forma giyen milli oyuncu Kenan Yıldız, İtalya 1. Futbol Ligi'nde (Serie A) ayın yükselen yıldızı ödülünü kazandı.

Serie A'nın internet sitesindeki açıklamaya göre 27-30. hafta maçlarında 23 yaş altı oyuncular arasında en iyi performansı sergileyen Kenan, mart ayının yükselen yıldızı seçildi.

Milli futbolcu, ödülünü Juventus'un 6 Nisan'da Genoa'yı ağırlayacağı lig karşılaşması öncesi alacak.

Ligde mart ayında 4 maça çıkan Kenan, 2 gol kaydetti. Genç hücum oyuncusu, 40 kez forma giydiği tüm kulvarlarda ise rakip fileleri 11 defa havalandırdı.

Kenan Yıldız, kasım ayının ardından Serie A'da bu sezon ikinci kez aynı ödüle layık görüldü.

Basketbol Avrupa Ligi'nin 35. haftasında Fenerbahçe Beko, deplasmanda Almanya ekibi Bayern Münih'e 85-76 yenildi.

Fenerbahçe Beko, EuroLeague 35. hafta maçında FC Bayern Münih’e konuk oldu.

SAP Garden'da oynanan karşılaşmanın ilk çeyreğini 25-12 önde bitiren Bayern Münih, devre arasına da 43-30 üstünlükle gitti.

Sarı-lacivertliler, ikinci devrede farkı eritmeye çalışsa da üçüncü periyodu 67-60 önde geçen Almanya temsilcisi, mücadeleden 85-76 galip ayrıldı.

Ev sahibi ekipte Neno Dimitrijevic, 22 sayıyla galibiyette önemli rol oynadı. Fenerbahçe Beko'da Tarık Biberovic'in 21 sayısı mağlubiyeti engelleyemedi.

Bu sonuçla Bayern Münih, 15. galibiyetini elde etti. Lider Fenerbahçe Beko ise üst üste 3 olmak üzere 12. yenilgisini yaşadı.

A Milli Takım'ın Dünya Kupası bileti almasının ardından yayıncı kuruluş merak konusu olmuştu. Yapılan açıklamayla 24 yıl sonra katılacağımız dev organizasyonun yayıncısı da belli oldu. İşte detaylar...

A Milli Futbol Takımı’nın 2026 Dünya Kupası’na katılma hakkı elde etmesiyle birlikte, futbolseverlerin gözü turnuvanın yayınlanacağı kanala çevrildi. Milyonlarca vatandaş, dev organizasyonu hangi platformdan takip edebileceğini merak ederken, beklenen açıklama geldi.

TRT YAYIN HAKKINI DUYURDU

TRT Genel Müdürü Zahid Sobacı, kişisel sosyal medya hesabından yaptığı paylaşımla Dünya Kupası yayınlarına ilişkin detayları kamuoyuyla paylaştı.

GELENEK DEVAM EDİYOR

Sobacı paylaşımında, TRT’nin uzun yıllardır süregelen Dünya Kupası yayın geleneğine vurgu yaparak şu ifadeleri kullandı:

"13 Haziran 1974’te çalan ilk düdükle başlayan gelenek yine değişmedi.

Futbolun en büyük kupasında #BizimÇocuklar’ın yolculuğunu ve dünya yıldızlarının nefes kesen mücadelelerini TRT farkıyla milletimizle buluşturacağız."

İLK DÜDÜK 11 HAZİRAN'DA

2026 Dünya Kupası'nın açılış maçı 11 Haziran 2026'da oynanacak. Şampiyonun belli olacağı final karşılaşması ise 19 Temmuz'da yapılacak. Dünya Kupası'nda tüm maçlar TRT ve Tabii platformundan canlı olarak yayınlanacak.

MİLLİ HEYECAN EKRANLARA TAŞINACAK

Bu açıklamayla birlikte 2026 Dünya Kupası karşılaşmalarının TRT ekranlarından yayınlanacağı kesinlik kazandı. A Milli Takım’ın 24 yıl sonra yeniden sahne alacağı turnuvada, hem ay yıldızlıların performansı hem de dünya futbolunun yıldız isimleri TRT aracılığıyla izleyiciyle buluşacak.

MİLLİ TAKIM'IN MAÇ PROGRAMI ŞÖYLE:

Avustralya-Türkiye: 14 Haziran 07.00 - Vancouver Stadı

Türkiye Paraguay: 20 Haziran 07.00 - San Francisco Bay Stadı

Türkiye- ABD: 26 Haziran 05.00- Los Angeles Stadı

A Milli Takımımıza 24 yıl sonra Dünya Kupası biletini getiren golü atan Kerem Aktürkoğlu, Kosova deplasmanında otel önünde yaşanan çirkin saldırıya saha içinde cevap verdi! Merih Demiral'ın maç günü vlogunda konuşan milli yıldızımız, gece yarısı odalarına atılan ses bombalarını anlatarak, "Türk insanını böyle sinirlendirirsen neler olabileceğini bilmiyorlar. Gerekeni sahada yaparız" dedi.

2026 FIFA Dünya Kupası Avrupa Elemeleri play-off finalinde deplasmanda Kosova'yı 1-0 mağlup ederek 24 yıllık hasrete son veren ve Amerika biletini cebine koyan A Milli Futbol Takımımızda, tarihi zaferin perde arkası aralanmaya devam ediyor.

Ay-Yıldızlı kafilemizin konakladığı otelin önüne maçtan bir gece önce gelen Kosovalı holiganların havai fişekli ve ses bombalı saldırısı, millilerimizin motivasyonunu bozmak yerine içlerindeki ateşi daha da harlamış!

MERİH DEMİRAL'IN VLOG'UNDA ORTAYA ÇIKTI

Milli takımımızın tecrübeli savunmacısı ve kaptanlarından Merih Demiral, bu tarihi maçın hikayesini ölümsüzleştirmek adına çektiği "Maç Günü Vlog"unu taraftarlarla paylaştı. Sosyal medyada büyük ilgi gören videonun en çarpıcı anı ise, Kosova ağlarını sarsarak bize Dünya Kupası'nı getiren Kerem Aktürkoğlu'nun o gece yaşananları anlattığı saniyeler oldu.

"ODAMIZIN İÇİNE BOMBA GİBİ BİR ŞEY ATTILAR"

Kosovalı taraftarların gece yarısı yaptığı çirkin provokasyonu anlatan milli yıldızımız, olayın ciddiyetini şu sözlerle dile getirdi:

"Dün gece olanları söyleyeyim size: Uyuyordum, gecenin tam 12.30-1 sularında önce art arda havai fişek, ardından bomba gibi bir şey attılar. Tam bizim odamızın içine doğru geldi."

"TÜRK İNSANINI BÖYLE SİNİRLENDİRİRSEN..."

Yaşanan bu uyku sabotajına ve çirkin saldırıya en güzel cevabı sahada atacağı golle vereceğinin sinyalini maçtan saatler önce veren Kerem Aktürkoğlu, o tüyleri diken diken eden meydan okumasını şu sözlerle yaptı:

"Ama biz de gerekeni sahada yaparız kardeşim. Hele bizim gibi Türk insanını böyle sinirlendirirsen, neler olabileceğini bilmiyorlar."

Nitekim Kerem Aktürkoğlu, vlogda verdiği bu sözü tutarak maçın 53. dakikasında Kosova ağlarını havalandırdı ve o çirkin saldırıyı yapanlara en ağır cevabı yeşil sahada vermiş oldu.

Avrupa transfer piyasasında domino taşları yerinden oynayacak! Barış Alper Yılmaz da içine dahil olacak. Liverpool'dan ayrılacağı kesinleşen Mohamed Salah'ın Suudi Arabistan'a gidişi, Torino üzerinden İstanbul'u sarsacak bir domino dizilimini tetikledi. Juventus'un yıldızı Conceição'nun Anfield yolunu tutmasıyla birlikte, İtalyan devi Barış Alper Yılmaz için Galatasaray'ın kapısını rekor bir teklifle çalmaya hazırlanacak.

Avrupa transfer piyasası, 2026 yazına "domino etkisi" yaratacak transfer hamlelerinden biriyle girmeye hazırlanıyor. Liverpool’da Mohamed Salah döneminin resmen sona ereceğinin duyurulması, İngilizlerin rotasını Juventus'a, İtalyanların rotasının ise Galatasaray'a dönmesine neden oldu.

Liverpool ile 2026 yazında bitecek olan sözleşmesini yenilemeyeceğini açıklayan Salah, veda turlarına başladı. 33 yaşındaki yıldız için Suudi Arabistan kulüpleri (Al-Ittihad ve Al-Nassr) adeta bir servet yarışına girmiş durumda.

Al-Ittihad’ın sezonluk 100 milyon euro maaş ve 30 milyon euro imza bonusu içeren paketinin Salah tarafından kabul edilmesine kesin gözüyle bakılıyor. Liverpool da, Salah’ın boşluğunu dolduracak "sağ kanat veliahtı" için bütçesini hazırladı.

Galatasaray'ın planı netleşti: Barış Alper Yılmaz bütün bonusları topluyor

Liverpool, Salah’tan boşalacak sağ koridor için Juventus’un parlayan yıldızı Francisco Conceição için temaslarını sıklaştırdı. La Gazzetta dello Sport'a göre, Portekizli oyuncunun Liverpool’a transferi için konuşulan rakam 50 milyon Euro.

Conceição’nun gidişiyle kanat hattında büyük bir açık verecek olan Juventus, bu boşluğu Galatasaray’ın "dinamosu" ile kapatmayı planlıyor.

Galatasaray’ın Şampiyonlar Ligi’nde Juventus ve Liverpool gibi devlere karşı sergilediği performans, Barış Alper Yılmaz’ı (25) transferin bir numaralı öznesi haline getirdi.

Juventus Sportif Direktörü Giorgio Chiellini’nin bizzat doğruladığı ilgi, son haftalarda resmiyet kazanma yolunda. İtalyan devinin, Conceição’dan gelecek parayı doğrudan Barış Alper için Galatasaray’a teklif etmesi gerekecek.

Sezon başında Suudi Arabistan’dan (Neom SC) gelen 40 milyon euro'luk teklifi Okan Buruk’un "Kendini Şampiyonlar Ligi’nde göster, Avrupa’nın devine git" tavsiyesiyle reddeden Barış Alper Yılmaz için yönetim, şimdi kapıyı 50 milyon euro'dan açıyor.

Eğer bu rakam gerçekleşirse, Barış Alper Yılmaz Türk futbol tarihinin en yüksek bonservis bedeliyle yurt dışına giden oyuncusu olacak.

Fenerbahçe, hücum hattını gençleştirme ve skor gücünü maksimize etme projesinde rotayı Kuzey'e kırdı. Sidiki Cherif'in yanına partner aranırken, Danimarka Süper Ligi'ni kasıp kavuran Franculino Djú ismi gündeme bomba gibi düştü! FC Midtjylland formasıyla bu sezon tam 14 resmi maç kaçırmasına rağmen 16 golle krallık koltuğunda oturmaya devam eden 21 yaşındaki Gine-Bissau'lu yıldız, yaşadığı ağır sakatlığın ardından sahalara muhteşem bir dönüş yaptı.

Sadettin Saran yönetimi devam eder ve Devin Özek'le yeni sezonda yola çıkılırsa Fenerbahçe genç oyuncu transferlerine devam edecek gibi duruyor. Ocak ayında Sidiki Cherif ile oluşturmaya çalışılan genç ve dinamik hücum hattına bu kez de Franculino Djú'nun eklenmek istediği iddia edildi.

FC Midtjylland forması giyen 21 yaşındaki Gine-Bissau’lu forvet, 7 Aralık 2025'ten bu yana süregelen şanssız sakatlığını geride bıraktı. Salı günü Silkeborg ile oynanan hazırlık maçında 30 dakika süre aldı. Sahalara döndüğü maçı Fenerbahçe'nin scoutları tribünde izlerken, 1.86'lık golcü formundan hiçbir şey kaybetmediğini kanıtladı.

Osimhen'in pabucunu dama atacak! Fenerbahçe'ye gol makinesi

Franculino, tam 14 resmi maç kaçırmasına rağmen 16 golle Danimarka Süper Ligi gol krallığı listesinin zirvesindeki yerini korumaya devam ediyor. Bu istatistik, oyuncunun lig üzerindeki mutlak hakimiyetini ve bitiricilik yeteneğini gözler önüne seriyor.

Gol   16

Gol Beklentisi (xG)     10.22

Gol Sıklığı (Dakika)    76 dk.

Maç Başına Gol    0.9

Maç Başına İsabetli Şut 1.5

Kaçan Büyük Şans  8

Pozisyonu Gole Çevirme  38%

FootMercato'nun haberine göre; Premier Lig, La Liga, Bundesliga ve Serie A’nın devleri Franculino’nun peşinde. Ancak Transfermarkt daha speisifik isimler verdi. Fenerbahçe’nin bu transferdeki rakiplerinin Bayern Münih ile Al-Hilal olduğunu yazdı.

Fenerbahçe yönetiminin, Sidiki Cherif ile Franculino'yu aynı karede buluşturma fikri, kulübün gelecek vizyonunu net bir şekilde ortaya koyuyor. Danimarka kulübünün en değerli varlığı haline gelen Franculino için önümüzdeki günlerin oldukça hareketli geçmesi bekleniyor.

Geridə qalmış mart ayını uğurlu nəticələrlə başa vurmuş futbol üzrə Azərbaycan millisi FIFA reytinqində irəliləyib.

Arena.az bu barədə FIFA-nın rəsmi saytına istinadən xəbər verir.

Ayxan Abbasovun baş məşqçisi olduğu kollektiv bu gün açıqlanmış yeni siyahıda 3 pillə irəliləyib.

Komandamız hazırda 1136,67 əmsalla 124-cü pillədə qərarlaşıb.

Xatırladaq ki, Azərbaycan millisi ötən ay “FİFA Series–2026” beynəlxalq turnirinin qalibi olub. Komandamız əvvəlcə Sent Lüsiya yığmasına 6:1 hesabıyla qalib gəlib, finalda isə Syerra Leoneni penaltilərlə (1:1, 9:8) üstələyib.

Millimizin UEFA Millətlər Liqasının 2026/2027-ci illər mövsümündəki rəqiblərindən Litva yığması (1058,42) 148-ci, Lixtenşteyn isə (803,57) 206-cı pillədə qərarlaşıb.

FIFA reytinqinin ilk pilləsində Fransa yığması yer alıb. İspaniya millisi ikinci, Argentina yığma komandası isə üçüncü pillədə yer alıb.

Reytinqin ilk 10 pilləsində bu komandalar qərarlaşıblar:

1. Fransa – 1877,32
2. İspaniya – 1876,40
3. Argentina – 1874,81
4. İngiltərə – 1825,97
5. Portuqaliya – 1763,83
6. Braziliya – 1761,16
7. Niderland – 1757,87
8. Mərakeş – 1734,71
9. Belçika – 1734,71
10. Almaniya – 1730,37

Source

Tarik Muharemovic was in a magnanimous mood after Bosnia’s World Cup playoff victory over Italy, offering warm words for a country where he has built his club career while celebrating the realisation of a lifelong dream.

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The Sassuolo defender, who plays his club football in Serie A, spoke to Swiss Italian channel RSI in the immediate aftermath of the penalty shootout win, carefully navigating the emotional complexity of eliminating a nation he clearly holds in genuine affection.

“My dream was to play at the World Cup with Bosnia, the greatest dream of all of us,” he said, with quotes via TuttoMercatoWeb.

“All my respect to Italy, my friends and brothers.”

Bosnia star Muharemovic: ‘I’m very happy in Italy, I never lost respect’

He was also keen to clarify comments from a previous interview that had apparently been misinterpreted.

“I hope they did not take it badly, because I have many friends and brothers there. I am very happy in Italy. I have never lost respect, I know where I come from and that I am humble. Italy is always in my heart.”

On the match itself, Muharemovic acknowledged how difficult the Azzurri had made things despite playing with ten men for the majority of the contest following Bastoni’s red card.

“They tried everything, even with one fewer player, and it was not easy to hold on for 120 minutes. I am sorry for them.”

His pride in Bosnia’s achievement, however, was unmistakable.

“Bosnia is back and making itself known, this is only the beginning. We can show much more.”

With the World Cup now on the horizon, his message was simple. “We are ready. Now we celebrate, then we think about the World Cup.”

Luciano Moggi has launched a scathing attack on the state of Italian football in the wake of the Azzurri’s third consecutive World Cup elimination, calling for Gabriele Gravina to resign and demanding that Sports Minister Andrea Abodi intervene to force genuine structural change.

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The former Juventus and Napoli director, speaking on Radio Tutto Napoli, drew a direct line between Italy’s current crisis and the fallout from the Calciopoli scandal of 2006, arguing that Italian football has been in terminal decline ever since its last major triumph.

“Remember that the last great result was in 2006, when we won the World Cup with a strong leadership structure,” he said, via TuttoMercatoWeb.

“From that point, with the dawn of Calciopoli, Italian football was finished.”

Moggi: ‘Italy broken at the core: the fish rots from the head, Gravina must step aside’

On Gravina, Moggi was unsparing. “The national team is a mirror of the system, if we have been eliminated three times, it means something is fundamentally broken at the base. The fish rots from the head, and therefore Gabriele Gravina should step aside. He has been neither lucky nor up to the task.”

His prescription for recovery was equally blunt. “We need to start from zero, a total clean-out. Minister Abodi should intervene seriously. Enough talk: what is needed is a real revolution.”

The suggestion that political intervention may be the only way to force meaningful change at the FIGC reflects a growing mood in Italy that the federation is incapable of reforming itself from within.

Moggi also backed Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis in his calls for a restructuring of Serie A.

“De Laurentiis is right, a general overhaul is needed because things cannot continue like this,” he said. “Today we have reached the point of being afraid of teams like Bosnia. That says everything.”

Gianfranco Zola has called for a fundamental rethink of how Italian football develops its young players, insisting the country must address deep structural problems if it is to avoid repeating the pain of a third consecutive World Cup absence.

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The former Chelsea and Italy forward, speaking in his role as vice-president of Lega Pro ahead of the Serie C Coppa Italia final between Latina and Potenza, was visibly affected by Tuesday’s penalty shootout defeat to Bosnia, and used his platform to deliver a message that went well beyond the result itself.

“The failure to participate in the World Cup is something we feel deeply,” Zola told Rai Sport, via TuttoMercatoWeb.

“Football here is very important, and what happened yesterday has hit me hard. We must take stock of the problem and work to address it, understanding that our young players are extremely important.”

Zola: ‘Italy must start again from the ground up’

Zola was clear that the solutions need to come from the bottom of the game upward rather than from any quick fix at international level.

“We must start from the ground up and think about recreating the conditions to give quality to our young players,” he said.

“There is a very important and far-reaching piece of work to be done.” He also highlighted the need for continuity in young players’ development, arguing that talented youngsters must be given consistent opportunities to compete rather than being sidelined at club level.

As Lega Pro vice-president, Zola has a direct stake in that process, and he was keen to emphasise that the third tier of Italian football has a meaningful role to play.

“We as Lega Pro continue to work to encourage clubs to invest more and more in growing our young players in the best possible way,” he said.

He concluded with a message aimed squarely at the next generation.

“Coaches and facilities are fundamental, but the players themselves will also need to work hard. Commitment, vocation and dedication are what it takes to become true sportspeople.”

Chelsea has officially avoided a Premier League points deduction despite announcing a staggering pre-tax loss of £262.4 million for the 2024/25 financial year, the largest annual loss in the history of English football.

While rivals like Everton and Nottingham Forest have faced sporting sanctions for smaller breaches in recent years, the Blues have navigated the league’s Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) through a combination of strategic accounting and unprecedented cooperation with regulators.

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Chelsea announce record financial loss

The club’s latest accounts, released on April 1, 2026, reveal a massive swing from the previous year’s profit of £128.4 million.

This record-breaking deficit eclipses the previous high of £197.5 million set by Manchester City in 2011.

Club officials attributed the downturn to a sharp rise in operating costs and a wage bill estimated to be the sixth highest in Europe at £390 million.

Despite generating the second-highest revenue in the club’s history (£490.9 million), the heavy investment in the squad, assembled at a cost of over £1.5 billion, has placed immense pressure on the balance sheet.

Chelsea escape points deduction due to smart move

Despite the eye-watering headline figure, Chelsea remain PSR compliant for the three-year monitoring period ending in 2025, as explained by the Guardian.

The club successfully avoided a points deduction because under Premier League rules, losses attributed to infrastructure, the academy, the women’s team, and community projects are deductible.

By maximising these “add-backs,” Chelsea pulled their “adjusted” loss back under the £105 million three-year limit.

Biggest pre-tax losses in Premier League history

Chelsea’s recorded loss goes down on top of the list for the biggest pre-tax losses in the history of the competition.

Biggest pre-tax losses in Premier League history via BBC

The post How Chelsea avoided a points deduction despite historic £262.4m loss appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Here are the USA TODAY Sports/AVCAregional volleyball rankings after Week 4 of the 2026 season.

From these four regions, the best of the best will represent the Super 25 national boys volleyball rankings.

National scoreboard from ScoreStream: Live in-game results around the nation as they happen

West Region

(Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wyoming)

1. Loyola High School (Los Angeles, CA)

Record: 13-2

2. Mira Costa High School (Manhattan Beach, CA)

Record: 23-2

3. Redondo Union High School (CA)

Record: 14-2

4. Huntington Beach High School (CA)

Record: 14-2

5. The Bishop's School (San Diego, CA)

Record: 24-1

6. Corona Del Mar High School (CA)

Record: 21-5

7. Torrey Pines High School (CA)

Record: 19-5

8. Santa Margarita High School (Rancho Santa Margarita, CA)

Record: 21-10

9. Newport Harbor High School (CA)

Record: 21-7

10. Perry High School (Gilbert, AZ)

Record: 7-2

11. Punahou High School (Honolulu, HI)

Record: 7-2

12. Sandra Day O'Connor High School (Phoenix, AZ)

Record: 14-1

13. Palo Verde High School (Henderson, NV)

Record: 11-1

14. Bingham High School (South Jordan, UT)

Record: 10-0

15. Eagle Crest High School (Centennial, CO)

Record: 9-0

Midwest Region

(Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, Michigan, West Virginia, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota)

1. Roncalli (Indianapolis, IN)

Record: 0-0

2. O'Fallon High School (IL)

Record: 6-0

3. Oak Park River Forest High School (Oak Park, IL)

Record: 1-0

4. Saint Xavier High School (Louisville, KY)

Record: 11-0

5. Glenbard West High School (Glen Ellyn, IL)

Record: 2-0

6. Lindbergh High School (St. Louis, MO)

Record: 6-1

7. Dublin Jerome High School (OH)

Record: 6-0

8. St. Ignatius High School (Cleveland, OH)

Record: 7-1

9. Grand Haven High School (MI)

Record: 4-0

10. Libertyville High School (IL)

Record: 0-0

11. Marist High School (Chicago, IL)

Record: 4-2

12. Loyola Academy (Wilmette, IL)

Record: 8-1

13. Wheaton Warrenville South (Wheaton, IL)

Record: 8-0

14. Olentangy Berlin High School (Delaware, OH)

Record: 7-1

15. Cathedral High School (Indianapolis, IN)

Record: 2-1

Northeast Region

(Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia)

1. Meadville High School (PA)

Record: 1-0

2. North Allegheny High School (Wexford, PA)

Record: 3-0

3. Cumberland Valley High School (Mechanicsburg, PA)

Record: 2-0

4. Old Bridge High School (NJ)

Record: 0-0

5. York Suburban High School (PA)

Record: 0-0

6. Emmaus High School (PA)

Record: 4-0

7. Shaler High School (Pittsburgh, PA)

Record: 3-1

8. Brookline High School (MA)

Record: 1-0

9. Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School (NJ)

Record: 0-0

10. Needham High School (MA)

Record: 0-0

South Region

(Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas)

1. Western High School (Davie, FL)

Record: 15-0

2. Columbus High School (Miami, FL)

Record: 14-5

3. Varela High School (Miami, FL)

Record: 12-2

4. Southwest Miami High School (FL)

Record: 10-2

5. Horizon High School (Winter Garden, FL)

Record: 15-3

6. Lake Brantley High School (Altamonte Springs, FL)

Record: 15-2

7. Freedom High School (Orlando, FL)

Record: 19-0

8. West Forsyth High School (Clemmons, NC)

Record: 10-0

9. Smyra High School (TN)

Record: 9-2-1

10. Seminole Ridge High School (Loxahatchee, FL)

Record: 11-4

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY High School Sports Wire: See which teams landed in Week 4 of boys volleyball regional rankings

FIFA faced technical issues during the rollout of World Cup ticket sales on Wednesday, according to the AP. This marked the fifth time tickets were available for the tournament, and the first since February, following the finalization of the 48-team lineup on Tuesday.

Some customers experienced wait times reaching up to 90 minutes and were frequently directed to website sections that featured sales for teams recently qualified for the World Cup when accessing last-minute sales phases. FIFA reportedly has not explained the long wait times or the misdirected links.

Fans who missed out on tickets will have additional opportunities to buy, as more tickets will be released gradually. It is unclear which matches or price categories will be available during these releases.

Previously, World Cup tickets ranged from $140 to $8,680, but due to complaints, a limited number of $60 tickets were made accessible to loyal fans. FIFA also operates a resale market, allowing fans who bought tickets for eliminated teams to sell them.

The tournament is expected to attract many viewers this summer, with 104 matches scheduled across the U.S., Mexico and Canada from June 11 to July 19. The U.S. team is in Group D with Australia, Paragua and Turkey.

What a difference a day makes. After two games of a frustrating lack of offense and problems with the starting pitching, the Orioles came into Wednesday afternoon looking to avoid a sweep by the Rangers with #1 starter Trevor Rogers on the mound. Even with the challenge of Texas pitcher Nathan Eovaldi awaiting them, the hitters were able to break out, Rogers continued to pitch well, and the team came away with an 8-3 victory to even up their record at 3-3 for the season.

The early games of the 2026 season have not done a lot to dispel any concerns that carried over from last year, when the team was often unable to shake off setbacks within a single game or from a game-to-game basis. Fighting to avoid this sweep is another point towards thinking maybe these guys are different. They will still have challenges to overcome, such as Zach Eflin’s injury from Tuesday, the impact of which is still not totally known on the roster. Just, maybe they’re capable of overcoming the challenges sometimes.

One thing that always helps on the road to victory is when the bottom of the order can deliver. It was the 6-9 batters in the order who opened up the scoring against Eovaldi in the game’s early innings. Consecutive one-out singles by Colton Cowser and Leody Taveras put men on the corners in the bottom of the second. The #9 batter, Jeremiah Jackson, succeeded at his job of putting the ball in play productively, delivering a deep fly ball that handily scored Cowser from first base. Taylor Ward continued Tuesday’s explosion by adding an RBI double, giving the O’s a 2-0 lead heading into the third inning.

The bottom of the third saw Pete Alonso lead off the inning with a walk. He was still on first base two outs later, then came some bottom of the order contribution again. Dylan Beavers hit a single and Cowser drew a walk to load the bases. The light-hitting Taveras was able to capitalize with a double off the wall in right field, plating two more runs.

This 4-0 lead proved to be all that the Orioles would need to win the game, not that you could have known it at the time. Texas got Rogers on the ropes a bit in the top of the fourth, scraping together four singles in a row after Rogers had gotten two outs. This brought two runs home, cutting the deficit in half. The fourth inning also saw Rogers throw over 30 pitches in that one frame.

Rogers was able to keep the game from spiraling and add another two more innings on top of that, finishing the day with two earned runs allowed over six innings. It’s only disappointing if you were expecting him to carry last year’s 1.81 ERA or better all season.

The Orioles offense also proved to be capable of adding on further runs after scoring some early in the game. The inability to do this year ago was another frustrating feature of that season. None of that on Wednesday. After a quiet bottom of the fourth, Samuel Basallo announced his presence with authority. Leading off the bottom of the fifth, the Orioles catcher was heaved a middle-middle mistake and he did not miss.

There was a satisfying crack of the bat, a majestic flight path apparent even before the camera cut away to show the ball in flight, and by the time the ball landed in front of the batter’s eye beyond center field, it had traveled a Statcast-estimated 437 feet. That’s the good stuff.

After Eovaldo walked the next batter, Coby Mayo, he got the hook from the game. Texas brought in reliever Tyler Alexander, who allowed the inherited runner to score plus one more of his own as, again, the bottom of the order helped get things done. The Orioles even scored two runs over the remainder of the inning after laying down a tactically-unsound sacrifice bunt, which is how you really know things were going in their favor in the game. Jackson and Ward cashed in with an RBI apiece as the Orioles lead grew to 7-2.

With a safe-seeming lead and three innings left to cover, the Orioles turned to Albert Suárez to get them the rest of the way. The 36-year-old Suárez rejoined the team as the player called up when Eflin landed on the injured list. He needed to be called back up after not making the roster following spring training. Suárez’s objective for the game was to make sure the Orioles would not need to use any of their other pitchers.

Although there was some traffic on the bases in the seventh and Corey Seager led off the top of the eighth with a solo homer, Suárez proved up to the task that he was asked to do. He notched a classic three-inning save, allowing the one run on the solo shot over his three innings. The bullpen gets a day to rest, so hopefully it will be at full strength when the series against the Pirates opens on Friday.

Former Orioles minor leaguer Carter Baumler, who’s now with the Rangers as a Rule 5 pick, pitched two innings for Texas. He gave up a solo home run to Beavers across his two innings. Maybe he’ll pitch badly enough that he’s offered back to the Orioles. Maybe it won’t matter all that much whether he’s offered back or not.

The game wrapped up on an amusing note that’s only possible in this era of Automated Ball/Strike challenges. Suárez tossed a 1-2 pitch to Evan Carter that looked to be in the strike zone yet was called a ball. Basallo, behind the plate, tapped his helmet immediately, initiating a challenge. The replay came back and showed a clear strike in the zone, reversing the ball and ending the game on a third strike looking instead. In all, the Orioles made three challenges and won each of them.

The team will be back in action in Pittsburgh on Friday. The game is the Pirates home opener, so there’s a weird 4:12 scheduled start time. Kyle Bradish and Mitch Keller are the currently-scheduled starting pitchers.

As this game has ended in an Orioles victory, it is time to proclaim a Most Birdland Player for the game. Who is your pick for the player who made the most unlikely and/or fun contribution to the O’s winning the game? Nominate your choice in the comments below.

Fowler Sees Bigger Plan for Isak After Salah Exit

Liverpool legend Robbie Fowler believes Alexander Isak has a bright future at Anfield, despite a challenging first season. Speaking to This Is Anfield, Fowler highlighted that Isak may not yet have been used to his strengths, but the exit of Mohamed Salah could open the door for a more central role.

“He’s brilliant. I mean I spoke before about Alexander Isak being one of these players again who can change games,” Fowler told This Is Anfield. “He’s a player that Liverpool have earmarked for maybe life after Mo. Okay, they’re different positions obviously, but there’s going to be a role for him. But that means bringing other players in different roles to try and help him.”

Fowler, who scored 183 goals in 369 appearances for Liverpool, has an eye for striking talent and understands the pressures of adapting to the Premier League. He noted that Liverpool’s current system, which has often seen Isak play alone in an attacking three, might not be ideal for the Swede’s game.

“Probably playing the way we have this year didn’t help Isak>,” Fowler added. “<It didn’t help [Hugo] Ekitike [too], because obviously players [wingers] coming inside and trying to feed balls in, when as a striker you want someone to be whipping balls in so you can go and attack the front post or go and attack the far post.”

The former Liverpool striker believes the team may have been planning for the future when signing Isak, with a longer-term vision in mind. “<Maybe no one will ever admit this, but maybe this season’s a bit of a write-off in terms of that while we sort of transition. I mean I hate that word, transition, but maybe that was the bigger plan all along, the bigger picture, still wanting to do well and still believing that we will do well, of course>,” Fowler explained.

Photo: IMAGO

Tactical Adjustments Could Unlock Isak

Liverpool have options to maximise Isak’s impact. Fowler suggested that a formation similar to the 4-2-2-2 used against Galatasaray, allowing a partner like Ekitike, could be more suited to the forward. Yet, Arne Slot has predominantly operated with wide players, and transfer rumours indicate that the club will continue to prioritise wingers over centre-forwards this summer.

“<But he’s a player who will score goals and I think he’ll be brilliant for Liverpool>,” Fowler stated. The emphasis on wider play has limited Isak’s opportunities to attack from central positions, but with Salah departing, the Swedish forward could become the focal point Liverpool have envisioned.

Salah Departure Could Galvanise Squad

Fowler believes Mohamed Salah’s exit, though sad for supporters, might provide a motivational lift for the team. “<Have we seen the best of Mo this year? Now I’ll be honest with you, no. But his numbers have still been good and when you look at what he’s brought his football club in in the years he’s been here, I mean he’s been absolutely exceptional>.”

He added, “<But I think it galvanises everyone now and it gives that little bit of lift. We’ve seen where we are in the league and obviously we’re not going to win the Premier League, but I think this news will give everyone that little bit of a lift to go on then finish the season in the way we should be, by winning games and going out on a high, because I think Mo deserves that.>”

Salah leaves Liverpool as the second-highest goalscorer in the club’s history, with 255 goals, 72 more than Fowler, who is seventh on the all-time list. Fowler praised Salah’s contribution and stressed the importance of a fitting farewell. “<I think it gives the fans a little bit of a lift. It gives them a real reason to get behind the team again, because they all want Mo to go out on a high as well>.”

Forward-Looking Perspective

While the Reds are preparing for life after Salah, Fowler emphasised that Isak has the talent to become a central figure. Strategic tactical adjustments and support from fellow attackers could allow him to flourish in the coming seasons.

I mean I hate that word, transition, but maybe that was the bigger plan all along” Fowler concluded, reiterating his belief in Liverpool’s long-term vision and Isak’s place within it.

Our View – Anfield Index Analysis

Liverpool supporters will be watching Isak closely, aware that the Swedish forward represents more than just a signing—they see him as the natural heir to Salah’s goalscoring mantle. While the first season has had its struggles, Fowler’s comments provide reassurance that Liverpool have a longer-term plan in motion.

Fans will be encouraged by the idea of tactical flexibility, particularly the possibility of pairing Isak with Ekitike in a 4-2-2-2 formation, a system more conducive to Isak’s aerial and finishing strengths. Slot’s reliance on wide players has limited Isak’s potential, but the summer transfer window and Salah’s departure could reshape Liverpool’s attack.

There is also a psychological boost. Salah leaving is emotional, but it may galvanise the squad, giving younger players the responsibility and freedom to step up. The Liverpool faithful will want to see the team finish the season strongly, both to honour Salah and to lay foundations for a new attacking era centred on Isak.

Ultimately, this is a pivotal moment. Isak has the raw talent, but the Reds’ system and squad additions must evolve to unlock it. Fowler’s perspective underscores the belief that patience and a strategic approach could see Isak flourish at Anfield, becoming a player who defines Liverpool’s post-Salah period.

Chelsea will entertain Port Vale at Stamford Bridge this Saturday evening as they look to secure a win at home in the FA Cup. The Blues suffered a dismal 3-0 loss away at Everton recently, so they would be eager to get back to winning ways this weekend.

Liam Rosenior will opt for the 4-2-3-1 formation and is expected to make some tweaks to his first team for this game. Tosin Adarabioyo, Liam Delap and Estevao could all play from the start of this cup clash.

4-2-3-1 Chelsea Predicted Lineup To Face Port Vale

Defence

Robert Sanchez will feature in goal for the Blues after shipping in three goals in his last appearance. Wesley Fofana will play alongside Tosin Adarabioyo at the heart of the Chelsea backline as they look to keep a good shape defensively throughout the game.

Malo Gusto will try to impress as the right-back, while Jorrel Hato looks to put in a solid performance on the other side as the left-back. Both of them will have to pick and choose their moments to join in on the attack.

Josh Acheampong will offer cover for the defensive positions on the bench. However, Trevoh Chalobah will be sidelined for this game due to injury.

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND – MARCH 21: Cole Palmer of Chelsea passes the ball, as Joao Pedro of Chelsea holds back Iliman Ndiaye of Everton during the Premier League match between Everton and Chelsea at Hill Dickinson Stadium on March 21, 2026 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)

Midfield

Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia will anchor the midfield for the West London club as they hope to win the 50-50 battles at the centre of the park.

The talented trio of Alejandro Garnacho, Cole Palmer and Estevao will play just ahead of them as part of the Chelsea attack. All three of them need to combine well if the Blues are to secure a positive result this weekend.

Andrey Santos and Pedro Neto will be available for selection on the bench as they wait for their chance to influence the game in the second 45 minutes if required.

Attack

Liam Delap will spearhead Chelsea’s attack up top. He has to figure out a way to be a constant menace in the final third.

Joao Pedro will be named on the bench and might come on to make an impact in the latter stages of the contest if the Blues are in need of a goal by then.

Eddie Howe Faces Crucial Summer as Newcastle Confront Transfer Turmoil

Newcastle United are heading into one of the most challenging transfer windows in recent memory. The Magpies find themselves in a precarious position, needing to sell before they can spend, as they juggle financial regulations and squad ambitions. Manager Eddie Howe, despite a period of progress, now faces intense scrutiny over his future at St James’ Park.

The club currently sits 12th in the Premier League after a disappointing campaign, exiting both domestic cup competitions to Manchester City and suffering an 8-3 aggregate defeat to Barcelona in the Champions League. Two derby losses to Sunderland, including a 2-1 home defeat, have intensified pressure on the manager ahead of the final seven league fixtures.

Board Uncertainty Over Howe’s Future

Newcastle’s chief executive, David Hopkinson, has been clear that no guarantees will be made regarding Howe’s long-term role. “I don’t have a stance on his [Howe’s] future,” Hopkinson stated during a recent media briefing, emphasising the seriousness of recent results. “What I can tell you is that the derby loss hurt. We take it seriously. There’s nothing within us that thinks: ‘Well, it’s just three points and on we go.’ It has resonated.”

Hopkinson confirmed a one-on-one discussion with Howe after the Sunderland defeat, noting the club’s hope for a strong finish to the season. “I spent a couple of hours in a one-on-one lunch with Eddie and we talked through a multitude of things, including Sunderland,” he said. “Eddie’s our manager. I expect to have a great run to the end of the season, and we’ll talk about the future when it’s time. Right now, we’re focused on this season’s competition.”

While the CEO declined to frame Howe’s situation as a fight for his job, the message was unmistakable: the final seven games of the season will be crucial. Sources suggest that a strong end could strengthen Howe’s standing, but repeated poor results may prompt a rethink by the board.

Newcastle’s Transfer Dilemma

On the pitch, Howe faces another challenge: retaining key players amid mounting interest from Europe’s elite clubs. Italy international Sandro Tonali, who has impressed since joining from AC Milan, is reportedly weighing up a move in search of Champions League football and regular first-team action.

Brazil captain Bruno Guimarães has been linked with Barcelona, although Newcastle hope a new contract will secure his loyalty. Hopkinson admits the financial reality could force the club into tough decisions, potentially opening the door to Premier League suitors should Guimarães be made available.

Full-back Tino Livramento is another potential departure. Arsenal are understood to be leading the chase for the 22-year-old England Under-21 international, while winger Anthony Gordon is also attracting attention from Liverpool and Arsenal. Each sale would help balance the books but would further deplete Howe’s squad, complicating ambitions to challenge at the top end of the table.

Photo IMAGO

Pressure and Potential Moves

The tension between Howe and the board is evident. Sources tell TeamTalk that repeated sales of promising talent have frustrated the manager, making it difficult to build on last season’s progress. Howe’s own future is under scrutiny, with Newcastle insiders acknowledging that a summer departure remains a possibility if the right offer arises.

Amanda Staveley’s potential takeover of Tottenham Hotspur adds another layer of intrigue, as Howe is reportedly her preferred choice for head coach. Even with Roberto De Zerbi newly installed at Spurs, there is a sense that Howe could be tempted north if circumstances align.

Amid these uncertainties, Newcastle’s hierarchy faces a delicate balancing act: comply with financial regulations, retain a competitive squad, and secure a manager capable of guiding the club forward. For Howe and the supporters, the coming weeks are pivotal in determining whether Newcastle consolidates its recent progress or embarks on a summer rebuild.

Our View – EPL Index Analysis

For Newcastle fans, the report paints a worrying picture, but there are reasons for cautious optimism. Eddie Howe has shown he can stabilise the club and integrate young talent, but constant player departures threaten to undermine that work. Losing Sandro Tonali or Bruno Guimarães would represent significant blows to the squad, while potential exits for Livramento and Gordon could leave gaps difficult to fill in one transfer window.

Fans will hope the board can balance the books without sacrificing ambition, but with financial regulations forcing potential sales, there is a real fear that Newcastle could regress. Howe’s standing feels fragile, yet a strong finish to the season could reinforce his position.

Ultimately, Newcastle supporters will be watching the remaining fixtures closely, understanding that the club’s decisions over the next few months will shape the team’s identity for years. The hope is that Howe stays, key players are retained, and the Magpies continue their climb back to Europe. A summer of smart acquisitions, rather than forced sales, will be crucial. The sense of pride and momentum that has returned to Tyneside must not be squandered.

This article originally appeared onPGHBaseballNOW.com.

Paul Skenes had a nice bounce-back outing and Oneil Cruz belted his third home run in the last two games as the Pittsburgh Pirates earned a series win with an 8-3 victory over the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on Wednesday afternoon.

Player of the Game

Oneil Cruz continued his impressive stretch by finishing the game with two more hits, a home run, three RBI and two runs scored.

Stat to Know

Paul Skenes hadn’t allowed a run in 31-straight innings against the Reds prior to Nathaniel Lowe’s RBI double in the fourth inning, which was the fourth-longest streak for a Pirates pitcher against any opponent in franchise history. In his career against the Reds, Skenes has a 0.53 ERA ERA (2er/34ip).

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Former NBA Champion Thinks Celtics Can 'Without A Doubt' Win Title originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The NBA world isn't taking the Boston Celtics lightly as a legitimate title contender.

Boston clinched a playoff berth and fifth-straight 50-win season in what many expected to be a year of regrouping without Jayson Tatum. The Celtics have seven games remaining to secure the Eastern Conference's No. 2 seed behind the Detroit Pistons, who are playing without Cade Cunningham.

Can the Celtics return to glory two years after winning it all? Former NBA guard Iman Shumpert said Wednesday on ESPN's "SportsCenter" that Boston is "without a doubt" capable of restoring that championship ceiling.

Shumpert feels the Celtics grew with Tatum sidelined, but MVP candidate Jaylen Brown has no issue sharing the spotlight with his returning All-NBA teammate.

"Jaylen Brown has all season shown that he will make time for Jayson Tatum to come back. He will make room for Jayson Tatum to come back," Shumpert said. "But if Jayson Tatum does not get dressed, he can still hold down the fort.

"I think that gave a ton of confidence to that locker room. Payton Pritchard is playing really well. These guys don't feel like they are as far off as everybody tried to put them out at the beginning of the season."

The Celtics are 9-2 with Tatum on the court, and the 28-year-old has moved closer to peak form quicker than most people would have imagined. Tatum tallied a season-high 32 points in Sunday's 114-99 win over the Charlotte Hornets. 

Boston has gone from a playoff sleeper to the betting favorite to win the East. The Celtics can make another championship statement when they play the Miami Heat on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.

More Celtics: NBA Legend On Celtics Duo's Budding Legacy, Place In Franchise History

The Tennessee Titans are once again assertive as ever in the free agent market this offseason.

NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports that the Titans have struck a deal with running back Michael Carter on Wednesday.

The #Titans aren’t done, as they are also signing former #AZCardinals RB Michael Carter, sources say. The former #Jets RB rejoins coach Robert Saleh. pic.twitter.com/pyIRvjgFdQ

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 1, 2026

Carter was drafted by the New York Jets with the No. 107 overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft. The Florida native began his career as an integral part of the Jets’ offense, recording a combined 1,041 yards and seven rushing touchdowns in his first two seasons in the league.

The 26-year-old most recently recorded 333 yards in 2025 as a member of the Arizona Cardinals, his last stop in the NFL prior to signing with the Titans.

Carter adds to Tennessee’s string of moves on Wednesday, as the team also struck deals with wide receiver KJ Osborn, quarterback Hendon Hooker, and wide receiver Lance McCutcheon in free agency.

This article originally appeared on Titans Wire: Tennessee Titans signing RB Michael Carter

Twelve months ago, Luke Loucks took his first-ever head coaching job and transitioned from the NBA into college basketball. He had only a few weeks to hire a staff, learn the roster, and get prepared for the portal before it opened. With a first-year head coach and a roster made up of mostly mid-major players, most outlets picked Florida State to finish at the bottom of the ACC.

Instead, Loucks proved the general public wrong and delivered a proof of concept for what his tenure at Florida State can hold.

FSU finished the 2025-26 season on a tear, winning 10 of its final 13 games and finished three inches shy of defeating Duke in the ACC tournament. Instead of being a program in question, Seminoles basketball is on the rise, with people from all over the country calling.

What a difference a year makes.

“We get a lot of calls from a lot of different people,” Loucks told the local Tallahassee media at his end-of-season press conference about the excitement around his program. “Especially when you (start gaining) steam and winning games and building a real program that people want to be a part of…Currently, you have agents reaching out to us, and not vice versa.”

However, the head coach will need to bring in multiple players from the portal to replace the six seniors leaving, including do-it-all point guard Robert McCray V, and other players departing the program, to maintain its trajectory.

“I could see anywhere from three to five (portal pickups). Some of that will be dependent on how much money I can raise. I’m not just going to fill a team with players just to fill a team with players. You have to bring in impactful players that can help you win, and that are about the right things.”

We’ll be tracking all the moves FSU men’s basketball makes this offseason including portal pickups, departures and returning players. The portal officially opens Tuesday, April 7, with official visits beginning on the 10th. The 21st marks the closure of the transfer portal window with the 30th serving as the final day of the recruiting period.

FSU basketball: Portal departures

• Guard Cam Miles

Quick analysis: Miles saw his playing time dwindle as the year went on and did not see action in either ACC tournament game. His departure is not a surprise, as he began the year in the rotation and quickly fell out of it, while he holds multiple years of eligibility remaining.

• Forward Shah Muhammad

Quick analysis: Muhammad became an impactful, veteran leader for a Florida State team that was thrown together at the beginning of the year. The senior also held his own when asked to suit up, but, like Miles, he was not a consistent rotational piece. It is unclear whether he has eligibility left to keep playing college basketball.

• Guard Martin Somerville

Quick analysis: Somerville turned into FSU’s sixth man this year and became Florida State’s best ball handler besides Robert McCray V. The sophomore carried the Noles at multiple points during the season, including dropping 23 points against Virginia Tech and recording seven assists in round one of the ACC tournament. Florida State will now need to replace its two best ball handlers, Somerville and McCray, in the transfer portal.

FSU basketball: Portal additions

The transfer portal has not yet opened.

FSU basketball: Returning players

• Freshman guard Jasen Lopez (early enrollee, dual-sport athlete)

FSU basketball: High school prospects

Signees

• Four-star guard Brandon Bass Jr.

Bass Jr., a four-star recruit, averaged 20.7 points, 7.5 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1.2 steals as a junior. He set the Windermere Prep school record for most points scored in a game, 43, during the 2024-25 season.

Bass Jr. (6-5, 190) played in the NBPA Top 100 Camp in the summer of 2025. He played in the invitation-only 2025 Pangos All-American Camp and the 3SSB circuit All-American Camp in 2025. He averaged 13.7 points, 2 rebounds, and 1 assist on the 3SSB AAU circuit.

• Four-star forward Collin Paul

Paul (6-7, 225), a four-star recruit, averaged 13.4 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 1.2 steals during his junior season at Calvary Christian Academy. Playing with SOH Elite this spring, Paul averaged 16.5 points, 8.6 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.9 steals, and 1.1 blocks on the Under Armour AAU Circuit. During the 2025 UAA Session I, Paul was a standout as he was named as the Defensive MVP and to the All Session I First-Team.

He played in the prestigious NBPA Top 100 Camp in the summer of 2025.

• Four-star center Marcis Ponder

Ponder (7-0, 285) averaged 9.8 points and 9.6 rebounds, and 2 blocks while shooting .500 from the field as a junior at West Oaks Academy during his junior season.

Ponder, a four-star recruit, played in the 2025 Nike/Slam New York vs. New York game and in the NBPA Top 100 Camp during the summer of 2025. Ponder was the MVP of the Grind Session All-Star game in 2025. He led Team Breakdown to back-to-back national championships on the New Balance P32 circuit.

Commits

• Four-star guard Martay Barnes

To compete with the best teams in the country, you’ve got to spend like them. It’s taken some time to adjust but the UCLA Bruins football program is trying to catch up to the rest of the Big Ten Conference with their NIL budget.

After a long run of SEC supremacy in college football, three Big Ten schools have won the past three College Football Playoff championships, in part because Michigan, Ohio State and Indiana have had deeper pockets. 

On Wednesday, UCLA football announced that UCLA alum Angelo Mazzone III committed $10 million towards the Bruins program. In the release, it was said that the purpose of Mazzone’s commitment was to “To endow the UCLA head coach position and strengthen key areas that advance student-athlete success.”

Money talks in college football, and to attract the top players, you got to give them appealing NIL offers, and since Bob Chesney has taken over with UCLA, he’s gotten to work building up donations and raising funds for the program.

"A gift of this magnitude from such a dedicated, impactful and cherished member of the Bruin family is deeply humbling," Chesney said in the release. "Angelo's commitment reflects an unwavering belief in what this program stands for. We will work every day to honor that trust. We can't thank him enough for investing in the future of our student-athletes and the success of UCLA football."

Thank you to UCLA alumnus and longtime supporter Angelo M. Mazzone III for his extraordinary gift of $10 million to our football program! #GoBruins | ℹ️: https://t.co/dxQtLzi8EEpic.twitter.com/uAz8CuZ1y7

— UCLA Football (@UCLAFootball) April 1, 2026

Mazzone was UCLA’s football manager back in 1968. Decades later, the Chicago native is still helping the Bruins football program. In the release, it was stated that Mazzone had never missed a single UCLA home game in almost six decades.

"UCLA has been responsible for all the greatest things that have happened in my life," Mazzone said in the release. "Much of what I have accomplished is going right back there. I am indebted to the relationships I've enjoyed with so many very special people as part of the UCLA Football family." 

This article originally appeared on UCLA Wire: UCLA gets a large financial commitment from a former team manager

Alabama women’s basketball star Jessica Timmons will officially participate in the 2026 Lilly Women’s College All-Star Game.

Timmons was nothing short of elite throughout the entire 2025-26 campaign, as the talented senior was Alabama’s leading scorer with 16.3 points per game. The Crimson Tide star was widely regarded as a top guard in both the SEC and the entire country this past season, as Timmons will now look to thrive at the Women’s College All-Star Game prior to the WNBA draft later this year.

Timmons averaged 4.5 rebounds and 2.3 assists in addition to her 16.3 points per game this season, as the talented senior has officially seen her time in Tuscaloosa come to an end. 

Timmons will look to stand out at the Women’s College All-Star Game. The guard will be facing some of the top players in all of women’s college basketball, as Timmons finds herself with an excellent opportunity to showcase her talent on one of the biggest stages of her career. 

Timmons is set to participate in the Women’s College All-Star Game on April 4. The game will begin at noon ET on ESPN2.

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

This article originally appeared on Roll Tide Wire: Alabama's Jessica Timmons to compete in Women's College All-Star Game

WNBA standout Lexie Hull is taking her talents beyond the court and into the beauty space. The pro athlete has officially stepped into entrepreneurship with the launch of FORTA Cosmetics, a performance-driven brand designed with athletes in mind. But this isn’t just another celebrity beauty line. Lexie Hull’s brand is entering the market with a unique strategy, one that leans heavily on real athletes, real use, and real results.

Lexie Hull Co-Launches Performance Beauty Brand FORTA

Hull teamed up with her former Stanford roommate, Sarah Guller, to bring FORTA Cosmetics to life. The brand is centered around high-performance beauty products built to withstand intense activity, something Hull knows all too well from her career in professional basketball.

At launch, the brand is introducing its hero product, the Lock & Go Setting Spray, designed to keep makeup in place through workouts, competition, and everyday movement. Rather than relying on traditional beauty marketing, FORTA is positioning itself as a brand made for performance first and aesthetics second.

Athlete Network ‘Faves’ Powers Strategic Launch

FORTA’s debut is backed by Faves, an athlete-driven commerce platform that connects brands directly with athletes who genuinely use their products. Through the partnership, FORTA is placing its setting spray in the hands of 30 professional female athletes across a range of sports, including runners, boxers, and pickleball players. The goal is simple: let the product speak for itself through real-world testing.

The strategy taps into a growing consumer trend, trust in athlete-backed recommendations. According to a July 2025 study from Campaign Red, more than half of global consumers view athlete endorsements as credible.

Faves was created to capitalize on that shift, giving brands direct access to athletes who can trial products and share genuine feedback with their audiences. “FORTA is exactly the kind of brand Faves was built for,” Luke Katz, Co-Founder of Faves, said. “It’s athlete-founded, made for real performance, and reaching its first customers through athletes who are actually using it.”

Katz added, “When an athlete recommends something, their audience listens, because their performance depends on what they use. That’s more than influence. That’s proof. Lexie knows that better than anyone, and it’s exactly why she built the product.”

FORTA Changes How Brands Reach Consumers

FORTA’s launch highlights a larger shift in how brands are reaching consumers. Instead of relying on paid ads or influencer deals, companies are now leaning into athlete-backed ecosystems where credibility comes from actual usage.

Faves positions itself as a solution to a gap in the market, offering brands a way to scale partnerships while giving athletes more control over their influence and earning potential. The platform’s model reflects a growing demand for transparency, where audiences want to know that endorsements are rooted in real experience, not just sponsorship deals.

FORTA Opens Door For Athlete Beauty Boom

As the first beauty brand to launch through Faves, FORTA is already setting a precedent for what athlete-founded brands can look like in this evolving space.

The combination of athlete ownership, product performance, and authentic distribution could signal a new lane for both beauty and sports marketing moving forward.

With its Lock & Go Setting Spray now officially available, FORTA is stepping into the spotlight, not just as a beauty brand, but as part of a larger shift in how products are created, marketed, and trusted.

Lexie Hull Celebrates Breakout Year With Cabo Getaway

Lexie Hull is coming off a milestone year, both on and off the court. The Indiana Fever guard got engaged in April 2025 before going on to deliver the strongest season of her WNBA career. Hull posted career-best numbers across the board, averaging 7.2 points, 4.3 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1.2 steals, solidifying her role as a key contributor for the Fever.

After a whirlwind year, Hull finally carved out some downtime. Earlier this week, she gave fans a glimpse into her “quick reset,” sharing snaps from a relaxing trip to Cabo San Lucas alongside her fiancé, Will Matthiessen.

The vacation photos quickly caught attention, not just from fans, but from her WNBA inner circle as well. Fellow Fever star Caitlin Clark didn’t hold back in the comments, simply writing, “Hot.”

Clark and Hull have formed a strong bond since Clark joined the Fever as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft.

The WNBA’s Lexie Hull Takes A Shot At The Beauty Business first appeared on The Blast

Juventus captain Manuel Locatelli expressed his sorrow as Italy failed to reach the World Cup for the third time in a row.

Gennaro Gattuso’s men were hoping to make up for the national team’s previous shortcomings in the play-off.

The Azzurri were off to a good start after beating Northern Ireland in the semi-final held in Bergamo last Thursday, but they couldn’t finish the job in Bosnia.

Italy fail to reach the World Cup for third successive time

On Tuesday evening, Italy thought they were on the right path as they took an early lead through Moise Kean, but Alessandro Bastoni’s red card in the 40th minute sabotaged their plans.

The 10-man Azzurri desperately tried to defend the result, but Haris Tabakovic ended their resistance with a 79th-minute equaliser.

The two sides then headed to penalty shootouts, and Bosnia comfortably emerged as the winners. The hosts were flawless in their four attempts, while the visitors only scored through Sandro Tonali, as young Francesco Pio Esposito (who surprisingly took the first spot-kick) fired high and wide, while Bryan Cristante struck the crossbar.

The Roma captain had come in as a replacement for his Juventus counterpart, Locatelli, who was one of the best players on the pitch during his 72-minute appearance.

Manuel Locatelli apologises to Italy supporters

Sadly for Locatelli, his hardworking display proved insufficient, as his compatriots weren’t able to defend the result following his exit.

After the heartbreak, the 28-year-old addressed Tuesday’s events, expressing his deep distress.

“I’m devastated, drained, with tears in my eyes,” posted the Juventus skipper on his Instagram account.

“We felt a responsibility to the children, families, grandparents, and all the Italians who supported us. We gave everything, and I’m proud of this group.

“We players, the coach, and the entire staff were united for this dream. We gave everything, but we weren’t able to give you this World Cup. We have failed, that’s the reality. And I feel the full weight of it.

“To those who have always been close to us and to those who will continue to support us, I say thank you from the bottom of my heart. It’s tough, very tough, but let’s get up together. There won’t be a day when I don’t give my all on the pitch.”

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During the 2020 offseason, which feels like just yesterday, the Falcons were on the verge of announcing their first major uniform change since they wore they switched from the 90’s black/silver look to the 2000’s look that they would wear for nearly two decades.

A few days prior to the official release date, the uniforms were leaks as it appears someone at a photoshoot accidentally or intentionally ruined the official release. So the Falcons released them early.

Flash forwarded to this 2026 offseason, Falcons fans are awaiting the official release of the new uniforms, slated for an April 2nd release. Per tradition though, it appears fans at least have a glimpse into what’s planned, as the Falcons’ new primary jerseys have leaked online (see below.)

We have to note that it’s entirely possible that these are fake until we get the official release from the team. Saying that, I’ve seen and heard a lot about what the uniforms will look like over the last few months and these line up practically identical to claims.

Overall, I like the design, mainly because they’re a huge upgrade over what the team has been wearing the last few years. Are they perfect? Nope. Are they an upgrade? Yep. These jerseys are essentially a mix of a simple look with a modern design, mainly noted by the number font. Since this is the only look currently at the leaked uniforms, it’s expected that the team will have a black version of this, and the away jerseys will have red numbers, after having black numbers in the last uniform set.

In regards to the helmet, it’s expected that they will be black and have black facemasks, returning that random silver facemark that they had previously. Although pants are a question mark, I expect that we will see a primary white design, likely with classic stripes down the leg. With also black and possibly grey as an alternate.

Although the team is sadly not committing to the 1966 throwback design full time, they are still expected to be an alternate in the team’s uniform rotation.

Again, we will have to wait for the official release tomorrow, but assuming these are legit, what are your thoughts on the team’s possible new look?

Following Sunday's win against ACC-leading Florida State, the Duke Blue Devils were back in action Tuesday in Durham against Davidson College.

The Blue Devils offense exploded once more, scoring in double digits for their third straight game.

Centerfielder Michael DiMartini led the charge, hitting two home runs and a double, going 3-for-5 with two RBIs. Prior to the game, DiMartini had just three home runs to his name all season.

Jake Lambdin also joined in on the fun, going 2-for-3 with a home run, a single, a walk and a sacrifice fly. Lambdin finished the game with a whopping five RBIs.

With the win, the Blue Devils moved to 19-12 overall and now carry an impressive home record of 16-6.

The Blue Devils will have Wednesday off before hosting the Louisville Cardinals for a three-game set beginning Thursday.

A series win would give Duke a chance to leapfrog Louisville in the ACC standings, as the Cardinals enter Thursday's game one spot ahead of the Blue Devils.

This article originally appeared on Duke Wire: DiMartini, Lambdin boast Duke's power in win over Davidson

WASHINGTON -- The Philadelphia 76ers have seven games remaining on the 2025-26 season as they look to continue their push into the top 6 in the East to guarantee themselves a playoff spot. The Sixers are only a game back of the Toronto Raptors for the sixth and final guaranteed spot in the East and Philadelphia owns the tiebreaker due to better division record.

With that being said, while the Sixers obviously want to win games over these final seven, coach Nick Nurse is looking for more technical things over the final stretch of the season as he looks to get everybody on the same page before the postseason.

That means making sure Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and Paul George get their looks within the offensive ecosystem. Nurse wants to get those three their shots, of course, but he wants it done within the flow of the offense rather than forcing anything.

"I just wanna try to use what we have the best we can, right?" Nurse said. "I’m not even sure what that means other than I think that there’s certainly Joel’s gonna be a focal point. Certainly Tyrese is. Paul, where can we use him the best? Where can he have his runs in games? And there’s others, too."

In terms of the "others", the Sixers do need to make sure guys like VJ Edgecombe, Kelly Oubre Jr., and Quentin Grimes get their shots. That has to be the focus over this final stretch of games as the Sixers look to find their balance within the offensive system. Of course, the stars need to get their shots, but they can't forget the others as well. That is what Nurse wants to nail down by the end of the season.

"We gotta make sure VJ—he’s shown us he can do it," Nurse added. "Q can have some things. Kelly. I just wanna make sure that we try to figure out on what night who’s playing well, what matchups are better, or who’s whatever, and then we can try to find it, but I think other times it’s more of a collective. Can the ball go where it should go, right? Can we make the right reads and get it to where it should go depending on what schemes we’re seeing and what matchups we have."

The Sixers will take on the lowly Washington Wizards on Wednesday before returning home for a tough back-to-back with the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday and the Detroit Pistons on Saturday.

This article originally appeared on Sixers Wire: Sixers' Nick Nurse lays out goals for the final seven games of season

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Our NBA player prop projections are set for tonight’s Western Conference clash between the San Antonio Spurs and Golden State Warriors, with the model pinpointing several standout opportunities.

By analyzing the data and comparing it to current market lines, we’ve uncovered the bets with the highest value.

These Spurs vs. Warriors predictions aren’t guesswork — they’re driven by the numbers.

For those building their cards, here are the model’s top NBA picks for Wednesday, April 1.

Spurs vs Warriors computer picks for April 1

Spurs	Warriors
Wembanyama u25.5 points  -105	Podziemski u17.5 points  -115
Fox u5.5 assists  +115	Green o5.5 rebounds  -110
Wembanyama o11.5 rebounds -120	Santos o1.5 3-pointers  -190

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Spurs computer picks

Victor Wembanyama Under 25.5 points (-105)

Projection: 25.4 points

The Golden State Warriors have played at the seventh-slowest pace in the NBA over their last 25 games, which should limit possessions for the San Antonio Spurs and slightly cap Victor Wembanyama’s scoring upside.

Wemby has also gone Under in 5 of his last 10 games at a 25.5-point line, reinforcing the potential for a more muted scoring output in this matchup.

span style="font-size: 14px;"🔥/span spanBet wembanyama Now at bet365!/span

De'Aaron Fox Under 6.5 assists (+115)

Projection: 5.5 assists

De'Aaron Fox has gone Under 6.5 assists in 7 of his last 10 games, and this matchup against the Warriors sets up for that trend to continue.

Against the Warriors, pace is a key factor. Golden State's slower tempo reduces overall assist opportunities. Fewer trips up and down the floor make it harder for Fox to rack up counting stats in the playmaking department.

span style="font-size: 14px;"🔥/span spanBet fox Now at bet365!/span

Victor Wembanyama Over 11.5 rebounds (-120)

Projection: 12.4 rebounds

The Spurs rank fourth in the league in offensive rebounding over their last five road games, and Wemby has been the most consistent presence on the glass, going Over 11.5 rebounds in 7 of his last 10 outings.

span style="font-size: 14px;"🔥/span spanBet wembanyama Now at bet365!/span

---

Warriors computer picks

Brandin Podziemski Under 17.5 points (-115)

Projection: 17.4 points

Given the Warriors’ pace of play, Brandin Podziemski could fall just short of clearing his points prop, especially after going Under in 4 of his last 10 games at a 17.5-point line.

span style="font-size: 14px;"🔥/span spanBet podziemski Now at bet365!/span

Draymond Green Over 5.5 rebounds (-110)

Projection: 6.8 rebounds

The Warriors have ranked as the third-best offensive rebounding team in the league over their last 15 games, and Draymond Green stands to benefit from those extra opportunities on the glass, having gone Over 5.5 rebounds in 4 of his last 10 games.

span style="font-size: 14px;"🔥/span spanBet green Now at bet365!/span

Gui Santos Over 1.5 3-pointers (-190)

Projection: 2.4 3-pointers

The Spurs have operated at the ninth-fastest pace in the league over their last five games, which should create additional possessions for the Warriors and more chances for Gui Santos to connect from deep, especially after going Over 1.5 three-pointers in 5 of his last 10 games.

span style="font-size: 14px;"🔥/span spanBet santos Now at bet365!/span

How to watch Spurs vs Warriors tonight

Location	Chase Center, San Francisco, CA
Date	Wednesday, April 1, 2026
Tip-off	10:00 p.m. ET
TV	ESPN

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Bruins Sign UConn's Leading Point Scorer originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Boston Bruins continue picking their way through Hockey East rosters following their signing of Merrimack College goaltender Max Lundgren last week. 

This time, general manager Don Sweeney took a trip down to Storrs, Conn., to ink up the University of Connecticut Huskies’ leading point scorer, forward Ryan Tattle, to an AHL contract. 

“Providence Bruins General Manager Evan Gold announced today, March 30, that the Providence Bruins have signed forward Ryan Tattle to a one-year AHL contract for the 2026-27 season,” the Providence Bruins wrote in a press release. “He will report to Providence on an amateur tryout for the remainder of this season.”

Tattle played at UConn for four seasons, appearing in a total of 124 games. In his senior year, he found the back of the net 13 times and had a team-best 19 assists for a team-high 32 points in 38 games. He finished his Huskies career with 35 goals and 42 assists.

Tattle’s UConn team came up just short against his newest teammate Lundgren’s Merrimack squad in the Hockey East Championship late last month. 

Both players will head to Providence to finish the season with former Boston College forward James Hagens and the rest of the P-Bruins squad.

More NHL: Viktor Arvidsson's Hat Trick Propels Bruins To Huge Win Over Stars

NEED TO KNOW

• Whoopi Goldberg shared her thoughts on Tiger Woods' decision to seek treatment
• Woodsannounced onTuesday, March 31 that he was seeking treatment after he was involved in a rollover car crash in Jupiter Island, Fla., days before
• The golfer was arrested for an alleged DUI after the crash

Whoopi Goldberg is offering a supportive message to her friend Tiger Woods.

The View co-host, 70, shared brief remarks about Woods' DUI charge and decision to seek treatment during the Wednesday, April 1 episode of the ABC talk show.

After bringing up that others are "not as compassionate" about Woods' March 27 arrest, she offered her own perspective as someone who has known him.

“Tiger is a friend of mine, and I wish him nothing but the best," Goldberg said, as she and her co-hosts approached the topic of Woods' arrest on a DUI charge. She added, "I don’t like kicking a man when he’s down. I’ll leave that to other folks."

Elsewhere during the segment, co-hosts Sunny Hostin, Sara Haines and Joy Behar, plus guest co-host Whitney Cummings, spoke about Woods' arrest.

Hostin, 57, brought up the golfer's back pain and said while "we talk about the opioid crisis in this country with such empathy," that's not so much the case with Woods, 50.

"I’m not excusing the fact that he was driving while under the influence, but I think we need to show someone who is a sports legend, who may have been pushed very hard as a child, and have some grace for the pain he’s living with and the fact that, as an athlete, he is now having to struggle with the fact that he may have to give up the one thing he loves to do," she said.

After Behar, 83, asked why Woods couldn't "get a driver," Goldberg added, "You don’t want to be that guy that’s just, ‘Well, why is he always being driven around?’ You can’t win.”

"Look, he's getting what he needs,' Goldberg said. "He will get what he needs."

On Tuesday, March 31, Woods announced in a statement posted to X that he would step away from golf to focus on his health. He wrote that he understood "the seriousness of the situation I find myself in today."

"I am stepping away for a period of time to seek treatment and focus on my health," Woods wrote. "This is necessary in order for me to prioritize my well-being and work toward lasting recovery."

He added, "I'm committed to taking the time needed to return in a healthier, stronger, and more focused place, both personally and professionally. I appreciate your understanding and support, and ask for privacy for my family, loved ones and myself at this time."

Organizers for the Masters also confirmed that he would not participate in the tournament. “Augusta National Golf Club and the Masters Tournament fully support Tiger Woods as he focuses on his well-being,” Fred Ridley, Augusta National Golf Club chairman, said in a statement Tuesday. “Although Tiger will not be joining us in person next week, his presence will be felt here in Augusta.” 

Woods was arrested on Friday afternoon after he rolled over his Range Rover in a two-car accident in Jupiter Island, Fla.

Martin County Sheriff’s Office deputies found two hydrocodone pills in Woods’ left pants pocket while at the scene, per an affidavit. According to the probable cause affidavit, he told authorities he took his medicine that morning and had seven back surgeries and over 20 operations on his leg. The arrest took place after he returned to competitive golf last week, one year after rupturing his Achilles.

According to court documents viewed by PEOPLE on March 31, Woods entered a not guilty plea in Martin County Court.

He was previously involved in two other car accidents, having sustained serious injuries in a 2021 crash in Los Angeles that required surgery, and a separate incident in 2009, also near his Florida residence.

Read the original article on People

Rockets Kevin Durant Reacts to Houston Comets Returning to Houston originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

NBA and Houston Rockets star Kevin Durant was all smiles as he talked about the upcoming return of the WNBA's Houston Comets.

Following reports, the WNBA made the return of the Comets official on March 30 — announcing that the Fertitta family (owners of the Rockets) has officially entered into an agreement to purchase the Connecticut Sun and relocate them to Houston. Pending league approval, the franchise will begin sharing the Toyota Center with the Houston Rockets for the start of the 2027 WNBA season. The Connecticut Sun will be renamed back to the historic Houston Comets — as the original "Houston Comets" were led by Cynthia Cooper, Sheryl Swoopes and Tina Thompson and won the league's first four championships. 

They were known as the first WNBA dynasty.

This is a fact the is important to Durant; following a 111-94 win over the New York Knicks at Toyota Center, Durant was asked his thoughts on the return of the Comets and answered with excitement.

"I'm so happy to see that," Durant said with a smile. "The Comets are a historic franchise, historic brand. They kickstarted the WNBA ... I'm glad they're back. Can't wait to see WNBA basketball in Houston."

Houston Comets to share Toyato Center with Rockets beginning 2027

Durant has played in 36 games so far this season and posted 27 points most recently over the Knicks — leading the way for the Rockets.

Kevin Durant to @BenDuBose on the @HouComets announcement (starting in 2027):

“I’m so happy to see that. The Comets are a historic franchise, a historic brand... that kickstarted the WNBA. I’m glad they’re back. Can’t wait to see WNBA basketball in Houston.” pic.twitter.com/m7r8qEtxBv

— The Rockets Wire (@TheRocketsWire) April 1, 2026

Per previous reporting from The Sporting News, ESPN and PaperCity Magazine, Tilman Fertitta closed the sale to bring the WNBA back to Houston for $300 million.

The original Houston Comets were put up for sale in 2008 due to financial struggles. League players such as Angel Reese, Caitlin Clark and Paige Bueckers have recently caused a massive spike in WNBA success and fanfare.

WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert announced expansion to Cleveland (2028), Detroit (2029) and Philadelphia (2030) in June of 2025. At this time, she also named Houston as likely the next city to reach an agreement with the league.

The 2026 WNBA season will go on as scheduled after the league and the Women's National Basketball Players Association came to terms on a historic new collective bargaining agreement which increased the average player salary to be over $580,000. 

Opening night is set for May 8, and the regular season will run through Sept. 24. 

MORE:Connecticut Sun fanbase furious over relocation to Houston

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell made it clear that, despite a threat by a Florida lawmaker about the Rooney Rule, it’s here to stay.

“The Rooney Rule has been around a long time,” Goodell said on the NFL Network. “We’ve evolved it, changed it. We’ll continue to do that.”

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier sent a letter saying that he wants the rule to be abolished because he thinks it’s racist and sexist.

The Rooney Rule requires teams to interview at least two minority candidates for head coach, general manager, and coordinator positions. 

But this season, there are only four minority head coaches, four general managers, and still no black team owners. 

“One thing that doesn’t change is our values, and we believe in diversity and its benefit to the National Football League,” Goodell said. “We are well aware of the laws and where the laws are changing and evolving. We think the Rooney Rule is consistent with those, and we certainly will engage with the Florida AG or anybody else as we have in the past to talk about our policies.”

The league has been pushing for more diversity, but some wonder if the rule is actually doing that, including Pittsburgh Steelers owner Art Rooney II, whose father the rule is named after. 

He thinks the rule may need to be reexamined and adjusted for the times. But at this point, it doesn’t seem like that will be done. 

This article originally appeared on Touchdown Wire: Goodell says Rooney Rule not going anywhere despite political threat

NEED TO KNOW

• Travis Kelce told Chiefs general manager Brett Veach he wasn't "going out like this" during his exit interview at the end of the last season
• Veach shared details of his conversation with Kelce on an episode of The Schrager Hour on March 31
• Head coach Andy Reid also felt confident that Kelce would return for another season with the Chiefs, Veach said

Travis Kelce told the Chiefs he wasn't happy with the end of their last season.

Kansas City Chiefs general manager Brett Veach revealed the conversation he had with his star tight end after the Chiefs failed to make the playoffs last season and said Kelce insisted he wasn't "going out like this."

"I think there was more doubt in the middle of the season," Veach said of Kelce, 36, potentially retiring on an episode of The Schrager Hourreleased on Tuesday, March 31.

Veach said that once the Chiefs concluded their season, following quarterback Patrick Mahomes tearing his ACL, Kelce said something to him during an exit interview that implied the tight end would return for another season.

"Travis basically said, 'I'm not going out like this, let's stay in touch,' " Veach revealed, noting that Kelce had apparently said the "same thing" to head coach Andy Reid.

Veach said he spoke to Reid after the exit interviews, and recalled the head coach told him, "Did you talk to Trav? I think he's going to play again."

Veach said the Chiefs organization "gave [Kelce] his space" after the interviews, but they were hopeful he'd return.

Veach also noted that Mahomes and Kelce are "connected at the hip" and said there's "an element of Pat going through his rehab and Travis being there for that" to Kelce's decision to return.

"I think once he'd left the facility after those exit interviews, there was a sense that he's coming back and let's just let him do what he needs to do, and that's kinda how it worked out," said Veach.

Kelce, who recently enjoyed a boys' golf trip with 49ers tight end George Kittle, signed a one-year $12 million deal with the Chiefs to play next season.

"Let’s get this thing rockin!! 🏹🏟️," he wrote in the caption of a post on Instagram confirming his return.

Read the original article on People

Reds strangely linked to 31-homer Astros All-Star to create infield logjam originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Cincinnati Reds barely made the postseason last year and are looking to do so again in 2026. While they might be buyers at the trade deadline, there's a clear area of the roster they do not need to address.

That roster spot is in the infield, as Elly De La Cruz has shortstop locked down, while Matt McLain is entrenched at second base, Ke'Byran Hayes is the third baseman, and Sal Stewart has broken out as a quality first baseman. Even DH is set with Eugenio Suarez.

That's why, when Zachary D. Rymer of Bleacher Report linked the Reds to Houston Astros infielder, All-Star, and 31-homer slugger Isaac Paredes, it's a strange fit for Cincinnati.

Reds strangely linked to Isaac Paredes

"Either way, he appeared in a bunch of trade rumors over the winter precisely because he doesn't have a clear role in Houston," Rymer writes on Paredes. "... Potential landing spots: Boston Red Sox, Pittsburgh Pirates, Cincinnati Reds."

The Reds being named among these other teams for Paredes doesn't make a whole lot of sense. Paredes is an infielder and would be an ice hitter for the Reds. But, they don't need another infielder.

While the Reds could use Paredes' bat in the lineup, especially over someone like Hayes, this trade would create an infield logjam for the Reds that's not worth spending premium capital on.

More: Red Sox never close on Astros’ Isaac Paredes trade

The two-time All-Star had a .254 batting average and an .809 OPS last year, and hit 31 home runs in 2023 for the Tampa Bay Rays before being traded to the Chicago Cubs.

What makes this trade link such an odd one is that Houston is only entertaining a trade with Parades due to their own infield logjam. Trading him to the Reds to create a new infield logjam would be an odd decision for the Reds to make.

If it were paired with Hayes or another infielder being shipped off, then maybe this trade link would make more sense. But, without such a deal, the Reds being linked to Paredes doesn't make much sense.

More MLB news:

• Braves predicted to trade Bryce Elder for Lars Nootbaar
• Jacob DeGrom is only 149 strikeouts from 2,000 for his career
• Three ways Pirates' Paul Skenes could lose NL Cy Young Award
• Giancarclo Stanton has an absurd 2-for-4 streak going on for Yankees
• Mets didn’t want to trade Brett Baty while White Sox didn’t want Mark Vientos in Luis Robert Jr. trade
• How Blue Jays' Kazuma Okamoto is connected to Rockies' Tomoyuki Sugano
• Marlins suggested to sign Max Kepler after Phillies’ OF was suspended for 80 games
• Shohei Ohtani deemed more valuable than Aaron Judge in recent ESPN discussion piece

Manchester United signed Benjamin Sesko from RB Leipzig in a deal worth £74 million last summer.

After his initial struggles under Ruben Amorim, Sesko has found his stride, proving to be an effective tactical outlet for Michael Carrick. He has scored five Premier League goals since the interim head coach’s arrival.

It is still early, but Sesko is starting to show why United spent heavily to secure his services. Now, INEOS are hoping to land another RB Leipzig attacking sensation. 

Manchester United keen to sign Yan Diomande

According to SportsBoom, Manchester United and Liverpool will go head-to-head during the summer transfer window for Yan Diomande.

Liverpool view Diomande as a replacement for Mohamed Salah, who has announced he is departing Anfield at the end of the season.

However, United want to sign the Ivorian winger, known for his explosive pace and dribbling ability, to provide “ammunition for former RB Leipzig team mate Sesko, Bryan Mbuemo and Matheus Cunha.”

Benjamin Sesko’s RB Leipzig connection could help Man United

It is claimed United will hope that Sesko “can make the difference in their pursuit” of the Leipzig left winger.

The Slovenian left the Bundesliga outfit in the same summer Diomande arrived from Leganes in a £20m deal. 

It is believed Sesko has plenty of friends still in Leipzig and “will ask them to convince the teenager his preferred choice should be a move to the Theatre of Dreams.”

Yan Diomande Stats: 2025/26 Season

Meanwhile, the German giants value Diomande at around £80m, a massive price tag given the 19-year-old’s limited experience at the top level. 

However, the Ivory Coast international is exactly the kind of winger United need to create width for the likes of Sesko and Bruno Fernandes. 

Diomande has been sparking excitement with his immense potential since making his debut at Leganes. According to a report in beIN SPORTS, after watching one of his early highlight videos, someone at the Spanish club said: “Be careful, we might have the new Lionel Messi.”

Featured image Stuart Franklin via Getty Images

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

After opening up the new season on a West Coast road trip, the Yankees are finally headed home this weekend. However before they do, there’s till one more game to finish up, as they’re set to play the Mariners one last time. The Yankees dropped the opener in Seattle on a Cal Raleigh walk-off, but they rebounded last night thanks to another excellent effort from Max Fried. Although they already have a winning road trip guaranteed (5-1 or 4-2), they won’t rest on their laurels, and they will try to take a second-straight series on the new year.

The first time around in the rotation, Fried threw a scoreless outing on Opening Day, and was followed by Cam Schlittler doing the same in San Francisco for Game 2. Today, Schlittler will attempt to repeat that pattern after Fried kept the M’s off the scoreboard on Tuesday night.

Despite facing a righty in George Kirby, the Yankees are giving starts to both Paul Goldschmidt and Amed Rosario, in an otherwise normal lineup. At least in the case of Rosario, that may have something to do with Ryan McMahon looking lost at the plate so far this season. This will be Goldschmidt’s first appearance of the season, as Ben Rice shifts to DH and Giancarlo Stanton takes a seat on the bench. Stanton’s been hotter than just about anyone in baseball, but the Yankees perhaps understandably being cautious with the oft-injured 36-year-old is nothing new.

As mentioned, Kirby will take the mound for the Mariners, coming off a season debut where he held Cleveland to one run in six innings. The M’s will roll out a similar cast of characters to last night in their starting lineup, though they did tag in Dominic Canzone for Rob Refsnyder at DH and Luke Raley for Victor Robles in right field. Offseason trade acquisition Brendan Donovan also returns to the leadoff spot after hitting sixth against Fried.

We hope that you’ll come join us in the game thread for this afternoon’s action, and here’s everything you need to know ahead of the game.

How to Watch

Location: T-Mobile Park — Seattle, WA

First pitch: 4:10 p.m. ET

TV broadcast: YES Network (NYY) | Mariners.TV (SEA)

Online stream: Gotham Sports App, MLB.tv

Listen: WFAN 660/101.9 FM, WADO 1280 (NYY) | Seattle Sports 710 AM (SEA)

For updates, follow us on BlueSky, Twitter, and Instagram, and like us on Facebook.

Shams Charania: Reporting for NBA Today -- Stephen Curry has set a goal to return for the Golden State Warriors on Sunday against the Houston Rockets, with the next few days as a vital period to receive clearance:

Twitter

Reporting for NBA Today -- Stephen Curry has set a goal to return for the Golden State Warriors on Sunday against the Houston Rockets, with the next few days as a vital period to receive clearance: pic.twitter.com/GdDVBIIkDS

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 1, 2026

This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Stephen Curry targeting Sunday as return date

K.C. Johnson: Tre Jones, asked if he’s surprised the Jaden Ivey story is drawing national attention and seemingly takes from everyone

Twitter

Tre Jones, asked if he’s surprised the Jaden Ivey story is drawing national attention and seemingly takes from everyone pic.twitter.com/zKADNwUgB2

— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) April 1, 2026

This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Tre Jones, asked if he’s surprised the Jaden Ivey …

Adam Aaronson: If it was not already clear: Joel Embiid definitively remains out for tonight, I am told, despite his tweet indicating otherwise. Look at the calendar.

bsky.app

This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Joel Embiid definitively remains out for tonight, I am …

Dalton Johnson: Former Warriors assistant coach Will Sheehey is officially announced as an assistant for Chris DeMarco’s New York Liberty staff

bsky.app

This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Former Warriors assistant coach Will Sheehey is …

James Harden wants to step-back from his current legal issues, at least until the end of the 2026 NBA playoffs. Harden, a former Houston Rockets' All-Star and current guard for the Cleveland Cavaliers, is a defendant in a lawsuit regarding his former restaurant, Thirteen. Midtown Scouts Square Property, a real estate company, sued Harden in September regarding an alleged $2.2 million in unpaid rent.

Houston Chronicle

This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: James Harden wants to step-back from his current legal …

Harden's representation filed a motion in Harris County last week to quash—or reschedule—the depositions for him and his mom, which are currently scheduled for May 7 and May 8 in Austin. Harden's reps cited two concerns with that plan. For one, Harden could still be playing for the Cavaliers in the NBA playoffs in early May, with the postseason running from April 18 to as late as June 19.

Houston Chronicle

This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Harden's reps cited two concerns with that plan. For …

Here we go again. Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is butting heads again with agent David Mulugheta of Athletes First.

Mulugheta was the agent for Micah Parsons when the Cowboys tried to negotiate with him last season before he was traded to the Green Bay Packers.

He is also the agent for George Pickens. Jones said on Tuesday, via Mike Garafolo of NFL Network, regarding Pickens: “If he worked without an agent, he’d save a lot of money... with me.”

I asked Jerry Jones if George Pickens has said he wants negotiations to go thru agent David Mulugheta. Jones said he’s talked to agents over the years and has no issue doing that. But… “If he worked without an agent, he’d save a lot of money.” After a pause, he added: “With me.” https://t.co/5IXkkSaoC7

— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) March 31, 2026

Jones has mentioned in the past that he has negotiated with players one-on-one during the offseason, including Parsons, whom he claimed he had cut a deal with in early 2025 until his agent got involved.

Now it appears he’s trying to do the same thing with Pickens, and the NFL has yet to call him out on it. 

According to the NFL Players Association, what Jones is doing is illegal and aimed at undermining the relationships between his players and their agents. Jones does so in part because the fine under the current Collective Bargaining Agreement is minimal. And Jones has made it clear that he’ll happily pay those fines.

So, unless the NFL does more than slap his hand, he’s going to keep pulling this stunt. 

This article originally appeared on Touchdown Wire: Cowboys owner Jerry Jones wants George Pickens to dump his agent

Braves' Walt Weiss pumps brakes on Chris Sale's red flags after concerning start vs. Athletics originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Atlanta Braves struck gold when they traded for Chris Sale a few years ago. At the time, the move was viewed as risky, but those concerns were quickly silenced when he won the Cy Young Award. Now, he is also closing in on passing Tom Glavine in career strikeouts.

“Not only was Sale's first start of the season one that secured the Braves' first win of the 2026 season, but it also saw him make it into the top 30 career strikeout rankings by passing Bob Feller and Warren Spahn. If you are passing guys like that on almost any all-time list, it is a pretty big deal. However, what is perhaps more interesting is that the next name up for Sale to pass, at just 22 strikeouts away, as the Braves prepare for their rubber game against the A's, is Atlanta legend, Tom Glavine,” HTHB’s Eric Cole wrote.

During his outing on Wednesday, there were some red flags, as his fastball was barely touching 90 MPH. In his postgame conference, Sale acknowledged that he simply didn’t have his best stuff.

“Chris Sale was asked why his velo was down a little bit. Says he noticed it pregame and knows sometimes you’re just not going to have it so you have to raise your focus,” Atlanta sports reporter Reggie Chatman Jr. posted.

While Sale didn’t provide a specific reason, manager Walt Weiss offered some clarity. Sale had been battling an illness, which played a significant role in the dip in velocity.

“Chris Sale pitched today despite being sick heading into it. Walt Weiss said he would’ve been happy with getting three innings out of him,” SI’s Harrison Smajovitts wrote.

Despite the circumstances, Sale allowed just one hit in the game—a solo home run to Shea Langeliers. The Braves’ ace has now put together two strong starts to open the season, and the concerns surrounding his velocity appear to have a clear explanation.

Sale’s response to the situation highlights the kind of competitor and teammate he is. He refused to use illness as an excuse for not having his best stuff. Meanwhile, Weiss continues to show why he has been a strong hire for the Braves, backing his ace and providing transparency.

More MLB news:

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• Dodgers predicted to sign $38M Cy Young-caliber arm amid Roki Sasaki, Blake Snell concerns

• Giants predicted to replace Tony Vitello with 4-time World Series champion, NL Manager of the Year

• Phillies predicted to trade for $430M 3-time MVP, 9-time Silver Slugger to move Brandon Marsh

• Braves' Walt Weiss raises concerns with Sean Murphy's future amid $1.25M World Series champ praise

• Dodgers' $2M World Series hero reportedly not in organization's future plans despite Game 7 heroics

• Mets predicted to acquire $9.2M Cy Young winner, Rookie of the Year to join Freddy Peralta

• Braves' Walt Weiss validates new philosophy with bold break from Brian Snitker's approach

• Giants' Tony Vitello warned of brutal awakening if Tennessee mindset sparks early-season panic

• Braves predicted to sign $34M former Mets Cy Young-caliber arm to pair with Chris Sale

• Braves predicted to part ways with $1M former first-round fan favorite despite historic grand slam

INDIANAPOLIS — Arizona fans would undoubtedly prefer that their first Final Four in 25 years was not happening under a cloud of uncertainty about the future of their coach, Tommy Lloyd. 

But the North Carolina job is open. His contract negotiations with Arizona are ongoing. And Lloyd is leveraging this unique moment for absolutely everything it’s worth.

That much was made clear Tuesday afternoon at his news conference when, despite the best efforts of the reporters in attendance, Lloyd once again refused to offer anything that would be considered reassuring to Arizona fans — or, more importantly, administrators — about his intentions after the season ends.

“People are going to speculate all they want,” Lloyd said. “Guys, this team has my full focus. Nothing, nothing, I promise you nothing is knocking me off that path. You guys might call them distractions because you’re distracted. That doesn’t mean I’m distracted or we’re distracted. You know what’s pretty cool? Once you get some experience in this deal and you’re a player or coach who’s been at it awhile, you get pretty good at eliminating distractions. So I think I’m pretty good at that and I can’t wait to get to practice today.”

It’s not difficult to see what’s going on here.

Lloyd is — rightly so — a top target for North Carolina, which fired Hubert Davis. The 51-year-old from Kelso, Washington, waited a long time to take on his first head coaching job after 20 years as Mark Few’s top assistant at Gonzaga, and he has absolutely crushed the opportunity with a 148-35 record and Final Four breakthrough in his fifth season. Among the current crop of college coaches, either Lloyd or Michigan’s Dusty May would be the slam dunk of all slam dunks for a North Carolina program that is finally ready to give the job to someone “outside the family.” 

Ben Solomon via Getty Images

Just as importantly, he is also considered somewhat moveable despite his general happiness in Tucson and the potential for Arizona to dominate the West Coast. And this, it seems, is where the standoff lies: How committed is Arizona, a school and athletic department that has gone through significant financial challenges in recent years, to investing in that dominance? 

Or, to put a finer point on it, what exactly does Lloyd want? He seems to understand that this is the moment to get it.

“That’s what I feel like my No. 1 responsibility is, to fight to protect the program and fight to build it for those who came before me and for those that are going to follow after me, because you know what, Arizona is going to have another good coach after me,” Lloyd said Saturday after the Wildcats’ Elite Eight win over Purdue. “I promise you. The place is special.”

Talking about a future theoretical successor shortly after the greatest moment of your career was an eye-catching choice, to be sure, but perhaps more of the focus should go toward the first part of the quote about fighting to protect the program. We are in an era where coaching careers, in many ways, hinge on the resources schools give a coach through revenue sharing and NIL to go build a roster. Since the pay-for-play era began, those numbers have not once gone down.

The message from Lloyd is unambiguous: I need more. And never has there been a more perfect vessel to deploy in negotiations than interest from arguably the top basketball job in the country. And rarely has there been a weaker negotiating position than the one Arizona’s administration is in right now with an athletic director in Desireé Reed-Francois who was hired two years ago to fix the department’s budget issues and has had, sources told Yahoo Sports, a sometimes rocky relationship with her basketball coach over his expectations for funding the program. 

Lloyd has played this game before. In fact, he did it last just year — albeit under different, much quieter circumstances. After Arizona’s exit from the Sweet 16, according to sources, Villanova came after Lloyd hard. He was probably closer to taking that job than most people realized before signing a five-year contract extension last April. Though the details are somewhat opaque, it is believed that Lloyd left money on the table — both for himself and in player acquisition — to stay at Arizona. 

It's hard to see that happening again.

We can only speculate about where Lloyd truly wants to spend his prime coaching years. What’s undeniable is that he’ll never have a better opportunity to set up the rest of his career to win national titles — either at Arizona or a North Carolina that will be desperate to get back in the mix after the last five mediocre seasons. 

Lloyd has no bad options here, and he’s playing it to the hilt — just as he should. 

That makes things uncomfortable for Arizona fans, who wanted an unmistakeable signal that he’s staying. It does not appear they’re going to get it. 

But if you’re Lloyd, why do anything at this point to tamp down the pressure on Reed-Francois and school president Suresh Garimella? Why undercut your own negotiating position? 

Bob Drebin via Getty Images

A lot of coaches would feel uncomfortable taking a team to the Final Four under these circumstances. Roy Williams often seemed miserable in 2003 when a similar situation was unfolding at North Carolina and he had Kansas in the Final Four. After losing the championship game to Syracuse, he snapped at CBS’ Bonnie Bernstein when she asked the obvious question about North Carolina, saying: “In tough times people should be more sensitive. I could give a [expletive] about North Carolina right now.”

Roughly a week later, Williams returned to his alma mater. 

Lloyd obviously feels comfortable heading to the Final Four with this level of uncertainty hanging publicly over his future, and he’s not straying from the script. But the world has also changed since 2003. 

In the era of an unfettered transfer portal, there is no need for a coach’s loyalty test. Lloyd knows that most of his rotation this year will be in professional basketball next season. As much as they may love what the school has done for them, many of them came to Arizona in the first place because it was the best business decision. Where Lloyd coaches in 2026-27 is of little consequence to what they’re trying to accomplish this weekend at the Final Four. 

Everyone in college basketball these days is on a one-year contract. 

Reed-Francois has said the right things publicly, telling reporters last week that she wants Lloyd to retire as a Wildcat and that they have been engaged in contract negotiations since before the NCAA tournament. She was also brought in to do a difficult job, with the mandate to get back to financial solvency at a place that was running a $39 million deficit. Cutting costs never makes for a popular boss, particularly in college athletics where the ethos has long been to spend your way out of problems and figure out how to pay for it later. 

With NIL and revenue-sharing responsibilities, those days are over at most places. A championship-contending basketball roster is probably going to cost upwards of $10 million, and Arizona is one of a small number of places in the country where filling up the basketball arena is mandatory to make the numbers work. 

But so is North Carolina, which is why the tug of war over Lloyd is going to be tense — and expensive. 

Life is leverage, and the way Lloyd has handled this season — combined with North Carolina’s ability to make a big swing — has put him in position to either take one of the best jobs in basketball or make Arizona one of the best jobs in basketball for a generation. 

That’s the handiwork of a man who knows the meaning of the moment. No matter what happens at the Final Four, Lloyd will have plenty of reason to celebrate. 

Missouri shooting guard Sebastian Mack plans to enter the NCAA transfer portal, On3 has learned. He spent one year with the Tigers.

In 18 games last year, Mack put up seven points per game, 1.3 rebounds per game, 0.6 assists per game, shot 40.7% from the floor and 27.3% from three-point range. Mack spent two years at UCLA before transferring to Missouri for the 2025-26 season.

As a member of the Class of 2023, Mack was a four-star recruit out of Chicago (Ill.) Coronado (Nev.), according to the Rivals Industry Ranking. He was the No. 2 overall prospect in Nevada, the No. 15 shooting guard in the class and the No. 61 overall prospect in the class.

To keep up with the latest players on the move, check out On3’s Transfer Portal wire. The On3 Transfer Portal Instagram account and Twitter account are excellent resources to stay up to date with the latest moves. Check it out!

Mack was not the only Missouri player who plans to enter the portal as of late. Fellow guard Anthony Robinson II is also in.

In 33 games this season, Robinson put up 8.9 points per game, 3.1 rebounds per game, three assists per game, shot 41% from the floor and 31.4% from three-point range. They were above his career averages through his collegiate tenure.

As a member of the Class of 2023, Robinson was a three-star recruit out of Tallahassee (Fla.) Florida State University School, according to the Rivals Industry Ranking. He was the No. 14 overall prospect in the state, the No. 22 point guard in the class and the No. 144 overall prospect in the class.

CINCINNATI (AP) — Oneil Cruz had a three-run homer, his third in two games, Paul Skenes allowed one run in five innings and the Pittsburgh Pirates defeated the Cincinnati Reds 8-3 on Wednesday to take the three-game series.

Bryan Reynolds had a two-run shot, and Nick Gonzales added a two-run double during the ninth inning.

Eugenio Suárez had a pinch-hit, two-run homer in the sixth inning for the Reds.

Cruz went 5 for 13 with three home runs and six RBIs in the series. The power-hitting outfielder has gone deep nine times in the 19 games he has played in Cincinnati.

Reds starter Andrew Abbott (0-1) retired the first two Pirates hitters before Bryan Reynolds singled to right and Marcell Ozuna drew a walk. Cruz then connected on a 2-1 curveball that was over the bottom part of the plate and drove it 407 feet over the wall in right field.

Skenes (1-1) returned to his All-Star form after giving up five runs in two-thirds of an inning last Thursday in the season opener against the New York Mets. The reigning NL Cy Young winner allowed three hits, walked two and struck out five.

The right-hander gave up two walks in the first three innings before Elly De La Cruz led off the fourth with a base hit to right. Two batters later, Nathaniel Lowe had an RBI double to right-center, snapping the Reds’ 31-inning scoreless streak against Skenes.

Pittsburgh took a 4-1 lead in the sixth when Cruz scored after Spencer Horwitz was walked by Connor Phillips with the bases loaded.

Suárez got the Reds within a run in the bottom of the sixth with a two-run homer to left, his second of the season.

Up next

Pirates: Have their home opener on Friday against Baltimore. RHP Mitch Keller (0-0, 0.00 ERA) gets the start.

Reds: Open a seven-game road trip on Friday against Texas. RHP Brady Singer (0-0, 6.75 ERA) makes his second start.

___

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

Luciano Moggi has launched a scathing attack on the state of Italian football in the wake of the Azzurri’s third consecutive World Cup elimination, calling for Gabriele Gravina to resign and demanding that Sports Minister Andrea Abodi intervene to force genuine structural change.

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The former Juventus and Napoli director, speaking on Radio Tutto Napoli, drew a direct line between Italy’s current crisis and the fallout from the Calciopoli scandal of 2006, arguing that Italian football has been in terminal decline ever since its last major triumph.

“Remember that the last great result was in 2006, when we won the World Cup with a strong leadership structure,” he said, via TuttoMercatoWeb.

“From that point, with the dawn of Calciopoli, Italian football was finished.”

ZENICA, BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA – MARCH 31: (L-R) President of CONI Luciano Buonfiglio, President of FIGC Gabriele Gravina and UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin look on prior the FIFA World Cup 2026 European Qualifiers KO play-offs match between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Italy at Stadion Bilino Polje on March 31, 2026 in Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina. (Photo by Getty Images/Getty Images)

Moggi: ‘Italy broken at the core: the fish rots from the head, Gravina must step aside’

On Gravina, Moggi was unsparing. “The national team is a mirror of the system, if we have been eliminated three times, it means something is fundamentally broken at the base. The fish rots from the head, and therefore Gabriele Gravina should step aside. He has been neither lucky nor up to the task.”

His prescription for recovery was equally blunt. “We need to start from zero, a total clean-out. Minister Abodi should intervene seriously. Enough talk: what is needed is a real revolution.”

The suggestion that political intervention may be the only way to force meaningful change at the FIGC reflects a growing mood in Italy that the federation is incapable of reforming itself from within.

Moggi also backed Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis in his calls for a restructuring of Serie A.

“De Laurentiis is right, a general overhaul is needed because things cannot continue like this,” he said. “Today we have reached the point of being afraid of teams like Bosnia. That says everything.”

Arsenal will clash heads with Southampton at St. Mary’s Stadium this Saturday night as they look to secure a good result on the road in the Premier League. The Gunners suffered a poor 2-0 loss against Manchester City in the EFL Cup before the international break, so they would be eager to get back to winning ways this weekend.

Mikel Arteta will set his side up in a 4-2-3-1 formation and is expected to make a lot of changes to his first XI. Jurrien Timber, Myles Lewis-Skelly and Christian Norgaard could all play from the start of this game.

4-2-3-1 Arsenal Predicted Lineup To Face Southampton

Defence

Kepa Arrizabalaga will feature in between the sticks for the Gunners after he shipped in a couple of two goals in his last outing. Jurrien Timber will operate alongside Cristhian Mosquera at the heart of the Arsenal backline as they look to keep things solid at the back during the game.

Ben White will try to put in a solid performance as the right-back, while Myles Lewis-Skelly looks to prove his value on the other side as the left-back. Both of them will get the freedom to go forward and express themselves inside the opponent’s half.

Riccardo Calafiori will provide cover for the defensive positions on the bench.

LONDON, ENGLAND – MARCH 14: Bukayo Saka of Arsenal during the Premier League match between Arsenal and Everton at Emirates Stadium on March 14, 2026 in London, England. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

Midfield

Declan Rice and Christian Norgaard will operate as the holding midfielders as they focus on winning the 50-50 battles at the centre of the park.

The gifted trio of Gabriel Martinelli, Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka will play just ahead of them as part of Arteta’s attack. All three of them need to be at the top of their game if the Gunners are to earn a convincing win this weekend.

Martin Odegaard, Martin Zubimendi and Noni Madueke will have to settle for a spot on the bench as they wait for their chance to influence the game in the second 45 minutes if needed.

Attack

Viktor Gyokeres will lead the line for the North London club in the final third. He has to find a way to be a real threat up top.

Gabriel Jesus will be named on the bench and might come on to make an impact in the final quarter of the game if Arsenal are in need of a goal by then.

Liverpool have had their dream come true as a genuine superstar returns to the squad. This is what they needed.

Liverpool have been right up against it at times this season. They've battled injury after injury at a time when the squad desperately needed time together.

After all, the overhaul from the summer hasn't worked and Liverpool aren't the free-flowing team they used to be. Gelling together is infinitely more difficult when players are dropping in and out of the side, too.

And so it's left Liverpool where they are now. The Reds are struggling in qualify for next season's UEFA Champions League, while they have the mammoth task of Paris Saint-Germain in this season's quarterfinals.

But the squad is to receive a boost. Alexander Isak has been out of action since December after breaking his leg against Tottenham Hotspur and the Swede should now be back to face PSG this month.

It's a massive win for Liverpool - a genuine superstar returning to the fold and at exactly the right time. Isak could well be the difference not just for a top-five finish but for finding a way past PSG.

Liverpool bought the Swede for a British record fee and did that for a reason. Because Isak is a truly brilliant player and one who can be the cornerstone for success.

It all starts here.

Alexander Isak: Situation Summary

Liverpool Form and Injury Status

Alexander Isak is currently in the final stages of recovery from a fractured fibula sustained against Tottenham in December 2025. His debut season at Liverpool, following a high-profile £125 million move from Newcastle, has been heavily disrupted by fitness issues. As of April 1, 2026, the 26-year-old Swedish striker has been limited to just 16 appearances across all competitions, contributing three goals and one assist. While he will miss the upcoming FA Cup quarter-final against Manchester City, manager Arne Slot has targeted the Champions League quarter-final against Paris Saint-Germain later this month for his competitive return to the squad.

Transfer Speculation and Future

Despite his limited game time, significant rumours have surfaced regarding Isak’s future at Anfield ahead of the summer 2026 window. Reports suggest his representatives have explored interest from Barcelona, as the striker allegedly feels their tactical setup may better suit his style of play. Bayern Munich officials have also publicly commented on his high price tag and difficult debut campaign on Merseyside. While Liverpool officially remains committed to Isak as a long-term successor in their attack, the club is reportedly monitoring other goalscorers, including Sporting CP’s Luis Suarez, as a contingency plan depending on how the Swede recovers from his long-term leg injury.

The New York Yankees and Seattle Mariners will wrap up a three-game series on Wednesday at T-Mobile Park, with the first pitch scheduled for 4:10 p.m. ET, as both teams look to take the series after splitting two games. 

MORE: Predicting the winner of every MLB game on Wednesday, April 1, 2026

How to Watch New York Yankees vs Seattle Mariners

• Date: Wednesday, April 1, 2026
• Time: 4:10 p.m. ET
• TV Channel: YES Network
• Live Stream: Fubo (try for free)

New York enters the matchup with its lineup already showing signs of early-season production. Aaron Judge remains the centerpiece of the Yankees’ offense and continues to be one of the most dangerous hitters in baseball after another strong start to 2026, combining power and on-base ability at the top of the lineup.

The Yankees will send out their young starter, Cam Schlittler, who is 1-0, 0.00 ERA, with 8 strikeouts.

Meanwhile, Seattle counters with a talented core led by Julio Rodríguez, one of the league’s brightest young stars who brings power, speed, and run production to the middle of the lineup. The Mariners also rely on Cal Raleigh for power at the catcher position and J.P. Crawford for consistency at the top of the order.

The Mariners will give George Kirby the ball, who is 1-0, 1.50 ERA, 6 SO this season.

Fans looking to follow the New York Yankees all season can stream games live on Fubo, which carries the YES Network for local broadcasts. For out-of-market coverage, Fubo also offers MLB.TV as an add-on, giving fans access to games from across the league throughout the 2026 season.

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It felt like just a formality at this point, but expected No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza has crossed another checkpoint ahead of the 2026 NFL draft, completing Indiana’s Pro Day on Wednesday, April 1.

Unsurprisingly, the NFL Network cameras caught Las Vegas Raiders general manager John Spytek and head coach Klint Kubiak in the background of the workout, as Spytek and Kubiak got another close look at the anticipated future of the franchise. Also, offensive coordinator Andrew Janocko and quarterback coach Mike Sullivan were present, as well as a large contingent of the organization.

Seeing as the former Hoosier is expected to be moving to Las Vegas at the end of the month, let’s dive into a few takeaways from his final throwing session in Bloomington.

Under Center

One of the biggest concerns about Mendoza’s transition to the next level is that he has very little experience taking snaps under center, primarily operating out of the shotgun in college. However, he went back and forth between being in the gun and traditional dropbacks during his pro day.

It was pretty clear that this has been a point of emphasis in Mendoza’s pre-draft training, as he looked smooth and had good footwork when operating under center. That was good to see and especially impressive for someone who doesn’t have much experience executing the technique. Of course, it’s a controlled environment where no defense is on the field, but the comfort level he showed on the dropbacks is encouraging.

Bootlegs

Along the same lines, the Indiana product simulated several play-action passes and bootlegs during the workout. Again, he continued to look comfortable and smooth in dropbacks that he wasn’t asked to do much in college. Mendoza also maintained his accuracy when he didn’t have his feet set or a stable base when throwing on the run throughout the workout. This is something Kubiak undoubtedly was pleased with, as play-action passes and bootlegs are big parts of his playbook.

What remains to be seen is how quickly the Heisman Trophy winner can diagnose coverages when his back is turned to the defense to execute run fakes. However, that wasn’t going to get accomplished in a ‘routes on air environment’ where no defenders are on the field, obviously.

Deep Ball

Pro days have become synonymous with quarterbacks making a ridiculous deep throw that would get them benched if they ever attempted it in a game, and the pass goes viral on social media, a la Zach Wilson. Mendoza stayed away from that type of throw, but he did show off some arm strength at the end of his workout.

Mendoza did seem to be a little more measured at the beginning of his session, and the first throw he let rip was slightly overthrown and just out of the receiver’s reach. However, after getting warmed up, he had a couple of deep shots that really stood out, hitting the wideout in stride. One was a pylon route and the other was a post, showcasing the ability to push the ball outside the numbers and over the middle.

Accuracy

As mentioned above, the expected No. 1 pick missed on one deep pass attempt. However, that was the only incompletion that was his fault, reportedly going 53 of 56 on his attempts (h/t NFL Network’s Eric Edholm).

There were a couple of drops along the way, including one that was a slightly off-target but still catchable ball, to turn in what was a relatively clean throwing session. Granted, this was expected since accuracy is one of Mendoza’s biggest strengths and, again, its routes on air. But he certainly managed to check this box.

The last sentence in the paragraph above is the biggest overall takeaway. Pro days are more of a formality for quarterbacks and really shouldn’t boost their stock at all. But it is another box they need to check ahead of the draft, and Mendoza accomplished that goal. In other words, there’s no need to make any changes to your mock drafts over the next few weeks.

The Raiders can’t make anything official until they’re on the clock, but the No. 1 pick seems about as unofficially official as possible.

John Andrzejek stepped down as Campbell's men's basketball coach on Wednesday, citing the school's shifted priorities in a post on social media.

“Over the last 6 months, it has become clear that Campbell has made the decision to shift their commitment from basketball," Andrzejek wrote. "Simply put — the institution now has different priorities, and they are not compatible with putting the kind of team on the floor that you deserve. As difficult as this is, I respect the decision and understand it as one that the University feels it must make in what are unprecedented times in higher education.”

Andrzejek joined Campbell in 2025 after a two-year stint as an assistant at Florida, where he helped lead the Gators to a national title.

In his sole season in Buies Creek, he led Campbell team to a 16-18 overall record and an 8-10 record in Colonial Athletic Association play. Campbell was eliminated in the semifinals of the CAA Tournament with a 74-64 loss to Monmouth.

The coach said he explored several options with Campbell's athletic department in hopes to move forward with the team, but it became clear that the school cannot support the program.

“Despite months of intense work and collaboration with AD Hannah Bazemore and our terrific athletics administration, and several creative options that were proposed and thoroughly explored, there are no pathways that the institution will support to fund the program appropriately moving forward,” he wrote.

Andrzejek will join Louisville as associate head coach, serving under coach Pat Kelsey, Campbell said in a statement.

Louisville (24-11, 11-7 Atlantic Coast Conference) earned a No. 6 seed in the men's March Madness bracket in 2026. The Cardinals were eliminated after a 77-69 loss to No. 3-seeded Michigan State in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

A national search for Campbell's next coach will begin immediately, the school said in its statement.

___

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Bayern Munich may be without Harry Kane after the international break. Kane suffered a “minor issue” in training while with the England squad, which sidelined him in a 1-0 loss to Japan on Tuesday. Now, Sky Sport reports that he is unlikely to play against Freiburg on Saturday.

With a comfortable nine-point lead in the Bundesliga, Bayern are able to rest Kane and prioritize the Champions League. The goal is for the striker to be fit for the first leg of Bayern's clash against Real Madrid next Tuesday.

This would be only the second Bundesliga game all season that Kane missed. The English forward was also absent in Bayern Munich's 4-1 win over Borussia Mönchengladbach in March with a calf injury, which also kept him out of the first leg of the Champions League against Atalanta.

Should he be sidelined on Saturday, Bayern could turn to Serge Gnabry up top against Freiburg. Backup striker Nicolas Jackson is still suspended for his red card in a 1-1 draw with Bayer Leverkusen.

Kane is currently the top scorer in the Bundesliga with 31 goals and has a further ten in the Champions League.

After a flurry of injuries riddled the Golden State Warriors over the last few months of the season, the team is finally getting a bit of positive news regarding their All-Star point guard. The Warriors have been without star guard Steph Curry since late January. Curry has missed the last 25 games and counting due to a lingering injury in his right knee.

On Tuesday, it was reported by ESPN's Anthony Slater recieved clearence to suit up for a scrimmage at practice for the first time since suffering his injury. With a successful scrimmage in the books at practice, Curry and the Warriors are now reportedly circling a date on the schedule for his return to the court for game action.

According to Sam Amick of The Athletic, Curry and the Warriors are targeting Sunday's contest against the Houston Rockets for Curry's highly-anticipated return.

Via @sam_amick on X:

Sources: After a successful scrimmage on Tuesday, Warriors star Steph Curry is targeting Sunday's game against Houston for his possible return.

More here, at @TheAthletic (w/ @NickFriedell)https://t.co/35lHLYV4eZ

— Sam Amick (@sam_amick) March 31, 2026

Without Curry, the Warriors have lost 16 of their last 25 games and have fallen to the No. 10 seed in the Western Conference at 36-39. Curry is set to miss a back-to-back on Wednesday, starting with a game against the red-hot San Antonio Spurs and Thursday's game against the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Warriors wil

If Curry is able to return on Sunday against the Rockets, he will have three games left on the regular-season schedule to prepare Golden State's date in the postseason play-in tournament.

This post originally appeared on Warriors Wire! Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

This article originally appeared on Warriors Wire: Report: Steph Curry (knee) targeting return on Sunday vs. Rockets