Interior presence, limiting turnovers drive Team USA's win

After a slow and sloppy start, the U.S. clamped down defensively in the second half with big men Anthony Davis and Bam Adebayo hounding Serbian ball handlers.

The Serbians, led by three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic and buoyed by a handful of fast-break opportunities that stemmed from jumping passing lanes, had leads and hung around during the first half. But Team USA found a rhythm with its backup bigs. They move a bit more fluidly on the defensive end than Joel Embiid, who has struggled a bit to adjust to the speed of international play at this point.

The Americans struggled with turnovers early -- similar to their first two outings against Canada and Australia -- but by the second half, they looked fully in control and comfortable, with Jrue Holiday winging a beautiful behind-the-back pass to Stephen Curry for a triple and Adebayo tossing a perfect alley-oop to James, who dunked it home with one hand.

The U.S. has two more tuneup contests, against South Sudan and Germany, before beginning the Olympics in Paris at the end of the month. -- Chris Herring, ESPN senior writer

Team USA's depth on full display; will be a factor in Paris

Team USA has one of the most star-studded lineups in international basketball history, with some of the biggest names of this generation. But what stood out in Wednesday’s blowout victory against Serbia.. [read more]

HAMBURG, Germany -- Cristiano Ronaldo and Kylian Mbappé met for the first time 12 years ago; Ronaldo the Real Madrid galáctico and Mbappé the unknown kid from Paris on a scouting trip.

There's a picture from the day in December 2012, taken at Madrid's Valdebebas training centre. Ronaldo is smiling and giving a thumbs up while Mbappé looks every bit the starstruck teenager.


On Friday in Hamburg they will meet again. Now it's Mbappé, the new face of Real Madrid and Ronaldo, the man coming to the end of his era of greatness which includes success at the Bernabéu that Mbappé can only hope to match. At 39 years old, Ronaldo is playing out his last days as European football's pre-eminent global superstar. Mbappé is one of those in line to take over.

As a 14-year-old, Mbappé's bedroom at his home in the northeastern Paris suburb of Bondy was covered in pictures of Ronaldo. He would watch videos of his goals on YouTube. When his free transfer from Paris Saint-Germain to Real Madrid was confirmed in June -- following in the footsteps of his boyhood idol -- Ronaldo posted a comment on the France international's announcement on Instagram saying it was "my turn to watch." The comment received more than five million 'likes' on the social media platform... [read more]

GELSENKIRCHEN, Germany -- Jude Bellingham was willing to set himself up as England's saviour in a pre-tournament advert for adidas and, after a lengthy wait, he proved to be just that in Gelsenkirchen on Sunday.

If we're being honest, the Real Madrid midfielder had a pretty miserable game against Slovakia for 94 minutes or so: running down dead-end routes, plodding in possession and often the picture of frustration toward referee Umut Meler. His night was reflective of the malaise that engulfed England as a team.

Yet when Gareth Southgate's side were staring down the barrel of a humiliating round-of-16 exit to Slovakia following Ivan Schranz's 25th-minute opener, Bellingham reacted quickest to a Marc Guéhi flick-on to produce a stunning overhead kick to drag them back from the brink and tie the match 1-1 with seconds left in stoppage time.

After Bellingham's goal in the fifth minute of stoppage time, Harry Kane then came to the party in the first minute of extra-time with the deciding header in a 2-1 win that was the product of three substitutes combining to assist him: Cole Palmer, Eberechi Eze and Ivan Toney.

England's front four of Bellingham, Kane, Bukayo Saka and Phil Foden have been so underwhelming to this point, but Bellingham's moment of magic is precisely why many had them down as pre-tournament favourites: There are so many players at Southgate's disposal capable of defining games.

When cel.. [read more]

Nacho has joined Al Qadsiah on a two year deal after leaving Real Madrid, the Saudi Pro League club announced on Thursday.

The Spanish veteran defender, who captained Madrid to the Champions League and LaLiga double last season, will join the newly-promoted SPL side as a free agent after Euro 2024.

Nacho underwent a medical in Germany while on international duty with Spain ahead of his move to Saudi Arabia.

The 34-year-old, who joined Madrid as a 10-year-old, has won a joint-club record 26 trophies in his 12 seasons with the first team. His trophy haul includes six Champions League titles.

"I'm so grateful to Real Madrid," Nacho said at a Spain news conference on Thursday.

"Until a few days ago, I hadn't signed for my new club and Madrid told me they would be there if I changed my mind. I don't need a send off like [Toni] Kroos had to realise how much I'm loved.

"I always had clear that if I didn't finish my career at Madrid, I wouldn't want to play against them. I want to experience something new, something different. My life is going to be turned upside down but that's what I want. I'm very happy."

Despite being in advanced talks with Saudi giants Al Ittihad, the veteran centre-back opted to sign for Al Qadsiah.

Nacho's coach at Al Qadsiah will be fellow Spaniard Michel, who guided the Khobar-based outfit to finish top of the first division league in his d.. [read more]

STUTTGART, Germany -- There was something quite sad and final about Kevin De Bruyne's stunned and angry reaction to being booed by his own supporters as Belgium's players attempted to thank their travelling fans for sitting through their dismal 0-0 draw against Ukraine in Stuttgart.

The Belgium captain started to take his team-mates towards the end of the stadium which was a sea of red shirts, but he only reached the edge of the centre circle before turning around and directing the players off the pitch because the booing was so loud that the Manchester City midfielder clearly felt that it would do more harm than good to go any closer to the 15,000 Belgian fans.

But after ten years of the country's so-called Golden Generation promising so much and delivering so little, the fans had had enough after a performance so lacking in passion and ambition against Ukraine that they turned on the players.

Belgium had not been eliminated by Ukraine. Far from it. This goalless draw secured second spot in Group E and qualification, albeit for a round-of-16 clash against France in Düsseldorf on Sunday.

But Belgium were boring and dull and they played like an old team that had run out of energy and ideas. De Bruyne did his best to drag his side to victory, but he was fighting a lone battle as those around him -- Romelu Lukaku, Youri Tielemans, Yannick Carrasco -- all flattered to deceive.

Had Ukraine taken one of the.. [read more]

On a warm morning late in the summer of 1969, Jerry West and a friend were running down San Vicente Blvd. in Santa Monica, on the western edge of Los Angeles, when a man on the street passed him. "You're a choker," he growled.

It was one of the few times West had been willing to go out in public in several months, needing to start training for the coming season. West's Los Angeles Lakers had lost in seven games to the Boston Celtics in the Finals that May. They'd lost Game 7 by a single basket on their home court at the Forum, a stinging upset in Bill Russell's final game as a Celtic. It marked the sixth consecutive time West and the Lakers had lost in the Finals to the Celtics. Twice it happened in Games 7s by a single basket.

West had 42 points, 13 rebounds and 12 assists in that Game 7 and was named the first ever Finals MVP after he'd averaged 37.9 points, 4.7 rebounds and 7.4 assists in the series. He remains the only player to win the honor in a losing effort. And then he shut himself inside for weeks in misery.

So when that unfortunate passerby had the audacity to say something, West exploded. Red-faced and sweating, West doubled back and went after the heckler, thinking for a moment about strangling him, his frustration and anger rising to a boil. His friend, knowing West's legendary temper, restrained him and managed to yank West away amid a stream of curse words and threats.

Forty-two summers later, LeBron .. [read more]

BOSTON -- Dallas Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic was downgraded to questionable on the injury report for Sunday's Game 2 of the NBA Finals.

A thoracic contusion has been added to Doncic's injury report in addition to the right knee sprain and left ankle soreness he has been playing through for most of the postseason.

Doncic has been listed as questionable on several occasions during these playoffs but has played every game, leading the league in points (519), rebounds (174), assists (151), steals (30) and minutes (744) in the postseason.

Doncic had 30 points, 10 rebounds and only 1 assist in the Mavs' 107-89 Game 1 loss to the Boston Celtics... [read more]

ROME -- Former world champion Kristjan Ceh of Slovenia won the discus throw amid a world-class field on the opening night of the European athletics championships Friday.

Ceh's throw reached 68.08 meters to put him ahead of Lukas Weisshaidinger of Austria (67.70) and Mykolas Alekna (67.48), the Lithuanian who broke the nearly 30-year-old world record in April.

Ceh won the world title in 2022 and took silver behind Sweden's Daniel Stahl at last year's worlds.

"I finally got my self-confidence back," Ceh said after receiving a congratulatory kiss from his girlfriend, Estonian hammer thrower Anna Maria Orel. "Everybody was talking about Alekna. ... He is the world-record holder so everybody wants to beat him. I think it is going to be something big in Paris."

With less than 50 days before the Paris Olympics, many athletes are using the Euros as a warmup, or a test rehearsal. Most don't want to peak in Rome but are saving their best for Paris.

Stahl (66.84) finished fourth.

Alekna said he "felt tired after so many events.

"I need some rest," Alekna added. "It is a lesson. I was not surprised by Kristjan's performance, he is a good thrower and he deserves it."

Olympic champion Antonella Palmisano and Valentina Trapletti finished 1-2 in the 20-kilometer race walk, after which Palmisano put a tiara on her head to celebrate before her home fans.

"I had.. [read more]

Lionel Messi said he believes his former FC Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola has turned Manchester City into the most attractive team to watch, but he conceded Real Madrid are the best "in terms of results."

Guardiola guided City to a record fourth successive Premier League title one year after leading his team to win a historic treble -- Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup.


LaLiga winners Real Madrid beat City in the quarterfinals of the Champions League en route to lifting their 15th European Cup on June 1.

Asked who he considers to be the best team in the world, Messi told Infobae: "If you speak in terms of results, it is [Real] Madrid, the current Champions [League] holders.

"If you speak in terms of play, I personally like Guardiola's City. I think that any team WHERE Guardiola is will be special because of the way he is, the way he trains, the way he works and how he makes his teams play.

"At the level of play for me, City is the best, and in terms of results, Madrid."

Under Guardiola, Messi won 14 titles at Barça, including three LaLiga trophies, two Champions League and two FIFA Club World Cups.

Messi is currently training with Argentina's national team in Miami.

The Inter Miami forward will captain the Albiceleste at the upcoming Copa América that will be staged in the United States from June 20 until July 14.

The 2022 .. [read more]

Napoli are interested in Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku, reports the Standard.

It is said that new manager Antonio Conte wants to make the 31-year-old his first signing at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium after they won the Serie A title together in 2021 at Internazionale.

The Blues are reported to be looking to move him on permanently this summer, and they are willing to accept an offer worth £38m... [read more]

Manchester City are interested in a move for Real Madrid winger Rodrygo reports Marca.

The Premier League champions are reported to be watching his situation at the Santiago Bernabeu, with belief that the 23-year-old could be available after the expected arrival of Kylian Mbappé.

It is said that the Los Blancos hierarchy are aware of interest from City, but aren't currently alarmed as they focus on securing a new deal for Lucas Vázquez, while they are also expecting to announce the renewal of midfielder Luka Modric.

The LaLiga side are willing to talk about a move for Rodrygo "if they have to," but it looks as though Manchester City will wait until after the UEFA Champions League final before taking any further steps towards a potential deal.

Rodrygo remains contracted with Real Madrid until 2028 after signing a new contract last November... [read more]

With the 2024 NBA draft less than a month away (June 26-27), the draft pool solidified more Wednesday with the passing of the NCAA's deadline for men's college basketball players to decide whether to forgo their college eligibility by staying in the draft or return to school.

NBA teams and college programs were given reasons to celebrate as notable players such as Bronny James, Alex Karaban, David Jones, Caleb Love and Mark Sears made decisions about their basketball futures. The feedback players received from the NBA draft combine and pro day workouts, as well as the effect of NIL deals from various programs, played major roles in whether prospects decided to go pro or return to schools that are primed for championship runs.


Also of note, the NBA's final deadline for early entrants to withdraw their names from the draft pool is June 16, a date that most impacts international players, who aren't under the same restrictions as college players.

So which schools benefited the most from players returning to their programs? Who is most likely to rise up the NBA draft board in 2025? Are the UConn Huskies in position to go for a three-peat? ESPN college basketball insider Jeff Borzello and ESPN draft insiders Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo share their answers to these lingering questions... [read more]

Hansi Flick has arrived in Barcelona ahead of his appointment as the Catalan club's new coach.

The German manager will replace Xavi Hernández, who took charge of his final game against Sevilla on Sunday.

Flick, 59, has been out of work since he was sacked as the Germay national team manager last September, but landed in Barcelona on Tuesday with his agent, Pini Zahavi, to close the final details of his new role.

Sources have told ESPN Flick will sign a two-year deal which will be made official once the terms of Xavi's departure are ratified.Barça president Joan Laporta has admired Flick for a long time. ESPN revealed in 2021 that he had sounded him out to replace Ronald Koeman.

However, Flick, who was coaching Bayern at the time, had already committed to taking over the Germany national team.

Negotiations resumed earlier this year when Xavi announced in January he would step down in the summer.

Flick's chances of landing the job appeared to end when Barça revealed in April that Xavi would fulfil his contract which ran until 2025.

Things took another twist last week, though, when Laporta decided to sack Xavi and look for a new coach.

Flick, who spent years as Joachim Low's assistant at Germany, enjoyed great success with Bayern, including winning the treble in 2020.

He failed to replicate that with Germany, though, and was dismissed in 2023 .. [read more]

al Madrid will look to make future moves to bring in Bayer Leverkusen attacking midfielder Florian Wirtz and head coach Xabi Alonso, reports AS.

Los Blancos' most likely incomings this summer are Kylian Mbappé, Endrick and Alphonso Davies, which would leave little room for manoeuvre to make any other notable signings.

Even with Toni Kroos' retirement, they are unlikely to move for a midfielder with Jude Bellingham expected to drop deeper -- especially as Mbappé should more than cover his goal tally from this term.

They are still looking at options for the future and Wirtz is most heavily favoured, with the 21-year-old's versatility adding to his appeal, in addition to an impressive tally of 18 goals and 20 assists in 48 matches across all competitions this term.

He has reached those heights under Alonso, somebody who has been seriously considered as the replacement for head coach Carlo Ancelotti, whenever the Italian leaves. Alonso also played for Real Madrid for five seasons.

However, Los Blancos are not in any rush to complete these moves despite knowing there is plenty of competition from across Europe. Wirtz has a contract that runs until 2027, but they will be watching every Leverkusen match to keep an eye on both Wirtz and Alonso... [read more]

The Boston Celtics defended home court definitively, grabbing Game 2 against the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference finals Thursday night -- the first time they've been up 2-0 this postseason.

Led by Jaylen Brown matching his playoff career high with 40 points, the Celtics' dominant offense proved too much for the Pacers, who allowed a 20-0 run in the first half, giving Boston the lead for good.



Despite Pascal Siakam's hot hand in the third quarter -- he led his team with 28 points and five rebounds -- the Pacers struggled without Tyrese Haliburton, who had just 10 points and eight assists before leaving in the third quarter because of a sore left hamstring.

The series will continue in Indiana for Saturday's Game 3 (8:30 p.m. ET, ABC) and Monday's Game 4 (8 p.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN2).

After a dominant showing by the Celtics in TD Garden, our NBA insiders break down the biggest moments in Game 2, what the Pacers need to do to bounce back in Indiana and what the imminent return of center Kristaps Porzingis, out because of a calf strain since April 30, means for this series and potentially the Finals... [read more]

Cleveland Cavaliers president of basketball operations Koby Altman knew the risk and reward when he acquired Donovan Mitchell via trade from the Utah Jazz in September 2022.

The reward for aggressively pursuing Mitchell was an obvious one.


For the first time since LeBron James left for the Los Angeles Lakers in 2018, Cleveland had a top-15 player on its roster, and more importantly one under contract for the next three seasons.

The 2022 trade for Mitchell also started the clock on Cleveland building a championship roster and then selling the five-time All-Star on what the future could look like long term with the Cavaliers.

Since that September deal, Cleveland has won 99 games in Mitchell's first two seasons -- the fifth most of any NBA team -- and reached the conference semifinals for the first time since James' last season with the team in 2018.

And about the risk. That arrives this coming offseason.

Cleveland on Thursday fired coach J.B. Bickerstaff, and now it is up to Altman to identify the next leader to guide this roster past the second round of the playoffs. There are no mulligans if the Cavaliers fail to do so.

Playoffs or not, Mitchell's future factors into prominent play for the next coach. Mitchell, 27, was eligible to sign a three-year extension last offseason, but he passed, saying he wants it "to be known that I still have the opportunity to sign an .. [read more]

Per ESPN sources, the club has agreed to a fee with Feyenoord to buy out the final two years of manager Arne Slot's contract. Provided that Liverpool and Slot can come to a deal, the 45-year-old Dutchman will be the one tasked with the simple challenge of, you know, replacing the manager who has won every major trophy he could win and reestablished Liverpool as one of the top clubs in the world.

No pressure, Arne.

Rather than going for a big-name manager to replace perhaps the biggest-name manager in Jurgen Klopp, Liverpool landed on someone whom many of their fans have never heard of. When Klopp joined the club 8½ years ago, he was already one of the world's few elite coaches. He'd won the Bundesliga multiple times and reached the Champions League final. Slot, meanwhile, has never managed outside of the Netherlands and has coached six Champions League matches .. [read more]

Sevilla captain Jesús Navas has signed a lifetime contract with the club, the LaLiga side said on Saturday, just days after the player announced that he would be leaving at the end of the season.

Navas, 38, is Sevilla's record appearance holder, having played for the club for 17 seasons over two different spells, winning eight trophies.

The right-back published an open letter on Friday saying he'd taken the "painful" decision to leave his boyhood club, having received "not one phone call" offering him a new contract, with his deal set to expire this summer.

"I've always been told that I could stay here as long as I wanted, but nobody has dispelled my doubts as to whether that call confirming that I'm staying would come at the end of the season," Navas said. "People have said that I've leaving for a better offer, but I don't have a team [for next season] yet because I want to focus on my country [at the Euros]."

Sevilla president Jose Maria del Nido Carrasco held a news conference on Saturday to contest that version of events, blaming a "misunderstanding."

Del Nido said he "loved, respected and admired" Navas, calling him "the club's greatest legend."

"I don't want to start any conflict with him, either publicly or privately," Del Nido said. "But neither can I let the history books read that Jesus won't stay because Sevilla don't want him to. It has all been a misunderstanding, for which.. [read more]

Barcelona are considering moves for Guido Rodríguez and Xavi Simons but the final decision on any signings cannot be made until the club know how much money they will be able to invest this summer, sources have told ESPN.

Rodríguez, 30, is off contract with Real Betis this summer and will be available as a free agent. Barça are keen to strengthen their midfield, with coach Xavi Hernández pinning this season's struggles on a lack of balance in the middle of the pitch.Xavi's priority is to add a defensive midfielder to the squad -- beyond the signing of Rodríguez -- and there is also interest in Bayern Munich's Joshua Kimmich and Real Sociedad's Martín Zubimendi, although both would command a significant fee. Everton midfielder Amadou Onana has also been linked.

Simons, 21, has spent this season on loan at German side RB Leipzig and is due to return to Paris Saint-Germain this summer.

However, the Dutch international -- an attacking midfielder who came through Barça's academy before moving to PSG in 2019 -- could be available on loan again next season.

While free transfers and loans should be within Barça's reach when the transfer window opens, the Catalan club are still not sure what their budget will be for incomings.

They are over €200 million ($216m) in excess of their LaLiga-imposed annual spending limit, which is currently fixed at just over €200m. That means they can only spend a perce.. [read more]

After a pair of pivotal Game 4s took place in the conference semifinals Sunday, two more are on deck Monday night.

On Saturday, the Boston Celtics took control of their series with the Cleveland Cavaliers behind a pair of big performances from stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, earning a 106-93 victory to bounce back from a Game 2 loss. The Dallas Mavericks got a second straight lift from P.J. Washington, who scored 27 points and hit five 3-pointers to power Dallas to a 2-1 lead against the Oklahoma City Thunder.


All four teams will once again square off Monday night, with the Celtics and Mavericks looking to move to the brink of advancing to the conference finals, and the Cavaliers and Thunder trying to even things up and turn both series into best-of-three affairs.

Here's a look at how both series got here, and what will be the keys to watch for each team entering Game 4... [read more]

After another magic Champions League night a few days earlier, Borussia Dortmund showed their ugly faces once again, as they were embarrassed by Mainz in a 3-0 loss at the Mewa Arena.

Leandro Barreiro and Lee Jae-Sung shocked the guests by scoring three goals in the first 23 minutes, with the latter recording a brace. While Mainz are in the midst of a battle against relegation, they did not look like a team that are deemed to play in the 2. Bundesliga next season. Plus, Dortmund are becoming one of their favorite opponents in Germany's top flight. As a reminder, Mainz ended Dortmund's title quest on the final matchday of the 2023-24 campaign.

Mainz manager Bo Henriksen was counting on the good vibes, saying "They are great opponents and there is the feeling that the entire city is behind us." Scoring a win over Dortmund means that Mainz have escaped the relegation zone, while Union Berlin have dropped to 16th place after suffering a defeat at Cologne, despite leading the game 2-0 after 19 minutes.

Contrary to Union giving away their lead and losing 3-2 against Cologne, Mainz managed to keep a clean sheet against a rather disillusioned Dortmund side. The visitors' manager Edin Terzic brought on his best-attacking performers, Julian Brandt, Ian Maatsen and Jadon Sancho, at halftime, but these substitutions did not make a difference in terms of the result.

Luckily for Dortmund, their fifth place in the Bundesliga table .. [read more]

Barcelona are prioritising the signing of a defensive pivot but will aim to sign Athletic Club winger Nico Williams once that position has been filled, reports Sport.

The Blaugrana are clear that they need explosiveness on the left wing, and the 21-year-old is their favoured option out of players who are within reach.

Barça consider a transfer fee of just over €50 million to be fair, and, while they would have preferred to sign Williams as a free agent, they understand the renewal in December was a logical step for Athletic.

Williams' profile, age, price, explosiveness, language and knowledge of LaLiga are what put him at the top for Barça, with the only doubt being that he could be more creative in static situations. They like Luis Díaz for that reason, but the Liverpool winger is seen as being completely unaffordable.

If Barça complete the aforementioned move for a pivot -- with Bayern Munich's Joshua Kimmich and Real Sociedad's Martín Zubimendi being named -- they could play a classic 4-3-3 with Williams on one wing and Lamine Yamal on the other.

Even when the Spain international renewed his contract, Barca have never stopped discussions with those around him and now need to begin trying to put things into writing... [read more]

If the Denver Nuggets are going to repeat as NBA champions, it will take a historic comeback now that they've fallen behind 2-0 on their home court in a conference semifinals matchup with the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Despite the Nuggets needing to win four of the remaining five games in the series with just two of them in Denver, history says they are actually in a better position than the other team down 2-0 playing at home Friday -- the Indiana Pacers, who trail the New York Knicks.

In best-of-seven series since the playoffs expanded to 16 teams in 1984, teams that lose the first two games of the series at home are 4-20 (.167) -- with the exception of the 2020 bubble. That's more than twice the winning percentage of teams that lose the first two games on the road (19-218, .080), arguing against the conventional wisdom that a series doesn't begin until a home team loss.

Given those long odds, it's worth considering whether there are any common factors in NBA playoff comebacks from a 2-0 deficit and looking at how they might apply to this year's second-round matchups. Let's see what the Nuggets and Pacers need to do to rally and advance... [read more]

The other half of the NBA's conference semifinal round will begin Tuesday night, when the Cleveland Cavaliers will play in Boston against the Eastern Conference's top-seeded Celtics, while the Dallas Mavericks will bring the Red River Rivalry to the hardwood when they travel to Oklahoma City to take on the Thunder, the West's No. 1 seed.

For Cleveland, it marks a return to the conference semifinals for the first time since 2018 -- and the first time without LeBron James since 1993. Boston, meanwhile, has now reached the second round of the playoffs seven times in the past eight years and is looking to make it back to the conference finals for a sixth time during that span.


Dallas has advanced in the playoffs for a second time in three years after making it to the Western Conference finals two years ago, while Oklahoma City is in the second round for the first time since 2016 -- when it lost a classic seven-game conference finals against the 73-win Golden State Warriors.

.. [read more]

Real Madrid celebrated the title in front of the TV (or, more likely, their phones) on Saturday. Their 3-0 victory over Cadiz -- a match they dominated despite it being scoreless at half-time, with a heavily changed team ahead of the Champions League semifinal return leg -- coupled with Barcelona's defeat at Girona later that day secured the league.

There are several ways to read this. If you want to talk them down, you can point to the fact that it's no big deal that the club with the highest budget wins the league. Especially when the team with the second biggest (Barcelona) stands at the brink of financial oblivion, and the one with the third biggest (Atletico Madrid) is dealing with its own identity crisis. However, that reading would ignore some truths that make this a truly special season -- and not just because they are 90 minutes away from another Champions League final as well.

Indeed, along the way there were so many events that could have made this team unravel ... but did not.Like the fact that in the summer they lost their top goal scorer, Karim Benzema, who had bagged 31 goals the previous year. His "replacement," Joselu, arrived on loan at 33 years of age and in real terms, they dealt with Benzema's departure by changing their system to a diamond midfield. That it worked was down to the tactical nous of Carlo Ancelotti and the adaptability of newcomer Jude Bellingham who, at 20, plays with the poise and maturity of a veteran.
.. [read more]

Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp is confident that the Premier League club is well set up to continue improving once he has handed over the reins to his successor at the end of the season.

Klopp, who announced in January that he would leave the Merseyside outfit after nine years in charge, is expected to be replaced by Dutchman Arne Slot.

Slot will inherit a team that is already in the early stages of a makeover, with Liverpool having signed Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, Ryan Gravenberch and Wataru Endo this season.

"Of course, it's not perfect as if it was we'd have five or six points more and would still be fighting for the league," Klopp told Sky Sports in an interview published on Sunday.

"But if you rewind to the start of the season, I called it Liverpool 2.0... Liverpool 2.0 doesn't stop after I leave. It's just the start of another project with a really good squad."

The German coach added that he would not have been able to perform his job at 100% had he stayed on for another year.

"I was sure that if I didn't make that decision now, next year it could have been tricky. The thought of picking yourself up for another preseason, make big decisions," Klopp said.

"For that, you really need to be full of energy -- 80% is not enough. That's the truth. It's too much. It's a 24/7 job. Yes, there are more important things in life, but if you really care then it's 2.. [read more]

More than a decade after he was fired five games into the second year of his Los Angeles Lakers coaching career, Mike Brown admitted he regretted taking the job in the first place.

"If I could do it again," Brown said in an interview with Stephen Jackson and Matt Barnes on the "All the Smoke" podcast, "I probably wouldn't."

NBA Hall of Famer Phil Jackson was just too tough to follow, Brown explained. No one could live up to the standard he had set in L.A. (five NBA titles) and Chicago (six titles).


Brown had known that when he took the job in 2011. He had said as much during his introductory news conference.

"I have great respect for Phil Jackson and all of his accomplishments," Brown said. "I'm not sure what size shoe he wears. But I'm not here to fill his shoes. I'm here to help this team and this organization carve our own path to success." But acknowledging how much pressure there is on the head coach of the Lakers and actually living through that pressure are two entirely different things.

Six coaches have tried to fill Jackson's shoes in the past 13 years. None has lasted more than three seasons. Darvin Ham became the latest to take that fall when he was fired Friday after just two seasons, despite a 90-74 record and a Western Conference finals appearance last season.

Of those six, two went on to win NBA Coach of the Year awards in subsequent jobs -- Brown with the Sacramen.. [read more]

This clash of Western Conference titans had to happen. There are too many connections between the Denver Nuggets and Minnesota Timberwolves for it not to have. The teams have been eyeing each other all season, coaches spending idle hours scheming up counters.

Both teams are legitimate contenders. This is the toughest opponent Denver has encountered across its past two playoff runs. The road to the NBA's first repeat since 2018 will be much tougher than Denver's path last season -- which began, of course, against the No. 8-seeded Timberwolves.

Ten days after the Nuggets hired Tim Connelly as their top basketball decision-maker in 2013, they traded the No. 27 pick to the Utah Jazz -- who used it on Rudy Gobert. Connelly's first titanic move as the Wolves new president of basketball operations in 2022 was trading a haul to team Gobert with another star big in Karl-Anthony Towns. In Denver, Connelly had long toyed with the idea of pairing Nikola Jokic with a rim protector, sources said.

Calvin Booth, now Denver's general manager, played for the Wolves and worked in Minnesota's front-office before Connelly brought him to Denver. Chris Finch, the Wolves' head coach whose level of sideline participation is uncertain after he sustained a knee injury, was an assistant in Denver the season Jokic became a starter. Micah Nori, the Minnesota assistant who may patrol the sidelines if Finch can't, worked in Denver under current Nuggets head coach.. [read more]

We are counting down to the start of Euro 2024, with host nation Germany kicking it off on June 14 when they take on Scotland.All 24 teams are starting to make their final plans for the tournament, hoping that star players don't get struck down by injury beforehand and looking to hit the ground running in top form. Meanwhile, there are plenty of players desperately hoping to break into their country's squad. Those squads are set to be raised to a maximum of 26 players and have to be named by June 7.

Here, we take a look at the tournament favourites to see how they are shaping up ahead of European football's showpiece international event... [read more]

Injuries were a key storyline during Sunday's NBA playoff action. When Damian Lillard joined Milwaukee Bucks teammate Giannis Antetokounmpo on the sideline for Milwaukee's Game 4 loss due to an Achilles strain suffered Friday, he became the fourth 2024 All-Star to miss a game in the first round of the playoffs.

LA Clippers Kawhi Leonard forward missed Game 1 of his team's series against the Dallas Mavericks, and his availability for the rest of the series is now in question after he was ruled out ahead of Sunday's Game 4 in Dallas, which the Clippers won.

The NBA has been focused all season on getting stars on the court as much as possible to fight the stigma created by players and teams embracing load management. That worked well in the first half of the season, when All-Stars played far more than they have in recent campaigns. But injuries have mounted over the course of the schedule, shaping the postseason picture.

Although the Bucks have been hit harder than any playoff team, going this entire series without Giannis, they're not alone. The four injured All-Stars don't include the Miami Heat's Jimmy Butler and New Orleans Pelicans' Zion Williamson. Butler and Williamson are key contributors for their teams, who have gone a combined 1-5 in their series.

Let's look at how this year's playoff injuries compare to past years and what they mean looking forward to the remainder of the bracket... [read more]

It's another weekend of exciting action across Europe and here we are again to bring you a review of all the sights, sounds and drama that has occurred.

In Spain, we saw Real Madrid get closer to the LaLiga title following a 1-0 win against Real Sociedad, while over in Serie A there was a lackluster 0-0 draw between Juventus and AC Milan. Bayer Leverkusen remain unbeaten in the Bundesliga after a dramatic 2-2 draw with VfB Stuttgart, but the real spectacle was in Leipzig WHERE Marco Rose's side hit four past Borussia Dortmund.

.. [read more]

Welcome to the first truly big game of the 2024 playoffs: Game 3 between the LA Clippers and Dallas Mavericks, two teams that fell on the opposite side of the West bracket from the defending champion Denver Nuggets -- teams that would be confident facing the winner of the Oklahoma City Thunder-New Orleans Pelicans series in the next round.

Both are under enormous pressure -- some self-imposed -- to make at least the conference finals. The Mavericks owe their 2024 first-round pick to the New York Knicks -- the last vestige of the ill-fated Kristaps Porzingis deal -- and do not control any of their first-round picks from 2027 through 2030. They traded all those picks and swap rights to reformat their roster around Luka Doncic -- including some trades that were essentially meant to undo prior transactional failures.

The Clippers do not control any of their own picks until 2030. They traded almost everything -- including Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, now looming as a potential second-round foe -- to pair Paul George and Kawhi Leonard. In four seasons so far, they have won three playoff series.

Two of those have come against Doncic and the Mavericks. These teams know each other very well. The amount of combined star power is staggering, all of it on the perimeter: six future Hall of Famers, including some of the greatest ball handlers and scorers in NBA history.

Yet all that scoring has translated into an ultraslow slog. Leona.. [read more]

A soccer agent on Wednesday denied threatening a senior director at the English Premier League club Chelsea in an email, telling a London court that trying to intimidate an ally of former owner Roman Abramovich would be a "suicide mission."

Saif Rubie is on trial over an email he sent to Marina Granovskaia in May 2022 demanding a six-figure commission for the transfer of French defender Kurt Zouma from Chelsea to West Ham the previous year.In the email, Rubie told Granovskaia: "I'm sure you've heard the story about your other friend Kia when he owed me money for a year and how he ended up paying it.

"Wouldn't want you to be in the same situation just because you have a personal issue with me."

Prosecutors allege that was a reference to an incident involving soccer agent Kia Joorabchian, citing claims that he was accosted in a restaurant years earlier and had his watch taken before being presented with demands for money at his office.Granovskaia, Chelsea's director of football under Abramovich from 2014 to 2022, gave evidence on Tuesday that Rubie's email had "made me feel threatened."

Rubie has pleaded "not guilty" to one charge under the Malicious Communications Act.


He told jurors at his trial at Southwark Crown Court that the reference to Joorabchian in his email was intended to mean that he would take legal action against Chelsea or Granovskaia.

"All I'm guilty of is sending .. [read more]

ON THEIR FIRST day at Villanova, Jalen Brunson and Donte DiVincenzo shook hands and unpacked all of their belongings. Then they sat down on their beds 5 feet apart from each other and started talking. This would be their new life for the next year.

In the fall of 2015, Villanova's two biggest recruits would be living together as freshmen, in one dorm room, a short jump shot apart. Right away, DiVincenzo had a realization that so many young adults feel when they move away from home for the first time: Oh crap, I've never lived with anybody before.

Brunson was in the same boat. Sleeping in the same room, sharing the remote, not taking up too much space in the mini-fridge -- this was roommate boot camp for both of them. They didn't really know each other much before that day. But they hit it off right away. Brunson has a straight-faced, tough exterior that hides a good sense of humor, and DiVincenzo is a loose, talkative and positive vibes guy with a feistiness underneath. In many ways, Brunson's interior is DiVincenzo's exterior, and vice versa.


"Within a week, boom, we were on the same schedule," DiVincenzo says. "If he stayed up late, I stayed up late. If we had a late-night pizza, we ate it together and got rid of it before the morning."

On their own, they came up with one rule they built their roommate life around: If you're not dirty, I'm not dirty. Neither one of them considers himself a traditional clean.. [read more]

Nottingham Forest slammed the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) for ignoring their concern that the Video Assistant Referee for their 2-0 defeat at Everton on Sunday was a Luton Town supporter.

Forest had three potential claims for a penalty waved away by referee Anthony Taylor and the VAR, Stuart Attwell, leading the club to respond on social media after the match to vent their frustrations."Three extremely poor decisions -- three penalties not given -- which we simply cannot accept," the club wrote on X.

"We warned the PGMOL that the VAR is a Luton fan before the game but they didn't change him. Our patience has been tested multiple times.

"NFFC will now consider its options."The FA is investigating the post.

The result leaves Forest in 17th in the Premier League, just one point above Luton in the relegation zone after Luton were thrashed 5-1 by Brentford on Saturday.

Forest's league position has been weakened after they were deducted four points in March for breaching the Premier League's Profit and Sustainability Rules.

The club has appealed the deduction.

.. [read more]

The NBA play-in tournament has already taken its toll on the Chicago Bulls, Miami Heat and New Orleans Pelicans, all of whom suffered significant injuries earlier this week.

The Heat will be without star Jimmy Butler, who led them to the NBA Finals a year ago but suffered an MCL injury that is expected to keep him out for weeks. The Pelicans will be without star Zion Williamson, who scored 40 points in his postseason debut Tuesday night before suffering a hamstring injury. And Bulls guard Alex Caruso was limited to 21 minutes after an ankle sprain, but he is a game-time decision. Meanwhile, the Sacramento Kings got through their play-in game unscathed, but they are dealing with multiple lineup-altering injuries.

Despite all that, two of those teams will advance to the NBA playoffs with wins on Friday night, so here's a look at what to know for these two play-in matchups.

.. [read more]

Jude Bellingham stands, arms outstretched, facing the crowd, celebrating another goal. It's a pose that LaLiga players, coaches and fans have gotten used to seeing this season. From San Mamés to Balaídos, Montilivi to Montjuic -- and, of course, at the Santiago Bernabeu -- Bellingham's 16 goals have helped Real Madrid top the table. Going into Sunday's El Clasico with Barcelona they're eight points clear of their rivals, with seven games left to play.

Bellingham's packed 2023-24 highlight reel includes a brace against Barca in the season's first Clasico, Madrid's 2-1 comeback win in October, featuring a goal-of-the-season contender and a 92nd-minute winner. In Europe, there was his virtuoso solo effort, carrying the ball from the halfway line, away at Napoli in the UEFA Champions League group stage. Later, there were two goals in February's 4-0 demolition of Girona, which effectively knocked the Catalan side out of the LaLiga title race and put Madrid in pole position... [read more]

After the Western Conference took center stage Tuesday night, it's the Eastern Conference's turn in the 2024 NBA play-in tournament.

A year after emerging from the play-in to reach the NBA Finals, Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat are back, with Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers standing in their way. The winner will advance to face the New York Knicks in the first round, while the loser will face the winner of the Atlanta Hawks-Chicago Bulls game in an elimination game Friday.

Our NBA experts break down those two matchups and take a look ahead to Friday's Western Conference elimination game between the New Orleans Pelicans and the Sacramento Kings... [read more]

Manchester United have dismissed suggestions that Antony was left out of the squad for the game against Bournemouth because of a disagreement with manager Erik ten Hag, a source has told ESPN.

Antony was absent at the Vitality Stadium on Saturday as United drew 2-2 to further dent their hopes of Champions League qualification.

A source has told ESPN that the club is unhappy with speculation that the Brazil winger was left out because of a row with Ten Hag over his playing time.

United sources insisted he wasn't able to participate against Bournemouth because of an injury picked up in training on Friday, which meant he could not finish the session.

Sources close to Antony have told ESPN that the issue is not serious and that the 24-year-old could recover in time to face Coventry in the FA Cup semifinal on Sunday.

Meanwhile, defender Diogo Dalot has hinted that United's defensive problems are because they are "taking too many risks."

Ten Hag's team have conceded 12 goals in their last five games and faced 20 shots against Bournemouth. Liverpool had 28 shots in their 2-2 draw at Old Trafford and Chelsea also had 28 shots in their 4-3 win over United at Stamford Bridge.

"Maybe we are taking too many risks," said Dalot following the draw with Bournemouth. "Sometimes the gap between the defence and midfield is a little bit too big, which is why we are sometimes getting the count.. [read more]

The 2024 NBA regular season wraps up Sunday, but there is still plenty to decide before all eyes turn toward the postseason.

The Boston Celtics are the top overall seed and guaranteed home-court advantage throughout the postseason, but things are far from settled among the other teams in the Eastern Conference.

Meanwhile, the Western Conference's No. 1 seed is still up in the air, with three teams -- the Oklahoma City Thunder, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Denver Nuggets -- tied and still in contention. It's the first time three teams have been tied for the best record in their conference through 81 games.

Once the dust settles, the top six teams from each conference will be assured playoff spots, while team Nos. 7-10 in the standings will enter the play-in tournament (April 16-19).

Two teams in each conference will then emerge to fill out the eight-team field, with the first round of the playoffs starting April 20.

Get the updates ahead of the playoffs here as the road to the NBA Finals kicks into full gear... [read more]

"I think we're in a great place," Davis said after shootaround Friday morning ahead of the Grizzlies game. "The two games that we lost, I played a quarter and then LeBron [James] didn't play one. So there's nothing we can really do about that now. Our job is to focus on these next two -- the game tonight and then on Sunday against New Orleans -- and then just kind of see what happens, WHERE we stand after that. And then go win basketball games.

"At the end of the day, no matter WHERE you are in the standings, you still have to win. For us, it's about taking it one game at a time. Whether that's 10th place, ninth place, eighth, no matter WHERE you are. You can be the first seed, you still have to win basketball games. So that's our mindset. No matter WHERE we are, we just got to win."


Davis is listed as probable for the Grizzlies game but plans to play, sources told ESPN. The Lakers big man arrived to the arena Tuesday intending to play against the Warriors but came down with a headache and wave of nausea, causing him to vomit and need to go home. He continued to rest Wednesday and began to feel better Thursday, sources said.

The Lakers are 45-35, tied with the No. 8 Sacramento Kings and No. 9 Warriors, but both of those teams have the tiebreaker over Los Angeles based on their head-to-head matchups.

The Lakers are 2-1 against the Grizzlies and 2-1 against the Pelicans.

The Kings host the No. 7 .. [read more]

Police in Bilbao have opened an inquiry into four Athletic Club players after the squad held an impromptu street party to celebrate their Copa del Rey win, the news agency EFE reported on Wednesday.

Athletic won their first major trophy in 40 years when they lifted the Copa in Seville on Saturday, beating Mallorca in a penalty shootout when the final finished 1-1 after extra time.The club's official celebrations are due to take place on Thursday, when -- following Athletic Club tradition -- the barge 'La Gabarra' will carry the squad and trophy along the river Nervion, through the centre of Bilbao, accompanied by a flotilla of smaller boats.

However the squad held a spontaneous, unplanned celebration on Tuesday, accompanied by music from a 'txaranga' or amateur band, led by forward Asier Villalibre, who plays the trumpet.Videos on social media showed a number of players partying on the street -- including captain Iker Muniain and forward Iñaki Williams, who broadcast the celebrations live on Instagram -- who were soon joined by hundreds of fans.

Athletic Club released one video on its social media channels, showing Muniain addressing the crowd and singing."You're not going home yet, are you?" Muniain said. "We'll stay here a little bit longer. It was really hard, a lot of pressure, 40 years waiting for this moment.

"That's why the players wanted to be here today with the people, in the city. When we say this is a fa.. [read more]

An independent panel has handed Everton a two-point deduction on Monday for breaching the Premier League's profit and sustainability rules (PSR), the second time the club has faced a points deduction this season.

Premier League regulations stipulate that a club can lose no more than £105 million ($132.54m) over a three-year period.

"Over a three-day hearing last month, the independent Commission heard evidence and arguments from the club in respect of a range of potential mitigating factors for its admitted breach of £16.6 million, including the impact of its two successive PSR charges," the Premier League said in a statement.

"Having done so, the Commission determined the appropriate sanction to be a two-point deduction, taking effect immediately."

The points deduction means Everton have dropped one place in the Premier League table to 16th, two points above the relegation zone.

The Premier League added that there remains a dispute over accounting of Everton's new stadium -- the league argues that stadium funds should be recorded as losses with regards to PSR, while Everton argues to the contrary. The league said that Everton could yet face an additional penalty and that it will be resolved "at a later date," although it is unlikely to be concluded this season.

Everton announced in a statement that they plan to appeal the decision and have begun preparations to do so, adding that the .. [read more]

Most transfers are closely guarded secrets, with clubs desperate for their rivals not to find out which players they're chasing for fear of being beaten to a target.

But Dinamo Zagreb's bid to bring Real Madrid and Croatia legend Luka Modric back to the club WHERE he started his career in 2003 is a bit more open.

On Saturday, Dinamo paid for a full-page advert in Spain's best-selling sports newspaper, Marca, in an attempt to persuade the 38-year-old to follow his heart if he decides to leave the Santiago Bernabeu when his contract expires this summer.

The ad featured a blue shirt -- Dinamo's home colours -- with the name Modric and his No. 10, with the hashtag "It makes all the sense in the world," and the signature of Dinamo president Velimir Zajec.

Dinamo also posted a message on X, the social network formerly known as Twitter, saying "Buenos dias" ("Good morning" in Spanish) with a video showing a traditional-looking Spanish breakfast, before the newspaper is opened to the advert.

Modric is expected to leave Madrid this summer after playing a much-reduced role in the Madrid first team this season, making just 12 starts and 13 substitute appearances in LaLiga thanks to competition from youngsters Aurélien Tchouaméni, Eduardo Camavinga, Fede Valverde and Jude Bellingham.

He began his career at Dinamo Zagreb before moving to Tottenham Hotspur for £16.5m in 2008 and spent four seasons .. [read more]

MANCHESTER -- Pep Guardiola has told his Manchester City players that if they don't beat Crystal Palace on Saturday it will be "almost impossible" to win the Premier League title.

City travel to Selhurst Park knowing that a win will take them level on points with leaders Liverpool, who play Manchester United at Old Trafford on Sunday.

However, Guardiola said that, with Arsenal also in the race, anything less than victory will mean their title hopes are all but over.
"We have to win that game," Guardiola told a news conference on Friday.
"We're third, not far away from the top of the Premier League, but if we drop points it will be almost impossible."

Guardiola said the importance of the game against Palace has meant he's not yet started to think about the prospect of facing Real Madrid in the Champions League quarterfinal first leg on Tuesday.

"If we were 18 points in front of second in the Premier League, I would have two eyes on Madrid, but it's not the case," he said.

"After that we will have more time, not for recovery, but to prepare.

"So I have not had much time to see Real Madrid. When we have been fighting for nine or 10 months for the [Premier League], why should I be distracted now from this important game against Palace, when the distance is so close."

Battling for the Premier League, Champions League and the FA Cup, City could still repeat their h.. [read more]

Juventus have condemned the alleged racist abuse American midfielder Weston McKennie faced from visiting Lazio fans when he came off near the end of Tuesday's Coppa Italia semifinal first leg.

United States international McKennie set up Dusan Vlahovic for the second goal as Juventus earned a 2-0 lead before he was substituted for midfielder Carlos Alcaraz in the 89th minute.

"Juventus take note of the video circulated on social networks ... from which it would emerge the intonation of discriminatory chants coming from the visiting sector and directed at Weston McKennie during his substitution," Juve said.

"Following confirmation of the incident by the player, the club communicates that it has activated all procedures aimed at verifying what happened and will fully cooperate in order to identify the persons responsible," the statement added.

Juventus also shared a black and white picture of McKennie on their social media platforms captioned, "Never again."

Last November, Fiorentina were given a suspended partial stadium one-match ban after fans directed racist and discriminatory chants at McKennie and fellow Juventus players Vlahovic and Moise Kean.

Reuters has contacted Lazio for comment... [read more]

Nikola Jokic has never been particularly excited to make basketball history.

When the Denver Nuggets superstar center accepted his first NBA Most Valuable Player Award in 2021, he was asked if he was looking forward to getting the ceremony over with. "To be honest, yes," Jokic told reporters.

The next year, as Nuggets coach Michael Malone emphatically pushed for Jokic to win the league's top individual honor, Jokic was asked what it would mean to win back-to-back MVPs. "I don't know. It doesn't mean anything special. I'm just trying to win basketball games," he told reporters.

After Jokic led the Nuggets to the franchise's first NBA championship in June, he matter-of-factly declared in his postgame interview with ESPN, "The job is done. We can go home now."

Now -- whether he wants to or not -- Jokic is on his way to further cementing his place in the innermost circles of NBA history. The MVP award's three-timer club boasts some of the greatest players in league history: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, whose six MVPs are the most ever; Bill Russell and Michael Jordan, who each won five; Wilt Chamberlain and LeBron James, who each won four; and Moses Malone, Larry Bird and Magic Johnson, all of whom won three.

And in ESPN's final NBA MVP straw poll of the 2023-24 season, Jokic has not only put himself in position to join that elite group, he has expanded what already was a comfortable lead.


J.. [read more]

LaLiga has reported the racist and xenophobic abuse aimed at Sevilla defender Marcos Acuña and his coach Quique Sanchez Flores by home fans during Saturday's league game at Getafe.

Sevilla condemned the abuse and LaLiga has now filed an official complaint with the Anti-Violence Commission and the Spanish football federation (RFEF)'s Competition Committee regarding the two incidents at the Coliseum.

The game was temporarily stopped in the 68th minute, with a warning issued over the stadium tannoy -- as stipulated by LaLiga's anti-racism protocol -- after racist slurs were heard being shouted by a section of the crowd according to the referee's match report.

Sevilla manager Sanchez Flores said in his post-match news conference following his team's 1-0 win that he had been called "gypsy" by a group of fans during the encounter.

Another racist episode stained Spain on Saturday when Rayo Majadahonda's goalkeeper Cheikh Sarr was shown a red card for confronting a fan who allegedly racially insulted him in his team's third division league game at Sestao River. Majadahonda refused to continue the game following the red card.

Saturday's incidents came just days after Spain played Brazil at the Bernabéu stadium in a game organised to raise awareness of racism.


In the lead up to the match, Real Madrid forward Vinícius Júnior gave an emotional news conference WHERE he was asked about the.. [read more]

The Boston Celtics are locked into the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference, but the other seeds are up for grabs as we enter the final stretch.

It's like musical chairs on the NBA stage, with a lot of teams trying to avoid the Celtics or the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round. Let's take a closer look at the top 10 teams in the Eastern Conference and some futures to watch... [read more]

Score this one for the little guy. OK, maybe not the little guy exactly, considering Bayer Leverkusen are owned by Bayer -- a pharmaceutical behemoth with 100,000 employees worldwide and $55 billion of revenue in 2023 -- but you get what I mean.

Xabi Alonso had a more-than-realistic chance of filling the managerial vacancy at Bayern Munich (league titles: 33, Champions League titles: 6, domestic cups: 20) or Liverpool (league titles: 19, Champions League titles: 6, domestic cups: 18) this summer. Instead, on Friday he announced that he'd stick around for at least another season at the helm of Bayer Leverkusen (league titles: 0, Champions League titles: 0, domestic cups: 1).

It's the football equivalent of the hot-shot rising star mid-major coach turning down a job at the massive SEC powerhouse to stay loyal to the folks who believed in him and the recruits he brought on board... [read more]