English football is under the microscope this week as all six Premier League clubs attempt to avoid a wipeout in the UEFA Champions League Round of 16. Last week’s first legs were grim for England’s representatives, none of them managed a win, leaving only Arsenal clearly favored to advance.

Arsenal leads the pack

Arsenal hosts Bayer Leverkusen on Tuesday with the tie locked at 1-1. The Gunners, currently topping the Premier League, look best placed to represent England in the quarterfinals. Their depth and attacking quality give them a real chance to progress, unlike their compatriots facing heavy deficits.

Premier League clubs in survival mode

Manchester City faces a daunting task on Tuesday as they start 3-0 down against Real Madrid at the Etihad. Pep Guardiola’s men will need Erling Haaland and Jeremy Doku to deliver exceptional performances to reverse the deficit. Chelsea, meanwhile, travels to Paris carrying a 5-2 loss against PSG and will have to overcome both the scoreline and the aura of Luis Enrique’s revitalized side.

Non-English teams setting the bar

Bodo/Glimt, the Norwegian underdog sensation, holds a commanding 3-0 advantage over Sporting CP and will visit Lisbon confident after previous wins at Atletico Madrid’s Metropolitano and Inter Milan’s San Siro. Bayern Munich, meanwhile, demolished Atalanta 6-1 at home and look on track to reach the quarterfinals with ease.

Real Madrid’s Zidane-like surge

A decade on from Zinedine Zidane’s rise as an unexpected Real Madrid coach, Alvaro Arbeloa has found himself in a similar role. Just two months into his tenure replacing Xabi Alonso, Arbeloa led Madrid to a stunning 3-0 first-leg victory over City, powered by Federico Valverde’s first-half hat-trick, even without stars Kylian Mbappe and Jude Bellingham. Mbappe is set to return for the second leg, adding another layer of threat for City.

Champions League quarterfinal outlook

If Bodo/Glimt advance, they could host Arsenal or Leverkusen at their 8,000-seat Aspmyra Stadium in the Arctic Circle, a stark contrast to most European venues. Real Madrid and Bayern Munich are on course to meet in the knockout stage, rekindling one of Europe’s great historical rivalries. Meanwhile, PSG, Chelsea, Liverpool, and Galatasaray are positioned to clash in one quarterfinal, while Atletico Madrid may meet either Barcelona or Newcastle in the other.

English teams need a turnaround

With heavy deficits and intimidating opponents, Premier League clubs face the toughest week of the season. As Michel Platini once famously said, English football can be “lions in the winter, lambs by the spring,” and this week may well test that maxim to the limit. The second legs promise drama, tension, and perhaps heartbreak as England’s finest attempt to claw back respect and secure a place in the Champions League quarterfinals.

While the days of soccer being a go-to conservative punching bag for being “socialist” or a “sign of the nation’s moral decay” have largely subsided, right-leaning publications still regularly trot out arguments for why the “US doesn’t care about soccer” or the sport is “unjust and un-American“.

In recent years, the sport has also served as a lighting rod in American culture wars, with the US women’s national team in particular landing in the crosshairs of Donald Trump and the MAGA (Make America Great Again) movement for its outspoken progressive players.

With the men’s World Cup in the US, Canada and Mexico rapidly approaching and Donald Trump aggressively promoting the tournament and deepening his relationship with FIFA, the American president is facing one of his toughest sells yet: soccer to his supporters.

Trump’s World Cup?

Despite weighing in on America’s eternal ‘soccer’ vs. ‘football’ debate, most of Trump’s soccer push is not directly related to the sport itself.

“While compared to other countries around the world, soccer is less political here,” Jeffrey Kraus, political scientist at Wagner College, New York, told DW. “This upcoming World Cup has in many ways taken a political tone.”

“There’s a sense that FIFA has embraced President Trump, which certainly associates the tournament with the president,” he continued.

Trump’s ever-intensifying relationship with FIFA President Gianni Infantino, and FIFA’s partnership with the president’s new Board of Peace have helped make Trump the face of a continent-spanning World Cup.

For some conservatives, Trump’s enthusiasm for soccer doesn’t feel out of place given his approach to popular sports generally.

“He’s always been a sports guy – just look at his connection to UFC and wrestling,” Chris Vance, President of the UCLA Young Republicans, told DW. “He’s always been about entertainment, he was in that business a long time, so it makes sense.”

Evolving soccer culture

While American soccer isn’t generally as overtly politicized as in many parts of Europe, its comparably young and immigrant-heavy fanbase tends to be more progressive.

Anti-ICE protests have been a major point of contention among Major League Soccer (MLS) fans and league officials since Trump’s reelection.

Ryan Shirah, a member of the ‘American Outlaws’ US National Team supporters group who’s attended over 120 men’s and women’s US matches, argues that though most fans avoid politics in the stands, they broadly lean in one direction.

“I won’t shy away from the fact that there’s a humanistic element there — I think most soccer fans in America tend to lean on the more progressive, human rights-focused side of things,” Shirah told DW.

Shirah said political tensions in the supporters section were highest in the immediate wake of Trump’s first election, where there was concern Trump’s anti-Mexican campaign rhetoric would spill into the stands at a USA vs Mexico World Cup qualifier in Columbus, Ohio.

“We didn’t know what was going to happen, if people would be trying to chant, ‘build that wall’,” Sirah explained. “It’s something we didn’t want to bring into our atmosphere and we kept out. Generally, we haven’t really had an issue.”

Soccer’s continued growth means the political makeup of its American fans is likely to shift.

“Since the US hosted the 1994 World Cup, soccer has become a bigger part of American life,” said political scientist Kraus. “Much of the population growth since the 90s has been through immigration, and many of the folks who come here brought their love of the ‘beautiful game’.”

Growing Republican support among Latinos in the 2024 election demonstrates that the political views of immigrants, many of whom are driving the sport’s growth in the US, can evolve and potentially change US soccer culture in turn.

And while the arrival of Lionel Messi in Miami has brought wider attention to the sport, organizers are hoping the 2026 World Cup can further propel soccer into the American mainstream. As it gets bigger, soccer will increasingly appeal to conservative fans.

“I live on Staten Island, one of the most suburban and conservative boroughs in New York City. When I was younger, on Saturdays you’d drive around and the athletic fields would be filled with kids playing baseball. Now it’s soccer,” said Kraus. It is perhaps of note that Staten Island is the only NYC borough won by Donald Trump in 2024.

The next MAGA sporting sensation?

Vance, who notes he’s a bit of an outlier among his peers due to his interest in soccer, is excited for the US to play World Cup matches in Los Angeles.

“It’s cool to host it here. I think of it almost as a conservative sport because it’s so community based, or at the very least not really as a politically-leaning sport,” he said.

Organized supporters like Shirah tend not to dwell too much on potential political differences with fellow fans as long as they can maintain a welcoming atmosphere in the stadium.

“We haven’t had a major tournament since the election, but why have that (offensive) nonsense into the stadium if we don’t have to? So far, so good,” he said.

“We don’t care what you do or what podcasts you listen to after the 90 minutes. If you’re passionate about the team and not using slurs or anything, that’s fine. We all have walks of life, and I think that’s what makes America great.”

First, the US will have to have a successful run at the World Cup to make the most of a generational opportunity. If they can do that, existing supporters may well have to worry about the politics of new fans — a problem many of them likely wouldn’t mind.

Edited by: Jonathan Harding

India is set to host the Global Esports Games (GEG) World Finals between March 19 and 22 this year in Mumbai, bringing together over 70 athletes from 23 countries and territories, organisers said on Monday.

Following previous editions in Singapore, Istanbul and Riyadh, the international national-team esports championship will make its South Asia debut with India hosting the World Finals in Mumbai.

The tournament will see national teams compete in DOTA 2 and Clash Royale.

Countries including Argentina, Australia, the United States, Great Britain, Indonesia and Turkey will participate, alongside India and teams from 16 other countries and territories. The event is projected to reach over 40 million viewers globally through broadcast and digital platforms.

The event is being organised by Eflag Corp and the Global Esports Federation, with support from Maharashtra Tourism. Alongside the tournament, the programme will feature GEFcon and GEFestival.

The event will conclude with a ceremonial handover to Los Angeles for the Global Esports Games scheduled there in December 2026.

“The future will be shaped by technology, innovation and digital ecosystems. We are proud that India will host the Global Esports Games, welcoming athletes from around the world to Mumbai. By bringing together sport, technology and youth talent, this event further strengthens our position as an emerging global hub for digital innovation,” said Devendra Fadnavis, Chief Minister, Maharashtra.

“India represents one of the most dynamic growth stories in global esports, and there is no city better suited to host our flagship event than Mumbai. This is a city powered by youth, creativity and innovation — the same forces shaping the future of esports worldwide. Hosting the Global Esports Games here is about more than competition; it’s about opportunity, connection and reinforcing our belief that esports is for all,” Sir Paul J. Foster, KStJH, president and chief executive officer, Global Esports Federation, said.

“We are committed to strengthening India’s esports ecosystem and are glad to bring the GEG World Finals to Mumbai, India. This move marks a significant milestone as it will foster talent development, innovation and global competitiveness while accelerating the rise of homegrown talent, showcasing India’s capabilities on the global esports stage,” Shripad Ashtekar, founder, Eflag Corp, added.

While it would take a remarkable turn of events over the coming months, it is not impossible.

The 12-strong WRU board voted “unanimously” to cut the number of professional teams.

Of the four professional regions, Swansea-based Ospreys are perceived to be the team under greatest threat of being cut.

That is because owners Y11 are now in talks with the WRU to buy Cardiff and only one of the three future clubs is to be based in west Wales.

WRU director of rugby Dave Reddin repeated on Saturday, following Wales’ victory over Italy, the governing body was pushing ahead with its proposals and there was “no plan b”.

But could the rebel clubs – led by the CGRU district within the Ospreys region – stop those proposals?

They want to change the selection process for council members who sit on the WRU board and have new elections within the next 14 days.

This could see all four places taken by district members – and potentially from the same district – rather than the current two district and two national.

If that resolution passed and with the selection of new independent chairs of both the WRU and PRB to be decided, that could potentially change half – six – of the WRU board and, with it, enough influence to scupper any proposals.

Unsurprisingly, the WRU board rejects those recommendations, saying: “It is essential that we press ahead with the decision that we have made which is:

“To reduce the number of professional clubs to three which will enable improved sustainability of funding to these clubs; and that we invest £28m over the next five years in our SRC (second-tier Super Rygbi Cymru) teams, our pathways up from the community game, player development centres, improved coaching and developing our domestic and international women’s game.”

Once upon a time, defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson represented one of the Minnesota Vikings’ main free agency additions. Five years later, the ginormous interior defensive lineman has found a new home with the Los Angeles Chargers.

Los Angeles added size, experience, and trench reliability with Tomlinson.

The Arizona Cardinals severed ties with Tomlinson last week, and it did not take long for the Chargers to swoop in with a contract.

Jim Harbaugh Adds a Trusted Veteran to the Defensive Interior

The Chargers grab an NT injection.

Tomlinson to the Chargers

It’s Tomlinson’s fifth career chapter. Chargers.com’s Eric Smith wrote Friday, “The Bolts have added some beef up front. The Chargers on Friday announced they have agreed to terms with Dalvin Tomlinson, a move that adds depth and durability to the defensive line room. Tomlinson has played for four teams in his NFL career, most recently with the Cardinals in 2025.”

“He also spent multiple seasons with the Giants, Vikings and Browns. The 32-year-old, who was a 2017 second-round pick by New York, has played in 142 career games, starting all of them. Tomlinson has been durable, too, missing just seven total games over his nine-year career. Tomlinson has mostly been known as a run-stopping defensive tackle in his career as he’s listed at 6-foot-3 and 335 pounds.”

Year No. 10 in the pros for Tomlinson will occur in the AFC West.

LAC’s DT Group

The Chargers will hope to reach the postseason for a third season in a row next year, and they’ll do so with this group of interior defensive linemen:

• Jamaree Caldwell
• Justin Eboigbe
• Dalvin Tomlinson
• Teair Tart
• Scott Matlock
• Josh Fuga
• TeRah Edwards

It’s also worth noting that Tomlinson is the only newcomer on defense in free agency so far for Harbaugh’s team.

BoltBeat‘sJason Reed claimed last week the Tomlinson addition could signal the end of Matlock as a DT-FB hybrid: “Matlock now finds himself as the fifth defensive lineman, at best, on the depth chart before the team makes more additions in the 2026 NFL Draft. Tart, Jamaree Caldwell, Tomlinson and third-year Harbaugh draft pick Justin Eboigbe are all ahead of Matlock on the pecking order.”

“Harbaugh will almost certainly give Matlock plenty of chances to lock down a spot in the rotation, especially with how malleable he has been the last two years. But based on how the room is already shaking out, and how the team may continue investing there, it’s hard to see a path to playing time for Matlock.”

Tomlinson’s Resume and Time in MIN

After leaving the New York Giants, Tomlinson joined the Vikings in 2021, signing a two-year contract, a relative rarity for free agents that year. Then–general manager Rick Spielman deserves credit for the successful move.

Minnesota acquired Tomlinson, expecting him to excel as a three-technique defensive tackle. While Mike Zimmer’s staff initially used him in that role, the team shifted him back to nose tackle in 2022, a position he previously held with the Giants. Tomlinson’s build made him a natural fit to control the middle and absorb double teams.

During his time in Minnesota, Tomlinson consistently performed at a high level. In 2021, Pro Football Focus (PFF) awarded him a grade of 74.9, ranking him 16th out of 109 interior defensive linemen and making him the Vikings’ fifth-highest-graded player that season. Before joining the Vikings, Tomlinson had consistently earned PFF grades above 74.0, demonstrating his reliability and durability. He maintained that consistency throughout 2022, his final season with the Vikings.

Here’s Tomlinson’s PFF scorecard through nine seasons:

• 2025: 43.2
• 2024: 67.4
• 2023: 61.2
• 2022: 77.0
• 2021: 74.9
• 2020: 75.1
• 2019: 78.2
• 2018: 76.1
• 2017: 81.0

And his full destination resume:

• New York Giants (2017–2020)
• Minnesota Vikings (2021–2022)
• Cleveland Browns (2023–2024)
• Arizona Cardinals (2025)
• Los Angeles Chargers (2026-now)

Other Chargers Free Agent Adds

Here’s a look at the Chargers’ first week of free agency:

• Tyler Biadasz (C) WAS → LAC
• Josh Harris (LS) LAC → LAC
• Alec Ingold (FB) MIA → LAC
• Charlie Kolar (TE) BAL → LAC
• Trey Lance (QB) DAL → LAC
• Deane Leonard (CB) LAC → LAC
• Keaton Mitchell (RB) BAL → LAC
• Denzel Perryman (LB) LAC → LAC
• Del’Shawn Phillips (ED) LAC → LAC
• Trey Pipkins (RT) LAC → LAC
• Cole Strange (G) NE → LAC
• Dalvin Tomlinson (DL) ARI → LAC

And the 2025 Chargers who’ve signed elsewhere:

• Da’Shawn Hand (DL) LAC→ ATL
• Zion Johnson (G) LAC → CLE
• Otito Ogbonnia (DL) LAC → DAL
• Odafe Oweh (ED) LAC → WAS
• Jamaree Salyer (G) LAC → MIA
• Benjamin St-Juste (CB) LAC → GB
• Tyler Conklin (TE) LAC → DET

Tomlinson turned 32 last month and should have a few seasons left in his impressive career.

The Chargers also employ former Vikings linebacker Troy Dye.

Indian cricket team wicket-keeper batter Ishan Kishan is the frontrunner to lead Sunrisers Hyderabad at the start of the upcoming IPL 2026 season with no clarity on Pat Cummins‘ fitness, according to Times Of India. The report claimed that SRH management have already held a discussion over the matter and Kishan emerged as the ‘most suitable candidate’ to lead the side in Cummins’ absence. Kishan had a brilliant outing in the T20 World Cup 2026 and he even slammed a half-century in the final against New Zealand. Cummins, who suffered a serious injury during the 2025-26 Ashes series, has not not played any cricket since then and the franchise reportedly has no clarity on when the Australia cricketer will be available to play.

Following his side’s successful T20 World Cup campaign, Indian wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan, who made a triumphant return to the team, expressed hope that his performances will serve as a motivation for young players in the country.

Ishan had a tournament to remember as he emerged as India’s second-highest run-getter, with a half-century in the final and two ‘Player of the Match’ awards against Namibia and arch-rivals Pakistan being the highlights of his campaign.

Before the World Cup, Ishan made a return to the Indian set-up for the first time since 2023 after a scintillating Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT), where he led Jharkhand to their maiden title as a captain, scoring 517 runs in 10 innings, with two centuries and two fifties.

Speaking to the media, Ishan said, “Our team won, obviously, it is a very good thing, not only for us, but for the whole nation. We hope to continue playing cricket like this and keep winning.”

Ishan hopes to have inspired young talent through his performances and an inspiring comeback to Team India following a setback, which saw his name get omitted from the central contract list back in 2024 due to his alleged lack of commitment to domestic cricket. With centuries scored across all formats in domestic cricket, Ishan underwent a hard domestic cricket grind and it has no doubt paid off handsomely.

“It feels great because I believe the better I perform, the more motivation it will be for the young kids here who want to grow. I always try to ensure as many players as possible emerge from every corner. Now that we’ve played the World Cup, it shows that with hard work, you can succeed from anywhere,” he added.

(With ANI inputs)

Terence Crawford is viewed by many as being one of the best fighters in modern history but one recent Hall of Fame inductee ranks himself even higher than ‘Bud.’

Crawford retired from the sport in December following his historic win over Canelo Alvarez three months prior to become undisputed super-middleweight champion.

That was the third division that ‘Bud’ has been the sole ruler of, after previous undisputed reigns at super-lightweight and welterweight. It was at 147lbs where another of his iconic wins came, as he picked up a stoppage victory over Errol Spence.

Crawford retired with a perfect 42-0 record, but despite that, three-weight world champion James Toney told FightHype that he believes he was better than his countryman.

“He looked good, alright, but it wasn’t no James Toney performance, you know that. Every time that I fought on the big stage, [Iran] Barkley, [Evander] Holyfield, John Ruiz and countless others – I am dominating them.

Terence Crawford, I love Terence Crawford, but he didn’t even do what I did. He didn’t do it, but he won 12 rounds. I did damage, I stopped people, I knocked people out, that is why they called me ‘Lights Out’.”

Toney won world titles at middleweight, super middleweight and cruiserweight, and did become world heavyweight champion at one stage, though that that reign became void after he failed a drugs test.

His final record read 77 wins from 92 fights, leading to his Hall of Fame induction in 2022, something that will also be a formality for Crawford in the years to come.

Swift Dragon overcame his $19 betting price tag to deliver a dominant performance, outpacing favourite Esperanza with Rockhampton’s previously perfect Better Blitzem trailing in third.

This year, Birchley secured his third triumph in the Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) courtesy of Dream Roca’s victory in the $1 million race at Ellerslie, and his juvenile winning sequence advanced on Queensland’s Glitter Strip courtesy of Swift Dragon’s $300,000 payday.

The Dracarys colt had mitigating factors for his recent flat outings before Saturday’s $500,000 showpiece, according to Birchley who held the erratic Eagle Farm track responsible, though he returned to peak condition under jockey Ryan Wiggins.

“His trial before he came back showed what he could do, but we just didn’t have any confidence in the track first-up,” said Birchley.

“These bigger horses don’t let down on those shifty tracks sometimes and last start it was much the same, but today was a different story. I got a bit worried when it started raining yesterday, but luckily they didn’t get too much. I had full confidence in the horse as long as the track was playing fair and we could get a crack at them.”

On the undercard, Fabulantes prevailed in the featured event, bolstering Robert Heathcote’s outstanding record tied to the gelding’s pedigree with a powerful finish in the QTIS Jewel 3YO (1200m).

Having amassed over $500,000 from 12 career runs, this full-brother to Heathcote’s Group 1 star Startantes completed three successive city triumphs.

Daniel Moor, his rider, sees scope for the Star Turn progeny in tougher fields.

“He’s got a ripper turn of foot,” Moor said.

“He was brave when I needed him to be, he gave a really solid kick and it was quite a soft win in the end. I think he could measure up to better races.”

Trainer Bevan Laming’s front-runner Call Da Vinci was second, ahead of Dragonne Rouge in third.

Discover racing betting markets for QTIS Jewel 2YO action on racing betting markets.