Expert Sports News & Commentary

Manchester United’s search for extra firepower at centre-forward has run into an early roadblock after Brentford slapped a club-record valuation on in-form striker Igor Thiago. United, who invested heavily in Benjamin Sesko last summer, still view the No. 9 position as an area for improvement and have identified Thiago as a prime target following a breakthrough season in the Premier League. Sesko has recovered from a slow start to register seven goals in 23 appearances across all competitions, yet uncertainty over Joshua Zirkzee’s future has encouraged the club to explore further attacking reinforcements. The belief inside Old Trafford is that genuine competition will accelerate Sesko’s progress and provide cover for a potential European campaign next term. Thiago, signed in 2024 as Ivan Toney’s long-term successor, endured an injury-plagued first campaign in West London but has since emerged as one of the division’s most clinical finishers. With 20 league goals to his name, the Brazilian trails only Erling Haaland in the scoring charts and recently credited United with fuelling his childhood passion for the game, hinting at a possible affinity for a move north. Any such switch, however, will come at a steep cost. SPORTSBOOM understands Brentford will not entertain offers below the fee they received for Bryan Mbeumo last summer, a deal worth £71 million, effectively setting the asking price for Thiago at a new club benchmark. The Bees have already locked their star striker into a contract extension through 2031 and, renowned for driving hard bargains, are under no pressure to sell. Aston Villa showed interest during the winter window but never tabled a formal bid, while Arsenal, Chelsea and United have all held internal discussions about the 26-year-old’s credentials. United’s hierarchy must now weigh the financial implications; a major midfield rebuild is expected following Casemiro’s anticipated departure, and budgets could be stretched across multiple Premier League-proven acquisitions. Whether United commit to a blockbuster pursuit of Thiago or pivot to more economical alternatives will shape one of the summer window’s most compelling storylines.

MADISON—Long before Chris Farley became a household name in comedy, he was a self-described “mediocre” football player at Madison Edgewood High School. Yet the hours he spent on the sidelines, helmet in hand, were anything but wasted. According to those who knew him best, those Friday nights under the lights planted the seeds for the boundless energy and fearless physicality that would later define his performances on Saturday Night Live and the silver screen. Teammates recall that Farley rarely cracked the starting lineup, but his presence on the roster was unmistakable. Whether leading raucous chants from the bench or improvising locker-room sketches that left coaches struggling to stifle laughter, he turned every inactive moment into an audition for a future he could not yet name. The gridiron, it seems, became his first stage. “Chris wasn’t going to make all-state,” one former Edgewood classmate said, “but he made everybody happy to be there.” The observation captures the paradox of Farley’s athletic career: limited playing time, unlimited impact. Observers point to those formative years as the crucible where he learned to command attention without uttering a single line of scripted dialogue—skills that would later translate into belly-flops down sketch-comedy staircases and frenzied motivational-speaker routines that fans still quote today. In short, the sidelines of Madison Edgewood served as an unlikely incubator for one of America’s most beloved entertainers, proving that even a modest football résumé can foreshadow legendary stardom.

KELSO — A signal-caller from Kelso High School has pledged to continue his football career at the next level, announcing his college commitment and giving the Hilanders a marquee off-season victory. The quarterback, whose name and destination program were not disclosed in the initial report, becomes the latest local product to secure a roster spot beyond the Friday-night lights. The commitment adds momentum to a Kelso program that has steadily built a reputation for developing talent capable of competing on Saturdays. High school football observers will now watch to see how the senior’s decision influences teammates still navigating the recruiting landscape. With the Hilanders’ leader set to trade the purple and gold for new collegiate colors, Kelso’s coaching staff can use the pledge as a recruiting tool, showcasing the program’s ability to prepare athletes for higher competition. As the offseason unfolds, more details about the quarterback’s future destination and potential early-enrollment plans are expected to surface. For now, Kelso celebrates another milestone in its football tradition.

St. Andrew’s will stage a classic top-versus-underdog narrative on Sunday, 15 February, when Birmingham City welcomes Leeds United in the FA Cup fourth round. The hosts, managed by Chris Davies, have not tasted defeat in eight consecutive matches across all competitions and sit comfortably in mid-table in the Championship. Their last appearance in the fifth round came in the 2019-20 season, and momentum is building for another prolonged cup run. Leeds, still stinging from a 4-0 drubbing at Arsenal on 31 January, have steadied the ship under Daniel Farke. The Whites fought back from two goals down to claim a point at Chelsea in their most recent league outing and have taken four points from the last six available. With Premier League survival the priority, Farke’s squad also views the FA Cup as a welcome opportunity to restore belief among supporters. Odds providers nevertheless make the top-flight side favourites despite Birmingham’s sparkling form. Analysts forecast Leeds will halt the Blues’ streak and book a place in Monday’s fifth-round draw. Birmingham vs. Leeds: FA Cup betting odds, prediction, pick

Colombo is bracing for another electrifying chapter of cricket’s most combustible rivalry when India meet Pakistan in the T20 World Cup 2026, and within the Indian camp three names have emerged as the potential Jeet Ka Insurance. The first is Varun Chakaravarthy, the re-invented mystery spinner whose return to international cricket after a three-year hiatus has been nothing short of spectacular. Since October 2024 he has snapped up 61 wickets in 32 T20Is at an average of 13.52 and an economy rate of 7.30, tormenting top-order batters with a cocktail of knuckle balls, flippers and subtle pace changes. Pakistan’s relatively green middle order struggled to pick him in the Asia Cup final, where he finished with 2 for 30, and another tight middle-overs spell in Colombo could stall their momentum just as it did in that title clash. At the other end of the age and artistry spectrum stands India’s audacious captain Suryakumar Yadav. In seven T20I innings this calendar year he has piled up 338 runs at an average of 84.50 while striking at 182.70, including four half-centuries and an unbeaten 84. His 360-degree shot-making has become the heartbeat of a side that has embraced fearless cricket under his watch. If Pakistan’s bowlers err in line or length, Suryakumar is primed to pounce, setting the tempo and ensuring India stay on the offensive from ball one. Then there is Jasprit Bumrah, the fast-bowling surgeon who relishes the sound of a full house and the weight of expectation. Illness delayed his entry into the 2026 tournament, but a tidy 1 for 20 against Namibia confirmed his radar is locked in. Across seven T20Is versus Pakistan he owns nine wickets at 19.33 apiece and an economy of 6.91, and memories of his Player-of-the-Match 3 for 14 in New York during the 2024 World Cup still haunt Pakistan’s top order. One yorker, one slower-ball dip, one searing bouncer—Bumrah needs only a solitary breakthrough to tilt the psychological scales. Put together, Chakaravarthy’s mystery, Suryakumar’s pyrotechnics and Bumrah’s death-over mastery give India a three-pronged ace that could decide the contest in a handful of overs. In a fixture decided by fine margins, these are the trump cards India will play—and Pakistan must counter—if either side hopes to march deeper into the knockout stages.

Super Bowl 50 champion safety T.J. Ward is unequivocal about the Denver Broncos’ trajectory: they will play for the Lombardi Trophy next season. Speaking with TMZ Sports during Super Bowl week at SI The Party, Ward declared, “They’ll be in the Super Bowl next year!!!” The former “No Fly Zone” enforcer believes Denver’s greatest asset is continuity. While NFL rosters routinely undergo dramatic turnover, the Broncos are positioned to bring back their quarterback, running backs, defense, and coaching staff intact. “Bo Nix gonna get healthy,” Ward said, referencing the quarterback who broke his ankle in the AFC Championship. “They have a rare opportunity to bring an entire team back, for the most part.” Ward, who started at safety for Denver’s championship defense in 2015, insists the franchise already owns a proven championship template. On his “Safety First Show” he has emphasized that roster stability is the league’s scarcest commodity, and the Broncos currently possess it. Asked what tweaks might be necessary, Ward downplayed the need for sweeping changes. “I mean, they really don’t need much. Man, I’d probably add a couple more weapons on offense, maybe. But we were even injured at the wide receiver position during the playoffs … they’ve got some options, man.” He also eased concerns about Nix’s recovery, stating, “It’s all good already, so he’ll be practicing in the offseason.” With ample draft capital and salary-cap space, Denver can selectively reinforce rather than rebuild. “It’s an exciting time for football in general,” Ward added. “You know the best part about football? It’s not knowing what’s going to happen.”

Barcelona travel the short distance to Catalan neighbours Girona on Monday night knowing anything less than victory could dent their La Liga ambitions. Fresh from a bruising cup exit at the hands of Atlético Madrid, Hansi Flick’s side now have the luxury of two weeks without midweek football, and the coaching staff are expected to deploy a near first-choice XI to secure three points before rotating later in the calendar. Defensive continuity despite Madrid woes Every member of the back four struggled in the Spanish capital, yet the anticipated response is faith rather than overhaul. Jules Kounde, Pau Cubarsí, Eric Garcia and Alejandro Balde—Flick’s preferred defensive unit—are set to be handed an immediate chance at redemption, with the quartet lining up in front of goalkeeper Joan. Midfield reshuffle Frenkie de Jong endured a rare subdued evening against Atlético but remains the pivot around which Barcelona build control. He is projected to partner teenager Marc Bernal at the base of midfield, while Fermín López is tipped to start in the advanced number 10 role. Dani Olmo, influential in recent weeks, is expected to drop to the bench. Winger rotation and Lewandowski’s charge Raphinha is nearing full fitness after injury, yet the medical staff are reluctant to risk the Brazilian for the full ninety. Instead, Ferran Torres is pencilled in to start on the left, allowing Raphinha to be introduced in the second half. Lamine Yamal will patrol the right flank, supplying ammunition for Robert Lewandowski, who leads the line as the central striker. Projected Barcelona XI (4-2-3-1): Joan; Kounde, Cubarsí, Eric Garcia, Balde; De Jong, Bernal; Yamal, Fermín, Ferran; Lewandowski.

By Andy Naylor Anfield, Saturday night, and the scoreboard told its own bleak story: Liverpool 3, Brighton & Hove Albion 0. Yet the numbers that will keep Fabian Hurzeler awake are the ones that never appeared on the giant screen – zero goals for the third consecutive match, four in the last six league games, and only ten since the day 20-year-old striker Stefanos Tzimas crumpled to the turf with a season-ending ACL rupture against Aston Villa in early December. The FA Cup exit was Brighton's sixth winless league stretch in league competition and, more worryingly, the latest evidence of a team that has forgotten how to turn promising approach play into the one currency that truly matters. “It was an OK performance but without any killer instinct,” summarised former Brighton midfielder Adam Lallana on TNT Sports, a verdict that cut through the polite applause for endeavour. Hurzeler’s side actually out-shot Liverpool 17-13, but only three of those efforts forced Alisson into work. The clearest opening arrived in first-half stoppage time when Curtis Jones’ slip let Diego Gomez into the box, yet the Paraguayan’s attempted curler with the outside of his right foot lacked conviction and was blocked by the Brazilian goalkeeper’s leg. At 1-0, it might have changed the narrative; at 2-0, after Dominik Szoboszlai’s classy strike and Mohamed Salah’s penalty, the tie was gone. Brighton’s wastefulness was not isolated to Gomez. Jack Hinshelwood glanced a free header over from Harry Howell’s corner; Lewis Dunk watched Alisson claw away his angled header from Pascal Gross’ delivery; and Kaoru Mitoma’s late cross found nobody attacking the six-yard box while Georginio Rutter loitered beyond the far post. Those snapshots underline a collective lack of conviction that has infected the squad since Tzimas’ injury. The Greek forward had just begun to look like the solution to Brighton's perennial No. 9 question when Villa’s challenge ended his campaign. Without him, Hurzeler has rotated between 18-year-old countryman Charalampos Kostoulas – who was comfortably marshalled by Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate on Saturday – and 35-year-old Danny Welbeck, whose own injury history makes over-reliance risky. January passed without a reinforcement, leaving the head coach to coax goals from a callow or creaking front line. Compounding the malaise, Brighton's most dangerous wide pairing has rarely been seen in tandem. Yankuba Minteh and Mitoma have started only sporadically together, the latter still regaining full sharpness after a lay-off. Mitoma looked leg-weary at Villa on Wednesday and, alongside Rutter, entered only after the hour at Anfield, six minutes before Salah’s spot-kick extinguished hope. Howell, 17, again deputised for Minteh on the right. He possesses promise but showed his rawness when a half-hearted attempt to block Milos Kerkez’s cross allowed Jones to open the scoring. Expecting teenagers to rescue a season sliding towards the relegation zone is asking a great deal. Brighton are 14th, seven points above the drop, with 12 league fixtures remaining. Their last prolific burst – 20 goals in ten games – culminated in that dramatic 4-3 loss to Villa. Since then, the only victory came against bottom-club Burnley. The numbers are stark, yet Hurzeler clings to a silver lining: the chances are still being created. “If we didn’t create that many chances, I would be more concerned,” he insisted. “It’s about bringing them into positions… having a different way of training to bring them more in front of goal.” Extra finishing drills, mood-boosting exercises and a relentless emphasis on confidence will dominate the training ground this week. Whether that is enough to reverse the slide will decide whether Brighton spend spring looking up the table or nervously over their shoulders. The moment Hurzeler speaks of – “just one moment that can change the whole situation” – must arrive soon. Otherwise, the Seagulls’ season risks being remembered not for the bright start that lifted them to fifth, but for a goal drought that dragged them into a relegation fight they never saw coming. SEO keywords:

Anfield’s gloom has lifted, if only for a night, after Liverpool dispatched Brighton & Hove Albion 3-0 to reach the next stage of the FA Cup, offering manager Arne Slot the clearest evidence yet that his evolving tactical demands are finally taking hold. The victory, secured with a clean sheet and a flurry of second-half goals, arrives at a pivotal moment for a side that has spent the autumn and early winter searching for rhythm. Slot, ever candid, singled out Mohamed Salah for special praise, noting both the Egyptian’s return to the scoresheet and his renewed willingness to track back. “It’s very nice to have him on the scoresheet again and him having an assist,” Slot said. “But I think what I like the most at the moment… he also helps the team a lot defensively. That is something very positive – what the team also needs.” The Dutch coach admitted that earlier in the campaign Liverpool “struggled a lot” to sustain intensity across congested fixtures, a shortcoming that coincided with a brief experiment to free Salah from some pressing responsibilities. The recalibration appears to have ended: Salah’s defensive graft on Sunday was matched by the industry of Hugo Ekitike, Milos Kerkez and Florian Wirtz, all of whom Slot believes are “now capable of playing at this intensity level every three days.” Kerkez, the Hungarian left-back, was the standout, delivering a performance worthy of the man-of-the-match accolade against a Brighton side that never found a foothold. From back to front, Liverpool dictated tempo, rarely allowing Fabian Hürzeler’s visitors to settle and sealing a result that, while only one game, hints at a broader upward curve. Slot stopped short of declaring the corner officially turned, stressing that the club must stack positive results to erase the early-season deficit and keep alive a push for Champions League qualification. Yet the past “seven, eight, nine, 10 games,” he insisted, reveal “the future looks really bright for this club with these players.” For supporters who have spent months riding a roller-coaster of erratic league form, the comprehensive nature of the Brighton win offers tangible hope. The challenge now is replication: Liverpool must maintain this standard through the spring if they are to claw back lost ground and secure a seat at Europe’s top table next season.

Milan—When the Opening Ceremony of the 2026 Winter Games lights up northern Italy next February, the most unlikely member of football’s first family will be working from inside the Olympic bubble. Kylie Kelce—wife of recently retired Eagles All-Pro Jason Kelce and sister-in-law to Chiefs tight end Travis—has been tapped by NBCUniversal as a featured creator in the newly formed “Milan-Cortina Creator Collective,” a 25-person digital squad charged with re-imagining how American audiences experience the Olympics. Kelce, 31, will trade the familiar autumn roar of Lincoln Financial Field for the hush of curling sheets in Cortina and the crisp alpine air of the downhill start house. Her mandate: produce first-person, mobile-first storytelling that spotlights U.S. athletes and demystifies winter sports for the millions who follow her across YouTube, TikTok and Instagram. “Unrivaled access is the phrase NBC kept using,” Kelce said in a brief interview outside the network’s Rockefeller Center headquarters after the announcement. “They want the behind-the-scenes stuff you can’t get from a broadcast camera—bus rides through the Dolomites, 5 a.m. skate sharpenings, whatever humanizes these athletes.” The partnership crystallized during the Paris Olympics last summer. Kelce, in the French capital to support the U.S. field-hockey squad—her sport of choice since second grade—cold-emailed NBC’s digital team to pitch herself as an Olympic storyteller. Weeks later she was invited to a creator summit in New York, where executives from NBC, YouTube, Meta and TikTok were vetting personalities who could speak authentically to Gen-Z and millennial audiences without alienating the traditional prime-time viewer. Kelce’s résumé checked multiple boxes: collegiate All-American defender at NCAA Division III Cabrini University, back-to-back conference titles in 2015-16, former head varsity coach at Lower Merion High School, and host of the chart-topping podcast “Not Gonna Lie,” where she has interviewed everyone from snowboarders to figure skaters. Add in 2.7 million social followers and a self-shot curling tutorial that cleared half-a-million views in 48 hours, and NBC saw a ready-made Olympic novice who could still speak fluent athlete. She will be embedded full-time in both competition clusters—Milan for figure skating, ice hockey and curling, and Cortina for alpine, bobsled and Nordic events. While rights-holding broadcasters are typically restricted to designated mixed zones, Kelce’s creator credential grants her entry to athlete villages, training venues and even the gondolas that shuttle competitors between mountains. Content will post in real time to her own channels as well as to NBC’s aggregated Olympic feeds on YouTube Shorts, Instagram Reels and TikTok. Joining her in the collective are “Saturday Night Live” scene-stealer Bowen Yang, automotive YouTuber Matthew Meager (MMG) and lifestyle creator Anna Sitar. Each will focus on a different narrative lane; Kelce’s brief is “rookie-to-rapport,” chronicling her own crash-course in winter disciplines while guiding viewers from first exposure to full-fledged fandom. “I’ve already fallen on the curling ice more times than I’d like to admit,” she joked during a recent episode of her podcast. “But if I can explain the hammer and the hack in plain English, maybe we’ll hook a few first-time viewers before the first draw.” For NBC, the strategy is part insurance policy, part growth play. Traditional Olympic ratings have softened among viewers under 35; short-form vertical video now accounts for more than 60 percent of Olympic content shares. By seeding the zone with recognizable creators, the network hopes to funnel casual scrollers back to its long-form coverage on Peacock and the flagship broadcast. Kelce insists her football lineage won’t dominate the storyline. “I’m not there as a WAG,” she said, invoking the acronym for wives and girlfriends of athletes. “I’m there because I’ve lived the grind of 6 a.m. practices and postseason heartbreak. Whether it’s field hockey or freestyle skiing, the language of sacrifice is universal.” Still, the Kelce brand carries undeniable heft. Within minutes of NBC’s press release, #KylieInMilan trended on X (formerly Twitter), and her follower count spiked by six figures. If the experiment works, executives see a template for future Games—Paris 2024 will already feature a similar cohort—and a potential pipeline of crossover talent that blurs the line between fan and broadcaster. For now, Kelce is cramming. She has booked a curling clinic in Denver, scheduled an introductory luge session at Lake Placid and binge-watched every episode of the “Road to Milan” docuseries. Her luggage, she says, will include both a GoPro and her old field-hockey stick—”a reminder that every Olympian starts somewhere.” When the flame is extinguished in Milan next February, NBC will measure success in views, shares and minutes watched. Kelce says she’ll use a simpler metric: “If one kid who’s never seen a ski jump asks to stay up late to watch the large hill, that’s a medal for me.” Keywords:

With the calendar turning to mid-February, viewers and listeners can scan the dial for a fresh slate of athletic action as outlets release their on-air schedules for the week of Feb. 15-21. No listings accompanied the announcement, leaving audiences to check local listings, network websites, and official team platforms for tip-off times, first-pitch matchups, and face-off details. The coming seven-day window traditionally features late-season college basketball conference clashes, early-season baseball exhibitions, and stretch-drive hockey, but confirmation of specific games, channels, and radio frequencies will depend on individual market guides and real-time updates from rights-holders. Listeners hoping to catch play-by-play or analysis are advised to verify regional sports networks, over-the-air affiliates, satellite radio lineups, and streaming apps, as late changes and exclusive streaming windows remain common. The reminder serves as a cue for DVR programming, antenna adjustments, and subscription audits before the week’s contests begin. SEO keywords:

The latest edition of FourFourTwo’s cult trivia column, The Pre-Match Poser, has dropped and it is already testing the limits of even the most ardent stat-collecting supporter. This week’s teaser focuses on Arsenal icon Freddie Ljungberg and the curious pattern that followed the solitary yellow card he ever received in a Premier League derby against Tottenham Hotspur. Quizmasters are challenging readers to pinpoint what was odd about the very next top-flight booking the Swedish midfielder picked up after that solitary north-London caution. The answer will be unveiled in next week’s column, giving supporters seven days of head-scratching debate across social media, pub tables and office breakout rooms. The feature also revealed the solution to last week’s brain-teaser, which asked where Edgar Davids achieved something neither Ronald Koeman nor Maniche managed in their respective home countries, and something no player or manager has replicated in England. The answer: Italy. Koeman played for and later coached the Netherlands’ big three—Ajax, PSV and Feyenoord—while Maniche appeared for Portugal’s giants Benfica, Porto and Sporting. England has yet to see anyone represent Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United, but Davids completed the Italian treble by turning out for Milan, Inter and Juventus. For those who polish off the Poser too quickly, the magazine’s quiz partner Kwizly has supplied an expanded suite of conundrums. Readers can attempt to name the 30 most populous nations never to have graced a World Cup, identify 20 missing shirt sponsors from classic kits, reel off the top 50 Champions League goalscorers of all time, or match a series of famously scathing Roy Keane quotations to their intended targets. A Weekend Crossword themed around Asian heroes and football accessories rounds out the package. As ever, the weekly poser arrives alongside FourFourTwo’s free newsletter, promising trivia, features, transfer updates and video content delivered straight to subscribers’ inboxes, with membership unlocking further quizzes, badges and leaderboard bragging rights.

MILAN – Derby d’Italia referee Federico La Penna stole the spotlight at San Siro, issuing two hotly disputed yellow cards to Juventus defender Pierre Kalulu inside ten first-half minutes and reducing the visitors to ten men in the 42nd minute of a pulsating contest they ultimately lost 3-2 to league leaders Inter. Until Kalulu’s marching orders, Juventus had responded to Andrea Cambiaso’s 17th-minute own-goal by pressing higher, equalising through Cambiaso’s close-range stab and looking the likelier side. The pivotal moment arrived when Alessandro Bastoni, already booked, tumbled under minimal contact; La Penna produced a second yellow to Kalulu rather than sanctioning the Inter man for simulation. Down a man, Juve held firm until the 76th minute when Federico Dimarco’s sumptuous cross allowed substitute Francesco Pio Esposito to head Inter in front. Manuel Locatelli’s rasping 83rd-minute drive restored parity, but Piotr Zielinski’s low strike through a crowded box seven seconds from the end of regulation settled matters. Juventus, lining up in a rare 4-3-3 shaped by Luciano Spalletti after Khéphren Thuram joined Dusan Vlahovic on the injury list, saw Michele Di Gregorio produce a string of saves to keep the depleted Bianconeri in contention. Inter manager Christian Chivu, boosted by returns for Nicolò Barella and Hakan Çalhanoglu, stuck with his familiar 3-5-2 and watched his side claim a victory that keeps them atop the table while leaving Juve directors Damien Comolli and Giorgio Chiellini remonstrating with officials at the interval and beyond. The result hinged not on tactics or finishing, but on a moment of officiating that fuelled post-match fury and endless what-ifs.

The weekend’s local broadcast slate is packed with championship-level action across three continents, giving Bay Area viewers a front-row seat to everything from Pebble Beach’s iconic fairways to Olympic-style winter showdowns and European football clashes. Saturday’s coverage begins at 10 a.m. with Big Ten men’s basketball as Indiana visits Illinois on KPIX, KOVR and KION. Golf enthusiasts can pivot to the PGA Tour at noon for the final-round telecast of the Pebble Beach Pro-Am on the same trio of stations. The NHL’s mid-season showcase follows at 2 p.m. when the U.S. and World rosters face off in the All-Star Game on KNTV, KCRA and KSBW, with radio accompaniment on 680 AM. Overnight and early-morning windows shift the focus to snow and ice. Alpine skiing’s women’s giant slalom concludes with its second run at 4:30 a.m., followed by mixed-team snowboard-cross finals at 5:30 a.m. and the women’s 10-km biathlon pursuit at 5:45 a.m.—all on KNTV, KCRA and KSBW. Speed-skating coverage picks up at 7 a.m. with men’s team-pursuit qualifying on KSBW, while Peacock streams the women’s hockey quarterfinal between Canada and Germany at 7:40 a.m. Figure skating dominates mid-morning screens. USA Network airs the pairs short program in two blocks, starting at 10:30 a.m. and continuing at noon, while KSBW carries men’s freeski big-air qualifying at 10:40 a.m. Peacock also streams the Finland-Switzerland women’s hockey quarterfinal at 12:10 p.m. Sunday’s predawn schedule is heavy on Olympic-style disciplines. USA Network has women’s snowboard slopestyle qualifying at 1:50 a.m., short-track’s women’s 1,000-meter final at 3:35 a.m. and Nordic combined’s large-hill ski-jump segment at 1 a.m. Peacock adds women’s aerials qualifying at 1:45 a.m. and Nordic combined coverage beginning at 12:10 a.m. Tennis Channel carries multiple windows of ATP and WTA play, starting with early-round action from Dubai and Rotterdam at 7 a.m. and continuing through late-night encores from Rio, Doha and Dubai at 11 p.m. CBSSN dips into European football at 6 a.m. with Kilmarnock versus Celtic in the Scottish Premier League, then returns at noon for Coventry City against Middlesrough in England’s Championship. ESPN2’s headline La Liga showdown at 11:30 a.m. features Girona FC hosting FC Barcelona. Winter-sport finals resume Sunday morning on the NBC family of stations: women’s hockey semifinals at 7:40 a.m. (opponents to be determined), bobsled’s women’s monobob third run at 10 a.m. and final run at 12:30 p.m., and women’s freeski big-air finals at 10:30 a.m. Peacock streams ski jumping’s men’s super-team large-hill event at 9 a.m. and speed-skating’s women’s 1,000-meter finals at 9:45 a.m. Figure-skating pairs conclude with free-skate segments on USA Network (10:45 a.m.) and the NBC stations (12:55 p.m.). From dawn on the ice to late-night clay-court rallies, the Bay Area’s February sports menu offers a global buffet without fans having to leave the couch.

By The Athletic Staff Every coach knows pressure, but a select group confront what insiders call “poiled-chalice” positions: iconic teams or national sides where history, politics, media and sky-scraping expectations collide. From Madrid to Manchester, New York to North London, these jobs test tactical acumen, man-management and mental resilience like no others. Using historical context rather than a single season’s snapshot, reporters across the globe assessed the most punishing benches in sport. England Men’s Football: “An Impéssible Job” The England role carries a singular burden: 58 years since a major trophy, yet the richest domestic league on the planet sits on the doorstep. Bridging Premier League wealth to national-team success has stumped successive regimes. Former manager Graham Taylor’s travails were immortalised in the documentary “An Impossible Job”; current coach Thomas Tucchel, who this week extended through the 2028 European Championship, inherits the same riddle: convert resources into results. New York Jets: “Same Old Jets” No NFL outfit is mocked more relentlessly. A 1969-Super-Book crown remains the franchise’s lone triumph; the quarterback carousel spins on; a 15-year-playoff-drought fans anger; ownership, led by Woody Johnson, is viewed as meddlesic. Head coach Aaron Glenn, a beloved former-Jet, already hears calls for change after one losing season. The “Same Old Jets” narrative, players say, seeps into every meeting room, every snap. Real Madrid: 80,000 Presidents Madrid’s 15 European Cups set a bar that tolerates no dip. President Floreente Perez expects immediate silverware, signs global stars who rarely receive detailed tactical schooling, and dismisses context like injuries. Since 2000, 18 coaches have sat in the dugout; only three 3 Champions Leagues. Former player Alvaro Arbeloa, eight matches into his tenure, already feels the heat of a membership that doubles as an electorate and a media corps that never clocks off. Scuderia Ferrari: 16 Years Without a Crown Formula 1’s most storied team hasn’t claimed a driver’s title since 2007 or a constructor’s since 2008. Team principal Fred Vasseur, appointed 2003, watched a winless 2004 season despite Lewis Hamilton’s arrival. Ferrari’s “Fifth principal since 2014” statistic underlines a culture where second is failure, and the entire Italian. 3 press catalogues every qualifying deficit. Championships are the only currency. Manchester United: Three Men, 20 Titles Only Ernest Mangnall, Sir Matt Busby and Sir Alex Ferguson have delivered English league championships to United. Since Ferguson’s 2013 retirement, six permanent managers have tried; a seventh will follow. The club’s global commercial scale, 24-hour Anglophone media and chorus of legendary ex-players with podcasts create a cocktail of historic expectation and modern noise. Spurs, Theoretical Contenders World-class stadium, London appeal, wealthy ownership — yet Tottenham’s post-Mauricio Pochettino era has produced a steady decline. Champions-League-final heights in 2019 have given way to 16th place this season. Coaches as varied as Jose Mourinho, Antonio Conte and Ange Postecoglou have each found the Spurs job harder than it looks on paper. Thomas Frank departed after 23 weeks; Igor Tudor takes over until May. Chelsea: 532-Day Average Roman Abramerchic’s 17-month managerial average has actually shrunk under BlueCo ownership. Liam Rosenior is the fourth permanent coach in four years, operating within a “head-coach” structure that leaves recruitment, medical and 3 policy to a sprawling front office. Champions League glory buys little patience; Thomas Tucchel was dismissed months after winning the 2021 trophy. New York Yankees: 27 Rings, Zero Rebuilds No baseball market rivals New York’s. The Yankees’ 27 World Series banners mean every April begins with “Title or Bust.” Owner Hal Steinbrenner spends accordingly, but manager Aaron Boone must still explain every bullpen move twice a day to a 30-strong press corps while navigating front-office analytics and clubhouse stars. Joe Torre and Joe Girardi’s silver-haired transformations illustrate the toll. Chelsea Women: Unbeaten Yet Unforgiven Sonia Bompastor’s Chelsea Women lost three of 37 Women’s Super League matches yet hear grumbling. Emma Hayes’s 16-trophy legacy set a standard where anything short of a domestic treble is viewed as failure. Global recruitment adds talent but complicates chemistry; rivals close the gap while Barcelona remain the 3 benchmark. USWNT: 1999 Echoes The United States women’s national team’s 1999 World Cup victory forged a culture of not merely winning but annihilating opponents. Head coach Emma Hayes, appointed 2003, inherits a 3 No. 2 FIFA ranking behind Spain and a shrinking talent edge. Every friendly is a statement game; development must coexist with victory on the largest stage in women’s football. The Verdict History, ownership, media, fan expectation and 3 global scrutiny intersect differently across these jobs, but the common thread is clear: winning is mandatory, patience is optional, and failure is public. Which is the hardest? The answer depends on which cocktail of stress you’d least like to swallow. Vote online and add your own nominations in the comments. SEO keywords

A fresh set of images from the Girls All-American Exposure Camp has been released, capturing the energy and talent on display at West Orange High School. The photo gallery spotlights prospects as they run through drills, compete in scrimmages, and take direction from camp staff during the one-day showcase event. The visuals offer recruiters, fans, and players a courtside look at some of the region’s top high-school talent aiming for collegiate attention.

MUMBAI, India (AP) — Cricket’s fiercest rivalry will take center stage at the T20 World Cup on Sunday when India meets Pakistan in Colombo, the fixture projected to draw more than a billion viewers and intensify an already electric tournament. With both sides aware that global bragging rights are on the line, the contest carries the weight of expectation that has long defined encounters between the neighbors. The blockbuster clash, widely regarded as the sport’s marquee matchup, arrives amid lingering questions over team composition and strategy, heightening intrigue around the outcome. While the players have kept their preparations low-key, the magnitude of the occasion ensures every run, wicket and moment in the field will be dissected by a worldwide audience. Sunday’s schedule also features the unbeaten West Indies, who enter the day without a loss and will field first against Nepal. The double-header offers a study in contrasts: a high-stakes grudge match followed by an encounter in which the Caribbean side will look to preserve its perfect record. As the Super 12 stage progresses, the India-Pakistan result could shape qualification scenarios, adding competitive heft to the spectacle. Fans across continents will tune in, underscoring the enduring appeal of a rivalry that transcends sport.

Marc Guehi’s first fortnight in Manchester City blue has been a blur of decisive interventions, calm conversations with senior team-mates and, crucially, goals that matter. The centre-back’s close-range finish against Salford City on Saturday may have sealed a 2-0 FA Cup fourth-round win over League Two opposition, yet in the context of his fledgling Etihad career it was the exclamation mark on a series of performances that have convinced Pep Guardiola he already has a defender for the next decade. Introduced in the 65th minute alongside youngsters Nico O’Reilly and Antoine Semenyo, Guehi needed only 12 minutes to settle any lingering anxiety. A Rayan Cherki shot was parried by goalkeeper Matthew Young and the 24-year-old reacted first, smashing in the rebound. It was not a strike that will feature on end-of-season highlight reels for artistry, but it embodied the anticipation and composure that have fast become his trademarks. Those qualities were on show days earlier in the Premier League. On the Wednesday he was man of the match in a hard-fought victory over Fulham, following an Anfield display in which he helped blunt a Liverpool onslaught and secure City’s first league win at the ground in front of a crowd since 2003. Guardiola, surveying a back line shredded by injuries to Ruben Dias and Josko Gvardiol in early January, pushed for the Palace captain’s signature and has been rewarded with performances that belie a player still learning his new team-mates’ names. “You have the feeling from day one,” the Catalan said, recalling Guehi’s debut against Wolves. “With the ball he has incredible composure and we didn’t train anything yet. He’s a guy you can rely on. I see it in two sessions — how he sees, how he moves, how he talks, how he reads the situations.” Guardiola’s trust has already translated into symbolic responsibility. In the closing stages of the February 1 win at Tottenham, Rodri handed the armband to Guehi, only the defender’s second appearance for the club. Startled, he immediately passed it to academy graduate O’Reilly, but the gesture underlined how quickly senior pros have embraced his presence. The manager’s admiration stretches beyond technique. “Playing good or bad, I don’t care,” he said last week. “He’s a great, great, great — you smell it — signing for Man City for the next five, six, seven, eight years. Top, top. It’s not the skills, it’s the mentality, professionalism, how he lives.” City’s pursuit of Guehi intensified once Palace’s season began to unravel and the England international found himself on a synthetic pitch in a third-round Carabao Cup defeat at Macclesfield. Guardiola even lobbied the EFL to allow the defender to feature in the forthcoming final against Arsenal, knowing regulations would block a cup-tied player. A rule tweak did permit him to start against Salford, and he capitalised. The comparison inside the club is with Manuel Akanji’s arrival in August 2022, an emergency purchase that became a lynchpin of the Treble campaign. Whether Guehi’s impact reaches those heights remains to be seen, yet the early evidence is compelling. After the final whistle on Saturday he walked the perimeter of the Etihad pitch in animated discussion with John Stones, gesturing as though still processing the speed of his ascent. Stones, the seasoned England international, listened and nodded, the old hand acknowledging the new one. City laboured for fluency against Salford, fielding a mixture of regulars seeking form and squad players chasing minutes, but Guehi’s intervention ensured there would be no cup upset. More importantly, it offered another reminder that, in a season of transition and injuries, Guardiola has acquired not just a defender but a dependable presence around whom the back line can stabilise. Manchester City still aspire to the controlled, suffocating football that defined their recent dominance. Until that level returns, they require warriors willing to throw bodies in front of shots and sense danger before it materialises. In Marc Guehi they believe they have found exactly that — and at the perfect time.

When Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy pulled the emergency lever on Ange Postecoglou’s reign, he did not dial a rookie or a safe-pair-of-hands brand name. He called Igor Tudor, the 47-year-old Croatian whose entire coaching biography reads like a last-minute rescue manual. In 12 appointments, Tudor has started a season in the dug-out only three times; the other nine arrived amid sirens, spreadsheets showing relegation probabilities, and chairmen clutching rosary beads. He is the man summoned when the walls are already cracking. The pattern began at Udinese in April 2018. The Friulians had lost ten consecutive matches, were plummeting toward Serie B for the first time since 1995, and had already discarded Luigi Delneri and Massimo Oddo. Tudor accepted the challenge with four fixtures left, harvested seven points from the last three, and kept the club up. Twelve months later Udinese were in identical trouble; again only Tudor, not even serial escape artist Davide Nicola, could resuscitate them, steering the side to 12th – their joint-best finish in 13 years. That reputation as calcio’s Harry Houdini has never been a comfortable fit for Tudor. Italy likes its categories: the tactician, the motivator, the cup specialist. Tudor was boxed as the firefighter. To broaden the perception, he accepted an offer that would have been unthinkable for many head coaches: becoming Andrea Pirlo’s assistant at Juventus in 2020-21. Pirlo had never coached; Tudor brought match-planning expertise and daily authority in the dressing-room. Juve’s nine-year scudetto streak ended, yet they still amassed 78 league points – a total the club has not surpassed since – beat Barcelona at Camp Nou and lifted the Coppa Italia. Questions persist over how much of that success derived from Pirlo’s aesthetic ideals and how much from Tudor’s organisational spine, especially given Pirlo’s underwhelming stints since. Tudor’s solo rebuttal arrived at Hellas Verona in September 2021. Verona had lost every game, media predictions wrote them off, but he transformed them into the league’s fourth-best attack and guided them to ninth with 53 points, a club record in the modern era. Giovanni Simeone’s 17-goal breakout earned the striker a Napoli transfer; Tudor’s profile rocketed. That upward trajectory tempted Olympique Marseille in 2022, but the Velodrome proved a crucible. Fans whistled him from the outset, ultras lobbied for Jorge Sampaoli’s return, and player power festered. Tudor still fashioned the second-best points haul in OM’s past eight seasons, eliminated PSG from the Coupe de France and secured Champions League football. He left, exhausted, of his own accord, saying working at Marseille felt like “two or three years at another club”. English audiences received a first glimpse of Tudor’s methods when Marseille visited Tottenham in September 2022. A Chancel Mbemba red card and two Richarlison goals sank his side, yet within three months Marseille were on a 13-match Ligue 1 unbeaten run. The boos turned to applause; the sceptics were silenced. Lazio tested the Croatian’s crisis reflexes next. Appointed in March 2024 after Maurizio Sarri’s resignation, he oversaw only one defeat in nine league matches, including a stoppage-time victory over Juventus, and dragged the club from ninth to seventh, earning Europa League qualification. Again he resigned, citing irreconcilable differences with sporting director Igli Tare and president Claudio Lotito over squad surgery. “He asked us to change eight players,” Lotito later remarked. “That was too many.” Juventus themselves turned to Tudor last spring after Thiago Motta’s seven-month project capsized following 4-0 and 3-0 humiliations by Atalanta and Fiorentina. Fifth place felt precarious amid Bologna’s trophy surge and Roma’s Claudio Ranieri bounce. Tudor lost only one of nine Serie A fixtures, clinched Champions League qualification on a dramatic final day in Venice, and had his contract automatically extended. A summer overhaul never materialised; financial fair-play restrictions meant Randal Kolo Muani’s fruitful loan – five goals in 11 games – could not be converted, and the striker instead moved to Tottenham. A subsequent eight-match winless run, exacerbated by Gleison Bremer’s meniscus tear and finishing woes, cost Tudor his post. He departed believing the corner was turning; the calendar, he argued, was softening. Now north London offers the latest cliff edge. Spurs sit mid-table, injuries mounting, the squad lacking the serial-winner mentality Tudor absorbed alongside Alessandro Del Piero and Zinedine Zidane. “Alessandro got mad if we lost a training game,” he told DAZN in August. “That was the Juventus way. I’m the same: talk in facts, lead by example.” Paratici, now advising Levy, tried to import that ethos during his own Tottenham tenure. Tudor, battle-hardened by Marseille’s cauldron and serially successful with lesser squads, represents the distilled version. He inherits a depleted roster, yet has already reshaped systems on the fly – the 3-4-2-1 that sparked Verona’s goal rush may morph to suit available personnel. The mission is unambiguous: win, whatever the aesthetic cost, until May. History says he is well-suited to the task. He has rescued clubs from deeper holes, with thinner squads, and in less time. Tottenham, wounded and desperate, have turned to the sport’s quintessential troubleshooter. If anyone can coax a pulse from a flat-lining season, it is Igor Tudor.

MACCLESFIELD, England – On a frosty January night at Leasing.com Stadium, Cameron Borthwick-Jackson stood ankle-deep in celebration confetti, the glow of floodlights reflecting off a face that finally looked relaxed. Nine days earlier the 29-year-old had helped National League North side Macclesfield FC topple holders Crystal Palace in the FA Cup third round, a result that sits 117 places above them on the English pyramid. On Monday he will walk out against Brentford for another crack at the competition that once provided his Manchester United debut. It is, he admits, the first time in years he has felt genuine joy on a pitch. “I’ve been through spells where I questioned whether I still loved the game,” Borthwick-Jackson told reporters this week, leaning against a cinder-block corridor still echoing with cheers from the Palace upset. “Signing here reminded me why I started kicking a ball in the first place.” The journey back to happiness began in the most unlikely of settings. A viral clip circulated earlier this month showing the United coach approaching Upton Park in May 2016, windows smashed by projectiles on the Hammers’ final day at the Boleyn Ground. While Jesse Lingard shouted and Michael Carrick filmed on his phone, a teenage Borthwick-Jackson sat calmly scrolling. “Double-glazed windows, privacy glass on top, police on board—what’s going to happen?” he shrugs now. “That’s just me. Cool, calm, collected.” That composure carried him into Louis van Gaal’s first-team plans the previous autumn. Handed his Premier League debut against West Brom in November 2015, the left-back started six top-flight matches and logged nearly 700 minutes as part of a youth movement that also launched Marcus Rashford. “Van Gaal was a perfectionist, but brilliant with us,” he recalls. “A lot of us owe him our careers.” Yet the managerial change that brought José Mourinho in the summer of 2016 altered the trajectory. A pre-season injury, a relocation from the senior dressing room, and a loan to Wolverhampton Wanderers began a nomadic sequence: Leeds, Scunthorpe, Tranmere, Oldham, Burton, Polish top-flight side Slask Wroclaw, and a stint at Ross County. Released by United in 2020, Borthwick-Jackson spent 18 months without a club, his passion eroded by distance from sons Theo and Carter and the breakdown of a relationship. “Poland was professional, the city beautiful, but I’d fly back, see the kids a few days, then break their hearts leaving again,” he says. “When football stopped, I was alone in an apartment asking, ‘Is this worth it?’” He returned to England in 2024, walked away from a two-year deal, and contemplated joining his father Mark in wealth management. Instead, he hired a fitness coach, trained alone, and waited. A call from Macclesfield—reborn after liquidation in 2020 and now chasing promotion from the sixth tier under John Rooney, younger brother of Wayne—arrived just after Christmas. Borthwick-Jackson signed on 2 January, started two league fixtures, and entered in the 87th minute against Palace as the Silkmen clung to a 2-1 lead. The final whistle triggered bedlam. Players sprinted toward the Town End; supporters spilled onto the pitch. Borthwick-Jackson sought out one man near the tunnel. “Dad’s been at every game since I was six,” he says, voice cracking. “He knew the tough stuff behind the scenes. Seeing him tear up meant more than any headline.” Father and son will reunite in the stands on Monday when Brentford visit for the fourth round. Training at the club’s modest Hurst Cross facility, Borthwick-Jackson insists there is no target beyond relishing each session. “I’m not plotting a return to the Championship or anything,” he smiles. “I just want Saturdays to feel like this again—win, lose, just enjoying football.” After a decade of buses with shattered glass, cross-border commutes, and lonely nights abroad, the defender who once sat unfazed amid chaos has found serenity in Cheshire’s sixth tier. For Cameron Borthwick-Jackson, that is miracle enough.

When Tottenham Hotspur’s sporting director Johan Lange and chief executive Vinai Venkatesham sit down to choose a permanent successor to Thomas Frank, they will confront the question that has tormented every boardroom in the country: how do you hire a manager who will not be out of work inside twelve months? With 31 managerial changes recorded across the 92 Premier League and EFL clubs before the turn of the year, and 48 of the current incumbents in post for less than a year, the failure rate is impossible to ignore. The answer, increasingly, depends on which club you ask. Liverpool’s owners thought they had cracked the code when they discovered the data profile that once flagged Jürgen Klopp. In 2015 the club’s research department ignored Dortmund’s sliding league position and focused on underlying numbers that showed Klopp’s side remained the second-best team in Germany on expected goals, pressing intensity and squad health. The same model resurfaced last spring when a fresh trawl of Europe’s coaches identified Feyenoord’s Arne Slot as the closest statistical match to Klopp’s high-energy blueprint. Fitness records, player-improvement indices and fan-connection metrics all pointed to the Dutchman. Brighton owner-chairman Tony Bloom has taken the idea a stage further. The moment a new head coach is appointed, Bloom commissions a rolling shortlist of replacements, tracked quarterly for performance trends, injury prevention, youth development and eventual compensation cost. The Seagulls’ reputation for selling players at huge profit is underpinned by the same relentless data monitoring applied to coaches. Yet numbers only tell part of the story. When Brentford lost Frank to Spurs last summer, director of football Phil Giles promoted set-piece specialist Keith Andrews because, in his words, “I know how good Keith is.” Continuity, personality and institutional knowledge trumped an open market search. Manchester United discovered the limits of a purely algorithmic approach after compiling a six-man shortlist last autumn based on attacking 4-3-3 metrics, Premier League experience and out-of-possession structure. Ruben Amorim’s name was nowhere on the spreadsheet, but the 39-year-old kept reappearing in agent and player conversations. United eventually abandoned the model and hired the Sporting CP coach on word-of-mouth conviction. Word of mouth remains the oldest scout in football. Clubs canvage former players, back-room staff and even rival executives for anecdotes about how candidates handle pressure, owners and dressing-room politics. The process is informal, time-consuming and impossible to quantify, yet many chairmen still trust a phone call more than a regression model. Millwall formalised the informal by engaging TransferRoom’s recruitment platform to filter managerial profiles before appointing Alex Neil in December. Elsewhere, specialist head-hunting agencies and data-driven consultancies now pitch for business at every level, though their fees can be prohibitive for League One and Two budgets. Rotherham United’s head of recruitment Rob Scott admits the club’s financial position dictated strategy when replacing Paul Warne in 2022. “We couldn’t afford a Championship retread, so we analysed the two best-performing squads in the league below and came up with Matt Taylor and Mark Bonner. We took Taylor because the data said he over-performed with a small budget. It didn’t work in the Championship, but the process was sound.” Circumstance can override every spreadsheet. Port Vale director of football David Flitcroft sought a “hearts-and-minds” appointment when the club sat 16th in League Two and heading for relegation. Darrell Clarke’s charisma arrested the slide; once Vale stabilised, the brief flipped to development-focused Andy Crosby to align with academy output. When relegation loomed again, Crosby gave way to promotion specialist Darren Moore inside two years. The churn highlights a structural flaw in English football, Scott argues. “Sporting directors aren’t accountable here the way they are in Germany or Holland. The manager holds all the power, so if you get the appointment wrong there is no safety net.” With clubs demanding tactical expertise, media savvy, youth development, sports-science literacy and upward-management skills, the modern manager must be part coach, part CEO. Whether the next vacancy is filled by an algorithm, a head-hunter or a phone call from an old team-mate, the stakes are identical: choose wrongly and another vacancy is only a run of bad results away. SEO keywords:

Weserstadion, 14 February – Bayern Munich turned a Valentine’s Day visit to the Weserstadion into a statement performance, easing past Werder Bremen 3-0 to keep their Bundesliga momentum intact. Harry Kane’s brace and Leon Goretzka’s second-half strike were more than enough to subdue the River Islanders, who rarely threatened to upset the league leaders. From the opening whistle Bayern dictated tempo, pressing Bremen into rushed clearances and winning the ball high up the pitch. Kane opened the scoring midway through the first half, converting a low cross after a sweeping move down the right. The England captain doubled the advantage shortly after the restart, clinically finishing a cut-back from Leroy Sané. Goretzka added gloss to the score-line in the 73rd minute, smashing in a rebound after Bremen keeper Michael Zetterer had parried a Kane header. The victory keeps Bayern firmly atop the Bundesliga table and underlines the depth available to the Bavarians, even as the club’s hierarchy weighs summer transfer decisions. Attention now shifts to the composition of next season’s squad, with several high-profile names swirling through the rumour mill. Central to the off-season planning is the expected completion of Dayot Upamecano’s new deal, widely anticipated to be signed this week. Once the Frenchman’s extension is official, club sources indicate that spending power for additional centre-backs will be limited. Luka Vušković, the 18-year-old Croatian currently on Tottenham’s books and starring for Hamburger SV, had been monitored by Bayern scouts, but the anticipated price tag now places him outside the club’s budget. With Upamecano, Kim Min-jae and Jonathan Tah in place, minutes would be scarce for Vušković, making a move counter-productive for both player and club. Further forward, persistent links to Juventus striker Dušan Vlahović appear to be cooling. The Serbian is approaching free-agency in June and, while Juve are open to retaining him at a reduced salary, Bayern balk at the cost-to-minutes ratio should the 24-year-old arrive as a back-up option. Vlahović’s camp has yet to field an offer that meets his wage expectations, meaning a summer move to Munich looks unlikely unless financial parameters shift dramatically. Elsewhere, Premier League interest in Bundesliga-related talent could reshape the market. Manchester City are reportedly readying an £80-100 million swoop for Nottingham Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson, a player previously floated as a potential Bayern target. The deal’s progression may hinge on Pep Guardiola’s future at the Etihad, with Manchester United also maintaining a watching brief. On the outbound front, Leon Goretzka’s departure looks all but certain at season’s end. The Germany international, who featured prominently in the Bremen win, is expected to seek a new challenge, leaving Bayern to scour the market for midfield reinforcements. One speculative option, Werder Bremen’s Nick Woltemade, has been mentioned internally, though no formal approach has been made. Conversely, Borussia Dortmund’s Nico Schlotterbeck is not on the club’s shortlist as they look to refresh the engine room. In the academy ranks, teenage defender Lennart Karl continues to draw outside attention. Real Madrid have been repeatedly linked, yet sources close to the club insist no enquiry has been submitted. Karl, who turns 18 on 22 February, is poised to sign an automatic contract extension tying him to Bayern through 2029, effectively ending exit speculation for the foreseeable future. Bayern return to training this week ahead of a packed league schedule, their confidence sky-high after the Weserstadion rout. With Upamecano’s pen set to paper and Goretzka’s farewell looming, the coming months promise as much action off the pitch as on it.

College Station, Texas — A brisk February weekend at Blue Bell Park felt more like therapy than baseball for the Texas A&M Aggies. Back-to-back victories over Tennessee Tech pushed the Maroon & White to 2-0, but the subdued celebration inside the dugout hinted at a program still haunted by the nightmare of 2025. Twelve months removed from a College World Series run that had fans dreaming of a first national title, A&M unraveled with historic speed. The preseason No. 1 team slipped out of the Top 25 before March and ultimately missed the NCAA Tournament altogether, the first top-ranked squad ever to do so. The collapse cost legendary coach Jim Schlossnagle his job—he left for rival Texas—and elevated former hitting coach Michael Early to the top spot. After a 2025 flame-out, Year 2 has already become a referendum on Early’s leadership. “Every single thing is on me,” Early said after Sunday’s 9-4 series-clinching win. “Every part of the program, you’re responsible for it.” The external skepticism is palpable. SEC coaches pegged the Aggies to finish 13th in the 16-team league, and eight regulars from a year ago are gone to the MLB Draft. Yet inside the clubhouse, optimism rests on the shoulders of three high-impact juniors who barely saw the field during the debacle. Outfielder Caden Sorrell, a projected top-10 pick when healthy, played only 26 games in 2025 before a hamstring and right-hand injury shut him down. In that limited window he slashed .337 with 12 homers and 32 RBI. Sorrell bypassed the draft, citing loyalty to Early, who recruited him in high school. “The coaches were a big part,” Sorrell said of his return. “Taking it one day at a time, getting one percent better each day—that’s the mindset.” He’s joined by preseason All-SEC third baseman Gavin Grahovac, whose freshman campaign featured a school-record 23 home runs. A shoulder injury limited Grahovac to six games last spring, but the junior says the rehab process has refocused his approach. “Every athlete needs adversity,” Grahovac noted. “I’m blessed to be here right now.” On the mound, redshirt junior right-hander Shane Sdao will take the ball on Friday nights after missing all of 2025 with elbow issues. Early calls Sdao “right on track” and still a top-150 professional prospect. If the 6-foot-4 Texan can anchor the rotation, the Aggies believe a thin pitching staff could outperform modest projections. The early-season schedule offers little breathing room. After Tennessee Tech, A&M faces a gauntlet of ranked opponents designed to rebuild an at-large tournament résumé. Early insists the outside noise—13th-place predictions, restless fans, a seat that warms with every loss—won’t steer the daily process. “The fans don’t like us losing or having a bad season,” he acknowledged. “It’s a new year. It’s a new team.” Two wins do not erase a season that many supporters would prefer to forget, but they represent the first steps toward redemption. If Sorrell, Grahovac and Sdao stay healthy, and if Early can coax production from a retooled lineup, the Aggies have the talent to make the SEC’s skepticism look foolish. Whether that translates into a regional berth—or more—will determine whether 2026 becomes the year Texas A&M climbed out of its self-dug hole, or the season that cemented a regime change. For now, the resurgence is less a declaration than a question, asked daily inside Blue Bell Park: Can Texas A&M have a resurgent year? The answer begins with staying healthy, winning series, and proving that 2025 was an anomaly rather than the new normal.

Daytona Beach, Fla. – NASCAR has revised the start time for Sunday’s 68th running of the Daytona 500, moving the green flag up one hour to 2:13 p.m. ET in an effort to outrun forecasted rain. Prerace coverage on FOX will still begin at 1:00 p.m. ET. Officials announced the adjustment Saturday evening after the National Weather Service placed the probability of afternoon showers at 50 percent, with an even greater threat of precipitation arriving Sunday night. The decision is designed to give the 41-car field the best chance of completing all 500 miles without interruption. Pole-winner Kyle Busch and front-row partner Chase Briscoe will lead the field to the start line at Daytona International Speedway, kicking off the 36-race NASCAR Cup Series championship season. William Byron, seeking an unprecedented third consecutive Daytona 500 victory, will roll off 39th and faces a daunting charge through the pack. Weather has now influenced the Great American Race for three consecutive years. The 2024 event was postponed to Monday because of persistent rain, while last year’s contest endured a three-and-a-half-hour red-flag delay. This year’s schedule shift is comparatively minor, underscoring NASCAR’s increasing reliance on real-time meteorological data to protect its marquee event. Track president Frank Kelleher and NASCAR vice president of competition Elton Sawyer both emphasized that completing the race on Sunday remains the top priority. “We’d rather start earlier and race in daylight than risk another Monday finish,” Sawyer said in the series release. With engines set to fire 60 minutes ahead of the original 3:13 p.m. ET slot, teams have recalibrated their prerace routines, and fans holding grandstand tickets have been encouraged to enter the facility as soon as the gates open at 9:00 a.m. local time.

With the 2026 World Cup on the horizon, Portugal appear to possess the most star-studded squad on paper, and manager Roberto Martínez is expected to lean on a tried-and-tested 4-2-3-1 shape that maximises both experience and emerging talent. Essential Football projects the XI most likely to take the field when the Seleção open their campaign. Between the posts, Porto's undisputed No. 1 remains the first name inked onto the teamsheet. The Dragons have resisted multiple offers for the keeper, whose reflexes and command of the area already place him among the world's elite. The global stage in North America could be the springboard that elevates him from highly rated to household name. An intriguing solution has emerged at right-back: Matheus Nunes has reinvented himself as an attacking full-back this season. While not blessed with searing pace, his distribution evokes memories of Trent Alexander-Arnold in his pomp, offering Portugal a creative outlet from deep. Anchoring the back four, Manchester City's Rúben Dias will marshal the defensive line. Despite a campaign below his usual standards, the centre-back's leadership and organisational skills remain indispensable. Beside him, Gonçalo Inácio's left-footed precision adds balance and composure when building possession from the back. On the opposite flank, Nuno Mendes has answered past critics with improved defensive diligence to complement his trademark surges forward. Many now rate the Paris Saint-Germain flyer as the planet's premier left-back. In midfield, the PSG connection takes centre stage. Vitinha, instrumental in the French club's recent success, will operate in a slightly advanced role rather than as a pure holder, allowing him to showcase the five Champions League goals he has already bagged this term. Alongside him, João Neves supplies boundless creativity and an innate understanding forged at club level, ensuring cohesion at the heart of the side. The attacking trident is headlined by Bruno Fernandes in the No. 10 position. The Manchester United captain's forward thrust and eye for spectacular strikes make him Martínez's primary creator. On the right, Francisco Trincão's prolific scoring record earns him the nod, while Rafael Leão, recovered from an injury-hit season, will terrorise full-backs from the left wing despite spending portions of the domestic calendar deployed centrally. Leading the line, 41-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo is poised for what is almost certainly his World Cup swansong. Even with a reduced workload, his presence guarantees goals and an aura that teammates and opponents alike cannot ignore. Portugal's blend of seasoned winners and exuberant prodigies has supporters daring to dream of a maiden world title. Whether Martínez can balance Ronaldo's enduring star power with the dynamism of the nation's golden generation may determine if the Seleção convert paper potential into tangible glory. Portugal predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Porto keeper; Matheus Nunes, Rúben Dias, Gonçalo Inácio, Nuno Mendes; João Neves, Vitinha; Francisco Trincão, Bruno Fernandes, Rafael Leão; Cristiano Ronaldo.

Philadelphia, PA — As the Eagles sift through the wreckage of a disappointing 2025 campaign, the spotlight has swung toward wide receiver A.J. Brown, whose subdued production has fueled whispers of a potential offseason move. Brown, once the explosive centerpiece of the Eagles’ passing attack, never fully found his rhythm this season, and the resulting trade chatter that dogged Philadelphia last year is poised to resurface in the coming months. While Brown has yet to issue a formal request, subtle signs suggest he is weighing his long-term fit with the franchise. Observers noted a series of cryptic social-media posts in recent days—likes, retweets and brief replies that, taken together, signal at least a willingness to listen if the front office explores the market. The posts stopped short of demanding a trade, but they were enough to reignite speculation that the Pro Bowl receiver could be on the move for the second straight offseason. Philadelphia’s offense sputtered throughout 2025, and Brown’s dip in production mirrored the larger struggles. Without the explosive plays that once stretched defenses, the unit finished well short of expectations, intensifying questions about roster construction and whether a reset is required. With the new league year approaching, the Eagles must decide whether to recommit to their star wideout or entertain offers that could reshape the complexion of the team. For now, Brown’s future remains unresolved, yet every online breadcrumb he leaves will be dissected until clarity arrives—either in the form of a restructured commitment or a blockbuster deal that sends him elsewhere.

Spain defender Aymeric Laporte has lavished praise on teenage Barcelona winger Lamine Yamal, claiming the 17-year-old has instilled fear in full-backs across the globe with his unpredictable dribbling and explosive decision-making. Speaking to RMC Sport, Laporte said opponents are already treating Yamal with the same trepidation once reserved for Lionel Messi when isolated in one-on-one situations. “With the ball at his feet it’s something extraordinary,” the centre-back explained. “There is no left-back in the world who can say ‘come on, dribble me, let’s see if you can’. Everyone is afraid, everyone defends by backing down, and that is what it produces.” Laporte highlighted Yamal’s vast array of options when in possession, noting that defenders are left guessing whether he will accelerate, cut inside, stop suddenly, drop the shoulder, shoot from range or slip a perfectly weighted pass to a team-mate. “It’s a bit like what they thought of Messi when he did 1 on 1: let’s see where he is going to come out, what he is going to do,” he added. Despite a bout of pubalgia earlier in the campaign, Yamal has still managed 15 goals and 12 assists in 31 appearances for Barcelona across all competitions, underlining his rapid emergence as one of European football’s most exciting talents.

In a stunning turnaround on the road, No. 5 Nebraska erased an 11-0 deficit by capturing eight consecutive matches, surging past No. 11 Illinois to secure a pivotal victory. The comeback victory keeps the Huskers’ momentum intact and adds a marquee win to their résumé as the season progresses. Nebraska, ranked fifth nationally, looked in early trouble after Illinois jumped ahead 11-0, but the Huskers responded with a flawless run of eight straight match wins to flip the dual meet on its head. The decisive stretch showcased the team’s resilience and depth, allowing Nebraska to leave Champaign with a statement road win over the 11th-ranked Illini. The result strengthens Nebraska’s position in the conference standings and provides a confidence boost heading into the final stretch of the schedule.

Less than a week after North Dakota State’s headline-grabbing jump from the FCS to the FBS, a second program is preparing to make the same leap. ESPN’s Pete Thamel reports that another unnamed team will transition to the Football Bowl Subdivision in 2026, though the announcement is expected to draw considerably less attention than the Bison’s revelation. Details about the incoming program’s identity, conference destination, and timeline beyond the 2026 season have not yet been disclosed.

Milan—Latvian supporters Vita Kalniņa and Alexander Kalniņš turned a routine preliminary-round men’s hockey game between the United States and Denmark into a quiet political statement Saturday, raising a Greenlandic flag inside the arena in a show of European solidarity with the Arctic territory. The couple, Latvian fans who now live in Germany, unfurled the red-and-white Nordic cross during warm-ups and again when Denmark opened the scoring. “For us as Europeans it was important to show up with this symbol as a symbol of European unity that we support Greenland,” Kalniņš told The Associated Press. The gesture comes amid heightened attention on Greenland after recent remarks by U.S. President Donald Trump about potentially taking control of the semiautonomous Danish territory. The flag display quickly drew notice: arena staff, citing safety concerns, asked the pair to put the banner away. “He said it was due to safety reasons, because there could be American aggressive people,” Kalniņš recounted. The couple complied but noted television cameras had already captured the moment. Greenland does not field its own Olympic team; its athletes, including biathlon siblings Ukaleq and Sondre Slettemark, compete for Denmark. Olympic venue guidelines technically permit only flags of participating countries and territories, leaving the Greenlandic flag’s status ambiguous. Kalniņa and Kalniņš said their message was simple: Greenlanders should know Europe stands with them, whether they remain part of Denmark or pursue full independence. “It’s not OK that Trump and America are this aggressive and try to incorporate the island into their country,” Kalniņš added. Inside the boards, players insisted politics never intruded. “We didn’t even mention it,” Danish captain Jesper Jensen Aabo said. “We just wanted to win a hockey game against a world-class team.” Jensen Aabo added he never spotted the flag but appreciated the thought: “Hopefully they supported us.” Spectators on both sides echoed the sentiment that sport should rise above geopolitical tension. “It doesn’t matter whatever sport it is…it has nothing to do with politics,” Danish fan Dennis Petersen said. American supporter Rem de Rohan agreed: “This is the time for people to put that down and compete country versus country and enjoy.” The United States-Denmark contest ended as a straightforward hockey showdown, yet the brief appearance of the Greenlandic flag offered a reminder that even inside an Olympic arena, world affairs can slip past the boards.