When Gregg Popovich speaks, people listen. The Spurs coaching legend spoke after San Antonio’s Game 3 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder Friday night. The Spurs listened. This is according to Spurs point guard De’Aaron Fox, who had a story to tell NBC after San Antonio’s 103-82 Game 4 win Sunday night that tied the Western Conference finals at 2-2.The Spurs appeared listless after opening a 15-0 lead in Game 3 and allowed the Thunder to outscore them by 30 from there en route to a 123-108 OKC win. After the game, Fox said that Popovich entered the postgame locker room to have a word. Here’s Fox’s version of the story:T-Mac: "Has Pop come in that locker room and say he needs some nastiness outta y'all?"Fox: "We lost Game 3... but that was the first time he walked into the locker room and was like "Nah, that's BS.. that's not how we play basketball" and obviously he had some choice words for… pic.twitter.com/Qya65fkyuR— Bala (@BalaPattySZN) May 25, 2026“Pop’s been around like throughout the course of the season,” Fox said. “But that was the first time he walked into the locker room and was like, nah, that’s BS, that’s not how we play basketball. “Obviously he had some choice words for it. That was the first time all season he came into the locker room right after a game and told us how he felt.”Play 2026 Soccer Pick 'Em with FOX One and make your picks for the world's biggest soccer tournamentPopovich spent 28-plus seasons as San Antonio’s head coach, leading the Spurs to five NBA championships. He retired last season as the NBA’s all-time winningest head coach (1,390 wins). He’s on the NBA coaching Mt. Rushmore. A stroke ended his career earlier than he intended early in the 2024-25 season. But he was head coach Mitch Johnson’s mentor and remains active around the team in an official capacity as “El Jefe.”"I'm no longer coach. I'm El Jefe."Gregg Popovich 😂 pic.twitter.com/AxVxqKTqzX— The Sporting News (@sportingnews) May 5, 2025He’s there for Spurs players and coaches to offer advice, experience and wisdom — and, apparently, the occasional kick in the ass. The Spurs were in need of the latter after Friday’s Game 3 loss and, per Fox, Popovich was more than happy to provide it. They responded Sunday night with a dominant, wire-to-wire win over the reigning champion Thunder, and the Western Conference championship is up for grabs as a best-of-three series from here. He may no longer be San Antonio’s head coach, but he remains an asset as the Spurs seek their first NBA title of the post-Popovich era.

The Golden Knights celebrate scoring in Game 3 of their 5-3 win over the Colorado Avalanche Sunday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.LAS VEGAS — It was a comeback for the ages.In a season for the Vegas Golden Knights that has been defined by come-from-behind victories, Sunday night may have been the most impressive of all.Down 3-0 after 20 minutes in Game 3 to a Colorado Avalanche team that was playing with energy and desperation, the Knights dusted themselves off, regrouped and proceeded to put a stranglehold on the Western Conference Final with a 5-3 win at T-Mobile Arena and take a 3-0 series lead in the best-of-7 matchup with the NHL’s President’s Trophy winners.Vegas will get a chance to wrap things up Tuesday night at home and earn a spot in the Stanley Cup Finale for the third time in the nine-year history of the franchise.Think about that for a second. Three chances to play for hockey’s ultimate prize and an opportunity to win it for the second time after raising the Cup in 2023.That simply doesn’t happen in sports, especially in today’s world of salary caps, free agency and world-wide talent pools from which to build rosters.“This is a game where we showed some balls,” Knights coach John Tortorella said as Vegas won for the fifth time in the postseason coming from behind and the 26th for the overall regular season and playoffs. “Two good teams going at it. I’m proud of our club.”While the Avs were welcoming back their star defenseman Cale Makar to the lineup, the Knights were doing likewise with their captain, Mark Stone, who had been battling a lower body injury sustained in Game 3 of the second round against Anaheim on May 8 and hadn’t played since.As has been the case numerous times in the past, Stone returned without much, if any rust in his game. He scored the first Vegas goal 19 seconds into the second period on the power play and he assisted on what would be the game-winning goal as he made a nice feed to Tomas Hertl, who put a great move on the Colorado defense then lofted a backhand over Scott Edgewood’s shoulder and into the net with 11:39 remaining.“I felt like (Saturday) there was no reason not to jump back in,” said Stone of the timing surrounding his return. “I felt pretty good and I always want to play. I don’t like sitting and watching.”The Avs felt the same way about Makar, who played a team-high 28:34 and had three shots and six blocks. But he was unable to dent the scoresheet.“Cale was good,” Colorado coach Jared Bednar said. “He came back and did the things you expect him to do.”But Makar didn’t seem 100 percent. He relied mostly on his wrist shot to get the puck goalward and it was noticeable that he didn’t get much lift using his stick.And when the Avs’ Nathan MacKinnon went down after blocking Shea Theodore’s shot with his right knee in the second period and returned less than 100 percent himself, Colorado was at a distinct disadvantage. By then, the Knights had cut the deficit to 3-2 and had brought life back into the sellout crowd of 18,212.Then Keegan Kolesar picked the most opportune time to score his first goal of the postseason, scoring in close to tie the game 3-3 after Dylan Coghlan and Kaedan Korczak set him up. Korczak would also start the process by which Hertl would score as he got the puck to Stone with a poised play from his own end that led to Stone setting up Hertl.Brett Howden, who is having an amazing postseason, sealed the deal with an empty net goal with 57.9 seconds left. He has 10 goals, tying Pavel Dorofeyev for the team lead. And while the Knights were ramping things up offensively, Carter Hart was closing the door on Colorado at the other end. He was blitzed for three goals in the first, then didn’t surrender another the rest of the way, finishing with 30 saves.“We kept our composure and Carter made some big saves to keep us in it,” Tortorella said of his goaltender, who has started all 15 games in this year’s playoffs .The one setback for Vegas may be forward Cole Smith who left the game after taking a hard hit from Brent Burns in the third period and did not return. It appeared Smith was holding his wrist or his hand as he headed down the tunnel. His availability for Game 4 Tuesday is not known.If he can’t go, expect to see Brandon Saad return to the lineup though Reilly Smith, who hasn’t played since May 1 in the first-round series-clincher vs. Utah could be an option.But it didn’t deter the Knights, who have gotten pretty good at this come-from-behind stuff.“Falling behind 3-0 isn’t the ideal way to play,” Stone said. “But you’ve got to keep playing. Experience matters but we’ve ben in tough spots and managed to get out of them.”Hertl said: “We’ve come back so many times. Even down 3-0 in the first we knew we could come back. We have so many great players. We just needed you play smarter and more aggressive.“It’s always nice to score goals but it’s all about winning the game.” “They just got more competitive and we didn’t match their intensity,” Bender said of the second period when the Knights rallied. “If you make a mistake, they capitalize. It was not a good period for us.” So while both teams deal with physical issues impacting their rosters heading into Tuesday, there’s a psychological factor at play too.For Bednar, can he get his guys mentally ready knowing they have to win four straight to keep their season alive?“It’s low. It’s as low as it can get,” he said of the mood in his locker room following the loss in Game 3. “We’ve got to find a way to get them up.”For Tortorella, it’s about keeping his team on the same even keel it has been on throughout this run. He doesn’t want to hear talk about brooms and sweeps or anything like that.“We can’t get carried away,” he said. “They’re a good team. They’re not going away. We’ll get together at 11 a.m., look at tape and get ready (for Tuesday).”

Motorsport photoIt was a very long day for Katherine Legge, but she saw it through to the very end as she became just the sixth driver in history to start the Indianapolis 500 and Coca-Cola 600 on the same day.She joins a list that includes Tony Stewart, Robby Gordon, John Andretti, Kurt Busch, and Kyle Larson.After a career-best qualifying effort in the Indy 500, her fifth appearance in the historic race ended after just 17 laps. When Ryan Hunter-Reay spun at the exit of Turn 2, she crashed trying to avoid a direct impact with him on the backstretch. Legge slammed the inside wall, and her race was over, finishing 33rd (last) in the 110th running of the Indy 500. Read Also: Katherine Legge’s Indy 500 Double bid hit by early Ryan Hunter-Reay crash After just 42.5 miles of racing at the Brickyard, she got on a plane and headed to Charlotte Motor Speedway. Driving the No. 78 Live Fast Motorsports Chevrolet, she stayed out of trouble for most of the race.However, not long after the start of Stage 3, she limped to the apron with a problem. Moments later, the right-front wheel disconnected, triggering a caution. The team did not give up and Legge soldiered on, finishing the race 12 laps behind race winner Daniel Suarez, finishing 31st. She completed 361 laps and 541.5 miles for a total of 585 miles between the two races, while the goal was 1,100. Rain also ended the Coke 600 a full 27 laps short of the scheduled distance.A long night in CharlotteKatherine Legge, No. 78 Live Fast Motorsports ChevroletKatherine Legge, No. 78 Live Fast Motorsports ChevroletAfter the race, Legge did not sugar coat how difficult of a day it was."I think the highlight for me will be when I can finally lay down tonight, because I'm so tired," she laughed while speaking with NASCAR on Prime."But, the opportunity to do it, the opportunity to attempt to do it, is the highlight. We are gonna regroup and think about it and reflect to see what we could have done differently. That was kind of a calamity of errors. At the end of the day, I don't think I made too many mistakes so there's positives to take from it too."She only wishes that the car she had at the end of the Coke 600 was the one she started the race with, as the team made big gains on the setup in the last-half of the race." Read Also: Full race results from the 2026 NASCAR Coca-Cola 600 The exclusive club Katherine Legge hopes to join with historic 'Double' attempt To read more Motorsport.com articles visit our website.

The cost of Nayib Bukele’s crackdown on crime is too high.

Three centuries late and not a moment too soon.

NEW DELHI: A brilliant all-round performance from Jofra Archer helped Rajasthan Royals defeat Mumbai Indians by 30 runs in a must-win IPL 2026 clash at the Wankhede Stadium on Sunday and seal a place in the playoffs. Soon after the victory, Rajasthan Royals grabbed attention on social media with a cryptic reply aimed at Punjab Kings."Panga na lo," the Rajasthan Royals handle posted while replying to an old Punjab Kings tweet that had read: "Sorry bhai, aaj nahi!"The exchange quickly went viral among fans after RR sealed the fourth and final playoff spot of IPL 2026.— rajasthanroyals (@rajasthanroyals) Rajasthan Royals joined Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Sunrisers Hyderabad and Gujarat Titans in the knockout stage of the tournament.RR finished the league phase with 16 points from seven wins in 14 matches and secured fourth place in the standings. They will now face Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Eliminator in New Chandigarh on Wednesday.Punjab Kings had moved to 15 points after defeating Lucknow Super Giants on Saturday, leaving Rajasthan Royals with a straightforward equation against Mumbai Indians — win and qualify.Under pressure, RR delivered a clinical performance to keep their title hopes alive.Archer starred in Rajasthan Royals’ crucial victory with both bat and ball. The England pacer smashed 32 runs off just 15 deliveries to help RR post 205 for eight after being under pressure in the middle overs.He then produced a match-winning spell with the ball, returning impressive figures of 3 for 17 to derail Mumbai Indians’ chase.Archer’s outstanding all-round effort played a massive role in Rajasthan Royals extending their stay in the tournament.IPL 2026 playoff schedule: Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru will take on Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 1 on May 26 at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamsala.The winner of the contest will directly qualify for the IPL 2026 final, while the losing side will get another opportunity through Qualifier 2.Sunrisers Hyderabad will face Rajasthan Royals in the Eliminator.The losing team will be knocked out of the tournament, while the winner will progress to Qualifier 2 and take on the loser of Qualifier 1 for a place in the final.

Where to watch NCAA men's lacrosse final: Time, TV schedule, channel, live stream for Princeton vs. Notre Dame originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.The college lacrosse program of the moment meets a dormant power seeking a return to the top as Notre Dame and Princeton face off Monday in the NCAA championship game. The traditional Memorial Day conclusion to the season will see the top-seeded Tigers (16-2) trying to secure their seventh national title but first since 2001, while the second-seeded Irish (13-2) go for their third trophy in four years after never having won one before 2023. Both teams have balanced offenses, with Tewaaraton Award finalist Nate Kabiri (38 goals, 45 assists) leading a Tigers attack that ranks third in the country at 14.82 goals per game. The Irish aren't far behind in scoring at 13.29 per game, but defense is their calling card. Notre Dame allows just 8.57 goals per game with Tewaaraton finalist Shawn Lyght and goalkeeper Thomas Ricciardelli anchoring the back line. These programs haven't played since the first round of the 2010 NCAA tournament, an Irish victory in New Jersey. Who will prevail Monday with a trophy on the line?Here's all you need to know to watch the championship game. Where to watch NCAA men's lacrosse finalTV channels: ESPNLive streams:ESPN app, fuboThe 2026 NCAA men's lacrosse tournament final will air live on ESPN. Fans can stream the game on the ESPN app or via fubo.Fubo offers a free trial for new subscribers, so you can try the service before you buy. Stream ESPN, ABC, CBS, Fox and 100+ top channels of live TV and sports without cable. (Participating plans only. Taxes and fees may apply.)What time is the NCAA men's lacrosse championship? Date: Monday, May 25Time: 1 p.m. ETPrinceton will face Notre Dame beginning Monday at 1 p.m. ET. The game will be played at Scott Stadium in Charlottesville, Virginia. NCAA men's lacrosse tournament schedule, scores 2026Wednesday, May 6: Opening roundMatchupTime (ET)WatchMarist 10, Stony Brook 6——Jacksonville 13, Robert Morris 7——Saturday, May 9: First roundMatchupTime (ET)WatchNo. 3 North Carolina 24, UAlbany 6——No. 8 Penn State 10, Army 6——Johns Hopkins 9, No. 7 Cornell 8 (OT)——Duke 14, No. 4 Richmond 12——Sunday, May 10: First roundMatchupTime (ET)WatchNo. 2 Notre Dame 18, Jacksonville 5——No. 1 Princeton 17, Marist 8——No. 6 Syracuse 16, Yale 15——Georgetown 14, No. 5 Virginia 10——Saturday, May 16: QuarterfinalsGames at Hempstead, N.Y.MatchupTime (ET)WatchNo. 2 Notre Dame 15, Johns Hopkins 9——No. 6 Syracuse 13, No. 3 North Carolina 11——Sunday, May 17: QuarterfinalsGames at Newark, Del.MatchupTime (ET)WatchNo. 1 Princeton 14, No. 8 Penn State 10——Duke 16, Georgetown 6——Saturday, May 23: SemifinalsSemifinals and final will be played at Charlottesville, VirginiaMatchupTime (ET)WatchNo. 1 Princeton 14, Duke 7——No. 2 Notre Dame 15, No. 6 Syracuse 7——Monday, May 25: ChampionshipMatchupTime (ET)WatchNo. 1 Princeton vs. No. 2 Notre Dame1 p.m.ESPN, ESPN app, fuboNCAA men's lacrosse champions listHere are the last 10 NCAA men's lacrosse champions and runners-up. There was no tournament in 2020 due to COVID-19.YearChampionRunner-up2025CornellMaryland2024Notre DameMaryland2023Notre DameDuke2022MarylandCornell2021VirginiaMaryland2019VirginiaYale2018YaleDuke2017MarylandOhio State2016North CarolinaMaryland2015DenverMaryland

When Rajasthan Royals’ batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi walked out to bat against Mumbai Indians in their must-win IPL 2026 clash at the Wankhede Stadium, expectations were sky high. Fans expected towering sixes, blazing boundaries, a half-century or perhaps even another hundred from the teenage star.But Sooryavanshi endured a rare off day with the bat. The youngster managed just 4 runs off six balls before being dismissed by Deepak Chahar.However, despite the disappointing outing, Sooryavanshi still scripted history in T20 cricket.The RR opener had already scored 579 runs before the match against Mumbai Indians. His four-run knock took his tally to 583 runs for the season, helping him become the teenager with the most runs in a single T20 tournament or series.Sooryavanshi surpassed Devdutt Padikkal, who previously held the record after scoring 580 runs for Karnataka during the 2019/20 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.The young RR batter has been in sensational form throughout IPL 2026. In 14 matches, Sooryavanshi has scored 583 runs at an impressive average of 41.64 and an astonishing strike rate of 232.27. He also has one century and three fifties to his name this season.With Rajasthan Royals now through to the playoffs, all eyes will once again be on Sooryavanshi when RR face Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Eliminator on May 27.RR seal playoff berthRajasthan Royals defeated Mumbai Indians by 30 runs to secure the fourth and final playoff spot with 16 points.Punjab Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders were eliminated following RR’s victory.Rajasthan Royals will now take on Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Eliminator on May 27.

Ajinkya Rahane remained proud of his team’s fighting spirit despite Kolkata Knight Riders ending their IPL 2026 campaign with a 40-run defeat to Delhi Capitals at Eden Gardens on Sunday. Rahane played a superb knock of 63 off 39 balls during the chase and admitted afterwards that batting was not easy initially. The KKR skipper said he understood the importance of staying till the end while also keeping the scoreboard moving. “Yeah, I mean, the wicket was a little tricky at the start. I was batting really well and knew one batter had to go through, so I tried to take my chances. I was actually looking to target strike rotation as well,” Rahane said after the match. Despite another disappointing campaign which saw KKR finish seventh with six wins from 14 games, Rahane praised the character shown by his players after a difficult start to the season. “The situation we were in after six games and then from there coming back, keeping the league alive and playing that kind of cricket needed character, a good attitude and resilience. I’m really proud of each and every individual.” KKR had struggled badly in the first half of the tournament before reviving their playoff hopes with a strong late run. However, Rajasthan Royals’ win over Mumbai Indians earlier in the day officially ended KKR’s qualification hopes even before the match against Delhi began. Rahane admitted the season ending without a playoff spot was disappointing but stressed that the dressing room atmosphere remained positive throughout. “In the first half of the season there were key moments where we were losing out, but after that, coming back from there is never easy. IPL is a long tournament with a lot of pressure and high-pressure situations.” “But again, staying strong, having that character and attitude in every game and trying your best for the team - inside the dressing room we all were really happy. This season didn’t go our way and we didn’t qualify, which is disappointing, but I’m really proud of everyone and the kind of effort we put in,” he added. Rahane also opened up about what lies ahead for the squad after the IPL season. “I think at the moment the guys have their commitments. We’ll just go off to our homes, probably take some time off and then obviously we’ll probably connect over calls or Zoom and have discussions moving forward.” The veteran batter also revealed that he has no plans to stay away from cricket for long and will soon return to action in Mumbai’s local league circuit. “For me, just a couple of days off. I’m going to play my local league in Mumbai, which I’m really looking forward to. I’m happy as long as I’m playing cricket. So yes, a couple of days off and then back to cricket,” Rahane said.

SAN ANTONIO — With three minutes remaining in the first quarter Sunday night, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, yearning for oxygen, placed both of his hands on his knees. Above him, the Frost Bank Center jumbotron flashed a giant, white “10,” the Thunder’s point total and an indication of the offensive struggles of a team without two players who have started playoff games. In the midst of Gilgeous-Alexander’s brief recess, a pair of hands rested against his back. But this wasn’t a show of support or encouragement. These weren’t hands of comfort. Those hands belonged to Stephon Castle. The touch was firm. The message was much firmer. A reminder of Castle’s — and San Antonio’s, by proxy — omnipresence. Every inch the two-time MVP took, Castle would be right there, like an overly eager intern. A wounded champion, with key parts of its makeup missing, would need to rely on a central figure to win another playoff game on the road. And these young pups, refusing to go into the night quietly, decided to make a statement. Not by their might or mouth, but by their hands. “I think it was a combination of the physicality and resistance,” Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson said of the 103-82 win that evened the Western Conference finals at 2-2. “Along with the discipline and connectivity to still be together in team defense, not just trying to take one guy out or worried about what you were doing with your matchup.”The hands are technically an extension of the body — and the crux of how the sport is played — but in truth, they’re an extension of the brain. Movements are dictated by impulses and instincts. External responses to internal reactions. So when Spurs rookie guard Dylan Harper offered to help Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein as he lay on the floor before changing his mind, doing so with his hand and pulling it back in disgust. When Gilgeous-Alexander tried, and failed, to create separation, he was informed by Castle’s hands that there would be some irregularities in his rhythm. When De’Aaron Fox needed to show a lack of trepidation on the battle of the boards, he did so by extending his hands over and over and over again. When Victor Wembanyama deleted entire Thunder possessions from existence, launched a 43-foot prayer that hit before halftime and seemingly defied gravity, his hands did the talking (game-high 33 points and a plus-29). And when the Spurs needed their faithful to roar louder and cheer harder as their sworn enemies sat across the sideline befuddled in doubt, their hands beckoned toward 20,000 people for more. “I think that just comes from trusting our instincts,” Carter Bryant told Yahoo Sports. “Coach trusts and encourages us to make plays, to be aggressive defensively and offensively. When you play with pride, you understand your job is to disrupt the offense in any way. They’re a really good team so we have to make adjustments, disrupt their flow, cadence and speed.”The Western Conference finals have been a celebration of the beauty of basketball brands, but Game 4 was the complete absence of aesthetics. Oklahoma City shot just 33 percent from the field and missed 27 of their 33 3s, and its half-court efficiency and effective field-goal percentage were the worst of any team to step foot on the floor this postseason. (San Antonio didn’t fare that much better from a shooting perspective, but was able to control the game in other key areas.) Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 19 points on 15 shots, turned the ball over four times and didn’t play a minute of the fourth quarter, with head coach Mark Daigneault already recognizing the writing on the wall. Twenty Thunder turnovers resulted in 25 points the other way, and the reigning champs were bested in transition, total rebounds and in the paint. Because as young and inexperienced as these Spurs are, their defense — and attention to detail at that end of the floor — has always displayed a maturity far beyond its years, aging like fine wine in real time. San Antonio finished the regular season ranked third in defensive efficiency despite rarely forcing opponents to make mistakes. Their postseason run thus far has been marked by a similar opponent turnover rate, making their mark by allowing the worst shots, the lowest effective field-goal percentage and by controlling the glass.That speaks to the sum of a scheme that puts the right amount of emphasis on being active everywhere, all the time. Start a possession latching Castle onto SGA’s hip, have Devin Vassell and Julian Champagnie’s length waiting on the wings to cause havoc and Wembanyama roaming the middle, suffocating any perceivable pockets of space. Play those individuals longer together, creating an impenetrable cushion, and you give yourselves a chance no matter how ill-equipped the second unit is. San Antonio’s deflection rate has improved in the postseason as well as its ability to chase after loose balls and its shot contesting, which ranks No. 1 among playoff teams. Offensively, the game may be loose and uneven, a symptom of a young nucleus learning and growing together. At the other end of the floor, though, there’s no excuse. All five players on the floor are moving on a string, accounting for each other and working like true colleagues. “That’s super important,” Wembanyama said. “And pretty much everybody would do that if they could trust that the rotations are there. But we have good individual defenders, so when we connect individual and team defense, it holds teams to low-scoring numbers.”There’s an underlying element of innocence that has captured this Spurs group and, in turn, has captivated onlookers, even amid the backdrop of a brilliant Thunder team looking to get back to the Finals. San Antonio has come too far to claim it’s playing with house money — that locker room is as confident as ever of regaining control of the series — but whatever happens from this point onward, this team isn’t going down easy. A best of three. A best of hands.

Gunners title nothing special? How wild Europe’s title race wasYesterday afternoon, after the match against Crystal Palace, Arsenal were finally able to lift the Premier League trophy again after 22 years. 22 years? Some clubs can only smile at that. In Europe, several top-flight clubs climbed back onto the football throne this season for the first time in over 30 or even 60 years, showed money-driven clubs their limits, and won the title straight after being promoted. Are we witnessing a nostalgic championship year right now?If one team from Northern Europe has anything to say about it — definitely. Viking Stavanger were crowned Norwegian champions again this winter for the first time in 34 years. Still among the very best in the 90s, the Vikings had recently been playing only fourth fiddle behind Bodø/Glimt, Molde, and Rosenborg. At least for the moment, that is over. Just like the dominance of Ludogorets Razgrad?Until the current season, the Bulgarians had won the Parva Liga title 14 times in a row. Capital club Levski Sofia had clearly had enough of the dominance and crowned themselves Bulgarian champions again for the first time since 2008. If that still isn’t nostalgic enough for you, we’ve got something else. For that, we travel further into the mountains. More precisely, to Linz.In Austria’s third-largest city, LASK’s first title in 61 years probably made not only their own fans’ hearts beat faster. Football nostalgics who think less of money-driven clubs will likely have enjoyed this title too.The Linz side finished ahead of, among others, RB Salzburg. According to 'Transfermarkt.de', the team of a fairly well-known major corporation is worth over 100 million euros more than LASK’s squad. More money does not always bring the title. For that, you are more likely to need a Sasa Kalajdzic.After years plagued by injuries, the former Stuttgart man played a key role in the title win with seven goals and eleven assists.“Outstanding, I’m proud of everyone, especially the team and also the fans. We were finally able to give something back after such a long time. It was a hard grind. But I think in the end we deserved it too,” the striker raved about his team after winning the title. While Kalajdzic is already preparing for the World Cup with Austria, we’re making one quick stop in Switzerland.In the neighboring country, the 2025/26 season repeated a top-flight scenario that until then had only existed in the Bundesliga.Like 1. FC Kaiserslautern once did, FC Thun were crowned champions as a newly promoted side. Despite having the fourth-lowest squad value, the club founded in 1898 finished on top of the Swiss Super League for the first time ever.“Being Swiss champions is an awesome feeling. The success is deserved, the season was historic. Promotion and then the title — that’s so awesome,” shouted a visibly emotional Thun coach Mauro Lustrinelli into the Swiss TV microphones after winning the title. He may even make history in the Bundesliga soon.Lustrinelli was unveiled as Union Berlin’s new head coach on Thursday. Union as champions? Now that really would be nostalgic.This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.

Here's our rest-of-season Top 300. Expect this space to be updated every Monday. Players are ranked for 5x5 mixed leagues using a one-catcher format. I include the mixed-league disclaimer because I do reward upside, particularly past the top 200 or so.⚾️ Baseball is back on NBC: MLB returns to NBC and Peacock in 2026! In addition to becoming the exclusive home of Sunday Night Baseball, NBC Sports will broadcast MLB Sunday Leadoff, “Opening Day” and Labor Day primetime games, the first round of the MLB Draft, the entire Wild Card round of the postseason and much more.2026 Fantasy Baseball Top 300 overall ranks**Updated May 25**I added the preseason Top 300 rankings to the list this week, just as sort of a two-month progress report. To date, 54 players in the original rankings have been swapped out for newcomers.May 25Top 300TeamPosPos RkMay 182026 1 Aaron Judge Yankees OF 1 1 1 2 Bobby Witt Jr. Royals SS 1 2 3 3 Shohei Ohtani Dodgers DH 1 3 2 4 Elly De La Cruz Reds SS 2 4 13 5 Ronald Acuna Jr. Braves OF 2 5 4 6 Julio Rodriguez Mariners OF 3 6 8 7 Juan Soto Mets OF 4 7 5 8 Jose Ramirez Guardians 3B 1 8 6 9 Corbin Carroll Diamondbacks OF 5 9 14 10 Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Blue Jays 1B 1 11 9 11 Kyle Tucker Dodgers OF 6 12 10 12 Yordan Alvarez Astros OF 7 13 25 13 Nick Kurtz Athletics 1B 2 14 16 14 Cristopher Sanchez Phillies SP 1 19 26 15 Pete Alonso Orioles 1B 3 16 17 16 Kyle Schwarber Phillies DH 2 15 20 17 Paul Skenes Pirates SP 2 10 11 18 Junior Caminero Rays 3B 2 21 21 19 Zach Neto Angels SS 3 18 18 20 Jackson Chourio Brewers OF 8 20 35 21 James Wood Nationals OF 9 24 30 22 Fernando Tatis Jr. Padres 2B 1 17 15 23 Bryce Harper Phillies 1B 4 22 38 24 Trea Turner Phillies SS 4 23 23 25 Gunnar Henderson Orioles SS 5 25 12 26 Logan Gilbert Mariners SP 3 26 22 27 Yoshinobu Yamamoto Dodgers SP 4 27 28 28 CJ Abrams Nationals SS 6 29 37 29 Tarik Skubal Tigers SP 5 40 7 30 Brice Turang Brewers 2B 2 28 56 31 Michael Harris II Braves OF 10 30 31 32 Mason Miller Padres RP 1 31 41 33 Ketel Marte Diamondbacks 2B 3 32 27 34 Sal Stewart Reds 2B 4 34 48 35 Freddie Freeman Dodgers 1B 5 33 36 36 Matt Olson Braves 1B 6 36 75 37 Shohei Ohtani Dodgers SP 6 37 60 38 Oneil Cruz Pirates OF 11 38 51 39 Bryan Woo Mariners SP 7 35 34 40 Austin Riley Braves 3B 3 39 29 41 Garrett Crochet Red Sox SP 8 42 19 42 Pete Crow-Armstrong Cubs OF 12 45 32 43 Jazz Chisholm Jr. Yankees 2B 5 43 40 44 Cody Bellinger Yankees OF 13 44 53 45 Chris Sale Braves SP 9 46 58 46 Cade Smith Guardians RP 2 48 57 47 Ben Rice Yankees C 1 47 83 48 George Kirby Mariners SP 10 41 46 49 Aroldis Chapman Red Sox RP 3 52 61 50 Zack Wheeler Phillies SP 11 70 81 51 Shea Langeliers Athletics C 2 51 111 52 Jarren Duran Red Sox OF 14 53 39 53 Brent Rooker Athletics OF 15 54 43 54 Jacob Misiorowski Brewers SP 12 57 79 55 Jhoan Duran Phillies RP 4 56 66 56 Jacob deGrom Rangers SP 13 50 55 57 Maikel Garcia Royals 3B 4 49 44 58 Joe Ryan Twins SP 14 71 67 59 Mike Trout Angels OF 16 59 99 60 George Springer Blue Jays OF 17 61 54 61 Andres Munoz Mariners RP 5 62 77 62 Framber Valdez Tigers SP 15 60 63 63 Dylan Cease Blue Jays SP 16 55 69 64 Nolan McLean Mets SP 17 63 105 65 Manny Machado Padres 3B 5 58 45 66 Riley Greene Tigers OF 18 64 91 67 Jeremy Pena Astros SS 7 66 73 68 Tyler Soderstrom Athletics 1B 7 65 74 69 Roman Anthony Red Sox OF 19 69 49 70 Cam Schlittler Yankees SP 18 74 182 71 Xavier Edwards Marlins SS 8 73 96 72 Jordan Walker Cardinals OF 20 83 NR 73 Seiya Suzuki Cubs OF 21 68 88 74 Jackson Merrill Padres OF 22 67 52 75 Gerrit Cole Yankees SP 19 82 118 76 Ivan Herrera Cardinals C 3 77 107 77 Nico Hoerner Cubs 2B 6 76 122 78 Byron Buxton Twins OF 23 79 89 79 Bo Bichette Mets SS 9 89 64 80 Josh Naylor Mariners 1B 8 78 78 81 Wyatt Langford Rangers OF 24 86 47 82 Bryan Reynolds Pirates OF 25 81 108 83 Corey Seager Rangers SS 10 75 76 84 Drew Rasmussen Rays SP 20 84 93 85 Andy Pages Dodgers OF 26 80 139 86 Devin Williams Mets RP 6 85 70 87 Kyle Stowers Marlins OF 27 88 109 88 Josh Hader Astros RP 7 91 97 89 Jesus Luzardo Phillies SP 21 90 102 90 Cole Ragans Royals SP 22 99 72 91 Francisco Lindor Mets SS 11 95 24 92 Rafael Devers Giants 1B 9 92 87 93 Sonny Gray Red Sox SP 23 93 85 94 Cal Raleigh Mariners C 4 94 33 95 Chase Burns Reds SP 24 97 154 96 Mookie Betts Dodgers SS 12 96 80 97 Alec Burleson Cardinals 1B 10 98 112 98 Geraldo Perdomo Diamondbacks SS 13 103 59 99 David Bednar Yankees RP 8 87 84 100 Logan Webb Giants SP 25 108 68 101 Brandon Nimmo Rangers OF 28 104 106 102 Kevin Gausman Blue Jays SP 26 107 142 103 Daniel Palencia Cubs RP 9 101 92 104 Jo Adell Angels OF 29 106 104 105 Christian Yelich Brewers OF 30 109 95 106 Yandy Diaz Rays 1B 11 114 141 107 William Contreras Brewers C 5 111 123 108 Willson Contreras Red Sox 1B 12 113 114 109 Daylen Lile Nationals OF 31 112 116 110 Bryce Miller Mariners SP 27 115 187 111 Konnor Griffin Pirates SS 14 110 181 112 Shane McClanahan Rays SP 28 118 160 113 Freddy Peralta Mets SP 29 116 138 114 Teoscar Hernandez Dodgers OF 32 127 113 115 Shota Imanaga Cubs SP 30 100 149 116 Gavin Williams Guardians SP 31 120 229 117 Munetaka Murakami White Sox 3B 6 119 177 118 Kyle Bradish Orioles SP 32 122 90 119 Raisel Iglesias Braves RP 10 126 124 120 Alex Bregman Cubs 3B 7 121 137 121 Vinnie Pasquantino Royals 1B 13 102 62 122 Hunter Brown Astros SP 33 133 65 123 Miguel Vargas White Sox 3B 8 123 214 124 Kevin McGonigle Tigers SS 15 125 224 125 Ryan Helsley Orioles RP 11 117 115 126 Daulton Varsho Blue Jays OF 33 129 119 127 Ranger Suarez Red Sox SP 34 130 131 128 Tanner Bibee Guardians SP 35 138 126 129 Christian Walker Astros 1B 14 137 265 130 Ceddanne Rafaela Red Sox 2B 7 131 120 131 JJ Wetherholt Cardinals SS 16 136 173 132 Jackson Holliday Orioles 2B 8 143 158 133 Nathan Eovaldi Rangers SP 36 145 151 134 Eury Perez Marlins SP 37 124 98 135 Chandler Simpson Rays OF 34 134 213 136 Trey Yesavage Blue Jays SP 38 151 237 137 Michael Busch Cubs 1B 15 141 125 138 MacKenzie Gore Rangers SP 39 139 134 139 Ian Happ Cubs OF 35 135 152 140 Pete Fairbanks Marlins RP 12 140 153 141 Wilyer Abreu Red Sox OF 36 132 169 142 Kenley Jansen Tigers RP 13 148 146 143 Drake Baldwin Braves C 6 72 130 144 Michael King Padres SP 40 147 179 145 Eugenio Suarez Reds 3B 9 162 136 146 Alec Bohm Phillies 3B 10 163 117 147 Dylan Crews Nationals OF 37 244 198 148 Brandon Woodruff Brewers SP 41 164 161 149 Bryson Stott Phillies 2B 9 156 150 150 Blake Snell Dodgers SP 42 233 121 151 Jonathan Aranda Rays 1B 16 150 218 152 Salvador Perez Royals C 7 154 101 153 Kyle Harrison Brewers SP 43 211 NR 154 Matt McLain Reds 2B 10 146 103 155 Hunter Goodman Rockies C 8 149 145 156 Spencer Steer Reds 1B 17 152 NR 157 Carlos Rodon Yankees SP 44 158 204 158 Hunter Greene Reds SP 45 166 215 159 Travis Bazzana Guardians 2B 11 167 NR 160 Max Muncy Dodgers 3B 11 157 206 161 Otto Lopez Marlins SS 17 153 191 162 Riley O’Brien Cardinals RP 14 144 243 163 Randy Arozarena Mariners OF 38 160 178 164 Max Fried Yankees SP 46 174 42 165 Dansby Swanson Cubs SS 18 159 164 166 Parker Messick Guardians SP 47 161 259 167 Luke Keaschall Twins 2B 12 105 82 168 Louis Varland Blue Jays RP 15 155 NR 169 Luis Robert Jr. Mets OF 39 142 71 170 Isaac Paredes Astros 3B 12 165 172 171 Spencer Strider Braves SP 48 177 263 172 Braxton Ashcraft Pirates SP 49 168 276 173 Sandy Alcantara Marlins SP 50 169 192 174 Logan Henderson Brewers SP 51 181 277 175 Willy Adames Giants SS 19 189 163 176 Kazuma Okamoto Blue Jays 3B 13 173 212 177 Brandon Marsh Phillies OF 40 170 264 178 Colson Montgomery White Sox SS 20 171 174 179 Jose Soriano Angels SP 52 185 NR 180 Xander Bogaerts Padres SS 21 179 194 181 Tyler Glasnow Dodgers SP 53 128 144 182 Abner Uribe Brewers RP 16 178 197 183 Jose Altuve Astros 2B 13 176 86 184 Adolis Garcia Phillies OF 41 175 171 185 Jakob Marsee Marlins OF 42 186 140 186 Payton Tolle Red Sox SP 54 188 NR 187 Ezequiel Tovar Rockies SS 22 180 148 188 Taylor Ward Orioles OF 43 172 189 189 Josh Jung Rangers 3B 14 184 245 190 Randy Vasquez Padres SP 55 183 NR 191 Trent Grisham Yankees OF 44 191 200 192 Christian Scott Mets SP 56 194 NR 193 Luis Garcia Jr. Nationals 2B 14 187 170 194 Ozzie Albies Braves 2B 15 195 262 195 Nolan Schanuel Angels 1B 18 190 221 196 Tanner Scott Dodgers RP 17 197 NR 197 Luis Arraez Giants 2B 16 196 217 198 Jeff Hoffman Blue Jays RP 18 205 100 199 Brett Baty Mets 2B 17 213 205 200 Shane Bieber Blue Jays SP 57 209 247 201 Emmet Sheehan Dodgers SP 58 202 211 202 Brandon Lowe Pirates 2B 18 206 210 203 Sam Antonacci White Sox 2B 19 208 NR 204 Seranthony Dominguez White Sox RP 19 193 165 205 Nick Lodolo Reds SP 59 204 184 206 Cam Smith Astros OF 45 192 NR 207 Trevor Megill Brewers RP 20 201 127 208 JJ Bleday Reds OF 46 203 NR 209 Ryan Waldschmidt Diamondbacks OF 47 212 NR 210 Jared Jones Pirates SP 60 216 NR 211 Jacob Wilson Athletics SS 23 214 128 212 Bryan Baker Rays RP 21 210 NR 213 Gleyber Torres Tigers 2B 20 221 180 214 Max Meyer Marlins SP 61 274 289 215 Tommy Edman Dodgers 2B 21 236 176 216 Ramon Laureano Padres OF 48 199 228 217 Chase DeLauter Guardians OF 49 222 NR 218 Ben Brown Cubs SP 62 238 NR 219 Jorge Soler Angels OF 50 219 244 220 Ernie Clement Blue Jays SS 24 224 251 221 Carson Benge Mets OF 51 241 290 222 Dillon Dingler Tigers C 9 215 NR 223 Will Warren Yankees SP 63 223 NR 224 Matt Chapman Giants 3B 15 227 196 225 Nick Martinez Rays SP 64 225 246 226 Emerson Hancock Mariners SP 65 230 NR 227 Joey Cantillo Guardians SP 66 273 NR 228 Ryan Weathers Yankees SP 67 231 286 229 Evan Carter Rangers OF 52 228 255 230 Mark Vientos Mets 3B 16 229 NR 231 Will Smith Dodgers C 10 226 201 232 Jesus Sanchez Blue Jays OF 53 239 292 233 Steven Kwan Guardians OF 54 234 162 234 Andres Gimenez Blue Jays SS 25 232 239 235 Gabriel Moreno Diamondbacks C 11 240 231 236 Josh Bell Twins 1B 19 245 230 237 Caleb Durbin Red Sox 3B 17 217 159 238 Adley Rutschman Orioles C 12 249 261 239 Andrew Vaughn Brewers 1B 20 242 155 240 Gregory Soto Pirates RP 22 254 NR 241 Addison Barger Blue Jays 3B 18 256 186 242 Colt Keith Tigers 2B 22 237 227 243 Garrett Mitchell Brewers OF 55 198 NR 244 A.J. Ewing Mets OF 56 251 NR 245 Lucas Erceg Royals RP 23 235 273 246 Kerry Carpenter Tigers OF 57 259 167 247 Brendan Donovan Mariners 2B 23 257 183 248 Kodai Senga Mets SP 68 260 202 249 Jeff McNeil Athletics 2B 24 246 274 250 Henry Bolte Athletics OF 58 247 NR 251 Reid Detmers Angels SP 69 250 256 252 Jorge Polanco Mets 2B 25 271 135 253 Bubba Chandler Pirates SP 70 243 207 254 Jacob Latz Rangers RP 24 252 NR 255 Davis Martin White Sox SP 71 255 NR 256 Spencer Torkelson Tigers 1B 21 220 216 257 Noelvi Marte Reds 3B 19 265 94 258 Mickey Moniak Rockies OF 59 200 236 259 Taj Bradley Twins SP 72 284 NR 260 Sal Frelick Brewers OF 60 258 258 261 TJ Rumfield Rockies 1B 22 272 NR 262 Justin Wrobleski Dodgers SP 73 253 NR 263 Jake Burger Rangers 1B 23 275 254 264 Casey Mize Tigers SP 74 278 NR 265 Paul Sewald Diamondbacks RP 25 266 291 266 River Ryan Dodgers SP 75 285 NR 267 Jake Bauers Brewers 1B 24 282 NR 268 Michael Wacha Royals SP 76 269 NR 269 Jameson Taillon Cubs SP 77 261 225 270 Masyn Winn Cardinals SS 26 262 223 271 Edward Cabrera Cubs SP 78 207 175 272 Jung Hoo Lee Giants OF 61 182 157 273 Nathaniel Lowe Reds 1B 25 296 NR 274 Anthony Volpe Yankees SS 27 248 235 275 Nolan Arenado Diamondbacks 3B 20 293 295 276 Luke Raley Mariners 1B 26 276 NR 277 Austin Martin Twins OF 62 279 NR 278 Shane Baz Orioles SP 79 290 257 279 Jake McCarthy Rockies OF 63 NR 267 280 Corbin Burnes Diamondbacks SP 80 294 NR 281 Zack Gelof Athletics 2B 26 292 NR 282 Jose Caballero Yankees SS 28 286 294 283 Angel Martinez Guardians 2B 27 287 NR 284 Bryce Elder Braves SP 81 NR NR 285 Keaton Winn Giants RP 26 NR NR 286 Kris Bubic Royals SP 82 NR 234 287 Matthew Boyd Cubs SP 83 NR 166 288 Lawrence Butler Athletics OF 64 264 242 289 Grant Taylor White Sox RP 27 NR NR 290 Casey Schmitt Giants 2B 28 NR NR 291 Samuel Basallo Orioles C 13 288 NR 292 Ryan O’Hearn Pirates 1B 27 NR NR 293 Jack Leiter Rangers SP 84 295 NR 294 Antonio Senzatela Rockies RP 28 NR NR 295 Giancarlo Stanton Yankees OF 65 NR 266 296 Steven Matz Rays SP 85 NR NR 297 Jordan Lawlar Diamondbacks 3B 21 NR 203 298 Liam Hicks Marlins C 14 NR NR 299 Cade Cavalli Nationals SP 86 300 NR 300 Griffin Jax Rays SP 87 NR 110 May 25 NotesFalling off: Spencer Schwellenbach (218th), Gus Varland (263rd), Trevor Story (267th), Josh Lowe (268th), Ryan Jeffers (270th), Caleb Kilian (277th), Brenton Doyle (280th), Marcell Ozuna (281st), Robbie Ray (283rd), Kyle Manzardo (289th), Justin Crawford (291st), Aaron Ashby (297th), Colt Emerson (298th), Nasim Nuñez (299th)- I was always too optimistic about Schwellenbach's return from elbow surgery, apparently. He's resumed tossing, but it sounds like he won't even be back on the mound for another three weeks, suggesting that mid-August return is probably the best-case scenario now. ... I can't believe I reintroduced Manzardo to the rankings last week only for Stephen Vogt to bench him against three of the next five righties (and both lefties, of course) the Guardians faced. Manzardo is batting .278/.350/.574 with an even more impressive .406 xwOBA this month. But, then, the Guardians are obviously doing just fine without him. - Cristopher Sánchez overtakes Paul Skenes as the No. 1 starter this week. Sánchez's velocity was down just a little initially, and he didn't dominate last month, but he's had a May for the ages, with his 32 scoreless innings and 36 strikeouts. His K rate has jumped from 20 percent in 2024 and 26 percent last season to 29 percent now, and he's done without losing anything off his stellar groundball rate. I'm still pretty sure Skenes will be fine, but his velocity is down one mph from last year and his mediocre 25.6 percent CSW is really quite stunning. He ranks 56th of the 76 qualified starters in that category, right in between Matthew Liberatore and Colin Rea.- While I didn't want to, I did have to drop Luke Keaschall from 102nd to 167th this week. He's losing playing time on a Twins team that's already sent down Matt Wallner and Royce Lewis. And it probably doesn't help matters that Lewis is already gunning for a quick return. I think things will turn around for Keaschall if the Twins stick with him, but it'd be hard to blame them for swapping him out for a spell. His lack of defensive value makes his offensive struggles much more difficult to deal with.- Andrew Vaughn, Jake Bauers and Garrett Mitchell would all be top-200 guys for me as regulars, but the current playing time situation in Milwaukee isn't great. I'd love to have Vaughn back in the 150s, but he sat against three straight righties last week before Mitchell missed a couple of games with a back issue. Someone will eventually get hurt again and clarifying matters for a time, but I don't much like it right now.- Pittsburgh's Jared Jones is another guy I'd like to have higher, but this talk about maybe starting him off in the pen seems like a real threat. If it's about not taking either Bubba Chandler or Carmen Mlodzinski out of the rotation, I don't get that at all. I do think Chandler will get better, but his 16 percent walk rate is awful and he's not really making up for it with a 22 percent strikeout rate. Mlodzinski has been nice, but his ceiling as a starter is limited, and even with him having allowed just two homers on 11 barrels, his ERA is an unremarkable 3.96. Jones has ace-type ability and he's been stretched out to the point that he threw 76 pitches last time out. I don't see how it would make any sense to put him in the pen now.- With his 1.13 ERA through 32 innings, Antonio Senzatela becomes the first Rockies pitcher to make the top 300 this year. It's probably a temporary thing, since he might be as likely as anyone in the league to get traded, and it might happen well before the deadline. For now, though, he looks like an increasingly decent bet for saves in Colorado's pen.May 18 NotesFalling off: Kris Bubic (205th), Heliot Ramos (217th), Ryan O'Hearn (222nd), Clay Holmes (223rd), Chad Patrick (262nd), Dylan Beavers (264th), Royce Lewis (270th), Matt Wallner (275th), Giancarlo Stanton (285th), Robert Suarez (290th), Pierce Johnson (297th), Jac Caglianone (298th), Dennis Santana (299th)- O'Hearn, Suarez, and Caglianone are all part of the next 10, along with Ryan Zeferjahn, Jake McCarthy, Connor Prielipp, Emilio Pagán and Jordan Lawlar.- For the first time since putting out my preseason rankings in mid-January, there is a change in the top three, as Shohei Ohtani (DH only) drops behind Bobby Witt Jr. I hesitated to make the move a couple of weeks ago after Ohtani got back to stealing bases, but since it looks like him being held out of the lineup when he pitches is turning into a regular thing, down one spot he goes. I might also put Ronald Acuña Jr. ahead of him if Acuña comes back strong from his hamstring injury.- Vladimir Guerrero Jr. drops one spot this week, but I still don't see any reason to go much lower. His exit velocity numbers are down some, but his bat speed is just fine and he's not striking out. I'd be more concerned if his groundball rate was spiking, but he's slightly better than his career average there. The power production will come, and the Blue Jays' lineup still should take a significant step forward when Alejandro Kirk and Addison Barger get healthy and George Springer figures things out. Springer has been another disappointment, but again, his bat speed has held up nicely, he's pulling the ball in the air and his strikeout rate is fine.- Munetaka Murakami's home run barrage has really overshadowed what Miguel Vargas is doing in Chicago, but Vargas, pretty incredibly, is currently 10th in the majors with a .407 xwOBA. His average bat speed has jumped from 70.6 mph last year (25th percentile) to 73.7 mph this year (69th percentile) and he hasn't sacrificed any contact to make that happen. In fact, his contract numbers are largely improved. His exit velocity numbers, aside him 16 percent barrel rate, are still pretty average, and he's still having big BABIP troubles; he's at .240 right now, which is only slightly better than his career mark of .233. That's keeping me from ranking him in the top 100 for now, but he is up to No. 123 this week.- I did make room for Colt Emerson at the very bottom of the list, but I don't think he's ready to be particularly useful in mixed leagues at age 20. It also doesn't help that he's in a tough situation for hitters in Seattle. I'm looking forward to seeing what he can do, but Emerson was striking out 27 percent of the time in Triple-A and it's probably going to be a couple of years before he settles in as a 20-homer guy.

The World Surf League is staged between April and December [Getty Images]The finals day of the World Surf League's New Zealand Pro event was paused after a photographer was attacked in the water by a sea creature that organisers believe was a shark or sea lion.The incident happened as Brazilian surfers Yago Dora and Italo Ferreira competed in the men's semi-finals in Raglan on the North Island.A 'code red' was activated with the event put on hold onMonday while medical teams responded.Renato Hickel, World Surf League vice-president of tours and competition, said the photographer, Australian Ed Sloane, had "small puncture wounds" and was taken to hospital by ambulance."We activate the code red when it's a sea life attack on a surfer or a photographer. This time it was our beloved water photographer and thank God he's in good spirits. He's well considering what happened," Hickel said on the WSL broadcast.He added: "At this stage we're not certain if it was a shark or a sea lion. The doctor that was here helping on the scene was inclined to think it was a sea lion instead of a shark."Nevertheless very scary. Italo and Yago were very shaken. They saw the splash and the incident, so another reason to put the event on hold.Sloane thanked the medical team and the WSL water patrol for their "immediate assistance" in a statement shared by the surf league. "I am doing okay, I've had bites to my left foot and am getting medical attention," he said."I love this place and can't wait to watch an epic Finals Day," he added. "Cheering for everyone for a great finish to the event."The event got back under way after several hours with safety measures including additional jet skis and a drone spotter to monitor the water. It remains unclear what bit Sloane.

May 25 (UPI) -- A World Surfing League event was temporarily suspended on Monday after a photographer in the water suffered an animal bite to his foot.The photographer, identified as Australian Ed Sloane, suffered what WSL described in a statement as "a wildlife injury" Monday morning while photographing a surfing heat from the waters near Raglan in northwestern New Zealand.WSL Commissioner Renato Hickel said in an Instagram story that Sloane was transported to a hospital in stable condition. In an update, Hickel said Sloane was in "great spirits" and that following consultations with the competing surfers and other stakeholders, it was decided that the competition would restart at 1:05 p.m. NZST.In the event broadcast, streamed live on YouTube, Hickel said WSL activated what he called a code red, halting the heat and clearing the water."He's well considering what happened," he said, describing the injury as "minor, small puncture wounds." He added that officials were unsure if the animal responsible was a shark or sea lion, though they were inclined to think it was a sea lion."Nevertheless, very scary," he said. Sloane said in a written statement read during WSL's broadcast and later published to WSL's Instagram story, that he was bitten on the foot and was receiving medical attention."Massive thank you to our water patrol for the quick response, our medical team and all the support from our teams for the immediate assistance I received," he said."I love this place and can't wait to watch an epic Finals Day."Sloane was shooting the final day of the New Zealand Pro.Hickel said heightened wildlife surveillance, including jet skis, drones and spotters, would be put in place when the competition resumed.

CONCORD, NC — All weekend long, in the days following the sudden death of one of NASCAR’s greatest drivers, Daniel Suarez talked about how generous and good Kyle Busch was toward him.When Suarez first came to the U.S. from Mexico to compete full-time in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series for Joe Gibbs Racing in 2015, Busch called him every week. He offered advice, pointers and helped Suarez adapt to a new country and a different level of stockcar racing. That was during a year in which Busch spent nearly half of the NASCAR Cup Series season recovering from a broken leg before going on to win his first championship.“He didn't know who I was, he didn't know anything about me, and he took the time to always answer the phone and helped me literally for the entire year of 2015,” Suarez said. “It's very meaningful, because, like I said, I didn't have anyone to ask for help.”Suarez got some support Sunday night from the clouds above.After quickly pitting during one of the several cautions during Stage Four of the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Suarez skillfully escaped pit road to be the first car out. He remained in the lead for the final 17 laps of the race, deftly blocking Christopher Bell and driving into clean air before more cautions came due to lightning and rain.Ultimately, NASCAR called the race with 27 laps to go and Suarez was the car in front. When he hopped out of No. 7 Chevrolet sponsored by Freeway Insurance, he held back tears, pointed to the sky, then put on a black hat with a No. 8 patch on it for his friend, Busch.“Most people knew Kyle as the villain, right? As that guy that fans either love him or hate him, but he had a huge heart,” Suarez said “And he was one of those people that was always willing to give you a hand.”The victory for Suarez is the third of his Cup Series career, which began back in 2017 with JGR. It’s the first win for Suarez with his new team, Spire Motorsports, and also his first in more than two years. Suarez last took the checkered flag in the Cup Series on Feb. 25, 2024 in Atlanta.For Suarez, the win wasn’t just a proof-of-concept result that showed he’s having real success with Spire after parting ways with his former team Trackhouse. It certainly is that, but also so much more. It carries extra meaning for the 34-year-old who not only considered Busch a friend and mentor but also raced for his Kyle Busch Motorsports team in the Craftsman Truck Series.Suarez drove Sunday with a KBM sticker on his bumper and held up a "Rowdy Nation" flag in victory lane.“This one really means a lot. I’ve been saying for years, this is my favorite race of the year,” Suarez said. “And it’s been a very tough week. Kyle, he was special, man. This one is for Kyle. For Kyle, for Samantha, for Brexton, for Lennix — for his whole family. It’s just very special. Every win is special, but definitely this one has a special flavor because of Kyle. This one is for him.”The Coca-Cola 600 was the first NASCAR Cup Series race following the shocking loss of the 41-year-old Busch, who died Thursday due to what his family called complications from severe pneumonia that progressed into sepsis. Memorial Day weekend is usually a celebration for motorsports with the Coca-Cola 600 and Indy 500 both running on Sunday, but NASCAR garages were full of sadness at Charlotte Motor Speedway.Those emotions remained heavy as Busch’s family appeared alongside NASCAR CEO Steve O’Donnell just before the race. He told Busch’s wife Samantha, “This sport stands with you. You and your children are NASCAR family forever.”She cried into the shoulder of her 11-year-old son Brexton as the crowd cheered. O’Donnell continued: “Everyone gathered here, everyone behind you, everyone watching on TV and all those people up in that grandstand are your family. And we’ve got you.” In another emotional moment, Busch’s brother, Kurt, laid eight roses on the No. 8 that was printed on the infield.Suarez was one of the countless drivers who wore Busch hats or t-shirts before the race Sunday and all weekend long during public appearances.Daniel Suarez wins the Coca-Cola 600: 📸 pic.twitter.com/eLC40joa0v— Mitchell Northam (@primetimeMitch) May 25, 2026The sun was out and shining bright during the pre-race ceremonies and when the green flag first dropped on the Coke 600, one of the crown jewel races in NASCAR’s Cup Series. It featured 12 cautions and 32 lead changes, and just 20 of the 39 cars finished on the lead lap. Several marquee drivers, including Chase Elliott, Ross Chastain and Chase Briscoe crashed out.Inclement weather held off for the first three stages of the race, which featured a lot of green-flag racing. Tyler Reddick led for 119 laps and Denny Hamlin led for 75 as Toyota machines dominated for much of the night.Bell in the No. 20 Toyota also led for 44 laps, but couldn’t maneuver around Suarez late in Stage 4.“I didn’t really think that we were going to lose the racetrack. I ultimately think (NASCAR) made the right call, calling the race,” said Bell, who settled for second place. “(Suarez) did everything right to defend the position and win the race. I knew that it was going to come down to keeping him pinned on the restart, not letting him clear me for the lead, and he cleared me.”Suarez was an afterthought for most of the race, but his team gambled in the fourth stage of the race and put on two tires instead of four, allowing the No. 7 to get out of pit road first. It was then up to Suarez to hold off the Toyotas, specifically Bell and Hamlin.“Daniel had to drive his ass off those last two restarts against some studs," Suarez’s crew chief Ryan Sparks said.The victory made Suarez the first Mexican-born driver to win the Coca-Cola 600. He moved up four positions in points and is now 10th in the standings. The No. 7 has three other top 10 finishes this season.Very tough days continued for Richard Childress Racing, the team Busch belonged to. Austin Dillon did not finish the race after wrecking, and Austin Hill — driving Busch’s car, renumbered to 33 — finished 27th, a lap down.It was also a difficult day for Katherine Legge, who became the first woman to attempt "The Double." She wrecked in the Indy 500 though and finished in 31st, 12 laps down, at Charlotte after losing a tire and enduring some other challenges.For Spire Motorsports, it was the second victory of the year for the group in the Cup Series. Carson Hocevar won earlier this season at Talladega. After the race, Spire Motorsports’ co-owner Jeff Dickerson praised Suarez and Sparks, but also credited Busch for the win saying, “Just want to thank Kyle for the shove.”This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Kyle Busch was a big help to Coca-Cola 600 winner Daniel Suarez

Huge crowds expected as Arsenal dream of a two trophy parade in IslingtonArsenal supporters already know the date.The club have confirmed that the Premier League title parade will take place on 31 May, with celebrations set to roll through Islington after the Gunners ended their 22-year wait to become champions of England.But while supporters are already preparing scarves, songs and celebrations, Mikel Arteta appears to have something even bigger in mind.One trophy would be historic.Two would be unforgettable.Huge Crowds Expected As Islington PreparesReports on social media have suggested enormous crowds could descend on Islington for Arsenal’s title parade on 31 May, although official attendance estimates have not yet been confirmed.Arsenal and Islington Council have warned supporters to expect significant disruption and large numbers throughout the borough as celebrations take over North London. The club has confirmed the parade will begin at 2pm and take place the day after the Champions League Final.Huge crowds are expected to line the streets of Islington, with supporters travelling from across the UK and beyond to celebrate Arsenal’s first Premier League title in 22 years, although no official attendance figure has yet been released.That timing is what has added another layer of excitement.Because if Arsenal can overcome PSG in Budapest on 30 May, celebrations could become something even more memorable.Premier League Secured, But One More Dream RemainsNobody inside the club will want to look too far ahead.The Premier League title deserves its own moment.But supporters will not stop dreaming.Arteta has already spoken about celebrating properly before immediately refocusing on what comes next, and that next challenge is the biggest European night Arsenal have faced in a generation.An Islington parade carrying one trophy would already become one of the greatest days in modern Arsenal history.Add the Champions League into the mix?That becomes the kind of day supporters talk about for decades.For now though, there is still work to do.First comes Crystal Palace.Then comes the trophy lift.Then comes Paris Saint-Germain.What do you think Gooners, if Arsenal beat PSG, would a two-trophy parade become the greatest day in the club’s modern history?_____________________________________________________________________________________________ADMIN COMMENTSo here are some simple rules which I must insist commenters follow….You agree not to give any personal abuse to other Arsenal fans. Everyone is allowed to hold their own opinions even if you disagree with them. It COSTS NOTHING TO BE POLITE TO OTHER ARSENAL FANS.CALLING ALL ARSENAL FANS! Anyone who would like to contribute an Article or Video opinion piece on JustArsenal, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us through this link…More Stories / Latest NewsFrom rebuilding to champions: Why Arteta has earned his Arsenal legacy 24 May 2026, 22:45Huge crowds expected as Arsenal dream of a two trophy parade in Islington 24 May 2026, 21:1510 Games That Won Arsenal The Premier League Title 24 May 2026, 19:45

Rohit Sharma endured a disappointing end to his IPL 2026 campaign after registering an unwanted record during Mumbai Indians’ defeat to Rajasthan Royals at the Wankhede Stadium. The MI opener was dismissed for a duck by Jofra Archer, a wicket that also saw him equal the record for the most ducks in IPL history. Rohit now has 19 ducks in the tournament, level with Glenn Maxwell at the top of the list. Most ducks in IPL history: 19 — Glenn Maxwell 19 — Rohit Sharma 18 — Dinesh Karthik 18 — Sunil Narine 16 — Piyush Chawla 16 — Rashid Khan Rohit’s dismissal came in dramatic fashion. Archer produced a superb outswinger that moved sharply away from the MI batter, forcing an outside edge through to wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel. The early breakthrough triggered a collapse as Mumbai Indians slipped to 38 for 4 during the chase of 206. While the duck added an unwanted statistic to Rohit’s record, the former MI captain still had a decent individual season despite missing multiple matches through injury. Across nine games in IPL 2026, Rohit scored 283 runs at an average of 35.38 and a strike rate of 157.22. However, his absence and inconsistent availability became one of the reasons Mumbai Indians struggled badly throughout the campaign. The five-time champions never found stability at the top and eventually finished ninth on the points table after another disappointing defeat. Meanwhile, Rajasthan Royals sealed the final playoff spot thanks to Archer’s all-round brilliance. The England star smashed 32 off 15 balls before returning figures of 3 for 17 to knock MI out and send RR into the playoffs.

KRAKOW, POLAND - APRIL 30: Chris Richards of Crystal Palace passes the ball during the UEFA Europa Conference League match between FC Shakhtar Donetsk and Crystal Palace FC at Henryk Reyman's Municipal Stadium on April 30, 2026 in Krakow, Poland. (Photo by Claudio Villa/Getty Images) | Getty Images For many Bayern Munich fans, Chris Richards is the young talent that got away. The American international had budding promise after arriving in Bavaria in 2018, but it has taken a move away to realize it.Now at Crystal Palace, Richards has done just that. The fully-fledged USMNT star reflected on his time at Bayern, his progress in the Premier League, and the upcoming Men’s World Cup in a wide-ranging interview for CBS Sports.Difficulty at BayernAt Bayern, Richards was never a candidate to break through. The defense was log-jammed, with bigger names (and salaries) ahead of him and a steady stream of big-money transfer additions.Richards was undeterred, though, and powered by a driving ambition to be great — whether that was at Bayern or not. As Richards put it in the interview: “I never wanted to be just a name on the teamsheet. I wanted to be one of the first ones in it.”Unleashed by a change in systemBut Richards is at home now, with both Palace and the USMNT under Mauricio Pochettino running a back three. The defender-heavy formation is anything but passive from the standpoint of one of its wide center-backs.“I love it. I think even for us defenders, it’s a chance for us to be aggressive,” Richards commented. “When you’re so far off the pitch, it’s your time to smash into somebody and you win the ball up that high and then it really is a counterattack within 20 yards of goals. I really enjoy it. I really do.”Still, Richards is a defender first.“Now, I think to be a center defender, you have to be a little sick in the head, to be honest with you,” Richards added. “You have to want to head the ball. You have to want to crunch people and pretty much, your job is that once you get the ball, to give to the people who go make the magic happen and so for me, like I said, my favorite thing in the world is to have like a crazy crunch tackle and everybody goes wild so I’d rather do that than score a goal. That’s my job and I love it.”From big pond to across the pondWhen Richards finally left Bayern and Germany for good in 2022, it was a chance to be a bigger fish at club that wasn’t atop the Champions League conversations year in and year out. But in his first season at Crystal Palace, he managed just four league starts for a side that finished 11th in the Premier League.Richard’s time was soon to come — exploding into a starting lineup fixture in each of the three seasons since — but there were early dues that needed paying. He credited former captain Joel Ward with taking him under his wing.“I think as a 22-year-old who came from a big club like Bayern, you’re thinking, all right, cool. I’m gonna get here. I’m gonna play,” Richards, now 26, recalled. “I feel like I was doing everything right and so [Ward] pulled me to the side a few times, like, ‘Everybody sees you doing the right thing. Just keep doing the right thing so that when your time does come, you’re ready for it’ … He wasn’t even really playing at the time but he knew what his spot and what his role was in the club and he did it perfectly.”Injured on the cusp of the World Cup Richards’ journey has been a fruitful one. Now a regular in the XI and beloved by Palace fans, the 25-year-old finds himself in a leadership position for both club and country. But just as the summer’s Men’s World Cup is about to begin, the USMNT defender finds himself with new adversity to battle — having torn two ankle ligaments in the penultimate Premier League match of the season, a draw to Brentford on Sunday, May 17th.The injury occurs ten days to Palace’s Europa Conference League Final against Rayo Vallecano, and less than that to the official USMNT roster announcement. Palace coach Oliver Glasner has called his chances 50-50 for the cup final, though the outlook is more positive for the summer tournament, per CBS football correspondent James Benge:He may not have made his big break at Bayern, but Richards’ success is great to see. Hopefully he comes back in time for the World Cup, if not sooner, and shines bright on the big stage.If you are looking for more Bayern Munich and German national team coverage, check out the latest episodes of Bavarian Podcast Works, which you can get on Acast, Spotify, Apple, or any leading podcast distributor… Join the conversation!Sign up for a user account and get:New, improved notifications system!Fewer adsCreate community postsComment on articles, community postsRec comments, community posts

MUMBAI: Soon after he captained the Rajasthan Royals to the IPL-2026 playoffs with a 30-run victory over the Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium on Sunday afternoon in a must-win game, Riyan Parag received a 'pat on the back' from his team's head coach Kumar Sangakkara. "I think I've seen very few players who have been criticised, like Riyan has been criticized for about seven years now. Ever since I came to the franchise, there's always people who like Riyan, but there are a lot of people who didn't really like him, especially on social media. But that's the reality of the modern game. When we decided to offer Riyan the captaincy, he is the absolute right guy to lead this franchise. I have no doubt in my mind," Sangakkara said, backing his captain to the hilt.While his captaincy has been good, Parag's personal form-just 272 runs in 12 matches@24.72, at a strike rate of 152.80-coupled with him being involved in vaping controversy for which he was fined by the BCCI -hasn't done the 24-year-old Assam cricketer any good. However, Sangakkara praised Parag for leading RR "exceptionally well" and stressed that "he's got the respect of all the players and the staff." "And having watched him, yes, he will grow. He will mature. He will understand himself a lot more. He will learn to understand his players a lot more. But even today, if you look at the calls he makes as captain, the confidence with which he does, he drags himself almost on one foot sometimes to come and play. There's a huge amount of positives. I think he's captained exceptionally well. He's led his team exceptionally well. And when he's in that dressing room, he's got the respect of all the players and the staff. That's all you can ask for. What happens in the next few years, I think it's a really interesting relationship we have to build with the franchise and Riy. And really help him develop as a captain, as a batter, as a person, and keep supporting him," Sangakkara complimented.The RR head coach asserted that Parag was perhaps a much misunderstood guy, who was "love, soft and gentle and smart young man." "He's a very, very good young man. Sometimes what you see on the outside is not Riyan Parag. Riyan Parag is a lovely, soft, gentle, really determined, smart young man. And he's learned a lot and matured a lot over the last few years. And he'll continue on that journey. But I'm very, very proud of him," Sangakkara concluded.Sangakkara clarified that the call to make England pacer Jofra Archer continue to play in the IPL for the Rajasthan Royals and miss the first Test against New Zealand at home was taken "in collaboration with the England & Wales Cricket Board," keeping the fast bowler's bowling workloads in mind."I don't know with certainty, but I think it was a collaborative decision between the ECB and Jofra, then talking about his bowling loads, especially a Test match. It's very difficult to get your bowling loads up very soon when you're only bowling four overs a game. So, he needs time to get that done and I think that was why the ECB was gracious enough to let him stay and understand that he'll be fine once he gets his bowling loads up, once he leaves the IPL," Sangakkara said.

AEW Double or Nothing 2026 took over Louis Armstrong Stadium in Queens, New York on Sunday night. MJF reclaimed his spot back as the AEW World Champion, Kevin Knight stunningly turned heel on Darby Allin, Athena took a step toward the Women’s World Title, and Konosuke Takeshita is no longer a member of the Don Callis Family. As we shift forward toward the summer, here are nine takeaways from a wild night in the Big Apple.1. Don’t touch the hairDarby Allin’s AEW World Championship run was nothing short of diabolical.He’s spoken at length about giving his everything to AEW and running himself until the wheels fall off, whether he’s in the main event or a pre-show match. And the writing felt like it was on the wall before the bell rang Sunday night, with Allin’s body destined to fail him before handing the world title back to MJF. There also felt like almost no chance MJF would actually shave his head.This one's for Mick! BANG BANG!Watch #AEWDoN LIVE on HBO Max PPV pic.twitter.com/ABuoz99JHK— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) May 25, 2026It was a short but fantastic reign, with Allin fitting as many hard-hitting matches as he could before succumbing to the pressure of being champion. I’m a bit perplexed as to how a Coffin Drop from the top of the stage, then from the top rope couldn’t finish MJF, but I’ll leave that for others to discuss. Allin’s loss was well done otherwise, with MJF hitting an avalanche tombstone, then the takedown for the pinfall. And the decision to turn Kevin Knight heel at the match’s conclusion immediately draws me into what happens next.Moving Allin away from MJF and straight into a program with Knight feels like an escalation of his standing across the roster — and an interesting battle over the TNT Championship looming in the coming months.2. Who’s next?Thekla’s surprising AEW Women’s World Championship victory over Kris Statlander three months ago gave her the launching pad to grow into quite the title reign. She’s since managed to squeak her way through every challenger she’s had, and was required to scrap and claw through a loaded Fatal 4-Way Sunday night in order to retain her title. A breakdown between Statlander and recent tag partner Hikaru Shida opened the door for Thekla to land the stomp on Statlander for the pinfall. It’s another relatively unconvincing victory for Thekla, but based on the finish, it looks like Shida and Statlander may mix it up in the coming weeks. It would be nice to get fresh bodies in the ring against Thekla at this point, who now has title wins over almost every legit AEW contender. 3. The battle a year in the makingKazuchika Okada and Konosuke Takeshita’s slow-burn dissension within the Don Callis Family has been one of the brightest spots within AEW across the past year. Of late, it’s only felt like a matter of time before Okada and Takeshita truly went to battle inside the squared circle — and they did not disappoint. Their showdown had drama aplenty, blending power with precision to put on a beautiful, violent car crash of two equals. The fallout from Takeshita’s win was an official elimination from the Don Callis Family at the hands of a returning Kyle Fletcher. That should make for a stellar branch rivalry, with a Fletcher and Takeshita program projecting to be an absolute barn burner. If Okada-Takeshita wasn’t held back for AEW’s biggest show of the year, Fletcher-Takeshita absolutely shouldn’t even be hinted at until All In. 4. Time for something new Kyle O’Reilly pushed Jon Moxley to the limit to earn his title shot, but couldn’t quite get the job done against the Continental Champion in a showcase of two technicians. The match was perfect for what it was — an opportunity to highlight two in-ring experts in a highly technical match that concluded with Mox earning the tap-out and O’Reilly earning the champ’s respect. As much as it was sold that O’Reilly had a chance to claim the belt from Moxley, it never felt quite like he was a real threat to become champion. Out of the world championship picture, it feels like Moxley — and to an extent both factions, the Death Riders and the Conglomeration — are collectively floating without much direction. I’m anxious to see how much both groups are featured in the coming months and the build to All In. What's next for Jon Moxley? (Ricky Havlik, AEW)Ricky Havlik5. It’s not over til they quitWith as much riding on this match as the quartet of FTR and Cope & Cage had, they were going to have to do something truly insane to live up to expectations heading into Sunday night. But the four men showed yet again why they’re two of the best tag-teams to ever do it, putting together a genuine show-stealer and somehow elevating above the sky-high expectations established from the beginning. The match featured a little bit of everything — weapons, a flaming table and the return of Beth Phoenix. Ultimately Cope’s crossface on Dax Harwood led to FTR quitting and extending the run of the legendary tag-team. Passing the tag titles to two former world champions like Cope & Cage also signals a fresh start in one of the best tag divisions on the planet. It always felt like we’d get some iteration of Cope & Cage, FTR, and the Young Bucks at All In later this summer — and things have surely been set up that way. 6. Stadium Stampede foreverAEW was going to be hard-pressed to live up to last year’s outstanding, chaotic Anarchy in the Arena match. And while it wasn’t quite what last year’s was, this year’s Stadium Stampede still had its own unique flavor. .@boy_myth_legend has Jurassic Express and @DUNKZILLADavis is the target!Watch #AEWDoN LIVE on HBO Max PPV pic.twitter.com/HnqL3Y3YCU— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) May 25, 2026Mixed into the absolutely absurd behind-the-scenes skits, weapons, and characters like “Jungle” Jack Perry running down Mark Davis with a repainted school bus was fantastic storytelling. The Elite hit their stride, The Dogs were standout opponents, and Chris Jericho showed he can still go at age 55, pulling off a Lionsault for the victory.All around, this match continues to be a great breather, especially on cards that have such high-stakes matches. Slot the Stadium Stampede right next to the Casino Gauntlet match as two fantastic AEW concepts that should be here to stay.7. We have a favoriteFollowing Will Ospreay’s return from neck surgery, I was curious how AEW could stretch him winning “the big one” out until Wembley at All In. I have to give it to Tony Khan and company that having Ospreay lose to Jon Moxley upon his return, then undergoing a Rocky-style training montage with the Death Riders was pure gold. With their support, and what appears to be a fully-healed neck, it feels like Ospreay is the favorite to come out of the Men’s Owen Hart Cup tournament on top. His quarterfinal match coming against Samoa Joe felt like a true test of grit and determination to see if he could get through a slog to the next round. Ospreay’s ability to navigate Joe’s technical prowess and escape numerous near-finishes feels intentional in showcasing this won’t be an easy run to the title.That being said, even if the odds get stacked against him, it should be no surprise come August if it’s Ospreay holding the AEW World Championship at the end of All In. Is the Will Ospreay title run inevitable?Icon Sportswire via Getty Images8. Who’s House?Not to contradict myself, but if there’s anyone who can derail Ospreay’s road to the world title, it feels pretty singularly focused on Swerve Strickland. He’s perhaps never looked better than he did Sunday night, with as smooth and strong of a performance as we’ve seen in quite some time. The former world champion looks hungrier than ever, and Bandido served as a perfect dance partner in their Owen Hart Cup quarterfinal.Bandido showed supreme strength, athleticism and composure in what at times had the intensity of a world championship match. Strickland showed his veteran ex-champ prowess in his ability to hold on just long enough to land the House Call for the win. Bandido, like Athena, is a perfect candidate to continue rising up the AEW roster despite the result from Sunday. 9. Is it finally her time?The Ring of Honor forever champion, Athena, finds herself back in the driver’s seat toward an AEW Women’s World Championship shot. Her quarterfinal win over Mina Shirakawa provided a much-needed boost to make her feel like a legit contender to win the Women’s Owen Hart Cup tournament. Still, it feels like every couple of months we’re seeing her receive a prominent spot in AEW before fading back to the ROH shadows. After earning a championship opportunity during last year’s Casino Gauntlet Battle Royale at All In, she was unsuccessful in her title bid and ultimately fell back into running the show in ROH. For as good as Athena has been, it’s unclear why she hasn’t made the leap to the main-event scene more consistently in AEW. Hopefully the promotion finally pulls the trigger with a featured role for Athena on weekly television from here on out.

May 24, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; LAFC midfielder Timothy Tillman (11) celebrates with after scoring a goal during the second half against Seattle Sounders at BMO Stadium.LOS ANGELES -- For 85 minutes, LAFC looked like a team searching for a breakthrough and a team searching for itself.Then, fittingly, the player who best embodied the night arrived at the back post.Timothy Tillman's 86th-minute winner lifted LAFC to a 1-0 victory over the Seattle Sounders on Saturday night at BMO Stadium, snapping a three-game MLS losing streak and sending the Black & Gold into the World Cup break with something they badly needed: validation.Tillman gives us the lead in the final minutes 💥 https://t.co/msCUzoOtwApic.twitter.com/p498S0PASK— LAFC (@LAFC) May 25, 2026The scoreline mattered. The performance may matter more.After a grueling stretch that saw LAFC play 23 matches before the calendar even reached June, the club entered the break trying to determine whether recent struggles were signs of a deeper issue or simply the natural toll of an unforgiving schedule. Head coach Marc Dos Santos pointed to the answer in how his team controlled large portions of the match despite needing a late breakthrough."I think in the first half we were the better team," Dos Santos said. "Yeah, a lot of the ball, I want our team to have the ball, but I want our team to, when the ball gets into some areas, to be a little bit more assertive, assertive, arriving at the byline, arrive with more players in the box."That theme lingered throughout the night.LAFC dominated possession and consistently worked the ball into dangerous areas, but too often the final touch was missing. Son Heung-min, still searching for his first MLS goal, found himself at the center of several promising moments. Denis Bouanga also saw a golden opportunity slip away early in the second half after being played through by David Martínez.The performance wasn't lacking creativity. It was lacking a finishing touch.Dos Santos acknowledged that reality, noting LAFC's roster is built more around movement than traditional penalty-box presence."We have profiles in our team that are, we don't have this kind of more of a box guy that, that we miss," Dos Santos said. "Our players are all like mobility type of players."That made the winning goal feel particularly significant.Seven minutes after entering as a substitute, Tyler Boyd delivered a dangerous cross toward the far post. Tillman, making his 150th appearance for LAFC, ghosted into space and tucked home his first MLS goal in more than two years.The sequence was exactly what Dos Santos had spent much of the night asking for."You get rewarded when that happens," Dos Santos said. "And I think that overall we deserve to win."Tillman saw the play through a similar lens."I think it's just important to arrive late in the box to have numbers in general arriving in the box just to make like higher the chance of scoring a goal," he said.The goal may have been late, but it reflected one of LAFC's biggest areas of growth. For much of the season, the Black & Gold have relied on moments of individual brilliance. On Saturday, the winner came from collective movement, patience and a commitment to getting numbers forward.Just as important was what happened at the other end.Seattle nearly stole the match midway through the second half when Jordan Morris broke in behind the defense, only for goalkeeper Thomas Hasal to race off his line and deny the opportunity. Later, the Sounders rattled the crossbar as LAFC flirted with punishment for failing to capitalize on their territorial dominance.Instead, Hasal helped preserve another clean sheet.Starting in place of the injured Hugo Lloris for a second consecutive match, the Canadian goalkeeper finished with five saves as LAFC recorded its 11th shutout across all competitions this season."Your role as a backup, you can be trained every single week to be ready when they call," Hasal said. "I'm just glad I could have played tonight and helped the team win."The clean sheet also reinforced a trend that has quietly become one of LAFC's defining strengths. While injuries and fixture congestion have complicated the season, the defensive structure has remained remarkably consistent. No MLS team has more league shutouts than LAFC's nine."I think it's the guys in front of us," Hasal said. "They play a massive role."The victory leaves LAFC fifth in the Western Conference entering the seven-week World Cup pause. While Dos Santos admitted the club fell short of its goal of sitting among the conference's top four at this point in the season, he also sees a foundation worth building on."Every time we played inside our model, we're so consistent as a team," Dos Santos said.That consistency was visible Saturday. The finishing wasn't always there. The final pass occasionally lacked precision. But the structure, pressure and control looked much closer to the version of LAFC that opened the season strongly.Now comes a rare chance to reset.Tillman plans to spend part of the break watching his brother, Malik, at the World Cup. Dos Santos wants players to disconnect and recharge before another condensed stretch awaits. The timing may be ideal for a team that looked physically and mentally taxed over the past month."I think we will learn and grow as a team," Tillman said. "Hopefully we can attack."

A new era awaits at Manchester City, which will take time to get used toYesterday, the end of an era arrived at Manchester City. Pep Guardiola, Bernardo Silva, and John Stones all said goodbye at the Etihad Stadium after City fell to a 2-1 defeat to Aston Villa to end the 2025-26 season. The match itself wasn’t important. Yesterday was all about seeing a host of City legends say goodbye. The fact that Ederson and Ilkay Gundogan got their moment as well symbolized the end of the Pep Guardiola era at City. It will take time for that reality to set in, but it is upon us perhaps quicker than expected.It feels surreal that the Pep Guardiola era has come to an end at Manchester City.Yesterday marked the end of an era at Manchester City. To see Pep Guardiola, Bernardo Silva, John Stones, Ilkay Gundogan, and Ederson all say goodbye one after another was fitting, with Fernandinho there to see off his manager and great teammates. Guardiola has led City to an unprecedented level of dominance in English football. Outside of Kevin De Bruyne, David Silva, Vincent Kompany, Sergio Aguero, and Kyle Walker, those five players represent the Guardiola era. Each left their mark in their own way and helped bring Pep Guardiola’s ruthless vision for City to life.Once yesterday’s post match festivities were complete the reality was that Pep Guardiola’s time at City had ended. The Pep Guardiola Stand will be a constant reminder of what Manchester City achieved over the past decade. As will the series of mosaics and statues that are at the CFA and surround the Etihad. But those fitting tributes also represent the end of a golden era at the club. Writing that sentence hasn’t sunk in. Nor has the prospect of seeing Manchester play without Pep Guardiola prowling the touchline. It is a surreal feeling to contemplate that reality. But that is the reality City are facing, one that will become even more clear after today’s parade and party at Co-op Live.What comes next will be a ride for City, as a new era is filled with excitement.For the first time in a decade, a new era awaits at Manchester City. Players have come and gone under Pep Guardiola but he was always there. Now he is not. A future awaits City without the one of the greatest managers football has ever seen.That is an exciting prospect to ponder, especially with the current City squad. This squad is filled with players like Erling Haaland, Jeremy Doku, Antoine Semenyo, Josko Gvardiol, Gianluigi Donnarumma, and Phil Foden entering or in their prime, and players like Rayan Cherki, Abdukodir Khusanov, Nico O’Reilly and Vitor Reis, to name a few, with their best years ahead. The foundation on the pitch is strong at Manchester City. A new manager will have a squad full of tools to unleash and mold. These City players are embedded in the Pep Guardiola way, so that is an exciting prospect to ponder for next season and beyond.It still hasn’t sunk in that Pep Guardiola’s era has ended at Manchester City. It will likely take time for that to do so. A new era awaits after seeing some of the best football ever played in England reside at the Etihad for over a decade. That is the reality of what unfolded yesterday as the symbolism of what yesterday meant has only just begun to hit home.

Michael Olise thinks Man Utd have a player in their ranks who’s the best in his country, fans will agreeMichael Olise believes Bruno Fernandes is the best Portuguese player in the world right now – and he’s not wrong.The Bayern Munich starlet, formerly of Crystal Palace, was asked to name the best player from a list of countries.DOWNLOAD THE OFFICIAL STRETTY NEWS APP FOR ALL THE LATEST UPDATES & BREAKING NEWS – STRAIGHT TO YOUR PHONE! ON APPLE & GOOGLE PLAYUnsurprisingly, he named Harry Kane for England, Lionel Messi for Argentina, Lamine Yamal for Spain, Joshua Kimmich for Germany and Fernandes for Portugal.Why Fernandes is undoubtedly the best Portuguese player (by some distance)Fernandes etched his name into the top-flight history books once again yesterday.Want more Stretty News coverage? Add us as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list for news you can trustHaving equalled the Premier League assist record by notching his 20th against Nottingham Forest a week prior, he set a new record of 21 when setting up Patrick Dorgu for Manchester United’s opener away to Brighton and Hove Albion.It means he has overtaken attacking legends Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne, and now sits atop the rankings with a milestone that’ll be incredibly difficult for any player to beat.What’s more, the skipper also added to his goal tally when netting United’s third of the game, overseeing a tremendous finish past Bart Verbruggen to rubber-stamp a comfortable three points on the road.Fernandes sweeps personal accolades for 2025/2026Fernandes had already claimed the Football Writers’ Association Player of the Season award, the Premier League Player of the Season award and United’s Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year award before his five-star display at the Amex, proving even further why he is the most worthy recipient of each accolade.It goes without saying that Portugal manager Roberto Martinez will be over the moon with how the midfielder has fared in the lead-up to the World Cup kicking off next month, where Fernandes will aim to play as pivotal a role for his nation as he has for United this term.More Stories / Latest NewsMichael Olise thinks Man Utd have a player in their ranks who’s the best in his country, fans will agree May 25 2026, 6:15Five-year contract agreed: Man Utd verbally tie up first summer signing immediately after final game May 24 2026, 19:12Man Utd issue social media statement to confirm that one Red has just played his ‘final minutes’ for the club May 24 2026, 18:33

“What a disastrous season” – Gary Neville says Chelsea fully relying on Xabi Alonso nowFootball pundit Gary Neville believes that Chelsea are now going to be heavily relying on Xabi Alonso to sort them out.The club is an absolute mess, but the appointment of Alonso has been a very positive move. However, a toxic and awful season so far became even worse yesterday when Chelsea lost 2-1 to Sunderland to miss out on any kind of European football for next season, and finish 10th in the league. It’s completely embarrassing for the owners who will go into their 5th season in charge at the club next season, once again not playing in Europe. They couldn’t even manage the Conference League qualification.EXCLUSIVE! Chelsea’s summer transfer plans under Xabi Alonso REVEALED!!If you enjoy Chelsea News coverage and want to see more of it, add us as a preferred source on Google to make us a favourite and see more of our content.Neville says it’s been a disastrous season for Chelsea but to be honest, that is putting it kindly. Alonso is now being looked at as the saviour at the club, but he’s got a huge task on his hands now.Neville on AlonsoXabi Alonso managing Real Madrid. (Photo by Florencia Tan Jun/Getty Images)Asked whether Alonso had ‘one hell of a job on his hands’ after Chelsea ended their campaign with defeat at Sunderland, Neville said on his Sky Sports podcast: ‘Yeah!‘We’ve been talking about how big a job Roberto De Zerbi has at Spurs, Xabi Alonso has to do exactly the same there at Chelsea.‘He’s been made the manager but he may as well have been called manager, sporting director, owner, the lot.‘It seems like they’ve given him the keys to the club and asked him to sort it out because Chelsea are struggling, what a disastrous season it’s been for them.’In other news todayYou can check out our full match report of the embarrassing 2-1 defeat away at Sunderland in our final game of the season from yesterday, as terrible as it was.Interim boss Calum McFarlane keeps telling us the Chelsea players are trying their hardest – we’re not seeing the evidence of that – because it’s a load of nonsense.DOWNLOAD THE OFFICIAL CHELSEA NEWS APP FOR ALL THE LATEST UPDATES – STRAIGHT TO YOUR PHONE! ON THE APP STORECheck out the latest edition of Simon Phillips’ SPTC podcast here:

Pep Guardiola is confident of what is in store for Manchester City as his decade of dominance endsIA decade of dominance ended for Manchester City yesterday as Pep Guardiola managed his final game for the club in their 2-1 defeat to Aston Villa at the Etihad Stadium. Waking up today, a new era is set to begin at City. One without Guardiola at the helm. It will take time for that statement to sink in. Speaking after his final game as Manchester City manager, Pep Guardiola believes that a bright future lies ahead for the club that he turned into a juggernaut. It is hard to disagree with Pep Guardiola’s statement when you look at the City squad and the environment that is in place for Pep Guardiola’s successor to work in.Pep Guardiola is confident that the future is bright for his club.Following his final game as Manchester City manager, Pep Guardiola fronted the media for his post match press conference. Guardiola shared why he believes that City are poised for success given that the club takes nothing for granted and that the City hierarchy will provide Pep Guardiola’s replacement with the support he needs. Guardiola explained why he believes that City hierarchy are set for more success in the future: “Because they are stubborn and know exactly what they want to do. They know perfectly that the opponents are so tough here and in Europe.”“Any trophy we win we don’t take for granted. We won a final against Arsenal and another against Chelsea. I would not say there are not good teams. We fought a team like Aston Villa who won the Europa League and are a top team.”Also, Pep Guardiola had a message for the Manchester City fans. He said that the City fans had to enjoy the journey rather than solely focus on celebrating the ending. He added:”All I would like to say to the fans is every single step, enjoy everything that you do. Don’t wait to win the Champions League to be happy, enjoy the process. I know the players here they will do it. I know it.”The City hierarchy will back their next manager in.Lastly, Guardiola also said he will call his successor when Manchester City’s next manager is announced. He also had advice for his replacement. Guardiola said: “When the club tells me which one it is [his successor] I will call him. I will tell him the same like I said yesterday: be yourself. The club will support you unconditionally, which is the biggest compliment.”“All the managers that have been here have been lucky with Txiki and now Hugo, Ferran, with all the work he’s done, and especially Khaldoon. Be yourself, you will be protected in the bad moments, more than at any other club. Be free in your ideas, go there, work a lot.”Manchester City have everything in place for Pep Guardiola’s successor to succeed.Pep Guardiola has full faith that Manchester City will succeed without him as manager. Saying that, the idea that Guardiola won’t be City manager still will take time to sink in. However, looking ahead to next season and beyond, as Guardiola stated, City are well placed for the future and they are prepared for what comes next.It is widely accepted that Enzo Maresca will be Pep Guardiola’s successor. The Italian manager will step into a club that will give him the time he needs to implement his philosophy and ideas. Acting hastily isn’t in the makeup of the City hierarchy. They will allow Maresca the time and space required to build his version of Manchester City. As Guardiola said, the City hierarchy are unique, and it is highly unlikely that they will begin to change the way they operate without Pep Guardiola. Other clubs act hastily and make rash decisions. Manchester City is not that club.There was also another quote from Pep Guardiola that stood out when he fronted the media for the final time. He asked City fans to embrace the journey ahead, not to worry about trophies, as they are the reward at the end of the journey. Manchester City fans will back Maresca from day one. They will be along for the journey as Guardiola explained yesterday.Final thoughts.Pep Guardiola believes that the future is bright for Manchester City. It is hard to imagine City without Guardiola as manager. That reality has now arrived. Whatever happens from here, City are set for the road ahead. They are one of the best clubs in world football. This working environment is what awaits Guardiola’s successor. If, as expected, it is Enzo Maresca, and if he can take advantage of the club’s support half as well as Guardiola did, Manchester City will remain near the top of the pecking order in England and beyond.

United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks to the journalists before boarding his plane at Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi, India, Monday, May 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson, Pool)2026-05-25T05:44:55Z NEW DELHI (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s visit to India marks an effort by Washington and New Delhi to steady strained relations as the two countries seek to reinforce strategic and economic ties despite recent trade tensions.In meetings Sunday with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Rubio stressed cooperation on trade, energy, defense and maritime security. Rubio said the countries remained strategically aligned and expressed optimism about a broader trade deal.Rubio’s four-day trip also includes talks with members from the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, the Indo-Pacific alliance more commonly known as the Quad.Here is what Rubio’s visit means for India-U.S. ties: India-US ties strained by tariffsRelations between India and the U.S. have strained in recent months after the Trump administration imposed steep tariffs on Indian exports, partly over New Delhi’s continued purchases of Russian oil. The move angered Indian officials and fueled concerns in the Indian government over Washington’s reliability.The two countries later reached an interim trade arrangement that eased some tariffs and expanded Indian purchases of U.S. goods, including energy products. But talks on a broader trade deal remain unresolved.Despite the tensions, India and the U.S. continue to strengthen defense and technology ties, with Washington viewing India as a key counterweight to China in the Indo-Pacific region. During his talks with Jaishankar on Sunday, Rubio described India as one of Washington’s most important strategic partners and said he was optimistic the two countries would finalize a bilateral trade deal soon. Rubio also conveyed an invitation from U.S. President Donald Trump for Modi to visit Washington later this year. Read More Questions over the Quad’s roleRubio’s visit also is expected to include talks on Tuesday with foreign ministers from India, Australia and Japan, which are member nations of the Quad alliance along with the United States.The grouping has become a key platform for cooperation on maritime security, supply chains and regional strategy as China expands its military and economic influence in the Indo-Pacific.The Quad has repeatedly criticized China’s actions in the South China Sea, accusing Beijing of militarizing disputed waters. The Chinese government has accused the Quad of trying to contain China’s rise and regional influence. Recent trade tensions between Washington and New Delhi, along with Trump’s recent visit to China, have prompted renewed attention to the grouping.Praveen Donthi, a senior analyst at the International Crisis Group, said India’s growing global influence has been largely tied to its role in balancing China’s power in the region and any shift in U.S. policy toward Beijing could affect New Delhi’s strategic value to Washington. “If the U.S. changes its approach towards China, it will diminish India’s importance,” Donthi said. Iran war adds pressure on IndiaThe Iran war has added to India’s energy concerns, raising worries about shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital route for the country’s crude imports. Rising fuel costs have increased pressure on the Indian economy.Jaishankar said Sunday that India would continue expanding energy imports, including from the U.S., while diversifying suppliers to keep markets stable and prices affordable. He said New Delhi wants energy markets to remain open and unconstrained to support global economic growth.India’s purchase of discounted Russian crude since the start of the Ukraine war has at times strained relations with the U.S.Washington has urged India to increase purchases of U.S. oil and gas as part of broader efforts to diversify energy supplies, with Rubio emphasizing stronger energy cooperation during meetings in New Delhi.Sightseeing in IndiaAlongside official meetings, Rubio’s visit also has included cultural engagements. He began the trip in eastern city Kolkata and visited the Missionaries of Charity headquarters founded by Mother Teresa. He also attended a gala reception in New Delhi marking the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence.Rubio’s itinerary includes stops in the cities of Agra and Jaipur, two of India’s most visited tourist destinations known for monuments, forts and palaces. SHEIKH SAALIQ Saaliq covers news across India and the South Asia region for The Associated Press, often focusing on politics, democracy, conflict and religion. He is based in New Delhi. twitter mailto

Father time waits for no man. And on Saturday night, beneath the stunning Pyramids of Giza, it finally caught up with the great Oleksandr Usyk.Usyk may have escaped Egypt with his undefeated record and unified championship intact, but he lost something more important: His aura of invincibility.The Ukrainian spent years making elite heavyweights look ordinary. Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury and Daniel Dubois all had two bites at the cherry and could not win a single fight between them. It was a run that cemented Usyk as the best heavyweight of this generation, barring none.But after 10 rounds with Rico Verhoeven, it appeared as if a one-fight novice was the man who had his number. Usyk suddenly looked every bit of a 39-year-old fighter nearing the end of a storied career. Oleksandr Usyk (right) nearly suffered one of the most shocking defeats in boxing history against Rico Verhoeven.Mark Robinson via Getty ImagesNow, let’s not take anything away from Verhoeven. To fight as he did in his second professional boxing match against a master of the sweet science, the Dutchman deserves the utmost credit. But it is clear, to me at least, that Usyk’s performance was more telling about himself rather than anybody else. Flashback to this past July at Wembley Stadium, when Usyk knocked out an in-form Dubois in just five rounds. The pound-for-pound king appeared to be defying logic and getting better with age. I left that night thinking that not only was Usyk still at the peak of his powers skill-wise, but he also had adjusted to the heavyweight frame and discovered a newfound knockout power.Against Verhoeven, however, the cracks started to show. Verhoeven made beating Usyk look straightforward. He closed the distance with speed, used his size and physicality to bully the unified champion up close, attacked the body from the opening round, and even found a home for his right hand. What happened to the Usyk we fell in love with watching?The answer is simple: He aged overnight. The jab wasn’t thrown with the authority and regularity that it normally is. We didn’t see the angles, the shot selection, and the footwork that had befuddled so many of his opponents to date.Usyk became a shell of himself. The body couldn’t execute what the mind wanted to. Three hundred fifty amateur bouts, 24 professional fights, 25 years of boxing — it was all finally catching up with him.Saturday night was Usyk’s warning — the opportunity to walk away while he’s still at the top. Now, could he still defeat Verhoeven in a rematch? Probably. Would he still have enough left to beat Agit Kabayel afterward? Maybe. But why risk it?No sport is as unforgiving as boxing. One defeat can tarnish your legacy and have your career seen in a completely different light. Boxing history is filled with great fighters who stayed one night too long in pursuit of proving they still had it. And for what? Josh Taylor was the first British fighter to become an undisputed champion in the four-belt era. He had the opportunity to retire on top, but instead, he chose to fight on and lost three in a row before calling it quits. Taylor will no longer just be remembered as the fighter who cleaned up at 140 pounds. That conversation will quickly shift to his rapid decline, and some will no doubt question if he was ever as good as most of us knew he was. That is the danger of staying one fight too long.Usyk still has the chance to avoid that fate. He has achieved everything he ever set out to do. The prime years are clearly behind him, so Usyk should bow out of the sport while he’s still at the top. Very few fighters leave boxing at the perfect moment. Terence Crawford, Andre Ward and Joe Calzaghe managed it — Usyk now has the opportunity to join them.

📲 Milan and Juve flop, web against Allegri and Spalletti! Inter fans 🤩It ends in the most unbelievable way, with Milan and Juve out of next season’s Champions League at the end of a month in which the two giants somehow managed to throw away the advantage they had built up over Roma and Como.A historic debacle, one that has left pretty much everyone stunned, also because — especially in the Rossoneri’s case — it came when nobody thought it was still possible: the only way to miss the target was to lose at home to a Cagliari side that was already safe, hardly an insurmountable obstacle.Needless to say, the web went wild and countless fans are loudly calling for resignations and sweeping changes, but there are also those who still manage to find the strength to joke about their own team...🫣 Max and Spalletti... arm in arm!This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇮🇹 here.

MUMBAI: A cloudy Sunday afternoon perhaps appeared even more gloomy for the Mumbai Indians and their millions of fans, whose wait for IPL title No 6-the last one came back in 2020-continues. The five-time IPL champions wound up their league engagements in IPL-2026 on a disappointing note, going down to Rajasthan Royals by 30 runs. The result left the 27,000 under-privileged kids, who had been brought to the stadium in specially-arranged buses, go back home a bit dejected. It was the second time after 2024 that MI have lost five matches at the Wankhede Stadium at home-once considered their fortress. Soon after MI signed off from IPL-2026 with 10 defeats and just four wins in 14 matches to finish at the ninth position (at the time of writing this), the team's batting coach and former West Indies allrounder Kieron Pollard summed up MI's season of woes aptly. “We weren't good throughout the entire tournament. We weren't able to string together wins and use the momentum when we got it. At the end of it, when you look at it rationally, I think we got the position that we deserve in terms of the type of cricket that we played," Pollard said in the post-match press conference on Sunday. The former West Indies T20 star made it clear that the management wasn't entirely sure about continuing with India's star allrounder Hardik Pandya as their captain. "Yes, it might not have gone as well as he would have wanted, what we would have wanted but I wouldn’t question anything at this time. Twelve months ago, we finished third. Now again, we finished ninth. Those are the inconsistencies we will have to address. We will sit and talk, lick our wounds and hopefully come back stronger in 12 months' time,” Pollard replied, when quizzed about Hardik's leadership performance with MI. “He was trying. We all were trying. And it just didn't work out for us. From a leadership perspective, yes, it has not gone maybe as well as Hardik would have wanted as an individual. It might not have gone what we would have wanted as a management staff. But one thing you know that we have tried each and everything to give the best opportunity to lead the franchise, to do well,” he added. However, Pollard made it clear that Hardik alone couldn’t alone be blamed for the team’s below-par show. “Again, no one is going to sit here and put blame or point fingers. I think when you lose especially, you have to look at it from a collective perspective. He was trying. We all were trying. And it just didn't work out for us. Again, you sit, you talk, see what's best. Never know what's going to happen. For us, let's just lick our wounds in the meantime and hopefully come back stronger in 12 months' time,” Pollard asserted. Two years back, MI brought Hardik back to their fold and replaced Rohit Sharma with him as the captain, but the change in leadership hasn't brought about the desired results. MI finished 10th and last in IPL-2024, with just four wins and 10 defeats, though they did better in IPL-2025, making it to the playoffs and finishing third. The results in 2026 have again been dismal.Hardik's personal form and fitness too has been under the scanner. All he managed to take was four wickets in 10 matches@64.75, at an economy rate of 11.42, besides scoring just 206 runs@22.88, with a strike rate of 138.25. He missed a couple of matches due to a stiff back, and didn't bowl as RR recovered from 139 for six in the 16th over to post 205 for eight in 20 overs. Considering the prevailing heat and humidity, even his decision to field first in an afternoon game seemed to be questionable. In the last two matches, Hardik appeared cleared frustrated with his teammates, making his displeasure known when a catch fell between Deepak Chahar and Robin Minz in the deep off his bowling during the match against Kolkata Knight Riders, and when wicketkeeper Ryan Rickelton messed up a run out opportunity off his throw from the deep. MI will also have to think deep and hard about how long they want to stick to their former captain Rohit Sharma. On Sunday, Rohit was out for a four-ball duck after edging behind a Jofra Archer outswinger while executing a loose drive. The 39-year-old's fitness came under the scanner during this IPL as he missed a few matches due to the recurrence of a hamstring injury, and played almost all the matches as an 'Impact Player.' Looking leaner and fitter when he came into IPL-2026, Rohit blasted off with a match-winning 78 off just 38 balls which helped MI chase down 221 against KKR which helped MI finally end their jinx of losing the opening match of the season. However, the former India captain signed off with 283 runs in nine matches@35.37, at a strike rate of 157.22, with two fifties. 131302761Do Mumbai Indians need a reboot, especially in terms of age profile? “Again, that's where better decision-making is going to come about. If you sit here right now and say you need to do this, you need to do this, you need to do that, I think that would be irresponsible from a management perspective. It's not something I'm sure that we are going to do right in this present time,” Pollard replied.

Pep Guardiola’s greatest moments as Manchester City managerPep Guardiola has confirmed he will leave Manchester City at the end of the season.His side missed out on the Premier League title following the 1-1 draw at Bournemouth.But the Spaniard’s overall success since arriving in Manchester has secured his status as one of the all-time greats.Below we look at some of the highlights of Guardiola’s career at Man City, where he won an incredible 20 trophies in 10 seasons.Record 100 points tallyMany were skeptical whether the Spaniard’s possession-based style of play could succeed in the Premier League.But he silenced all his critics when his City team cruised to the Premier League title in 2017-18.They became the first and only English team to post 100 points along their way to lifting the league title.The Citizens also plundered 106 goals in the process, achieving the best ever goal difference (+79) in the modern era.Domestic TrebleMan City maintained their incredible high standards the following season, as they completed a domestic treble.Liverpool gave them a fierce competition, but they ultimately pipped Jurgen Klopp’s side to the league title by just one point.Guardiola’s team also added the FA Cup, Carabao Cup and the Community Shield, becoming the first team to ever hold all four of England’s major trophies at the same time.City’s first Champions League trophyDespite City’s domestic dominance under Guardiola, the Champions League trophy eluded them for many years.That all changed in 2023, when they realised their dream of conquering Europe by beating Inter Milan at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in the final.While the final was a scrappy affair, their 4-0 semi-final victory against Real Madrid at the Etihad Stadium was arguably the pinnacle of his entire reign in charge.Four consecutive league titlesSir Alex Ferguson twice won three Premier League titles in a row.But Guardiola surpassed the Scottish great in 2024 by leading his City team to four consecutive league crowns.Arsenal competed well, but City beat their rivals to the title after winning their final nine games of the season.

Wembanyama played 31 minutes of Sunday's game [Getty Images]The San Antonio Spurs bounced back in style with an impressive 103-82 home win over the Oklahoma City Thunder to level their best-of-seven NBA Western Conference finals series at 2-2.Spurs star Victor Wembanyama, who had been critical of his performance in their game three defeat, led from the front with 33 points, eight rebounds, five assists, three blocks and two steals."We just responded," said the 22-year-old Frenchman. "It was nothing amazing. It wasn't magic. We just did what we needed to do.""The series is far from over."The Spurs built up an early 15-point lead before the Thunder cut the deficit to five with just over a minute remaining in the second quarter.But the Spurs hit back with seven points before the break, topped by a mid-court three-pointer from Wembanyama.It was also a solid defensive display from the Spurs with the Thunder's 38 first-half points their lowest of the season.The reigning NBA champions' game total was also the fewest for the franchise since 2 December 2021, and the lowest in a play-off game since 2020.With the result virtually decided, Oklahoma City's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who top-scored on 19 points, sat out the entire fourth quarter.No other Thunder player scored more than 12.Game five takes place on Tuesday (01:30 BST Wednesday) in Oklahoma City with game six back in San Antonio on Thursday (01:30 BST Friday).In the Eastern Conference, the New York Knicks lead the Cleveland Cavaliers 3-0 and can wrap up that series in Cleveland on Monday (01:00 BST, Tuesday), with the NBA Finals starting on 4 June.

“I wonder…” – Matt Law questions if Chelsea could sell £12.5m starlet to fund midfield reshuffleChelsea are going to be selling players this summer, and one who could go is midfielder Andrey Santos, according to Matt Law.If you enjoy Chelsea News coverage and want to see more of it, add us as a preferred source on Google to make us a favourite and see more of our content.The London is Blue podcast have been speaking to Matt Law about which players might leave the club this summer, and he mentioned one interesting name:“I wonder where things stand for Andrey Santos at the moment. He was the player who looked like he ould be the huge beneficiary of the Liam Rosenior appointment – and he was for a little bit,” Law mused.“We know that Chelsea are looking at midfield options in the transfer market. We know that if Alonso plays his three at the back, he likes two sixes. I am wondering Santos is a little bit left on the sidelines within all this.”You can see Law speaking in the clip embedded here:Santos a prime candidate to be sold if Blues buy in midfieldWe’ve had similar thoughts about Santos. He’s a solid player who could easily stick around in the squad, but perhaps his versatility is also his downfall. He’s not enough of a number 10 or a number 6 to really have an obvious spot in Alonso’s team, and the fact he could be sold for a big profit will surely tempt Chelsea if they decide to spend in midfield.In other news…One player who Chelsea won’t be selling is Joao Pedro, who is not for sale “at any price” according to Ben Jacobs.Reece James has been speaking about the influence Cesar Azpilicueta had on him as a player over the years after the Spaniard’s retirement.DOWNLOAD THE OFFICIAL CHELSEA NEWS APP FOR ALL THE LATEST UPDATES – STRAIGHT TO YOUR PHONE! ON THE APP STORECheck out the latest edition of Simon Phillips’ SPTC podcast here:

Horsing around? Hobby horsing is a serious business. Heikki Saukkomaa/dpaThe sports hall in Vantaa, outside Helsinki, is packed with nearly 1,000 people seated on the benches, eagerly watching the court.Awaiting the riders, an equestrian course is set up in the middle, replete with hurdles.But there is no sound of animals, no swish of tails or clopping of hooves. The horses competing at the Finnish Hobby Horsing Championships are made of wood and wool.The battle is on and even though the creatures are made of fabric and glue, it is a very serious business.Horses tucked between their legs, 200 participants jump over hurdles or steer their horses elegantly from right to left in a trotting gait.Hobby horsing is well on its way to becoming a recognized sporting discipline in Finland. Some 10,000 people actively participate in the sport, mostly girls aged between 10 and 18, says hobby horsing association SKY.“So far, we aren’t regarded as athletes, but we’re working on gaining greater acceptance,” says 20-year-old Venla Maria Uutela, the association’s president and author of two books about her unusual hobby.The hobby horse has not been seen as merely a toy in Finland since the 1980s, but the sport is now really truly making a breakthrough.“At the start, many people made fun of riding on a stick,” says Uutela.But rather than shrinking away, the enthusiasts sought the public eye. Last year, 200 of them marched in a parade through Helsinki, chanting, “Respect the hobby horse.”“We wanted to be seen and show that we’re proud of who we are and what we do,” Uutela says.Ada Filppa, 16, from Naantali, is glowing with pride. She won the championship title in the dressage category.She trains on her hobby horses four to five times a week. Sometimes in the woods or out on the street or in the garden behind her house, where she set up an obstacle course.“For me, hobby horse riding means freedom,” says Filppa. “I can do whatever I want. Nobody can tell me what to do, there are no rules I have to follow and I don’t need any equipment.” It’s also great fun. “If I’m having a bad day, I just go off with my hobby horse, and then I’m happy.”People do sometimes look at her strangely, says Filppa, who is still at school. She doesn’t care, she says. “Many of my friends have hobby horses too.” And anyone who makes silly comments about her hobby isn’t her friend anyway.Ada also rides real horses, but that’s completely different, she says. “Hobby horse riding suits me better; it’s easier and I’m better at it too.”Club president Uutela says the sport is so popular as anyone can ride a hobby horse if they just have a bit of imagination. Some see it as exercise, others feel challenged to make an original horse.If you aren't sure how, you can watch tutorials on YouTube. You need a broomstick, fabric, fur, wool, foam and sewing skills – depending on what sort of horse you want.Ada has seven horses, some of which she made herself. “But I’m not particularly proud of that,” she says, laughing.The fact that this hobby is becoming increasingly well-known around the world is in part thanks to director Selma Vilhunen, whose documentary “Hobbyhorse Revolution” won two awards at the Tampere Film Festival in Finland.It has since been screened at festivals in Switzerland and the US, showing the pursuits of a group of girls. Hobby horse riding is about friendship and solidarity, and about standing up for one another, her film shows.Vilhunen is full of admiration for hobby horse culture. “Everyone can be themselves there,” she told Finnish broadcaster YLE.“The group has a strong internal democracy; we can learn a lot from the girls.”Arwen practices in a garden, jumping over a hurdle with her hobby horse. Bernd Weißbrod/dpa

Luke Littler and PDC Galácticos to line up in Copenhagen for Nordic Darts Masters originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.The all-star cast list for next month’s Mr Vegas Nordic Darts Masters has now been formally finalised, with the PDC's World Series of Darts caravan preparing to reconvene in Copenhagen for its latest tungsten-fuelled extravaganza.Set against the cosmopolitan backdrop of Denmark’s capital across 5-6 June, the Forum Copenhagen will once again transform into a cacophonous Nordic amphitheatre as eight of the PDC’s most illustrious heavyweights collide with a contingent of regional representatives eager grab the headlines.And, unsurprisingly, the majority of the sport’s current galácticos are once again present and accounted for.INTERESTED IN GLOBAL DARTS? Checkout DartsWorld’s Dedicated AreaThe Premier League contingent remains almost entirely intact, although freshly crowned Austrian Darts Open champion Josh Rock won’t be in attendance, replaced by the evergreen James Wade returning to the World Series stage for the first time since 2022. Reigning Nordic Darts Masters champion Stephen Bunting headlines the field alongside reigning World Champion Luke Littler and world number two Luke Humphries, ensuring Copenhagen supporters will once again witness plenty of heavy tungsten artillery.Former tournament winners Michael van Gerwen and Gerwyn Price also return, while reigning European Champion Gian van Veen prepares for his maiden appearance on Danish soil.DARTS PLAYER MERCHANDISE AND COLLECTABLES AT OUR DARTSWORLD STORE!Elsewhere, Welsh talisman Jonny Clayton arrives targeting a second World Series title, while Wade’s inclusion adds another layer of pedigree to an already opulent field dripping with television titles and major crowns on their resumes. As for the Nordic and Baltic contingent, several familiar names once again emerge from the regional ranks. Swedish duo Andreas Harrysson and Daniel Larsson secured the final qualification positions via the rolling 12-month PDC Nordic & Baltic rankings.Harrysson, in particular, continues to cultivate substantial momentum. The Swede captured four Nordic & Baltic titles throughout 2025 before announcing himself to a wider audience with an eye-catching run to the last 16 on debut at the PDC World Darts Championship.Larsson, meanwhile, returns to the big-stage environment following a sequence of impressively consistent domestic performances. The four-time World Championship qualifier may not always command headlines, but his longevity and dependability continue to make him a dangerous proposition.The regional representation also includes Latvian number one Madars Razma, Norwegian representative Cor Dekker and Lithuanian trailblazer Darius Labanauskas - the latter still fondly remembered for his remarkable run to the quarter-finals of the World Championship several years ago.MORE ELITE DARTS COVERAGE: Check Out Our Devoted PDC AreaSweden’s current World Cup of Darts pairing of Jeffrey de Graaf and Oskar Lukasiak have also sealed qualification alongside compatriot Viktor Tingstrom, ensuring a strong Scandinavian flavour throughout the event.2026 Mr Vegas Nordic Darts MastersJune 5-6 - Forum CopenhagenPDC RepresentativesLuke Littler Luke Humphries Gian van Veen Michael van Gerwen Jonny Clayton James Wade Gerwyn Price Stephen Bunting Nordic & Baltic RepresentativesMadars Razma Jeffrey de Graaf Cor Dekker Oskar Lukasiak Viktor Tingstrom Darius Labanauskas Andreas Harrysson Daniel LarssonFor the full stories and more in depth coverage of everything darts, together with the latest issues of their legendary publications, head on over todartsworld.com

Kobbie Mainoo: Man United star signs off perfect season in styleManchester United signed off the Premier League season in perfect fashion.Match storyThe Red Devils beat Brighton and Hove Albion 3-0 in convincing fashion to finish third in the league.Goals from Patrick Dorgu, Bryan Mbeumo, and Bruno Fernandes were enough to seal the points.The game was also significant as Fernandes’ corner, which was headed in by Dorgu, allowed him to break the record of 21 assists in a Premier League season.Kobbie MainooMainoo has had a terrific ending to the season and secured a new deal for himself earlier this month.He is also the only United player to be called up to the England World Cup squad, not including Marcus Rashford, who spent all season on loan at FC Barcelona.As usual, the Carrington product has been brilliant on the ball, but one thing he has massively improved on this season is his off-the-ball work, and he has really made a mark in the last ten games or so in this regard.Mainoo had one key pass in the match and also made 78% of his passing attempts in the centre of the park.He also had a total of two shots, with one effort being blocked by the Seagulls’ defence.The young midfielder was also able to dribble the ball forward three times out of five attempts.Mainoo impressively won 100% of his tackles and all of his aerial duels in the game.He was also combative in the centre of the park, winning eight ground duels in the match.Defensively, he also helped out with a clearance and by blocking one goal-bound effort.Mainoo will now head to the World Cup full of confidence and has secured himself as a key part of the United team moving into next season.Kobbie Mainoo stats vs BrightonFeatured image by Molly Darlington/Getty Imagesonline pollsThe Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social

PHOENIX, ARIZONA - MAY 21: Corbin Carroll #7 of the Arizona Diamondbacks celebrates after hitting a walk-off single during the ninth inning of the MLB game against the Colorado Rockies at Chase Field on May 21, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Diamondbacks won 2-1. (Photo by Jeremy Chen/Getty Images) | Getty Images Wait, didn’t I just do one of these? No, seriously. Literally a week ago I was in this space talking about how the Giants were going to see how they measured up against a non-Dodger, non-Padre NL West opponent and a team that had all the scrappiness they’ve craved. So… has anything changed since then?Nope.Well, except that Arizona embarrassed the Giants pretty thoroughly, dropping them to 20-30 on the season and compelling Bay Area media to ponder not just on the radio airwaves but in an interview with Buster Posey himself if the team was undergoing a “soft rebuild.” They looked so bad in getting swept by Arizona that people thought it must’ve been intentional.It turns out that, no, the Giants aren’t doing a “soft rebuild,” they really are bad despite trying. Oh sure, winning a series against a White Sox team on the upswing is good fun and Rafael Devers’ bat does seem to be swinging back to his career averages, but the hole is pretty deep, and that’s before considering how it’s been endemic within Giants fandom this season to extrapolate a season of success from a win or two. Now, before accusations of simply doing the exact opposite — extrapolating a season of misery from losing streaks — I must point out that the Giants have lost a lot more games than they’ve won and have spent most of this season looking more bad than good, including approximately 117 hours ago against this very team. In the Giants’ favor is that Arizona did lose 1 of the 4 games they hosted against the Colorado Rockies, so, it’s not like the Giants were gobbled up by a team on a white-hot streak of success. The Dbacks outscored the Rockies 19-9 in those four games compared to 23-8 against the Giants in their three-game series, so, the Giants are kinda-sorta worse than the Rockies at this point. On May 8, Arizona tied their season low of 3 games below .500 at 17-20 (they started the season 0-3). Since then, they’ve gone 11-4. Ketel Marte (202 wRC+) and Corbin Carroll (198) have led the charge on offense — they combined for 7-for-11 with 5 RBI in today’s 9-1 win over the Rockies, with Marte hitting a pair of doubles and Carroll a pair of triples. So, they’re rolling. The rotation has been strong, with Michael Soroka (1.50 ERA), Eduardo Rodriguez (1.74 ERA), and Merrill Kelly (2.05 ERA) making three strong starts apiece. But, they’ve also played 9 home games during this stretch and are 8-1.Arizona’s road record on the season (10-14, -16 run differential) might just be how the Giants get some baseball revenge on the snakes. If the Giants keep hitting a little bit more like how they did in the latter two games of the White Sox series, they’ve got a solid shot of winning the series. Here’s a little secret: in the same “Since May 9th” split I used up above to contextualize Marte’s and Carroll’s hot streaks, five Giants have hit above league average (an important note that none of these figures incorporate the latest win): Luis Arraez, 158 wRC+Willy Adames, 145 wRC+Casey Schmitt, 137 wRC+Rafael Devers, 122 wRC+ Matt Chapman, 110 wRC+And, as a team, they have a 113 wRC+ Hey! This is all great news! It certainly is the silver lining in what has been a very thick and steady coverage of storm clouds. The question is can the pitching keep pace? It’s Landen Roupp and a pair of TBDs against those three Arizona starters who’ve helped propel them back into the Wild Card chase. They have a 5.02 ERA over these last 15 (and are just 7-8). Logan Webb is expected to make his return on Wednesday, but you have permission to wonder if Logan Webb is still LOGAN WEBB. Before he hit the IL, I looked at how a guy like him with so many innings on his arm might already have pitched his best games. Buster Posey and the Giants are certainly hoping that’s not the case, and whatever little success the team has this season will be because he’s making regular starts… but who knows? Arizona’s hot, Webb is not. But, it’s also baseball, and one game can turn around a lot of things. But can three games turn around everything?Series overviewWho: San Francisco Giants (22-31) vs. Arizona Diamondbacks (28-24)Where: Oracle Park | San Francisco, CaliforniaWhen: Monday at 2:05pm PT, Tuesday at 6:45pm PT, Wednesday at 12:45pm PTNational broadcasts: None.Projected startersMonday: Landen Roupp (RHP 5-4, 3.27 ERA) vs. Merill Kelly (RHP 4-3, 5.71 ERA)Tuesday: TBD vs. Eduardo Rodriguez (LHP 4-1, 2.24 ERA)Wednesday: TBD vs. Michael Soroka (RHP 6-2, 3.27 ERA)Prediction time The Giants will not get swept.

NEW DELHI: Former Karnataka Ranji cricketer SL Akshay died on Sunday after reportedly suffering a heart attack while playing a local division cricket match in Bengaluru. The 39-year-old, who was from Shivamogga, had earlier represented Karnataka in the Ranji Trophy and also featured in the Karnataka Premier League, now called the Maharaja Trophy KSCA T20.According to reports, Akshay was playing a third-division match at a ground in KR Puram. During fielding in the afternoon, he suddenly complained of chest pain. He was immediately rushed to a nearby hospital, where doctors declared that he had been brought dead.Akshay’s death shocked the Karnataka cricket fraternity, with many former players and officials expressing grief. Former India cricketer Dodda Ganesh shared an emotional message on X. — doddaganesha (@doddaganesha) “Terrible terrible news for the cricket community. SL Akshay, 39, a fast bowler, whom I saw from close quarters from his U19 days has passed away today while playing a division match," he wrote. "Just don’t have words to express my grief. A soft spoken guy who played for Karnataka in 2011/12 with decent success, is no more. RIP Akshay.”The Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) also paid tribute to Akshay and remembered his role in developing young talent after his playing career. In a statement, KSCA said, “Akshay represented Karnataka with distinction at the first-class level and, even beyond his playing career, continued to serve the game with unwavering passion and dedication. As a junior-level coach, he played a pivotal role in nurturing and mentoring young cricketers, leaving an enduring impact on the development of cricketing talent in the State.”

Roberto De Zerbi says Tottenham Hotspur only have 12 players good enough to stayTottenham Hotspur secured Premier League safety on Sunday night following a 1-0 victory over Everton. It was Spurs’ third league win at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in 2025-26 having lost 10 times at home and drawn the other six games. It proved enough in the end to keep the North London club up despite West Ham United also winning their final game of the season. Tottenham manager Roberto De Zerbi is now preparing for a squad overhaul and has claimed that Spurs only have around 12 players good enough to stay beyond this summer.They currently have 28 players on their books and the Italian believes that at least 16 of them should leave.“From tonight we have to start to organise and to build a new team,” De Zerbi said after the game.“We have not to change too many players. We have 10, 11, 12 players good enough to stay, good enough as players and especially as people.“Then we have to complete the squad with first-level players. First-level because we suffer too much. The fans, the club, the board, the players, they suffer too much. We are Tottenham and we can’t suffer like this until the last second of the last game to stay up. And I will be stronger. I don’t want to decide alone because football is a group, the sporting director, scouting, CEO, but my target is finished, to stay up. My target now is to start pre-season with the team in my dream, in my head.”ASSESSING THE TOTTENHAM SQUADWhile safety should see Spurs retain some key players, there are some who will look to leave the club this summer and here is a look at the 12 who could remain after the transfer window and the 16 likely to leave.

David Moyes reacts after West Ham relegated from Premier LeagueDavid Moyes openly said on Friday that he would love to keep West Ham United in the Premier League by guiding Everton to a final-day victory.West Ham won 3-0 against Leeds United at the London Stadium, but they also needed Everton to beat Tottenham Hotspur to stay in the top-flight.However, Spurs triumphed in front of their home crowd after Joao Palhinha’s 42nd-minute winner, confirming the Hammers’ relegation to the Championship.Moyes was clearly disappointed that his team couldn’t save West Ham from Premier League relegation.The Scottish boss told BBC Match of the Day: “I’m really sad for them because there are a lot of great people who work behind the scenes there.“A long part of the season, we weren’t sure if it was Nottingham Forest, West Ham or Tottenham – I thought all three were too strong to go down.”With relegation confirmed, West Ham are now under pressure to raise more than £100 million in player sales.They could look to offload several key players in the summer transfer window.Academy star Jarrod Bowen has been a consistent performer, but his future at the club has been thrown into doubt after relegation.Mateus Fernandes was a shining light in a dismal season for the Irons.The 21-year-old featured in 35 Premier League games, bagging three goals and four assists in the process.Fernandes will likely leave, with Manchester United, Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain all interested in signing him.United are monitoring El Hadji Malick Diouf, while Crysencio Summerville will also has no shortage of suitors.Meanwhile, Tomas Soucek, Konstantinos Mavropanos and Jean-Clair Todibo could all look to exit the London club this summer.

[Getty Images]New Zealand in IrelandMay27-30 Only Test, StormontPlay starts at 11:00 BSTScorecardNew Zealand in EnglandJune4-8 1st Test, Lord's (11:00 BST)17-21 2nd Test, The Kia Oval (11:00 BST)25-29 3rd Test, Trent Bridge (11:00 BST)NB Fixtures and start times are subject to change. The BBC is not responsible for any changes that may be madeGet cricket news sent straight to your phone

One more for the road: Mo Salah broke yet another Liverpool record in final Reds appearanceIt felt appropriate that Mo Salah would set one final record for Liverpool in his farewell match for the club, given the frequency with which he’s done so throughout his nine years with the Reds.Ever since his exceptional debut campaign in 2017/18 in which he netted 44 goals across all competitions, the Egyptian has seemingly been on a personal quest to tick off as many individual feats as possible whilst also firing his team to tangible success.DOWNLOAD THE OFFICIAL EMPIRE OF THE KOP APP FOR ALL THE LATEST & BREAKING UPDATES – STRAIGHT TO YOUR PHONE! ON APPLE & GOOGLE PLAYThe 33-year-old didn’t mark his swansong against Brentford with a goal – he was unlucky to see a first-half free kick come off the post – but he did manage to sign off with an assist as he set up Curtis Jones to break the deadlock just before the hour mark.Salah sets outright Premier League assists record for LiverpoolAs highlighted by liverpoolfc.com, that goal contribution was a significant one, as it enabled Salah to become the outright provider of the most Premier League assists for Liverpool.It took him onto 93 in the top flight for the Reds, clearing the record that he’d held jointly with Steven Gerrard since setting up Virgil van Dijk’s winner against Sunderland in February.It was his 94th Premier League assist in total (including one for Chelsea), taking him joint-sixth in the division’s all-time standings alongside Dennis Bergkamp.Want more Empire of the Kop coverage? Add us as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list for news you can trustNow comes the hard part – life after SalahSalah’s final season as a Liverpool player was by far his least productive for the club – his tally of 22 goal contributions (12 goals, 10 assists) is one fewer than his previous low just for goals scored in a single campaign (23 in 2019/20).However, that has done nothing to affect his status as an all-time legend at Anfield, bowing out as the club’s third-highest goalscorer in its 134-year history, his haul of 257 goals bettered only by Ian Rush and Roger Hunt.The Egyptian set so many personal records for the Reds that we won’t list them all here, but here are some of the notable individual feats that he racked up throughout his time with LFC.While Liverpool fans had one final opportunity on Sunday to bask in Salah’s brilliance and show their appreciation for the iconic winger, the club’s hierarchy must already be acting upon a succession plan for a player who – insofar as possible in footballing terms – is irreplaceable.The Egyptian King will no longer be running down the wing at Anfield, and whoever is ultimately tasked with filling his right-sided attacking berth has an exceptionally hard act to follow.

Whitwell: Man Utd fan-favourite snubbed shock £40m move to Premier League rivalsKobbie Mainoo reportedly rebuffed the chance to join Chelsea at the end of last season.According to Laurie Whitwell, the Blues looked to materialise their interest in the Manchester United starlet before 2025/2026 got underway, but the prospective transfer held no appeal for Mainoo.DOWNLOAD THE OFFICIAL STRETTY NEWS APP FOR ALL THE LATEST UPDATES & BREAKING NEWS – STRAIGHT TO YOUR PHONE! ON APPLE &GOOGLE PLAYMainoo has previously considered a future away from MUFCLittle did he know, he would go on to endure the most difficult five months of his senior career when the new campaign got underway.Want more Stretty News coverage? Add us as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list for news you can trustFor his own peculiar reasoning, Ruben Amorim headed into what would’ve been his first full season at Old Trafford with the intention of Mainoo playing a reduced role.Amorim insisted that the youngster was directly vying with his skipper Bruno Fernandes for game time, as he was bizarrely being utilised in a deeper position.After being an unused substitute for United’s opening two matches of the term, Mainoo pushed to leave in the final week of the transfer window, but saw his pleas fall on deaf ears amongst INEOS chiefs.Why Mainoo U-turned on his United futureThe Carrington graduate continued having to bide his time for the first half of the campaign until, to nobody’s surprise, United’s dismal showings and poor tactical setup resulted in Amorim being relieved of his duties at the beginning of January.By the time he was dismissed, Mainoo had not made a single Premier League start, which had prompted speculation that he would try to force a winter move.Thankfully for fans, Michael Carrick was appointed midway through the month and quickly corrected matters; he instantly restored the 21-year-old to the starting XI, where he stayed for the remainder of the campaign.Mainoo’s record under each manager in 25/26 (Transfermarkt)In fact, Mainoo enjoyed such a revitalised run of form that he became the only current United player (along with the on-loan Marcus Rashford) to be named in England’s World Cup squad.It’ll be his second major tournament after playing at Euro 2024, as well as his first World Cup.Last month, the Stockport-born ace committed his future to his boyhood club by signing a five-year extension.More Stories / Latest NewsWhitwell: Man Utd fan-favourite snubbed shock £40m move to Premier League rivals May 25 2026, 7:45‘All the best’: Man Utd loanee sends message to loan club as he sets sights on controversial Old Trafford return May 25 2026, 7:00Michael Olise thinks Man Utd have a player in their ranks who’s the best in his country, fans will agree May 25 2026, 6:15

San Antonio Spurs (62-20, second in the Western Conference) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (64-18, first in the Western Conference)Oklahoma City; Tuesday, 8:30 p.m. EDTLINE: Thunder -5.5; over/under is 215.5WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: Series tied 2-2BOTTOM LINE: The Oklahoma City Thunder and the San Antonio Spurs are in a 2-2 series tie in the Western Conference finals. The Spurs defeated the Thunder 103-82 in the last matchup on Monday. Victor Wembanyama led the Spurs with 33 points, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 19.The Thunder are 41-11 against Western Conference opponents. Oklahoma City is second in the league allowing just 107.9 points per game while holding opponents to 43.7% shooting.The Spurs are 36-16 in conference matchups. San Antonio is fourth in the Western Conference giving up just 111.5 points while holding opponents to 45.1% shooting.The Thunder's 13.8 made 3-pointers per game this season are just 0.8 more made shots on average than the 13.0 per game the Spurs give up. The Spurs average 13.6 made 3-pointers per game this season, 0.7 fewer makes per game than the Thunder allow.TOP PERFORMERS: Cason Wallace is scoring 8.6 points per game and averaging 3.1 rebounds for the Thunder. Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 27.0 points and 2.8 rebounds over the last 10 games.Wembanyama is averaging 25 points, 11.5 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 3.1 blocks for the Spurs. Devin Vassell is averaging 2.7 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.LAST 10 GAMES: Thunder: 8-2, averaging 117.3 points, 40.4 rebounds, 26.5 assists, 9.9 steals and 4.3 blocks per game while shooting 48.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 109.2 points per game.Spurs: 6-4, averaging 117.0 points, 49.6 rebounds, 25.3 assists, 8.5 steals and 8.3 blocks per game while shooting 47.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 106.9 points.INJURIES: Thunder: Ajay Mitchell: out (undisclosed), Jalen Williams: day to day (hamstring), Thomas Sorber: out for season (knee).Spurs: David Jones Garcia: out for season (ankle).___The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Keanu Cupido (L) and captain Ronwen Williams hold the CAF Champions League trophy after winning the final against FAR Rabat. (Abdel Majid BZIOUAT)The goal scored by Teboho Mokoena for South African club Mamelodi Sundowns not only won the CAF Champions League final, it could ultimately be worth up to 20 million dollars.His unstoppable shot from inside the box in first-half added time earned Sundowns a 1-1 second-leg draw at FAR Rabat of Morocco on Sunday and a 2-1 overall triumph.Winning the marquee African club competition a second time earned Sundowns a record first prize of $6 mn -- up 50 percent from last season.Sundowns now face USM Alger of Algeria, winners of the second-tier CAF Confederation Cup, in a one-off CAF Super Cup match worth $500,000 to the winners.The match has been scheduled for October 31, most probably at Loftus Versfeld, a 50,000-seat Pretoria stadium Sundowns share with the Bulls rugby team. Being crowned African champions a second time, after defeating Egyptian outfit Zamalek 10 years ago, qualifies Sundowns for the 2029 Club World Cup, possibly in Morocco.Sundowns pocketed $12.5 mn from competing in the first edition last year in the United States, although eliminated after the group phase.There was $9.5 mn for qualifying, $2 mn for beating Ulsan of South Korea and $1 mn for drawing with Fluminense of Brazil. A loss to Borussia Dortmund of Germany cost Sundowns a last-16 slot.While an announcement about 2029 prize money is some way off, there will almost certainly be increases.Sundowns are the second African qualifiers after 2025 CAF Champions League winners Pyramids of Egypt, who edged the South African side last season.- Huge relief -The spoils of victory do not end there for Sundowns. They also qualify for the FIFA Intercontinental Cup. Pyramids collected $2 mn by reaching the semi-final stage. By overcoming FAR, Sundowns avoided becoming the fifth club after Etoile Sahel and Esperance of Tunisia, TP Engelbert (now Mazembe) from DR Congo and Al Ahly of Egypt to lose consecutive finals.Success came as a huge relief to Portuguese coach Miguel Cardoso, who did not want to become the first coach to lose three straight CAF Champions League finals.Cardoso, who turns 54 on Thursday, was unsuccessful with Esperance in 2024 and Sundowns last season. Ahead of the second leg, Cardoso was under pressure having failed to win any of the four South African competitions this season, including the league. Finishing second, one point behind Orlando Pirates, ended a run of eight straight championship titles for the Pretoria outfit. Captained by national team goalkeeper Ronwen Williams, Sundowns conquered Africa with a mix of local and imported stars. National team coach Hugo Broos included nine of the squad, including Mokoena, in a preliminary squad for the 2026 World Cup.Colombian Brayan Leon has scored 16 goals despite joining Sundowns only in January, Brazilian Arthur Sales is an option up front, and there is also Chilean midfielder Marcelo Allende. Veteran Ugandan Denis Onyango is the reserve goalkeeper and Zimbabwean Divine Lunga competes with Aubrey Modiba, the first-leg match-winner, for the left-back spot. dl/pi

Real Madrid preparing major overhaul to strengthen key position this summerTwo players bid Real Madrid goodbye in the team’s final clash of the season on Saturday night, namely David Alaba and Dani Carvajal.The latter already has a clear replacement in Trent Alexander-Arnold, leaving the right-back position in safe and reliable hands. The same, however, cannot be said of Alaba’s departure from centre-back, as the club has suffered in the department all season, and his exit leaves one more vacancy in an already jeopardised position.Moves are being madeAlaba played his last game for Real Madrid. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)As confirmed by Fabrizio Romano (h/t Madrid Xtra) in a recent update, Real Madrid are already moving behind the scenes for defenders, and their intent to urgently reinforce the department is serious.Calls are already being made from the offices at Valdebebas, and developments can be expected in the coming weeks.Real Madrid, thus, will be very busy in the centre-back market this summer and could well sign more than one player in the department. After all, there is a real need for depth and a sense that the current options are insufficient.Limited options in the squadReal Madrid need to sign new defenders. (Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)While it may appear unnecessary to sign a defender given how many centre-backs Real Madrid may have, the truth is far from what meets the eye.Antonio Rudiger, while still worthy of being an elite-level starter, is not getting younger and cannot string multiple games together without injuries or pain.Eder Militao, meanwhile, has become extremely unreliable in a fitness sense and has spent the better part of the past two seasons on the sidelines.Dean Huijsen and Raul Asencio remain the only two other options in the first team, but the former has been unreliable in terms of both form and fitness while the latter is widely considered to be saleable this summer.

Barcelona not ruling out loan move for highly-rated full-back this summer – reportThere is growing uncertainty around the future of Barcelona youth team defender Jofre Torrents, with SPORT reporting that the club is not ruling out a loan departure this summer.The young defender was one of the surprise names to impress Hansi Flick during pre-season last year. His performances earned him a place around the first-team setup early in the 2025/26 campaign, showing that the coaching staff viewed him as a crucial option for the season.Although opportunities were limited, Torrents still managed to make an important milestone by debuting for Barcelona in Mallorca, a moment seen as a reward for his rise through the youth ranks.A troubled second half of the seasonHowever, the second half of the season became much more difficult for the youngster. Jofre Torrents could leave on loan. (Picture courtesy: Barcelona official website)This is because an ankle injury disrupted his momentum at the worst possible time and reduced his involvement significantly. In total, he featured for just 111 minutes across four matches after returning, though he still managed to leave a strong impression during his start against CD Guadalajara in the Copa del Rey.While Barcelona continue to rate the defender highly despite the setbacks, the club is now carefully analysing what the next step for his development could be.Uncertainties at left-backMuch of the uncertainty surrounding Torrents depends on what happens with Alejandro Balde and Joao Cancelo over the coming weeks.Barcelona are keen to continue with Cancelo after the Portuguese defender became one of the team’s most reliable options during the second half of the season. A lot depends on Balde’s future at Barcelona. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)At the same time, Balde’s future cannot be considered fully guaranteed. This is because while there are no issues involving the Spanish full-back, Barcelona are understood to be open to listening to offers if a financially attractive proposal arrives this summer.That situation directly affects Torrents’ role in the squad. If Balde were to leave, Barcelona may decide to keep the youngster close to the first team to strengthen depth in the position. But if both senior left-backs remain, a temporary loan move could become the preferred solution.

🥐☕️ FC Breakfast: shock in Portugal 😱, French goals in the All-Star XIThe upset of the year in Portugal 😱This Sunday, the Portuguese Cup final took place between Sporting and Torreense, a second-division club.Torreense pulled off a huge upset by beating last season’s Champions League quarter-finalists!The D2 club wins the first national title in its history and secures a spot in the Europa League.📸 PEDRO ROCHA - AFP or licensors🎥 All the French goals from the Eleven All StarsOn Sunday evening at the Parc des Princes, France’s content creators team beat the English team 4-3 in the Eleven All Stars.We invite you to check out the three goals scored by Les Bleus!The champions of Africa are...After winning the first leg 1-0, Mamelodi Sundowns held off FAR Rabat in Sunday night’s second leg final (1-1) to win the African Champions League!TV schedule 📺8:30 pm: Paderborn vs Wolfsburg (beIN Sports)This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇫🇷 here.

Over 130 years ago, basketball was invented at the YMCA as a way to bring people together through exercise, teamwork and competition.For the first time since 2019, the YMCA of Greater Rochester will host the Gus Macker Tournament, a nationwide 3-on-3 street basketball tournament.Registration for teams of four is $200. Proceeds from Rochester's tournament will go to YMCAs across the greater Rochester area to help support their efforts and serviced provided to the community.Registration closes on June 8.Date: June 27-28Location: ESL Ballpark, 1 Morrie Silver Way, Rochester, NY 14608To register for the tournament, visit macker.com/local/rochester-nyThis article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Gus Macker basketball tournament returns to Rochester in June

Report claims Kane and Olise turned down PSG before joining BayernToday, Harry Kane and Michael Olise are central figures in Bayern Munich’s high-powered attack – but, apparently, they could have ended up at Paris Saint-Germain together instead.French sports newspaper L’Équipe, citing an anonymous source within PSG, claims that both players held talks with the French giants but ultimately chose against joining them.In 2023, following the departures of Lionel Messi and Neymar, PSG explored a move for Kane, but the England international “did not really believe” in the project, according to the source, and instead ended up joining Bayern.A similar situation is said to have occurred with Michael Olise, who ultimately joined Bayern a year later, in 2024, after PSG’s attempts to sign him also fell short.

Key dates, venues and more – Everything you need to know about Barcelona’s pre-season preparation ahead of 2026/27 seasonNow that the 2025/26 season is upon us, Barcelona are putting together plans for what could become one of their most demanding pre-seasons in recent years under Hansi Flick.According to details provided by Mundo Deportivo, the Blaugrana are expected to begin preparations for his third season in charge around July 12 or 13, although some final details are still being adjusted. What makes the schedule particularly interesting is that the FIFA World Cup will still be taking place when the squad regroups.Barcelona’s plans for the pre-seasonBy the time Barcelona return for pre-season duties, the international tournament is expected to be entering its decisive phase between the quarter-finals and semi-finals. That means several first-team stars may still be unavailable during the opening days of preparation.Because of that, the first week of activity is likely to focus heavily on medical assessments, physical conditioning and lighter sessions at the club’s training facilities in the Ciutat Esportiva. Barcelona will not go through a major pre-season tour. (Photo by Han Myung-Gu/Getty Images)It also opens the door for multiple academy players to receive early opportunities with the senior squad.Young talents are expected to be heavily involved during the initial phase of the summer, continuing Flick’s strong commitment towards integrating youth players into the first-team environment.England training camp and African friendliesOnce the first stage of training in Spain is completed, Barcelona are expected to travel to England for a specialised training camp at St George’s Park.The club is planning to spend around a week there between the end of July and the beginning of August. After that, Barcelona’s pre-season tour will continue with two international friendlies in Africa. Barcelona will play friendlies in Africa. (Photo by Paul Miller/Getty Images)One match is expected to take place in Nairobi, while another is planned for Rabat during the second and third weeks of August.The identities of the opponents have not yet been confirmed, but the matches are already generating excitement.Barcelona to start La Liga season lateLastly, before the competitive season officially begins, Barcelona will also play the traditional Joan Gamper Trophy match, which is expected to serve as the final preparation game before La Liga action starts.As for La Liga, the official calendar has still not been fully confirmed. However, Barcelona are expected to begin their domestic campaign later than usual due to the number of players involved in the World Cup. That could see Flick’s side enter the league during the second matchday instead of the opening weekend.