Şampiyonluk için kalan son iki maçını da kazanarak bu sezonu da zaferle bitirmek isteyen Galatasaray bir yandan da gelecek sezonun transfer çalışmalarına başladı. Sarı-kırmızılıların gündemine gelen isimlerden olan Juventus forması giyen Federico Gatti'den ise kötü haber geldi.

Gelecek sezonun kadro çalışmalarına başlayan Galatasaray, yeni sezonda kesin olarak stoper hattına takviye yapmak istiyor. İtalyan basınından Tuttosport, sarı-kırmızılıların Juventus forması giyen Federico Gatti ile ilgilendiğini yazmıştı. Ancak oyuncu cephesinden gelen haberler pek parlak değil.

GERİ ÇEVİRDİ

Yine Tuttosport'un haberine göre, Juventus forması giyen Federico Gatti, son haftalarda Galatasaray'dan gelen ilgiyi geri çevirdi. Juventus ile olan sözleşmesi 30 Haziran 2030 yılına kadar devam eden İtalyan stoper, bu sezon forma giydiği 25 karşılaşmada 4 gol kaydetti.

Transfermarkt verilerine göre güncel piyasa değeri 16 milyon Euro olan Gatti içi Juventus kulübü 20-25 milyon Euro istiyor.

Fenerbahçe'de 6-7 Haziran tarihlerinde seçime gidiyor ve yeni başkanını seçecek...Aziz Yıldırım'ın başkan adaylığını resmi olarak açıklamasının ardından gözler Hakan Safi'ye çevrilmişti. Hakan Safi adaylıktan çekilmeyeceğinin ve birlik olmayacağının sinyalini verdi.

Fenerbahçe sandığa gidiyor...Galatasaray derbisinde yaşanan mağlubiyetin ardından seçim kararı alan sarı-lacivertlilerde gözler başkan adaylarına çevrildi. Aziz Yıldırım'ın resmi olarak başkan adaylığının açıklamasının ardından başkan adayı Barış Göktürk birlik olmasının sinyalini verdi. Diğer başkan adayı Hakan Safi ise birlik çağrısına olumsuz yanıt verdi.

Hakan Safi'nin açıklaması şöyle:

-Kayıtsız ve şartsız aday olduğumu bir kez daha vurguluyorum. Karşımızda kim aday olursa olsun, ben tek başıma seçime gireceğim. Çekilmem veya birleşmem söz konusu değil. Şu anda ekibimle birlikte tek hedefimiz Fenerbahçe’yi şampiyon yapmak ve camiamızı mutlu etmek.

UEFA Avrupa Ligi'nde finalistler yarın belli olacak.

UEFA Avrupa Ligi'nde finale çıkan ekipler yarın belli olacak.

Avrupa futbolunun kulüp düzeyindeki iki numaralı organizasyonunda, Alman temsilcisi Freiburg ilk maçta 2-1 yenildiği Portekiz ekibi Braga'yı TSİ 22.00'de konuk edecek.

Diğer yarı final rövanşında ise İngiliz ekipleri Aston Villa ile Nottingham Forest karşı karşıya gelecek.

Aston Villa, 1-0 kaybettiği deplasmandaki ilk maçın ardından Nottingham Forest'ı TSİ 22.00'de ağırlayacak.

UEFA Avrupa Ligi'nde final maçı ise 20 Mayıs'ta İstanbul'un ev sahipliğinde Beşiktaş Park'ta yapılacak.

Portekiz ekibi Braga'da forma giyen milli futbolcu Demir Ege Tıknaz, takımının finale çıkması durumunda ülkesinde ve eski kulübünün stadında kupa mücadelesi verecek.

Fenerbahçe sandığa gidiyor...Yeni başkanını seçecek olan sarı-lacivertlilerde eski başkan Aziz Yıldırım son olarak aday olacağını açıkladı. Daha önce başkan adaylığını açıklayan Barış Göktürk'ün Aziz Yıldırım ile birlik olacağı iddia ediliyor.

Fenerbahçe'de 6-7 Haziran tarihlerinde gerçekleştirilecek olağanüstü seçimli genel kurul öncesi başkan adayları netlik kazanmaya başladı. Barış Göktürk ve Hakan Safi'nin ardından Aziz Yıldırım'da başkanlığa adaylığını açıkladı. Daha önce Aziz Yıldırım'a ''gel elini taşın altına koy'' diyerek seslenen Barış Göktürk'ün ise adaylıktan çekilmesi bekleniyor.

Hakan Safi, herhangi bir adayla birleşmeyi veya seçimden çekilmeyi düşünmüyor.

Barış Göktürk'ün ise Aziz Yıldırım’ın teklifini kabul edeceği konuşuluyor.

Başkan adaylığını açıklayan Barış Göktürk, eski başkan Aziz Yıldırım'a da çağrı da bulundu. Barış Göktürk şu ifadeler yer vermişti:

Sayın Başkanım, sana buradan çağrımdır. Gel elini taşın altına koy. Biz seninle beraberiz. Fenerbahçe’nin geleceği için biz seni 1 yılda bekleriz 4 yılda bekleriz. Sen bizim efsane başkanımızsın. Fenerbahçe’yi bu çukurdan hep birlikte çıkaralım…

"Fenerbahçe'yi karanlık yollara sokmamak ve geleceği belirsizliğe bırakmamak" mottosu etrafından yakınlarını birleştiren Ali Koç, "aday olmayacağım" demesine rağmen adaylığa hazırlanıyor.

Fenerbahçe’de yaklaşan Olağanüstü Seçimli Genel Kurul öncesi beklenen hamle geldi. Efsane başkan Aziz Yıldırım, kulübün 120. yıl dönümüne vurgu yaparak adaylığını resmen ilan etti.

- Fenerbahçe camiasının bir ve beraber olduğunu göstereceğimiz destansı 120. yıl için Fenerbahçe Spor Kulübü Başkanlığı’na adayım. Sayın Barış Göktürk ve Sayın Hakan Safi başta olmak üzere, adaylığı söz konusu olan tüm adaylara, benimle beraber olmayı teklif ediyorum.

Aziz Yıldırım’ın bu çıkışının ardından, camianın odak noktası Ali Koç’a çevrildi. Geçmişte Aziz Yıldırım’a karşı girdiği iki seçimi de kazanan Koç’un, kulübün geleceği ve 120. yıl vizyonu çerçevesinde adaylığını kısa süre içinde açıklaması bekleniyor.

Ali Koç, 2026 seçimleri öncesinde "aday olmayacağını" söylese de, camianın baskısı, rakiplerin hamleleri ve özellikle Aziz Yıldırım'ın adaylık çıkışı sonrası stratejisini "Fenerbahçe’yi karanlık yollara sokmamak ve geleceği belirsizliğe bırakmamak" üzerine kurdu. Adaylığı ciddi ciddi düşünüyor.

Süper Lig'den 11 kulüp, Profesyonel Futbol Disiplin Kuruluna PFDK'ye sevk edildi.

Türkiye Futbol Federasyonu (TFF) Hukuk Müşavirliği, Trendyol Süper Lig'den 11 kulübü Profesyonel Futbol Disiplin Kuruluna (PFDK) sevk etti.

TFF'den yapılan açıklamada, Süper Lig'in 32. haftasında oynanan maçlarda yaşanan disiplin ihlalleri nedeniyle Gaziantep FK, Beşiktaş, Fenerbahçe, Trabzonspor, Samsunspor, Galatasaray, Zecorner Kayserispor, Hesap.com Antalyaspor, Natura Dünyası Gençlerbirliği, Kasımpaşa ve Kocaelispor'un disipline gönderildiği belirtildi.

Trendyol 1. Lig'den Atakaş Hatayspor, Alagöz Holding Iğdır FK, Amed Sportif Faaliyetler, Özbeyli Bandırmaspor ve Esenler Erokspor'un çeşitli sebeplerle PFDK'ye sevk edildiği aktarıldı.

Gençlerbirliği ile yollarını ayıran teknik direktör Volkan Demirel ile 1. Lig'de normal sezonu üçüncü tamamlayarak play-off finali oynamaya hak kazanan Esenler Erokspor'un teknik direktörü Osman Özköylü'nün tedbirli olarak disipline gönderildiği bildirildi.

Bu gün futbol üzrə UEFA Çempionlar Liqasında (ÇL) 2025/2026-cı illər mövsümünün sonuncu finalçısı müəyyənləşəcək.

Arena.az xəbər verir ki, yarımfinal mərhələsinin ikinci cavab oyununda Almaniyanın “Bayern” komandası ÇL-in sonuncu qalibi PSJ-ni qəbul edəcək.

“Alyans Arena” stadionunda baş tutacaq qarşılaşmaya Bakı vaxtı ilə saat 23:00-da start veriləcək.

Xatırladaq ki, bu komandalar arasında Paris şəhərində baş tutmuş ilk görüşdə PSJ 5:4 hesablı qələbəyə sevinmişdi.

Daha öncə İngiltərənin “Arsenal” komandası İspaniya təmsilçisi “Atletiko” üzərində qələbə sayəsində finala vəsiqəni təmin edib.

UEFA Çempionlar Liqası
Yarımfinalın cavab oyunları
5 may

Arsenal (İngiltərə) – Atletiko (İspaniya) 1:0
Qol: Bakayo Saka, 44.
Baş hakim: Daniel Zibert (Almaniya).
London. “Emireyts” stadionu.
İlk oyun – 1:1.

6 may

23:00. Bayern (Almaniya) – PSJ (Fransa)
Baş hakim: Pineyro (Portuqaliya).
Münhen. “Alyans Arena”.
İlk oyun – 4:5.

9–10 may tarixlərində Gürcüstanın Qori şəhərində cüdo üzrə böyüklər arasında Avropa Kuboku keçiriləcək.

Futbolpress.az xəbər verir ki, Avropa Cüdo Birliyinin təşkilatçılığı ilə reallaşacaq yarışda ölkəmiz 9 çəki dərəcəsində 26 cüdoçu (23 kişi, 3 qadın) ilə təmsil olunacaq. Heyətə kişilərdən ibarət yığmanın böyük məşqçiləri – Elçin İsmayılov və Robert Kravçik, qadınlardan ibarət yığmanın məşqçisi İmamverdi Məmmədov rəhbərlik edəcəklər.

Beynəlxalq turnirdə 17 ölkədən 208 idmançı (150 kişi, 58 qadın) mübarizə aparacaq. Yarışın ədalət təmsilçiləri arasında Azərbaycan Cüdo Federasiyasının hakimlər heyətinin üzvləri – “A” kateqoriyalı beynəlxalq dərəcəli hakimlər Arzu Acalova və Rəşad Əliyev, “B” kateqoriyalı beynəlxalq dərəcəli hakim Ülvi Əliyev də yer alacaq.

Heyəti təqdim edirik:

Kişilər

-60 kq
Babarəhim Mirzəyev
Murad Əliyev
Murad Muradlı
Məhəmməd Məmişov
Şamo Hüseynov

-66 kq
Yaşar Nəcəfov
Hüseyn Allahyarov
Zahir Ağazadə
İslam Rəhimov
Nizami İmranov
Elşən Əsədov
Nazir Talıbov

-73 kq
Nadir İmanov
Rüfət Şövlətov
Nəriman Mirzəyev
Elton İmranov
Bəhram Qurbanlı

-90 kq
Xəyyam Əliyev
Nihad Şıxəlizadə

-100 kq
Əjdər Bağırov
Şahin Əsədov
Elmar Qasımov

+100 kq
Qurban Məmmədli

Qadınlar

-48 kq
Diana Tçkayeva

-57 kq
Ülviyyə Bayramova

+78 kq
Madina Kaisinova

“Fənərbağça” klubunda iyun ayında prezident seçkiləri olacaq.

Futbolpress.az xəbər verir ki, İstanbul təmsilçisinin sabiq rəhbəri Aziz Yıldırım yenidən namizədlər arasında olacaq. Bu barədə funksioner özü açıqlama verib. O, “Fənərbağça”da prezidentliyə iddiaçı olduğunu bildirib.

Yıldırım 1998-2018-ci illərdə klubun rəhbəri olub.

“Turan Tovuz” Moskva “Lokomotiv”indən icarəyə götürdüyü müdafiəçi Mark Mampassi ilə bağlı qərarını verib.

Futbolpress.az-ın məlumatına görə, Tovuz təmsilçisi futbolçunun transfer hüquqlarını almaq istəyir. Komandanın baş məşqçisi Kurban Berdıyev Markın performansından məmnundur və onun birdəfəlik transfer edilməsini arzulayır.

Mampassi bu ilin fevralından “Turan Tovuz”da çıxış edir. O, Premyer Liqada 8 oyunda 1 qol vurub.

“Mançester Siti” futbolçusu Fil Fodenlə müqaviləsini uzatmağa hazırlaşır.

Futbolpress.az xəbər verir ki, bu barədə insayder Fabrizio Romano məlumat yayıb. Tərəflər arasında müddəti 2031-ci ilin yayına kimi olan müqavilə imzalanacaq.

Foden bu mövsüm “şəhərlilər”lə Premyer Liqada 29 oyunda 7 qol vurub, 3 məhsuldar ötürmə edib.

AFFA tərəfindən futbolun inkişafı və müasir texnologiyaların tətbiqi istiqamətində həyata keçirilən layihələr çərçivəsində “Eyeball” analitik platformasının istifadəsinə başlanılıb.

Futbolpress.az xəbər verir ki, layihə həm kişi, həm də qadın futbolunu əhatə edir və artıq U-15, U-16, U-17, U-19 və Əvəzedicilər Liqası, eləcə də qadınlar arasında U-16 və Yüksək Liqa komandaları bu sistemə daxil edilib. Bu addım yerli futbolda analitika və rəqəmsal yanaşmanın tətbiqini genişləndirməyə xidmət edir.

“Eyeball” platformasının Azərbaycan dili üzrə istifadəsinin də tam təmin olunması planlaşdırılır. Bu yenilik yerli istifadəçilər üçün platformadan daha rahat və effektiv istifadə imkanları yaradacaq, eyni zamanda analitik məlumatların daha anlaşılan formada təqdim edilməsinə töhfə verəcək.

“Eyeball” layihəsinin ilkin mərhələsində platformanın Bakı və Abşeron ərazisində fəaliyyət göstərən klublar arasında tətbiqi nəzərdə tutulub. Növbəti mərhələdə isə region klublarının da sistemə qoşulması planlaşdırılır. Eyni zamanda, növbəti mövsümdən etibarən bütün klubların öz ev oyunlarını çəkərək platformaya yükləməsi nəzərdə tutulur.
Yüklənmiş oyunlar platforma tərəfindən avtomatik emal olunur və qısa müddət ərzində geniş statistik göstəricilər və analitik məlumatlar formalaşdırılır. İstifadəçilər oyunların tam video görüntüsünü izləməklə yanaşı, konkret epizodları seçə, hadisələr üzrə filtr tətbiq edə və oyun daxilində baş verən bütün əsas məqamları ayrıca analiz edə bilirlər.
Bundan əlavə, hər həftə bütün yaş qrupları üzrə “Həftənin rəmzi komandası” hazırlanacaq və platforma üzərindən təqdim olunacaq. Bu isə futbolçuların fərdi performanslarının daha yaxından izlənilməsinə və fərqlənən oyunçuların ön plana çıxmasına əlavə imkan yaradacaq.

Eyni zamanda, “Eyeball” platforması üzərindən futbolçuların performans göstəriciləri və oyun görüntüləri xarici klub skautları tərəfindən də izlənilə bilər. Bu isə yerli futbolçuların beynəlxalq səviyyədə daha geniş tanınmasına və onların xarici klublarda çıxış etməsi üçün əlavə imkanların yaranmasına şərait yaradır.

Beləliklə, platforma yalnız analiz aləti deyil, həmçinin futbolçuların karyera inkişafına dəstək verən mühüm vasitə rolunu oynayır.

“Sassuolo”nun futbolçusu İsmael Kone yayda komandasını dəyişə bilər.

Futbolpress.az xəbər verir ki, İtaliyanın “Milan” və İngiltərənin bir neçə klubu yarımmüdafiəçinin xidmətində maraqlıdır. Bu barədə insayder Fabrizio Romano məlumat yayıb.

Konenin müqaviləsində 35 milyon avroya sərbəst qalar bəndi var. Klublar yayda bundan istifadə etmək niyyətindədir.

Kanadalı futbolçu bu mövsüm A Seriyasında 32 oyunda 6 qol vurub.

Source

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Fabio Capello is questioning whether Arsenal’s defence will be able to handle the speed of PSG or Bayern Munich’s attack in the Champions League Final. In response, Alessandro Del Piero says, ‘Anything can happen in a final, but over two legs, they wouldn’t have come out alive.’

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Italian football legends Del Piero, Capello and Alessandro Costacurta discussed Arsenal’s chances to win the Champions League after the Gunners beat Atletico Madrid 1-0 on Tuesday to qualify for the Final.

Del Piero, Capello and Costacurta discuss Arsenal’s chances of winning Champions League

“The question I ask myself is: will Arsenal’s defence be able to stop one of the two teams they’ll face in terms of speed?” Capello asked during Sky Sport Italia’s post-match show.

“Both Paris and Bayern have three or four positions where they can do whatever they want. Constant one-on-one situations. Right, left, centre. They are fast, strong, and they know how to shoot and score goals,” Del Piero replied.

“The positive thing for Arsenal is that it is a final. In my opinion, over the two legs, they wouldn’t have come out alive against either of them. In a final, anything can happen; there are many dynamics.”

Del Piero won the Champions League once as a footballer with Juventus, but lost Finals in 1997, 1998 and 2003.

Milan legend Costacurta, on the other hand, won the European trophy five times, losing twice in the final.

“When you play a stronger team, you can hold on for 90 minutes,” argued the ex-defender.

“Over 180 minutes, it becomes much harder.”

PSG and Bayern Munich will meet at the Allianz Arena in Munich tonight for the second leg of the Champions League semis after a spectacular 5-4 victory for the Ligue 1 giants in the first leg last week.

Inter were the last Serie A club to win the Champions League in 2010, and the Nerazzurri and Juventus have lost the final twice each since.

Donald Trump’s Envoy Paolo Zampolli insists it’s ‘very difficult to trust Iranians’, suggesting that Italy still have a chance to replace their national team at the World Cup, even though ‘time is running out.’

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Trump’s Special Envoy Zampolli insists Italy still has a slight chance of playing at the World Cup, as he fears the Iran national team might not show up for the tournament that kicks off on June 11.

Zampolli has already released several interviews about the matter, revealing that he had discussed Italy’s possible involvement in the competition should Iran fail to participate.

“I contacted Infantino with Trump’s support because FIFA regulations are lacking regarding the replacement of a team that does not show up,” Zampolli said in his latest interview with Gazzetta dello Sport.

Zampolli: ‘Very difficult to trust Iran’

“If Iran were not to participate in the World Cup, Italy would have the right to participate, having won the World Cup four times and being the highest-ranked of the excluded teams.

“The key issue is understanding what the Iranians have in mind, as they are very difficult to trust,” Zampolli continued.

“They now say the team will come, but what do we do about those following them, which is not very welcome in the United States, given what is happening? The game is still open.”

There have been mixed reactions to the possibility of Italy replacing Iran at the World Cup, a scenario that remains quite unlikely, given that FIFA President Infantino has recently confirmed that the Iranians will regularly participate in the tournament.

Azzurri World Cup winner Fulvio Collovati said earlier this week that seeing Italy play at the World Cup after failing to qualify for the third time in a row would be “humiliating”, and many fans in the country feel the same.

“I can understand that, but how do they think Italians would react if the national team played in the World Cup?” asked Zampolli.

“Would they cheer as only we know how, or would they not watch the matches because we didn’t qualify on the field?”

When asked whether he’ll try to put more pressure on Infantino in the coming days, Trump’s Envoy replied: “I don’t think it’s necessary, even though time is running out. Last year, I alraedy convince him to hold the World Cup draw at the Trump-Kennedy Centre.”

Lastly, Zampolli revealed being an Inter fan who even watched many matches at the Stadio Meazza before moving to the USA.

“When I was young, I used to go to the Stadium in Curva Nord with the Boys,” he said.

“I’m happy Inter won the league title, but I’m not a die-hard fan. I experience sport as a means of uniting people and creating business opportunities.”

Following the 3-2 victory over Liverpool that booked Manchester United’s ticket to next season’s Champions League, the spotlight has immediately shifted away from the pitch and directly onto the dugout.

Interim boss Michael Carrick has brilliantly steadied what was previously a severely rocking ship.
His spell at the club has included wins against Manchester City, Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea and Tottenham.

While several names are being linked with the United job, the clear favourite remains Carrick due to his brilliant performances.

Now, one of the most decorated and respected veterans in the dressing room, Casemiro, has publicly demanded that the club’s hierarchy hand Carrick the permanent keys to the kingdom.

Casemiro praises Carrick for his impact

When a five-time Champions League winner speaks, you listen. Casemiro didn’t mince his words when pressed about the club’s ongoing managerial situation.

The Brazilian said, as reported by Fabrizio Romano:

“In my opinion, Carrick completely deserves the job at Man United. I think he’s a guy who has already demonstrated that he has very good qualities to be a Manchester United coach.

“He deserves the club’s total trust”.

Casemiro knows exactly what elite management looks like, having thrived under legendary figures like Carlo Ancelotti and Zinedine Zidane during his prime years at Real Madrid.

If he genuinely believes Carrick has the tactical acumen and man-management aura to lead United back to the absolute top, the INEOS board needs to take some serious notes.

To truly appreciate the job Carrick has done, you have to look at the sheer chaos he has successfully navigated this season.

More Stories / Latest News

Carrick receives internal backing from key member of the Man United squad

May 6 2026, 11:38

Kylian Mbappe’s Real Madrid crisis sees Liverpool express interest in shock transfer

May 6 2026, 11:27

Declan Rice wasted no time in taking a swipe at Chelsea following UCL semi win

May 6 2026, 10:33

Carrick has turned around Man United in a short time

He steered the Red Devils back into Europe’s elite tier despite a horrific injury crisis ravaging his defensive line all year long.

He managed to keep captain Bruno Fernandes operating at a world-class level, racking up a staggering 22 assists across all competitions, while simultaneously integrating youth and maintaining a fiercely united dressing room.

Carrick hasn’t just survived the interim tag, he has thrived under the suffocating pressure to manage at Old Trafford.

For over a decade, we have watched the Man United relentlessly chase flashy, big-name managers, only to watch those expensive projects inevitably implode.

Carrick understands the DNA and the crushing expectations of this football club. He plays on the front foot, he completely understands the Premier League landscape, and as Casemiro just proved, he commands instant respect from the players.

Sources: Liverpool, Man United, & Aston Villa could have exciting €40m transfer opportunity 

The post Carrick receives internal backing from key member of the Man United squad appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Liverpool have reportedly expressed an interest in an ambitious potential transfer swoop for Real Madrid superstar Kylian Mbappe.

The France international is currently going through a difficult period at the Bernabeu, despite his impressive individual statistics so far this season.

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Mbappe has 85 goals in 100 games for Real Madrid since joining last season, though he’s yet to win a major trophy with Los Blancos, and this season is also set to finish without silverware.

According to Fichajes, this has seen Liverpool register an interest in Mbappe in an ambitious potential move.

This comes as Marca and other Spanish football news outlets have reported on the former Paris Saint-Germain man’s attitude seeming to rub his teammates up the wrong way.

Could Liverpool really sign Kylian Mbappe?

But before everyone gets too excited about this story, it seems worth emphasising how it seems a tad premature to be seriously thinking about Mbappe moving to Anfield.

Liverpool, let’s not forget, spent huge money last summer on big names like Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz, so that could limit what they’re able to do this year without some serious sales to help balance the books and stay in line with Financial Fair Play rules.

Even then, not only would Mbappe cost a huge transfer fee, but he’d surely immediately become the club’s highest earner by some distance, which seems far from ideal, even if he is one of the best players in the world.

But before we even get into that, it’s not even clear if the 27-year-old will definitely be leaving Madrid.

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There may be some issues going on behind the scenes, but this sort of thing happens at every football club and the most likely thing is that all parties will work to resolve it.

More Stories / Latest News

Carrick receives internal backing from key member of the Man United squad

May 6 2026, 11:38

Kylian Mbappe’s Real Madrid crisis sees Liverpool express interest in shock transfer

May 6 2026, 11:27

Declan Rice wasted no time in taking a swipe at Chelsea following UCL semi win

May 6 2026, 10:33

Mbappe’s performances on the pitch mean it’s surely worth trying to keep him happy, and unless things really spiral from here, it doesn’t currently seem like we’re close to the stage where the club would look to get rid.

It would be hugely exciting to see Mbappe at Liverpool or another Premier League club, and while there’s perhaps always going to be some interest in his situation, we can’t see that leading to any concrete bids or negotiations just yet.

The post Kylian Mbappe’s Real Madrid crisis sees Liverpool express interest in shock transfer appeared first on CaughtOffside.

The Emirates Stadium was absolutely rocking on Tuesday night as Arsenal finally qualified for the Champions League final.

Securing a tense 1-0 victory over Atletico Madrid, and a 2-1 aggregate win overall, the Gunners have officially booked their ticket to their first Champions League final in an agonisingly long 20 years.

While the entire red half of North London was busy celebrating the historic achievement, star midfielder Declan Rice used his post-match platform to deliver a thinly veiled dig at his former boyhood club, Chelsea.

Fresh off being named the undisputed Man of the Match, the midfield enforcer didn’t hold back when reflecting on his long, winding journey to the absolute pinnacle of European football.

Declan Rice takes swipe at Chelsea

‘That club gave me everything, without West Ham there’s no me,’ Rice told Prime Video after Arsenal’s victory over Atletico Madrid, as reported by Metro.

‘I honestly believe that. They gave me a chance when Chelsea didn’t. A lot of people there really pushed me on so it’s not nice to see the position they’re in.

‘But it’s football and I’ve got a job to do on Sunday. We’re trying to win a Premier League title, we want to win every game and I’m sure they will want to as well so let the best team win.’

Letting him slip through their fingers is now looking like a historically massive mistake for the Stamford Bridge hierarchy, a major blunder they will desperately want to avoid repeating with other academy prospects in the future.

Declan Rice’s game by numbers vs. Atletico Madrid:

100% successful take-ons
75 touches
62 passes attempted
56 passes completed
28 carries
8 passes into the final third
6 ground duels contested
5 ground duels won
3 progressive carries

Outstanding on the big stage again.… pic.twitter.com/orMmwJSulw

— Statman Dave (@StatmanDave) May 5, 2026

More Stories / Latest News

Carrick receives internal backing from key member of the Man United squad

May 6 2026, 11:38

Kylian Mbappe’s Real Madrid crisis sees Liverpool express interest in shock transfer

May 6 2026, 11:27

Declan Rice wasted no time in taking a swipe at Chelsea following UCL semi win

May 6 2026, 10:33

Gunners star could make history this season

As Chelsea continue to sift through their managerial mess and domestic struggles, Rice and Arsenal are packing their bags for Budapest.

They will face either German giants Bayern Munich or Paris Saint-Germain in the grand finale, standing just 90 minutes away from lifting the most prestigious trophy in club football.

Surely Rice will be among the top contenders to win the Premier League Player of the season award, as well as PFA Player of the year award if the Gunners end up winning the league.

Some are even including him in the Ballon d’Or conversation and why not if the Gunners win the Premier League and the Champions League?

Arsene Wenger highlights decisive factor in Arsenal’s win vs Atletico Madrid

The post Declan Rice wasted no time in taking a swipe at Chelsea following UCL semi win appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Chelsea striker Joao Pedro has reportedly spoken with Barcelona winger Raphinha about life at the Nou Camp amid doubts over his future.

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Still, it seems the Blues do not intend to sell Pedro this summer and the Brazil international has also not explicitly told them he wants to leave, according to Simon Phillips.

The report adds that Chelsea could make some sales this summer, but it seems that Pedro is not likely to be one of those, even if he does seem to be putting feelers out over a potential move away.

It would surely make sense for Pedro and other Chelsea players to consider moving on after such a poor season, with the west London giants now looking unlikely to qualify for the Champions League, while they could even miss out on Europe altogether.

Is Joao Pedro looking for a transfer to Barcelona?

Barca seemingly have an interest in Pedro, according to Phillips, but for now it’s all at an early stage and not necessarily likely to happen, even if the player himself has also asked his fellow countryman Raphinha about the club.

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Pedro certainly looks like someone who could flourish at a bigger club like Barcelona, but he’s on a long-term contract at CFC, so it would take a lot to force them into letting him go.

More Stories / Latest News

Carrick receives internal backing from key member of the Man United squad

May 6 2026, 11:38

Kylian Mbappe’s Real Madrid crisis sees Liverpool express interest in shock transfer

May 6 2026, 11:27

Declan Rice wasted no time in taking a swipe at Chelsea following UCL semi win

May 6 2026, 10:33

The 24-year-old has 20 goals and six assists in his first season at Chelsea, so they’ll no doubt want to keep him around for a long time.

Still, if he keeps performing like this it’s going to be very hard fighting off interest from Barcelona and other elite clubs if Chelsea are unable to convince players of this calibre that they’re serious contenders for the biggest trophies.

The post Joao Pedro has spoken to Barcelona player about transfer as Chelsea stance explained appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Bukayo Saka grabbed the decisive goal as Arsenal beat Atletico Madrid 1-0 to seal their place in the Champions League final with a 2-1 aggregate victory. Having snapped a seven-game streak without a goal involvement when he scored and assisted against Fulham in the Premier League last weekend, captain fantastic Saka was Arsenal’s hero as […]

The post Arsenal 1-0 Atletico Madrid (2-1 agg): Captain fantastic Saka leads Arsenal into Champions League fi appeared first on Soccer News.

The post Arsenal 1-0 Atletico Madrid (2-1 agg): Captain fantastic Saka leads Arsenal into Champions League fi appeared first on Soccer News.

Verdict: Manchester City win Best Odds: 4/9 Bookmaker: Dachbet Desperately searching for an immediate Premier League response on Saturday evening, Manchester City will welcome Brentford to the Etihad. Manchester City Starting with the hosts, while Manchester City might have eventually dragged themselves to a remarkable 3-3 stalemate away at Everton earlier in the week, Pep […]

The post Prediction: Manchester City vs Brentford – Betting Tips, Team News, Key Facts appeared first on Soccer News.

The post Prediction: Manchester City vs Brentford – Betting Tips, Team News, Key Facts appeared first on Soccer News.

With free agency and the NFL draft now behind us, let's take a look back at all of the moves that have shaped the Jacksonville Jaguars' 2026 offseason.

For much of the year up to this point, it's been quite quiet for Jacksonville. GM James Gladstone prioritized re-signing several of his own free agents, but made only one outside addition, signing running back Chris Rodriguez.

The catalyst behind this approach was Gladstone being mindful of the 2027 compensatory draft picks that Jacksonville is projected to receive.

The Jaguars also saw Devin Lloyd, Travis Etienne, Greg Newsome, and Andrew Wingard sign elsewhere. In the draft, Jacksonville made 10 picks, along with 18 undrafted free agent signings afterward.

To go along with the Jaguars' quite free agency period, most draft analysts were underwhelmed by their draft class. Gladstone's overall approach this offseason, however, does speak to his confidence in the current state of the Jaguars' roster.

Offseason additions during free agency period by the Jaguars

• Jacksonville signed free agent running back Chris Rodriguez to a two-year deal worth $10 million.

Free agency departures

• Free agent Andrew Wingard signed with the Arizona Cardinals.
• Devin Lloyd signed with the Carolina Panthers.
• The Jaguars released Johnny Mundt in favor of salary cap space.
• Dyami Brown signed with the Commanders as a free agent.
• Joshua Cephus was an exclusive rights free agent; however, the Jaguars non-tendered him. This, in turn, made Cephus an unrestricted free agent, able to sign where he pleased.
• Jaguars' free agent running back Travis Etienne signed a four-year, $52 million deal to join the New Orleans Saints.

Free agents re-signed by the Jaguars

• Jaguars re-signed free agent Keith Taylor.
• Jaguars re-signed free agent Christian Braswell.
• Jaguars re-signed free agent Montaric Brown.
• Jaguars re-sign free agent Dennis Gardeck.
• Jaguars re-signed free agent Matt Dickerson.
• Jaguars re-sign free agent Quintin Morris.
• Jaguars re-signed DeeJay Dallas.

Jaguars' 2026 NFL draft class

• Pick 56: Nate Boerkircher, TE, Texas A&M
• Pick 81: Albert Regis, IDL, Texas A&M
• Pick 88: Emmanuel Pregnon, G, Oregon
• Pick 100: Jalen Huskey, DB, Maryland
• Pick 119: Wesley Williams, DE, Duke
• Pick 164; Tanner Koziol, TE, Houston
• Pick 191: Josh Cameron, WR, Baylor
• Pick 203: CJ Williams, WR, Stanford
• Pick 233: Zach Durfee, DE, Washington
• Pick 240: Parker Hughes, LB, Middle Tennessee State

Jaguars' 2026 undrafted free agent signings

• Joey Aguilar, QB, Tennessee
• TJ Bollers, DL, Cal
• Brady Boyd, WR, Utah State
• Alex Bullock, WR, SDSU
• Ethan Conner, TE, Troy
• Garrett Digiorgio, OL, UCLA
• Quindarius Dunnigan, DE, Michigan State
• Preston Hodge, CB, Colorado
• Jalen Hunt, DL, Cincinnati
• Devon Marshall, CB, NC State
• Devin Neal, S, Virginia
• Jimto Obidegwu, OL, North Texas
• Ben Patterson, WR, Texas-Permian Basin
• Trebor Pena, WR, Penn State
• J'Mari Taylor, RB, Virginia
• Bryan Thomas Jr., DE, South Carolina
• Jordan White, OL, Vanderbilt
• Michael Wortham, WR, Montana

This article originally appeared on Jaguars Wire: 2026 NFL offseason: Recapping every move made by Jaguars

Bastian Schweinsteiger has offered a huge endorsement of Florian Wirtz despite the Liverpool midfielder enduring an inconsistent first season at Anfield.

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The German international arrived from Bayer Leverkusen last summer for a club-record fee and, while there have been flashes of brilliance, it’s fair to say supporters expected more from the 23-year-old across the campaign.

Schweinsteiger compares Wirtz to Bayern legends

Speaking to Sport Bild via Bulinews, the former Bayern Munich star grouped Wirtz and Jamal Musiala alongside two of the greatest attacking players Germany has seen in recent decades.

Schweinsteiger said: “I see Wirtz and Musiala as our Ribery and Robben.”

The World Cup winner also highlighted the Liverpool playmaker’s creativity and vision, insisting the attacking midfielder is the type of footballer teammates should constantly involve.

The ex-Manchester United midfielder explained: “If I were playing with Wirtz, I would simply give him the ball as often as possible, because he needs the ball to make his game more dominant.”

Schweinsteiger then pointed to a pass Wirtz produced for Germany against Switzerland, claiming very few players in world football can execute deliveries with that level of precision.

Liverpool still waiting for best version of Wirtz

There’s no doubt the German has shown quality at times this season, but too many matches have drifted by without him fully influencing proceedings.

Jamie Carragher admitted after the defeat at Manchester United that Wirtz had been “poor” at Old Trafford, while also suggesting Liverpool supporters have perhaps protected him from criticism more than other players.

Even so, there’s a strong argument that adaptation has played a major role.

Former Liverpool defender Marcus Babbel recently explained how difficult the Premier League can be for players arriving from Germany, describing English football as “faster” and “harder”.

That feels especially relevant with Wirtz, who has often looked like a player lacking confidence rather than ability.

The talent is clearly there, and Schweinsteiger’s comments underline just how highly the Liverpool midfielder is still regarded back in Germany ahead of this summer’s World Cup.

If Slot can get the best version of Wirtz next season, Liverpool could still have a truly elite player on our hands.

MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Arsenal became the first team to book its place in the 2026 Champions League final by beating Atletico Madrid on Tuesday.

Paris Saint-Germain or Bayern Munich will join the Premier League club in the showpiece at the Puskas Arena in Budapest, Hungary this month.

Defending champion PSG leads Bayern 5-4 after a thrilling first leg in Paris. The second leg is on Wednesday in Munich.

Here's what to know about the Champions League final.

When is the Champions League final and what time is the kick off?

This year's final will be staged in Budapest on May 30. Kick off time has been brought forward to 1800 CET, having traditionally been played 2100 CET. Governing body UEFA said the decision for an earlier kick off was to enhance the matchday experience for fans and to optimize logistics such as public transport.

Who is headlining the pre-match show?

Rock band the Killers will be performing on the night. In recent years Linkin Park and Lenny Kravitz have headlined.

About the finalists

Arsenal is in the final for the first time since 2006. It is only its second time in the final and it has never won European club soccer's top competition, having lost to Barcelona in 2006.

Mikel Arteta's team was beaten in last year's semifinals by eventual champion PSG.

PSG is aiming to become only the second team to win back-to-back Champions League titles, having lifted the trophy for the first time last year.

Since the tournament was rebranded as the Champions League in the 1992-93 campaign only Real Madrid has retained the title, winning three times in succession from 2016-18.

Bayern has won the Champions League or European Cup on six occasions — most recently in 2020. Victory this year would see it equal AC Milan's total of seven titles to make the German giant the joint second most successful team in the competition's history behind Madrid, which is a 15-time winner.

About the Puskas Arena

The 67,000-seater stadium was opened in 2019 and built on the same site as the previous Ferenc Puskas Stadion — named after the Hungarian and Real Madrid icon, who won three European Cups as a player.

Recent winners

2025 PSG

2024 Real Madrid

2023 Manchester City

2022 Real Madrid

2021 Chelsea

Most Champions League/European Cup wins

15 Real Madrid

7 AC Milan

6 Bayern Munich, Liverpool

5 Barcelona

4 Ajax

3 Manchester United, Inter Milan

Where is the 2026-27 Champions League final?

The 2027 final will be staged at Atletico Madrid's stadium the Estadio Metropolitano. It is the second time it has held the final, having staged the 2019 showdown between Liverpool and Tottenham.

The city of Madrid has hosted the final on five previous occasions.

___

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

___

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

Are the Carolina Panthers in need of a makeover?

Well, Andrew Lind of SportsLogos.net believes so. Lind listed the defending NFC South champions amongst the teams that are overdue for a uniform redesign, and even throws out a few interesting alterations:

While many fans would like to see claw marks integrated into Carolina’s design, there’s something to be said about the uniform’s staying power (31 seasons and counting). We would like to see them return to a shoulder design that wraps around the arm, though, as opposed to the UCLA-style stripes they currently use – and don’t tell us Nike can’t do it, they simply choose not to.

The black alternate helmets would also need to be adjusted as they move to primary status to include white eyes and teeth to accurately reflect their logo in all other applications, while new process blue alternate helmets with black stripes and a black facemask would complete their look – and, no, not every team needs a white helmet in the rotation.

Despite sticking close to their original look since their inaugural season in 1995, Carolina has been open to trying out some different looks in recent years. In addition to the black helmet, which was introduced to great acclaim in 2022, the Panthers have also mixed and matched their jerseys, pants and socks more often.

Five teams have either rolled out new or updated uniforms ahead of the 2026 campaign—the Atlanta Falcons, Baltimore Ravens, Los Angeles Rams, Tennessee Titans and Washington Commanders. So, could the Panthers be amongst the next group for 2027?

Follow @ThePanthersWire on Twitter/X for more Panthers content.

This article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: Panthers implored to undergo uniform redesign

Ohio State isn’t just moving into the offseason, it’s defining it.

Between a massive NFL Draft showing, meaningful spring game takeaways, and continued roster movement across both football and basketball, the Buckeyes are firmly in transition mode. But this isn’t a reset. It’s a reload, and the early signs suggest Ohio State is positioning itself for another run at the top.

NFL Draft: Ohio State sets the standard again

The headline is simple, Ohio State dominated the NFL Draft. Four first-round picks and 11 total selections reinforced what the program has become, the most consistent pipeline of NFL-ready talent in college football. Carnell Tate went No. 4 to the Titans, Arvell Reese followed at No. 5 to the Giants, Sonny Styles landed at No. 7 with the Commanders, and Caleb Downs went No. 12 after the Cowboys traded up.

And it didn’t stop there. Kayden McDonald, Max Klare, and Davison Igbinosun all came off the board on Day 2, with additional contributors like Caden Curry and Lorenzo Styles Jr. rounding out the class.

This wasn’t just about numbers. It was about top-end talent. Ohio State didn’t just produce draft picks, it produced cornerstone players. And that matters as much for recruiting as it does for perception. The standard in Columbus isn’t just getting players to the league anymore. It’s getting them there early and often.

Spring game takeaways: Flashes, questions, and early answers

Spring football didn’t answer everything, but it revealed plenty. At quarterback, Julian Sayin showed flashes but had limited reps, while TSC had a more volatile performance, high highs mixed with clear inconsistency. The takeaway is potential is there, but the position still needs clarity.

At running back, injuries limited evaluation. Top options like Bo Jackson and Isaiah West didn’t play, leaving more opportunities for depth players. Favour Akih saw significant usage and looked solid, but his size raises questions about how large his role can realistically be this season. Ja’kobi Jackson, meanwhile, showed enough to suggest he could factor into the rotation.

Wide receiver remains one of the most fascinating groups. Chris Henry Jr. stood out again, continuing his strong offseason momentum. The initial trio of Jeremiah Smith, Brandon Innis, and Devin McCuin was notable, and McCuin’s role is worth watching closely. There’s a real case that he could finish second on the team in receptions.

At tight end, Nate Roberts continues to trend toward TE1. The staff has shown confidence in him, and his versatility gives him a real chance to lead the room from Day 1.

The offensive line was difficult to fully evaluate due to injuries, but one thing stood out clearly, the defensive line dominated. Kenyatta Jackson Jr. consistently disrupted the front, highlighting both his growth and the potential strength of that unit.

Defensive momentum: A unit with real upside

If there was one clear takeaway from the spring game, it was this. The defensive line might already be ahead of schedule.

The starting group of Kenyatta Jackson Jr., Eddrick Houston, Will Smith Jr., and Beau Atkinson set the tone early, and the edge rotation looks deeper than expected. With players like Qua Russaw in the mix, there’s a real argument that this group could exceed expectations.

At linebacker, things remain fluid. With Pettijohn out, the starting group of Christian Alliegro, Pierce, and Alford got extended run. Alliegro and Pierce may have a slight edge heading into the summer, but this battle is far from decided.

In the secondary, the structure is becoming clearer. Devin Sanchez looks like CB1, with Jermaine Mathews Jr, Jaylen McClain, and Terry Moore rounding out the starting group. Sanchez, in particular, looks like a breakout candidate with true lockdown potential.

Recruiting and hoops: Momentum continues off the field

Off the field, momentum continues to build. Ohio State added four-star offensive tackle Jimmy Kalis, a top-200 prospect from Pennsylvania. The class now sits at 11 commits and ranks among the top groups nationally, continuing the program’s strong recruiting trajectory.

On the basketball side, the transfer portal remains active. Ohio State added depth with Jimmie Williams from Duquesne, who averaged 15 points per game last season, and Curtis Givens III from Memphis, who brings additional guard depth and playmaking.

Like football, the basketball roster is still evolving, but the pieces are starting to come together.

The bigger picture: A program reloading in real time

This is what Ohio State looks like in transition. Elite talent leaves, more arrives, and the standard doesn’t drop. The NFL Draft reinforced the program’s ceiling. Spring football revealed where the next strengths could come from. And recruiting plus the portal continue to shape what comes next.

The questions aren’t gone. Quarterback clarity, linebacker roles, and offensive line health all remain key storylines. But the foundation is there. And if the early signals hold, Ohio State won’t just be reloading, it will be right back in the national conversation.

The latest

Attorney: All criminal charges against L’Jarius Sneed have been dropped | Pro Football Talk

Free agent cornerback L’Jarius Sneed is no longer facing any criminal charges in Texas.

Sneed’s attorney Michael J. Todd told ESPN that all of the charges against his client have been dropped. Sneed was initially charged with aggravated assault for a December 2024 incident that saw his assistant accused of shooting at another man outside of a car dealership. A grand jury later indicted Sneed on a lesser charge of failure to report a felony, but he is now clear of all charges.

A lawsuit filed against Sneed related to the incident is still pending.

Sneed was released by the Titans in March. He was limited to 12 games over the last two seasons due to injuries and had 26 tackles in seven appearances last season.

NFL Power Rankings 2026: Which teams improved this offseason? | ESPN

12. Kansas City Chiefs

Way-too-early ranking: 12

Most improved position: Running back

No other position could’ve been better enhanced than at running back, as the Chiefs replaced Isiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt with a trio of Kenneth Walker III, Emari Demercado and Emmett Johnson. Last season, Pacheco and Hunt combined for only one rushing attempt that went farther than 20 yards. With the Seahawks last season, Walker finished second among all running backs in percentage of carries that gained 10 yards or more. Demercado and Johnson should be quality backups who offer versatility and receiving skills out of the backfield. — Nate Taylor

Chiefs Roster Cut Immediately Claimed Off Waivers by Giants | Heavy Sports

Among those roster cuts was veteran defensive tackle Zacch Pickens, and the Chiefs departure was immediately snatched up off waivers by the New York Giants. The NFC East team announced the news on May 5, and it was also on the daily NFL transaction log.

Per A-to-Z Sports Kansas City reporter Charles Goldman, fellow roster cuts “QB Jake Haener and DE Ethan Hurkett cleared waivers after being let go by the Chiefs.”

However, with the Giants claiming Pickens, it officially marks “his third stop since being selected in Round 3 of the 2023 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears.”

Kansas City took a flyer on Pickens just before the start of the 2025 season. The former third-round talent failed to make the Bears’ 53-man roster that August, and the Chiefs picked him up off waivers, similar to the Giants now.

Chiefs’ Emmett Johnson becomes next draft pick to sign rookie contract, giving Kansas City running back room something they don’t have | A to Z Sports

On Monday, May 4, the Chiefs signed fifth-round RB Emmett Johnson to his four-year rookie contract. He joins fellow fifth-round pick WR Cyrus Allen and seventh-round pick QB Garrett Nussmeier as the only draft picks to have signed their rookie deals with Kansas City.

These three deals are the easiest to execute because there isn’t much room to negotiate when it comes to guaranteed salary. They’re also the cheapest and don’t require the Chiefs to make any contract-related moves to clear cap space. It’s ultimately only a matter of time before the remaining draft picks’ contracts are completed for Kansas City.

Johnson’s contract provides the Chiefs with significant financial flexibility moving forward. In 2026, the Chiefs are only spending $8.8 million (seventh-fewest) on the running back position. That number will balloon in 2027 ($19.8 million) as Kansas City gets deeper into its multi-year deal with RB Kenneth Walker. Johnson’s cap number won’t exceed $1.4M at any point during his rookie deal, unless his base salary is raised through the NFL’s Proven Performance Escalator (basically, if Johnson outplays his draft slot before the final year of his rookie deal). As things currently stand, Johnson helps keep the Chiefs’ running back room inexpensive, while having the ceiling of a high-volume contributor.

Arrowhead transformation begins as FIFA to take over venue ahead of World Cup 2026 | KCTV5

The Kansas City Chiefs confirm that FIFA will officially take control of the stadium ahead of the World Cup “in the next few weeks.”

FIFA crews will have a lot of work to do to prepare for the tournament that will be played in dozens of stadiums across North America, including here in Kansas City.

The first World Cup 2026 match is scheduled for Thursday, June 11 at the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City between Mexico and South Africa.

The first match held in Kansas City is scheduled to take place June 16 between Argentina and Algeria.

A.J. Brown trade, Aaron Rodgers’ future among biggest post-draft questions facing every NFL team | CBS Sports

Kansas City Chiefs

Question: Will Patrick Mahomes be ready for Week 1?

All eyes are on Patrick Mahomes as he recovers from a torn ACL he suffered in December. Head coach Andy Reid recently said that Mahomes is on track to take part in Kansas City’s OTAs, albeit possibly on a limited basis. The central question with Mahomes is whether he’ll be ready to suit up for the Chiefs in Week 1 or need extra time to rehab before taking the field again. That’ll be a fascinating balancing act for Kansas City to go through this offseason. On the one hand, they’ll want Mahomes to make positive strides in hopes of playing out of the gate, but they’ll also need to give Justin Fields, whom they acquired this offseason, work to prepare him in case he needs to start the season under center. 

Around the NFL

Former Patriots receiver Stefon Diggs is found not guilty of assaulting his private chef | Associated Press

Former New England Patriots receiver Stefon Diggs was found not guilty Tuesday of assaulting his personal chef in a case marked by conflicting accounts of what happened inside his home after disputes over money and their relationship.

His trial lasted two days and the jury deliberated for less than two hours.

The charges stemmed from a Dec. 2 incident at his house in Dedham, where Jamila Adams, a former live-in personal chef known as Mila, testified that Diggs slapped and choked her during an argument. He had pleaded not guilty to a felony strangulation charge and a misdemeanor assault and battery charge.

Diggs’ attorneys said the alleged assault never happened and challenged Adams’ credibility, arguing the dispute was about money or relationship tensions — including a disagreement over a planned trip to Miami — rather than a violent attack.

Source: Giants agree to two-year deal with DT DJ Reader | ESPN

The New York Giants have agreed to a two-year, $12.5 million contract sign veteran defensive tackle DJ Reader, a source told ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler on Tuesday.

Reader can make up to $15.5 million through incentives, the source told Fowler.

The move comes more than two weeks after the Giants traded standout defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence II to the Cincinnati Bengals for the 10th overall pick in the NFL draft. New York also drafted Bobby Jamison-Travis in the sixth round last month.

The Giants freed up more than $12.5 million in salary cap space by trading Lawrence.

Last week, the Giants also signed veteran defensive tackles Shelby Harris and Leki Fotu to one-year contracts. The Giants also claimed defensive tackle Zacch Pickens off waivers from the Kansas City Chiefs on Tuesday.

Seahawks signing Dante Fowler as first major outside free agent add this offseason | CBS Sports

The reigning Super Bowl-champion Seahawks have made their first significant dip into the outside free agent pool this offseason, agreeing to a one-year deal worth up to $5 million with Dante Fowler, per NFL Media’s Tom Pelissero.

Fowler, who will turn 32 a month before the season begins, had three sacks for the Cowboys last season while playing on just under one-third of Dallas’ defensive snaps. One year earlier with the Commanders, he had one of the most productive years of his career, notching 10.5 sacks. He has 58.5 career sacks across 10 NFL seasons, spent with the Jaguars, Rams, Falcons, Cowboys (two stints) and Commanders.

The Seahawks have had a quiet offseason since their Super Bowl LX triumph over the Patriots. They brought back wide receiver/returner Rashid Shaheed on a three-year, $51 million deal and cornerback Josh Jobe on a three year, $24 million deal but had not brought in any outside free agents on deals worth more than $2 million until Fowler on Tuesday.

In case you missed it on Arrowhead Pride

Blue Springs’ Xavier Loyd stands out in tryout, earns deal with Chiefs

He totaled just three catches for 37 yards over his time at the local universities, and entered the 2026 NFL Draft with Dane Brugler of The Athletic ranking him as the 211th best wide receiver in his draft guide ‘The Beast.” Brugler also uncharacteristically misspelled his name as “Xaiver.”

In between three unproductive college seasons, however, lies the potential the Chiefs likely saw when the front office invited Loyd to try out. He spent 2024 with a Championship Subdivision-level football program at Illinois State. In his only season with the Redbirds, Loyd totaled 66 catches for 912 yards and six touchdowns.

While Loyd undoubtedly would have liked to have made a bigger impact at the highest level of college football, he made the most of his chance with the Chiefs. Precious little has been reported of the team’s rookie camp due to the confidentiality rules Chiefs’ beat reporters operate under. One consistent media take, however, has been that Loyd had a great camp.

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As we move into a new era of the weekday Dawg Chow, we have a couple of questions for the faithful readers.

First, what kind of stories do you want us to link to every day? We try to include a nice variety, but are there certain stories you want more of? Or ones that you can do without?

Second, The Athletic recently changed its policy so that subscribers can share links to the stories that anyone can read. We have always tried hard not to include links to stories that are behind paywalls, so this is a nice change. There will be a linked story here in a moment, so the question is: can you click through and see the entire article?

Let us know in the comments, and we will do our best to continue building a Daily Dawg Chow that is enjoyable and worth your time to read and comment on.

Dawgs By Nature

• Browns schedule: Difficulty rank should give fans more hope (Jared Mueller) – The Cleveland Browns 2026 schedule hasn’t been released, but we know the opponents. This difficulty ranking is built on hope.
• Browns QB Shedeur Sanders graduates (Barry Shuck) – While preparing for his second NFL season, Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders returned to Boulder, Colo., to walk in the ceremony.
• Sigh of relief for NFL, Browns fans? Sign of hope with refs (Jared Mueller) – The NFL may not have to deal with replacement refs for the 2026 season. Cleveland Browns fans have one less worry.

Rookie Minicamp is Coming!

The Browns will welcome the rookies to Berea this week for Rookie Minicamp, which runs from May 8 to May 10. We will have plenty of news about what goes on over those three days, but until then, here are some stories to help you get acquainted with the new guys, courtesy of our own Barry Shuck.

• Browns QB Taylen Green: Everything you need to know from childhood to NFL draft
• Browns TE Joe Royer: Everything you need to know from childhood to NFL draft
• Browns CB Nate Davis: Everything you need to know from childhood to UDFA
• Browns LB Justin Jefferson: Everything you need to know from childhood to NFL draft
• Browns 2026 NFL draft: OT Austin Barber interview with DBN
• Browns C Parker Brailsford: Everything you need to know from childhood to NFL draft
• Browns OT Austin Barber: Everything you need to know from childhood to NFL draft
• Browns S Emmanuel McNeil-Warren: Everything you need to know from childhood to NFL draft
• Browns WR Denzel Boston: Everything you need to know from childhood to NFL draft
• Browns WR KC Concepcion: Everything you need to know from childhood to NFL draft
• Browns OT Spencer Fano: Everything you need to know from childhood to NFL draft

The Feed

In these troubled and divisive times, this is one thing that all Browns fans can get behind!

Cleveland Browns

• The Browns answered plenty of questions this offseason; here’s what’s left (cleveland.com) – The biggest question the Browns have left themselves post-draft is at quarterback. That’s why Deshaun Watson is suddenly the topic du jour, the early leader in the battle to start for new head coach Todd Monken.
• Carsen Ryan’s coach at BYU sees perfect opportunity with Browns (Beacon Journal) – Carsen Ryan wasn’t invited to the NFL combine. For a draft prospect, that can be a major hurdle to get over.
• Sound Smart: 5 Observations on the Biggest Post-Draft Storylines (Fox Sports) – Deshaun Watson is in pole position to start at quarterback for the Cleveland Browns in 2026. And … my goodness, why and how Where is Shedeur Sanders?
• Browns put on notice over latest Deshaun Watson decision (heavy.com) – There is a growing belief that the Cleveland Browns cannot hold a clean quarterback competition due to their investment in Deshaun Watson. (Editor’s note: This is what we are curious about – is this the type of story you want to read?)
• Which Browns have been overlooked this offseason? Quinshon Judkins leads the list (The Athletic) – The Cleveland Browns’ 10-man draft class officially arrives Thursday afternoon for a weekend rookie minicamp. Two weeks from today, the quarterback competition and overall installation of new coach Todd Monken’s offense will proceed to the next step when Cleveland holds its first organized team activity practice.

NFL

• Falcons believe rookie WR Branch fits new scheme (ESPN) – Zachariah Branch spent the night of April 24 in a five-bedroom suite at the Crockfords Las Vegas, a luxe offshoot of the Resorts World hotel and casino right on the famous Strip.
• NY Giants news: DT D.J. Reader finally agrees to terms with New York (Big Blue View) – The Giants land the veteran nose tackle they needed.
• Ranking the top 15 NFL quarterbacks on rookie contracts in 2026 (NFL.com) – The title window. It’s open when a team has a franchise quarterback who’s demonstrated the ability to lead his squad to the promised land, and it’s wide open when that quarterback is on his rookie contract.

Former Maryland football wide receiver Stefon Diggs was found not guilty on charges of felony strangulation and misdemeanor assault and battery in a trial verdict Tuesday. 

Diggs was accused of felony strangulation and assault and battery against his personal chef Jamila “Mila” Adams. Adams testified that Diggs slapped and choked her during a dispute over payment in his Massachusetts home in December. Diggs pleaded not guilty in a hearing in April. 

The trial, which lasted two days, featured video evidence and statements from associates that contradicted Adams’ testimony. Judge Jeanmarie Carroll at one point reprimanded Adams for her conduct on the stand.

Diggs played at Maryland from 2012 until 2014. Over his college career, he logged 14 touchdowns and averaged 14.8 yards per catch. His 2,227 career receiving yards rank second all-time in team history, earning him national media attention and a spot on the All-Big Ten second team in 2014.

Diggs was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the fifth round of the 2015 NFL Draft. He’s since played for the Buffalo Bills, the Houston Texans and the New England Patriots. The wide receiver is now a free agent after he was dropped from the Patriots following a productive one-season stint. 

In other news

Maryland baseball went off in a 23-11 victory over Towson. Zoe Hammond had the story.

Maryland men’s golf wrapped up its season over the weekend in North Plains, Oregon, where six Terps competed in the Big Ten Championships. Benjamin Siriboury finished tied for 29th, 13 shots behind the lead. He posted a 215, going 72/71/72 on the par 70 track.

South Sudanese class of 2026 forward Bol Thet will visit Maryland men’s basketball Wednesday.

Maryland men’s basketball extended an offer to 6-foot-7 class of 2029 forward Harlem Nunez.

Maryland football is among the finalists for three-star class of 2027 offensive lineman Jaiden Lindsay.

The University of Maryland is set to host this year’s Big Ten softball tournament, although the Terps will not be playing in it.

Joao Cancelo had a slow start to his second loan spell at FC Barcelona after arriving from Al Hilal during the January transfer window.

In recent weeks, however, the veteran Portuguese has replaced Alejandro Balde as the preferred starter in the left-back position.

Such has been his impact that Barça are now exploring ways to sign him permanently at the end of the ongoing season.

One condition Barcelona have for Cancelo signing

Indeed, according to SPORT, Cancelo is increasingly likely to remain part of the Barcelona project next season.

The Portuguese defender has full approval from both the sporting department and Hansi Flick, but there is a clear condition: the player must secure his release or force a minimal transfer fee for the deal to proceed.

Barcelona have already communicated the framework of the agreement to his agent, Jorge Mendes, who will now attempt to negotiate his departure from Al Hilal in the coming weeks.

Flick, who has publicly praised Cancelo, values his versatility and commitment. While there were initial concerns about his defensive lapses, the German coach has worked to correct these issues, and the player has improved in that regard.

Barcelona want to sign Joao Cancelo permanently. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)

Within the club, there is a belief that Cancelo meets the requirements of a signing: he has the necessary level, is already adapted and can compete for a starting position.

His ability to play on both flanks adds further value, as does his international experience, particularly important in a squad with many young players.

Financial aspects of the deal

From this point, the focus shifts to financial considerations. Cancelo has one year remaining on his contract with Al Hilal, but Barcelona are unwilling to pay a significant fee for a player who is not part of the plans of Simone Inzaghi.

Barcelona’s intention is for the player to obtain his release by renouncing the final year of his contract in Saudi Arabia. This is significant, as he earns approximately €16 million net per season.

Jorge Mendes will lead the negotiations, and there have been suggestions that Marc Casado could be included in the deal, as he is of interest to the Saudi club and is considered transferable by Barcelona.

Al Hilal are seeking at least €10 million for a transfer, but Barcelona are not willing to approach that figure. A compromise is therefore expected. Cancelo would then sign a two-year contract, or one year with an option for an additional season.

Discussions are expected to begin this month with the aim of resolving the situation before the World Cup.

A special moment for Inter, Champions of Italy: on the occasion of the away fixture in Rome against Lazio, a Club delegation will be received in audience by Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican. The meeting is scheduled for Saturday 9 May at 10:00 CEST: the visit to the Holy Father will open a day that will see Inter take to the field against Lazio at Stadio Olimpico at 18:00 CEST.

Bayern Munich are planning to tie Michael Olise down to a new long-term contract, according to Teamtalk.

With Olise’s current deal running until 2029, Bayern have yet to begin formal negotiations with the Frenchman, but have made their intentions clear to his camp and potential suitors.

Teamtalk reports that Bayern have received enquiries from a number of top clubs interested in Olise over the past six months, but have told them all that he's not for sale.

The 24-year-old himself is said to be happy with his situation at Bayern and is not looking to leave.

Bayern will be hoping for another strong performance from the French international when they take on Paris Saint-Germain in the second leg of their Champions League semi-final on Wednesday.

Arsenal supporters booking hotel rooms for the Champions League final in Hungary are facing fees more than 18 times higher than normal.

Thousands of the north London club’s supporters will descend on Budapest for the match on May 30, following the team’s semi-final victory on Tuesday.

Most hotels in Budapest are already fully booked and those with availability are charging high prices.

Analysis found a twin or double room for two people at the Expo Tower Hotel on the night of the match costs 1,458 euros (£1,259).

This is more than 18 times the price of 73 euros (£63) for arriving a day later.

At Bohem Art Hotel, the cost is 1,618 euros (£1,396) for staying on May 30, and 113 euros (£98) the following day.

Hotel President is charging £886 on May 30, and £104 on May 31.

Accommodation website Booking.com is warning consumers searching for a hotel room in Budapest on May 30 that “99% of places to stay are unavailable for your dates on our site”.

Akhil Vyas of the Arsenal Supporters’ Trust said: “You’re talking a lot of money.”

Asked if he thought the price of hotel rooms was fair, he replied: “I wouldn’t say so. It’s cheeky.

“I get it, it’s business, (but) how great is it for Budapest to have a Champions League final there, with all the tourism?

“It might put people off.”

Mr Vyas called for company bosses to be “a bit more sensible” about pricing, but said: “There’s no regulation or anything like that, so people can ultimately do what they want.”

He predicted that prices may fall slightly after rooms are cancelled by supporters of whichever team loses the second semi-final on Wednesday night between Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain.

Arsenal supporters booking flights to Budapest are also facing high prices.

The cheapest easyJet flight from Gatwick to the city costs £519 on the day of the match, compared with £58 on May 31.

Wizz Air has a flight from Luton to Budapest costing from £462, whereas flying a day later is possible for £46.

Supporters wanting to fly with British Airways and arrive in time to get to the match must travel two days early, on May 28.

A flight on that day costs from £740, compared with £96 on May 31.

Mr Vyas said: “It’s the Champions League final at the end of the day so people will do it, including me.”

Fans can save money by booking indirect flights, flying to other locations and completing the journey to Budapest by train, or even travelling by coach.

Coach operator Coach Innovations is offering return trips from London to Budapest for £339, leaving on the evening of May 28 and arriving by 10am on May 30.

This involves a cross-Channel ferry sailing from Dover to Calais, and travelling through France, Belgium, Germany and Austria.

The Coach Innovations website suggests passengers will “sleep for a week” after the return journey.

Arsenal said they have received an allocation of 16,824 general admission tickets for the match at the Puskas Arena, which has a capacity of more than 67,000.

Tickets will be made available based on supporters’ previous attendance at matches, costing from 70 euros (£60).

Reselling website ticombo is offering tickets for the match from £5,177.

Other English football supporters also face high bills for European finals in the current weeks.

Thousands of fans of Aston Villa or Nottingham Forest – whichever team wins their semi-final clash – will travel to Istanbul, Turkey for the Europa League final on May 20.

Many Crystal Palace supporters will travel to Leipzig, Germany for the Conference League final on May 27 if the team makes it through their semi-final.

Is the starting job of one of the Indianapolis Colts' offseason free agent additions now in jeopardy following the 2026 NFL draft?

Among the many free agent additions made by the Colts was linebacker Akeem Davis-Gaither. Given the state of the linebacker room for much of the offseason, it seemed like a given that he would be a Week 1 starter.

However, following the NFL draft, there is less certainty around that.

Why might Akeem Davis-Gaither's starting job be in jeopardy?

The Colts utilized two of their eight draft picks on the linebacker position, taking CJ Allen and Bryce Boettcher. Allen will likely be the team's starting MIKE linebacker, potentially leaving Davis-Gaither and Bryce Boettcher to compete for the WILL linebacker role.

The Colts believe that Boettcher can play both linebacker spots. He's been a reliable tackler during his career, allowing him to make an impact against the run while limiting yards in coverage. Boettcher allowed only 6.0 yards per reception in 2025.

Davis-Gaither, who is entering his seventh NFL season, has experience on his side. He also spent five of his six seasons up to this point playing in Lou Anarumo's defense. That familiarity should help him hit the ground running.

When projecting what the starting defense will look like come Week 1, I did have Davis-Gaither as a starter, but he may no longer be a lock for that role with the addition of Boettcher.

This article originally appeared on Colts Wire: Is Akeem Davis-Gaither's starting spot with Colts already in jeopardy?

At one point, it looked like the NFL was going to have to use replacement officials for the 2026 season, which would have been a total disaster.

In March, Collective Bargaining Agreement talks between the NFL and its officials that have spanned two years had hit a standstill.

That led to the NFL reportedly preparing to hire and train the backup referees, which would have begun this month.

We’ve seen what replacement officials look like before, and it wasn’t good.

The NFL was forced to use replacement referees back in 2012, which led to the infamous “Fail Mary” among a slew of officiating mistakes.

Thankfully, talks have improved since late March and now it appears the two sides might have a deal.

According to ESPN’s Kevin Seifert and Kalyn Kahler, discussions between the NFL and NFLRA have been successful enough that the union could vote to ratify the new CBA by Thursday.

“Negotiations between the NFL and the NFL Referees Association on a new collective bargaining agreement have progressed far enough that the union has scheduled a ratification vote for Thursday night, sources told ESPN on Tuesday,” the ESPN report said.

The terms of the deal were not immediately disclosed.

If both sides agree to the new deal, it will avoid the need for the backup officials in 2026.

The bumpy road to a deal

An impasse was hit late in March, when the NFL and NFLRA broke off talks on the very first day of what was supposed to be multiple days of negotiations.

The league was less than thrilled with some of the demands from the NFLRA that included significant raises and millions of dollars in marketing fees.

The NFL was also looking for a way to hold officials more accountable for poor performance, which has become more and more of an issue over the years.

“We continue to focus on investing in accountability and performance in our officiating,” the NFL said after talks broke off. “[NFLRA executive director] Scott [Green] and his team haven’t changed their approach in almost two years, continuing to demand raises at almost double the rates of the increases realized by the players over the course of this CBA and, in addition, millions of dollars in marketing fees that rank-and-file union members never see.”

In order to try and get talks back on track, some NFL owners got involved and things went from “dire” to “productive” quickly, ESPN reported in April.

Now, a new deal looks imminent.

My, how far we’ve come.

Former Germany captain Philipp Lahm doesn't see the national team among the favourites to win this year's World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Twelve years after their last triumph in Brazil, of which Lahm was a part of, he acknowledged that the current team has good players who play for top clubs.

"But the past hasn't necessarily shown that we've really grown as a team in recent years or over the last few tournaments," he said at an event hosted by the Münchner Merkur/tz newspapers.

Since the title in 2014, Germany have suffered two group stages exits in Russia in 2018 and in Qatar in 2022. The team has also failed to reach an European Championship final in this period.

"That's why the favourites are definitely others, when I think about France or Spain, maybe even Portugal. But it's always possible," he said.

Lahm ended his national team career after the triumph in Brazil and retired from football in 2017 after more than a decade at Bayern Munich. Since then he's been active as businessman and football official.

Asked whether he thinks about returning to Bayern, he said: "Well, I'm keeping myself pretty busy and I'm enjoying it. My life is great. And that's why, to be honest, I'm not really thinking about FC Bayern right now."

The 2026 World Cup starts on June 11.

The owner of Inverness Caledonian Thistle says sorting out "simple things" helped the club recover from a financial crisis to becoming League One champions.

ICT was placed into administration in October 2024 after running up millions of pounds in debts.

Businessman Alan Savage stepped in with an initial injection of £1m of funding, and the club exited administration in September last year.

Recalling the actions taken to achieve that, Savage said: "It was about reassuring the staff, fixing things like shower heads, simple things that had gone wrong."

Inverness secured promotion to the Championship with a 2-1 win over Hamilton Academical on Saturday.

• More stories from the Highlands and Islands
• News from the Highlands and Islands on BBC Sounds

Savage told BBC Radio Scotland's Breakfast programme that administration had been the best way to "clean up" the club's debts.

"They were in a mess," he said.

"A few initiatives had gone south and I think it was looking like the club would be liquidated.

"They needed an injection of cash to pull it out of that and that is when I got involved."

Savage, who was the club's chairman between 2006 and 2008, said his ambition was to get ICT to a point where it was sustainable and no longer required bail-outs to survive.

He said new initiatives included establishing the club's stadium as a start point for the North Coast 500 tourist route and hosting music events.

"We want more than one day a fortnight of football. We are trying to get life into the stadium every day of the week," said Savage.

• Rise and fall and rise again of Inverness Caley Jags

Related internet links

• ICTFC

Roma still have 270 minutes left to play, after which it’s time to plan for next season.

The remaining fixtures against Parma, Lazio, and Verona will tell us whether the Giallorossi will finally return to the Champions League, a competition not seen in Trigoria for seven years.

But it’s not just on-pitch events that are making headlines these days. Four players’ contracts are expiring in June, and their futures are still up in the air.

These are Celik, Pellegrini, Dybala, and El Shaarawy.

According to today’s edition of Il Corriere della Sera, the latter met with Gian Piero Gasperini last week to discuss a possible contract extension.

The Piedmontese coach, in fact, is reportedly happy to retain all four players whose contracts are expiring.

The club’s owners appear willing to accommodate the former Atalanta coach’s requests, provided their salaries are sustainable and compatible with the club’s financial capabilities.

Liverpool’s difficult season has sparked criticism from plenty of pundits in recent weeks, and now Micah Richards has questioned whether Milos Kerkez is coping with life at Anfield.

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The Hungary international arrived from Bournemouth last summer with huge expectations after an outstanding campaign on the south coast, but the 22-year-old has endured a mixed first year under Arne Slot.

Micah Richards questions Milos Kerkez form

Speaking on The Rest is Football podcast, Richards admitted the left-back has not looked anywhere near the same player Liverpool supporters expected to see.

The former England defender said: “Kerkez has been a shadow of the player he was at Bournemouth. I don’t know if that’s pressure. I don’t know if that’s system.”

It’s another concern for Slot after Liverpool’s chaotic defeat at Manchester United, where defensive issues once again cost us badly.

Richards had already criticised several of Liverpool’s summer additions, claiming the signings overall “have not worked”, while also questioning the tactical setup under the Dutchman.

The pundit argued Liverpool are now “too slow”, “too passive” and “too easy to play against”, which could partly explain why Kerkez has struggled to settle consistently despite playing regularly.

Robertson debate continues at Liverpool

Kerkez was immediately thrown into the starting side after his £40m arrival from Bournemouth, and there were periods earlier in the campaign where many supporters called for Andy Robertson to return more often.

The Scotland captain has still shown signs of quality this season, even if though this is his last campaign at Anfield.

Former Liverpool striker Dean Saunders recently insisted Robertson remains the stronger all-round player right now.

Saunders explained: “He’s better than Kerkez, in my opinion… Kerkez is trying to get there and at the minute, I think it’s costing Liverpool games.”

That may sound harsh on the Hungarian, though there’s also context that can’t be ignored.

Kerkez is only 22, joined a struggling side dealing with injuries throughout the squad and has already played 45 games in all competitions this season.

Liverpool’s problems clearly run far deeper than one left-back, but Richards’ comments will still raise eyebrows given Kerkez will be Slot’s long-term first-choice option moving forward.

In IPL today, we will see a blockbuster clash as Sunrisers Hyderabad take on Punjab Kings in what has all the makings of a genuine title race showdown. SRH have had a remarkable turnaround, winning five on the bounce before KKR halted them, while PBKS have had two successive defeats after going unbeaten in seven. Both sides have had their wobbles. But both have had the quality to produce something special tonight in Hyderabad. 

Where will the IPL 2026 matches be held on Tuesday May 6 and this week?

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With only one week before the year’s second major, the PGA Tour heads to North Carolina for the Truist Championship and yet another small-field, no-cut signature event. Located just southeast of downtown Charlotte, Quail Hollow Club has hosted a PGA Tour event almost every year since 2003. Along with the 2017 and 2025 PGA Championship, the world-class course also hosted the prestigious 2022 Presidents Cup.

Quail Hollow is typically one of the most challenging courses on tour playing to an average of +0.75 strokes per round. At the two recent majors held here, the course played +1.99 per round. It’s a demanding par 71 that stretches to 7,583 yards from the back tees.

RELATED: Truist Championship picks 2026: Can our experts cash three winners in a row?

The tree-lined parkland layout is a favorite among players, combining pristine conditions with scenic, rolling terrain to create one of the most enjoyable walks on tour. Its routing flows seamlessly, with each green leading effortlessly into the next tee just steps away.

As with any course that has hosted major events, every facet of a golfer’s game will be tested this week. As recent past winners here demonstrate, including Rory McIlroy (four times), Wyndham Clark, Max Homa and Jason Day, distance off the tee and positive long iron play are especially advantageous this week. Another important skill is scrambling for pars on some of the toughest green complexes that players will face all year.

RELATED: PGA Championship picks 2026: Our 13 best bets to win at Aronimink Golf Club

Coming off his recent Masters win, Rory McIlroy returns to Charlotte as the most recent winner here, having cruised to a five-shot victory in 2024. The Grand Slam champion now sits at 30 PGA Tour wins, four of which have come at Quail Hollow Club, further cementing his dominance at this venue.

Here are my favorite plays and fades in each price range for the 2026 Truist Championship.

Orlando Ramirez

Yes, Rory McIlroy is coming off a Masters win, but it is hard to justify the $1,600 price gap when Cameron Young is also entering in top form after a victory of his own. Young can practically follow the same recipe for success that he had last week in his runaway victory at Doral as Quail Hollow shares many characteristics, placing a premium on driving distance and long iron play. That alignment plays directly into Young’s strengths, and his noticeable improvement on and around the greens over the past year could prove especially valuable on some of the toughest putting surfaces on tour.

Young also dominated the par 4s last week, leading the field with a 38 percent Birdie or Better rate. That success is highly relevant given that Quail Hollow’s par 4s are among the most difficult on tour. Even more encouraging, Young ranks second in this field over his past 36 rounds on difficult par 4s, reinforcing his ability to handle one of the key challenges this course presents.

Cameron Young’s yearly strokes gained summary from the Rabbit Hole.

Sign up for the industry's leading data tool to make golf stats easy to decipher—head to BetspertsGolf.com now and get access to The Rabbit Hole for only $10 for your first month. Use promo code GD10 at sign up for this amazing deal!

Andrew Redington

A well-rested Aberg arrives in Charlotte with outstanding form, having recorded four top-five finishes in his past five starts. Even more encouraging, his underlying strokes gained profile suggests that these ceiling performances should continue, as he ranks inside the top 20 in this field in each of the strokes gained categories over his past 24 rounds. His short game has quietly become a strength as he’s gained at least half a stroke on the field both on and around the greens in six of his past seven tournaments.

Off the tee, Aberg continues to separate himself as one of the elite drivers in the game. He ranks seventh in total driving this season, a skill set that should translate extremely well to a demanding layout like Quail Hollow. He has also been on fire with his recent approach game, gaining 0.89 strokes per round in his last five starts—and often on courses that mirror Quail Hollow with their emphasis on long iron play. His naturally high ball flight with an average apex of 118 feet into firm greens is another advantage, aligning with the profile of past winners at this event.

Read The Line's Joe Idone and John Haslbauer chat with golf writer Alan Shipnuck about the future of LIV and all things Rory McIlroy:

MacIntyre enters the week ranking second-to-last in the field in SG/approach this year, losing 0.61 strokes per round. In this upper-tier, there is not a single other golfer gaining less than 0.20 per round. He’s recent form is also lacking with a T-42 at the RBC Heritage, preceded by a missed cut at the Masters.

RELATED: Truist Championship 2026: Rory McIlroy's secret weapon at Quail Hollow

Kevin C. Cox

Long known for inconsistency earlier in his career, Min Woo Lee has spent the past eight months reshaping that narrative into one of reliability paired with elite upside. He has recorded nine top-15 finishes across his past 16 starts, a stretch that highlights both his consistency and ceiling. With noticeable improvement in his long-iron play, elite length off the tee and one of the strongest short games on tour, his skill set aligns perfectly with the demands of Quail Hollow.

I’m not putting much stock into Griffin’s third-place finish at last week’s Cadillac Championship. The result was driven almost entirely by an unsustainable performance on and around the greens, where he gained more than eight strokes, while actually losing 1.5 strokes on approach. That’s especially concerning given the broader trend, as he has now lost strokes with his irons in eight of his past nine events. That profile is a poor fit for this week’s test, where precise iron play is essential.

RELATED: The Bonus Years: Understanding the PGA Tour’s retirement reset

Carmen Mandato

After a slow start in Miami, Hojgaard closed the week on a high note with a Sunday 66, showing signs of the form that has defined much of his season. Despite a couple of underwhelming recent results, his overall body of work in 2026 remains strong with four top-six finishes, making his current price look too low given both his upside and course fit. He is one of the longest players in the field, ranks 12th in proximity from 200-plus yards, and has been the best spike putter on Poa trivialis greens over the past two years, gaining more than two strokes in 18 percent of his rounds.

Icon Sportswire

Fox is my favorite value play this week considering his body of work this year and past success on long and difficult courses. After four consecutive top-25s earlier in the year he was sidelined with kidney stones, which forced him to withdraw from The Players Championship. After a rough stretch, his game is rounding back into form with consecutive top-30s where he has gained over six total strokes ball-striking. He finished 28th here last year in the PGA Championship and has the upside to be in the mix come Sunday.

Sign up for the industry's leading data tool to make golf stats easy to decipher—head to BetspertsGolf.com now and get access to The Rabbit Hole for only $10 for your first month. Use promo code GD10 at sign up for this amazing deal!

Ron Klos (@PGASplits101 on X) is a PGA Tour data analyst for Betsperts Golf.

On Saturday, 1,000 lucky NJ/NY Gotham FC fans will get to see the reigning champions take on Boston Legacy FC for $5.

It is a small fee for a premium sports experience that feels almost out of place in today’s sports economy, especially for the National Women’s Soccer League, packed with global stars and nine-figure franchise valuations. The deal was part of a team promotion with the New York City government to highlight affordability issues, in sports and beyond.

It is also an example of why the NWSL is still the best deal in sports, especially when many leagues are looking to squeeze more revenue from loyal fans. However, rising valuations and interest threaten that affordability.

Across the sports landscape, especially in the women’s game, the math is changing quickly. Often called “fanflation”, the cost of being a fan is rising faster than the franchise valuations.

Another professional women’s sports league, the WNBA, is a cautionary tale.

The WNBA is, by just about every metric, a runaway success. Attendance is climbing, it recently agreed to a historic collective bargaining agreement with the players and franchise values are soaring, including the expansion team, the Golden State Valkyries, which became the first women’s team to be valued at $1 billion, according to CNBC. More expansion is on the horizon, with three new franchises expected by 2030 (combining to pay $750 million in fees to join). It’s easy to frame the league as a textbook growth story.

However, demand is outpacing supply, causing prices to climb fast. For example, the New York Liberty, in the same market as Gotham FC, is reportedly valued at $600 million and sold $2 million of tickets for a game against the Indiana Fever in May 2024. In some cases, the fans are feeling that increase in their own wallets. One Liberty season ticket holder told The Athletic she paid $600 for a Section 3 seat in 2023. By 2024, that figure had nearly doubled to just under $1,200, despite only two additional regular-season games. By 2025, as the team pushed toward another title run, her renewal quote for the 2026 season had ballooned to nearly $1,700. That’s an increase of roughly $1,100 over three seasons, a 183 percent jump.

So while the WNBA’s rise is real, and arguably overdue, it’s also creating a familiar tension: The more valuable the product becomes, the harder it is for the everyday fan to afford it.

When this article was published, the cheapest ticket available for Liberty’s home opener against the Connecticut Sun in the Barclays Center on Friday was around $50 for nosebleeds.

More than a dozen fans sitting on or near courtside tonight are wearing these bright orange shirts to protest the Liberty’s skyrocketing ticket prices for the playoffs and next season. pic.twitter.com/n95w5SPqL7

— Madeline Kenney (@madkenney) September 10, 2025

The NWSL isn’t immune to these growing pains — it’s just two decades younger. In fact, it’s entering its own growth phase.

Expansion fees have exploded, climbing from $2 million in 2022 to more than $200 million for Columbus, the latest addition. A $240 million media rights deal has reset expectations. Owners are investing heavily in infrastructure, from dedicated stadiums to state-of-the-art training facilities.

But here’s where the NWSL has diverged from the script: It hasn’t fully passed those costs onto fans in the form of higher ticket prices — at least not yet, and not uniformly. The NWSL’s argument has always been that it offers something rare in modern sports: Elite-level competition without the inflated price tag.

Average ticket prices rose from $38 in 2024 to $43 in 2025, a measured increase reflecting what league executives describe as a focus on long-term fan strategy rather than aggressive price hikes.

Gotham’s $5 ticket initiative, in partnership with Mayor Zohran Mamdani, aligns with the league’s larger premise: If soccer is supposed to be for the people, then the price of entry shouldn’t feel like a luxury tax — even if it’s a limited or special offer from time to time, like this one.

Perhaps another reason the tickets are still affordable is that the league is struggling to fill seats in some markets. On one hand, the NWSL is hitting unique attendance records: 40,091 fans filled San Francisco’s Oracle Park last August, Denver Summit FC’s opener saw over 60,000 fans in Empower Field at Mile High and Gotham is aiming to break their attendance record in July at Citi Field. All of those venues were one-off experiences outside the teams’ normal homes. Overall, there has been a dip in attendance in 2025, nearly 10 percent in comparison to the 2024 season.

Still, the early signs in 2026 suggest renewed momentum. Through the first five weeks of the 2026 season, the league is averaging 11,510 fans per regular-season match, up from 10,670 in 2025 and on pace for a fourth consecutive season averaging more than 10,000 attendees per game, the league said.

With lots of seats to fill, many NWSL fans can still find many affordable ticket options, especially compared to other major leagues. In some markets, a family of four can attend a match for less than the cost of parking at an NFL game. Take Racing Louisville’s $5.02 offering, an ode to the city’s area code 502. It is one of the most economical ticket options this year for the supporters for each home game.

Racing hasn’t seen the sort of demand that would lead to increased prices, but even the most popular teams are not squeezing fans. Instead, they are experimenting with different ticket offerings that limit sticker shock.

“Myself and everybody in my circle, we’re talking about things being unaffordable. We’re all very intentional. Accessibility is not an afterthought, it’s a requirement, and it always will be,” Kim Stone, the CEO and co-governor of Washington Spirit, told The Athletic.

The Spirit averaged more than 15,000 fans per home match at Audi Field during the 2025 NWSL regular season. For 2026, the club did not increase ticket prices in the supporter section and 70 percent of season ticket members in non-premium locations saw less than a 6 percent increase over last year. They also continued their ‘First Match on Us’ program, giving those who are looking to attend their first Spirit match two complimentary tickets. More than 1,700 tickets have been claimed this year, up 201 percent year over year, creating 860 new accounts, up 213 percent year over year.

However, Stone does not deny there will be a moment when ticket prices have to go up, but she said the key is to spread the price hike where the impact would be felt the least acutely.

“What’s changing is not that games are becoming unaffordable, but we’re offering more options,” Stone said. “As the game grows, so does our responsibility to invest in our players, but the way we do that is by building a model where stands at every level can participate. So whether that’s a $20 ticket or a premium experience, they’ll have the choice.”

Similarly, the league’s other attendance heavyweights, such as Seattle Reign, Portland Thorns and Angel City FC, also said they kept their supporter-level ticket prices the same this season. On Tuesday, Orlando Pride launched their own “First Match on Us” campaign, giving away two complimentary tickets to first-time attendees.

“Accessibility is a huge part of how we think about it, and a big driver of how our ticketing model has evolved,” Alexis Lee, Portland Thorns’ president of business operations, told The Athletic.

With fans paying closer attention to what things cost and what they’re getting for it, affordability is at the core of Portland’s ticket strategy. The Thorns diversified their offering with half-season plans, partial packages and mini-packages where fans can pick matches, all the way down to single-game tickets.

“We’ve led the league in attendance nine out of 13 seasons, and our average ticket price is still below the league average,” Lee said. “That’s not an accident; that’s the strategy working. We’re putting world-class athletes on that field, genuinely the best players in the world, and we’re doing it in a way that keeps Portland one of the most accessible pro sports experiences in the market. That combination is why people keep coming back.”

This sweet spot won’t last forever. If the NWSL continues to grow, it will eventually face the same dilemma as the WNBA — and that includes potentially higher prices that risk alienating the very audience that built the league.

“Filling seats is not about chasing the highest possible price in a hot market, it is about creating such a compelling experience and sense of belonging that fans want to keep coming back and feel good about the value they are getting,” Julie Haddon, the interim CMO of Angel City, told The Athletic. “Our goal has been to make Angel City games feel unmissable without making them unattainable.”

NWSL’s top markets seem to align with Haddon’s approach in southern California. NWSL clubs are trying to fill seats without breaking the bank.

Gotham’s $5 ticket initiative is, in many ways, a unique test case.

On one level, it’s a clever marketing play. Fill the stadium, create atmosphere, generate goodwill. On another, it’s a philosophical stance: Fandom shouldn’t be gated by income.

Mamdani’s involvement adds a political dimension, framing affordability as not just a business decision but a public good. His criticism of FIFA’s pricing — particularly ahead of the men’s World Cup, where tickets are prohibitively expensive — taps into a broader frustration among fans who feel priced out of the very sport they love.

For now, the league remains a bargain, relative to the WNBA or the larger men’s pro leagues. The real test isn’t whether the NWSL can grow — it’s whether it can grow without becoming the very thing it once disrupted.

The NWSL isn’t immune to fanflation, but now is the time for it to get ahead of the curve.

This article originally appeared in The Athletic.

Portland Thorns, Gotham FC, Washington Spirit, Angel City, NWSL, Sports Business, Women's Soccer

2026 The Athletic Media Company

Last game: 3-2 win over Reds

Next game: Wednesday, May 6, vs. Reds at Wrigley Field, 6:40 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: 24-12 (16-5 home, 8-7 road)
Al’s 2026 regular season record: 16-5 (all home)

Cubs 2026 regular season record on various TV channels

Marquee Sports Network: 23-11
Fox: 0-1
NBC/Peacock: 0-0
ESPN: 0-0
Apple TV+: 1-0

Cubs 2026 regular season record wearing various uniforms

White pinstripe: 14-4
Chicago Blues: 2-1
Blue alternate: 4-2
Road gray: 4-5

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)

If you listen to Kentucky Sports Radio right now, Mark Pope should be standing up on a podium and talking with the media.

While Matt Jones and company are openly begging for some kind of communication, even joking about sending up “smoke signals,” the Kentucky basketball program has effectively gone completely dark.

Aside from a video asking fans for questions about the program and the obligatory social media graphics announcing player signings and assistant coaching hires, we haven’t heard a peep from Mark Pope since his final radio show back in March.

But is this silence actually a bad thing?

No. In fact, I think they are doing the right thing by remaining silent and doing the work that this roster desperately needs.

Coach speak doesn’t win games

Regardless of how you feel about where the roster currently sits, speaking to a hounding media and a fanbase that has been living on edge for weeks wouldn’t actually accomplish anything.

If Pope sat down at a podium tomorrow, what could he really say? We would get 20 minutes of standard coach speak. We would get a few optimistic quips about how “things are going to be good” and how much they “love the guys in the locker room.” Is that going to move the needle in a positive way for this program? Absolutely not.

So, the best thing Pope and his staff can do right now is put their heads down, ignore the outside noise, get to work, and figure out a way to fix this thing.

A massive offseason to-do list

When you actually look at the logistical nightmare the staff is currently navigating, you realize why they don’t have time for empty press conferences.

First, there are massive staffing questions that will probably be addressed in the next month. Cody Fueger and Mark Fox are currently sitting on expiring contracts that run out on June 30th. On top of that, Kentucky is still down an assistant coach, meaning the current staff is spread incredibly thin.

Then, there is the recruiting trail. Pope is still trying to fill out the last two spots to make sure year number 3 is better than year number 2. He flew out to Israel to meet Marcio Santos, all while meeting and having conversations with recruits from this year and next.

I don’t want him taking 20 minutes out of that schedule to sit down in front of a camera and tell us “everything is fine.” It would do absolutely nothing except provide a few fleeting clicks.

Give me wins over words

At the end of the day, I’d rather have wins on the court and on the roster. I take this prolonged silence as a sign that this coaching staff is working as hard as they can to field a competitive team. I will take that any day of the week.

It may not work out perfectly. The season could still go sideways if the portal guys don’t gel or injuries hit. But a little press conference in early May isn’t going to change any of that. It’s only going to slow progress.

Let the coaching staff work in the shadows for now. We can have all the press conferences we want later in the summer when the roster is finalized.

Mark Pope is working to make it work. And he decided he wanted to talk directly to fans. Pope went on Twitter to leave a video and let BBN know he wanted to talk directly to them, and asked them to leave questions.

Some of the responses are not great, but some of them are actually pretty solid questions. Who knows how he answers them, but if he were going to do an interview, I would rather he do it this way.

I still think I would prefer total silence until June, but I also can understand doing what they do. Are you looking forward to hearing from Pope? Did you leave a question, or do you think he should have just remained silent?

Real Madrid have decided to dismiss Álvaro Arbeloa at the end of the season, believing he has not met the objectives set when he took charge in January after Xabi Alonso’s dismissal.

The Merengues have dropped many points in the league and failed to reach the Champions League semi-finals, although their performances in Europe were considered competitive against strong opponents.

Names of potential candidates to take over the reins from Arbeloa are already doing the rounds, with Jose Mourinho emerging as a serious contender.

What Florentino Perez wants from the new manager

Now, according to Defensa Central, within Real Madrid, there is a belief that a coach with greater authority is needed to manage the dressing room and control strong personalities.

For club president Florentino Perez, the priority is clear: the next manager must be capable of organising and managing the personalities within the squad. While some may underestimate the importance of this, it is seen as essential in a group such as Real Madrid.

The search for a new manager is underway. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)

Over the past two seasons, this aspect has been problematic, and neither Alonso nor Arbeloa have managed to resolve it. As a result, the club believe a change in managerial profile is necessary, as they are not currently willing to part ways with their key players.

Unlock the Vini-Mbappe combination

Despite growing opinion that Vinicius Jr. and Kylian Mbappe are incompatible, there are still figures within Real Madrid who believe they can achieve success together. Both are considered exceptional players.

Their relationship off the pitch is not problematic, contrary to some reports. However, on the pitch they often occupy similar areas and make similar movements, which has made it difficult for them to combine effectively in certain matches.

And Real Madrid want someone in charge who can find a way to make their partnership click next season.

Barcelona’s pursuit of talented teenagers on the verge of a breakout continues, and their long-standing interest in Belgian winger Jesse Bisiwu has become formal. The 18-year-old caught the eyes of Barcelona’s scouts last summer, and for some months the Catalan club have been trying to find a way of doing a deal.

Their interest in Bisiwu was revealed in January, having first scouted him at the under-17 World Cup in November of 2025. Agent Mobindi Marthy confirmed Barcelona’s interest in Bisiwu back in February, but did note they were one of a number of big clubs following him. Two weeks ago, Barcelona’s Head of Scouting Joao Amaral attended the UEFA Youth League final between Brugge and Real Madrid, using the opportunity to speak with Brugge Sporting Director Devy Rigaux about Bisiwu.

Barcelona make offer for Bisiwu

Image via Bildbyran

As per MD, Barcelona have now made an offer to Brugge for Bisiwu. Previously it has been reported that he would prioritise a move to Barcelona, and their plan is to pull off a deal similar to that of Roony Bardghji, paying a relatively low transfer fee to add him to their Barca Atletic squad, and seeing how he adapts to the first team in training. Barcelona are still waiting for a response to their offer from Brugge, and no details are revealed with regard to the amounts.

Will Brugge allow Bisiwu to leave?

Image via Belga / Nieuwsblad

The Catalan paper suggest that Brugge’s reluctance to sell could be softened by Bisiwu’s desire to force through the move, and the fact he has just a year left on his deal. Previous reports have struck a different tone, with Brugge believing that they will eventually secure a renewal with Bisiwu, and that they were in little hurry to negotiate for a player whose value could increase exponentially after game time in the first team.

NCAA men's lacrosse bracket 2026: Schedule, TV channels, live streams, scores for college championship originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The march to Memorial Day is here for the nation's top college lacrosse teams. 

A trip through a tough bracket awaits before we get to the two teams contesting the sport's annual holiday afternoon championship game, though, beginning with a pair of opening-round games just three days after Selection Sunday. 

This year's NCAA tournament appears wide open. Notre Dame has held down the top spot most of the year, but the Irish have lost a pair of games to the team hosting this year's semis and final, Virginia. Top seed Princeton is right there with Notre Dame, along with defending champion Cornell and rising power Richmond. 

While Notre Dame could well win its third national title in four years, it will have plenty of competition on the way. Here's everything you need to know to watch this year's tournament. 

NCAA men's lacrosse bracket 2026

The bracket consists of 18 teams, with 10 automatic and eight at-large selections. The top eight schools are seeded nationally, and the four lowest-ranked automatic qualifiers will play in the two opening-round games. See the full game schedule below.

1. Princeton
2. Notre Dame
3. North Carolina
4. Richmond
5. Virginia
6. Syracuse
7. Cornell
8. Penn State

The 2026 DI Men’s Lacrosse Bracket 🏆🥍

➡️ https://t.co/zLkT0Ue1iJ
🎟️ https://t.co/5av2exW2hS#NCAAMLAXpic.twitter.com/kUAk6cBkad

— NCAA Lacrosse (@NCAALAX) May 4, 2026

Where to watch NCAA men's lacrosse tournament

• TV channels: ESPNU (first round, quarterfinals), ESPN2 (semifinals), ESPN (championship)
• Live streams:ESPN app, fubo

The 2026 NCAA men's lacrosse tournament will air on multiple ESPN platforms, including the first round and quarterfinals on ESPNU, the semis on ESPN2 and the championship game on ESPN.

All of those games will also be available to stream via fubo. Fans can also stream those games and the two opening-round games with the ESPN app.

Fubo offers a free trial for new subscribers, so you can try the service before you buy. Stream ESPN, ABC, CBS, Fox and 100+ top channels of live TV and sports without cable. (Participating plans only. Taxes and fees may apply.)

NCAA men's lacrosse tournament schedule, scores 2026

Wednesday, May 6: Opening round

Saturday, May 9: First round

Sunday, May 10: First round

Saturday, May 16: Quarterfinals

Sunday, May 17: Quarterfinals

Saturday, May 23: Semifinals

Semifinals and final will be played at Charlottesville, Virginia

Monday, May 25: Championship

NCAA men's lacrosse champions list

Here are the last 10 NCAA men's lacrosse champions and runners-up. There was no tournament in 2020 due to COVID-19.

The Scout's Fantasy Premier League verdict is in ahead of Manchester City's double gameweek 36.

Pep Guardiola’s side welcome both Brentford and Crystal Palace to the Etihad Stadium across the next round of fixtures.

The Blues first host the Bees on Saturday 9 May at 17:30 (UK) before playing the Eagles at home on Wednesday 13 May at 20:00 (UK).

And FPL managers will be looking to boost their points tally at the business end of the campaign as the Club’s pursuit of the top-flight crown continues.

With that in mind, find out who the Scout is championing in Gameweek 36 ahead of Saturday 9 May’s 11:00 (UK) deadline.

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CITY STAR

Midfielder Jeremy Doku (£6.4m) registered 15-points in Gameweek 35 curtesy of two goals and all three bonus points.

He has now registered an attacking return in three of City’s last four Premier League matches. In this period, Doku is the Blues’ joint most attacking player with four attacking returns and the top FPL scoring with 31 points.

In the last four gameweeks, the Belgium international has created eight chances, supplied nine crosses and had nine shots.

ONES TO WATCH

Igor Thiago (£7.4m) and Maxence Lacroix (£5.2m) are opponents Brentford and Palace’s form players.

Only Haaland has scored more goals in the Premier League this season than the Bees’ forward, whilse Lacroix is eighth for points scored amongst defenders this season.

DIFFERENTIALS

Elsewhere, Richarlison (£6.3m) and Jack Hinshelwood (£5.1m) are two low-owned gems worth considering.

Richarilson is Spurs’ top scorer this season with 10 goals with the forward also picking up four assist this season.

Hinshelwood has scored in two of his last three Premier League matches and registered eight attacking returns this season which only two Brighton players can better.

Crystal Palace return to Selhurst Park on Thursday with one foot in the Conference League final, but their 3-1 first-leg advantage over Shakhtar Donetsk demands focus rather than comfort.

Oliver Glasner’s side have put themselves in a commanding position, yet the nature of knockout football means this tie is far from finished.

The first leg showcased Palace at their most efficient, with attacking quality and structure combining to secure a two-goal cushion.

That advantage now shifts the burden onto Shakhtar, who must chase the game from the outset if they are to have any chance of overturning the deficit.

Palace’s approach over the weekend offered a clear indication of priorities, with a heavily rotated side falling to defeat against Bournemouth in the Premier League.

The selection and performance pointed to a calculated decision to preserve energy and key players for this European semi-final.

It underlines just how seriously Glasner is taking the competition, with the opportunity to reach a second final in consecutive seasons firmly within reach.

However, that defeat also serves as a warning that momentum can shift quickly if standards drop.

Shakhtar arrive wounded but dangerous, knowing that a cautious approach will not be enough to rescue the tie.

They are likely to press aggressively and disrupt Palace’s rhythm, turning the game into a physical and unpredictable contest.

That approach represents their clearest route back into the tie, even if it carries significant risk at the other end.

For Palace, the challenge is to strike the right balance between control and ambition.

Sitting deep and protecting the lead may invite unnecessary pressure, particularly against a side with attacking quality.

Equally, overcommitting could open spaces that Shakhtar will be eager to exploit.

The ideal scenario lies in asserting control early, forcing Shakhtar to chase shadows while maintaining a threat in transition.

Players such as Ismaïla Sarr and Jean-Philippe Mateta could prove decisive if Palace are able to stretch the game.

A fast start would not only settle nerves but also increase the pressure on the visitors to score multiple times.

Defensively, Palace must remain organised and disciplined, particularly in the early stages when Shakhtar are likely to throw numbers forward.

The stakes are clear, with a place in a European final representing a defining moment in the club’s modern history.

Glasner’s side have already shown they can handle the demands of this competition, but this second leg will test their maturity and composure.

If they match the intensity of the occasion and avoid complacency, Palace are well placed to finish the job.

Anything less, however, risks turning a strong position into a nervy night that could still swing the wrong way.

One of the Manchester United players who appears to have benefited the most from Ruben Amorim’s departure is Benjamin Sesko. The Slovenian arrived at Old Trafford at the beginning of this season in a bid to address the Red Devils’ goalscoring woes.

Sesko had admirers at clubs across the continent after an impressive rise with RB Leipzig, and the English giants managed a coup by winning the race for his signature. United were keen to improve their form in the final third after managing just 44 goals in 38 Premier League games last season.

Unfortunately, Sesko had a mixed time under former head coach Amorim, registering just two goals in 17 appearances. The Red Devils struggled to get results under the Portuguese, who was eventually let go at the turn of the year.

That proved to be the turning point in Sesko’s time at the Theatre of Dreams.

Sesko’s rise in 2026

Sesko celebrated Amorim’s departure by scoring three goals in two games under interim manager Darren Fletcher. Michael Carrick was appointed as Amorim’s temporary replacement in mid-January, and the Slovenian has also been impressive under the Englishman.

The 22 year old has registered seven goals in 13 games under the caretaker manager, helping the team climb up to third in the Premier League table. Sesko has now scored 10 goals in 16 games in 2026 and is one of the most in-form strikers in the league right now.

Benjamin Sesko Stats by Coach At United

Source: Transfermarkt.

Last Sunday, the Slovenian scored in the 3-2 win over Liverpool as United secured qualification for next season’s Champions League. However, the player picked up an injury during the game and had to be substituted at the break.

While his participation in United’s upcoming game against Sunderland remains in doubt, a recent report has now revealed a magnanimous side of the young footballer.

Sesko makes heartwarming donation to former club

Sesko spent part of his formative years with his hometown club NK Radece, who have now revealed that the player made a significant contribution to their academy. The Slovenian club shared the heartwarming news via a post on social media, which read: “A Generous gesture by Benjamin Šeško for the Young Players of NK RADEČE.”

“It is with great joy and gratitude that we announce that our former player, Benjamin Šeško, has once again shown his big heart by supporting our youngest teams with a donation. It was at NK Radeče that his soccer journey began, so we are especially proud that, despite his busy schedule, he never forgets his roots.”

“With this gesture, he demonstrates how important it is to give back to the community and encourage new generations of young soccer players. Benjamin has shown exceptional talent since he was a child, and today he remains a great role model for all our children—not only because of his successes, but also because of his kindness.”

“Sincere thanks, Benjamin, for thinking of our youngest players and helping them realize their soccer dreams! We also sincerely thank his management team, especially Elvis Bašanović, for their help in making this donation possible.”

“As it says on the back of the jersey—“Theatre of Dreams”—we believe that it is right here, on our fields, that new great stories begin.”

Final Thoughts

Sesko is United’s leading goalscorer this season, and fans will hope he can return to full fitness soon to add to his tally. The Slovenian will also be keen to continue his momentum and end the season on a high.

Featured image by Michael Regan/Getty Images

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

Every journey starts somewhere. For Chandler Rivers and Elijah Sarratt, that 'somewhere' now comes in the purple and black of the Baltimore Ravens. Rivers is a five-foot-nine, 185-pound cornerback. Sarratt is a wide receiver who stands at six-foot-two and tips the scales at 210 pounds. Both arrive highly decorated.

Rivers is a 2024 First-Team All-ACC mention who also earned second-team honors in 2025. Sarratt's collegiate run left little room in the trophy case. Part of the College Football Playoff National Championship-winning Indian Hoosiers, he led the NCAA in receiving touchdowns at the end of the 2025 season. He was named Second-team All-Big Ten after receiving Third-team All-Big Ten honors one year prior. He also has First-team All-NEC (2022) and First-Team All-Sun Belt (2023) honors on his resume.

Both are part of an exciting Ravens 2026 11-man draft class. Baltimore's social media team shared clips featuring the two as they enjoyed their time at the rookie minicamp.

The work has begun. Here's your first look at @elijah_sarrattpic.twitter.com/6ZVLHIdzNI

— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) May 4, 2026

.@_ChandlerRivers getting active ❗ pic.twitter.com/1WtwDm6p8d

— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) May 5, 2026

The journey is just beginning for two exciting Ravens rookies.

Early footage in shorts with no pads. We won't learn much until later. Practice time and eventual game reps will be key. Even in moments like these, there's something worth noting: the speed and the movement. There is also the comfort level. It's the first opportunity to see how college production starts translating to the professional stage. They're both traveling on two different paths. albeit to the same opportunity. Both seek spots on the 53-man roster.

Rivers enters as a defensive back with the kind of athletic profile that fits what Baltimore has consistently valued on that side of the ball: versatility, quickness, and the ability to compete in space. Sarratt, meanwhile, arrives with a different responsibility. At wide receiver, expectations come quickly. Route precision, timing, and chemistry aren't optional. They're required. And for a young pass catcher, every rep matters.

We've seen short clips and early reps, i.e., nothing definitive, but they signal something bigger. Rivers and Sarratt haven't proven anything yet, but they have taken the first step. In Baltimore, that first step is where everything of note always begins.

This article originally appeared on Ravens Wire: Chandler Rivers and Elijah Sarratt make Ravens debut

Bastian Schweinsteiger has likened Germany’s star duo, Liverpool’s Florian Wirtz and Bayern Munich’s Jamal Musiala, to Franck Ribéry and Arjen Robben.

The Germany legend believes Wirtz and Musiala resemble his former Bayern Munich teammates in the sense that they possess the individual quality to decide games on their own.

“I see Wirtz and Musiala as our Ribéry and Robben. Those are the players who make the decisive move in key moments. If I were playing with Wirtz, I would simply give him the ball as often as possible, because he needs the ball to make his game more dominant, to bring in his ideas. I think he has incredible vision in his play,” Schweinsteiger told Sport Bild and went on to look back on the assist Wirtz provided for Serge Gnabry back in March.

“When I think back to his pass against Switzerland to Serge Gnabry, I say: not many players make passes like that – especially with that level of precision. If Musiala and Wirtz can get going, then I am very, very confident.”

As for Musiala, Schweinsteiger believes the 23-year-old has made significant progress towards finding back to his top level following the serious injury he suffered last summer.

“You can clearly see his improvement from game to game, also in terms of minutes played," he said. 

"Serge Gnabry’s injury has accelerated things a bit. But Jamal seems to me to be back on the right track. The last five to ten percent might still be missing, but I’m very, very positive about it. If you listen around abroad to find out who excites people, you very often hear the name Musiala.”

This is grief with a purpose.

More than four years since the tragedy of losing his only son, Dwayne Haskins Sr. is so determined to add depth to the legacy of the former NFL quarterback’s complicated life with compassion that he is certain will help others.

Here are some words for this: Admirable. Courageous. Spiritual.

Haskins, through the family’s foundation, will host a talk-back discussion on mental health on May 16th at the Gaithersburg Arts Barn in Maryland that, following a community walk in conjunction with the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), will honor his son’s life and launch an awareness campaign. He is convinced that his son – a Heisman Trophy finalist in 2018 who led the NCAA with 4,831 passing yards and 50 touchdowns in his lone season as a starter at Ohio State, yet was cut less than two seasons after Washington drafted him in the first round in 2019 – suffered from unchecked mental health issues as his career and life quickly spiraled off-course.

“Bro, it’s personal to me,” Haskins told USA TODAY Sports, a day after commemorating Dwayne Jr.’s 29th birthday on May 3. “I’ve never said anything about Dwayne publicly.”

The floor is yours, Sir.

“We knew our son had some mental health challenges,” said Haskins, whose family includes his wife, Tamara, and daughter Tamia. “As a family, we recognize that it’s very hard for us to communicate that when a professional athlete is pursuing his dream, that he has mental health issues. There’s a stigma with that.

“We started to recognize warning signs, that we knew something wasn’t right with Dwayne. Now we’ve become an advocate to get people aware of that. There’s mental health that manifests over a period of time, then all of a sudden something will trauma a person, where they won’t be able to have effective decision-making. And it continually gets triggered and triggered.”

It’s a striking coincidence that Haskins is launching this campaign – he hopes to develop a comprehensive program and take it nationwide next year – at a time when the NFL is ramping up mental health support programs in the aftermath of tragedies in recent months where two active players, Marshawn Kneeland of the Dallas Cowboys and Rondale Moore of the Minnesota Vikings, died by suicide.

“I do think there is still a stigma, but I think the stigma is more around help-seeking behaviors as opposed to mental health in general,” Dr. Nyaka NiiLampti, NFL vice president of wellness and clinical services, told USA TODAY Sports.

“The stigma is: Is it a sign of weakness to ask for help?”

At the last NFL owners meeting in late March, the league announced the expansion of its mental health services to mandate that all 32 teams must employ a full-time mental health clinician who operates at each team’s headquarters. Previously, the league required teams to have a part-time clinician. Additionally, the NFL is now partnering with Cigna to form a network of specialists for players – and their families – to tap into beyond the team specialists.

“You would be surprised at how receptive players are at using these resources,” said NiiLampti, who worked in a similar capacity for the NFL Players Association (NFLPA) before joining the NFL. “I’ve had players who say, ‘Listen, we’ve got an athletic trainer, right? I’ve got a strength and conditioning coach. Why would I not have somebody who’s going to work with me in terms of what’s going on in my head?’ ”

NiiLampti hopes that by expanding the NFL program, challenges in getting support and resources immediately will be addressed. Undoubtedly, when crisis strikes, timing is critical.

“They don’t have the time. I need to work with somebody now!” NiiLampti said. “We need to find a way to get them in, strike while the iron’s hot.”

Haskins was unaware that the NFL recently announced its added emphasis on mental health support programs yet applauds the effort. As he reflects on his son’s journey, he suspects a barrier existed with an inability to acknowledge his challenges from a mental health perspective.

“I think that’s what the problem was. He wasn’t strong enough to say, ‘Hey, I need help,’ ” Haskins said. “But we knew something was wrong. That’s why the celebration (on May 16) is a platform for people to know about the warning signs.”        

Put yourself in the father’s shoes. There is no playbook for losing a son or daughter. The grieving, Haskins realizes, will continue for the rest of his life. He pointed out that he and Tamara are still grieving the losses of their young mothers in 1988 yet have been forced to cope with losing their son in a different context. There was never a chance to say goodbye before Dwayne, Jr. was struck by a dump truck while crossing a highway in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., in the early morning of April 9, 2022.

And the circumstances surrounding the death – according to the toxicology report, Dwayne, Jr., was legally drunk with ketamine and other drugs in his system, fueling allegations of foul play – left many unanswered questions. Dwayne, Jr., who played his third and final NFL season as backup with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2021, was in Florida for several weeks of offseason training.

While Haskins didn’t address the controversies, including a dismissed lawsuit pertaining to image rights against Dwayne Jr.’s widow, Kalabrya, it seems clear that in processing the tragedy the focus on mental health is an anchor – in addition to his Christian faith.

At the upcoming event, they will use an acronym, “NINO,” to hammer home a theme of heeding warning signs. He’s hoping it will ultimately be widely recognized as a distress signal.

“NINO – ‘No, I’m not OK’ – is going to be a codeword for people who don’t understand or don’t know how to articulate their emotions,” Haskins said. “We believe that if we can get this acronym in place, we’ll be able to save more lives, or get people the attention or assistance from mental health organizations like NAMI to provide solutions.”

Talk about addressing a stigma. Here’s a suggestion, NFL: Enlist Haskins to visit teams to address their players by sharing his journey. Just imagine the real talk in those sessions.

Especially now, as so many NFL coaches and executives maintain that after the tragedies in recent months, they are more sensitive to mental health challenges. The awareness has resonated to the point that some say it was an increasing factor in evaluating prospects heading into the recent draft.

“This generation has a lot of stress, a lot of anxiety, maybe handle it a lot differently than our generation,” Les Snead, the Los Angeles Rams GM, told USA TODAY Sports, alluding to societal patterns. “But I do know this, too: If you think about what they’ve gone through, this group’s been getting driven.

“You’re a professional athlete, you’re a company. You make a bad play and the next thing you know, you’re a meme. I know there are other variables, but being a general manager and a father, you definitely understand what this generation’s reality is.”

Haskins knows. What happens on the field and on social media only scratches the surface. One of his key messages for the upcoming event addresses what he calls, “the perseverance of the dream,” which encompasses myriad potential pitfalls.

If he sounds like a man with a spiritual calling, he will not disagree.

Haskins says matter-of-factly that his campaign is inspired by this message from God: “For you guys to cope, you need to share this.”

He can also imagine a message from his son.

“Dwayne is looking down at us right now,” Haskins said. “And it’s, ‘I’m proud of you mom and dad. You’re bringing awareness on my behalf.’ ”

Which is quite the noble purpose.

If you or someone you know needs mental health resources and support, please call, text or chat with the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline or visit 988lifeline.org for 24/7 access to free and confidential services.

Contact Bell at jbell@usatoday.com or follow on X: @JarrettBell

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Dwayne Haskin Jr.'s dad opens up about son's mental health before tragic death

RB Leipzig will wear black armbands during their Bundesliga match against St Pauli on Saturday in remembrance of the victims of a deadly car-ramming attack in the eastern German city of Leipzig.

"The events in Leipzig's city centre on Monday left us deeply shocked. Our thoughts are with the victims, as well as their families and loved ones, and everyone affected by this horrific attack," the club said on X on Wednesday.

The under-19 team will also participate in the action. A moment of silence will be observed before kick-off at each match.

"RB Leipzig is thus sending a collective, silent message of sympathy and solidarity with our city," the club said.

According to preliminary findings, a 33-year-old man drove a vehicle into a pedestrian shopping street in central Leipzig on Monday. Several people were struck by the car before it came to a halt, with the driver surrendering to police without resistance while still inside the vehicle.

A total of six people aged 21 to 87 were injured, Leipzig police said.

They said a woman aged 84 and a man aged 75 sustained serious injuries. A 63-year-old woman and a 77-year-old man were killed.

Just when the Detroit Tigers needed someone to step up and be a presence in a sea of calamity, someone to throw them a life raft, someone to make them feel like their world isn’t collapsing around them, along comes Framber Valdez acting like a human Titanic.

Valdez is the Tigers’ new ace, their highest-paid player, the one the Tigers desperately are relying on to keep their postseason hopes alive until Tarik Skubal returns to the mound later this summer.

And on Tuesday evening, he melted down for the entire Tigers’ franchise to see, reminding everyone of the ugly warts in this talented left-handed pitcher.

Valdez’s selfish act of immaturity was so outrageous in the Tigers’ 10-3 shellacking to the Boston Red Sox that when he intentionally hit Red Sox shortstop Trevor Story with a 94.4 mph fastball in the middle of his back during his latest temper tantrum, even his own manager couldn’t stand up for him.

“We play a really good brand of baseball here,’’ Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said in his press conference after the game. “That doesn't feel like it. That's not judging intent. I have no idea.

“But when you go out on the field and end up in those confrontations, you usually feel like you're in your right.

“It didn't feel good being out there."

In other words, how are you going to actually fight for your own teammate when you feel like punching him yourself?

“I understand," Hinch said. "I understand their (Red Sox) frustration and the optics. I understand the whole thing.’’

Valdez, who gave up nine hits and 10 runs runs (seven earned) in just three innings, insisted with a straight face that he wasn’t deliberately trying to hit Story after giving up back-to-back homers, saying the pitch simply got away from him, and there’s no way he deserved to be ejected.

“Not at all," Valdez said through interpreter Carlos Guillen. “It was not on purpose. It might've looked like that but it wasn't. I was trying to throw a strike after two consecutive home runs, and the pitch just came out of my hand.

“It wasn't on purpose.’’

Benches clear in the 4th inning of the Red Sox-Tigers game in Detroit. pic.twitter.com/8CigiKH63L

— MLB (@MLB) May 5, 2026

Oh, of course not.

There is no chance that this same man who drilled his own teammate in the chest with a fastball last season with the Houston Astros would now intentionally hit an opponent.

No way, right?

Right?

Anyone else believe him?

Yes, just in case anyone forgot, this is the same guy who was so angry after giving up a grand slam to New York Yankees center fielder Trent Grisham last September, that he crossed up teammate and catcher Cesar Salazar by throwing a 92.8 mph sinker that slammed into his chest protector. Instead of apologizing, Valdez turned his back in disgust.

Valdez, summoned into Astros manager Joe Espada’s office after the game, told reporters it was simply miscommunication.

And you wonder why he was still on the free-agent market a week before spring training, signing a three-year, $115 million contract when he was expected to receive a deal close to free-agent starter Dylan Cease’s six-year, $210 million deal with the Toronto Blue Jays?

Now, with the Tigers badly needing an influx of help, with three members of their opening-day starting rotation and 14 players on the injured list, they are about to be playing one man short.

Valdez, 2-2 with a 4.57 ERA, surely will be suspended at least five days for his actions that should be announced Wednesday.

“I do not expect to get suspended,’’ said Valdez, who chose that moment to throw his first four-seam fastball of the season.

Maybe he should look around the room, and see if there’s a soul in the Tigers’ clubhouse that feels the same.

If you gave them a lie detector test, they’d probably all come to the same conclusion as Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy.

“I thought it was weak and I thought everybody saw it,’’ Tracy told reporters. “Their side, our side, I think everybody saw it. It was weak.”

Really, once Willson Contreras and Wilyer Abreu opened the fourth inning by hitting mammoth home runs off Valdez, with Contreras flipping his bat after his 449-foot shot, Story could sense it was coming.

“I was in there ready to hit,’’ Story said, “and it showed up way behind me, off the numbers. I think we all know what’s what ... it’s pretty indisputable.’’

Story glared toward Valdez after being hit, players poured out of the dugouts, but there were no punches thrown or even shoves. Why fight when everyone is in full agreement of what happened?

“We handled it,” Story said. “We said what we said on the field, and I think that’s where it stays.”

Now, Michael Hill, senior vice president of on-field operations for MLB, will have his say.

And, perhaps behind closed doors in a meeting with Valdez, Hinch will have plenty to say, too.

Follow Bob Nightengale on X and Bluesky.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Framber Valdez melts down as benches clear in Tigers vs. Red Sox game

Over this past weekend, Tennessee Titans head coach Robert Saleh welcomed 19 new members of the rookie class to Nashville for their first minicamp. While the eight draft choices didn’t do too much, they were present and got their first taste of the NFL.

Those 19 rookies were joined by a whopping 58 players on a tryout basis, making for an active two days at the facility. While some of the brief highlights looked good, Titans local reporter Paul Kuharsky took to social media to report that none of those 58 tryout players were offered a contract following the camp.

The #Titans will not sign anyone from their 58-player tryout class.

— Paul Kuharsky (@PaulKuharskyNFL) May 5, 2026

This does not mean that it won’t happen; there is a long way to go before training camp, and things can and will happen throughout offseason team activities (OTAs).

Currently, the Titans' roster sits at 91 after using an international exemption on David Ebuke Agoha, meaning they would have to make some moves to bring someone on board. Something that has been mentioned as a possibility in recent weeks by both Mike Borgonzi and other front office personnel.

This article originally appeared on Titans Wire: Titans not signing any tryout players following rookie minicamp

Kansas City Chiefs running back Kenneth Walker III recently spoke with Kay Adams on her show to discuss Patrick Mahomes' influence on his free-agent signing decisions and on building chemistry on the field.

"We've been working on getting connected in the passing game and everything, so that's good. I feel like I'll be used more in the pass game," said Walker, who praised Mahomes' focus on the game plan. "He's really good at being detailed with the whole team, and that chemistry is going to keep building."

Last season with the Seattle Seahawks, Walker rushed for 1,027 yards and five touchdowns. He was also impactful in the passing game with 31 receptions for 282 yards. Mahomes reportedly was in contact with general manager Brett Veach, keeping an eye on Walker during his Super Bowl run.

Chiefs RB Kenneth Walker III says he's working with Patrick Mahomes to be more involved in the pass game 👀@Kenneth_Walker9 | @PatrickMahomes | @Chiefs | @heykayadamspic.twitter.com/Yho3ZwSjJI

— Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) May 5, 2026

"I feel like it would have had a lot to do with it, you know, he's (Mahomes) the best quarterback in the league," said Walker. "So, I feel like he's got a lot of power in there. I'm glad he does because I'm here now."

The Super Bowl LX MVP signed a maximum of $45,000,000 over three years, with $28,700,000 of his contract fully guaranteed to lead Kansas City's backfield. He is expected to play a much-needed role in the offense and supply Mahomes with weapons.

This article originally appeared on Chiefs Wire: Chiefs RB Kenneth Walker III on Patrick Mahomes' free agency influence

New York Giants legend Lawrence Taylor has been released from the hospital following a severe case of pancreatitis, reports TMZ.

The Hall of Famer was discharged late last week and is now on the road to recovery. Pancreatitis is an extremely painful condition that can be life-threatening in severe cases, and Taylor was fortunate to receive prompt treatment during his hospital stay.

LT is not yet back to full strength, but the legendary outside linebacker is feeling “much better” and continues to improve on a daily basis. The positive update has brought relief to Giants fans and football enthusiasts alike, with Taylor expected to return to full health in the near future.

Over his 13-year NFL career with the Giants, Taylor recorded 142 sacks and 41 forced fumbles.

A 10-time Pro Bowler, Taylor is widely considered one of the greatest football players of all time, regardless of position. No words can fully capture his immense impact on both the Giants franchise and the game of football as a whole.

This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: New York Giants legend Lawrence Taylor released from hospital

The 2026 WNBA offseason has been a sprint.

After the WNBA and WNBPA reached a new CBA in March following months of negotiations, the offseason was condensed into a weeks-long period that featured an expansion draft, college draft, free agency and training camp in April.

The fast-paced offseason presented some unique challenges for each team's front office, with Phoenix Mercury general manager Nick U'Ren summing it up with a this thought: "Few other leagues have gone through what this league just went through in terms of doing everything in a 3-4 week period."

Some teams were able to thrive in the chaos. The Las Vegas Aces (A'ja Wilson, Jackie Young and Chelsea Gray) and New York Liberty (Breanna Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu and Jonquel Jones) kept their cores in tact, while the Liberty took it a step further with the addition of three-time All-Star Satou Sabally.

The same can't be said about some rosters that were decimated in free agency, like the Seattle Storm. USA TODAY Sports breaks down the winners and losers of the truncated offseason.

Winners

Dallas Wings

The Dallas Wings finished 10-34 last season, tied for last place in the WNBA standings with the Chicago Sky, despite a sensational Rookie of the Year campaign from No. 1 overall pick Paige Bueckers. The Wings used its 2026 No. 1 pick to select UConn's Azzi Fudd to improve the team's perimeter shooting after finishing second-to-last in 3-point percentage (30.4) last year. The Wings also allowed the second-most opponent points per game last season and made moves in free agency to shore up their interior with the addition of Alanna Smith, the 2025 Defensive Player of the Year, and Jessica Shepard.

New York Liberty

The New York Liberty's shocking first-round playoff exit just one season after winning a title meant the team needed to retool its roster and get healthy. New York was able to do both in the offseason, returning Sabrina Ionescu, Jonquel Jones and Breanna Stewart, plus adding three-time All-Star forward Satou Sabally. The Liberty also re-signed Betnijah Lany-Hamilton, a former starter for the franchise and a glue player that they will utilize on both ends of the floor. New York also added head coach, Chris DeMarco, who should bring his experience with individual skill development and systems to the team.

More: Sabrina Ionescu injury update: Latest on Liberty star's ankle injury

Atlanta Dream

The Atlanta Dream had a disappointing end to their 2025 season. After a franchise-best 30 wins in the regular season, Atlanta lost its first-round playoff series to Indiana. Still, the Dream remained confident in their core players and knew they wanted to run it back with the same group. Atlanta emerged from free agency victorious with four of its five starters, plus two-time All-Star Angel Reese, following a trade. That kind of feat is hard to pull off, but Atlanta seems poised to not only redeem its playoff loss but also the top-five defense that helped it cement the franchise as a contender.

Los Angeles Sparks

After missing the playoffs for the fifth consecutive season, things aren't looking so bad for the Sparks heading into the second season of coach Lynne Roberts' tenure. Kelsey Plum — who was fourth in the league in scoring last season — returned to LA on a team-friendly deal, taking a discount to allow the Sparks to bring in other talented players. And the team took advantage of its cap space, bringing in Nneka Ogwumike, who won an MVP and led the Sparks to a championship in 2016. LA gave up Rickea Jackson in a trade to the Chicago Sky, but received two-time All-Star Ariel Atkins in return. The Sparks also re-signed Dearica Hamby, added Erica Wheeler in free agency, and potentially got the steal of the draft by picking up South Carolina's Ta'Niya Latson in the second round.

Losers

Seattle Storm

The Seattle Storm will look completely different after losing five players that accounted for 67.5 points per game last season in Nneka Ogwumike, Skylar Diggins, Brittney Sykes, Gabby Williams and Erica Wheeler. The Storm returned Ezi Magbegor (9.7 ppg) and Dominique Malonga (7.7 ppg), who will both have to take the next step offensively to replace the lost production. Seattle signed Natisha Hiedeman (7.3 ppg) and Stefanie Dolson (3.7 ppg) in free agency, drafted Awa Fam third overall and acquired Flau'jae Johnson in a draft-day trade with the Golden State Valkyries, but losing over 82% of your total scoring will be hard to replace.

Chicago Sky

The core of the Chicago Sky's roster has changed for the third consecutive season, and while the team has managed to add new pieces like Rickea Jackson, Natasha Cloud and Skylar Diggins to help recoup losses like Ariel Atkins and Angel Reese, continuity matters when trying to win a championship. Chicago is also dealing with several injuries to begin the 2026 season, and that's just never good for a team that needs as much time to get as possible. Courney Vandersloot is still out after a season-ending ACL injury, and Azurá Stevens and DiJonai Carrington are also out with unclear injury timelines.

More: Why Natasha Cloud’s arrival meant the end for Hailey Van Lith in Chicago

Phoenix Mercury

Unlike last season, when the Mercury had two returning players, Phoenix has nine back for this season, including MVP candidate Alyssa Thomas and Kahleah Copper. But Phoenix wasn't able to re-sign Satou Sabally as the three-time All-Star walked in free agency after one season. Sabally was the team's leading scorer last season, and Phoenix hasn't brought in a replacement for her production. Instead, Mercury general manager Nick U'Ren said they will take a by-committee approach. That's easier said than done. The Mercury drafted international prospects Ines Pitarch-Granel and Eszter Ratkai, who won't play this year, and signed French forwards Valériane Ayayi and Noémie Brochant, who are not with the team yet.

Portland Fire

In this expansion franchise's first season, there's simply not a lot on this roster that inspires optimism about the Fire's immediate future. It is largely a collection of players who are either young, unproven or have failed to find a consistent role with past teams in the WNBA. Perhaps the exception is Bridget Carleton, the team's highest-paid player at $1.19 million, but even she has yet to prove she can carry an offense — averaging 9.6 points per game in her best season with the Minnesota Lynx. The hope here is a few of these players — from Haley Jones and Emily Engstler to Megan Gustafson and Sug Sutton — can seize opportunities and have breakout seasons.

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

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: The WNBA offseason was quick, who are the winners and losers?

RUSE has been re-released on Steam with full Steam Deck support After ten years of being MIA, the one-of-a-kind real-time strategy (RTS) game RUSE has returned to PC. The game returns to Steam with all its DLC included, and existing owners will now receive all the game’s DLC. RUSE is an RTS game from Eugen […]

The post RUSE returns to Steam after 10 years – The unique strategy game has returned appeared first on OC3D.

Biostar plans to showcase next-generation AMD motherboards at Computex 2026 Biostar has claimed that it plans to showcase “next-generation AMD” motherboards at Computex 2026. This should include a new Valkyrie gaming model and other, more mainstream, motherboard designs. Given their “next-generation” teaser, these new motherboards are unlikely to be refreshed versions of AMD 800-series motherboards. […]

The post Expect to see “Next-Generation AMD” motherboards at Computex – Biostar confirms appeared first on OC3D.

Lego Batman is advertising 60 FPS, but it's really 15 FPS. Frame generation is supposed to make good performance better, not hide the fact that a game is running poorly. Lego Batman's spec sheet just crossed that line.

Well over five years since its release in late 2020, it is now possible to run Linux on PlayStation 5 with older system software, opening the way for many interesting applications, including turning the current-generation Sony system into an emulation beast. This is exactly what one user did, proving how the system has all it takes to run PlayStation 3 games natively with little intervention, further highlighting Sony's disinterest in delivering the sort of backward compatibility users would love to see. Shortly after developer Andrew Nguyen released their Linux loader online, X user Retropierdolnik shared a video showcasing the PlayStation […]

Read full article at https://wccftech.com/playstation-5-runs-ps3-games-natively-sony-not-care/

Being the first ever remake of the series, and the remake of one of its most popular entries, Ubisoft is going all in with Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced. With a new post on its official website, the publisher moved away from the visual comparisons with the original and instead provided some additional details on parkour and core movement improvements, stealth and combat, complete with brand new gameplay footage. All of the improvements detailed this week seem to be based on the idea of improving what the original had and making it smoother for a more enjoyable experience. "One thing […]

Read full article at https://wccftech.com/ubisoft-rebuilds-assassins-creed-black-flag-resynceds-parkour-and-combat/

Digital safety compliance platform built for construction companies and trades businesses. It offers GPS-verified work sessions, a custom form builder, AI paper-to-digital conversion, credential tracking with expiry alerts, and crew broadcasting. Workers always join free.

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WaiverKit replaces paper waivers with secure digital forms that customers sign on their own phones. Build custom templates with an AI composer or drag-and-drop builder, share via QR code, and receive legally timestamped PDFs compliant with ESIGN and UETA. Search and retrieve waivers instantly, automate receipts and reminders, and translate forms into multiple languages. WaiverKit supports custom branding, guardian signing, and multi-location teams for gyms, studios, rentals, events, and more.

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Samsung’s Stable One UI 8.5 update has started rolling out to non-Beta users of the Galaxy S25 series. Nearly five months of Beta testing were required to tailor the mid-cycle update for the 2025 flagship lineups, and it’s finally here.

Earlier, the South Korean tech giant started releasing the CZDP update to Beta participants. Users have received notification of Beta closure, and an incremental build has become available to switch the Beta state to Stable.

One UI 8.5 isn’t just a minor update.

This massive 4.4GB update brings Samsung’s next-gen AI experience, deeper customization, and a meaningful UI refresh to the Galaxy S25 series; something that actually feels closer to a “.0” upgrade than a mid-cycle patch.

One UI 8.5 introduces a cleaner interface with subtle visual tweaks across the system. Animations feel smoother, layouts are better optimized, and Samsung has improved overall navigation without making things feel unfamiliar.

Samsung finally loosens control over the Quick Panel. Users can now rearrange toggles more freely, adjust layout, and even reposition sliders. It’s a small change on paper, but it significantly improves daily usability.

AI continues to be a core focus. One UI 8.5 enhances features like call screening, live transcription, and AI-powered photo editing. Tools such as Audio Eraser and generative editing are more refined and easier to access.

The update improves the camera and editing experience with better AI assistance. Samsung tweaks UI placement in key apps. Elements like search bars are now easier to reach. After a long beta cycle, the stable build focuses heavily on performance.

One UI 8.5 may not look dramatic at first glance, but it delivers where it matters. From smarter AI features to better customization and smoother performance, this update makes the Galaxy S25 experience more polished and practical.

Related article:

• Galaxy S25 vs Galaxy S26: A few features still separate the two flagships

The post One UI 8.5 Stable update rolling out to non-Beta users appeared first on Sammy Fans.

Samsung starts the Stable One UI 8.5 update rollout to the Galaxy S25 Edge slim flagship phone. An OTA just dropped in South Korea, which is major, and carries plenty of new features and user interface improvements.

The Korean tech giant has also released a major upgrade for the Galaxy S25 series. And we expect the Fan Edition model to join the party soon.

Despite being a Galaxy S25 family member, the Galaxy S25 Edge was sidelined in the Beta Program. Users waited months, and Samsung is now bringing the One UI 8.5 features and UI tweaks to the Galaxy S25 Edge flagship.

One UI 8.5 introduces a major redesign over previous iterations. One UI 8 felt boring despite utilizing Android 16 base. Now, it has become clear that Samsung kept visible changes reserved for the mid-cycle software update.

You will now be able to share files with Apple users through Quick Share; the AirDrop connection makes it happen. Good Lock experience has also been enhanced, with modules and plugins offering even more customization tricks.

Samsung is also offering new AI features such as Call screening, Audio Eraser with 3rd-party apps support, Photo Assist with text input, and Creative Studio. System animations are also gaining notable refinements and fluidity.

Galaxy S25 Edge

Galaxy S25 Edge is Samsung’s first slim flagship phone. It was released in May 2025 and measures just 5.8mm thick. It boasts Galaxy S Ultra-like 200-megapixel camera, but battery and charging letdowns ruined its appeal.

Last December, Samsung added Galaxy S25, S25+, and S25 Ultra flagship phones to the Beta Program. Samsung surprised users of Galaxy S25 FE this month by adding the Fan Edition to the Beta testing programme.

The post Samsung’s One UI 8.5 arrives for Galaxy S25 Edge flagship appeared first on Sammy Fans.

Stable One UI 8.5 update has started rolling out to the Galaxy Z Flip 7 and the Galaxy Z Fold 7. This isn’t a routine update, but it packs a plethora of new features and user interface tweaks.

This Stable One UI 8.5 update isn’t just arriving on the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7. It’s a result of months of internal and Beta testing. Users of these devices have also played a key role in enhancing the software system.

Users who have participated in Beta are getting it first, and non-Beta users are getting a big OTA sequentially. Samsung has also included the April 2026 security patch, which ensures optimal security of your device.

Ambient Design and AI upgrades are the key highlights of One UI 8.5 software. Extended screen estate has been improved by adopting a floating navigation bar and UI components.

Various Samsung apps have been optimized for the new design language. Deeper integration of AI features aims to enhance the overall user experience and accessibility.

• You may like – One UI 8.5 takes a brilliant route with Ambient Design

During the Beta testing, Samsung also installed select AI features from the Galaxy S26 series on the foldable devices. The main additions include AI-powered Call screening, enhanced Audio Eraser, Photo Assist and Creative Studio.

Good Lock apps also upgrade with extended functionalities. The Quick Share app has also gained support for AirDrop connection. It allows you to share and receive files across Apple devices, one of the most significant upgrades.

How to download and install:

• Open system Settings on your phone
• Navigate to Software update
• Hit Download and install, followed by Install now

The post Stable One UI 8.5 update rolling out to Galaxy Z Flip 7 and Fold 7 appeared first on Sammy Fans.

Samsung Galaxy S25 FE is now picking up the One UI 8.5 stable update, and it’s arriving faster than most people expected. South Korea gets it first, as usual, but the bigger story sits just a few days away; this is about to go global.

The rollout has kicked off in Samsung’s home market, right on cue after the main S25 series received the same update. When it comes to software releases, South Korea acts as the launchpad; the rest of the world follows almost immediately.

Samsung FE devices usually trail behind flagships by a noticeable margin. This year, Samsung is clearly tightening the gap, and that says a lot about how seriously it’s treating the “Fan Edition” lineup in 2026.

The Stable build should be solid enough for daily use. Smooth, consistent, and polished right out of the gate. If yes, this rollout is more interesting than usual, especially for users who skip beta programs entirely.

Don’t expect a massive visual overhaul; that’s not what this update is about. Instead, One UI 8.5 focuses on refinement. The kind you notice after a few hours, not instantly.

• Animations feel tighter, more fluid
• Background apps behave better, which helps battery life
• Privacy controls get subtle but meaningful upgrades
• Small UI tweaks clean up the overall experience

The update should start expanding globally within days. May 4 is shaping up to be the likely window, yet the rollout timing can still vary depending on region and carrier approvals, but the wait shouldn’t be long.

How to install the BZDP update:

If you’re holding the Galaxy S25 FE, checking manually is your best bet.

Head to:

• Settings > Software update > Download and install

The post Samsung Galaxy S25 FE grabs One UI 8.5 Stable update appeared first on Sammy Fans.

Finally, the day has arrived that Galaxy S25 users have been eagerly awaiting. The news: Samsung ends One UI 8.5 Beta Program as Beta participants are getting the Stable update, bringing phones back to official firmware.

Last December, Samsung launched Galaxy S25’s One UI Beta Program. It was available in six countries: Germany, India, Poland, South Korea, the UK and the US. Samsung pushed 10 Beta updates during the Program.

After the 8th Beta, the official update was assumed to be released. Meanwhile, Samsung pushed out two more Beta builds, with the 10th Beta adding select new AI features from the Galaxy S26 series.

Samsung’s last Beta is almost as stable as the official firmware. However, it’s necessary to return to the Stable channel as the Beta channel is being closed. This move starts in Korea, with wider expansion likely by May 4th.

Don’t stay on Beta firmware

If you are on Beta, install the supplementary software update, which isn’t as large as the general models, but does the same work. Bugs have been fixed, features have been installed, just the Beta > Stable switch is the target.

Withdrawing the Beta Program mandates a factory reset. However, the latest update doesn’t require resetting the device either, making the process easy and convenient.

Note that sticking to Beta won’t bring surprises. Samsung doesn’t run Beta Programs as Apple and Google do. You are required to switch as the Beta window is closed, feedback will not be responded to, and there will be no support.

Make sure to update all the apps installed on your Galaxy. The operating system is the brain, but the ecosystem of apps is vital in the user experience. Even on Stable OS, you will be able to report bugs and submit feedback.

The post Samsung ends One UI 8.5 Beta, Galaxy S25 users upgrade to Stable appeared first on Sammy Fans.

Google has officially confirmed that The Android Show will return for a second year, with the event scheduled to take place next week ahead of Google I/O 2026, which kicks off on May 19. In a video shared on social media, Google announced that this year’s Android Show I/O Edition is set to take place on May 12. You’ll be able to watch the pre-recorded event on YouTube. You won’t believe what’s next for Android! Tune in to the The Android Show | I/O Edition May 12 at 10 am PT for a look at the future. Set a reminder at https://t.co/RFgly7WP7M and be the first to know 🗓️ #TheAndroidShow...

and are finally set to meet, presuming they each come through low-risk warm-up fights unscathed. Now, Francis Ngannou, who has faced both men, has updated his prediction ahead of the biggest fight in British boxing history. Ngannou made his boxing debut against then reigning WBC heavyweight ruler Fury in October 2023, and the former UFC […]

The post Francis Ngannou makes new prediction for Fury vs Joshua after losing to both: “It’s in his favour” appeared first on Boxing News.

Barring cuts, injuries or losses in ‘warm-up’ fights, Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua will finally face off later this year. The fight was announced last month as ‘signed and sealed,’ with ‘AJ’ first fighting in July against little-known Kristian Prenga and Fury considering an interim bout of his own. Despite those obstacles, if appears that […]

The post “He’ll put his lights out”: British boxing legend Duke Mckenzie predicts Fury vs Joshua appeared first on Boxing News.

Fabio Wardley was elevated to WBO heavyweight world champion following his win over Joseph Parker. This weekend, he makes his first defence against Daniel Dubois. Parker was stopped in the eleventh round by Wardley after a highly-entertaining heavyweight contest that saw the Brit pick up the interim belt. When Oleksandr Usyk opted to vacate the […]

The post Joseph Parker sums up Daniel Dubois’ chances of beating Fabio Wardley to become champion appeared first on Boxing News.

The Renault Duster is the best-selling vehicle in Ukraine in April.

5,612 new cars hit Ukrainian roads in April, a steep -7.4% year-on-year decline, leaving the year-to-date tally hanging by a threat at +0.3% to 20,056 units. Toyota (-5.7%) remains in the brands pole position with 12.5% share, with the Top 4 identical to last month. Renault (+1.5%) takes the 2nd spot ahead of Volkswagen (-21.9%) and Skoda (-23.1%) both in dire straits. In contrast Mazda (+191.5%), BYD (+40.1%), BMW (+16.9%) and Hyundai (+14.2%) ignore the negative context with splendid YoY lifts. 

Model-wise, the Renault Duster (-16.9%) returns to #1 for the second time this year after last January but remains #2 year-to-date below the Toyota RAV4 (+22.9% in April). The Hyundai Tucson (+4.3%) stays at #3 ahead of the Skoda Kodiaq (-28.8%) and Karoq (+21.1%). The Mazda CX-5 (+166.7%) sports a stunning gain with the Nissan Qashqai (+17.5%) and VW Tiguan (+5.5%) also in positive in the remainder of the Top 10. The VW Touareg (-35.9%), despite a catastrophic YoY loss, still ranks at a world best #7 and is #6 so far this year. The BYD Sealion 6 is the most popular recent launch at #9. Note the Top 14 best-sellers are all SUVs.

Previous month: Ukraine March 2026: Toyota RAV4 #1 again, VW Touareg up to #4

Previous year: Ukraine Full Year 2025: Toyota and Renault Duster #1, BYD at 26.3% share in December

Full April 2026 Top 55 All brands and Top 278 All models below.

Ukraine April 2026 – brands:

Ukraine April 2026 – models: