Expert Sports News & Commentary

Liverpool have reluctantly sanctioned shoulder surgery for defensive prospect Jeremy Jacquet after the 19-year-old sustained a significant injury while on loan at Rennes, effectively ending his 2024-25 campaign before it had truly begun. The France youth international damaged his shoulder during weekend action for the Ligue 1 club, prompting immediate medical assessment. With rehabilitation expected to stretch well into the summer, Jacquet will go under the knife with Liverpool’s full approval, even though the centre-back is technically plying his trade outside Anfield this season. It is the latest in a harrowing sequence of long-term setbacks to have hit the Reds’ squad and wider talent pool. The injury crisis began on the opening weekend when marquee summer signing Giovanni Leoni ruptured knee ligaments minutes into his debut, ruling the Italian out for the entire season. Alexander Isak then fractured his leg while scoring against Tottenham, and although the Sweden striker could return before May, doubts persist over whether he can regain peak condition in time to influence the run-in. Full-back Conor Bradley compounded the gloom last month by suffering extensive knee damage that may keep him sidelined until 2027. Jacquet’s misfortune extends the pattern beyond Melwood, underlining how thin the margin has become between availability and absence. Liverpool’s medical staff will now oversee a six-month rehabilitation programme designed to restore strength and mobility to the defender’s shoulder, with the aim of having him ready for the first day of pre-season training in July. Even so, the lay-off deprives the player of valuable senior minutes in one of the most formative periods of his development, and club officials admit the timing is far from ideal. Although the decision to proceed with surgery was effectively made once scans revealed the extent of the damage, club sources describe the final confirmation as “difficult”, recognising that Jacquet will spend the next half-year regaining fitness rather than refining the tactical aspects of his game. Liverpool retain confidence that the teenager can still fulfil the potential that persuaded them to secure his signature from Rennes last summer, but accept the pathway to senior involvement has become more complicated. For now, the focus shifts to a meticulous recovery plan monitored jointly by Rennes’ physiotherapists and Liverpool’s performance team, with the shared objective of ensuring Jacquet reports back next summer both physically robust and mentally refreshed. In the meantime, the Reds must continue to navigate an increasingly congested treatment room, hoping the spate of serious injuries has finally reached its nadir.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s search for a temporary home ground for the 2026 Indian Premier League season has hit an early roadblock after Mumbai Indians formally objected to the franchise’s interest in using DY Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai, as an alternate venue. Sources with direct knowledge of the matter told this publication that MI have told RCB to “exhaust other options” before approaching the 55,000-capacity ground that sits barely 25 km from the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai Indians’ established base. The logic, insiders say, is rooted in the IPL’s unwritten territorial protocol: any franchise wishing to stage home fixtures inside the catchment area of another franchise must first secure that franchise’s consent. “Wankhede and DY Patil are not far apart. If a franchise wants to set up a base at DY Patil, it cannot happen without approval from the one operating out of Wankhede,” a source explained. “MI’s stance is simple—why only DY Patil and not any other stadium in the country? There are plenty.” The five-time champions fear that allowing RCB to encroach on what they consider their territory would set a precedent that could later see other teams lobbying to play at venues such as the Brabourne Stadium, another Mumbai property. “It kills the sanctity of home territories,” the source added, stressing that the league would need “strong reasoning” why Bengaluru is bypassing established non-IPL centres like Rajkot, Pune, Raipur, Visakhapatnam and Indore. With DY Patil now off the table, RCB have intensified talks elsewhere. The franchise has already held detailed discussions with the Chhattisgarh government about hosting at least two home matches in Raipur, while Indore has re-entered the conversation for the remaining five fixtures. “There were discussions when DY Patil was in the race too, but now that it is no longer there, Indore is back in the mix,” the source confirmed. The urgency is palpable. Since the June 4 stampede at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, the ground has remained out of commission. The Karnataka State Cricket Association has begun implementing 17 safety upgrades recommended by the Justice D’Cunha committee, but work is still under way. On Monday, RCB officials—led by COO Rajesh Menon and KSCA president Venkatesh Prasad—met Karnataka home minister G Parameshwara to review progress. While Prasad sounded optimistic, the franchise continues to hedge its bets. A decisive government inspection is scheduled for Wednesday, when senior police and administrative officials will assess compliance with the committee’s directives. “We need the CM’s approval,” Parameshwara said, underscoring that any final call on Chinnaswamy’s availability must be relayed to the IPL Governing Council and the BCCI without delay so the 2026 fixture list can be ratified. Until then, RCB’s home for the upcoming season remains officially up in the air, and Mumbai Indians’ firm “no” to DY Patil has ensured the scramble for an alternative venue has become more crowded—and more political—than ever.

Olympique de Marseille have terminated head coach Roberto De Zerbi with immediate effect, the club confirmed on Thursday, a decision that instantly rekindles speculation linking the Italian to the Manchester United hot-seat. De Zerbi’s departure follows a bruising fortnight in which Marseille were routed 5-0 by Paris Saint-Germain and then eliminated from the Champions League after a 3-0 defeat to Club Brugge. The sequence accelerated crisis talks between owner, president, director of football and the 45-year-old coach, culminating in what Marseille termed “a difficult collective decision taken after careful consideration in the best interests of the club.” A club statement read: “Olympique de Marseille and Roberto De Zerbi, coach of the first team, have announced the end of their collaboration by mutual agreement.” The split brings the curtain down on a tenure that, while ultimately underwhelming, still featured notable highlights. Appointed from Brighton & Hove Albion last summer, De Zerbi guided Marseille to second place in Ligue 1 last season and leaves the side fourth this term, albeit a distant 15 points behind runaway leaders PSG. His reputation for expansive, high-tempo football—honed during a spell that turned heads across the Premier League—remains intact, and that pedigree is precisely why Old Trafford decision-makers are once again weighing his credentials. United’s season has drifted into a holding pattern as the board wrestles with long-term structural questions. Behind the scenes, conversations about the managerial roadmap have never truly subsided, and the need for a coach who combines European pedigree with a discernible tactical blueprint has become paramount ahead of a summer that could yet include continental competition. De Zerbi’s sudden availability thrusts his name back into those internal discussions. Sources close to the situation say the Italian’s familiarity with England’s top flight and his proven ability to elevate mid-table squads into European contention make him an attractive candidate. Since stepping in as interim, he has not lost in five matches, adding another layer of intrigue to the managerial roulette wheel. Whether United accelerate their pursuit or continue to monitor alternatives, the sacking in southern France has added a fresh twist to what is already an increasingly complex managerial puzzle at one of Europe’s most scrutinised clubs.

Olympique de Marseille have released goalkeeper Rubén Blanco from his contract, paving the way for the 30-year-old Spaniard to sign with Girona until the end of the season, the Catalan club confirmed on Monday. Blanco arrived at Marseille in the summer of 2022 but struggled for game time, making only 12 competitive appearances and keeping four clean sheets while conceding nine goals. Relegated to a back-up role throughout his 18-month stint, the Galician shot-stopper never displaced the club’s first-choice and opted for a fresh start in La Liga. Girona, currently 12th in the table, moved quickly to bolster their goalkeeping department after loan signing Marc-André ter Stegen was ruled out for several months following hamstring surgery. With the German international’s impact now on hold, Girona turned to a familiar face in Spanish football: Blanco previously made nearly 150 appearances for Celta Vigo and arrives with both top-flight experience and the immediate availability required to slot into the squad. The deal runs through the conclusion of the current campaign, giving Blanco the chance to re-establish himself as a regular starter while providing Girona with reliable cover during a pivotal stretch of the season.

Liverpool’s grip on Ibrahima Konate is loosening by the day. The 26-year-old centre-back is out of contract at season’s end and, as matters stand, is heading for a free-transfer exit from Anfield. Although the Reds have not abandoned hope of persuading the French international to extend his stay, sporting director Richard Hughes has pencilled in an Easter deadline for fresh terms to be agreed, according to TEAMtalk. Negotiations have so far failed to bridge the gap between club and player, prompting Liverpool to confront the very real prospect of losing a key defender for nothing. Konate has been eligible to speak with foreign suitors since January, and the report states he has already taken up that invitation. Heavyweight European sides are now at the table, intensifying the pressure on Hughes and the Liverpool hierarchy to secure a resolution within weeks or resign themselves to an increasingly likely departure. With the clock ticking and four clubs now in direct dialogue with the player, the coming fortnight could decide whether Konate remains a Red beyond the summer or begins a new chapter on the continent.

Madrid – Barcelona’s Copa del Rey semi-final journey begins with a daunting trip to the Metropolitano on Thursday, and Hansi Flick is expected to unleash his strongest available XI for the first-leg duel with Atlético Madrid. Fresh off a low-stress victory over Mallorca that allowed key figures to recharge, Barça have enjoyed four full days of targeted preparation. The stage and the opponent leave little room for rotation, so Flick is poised to stick with the back four that has served him best of late: Jules Kounde at right-back, the teenage Pau Cubarsí partnered by Eric Garcia in the middle, and Alejandro Balde on the left. Ronald Araujo’s encouraging return to action keeps the pressure on, yet the Uruguayan will likely begin on the bench. In midfield, Frenkie de Jong is set to reprise his pivot role after a complete weekend off that stretched his rest to nearly ten days. With Pedri and Gavi still unavailable and attacking reinforcements thin, Flick is expected to pair the Dutchman with La Masia graduate Marc Bernal and station Dani Olmo just ahead as the roaming No. 10. The injury list in the wide areas has forced further improvisation. Raphinha remains sidelined with an adductor complaint, while emergency winger Marcus Rashford has succumbed to a knee issue. That opens the door for Fermín López to shift to the left flank, allowing on-fire teenager Lamine Yamal to occupy the right. Up top, Ferran Torres gets the nod over veteran Robert Lewandowski, giving Barça a mobile front line designed to stretch Atlético’s compact block. Projected Barcelona XI (4-2-3-1): Joan; Kounde, Cubarsí, Eric Garcia, Balde; De Jong, Bernal; Yamal, Olmo, Fermín; Ferran. Kick-off at the Metropolitano is slated for Thursday evening, and the selection choices Flick makes could set the tone for the entire tie.

London – Michael Carrick praised the resilience of his Manchester United side after substitute Benjamin Sesko’s 96th-minute strike salvaged a 1-1 draw at West Ham and preserved the club’s unbeaten start under the interim manager. United arrived at the London Stadium on the back of four straight league victories, but they were met by a disciplined West Ham outfit that took a deserved lead through Tomas Soucek’s well-taken opener. Despite dominating possession for long spells, Carrick’s men rarely found the incision that had characterised recent performances, and Casemiro saw an equaliser correctly ruled out for offside before Joshua Zirkzee glanced a presentable header wide. With the clock ticking past the 95-minute mark, Sesko – introduced from the bench in the second half – ghosted between two defenders to steer Bryan Mbeumo’s low cross beyond Alphonse Areola, igniting delirious scenes among the travelling support. The goal means United have now netted inside the final 15 minutes in each of Carrick’s five fixtures at the helm, a statistic the caretaker boss believes epitomises the squad’s mentality. “We were okay. I think we’re a bit disappointed,” Carrick admitted to MUTV and TNT Sports. “We definitely weren’t at our best. We’ve had five games now, and we’ve been at a really good level. It’s a tough place to come, they made it difficult, and we just didn’t quite have that sharpness or that spark, really, to find the answers too often. But in the end, big credit to the boys, the spirit again in the late goal, and when we needed it. It’s a great quality to have.” The draw lifts United five points clear of the chasing pack and extends their unbeaten league run to five matches since Carrick stepped into the dug-out. While the performance fell short of the standards set during recent wins, the late drama provided further evidence of a squad unwilling to accept defeat. “There’s that spirit that galvanises you when you score late goals and you know you’re capable of scoring late goals,” Carrick added. “It’s good to have it in the bank if you need it. Hopefully, we can see games off a little bit sooner and take the points next time.” West Ham, meanwhile, will rue the failure to close out a victory that looked increasingly likely as United’s final ball repeatedly went astray. David Moyes’ side remain in mid-table but will take heart from a display that restricted the visitors to a solitary point deep into stoppage time. United now turn their attention to a mid-week cup tie before hosting relegation-threatened opposition at Old Trafford this weekend, knowing a return to the swashbuckling form of early November would keep their momentum intact.

London – Benjamin Sesko mencetak gol penyelamat pada menit keenam injury time, mengamankan satu poin bagi Manchester United dalam laga tandang kontra West Ham United, sekaligus memperkuat kenangan akan era Sir Alex Ferguson. Gol tersebut membuat The Red Devils tetap tak terkalahkan dalam lima laga terakhir, meski rangkaian empat kemenangan beruntun terputus setelah hasil imbang 1-1 di London Stadium, Sabtu. MU, yang sebelumnya menumbangkan Manchester City, Arsenal, Fulham, dan Tottenham Hotspur, justru tertinggal lebih dulu. Tomas Soucek memanfaatkan kekacauan di kotak penalti untuk menaklukkan Gawan Senne Lammens pada menit ke-50. Tuan rumah yang berada di zona degradasi tampak lebih bersemangat, sementara pasukan Michael Carrick—mantan kapten dan anak asuh Ferguson—terus menekan hingga peluit akhir. Kebangkitan dramatis datang lewat Sesko. Striker muda itu menyamakan kedudukan setelah sundulan kerasnya menerobos jala Alphonse Areola, memicu euforia di tribun penumpang MU. Situasi itu membangkitkan kenangan akan Fergie Time, julukan untuk menit-menit akhir di era Ferguson ketika MU kerap menyambar kemenangan dari tangan lawan. Dalam periode lima pertandingan terakhir, MU memang kerap menunggu detik-detik penentuan. Saat debut Carrick, Mason Mount mencetak gol di injury time namun dianulir VAR. Kemenangan 2-1 atas Arsenal dicetak Matheus Cunha pada menit ke-87. Kemenangan 1-0 atas Fulham ditentukan gol Sesko di menit ke-90+1, sedangkan kemenangan 2-1 atas Tottenham diborong Bruno Fernandes di menit ke-81. Meski nostalgia, realitas pahit menyelimuti Old Trafford. Musim ini MU dipastikan tak akan mengangkat trofi apa pun. Mereka tersingkir dari Piala FA dan Piala Liga, absen di kompetisi Eropa usai finis ke-15 musim lalu, dan kini tertinggal 11 poin dari Arsenal di puncak klasemen. Dengan 45 poin di posisi keempat, peluang meraih gelar Premier League terbilut sangat berat. Carrick menegaskan timnya akan terus berjuung, namu penggemar makin haus prestasi. Gol-gol menit akhir membangkitkan kenangan manis, tapi tanpa trofi, kenangan itu tetap hanya sebatas nostalgia. SEO Keywords:

Barcelona captain Ronald Araujo has ended months of silence by revealing the mental-health crisis that forced him to step away from football, explaining that an 18-month battle with anxiety had escalated into depression while he was still lining up for the club. The 26-year-old Uruguayan defender made his return in last weekend’s match against Albacete and, speaking publicly for the first time since his hiatus, described the 90 minutes as a watershed moment in both his professional and personal recovery. “The truth is, I’m feeling really good,” Araujo said. “I felt very comfortable. I think I played a good game. I was also able to help with the goal, which was great for me. Physically, I felt strong too. At the end, I was obviously tired because I hadn’t played so many minutes in a long time, but overall, I’m very, very happy.” The centre-back traced the origins of his struggles to a turbulent period that culminated in the red card he received against Chelsea on 25 November, an incident he now views as the tipping point rather than the root cause. “I hadn’t been feeling well for a long time, maybe more than a year and a half,” he admitted. “You try to be strong, but I felt that I wasn’t well—not only on a sporting level, but also on a family and personal level. I wasn’t feeling myself, and that was when I clicked and said: Something is happening, I need to raise my hand and ask for help.” Araujo said the persistent anxiety eventually morphed into depression, yet he continued to play, masking his condition even from those closest to him. “In the moment, you feel sad, but then, when the game is over, it all hits you,” he explained. “I already felt that I wasn’t well, that’s the truth, but out of inertia, you try to keep going, and sometimes you need help. I had been suffering from anxiety for a year and a half, which turned into depression, and I was playing like that. That doesn’t help, because you don’t feel like yourself on the field.” The defender emphasised that quitting the sport never became a serious consideration, though the thought of stepping away did cross his mind. “I didn’t think about giving up playing, but you consider a lot of things because I wasn’t feeling myself. I knew my performance wasn’t what I’m capable of.” Araujo’s first step toward recovery came when he approached sporting director Deco to disclose his situation. “At first, he was a little surprised because it’s not very common for a Barcelona player to tell him these things, but he took it very well, in a very personal way. From the very first minute, Deco called the president and the coach. They were spectacular.” Head coach Hansi Flick also offered unwavering support, repeatedly stressing that health took precedence over fixtures. “He took it very personally. Flick knows my condition, and it was clear that I wasn’t performing at my best. From the beginning, he sent me messages telling me to take my time recovering, that the most important thing was to get through it well.” Inside the dressing room, teammates provided a lifeline during the lowest points. Araujo recalled days when he struggled to get out of bed, and messages from Pedri and Frenkie de Jong urging him to “come back as the titan you always are” lifted his spirits. The outpouring of support extended beyond Barcelona’s walls. Players from Serie A and the Bundesliga privately shared their own experiences with mental-health issues, confessing they had hidden their struggles for fear of public reaction or financial repercussions. Araujo believes the time away has fundamentally altered his outlook. “I’ve changed quite a bit because I’ve learned a lot during this time. I feel different and I’m happy about that because I’m more comfortable, happier. I can enjoy what I love doing, which is playing football, and that helps a lot.” With his first match back behind him and a support network firmly in place, the captain is determined to move forward, advocating for greater openness in a sport where vulnerability is often stigmatised.

The UEFA Women’s Champions League resumes this week with the first legs of the knockout-phase playoffs, and every moment will be carried live and in full on Paramount+ and CBS Sports Network. Coverage begins with the UEFA Women’s Champions League Today pre-match show ahead of Wednesday’s early kick-off, continues with studio hits between games, and wraps with a comprehensive post-match recap after Thursday’s final whistle. Wednesday’s slate is headlined by holders Arsenal, who travel to Belgium to meet surprise package OH Leuven. The Belgian debutants went unbeaten against Paris FC, Twente, Roma and Paris Saint-Germain during the league phase, but a 3-0 loss to Arsenal on Matchday 6 served notice of the gulf they must bridge. Jonas Eidevall’s side have steadied after a shaky start: only one defeat in their last 14 outings, December’s FIFA Women’s Champions Cup triumph, and back-to-back WSL wins over Chelsea and Manchester City suggest the Gunners are rounding into form at the perfect time. Manchester United, the other English newcomer, visit Atlético Madrid on Thursday. Marc Skinner’s team edged the Spaniards 1-0 in the group stage thanks to Fridolina Rolfö’s strike, yet United scored only seven goals in six league-phase matches and qualified with a negative goal difference. Rolfö has three UWCL goals this term, while U.S. goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce will need another standout performance against an Atlético side buoyed by Spain forward Fiamma Benítez (four goals) and a two-legged résumé that features four wins in their last five UEFA ties. Also on Thursday, two-time champions Wolfsburg welcome six-time Italian champions Juventus, and Real Madrid host Paris FC. Winners of the four ties advance to March’s quarter-finals, where Barcelona, Lyon, Chelsea and Bayern Munich already wait after topping the league phase. First-leg schedule (all times ET) Wednesday Arsenal vs OH Leuven – 12:45 p.m. Real Madrid vs Paris FC – 3:00 p.m. Thursday Atlético Madrid vs Manchester United – 12:45 p.m. Wolfsburg vs Juventus – 3:00 p.m. Return legs are scheduled for next week. Paramount+ and CBS Sports Network will again carry every match live.

Madrid, – Tension surrounding Dani Carvajal’s role at Real Madrid has eased after the club captain and coach Alvaro Arbeloa held clear-the-air talks on Monday morning, MARCA reports. Carvajal, who returned from injury in early January, has featured for only 27 minutes across all competitions, with Arbeloa preferring Federico Valverde at right-back and giving minutes to Trent Alexander-Arnold and David Jiménez ahead of the skipper during last weekend’s visit to Valencia. The 32-year-old’s frustration spilled over after the final whistle at Mestalla, when television cameras captured an animated exchange with fitness coach Antonio Pintus. Speculation quickly mounted that the Spanish international could seek a summer exit if his situation did not improve. Rather than allow the rift to linger, both parties opted for immediate dialogue. During the first-team training session at Valdebebas, Carvajal outlined his disappointment at being sidelined despite declaring himself fully fit, while Arbeloa reiterated his reluctance to risk a relapse of the muscular issues that have plagued the defender in recent seasons. Sources close to the squad described the conversation as “calm and constructive,” with neither man wanting the disagreement to destabilise the squad during a crucial stage of the campaign. The discussion ended with an agreement to continue cooperating, although the coaching staff will continue to monitor Carvajal’s workload. While the talks have secured the captain’s short-term future, uncertainty remains over his long-term status. Club insiders acknowledge that minutes will be managed carefully between now and May, and no guarantees have been offered beyond the current season. Real Madrid’s next fixture falls this weekend, and all eyes will be on Arbeloa’s team sheet to see whether Monday’s détente translates into a more prominent role for Carvajal down the stretch. SEO keywords:

Barcelona centre-back Ronald Araujo has weighed in on mounting speculation that the Catalan giants could make a summer move for Atlético Madrid striker Julián Álvarez, describing the Argentine as “one of the best strikers in the world.” Speaking to Mundo Deportivo, the Uruguayan defender did not hide his admiration for the 24-year-old forward, whose future has become a hot topic despite a recent dip in goals for Diego Simeone’s side. “He’s a great player; for me, he’s one of the best strikers in the world. You can see the quality he has,” Araujo said. Pressed on whether Álvarez would suit Barcelona’s style, Araujo added: “The best players belong at the best club, which is us. That’s obvious. But it’s not my job to do that or make that decision.” Álvrez, under contract with Atlético until 2030, has been linked with a string of Premier League clubs including Arsenal and Chelsea, yet his name continues to surface in Spanish gossip columns as Barça weigh up attacking reinforcements ahead of the next transfer window. With important decisions looming at Camp Nou, the chatter surrounding Álvarez’s next step shows no sign of abating.

Las Vegas — When the fighter widely considered the greatest flyweight of all time speaks, the lightweight division listens. Demetrious Johnson, fresh off a training camp alongside surging contender Arman Tsarukyan, has declared the Armenian the most dangerous obstacle standing between undefeated champion Ilia Topuria and continued dominance at 155 pounds. “After training with him, if he fights Ilia Topuria, I think he has the athletic ability, the skill set, and the mindset to beat Ilia Topuria,” Johnson told reporters. “Arman should be fighting the winner of Justin Gaethje vs. Ilia Topuria. I think Arman Tsarukyan has the best chance in the lightweight division to beat Ilia Topuria.” The endorsement carries extra weight because Johnson has spent rounds inside the cage with Tsarukyan and has faced elite wrestlers and strikers throughout his own Hall-of-Fame career. His assessment validates a growing chorus from fans and analysts who believe Tsarukyan’s blend of chain wrestling, dynamic scrambling, and composure under fire makes him the stylistic antidote to Topuria’s precision striking and suffocating pressure. Seventeen opponents have tried and failed to solve Topuria’s puzzle, yet the UFC has twice bypassed Tsarukyan for a title shot, citing behavioral issues and last-minute withdrawals. Still, the 27-year-old keeps sharpening his tools, using sessions with Johnson to stay ready for the moment the organization calls his number. Off the mats, the rivalry has taken a surreal turn. Topuria recently listed his $3.5 million Madrid estate—complete with a private gym, spa, 24/7 security, and six-car garage—prompting Tsarukyan to post a public challenge: “I’ll buy your house if you agree to fight me next.” The taunt, while unlikely to trigger a real-estate transaction, keeps their potential showdown squarely in the headlines and underscores Tsarukyan’s willingness to meet the champion anywhere—inside the octagon or at the closing table. Topuria has openly balked at facing Tsarukyan next, even hinting he would relinquish the belt if the matchup were mandated. Johnson’s ringing endorsement, however, only amplifies the pressure on the champion to confront the one contender who, according to an all-time great, possesses the complete package to dethrone him. As the UFC maps its lightweight title trajectory, the question is no longer whether Tsarukyan deserves the shot—it’s whether Topuria will accept the challenge before the division’s most avoided contender literally buys the champ’s front door.

Barcelona’s 22-year-old midfielder Fermin Lopez is enjoying the most prolific season of his young career, yet only 18 months ago the club were ready to let him leave – and twice came close to doing so. In August 2022, Fermin was judged surplus to requirements for Barça Atlètic and dispatched on loan to third-tier Linares Deportivo. The Andalusian side, based in Spain’s olive heartland, provided a rustic backdrop for a player who had arrived at La Masia as a 13-year-old in 2016 but had never been rated a top prospect. A casual gift of olive oil to then-manager Xavi Hernández changed everything. Xavi’s Linares friend raved about the on-loan teenager, prompting the coach to monitor his progress. Forty appearances, 12 goals and four assists later, Fermin had helped Linares finish sixth, just outside the promotion places, while Barcelona reclaimed the Liga title. Impressed, Xavi invited Fermin to first-team training in the summer of 2023. With only a year left on his contract and Segunda División clubs circling, Barcelona could have cashed in. Instead, Xavi blocked any sale, handed the 20-year-old a place on the U.S. pre-season tour, and watched him announce himself with a dazzling left-footed strike and an assist in a 3-0 Clásico win over Real Madrid. A senior debut at Villarreal followed on 27 August 2023; 48 hours later, Fermin signed an extension containing a €400 million release clause. By season’s end he had 11 goals and one assist in 43 matches, mostly from the bench, and earned a maiden Spain cap before starring in the Olympic gold-medal campaign in Paris. Under new coach Hansi Flick in 2024-25, Fermin’s role evolved into that of a high-impact substitute. Ten assists and eight goals in 46 games were encouraging, but injuries to Dani Olmo, Raphinha and Pedri, plus Flick’s tactical tinkering, have unlocked another level. Deployed variously as an advanced midfielder or drifting left-sided forward, Fermin has already registered 10 goals and 12 assists in 29 appearances this term, averaging a goal contribution every 82 minutes – the best rate in the squad ahead of Lamine Yamal’s 99.6. He has started all seven Champions League matches for which he was fit and begun 10 Liga games compared with seven substitute outings. The new prominence has not gone unnoticed. Last August, Chelsea lodged a €40 million bid that Barcelona immediately rejected. On 21 January, Fermin answered with a Champions League brace against Slavia Prague in sub-zero temperatures; within days, he agreed to extend his contract from 2029 to 2031, doubling his salary. After the Prague victory, Flick grinned: “Today he’s the MVP. And Chelsea wanted to sign him. It’s a good thing he didn’t leave, right? He lives for Barça.” From an unwanted loanee in Andalusia to Barcelona’s most productive attacker, Fermin Lopez’s glow-up is complete – and the club are relieved they did not let him slip away, not once but twice.

Columbus, OH — A sobering forecast from CBS Sports analyst Cody Nagel has ratcheted up the temperature on Ryan Day’s seat well before the 2026 season kicks off. Despite slotting Ohio State at No. 1 in his way-too-early Top 25, Nagel projects the Buckeyes will drop at least three games—something the program has not done since 2011—while navigating what he labels “one of the nation’s toughest schedules.” The scarlet-and-gray slate features five opponents who appear in Marcello’s companion top-25 projection, including a Nov. 7 visit from an Oregon squad touted as a potential national-title pick. Nagel also anticipates Michigan snapping its two-game skid in the rivalry, handing the Wolverines their first win over Ohio State since 2024. Such a confluence of setbacks, Nagel argues, would not only snap the Buckeyes’ 15-year streak of two-loss seasons but also risk knocking them out of the postseason entirely. For a fan base that measures success in confetti and trophies, missing the playoff would amplify the “real, raw and unapologetic” pressure already bearing down on Day. Ohio State remains one of only three Big Ten programs to capture three straight league titles, yet the CBS projection underscores how quickly expectations can curdle when a brutal schedule intersects with championship-or-bust standards. If Nagel’s crystal ball proves accurate, the 2026 campaign could become the most scrutinized year in Columbus since the post-Tressel era.

The confetti has barely settled on another Super Bowl, yet fans eager for more professional football action will not have to wait long. League officials confirm that the NFL will return in less than two weeks, ensuring the sport’s ever-shortening offseason keeps momentum alive from the championship clash. With the rapid turnaround, teams, broadcasters, and supporters can already begin preparing for the next chapter of storylines, roster moves, and gridiron drama that accompany each fresh campaign.

Columbus, Ohio — The Buckeyes are once again flirting with the NCAA Tournament bubble, and inside the hallways of Value City Arena the same question echoes louder each February: is this as good as it gets for Ohio State basketball? On the surface, the program still carries the swagger of a blue-blood. Head coach Jake Diebler insists the standard is “way up here” and that the Buckeyes “are not trying to just be good — we’re trying to win championships.” Yet the numbers tell a more modest story. With eight regular-season games left, Ohio State sits squarely on the cut-line, needing wins to avoid missing the Big Dance for the third time in six years. That gap between rhetoric and reality prompted a blunt conversation on the latest Buckeye Talk podcast, where cleveland.com’s Stephen Means and Stefan Krajisnik asked the uncomfortable question now dominating message-board debates: what if the current product is exactly what the university’s checkbook ordered? “What if this is fine?” Means posed. “You have four sports as part of your revenue share, but one sport is going to dominate that, and that’s football… Ohio State is near the bottom of the Big Ten in terms of what they’ve invested into its basketball team. And so maybe you get it. You reap what you sow.” The statement lands like a half-court heave in 2024’s era of seven-figure NIL packages and escalating coaching salaries. Athletic departments across the country are being forced to choose which revenue sport will eat first, and in Columbus the answer is unmistakable. Ryan Day’s football operation has assembled a roster stacked through aggressive NIL spending and portal hunting, while the basketball program operates on a comparatively shoestring budget within the conference. Means pushed the pragmatism further: “But what if it doesn’t exist anymore? What if this is fine?… Here are your resources. Maximize them.” The counter-example is impossible to ignore. Less than three hours up U.S. 23, Michigan is flourishing in both sports, with ranked football and basketball teams simultaneously competing for Big Ten titles. There was a time, as Means noted, when Ohio State lived in that dual-threat world — a football juggernaut complemented by a top-30 basketball outfit. That equilibrium has evaporated. So what should the standard be? Diebler, hired after the mid-season departure of Chris Holtmann, continues to preach championships. Athletic director Ross Bjork must decide whether those expectations remain realistic or whether steady tournament qualification and the occasional Sweet 16 is an acceptable return on investment. Krajisnik contends the issue isn’t simply money. “I don’t think Ohio State’s allocation of resources is really even like anything I would debate… it’s what you do with the resources.” Which inevitably leads to the next uncomfortable query: is Diebler squeezing maximum value from the roster, or would a different voice coax more from the same pot? For now, the Buckeyes control their own fate. A strong closing stretch would secure an NCAA bid, cool external pressure and buy the program another season of patience. Yet the philosophical dilemma will not disappear with a single March appearance. In an age where financial firepower often dictates final scores, Ohio State must decide whether basketball mediocrity is an acceptable cost of football supremacy — or whether history and brand demand a larger investment. As the Buckeye Talk hosts concluded, there are no easy answers, only the stark arithmetic of modern college athletics: you get what you pay for, and right now Ohio State is paying like a program content to live on the bubble.

Anfield has become a theatre of late-game heartbreak. Erling Haaland’s 95th-minute penalty on Sunday, sealing a 2-1 Manchester City win, was the fourth stoppage-time goal Liverpool have conceded this season, costing Arne Slot’s side eight points with a third of the campaign still to play. No Premier League team has ever shipped so many last-gasp winners so quickly; Watford, West Ham and Southampton needed full seasons to match the unwanted tally. The collapse is a stark reversal of August and September, when Liverpool won their opening seven fixtures, six featuring decisive strikes after the 80th minute. Now every additional minute feels like a minefield. “Is it bad luck, or are we to blame?” Slot asked rhetorically on Tuesday. “I’ve made defensive substitutions and the ball went in; I kept the same players and the ball went in.” The goals themselves share no single tactical fingerprint. Four have arrived from set pieces, one from a penalty, one from open play. Yet patterns emerge under scrutiny. Virgil van Dijk has twice failed to deal with high deliveries, first against Crystal Palace in September, then at Bournemouth last month, where Curtis Jones’ presence also impeded his captain. Both sequences began with long throw-ins and ended in second- or third-phase chaos. Fulham’s 4-3 win at Craven Cottage on 4 January underlined the uncertainty. Leading 3-2 in the 97th minute, Liverpool retreated eight outfield players into the box and introduced Joe Gomez for extra height. Fulham simply took the throw short, worked the ball to the unmarked Harrison Reed and watched him lash a curler beyond Alisson. Three minutes earlier Cody Gakpo appeared to have stolen the points at the other end. Leeds’ 96th-minute equaliser in December followed a similar script: a corner, a missed block by Alexis Mac Allister, Ryan Gravenberch’s mistimed header and Ao Tanaka’s finish. Arsenal should have punished Liverpool the same way last month, but Gabriel miscued from close range. Slot insists the issue is not systemic. “None of these are tactical problems,” he said. “It is concentration, set-piece setup, individual mistakes.” A thread of fatigue runs through the narrative. Liverpool began 2025-26 with a shallow squad, injuries have since trimmed it further, and the first-choice XI have logged heavy minutes. In the most physically demanding league in the world, tired minds switch off at the worst moments. Sunday’s penalty epitomised the lapse. Mac Allister and substitute Curtis Jones both failed to track Matheus Nunes’ diagonal run; Alisson rushed out, clipped Bernardo Silva and invited Haaland to convert. Against Chelsea in October, Andy Robertson was caught upfield, Estevao tapped in a 95th-minute winner after the visitors’ high press evaporated in four passes. Sports psychologist Marc Sagal, who has worked with Premier League squads, believes the repetition is now psychological. “Once a pattern establishes itself, the mind starts to expect it,” he told The Athletic. “Doubt creates stress, and stress leads to the very mistakes players are desperate to avoid. The focus should be on executing a clear plan, not on avoiding disaster.” Slot’s search for a cure continues. He has tried defensive reshuffles, extra centre-backs, time-wasting and deep blocks; each tweak has been followed by another concession. With 13 league games left and Champions League qualification slipping away—Liverpool sit sixth, four points behind Chelsea—the manager must halt the spiral before expectation hardens into inevitability. The next opportunity arrives at the Stadium of Light on Wednesday. Sunderland, battling relegation, will watch the video and know exactly when to believe.

Madrid, Spain – On the night of 17 January, the Santiago Bernabéu resembled a bullring more than a football stadium. Moments after the half-time whistle blew in Real Madrid’s La Liga meeting with Levante, thousands of supporters rose in unison, raised white handkerchiefs above their heads and twirled them furiously. The gesture—known in Spanish as a panolada—turned the gleaming, newly remodelled arena into a rippling sea of white, a visual rebuke aimed at the pitch, the bench and the directors’ box. The immediate spark was a fortnight of humiliation: a Clásico loss to Barcelona in the Supercopa de España final in Saudi Arabia and a Copa del Rey elimination at second-division Albacete. Yet the fury ran deeper than results. Vinicius Junior, Jude Bellingham and Federico Valverde were met with piercing whistles every time they touched the ball. New coach Álvaro Arbeloa heard jeers. Loudest of all were the chants demanding president Florentino Pérez resign, even as Madrid cruised to a 2-0 victory over relegation-threatened Levante. Spanish sports historian Ángel Iturriaga traces the ritual to the 18th-century bullring, where a white handkerchief waved in approval could earn a matador the bull’s ear or tail, the highest honours. When football overtook bullfighting as Spain’s mass spectacle in the 1950s, supporters imported the custom. “At first we waved them for a great goal,” Iturriaga says. “But football also turned the panolada into protest—against bad play, against the coach, against the board.” Alfredo Relaño, former editor of Diario AS, recalls the first Bernabéu panolada he witnessed in November 1964, when Amancio’s slaloming strike against Barcelona drew a white-flag salute. Since then, the gesture has become shorthand for discontent. “Madrid fans are capital-city residents used to the best bulls, the best opera, the best of everything,” Relaño notes. “When they feel honour is missing, they act.” That sense of guardianship fuelled the recent protest. Many socios believe players undermined previous coach Xabi Alonso while Pérez allowed speculation over his future to fester. “Someone they saw as a good person was publicly tortured,” Relaño says. “The panolada was their reply.” The unrest is amplified by Pérez’s proposal to open the club to private investment for the first time, threatening the member-owned structure that places Madrid alongside Barcelona, Athletic Club and Osasuna. “There is a feeling ownership is being taken away,” Relaño adds. “The shouts of ‘Florentino Out’ will affect him.” Panoladas are not unique to Madrid—Barcelona saw them in 2008, and recent weeks have brought similar scenes at San Mamés and Mestalla—but they remain most vivid at the Bernabéu, where supporters view themselves not as passive consumers but as co-authors of the club’s story. “Just like in the bullring, they judge what is offered,” Relaño says. “When honour and dignity are lacking, the white flags appear.” Whether the protest jolts the team into sustained improvement is uncertain. After the Levante match Madrid thumped Monaco 6-1 in the Champions League, yet a fortnight later they were humbled 4-2 at Benfica and required a stoppage-time Kylian Mbappé penalty to edge nine-man Rayo Vallecano at home, prompting another chorus of whistles and handkerchiefs. “A panolada usually provokes a reaction,” Relaño concludes, “but if the ingredients for a good team aren’t there, it rarely lasts.” For now, Madrid’s players and president have been warned: the capital’s demanding public will keep their handkerchiefs ready, willing to turn tradition into a weapon whenever the club’s standards slip.

NISKAYUNA—Christian Brothers Academy improved to 17-0 overall and 12-0 in the Suburban Council on Tuesday night, using a second-half clamp-down to turn back host Niskayuna 65-54. Brothers guards JJ and Austin Osinski combined for 42 points—JJ pouring in a game-high 22 after a 13-point third-quarter burst and Austin adding 20, eight of them in the final eight minutes. Yet it was the defense, anchored by three two-sport standouts who starred in the football secondary, that decided the outcome. Junior safety JT Vogel—recently named Times Union Large School Defensive Player of the Year—joined classmates Amare Coffil and Jack Hulett in hounding Niskayuna into 9-for-24 shooting after halftime. The Silver Warriors finished 16 turnovers to CBA’s five, including only one over the game’s final three quarters. “We’re a defensive-first team,” Vogel said. “With me, Amare and Jack out there, we’re going to be super physical and not let them breathe.” Niskayuna (12-6, 8-4) never led, trimming a 55-52 deficit on Jake McDonald’s fifth triple of the night. The Warriors, however, misfired on their next two possessions, and Coffil’s driving bucket pushed the margin back to five. CBA then sank 8 of 9 free throws in the closing 31.8 seconds to seal it. Coach Mike Grasso praised the victors’ offseason commitment to defense. “They’re tough, physical kids,” he said. “You have to give them and Coach Cancer a ton of credit.” McDonald’s sharpshooting kept Niskayuna within striking distance, while Brady Olsen’s 15 points led the Warriors until two late technicals ended their night prematurely. CBA returns to action Friday at Bethlehem; Niskayuna visits Columbia the same evening.

English football is heading backwards—literally. Opta data shows that Premier League headed clearances have jumped by roughly 50 per cent in the past two seasons, while League Two has seen an almost 100 per cent surge. The numbers are not merely a statistical curiosity; they coincide with renewed warnings about the long-term damage caused by repetitive head impacts. The issue was thrown into sharp relief last month when senior coroner Jonathan Heath ruled that former Manchester United and Scotland defender Gordon McQueen’s death in 2023, aged 70, was contributed to by chronic traumatic encephalopathy brought on by a career of repeated headers. “I am satisfied on the balance of probability that repeatedly heading footballs contributed to his developing CTE,” Heath wrote. McQueen, a dominant aerial centre-back, was “renowned for his heading skills”, his Guardian obituary noted. Professor Willie Stewart, the leading neurosurgeon studying football-related brain injury, has found that outfield players—particularly defenders—develop CTE at markedly higher rates than goalkeepers or the general population. The positional split dovetails with Opta’s definition of “headed clearances”, headers that typically follow long balls, crosses, corners or free-kicks—exactly the scenarios the Football Association classes as “higher-force” and recommends limiting to ten per player per training week. Yet training-ground reality appears to outstrip the guideline. Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner admitted his squad spent “almost solely” preparing for set-pieces before a recent 2-0 win over Brentford that featured a goal from a long free-kick and another from a long throw. If sessions revolve around deliveries into the box, players can easily exceed the advised weekly cap in a single afternoon. The tactical shift is league-wide. Arsenal, top of the Premier League despite a perceived lack of open-play goals, have become heavily dependent on set-piece situations, with centre-back Gabriel frequently attacking whipped crosses. Their success has legitimised an approach that lower-division sides, many of whom abandoned tiki-taka mimicry, now copy. Pep Guardiola’s occasional use of four centre-backs has been interpreted lower down as a green light for old-school, aerial-heavy football, despite the technical gulf. Counter-intuitively, the modern ball—lighter when dry but struck harder and travelling faster—may transmit comparable or greater force on impact than the water-logged leather versions used in McQueen’s era. His daughter, Sky Sports reporter Hayley McQueen, warned against complacency, noting velocity can offset weight. A partial mitigation already emerging sees a higher share of headers confined to the penalty areas—32 per cent now versus 26 per cent in 2018-19—mirroring the rise of playing out from back and long-throw routines. Yet because total headers have ballooned, the absolute number of higher-force impacts inside the boxes has still climbed. Ideas for reform include restricting headers to the penalty areas only, a tweak that would spare midfielders but still leave centre-backs and target forwards exposed. The FA has pioneered youth heading limits and continues to fund research, yet the sport’s direction of travel has reversed since the days when Roberto Firmino’s false-nine stylings appeared to make the bruising centre-forward obsolete. With lower leagues locked in an arms race of aerial specialists, and Premier League leaders celebrating set-piece supremacy, English football confronts an uncomfortable truth: the more it prizes headed clearances, the more it risks another generation of players facing the fate documented so starkly in Gordon McQueen’s coroner report.

KIRTLAND, Ohio—Size, speed, shooting and a defense that refused to yield—Kirtland unleashed every weapon in its arsenal on Feb. 10 and never let rival Perry catch its breath, rolling to a 79-53 victory that improved the Hornets to 16-2 and snapped the Pirates’ seven-game winning streak. Senior guard Lucas Renfro, one of eight Kirtland players listed at 6-foot-3 or taller, torched the nets for a game-high 30 points, mixing transition finishes with mid-range pull-ups and timely triples. Classmate Ben DiFranco, a 6-4 wing, added 13 points as the Hornets built a 15-5 first-quarter cushion and never trailed. “We came out and played our game—fast break, moving the ball, team defense,” Renfro said. “Our coaches really hyped us up. This was a big RPI game.” Perry, now 10-9, briefly clawed within 19-14 on a personal 5-0 burst from 6-4 junior Andrew Morris, but Kirtland answered with an 8-2 spurt to close the half and carried a 42-29 lead into the locker room. The Hornets’ length—four starters stand 6-3 or taller—translated into 38 rebounds, 15 on the offensive glass, and 13 first-half Pirate turnovers. “We played really, really good defense,” 6-5 senior center Mike Dumstorff said. “Our size helps with deflections, steals, not letting people in the paint.” Kirtland stretched the margin to 60-40 on a Dumstorff free throw late in the third and cruised into the fourth up 62-42. Thirteen Hornets saw action as coach Shawn McGregor emptied the bench once the lead ballooned to 77-47. Jake LaVerde, a 6-3 senior, paced the Hornets with nine rebounds. Perry got 12 points from junior Chase Sivon and 11 from Morris off the bench. “They beat us in every facet—height, physicality, energy, coaching,” Pirates coach Al Iacofano said. “We couldn’t simulate that length or execution in practice.” The Hornets, state-semifinalists a year ago, are tied with Chagrin Falls atop the CVC Valley at 9-1 and expect to be the top seed in the upcoming Northeast Ohio Division VI bracket. They visit Fairview on Feb. 12 and host Cuyahoga Heights on Feb. 14, while Perry looks to rebound Feb. 13 at Madison.

The Chicago Bears will head into the next two NFL drafts without the compensatory selections many fans assumed were coming, after assistant general manager Ian Cunningham’s recent departure to the Atlanta Falcons. Despite initial speculation that the Bears would be awarded third-round picks in 2026 and 2027 under the league’s minority hiring resolution, the NFL has determined the move does not meet the criteria spelled out in the rule. The resolution, designed to encourage upward mobility for minority candidates, grants draft compensation only when a candidate is hired into a head-coaching role or becomes the franchise’s “primary football executive.” In Atlanta, that designation belongs to Matt Ryan, who retains final authority over personnel matters. Because Cunningham will not hold the top decision-making position, the Bears are ineligible for the extra selections. The distinction has created confusion before. When the Falcons hired Terry Fontenot as general manager in 2022, New Orleans received compensatory picks because Fontenot was viewed as the club’s primary football executive, even though team president and CEO Rich McKay remained involved in football operations. Inside Halas Hall, Cunningham’s exit leaves a tangible void. He was a key voice in roster construction under general manager Ryan Poles and provided a steadying presence in the draft room. Chicago will now move forward without both Cunningham’s expertise and the draft capital many expected to receive.

Barcelona’s newest first-team debutant, Tommy Marques, says the faith shown by coach Hansi Flick and the daily influence of Frenkie de Jong have accelerated his rise from academy hopeful to senior-squad prospect. The 19-year-old midfielder, introduced as a late substitute in Saturday’s victory over Real Mallorca, became the ninth La Masia graduate to earn a debut under the German tactician this season. Speaking to the club’s media channel, Marques emphasised that the coaching staff’s willingness to promote youth is a powerful motivator throughout the academy. “For me and for everyone who works here day in and day out, from the youth teams down, seeing that the manager trusts the homegrown players is one of those things that makes you work harder and want more,” he said. Marques also highlighted the impact of training alongside senior stars, particularly Dutch midfielder Frenkie de Jong. “I’ve been watching Frenkie for years, and years ago, Busquets was incredible. Watching him train every day is amazing. Learning from them is spectacular,” he explained, adding that the experience fuels his ambition: “We have to keep working, keeping our feet on the ground. It was a goal, but you have to be ambitious so that more days like this come.” The debut itself remains surreal for the Catalan youngster, who joined the club 11 years ago. “I still haven’t processed it, it’s still hard to believe,” Marques admitted. “Very happy, proud. A lot of things went through my head, as is normal. I was living a dream, a spectacular one. Even more so because it was at Camp Nou and at the club of my life.” With reports suggesting Flick has already informed Marques that he will be part of the senior squad for the 2026-27 campaign, the midfielder is expected to feature again before the current season concludes. For now, he is focused on maintaining humility and continuing to learn from the established professionals around him.

Madrid – Real Madrid Castilla prospect David Jimenez seized his unexpected chance in the senior side on Sunday, delivering a performance that drew effusive praise from head coach Alvaro Arbeloa and could open the door to more first-team involvement. According to a report in AS, Arbeloa was already aware of the 20-year-old’s potential, yet Jimenez still managed to surpass expectations during the 2-0 victory at Mestalla. Operating at right-back, the academy graduate provided constant attacking width and helped unlock a Valencia defence that had initially stifled Madrid’s right flank. The selection itself raised eyebrows. With Fede Valverde held out of the starting XI and both Dani Carvajal and Trent Alexander-Arnold available on the bench after recent injury layoffs, Arbeloa opted for the Castilla full-back to ease his senior stars back gradually. The gamble paid off: Jimenez’s overlapping runs and defensive diligence contributed to a clean sheet and a comfortable win. While the return to fitness of Carvajal and Alexander-Arnold is likely to limit Jimenez’s minutes in the short term, Sunday’s showing has significantly boosted his stock within the club. Arbeloa’s post-match feedback, described as “very satisfied,” signals that the youngster has vaulted up the pecking order and will train with the first team more frequently moving forward. For a player accustomed to third-tier football, the afternoon in Valencia served as a statement that Madrid’s production line remains alive and well—and that Jimenez’s ceiling may be higher than previously imagined.

FORT MYERS, Fla. — Garrett Crochet’s first season in a Red Sox uniform was the stuff of dreams: American League leader in innings and strikeouts, an All-Star nod, a second-place Cy Young finish and a six-year, $170 million contract extension that locked in his future before summer. Yet as pitchers and catchers reconvene this spring, the left-hander insists the best is still to come — and he has a private list of motivations to make sure it arrives. “I think to externalize those thoughts kind of takes away from the magic of the drive,” Crochet said, smiling but firm. “Definitely, (I have things motivating me) — always.” While he refuses to name names or slights, Crochet is transparent about the on-field tweaks that will define his encore. “Consistency,” he said without pause. “One good year doesn’t make you a great player. Teams will game-plan more for me. I’ve got to be ready to combat that.” The 26-year-old singled out two areas for refinement: sharpening glove-side command of his four-seam fastball and fully mastering the changeup grip he adopted mid-2025. The latter offering could prove vital as American League hitters adjust to a pitcher who fired 223 innings of 2.58 ERA baseball a year ago. Crochet will also navigate a retooled rotation. Gone are veterans Lucas Giolito and Walker Buehler; in their place sit Sonny Gray, Ranger Suarez and Johan Oviedo, joining holdover Brayan Bello. “We’re looking at 80 percent of a new rotation,” Crochet noted. “Sonny brings a ton of experience and innings. Ranger has proven it in one of the most hostile environments in baseball. Oviedo’s pitch shapes jump off the page. There’s a lot to like.” Financial security, once a potential distraction, is now a non-issue. By inking his extension in April 2025, Crochet avoided the speculation that would have followed his career-year into the marketplace. “Signing my name freed me up,” he said. “It took away the pressure of free agency and allowed me to focus on winning day-to-day.” That freedom translated into durability. Crochet believes careful workload management — including a May hook against the Mets that infuriated him at the time — preserved his effectiveness for October, when he fired seven shutout innings in Game 1 of the wild-card series against the Yankees. Asked if another early pull would still sting this season, he laughed: “I’ll probably still be pissed. But that’s the nature of the game.” For now, Crochet is content to keep his chip-on-the-shoulder list internal, letting the results speak for him when the games begin. If 2025 was his announcement to the American League, 2026 will be the rebuttal — even if only he knows exactly whom he’s answering.

Two full seasons have passed since Black Ops 7 Zombies launched, and the armory has swollen with a dozen flashy newcomers—yet the undisputed ruler of the undead remains the same humble marksman rifle: the M34 Novaline. At first glance the semi-auto Novaline looks outgunned. Its class is saddled with small magazines and methodical fire rates, traits that feel antithetical to the classic “train and spray” rhythm of Call of Duty Zombies. Veterans gravitating toward bullet-hose SMGs or forgiving assault rifles routinely skip the weapon in the Mystery Box, but those who stick with it quickly discover why top-round squads keep one on every player sheet. The rifle’s baseline advantages are already notable: a two-round burst, crisp handling, and the elevated critical-multiplier damage shared by all marksman rifles. The real transformation arrives after a trip to the Pack-a-Punch machine. Upgraded, the M34 Novaline rechristens itself the Desecrated Dualist and, crucially, switches to a fully automatic fire mode. The result is a hybrid that fires like an assault rifle while retaining the raw per-shot punch of a designated marksman weapon. Properly kitted with attachments—foremost among them the Cyclops-03 Barrel, which super-charges headshot and critical damage—the Dualist erases the traditional weaknesses of its class without sacrificing any of its strengths. Mobility stays fluid, recoil remains manageable, and sustained fire chews through dense hordes as efficiently as it punctures Elite armor. Should players need surgical precision, a quick toggle reverts the weapon to semi-auto, making it equally lethal against distant Mangler cannons, Doppelghast weak points, or the shoulder plates of Uber Klaus. Boss encounters with Veytharion and Caltheris routinely end in seconds when a squad focuses Dualist fire, and the rifle’s common Mystery Box appearance on Cursed difficulty—or its guaranteed Wall Buy locations on Ashes of the Damned and Astra Malorum—means teams are rarely forced to roll the dice for acquisition. Recent seasons have introduced credible challengers. The M8A1, a returning four-round burst rifle from Black Ops 2, can adopt a new Conversion Kit that trades burst delay for full-auto freedom. Its larger default magazine and faster handling make it situationally attractive, yet its lower base damage keeps it firmly in the prince-not-king tier. Similar experimental kits and Wonder Weapons continue to arrive with each content drop, but none have displaced the Novaline’s combination of availability, versatility, and raw stopping power. For newcomers and veterans alike, the takeaway is simple: pick up the M34 Novaline, invest in the Pack-a-Punch, bolt on the Cyclops-03 Barrel, and hold the trigger until the horde is dust. Two seasons of power creep have tried to dethrone it; the king isn’t budging.

Los Angeles — USC has elevated analyst Skyler Jones to defensive tackles coach, finalizing the on-field staff that will support new defensive coordinator Gary Patterson in 2026, multiple outlets confirmed Tuesday. Jones, who spent the past two seasons behind the scenes as a defensive analyst for the Trojans, will now work in tandem with defensive ends coach Shaun Nua after Eric Henderson departed for the Washington Commanders, where he will serve as defensive line coach and run game coordinator. The promotion drew immediate praise from Henderson, who took to social media to salute his successor. “My DAWG, I’m so happy for you bro @CoachSkyJones it’s been a long time coming bro!” Henderson tweeted. “Your patience and grind has opened the door you’ve been working for all this time! Look at GOD the best hire @uscfb could have made! Surprised it took this long!” Jones’ résumé spans both the collegiate and professional ranks. Before arriving at USC, he spent one season as an analyst at Oregon and a season as assistant defensive line coach with the Los Angeles Rams. His first full-time coaching role came in 2021 at Norfolk State, where he guided the defensive line while doubling as recruiting coordinator. He previously held the same position for three seasons at Southern University. A former defensive end at Bethany College in Kansas, Jones captained his squad and earned all-conference honors. He launched his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Southern, working exclusively with the defensive line. With Jones’ appointment, head coach Lincoln Riley’s football staff is set for the 2026 campaign, barring any late changes.

London – Mimpi potong rambut setelah 16 bulan harus kembali tertunda bagi Frank Ilett, pendukung setia Manchester United. Hasil imbang 1-1 kontra West Ham United di pekan ke-26 Liga Inggris memperpanjang puasa gunting Ilett hingga paling cepat 21 Maret mendatang. Ilett, yang tampil dengan rambut gondrong kusut di akun Instagram @theunitedstrand, menepati janji yang dibuatnya pada 5 Oktober 2024: tidak akan menyentuh gunting selama Setan Merah belum meraih lima kemenangan beruntun. Sejak saat itu, rambutnya terus tumbuh, mencerminkan perjuangan tim kesayangannya mencari konsistensi. Kesempatan emas muncul ketika Michael Carrick, yang menggantikan Ruben Amorim di kursi kepelatihan, membawa MU menang empat kali berturut-turut atas Manchester City, Arsenal, Fulham, dan Tottenham Hotspur. Sebuah kemenangan di London Stadium akan menutup syarat lima laga, namun gol balasan West Ham membuat rekor Ilett kini mencapai 494 hari tanpa tatanan rambut. “Saya sudah siap ke barber, tapi hasil ini membuat saya harus menunggu lagi,” ujar Ilett singkat usai laga. Untuk memenuhi kaulnya, MU kini dituntut menang lima kali secara beruntun dari jadwal berikut: Everton (24 Februari), Crystal Palace, Newcastle United, Aston Villa, dan Bournemouth. Meski lawan-lawan tersebut dianggap bukan tim elite, hasil imbang melawan West Ham menjadi bukti bahwa skuad Carrick bisa terperosok di hadapan klub-klub menengah. Ilett dan ribuan fans lainnya akan menontap setiap laga dengan tekanan tambahan: setiap kemenangan membawa mereka selangkah lebih dekat kepada detik gunting rambut bersejarah.

MADISON — Wisconsin erased a 12-point deficit and edged short-handed Illinois 92-90 in overtime on Saturday night, leaving the Illini to lament what might have been. Illinois, already playing without key contributors, appeared poised for a statement win when it opened its largest lead of the night. The Badgers, however, clawed back in the closing minutes of regulation and struck in the extra period to snatch the two-point victory. The loss drops Illinois into a deeper hole as it fights through an injury-ravaged stretch of the schedule. “It’s a setback,” an Illini spokesperson said afterward. “We have to get healthy.” With the win, Wisconsin keeps pace in the conference race while Illinois heads home searching for available bodies and answers.