Fenerbahçe Başkanı Sadettin Saran'dan ortalığı karıştıracak Domenico Tedesco hamlesi geldi! 99 puanlı İsmail Kartal'a bile tanınmayan ayrıcalığın Alman teknik adama sunulduğu iddiası camiada 'akıl tutulması' olarak algılandı. Ancak Başkan Saran'ın hamlesinin arkasındaki sır ifşa oldu. İşte o iddialar...

Şampiyonluk yarışında beyaz bayrağı çeken ama henüz teslim olmayan Fenerbahçe, Şampiyonlar Ligi için kritik bir sürece girdi. Teknik direktör Domenico Tedesco ile ilgili ortaya atılan bir iddia ise camiayı karıştırdı.

Sadettin Saran’ın, Alman teknik adama gelecek sezon için "teminat" verdiği iddiası, kulüp kulislerinde sert tartışmaları beraberinde getirdi.

İddiaya göre Saran, Tedesco ile bir görüşme gerçekleştirerek açık kapı bıraktı. Ligde kalan maçlarını kazanması ve Türkiye Kupası’nı müzesine götürmesi durumunda, "gelecek sezon seninle yola devam ederiz" sözünü verdi.

Bu vaat muhaliflerin tepkisini çekti. 99 puan toplayarak rekor kıran ancak şampiyonluğu kıl payı kaçıran İsmail Kartal’a dahi tanınmayan bu toleransın, performansıyla ağır eleştiriler alan Tedesco’ya sunulması "akıl tutulması" ve "çılgınlık" olarak nitelendirildi.

Fenerbahçe maç fazlasıyla lider Galatasaray’ın 4 puan gerisinde. İkincilik yarışı verdiği Trabzonspor ile aynı puanda. Gelen bilgilere göre Saran, bu riskli sözü takımı motive etmek ve en azından Şampiyonlar Ligi gelirlerinden mahrum kalmamak adına bir "son koz" olarak oynadı.

Fenerbahçe camiasında yaklaşan olağanüstü seçim süreci için kulisler hareketlendi. Ortada aday olarak dolaşan Barış Göktürk'e camiada büyük bir ilgi olmayınca "çatı aday" formülü gündeme geldi.

Fenerbahçe Başkanı Sadettin Saran’ın aldığı seçim kararını uygularsa aday olsa bile kazanma şansı olmadığı iddia ediliyor. Çünkü yönetim biçiminin camiada geçer not alamadığını düşünenlerin sayısı her geçen gün artıyor.

Camiadan gelen bilgilere göre bu yüzden "çatı aday" formülü üzerinde yoğunlaşıldı. Bu noktada en dikkat çeken isim; hem Aziz Yıldırım hem de Ali Koç dönemlerinde görev yapmış olan tecrübeli yönetici Ömer Temelli.

Yıldırım ile akrabalık bağı bulunan, Koç’un ise yönetim kuruluna dahil ettiği Temelli, iki kutup arasında köprü kurabilecek tek isim. Camianın önemli bir kesimi, Temelli’nin 2027’deki büyük kongreye kadar kulübü sarsıntısız bir şekilde "limana yanaştırabileceği" görüşünde birleşiyor.

İsmi adaylık için geçen Mehmet Ali Aydınlar cephesinde ise sessizlik hakim. Aydınlar’ın, 1 yıllık kısa bir süre için göreve gelmeye sıcak bakmadığı öğrenildi. Gerekçesi 1 yıl gibi kısa bir sürede kalıcı projeler üretmenin zorluğu. Hedefi ise 2027 yılındaki kongreye çok daha güçlü ve hazırlıklı bir şekilde girmek.

Kulislerde konuşulan iddialara göre, Ali Koç ve Aziz Yıldırım’ın Ömer Temelli ismi üzerinde mutabık kalması durumunda Göktürk'ün de seçime girmeyeceği, Saran'ın bile adaylığını koymayacağı iddia ediliyor.

Fenerbahçe eski başkanı Ali Koç'un mevcut yönetimi yaylım ateşine tuttuğu bildirildi. Bir davette Ertan Torunoğulları ile karşı karşıya gelen Koç'un "kulübü sosyal medyadan yönetiyorsunuz" tepkisi verdiği iddia edildi. Özel mektupların sızdırılmasından transferdeki "santrfor" skandalına, kulüpteki köstebek operasyonundan profesyonellerin kovulmasına kadar Ali Koç'u çileden çıkaran bir sürü detay olduğu iddia edildi.

Fenerbahçe'de sular ısınıyor. İlk etapta Sadettin Saran ve yönetimine verdiği desteği geri çektiği konuşulan Ali Koç'un aktüel başkan ve yönetiminin kulübü yönetme şeklinden rahatsız olduğu izlenimi iyice gün yüzüne çıktı.

İddialara göre Ali Koç ile mevcut yönetim arasındaki gerginlik, bir davette gün yüzüne çıktı. Koç’un hedefinde bu kez yönetimdeki "haber sızdırma" trafiği ve transfer politikası vardı.

Transferden sorumlu yönetici Ertan Torunoğulları ile karşılaşan Ali Koç'un mevcut yönetimin iletişim yöntemlerini eleştirdiği konuşuluyor. Saran ve yönetimini 2-3 sosyal medya hesabı üzerinden kulüp yönetmekle itham ettiğini iddia edenler bile var.

Gelen bilgilere göre Koç’un asıl rahatsızlığı ise Başkan Saran’a yazdığı özel mektubun sosyal medyada çarşaf çarşaf yayınlanması oldu. Koç, bu sızıntıların kulübe ciddi zarar verdiği görüşünde.

Transfer dönemini "büyük bir skandal" olarak nitelendiren Ali Koç'un bazı noktaların altını çizdiği belirtiliyor:

- Bazı yöneticiler kendi reklamları uğruna transfer süreçlerini baltaladı.

- Kritik bir dönemde santrfor takviyesi yapılamadı.

- Oğuz’un takımdan gitmesinin engellenmesinin hiç bir anlamı yoktu.

Aziz Yıldırım ve Ali Koç birleşti: Fenerbahçe'de 'ortak akıl' operasyonu

Fenerbahçe’de son dönemde yaşanan görevden almalarla ilgili de bir iddia gündemde. Aralarında masörün de bulunduğu 5 kulüp profesyonelinin içeriden bilgi sızdırmaları nedeniyle görevden alındığı haberleri geliyor.

Matteo Guendouzi, Fenerbahçe'ye transfer sürecinden şampiyonluk hedefine kadar gündemdeki ve gelecek için merak edilen konulara ilişkin açıklamalarda bulundu.

Fenerbahçe’nin Fransız yıldızı Matteo Guendouzi, Türkiye’deki ilk özel röportajında dikkat çeken ifadeler kullandı.

Guendouzi, 10 Numara adlı YouTube kanalına konuk oldu ve soruları cevapladı.

26 yaşındaki orta saha oyuncusu, şu sözleri dile getirdi:

- Türkiye’ye ve Fenerbahçe’ye hoş geldin. Öncelikle transfer sürecinden bahsetmek isterim. Nasıl gerçekleşt, seninle nasıl temasa geçildi, Fenerbahçe’ye gelmeyi nasıl tercih ettin?

“Çok uzun bir süreç oldu. Menajerimle ocak transfer döneminde Lazio’dan ayrılma konusunu birkaç kez konuştuk. Karşıma farklı fırsatlar çıktı. Fenerbahçe’nin ilgisini duyduktan sonra onlarla oturup tanışmak ve konuşmak büyük bir zevkti. Öncelikle Devin ve teknik direktör ile görüşme şansım oldu. Onlar bana projelerini ve Fenerbahçe’de neler yapmak istediklerini güzel bir şekilde anlattılar; mevcut sezonu nasıl değerlendirdiklerini, benim gelmemin takıma nasıl etki edeceğini. Bana gerçekten çok enteresan bir proje sundular. Sportif açıdan birçok olumlu nokta vardı. Gelip çok büyük oyuncular barındıran muhteşem bir takımla, beni şimdiden geliştiren büyük bir teknik direktörle kupalar için; Avrupa kupalarına katılım için mücadele etmek konusunda konuştuk. Bu konuşmalar da beni başka bir takıma değil, Fenerbahçe’ye imza atma konusunda ikna etti. Sonrasında başkan ve yöneticilerle konuştum; hepsi bana çok büyük ilgi gösterdi, beni takımda görmeyi istediklerini gösterdiler. Onlar ellerinden gelenin maksimumunu yaptılar. Devin (Özek) ve hocayla yaptığımız ilk konuşmalardan sonra buraya gelmem gerektiğini anlamıştım. Menajerime diğer kulüplerle görüşmeleri durdurmasını söyledim. Sonrasında Fenerbahçe ile sözlü olarak anlaşma sağladık ve transferin gerçekleşmesi konusunda elimizden geleni yapacağımızı belirttik. Lazio ile yapılan pazarlıkların biraz zor olacağını biliyorduk ve biraz da uzun sürdü. Sakin kalmamız gerekti. Ben menajerime, hocaya ve Devin’e kararımın Fenerbahçe’ye gelmek olduğunu dile getirdim. Bütün diğer temasları durdurduk ve sadece Fenerbahçe’ye odaklandık. Sonrasında transfer sorunsuz bir şekilde gerçekleşti.”

Azərbaycan Premyer Liqasının 25-ci turunun “Neftçi” – “İmişli” matçı meydan sahiblərinin 6:0 hesablı qələbəsi ilə başa çatdı.

Arena.az Bakıda baş tutmuş bu matçın yekun protokolunu və icmalını təqdim edir.

Azərbaycan Premyer Liqası
25-ci tur
20 mart

“Neftçi” – “İmişli” 6:0
Qollar: Breno Almeyda, 12. İmad Faraj, 15; 51. Emil Səfərov, 19; 60. Emin Mahmudov, 55.
Sarı vərəqə: Luis Silvestr, 44 (qeyri-idman hərəkəti).
Artırılan vaxt: Birinci hissədə 2 dəqiqə, ikinci hissədə yoxdur.
Saat 19:15. “Palms Sports Arena”, 1300 tamaşaçı.

Baş hakim: Tural Qurbanov.
Baş hakimin köməkçiləri: Asiman Əzizli, Cəmil Quliyev.
Dördüncü hakim: Elvin Bayramov.
VAR: İnqilab Məmmədov.
AVAR: Kamran Bayramov.
Hakim-inspektor: Rəhim Həsənov.
AFFA nümayəndəsi: Elgiz Abbasov.

Neftçi: 13. Kenan Piriç (1. Emil Balayev, 65), 8. Emin Mahmudov (k), 17. Murad Xaçayev, 7. Emil Səfərov (4. Elvin Camalov, 75), 24. Mustafa Sek (22. Luis Ortis, 46), 5. İqor Ribeyro, 18. İfeanyi Metyu (6. Sessi Dalmeyda, 46), 33. Breno Almeyda, 70. Andrey Ştoqrin, 11. İmad Faraj (28. Alessio Kurçi, 70), 10. Freddi Varqas.
Ehtiyat oyunçular: 81. Məhdi Həsənov, 19. Ağadadaş Salyanski, 47. Murad Məmmədov, 14. Edvin Kuç, 77. Falaye Sako, 27. Kristian Kostin, 23. Cordan Rezabala.
Baş məşqçi: Yuri Vernidub.

İmişli: 33. Andrey Sinenka, 19. Azər Salahlı (k), 3. Tuncay Yusifli, 94. Rafael Vyeqas, 10. Nikola Karaklaiç (30. Xəlil Mürsəlli, 70), 14. Ronaldo de Souza, 9. Dioqo Almeyda (97. Xəzər Mahmudov 82), 23. Dioqo Rollo (44. Həzrət İsayev, 82), 79. Dioqo Kardoso (21. Abbas Ağazadə 46), 17. Ezekiel Morqan, 7. Luis Silvestr.
Ehtiyat oyunçular: 1. Hüseynəli Quliyev, 99. İmam Əli, 90. Riad Abbaszadə, 47. Orxan Fərəcov, 5. İdris İnqilablı, 11. Vüsal Qənbərov, 20. Nazim Hüseynov.
Baş məşqçi: Xorxe Kaskilya.

Azərbaycan Premyer Liqasının 25-ci turunun “Kəpəz” – “Qarabağ” matçı meydan sahiblərinin 1:0 hesablı qələbəsi ilə başa çatdı.

Arena.az Yevlaxda baş tutmuş bu matçın yekun protokolunu və icmalını təqdim edir.

Azərbaycan Premyer Liqası
25-ci tur
20 mart

“Kəpəz” – “Qarabağ” 1:0
Qol: Fərid Nəbiyev, 45+1.
Sarı vərəqələr: Ehtiram Şahverdiyev, 38 (qeyri-idman hərəkəti). Yusif İmanov, 80 (oyunun bərpasının ləngidilməsi). Camal Cəfərov, 90+7 (qeyri-idman hərəkəti) – Marko Yankoviç, 38 (qeyri-idman hərəkəti). Pedro Bikalyo, 48 (qeyri-idman hərəkəti).
Artırılan vaxt: Birinci hissədə 4 dəqiqə, ikinci hissədə 7 dəqiqə.
Saat 15:00. Yevlax şəhər stadionu, 5000 tamaşaçı.

Baş hakim: Əli Əliyev.
Baş hakimin köməkçiləri: Elşad Abdullayev, Tərlan Talıbzadə.
Dördüncü hakim: Emin Əliyev.
VAR: Rauf Cabbarov.
AVAR: Namiq Hüseynov.
Hakim-inspektor: Feyzulla Feyzullayev.
AFFA nümayəndəsi: Elman Musayev.

Kəpəz: 33. Yusif İmanov, 7. Ehtiram Şahverdiyev (6. Camal Cəfərov, 45), 77. Fərid Nəbiyev, 5. Rauf Hüseynli, 11. Rəhman Hacıyev (17. Ümid Səmədov, 71), 9. Luis Paçu, 29. Dioqo Verdaska (k), 24. Olavale Onanuqa, 12. Mahamadu Ba (88. Şakir Seyidov, 71), 14. Adama Fofana, 4. Mate Abuladze.
Ehtiyat oyunçular: 22. Məmməd Hüseynov, 81. Elgün Bayramov, 99. Əli Səmədov, 20. Elcan Əbilov, 23. Fərid Kələntərov, 66. Arzu Atakişiyev, 21. Sadiq Şəfiyev, 80. Şahnur İsmayılov, 30. Ruslan Quliyev.
Baş məşqçi: Azər Bağırov.

Qarabağ: 99. Mateus Koxalski, 44. Elvin Cəfərquliyev (11. Emmanuel Addai, 82), 10. Abdullah Zubir (k), 81. Kevin Medina, 8. Marko Yankoviç (9. Xoni Montiel, 62), 20. Kadi Borges, 2. Mateus Silva, 18. Dani Bolt (27. Toral Bayramov, 62), 15. Leandro Andrade, 35. Pedro Bikalyo (22. Musa Qurbanlı, 62), 17. Kamilo Duran.
Ehtiyat oyunçular: 97. Fabian Buntiç, 89. Amin Ramazanov, 55. Bədavi Hüseynov, 30. Abbas Hüseynov, 77. Ramil Şeydayev, 32. Hikmət Cəbrayılzadə, 21. Aleksey Kaşuk, 24. Jeremi Qnali.
Baş məşqçi: Qurban Qurbanov.

“Qarabağ”ın baş məşqçisi Qurban Qurbanov Azərbaycan Premyer Liqasının 25-ci turunda “Kəpəz”ə qarşı keçirdikləri oyunu şərh edib.

Arena.az xəbər verir ki, sözügedən komandaların bu gün Yevlaxda baş tutmuş görüşü Ağdam təmsilçisinin 0:1 hesablı məğlubiyyəti ilə yekunlaşıb.

Qurban Qurbanov matçdan sonra təşkil edilmiş mətbuat konfransında bunları söyləyib:

“Azər Bağırovun komandasını təbrik edirəm. İstəkli idilər, çox yaxşı qələbə qazandılar. Bizə azarkeşlik edən xeyli insan var idi. Onlara təşəkkür edirəm. Məğlub olduq. Futboldur, belə hallar olur.

Futbolçular istəkli idilər, pis hazırlaşmamışdıq. Oyunda yaxşı temp var idi. Xeyli qol epizodumuz oldu. Onları dəyərləndirə bilmədik. Rəqibin isə bir epizodu qolla nəticələndi. Bu gün bizim günümüz deyildi.

Süni örtüklü meydança ilə təbii örtüklü meydança eyni deyil. Yevlax şəhər stadionu bəzi meydançalardan pis deyil.

Biz qətiyyən rahat, arxayın deyilik. “Kəpəz”lə əvvəlki oyunda komanda bir az yorğun idi. Bu matça çox yaxşı hazırlaşmışdıq. Biz də istəkli idik, onlar da. Futbolçularıma deyiləcək bir söz yoxdur. Çox güc sərf etdilər, qalib gəlmək istəyirdilər”.

Qurban Qurbanov mübahisəli penalti epizodu barədə də danışıb:

“Mən narazılıq edəndə söhbət çox böyüyür. VAR-da deyəsən Rauf Cabbarov idi. Meydandakı hakim görmədi, Rauf da üç dəfə baxdı, görmədi. Epizodun təkrarına baxdım. Penalti olduğunu düşünürəm. Kamilo Durandan da soruşdum, dedi ki, ayağıma dəymişdi. Orada penalti yoxdursa, heç nə… Görək də nə deyəcəklər? Rauf Cabbarov da sağ olsun.

Rəhim Həsənov da hakimin qərarını təsdiqləyəcək. Ona görə də çox da üzərinə getmək lazım deyil.

Çempionluq uğrunda mübarizəyə mütləq davam edəcəyik. Hər oyunda azarkeşlərimizə qələbə bəxş etmək istəyirik. Çempionluq elə bir şeydir ki, tək qələbə qazanmaqla deyil, başqa komandaların xal itirməsi də sənə üstünlük verir. Bizim xal itkilərimiz “Sabah”a böyük üstünlük verib. Onların bu qədər xal itirəcəyi çətin görünür. Çox yaxşı oyun sistemi qurublar. Hər bir halda sona qədər yaxşı oyun və yaxşı nəticə üçün meydana çıxacağıq”.

“Kəpəz”in baş məşqçisi Azər Bağırov Azərbaycan Premyer Liqasının 25-ci turunda “Qarabağ”a qarşı keçirdikləri oyunu şərh edib.

Arena.az xəbər verir ki, sözügedən komandaların bu gün Yevlaxda baş tutmuş görüşü Gəncə təmsilçisinin 1:0 hesablı qələbəsi ilə yekunlaşıb.

Azər Bağırov matçdan sonra təşkil edilmiş mətbuat konfransında bunları söyləyib:

“Azərbaycan çempionuna qarşı mübarizə aparırdıq. Çətin olacağını bilirdik. Bu gün daha çox qaçdıq, əziyyət çəkdik və istədiyimiz qələbəni qazandıq. Əlbəttə, “Qarabağ” dominant idi, daha çox topa yiyələnmişdi. Uşaqların hər birinə təşəkkür edirəm ki, bu mübarizədən qalib çıxdıq. Bəzi situasiyalarda bəxtimiz gətirdi. Dirəkdən qayıdan top oldu. “Qarabağ” bizdən qat-qat üstün idi. Qismətdə bu gün qələbə qazanmağımız var idi.

Heç kimi fərqləndirmək istəmirəm. Qapıçı həmişə komandanın yarısıdır. Amma bu gün hər futbolçu qələbənin həzzini dadmaq istəyirdi. Hamısına “5” düşür.

Sona qədər mübarizə aparacağıq. Qarşıda çox oyun var. Milli fasilədən sonra daha çətin olacaq”.

Cagliari fell to a 1-0 defeat at home to Napoli this evening, with Scott McTominay scoring the only goal in Sardinia as Antonio Conte’s side picked up a valuable three points.

Football Italia’s Man of the Match was McTominay, for his early winner and hard-working performance throughout.

Cagliari 0-1 Napoli – Player Ratings

Cagliari: Caprile 6; Ze Pedro 5.5 (Mendy 6), Mina 6, Dossena 6; Palestra 6, Adopo 5.5 (Deiola 6), Gaetano 6, Sulemana 6, Rodriguez 5 (Raterink N/A); Esposito 6 (Trepy N/A), Folorunsho 6 (Kilicsoy 5.5)

Best Cagliari player: Yerry Mina – Still an average night at the office for the menacing centre-back, but did a good enough to job to keep Napoli at bay for lengths of the match.

Lowest Cagliari rating: Juan Rodriguez – Really struggled to have any impact whatsoever on the left flank and was as worrying in defence as he was going forwards.

Coach: Fabio Pisacane 6 – Gave it a good go and set up his team fairly well to nullify Napoli’s threat. Was unlucky to get caught out early as the team looked solid for most of the match.

Napoli: Milinkovic-Savic 6; Beukema 6.5, Buongiorno 6, Olivera 5.5 (Juan Jesus N/A); Politano 6.5, (Spinazzola N/A), Gilmour 5.5 (Zambo Anguissa N/A), Lobotka 6 (Alisson Santos 6), Gutierrez 6.5; McTominay 7, De Bruyne 6; Hojlund 6

Best Napoli player: Scott McTominay – Scored the decisive goal and worked hard throughout the ninety minutes. Hardly a show-stopping performance but was the best amongst a very modestly performing Napoli side.

Lowest Napoli rating: Mathias Olivera – Played at centre-back, outside of his natural positioning, and struggled as a result. Made a couple of sloppy fouls, picked up a yellow card and overall contributed nothing of particular value to his team’s victory.

Coach: Antonio Conte 6.5 – Marginally better than his counterpart, and picked up the three points accordingly. His side did not inspire with their victory but the coach will be delighted to come away with the three points.

An early strike from Scott McTominay was enough for Napoli to hold onto as Antonio Conte and his team picked up a 1-0 victory away against Cagliari in Serie A on Friday evening; their fourth win on the spin and a result that has sent them into second place in the league table.

McTominay and Kevin De Bruyne were able to start alongside each other for the first time in almost five months, dating back to a 3-1 victory over league leaders Inter in October. The 15th-placed Cagliari boasted two recently called-up Italy internationals in Elia Caprile and Marco Palestra. Napoli had four in their camp: Alex Meret, Alessandro Buongiorno, Leonardo Spinazzola and Matteo Politano. 

Antonio Conte’s side had won all three of their previous Serie A matches heading into tonight’s game, all by 2-1 margins, while the hosts were without a win across their last six. 

Click here to see how the action unfolded on the Football Italia Liveblog. 

It took just over 60 seconds for McTominay to find the net on his return to the starting line-up. The Scotland international got his side ahead from the first corner of the game, which went short to Politano and pinballed around the area before the Scotland international managed to tap in on the goalline. 

From there, the first half became a fairly evenly contested, albeit slightly scrappy affair. Conte was twice visibly annoyed by misplaced passes from Buongiorno and Gilmour out of the back, giving possession away far too cheaply.

Napoli’s only other shot on target of the first half came from a fairly tame Politano free-kick, while Cagliari came closest through Sebastiano Esposito, who flashed an effort across the face of Vanja Milinkovic-Savic’s goal from a tight angle. 

De Bruyne almost got the better of Caprile with a low, driven effort from the edge of the area, but the recently called-up Italy international was able to parry and his defenders were able to clear in the end. 

Napoli saw a glimpse of what their star players are capable of when McTominay, De Bruyne and Politano linked up with some beautiful one-touch play in the Cagliari area, but Caprile did well to smother his compatriot when he found himself on the edge of the six-yard box.

Cagliari have not won any of their games this season when they have been trailing half-way, and that proved to be the case again despite their best efforts on Friday evening. 

Fabio Piscane’s winless run has now been extended to seven matches, with just two points earned over that period, while Conte and his team have now won four in a row and currently find themselves in second place in the league table with Milan due to play on Saturday.

Cagliari 0-1 Napoli 

McTominay 2’

20-03-2026 17:30

MatchDay 30

Unipol Domus (Sardegna Arena)

Cagliari

Napoli

0 - 1

Player statistic

1st half

		2'		Scott McTominay
		17'		Stanislav Lobotka
Zé Pedro		35'

2nd half

		69'		Mathías Olivera
Alberto Dossena		90+4'

Cagliari

Napoli

Starting lineups

1

Elia Caprile

Goalkeeper

22

Alberto Dossena

Defender

15

Juan Rodríguez

Defender

84'

2

Marco Palestra

Defender

26

Yerry Mina

Defender

32

Zé Pedro

Defender

73'

10

Gianluca Gaetano

Midfielder

90

Michael Folorunsho

Midfielder

65'

8

Michel Adopo

Midfielder

73'

25

Ibrahim Sulemana

Midfielder

94

Sebastiano Esposito

Attacker

84'

32

Vanja Milinković-Savić

Goalkeeper

4

Alessandro Buongiorno

Defender

17

Mathías Olivera

Defender

84'

3

Miguel Gutiérrez

Defender

31

Sam Beukema

Defender

6

Billy Gilmour

Midfielder

77'

11

Kevin De Bruyne

Midfielder

8

Scott McTominay

Midfielder

68

Stanislav Lobotka

Midfielder

55'

21

Matteo Politano

Attacker

76'

19

Rasmus Højlund

Attacker

Substitutes

30

Leonardo Pavoletti

Attacker

28

Gabriele Zappa

Defender

4

Luca Mazzitelli

Midfielder

24

Giuseppe Ciocci

Goalkeeper

12

Alen Sherri

Goalkeeper

27

Joseph Liteta

Midfielder

36

Nicola Grandu

Midfielder

20

Agustín Albarracín

Midfielder

9

Semih Kılıçsoy

Attacker

65'

14

Alessandro Deiola

Midfielder

73'

31

Paul Mendy

Attacker

73'

37

Yael Trepy

Attacker

84'

18

Othniel Raterink

Midfielder

84'

1

Alex Meret

Goalkeeper

20

Eljif Elmas

Midfielder

14

Nikita Contini

Goalkeeper

30

Pasquale Mazzocchi

Defender

9

Romelu Lukaku

Attacker

23

Giovane

Attacker

23

Giovane Nascimento

Attacker

27

Alisson Santos

Attacker

55'

37

Leonardo Spinazzola

Defender

76'

99

Frank Anguissa

Midfielder

77'

5

Juan Jesus

Defender

84'

Genoa host Udinese this evening as both sides look to reinforce their place in the mid-table and keep their head below the parapet of relegation.

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Genoa come into the game with three wins from their last five games, as Daniele De Rossi continues to make his mark on the Rossoblu club.

Udinese, meanwhile, have won just one of their last five games and will be looking to recover their form this evening.

Currently, the Bianconeri sit in 11th place in Serie A, whilst tonight’s hosts sit in 13th – and therefore a win for the home side could see them leapfrog their opposition.

Genoa vs Udinese – Official Lineups

Genoa: Bijlow; Marcandalli, Ostigard, Vasquez; Ellertsson, Frendrup, Malinovskyi, Norton-Cuffy; Messias, Vitinha; Colombo

Udinese: Okoye; Solet, Kabasele, Kristensen; Ehizibue, Ekkelenkamp, ​​Karlstrom, Atta, Kamara; Zaniolo, Davis

20-03-2026 19:45

MatchDay 30

Stadio Luigi Ferraris

Genoa

Udinese

vs

Season Analytics

Genoa

Positions

Udinese

SEASON TOTAL

GEN HOME

5

4

6

8

9

12

Last matches

15-03-2026		Verona	W	0 - 2
08-03-2026		Roma	W	2 - 1
28-02-2026		Inter	L	2 - 0
22-02-2026		Torino	W	3 - 0
15-02-2026		Cremonese	D	0 - 0

08-03-2026		Roma	W	2 - 1
22-02-2026		Torino	W	3 - 0
07-02-2026		Napoli	L	2 - 3
25-01-2026		Bologna	W	3 - 2
12-01-2026		Cagliari	W	3 - 0

13

11

Position

SEASON TOTAL

UDI AWAY

5

2

7

10

6

13

Last matches

	0 - 1	L	Juventus		14-03-2026
	2 - 2	D	Atalanta		07-03-2026
	3 - 0	W	Fiorentina		02-03-2026
	1 - 0	L	Bologna		23-02-2026
	1 - 2	L	Sassuolo		15-02-2026

	2 - 2	D	Atalanta		07-03-2026
	1 - 0	L	Bologna		23-02-2026
	2 - 1	L	Lecce		08-02-2026
	1 - 3	W	Verona		26-01-2026
	1 - 2	W	Torino		07-01-2026

Genoa

Udinese

Starting lineups

16

Justin Bijlow

Goalkeeper

27

Alessandro Marcandalli

Defender

15

Brooke Norton-Cuffy

Defender

22

Johan Vásquez

Defender

5

Leo Östigard

Defender

32

Morten Frendrup

Midfielder

17

Ruslan Malinovskyi

Midfielder

10

Junior Messias

Attacker

29

Lorenzo Colombo

Attacker

77

Mikael Egill Ellertsson

Attacker

9

Vitinha

Attacker

40

Maduka Okoye

Goalkeeper

27

Christian Kabasele

Defender

11

Hassane Kamara

Defender

19

Kingsley Ehizibue

Defender

28

Oumar Solet

Defender

31

Thomas Kristensen

Defender

14

Arthur Atta

Midfielder

8

Jesper Karlström

Midfielder

32

Jurgen Ekkelenkamp

Midfielder

10

Nicolò Zaniolo

Midfielder

9

Keinan Davis

Attacker

Substitutes

20

Stefano Sabelli

Defender

18

Caleb Ekuban

Attacker

8

Tommaso Baldanzi

Midfielder

39

Daniele Sommariva

Goalkeeper

1

Nicola Leali

Goalkeeper

14

Jean Onana

Midfielder

73

Patrizio Masini

Midfielder

3

Aarón Martín

Defender

21

Jeff Ekhator

Attacker

13

Nils Zätterström

Defender

34

Sebastian Otoa

Defender

4

Amorim

Midfielder

93

Daniele Padelli

Goalkeeper

13

Nicolò Bertola

Defender

24

Jakub Piotrowski

Midfielder

90

Răzvan Sava

Goalkeeper

6

Oier Zarraga

Midfielder

15

Vakoun Bayo

Attacker

38

Lennon Miller

Midfielder

7

Idrissa Gueye

Attacker

20

Juan Arizala

Defender

22

Branimir Mlacic

Defender

Rafael Leao will miss Milan’s Serie A clash with Torino on Saturday after failing to train due to a recurrence of pain in his right adductor.

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The Portuguese winger will undergo further assessment on Saturday to determine the full extent of the muscular problem, with the club keen to establish how long he is likely to be sidelined before making any further announcements, according to reports via FCInter1908.

Milan team news: Fullkrug to start alongside Pulisic in Leao absence

In his absence, Niklas Füllkrug is expected to be handed a starting role alongside Christian Pulisic, with the German striker likely to lead the line as Massimiliano Allegri looks to reshuffle his attacking options.

It is a significant blow for Milan at a crucial stage of the season, with the title race against Inter still just about alive and every point now carrying enormous weight.

Leao has been one of Milan’s most important players this season and his absence will be felt, though the hope within the club is that the injury is not serious enough to keep him out for an extended period.

The post Ethereum Staking Yields Dropping in 2026? Why Holders Are Switching to Bitcoin Everlight Shards for Real BTC Rewards appeared first on Coinpedia Fintech News

The math behind Ethereum staking has changed considerably since the early post-Merge period. When only 15 million ETH was staked in early 2023, annual yields sat above 6%. With approximately 37 million ETH now committed to validators — nearly 30% of the entire circulating supply — those yields have compressed to around 3.3% on average. Staking rewards have compressed toward 3% as total staked ETH grew faster than issuance and fee income, and the structural dynamic driving that compression isn’t reversing — every market dip pushes more ETH into staking as holders seek yield while waiting for price recovery, which pushes yields lower still.

For participants reassessing what their ETH yield position is delivering in 2026, Bitcoin Everlight is emerging as a structurally different alternative.

A Reward Model That Scales With Network Activity

Bitcoin Everlight is a decentralized validation network where participants earn Bitcoin rewards by contributing to blockchain infrastructure security. The platform runs on a Transaction Validation Node framework — the technical backbone handling validation, routing, and reward distribution — with Everlight Shards as the participation layer connecting users to the BTC-denominated fee pool the infrastructure generates.

The reward logic is fundamentally different from Ethereum’s staking model. Ethereum’s fixed reward pool divides among more participants as staking participation grows, reducing per-token yields across the board. Bitcoin Everlight’s post-mainnet distribution scales in the opposite direction — the reward pool grows with network transaction volume and fee activity, meaning increased adoption expands what’s available for distribution. Shard holders aren’t competing for a fixed issuance budget that gets diluted as more people join.

During the presale phase, activated shards earn fixed BTCL rewards at rates that sit considerably higher than anything Ethereum staking currently offers. After mainnet, those fixed incentives transition to performance-based BTC distribution drawn from real transaction routing fee activity — paid in Bitcoin, independent of BTCL’s own price trajectory. Before the presale opened, the project completed dual smart contract audits through Spywolf and Solidproof, alongside dual KYC verifications through Spywolf and Vital Block — all publicly linked and completed before a single token was sold.

From $50 to an Active Network Position

Entry into Bitcoin Everlight begins with acquiring BTCL tokens — priced at $0.0008, with a minimum purchase of $50. Once a participant’s cumulative USD commitment crosses a tier threshold, the shard activates automatically based on the value at the time of purchase, with BTCL rewards beginning to distribute immediately. Tokens remain locked during the presale period and commitments are final — a design that keeps participants aligned with the network’s long-term economics.

When mainnet launches, the fixed presale APY gives way to performance-based BTC distribution. The reward pool scales with what the infrastructure generates from actual transaction activity, with no fixed post-mainnet ceiling capping the upside as network usage grows.

What Each Tier Delivers

The Azure Shard activates at a $500 commitment and earns up to 12% APY in BTCL during the presale period, transitioning to BTC rewards at mainnet. The Violet Shard activates at $1,500 with up to 20% APY during presale, and the Radiant Shard activates at $3,000 with up to 28% APY — both carrying the same BTC reward transition when the network goes live.

In 2026, nominal staking APYs across the broader crypto market range from 3% to 19%, but real yields after network inflation drop to 0–10%. Bitcoin Everlight’s presale tiers sit at the upper end of that nominal range during the presale period, with the added distinction that post-mainnet rewards are denominated in BTC from actual network fee activity — not in an inflationary token whose real yield depends on whether the protocol’s own price holds up.

Participants holding tokens below any threshold maintain a dormant shard position that upgrades automatically once the balance reaches the next tier. After mainnet, tiers are sustained through ongoing USD-equivalent BTCL balance, adjusting up or down as holdings change relative to the thresholds. Any governance-driven adjustments to those thresholds would follow a transparent, proposal-based process.

The Window That Matters

Bitcoin Everlight is currently in Phase 1 of its presale — a phase that runs for 6 days, with 472,500,000 tokens available at $0.0008 per token. For ETH stakers watching their yields compress toward 2–3% while their principal sits well below its 2025 highs, the timing of this presale window relative to where Ethereum staking currently stands makes for a direct comparison worth examining carefully.

The full details on how Everlight Shards work and what the BTC reward distribution looks like after mainnet launch can be found here:

https://bitcoineverlight.com/btc-digital

The post Quadruple Witching 2026: Bitcoin’s Most Dangerous Trading Day of the Quarter Has Arrived appeared first on Coinpedia Fintech News

One of the most turbulent days in the financial calendar has arrived. Quadruple witching, a quarterly event where trillions of dollars in derivatives expire simultaneously, is happening today, and crypto markets are already feeling the pressure.

What Is Quadruple Witching?

Four times a year, on the third Friday of March, June, September, and December, four major types of derivatives expire on the same day: stock index futures, stock index options, single stock options, and single stock futures. Traders must close, roll over, or settle all positions at once, causing a sharp surge in trading activity and often violent price swings across financial markets.

This One Breaks Every Record

Today’s expiration is not just big. According to Goldman Sachs, it is the largest ever recorded.

More than $7.1 trillion in notional options exposure is set to expire today, including roughly $5 trillion tied to the S&P 500 index alone and $880 billion linked to single stocks. December options expirations are typically the biggest of the year, but Goldman says this one eclipses all prior records.

To put the scale into context, the options expiring today represent notional exposure equal to approximately 10.2% of the total market capitalisation of the Russell 3000. That is not a quarterly routine. That is a historic event.

What History Says About Bitcoin on Witching Days

Crypto does not operate in isolation from traditional finance anymore. Bitcoin increasingly moves alongside broader risk assets, meaning sharp equity swings have a habit of spilling directly into digital markets.

Historical data from 2025 paints a consistent picture. Bitcoin tended to show muted or flat performance on quadruple witching days themselves, followed by weakness in the days and weeks after. In September last year, a sharp post-witching decline took Bitcoin from $177,000 all the way down to $108,000. In June, it drifted to a local bottom just two days after the event.

At the time of writing, Bitcoin is holding around $69,800, with Ethereum at $2,134, XRP at $1.43, and Solana at $88.93. The broader market Fear and Greed Index sits at just 30, firmly in fear territory.

A Second Crypto Expiry Is Coming Next Week

Even after today passes, the market is not in the clear. A separate $13.5 billion in crypto derivatives are set to expire on Deribit on March 27, just one week away. Positioning data shows traders are leaning toward volatility strategies rather than strong directional bets, signalling the market is bracing for continued turbulence rather than a clean recovery.

Manchester United are looking to strengthen the defensive unit by signing Nathan Collins from Brentford.

According to TeamTalk, the 24-year-old Republic of Ireland international has emerged as a genuine target for Manchester United, and they are looking to accelerate matters in order to sign the player.

The 24-year-old has not just impressed with his defensive qualities, but his leadership has been excellent as well. Liverpool, Chelsea, and Tottenham are also monitoring the player and have scouted him regularly. However, Manchester United are actively exploring a move for the player.

It will be interesting to see if Brentford is willing to sanction his departure. They paid a club record fee of £23 million to sign the player in 2023, and they will look to make a substantial profit if a big club comes calling. The report claims that at least £55 million may be required to get the deal done.

Manchester United have the financial muscle to pay up for him, and they should be in a position to get the deal done, especially if they secure Champions League qualification for the upcoming campaign. They need to improve defensively if they want to fight for major trophies.

Also, Harry Maguire is in the twilight stages of his career, and they need to plan his succession. They need a quality defender with leadership skills. Collins could be the ideal addition for them.

The defender could be attracted to the idea of joining one of the biggest clubs in the world. He has proven himself at Brentford, and this is the right time for him to take on a bigger challenge. It remains to be seen how the situation develops.

The post Man Utd accelerate move to land £55m-rated Premier League captain appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Arsenal and Manchester City are interested in signing the Barcelona defender Pau Cubarsi.

The young defender is highly rated across Europe, and Barcelona have no plans to let him leave. He has a €500 million release clause in his contract, and Barcelona are under no pressure to sanction his departure.

According to reports from Spain, the player’s market value is €80 million, and he has a long-term contract with the Spanish club until 2029. Arsenal and Manchester City are very keen on him, and they are preparing financial strategies to tempt the player’s representatives. It will be interesting to see if they can offer him a lucrative contract and force him to consider an exit.

Arsenal already have the best defensive unit in the Premier League, and it seems that they are looking to improve further. There is no doubt that Cubarsi would be a super long-term acquisition. He has all the attributes to develop into a world-class player in the future. Meanwhile, Manchester City are looking to bring an upgrade on Nathan Ake.

It will be interesting to see which of the two clubs comes forward with an official proposal. They have the resources to pay €80 million for him, but it seems unlikely that Barcelona will sanction his departure. They are looking to build a formidable team for the future, and losing one of their best young players would be a major blow. It would send the wrong message about their ambitions as well.

The Spanish champions are likely to keep hold of the young defender beyond this summer. Arsenal and Manchester City might have to move on to other targets.

The post Arsenal and Man City cooking up plan to lure La Liga gem with a €500m release clause appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario has been ruled out of the upcoming matches and is set to undergo hernia surgery. 

Gianluca Di Marzio has confirmed that the player will be sidelined for several weeks, and his season might have ended prematurely. The Italian journalist claims that the blow has come at the worst possible time for Tottenham, who are fighting for their survival in the top flight. They will be without their best goalkeeper for the remaining matches of the season.

Antonin Kinsky put on a horror show recently when he was handed an opportunity in the UEFA Champions League. But Tottenham will have to rely on him in the coming matches now. It will be interesting to see if the young goalkeeper can bounce back strongly and help his team secure survival in the top flight.

Meanwhile, the injury below could prove to be costly for the player as well. It will hamper his World Cup preparations, and it remains to be seen whether he can return to action quickly.

It has been a disastrous season for Tottenham, and they will be desperate to survive. A club of their stature should have been fighting for European football and domestic trophies. Instead, they find themselves scrapping for a place in the Premier League next season. Losing an important player at this stage of the season could prove to be devastating for them. They have already had more than their fair share of injury problems this season.

Vicario has had his fair share of criticism, but the Italian remains the most reliable keeper at the club. His injury will certainly affect Tottenham in the remaining matches of the season.

The post Tottenham season takes a turn after Di Marzio update which will be crucial in relegation battle appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Verdict: Home win Best odds: 5/4 Bookmaker: Luckster Fresh from recording a first, if largely symbolic, victory under Igor Tudor, Tottenham Hotspur return to Premier League duty on Sunday still searching for their maiden league win of 2026 as they welcome relegation rivals Nottingham Forest. With just one place and one point separating the two […]

The post Prediction: Tottenham Hotspur vs Nottingham Forest appeared first on Soccer News.

The post Prediction: Tottenham Hotspur vs Nottingham Forest appeared first on Soccer News.

Pep Guardiola confirmed James Trafford will start in goal for Manchester City in the EFL Cup final against Arsenal as he is “beyond” happy with how the goalkeeper has been playing. Trafford moved back to City in July from Burnley but quickly slipped down the pecking order following the arrival of Gianluigi Donnarumma a month […]

The post Trafford gets nod for EFL Cup final start from ´beyond´ happy Guardiola appeared first on Soccer News.

The post Trafford gets nod for EFL Cup final start from ´beyond´ happy Guardiola appeared first on Soccer News.

Olympic gold medal-winning boxer Lin Yu-ting of Taiwan has been cleared to return to competition at the Asian Boxing Championships following a review of her sex eligibility.

World Boxing, the sport's Olympic-level governing body, announced its decision Friday ahead of the Asian championships, which begin March 29 in Mongolia.

Lin and Imane Khelif of Algeria won gold medals at the 2024 Paris Olympics amid international scrutiny and misconceptions over both boxers' sex. While both met the eligibility rules followed at the time by the IOC, which ran the Paris tournament, the two fighters' success sparked a politically charged debate over those standards.

World Boxing took over as the sport's governing body last year, and it implemented a sex eligibility policy last August requiring all fighters to take a one-time genetic test designed to identify the presence of a Y chromosome.

Lin has been absent from several international competitions since World Boxing introduced the test last summer. World Boxing didn't specify the results of Lin's test, but said in a statement that the Chinese Taipei Boxing Association had mounted an appeal process for one of its boxers following a test last year.

“We recognize that this has been a difficult period for the boxer and the CTBA and appreciate the way they have approached the appeal process and their acknowledgement of World Boxing’s requirement to ensure that its eligibility policy, which is designed to deliver safety and sporting integrity, has been correctly implemented and followed,” World Boxing secretary general Tom Dielen said in a statement.

Khelif also has not competed in World Boxing-sanctioned events since the implementation of the test, but has periodically indicated she would like to return to the Olympic-level sport. Khelif also plans to make her professional boxing debut in April, but pro fighters are now allowed to compete in the Olympics.

Chromosome testing was common in Olympic sports during the 20th century, but was largely abandoned in the 1990s because of numerous ambiguities that couldn’t be easily resolved by the tests, collectively known as differences in sex development.

Along with its appeal process, World Boxing said it offers additional analysis and evaluation for athletes with Y chromosome genetic material who wish to compete in the women’s categories, including genetic screening, hormonal profiles, anatomical examination and further evaluation of endocrine profiles by medical specialists.

___

AP boxing: https://apnews.com/boxing

NEW YORK (AP) — Baseball is changing at a dizzying speed in 2026 with the arrival of robot umpires, the return home of the Tampa Bay Rays and an alphabet soup of networks televising games in perhaps the last season before a labor shutdown.

Much has transpired in the 4 1/2 months since the Los Angeles Dodgers rallied in World Series Game 7 to beat Toronto in 11 innings and become the first repeat champion since the 1998-2000 New York Yankees.

There was the usual free agent musical chairs that saw Kyle Tucker wind up with the Dodgers, Bo Bichette with the New York Mets, Alex Bregman with the Chicago Cubs and Pete Alonso with the Baltimore Orioles.

Venezuela became a first-time champion of a World Baseball Classic with record attendance and television viewers.

But looming above the usual excitement for opening day on Wednesday is the possibility of no games in a year.

Tony Clark was forced to resign as players' association head and replaced by Bruce Meyer as talk intensified about a possible management salary cap proposal the players' association vows to fight. Major League Baseball is likely to lock out players on Dec. 2, leaving 2027 in limbo.

Cy Young Award winners Paul Skenes and Tarik Skubal are on the eight-man executive subcommittee that directs collective bargaining.

“We need people that are invested and kind of have status among players and within the game to go into the negotiations and be comfortable going toe to toe with the owners,” Skenes said. “It's not something that I sought out. Some guys nominated me for the position and that’s not something you say no to.”

Send in the robots

Following testing that started in the minor leagues in 2019, MLB decided last September to use the Automated Ball-Strike System in the regular season.

While human umps call every pitch, each team has the ability to challenge two calls per game, retaining the challenge if successful, and have the possibility of at least one more in each extra inning.

“You want get the egregiously wrong calls fixed and you want make sure you get it right in a big spot,” three-time Cy Young Award winner Justin Verlander said.

ABS won't be used for a two-game series between Arizona and San Diego in Mexico City on April 25-26, for the Philadelphia-Minnesota game at the Field of Dreams in Dyersville, Iowa, on Aug. 13 or the Atlanta-Milwaukee matchup in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, on Aug. 23.

Finding where a game is televised is more complicated than ever.

Regular-season national broadcasts are split among Fox/FS1, TBS, ESPN, NBC/Peacock, AppleTV and Netflix. NBC's networks take over the Wild Card Series from ABC/ESPN.

In addition, MLB will produce and distribute the local telecasts of 14 teams following the financial problems of Main Street Sports Group, which operates the regional FanDuel Sports Network stations.

When the New York Yankees play the MLB season opener at the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday, the game will be exclusively on Netflix.

Dodgers go for three-peat

After becoming the first team to win consecutive championships since the 1998-2000 Yankees, the Dodgers try to become just the fifth group to win three in a row, joining those Yankees, five by the 1949-53 Yankees, four by the 1936-39 Yankees and three by the 1972-74 Oakland Athletics.

“When you're a Dodger, people want to take us down. They want to beat us,” manager Dave Roberts told players in his spring training speech. “It's a Game 7. So I think that we've got to look ahead and say that this is going to be harder than it's ever been and we got to work even harder. And so my ask as a team, as an organization is to push ourselves even more. We already got the talent. There isn't any more talent in a major league clubhouse than in this room.”

Coming off his fourth unanimous MVP award, Shohei Ohtani is expected to be a two-way player over a full season. He returned to the mound last June 16 following his second major elbow surgery on Sept. 19, 2023.

Back at the Trop

Tampa Bay returns to Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg after a season playing home games across the bay at Steinbrenner Field, the spring training home of the Yankees.

Damage to the Trop caused by Hurricane Milton in October 2024 has been repaired. The Rays were 41-40 at Steinbrenner last year, their lowest home winning percentage since 2016. They drew 786,750 for an average of 9,713, selling out 61 games.

“There is genuine, authentic excitement to get back to the Trop,” manager Kevin Cash said. “We've played well in the Trop. We’ve had a lot of success in the Trop. And I think we’re going back to something that’s probably going to be a little bit newer, a little better than maybe as we left it because they had to do so many repairs.”

Milestone watch

Four players could reach 400 career home runs this year.

Manny Machado starts the season at 369, followed by Freddie Freeman at 368, Aaron Judge at 367 and Bryce Harper at 363.

___

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

The Deshaun Watson contract situation within the Cleveland Browns organization sums up a team still looking for its franchise QB after almost 30 years. It should be studied really.

It's not like the Browns could see into the future with Watson, but the financial strain his contract has put on the organization is like an unbreakable chokehold. Watson will be owed upwards of $45 million for the 2026 NFL season and for other seasons in which he may never take a snap.

On the latest episode of the Orange and Brown Talk Podcast, host Dan Labbe and Browns beat reporters Mary Kay Cabot and Ashley Bastock discussed the haunting dilemma.

“And that is the fact that they are still cap-strapped because of all the dead money that they have for some of their veteran players that are no longer here,” she said. “And then the Deshaun Watson contract, I mean, that contract is still counting, I think it’s $46 million against the cap this year. It’s in the mid-40s, and that is a big chunk of change for a player who might not even start for you this season.”

The cap space could easily go to other free agents to bolster the roster, but the money owed to Watson sits in limbo and is immovable, to the point that it is laughable at best.

Dan Labbe would go on to say, “Deshaun Watson is counting $40-some million against the cap this year, $44, almost $45 million dollars against the cap. And you don’t even know if he’s going to start for you. You don’t even know if he’s going to play a snap for you,” he said.

Using up cap space for zero production has become the norm for the Cleveland Browns, especially at the quarterback position. The reality of it is, the cap situation will not go away for at least two seasons, and the Browns are stuck between a rock and a hard place, held hostage by the whole situation.

This article originally appeared on Touchdown Wire: The ugly financials & haunting contract of Browns' Deshaun Watson

Guenther Steiner has shot down claims that Kimi Antonelli could fight for the Formula 1 drivers' championship in 2026.

After two rounds of the 2026 season, the Italian driver sits second in the standings behind his Mercedes team-mate George Russell. Antonelli secured his maiden F1 victory at the Chinese Grand Prix, leading many to argue that the 19-year-old could fight for the championship this year.

While Steiner agreed that the milestone moment would have given Antonelli "a lot of confidence", he argued that under normal circumstances, he would struggle to beat Russell. During qualifying for the Chinese Grand Prix, the Briton ran into issues. 

"Definitely damage limitation," Russell said after securing P2 on the starting grid. "In Q2 the front wing broke – we were wrapping our heads around that – and then obviously went out in Q3 on track, the car wasn’t restarting, couldn’t change gear."

Steiner said of Antonelli's victory on The Red Flags Podcast: "I think it gives him a lot of confidence because there was an opportunity for him, because under normal circumstances, at the moment, to beat George it's very difficult.

"And I think he's aware of it, not because he's a better driver - George has got a lot more experience. He's doing this a lot younger and is very quick as well, but as soon as George couldn't [maximise] qualifying, he took the opportunity and kept it.

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

"He didn't make a mistake. He sees that and says, 'Actually, I can do this', and that will help him going forward. He didn't do anything wrong. It would be easy to do something wrong when you are in that position. He kept his cool."

When asked if Antonelli could fight Russell for the championship, the former Haas team principal added, "No. If something special happens, like it happened in China in qualifying. And the good thing is he took it there, but under normal circumstances... I think it is also understandable why not.

"The kid is 19 years old, second year in Formula 1, and George is a good race car driver. So I don't think he can do it this year, but there are other opportunities for Kimi. If he doesn't win it this year, he can win it another time because he's so young. For me, he doesn't have to put too much pressure on himself to win it this year. He has got a good future in front of him."

To read more Motorsport.com articles visit our website.

The Houston Astros (10-12-3) host the Miami Marlins (8-12-3) in Grapefruit League play.

RHP Hunter Brown (0-0) will make his fourth start in an official Spring game tonight as he takes on Marlins RHP Eury Perez (0-1).

BROTHER BROWN: In his three previous official Spring starts, RHP Hunter Brown has allowed one run and just two hits in 8.2 innings of work for a 1.04 ERA. Earlier in Spring Training, Astros Manager Joe Espada announced that Brown will be the Astros Opening Day starter on March 26 vs. LAA.

Brown was a 2025 All-Star and finished third in the AL in Cy Young voting after turning in the best season of his career with a 12-9 record and a 2.43 ERA (50ER/185.1IP). Among AL starters, he ranked first in opponent SLG (.318) and second in ERA (2.43). He was named the AL Pitcher of the Month for June after going 1-0 with a 1.19 ERA (4ER/30.1IP) in five starts.

TONIGHT’S POTENTIAL RELIEVERS: LHP Bryan King, RHP Bryan Abreu, RHP Christian Roa, RHP Enyel De Los Santos, RHP Logan VanWey, RHP Amicar Chirinos, RHP Alex Santos.

VS. THE FISH: Tonight is the sixth and final matchup between the Astros and Marlins this Spring. HOU is 4-1 thus far vs. MIA.

The Astros prospects also defeated MIA in yesterday’s Breakout Game, 7-6.

In the regular season, MIA will vist the Astros for a three-game series at Daikin Park, July 20-22.

PITCHING IN: The Astros have posted a 3.33 Team ERA (80ER/216.1IP) this Spring, which ranks second in the Majors.

TRIUMPHANT RETURN: Astros bench coach Omar Lopez rejoined the club yesterday afternoon, fresh off of managing Team Venezuela to its first WBC championship.

Game Info

Game Date/Time: Friday, March 20, 5:05 p.m. CST

Location: CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches, West Palm Beach, FL

TV: none

Streaming: HOU video livestream at astros.com

Radio: KBME 790 AM/94.5 FM HD-2

For the No. 2 Texas Longhorns, the adversity that head coach Jim Schlossnagle always expects has arrived, and more looms in SEC play as the Horns head to the Plains to face off against the No. 5 Auburn Tigers at Plainsman Park in the team’s first road weekend series of the season.

It started last Friday when Texas blew a four-run lead in the ninth inning against Ole Miss, ending the 16-game winning streak to open the 2026 campaign and causing the demise of Schlossnagle’s winning streak mustache, and raising questions about the late-inning effectiveness of junior right-hander Thomas Burns and graduate left-hander Cal Higgins.

The adversity was compounded by freshman right-hander Michael Winter’s lack of availability due to sickness — a status that remains unchanged for the Auburn series — forcing pitching coach Max Weiner to move midweek starter Sam Cozart, the team’s burly breakout freshman, into the weekend bullpen.

That move left Texas without its effective Tuesday starter and contributed to a decisive four-run fourth inning in an embarrassing 6-1 midweek loss to Tarleton State in which the bats went silent for Schlossnagle’s team, which struck out 12 times and only recorded two hits.

“Tarleton beat us in every phase of the game,” Schlossnagle said after the loss. “Doesn’t matter who you are, doesn’t matter the name on your jersey. The difference in this sport is you have to go play the game, you have to throw strikes, you have to be competitive at the plate, and when you don’t do that, you’re going to lose. Period.”

Now Texas has to refocus for the biggest challenge of the season so far — facing off against a team that reminds Schlossnagle of the Longhorns and some of the other top teams he’s coached in Fort Worth and College Station at one of the best ballparks in the country.

“The weather’s supposed to be great. The ballpark and the campus are absolutely gorgeous, and I’m sure it’ll be packed, and, yeah, we’ll be ready,” Schlossnagle said. “It’s exciting. It’s exciting to get this opportunity to go down
there and play Auburn.“

Beyond dealing with a hostile environment expected to be at or above the capacity of 6,300, Plainsman Park provides some challenges with a 37-foot high fence in left field called the “War Eagle Wall” and a big cutout behind it that makes outfield defense challenging for the left fielder and center fielder.

It’s also a rare game on a grass field for the Longhorns, prompting Schlossnagle to take his infielders up to Dell Diamond in Round Rock on Wednesday for 30 minutes of fielding practice.

The biggest challenge, however, will come from an Auburn pitching staff that boasts a 2.26 ERA, second nationally. On Friday, Texas will face sophomore left-hander Jake Marciano (3-0, 0.93), a Virginia Tech transfer who is breakout star for the Tigers after posting a 6.08 ERA last season in Blacksburg.

“He throws a boatload of strikes with multiple pitches. He’s got a really kind of loose body, loose arm. So even though the fastball, it’s not like some you know, super high-velocity fastball, it gets on you, and it’s relentless strikes, and he manages the run game,” Schlossnagle said.

Behind the strong pitching, Auburn is hot right now — the Tigers have won 11 consecutive games, outscoring opponents 98-19 during the winning streak by batting .320 to go along with a 1.34 ERA on the mound. In fact, starting pitchers for head coach Butch Thompson haven’t given up more than one earned run in 10 straight games, turning in a 0.61 ERA during that stretch.

“We could go down there and do well, and that doesn’t define our season,” Schlossnagle said. “We could go down there and get our rear ends handed to us, and that doesn’t define our season either. So it’s just life in the SEC, and you just have to wear it and go do it and move on, no matter which way it goes.”

In a preview of some future weekend series, first pitch on Friday and Saturday are at 6 p.m. Central with Sunday’s game set to start at 2 p.m. Central. All three games air on SEC Network+.

The Oklahoma City Thunder will not be making the customary visit to the White House to celebrate their 2025 NBA Championship, a team spokesperson told The Athletic on Friday. In a statement to The Athletic, the team cited “timing issues” as a reason for not holding the visit.

“We have been in touch with the White House and we are appreciative and grateful for the communication we have had, but the timing just didn’t work out,” the team told The Athletic.

The Thunder defeated the Indiana Pacers in Game 7 of the NBA Finals last June to secure the championship. The title was the team’s first since the franchise moved from Seattle in 2007.

This story will be updated.

A great result against Burton Albion has put Reading into the playoffs for the first time this year! Kamari Doyle’s banger cancelled out George Evans’ wonder goal and then Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan got the winner in the 88th minute, sending Reading into the top six.

The performance itself was actually a poor one. Comparing it to games we have lost this season, we probably didn’t deserve to win this one.

But now comes the most important match of the season. A win for either side, for me, decides who gets into the playoffs.

Stevenage lost 1-0 to Plymouth Argyle in midweek, meaning the race for the playoff places goes down to 10th spot, with the gap between 10th (Plymouth) and fifth (Stockport County) being only three points. Everything is tight and the Royals need a win in this one to solidify that they are in the fight to go up. 

The head-to-head between the sides is in Reading’s favour, with the Royals winning five, drawing three and losing two in. The last encounter was a 1-0 win, with Charlie Savage getting the goal in the fourth minute and nothing else really happening.

In this preview I will give predictions for the next five fixtures, which will be crucial in the playoff fight, and I will give my predictions for this game.

What? League One matchday 39 

Season? 2025/26

Who? Stevenage 

Where? Stevenage FC Stadium 

When? Saturday March 21 

Time? 15:00 

Opposition manager? Alex Revell

The next five games

Reading’s next five fixtures are: 

• Stevenage (A)
• Wigan Athletic (H) – although this match falls on an international weekend so could be moved
• Huddersfield Town (A)
• Lincoln City (H)
• Doncaster Rovers (A)

I think the Royals will pick up eight points in these matches. I don’t know if this is going to be enough. 

The Royals will pick up a point against Stevenage, a win against Wigan, a draw against Huddersfield, a loss against Lincoln and a win against Doncaster.

These are five tough games, but with the news of Daniel Kyerewaa being back in training, we may even get more points than I think.

He will be a crucial part of the charge.

My predictions

Joel Pereira will start in goal. 

Andy Yiadom, Paudie O’Connor, Benn Ward and Jeriel Dorsett will be the defence. 

Lewis Wing, Charlie Savage and Kamari Doyle will be the midfield. 

Will Keane, Paddy Lane and Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan will be the attack.

Score prediction: 1-1 

Good luck to those going to the game! 

Come on you Royals!

Iowa State star Joshua Jefferson was helped off the court straight to the Cyclones’ locker room less than three minutes into No. 2 ISU’s first-round game against No. 15 Tennessee State on Friday.

Jefferson went down after making a layup when he turned his left ankle severely as soon as he landed. He immediately writhed in pain when he hit the floor and stayed there before he was tended to by Iowa State’s training staff.

As Jefferson was helped to his feet, he was unable to put any weight on his left ankle as he left the court. Per the CBS broadcast, Jefferson was immediately taken in for X-rays. 

The senior forward was an all-Big 12 performer this season as Iowa State was one of the pre-tournament favorites to win the national title. Jefferson is averaging 17 points, 7.6 rebounds and nearly five assists a game this season and has two triple-doubles. He’s considered a possible second-round NBA Draft prospect.

Conor McGregor’s path back to the UFC has cleared up a bit.

The former two-division champion hasn’t been in the octagon since he broke his leg during his trilogy fight with Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 in July 2021.

McGregor’s failed comeback attempt against Michael Chandler last year sparked new rumours about a return, but nothing materialised.

But a return seemed off the table when he received a suspension, ruling him out until well into 2026.

Conor McGregor now eligible after completing 18-month UFC anti-doping suspension

McGregor was handed an 18-month ban for violating the UFC’s anti-doping policy.

‘The Notorious’ missed three scheduled drug tests in 2024. According to a statement published on UFC.com, McGregor failed to provide biological samples on June 13, September 19, and September 20.

A toe injury forced McGregor to withdraw from his UFC 303 bout with Michael Chandler just a day before the first missed test.

McGregor took responsibility for the violations and received an 18-month suspension, backdated to the date of his third missed test.

The suspension has now expired, making McGregor eligible to compete again as of Friday, March 20, 2026.

Conor McGregor expected to return in Las Vegas after missing White House card

McGregor had been hoping to make his comeback on the White House lawn this June, but that won’t be happening.

The full UFC White House card was released earlier this month, with both McGregor and Jon Jones left out of the lineup.

Before the official announcement, ‘The Notorious’ had already indicated he’d been passed over, suggesting the UFC preferred to hold his return for a bigger arena event where they could maximise revenue.

With that in mind, attention has shifted toward International Fight Week in Las Vegas later this year. It looks increasingly likely that’s where he’ll finally step back into the Octagon.

Read more:

Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson has withdrawn from the Brazil squad because of an injury and will miss Saturday's Premier League match against Brighton.

The 33-year-old has not travelled with the Reds squad to face Brighton at Amex Stadium (12:30 GMT), with Giorgi Mamardashvili expected to start in goal.

Liverpool have not revealed the exact nature of Alisson's injury and boss Arne Slot did not mention any concerns over the Brazilian's fitness in his pre-match press conference.

Hugo Souza has been called up by Brazil boss Carlo Ancelotti to replace Alisson for their friendlies against France and Croatia in the United States on 26 and 1 April respectively.

• Alisson injury not 'a big thing' despite missing Galatasaray

Alisson missed Liverpool's Champions League last-16 first leg defeat at Galatasaray on 10 March with what was described as a "minor" issue, with Mamardashvili standing in.

But he returned for Sunday's draw against Tottenham and the 4-0 victory over Galatasaray in the second leg on Wednesday.

He previously missed eight Liverpool matches across October and November because of a hamstring injury.

Mamardashvili has featured 12 times for Liverpool in all competitions this season.

Liverpool are fifth in the Premier League table, looking to secure Champions League qualification for next season, while Brighton are 12th.

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Real Madrid have some major decisions to make heading into the summer transfer window with regard to the future of several players.

David Alaba, for one, appears destined for an exit when his contract expires at the end of the season. Two more veteran defenders find themselves in similar situations – Antonio Rudiger and Dani Carvajal.

Both players are held in the highest regard at Real Madrid are leaders in the locker room and the pitch. But there is still no clarity about whether they will be at the club beyond this season.

Offers arriving for Carvajal

And, according to Matteo Moretto on Radio MARCA, Carvajal already has plenty of offers from clubs outside Europe in case he opts to leave Real Madrid at the end of the season.

The 34-year-old club captain will study and consider all proposals on the table before making a final decision on his future in the coming months.

The ongoing campaign has been one riddled with injury problems for Carvajal, restricting him to only 17 appearances across all competitions.

What does the future hold for Carvajal? (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)

While he has been back fit and available since the start of 2026, game-time has come at a premium for the club captain as Alvaro Arbeloa has preferred to start the likes of Trent Alexander-Arnold and Federico Valverde over him.

And, with the likes of David Jimenez and Jesus Fortea waiting in the wings for their opportunity, there could be a possibility that Carvajal decides to move on from Real Madrid in the summer.

The Spaniard, who was not called up by Luis de la Fuente for La Roja’s upcoming friendlies, has previously made it clear that if he left Real Madrid, he would prefer to move to a team outside Europe.

Naturally, the Middle East becomes an option for the veteran right-back while the MLS in the US will also be a viable avenue. For now, he has offers from outside Europe and he will take time and consider them before making a decision.

Lerone Murphy and Movsar Evloev engaged in cold staredown as the pair faced off before their UFC London featherweight bout at the O2 Arena on Saturday.

Manchester fighter Murphy was warmly applauded by fans as he took to the stage, while Russia's Evloev was booed before the pair went eye-to-eye in a tense face-off.

The fight has both athletes putting their undefeated records on the line with Murphy, 34, undefeated in 18 bouts and Evloev winning all 19 of his.

"Ready for a war, ready to kill. That's it - simple," said Murphy, before he calmly walked off stage.

Evloev, 32, cut a cool and collected figure, as he has throughout fight week, before replying: "He's not ready for a war - I'll show it tomorrow."

In perhaps a statement of intent, Murphy was first on the scales out of every fighter on the card during the morning's official weigh-ins, clocking 145lb (10st 3lb), with Evloev weighing one pound heavier.

Murphy was not serenaded by fans like British UFC London stars such as Tom Aspinall and Paddy Pimblett who have fought in previous years, but it allowed him to maintain his focus as he shadowboxed while waiting for Evloev's arrival.

The fight between Murphy and Evloev will help determine the next challenger for Alexander Volkanovski's featherweight title, though it has not been branded a number one contender fight by the UFC.

Murphy is third in the UFC's featherweight rankings with Evloev first, but sixth-ranked Jean Silva has suggested he may also jump the queue to fight Volkanovski.

Murphy's last fight ended in spectacular fashion with the Mancunian knocking out Aaron Pico with a spinning elbow to thrust himself into title contention.

But instead the UFC matched Volkanovski with second-ranked Diego Lopes who the champion had beaten 10 months prior - a move which Murphy says "woke me up to a lot of things".

Murphy's time has deservedly come - analysis

It has taken a long time for Murphy to command the spotlight in British mixed martial arts (MMA) - seven years and 10 unbeaten fights in the UFC to be exact - but his time has deservedly come.

Murphy does not have the finishing ability of someone like Aspinall, or the charisma of Pimblett, but what he does have is a record that trumps both Britons.

During his 10-year, 18-fight career, Murphy has never been defeated - a run in which he has built the current longest win streak in the UFC at featherweight, with nine victories.

For fans of the sport, it is a story which may sound familiar, with fellow Briton Leon Edwards quietly working his way towards a UFC welterweight title shot.

Murphy only needs to look at Edwards, who won the belt in spectacular fashion before defending it twice, to see what can be achieved if given the opportunity to fight for the championship.

Murphy has said if he keeps winning he cannot be denied, and a convincing win over Evloev will surely convince the UFC he deserves his shot at gold.

Evloev is likely to pose the toughest test of Murphy's career to date, but if he can defend the Russian's takedowns and keep the bout a striking contest, he has every chance of walking out of the O2 Arena as the new number one contender.

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The Jacksonville Jaguars have faced a tight salary cap situation all offseason, and there is a very specific reason for that.

Even after a quiet free agency, Jacksonville still has just $5.98 million in salary cap space. Only five teams have fewer.

So, where has all of the Jaguars' cap space gone? Well, a large portion of it is devoted to dead cap.

In short, dead money is dollars that have been paid to a player but haven't yet been accounted for against the salary cap. Just because a player is released or traded, some of those cap charges still have to hit the books.

According to Over the Cap, of the $301.2 million in salary cap dollars that could be spent by the Jaguars this season, $53.34 of that is in the form of dead cap and can't be utilized. That is the seventh-most in the NFL.

The reason that the Jaguars' dead cap total is so high is because of all the roster turnover that took place last season under GM James Gladstone in his first year at the helm.

Financially, the Jaguars will be absorbing a lot of those previous roster decisions in 2026, but those deals will then be off the books going into 2027.

Jacksonville Jaguars' dead money on 2026 salary cap

• CB Tyson Campbell: $19.5M
• WR Gabe Davis: $14.6M
• CB Greg Newsome: $7.05M
• S Darnell Savage: $6.2M
• WR Dyami Brown: $1.92M
• IDL Khalen Saunders: $1.86M
• TE Johnny Mundt: $500,000
• OL Javon Foster: $398,532
• IDL Jordan Jefferson: $391,538
• RB Tank Bigsby: $230,530
• IDL Tyler Lacy: $171,780
• CB Deantre Prince: $166,114
• RB Keilan Robinson: $140,978

Gladstone recently discussed the reason behind the Jaguars' quiet approach to free agency, highlighting the team wanting to preserve the 2027 compensatory picks they are projected to land. However, the Jaguars' limited spending power is likely a factor as well.

This article originally appeared on Jaguars Wire: Jaguars near top in salary cap category teams don't want to be a part of

It happens to everyone -- from amateurs to experts and everyone in between -- in every fantasy sport you play: You reach the late rounds, you're on the clock and suddenly, you have to search around for a few players to queue up, but you don’t see names you like.

So you start to panic and worry that you’re going to end up missing a deep sleeper that someone else will take.

MORE FANTASY BASEBALL SLEEPERS: 12 sleepers to target in 2026

Fear not. That’s what this list is here for. We did this last year, and I can say: Brandon Woodruff and Nick Londolo were on there (just ignore the other picks, OK?)

SP Kodai Senga, New York Mets

He was so far from healthy last year. But he's the same pitcher who had a 2.98 ERA in 2023 and who looks good in spring training. That's worth a look with your last pick.

INF/OF Jose Caballero, New York Yankees

He's going to get a bunch of playing time as Anthony Volpe recovers from shoulder surgery. On top of that, he stole 49 bases last year. Cheap speed is valuable!

OF Mickey Moniak, Colorado Rockies

Is there "playing in Colorado" bias? Sure is. What's wrong with that, especially when he hit .270 and blasted 24 home runs?

OF Justin Crawford, Philadelphia Phillies

Carl Crawford's kid stole 46 bases in the minors last year. Remember what I said about cheap speed?

1B Coby Mayo, Baltimore Orioles

I'll buy his spring performance in that lineup and see if he can make it work in the regular season.

3B Jordan Lawlar, Arizona Diamondbacks

Sometimes, it takes a bit of time for a top prospect to find his place. He could end up in the outfield, but bet on the talent here.

2B/3B Caleb Durbin, Boston Red Sox

I just love taking players who can notch double-digit HRs and steals late in drafts.

This article originally appeared on For The Win: Fantasy baseball sleepers to target in last round of 2026 drafts

Celtics' Jaylen Brown Moves One Spot Up NBA's MVP Ladder originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Jaylen Brown may be running out of time to gain ground in the NBA's MVP race.

Brown has garnered some MVP buzz by leading the Boston Celtics to a 46-23 record with 28.5 points per game. However, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is surging ahead as a heavy favorite to defend his crown.

NBA.com's Shaun Powell dropped Brown from fifth to seventh in last week's Kia MVP Ladder. Brown at least inched closer to the top five in Friday's update, moving back ahead of Donovan Mitchell at No. 6.

Gilgeous-Alexander maintained the top spot after setting an NBA record by scoring at least 20 points in his 127th straight game during last week's 104-102 win over the Celtics. Luka Doncic jumped two spots to No. 2 after recording 60 points on Thursday in the Los Angeles Lakers' eighth straight victory.

Western Conference big men Victor Wembanyama and Nikola Jokic each slipped one spot to third and fourth, respectively. Cade Cunningham remained at No. 5, but the Detroit Pistons star could miss the 65-game eligibility requirement after suffering a collapsed lung.

That may allow Brown to finish the season as the Eastern Conference's top MVP candidate. Still, he may not catch up to SGA and Co. over the closing weeks.

Wednesday night's rematch with Oklahoma City is among Boston's 13 remaining regular-season games. The Celtics will first play the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday night and host the Minnesota Timberwolves on NBC's "Sunday Night Basketball."

More Celtics: NBA Writer Claims Coaching Award Is 'Joe Mazzulla's To Lose'

MUNCIE, Ind. (AP) — Ball State named former SMU associate head coach Chris Capko as its head coach Friday, just two days after the Mustangs were eliminated in March Madness.

It's the first head coaching job for the 42-year-old Capko, who spent nearly two decades working his way through the ranks of college assistant. He replaces Michael Lewis, who was fired two weeks ago after four sub-par seasons with the Cardinals.

“Chris Capko is an exceptional basketball coach,” athletic director Jeff Mitchell said in a statement released by the athletic department. “His breadth of experience at the NCAA Division I level, combined with his elite recruiting acumen and expertise in player development, set him apart from an incredibly strong pool of candidates and made him the best coach to lead our program.”

Capko spent the past two seasons as SMU's top assistant to coach Andy Enfield and was widely regarded as one of the nation's best assistant coaches.

The Mustangs capped a 44-25 run over the last two seasons by earning their first NCAA Tournament at-large bid since 1993 while making their first tourney appearance since 2017.

SMU's season ended with Wednesday's 89-79 loss to Miami (Ohio) in a First Four game at Dayton, Ohio, on Wednesday.

Capko also worked on Enfield's staff the previous eight seasons at Southern California, the last three as associate head coach. His coaching career began as a graduate assistant at Marshall prior to his stops at Stetson, Georgia Southern and Florida International before joining Enfield at USC.

During his tenure with the Trojans, eight players made the NBA — the fourth highest total of any Division I school, trailing only Duke (20), Kentucky (19), Kansas (9) and Michigan (9).

He takes over the Cardinals immediately and outlined how he intends to overhaul the program in Muncie.

“We will build this program on a foundation of character, toughness and accountability — developing young men who represent this university the right way on and off the court," Capko said. "I’ve been fortunate to be part of building winning programs in my previous tenures, and will bring that same level of discipline, drive and competitive edge to Muncie. Our vision is clear: Build a program our community is proud of and compete for championships.”

A native of Lakeland, Florida, Capko started his college playing career at Florida under coach Billy Donovan, then transferred to South Florida where he played three seasons, was elected a team captain and was the school's nominee for Big East Student-Athlete of the Year in 2007. He finished fifth in the league in assists as a junior.

___

AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-mens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness

Mickey Callaway is back.

The former New York Mets manager and longtime MLB pitching coach was announced March 19 as the new manager of the Meridian Blues, a summer team for college baseball players based in Meridian, Mississippi.

MORE: Former Mets outfielder, 10-year MLB veteran, dies at 84

It is believed to be Callaway’s first coaching job in the United States since he was suspended for two seasons by MLB for harassing at least five women while employed by teams.

Callaway was fired from his job as the Los Angeles’ pitching coach when the suspension was announced in May 2021.

Callaway, 50, was the Cleveland Guardians’ pitching coach for five seasons (2013-17) before he was hired to manage the Mets prior to the 2018 season. His teams went 163-161 over two seasons before Callaway was fired in October 2019.

Callaway managed the Acereros de Monclova during the 2021-22 Mexican Winter League season and led the team to a championship. He stayed on to manage their summer league club, but was ultimately fired with a 16-17 record on May 30, 2022.

In 2023, Callaway was announced as the team’s pitching coach but didn’t finish the season with the Acereros organization.

Percy Bland, the mayor of Meridian, announced Callaway’s hiring in an Instagram post.

“It’s a new day in Meridian!” Bland wrote. “Today the Meridian Blues announced the new Manager for the team! Mickey Callaway was announced today by General Manager Larry Gill as the manager for our new Independent Summer Collegiate Baseball Team! Mickey has over 20 years MLB baseball experience and once served as the Manager of the New York Mets! He is about to begin the work of putting a great team for our city on the field beginning in May!”

While he was working for MLB teams, Callaway was credibly accused of pursuing “at least five women who work in sports media,” as detailed in a 2021 report by The Athletic.

Callaway was accused of “sending three of them inappropriate photographs and asking one of them to send nude photos in return. He sent them unsolicited electronic messages and regularly commented on their appearance in a manner that made them uncomfortable,” according to the report by Katie Strang and Britt Ghiroli.

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Aaron Donald didn’t just destroy opposing offenses. He wreaked havoc on the Los Angeles Rams’ own offense in practice.

Sean McVay even joked that Donald holding out was good for the Rams offense in 2017 and 2018 because he wasn’t wrecking their game plan snap in and snap out during training camp.

Rob Havenstein, who joined Donald in retirement this offseason, has some experience trying to block the all-world defensive lineman. He was asked on a podcast recently what it was like to go up against him in practice and he says “literally nobody blocked him.”

He even said that if you did luck into stopping Donald one play, you knew the next was not going to go well.

“Everyone always asks me – especially when it comes to Aaron – it’s like, ‘Hey, how’d you block Aaron in practice? What was that like?’” he said. “And I was like, ‘Nobody blocked him. Literally, nobody blocked him.’ If you happened to block him on a play, you were being like, ‘All right, coach. Time out real quick. I’m about to get put on my a--. Next play, it ain’t going to go good for me, so just throw the play somewhere else.’”

Rob Havenstein on who blocked AD in practice… “literally nobody blocked him” 😂🐐 pic.twitter.com/cSKe1mxMV1

— Rams Tapes 🇵🇷 (@RamsTapes) March 19, 2026

Donald is a surefire first-ballot Hall of Famer and one of the greatest players in NFL history, so it’s hardly surprising to hear Havenstein talk about him in such high regard. He lived in opposing backfields and couldn’t be stopped by the Rams’ own linemen.

The offensive line could take a breath when he went off the field because they knew that when he was out there, they were in for it.

This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Rob Havenstein says what it was like to face Aaron Donald in practice

Iowa State vs. Tennessee State box score: Full stats from 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament game originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Iowa State meets a tough No. 15-seeded opponent in Tennessee State on Friday. This marks the third Men's NCAA Tournament appearance for the Tigers (23-9), who have won six straight games, marking its longest win streak since winning seven straight in 2017-18. The Cyclones (27-7) have hovered in the Top 10 of the AP poll most of the season. 

ISU lost on a heartbreaker to the eventual Big 12 champion and No. 2-ranked Arizona on a buzzer-beater shot, 82-80. TSU was the No. 1 offensive team in the Ohio Valley Conference (80.5 points per game). Iowa State is ranked 12th nationally in scoring defense (65.1 ppg.)

Here is a look at the box score from Friday's first round Midwest Region game in St. Louis.

Iowa State vs. Tennessee State March Madness box score

Iowa State stats 

Tennessee State stats

More college basketball news:

• Darryn Peterson situation not alarming to NBA teams, ESPN insider says
• AJ Dybantsa makes college basketball history never done by NBA stars
• John Calipari says college athletics is broken — Here’s his plan to fix it
• March Madness upset predictions for 2026 NCAA men’s basketball bracket
• Where Arkansas Darius Acuff Jr. ranks among John Calipari's best NBA guards

Gresini rider Fermin Aldeguer is set to join VR46 for the start of MotoGP's 850cc era in 2027.

It emerged in the Goiania paddock that Aldeguer has negotiated a significantly improved contract with Ducati for next year, as part of a deal that will see him join Valentino Rossi’s team.
 
 It follows KTM and Alex Marquez reaching an agreement for the two-time world champion to replace Pedro Acosta in the Austrian marque's factory line-up next year.
 
Marquez and Aldeguer's anticipated departures will leave the Gresini squad, owned by Nadia Padovani, without riders for 2027 and, for the moment, without bikes, since the team founded by the late Fausto Gresini has not yet managed to close an agreement to remain a satellite Ducati team.

Motorsport.com understands that talks between Gresini and Ducati are still open, but the Bologna-based manufacturer's terms are far from the budget currently available to the Faenza-based team.

The unique aspect of 2027 is the implementation of new technical regulations featuring 850cc engines and new motorcycles, meaning that all riders racing Ducatis next year will be using the same machinery, which drives up the price.

In parallel, the championship promoter MotoGP Sports Entertainment Group (formerly Dorna) remains in open discussions with the MSMA (the manufacturers’ association) to renew the five-year contract between both parties that expires at the end of the year. That agreement will determine what amount each team will receive for participating in the world championship, and it will be then when Gresini will know exactly what money it has to negotiate with Ducati and sign riders.

Fermin Aldeguer, Gresini Racing

While that is happening, VR46 has moved ahead by securing a rider it has been pursuing since 2023, when it emerged that Luca Marini was going to leave his brother’s team to join Honda.

At that time, Ducati maneuvered to secure then-Moto2 rider Aldeguer, who signed for four years (two+two). The deal had an exit clause at the end of the second season, but he is not going to execute it, although he could have done so, having had offers to join factory teams.

According to what Motorsport.com has learned from the rider’s camp, the Spaniard has reached a full agreement with Ducati to complete the two remaining years of his contract until 2028, with a significant increase in  salary and bonuses.

“We have not yet signed the new contract, but we have shaken hands. Fermin will continue two more years with Ducati and the contract is with the factory, with material and treatment of a factory rider, receiving updates almost at the same time as the factory team riders, although we will race with VR46,” the sources confirmed.

VR46's Pablo Nieto commented that “the interest in having Fermin is great and has been known for some time, we believe he is a very interesting rider. Now it only remains t see who will be the second rider at VR46, a seat “that right now is very open” and for which the two current riders, Fabio Di Giannantonio and Franco Morbidelli, are candidates, but also “other young riders with potential.”

Alex Marquez targeting factory MotoGP seat at Yamaha and KTM

VR46 looking for mix of experience and youth in 2027 MotoGP line-up

To read more Motorsport.com articles visit our website.

Opening Day is around the corner, less than a week away. Every club, at least for now, is undefeated, their record unblemished, their highest hopes undashed.

But while no games have been played, not all 30 teams are created equal. Let’s do some ranking.

Jump to a team by clicking on the links below:

• AL East: Blue Jays | Yankees | Red Sox | Rays | Orioles

• AL Central: Guardians | Tigers | Royals | Twins | White Sox

• AL West: Mariners | Astros | Rangers | Athletics | Angels

• NL East: Phillies | Mets | Marlins | Braves | Nationals

• NL Central: Brewers | Cubs | Reds | Cardinals | Pirates

• NL West: Dodgers | Padres | Giants | Diamondbacks | Rockies

30. Colorado Rockies

The 2026 Rockies should be better than the 2025 Rockies, but the 2026 Rockies might still be worse than every other ballclub. Colorado’s disastrous season precipitated a long overdue front-office overhaul. That new direction won’t reorient the big-league team’s fortunes this season, but it’ll be interesting to see if there are any legitimate signs of improvement. Keep an eye on starting pitcher Chase Dollander, the most talented arm in the organization. If he takes steps forward, that’s a huge deal for Colorado and a positive harbinger.

29. Chicago White Sox

At least they have the pope on their side. Chicago had a fun offseason; Munetaka Murakami is exactly the type of high-risk, high-reward hitter bad teams should be targeting. Yet this is still a team years away from seriously contending. This season will be all about figuring out which position players have a chance to be on the next good White Sox club. Good thing there’s a lot of them to sift through.

28. Los Angeles Angels

What a pointless endeavor the Angels have become, the epitome of trying the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. New manager Kurt Suzuki is on a one-year deal, which doesn’t exactly inspire confidence in the project. Zach Neto is really, really good, but he might be the only player on this roster who is really, really good. Hopefully Mike Trout can stay healthy.

27. Washington Nationals 

This pitching staff could be historically bad, but look on the bright side: At least they have technology now! After years of living in the baseball stone ages, the new Nationals front office has embraced modern technology. The results might not show up immediately, but things do appear to be headed in the right direction. Offensively, this unit has a chance to be pretty good. James Wood is special, CJ Abrams is a borderline All-Star, and Dylan Crews and Brady House are talented youngsters with something to prove. The Nats won’t win the World Series, but there’s a new day dawning in D.C.

Draft your Yahoo Fantasy Baseball team for the 2026 MLB Season

26. Minnesota Twins

Minnesota traded away its entire bullpen (and Carlos Correa) at last year’s deadline in what appeared to be the embracing of a rebuild. But this winter, the Twins changed course, opting to hold on to pieces such as Pablo Lopez, Byron Buxton, Joe Ryan and Ryan Jeffers. The AL Central could be weak enough that Minnesota hangs around longer than people expect, and this roster definitely doesn’t suck, but it’s hard to see a team with such a lengthy injury history making a real run at October.

25. St. Louis Cardinals

The Cardinals did a ton of subtracting over the winter, parting ways with veterans Nolan Arenado, Sonny Gray, Willson Contreras and Brendan Donovan. New president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom clearly has a vision, but one that might take a few years to actualize at the big-league level. This pitching staff, as currently constructed, looks like a weak spot, but there are some interesting upper-level arms on the precipice of helping in St. Louis. Whether the Cards can finally unlock talented young bats such as Jordan Walker, Masyn Winn, Victor Scott II and Nolan Gorman will be the litmus test for their season.

24. Miami Marlins

The 2025 Marlins played over their heads a little bit. As fun as that team was, it’s tough to envision Miami pulling that off again without any massive additions. Owen Caissie, acquired from Chicago in the Edward Cabrera deal, should help right away, but he’s a boom-or-bust type who might need some time to adjust to the bigs. If Miami can simply match its win total from last season, that would be a huge success. Getting Sandy Alcantarra back on track has to be priority No. 1.

23. Tampa Bay Rays

It feels like this franchise is in a full holding pattern until a new stadium gets built. Junior Caminero is a superstar, but does Tampa Bay have anything with which to support him? Is there another 4.0-WAR position player anywhere in this organization? It doesn’t seem like it. Shortstop Carson Williams, a sparkling defender, could be that guy if he fixes his big swing-and-miss issues. Otherwise, it’s slim pickings. That said, the Rays’ rotation should be better than it was last year, especially if Shane McClanahan is truly back from his long injury detour.

22. Athletics

Do you like runs? Well, the A’s are about to score and surrender quite a few. This lineup is electrifying and has some of the best young hitters in the sport. A full season of Nick Kurtz should be exhilarating. This pitching staff, however, leaves much to be desired. Luis Severino looked great in the WBC but has yet to show that form in green and gold. An offseason impact starting pitching addition — say, Zac Gallen, Framber Valdez or Ranger Suarez — would’ve done wonders for this club.

21. Cincinnati Reds

Hunter Greene being out for the first few months of the season is a big, big deal. The Reds have a host of talented arms to weather the storm — keep an eye on Chase Burns — but Greene is pretty irreplaceable. On the offensive front, it’s all about Elly De La Cruz. The unicorn shortstop was squarely mediocre from a production standpoint last season. This team needs him to go super saiyan, establishing himself as an MVP contender, if it’s going to have a chance to return to October.

20. Texas Rangers

Texas had the lowest ERA in baseball last year, and it didn’t matter one bit. And that pitching unit, talented it might be, is due for some regression. For all the famous names in this lineup, Texas’ offense has been straight-up bad the past two seasons since winning the 2023 World Series. New manager Skip Schumaker is highly respected and should provide a jolt of energy, but the Rangers just need to hit.

19. Cleveland Guardians

A heroic, late-summer run handed Cleveland an improbable AL Central title last year, but this organization did very, very little over the winter to supplement a roster that was pretty mediocre for much of the season. The Guardians are counting on a handful of young hitters — Chase DeLauter, George Valera, Bo Naylor, CJ Kayfus, Travis Bazzana — to develop into impact players. Perhaps some of those names do break out, but it’s   hard to envision a Cleveland hitter not named José Ramirez making the 2026 All-Star team.

18. San Francisco Giants

How new manager Tony Vitello makes the leap from college to the pros will be one of the more fascinating storylines of the entire MLB season. How that manifests on the field, though, will be difficult to assess. The Giants simply might not have enough talent for any manager to lead them to the promised land. San Francisco's rotation looks particularly shallow, though perhaps an improved defensive unit and one of the more pitcher-friendly parks in the game will be enough.

Joseph Raines/Yahoo Sports

17. Arizona Diamondbacks

Arizona just needs to tread water for the first month of the season until ace Corbin Burnes returns from Tommy John surgery. This pitching staff doesn’t inspire oodles of confidence, but at least Arizona’s offense is good enough to win a bunch of 7-6 games. Corbin Carroll’s hamate surgery is a big storyline just because it typically takes guys some time to rediscover their power stroke after coming back from that injury.

16. Pittsburgh Pirates

A popular dark-horse pick right now, Pittsburgh is coming off one of the most punchless offensive team seasons in recent history. Thankfully, the Pirates have four new main characters taking the stage: three offseason additions (Ryan O’Hearn, Marcell Ozuna and Brandon Lowe) and one top-prospect phenom in Konnor Griffin. Whether or not Griffin makes the team out of camp, the 19-year-old supernova should be up for most of the season. It’s a lot of pressure to put on a literal teenager, but Paul Skenes and this strong pitching staff need all the help they can get.

15. San Diego Padres

Offensive starpower be damned, this roster scares the heck out of me. Despite the combo of Fernando Tatis Jr., Jackson Merrill, Manny Machado and Xander Bogaerts, the Padres finished third-to-last in baseball in home runs last year. Add a very top-heavy pitching rotation — Randy Vásquez, Germán Márquez and Walker Buehler are the 3, 4 and 5 starters — and this organization looks to be balancing on something of a tightrope.

14. Houston Astros

The much-predicted offseason trade never happened, which means the pieces on this roster still don’t all fit together. Jeremy Peña starting the year on the IL might simplify Houston’s defensive alignment coming out of the gate, but finding enough at-bats for all the veteran infielders might prove difficult. But none of that is as important as Yordan Alvarez’s health. The gargantuan slugger played in just 48 games last season, and the Astros still almost won the division. The future is not particularly bright in Houston — this farm system stinks — but the Astros still have enough talent to return to October.

13. Atlanta Braves

If the Braves stay healthy, they should be pretty good. Unfortunately, they’re already not healthy, with Sean Murphy, Spencer Schwellenbach and Hurston Waldrep starting the season on the injured list. Losing Jurickson Profar to another PED suspension doesn’t help, either. Can the top of this roster — Ronald Acuña Jr., Chris Sale, Austin Riley, Matt Olson and Spencer Strider — perform at a high enough level to make up for the injury woes and lack of depth?

12. Kansas City Royals

Speaking of a lack of depth, the Royals are shallower than a kiddie pool. Thankfully, the high-end talent here is pretty incredible. Bobby Witt Jr. is the third-best player in the world. Maikel Garcia and Vinnie Pasquantino should be All-Stars. Carter Jensen is a fun Rookie of the Year pick. A healthy Cole Ragans could be an X-factor. If Kansas City can dodge the injury bug, it’ll have a good shot at the AL Central crown.

11. Detroit Tigers

If this is Tarik Skubal’s final season in Detroit, well, let’s hope the Tigers go down swinging. Adding Framber Valdez to the rotation was a reassuring development, but this offense is still lacking a true difference-maker. Maybe that’s Kevin McGonigle, one of the top prospects in baseball, who could make the team out of spring training. If he hits the ground running, watch out.

10. Chicago Cubs

Swapping in Alex Bregman for Kyle Tucker is a vibes upgrade but a production downgrade. Where else can Chicago make up the difference? Maybe on the pitching front, where offseason trade acquisition Edward Cabrera enters the season with tons of hype. Which Pete Crow-Armstrong shows up — the first-half MVP candidate or the second-half struggler? — will play a huge role in dictating how this Cubs season turns out.

9. Milwaukee Brewers 

Can they really keep getting away with this? After leading MLB in wins, the Brewers dealt away their best pitcher (Freddy Peralta) and two every-day position players (Caleb Durbin, Isaac Collins). A full-bore breakout from youngster Jackson Chourio would counteract those losses. So, too, would a full, dominant season from Jacob Misiorowski. No team has more young talent than Milwaukee, so even though they seem like smoke and mirrors at times, the Brewers are a good choice to repeat as NL Central champs.

8. Baltimore Orioles

How did things get so ugly for the 2025 O’s? Bad starting pitching and position-player injuries. Baltimore solved the first problem by acquiring Chris Bassitt and Shane Baz to go alongside a back-from-injury Kyle Bradish and out-of-nowhere-breakout Trevor Rogers. The second problem is a little trickier. Adding Pete Alonso, one of the game’s most durable position players, will help a lot. But spring training injuries to Jackson Holliday and Jordan Westburg don’t exactly put the worrywarts at ease. In the end, however, the entire operation probably comes down to Adley Rutschman and Gunnar Henderson.

7. Boston Red Sox

The more I look at this roster, the more I like it. There are some perplexing dynamics, some pieces that don’t mesh, some hitters with question marks, but in the main, Boston has assembled an interesting group. A disproportionate amount of pressure will be placed on the shoulders of young Roman Anthony, but as he showed in the WBC, Anthony is a special hitter capable of carrying that type of load. He’ll need some help from his supporting cast, which makes Willson Contreras, Trevor Story and Wilyer Abreu absolutely crucial to Boston’s season.

6. Toronto Blue Jays

This lineup, inches from a World Series victory in November, will probably be worse than it was last season. Some of that is because of Bo Bichette’s departure, but it’s also difficult to see characters such as George Springer, Davis Schneider and Daulton Varsho delivering such productive offensive campaigns again. The arrival of Kazuma Okamoto could help bridge that gap, but there are enough injuries on the pitching side to feel a bit more cautious than the consensus regarding the defending American League champs.

5. New York Mets

It was quite the whirlwind winter for the Mets, who overhauled nearly half their big-league roster and said goodbye to a whole host of franchise stalwarts. The end result, however, is pretty encouraging. Freddy Peralta is a bona fide ace. Bo Bichette rakes and should be able to handle third base. Luis Robert Jr. retains stupid levels of upside in center field. Jorge Polanco will raise the offense’s floor. Those newcomers should pair wonderfully with Juan Soto, Nolan McLean, Francisco Lindor and the rest to propel New York back to October.

4. Philadelphia Phillies

One day, perhaps soon, this Phillies window will close. The core of Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber, Trea Turner, Zack Wheeler and Co. certainly isn’t getting any younger. But while this roster is dangerously devoid of depth, there are enough high-end, impact characters on both sides of the ball to keep the Phillies in contention for at least another 365 days. A pair of rookies in Justin Crawford (outfield) and Andrew Painter (rotation) will have a big say as to whether this is a wild-card team or a division champ.

3. New York Yankees

The Yankees got a lot of flack for opting to run things back in 2026 with a nearly unchanged roster, but I think it’s a pretty defensible strategy ,considering how good this team was last season. Mix in a full season of starter Cam Schlittler, an Austin Wells bounce-back, another Ben Rice breakout and the underrated addition of Ryan Weathers, and the Yanks start to look like a strong World Series contender. They also, by the way, employ the best hitter on Earth.

2. Seattle Mariners

Could the World Baseball Classic handshake drama surrounding Cal Raleigh tailspin Seattle’s season into a tornado of messy clubhouse drama?! I’m not buying it. That’s not really how baseball works, and this team is too dang talented to let something as trivial as a fistbump slight derail its plans. The Mariners, who were one win away from their first World Series appearance last year, got better in the offseason with the addition of Brendan Donovan. Some regression is inevitable for Raleigh, but a long-awaited, full-blast season from Julio Rodriguez could make up the difference.

1. Los Angeles Dodgers

Will the Dodgers win the most regular-season games in 2026? Probably not, but that’s not their goal. This isn’t the Premier League. For L.A., the regular season is merely a warm-up for the playoffs, through which the Dodgers appear primed to stampede once again. The two-time defending champs got resoundingly better over the winter, adding both the best hitter (Kyle Tucker) and the best closer (Edwin Díaz) on the free-agent market. A million things could happen between now and October, but there is no stronger playoff lock than the Dodgers.

Rob Lowder and I went through each draft pick under the current regime for the San Francisco 49ers in each round to determine whether they were a hit or a miss.

It goes without saying that these are subjective. We used playing time, contracts, impact, and longevity as qualifiers. There’s the human element, so we were always going to bend the rules. Keep that in mind as you read through these. Let’s get into it.

49ers 1st round picks under Kyle Shanahan/John Lynch

Historical data isn’t consistent in the first round. Some have a median around 50 percent, while others reach 75 percent. We’ll assume that number is somewhere in the middle, even though that still feels a bit high. Finding a consensus with something as subjective as this is impossible.

Solomon Thomas: It seems wrong to call somebody who has accrued nine seasons in the NFL and nearly $44 million a miss. Through no fault of his own, Thomas, a tweener in college, was selected No. 3 overall. He did not live up to expectations or come close to being an impact player, which led us to conclude that Thomas was a miss.

Verdict: Miss

Reuben Foster: Foster ended up playing fewer than 1,000 snaps in his NFL career. We all know about the off-field issues in both college and the pros, so there’s no need to rehash that. My argument for Foster being a hit was because of the type of player he was on the field. He was an enforcer. Foster was an A+ run defender and blitzer.

His physicality was unmatched. Unfortunately, we couldn’t see him play for multiple seasons alongside the linebacker the team drafted the following year, but I’ll always have a blind spot for Foster because of what he was capable of on the field.

Verdict: Split

Mike McGlinchey: Far from a fan favorite, but McGlinchey was an easy answer. McGlinchey has eight accrued seasons and nearly $82 million in total career earnings.

He’s started 115 games in his career, including every game last season for Denver and every game in the final season in 2022. He priced himself out of the Niners market that final year. He’s the epitome of consistency. You know exactly what you are getting.

Verdict: Hit

Nick Bosa: Bosa had a sack in the first game of his career. A year after tearing his ACL, he had 15.5 sacks. He was even better the following year, winning Defensive Player of the Year. I’d argue he was even more impactful the following season when the Niners went to the Super Bowl.

Verdict: Hit

Javon Kinlaw: A move that was unlikely to age well unless Kinlaw turned out to be a superstar. The 49ers parted ways with DeForest Buckner and turned around and drafted a defensive tackle with bad knees. To make matters worse, the 49ers ended up paying a defensive tackle in free agency soon after.

Neither move worked. Another “what if” in this regime is what would have happened if the team had never moved on from Buckner. Kinlaw started every game in the previous two years and has been serviceable. But he missed way too much time during his 49ers tenure to be considered a hit. During the Super Bowl run, Kinlaw wasn’t a starter.

Verdict: Miss

Brandon Aiyuk: This is where you’re going to have to put the recency bias aside and think about the player Aiyuk was and why the 49ers gave him the contract they did.

Here is one way to view Aiyuk: During his rookie year, he had over 800 yards from scrimmage and seven touchdowns with five receptions of 20+ yards as a rookie with Jimmy Garoppolo, C.J. Beathard, and Nick Mullens as his quarterbacks.

Four years later, with an aggressive (complimentary) quarterback in his second season, Aiyuk put up top-five-ish numbers and was the head of the snake that was one of the most prolific offenses during the previous decade.

Verdict: Hit

Trey Lance: The president of the “What if club?” What if he played right away? What if there were never any preseason injuries? What if the rookie red zone package from Week 1 against the Lions in 2021 was the plan to slow-roll Lance into taking over as the starter?

You could come up with hundreds of questions involving Lance. We’ll never know.

Verdict: Miss

We’ll give the 2024 and 2025 classes the benefit of the doubt in this exercise. It’s a big year for Ricky Pearsall and Mykel Williams. The Niners upgraded both the wide receiver and defensive line rooms with offseason acquisitions. Pearsall and Williams are being put in positions to succeed.

Remove Foster, and it’s 3-3.

49ers second-round picks under Kyle Shanahan/John Lynch

The hit rates in the second round range from 30 percent to 45 percent.

Dante Pettis: Miss
Deebo Samuel: Hit

In a sport as violent as football, the difference in aggression between Pettis and Samuel speaks volumes to the style of play that wins in the NFL.

Aaron Banks: Hit
Drake Jackson: Miss
Renardo Green/Alfred Collins: TBD

Banks sat behind Laken Tomlinson as a rookie, but has started for four straight seasons playing at least 700 snaps. Banks may have had his worst season as a pro in Green Bay last season. The Packers did a simple restructure of his contract last week.

Jackson never felt like the type of player the 49ers have along their defensive front.

The jury is still out on Green and Collins. We’ll see how different their role will be in 2026 compared to last season.

Hitting on Deebo Samuel after his historic 2021 season makes the second round a success for the organization. He invented the position “wide back.” For the past few seasons during the draft cycle, you’ll hear teams say they’re looking for the next Deebo.

49ers third-round picks under Kyle Shanahan/John Lynch

The hit rates in the third round drop to an average of 15 percent, with the high end topping out at 30 percent.

Ahkello Withersppon: Hit
CJ Beathard: Hit
Tarvarius Moore: Split
Jalen Hurd: Miss
Trey Sermon: Miss
Ambry Thomas: Miss
Tyrion Davis-Price: Miss
Danny Gray: Miss
Ji’Ayir Brown: Hit
Jake Moody: Miss
Cam Latu: Miss

Dominick Puni, Upton Stout, and Nick Martin are all too be determined.

Some of these picks never stood a chance. Here’s a look at the delta for each pick on the consensus mock draft database’s big board:

Davis-Price: -178
Beathard: -136
Martin: -95
Hurd: -64
Latu: -76
Stout: -75

It’s a little surprising not to see Sermon on this list.

The 49ers are still above average after hitting on 33 percent in this round. There are some brutal whiffs in this round, but they also drafted a Hall of Famer who transcended the position.

49ers fourth-round picks under Kyle Shanahan/John Lynch

The hit rates in the fourth round are in the low teens. Some are as low as 10 percent, while the best of the best historically top out around 15 percent.

• Joe Williams – MISS
• Kentavius Street – MISS
• Mitch Wishnowsky – Split
• Spencer Burford – HIT
• Malik Mustapha – TBD
• Isaac Guerendo – TBD/MISS
• Jacob Cowing – TBD
• CJ West – TBD
• Jordan Watkins – TBD

Barring a breakout season, we know what Guerendo is.

Burford started enough during his rookie contract to warrant being a hit.

I listed Wishnowsky as a miss for his low net average as well, but more so scolding the 49ers for drafting a punter in the first round.

49ers fifth-round picks under Kyle Shanahan/John Lynch

The hit rates in the fifth-round are sliced in half in the fifth round. The best teams are hitting at a 10% clip, while some organizations are hitting at a 5% clip.

• George Kittle – HIT
• Trent Taylor – MISS
• DJ Reed – HIT
• Dre Greenlaw – HIT
• Colton McKivitz – HIT
• Jaylon Moore – HIT
• Deommodore Lenior – HIT
• Talanoa Hufanga – HIT
• Samuel Womack – Split
• Darrell Luter – MISS
• Robert Beal – MISS
• Jordan James – TBD
• Marques Sigle – TBD

Without question, the round the 49ers have hit at an obnoxious rate is in the fifth round. Do the 49ers deserve credit for DJ Reed earning $52 million? Probably not. Hufanga had his second All-Pro season in 2025. Lenoir was paid like a top-20 cornerback when he signed his extension. Greenlaw and McKivitz were multi-year starters.

And don’t forget about the tight end.

Remove Womack, and you’re looking at seven hits.

49ers sixth-round picks under Kyle Shanahan/John Lynch

We’re in the territory where you’re lucky to find players to make your roster, let alone start. The average is between 2% and 5%.

• DJ Jones – HIT
• Pita Taumoepenu – MISS
• Marcell Harris – MISS
• Kaden Smith – MISS
• Justin Skule – HIT
• Tim Harris – MISS
• Charlie Woerner – HIT
• Elijah Mitchell – HIT
• Nick Zackelj – MISS
• Kalia Davis – MISS
• Tariq Castro Fields – MISS
• Dee Winters – HIT
• Jarrett Kingston – TBD

In the sixth round, a blocking tight end like Woerner is a perfect example of a hit. Finding A DJ Jones’ level starter is as close to a home run as it gets.

We agreed that Mitchell was a hit after nearly rushing for 1,000 yards as a rookie. Unfortunately, Mitchell’s body couldn’t withstand the rigors of the NFL, but his talent was undeniable. I’ll never forget asking Christian McCaffrey about his impressions of Mitchell, and McCaffrey said, “Elijah is one of the most talented runners that I’ve ever seen.” Hyperbole aside, Mitchell had plenty of flashes in three seasons.

49ers seventh-round picks under Kyle Shanahan/John Lynch

Round 7 is Hail Mary territory. The average is between 0% and 2%.

• Adrian Colbert – HIT
• Julian Taylor – MISS
• Richie James – HIT
• Jauan Jennings – HIT
• Brayden Willis – MISS
• Ronnie Bell – MISS
• Jalen Graham – MISS
• Brock Purdy – HIT
• Tatum Bethune – HIT
• Kurtis Rourke – TBD
• Connor Colby – TBD
• Junior Bergen – TBD

Purdy is the poster child for seventh-round picks, and it might be that way for a long, long time. He is an anomaly. Purdy is in the 99th percentile, which overshadows how much of an outlier the rest of the players are, who not only made rosters but also reached second contracts.

What do you agree/disagree with? Let us know in the comments. Feel free to head to the feed and make your own list.

Backup Boston Celtics big man Luka Garza has been putting in work to grow his game with his new ball club, and it has been paying dividends on the court. But this is nothing new for Garza, who regularly looks for ways to improve his play at the NBA level. Still, he seems to have landed in an ideal situation to try and wrest a larger role in the league with the fruits of his labor.

"Every summer, I dedicate myself, and even during the season, to improving myself, especially in the seasons where I didn't play as much," said the Celtics center in a recent interview with Responsible Gaming. "That's my main focus: getting better. I think, especially in the NBA, you've got to be able to adapt and change your game or mold it to find a way to have an impact on great teams."

"So for me, that impact is a little different than it was in college," he continued. "Not playing as much back to the basket, not having the ball in my hands every possession like I did."

"But I think I've found ways to be extremely effective through screening, through offensive rebounding, and through scoring when the ball is in my hands in different moments," said Garza. "Picking and popping, shooting, stretching the floor. Adding the slow step, other stuff into my game has really helped me ... I definitely developed, and I'm a lot better than I was back then."

"We do have a lot of great coaches who understand the game at a high level and push us in the right ways and put you in a good spot. I think that's helped."

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This article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: Luka Garza credits offseason work, Celtics coaches for leap this season

FBS could cancel CFB bowl game waiting period for teams moving up from FCS appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Good news is coming to the college football landscape. The NCAA is making a major decision involving programs that are moving up from the FCS level to FBS.

The NCAA committee wants to remove the penalty window involving the teams moving up, so that they could participate in a bowl game in their first season, rather than being forced to wait. Here is what the penalty window proposal says.

“Under the recommendation, schools reclassifying from FCS to FBS would be eligible to compete in bowl games if they meet the definition of a deserving team (e.g., at least a 6-6 record) and can fill one of their conference’s bowl commitments.

Currently, teams that are reclassifying from FCS to FBS are not eligible to compete in postseason bowl games until their second year of reclassification and may be selected as an alternate only if they otherwise meet the definition of a deserving team and there are not enough deserving teams available to participate in that season’s bowl games.”

This is going to be a great move for the NCAA. You saw many people campaigning to let James Madison be eligible to play in a bowl game a few seasons back. Former head coach Curt Cignetti was a massive part of their rise to Division I, and now look at them, playing in the College Football Playoff. Obviously, Cignetti is now a national champion at Indiana. If it can happen once, it can happen again.

Earlier on Friday, President Trump issued an executive order attempting to keep the Army-Navy game permanently on the second Saturday of December. A game that will continue to be the only sporting event on.

Related: President Trump issues Army-Navy CFB game executive order

Related: ‘The Coach Vick Experience’: Has Michael Vick reached his breaking point?

HUNTSVILLE — Softball season is in full swing for Sam Houston, and things are off to a strong start.

The Bearkats sit with a 19-13 record before their Friday evening game against Kennesaw State. They sit 4-2 in CUSA after two series. Most recently, the Kats knocked off a UTSA team that was undefeated in American Conference play.

Sam Houston is also doing it without Abigail Young and Amy Abke in the circle. Young hasn’t pitched since the second game of the season, and Abke, who is currently in a boot, last pitched on March 3 on the road at Lamar.

After Sam Houston’s Sunday series win over New Mexico State, head coach Garrett Valis considered Young day-to-day.

But without them, things have been solid in the circle. Sophomore Tiffany Sanchez threw a no-hitter against UTEP to start CUSA play, and on Sunday took a no-hitter to the final inning against NMSU.

Redshirt junior Kendall Daniel threw a complete game against UTSA; she allowed a home run in the second inning, but that was the extent of the scoring. The Roadrunners took her for five hits along the way.

“Kendall is an extremely resilient human being,” Valis said. “It always concerns me because it looks like she is laboring out there. I turn to Coach Lexy to make sure she’s OK. I think it shows that nothing phases her. I know the team has a lot of confidence in her, even if she has an inning or outing that doesn’t go well. They know she’s gonna pour her heart out, and that is all you can ask for.”

With the shortened pitching staff, Sam Houston’s defense has stepped up. Sam Houston has seen traffic on the base paths, but it hasn’t phased anybody. Against the Runners, it was five hits; New Mexico State compiled 20 hits in the weekend series, and in two midweeks, Sam Houston gave up 19.

However, a lot of those hits are not turning into runs. The pitching staff punched out 29 in that same span, with the defense helping out the rest. Sam Houston’s offense has done just enough to stay ahead of teams, too.

The Bearkats have plated 24 runs, with a run-rule win over NMSU bringing the bulk of it.

Now, Sam Houston will play a three-game road series at Kennesaw State. The Kats swept the Owls in Huntsville last year.

“You want to snap your fingers and hope you show up to play great softball, but it takes preparation and rest. We have to go through the next 48 hours with a sound process of getting our bodies ready for a three-game set on the road. Winning on the road is never an easy thing, so we have to focus on what is in front of us.”

Topline

Roughly 99.9% of brackets were busted by day two of this year’s NCAA March Madness men’s tournament, with remaining entrants hoping to overcome the absurd odds of submitting a perfect bracket for all 63 matchups.

Key Facts

What Are The Odds Of A Perfect Bracket?

One in 9.22 quintillion if you flip a coin or guess every pick. However, odds improve to a still abysmal estimated one in 120.2 billion if entrants have knowledge of college basketball and the tournament’s teams, according to the NCAA. A perfect bracket requires entrants to pick 63 games correctly.

Surprising Fact

Those who submitted brackets through prediction market Kalshi can win $1 billion if they pull off the near-impossible with a perfect bracket. The highest scoring bracket will receive a $1 million prize.

Key Background

Nobody has ever picked a perfect March Madness bracket, according to NCAA data. The closest someone has come to beating the odds was an Ohio man, who in 2019 predicted 49 of the 63 games correctly. His bracket was busted during the Sweet Sixteen round. Last year, a bracket remained perfect through 42 games and was busted after No. 3 seed Kentucky defeated No. 6 seed Illinois, marking the first time since 2019 a perfect men's bracket lasted until the tournament’s second round. For women’s basketball, one bracket made it as far as 57 games out of the 67 games played.

What Teams Are The Favorites?

The University of Arizona is favored to win this year’s men’s tournament, according to DraftKings, which puts the juggernaut at a +320 betting line, just ahead of Michigan (+370) and Duke (+380). The University of Connecticut boasts a -265 betting line in the women’s tournament.

In this special edition of The Detroit News' OctoPulse podcast, Ted Kulfan takes a look at the Red Wings huge win over the Canadiens on Thursday and how Detroit might need at least 100 points to get into the playoffs.

The Wings have 84 points and are tied for the Eastern Conference wild-card positions with Boston and Montreal. The Wings and Bruins meet Saturday at Little Caesars Arena (8 p.m., ABC).

It's been four years since all eight playoff teams in the East needed at least 100 wins for the playoffs. In 2021-22, Detroit had only 74 points in Jeff Blashill's final season as coach in Detroit.

➤Eastern Conference standings

With less than a month before the postseason begins April 18, the top eight teams are all trending towards 100-point seasons or more. Buffalo leads the Atlantic Division with 92 points.

The interview guest is Callie Shanahan, a native of Commerce Township and a goalie with the New York Sirens who will face the Montreal Victoire in a PWHL Takeover Tour game at LCA on March 28 at 1 p.m.

Here are highlights from episode 142 of The OctoPulse podcast:

▶ 1:30: Wings on pace for 99-101 points, according to ESPN

▶ 3:15: Alex DeBrincat on 3-1 win over Montreal

▶ 4:30: Dylan Larkin's timeline to return

▶ 5:10: J.T. Compher on team-leading 22:08 of ice time vs. Canadiens

▶ 6:20: DeBrincat cracks top 20 NHL scorers at No. 17

▶ 8:00: Varsity Ford of Ann Arbor

▶ 8:30: Callie Shanahan interview

▶ 19:30: Patrick Kane on 5-2 win over Flames

▶ 21:40: Wings-Bruins preview

Subscribe to Detroit News podcasts

▶ iTunes

▶ Spotify

Previous OctoPulse podcasts

▶ Faulk to make debut vs. Devils; Larkin sidelined

▶ USA Hockey 'on top of the mountain' with double gold medals

▶ Unlikely assist on Red Wings goal; playoff chances

▶ Edvinsson injury tests Wings' blueline depth

▶ Fedorov, Kane cap historic week in Red Wings' history

▶ Nate Danielson demoted; Dave Goricki tribute

OctoPulse guests in alphabetical order

▶ A: Trey Augustine, Dave Andrews, Kenny Albert, Kashawn Aitcheson

▶ B: Riley Brengman, John Bacon, Red Berenson, Matt Beniers, Scotty Bowman, Joe Bowen, Cooper Black, Phil Bourque, Jason Bukala, Nick Bogas

▶ C: Steve Coates, Leo Carlsson, Mike Cammalleri, Logan Cooley, Caley Chelios, Cole Caufield, Mitchell Clinton, Mellissa Channell-Watkins

▶ D: Nate Danielson, Dave Drinkill, Jamie Drysdale, Ken Dryden, Jake Davis

▶ E: Cole Eiserman, Simon Edvinsson, Mike Emrick, Emerson Etem

▶ F: Jordan Forgione, Everett Fitzhugh, Jim Fox, John Forslund

▶ G: Cutter Gauthier, Dylan Guenther, Jerry Green, Stu Grimson, Gerard Gallant, Liam Greentree, Bruce Garrioch, John Garrett

▶ H: William Horcoff, Mark Howe, Cross Hanas, Luke Hughes, Murray Howe, Milan Hejduk, Brian Hayward, Brandon Hawkins

▶ I: Greg Innis

▶ J: Kent Johnson

▶ K: Joakim Kemell, Mark Kirton, Megan Keller, John Kelly, Mike Keenan, Emily Kaplan, Rich Kincaide, Alex Kannok Leipert, Ryan Kennedy

▶ L: Ryan Leonard, Nick Libett, Chaz Lucius, Brian Lawton, Pat Lafontaine, Nicklas Lidstrom, Craig Laughlin, Dave Legwand, Bill Lindsay

▶ M: Doug MacLean, Al Montoya, Tim Mayer, Wes McCauley, Dan Milstein, Max Namestnikov, Ken Morrow

▶ N: Ted Nolan, Frank Nazar, Dwayne Norris, Pat Nagle

▶ O: Mark O'Brien, Phil Osaer

▶ P: Madison Packer, Dave Poulin, Gabe Perreault, Jakub Petr, Doug Plagens, Cole Perfetti, Darren Pang, Zayne Parekh, Julie Petry

▶ R: Abby Roque, Jason Ross, Manon Rheaume, Lucas Raymond, Marco Rossi, Luc Robitaille, Marcus Ragnarsson, Sam Rosen, Daryl Reaugh

▶ S: Riley Sawchuk, Bob Stauffer, Will Smith, John Shannon, Paul Stewart, Moritz Seider, Tim Stutzle, Jake Sanderson, Craig Simpson, Kirsten Simms, Mats Sundin, Brad Stuart, Melissa Szkola, Callie Shanahan

▶ T: Tripp Tracy, Bryan Trottier, Tim Taylor, Jacob Truscott, Amanda Thiele

▶ V: Rick Vaive

▶ W: Paul Woods, Shane Wright, Bob Wilkie

▶ Z: Rick Zombo, Trevor Zegras

This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Detroit Red Wings podcast features latest on NHL playoff races

Cleveland Guardians pitchers Luis Ortiz and Emmanuel Clase, facing federal pitch-rigging charges to aid gamblers, were placed on unpaid non-disciplinary leave by Major League Baseball on Friday.

The Dominican right-handers were placed on paid non-disciplinary leave by MLB last July but were indicted on federal conspiracy charges last November in New York.

They pleaded not guilty to helping Dominican gamblers win wagers based upon the types and speeds of certain pitches.

An agreement between MLB and its players association will mean the Guardians do not have to continue paying Clase and Ortiz during the season that begins next week.

"As the legal proceedings involving Cleveland Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz continue to move forward, MLB and the MLBPA have agreed that both players will remain on non-disciplinary leave from the club without pay until further notice," Major League Baseball said in a statement.

"This agreement is not an admission of any wrongdoing by Clase or Ortiz. MLB has been closely monitoring the matter since alerting federal law enforcement at the outset of its investigation and will have no further comment until its investigation has been completed."

js/nf

California Baptist faces Kansas in a Round of 64 matchup during the 2026 NCAA Tournament on Friday as both teams look to advance through the early stages of the bracket.

MORE:Updated March Madness bracket entering Round of 64 of 2026 NCAA Tournament

How to Watch Utah State vs Villanova

• Date: Friday, March 20, 2026
• Time: 4:05 PM ET
• TV Channel: TNT
• Live Stream: DIRECTV (try for free)

The NCAA Tournament continues on Friday, where 16 more teams will advance deeper into the weekend, setting the stage for another day of action-packed upsets and dramatic finishes. As all the top teams in the nation have their eyes set on a national championship, the tournament once again promises the chaos and excitement that make March Madness one of the most thrilling events in sports.

– Watch every NCAA Tournament matchup on DIRECTV –

The Utah State Aggies (No. 9 seed, 28–6, 15–5 Mountain West Conference) head into the 2026 NCAA Tournament after a strong regular season and winning both the Mountain West regular‑season title and conference tournament, securing the automatic bid and a 9‑seed in the West Region. The Aggies’ 28–6 record reflects consistency in one of the nation’s deeper mid‑major leagues and sets them up for a competitive first‑round matchup in San Diego.

The Villanova Wildcats (No. 8 seed, 24–8, 15–5 Big East Conference) earned an at‑large bid and the 8‑seed in the same region after a 24–8 season in the Big East, finishing with a strong 15–5 league record. As a program with a high‑major résumé, Villanova’s placement at 8‑9 in the bracket suggests a closely matched game, with both teams looking to advance past the opening round of March Madness.

Live stream Utah State vs Villanova with DIRECTV: Start your free trial now!

Watch every matchup during the 2026 NCAA Tournament on DIRECTV.

Games throughout the tournament are broadcast on CBS, TBS, TNT, and truTV, with DIRECTV packages providing access to all four networks, so viewers can stream every round live.

Regional restrictions may apply. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation.

— Enjoy free coverage of the top news & trending stories on The Big Lead —

MARCH MADNESS: 5 bold March Madness predictions for 2026 NCAA Tournament

NFL DRAFT: New Mel Kiper NFL mock draft shows major impact of free agency

MLB: Dodgers announce Shohei Ohtani’s spring training pitching debut

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The Georgia Lady Bulldogs will face the Virginia Cavaliers in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament on Saturday afternoon. The Lady Bulldogs enter the tournament as the No. 7 seed in the Sacramento Region, as Georgia will look to secure an opening round victory against No. 10 Virginia, who is coming off a 57-55 First Four win over Arizona State.

Georgia ended the 2025-26 campaign with an overall record of 22-9, while recording an 8-8 record throughout SEC play. The Lady Bulldogs ranked 54th in points per game this season with 73.6, as Georgia will undoubtedly need to start quick on the offensive end of the floor against a talented Virginia team.

“It is a business trip.” Lady Bulldogs’ Head Coach Katie Abrahamson-Henderson said. “Every trip is a business trip. In the NCAA Tournament, it’s all hands on deck. Everybody’s got to just prepare for the other team, but honestly we need to prepare our team. Our game plan, what we are going to do. You can’t worry about the team you’re playing against [Virginia], you’ve got to take care of you. And that’s really my job, and my coaches take care of the other team.”

The Lady Bulldogs will more than likely continue to lean on Dani Carnegie and Mia Woolfolk on the offensive end of the floor against Virginia. The Cavaliers are an elite defensive team despite holding an overall record of 20-11 this season, as Virginia will prove to be an excellent test for Georgia in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament.

The Georgia-Virginia game will be televised on ESPN2 at 1:30 p.m. ET from Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City. The first round contest is set to begin at the conclusion of the Howard-Ohio State game beginning at 11:30 AM, as the Lady Bulldogs will look to secure a first round victory against a talented Cavaliers’ team.

The winner of the Georgia-Virginia game will likely play the No. 2 seed Iowa Hawkeyes in the next round.

Georgia Lady Bulldogs versus Virginia Cavaliers time, TV Channel

• Date: Saturday, March 21
• Tip time: 1:30 p.m. ET
• TV channel: ESPN2
• Location: Iowa City, Iowa

This article originally appeared on UGA Wire: Georgia Bulldogs vs. Virginia Cavaliers TV time, opponent preview

The future of receiver Brandon Aiyuk is one of the biggest storylines to watch for the San Francisco 49ers this offseason. After reports that the team would release him, it sounds as if Aiyuk's status is a little more complicated than that.

Ideally, the 49ers would still like to recoup something for Aiyuk with a trade. But ESPN's 49ers reporter Nick Wagoner doesn't think that's likely. He told "The John Keim Report" that he doubts a trade will happen because of Aiyuk's contract.

“I personally don’t think there will be a team that is going to trade for him," Wagoner said. "Brandon Aiyuk sort of has a de facto no-trade clause without having a no-trade clause in the sense that his current contract—if any team trades for him, they’re gonna want him to take a reworked contract. So he can have say on whether he does that or not. That’s why I find it very hard to believe the 49ers are gonna find a trade partner that’s willing to give up something to get him under his current contract.”

Nick Wagoner on the 49ers possibly trading Brandon Aiyuk:

“I personally don’t think there will be a team that is going to trade for him. Brandon Aiyuk sorta has a de facto no trade clause without having a no trade clause in the sense that his current contact— if any team trades… pic.twitter.com/LR7xaBACQ3

— Coach Yac 🗣 (@Coach_Yac) March 20, 2026

Aiyuk has a $14.6 million cap hit in 2026, according to Over The Cap, with some insane base salaries in upcoming seasons. That's a lot for a team to absorb for a player who has been effectively absent for more than a year.

The other element Wagoner is considering is Aiyuk's not-so-secret desire to play for the Washington Commanders. If they're the only team willing to acquire Aiyuk, there is no incentive for Washington to agree to any demands from the 49ers.

Aiyuk's time as a 49ers player is basically over, but his NFL future is yet to be decided.

More 49ers: Mac Jones trade may not happen, and that's probably best for 49ers

This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: Why 49ers insider doubts Brandon Aiyuk will be traded

Former NHL head coach Peter DeBoer did not hold back when describing the challenge of coaching the Toronto Maple Leafs during a lost season.

Speaking on Leafs’ Morning Take, DeBoer called it “the hardest job in hockey” when a team has little left to play for. Toronto finds itself in that exact position.

The team sits near the bottom of the Atlantic Division, with playoff hopes all but gone. Injuries to Auston Matthews and roster changes have only deepened the slide, leaving the final stretch of games with limited stakes.

MORE: Maple Leafs’ $46.5M forward gives no ‘excuse’ despite injury

DeBoer explained that the mental side becomes the biggest test. A coach must convince players to stay engaged despite the standings.

“It’s the hardest job in hockey being in that position,” DeBoer said. “I haven’t been in that position much. I was in that position in Florida, my first job in the NHL, a couple of times where, you know, we unloaded at the deadline and, you know, played out the string, so to speak.”

“It’s the hardest job in hockey because, you know, you’ve got to come into that room and convince those guys to keep playing for something. Whether it’s a roster spot next year, whether it’s to show, you know, you belong on another special team or higher in the lineup, or just for the pride of the jersey. It’s really tough.”

The challenge is not only for players. DeBoer noted that coaches must manage their own frustration from a disappointing season. He stressed the importance of showing up with the right attitude.

“I don’t envy anybody that’s in that spot because on top of that, you’re dealing with your own frustration of a disappointing year, and that’s something you really have to park and try and show up in that dressing room with as good an attitude as you can have without carrying that around,” DoBer said.

“And, when I listen to Craig talk, I think he’s done an exceptional job recently of trying to keep the guys playing hard here through the end.”

MORE: Maple Leafs’ GM assures of ‘changes’ after Toronto ‘underperformed’ in 2025-26 season

Craig Berube’s comments on the Maple Leafs facing criticism

Current Leafs head coach Craig Berube has faced that pressure in one of hockey’s toughest markets. The team has shown inconsistency in the 2025-26 season, with a 29-28-12 record. Offensive output has been average, but defensive struggles remain a major issue, allowing 3.44 goals per game.

Speaking about the season, Berube acknowledged that fan criticism is part of the job, especially when expectations are high and results fall short.

“There comes criticism with not doing well,” Berube said. “That’s part of the game. You’ve got to understand that’s just the way it is, and you’ve got to deal with it. They have every right to be critical. They pay good money for tickets, and they want the Leafs to do well.

“So when they’re not doing well, there’s going to be some criticism.”

Toronto’s struggles reflect a mix of injuries, inconsistency, and defensive issues. Yet the focus now shifts to effort and culture. As DeBoer outlined, these final games still matter, even if the standings suggest otherwise.

— Enjoy free coverage of the top news & trending stories on The Big Lead —

MARCH MADNESS: Predicting March Madness upsets in the 2026 NCAA Tournament

NFL DRAFT: New Mel Kiper NFL mock draft shows major impact of free agency

MLB: Dodgers announce Shohei Ohtani’s spring training pitching debut

NHL: Oilers’ Leon Draisaitl out for regular season with lower-body injury

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TEMPE, Ariz. -- Right-hander Ryan Johnson’s impressive spring performance has earned him a place on the Los Angeles Angels’ Opening Day roster, according to Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register. While the 25-year-old has done enough to break camp with the club, his exact role remains unsettled as the team continues to sort through its pitching plans.

Johnson entered camp competing for a spot at the back end of the rotation, going head-to-head with fellow right-hander Jack Kochanowicz. Both pitchers made compelling cases, and now it appears the Angels could find room for each of them on the pitching staff. Whether that means one opens in the bullpen or both slot into starting roles, may depend on the health and performance of others in the rotation.

One key factor influencing those decisions is the status of Grayson Rodriguez, who is currently dealing with an elbow issue. Rodriguez, acquired in a trade that sent outfielder Taylor Ward to the Baltimore Orioles, was expected to be a significant piece of the Angels’ rotation this season. His arrival brought high expectations, given his pedigree as a former top prospect and his potential to anchor the staff.

Despite the concern, there are some encouraging signs. Rodriguez was able to play catch on Thursday, suggesting the injury may not be severe enough to require a prolonged shutdown. Still, the Angels are likely to proceed cautiously, especially this early in the season. His availability for Opening Day remains uncertain, and a stint on the injured list is still a possibility if his condition does not improve in the coming days.

Additionally, Alek Manoah’s struggles this spring have further complicated the Angels’ rotation outlook. With multiple question marks surrounding the pitching staff, the team may opt for flexibility rather than locking into a rigid five-man rotation immediately. That approach could open the door for both Johnson and Kochanowicz to see time as starters, at least in the early part of the season.

For Johnson, simply making the roster is a significant milestone and a testament to his development. Now, the next step will be proving he can translate that spring success into meaningful contributions at the big-league level, wherever he is called upon to pitch.

It looks like the Minnesota Vikings have their new swing tackle.

Tom Pelissero is reporting that the Buffalo Bills will not be matching the Vikings’ offer sheet to restricted free agent offensive tackle Ryan Van Demark. That means that Van Demark will be on his way to Minnesota, where he will likely serve as the primary backup to both Christian Darrisaw and Brian O’Neill.

The Bills tendered Van Demark at the “right of first refusal” level of restricted free agency, which meant a 1-year, $3.52 million deal. The Vikings’ offer sheet went slightly above that, as Pelissero’s report says the Vikings offered him one year at $4.2 million, likely in the hope that it would further prevent the Bills from matching.

Because Van Demark was an undrafted free agent, the Vikings will not owe the Bills anything in the form of compensation for signing one of their restricted free agents away.

This appears to be a pretty solid move by the Vikings. Van Demark put up a PFF grade of 74.4 last season, which is a pretty decent mark for a depth player. In addition, as we’ve mentioned, he has experience at both of the tackle spots and has gotten a few starts for the Bills. Given that both Darrisaw and O’Neill have had some issues with injuries over the past couple of seasons, Van Demark gives the Vikings someone who it appears could capably step in if they continue to have those issues going forward.

Welcome to Minnesota, Ryan Van Demark!

Real Madrid injury list: Players out, potential return dates, predicted lineup for next game vs. Atletico Madrid originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

After advancing to the Champions League quarterfinals with a statement two-legged victory over Manchester City, Real Madrid turn their attention back to the heated La Liga title chase as they meet derby rivals Atletico Madrid on Sunday.

Alvaro Arbeloa's side won both home and road against their Premier League opposition in European play, readying for a quarterfinal matchup against Bayern Munich. Kylian Mbappe returned to the field off the bench in the win over Man City after a number of weeks sidelined by a knee injury, and he is ready to crack on down the stretch run of the campaign.

Domestically, Los Blancos sit four points back of Barcelona in the La Liga standings, with no more room for error as they chase their Clasico rivals.

That brings Real Madrid to another kind of rivalry matchup, a meeting with cross-town side Atleti who sit a distant third in the standings but have been a constant thorn in the side of their capital opponents.

The Sporting News brings you the rest of Real Madrid's injury list, as well as a look at their latest team news and a preview of how they could line up in their next game.

MORE:Why Xabi Alonso and Real Madrid gave up after just seven months together

Real Madrid injury list

Below is the latest injury picture for Real Madrid, including estimated return dates for those who are sidelined.

Ferland Mendy

• Injury: Hamstring
• Expected return date: March 22 (vs. Atletico Madrid)

Mendy started the first leg win over Manchester City but was later diagnosed with an injury in the biceps femoris of his right leg. This weekend's derby against Atletico Madrid might be his most realistic target. It doesn't help that Fran Garcia has been strong at left-back in Mendy's absence.

Jude Bellingham

• Injury: Hamstring
• Expected return date: March 22 (vs. Atletico Madrid)

Jude Bellingham made the trip to Manchester for the second leg against City, but was not included in the matchday squad. It's likely he will be back on the pitch against Atletico Madrid on the weekend, but probably needs some ramp-up before he is a viable starting option. They could also decide to hold him back until after the international break.

Eder Militao

• Injury: Hamstring
• Expected return date: April 5 (vs. Mallorca)

Militao, who had been fantastic since returning from his lengthy absences for multiple ACL tears, has been sideliend since suffering a hamstring injury in the defeat to Celta Vigo last December. Madrid are understandably being careful over his return, and although he returned to partial training beginning March 13, he will probably be held back until after the international break.

Dani Ceballos

• Injury: Calf
• Expected return date: April 22 (vs. Alaves)

Midfielder Ceballos is estimated to be facing two months out with a calf injury sustained in the loss to Osasuna at El Sadar on February 21. Madrid's league game with Alaves on April 22 would seem a realistic return date unless Ceballos' recovery progresses more quickly.

Rodrygo

• Injury: ACL
• Expected return date: September

Rodrygo has suffered a rupture of his anterior cruciate ligament and a rupture of the lateral meniscus in his right leg. This significant setback means the Brazil forward will miss the 2026 World Cup and he is likely to be sidelined for at least six months, possibly longer.

Franco Mastantuono

• Injury: Pubalgia
• Expected return date: —

In late 2025, teenage midfielder Mastantuono was struck down by the same ailment that has hindered Barcelona star Lamine Yamal.  Similar to what is known as a "sports hernia," the injury is one that has to be managed.

While Mastantuono is back to game fitness for Real Madrid, it is still notable to include him on the injury list as it could flare up at any time, and his minutes will likely need to be watched much more carefully than they had been at the start of the season after newly joining the team. He will miss the Celta game through suspension after he was sent off against Getafe.

Real Madrid predicted lineup vs. Atletico Madrid

Formation: 4-4-2

Courtois (GK)

Alexander-Arnold, Rudiger, Huijsen, F. Garcia

Valverde, Tchouameni, Thiago Pitarch, Guler

B. Diaz, Vinicius Jr.

Real Madrid fixture schedule: Upcoming games

• Real Madrid vs. Atletico Madrid | La Liga | Sunday, March 22
• Mallorca vs. Real Madrid | La Liga | Sunday, April 5
• Real Madrid vs. Bayern Munich | Champions League quarterfinals, first leg | Tuesday, April 7
• Real Madrid vs. Girona | La Liga | Sunday, April 12
• Bayern Munich vs. Real Madrid | Champions League quarterfinals, second leg | Wednesday, April 15
• Real Madrid vs. Alaves | La Liga | Wednesday, April 22

Santa Clara coach’s ignored timeout call has fans pissed off after Kentucky loss appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Santa Clara Broncos suffered a tough 89-84 overtime loss to the Kentucky Wildcats in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. It appeared the Broncos were going to win the contest in regulation, but the Wildcats hit a game-tying buzzer beater to force overtime. However, that play may have never come to fruition had the referees seen the Santa Clara head coach calling a timeout after going up three in the final seconds of the second half.

In an image taken almost immediately after the Broncos hit the three-pointer with just over two seconds left in the game, you can see Herb Sendek, the program’s head coach, calling timeout in the background, according to Chris Vannini of The Athletic. Referees were not looking at him, so the timeout was never officially called.

“Santa Clara coach Herb Sendek was calling timeout after the 3, but the ref wasn’t looking. Kentucky then tied the game.”

Below is a video of the missed timeout call.

Just a brutal outcome for Santa Clara. The missed timeout call by the officials had sports fans jump on social media to defend the Broncos. Many criticized the poor officiating in the game against Kentucky overall, while others simply felt bad for Sendek’s team.

“Yup, huge miss by the officiating crew,” said one individual.

This user stated, “Incredible how they’ll spend several minutes Zapruder Filming whether a player’s shoelace aglet is out of bounds, but also ‘oops I wasn’t paying attention’ is also totally fine to them.”

“He was trying to get a TO from a ref running away from him. Had he gone toward the ref running toward him from the baseline (turned to his right instead of running to his left), he may have gotten the call?” explained one fan.

Another person said, “Pretty egregious considering the timeout they awarded Kentucky seconds earlier.”

“So how is this not a thing that can be overturned? We clearly see on camera him calling a timeout like wtf,” stated another individual.

Kentucky advances despite some controversial decisions from the referees. While Santa Clara exits the NCAA Tournament early, the Wildcats will prepare for their next game on Sunday when they take on the winner of Iowa State and Tennessee State.

Related: March Madness news: What Otega Oweh said after Kentucky’s thrilling win over Santa Clara

Related: Otega Oweh hits Larry Bird feat in Kentucky’s March Madness win over Santa Clara

Bills let key offensive depth leave for Vikings for just $700,000 originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

It didn't seem like that much money.

Apparently, though, the Buffalo Bills decided that $700,000 was too much to pay to keep around a key offensive contributor.

On Friday afternoon, NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported this:

"The Bills will not match the offer sheet to OL Ryan Van Demark, who is headed to the Vikings on a one-year, $4.2 million fully guaranteed deal, sources tell The Insiders."

The key here is that the Bills had extended a qualifying offer to Van Demark to a qualifying tender that would be worth $3.5 million over one year.

So the comparison here really isn't between $4.2 million and 0. It's just between $4.2 and $3.5 million.

And the Bills didn't want to pay that.

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

Buffalo had five days to match the Van Demark offer after the Vikings made it, and evidently, they chose not to.

Van Demark is a key depth lineman who can play in different spots.

The 6-foot-6, 307-pound Van Demark played in all 17 games for the Bills in 2025, starting four.

He had played 26 games over the previous two seasons, including two starts.

That, a bit surprisingly, is the end of his time in Buffalo.

Van Demark is now heading to Minnesota to put on the purple and play for the Vikings.

More NFL news:

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

Braves' Drake Baldwin receives wild Cal Raleigh prediction after breakout rookie season originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Atlanta Braves have a lot of great players who can make the case for being the best at their positions. Chris Sale is a fantastic starting pitcher, Ronald Acuna Jr. is a superstar outfielder, and Matt Olson is one of the best first basemen in baseball.

Those are the three clear superstars on the roster, and players like Austin Riley and Ozzie Albies are great starters as well. But what about catcher Drake Baldwin? He's a great player, but can he lay claim to being the best at his position? Likely not.

However, The Athletic's Eno Sarris is predicting that by the end of the 2026 MLB season, Baldwin will take the mantle of MLB's top catcher from Seattle Mariners superstar Cal Raleigh.

Drake Baldwin predicted to be MLB's best catcher

"Drake Baldwin emerges as MLB's top catcher," Sarris predicts. "This guy does everything right. Seriously, Baldwin does not have an obvious flaw. The 24-year-old Atlanta Braves catcher has pristine peripherals."

Baldwin being predicted to have a good 2026 season is hardly a bold prediction. But, for Sarris to predict that the young Braves catcher will be the best at his position after the 2026 season is an incredibly bold prediction to make.

Raleigh just hit 60 home runs and helped lead the Mariners to Game 7 of the ALCS. For Baldwin, in just his second season in the Majors, to surpass Raleigh would be a wild outcome for the 2026 season.

While Badlwin might not be the best defender, neither was Raleigh when he was just starting out his career in the Major Leagues.

More: Braves predicted to trade Bryce Elder for Lars Nootbaar

The braves 2025 NL Rookie of the Year becoming baseball's best catcher would be a wild storyline for the 2026 MLB season.

There's no denying that he's a good player. But, the best catcher in baseball? That's a whole other level for Baldwin to reach.

But that's what makes this prediction from Sarris a bold one. Baldwin had a .274 batting average, 3.3 bWAR, and 19 home runs last year in 124 games played while splitting time with Sean Murphy.

His .810 OPS was a great number for his first year in the Majors, and if he can add a bit more power and get on base a bit more often than the .341 on-base percentage he had last year, then Baldwin could be in store for an All-Star caliber season.

Sarris is predicting the lefty-hitting catcher becomes the best catcher in baseball, better than Raleigh, Will Smith, and every other star catcher across the league. It's an incredibly bold prediction, and one that the Braves would love to come true.

More MLB news:

• Blue Jays sign Joe Mantiply to minor league contract
• Dodgers’ Roki Sasaki will return to rotation, not bullpen according Dave Roberts
• Konnor Griffin projected to make Pirates Opening Day roster by two analysts
• Alex Cora announces Caleb Durbin is Red Sox starting third baseman
• Joey Wentz is out for the season with a torn ACL for the Braves
• Reds’ Hunter Greene to be out until July amid brutal injury news
• Jesus Luzardo’s $135 million extension is a steal for Phillies

Katie Boulter has settled in well under new coach Michael Joyce, especially after her recent WTA title win in Ostrava.

Boulter had dropped down the rankings in 2025, which ultimately led to her decision to part ways with long-time coach Biljana Veselinovic.

She’s enjoying working with Joyce so far, and the change seems to be paying off. She’s climbed back up to World No. 65 and looks a lot more confident on court.

Speaking ahead of the Miami Open, Boulter shared what has stood out most during her early months working with Joyce.

Katie Boulter sdmits she’s ‘surprised’ by her strong start to the season

Boulter’s title run in Ostrava was followed up by a quarter-final showing in Merida, further boosting her early-season momentum. She is now closing in on Sonay Kartal and Emma Raducanu in the rankings.

Even Boulter has admitted she didn’t expect her form to turn around so quickly under Joyce, who previously worked with Maria Sharapova.

Speaking to Luxury London about how she felt regarding her start to 2026, Boulter said: “I obviously wanted to do more in Australia and felt like I was playing good stuff but, at the same time, I have to be realistic and understand that I’m just finding my feet.

“I’ve just got a new coach and we’re still working things out. I’m having to be patient, which isn’t my biggest virtue.”

Boulter also mentioned she’s been pleasantly surprised by how quickly things have clicked under Joyce: “In a way, I’m surprised I already did well in one of the tournaments [the Ostrava Open] because when you change coaches, you’re still very much walking on eggshells and working things out.”

Boulter backed up those comments with another strong display in Miami, reaching the second round after a win over Jessica Bouzas Maneiro. Reflecting on her progress, she said: “I’m really pleased with the start of my season and feel like I’m building momentum again which is really important.”

Boulter faces Clara Tauson next but has already matched last season’s points total from this stage of the year. The challenge now is to build on this strong foundation and keep climbing.

Katie Boulter’s form is a clear improvement over last season

Following her opening round victory at the Miami Open, Katie Boulter now has ten wins under her belt in 2026.

This marks a significant improvement from where she stood at this point last year. In 2025, Boulter had just four wins by the end of March.

Her loss to Peyton Stearns in the first round of Miami back then capped off a slow start to the season. This year, she already has six more victories and is showing signs of building even more momentum as the season progresses.

Boulter is starting to look like the player who once broke into the top 30, and if her current form holds, 2026 could be a strong year for her return up the rankings.

Read more:

Official announcements and credible rumors: a look back at this week's transfer news.

It's Signed ✍️

- Ernesto Valverde has announced that he will not be the coach of Athletic Club next season.

- Olympique Lyonnais has secured its young talents Tiago Gonçalves and Angel Garcia.

- Auxerre has officially extended Théo De Percin's contract.

- Joan Laporta has been re-elected president of FC Barcelona for a five-year term.

- Borussia Mönchengladbach has exercised the purchase option for attacking midfielder Hugo Boli.

- Andy Carroll has become player-coach at Dagenham-Redbridge... a club in the 6th division of English football.

- Amiens has finally officially announced its new coach Alain Pochat.

Credible Rumors ✅

- Real Madrid is said to have placed five players on the transfer list, including Eduardo Camavinga. (Marca)

- After the heavy defeat against PSG, Enzo Fernandez cast serious doubt on his future. Two days later, Liam Rosenior sought to quash the departure rumors.

- Juventus is said to have offered a three-year contract to Bernardo Silva, who will be a free agent at the end of the season. (Gazzetta dello Sport)

- Borussia Dortmund is reportedly keeping an eye on Brahim Diaz (OK Diario)

- Ousmane Dembélé has expressed confidence about extending his contract with PSG.

- Senny Mayulu is said to be disappointed with how negotiations for his contract extension are going. However, the situation could still change in the coming weeks. (L'Équipe)

- OM is reportedly on the lookout for Edon Zhegrova, as the winger is not considered untouchable at Juventus. (Gazzetta dello Sport)

- After a difficult spell at Glasgow Rangers, Derek Cornelius will return to OM as early as this summer. (Read Rangers)

- Franck Ribéry has announced his desire to coach in Serie A in the near future.

- Enzo Maresca remains the favorite to succeed Pep Guardiola if he leaves this summer. (Fabrizio Romano)

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

United Rugby Championship

Bulls (33) 40

Tries: Coetzee, Grobbelaar, Kriel, Papier, Louw, Vermaak Cons: Pollard 4, Kriel

Cardiff (7) 7

Tries: Millard Cons: Sheedy

Cardiff endured their first pointless United Rugby Championship (URC) match of the season as they were overpowered by fellow play-off hopefuls Bulls in Pretoria.

Corniel van Zyl's side had gained at least a consolation bonus from all 12 rounds before travelling to Loftus Versfeld.

But they came unstuck against Bulls, who scored six tries to close to within five points of the fifth-placed Blue and Blacks.

Centre Harri Millard went over for Cardiff early on and legendary number eight Taulupe Faletau made a welcome return from injury, but it was a chastening first part of their South Africa double-header.

Cardiff will attempt to get back on the horse against Sharks in Durban next weekend.

• Van Zyl has 'positive talks' over Cardiff top job
• Emanuel follows Bowen in signing new Cardiff deal

Bulls have been runners-up in three of four seasons in the URC and are in good shape to make the top eight, where they will quietly fancy their chances.

They showed their quality to get the job done in the first half despite a perfect start for Cardiff in the third minute.

Millard, the URC top try scorer last season with nine efforts, went over for his first of 2025-26 after midfield partner Ben Thomas gathered a loose ball in midfield.

The Blue and Blacks failed to build on that because of indiscipline – they gave away just three penalties all game in the win against Leinster but matched that tally inside 13 minutes.

Blind-side Alun Lawrence was sin-binned for a cynical breakdown offence and flanker Marcell Coetzee and hooker Johan Grobbelaar went over from driving lineouts.

The hosts had their bonus in the 35th minute thanks to rapid Springboks wing Kurt-Lee Arendse, who set up tries for full-back David Kriel and scrum-half Embrose Papier, before a fortunate fifth for flanker Elrigh Louw from a fly-hack by number eight Nizaam Carr.

Trailing 33-7 at the break, the target for Cardiff was to score three more tries for a bonus but they never came close despite some chances in the 22.

Bulls added to their tally through replacement forward Ruan Vermaak but they failed to become the first side to hit Cardiff for a URC half-century since Glasgow in September 2022.

Nor did they truly threaten to inflict a new record URC defeat on their visitors to replace the 69-21 defeat by Benetton in May 2022.

Legend Faletau makes comeback

While Cardiff suffered a heavy defeat their play-off hopes have been boosted by the return of Faletau in Pretoria after a calf injury.

The Wales and Lions number eight came off the bench in the 57th minute for a first appearance since the New Year's Day defeat by Ospreys in Bridgend.

The 35-year-old has made just six appearances this season with injuries denying him the chance to be part of Steve Tandy's international squad.

Faletau's presence comes at a key stage of the season with Cardiff taking on Sharks in Durban on Friday, 27 March (17:00 GMT) before a trip to Benetton in the last 16 of the Challenge Cup.

How they lined up

Bulls: Kriel; Jooste, Moodie, Gans, Arendse; Pollard, Papier; Steenekamp, Grobbelaar, Klopper, Wiese, Nortje, Coetzee (capt), Louw, Carr.

Replacements: van Staden, Wessels, Mchunu, Vermaak, Hanekom, Rudolph, de Wet, le Roux.

Cardiff: Winnett; Grady, Millard, B Thomas, Beetham; Sheedy, A Davies; Barratt, Belcher (capt), Sebastian, McNally, Nott, Lawrence, D Thomas, Basham.

Replacements: D Hughes, Southworth, Wainwright, Thornton, Botham, Faletau, Bevan, I Lloyd.

Yellow card: Lawrence 7

Referee: Eoghan Cross (Ireland)

Assistants: Griffin Colby & Jonathan Lottering (South Africa)

TMO: Gianluca Gnecchi (Italy)

Chelsea Transfer News: Elliot Anderson Emerges as €100m Target

Chelsea’s summer transfer strategy is already taking shape, and midfield reinforcements appear firmly on the agenda. According to Fichajes, the Blues are preparing a significant €100m move for Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson, as uncertainty continues to surround Enzo Fernandez’s long term future at Stamford Bridge.

Midfield Plans Gather Pace

There is a growing sense within Chelsea that evolution in midfield may be required. While a deal for Strasbourg’s Valentin Barco edges closer, attention has also turned to strengthening central options. This comes amid lingering doubts over Fernandez, who has attracted interest from European heavyweights.

Despite those concerns, Liam Rosenior has moved quickly to steady the narrative. Speaking ahead of the Everton fixture, he offered reassurance on his midfielder’s mindset.

“I had a great conversation with Enzo at length this morning at the training ground. Not just about the comments, but the future and how much we want to win the coming games.

“I would say he made it really clear to me how happy he is here, how much he wants to win for the team, and how passionate he is for this football club. He said also the translation and emotion got misconstrued. He is completely committed to this football club.”

Photo IMAGO

Enzo Fernandez Future Still Unclear

Even with public assurances, speculation has not disappeared. Real Madrid and Paris Saint Germain continue to monitor Fernandez closely, and there remains a feeling that Chelsea must prepare for every scenario.

Transfer insider Fabrizio Romano has added further intrigue, suggesting there is “no smoke without fire” regarding the situation. That sentiment reflects a wider understanding across the game, top clubs rarely hesitate when elite midfielders become available.

Chelsea’s reported willingness to offer a new contract signals intent, but contingency planning is clearly underway.

Elliot Anderson Attracts Elite Interest

Elliot Anderson’s rise at Nottingham Forest has been one of the standout Premier League stories this season. With 40 appearances and consistent performances, he has developed into a midfielder capable of dictating tempo while contributing defensively and offensively.

Interest from Manchester City and Manchester United underlines his growing reputation. City are believed to be leading the race, while United see him as a potential successor to Casemiro.

Photo IMAGO

Chelsea, however, are not standing aside. Fichajes claim that the Blues are ready to bid €100m to sign the England international.

A key factor could be Chelsea’s promise of a central role. Regular minutes and long term project clarity often prove decisive in negotiations of this scale.

Transfer Battle Could Define Summer Window

This developing pursuit highlights Chelsea’s proactive approach under Rosenior. Rather than reacting late in the window, groundwork is being laid early.

Should Fernandez remain, competition for places would intensify. If he departs, Anderson could step into a pivotal role immediately. Either outcome positions Chelsea for a significant midfield reshuffle.

What remains clear is that the club are preparing for a transformative summer, with Anderson now firmly in focus.

Our View – EPL Index Analysis

From a Chelsea supporter’s perspective, this report offers both reassurance and excitement. The idea of losing Enzo Fernandez is unsettling, particularly given his influence and leadership qualities. Rosenior’s comments will calm nerves, and fans will want to believe that commitment translates into long term stability.

At the same time, targeting Elliot Anderson feels like a statement of intent. He represents the kind of energetic, modern midfielder Chelsea have thrived with in the past, someone capable of growing into a central figure rather than simply filling a gap.

There is also trust building around Rosenior’s vision. His communication appears clear, and his ability to connect with players like Fernandez suggests a strong dressing room culture. That matters when navigating uncertain transfer situations.

If Chelsea can retain Fernandez and still land Anderson, it would signal a shift towards genuine squad depth and competition. If not, supporters will hope Anderson can rise quickly to the level required.

Either way, this feels like a club planning with purpose rather than reacting under pressure, which is a promising sign heading into a crucial window.

Intel says that it is listening to feedback Club386 has had the opportunity to talk with Intel’s Robert Hallock, the company’s VP and GM ot its “Enthusiast Channel”. When asked about the possibility of “a future where Intel sockets support more CPU generations, Hallock’s answer was simple: “I do. That’s it – I do”. Elaborating […]

The post Intel says “we are listening” when it comes to long-lived CPU sockets appeared first on OC3D.

A strong buy signal not seen since 2022 just flashed on Ether, but the altcoin needs to hold above a key price level to avoid invalidating the pattern.

The disruption to the oil market and critical energy effects may have long-term economic effects that investors are not pricing in.

The legislative recommendations highlight six policy areas, including copyright, energy and workforce development, while signaling a lighter regulatory stance.

In the latest Cointelegraph interview, professional trader Alessio Rastani warns that Bitcoin could fall below $60,000 before a meaningful bottom forms.

A 70% oil spike could nearly double US inflation, slash rate-cut hopes, and deepen downside risks for Bitcoin prices in the coming months.

As AI agents reshape how advertising platforms are used, Google is bringing focus toward the developers behind the systems and create content specifically for them.

What’s happening. Google’s Advertising and Measurement Developer Relations team has launched Ads DevCast, a bi-weekly vodcast and podcast hosted by Cory Liseno. The show focuses on technical deep dives across Google Ads, Google Analytics, Display & Video 360 and related tools.

Zoom out. This is a companion to Ads Decoded, hosted by Google Ads Liaison Ginny Marvin, which focuses on campaign strategy. Ads DevCast is explicitly built for developers and technical practitioners.

Driving the news. Episode 1 — “MCPs, Agents, and Ads. Oh My!” — centers on what Google calls the “agentic shift,” where AI agents are becoming primary users of advertising APIs.

Why we care. Ads DevCast gives developers a direct line to the engineers building Google’s ad tools, which should help stay ahead of technical changes, discover new capabilities faster, and build more efficient integrations in an increasingly AI-driven ecosystem.

The big picture. AI is expanding who can work with ad tech systems. Google is seeing a shift from a narrow “Ads Developer Community” to a broader “Ads Technical Community,” where marketers can execute technical tasks without full development cycles.

What’s next. Ads DevCast is a pilot, and Google is collecting feedback to shape future episodes.

Bottom line. Google is positioning Ads DevCast as a tool to give developers a front-row seat to Google’s latest ads innovations, with practical insights to build, test, and adapt faster in an AI-first landscape.

A new Google Merchant Center update changes how e-commerce sites must handle out-of-stock products, with direct implications for product approvals and ad performance.

What’s happening. Google now requires that out-of-stock products must still display a buy button, but it can no longer be active or hidden. Instead, the button must be visibly disabled and appear grayed out. In other words, users should be able to see the button, but not click it.

This marks a clear shift from common practices where retailers either left the “Add to Cart” button clickable or removed it entirely. Both approaches are now non-compliant.

How it works. In practical terms, the requirement is simple. The buy button must remain on the page, but its functionality needs to be turned off. Typically, this is done by applying a disabled state so the button becomes unclickable and visually subdued.

The catch. The button change is only part of the update. Google also expects clear availability messaging on the product page, such as “in stock,” “out of stock,” “pre-order,” or “back order.” This information must match exactly with what is submitted in the product feed.

Any inconsistency between the page and the feed can lead to disapprovals.

The bigger shift. This update removes a long-standing workaround used by many retailers. Previously, it was possible to keep selling out-of-stock products by leaving the purchase button active. That approach is no longer allowed.

If a retailer still wants to accept orders for unavailable items, the product must now be labeled as “back order.” This status needs to be reflected consistently across both the landing page and the feed.

Bottom line. What looks like a small UI requirement is actually a meaningful policy change. Retailers will need to review how they manage out-of-stock products and ensure their pages and feeds are fully aligned to avoid disruptions.

First seen. This update was spotted by Google shopping specialist who shared the his how to video on LinkedIn.

Dig deeper. About landing page requirements

Google is testing AI-generated review replies in Google Business Profile.

Why we care. Responding to reviews can impact conversions and trust. But generic AI replies could be risky and erode trust, especially on negative reviews where authenticity matters most. Response quality matters more than whether a business replies to reviews.

What it looks like. Here’s a screenshot:

The details. Google appears to be rolling out a limited test of Reply to reviews with AI inside Google Business Profile.

• The feature generates suggested responses to customer reviews.
• Users can review, edit, and manually submit replies.
• Availability is inconsistent across accounts and reviews.
• The feature has been spotted in the U.S., Brazil, and India, but not widely in Europe.

Early behavior. Some users report prompts focused on older, unanswered negative reviews.

• In at least one test, users could trigger AI responses in bulk.
• There are conflicting reports on automation — some users say bulk responses still require review; others report fully automated replies can be published without edits.

First seen. The feature was first shared on LinkedIn by Chandan Mishra, a freelance local SEO specialist, and amplified by Darren Shaw, founder of Whitespark.

Google has released a new Android test update – Android Canary 2603. It is currently available for Pixel 6 and newer phones. This update is still in testing, so it may have some problems and changes may happen later.

This update gives us a preview of what future Android versions might look like. Google is working to make Android simpler, better looking, and more secure. While it is mainly for developers, regular Android users can also learn about the new changes coming soon.

What’s new in Android Canary 2603 

The update brings an improved design. Google has added more blur effects in the system. These can be seen in notifications and Quick Settings. The blur makes the screen look clean and modern, and helps users focus on important things.

Quick Settings is also getting a useful change. Wi-Fi and mobile data now have separate buttons again. Earlier, they were combined, which made it harder for some users. Now, you can turn them on or off easily with just one tap.

The update also introduces an app lock feature. This allows users to lock apps using a PIN, pattern, or fingerprint. It helps protect personal apps like messages, photos, and banking apps from others.

You can now turn apps into small floating bubbles on your screen. These bubbles can be moved anywhere, making it easier to multitask. You can close the bubble by long-pressing it or using the Dismiss option.

The long-press menu has been redesigned. App shortcuts are now hidden by default, making the menu look cleaner and less crowded. The permission screen has been redesigned to be simpler and easier to understand.

After stopping a screen recording, a new page appears where you can watch, edit, share, or delete your recording. The edit option opens Google Photos, making it easier to make quick changes.

Aside from these, there are minor fixes and improvements, which help the phone run more smoothly and work better overall. Since this is still a test version, it may not be perfect. Stay tuned for more information

The post Android gets a fresh look and extra privacy with Canary 2603 appeared first on Sammy Fans.

Huawei is launching the Enjoy 90 Pro Max in China on March 23, and the company already started teasing it alongside the Enjoy 90 Plus earlier this month. Today, a new rumor from the prolific Chinese leaker who goes by Digital Chat Station on Weibo purportedly reveals the Enjoy 90 Pro Max's battery capacity: 8,500 mAh. Huawei Enjoy 90 Pro Max official image That is the typical value which will be advertised. The rated capacity is 8,320 mAh. This will be the largest battery ever fitted to a device powered by Huawei's Kirin 8-series SoCs. The Enjoy 90 Pro Max is expected to feature...

Google’s revamped process for sideloading apps on Android will require several steps, including a mandatory 24-hour waiting period before installing apps from unverified developers. The “advanced flow,” as Google calls it, goes into effect from August and forces users to verify their identity by going through a 4-step process with the end goal of preventing potential scams. As Google explains in its Android Developers Blog post, most scammers rely on coercion and fake urgency to install malicious software. Google’s solution involves enabling developer mode, then confirming that you are...

In recent weeks, Argentina faced uncertainty regarding their fixtures for the March international break, following the cancellation of the Finalissima. On Friday, the friendly against Mauritania was confirmed, likely marking Lionel Messi’s last game on home soil before the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

“The team led by Lionel Scaloni is beginning to say farewell to their fans before departing to defend the World Cup title. On Friday, 27 March, at La Bombonera, the Argentina national team will take on Mauritania,” the Argentine Football Association said in a statement published on its official website.

The choice of Mauritania came from the need to find an opponent on short notice, after the Finalissima against Spain was cancelled and efforts to arrange friendlies against Honduras and Guatemala fell through.

Argentina had planned to play those two Central American national teams during the March international break in Buenos Aires, but the fact that both Honduras and Guatemala were scheduled to play matches in Europe during the same window made it impossible. FIFA rules prohibit a national team from competing on two continents during the same international break.

One of Messi’s last matches in Argentina

As AFA noted when confirming that the friendly against Mauritania will serve as something of a farewell to the country before the World Cup, it will also be one of Lionel Messi’s final opportunities to play in front of local fans.

In fact, Argentina’s 3‑0 win over Venezuela in the World Cup qualifiers in September 2025 was his last official match on Argentine soil. Messi scored twice in that game in Buenos Aires, in what was widely described as his final competitive home appearance for the national team before the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

It’s likely that Scaloni’s team will not return to Argentina before the World Cup, as the next FIFA international break falls just before the start of the tournament and the squad will already be based in the United States for that period.

What about Mauritania?

It is clear that for Lionel Scaloni’s planning, facing Mauritania will not be the same as what the match against Spain in the Finalissima would have represented. Far from the level of challenge presented by playing the European champions, their newly confirmed opponent will pose a much smaller test.

Mauritania have never qualified for a World Cup. In fact, in the African qualifiers for this summer’s FIFA tournament, they managed only one win in 10 matches. Mauritania currently occupy 115th place in the FIFA rankings.

has had his say after his father John claimed that ‘The Gypsy King’ was ‘finished.’ Fury is set to end his retirement and return to the ring on April 11 when he faces Arslanbek Makhmudov at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London. Ahead of that bout, it came as a shock earlier this week when […]

The post Tyson Fury speaks out after father John Fury says he is ‘finished’ appeared first on Boxing News.

A Milli Kadın Basketbol Takımı, 451,8 puanla FIBA Kadınlar Dünya Sıralaması'nda 16. sırada yer aldı.

Uluslararası Basketbol Federasyonu (FIBA), 2026 FIBA Kadınlar Dünya Kupası Elemeleri'nin ardından dünya sıralamasını paylaştı.

Dünya Kupası biletini alan A Milli Kadın Basketbol Takımı, 451 puanla 16. sıradaki yerini korudu.

Listede ABD zirvedeki yerini korurken, Fransa ikinciliğe yükseldi, Avustralya ise üçüncülüğe geriledi.

Portekiz Milli Takımı'nın aday kadrosu açıklandı. Hazırlık maçları öncesinde belirlenen listede dikkat çeken eksikler öne çıktı. Sakatlığı devam eden Cristiano Ronaldo'nun yanı sıra Ruben Dias ve Bernardo Silva da kadroya davet edilmedi.

Portekiz Milli Takımı, hazırlık maçlarında Meksika Milli Futbol Takımı ve Amerika Birleşik Devletleri Milli Futbol Takımı ile karşı karşıya gelecek. Teknik heyetin açıkladığı aday kadro, bu iki karşılaşma öncesinde kamuoyuyla paylaşıldı.

RONALDO KADRODA YER ALMADI

Cristiano Ronaldo'nun devam eden sakatlığı nedeniyle aday kadroda bulunmaması, listenin en dikkat çeken başlıklarından biri oldu. Portekiz futbolunun en önemli isimleri arasında yer alan yıldız oyuncunun yanı sıra Ruben Dias ve Bernardo Silva'nın da kadroya çağrılmaması, açıklanan listenin öne çıkan detayları arasında yer aldı.

Hazırlık sürecine eksik isimlerle girecek olan Portekiz'de gözler, teknik heyetin bu süreçte nasıl bir kadro tercihine yöneleceğine çevrildi. Meksika ve ABD ile oynanacak karşılaşmalar, takımın yeni dönem planlaması açısından da önem taşıyacak.

Galatasaray'ın Şampiyonlar Ligi'nde Liverpool ile oynadığı son 16 turu rövanş maçında dev bir kayıp yaşandı. Konate ile girdiği ikili mücadelede sakatlanan Victor Osimhen'in sağ ön kolunda kırık tespit edildi. Devre arasında oyundan alınan ve kolu alçıya alınan yıldız golcü için ameliyat kararı beklenirken, Nijerya'dan duygusal görüntüler geldi. Eski futbolcu Odion Ighalo, sakatlanan vatandaşı Osimhen'i dua etmesi için annesinin yanına götürdü; o anlar sosyal medyada kısa sürede viral oldu.

UEFA Şampiyonlar Ligi son 16 turu rövanş maçında Liverpool'a konuk olan Galatasaray'da Victor Osimhen, talihsiz bir sakatlık yaşamıştı. Nijeryalı golcü, Ibrahim Konate ile girdiği ikili mücadelenin ardından acı içinde yerde kalmış ve devre arasında oyundan alınmıştı.

Maçın ardından hastanede yapılan kontrollerde Osimhen'in sağ ön kolunda kırık tespit edilmişti. Yıldız futbolcunun koluna alçı uygulanırken, ameliyat gerekip gerekmediğine önümüzdeki günlerde yapılacak değerlendirmelerin ardından karar verileceği bildirilmişti

Nijeryalı eski futbolcu Odion Ighalo, sakatlanan Victor Osimhen'i dua etmesi için annesinin yanına götürdü. Sosyal medyaya düşen görüntüler kısa sürede viral oldu.