Michael O’Neill has openly acknowledged the immense strain of simultaneously managing both the Northern Ireland national team and Blackburn Rovers, describing the dual role as “challenging physically and mentally.”
The 56-year-old stepped into the Championship relegation battle with Rovers on a short-term deal in February, a move that raised eyebrows among Northern Ireland supporters ahead of their crucial World Cup qualifying play-off semi-final against Italy.
That play-off ultimately ended in a 2-0 defeat in Bergamo on Thursday, but the focus on O’Neill’s long-term future has been a persistent narrative throughout this international window.
He has previously expressed being “fed up” with the constant discussion, stating that “as things stand” he intends to complete the season with Blackburn before “returning to the status quo” as Northern Ireland manager, where he has two years remaining on his contract.
However, this has not quelled the debate. Ahead of Tuesday’s 1-1 friendly draw with Wales, O’Neill faced renewed scrutiny after rival Championship clubs voiced concerns over a potential conflict of interest, particularly regarding his management of Northern Ireland players also involved in the same relegation fight as Blackburn.
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Northern Ireland and Wales played out a 1-1 draw on Tuesday (Nick Potts/PA Wire)
Despite the distractions, O’Neill has successfully guided Blackburn out of the bottom three to 19th place, now four points clear of 22nd-placed Leicester ahead of Friday’s match at Birmingham.
Reflecting on the demands of his unique situation, O’Neill reiterated the personal toll.
“It has been tough, challenging physically and mentally, because the results obviously affect you as a manager,” he said. “I go back to the club now. We’ve seven games to go between now and the end of the season. I’ll look forward to the second of May when the season ends.”
Despite the World Cup dream ending, O’Neill remains optimistic about the national team’s trajectory.
“But I can come away (after this), though we’re disappointed we lost a World Cup play-off, we saw a lot of development and progress in our team and our squad,” he added.
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His discussions about the young, rapidly developing Northern Ireland side suggest a manager not eager to depart from a promising project, with an eye towards a Euro 2028 qualifying campaign.
The upcoming Nations League campaign, which will see Northern Ireland face Georgia, Hungary and Ukraine later this year, also featured in his post-Wales comments.
“We have games in June, which have yet to be confirmed in terms of opposition or venue,” O’Neill noted.
“In the Nations League we go up a level into League B and I think the window in September and October will be really challenging because of the depth of our squad.”
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He highlighted the particular difficulties for smaller nations: “Four games in 16 days is challenging when you don’t have the resources of the bigger nations.”
Nevertheless, O’Neill stressed the strategic importance of these fixtures, concluding: “But the Nations League will be very important for us in terms of our preparation (for) and the draw for 2028 when it comes around.”
Golf star Tiger Woods said on Tuesday that he was stepping away to seek treatment and focus on his health after he was arrested on charges of driving under influence (DUI) following his rollover car crash in Florida last week.
“I know and understand the seriousness of the situation I find myself in today,” he said in a statement published on social media platform X.
“I am stepping away for a period of time to seek treatment and focus on my health. This is necessary in order for me to prioritize my well-being and work toward lasting recovery.”
Tiger Woods pleads not guilty
Woods was driving his Land Rover last Friday when it clipped a pickup truck and rolled over on its side near his Jupiter Island home.
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No injuries were reported in the incident but the 50-year-old golfer was forced to exit his vehicle from the passenger’s side door.
Officers at the scene assessed him to be impaired and found two opioid pain pills in his pocket.
Woods was charged with suspicion of misdemeanor DUI with property damage and refusing to submit to a lawful test.
He did not submit to urine tests after a breathalyzer test showed no alcohol in his system.
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He was released on bail later that night.
Earlier on Tuesday, the online court docket for Martin County showed that Woods had entered a written plea of not guilty and was planning to waive his April 23 arraignment hearing.
Woods is a 15-time major champion and is touted as the greatest golfer of his generation.
Woods was driving his Land Rover last Friday when it clipped a pickup truck and rolled over on its side near his Jupiter Island homeImage: Martin County Sheriff’s Office/dpa/picture alliance
No Masters for Tiger Woods — again
Woods’ decision to take time away means he would miss the Masters — where is a five-time champion — for a second consecutive year.
Fans were hoping to see the pro-golfer tee it up at the tournament taking place from April 9 to 12.
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Last week saw Woods making a return to competitive golf at the indoor TGL Finals, which combines elements of simulated golf with traditional play.
Woods said in his Tuesday statement that he was committed to taking the time needed to return in a “healthier, stronger, and more focused place, both personally and professionally.”
This would be the second time the golfer has taken a leave of absence after a car crash.
In 2009, his car rammed into a fire hydrant and tree outside his home near Orlando. He then announced a break to work on being a better person.
During his field sobriety test on Friday, officers noticed Woods — who had compression sock over his right knee — limping, an accident report from the Martin County Sheriff’s Office said.
Woods explained he had undergone over 20 surgeries on his right leg and his ankle seizes up while walking, the report said.
As per the report, Woods told authorities that he was looking down at his phone and switching radio stations and did not realize the truck in front of him had slowed down.
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Authorities also said that he was observed to be lethargic, slow, “sweating profusely,” with bloodshot eyes, pupils that were “extremely dilated” and was hiccuping during questioning.
Italy made heartbreaking history on Tuesday night, as they missed their third straight World Cup bid following a loss to Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Italy is now the first World Cup-winning team to miss three consecutive tournaments following the penalty-kick shootout loss in the European playoffs.
The nation was once a soccer powerhouse, winning it all four times with its most recent in 2006. But recent years have not been kind to the Italian squad, and they were feeling the pain of the loss after the match.
Pio Esposito of Italy disappointment during the FIFA World Cup 2026 European Qualifiers KO play-offs match between Bosnia & Herzegovina and Italy at Stadion Bilino Polje on March 31, 2026 in Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina.(Image Photo Agency)
“We still don’t believe it – that we’re out and that it happened in this manner,” Italy’s Leonardo Spinazzola said to reporters, per the New York Post. “It’s upsetting for everyone. For us, for our families and for all the kids who have never seen Italy at a World Cup.”
After 90 minutes and extra time, both nations were stuck in a 1-1 tie, and the penalty shootout was needed to determine a winner. Italy eventually fell to Bosnia and Herzegovina, 4-1, in the shootout, as Esmir Bajraktarevic secured the victory with the final goal.
It didn’t help that Italy was playing with just 10 men on the field after Alessandro Bastoni received a red card before halftime. Bosnia and Herzegovina used the man advantage to tie the game in the 79th minute, as Haris Tabakovic scored the equalizer.
Italy’s defender Alessandro Bastoni receives a red card from the referee during the FIFA World Cup 2026 European qualification final football match between Bosnia-Herzegovina and Italy at the Bilino-Polje stadium in Zenica on March 31, 2026.(Elvis BARUKCIC / AFP)
Moise Kean was able to strike first for Italy in the 15th minute, giving them the momentum they were searching for coming into the match. However, they were never able to rally in the end.
While Italy remains one of only three nations to ever win the World Cup four times in history, they can’t seem to find what it takes to get to the tournament.
In 2018, Italy fell at the hands of Sweden, while North Macedonia shocked them in 2022 in the qualifiers.
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Gianluigi Donnarumma of Italy reacts during the FIFA World Cup 2026 European Qualifiers KO play-offs match between Bosnia & Herzegovina and Italy at Stadion Bilino Polje on March 31, 2026 in Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina.(Srdjan Stevanovic – UEFA)
Now, Bosnia and Herzegovina will try their luck in Group B when the World Cup kicks off, starting with a match against Canada. They will also face Qatar and Switzerland in the group stage.
Here we are in the last two months of the 2025-26 season.
The title race completely passed us by months ago, and unfortunately that has become standard procedure in the last few years. After the tremendous run of results in January had us thinking of a comfortable spot in the top four in Serie A, the crushing reality of February and, to some extent March, made us realize that today’s Juventus team is barely/merely good enough to hang around the outskirts of the fourth, fifth and sixth positions.
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Last month had a little bit of (almost) everything — dramatic comebacks, last-minute goals, crushing victories, penalty misses, and corto muso performances.
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Let’s get started.
Falling into the Europa League?
We started the month with a blockbuster 3-3 draw away at Roma. After a tight first half, the hosts took the lead just before the break when Brazilian wingback Wesley cut inside from the edge of the box and curled a lovely right-footed shot into the top corner and just past Mattia Perin’s fingertips. We equalized immediately after the break when Conceição scored with an incredible half volley that almost ripped the net in half.
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A 10-minute spell then turned the game firmly into Roma’s favor. Evan Ndicka barged his way past Andrea Cambiaso and volleyed home from Lorenzo Pellegrini’s corner kick. Then, the reborn Donyell Malen received an incredible pass from Manu Kone, beat the offside trap, and chipped the ball over Perin who was too slow to come off his line. (And I thought sweeper-keepers were overrated …) Jeremie Boga brought us back into the game when he scored with a tremendous volley after Edon Zhegrova’s deflected cross fell to him. His goal was the beginning of a great run of games he had in March.
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The game had a dramatic conclusion in the 93rd minute thanks to our beloved bricklayer Federico Gatti. Once again, Zhegrova was the catalyst as his cross from the free kick created havoc in the box. Gatti pounced (ha!) on the loose ball and smashed in the half volley to deny Roma the victory in a brilliant game of football.
We returned to winning ways with a big 4-0 home win against Pisa. Remarkably, all goals came in the second half and, curiously, after Spalletti switched to a 3-4-3 with Boga/Yildiz as a false 9. Cambiaso scored the first goal when he headed in from a great chipped cross from Yildiz. The second came quickly afterwards: Manuel Locatelli’s pinpoint shot hit the post and the rebound fell to Khephren Thuram who tapped the ball into an open goal.
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The goals kept coming. Yildiz collected a pass from Conceição, slipped past the defender, and blasted the ball into goal. Boga put the cherry on top with a goal in stoppage time after he received a perfect through ball from Locatelli, rounded the goalkeeper, and scored in the empty net: 4-0!
Boga continued his great month by scoring the game’s only goal in a tight 1-0 victory over Udinese. Kelly played a fantastic long ball to Yildiz, who charged into the box and crossed low to Boga. The Ivorian held his run excellently and, as a result, was in the perfect position for the easy tap-in. The Bianconeri controlled the rest of the game and probably should have scored more to put the game to bed, but in fairness Udinese posed such little offensive threat that the victory was never in doubt.
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The final game of the month against Sassuolo was the one that, in my eyes, ended our chances of qualifying for next season’s Champions League. Remarkably, goalkeeper Perin created the first goal when his excellent long outlet pass released Conceição on the counterattack. He dribbled his way into the box and squared the ball for Yildiz, who scored with a low, accurate shot.
As has happened time and time again this season, Juventus conceded from its first (and only!) shot on target. Sassuolo played a nice bit of one-touch passing on the edge of the box and the ball came to Berardi on the right wing. The winger squared the ball for Andrea Pinamonti who, after bullying Gleison Bremer of the ball in the buildup to the goal, ghosted past the Brazilian defender to poke the ball into goal from Berardi’s low cross. The Bianconeri won a very soft penalty after Jonathan David’s cross hit a defender’s arm, but goalkeeper Arijanet Muric caught Locatelli’s incredibly weak penalty kick. It ended 1-1 and we fell further behind in the race for Top 4.
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Juventus Women
Juventus Women opened the month with a solid 2-0 victory over Fiorentina in the first leg of the Coppa Italia semifinal. Chiara Beccari scored in the ninth minute thanks to a nice assist from Ana Capeta. The Portuguese forward then capped a match-winning performance with a goal in the 51st minute after latching onto Viola Calligaris’s great through ball and scoring with a shot at the near post.
It wasn’t a great month of results in the league, though.
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AC Milan beat the Bianconere 1-0 thanks to Thea Kyvag’s goal early in the second half, but the deciding moment came just a few minutes earlier in stoppage time of the first half. Kay-Lee de Sanders fouled Capeta in the box but goalkeeper Sandra Estevez saved Emma Stolen Godo’s penalty, resulting in a disappointing 1-0 loss. We followed that loss with a frustrating goalless draw against bottom-of-the-table Genoa.
Thankfully, Juve ended the month on a high note with a 2-1 victory over Fiorentina in the second leg of the Coppa Italia semifinal. Capeta ended a fantastic month with two goals in this game. The first was a wonderful curled shot from the edge of the box that went in off the post and the second a header from a corner kick. Iris Omarsdottir scored from a rebound after a corner kick resulted in Katla Tryggvadottir hitting the post. Juventus cruised to a 2-1 victory (4-1 on aggregate) over Fiorentina and will meet Roma (who else?) in the final!
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New starts with false 9s?
During the winter transfer window, the big story was Juventus’s attempt to get another striker, likely on a short-term deal. Dusan Vlahovic has since only recently returned from injury and still hasn’t extended his contract that expires in a few months, Arek Milik has risen from the dead after missing nearly two seasons due to injury, and Loïs Openda and Jonathan David haven’t worked out the way we thought they would.
Desperate times call for desperate measures, and Spalletti has tinkered accordingly to find a solution while his strikers find their purpose in life form. He has tried two solutions: playing Weston McKennie as a striker and playing a false nine. Remarkably, McKennie was actually quite good in that position — is it still a surprise that McKennie plays well everywhere on the pitch? — but we need him more urgently in other areas.
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The false 9 experiment began catastrophically when the attack was terrible in the first half of the first game against Napoli. But the experiment has caught fire recently as a combination of Yildiz and, more importantly, Boga have done quite well as false 9s. The Ivorian, in particular, seems to be a good fit for the position as he is faster and more physically dominant than the Turkish forward and more comfortable with his back to goal.
But as I mentioned earlier, Milik and Vlahovic are now (fully?) fit, which means that Spalletti has another problem on his hands: who do you play/drop? Boga is in fantastic form, Yildiz is the team’s top contributor in attack, and McKennie is one of the most important players in the team. Conceição is hot and cold, but we don’t have many players comfortable on the right wing.
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It’s an important question to ask because, despite having the third-best attack in the league, we are remarkably wasteful in attack. We have 12 shots per game compared to Inter’s 13 shots per game, but the league leaders have scored 14 goals more than us, highlighting the significant difference in the teams’ effectiveness in front of goal. To emphasize this even further, the two teams have essentially the same number of shots per target (185 for us, 184 for Inter).
So what is the new power ranking for the Bianconeri’s attackers? Let’s find out after the international break.
Lionel Messi was the subject of praise from fans after he gifted teammate Nicolas Otamendi a penalty during Argentina’s 5-0 win over Zambia on Tuesday. It was an emotional moment as the match was most likely Otamendi’s last game on Argentine soil, marking the end of an era for one of the country’s most committed defenders.
In a bid to head into the 2026 World Cup on a high, La Albiceleste started the game strongly and took the lead after four minutes through Julian Alvarez, with Messi providing the assist. Just before the break, Messi doubled the advantage following a one-touch move with Alexis Mac Allister.
Thanks for the submission!
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The lovely gesture came after Albert Kangwanda committed a foul on Thiago Almada three minutes into the second half. Rather than take the penalty, Messi signaled to Otamendi and handed the ball to him. The veteran defender seized the opportunity and sent the goalkeeper the wrong way to score his country’s third of the night and his eighth goal for the national team.
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Zambia’s woes were worsened as Dominik Chanda scored an own goal midway through the second half while Valentin Barco added the cherry on top in stoppage time.
While Argentina fans were thrilled with the convincing victory, some were drawn to Messi’s ‘selfless’ act and took to X to laud him for it.
One wrote:
“This is what a real leader looks like.”
Another tweeted:
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“This is one of the many reasons players love sharing the pitch with him ❤️”
A third poked fun at Lionel Messi’s archrival, Cristiano Ronaldo, saying the Portuguese would never do something like that.
“Ronaldo would NEVER do something like this in a million years lol,” they remarked.
“That’s why they adore and respect him,” another chimed in.
Otamendi, meanwhile couldn’t hold back his tears after being substituted in the 69th minute, hugging his teammates including Lionel Messi before leaving the pitch.
Lionel Messi reaches goal scoring milestone after scoring in Argentina’s 5-0 win over Zambia
In what was his likely last-ever home game with Argentina, Lionel Messi added another feather to his illustrious cap. His 43rd minute stunner against Zambia meant he has now scored against 40 different countries with Argentina, for 117 national team goals.
Messi is expected to retire from the national team after the World Cup, which is scheduled to take place in the United States, Canada and Mexico. However, he has yet to guarantee his presence at this competition this summer.
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The 38-year-old is currently Argentina’s most capped player and all-time leading scorer.
Mar 31, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) smiles after a dunk in the final minutes of the game against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Luka Doncic had 42 points and 12 assists, and LeBron James scored 14 points in his NBA-record 1,229th career win, powering the Los Angeles Lakers to a decisive 127-113 victory over the visiting Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday.
Los Angeles won for the 13th time in its last 14 games, clinching a playoff spot and the Pacific Division title earlier in the night when the Phoenix Suns lost. The Lakers sit third in the Western Conference, two games ahead of the Denver Nuggets.
James surpassed Hall of Fame center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the most combined regular season and playoff wins. The all-time scoring leader added five rebounds and six assists against the Cavaliers, with whom he spent 11 seasons over two stints.
Doncic returned from a one-game suspension to become the third-youngest player with 15,000 career points at 27 years, 31 days (James holds the mark at 25, 79). Jarrett Allen scored 18 points for the Cavaliers, who remained one game behind the third-place New York Knicks in the East. James Harden added 17 points.
Pistons 127, Raptors 116
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Jalen Duren scored 31 points and grabbed nine rebounds as host Detroit topped Toronto.
Daniss Jenkins supplied 21 points, five rebounds and five assists for Eastern Conference-leading Detroit, which won for the 10th time in 13 games. Duncan Robinson had 19 points, while Tobias Harris contributed 12 points, six assists and five rebounds.
RJ Barrett led Toronto with 24 points and pulled down six rebounds. Brandon Ingram scored 22 points, and Sandro Mamukelashvili had 16. Collin Murray-Boyles added 14 points with 10 rebounds for the Raptors.
Magic 115, Suns 111
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Desmond Bane scored 21 points and Jalen Suggs added 20 to help Orlando earn a victory over visiting Phoenix.
Paolo Banchero added 19 points, nine rebounds and eight assists while Wendell Carter Jr. had 15 points and 12 rebounds for the Magic, who had dropped seven of their previous eight.
Devin Booker poured in 34 points and Royce O’Neale contributed 14 for the Suns, who have lost seven of their past 10.
Hornets 117, Nets 86
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Brandon Miller scored 25 points in three quarters as Charlotte seized control early and rolled to a rout of Brooklyn in New York.
Miles Bridges added 19 points while also playing three quarters as the Hornets improved to 29-13 in the past 42 games and avoided a third straight loss.
Josh Minott posted 14 points as the Nets lost for the 11th time in 12 games and fell to 3-21 in their past 24.
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Rockets 111, Knicks 94
Kevin Durant scored a game-high 27 points, Reed Sheppard added 20 off the bench and Houston rolled to a victory over visiting New York.
Amen Thompson and Tari Eason tallied 17 points apiece for Houston, and Jabari Smith Jr. totaled 15 points. Alperen Sengun produced 13 points and 10 assists as the Rockets shot a robust 53.8% in their third straight win.
Karl-Anthony Towns paced the Knicks, who lost their third game in a row, with 22 points and eight rebounds. Josh Hart added 13 points, while Jalen Brunson shot 5-for-14 and scored 12 points.
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Bucks 123, Mavericks 99
Ryan Rollins scored 24 points and Kyle Kuzma added 20 to lead Milwaukee to dominant victory over visiting Dallas.
Rollins also dished nine assists and grabbed seven rebounds as the Bucks ended a four-game skid. AJ Green poured in 17 points off the bench.
Cooper Flagg logged 19 points on 6-for-19 shooting and grabbed 10 rebounds as the Mavericks lost for the seventh time in the past eight contests. Brandon Williams added 18 points.
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Trail Blazers 114, Clippers 104
Jrue Holiday scored 30 points and Deni Avdija recorded 28 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists as Portland scored a crucial win over Los Angeles in Inglewood, Calif.
Portland pulled within a half-game of Los Angeles for eighth place in the Western Conference, a spot that would require just one play-in win instead of two to reach the playoffs. The Blazers turned in an inspired performance, taking the lead late in the first quarter and never relinquishing it. Toumani Camara added 17 points and Scoot Henderson finished with 15.
Kawhi Leonard led the Clippers with 23 points and eight rebounds. Darius Garland added 20 points, Brook Lopez put up 18, John Collins had 17 and Jordan Miller contributed 16.
Bully, Kanye West’s first album post-apology, has received a 3.4 out of 10 rating from Pitchfork, which stated that the rapper returned to music as a “hollowed-out shell of his former self.” Bully, Ye’s highly anticipated album, created buzz online when it was released on March 28, 2026, as it marked his return to his roots as an artist following his antisemitism controversy and a full-length apology ad in The Wall Street Journal in January 2026.
The 18-track album included features from Travis Scott, Peso Pluma, CeeLo Green, and Don Toliver, among others. On April 1, 20206, Pitchfork published its review of Bully, giving it a meagre rating of 3.4 out of 10. The music publication called the project a “cheap hit of retro-Kanye—a copy of the classic spectacle.” It further suggested that the album was filled with “weak introspection and feeble, characterless music,” adding:
“Even at his bleakest moments of self-professed nitrous and porn addiction, when he was prohibited from seeing his children, he still knew how to make a song. Bully’s real curveball is the lack of Ye, even after he re-recorded it with human vocals. He’s on every track but also somehow none of them, making a case for redemption and not sounding very convinced by it himself.”
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Pitchfork’s rating of Bully seemed to draw divisive responses from netizens on X, with one user questioning:
“Are they rating the album or the person? Lmaooo.”
@Kurrco Are they rating the album or the person? Lmaooo
Several fans felt the publication was too harsh with its rating.
@Kurrco The record could have sonically excelled more but definitely not this rating. Today’s pseudo music intellectuals fr.
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@Kurrco Bully is good. It’s a 10/10 but we have these Moral clowns who think hating on his music makes them a better person. I mean a 59 score for DONDA? a 65 for YE? like no one should give a fuck what people think anymore.
@Kurrco This gotta be an April Fools joke right?
@Kurrco Nobody cares about “Pitchfork”
However, others claimed that the rating was deserved and even suggested it deserved to be rated lower.
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@Kurrco 3.4 checks out. album was lowk mid
@Kurrco Well deserved. album was absolute buns
@Kurrco I mean it was a 2\10
@Kurrco Kanye fans will never be objective and call an album he makes bad lol, they’ve never had to deal with getting poor music over and over again, not everything the guy makes is a masterpiece anymore but they keep acting as if it is.
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Meanwhile, Rolling Stone gave Bully 2.5 stars out of 5 in a review on March 31, stating the album felt “lifeless overall” and more like Ye’s “greatest-hits compilation.” The publication also addressed widespread rumors of the rapper using AI to create the album, writing:
“Whether or not Ye used AI to make Bully, the album nonetheless feels like decades of his music fed into a computer program.”
Kanye West’s Bullymade waves on Spotify despite critics’ underwhelming response, and topped Spotify’s top albums chart following its release on March 28, 2026. According to Rolling Stone, ten songs from the 18-track list have debuted on Spotify’s chart of top songs worldwide.
Gamma, which distributed the album, claimed that it drew approximately 50 million streams on the first day, making it the largest single-day total for a hip-hop artist on Spotify in 2026.
However, the album was not without its fair share of controversy, and its rollout was plagued by speculation that Kanye West had used AI. However, days before the album’s release, West took to X to release the album’s tracklist with the caption, “BULLY ON THE WAY NO AI.”
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Following the album’s release, English singer and record producer James Blake requested that Ye remove his production credit from the album in response to fans speculating that AI was used on the track This One Here. In a comment on his Vault social media platform, Blake suggested that the released version of the song did not align with his original version, writing:
“The way I pitched his vocals and constructed the track from his freestyle is partially there, majorly peppered with other newer vocal takes etc. But the spirit of my actual production is mostly absent other than that. My original version is a completely different production in spirit. Happy for the fans but I’ve asked to be taken off the producer credits for now as I don’t want to take credit for other people’s work and this version isn’t what I created with Ye.”
According to Billboard, he also clarified that his reasoning for wanting to remove his name from the production credit was “not personal,” adding that he had “hit a point where don’t want to be credited on music where I can’t affect the end result.”
In other news, Kanye West is scheduled to headline all three days of the Wireless Festival from July 10 to July 12 at Finsbury Park, London.
TORONTO – The Canadian men’s team showed plenty of attacking impetus, but ended up settling for a 0-0 draw against Tunisia on Tuesday to close out March’s international window.
Fresh off a 2-2 draw versus Iceland last week, Canada was hoping to end this month on a more positive note, only to be let down by a lack of finishing in front of goal against the African nation.
While it wasn’t quite the result that Jesse Marsch was after, the Canadian coach was still pleased with the tenacity and spirit that his side displayed as it inches closer towards co-hosting this summer’s FIFA World Cup.
“Guys are really willing to sacrifice themselves to do whatever to help the team be successful,” Marsch said. “It’s a pleasure to be their coach. We’ve got some tough decisions coming up over the next eight weeks, but I really like our team, I really like our chances.”
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Canada is 30th in the current FIFA world rankings, 14 spots above Tunisia, which will compete in its seventh World Cup this summer.
Here are three key takeaways from Canada’s draw against Tunisia:
Goals still hard to come by for Canada
Tuesday’s goal-less stalemate means Canada has recorded four clean sheets in its last five outings. Marsch’s men also are unbeaten in five games.
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While the defence is holding steady, the offence has had issues.
Canada has now failed to score from open play in six of its last seven matches – and has no goals from open play in the last four games at Toronto’s BMO Field, where it will open its World Cup campaign on June 12 versus. Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Bosnians stunned Italy in penalty kicks on Tuesday to qualify.
The Canadians fervently attacked in waves on Tuesday, putting Tunisia under constant pressure while carrying the bulk of play and enjoying a 6-2 edge in shots on target. Canada looked dangerous in attack, but the final product was often lacking. And if not for a pair of penalties converted by acting captain Jonathan David last week versus Iceland, Canada would have failed to score across this month’s pair of friendlies.
Yet, Marsch maintains the goals will come for Canada at the World Cup.
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“We would have liked to score more goals, but I think we were creating chances. We’re dangerous throughout games. We’re controlling matches. We’re playing against good opponents, so I’m not going to get negative or down on this group,” Marsch said.
“I know we have quality in the team, and I know that we can score goals. teams are defending harder against us; they’re taking us more seriously. They understand that when you come and play us, that it’s a talented group with a lot of speed and power. So, they know they have to be organized defensively and deep often and not give much away.”
Marcelo Flores shines in his first start
If anybody has used this international window to play his way onto the roster for the World Cup, it’s Marcelo Flores.
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Flores, a 22-year-old born in Georgetown, Ont., is a dual national who had been capped for Mexico but had his one-time international switch approved by FIFA in February. Flores plays for Tigres UANL in Liga MX, the Mexican first division.
He earned his first cap for Canada when he came off the bench in the 63rd minute for Ali Ahmed last week versus Iceland and did enough to earn his first start on Tuesday.
Flores was one of Canada’s best performers, his speed, quick feet and trickery on the ball down the left side and while drifting into the middle caused Tunisia problems all night.
Canada’s best attacking moments flowed through Flores, who routinely found open spaces to exploit via his dynamic movements with the ball, while also playing his teammates into dangerous scoring positions. The fearlessness with which he plays is something that Canada’s attack could use more of as it heads into the World Cup.
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“We have a lot of guys that are athletic and play with power, and he has a little something different. He’s clever, he’s quick, he moves around in the game. He can help see final plays. He did so many good things tonight, and now we’ve got to continue to work with his ability to understand how to see and play with the guys around him,” Marsch offered.
Liam Millar’s amazing defensive play
With no goals between the two sides, highlight-reel moments were few and far between. But Canadian winger Liam Millar managed to come up with an amazing defensive play that instantly went viral.
Canada was pressing for the opening goal late in the first half when a mistake by defender Joel Waterman deep inside Tunisia’s half allowed the visitors to launch a quick counterattack spearheaded by Elias Saad and Sayfallah Ltaief.
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Saad looked poised to score from a tight angle on a two-on-zero breakaway after rounding Canada goalkeeper Maxime Crépeau, only to be thwarted at the very last second by a sliding block from Millar, who made a lung-busting recovery run from deep inside of his half to deny the visitors a sure goal.
Millar furiously pumped his first after making the stellar defensive play, while Marsch emphatically celebrated on the sideline as if Millar had scored the game’s opening goal. Millar’s amazing hustle to track back exemplifies the spirit with which Jesse Marsch wants to see his side play.
“We talk about having 100 per cent recoveries; when we do get broken down in transition moments, that we have a team that sprints back and gives everything to defend our own goal. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a play like [that] and how far he ran. … You’d have to go back to where he started and where he ended to see how much he invested into protecting our goal. An amazing play and a defining play for what we’re trying to be,” Marsch said.
Another defensive injury for Canada
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Canada’s depth at the back was tested during this international window and a defensive injury crisis appears to have deepened.
Alistair Johnston and Moïse Bombito were involved in this Canadian camp but only as training players as they are still regaining their fitness from long-term injuries. Missing from the team altogether due to injuries were fullback Alphonso Davies, and defenders Alfie Jones, Zorhan Bassong and Jamie Knight-Lebel. Youngster Luc de Fougerolles was in camp but didn’t play as he was dealing with an ankle injury, while fellow centre back Derek Cornelius saw limited minutes across the two games as he’s just coming back from a muscle injury.
This month’s games offered a chance for centre back Ralph Priso to step up in a big way. Priso, 23, has impressed for the Vancouver Whitecaps ever since last season when he was converted from a midfielder into a central defender, with many pundits believing he’s shown enough to earn a call-up for this summer’s World Cup.
Priso earned his first official cap against Iceland when he came off the bench and Marsch trusted him enough to start him against Tunisia. Priso started off on the right foot, displaying genuine intelligence in his positioning before a hamstring injury knocked him out of the game after only 26 minutes.
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“We’re hopeful it’s not too bad. Maybe a couple weeks would be the best-case scenario,” Marsch said when asked about the prognosis on Priso.
Editor’s note
John Molinaro is one of the leading soccer journalists in Canada, having covered the game for over 27 years for several media outlets, including Sportsnet, CBC Sports and Sun Media. He is currently the editor-in-chief of TFC Republic, a website dedicated to in-depth coverage of Toronto FC and Canadian soccer.
Filip Hrgovic returns to the UK on May 16, this time facing fan-favourite Dave Allen at Doncaster’s Eco-Power Stadium.
The Croatian heavyweight known as ‘El Animal’ hasn’t lost on British soil, beating Demsey McKean in London back in 2023 and David Adeleye in Manchester last year. He has, however, been beaten by a Brit in Daniel Dubois.
As he looks to work himself into contention for a rematch with Dubois – who challenges for Fabio Wardley’s WBO heavyweight title a week before – Hrgovic will step through the ropes a considerable favourite against Allen, who lost to Arslanbek Makhmudov last year but beat Karim Berredjem in February to get back in the winning column.
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If Allen can’t harness the home advantage and pull off an upset, Hrgovic has already secured himself a significant fight. Speaking to Boxing King Media, he named the heavyweights mentioned in his contract.
“I get paid and I move forward for my second fight in a new deal with Queensberry.
“I have in contract a few names that must get delivered. Moses [Itauma], Agit [Kabayel], [Daniel] Dubois, [Fabio] Wardley. Four, five names that must be delivered. It’s guaranteed. We’ll see what happens with Wardley-Dubois, Moses and Agit. But we have an obligation that I must face one of these guys later in the year.”
After his latest knockout win this past weekend, where he became the first man to stop Jermaine Franklin, Moses Itauma did mention Hrgovic as his ideal next test, but their timelines may not line up as the young Brit is due to return in July.
Agit Kabayel is in prime position with the WBC, looking to either fight champion Oleksandr Usyk next or see the belt become vacant and pick it up that way.
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The standout match-up for Hrgovic would undoubtedly be a shot at the winner of Fabio Wardley vs Dubois – a straight shot at the WBO belt.
His two-fight deal with Queensberry represents more significant moves in the division, which is shaping up strongly for 2026 into 2027. Of course, Allen – ‘The Doncaster De La Hoya’ – looks to spoil those plans and land a big one himself.
1 min read Last Updated : Apr 01 2026 | 1:25 PM IST
Three-time Olympian Manika Batra registered a gritty 3-2 win over USA’s Lily Zhang to stay in contention for a place in the knockouts of the ITTF Table Tennis World Cup in Macau on Tuesday.
The 30-year-old Batra rallied past Zhang 11-7, 11-2, 14-16, 5-11, 11-6 in a 43-minute Group 4 clash, bouncing back from her opening match defeat to Japan’s Miwa Harimoto.
In another match, world No. 43 Sreeja Akula suffered a 1-3 (11-8, 9-11, 13-15, 8-11) loss to Portugal’s Fu Yu in her Group 2 opener. She will next face China’s world No. 2 Wang Manyu on Wednesday.
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In the men’s draw, Manav Thakkar faces a must-win situation against Sweden’s Olympic silver medallist Truls Moregard in Group 2 after going down 0-3 to Korea’s Park Ganghyeon in his opening match.
(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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