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Barcelona’s academy pipeline may be ready to deliver another first-team solution, as 19-year-old right-back Xavi Espart has been earmarked for a future role with the senior squad. Former La Masia coach Óscar Jorquera believes the defender possesses the tools to succeed at Camp Nou and, in time, succeed Jules Kounde in the position. “I spoke to him the first time he was called up to the first team and I told him how proud I was and the full confidence I had that he was fully capable and valid to take on that challenge,” Jorquera told Sport. “For me he is a player who can be perfectly in the first-team squad. Obviously he has to continue taking his steps and more now after being injured. He has to regain the trust of Barça Atlètic with Belletti.” Jorquera, who coached Espart during his formative years, recalls deploying the youngster as a pivot in Barcelona’s signature 1-3-2-1 seven-a-side system. Yet even then the coach saw positional versatility that could translate to the senior level. “When in some situation we needed to place one of the two midfielders on the outside, we placed him there,” he explained. “I think he’s a player who can make a lot of career in the Barça first team playing as a full-back.” A significant knee injury in November stalled Espart’s momentum, sidelining him for several months and delaying his push for promotion. Now back to full fitness, the defender is eager to rekindle the attention of head coach Hansi Flick, who had already noted his potential before the setback. With Kounde often deployed at right-back despite his natural centre-back profile, Espart’s emergence could offer Barcelona a home-grown alternative and free the Frenchman to return to the heart of defence. Jorquera’s endorsement adds weight to the idea that Espart’s progression is not a question of talent, but of timing and consistency in the club’s B side. As the teenager rebuilds rhythm with Barça Atlètic under assistant coach Belletti, all eyes will be on whether he can force his way into Flick’s plans and validate the belief that he is the long-term heir to the right-back role currently occupied by one of Europe’s most versatile defenders.

Birmingham and north London are plotting the same raid on France’s Rhône valley. Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur have both placed Lyon’s 25-year-old Czech midfielder Pavel Sulc at the top of their summer shortlists, according to a Daily Mail report that values the player at around £43 million. Sulc’s statistics demand attention: 13 goals in 29 appearances since his summer switch from Viktoria Plzen. Those numbers have turned heads among Premier League clubs searching for creativity without the premium attached to household names. For Villa, the need is immediate. Injuries have thinned Unai Emery’s attacking-midfield ranks, and Sulc’s ability to operate both centrally and in wide pockets dovetails with the Spaniard’s fluid 4-4-2/3-4-3 hybrid. Tottenham, operating under interim boss Igor Tudor, are recalibrating after a season of under-performance in the final third. Sulc offers craft and goal threat without the baggage of a blockbuster fee, though Lyon’s valuation could yet rise if negotiations drag. Atletico Madrid provide continental competition. The Spanish club’s Champions League pedigree and Diego Simeone’s track record of polishing creative midfielders give them a persuasive edge, yet Premier League wages and exposure remain powerful counters. Lyon are open to a sale but hope to spark a bidding war. Villa monitored Sulc last autumn yet opted to wait and assess his form in Ligue 1; his consistency since has answered those doubts. Tottenham’s recruitment team, historically split between audacious punts and pragmatic buys, view Sulc as the latter: potential without recklessness, upside without vanity. The next step belongs to the player. A second season in France could refine his game, but the current market rewards early movers. History warns of mistiming: Luka Modrić and Kevin De Bruyne flourished after patient Premier League introductions, while others vanished after premature leaps. Whichever club wins the race, the pursuit itself signals intent. Villa and Spurs both crave relevance beyond the top-four glass ceiling; securing Sulc would represent a statement of methodical ambition rather than scattergun spending.

Sunderland will welcome Fulham to the Stadium of Light on Sunday, 22 February, with both sides desperate for points after recent setbacks. The Black Cats surrendered their unbeaten home record to Liverpool last time out on Wearside, yet a victory today would leave Regis Le Bris’ men just one shy of the 40-point mark they have targeted for survival. Marco Silva’s Fulham arrive two places and two points behind their hosts, but on the back of three consecutive league defeats. Team-news boosts for Sunderland begin with the return of captain Granit Xhaka, who has been sidelined for several weeks. The midfielder trained fully this week and is in contention to start. Should Xhaka slot straight back into the engine room, record signing Habib Diarra—fresh from Africa Cup of Nations duty and a heavy recent workload—could drop to the bench. At left-back, Reinildo’s knee problem is set to keep him out for around three weeks, paving the way for Denis Cirkin to deputise. Winger Bertrand Traore remains unavailable after picking up an injury while on international duty, although he is expected to resume training within seven days. Central defender Omar Alderete should return after sitting out the FA Cup win at Oxford United with a minor foot complaint. Fulham, meanwhile, will definitely be without Samuel Chukwueze because of a calf strain, while Saša Lukić and Tom Cairney are rated doubtful. Silva told reporters on Friday that “one of them could feature” and underlined his belief that the Cottagers can prevail on enemy territory. “We were the better side against them at the Cottage in November,” he said, referencing Fulham’s 1-0 win earlier this season, “but they are a solid side and it’s going to be tough. Our ambition is to go to a tough place and show quality.” Predicted XIs Sunderland (4-2-3-1): Roefs; Mukiele, Alderete, Ballard, Cirkin; Xhaka, Sadiki; Le Fee, Hume, Mundle; Brobbey. Subs: Ellborg, O’Nien, Geertruida, Isidor, Mayenda, Rigg, Talbi, Angulo, Ta Bi. Fulham (4-2-3-1): Leno; Castagne, Andersen, Bassey, Sessegnon; Iwobi, Berge; Wilson, Smith Rowe, Kevin; Jimenez. Subs: Lecomte, Reed, Cairney/Lukić, Robinson, Bobb, Rodrigo, Cuenca, King, Tete. With both managers signalling attacking intent, Sunday’s encounter promises to be an enthralling affair as Sunderland chase the magical 40-point barrier and Fulham seek to halt their slide down the table.

Ahmedabad, 23 June – The T20 World Cup’s Super 8 stage opens here on Sunday evening with the tournament’s two pre-seeded heavyweights, India and South Africa, facing a rare commodity in global sport: a contest for which both have been able to plan, virtually to the day, since the ICC released the fixtures last November. The format, designed to protect commercial interests by locking teams into specific groups and venues, has stripped the competition of some of its spontaneity, but it has also removed any alibi for failure. India captain Suryakumar Yadav conceded as much on the eve of the match. “If I am in that situation (to decide tournament fixtures), I will definitely try and tweak it,” he said, acknowledging that pre-seeding has reduced the element of surprise. Yet he was quick to highlight the upside: “We know what teams we are playing. And we also had a good number of days in between previous games. So, we got good time to prepare for every team.” South Africa arrive even more versed in local conditions. Quinton de Kock revealed the Proteas will have played four of their five group-stage matches at the Narendra Modi Stadium by the time they leave Ahmedabad, a familiarity the wicketkeeper-batsman labelled “a double-edged sword”. Both squads feature IPL regulars who have shared dressing rooms as recently as two months ago, further shrinking the information gap. The comfort factor, however, has not diluted the pressure. India’s shock top-order wobble against the United States in Mumbai during the first fortnight served as an early alarm. “Since that USA game, we have not been thinking too much about how we plan to start our Super 8 campaign,” Surya admitted. “We started thinking more about the next day, taking one step at a time.” The skipper, usually relaxed at media briefings, struck a deliberately cautious tone on Saturday evening. “I never said we don’t have any fear. I only said that we are not worried about anything,” he clarified, pushing back against suggestions that India’s recent white-ball dominance has made them immune to nerves. “If there is no pressure, there won’t be any fun in playing this game.” Sunday’s pitch will be the same black-soil strip on which India have trained for two days, a surface chosen after South Africa’s November Test series success on similar terrain exposed the hosts’ unease against low, turning bounce. De Kock, who has kept wicket here three times already in the tournament, claimed he has yet to see significant turn, setting up what both camps expect to be a 50-50 shoot-out decided by nerve rather than nuance. With a capacity crowd poised to turn the world’s largest cricket stadium into a cauldron, the message from both dressing rooms is identical: no more dress rehearsals, no more safety nets. As De Kock put it bluntly, “It’s just a matter of being out there, who crumbles under pressure first.”

Jurgen Klopp has lifted the lid on the invisible departure that followed James Milner out of Anfield in the summer of 2023: the club’s entire rulebook. Speaking to ESPN after the 40-year-old became the Premier League’s all-time leading appearance-maker with 654 games for Brighton, Klopp said the full-back’s exit forced Liverpool to rebuild its internal disciplinary structure from scratch. “He’s probably the most disciplined, most stubborn, most strict professional football player I ever worked with,” Klopp said. “At the same time he has the biggest heart.” The German coach traced Milner’s influence beyond the pitch, explaining that the midfielder quietly policed squad fines and daily standards. “Somebody came in my office and asked, ‘What’s the fine?’ I said, ‘I have no clue who did that so far.’ ‘Oh, Millie.’ So he took all with him. Not the money, but all the rules. We had to set it up completely new because Millie left.” Klopp believes that unseen stewardship underpinned Liverpool’s dressing-room culture during eight trophy-chasing seasons. He also praised Milner’s adaptability, noting that the veteran’s willingness to operate across multiple positions “gives you a longer lifeline,” a trait that kept him central to the club’s strongest campaigns. Andy Robertson echoed the sentiment, reminding observers that Milner’s “mentality and character” should not overshadow his quality as a footballer. Jordan Henderson previously labelled Milner “a pair of captains,” highlighting leadership that never relied on an armband. With the record now belonging to Brighton’s No. 20, Klopp’s reflections serve as a reminder that Milner’s 600-plus top-flight outings rest on more than durability; they are built on the daily enforcement of standards that once lived inside Melwood and Anfield, and left when he did.

ROCHESTER — Miles Barclay’s final high-school match inside Mayo Civic Center will be remembered as the signature moment of the Section 1A tournament. The St. Charles senior toppled top-seeded and state-title favorite Jameson Priebe of Chatfield with a second-period pin to claim the 121-pound championship, igniting a deafening roar from the crowd and the Saints’ bench. Barclay, wrestling with blood-stained teeth, said the victory was about more than hardware. “A big part of my goal this year was to just leave on a note for a new era of St. Charles wrestling,” he explained. “Doing this as a senior is a good thing to leave on a high note for the younger guys to look up to.” The underdog struck first with a first-period takedown. Priebe countered in the second with an escape and takedown for a 4-2 lead, but Barclay calmly escaped, then unleashed the match-ending maneuver that brought the sold-out arena to its feet. “I just let it fly, just like my dad always says,” Barclay said. The win was the tournament’s biggest shock and one of only two upsets in the championship round. Lewiston-Altura’s Christian Zibrowski also stunned Chatfield, edging Logan Pearson 4-3 at 127. Both Priebe and Pearson rebounded in the true-second bout to secure state berths, part of a seven-athlete Chatfield contingent that will compete next Thursday at 9 a.m. in the Grand Casino Arena, St. Paul. Joining Barclay as a Saint state qualifier is 160-pound runner-up Bryndon Koeppel. Chatfield’s qualifiers include champions Joey Cady (107), Kaisen Johnson (133) and Hunter Polikowsky (145), plus runners-up Priebe, Pearson, Layne Root (139) and Will Boelter (215). Johnson, a four-time state entrant who will wrestle and play football at Division III St. John’s, settled the Gophers with a 15-0 tech fall in the 133 final. “He doesn’t have a medal yet. That’s really high on his list,” coach Matt Mauseth said. Including girls qualifiers, Chatfield will send 12 individuals to state and remains a favorite for a third straight Class 1A team title. Section 1A champions 107: Joey Cady, Chatfield 114: Arlyn Von Knobelsdorff, Goodhue 121: Miles Barclay, St. Charles 127: Christian Zibrowski, Lewiston-Altura/Rushford-Peterson 133: Kaisen Johnson, Chatfield 139: Owen Lange, Lewiston-Altura/Rushford-Peterson 145: Hunter Polikowsky, Chatfield 152: Henry Dohnalik, La Crescent-Hokah 160: Talen Rabe, Dover-Eyota 172: Will Allen, Caledonia/Houston 189: Kane Larson, Fillmore Central/Lanesboro/Mabel-Canton 215: Cooper Allen, Caledonia/Houston 285: Jack Carlson, Goodhue

MADISON — The celebration began with a single fist, stick still clenched in hand, and ended with Kason Muscutt engulfed by teammates, arms spread wide beneath the Kohl Center rafters. In between came the moment that will live on Michigan hockey highlight reels: a no-look deflection that tied the game, ignited a dormant bench, and announced the unheralded freshman as the newest Wolverine to etch his name into program lore. Seven minutes into the first period, with No. 2 Michigan trailing No. 13 Wisconsin 1-0 and searching for a spark, sophomore defenseman Ben Robertson unloaded a shot from the blue line. Muscutt, stationed in the slot and facing away from the net, subtly redirected the puck past the unsuspecting goalie. The arena erupted; the Wolverines exhaled. “Really good story,” coach Brandon Naurato said afterward. “A credit to him as a person and his character … to see how excited the guys were when he scored was really cool.” Six weeks ago, such a scene felt impossible. Muscutt wasn’t even on Michigan’s roster until a midseason transfer became necessary after Teddy Spitznagel’s departure. He logged three total minutes in his first two games against Minnesota, worked his way onto the penalty kill against Ohio State, and had settled into life as an extra forward—until Saturday, when he lined up on the third unit with fellow freshmen Cole McKinney and Adam Valentini. Less than two months after arriving in Ann Arbor, the Shreveport, Louisiana native—believed to be the first in program history from the Pelican State—has gone from depth insurance to difference-maker. The goal was the exclamation point on a rapid ascent that even Muscutt might have doubted in early January. “I love that kid,” senior defenseman Luca Fantilli said. “He’s a psycho … but he’s honestly such a good guy. He fit in like he was here the whole time.” Muscutt’s joy carried an extra layer. In SEC country, where football, baseball and basketball dominate dinner-table talk, a kid from northwest Louisiana rarely finds himself on hockey’s biggest collegiate stage. On Saturday, every Shreveport youth player watching back home saw one of their own tie a game Michigan would ultimately win 3-1. “That’s really what it’s all about,” Muscutt said. “You’ve got to remember where you came from. I feel the support in Wisconsin from Shreveport, 100%.” The deflection itself was equal parts instinct and audacity—back to goal, stick blade angled just so, puck ricocheting skyward and in. It erased Wisconsin’s early momentum and provided the jolt the Wolverines needed to seize control. From there, Michigan rolled, adding two more goals and cementing another victory in what has become a championship-caliber season. For Muscutt, the stat sheet now shows one game-tying goal, a tangible reward for six relentless weeks of practice, video sessions and proving he belonged. For his teammates, it was a reminder that every roster spot on this team is earned, not given. And for a sport still planting roots in the American South, it was proof that talent can sprout anywhere—even along the Red River. The goal, the celebration, the victory: three phases of joy befitting a fairytale still being written.

Lisbon, 18 February — On a balmy winter evening at Estadio da Luz, Benfica’s 4-0 stroll past basement side AVS should have felt like a respite. Instead, it served as the calm before a storm that shows no sign of abating. Four days earlier the same stadium had welcomed a record 66,387 spectators for the Champions League knockout-round play-off against Real Madrid. By the final whistle, the only statistic that mattered was the allegation levelled by Vinícius Júnior: that 20-year-old Benfica midfielder Gianluca Prestianni repeatedly called him “a monkey”. Prestianni denies the claim; UEFA’s investigation is ongoing. What followed has plunged one of Europe’s most storied clubs into a reputational crisis. Benfica’s official social-media channel posted a video insisting the Madrid players could not have heard any slur “given the distance”, a stance that drew immediate condemnation. “The club regrets the defamation campaign of which the player has been a victim,” the accompanying statement added. Manager José Mourinho’s post-match remarks only intensified the backlash. Citing Eusébio’s legacy as evidence of the club’s anti-racist credentials, Mourinho appeared to question Vinícius’s goal celebration rather than address the core complaint. Bayern Munich’s Vincent Kompany called the comments “unacceptable”; World Cup winner Lilian Thuram labelled them “small-minded”; FIFA president Gianni Infantino expressed shock. Inside Portugal, the reaction has been equally scathing. Record’s Thursday front page screamed “UNDER SIEGE”; A Bola referenced the “worldwide reaction”. Even club icon Luisão reportedly said he was “ashamed” by the “racist act”. Against AVS, Prestianni was absent through suspension, and the stands offered no visible support for the youngster. The loudest cheer of the night came when 18-year-old Black striker Anísio Cabral, already a fan favourite, entered the fray late on — a moment that underlined the contradictions now enveloping the club. “I’ve been disappointed with my club,” lifelong supporter Ricardo Silva told The Athletic beneath Eusébio’s statue, where fans traditionally gather before kick-off. “A very serious allegation was made and it wasn’t given enough respect… Mourinho has disrespected the name of Benfica and of Eusébio.” David Falcão, who runs the influential Coluna Vermelha fan account, believes whoever authorised the club’s social-media posts “should be dismissed”, though he feels Mourinho’s words were partially misinterpreted. “My understanding is that he chose to remain neutral,” Falcão said. Neutral or not, Mourinho refused to elaborate after Saturday’s win. “I don’t want to comment,” he said when asked about Vinícius, before a press officer cited UEFA’s ongoing probe. “It has been difficult for everyone… but today they and I were able to be professional.” Professionalism will be scrutinised again on Wednesday when Benfica walk into the Bernabéu for the second leg, trailing 3-1 on aggregate and carrying a heavier burden still: the gaze of a global audience waiting to see whether any lessons have been learned from a week that has left Portuguese football’s biggest name facing questions far beyond the scoreboard.

Harry Kane has brushed off suggestions that he could swap the Allianz Arena for the Camp Nou after Barcelona presidential hopeful Xavi Vilajoana claimed to have opened talks with the England captain. Vilajoana, campaigning to take the club’s top office, told reporters he had already made contact with the Bayern Munich striker and believes Kane would be a “great fit” for the Blaugrana. The 30-year-old, however, insists he is unaware of any approach. “I haven’t heard anything about it. My father and brother handle everything, but they haven’t said anything to me,” Kane said following Bayern’s latest Bundesliga outing, in which he struck twice to lift his league total to 28 goals this season. “As I’ve already said, I’m very happy here at Bayern. I’m focused on this season and my time at Bayern. I take it as a compliment.” The brace keeps Kane within striking distance of Robert Lewandowski’s single-season Bundesliga record, intensifying the spotlight on a player who only last summer arrived from Tottenham Hotspur. With a contract already running until 2027, Kane is widely expected to extend his stay in Munich rather than entertain fresh suitors. While Vilajoana’s pitch may play well on the Catalan campaign trail, Kane’s immediate priorities remain in Germany, where Bayern are locked in a tight title race and the striker continues to chase history.

Pamplona—Real Madrid left El Sadar with nothing to show for their efforts after a dramatic late collapse saw them fall 2-1 to Osasuna, a result that keeps the La Liga title race wide open and hands Barcelona the initiative. The visitors clawed their way back into the contest through Vinicius Jr.’s 73rd-minute strike, but a single lapse in the 89th minute proved fatal. Pressured inside his own third, substitute Dani Ceballos mishit a pass straight to an Osasuna shirt. The hosts pounced instantly, carving open Madrid’s scrambling defense and burying the winner seconds later. The goal, born of Ceballos’ turnover, sealed a defeat that leaves Los Blancos reflecting on more than just a lost three points. Within hours of the final whistle, the 26-year-old Spaniard took to Instagram to shoulder the blame. “I take responsibility,” he wrote, accompanying the message with a gesture asking supporters for forgiveness. His public mea culpa underlines a mature acceptance of accountability, the type of leadership Madrid will need if they are to bounce back quickly. Yet the loss cannot be laid solely at Ceballos’ feet. Osasuna dominated large stretches, created the clearer chances, and led from the spot in the first half before Madrid’s belated response. For a squad of Madrid’s pedigree, the contest arguably should never have hinged on a single wayward pass in the dying moments. Attention now turns to midweek, when a pivotal UEFA Champions League fixture looms. Manager Álvaro Arbeloa and his staff must regroup, address the side’s struggles against high pressing, and restore confidence across the squad—Dani Ceballos included. Keywords:

Pallekele, Sunday, 22 February – A duel of wits between two spin-heavy outfits will headline the Super Eight clash at the T20 World Cup 2026 when England confront Sri Lanka at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium. The afternoon fixture, scheduled for a 3:00 PM IST start (toss at 2:30 PM IST), carries added weight for both sides after contrasting group-stage campaigns. England, two-time champions of the competition, arrived in Sri Lanka buoyed by a 3-0 T20I sweep of the hosts earlier this month, yet have spluttered through the opening round, edging past associate opponents before falling to the West Indies. A return to Pallekele—where they dominated Sri Lanka so recently—offers a timely chance to relocate their rhythm. Sri Lanka, conversely, surged into the Super Eights with wins over Ireland and Oman and a statement eight-wicket chase against Australia, only to stumble against Zimbabwe in their final group outing. Home advantage and a fresh slate in the next phase could prove pivotal for Dasun Shanaka’s squad. Weather, however, threatens to play spoilsport. Forecasts point to light-to-heavy rain spells and a 20 per cent chance of thunderstorms, raising the prospect of interruptions on match day. The Pallekele surface traditionally begins batsman-friendly, offering true bounce and pace before slowing and bringing spinners to the fore. The venue record of 263 for 3, posted by Australia against Sri Lanka in 2016, underlines the early scoring potential. Star Sports Network will carry the live television broadcast across India, while the Jio Hotstar app and website will provide streaming access. Real-time updates will also be available on TimesofIndia.com. England squad: Harry Brook (c), Tom Banton, Jos Buttler, Ben Duckett, Phil Salt, Jacob Bethell, Sam Curran, Liam Dawson, Will Jacks, Jamie Overton, Rehan Ahmed, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, Josh Tongue, Luke Wood. Sri Lanka squad: Dasun Shanaka (c), Kusal Mendis, Kamil Mishara, Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Perera, Pavan Rathnayake, Charith Asalanka, Dushan Hemantha, Janith Liyanage, Kamindu Mendis, Dushmantha Chameera, Dilshan Madushanka, Pramod Madushan, Maheesh Theekshana, Dunith Wellalage.

Sitges, Spain – Under cloudless skies at the Hotel Port Sitges Resort, Joan Laporta brought his campaign trail to the Catalan coast on Saturday night, urging more than 200 socis to entrust him with a second spell as Barcelona president. Speaking beneath a banner that read “We Defend Barça,” the 57-year-old lawyer framed the upcoming election as a choice between hard-won stability and what he termed “inexperienced hands.” The rally carried a symbolic flourish: Alejandro Sacristán, son of former player and coach Eusebio Sacristán, presented Laporta with a replica of the commemorative tile that will soon be mounted in the Passatge Johan Cruyff alongside tributes to Cruyff himself and Eusebio. The gesture, greeted by sustained applause, underlined Laporta’s effort to cast himself as the natural heir to the club’s most revered figures. Addressing members seated around the resort’s outdoor terrace, Laporta delivered a confident audit of his previous tenure and the current board’s record. “The club is objectively and indisputably better than five years ago,” he declared, citing a financial turnaround, renewed institutional credibility and a return to global relevance. He credited “relentless work, courageous decisions and a team that has always put the crest above any other interest.” The former president reserved sharp words for his challengers, warning that unfinished projects—most notably the ongoing redevelopment of Spotify Camp Nou—could stall if leadership changes. “The club must not fall into inexperienced hands,” he said, without naming rivals Víctor Font, Marc Ciria or Xavier Vilajoana. Laporta also pledged to protect “democracy, freedom and Catalan culture,” themes that have long anchored his political messaging inside the club. Outside the Laporta camp, the opposition remains fragmented. Attempts to coalesce behind a single candidate have faltered, leaving the incumbent well placed to capitalise on a divided electorate. Som un Clam, a prominent Barcelona supporters’ group, released internal polling indicating that roughly one third of members back Laporta, one third are openly critical and the final third are undecided. With no joint ticket in sight, the risk of vote-splitting among anti-Laporta factions appears high. Font, who continues to position himself as the modernising alternative, told a recent gathering: “There are two types of barcelonismo: the ‘personalist’ model and the alternative model many members have in mind.” He argues that every precandidate except Laporta is committed to “professionalising and modernising the club,” and renewed his call for unity. “It makes perfect sense for us to come together,” Font insisted, though talks have yet to produce an agreement. As the race enters its final stretch, Laporta’s itinerary is expected to take him to several Catalan towns where socis hold decisive voting blocs. With the opposition still scrambling to find common ground, the path back to the presidency looks increasingly clear for the man who last held the office during Barcelona’s golden era.

Las Vegas — Ryan Garcia stamped the finest night of his turbulent career with a near-shutout unanimous decision over Mario Barrios on Saturday, seizing the WBC welterweight title before a roaring crowd at T-Mobile Arena and claiming full world-champion status for the first time. The 27-year-old Californian announced his intentions immediately, flooring Barrios with a crisp right cross in the opening round. Although the knockdown would remain the fight’s lone official knockdown, Garcia never relinquished control, circling, countering and repeatedly piercing the southpaw champion’s guard with the same right hand that had shocked him early. Judges saw the contest identically in spirit if not in exact totals, turning in cards of 119-108, 120-107 and 118-109, all for Garcia. The lopsided tallies reflected a bout that grew increasingly one-sided as Barrios, 30, searched for answers that never materialized. After back-to-back draws entering the night—including a controversial stalemate with 46-year-old legend Manny Pacquiao last summer—the Texas native has now gone three fights without a victory. Garcia’s dominance came despite a potential handicap. Mid-fight his father and head trainer told DAZN that his son’s right hand might be injured, yet Garcia kept the weapon in play, mixing in combination punching to keep Barrios hesitant and head-snapping. By the championship rounds Garcia was content to box safely, confident the scoreboards were secure. The triumph caps a redemption arc that few fighters ever navigate. In 2023 Garcia was stopped by Gervonta Davis; in 2024 his career-best win over Devin Haney was expunged after a failed drug test; and in early 2025, fresh off a one-year suspension, he was dropped and outpointed by underdog Rolando Romero. Against Barrios he looked reborn, fast, disciplined and, for the first time in years, unburdened. “It feels great, man, but it feels better to be a child of God, to be honest,” Garcia told DAZN’s Bernardo Osuna in the ring. “I dedicate this to my dad, though. I wanted to show my full arsenal. I believe it was a kind of masterclass, but I should’ve got the finish. I hurt my right hand, [and] Mario’s a tough warrior, a fellow Mexican-American. I hurt him multiple times, but like I said, he’s a tough son of a b—.” Attention now pivots to what looms for the newly crowned titlist. British puncher Conor Benn had been installed as the WBC’s mandatory challenger, yet Friday’s bombshell that Benn is leaving Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom stable to join Dana White’s nascent Zuffa Boxing promotion has muddied those waters. White has signaled an intention to operate outside traditional sanctioning-body politics, leaving a Benn-Garcia showdown uncertain. Garcia already has a preferred dance partner. Wearing the gold strap, he called out fellow American Shakur Stevenson, who captured the WBO welterweight belt in January by outclassing Teofimo Lopez in New York. “You know who I want,” Garcia said, grinning toward the camera. “He’s right there: Shakur Stevenson. Let’s go, let’s run that s—. I’m not scared of anything.” Whether the boxing power brokers can deliver Garcia-Stevenson remains to be seen. For one night, though, the sport’s most enigmatic star shed the chaos that has long trailed him, standing center ring as a legitimate, line-bearing champion. The road to this moment detoured through suspensions, defeats and self-inflicted setbacks, but on a neon-lit Strip evening Ryan Garcia finally authored the chapter he has promised since teenage prodigy days: the one that reads champion, undisputed and undeniable.

Nottingham Forest will welcome reigning Premier League champions Liverpool to the City Ground on Sunday, with Vítor Pereira taking charge of his first home match since assuming managerial duties. The fixture carries added spice after Forest’s stunning 3-0 victory at Anfield in November, a result that fuels hopes of a first league double over Liverpool in the club’s history. Pereira’s reign began in emphatic fashion on Thursday night, as Forest swept past Turkish giants Fenerbahçe 3-0 in the Europa League, injecting fresh belief into a squad hovering just above the relegation places. Domestically, the Tricky Trees occupy 17th position, three points clear of the drop zone, and know that another positive result against high-profile opposition would provide precious momentum in the survival fight. Liverpool, meanwhile, arrive in the East Midlands seeking to strengthen their push for a top-four finish. Arne Slot’s side sit sixth, three points behind fourth-placed Manchester United, and have lost only twice in their last 19 competitive outings. A gritty 1-0 win at Sunderland last time out on the road ended the Black Cats’ long unbeaten home record and offered encouragement that the Reds can cure their travel sickness. Team-news wise, Forest remain without defensive trio Willy Boly, Nicolò Savona and John Victor, all of whom are nursing knee problems. Leading scorer Chris Wood is still unavailable, and first-choice goalkeeper Matz Sels continues to be troubled by a groin complaint, meaning on-loan Stefan Ortega will retain his starting berth. Fortunately, no fresh injuries were picked up during the European excursion. Liverpool’s casualty list includes Jeremie Frimpong, who remains sidelined with a muscle injury, while midfielder Wataru Endo is set for an extended absence after being stretchered off at the Stadium of Light. Conor Bradley, Alexander Isak and Giovanni Leoni remain long-term absentees, but Joe Gomez has recovered sufficiently to start if called upon. Nottingham Forest have proved stubborn opponents of late, losing only one of their last six Premier League encounters despite remaining winless in that sequence. They have, however, drawn three successive home league fixtures and have failed to score in 12 top-flight matches this term—only rock-bottom Wolves have been shut out more often. Encouragingly, they are unbeaten in their last three meetings with Liverpool and have lost just once at the City Ground since September. Liverpool’s recent form is trending upward: four wins from their last five in all competitions, including a 3-0 FA Cup dismissal of Brighton. Yet their away league form has underwhelmed, and historically they have found the City Ground a graveyard, prevailing on only one of their previous 15 league visits. Predicted line-ups suggest both managers will field attacking XIs. Forest are expected to line up: Ortega; Aina, Milenkovic, Murillo, Williams; Anderson, Sangare; Hutchinson, Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi; Jesus. Liverpool could start: Alisson; Szoboszlai, Konate, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Mac Allister, Gravenberch; Salah, Wirtz, Gakpo; Ekitike. Sky Sports Main Event will broadcast the match live in the UK, with coverage beginning at 13:00 GMT.

Colombo: The skies over R Premadasa Stadium refused to relent, and with it Pakistan’s T20 World Cup 2026 ambitions were plunged into uncertainty. Not a single delivery was bowled in Wednesday’s marquee Super 8 contest against New Zealand, forcing officials to abandon the fixture and award each side one point. The shared spoils have left both pre-tournament favourites scrambling for breathing room in a group where only the top two will progress to the semi-finals. For Pakistan, the arithmetic is now stark. With two fixtures remaining—against England and Sri Lanka—only maximum points will guarantee safe passage. Two victories would lift Babar Azam’s side to five points, a tally that, according to tournament regulations, should secure a last-four berth. Anything less invites chaos. A lone win paired with a defeat would leave the 2022 champions marooned on three points, reliant on a labyrinth of net-run-rate scenarios and other contenders slipping up. Back-to-back losses would end the campaign on the spot. New Zealand confront an identical equation. The washout keeps their destiny in their own hands but raises the stakes for forthcoming clashes. Kane Williamson’s unit must now win out to avoid being dragged into a congested mid-table dogfight. Wednesday’s no-result also leaves the wider group dynamic opaque. Because this was the opening Super 8 assignment for both sides, the standings remain a moving target until every team has logged at least one outing. What is certain is that the rain has compressed the margin for error and intensified every remaining fixture. Pakistan’s management will spend the next 48 hours recalibrating training plans, monitoring Colombo’s fickle weather, and crunching qualification scenarios. Their supporters, meanwhile, will watch the skies as closely as the scoreboard, aware that another downpour could upend calculations just as ruthlessly as it did here. SEO keywords:

Catarina Macario’s 2025 was supposed to be a launchpad. Eight goals in ten U.S. appearances, three in the December friendlies against Italy, and a growing on-field chemistry that had teammates and coaches talking about a fully realized star entering her prime. Instead, two months into 2026, the 26-year-old finds herself sidelined by a heel injury, off both Chelsea’s Champions League roster and the USWNT squad for next month’s SheBelieves Cup, and—most consequentially—four months from the expiration of her Chelsea contract. The timeline is now the story. Macario last played on Dec. 10 in a Champions League group match against Roma. A week earlier she had torched Italy in Florida, but heel pain that flared before Christmas has kept her in rehabilitation ever since. Chelsea manager Sonia Bompastor, who lifted the 2021 Champions League trophy with Macario at Lyon, labeled the striker “heading in the right direction” on Jan. 16, yet ruled her out for the subsequent FA Cup tie. U.S. head coach Emma Hayes, who brought Macario to London in 2023, left her off the 23-player SheBelieves roster released last week, stating simply: “She’s not available for selection.” Availability is only part of the equation. Sources tell The Athletic that Macario has already turned down Chelsea’s extension offer, opening a bidding window that stretches across Europe and back to her adopted home state of California. ESPN reported advanced negotiations between Macario and NWSL side San Diego Wave on Feb. 13; The Athletic describes the Wave as “front-runners.” A move to the U.S. would mark Macario’s first professional season on home soil since her Stanford days and would coincide with the introduction of the league’s High Impact Player rule, a mechanism that allows clubs to spend up to $1 million above the salary cap on marquee signings—though the provision is currently being challenged by the NWSL Players Association. For Chelsea, the stakes are equally acute. The reigning WSL champions trail Manchester City by nine points and must navigate a quarter-final against continental holders Arsenal without their American No. 9. An early transfer would at least yield a fee; after June 30, Macario can walk for nothing. She is not the only Chelsea star whose deal expires this summer, but her departure would remove a potential game-changer ahead of a 2027 World Cup cycle in which England’s top flight hopes to reassert global dominance. Wherever Macario lands, minutes are the priority. An ACL tear in 2022 limited her to intermittent cameos, and the current heel issue has again interrupted momentum. Hayes, who capped 44 players in 2025, still lists Macario and fellow forward Sophia Wilson as her first-choice nines “if fit,” evidence that the coaching staff views a healthy Macario as central to its Brazil 2027 plans. The question is whether she can reach that tournament at full strength—and in the right shirt. The clock ticks toward March 16, the final day NWSL teams can register new players, and toward July 1, when Macario’s Chelsea tenure officially ends. Between now and then, every week of rehab, every training session, every phone call from an interested club will shape not merely a career crossroads, but the attacking identity of the U.S. women’s national team itself.

James Milner etched his name into English football history on Saturday, surpassing former Aston Villa and Manchester City midfielder Gareth Barry to become the outright record-holder for most Premier League appearances with 654 and counting. The milestone arrived hours before Liverpool’s evening kick-off against Nottingham Forest, prompting tributes from supporters and team-mates who have watched the 38-year-old evolve from explosive winger to relentless utility man. Milner’s decade-long stint at Anfield forms the emotional core of the achievement. Signed from Manchester City in 2015, he played every minute of the 2019-20 title-winning campaign that ended Liverpool’s 30-year wait for a top-flight championship. Yet the numbers only tell half the story. Jurgen Klopp, who managed Milner for eight seasons, credits the Yorkshireman’s longevity to a rare willingness to reinvent himself for the collective good. Most memorably, Klopp asked Milner to convert to full-back midway through the 2016-17 season; after initial reluctance, Milner mastered the role, delivering consistent performances that helped Liverpool return to the Champions League. Klopp believes that single act of adaptation was a sliding-doors moment: had Milner declined, the pathway to 654 appearances might have closed. Instead, the veteran’s readiness to “find a way onto the pitch by any means necessary” prolonged a career that began as a 16-year-old at Leeds United in 2002. The feat underlines a trait the German coach labels the separator between elite professionals and the rest—an unyielding drive to remain indispensable, even when it means learning a new position in the autumn of a career. Liverpool supporters greeted the record with familiar chants of “There’s only one James Milner,” a nod to the understated consistency that has made him a cult hero at every club he has represented. With the tally still climbing, the Premier League’s new Iron Man shows no sign of resting on his laurels.

With the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics closing on Sunday, Feb. 22, the global sporting calendar pivots toward the next chapter: March’s Winter Paralympics in the same Italian venues and, beyond that, a decade of Games that will twice return to U.S. soil. Los Angeles will be the first American host city in the sequence, staging the 2028 Summer Olympics from July 14-30. Those same venues will welcome the Summer Paralympics two weeks later, Aug. 15-27, giving southern California a 43-day stretch of nonstop world-class competition. The 2030 Winter Games head to the French Alps, Feb. 1-17, followed by the Winter Paralympics, March 1-10. Brisbane, Australia, will make its debut as an Olympic host in 2032, running July 23-Aug. 8 and closing the continent’s gap since Sydney 2000. Its Paralympic counterpart will follow Aug. 24-Sept. 5. Salt Lake City, host of the 2002 Winter Olympics, returns for a second turn in 2034, Feb. 10-26, with the Winter Paralympics set for March 10-19. The Utah capital becomes the third U.S. city on the upcoming docket, ensuring American audiences will witness both summer and winter editions within six years.

Milan-Cortina, Italy – When Boone Niederhofer steps onto the bobsled track this week, he will become the first Texas A&M football player ever to compete in a Winter Olympics, completing a journey that began as a preferred walk-on wide receiver catching passes from Johnny Manziel and Kyler Murray while dodging a future No. 1 overall draft pick, Myles Garrett. Niederhofer, 29, is the brakeman for USA-2 in the four-man bobsled, an unlikely destination for a petroleum engineer from Midland, Texas whose only childhood exposure to the sport was repeatedly watching Cool Runnings with his brother. “Never thought I was going to do it,” he admitted, laughing. “I just loved to compete.” That competitive streak carried him from Midland High to College Station after he turned down his lone scholarship offer—Abilene Christian, his father’s alma mater—to chase an SEC dream. He spent two seasons on the scout team, earned an engineering degree and, in 2014, recorded a career-best 29 receptions for 293 yards, including a 42-yard catch against LSU. An ACL tear during his senior season ended any thought of pro-day heroics, so Niederhofer moved to Houston, took a job in oil-and-gas, married Chloe and settled into what looked like a quiet life. Then came a layoff, a phone call from fellow former Aggies walk-on Sam Moeller, and an invitation to try bobsled. “I dove all in,” Niederhofer said. “The start is everything—speed, power, explosiveness. That’s football.” Balancing fatherhood, full-time work as a production engineer in the Permian Basin and international sliding circuits, he trained at dawn, lifted at lunch and worked remotely from Europe while Chloe and their two toddlers followed the tour. The payoff: a fourth-place finish at last season’s world championships in Lake Placid and, now, an Olympic start. “Our goal is always to medal,” he said. “We’ve got the athletes and the equipment. We just have to perform.” Back in Texas, the Aggies’ never-ending group text—Johnny Football, Myles Garrett, Christian Kirk, Armani Watts and dozens more—lit up when Niederhofer shared his roster news. “Really cool amount of support,” he said. “People from every season of life reached out. That’s been uplifting.” From Kyle Field’s 100,000-seat roar to a 85-mph fiberglass tube on ice, Niederhofer’s route may be the most improbable path in Texas A&M sports history—but it’s not finished yet. A medal in Milan-Cortina would turn astonishment into immortality.

By Sam Lee, Manchester City correspondent Manchester City’s 2-1 win over Newcastle United has trimmed the gap at the top to two points and, once again, the football world is asking the only question that matters in May: can this City side do what every City side since 2018 has done and simply keep on winning? Pep Guardiola’s answer, delivered with a smile but no shortage of caution, was emphatically non-committal. “I promise you, I’m honest with you, many things are going to happen!” he said. “I have the feeling we are not going to win all the games.” The temptation to pencil City in for a sixth title in seven years is understandable. Arsenal’s recent wobbles have reopened a door that appeared to have slammed shut in March, while Guardiola’s team have responded with back-to-back statement victories — the late triumph at Anfield and now the hard-fought dismissal of Newcastle — that feel like the opening chords of a familiar symphony. History backs the instinct. In each of the last four seasons City have produced a spring surge to overhaul the leaders: 2023 and 2024 saw them hunt down Arsenal; 2022 erased Liverpool’s advantage on the final day; 2021 featured a 24-match winning streak in all competitions; 2019 required a perfect 14-match league finish to edge Liverpool again. The pattern is so ingrained that bookmakers and pundits alike have begun to treat it as football law. Yet this iteration of City is anything but a carbon copy. Since January 2025 the club has said goodbye to Ederson, Kyle Walker, Manuel Akanji, Ilkay Gundogan, Jack Grealish and Kevin De Bruyne — a exodus Guardiola privately labels a “brain drain”. Eleven senior signings have arrived in the same window, pushing the average age of the squad down to 25, the fourth youngest in the division. Academy graduate Nico O’Reilly has gone from emergency left-back to midfield mainstay, while Matheus Nunes has been reinvented as a right-back and World Cup winner Gianluigi Donnarumma has already produced a catalogue of match-defining saves, the latest a late denial of Anthony Gordon that preserved Saturday’s three points. Guardiola’s captaincy group — Rodri, Bernardo Silva, Ruben Dias and Erling Haaland — were hand-picked last summer, ending the club’s tradition of a player vote. Only ten members of the current squad have previously won a major trophy with City, and four of them — John Stones, Mateo Kovacic, Nathan Ake and Rico Lewis — have started a combined nine league matches in 2026. “We have 70 per cent new players,” the manager reiterated. “They have never lived this situation.” The consequence is a team that can look irresistible for 45 minutes and fragile for the next 45. City have repeatedly failed to kill games this season, a flaw Guardiola blames on poor build-up play in the second half and a lack of training time to bed in new combinations. Against Newcastle they survived waves of late pressure because, in Guardiola’s words, “we were a team — a team we have to be,” rather than the swashbuckling outfit of old. The schedule offers no mercy. With Arsenal travelling across north London on Sunday, the gap could shrink to a single point before City play again, and Guardiola’s side still face trips to Spurs, Brighton and Aston Villa, three venues where they have already dropped points this campaign. The manager insists the title is not decided by form in April but by the ability to “win 1-0 when you play rubbish,” a mantra he fears his newcomers have yet to absorb. Still, the door is ajar. Arsenal’s recent defeats to West Ham and Crystal Palace have evaporated the cushion that once felt impregnable, and City’s momentum is building at the precise moment memories of past comebacks are freshest. Whether this youthful, transitional squad can replicate the relentless streaks of its predecessors remains the league’s compelling subplot. Guardiola, for one, is not ready to declare anything. “Perfect game? No. Ideal game? No,” he said of the Newcastle win. “But we were a team.” In a two-point race, that might yet be enough. Then again, this is a club that has taught the world to expect the unexpected — from both sides of the narrative. SEO keywords:

Stamford Bridge has become a theatre of self-immolation for Chelsea this season, and the latest act arrived in the 93rd minute on Saturday when Zian Flemming rose unmarked to head Burnley’s equaliser past Robert Sanchez. The goal, nodded in from James Ward-Prowse’s corner, turned what should have been a routine 1-0 win—gifted by Joao Pedro’s fourth-minute strike—into a 1-1 draw that felt both shocking and entirely familiar. It also pushed Chelsea’s tally of points dropped from winning positions at home to 17, the heaviest such toll in the Premier League. Head coach Liam Rosenior, appointed to halt the slide, did not spare his players. “We have set fire to four points from two home games,” he said, the embers still glowing in the west-London night. “Anyone watching the game, it’s not good enough for a club of this level.” The turning point arrived in the 72nd minute when Wesley Fofana, already booked for a cynical foul on Hannibal Mejbri, lunged late at Ward-Prowse and collected a second yellow. It was Chelsea’s sixth red card of the league campaign—equalling a club record with 11 matches remaining—and the sixth different player to receive one, underscoring a collective brittleness rather than individual villainy. Seven of the 19 points surrendered from winning positions have come after going down to ten men. Fofana’s first caution had been symptomatic: Hannibal was allowed to carry the ball half the length of the pitch, bypassing a passive midfield that had been lulled into sideways and backwards passing after the early goal. Rosenior wants “wave after wave of attack”; what he got was a slow retreat. Even the tactical response to the dismissal appeared to backfire. Cole Palmer, the side’s most inventive attacker, was withdrawn for defender Tosin Adarabioyo, a switch that invited Burnley pressure and, ultimately, the set-piece siege that produced Flemming’s leveller. Scott Parker admitted his own late substitutions were a direct reaction to Rosenior’s conservatism, a chess move that ended with two Ward-Prowse corners and a near-miss from Jacob Bruun Larsen in the dying seconds. Rosenior refused to scapegoat Fofana, who later became the target of racist abuse online, a development condemned by both club and league. “That wasn’t on Wesley,” he said. “That was on our performance.” Instead, he questioned the squad’s mentality, demanding “players who you can rely on in the moment to do their job” and vowing to reassess who can be trusted when momentum swings. Youth is often cited—Chelsea’s squad is among the youngest in the division—but the coach dismissed it as mitigation. “Youth is one thing, accountability is another,” he insisted. “The best teams win games 1-0 when they haven’t had the best performance. Even with ten men for 25 minutes, that should have been 1-0 at the least.” The numbers are stark: 17 points dropped at home from winning positions, a league-high, and a defensive record on set plays that Rosenior admits “is not to the level required.” With 11 games left and an average opponent league position of 8.4, the run-in offers little respite, especially with Champions League and FA Cup commitments looming. Chelsea entered the weekend believing a rare free week spent in Dubai sun had refreshed legs and minds. Instead, the same old frailties surfaced: lax marking, panicked clearances, and a late concession that turned cheers to boos. If the club misses out on one of five possible Champions League places, this latest self-inflicted wound may be the one that scars deepest. SEO keywords:

ROCHESTER — Century High School etched a new line in its wrestling history on Saturday, advancing a program-best six individuals to the Class 3A state tournament during the Section 1 individual finals at Mayo Civic Center. Junior Lane Royston defended his 107-pound section crown with a 7-4 victory over top-seeded Miles Aase, becoming the Panthers’ lone champion on a day that still felt like a sweep. Jackson Spearman (127), Keegan Thoma (139), Gabrien Callies (145), Keon Callies (152) and William Dauner Olson (189) each finished second, giving Century its largest state contingent ever. “Last week was tough, but the boys responded really well,” Panthers coach Joel Messick said, referencing the narrow loss to Northfield in the Section 1-3A team title match. “They knew they could put a good day together. It was a heck of a section tournament.” The Callies brothers will join siblings Byron and Eliana as state qualifiers, while Thoma and Dauner Olson secured their spots with true-second wrestle-back wins. Including girls competitor Nora Astorino, Century will send seven wrestlers to the Grand Casino Arena in St. Paul when competition begins Thursday at 9 a.m. Mayo also flexed its muscle, punching four tickets to state. Freshman Duke Bartoo (215) and junior Caleb Loomis (285) claimed their first section championships, and Andrew Trimble (133) and Kellen Burger (160) placed second. Loomis, now a three-time state qualifier, praised Bartoo’s rapid rise. “Second year wrestling, and he’s already won a section title? Just awesome,” Loomis said. “When I’m done, heavyweight at Mayo is in good hands.” John Marshall broke a seven-year drought when eighth-grader Danan Nelson majored Century’s Thoma 17-8 to win the 139-pound bracket, becoming the Rockets’ first section champion—and state qualifier—since 2017. “My school hasn’t sent anyone in seven years, so it’s pretty cool to do that,” Nelson said. Across the three Rochester public schools, 13 individuals—11 boys and two girls—will compete at state. “A pretty good year for Rochester wrestling,” Messick summed up.

Argentina’s production line of prodigious talent shows no sign of slowing. From the timeless artistry of Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi to the modern-day brilliance of Ángel Di María, the nation has repeatedly set the global benchmark for flair and invention. Today, a new wave of 21-and-under stars is surfacing across Europe’s top leagues, each carrying the weight of expectation and the promise of fresh glory for La Albiceleste. Valentin Barco, 20, has already logged meaningful minutes in three of Europe’s “big five” divisions, establishing himself among the most coveted young left-backs in the game. Standing 5 ft 7 in, the defender turns a lack of height into an asset, deploying a low centre of gravity to ride challenges and retain possession. While competent in his defensive duties, Barco’s real value lies in the final third: he is equally effective as an overlapping full-back, a wing-back or even a left-sided midfielder, providing width and creativity in equal measure. In Italy, Nico Paz is lighting up Serie A under the tutelage of Cesc Fàbregas at Como. The 21-year-old attacking midfielder has nine goals and six assists in league action this term, adding another strike in the Coppa Italia. Paz’s versatility is a coach’s dream: he can drop deeper as a central midfielder or push forward as a false nine, manipulating space and tempo with maturity beyond his years. Franco Mastantuono, the list’s youngest inclusion at just 18, swapped River Plate for Real Madrid last summer and has wasted no time adjusting to elite surroundings. The teenager has appeared in 15 La Liga fixtures and reserved his best displays for Europe’s premier club competition, registering one goal and one assist in five Champions League outings. His rapid ascent suggests Los Blancos believe they have secured a generational playmaker. Bologna’s Santiago Castro continues the Argentine tradition of razor-sharp finishers. The 20-year-old has seven goals and two assists in 22 Serie A matches, drawing stylistic comparisons with a young Gonzalo Higuaín for his intelligent movement and ruthless timing. Though yet to earn a senior international cap, his consistent club form makes an Argentina debut appear inevitable. Completing the quintet is 21-year-old Alejandro Garnacho, already a household name after his £40 million summer switch from Manchester United to Chelsea. Born in Madrid but an Argentina international by choice, the winger’s explosive dribbling and end-product have seen him feature prominently for both club and country, despite his tender age. With these five talents spread across La Liga, Serie A and the Premier League, Argentina’s next generation is not merely waiting in the wings—it is already demanding the spotlight.

Manchester – Tekanan perebutan gelar juara Liga Inggris kembali dialihkan ke Arsenal usai Manchester City menang 2-1 atas Newcastle United di Stadion Etihad, Minggu (22/2) dini hari. Kemenangan ini memangkas jarak The Citizens dengan sang pemuncak klasemen menjadi hanya dua poin, sekaligus memperpanjang rentetan hasil positif mereka menjelang fase penentuan musim. Nico O'Reilly, wonderkid asuhan Pep Guardiola, menjadi bintang laga setelah mencetak kedua gol kemenangan timnya. Dua golnya itu memastikan City tetap menempel ketat Arsenal, yang kini hanya unggul selisih gol dan satu laga lebih banyak. Guardiola tak menahan kekagumannya atas performa anak asuhnya. “Newcastle adalah tim yang luar biasa, hebat dalam duel fisik dan memiliki kecepatan di lini tengah. Fisik yang kuat di lini tengah dan sangat tangguh. Tapi, tim ini luar biasa,” ujar pelatih asal Spanyol itu usai pertandingan. Kemenangan ini tiba di momen yang tepat. “Ini terjadi di momen terbaik musim ini. Setiap pertandingan akan mirip dengan apa yang kita peragakan hari ini,” tambahnya. City kini berada di jalur untuk meraih gelar Premier League ketujuh mereka di bawah kepelatihan Guardiola. Mereka memiliki satu laga tunda di tangan, dan jika memenangkan 11 laga tersisa—termasuk laga kontra Arsenal—peluang menyabet trofi kembali terbuka lebar. Namun, Guardiola mengingatkan tantangan besar yang menanti. “Sebanyak 70 persen pemain kami belum pernah dalam situasi ini, dan saya tidak ikut bermain. Jadi kita harus mengalaminya, mereka tahu bahwa setiap pertandingan akan seperti hari ini,” tuturnya. Dengan jeda tiga hari sebelum bertandang ke Leeds, Guardiola menegaskan pentingnya pemulihan. “Tentu saja dalam hal poin itu penting, tetapi kami harus meningkatkan diri untuk memiliki peluang bersaing hingga akhir. Sekarang kami pantas mendapatkan waktu istirahat tiga hari. Kemudian kami akan menghadapi pertempuran lain di Leeds,” pungkasnya. Pertandingan kontra Leeds United akan menjadi ujian berikutnya bagi City untuk membuktikan bahwa mereka mampu menangani tekanan puncak klasemen, sambil menunggu kesalahan dari rival terdekat mereka.

Former Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson is set to take the field as a passer at this week’s NFL Scouting Combine, according to a report that surfaced Tuesday. The workout marks a pivotal opportunity for Simpson to showcase his arm talent in front of league executives, scouts and coaches as he seeks to elevate his draft positioning ahead of April’s selection meeting. While details of his throwing session remain limited, the decision to participate underscores Simpson’s confidence in his readiness to compete against the 2024 quarterback class. With evaluators on hand for drills, interviews and medical checks, the combine stage offers the ex-Crimson Tide signal-caller a controlled environment to address any questions surrounding his mechanics, velocity and accuracy. Simpson’s appearance at the annual event in Indianapolis is expected to be closely monitored by franchises searching for quarterback depth, and a strong performance could help solidify his standing on draft boards across the league.

Barcelona, 4 April — Hansi Flick has finalised his 23-man selection for Sunday’s pivotal La Liga encounter with Levante at Camp Nou, a fixture the Catalans must win to keep pace at the summit of the table. The German coach has welcomed back two key performers: midfielder Pedri returns after a four-week lay-off with a hamstring complaint, while January acquisition Marcus Rashford has been cleared following a knee issue. Both are included in the travelling party, offering immediate reinforcements to a squad bruised by consecutive defeats. Gavi, who has recently resumed partial training after his own knee setback, remains unavailable for competitive minutes, and Andreas Christensen continues his rehabilitation from a long-term injury. In goal, Flick will choose between Joan Garcia, Wojciech Szczesny and 17-year-old Diego Kochen. The defensive contingent comprises João Cancelo, Alejandro Balde, Ronald Araujo, Pau Cubarsí, Gerard Martín, Jules Kounde and Eric Garcia. Midfield options include Pedri, Fermín López, Marc Casadó, Dani Olmo, Frenkie de Jong, Marc Bernal and academy product Tommy Marqués. Up front, Ferran Torres, Robert Lewandowski, Lamine Yamal, Raphinha, Rashford and Roony Bardghji provide the firepower. Kick-off is scheduled for 16:15 CET/WAT, 15:15 GMT, 10:15 ET, 07:15 PT and 20:45 IST.

AUBURN, Ala. — Kentucky’s reserves managed only eight points and seven fouls on 3-for-11 shooting Saturday night at Neville Arena, and the statistical imbalance proved fatal when Auburn’s Elyjah Freeman followed his own miss with 1.4 seconds left to lift the Tigers to a 75-74 win and hand the Wildcats their third straight loss. The defeat, the first three-game skid of Mark Pope’s two-year tenure in Lexington, dropped Kentucky to 17-10 overall and 8-6 in SEC play. Auburn, which had lost five in a row under first-year coach Steven Pearl, improved to 15-12, 6-8. With 6:57 to play, Mouhamed Dioubate’s two free throws finally pushed the UK bench past its foul total, but the group never found a rhythm. Auburn’s backups weren’t spectacular—16 points as a unit—but Freeman’s lone bucket couldn’t have come at a better time for the home crowd. The Wildcats’ second-unit woes mirrored Tuesday’s 86-78 loss to Georgia, when UK reserves were outscored 29-8. Pope had pledged to lighten the load on starting guards Otega Oweh and Denzel Aberdeen, yet the quartet of Dioubate, Brandon Garrison, Trent Noah and Jasper Johnson offered little relief. Oweh did everything he could, pouring in a career-best 29 points, but a late offensive foul on Collin Chandler with 14 seconds left and Kentucky up 74-73 shifted momentum. Pope, restricted from critiquing officials, still alluded to a “1-on-8” battle his star guard faced. “We’re coming to compete,” Pope said. “We’re a little short-handed right now, but we have control over winning and losing. I thought the guys put together a great effort tonight and we didn’t get the win. So now we go to work on Tuesday and go get the win.” Kentucky will try to halt its longest losing streak since the 2020-21 season when it returns to action next week.

Ann Arbor — While Michigan fans dissected the fallout from December’s Sherrone Moore saga, running backs coach Tony Alford was living a parallel existence: preparing the Wolverines for a bowl game without knowing whether he would still have a job once the postseason ended. Alford, the lone holdover from the previous staff after Utah’s Kyle Whittingham was hired, told Jon Jansen on the In the Trenches podcast that the limbo stretched nearly a month and forced him to balance professional duty with personal uncertainty. “You live in parallel lives,” Alford said. “Half the day is spent thinking, ‘Am I even going to be here? Should I be looking for a job?’ The other half, you’re here, responsible for getting a team ready to play.” Whittingham ultimately retained two coaches; Lou Esposito later left to join Jesse Minter with the Baltimore Ravens, leaving Alford as the only coach who remained in place from the prior regime. Throughout the transition, Alford said he adopted a simple mantra: “Put both feet in the water where you’re at.” “I’m a firm believer that if you’ve got one foot out and one foot in, you’re never going to be good for anybody,” he said. “So I dove into what I was doing. We asked our players to do the same—put blinders on and do the job you’re charged with doing.” That job included retaining five-star 2026 signee Savion Hiter, the nation’s top-rated running back in his class. Alford’s pitch to current players and recruits alike was stripped of salesmanship. “I tell kids, ‘I’m going to treat you like my sons,’” he said. “That means I’m going to be transparent. When they ask, ‘Coach, what are you doing?’ I say, ‘I don’t know what I’m doing. I’d like to be here, but I don’t know. In the meantime, we’re going to prepare you to be the best player you can be.’” Alford emphasized that the pillars that brought athletes to Michigan—academics, networking, championship football, NFL preparation—“still exist regardless of who’s coaching the room.” His message, repeated to every player: control what you can control and continue pursuing the goals that made Ann Arbor the destination in the first place.

Celtic have been cautioned against pinning their trophy hopes on a recent free-agent recruit, with insiders insisting the squad—not one late arrival—must shoulder responsibility for rescuing the club’s silverware push. The warning comes as the former Liverpool and Arsenal midfielder edges toward a first start in Sunday’s Premiership meeting with Hibernian after two eye-catching cameo outings off the bench. While the 30-something’s instant impact has fuelled optimism among supporters, club sources stress that over-reliance on the newcomer could paper over deeper issues within the dressing room. With pressure mounting after a stuttering start to 2024, Celtic’s hierarchy want every member of the first-team pool to prove their worth rather than expect a solitary saviour to reverse fortunes. The midfielder, signed on a short-term deal until the end of the campaign, is expected to be handed his full debut at Easter Road, yet coaching staff have reiterated that collective standards must rise if Celtic are to remain in contention for domestic honours. Sunday’s fixture now carries added significance as the champions attempt to close the gap at the top and keep their trophy ambitions alive.

LOS ANGELES—Week 16’s Thursday Night thriller has become the epicenter of an off-season rule-book debate after the Los Angeles Rams confirmed they will formally propose an NFL by-law alteration stemming from the chaotic two-point conversion that helped propel Seattle from a 30-14 fourth-quarter deficit to a 38-37 overtime victory. The sequence in question unfolded with 5:12 remaining in regulation. Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold hurriedly lined up under center and flipped the ball backward toward running back Zach Charbonnet. Rams linebacker Michael Hoecht swatted the lateral, sending the ball skittering forward where Charbonnet recovered and advanced it across the goal-line. Officials on the field whistled the play dead and signaled the conversion no-good, but the Prime Video rules analyst immediately flagged the backward nature of the initial pass. After a booth-initiated review that lasted more than two minutes, the call was reversed, the Seahawks were awarded two points, and the score was knotted 30-30. Seattle ultimately prevailed on a 42-yard Jason Myers field goal in overtime. The loss derailed what had been a resurgent stretch for Los Angeles. Quarterback Matthew Stafford finished 27-of-38 for 328 yards and three touchdowns, rookie receiver Puka Nacua added 154 yards and a score, and the defense forced three first-half turnovers. Yet the defeat dropped the Rams to the NFC’s No. 5 seed; they were eliminated two rounds later in the conference championship by the same Seahawks, 31-27. Special-teams coordinator Chase Blackburn was dismissed less than 24 hours after the Week 16 collapse, and head coach Sean McVay later admitted the club “never regained its rhythm” down the stretch. Now the organization is channeling its frustration toward legislation. According to team sources, the Rams’ forthcoming proposal will target four areas: 1. Clarifying that any backward pass remains a live ball regardless of an inadvertent whistle. 2. Establishing a dead-ball provision once an official rules a two-point attempt failed, even if replay shows the ball was lateralled backward. 3. Requiring on-field officials to hold their whistle when a conversion’s direction is in question. 4. Instituting a time limit for booth-initiated challenges inside the final six minutes of regulation. The league’s competition committee has not yet assigned the proposal a formal agenda slot, but the Rams plan to lean on their market size and star power—including Stafford, Nacua and three-time Defensive Player of the Year Aaron Donald—to lobby for support. Critics contend the franchise is attempting to legislate away its own late-game misfortune rather than address offensive inconsistency that produced only three second-half points in the playoff rematch. Seattle, meanwhile, parlayed the momentum of the comeback into a postseason run that culminated in a Super Bowl triumph, the franchise’s second in eight seasons. General manager John Schneider declined comment on the Rams’ initiative, but privately the club believes the existing interpretation—confirmed by replay—was correct. Owners will debate potential rule modifications at the March league meetings in Phoenix. Any change requires approval from 24 of 32 clubs.