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United States Embraces Authentic Mexican Heritage This Cinco de Mayo with Traditional Cuisine and Cultural CelebrationsRestaurants across the United States...
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Angkor Wat Emerges as the Second Most Attractive Tourist Destination in Asia for 2026, Solidifying Cambodia’s Global Appeal on TripAdvisorAngkor...
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Samsung has rolled out a new update for the Wonderland app, bringing a few meaningful improvements for users who create custom motion wallpapers on Galaxy devices.
One of the key fixes restores the 3D motion effect for portrait photos used in motion wallpapers. Some users had noticed that the depth effect was no longer working properly, and this update appears to address that issue.
The update also changes how the app handles photo and video permissions.
Instead of asking for broad access upfront, Wonderland now requests permission only when users actually try to load files. It’s a cleaner and more privacy-friendly approach.
Samsung has additionally fixed a bug that could cause videos and animated elements in wallpapers to randomly stop playing. With this patch, motion wallpapers should now run more reliably without interruptions.
The latest Wonderland update is rolling out through Galaxy Store. The availability seems broad, but not all Galaxy users may see the update immediately. The customization app requires Good Lock to be installed already to function.
The post Samsung Wonderland app now handles motion wallpapers more reliably appeared first on Sammy Fans.
Samsung is finally pushing May 2026 firmware to its latest premium earbuds, and this time both the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro and Galaxy Buds 4 Pro are getting some attention.
The updates are relatively small in size, but seasoned Samsung users already know the pattern here: these early maintenance builds often lay the groundwork for long-term stability.
Galaxy Buds 3 Pro
Samsung has started releasing a new update for the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro in South Korea. The firmware carries version R630XXU0AZD2 and weighs in at around 8.28MB.
The official changelog is short, classic Samsung style. After translation, it mentions that “stabilization code related to terminal operation” has been applied.
Galaxy Buds 4 Pro
Seeing the Buds 4 Pro finally join the firmware train in Europe is a notable milestone.
The Korean tech giant has now started rolling out the first meaningful post-launch firmware update for the Buds 4 Pro across parts of Europe, including the Netherlands, Belgium, and nearby markets.
Roughly two months after release, the earbuds are finally getting their first refinement-focused build. The update arrives with firmware version R640XXU0AZD2 and carries a package size of just over 8.5 megabytes.
If you’re holding a pair of Galaxy Buds 3 Pro or Buds 4 Pro, checking for the update only takes a minute.
Once the firmware is ready, tap Install now.
The post Galaxy Buds 3 and Buds 4 Pro receive May 2026 firmware update appeared first on Sammy Fans.
Snapdragon released its first Gen 5 chips last year with the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 and the vanilla 8 Gen 5. Now the company is extending this generation into the entry-level and mid-range segments with chips from the 4 and 6 series. Both are focused on longer battery life, smoother UI and improved gaming performance. Snapdragon 6 Gen 5 The headlining features of the Snapdragon 6 Gen 5 (SM6850) are Adaptive Performance Engine 4.0 and Qualcomm Adaptive Performance FPS 3.0, which promise steady frame rates while gaming. Snapdragon Game Super Resolution is available to upscale visuals...
’s cruiserweight title win has fans discussing a potential heavyweight move, where he could join Roy Jones Jr as the second fighter to reign at both super-middleweight and heavyweight. Now, Jones has spoken about a possible showdown between Benavidez and unified heavyweight ruler Oleksandr Usyk. Jones joined Bob Fitzsimmons as the only fighters to have […]
The post Roy Jones Jr sums up David Benavidez’s chances of beating Usyk to become heavyweight champion appeared first on Boxing News.
Anthony Joshua hopes to tee up his long-awaited clash with Tyson Fury by delivering a statement performance against Kristian Prenga in July. Now, ‘The Gypsy King’ has confirmed whether he would like an additional fight before facing Joshua at the end of the year. After Fury’s win against Arslanbek Makhmudov last month, talks progressed quickly […]
The post Tyson Fury makes final decision on having one more fight before facing Anthony Joshua appeared first on Boxing News.
Trabzonspor'un Brezilyalı eski futbolcusu Alanzinho, bordo-mavili takımın Ziraat Türkiye Kupası'nda şampiyon olmasını diledi.
Trabzonspor'un Süper Lig'de geçen hafta Göztepe ile oynadığı maçı izledikten sonra kentte bazı ziyaretler gerçekleştiren Alanzinho, AA muhabirinin sorularını yanıtladı.
Bordo-mavili takımda forma giydiği beş yıl boyunca unutulmaz çok an yaşadığını belirten Alanzinho, Trabzonspor taraftarının kendisi için çok özel olduğunu söyledi.
Trabzonspor'da forma giymenin kendisi için çok büyük bir onur olduğunu dile getiren Alanzinho, "Burada çok iyi zamanlarım geçti. Kötü zamanlarımız da oldu. Çok iyi zamanlarım geçtiği için yıllar sonra buradayım. Trabzonspor sürekli gelişiyor, gelişmeye devam ediyor. Her sene şampiyonluk için yarışıyor, şampiyonluk için mücadele ediyor. Kupalar alıyor. Trabzonspor her zaman gelişen bir takım." ifadelerini kullandı.
Brezilyalı eski futbolcu, bu sezonun Trabzonspor için çok zorlu geçtiğini vurgulayarak "Her hafta şampiyonluk yarışının içinde oldular. Kupada da yarı finaldeler. Umarım kupayı günün sonunda kazanan takım Trabzonspor olur." dedi.
Alanzinho, Süper Lig'i yakından takip ettiğini dile getirerek, "Özellikle Trabzonspor'u takip ettiğim için Türkiye ligini de takip ediyorum. Sürekli gelişen ve dönüşen bir lig. Çok büyük transferler geliyor. Brezilyalı iyi oyuncular da geliyor. Avrupa'da sayılı liglerden biri." değerlendirmesinde bulundu.
"Trabzonspor için her şeyi yapmaya hazırım"
Alanzinho, "Bordo-mavili takımın teknik kadrosunda yer almak gibi bir düşünceniz var mı?" sorusuna şu yanıtı verdi:
"Kendimi antrenörlüğe çok yakın görmüyorum. O yüzden böyle bir soruya tabii ki 'hayır' cevabını verebilirim fakat Trabzonspor için her şeyi yapmaya hazırım. Antrenörleri gördüğüm zaman çok hoşuma gidiyor, çok mutlu oluyorum ama antrenörlük konusuna kendimi yakın görmüyorum."
Brezilya'da futbolla ilgili çalışmalar yaptığını aktaran Alanzinho, "Trabzonspor'a iyi oyuncular kazandırmak isterim. Trabzonspor için oyuncunun çok çok iyi olması lazım çünkü Trabzonspor çok büyük bir kulüp. Belki ilerleyen zamanlarda daha iyi Alanzinholar getirme şansım olur." diye konuştu.
Ailesiyle 5 gündür Trabzon'da olduğunu anlatan Alanzinho, sözlerini şöyle tamamladı:
"Taraftarı çok seviyorum. Bana olan ilgiden dolayı çok mutluyum. Ailem de çok seviyor. 'Bize her yer Trabzon.' sözü benim için çok önemli oldu. Şampiyonluk sevincini Brezilya'da bile izledik. Gerçekten çok mükemmel bir kutlamaydı. Trabzonspor taraftarı çok farklı, çok önemli. Özellikle benim için çok önemli ve bana olan sevgilerinden dolayı onlara çok teşekkür ediyorum."
Trendyol Süper Lig ekiplerinden Kocaelispor, sezon başında Fransız ekibi Clermont Foot 63'ten kiralık olarak kadrosuna kattığı Malili orta saha oyuncusu Habib Ali Keita'nın satın alma opsiyonunu kullandığını açıkladı.
Kulübün sosyal medya hesabından yapılan açıklamada, "Futbolcumuz Habib Ali Keita'nın transferi için kulübümüz ile futbolcunun asıl kulübü olan Fransa Futbol Federasyonuna tescilli Clermont Foot 63 arasında yapılan transfer sözleşmesindeki satın alma opsiyonu şartları gerçekleşmiş olup, futbolcumuzun kulübümüzle 1 Temmuz 2026 itibariyle hüküm ifade etmeye başlayacak olan 2 yıllık nihai sözleşmesi geçerlilik kazanmıştır." ifadelerine yer verildi.
Keita, yeşil-siyahlı formayla çıktığı 31 maçta 1 gol atıp 2 asist yaptı.
Amerikan Basketbol Ligi'nde (NBA) San Antonio Spurs, sahasında Minnesota Timberwolves'u 133-95 mağlup ederek seriyi 1-1 yaptı.
Batı Konferansı yarı final serisi ikinci maçında Victor Wembanyama, 19 sayı, 15 ribauntla Spurs'e liderlik ederken, Stephon Castle 21, De'Aaron Fox 16 sayıyla oynadı.
Tarihinin en ağır play-off yenilgisini yaşayan Timberwolves'ta ise Anthony Edwards, Julius Randle, Jaden McDaniels ve Terrence Shannon Jr. 12’şer sayı kaydetti.
Serinin 3 ve 4. maçları Minneapolis’te oynanacak.
Knicks, seride 2-0 öne geçti
Doğu Konferansı yarı final serisinde Philadelphia 76ers'ı 108-102 yenen New York Knicks, seride 2-0 üstünlük sağladı.
Knicks'te Jalen Brunson'ın 26 sayıyla en skorer isim olurken, OG Anunoby 24 sayı, Karl-Anthony Towns 20 sayı, 10 ribaunt, 7 asistlik performans sergiledi.
Skor üstünlüğünün 25 kez el değiştirdiği maçta Tyrese Maxey, 76ers adına 26 sayı kaydetti. Paul George ve Kelly Oubre Jr. 19'ar sayıyla oynadı. 16 dakika süre alan milli basketbolcu Adem Bona, 2 sayı, 7 ribaunt, 1 asist, 2 blokla parkeden ayrıldı.
Serinin 3 ve 4. maçları Philadelphia'da oynanacak.
Paris Saint-Germain'in (PSG), UEFA Şampiyonlar Ligi'nde finale yükselmesinin ardından Fransız polisinin, taraftarların galibiyet kutlamalarına müdahale etmesiyle çıkan olaylar sonucu 127 kişi gözaltına alındı.
Almanya'da dün akşam Bayern Münih ile oynadığı maç sonucunda PSG, UEFA Şampiyonlar Ligi'nde finale yükseldi.
Bu gelişmenin ardından Fransa'nın başkenti Paris'teki Parc des Princes Stadı'nın etrafı dahil çeşitli noktalarda taraftarlar, gece boyunca kutlamalar gerçekleştirdi.
Stadın etrafındaki kutlamalar sırasında taraftarlar, polise havai fişek fırlattı, polis kargaşayı sonlandırmak için biber gazıyla karşılık verdi.
Çöp bidonlarının da ateşe verildiği, kalabalık taraftar gruplarının yol üzerinde koştuğu olaylar nedeniyle araç trafiği etkilendi.
Fransa İçişleri Bakanı Laurent Nunez, konuk olduğu Fransız CNews kanalı ve Europe 1 radyosunun ortak programında gece çıkan taşkınlıkları şiddetle kınadığını dile getirdi.
Nunez, yüzlerce kişinin polislere saldırmak istediğini ve dükkanları yağmalamaya çalıştığını ileri sürerek, 23'ü polis memuru olmak üzere 34 kişinin yaralandığını açıkladı.
Yaralananların arasında bir kişinin durumunun ağır olduğunu ifade eden Nunez, Fransa'da taraftarlar ile polis arasında çıkan olaylar sebebiyle 127 kişinin gözaltına alındığını duyurdu.
UEFA Şampiyonlar Ligi'nde PSG, 5-4 kazandığı ilk maçın rövanşında Bayern Münih ile dün 1-1 berabere kalarak finale yükseldi ve Arsenal'ın rakibi oldu.
2013-14'te Beşiktaş'ta çalışan daha sonra 2016'da 1 ay Göztepe'yi çalıştıran Önder Özen'in 10 yıllık yorumculuğun ardından Serkan Reçber'in yerine Beşiktaş'a sportif direktör olarak getirileceği iddia edildi.
Beşiktaş'ın, sportif direktörlük görevi için futbol yorumcusu Önder Özen ile görüşme gerçekleştirdiği iddia edildi. Taraflar önümüzdeki sezon için anlaşma sağladığı dedikodusu yayıldı. Böyle bir anlaşma hali hazırda Sergen Yalçın'ın göreve getirdiği Serkan Reçber'in görevden ayrılması anlamına geliyor.
Sergen Yalçın ve Önder Özen ikilisi, Beşiktaş’ın 2013-2014 sezonundaki yapılanma döneminde birlikte çalıştı.
Önder Özen’in uzun ve taktiksel analizlerine karşılık Sergen Yalçın’ın genellikle "Hocam futbol bu kadar komplike bir şey değil, topu ayağına alınca atacaksın" minvalindeki çıkışları, ikili arasındaki temel mizah unsuru olmuştu.
Önder Özen, teknik direktörlük kariyerindeki son saha içi görevini 2015-2016 sezonunda Göztepe başında yaptı.
İzmir ekibiyle Mart 2016'da sözleşme imzalayan Özen, burada yaklaşık bir ay süren kısa bir dönemin ardından Nisan 2016'da görevinden ayrıldı.
Beşiktaş'ta daha önce Futbol Genel Direktörü olarak 2013-2014 yılları arasında görev yaptı.
Rafael Leao'nun Milan kariyeri sezon sonunda resmen bitecek. İtalyan devi, Fenerbahçe'de başkanlığa adaylığını koyan eski yönetici Hakan Safi'nin istediği iddia edilen Portekizli için 50-60 milyon euro civarındaki bonservis bedeli tekliflerini değerlendirmeye alacak.
La Gazzetta dello Sport’un haberine göre AC Milan, 26 yaşındaki Portekizli yıldızı Rafael Leao ile sezon sonunda yollarını ayırmaya hazırlanıyor.
Milan yönetimi, bir dönem 100 milyon Euro bandında değer biçtiği yıldız oyuncu için beklentisini revize etti. Son dönemdeki form düşüklüğü ve takımla arasındaki doku uyuşmazlığı nedeniyle Kırmızı-Siyahlılar, 50-60 milyon Euro civarındaki teklifleri değerlendirmeye alacak.
Fenerbahçe’de yaklaşan başkanlık seçimi öncesi adaylardan Hakan Safi’nin, dünyaca ünlü yıldızı sarı-lacivertli formayı giydirmek için kolları sıvadığı iddia ediliyordu.
Safi’nin, seçim kozu olarak Leao transferini bitirmek istediği ve Portekizli yıldızın menajeriyle temaslara başladığı sık sık konuşuluyor.
Beşiktaş Başkanı Serdal Adalı yönetimi "olur da Sergen Yalçın istifa ederse..." diyerek 'B Planı'nı devreye soktu. Şenol Güneş'le bir görüşme gerçekleştirdi.
Konyaspor maçından sonra bir de Trabzonspor maçında aleyhine "istifa" sesleri yükselirse düşünmeden görevi bırakacağı konuşulan Sergen Yalçın, Beşiktaş yönetimini paniğe sürükledi.
Sergen Yalçın'la devam etmeyi düşünen ve teknik direktörlük için bir kez bile "B Planı" yapmayan yönetim "acil eylem planını" harekete geçirdi.
Başkan Serdal Adalı yönetiminden bazı isimler Şenol Güneş'le bir araya geldi. "Sergen hoca bırakırsa, seninle çalışmak isteriz" teklifi iletildi.
ŞENOL GÜNEŞ'İN TAVSİYESİ
Şenol Güneş ilk etapta, "hocası olan bir takımla görüşmem" dedi. Ne para ne de pul konuşacağını anlattı. Beşiktaş'ın kendisi için olan öneminden bahsetti. Tabii ki böylesine zorlu bir süreçte sevdiği camiayı yalnız bırakmayacağının altını çizdi. Yöneticilere de "Sergen Yalçın'a sahip çıkın" mesajı verdi.
Aziz Yıldırım ve Hakan Safi'nin başkan adaylığı için başbaşa kaldığı süreçte Ali Koç için sanki "Fenerbahçe'den vazgeçti..." gibi bir hava yaratıldı. Ancak iddialara göre Ali Koç'un kurmayları seçimi kazanacak üçüncü bir aday için çalışmalara başladı
Aziz Yıldırım'ın başkan adaylığını açıklamasının ardından Ali Koç'un kurmaylarıyla beraber Nakkaştepe'deki ofisinde bir durum değerlendirme toplantısı yaptığı iddia edildi.
Hatta bu toplantıdan Koç ve ekibinin "bu seçimde yokuz" kararı ile çıkıldığı iddia edidi. Gelen bilgiler tam tersi yönünde. Ali Koç ve ekibi (kendi dönem yöneticileri) bir toplantı yapmadı.
Ali Koç'un fikri aday olmama yönünde... ancak ne Hakan Safi'nin ne de Aziz Yıldırım'ın başkan olmasını istemiyor. Özellikle 2018'de Aziz Yıldırım'dan devraldıklarında kulübün mali durumunu hatırlatan Başkan Ali Koç'un kurmaylarıyla "üçüncü bir yol olmalı" şeklinde fikir alışverişi olduğuna dair söylentiler var.
Gelen bilgilere göre Ali Koç bizzat içinde değil ancak Sertaç Komşuoğlu'nun başını çektiği eski yöneticiler Aziz Yıldırım ve Hakan Safi'nin karşısına güçlü bir aday çıkarıp seçimi kazanmanın planlarına başladılar.
İlk anda akıllara ise Mehmet Ali Aydınlar'la yola çıkması konuşulan Hamdi Akın ve Nezih Barut'un geldiği konuşuluyor.
Fenerbahçe Başkanlığına adaylığını açıklayan Aziz Yıldırım, Aykut Kocaman'ı teknik direktör olarak değil farklı bir statüde değerlendirecek. Aklındaki teknik direktör adayları Carlo Ancelotti, Jogi Löw ve Jose Mourinho.
Fenerbahçe'nin efsane başkanı Aziz Yıldırım'ın adaylık kararını açıklamasıyla beraber taşlar yavaş yavaş yerine oturmaya başladı. İlk anda Yıldırım'ın "Aykut Kocaman'la yola çıkacağı" iddiası ortaya atılmıştı. Ancak bu net şekilde yalanlandı.
Yıldırım'ın seçilmesi durumunda Kocaman'la yola çıkma ihtimali yok. Tam da Fotospor'un yazdığı gibi Kocaman, Yıldırım döneminde farklı bir statüde değerlendirilecek.
Aziz Yıldırım çok sevdiği Kocaman'ı daha önce Daum'un üzerine sportif direktör olarak görevlendirmişti.
Aziz Yıldırım'ın aklında Kocaman değil de dünya çapında teknik direktörler var. Bunların başında hali hazırda Brezilya Milli Takımını çalıştıran ancak Dünya Kupası sonrasında kulüp futboluna dönmek isteyen Carlo Ancelotti var. Ayrıca Jogi Löw ve yeniden Mourinho da aklındaki isimler.
Fenerbahçe'de seçimin Venezuela maçı yüzünden ertelnmesinin istendiği iddialarına hem Hakan Safi hem de Aziz Yıldırım cephesinden yalanlama geldi.
Fenerbahçe'de iki başkan adayı Aziz Yıldırım ve Hakan Safi'nin milli maç nedeniyle seçim tarihinin ertelenmesi yerine öne çekilmesini istediği iddia edildi.
Ancak bahsedilen milli maç ABD'de TSİ ile sabaha karşı Venezuela ile oynanacak. Pek çok kişinin fikrinin bile olmayacağı bir dostluk/hazırlık karşılaşması.
Gelen bilgilere göre Hakan Safi cephesi Fotospor'un gündeme getirdiği "20 gün önce seçim yapılabilirdi haberi" üzerine harekete geçti. Venezuela maçı için seçimin ileri tarihe değil daha öncesine alınmasını istedi.
- Seçim, ileri bir tarihe değil erkene çekilsin. Fenerbahçe’nin kaybedecek 1 dakikası yok. Takım 25 Haziran’da sezonu açıyor. Gelip hızlı bir şekilde Şampiyonlar Ligine gidecek takımı kurmak istiyorum.
Venezuela maçı için erteleme iddialarına da Aziz Yıldırım cephesinden jet yalanlama geldi:
- Seçim takvimi bozulmasın. Tarihlere uyulsun. Daha sonra Dünya Kupası başlayacak. Transfere dair çalışmalar devam ediyor. Fenerbahçe’nin menfaati için seçim tarihinde yapılmalı.
Futbol üzrə UEFA Çempionlar Liqasının (ÇL) tarixində ilk dəfə iki ispaniyalı baş məşqçi bu turnirin finalında üz-üzə gələcək.
Arena.az xəbər verir ki, bu, İngiltərənin “Arsenal” və Fransanın PSJ komandalarının həlledici matça vəsiqə qazanması sayəsində mümkün olub.
London təmsilçisində Mikel Arteta, Paris klubunda isə Luis Enrike titula sahib çıxmağa çalışacaq.
Əvvəllər UEFA Çempionlar Liqası və Çempionlar Kubokunda eyni ölkə mütəxəssisləri 4 dəfə münasibətlərə aydınlıq gətiriblər.
Bu, 1979-cu ildə “Nottinqem Forest” (Brayan Klaf) – “Malmö” (Bob Hafton), 2003-cü ildə “Yuventus” (Marçello Lippi) – “Milan” (Karlo Ançelotti), 2013-cü ildə “Borussiya” (Dortmund, Yurgen Klopp) – “Bayern” (Yupp Haynkes), 2020-ci ildə PSJ (Tomas Tuxel) – “Bayern” (Hansi Flik) matçlarında yaşanıb.
Onlar müvafiq olaraq İngiltərə, İtaliya və Almaniyadan (hər ikisi) olan baş məşqçilər idilər. İspaniyalı mütəxəssislər isə ilk dəfə ÇL-in finalında qarşılaşacaqlar.
Xatırladaq ki, UEFA Çempionlar Liqasının final matçı mayın 30-də Macarıstanın paytaxtı Budapeştdə keçiriləcək. Qarşılaşmaya Bakı vaxtı ilə saat 23:00-da start veriləcək.
PSJ-nin baş məşqçisi Luis Enrike UEFA Çempionlar Liqasının yarımfinalında “Bayern”ə qarşı keçirdikləri cavab matçını şərh edib.
Arena.az xəbər verir ki, Fransa və Almaniya nəhəngləri arasında ötən gecə Münhendə baş tutmuş cavab görüşü 1:1 hesablı bərabərliklə yekunlaşıb.
İlk oyunda 5:4 hesablı qələbəyə sevinmiş Paris klubu finala yüksəlib. Luis Enrike matçdan sonra təşkil edilmiş mətbuat konfransında bunları söyləyib:
“Bu, çox yüksək səviyyəli matç idi. Oyuna inamlı başladıq, qoldan sonra isə daha çox imkanlarımız yarandı. Yenidən necə komanda olduğumuzu göstərdik və lazım olduğu kimi çıxış etdik. Ardıcıl ikinci dəfə finala çıxmaq inanılmazdır. Biz çox xoşbəxtik”.
İspaniyalı mütəxəssis finala qədər asan yol keçmədiklərini bildirib:
“Püşk bizi ən çətin rəqiblərlə üz-üzə qoydu. Necə ki, tez-tez olur. Buna baxmayaraq, yenə bir final oynayacağıq. Bu, klub üçün tarixi məqam və Çempionlar Liqasını qazanmaq uğrunda mübarizəni davam etdirmək baxımından şansdır. Ötən il tarix yazdıq və indi həmin impulsu qorumaq, kluba müsbət emosiyalar gətirmək istəyirik”.
Luis Enrike finalda qarşılaşcaqları “Arsenal” və onun baş məşqçisi Mikel Arteta haqda da fikirlərini bildirib:
“Arteta ilə çox yaxşı münasibətim var. Çünki o, çox gənc vaxtlarında “Barselona”da mənimlə komanda yoldaşım olub. Əla komanda qurub, bir neçə ildir orada çalışır və necə məşqçi olduğunu görmək mümkündür. Çətin olacağını başa düşürəm. Amma biz öz oyun üslubumuza və məqsədlərimizə inanırıq. Əminəm ki, sona qədər mübarizə aparacağıq”.
Xatırladaq ki, PSJ ilə “Arsenal” arasında final oyunu mayın 30-da Macarıstanın paytaxtı Budapeşt şəhərindəki “Puşkaş Arena”da keçiriləcək. Həlledici oyuna Bakı vaxtı ilə saat 23:00-da start veriləcək.
Google's John Mueller answers if Preferred Sources overrides ranking signals. Could it be a "trust button" signal?
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“CBC Sport” telekanalı Çempionlar Liqasında “Bavariya” – PSJ oyununun efirə verilməməsi ilə bağlı bəyanat yayıb.
Futbolpress.az xəbər verir ki, bununla bağlı feysbuk hesabında paylaşım edilib. Bəyanat:
“Əziz və hörmətli futbol azarkeşləri,
mayın 6-da UEFA Çempionlar Liqasının yarımfinal mərhələsinin cavab oyunları çərçivəsində keçirilən “Bavariya” – PSJ qarşılaşmasının yayımı texniki səbəblərdən mümkün olmayıb.
Gün ərzində yayım prosesi ilə bağlı aparılan ənənəvi testlər zamanı hər hansı problem aşkarlanmasa da, matçın başlamasına təxminən 5 dəqiqə qalmış gözlənilməz texniki nasazlıq yaranıb. Problem qeydə alınan andan etibarən onun aradan qaldırılması üçün bütün zəruri tədbirlər görülüb. Məqsədimiz nasazlıq aradan qalxan kimi, oyunun hansı dəqiqəsinin getməsindən asılı olmayaraq dərhal efirə qoşulmaq idi. Lakin texniki heyətin görüş boyu davam edən səylərinə baxmayaraq yayımı bərpa etmək mümkün olmayıb.
Baş verən bu xoşagəlməz hadisəyə görə məsuliyyətimizi tam dərk edir, oyunu sizə təqdim edə bilmədiyimiz üçün bütün futbolsevərlərdən üzr istəyirik.
Əziz idmansevərlər, anlayışınıza ümid edir və belə halların bir daha təkrarlanmaması üçün bütün lazımi addımların atılacağını bildiririk.
Hörmətlə, “CBC Sport”
“Karvan-Yevlax” Misli Premyer Liqasında 30 turdan sonra 14 xalla sonuncu sıradadır.
Yevlax təmsilçisi pley-off zonasından – 11-ci sıradan altı xal geri qalır. Komandanın kapitanı Vadim Abdullayev “Futbolpress.az“a açıqlamasında liqada qalmaq şanslarını dəyərləndirdi:
“Qarşıda üç oyun var. Hamı istəyir ki, nələrsə dəyişsin. Nə şansımız varsa, dəyərləndirməyə çalışacağıq. Amma indiki məqamda hər şey tək bizdən asılı deyil. “Qəbələ” amili də var. Əlimizdən gələni edəcəyik ki, çempionatda qalaq”.
“Karvan-Yevlax” son oyunlarda topladığı xallarla “Qəbələ” ilə fərqi endirib. Abdullayev geridə qalan matçların bəzilərində məğlubiyyətə layiq olmadıqlarını bildirdi:
“Elə matçlar var idi ki, xallar qazana bilərdik. Oyunumuzla buna layiq olmuşuq, amma alınmayıb. Lakin indi geriyə baxmağın faydası yoxdur. Qarşıdakı matçlara diqqət etməli və qalan şansımızdan yararlanmalıyıq”.
Kapitan klubdakı taleyinə də toxundu:
“Çalışırıq ki, liqada qalaq. İndi klubdakı gələcəyimlə bağlı nəsə demək doğru olmaz. Diqqətimiz oyunlardadır və yalnız bunu düşünürük”.
Şahin Cəfərov
“Real” klubunun iki futbolçusu məşq zamanı mübahisə edib.
Futbolpress.az xəbər verir ki, bu barədə “Marca” nəşri məlumat yayıb. Məşq zamanı epizodların birində yarımmüdafiəçilər Federiko Valverde ilə Orelyen Çuameni arasında kobud oyundan sonra mübahisə yaranıb və vəziyyət əlbəyaxa dava həddinə çatıb.
Digər futbolçuların müdaxiləsi ilə sakitləşən tərəflər daha sonra paltardəyişmə otağında da mübahisə ediblər.
Peşəkar Futbol Liqası ilk Azərbaycan Kubokunun qalibi “İnşaatçı” (Bakı) komandasının baş məşqçisi olmuş Məmmədəli Məmmədovla müsahibə hazırlayıb.
Futbolpress.az xəbər verir ki, o, final matçı ilə bağlı bir çox maraqlı məqamlara toxunub:
“1992-ci ildən danışırıqsa, həmin il bizim üçün tarixi alınmışdı. Komandamızda ulduz futbolçu yox idi. Kollektiv oyun nümayiş etdirərək gücümüzü göstərməyə çalışırdıq. Kubok qazanmağa layiq komanda idik”
Məmmədov final matçı öncəsi klub rəhbəri ilə olan maraqlı dialoqlarından, eyni zamanda kubokdakı rəqibləri barədə də söz açıb:
“Sponsorumuz olan evtikmə kombinatının rəhbəri oyundan iki gün əvvəl keçirilən iclasda bizə yaxşı vəd verdi. Bildirdi ki, kuboku qazanacağınız təqdirdə komandanın üzvlərindən birinə ikiotaqlı ev, digərlərinə pul mükafatı verəcək. Kubokda hər mərhələ keçdikcə pul mükafatı alırdıq”.
Bu gün UEFA Konfrans Liqasında finalçılar məlum olacaq.
Futbolpress.az xəbər verir ki, türkiyəli mütəxəssis Arda Turanın rəhbərlik etdiyi “Şaxtyor” İngiltərədə “Kristal Pelas”ın qonağı olacaq.
Fransa təmsilçisi “Strasburq” isə İspaniyanın “Valyekano” komandasını qəbul edəcək.
UEFA Konfrans Liqası
Yarımfinal mərhələsi, cavab oyunları
7 may
23:00 Kristal Pelas – Şaxtyor
İlk oyun 3:1
23:00 Strasburq – Valyekano
İlk oyun 0:1
Çempionlar Liqasında finala yüksələn “Arsenal” baş məşqçisi Mikel Arteta ilə müqaviləni uzatmaq niyyətindədir.
Futbolpress.az xəbər verir ki, bu barədə insayder Fabrizio Romano məlumat yayıb. London klubunun rəhbərliyi yayda mütəxəssislə danışıqlara başlayacaq.
Artetanın hazırki müqaviləsi 2027-ci ilin yayına kimidir.
Çempionlar Liqasında finala yüksələn “topçular” İngiltərə Premyer Liqasında da sona üç tur qalmış liderdir.
1inch said its protocols, infrastructure and user funds were not affected by the exploit targeting independent resolver TrustedVolumes.
BNY is partnering with Finstreet and ADI Foundation to offer regulated Bitcoin and Ethereum custody to UAE clients from the Abu Dhabi Global Market.
Reports in Italy confirm that Italy internationals Sandro Tonali and Nicolo Fagioli have been handed their final punishments as the investigation into their illegal gambling activity finally comes to a definitive end.
Tonali and Fagioli both served lengthy bans between 2023 and 2024 for their involvement in illegal gambling practices, which involved betting on football matches, which is prohibited for professional players.
In October of 2023, the FIGC confirmed that Tonali would have to serve a 10-match suspension for his involvement, as well as being ordered to pay a fine of €20,000 and to attend a series of events warning others against the dangers of gambling addictions. Fagioli was also handed a seven-month suspension and a fine of €12,500.
These were ‘sporting’ punishments handed out by the Italian football association, but that is separate from the criminal investigation that was opened in April 2025. Tonali and Fagioli were accused of gambling on illegal betting sites, of promoting these platforms among other professional athletes, and of opening accounts and delivering payments on behalf of their colleagues.
Reports from various outlets in Italy on Thursday, including the Corriere dello Sport, confirm that the investigation into the illegal gambling case has now drawn to a conclusion, which means that the matter is now definitively over.
Tonali will have to pay a fine of €78,000, while Fagioli has been handed a one-month suspended prison sentence.
Reports in Italy claim that Rafael Leao is at risk of being dropped from Massimiliano Allegri’s starting line-up and that the Rossoneri could look to sell the Portugal international in the upcoming summer transfer window.
Leao and his Milan teammates are on a disappointing run of form heading into the final few games of the 2025-26 season, with just four points to their name from their last five Serie A matches.
Leao is without a goal in over two months, dating back to the 2-0 win over Cremonese on March 1. The Portugal international is yet to cross double figures in the league, currently on nine goals, heading into the final three Serie A matches of the season. That is despite the fact that he has spent most of the season playing as a centre-forward in a 3-5-2.
According to updates from La Gazzetta dello Sport, Milan are ‘growing tired’ of waiting for Leao to become a consistently reliable player.
It has been said that the 26-year-old is not impacting games in the way that he used to in years gone by, and his lack of defensive effort has constantly been a complaint among Rossoneri supporters. His icy reactions to being substituted off in recent matches has not gone down well, either.
For these reasons, La Gazzetta dello Sport claim that Leao is at risk of losing his place in the starting XI for Milan’s upcoming Serie A match against Atalanta on Sunday evening. Thursday’s report explains that Leao still has another few days to convince Allegri to keep the faith in him, but as things stand, he is ‘a step behind’ Christian Pulisic and Santiago Gimenez in the pecking order.
La Gazzetta dello Sport predicts that this could be the summer that Milan decide to part ways with Leao as well. The Pink Paper claims that Milan ‘will not only evaluate, but encourage’ offers for the winger-turned striker this coming window.
Leao has a staggering €175m release clause in his Rossoneri contract, which is not expected to be activated. In fact, Milan might be looking at offers of less than a third of the value of the release clause.
La Gazzetta dello Sport’s prediction is that offers in the region of €50m-€60m could be enough to convince Milan into a sale this summer.
Reports on Thursday claim that former Italy national team head coach Gennaro Gattuso could potentially be offered a three-year contract to return to Serie A as head coach of Torino, but he is not the only candidate that the Granata have in mind.
Gattuso has been out of work since leaving his position as head coach of the Italy national team at the beginning of April, shortly after the failure to qualify for the World Cup for the third time in a row.
The 48-year-old has not coached in Serie A since leaving Napoli in 2021. Since then, he has had experiences with Valencia in LaLiga, Marseille in Ligue 1, Hajduk Split in the Croatian Football League, and most recently with Italy.
According to reports from Tuttosport, Torino are keen on the idea of appointing Gattuso as their head coach for the 2026-27 campaign.
If Torino are to head down the Gattuso route, Tuttosport reports that he will likely be offered a three-year contract at the Stadio Olimpico Grande.
The ex-Italy CT is a figure that club President Urbano Cairo is said to like, as does sporting director Gianluca Petrachi, and Thursday’s reports claim that this is not the first time that Gattuso has been sounded out for the Torino job. Tuttosport claims that the Granata had also looked at the possibility of appointing Gattuso before and after Ivan Juric’s spell in charge.
A return to Torino for Juric can’t be ruled out either. The Croatian has been without a job since leaving Atalanta earlier this season. Torino had also looked at bringing Juric back to the club before he decided to move to Bergamo, which led the Granata to appoint Marco Baroni ahead of the 2025-26 campaign instead.
There is also a possibility, albeit an increasingly slim one, that Torino decide to stick with current head coach Roberto D’Aversa, who is on a short-term contract that expires at the end of June. Thursday’s front page claims that the current head coach is at the bottom of the pecking order as things stand, though.
With talismanic forward Mohamed Salah already confirmed to be departing Anfield at the end of the 2025/26 campaign, shockwaves have struck the fanbase following recent reports that club captain Virgil van Dijk is seriously contemplating an exit of his own.
Salah is leaving, Andy Robertson has announced he will leave the club as well, while another iconic Liverpool player, Alisson Becker, is being constantly linked with a move away from the club.
Now sepculation has started over the future of club captain Van Dijk, who could also leave Liverpool after an illustrious spell at Anfield.
According to Turkish outlet FotoMac, the Dutch colossal is assessing his future, potentially triggering the complete dismantling of the historic core that brought Champions League and Premier League glory back to the Reds.
The 34-year-old, who turns 35 this summer, signed a contract extension last April, tying him to the club until 2027.
However, the aggressive restructuring initiated by the Reds’ sporting hierarchy has seemingly prompted the captain to evaluate his place in Arne Slot’s long-term vision.
The club is actively working to renew Ibrahima Konate’s contract and invested heavily in younger profiles, such as the winter signing of Jeremy Jacquet and the future integration of Giovanni Leoni.
With high-profile scouts also monitoring European standouts like Inter Milan’s Alessandro Bastoni and Borussia Dortmund’s Nico Schlotterbeck, it is increasingly clear that Liverpool are accelerating their preparations for a post-Van Dijk reality.
Recognising this shift, Van Dijk may feel that stepping away now is the most dignified way to close his legendary Premier League chapter.
| Competition / Trophy | Titles | Season(s) / Year(s) Won |
| Premier League | 2 | 2019–20, 2024–25 |
| EFL Cup (Carabao Cup) | 2 | 2021–22, 2023–24 |
| UEFA Champions League | 1 | 2018–19 |
| FA Cup | 1 | 2021–22 |
| FIFA Club World Cup | 1 | 2019 |
| UEFA Super Cup | 1 | 2019 |
| FA Community Shield | 1 | 2022 |
Van Dijk has been the undisputed bedrock of Liverpool’s backline this season, starting all 35 Premier League matches and logging over 3,150 minutes while chipping in with four goals.
Despite the club’s poor performances, his leadership role has been praised.
Before making any definitive decisions regarding his club future, Van Dijk will first focus on leading the Netherlands as captain into the 2026 World Cup in North America.
For the Anfield faithful, the summer of 2026 is shaping up to be an emotional and foundational reset.
Arne Slot, or whoever is the manager of Liverpool this summer, will have a busy transfer window, not only to sign new players and rebuild the squad, but to also lay the foundation of the next successful Liverpool team.
Liverpool leapfrog rivals in the race to sign “phenomenal” South American star
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Chelsea are reportedly still continuing in talks over hiring Xabi Alonso, who may still need some convincing to take the job.
The Spanish tactician is out of work after leaving Real Madrid earlier this season, and it seems he’s one of Chelsea’s top targets.
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According to Simon Phillips, the Blues are continuing in their efforts to persuade Alonso to join, but their manager search has supposedly proven tricky so far.
In general, it seems a lot of the candidates Chelsea have been approaching are unsure about the job, and some have already outright rejected the west London giants’ advances.
Discussing the latest on the Alonso to Chelsea situation, Phillips wrote in his Substack: “Chelsea have continued talks with their top managerial target Xabi Alonso this week, and the fact that these talks are continuing, means there is still a chance.
“Overall, as reported yesterday, Chelsea have been finding it very hard to convince manager targets to come. And we’ve heard that some managers have already rejected their approaches.
“However, Alonso has not walked away from talks yet, but does need a lot of convincing and promises in order to take the role. Chelsea are offering Alonso more control, which is what he has asked for. He’s also been asking around recruitment, especially centre backs, and who they will be looking to bring in.
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“There is a lot of planning and Alonso is insisting that if he is to take the role, then he needs much more of a say than previous managers have had, and more assurances overall around the project and the flexibility on it all. At the moment, Chelsea are working to give those assurances to Alonso, and see him as the main target they want in.”
The Chelsea job looks like a particularly challenging one at the moment, and it’s unclear if even a talented coach like Alonso could be up to the task.
| Xabi Alonso | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win % |
| Bayer Leverkusen | 88 | 33 | 19 | 62.86 |
| Real Madrid | 24 | 4 | 6 | 70.59 |
The 44-year-old seems keen to have a lot of control, but that’s surely unlikely to happen under this ownership and board structure.
Alonso also has the habit of using three at the back and wing-backs, which is not a system that has always had a lot of success in English football.
It might be that Chelsea could make it work, as they did in the 2016/17 season under Antonio Conte, while Alonso might also be flexible and able to adjust his methods.
Overall, however, Alonso looks a risky candidate in some ways, while he also needs to pick his next club carefully after the difficulties he encountered at Real Madrid.
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Following a dramatic late-season resurgence under the interim leadership of Michael Carrick, resulting in a crucial top-four finish and Champions League qualification, the debate over the permanent vacancy in the dugout is intensifying.
A number of high profile names have been linked with the United job and understandably so.
It is one of the biggest jobs in football and every other manager would want the opportunity to get that major role.
Recently, the support for Carrick is increasing after his team secured qualification for the Champions League.
Now, former Red Devils icon Dimitar Berbatov has weighed in, emphatically declaring that his former teammate is the undisputed choice to lead the club forward next season.
Speaking recently to Sky Sports, Berbatov did not mince words regarding the current situation at Old Trafford.
For the Bulgarian hitman, who shared the pitch with Carrick during United’s dominant, trophy-laden era under Sir Alex Ferguson, handing the 44-year-old a permanent contract is simply a “no-brainer.”
Asked if Carrick has done enough to get the job, Berbatov told Sky Sports, as reported by Metro:
‘And more, in my opinion, and more.
‘The team has qualified for the Champions League, the team is playing free-flowing football with swagger, with so much belief, scoring goals.
‘Of course there is work to be done as well, for sure. But looking where the team were, with all the problems, with things that were going on, and now with how things have improved.
‘Michael Carrick and his staff, and of course the players, deserve the credit and I think if you ask anyone, probably 99 per cent will say of course!
‘I heard some of the interviews from the players who are supporting him. “We are going to die for him on the pitch. He knows how to speak with us, the results are here.”
‘For me, it’s a no-brainer, he needs to stay.’
Berbatov highlighted Carrick’s intimate understanding of the club’s DNA, his notably calming presence in a high-pressure environment, and his immediate tactical impact as key reasons why the INEOS sporting hierarchy should abandon any search for external candidates.
Furthermore, Berbatov’s sentiments echo a growing consensus within the Old Trafford dressing room.
Players like Amad Diallo and Casemiro have broken their silence and backed Carrick to become the next permanent manager of the club.
As Sir Jim Ratcliffe and the INEOS leadership deliberate their next decisive move, the pressure to make the right appointment is immense.
If Berbatov’s passionate plea and the squad’s vocal backing are anything to go by, Man United may already have the perfect architect for their long-term rebuild sitting right in front of them.
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Paris Saint-Germain manager Luis Enrique may have unintentionally aimed a bit of a dig at Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta as they prepare to meet in the Champions League final.
PSG triumphed 6-5 on aggregate against Bayern Munich in their semi-final yesterday, while Arsenal ended a 20-year wait to reach the final again after beating Atletico Madrid 2-1 on aggregate.
The Gunners will now surely be the underdogs against holders PSG in the final later this month, with Enrique’s side also coming out on top when these two teams met in the semi-finals last season.
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Interestingly, as Enrique and Arteta prepare to renew their rivalry, the PSG manager referred to his opponent as “Mikelito” after last night’s game.
See below for the quote, via Fabrizio Romano on X, while the Telegraph’s Sam Dean suggested it might not go down well…
? Luis Enrique: “I appreciate Mikelito Arteta! We used to be teammates when we were kids, he did a great job at Arsenal”.
“It will be difficult, hard game but we believe in our football style”. pic.twitter.com/8JlK6uVlD5
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) May 6, 2026
“I appreciate Mikelito Arteta!” Enrique said. “We used to be teammates when we were kids, he did a great job at Arsenal. It will be difficult, hard game but we believe in our football style.”
Despite the praise for Arteta, “Mikelito” could be seen as a slightly demeaning comment, as it means little Mikel.
Wonder how Mikel Arteta will feel about Luis Enrique calling him "Mikelito" in a post-match interview last night.
— Sam Dean (@SamJDean) May 7, 2026
Enrique probably didn’t mean to sound insulting to Arteta, but it’s very possible that the Arsenal manager will take it that way and look to get one over his older ex-teammate.
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Arsenal are getting closer and closer to a truly great season in their history as they’re now top of the Premier League and 90 minutes away from winning the Champions League for the first time.
Of course, it’s so delicately poised that this campaign could still end trophyless for the Gunners, so it’s going to be a big test of Arteta and his players in the next few weeks.
Arsenal have an easier run-in than Manchester City on paper, but this season has been full of twists and turns as both sides have missed opportunities to run away with the title.
PSG have the advantage of being able to focus mainly on the Champions League as Ligue 1 is not as competitive as the English top flight, so that could give them a big advantage when they meet Arsenal in Budapest at the end of this month.
The post Luis Enrique aims subtle dig at Mikel Arteta as PSG book CL final place vs Arsenal appeared first on CaughtOffside.
Barcelona are reportedly preparing to make a bid for the transfer of Tottenham right-back Pedro Porro in order to beat Real Madrid to his signature.
The Spain international has impressed during his time at Spurs, but could be a likely candidate for the exit door this summer after a hugely challenging season.
Tottenham still look in danger of relegation, and even if they just about survive the drop, someone like Porro would surely be looking to move on.
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According to Spanish outlet Fichajes, the 26-year-old has interest from both Barcelona and Real Madrid as he could return to La Liga.
Porro has previously had spells with Girona and Valladolid, and Fichajes now report that Barca look prepared to bid €30m for him in order to get ahead of their rivals.
Even if THFC would probably ideally like to keep Porro around, it might not be the worst idea for the club to undergo a major squad overhaul after such a poor campaign.
The likes of Porro, Micky van de Ven, and Xavi Simons are all big names with plenty of potential, but for one reason or another it just hasn’t happened for them at Spurs.
This could be a chance for the north Londoners to raise some money from sales and use that to make some better recruitment decisions moving forward.
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Porro is a fine player on his day, but it’s perhaps hard to make sense of his possible move to Real Madrid, who signed Trent Alexander-Arnold last summer.
The former Sporting Lisbon man would probably be more likely to play regularly at Barcelona, where he’d arguably be an upgrade on Jules Kounde.
Kounde’s Barcelona future is in doubt, so that could mean Porro can come in and play a key role at the Nou Camp straight away.
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Atlético Madrid have reportedly slapped a staggering €100 million price tag on Julian Alvarez.
Arsenal, along with Barcelona, are exploring the opportunity to sign the World Cup winning striker in the summer transfer window.
To add more intrigue to the transfer saga, Paris Saint-Germain have also been recently linked with a move for the La Liga attacker.
Prying him away from the Spanish capital will require a monumental financial package and if reports from Mundo Deportivo are to be believed, it is going to cost clubs €100 million to sign Alvarez.
Atlético Madrid’s uncompromising stance on the €100 million fee is firmly rooted in their recent financial commitments and contract security.
Having signed Alvarez from Manchester City in the summer of 2024 in a landmark club-record deal worth up to €95 million, Diego Simeone’s side are determined to secure a return on their prized asset.
Furthermore, with the World Cup winner securely tied down to a long-term contract running until 2030, Atlético possess ultimate leverage at the negotiating table.
They are under zero institutional pressure to facilitate a cut-price exit.
The competition for Alvarez’s signature is undeniably fierce. Arsenal, who just locked horns with the Argentine during a tense Champions League semi-final clash this season, have heavily monitored his situation as they seek a transformative addition for their frontline.
Meanwhile, Paris Saint-Germain boast the sheer financial muscle required to meet Atlético’s valuation without hesitation, viewing Alvarez as a versatile, elite-level profile to bolster their squad.
Despite the deep pockets of their European rivals, Barcelona remain at the center of the narrative
Alvarez is internally prioritizing a move to Camp Nou over a return to the Premier League or a switch to Ligue 1.
Knowing this, Barcelona’s hierarchy is biding its time, hoping the 26-year-old will actively take a stand and formally inform Atlético Madrid’s management of his desire to push for a move to Catalonia.
“Might just help Arsenal…” – Steven Gerrard makes interesting CL final prediction
The post Arsenal learn staggering price tag of Atletico Madrid striker Julian Alvarez appeared first on CaughtOffside.
Arsenal are reportedly among the clubs showing a great interest in the potential transfer of Porto midfielder Victor Froholdt.
The talented 20-year-old has enjoyed something of a breakthrough season this term, contributing eight goals and seven assists.
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Froholdt was previously on the books at Copenhagen, but he’s stepped up well since moving to a bigger club in a more competitive league.
According to Bold.dk, Arsenal are now up against the likes of Liverpool and Newcastle United for his signature this summer.
This follows our exclusive information earlier this season on Arsenal and Tottenham eyeing Froholdt, who looks like he’ll be a tricky player for Porto to hold onto for much longer.
It remains to be seen if Arsenal are making serious progress on this potential transfer, or if it’s still something at a relatively early stage.
Still, the Gunners will likely be looking for a player of this profile this summer – a young midfielder who can give Mikel Arteta more depth behind Declan Rice and Martin Zubimendi.
Christian Norgaard has struggled to impress since moving to the Emirates Stadium, so there’s surely room for someone like Froholdt to come in and initially be a squad player, but perhaps then later grow into a starter once he has more experience under his belt.
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Liverpool might also be able to lure Froholdt as they are another club who could do well to make some changes in the middle of the park.
Still, it’s been a pretty dire season for the Reds, so it might be that the Gunners’ project looks more tempting at the moment.
Arsenal are top of the Premier League table and in the final of the Champions League, while Liverpool have dropped to fourth in the table and are set to finish trophyless.
The post Arsenal showing great interest in Liverpool transfer target after breakthrough season appeared first on CaughtOffside.
RCB vs LSG head-to-head IPL: Last 5 matches, records at M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru and Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow originally appeared on Cricket News. Add Cricket News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
IPL 2026 HUB:Latest IPL news | IPL points table | Team stats | IPL 2026 squads
With their playoff hopes fading, Lucknow Super Giants take on Royal Challengers Bengaluru at Ekana Stadium on Thursday, May 7.
The intense rivalry between the sides rapidly developed in recent times. With the arrival of LSG in 2022, the match-up has been marked by tension, exciting last-ball finishes, verbal sparring, and high-scores.
To date, the head-to-head series score is 5-2 in favour of RCB, including winning each of the two games held in Lucknow.
A few noteworthy batting performances in the rivalry include run chases of 213 and 228 runs by RCB and LSG, respectively.
MORE:Explained: Why RCB's M Chinnaswamy stadium could miss hosting IPL 2026 final
1. RCB vs LSG (April 15, 2026)
LSG: 146/10 (19.6 overs)
RCB: 149/5 (15.1 overs)
Result: RCB won by 5 wickets.
2. LSG vs RCB (May 27, 2025)
LSG: 227/3 (20 overs)
RCB: 230/4 (18.4 overs)
Result: RCB won by 6 wickets.
3. RCB vs LSG (April 2, 2024)
LSG: 181/5 (20 overs)
RCB: 153/10 (19.4 overs)
Result: LSG won by 28 runs.
4.LSG vs RCB (May 1, 2023)
RCB: 126/9 (20 overs)
LSG: 108/10 (19.5 overs)
Result: RCB won by 18 runs.
5.RCB vs LSG (April 10, 2023)
RCB: 212/2 (20 overs)
LSG: 219/9 (20 overs)
Result: LSG won by 1 wicket.
MORE:'Want to play World Cup with Virat & Rohit': LSG's Prince Yadav
There have been a total of seven encounters between RCB and LSG in the IPL’s history. RCB has an upper hand, winning five games against LSG, who have won twice.
In the only play-off meeting between the two sides, RCB defeated LSG by 14 runs in an Eliminator tie during IPL 2022.
| Team | Matches | Won | Lost | Tied | NR | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RCB | 7 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 71.43% |
| LSG | 7 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 28.57% |
Both of LSG's wins against RCB have come at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. In a flashpoint at this venue, during IPL 2023, Virat Kohli reacted aggressively after LSG won the game on the last ball, and Avesh Khan threw his helmet to celebrate the victory.
| Team | Mat | Won | Lost | No result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RCB | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| LSG | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
MORE:Which IPL team has the most consecutive losses at home?
RCB have dominated the rivalry at Ekana Stadium, winning both of their meetings at this venue, notably stifling LSG for just 108 while defending a score of 126/9.
| Team | Mat | Won | Lost | No result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RCB | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| LSG | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
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Did Yuzvendra Chahal vape on a flight? Arshdeep Singh posts, then allegedly crops viral video amid Riyan Parag vaping row originally appeared on Cricket News. Add Cricket News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
A video posted on Punjab Kings pacer Arshdeep Singh's official YouTube channel has landed the franchise in the middle of an uncomfortable controversy.
In the footage, Yuzvendra Chahal, seated beside vice-captain Shashank Singh during what is believed to be a team flight from Ahmedabad to Hyderabad, appears to be concealing and lighting a smoking object.
The clip was part of a travel vlog Arshdeep had uploaded, which seemingly showed the squad in transit during the ongoing IPL 2026 season.
A social media user posted screenshots and short clips from Arshdeep's vlog, alleging that Chahal was vaping aboard the aircraft. The same user later claimed that the original video was subsequently edited and made shorter, with the portions showing Chahal allegedly removed from the final cut.
The user further alleged possession of the unedited version and doubled down on the accusation that Chahal had brought a vaping device onto the plane.
Yuzi Vaping on Flight ?? How did he took it inside flight?? CISF doesn't allow Vapes or E-Cigarettes on Flights! #IPL2026#PBKS#YuziChahalpic.twitter.com/251KtppCmn
— Ankan Kar (@AnkanKar) May 7, 2026
This Chanchal chutmarika Chahal vaping in flight on Arshdeep YouTube video.
— Jo Kar (@i_am_gustakh) May 6, 2026
Arshdeep has now edited the video and cropped Yuzi Chahal from most of it.
You can see here the video duration was 16:56 minutes, but now the video duration is 16:01 minutes.
Also, you can still notice… pic.twitter.com/YB0K51EjL9
Neither Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Punjab Kings, nor the IPL has responded to or acknowledged the allegations in any official capacity. The claims are entirely unverified at this stage, and no independent confirmation of the video's contents or context has been possible.
Rajasthan Royals captain Riyan Parag was caught on broadcast cameras appearing to use an electronic vaping device inside the dressing room during his side's IPL fixture against Punjab Kings.
The cameras picked up the moment in the 16th over after Parag had been dismissed and returned to the dugout. The Board of Control for Cricket in India acted swiftly, docking 25% of Parag's match fees and handing him 1 demerit point.
MORE: WATCH: Riyan Parag caught vaping in dressing room
The Parag incident was confirmed on camera and dealt with through proper channels.
Now, it remains to be seen if Chahal also faces the brunt from the board. Nonetheless, it is not a good advertisement for the cricket board or the IPL brand.
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What happened in the last 5 IPL matches at Ekana Cricket Stadium? Results, toss trends and Lucknow pitch report originally appeared on Cricket News. Add Cricket News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Ekana Stadium in Lucknow has hosted 32 IPL matches in its history. It will host its fifth match in 2026 on May 7 when Lucknow Super Giants will take on Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
1. LSG vs RCB (May 27, 2025)
LSG: 227/3
RCB: 230/4
Result: RCB won by 6 wickets (with 8 balls remaining)
2. LSG vs DC (Apr 1, 2026)
LSG: 141/10
DC: 145/4
Result: DC won by 6 wickets (with 17 balls remaining)
3. LSG vs GT (Apr 12, 2026)
LSG: 164/8
GT: 165/3
Result: GT won by 7 wickets (with 8 balls remaining)
4. LSG vs RR (Apr 22, 2026)
RR: 159/6
LSG: 141/10
Result: RR won by 40 wickets
5. LSG vs KKR (Apr 26, 2026)
LSG: 155/7
KKR: 155/7
Result: KKR won in super over
Due to the nature of the surface at the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow, the team winning the toss would prefer bowling first, as teams chasing on this ground are more likely to win.
Lucknow's Ekana Stadium is generally a good surface for the batters. In the last six innings, five of them have had scores of above 200.
| Date | Match | Time (IST) |
|---|---|---|
| April 1, 2026 | Lucknow Super Giants vs Delhi Capitals | 7:30 PM |
| April 12, 2026 | Lucknow Super Giants vs Gujarat Titans | 3:30 PM |
| April 22, 2026 | Lucknow Super Giants vs Rajasthan Royals | 7:30 PM |
| April 26, 2026 | Lucknow Super Giants vs Kolkata Knight Riders | 7:30 PM |
| May 7, 2026 | Lucknow Super Giants vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru | 7:30 PM |
| May 15, 2026 | Lucknow Super Giants vs Chennai Super Kings | 7:30 PM |
| May 23, 2026 | Lucknow Super Giants vs Punjab Kings | 7:30 PM |
Who do you think will win IPL 2026?To keep up to date with all the latest cricket news and share your opinion on the biggest topics visit our Facebook, Instagram and X (Twitter) pages.
The IPL 2026 playoff race is beautifully, brilliantly poised. Sunrisers Hyderabad after the initial poor run has made a very strong comeback. Pat Cummins’ side are sitting top with 14 points from 11 matches, winning seven and looking every inch like a team that knows exactly what it is doing.
Punjab Kings are on a string of poor run of form with three losses on the bounce but they had such a strong start they have breathing space. They are second with 13 points.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru, meanwhile, carry the most devastating run rate in the tournament at +1.420. They have played nine matches and have won six.
Rajasthan Royals sit level on 12 points alongside Gujarat Titans, both sides scrapping furiously for that fourth playoff berth, separated only by the finest of margins in run rate.
Chennai Super Kings, the old warhorses, are not done yet. Five wins from ten matches keeps them firmly in the hunt.
Delhi Capitals and Kolkata Knight Riders find themselves in uncomfortable territory — eight and seven points respectively — needing wins and favours from elsewhere to keep their seasons breathing.
Mumbai Indians have been a profound disappointment. Three wins from ten matches and need plenty of things to go their way to have any chance.And Lucknow Super Giants, rooted to the bottom with just four points, face the very real prospect of being the first side to be eliminated if they don’t get the job done against RCB tonight!
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) won the IPL 2025 title, claiming their first-ever IPL trophy after 18 seasons. In a thrilling final at Ahmedabad, RCB defeated Punjab Kings (PBKS) by 6 runs. RCB posted 190/9 in 20 overs, with captain Rajat Patidar leading the charge and Virat Kohli contributing a steady 43.
Punjab Kings, despite a valiant 61 off 30 balls from Shashank Singh, finished at 184/7 in their 20 overs. Key bowling performances for RCB included Krunal Pandya (2/17) and Bhuvneshwar Kumar (2/38), who took crucial wickets at the death overs.
IPL 2026 kicked off on March 28 with reigning champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru hosting Sunrisers Hyderabad in Bengaluru. The league will run till 31 May.
The latest betting odds for IPL 2026, by Dafabet:
Team | Odds* |
Royal Challengers Bengaluru | 3.80 |
Sunrisers Hyderabad | 4.25 |
Punjab Kings | 4.50 |
Rajasthan Royals | 7.50 |
Gujarat Titans | 9.00 |
Chennai Super Kings | 13.00 |
Mumbai Indians | 67.00 |
Kolkata Knight Riders | 151.00 |
Delhi Capitals | 201.00 |
Lucknow Super Giants | N/A |
* Odds correct at time of publish but subject to change
IPL 2026 is just around the corner and the excitement is already building up! You can place your bets on all IPL 2026 matches right here on Dafabet, one of India's most trusted betting platforms. From match winners to outright tournament champions, Dafabet covers it all. Simply head over to Dafabet, create your account, and start betting on your favourite IPL teams today!
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Ireland head coach Scott Bemand has made one changes to his starting XV for Saturday's Women's Six Nations home game against Wales at the Affidea Stadium.
Eve Higgins replaces Nancy McGillivray, who is not involved in the matchday squad, at centre in the sole alterations from the 26-7 defeat against France in Clermont two weeks ago.
Higgins started the opening 33-12 defeat against England before she came off the bench in the big 57-20 win over Italy and 26-7 loss against France.
Following the tournament's fallow week, Ireland will look to get back on track and pick up their second home victory in the campaign.
Wales are looking to pick up their first win of the campaign after defeats by Scotland, France and England.
Stacey Flood continues at full-back with Beibhinn Parsons at right wing and Robyn O'Connor on the opposite side.
Aoife Dalton is partnered by Higgins in midfield with Dannah O'Brien and Emily Lane - who has three try assists in this year's tournament - remaining in the half-backs.
Ellena Perry, Cliodhna Moloney-MacDonald, who scored Ireland's only try against France, and Linda Djougang form an unchanged front row, with Dorothy Wall partnering Fiona Tuite, who has played every minute of the tournament, in the second row.
Aoife Wafer, captain Erin King and Brittany Hogan are in the back row for the fourth game in a row, while Bemand has made a number of changes to the bench in opting for a 6:2 split.
Sadh McGrath and Grace Moore are back among the replacements, while 20-year-old full-back Niamh Gallagher is set to make her debut off the bench.
Ireland: Flood; Parsons, Dalton, Higgins, O'Connor; O'Brien, Lane; Perry, Moloney-MacDonald, Djougang, Wall, Tuite, Hogan, King (capt), Wafer.
Replacements: Jones, McGrath, Cahill, Campbell, Monaghan, Moore, Whelan, Gallagher.
FSU second baseman Marin Heller has not played since she collided with a Georgia Tech base runner on April 24, forcing her to undergo surgery and miss the final six games of the regular season. Head coach Lonni Alameda spoke with the media on Wednesday, and while she has not been cleared to play, she gave a positive update on her status moving forward.
"She will be going to ACC's with us, she'll be travelling from now on out with us," Alameda said. "I do think that there is hope for her to be on the field. So we're just kind of day-by-day with her. But she's doing everything possible to make sure she gives herself a chance to be out there."
The freshman suffered the injury on the final play of the game when she went to field a grounder, putting her in the basepath between first and second, with the runner on first colliding with her. She was down on the ground for several minutes before she walked off.
Heller started the first 48 games for FSU and was named to the All-ACC Second Team and All-Freshman teams after hitting .353 with a .451 on-base percentage. The freshman has 15 doubles, four triples, two home runs, and 25 RBI. She has drawn 23 walks and struckout 16 times. She has also stolen 13 bases on 15 attempts and made just four errors in 173 chances, giving her a .977 fielding percentage.
The Seminoles will start their ACC Softball Tournament run on Thursday against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. FSU swept them in their regular-season series.
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This article originally appeared on FSU Wire: FSU Softball: Marin Heller injury update
Class of 2027 four-star safety Mekhi Williams will be taking an official visit to Nebraska in June. Williams is currently committed to Florida State, having done so on March 26, 2025.
Williams is the 178th overall player in the 2027 class, the 14th overall safety, and the 20th overall player in his class from the state of Florida, according to the Rivals Industry Rankings. He has a busy visit calendar. He will be visiting Wisconsin on May 29 and returning to Florida State on June 5.
The recruit will then visit Lincoln on June 12 and stop at LSU on June 19. He has visited the Huskers once before, on March 7.
The 2027 Nebraska football recruiting class currently ranks 15th in the country according to the Rivals Industry rankings. The class itself currently has four blue-chip commitments, headlined by safety Tory Pittman and quarterback Trae Taylor. The class itself ranks 15th overall in the country according to the Rivals Industry Rankings.
This would certainly be a fantastic flip for the program. Addison Williams has done a nice job of building and recruiting talent in the secondary. This would be another big-time get from the state of Florida.
— Mekhi Williams 4⭐️ Defensive back (@Mekhiwilliams__) May 6, 2026
Contact/Follow us @CornhuskersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Nebraska news, notes and opinions.
This article originally appeared on Cornhuskers Wire: Nebraska football to host Florida State commit Mekhi Williams
On Wednesday morning, the PWHL officially announced it is heading to Detroit for the 2026-27 season. It won’t be the only big expansion announcement in the coming weeks.
In an email obtained by The Athletic, PWHLPA executive director Malaika Underwood told players “the league intends to move forward with a four-team expansion.” When asked about the email, Amy Scheer, the PWHL’s executive vice president of business operations, said the league could add two, three or four teams.
Selecting expansion markets has been a fluid process for league executives, who have spent months working through the available options. “The answers will come when we feel comfortable making a final decision,” Scheer told The Athletic last month.
There’s been no shortage of online discussion over where the league might eventually land. And over the last few weeks, there’s been increased chatter among league circles that San Jose has emerged as a prime option.
Expansion to San Jose might feel out of left field — especially as fans in established NHL cities such as Washington, D.C., and Pittsburgh have long clamored for a team — but that doesn’t mean it’s not an intriguing fit.
The Bay Area has become a premier hub for women’s sports with the additions of NWSL and WNBA franchises in recent years. Bay FC broke the NWSL attendance record last season with over 40,000 fans at Oracle Park (a record since broken by the league’s newest team, Denver Summit FC).
In the WNBA, the Golden State Valkyries topped the league average attendance table last season with over 18,000 fans per game and became the first franchise valued at $1 billion, according to CNBC, just one season into their existence.
The Bay Area also topped The Athletic’s list of women’s sports cities back in November.
As The Athletic’s Marcus Thompson II wrote: “The Bay doesn’t just support women’s sports, it centers them. It elevates them. It multiplies them. It invests in them by buying tickets and merch. Tens of thousands of people will drop everything to watch women hoop, swim, skate, run, pass, score. Shine.”
After adding expansion teams in Vancouver and Seattle last season, there is likely a need for the PWHL to continue adding teams on the West Coast. Especially if the PWHL splits two conferences; Scheer told the Associated Press the league is exploring the idea.
A team in San Jose would make the league more geographically balanced — with at least three teams out west, two in the Midwest and five out east — and could cut back on Seattle and Vancouver’s travel, which was an issue to some degree this season. Both expansion teams struggled in their inaugural seasons and finished bottom-two in the league standings. Vancouver head coach Brian Idalski was vocal about the challenges of travel.
“We’re both struggling,” he said after a two-week road trip that ended last month. “There’s something there. There’s something with the travel and us going back and forth that’s happening to our bodies.”
Hockey in general is on the upswing in San Jose, too, with 19-year-old superstar Macklin Celebrini driving one of the highest year-over-year attendance growth rates in the NHL this season. The San Jose Sharks averaged just over 16,000 fans at the SAP Center this season, up from around 14,000 in 2024-25.
The SAP Center is the most likely primary venue for a PWHL team in San Jose, and should be more available compared to other options in California. It’s also undergoing a $425 million renovation to modernize the rink. Crypto.com Arena is home to three professional teams (in the NHL, NBA and WNBA) and hosts tons of concerts and events. The Intuit Dome, home of the Los Angeles Clippers, is exclusively used for basketball and concerts.
There have been Canada-USA Rivalry Series games at Tech CU Arena — where the Sharks’ minor league affiliate plays — in San Jose in the past. But women’s hockey has outgrown that arena’s 4,200-seat capacity.
If the league indeed expands to San Jose — or another appealing West Coast market — that leaves room for two more teams. Given the consistently strong attendance numbers in the league’s current Canadian markets — Toronto, Ottawa, Vancouver and Montreal — at least one new franchise should be North of the border.
Calgary — with a brand new building opening in 2027-28 — would be an obvious landing spot for the PWHL. But if the league is bullish on getting to 12 teams in its second round of expansion — and limiting the amount of consecutive seasons it shakes up rosters — Calgary will have just missed out.
There are other strong options, however, in Hamilton, Quebec City and Halifax.
Last month, The Athletic reported that Hamilton’s stock was on the rise; that doesn’t appear to have changed. A team in Hamilton would work well within the league’s current footprint with manageable bus trips to Detroit, Ottawa and nearby Toronto. Montreal (393 miles away from Hamilton, or a six-hour drive on a good traffic day) is right on the line of the CBA’s six-hour or 400-mile threshold for air travel.
Hamilton could draw some amount of fans from the Greater Toronto Area, but also further south into Ontario and as far as Buffalo. The Toronto Sceptres have been such a success that the team’s core fan base shouldn’t be overly impacted.
Adding a team in Hamilton would also give the league a sixth — and perhaps final, for now — eastern conference team. If that’s the PWHL’s calculus, then perhaps there’s another West Coast option.
This article originally appeared in The Athletic.
San Jose Sharks, Toronto Sceptres, Minnesota Frost, Vancouver Goldeneyes, New York Sirens, Montreal Victoire, Ottawa Charge, Seattle Torrent, Boston Fleet, NHL, Sports Business, Women's Hockey
2026 The Athletic Media Company
From the moment the WNBA collective bargaining agreement was signed in March, A’ja Wilson began signaling her commitment to remain with the Las Vegas Aces.
A three-time champion and four-time MVP in her eight seasons with Las Vegas, Wilson is the lynchpin of every bit of success the Aces have achieved in the 2020s. They have a deep core of talent surrounding Wilson, but the formula works because of the generational superstar at the center of it all.
The hardest part of building a championship team is getting the player who can be a finals MVP. While other teams scrambled to acquire the core of a title team, the Aces could laser in on retaining Wilson and figure out how to pay her without losing their other stars.
Wilson clearly stating her intentions to return was the first domino to fall that compelled the rest of the starting lineup (Jackie Young, Chelsea Gray, NaLyssa Smith and Kierstan Bell) and key reserves Jewell Loyd and Dana Evans to re-sign with the Aces.
“We focused on player retention,” Aces president Nikki Fargas said this week. “When you have a roster that is as talented and seasoned as ours going into this offseason, that was huge for us.”
But with a new CBA and higher salaries on the line, there are more complications, and there’s more at stake in this new era when it comes to creating a champion team.
With players secured, Las Vegas could pivot toward managing the roster under the constraints of a new salary cap. Not only did the cap increase nearly five-fold from $1.5 million in 2025 to $7 million in 2026, but players could now earn a larger share of the cap. The supermaximum salary now accounts for 20 percent of the salary cap, compared to less than 17 percent a year ago. The standard maximum salary is currently 17 percent of the cap.
That distinction was of particular interest to the Aces, one of the few teams to have multiple players who merit a max contract. Wilson, Young and Gray had all been playing on extensions below the max during the 2025 season. They were all due for raises, both in total salary and how much of the cap they could command.
Young ended up signing for a one-year maximum deal worth $1.19 million, less than a potential supermax, while Gray agreed to a three-year deal starting at $1 million with 5 percent raises.
No one took advantage of the opportunity more than Wilson, who signed a three-year supermaximum contract that is worth 20 percent of the cap during each year of the deal, per sources with knowledge of the contract. If the cap rises as much as possible through 2028, Wilson’s deal — which starts at $1.4 million in 2026 — could pay her more than $4.7 million total over three seasons. At the time of signing, it was the richest contract in WNBA history.
“We really capitalized on the platform that we have, and there’s nothing better than a room full of women that has one goal, and they want to make sure they obtain it,” Wilson said at media day about the work of the WNBPA in CBA negotiations. “This is just the beginning. I don’t want us to be satisfied in this. At the same time, I’m happy, I’m blessed, and I’m pleased about the work that we’ve put in, but it was due. It’s our time, and so I’m greedy, and I want a little bit more for us. And I don’t really care who has anything to say about that.”
| Aces player | 2026 salary |
|---|---|
A'ja Wilson | $1,400,000 |
Jackie Young | $1,190,000 |
Chelsea Gray | $1,000,000 |
Jewell Loyd | $800,000 |
NaLyssa Smith | $450,000 |
Stephanie Talbot | $392,000 |
Dana Evans | $380,000 |
Kierstan Bell | $277,500 |
Chennedy Carter | $277,500 |
Cheyenne Parker-Tyus | $277,500 |
Brianna Turner | $277,500 |
Janiah Barker | $270,000 |
Wilson’s contract is unique — it’s called a “floating” supermax — in that it is specifically tied to how much revenue the league brings in. Unlike previous CBAs that had a fixed salary cap for each year of the agreement, the current CBA only prescribed a salary cap for 2026. The cap for every season beyond this one for the rest of the eight-year term will be dictated by the business of the WNBA; the only aspect that is fixed is how much the cap can increase or decrease each year. Because the cap is based on revenue, that means players’ salaries can also grow with revenue.
The Aces center is placing a bet on the league to continue growing so that her salary increases commensurately over the next two seasons. The cap can rise by as much as 13 percent in 2027 and then another 10 percent in 2028. That is far greater than the 5 percent raises Wilson would otherwise be bound to in a standard veteran contract.
Although the unique nature of her deal creates uncertainty for Wilson, it clarifies Las Vegas’ future planning. Without knowing how much revenue will rise in the coming years, the front office at least knows it has 80 percent of the cap available for the remainder of its roster. In a sense, the three-year contracts that Gray and Loyd signed create more ambiguity on the cap sheet because it’s unclear what percent of the cap they take.
The Aces understand the value of their star talent. The only players on three-year deals are Wilson, Gray and Loyd. The priority is to maintain the core and flexibility to retain Young next offseason rather than lock into long-term commitments with role players, even as the front office tries to maintain continuity.
“There is loyalty on both sides here, where there are players that feel loyal to us and obviously, the organization has loyalty to them as well,” Fargas said. “We wanted to make sure that we have a stable core of players, not too much movement because they understand our culture.”
As a result, the majority of Las Vegas’ roster chose to return despite coming off a championship and likely being able to command a higher salary elsewhere. Consider that Megan Gustafson, who averaged 10 minutes in the playoffs, signed for $500,000 in Portland. That is more than every non-All-Star will make on the 2026 Aces, including Smith, a starter for the defending champs.
“I get that we have great players and people want to be anywhere and everywhere in this league, if they really wanted to,” Wilson said. “I’m thankful to be able to be a part of a franchise that people want to be a part of. People want to make history. People want to be a part of this legendary run that we’ve been on.”
That legendary run now includes a historic payday that directly takes advantage of the new gains of the CBA.
This article originally appeared in The Athletic.
Las Vegas Aces, WNBA, Sports Business
2026 The Athletic Media Company
Carys Cox and Hannah Dallavalle return to Wales' backline for the Six Nations trip to Ireland on Saturday (18:30 BST).
Cox missed the defeats by France and England after picking up a knock in training, while Dallavalle was a late withdrawal against the Red Roses.
Cox slots back into midfield alongside Courtney Keight, while Dallavalle, usually a centre herself, moves out to the wing in place of Seren Singleton.
Georgia Evans is the third starting change, taking her place in the second row in place of the injured Gwen Crabb.
It will be Evans' first start of the campaign and she is partnered by Branwen Metcalfe who trades positions with Jorja Aiono in the back row.
Nikita Prothero is set for a debut off the bench, while Natalia John could win her 50th cap.
Bethan Lewis will lead the side out at Affidea Stadium, with Kate Williams ruled out of the rest of the tournament with a leg injury.
Wales are winless in the tournament so far, with their most recent Six Nations victory coming against Italy in 2024.
And despite the wooden spoon looming large for a third consecutive year, they are encouraged by their four-try showing against world champions England last time out.
"We are excited to resume the Six Nations and build on the grit and resilience we showed against England," said Wales head coach Sean Lynn.
"We took another real step forward in building our playing style and team identity and we know we have to do the same against Ireland in their own backyard.
"This is a new-look Wales squad and it's all about sticking to our principles and process and focussing on what we want to do and expect from ourselves in the Test arena.
"Ireland are an ambitious side and will be hurting after their run of results in the tournament and we know they will be looking to make a statement in Belfast on Saturday."
Wales: Powell; Dallavalle, Cox, Keight, J Joyce; George, Bevan; Pyrs, Jones, Tuipulotu, Metcalfe, Evans, Aiono, Lewis (capt), King
Replacements: Reardon,Davies, Rose, John, A Joyce, Lockwood, Bell, Prothero
Referee: Aurélie Groizeleau (FFR)
Assistants: Alexandra Ferre (FFR), Beatrice Smussi (FIR)
TMO: Paulo Duarte (FPR)
FPRO: Dan Jones (RFU)
Kylian Mbappé is sidelined with a hamstring injury.
Lamine Yamal is out for the rest of the season and so is Brazil star Estêvão.
There was also a scare when Mohamed Salah hurt his hamstring recently.
Injuries to some of soccer's biggest names are mounting ahead of the World Cup which starts in five weeks.
Mbappé is expected to play again for Real Madrid this month and there is no suggestion his issue will rule him out of the World Cup. But every setback to France's best player will be of concern to the national team.
Barcelona's teenage sensation Yamal — recuperating from a leg muscle injury — is also expected to be part of Spain's squad and appear at his first World Cup.
And initial fears about Salah have been dispelled.
Others, however, have not been so fortunate.
France's Hugo Ekitike sustained an Achilles injury in April that could take more than six months to fully recover, ruling him out of the tournament co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico and possibly the start of next season.
Brazil stars Rodrygo and Éder Militão are definitely out. So is Bayern Munich and Germany forward Serge Gnabry after injuring his adductor in training.
Meanwhile, the absence of Spain and Manchester City midfielder Rodri in recent weeks because of a groin injury is also worrying after he missed the majority of last season due to ACL damage. City manager Pep Guardiola has given positive updates about Rodri's recovery in recent days and the former Ballon d’Or winner should play again this season.
Players and coaches have increasingly warned about the impact of an ever-packed playing schedule, and the expanded World Cup comes a year after the relaunched, supersized Club World Cup. The Champions League has also been expanded in recent years.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta describes the demand on players as “an accident waiting to happen."
Argentina: Joaquín Panichelli (ACL)
Brazil: Éder Militão (hamstring), Rodrygo (ACL)
France: Hugo Ekitike (Achilles)
Germany: Serge Gnabry (adductor)
Netherlands: Xavi Simons (ACL)
United States: Cameron Carter-Vickers (Achilles), Patrick Agyemang (Achilles)
Algeria: Goalkeeper Luca Zidane, the son of France icon Zinedine Zidane, is a doubt after a facial injury during an on-field collision last month.
Argentina: Cristian Romero has been ruled out for the season with a knee injury. It has not yet been confirmed if he is out of the World Cup, with Tottenham not giving a timeframe for his recovery.
Brazil: Teenage sensation Estêvão will not play again for Chelsea this month after a hamstring injury. There are conflicting reports as to whether he will recover in time for the World Cup.
Croatia: Veteran midfielder Luka Modrić broke his cheekbone last month but is expected to be available for the World Cup.
Morocco: Paris Saint-Germain defender Achraf Hakimi has been sidelined with a right thigh injury.
United States: Defender Miles Robinson hasn’t played since April 18 because of a leg injury.
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James Robson is at https://x.com/jamesalanrobson
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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
The NFL's regular-season schedule might be an intricate puzzle, but any notion of equity quickly falls by the wayside when it comes to optimizing the broadcast slate.
For as much as the league touts its pervasive parity, that dynamic rarely extends to the balance – or lack thereof – in how prime-time games are distributed. Franchises in key markets and large audiences remain fixtures of the standalone slate, while others are left to fight for scraps.
But the allotment can vary greatly from season to season as expectations shift for each organization. Ahead of this year's schedule release, here are five teams that deserve fewer prime-time games in 2026:
With five prime-time games and a standalone window for their Germany matchup in 2025, the Falcons received a major vote of confidence from the league. A breakthrough for Atlanta and quarterback Michael Penix Jr. never materialized, and Arthur Blank cleaned house in response to the disappointment.
Even with new coach Kevin Stefanski aboard, the Falcons hardly qualify as must-see TV. A quarterback competition between Penix and Tua Tagovailoa likely won't move the needle with viewers or produce much better results through the air. A stagnant Atlanta roster has also been passed up by its competition in the NFC South, with the Carolina Panthers and New Orleans Saints showing serious signs of growth. It's time to spread the wealth in the division, which can easily be achieved by bumping the Falcons down to a slate befitting a team stuck in neutral.
The NFL made it all the way to Week 16 last year before flexing a prime-time matchup, giving the rudderless Dolphins and Cincinnati Bengals the boot. That was perhaps a harbinger of how the league might treat the former this spring after reserving five such slots for the team in 2025.
First-year general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan has left no doubt that Miami is going full bore with its teardown, which has sent away the likes of Tagovailoa, wide receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, edge rusher Bradley Chubb and more. All that's left in the rubble: various low-cost holdovers, bargain free-agent signings and rookies trying to find their way. And while quarterback Malik Willis provides some panache with his big-play capabilities as a runner and downfield thrower, he's sure to be inhibited by a receiving corps lacking any established options. This looks like a season that will be spent toiling and tweaking before the Dolphins can establish any real competitive credentials. It's probably best for the group to do that away from the limelight.
In 2025, the league's schedule-makers embraced a Washington team coming off an unexpected run to the NFC championship game, giving the franchise five prime-time games along with a Christmas slot and a standalone international window. The Commanders went on to lose all seven of those contests, though three of those defeats were only sealed on the last play.
Is that a sign of a rapid re-emergence? With Jayden Daniels getting a fresh slate after a spate of injuries spoiled his sophomore campaign, there's reason to believe Washington should be far more formidable in 2026. Yet the Commanders will be working in two first-time coordinators, with David Blough instituting what likely will be a more methodical offense that emphasizes more under-center work. That's not exactly a scintillating setup for a team that didn't do much from a personnel standpoint to support Daniels, who still lacks a viable No. 2 target alongside Terry McLaurin.
The Commanders should find a more stable resting point between the high of 2024 and last season's nadir. But Washington remains decidedly outside of the NFC's prime class of contenders, and its schedule should reflect that reality.
Since getting rid of its mandate for every team to be scheduled for at least one prime-time game, the NFL hasn't been shy about keeping some of its duller and less competitive operations out of the spotlight. That could mean trouble for Arizona, which got two prime-time appointments in 2025 but could be blanked this fall.
First-year coach Mike LaFleur might see better fortune on the health front – the Cardinals finished last season with 24 players on injured reserve – and in close contests than predecessor Jonathan Gannon did. Yet the team that finished with the worst point differential in the NFC (-133) remains a long way off from challenging anyone in its division after going 0-6 against NFC West foes last year. No matter whether Jacoby Brissett holds onto the starting quarterback job or gives way to third-rounder Carson Beck, the offense looks bound to be boxed in by its limitations behind center. And while the arrival of Jeremiyah Love might spark some mild intrigue, running room likely will be hard to come by – as will any game times outside of Sunday afternoons.
Maybe this seems harsh for a team that was already pushed to the fringes, with their prime-time tally being razed from six in 2024 to two last year. Yet even matching that amount this fall would be generous for a regime that still hasn't conjured a reason for others to tune in.
Gang Green very well might be a more competent operation after absorbing some necessary lessons from Aaron Glenn's turbulent first year at the helm. But are the Jets any more compelling than they previously were? The defense still seems stuck in a transitional phase after dealing away Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams at midseason, and the new pairing of quarterback Geno Smith and coordinator Frank Reich doesn't inspire a ton of confidence for an offensive surge.
The Jets, of course, are too big a brand to be shunted aside completely. But while a "Thursday Night Football" game against an AFC East rival might be reasonable, anything beyond that might be a stretch.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 2026 NFL schedule: Five teams that deserve fewer prime-time games
Gloucester forward Freddie Thomas said the team refined and simplified their gameplan prior to their win against Exeter which allowed them to play more to their potential.
The 34-31 win against the Chiefs at the end of April was only the third Prem win of the season for the Cherry and Whites.
The 2025-26 campaign has largely been a season to forget for eighth-placed Gloucester, but they are hoping to finish on a high with four games remaining.
"We've done well the last couple of weeks of refining our gameplan and making it super simple so boys can go out there and do what they do best - being physical and being confident and it showed last week," Thomas told BBC Radio Gloucestershire.
"As a player the more you have to think about the less you're thinking about the rugby and being in the moment, so we've done quite well to refine it down, let boys just focus on playing rugby."
A run of nine defeats in 10 games from the start of the season ended Gloucester's chance of making the season-ending Prem play-offs before the campaign had really got going.
Wales international lock Thomas conceded the change could have happened earlier to try and stop the poor run, but that is easy to say with hindsight.
"Potentially we should have [made the change] but I think the gameplan earlier in the season was there and it was what we thought was the right thing to do," he said.
Gloucester host Sale in their next outing on Friday (19:45 BST), a team that has similarly struggled this season and sit just six points ahead in the table in seventh, also out of the play-off race.
Despite having no trophy to challenge for, Thomas said that did not mean the players are "throwing in the towel" on the their final games.
"Skivs [George Skivington, head coach] has been very vocal on how there is things to play for," Thomas said.
"He doesn't like that narrative of, 'We're not in the top four and there's nothing to play for, we're not going at it', because that's just not true.
"We've still got fans paying their money to come and watch us and we've got that individual ambition in the team to try and build it for next year.
"There's lots of different things we have going on that's making us push for it - there's definitely no sign of throwing in the towel."
Joe Cordina says he will be achieving an American dream when he fights Abdullah Mason in Ohio on Independence Day. Well almost.
The former world super-featherweight world champion had set his sights on emulating fellow Welshman Joe Calzaghe in winning world title fights in Las Vegas and New York.
Instead on 4 July, his US mission will be to challenge WBO lightweight champion Mason in the 22-year-old's hometown of Cleveland.
"I've achieved everything I've wanted to achieve, I've still got ambition of being a world champion but I've always wanted to have a big fight in America against a big name," 34-year-old Cordina told BBC Radio Wales' Drive programme.
"And, at this present moment, Abdullah Mason is a massive name, especially being the youngest world champion. It's a massive test but it's one I'm more than capable of."
Former world super-middleweight and light-heavyweight champion Calzaghe won twice in America in a stellar unbeaten career.
In April 2008 he defeated Bernard Hopkins at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, before beating Roy Jones Jr at New York's Madison Square Garden later that year in his final fight.
"I remember when [Joe] went over to fight Roy Jones and Bernard Hopkins and he had the same sort of ambition as me, he wanted them big in America," added Cordina, whose fight with Mason was confirmed this week.
"Ideally, my goal was to fight in America and fight in Vegas or Madison Square Garden.
"Unfortunately it can't be done, it's in his hometown in Cleveland, so it is what it is, but at the same time, it's one of them nights and to follow in the footsteps of the likes of Joe Calzaghe and other British fighters - Ricky Hatton, Carl Froch and many others - it's just a massive achievement for me.
"I'm over the moon to get it over the line and I'm looking to come and get the job done."
If Cordina can get the job done at the CSU Wolstein Centre in July, he would emulate Calzaghe by becoming a two-weight world champion.
Since losing his IBF super-featherweight crown to Anthony Cacace in May 2024 - his only defeat in 19 professional fights - Cordina has already won twice in the heavier 135lb division.
After beating Jaret Gonzalez Quiroz to claim the vacant WBO global lightweight title in July last year, in December he dominated Gabriel Flores Jr for a unanimous victory on points in California.
"I started my career off at lightweight and I think my first nine fights, my 10th fight was at super-feather," added Cordina, who won British and Commonwealth titles at lightweight earlier in his career.
"I was just making the weight too easy, so we went down.
"As I'm getting older, your metabolism slows down a little, so it's not as easy to make the weight. So I decided to move up.
"I feel very comfortable at lightweight and I think you're going to see the best of me at lightweight, especially in the next couple of years. I think I'll be in some very exciting fights."
Cordina may be looking forward to the prospect of returning to America for a second Stateside contest in eight months, but he is enjoying spending more time with family since settling his life back in his own home city of Cardiff.
Having trained in Sheffield as an amateur, and with Tony Simms in Brentwood at the started of his professional career, in 2025 he returned to south Wales to work with Gary Lockett at Cardiff's Llanrumney Phoenix Boxing Club.
"I missed all my early adult years," said Cordina.
"I missed my 18th birthday, my 21st, my 30th, just from travelling back and forth to Sheffield. Then when I turned pro I was up in Essex, so I almost missed all three of my kids' births. Then all their first birthdays I missed, and I missed many of their birthdays along the way.
"The sacrifice kept me hungry but I just think at this present moment in my career, my life, I think mentally it's a lot better for me to be at home and I know the game inside and out now.
"I just need someone to guide me in the right direction, I think Gary Lockett's the right man to do it."
Zach Benson is Buffalo's 'rat' — and he's exactly who the Sabres need originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
BUFFALO, N.Y. — Zach Benson is the epitome of the athlete who you love when he’s on your team and hate when he’s on the other side.
Even his own Buffalo Sabres teammates lovingly call him their “rat.” Pick whatever noun you’d like: Pest. Annoyance. Pain in the you know what.
Benson may be small, 5-foot-10, but on this night, with the Sabres in the second round of the playoffs for the first time in 19 years, he was a giant.
The third-line winger was Montreal Canadiens enemy number one on Wednesday night in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals, a 4-2 win for the Buffalo Sabres to gain an immediate edge.
“He’s one of the guys that you definitely don’t want to play against,” Benson’s lineman Josh Doan told The Sporting News after the game. “That’s the biggest honor you can have as a player is hated to play against. Those are the guys that you want on your team. We’re pretty fortunate to have Benny with us.”
MORE: Sabres 'blend in well with this city' in Game 1 win
Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff chose to start Benson’s line on Wednesday, the nominal third-line group with Josh Norris and Josh Doan, for a quick burst of energy. Ruff was quick to question afterward, though – “Who said they were our third line?”
The number didn’t matter.
Benson and his feisty linemates did.
It took Benson just 30 seconds to draw a tripping penalty on Lane Hutson, and while Buffalo didn’t score on that powerplay, the tone was set.
Benson created Buffalo’s first goal soon enough. He had a nifty takeaway near the benches -- again making Hutson look bad -- drove into the offensive zone, then set up the easiest tap-in of Doan’s life for 1-0 Sabres.
“We’re building together,” Doan said of his partnership with Benson. “You get paired with a guy over and over again, you’re gonna start finding each other. We play the game very similarly.”
The “rat” had the primary assist on the second goal, too, dishing to Ryan McLeod for a 2-0 lead.
“If he was on the other side, I wouldn’t want to be coaching against him,” Buffalo head coach Lindy Ruff said after the game. “I thought his effort was tremendous.”
MORE: Maple Leafs winning lottery doesn't mean what you think for Auston Matthews
The only thing Benson couldn’t manage on this night was a goal of his own.
He came closest to getting an empty-netter for Buffalo, but the timing in the offensive zone didn’t work out quite right against a scrambling Montreal defense.
That didn’t matter, though. Benson scores goals, but he isn’t a goal scorer.
He’s the guy who will do whatever it takes to win. He’ll get into scraps with defensemen who are eight inches taller than him. He’ll crash into the boards, fall down, and get right back up to take the puck away anyway.
Every time Benson touched the puck, or even approached it on Wednesday night, the Buffalo crowd buzzed in anticipation.
He’s still just 20 years old, but he’s everyone in Buffalo’s favorite show right now. If Benson is on the ice, something is bound to happen, and right now, it’s almost always something good for the Sabres.
“That line gave us a great night,” Ruff said. “(Benson’s) effort on a lot of different plays made a difference in the game.”
Barcelona’s interest in Julian Alvarez is no secret and with Atletico Madrid out of the Champions League, the matter can be resolved decisively in the coming weeks. The Blaugrana have made it clear to the Argentina international both that he is their preferred number nine signing this summer, and what he must do to make the move happen.
As per MD, Alvarez will now take a period of time to reflect on his future, weighing up what to do next, something he said he would do back in November during an interview with L’Equipe. Atletico Madrid are keen to get him to sign a contract renewal with a wage rise, and Barcelona are keen to sign him, while there have also been conversations with Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain in recent months. So far Alvarez has been non-committal on his future.
Despite making him their top target, Barcelona have been clear that they will not pay over the odds for Alvarez, seemingly setting a €100m budget for the operation. They believe the only way the move happens is if Alvarez openly declares a desire to move, forcing Atletico into action, and to accept a cut-price deal.
The same outlet also provide the perspective from the Metropolitano. They say that Atletico are not overly concerned by Barcelona’s interest, something they have dealt with before with Antoine Griezmann, and they feel it is likely to end in the same manner as their interest in Nico Williams or Luis Diaz over the past two summers – not being able to front the money to make a deal happen.
On the other hand, if Alvarez were to request a move, Atletico would prioritise selling him abroad rather than to a direct competitor, and feel there would be sufficient interest to do so. This is something they see as unlikely, given he is comfortable, and has the stability he wants, with a strong Argentine core around him in Juan Musso, Nahuel Molina, Thiago Almada and Giuliano Simeone. Either way, it seems Los Colchoneros are confident that Alvarez will not end up in Barcelona this summer.
Rhode Island and basketball seem to go hand-in-hand.
Today, we're focusing on the 10 best high school girls basketball athletes to come out of Rhode Island high schools. Lists like this always have the inherent danger of excluding several deserving names, but it would be hard to exclude any of these choices for Top 10 high school girls basketball players to ever play in Rhode Island.
This is part of USA TODAY Sports' initiative to celebrate the 250 greatest American sports figures of all time — part of which is to spotlight the roots of the country’s sports culture — including the high school athletes.
We started by looking at the local heroes of the gridiron, and last week we looked at the boys basketball players who helped define the sport in Rhode Island. This week, it's the girls basketball stars. Here are our selections for the players who defined Rhode Island high school school girls basketball. The rankings here are less important than simply being included on the list. And be sure to take the poll at the end of the story to tell us who you think is No. 1!
Team success didn’t find Batastini with the Purple but everyone in that era could quickly point out the state’s best talent. Batastini was a two-time Gatorade Player of the Year in 1994-95 and 1995-96 before joining a Stanford program that reached the Final Four in her first season. Batastini played in 116 games at guard over four seasons with the Cardinal, a national power under coach Tara VanDerveer. Batastini moved into coaching after her playing career, currently leading St. Andrew’s and a possible staff selection with the Team USA 3x3 program for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
Bousquet was one of the most unique players in state history, with size, strength and guard skills Rhode Island girls basketball had never seen. She wasted little time to become a star for the Quakers and guided the team to the state championship in 2024. Bousquet had one of the most impressive games in state history in a loss in the 2025 state title game, scoring 42 points to go with 23 rebounds. She finished her career at Moses Brown with more than 2,000 career points and will play collegiately at Marist University.
A multisport star for the Titans, Burke was a three-time All-State basketball pick and named Rhode Island’s Schoolgirl Athlete of the year. She went on to star at Providence College, helping the Friars earn an NCAA Tournament bid, and graduated as the program’s all-time leading scorer. Burke went on to become the head coach for the Bryant University women’s team, and in 2007, was inducted into the Providence College Hall of Fame.
She was a star the second she stepped on the court for the Rams. The Providence native transferred to St. Andrew’s and finished her high school basketball career at Juanita Sanchez, where she was ranked as one of the country’s top 100 players. Dale went on to play collegiately at Syracuse University before transferring to the University of Rhode Island and went on to play professionally overseas.
Mangum was the state’s first girls Gatorade Player of the Year in 1985-86 while leading the unbeaten Saints to a Class B championship. She followed with four strong seasons at Providence College, the dominant program in the Big East at the time. Mangum helped power the Friars to a conference tournament championship in 1990 and became the third women’s player in program history to have her number retired. She finished with 1,679 points and more than 1,000 rebounds with Providence.
No one in Rhode Island high school basketball — boy or girl — scored more points than Marandola, who amassed 2,632 in her four-year career for the Panthers. She was a four-time First Team All-State selection and was twice named Gatorade Player of the Year. Marandola went on to star at Providence College and graduated as the third-leading scorer in program history.
O’Dell was a walking bucket for the Lions, scoring more than 2,400 points in her career that saw her guide the team to two state championships. A two-time First Team All-State selection and Gatorade Player of the Year, O’Dell went on to play collegiately at Holy Cross and was named the Patriot League Rookie of the Year and conference tournament Most Valuable Player on a Crusaders team that made the NCAA Tournament in 2007.
Perry was one of the most feared players in Rhode Island high school basketball history. The talented guard scored more than 2,200 points during her career at La Salle that saw her earn four All-State spots and named Gatorade Player of the Year three times. Perry went on to play at Syracuse University, where she had the second-best field goal percentage in program history, before wrapping up her college career at Bryant University.
Perry graduated from Central as the all-time leading scorer with 2,364 points in three seasons, an average of about 32 points per game for her career. Perry led the Knights to the Class B title her first year and the Class A championship as a senior. She then committed to play basketball at the University of Maryland.
An integral part of the Chieftains’ dynasty that ruled the hardwood in the late 1990s, Stockwell was a three-time All-State pick and graduated as the best scorer in school history. She went on to play collegiately at Stonehill College, for which she scored 1,430 points and grabbed 869 rebounds, ranking her top 11 in both stats in program history. Stockwell was inducted into the Stonehill Hall of Fame in 2015.
Kasey Devine, North Kingstown; Trinity Hull, Cranston East; Oluchi Ezemma, Moses Brown; Kate Lynch, La Salle; Allegra Schell, Central; Joanna Skiba, Classical
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Rhode Island's greatest high school girls basketball players
Sir Dave Brailsford is no longer a director at Manchester United, a filing by the Premier League club has confirmed.
The 62-year-old played a key role before and after Sir Jim Ratcliffe completed his minority takeover of the club in February 2024, a period which saw him step down as team principal of the Ineos Grenadiers cycling team.
It emerged last June, however, that Brailsford’s role at the club would be scaled back as part of a reshuffle, leading to his return as director of sport for the wider Ineos group.
The break from United was formalised on April 30, a document on Companies House published on Thursday confirmed, with Brailsford’s role as director of the club terminated.
He was appointed as a director on February 19, 2024 and United finished 15th, losing the Europa League final, in his only full season with the club.
United currently sit third in the Premier League standings having secured Champions League qualification with three matches to spare.
As the years go by, the Seattle Sounders' 2022 triumph in the Concacaf Champions Cup increasingly looks like more of an anomaly than a sea change.
The Sounders' win snapped a series of 16 straight continental champions hailing from Mexico, and many MLS fans − and many in the league office − hoped it would signal that teams from the U.S. and Canada were set to win additional continental trophies.
Instead, Liga MX is starting another streak, with this year's final confirmed to be taking place between Toluca and Tigres. That will mark the fourth consecutive Mexican champion and make it 20 of the past 21 teams who win the top club tournament in the region hailing from Mexico. It also means that all but one champion since 2008-09, considered the modern era when the governing body made key changes to further professionalize the tournament, has been from Liga MX.
Toluca erased LAFC star Son Heung-min from the second leg of their series and notched an emphatic 4-0 win at home Wednesday, May 6. The Diablos Rojos will host the final in the Estadio Nemesio Diez, nicknamed La Bombonera, thanks to better CCC results than fellow finalist Tigres.
Tigres were able to secure 1-0 wins over Nashville SC both in Tennessee and at home in Nuevo León to return to the final for the first time since they lifted the trophy in 2020.
One MLS club made the final in each of the last three years, with LAFC, the Columbus Crew and the Vancouver Whitecaps all falling short in the final − which has been a one-off match since 2024 after years of being played as a two-legged series.
But since the 2008-09 edition, 10 finals have been between two Mexican clubs, including this year's, which will take place on May 30.
For now, the balance of power continues to stay with the Mexican league, even as MLS states its ambitions to join the top leagues in the world.
With the advent of Leagues Cup, a knockout tournament that pits MLS and Liga MX teams against each other, MLS has not only seen some success but increased its chances in CCC. The tournament awards CCC places to its top three finishers, which have been filled by MLS teams in every edition.
But that tournament is played only in the U.S. − with matches taking place in Mexico for the first time in this summer's competition.
2008-09: Atlante
2009-10: Pachuca
2010-11: Monterrey
2011-12: Monterrey
2012-13: Monterrey
2013-14: Cruz Azul
2014-15: Club América
2015-16: Club América
2016-17: Pachuca
2018: Chivas
2019: Monterrey
2020: Tigres
2021: Monterrey
2022: Seattle Sounders
2023: Club León
2024: Pachuca
2025: Cruz Azul
2026: Toluca vs. Tigres, May 30, Estadio Nemesio Diez
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Toluca-Tigres Concacaf Champions Cup final confirms Liga MX domination
After a busy offseason, the Tennessee Titans appear to be trending in the right direction after adding a new coaching staff and talent to both sides of the ball. Unfortunately, there is still a long way to go until the season kicks off, and right now, everything is speculation.
With offseason team activities on the horizon, there is definitely a lot to like about the Titans and navigating the rest of the offseason. But as Bryan DeArdo of CBS Sports points out, there are reasons for optimism in 2026.
Tennessee TitansExperienced leadership
Tennessee's rebuild is being led by second-year general manager Mike Borgonzi and new coach Robert Salah. Prior to arriving in Nashville, Borgonzi won three Super Bowls while serving in the Chiefs' front office. Salah has 21 years of NFL experience, including two successful tenures as the 49ers' defensive coordinator.
The Titans' coaching staff also includes offensive coordinator Brian Daboll, who led the Giants to their only playoff win since Super Bowl XLVI. Daboll also had a successful run in Buffalo while serving as Josh Allen's first offensive coordinator. He will look to have similar success now with second-year quarterback Cam Ward.
The atmosphere in Nashville surrounding the Titans feels completely different this offseason, and from general manager Mike Borgonzi down to head coach Robert Saleh and his coaching staff, everything appears to be in lockstep, with a clear identity being built. Yes, there are still holes and work to be done, but the Titans are looking more like a team on the rise than a basement dweller heading into the season.
This article originally appeared on Titans Wire: Why Tennessee Titans should be optimistic in 2026
Ralf Schumacher named the one driver on the grid who has a seat because of the financial backing he brings to the team.
In Formula 1, earning a spot on a team takes more than just skill behind the wheel. The sport’s huge financial demands mean drivers often need to bring more than just talent—they have to be marketable and profitable, too.
Sponsorship money is what keeps most F1 teams running. A driver who can attract sponsors doesn’t just help fill seats; they add real value beyond their performance on track.
Sometimes, that ability can even buy extra time when results aren’t there. Ralf Schumacher believes that’s exactly what’s happening with Alpine and Flavio Briatore’s continued patience with Franco Colapinto.
Speaking on the latest episode of Backstage Boxengasse, Ralf Schumacher suggested that Franco Colapinto has Flavio Briatore’s backing at Alpine because of financial reasons.
Schumacher pointed out that Colapinto brings valuable sponsorship to the team, which he feels is a key reason why Briatore has chosen to back him.
“I truly believe that Flavio Briatore partly believes in Franco Colapinto and attributes a certain talent to him. There’s no question about that.
“But I think he has a few million reasons to do so. In the development phase, where the team is, it doesn’t necessarily matter if they finish in the last 10.”
“Gasly is someone he can rely on. Colapinto is someone who can be faster at times and slower. But he brings money that he urgently needs to get the team back on track,” Schumacher said.
“Renault and the investors want to contribute as little as possible, and every dollar is important.
“I don’t mean to diminish his achievement, but that’s part of the truth as to why Flavio Briatore agreed to go along with him. And if he ultimately gets his way because he adjusts his performance again, then all the better for him.”
While Briatore had initially pushed for Colapinto to leave Alpine before he re-signed with the team, he is now expected to support the Argentine strongly going forward.
Briatore has spoken highly of Colapinto since his performances began to improve, viewing him as a valuable asset to Alpine.
Colapinto’s future at Alpine is still uncertain though. There are voices within the organisation who believe that someone else might be a better fit for the team.
Despite being critical in the past, if Colapinto can maintain results like his P7 finish in Miami, there’s a good chance Briatore will stand by him moving forward.
Read more:
After taking former Georgia Bulldogs standout Zachariah Branch in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft, the Atlanta Falcons agreed to terms with five more wide receivers as undrafted free agents. That accounts for nearly a third of the team's 16 reported UDFA signings.
More than anything, this shows how big of a need the wide receiver position was for Atlanta going into the draft. Continuing with our Falcons undrafted free agent spotlight series, today we examine former Miami wide receiver Keelan Marion.
Marion began his career at Connecticut, recording 32 catches for 563 receiving yards over two seasons before transferring to BYU in 2021. After failing to make much of an impact with the Cougars, Marion transferred to Miami in 2025 and had a career year.
He finished the season with 57 catches for a 746 receiving yards and two touchdowns. Marion recorded 133 catches for 1,871 receiving yards and nine touchdowns over his five collegiate seasons.
Marion, like the others on this list, has experience as a kick returner. He returned 50 career kicks for 1,174 yards and two touchdowns. Marion showed some ability out of the backfield as well, rushing for 161 yards and five touchdowns over the last three seasons at BYU and Miami.
At 6-foot, 195 pounds, Marion's role on offense would likely be in the slot. The former Hurricane is an above-average route runner and he's quick enough to be a force after the catch.
"Marion stems his routes well to attack angles and leverages to set up his route breaks. He is adept at locating and working into the defender's blind spot in bail technique (cover 3 drop)," wrote Bleacher Report's Damian Parson. "He runs good routes and operates in areas of the field that translate to the NFL."
Keelan Marion in the Fiesta Bowl:
— CanesMuse (@canes_muse) January 9, 2026
7 REC
114 YDs
1 TD
WHAT A GAME. pic.twitter.com/xIy3XPEVBd
Check out the Falcons' unofficial list of free agent signings below.
The Falcons begin OTAs on May 26 and mandatory minicamp kicks off on June 9.
This article originally appeared on Falcons Wire: Atlanta Falcons UDFA class: WR Keelan Marion scouting report
As the Indiana Fever continue to prepare for their 2026 WNBA regular-season opener on Saturday, May 9, guard Lexie Hull provided an update on her hamstring injury, which kept her out of the team's three preseason matchups.
Following practice on Tuesday, the Stanford product described the hamstring injury as continued tightness throughout the preseason, but indicated that she anticipates playing in some capacity during the Fever's season-opener against the Dallas Wings.
"Yep, yep," Hull said when asked if she anticipates playing against the Wings. "We'll see how much I get to play, but I definitely feel good."
Lexie Hull describes her hamstring injury as continued tightness, and says she anticipates playing Saturday, but “we’ll see how much I get to play.”
— Chloe Peterson (@chloepeterson67) May 5, 2026
Likely limited minutes for her in the season-opener.
Hull signed a two-year contract with the Fever this offseason. A No. 6 overall pick by the Fever in the first round of the 2022 WNBA draft, Hull averaged career-bests last season in points (7.2), rebounds (4.3), assists (1.8) and steals (1.2) per game, while shooting 39.5% from the field, 36.7% from 3-point range and 72.2% from the free-throw line. The 6-foot-1 guard played in all 44 regular-season games last season and started 30.
Contact/Follow us @HawkeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Iowa news, notes, and opinions. Follow Scout on X: @SpringgateNews
This article originally appeared on Hawkeyes Wire: Indiana Fever guard updates injury status ahead of season opener
Eau Gallie softball began its road in the Class 4A state tournament on Wednesday, May 6, in the Region 2 quarterfinals versus No. 8 Seabreeze.
The top-seeded Commodores were efficient at the plate, scoring in three of four innings. In the circle, senior Jordan Stout threw a 5-inning shutout in a 10-0 win.
“I think we did pretty well. I feel like there were definitely some things that we need to work on,” Stout said. “I feel like we were just a little bit nervous, but other than that I feel like we adjusted really well from our first at-bat to the second and third at-bats.”
Stout allowed 2 hits and struck out 9 hitters, her third-highest strikeout total in a game this season.
The senior stranded Sandcrabs on base in four of five innings. In the second inning, Stout struck out the side.
“I felt like I had an off game the game before this, so this past week I’ve sat there and worked on the stuff I was doing wrong,” Stout said. “I feel like I just really found my spins and found my rhythm.”
Eau Gallie received contributions from every player. Eight of the nine Commodores recorded at least one hit and seven scored at least one run.
Eau Gallie junior Shyla Eppert recorded a 3-hit game with 2 RBI and 3 runs scored. Juniors Leah Pechart, Abigail Latulippe and Kali McMillan tallied 2 hits each. Latulippe and senior Ainsley O’Dell drove in 2 runs. Pechart scored twice.
“In the beginning half, they had to wait on the ball and were just being impatient or anxious,” Eau Gallie head coach Gabe Caride said. “Once they got their timing in, I feel like they settled in. They started seeing pitches go by instead of swinging at the first pitch so they could judge the speed.”
In the first inning, Latulippe opened the scoring with a 2-run single. Eau Gallie doubled the lead to 4-0 in the third on an RBI single by Eppert and an RBI double by O’Dell.
The Commodores broke the game open in the fourth, scoring 6 runs and sending 11 batters to the plate.
They scored a run in five consecutive at-bats beginning on an RBI fielder’s choice by senior Hannah Leech. The senior scored on a bunt single by McMillan and a throwing error by Seabreeze to increase the lead to 6-0.
Pechart doubled home McMillan to make it 7-0. Eppert and sophomore Evie Martin laced back-to-back RBI singles with O’Dell hitting an RBI sac fly to cap the 6-run frame.
“They have so much grit,” Caride said. “They’re not in a situation that they’re not used to, so they’ve always been in certain situations of runner on third, runner on second, bases loaded, whatever. They’ve been in it through it all. They’ve been playing together for such a long time.”
Eau Gallie returns to the dirt on Tuesday, May 12, for the Class 2A, Region 2 semifinals against No. 5 Merritt Island.
The Commodores won both regular-season meetings against the Mustangs.
“I hope it keeps our energy up,” Stout said. “There’s so much stuff we need to work on. This is a good push forward to the next upcoming games.”
Seabreeze (11-13) 000 00 – 0 2 3
Eau Gallie (22-3) 202 6X – 10 13 2
No. 5 Merritt Island 14, No. 4 Vanguard 0
Merritt Island scored seven runs in the first inning and never looked back in a 5-inning win in Ocala.
The Mustangs took advantage of eight Knights errors as 10 of their 14 runs were unearned.
Senior Elena Rollen led the offense with 2 hits, 1 double, 3 RBI and 2 runs scored. In the circle, senior Rindi Amos tossed a 1-hit shutout recording 2 walks and 9 strikeouts.
Merritt Island advances to the regional semifinals for the first time since 2016.
Merritt Island (11-14) 703 13 – 14 11 0
Vanguard (11-9) 000 00 – 0 1 8
No. 6 Satellite 6, No. 3 Lake Region 5
Satellite, playing in its first state playoff game since 2014, was down to its final out of the game, trailing 5-3 at Lake Region. The Scorpions recorded four consecutive singles to take the lead.
After singles by sophomore Hailey Veon and senior Isabella Barrera, courtesy runners Makayla O’Brien and Finley Parker scored on a passed ball and an error, respectively, to tie the game. Scorpions sophomore Elysse Fredenburg broke the tie with an RBI single to score sophomore Hope Robaina.
Lake Region singled to lead off the bottom of the seventh. The runner reached third base on a passed ball with two outs, but a ground out ended the game.
Barrera finished the game 4-for-4 with 2 RBI at the plate and a complete game performance allowing two earned runs and striking out five hitters. Veon hit 3-for-3 with 1 triple.
Satellite advances to the regional semifinals and will play at No. 2 Lake Wales on Tuesday.
Satellite (10-14) 002 010 3 – 6 12 3
Lake Region (8-16) 110 – 201 0 – 5 9 4
No. 3 Crystal River 1, No. 6 Astronaut 0
An RBI sac fly in the bottom of the sixth by Crystal River proved to be the only offense needed in a pitcher’s duel.
Astronaut managed four singles, including two in the third. The threat was ended on a fielder’s choice. The War Eagles stranded in a runner in scoring position in the fourth.
Junior Riley Miller allowed 1 unearned run on 7 hits and 1 walk. Miller recorded 4 strikeouts.
Astronaut finishes the season with a 14-8 record.
Astronaut (14-8) 000 000 0 – 0 4 2
Crystal River (19-8) 000 001 X – 1 7 1
No. 1 The First Academy 15, No. 8 Space Coast 6
Space Coast carried a 4-1 lead into the bottom of the fourth, but The First Academy plated 13 runs in the next two innings to pull away for the win.
Kami Dacko led the Space Coast offense with 3 hits, 1 RBI and 2 runs scored. Kodibeth Bates tallied 2 RBI.
The Vipers end the year with an 11-12 record.
Space Coast (11-12) 220 011 0 – 6 8 0
The First Academy (21-3) 100 761 X – 15 16 0
No. 4 Trinity Catholic 8, No. 5 Melbourne Central Catholic 3
Trinity Catholic did most of its damage at the beginning of the game, scoring 7 runs in the first three innings.
Melbourne Central Catholic senior Amanda Carter batted 3-for-4 with 1 double and 2 runs scored. Hustlers senior Rylie Lovett doubled, tripled and scored one run.
Melbourne Central Catholic completes a 14-8 campaign.
Melbourne Central Catholic (14-8) 000 120 0 – 3 7 2
Trinity Catholic (15-11) 412 010 X – 8 9 4
No. 4 Master’s Academy (Vero Beach) 8, No. 5 Merritt Island Christian 1
In a rematch of last week’s district championship matchup, Master’s Academy defeated Merritt Island Christian for the second-straight game by scoring runs in the final 4 innings.
The Cougars spoiled the shutout in the seventh on an RBI double by senior Mia Rose. Sophomore Sayler Aldrich singled twice.
Merritt Island Christian finish a 12-7 season.
Merritt Island Christian (12-7) 000 000 1 – 1 4 3
Master’s Academy (19-7) 002 123 X – 8 12 1
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Eau Gallie softball defeats Seabreeze in regional quarterfinals
Entering his third season, Texas A&M head coach Mike Elko has proven his ability to pick up where former coach Jimbo Fisher left off on the recruiting trail, securing back-to-back top 10-ranked signing classes, and currently holds the No. 1-ranked 2027 cycle after landing four five-star prospects, now including elite offensive lineman Kennedy Brown.
This week, Elko and his staff received a prediction from On3 insider Steve Wiltfong to land a commitment from five-star cornerback Joshua Dobson, who, just a few months ago, looked like a lock to land with the LSU Tigers, but ever since his recent visit to College Station, the blue-chip defensive back is on great terms with Texas A&M heading into the summer.
Set to take an official visit with the Aggies on June 5, Dobson is still considering LSU, as well as South Carolina, Auburn, and the Michigan Wolverines, who all possess a long history of developing cornerbacks for the NFL. Dobson will also take official visits to LSU, South Carolina, and Auburn, which have been confirmed.
Right now, Rivals has Texas A&M with a 60% chance to secure Dobson's commitment, and during his recent interview with the insider Chad Simmons, the North Carolina native further confirmed that the way Mike Elko and his staff have laid out the red carpet and continue to communicate at a high level directly led to his week's prediction.
“How they are recruiting me definitely matters… coming in with a great group of guys like that would make me better,” Dobson stated. “I like the defensive mind of the head coach (Mike Elko) is too… You don’t find that a lot. The development, the culture, everything there is top-notch. They have the coaches, a great plan and it is a 40-year plan there.”
While early predictions aren't definitive by any means, Dobson's tone and tenure when discussing Texas A&M and his recruitment speak volumes heading into his OV. Still, LSU, now headed by Lane Kiffin, should be considered a major player moving forward.
Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions. Follow Cameron on X: @CameronOhnysty.
This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: 2027 5-star CB Joshua Dobson discusses Texas A&M's '40-year plan'
The WNBA is back as the league tips off its 30th season in Friday, May 8.
The Las Vegas Aces will be looking to run it back as defending champs with the reigning MVP, A'ja Wilson, leading the way. Lots of other contenders hope to have something to say about that including the Atlanta Dream, New York Liberty and Indiana Fever.
The Fever, who were without floor leader Caitlin Clark for much of last season, are fully healthy. The Liberty, who were also bitten by the injury bug last season, already have Sabrina Ionesco on the sidelines after she rolled her ankle in a preseason game against the Connecticut Sun.
The Atlanta Dream also made the trade of the offseason, getting Angel Reese from the Chicago Sky to add to a roster which won 30 games last season.
Who will win the postseason awards and the WNBA championship? USA TODAY Sports polled its Studio IX reporters Nancy Armour, Callie Fin, Meghan L. Hall, Cydney Henderson, Danielle Lerner and Mitchell Northam and the results are below. Each also made an WNBA Finals prediction.
In true sports legend fashion, A’ja Wilson finds motivation where the mere mortal wouldn’t. From a fourth-place MVP vote in 2023 to being left out of conversations for the award during most of the 2025 campaign, the league’s most decorated player sees the haters and uses it all as motivation. This year, she said she’s using people’s anger as fuel for more domination. There’s no logical reason to add to her personal bulletin board. − Callie Fin
A'ja Wilson has won three of the last four Defensive Player of the Year titles and is poised to win another in 2026. Wilson is a walking mismatch who can guard every position, often forcing teams to game plan around her because she causes that much disruption. In 2025, she helped the Aces to 99.2 defensive rating and led the league in blocks, with a career high 2.3 blocks per game. Wilson was also ranked second in rebounds (10.2) and fourth in steals per game (1.6) − Meghan L. Hall
The No. 1 overall pick of the WNBA draft has gone on to win Rookie of the Year 16 out of 24 times, including each of the past four seasons. Azzi Fudd, the No. 1 over pick by the Dallas Wings, is in prime position to continue that streak. Fudd led the nation in made 3-pointers last season at UConn and will use her perimeter shooting to fill a glaring need for Dallas. However, Fudd can expect a run for her money from Olivia Miles, who went No. 2 overall to the Minnesota Lynx. Miles can impact the game in a variety of ways, as evidenced by her six triple-doubles at TCU last season. Miles will slide right into the starting lineup as the primary point guard and benefit from the veteran leadership surrounding her. − Cydney Henderson
Reigning Sixth Player of the Year Naz Hillmon has a path to win again. The former Michigan Wolverine, who had a 95.8 defensive rating in 2025, has a non-stop motor and a knack for getting timely rebounds, causing turnovers or shutting down top players. She also added a more consistent 3-point shot, which should help lead the Dream's bench unit, which prides itself in causing as much disruption as possible. −Meghan L. Hall
With a career winning percentage of 73.1%, it’s difficult to doubt Becky Hammon and the Aces at this point. After a bumpy start last year, the Aces turned it around and finished the regular season on a 16-game winning streak, then went on to win their third championship in four years. All the key pieces are back for Las Vegas, including reigning MVP A’ja Wilson. With her on the court and Hammon on the sidelines, the Aces will always be contenders. This season, the Aces will aim to join the Houston Comets, Minnesota Lynx and Seattle Storm as four-time champions. − Mitchell Northam
Aces beat Liberty in six. Las Vegas and New York have been a step above the rest of the W the last three seasons and this year is no different. The addition of Satou Sabally gives the Liberty another offensive threat and strengthens their defense. But the Aces are still the Aces, and it’s their title to win until someone says different. − Nancy Armour
On paper, this is the matchup that makes the most sense — and a storied one at that. The Liberty are back in super team mode after having retained Breanna Stewart, Jonquel Jones and Sabrina Ionescu while making a major free agency addition in Satou Sabally. The Aces are the reigning champions, pursuing their second back-to-back title run in five years. They’ve also retained their core, while adding frontcourt pieces (Stephanie Talbot, Brianna Turner) and potentially making the steal of the offseason by signing electric guard Chennedy Carter back into the league. All of that gives Las Vegas the edge. − Callie Fin
There are few teams in this league that have the consistency within their core players that the Las Vegas Aces and New York Liberty do. Las Vegas and New York will return to the WNBA Finals, with the Aces winning in seven games for their fourth franchise title. − Meghan L. Hall
The Las Vegas Aces retained its entire starting lineup from last year's championship run and are in prime position to run it back. The franchise kept its core of A'ja Wilson, Jackie Young and Chelsea Gray, while also maintaining its depth with Jewell Loyd and the additions of Chennedy Carter, Brianna Turner and Stephanie Talbot. The Atlanta Dream enter this season with a chip on their shoulder after being upset in the first round of the playoffs last year. The Dream also returns its core, plus two-time All-Star Angel Reese to get them over the hump. But the Aces' experience will make all the difference. − Cydney Henderson
While New York and Indiana are legitimate contenders in the East, Atlanta is a standout title threat after adding two-time All-Star Angel Reese to play alongside a returning core that includes Allisha Gray, Naz Hillmon, Rhyne Howard and Brionna Jones. The Dream boast tenacious interior rebounding to complement their versatile perimeter players, and that balance will ultimately deliver the franchise its first WNBA championship. − Danielle Lerner
Assuming Caitlin Clark stays healthy, Indiana has all the pieces to contend for a championship this year. However, Las Vegas — powered by A’ja Wilson — has everything it needs to run it back and repeat for the second time in five seasons. − Mitchell Northam
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Preseason WNBA predictions: Las Vegas Aces, A'ja Wilson to continue domination
Former New York Giants quarterback Russell Wilson has received an offer from the Jets, reports Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post.
Wilson began the 2025 season as the Giants' starting quarterback but was extremely underwhelming in his lone year with the team. He was benched for rookie quarterback Jaxon Dart after just four weeks, having failed to perform consistently at a high level aside from his strong Week 2 outing in Dallas.
Wilson met with the Jets at their facility last week and now appears to have a chance to reunite with his former teammate Geno Smith in New York. Following the visit, the 37-year-old quarterback addressed his options as he weighs his next move.
"It was great," he said. "They offered me, and I'm trying to figure out what the next best thing is for me to do. I still know I can play ball at a high level, but also I have an opportunity to do TV, so we'll see what happens."
A 14-year veteran and likely future Hall of Famer, Wilson threw for 831 yards and three touchdowns in six games with the Giants in 2025. He now faces a decision after receiving the contract offer from the Jets.
Should he sign, Wilson would serve as the Jets' backup quarterback behind Geno Smith and would find himself back in New York for the 2026 season.
This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: Ex-New York Giants QB Russell Wilson weighing offer from Jets
Kendall Wells is giving a new meaning to Boomer Sooner.
Oklahoma's 19-year-old freshman catcher is closing in on college softball history as she chases down a 31-year-old single-season home run record set in 1995 by Arizona's Laura Espinoza (37) in 72 games. Wells has 36 home runs in 54 games, with 32 of those matchups ending early in run-rule victories.
There's still lots of softball to be played and opportunities to break the record. Oklahoma kicks off the SEC Tournament on Thursday with a quarterfinal matchup against either No. 8 LSU or No. 9 Georgia after the Sooners earned the No. 1 seed by claiming the 2026 SEC regular-season championship. The NCAA Tournament comes after and the Sooners could play their way into the Women's College World Series.
But as the nation eagerly watches the home run record chase that's emerged between Wells and UCLA sluggers Megan Grant and Jordan Woolery, Oklahoma head coach Patty Gasso offered Wells a simple word of advice.
"Kendall (Wells) obviously is in this big race that I am not even considering a race," Gasso said ahead of the SEC Tournament. "I just keep telling her... that records are going to be broken, whether it's by you or someone else. So just be you and not try."
Wells has rewritten the record books all season. She set the SEC single-season record with her 27th home run of the year on March 31 to pass Bri Ellis' previous mark at Arkansas. Her 31st homer broke the NCAA freshman single-season record previously shared by fellow Sooners Jocelyn Alo and Lauren Chamberlain, in addition to Hawaii's Kelly Majam. Wells' 35th home run claimed Oklahoma's single-season home run record previously held by Alo.
Wells' home run quest has resulted in some teams pitching around the freshman slugger. Wells has been walked nine times in Oklahoma's past four games and hasn't hit a home run, her longest drought of the season. But Gasso said Wells has remained patient and noted her frustrations haven't spilled into her defense.
"I can't say enough about her offense. Everyone loves it, but if you watch the quickness that she has picking up bunts, I mean, she is jumping out. She is making some phenomenal defensive plays," Gasso said. "I care as much about that as I do about the way she's hitting the ball. So this is going to be a good test for her going into (the postseason), she's going to get a lot of fanfare when she shows up."
History makers in Oklahoma 🤩
— ESPN Insights (@ESPNInsights) April 25, 2026
Kendall Wells hit her 35th HR this season, breaking a tie with Jocelyn Alo (34 in 2021 & 2022) for the Oklahoma single-season record, moving into third on the NCAA single-season HR list in just her 49th game of the season 👏 pic.twitter.com/1UROwXEvuR
Wells isn't the only player chasing Espinoza's record. UCLA's Megan Grant and Jordan Woolery are also in the running with 35 and 33 home runs, respectively, as the Bruins approach the Big Ten tournament. Grant's 34 homers broke Stacey Nuveman’s UCLA single-season home run record (31) set in 1999, while Woolery's 106 RBIs leads the nation and also marks a program record.
"Just watching greatness in front of me is such an honor and I feel like I have the best seat," said Woolery, who bats behind Grant in the lineup. "I get to watch her hit every day. Even being on deck too, I'm like five feet away from her and I feel like it's so cool to see what she's doing and it's so impressive and I think just how hardworking she is. I strive to be like her too in that sense. It's awesome to see."
Wells, Grant and Woolery all have a chance to become the first player in college softball history to hit 40 homers in a single season as offense as a whole has surged this year. Oklahoma and UCLA both lead the nation with 173 total home runs this season. (The previous single-season home run record was 161).
USA TODAY Sports is tracking the single-season home run record chase as the postseason begins:
Players in bold are actively competing this season.
Here's a look at the single-season home runs leaders in the history of college softball:
| Player | Home runs | Games | Year |
| Laura Espinoza (Arizona) | 37 | 72 | 1995 |
| Kendall Wells (Oklahoma) | 36 | 54 | 2026 |
| Karli Spaid (Miami Ohio) | 36 | 58 | 2024 |
| Megan Grant (UCLA) | 34 | 52 | 2026 |
| Jocelyn Alo (Oklahoma) | 34 | 62 | 2022 |
| Jocelyn Alo (Oklahoma) | 34 | 60 | 2021 |
| Jordan Woolery (UCLA) | 33 | 52 | 2026 |
| Addison Barnard (Wichita State) | 33 | 52 | 2022 |
| Lexie Elkins (Louisiana) | 32 | 54 | 2015 |
| Camilla Carrera (UTEP) | 32 | 53 | 2012 |
| Stacie Chambers (Arizona) | 31 | 63 | 2009 |
| Cori McMillan (Virginia Tech) | 31 | 56 | 2025 |
| Stacey Nuveman (UCLA) | 31 | 69 | 1999 |
Reach USA TODAY National Women’s Sports Reporter Cydney Henderson at chenderson@gannett.com and follow her on X at @CydHenderson.
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Home run record watch — Oklahoma’s Kendall Wells nears historic milestone
Tuesday's celebrations included Mikel Arteta and his players joining hands and running towards each end of the Emirates.
Bradley Busch is a chartered sports psychologist who runs Inner Drive, a sports psychology training centre, and he told BBC Sport the collective celebration indicated a "very healthy team and squad mindset".
"The technical phrase that is used in research for this is known as 'emotional contagion', which basically says behaviours and attitudes and unity can spread and ripple through the team," he said. "One way you can do that is through celebrating together.
"On a more fundamental level, players aren't doing that to try to improve future performance - they're doing it because it's a sheer release of thinking and breathing about this stuff 24/7 and realising your goals.
"In what is such a high-pressurised environment I think it's really healthy for it not all to build up and bubble, and to celebrate on the pitch."
Busch added that anyone suggesting Arsenal's reaction was over the top "feels a bit like the old celebration police going on there".
"The nearest you can get to defining over-celebration is anything that negatively impacts the future performance," he explained.
"We sometimes see that with players and teams during the match - where they might think they have already won, which can lead to showboating or playing with much less intensity, or if it's interrupting the preparation for the next match. But this is a world away from that.
"As a Tottenham fan, I absolutely do hope it's a case of over-celebration - but that's more of my personal opinion than professional one!"
Read more on Arsenal's celebrations here
Jordan Escobar-Goral believed after the WIAA state track and field meet last year that a collegiate career might be possible.
The Green Bay Preble senior was part of a talented 3,200-meter relay team that finished runner-up in Division 1, just 0.42 seconds behind state champion Mequon Homestead.
Escobar-Goral posted a 1-minute, 53-second split in the event that day.
“That’s where it really started for me, I started taking it a lot more seriously,” he said.
Whatever he did, it worked.
Escobar-Goral signed a letter of intent during spring signing day May 6 to compete at NCAA Division I University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
UWM started to speak with Escobar-Goral in the winter, and while a few other schools were interested, nobody provided the opportunity the Panthers did.
When the team extended him an offer last month, it only took about a week to accept even without taking an official visit to the campus.
“It obviously means a whole lot to me,” said Escobar-Goral, who also is a talented forward in soccer and was a second-team all-conference pick in the Fox River Classic as a senior in 2025. “Especially just with how much help financially I am getting from this and getting to do what I love, running track. It just means the world to me.”
His recruitment wasn’t overwhelming from a time standpoint, but it was stressful.
There were days when he wasn’t sure which coach would make an offer or if one would even be presented.
That feeling lingered until a few weeks ago when UWM came calling.
Escobar-Goral can now focus on the final month of his prep career.
Along with his work in relays, he competes in the 400- and 800-meter dashes.
Escobar-Goral set Preble’s indoor record in the 400 with a time of 51.33 in March and is coming off a junior campaign in which he won a sectional championship in the 800.
That 800 memory still stings a bit.
He was one of 25 runners in the event at state last season, but only 24 of them placed.
Escobar-Goral was disqualified because of a false start. He saw a runner to his left slightly flinch, causing him to completely flinch.
The rest was unfortunate history.
“Immediately after, I broke down,” Escobar-Goral said. “I didn’t really want to believe that it happened like that. But right when I walked off the track and got done watching the race from the infield, I just put it in my head like, tomorrow, I have to use this as motivation. Just use it for motivation in the 4x800.”
Nobody will ever know, but Escobar-Goral believes he could have earned a podium finish.
He still has an opportunity for a better ending if he can qualify for state again.
With his college future solidified, it would be the perfect way to go out.
“I’m just taking it one step at a time, like I did last year,” Escobar-Goral said. “Not worrying about times as much, just worrying about competing and really just waiting for that time where I can drop a time at state and get redemption from last year.”
Escobar-Goral was one of several local athletes who will compete at the DI, DII or junior college level and signed letters of intent this week.
Preble goaltender Landin Gauthier will play soccer at Bryant & Stratton, a National Junior College Athletic Association program in Wauwatosa.
Gauthier helped lead the Hornets to a D1 state runner-up finish in 2024, including making six saves in a 2-1 double overtime upset against No. 1 seed Milwaukee Marquette in a semifinal.
“Landin was a true goalkeeper,” Preble coach Chris Becker said. “He had no fear in stopping any ball that came his way. He is a hard worker and is a good teammate.”
Moxon Kernz will play baseball at Western Technical College, an NJCAA school in La Crosse.
The infielder is hitting .293 with nine RBI, 10 runs scored and three stolen bases this season.
Kernz will join a Cavaliers team that featured another local product this season in Aiden Hoffmann, a 2024 Preble graduate.
Griffin Schilz will compete in swimming at Valparaiso University, a DI school in Indiana. The senior competed in four events at the D1 state meet in February.
He finished fifth in the 500-yard freestyle and 10th in the 200 free. Schilz was part of a 400 freestyle relay team that finished sixth and a 200 free relay team that placed 12th.
Madison Paulsen, the team captain of the cheer team and a four-year varsity member for the Pirates, will join the University of Minnesota.
Minnesota is credited with inventing organized cheerleading. It started during a football game in November 1898 after student Johnny Campbell came out of the stands and led a chant.
“I am so grateful to my friends and family for their constant support, and to my coaches and teammates for pushing me to become the best version of myself,” Paulsen wrote after committing to the Gophers. “Thank you to the Minnesota coaching staff for giving me this incredible opportunity to be part of such an amazing program.”
Destiny Webster will play basketball at Grand Valley State (Michigan), which went 36-1 this season and won the DII national championship for the second straight year.
The 5-foot-8 guard was one of the area’s best players the past two seasons.
She was a first-team all-conference selection in the FRCC in 2025-26 after helping lead the Tritons to the D1 state tournament for the first time after their previous trips came in D2.
Webster averaged 11.3 points, 4.6 assists, 3.5 rebounds, 2.3 steals and 1.3 blocks while shooting 52.7%.
She will join Notre Dame teammate Kaia Waldrop at GVS.
This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: Green Bay-area high school athletes ink college plans on signing day
As a performance coach who frequently works with athletes and corporate executives on finding their purpose, the first step is asking them if their actions and their values are in alignment.
If clients are considering taking action on something they're not quite sure about, I will implore them to ask themselves this question: “If I take a step in this direction, will this action be in alignment with my values?”
I often do this with myself as well if I am having “analysis paralysis” (indecisiveness) when faced with problems. I recently put this into practice when I was struggling with whether or not I should buy tickets for the upcoming World Cup in the United States.
Soccer has been an integral part of my life for a long time.
I was first introduced to the sport by my father in the late 1970s. He took me to watch our hometown Memphis Rogues compete in the old North American Soccer League.
I was hooked instantly. Over the years, I have been involved in virtually every aspect of "the beautiful game" – as a player, coach, referee and fan.
I love that all these years later, the game still connects me with people in often unexpected ways.
Just the other day, I was chatting with an Uber driver from Cameroon. I had the best ride with him while talking about Roger Milla, the legendary striker for his country's national team, which is nicknamed the Indomitable Lions.
I recently ate at a Colombian restaurant where the waiter and I had a blast talking about the passing and dribbling acumen of Carlos Valderrama, a former star player from his home country.
It never fails to delight me when this happens. In a world that seems so divided these days, I am grateful that soccer still enables me to connect with a vast array of people.
I’m sad to say that I will not be attending the 2026 World Cup in my home country, though.
This event is supposed to showcase the game on a global scale and give optimism for the growth of the sport in the United States. Instead, as recent headlines indicate, it has become an apparent greedy cash grab from seemingly every entity involved.
The powers that be thought it would be a good idea to charge astronomical prices for tickets, change seating for many who bought reserved seats, allow restrictions on tailgating, charge a fortune for parking and gouge on public transportation costs – to name just a few of the boneheaded decisions that have been made. (FIFA officials have responded to the criticism by saying they are charging fair market prices.)
It sickens me that this World Cup seems to be more about maximizing profit to a gross degree than showcasing the sport and building goodwill between people from all over the world.
Another view: ICE looms over the 2026 World Cup | Opinion
My deep appreciation for soccer’s ability to connect people was cemented at Montverde Academy, traditionally one of the strongest high school programs in the nation. I spent time there as a player and later as the school's coach.
During my playing days there in the 1980s, I had the distinction of being the only American in the starting 11. It would be an understatement to say that a boy from Memphis, Tennessee, playing on a top squad at a boarding school in Florida with teammates from all over the world experienced a most impactful cultural education from this.
Many years have passed since, and my teammates have all returned to their countries of origin, but I still consider those guys my brothers.
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On the 10th anniversary of our graduation from Montverde, I reunited with some of my international teammates the last time the World Cup was held in the USA, in 1994.
We had a great time watching Germany play Spain at Soldier Field in Chicago. The average price of a World Cup ticket back then was $58.
This year, ticket prices range from several hundred to several thousand dollars each. While most of us could probably dig deep into our pockets to attend, we have all decided that it is not worth it.
Our next soccer reunion will have to wait for another event that is more feasible.
World Cup will give America a global stage, and a stress test | Opinion
From posts and articles I have read on this subject, my Montverde brothers aren’t the only fans who are opting not to attend the games. For example, the U.S. national team’s World Cup debut on June 12 isn't sold out.
Most of the tickets for this game are more than $1,000. That price is enough to keep even the most hardcore fans from attending.
As a student of the game, I have read many books about the corruption and greed that often stain this sport at its top levels. As a fan, I have to compartmentalize the corruption and greed from the play on the pitch.
I will do this, again, when I watch this tournament on television from home.
We all know the saying: “Don’t hate the player. Hate the game.” In this instance, it’s the exact opposite. Hate the players behind the scenes, not the game.
My decision sits well with me, as my actions and values are definitely aligned with this.
Greg Graber, the author of "Slow Your Roll ‒ Mindfulness for Fast Times," is a mental performance and leadership coach. He supports Arsenal Football Club.
You can read diverse opinions from our USA TODAY columnists and other writers on the Opinion front page, on X, formerly Twitter, @usatodayopinion and in our Opinion newsletter.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: I love soccer, but I can't justify overpriced World Cup | Opinion
Heading into the 2026 WNBA season, there has been a lot of discourse and debate about where Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark ranks among the best players in the league. One WNBA legend, however, has a pretty clear opinion on the matter.
Diana Taurasi is one of the greatest and most accomplished women’s basketball players of all time. After 20 years in the league, she retired as the WNBA’s all-time leading scorer and is a six-time Olympic gold medalist with Team USA. Needless to say, she knows a great player when she sees one.
Taurasi hasn’t always spoken highly of Clark. Ahead of Clark’s rookie season, Taurasi infamously warned the young phenom that “reality is coming” once she gets to the WNBA and begins playing against professional-caliber players.
“Reality is coming,” Taurasi said before Clark entered the league. “There’s levels to this thing. And that’s just life, we all went through it. You see it on the NBA side and you’re going to see it on this side, you look superhuman playing against 18 years olds but you’re going to come play with some grown women that have been playing professional basketball for a long time.”
It did not take long for Taurasi to change her tune. Less than two months later, Taurasi had nothing but praise for Clark after the rookie posted a triple-double against Taurasi and the Phoenix Mercury.
“I mean it’s amazing. What Caitlin’s been able to do in her short career so far has just been nothing short of remarkable,” Taurasi said back in June of 2024. “And the one thing that I really love about her is she really loves the game. You can tell she’s put the work in.
“Even throughout her short WNBA career, it’s been a lot of pressure, a lot of things thrown at her. She keeps showing up and keeps getting better every single game, so her future is super bright. Being a veteran, being in this league for a long, long time, it’s pretty cool to see that and going into the future.”
Taurasi went as far as to give Clark her stamp of approval when the Fever star chose to wear No. 12 for Team USA – the number Taurasi wore with the team for all six of her gold medals.
“It’s so cool to see Caitlin not only wear the USA jersey, but number 12. I spent two decades wearing that jersey and that number, and I couldn’t think of anyone better to take it and put it on and just have an amazing career,” Taurasi told Sports Illustrated back in March.
Heading into the 2026 season, however, there has been some debate about just how well Clark stacks up against some of the other players in the league. After winning the league’s Rookie of the Year award in a landslide with a record-breaking rookie season, Clark’s stats dipped across the board in her second season, which was also cut short by an injury.
With the dropoff in production last season, coupled with the injury, her reputation around the league seems to have taken a bit of a hit. Clark was left off of The Athletic’s preseason first-team All-WNBA list and was ranked just No. 10 on ESPN’s list of the top-50 players in the WNBA.
Taurasi, however, does not share that skepticism of Clark’s game.
Recently, the women’s basketball legend was asked which WNBA player is currently on Clark’s level. Taurasi had a pretty clear and blunt response: “Nobody.”
While she was once a critic of Clark and her game, Taurasi is now one of Clark’s biggest and most outspoken supporters. And she’s made that very clear.
The post WNBA legend Diana Taurasi has made her opinion on Caitlin Clark very clear appeared first on The Comeback: Today’s Top Sports Stories & Reactions.
Two weeks before the NFL Draft, the New England Patriots opened the Gillette Stadium doors to prospects from local colleges. Among them was a player the would later select with their final pick, Boston College edge defender Quintayvious Hutchins.
It was not the first point of contact between the two sides after already having met at the Scouting Combine in late February. For the Patriots, however, it was a crucial step toward Hutchins eventually becoming a target in the draft.
“Had the opportunity to work him out at our local day, which was really cool for him and his agents to decide to come work out,” executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf later explained.
“A lot of times guys that worked out at the Combine aren’t willing to do that, and he showed what kind of competitor he is with his willingness to come over there. I think he helped himself definitely — you know, [Mike] Vrabel with the pad. He was hitting that pad and Vrabel was feeling his strength, so it was pretty cool to see.”
Hutchins being willing to go the extra mile to put himself in a position to succeed is nothing new. Look no further than his college career at BC, which saw him start 16 games on the edge, average 110 special teams snaps per non-redshirt season, and even make a brief move to tight end.
While it is unlikely he will be employed quite as multi-dimensionally as a Patriot, the 23-year-old knows that the mindset behind his college usage will go a long way toward NFL job security.
“You’re going to get an energetic, young kid that’s ready to work and put one foot in the door to lead to two,” he said during his introductory call with the local media.
“You’re going to see a dynamic special teams player; my career started out with special teams where it comes to kickoffs, kickoff return, punt, punt block. You’re going to get a hard worker, a third down guy, also a run stopper. I feel like I have a lot of bend, explosiveness when it comes to third down, second-and-long.”
“Really, really physical player,” added Wolf. “Has some length, has some traits that we like. Went back and watched some of the special teams when he was younger and that really stood out as well.”
As with all rookies, and particularly those selected in the late seventh round, the challenge of acclimating to the pro level will be significant. However, Hutchins has one small advantage: staying home.
“I’ve been there, at BC, for the past five years. So, coming back to my second home, besides Alabama, it feels good,” he said. “Being able to play under the coaches that were able to run our pro day, it just feels like I’m able to go in comfortably to just keep my head up and just work.”
Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes has set a remarkable new club record, as he eyes the Premier League Player of the Year award.
Fernandes has led the charge this season, playing a crucial role in United’s qualification for the Champions League.
While he didn’t get on the scoresheet or officially register an assist in Sunday’s 3-2 victory over Liverpool, he was still instrumental, delivering the ball that led to Benjamin Sesko’s finish.
Fernandes boasts eight goals and 19 assists. He is just two assists shy of breaking the Premier League record (20), which is held jointly by Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne.
During the 3-1 win over Aston Villa in March, Fernandes surpassed David Beckham to become the United player with the most assists in a single Premier League season. Beckham had previously held the record with 15 assists in the 1999/2000 campaign.
Statman Dave has now revealed that Fernandes leads every United player, past or present, in yet another elite category.
Statman Dave notes, “Bruno Fernandes has created more chances in the Premier League this season (120) than any other Manchester United player ever has on record.”
This is just another remarkable achievement for Fernandes, who is undoubtedly operating at a new level in his career.
Interim head coach Michael Carrick has repeatedly spoken of the Portugal international’s importance to the team and how big of a pleasure it is to work with him.
Heading into the summer, there is still some speculation over Fernandes’ future amidst rumours that he could be on his way out. In addition to the Saudi Pro League, he also continues to be linked to clubs like Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain and Galatasaray.
But as the numbers show, United can scarcely afford to part ways with the playmaker.
Fernandes and his teammates are next in action on Saturday when they go away to Sunderland.
Featured image by Michael Regan/Getty Images
The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social
A place in the Europa League final is on the line as Aston Villa prepare to host Nottingham Forest at Villa Park on Thursday night in the second leg of their all-English semi-final.
Villa are heading into this clash on the back foot, having lost 1-0 in the first leg. But there’s still all to play for when these two sides reconvene in Birmingham.
Europa League specialist Unai Emery will fancy his chances of overturning the first leg result, and Villa’s remarkable home record against Forest could be the key.
Villa are unbeaten in their last 10 home games against Forest since a 2-0 defeat in October 1994.
Before the first leg, Villa had lost just one of their previous five meetings with Forest (W3, D1), falling to a 2-1 defeat in December 2024 courtesy of a last-minute goal from Anthony Elanga.
Tonight’s rematch gives them a chance to re-establish their dominance over the Tricky Trees, and they can’t afford to squander it with a place in the final on the line.
Since Emery took over, Villa have gradually been rebuilding their European pedigree.
They reached the Europa Conference League semi-final in 2024 before making the Champions League quarter-final last season.
The Villans will now be determined to take one more step to reach their first European final since their famous European Cup triumph over Bayern Munich in 1982.
Despite entering the game on the back of a Premier League defeat to Tottenham Hotspur, Villa will be brimming with confidence on home turf.
They have won nine consecutive home games on the continental stage and scored in 31 of their last 32 European home games, proving they have what it takes to hurt Forest.
Emery named a heavily rotated side for the Tottenham defeat, so he’ll return to a more familiar line-up against Forest, albeit with one slight tweak.
Emiliano Martinez will remain in goal, with Matty Cash, Ezri Konsa, Pau Torres, and Lucas Digne ahead of him. The only tweak to the line-up could come in midfield.
Douglas Luiz will likely step in for Lamare Bogarde, whose performances in midfield have been below par.
Luiz hasn’t started a game for Villa since the 2-0 round of 16 second leg victory against Lille over six weeks ago. That could be additional motivation for the 27-year-old to stake a first-team claim.
Meanwhile, the attacking set-up is expected to remain the same with Morgan Rogers and John McGinn on either side of Emiliano Buendia, while Ollie Watkins leads the line.
Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images
Paris Saint-Germain edged past Bayern Munich in Wednesday night’s Champions League semi-final second leg, drawing 1-1 on the night to secure a 6-5 aggregate victory and progression to the final.
Arsenal had already qualified for the final the previous day, seeing off Atletico Madrid 2-1 on aggregate, so the two finalists will meet for the fourth time in two seasons.
The Gunners defeated PSG in last season’s League Phase, only to lose home and away to the French side in the knockouts. They’ll now have an opportunity for revenge in Budapest on May 30th.
Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images
Speaking to the media after his team’s win, Luis Enrique had positive things to say about Mikel Arteta and his Arsenal side.
“I appreciate Mikelito Arteta,” Enrique said (via The Mirror and Sky Sports). “We used to be team-mates when we were kids, he did a great job at Arsenal. It will be a difficult, hard game but we believe in our football style.
“Arsenal, one of the best teams this season. What they did throughout the season has been incredible. They are stilll playing for the Premier League and they are in the (Champions League) final. That’s something we need to appreciate.
“But I have so much confidence in my team and I think it’s important to value them.”
Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images
Aided by a national league more than willing to move fixtures around to give PSG extra rest, the team have had a strong knockout-stage run. After narrowly eliminating Monaco 5-4 on aggregate, they eased past Chelsea 8-2 and Liverpool 4-0, before getting the better of Bayern 6-5.
Enrique’s team clearly don’t struggle to score goals, but they haven’t done so well at keeping them out. They’ve kept five clean sheets to Arsenal’s nine, and let in 22 goals to Arsenal’s six (two of which were conceded with backup goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga between the sticks).
It’s going to be an intriguing battle of contrasting styles at the end of May, and Arsenal fans will certainly be looking forward to it.
Reports in Italy claim that Rafael Leao is at risk of being dropped from Massimiliano Allegri’s starting line-up and that the Rossoneri could look to sell the Portugal international in the upcoming summer transfer window.
Leao and his Milan teammates are on a disappointing run of form heading into the final few games of the 2025-26 season, with just four points to their name from their last five Serie A matches.
Leao is without a goal in over two months, dating back to the 2-0 win over Cremonese on March 1. The Portugal international is yet to cross double figures in the league, currently on nine goals, heading into the final three Serie A matches of the season. That is despite the fact that he has spent most of the season playing as a centre-forward in a 3-5-2.
CREMONA, ITALY – MARCH 01: Rafael Leao of AC Milan in action during the Serie A match between US Cremonese and AC Milan at Stadio Giovanni Zini on March 01, 2026 in Cremona, Italy. (Photo by Francesco Scaccianoce/Getty Images)
According to updates from La Gazzetta dello Sport, Milan are ‘growing tired’ of waiting for Leao to become a consistently reliable player.
It has been said that the 26-year-old is not impacting games in the way that he used to in years gone by, and his lack of defensive effort has constantly been a complaint among Rossoneri supporters. His icy reactions to being substituted off in recent matches has not gone down well, either.
For these reasons, La Gazzetta dello Sport claim that Leao is at risk of losing his place in the starting XI for Milan’s upcoming Serie A match against Atalanta on Sunday evening. Thursday’s report explains that Leao still has another few days to convince Allegri to keep the faith in him, but as things stand, he is ‘a step behind’ Christian Pulisic and Santiago Gimenez in the pecking order.
BOLOGNA, ITALY – FEBRUARY 03: Rafael Leao of AC Milan during the Serie A match between Bologna FC 1909 and AC Milan at Renato Dall’Ara Stadium on February 03, 2026 in Bologna, Italy. (Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images)
La Gazzetta dello Sport predicts that this could be the summer that Milan decide to part ways with Leao as well. The Pink Paper claims that Milan ‘will not only evaluate, but encourage’ offers for the winger-turned striker this coming window.
Leao has a staggering €175m release clause in his Rossoneri contract, which is not expected to be activated. In fact, Milan might be looking at offers of less than a third of the value of the release clause.
La Gazzetta dello Sport’s prediction is that offers in the region of €50m-€60m could be enough to convince Milan into a sale this summer.
Liverpool ‘have to buy pace’ this summer and could need at least five new signings across the squad during the upcoming transfer window.
That’s according to James Pearce, who was asked about what FSG’s priorities are likely to be for the summer market as the Reds go in search of a significant improvement on this campaign.
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The Merseyside club emphatically let off the handbrake last year by spending almost £450m on new signings, two of whom cost £100m or more, but the 2025 trolley dash hasn’t brought renewed success on the pitch – a situation not helped by injury problems for several of those recruits.
In replying to one supporter’s query in a Q&A for The Athletic, Pearce outlined what he thinks Liverpool need to prioritise in the summer transfer window.
The journalist has urged FSG to sign ‘at least two attackers’ given that Mo Salah is leaving, Federico Chiesa is ‘set to follow’ and Hugo Ekitike is just beginning his long road to recovery from rupturing his Achilles. He specified that ‘they have to buy pace’ during the off-season.
Pearce is also keen for LFC to bolster their options in the middle of the park, writing: ‘The midfield needs strengthening and how much needs to be done in that area depends on whether Curtis Jones moves on.’
In terms of the defence, he stated: ‘There are issues to address in both full-back positions. Liverpool must decide whether to buy a left-back to act as Milos Kerkez’s understudy following Andy Robertson’s exit or turn to Kostas Tsimikas after his loan at Roma. I think they also need a right-back to compete with [Conor] Bradley once he’s fit again.’
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Two forwards, two full-backs and a midfielder – it’s a lot for FSG to try and address in one transfer window, especially after such heavy recruitment last summer, but that needs to be the target if Liverpool are to be competitive next season.
The forward line simply has to be addressed given Salah’s exit, Ekitike’s injury, ongoing fitness worries over Alexander Isak, the decline of Cody Gakpo’s form and Chiesa’s continued peripheral status.
A winger like Yan Diomande would provide the Reds with the injection of pace that Pearce has rightly identified as essential for the summer transfer window, and ideally a versatile attacker who can play anywhere across the frontline will also be added.
There’s a growing sense that Jones could soon depart, and Liverpool don’t have a long-term natural defensive midfield option at present. Somebody like Adam Wharton or Mamadou Sangare would address that void.
Further competition for Kerkez would be welcome if Tsimikas exits permanently, and while we have two capable right-backs in Jeremie Frimpong and Bradley, both have missed a sizeable portion of this season with injury problems.
Player sales will be inevitable in order to fund incoming activity this summer, and the mission for FSG is to ensure that they get the balance right and don’t leave Slot with a dearth of options in any part of the squad.
Manchester United are preparing to face Sunderland at the Stadium of Light on Saturday, 9 May, in the Premier League. A win this weekend could all but confirm the Red Devils’ position in third place in the league table this season.
That would mark a significant improvement from the 15th-placed finish under former head coach Ruben Amorim last season. The Portuguese was removed from his position in January this year following an indifferent 14-month spell, with Michael Carrick taking over as caretaker manager.
The Englishman’s arrival sparked the team back into life, and inspired a blistering run of 10 wins and two draws in 14 games. That has turned United’s season around and also strengthened the case for Carrick to be appointed as permanent manager.
The Red Devils are expected to make a decision on the permanent appointment at the end of this season. Former United forward Dimitar Berbatov has now explained why United must continue with the English manager next season.
Speaking to The Athletic, Berbatov acknowledged that handing Carrick the full-time job appears to be the logical decision, but warned that logic does not always work in football. He said: “United were in a bad situation before, now we are third, and we are going to qualify for the Champions League.”
“So if that’s not Michael Carrick and his team doing the right job, I don’t know what it is. So I truly hope that whoever needs to decide their next coach says, ‘Michael, you’ve done a terrific job, pulled us out of a difficult situation, and you deserve to continue’. I mean, that’s logical thinking. But sometimes in football, logic is not present.”
Berbatov and Carrick shared the pitch on 104 occasions during their playing careers with United, even contributing four goals together.
Carrick has managed to extract the most out of a squad that appeared out of ideas under Amorim. Berbatov went on to suggest that communication may have played a key role in United’s rise, adding: “The players are the same from Amorim, but you can see the clear difference in how the team is playing.”
“Sometimes it’s not even about tactics; it’s about the manager’s ability to communicate with the players. When you’re talking about big teams, it usually means big players with big egos, so you need to know how to speak with them. You need to know how to put your message into them so they can put it onto the pitch.”
“Sometimes, these players just need to know that you believe in them and give them the freedom to do what they need to do on the pitch. You know this is also about conversation, dialogues between each other. Casemiro has won five Champions Leagues — he knows how to boss a midfield. Just go out there and do your job.”
“You have managers who understand man-management, how to speak with you differently, because everybody is different. That’s exactly what United needed, and Michael has produced it.”
Source: Wikipedia.
With every passing day, it looks increasingly likely that Carrick will remain in the hot seat at Old Trafford beyond this summer. With experienced managers like Carlo Ancelotti, Luis Enrique and Thomas Tuchel unavailable, perhaps the Englishman is the perfect candidate for the job.
Featured image by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images
The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social
Q: Ira, found it interesting that you posted about the Heat getting a good player even if they don’t move up in the lottery. But that has been the problem since the Big 3. We’ve had a lot of “good” players but no superstars. Even your list said there are four, five or six elite players in this lottery. That’s why losing would have helped. – Alan.
A: But every draft, there also are what I would refer to as “trap” players, those who tempt a fall into the best of lottery odds, only to wind up no better than those taken in the middle of the first round, which is where the Heat have selected over the past decade. Such examples would include Zaccharie Risacher (No 1, Hawks, 2024), Jaden Ivey (No. 5, Pistons, 2022), Jalen Green (No. 2, Rockets, 2021), James Wiseman (No. 2, Warriors, 2020), Jarret Culver (No. 6, Timberwolves, 2019). But, yes, this year’s draft very much has an elite edge at the top, to be followed by several likely contributing, starting-level players. In fact, a case could be made that if the Heat do move into the first four on Sunday, the player taken this June could wind up as the best on the roster in ensuing years.
Q: Watch Pat Riley, he’ll move up in the lottery and then trade the pick. Save your lists, Ira. – Stephen.
A: And he just might. Look, that’s what the Cavaliers did when they won the first pick and turned Andrew Wiggins into Kevin Love. And don’t kid yourself, if the Heat do move up, especially close to the top, they will be the ones fielding calls. Suddenly, the Bucks could become their best friends. Or even the Clippers. And who knows, Joe Cronin this time might be the one wondering if the other side will pick up the phone.
Q: I asked a few AI models if there has ever been an 81-year-old GM in the history of professional sports who ever built a title team and they could not find any. So if Pat Riley does it, he will be the first. – Tom.
A: But there certainly were some heavy hitters working into their 80s in such a role, including 83-year-old Lou Lamoriello in that role currently with the Islanders and 83-year-old Jerry Jones currently with the Cowboys. Previously, Connie Mack was in charge of the Athletics in MLB until age 87, with Red Auerbach active with the Celtics into his late 80s. And remember that Al Davis was highly involved with the Raiders until his death at 81. And in soccer, you have Adriano Galliani, 81, with AC Milan and Florentino Pérez, at 79, with Real Madrid. Nothing wrong with sage advice. And if you question the Heat’s ability to persevere, then you also question Erik Spoelstra, Andy Elisburg, Adam Simon and the rest of the Heat scouting staff, front office and ownership suite, with the group working in lockstep.
According to a recent story from ESPN, the Detroit Lions were all prepared to hired Matt Campbell as their new head coach in 2021. Campbell, the Iowa State head coach at the time, initially agreed to be the Lions’ new head coach, but eventually pulled out, per the story.
In 2021, Campbell initially agreed to coach the Detroit Lions before changing his mind; the Lions hired Dan Campbell instead,
“Leaving Ames wasn’t something that I was looking to do or wanting to do,” he said.
This is the latest development in a story that had conflicting reports almost immediately after Detroit hired Dan Campbell.
At the time, there was certainly a lot of smoke regarding Matt Campbell and the Detroit Lions. There is no debate as to whether he interviewed the job—he did—but what happened after has been disputed.
A few months after the Lions ended up hiring Dan Campbell, there were reports that Matt had turned down an eight-year contract with the Lions worth $68.5 million. A few days after that, a conflicting report came out that Detroit never even offered Matt Campbell a contract, with a team source telling the Detroit Free Press that his pursuit never went beyond a first interview.
Back during Dan Campbell’s introductory press conference, team president Rod Wood avoided questions about the team’s interest in Matt Campbell.
“I’m not going to comment on any college coaches,” Wood said. “I think we talked to a couple of you about that out of respect for their current position and recruiting. I’m not going to say whether we interviewed a college coach or whether we didn’t or whether we extended an offer. I’ll just leave it at, ‘No comment,’ on any college coaches.”
Of course, the details of this coaching search hardly matter at this point. Dan Campbell has gone on to help build a winner in Detroit, amassing a 48-36-1 record (2-2 in the playoffs) despite starting his career 4-19-1 in his first 24 games in Detroit. He’s the first Lions coach to get Detroit to the NFC Championship in three decades, and under Campbell, the Lions set a franchise record for wins in a season with 15 (2024). He already sits fourth in Lions coaching history in wins (48), just 18 behind Wayne Fontes, and his .571 win percentage also ranks fourth in team history.
Meanwhile, Matt Campbell stayed at Iowa State through the 2025 season before opting to take the Penn State job back in December.
With three matchdays left in Serie A, with Inter already crowned champions of Italy and the Champions League race still wide open, the usual managerial merry-go-round has already begun off the pitch.
Last year the situation heated up right after the Champions League final, with Simone Inzaghi’s departure from Inter setting off the domino effect. This year too, though, plenty could still happen.
One of the hottest dugouts is undoubtedly Napoli’s. Despite a still competitive season, Antonio Conte’s future remains uncertain. In the coming weeks, a summit is expected between the coach from Salento and Aurelio De Laurentiis to understand whether the partnership will continue or not.
If Conte leaves — having already been linked several times with the national team as Gattuso’s successor — the name in pole position is Maurizio Sarri, as reported by Di Marzio and Pedullà. The profiles of Fabio Grosso, who is doing extremely well at Sassuolo, and Vincenzo Italiano (a former ADL favorite) should not be ruled out either.
Despite the 4-0 win over Fiorentina on Monday night that put Roma right back into the thick of the Champions League race, things at Trigoria still haven’t fully settled down. After Ranieri’s departure — one of the conditio sine qua non for Gasperini to stay — common ground with the management still needs to be found, as Massara’s position is anything but stable.
The Giallorossi coach, speaking at the post-match press conference on Monday, was clear: "I respect everyone’s ideas, but if I have to work, I work with mine. If I have to work with other people’s ideas, then it’s better if I find another place". The Friedkins seem to be on his side, but this ownership has made us used to sudden and, seemingly, inexplicable decisions: just ask Daniele De Rossi.
Whether Maurizio Sarri stays on Lazio’s bench next season will depend, as well as on the club’s choices, also on Conte’s future at Napoli. That’s because the Tuscan coach is one of the first names — if not the favorite — for the Naples job. For now he is dodging the issue, with two hugely important matches still to play, the derby and the Coppa Italia final against Inter, but the rumors are growing stronger and stronger.
As his replacement, the club seems intent on bringing in an emerging profile, someone who can develop the players signed on the market without expecting to build an instant-team: the most appreciated names are Fabio Pisacane and Fabio Grosso.
At Milanello there is optimism filtering through over Massimiliano Allegri staying on the Rossoneri bench, so much so that the coach has already begun meetings with the management to plan next season.
Between theory and practice, however, there are several steps to take: first and foremost, qualifying for the Champions League or not. Given the Diavolo’s latest performances, that issue is anything but settled. If Milan were to finish the league outside the top four, the coach’s position would be less secure.
The two-year contract worth €5.5 million with an option for renewal seems to tie him firmly to the bench, but a change of direction cannot be ruled out in the event of a final collapse. Also keep an eye on the national team situation: if the Rossoneri fail to qualify for the Champions League and Conte does not take over the Azzurri, Allegri would be back in the running. In short: confirmed at Milan, but with some reservations.
After the mid-season change at the start of the campaign, La Dea seemed to have found its balance with Raffaele Palladino. But his performances have been far too inconsistent, culminating in the 10 goals conceded against Bayern Munich and the Coppa Italia elimination on penalties against Lazio. His future is uncertain after a clearly declining end to the season.
The management wants to assess his situation once the season is over, while several names are already beginning to circulate: the frontrunner for now is Thiago Motta.
Paolo Vanoli has revived Fiorentina’s season, and in the second half of the campaign they are keeping up a points average worthy of the top half of the table. A clear improvement compared to the early disaster, but nothing special given the Viola’s pedigree.
Vanoli’s future is hanging in the balance because, after practically securing safety, the group has faded: the 4-0 defeat to Roma is a serious sign, perhaps the resurfacing of some structural problems in the team’s mentality.
At the end of the season there will certainly be a meeting between Vanoli and Paratici. The idea of confirming him should not be ruled out, but there is no shortage of appreciated profiles: De Rossi (who has however renewed with Genoa), Sarri (in Napoli’s orbit), Grosso and then two dream targets, Valverde (who will leave Athletic) and Farioli (very closely tied to Porto).
At Inter, the situation appears clear: the league triumph has cemented Cristian Chivu’s position, after he led the Nerazzurri through a dominant season that saw them win the title with three games to spare.
The management’s choice has proved a winning one and, barring sensational and unexpected upheaval, the club will continue in the name of continuity, with a renewal and pay rise.
In Turin, after the mid-season change with Luciano Spalletti arriving in place of Igor Tudor, Juventus’ season has definitely taken on a different look and Juve are now just two points off third place and fully in the race for Europe’s top competition.
His confirmation is a formality and was certified by the renewal announced at the beginning of April: a deal locked in until 2028.
This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇮🇹 here.
The Jacksonville Jaguars selected 10 players in the 2026 NFL draft. Let's take a look at how each player fared during their final college seasons with Pro Football Focus' grading system as our guide.
But first, below is a look at PFF's grading system for some context. While this metric is very helpful when it comes to quantifying a player's performance, PFF's grading system isn't the be-all and end-all either. It is one metric out of many that are out there to evaluate play.
PFF grade: 74.5
Boerkircher had one of the highest run-blocking grades among all tight ends last season. He caught 19-of-22 passes for 198 yards with three scores.
PFF grade: 72.5
Among all defensive tackles last season, Regis ranked tied for 10th in run stop rate. As a pass rusher, he generated 13 pressures and one sack.
PFF grade: 86.7
Pregnon was excellent in pass protection, allowing just one sack and five pressures over 471 pass-blocking snaps in 2025. He had a run-blocking grade of 85.8.
PFF grade: 83.6
Quarterbacks had a passer rating of just 55.9 when targeting Huskey. He allowed only 7.4 yards per catch with four interceptions and a pass breakup on only 17 targets. Huskey was also good against the run, with a run defense grade of 82.5.
PFF grade: 71.9
Williams' 46 pressures this past season were tied for the 28th-most among all defensive ends. He was stout against the run as well, with a grade of 80.4.
PFF grade: 78.9
A pass-catching threat, Koziol caught 74-of-94 targets in 2025, totaling 727 yards with six touchdowns. Over 50% of his snaps came from the slot.
PFF grade: 72.4
A reliable target in the passing game, Cameron caught 67.6% of his 102 targets last season, totaling 872 yards with nine scores.
PFF grade: 76.5
Out of 92 targets last season, Williams was credited with only two dropped passes. He caught 64% of those passes for 749 yards with six touchdowns. He also graded out well by PFF's metrics as a run-blocker.
PFF grade: 77.4
Durfee ranked 11th in pass rush win rate among defensive ends last season, showcasing his ability to win often and quickly. His run defense grade was 64.9.
PFF grade: 74.7
Hughes was a very sound tackler, missing only seven of his 108 attempts. That contributed to his run defense grade of 76.9. In coverage, Hughes forced three pass breakups and two interceptions.
This article originally appeared on Jaguars Wire: 2026 NFL draft: PFF grades for all 10 Jaguars' selections
Mercedes Formula 1 driver Kimi Antonelli has "earned the right" to be leading the drivers' championship, according to former driver David Coulthard.
The 19-year-old driver took the lead of the championship after back-to-back wins at the Chinese and Japanese Grands Prix, becoming the youngest driver in the history of the series to lead the standings. His win in Miami extended his lead over his team-mate George Russell to 20 points.
As Russell struggled around the Miami International Autodrome, a track he admits is not one that plays to his strengths, Antonelli successfully converted pole position into another race win despite a difficult start.
"He's come of age," Coulthard explained on the Up To Speed podcast. "He may only be in his second season of Formula 1, but in dealing with not only the pressure of having Lando there ready to pounce, but he also had some technical difficulties with the paddle shift that meant he was having inconsistent downshifts.
"And he was calmed down by his engineer Bono when he had an elevated voice trying to figure out what the problem was. And I'm sure they'll have a conversation about that afterwards as well because in the end, the problem is the problem. You just need to get the information to the team and they will try and find a solution for you.
"So I think he's absolutely come of age. He has absolutely earned the right to be leading this world championship. And the expectation is now, and this will be uncomfortable for George, but the expectation is that he is leading the team and clearly in results.
"Now George has the experience, he has the quality, he has all of the skills to be able to take ownership of that back again. They both cannot win. Someone's got to be first. Someone's got to be second.
"And while they're trying to figure that out, look where McLaren were. Look at the improvements from Ferrari and Red Bull. It's difficult to win in what's perceived as the best car. There's been many examples where people haven't managed it."
To read more Motorsport.com articles visit our website.
The Holy Trinity boys repeated as the Class 1A state track and field champions on Wednesday, May 6, at Hodges Stadium in Jacksonville.
Holy Trinity defeated state runner-up Benjamin School by 12 points to win its fourth state championship in school history. It brought home 11 medals, led by senior Evan Spreitzer's gold medal in the 1600-meter run.
The Holy Trinity girls finished tied for 11th place with 20 points. They claimed 5 medals, led by seventh grader Taylor Geraghty's bronze medal in the 3200.
Melbourne Central Catholic collected 3 medals. Junior Grady Bronenbeger placed fourth in the high jump and sixth in the long jump. In the 4x100 relay, Bronenbeger anchored the relay to a seventh-place finish. He was joined by senior Jahlani Clarke and juniors Noah Flores and Isaiah Crockett.
Odyssey Charter junior Lily Gilmore raced in the 200 and 400. Gilmore crossed the finish line in 10th in the 400 and 13th in the 200.
Team scores: 1. Holy Trinity 68, 2. Benjamin School 56, 3. Providence 52, 4. Blountstown 47, 5. Victory Christian 35, T-6. Geneva School/Westminster Academy 32, 8. Indian Rocks Christian 26, 9. Pahokee 24. T-10. Bishop Snyder/Trinity Christian) 21, 12. Community School 19, 13. Cambridge Christian 18, 14. First Baptist 15, T-15. Atlantic Christian/Lakeland Christian/Oak Hall/Wildwood 14, T-19. Boca Raton Christian/Out-of-Door 13, T-21. Baker/St. John Neumann 12, T-23. Melbourne Central Catholic/St. Francis 10, 25. Orangewood Christian 9, T-26. McLaughlin/Southwest Florida Christian 8, 28. Highlands Christian 7, 29. Pensacola Christian 6, T-30. Bradenton Christian/Central/Florida Christian/John Carroll/Rocky Bayou Christian 5, T-35. Hilliard/Northside Christian/Seffner Christian/Shorecrest Prep 4, T-39. Carrollwood/Foundation Academy/Hawthorne/Maclay/South Florida HEAT 3, T-44. Branford/Circle Christian/FAMU DRS/St. John Paul Catholic/Cornerstone Classical Academy 2, T-49. Canterbury/First Academy/Glades Day/Lafayette/Marathon/Palmer Trinity 1
200: 1. Nicholas Matsuguma (Boca Raton Christian) 21.91, 2. Markel Etienne (Benjamin School) 22.07, 3. Kayin Martin (Blountstown) 22.09, 4. Daniel Hoff (Bishop Snyder) 22.11, 5. Jeremiah Corbin (Wildwood) 22.53, 6. James Allen (Carrollwood) 22.56, 7. Jayce Peterson (Victory Christian) 22.63, 8. Andrew Morrison (Victory Christian) 22.67, 9. Noah Flores (Melbourne Central Catholic) 22.83
400: 1. Daniel Hoff (Bishop Snyder) 47.65, 2. Da’Corrian Jones (Pahokee) 48.25, 3. Kaden Faniel (Benjamin School) 49.44, 4. Asher Black (Blountstown) 49.54, 5. Arthur Jackson (John Carroll) 49.60, 6. Bo Bagwell (Holy Trinity) 49.98, 7. Blake Pilkington (Branford) 50.22, 8. Kamden Gilles (Benjamin School) 50.28
800: 1. Charles Loftin (Providence) 1:55.02, 2. Logan Bartelt (St. John Neumann) 1:55.15, 3. Luke Thomas (Holy Trinity) 1:56.47, 4. Kevin Gyurka (Out-of-Door) 1:57.47, 5. Lucas Latimore (Westminster Academy) 1:57.72, 6. Hunter Babb (First Baptist) 1:58.05, 7. Andrew Eisner (Oak Hall) 1:58.14, 8. Noah Mansson (Community School) 2:00.19
1600: 1. Evan Spreitzer (Holy Trinity) 4:14.51, 2. Mark Meister (Cambridge Christian) 4:15.38, 3. Charles Loftin (Providence) 4:16.18, 4. Kevin Gyurka (Out-of-Door) 4:19.69, 5. Landon Johnson (Cambridge Christian) 4:25.57, 6. Andrew Eisner (Oak Hall) 4:28.49, 7. Sean Cunningham (Providence) 4:30.48, 8. Isaiah Manderson (Pensacola Christian) 4:31.65
3200: 1. Sean Cunningham (Providence) 9:10.63, 2. Evan Spreitzer (Holy Trinity) 9:26.77, 3. Landon Johnson (Cambridge Christian) 9:33.71, 4. Harrison Kozlowski (Providence) 9:40.34, 5. Casey Claassen (Seffner Christian) 9:42.37, 6. Brody St. Denis (Providence) 9:49.58, 7. Matteo Kirwan (Circle Christian) 9:57.12, 8. Lucian Burns (Marathon) 9:58.55
110 hurdles: 1. Andrew Morrison (Victory Christian) 14.01, 2. Camryn McRoy (Holy Trinity) 14.09, 3. Jaeden McMillan (Holy Trinity) 14.31, 4. Bryson White (Blountstown) 14.69, 5. Olusiji Fadayomi (Southwest Florida Christian) 14.91, 6. Jayden Cosby-Mosley (Benjamin School) 15.48, 7. Luke Lazenby (Victory Christian) 15.66, 8. Jonathan Ebanks (Palmer Trinity) 15.73
400 hurdles: 1. Julian Luiz (Benjamin School) 54.26, 2. Camryn McRoy (Holy Trinity) 54.99, 3. AJ Cunningham (Victory Christian) 56.38, 4. Timmy Mercer (Bradenton Christian) 56.75, 5. Luke Lazenby (Victory Christian) 57.32, 6. Barton Kaaber (Southwest Florida Christian) 58.27, 7. Michael Richards (Baker) 58.31, 8. Henry Stewart (Lafayette) 58.91
4x100 relay: 1. Blountstown 41.50, 2. Benjamin School 41.71, 3. Victory Christian 41.75, 4. Lakeland Christian 42.34, 5. Northside Christian 42.355, 6. Holy Trinity (Jordan Osborne, Jaeden McMillan, Michael Jackson, Camryn McRoy) 42.36, 7. Melbourne Central Catholic (Jahlani Clarke, Noah Flores, Isaiah Crockett, Grady Bronenbeger) 42.48, 8. First Academy 42.98
4x400 relay: 1. Benjamin School 3:20.39, 2. Blountstown 3:21.33, 3. Pahokee 3:22.89, 4. Wildwood 3:25.87, 5. Westminster Academy 3:25.89, 6. Foundation Academy 3:26.57, 7. Holy Trinity (Bo Bagwell, Camryn McRoy, Jaeden McMillan, Luke Thomas) 3:27.19, 8. Oak Hall 3:27.41
4x800 relay: 1. Providence 7:59.12, 2. Oak Hall 8:08.03, 3. Holy Trinity (Evan Spreitzer, Jesus Martinez, Daniel Penny, Luke Thomas) 8:09.88, 4. Rocky Bayou Christian 8:10.25, 5. Pensacola Christian 8:16.69, 6. South Florida HEAT 8:17.25, 7. Cornerstone Classical Academy 8:17.84, 8. Southwest Florida Christian 8:20.34
High jump: 1. Ja’Khari Jackson (Trinity Christian) 2.12m, 2. Nate Branch (Trinity Christian) 2.07, 3. Joshua Williams (Westminster Academy) 2.02, 4. Grady Bronenbeger (Melbourne Central Catholic) 1.97, 5. Samuel Enamorado (Atlantic Christian) 1.92, 6. Parker Forness (Orangewood Christian) 1.87, 7. Stephen Cecil (Benjamin School) 1.87, 8. Zeth Villarreal (Glades Day) 1.87
Long jump: 1. Joshua Williams (Westminster Academy) 7.08m, 2. Jaeden McMillan (Holy Trinity) 6.98, 3. Willie Logan (Pahokee) 6.75, 4. Samuel Enamorado (Atlantic Christian) 6.61m, 5. Marcus Bankston (Lakeland Christian) 6.57, 6. Grady Bronenbeger (Melbourne Central Catholic) 6.54, 7. Jaydence Triggs (FAMU DRS) 6.50, 8. Trent Hill (Pahokee) 6.50
Team scores: 1. Benjamin School 62, 2. Northside Christian 53, 3. Admiral Farragut 45, 4. Providence 44, 5. St. Stephens Episcopal 34.5, 6. Indian Rocks Christian 30, 7. Foundation Academy, 8. Pahokee 26, T-9. Rocky Bayou Christian/St. Petersburg Catholic 22, T-11. Canterbury/Holy Trinity/Maclay 20, T-14. Community School/Seven Rivers Christian 18, 16. Oak Hall 17, 17. Marathon 16, T-18. Lakeland Christian/Paxton 15, 20. Geneva School 13, T-21. Bishop Snyder/True North 11, T-23. Atlantic Christian/Blountstown 10, T-25. Orangewood Christian/Pensacola Christian/Riviera Prep 9, T-28. Jupiter Christian/Palmer Trinity 8, 30. First Baptist 7, 31. Westminster Academy 6.5, T-32. Evangelical Christian/Graceville/St. John Paul Catholic/Vernon 6, T-36. Highlands Christian/Tampa Prep/St. Edward’s 5, 39. Master’s Academy 4, T-40. All Saints/Baker/Central/Hamilton County 3, T-44. Liberty County/Shorecrest Prep/Wewahitchka 2, T-47. Out-of-Door/Trinity Christian/Victory Christian 1
100: 1. Lee Peters (Foundation Academy) 11.76, 2. Akari Marshall (Benjamin School) 11.86, 3. Carter Grigg (Northside Christian) 12.27, 4. Tamia Nixon (Admiral Farragut) 12.28, 5. Sawyer Schiralli (Jupiter Christian) 12.39, 6. Julianna Pedicini (Holy Trinity) 12.58, 7. Chamiya Williams (Liberty County) 12.60, 8. Kalia Bing (Bishop Snyder) 12.63
200: 1. Akari Marshall (Benjamin School) 24.07, 2. Lee Peters (Foundation Academy) 24.13, 3. Lauryn Burgess (Admiral Farragut) 24.82, 4. Joslyne De La Nuez (Canterbury) 25.03, 5. Sawyer Schiralli (Jupiter Christian) 25.05, 6. Jamaria Richardson (Pahokee) 25.20, 7. Tamia Nixon (Admiral Farragut) 25.40, 8. Jordyn Williams (Victory Christian) 25.77, 13. Lily Gilmore (Odyssey Charter) 26.20
400: 1. Jamaria Richardson (Pahokee) 53.66, 2. Lauryn Burgess (Admiral Farragut) 54.84, 3. Cheyenne Morisseau (Canterbury) 56.90, 4. Alivia Frazier (Tampa Prep) 58.50, 5. Carlie Walton (Northside Christian) 58.64, 6. Alahna Hawkins (All Saints) 58.91, 7. Ziyonna Carter (Pensacola Christian) 59.05, 8. Halle Moss (Evangelical Christian) 59.36, 10. Lily Gilmore (Odyssey Charter) 59.51
800: 1. Eliana Black (Northside Christian) 2:13.32, 2. Sofia Balistreri (Benjamin School) 2:14.00, 3. Estella Collante (Oak Hall) 2:14.36, 4. Jacquelyn Perrin (St. Edward’s) 2:18.10, 5. Erin Prather (Admiral Farragut) 2:18.14, 6. Lauren Martinez-Lejarza (True North) 2:18.36, 7. Kasey Davey (Providence) 2:19.25, 8. Clara Thiessen (Canterburry) 2:20.04, 9. Grace Mooney (Holy Trinity) 2:20.90, 15. Caleigh Schmoll (Holy Trinity) 2:26.12
3200: 1. Mary Summers (Seven Rivers Christian) 11:02.56, 2. Emma Wilkinson (Lakeland Christian) 11:08.34, 3. Taylor Geraghty (Holy Trinity) 11:09.54, 4. Jaimee Tutton (Pensacola Christian) 11:13.12, 5. Sienna Audrey (Community School) 11:16.87, 6. Alexandra Middleton (Indian Rocks Christian) 7. Naeha Akella (St. Stephens Episcopal) 11:19.25, 8. Eliana Black (Northside Christian) 11:21.32, 14. Kelly Geraghty (Holy Trinity) 11:54.42
100 hurdles: 1. Keymani Dillingham (St. Stephens Episcopal) 13.98, 2. Joslyn De La Nuez (Canterbury) 14.32, 3. Corissa Peterson (Vernon) 15.03, 4. Aniston Newman (Community School) 15.22, 5. Ella Helm (Indian Rocks Christian) 15.30, 6. Jordae Johnson (Hamilton County), 7. Cailyn Easton (Holy Trinity) 15.61, 8. Autumn Gay (Benjamin School) 15.70, 9. Anna Phillips (Holy Trinity) 15.76
400 hurdles: 1. Keymani Dillingham (St. Stephens Episcopal) 1:00.27, 2. Ella Helm (Indian Rocks Christian) 1:00.61, 3. Gabriella Smith (St. Stephens Episcopal) 1:02.83, 4. Selah Gayle (Rocky Bayou Christian) 1:04.51, 5. Olivia Rogina (Providence) 1:05.16, 6. Autumn Gay (Benjamin School) 1:05.17, 7. Emma Lewis (Benjamin School) 1:05.19, 8. Delainey Baker (Rocky Bayou Christian) 1:05.95, 11. Juelle Maaser (Holy Trinity) 1:07.46
4x100 relay: 1. Admiral Farragut 47.97, 2. Foundation Academy 48.95, 3. Northside Christian 49.17, 4. Holy Trinity (Cailyn Easton, Julianna Pedicini, Isabelle Bagwell, Peyton Mathis) 49.22, 5. First Baptist 49.28, 6. Maclay 49.45, 7. Pahokee 49.77, 8. Trinity Christian 49.96
4x400 relay: Admiral Farragut 3:55.57, 2. Benjamin School 3:56.20, 3. Rocky Bayou Christian 4:00.01, 4. Pahokee 4:00.18, 5. True North 4:03.69, 6. St. Stephens Episcopal 4:04.43, 7. Providence 4:06.48, 8. Northside Christian 4:07.38, 10. Holy Trinity (Juelle Maaser, Grace Mooney, Elizabeth Stewart, Shaniya Young) 4:08.06
4x800 relay: 1. Rocky Bayou Christian 9:28.81, 2. Providence 9:32.14, 3. Indian Rocks Christian 9:43.66, 4. Oak Hall 9:45.63, 5. Holy Trinity (Abby Connors, Caleigh Schmoll, Kelly Geraghty, Grace Mooney) 9:49.66, 6. Benjamin School 9:51.79, 7. True North 9:54.65, 8. Community School 9:55.62
High jump: 1. Louison Guilhem (St. Petersburg Catholic) 1.62m, 2. Cyianna Smith (Blountstown) 1.62, 3. Priscilla Izuegbu (Maclay) 1.62, 4. Kaleigh Langmo (Orangewood Christian) 1.57, 5. Jaida Milburn (St. Stephens Episcopal) 1.52, 5. Hannah Carre (Westminster Academy) 1.52, 7. Summer Bowman (Central) 1.52, 7. Emma Posey (Central) 1.52, 10. Anna Phillips (Holy Trinity) 1.52
Pole vault: 1. Coral Sklenicka (Providence) 3.45m, 2. Mariana Mendoza (Palmer Trinity) 3.45, 3. Regan Pickles (Maclay) 3.15, 4. Lynn-Sinthia Louis (Highlands Chrisitan) 3.00, 5. Sophie Heidmann (Geneva School) 3.00, 6. Caroline Sonne (Community School) 2.85, 7. Khali Cameron (Shorecrest Prep) 2.85, 8. Zoe Buller (Out-of-Door) 2.85, 11. Gabby Weiner (Holy Trinity) 2.55
Discus: 1. Eden Heil (Paxton) 38.40m, 2. Carolina Collins (Providence) 35.44, 3. Justice Lee (Marathon) 34.31, 4. Johanna Leddon (Paxton) 34.22, 5. Ailise Johnson (Providence) 33.85, 6. Katerina Price (Baker) 33.47, 7. Mia Hermina (Lakeland Christian) 33.03, 8. Julia Cota (Geneva School) 32.74, 14. Lily Collier (Holy Trinity) 30.41
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Holy Trinity boys win Class 1A state track and field championship
Today in Boston Celtics history, in 1987, the team signed center Mark Acres. Originally drafted by the Dallas Mavericks in 1985 out of Oral Roberts University, where he played under his father, Acres spent two seasons playing in Europe before joining the Celtics as a free agent.
Acres had a middling career with the team as a reserve over two seasons, putting up 3 points, as many rebounds, and 0.4 assists per game while in green and white. Acres would leave the team after being selected by one of two new NBA teams -- the Orlando Magic -- in the 1989 expansion draft held to populate the Magic's and Minnesota Timberwolves' rosters as they joined the league that season.
He was the sole Celtics player taken by either team in that draft.
It is also the anniversary of a 96-87 Game 5 playoff win over the Milwaukee Bucks in the 1974 NBA Finals. The win gave the Celtics a 3-2 lead in the series and homecourt advantage after forward John Havlicek and big man Dave Cowens each scored 28 points. "We were the David and they were the Goliath," said then-head coach Tommy Heinsohn via Onmilwaukee.com. Boston went on to win its 12th championship in seven games.
In 2011, the Celtics defeated the Miami Heat 97-81 in Game 3 of the NBA Eastern Conference semifinals. Kevin Garnett and a one-armed point guard in Rajon Rondo carried the day for Boston, the latter with a dislocated shoulder.
This article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: Celtics history: Marc Acres signed; Game 5 of 1974 NBA Finals won
The Pittsburgh Pirates defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks last night 1-0 in a Paul Skenes gem, but it was Pirates outfielder Bryan Reynolds that made the history.
Reynolds went-2-for-4 in the game, giving him 1,000 hits for his career. It also makes him just the fifth Bucco to go for 1,000 hits, 200 doubles and 140 homers, joining Andrew McCutchen, Willie Stargell, Dave Parker and Roberto Clemente. Elite company indeed.
It also bumped Reynolds up to a .260 average on the season. He also has 4 homers and and 22 RBIS, as well as an .OBP on the year of .402, which is good for 11th in all of Major League Baseball. 30 walks in 37 games will do that to you. He’s also slugging .420 and has an .OPS of .822, which is third best on the team behind Brandon Lowe and Ryan O’Hearn.
The other news from last night is that the Pirates are finally out of the basement of the NL Central. The Bucs are tied with the Cincinnati Reds with a 20-17 record, but the Bucs are techincally above the Reds due to owning the season series thus far. The Milwaukee Brewers are an identical 5 games back as well, but they have slightly higher winning percentage than the Bucs and Reds, so they are techincally in third place. The St. Louis Cardinals are in second, 3.5 games back of the division leading Chicago Cubs. It is still very much anyone’s division.
And lastly, I think we need Jamain calling for more Paul Skenes innings more often. Just a couple days after he asked for more Skenes, we got an eight-inning gem out of the Pirates’ ace. Skenes also dropped his ERA to a more Skenes-like 2.36 and now stands with a 5-2 record on the season. Nicely done.
The Bucs are back in action this afternoon with another one versus the D’Backs.
Even though the Wisconsin Badgers football program didn't have a single player drafted, Mason Reiger is a name NFL fans might get used to hearing.
The 6-foot-5 EDGE rusher was an undrafted free agent, but more often than not, players fall through the cracks. This year, Reiger is one of those guys that the Miami Dolphins are taking a chance on.
It's easy to look past a Badgers football program that has struggled these past two seasons, but Reiger came to the Badgers in 2025 and made quite an impact.
Now, Bleacher Report's Kristopher Knox is a firm believer there's a place for the former Wisconsin defensive standout on the Dolphins.
"The Dolphins needed edge-defender help in a big way after trading Jaelan Phillips and cutting Bradley Chubb. While they signed the likes of Josh Uche and David Ojabo before using a fourth-round pick in Trey Moore, they might find room for Reiger in the rotation," he wrote.
Knox added, "While Reiger may not have the polish or the play strength to be an every-down edge-setting defender early in his career, he might just carve out a rotational role in Miami's even front."
While it's still extremely early, Reiger is one of two Badgers who have been making some noise. On the offensive side of the ball, wide receiver Vinny Anthony II seems to be trending in the right direction to make the Atlanta Falcons roster.
Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion.
This article originally appeared on Badgers Wire: Wisconsin alumni Mason Reiger eyes Miami Dolphins roster spot
BYD's Denza has begun deliveries of the refreshed D9 MPV and Z9 GT. Available as EVs and PHEVs, both models are now capable of Flash Charging.
The post BYD’s refreshed Denza D9 MPV and Z9 GT with Flash Charging reaches dealers in China appeared first on CarNewsChina.com.
CATL and Turkish EV maker Togg partner to develop EV models using its "Bedrock" skateboard chassis.
The post Turkish EV maker Togg to launch EVs developed on CATL’s skateboard chassis by 2027 appeared first on CarNewsChina.com.
It’s fixed now, but Windrose was quietly killing PC SSDs with excessive data writes The hit pirate game Windrose, which recently reached a peak player count of over 220,000 in Steam Early Access, has been found to be causing excessive data writes on PC players’ SSDs. While the issue has now been patched, the YouTuber […]
The post Windrose, the Pirate Survival Game, was slowly killing your SSD appeared first on OC3D.
NVIDIA is bringing 10x manufacturing capacity and creating over 3000 high-paying jobs in the US through its partnership with Corning. U.S. Optical Connectivity Manufacturing Sees A Big Boost From NVIDIA & Corning Partnership Press Release: NVIDIA and Corning Incorporated today announced a multiyear commercial and technology partnership to dramatically expand U.S.-based manufacturing of the advanced optical connectivity solutions needed to power next-generation AI infrastructure. Corning will increase its U.S.-based optical connectivity manufacturing capacity by 10x and expand its U.S. fiber production capacity by more than 50% to meet the accelerating demand driven by AI factory buildouts. The expansion includes the construction of […]
Read full article at https://wccftech.com/nvidia-to-expand-manufacturing-capacity-in-us-by-10x-through-corning-partnership/
PCI-SIG has released the PCIe 8.0 specification with the 0.5 draft detailing up to 1 TB/s bandwidth & 256 GT/s data rates. PCIe 8.0 Standard Will Be Ready by 2028, Made For Next-Gen Data Centers With 1 TB/s Bandwidth The PCIe 8.0 specification highlights a major uplift versus existing standards, offering 8x the raw data rate and bandwidth of PCIe 5.0. On paper, PCIe 8.0 offers a 256 GT/s data rate and 1 TB/s of raw bi-directional bandwidth via a 16x lane configuration. The standard utilizes the PAM4 signaling technology and is backward-compatible with existing PCIe technology. PCI-SIG states that […]
Read full article at https://wccftech.com/pci-sig-releases-pcie-8-0-specification-1-tbps-bandwidth-256-gtps-data-rate-by-2028/
CAPCOM's PRAGMATA launched last month on PC and consoles after years of development. Although the long development cycle did not bode well for the company's new IP, the game turned out great, selling over 1 million copies in just a few days of availability. The game's success wasn't limited to its launch window, as Hugh and Diana's adventure has been confirmed to have hit over 2 million copies sold worldwide, while the game received some surprise improvements on PlayStation 5 Pro that make this version of the game even more the definitive console version. While celebrating this new sales milestone […]
Read full article at https://wccftech.com/pragmata-2-million-sales-ps5-pro-resolution-bump-ray-tracing/
Motherboard shipments are going to see a sharp decrease in 2026 as PC component prices continue to rise, and consumer interest is at an all-time low. Motherboard Makers Will Ship Several Million Lower Units Than Last Year As Consumer Interest In PC Hardware Spirals Down PC component prices are at an all-time high. The worst-affected products are memory, graphics cards, and storage. Meanwhile, CPUs have also started to get more expensive as AI demand continues to get wilder each passing day. And it's not a matter of just rising prices; consumer hardware also sees wide-spread shortages. The main reason is […]
Read full article at https://wccftech.com/pc-manufacturers-massive-decline-motherboard-shipments-rising-prices-low-demand/
WaySpend unifies your finances on one dashboard so you can track spending, manage budgets, and see net worth across cash, stocks, crypto, and real estate. Connect thousands of banks via Plaid or import CSV/PDF statements and get AI-powered insights on where your money goes. It helps you plan for financial independence with FIRE simulations, Coast FIRE tracking, and lifestyle inflation detection. It uses read-only bank access with 256-bit encryption and never stores your credentials.
Inkfluence AI turns a single prompt into a structured, professionally formatted ebook. You can write, edit, brand, and export as PDF, EPUB, or DOCX with layouts ready for Amazon KDP. The platform includes a cover designer, AI audiobook conversion, translation into 30+ languages, and real-time cloud sync across web and iOS. Create guides, lead magnets, and client deliverables you can sell or share with consistent branding and export-ready files.
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Rising above the capital in the iconic Mohammed VI Tower – Morocco’s tallest building – Waldorf Astoria Rabat-Salé has officially opened its doors. This 55-room hotel is located between the 29th and 49th floors of […]Lufthansa Sets a New Standard for Luxury Air Travel with FOX as a Major Investment in Premium Service Offering Unrivaled...
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UK And Thailand Joins UAE, India, Iraq, Bahrain, Syria, And More Countries In Accelerating Tourism Growth As Qatar Airways Introduces...
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Singapore Overtakes China, Australia, India, Thailand, Indonesia, Japan And More Asian Countries In Shaping Malaysia’s Tourism Future, Welcoming Two Million...
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Why the Karate One Youth League in Manila is the Must-Visit Sports Tourism Event of the YearDiscover how Manila’s Karate...
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The OnePlus Nord CE6 has been launched in India, featuring a Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 chipset, a big display, and a massive battery. The device will go on sale in the country starting tomorrow. Up front, the Nord CE6 features a 6.78-inch AMOLED display with a 144Hz refresh rate and 1.5K resolution. The panel supports up to 1,800 nits of brightness in high-brightness mode (HBM). On the inside, the Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 chipset is paired with 8GB of LPDDR4X RAM and up to 256GB of UFS 3.1 storage. As for optics, the device offers a dual rear setup led by a 50MP primary camera using the...
Huawei unveiled the new Watch Fit 5 and Watch Fit 5 Pro last month in China, and today the brand is announcing their international debut. They are both available later today from the Huawei Store. The Watch Fit 5 costs £159.99, and the Watch Fit 5 Pro is priced at £249.99. Until June 21, if you purchase either one you'll get a £30 discount coupon, a free strap, and a Huawei Scale 3. Huawei Watch Fit 5 You can also enjoy the Watch Fit 5 Multipass, which includes up to three months free premium sport and fitness subscriptions for apps including Huawei Health+, Komoot, and Urunn, along...
On Saturday, and go toe-to-toe for the WBO heavyweight title, and Johnny Fisher – who has sparred both – has laid out his prediction for the bout, anticipating a dramatic finish. Wardley has never been dropped and has won via stoppage in all but one of his 20 career triumphs, with that solitary decision victory […]
The post Heavyweight who sparred Wardley and Dubois predicts one man will survive a knockdown to win by KO appeared first on Boxing News.
Aziz Yıldırım, Türkiye Gazetesi'nden Tahir Kum'a verdiği röportajda "kızım hedef alındı" diyerek aday olduğunu açıkladı. Ancak efsane başkanın kızı 2024'te hedef alındı. Tüm camia ayaklandı. Yıldırım'a destek oldu. O ahlak dışı olay 2024'te yaşandı. Yıldırım 2025'teki seçime "gençler girsin" diye girmedi. Ancak 2026'daki seçimde adaylığını Yaz Yıldırım'a yapılanlar yüzünden aldığını karara bağladı. Akıllara ise tek bir soru geldi: O zaman neden 2025'te aday olmadı?
Aziz Yıldırım'ın "kızım hedef alındı" diyerek adaylık sürecini başlatması kafa karışıklığına neden oldu. Yıldırım'ın kızı Yaz'la ilgili en somut ve üzücü olay 2024 yılının Aralık ayında yaşandı. Yaz Yıldırım, Başakşehir maçı öncesi seremonide İrfan Can Kahveci ile fotoğraf çektirdi.
OLAYIN BAŞLANGICI 2024
Kulübün resmi hesapları dahil pek çok paylaşım yapıldı. Paylaşımların altına bir sosyal medya kullanıcısı ahlak dışı bir yorum yaptı. Bu durum camiada infiale yol açtı. Hukukçu Fenerbahçeliler Derneği suç duyurusunda bulundu. Aziz Yıldırım, bu olayı "itibar suikastı" olarak değerlendirdi.
SERT TONDA TEPKİ GÇSTERDİ
Aziz Yıldırım o dönemde yaptığı açıklamalarda oldukça sert bir ton kullanarak şu ifadeleri kullandı:
- Benimle her türlü mücadeleyi yapabilirler, her şeyi söyleyebilirler ama 13 yaşındaki bir çocuğu bu işlere karıştırmasınlar. Bu, namus meselesidir.
ALİ KOÇ'UN SÖZLERİ VARDI
Bu olaydan kısa süre önce (Kasım 2024'te), Ali Koç ve Aziz Yıldırım EuroLeague maçında yan yana geldi. Ali Koç, Yaz Yıldırım için "koca camianın yapamadığını bir küçücük kız yaptı, Aziz Yıldırım'ın kızı böyle olur" diyerek övgü dolu sözler sarf eti.
2025'TE NEDEN ADAY OLMADI
Ancak bu olaydan sonra 2025'te de seçim oldu. Yıldırım aday olmadı. Sadettin Saran, Ali Koç'un karşısına çıkarak seçimi kazandı. Fenerbahçe başkanı oldu.
İKİ ANA BAŞLIĞI VARDI
Yıldırım, Eylül 2025'teki kritik süreçte aday olmamasının nedenlerini 2 ana başlıkta açıklamıştı:
- Bu kulüpte Aziz Yıldırım, Ali Koç, şu, bu olmasın. Gençler gelip bu kulübe sahip çıksınlar.
Seçimin yapılma şeklini ve zamanlamasını onaylamadı
- Fenerbahçe'nin imkanlarıyla mevcut yönetimin arzusu adına yapılan bir süreç.
Hücum hattını güçlendirmek isteyen Benfica, Trabzonsporlu Felipe Augusto'yu gündemine aldı. Record'un haberine göre Trabzonspor, 15-20 milyon euro arasında bonservis bedeli talep ediyor.
Mourinho'nun takımı Benfica, hücum hattındaki rotasyonu güçlendirmek amacıyla rotasını Türkiye’ye çevirdi. Record gazetesinin manşetlerine taşıdığı habere göre; Benfica, Trabzonspor’un başarılı ismi Felipe Augusto’yu transfer listesinin ilk sıralarına ekledi.
Bordo-mavili ekip, oyuncunun takımdaki kritik rolü ve potansiyeli nedeniyle düşük bir bonservis bedeline sıcak bakmıyor. Trabzonspor yönetiminin bu transfer için belirlediği alt limitin 15 milyon euro olduğu, beklentinin ise bonuslarla birlikte 20 milyon euro bandına kadar çıktığı belirtiliyor.
Benfica, Vangelis Pavlidis ve Franjo Ivanovic'in ayrılık ihtimalleri üzerine "yeni nesil forvet" profilindeki Augusto'yu hedefe koyduğu belirtiliyor.
Beşiktaş–Trabzonspor maçının bilet fiyatları açıklandı. Tüpraş Stadyumu'nda oynanacak karşılaşmada VIP tribün biletleri 15 bin TL'ye kadar çıkarken, en düşük bilet fiyatı 1.250 TL olarak belirlendi.
Trendyol Süper Lig’in 33. haftasında Beşiktaş, 9 Mayıs Cumartesi günü sahasında Trabzonspor’u konuk edecek. Siyah-beyazlılar, karşılaşmanın bilet fiyatlarını açıkladı.
Beşiktaş Kulübü’nden yapılan açıklamada, “Beşiktaşımız, Trendyol Süper Lig’in 33. haftasında 9 Mayıs Cumartesi günü saat 20.00’de Tüpraş Stadyumu’nda Trabzonspor ile karşılaşacak.” ifadelerine yer verildi.
BİLETLER SATIŞA ÇIKIYOR
Açıklamanın devamında biletlerin satış süreci de duyuruldu.
Buna göre karşılaşmanın biletleri bugün saat 11.00’de BJK SuperApp üzerinden ön satışa sunulacak, saat 15.00’te ise genel satış başlayacak.
Beşiktaş - Trabzonspor maçı bilet fiyatları şu şekilde;
VIP 100: 15.000 TL
VIP 101-126: 12.500 TL
1.Kategori: 4.250 TL
2.Kategori: 3.850 TL
3.Kategori: 3.450 TL
4.Kategori: 3.250 TL
5.Kategori: 3.000 TL
6.Kategori: 2.750 TL
Doğu Üst: 3.000 TL
7.Kategori: 1.500 TL
8.Kategori: 1.250 TL
Futbol üzrə Almaniya yığmasının və Dortmund “Borussiya”sının mərkəz müdafiəçisi Niklas Süle karyerasını başa vurub.
Arena.az xəbər verir ki, 30 yaşlı futbolçu bu barədə Bundesliqa təmsilçisinin rəsmi saytına açıqlamasında bildirib.
Almaniya millisinin sabiq üzvü aprelin 18-də “Hoffenhaym”a uduzduqları (1:2) oyunda zədələndikdən sonra bu qərarı verib:
“Karyeramı başa vurduğumu elan etmək istəyirəm. “Hoffenhaym”la oyundan sonra həkimimiz paltardəyişmə otağında məni müayinə etdi, fizioterapevtə baxdı və başını yellədi. Duşa girdim və təxminən 10 dəqiqə ağladım. Düşündüm ki, vəziyyət çox pisdir. Ertəsi gün MRT müayinəsinə getdim və xoş xəbər aldım. Mənə 1000 faiz aydın oldu ki, artıq özümü riskə atmamalıyam. Budur, hər şey bitdi. Yaşamaq, tətilə getmək, uşaqlarımla vaxt keçirmək şansını gözləyərkən 3-cü dəfə açıq diz zədəsindən daha pis bir şey təsəvvür edə bilməzdim”.
Xatırladaq ki, Niklas Süle “Hoffenhaym”ın yetirməsidir. O,
sözügedən komandanın heyətində 117 oyun keçirib, 8 qol və 4 assistlə yadda qalıb. 2017-2022-ci illər aralığında Almaniya nəhəngi “Bayern”də çıxış etmiş futbolçu burada 171 oyunda 7 qol və 5 assist müəllifi olub. Müdafiəçi 2022-ci ildən Dortmund “Borussiya”sının şərəfini qoruyurdu. Alman futbolçu bu komandanın heyətində 109 oyun keçirib, 3 qol və 5 məhsuldar ötürmə ilə yadda qalıb.
Süle klub karyerasındakı bütün titullarını (14) “Bayern”lə qazanıb:
UEFA Çempionlar Liqası (2019/2020)
UEFA Super Kuboku (2020/2021)
FİFA Klub Dünya Kuboku (2020/2021)
Almaniya Bundesliqası (2017/2018, 2018/2019, 2019/2020, 2020/2021, 2021/2022)
Almaniya Kuboku (2018/2019, 2019/2020)
Almaniya Super Kuboku (2017/2018, 2018/2019, 2020/2021, 2021/2022)
Almaniyalı futbolçu 2017-2023-cü illər aralığında ölkəsinin əsas millisinin heyətində 49 oyun keçirib, 1 qol vurub. O, milli komanda ilə 2017-ci ildə FİFA Konfederasiyalar Kubokunun qalibi olub.
Dünyanın ən ali futbol qurumu FIFA Azərbaycan Premyer Liqasında mübarizə aparan “Neftçi” klubuna transfer qadağası qoyub.
Arena.az xəbər verir ki, bununla bağlı qərar FİFA-nın rəsmi saytında dərc olunub.
Cəzanın səbəbi açıqlanmayıb. Lakin adətən belə qərarlar ya klubun hazırkı və ya sabiq futbolçuları/məşqçiləri qarşısında borcları və ya maliyyə tələblərini pozmasına görə qəbul olunur.
Rəsmən təsdiqlənməsə də, cəzanın vaxtilə paytaxt klubunda çıxış etmiş Alessio Kurçiyə qalmış borcun tam ödənilməməsi ilə bağlı olduğu bildirlir.
“Neftçi” ilə bağlı qərar qarşıdakı 3 transfer dövrünü əhatə edir: 2026-cı ilin yay, 2027-ci ilin qış və yay transfer pəncərələri. Bu o deməkdir ki, qadağa müddəti dəyişilməsə, “Neftçi” yeni oyunçu transferini yalnız 2028-ci ilin qışından etibarən həyata keçirə biləcək. Lakin paytaxt klubundan verilən məlumata görə, transfer qadağası tezliklə aradan qaldırılacaq. Bir futbolçu ilə bağlı borcun tam bağlanmasından sonra bu prolemin də yoluna qoyulacağı gözlənilir.
Luffa, the global leader in intelligent ecosystem platforms, today officially announced a major brand upgrade, repositioning itself as the AI × Web3 Super Connector.
Bithumb’s tie-up with SSI Digital positions it for Vietnam’s strict crypto exchange pilot as competition for scarce licenses heats up and scrutiny mounts at home.
Near One says blockchains may need new ownership verification systems if quantum attacks compromise wallet keys and expose private assets.
“Bavariya” klubu Çempionlar Liqasının yarımfinalında PSJ-yə qarşı keçirdikləri oyunun idarəçiliyindən narazı qalıb.
Futbolpress.az xarici KİV-ə istinadən xəbər verir ki, bu barədə Münhen təmsilçisinin direktoru Yan-Kristian Drezen açıqlamasında deyib:
“Oyunun hakimi Pinheyro anlaşılmaz qərarlar verdi. Nə danışacağımızı bilmirik. Çempionlar Liqasında cəmi 15 oyun idarə etmiş hakimin belə matça təyinat alması qəribədir. Açığı, qərarları da onun təcrübəsizliyini göstərdi”.
“Bavariya” iki oyunun nəticəsinə görə (4:5, 1:1) PSJ-yə uduzub və mübarizəni dayandırıb. Münhen klubu 1:1 hesabıyla başa çatan cavab görüşündə üç dəfə penalti qərarı gözləsə də, hakim “11 metrə” təyin etməyib.
“Şaxtyor”un baş məşqçisi Arda Turan Konfrans Liqasında “Kristal Pelas”a qarşı keçirəcəkləri oyundan əvvəl fikirlərini bölüşüb.
Futbolpress.az xəbər verir ki, mütəxəssis birinci matçda 1:3 hesablı məğlubiyyətə baxmayaraq, final üçün mübarizə aparacaqlarını deyib:
“İlk oyun geridə qaldı. Matça yenidən başlaya bilərik. Həmişə yaxşı oynamaq mümkün deyil, lakin sona qədər döyüşmək lazımdır. Birinci oyunda “mat” oldum. Bu dəfə vəziyyəti dəyişməyə, ən azı məğlub olmamağa çalışacağıq”.
“Kristal Pelas” – “Şaxtyor” oyunu saat 23:00-da start götürəcək.
PSJ-nin futbolçusu Markinyos Çempionlar Liqasının tarixinə düşüb.
Futbolpress.az xəbər verir ki, yarımfinalda “Bavariya” ilə matçda meydana çıxan müdafiəçi turnirdə ən çox oyun keçirən braziliyalı futbolçu adını qazanıb. Münhendəki görüş Markinyosun ÇL-dəki 121-ci matçı olub.
Bundan əvvəlki rekordçu Roberto Karlos idi. Keçmiş müdafiəçi turnirdə 120 oyun keçirmişdi.
“CBC Sport” telekanalında Çempionlar Liqasının yarımfinal mərhələsinin “Bavariya” – PSJ oyununu yayımlamaması sosial şəbəkələrdə narazılığa səbəb olub. Matçın anonsu edilsə də, görüş saatında yayımın baş tutmamasına görə telekanal tənqidlərə məruz qalıb.
“CBC Sport”un baş redaktoru Şəmsəddin Abbasov “Futbolpress.az“a açıqlamasında texniki problem yaşadıqlarını və tamaşaçılardan üzr istədiklərini bildirdi:
“Texniki problem idi, səhvimizi etiraf edirik. Günah bizdədir, texniki səbəblərdən qaynaqlanıb. İstəməzdik belə olsun. Məsuliyyəti dərk edirik. Tamaşaçılarımızdan üzr istəyirik, görünür, taleyimiz belə gətirib”.
Şahin Cəfərov
Dortmund “Borussiya”sının futbolçusu Niklas Süle karyerasını bitirib.
Futbolpress.az xəbər verir ki, 30 yaşlı müdafiəçi bu barədə klubun mətbuat xidmətinə açıqlamasında deyib. O, Bundesliqada “Hoffenhaym”la oyunda aldığı zədədən sonra bu qərarı verib.
Süle Almaniya millisinin də sabiq üzvüdür. Müdafiəçi yığmada 49 oyuna çıxıb.
Leao, you’re out
Two cases in the race for the Champions League
He’s at the end of the line with Milan: Future elsewhere. At risk of being benched in San Siro on Sunday
Vlahovic, what frost
He wants to go abroad, renewal with Juve slipping away
The last dribble
Brilliance and wit, the symbol of Interismo. His Scudetto teammates: ‘He used to run away from training camps’.
PSG in the final again for the double
Champions League
Just a 1-1 against Bayern. The battle with Arsenal in Bdapest on May 30
Conte moves everyone
If he doesn’t stay at Napoli, could Sarri return and Allegri be CT?
The dugout domino | Antonio, more than Max, could set off the Serie A coaches
The meeting with ADL is the key to start the rotation of the coaches. Milan also left without certainties. Just like Bologna, Atalanta and Fiorentina. It will hot up from Tuesday
Champions League, Lucho for the treble
Luis Enrique in the final with PSG: Looking for his third triumph
No goal fest this time, it finishes 1-1 in Munich with goals from Dembele and Kane. Kvara the best on the pitch. The coach won it last year with the Parisians and with Barcelona in 2015: They will take on Arsenal in Budapest on May 30
Now the world has lost its fantasy
Farewell to Beccalossi: He was 69 years old. Altobelli: ‘I died with him’
Referees, the FIGC votes for change
Commissioner at the AIA
The decision from the federal council is expected next week. Pinzani and Butti met with the prosecutor yesterday
‘Dusan, Juve is already your top’
Interview with Pantaleo Corvino
The Lecce general manager, who is playing for survival against Juventus on Saturday, is the man who discovered Vlahovic: ‘They still have a lot to give each other. He could score more than 20 goals a season with Spalletti. He’s a gem: I brought him to Florence amidst great scepticism’. Alaba, who is leaving Madrid, has been offered for the defence. Atletico offering Cardoso to keep Nico Gonzalez. Surveys underway for Pisilli
And who could beat these?
Champions League, PSG draw 1-1 on Bayern’s turf, final against Arsenal
Dembele strikes after three minutes, the equaliser from Kane doesn’t arrive until the 94th. The champions of Europe will defend their title in Budapest on May 30
Toro, three-year deal for Gattuso
The Granata proposal for the former CT. The alternative remains Juric
Petrachi supports the move, Cairo also keeps the Croatian option open. D’Aversa at the bottom of the pack. Relegated Wolverhampton tempt Adams with a maxi-contract. Ferrante: ‘Winning the derby would at least give some meaning to the season’
Evaristo and the art of football
Farewell to Beccalossi
Nicola Zalewski joined Jose Mourinho in complaining about the artificial turf used by Bodo/Glimt in the Conference League. ‘Playing a quarter-final on a pitch like this is unimaginable.’
Since this article was written, the debate around artificial turf in European competitions has continued, particularly in Norway following Bodo/Glimt’s later UEFA campaigns and broader discussions about playing conditions, with Norwegian sites such as Kongebonus also covering the topic.
This was the third time these sides have crossed paths in the Conference League this season and the Giallorossi have never won.
They lost 6-1 here in October for the group phase, drew 2-2 at the Stadio Olimpico and were beaten 2-1 this evening in the first leg of the quarter-final.
Lorenzo Pellegrini had put Roma in front, but Ulrik Saltnes redirected the Brice Wembangomo effort for a Rui Patricio howler and Hugo Vetlesen was totally unmarked to nod in from a free kick.
“There are regrets, because we controlled the game in every moment until going behind. As ever in football, incidents make the difference and we need a great performance in a week’s time,” Zalewski told Sky Sport Italia.
Jose Mourinho complained that the artificial turf in Norway was ‘plastic’ and caused Gianluca Mancini’s knee injury.
“Playing a quarter-final of a European competition on a pitch like this is just unimaginable. Hopefully, UEFA will take action in future years, because this playing surface causes serious injuries.”
With the late Matias Vina error to give away the free kick, it looks as if teenager Zalewski isn’t giving up his spot anytime soon.
“I try to do everything I can with every ball so I can help the team. I am not feeling the pressure, my teammates and the staff are helping a great deal.”
Manchester United are reportedly looking at Nottingham Forest centre-back Murillo as one of three main targets in defence for this summer.
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The Red Devils are looking to strengthen what they view as something of a problem position in their squad after a poor recent injury record for the likes of Matthijs de Ligt and Lisandro Martinez.
Meanwhile, Leny Yoro hasn’t been entirely convincing since joining Man Utd, and the ageing Harry Maguire is probably not likely to continue as a regular starter despite recently signing a new contract.
According to Fichajes, this could lead United to moving for Murillo, while other big names such as Tottenham’s Micky van de Ven and RB Leipzig’s Castello Lukeba are also on their list.
Murillo has shone during his time at Nottingham Forest and it makes sense that a big move could soon be in store for the Brazilian.
It’s not been the easiest season for Forest, though they now look to be closing in on safety from relegation, while they also have one foot in the Europa League final.
Murillo, though, seems like someone in this squad who’ll fancy playing at a higher level, and United could be an exciting opportunity for him to do that.
Still, Chelsea have also been linked with the 23-year-old by Simon Phillips in recent times, and there could well be others who take a look at him.
Murillo needs to play regularly wherever he goes next, and both United and Chelsea should be able to guarantee that to him.
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However, the Blues look a generally riskier option right now after a difficult season that looks set to see them drop out of the Champions League.
MUFC have had a difficult few years but perhaps look like they’ve finally found some stability, so they’ll surely be the favourites over CFC as things stand.
The post Man Utd eyeing 3 options to strengthen problem position, including Chelsea transfer target appeared first on CaughtOffside.
Chelsea’s talismanic midfielder Cole Palmer remains highly receptive to the prospect of a sensational move to Manchester United, according to the Daily Mail.
While the newly turned 24-year-old was heavily linked with a switch to Old Trafford last summer, the narrative has resurfaced, fueled by Chelsea’s ongoing systemic struggles and a challenging personal campaign for the England international.
The allure of Old Trafford is not merely professional for Palmer, it is deeply personal.
Growing up in Wythenshawe, Manchester, Palmer was a documented boyhood United fan before ultimately joining the Manchester City academy.
This emotional tie makes the prospect of donning the famous red shirt an inherently attractive proposition for the playmaker.
However, despite his reported willingness to make the jump, the sporting hierarchy at Manchester United has yet to formalise a concrete approach.
Under the INEOS regime led by Sir Jim Ratcliffe, the Red Devils are operating with a strict, data-driven recruitment strategy.
Currently, the club is prioritising other critical areas of the pitch, most notably midfield reinforcements and signing a centre-back, before committing a massive, marquee portion of their budget to another attacking midfielder.
After an explosive debut season that established him as one of Europe’s premier attacking talents, the 2025/26 campaign has proven far more difficult to navigate for Palmer.
Registering nine goals in 23 Premier League appearances is a return most midfielders would envy, but it represents a noticeable dip from his previous numbers.
Jamie Carragher has hailed him as the “best player in the Premier League” in the past.
With the Blues once again struggling to find consistency, identity, and rhythm this season, Palmer has often found himself isolated, tasked with carrying a misfiring and disjointed attacking line on his shoulders.
If Man United decide to pivot their transfer strategy and pursue a statement domestic signing, the groundwork for a blockbuster homecoming has already been laid.
Report: Man United transfer stance explained after player’s possible social media hint
The post Just In: ‘Best player in the Premier League’ open to joining Man United appeared first on CaughtOffside.
Chelsea are under pressure to sell players this summer, with Enzo Fernandez emerging as the leading candidate amid interest from Real Madrid.
As first reported here for the Daily Briefing, there is growing interest from Real Madrid and an overwhelming feeling from both sides that it would be best for the Argentine to leave Stamford Bridge this summer.
Fernandez’s future has been in doubt for some time, with the player himself notably flirting with a move to Madrid by discussing how much he’d love to live in the Spanish capital.
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As reported last month, Real have discussed Fernandez internally, with an approach expected soon. The latest I’m hearing is that a move to the Bernabeu is “the strongest scenario” at the moment, despite Manchester City and PSG also looking at the former Benfica man’s situation.
I cannot yet confirm if direct talks have taken place between Fernandez and any other clubs, but the interest is there and Real Madrid are understood to be making preparations for a major summer in the transfer market.
Sources in the agents industry are all saying that Los Blancos want to set aside funds for a significant midfield signing, with Fernandez ticking all their boxes.
At Chelsea’s end, there is the growing sense that this sale is necessary, though of course multiple sources are also keen to make it clear that the Blues will demand big money.
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“Chelsea must sanction a major sale this summer and Enzo Fernandez is the obvious candidate – he’s keen to explore his options, and he’s aware of Real Madrid’s interest,” one source explained.
“Fernandez fits the bill for Real, who want an elite ‘regista’ in midfield. The asking price could be an issue, though, as Chelsea will look to start the negotiations at £100-110m.”
Despite City’s interest, I’m told that a move is not currently considered likely. The appreciation for Fernandez is genuine, but Elliot Anderson remains their top target.
It’s also unlikely that CFC would look favourably on selling such a key player to a major rival, and City are likely aware of that.
I’m also told that although Fernandez has not ruled out the option of staying in England, his preference remains for that move to Madrid, as he himself hinted so strongly with those recent public comments.
The post Sources: Chelsea under pressure to sell star, Real Madrid discussing potential £100m+ transfer appeared first on CaughtOffside.
The future of their defensive crown jewel, Micky van de Ven, has become the subject of intense speculation.
Despite Spurs’ desperate battle to secure their Premier League survival, recently bolstered by a crucial weekend victory over Aston Villa, the 25-year-old speedster is reportedly plotting a summer exit.
With a new contract offer firmly rejected, a high-stakes transfer battle is brewing, with arch-rivals Liverpool and Manchester United positioned at the front of the queue to secure the Dutchman’s signature.
Van de Ven has already made his mind over his next move and the Dutchman is keen to join Liverpool over Man United, according to TEAMtalk.
The explosive center-back grew up as a boyhood Liverpool fan, and the allure of Anfield reportedly places Arne Slot’s side firmly in the driving seat.
Liverpool are scouring the market for a long-term, left-sided successor to their talismanic captain, Virgil van Dijk.
For Van de Ven, the opportunity to slot into the heart of the Reds’ defense and potentially seamlessly succeed his compatriot, represents a dream career step that he would accept “without hesitation.”
However, Manchester United refuse to concede defeat in the race.
Having just secured Champions League football for next season under the impressive interim leadership of Michael Carrick, the Red Devils have the financial muscle and ascending sporting project to entice top talent.
United view Van de Ven as an ideal upgrade to their backline, particularly given the persistent injury struggles and inconsistent availability of veterans Lisandro Martinez and Matthijs de Ligt.
For Tottenham, the situation is increasingly bleak. While the club is desperate to retain their star defender, his refusal to sign an extension has forced the board’s hand.
Spurs have reportedly slapped an ambitious £60 million to £80 million valuation on the Netherlands international.
Yet, this wild asking price could be drastically compromised if the North London outfit fails to avoid the drop to the Championship in their final three fixtures.
Regardless of how Tottenham’s tense relegation dogfight concludes, Van de Ven appears destined for the Champions League next season.
Whichever club ultimately meets Spurs’ valuation will be signing one of Europe’s most dynamic and modern center-backs, ready to anchor an elite defense for years to come.
Chelsea, Liverpool make enquiry for 25-year-old PL star, but Tottenham have advantage in race
The post Micky van de Ven’s stance on next move amid rising interest from Liverpool & Man United appeared first on CaughtOffside.
Manchester United have received some concerning news regarding their pursuit of Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane. The Red Devils are enjoying a strong second half of the campaign under caretaker manager Michael Carrick, who took charge in January this year.
The English giants are now third in the Premier League table after 35 games and have already secured qualification for next season’s Champions League. Much of United’s newfound form has been built on their impressive new attack, which cost them over £200 million last summer.
It appears to be money well invested, especially since the Red Devils have scored the third-most goals (63) in the league with three games left. They have already improved on last season’s tally of 44 goals in 38 Premier League games.
Benjamin Sesko, who joined from RB Leipzig last summer, is United’s top scorer this season with 12 goals. However, with Joshua Zirkzee’s future uncertain, INEOS are eyeing further attacking additions. A previous report relayed by The Peoples Person suggests that Kane is the Red Devils’ dream target.
Kane was one of the most lethal strikers in the Premier League when he opted to end his stay in England in the summer of 2023. By then, he had registered 213 Premier League goals, bringing him within touching distance of Alan Shearer’s record of 260.
United, who were in the market for a new striker, were linked with the Englishman but ended up signing Rasmus Hojlund from Atalanta instead. The 32 year old, meanwhile, opted to move to the Allianz Arena and has lit up the Bundesliga since.
Kane has registered 140 goals and 33 assists in 144 appearances for Bayern Munich to date, including 55 goals and seven assists in 48 games this season. The Bavarians have already wrapped up the Bundesliga title and won the Franz Beckenbauer Supercup, while they are in the final of the DFB Pokal.
Source: Transfermarkt.
United continue to monitor Kane’s situation, and a recent report relayed by The Peoples Person suggests that they are planning to lure him away by offering massive wages. The Englishman’s contract expires next summer, but the Bavarians are reportedly planning to initiate renewal talks this summer. An update on the player’s situation has now emerged.
According to TEAMtalk, Kane is settled at Bayern Munich and is ready to extend his stay at the Allianz Arena. The report states: “TEAMtalk understands that Kane is not only settled at Bayern Munich, but he is actively prepared to extend his stay at the Allianz Arena.”
“Sources indicate the England international striker is ready to agree terms on a new deal that would keep him at Bayern until at least 2028, aligning with his ambition to lead the Three Lions into a home European Championship.”
United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe reportedly admires the English striker, while Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur are also interested in bringing him back to the Premier League. However, the report states that the Bavarians consider him a key part of their project, adding: “We understand that Bayern view Kane as central to their project, both on and off the pitch.”
“Significantly, Kane has already passed up multiple opportunities to trigger release clauses within his existing deal – decisions that underline both his satisfaction at Bayern and his belief that his competitive ambitions are being fulfilled in the Bundesliga.”
However, a future return to England cannot be ruled out, given Kane’s ambition to break Shearer’s record. The report continued: “We can confirm Kane still harbours a long-term ambition to surpass Alan Shearer’s record of 260 goals. However, sources stress that this is a career objective rather than an immediate priority.”
United need to add more cover in their No. 9 position ahead of a congested season. If a move for Kane does not materialise, the Red Devils must consider a suitable alternative this summer.
Featured image Alexander Hassenstein via Getty Images
The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social
Liverpool have announced they will scrap a controversial plans to increase ticket prices over the next three seasons following protests from fans at Anfield.
In March, Liverpool said ticket prices would increase by three per cent next season, followed by further increases in line with the annual inflation rate over the next two campaigns.
The nature of the three-year policy was criticised by the Liverpool Supporters Board, and fans staged protests during the Premier League home games against Fulham and Crystal Palace.
The club have now confirmed an “inflationary increase of three per cent to general admission tickets” for next season, followed by a price freeze for the following campaign.
In a statement, Liverpool said: “The club and Supporters Board will use the certainty of these seasons to seek longer-term alternative solutions across the game and explore commercial ideas with the Supporters Board in an attempt to avoid future ticket price increases and address issues around affordability and accessibility for future generations.
“LFC believes that, without wider progress on alternative solutions, future inflationary increases may still be required, including season 2028-29, and will continue to engage with its supporters.
“Both the club and the Supporters Board are committed to exploring a longer-term solution that works in the interests of all.
“The club also remains committed to managing its cost challenges responsibly, giving advance notice to supporters and certainty to its own financial planning to remain competitive at the highest levels of football.”
The Supporters Board welcomed the U-turn on the three-year policy. “Following supporter protests at a locked-in multi-year deal and conversations over the past days, the club has pledged a new proposal that will allow us to examine thoroughly long-term solutions surrounding fan affordability and access.
“We have asked Liverpool that it now works with us to explore alternative ways to generate new revenue rather than an ticket price rises during this time, to which it has publicly committed to further dialogue and to helping us seek new approaches.
“We understand that disappointment at next season's increase in ticket prices will remain for some, but we want to assure fans we will continue talks with the club and do our best to find other ways in the future. We might not have halted immediate increases, but we have stopped three consecutive increases.
“We would like to thank those at Liverpool FC who have listened to us and engaged with us - not all club hierarchies would have done the same. And we look forward to working with them to find future paths that benefit all.”
As the Chargers' offseason program is in full swing, first-time clips of new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel and quarterback Justin Herbert have surfaced online.
Footage shows Herbert practicing quick-release throws while McDaniel closely observes, as well as rollouts and bootleg plays.
The viral moments mark just the beginning, but Chargers fans are already buzzing about the new duo on display.
10 back in motion pic.twitter.com/yBJKtkWBKb
— Los Angeles Chargers (@chargers) May 4, 2026
Justin Herbert and Mike McDaniel take the field together for the first time pic.twitter.com/yMrCCjNLzY
— Tino ⚡️ (@TinoFromTheQ) May 5, 2026
This article originally appeared on Chargers Wire: Mike McDaniel, Justin Herbert: Clips from Chargers offseason program
Daniel Dubois is on the comeback trail once again. It’s a trail he could probably walk blindfolded by now, his size-13 boots filling the mud imprints from his last march along this track. Three times “Dynamite” Daniel has been defeated, and when adversity strikes, all roads lead back to this path. It cannot be circumnavigated. And in the wake of a second loss to Oleksandr Usyk, the trail leads to the outskirts of Manchester, to the Co-op Live, to Fabio Wardley.
If the Dubois who crafted a win streak after his first loss, a TKO by Joe Joyce, was Dubois 2.0, then the heavyweight who did the same after a 2023 KO by Usyk was Dubois 3.0. Saturday may bring version 4.0, then, as the 28-year-old bids to bounce back from his second stoppage by Usyk.
After each of the Briton’s defeats, the question of heart has arisen; when Dubois is forced to swim in deep waters, can he rise back to the surface, or does he simply sink further. This was asked in 2020, when he took a knee against Joyce (although a broken orbital bone seemed a fair excuse); it was asked when Usyk stopped him with a jab three years ago; and it was asked when he was floored twice by the Ukrainian last summer.
The contrary evidence is that an injured Dubois grimaced his way to victory over Kevin Lerena, after climbing off the canvas three times in the first round; that he repeatedly ate Filip Hrgovic’s rampant right hand before forcing a doctor to intervene and save the Croat’s face; and that he survived every second of violence in a 12-round shootout with Jarrell Miller, stopping the American in the dying seconds.
Furthermore, Dubois has won each fight following a defeat, though that stat will be tested on Saturday. If you want to talk about comebacks, you have to talk about Wardley. The WBO champion was seven minutes away from a loss to Justis Huni in June, and four away from defeat by Joseph Parker in October, only to muster the most-miraculous counter offensive on each occasion.
So, Wardley is king of the micro comeback, Dubois of the macro, perhaps.
“Think about it: he’s always come back stronger after defeats,” says the aptly-named Mohammed Ali, Dubois’s head of boxing performance analysis. “It’s in his DNA, you’ve either got it or you don’t,” he adds – a twist on the narrative that Dubois’s make-up is not actually that of a survivor during tough fights.
Ali even references Dubois’s ancestry and the link to Sylvia Dubois, an African-American slave in the 19th century, who earned her freedom as a bare-knuckle boxer. “People criticise certain things about Daniel, but they don’t realise his mindset, resilience and durability. That’s just hardlined.”
This brings us to David Haye, whose durability failed him in his final two bouts – back-to-back stoppages by Tony Bellew – in spite of his mindset. “Boxing fans are harsh,” says the Briton, a former cruiserweight and heavyweight champion. “The fact that I fought with one leg against Bellew... only after I got battered did the purists finally say: ‘Okay, I accept you as a real fighter.’”
While Haye agrees with Ali, saying fighting spirit “cannot be taught, it comes from within”, he refuses to take a definitive stance on Dubois. “You should never judge someone until their career is said and done,” Haye says. “Over time, [that heart] may develop. Sometimes fighters quit or take a knee, and off the strength of the heat from their peers, they’ll never do it again.”
Dubois took a knee against Joyce and then in his first fight with Usyk, for what you feel that’s worth. In any case, I ask Dubois himself whether his first loss to Usyk helped him deal with defeat in their rematch.
Initially struggling to find the right words, he ultimately says: “No, it was just... I think... I look at it like: I shared the ring with a top, top southpaw, top heavyweight, the best of this generation, so I brushed that over me a long time ago. I’m a new fighter now, a new man.”
Ali echoes the sentiment: “That’s in the past. Usyk is an all-time great. When he leaves the sport, his name will be recognised 10-20 years down the line.”
Still, Dubois’s promoter Frank Warren (who also promotes Wardley) doesn’t dismiss the relevance of last summer’s loss to Usyk. “You’ve got to learn from it!” he says. “And he’s very good at that. I think he’s matured a lot physically as he’s got older, but he’s certainly maturing now mentally as far as reading a fight.”
However, Warren also hints at a controversy from that fight week, while trying not to hint at it. “I don’t want to go into what happened behind the scenes and getting there a little bit late,” he says, “because there’s no excuses. What happens, happens on the night.”
Warren, 74, is referencing a pre-fight gathering at Dubois’s family home on the day of the bout. It was referred to by some as a party, and although Dubois’s trainer Don Charles dismissed that label, the consensus from outside observers was that it must have been a distraction.
Charles did not attend the gathering, nor did he try to “justify” it. He said in the days afterwards: “My duty on the training team is to make sure there’s no confusion. This is Wembley we’re talking about; we had to go to the dressing room and make sure everything is intact.”
Within a few weeks, in a shocking development, Charles and Dubois had split. Although the veteran coach had twice failed to mastermind a win over Usyk, he had overseen the finest spell of Dubois’s career. Rumours swirled about the involvement of Dubois’s father, Stan, and whether it was helpful.
But Dubois and Charles reunited in January, after the heavyweight briefly trained under Tony Sims.
“Tony is a magnificent coach,” says Ali. “I work with Conor Benn as well [like Sims], so I adore and respect Tony. He’s one of the best coaches in the country, as is Don. But Tony said it himself: there’s a certain connection that fighters have with a coach, and Don has got that with Daniel. You know who his ‘real’ coach is. Sometimes it goes like that, like Manny Pacquiao with Freddie Roach or Andre Ward with Virgil Hunter.”
Whether or not their connection is comparable to those of the great duos above, Dubois and Charles are still seeking the same success. A second world title is within reach on Saturday.
David Haye was speaking ahead of his exclusive appearance at Paddy’s Sportsbook at The Hippodrome Casino, for Wardley vs Dubois on 9 May.
Los Angeles Rams running back Kyren Williams shared a personal update regarding his spiritual growth on Wednesday, posting a highlighted Bible verse to his social media platform as he begins his offseason recovery.
An Instagram post, which featured a physical Study Bible opened to Acts 2:36, follows a high-usage 2025–2026 season in which Williams surpassed 1,500 yards and helped lead Los Angeles to the NFC Championship Game. Using a Christian Standard Bible (CSB) translation, Williams highlighted a passage regarding the "house of Israel," marking the page with a hand-drawn blue star. The highlighted paragraph reads:
"Therefore let all the house of Israel know with certainty that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.”
Kyren Williams, running back, Los Angeles Rams, posted on Wednesday:
— MOHAMMAD ASIF ANSARI (@WriterMohammad) May 7, 2026
"Let all the house of Israel know..."https://t.co/x0ooTTKjgjpic.twitter.com/oyy5wtMxNQ
His faith is the engine of his community work, which led him to be a Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee.
While many NFL athletes use the early months of the offseason to broadcast vacations or contract negotiations, Williams appears focused on a different form of restoration. The 25-year-old standout is known for his film-study habits, and this recent post suggests he applies the same meticulous attention to his theological studies.
Head coach Sean McVay shed light on how Williams uplifts everybody:
"He's got this authentic energy that's always been consistent with who he is,” said McVay. “It uplifts everybody. He's got a mental and a physical toughness that he plays with. He epitomizes what we're looking for in Rams."
Williams enters the remainder of the 2026 offseason as the foundational piece of the Rams' rushing attack.
Ric Tapia - The Sporting Tribune
Kyren Williams #23 of the Los Angeles Rams celebrates his touchdown during the first half against the San Francisco 49ers at SoFi Stadium on September 22, 2024 in Inglewood, California.
In 2023, he was selected to the Pro Bowl, in 2024, the Rams rewarded him with a three-year contract extension, and in 2025, he was voted by his teammates to be a captain. Williams said:
"[Being named a captain] made more of an impact on my heart than probably the contract because to me that is the direct representation of who I am as a person every single day in the eyes of my teammates."
After he was named the Rams' 2025 Walter Payton Man of the Year Club winner, Williams reflected:
"I play football because that's what the Lord has blessed me to do, and that's what I'm going to continue to do,” said Williams. But my message and my purpose is bigger than just football. It's being able to impact and inspire and be around young kids and families."
Bryson DeChambeau has opened up on some of the reservations he would have about returning to the PGA Tour should LIV Golf end up folding in the coming months.
There is a big question mark hanging over LIV Golf right now. It is not clear how the league is going to be funded from next season, with the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia set to pull their support.
With DeChambeau’s contract expiring at the end of the year, his position is among the most precarious.
DeChambeau has suggested that he would like to continue with LIV. However, as time goes on, it is noticeable that the two-time US Open champion is speaking more and more about what a PGA Tour return would look like.
DeChambeau has certainly been LIV Golf‘s biggest success story. But much of that success has come about because of the work he has done on his YouTube channel in recent years.
The PGA Tour has had strict rules about filming content at their events in the past. So DeChambeau has suggested that he could be content to only play the majors and concentrate on his YouTube channel.
And speaking to Beyond the Clubhouse, DeChambeau suggested that remains a sticking point should it become clear that LIV’s days are numbered.
“If I was to film a video at one of their events with a content creator or a celebrity that would be in violation to my knowledge,” he said.
“They didn’t let me do it when I was on there. I asked numerous times and they did not let Grant Horvat or Garrett Clark do some videos during Monday and Tuesday practice rounds. That’s the truth.”
The PGA Tour should certainly look to embrace YouTube even more. DeChambeau’s popularity has increased because he has been able to show more of his personality on the platform.
It would help create more stars. So DeChambeau’s potential return may represent the right time to change the policy.
DeChambeau was asked whether the current rules could prove to be too large a hurdle to be cleared for him to return to the PGA Tour in the future.
“I think there is a way to solve any problem. It’s really about if the membership want me back. It’s not anybody, I don’t think it’s even Brian Rolapp or a top executive, it’s about if the players want me back and if not, I understand that,” he said.
It is very intriguing that the LIV players are being much more open about their futures. It does appear that many players do not know what lies ahead for the league and are now keeping their options open.
Castleford Tigers centre Krystian Mapapalangi has extended his contract through to the end of 2029.
The 23-year-old Australian joined the club on a two-year deal in January and has scored six tries in 11 appearances.
"I have a great relationship with Mapz going back a few years now, and to have him at the club for the next three years is a significant signing," director of rugby Chris Chester told the club website.
"He is exactly the type of player we want to build a club around."
Scotland clings on to five places in Europe for one more season before it starts to get really tricky in 2027-28.
But there are a few knock-on effects from a declining coefficient coming into view this summer.
Following Rangers' defeat by Hearts on Monday, it now appears to be a head-to-head between leaders and reigning champions Celtic for the title.
And Motherwell are a healthy six points clear of Hibernian in the race for the last guaranteed European spot from Scottish Premiership placings.
So what lies in store once the dust has settled?
The team finishing top of the pile is again scheduled to enter the Champions League play-off, needing to win that two-legged tie to reach the 36-team league phase.
Last term, Celtic were stunned by Kazakh side Kairat Almaty, losing on penalties after two dreadful goalless draws.
Hearts would be unseeded because of their low club coefficient, but Celtic would have a good chance of being seeded if they win the title.
Rangers - should there be an unlikely series of Premiership results - could still go straight into the league phase because of something Uefa calls "title-holder rebalancing" depending on the outcome in other countries.
The team finishing second in the Premiership enter the Champions League's second qualifying round. Win that and a third round awaits, before the play-off for the league phase.
Losing in the second qualifying round of the Champions League would result in a Europa League third qualifying round spot. And defeat in the Champions League third qualifying round has the consolation of a Europa League play-off.
Champions League play-off losers enter the Europa League direct - as Rangers did last term, when they beat Panathinaikos and Viktoria Plzen before a play-off thrashing from Club Brugge caused them to drop down.
In recent years, the prize for lifting the Scottish Cup was a Europa League play-off, with a guaranteed parachute into the Conference League's league stage.
Hearts and Aberdeen have benefited in recent seasons, but that is gone as Scotland's ranking slides.
Now it is a place in Europa League third qualifying round, with a drop into the Conference League play-off in the event of defeat.
Should finalists Celtic beat Dunfermline Athletic at Hampden and also finish in the top two then the competition's European standing is transferred to the team finishing third.
It is getting harder for Scotland's other entrants too, with two places in the Conference League's second qualifying round allocated to third and fourth spot in the Premiership.
Or fourth and fifth should Celtic win the cup and finish top two.
Last term, third place got Hibs into Europa League qualifying, but defeat by Midtjylland left them in the Conference League equivalent, where they beat Partizan Belgrade before play-off defeat by Legia Warsaw.
Dundee United, meanwhile, got past UNA Strassen of Luxembourg before losing to Rapid Vienna in the third round of Conference League qualifying.
This time, Celtic winning the cup would be good news for the team finishing fifth in the Premiership - one of Motherwell, Hibs or Falkirk.
But if second-tier Dunfermline surprise Celtic at Hampden then that fifth-placed side can start planning for Scottish League Cup football instead.
The Scottish champions will receive £3.7m for reaching the Champions League play-off round, with another £16.1m to come should they reach the league stage.
That is before bonus payments of £1.73m per win, £605,000 per draw and £275,000 per finishing position in the table - with additional payments should they progress to the last 16 or beyond.
Reaching the Europa League proper guarantees £3.7m, with performance bonuses of £388,000 per win and £130,000 per draw.
There is £187,000 available for each position in the final Europa League table.
Performance bonus payments for the Conference League are £345,000 per win and £115,000 per draw, with £24,000 for each position in the table.
Should Celtic or Rangers finish third in the Premiership, it would be a multi-million drop in their expectations of income.
For Hearts, Champions League qualification would be game changing.
Even if they drop into the Europa League, this would bring in a guaranteed minimum of around £7.3m with ticket sales and other commercial revenues to be added.
“It’s almost impossible to beat one of the top teams in the competition five straight times, but we came close. Congrats to Hapoel and now we move on to try and win the series in four games.”
Hapoel Tel Aviv defeated Real Madrid Baloncesto 76-69 on Tuesday night as Elijah Bryant starred in a do-or-die Game 3 win to keep the Reds’ EuroLeague season alive.
The victory cut the best-of-five quarterfinal series to 2-1 in favor of Madrid and set up another crucial Game 4 on Thursday night back at Tel Aviv’s home-away-from-home in Bulgaria.
On Tuesday, Los Blancos grabbed an early lead with Facundo Campazzo and Gabriel Deck orchestrating the offense, but Chris Jones and Bryant cut the advantage down to 36-34 by halftime.
Vasilije Micic began to make an impact for Hapoel, but so did Trey Lyles at the other end. However, Antonio Blakeney and Dan Oturu helped Dimitrios Itoudis’s team take the lead for good as the Reds kept their foot on the gas to close out the victory.
Bryant and Jones each scored 19 points to lead Tel Aviv while Micic added 13 points in the win. Lyles scored 14 points, Deck put in 11 points, and Campazzo scored 10 points for Real in the loss.
Itoudis looked back at the win while also speaking about Bryant making the EuroLeague Team of the Season.
“I want to congratulate my team for going to 2-1 in the series and Elijah for winning the award. It was a do-or-die situation for us against a great team, and even though we were down by 10 points, we found the right chemistry and dug all the way into the bench. We won the rebounding battle, and keeping Real Madrid at 69 points says a lot. We played like a playoff team.”
“It’s almost impossible to beat one of the top teams in the competition five straight times, but we came close. Congrats to Hapoel and now we move on to try and win the series in four games.”
Bryant also commented after the victory.
“We have to play with energy and a sense of urgency. They out-hustled us in Madrid, but we came out here in the third quarter and got the win."
In Israeli league action, Ironi Ness Ziona defeated Hapoel Holon 104-98 as Desi Rodriguez, Bryce Brown and Marques Bolden led the visitors past the hosts, who were paced by Adama Sanogo, Darin Green Jr. and Netanel Artzi.
Rodriguez scored 24 points, and Bolden added 18 points in the victory while Sanogo scored 26 points and Green put in 21 points in the loss.
Bnei Herzliya eased past Maccabi Ironi Ramat Gan 104-88 as Yehu Orland’s team scored early and often to take a 56-43 lead at halftime and never looked back, as six players scored in double digits.
Shalev Lugashi scored 19 points, Zack Bryant added 18 points, while Evan Bruinsma and Jordon Varnado scored 17 points apiece in the win. Gil Beni and Terrell Brown Jr. scored 17 points each for Ramat Gan in the loss.
Elitzur Netanya walloped Maccabi Ra'anana 102-77 as Eli Rabi’s team jumped out to a huge lead right from the tipoff, with Otis Frazier pacing the hosts to the 25-point win.
Frazier scored 35 points and finished the game with a 50 efficiency rating; Amit Gershon scored 20 points, and Cameron Oliver added 18 points in the victory, while Tyrece Radford scored 18 points and Javion Hamlet put in 17 points for Ra’anana in the loss.
BIRMINGHAM, England (AP) — Nottingham Forest makes a short trip to Birmingham with a 1-0 advantage against Aston Villa in the second leg of their Europa League semifinal on Thursday.
Both clubs hope to contest their first European final in decades.
For Nottingham, it has been 46 years. The relegation-threatened Premier League club won the European Cup, the precursor to the Champions League, under the great Brian Clough in 1979 and 1980.
Forest has been unbeaten in its last 10 games in all competitions but it remains unclear if key attacking midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White will play after suffering a facial injury on Monday in a 3-1 win against Chelsea in the Premier League.
Villa, the European champion in 1982, has reached its second semifinal in Europe in three seasons. It sits fifth in the English top flight and stands a good chance of qualifying for the Champions League again after advancing to the quarterfinals last season.
Villa needs to snap a three-game losing streak at Villa Park to progress.
In the other semifinal, the Bundesliga’s Freiburg needs to overturn a one-goal deficit from a 2-1 defeat to Braga in the opening leg in Portugal.
Freiburg has enjoyed its best European campaign while Braga hopes to advance to the final again after it lost to domestic rival Porto 1-0 in 2011.
The final is in Istanbul on May 20.
In the third-tier Conference League, Crystal Palace is in control of its semifinal against Shakhtar Donetsk after winning 3-1 in the Ukrainian team’s exile in Krakow, Poland, last week.
If Palace advances in its maiden European campaign, English clubs will compete in all three European finals.
___
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Some of you have been in touch using the Ask Me Anything form located on the menu at the top of your club page.
We've received questions around the ticket allocation for the FA Cup final.
Eyebrows were raised among some Chelsea and Manchester City fans when they found out their allocation for the showpiece.
Both teams have been allocated 28,700 for the Wembley fixture – over 2,000 fewer than City and Crystal Palace were given 12 months ago.
The finalists do tend to get an extra batch of tickets as the match approaches – both clubs did last season.
BBC Sport understands this will exceed 30,000 for both clubs.
Yet last season, Pep Guardiola's men ended up with 33,467 tickets.
That still leaves about 30,000 tickets outside of those given to clubs for the match on 16 May.
The number of tickets which do not go to supporters of the two teams always tends to raise questions.
These get divided among the 'football family' – volunteers, County FAs, local clubs and charities. Experiences by Wembley members get tickets as usual too.
Ask Me Anything is a service dedicated to answering your questions.
We want to reward your time by telling you things you do not know and reminding you of things you do.
Arsenal take on Paris Saint-Germain in the final of the Champions League at Budapest on May 30 and the Gunners will be desperate to win their first-ever European title. The North London club booked their place in their first final of the elite European competition since 2006 with a 1-0 win over Atletico Madrid at Emirates Stadium on Tuesday night after a 1-1 draw in the first-leg. Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta will fancy the Gunners’ chances of getting the job done, and Micah Richards believes they can win the game if they score first.
However, he insists PSG are favourites going by the stats, a claim Alan Shearer and Gary Lineker agree with.
“PSG, I think,” Shearer replied Lineker on the latest episode of The Rest is Football podcast when asked who he thinks will win the Champions League final.
“Just because they know what they are going into, and I don’t see as much pressure on them than maybe Arsenal, and just because the ability they’ve got in every single position, and Luis Enrique he’s done it, so only because of that reason. I’m not sure it would be a great final but I think they will have enough ability to get through.”
Lineker thinks Arsenal have a chance but is not confident of their chances.
“I’ve just got this sneaky feeling Arsenal are going to do this double,” he said.
“I think PSG have to be favourites going into the game, 60-40 in their favour.”
Richards is of the opinion that the Gunners could have a huge advantage by scoring first and deciding to go defensive for the remainder of the game.
“If you analyse the whole season, Arsenal have got a better chance than people are giving credit for,” he claimed.
“They won the league phase, they were the best team. I think if Arsenal score first, they win it, but I think PSG have more ways of playing, they can play defensive, so on that basis, I would say PSG wins.
“If Arsenal score the first goal, they can lock it up, Whoever scores the first goal. PSG have better individual players, so they have to be favourites, so if you are doing it by stats, then you’ve to say PSG are going to win.”
A big game is on the cards and both teams have their strengths and weaknesses heading into the clash.
Alvaro Arbeloa’s time as the Real Madrid manager is set to come to an end in a few weeks when the curtains fall on the 2025/26 season.
The short tenure will likely be remembered for all the wrong reasons, given the current state of the locker room and the fact that the team is finishing without a trophy once more.
One of the few positives of his spell, though, has to be the chances he gave to youngsters from the academy, with Thiago Pitarch, in particular, benefitting from regular minutes in the first team.
Now, according to MARCA, Arbeloa stands firm by his decision to trust and back Thiago in the first team, even though some higher-ups might not have been pleased by the situation.
Thiago has become the biggest gamble taken by Arbeloa. The academy player represents the image of the change the coach has tried to bring to the team.
It has been a controversial decision that has clashed directly with some opinions within the upper ranks of the club. Indeed, Thiago’s prominence has not pleased everyone at the club, especially because it came at the expense of first-team players like Eduardo Camavinga.
However, Arbeloa has remained firm and brave in defending his decision. Trusting an academy player in difficult moments is not easy, but the coach believes that Real Madrid are more competitive with Thiago in the team.
The commitment to Thiago also carries a message: “If the kid runs, the others have to run as well.” After all, the one thing the academy player has never lacked is effort, intensity and commitment on the field.
Arbeloa’s biggest gamble. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)
Thiago has defended Arbeloa in his own way. Beyond some obvious mistakes linked to his youth, the academy player has delivered impressive performances.
He has shown personality while offering dynamism, mobility and aggression. These qualities have also been accompanied by positive results. In fact, Real Madrid have only been losing when he left the pitch on two occasions in his nine starts.
Arbeloa has always had a clear plan for Thiago. Initially, he protected the youngster after his arrival in the first team by sending him back to Castilla to regain lost playing time.
The midfielder had spent 40 consecutive days training under Xabi Alonso without playing a single minute, so Arbeloa’s first objective was for him to recover match rhythm with the reserve side.
Once that period was completed, Thiago returned to the first team to play an important role. He has accumulated valuable minutes in high-pressure matches and has significantly increased his market value, now estimated at €20 million.
Despite a slight reduction in his involvement in mid-April, even returning briefly to play for Castilla, the academy gem has regained his starting place in the last two matches against and is expected to remain important until the end of the season.
Newcastle United and Newcastle City Council came together on Mental Health Awareness Week 2026 to launch the ‘One of Our Own’ campaign.
We’ve positioned 11 black-and-white benches around St. James’ Park. Each bench features prompts designed to turn casual ‘terrace talk’ into meaningful conversations about wellbeing.
In a region where suicide is the leading cause of death for men under 50, these benches serve a vital purpose: breaking the silence.
“These benches are a brilliant way to encourage people to take a minute, sit down, and have those important conversations. If we can use the connection we share through football to help someone open up or reach out for support, then it’s a massive win for the whole community” - Dan Burn, Newcastle United Player & Foundation Ambassador.
Over 10,000 people of all ages have already benefited from Be A Game Changer’s wide-ranging physical and mental wellbeing programmes.
These include 12th Man & 12th Woman programmes, Walking Football, and Wellbeing Workshops. Find out more here.
Struggling yourself or worried about someone? You aren't alone. Our North East support network is available 24/7 to listen and help whenever you're ready.
Samaritans (North East Branches)
NHS Crisis Services (North East & North Cumbria)
Shout (Crisis Text Support)
PAPYRUS (Prevention of Young Suicide)
Specialised Support for Adults
Community & Bereavement Support
If U Care Share
Tyneside and Northumberland Mind
Wellbeing Hubs
Wellbeing Hubs are warm welcoming place to spend time in Newcastle. Local venues, such as libraries and community centres, offer a range of support including information, advice and more.
Bayern Munich are expected to have a revenue of around €150 million ($176.5 million) from the Champions League despite missing the final.
The Bavarians were eliminated from the title contention on Wednesday after a 6-5 defeat on aggregate to Paris Saint-Germain.
The French side will now face Arsenal and will be aiming for a second consecutive title and a prize money of €25 million, which is awarded to the winner.
Bayern, meanwhile, are to receive around €83.4 million from UEFA's prize fund for reaching the semi-finals. In addition, the club is to receive approximately €40 million in performance-based bonus, as well as ticket revenue from a total of seven sold-out home games.
The Bundesliga champions were held 1-1 by PSG at home in a game overshadowed by controversial refereeing decisions against them.
But goalkeeper and captain Manuel Neuer admitted that "we didn't have that killer instinct in attack tonight.
"We may not have had that many clear-cut chances, but we certainly had the opportunity to win the match. We were close to the final but couldn't get over the line. If we'd had a key moment and scored the goal, it's a different story. Unfortunately our goal came a bit too late."
The former England international's brilliant strike against Nottingham Forest earned a point at the death for Tanya Oxtoby's side at Gateshead International Stadium in the eventual 1-1 draw.
Nobbs picked up Emily Murphy's lay-off and arrowed a fine drive into the far corner to pull United back onto level terms and ultimately earn the 33-year-old - who was named Fans' Player of the Season last week - the monthly prize.
Nobbs saw off competition from Aimee Palmer of Southampton, Kirsty Howat of Crystal Palace and Ipswich Town trio Maria Boswell, Sophie Peskett and Kit Graham to claim the award.
It was her second nomination in as many months, after her stunning effort against Birmingham City was shortlisted in March.
Lucknow Super Giants will host Royal Challengers Bengaluru in IPL 2026 at the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow on Thursday.
LSG have lost six matches in a row and occupy the bottom spot on the table
They have won just two from nine games, and are nearly out of contention for the play-offs after Monday's six-wicket loss to Mumbai Indians.
In contrast, RCB are one of the consistent performers in their title-defending campaign. They are near the top with six wins from nine matches. However, their previous fixture ended in a four-wicket defeat to Gujarat Titans.
Previously, RCB defeated LSG by five wickets, chasing a target of 147 runs in 15.1 overs when the two teams met earlier this season.
MORE: Visit Cricket News for all the latest cricket coverage and opinion
Live Scorecard
Toss: Toss to take place at 7 p.m.
LSG playing XI: Mitchell Marsh, Aiden Markram, Ayush Badoni, Rishabh Pant (c/wk), Nicholas Pooran, Mukul Choudhary, Mohammed Shami, George Line, Mohsin Khan, Prince Yadav, Digvesh Rathi
Impact players: Akshat Raghuvanshi, Himmat Singh, Abdul Samad, Avesh Khan
RCB predicted playing XI: Jacob Bethell, Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar (c), Jitesh Sharma (WK), Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood, Suyash Sharma.
Impact subs: Rasikh Dhar, Jordan Cox, Mangesh Yadav, Vicky Ostwal, Venkatesh Iyer.
MORE: Visit Cricket News for all the latest cricket coverage and opinion
| Team | Win probability |
| LSG | 35% |
| RCB | 65% |
Royal Challengers Bengaluru are the favourites to win this IPL 2026 match at 1.61 on Dafa, while the odds for Lucknow Super Giants to win are 2.34.
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| LSG | 2.34 |
| RCB | 1.61 |
A major twist could be developing in Barcelona’s summer transfer plans, with fresh reports claiming that Dusan Vlahovic is willing to wait for an opportunity to join the Catalan giants.
According to the latest information emerging from SPORT, the Juventus striker has decided to place his contract renewal talks on hold while monitoring the situations at both Barcelona and Bayern Munich.
The Serbian forward views Barcelona as his dream destination and is prepared to remain patient in the hope that circumstances eventually open the door for a move to Camp Nou.
What’s the sudden development?
At the moment, Vlahovic is not considered a priority signing for Barcelona. The club had initially ruled him out while focusing on other attacking profiles more suited to Hansi Flick’s style.
Barcelona intend to make significant changes in attack during the summer, as Flick is believed to have requested the arrival of a top-level striker capable of adding mobility, technical quality, link-up play, and goals to the frontline.
The dream target remains Julian Alvarez, although the complexity and financial difficulty of that operation have forced the club to evaluate alternative options.
Despite not currently being among Barcelona’s main targets, Vlahovic still believes a chance could appear depending on what happens with Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres.
Dusan Vlahovic wants to play for Barcelona. (Photo by Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images)
Lewandowski’s future is now viewed as the key factor in the situation. Barcelona are still waiting for the Polish striker’s final decision regarding the one-year extension proposal currently on the table.
While renewal discussions continue, the possibility of Lewandowski leaving this summer is growing stronger.
If the veteran striker eventually departs, Barcelona could look for a more traditional No. 9 to fill the void, a scenario that Vlahovic sees as his opening.
The report adds that Barcelona are aware of the Serbian striker’s willingness to join the club and that he would even be prepared to lower his salary demands to make the move possible.
Importantly, Vlahovic is not demanding a guaranteed starting role either.
The Juventus forward understands the competition that would exist at Barcelona and is still willing to accept a secondary role if it allows him to wear the Blaugrana shirt.
For now, much will depend on Lewandowski’s next move, but Vlahovic’s decision to wait could become one of the more interesting transfer stories of the summer window.
Alessandro Bastoni has been Barcelona’s number one transfer target for months. After the season, the Catalan club are finally looking to complete deals. The defender, however, is making Barcelona wait as he hasn’t told Inter his desire to leave. Sooner or later, the club of Joan Laporta could run out of patience and turn to Chelsea for a new defender.
As per a report from Sky Sports, Wesley Fofana is among the candidates for the free spot in Hansi Flick’s team. The player’s agents have already met with Barcelona’s sporting director Deco in order to talk about a possible transfer. Talking to the club legend, they revealed that Chelsea would be ready to sell the 25-year-old Frenchman in the upcoming transfer window for around €30m. Barcelona, however, would prefer a loan with an option to buy.
In the current season, Fofana played 34 times for Chelsea and is the central defender with the second most minutes after Trevoh Chalobah. Despite his role, the Blues would allow him to leave however, both clubs would need to negotiate many aspects to complete the transfer.
GFN | Tim Bosnjak
Nicola Zalewski joined Jose Mourinho in complaining about the artificial turf used by Bodo/Glimt in the Conference League. ‘Playing a quarter-final on a pitch like this is unimaginable.’
Since this article was written, the debate around artificial turf in European competitions has continued, particularly in Norway following Bodo/Glimt’s later UEFA campaigns and broader discussions about playing conditions, with Norwegian sites such as Kongebonus also covering the topic.
This was the third time these sides have crossed paths in the Conference League this season and the Giallorossi have never won.
They lost 6-1 here in October for the group phase, drew 2-2 at the Stadio Olimpico and were beaten 2-1 this evening in the first leg of the quarter-final.
Lorenzo Pellegrini had put Roma in front, but Ulrik Saltnes redirected the Brice Wembangomo effort for a Rui Patricio howler and Hugo Vetlesen was totally unmarked to nod in from a free kick.
“There are regrets, because we controlled the game in every moment until going behind. As ever in football, incidents make the difference and we need a great performance in a week’s time,” Zalewski told Sky Sport Italia.
Jose Mourinho complained that the artificial turf in Norway was ‘plastic’ and caused Gianluca Mancini’s knee injury.
“Playing a quarter-final of a European competition on a pitch like this is just unimaginable. Hopefully, UEFA will take action in future years, because this playing surface causes serious injuries.”
With the late Matias Vina error to give away the free kick, it looks as if teenager Zalewski isn’t giving up his spot anytime soon.
“I try to do everything I can with every ball so I can help the team. I am not feeling the pressure, my teammates and the staff are helping a great deal.”
Hyundai has brought an upgraded engine to Rally Portugal in a bid to close the gap and take the fight to World Rally Championship rivals Toyota.
The Korean marque has struggled to extract pace consistently from its i20 N Rally1 car, while Toyota has seemingly taken a step forward, having won all five rounds of the season to date.
Hyundai has been working on upgrades to widen its WRC car’s narrow operating window with the first wave of developments centred around the dampers, geometry and how the differentials interact on the car, arriving in Croatia last month. These are all items that do not require the use of an homologation joker.
Ahead of Rally Portugal, the team has confirmed it has spent its final engine homologation on a change that should offer a small performance upgrade. According to sporting director Andrew Wheatley the change should recoup a loss of power incurred from a recent change in fuel specification.
“There has been a small change [to the engine]. The intake system has been modified to give a little bit more power, and again that is part of the development going on through the course of the year. It is not a revolutionary change but it is incremental and potentially it could be a positive benefit this weekend,” Wheatley told Motorsport.
“We lost a little bit of power with the fuel [change] and now we have started to recoup a bit back, but it is an advantage in allowing the engine to breathe a bit better.
“It is not easy to get any significant performance improvement from the engine because the regulations are so tight.
“All of the homologated upgrades are here and there is a little step we can do on the non-homologated items, which will come a bit later in the year. The focus was always on Portugal and towards the end of the year.”
After being comprehensively beaten by Toyota on asphalt in the Canary Islands last month, Hyundai had always expected to be stronger on gravel.
In Wednesday’s shakedown, it filled two of the top four positions, with Thierry Neuville topping the times by 0.3s from Toyota’s Sami Pajari. Adrien Fourmaux was 0.5s slower in third in the sister i20 N, while team-mate Dani Sordo was 1.4s slower than Neuville.
Neuville remains realistic about his expectations, with the shakedown stage unrepresentative of the stages to come and rain showers predicted on Saturday and Sunday.
However, the 2024 world champion says this is the first rally where he should be able to fight at the front.
“It is always a nice way to start [topping shakedown] but it is not giving any information for what the rally will be like, so we will have to see. We have done some work on the car and we have improved a bit,” Neuville told Motorsport.
“It is always good news if there is an [engine] upgrade. It will not change the whole car, but it is an upgrade. It is a very small upgrade.
“Generally I’m very motivated and I want to fight at the front but I also have to be realistic. As long as the feeling is not good I really struggle with this car, even on gravel.
“We will be closer and it will be the first rally where we are actually in the fight. I think overall road conditions will not really help us here this weekend, but it will not penalise us either. I think the fight is on. The weather will be critical and demanding and it might turn the leaderboard around, and hopefully it plays in our favour.
“The difficulty this year is they have mixed the sandy stages with the more abrasive stages so you have a mix of surface. This makes it more challenging also for tyre choice and tyre wear. We only have 16 softs, and not knowing how the stage conditions will be makes it difficult.”
After being involved in the fight for the victory in Portugal last year before suffering a technical issue, Fourmaux is perhaps the most optimistic in the Hyundai camp.
“It is exciting. I knew we had the potential to fight on gravel as we were fast here last year. I’m confident and we have had a very good test with the car at our test base and also on the pre-event test. I didn’t change the set-up in shakedown, and it worked, so I’m quite pleased with our preparation,” Fourmaux told Motorsport.
“There is the engine, suspension, and few things [improvements on the car]. As a driver you always want more power, especially when we have lost power through things like losing the hybrid system, a smaller turbo restrictor, and we have changed the fuel and every time it [the power] is going down. It feels good.”
Sordo, a seven-time podium finisher in Portugal, added: "I’m close to my team-mates and I’m happy to see that there were two Hyundais at the top of shakedown because I think the team deserves it and the driver deserve it because everybody has worked hard to improve the car. It will be nice for the team to have a nice result here.
“Already in shakedown it was close, and OK, this is not the stage we will see in the rally, but it will be close.”
Read Also:
Why Hyundai’s WRC season “really starts” at Rally Portugal
To read more Motorsport.com articles visit our website.
WEST LAFAYETTE — CJ Richmond brings more power than speed to Purdue baseball, but with one vicious swing in February, he provided both.
With the Boilermakers down 5-0 to Baylor at the Round Rock Classic, Richmond turned on a 2-1 pitch with indignity. The three-run home run cleared the wall in only a couple of seconds, but resonated deep into the season.
“It didn't even seem like it got up over the fence line, and it hit the rafters that were like 50 feet behind right-center field,” said Sam Flores, whose 10 home runs tie Richmond for the team lead.
“I was like, that's just unreal. That's just unreal juice.”
Purdue rallied to win 6-5 that day, then beat No. 11 Oregon State a day later. It carried that momentum into Big Ten Conference play, winning six straight series at one point.
Richmond takes quick trips around the bases, but took a long route to end up a Boilermaker. He needed a fortunate turn of events after an unlucky break to even be at the plate this season.
Now he brings middle-of-the-order thunder to one of the country's best turnaround stories. Purdue has already qualified for the Big Ten Tournament after failing to do so last season and goes into the final two weekends of the season – beginning Friday against Indiana – on the NCAA Tournament bubble.
Richmond knows the measure of his power. Longest home run? Try 482 feet. Hardest hit ball? Somewhere around 115 miles per hour. The only number in his sights now is 40 – the number of wins which would probably lock up an NCAA Regional berth for the Boilermakers.
“I pay attention to it,” Richmond said of the measures of his power. “It's cool, but it's more just like flashy show numbers. It's not anything of true substance, in my opinion. It doesn't mean anything if you're not doing all the other stuff you have to. Getting hits and winning games is the most important thing.”
Even a hitter who has put as many over the fence as Richmond cannot forget his first time.
It came at the coach-pitch level of the Skiles Test League in Lawrence Township.
When coach Nick Bazan asked Richmond where he liked the ball, the fledgling slugger responded, “I want it middle and a little bit high.” Richmond connected and took a big step toward his baseball identity.
“I think I was probably like 7 years old or something like that, but that started the whole thing,” Richmond said.
Richmond said his parents were never keen on him playing football. He played basketball, the sport his father, Charles, played at Western Michigan, up until high school.
As a left-handed hitter and thrower, though, the Richmonds always saw more long-term upside in baseball. At first, the home runs were infectious – teammates spilling out of the dugout in celebration.
Around his junior year of high school he noticed opponents throwing his teammates a lot more fastballs than he saw. Hard to blame them. They did not often see 6 foot 3, 240 pounds walking to the plate.
Park Tudor coach Courtney Whitehead needed only a split second to recall Richmond’s most impressive high school home run. It came at the same field Whitehead once played on at Crawfordsville. The ball Richmond crushed to dead center was found near a building located about 50 yards beyond the outfield fence.
Richmond hit 10 home runs as a senior to make the Indiana North/South All-Star Game. According to Whitehead, most were no-doubters.
“Every once in a while you run into kids where the ball absolutely flies off the bat,” Whitehead said. “His swing was so powerful – almost a controlled, violent swing. He was one of those kids from the word go – and such a strong kid, too.
“To have a kid who can swing a bat that well but still have a lot of patience and a really good eye at plate and not force things, let things come to him, that’s kind of a rarity.”
Over the middle and a little bit high – Arizona State pitcher Wyatt Halvorson left a 2-1 fastball there in the ninth inning at Alexander Field on April 14, 2025. When the ball left the right-handed pitching prospect’s hand, the game was tied 6-6. When it landed well past the wall, prompting Richmond to pause in admiration before a casual bat flip, the Boilermakers had an 8-6 walk-off victory.
Richmond pumped his arm to blow an imaginary train whistle as he rounded the bases. It remains his favorite home run – a heroic moment against a program with five College World Series championships and five runner-up finishes to its name.
Not unlike that imaginary locomotive, Richmond made a lot of unscheduled stops over the previous three years.
Richmond originally committed to Butler in the winter of his junior year at Park Tudor. When the COVID-19 pandemic complicated a lot of teams’ plans, Richmond instead decided to join Andy Pascoe, a former Bulldogs assistant, at Western Illinois. He tied for the team lead with four home runs, but decided to move on when Pascoe was fired after the season.
He next picked Western Iowa Community College, a three-time NJCAA national champion. While he was hitting 10 home runs and slugging .581, his sister, Leah, prepared to start her volleyball career at Western Michigan. The volleyball coach told the baseball coach about her new setter’s older brother, and soon, Richmond joined the family tradition in Kalamazoo.
He dominated his second try at Division I. Richmond tied the Broncos’ single-season total base record with 142. He led the Mid-American Conference with a 1.046 OPS and was voted first team all-conference. After helping WMU stomp through the MAC Tournament by a 29-3 margin, Richmond made the all-tournament team at the Lexington Regional of the NCAA Tournament.
Richmond believed more than ever he could play at the top levels of college baseball. Purdue, which did not have him on its radar when he came out of Park Tudor, was among many teams who took notice. He became their No. 1 transfer portal target at first base.
Purdue, though, already had a slugger spending time at first base – Luke Gaffney, the 2024 Big Ten Freshman of the Year. Richmond understandably hesitated to make the jump and spend his final season – or so he thought at the time – stuck behind a young star.
Gaffney eventually cleared that up on his own. Purdue coach Greg Goff was holding a youth camp when Gaffney called to tell him he was entering the transfer portal, too. Goff hung up and called Richmond. Gaffney ended up at Clemson, and Richmond finally made his way to the Big Ten.
“He was being called by a lot of different people,” Goff said. "Just fortunate enough that we had some connection with him and, you know, him being from Indy was a was a good fit for both of us.”
Richmond did not come home with a lengthy stay in mind, though. He planned to make the most of his final season of eligibility and make his case for selection in the 2025 Major League draft.
He started to find his groove in the nonconference season, culminating with his first two Boilermaker home runs against Niagara on Feb. 23. Five days later, he loaded up and swung at a 1-0 change-up against Akron.
Richmond’s bat missed the ball, and immediately, his right hand went numb. He did not know what had happened, but knew he could not swing. Few power hitters have ever been more relieved to draw a walk.
He had broken the hamate bone – a carpal bone next to the pinky finger essential for tendon and muscle movement in the hand. While not uncommon in baseball, the injury has cursed the Boilermakers. Two other players suffered hamate fractures this season.
Historic season: This legacy is already rewriting Purdue softball record books, and leading as a freshman
Richmond underwent surgery and did not play again until April 4. In any other year, he might have pursued a medical redshirt waiver to try to regain his final season of eligibility. However, as a result of the injunction granted to Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia in December 2024, the NCAA allowed all former junior college players one additional year of eligibility.
Goff said Purdue did not merely want Richmond back, it needed him back. On a team which underwent considerable roster turnover in the offseason, Richmond was now a veteran holdover. When Goff instituted “toughness testing” – an offseason fitness regimen he brought from his playing and coaching days at Delta State – Richmond jumped to the front of lines, encouraging teammates to push through.
He’s slugging .505 and ranks second on the team in RBIs and walks. He was one of four Boilers to hit a grand slam on the same weekend against Michigan State. He helped make the team’s home run trophy – a Purdue football helmet – a frequent presence in the dugout.
“Any time in the game you see CJ come up, you know the game can be turned on its head,” Flores said. “That’s something that gives a lot of confidence to our dugout. If we’re behind, we’re one swing away from being back in it. If we’re ahead, we’re one swing away from blowing it open.”
He also transformed himself from defensive liability to solid first baseman. That positional value is crucial for his chances of playing pro ball, but it also allows him to take that leadership onto the field for mound visits and infield banter.
Later in that Baylor win, Richmond made a diving grab of a liner for the final out in the top of the eighth after the Bears had loaded the bases. The resulting fist pump might have been more exuberant than any of his home run celebrations this season.
“I kind of feel like I'm responsible, too,” Richmond said. “When things go haywire, I need to be the voice of reason, you know – the steady hand. I can't show frustration. I can't get sped up by the game.”
Purdue has already clinched a third consecutive 30-win season. With an RPI of 52 after a weekend sweep on Murray State, a strong finish against IU and Iowa and in the conference tournament may be needed to ensure a regional berth.
Richmond does not plan to stop when the college season ends. If nothing materializes with a Major League team, he’ll look elsewhere. Perhaps he’ll join his former travel ball and Purdue teammate, Enas Hayden, playing pro ball in Australia.
He wants to keep circling the bases, even if it means circling the globe.
Nathan Baird and Sam King have the best Purdue sports coverage, and sign up for IndyStar's Boilermakers newsletter.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Purdue baseball leader CJ Richmond hits towering home runs, improves defense
Leao, you’re out
Two cases in the race for the Champions League
He’s at the end of the line with Milan: Future elsewhere. At risk of being benched in San Siro on Sunday
Vlahovic, what frost
He wants to go abroad, renewal with Juve slipping away
The last dribble
Brilliance and wit, the symbol of Interismo. His Scudetto teammates: ‘He used to run away from training camps’.
PSG in the final again for the double
Champions League
Just a 1-1 against Bayern. The battle with Arsenal in Bdapest on May 30
Conte moves everyone
If he doesn’t stay at Napoli, could Sarri return and Allegri be CT?
The dugout domino | Antonio, more than Max, could set off the Serie A coaches
The meeting with ADL is the key to start the rotation of the coaches. Milan also left without certainties. Just like Bologna, Atalanta and Fiorentina. It will hot up from Tuesday
Champions League, Lucho for the treble
Luis Enrique in the final with PSG: Looking for his third triumph
No goal fest this time, it finishes 1-1 in Munich with goals from Dembele and Kane. Kvara the best on the pitch. The coach won it last year with the Parisians and with Barcelona in 2015: They will take on Arsenal in Budapest on May 30
Now the world has lost its fantasy
Farewell to Beccalossi: He was 69 years old. Altobelli: ‘I died with him’
Referees, the FIGC votes for change
Commissioner at the AIA
The decision from the federal council is expected next week. Pinzani and Butti met with the prosecutor yesterday
‘Dusan, Juve is already your top’
Interview with Pantaleo Corvino
The Lecce general manager, who is playing for survival against Juventus on Saturday, is the man who discovered Vlahovic: ‘They still have a lot to give each other. He could score more than 20 goals a season with Spalletti. He’s a gem: I brought him to Florence amidst great scepticism’. Alaba, who is leaving Madrid, has been offered for the defence. Atletico offering Cardoso to keep Nico Gonzalez. Surveys underway for Pisilli
And who could beat these?
Champions League, PSG draw 1-1 on Bayern’s turf, final against Arsenal
Dembele strikes after three minutes, the equaliser from Kane doesn’t arrive until the 94th. The champions of Europe will defend their title in Budapest on May 30
Toro, three-year deal for Gattuso
The Granata proposal for the former CT. The alternative remains Juric
Petrachi supports the move, Cairo also keeps the Croatian option open. D’Aversa at the bottom of the pack. Relegated Wolverhampton tempt Adams with a maxi-contract. Ferrante: ‘Winning the derby would at least give some meaning to the season’
Evaristo and the art of football
Farewell to Beccalossi
The first round of the NBA playoffs was the round of underdogs like the Philadelphia 76ers and Los Angeles Lakers. However, the Conference Semifinals have shown flashes of predictability thus far. Despite pulling off the upset over the No. 2 Boston Celtics, the 76ers are currently down 2-0 to the lesser New York Knicks as Joel Embiid was sidelined once again due to injuries.
Out West, the San Antonio Spurs came out with vengeance last night against the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 2, knotting the series at 1-1 as guard Stephon Castle logged 21 points. Victor Wembanyama also made his mark on with 19 points, 15 rebounds and two blocks. De'Aaron Fox contributed as well with 16 points, going 5-for-10 from the field.
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First Pick: Oklahoma City Thunder -15.5
Rundown: The No. 1 Oklahoma City Thunder (1-0) will maintain their pursuit of a sweep over the No. 4 Los Angeles Lakers (0-1) in Game 2 at Paycom Center.
The Thunder enter Thursday with a lot going their way. Most notably, the Lakers are still without their cornerstone contributor in Luka Dončić, who is unexpected to return this series due to a hamstring injury. Furthermore, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren combined for 42 points on Tuesday. Additionally, Holmgren recorded 12 boards and three rebounds, which proved effective in limiting the Lakers' offense to 37 second-half points.
As for Los Angeles, LeBron James led the way on Tuesday with 27 points, four rebounds and six assists. Meanwhile, Austin Reaves struggled heavily as he only mustered 8 points and went 0-for-5 from beyond the arc. Even though the Lakers have Deandre Ayton and Marcus Smart to provide hustle on the other side of the ball, neither can hold a candle to the fortress of Isaiah Hartenstein, Lu Dort and Cason Wallace.
With the Thunder's overwhelming advantage in size and defense, bettors can expect another lopsided matchup.
Second Pick: Detroit Pistons -3.5
Rundown: The No. 1 Detroit Pistons (1-0) continue their quest for their second-consecutive playoff series win in Game 2 against the No. 4 Cleveland Cavaliers (0-1).
The pair of Cade Cunningham and Tobias Harris dominated once again on Tuesday, tallying a respective 23 and 20 points. Duncan Robinson had himself a night as well with 19 points on 7-of-12 shooting while Jalen Duren made two blocks and controlled the glass with 12 boards. Now, Detroit will aim to defend home court once more after having only lost nine games at Little Caesar's Arena.
Meanwhile for the Cleveland, Donovan Mitchell and James Harden scored 23 and 22 points each. Guard Max Strus ignited a spark off the bench with 19 points, five rebounds and one steal. Nonetheless, the difference maker in Game 1 was the Cavaliers' 20 turnovers in comparison to Detroit's 12. Consequently, taking better care of the basketball is key to avoiding an early multi-game deficit.
With the Pistons having both youth and talent on their side, expect them to keep delivering.
So that is time on another season - and my 650th Derby County commentary for BBC Radio Derby - which came to a poignant end against Sheffield United.
That match also marked the final broadcast for a much‑loved colleague as Eric Steele hung up his microphone at the end of the campaign.
Eric and I have worked hundreds of games together since he returned to Radio Derby in 2018, beginning with a Championship win at Hull City.
Since then, his knowledge, insight and deep connection to Derby County made him the perfect foil - especially for a commentator liable to lose their mind on occasion.
We've been through plenty together. From the uncertainty of the Covid outbreak in 2020, commentating on games in empty stadia and from hospitality boxes at Pride Park watching games on monitors, to covering the dismantling of an established Championship club and then charting its slow, patient rebuild.
Along the way, we also shared the joy - promotion celebrations against Carlisle at Pride Park and the relief of survival the following season.
It has been a privilege to work alongside Eric - not just a safe pair of hands on the pitch, but in the commentary box too. His broadcast experience always stood out, but so did his preparation, understanding of the role and respect for the audience.
Quite simply, he set the standard.
The measure of the man was the response to the news of his retirement. Messages poured in from listeners, alongside voice notes from players, coaches and managers he has worked with across the game.
Even Sir Alex Ferguson, for whom Eric served as goalkeeping coach at Manchester United, took time to congratulate him on his success at BBC Radio Derby.
Next season will feel very different without him.
I am fortunate to be joined by former Rams Premier League striker Malcolm Christie and host Dominic Dietrich, but there is no escaping the fact that Eric leaves behind a vacancy - and a pair of gloves - that will be incredibly tough to fill.
Vegas Golden Knights (39-26-17, in the Pacific Division) vs. Anaheim Ducks (43-33-6, in the Pacific Division)
Anaheim, California; Friday, 9:30 p.m. EDT
LINE: Golden Knights -111, Ducks -108; over/under is 6
NHL PLAYOFFS SECOND ROUND: Series tied 1-1
BOTTOM LINE: The Anaheim Ducks host the Vegas Golden Knights in game three of the second round of the NHL Playoffs with the series tied 1-1. The teams meet Wednesday for the sixth time this season. The Ducks won the previous matchup 3-1.
Anaheim is 43-33-6 overall with a 20-13-1 record against the Pacific Division. The Ducks have gone 43-13-4 in games they score at least three goals.
Vegas is 16-6-6 against the Pacific Division and 39-26-17 overall. The Golden Knights have a 42-6-11 record when scoring at least three goals.
TOP PERFORMERS: Cutter Gauthier has 41 goals and 28 assists for the Ducks. Troy Terry has four goals and six assists over the past 10 games.
Mitchell Marner has 24 goals and 56 assists for the Golden Knights. Jack Eichel has two goals and 14 assists over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Ducks: 6-4-0, averaging 3.7 goals, 6.3 assists, 3.1 penalties and 6.5 penalty minutes while giving up 3.1 goals per game.
Golden Knights: 7-3-0, averaging 3.7 goals, 6.1 assists, 4.1 penalties and 8.6 penalty minutes while giving up 2.4 goals per game.
INJURIES: Ducks: Radko Gudas: day to day (lower body), Petr Mrazek: out for season (lower-body).
Golden Knights: Jeremy Lauzon: out (undisclosed).
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Montreal Canadiens (48-24-10, in the Atlantic Division) vs. Buffalo Sabres (50-23-9, in the Atlantic Division)
Buffalo, New York; Friday, 7 p.m. EDT
LINE: Sabres -138, Canadiens +116; over/under is 5.5
NHL PLAYOFFS SECOND ROUND: Sabres lead series 1-0
BOTTOM LINE: The Buffalo Sabres host the Montreal Canadiens in the second round of the NHL Playoffs with a 1-0 lead in the series. The teams meet Wednesday for the sixth time this season. The Sabres won the previous matchup 4-2.
Buffalo is 50-23-9 overall with a 21-7-5 record in Atlantic Division play. The Sabres are seventh in league play serving 9.7 penalty minutes per game.
Montreal is 20-11-3 against the Atlantic Division and 48-24-10 overall. The Canadiens have a 20-8-2 record in games they score one or more power-play goals.
TOP PERFORMERS: Rasmus Dahlin has 19 goals and 55 assists for the Sabres. Alex Tuch has six goals and four assists over the past 10 games.
Cole Caufield has 51 goals and 37 assists for the Canadiens. Nicholas Suzuki has scored three goals and added six assists over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Sabres: 7-1-2, averaging 3.7 goals, 5.8 assists, 4.6 penalties and 11.1 penalty minutes while giving up 1.8 goals per game.
Canadiens: 5-3-2, averaging 2.4 goals, 4.5 assists, 5.3 penalties and 11.1 penalty minutes while giving up 2.4 goals per game.
INJURIES: Sabres: Noah Ostlund: out (lower body), Jiri Kulich: out for season (ear), Sam Carrick: day to day (arm), Rasmus Dahlin: day to day (undisclosed), Justin Danforth: out for season (kneecap).
Canadiens: Patrik Laine: out (abdomen).
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
The Indiana Pacers have a slightly better than 50% chance of getting a top-four NBA Draft pick. They also have a slightly less than 50% chance of not having a first-round pick.
Even though their chances are a "Survivor"-style coin flip, Bill Simmons of The Ringer believes Indiana has accrued a "swimming pool of karma points" heading into the NBA Draft lottery on Sunday, May 10.
Simmons and "First Things First" co-host Nick Wright talked all things NBA on a recent Simmons podcast, ending the episode by comparing lottery teams and their "karma points." They believe the Pacers have the most, though they can't cash them in for a guaranteed top-four pick.
"They flip the coin, and if it comes up heads, they get a top-four pick. And they get (Ivica) Zubac, and they get Tyrese Haliburton coming back," Simmons said. "(If that happens), they're probably going to be the No. 2 favorite in the East."
Wright said that if there is an "acceptable reason" to throw away a season, Indiana had it, given that they reached Game 7 of the NBA Finals in 2025 and the Eastern Conference Finals in '24.
"We recalibrate it. We didn't tear it down. We took a gap year," Wright said of the Pacers. "They're well-run. They have a plan."
Doyel: 2026 could be the most consequential draft in Pacers history
Rough scenario: What happens if the Pacers don’t get a top-4 pick?
Simmons agreed: "We got to Game 7 of the Finals, we took a risk with our best player, and the worst possible outcome happened, and it ruined our next season."
Haliburton blew out his right Achilles in the first quarter of Game 7, which the Oklahoma City Thunder won. Haliburton missed the 2025-26 season, and massive injury issues early on left the Pacers swimming upstream all season. They wound up 19-63.
3 p.m. ET Sunday, May 10. T.J. McConnell will represent the Pacers.
TV: ABC
The Pacers, Washington Wizards and Brooklyn Nets each have a 14% chance of getting the No. 1 overall pick. The Pacers have a 52.1% chance getting a pick among the first four. Because of a trade with the Los Angeles Clippers to get Zubac, if that pick falls between Nos. 5-9, the Clippers get it.
Dustin Dopirak covers the Pacers all season. Get more coverage on IndyStarTV and with the Pacers Insider newsletter.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: NBA Draft lottery: Indiana Pacers have karma points, according to Bill Simmons
Our Champions League Awards honour the best – and – worst of the semi-final second legs, as Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain progressed to the final.
The rematch between Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain did not quite have the chaos of their nine-goal epic last week, but the Germans will no doubt feel they fell on the wrong side of the drama.
Make no mistake, PSG deserved to progress at the Allianz Arena, but how the game could have been different if decisions had gone Bayern’s way. First, Nuno Mendes avoided a second booking for a clear handball, with the play brought back to penalise Bayern for a handball of their own in the build-up. The evidence of whether the ball did strike Konrad Laimer was inconclusive. Then, with the tie still in the balance, an even more dramatic moment.
The referee waved away Bayern protests after Vitinha blasted the ball against teammate Joao Neves. The ball hit Neves, arm outstretched, on the forearm in the penalty box.
Despite fierce protests from Bayern, the officials waved play on, the correct decision according to the current interpretation of the law, apparently. If a handball occurs after the ball is kicked by one of the player’s team-mates then there is an exemption, another mind-boggling complication to a rule that has become increasingly less and less black and white.
Given the harsh decision to penalise Alphonso Davies for handball in last week’s game and award PSG a penalty, the failure to punish Neves infuriated the Allianz Arena.
Just how good to watch is Khvicha Kvaratskhelia?
Rarely do we see a winger built like a super-middleweight boxer, but Kvaratskhelia is just that. Tall, powerful, but with explosive acceleration and rapid changes of direction.
He was a menace to the Bayern defence all evening, setting up the early opener to become the first player in history to score or assist in seven straight UCL knockout games.
He led the game for dribbles (6), completing all of them, and won a game-high 11 duels. He is craft with graft, however, only Fabian Ruiz recorded more ball recoveries than the Georgian (6). A super talent, who appears to be getting better.
Paris Saint-Germain enjoyed a dream start at the Allianz Arena after opening the scoring inside three minutes. It was a beautiful move from the holders, who went from back-to-front at real speed.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia’s neat flick was followed by Fabian Ruiz’s fabulous first-time pass to release the former down the left, who squared for Ousmane Dembele to emphatically open the scoring. A brilliant team goal.
Age is just a number for Manuel Neuer. After a night to forget in the first leg, the 40-year-old kept Bayern in the tie in the return.
This save from Joao Neves’ header was the best of the lot, after Michael Olise had allowed the PSG midfielder to escape at the back post. He’ll have been grateful to the German giant in goal.
It’s been a long wait for Arsenal, but the Gunners are back in the big time. A 1-0 win over Atletico Madrid means Arsenal will contest the Champions League final for only the second time, and the first in 20 years.
It’s the longest wait between two finals for an English club since Liverpool in 2005.
Read – The best Champions League semi-finals of all time
See more – Iconic Performances: Messi twists Bayern Munich inside out
Thunderbolt in the Bundesliga.
This Thursday morning, Borussia Dortmund caught everyone off guard by announcing Niklas Süle’s retirement at the end of the season.
The German giant explained on the Spielmacher podcast that his decision was driven by his recent fear of having suffered another serious injury, having already torn his cruciate ligaments twice and endured numerous setbacks throughout his career.
"When our doctor did the drawer test in the Hoffenheim dressing room (a test used to detect a possible cruciate ligament tear), looked at the physio while shaking his head, and the physio did the same test without feeling anything, I went to take a shower and cried for ten minutes. At that moment, I really thought: ‘It’s torn.’ When I had the MRI the next day and got the good news (that it was not, in fact, a cruciate ligament tear), I knew, one thousand percent, that it was over. I couldn’t imagine anything worse than looking forward to the future — being independent, going on vacation, spending time with my children — and then having to deal with this third cruciate ligament tear," he said on the podcast.
Over the course of his career, Süle played for Hoffenheim, Bayern Munich and Dortmund, winning the Champions League (x1), the German league title (x5), the German Cup (x2), the German Super Cup (x4), the UEFA Super Cup (x1) and the Club World Cup (x1).
He also earned 49 caps for Germany, scoring one goal in a friendly against Russia in 2018.
This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇫🇷 here.
'Must-win' is a phrase that gets thrown around so flippantly in football it's almost lost all meaning. But Aston Villa's Europa League semi-final second leg against Nottingham Forest at Villa Park might genuinely be the epitome of one, and the stakes extend well beyond ending a three-decade major trophy drought.
Last season, Champions League football carried a novelty value that swept the club along. Next season, with the North Stand redevelopment reducing Villa Park to a 33,000 capacity, it'll potentially be a less spectacular affair. Likely qualification is looking more critical for the balance sheet than as a platform for this team to impress. Five wins in their 16 league games in 2026 tells its own story.
The impact hasn't been felt yet. Villa have two fewer points than they did at this point last season, yet they sit two places higher than they were then.
Their drop-off this year hasn't cost them as dearly as it could have, cushioned by the poor form of others and the extra coefficient place. Yes, there have been mitigating circumstances like key injuries, but they are lucky to still be where they are.
Unai Emery has built something transformative, but this squad - per minutes played this season - is the second oldest in the league, the recruitment hasn't kept pace, and diminishing returns are already showing.
The Europa League in the trophy cabinet would address that, define Emery's era on his own terms and buy time and legitimacy for the rebuild that needs to come.
Forest arrive at Villa Park as the Premier League's form team and they're also five points better off than Villa during 2026, despite spending much of the season embroiled in a relegation battle.
Eight changes at Chelsea and they barely broke sweat in a 3-1 win. Villa's own seven-change experiment against Tottenham was met with boos at Villa Park. The contrast in momentum going into the semi-final couldn't be starker.
Qualifying for the Champions League in two of the past three seasons would be great progress.
However, football has a no-nonsense way of contextualising progress - it asks what you won. Villa's answer to that question has been silence for 30 years.
Thursday night at Villa Park provides a chance to finally say something different.
Find more from David Michael at My Old Man Said
Georgia softball (37-17, 12-12 SEC) finally got over the hump and ended its bad luck streak in the SEC Tournament on Wednesday in Lexington, Ky.
The Bulldogs earned the 9-seed in the SEC Tournament and doubled down on an 8-seeded LSU, knocking them out 7-3 in the second round to advance for the first time in head coach Tony Baldwin's tenure — he's never led them past the second round.
They will face 1-seed Oklahoma (48-7, 20-4) next in the quarterfinals on Thursday, May 7, at 8 p.m. to close out the third day of action.
Georgia has not won a conference tournament title since 2014 under Lu Harris-Champer. And that was the Bulldogs' only conference tournament title in program history, which dates back to 1997.
The last time the Bulldogs and Sooners met on the diamond was just over a week ago. The Sooners welcomed the Bulldogs in Norman, Okla., and swept them, 3-0, in the weekend series with the league's leading home run hitter at the top of the pack. The Sooners won 10-2 in a mercy-ruled six innings in game one, 3-1 in game two and 6-5 in game three.
Here's what you need to know about Georgia-Oklahoma in the quarterfinals of the SEC Tournament:
Georgia vs. Oklahoma softball will be streamed through the SEC Network via ESPN.
Fans looking to stream the games can go to the ESPN app. An ESPN select subscription totals $12.99 monthly or $129.00 annually, while an ESPN unlimited subscription totals $29.99 monthly or $299.99 annually.
There is no other way to tune into these games, as the university is not streaming the game audio on their radiocast.
Georgia vs. Oklahoma softball will throw out its first pitch around 8 p.m. on Thursday, May 7, at John Cropp Stadium in Lexington, Ky.
| Date & Time | Opponent | Location | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb. 6 @ 3:30 p.m. | Missouri State^ | Athens | W, 10-1 (5 inn.) |
| Feb. 6 @ 6 p.m. | Fordham^ | Athens | W, 7-1 |
| Feb. 7 @ 1 p.m. | Fordham^ | Athens | W, 5-1 |
| Feb. 7 @ 3:30 p.m. | Belmont^ | Athens | W, 12-0 (5 inn.) |
| Feb. 8 @ 1 p.m. | Belmont^ | Athens | L, 1-2 |
| Feb. 12 @ 11 a.m. | Oklahoma State# | Clearwater, Fla. | L, 5-6 |
| Feb. 12 @ 4 p.m. | Nebraska# | Clearwater, Fla. | W, 6-5 |
| Feb. 13 @ 9 a.m. | NC State# | Clearwater, Fla. | W, 16-2 (5 inn.) |
| Feb. 13 @ 1 p.m. | UCF# | Clearwater, Fla. | W, 13-5 (5 inn.) |
| Feb. 14 @ 1 p.m. | Northwestern# | Clearwater, Fla. | W, 8-3 |
| Feb. 14 @ 4 p.m. | Duke# | Clearwater, Fla. | W, 9-1 (5 inn.) |
| Feb. 18 @ 4 p.m. | Samford | Athens | W, 13-8 |
| Feb. 20 @ 3:30 p.m. | Seton Hall/ | Athens | W, 9-1 (5 inn.) |
| Feb. 20 @ 6 p.m. | Utah State/ | Athens | W, 4-1 |
| Feb. 21 @ 3:30 p.m. | Virginia Tech/ | Athens | L, 3-9 |
| Feb. 21 @ 6 p.m. | Utah State/ | Athens | W, 11-2 (5 inn.) |
| Feb. 22 @ 1 p.m. | Virginia Tech/ | Athens | L, 3-9 |
| Feb. 25 @ 6 p.m. | Clemson | Athens | L, 1-10 (6 inn.) |
| Feb. 27 @ 6 p.m. | South Alabama// | Athens | W, 8-0 (5 inn.) |
| Feb. 28 @ 1 p.m. | South Alabama// | Athens | W, 9-0 (5 inn.) |
| Feb. 28 @ 3:30 p.m. | UNC-Wilmington// | Athens | W, 9-1 (5 inn.) |
| March 1 @ 1 p.m. | UNC-Wilmington// | Athens | W, 9-1 (5 inn.) |
| March 4 @ 6 p.m. | Georgia State | Athens | W, 9-1 (5 inn.) |
| March 6 @ 3 p.m. | Arkansas* | Fayetteville, Ark. | W, 7-2 |
| March 7 @ 6 p.m. | Arkansas* | Fayetteville, Ark. | L, 6-7 |
| March 8 @ 2 p.m. | Arkansas* | Fayetteville, Ark. | L, 0-6 |
| March 10 @ 6 p.m. | West Georgia | Athens | W, 8-0 (5 inn.) |
| March 18 @ 6 p.m. | Georgia Tech | Athens | W, 5-1 |
| March 20 @ 6 p.m. | Mississippi State* | Athens | W, 6-3 |
| March 21 @ 2 p.m. | Mississippi State* | Athens | L, 2-3 |
| March 22 @ 2 p.m. | Mississippi State* | Athens | W, 7-4 |
| March 25 @ 6 p.m. | Mercer | Athens | W, 18-1 (5 inn.) |
| March 27 @ 6:30 p.m. | Kentucky* | Lexington, Ky. | W, 10-2 (6 inn.) |
| March 28 @ 2 p.m. | Kentucky* | Lexington, Ky. | W, 11-1 (5 inn.) |
| March 29 @ 1 p.m. | Kentucky* | Lexington, Ky. | W, 5-0 |
| April 2 @ 7 p.m. | Texas A&M* | College Station, Texas | L, 2-3 |
| April 3 @ 5 p.m. | Texas A&M* | College Station, Texas | W, 10-6 |
| April 3 @ 7:30 p.m. | Texas A&M* | College Station, Texas | L, 1-2 |
| April 8 @ 6 p.m. | USC-Upstate | Athens | W, 19-6 (5 inn.) |
| April 10 @ 6 p.m. | Missouri* | Athens | W, 8-0 (5 inn.) |
| April 11 @ 2 p.m. | Missouri* | Athens | L, 3-4 |
| April 12 @ 2 p.m. | Missouri* | Athens | W, 4-0 |
| April 15 @ 6 p.m. | Kennesaw State | Kennesaw, Ga. | W, 7-5 |
| April 18 @ 4 p.m. | Texas* | Athens | L, 5-7 |
| April 19 @ Noon | Texas* | Athens | W, 4-2 |
| April 20 @ 7 p.m. | Texas* | Athens | L, 3-6 (8 inn.) |
| April 22 @ 6 p.m. | Georgia Southern | Athens | W, 8-0 (5 inn.) |
| April 24 @ 7:30 p.m. | Oklahoma* | Norman, Okla. | L, 2-10 (6 inn.) |
| April 25 @ 2:30 p.m. | Oklahoma* | Norman, Okla. | L, 1-3 |
| April 26 @ 1:30 p.m. | Oklahoma* | Norman, Okla. | L, 5-6 |
| April 30 @ 6 p.m. | Florida* | Athens | L, 3-5 |
| May 1 @ 6 p.m. | Florida* | Athens | W, 10-9 |
| May 2 @ Noon | Florida* | Athens | W, 9-1 (5 inn.) |
| May 6 @ 8 p.m. | LSU** | Lexington, Ky. | W, 7-3 |
| May 7 @ 8 p.m. | Oklahoma** | Lexington, Ky. | |
| May 15-17 | NCAA Regional | Campus sites | |
| May 21-24 | NCAA Super Regional | Campus sites | |
| May 28-June 5 | Women's College World Series | Oklahoma City, Okla. |
This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: Georgia softball vs. Oklahoma pitch time, how to watch SEC Tournament
There was perhaps no bigger name in the last 50 years in the history of our state than Ted Turner. So much of what he did as an entrepreneur has benefitted all of us and will continue to for decades to come.
Part of his story, of course, is that of a sports team owner. Ted (he wanted all of us to call him Ted, so let’s do that) owned the Atlanta Braves, Atlanta Hawks, Atlanta Thrashers and even the Atlanta Chiefs soccer team. Sports on television in Georgia was led for many years by a former UHF television station in Atlanta – WTCG Channel 17 – that became The SuperStation WTBS.
His impact on how we watch sports and television in general is unparalleled.
Fifty years ago, Ted bought the Braves, who were so bad then many believed they could have possibly moved out of Atlanta. He mainly wanted them to help program his television station, but in time he became a fan and like anything he owned, he wanted them to be successful.
Heck, he even managed the Braves for one game before MLB Commissioner Bowie Kuhn ruled Turner couldn’t do that.
The stories of Ted Turner, simply in sports, are unlimited. We could fill several newspaper pages with them. He would have a thought and do it. He wanted people to be entertained, wanted people to come to the park. He would think of the most outrageous things and think it would work. It usually did.
When he bought the Braves, they were bad, really bad. There were not crowds at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium, but instead small gatherings. Ted would try to get people to come out by having different events. He had the broadcasters race him on ostriches. Yes, ostrich races. He had Karl Wallenda walk across the stadium on a tightrope. To promote his Channel 17, he actually made Andy Messersmith, his first free agent signing, have the word “Channel” put above the 17 on the back of his jersey. The commissioner put a stop to that, as well.
On certain Sundays after the Braves games, he would have Georgia Championship Wrestling matches in the old picnic area. If you didn’t want to come watch the Braves play baseball, maybe you’d want to go watch wrestling.
Wrestling was as much a part of early-WTBS days as anything. He would have five hours each weekend of Georgia Championship Wrestling, making people like Dusty Rhodes, Mr. Wrestling II and Ric Flair household names in our state.
You could watch the old sitcoms during the day, the Braves at night, and wrestling over the weekend. Of course, he didn’t want to be like the other networks, so programming on WTBS started at :05 or :35. And who could miss the Academy Award theater on Sunday mornings?
The Andy Griffith Show, Space Giants, Georgia Championship Wrestling, and the Braves – that was my childhood. It was all on TBS.
Ted had his box at the stadium, right near the dugout. Occasionally, when the Braves did something big, he would jump out of his owner’s box and congratulate the player on the field. When the Braves won, he would be in the dugout to shake their hands. He would have team meetings and give speeches that would rival a war general.
If you went to a Braves game in the late-1970s, you would probably see Ted running up the aisles to the concession stand, usually in his flip-flops. He was the first one to decide to put TVs at the concession stands, so people could still see the game when they went to get a beer or hot dog. Then he decided he wanted to be served in his box, so he was the first owner to have wait service in the expensive seats.
Ted was hands-on with the Braves. While he allowed Bill Lucas, the first black executive to run a baseball team, to hire Bobby Cox as manager in 1978, he let others convince him to fire Cox after the 1981 season.
When Ted had the press conference to announce Cox’s firing, Cox was sitting right next to Ted. A reporter asked Turner what he was looking for in a new manager. Ted said, “Well, if I hadn’t just fired him, I’d be looking for someone just like Bobby Cox.”
Instead, Turner hired Joe Torre, who led the Braves to a NL West division title in 1982. That year, Turner had the bold idea of producing a TV show that would be a behind-the-scenes look at a baseball season. “It’s a Long Way to October” was a five-hour special that aired in the winter of 1983, and it was way before it’s time.
The Braves on TBS became “America’s Team.” Baseball fans in all 50 states, especially ones without a hometown baseball team, watched the Braves every night at 7:35. They fell in love with Phil Niekro, Dale Murphy, Bob Horner, Glenn Hubbard and Bruce Benedict. Fans loved the announcers – Ernie Johnson, Pete Van Wieren, Skip Caray, and even John Sterling, who ironically died earlier this week. So many baseball fans, so many Braves fans, started watching because of Turner putting the Braves on a satellite back in the late-1970s.
Ted even made trades. In August 1983, the Braves had tried to acquire Rangers’ left-hander Rick Honeycutt. Instead, he was traded to the Dodgers. So, Turner panicked, knowing the Braves had to have another pitcher to get back to the playoffs. He traded three players to be named later to Cleveland for Len Barker.
The problem was that word leaked out one of the players who would head to Cleveland after the season was fan favorite Brett Butler, who went directly to Turner and asked him if he was in the trade. Turner didn’t answer, but he winked at Butler, who then shared the story with reporters.
Kuhn, who never had much love for Turner, threatened to send Butler to Cleveland immediately. Instead, Kuhn fined Turner $50,000 for telling Butler he was involved, and he allowed Butler to remain with the Braves for the rest of the 1983 season.
That deal is still considered one of the worst trades in Braves history. Butler went on to have a tremendous MLB career. Barker was a huge flop for the Braves.
Turner enraged other owners by offering huge contracts. He tried to sign Pete Rose, Dave Winfield, Don Sutton, and Rich Gossage. The two he did convince to sign with the Braves, Al Hrabosky and Bruce Sutter, were paid a fortune but their best days were behind them.
The most important decision Ted ever made was in 1985. The Braves had fired Torre the year before and then collapsed in 1985 with Eddie Haas as manager. At the same time, Turner was trying to buy things – like movie studios and CBS. He didn’t have time run the Braves.
Ted wanted Cox to come back and manage the Braves, but Cox was managing Toronto in the AL Championship Series. Worried he’d miss out on getting a good manager, Turner hired Chuck Tanner, who had just been fired in Pittsburgh, to manage the team. But after Toronto was eliminated by Kansas City (ironically led by some guy named John Schuerholz), Turner asked Cox if he’d come back and be the general manager of the Braves and have full authority to make the team a winner.
Cox had a young family, and he still lived in the Atlanta area. So, he made the jump. At the same time, Turner told, not asked, but told Stan Kasten, at the time the successful general manager of Turner’s Atlanta Hawks, to be the Braves President. The combination of Kasten and Cox, along with Scouting Director Paul Snyder, led to a change in the history of the Atlanta Braves.
Long-known as a hitting team, mainly because of Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium being a home run haven, Cox instead wanted to make the Braves all about pitching. He drafted pitchers more than ever before. If he made a trade, a pitcher would always be acquired. That decision led to the Braves becoming great in 1991, and the history of the franchise changed forever.
But if Turner had not realized that his involvement, as direct as what George Steinbrenner did in New York with the Yankees, was not working and that he needed to back away, all of that success we’ve enjoyed the last 35 years may have never happened.
In 1995, Turner hoisted the World Series trophy when Atlanta beat Cleveland in six games. That process all started with his moves a decade earlier. It was the most consequential decision in the history of state of Georgia sports – the return of Cox and the addition of Kasten to the Braves front office. It changed the Braves from a joke of a franchise to the winning team we still see to this day.
That’s why when the new stadium opened in 1996 after the Olympics, Kasten decided to name it Turner Field, to honor Ted’s contributions to the Braves. He deserved that honor.
Turner’s empire, Turner Broadcasting, later merged with Time Warner. Then a few years later, it merged with AOL, which was a disaster. Turner was edged out, or fired as he claimed. The Braves and Hawks were sold, and it’s now so corporate that it is just not the same as it was when Ted owned, and cared, about the team.
Ted made his mark with the Hawks, as well. When Kasten worked out a trade to acquire former Georgia star Dominique Wilkins, the Utah Jazz needed $1 million dollars as part of the deal. Kasten asked Turner, struggling financially with CNN at the time, if he could make the trade. Turner said he’d get the money, somehow, someway, and he did. Wilkins went on to become the best player in Hawks history.
Turner first aired SEC football games on cable television. Remember Bob Neal and Tim Foley doing SEC games on Saturdays on TBS? Neal also hosted a one-of-a-kind NFL show on Saturday nights from the Stadium Club called “Football Saturday on TBS.” It included Paul Hornung, Alec Hawkins, and former Falcons coach Norm Van Brocklin. It was way before its time in football programming.
When the United States and the Soviet Union were boycotting the Olympics in the 1980s, Turner started the Goodwill Games. After he started TNT in the late-1980s, Turner went after the cable deal for the NBA, and it was on that network until last season. The first Sunday night NFL broadcast was on TNT.
And before ESPN’s SportsCenter became the show to watch, CNN Sports Tonight with Nick Charles and Fred Hickman was the sports highlights show. Yes, in the first 20 years of CNN, they aired sports highlights, not just people yelling at each other.
Turner’s accomplishments are incredible. No one can even come close to the impact he’s had on sports in the state of Georgia. How many times have you heard someone say, “I sure do wish Ted still owned the Braves.” That’s because he was accountable. He was a man of the people. He would talk to the fans. Fans knew he wanted the team to win, just like they did. Now, corporate ownership has infested the Braves and their shopping mall, and there is no accountability at all.
And, yes, Turner even inspired me to name my radio stations as The SuperStations. It’s all about Georgia sports, so it kind of fit, don’t you think? I did it to pay homage to Turner and what we all grew up watching when we became Braves and Hawks fans.
Ted had one hell of a life. He was an innovator, a larger-than-life character. He changed television, but he changed Georgia sports, as well. We should all be thankful for what he did for us sports fans in the state of Georgia.
Listen to The Bill Shanks Show on The SuperStations – 104.3 FM in Savannah and online at TheSuperStations.com. Email Bill at TheBillShanksShow@yahoo.com.
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Ted Turner left indelible mark on Georgia as Braves, Hawks owner
The 2026 free agency frenzy is essentially over. The 2026 NFL Draft is in the rear-view mirror. The Tennessee Titans held their rookie minicamp last weekend, and now the players can slow down and enjoy the moment. The rookies will especially need some time to process everything that's happened over the last few months before they can truly appreciate where they are.
They'll have to lean on that appreciation a lot in their first year. Not only do they have the stress of learning a new system, learning a new city, learning a new locker room, and going through the transition to become a pro, but they'll have their "rookie duties" to handle, too. Even first-round draft pick Carnell Tate will have duties to handle.
Carnell Tate will
— John LeBron (@John_LeBron6) May 5, 2026
In fact have his rookie duties 😅#titanspic.twitter.com/Levni8F7jY
"He's just like everybody else. Those rookie dinners and things like that, but really excited about him. I think he's going to elevate our offense and do great things, so, [I'm] ready to work with him," Wan'Dale Robinson says.
An off-camera voice reminds Robinson that he's just signed a new contract and wonders if he's still going to make Tate foot the bill.
"Oh yeah, he's gonna have his rookie duties," Robinson replies, laughing. He continues, "I don't care if I just got a new deal, he just got a new deal, too!"
NFL rookie duties may vary a little by team, but they all have things that veterans "request" (read: require) of their newly signed rookies. Paying for dinner and requiring random tasks, all in good fun. And first-round draft picks are not exempt from those duties, no matter how excited their teammates are to have them on board. You have to earn the respect of your new teammates just like you had to earn the respect of your teammates in college and before that. In the NFL, this is how it starts.
This article originally appeared on Titans Wire: Titans' Wan'Dale Robinson says Carnell Tate will have rookie duties
Washington Commanders general manager Adam Peters should be patting himself on the back after what appears to be a successful free agency period and a successful 2026 NFL Draft.
Peters had just six picks to work with in this year's draft, and he, along with Dan Quinn and their entire team, really put in the work during this draft season. They evaluated, assessed, hosted players for visits, attended Pro Days and the NFL Combine, and they ultimately had a fantastic plan entering Day 1. On Day 2, Peters surprised many by drafting Clemson wide receiver Antonio Williams.
It is thought that if Carnell Tate had been available at No. 7, he would have been the pick for the Commanders. But Tate was swooped up by the Tennessee Titans at No. 4, and the Commanders were not upset to land Tate's teammate, Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles. Still, they needed a wide receiver, which is how they landed on Williams in the third round. Despite being a third-round pick, Williams is already slated to line up across from Terry McLaurin, and it's possible he proves to be the exact piece the Commanders were looking for.
Matt Harmon, creator of Reception Perception (wide receiver analysis), spoke with 106.7 The Fan in Washington, D.C., this week about Williams.
Antonio Williams showcases incredible skill against man coverage, consistently creating separation on deep routes. Matt Harmon views this as something that was needed badly for the Commanders. pic.twitter.com/VcR3DGpHbt
— 106.7 The Fan (@1067theFan) May 4, 2026
"One of the key things that stands out with Williams, and Adam Peters actually mentioned this in his post-draft presser, I think you saw a real ability for Antonio Williams to beat man coverage, to separate at all three levels, particularly on downfield routes. Some of these guys have failed to translate in this smaller receiver archetype. They haven't necessarily been the guys that are reliable separators against man coverage downfield. They can eventually crack open that hole in zone, but Williams is a guy who really shows the ability to snap off routes against man coverage in the intermediate and deeper areas, which I think is a pretty good proof-of-concept. Plus, 5'11 and just under 190 pounds, he shows a real willingness to mix it up and get dirty in the blocking game."
Harmon is an incredibly reliable resource and someone who absolutely knows what he's talking about. Reception Perception has been around since 2014, with player bios and analysis that's now expanded to include tight ends, running backs, and quarterbacks. He digs in and analyzes how players perform outside the box score, and with his plethora of knowledge and years of experience, it's pretty safe to say he knows what he's talking about.
Some questioned Peters' choice of Williams in the third round, specifically over some of the other receivers available. At the 2026 NFL combine, his stock improved, but not markedly. But, as with some of their other draft selections, Peters likely saw something in Williams' game that made him believe he could be the guy they need. Of course, most everyone is waiting on the Brandon Aiyuk situation to be over as well, but Peters couldn't rely on landing him, considering he's still under contract with another team.
Williams is going to surprise people in 2026. He may not be a superstar with elite speed, but if he can run his routes, make adjustments mid-game, and actually catch the passes that are thrown his way, and show off his after-the-catch ability, he will be well on his way to taking the pressure off Terry McLaurin — with or without Aiyuk.
This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Washington Commanders: Analyst believes Antonio Williams is a steal
Alvaro Zornoza added yet another impressive accolade to his 2025-26 resume when College Sports Communicators (CSC) selected the junior standout as its Academic All-America Men's Swimming and Diving Division II Team Member of the Year, headlining a list of three Drury men's swimmers to be honored as part of the organization's top scholar-athlete team.
In addition to Zornoza's honor, fellow Panthers Ivan Adamchuk and Yuri Cabral were chosen for the CSC's 11-man top academic team, making Drury the lone NCAA institution at any level to produce three First-Team Academic All-America swimmers this year.
On the women's side, Maria Fe Munoz was selected for Third-Team Academic All-America recognition, bringing Drury's total number of honorees to four for 2025-26.
As voted by the CSC membership, the 2025-26 Academic All-America Men's and Women's Swimming & Diving Teams recognize the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances in the pool and in the classroom.
A junior from Gijon, Spain, Zornoza is the first Drury student-athlete to be honored as a CSC Academic All-America Team Member of the Year. A mathematics major who has maintained a 4.00 grade-point average at Drury, he led the Panthers to a national runner-up finish at the 2026 NCAA Division II Swimming and Diving Championships in March, claiming an individual national title in the 200 back (1:41.20). He took home second place in the 100 back and third in the 200 IM. In addition he swam legs of the Panthers' 400 medley and 800 free relay teams, both of which brought home runner-up finishes at the national meet.
Zornoza also turned in a strong showing at this year's GLVC Championships, helping Drury to a second-place finish. That performance included a GLVC Championship record-breaking time of 1:42.67 in the 200 back, as well as a first-place effort in the 100 back (46.39).
Adamchuk earned a spot on CSC's top academic squad for the second year in a row, making him the first Panther to garner multiple First-Team Academic All-America nods. The junior from Brest, Belarus turned in a national runner-up finish in the 200 back, a third-place finish in the 100 back and a sixth-place effort in the 200 IM at the NCAA Championships this spring.
Cabral was named to a CSC Academic All-America team for the first time as a Panther following a breakthrough campaign that saw the Bauru, Brazil product log a pair of top eight finishes at the 2026 NCAA Championships in addition to powering four Drury relay teams to podium finishes. The junior placed seventh in the 100 free and eighth in the 50 free, and contributed to national runner-up efforts by the Panthers' 200 medley and 400 medley relay teams. Munoz earned Academic All-District honors for the second year in a row earlier this month following a breakthrough senior campaign for the Panthers. The Cajamarca, Peru native earned three individual All-America citations at the 2026 NCAA Division II Swimming and Diving Championships, including a national runner-up finish in the 200 fly after claiming the Great Lakes Valley Conference individual title in the same event.
This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Drury swimmer Alvaro Zornoza earns top academic honor
Massachusetts is hockey country. The list of South Shore legends is long.
In light of the country's 250th birthday, let's look back into the local scene's history to highlight the best players to ever play high school hockey here (and perhaps to go on to light up the collegiate and pro levels, too). After exhaustive research, our staff narrowed it down to what we consider to be the South Shore's top 10 high school boys hockey players ever.
Among all of the jaw-dropping talent, who can rightfully be called the best of the best? Cast a vote for your favorite candidate. Voting is unlimited.
Here is our list of 10 worthy candidates, listed alphabetically.
Amonte totaled 198 total points in his sophomore, junior and senior years of high school while leading Thayer to two New England Championships. The 1989 graduate was drafted in the fourth round (68th overall) by the New York Rangers after his junior year of high school. Amonte went on to play two seasons at Boston University before turning pro in 1991-92, and becoming a five-time NHL All-Star and two-time Olympian in 16 years in the league with stops in Chicago, New York (Rangers), Calgary, Philadelphia and Phoenix.
Carey posted a combined 45-2 record across three high school seasons -- one season at BC High (12-0) and two at Catholic Memorial (33-2) from 1989-92. He was selected by Washington in the 1992 NHL Entry Draft before playing two collegiate seasons at Wisconsin. Carey's junior and senior years in high school were the start of CM winning 12 of 15 Division 1A Super 8s. He won the Vezina Trophy, which highlights the NHL's top goaltender, as a second-year player with the Capitals, and played five pro seasons in total (which includes tenures with the Bruins and Blues).
The Weymouth High grad played two seasons at Thayer Academy in Braintree before being a first-round pick of the San Jose Sharks in 2010. He had a 48-point season at Thayer and a 63-point season with the South Shore Kings in high school. At Boston University, Coyle was named New England and Hockey East Rookie of the Year. He amassed over 1,000 career games in the NHL in 14 seasons with tenures in Minnesota, Boston, Colorado and Columbus.
The 1975 graduate went on to become the all-time points leader (243) at the University of New Hampshire and was the last player cut from the famous 'Miracle on Ice' squad that claimed gold in the 1980 Olympics. In 2005, Cox was named to the Massachusetts Hockey Hall of Fame for leading Archbishop Williams to a pair of state final appearances. He was drafted by the Bruins with the 122nd overall selection in the seventh round of the 1977 NHL Draft.
Craig manned Team USA's net in the 'Miracle on Ice' victory in 1980, swatting aside 36 shots in the 4-3 victory over the Soviet Union just five years after graduating high school. He is in the Hockey Hall of Fame, Boston University Hall of Fame and Massasoit Community College Hall of Fame. Craig owned a 54-2 career record in net at OA, and went on to go 55-10-3 in three years at BU (where he won a national championship) before playing 30 games in the NHL as a fourth-round pick by Atlanta.
Langway led Randolph High to state final appearances as a sophomore in 1973 and as a senior in 1975. The Hockey Hall of Famer won the Norris Trophy as the NHL's most outstanding defenseman twice (1983-84) and was six games shy of the 1,000 career games across tenures in Montreal and Washington. He played two years at the University of New Hampshire and was a second-round pick in the 1977 NHL Entry Draft. The six-time All-Star retired after 15 seasons with 329 total points.
McInnis scored a combined 91 points in his final two years at Milton Academy from 1986-1988 before being selected by the Islanders in the eighth round of the 1988 NHL Entry Draft. At Boston College, McInnis racked up 142 points in three seasons. He played for the 1992 Olympic team and played 12 pro seasons with the New York, Calgary, Anaheim and Boston. He retired in 2003 with 420 career points – 170 goals, 250 assists – in 796 regular season games.
Roenick led Thayer Academy to a pair of New England championships before blossoming into a 20-year NHL veteran and 2024 Hockey Hall of Fame inductee. The eighth overall selection by Chicago in the 1988 NHL Entry Draft, Roenick concluded his career with 1,216 points across 1,363 games played with Chicago, Phoenix, Philadelphia, Los Angeles and San Jose. He retired in 2009 as a nine-time NHL All-Star.
After the Brockton native and former Pembroke resident graduated from Silver Lake in 1983, Stevens went on to become a Boston College Hall of Famer and two-time Stanley Cup champion with the Pittsburgh Penguins. The three-time NHL All-Star played 15 pro seasons with stops in Pittsburgh, Boston, Los Angeles, New York (Rangers) and Philadelphia, finishing with 726 career points across 874 games. Stevens was a sixth-round selection by the LA Kings in the 1983 Entry Draft, but was dealt to Pittsburgh before debuting at 22 years old.
Sweeney had an 88-point senior season (32 goals, 56 assists) at Weymouth North in 1984-85, and went on to star at Boston College for four years before logging eight pro seasons in the NHL. A sixth-round choice by Calgary in the 1985 Entry Draft, Sweeney played 291 games in the pros with additional stops in Boston, Anaheim and New York (Rangers). As a senior at BC, Sweeney boasted a team-high 73 points as the Eagles advanced to the NCAA championship quarterfinals. He is enshrined in the college's Hall of Fame.
This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: Vote for greatest South Shore boys hockey player of all time
PAK vs AUS ODI series 2026: Will Australia players miss IPL 2026 playoffs for Pakistan tour? originally appeared on Cricket News. Add Cricket News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Australia are heading back to Pakistan for a 50-over series for the first time since 2022, with the Pakistan Cricket Board confirming the tour on Thursday.
That previous visit, four years ago, ended in a 2-1 series victory for the hosts. Earlier this year, Australia also toured Pakistan for a three-match T20I assignment, where they were swept 3-0 in Lahore.
The touring party is scheduled to land in Islamabad on May 23, with the first of three ODIs set for Rawalpindi on May 30. The final two matches move to the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on June 2 and June 4, with all three games beginning at 4:30 pm local time.
MORE: IND vs AUS: Australia’s Men, Women, U19 teams to visit India before 2027 BGT
The opening ODI falls a day before the IPL 2026 final at Ahmedabad's Narendra Modi Stadium, meaning players whose franchises reach the playoff stage will almost certainly not be available at the start of the tour.
Players who might be eliminated earlier in the competition, among them ODI captain Mitchell Marsh (Delhi Capitals), wicketkeeper Josh Inglis (Lucknow Super Giants), and Cameron Green (Kolkata Knight Riders), could realistically make it to Rawalpindi in time for the first match.
MORE: CA offers Cummins mega contract to fend off franchise cricket's $10 million lure
Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc, and Travis Head are expected to be rested ahead of the Test series against Bangladesh in August, making this series a likely opportunity for fringe players to stake their claims.
Cooper Connolly, Xavier Bartlett, Ben Dwarshuis, and Matthew Short may also be given some time away ahead of Australia's white-ball tour of Bangladesh in June.
On the other hand, Alex Carey, Adam Zampa, and Marnus Labuschagne, featured in the Pakistan Super League recently, and are likely to be available.
Nathan Ellis, who missed the IPL with a hamstring problem, has returned to bowling and could feature, while Matthew Renshaw is also in contention.
| Date | Event | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| May 23 | Australia arrive | Islamabad |
| May 30 | 1st ODI | Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi |
| June 2 | 2nd ODI | Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore |
| June 4 | 3rd ODI | Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore |
The summit clash will be held on May 31, and the venue has been changed from M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru, to Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad.
| Match | Date | Venue | Teams |
|---|---|---|---|
| Qualifier 1 | May 26, 2026 | HPCA Stadium, Dharamshala | 1st place vs 2nd place |
| Eliminator | May 27, 2026 | New International Cricket Stadium, New Chandigarh | 3rd place vs 4th place |
| Qualifier 2 | May 29, 2026 | New International Cricket Stadium, New Chandigarh | Loser of Q1 vs Winner of Eliminator |
| Final | May 31, 2026 | Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad | Winner of Q1 vs Winner of Q2 |
To keep up to date with all the latest cricket news and share your opinion on the biggest topics visit our Facebook, Instagram and X (Twitter) pages.
Thirty years after his victory at his home track, Chemung native Geoff Bodine will be among five former drivers who help celebrate 40 years of NASCAR Cup Series races at Watkins Glen International.
Watkins Glen's annual NASCAR weekend runs from Friday, May 8 until Sunday, May 10.
More: NASCAR set for May racing at Watkins Glen. What you need to know
Bodine, who won WGI's Cup race in 1996 and the Daytona 500 40 years ago among 18 career wins in the series, will be honorary driver of the pace car for the Cup Series' Go Bowling at The Glen. The event is scheduled for 3 p.m. Sunday.
"It’s incredibly meaningful to have Geoff back at Watkins Glen International in such a special role to close out the weekend,” WGI President Dawn Burlew said in a press release.
"Geoff’s success here — including a memorable Cup Series win at his home track — combined with the lasting impact he and the entire Bodine family have had on this region makes this a truly fitting moment."
Geoff's brother Todd Bodine, a two-time Truck Series champion, will be honorary starter for Saturday's O'Reilly Auto Parts Series' Mission 200 at The Glen. Sports-car veteran Butch Leitzinger will serve as grand marshal for the 4 p.m. race.
"Butch’s incredible success on the world stage, including multiple wins at the Rolex 24, and his history competing here at The Glen, speaks to the deep sports-car roots of this facility," Burlew said.
"At the same time, Todd’s legacy as a champion in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and his strong ties to this region make him a perfect fit to represent our fans and community. Together, they reflect both the tradition and the versatility that define racing at Watkins Glen."
Ron Fellows, a two-time Craftsman Truck Series winner at WGI, will be grand marshal for Friday's Bully Hill Vineyards 176 at The Glen. Former NASCAR driver Joe Nemechek will be the honorary starter for the 4:30 p.m. Truck Series race.
“Ron and Joe’s success together here at The Glen, including with the Bully Hill Vineyards name on their truck, speaks for itself and the fans still connect with what they accomplished here,” Burlew said.
With the planned 2020 race moved from Watkins Glen to Daytona International Speedway's road course, this year will mark 40 races at The Glen since it became a fixture on the Cup schedule in 1986.
Geoff Bodine will join Ernie Irvan, another past Cup Series winner at Watkins Glen, as part of a meet-and-greet from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, May 9 at GCP Discount Liquors in Horseheads.
The former drivers are part of the Rocavaka Champions Series of vodka bottles.
Bottles can be purchased for $25.99 and fans who buy a bottle can get it signed.
GCP Discount Liquors is located at 1020 Center Street.
This article originally appeared on Elmira Star-Gazette: Watkins Glen International to celebrate 40 years of Cup races
The Buffalo Sabres spent weeks dragging around a powerless power play — then turned it into the defining storyline of Game 1 against the Montreal Canadiens.
Buffalo’s 4-2 win Wednesday night at KeyBank Center was about control. The Sabres dictated the pace early, forced Montreal into undisciplined mistakes, and punished the Canadiens every time the game tilted toward special teams.
After entering the second round buried under criticism for a power play that had gone ice cold late in the regular season and through much of the first round, Buffalo suddenly looked dangerous again with the extra attacker — and that completely changed the tone of the series opener.
Montreal never looked fully settled in the opening period, and a large part of that came from the Canadiens repeatedly putting themselves on the wrong side of the whistle. Buffalo attacked with speed off the rush, pressured Montreal’s defense into hurried decisions, and capitalized on loose puck battles that forced the Canadiens into scrambling situations.
The Sabres quickly made those mistakes costly.
Josh Doan opened the scoring early in the first period, giving Buffalo immediate momentum before the Canadiens had a chance to establish any structure. From there, the game began tilting heavily toward special teams. Ryan McLeod doubled Buffalo’s lead on the power play midway through the opening frame, finishing off a sequence that showcased far better puck retrievals and cleaner movement than the Sabres had shown at any point late in the Boston series.
Instead of overhandling pucks along the perimeter or settling for one-and-done possessions, Buffalo attacked decisively. The Sabres won loose pucks, created second opportunities, and finally looked confident operating with space.
As Josh Doan put it afterward, “it was hit-or-miss throughout the end of year,” but Buffalo emphasized recovering pucks and avoiding “one-and-dones” on the power play — something the Sabres executed far better Wednesday night.
Montreal briefly grabbed life when Nick Suzuki scored on the power play late in the first period, but even that moment failed to slow Buffalo’s push.
One of the biggest differences Wednesday night was how effectively Buffalo rolled through its lineup. While Montreal spent much of the night trying to recover from early penalties and chase momentum, the Sabres continued finding production from secondary pieces.
Jordan Greenway restored Buffalo’s two-goal cushion early in the second period after capitalizing on defensive confusion around the net, and Bowen Byram later added another power-play goal that effectively reestablished control after Montreal had started finding some offensive rhythm.
Buffalo’s stars did not dominate the scoresheet, but the Sabres hardly needed them to. Their depth forwards consistently won battles below the goal line, pressured Montreal’s breakout, and forced the Canadiens into uncomfortable defensive-zone shifts that drained energy from their top players.
Doan and Zach Benson were especially effective driving play in the middle six, and Buffalo’s third line repeatedly tilted the ice whenever it jumped over the boards.
That depth also helped neutralize Montreal’s top unit at even strength. Outside of isolated pushes, the Canadiens struggled to generate sustained offensive-zone pressure five-on-five, and many of their best opportunities came only after Buffalo turnovers rather than controlled offensive execution.
Lindy Ruff pointed to that balance after the game, noting that Buffalo has consistently relied on “another line” stepping up when the team’s top players are contained.
For Buffalo, the biggest development may have simply been psychological.
The Sabres entered the night carrying the weight of a brutal stretch on the power play. They closed the regular season without a power-play goal over their final weeks and then managed just one goal with the man advantage in their entire first-round series against Boston. Every failed opportunity had started creating more hesitation.
Wednesday looked completely different.
The puck movement was quicker. Entries were cleaner. Players attacked downhill instead of waiting for perfect looks to develop. Most importantly, Buffalo finally looked aggressive retrieving pucks after missed shots or blocked attempts — an area that had completely disappeared during their slump.
The Canadiens’ lack of discipline only amplified that issue. Montreal repeatedly lost positioning in transition and forced itself into reactive penalties trying to recover defensively. Against a power play desperate for confidence, that became a dangerous formula.
Ruff acknowledged afterward that Buffalo “took advantage of some good breaks” while also making “a couple of good plays” on the power play.
Buffalo also continued receiving elite goaltending from Alex Lyon, who once again stabilized the game whenever Montreal threatened to push momentum the other direction. Since replacing Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen during the Boston series, Lyon has given the Sabres a calming presence in net and allowed them to play aggressively in front of him.
Kirby Dach’s second-period goal briefly tightened the scoreline, but Buffalo closed the game down effectively in the third period, limiting Montreal’s clean looks and avoiding the kind of defensive breakdowns that fueled chaos earlier in the playoffs.
Now the pressure shifts squarely onto the Canadiens entering Game 2.
Montreal showed flashes offensively, particularly from Suzuki’s line, but the Canadiens spent too much of the night chasing the game after self-inflicted mistakes. Against a Buffalo team that suddenly looks confident again on special teams, that is not a sustainable formula for winning this series.
Martin St. Louis still believed there were positives for Montreal despite the loss, saying afterward he liked that the Canadiens’ top players “got more touches and space,” but he also admitted Montreal has to be better in 50-50 puck battles and managing the puck in the offensive zone.
Game 2 takes place on Friday. Coverage begins at 7 p.m. local time from KeyBank Center.
When Miya DeBlecourt and Kate Van Appledorn joined the Holland Christian track and field team as juniors, they were just hoping to have some fun.
That fun quickly turned into success - in record form.
Van Appledorn broke the school record in the shot put last year and has rebroken it as a senior (41 feet, 3 inches).
Meanwhile, DeBlecourt broke the school record in the discus with a throw of 118-1, breaking the mark of 117-5 set by Olivia Schipper in 2012.
"Last year, we were not super good at technique and now we are working on fundamentals and getting stronger on the side," DeBlecourt said. "It has given us more confidence because we have developed that strength and technique. Setting the school record was really awesome, seeing that hard work pay off."
Van Appledorn has since broken DeBlecourt’s school discus record with a throw of 127-6 as the pair continues to push each other.
More: Hope's Lincoln Phillips claims historic MIAA decathlon crown; Hope 1-2 in heptathlon too
That hard work has come from working on the small things. Last year, it was brute strength for the Maroons pair of near-6-footers.
"I think now that I know what I am doing a little better, I can work on the finer skills and get more technical about it," Van Appledorn said.
The other big factor is going head-to-head every day.
"We get to push each other. I hang out with her in the weight room, at school, at practice, pretty much everywhere," Van Appledorn said. "We make each other better every day by competing against each other."
DeBlecourt agreed.
"Kate is one of my best friends," she said. "I look up to her so much because she is so disciplined and pushes me every day."
They get along so well and push each other so much that they are not ready to be done as teammates.
Both have committed to throw at Calvin University next year.
"Just starting the sport last year, I didn't really see it going super far, but I have had a lot of success," DeBlecourt said. "I am really happy to have that opportunity alongside Kate."
Van Appledorn was already headed to Calvin for volleyball, but couldn't pass an opportunity to double up.
"I just really enjoyed my high school experience and when Miya told me she was looking into Calvin, I really wanted to keep playing a sport with her," she said.
Throws have not been the strength of the Maroons track and field program in a long time. But this senior duo - and coach James Viel -has changed that and made for a well-rounded team that could challenge for a state title, especially with the distance runners who led the Maroons to the cross country championship in the fall.
"Every event is strong on this team and that is really fun to see," Van Appledorn said. "We want to make it to state, keep growing and finish the season strong."
Contact sports editor Dan D’Addona at Dan.D’Addona@hollandsentinel.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter @DanDAddona or Facebook @HollandSentinelSports.
This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Holland Christian throwers transformed Maroons track and field program
QUINCY -- Tricia Grant spent 27 years playing in the Quincy Women's Softball League for the Washington Tap team. Unlike some folks (one of whom we'll get to in a minute), she wasn't there for the league's birth. But she can recall its toddler years.
"I remember being probably 12 or 13 and my dad saying to me, 'Come on, let's go watch a softball game.' And I was like, 'What are you talking about?'" Grant said. "We went down to a (QWSL) game. That was probably 1980 or 1981, so the league was still very new. I was amazed. Oh, my God, you can play ball after high school?
"Seeing all these ladies playing softball and loving it and playing hard (was inspiring). Some of them were nurses or police officers and they would hop in their cars (after the game) because they had to go to work. I distinctly remember Ginny climbing into the 18-wheeler of her father's trucking company and driving off after a game. I just thought it was fantastic."
Ginny is Ginny Trainor, who most definitely was there at the very beginning of the QWSL. A lifelong Quincy resident until moving to Marshfield a few years ago, Trainor was one of the first to answer the call when the late Patty Molloy Gauthier, who worked in Quincy's Recreation Department, first got the idea of forming a women's league in 1976.
Trainor, who remembers Molloy Gauthier as being "full of life," rounded up some friends and put together a team sponsored by her dad, the trucker. A 1972 graduate of North Quincy High, she hadn't played softball in high school, so Trainor's wasn't a league powerhouse at the start.
"Twenty-one years old and we had never played softball," Trainor, 72, said with a laugh about those early days. "We were playing for the first time and we were awful."
Life wasn't easy back then for aspiring adult female athletes. Laurie Hansen, who began playing for Washington Tap in 1977, remembers players having to drag the infield dirt themselves by tying a piece of chain-link fence to the back of a van and driving around. "And there were no port-a-potties, so we used the woods in the back," Hansen said. "Everybody had a roll of toilet paper in their bag."
Somehow, they made it work. Trainor's eventually rounded into shape, winning the first of their 13 'A' Division crowns in 1983, and Trainor willed herself into being an infielder/outfielder who played until she was 51. She said she "never looked back" after retiring as an active player, probably because she still had so much to do to keep the league going.
Molloy Gauthier, who died of cancer at age 29, recruited Trainor to help her run the league in 1981, and Trainor has been the QWSL director for more than four decades. These days, she's assisted by a four-person Board of Directors and also leans heavily on Hansen, who is the league's director emeritus. Trainor also saluted the work of the late Terry Greenleaf, her former assistant director and longtime coach of Liberty Lounge.
The league's 50th anniversary celebration is, in a lot of ways, a celebration of women such as Trainor and Hansen, who helped break down barriers. Hansen, who grew up in Boston, remembers there being no softball team at her high school in the early 1970s because the adults "wouldn't let (girls) hold bats; they thought they were too dangerous."
Times have changed. Women's sports are high profile now, and even though ESPN isn't televising their games, the QWSL players are justifiably proud of how far they've come and how long they have endured.
"It's incredible to be a part of something that's been sustainable for so long," said board member Nia Fornaro, a 46-year-old Weymouth resident who plays for defending 'A' Division champion Slidaz. "Through the ups and downs and the pandemic, we're still standing. To me that speaks volumes. I think without people like Ginny Trainor and Laurie Hansen (it wouldn't have lasted). They're the heart and soul of why this league succeeds."
"We owe everything to Ginny and Laurie," said board member Kelly Barker, a 47-year-old Weymouth resident who plays for the Cathay Center team that was 'A' Division runner-up last season. "It's been an amazing ride from when we started until now."
Trainor was all smiles at the league's opening night at Mitchell-McCoy Field on Friday, May 1, greeting everyone she met with a "Happy 50th!!" "I love it," she said of seeing the league emerge from its fall/winter hibernation. "It's very gratifying to see the 50th season start up."
The QWSL crowned its first four champs -- LaRaia Club (1976), Jimmy's (1977) and Dee Dee's (1978 and '79) -- before adding a 'B' Division in 1980. It expanded to three divisions in 1986, but declining numbers after the pandemic whittled it back down to two divisions starting in 2022. This year's set-up features seven teams in the 'A' Division (Slidaz, Cathay Center, Malachy's A, Sammon's Tavern, Hancock Tavern, Cagney's, Fowler House) and five in the 'B' Division (Malachy's B, Nankin Dental, Hofbrau, Dedham Savings, Finn's 1).
The league, which plays games at Mitchell-McCoy Field and Welcome Young Park, uses a slowpitch format with an unlimited arc. There's a $45 entry free per player, and teams can have anywhere from 10-22 players/coaches, who hail from anywhere within driving distance, including a few from New Hampshire. "They come from far and wide, my friend," Fornaro said with a laugh.
There's a 15-game regular season that runs through July, followed by playoffs in August. The list of alumnae includes current West Bridgewater High School athletic director Jen Hammel, who was a divisional co-MVP for Fowler House back in 2010. Players must be at least 18 years old, but there's no age limit on the back end. Trainor remembers a daughter/mom/grandma trio playing for Washington Tap years ago.
There are one or two games per week with all of them scheduled for 8:15 p.m. or later to allow players to put the rest of their lives in order during the day before cutting loose with softball.
Jessica Szyszka, a 46-year-old from Abington who plays for Cathay Center, called the league a "de-stresser from work," and everyone who was interviewed mentioned the enduring friendships that they've made through playing.
"It's a really nice outlet from our everyday lives," said Slidaz outfielder Devon Kelley, a 31-year-old Scituate High grad who soon will be relocating from Plymouth to Hingham. "And this is a really good group. We help each other through personal highs and lows. I've been with this team for five years, and we've seen each other through a lot."
As you might expect, the league's 50th season is a cause for celebration. Plans are in the works for a QWSL night at Fenway Park, and the league's all-star game (July 11 at Faxon Park) figures to be a high point. The nostalgia will peak on Sept. 25 as league organizers are seeking old photos and jerseys to display at the annual season-ending banquet at Florian Hall in Dorchester. Those with photos can share them at qwsl@hotmail.com.
Trainor calls the 50th anniversary a "monumental" milestone, and few would disagree.
"I might be wrong, but I believe it is the longest-tenured softball league in the state," said Barker, who has played for Cathay Center since 2011. "It's been around for 50 years for a reason -- because there have been so many women who just want to keep reliving their youth and play a fun sport and meet people and hang out and do something other than the normal day to day."
Szyszka predicts that the league will last "for an eternity" -- a statement that might have caught the 1976 version of Trainor by surprise.
"50 years later (did I think it would last until now)? I don't think so," Trainor said. "But one year just carries into another. People just keep wanting to play. It's stood the test of time. It's a testament to these women who love to play softball."
This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: Quincy Women's Softball League still going strong as it turns 50
Below are the 2025-26 Augusta high school all-area swimmers. Cast a vote for who you think deserves the ultimate title of "Swimmer of the Year."
The poll will be open until Wednesday, May 13, at 5 p.m.
Winter all-area series | Top 2025-26 Augusta-area high school swimmers
This article originally appeared on Augusta Chronicle: Augusta high school swimmer of the year
What channel is Thunder vs. Lakers on today? Time, TV schedule, live stream to watch Game 2 of NBA Playoffs series originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Among a playoff bracket filled with Game 6 and Game 7 matchups, the Oklahoma City Thunder remain the only unblemished team. After a 4-0 sweep of the Suns, the Thunder also took Game 1 from the Lakers.
The Lakers had a rockier path to the Conference Semi-Finals. After taking a 3-0 lead against the Rockets, they dropped two games before recovering to win the series. In Game 1 against the Thunder, the Lakers did not have any momentum on their side.
Despite having the MVP frontrunner in the starting five, Chet Holmgren led the way for OKC. The former No. 2 overall pick dropped 24 points with 12 rebounds and three blocks, leading the way on all sides of the court. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Ajay Mitchell both tagged on 18 points each in a 108-90 throttling of the Lakers.
If the Lakers hope to reverse their fate against the reigning champs, they'll need more production out of their reserves and starting five as a whole. LeBron James and Rui Hachimura combined for 45 of the team's 90 points, with no one else scoring more than 12.
With Austin Reaves back in the fold after an injury, the Lakers have one key starter back. If they can put it all together, this could still be a close series.
Here's what you need to know about Thursday's matchup between the Thunder and Lakers, including broadcast information and start time.
Thunder vs. Lakers Game 2 will not air on traditional television but will stream live on Prime Video.
Watch select 2026 NBA Playoffs games exclusively on Prime Video, which is included in the 30-day free trial for new Amazon Prime customers.
Game 2 of the NBA Playoffs series between the Thunder and Lakers is set to tip off at 9:30 p.m. ET from the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
Oklahoma City leads series 1-0
| Date | Game | Time (ET) | Watch |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 5 | Game 1: Thunder 108, Lakers 90 | — | — |
| May 7 | Game 2 at Oklahoma City | 9:30 p.m. | Prime Video |
| May 9 | Game 3 at Los Angeles | 8:30 p.m. | ABC, ESPN app, DIRECTV |
| May 11 | Game 4 at Los Angeles | 10:30 p.m. | Prime Video |
| May 13 | Game 5* at Oklahoma City | TBA | TBA |
| May 16 | Game 6* at Los Angeles | TBA | TBA |
| May 18 | Game 7* at Oklahoma City | TBA | TBA |
* If necessary
Click here for the updated 2026 NBA Playoffs bracket from The Sporting News.
Here are the key dates to know for the NBA Playoffs and offseason.
| Event | Dates |
|---|---|
| Play-In Tournament | April 14-17 |
| First round begins | April 18 |
| Conference semifinals begin | May 4* |
| NBA Draft Lottery | May 10 |
| Eastern Conference finals begin | May 19* |
| Western Conference finals begin | May 20* |
| NBA Finals begin | June 3 |
| NBA Finals Game 7 (if necessary) | June 19 |
| NBA Draft | June 23-24 |
* Can move up depending on earlier series
In the penultimate round of Bundesliga games before the 2025-26 season comes to it's end, Borussia Dortmund take on Eintracht Frankfurt on Matchday 33. The Friday night fixture at a floodlit and atmospheric Westfalenstadion will kick-off at 20:30 CET.
While the mood may not be great around Dortmund at the minute, the hosts will be eager to finish their final home fixture on a high. Last weekend's late 1-0 loss to Borussia Mönchengladbach made it a third defeat in four games for the Ruhrpott side.
Perhaps what's more concerning from BVB's point of view is the lack of urgency. Niko Kovač's side only managed six shots with a solitary effort on target at Borussia Park. Although it could be argued that Dortmund have little left to play for aside from pride.
Perhaps this final home game is somewhat fitting, taking on another out-of-sorts team in Frankfurt. Their off-field troubles should give Dortmund confidence against a side who they have beaten 13 times from their last 15 games against the Hessen club on home soil.
Team news:
Once again, Emre Can (ACL tear) is out, while Ramy Bensebaini's (ankle) season also appears to be over. Both of Niklas Süle and Felix Nmecha could also miss out due to fitness issues after injury, but they could feature if that status changes in time.
Predicted lineup: Kobel – Reggiani, Anton, Schlotterbeck – Ryerson, Sabitzer, Bellingham, Svensson – Beier, Brandt – Guirassy
Friday evening's visitors, Eintracht Frankfurt, role into North-Rhine Westphalia in a similarly bad vein of form. With just a solitary win, a pair of draws and three defeats in their last six outings, the Hessen club are truly stumbling towards the finishing line.
Last Saturday proved to be another difficult afternoon – despite taking the lead, Albert Riera's side slipped to a 2-1 defeat at home to Hamburger SV. That result, coupled with a draw for SC Freiburg, means they have lost control of the Conference League spot.
In many ways, it's a perk to have something to play for. If Riera – despite talks of his demise already growing – can galvanise the group, an upset in Dortmund is possible. They only trail seventh-place Freiburg by a solitary point and could still squeeze into Europe again.
The difficulty comes in taking on BVB on their home patch – as previously mentioned, not a happy hunting ground for Frankfurt. In their Bundesliga history, the Hessen outfit has only claimed 6 wins and 5 draws in their 45 visits to north-west to face the Yellow and Blacks.
Team news:
Former Dortmund players Michi Batshuayi (fitness) and Nnamdi Collins (ankle) are unlikely to feature. Jens Grahl (hamstring) is no big loss as third-choice goalkeeper, but Rasmus Kristensen will serve a suspension for his red card against HSV.
Predicted lineup: Zetterer – Amenda, Koch, Theate, Brown – Larsson, Højlund – Dōan, Uzun, Bahoya – Kalimuendo
AMD’s next-generation Ryzen motherboards could be very similar to today’s designs This week, Biostar confirmed that it plans to showcase “next-generation AMD” motherboards at Computex 2026. While the company did not release any information about these motherboards, it did unveil that we would learn more very soon. According to the leaker MEGAsizeGPU, the next generation […]
The post AMD X970E motherboards could use a refreshed PROM21 chipset appeared first on OC3D.
During the announced Xbox Special Look broadcast, SEGA and RGG Studio revealed plenty of new details about Stranger Than Heaven, their upcoming new intellectual property. First of all, the game is targeting a Winter 2026 launch on Xbox Game Pass, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, Xbox Cloud Gaming, Steam, and PlayStation 5. Stranger Than Heaven is set up as a sprawling, multi-generational saga spanning 50 years of Japanese history, from 1915 to 1965. The story begins in 1915 San Francisco, where a young boy named Makoto Daito (born to an American father and Japanese mother; played by actor Yu Shirota) faces […]
Read full article at https://wccftech.com/sega-stranger-than-heaven-snoop-dogg-50-year-japan-saga/
Cost Seg Smart delivers engineering-based cost segregation studies for residential and commercial properties across the U.S. Enter your property details and receive a CPA-ready, IRS ATG-aligned report with component-level MACRS schedules, audit documentation, and Form 3115 support in under an hour. Pricing starts at $495, with studies using RSMeans cost data, assessor records, and satellite imagery to produce IRS-defensible results your CPA can file immediately.
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Aer Lingus Joins United Airlines, Icelandair, and British Airways to Unveil Explosive 2026 Flight Expansions Across North America and Europe,...
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Tanzania Invests in Eco-Tourism Infrastructure for AFCON 2027, Building Sustainable Facilities and Promoting Conservation to Support Long-Term Eco-Tourism GrowthTanzania focuses...
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Amsterdam’s Green Transport Revolution in the Netherlands: Faster, Modern Trams for a Sustainable FutureAmsterdam's latest transport overhaul brings a sustainable,...
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Malaysia Sets Bold Target to Welcome Over Two Million Indian Tourists by 2026, Driven by Unstoppable Growth, Resilient Demand, and...
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Samsung has removed three Galaxy phones from the software update support chart in May 2026. Two Galaxy A phones and one Galaxy M phone have reached their end of life, years after receiving regular software updates.
Samsung’s May 2026 update chart is identical to April in the Monthly segment; no additions, removals, or transfers.
Three devices were dropped entirely from the May list (not transferred anywhere, just removed). The budget Galaxy A13, along with the mid-range Galaxy A23 LTE and Galaxy M33 5G models, is no longer eligible for updates.
Note that Samsung has already abandoned its Biannual offering. Devices no longer shift from the Quarterly to the Biannual update chart. If flagship, the device stays in Monthly, then moves to Quarterly in the last year of support.
Samsung’s May 2026 security patch brings fixes to 29 Android CVEs and 10 One UI SVEs. The latest security update hasn’t yet started rolling out. Users should be ready for a delay in the May patch rollout due to One UI 8.5.
On May 6, Samsung started releasing the One UI 8.5 update. Galaxy S25 series, Z Fold 7, Z Flip 7 and more phones received the stable update. Samsung plans to open a worldwide rollout for several devices on May 11, 2026.
The post Three Samsung phones lose software support in May 2026 appeared first on Sammy Fans.
Samsung may launch Galaxy S26 FE with Exynos SoC in all regions. Earlier this year, the company launched the Galaxy S26 series. As usual, a Fan Edition model with familiar experience will join the lineup by the end of the year.
Exynos is shaping up to be a big deal in the Galaxy S26 FE as Samsung reportedly plans to use its in-house SoC in all regions. The upgrade is expected to be very significant, bringing a major generational shift.
Galaxy S25 FE uses Exynos 2400 fabricated on a 4nm process. The Galaxy S26 FE may come with Exynos 2500, which is made using Samsung Foundry’s 3nm node. It’s going to be a huge technological upgrade.
Earlier, an SM-S741U (S26 FE moniker) was spotted on Geekbench. The device was equipped with an Exynos 2500 chip and Android 17 preinstalled, scoring 2426 points in single-core and 8004 points in multi-core tests.
Image – Exynos 2500 | Source – Samsung
Samsung ships the S26 and S26+ with the Exynos 2600 chipset in most markets. This processor is made using the cutting-edge 2nm process. However, it’s unlikely to power the Fan Edition handset coming later this year.
As for Exynos 2600, Samsung has a different device. The upcoming Galaxy Z Flip 8 may use the 2nm processor in select countries. Snapdragon chipset might return to certain markets, such as the United States and China.
The post Samsung Galaxy S26 FE may get Exynos SoC in all regions appeared first on Sammy Fans.
A new leak sheds light on the potential chips for Samsung’s upcoming foldable phones, the Galaxy Z Fold 8, Galaxy Z Fold8 Wide, and Galaxy Z Flip 8.
According to Erencan Yılmaz, Samsung may use Snapdragon chips in the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Z Fold8 Wide, while the Galaxy Z Flip 8 may go for Exynos.
Last year, Samsung introduced the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and TriFold with a flagship Snapdragon processor. Exynos 2500, which missed adoption in the S25 series, has debuted with the Galaxy Z Flip 7 worldwide.
In 2026, Samsung’s chip choices may remain intact. The book-style foldable phones may opt for Snapdragon, while the clamshell-type folding device would prefer Exynos.
There’s also a chance that the Galaxy Z Flip 8 may use a Snapdragon processor in select markets. The adoption may be similar to the Galaxy S lineup, prioritizing Qualcomm in the US, China, Canada and a few more countries.
Galaxy S26 series comes with the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy. It’s the fastest application processor in the Android segment. Exynos 2600 is the world’s first 2nm chipset, which powers S26 and S26 Plus in most markets.
Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Fold8 Wide are not just expensive but signature models. Exynos 2600 is nice, but it still lags behind its Snapdragon counterpart. That said, the Fold lineup may pick Snapdragon, just like the S26 Ultra.
Samsung is expected to hold its Unpacked event on July 22 in London.
The post Galaxy Z Fold 8, Wide and Flip 8 may bring a familiar Snapdragon vs Exynos split appeared first on Sammy Fans.
Rumors about the iQOO 15T and iQOO Pad6 Pro surfaced late last month, pointing to a May launch. iQOO has now officially teased both devices and opened pre-reservations in China. While no details about the devices have been confirmed, iQOO has teased the design of the 15T. It appears to have a square rear camera module. Meanwhile, tipster Digital Chat Station had recently shared an image of the alleged iQOO 15T’s rear camera module. The handset is tipped to feature a 200MP primary rear camera. It is said to come with a 6.83-inch display with a 2K resolution. Alongside the iQOO...
will fight twice more this year according to promoter Frank Warren, who has big plans for the young heavyweight. Itauma knocked out Jermaine Franklin in a statement win back in March, further boosting his reputation as boxing’s hottest prospect and a champion-in-waiting. Post-fight, Warren said the plan is to fight again in the summer and […]
The post Moses Itauma’s next two fights will include facing world champion and making US debut appeared first on Boxing News.
The Audi Q5 is up to a record 9th place in Poland in April.
51,827 new cars hit Polish roads in April, a solid 10.3% year-on-year improvement. The year-to-date volume after four months is up 7.6% to 203,477. Toyota (-7.9%) isn’t able to surf on the positive market and drops to 13.1% share vs. 14.9% so far this year. Skoda (+5.8%) is catching up but remains far away at 10.1% of the market for the month and 10.6% YTD. Volkswagen (+16.6%) delivers the best performance in the Top 10 and ranks #3 like it does YTD. Hyundai (+13.9%) and Mercedes (+12.5%) also beat the market in the remainder of the Top 10. Further down, BYD (+172.5%), Mazda (+132.3%) and Omoda (+116.3%) make themselves noticed.
Model-wise, the Toyota Corolla (+4.6%) stays on top with 3.4% share, distancing the Skoda Octavia (+14%) by just 45 sales. The Kia Sportage (+29%) is back up to #3 and is the best-selling car with Polish private buyers so far this year. The Toyota C-HR (+10%) and Hyundai Tucson (+58.6%) follow. The Cupra Formentor (+40.9%) and Toyota Yaris Cross (+20.4%) also shoot up, but none as much as the Audi Q5 which according to our records breaks into the Polish Top 10 for the very first time at #9.
Previous month: Poland March 2026: Market up 20.4%, Volvo XC60 repeats at record #4, BMW X1 in Top 10
One year ago: Poland April 2025: Volvo XC60 up to best ever 4th place
Full April 2026 Top 50 brands and Top 10 models below.
Poland April 2026 – brands:
| Pos | Brand | Apr-26 | % | /25 | Mar | 2026 | % | /25 | Pos | FY25 |
| 1 | Toyota | 6,786 | 13.1% | – 7.9% | 1 | 30,344 | 14.9% | – 4.0% | 1 | 1 |
| 2 | Skoda | 5,237 | 10.1% | + 5.8% | 2 | 21,516 | 10.6% | + 15.9% | 2 | 2 |
| 3 | Volkswagen | 3,702 | 7.1% | + 16.6% | 3 | 14,552 | 7.2% | + 6.2% | 3 | 3 |
| 4 | BMW | 2,912 | 5.6% | + 1.3% | 4 | 11,000 | 5.4% | + 15.0% | 4 | 4 |
| 5 | Kia | 2,845 | 5.5% | + 4.2% | 6 | 9,742 | 4.8% | – 11.1% | 6 | 5 |
| 6 | Mercedes | 2,720 | 5.2% | + 12.5% | 7 | 9,205 | 4.5% | + 4.7% | 7 | 7 |
| 7 | Audi | 2,460 | 4.7% | – 7.1% | 5 | 10,104 | 5.0% | – 4.2% | 5 | 6 |
| 8 | Hyundai | 2,361 | 4.6% | + 13.9% | 8 | 8,342 | 4.1% | – 14.2% | 8 | 8 |
| 9 | Volvo | 1,920 | 3.7% | – 12.4% | 9 | 7,518 | 3.7% | + 4.3% | 9 | 11 |
| 10 | Dacia | 1,625 | 3.1% | – 8.1% | 11 | 6,645 | 3.3% | + 1.6% | 10 | 9 |
| 11 | Renault | 1,617 | 3.1% | + 15.9% | 13 | 5,529 | 2.7% | – 13.8% | 11 | 10 |
| 12 | Cupra | 1,333 | 2.6% | + 18.2% | 19 | 4,587 | 2.3% | + 14.7% | 15 | 15 |
| 13 | MG | 1,308 | 2.5% | + 11.3% | 12 | 5,445 | 2.7% | + 28.9% | 12 | 13 |
| 14 | Mazda | 1,257 | 2.4% | + 132.3% | 17 | 3,167 | 1.6% | + 67.7% | 20 | 24 |
| 15 | Omoda | 1,222 | 2.4% | + 116.3% | 14 | 4,774 | 2.3% | + 171.6% | 14 | 21 |
| 16 | Lexus | 1,202 | 2.3% | + 13.9% | 16 | 5,006 | 2.5% | – 17.5% | 13 | 14 |
| 17 | Chery | 1,107 | 2.1% | new | 22 | 3,241 | 1.6% | new | 19 | 37 |
| 18 | Ford | 1,076 | 2.1% | – 11.7% | 18 | 4,417 | 2.2% | – 10.4% | 16 | 12 |
| 19 | BYD | 883 | 1.7% | + 172.5% | 20 | 2,922 | 1.4% | + 241.8% | 21 | 23 |
| 20 | Peugeot | 837 | 1.6% | – 0.5% | 15 | 3,666 | 1.8% | + 9.8% | 18 | 17 |
| 21 | Jaecoo | 679 | 1.3% | + 47.3% | 27 | 2,116 | 1.0% | + 27.2% | 26 | 22 |
| 22 | Suzuki | 662 | 1.3% | + 10.1% | 25 | 2,463 | 1.2% | – 12.3% | 24 | 20 |
| 23 | Honda | 575 | 1.1% | + 56.3% | 23 | 2,422 | 1.2% | + 28.1% | 25 | 27 |
| 24 | Citroen | 557 | 1.1% | – 11.4% | 21 | 2,894 | 1.4% | + 19.5% | 22 | 19 |
| 25 | Opel | 551 | 1.1% | – 22.1% | 24 | 2,707 | 1.3% | + 3.9% | 23 | 18 |
| 26 | Seat | 356 | 0.7% | – 5.8% | 32 | 1,163 | 0.6% | – 28.3% | 29 | 28 |
| 27 | Nissan | 343 | 0.7% | – 35.8% | 10 | 4,407 | 2.2% | – 2.6% | 17 | 16 |
| 28 | Porsche | 308 | 0.6% | – 17.9% | 31 | 941 | 0.5% | – 30.2% | 34 | 30 |
| 29 | BAIC | 289 | 0.6% | – 28.5% | 26 | 1,604 | 0.8% | + 27.3% | 27 | 26 |
| 30 | Land Rover | 285 | 0.5% | – 17.2% | 30 | 1,020 | 0.5% | + 1.7% | 31 | 34 |
| 31 | KGM | 282 | 0.5% | + 97.2% | 37 | 630 | 0.3% | – 39.5% | 37 | 33 |
| 32 | Jeep | 278 | 0.5% | + 1.5% | 33 | 994 | 0.5% | + 2.3% | 32 | 31 |
| 33 | Fiat | 265 | 0.5% | + 126.5% | 29 | 1,303 | 0.6% | + 113.3% | 28 | 32 |
| 34 | Jetour | 250 | 0.5% | new | 39 | 560 | 0.3% | new | 38 | n/a |
| 35 | Bestune | 226 | 0.4% | new | 36 | 508 | 0.2% | new | 39 | 43 |
| 36 | Tesla | 219 | 0.4% | + 7.9% | 28 | 1,061 | 0.5% | – 3.7% | 30 | 25 |
| 37 | Mini | 192 | 0.4% | – 25.0% | 34 | 942 | 0.5% | – 1.6% | 33 | 29 |
| 38 | Alfa Romeo | 151 | 0.3% | – 26.3% | 35 | 645 | 0.3% | – 8.6% | 36 | 35 |
| 39 | Leapmotor | 140 | 0.3% | – 16.2% | 38 | 708 | 0.3% | + 217.5% | 35 | 36 |
| 40 | Geely | 126 | 0.2% | new | 40 | 389 | 0.2% | new | 41 | 42 |
| 41 | Mitsubishi | 100 | 0.2% | + 4.2% | 43 | 272 | 0.1% | – 41.1% | 42 | 38 |
| 42 | JAC | 95 | 0.2% | n/a | 41 | 409 | 0.2% | + 13533.3% | 40 | 44 |
| 43 | DS | 77 | 0.1% | + 37.5% | 44 | 235 | 0.1% | + 29.8% | 43 | 41 |
| 44 | Hongqi | 67 | 0.1% | new | 45 | 182 | 0.1% | new | 46 | 46 |
| 45 | Forthing | 63 | 0.1% | – 12.5% | 47 | 157 | 0.1% | – 30.5% | 47 | 40 |
| 46 | Dongfeng | 53 | 0.1% | n/a | 46 | 196 | 0.1% | + 6433.3% | 45 | 45 |
| 47 | Xpeng | 43 | 0.1% | + 2050.0% | 48 | 155 | 0.1% | + 1191.7% | 48 | 50 |
| 48 | Subaru | 41 | 0.1% | – 35.9% | 42 | 197 | 0.1% | – 60.5% | 44 | 39 |
| 49 | GAC | 32 | 0.1% | new | 50 | 110 | 0.1% | new | 49 | 47 |
| 50 | SWM | 12 | 0.0% | n/a | n/a | 45 | 0.0% | + 4400.0% | 50 | n/a |
| – | Others | 100 | 0.2% | n/a | – | 310 | 0.2% | n/a | – | – |
Poland April 2026 – models:
| Pos | Model | Apr-26 | % | /25 | Mar | 2026 | % | /25 | Pos | FY25 |
| 1 | Toyota Corolla | 1,784 | 3.4% | + 4.6% | 1 | 8,299 | 4.1% | + 10.7% | 1 | 1 |
| 2 | Skoda Octavia | 1,739 | 3.4% | + 14.0% | 2 | 7,361 | 3.6% | + 19.7% | 2 | 2 |
| 3 | Kia Sportage | 1,478 | 2.9% | + 29.0% | 5 | 4,865 | 2.4% | + 5.9% | 3 | 4 |
| 4 | Toyota C-HR | 1,337 | 2.6% | + 10.0% | 8 | 4,774 | 2.3% | – 16.9% | 4 | 3 |
| 5 | Hyundai Tucson | 1,221 | 2.4% | + 58.6% | 6 | 4,495 | 2.2% | + 25.4% | 6 | 6 |
| 6 | Toyota Yaris Cross | 1,179 | 2.3% | + 20.4% | 7 | 4,756 | 2.3% | + 18.0% | 5 | 5 |
| 7 | Volvo XC60 | 1,069 | 2.1% | – 8.6% | 4 | 4,187 | 2.1% | + 6.6% | 7 | n/a |
| 8 | Toyota Yaris | 971 | 1.9% | + 2.4% | 9 | 3,355 | 1.6% | – 12.1% | 8 | 7 |
| 9 | Audi Q5 | 831 | 1.6% | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| 10 | Cupra Formentor | 789 | 1.5% | + 40.9% | n/a | 2,554 | 1.3% | + 27.6% | 15 | n/a |
| n/a | VW T-Roc | 734 | 1.4% | + 5.6% | n/a | 3,087 | 1.5% | + 5.0% | 9 | 8 |
| n/a | Omoda 5 | 658 | 1.3% | + 16.5% | n/a | 2,793 | 1.4% | + 58.9% | 11 | n/a |
| n/a | Skoda Superb | 640 | 1.2% | – 0.3% | n/a | 2,581 | 1.3% | + 9.4% | 14 | 12 |
| n/a | MG HS | 619 | 1.2% | + 3.2% | n/a | 2,716 | 1.3% | + 19.6% | 12 | 10 |
| n/a | Skoda Kamiq | 528 | 1.0% | – 9.3% | n/a | 2,625 | 1.3% | + 17.6% | 13 | 13 |
| n/a | Nissan Qashqai | 224 | 0.4% | – 43.4% | 3 | 2,809 | 1.4% | – 9.3% | 10 | n/a |
Source: SAMAR
The Toyota Yaris is up to a record third place in Sweden in April.
New car sales in Sweden edge down -0.6% year-on-year in April to 24,147 units. This way, the year-to-date tally is now off -1.9% to 86,107. Both brand leaders Volvo (-21.2%) and Volkswagen (-22.7%) are hit full frontal year-on-year but their respective market shares are above their YTD level at 16.7% vs. 16.1% for Volvo and 12.3% vs. 12% for Volkswagen. In contrast Toyota (+23.4%) and Kia (+24.4%) post splendid scores below. Mercedes (+6.5%) is up three spots on last month to round out the Top 5, with BMW (+9.9%) also strong at #6. At #10, Fiat (+54.1%) breaks into the Top 10 for the first time in almost 8 years: since June 2018 (#5). Lynk & Co (+618.5%), BYD (+410%) and Tesla (+111.3%) surge further down
Over in the models charts, the Volvo EX/XC40 (+50.2%) returns to the pole position it holds year-to-date, whereas the Volvo XC60 (-46%), #1 a year ago and over the Full Year 2025, completely implodes YoY. The Toyota Yaris (+85.4%) is up 12 spots on last month to land on the third step of the podium, and according to our historical data this is a ranking record for the Yaris nameplate, with a previous best at #6 in December 2012 and September 2022. The Volvo EX30 (+13.2%) is solid at #4, as are the VW Tiguan (+58.7%), Skoda Kodiaq (+12.7%) and Fiat Ducato (+46.2%).
Previous month: Sweden March 2026: Tesla, BMW, Kia shine in solid market
One year ago: Sweden April 2025: Volvo places five models in Top 6, Tesla down -80.7%
Full April 2026 Top 55 All brands and Top 284 All models below.
Sweden April 2026 – brands:
| Pos | Brand | Apr-26 | % | /25 | Mar | 2026 | % | /25 | Pos | FY25 |
| 1 | Volvo | 4,033 | 16.7% | – 21.2% | 1 | 13,881 | 16.1% | – 14.0% | 1 | 1 |
| 2 | Volkswagen | 2,982 | 12.3% | – 22.7% | 2 | 10,340 | 12.0% | – 21.5% | 2 | 2 |
| 3 | Toyota | 2,142 | 8.9% | + 23.4% | 4 | 7,290 | 8.5% | + 7.6% | 3 | 3 |
| 4 | Kia | 1,951 | 8.1% | + 24.4% | 3 | 6,678 | 7.8% | + 18.3% | 4 | 4 |
| 5 | Mercedes | 1,649 | 6.8% | + 6.5% | 8 | 5,726 | 6.6% | + 10.3% | 5 | 5 |
| 6 | BMW | 1,538 | 6.4% | + 9.9% | 5 | 5,437 | 6.3% | + 13.5% | 7 | 7 |
| 7 | Skoda | 1,524 | 6.3% | – 0.7% | 7 | 5,543 | 6.4% | + 5.4% | 6 | 6 |
| 8 | Audi | 1,017 | 4.2% | – 23.8% | 9 | 4,432 | 5.1% | – 9.8% | 8 | 8 |
| 9 | Peugeot | 755 | 3.1% | – 14.8% | 10 | 2,605 | 3.0% | – 17.3% | 10 | 9 |
| 10 | Fiat | 581 | 2.4% | + 54.1% | 14 | 1,307 | 1.5% | + 73.8% | 14 | 20 |
| 11 | Cupra | 578 | 2.4% | – 13.3% | 12 | 2,265 | 2.6% | + 8.4% | 11 | 12 |
| 12 | Polestar | 570 | 2.4% | + 6.5% | 11 | 2,240 | 2.6% | + 12.4% | 12 | 10 |
| 13 | Tesla | 429 | 1.8% | + 111.3% | 6 | 3,278 | 3.8% | + 53.8% | 9 | 11 |
| 14 | Renault | 417 | 1.7% | + 64.2% | 15 | 1,425 | 1.7% | + 10.1% | 13 | 13 |
| 15 | Lynk & Co | 388 | 1.6% | + 618.5% | 24 | 735 | 0.9% | + 393.3% | 22 | 27 |
| 16 | Ford | 344 | 1.4% | – 30.4% | 17 | 1,216 | 1.4% | – 26.8% | 15 | 14 |
| 17 | Porsche | 266 | 1.1% | + 5.6% | 25 | 643 | 0.7% | – 34.8% | 25 | 19 |
| 18 | Nissan | 256 | 1.1% | – 0.8% | 18 | 1,018 | 1.2% | – 9.7% | 17 | 16 |
| 19 | BYD | 255 | 1.1% | + 410.0% | 26 | 560 | 0.7% | + 77.8% | 26 | 33 |
| 20 | Hyundai | 247 | 1.0% | – 25.6% | 20 | 990 | 1.1% | – 11.6% | 18 | 15 |
| 21 | Subaru | 232 | 1.0% | + 582.4% | 16 | 1,101 | 1.3% | – 58.4% | 16 | 17 |
| 22 | Citroen | 213 | 0.9% | + 163.0% | 23 | 721 | 0.8% | + 123.9% | 23 | 28 |
| 23 | Lexus | 202 | 0.8% | + 15.4% | 19 | 794 | 0.9% | + 11.7% | 21 | 21 |
| 24 | Opel | 200 | 0.8% | + 11.7% | 22 | 711 | 0.8% | + 21.7% | 24 | 22 |
| 25 | Dacia | 194 | 0.8% | – 21.8% | 21 | 795 | 0.9% | – 14.5% | 20 | 18 |
| 26 | Zeekr | 187 | 0.8% | + 128.0% | 27 | 483 | 0.6% | + 36.8% | 28 | 29 |
| 27 | Mazda | 155 | 0.6% | – 1.9% | 13 | 950 | 1.1% | + 56.8% | 19 | 23 |
| 28 | Seat | 128 | 0.5% | + 36.2% | 29 | 492 | 0.6% | + 20.3% | 27 | 24 |
| 29 | MG | 117 | 0.5% | – 29.9% | 32 | 333 | 0.4% | – 19.4% | 31 | 25 |
| 30 | Xpeng | 109 | 0.5% | + 11.2% | 33 | 296 | 0.3% | – 1.7% | 32 | 31 |
| 31 | Mini | 92 | 0.4% | – 21.4% | 31 | 367 | 0.4% | – 25.4% | 29 | 26 |
| 32 | Honda | 74 | 0.3% | – 29.5% | 34 | 265 | 0.3% | – 18.2% | 34 | 32 |
| 33 | Suzuki | 71 | 0.3% | – 32.4% | 28 | 356 | 0.4% | + 9.9% | 30 | 30 |
| 34 | Land Rover | 59 | 0.2% | + 9.3% | 30 | 280 | 0.3% | + 42.1% | 33 | 34 |
| 35 | Leapmotor | 42 | 0.2% | new | 37 | 67 | 0.1% | new | 36 | 49 |
| 36 | Mitsubishi | 39 | 0.2% | + 14.7% | 35 | 118 | 0.1% | + 20.4% | 35 | 35 |
| 37 | Smart | 29 | 0.1% | + 480.0% | 36 | 62 | 0.1% | + 226.3% | 37 | 41 |
| 38 | DS | 11 | 0.0% | + 450.0% | 40 | 30 | 0.0% | + 130.8% | 41 | 44 |
| 39 | Lotus | 10 | 0.0% | + 233.3% | 41 | 21 | 0.0% | + 40.0% | 44 | 46 |
| 40 | Iveco | 8 | 0.0% | + 700.0% | 51 | 12 | 0.0% | + 71.4% | 47 | 54 |
| 41 | Man | 8 | 0.0% | + 300.0% | 48 | 34 | 0.0% | + 466.7% | 40 | 48 |
| 42 | Chevrolet | 7 | 0.0% | + 0.0% | 49 | 16 | 0.0% | – 40.7% | 45 | 37 |
| 43 | Ferrari | 6 | 0.0% | + 0.0% | 44 | 25 | 0.0% | + 56.3% | 42 | 39 |
| 44 | Lamborghini | 6 | 0.0% | + 500.0% | 43 | 16 | 0.0% | – 5.9% | 46 | 45 |
| 45 | Alfa Romeo | 4 | 0.0% | – 50.0% | 42 | 23 | 0.0% | – 52.1% | 43 | 38 |
| 46 | Jeep | 4 | 0.0% | – 84.6% | 39 | 34 | 0.0% | – 37.0% | 39 | 40 |
| 47 | Bentley | 3 | 0.0% | n/a | – | 6 | 0.0% | + 100.0% | 50 | 55 |
| 48 | Geely | 2 | 0.0% | + 0.0% | 38 | 38 | 0.0% | + 192.3% | 38 | 42 |
| 49 | Koenigsegg | 2 | 0.0% | n/a | – | 2 | 0.0% | n/a | 57 | 66 |
| 50 | McLaren | 2 | 0.0% | – 60.0% | 47 | 5 | 0.0% | – 37.5% | 52 | 56 |
| 51 | SsangYong | 2 | 0.0% | n/a | 50 | 7 | 0.0% | + 600.0% | 49 | 47 |
| 52 | Cadillac | 1 | 0.0% | n/a | 46 | 6 | 0.0% | + 100.0% | 51 | 65 |
| 53 | DFSK | 1 | 0.0% | – 88.9% | 45 | 10 | 0.0% | + 11.1% | 48 | 50 |
| 54 | Ineos | 1 | 0.0% | – 66.7% | 53 | 3 | 0.0% | – 93.3% | 54 | 43 |
| 55 | JAC | 1 | 0.0% | new | – | 2 | 0.0% | new | 56 | 64 |
| – | Others | 3 | 0.0% | – 62.5% | – | 9 | 0.0% | – 25.0% | – | – |
Sweden April 2026 – models:
| Pos | Model | Apr-26 | % | /25 | Mar | 2026 | % | /25 | Pos | FY25 |
| 1 | Volvo EX/XC40 | 1,293 | 5.4% | + 50.2% | 3 | 4,494 | 5.2% | + 56.6% | 1 | 2 |
| 2 | Volvo XC60 | 1,096 | 4.5% | – 46.0% | 2 | 3,937 | 4.6% | – 38.9% | 2 | 1 |
| 3 | Toyota Yaris | 621 | 2.6% | + 85.4% | 15 | 1,416 | 1.6% | + 31.4% | 10 | 19 |
| 4 | Volvo EX30 | 619 | 2.6% | + 13.2% | 6 | 2,113 | 2.5% | + 44.9% | 4 | 9 |
| 5 | VW Tiguan | 603 | 2.5% | + 58.7% | 4 | 1,772 | 2.1% | + 30.8% | 7 | 11 |
| 6 | Skoda Kodiaq | 549 | 2.3% | + 12.7% | 5 | 1,856 | 2.2% | + 13.6% | 6 | 6 |
| 7 | Fiat Ducato | 532 | 2.2% | + 46.2% | 12 | 1,164 | 1.4% | + 73.7% | 12 | 32 |
| 8 | VW ID.7 | 525 | 2.2% | – 46.2% | 7 | 1,961 | 2.3% | – 30.3% | 5 | 3 |
| 9 | Toyota Yaris Cross | 426 | 1.8% | + 86.0% | 10 | 1,567 | 1.8% | + 57.3% | 9 | 15 |
| 10 | Tesla Model Y | 413 | 1.7% | + 142.9% | 1 | 2,825 | 3.3% | + 65.0% | 3 | 4 |
| 11 | Kia EV3 | 397 | 1.6% | + 0.0% | 11 | 1,377 | 1.6% | – 0.9% | 11 | 5 |
| 12 | Polestar 4 | 394 | 1.6% | + 22.4% | 8 | 1,700 | 2.0% | + 73.3% | 8 | 12 |
| 13 | BMW IX3 | 367 | 1.5% | + 2958.3% | 17 | 708 | 0.8% | + 526.5% | 39 | n/a |
| 14 | Volvo S/V60 | 362 | 1.5% | – 32.7% | 13 | 1,129 | 1.3% | – 34.7% | 14 | 8 |
| 15 | VW ID.4 | 356 | 1.5% | – 10.1% | 19 | 1,066 | 1.2% | – 32.0% | 15 | 10 |
| 16 | VW Passat | 341 | 1.4% | – 32.5% | 21 | 991 | 1.2% | – 33.4% | 20 | 13 |
| 17 | Skoda Enyaq | 305 | 1.3% | – 37.2% | 37 | 1,039 | 1.2% | – 30.5% | 18 | 14 |
| 18 | BMW IX1 | 294 | 1.2% | + 92.2% | 42 | 771 | 0.9% | + 253.7% | 32 | 49 |
| 19 | Kia EV4 | 285 | 1.2% | new | 61 | 513 | 0.6% | new | 49 | 146 |
| 20 | Toyota Corolla | 278 | 1.2% | – 24.9% | 31 | 1,006 | 1.2% | – 16.3% | 19 | 17 |
| 21 | Peugeot 3008 | 274 | 1.1% | – 35.2% | 26 | 852 | 1.0% | – 4.9% | 25 | 22 |
| 22 | Mercedes GLB | 269 | 1.1% | + 484.8% | 67 | 527 | 0.6% | + 251.3% | 46 | 116 |
| 23 | Mercedes CLA | 254 | 1.1% | + 76.4% | 30 | 863 | 1.0% | + 79.0% | 24 | 45 |
| 24 | Volvo EC/C40 | 237 | 1.0% | + 10.2% | 33 | 831 | 1.0% | – 9.9% | 26 | 29 |
| 25 | VW Golf | 231 | 1.0% | – 26.7% | 9 | 1,130 | 1.3% | – 27.1% | 13 | 28 |
| 26 | Kia Sportage | 227 | 0.9% | + 42.8% | 32 | 920 | 1.1% | + 14.0% | 21 | 18 |
| 27 | Peugeot 5008 | 222 | 0.9% | + 136.2% | 36 | 793 | 0.9% | + 29.8% | 29 | 34 |
| 28 | Kia EV9 | 208 | 0.9% | – 27.0% | 41 | 781 | 0.9% | + 31.5% | 30 | 37 |
| 29 | Mercedes E Class | 202 | 0.8% | – 20.5% | 48 | 606 | 0.7% | – 31.2% | 43 | 27 |
| 30 | VW T-Roc | 193 | 0.8% | – 35.5% | 50 | 724 | 0.8% | – 27.7% | 35 | 16 |
| 31 | Peugeot 2008 | 192 | 0.8% | – 29.7% | 24 | 738 | 0.9% | – 34.3% | 33 | 25 |
| 32 | BYD Seal U | 190 | 0.8% | + 375.0% | 108 | 312 | 0.4% | + 66.0% | 83 | 105 |
| 33 | Lynk & Co 08 | 189 | 0.8% | new | 113 | 346 | 0.4% | new | 77 | 122 |
| 34 | Toyota Corolla Cross | 183 | 0.8% | – 28.0% | 43 | 891 | 1.0% | – 8.1% | 22 | 24 |
| 35 | VW Tayron | 181 | 0.7% | – 13.0% | 49 | 713 | 0.8% | + 67.8% | 37 | 42 |
| 36 | Lynk & Co 01 | 178 | 0.7% | + 256.0% | 72 | 334 | 0.4% | + 173.8% | 80 | 93 |
| 37 | Cupra Terramar | 177 | 0.7% | – 46.8% | 47 | 793 | 0.9% | + 12.8% | 28 | 36 |
| 38 | Subaru Outback | 177 | 0.7% | n/a | 25 | 773 | 0.9% | – 53.6% | 31 | 43 |
| 39 | Toyota bZ4X | 177 | 0.7% | + 172.3% | 27 | 1,054 | 1.2% | + 237.8% | 16 | 95 |
| 40 | Kia EV5 | 171 | 0.7% | new | 16 | 1,042 | 1.2% | new | 17 | 210 |
| 41 | Mercedes GLC | 171 | 0.7% | + 14.8% | 28 | 794 | 0.9% | + 89.5% | 27 | 48 |
| 42 | Zeekr 7X | 171 | 0.7% | n/a | 63 | 422 | 0.5% | + 4120.0% | 61 | 94 |
| 43 | Mercedes EQA | 166 | 0.7% | + 23.0% | 20 | 722 | 0.8% | + 55.3% | 36 | 46 |
| 44 | Audi A5 | 164 | 0.7% | + 160.3% | 23 | 686 | 0.8% | + 183.5% | 40 | 55 |
| 45 | BMW 5-Series | 161 | 0.7% | – 30.9% | 29 | 725 | 0.8% | – 31.8% | 34 | 33 |
| 46 | Toyota RAV4 | 158 | 0.7% | – 45.7% | 121 | 361 | 0.4% | – 71.9% | 75 | 7 |
| 47 | Audi A3 | 157 | 0.7% | – 46.0% | 22 | 864 | 1.0% | – 3.9% | 23 | 23 |
| 48 | Kia EV6 | 157 | 0.7% | – 25.9% | 66 | 492 | 0.6% | – 3.5% | 53 | 40 |
| 49 | Kia Niro | 157 | 0.7% | + 78.4% | 45 | 470 | 0.5% | – 2.9% | 54 | 47 |
| 50 | Renault 5 | 157 | 0.7% | + 63.5% | 44 | 709 | 0.8% | + 544.5% | 38 | 63 |
| 51 | Nissan Qashqai | 156 | 0.6% | + 155.7% | 46 | 554 | 0.6% | + 52.6% | 45 | 56 |
| 52 | Skoda Superb | 147 | 0.6% | + 241.9% | 39 | 623 | 0.7% | + 132.5% | 42 | 64 |
| 53 | BMW X1 | 138 | 0.6% | + 25.5% | 58 | 495 | 0.6% | – 13.5% | 52 | 69 |
| 54 | Skoda Octavia | 132 | 0.5% | – 21.0% | 34 | 583 | 0.7% | – 22.8% | 44 | 35 |
| 55 | Volvo EX90 | 132 | 0.5% | + 26.9% | 130 | 273 | 0.3% | – 17.0% | 88 | 51 |
| 56 | Audi Q3 | 128 | 0.5% | + 91.0% | 40 | 497 | 0.6% | + 8.0% | 51 | 72 |
| 57 | Skoda Fabia | 127 | 0.5% | + 119.0% | 81 | 350 | 0.4% | + 22.4% | 76 | 83 |
| 58 | Mercedes GLE | 126 | 0.5% | + 70.3% | 59 | 436 | 0.5% | + 27.1% | 58 | 66 |
| 59 | Audi Q6 e-Tron | 124 | 0.5% | – 26.6% | 73 | 371 | 0.4% | – 38.1% | 71 | 57 |
| 60 | Ford Transit | 124 | 0.5% | + 7.8% | 91 | 265 | 0.3% | + 33.8% | 90 | 96 |
| 61 | BMW 1-Series | 122 | 0.5% | + 159.6% | 18 | 630 | 0.7% | + 183.8% | 41 | 78 |
| 62 | Cupra Leon | 121 | 0.5% | + 24.7% | 52 | 513 | 0.6% | + 42.5% | 48 | 58 |
| 63 | Polestar 2 | 119 | 0.5% | – 27.4% | 82 | 345 | 0.4% | – 57.0% | 78 | 31 |
| 64 | Skoda Elroq | 118 | 0.5% | – 34.4% | 93 | 313 | 0.4% | + 14.7% | 82 | 65 |
| 65 | Volvo XC90 | 113 | 0.5% | – 48.4% | 68 | 450 | 0.5% | – 35.6% | 55 | 38 |
| 66 | Audi A6 e-tron | 112 | 0.5% | – 52.7% | 65 | 416 | 0.5% | – 12.2% | 62 | 41 |
| 67 | Porsche 911 | 112 | 0.5% | + 64.7% | 99 | 227 | 0.3% | + 11.3% | 100 | 110 |
| 68 | Hyundai Tucson | 109 | 0.5% | + 6.9% | 75 | 365 | 0.4% | + 7.4% | 72 | 85 |
| 69 | Kia EV2 | 109 | 0.5% | new | 221 | 115 | 0.1% | new | 141 | – |
| 70 | Audi A6 | 104 | 0.4% | + 50.7% | 35 | 513 | 0.6% | + 7.3% | 47 | 52 |
| 71 | Cupra Born | 104 | 0.4% | + 48.6% | 85 | 378 | 0.4% | + 74.2% | 69 | 68 |
| 72 | VW ID.Buzz | 102 | 0.4% | + 34.2% | 92 | 257 | 0.3% | – 12.3% | 94 | 74 |
| 73 | Cupra Formentor | 98 | 0.4% | + 5.4% | 51 | 426 | 0.5% | + 69.0% | 60 | 87 |
| 74 | Opel Mokka | 97 | 0.4% | – 24.2% | 88 | 279 | 0.3% | – 25.4% | 87 | 76 |
| 75 | Mercedes Sprinter | 96 | 0.4% | + 11.6% | 104 | 211 | 0.2% | + 2.9% | 103 | 99 |
| 76 | Toyota C-HR+ | 96 | 0.4% | new | 74 | 202 | 0.2% | new | 108 | – |
| 77 | Seat Leon | 90 | 0.4% | + 233.3% | 84 | 252 | 0.3% | + 57.5% | 97 | 103 |
| 78 | VW ID.3 | 90 | 0.4% | – 65.3% | 89 | 374 | 0.4% | – 68.3% | 70 | 21 |
| 79 | Audi Q5 | 89 | 0.4% | + 102.3% | 56 | 427 | 0.5% | + 44.7% | 59 | 84 |
| 80 | Citroen C3 Aircross | 89 | 0.4% | + 8800.0% | 96 | 252 | 0.3% | + 6200.0% | 95 | 131 |
| 81 | Audi Q4 E-Tron | 88 | 0.4% | – 65.9% | 53 | 412 | 0.5% | – 50.7% | 63 | 39 |
| 82 | Toyota Aygo X | 87 | 0.4% | + 335.0% | 70 | 317 | 0.4% | + 193.5% | 81 | 136 |
| 83 | VW Taigo | 87 | 0.4% | – 17.9% | 55 | 405 | 0.5% | + 10.7% | 64 | 59 |
| 84 | BMW i5 | 86 | 0.4% | – 50.9% | 64 | 378 | 0.4% | – 16.2% | 68 | 54 |
| 85 | Toyota C-HR | 83 | 0.3% | – 40.7% | 97 | 363 | 0.4% | – 50.3% | 74 | 30 |
| 86 | Dacia Duster | 80 | 0.3% | + 40.4% | 109 | 211 | 0.2% | – 35.1% | 102 | 88 |
| 87 | Kia Sorento | 80 | 0.3% | + 73.9% | 60 | 389 | 0.5% | + 82.6% | 65 | 82 |
| 88 | Cupra Tavascan | 78 | 0.3% | + 34.5% | 95 | 151 | 0.2% | – 67.1% | 123 | 75 |
| 89 | Skoda Kamiq | 77 | 0.3% | + 10.0% | 38 | 512 | 0.6% | + 50.1% | 50 | 73 |
| 90 | Dacia Sandero | 75 | 0.3% | – 57.9% | 57 | 446 | 0.5% | – 12.0% | 56 | 44 |
| 91 | Kia Stonic | 73 | 0.3% | + 102.8% | 78 | 312 | 0.4% | + 147.6% | 84 | 111 |
| 92 | BMW i4 | 72 | 0.3% | – 53.5% | 62 | 364 | 0.4% | – 25.6% | 73 | 62 |
| 93 | BMW 3-Series | 71 | 0.3% | – 42.7% | 94 | 292 | 0.3% | – 35.4% | 86 | 61 |
| 94 | Renault Scenic | 70 | 0.3% | + 25.0% | 80 | 249 | 0.3% | – 0.4% | 98 | 90 |
| 95 | BMW X5 | 69 | 0.3% | – 30.3% | 87 | 264 | 0.3% | – 25.6% | 91 | 77 |
| 96 | Kia Picanto | 69 | 0.3% | + 81.6% | 112 | 204 | 0.2% | + 6.3% | 107 | 113 |
| 97 | Skoda Karoq | 69 | 0.3% | + 60.5% | 83 | 267 | 0.3% | + 29.6% | 89 | 100 |
| 98 | Citroen C5 Aircross | 66 | 0.3% | + 1220.0% | 90 | 305 | 0.4% | + 1806.3% | 85 | 192 |
| 99 | Ford Explorer | 66 | 0.3% | – 38.9% | 71 | 342 | 0.4% | + 73.6% | 79 | 91 |
| 100 | Lexus NX | 66 | 0.3% | – 17.5% | 102 | 252 | 0.3% | – 30.8% | 96 | 71 |
| 101 | MG 4 | 66 | 0.3% | + 340.0% | 103 | 193 | 0.2% | + 147.4% | 109 | 133 |
| 102 | Xpeng G6 | 66 | 0.3% | – 13.2% | 116 | 167 | 0.2% | – 13.5% | 117 | 108 |
| 103 | Lexus RZ | 65 | 0.3% | + 400.0% | 120 | 173 | 0.2% | + 723.8% | 115 | 199 |
| 104 | Renault Clio | 65 | 0.3% | + 333.3% | 176 | 87 | 0.1% | – 59.9% | 155 | 141 |
| 105 | Mercedes A Class | 64 | 0.3% | + 1500.0% | 98 | 380 | 0.4% | + 2433.3% | 66 | 121 |
| 106 | Mercedes GLA | 64 | 0.3% | + 18.5% | 136 | 213 | 0.2% | + 4.9% | 101 | 119 |
| 107 | VW Multivan | 64 | 0.3% | – 35.4% | 111 | 206 | 0.2% | – 35.8% | 106 | 86 |
| 108 | VW Touareg | 64 | 0.3% | + 276.5% | 100 | 209 | 0.2% | + 143.0% | 104 | 158 |
| 109 | Porsche Cayenne | 59 | 0.2% | – 20.3% | 105 | 183 | 0.2% | – 36.0% | 111 | 80 |
| 110 | BMW X3 | 56 | 0.2% | – 34.9% | 79 | 379 | 0.4% | + 26.3% | 67 | 50 |
| 111 | Porsche Macan | 52 | 0.2% | – 25.7% | 142 | 146 | 0.2% | – 60.0% | 126 | 81 |
| 112 | VW Caddy | 52 | 0.2% | + 44.4% | 161 | 147 | 0.2% | + 38.7% | 125 | 127 |
| 113 | Mercedes C Class | 50 | 0.2% | – 57.3% | 107 | 178 | 0.2% | – 50.1% | 112 | 70 |
| 114 | BMW iX | 47 | 0.2% | – 30.9% | 106 | 173 | 0.2% | + 1.2% | 114 | 101 |
| 115 | VW T-Cross | 47 | 0.2% | – 54.8% | 101 | 177 | 0.2% | – 37.5% | 113 | 97 |
| 116 | Ford Puma | 46 | 0.2% | + 70.4% | 157 | 139 | 0.2% | – 23.6% | 128 | 145 |
| 117 | Opel Frontera | 46 | 0.2% | new | 114 | 173 | 0.2% | new | 116 | 143 |
| 118 | Volvo ES90 | 45 | 0.2% | new | 154 | 260 | 0.3% | new | 92 | 228 |
| 119 | Mini Hatch | 43 | 0.2% | + 115.0% | 148 | 157 | 0.2% | – 19.1% | 120 | 106 |
| 120 | Renault Captur | 43 | 0.2% | + 138.9% | 215 | 82 | 0.1% | – 63.4% | 163 | 137 |
| 121 | Polestar 3 | 40 | 0.2% | + 14.3% | 124 | 152 | 0.2% | – 5.6% | 122 | 107 |
| 122 | Fiat 600 | 39 | 0.2% | + 254.5% | 164 | 102 | 0.1% | + 39.7% | 147 | 156 |
| 123 | Lexus LBX | 39 | 0.2% | + 116.7% | 76 | 185 | 0.2% | + 27.6% | 110 | 129 |
| 124 | Mercedes Vito | 39 | 0.2% | + 225.0% | 163 | 87 | 0.1% | + 47.5% | 153 | 173 |
| 125 | Mitsubishi Outlander | 38 | 0.2% | n/a | 135 | 110 | 0.1% | n/a | 143 | 188 |
| 126 | Renault 4 | 38 | 0.2% | new | 129 | 130 | 0.2% | new | 132 | 177 |
| 127 | Ford Kuga | 37 | 0.2% | + 94.7% | 115 | 207 | 0.2% | – 37.1% | 105 | 98 |
| 128 | Mazda 6e | 34 | 0.1% | new | 69 | 236 | 0.3% | new | 99 | 165 |
| 129 | Nissan Juke | 34 | 0.1% | – 8.1% | 140 | 129 | 0.1% | – 22.8% | 133 | 120 |
| 130 | Ford Tourneo Custom | 33 | 0.1% | – 46.8% | 138 | 81 | 0.1% | – 49.4% | 164 | 150 |
| 131 | Hyundai Ioniq 5 | 33 | 0.1% | – 35.3% | 162 | 90 | 0.1% | – 22.4% | 151 | 157 |
| 132 | Renault Master | 33 | 0.1% | + 83.3% | 173 | 96 | 0.1% | – 22.0% | 149 | 152 |
| 133 | Audi Q7 | 32 | 0.1% | + 39.1% | 133 | 120 | 0.1% | + 20.0% | 136 | 167 |
| 134 | Range Rover | 32 | 0.1% | + 23.1% | 141 | 135 | 0.2% | + 11.6% | 130 | 149 |
| 135 | Xpeng G9 | 32 | 0.1% | + 45.5% | 132 | 116 | 0.1% | + 12.6% | 139 | 144 |
| 136 | Honda HR-V | 30 | 0.1% | + 11.1% | 146 | 117 | 0.1% | + 37.6% | 138 | 176 |
| 137 | Mazda CX-5 | 29 | 0.1% | n/a | 125 | 70 | 0.1% | + 6900.0% | 174 | 364 |
| 138 | Mercedes V Class | 29 | 0.1% | – 17.1% | 118 | 137 | 0.2% | – 15.4% | 129 | 132 |
| 139 | Mini Countryman | 28 | 0.1% | – 36.4% | 122 | 123 | 0.1% | – 27.6% | 135 | 135 |
| 140 | Nissan X-Trail | 28 | 0.1% | + 3.7% | 126 | 142 | 0.2% | + 5.2% | 127 | 160 |
| 141 | Suzuki Vitara | 28 | 0.1% | – 41.7% | 123 | 132 | 0.2% | + 10.0% | 131 | 123 |
| 142 | Hyundai i20 | 27 | 0.1% | + 107.7% | 158 | 74 | 0.1% | + 51.0% | 168 | 163 |
| 143 | Mercedes EQE | 27 | 0.1% | – 77.7% | 128 | 151 | 0.2% | – 72.4% | 124 | 67 |
| 144 | MG S6 EV | 27 | 0.1% | new | – | 32 | 0.0% | new | 214 | – |
| 145 | Citroen C4 | 26 | 0.1% | – 40.9% | 169 | 72 | 0.1% | – 61.9% | 172 | 115 |
| 146 | Leapmotor B10 | 26 | 0.1% | new | 180 | 42 | 0.0% | new | 201 | 288 |
| 147 | Toyota Proace Verso | 26 | 0.1% | + 0.0% | 276 | 37 | 0.0% | – 44.8% | 204 | 213 |
| 148 | Land Rover Defender | 25 | 0.1% | + 56.3% | 134 | 109 | 0.1% | + 137.0% | 144 | 200 |
| 149 | BMW IX2 | 24 | 0.1% | – 42.9% | 144 | 115 | 0.1% | – 1.7% | 140 | 138 |
| 150 | Mercedes CLE | 24 | 0.1% | – 70.7% | 199 | 45 | 0.1% | – 66.7% | 194 | 142 |
| 151 | VW Caravelle | 24 | 0.1% | – 11.1% | 174 | 96 | 0.1% | + 52.4% | 150 | 175 |
| 152 | Hyundai Kona | 23 | 0.1% | – 68.5% | 184 | 69 | 0.1% | – 68.2% | 175 | 118 |
| 153 | BYD Seal | 22 | 0.1% | + 266.7% | 117 | 127 | 0.1% | + 149.0% | 134 | 223 |
| 154 | Hyundai Ioniq 9 | 22 | 0.1% | new | 156 | 82 | 0.1% | new | 162 | 209 |
| 155 | Peugeot 208 | 22 | 0.1% | – 65.6% | 193 | 63 | 0.1% | – 71.0% | 181 | 102 |
| 156 | Dacia Bigster | 21 | 0.1% | new | 153 | 85 | 0.1% | new | 157 | 185 |
| 157 | Lexus RX | 21 | 0.1% | – 40.0% | 179 | 73 | 0.1% | + 62.2% | 170 | 183 |
| 158 | Lynk & Co 02 | 21 | 0.1% | + 425.0% | 186 | 55 | 0.1% | + 103.7% | 187 | 162 |
| 159 | Mazda CX-30 | 21 | 0.1% | + 10.5% | 110 | 156 | 0.2% | + 52.9% | 121 | 170 |
| 160 | Mazda CX-60 | 21 | 0.1% | – 72.4% | 54 | 259 | 0.3% | + 19.9% | 93 | 92 |
| 161 | Mini Aceman | 21 | 0.1% | – 60.4% | 160 | 87 | 0.1% | – 32.0% | 154 | 112 |
| 162 | Smart #1 | 21 | 0.1% | + 425.0% | 191 | 36 | 0.0% | + 200.0% | 207 | 283 |
| 163 | Peugeot 308 | 20 | 0.1% | + 566.7% | 241 | 57 | 0.1% | – 21.9% | 185 | 193 |
| 164 | Subaru Solterra | 20 | 0.1% | – 41.2% | 139 | 115 | 0.1% | + 79.7% | 142 | 203 |
| 165 | VW Crafter | 20 | 0.1% | – 39.4% | 178 | 60 | 0.1% | – 16.7% | 184 | 164 |
| 166 | Hyundai Santa Fe | 19 | 0.1% | + 111.1% | 159 | 80 | 0.1% | – 27.9% | 166 | 151 |
| 167 | Seat Arona | 19 | 0.1% | – 70.3% | 177 | 163 | 0.2% | – 30.3% | 118 | 79 |
| 168 | Seat Ibiza | 19 | 0.1% | + 533.3% | 200 | 77 | 0.1% | + 413.3% | 167 | 220 |
| 169 | Subaru Crosstrek | 19 | 0.1% | n/a | 149 | 118 | 0.1% | – 66.9% | 137 | 126 |
| 170 | Suzuki S-Cross | 19 | 0.1% | + 375.0% | 119 | 83 | 0.1% | + 102.4% | 161 | 196 |
| 171 | Dacia Jogger | 18 | 0.1% | + 38.5% | 195 | 53 | 0.1% | – 45.9% | 190 | 168 |
| 172 | Mazda2 | 18 | 0.1% | + 12.5% | 222 | 41 | 0.0% | – 18.0% | 202 | 206 |
| 173 | Nissan Primastar | 18 | 0.1% | + 500.0% | 172 | 73 | 0.1% | + 329.4% | 171 | 247 |
| 174 | Suzuki Swift | 18 | 0.1% | – 55.0% | 143 | 71 | 0.1% | – 34.3% | 173 | 140 |
| 175 | Kia PV5 | 17 | 0.1% | new | 185 | 60 | 0.1% | new | 182 | 230 |
| 176 | Mazda CX-80 | 17 | 0.1% | – 57.5% | 86 | 157 | 0.2% | – 6.5% | 119 | 117 |
| 177 | Porsche 718 | 17 | 0.1% | + 30.8% | 272 | 19 | 0.0% | – 48.6% | 233 | 214 |
| 178 | Leapmotor C10 | 16 | 0.1% | new | 212 | 23 | 0.0% | new | 226 | 282 |
| 179 | Mercedes G Class | 16 | 0.1% | – 38.5% | 187 | 60 | 0.1% | – 37.5% | 183 | 169 |
| 180 | Tesla Model 3 | 16 | 0.1% | – 44.8% | 14 | 440 | 0.5% | + 10.3% | 57 | 60 |
| 181 | BYD Atto 2 | 15 | 0.1% | new | 152 | 42 | 0.0% | new | 198 | – |
| 182 | Mercedes Citan | 15 | 0.1% | – 46.4% | 170 | 69 | 0.1% | + 7.8% | 176 | 180 |
| 183 | Zeekr 001 | 15 | 0.1% | – 42.3% | 244 | 51 | 0.1% | – 30.1% | 191 | 181 |
| 184 | Citroen Jumper | 14 | 0.1% | + 55.6% | 237 | 33 | 0.0% | + 50.0% | 210 | 229 |
| 185 | Honda Jazz | 14 | 0.1% | – 12.5% | 175 | 42 | 0.0% | – 22.2% | 200 | 186 |
| 186 | Mercedes GLS | 14 | 0.1% | – 57.6% | 165 | 67 | 0.1% | – 17.3% | 178 | 154 |
| 187 | Peugeot Expert | 14 | 0.1% | + 250.0% | 190 | 74 | 0.1% | + 289.5% | 169 | 232 |
| 188 | Porsche Taycan | 14 | 0.1% | + 40.0% | 214 | 32 | 0.0% | – 15.8% | 215 | 189 |
| 189 | Audi Q8 | 13 | 0.1% | – 82.9% | 168 | 64 | 0.1% | – 74.4% | 180 | 114 |
| 190 | BYD Dolphin | 13 | 0.1% | + 550.0% | 228 | 26 | 0.0% | – 56.7% | 220 | 218 |
| 191 | Honda Civic | 13 | 0.1% | + 85.7% | 189 | 42 | 0.0% | + 31.3% | 199 | 211 |
| 192 | Ford Capri | 12 | 0.0% | – 29.4% | 137 | 85 | 0.1% | + 88.9% | 158 | 182 |
| 193 | Ford Transit Custom | 12 | 0.0% | – 58.6% | 208 | 43 | 0.0% | – 28.3% | 197 | 171 |
| 194 | Porsche Panamera | 12 | 0.0% | – 29.4% | 194 | 36 | 0.0% | – 35.7% | 206 | 187 |
| 195 | Volvo S/V90 | 12 | 0.0% | – 97.7% | 235 | 81 | 0.1% | – 94.4% | 165 | 20 |
| 196 | Lexus UX | 11 | 0.0% | + 37.5% | 131 | 83 | 0.1% | + 56.6% | 160 | 190 |
| 197 | Polestar YSM | 11 | 0.0% | – 21.4% | 224 | 21 | 0.0% | – 56.3% | 229 | 201 |
| 198 | Subaru Forester | 11 | 0.0% | n/a | 147 | 90 | 0.1% | – 83.9% | 152 | 104 |
| 199 | Xpeng P7 | 11 | 0.0% | n/a | 296 | 13 | 0.0% | + 160.0% | 243 | 264 |
| 200 | BMW 2-Series | 10 | 0.0% | – 84.1% | 192 | 50 | 0.1% | – 69.3% | 192 | 124 |
| 201 | Citroen Jumpy | 10 | 0.0% | n/a | 211 | 33 | 0.0% | n/a | 211 | 291 |
| 202 | Fiat Grande Panda | 10 | 0.0% | new | 207 | 36 | 0.0% | new | 205 | – |
| 203 | Honda ZR-V | 10 | 0.0% | + 66.7% | 220 | 28 | 0.0% | + 40.0% | 218 | 221 |
| 204 | Hyundai Bayon | 10 | 0.0% | – 37.5% | 150 | 108 | 0.1% | + 157.1% | 145 | 191 |
| 205 | Nissan Ariya | 10 | 0.0% | – 92.2% | 197 | 55 | 0.1% | – 87.4% | 188 | 89 |
| 206 | Nissan Micra | 10 | 0.0% | new | 251 | 65 | 0.1% | new | 179 | – |
| 207 | Opel Corsa | 10 | 0.0% | – 9.1% | 166 | 84 | 0.1% | + 40.0% | 159 | 153 |
| 208 | BYD Sealion | 9 | 0.0% | new | 210 | 33 | 0.0% | new | 209 | 325 |
| 209 | Mazda3 | 9 | 0.0% | + 50.0% | 248 | 19 | 0.0% | – 32.1% | 232 | 227 |
| 210 | Mercedes EQB | 9 | 0.0% | – 90.1% | 155 | 108 | 0.1% | – 68.9% | 146 | 53 |
| 211 | MG 3 | 9 | 0.0% | + 28.6% | 223 | 35 | 0.0% | + 288.9% | 208 | 179 |
| 212 | BMW 4-Series | 8 | 0.0% | – 20.0% | 198 | 22 | 0.0% | + 46.7% | 227 | 235 |
| 213 | Iveco Daily | 8 | 0.0% | + 700.0% | 263 | 11 | 0.0% | + 83.3% | 246 | 281 |
| 214 | MAN SKÅP | 8 | 0.0% | + 700.0% | 266 | 10 | 0.0% | + 900.0% | 251 | 273 |
| 215 | Mercedes EQS | 8 | 0.0% | – 50.0% | 181 | 45 | 0.1% | – 43.8% | 195 | 184 |
| 216 | Peugeot 408 | 8 | 0.0% | – 52.9% | 252 | 11 | 0.0% | – 94.2% | 247 | 174 |
| 217 | DS 7 | 7 | 0.0% | + 250.0% | 218 | 24 | 0.0% | + 100.0% | 223 | 240 |
| 218 | Ford Tourneo Connect | 7 | 0.0% | – 12.5% | 219 | 26 | 0.0% | – 21.2% | 221 | 215 |
| 219 | Honda CR-V | 7 | 0.0% | – 85.4% | 201 | 30 | 0.0% | – 75.6% | 216 | 161 |
| 220 | MG HS | 7 | 0.0% | – 90.7% | 182 | 45 | 0.1% | – 76.4% | 196 | 166 |
| 221 | Opel Grandland X | 7 | 0.0% | – 69.6% | 127 | 101 | 0.1% | + 3.1% | 148 | 128 |
| 222 | Renault Trafic | 7 | 0.0% | + 75.0% | 167 | 39 | 0.0% | + 11.4% | 203 | 212 |
| 223 | Audi Q2 | 6 | 0.0% | – 70.0% | 145 | 55 | 0.1% | – 17.9% | 186 | 159 |
| 224 | BYD Atto 3 | 6 | 0.0% | n/a | 188 | 20 | 0.0% | + 1900.0% | 230 | 324 |
| 225 | Lotus Eletre | 6 | 0.0% | + 200.0% | 213 | 15 | 0.0% | + 25.0% | 240 | 268 |
| 226 | Mazda MX5 | 6 | 0.0% | + 500.0% | 233 | 12 | 0.0% | + 200.0% | 245 | 280 |
| 227 | MG S5 EV | 6 | 0.0% | new | 209 | 25 | 0.0% | new | 222 | 231 |
| 228 | Polestar 5 | 6 | 0.0% | new | 183 | 22 | 0.0% | new | 228 | – |
| 229 | Smart #5 | 6 | 0.0% | new | 234 | 18 | 0.0% | new | 235 | 258 |
| 230 | Toyota Proace City | 6 | 0.0% | n/a | 151 | 68 | 0.1% | n/a | 177 | 363 |
| 231 | BMW X6 | 5 | 0.0% | + 0.0% | 245 | 15 | 0.0% | + 36.4% | 239 | 242 |
| 232 | BMW Z4 | 5 | 0.0% | + 66.7% | 257 | 8 | 0.0% | + 0.0% | 257 | 284 |
| 233 | Citroen C3 | 5 | 0.0% | – 77.3% | 217 | 17 | 0.0% | – 80.7% | 236 | 197 |
| 234 | Mercedes AMG | 5 | 0.0% | – 16.7% | 267 | 15 | 0.0% | – 34.8% | 241 | n/a |
| 235 | Subaru Uncharted | 5 | 0.0% | new | – | 5 | 0.0% | new | 277 | – |
| 236 | Suzuki e Vitara | 5 | 0.0% | new | 274 | 16 | 0.0% | new | 238 | – |
| 237 | Alfa Romeo Junior | 4 | 0.0% | – 33.3% | 216 | 23 | 0.0% | – 34.3% | 225 | 225 |
| 238 | CHEVROLET AMBULANS | 4 | 0.0% | + 100.0% | 259 | 13 | 0.0% | + 18.2% | 242 | – |
| 239 | DS No.8 | 4 | 0.0% | new | 260 | 6 | 0.0% | new | 266 | – |
| 240 | Ferrari | 4 | 0.0% | + 100.0% | – | 10 | 0.0% | + 66.7% | 249 | 254 |
| 241 | Ford Mustang | 4 | 0.0% | – 42.9% | 231 | 20 | 0.0% | + 42.9% | 231 | 244 |
| 242 | Lotus Emira | 4 | 0.0% | + 300.0% | – | 5 | 0.0% | + 400.0% | 274 | 322 |
| 243 | Opel Movano | 4 | 0.0% | n/a | 203 | 29 | 0.0% | n/a | 217 | 251 |
| 244 | Renault Rafale | 4 | 0.0% | – 75.0% | 205 | 33 | 0.0% | + 22.2% | 212 | 178 |
| 245 | Jeep Avenger | 3 | 0.0% | – 88.5% | 202 | 16 | 0.0% | – 69.2% | 237 | 219 |
| 246 | Lamborghini Urus | 3 | 0.0% | n/a | 246 | 10 | 0.0% | + 0.0% | 250 | 257 |
| 247 | Peugeot Boxer | 3 | 0.0% | + 0.0% | 271 | 7 | 0.0% | – 22.2% | 263 | 255 |
| 248 | Bentley Continental | 2 | 0.0% | n/a | – | 4 | 0.0% | + 300.0% | 279 | 314 |
| 249 | BMW 7-Series | 2 | 0.0% | + 0.0% | 279 | 4 | 0.0% | – 20.0% | 280 | 293 |
| 250 | Chevrolet Suburban | 2 | 0.0% | n/a | – | 2 | 0.0% | n/a | 298 | – |
| 251 | Citroen Spacetourer | 2 | 0.0% | n/a | 229 | 8 | 0.0% | + 700.0% | 258 | 326 |
| 252 | Hyundai i10 | 2 | 0.0% | – 92.0% | 238 | 32 | 0.0% | – 73.1% | 213 | 109 |
| 253 | Hyundai Inster | 2 | 0.0% | – 88.9% | 171 | 86 | 0.1% | + 43.3% | 156 | 198 |
| 254 | Lamborghini Temerario | 2 | 0.0% | new | 264 | 4 | 0.0% | new | 285 | 362 |
| 255 | McLaren | 2 | 0.0% | – 60.0% | 249 | 5 | 0.0% | – 37.5% | 275 | 295 |
| 256 | MG Cyberster | 2 | 0.0% | + 0.0% | 293 | 3 | 0.0% | + 50.0% | 293 | 311 |
| 257 | Smart #3 | 2 | 0.0% | + 100.0% | 226 | 8 | 0.0% | + 14.3% | 260 | 270 |
| 258 | Ssangyong Torres | 2 | 0.0% | n/a | 273 | 7 | 0.0% | + 600.0% | 264 | 329 |
| 259 | VW Touran | 2 | 0.0% | – 85.7% | 206 | 50 | 0.1% | – 70.8% | 193 | 130 |
| 260 | Bentley Bentayga | 1 | 0.0% | n/a | – | 1 | 0.0% | + 0.0% | 311 | 336 |
| 261 | BMW X7 | 1 | 0.0% | – 83.3% | 227 | 18 | 0.0% | – 35.7% | 234 | 202 |
| 262 | Cadillac Lyriq | 1 | 0.0% | new | 258 | 4 | 0.0% | new | 281 | 338 |
| 263 | Chevrolet Tahoe | 1 | 0.0% | n/a | – | 1 | 0.0% | n/a | 315 | – |
| 264 | Citroen Berlingo | 1 | 0.0% | n/a | – | 1 | 0.0% | – 50.0% | 316 | 339 |
| 265 | DFSK E5 | 1 | 0.0% | new | 284 | 2 | 0.0% | new | 300 | 294 |
| 266 | Ferrari F80 | 1 | 0.0% | new | – | 2 | 0.0% | new | 302 | – |
| 267 | Ferrari Purosangue | 1 | 0.0% | – 50.0% | 286 | 6 | 0.0% | + 20.0% | 267 | 272 |
| 268 | Ford Bronco | 1 | 0.0% | n/a | – | 1 | 0.0% | – 66.7% | 318 | 317 |
| 269 | Ford Courier | 1 | 0.0% | – 85.7% | 288 | 2 | 0.0% | – 90.0% | 303 | 208 |
| 270 | Ford Mustang Mach-E | 1 | 0.0% | – 93.3% | 289 | 5 | 0.0% | – 86.5% | 272 | 216 |
| 271 | Ineos Grenadier | 1 | 0.0% | – 66.7% | 262 | 3 | 0.0% | – 93.3% | 292 | 233 |
| 272 | JAC E30X | 1 | 0.0% | new | – | 2 | 0.0% | new | 304 | 318 |
| 273 | Jeep Compass | 1 | 0.0% | n/a | 239 | 7 | 0.0% | n/a | 262 | – |
| 274 | Kia K4 SW | 1 | 0.0% | new | – | 1 | 0.0% | new | 319 | – |
| 275 | Lamborghini Revuelto | 1 | 0.0% | new | – | 1 | 0.0% | new | 321 | – |
| 276 | Land Rover Discovery | 1 | 0.0% | n/a | 265 | 5 | 0.0% | + 66.7% | 273 | 299 |
| 277 | Mercedes B Class | 1 | 0.0% | + 0.0% | – | 1 | 0.0% | – 50.0% | 323 | 343 |
| 278 | Mitsubishi Colt | 1 | 0.0% | – 96.6% | – | 5 | 0.0% | – 91.8% | 276 | 217 |
| 279 | Opel Astra | 1 | 0.0% | – 94.1% | 240 | 10 | 0.0% | – 79.2% | 253 | 222 |
| 280 | Opel Zafira | 1 | 0.0% | n/a | – | 1 | 0.0% | + 0.0% | 324 | 304 |
| 281 | Range Rover Velar | 1 | 0.0% | – 80.0% | 204 | 11 | 0.0% | + 22.2% | 248 | 256 |
| 282 | Suzuki Swace | 1 | 0.0% | – 88.9% | 242 | 54 | 0.1% | + 68.8% | 189 | 207 |
| 283 | Toyota Supra | 1 | 0.0% | n/a | – | 4 | 0.0% | + 100.0% | 290 | 301 |
| 284 | Zeekr X | 1 | 0.0% | – 98.2% | – | 10 | 0.0% | – 96.3% | 255 | 147 |
Source: Mobility Sweden
Gabriel Sara'dan sonra Mario Lemina'nın da forma giyemeyeceği Antalyaspor maçında Galatasaray Teknik Direktörü Okan Buruk, İlkay Gündoğan'a sarıldı.
Şampiyonluk için 3 puanın zorunlu olduğu Antalyaspor maçı öncesinde Galatasaray'da orta saha krizi patlak verdi. Atroskopi olma ihtimali ortaya çıkan ve 2.5 ay sahalardan uzak kalma ihtimali bulunan Gabriel Sara'dan sonra Mario Lemina'nın da hayati maçta olmayacağı netleşti.
Samsunspor maçında sakatlanan ve hafta boyunca hiç bir idmanda yer almayan Lemina'ya da Okan Buruk'un şans vermesi beklenmiyor.
Okan Buruk'un Torreira'nın yanında Kaan Ayhan, Renato Nhaga ve İlkay Gündoğan'dan birisini oynamta ihtimali artmış durumda.
Şu an için formaya en yakın isim İlkay, en uzak isim de Kaan Ayhan. Nhaga'nın 11'de başlama ihtimali üzerinde de duruluyor.
Galatasaray’ın oyun merkezi tamamen değişecek. Buruk antrenmanlarda sadece isimleri değil, oyun kurgusunu da test ediyor.
Torreira’nın üzerindeki yük iki katına çıkarken, merkezin yaratıcılık görevini İlkay'ın üstlenme ihtimali şu anda en önde.
Menajeri İstanbul'a gelen Mario Lemina indirim yapıp bir sezon daha Galatasaray'da kalmayı önerdi. Red cevabı aldı. Amedspor'la görüşmeleri ise sürüyor.
Mauro Icardi gibi adı Amedspor'la anılan Mario Lemina, Samsunspor maçından sonra bir sakatlık yaşadı. Büyük ihtimalle Galatasaray'daki son iki maçına hazırlanan Gabonlu oyuncu bu hafta boyunca hiç bir idmanda takımla çalışmadı. Antalyaspor maçında da fotma giymesi beklenmiyor.
Bu arada gelen bilgilere göre Lemina'nın menajeri hafta içinde İstanbul'a geldi. Bir sezon daha Galatasaray'da devam etmeyi ve maaşında indirim yapmayı teklif etti. Ancak olumsuz yanıt verildi.
Lemina, Türkiye'de kalmak istiyor. Özellikle İstanbul'da yaşama tarafarı. Amedspor dışında İstanbul'dan birkaç takımla da görüşme ihtimali üzerinde duruluyor.
Lemina'nın Amedspor'a evet demek için İstanbul'da yaşayıp haftada 3 gün takım idmanı için Diyarbakır'a gitmeyi teklif ettiği iddiası net şekilde yalanlandı.
Galatasaray'a Brezilyalı yıldızından kötü haber var. Gabriel Sara'nın yaşadığı sol ayak bileği iç-ön yan bağlarında hasar ve kemikte ödem cerrahi müdahale gerektiriyor.
Daha düne kadar Antalyaspor maçında oynayacağı iddia edilen Gabriel Sara için Fotospor, sol ayak bileği iç-ön yan bağlarında hasar ve kemikte ödem tespit edildiğini yazdı. Bıçak altına yatmasının, cerrahi temizlik (artroskopi) yapılmasının gündemde olduğu ihtimalini gündeme getirdi.
Sara hali hazırda ani yön değiştirmelerde, sıçrama sonrası yere inişlerde, ayak bileğinin dışa veya içe doğru kontrolsüzce "kaçtığını" hissediyor.
Bu durum şu ana kadar ağrı kesicilerle baskılanamadı. Cerrahi temizlik (artroskopi) gündeme geldi.
Brezilya Milli Takımıyla Dünya Kupası'nı kaçırmasına da neden olacak atroskopi yüzünden Gabriel Sara tüm yazı iyileşme süreci ile geçirecek. En az 2.5 aylık bir sahalardan uzak kalacak.
The post NEAR Protocol Breakout Gains Momentum as Smart Money Bets on AI-Focused Crypto appeared first on Coinpedia Fintech News
NEAR Protocol emerged as one of the strongest-performing altcoins on Thursday after surging more than 13% in 24 hours, reigniting bullish momentum across AI-focused crypto assets. The rally pushed NEAR back toward a major breakout zone as traders rotated into infrastructure-driven narratives tied to artificial intelligence, decentralized compute, and next-generation blockchain ecosystems.
The move comes as sentiment across AI-linked cryptocurrencies continues improving amid rising institutional attention and growing speculation that infrastructure-focused projects could lead the next phase of the market cycle. Momentum around NEAR strengthened further after BitMEX co-founder Arthur Hayes recently identified the project as a potential outperformer during the current cycle.
Unlike short-term speculative rallies driven purely by hype, NEAR’s latest move appears increasingly supported by expanding derivatives participation, improving technical structure, and strengthening ecosystem fundamentals.
Beyond price action, NEAR has been aggressively positioning itself around the emerging “agentic economy” narrative through initiatives tied to NEAR AI, Confidential Intents, and broader AI infrastructure development.
Quantum computing is a threat to every blockchain protocol. NEAR's architecture already makes accounts and assets more quantum-secure than most chains.
— NEAR Protocol (@NEARProtocol) May 6, 2026
The team is now adding post-quantum cryptography to secure NEAR and the wider Intents ecosystem.
Here's what's underway
The protocol also recently announced plans to integrate post-quantum cryptography into its ecosystem, aiming to strengthen blockchain security against future quantum computing threats.
The development added another institutional-grade narrative to the project at a time when Layer-1 ecosystems are increasingly competing around AI integration, infrastructure scalability, and long-term security architecture. Traders appear to be interpreting these developments as signs that NEAR is evolving beyond a traditional smart contract blockchain into a broader AI-focused infrastructure platform.
CoinGlass data showed futures trading volume surging more than 250% to over $834 million during the rally, while open interest climbed roughly 24% to above $320 million. The simultaneous rise in both price and open interest suggests fresh capital entering the market rather than a simple short-covering event.
Funding conditions also remained relatively stable despite the sharp rally, indicating bullish positioning is building without excessive leverage overheating the market. Meanwhile, Binance top trader positioning continued showing a noticeable long bias, reinforcing expectations that traders are positioning for continuation rather than fading the breakout.
From a technical perspective, NEAR recently broke out of the long-term descending channel structure that had controlled price action for several months. However, instead of immediately accelerating higher, the token entered a broad consolidation range between roughly $1.30 and $1.60, where it has traded since February.
That prolonged sideways structure now appears to be evolving into a fresh breakout attempt. The latest rally pushed NEAR back toward the upper boundary of the range while daily RSI momentum climbed above 60, signaling strengthening bullish control. Rising volume during the move further suggests buyers are attempting to transition the market from accumulation into expansion.
The immediate resistance now sits near the $1.60 breakout region. A decisive close above that level could confirm a larger range breakout and potentially open the path toward the psychological $2 barrier first, followed by a broader expansion toward the $2.80–$3 resistance zone highlighted on the higher timeframe structure. Still, analysts note that failure to sustain above the breakout level could trigger temporary consolidation before the next directional move develops.
NEAR’s latest rally is increasingly being driven by a combination of AI narrative momentum, expanding derivatives participation, and improving market structure rather than pure speculative hype. As smart money continues rotating toward infrastructure-focused crypto projects, traders are beginning to watch whether NEAR can transition from a multi-month accumulation phase into a sustained macro reversal. If bullish momentum continues building and broader market conditions remain supportive, the path toward the $3 region could become increasingly realistic over the coming weeks.
The post Ondo Finance and XRP Ledger Complete Real-Time Treasury Settlement appeared first on Coinpedia Fintech News
Ondo Finance, Kinexys by JPMorgan Chase, Mastercard, and Ripple completed a breakthrough pilot connecting the XRP Ledger with institutional settlement rails. The transaction enabled tokenized U.S. Treasuries to settle across borders in near real time, even outside traditional banking hours. Ondo processed Ripple’s OUSG redemption on XRP Ledger, while Mastercard routed settlement instructions to Kinexys, which delivered USD to Ripple’s Singapore account. The milestone strengthens the case for always-on global markets powered by tokenized assets and blockchain infrastructure.
The post Notcoin Price Jumps as Altcoin Season Momentum Accelerates appeared first on Coinpedia Fintech News
Notcoin surged as the Altcoin Season Index climbed 7.5% in 24 hours, signaling stronger capital rotation into higher-risk altcoins despite Bitcoin slipping slightly. The rally appears driven more by broader market sentiment than coin-specific developments, highlighting growing appetite for speculative crypto assets. Analysts now see $0.00060 as a critical support level, while sustained altcoin momentum could push NOT toward the $0.00075 resistance zone. Rising Bitcoin dominance, however, remains the biggest threat to the rally’s continuation.
The post VanEck Says $1 Million Bitcoin Is The Base Case — Here Is What The Data Says appeared first on Coinpedia Fintech News
Bitcoin is slowly regaining momentum as investors once again look toward the $100,000 milestone. After dropping from its late-2025 high of $126,000, BTC is now trading near $81,000, supported by improving sentiment, growing enthusiasm around the U.S. CLARITY Act, and strong institutional demand.
Spot Bitcoin ETFs saw massive $2.44 billion inflows in April 2026 alone, marking the strongest month since the 2025 peak. On May 6, spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded a total net inflow of $46.33 million, marking the fifth consecutive day of net inflows.
Matthew Sigel, Head of Digital Assets Research at VanEck, made one of the boldest predictions yet, saying Bitcoin reaching $1 million is now the firm’s “base case.”
“Bitcoin going up for us is the base case. We think this asset is going to reach a million dollars over the next several years,” Sigel said during a CNBC interview.
To explain his outlook, Sigel compared Bitcoin to the video game industry. He noted that gaming was once seen as something mainly for kids, but today it is mainstream across all age groups, even mentioning that Elon Musk plays video games. According to Sigel, Bitcoin is following a similar path toward mass adoption.
“People don’t quit Bitcoin,” he said, pointing to growing interest from younger investors and the fact that central banks are now beginning to hold Bitcoin reserves. He described Bitcoin as a long-term “mega trend,” although he warned that the asset will remain highly volatile along the way.
Sigel believes Bitcoin could potentially reach $1 million within five years if adoption keeps accelerating.
According to CryptoQuant researchers, Bitcoin’s next major target could be $93,000 due to a key CME gap. BTC recently surged close to $83,000 as the total crypto market cap jumped to $2.73 trillion. Moreover, a sharp 12% crash in oil prices and growing optimism around a possible U.S.-Iran peace deal also added fresh fuel to the crypto rally.
The post BNY Brings Crypto Custody Services to Abu Dhabi appeared first on Coinpedia Fintech News
BNY Mellon is expanding its digital asset business into Abu Dhabi by launching crypto custody services through local partners Finstreet and ADI Foundation. The initiative will operate within the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) regulatory framework and initially support Bitcoin and Ethereum custody for institutional clients. The bank also plans to expand into stablecoins and tokenized assets in the future. With nearly $59 trillion in assets under custody and administration, BNY’s move highlights growing institutional interest in regulated crypto infrastructure across the Middle East.
The post Why is Toncoin Price Surging Today? appeared first on Coinpedia Fintech News
Toncoin has become the biggest crypto gainer of the day, surging more than 31% in just 24 hours and climbing to the 16th-largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization. While most of the crypto market remained relatively flat, TON exploded higher after a series of major announcements tied to Telegram and its growing blockchain ecosystem.
Here’s the key reason: Why is Toncoin price of Toncoin surging today?
The rally began after Toncoin CEO Pavel Durov announced on May 5 that Telegram had officially replaced the TON Foundation as the network’s largest validator.
Telegram becoming TON’s largest validator strengthens decentralization.
— Pavel Durov (@durov) May 5, 2026
It lets other major players join the validator pool without centralizing the network — with Telegram as the counterbalance.
The move allows other major validators to join the network while keeping Telegram as a balancing force, reducing concerns around centralization and execution risk.
This shift immediately strengthened the bullish narrative surrounding TON, especially because of Telegram’s massive global reach of more than 900 million users.
Another major catalyst behind TON’s surge is rising validator participation and staking demand.
As more users compete for staking rewards reportedly exceeding 20% APR, a growing amount of TON supply is becoming locked within the network. This reduces circulating supply while increasing demand pressure, a combination that often supports strong price rallies.
According to network data, TON processed nearly 67 million transactions in April 2026, marking its strongest monthly performance of the year so far. At the same time, the network’s staking ratio reportedly climbed another 18%.
Market excitement increased further after Pavel Durov revealed additional upgrades under the second phase of his “Make TON Great Again” (MTONGA) roadmap.
The roadmap focuses on tighter Telegram integration, faster ecosystem development, and improving usability for developers and users.
One of the biggest announcements involved transaction fee reductions.
Durov stated that within a week, TON transaction fees would fall nearly six times to just 0.00039 TON, or roughly $0.0005 per transaction.
— Pavel Durov (@durov) April 23, 2026
From a technical perspective, analysts believe TON could be approaching a major breakout zone.
The token has already recovered nearly 30% from its lower support trendline and is now testing key resistance levels between $2.80 and $3.00.
If TON successfully breaks above the descending channel resistance, analysts believe it could potentially trigger a larger rally toward the $6–$7 range.
However, risks remain elevated.
TON’s Relative Strength Index (RSI) has climbed above 93, signaling overbought conditions.
The post BNY Expands Digital Asset Custody Business Into UAE Amid Tokenization Push appeared first on Coinpedia Fintech News
BNY, the world’s largest custodian overseeing $59 trillion in assets, is expanding its digital asset custody operations into the United Arab Emirates through partnerships with Finstreet and the ADI Foundation. The initiative, based in Abu Dhabi Global Market, will initially support custody for Bitcoin and Ethereum before expanding into stablecoins and tokenized assets. The move highlights growing institutional adoption of blockchain infrastructure and strengthens the UAE’s position as a global hub for regulated digital asset finance and tokenization.
The post TON DeFi Explodes as STON.fi Volume Surges 26x After Network Upgrades appeared first on Coinpedia Fintech News
DeFi activity on TON is accelerating rapidly, with DefiLlama data showing Total Value Locked jumping 20% in 24 hours. The biggest catalyst was STON.fi, which processed $40 million in daily swap volume after recent network upgrades a 26x surge from last week’s average. On-chain activity also intensified, averaging one transaction every 0.73 seconds. The momentum supports the “MTONGA” scaling vision backed by Pavel Durov, signaling growing utility, liquidity, and potential institutional attention for the TON ecosystem.
The post 1inch Liquidity Provider Trusted Volumes Exploited for $5.87 Million appeared first on Coinpedia Fintech News
Another major DeFi attack has shaken the crypto market. A liquidity provider tied to 1inch’s Trusted Volumes system has reportedly been exploited for nearly $5.87 million, with attackers draining millions in WETH, USDT, WBTC, and USDC.
More concerningly, blockchain security firms warn that the exploit may still be ongoing, meaning additional losses could still occur.
So, how did the exploit happen?
Security researchers at Blockaid revealed that attackers exploited a vulnerability in the Trusted Volumes resolver contract. This vulnerability allowed them to execute malicious orders directly from users’ wallets.
The attack worked by abusing a public function in the contract. Using this function, the attacker was able to add themselves as an “Allowed Order Signer.” Once they gained this permission, they could use old wallet approvals that users had previously granted to move funds.
— Blockaid (@blockaid_) May 7, 2026
Chain: Ethereum
Victim contract: TrustedVolumes resolver — 0x9bA0CF1588E1DFA905eC948F7FE5104dD40EDa31
Exploiter:…
What made the exploit especially dangerous is that users did not need to approve any new transaction for the attack to happen. Existing token approvals alone were enough for attackers to access and transfer assets.
The incident once again highlights one of DeFi’s biggest hidden risks: unlimited token approvals that stay active even after users stop using a protocol.
According to Blockaid, the attacker behind this exploit appears to be linked to the March 2025 1inch Fusion V1 attack.
Further blockchain security firm PeckShield reported that the attacker has already extracted:
The total stolen amount currently stands at approximately $5.87 million.
Researchers identified the affected resolver contract and vulnerable proxy linked to the March 2025 1inch Fusion V1 attack. Security experts also discovered strong similarities between the two incidents while tracing the exploiter wallet connected to the attack.
The TrustedVolumes exploit is now reportedly the fifth major DeFi exploit over the last one month alone, extending what is becoming an increasingly dangerous period for decentralized finance platforms.
The overall DeFi market has already witnessed several massive hacks in recent weeks, including:
According to data from DefiLlama, total crypto assets stolen in April 2026 surged to approximately $635.2 million, the highest level since the massive 2025 Bybit exploit where nearly $1.5 billion was drained.
The post Ethena Jumps 4% After Grayscale Adds It to DeFi Fund in Q1 Rebalancing appeared first on Coinpedia Fintech News
Ethena Jumps 4% After Grayscale Adds It to DeFi Fund in Q1 Rebalancing
Grayscale Investments reshuffled its crypto portfolios this week as part of its Q1 2026 fund rebalancing. The firm removed Aerodrome Finance from its DeFi Fund and replaced it with Ethena, a yield-focused decentralized finance protocol.
Ethena rose 4.33% in the last 24 hours following the announcement. Grayscale also made adjustments to its Smart Contract Fund, though no new assets were added to that portfolio.
The biggest change came in Grayscale’s DeFi Fund. Following the CoinDesk DeFi Select Index methodology, the firm sold AERO and portions of other existing holdings to purchase ENA.
As of May 1, 2026, the fund holdings stood at:
Grayscale also adjusted the weightings of its Smart Contract Fund using the CoinDesk Smart Contract Platform Select Capped Index methodology. Unlike the DeFi Fund, no assets were removed or added.
The updated allocations are:
The allocation shows Grayscale still heavily favors established smart contract ecosystems led by Ethereum and Solana.
These updates give a simple look into where institutional investors believe crypto is heading. Grayscale appears to be betting more on DeFi projects connected to stablecoins, yield, and tokenized assets rather than only trading platforms.
At the same time, the company is still keeping strong exposure to big blockchain ecosystems like Ethereum and Solana, which continue to dominate developer activity and liquidity in crypto markets.
Overall, rebalances like this reflect where capital is rotating. The question is whether flows follow or lag.
Bu gün futzal üzrə Azərbaycan çempionatında (Yüksək Liqa) 2025/2026-cı illər mövsümünün 19-cu turunun oyunları keçiriləcək.
Arena.az xəbər verir ki, hər iki görüş eyni gündə keçiriləcək.
Komandalar “Olimpik Star”da üz-üzə gələcəklər. Əvvəlcə, “Baku Fire” lider “Neftçi” İK ilə qarşılaşacaq. Günün digər oyunu son çempion “Araz-Naxçıvan”la U-19 millimiz arasında baş tutacaq.
“Şuşa” isə bu turda meydana çıxmadan 3 xal qazanacaq. Belə ki, “Lənkəran” komandası çempionatdakı çıxışını dayandırdığına görə, rəqibinə avtomatik qələbə yazılacaq.
Yüksək Liqa
19-cu tur
7 may
Baku Fire – Neftçi İK
Hakimlər: Ramil Namazov, Hidayət Feyzullayev, Knyaz Əmiraslanov.
Hakim-inspektor: Azad Hüseynov.
Bakı. “Olimpik Star”. Saat 14:00.
Araz-Naxçıvan – U-19
Hakimlər: İmran Məhərrəmov, Vüsal Balaşov, Hikmət Qafarlı.
Hakim-inspektor: Füzuli Nəcəfov.
Bakı. “Olimpik Star”. Saat 16:30.
Xallar: Neftçi İK – 49. Araz-Naxçıvan – 46. Baku Fire – 35. Şuşa – 18. U-19 – 12. Lənkəran – 0.
Bombardirlər: Allef Mayolli (“Neftçi” İK) – 35. Yaqo Henrike (“Neftçi” İK) – 26. Sadeq Caviditavar (“Şuşa”), Ədalət Ələkbərov (“Araz-Naxçıvan”) – 23 qol.
Samourai Wallet co-founder Keonne Rodriguez said mounting legal debt and fading pardon hopes could force him to serve his full prison sentence.
Donald Trump’s sons’ company, American Bitcoin, missed analyst revenue estimates and posted narrower losses as it ramped up its mining capacity.
The system enables near-instant conversion between UAE dirham and US dollar stablecoins within the country’s regulated payment token regime.
FIFA tərəfindən transfer qadağası ilə üzləşən “Neftçi”nin cəzası ləğv olunacaq.
Bu barədə klubun mətbuat xidmətinin rəhbəri Asəf Zeynallı “Futbolpress.az“a açıqlamasında bildirdi. O, qadağanın yaxın zamanda qüvvədən düşəcəyini bildirdi:
“Bir futbolçuyla bağlı ödəniş texniki səbəbdən gecikmişdi. FIFA-da sistem elədir ki, portal avtomatik işləyir və gecikməyə görə klub qırmızı siyahıya salınıb. Ancaq ödəniş edilib və cəza yaxın zamanda ləğv olunacaq. Narahatlığa heç bir səbəb yoxdur”.
“Neftçi” Alessio Kurçini Belçikanın “Frank Borains” klubundan heyətinə qatıb. Lüksemburqlu hücumçu ilə müqavilə 2028-ci ilin yayına kimi nəzərdə tutulub.
Kurçi bu mövsüm 18 oyunda 2 qol vurub, 1 məhsuldar ötürmə edib.
Şahin Cəfərov
PSJ-nin futbolçusu Xviça Kvaratsxeliya Çempionlar Liqasının tarixinə düşüb.
Futbolpress.az xəbər verir ki, “Bavariya” ilə yarımfinal mərhələsinin cavab matçında məhsuldar ötürmə edən gürcüstanlı yarımmüdafiəçi ardıcıl 7-ci oyunda qolun vurulmasında iştirak edib.
Kvaratsxeliya turnir tarixində pley-off mərhələlərində bu göstəriciyə imza atan ilk oyunçudur.
Xviça bu mövsüm turnirdə 10 qol vurub, 6 məhsuldar ötürmə edib.
Müdafəçi Danilo Beskorovoyni və yarımmüdafiəçi Emil Mustafayev “Sumqayıt”dan ayrılacaq.
Futbolpress.az-ın əldə etdiyi məlumata görə, icarə əsasında “kimyaçılar”da çıxış edən hər iki futbolçunun transfer hüquqları alınmayacaq.
Danilo və Emil müqavilə ilə məxsus olduğu Ukraynanın “Polissya” klubuna qayıdacaq.
Futbolçular “Sumqayıt” formasıyla Premyer Liqada 11 matça çıxıb.
Şahin Cəfərov
“Neftçi” basketbol klubu heyətini yeni oyunçu ilə gücləndirib.
Futbolpress.az xəbər verir ki, “ağ-qaralar” yaponiyalı Aoi Katsuranı transfer edib.
Yaponiya millisinin sabiq üzvü olan Katsura karyerası ərzində U18 Asiya çempionatının gümüş medalını qazanıb, U19 dünya çempionatında iştirak edib.
“İmişli” klubunun nümayəndə heyəti Türkiyənin Trabzon şəhərinə səfər çərçivəsində “Trabzonspor” futbol klubunda 5 günlük təcrübə proqramında olub.
Futbolpress.az xəbər verir ki, səfərdə klubun oyunların təşkili üzrə meneceri İlkin Əhmədov və komandanın meneceri Mədət Eminbəyli iştirak edib.
“Trabzonspor”un meneceri Əmrah Tokun dəvəti ilə baş tutan səfər zamanı nümayəndələr əsas komandanın bazası, qadın futbol akademiyası və aşağı yaş qrupları üzrə təlim-məşq mərkəzlərinin fəaliyyəti ilə tanış olub.
Səfər çərçivəsində klubun baş məşqçisi Fateh Tekke və rəhbərliklə keçirilən görüşlərdə oyunların təşkili, əməkdaşlıq imkanları və təcrübə mübadiləsi müzakirə edilib.
Bununla yanaşı, “Trabzonspor” klubunun uşaq futbol akademiyası ziyarət edilib, akademiyanın rəhbəri İlkər Ərdəmlə qarşılıqlı əməkdaşlıq perspektivləri geniş şəkildə müzakirə olunub.
“Flamenqo”nun futbolçusu Saul Niqes maraqlı açıqlama ilə gündəmə gəlib.
Futbolpress.az xarici KİV-ə istinadən xəbər verir ki, yarımmüdafiəçi karyerası ilə bağlı danışıb:
“25 yaşıma qədər özümü Maradona hesab edirdim. Sonra nə baş verdiyini anlamadım. Problemlər yaşadım və futboldan zövq almamağa başladım. Fərqli mövqelərdə oynamaq isə məni yordu”.
Saul karyerası ərzində “Atletiko”, “Sevilya” kimi klublarda da çıxış edib.
Arsenal are reportedly eyeing up a potential transfer opportunity as Ajax winger Mika Godts could end up moving for below his current €75m asking price.
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The exciting young Belgian has really caught the eye in the Eredivisie in recent times, establishing himself as one of the biggest talents outside Europe’s big five leagues.
A recent report from TEAMtalk claimed that both Arsenal and Chelsea had scouted Godts in a game in which he scored a goal of the season contender with a stunning solo run.
Manchester United and Newcastle have also been linked with Godts by Football Insider, but now Arsenal are the main name being mentioned in a fresh report from Fichajes.
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Arsenal are said to be big fans of Godts, and they’re keeping a close eye on what happens with Ajax this season as they could miss out on European football.
According to the Fichajes report, that could likely mean the Amsterdam outfit’s negotiating position for a talent like Godts is significantly weakened.
For now, the 20-year-old is expected to cost around €75m, according to the report, but finishing outside the European places would probably bring that price tag down.
| Mika Godts | Games | Goals | Assists |
| Ajax 2025/26 | 38 | 17 | 13 |
Arsenal may be in the Champions League final and top of the Premier League table, but there are undoubtedly some weaknesses in Mikel Arteta’s side’s attack.
Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard have been hugely inconsistent this season, while even Bukayo Saka has struggled to hit his usual heights, largely due to being in and out of the team with injury.
There’s surely room for someone to come in and provide a new element of spark and unpredictability, with Godts looking like a talent well worth investing in.
It would be a big step up from Ajax to Arsenal, but Godts surely has it in him to become a genuinely top player if he continues to develop and benefits from the guidance of an elite coach like Arteta.
The post Arsenal ready to pounce for attacker transfer as €75m price tag could drop appeared first on CaughtOffside.
The impending departure of Mohamed Salah at the end of the 2025/26 season marks the end of an era at Liverpool.
As the Egyptian king prepares to bid farewell to Anfield after nine record-breaking years, the Merseyside giants are faced with the monumental task of replacing one of the greatest wingers in Premier League history.
While reports have linked Liverpool with ambitious moves for international stars like Athletic Club’s Nico Williams and RB Leipzig’s Yan Diomande, former striker Michael Owen has backed a Premier League player to replace Salah at Anfield.
West Ham United captain Jarrod Bowen has received the backing from Owen to make the move to Anfield.
Replacing Salah is about more than simply signing a talented forward, it requires identifying a player capable of shouldering immense pressure while delivering relentless, clinical output from the right flank.
In a question asked by talkSPORT about seeing Bowen at Liverpool, the football pundit said:
“How do you know?
“I have said that to a couple of my mates the other day. I said, if I had one player.
“Now, obviously, Jarrod Bowen’s a legend of a player, West Ham, you know, adore the man, and rightly so.
“But, if West Ham went down, he would fit for me.
“I think he’s absolutely brilliant.
“I was lucky enough to do like a striking master class for a TV show we did last season with him, and I couldn’t believe it.
“Honestly, left foot, right foot, bang, bang, corners, pace. I mean, a real top finisher.
“I think he’s a brilliant player. I would be taking him to the World Cup, and, as I say, you know, I don’t want to upset West Ham fans, but if they went down, then he would be my idea of somebody to replace Salah.”
At 29 years old, Bowen represents a readymade, Premier League-proven solution. The England international possesses the qualities to shine at a big club.
Despite West Ham’s chaotic season, Bowen has maintained his high standards. The Hammers’ captain remains their most reliable attacking outlet, consistently troubling defenses with his direct running and sharp final product.
Bowen is currently tied down to a lucrative, long-term contract at the London Stadium that runs until June 2030.
Under normal circumstances, prising him away would require an exorbitant fee, with his current valuation hovering around the £60 million mark.
However, West Ham’s desperate battle against relegation could change the situation.
Retaining their highest earner and talisman would prove incredibly difficult, both financially and from a sporting perspective.
A relegation scenario would undoubtedly force West Ham to soften their stance, opening the door for Liverpool to make the move.
Chelsea, Liverpool make enquiry for 25-year-old PL star, but Tottenham have advantage in race
The post Owen backs ‘absolutely brilliant’ attacker to join Liverpool as Salah’s successor appeared first on CaughtOffside.
As the 2026 summer transfer window approaches, Newcastle United’s quest to find a dependable striker is intensifying.
While recent widespread reports suggested the Magpies were preparing an audacious bid for Chelsea’s Nicolas Jackson, the reality of the situation points in a completely different direction.
According to journalist Ben Jacobs for GiveMeSport, Newcastle’s primary attacking target at Stamford Bridge is actually 23-year-old Liam Delap.
With Eddie Howe desperate to add reliable firepower to his squad, a move for the English forward appears far more likely as the Tyneside club looks to make amends for a deeply frustrating recruiting period last year.
Jacobs said: “There will be outgoings [at Chelsea] and one could be Liam Delap.
“My information is that the player would like to stay and fight for his place, and if you’re Liam Delap, even with Joao Pedro locking down that lead number 9 role, you’re maybe waiting to see who the new manager is, but there is interest in Liam Delap, particularly, I’m told, from Newcastle United, who will add another striker this summer.
“Nicolas Jackson is going to return [to Chelsea], the obligation to buy was always near impossible [for Bayern Munich], but links with Newcastle or new ones at this stage are wide of the mark. If Newcastle are going to raid Chelsea for a striker it would more likely be Delap than Nico Jackson as of now.”
Newcastle’s pursuit of a traditional center-forward stems directly from the chaotic fallout of the 2025 summer window.
The high-profile departure of talisman Alexander Isak to Liverpool left a massive void in the team’s attack.
The club’s subsequent late scramble to replace the Swedish star led to the signings of Nick Woltemade and Yoane Wissa, moves that have not worked out.
Consequently, the Magpies have lacked a consistent, elite focal point this season. With a restructured recruitment team now steering the ship, Newcastle is determined to learn from those costly missteps.
Delap, known for his relentless physicality, aerial presence, and high ceiling, fits the profile of a classic number nine who could thrive under Howe’s intense, physical tactical setup.
For Delap, a move to St. James’ Park could offer a vital career reset. Since joining Chelsea for a reported £30 million from Ipswich Town in June 2025, the forward has endured a difficult 2025/26 campaign.
Hindered by early-season hamstring and shoulder injuries, Delap has found consistent starting minutes hard to come by, managing just one Premier League goal in a difficult first season for the Blues.
Everton are closely monitoring his situation, and Delap’s former club, Ipswich Town, are heavily tipped to launch a bid to bring their former talisman back.
Newcastle United plotting £17m move for Brazilian wonderkid as Bruno Guimaraes replacement
The post Newcastle in pole position to sign Chelsea star in the summer window appeared first on CaughtOffside.
Steven Gerrard has spoken about Arsenal’s chances against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final, saying it might suit them to be underdogs.
PSG beat Bayern Munich in their semi-final last night, while Arsenal overcame Atletico Madrid, setting up an intriguing clash in Budapest later this month.
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The Gunners will fancy their chances against PSG, even if the reigning European champions will be slight favourites, but Gerrard feels that could also suit Mikel Arteta and his players.
Watch below as Gerrard, who knows a thing or two about Champions League final upsets, said it can sometimes be beneficial to feel like there’s less pressure on you than your opponent…
“Arsenal are going to have to be perfect on the night!”
Owen Hargreaves and Steven Gerrard on the challenge facing Arsenal against PSG in the Champions League final ?
TNT Sports & HBO Max pic.twitter.com/OdPs8CGo5k
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) May 6, 2026
“Everyone expects PSG to maybe win it,” the former Liverpool captain told TNT Sports. “If you look at tonight’s performance, you look at them winning it last year, the players they’ve got, you would have to say that the bookies will probably make PSG favourites.
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“Obviously Arsenal have had the easier ride [to the final] if you like, but that’s going to be some final at the end of the month, one for us all to look forward to, two different styles. Both deserve to be there, you have to say that.”
Gerrard added that Arsenal would need a bit of luck against such a good PSG side.
“It’s a possibility [that Arsenal win] but they’re going to have to have a bit of luck,” he added. “They’re going to have to have things go their way on the night because this PSG team, they’re just so good everywhere.”
Arsenal will be desperate to finally get their hands on this trophy, with the north Londoners arguably the biggest club in Europe never to win it.
AFC have only reached the final once before this season, losing 2-1 to Barcelona back in 2006, and this will be another big challenge for them.
PSG have world class players in every position and an elite coach in Luis Enrique, but this surely won’t be a walkover for the French giants like their 5-0 victory over Inter Milan in last year’s final.
Arsenal are well-drilled defensively and remain unbeaten in all their Champions League matches so far this season, while they can also take some heart from the fact that they played well and were pretty unlucky in their semi-final defeat against PSG last season.
The post “Might just help Arsenal…” – Steven Gerrard makes interesting CL final prediction appeared first on CaughtOffside.
West Ham United find themselves staring into the possibility of relegation.
The Hammers face Arsenal in the Premier League next, a team who is fighting to win the Premier League title this season, which makes their survival in the top flight even more difficult.
With just three fixtures remaining to salvage their top-flight status, anxiety is understandably high around the London Stadium.
However, amidst the looming threat of the drop, a significant and reassuring development has emerged, the Hammers’ hierarchy has unequivocally decided to retain manager Nuno Espírito Santo, regardless of which division the club competes in next season.
According to The Tepehraph, this mutual commitment could be the very anchor West Ham desperately needs to navigate a turbulent summer.
To understand the significance of this boardroom decision, one must look at the chaotic circumstances surrounding Nuno’s arrival.
After joining last September to replace Graham Potter, the Portuguese tactician inherited a deeply fractured team.
Despite a predictably sluggish start as he worked to implement his systematic methodology, Nuno has seen a steady turnaround.
Boasting a resilient record of just five defeats in their last 18 outings across all competitions, the Hammers have finally begun to forge a distinct identity and fighting spirit under his stewardship.
Nuno remains entirely unfazed by the prospect of dropping down to the Championship.
This unwavering stance shouldn’t come as a surprise. Nuno possesses an impeccable pedigree in England’s notoriously difficult second tier, having famously engineered Wolves’ dominant, 99-point title-winning campaign in 2018 before establishing them as an upper-half Premier League force.
His proven blueprint for promotion makes him the ideal architect for an immediate bounce-back.
While an exodus of high-earning marquee stars is practically guaranteed, Nuno’s continued presence provides a crucial stabilising force.
The current squad has visibly bought into his philosophy, and his reputation may persuade key transitional figures to remain for the rebuild.
For a club that has struggled to find a cohesive, long-term direction since the departure of David Moyes in 2024, sticking with Nuno shows that they are looking for stability and consistency.
Relegation would undoubtedly be a bitter pill for the Hammers faithful to swallow. However, knowing they have a top-tier manager holding the reins would give them confidence of bouncing back immediately.
Just in: European clubs on alert as relegation could lead to major West Ham exit
The post West Ham United handed manager boost even if relegation is confirmed appeared first on CaughtOffside.
Manchester United reportedly still have no plans to reintegrate Marcus Rashford into their first-team squad next season.
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The England international is facing an uncertain summer as he may not end up getting his loan move to Barcelona converted into a permanent deal.
Still, that won’t mean there’s a way back for him at Man Utd, according to the Sun, despite the player posting on X to congratulate the club on their return to the Champions League, which was his first social media post about the Red Devils for almost a year.
While some might have taken that as a hint that Rashford is looking to reconnect with his parent club, it still seems that Old Trafford chiefs would prefer to sell the 28-year-old.
It has seemed the case for a while now that Barca would not take up the option to keep Rashford, despite the United forward doing a decent job during his spell on loan at the Nou Camp.
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As previously reported, our understanding is that Paris Saint-Germain and AC Milan could be keen on Rashford this summer, with the player frustrated about Barcelona’s stance.
One imagines other clubs could also join the running soon, with Rashford looking like a decent option after 13 goals and 10 assists in all competitions this season.
Some United fans might even look at that and question if they should consider bringing Rashford back into the fold, but it’s fair to say it seems that ship has sailed.
Rashford was once a key player for MUFC, but it looks like he’s benefited from the change of scene since joining Barcelona on loan, so moving again seems like the only realistic option to suit all parties.
The post Report: Man United transfer stance explained after player’s possible social media hint appeared first on CaughtOffside.
Aston Villa are already laying the groundwork for a critical summer of transition.
In recent weeks, the Midlands club has initiated preliminary discussions with the representatives of Manchester City goalkeeper James Trafford, as reported by a source on X.
With mounting speculation suggesting that Villa’s World Cup-winning stalwart, Emiliano Martinez, could depart Villa Park at the end of the campaign, Unai Emery is wasting no time in identifying high-calibre replacements to safeguard his team’s defensive foundation.
Trafford’s current situation at the Etihad Stadium makes him a highly attainable target.
Despite arriving at Manchester City with lofty expectations last year, the young Englishman has found his path blocked following the club’s blockbuster signing of Gianluigi Donnarumma.
Restricted to just 14 appearances across all competitions this term, the highly-rated shot-stopper is understandably eager to secure regular Premier League minutes, a guarantee that seems impossible under Pep Guardiola as long as the Italian international remains the undisputed number one.
While Villa’s interest is concrete, they are not the only suitors monitoring Trafford’s availability.
Newcastle United and Tottenham have both registered their interest, though each faces unique structural hurdles.
The Magpies are reportedly grappling with the financial implications of Trafford’s wage demands, whereas Tottenham’s pursuit is entirely contingent on their ongoing, desperate battle to secure top-flight survival in the final three games of the season.
For Aston Villa, the pitch to Trafford is incredibly compelling. Sitting fifth in the Premier League and just four points shy of mathematically securing Champions League qualification, the Villans offer the chance to play in Europe’s elite competition next season, as things stand.
Stepping into the immense void potentially left by Martinez would instantly establish him as a cornerstone of an ambitious Premier League project. More importantly, it would provide the vital weekly exposure needed to stake a serious, long-term claim as England’s premier goalkeeper.
Tottenham & Aston Villa set for transfer war over 23-year-old Belgian star
The post Aston Villa hold talks to sign Man City star immediately appeared first on CaughtOffside.
Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly preparing a substantial move for Brighton & Hove Albion’s standout defender, Jan Paul van Hecke.
However, according to TEAMtalk, the North London club will face fierce competition from heavyweights Chelsea and Liverpool, who are also closely monitoring the 25-year-old Netherlands international.
Van Hecke’s stock has risen astronomically over the past two seasons on the South Coast.
Establishing himself as a fundamental piece of Brighton’s backline, his elite ball-playing abilities, aerial dominance, and aggressive front-foot defending earned him the club’s Player of the Season award for the 2024/25 campaign.
He followed that up with a stellar 2025/26 season, contributing heavily to build-up play while securing his place in the senior Dutch national team setup.
For Tottenham, the pursuit of van Hecke is driven by both tactical necessity and a desire for familiarity.
With persistent internal uncertainty surrounding the long-term futures of current defensive anchors Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven, both of whom have been heavily linked with high-profile summer exits, Spurs are acutely aware of the need to reinforce their rearguard.
Crucially, Tottenham may hold a trump card in this high-stakes transfer battle, Roberto De Zerbi.
The tactician, who successfully managed van Hecke during their shared time at the Amex Stadium, is understood to be driving the interest.
De Zerbi’s system requires center-backs who are exceptionally comfortable in possession and brave enough to hold a high line, traits that perfectly align with van Hecke’s proven skill set and development path.
Meanwhile, Chelsea and Liverpool’s involvement adds a layer of complexity to the impending negotiations. Both clubs are actively seeking to refresh their defensive options with Premier League-proven talent.
As the summer window approaches, van Hecke finds himself at the center of a high-profile transfer tug-of-war.
While Chelsea and Liverpool possess the financial muscle and pedigree to lure the 25-year-old away from Brighton, the prospect of reuniting with De Zerbi at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium could prove decisive.
Tottenham & Aston Villa set for transfer war over 23-year-old Belgian star
The post Tottenham prepare for Romero and van de Ven exit by targeting Premier League defender appeared first on CaughtOffside.
Bayern Munich board member for sport Max Eberl has criticised referee João Pinheiro after Wednesday’s 1-1 draw with Paris Saint-Germain, which saw the German champions eliminated from the Champions League 6-5 on aggregate.
He credited PSG for playing an “outstanding match”, but felt multiple controversial decisions by the referee also had an impact.
“We may have made one or two wrong decisions – someone else on the pitch may also have made one or two wrong decisions. Those are the details that ultimately decide a semifinal like this in total,” Eberl said in the mixed zone after the game.
He was particularly frustrated with two calls in the first half, the first being the decision not to show Nuno Mendes a second yellow card for handball, as Konrad Laimer was adjudged to have handled the ball just before.
Eberl felt the Portuguese referee was noticeably communicative with his compatriots from Paris Saint-Germain, while he himself was left without a clear explanation.
“He spoke with the Portuguese players, whom he always accompanied to the corner kicks as well. Maybe he explained something to them there; he didn’t explain it to me.”
“For me, you can give a second yellow card there, and then suddenly it goes the other way. I think that surprised everyone. I didn’t see the handball involving ‘Konny’; the other one was relatively clear,” he said.
Eberl described the incident where PSG’s Vitinha kicked the ball onto the arm of teammate João Neves inside the penalty area as “strange”, arguing that many other referees would have awarded Bayern a penalty in that situation.
“One half says it’s a clear penalty, the other half says everything was done correctly. So what is the rule now? Nobody has been able to explain that to me so far! From my point of view, it's a handball in the penalty area.”
On Media Matters for Anfield Index, Dave Davis and Lewis Steele turned part of their Liverpool transfer discussion towards Harvey Elliott, RB Leipzig and how the club may shape its summer business.
Davis set the tone by saying Liverpool “have got to manage the pennies carefully,” before referencing recent reporting around Elliott’s future. He said: “Paul Joyce has referenced it. I saw Dominic King in the Telegraph as well.”
The key line came when Davis stated: “Harvey Elliott needs a permanent move, as Joyce said.” That framed the debate not as a vague squad conversation, but as one about a player whose pathway at Liverpool appears to be under real examination.
Davis then brought RB Leipzig directly into the discussion, saying: “Red Bull Leipzig were only willing to pay €20m.” He added that if talks around “Yan Diomande” were to “progress formally,” then “it wouldn’t be a surprise if Elliott was used to bring down that €85m prize tag.”
Photo IMAGO
Steele’s response was measured, but notably open. “It would make sense because Leipzig were the team that, for much of last summer, I thought that’s where Elliott was going to end up,” he said.
That matters because Steele presented Leipzig not as a random name thrown into the market noise, but as a club with previous interest. He added: “They seemed to be the team leading the race for most of the summer, alongside a couple of other German clubs.”
The most significant part of the exchange was how Elliott could be used in a Liverpool deal. Steele said: “I think that it makes sense.” He then added the necessary uncertainty, saying: “It’s just whether it would actually happen or not, we don’t know.”
Still, he did not dismiss the idea. “It’s certainly a potential,” Steele said. “I wouldn’t want to rule that one out.”
For Liverpool, that line is important. Elliott’s value could become part of a wider negotiation if the club are pursuing a player from RB Leipzig. Steele put it plainly: “It could be one that Liverpool use as a little sweetener.”
Steele also raised the central issue around Elliott’s market worth. “It just depends on how much Elliott is valued at these days,” he said, before adding: “Obviously we know it was thirty-five last summer.”
That valuation, in Steele’s view, has likely shifted. “He’s not going to be the same now after he’s had a year of nothing, basically,” he said.
Yet the case for RB Leipzig remains alive because Steele described them as “a clever club”. He added: “They know that one year doesn’t define Elliott’s career and they’ll be looking at the other things as well.”
Davis agreed with the logic of the move, saying it “would be one that just makes sense and would work for all parties.” He also noted that the story “keeps coming up through numerous journalists.”
For Elliott, Liverpool and RB Leipzig, this feels like a transfer thread worth watching, because, as Steele concluded, it “could be one to keep an eye on, sure.”
SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Whether it's chess, a drawing contest or table tennis, San Antonio Spurs All-Star Victor Wembanyama hates to lose. A loss in Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals to the Minnesota Timberwolves only magnified that loathing.
Wembanyama responded by setting a suffocating tone as San Antonio handed Minnesota its largest postseason loss in franchise history, beating the Timberwolves 133-95 on Wednesday night to even their series at one game apiece.
Despite posting 11 points, 15 rebounds and setting an NBA postseason record with 12 blocks, Wembanyama shouldered much of the blame for the Spurs' 104-102 loss to the Timberwolves on Monday in Game 1.
The 7-foot-4 All-Star knew he needed to do more, especially offensively.
Was there some anger and frustration and a desire to get back on the court for Game 2? Absolutely.
“There always is,” Wembanyama said. “In the playoffs, magnify that.”
What resulted was what Minnesota coach Chris Finch said was a punking before a raucous sellout crowd.
The Timberwolves were held to 35 points in the first half while shooting 7 for 24 from the field and 2 for 15 on 3-pointers.
Minnesota closed the game shooting 40% from the field, 30% on 3-pointers while committing 22 turnovers. San Antonio had a 58-36 scoring advantage in the paint, a 55-43 rebounding advantage and had nine blocked shots compared to two for Minnesota.
“We got beat in every way possible, it’s as simple as that,” Timberwolves forward Julius Randle said. “There’s not really much to say from this game. They outhustled us, out-physicaled us, executed, played better defensively, more energy. They just beat us in every way in this game. We’ve got to come back in the next game and be better.”
Game 3 is Friday in Minneapolis followed by Game 4 on Sunday at the Target Center.
The Spurs and Timberwolves went deep into their benches Wednesday with 10 minutes remaining in the game with only the margin of defeat undecided.
San Antonio's 38-point victory toppled Minnesota’s previous largest postseason defeat of 30 points to the Los Angeles Lakers on April 29, 2003.
“I know this team’s capable of doing all of this,” Wembanyama said. “To be honest, I’m expecting this kind of response from myself, from my teammates. So, I’m not surprised by any means and I’m just going to keep working so we approach more games like we did tonight.”
After blowing a nine-point lead in the fourth quarter Monday, Wembanyama and De'Aaron Fox both took accountability for the two-point loss.
Wembanyama andFox combined for only 21 points in Game 1. The All-Star duo was a combined 0 for 12 on 3-pointers with Wembanyama missing eight.
“They acknowledged it, them being the leaders on our team,” Spurs guard Stephon Castle said. “Coming out of Game 1, I mean, it’s going to happen. You're going to have bad shooting nights, but I mean, we have nothing but confidence in those two. So, I expect them to play well the rest of the series like they did tonight.”
Wembanyama set the tone early in Game 2, scoring seven points on 3-for-4 shooting.
The Spurs missed their first three shots, but Wembanyama followed the third attempt by flying through the lane and throwing down a right-handed dunk to open the scoring.
Wembanyama had 14 points and nine rebounds in the first half while leading a defensive effort that limited Minnesota to 35 points, the fewest points by a San Antonio opponent in the first half of a playoff game since Memphis had 31 in 2013.
“I just think we respond well to adversity,” Castle said. “I think we’ve done that all year. I mean, I don’t think we were too shell shocked coming out of Game 1. I think we knew why we lost Game 1 and we addressed it right away. And I feel like that’s what carried us through tonight.”
___
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA
The morning breaks over two radically opposing footballing Europes. While in Paris the heroic resistance of Luis Enrique’s men is being celebrated, in Bavaria the feeling is one of absolute outrage at the refereeing. The final 1-1 draw (6-5 on aggregate for PSG) leaves behind a wave of controversy filling the front pages across the continent.
The German press is merciless. The newspaper Abendzeitung leads harshly with: "Bitteres 1:1. Schiri-Wut! Bayern-Frust!" (Bitter 1-1. Referee fury! Bayern frustration!).
All the criticism is directed at Portuguese referee João Pinheiro. He is blamed for not sending off Nuno Mendes for a second yellow card and for not awarding a penalty for a handball by João Neves. Bild is on the same page, describing it as a refereeing scandal in its headline.
Bayern feel they were "robbed" in their own stadium, calling the elimination the unjust end of a dream.
In France, the narrative is one of survival and glory. Le Parisien leads with a forceful "HÉROÏQUES", highlighting that the Parisians managed to hold out "until the very last second" against the Bavarian onslaught to defend their European crown.
L'Équipe: Under the headline "PLAISIR TOTAL" (TOTAL PLEASURE), France’s leading sports daily praises Ousmane Dembélé, scorer of the early goal (3rd minute) that provided the calm needed to deal with the German siege. They also note that PSG will play their second consecutive final, this time against Arsenal.
The Spanish front pages bow to the success of the former Barça coaches. Both Mundo Deportivo and Sport focus their attention on Luis Enrique ("Lucho").
Sport leads with "ANOTHER FINAL FOR LUCHO", underlining that PSG knocked out Bayern and will face Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal in what will be the first Champions League final between two Spanish coaches.
Mundo Deportivo describes the Budapest final as a "BLAUGRANA FINAL", referring to both coaches’ Barcelona past. They also mention that Harry Kane’s goal in the 94th minute came "too late."
Marca and AS, although they devote space to PSG, also focus their front pages on Rayo Vallecano, who are chasing their first European final, and on Atlético de Madrid’s complaints to UEFA.
The newspaper AD Sportwereld describes PSG’s performance as "Zakelijk" (Businesslike/Efficient).
They point out that, although it was not the footballing festival of the first leg in Paris, the French team did their job in Munich with a defensive masterclass led by Marquinhos and Kvaratskhelia.
This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.
Editor’s note: This story will be updated as more player signings are announced.
The 2026 NFL draft has wrapped following three days, seven rounds and 257 picks.
Here’s where every Utah connection is headed, whether via the draft, free agency or on a rookie mini-camp invite (as designated):
Players drafted
Free agent signees or mini-camp invites
Players drafted
Free agent signees or mini-camp invites
Free agent signees or mini-camp invites
Free agent signees or mini-camp invites
Free agent signees or mini-camp invites
Free agent signees or mini-camp invites
Player drafted
Free agent signees or mini-camp invites
Crystal Palace welcome Shakhtar Donetsk to Selhurst Park on Thursday night. They are 90 minutes away from their first European final.
The Eagles carry a commanding 3-1 advantage into the second leg of their UEFA Conference League semi-final after a clinical display in Krakow last week.
Selhurst Park is expected to be bouncing for what could be another landmark night for Palace under Oliver Glasner.
After lifting the FA Cup last year and adding the Community Shield earlier this campaign, the Eagles are now on the verge of another historic achievement.
Palace manager Oliver Glasner has stressed that the tie is far from over, despite his side holding a two-goal cushion. The Austrian knows Shakhtar are dangerous.
The Ukrainian side dominated possession for long spells in the first leg and possesses plenty of pace and flair in attacking areas.
However, Palace have been ruthless in this competition. Ismaila Sarr’s opener in Poland was his eighth Conference League goal of the season.
The Eagles have also been formidable in Europe, particularly in South London.
Palace dismantled Fiorentina 3-0 in the previous round and are unbeaten in their last seven home matches in all competitions.
Shakhtar arrive in London with belief after defeating Dynamo Kyiv 2-1 at the weekend to strengthen their grip on the Ukrainian title race.
But Arda Turan’s side faces an enormous task.
The visitors have never won away against English opposition and must chase the game against one of the competition’s most efficient transition teams.
Palace have scored a competition-high 23 goals in this season’s Conference League.
The Eagles have won four of their last five European home games and kept three consecutive knockout-stage clean sheets at Selhurst Park.
Shakhtar are unbeaten in five away matches in this season’s Conference League, scoring at least twice in each.
However, the Ukrainian side has failed to beat English opposition since defeating Manchester City in the Champions League during the 2017/18 season.
Palace have also progressed from each of their last six European knockout ties when winning the first leg away from home.
Will Hughes is back in contention after recovering from illness and should return to the matchday squad.
However, Evann Guessand, 24, who gives something special, remains unavailable after only partially returning to training, while Borna Sosa is still sidelined.
Eddie Nketiah and Cheick Doucoure also remain unavailable for the Eagles.
Glasner is expected to restore several key players after rotating during Sunday’s 3-0 defeat.
Adam Wharton, Jean-Philippe Mateta, Tyrick Mitchell and Chris Richards are all set to return.
Sarr will once again spearhead the attack alongside Mateta after another outstanding European display in the first leg.
Dean Henderson; Chris Richards, Maxence Lacroix, Jaydee Canvot; Daniel Munoz, Adam Wharton, Daichi Kamada, Tyrick Mitchell; Ismaila Sarr, Yeremy Pino; Jean-Philippe Mateta.
Lakers facing familiar LeBron James dilemma, need an Austin Reaves lifeline against Thunder originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Los Angeles Lakers have their hands full as they attempt to win four games against the defending NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder.
The Lakers are in the Western Conference Semifinals, exactly where LeBron James hoped the team would be entering the season. During the offseason, James made it clear that competing for a championship remained his top priority.
“LeBron wants to compete for a championship,” Rich Paul told ESPN. “He knows the Lakers are building for the future. He understands that, but he values a realistic chance of winning it all. We are very appreciative of the partnership that we've had for eight years with Jeanie [Buss] and Rob [Pelinka] and consider the Lakers as a critical part of his career.”
James likely did not envision this playoff run unfolding the way it has, especially with Luka Doncic sidelined and Austin Reaves only recently returning from injury. If the Lakers are going to have any chance of winning this series, they will need more offensive production from players other than James.
“The Lakers' dilemma surrounding LeBron James is exactly that -- the players surrounding LeBron, not James himself. As has been a recurring narrative throughout James' career -- for whatever reason -- LeBron doesn't have enough help right now, and there's no solution in sight. Unless Reaves can magically reclaim midseason form over the course of the next couple of games, this might be a short series,” Lake Show Life’s Colin Keane wrote.
At this stage of his career, James carrying an entire playoff offense is no longer realistic night after night. Even at 41 years old, he is still capable of exploding for 30-plus points, but the Lakers cannot rely solely on him to outscore Oklahoma City.
Reaves is expected to bounce back after his rough shooting performance in Game 1.
“But, after shooting just 3-for-16 and coughing up a team-high four turnovers as the Los Angeles Lakers dropped Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals to the defending champs, Reaves admitted that context is meaningless at this point of the postseason,” ESPN’s Dave McMenamin wrote.
Los Angeles could be in serious trouble if James ends up being the team’s leading scorer throughout the series. It does not have to be Reaves every night, but the Lakers need meaningful contributions from multiple players, similar to the spark Luke Kennard provided earlier in the postseason against the Houston Rockets.
The Lakers still have an opportunity to steal Game 2, but it will require balanced scoring and consistent offensive support around James. If the burden continues to fall entirely on him, it could become a major problem for Los Angeles moving forward.
More NBA news:
With the La Liga title race reaching its decisive stage, all eyes are now on the upcoming El Clasico between Barcelona and Real Madrid at Camp Nou.
The pressure surrounding the fixture could hardly be bigger, as Barcelona know that avoiding defeat would place them in complete control of the title race, while Real Madrid simply cannot afford to drop points if they want to keep their hopes alive.
Ahead of the massive encounter, Barcelona forward Ferran Torres spoke to AS about the emotions, pressure, and excitement that come with playing in one of football’s biggest matches.
Despite the importance of the occasion, the Spaniard admitted that players often feel less pressure during games like El Clasico because these are the matches they dream of playing throughout their careers.
“This kind of match is the one every player dreams of playing. It’s actually the opposite. That’s when there’s the least pressure.
“It’s fun. That’s when you most want to play, when you’re most motivated,” he said.
Ferran already has significant experience against Madrid since joining Barcelona.
Ferran Torres is not too worried about El Clasico. (Photo by Fran Santiago/Getty Images)
The Spanish forward has faced Los Blancos 14 times for the Catalan side and has regularly managed to hurt their defence, registering three goals and four assists in those matches.
One of his most memorable moments came during last season’s Copa del Rey final when he scored after getting past both Antonio Rudiger and Thibaut Courtois in a decisive attacking move.
Looking back at that goal, Ferran explained that footballers barely have time to process what is happening in moments like that because instinct takes over completely.
“When the game ended, I barely even remembered the play because you don’t have time to process it.
“During the play, it was all about seeing the opening, and you don’t think about who’s in front of you or behind you – you just focus on scoring.
“When you see the ball go in… honestly, it’s an incredible feeling,” he concluded.
Barcelona are entering a crucial period, in which one of the club’s top priorities is to secure the long-term future of Hansi Flick.
The German tactician’s contract expires at the end of next season. This week could be a crucial one in the context of Flick’s future as his agent Pini Zahavi has landed in Barcelona.
Although the primary focus of the visit is to sort out the future of Robert Lewandowski, Flick’s future will also be discussed.
According to Fabrizio Romano, Barcelona are ready to make an official offer to Flick to extend his contract beyond the current deal that runs until June 2027.
Two options are being considered. The first is an extension until 2028 with an option to further extend until 2029.
The second is a fresh three-year contract signed now, running from 2026 until 2029.
Barcelona want Hansi Flick to continue at Barcelona in the medium-term. (Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images)
Either way, the intention is clear. Barcelona want Flick to stay and are prepared to make that concrete with a formal proposal.
The timing makes sense. Flick is on the verge of delivering back-to-back La Liga titles, and the club are building a project around their current squad that demands continuity at the top.
The German coach has previously spoken about his desire to win the Champions League with Barcelona and to be present when the Spotify Camp Nou opens at full capacity, both of which point firmly towards a long-term commitment.
Flick’s continuity could also be crucial in the context of Barcelona’s project, with many young players expected to bloom fully under the German’s leadership in the years to come.
Virgil van Dijk could reportedly leave Liverpool this summer. Mo Salah is already set to depart the Reds.
FotoMac in Turkey claims Virgil van Dijk is currently assessing his future. The Dutchman has a little over one year remaining on his Liverpool contract after signing a new one last April.
But big changes at Anfield have the Dutchman considering a move. Liverpool are trying to renew Ibrahima Konate's contract, while they also struck a big-money deal for Jeremy Jacquet to end the winter transfer window.
Giovanni Leoni is also there as the future at the back. Liverpool have been linked with several more centre-backs, too, suggesting they're far from done with reshaping the middle of their defence.
And that has the soon-to-be-35 Van Dijk questioning things. He may feel, as Mohamed Salah has done, that this summer is the time for him to step away somewhere new.
Liverpool might be open to letting him do that, if they're comfortable with their defensive options. Time will tell on that one but it seems that Van Dijk is now one to watch.
Salah will leave. Andy Robertson will leave. Alisson Becker looks likely to leave. Truly, the end of an era at Anfield.
Liverpool Performance and Stats
As of 6 May 2026, Virgil van Dijk remains the pillar of Liverpool’s defence, having started all 35 Premier League matches this season. The 34-year-old captain has recorded four goals and 3,150 minutes, maintaining a high FotMob rating of 7.23. Most recently, he played the full 90 minutes in the 3–2 defeat to Manchester United on 3 May, following a goal-scoring performance in the Merseyside derby win on 19 April. Despite a disappointing collective campaign that saw the Reds concede 47 goals, Van Dijk leads the league in aerial duels won (74.3%) and has kept 10 clean sheets.
Contract and Future
Van Dijk is approaching the final year of his contract, which expires in 2027. Reports suggest Liverpool are already scouting long-term successors, with Alessandro Bastoni and Nico Schlotterbeck shortlisted as the club prepares for a post-Van Dijk era.
International Standing
As the Netherlands captain, Van Dijk is set to lead his nation at the 2026 World Cup this June. The Dutch open their campaign against Japan on 14 June in Texas.
Arsenal, if you listen to some at the club, may now have their chance at “revenge”. They felt they were actually better than Paris Saint-Germain in last season’s semi-final, which may still baffle many people who’ve watched the Qatari project since.
The rest of Europe might just want a better crescendo than the semi-final ultimately offered, and perhaps that the Champions League final has been due for some time. There hasn’t been a great final in years, arguably since 2005, despite claims from 2008, 2012 and 2017.
That has meant the semi-finals have often represented the absolute peak of club football, even if this year’s didn’t reach the heights that had been anticipated.
It’s not an exaggeration to say that the expectation after the Bayern Munich-PSG first leg was that we would all be sitting here on Thursday morning trying to make sense of another sensation.
That didn’t really happen. PSG were just too good. This time, Bayern just couldn’t get close enough when it mattered.
That poses another question, relevant to Arsenal’s lingering frustration from last season, relevant to where European football goes next.
If PSG put in a very modern display of excellence in the first leg, the second leg was a more classically continental display.
They shut Bayern out, where they had previously opened them. There were no concerns about defending here.
It further fosters the sense of a truly complete team, arguably the best that Europe has seen since Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona when performing at their top level.
There are of course caveats. PSG benefit from all of the advantages of being a Qatari sportswashing project, at the same time that power has trampled Ligue 1.
The new darlings of the competition do bring darker discussions.
PSG would not just become the first side since Real Madrid in 2018 to retain the trophy, and just the second in the Champions League era.
They would ensure a state-owned club has won the competition for the third time in four years, a development that would be all the more conspicuous when the conflict in Iran has raised questions about future strategies from such Gulf autocracies. There’s an extra layer to this given that Viktor Orban - characterised as “a competitive authoritarian” - is no longer the premier of Hungary, having been voted out weeks before this prestige fixture in Budapest he had long desired.
Such concerns, as has been said before, reflect a lot about football in 2026.
Arsenal, themselves owned by a classic US billionaire capitalist, find both of these state-owned clubs - PSG and Manchester City - standing in their way in the season’s two major trophies.
If Mikel Arteta’s side were to win the league, it would make this final the first meeting between domestic champions since 2020.
That prospect does speak to something else about this final. It might end up a rare final that is definitively between the best teams in Europe. That arguably hasn’t been seen since 2020 either, and before that you probably have to go back to 2014 or 2009.
There’s even the symmetry of how Arsenal were undeniably the best team of the first half of the season, given how they finished top of the group stage, and PSG again the best team of the second half and the knock-outs.
The most pertinent question, however, is whether Arsenal can really be as good as PSG for the final - or whether they even need to be.
The football both sides play also plays into many other contrasts.
While PSG are self-assuredly looking to perpetuate their dominance and win a second Champions League, Arsenal are striving to finally claim their first, and properly begin their own era.
Duly, Luis Enrique’s side constantly look like they are expanding the pitch, while Arsenal play within the margins.
That contrast from the two semi-finals is set to become even more acute.
Stellar attack against collective structure; imagination against order.
The reality of it is unlikely to be quite so simple, as Enrique would himself warn.
After the entire European season seemed to be going the same way as a coruscating Kvicha Kvaratshkelia run - surely a contender for Ballon d’Or - how susceptible are PSG to one Gabriel Magalhaes set-piece header settling it?
Or, after a season when Arteta’s side constantly played on the line, will PSG blow them off it.
Or is this already a new Arsenal, elevated to the Champions League final and consequently having had a weight lifted?
The temptation will be to cast this as some kind of battle for the soul of football given the contrasting styles but the wider context makes it a lot more complicated than that.
In the most immediate and simple sense, it is an enticing match between arguably Europe’s two best sides.
The hope is it leads to the final the competition has long been due.
PSG reach Champions League final - can Arsenal stop them winning it again?
Manchester United will travel to Sunderland this Saturday knowing that Champions League football is secured for next season.
The Red Devils have faced the Black Cats 146 times, with United coming out on top on 66 occasions.
There have been 38 draws and 42 wins for Sunderland during that period.
Here are three storylines to get the blood racing ahead of the match.
Source: 11v11.com
Last week’s pulsating 3-2 victory over Liverpool ensured that the Champions League anthem would once again be heard at Old Trafford next season.
United now hold a six-point advantage over both Liverpool and Aston Villa in the race for third place.
A win or even a draw could guarantee third spot if Villa or Liverpool lose their matches against Burnley or Chelsea this weekend.
Even if their rivals win all their remaining fixtures, three points may still be enough for United because of goal difference, and four points certainly would be.
United have certainly enjoyed playing Sunderland over the years.
The Red Devils came out on top 2-0 in October, with Mason Mount and Benjamin Sesko grabbing the goals.
Sunderland have only managed three wins in their last 33 games against the Red Devils, according to the BBC.
Their 24 defeats against United in the Premier League is the most against any opponent.
This is also true at the Stadium of Light, where United have only lost one of their previous 15 visits—a 1-2 loss in February 2016.
Getting off the mark first is usually vital in football, and it has proven to be for both teams this season.
The Black Cats are one of three teams who are unbeaten this season when scoring first. They have seven victories and five draws from this scenario.
Nottingham Forest have won eight and lost two when scoring first, and United are the other unbeaten team.
The Red Devils have 15 wins and seven draws after getting on the scoreboard first this season.Featured image Carl Recine via Getty Images
The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social
Where to watch Florida high school lacrosse playoffs: Schedule, channel, live stream for FHSAA boys, girls semis, finals originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Florida's top high school lacrosse teams have gathered in Naples this week with trophies on the line.
The boys' and girls' state semifinals and finals will take place Thursday through Saturday across two classifications, with some of the best teams and players in the country in action.
On the boys' side, the top four teams in the MaxPreps national rankings will be in action, two each in Class 1A and 2A. Saint Andrew's enters the weekend ranked No. 1 in the nation and is trying to return to the 1A final and a potential matchup with two-time defending champion Benjamin. In 2A, national No. 3 St. Thomas Aquinas goes for the repeat with last year's finalist, No. 2 Ponte Vedra, hoping for revenge on the other side of the bracket.
The same holds true on the girls' side, as national No. 1 American Heritage and No. 2 Lake Highland Prep look for a sixth consecutive 1A state championship game showdown. In the 2A bracket, national No. 3 Ponte Vedra is shooting for its first state title but must survive a tough semifinal against seven-time champ Vero Beach, while Plant's hopes for a repeat are still alive in the other semi.
It should be a thrilling three days of lacrosse in the Sunshine State. Here's when and where to watch every game.
The FHSAA lacrosse semis and finals will not air on traditional television but fans can stream every game live on the NFHS Network.
The NFHS Network offers two basic plans: an Annual Pass ($6.67 per month) or a Monthly Pass ($13.99 per month). These plans give subscribers the ability to watch live sporting events and create clips of their favorite moments from games.
All games will be played at the Paradise Coast Sports Complex in Naples.
| Date | Game | Time (ET) | Watch |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 7 | St. Thomas Aquinas vs. Manatee | 5 p.m. | NFHS Network |
| Ponte Vedra vs. Winter Park | 7:30 p.m. | NFHS Network | |
| May 9 | Championship | 2:30 p.m. | NFHS Network |
| Date | Game | Time (ET) | Watch |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 7 | Bolles vs. Benjamin | 12 p.m. | NFHS Network |
| Saint Andrew's vs. Community School | 2:30 p.m. | NFHS Network | |
| May 9 | Championship | 12 p.m. | NFHS Network |
| Date | Game | Time (ET) | Watch |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 8 | Oviedo vs. Plant | 5 p.m. | NFHS Network |
| Ponte Vedra vs. Vero Beach | 7:30 p.m. | NFHS Network | |
| May 9 | Championship | 7:30 p.m. | NFHS Network |
| Date | Game | Time (ET) | Watch |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 8 | Lake Highland Prep vs. Episcopal | 12 p.m. | NFHS Network |
| American Heritage vs. Community School | 2:30 p.m. | NFHS Network | |
| May 9 | Championship | 5 p.m. | NFHS Network |
| Player | Matches | Runs | Sixes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rohit Sharma | 320 | 8647 | 388 |
| Chris Gayle | 136 | 4841 | 357 |
| Virat Kohli | 293 | 10,083 | 348 |
| Sanju Samson | 275 | 7363 | 337 |
| Suryakumar Yadav | 278 | 7142 | 317 |
| Abhishek Sharma | 153* | 4722* | 302* |
A huge stumble in the race for the Premier League crown must be buried by Manchester City as they face the visit of Brentford on Saturday evening.
It’s well and truly crunch time in this Premier League campaign and a stretch where both teams at the top of the tree, City and Arsenal, can say they’ve seen the light of first place and taken a plunge to match.
But it was Manchester City who were dealt the latest blow in the fight to the finish, a barmy 3-3 draw in their maiden visit to Everton’s new Hill Dickinson stadium despite Pep Guardiola‘s men leading by a goal to nil at the break.
Jeremy Doku was the man who had put City a goal to the good seconds before the interval, but waves of Everton pressure saw Marc Guehi’s lacklustre backpass cut out by Thierno Barry, who slotted home the equaliser the Toffees were carving all half.
Match Officials: Michael Salisbury to referee Manchester City vs Brentford
Jake O’Brien rose highest 5 minutes later before Barry netted his brace to put City 3-1 down, and wondering if this is the end of their pursuit of the Premier League title this season.
Erling Haaland produced one of the quickest responses in Premier League history to drag one back after a marvellous through-ball by Mateo Kovacic before Doku in fabulous form curled Manchester City into a share of the points.
Despite a giant blow to the Blues’ title hopes with Arsenal comfortably beating Fulham last Saturday, City must still overcome Brentford’s challenge at the Etihad Stadium this Saturday in order to keep their names in contention.
They face a side sitting at the top of the European dogfight and eyeing UEFA Europa League football next season, having also broken their win drought with an emphatic 3-0 win over West Ham last weekend.
Manchester City faithful will be down on their luck coming into this one but stranger things have happened, Blues!
Here’s how we think Manchester City will line up against Brentford this weekend!
Predicted XI
Gianluigi Donnarumma is nearing the end of his first season as Manchester City goalkeeper and has been a smash hit on the blue side of Manchester with some incredible stops to show for.
At left-Back, we think Rayan Ait-Nouri would offer something fresh to the side with his balance and pace going forward – and his tact and positional awareness when defending. The Algerian’s inclusion also gives Nico O’Reilly license to flourish in a higher area of the pitch.
Marc Guehi issues statement after Manchester City error in 3-3 Everton draw
Despite his mistake against Everton in the week, Marc Guehi has been exceptional when partnered with Abdukodir Khusanov since January. The two make up a centre-back pairing worthy of claiming the Premier League crown and have been a highlight of Manchester City’s season.
Matheus Nunes has stood strong throughout the ups and downs of this turbulent league campaign – and has cemented his name at right-back with some brilliant displays. There’s no reason here why the Portugal international won’t keep his place.
Mentioned before, Nico O’Reilly could get another chance to work his magic from a midfield position, forming something of a fluid double pivot with skipper Bernardo Silva.
O’Reilly’s performances this season have almost guaranteed his PFA Young Player of the Year status and in combination with Silva’s undying work-ethic, City could untie the knots against Brentford.
Ahead of this pair, Rayan Cherki has made the difference for City in so many games this term. Flashbacks to his excellent finish against Saturday’s opponents in the Carabao Cup quarter-final come to mind – and with his effect on the team around him going forward – there’s no wonder he has been endearingly branded as ‘Rayan Kinkladze’.
Struggling for goals at the minute, Ghana international Antoine Semenyo has offered much more on the wings since his move from Bournemouth in January. His movement and positional aptitude across his time under Guardiola is visible – and it’s never wise to bet against him popping up with a goal when it counts.
Erling Haaland comes up against his closest rival in the race for his third golden boot in four seasons in Igor Thiago – and will be looking back on City’s last meeting with Brentford, where his goal made the difference in a 1-0 win.
Playing at the peak of his powers in recent weeks, Jeremy Doku has been outstanding whether his appearances come from the bench or the starting lineup. His rapid shakes are unstoppable at times and Brentford’s defence will be dreading coming up against the Belgian.
We owe to ourselves and the Manchester City fans to fight Arsenal till the end, says Jeremy Doku
Starting XI: Donnarumma; Ait-Nouri, Guehi, Khusanov, Nunes; O’Reilly, Bernardo, Cherki; Semenyo, Haaland, Doku
Substitutes: Trafford, Ake, Stones, Nico, Kovacic, Reijnders, Foden, Marmoush, Savinho
How do you replace 21.4 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.8 steals per game in the middle of a playoff series?
The Knicks may need to find an answer to that question.
Late in their Game 2 win over the Philadelphia 76ers, OG Anunoby suffered a leg injury. He left the court with 2:31 to play and the Knicks up by six.
He did not return. That fact alone tells you that Anunoby was in discomfort. The Knicks would obviously want Anunoby on the floor late in a close game -- even if he was limited by injury.
They closed the game without Anunoby, beating the Sixers to take a 2-0 lead. But after the game, Anunoby was not available to reporters. Knicks head coach Mike Brown had no update when he spoke to reporters after the game. There is no point in speculating about Anunoby’s injury.
But if he is indeed sidelined for Game 3 and beyond, Miles McBride is comfortable taking on a larger role.
“Extremely comfortable. I feel like the coaching staff trusts me, I know my teammates trust me and I trust myself overall. So if that happens, I know I’ll be ready,” McBride said after Game 2.
McBride was on the floor to close the game. If Anunoby has to miss time, it’s fair to assume McBride’s minutes/responsibilities would increase. Maybe Brown inserts Landry Shamet into the rotation?
No matter who takes his place, the Knicks will certainly miss Anunoby (if he has to miss time).
Anunoby wasn’t just putting up great numbers in the playoffs (as referenced above), he was doing so efficiently. He made 60 of his 97 field goal attempts in the playoffs (61.2 percent), including 52.8 percent of his threes (39 attempts).
The Knicks were outscoring opponents by an average of 14.75 points per game with Anunoby on the floor.
“He’s one of the best two-way players in the league so it’s tough to replace that but you don’t replace him with one guy,” McBride said. “Everyone is going to have to step up.”
Make that three in a row for Mikal Bridges. For the third straight game, Bridges had his fingerprints all over a Knicks win.
In Game 2, he had 18 points, five rebounds and two assists. He hit a step-back jumper from 20 feet to give the Knicks a six-point lead with three minutes to play.
Bridges also helped limit Tyrese Maxey to seven points on nine shots and three turnovers in the second half. Maxey went off in the first half with 19 points and four assists. He said after the game that he suffered a finger injury in the second quarter.
Even if that impacted him in the second half, Bridges and the rest of the Knicks deserve credit for their defense in the fourth quarter. Philadelphia shot 4-for-19 in the final period; Maxey and Paul George combined to shoot 2-for-12 in the fourth.
“You’re not stopping Tyrese Maxey. Tyrese, he had a great game. He had 26 points. But Mikal tried to make him work, especially in the second half, for every point he got,” Brown said after the game. “… You’re gonna have to keep working and give multiple efforts and the team defense behind him is gonna have to be great in order to even think you’re gonna slow him down, because he’s a great player.
“But Mikal did what he could, as well as everybody else behind him. And then on top of that, Mikal hit some big shots for us down the stretch, especially when we looked a little discombobulated offensively. He got to his spot and knocked down some big shots. So great game on both ends of the floor for Mikal.”
Bridges, Jalen Brunson, Anunoby and Karl-Anthony Towns combined for 90 points in Game 2. Towns (20 points, 10 rebounds) had his 13th playoff game of at least 20 points and 10 rebounds. That ranks fourth in Knicks franchise history. Towns also had seven assists. He continues to be a hub for the Knicks on the perimeter.
The battle for the UEFA coefficient is entering its decisive phase.
Spain and Germany are fighting for an extra spot in next season’s Champions League, a place that could be decided today itself depending on the results of Rayo Vallecano and Freiburg in their respective European competitions.
How could the extra spot be secured today? These are the scenarios
This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.
With the series now shifting to St. Paul, Colorado Avalanche fans are gearing up to travel in numbers as Games 3 and 4 against the Minnesota Wild hit Minnesota this weekend and Monday night.
The Colorado Avalanche carry a 2-0 series lead into enemy ice, and for traveling fans, it’s become a full-on road mission—turning the atmosphere inside Grand Casino Arena into a split crowd that still heavily features burgundy and blue.
Game 3 arrives Saturday night at 9 p.m. ET, followed quickly by Game 4 on Monday, setting up a pivotal back-to-back stretch that could swing the entire series before it returns to Denver.
Ticket demand has climbed as Avalanche supporters plan the trip. At the moment, the lowest entry point for a pair of tickets sits around $278 for two seats, with prices rising significantly for lower-bowl and premium viewing locations along the glass and behind the benches.
For Avalanche fans making the trip, the equation is straightforward: bring the noise on the road, try to steal at least one in Minnesota, and put the series within striking distance before it heads back to Denver.
Following a four-game sweep of the Los Angeles Kings in the first round and the first two games of their series against the Minnesota Wild, the Colorado Avalanche have been powered by a steady wave of production across their top players.
Nathan MacKinnon leads the way with 10 points through six playoff games, tallying four goals and six assists while driving the Avalanche attack at both even strength and on the power play.
Behind him, there’s a three-way tie at seven points. Martin Nečas has one goal and six assists, continuing to serve as a primary playmaker. Gabriel Landeskog has chipped in three goals and four assists, providing timely offense and physical presence. Devon Toews also sits at seven points with two goals and five assists, anchoring the back end while still contributing offensively.
Artturi Lehkonen has added six points of his own with three goals and three assists, continuing to be a consistent net-front threat.
Further down the lineup, Cale Makar has produced four goals across the six games, while Nicolas Roy has added three goals, giving Colorado important secondary scoring throughout their run.
Six wins down and 10 more to go to become Stanley Cup champions once again. We'll see what the Colorado Avalanche are capable of as we continue to march through the playoffs.
Arsenal midfielder Mikel Merino has returned to training on grass and is pushing hard to return to action before the end of the season, according to Hand of Arsenal. The Gunners account and insider is famous for breaking some major news about Mikel Arteta’s side and often provides the latest updates concerning the Emirates Stadium club. They have proven to be a trusted source concerning all things Arsenal and claimed yesterday evening that Merino has been attending most of the team meetings despite his injury.
The Spaniard broke a bone in his right foot against Manchester United in January and had to undergo surgery. Merino was seen at Arsenal’s training ground last month and was no longer wearing a protective boot or walking with crutches. While many had ruled him out of action for the remainder of the season, the 29-year-old could return to action before the Champions League final on May 30. The Gunners take on West Ham United on Sunday before facing Burnley and Crystal Palace in their final two Premier League games of the campaign.
Round 11 of the 2026 Hana Bank K League 2 season features an important clash in the promotion race as Suwon Samsung Bluewings and Daegu FC meet for the first time in three years. Elsewhere, Suwon FC look to build momentum after their dramatic derby comeback win, while Seongnam FC’s Yoo Ju-an aims to continue his impressive transition into a new role at full-back.
Title rivals Suwon Bluewings & Daegu FC go toe-to-toe
Suwon Bluewings and Daegu FC meet for the first time in three years in a key match in the K League 2 promotion race. As the first meeting between the two sides this season, the result could have a significant impact on the battle near the top of the table.
Suwon (second, 22 points) remain in the title race but have shown signs of inconsistency in recent weeks. They defeated league leaders Busan 3-2 in Round 9, but followed that result with a 3-1 defeat to Suwon FC in the Suwon Derby. Defensive instability has become a growing concern. After conceding just two goals in their opening eight matches, Suwon have allowed five across their last two outings. Moments of lost concentration following concessions have repeatedly led to further goals. In attack, Stanislav Iljutcenko is still searching for his first goal of the season, while Kim Ji-hyun has scored only two, leaving the side short of attacking output from its central forwards.
Daegu (sixth, 14 points), meanwhile, have shown signs of improvement since the appointment of head coach Choi Seong-yong. In his first match in charge, Daegu defeated Gyeongnam FC 2-0 in Round 10 to end a five-match winless run of two draws and three losses. The switch from a back four to a back three brought greater defensive stability, with Daegu not allowing a single shot on target. The clean sheet was particularly meaningful as it ended a streak of conceding in every match since the opening round. In attack, Matheus Serafim and Cesinha have also begun to rediscover their sharpness.
Although Daegu have played one match fewer, the gap between the two sides currently stands at eight points. Depending on the result, the shape of the promotion race could shift significantly. Suwon and Daegu meet on Saturday, May 9th at 4:30 PM at Suwon World Cup Stadium.
Suwon FC bounce back with dramatic derby win
Suwon FC defeated Suwon Bluewings 3-1 in the Round 10 Suwon Derby. The victory ended a four-match winless streak and provided an important boost in momentum.
Suwon FC opened the season with four consecutive victories, but slowed during April with two draws and two losses. Matheus Frizzo faced increased defensive attention from opponents, limiting his influence in attack and affecting the team’s overall balance. The side also struggled to gain the upper hand in matches against fellow promotion contenders such as Seoul E-Land, Daegu and Busan.
However, they produced a much-improved display in the derby. Ha Jeong-woo scored twice in attack, while Frizzo registered an assist with a sharp left-footed pass. The arrival of goalkeeper Jeong Min-ki also added stability at the back. Nevertheless, Suwon FC have conceded in every match this season, with defending set pieces remaining an area for improvement.
Suwon FC travel to Hwaseong in Round 11 looking to secure consecutive wins. Hwaseong are unbeaten in their last four matches with three wins and one draw, and have impressed with their compact defensive structure and quick transitions. Suwon FC will need to remain alert during defensive transitions. The match takes place on Saturday, May 9th at 2 PM at Hwaseong Sports Complex.
Seongnam's Yoo Ju-an's successful switch to full back
Seongnam FC ended a three-match winless run of one draw and two losses with a 2-1 victory over Yongin FC in Round 10. Head coach Jeon Kyung-jun’s bold selection decisions helped change the atmosphere around the side and guided the Magpies to their first win in four matches. At the centre of that performance was Yoo Ju-an.
A product of the Suwon Bluewings youth system, Yoo made his professional debut with the club in 2017 and was considered a promising prospect. However, opportunities were limited during spells with Suwon FC and Seongnam. He later completed his military service with Namyangju Citizen FC in the K4 League before returning to Seongnam following his discharge in September last year.
Previously used as an attacker, Yoo has recently been converted into a full-back under Jeon Kyung-jun, and the change paid off against Yongin. In the 52nd minute, Yoo arrived at the far post to finish a cross from the left and score his first goal of the season. He also contributed 16 passes into the attacking third, seven defensive clearances and eight ball recoveries, delivering an impressive all-around performance.
With Yoo playing a key role in their recent improvement, Seongnam now prepare to host Jeonnam Dragons in Round 11. Jeonnam recently reshuffled their coaching staff, moving Park Dong-hyuk into an advisor role and appointing Lim Kwan-sik as head coach in an attempt to change momentum. The match between Seongnam and Jeonnam takes place on Sunday, May 10th at 2 PM at Tancheon Sports Complex.
Saturday 9th May
Chungnam Asan vs. Seoul E-Land - 14:00Hwaseong FC vs. Suwon FC - 14:00Suwon Samsung Bluewings vs. Daegu FC - 16:30Chungbuk Cheongju vs. Gimpo FC - 16:30
Sunday 10th May
Seongnam FC vs. Jeonnam Dragons - 14:00Ansan Greeners vs. Yongin FC - 16:30Busan IPark vs. Cheonan City - 16:30Gyeongnam FC vs. Gimhae FC 2008 - 19:00
Borussia Dortmund defender Niklas Süle has announced that he will retire from professional football when his contract expires at the end of the season.
“I would like to announce that I will be ending my career this summer,” Süle, who is currently sidelined, told the Spielmacher podcast.
“What I felt when our team doctor did the drawer test in the dressing room in Hoffenheim, looked at the physio and shook his head, and the physio did it too and didn’t feel any resistance either – I went into the shower and cried for ten minutes. In that moment, I really thought: ‘It’s torn,” added the 30-year-old.
“When I went for an MRI the next day and received the good news (that it wasn’t a cruciate ligament tear after all), it was one thousand per cent clear to me that it was over. I couldn’t imagine anything worse than looking forward to life – being independent, going on holiday, spending time with my children – only to then have to come to terms with my third cruciate ligament tear.”
Since his move from Bayern Munich in 2022, Süle has played 109 games across all competitions for Die Schwarzgelben. “When I look back on my four years in Dortmund, there were so many moments I really enjoyed,” he added.
“The banter in the dressing room, the stadium – we’re talking about 80,000 people here. The fans always gave me a warm welcome. I’m going to miss that time very much. How at home I felt here. On my first day, I noticed what the people in Dortmund are like: open, warm, honest. I felt a huge connection with that. My children go to nursery here. It’s really hard for us to leave.”
In this week's Closer Report, Raisel Iglesias returned and got to work right away with game action in his first day back. Devin Williams seems to be turning things around. And Rico Garcia is stepping in for the injured Ryan Helsley in Baltimore. All that and more as we break down the last week in saves around baseball.
⚾️ Baseball is back! MLB returns to NBC and Peacock in 2026! In addition to becoming the exclusive home of Sunday Night Baseball, NBC Sports will broadcast MLB Sunday Leadoff, “Opening Day” and Labor Day primetime games, the first round of the MLB Draft, the entire Wild Card round of the postseason, and much more.
Mason Miller - San Diego Padres
Cade Smith - Cleveland Guardians
Andrés Muñoz - Seattle Mariners
Jhoan Duran - Philadelphia Phillies
Aroldis Chapman - Boston Red Sox
Miller struck out the side against the White Sox on Sunday for his 11th save of the season, then collected two more strikeouts in a non-save situation against the Giants on Wednesday. He sports a 1.04 ERA, 0.58 WHIP, and an incredible 34/3 K/BB ratio across 17 1/3 innings.
Smith worked a clean four-out save against the Athletics on Friday, then struck out the side for his ninth save on Wednesday against the Royals. He's allowed one run over his last ten appearances. He holds a 3.31 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, and 21 strikeouts across 16 1/3 innings.
After Muñoz put together a couple of clean outings, he blew a save against the Royals on Saturday. He recovered with a scoreless inning and two strikeouts on Monday for a save, then took the loss on Tuesday after giving up a solo homer in a tie game. The 27-year-old right-hander continues to collect strikeouts in bunches. And his underlying numbers suggest he's still one of the top closers to roster over the rest of the season.
Duran was activated from the injured list on Tuesday and made an appearance against the Athletics with a nine-run lead to shake off some rust. He allowed one run on three walks and a hit while striking out two. The extended outing made him unavailable for the save chance on Wednesday against the A's, with Brad Keller picking up his third save. But expect Keller to take a back seat for regular closing duties now that Duran is back.
Chapman continues to do his thing. He locked down a pair of saves this week against the Astros and Tigers. The 38-year-old left-hander is up to seven saves with a 0.77 ERA, 0.86 WHIP, and 14 strikeouts across 11 2/3 innings.
Raisel Iglesias- Atlanta Braves
Riley O'Brien - St. Louis Cardinals
Daniel Palencia - Chicago Cubs
David Bednar - New York Yankees
Tanner Scott - Los Angeles Dodgers
Bryan Baker - Tampa Bay Rays
Paul Sewald - Arizona Diamondbacks
The Braves put Iglesias right back on the mound for a save situation on Tuesday after coming off the injured list. He struck out two in a scoreless frame to convert his sixth save and has yet to allow an earned run over 9 2/3 innings. His return shifts Robert Suarez back into a setup role. Suarez picked up a win with a scoreless eighth inning on Tuesday.
O'Brien surrendered two runs but held on to convert a save against the Dodgers on Saturday. He then needed just three pitches to record the final two outs on Monday against the Brewers for his tenth save to go with a 2.12 ERA, 0.94 WHIP, and a 19/1 K/BB ratio across 17 innings.
Palencia made his return from the injured list this week. He made his first appearance back on Tuesday in the ninth inning of a tie game against the Reds, holding them scoreless before the game went to extras. Meanwhile, Bednar pitched a scoreless inning against the Orioles on Sunday, then converted a five-out save against the Rangers on Tuesday while giving up one run. He's not walking batters or giving up home runs. It's a .383 BABIP that's the culprit of any troubles for Bednar.
Scott struck out two in a clean inning against the Cardinals on Sunday for his second save, then worked a perfect frame against the Astros in a non-save situation on Wednesday. He should continue to see most save situations for an extended time with Edwin Díaz out for a few months. Alex Vesia has also been incredibly effective, but also throws from the left side.
Baker has turned into one of the better closers so far this season. He locked down two more saves for the Rays this week, giving him nine with a 2.45 ERA, 0.82 WHIP, and 16 strikeouts across 14 2/3 innings. The Rays will still play the matchup game when it suits them best, such as Wednesday, with Baker pitching the eighth and the left-handed Ian Seymour getting the ninth for the save. But Baker has solidified himself as the go-to option to close out games.
Sewald made one appearance in a non-save situation this week, striking out the only two batters he faced. The 35-year-old right-hander remains at seven saves with a 3.86 ERA, 0.77 WHIP, and 15 strikeouts across 11 2/3 innings.
Devin Williams - New York Mets
Louis Varland - Toronto Blue Jays
Kenley Jansen - Detroit Tigers
Seranthony Domínguez - Chicago White Sox
Abner Uribe - Milwaukee Brewers
Lucas Erceg - Kansas City Royals
Rico Garcia - Baltimore Orioles
It's a better stretch for Williams now as he's put together a couple of good weeks on the mound. He made four scoreless appearances, including three clean saves. He's now up to five with a 6.17 ERA, 1.80 WHIP, and 20 strikeouts across 11 2/3 innings.
Varland made three appearances in non-save situations as the Blue Jays saw no save chances. He remains in line for saves ahead of Jeff Hoffman, who continues to work primarily in the seventh inning. Varland has posted a 0.48 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, and 29 strikeouts across 18 2/3 innings.
Jansen was held out for a few games as he was dealing with some groin soreness. He returned on Monday with a scoreless inning against the Red Sox. Kyle Finnegan had converted his first save in place of Jansen. Meanwhile, Will Vest landed on the 15-day injured list with right forearm inflammation.
Domínguez made one appearance this week, stepping in for the final two outs against the Padres on Saturday for his eighth save. In Milwaukee, Uribe worked a scoreless inning against the Nationals on Saturday for his third save. He then gave up one run in a non-save situation against the Cardinals on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Trevor Megill continues to work in a setup role. He pitched a clean inning behind Uribe on Saturday, then gave up a run on Wednesday.
Erceg had a big week on the mound, collecting three saves for the Royals to give him ten on the season. He's made seven straight scoreless outings, striking out nine in that span. Erceg's role got a bit more secure on Wednesday as Carlos Estévez departed his rehab outing with shoulder discomfort.
Garcia is having an incredible season so far. The one hit he's allowed also represents the only earned run he's given up, a solo homer on April 21. He'll be filling in as closer in Ryan Helsley's absence. Helsley landed on the 15-day injured list last week with right elbow inflammation. He could begin a throwing program later this week, but there's no clear timetable for a return. Garcia should be added across all leagues for those looking for saves. Andrew Kittredge has struggled over his last couple of outings, likely taking him out of the running for saves.
Jacob Latz - Texas Rangers
Gregory Soto/Dennis Santana - Pittsburgh Pirates
Gus Varland - Washington Nationals
Jack Perkins - Athletics
Tyler Phillips - Miami Marlins
Tony Santillan/Graham Ashcraft - Cincinnati Reds
Bryan King - Houston Astros
Latz has settled in as the Rangers' closer. He picked up his third save with a clean inning against the Tigers on Friday, then pitched the ninth with a five-run lead on Wednesday against the Yankees. The 30-year-old left-hander now has a 0.96 ERA, 0.48 WHIP, and 16 strikeouts across 18 2/3 innings.
Soto recorded four clean outs with two strikeouts on Sunday against the Reds to fall in line for a win, then closed out Wednesday's game with a one-run lead against the Diamondbacks for his second save of the season. This came one day after Santana surrendered two runs to Arizona. Soto has been the better of the two, posting a 1.50 ERA, 0.72 WHIP, and 24 strikeouts over 18 innings.
Varland picked up a save against the Mets last Thursday, then gave up a run on Sunday before Richard Lovelady stepped in for the final two outs against the Brewers. Varland remains the only reliever worth rostering if chasing saves on the Nationals. He holds a 3.38 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, and 14 strikeouts over 13 1/3 innings.
Perkins has been the best reliever in the Athletics' bullpen and seemed to be settling in as the team's closer until pitching the seventh and giving up four runs, two earned, to get charged with a blown save on Wednesday. He had converted his third save against the Royals last Thursday. Still, he's probably the reliever to roster in Sacramento. Perkins owns a 3.68 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, and 29 strikeouts across 14 2/3 innings.
No save chances for the Marlins this week, but Phillips was used for three scoreless innings against the Phillies on Sunday. There's still no timetable for a return for Pete Fairbanks.
Emilio Pagán was carted off with a severe hamstring injury on Tuesday against the Cubs. He suffered a Grade 2 left hamstring strain that is going to sideline him anywhere from 4-8 weeks. Ashcraft got the first save chance in his absence on Wednesday and blew a two-run lead to Chicago. Santillan was unavailable after pitching in two of the last three days. Santillan hasn't been quite as effective as he's been over the last couple of years, displaying diminished velocity and a higher walk rate. Expect him and Ashcraft to be in the mix for save chances.
Kaleb Killian/Ryan Walker/Keaton Winn - San Francisco Giants
Victor Vodnik - Colorado Rockies
Eric Orze/Justin Topa - Minnesota Twins
Sam Bachman/Ryan Zeferjahn - Los Angeles Angels
The Giants' situation is nearing untouchable territory. Walker was charged with two blown saves this week, then gave up two more runs on Wednesday against the Padres. It was Kilian who converted the team's only save this week and probably the only reliever worth speculating on in San Francisco. And in Anaheim, the Angels activated Kirby Yates on Monday, but held him out of Tuesday's game with a one-run lead and Wednesday's game with a six-run lead. It seems they are waiting to give him some lower-leverage work before giving him a chance to work into save situations.
Following the defeat to Arsenal in the UEFA Champions League semifinal, Atletico Madrid are set to end their campaign without any major trophy.
This could be a significant development in the context of Julian Alvarez’s future as the Argentine was hoping to reach the UCL final this season, having earlier lost out on the Copa Del Rey title.
This is where Barcelona come into the fray. The Catalans had been waiting for the perfect opportunity to sign Alvarez, but with money seemingly becoming an issue, they are now ready to play the tactical game.
According to Mundo Deportivo, Barcelona are fully aware that Atletico Madrid will not budge on their stance unless Alvarez himself pushes for the exit. That is precisely the scenario the Catalans are hoping to engineer.
Alvarez has a contract until 2030, but has never unequivocally confirmed he will stay at Atletico beyond this season.
What’s in store for Alvarez’s future? (Photo by Harry Murphy/Getty Images)
As far back as November, he hinted at uncertainty. “We’ll take stock at the end of the season,” he said, while also acknowledging Barcelona’s interest and revealing that PSG had made a concrete approach when he signed for Atletico.
Since then, he has had numerous opportunities to commit to Atletico publicly and has chosen not to. The ambiguity is telling.
Barcelona’s hope is that Alvarez uses the two weeks before joining up with Argentina for the World Cup to make his desire to leave clear to the club.
The Argentine prioritises a move to Barcelona over interest from PSG and Arsenal, and the Catalans know it.
Their limit is around €100 million. Atletico’s inflexibility will only soften if their star player forces the issue. Barcelona are waiting, watching, and hoping that this is the moment Alvarez finally takes a stand.
It has been an eventful week for the Spanish media, especially in terms of their coverage of the internal politics in the Real Madrid dressing room.
Contrary to what is seen on the field, there appear to be several rifts among players in the squad, with altercations on the training field now becoming commonplace.
One such rift reported in recent days was the fight between Antonio Rudiger and Alvaro Carreras, which led to the former slapping the new signing, something he reportedly later apologised to the entire squad for.
As confirmed by El Chiringuito in a recent report, the incident between Carreras and Rudiger took place over a month ago. It was then that the defender apologised for his actions.
That, however, was not the end of the story, and the friction between the two players flared up again two weeks ago.
Once again, it was Rudiger as the offending party and Carreras at the receiving end.
Rudiger had a rift with Carreras. (Photo by Aitor Alcalde/Getty Images)
Two weeks ago, Rudiger began yelling at Carreras and scolding and berating him in training, in the presence of all the players.
His insults got to a point where the players themselves had to intervene and tell him that he had gone too far and that he must apologise.
What is clear from the development, needless to say, is that there is a lack of respect and harmony within the dressing room. The image of the club that it paints is exceedingly poor.
There is a serious need to keep players in check, to supervise them and ensure sanctions when a party goes overboard, as Rudiger did twice.
The dressing room may be mature, but the need for a leading manager is real.
The Wright State University men’s golf team is in the NCAA Championships for the third straight season.
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The Raiders will play in the Columbus Regional.
Wright State Golf posted a video on social media that showed the team watching the Selection Show on Wednesday.
TRENDING STORIES:
Wright State will play 18 holes at the OSU Golf Club each day from May 18-20.
The Raiders won their third straight Horizon League Championship, 10th overall, earlier this month.
WSU won a team playoff to claim the title.
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European football reaches boiling point today with an explosive mix of historic milestones and internal crises.
After PSG’s qualification at the Allianz Arena, Spanish football is celebrating an unprecedented success by guaranteeing that the Champions League trophy will end up in the hands of a Spanish coach, regardless of the outcome in the grand final.
This tactical dominance is matched by the battle for the UEFA coefficient, where every Rayo Vallecano goal in France today will carry double value: a place in a historic final and the chance to lock in a fifth spot for LALIGA in next season’s edition of the world’s most prestigious tournament.
However, the continental euphoria contrasts with the warlike atmosphere hanging over the Spanish capital. The leak of the clash between Fede Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni has shattered Real Madrid’s calm in the most critical week of the calendar.
This May 7 matchday shapes up as a decisive roadmap for the outcome of the 2025/2026 season.
Luis Enrique’s side withstood Bayern’s onslaught at the Allianz Arena. After the 5-4 first-leg result, the 1-1 draw in Munich seals the Parisians’ place in the grand final. A goal from Ousmane Dembélé early in the match was enough to cancel out the German push and send Qatar’s project back into the final battle for the “Big Ears.”
For the first time in the competition’s history, two Spanish managers will face off in the final: Mikel Arteta (Arsenal) against Luis Enrique (PSG). This milestone confirms the tactical dominance of our school in Europe. London and Paris will go head-to-head in a clash of clearly defined styles where only one Spaniard can reach glory.
Rayo Vallecano are just 90 minutes away from their first European final. After the 2-1 win in Vallecas, the Red Sash side defend their advantage today against Strasbourg in the second leg of the Conference League semi-finals. A huge travelling support of more than 1,600 Rayo fans is expected, turning the French stands red and white for a date with history.
Spain and Germany remain locked in a frantic battle for the extra spot in next season’s Champions League. LALIGA’s coefficient today depends directly on what Rayo do in the Conference League and what Freiburg do in the Europa League. If results go their way, Spanish football could secure five representatives in Europe’s top competition next year.
With just three days to go before facing FC Barcelona, the Madrid dressing room is a powder keg. According to Marca, Fede Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni were involved in a serious incident during yesterday’s training session. What began as a routine coming together ended in shoving and a heated argument that carried over into the dressing room, forcing their teammates to step in.
This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.
This year, the Vegas Golden Knights earned the reputation as the best third-period team in the league— a silver lining in an otherwise disappointing season. Of course, this was in part due to their slow starts, but during the regular season, the end often justifies the means. After two poor showings against the Anaheim Ducks, this can no longer be the case; the Golden Knights are extremely fortunate to escape with a series split.
In Game One, Carter Hart kept Vegas in the game until their stars arrived. Hart tried to do the same in Game 2; however, despite a 25-save performance, the scoring never came, and the Golden Knights lost 3-1.
“I think we’re always concerned, no matter what,” said head coach John Tortorella following the game. “Win or lose, coaches are always looking to pronounce the good things and work on the bad things. Yeah, we still have some things to work on.”
The first period was barely played at 5-on-5; both teams combined for over eight minutes of power play time. The Ducks possessed the lion’s share of that power play time, and finished the period with a commanding 13-4 edge in shots. However, despite being thoroughly outshot and generating just four scoring chances against Anaheim’s 12, the Golden Knights escaped the first period and entered intermission tied at zero.
In the second period, the Golden Knights finally strung together some decent shifts and outshot the Ducks 11-7. However, the Ducks were again the better offensive team, generating 20 scoring chances against the Golden Knights’ five.
The Ducks finally broke the ice at 11:23 in the second. Jeffrey Viel redirected Jackson LaCombe’s stretch pass into the zone, pressured Kaedan Korczak into a turnover, and got to Ryan Poehling’s dump-in. Viel found Beckett Sennecke all alone atop the blue paint, and the Calder finalist snapped a shot past Hart’s outstretched glove.
Calder finalist Beckett Sennecke gets Anaheim on the board off a really nice feed from Jeffrey Viel.
— Hannah Kirkell (@h_kirk6) May 7, 2026
1-0, Ducks
pic.twitter.com/AQpua9qB7e
The Ducks doubled their lead at 6:36 in the third period. Leo Carlsson sprung Chris Kreider on a partial breakaway, but Noah Hanifin pushed Kreider to the outside. Kreider curled up and left the puck for Troy Terry, who danced around Rasmus Andersson and found Carlsson back-door.
The kids are alright. Kreider can’t get the shot off on the breakaway, so he peels up and finds Terry with time and space. Terry to Carlsson and Anaheim leads by two.
— Hannah Kirkell (@h_kirk6) May 7, 2026
2-0, Duckspic.twitter.com/rHLB1tCGQy
The Golden Knights finally found their footing and outshot the Ducks 10-8 in the third. They generated 14 scoring chances against Anaheim’s three and controlled 59.48% of the expected goal share.
However, despite the offensive surge, the Golden Knights couldn’t solve Lukáš Dostál. They pulled Carter Hart for the extra attacker with just under four minutes remaining in regulation, but didn’t manage a single shot on goal. Following a Ducks clear, they turned the puck over at center ice, and Jansen Harkins hit the empty net.
Jansen Harkins hits the empty net.
— Hannah Kirkell (@h_kirk6) May 7, 2026
3-0, Ducks
pic.twitter.com/3keKlwnemK
The Golden Knights snapped Lukáš Dostál’s shutout bid on a late power play opportunity with just six seconds remaining in regulation. Jack Eichel got a shot off, and Mark Stone redirected it home for his third goal of the postseason.
Vegas gets a late power play. Mark Stone redirects Jack Eichel’s shot past Lukáš Dostál. The Golden Knights avoid getting shutout on home ice in the postseason for the third time in franchise history.
— Hannah Kirkell (@h_kirk6) May 7, 2026
3-1, Ducks
pic.twitter.com/YM0xUJKrz8
“We’re going to find our way and try to play our best game. That certainly hasn’t happened in this series. We’ll find our way and get there,” said Tortorella following the 3-1 loss. “They split here; we’ve got to go in and try to get a game out of there. We’re going to keep our composure and get about our business.”
1. John Tortorella shook up his top-nine in the third period. He moved Mark Stone back up with Jack Eichel and Ivan Barbashev, and put William Karlsson with Brett Howden and Mitch Marner. Pavel Dorofeyev slid down to the third line with Tomáš Hertl and Keegan Kolesar.
2. The penalty kill was, once again, a difference-maker for the Golden Knights. In the first period, the Ducks were on the power play for 6:19 consecutively, including an extended 5-on-3. The Golden Knights only allowed two shot attempts during the 1:38 5-on-3.
“Outstanding,” Tortorella said of his penalty kill postgame. “It kind of screws us up— we want to try to get a good start, and we’re sitting in the box. I think that affects things as you’re trying to get through that first period. But the penalty kill has been fantastic, and that was a key part of the game. We just couldn’t make it stand.”
3. The Golden Knights won’t win this series unless they can figure out how to generate sustained offensive zone pressure. They squeaked out a controversial win last game, but they can’t plan on that happening again. For two periods tonight, they looked like they were hanging on for dear life; they would finally clear the puck, and Anaheim would reset by the time the Golden Knights swapped their tired players for fresh ones.
“We need to have the puck more in their end,” said Tortorella. “A lot of times, we’re one and done. We need to create more pressure there, and I think that will hurt their attack.”
Read More: Golden Knights Drop Fourth Straight Game 2 Since Last Season, Head To Anaheim Tied 1-1
COLCHESTER, VT – The Saint Michael’s baseball team has made history, clinching their first ever playoff berth.
The Purple Knights’ program has played in a playoff game before, as part of the entire Northeast-10 conference all given a post-season spot in 2021, as part of its return from COVID.
This year’s team was the first to make the playoffs on their own accord, securing the number 5 spot in the NE-10 tourney.
Hear from the team in the video above.
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Sean Strickland challenges Khamzat Chimaev for the UFC middleweight title in the main event of UFC 328 on May 9. (Photo by Jack Gorman/Getty Images)
Getty ImagesControversial former UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland has an opportunity to regain the 185-pound title on Saturday in Newark, New Jersey, but he has a stiff test on his hands. Strickland will challenge reigning middleweight king and undefeated boogeyman Khamzat Chimaev in the main event of UFC 328.
These two men have constructed a bad-blood build toward their clash of epic proportions. Strickland comes in as a massive underdog and the stakes couldn't be higher for him. Here's everything you need to know about Strickland's next fight.
The main card kicks off at 9 p.m. ET, with Strickland and Chimaev expected to walk between 10:30 and 11 p.m. ET, depending on how earlier bouts run.
For U.K. fans, the broadcast runs late, with prelims starting at midnight BST and the main card at 2 a.m. BST on Sunday morning. If you’re searching this on Saturday in the U.S., Strickland fights tonight, headlining the card.
Strickland is challenging the undefeated Chimaev in a five-round title bout. Chimaev enters 15-0 with a 9-0 UFC mark, coming off a one-sided title win over Dricus du Plessis that was so dominant, it pushed him into the pound-for-pound conversation despite only having major success in one weight class.
Strickland (30-7) is the ex-champ who shocked Israel Adesanya as a heavy underdog in 2023 before losing the belt to du Plessis. He earned this shot by stopping grappler Anthony Hernandez in February and now sits at +410 to Chimaev's -550 favorite price, per CBS Sports' opening lines.
In the United States, UFC 328 streams live on Paramount+ with no additional pay-per-view fee. The full schedule runs early prelims at 5 p.m. ET, prelims at 7 p.m. ET, and main card at 9 p.m. ET, with Strickland vs. Chimaev closing the night.
In the United Kingdom, prelims begin at midnight BST and the main card kicks off at 2 a.m. BST on Sunday, with TNT Sports 1 and HBO Max carrying the broadcast. Most other supported markets get the card via Paramount+ at the same ET schedule, with local time conversion required.
If Strickland pulls the upset, the entire middleweight conversation flips. A win over Chimaev sets up either an immediate rematch with Chimaev, a DDP trilogy or another high-profile title defense, and it instantly resets his case as one of the most disruptive champions of the modern 185-pound era.
If he loses, this is likely his cleanest shot at the belt for the foreseeable future, and he'd probably slot into a high-end gatekeeper role against rising contenders rather than getting stacked back into another title fight.
Either outcome keeps him central to a middleweight division that's been one of the UFC's most volatile in years.
This article was originally published on Forbes.com
Manchester City manager Andree Jeglertz said he had a feeling at the start of the season that they could win the Women’s Super League title and that the club's hunger for silverware was the reason he joined.
City were crowned Women’s Super League champions on Wednesday for the first time since 2016 after Arsenal were held to a 1-1 draw at Brighton. City will now turn their attention to their FA Cup semi-final against holders Chelsea on Sunday.
Jeglertz, who joined City ahead of the season, is only the second manager in WSL history to win the title in his debut campaign, following Chelsea’s Sonia Bompastor in 2025. "I knew the ambition from the club, what they put into the women's programme, the quality of players and also the hunger to win," the Swede told the BBC.
"Definitely, I had a feeling already from the beginning that it was possible. I'm here because that was one of the many things they wanted us to aim for. "I definitely believed in it, but it went fast. We got pretty good, quite early. The more you believe in it, then everything is possible with quality of this group."
A recent 3-2 reverse to Brighton could not derail them as City surged to a title victory that finally brought an end to Chelsea's dominant run of six titles in a row.
"This wouldn’t have been possible without the incredible effort, belief, passion and dedication of my colleagues, the players and the fans. They’ve all been a credit to the club as well as themselves and deserve to celebrate this amazing moment," Jeglertz said.
“But this isn’t the end of the road – we still have plenty to fight for this season and in the coming years. I’m excited by what the future holds for this amazing group of players and this fantastic club.”
Third-placed Arsenal were eager to bounce back from Saturday’s Champions League exit to Lyon and keep the title race alive in the first of three matches in hand on City.
Arsenal and boss Renee Slegers were well aware only victory at Brighton would be enough and despite Frida Maanum’s 62nd-minute strike being able to cancel out Fuka Tsunoda’s first-half opener for Brighton, the visitors could not find a winner and it ensured City were able to celebrate silverware in their first season under boss Andree Jeglertz.
Arsenal started slowly under the watchful eye of Dame Kelly Holmes, who was part of a bumper Broadfield Stadium crowd.
After Caitlin Foord and Alesso Russo squandered first-half chances, Brighton stunned the visitors in the 43rd-minute when (Fuka) Tsunoda beat Victoria Pelova to the ball and drilled beyond Daphne van Domselaar via a deflection.
Pelova was withdrawn at half-time and Arsenal returned with better intent with Russo only able to scuff wide before Foord forced Chiamaka Nnadozie to tip over. Maanum had penalty appeals waved away soon after before the leveller arrived with 62 minutes played.
Russo brilliantly spun away and played into Maanum, who composed herself and slotted into the bottom corner, but Slegers still produced a triple substitution Katie McCabe, Beth Mead and Stina Blackstenius sent on.
A final roll of the dice was the introduction of Chloe Kelly with seven minutes left, but the former Manchester City winger was unable to produce any late magic to deny her old side.
It meant Arsenal had to settle for a 1-1 draw which signalled the end of their title challenge and Chelsea’s run of six consecutive league championships on a special night for champions City.
Victor Wembanyama shone as the San Antonio Spurs drew level in the NBA's Conference semi-finals while the New York Knicks edged into a 2-0 lead.
The Spurs are seeded second in the Western Conference and bounced back from a home loss in game one to thump the Minnesota Timberwolves 133-95 on Wednesday and level the best-of-seven series.
"I'm expecting this kind of response from myself, from my team-mates, so I'm not surprised by any means," said Wembanyama.
The France international added: "There is some ego. They assaulted us in game one, we wanted to assault [them] in game two."
This season's defensive player of the year claimed 19 points and 15 rebounds as the Spurs romped into a 59-35 lead by half-time - Minnesota's lowest-scoring half all season.
It was San Antonio's highest NBA play-off score since 1983 and they have not lost back-to-back games since 11 and 13 January, a stretch of 49 games.
Jalen Brunson led a late charge as the Knicks, third seed in the Eastern Conference, clinched a 108-102 home win over the Philadelphia 76ers.
Philadelphia's Joel Embiid was ruled out hours before tip-off because of right hip soreness and a right ankle sprain.
The game featured 25 lead changes - the most for a play-off game in 11 years.
Brunson scored eight of his 26 points in the fourth quarter as the Knicks pulled clear while Karl-Anthony Towns added 20 points and 10 rebounds.
Tyrese Maxey scored a team-high 26 points for the 76ers, who hope Embiid can recover in time for game three in Philadelphia on Friday.
Liverpool have shortlisted a Premier League boss to potentially replace Arne Slot this summer.
The i Paper reports that Andoni Iraola is on Liverpool's shortlist of potential Arne Slot replacements. The Dutchman is under enormous pressure after the Reds' disappointing season on the back of record-breaking investment.
Liverpool suffered their 18th defeat of the season on Sunday, sinking 3-2 at Old Trafford. There is a firm sense that they're not improving, either, with the Reds struggling to control games all season long.
For many, it's time for a change. Liverpool know, at the very least, that they'll have to consider a change of coach as we head into the summer.
And so the likes of Iraola are on the shortlist. Iraola has done a fantastic job with Bournemouth since taking over there - a role given to him by the current Liverpool sporting director, Richard Hughes.
The Spaniard is to be free this summer, too, as he's leaving the Cherries at the end of his contract. It makes him a prime target for clubs looking for a new boss - and Liverpool may well be among them.
Bournemouth Performance and Departure
As of 6 May 2026, Andoni Iraola is on the verge of making history in his final weeks at Bournemouth. The club confirmed on 14 April that the Spaniard will depart at the end of the season, concluding a successful three-year tenure. Currently sitting sixth in the Premier League, Iraola has led the Cherries to a club-record 15-match unbeaten run—the longest active streak in the top flight. A commanding 3–0 victory over Crystal Palace on 3 May moved them into the European places, putting Bournemouth on track for their first-ever continental qualification.
Future and Speculation
Iraola is one of the most sought-after managers in Europe. Crystal Palace have identified him as their primary target to succeed Oliver Glasner, while Chelsea are also reportedly interested following their Champions League exit.
Career Stats
During his time in Dorset, Iraola achieved a record 56 points in 2024/25. His 45% win rate this term has transformed the Cherries into genuine top-six contenders.
Juan Soto may have gotten the Mets on the board first with his leadoff home run to start the game against the Colorado Rockies, but it was Marcus Semien who had the best night offensively for New York.
Finishing 4-for-5, including a double and home run of his own (just his second of the season), Semien’s most productive game at the plate this season helped the Mets beat the Rockies, 10-5, and give them their third win in a row.
Semien’s big night came after he began the road trip 2-for-15 and in the middle of a rough start to his first season in New York after getting traded from the Texas Rangers during the offseason.
So, not only was his performance important for the Mets, it served as a reminder of what kind of player Semien can be when he’s at his best.
“Just trying to stay locked in. Keep it simple, really,” Semien said. “If they throw the ball down the middle, keep it simple and just keep working on what I’m working on in the cage to get my swing going.”
Up until this point, Semien’s swing hadn’t been doing much for New York. In fact, he entered Wednesday’s game with a paltry .208/.259/.272 slash line and was constantly hitting the ball on the ground. So seeing the 14-year veteran get balls in the air again and swing the bat with authority is certainly a sight for sore eyes.
Manager Carlos Mendoza has seen Semien play for a long time and knows when he’s hitting the ball like he did on Wednesday, he’s locking in.
“He was aggressive early in the zone,” Mendoza said. “He was short to the ball, he was able to use the whole field, he drove the ball, especially that homer to the pull side the last at-bat. That’s a really good sign.
“I’ve seen this guy play for a long time and when he’s going well he’s doing that. He’s an aggressive hitter, he’s going to attack pitches and like I said it was just good to see him have results.”
The four-hit night raised Semien’s batting average more than 20 points, from .208 to .231. His OPS also took a big jump, going from .531 to .602.
There’s still a lot of work to be done to restore Semien’s first season in Queens and get him back to his career OPS of .753, but what better place to get it going than Coors Field where the Mets play one more game before leaving town.
“You want to have good games in this ballpark,” Semien said. “It’s a good place to hit, it’s a big outfield and the ball carries.”
Sure, it might be harder than ever for Semien to recapture his former glory days after two full seasons with an OPS below .700 with the Rangers, but hard work doesn’t scare Semien.
“It’s been a tough stretch for him but the guy is as consistent as anyone in there,” Mendoza said. “He works extremely hard and I’m glad that he finally got a really good game for us.”
"Great player, great hitter," Soto said about Semien. "I feel like he’s getting his rhythm back so I can’t wait to keep seeing him doing that."
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Former Germany defender Niklas Süle has announced he will retire from professional football at the end of the current season.
The 30-year-old Borussia Dortmund centre-back will end his playing career when his contract expires on June 30, 2026, the club said on Thursday.
"I would like to announce that I will be ending my career this summer," Süle said on the "Spielmacher" podcast by 360Media.
The player had been toying with the idea of hanging up his boots for some time. The final decision came after the match in Hoffenheim in April, where he injured his knee.
Süle said he became emotional after Dortmund's team doctor and a physio tested his knee in the dressing room and appeared concerned about a possible cruciate ligament tear.
"I went into the shower and cried for 10 minutes. In that moment, I really thought: 'It's torn'," said Süle in the podcast.
MRI good news made decision clear
"When I went for an MRI the next day and received the good news [that it wasn't a cruciate ligament tear after all], it was one 1,000% clear to me that it was over.
"I couldn't imagine anything worse than looking forward to life – being independent, going on holiday, spending time with my children – only to then have to come to terms with my third cruciate ligament tear," said Süle, whose career has repeatedly been interrupted by injuries.
BVB had already announced that the club would not extend the defender's contract after four years in Dortmund.
Champions League winner with Bayern
Süle played 49 times for Germany between 2016 and 2023.
He launched his professional career at TSG 1899 Hoffenheim before joining Bayern Munich for the 2017-18 season, where he went on to win five Bundesliga titles, two German Cups and the Champions League in 2020. Süle joined Borussia Dortmund in 2022.
Cubs losing Matthew Boyd to injury creates immediate urgency to trade for Sandy Alcantara originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Chicago Cubs are one of the best teams in baseball right now, coming off a sweep of the Cincinnati Reds. Not only did the Cubs complete the sweep, but every win came in walk-off fashion.
Chicago is playing with a great deal of confidence, thanks in large part to its high-powered offense led by players like Nico Hoerner, Dansby Swanson, and Pete Crow-Armstrong. However, the starting rotation has already been hit hard by injuries this season, with Matthew Boyd becoming the latest pitcher sidelined.
“The red-hot Chicago Cubs down another starter with left-hander Matthew Boyd scheduled to undergo surgery to repair meniscus in his left knee. There’s no timetable on his return,” Bob Nightengale posted.
Boyd now joins players like Cade Horton, Justin Steele, Shelby Miller, and several others on the injured list. If Chicago wants to seriously compete for a World Series title, adding another proven arm could become a necessity.
One name that makes perfect sense is Sandy Alcantara, who has looked like his old self again with the Miami Marlins this season. Alcantara has already thrown a no-hitter and was just a few outs away from another.
The biggest question is whether Miami is willing to move the right-hander after several years with the organization. However, Alcantara is already being viewed as one of the most likely stars to be traded at the deadline.
“It's early, but Sandy Alcantara seems like the most likely player to be traded at the deadline. The Marlins are 9.5 games out of the NL East race, currently tied with the Nationals and Phillies. I do not see Miami winning that battle given the resources available to them. Ideally, this ownership group would invest in the roster, but that's a longshot. Instead, the Marlins will do what they always do — dump proven, talented veterans to contending teams for cheaper prospect capital,” FanSided’s Mark Powell wrote.
More:Marlins' Sandy Alcantara named 'hottest commodity' ahead of MLB trade deadline
Trading for the most proven arm available on the market makes plenty of sense for Chicago. Pairing Alcantara with Shota Imanaga would give the Cubs a dominant duo in the NL Central. Once Horton, Boyd, and Steele return from injury, Chicago could realistically have one of the best rotations in baseball.
Alcantara also comes with a $21 million club option, which would likely allow the Cubs to keep him beyond this season. He is the type of player who can alter the trajectory of a franchise, which is why Chicago should strongly consider making an aggressive push for him.
More MLB news:
WARSAW, Poland (AP) — A grassroots Warsaw soccer club formed by fans more than a decade ago to resist aggressive nationalist stadium culture is hoping to find new relevance in Poland — a country whose president doesn't deny his own past participation in fights between football fans.
AKS Zły, short for Alternatywny Klub Sportowy Zły, or Alternative Sports Club Evil, was founded in 2015 by supporters of Warsaw’s main clubs Legia and Polonia. They decided to take a stand against hostile behavior they encountered in the stands and around stadiums at Polish matches.
The club, which has men’s and women’s teams, is still owned and run democratically by its fans.
“We decided to create a club that would be different, where all people, regardless of their sexual orientation, race or nationality, could feel good and welcome,” AKS Zły coordinator Jan Dziubecki told The Associated Press.
He said that fan culture in Poland has “drifted sharply to the right and openly hateful slogans are common.”
President Karol Nawrocki, backed by the nationalist conservative Law and Justice party, was elected last year. He’s known for his long standing allegiance to Lechia Gdańsk, a club from the northern city, and has attended its games since taking office.
Following reports during the election campaign that Nawrocki had taken part in a street brawl between soccer fans, he said he had been involved in many “noble” fights in his life.
While Nawrocki’s presidency might strengthen the kind of fan culture that AKS Zły was created to oppose, Dziubecki said that it might actually produce the opposite effect.
“Maybe more fans will come to our stadium again," he said with a smile.
Juliusz Wrzosek, owner of the Offside bar in Warsaw’s Praga district, was one of the founders of the club and can be seen selling tickets at the stadium entrance.
He said he was a lifelong fan of Legia Warszawa but eventually got kicked out of the more radical section because he refused to sing chants sending greetings to people serving prison terms. During the same period, his friends who supported Polonia, Legia’s rival, were getting marginalized for similar reasons. Together, they decided to create their own club.
“Because you have to support someone,” Wrzosek said.
His bar isn't only a meeting place for AKS Zły fans, but also a venue where the club occasionally organizes social events, often meant to commemorate an aspect of the local history of the Praga district. In March, it co-hosted an event honoring Stefan Okrzeja, a socialist worker who fought for Polish independence at the beginning of the 20th century.
“It bothered me that in Poland, a country with a great history of leftist and left-wing values, there isn’t a single club that is democratic, that doesn’t impose its own version of fan culture,” Wrzosek said.
At a recent women’s game in Poland’s second division, AKS Zły faced a stronger team from Słupca, but fans in the modest stadium in Praga were undaunted.
They sang songs welcoming the visitors and urging their own side to score to the rhythm of drums. Complaints about the referee were kept to a minimum and polite.
“It’s not just empty words when you say that the fans are the 12th player, because it really helps and motivates you to give more,” former AKS Zły player and now supporter Eliza Górska-Tran told The Associated Press.
The 37-year-old Górska-Tran, who attended the game with her wife and two young children, stressed the importance of the supportive community created around the club, which she helped to run after her playing days.
AKS Zły embraces LGBTQ+ and immigrant players. The club has always invested in the male and female teams equally. And, at its academy for kids, richer parents help cover the costs of poorer ones.
Górska-Tran said that fans staged a wedding ceremony for her and her partner at the stadium after they married in Scotland, where same sex marriage is legal, unlike in Poland.
“I also remember my last match before I got pregnant, it was an unforgettable experience,” she said. “There were flares, including rainbow-colored smoke, on the football pitch.”
Alicja Cichońska, who is in her seventh season playing for AKS Zły, said that she joined the club, because she had heard about the inclusive community built around it.
“Football should unite us all, not divide us, because there’s enough of that in society already,” she said.
At the turn of the year, Manchester United were in disarray with Ruben Amorim at the helm. The Portuguese head coach’s reluctance, or inability, to align tactically with the club’s hierarchy ultimately led to his dismissal.
Michael Carrick was brought in to replace Amorim in January, and the interim boss has since impressively led United up to third place, securing Champions League qualification in the process.
Irrespective of who is in charge of United next season, Carrick has steadied the ship at Old Trafford, giving INEOS a platform to dream big.
Another European powerhouse, Real Madrid, took the same route at the start of the year, replacing manager Xabi Alonso with their former player turned coach Álvaro Arbeloa. However, Los Blancos arguably find themselves in a worse position come the end of the season.
Under Arbeloa, Real have been knocked out of the Copa del Rey and the Champions League. They now head into the Clasico aiming to avoid a nightmare situation.
Anything less than a win at Camp Nou will hand their bitter rivals Barcelona the La Liga title. A report now suggests the preparations for the crucial clash have been nothing short of embarrassing.
According to The Athletic, Aurelien Tchouameni and Federico Valverde were involved in a dispute in training four days before the Clasico on Sunday.
The report states: “Sources with knowledge of the situation, speaking anonymously as they are not authorised to do so publicly, said the fight started at the end of training and carried on in the changing rooms on Wednesday.”
This is not an isolated case, with tensions between several superstars and dressing room politics preventing Real from building any momentum on the pitch. A major clear-out appears to be the need of the hour in the Spanish capital, and this is where United could benefit.
In recent weeks, it has emerged that United view Tchouameni as one of their preferred midfield targets to replace Casemiro.
United will struggle to find a more suitable option than the Frenchman to fill the departing Brazilian’s void, given he has already shown he is capable of doing that at Real after joining them from AS Monaco the same summer Casemiro moved to Old Trafford.
Despite Real’s struggles, the 26-year-old has been in good form and remains one of the best defensive midfielders in Europe.
The 6ft 2in tall star’s physical prowess, combined with his positional and tactical nous, aligns seamlessly with United’s brief of finding a midfielder whose skill set complements Kobbie Mainoo.
The France international has everything in his locker to become the signing of the summer.
Recently, The Peoples Person relayed a report claiming the La Liga giants value Tchouameni at around £70 million, a relatively easy hurdle to overcome for INEOS.
Now, following the bizarre development in Madrid, United will only be emboldened in their pursuit of convincing the Champions League-winning midfielder to follow in Casemiro’s footsteps and make a fresh start in a more stable environment.
Featured image Jose Manuel Alvarez Rey via Getty Images
The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social
New York Knicks (53-29, third in the Eastern Conference) vs. Philadelphia 76ers (45-37, seventh in the Eastern Conference)
Philadelphia; Friday, 7 p.m. EDT
LINE: Knicks -1.5; over/under is 213.5
EASTERN CONFERENCE SECOND ROUND: Knicks lead series 2-0
BOTTOM LINE: The New York Knicks visit the Philadelphia 76ers in the Eastern Conference second round with a 2-0 lead in the series. The Knicks won the last matchup 108-102 on Wednesday, led by 26 points from Jalen Brunson. Tyrese Maxey led the 76ers with 26.
The 76ers are 27-25 against Eastern Conference opponents. Philadelphia ranks fifth in the Eastern Conference with 11.8 offensive rebounds per game led by Andre Drummond averaging 3.2.
The Knicks are 14-3 against the rest of their division. New York is seventh in the NBA with 45.6 rebounds per game. Karl-Anthony Towns leads the Knicks with 11.9.
The 76ers are shooting 46.2% from the field this season, 0.2 percentage points higher than the 46.0% the Knicks allow to opponents. The Knicks average 116.5 points per game, 0.4 more than the 116.1 the 76ers give up to opponents.
TOP PERFORMERS: Maxey is averaging 28.3 points, 6.6 assists and 1.9 steals for the 76ers. Paul George is averaging 3.2 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
Brunson is averaging 26 points and 6.8 assists for the Knicks. OG Anunoby is averaging 17.3 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.5 steals over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: 76ers: 5-5, averaging 105.2 points, 40.0 rebounds, 21.5 assists, 6.0 steals and 3.9 blocks per game while shooting 45.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 109.7 points per game.
Knicks: 7-3, averaging 116.0 points, 42.7 rebounds, 25.3 assists, 9.3 steals and 4.0 blocks per game while shooting 51.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 100.7 points.
INJURIES: 76ers: Joel Embiid: out (ankle).
Knicks: Mitchell Robinson: out (illness).
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
For a season of so many zeniths and dreams, it has been quite the week of doom and gloom for Aston Villa and their manager Unai Emery. Three defeats on the spin, including a wretched home defeat to Tottenham on Sunday, is glaring in its pecularity when you consider their position in the table (fifth, on course for Champions League qualification) and their impressive run in Europe.
Yet the contrast to tonight’s visitors, Nottingham Forest, is stark. Vitor Pereira – Forest’s fourth manager this season – is riding high on a five-game winning streak, the last of which came on Monday as a second-string side dismantled Chelsea in west London, to put them a step closer to Premier League safety. Forest are unbeaten in 10, dating back to mid-March. The Portuguese coach has made quite the impact.
And yet, for both sides, a place in the Europa League final could come down to a story of two 10s. And two Morgans at that.
“It’s a big question… I really don’t know,” came Pereira’s answer on Wednesday, when asked about the health of his star playmaker, Morgan Gibbs-White. Arguably English football’s most in-form player, the 26-year-old suffered a ghastly cut to his forehead at Stamford Bridge. With no concussion protocols at play, simply a matter of whether the wound will heal in time, Gibbs-White could wear a face mask on Thursday night to take part in Forest’s biggest continental match in 46 years.
“[He is in] pain for sure,” Pereira added. “We will see until tomorrow if he is able [to play] or not. It’s a decision between the player, the medical department and myself, but we haven’t had the last meeting to decide.”
Gibbs-White’s influence on Forest’s late-season renaissance cannot be understated. Five goals and two assists in the last five matches depict a player at the peak of his powers, so much so that an inclusion in Thomas Tuchel’s World Cup squad almost looks like a formality with each game that passes. Thursday’s seismic occasion will be all the poorer if he is unable to take to the field.
Clamours for him to start this summer, such is his fantastic run of form, ride in the face of Tuchel’s preference in the highly competitive No 10 role so far. Not Jude Bellingham. Not Cole Palmer. Not Phil Foden. Rather, Morgan Rogers.
While Gibbs-White’s performances have spiked at just the right time, Rogers’s extraordinary early-season output has, perhaps understandably, plateaued: just two goals and two assists in his last 15 in all competitions.
To all intents and purposes, the midfielder looks knackered. And last week, as a bizarre Lucas Digne handball in the box gifted Forest a one-goal advantage heading into tonight’s tie, one of the more masterful moments came when Elliot Anderson left Rogers trailing in his wake with a gorgeous nutmeg. As Ally McCoist said on commentary for TNT Sports: “I’ve got a feeling that might get a mention at the next England camp!”
Yet it is foolish to dismiss the recent noise around Villa as social media tittle-tattle. Much was made of Emery’s seven changes on Sunday and, it should be noted, his unusual timidity on the touchline. But despite his clear prioritisation and target, namely to reach the Istanbul showpiece on 20 May, the Spaniard looked to play down his team’s chances of a first major trophy in 30 years – and what would be his fifth Europa League title in the process.
“It’s not a defeat if we do not achieve a trophy,” he said on Wednesday. This from a man who has won this trophy four times, three with Sevilla and one with Villarreal. “When I spoke before the first leg, we had a 25 per cent possibility to win a trophy. Now it’s maybe less because we started losing.
“We have 50 per cent or maybe less to play the final. This is football, and you must respect every competition, and in Europe you must respect each team.”
On what should be a raucous occasion at Villa Park, this fourth meeting in four months between these two represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity for both sets of supporters. Villa have not been in a continental final since their 1982 European Cup victory, while for Forest, the same can be said for 1980 and Brian Clough’s glorious second European Cup.
What’s more, both Villa and Forest will massively fancy their chances against either Braga (who hold a 2-1 lead) or Freiburg in the final. All in all, throwing in the inevitable passion and intensity of an all-English semi-final second leg, with everything at stake, it should make for an unforgettable night under the lights. And if the two star Englishmen who share a name can conjure some spells of their own, a magical May is within touching distance for the victorious club.
Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest face off in the second leg of their all-English Europa League semi-final, with tonight’s visitors carrying a slim lead into the tie.
A moment of madness from Lucas Digne in the opening leg, flinging his arm up as he duelled with Omari Hutchinson for a ball at the byline, proved crucial as Forest were awarded a penalty for handball.
There was a lengthy VAR check but Chris Wood kept his cool to smash home a glorious spot-kick, and Forest maintained their 1-0 advantage despite a late Villa barrage.
The two teams are in contrasting form - a second-string Forest side, with the A-listers rested for this leg, dispatched Chelsea 3-1 last time out while a much-changed Villa toiled to defeat against relegation-threatened Tottenham - and Unai Emery’s men must rediscover the form that previously made them Europa League favourites if they are to reach the final.
Here’s everything you need to know.
Aston Villa host Nottingham Forest at Villa Park on Thursday 7 May in the second leg of their Europa League semi-final, with kick-off at 8pm.
Viewers in the UK can watch the game live on TNT Sports 1 and HBO Max.
Emery is bound to make significant changes after several of his star players were rested against Spurs. Captain John McGinn missed that defeat with a minor muscle issue but should be fit to return, although Amadou Onana is more of a doubt with a calf issue. Ross Barkley is ineligible while the injured Boubacar Kamara will definitely miss out.
Taiwo Awoniyi - who scored twice against Chelsea - is not in the visitors’ European squad, while Ola Aina, Ibrahim Sangare and Murillo, who all missed the win at Stamford Bridge, are doubts.
The main worry for Forest boss Vitor Pereira is the fitness of Morgan Gibbs-White, who clashed heads with Chelsea keeper Robert Sanchez and was whisked off the pitch for several stitches on a deep-looking gash. Pereira said on Wednesday that they would have a “last meeting” involving the medical team to decide whether he would play.
Aston Villa XI: Martinez, Cash, Konsa, Torres, Digne, Bogarde, Tielemans, McGinn, Rogers, Buendia, Watkins
Nottingham Forest XI: Ortega, Abbott, Milenkovic, Morato, Williams, Hutchinson, Dominguez, Anderson, Gibbs-White, Jesus, Wood
San Antonio Spurs (62-20, second in the Western Conference) vs. Minnesota Timberwolves (49-33, sixth in the Western Conference)
Minneapolis; Friday, 9:30 p.m. EDT
LINE: Spurs -3.5; over/under is 216.5
WESTERN CONFERENCE SECOND ROUND: Series tied 1-1
BOTTOM LINE: The Minnesota Timberwolves and the San Antonio Spurs are in a 1-1 series tie in the Western Conference second round. The Spurs defeated the Timberwolves 133-95 in the last meeting on Thursday. Stephon Castle led the Spurs with 21 points, and Julius Randle led the Timberwolves with 12.
The Timberwolves are 31-21 in Western Conference games. Minnesota is eighth in the Western Conference with 50.3 points per game in the paint led by Jaden McDaniels averaging 10.5.
The Spurs are 36-16 in Western Conference play. San Antonio is fifth in the Western Conference scoring 52.1 points per game in the paint led by Victor Wembanyama averaging 11.1.
The Timberwolves make 48.1% of their shots from the field this season, which is 3.0 percentage points higher than the Spurs have allowed to their opponents (45.1%). The Spurs score 5.2 more points per game (119.8) than the Timberwolves give up (114.6).
TOP PERFORMERS: Anthony Edwards is averaging 28.8 points and 3.7 assists for the Timberwolves. McDaniels is averaging 15.1 points over the last 10 games.
De'Aaron Fox is scoring 18.6 points per game and averaging 3.8 rebounds for the Spurs. Julian Champagnie is averaging 2.2 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Timberwolves: 7-3, averaging 113.9 points, 44.4 rebounds, 25.4 assists, 6.5 steals and 4.7 blocks per game while shooting 47.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 113.8 points per game.
Spurs: 7-3, averaging 116.6 points, 46.2 rebounds, 26.1 assists, 8.1 steals and 7.6 blocks per game while shooting 48.6% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 104.8 points.
INJURIES: Timberwolves: Donte DiVincenzo: out for season (leg).
Spurs: David Jones Garcia: out for season (ankle).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
“The easiest bit… is keeping him grounded. The bigger problem is the Italian public,” said Mercedes boss Toto Wolff as the Kimi Antonelli hype train continued to steamroll on. The 19-year-old Italian is now 20 points clear at the top of the F1 world championship standings and has won three grands prix in a row; his win in Miami last Sunday came on the same day Italian sport’s biggest star, Jannik Sinner, made history with a fifth straight Masters 1000 title, triumphing in Madrid.
While their individual circumstances are different – Antonelli is being chased by a flock of challengers including his own teammate George Russell and Sinner stands alone on the men’s tennis tour – it is hard to deny that Italian sport is having a moment.
Sinner, a talented skier in his youth, no doubt will have watched on with interest as compatriot Federica Brignone won double gold at the Winter Olympics, and Laura Pirovano and Sofia Goggia won overall crystal globes. And over the last couple of years both the nation’s male and female tennis players have reigned supreme, winning the “World Cup” – the Davis Cup and Billie Jean King Cup – three times and twice in a row respectively. A helpful distraction, maybe, from the men’s football team’s inability to qualify for the more widely recognised World Cup.
Perhaps it’s more accurate to say individual Italian sporting superstars are having a moment – and the country’s press will be hoping another could soon join their ranks. There hasn’t been an Italian winner of the Giro d’Italia since Vincenzo Nibali won the last of his Grand Tours there in 2016. But there hasn’t been an Italian talent to rival Nibali in years – until Giulio Pellizzari.
Now 22, the youngster was riding for the second-tier VF Group-Bardiani CSF-Faizane team when he first made a name for himself, at the 2024 Giro. He looked certain to take victory on a mountain stage to Monte Pana, but none other than Tadej Pogacar had different ideas. Rather than dropping away, demoralised, Pellizzari continued to follow him up the climb, and afterwards impulsively asked for the Slovenian’s maglia rosa.
It is not too hard to picture him wearing the leader’s jersey for real. A move to Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe has transformed him from a rangy young hopeful to a genuine contender, surrounded by elite teammates and aided by the coffers of an energy drinks giant.
He has another two Grand Tours in his legs since that breakout race and two sixth-place finishes on his palmares, at last year’s Giro and Vuelta; at the former he arrived as a super-domestique but his class made a switch from stage-hunting to GC inevitable. He has also wised up; he took nasty comments online to heart at the Vuelta, when he dropped a place overall three days after winning a stage, but will avoid social media this time around. The sad reality is that that criticism comes with the territory, and comes with the talent.
The man from Le Marche arrives at the start line in Bulgaria in a position he has never been in before: as a team leader for a Grand Tour. But he has performed well under pressure before, winning the Tour of the Alps last month – his first overall victory at a professional stage race – and ably handling the mantle of pre-race favourite. He has completed three stage races this year and been on the podium at all three.
He said after winning in the Alps: “Last year, I was just a helper, and I started the race always thinking ‘I hope I will perform’. This morning, I had no choice, I had to perform. Now I’m understanding what it means to be the leader. [The team] give everything for me, so I give everything for them. You cannot just say, ‘I don’t have the legs.’ You have to give a lot, and I’m learning this.”
Like at the Vuelta, Pellizzari will co-lead at this Giro with Jai Hindley, a former winner of the maglia rosa. The pair made a strong double act in Spain – the Australian finished fourth overall – and while co-leadership doesn’t always pay off, they have the advantage of being able to alternate attacks on Jonas Vingegaard, a strategy which his Visma-Lease a Bike squad used to devastating effect when the Dane won the Tour de France in 2022.
Primoz Roglic, who was Vingegaard’s second-in-command then, is now an elder statesman at Red Bull; while he will not be racing in Italy, Pellizzari can lean on the experienced Hindley, the 2022 champion, and Aleksandr Vlasov, the mercurial Russian with three top-10 Grand Tour finishes to his name.
A comparatively thin Giro field means there will be more pressure than perhaps initially expected on Pellizzari’s slender shoulders. Joao Almeida is out with illness, Richard Carapaz missing through injury, and Egan Bernal – who Pellizzari dispatched easily at the Tour of the Alps – has Grand Tour pedigree but has never replicated his exploits from before a horrific crash which nearly killed him in early 2022.
Is it unrealistic to expect a youngster with only one pro stage race victory to his name to challenge the might of three-time Grand Tour champion Vingegaard? Possibly, but Decathlon CMA CGM are throwing 19-year-old Paul Seixas into the Tour de France meat grinder with exactly the same flimsy palmares.
Their potential is undeniable – and both riders can look to precedent, with Pogacar finishing third at the Vuelta on his first Grand Tour start. And Pellizzari has significantly more experience over three weeks than Seixas and Pogacar did then, with his two top-six finishes at three-week races. “These two Grand Tours made a difference when I started,” he told Cyclingnews, of the start of his 2026 campaign. “Maybe I just grew up.”
Intriguingly, Antonelli’s three Grand Prix victories came on the same day Sinner won Masters 1000 events. The Canadian Grand Prix takes place on the same day Sinner will start the French Open as the hot favourite. Two days later, the Giro enters its final week, with a quartet of mountain stages, perfectly suited to Pellizzari, which will decide the winner of the corsa rosa. This glorious season of Italian sport could soon have a new king.
Russia's Khamzat Chimaev will defend his UFC middleweight title against Sean Strickland on Saturday at UFC 328. (Photo by Giuseppe CACACE / AFP) (Photo by GIUSEPPE CACACE/AFP via Getty Images)
AFP via Getty ImagesUFC middleweight champion and global MMA star Khamzat Chimaev is set to return to the UFC's Octagon this Saturday. Chimaev faces controversial former champion and perennial contender Sean Strickland. The fight headlines UFC 328 in Newark, New Jersey.
The build to this fight has been nasty and packed with eyebrow-raising comments from both men. Additional security has been added for fighter and fan safety. Here's everything you need to know about Borz's next fight.
The main card kicks off at 9 p.m. ET, with Chimaev and Strickland expected to walk to the cage between 10:30 and 11 p.m. ET, depending on how earlier bouts play out.
For international fans, the U.K. broadcast runs late, with prelims starting at midnight BST and the main card at 2 a.m. BST on Sunday morning. If you’re searching this on May 9, the simplest way to look at it is: it's tonight, headlining the card, and the early-evening start times only matter if you want to catch the prelims.
Chimaev is defending his UFC middleweight title for the first time against a former champion. The champion enters 15-0 overall and 9-0 in the UFC, coming off a one-sided title-winning performance over Dricus du Plessis that featured 12 takedowns and over 21 minutes of control time, per UFC's official numbers.
Strickland is the man who dethroned Israel Adesanya in 2023 before losing the belt to du Plessis. Strickland lost the rematch to du Plessis in 2025 before Chimaev relieved DDP of the belt.
After scoring a TKO win over Anthony Hernandez, Strickland is now back in a title fight as a heavy underdog at +410, per CBS Sports' opening lines, with the bad blood real enough that the UFC has reportedly added extra security for fight week.
The stakes are extremely high for Strickland.
In the United States, UFC 328 streams live on Paramount+ with no additional pay-per-view fee. The full schedule runs early prelims at 5 p.m. ET, prelims at 7 p.m. ET, and the main card at 9 p.m. ET, with Chimaev vs. Strickland closing the night.
In the United Kingdom, prelims begin at midnight BST and the main card starts at 2 a.m. BST on Sunday, with TNT Sports 1 and HBO Max carrying the broadcast. Most other supported markets get the card via Paramount+ at the same ET schedule, with local time conversion required.
If Chimaev runs through Strickland, the conversation immediately shifts to whether he stays at 185 pounds at all. He's already publicly floated a move to light heavyweight after the fight, citing weight-cut and lifestyle reasons, and at top-five pound-for-pound status he becomes an instant problem for whoever holds 205-pound gold.
If he stays at middleweight, Dricus du Plessis sits as the obvious rematch and Nassourdine Imavov has been mentioned as a potential next contender. A loss to Strickland scrambles all of it, since Borz would suddenly need to rebuild his case at 185 instead of chasing superfights across divisions.
This article was originally published on Forbes.com
On the mats, ONE Lightweight Submission Grappling World Champion Kade Ruotolo moves with a purpose few can match. However, on a fishing boat, he slows everything down to a crawl and loves every second of it.
After an extended period away from the spotlight, the American phenom makes his long-awaited return against Hiroyuki “Japanese Beast” Tetsuka in a lightweight MMA battle at The Inner Circle, which airs live in Asia primetime from Bangkok’s Lumpinee Stadium on Friday, May 15.
Fans can stream this fight, and many more, exclusively on live.onefc.com.
This marks Ruotolo’s first bout in over a year, as he had been recovering from a complete ACL tear. He suffered the injury during a training session just a week after submitting Nicolas Vigna to go 3-0 in his MMA career at ONE 171: Qatar in February 2025.
The road back to the global stage has been a long one. Twelve months of hard work, even harder days, and the kind of quiet battles that never make the highlight reel.
So once the knee was stable enough to allow it, Ruotolo reeled in the one thing that had always quietly anchored him outside the gym:
“I was able to watch my brother pick up some great performances. So, that was great. But for my personal satisfaction and joy, it was pretty rough for sure – not being able to really do anything. I even had to learn how to walk again.
“Besides the physical therapy, just trying to get the knee back in action, fishing was a good thing for my mental health. After the first or second month, when my knee was stable enough, I started fishing again.”
The line back to fishing was not a new one. Kade and his twin brother – reigning ONE Welterweight Submission Grappling World Champion Tye Ruotolo – grew up in Southern California, where the open sea was always within reach and the days off the mats led to fun times in the ocean.
If it was not skateboarding or surfing, which provided them with the thrills athletes typically seek, fishing was their preferred activity. And once they reached their teenage years, the brothers were old enough to charter a boat and set sail with their fishing poles. To them, it was a sense of freedom.
Ruotolo told onefc.com:
“We’d go get on a boat in the ocean in the middle of nowhere and just go catch some fish when we wanted to get away from our parents. Sometimes, we’d bring them with us.
“So, that was probably the age when we started to get hooked on it, and ever since then, it’s always just been jiu-jitsu, surfing, and fishing. Skating a little bit too, but those have always been our biggest passions.”
For all the technical demands of fishing – the patience, the precision, the reading of the water – what keeps Ruotolo coming back has very little to do with the catch itself.
The lightweight submission grappling king is drawn to it due to the silence and space it provides him. Out on the water, the noise comes to a pause. The endless internal dialogue every fighter carries around with them stops.
And for the few hours he is out there, the man who has built a career around relentless forward motion gets to do the one thing his entire profession refuses to allow: absolutely nothing at all.
The 23-year-old explained:
“I think there’s just something about the ocean that we’ve always been drawn to. Being in the water feels very healing. The ocean is healing, and it’s a completely different world out there.
“There aren’t many places where I live where you can go get away from everybody, but you go get on a boat in the water, and you look around, and there’s no one around. It’s a pretty cool feeling.”
That love of the water eventually led to a purchase that has paid for itself many times over.
A few years ago, the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu World Champions and a close friend put down US$3,000 each and bought themselves a slice of independence on the open Pacific.
The vessel itself was never going to win any beauty contests. But for the Ruotolos, who have always preferred function over flash, that was exactly the point:
“The boat is one with a little center console. It has a little cabin, too, for a couple of people to crash overnight. Every time we get a free chance and the boat’s still running good, we’ll get out on the water and go catch some fish. It’s definitely one of our favorite ways to pass time.
“It’s nothing crazy, but it gets the job done. It’s plenty of fun. We’ve been to Catalina a couple of times, and man, that was a trip of a lifetime, just spending the night out there and fishing all night. So fun.”
Before the boat came along, the brothers leaned on the charter scene that runs up and down the Southern California coastline.
San Diego was always one of their favorite spots, and Davey’s Locker in Newport Beach offered day trips and three-quarter-day excursions for around US$100 a head. Every charter trip planted a little more conviction that one day, the twins would have a vessel of their own.
That day eventually arrived. And ever since then, the question has been how soon they could get time off from their careers to make it happen.
Sometimes, that means a quick hour off the jetties before sunset. Other times, it means a fully planned overnight run that turns into one of those trips you remember for the rest of your life.
Trips like that come with stories, and in fishing, these tales almost always come back to the same currency: the catch.
For every angler who has ever pushed off from shore with a rod in hand, the bigger the fish, the bigger the bragging rights, and the longer the story gets to live in the family group chat.
The Ruotolo brothers are no different. Years of trips, charters, and overnight runs have produced a small but growing highlight reel between them, and Kade is more than happy to give credit where it is due.
He said:
“My brother caught a big yellowtail. For me, it’d probably be either a smaller grade yellowtail or a tuna. I still haven’t caught too big of a fish, like maybe close to 20 pounds is my biggest fish. But my brother has definitely caught one probably closer to 30 pounds.”
Golden State Valkyries at Seattle Storm
Seattle; Friday, 10 p.m. EDT
LINE: Valkyries -4.5; over/under is 154.5
BOTTOM LINE: The Seattle Storm open the season at home against the Golden State Valkyries.
Seattle went 23-21 overall and 12-12 in Western Conference games last season. The Storm averaged 82.1 points per game last season, 39.0 in the paint, 17.6 off of turnovers and 12.9 on fast breaks.
Golden State went 23-21 overall and 9-15 in Western Conference play during the 2025-26 season. The Valkyries averaged 77.7 points per game last season, 28.7 in the paint, 12.8 off of turnovers and 7.4 on fast breaks.
INJURIES: Storm: Awa Fam: out (not injury related), Katie Lou Samuelson: out (knee), Ezi Magbegor: out (foot).
Valkyries: Kate Martin: out (quadriceps).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Connecticut Sun at New York Liberty
New York; Friday, 7:30 p.m. EDT
LINE: Liberty -15.5; over/under is 160.5
BOTTOM LINE: The New York Liberty start the season at home against the Connecticut Sun.
New York went 15-5 in Eastern Conference action and 17-5 at home during the 2025-26 season. The Liberty averaged 84.4 points per game while shooting 45.3% from the field and 35.5% from 3-point range last season.
Connecticut went 11-33 overall last season while going 7-14 in Eastern Conference play. The Sun averaged 75.8 points per game while shooting 41.2% from the field and 30.2% from 3-point range last season.
INJURIES: Liberty: Sabrina Ionescu: out (ankle).
Sun: Leila Lacan: out (not injury related).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Washington Mystics at Toronto Tempo
Toronto; Friday, 7:30 p.m. EDT
LINE: Tempo -1.5; over/under is 158.5
BOTTOM LINE: The Toronto Tempo start the season at home against the Washington Mystics.
Toronto hits the court for the first game in franchise history. The Tempo play in their WNBA debut at home.
Washington went 16-28 overall and 8-12 in Eastern Conference play during the 2025-26 season. The Mystics gave up 81.6 points per game while committing 18.2 fouls last season.
INJURIES: Tempo: Kitija Laksa: out (not injury related), Maria Conde: out (not injury related).
Mystics: Alex Wilson: out (personal), Shakira Austin: out (not injury related).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
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