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Barcelona defender Xavi Espart has expressed deep gratitude to manager Hansi Flick after making his senior debut in Wednesday’s Champions League clash at Newcastle. The 20-year-old, introduced at St James’ Park for the final minutes of the 2–1 victory, said the confidence shown by the German coach “means everything” as he begins his first-team journey. Flick, who earlier this week compared Espart’s versatility and intelligence to that of Germany great Philipp Lahm, turned to the academy graduate with Jules Koundé and Alejandro Balde sidelined through injury. The decision paid immediate dividends: Espart slotted seamlessly into the back line, helping the visitors secure a pivotal three points in Group F. Speaking to Barça TV after the match, Espart admitted the moment had been months in the making. “I really wanted this, but it doesn’t end here,” he said. “I have to keep working and hopefully more chances will come. For a young player like me, the coach trusting me means everything. I’m really grateful to him. The fact that he trusts me helps me stay calm and not feel so much pressure.” Espart revealed that Flick’s instructions were simple: play naturally and avoid overthinking the occasion. “He doesn’t ask anything special from me, just to play the way I know how to play, not to put pressure on myself. Ultimately, if I’m calm and play my game, everything will go well.” With Koundé and Balde expected to remain unavailable for Sunday’s La Liga meeting with Sevilla, Espart could be in line for a second consecutive appearance. The Catalan insists he is ready. “Now it’s about taking it calm, carrying on training and working, and being ready if more chances come so I can take advantage of them.” Flick’s faith in youth has already yielded results this season, and Espart’s emergence adds another layer of depth to a squad navigating domestic and European commitments. Should he feature against Sevilla at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys, the defender will hope to repay the manager’s trust with another composed display at right-back.

The Premier League’s six Champions League survivors all failed to win their last-16 first legs this week, prompting a fresh inquest into whether England’s top flight is running on empty or simply being out-thought and out-played on the continent. Newcastle United and Arsenal salvaged 1-1 draws against Barcelona and Bayer Leverkusen respectively, but Liverpool, Manchester City, Chelsea and Tottenham all lost, conceding 14 goals between them. The collective wobble has reignited a familiar debate: is it fatigue, fixture overload and the bruising nature of domestic football, or are English clubs being tactically outmanoeuvred at the sharp end of Europe’s premier competition? The numbers give ammunition to both camps. Premier League players occupy the top two places in Europe’s minutes-chart this season – Newcastle defender Malick Thiaw leads the way, with Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk second – while five of the six English clubs rank among the teams that have played the most continental fixtures. Spurs, ninth on that list, shipped five at Atlético Madrid inside 15 chaotic first-half minutes, a collapse their new head coach has still to arrest after four straight defeats. Yet the “tiredness” narrative is complicated by geography. Five of the six ties were away fixtures, and English clubs historically win only 35 per cent of Champions League visits to Turkey, Germany and Spain – precisely where Liverpool, City and Spurs found themselves out-scored 9-2. A knockout format that rewards group-phase excellence with a home second leg may, paradoxically, have allowed Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain to land psychological blows before next week’s returns. Arsenal’s experience in Leverkusen illustrated the fine margins. Mikel Arteta rested Declan Rice, David Raya, Martin Zubimendi and Bukayo Saka for the FA Cup trip to Mansfield, yet his side were still caught cold by a rehearsed kick-off routine 46 seconds after half-time. “We expected them to start very fast… and still we got caught,” Arteta admitted. A late penalty, won by Noni Madueke’s direct running, papered over a performance that lacked attacking thrust for 70 minutes. Chelsea’s 5-2 capitulation in Paris was less ambiguous. Both sides arrived mentally and physically scarred by last summer’s extended Club World Cup campaign, but Chelsea’s inability to manage spells of dominance cost them. Filip Jorgensen’s error made it 4-2, yet the concession of a fifth in stoppage-time was a collective failure. “That’s on me,” head coach Liam Rosenior said, while full-back Malo Gusto accepted the team “attacked too much” after the killer fourth. Liverpool’s 1-0 loss in Istanbul followed a pattern familiar to Arne Slot: dominant in chance creation, wasteful in front of goal, vulnerable to the first punch. “We sometimes get our chances and it comes across as if we think we’ll get 10 more,” Slot lamented. An extra day’s rest after a Friday-night Premier League slot did little to blunt Galatasaray’s intensity, underlining the sense that finishing, not fatigue, decided the contest. Manchester City’s 3-0 defeat at the Bernabéu felt like a tactical experiment gone awry. Pep Guardiola fielded four attackers and handed a surprise start to teenage left-back Nico O’Reilly, leaving Bernardo Silva and Rodri exposed against Federico Valverde’s turbo-charged roaming. Guardiola refused to blame weariness – “I have the feeling we were better than the result says” – but data shows City are sprinting 17.6 per cent more this season as they evolve away from pure possession, a shift that may yet take a physical toll in transitional moments. Newcastle, the only English side to emerge with credit, were seconds away from a famous victory until Thiaw clipped Dani Olmo in the 94th minute. Eddie Howe’s team have already played 48 matches this term, more than any other big-five-league club, and the centre-back’s lunge carried the whiff of a weary mind. Even so, Harvey Barnes believes the result demonstrated that “when we play at our top level, we can compete with these teams.” Tottenham’s 5-2 humiliation, by contrast, looked rooted in issues far deeper than heavy legs. A caretaker coach winless since taking the reins, disciplinary breaches, a withdrawn goalkeeper after three early goals and a squad bereft of belief all featured above stamina on the list of culprits. So, fatigue or failure of execution? The truth sits somewhere between. Premier League clubs collectively run further and sprint more than rivals in Spain, Italy or Germany, but the gap is not so vast that it excuses basic errors, tactical gambles that back-fire or profligate finishing. With five of the six ties still technically alive ahead of next week’s second legs, English football has 90 minutes per club to prove that the world’s richest league is also its smartest – or watch the trophy head elsewhere again.

Philadelphia moved quickly to patch the hole left on the edge, agreeing to a one-year, $7.3 million contract with former Falcons outside linebacker Arnold Ebiketie, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The deal guarantees Ebiketie $4.3 million and positions him as the early front-runner to absorb the snaps vacated by Jaelan Phillips, who stunned the organization by accepting a four-year, $130 million offer from the Panthers in free agency. Ebiketie, 27, returns to familiar territory after beginning his college career at Temple, where he posted 4 sacks and 8.5 tackles for loss during the Owls’ 2020 campaign. He parlayed a breakout season at Penn State into a second-round selection by Atlanta in 2022. Across four professional seasons Ebiketie has accumulated 16.5 sacks in 67 games, including back-to-back six-sack efforts in 2023 and 2024. His production dipped to just 2 sacks in 2025, yet he still finished 10th league-wide in quarterback pressure rate (16.4%) among players with at least 150 pass-rush snaps, per Next Gen Stats. The Eagles envision Ebiketie sliding into the third or fourth spot on the edge rotation behind starters who remain unnamed in team communications. While the Temple product offers immediate depth, the front office has not ruled out swinging a blockbuster trade for Vikings pass rusher Jonathan Greenard or investing a premium draft pick to fortify the position. Philadelphia’s pass rush now hinges on a collective approach rather than a singular star, with Ebiketie’s familiarity with the city’s football culture and his proven ability to generate pressures providing a short-term bridge. Whether that proves sufficient in the ultra-competitive NFC East will determine how aggressively the club pursues another marquee name before training camp opens.

London, 30 June — Sunrisers Leeds’ £190,000 purchase of Pakistan leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed on the opening day of the Hundred’s 2026 men’s draft has ignited a social-media storm directed at the franchise’s Indian ownership and its public face, Kavya Maran. Within minutes of the deal being confirmed on X, the club’s announcement thread was overwhelmed by critical comments, many questioning why an IPL-linked organisation had spent the fourth-highest sum of the auction on a Pakistani player while political relations between the two countries remain strained. Several posts singled out Maran, co-owner of Sunrisers Leeds and daughter of the Sun Group patriarch, for “ignoring sentiment” by approving the bid. Sunrisers Leeds is operated by the same consortium that runs Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League, a competition that has not fielded a Pakistani cricketer since the 2009 season. That history had fuelled pre-auction speculation that IPL-affiliated teams in the Hundred might steer clear of Pakistani talent, but the ECB and all eight franchises issued a joint statement last week insisting selections would be “based purely on performance, availability and squad need.” Abrar, 27, has taken 47 wickets in 16 first-class matches and is viewed by scouts as a potential match-winner on English soil. Sunrisers Leeds outbid two other franchises to secure his services, making him the most expensive spinner in the 2026 auction and the priciable overseas signing so far. Elsewhere, Birmingham Phoenix added another Pakistan spinner, Usman Tariq, for £140,000, but not every Pakistani name found a home. Fast bowler Haris Rauf remained unsold at his £100,000 reserve, while marquee quick Shaheen Shah Afridi withdrew from the pool on the eve of the event. Pakistan’s women endured similar frustration: national captain Fatima Sana and left-arm orthodox Sadia Iqbal both went unbid in Monday’s women’s draft. The headline numbers of the night belonged to English talent. London Spirit splashed £390,000 on uncapped all-rounder James Cole, Welsh Fire stacked their batting by pairing Jordan Cox and former England Test captain Joe Root for a combined £540,000, and the 100-ball competition’s 2026 edition—scheduled to run from 21 July for four weeks—now has its first major controversy to accompany the big-ticket buys. Sunrisers Leeds declined to comment beyond their initial social-media post, but the ECB reiterated that “all player selections are made independently by teams within the competition’s salary cap and availability guidelines.” Whether that explanation cools the debate before the tournament begins remains to be seen.

A record nine Premier League clubs have reached the European knockout rounds this spring, and the calendar has now twisted itself into a knot Fantasy Premier League managers must untie at speed. Round-of-16 second legs arrive midweek, wedged between Gameweeks 30 and 31, forcing rotation risks, minute management and captaincy headaches in equal measure. The schedule split is stark. Liverpool, Tottenham and Newcastle—each trailing after their first legs—played on the Tuesday of last week and will contest their decisive returns this coming Wednesday. Arsenal, Manchester City and Chelsea, all with deficits to overturn after Wednesday openers, must turn around ties only four days after domestic duty. Three competitive fixtures in seven days makes heavy rotation almost inevitable, particularly for Pep Guardiola’s side, who also blank in Gameweek 31 because of their Carabao Cup final date with Arsenal. Erling Haaland, the league’s most explosive asset, sits at the centre of the dilemma. The Norway striker, valued at £14.6 million, missed the trip to Leeds in Gameweek 28 with a minor injury and sat out the FA Cup win over Newcastle. He logged 81 minutes against Real Madrid on Wednesday, but with City 3-0 down and West Ham waiting on Saturday, Guardiola could limit his involvement again. Omar Marmoush and Antoine Semenyo, both £8.3 million and in promising form, offer ready alternatives. Selling Haaland ahead of the blank has gathered momentum among managers plotting a dead-end strategy: burning free transfers on short-term punts before activating the Wildcard in Gameweek 32. Igor Thiago (£7.2 million), Joao Pedro (£7.7 million) and Hugo Ekitike (£9.1 million) headline the replacement list. Yet Haaland’s 22 goals and seven assists from 27 starts remain unmatched; in the reverse fixture against West Ham he delivered a 16-point masterclass of two goals and an assist. The decision is less straightforward than it appears. The European fatigue factor stretches beyond the Champions League. Aston Villa, Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace face consecutive Thursday nights in the Europa and Conference Leagues, squeezing three matches into eight days. Villa hold a narrow 1-0 advantage at Lille, Forest trail Midtjylland 1-0, and Palace drew 0-0 with AEK Larnaca. Villa and Palace may chase continental glory—victory for Villa would secure Champions League qualification—but Forest, hovering above the drop zone on goal difference, can ill-afford to take their eyes off league survival. All three sides arrive at the weekend short on Premier League form: Villa have won once in six, Forest are 17th, and Palace have slipped into the bottom half. Captaincy, therefore, swings toward well-rested stars facing weary opponents. Bruno Fernandes (£10.1 million) tops the queue. Manchester United enjoyed a 10-day break before hosting Villa, and Fernandes has four straight double-digit hauls at Old Trafford under interim coach Michael Carrick, fuelled by set-piece dominance and penalty duties. He leads the league in key passes and big chances created this campaign. Brentford’s Igor Thiago also warrants attention. The Bees’ talisman, second only to Haaland in the Golden Boot race with 18 goals from 29 appearances, faces bottom-club Wolverhampton Wanderers in Monday’s late fixture after a full week’s rest. For FPL managers, the path is clear: scan the European minutes, weigh the blanks, and decide whether loyalty to Haaland outweighs the lure of a short-term switch. The continental stage has added a dramatic extra act to the season’s fantasy script; navigating it correctly could define the run-in.

Manchester United have scattered a 15-man loan armada across Europe this season, and with the campaign entering its final straits the picture of who might return to bolster Old Trafford – and who is likely to move on – is becoming clearer. Andre Onana, the most expensive of the temporary exiles, has divided opinion in Turkey. Trabzonspor’s No 1 has kept only one clean sheet in his last 14 Super Lig outings, yet the club hierarchy remain effusive about the 29-year-old Cameroon keeper who has already clocked up 21 appearances since September. Vice-president Zeyyat Kafkas confirmed United slapped a €45-50 million price tag on any permanent deal, a figure the Black Sea club consider prohibitive. Onana, currently third in the table, is focused on dragging Trabzonspor into Europe, but unless the fee drops he is expected back at Carrington. In the Championship, United have two contrasting goalkeeping stories. Radek Vitek has been a revelation at Bristol City, usurping veteran Max O’Leary and earning the nickname “The Wall” after a viral save against Ipswich in January. Nine clean sheets in 31 games have put the 21-year-old Czech in contention to challenge for the senior gloves next term, even if the Robins’ play-off push has stalled. At the other end of the table, 18-year-old defensive prospect Harry Amass impressed during a first half-season at Sheffield Wednesday before switching to Norwich in January. A serious hamstring injury in training has limited him to a single Canaries outing, and he now faces a race to be fit before United’s new manager weighs up his future. Midfield fortunes have been mixed. Toby Collyer’s hopes of regular football were derailed by calf and hamstring problems at West Brom and then Hull, though he is now back in training with the Tigers. Dan Gore has at least found rhythm at League One Rotherham, starting 24 games and rehabilitating a previously injury-hit reputation, but with his contract expiring in May a permanent exit looks probable. Teenager Habeeb Ogunneye has shown flashes for Fleetwood – six goals, five assists and a spectacular FA Cup strike against Luton – yet the 21-year-old is out of contract in June and attracting admirers. Fellow forward Victor Musa has managed only 53 minutes for struggling Shrewsbury, while 19-year-old Ethan Wheatley is still searching for his first goal at promotion-chasing Bradford after three starts. In Europe, Hannibal Mejbri has started only seven of 18 Premier League games for Aston Villa, contributing one goal and one assist, and looks set to depart when his deal expires. In Switzerland, Sekou Kone has made five cameo appearances for Lausanne-Sport after a serious head injury curtailed his early season; the 20-year-old Malian is still awaiting a first Europa Conference League squad place. The headline loans lie at the sharp end of the pitch. Rasmus Hojlund has nine Serie A goals for Napoli, matching his 2022-23 Atalanta tally, and 13 in all competitions. The Partenopei are five points clear in the final Champions League berth; trigger the £38 million obligation and the Denmark striker will depart United permanently. Marcus Rashford, meanwhile, has 10 goals and 10 assists in 38 games for Barcelona, who hold a £26 million option. Barça want him, he wants to stay, and United are unwilling to renegotiate the figure. Finally, 19-year-old French winger Elyh Dilo has one goal and one assist in 23 combined appearances for Lausanne, while 18-year-old Irish midfielder Jack Devaney has tailed off after a bright start at St Johnstone, dropping to the bench as the Perth club fight relegation. As the season nears its climax, United’s loan cohort offers both promise and pragmatism: some will return as genuine first-team contenders, others have already played their last game for the club.

Sutton Coldfield teenager Ben Broggio is fast emerging as the next bright attacking talent off Aston Villa’s esteemed academy conveyor belt, and his early performances on loan at Falkirk suggest the 2024-25 campaign could be the making of him. Broggio, who joined Villa aged nine, has already ticked off a series of milestones: FA Youth Cup winner, Under-18 Premier League National champion, joint-top scorer in Villa’s UEFA Youth League adventure with four goals, and, in September, a senior debutant in the League Cup against Wycombe Wanderers. Three Premier League match-day squad inclusions followed, but the club’s coaching staff believed senior minutes were the next imperative. Enter Falkirk and a family thread that illustrates the modern art of loan placement. Villa captain John McGinn endorsed the switch, revealing that his brother Stephen, first-team coach at the Bairns, would guarantee an environment tailored to the midfielder’s development. Villa’s loan managers agreed; the Scottish Premiership side play a progressive, possession-first game on an artificial surface and trust young talents with real responsibility. Broggio packed his bags in January and has not looked back. Two goals in his opening three league fixtures announced him to Scottish football, but it was last week’s Scottish FA Cup tie with Dundee United that offered a broader glimpse of his repertoire. Deployed on the right of a fluid front line by manager John McGlynn, the right-footed teenager was granted licence to roam, often drifting into central pockets or dropping alongside the defensive midfielder to orchestrate play. Within 25 minutes he had ignited the move that led to Falkirk’s opener, tormenting the full-back before squaring for Brad Spencer to shoot; Barney Stewart buried the rebound. His fingerprints were on the second goal too, sprinting beyond the far post to support Calvin Miller’s overlap and arriving in the six-yard box as Finn Yeats smashed home. Out of possession, Broggio tucked narrow, forcing United wide and smothering central passing lanes. One slick turn deep inside his own half set a rapid counter in motion, underlining the confidence with which he accepts possession under pressure. There were lessons as well: moments before half-time he was dispossessed while attempting to dribble out, and the subsequent United goal served as a reminder that style must be married to game intelligence. Broggio trudged off at the interval shaking his head, evidence of a player learning on the job. The second half demanded more defensive diligence; he tracked runners, screened passes and still found energy to dart into forward pockets before being withdrawn with 15 minutes remaining. Falkirk held on, booking a place in the next round and preserving the feel-good narrative surrounding their English loanee. Back at Bodymoor Heath, academy staff will have noted the accelerated education: positional flexibility, tactical discipline, and the ruthless reality that results supersede performances. For Broggio, the comfort zone of Villa’s training complex has been replaced by cold Scottish mornings, new team-mates and the scrutiny of senior points. On early evidence, he is thriving. If the first weeks are any barometer, this carefully curated loan could prove the catalyst that propels the 18-year-old from promising prospect to Premier League-ready performer, exactly as Villa envisaged when they first sought advice from their skipper and mapped out the road north.

Dallas, TX — The Dallas Cowboys quietly closed the books on Thursday with another roster addition, agreeing to terms with veteran cornerback Cobie Durant in a move first reported by ESPN. Durant, a fourth-round pick by the Los Angeles Rams in the 2022 NFL Draft out of South Carolina State, has spent his entire four-year career in Los Angeles. He is coming off what ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler described as a “very solid season,” positioning him as an immediate candidate to reinforce a cornerback room that had gone unaddressed through the opening wave of free agency. While the Cowboys had already bolstered the safety position with the earlier signings of Jalen Thompson and PJ Locke, the acquisition of Durant supplies targeted depth on the outside. The timing of the deal—struck just before midnight Central—continued Dallas’s pattern of low-profile but calculated roster construction ahead of next month’s NFL Draft. Durant’s experience in the Rams’ scheme should accelerate his integration into coordinator practices, and the club hopes his presence will provide flexibility when the draft board begins to unfold at the end of April. Dallas has now added three new faces to the secondary in the span of a week, signaling a clear priority to tighten coverage units that struggled with consistency a season ago. With the Durant signing official, the front office can approach the remainder of the offseason with one less hole to fill.

London – Arsenal dikabarkan telah menempatkan Tino Livramento sebagai target utama di bursa transfer musim panas. Bek kanan Newcastle United yang baru berusia 23 tahun itu kini berada di radar The Gunners, meskipun nilai jualnya dipatung cukup tinggi. Seperti dilansir Telegraph, klub London Utara itu memantau situasi Livramento secara intensif. Tim analis Arsenal menilai pemain muda ini sebagai salah satu bek sayap paling menjanjikan di Premier League saat ini. Kendati potensial, musim 2023/24 menjadi tantangan tersendiri bagi Livramento. Cedera lutut dan pergelangan kaki membuatnya baru tampil 21 kali bersama The Magpies. Keterbatasan menit bermain ini membuat masa depannya di St. James’ Park sedikit berkabut. Newcastle sendiri tak ingin kehilangan Livramento secara murah. Dua setengah tahun lalu, mereka menebusnya dari Southampton dengan mahar 40 juta poundsterling (sekitar Rp904,4 miliar). Kini, untuk melepasnya, manajemen klub meminta setidaknya 60 juta poundsterling (sekitar Rp1,35 triliun). Ujung tombak tawaran justru muncul dari situasi kontrak. Livramento tinggal menyisakan dua tahun kontrak musim panas nanti, dan perundingan perpanjangan hingga saat ini belum menemui titik terang. Newcastle berupaya menyelesaikan negosiasi baru sebelum jendela transfer dibuka, agar mereka tetap berada di posisi tawar kuat. Jika pembicaraan kontrak terus tertunda, Arsenal diyakini akan menerjunkan tawaran resmi. Keputusan akhir ada di tangan manajemen Newcastle: mempertahankan Livramento dengan kontrak baru, atau melepasnya dengan harga tinggi demi menutup risiko kehilangan secara gratis di masa depan. Arsenal Bidik Titisan Gareth Bale, Satu Pemain Siap-Siap Jadi Tumbal

FRISCO, Texas — The Dallas Cowboys have moved swiftly to reinforce a battered secondary, agreeing to terms on a one-year contract with veteran cornerback Cobie Durant, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler and Todd Archer confirmed Tuesday. The 28-year-old arrives from Los Angeles, where a Rams roster overhaul at the position made the former starter expendable. Durant, a 2022 fourth-round pick out of South Carolina State, started 32 games for the Rams across the 2024 and 2025 seasons after breaking into the lineup late in 2023. Initially deployed as a slot defender—logging 349 inside snaps that year—he transitioned to the boundary full-time, recording 744 perimeter snaps versus only 34 in the slot last season. Pro Football Focus graded Durant 43rd among all corners in 2025, an improvement from 56th the previous year, while his coverage metrics remained steady: he allowed completion rates of 54.0 and 55.9 percent as the nearest defender and yielded passer ratings of 71.2 and 79.2 over the past two campaigns. Ball production has been a hallmark of Durant’s résumé. He intercepted three passes in 2025 and broke up 15 throws over the 2024-25 span, adding a pick-six in each of his first and fourth professional seasons. At 5-foot-11, he offers inside-outside versatility that new Cowboys defensive coordinator Christian Parker is expected to leverage immediately. Dallas has endured a revolving door at cornerback. The club released Trevon Diggs following an injury-plagued stretch, watched 2024 Pro Bowler DaRon Bland suffer a season-ending foot injury, and relied on rookie third-rounder Shavon Revel as injuries mounted. The result was one of the league’s least effective defenses, prompting front-office urgency this spring. Durant’s short-term deal carries mutual risk: the cornerback seeks a platform year to secure a lucrative multi-year contract before age 30, while the Cowboys obtain a proven starter without long-term commitment. The market apparently never materialized for Durant after Los Angeles imported Kansas City’s starting duo of Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson this offseason, ending his tenure with the Rams. In Dallas, Durant is penciled in as a 2026 starter opposite Revel, giving Parker an experienced boundary option who can slide inside when needed. With organized team activities on the horizon, the Cowboys hope the veteran’s durability and steady coverage will stabilize a secondary that has derailed playoff hopes each of the past two seasons.

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — The San Francisco 49ers have re-signed linebacker Dre Greenlaw, bringing the former standout back to the Bay Area on a one-year contract worth $7.5 million, the team confirmed Monday. Greenlaw, who previously spent the first portion of his career with San Francisco, rejoins the organization after a brief tenure in Denver that ended with his release earlier this offseason. The 49ers moved quickly to secure his services, hoping his familiarity with the defensive scheme and proven track record will bolster a linebacker corps looking to regain championship form. Terms of the pact were disclosed as a straight one-year pact at the $7.5 million figure, giving Greenlaw an opportunity to re-establish himself while providing the Niners an experienced playmaker heading into the upcoming campaign. The transaction reunites Greenlaw with teammates and coaches who helped mold him into a productive starter during his initial stint with the franchise. San Francisco has not yet announced corresponding roster moves or detailed how Greenlaw will factor into the depth chart, but his return signals the club’s confidence that he can recapture the production that made him a fan favorite and defensive catalyst in years past.

Scouts from both Premier League clubs have attended Stuttgart matches with increasing frequency, attracted by the 18-year-old’s composure in possession and his aptitude for the high-pressing systems favoured in England. Liverpool view Jeltsch as a strategic reinforcement for their defensive rotation, while Arsenal’s recruitment team believe his profile mirrors the progressive centre-backs Mikel Arteta has successfully integrated in recent seasons. Bayern Munich, however, have tracked the Germany U21 international for months and have opened dialogue with Stuttgart officials. German media have likened Jeltsch to a “next-generation Mats Hummels” for his elegance on the ball and anticipatory reading of the game. Bayern regard the youngster as a future cornerstone of their back line, yet any deal is complicated by lingering tension between the two clubs following the Nick Woltemade negotiations. Stuttgart, reluctant to weaken a squad chasing European qualification, have signalled they will only consider offers approaching €50 million – a figure described by sources as “exceptionally high” for a teenager but reflective of their belief in his long-term value. With the transfer window nearing, Arsenal and Liverpool currently lead the race, leaving Bayern Munich with a decision to make: escalate their interest or risk watching another top German prospect depart for England.

Knoxville, Tenn. – Tennessee’s football program has built a reputation for speed under head coach Josh Heupel, and the Vols may have an unexpected candidate to add even more of it to the roster: Hendrix Hart. On Thursday the Sierra Canyon School senior signed a National Letter of Intent with the Volunteers’ track and field team, formalizing a commitment that began with a father-son visit to campus last fall. Hart, the 18-year-old son of comedian and actor Kevin Hart, posted lifetime bests of 10.68 seconds in the 100 meters and 21.35 in the 200 this season, numbers that placed him among California’s elite sprinters. He also clocked 34.38 in the 300-meter dash, second-fastest in the state and 86th nationally according to On3, after winning the Great Southwest Indoor Classic and earning silver at the 2025 CIF Southern Section Finals. Kevin Hart announced the signing on Instagram, telling his son, “The sky is limit!!!!! … We all love you champ …..” The elder Hart and Hendrix met Heupel in Knoxville before the Vols’ victory over East Tennessee State, sparking speculation that the conversation may have extended beyond the oval and onto the gridiron. Tennessee returns a deep wide-receiver room, but none of the current pass-catchers owns top-100 track credentials. At 5-9 and 165 pounds, Hart’s elite burst and breakaway speed could translate to slot or jet-motion duties if he chose to pursue a two-sport path. While Heupel has given no indication he will actively recruit Hart for football, the staff’s history of valuing track speed—combined with the program’s open willingness to explore every available athlete—makes the possibility worth monitoring. For now, Hart is slated to begin his collegiate career as a sprinter. Yet in a sport where one “yes” can change a season, the Vols have little to lose by asking the question. The worst anybody can say is no, and it would still make for a compelling storyline on Rocky Top. Jeff Hauser is a freelance writer for The Sporting News with more than two decades of experience covering the Super Bowl, College Football Playoff, World Series, World Cup and WBC Boxing. He is a two-time Emmy Award winner, Heisman Trophy and Biletnikoff Award voter, and a regular guest on FOX Sports and ESPN Radio.

Chicago’s secondary makeover is on hold. Three days into the 2026 league year, the Bears have watched 2025 starting safety Kevin Byard walk to New England, where head coach Mike Vrable—his former Titans play-caller—helped seal the deal. The other half of last season’s starting tandem, Jaquan Brisker, remains unsigned, and the market is beginning to take notice. CBS Sports now lists Brisker as the tenth-best free agent still available, highlighting the 26-year-old’s durability after a 2025 campaign in which he suited up for all 19 games, including the Bears’ postseason run. The second-round pick from the 2022 draft posted 92 regular-season tackles, one interception, and eight pass break-ups for the NFC North champions, the first time in his career he has played a full 17-game schedule. While the production jump is encouraging, Brisker’s coverage metrics may be giving suitors pause: he surrendered a 75.0 percent completion rate and a 127.6 passer rating when targeted last season. Even so, evaluators believe his best football lies ahead, and a payday well above his rookie-scale earnings is expected once the market resets. For Chicago, the wait continues. The organization entered free agency prioritizing stability at safety; with Byard gone and Brisker still fielding calls, the position remains unresolved as the second wave of signings begins.

Philadelphia moved quickly to reinforce its edge on Tuesday, agreeing to terms with hometown product Arnold Ebiketie on a one-year deal that can reach $7.3 million, $4.3 million of which is guaranteed, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The signing comes less than a month after the club watched Jaelan Phillips depart in free agency, leaving a void on the outside that the front office has been scouring the market to fill. Ebiketie, 27, brings a familiar résumé to the NovaCare Complex. The Cameroon-born defender began his college career at Temple before transferring to Penn State, parlaying a breakout senior season into the 38th overall selection of the 2022 draft by Atlanta. Across 67 career games—he has missed only one contest—Ebiketie has logged 16.5 sacks, 17 tackles for loss, 41 quarterback hits and four forced fumbles. His seasonal high in sacks is six, a plateau he reached in both 2023 and 2024, though his production dipped to just two sacks last fall. While the numbers do not place Ebiketie in the elite tier the Eagles explored earlier this offseason—Trey Hendricksen spurned Philadelphia for Baltimore, and trade talks for Jonathan Greenard never materialized—the organization is betting that untapped upside remains. At 6-foot-2 with nearly 34-inch arms, Ebiketie offers the length defensive coordinator Vic Fangio covors, and his pre-draft profile highlighted active hands and a pressure rate that scouts believed would translate. Questions persist about his ability to hold the edge against the run, but the Eagles plan to deploy him as part of a rotational group that presently features 2025 standout Jalyx Hunt, 2024 first-rounder Nolan Smith and special-teams maven Jose Ramirez. Veteran Brandon Graham, who reiterated last month he does not intend to retire, could also rejoin the room, and the 2026 draft is viewed internally as another avenue to add youth. The structure of Ebiketie’s contract—short-term, mid-level guarantees—mirrors the prove-it deals Philadelphia has used successfully in recent seasons. If he can recapture the form that produced six sacks two years ago, the Eagles believe they have secured a complementary rusher without sacrificing long-term flexibility. If not, the front office has preserved both cap space and draft capital to address the position again next spring. For now, the Birds exit the first wave of free agency with a familiar face added to the edge and plenty of questions still to answer about a pass rush that finished middle of the pack a year ago. Whether Ebiketie becomes a bargain or merely depth will determine how aggressively Howie Roseman attacks the draft board in late April.

Rehobeth High School senior Gabriel Mendez made his college decision official Thursday night, inking a national-letter-of-intent to play football at Maryville College in Tennessee. Surrounded by family members, coaches and trainers in a celebratory signing ceremony, Mendez shared a light moment with his father before putting pen to paper, closing a recruitment process defined by persistence. Over the past two varsity seasons, the defensive standout often returned home from grueling practices with little energy left to spare. Yet instead of resting, Mendez devoted his evenings to compiling highlight clips and crafting introductory emails, determined to attract attention from college coaches. His efforts ultimately earned an invitation from the Scots, who compete in NCAA Division III. Mendez did not take up football until his sophomore year, but he quickly developed into a reliable contributor for the Rebels, using speed and instincts to make plays on the edge. Maryville’s coaching staff projects him as an outside linebacker who can also contribute on special teams. With the signing, Mendez becomes the latest Rehobeth athlete to advance to the collegiate level, providing a tangible example for underclassmen that late starts and limited exposure can be overcome through consistent work and proactive outreach.

Real Madrid midfielder Fede Valverde enjoyed the finest night of his professional career on Wednesday, scoring his first-ever hat-trick in Real’s Champions League Round of 16 first-leg duel with Manchester City at the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu. Yet the Uruguayan has disclosed that the evening could have carried even greater personal reward, revealing to TNT Sports Brazil that Vinicius Junior offered him the second-half spot-kick that ultimately was pushed away by City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma. “Yes, yes, he asked me (if I wanted to take the penalty),” Valverde said. “Vinicius is a very important player for us. He is a legend within the club. He’s a great friend but I told him to take it himself – many of my teammates thought the same.” Vinicius, who earned the foul inside the area, stepped up in the 73rd minute only to see Donnarumma dive to his left to parry. The save kept City within striking distance ahead of the return leg and left Madrid regretting the squandered chance to extend their lead. “These are things that can happen (missing the penalty). It’s a football thing,” Valverde reflected. “It’s true that we still have that downside of the match. If he had been able to score it would have been an incredible night. We are left with that thorn, but it is part of football.” Despite the miss, the 25-year-old praised his teammate’s immediate reaction. “A penalty can be scored or missed. The important thing is that he came out of that penalty with attitude, he kept running, he kept trying… The fans supported him and that is what generates the union of players and fans that will give us a lot of joy.” Valverde’s treble had already energised the Bernabéu, and Madrid will hope the 3-1 advantage holds when the sides reconvene next week. For now, the squad must balance satisfaction at a commanding performance with the knowledge that a fourth goal – and a potentially decisive cushion – slipped away in an instant. Real Madrid now turn their focus to the second leg, where Vinicius, Valverde and the rest of Álvaro Arbeloa’s squad will attempt to finish the job and secure a quarter-final berth.

Barcelona’s winter decision to bring João Cancelo back from Saudi Arabia was framed as short-term cover; instead, the Portuguese has become indispensable. Alejandro Baldé’s thigh injury in the Copa del Rey semi-final second leg against Atlético Madrid has sidelined the academy graduate for several weeks, forcing coach Hansi Flick to entrust the left flank to a player who had logged only a handful of training sessions in Catalonia. Cancelo has now started four of the last five matches, missing only a brief cameo against Villarreal before the cup return leg with Atlético. The sequence has accelerated his adaptation to Flick’s high-line scheme and the relentless rhythm of European football. Early teething troubles—mistimed defensive rotations and moments of positional hesitation—have gradually given way to more assured displays, punctuated by attacking contributions: assists versus Levante and, more notably, in the 3-2 cup victory over Atlético that doubled as his most convincing outing since re-joining the club. That same high-stakes night, however, deepened the injury crisis. Jules Koundé and Baldé both succumbed to muscular problems, stripping Flick of two starters and leaving Cancelo as the only experienced option capable of toggling between both full-back berths. The reshuffle was tested immediately. At San Mamés, Cancelo operated on the left of a back four that kept its first clean sheet in weeks, grinding out a 1-0 win that steadied nerves ahead of a daunting Europa League trip to Newcastle. At St. James’ Park, the assignment turned chaotic. Eddie Howe’s game plan isolated winger Anthony Elanga against Cancelo, repeatedly springing the Swede into space behind the advanced Barça line. Elanga’s persistence yielded a host of half-chances, the clearest of which forced keeper Joan Garcia into a decisive one-on-one save. Newcastle’s eventual opener originated down that same corridor, though replays showed Ronald Araújo, not Cancelo, was caught ball-watching inside the six-yard box. Barcelona escaped with a point thanks to a stoppage-time penalty, but the broader concern remains physical fatigue. Pundit and former Blaugrana striker Pichi Alonso told Esports COPE that the visitors “never controlled the ball, and without the ball they never controlled the game,” attributing the drop in intensity to a compressed calendar that has left several squad members nursing knocks. For now, Cancelo’s two-way workload is non-negotiable. An attack-minded full-back who drifts into central pockets to overload midfield, he offers Flick a unique tactical hinge yet simultaneously invites risk when possession is lost. The coach must weigh those trade-offs against an ever-thinning roster, with La Liga’s title race and a European knockout tie still hanging in the balance. Barcelona will hope Baldé’s recovery accelerates, but until then the Portuguese international—signed as insurance—has become the policy, the premium and the payout, all rolled into one.

After months on the shelf nursing an injury, Seth Rollins re-entered the WWE spotlight at Elimination Chamber, but the comeback was largely symbolic: the former world champion has not yet received medical clearance for in-ring competition. Speaking during a recent appearance on Good Morning America, Rollins confirmed that while he is out of action no longer, he remains barred from “real physicality” until doctors and WWE officials sign off on his return. The disclosure tempers expectations for an imminent comeback match and underscores the cautious approach being taken with one of the company’s headline stars. SEO keywords:

SEATTLE — The Seattle Seahawks moved to secure a key locker-room presence and versatile contributor on Thursday, agreeing to terms with fullback and special teams captain Brady Russell on a two-year contract. The deal, announced by the club, keeps the 25-year-old in Seahawks blue through at least the 2025 season. Russell arrived in Seattle as an undrafted free agent in 2022 and quickly carved out a role on both offense and special teams, earning the trust of teammates and coaches alike. His promotion to special teams captain last season underscored his value beyond the stat sheet, as he consistently delivered critical blocks on return and coverage units while serving as a lead blocker in short-yardage situations. The two-year pact rewards Russell’s developmental arc and special-teams excellence, ensuring continuity in a phase of the game the Seahawks have long prioritized. Terms were not disclosed, but the agreement signals Seattle’s confidence in Russell’s ability to maintain his dual-role impact. Seattle now retains one of its core special-teams leaders as the franchise continues retooling its roster heading into the upcoming campaign.

Tottenham’s season of turmoil reaches a critical juncture on Sunday when the troubled north London club travel to Anfield to face Liverpool, knowing that anything short of a result could edge them closer to the relegation trapdoor. With survival hopes hanging by a thread, Spurs enter the match in desperate need of points to revive their increasingly precarious Premier League status. While the headline fixture offers Tottenham a chance at redemption, it also casts an eye toward their neighbours: Arsenal, buoyant and resurgent, appear primed for a sustained championship push. The contrast between the two clubs could hardly be starker—one scrambling for safety, the other plotting a course toward the summit. For Spurs, the equation is stark. A positive result on Merseyside would not only steady nerves but also inject belief into a squad that has looked bereft of confidence. Failure, however, would deepen the gloom and intensify whispers of a drop that once seemed unthinkable. The stakes are monumental, the pressure suffocating. As Tottenham search for salvation at Anfield, Arsenal supporters will watch with interest, sensing that their own title charge could gather further momentum should their rivals falter. The battle for survival and the pursuit of glory intersect this weekend, setting the stage for a dramatic Sunday in the English top flight.

Short sellers are beating a rapid retreat from the ALPS Active Equity Opportunity ETF (NYSEARCA: RFFC), according to the latest settlement-date data. Filings show that as of 27 February, total short interest stood at just 796 shares, down 50.5% from the 1,609 shares recorded on 12 February. With the fund’s average daily trading volume hovering around 670 shares, the resulting days-to-cover ratio has fallen to a wafer-thin 1.2, leaving bearish investors with little room to maneuver. The modest short base now represents only 0.2% of the ETF’s outstanding stock, underscoring a broader loss of downside conviction in the actively-managed vehicle. RFFC, which screens U.S. equities for value, quality and momentum characteristics, has seen its market price drift lower in recent sessions; the units slipped 94 cents on Thursday to close at $67.53 on volume of 1,142 shares—above the trailing 30-day average turnover of 790. The fund remains squarely between its 50-day ($69.52) and 200-day ($66.64) moving averages, while year-to-date trading has been contained within a 52-week range of $49.26 to $71.28. Institutional managers, meanwhile, have used the relative calm to build positions. Elevated Capital Advisors opened a new stake during the fourth quarter worth roughly $163,000, and Main Street Financial Solutions initiated a $308,000 position in the second quarter. Arsenal Capital Advisors purchased $450,000 of the ETF in Q4, while Envestnet Asset Management added 1,016 shares in the third quarter, lifting its holding to 11,057 shares valued at $710,000. Sponsor-affiliated Alps Advisors Inc. also raised its exposure by 7.6% in the December quarter, bringing its total to 165,685 shares, or about $11.1 million at current pricing. With assets under management of $27 million and a beta of 0.96, RFFC offers a broad-based, flex-cap play on U.S. equities. The fund’s P/E ratio of 25.0 sits close to the large-blend category average, suggesting managers have not chased extended valuations even as they rotate among cyclical and defensive sectors. RiverFront Investment Group, which has steered the portfolio since its June 2016 launch, employs a tactical overlay that can shift weightings in response to macro signals—a feature that appears to have limited short seller appetite during the recent volatility. The sharp contraction in bearish bets, combined with steady institutional inflows, could set the stage for a tightening supply-demand balance should sentiment toward domestic equities improve. For now, traders will be watching Thursday’s below-average volume and the fund’s ability to hold the $66-$67 support zone as the next catalysts emerge.

Madrid, 13 March 2026 — The Daily Merengue’s latest instalment, branded as “Another Juninho Edition,” dropped today, offering readers an open-thread forum framed by the timeless boxing adage “Styles Make Fights.” While the publication’s customary brevity leaves the finer points unstated, the headline itself signals a conversation starter rather than a match report, inviting supporters to dissect how contrasting approaches—whether in the ring, on the pitch, or across any competitive arena—ultimately decide outcomes. With no further text supplied beyond the Juninho byline, the floor is effectively ceded to the community: expect tactical debates, stylistic comparisons, and the spirited back-and-forth that has become the hallmark of the Daily Merengue’s open threads. Juninho, long a provocateur of thoughtful fan discourse, keeps the entry lean, trusting the audience to supply the substance. The date stamp alone—13 Mar. 2026—anchors the dialogue in the present season, ensuring that every opinion, prediction, or retrospective offered within the thread remains contextually grounded. Until the next edition, the conversation lives here, driven by the belief that styles—aggressive or conservative, technical or instinctive—remain the decisive variable in any contest.

The Round of 16’s opening salvo has redrawn the Champions League landscape, leaving two Premier League giants on life support and crowning a new quintet of favorites who look ready to contest the trophy in 2026. After Chelsea and Manchester City were routed, the path to the final appears more open than ever. Here are the updated power rankings, strictly on the evidence served up across Europe this week. 1. Bayern Munich Bayern’s 6-1 obliteration of Atalanta in Bergamo was the statement result of the round. Even without Harry Kane, the Bavarians sliced through La Dea with surgical precision, underlining the depth that keeps them atop the field. Michael Olise’s virtuoso display was so commanding that, in any era not dominated by a Ballon d’Or duel, it would already have trophy engraver’s buzzing. 2. Paris Saint-Germain Questions over PSG’s form vanished as the reigning champions dismantled Chelsea, turning a tie many felt was delicately poised into a one-sided exhibition. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and company were electric, forcing errors and punishing every lapse. When the Parisian attack is in this rhythm, few back lines can live with them. 3. Real Madrid Los Blancos reminded the continent why they own this competition. A depleted side—missing Jude Bellingham and Kylian Mbappe—still made Manchester City appear second rate. Fede Valverde, Aurelien Tchouameni, and a resurgent Antonio Rudiger are hitting peak stride. If defensive frailties linger, the Madrid gene for raising their game on Europe’s biggest stage remains the ultimate equalizer. 4. Arsenal The Gunners escaped with a draw against Bayer Leverkusen thanks to a controversial Noni Madueke penalty that replays suggest was a clear dive. While Mikel Arteta’s defense remains formidable, fatigue is creeping into the midfield engine room, and Bukayo Saka’s dip in form is blunting the attack. Arsenal stay in the top four on overall balance, but warning lights are flashing. 5. Barcelona Topping La Liga counts for little after Barcelona were outplayed by Newcastle and fortunate to limp away with a 1-1 draw. Lamine Yamal continues to sparkle, yet the midfield dominance many expected never materialized, and defensive lapses reappeared. Until the back line finds consistency, Barca trail their Spanish rivals and the two heavyweight front-runners. With second-leg comebacks historically rare, the focus now shifts to whether any of the wounded English clubs can summon a miracle, or if Bayern, PSG, and Madrid will continue to set the tempo toward the final in 2026.

Arkansas sports bettors no longer have to wonder where to place a legal wager. Retail books have been live since 2022 under Amendment 100, and while the state has yet to authorize a fully regulated online market, a robust collection of offshore sportsbooks is filling the void with bigger menus, sharper odds, and lucrative sign-up packages. BetUS sits at the top of the Natural State leaderboard. Operating since 1994, the book pairs decades of payout reliability with a headline-grabbing welcome offer: 125% up to $3,125 for cash players (code JOIN125) or 200% up to $5,000 for crypto depositors (JOIN200). A 14× rollover on the sports portion is standard for a bonus this size, yet the ceiling alone makes it the best raw-value deal available to Arkansas residents today. Crypto-minded bettors also have compelling alternatives. Bovada keeps rollovers low—just 5× on its 75% Bitcoin bonus up to $750—while Cloudbet eliminates the rollover entirely, instead doling out up to $2,500 through daily rakeback and a 30-day Cash Vault. For sheer market breadth, BetOnline and its sister brand SportsBetting.ag provide everything from Ukrainian table tennis to eSports, both carrying 10× rollovers on 50% or 100% matches depending on deposit method. Mobile experience is another battleground. State-licensed apps require geolocation inside Arkansas borders and remain limited to on-property skins; offshore sites bypass that friction with browser-based platforms that run cleanly on any phone. SportsBetting.ag and MyBookie, in particular, earn praise for polished interfaces and rapid in-game wagering, the latter also offering a 10% cash bonus with an industry-low 1× rollover for casual players. Traditional depositors can still fund accounts via credit card, though fees climb as high as 9.75% at some books. Crypto remains the fastest withdrawal route, with most sites approving Bitcoin or Litecoin requests within 24-48 hours; BetOnline processes up to $500,000 per transaction for high-stakes players. Veteran handicappers who value longevity over flash gravitate toward Everygame, online since 1996. New U.S. sign-ups can stack a $500 cash match and a separate $1,000 crypto bonus, each subject to a 12× rollover at minimum odds of -125. Arkansas law allows anyone 21 or older to bet at four retail locations—Oaklawn, Southland, Saracen, and Cherokee Casino—but more than 95% of the state’s handle now flows through online channels, according to 2025 estimates. Winnings are subject to Arkansas state income tax, and regulators promote responsible-gambling tools such as self-exclusion. Anyone who feels they may be developing a problem can call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700. Bottom line: until legislators expand in-state mobile licensing, offshore books remain the quickest path to full-market odds and generous promos. BetUS delivers the biggest headline bonus, Bovada and Cloudbet cater to crypto users with minimal or zero rollover, and BetOnline gives market variety that retail kiosks cannot match. Choose the platform that aligns with your bankroll and betting style, verify terms before depositing, and keep the hobby entertaining rather than a financial fix.

MARSHALL — One year after watching Dawson-Boyd celebrate a section crown on their home floor, Hills-Beaver Creek turned the tables Tuesday night at Southwest Minnesota State University’s R/A Facility, punching the first state-tournament ticket in program history with a 77-70 victory over Central Minnesota Christian. “We knew if we could get back to this game, we were going to change that outcome,” Patriots head coach Chad Rauk said. “These guys just did an excellent job tonight.” The Patriots, now 26-3, leaned on the same physical edge that carried them to a nine-player state football title in the fall. They owned the glass, scored inside and out, and never trailed after the opening minutes. An EJ Wegener triple with 3:12 left in the first half stretched the margin to 35-20, and HBC took a 39-29 lead into the locker room. Central Minnesota Christian, 28-2 and seeking its first state berth since 2021, mounted repeated charges behind junior forward Asher Wieberdink’s game-high 30 points—21 after intermission. Caleb Asake’s alley-oop finish with 6:02 remaining trimmed the deficit to 60-56, but the Bluejays could get no closer. “Credit to them,” CMCS coach Ted Taatjes said. “Every time (Wieberdink) got a bucket, they came back down on the other end and got a back-door look or a curl-cut into the post. We just really struggled to guard inside tonight.” Jamin Metzger paced four Patriots in double figures with 21 points. Riggins Rheault, a defensive end on the football team, added 19, while Karson Metzger scored 15—nine in the second half—to keep CMCS at arm’s length. “We never gave up,” Rheault said. “This whole week, we practiced hard, we rested our legs and we gave it all we got today.” The win sends Hills-Beaver Creek into the Class A quarterfinals at Minneapolis’ Target Center on Thursday, March 26. Semifinals shift to Williams Arena on Friday, with the championship set for 11 a.m. Saturday, also at Williams Arena. CMCS, which loses seniors Logan Roelofs and Micah Asake, expects to return the bulk of its rotation after weathering late-season injuries to Micah Asake and Carter Taatjes. “It was a really difficult second half of the year,” Ted Taatjes said. “The kids stuck together … I feel terrible for Logan and Micah going out this way, but that’s basketball.” Hills-Beaver Creek, meanwhile, will take its football-style toughness to the biggest stage in Minnesota Class A basketball. “We’re the first ever to do it,” Rheault said. “It’s pretty exciting.”

Racing Post Sport’s Football Bet of the Day returns with James Milton flagging up an even-money wager from Friday’s League Two card. After dissecting the coupon, Milton has settled on the low-scoring angle when Colchester United host Crawley Town at the JobServe Community Stadium. The fixture carries high stakes at both ends of the table. Danny Cowley’s Colchester enter the round four points outside the play-off places, while Crawley sit just one point above the relegation line, ensuring nerves will be frayed from the first whistle. Crawley arrive on the back of dramatics last weekend, salvaging a 2-2 draw against Swindon thanks to Kellan Gordon’s 98th-minute equaliser, yet bookmakers make the Red Devils odds-on to leave Essex empty-handed. Milton believes the tension will translate into a cagey encounter and recommends backing under 2.5 goals at even money with bet365. The numbers support the selection. Eight of Crawley’s last ten league matches have produced fewer than three goals, and Scott Lindsey’s side have mustered only one strike in their previous five away fixtures — the 1-0 win at fellow strugglers Barrow in January. During that sequence Crawley also ground out 0-0 draws at both Walsall and MK Dons, illustrating their willingness to shut up shop on the road. Colchester’s recent record points to a similar pattern. Since the turn of the year four of their five defeats have been by a solitary 1-0 margin, highlighting a struggle to turn possession into goals. Against a Crawley outfit fighting for EFL survival, Cowley’s men are unlikely to find the free-scoring rhythm required to blow the visitors away. With points at a premium and both managers prioritising defensive solidity, Friday’s contest looks ripe for a tight, attritional battle — and under 2.5 goals offers the standout bet at even money. Football Bet of the Day: Under 2.5 goals in Colchester v Crawley – even money with bet365

Chelsea’s out-of-favour winger Pedro Neto has emerged as an unlikely summer transfer target for Barcelona, according to a fresh report from Catalan outlet Mundo Deportivo. The news lands as a surprise on both sides of the deal: Stamford Bridge insiders have grown increasingly frustrated with Neto’s performances this season, believing the Portugal international sees himself as a marquee star rather than the squad player his output merits, while Camp Nou watchers are struggling to see where the 24-year-old would fit into an already crowded wide-forward pool. Neto, signed from Wolves, has failed to live up to expectations in blue and is now considered one of the candidates on the club’s perennial “chopping block” as Chelsea continue an endless squad retooling aimed at delivering a third Champions League crown. Conventional wisdom suggested that if the winger were to move, it would be to a side a tier below the Premier League giants—perhaps even a return to Molineaux—where he could reclaim star billing. Instead, Barcelona’s technical secretariat have added Neto to their list of monitored talents ahead of the summer window. Such interest is curious: Xavi’s squad already boasts 16-year-old Lamine Yamal, lauded by the club as the planet’s best right-sided attacker, and Brazilian Raphinha, regarded as the second-best option on that flank despite being deployed on the left. With Barça desperate for a proven No. 9 and poised to make Marcus Rashford’s loan permanent—another left-footed wide player—adding Neto would create a logjam of similar profiles on the wings. Financially, a deal would also test Barcelona’s delicate wage structure, though the La Liga outfit have not shied away from headline-grabbing moves that puzzle analysts. Chelsea supporters, aware of the Blaugrana’s recent transfer missteps, are privately hoping the Spanish giants repeat history and table an offer that would allow the Blues to recoup a sizeable fee for a player currently surplus to requirements. For now, the link remains at the monitoring stage, but the mere existence of concrete interest from one of Europe’s elite clubs has shifted the narrative around a winger many had written off as expendable.

Atlantic City—The opening wrestleback round of the 2026 NJSIAA Wrestling Championships has been completed, with the latest results now confirmed from Boardwalk Hall. The single-elimination consolation bouts began early Friday and set the bracket for subsequent advancement toward Saturday’s medal rounds. Full bout-by-bout outcomes and updated brackets are available through the NJSIAA tournament central portal.

São Januário erupted on Thursday night as Vasco da Gama overturned Palmeiras to register their first win over the Verdão since 2015 and ignite their 2024 Brasileirão campaign. New head coach Renato Gaúcho marked his first match in charge with a dramatic second-half comeback that snapped a decade-long winless streak against the São Paulo giants. The opening 45 minutes offered more grit than guile, with midfield duels and fragmented possession defining a half in which neither goalkeeper was seriously extended. Against the run of subdued play, Palmeiras struck on 32 minutes when Flaco López collected a precise pass inside the area, stepped away from Lucas Piton’s challenge, and curled a classy finish beyond the keeper to give the visitors a deserved lead. Renato’s halftime message sparked immediate transformation. Vasco emerged with renewed intensity, pinning Palmeiras deep and funneling attacks through a vibrant Andrés Goméz. The equaliser arrived ten minutes after the restart: David’s astute pivot released Thiago Mendes, who raced clear and slotted past Carlos Miguel to level at 1-1. Momentum stayed firmly with the home side. Introduced at the interval, livewire substitute Cuiabano completed the turnaround on 68 minutes, smashing home the go-ahead goal after sustained Vasco pressure. Palmeiras, unbeaten in the tournament and fresh from weekend state-title celebrations, never recovered their earlier composure as Vasco saw out a historic 2-1 victory. The result lifts Vasco off the foot of the Brasileirão table while inflicting Palmeiras’ first league defeat of the season. For Renato Gaúcho, the comeback offered an emphatic answer to critics and a promise of better days ahead in Rio’s Colina Histórica.