Expert Sports News & Commentary

Madrid, Spain – Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior has labelled Jose Mourinho’s post-match remarks “repulsive” after the Benfica manager appeared to equate the Brazilian’s goal celebrations with the alleged racist abuse directed at him by opposing teenager Gianluca Prestianni. The flash-point, which marks the first time Vinicius has accused a fellow professional of racism, triggered global support for the 23-year-old – yet sympathy has been conspicuously absent in Portugal, where Benfica have publicly stood by Prestianni and Mourinho has refused to condemn the alleged slur. Speaking after the Estadio da Luz encounter, Mourinho insisted he was “not calling Vinicius a liar” but swiftly pivoted to criticise the forward’s on-field conduct, describing his celebrations as “provocative” and “a problem in every stadium”. According to Spanish outlet El Chiringuito, Vinicius was incensed by the apparent moral equivalence drawn between perceived show-boating and the serious allegation of racial abuse, and he now considers the Portuguese coach’s stance “repulsive”. The fall-out has widened an already polarised debate. While Real Madrid and their squad have backed their star “to the hilt”, a Portuguese television pundit attracted viral scorn by invoking former Spanish dictator Francisco Franco to argue that Madrid were poorly placed to complain about racism. In contrast, French World Cup winner Lilian Thuram questioned why the testimony of Vinicius and compatriot Kylian Mbappe was not deemed sufficient proof by sceptics. Mourinho, sent off late in the match, will serve a suspension that prevents him from returning to the Santiago Bernabeu for the return fixture. He is not scheduled to address the media ahead of Benfica’s domestic meeting with AVS this weekend and could yet avoid the pre-match press conference in Madrid before the Champions League rematch next week, though scrutiny of his role in the controversy is unlikely to subside. With tensions high and reputations on the line, European football now awaits the next chapter in a story that has pitted player against player, club against club, and highlighted the sport’s continuing struggle to confront racism with one clear, united voice.

Goodison Park’s rumour mill spun into action on Thursday as Everton supporters digested fresh transfer talk and an unfortunate setback for one of the club’s emerging talents. Liam Delap and Saud Abdulhamid were both floated as potential targets in dispatches from Merseyside, although no formal approach has yet been confirmed by the club. The pair have been mentioned in growing whispers around Finch Farm, with fans eager to see reinforcements secured before the window closes. Meanwhile, midfielder Tyler Onyango is facing a spell on the sidelines after sustaining an injury during training. The extent of the problem has not been disclosed, but the 20-year-old is expected to undergo assessment to determine a timeline for his return. With the weekend approaching, manager and recruitment staff will hope for clarity on both the fitness front and any incoming deals as they look to shape the squad for the challenges ahead.

Goals remain the currency of success, and five clubs have amassed hoards of them across Europe’s leading divisions in 2025-26. From Madrid to Munich, these outfits have turned attack into a science, setting a blistering pace that has left rivals scrambling for answers. Real Madrid open the roll call, their 53 La Liga strikes propelling them to the summit of Spain’s top flight. Kylian Mbappe, fresh from claiming last term’s European Golden Shoe, has shouldered the burden with 23 goals in 22 league appearances, a return that underlines his status as the continent’s most feared finisher. Across the Pyrenees, Manchester City have plundered 54 Premier League goals, the most in England. Erling Haaland’s 22 league tallies lead the division and equal his personal best from 2024-25, stretching his streak of 20-plus Premier League seasons to four. Only Arsenal legend Thierry Henry has managed a longer such sequence, with five. Italy’s scoring charts are topped by Inter Milan, whose 16 goals in their last four Serie A fixtures have carried them to the league’s summit. Lautaro Martinez has opened a six-goal cushion in the Capocannonieri race, spearheading a side unbeaten since November. Barcelona have matched Madrid’s firepower in Spain, scoring 53 times under Hansi Flick. Unlike their Clásico rivals, the Catalans have spread the wealth: Ferran Torres, Robert Lewandowski and teenage prodigy Lamine Yamal have each reached double figures, presenting opponents with a three-pronged threat. Yet even that collective brilliance pales beside Bayern Munich’s avalanche. The Bavarians have struck 82 times in 22 Bundesliga matches, averaging 3.7 goals per game. Harry Kane’s league-leading 26 strikes are complemented by Luis Diaz (13) and Michael Olise (10). Should they maintain their current clip, Bayern will finish on 127 goals, obliterating the 101-goal club record set in 1971-72. With the season approaching its midpoint, these five clubs have redefined what it means to outscore the opposition, turning every weekend into a goal-laden spectacle.

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk has singled out Dominik Szoboszlai as the player most likely to shepherd the club into its next leadership era, praising the Hungarian midfielder for “leading by example” throughout a turbulent season at Anfield. Speaking after Szoboszlai reached double-digit goals for the first time in English football—his milestone strike coming in the recent victory over Brighton—Van Dijk offered a measured but glowing endorsement of the 23-year-old’s influence inside Arne Slot’s evolving squad. “He has been very good,” Van Dijk said. “A player who I think can still make the next step in terms of being a leader for this team. It starts by leading by example and that’s something he has done so far this season.” The Dutch defender stopped short of predicting a formal promotion to the captaincy, adding, “That’s all on the manager I think. I don’t know. Yeah.” Yet his comments underscore a growing belief that Szoboszlai’s combination of reliability, versatility and vocal presence positions him as a natural successor when the current leadership core—vice-captain Andy Robertson among them—edges toward transition. Szoboszlai’s willingness to adapt has accelerated that perception. Asked to deputise at right-back during an injury crisis, the £60 million arrival from RB Leipzig accepted the unfamiliar brief without compromising his attacking output. Beyond the 10 goals, his capacity to dictate Liverpool’s tempo has remained constant whether deployed centrally or in wider areas, a trait Van Dijk values as the side continues to absorb Slot’s tactical recalibrations. Team-mate Mohamed Salah elevated the praise further, branding Szoboszlai “one of the best players in the world right now” after the Brighton win. The Egyptian’s assessment mirrors dressing-room sentiment that the midfielder’s influence now extends well beyond statistics. Off the pitch, Liverpool are attempting to secure that influence long-term. Szoboszlai still operates on the contract signed in 2023, but negotiations over an extension have gathered pace amid external links to Real Madrid. Agent Matyas Esterhazy has attempted to quell exit rumours, insisting they are “not looking outside or elsewhere,” a reassurance that will encourage supporters eager to see continuity following last season’s Premier League triumph. Van Dijk, contracted as both player and captain, believes the next phase of Liverpool’s hierarchy is already taking shape. “Everything around it—there is still progress to be made and that’s a good thing in my opinion,” he noted. “Hopefully he will be very important for the years to come at Liverpool.” As Slot’s squad negotiates the closing stretch of the campaign, Szoboszlai’s leadership arc will be monitored less through goal tallies than through the quieter markers of authority: positioning instructions barked across the pitch, calming touches in frantic moments, and the kind of relentless application that, according to Van Dijk, has already made him an example to follow. Should those traits continue to crystallise, Liverpool may find their next on-field commander already woven into the fabric of the present side.

Colombo – The R Premadasa Stadium rocked for three and a half hours on Thursday night, and while the Sri Lanka-Zimbabwe contest was officially a dead rubber, the 30,000-strong drum-thumping home crowd discovered that the 2026 T20 World Cup co-hosts have already found their heartbeat: Zimbabwe. Sikandar Raza’s men thumped the 2014 champions by six wickets, capping a group stage in which they had already accounted for Australia and Sri Lanka. The result sends Zimbabwe into the Super Eight as the tournament’s most compelling narrative, a side that began the cycle in a Kenyan sub-regional qualifier against Mozambique, Rwanda, Seychelles and Gambia and will now face India, South Africa and the two-time champion West Indies. “I don’t think anybody gave us a chance to be where we are,” Raza said at the post-match presentation, streamers still drifting from the stands. “To win people’s hearts and earn their respect, it’s a wonderful position to be in.” The 39-year-old all-rounder has become the face of the renaissance. Born in Sialkot, Pakistan, diverted through a computing degree in Glasgow and almost lost to a life-threatening bone-marrow infection in 2021, Raza has reinvented himself as a T20 globetrotter while guiding a young squad that had never experienced a stage this size. Wicketkeeper-batter Tadiwanashe Marumani, 24, admitted the din of 30,000 Lankan fans was “nerve-racking”; Zimbabwe still chased 141 with eight balls to spare. Assistant coach Dion Ebrahim calls Raza “a global superstar up there with the greats. He leads through action—meticulous, intense, constantly improving. Players follow him because they see the brilliance first-hand.” Zimbabwe’s recent major-tournament history is a study in extremes. After stunning Australia on their 1983 World Cup debut, they failed to qualify for the 2019 50-over edition, missed the 2021 T20 World Cup during an ICC suspension, and were shocked by Uganda in a 2023 qualifier. Raza credits the low point for a culture reset. “We sat down and said either we feel sorry for ourselves or understand the reality—we put ourselves here and only we can get ourselves out.” The plan hatched in Kenya has delivered tangible reward. By eliminating Australia in the group stage Zimbabwe secured automatic entry into the 2028 T20 World Cup, ensuring they will not have to navigate the qualifier maze that has haunted them for a decade. Next up is India at a sold-out MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. Rankings tag Zimbabwe as underdogs; the dressing room embraces the label. “Very little pressure sits with us,” Ebrahim noted. “T20 is decided by moments. If we keep performing at the level we have shown the last three games, who knows?” Raza, ever the realist, prefers a broader lens. “Reaching the Super Eight is part of a larger goal—to bring lasting recognition to cricket in Zimbabwe. If we win two out of three, anything can happen. Everybody loves an underdog story.” On Thursday night in Colombo, the underdogs were the life of the party. If their story continues, the 2026 T20 World Cup may yet belong to them.

Madrid – Football reclaimed centre stage on Friday as Spain woke to a breakfast of headlines spanning heroic European nights, a potential title-deciding trip to Pamplona, and an escalating institutional row that could yet alter the promotion race. Celta Vigo provided the mid-week thrills, becoming the first Spanish side ever to win at PAOK’s Toumba Stadium in a European competition. A solitary strike from club captain Iago Aspas sealed a 1-0 victory that leaves the Galicians on the cusp of the Europa League round of 16 and primes them for a lucrative spring campaign. While Celta basked in Greek glory, the domestic calendar barrels toward a pivotal Saturday. Real Madrid convene at Valdebebas this morning for their final session under Álvaro Arbeloa before travelling to Navarre, where Osasuna await at El Sadar. The visitors know that three points in one of LaLIGA’s most hostile venues would propel them to the summit at a moment when every match feels like a title tilt. Yet the action is not confined to the grass. The Spanish football administration faces another courtroom flashpoint after the RFEF’s Competition Judge ruled that LaLIGA overstepped its powers when it suspended February’s Rayo Vallecano-Oviedo fixture. The judge proposes awarding the match to Oviedo by a 3-0 forfeit, a sanction LaLiga has already vowed to appeal, reigniting tensions between the governing bodies and leaving promotion hopefuls on tenterhooks. Barcelona, meanwhile, spent Thursday in self-reflection. Attacking midfielder Dani Olmo used an RAC1 interview to urge perspective after back-to-back setbacks, insisting the squad’s philosophy remains intact. “We’re not going to create a catastrophe over two bad games,” he cautioned, while acknowledging that standards must rise if the Blaugrana are to re-enter the Champions League conversation. Away from the men’s game, the spotlight shifts to the women’s national set-up. Sonia Bermúdez will unveil her first squad of 2026 this morning ahead of World Cup qualifying clashes with Ukraine and Iceland. The absence of Ballon d’Or holder Aitana Bonmatí and starting keeper Cata Coll guarantees fresh faces as the coach plots a new cycle toward 2027. With a European comeback story, a potential league coup in Pamplona, legal wrangling over promotion points, candid self-critique in Catalonia and the rebirth of La Roja Femenina, the sport that colours Spanish weekends has once again proved it never truly sleeps.

Rodrigo “Rodri” Mendoza’s name has leapt from the whispers of Spanish lower-league scouts to the lips of Europe’s heavyweight analysts in under six months. The 20-year-old Murcia native, who only last spring was orchestrating play for Elche in Spain’s fifth tier, will spend the second half of this season wearing the No.4 shirt at Atlético Madrid vacated by Conor Gallagher, and learning the dark arts of “Cholo-ball” under Diego Simeone. Mendoza’s rise has been vertiginous. After a senior debut with Elche’s reserve side, he was fast-tracked to the first team in 2022, prompting the club to anticipate his inevitable departure by recruiting Inter Miami’s Federico Redondo. Arsenal’s rumoured plan to groom him as Martin Ødegaard’s long-term successor never materialised; instead, Atlético’s new sporting director Mateu Alemany, appointed in October, moved swiftly to secure the midfielder as the club’s 14th signing of a squad overhaul, following Ademola Lookman and Obed Vargas through the doors of the Metropolitano. Standing 1.82 m and predominantly right-footed, Mendoza has been deployed everywhere from defensive pivot to emergency left-winger, though his natural habitat is the interior midfield. Observers liken his style to Pedri, but the Spaniard’s frame is sturdier and his game laced with a Busquets-esque subtlety: a 360-degree radar for space, velvet first-touch “hiding” of the ball, and the famed la pausa that freezes defenders before a weighted through-ball. Press resistance is the hallmark of his play; he collects possession in congested corridors and wriggles out via close-quarter dribbling rather than raw power. Off the ball, Mendoza is already schooled in the counter-press, snuffing out passing lanes and triggering quick regains. That appetite for defensive diligence should endear him to Simeone, though questions linger over stamina and aerial output—two areas where Atlético’s conditioning staff will look to sculpt a more complete package. Two goals a season indicates room to grow in end-product, but the club view him as a long-term project rather than an instant starter. If the adaptation goes to plan, Spain’s senior setup could come calling sooner rather than later. In a midfield generation that includes Mikel Merino and Dani Olmo, Mendoza’s blend of craft and graft might be the next evolution of La Roja’s engine room. For now, Madrid, not North London, is the stage where Rodri Mendoza will attempt to justify the hype.

State College captured the District 6 Class 6A boys basketball title with a victory over Mifflin County. Senior guard Spencer Neilson paced the Little Lions with a game-high 17 points, providing the offensive spark needed to secure the championship. The win caps the district tournament for State College and sends the Little Lions into the state playoffs on a high note.

Nottingham Forest are ready to test Barcelona’s resolve with a €15 million offer for Spanish winger Ansu Fati, according to Mail Sport. The 23-year-old, currently on loan at AS Monaco, has scored eight goals in 19 appearances this season but looks unlikely to remain in Ligue 1 beyond the summer. With his long-term future at Camp Nou also in doubt—Fati’s contract runs until 2028—Forest see an opportunity to lure the former La Masia prodigy to the City Ground. A permanent switch to the Premier League would offer Fati a chance to reboot a career that has stalled after several injury-hit and inconsistent campaigns. Barcelona, facing ongoing financial pressures, must decide whether to cash in on the Spain international or gamble on a potential resurgence in Catalonia. For Forest, securing Fati’s signature would represent a statement of intent as they look to build on their top-flight status. Keywords:

Wayne Rooney has urged Pep Guardiola to extend his stay at Manchester City, arguing that the Catalan coach has “set a benchmark” for every Premier League manager since arriving at the Etihad in 2016. Speaking on the latest episode of The Wayne Rooney Show, the former Manchester United and England captain praised Guardiola’s influence on English football and expressed hope that the uncertainty surrounding the 55-year-old’s future will be resolved with a new contract. Guardiola, who has already delivered six league titles to City and is chasing a seventh this season, has yet to confirm whether he will remain beyond the current campaign. Club officials expect clarity only after the season’s final act, leaving players, fans and rivals speculating about what might follow the most successful managerial reign in the club’s history. “Some players will want him to leave, some will want him to stay; it depends whether you are in the team or not, and that is the same for any manager,” Rooney said. “I hope he stays because he is brilliant for the Premier League and you want the best managers in the Premier League. He has set a benchmark over the past 10 years for everyone else.” Should Guardiola opt to depart, Rooney believes City should turn to a familiar face: Bayern Munich head coach Vincent Kompany. The former City captain, who spent 11 trophy-laden seasons at the club as a player, has impressed in Bavaria after a brief but eye-catching managerial spell at Burnley. “If Pep does go, they have to go and get Kompany,” Rooney argued. “He knows the club, he has been successful with Bayern in a similar way. It looks like he has learned from Pep. Pep will probably choose the next manager. If he is going, he will probably be part of the process to choose the next one. I just think, in terms of Pep, he looks at himself as a bit of a teacher and he has been at the club for 10 years; he will want to leave the club in a good place.” City’s pursuit of another championship received a fresh dose of momentum after leaders Arsenal squandered a two-goal advantage to draw 2-2 at bottom club Wolverhampton Wanderers on Wednesday night. The result left Mikel Arteta’s side five points clear of second-placed City, who still have a game in hand. A victory in that outstanding fixture would tee up a seismic meeting between the two clubs at the Etihad on 18 April, a match Rooney believes could decide the destination of the title. The rivals are also scheduled to meet in the Carabao Cup final on 22 March and could yet be drawn together in the Champions League knockout rounds, creating a potential trilogy of high-stakes encounters inside a month. “I think a big factor will be if Manchester City and Arsenal meet in the Champions League,” Rooney said. “The emotions around the League Cup final, the Champions League games—if that is the case—and then the game at the Etihad. The emotion around those games and what that will bring, whoever comes out on top in those I think will win the league.” Despite his United allegiances, Rooney admitted he would rather see Arsenal end their 20-year wait for a Premier League crown than watch City or Liverpool triumph again. “I would prefer Arsenal to win it. I played for Manchester United for 13 years! For me, Liverpool are the ones I wouldn’t want to win it, and then it would be City. I think Arsenal will just win it.” All episodes of The Wayne Rooney Show are available on BBC Sounds.

The next three days deliver a nonstop parade of championship-level action for Bay Area viewers, from Olympic medal finals on the mountains and ice to NASCAR’s first West Coast swing of the season and a marquee NBA matinee at Chase Center. Olympic Winter Games coverage dominates weekday mornings and afternoons across NBCUniversal platforms. Thursday’s highlights include the men’s freeski halfpipe final at 10:30 a.m. and the two-woman bobsled opening runs at 9 a.m., both carried on KNTV (11), KCRA (3) and KSBW (8). Curling continues with the women’s semifinals at 5:05 a.m. on Peacock and the men’s bronze-medal match at 10:05 a.m., while short-track speed skating crowns the women’s 1,500-meter and men’s relay champions at 11:15 a.m. on USA Network. Friday brings more hardware. The men’s curling gold-medal game airs at 10:05 a.m. on CNBC, followed by the women’s freeski halfpipe final at 10:30 a.m. on the local NBC affiliates. Bobsledders complete their third and decisive runs at 10 a.m. and 12:15 p.m., and the figure-skating exhibition gala caps competition at 11:55 a.m. The men’s hockey bronze-medal game faces off at 11:40 a.m. on USA, setting the stage for Saturday’s 5:10 a.m. gold-medal showdown on KNTV, KCRA and KSBW. The Closing Ceremony begins Sunday at 11:30 a.m. on the same stations. Stock-car fans can tune to FS1 at noon Thursday for NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series qualifying at the Fr8 Racing 208. The Cup Series follows with Autotrader 400 qualifying at 8 a.m. Friday on Prime Video and the main event at noon Sunday on KTVU (2) and KTXL (40). Tennis Channel carries ATP quarterfinals from both Rio de Janeiro and Delray Beach at 10 a.m. Thursday, then shifts to semifinals and the WTA final in Doha on Friday at 10 a.m. Weekend play concludes with Sunday-morning semifinals and finals. College basketball tips off Thursday at 11 a.m. when Southern Illinois-Edwardsville visits Tennessee State on ESPNU, followed by Kansas State at Texas Tech at 11:30 a.m. on KTVU and KTXL. Cincinnati travels to Kansas at 10 a.m. on KPIX (5), KOVR (13) and KION (46). San Jose State’s men continue Mountain West play at Boise State at 1 p.m. on the Mountain West Network. The PGA Tour’s Genesis Invitational airs at noon Thursday, Friday and Saturday on KPIX, KOVR and KION. Soccer features a pair of MLS clashes: Atlanta at Cincinnati at 1:30 p.m. Saturday on KTVU and KTXL, then the San Jose Earthquakes host Sporting Kansas City at 7:30 p.m. on Apple TV channels 680 and 104.5 FM. English Championship action includes Stoke City vs. Leicester City at 4:30 a.m. Saturday on CBSSN and the Sheffield derby at 4 a.m. Sunday, also on CBSSN. NBC Sports Network and Peacock combine for Crystal Palace vs. Wolves at 6 a.m. Sunday, while CBSSN shows Livingston vs. Rangers at 7 a.m. The NBA’s lone local appearance comes Sunday at 12:30 p.m. when the Denver Nuggets visit the Golden State Warriors on KGO (7), KXTV (10) and 95.7 FM. Later that afternoon the Lakers host Boston at 3 p.m. on KNTV, KCRA and KSBW, and the Santa Cruz Warriors continue their G League schedule at 3 p.m. on NBA TV and NBC Sports Bay Area Plus. With medal counts to settle, playoff seeds to secure and points to chase on tracks, courts and pitches around the globe, Bay Area screens will be buzzing from dawn well past dusk through the weekend. SEO keywords:

Tulsa, Okla. – The Mabee Center was still buzzing from pre-game Hall of Fame festivities when South Dakota State’s Brooklyn Meyer stepped to the line with the outcome in the balance. Her two calm free throws gave the Jackrabbits a lead they would not relinquish, setting the stage for a dramatic final sequence that left Oral Roberts University’s women’s basketball team stunned. ORU sharpshooter Gentry Baldwin answered Meyer's points with a clutch three-pointer that tied the contest late, electrifying the home crowd and capping a back-and-forth affair. But SDSU forward Maddie Mathiowetz had the final say, slicing through the lane for a last-second layup that sealed a narrow victory for the visitors on Feb. 9, 2026. Head coach Kory Barnett called the defeat "heartbreaking" in the locker room, yet he challenged his players to channel the pain into momentum. The setback drops ORU into a precarious spot in the Summit League standings with only a handful of regular-season games remaining, making every possession vital down the stretch. Despite the loss, the Golden Eagles found encouragement on the glass, out-rebounding South Dakota State 39-34. It marked ORU's first positive rebounding margin since a Jan. 29 triumph over North Dakota, a statistical step forward Barnett believes can spark a late-season surge. Sophomore guards Ty Harper and Luke Gray supplied much of the offensive firepower for the hosts, combining for timely baskets that kept the contest tight. Their efforts went for naught on Hall of Fame Night, an evening already heavy with emotion as the university honored one of its own by naming a facility after a former athlete for the first time in school history. While the national spotlight rarely shines on a mid-February Summit League clash, the implications for ORU are enormous. With postseason positioning at stake, Barnett emphasized urgency, telling his team to treat the bitter finish as "fuel" heading into the final stretch. The Golden Eagles will have little time to dwell on the defeat; a quick turnaround awaits as they prepare for another pivotal matchup. If they can translate Tuesday's disappointment into determined play, Barnett is confident his squad can still craft a memorable finish to the 2025-26 campaign.

Oxford, Sunday — A rain-soaked but ultimately satisfying afternoon at the Kassam Stadium delivered exactly what travelling Sunderland supporters had craved: a measured, professional victory that books a place in the FA Cup fifth round and offers welcome respite from recent league frustrations. Persistent downpours could not dampen Black Cats spirits once Habib Diarra converted an early penalty, calmly stroking the ball home after a foul that looked clear-cut from the away end. The spot-kick settled nerves and set the tone for a contest in which Sunderland, fielding a strong side that included Dutch goalkeeper Robin Roefs rather than the anticipated Melker Ellborg, rarely looked troubled. Head coach selection hinted at a serious cup ambition. Veteran campaigners Luke O’Nien and Dennis Cirkin were restored to the line-up, their experience against lower-league physicality proving invaluable as Oxford’s plucky underdog narrative failed to translate into meaningful chances. United’s back line repelled a barrage of long throws aimed by the hosts’ pantomime-villain number four, while Roefs commanded his area with assurance. In attack, Jocelin Ta Bi offered promising flashes of skill and pace, and Romaine Mundle’s energetic display down the flank kept Oxford occupied, even if the final ball occasionally lacked precision. The visitors controlled tempo, saw out spells of pressure, and finished the game under blue skies that finally broke through as the referee’s whistle confirmed progression. For supporters, the day began under greyer skies. An early congregation packed into the city’s Wetherspoons before filtering to The Grapes, where a Manchester United follower revealed Sunderland’s win was the final leg of his accumulator. From there, the march continued to The George Inn, one of the few pubs within reach of the stadium, where team-sheet news confirmed the strong selection. Inside the ground, echoes of League One meetings still lingered: Oxford’s drums, coordinated chants and underdog bravado sought to recreate a giant-killing mood, but quality told. Diarra’s goal proved enough, and the late sunshine allowed the 1,600 travelling fans to applaud a job professionally done. Attention now turns to Monday’s fifth-round draw. A trip to either Port Vale or Bristol City presents logistical headaches, yet avoiding Premier League heavyweights offers Sunderland a realistic opportunity to extend a cup run that is rapidly becoming the highlight of the winter.

The first-leg fireworks of the 2025/26 Champions League playoffs have detonated the bracket and redrawn the list of realistic contenders. While Juventus and Qarabag stare at near-certain elimination after lopsided defeats, a handful of European heavyweights have tightened their grip on the trophy chase and a few dark horses have bolted into view. 1. Bayern Munich Die Roten’s attacking trident of Luis Diaz, Harry Kane and Michael Olise is being hailed as the most devastating forward line since Liverpool’s Mane-Firmino-Salah era. Add a fit Jamal Musiala, emerging Lennart Karl and a reborn Serge Gnabry and Bayern lead Europe in goals per game. Vincent Kompany’s back four—Alphonso Davies, Dayot Upamecano, Jonathan Tah and converted right-back Konrad Laimer—has steadied after early-season injury chaos, giving the German giants both explosive force and defensive ballast. 2. Arsenal Mikel Arteta can field the continent’s strongest spine: goalkeeper, William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes at centre-back, and the Rice-Zubimendi midfield pivot. Viktor Gyokeres has four goals in six European starts, while depth pieces Leandro Trossard, Noni Madueke and Eberechi Eze offer game-changing variety off the bench. If Martin Odegaard, Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli hit top gear, Arsenal could finish what has been a decades-long continental wait. 3. Manchester City Pep Guardiola’s reload has clicked quicker than expected. Rayan Cherki and winter arrival Antoine Semenyo have slotted seamlessly around Erling Haaland, who remains the competition’s ultimate finisher. City’s defence, anchored by Ruben Dias, is again among Europe’s stingiest, and the midfield mix of experience and youth makes the English champions a more balanced unit than the side that stumbled last spring. 4. Barcelona Hansi Flick’s high-line system looks far less reckless in knockout football, and his big-game pedigree—remember Bayern’s 8-2 destruction of Barca in 2020—gives the Catalans an edge. Robert Lewandowski is being preserved for Europe, and the Blaugrana’s recent Supercup demolition of Real Madrid underlined their ascendancy in head-to-head clashes. 5. Real Madrid Los Blancos responded to adversity—racist abuse directed at Vinicius Junior during the playoff first leg—by uniting around their Brazilian star. Caretaker boss Alvaro Arbeloa has restored Luka Modric’s influence and simplified tactics that had grown muddled under predecessor Xabi Alonso. History says doubting Madrid in spring is perilous; the squad believes the Benfica backlash could be their 2021-22-style catalyst. 6. Liverpool Arne Slot’s expensive summer rebuild is blossoming: Florian Wirtz and Dominik Szoboszlai pull strings in midfield, Hugo Ekitike has been a revelation, and Mohamed Salah’s reinvented playmaker role yields over two key passes per game. If Ibrahima Konate stays commanding at centre-back, the six-time champions could ride a blend of youth and know-how deep into the tournament. 7. Paris Saint-Germain No club has defended the trophy since Real Madrid’s three-peat, and PSG’s domestic malaise—trailing Lens in Ligue 1—has carried over. Ousmane Dembele and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia have yet to fire consistently, and no player has reached double-digit goals. Still, the reigning champions have match-winners throughout the squad and may awaken once the stakes spike. 8. Chelsea Cole Palmer has re-ignited under new coach Liam Rosenior, but defensive frailties remain. With Benoit Badiashile injured and only a recovering Wesley Fofana to rely on, the Blues could be picked apart by elite attacks. Their individual brilliance edges them narrowly ahead of Newcastle in these rankings. 9. Newcastle United Eddie Howe’s side produced the playoff round’s most eye-catching display, thumping Qarabag 6-1 and carving out enough chances for double figures. Harvey Barnes and Anthony Gordon are in scorching European form, and the Magpies’ transition game is tailor-made for cup football. Lack of superstar depth, however, tempers expectations. 10. Borussia Dortmund Niko Kovac’s team squeezes into the top 10 almost by default. Centre-backs Nico Schlotterbeck and the underrated Waldemar Anton are formidable, but a thin midfield and over-reliance on Serhou Guirassy’s fitness make Dortmund long-shot outsiders rather than genuine contenders. Juventus and Qarabag, hammered in their openers, look cooked, while Atalanta and Inter Milan carry uphill battles into the second legs. For the ten clubs above, the road to glory is clearer—and the power rankings will only get tougher from here.

Bayern Munich’s towering South Korean defender Kim Min-jae is at the center of fresh Premier League speculation after sources confirmed Chelsea have added his name to a growing list of defensive targets ahead of the summer window. While the 27-year-old is understood to favor remaining in Bavaria, Bayern’s hierarchy are open to moving the center-back on little more than a year after activating his €50 million release clause from Napoli. The Bundesliga champions would entertain offers in the region of €15 million for a player whose current deal runs through 2028, a valuation that reflects both the club’s willingness to cash in and the limited appetite across Europe for a high-wage veteran. Chelsea’s interest, first revealed by transfer expert Dean Jones, remains tentative. “There has been an element of interest,” Jones told the outlet, “but the prospect of a transfer is still quite slim.” The London club’s recruitment team have widened their age profile after two years focused predominantly on emerging talents, and Kim’s 190-match top-flight résumé across Serie A and the Bundesliga now fits the revised brief. Yet sources close to Stamford Bridge stress the South Korean is one of several experienced defenders under consideration, with no formal approach lodged to date. Competition could yet emerge from fellow Londoners Tottenham Hotspur, long-term admirers of Kim since his breakout season with Fenerbahçe. Spurs are weighing a cut-price move should Bayern sanction an exit, though any deal hinges on Kim’s willingness to uproot. Privately, the player’s camp have indicated he is reluctant to sacrifice the financial security of his Allianz Arena package, a factor that may force Bayern to reintegrate a player who started only 13 league matches in 2024-25. For now, Bayern’s board continue to plan with Kim as part of Vincent Kompany’s squad, aware that a change of heart from either the player or a buying club could accelerate a departure before the window closes. Chelsea, meanwhile, will monitor developments while surveying alternative options across Europe, leaving the saga finely poised between reluctant seller, cautious buyer, and a defender content to stay. SEO keywords:

CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy — The image loops in collective memory: Lindsey Vonn clipping a gate 13 seconds into the Olympic downhill, catapulting skyward, then crashing onto her right side before a worldwide audience. While viewers held their breath, the 42-year-old former champion was living every athlete’s worst nightmare — agony amplified by a lens. What happens in the seconds, weeks and months that follow such a public trauma? The Athletic spoke to competitors who have endured similar moments under the harshest spotlight. Simon Jones still fields questions about the knee injury that derailed his 2002 Ashes debut. Chasing a boundary at Brisbane’s Gabba, the England quick’s studs caught, twisting his right leg gruesomely. “I heard the crowd gasp when the replay hit the big screen,” Jones recalls. A heckler pelted abuse — and an object — as he was stretchered off with a ruptured ACL. “You just want the physio,” he says. “Everything else is noise.” Jones spent 10 days in Australia before a 20-hour flight home, leg braced, career in limbo. Rehab consumed 18 months; he returned via a low-key Glamorgan second-team match that somehow drew 50 reporters. “They wanted to see if I’d collapse again,” he shrugs. Jones fought back to help England reclaim the Ashes in 2005, yet the first question strangers still ask is, “Are you fit?” Two decades on, the inquiry stings. British gymnast Becky Downie remembers the hush at the 2017 European Championships when she missed a bar catch and landed on an already-damaged elbow. “I couldn’t put weight on my knee, so I stuck my arm out — snap, ligament gone,” she says. Downie flew home cradling her arm, underwent full reconstruction, then rewatched the footage because gymnastics demands athletes revisit every skill. “You can’t always invent new moves,” she explains. For Katarina Johnson-Thompson, the pain in Tokyo 2021 was psychological as much as physical. A ruptured Achilles ended her heptathlon medal bid. “I felt I’d failed everyone who helped me,” she says. Sports psychologist Sarah Cecil notes that athletes who blame themselves — or others — struggle most to process trauma. “The crowd or cameras rarely haunt them; culpability does,” Cecil says. Vonn’s modern twist is living the recovery in real time. Since February 8 she has posted seven updates — surgical photos, travel logistics, even the death of her dog Leo the day after the crash. Cecil believes public disclosure can aid meaning-making, “but private words to a psychologist are often very different from the social-media script.” Jones understands the urge to stay visible: “Out of sight, out of mind in sport. But you must take the trolling with the sympathy.” Each athlete confronts the same blank page after the fall: Will I return? Will I be the same? The answer arrives in small victories — Jones jogging without swelling, Downie re-grasping the bar, Johnson-Thompson rising for another heptathlon. Vonn, meanwhile, begins the quiet months where every conversation starts with “That Moment,” the blanket of sadness she admits she has yet to shake. Their shared message: the world moves on after the replays end; the athlete’s real race starts when the spotlight fades.

Ben Foster’s résumé glitters with World Cup minutes, a League Cup winner’s medal and nearly 400 Premier League appearances, yet the moment strangers chase him down supermarket aisles to relive is a single penalty stop in the National League. “Any time anyone sees me—on holiday, buying groceries—the only thing they mention is that penalty save,” Foster smiles, still bemused two-and-a-half years into retirement. The save in question arrived on Easter Monday 2023. Wrexham led promotion rivals Notts County 3-2 in the 96th minute of a title-defining shoot-out at the Racecourse Ground. Eoghan O’Connell’s handball offered County a lifeline; Cedwyn Scott’s spot-kick offered Foster immortality. The keeper plunged left, parried, and 9,000 home fans erupted as the club’s 15-year exile from the Football League edged closer to ending. Foster, then 40 and only three weeks back from a seven-month retirement, ranks the moment alongside winning the 2011 League Cup with Birmingham at Wembley. “There’s footage of the save, then the camera cuts to a County fan with his head in his hands. I’m getting goose-bumps now,” he says. The GoPro he strapped to the net captured every frame; the video has since been viewed 5.5 million times across his channels, part of a digital portfolio that totals 170 million views and 1.7 million subscribers. Such numbers are modest beside the cultural after-shock. Wrexham clinched the National League crown three weeks later, igniting a streak of three straight promotions under Hollywood owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney. Foster, signed only to solve an injury crisis, became folklore alongside Paul Mullin and Ben Tozer. “I was lucky to be one of the original documentary characters,” he notes. “We understand what it was like when Wrexham were just starting—now they’re on the cusp of the Premier League. That’s ridiculous, really.” The goalkeeper’s second Racecourse stint lasted barely six months and 29 league appearances, yet his influence lingers. Only Max Cleworth and Ryan Barnett survive from his match-day squad, but Foster insists the dressing-room culture remains intact under manager Phil Parkinson. “The owners put more faith in him than any manager I’ve seen. Every transfer, every tactic—Phil and Steve Parkin decide. And there’s a strict no-d**kheads rule. One bad apple makes it two; they spread like bacteria.” Parkinson’s vetting is legendary. Seventy-six signings have been rubber-stamped only after face-to-face meetings—Foster’s came via Zoom minutes after he answered the SOS call in March 2023. “Phil asked halfway through, ‘Do you want this? Are you sure?’ I’d been retired, doing media, loving life. He wasn’t giving me an easy ride.” The standards were tested three days after a shock 3-1 defeat at FC Halifax Town. Captain Ben Tozer’s post-match dressing-room rocket, Foster recalls, “made even the manager stop and listen.” The response was the 3-2 victory over Notts County, the penalty save forever etched in North-Wales lore. Now 42, Foster still contributes as club ambassador, foundation figurehead and co-host of That Wrexham Podcast. He toured Australia with the squad last summer and releases fresh content through his CGK Studios. Yet wherever he goes, the conversation circles back to one dive to his left on an Easter Monday. For a man who has touched every pinnacle English football offers, the save confirms a truth even Hollywood couldn’t script: sometimes the smallest snapshots dwarf the biggest careers.

As the Premier League reaches Matchday 27, the race for the title and the battle for survival remain as unpredictable as ever, with late drama and surprise results continuing to shape the season. The Athletic’s weekly predictions challenge—featuring six-year-old leader Wilfred, rotating guest subscribers, an algorithm, and senior writer Oliver Kay—has felt the impact of these twists, with no points awarded after Wolves’ stunning stoppage-time equaliser against Arsenal on Wednesday. That result, which saw Tom Edozie’s shot deflected in by Arsenal substitute Riccardo Calafiori, not only denied all four predictors a correct outcome but also highlighted the volatility at the top of the table. Arsenal have now won just two of their last seven league games, while Manchester City have failed to win 10 of their 26 matches so far. By contrast, in 2018–19, City and Liverpool lost just six and eight games respectively across the entire campaign. This week’s guest predictor, 32-year-old Arsenal fan Jack, joins the panel as the Gunners prepare for Sunday’s north London derby at Tottenham. Despite Spurs’ poor home form this season, Jack anticipates a tighter contest than many expect, citing the potential for a “new-manager bounce” under interim coach Igor Tudor. Kay, meanwhile, foresees a fiery, card-laden affair, with Arsenal potentially edging it via a set piece. Elsewhere, Manchester City host Newcastle in a rematch of the Magpies’ November win at St James’ Park. While Newcastle impressed in Europe on Thursday, Kay expects Pep Guardiola’s side to deliver a statement victory. Other picks include a narrow Aston Villa win over Leeds, a Brentford triumph against Brighton, and a Chelsea victory at Burnley. West Ham’s resurgence under Mateus Fernandes and Crysencio Summerville leads Kay to tip them over Bournemouth, while Crystal Palace are backed to snap their winless streak against Wolves. Liverpool should overcome Nottingham Forest, and Manchester United are tipped to edge Everton in a tight Goodison encounter. With unpredictability the only constant, Matchday 27 promises more twists in a season where even the most confident predictions have been repeatedly upended.

By Gene Chamberlain Hammond, Ind. — The battle to keep the Chicago Bears in Illinois has taken on a sharper edge, with Hammond Mayor Thomas McDermott Jr. openly taunting his cross-border rivals while Indiana’s legislative package for a new stadium advances toward a full House vote. Speaking to Fox News on Thursday, McDermott framed the contest as both an economic slam-dunk for Indiana and a public-relations rout. “At the end of the day, if the Chicago Bears spend 10 minutes in Hammond and they end up saving a billion dollars in Illinois, I can’t control that—that was a good investment by the Bears,” he said. “But if Illinois can match our deal … I think nine times out of 10 the Bears pick Indiana because we’re a better business climate.” Indiana’s proposal, which cleared a House committee this week, centers on lower corporate taxes, a surplus-backed financing model, and a public-private partnership structure that McDermott argues offers long-term cost certainty. By contrast, Illinois officials have offered little beyond expressions of disappointment over the team’s non-committal statement thanking Indiana for its interest. Governor J.B. Pritzker and a handful of local lawmakers issued a joint response labeling the Bears’ note “disappointing,” but have yet to table a counter-proposal. McDermott pounced on the tepid reply, questioning whether Illinois truly views the franchise as “the pride of Illinois,” a lyric from the team’s own fight song. “We have a surplus as a state,” McDermott noted. “It seems like Illinois is sort of digging in against the Bears, which is shocking to me.” While the mayor conceded that Illinois could still introduce legislation before its spring session ends, he expressed skepticism that lawmakers will move quickly enough. The Bears have publicly sought only two things: tax certainty and $860 million in infrastructure improvements around their preferred Arlington Heights site. Indiana, McDermott claimed, can deliver both faster and cheaper. In a moment of unabashed confidence, McDermott even envisioned quarterback Caleb Williams “driving down Calumet Avenue, going to his house in Robertsdale,” a nod to the upscale lakefront neighborhoods that Hammond hopes will entice players and staff. The mayor also suggested—without confirmation—that the team is weighing a relocation of its headquarters, Halas Hall, despite a recent multi-million-dollar expansion completed barely five years ago. Pritzker pushed back late Thursday, telling reporters that Bears president Kevin Warren “chose not to be in that meeting” where state officials and team representatives reportedly “mostly agreed on a bill.” The governor added that the Bears later assured his office their statement “was not some confirmation that they’re moving to Indiana.” Still, with Indiana’s bill speeding toward a floor vote and Illinois yet to unveil matching incentives, McDermott’s trash-talk appears to be landing punches in the public arena. Whether the war of words translates into a permanent move remains uncertain, but the clock is ticking on Illinois to convert disappointment into action.

Lincoln, Neb. — Nebraska football opens its five-week spring slate on Saturday with the first of 15 practices, ushering in a low-key off-season that has seen more roster shuffling than headlines. The stretch will climax on March 28 with the return of the Red-White Scrimmage after a one-year hiatus; last spring the program opted for the made-for-fan-experience “Husker Games” inside Memorial Stadium. The Huskers are coming off a seven-win campaign that ended with a Las Vegas Bowl appearance on Dec. 31. Since then, coach Matt Rhule’s program has stayed largely out of the spotlight, conducting minimal public-relations pushes while the local conversation around the team has been noticeably subdued. The most significant personnel move came when two-year starting quarterback Dylan Raiola entered the transfer portal and ultimately landed at Oregon. Into the void steps Mountain West Player of the Year Anthony Colandrea, who headlines a revamped quarterback room that also includes sophomore TJ Lateef and Virginia transfer Daniel Kaelin. Colandrea is one of 16 newcomers acquired via the transfer portal this off-season, supplemented by a 10-player high-school signing class. Rhule said he is eager to reunite with his squad and has already sensed improved chemistry inside the locker room. He will do so alongside a retooled coaching staff that features new defensive coordinator Rob Aurich, who arrives after two seasons at San Diego State. Aurich, a 2025 Broyles Award nominee, is installing a 4–3 alignment and reunites with assistants Roy Manning, Corey Brown, and Tyler Yelk. During his Aztecs tenure, Aurich’s defense allowed 12.6 points per game and produced top-25 units at the Division II, FCS, and FBS levels. On special teams, coordinator Mike Ekeler departed for USC, prompting Rhule to promote Brett Maher and Nick Humphrey as co-coordinators. With practices beginning Saturday, Rhule emphasized freeing up offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen to “call a game fearlessly,” noting the staff must learn from last season but refuse to live in the past. Players echoed the fresh-start mentality: defensive back Andrew Marshall praised UCLA transfer Kwazi Gilmer as a relentless competitor, saying, “No matter how much food is on his plate, he’s going to eat it all.” After a winter of relative silence, Nebraska hopes the renewed on-field work will provide clarity at key positions and set the tone for the 2026 season.

Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan urged cricket’s leading nations to schedule more bilateral series against his side, insisting that sustained exposure to top-tier opposition is the only way for the rapidly improving squad to iron out the flaws exposed during their T20 World Cup campaign. Speaking after Afghanistan closed their tournament account with an emphatic 82-run victory over Canada on Thursday, Rashid said the side had shown flashes of brilliance—most notably in a dramatic Super-Over loss to South Africa—but lacked the fine-tuning that regular contests against heavyweight teams provide. “Couple of areas to improve, with the batting, the middle order got a bit stuck against the big teams, and then with the bowling the death overs,” Rashid told reporters after returning 2 for 19 against Canada. “That comes when you play the bigger teams in bilateral series.” The leg-spinning spearhead pointed to the Super-Over thriller with South Africa—where scores were tied before the Proteas prevailed in a second tie-breaker—as evidence of Afghanistan’s growing confidence, but argued that sporadic meetings at global events are no substitute for a steady diet of high-pressure bilateral cricket. Afghanistan entered the competition well prepared, according to Rashid, and produced moments that lit up the early stages of the World Cup. Yet without consistent fixtures against the sport’s traditional powers, he believes progress in pivotal phases such as middle-overs batting and death bowling will remain incremental. The skipper’s plea is likely to resonate with a side that has climbed the rankings on the back of franchise leagues and ICC events, but still struggles to secure marquee three-match rubbers enjoyed by Full Members. Rashid’s parting message was clear: if Afghanistan is to turn promising performances into consistent wins against cricket’s elite, the pathway is more invites, more flights, and more bilateral battles—not just global gatherings every couple of years.

When Todd Boehly walked through the doors at Stamford Bridge, he promised a new era of ambition. What followed was a spending spree that eclipsed even Roman Abramovich’s most lavish windows, pushing Chelsea’s permanent arrivals to 38 in little more than three seasons. Today we assess the first half of that roster, separating the gems from the gambles. Enzo Fernandez headlines the success stories. Mis-cast early on, the Argentine has matured into the heartbeat of midfield, registering eight goals and two assists this campaign while dictating tempo with metronomic precision. At the opposite end of the spectrum sits Mykhailo Mudryk, the Ukrainian winger whose explosive reputation never ignited in London. Erratic displays preceded an FA anti-doping suspension, leaving his transfer file stamped “unfulfilled.” Noni Madueke suffered a similar fade-out. The trickster never nailed down a starting role and was eventually lured across London when Arsenal paid £50 million. Gunners supporters groaned at first; now they nod approvingly. Malo Gusto, by contrast, has soared above expectations. Signed as Reece James cover, the Frenchman’s lung-busting overlaps and defensive diligence have made him one of Boehly’s shrewdest purchases. Benoit Badiashile, all height and promise, has regressed to fourth-choice centre-half, undone by costly lapses, while Cesare Casadei’s 11 Premier League outings were never going to justify the hype. The midfielder now rebuilds at Torino after loan stints at Reading and Leicester. David Datro Fofana, Andrey Santos and Lesley Ugochukwu share a common thread: fleeting cameos and endless speculation. Fofana’s contract ticks toward expiry, Santos flits between cup rotations and loan lists, and Ugochukwu has already been recycled to Burnley at a small loss. Moises Caicedo silenced sceptics who balked at his £115 million fee. Following a rocky integration, the Ecuadorian has emerged among the elite holding midfielders on the planet, his ball-winning and distribution now central to Mauricio Pochettino’s blueprint. Romeo Lavia and Christopher Nkunku, however, remain case studies in medical misfortune. Lavia’s 21 league appearances across two seasons tell their own story, and Nkunku’s £52 million move reaped only six goals before Milan rescued him for £37 million. No narrative glows brighter than Cole Palmer’s. Deemed surplus at Manchester City, the England attacker has blossomed into a global star, propelling Chelsea to 2025 Club World Cup glory and netting in the Euro 2024 final. Nicolas Jackson’s 24 goals in 65 league games could not mask technical flaws; Bayern Munich took the pacey striker off Chelsea’s hands last summer. Between the posts, Robert Sanchez’s roller-coaster showings keep fans on edge, while Djordje Petrovic quietly left for Bournemouth after serving as deputy. Finally, the forgotten trio: Angelo, Diego Moreira and the departed Santos youngsters never graced the Premier League under Boehly, their paths redirected to Al-Nassr and Strasbourg respectively. As the ledger stands, the first 19 signings yield as many question marks as exclamation points. Part Two will reveal whether the next wave tips the balance toward glory or merely deepens the mystery of modern Chelsea.

Barcelona midfielder Dani Olmo has warned that the Catalan giants “must change a lot of things” if they are to lift the Champions League trophy in 2025-26, despite cruising into the round of 16 as group winners. Speaking to RAC1 ahead of Sunday’s La Liga meeting with Levante, the 26-year-old Spain international acknowledged the scale of the task awaiting Hansi Flick’s squad. “The Champions League will be tough. We have to change a lot of things if we want to compete to win it,” Olmo said. “This year is special. Last season we came so close… That final was snatched away from us.” Olmo, who has registered four goals and two assists in his last seven appearances for Barça across all competitions, also used the interview to address long-standing concerns about his injury record. “I am in a good moment, but I think the best is yet to come,” he insisted. “Physically, I am fine; I needed regularity and the sensations are good. It’s not that I’m bothered by people saying that I get injured a lot, but I don’t agree with that either. I’ve had injuries due to trauma, which is something I can’t control because it’s part of the sport. And I’ve also had some muscle injuries, especially last year, but in previous seasons I hadn’t had so many. I don’t consider myself fragile.” Barcelona secured automatic qualification to the knockout phase and will discover their last-16 opponents when the draw is held later this year. Olmo’s recent form—six direct goal involvements in seven matches—will offer Flick encouragement, yet the player himself believes significant improvements are required if the club is to reclaim European football’s biggest prize.

London, United Kingdom – Arsenal’s season has reached a tipping point. Five points clear at the summit but winless in two and with only two victories from their last seven Premier League outings, Mikel Arteta’s side must steady the ship when they travel to Tottenham Hotspur for Sunday’s 1630 GMT north London derby. The Gunners’ wobble intensified on Wednesday night at Molineux, where a 2-0 lead evaporated into a 2-2 draw against bottom-placed Wolves, sealed by a stoppage-time equaliser. It was the second consecutive match in which Arsenal surrendered the advantage after leading, following a 1-1 draw at Brentford the previous weekend. Those four dropped points have reopened a title race that seemed under control. Manchester City, buoyed by wins over Liverpool and Fulham, can trim the gap to two points if they beat Newcastle at the Etihad on Saturday evening, piling pressure on Arsenal 24 hours before the derby kicks off. Pep Guardiola’s men also retain a game in hand and will host the leaders in early April, a scenario that revives painful memories of 2023 and 2024, when City overhauled Arsenal in the run-in. The club’s last silverware remains the 2020 FA Cup, and questions about the squad’s capacity to handle the tension are growing louder. Bukayo Saka, however, insists the belief inside the dressing room is intact. “I believe the next few years are going to be the years that we get over the line, and we’re able to win trophies and make history for this club,” the England forward said. “We’re back where we belong, fighting for everything.” City midfielder Tijjani Reijnders has warned that the champions sense vulnerability. “The mood’s been good, but it was also good before. Of course we’ve dropped some points as well, but it’s good and we are on the hunt and we keep going,” he said. “If we keep going like this, who knows?” Elsewhere, interim Manchester United boss Michael Carrick continues to enhance his credentials ahead of Monday’s trip to Everton. Four wins and a draw in five matches have lifted United into fourth place, and club record goal-scorer Wayne Rooney has endorsed the former midfielder for the permanent role. “We’ve been there and tried different managers and for me Carrick makes sense,” Rooney told The Overlap. “Having someone there who knows the club and cares for the club makes a big difference.” The weekend slate also features Aston Villa against Leeds, Brentford versus Brighton, Chelsea hosting Burnley, West Ham welcoming Bournemouth, Crystal Palace facing Wolves, Nottingham Forest taking on Liverpool, and Sunderland meeting Fulham. For Arsenal, the equation is simple: silence the doubters at the home of their fiercest rivals or risk watching another title charge unravel.

MONTGOMERY—La Salle offensive lineman Max Kief and Ryle two-way standout Jacob Savage were celebrated Thursday night as the 59th Annual Scholar-Athlete Banquet, hosted by the Greater Cincinnati Chapter of the National Football Foundation, unveiled its premier honorees at the original Montgomery Inn. Kief received the Southwest Ohio “That’s Our Boy” award, named in memory of longtime Cincinnati Post writer Joe Quinn. The 6-foot-5, 295-pound senior captained a Lancer front that averaged 5.4 yards per carry, piled up more than 2,600 rushing yards and cleared the way for 30 touchdowns during the 2025 season. A first-team All-Ohio selection, Kief also boasts a 4.0 GPA in La Salle’s LSI program, is a National Merit Scholar, class officer, Key Club member and Big Brothers volunteer. He has signed to play for the Miami RedHawks. “Max is a worker and competes at the highest level,” head coach Pat McLaughlin said. “As a captain he led by example and led a very physical and tough offensive line.” Kief becomes the fourth Lancer to earn the honor, following Zach Branam (2021), Joe Burger (2012) and Ryan Murphy (1994). Across the river, the Northern Kentucky “That’s My Boy” award—named for Covington Catholic graduate and 9/11 victim Brian P. Williams—went to Indiana University signee Jacob Savage. The senior was named MaxPreps Kentucky Player of the Year, KHSAA 6A Player of the Year and claimed the Paul Hornung Award as the state’s top prep player. Savage powered Ryle to the Class 6A state semifinals, rushing for 1,222 yards and 24 touchdowns while recording 112 tackles at linebacker. He departs as Ryle’s career leader in both rushing yards and tackles and served as a three-year team captain. Off the field he is senior class president, competes in track and participates in DECA and Fellowship of Christian Athletes. “Indiana is getting more than a player; they are getting a fantastic citizen and person,” head coach Mike Engler said. Savage is the sixth Raider to capture the award, joining Gabe Savage (2022), Jake Chisholm (2018), Ryan Woolf (2015), Tate Nichols (2010) and Scott Gray (2007). The banquet also saluted four local collegiate scholar-athletes—Cincinnati’s Jonathan Thompsen, Thomas More’s Cam Weil, Mount Saint Joseph’s Nicholas Paff and Miami’s Silas Walters—for excellence on the field, in the classroom and on campus. Greg Bailie earned the Lifetime Achievement Award after 54 years in coaching, while UC Associate AD for Football Operations John Widecan received the Contribution to Amateur Football Award. Chapter president Ron Corradini Jr. was similarly recognized for his service to amateur football.

By every yardstick that matters to Wall Street, Brightstar Lottery is running laps around Fitness Champs. A point-by-point comparison of the two services companies shows Brightstar sweeping all ten categories, from top-line growth to analyst sentiment, leaving the Singapore-based swim-school operator in its wake. Revenue and earnings: Brightstar booked the larger haul on both counts, though the source text does not disclose exact dollar figures. The edge was wide enough to give the lottery-and-gaming supplier undisputed bragging rights in the size game. Valuation: With a consensus price target of $20, analysts see 47 % upside in Brightstar shares, a projection that dwarfs any visible bullish math behind Fitness Champs. The absence of a published target for FCHL underscores its thin following on the Street. Ownership quality: Nearly half of Brightstar’s equity—44.3 %—is held by institutions, and insiders own another 1.2 %. That blended sponsorship signals confidence from both portfolio managers and executives; Fitness Champs offers no comparable data. Profitability metrics: Across net margins, return on equity and return on assets, Brightstar again comes out on top, although the precise percentages are not specified. Risk and recommendations: Brightstar carries a stronger consensus rating, while Fitness Champs lacks any visible analyst coverage, leaving investors with little external validation. The takeaway: whether measured by financial heft, institutional backing or Street optimism, Brightstar Lottery outscores Fitness Champs in every column of the scorecard.

Madridistas around the globe packed a live Zoom room on the latest episode of the Managing Madrid Podcast, peppering host Kiyan Sobhani with questions that spanned the full spectrum of current Real Madrid discourse. With the Benfica encounter still fresh in memory, the conversation pivoted from post-match reflections to the evolving identity of the club in the nascent post-Kroos era. Listeners probed Vinicius’s form and tactical deployment, sought clarity on how the squad will compensate for the metronomic passing that left with the German midfielder, and weighed the broader strategic direction of the team. A recurring theme was the optimism surrounding Xabi Alonso’s former teammate Álvaro Arbeloa, whose work with the youth setup and potential future role on the bench have captured the imagination of supporters searching for continuity in Madrid’s winning culture. Sobhani fielded each query against the backdrop of Managing Madrid’s mission: to serve as a 24-hour hub for news, opinion, tactical breakdowns, artwork, and community interaction. The program reminded viewers that bonus content, extended discussions, and early access to future Zoom sessions are available through Patreon.com/ManagingMadrid, while the site’s Discord channel offers a real-time forum for debate and camaraderie. The episode underscored the tight-knit operation behind Managing Madrid, where a small team works around the clock to sustain podcasts, articles, and interactive events. Listener contributions, the hosts emphasized, remain vital to maintaining a full-time presence and ensuring the conversation among Madridistas never stops.

For the first time in years, the most heated feud in college football has a chance to return to its roots. After a stretch marked by sign-stealing accusations, personal barbs, and a level of off-field tension that resembled a cold war more than a football game, the Ohio State-Michigan series is poised to become about the sport itself again. According to Buckeye Talk, the shift in focus coincides with new leadership on both sidelines. Ryan Day continues to guide the Buckeyes, while Kyle Whittingham now steers the Wolverines. Their presence, the podcast argues, offers the rivalry an opportunity to shed the extracurricular drama and redirect attention toward strategy, execution, and the on-field product. The recent history between the programs has been dominated by headlines that extended well beyond the hash marks: allegations of illicit scouting, public sniping between fan bases, and a steady stream of subterfuge that threatened to overshadow the game-day pageantry. With Day and Whittingham at the helm, observers see a clean slate—one that could re-center the narrative on player development, tactical chess matches, and the tradition that once defined the annual clash. Whether the reset translates into a renewed, rivalry-defining chapter remains to be seen, but the conditions for a football-first future appear more favorable than they have in years.

Max Scherzer’s cleats have barely cooled from the mound of Game 7, yet the 41-year-old’s next uniform remains the winter’s most compelling riddle. The right-hander walked off in October having protected a 3-1 lead against the Dodgers over 4⅓ innings of four-hit, one-run ball, a gritty outing that reminded baseball he can still deliver when the stakes soar. The final line on his lone Toronto campaign, however, was far less cinematic: a career-worst 5.19 ERA, a mid-season stay on the injured list stemming from the recurring nerve issue in his thumb, and a startling 2+ homers per nine innings that ranked fourth-highest among pitchers with 70 or more frames. Those red flags obscure a profile that still carries value. Scherzer’s strikeout rate (23 percent) and walk rate (6 percent) both sit a notch above league average for starters, and his four-seam fastball averaged 93.6 mph—down from his peak yet a slight uptick from the 3.95-ERA cameo he authored for Texas in 2024. More importantly, he finished the year healthy, attacks hitters with a four-pitch mix, and brings a 3.78 postseason ERA across 33 October appearances, experience any contender could slot into the middle of a rotation. Scherzer has declared he is not retiring, but he is willing to wait. In late January he told The Athletic he could sign “at any time” yet is prepared to extend the process into the regular season if it lands him with a club he views as a legitimate World Series threat. That stance narrows the field—and raises the stakes—for a handful of suitors. Toronto, the team that took the gamble last year, could opt for familiarity. With Shane Bieber starting 2025 on the injured list, the Blue Jays boast a solid five in Dylan Cease, Kevin Gausman, rookie Trey Yesavage, José Berríos and Cody Ponce, with Eric Lauer in long relief. A reunion would create a six-man alignment, easing the workload on Yesavage and adding a battle-tested voice to a young staff. Atlanta entered camp already uneasy about rotation depth and has since watched Spencer Schwellenbach and Hurston Waldrep go down. The Phillies will open without Zack Wheeler and are relying on Taijuan Walker and prized prospect Andrew Painter. Minnesota may lose Pablo López for the season, though their competitive status could deter a pitcher laser-focused on October. Texas has two prospects—Kumar Rocker and Jacob Latz—dueling for the fifth spot, but club finances might price them out of the future Hall of Famer. The Yankees, meanwhile, are awaiting returns from Carlos Rodón and Gerrit Cole while weighing the durability of projected back-end arms Ryan Weathers and Luis Gil, both of whom carry option flexibility and injury risk. Every contender faces the same calculus: does the potential for October heroism outweigh a regular-season ceiling that has lowered with age and wear? Scherzer is betting that one franchise will answer yes—and that the call could come as late as the dog days of summer.

Hagåtña, Guam – Ahead of the Triple J Auto Group Robbie Webber Youth League kickoff, the Guam Football Association has bolstered its member clubs with a fresh supply of training gear. On Feb. 4, GFA distributed balls, bibs, ladders, and markers to ensure every team from U6 through U17 can prepare under optimal conditions. Valentino San Gil, GFA president, said the donation is part of a broader push to raise standards across the island. “As clubs prepare for the league, we wanted to guarantee that all teams train with a sufficient amount of football equipment,” San Gil stated. “These tools are essential for coaches to teach the fundamental skills of football and to keep our clubs equipped to develop top-quality players.” San Gil added that GFA will continue staging instructional coaching sessions, talent-development programs, and talent-identification initiatives. “A bright future awaits our young athletes,” he said. Among the recipients, Quality Distributors FC coach Nico Fujikawa praised the move. “On behalf of Quality Distributors FC, I would like to express our sincere gratitude to all those at GFA who made this donation possible,” Fujikawa remarked. “It is because of your hard work and dedication to the beautiful game that our club remains equipped to continue producing top-quality players. Biba GFA!” The league’s spring season officially opens Feb. 21 for most age divisions. The U17 Girls Division already started on Feb. 7, while the U14 Astra Division—an all-girls competition—will begin Mar. 14. Parents wishing to register their children can visit guamfa.com, click “Join A Club,” select a club, and contact club representatives for training schedules and registration assistance.