Paris-Roubaix is a bike race which rewards guile and experience, one for the battle-hardened pro rather than the wide-eyed youngster. Zoe Backstedt in some ways is both. At 21 she is among the peloton’s younger contingent – but she has an additional weapon in her arsenal: a family history of Paris-Roubaix going back more than 20 years.
Her father, Magnus Backstedt, took the biggest win of his career in the famous Roubaix velodrome in 2004; Zoe and older sister and fellow cyclist Elynor grew up re-watching, analysing and celebrating his race.
“It’s in the family to enjoy this race and to have a special connection to it,” the younger Backstedt tells The Independentover video call,a few days before the 2026 edition. “For me part of it is following what he’s done, and one day I would also like to have a cobblestone to go next to his.”
Magnus’ iconic cobblestone prize lives on a bookshelf in the Backstedt family living room, and his success means that Zoe not only knows the ins and outs of the race – it means she’s aware of what it feels like to lift the trophy, too. “I tell you, if you try and lift it above your head after a race, I don’t think I could do it,” she grins. “[The shelf] now has a dip in it, because it’s just that heavy.”
Magnus raced Paris-Roubaix eight times over the course of his career and has been imparting his wisdom ever since. “He’s told me every single story there is to tell about this race, about every single edition that he’s done, that it was dry, wet, different changes in the course, he knows everything. He knows where every single pothole is on the course, he could tell you literally to a T. So we’ve grown up learning this course as well, watching his race back because as a family, it makes us so proud of his achievement.”
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When we speak Backstedt is fresh from a team recon of five of the 20 cobbled sectors, which make up just over 33km of the 143km women’s race. Her Canyon-SRAM-zondacrypto team rode the first three sectors, which are new to the course this year, and the infamous Carrefour de l’Arbre: the fourth-last sector and one of two rated five stars, the most gruelling of all.
“It’s like a two-parter, you have a really awful, aggressive part to start with, and then it goes across the road, you’ve got a nice” – she checks her wording – “nice, I don’t know, less aggressive sector with a bit of gravel on the side. I made the most of that today, saved myself from the cobblestones, and I’m going to go full in for those on Sunday.”
Paris-Roubaix is one of the most gruelling races on the cycling calendar (AFP via Getty Images)
The race sees the riders swap the cobbles of Flanders in the previous Monument for the harsher pavé of northern France (Belga/AFP via Getty Images)
Many riders speak about Paris-Roubaix with a mix of respect and dread – there’s an element of masochism to the race – but Backstedt relishes it. “Just out there having a bit of fun, and the sun was shining in France – not Belgium,” she says, with the air of someone who has made that mix-up before. “It was super nice to see a bit of the course again.”
Backstedt has ridden Paris-Roubaix three times, finishing 46th on her debut at age 18 and upgrading that to 16th in 2024 and 15th last year. And the Red Bull athlete has every reason to hope she can crack the top 10, or go a step further this time round.
She will be one of the in-form riders on the start line in Denain and impressed in the hilly Tour of Flanders – the only other cobbled Monument – last Sunday. She finished fifth, her best-ever result in the race, backing up a fourth place in Dwars door Vlaanderen a few days prior.
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The Welshwoman was part of an elite group including three-time Flanders winner Lotte Kopecky, eventual winner Demi Vollering and defending Paris-Roubaix champion champion Pauline Ferrand-Prevot over the infamous Koppenberg hill, and later said she had “goosebumps” being in such elite company.
Backstedt has multiple junior and under-23 world titles to her name and is one of the in-form riders of the peloton heading to Paris-Roubaix (Kristof Ramon / Red Bull Content Pool)
She said: “I was really proud of myself. I really didn’t expect to go into the day with the legs that I had and to be able to go over all of these iconic climbs, going over the Koppenberg in the front group of ten, with Kopecky, [Elisa] Longo Borghini, those kinds of riders, and be almost fighting for a podium – that was not on my bingo card for the day!”
Even so, she isn’t satisfied, adding: “It was a shame that I missed those front three that went [Vollering, Ferrand-Prevot and Puck Pieterse, who completed the podium], but what can you do?”
That result means she is full of confidence ahead of Paris-Roubaix, and with good reason: as a former world junior and under-23 cyclo-cross champion, she is well suited to difficult terrain.
She says: “I think it’s a super useful skill to have, just knowing how to handle uneven surfaces and conditions that are very unpredictable, especially if there’s rain at some point, if the cobblestones become super slippery.”
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She was among an elite group of ten at the business end of last Sunday’s Tour of Flanders, won by Demi Vollering (Belga/AFP via Getty Images)
Her success against the clock – she has won both junior and under-23 world titles in time trials too – may also come in handy. “Time trialling is very much an individual pain, an individual effort. Cyclocross is the same: one hour, you’re not riding with any teammates, with tactics, you’re purely riding, constantly with a high heart rate, constantly thinking under pressure. And your whole body is completely dead at the end, the same feeling that I’d have at the end of a time trial.”
And the same as at the end of Paris-Roubaix. “It’s definitely one of those races that you hate in the moment,” she smiles. “And then once you cross the finish line, and you know that you can relax, it’s one of the nicest and most rewarding races. Even to finish, to finish first or last, is such a rewarding thing.
“Going across kilometres of cobblestones that you’re not naturally meant to do, it’s aggressive on your hands, on your legs, on your arms, on your body, all of your muscles are just so tense for four hours. I think that’s also what makes it one of my favourite races, it brings out the strongest riders. The ones that are the front are the ones that can handle all of the pain, that can handle everything that your body is going to go through.”
Backstedt’s cyclo-cross background could give her the edge on Sunday (Kristof Ramon / Red Bull Content Pool)
Unsurprisingly, she has high hopes for Sunday. “It’s my favourite race of the whole season, so I’m hoping that the team will give me the chance to be the leader,” she says frankly. “Of course the whole race is a little bit based on luck, you can have a puncture one kilometre before the most important sector, and then your whole race is done, or someone can crash in front of you. There’s so many unknowns that you can’t really go in with too much expectation.
“But for sure, I want to be better than last year. I mean, I would love to do a top five like I did on the weekend, but I know that’s also going to be hard, so no expectation, no pressure for myself. It’s just going and having fun, racing the bike, and see what I can do.”
And if the 21-year-old can come away with a slab of French rock it will be not just a triumph for her and the team, but for a family bound up in the history of this race, a triumph 22 years in the making.
LSG vs GT LIVE Score, IPL 2026 LIVE Updates, Lucknow Super Giants vs Gujarat Titans Match Scorecard: 4, 4, 4 – Jos Buttler Gets Hattrick Of Boundaries, Achieves Big Feat
“I think the way wickets are nowadays, you know, the margin batting first or bowling first is not much, but you know, we’ve got a bowl first. I think for us it’s amazing. You know, every win is important and especially when you win like that, it shows the character of a team, you know. But we want to move on from it, you know, take one match at a time and just give our best. (Talks about head-to-head) See, definitely it’s a great boost for winning a match and coming into the next one. But at the same time, you know, you still have to give your best each and every match because wicket might play different, condition might be different. But at the same time, last match when we played, we talked about intent on the field. We always talk about that as a team and that was great to see when we were on the field, we were putting bodies on the line. We are playing with the same team,” said LSG skipper Rishabh Pant.
Manchester United have agreed a new deal with Harry Maguire to keep him at Old Trafford for a further 12 months
The Manchester United squad have gotten their way after Harry Maguire last week agreed a one-year extension to his contract.
The majority of the team believed it would’ve been “madness” if the veteran defender wasn’t handed a new contract. The 33-year-old is back in favour after experiencing difficulties under both Erik ten Hag and Ruben Amorim.
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The centre-half, who joined United from Leicester City for £80million, has been a great leader under Michael Carrick’s tenure. Maguire had led by example for his teammates and they were reportedly clamouring for a new contract for the England international.
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A source told The Sun earlier this year: “The players think it would be madness if he was not offered a new deal. Harry has endured plenty of ups and downs at United but has come through all that and is playing really well.
“He’s very well-respected in the dressing room and is passing on a lot of knowledge to some of the younger players like Ayden Heaven and Leny Yoro. Everyone likes him and respects him and the majority of the players want the club to give him a deal.”
It was reported that AC Milan were interested in Maguire during the January transfer window. However, rumours about his future ultimately came to nothing as the experienced defender signed a new deal with United last week.
His previous deal was set to expire at the end of this season but he will now spend an eighth campaign at Old Trafford. Describing his joy at the new contract, Maguire said: “It’s amazing.
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“Obviously, it’s my seventh year. To be at this club, to play for this club for one game is really special. So, to be here seven years – it’s going to be eight – I’m really looking forward to it.
“A big, strong end to the season is the focus now, to put us in a strong position going into next year, and then we’ve got to make next year a lot better and a lot more positive and a lot more special. I’m really looking forward to it.”
Maguire’s new deal will please the senior squad, who are on their way to regaining a spot in Europe next season. United’s resurgence under Carrick has been nothing short of sensational for fans, with the club challenging for a Champions League spot.
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Maguire believes the team have turned a corner and will make the 2026/27 season a “special year” for the club. He added: “I feel like we’re in a good place at the moment. I believe we’re in a forward curve with the club, and I want to be part of that.
“I want to leave the club in a good place, when I do leave the club, and that’s the most important thing. It’s not about me, it’s not about individuals. It’s about the team and the club, and wanting to leave the club in a good place.
“I feel like next season could be a special year, if we carry on working hard, if we recruit well in the summer. It’s a big summer ahead, but like I said, focus on this year to make sure we’re in a good position for next year and then make next year a special year.”
Sky Sports, HBO Max, Netflix and Disney+ with Ultimate TV package
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Sky has upgraded its Ultimate TV and Sky Sports bundle to now include HBO Max, Netflix, Disney+, discovery+ and Hayu, as well as 135 channels and full Sky coverage of the Premier League and EFL.
Sky broadcasts more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more with at least 215 live from the top flight alongside Formula 1, darts and golf.
Here’s how the Premier League table looks ahead of kick-off, Manchester City just nine points behind league leaders Arsenal as they look to close the gap.
For some time now, Shane Lowry has had a thing with making holes-in-one. But the ace he made on Saturday of this 2026 Masters was his most important one for two reasons. One, it made Masters history. Two, it vaulted Lowry into contention to win his first green jacket and second major title.
The incredible, history-making dunk shot came on Augusta National’s difficult par-3 6th hole in Saturday’s third round, and it left a grinning Lowry making quips with reporters and dreaming of Masters glory.
Shane Lowry makes history with second Masters hole-in-one, eyes win
As his Saturday Masters tee time approached, Lowry was tied for 5th with 36 holes to go. One problem: the leader, Rory McIlroy, was seven shots ahead of him.
Still, with lots of golf left to be played, and endless opportunities for scoring swings on Augusta’s treacherous greens, Lowry still had an outside shot at slipping on the green jacket in a few days.
He made an early birdie at the 2nd to move to six under. McIlroy, on the other hand, was stuck in neutral to start the day. Quickly, the gap between Lowry and McIlroy had been reduced to six.
Then came the 6th.
Lowry set up on the tee with a 7-iron in his hand and stared down the gettable pin location. He sent his ball on a straight line at the flag.
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As it landed on the green, someone at Augusta could be overheard on the broadcast saying, “Right at it baby.”
Lowry’s ball then traced toward the hole and dropped in the cup, with the CBS TV booth remarking, “Right at it, how about right in!”
Shane Lowry only makes aces on the biggest stages.
6th hole at Augusta National (JUST NOW) 16th hole at Augusta National 7th hole at Pebble Beach 17th hole at TPC Sawgrass
Lowry launched into a celebration on the tee box, filled with double fist-pumps, hugs and high-fives. There was much to celebrate.
With the hole-in-one at 6, Lowry became the first player in Masters history to make two holes-in-one. His first came 10 years ago at the par-3 16th hole during the 2016 Masters. (Lowry also made a hole-in-one a few weeks ago at the 2026 Texas Children’s Houston Open, using the exact same 7-iron he used on Saturday.)
A reporter asked him about his historic accomplishment after the round.
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“My dad just said that to me walking up the 18th. Yeah, yeah, it’s pretty cool. All you get is two bits of crystal. You don’t get much else,” Lowry said laughing.
He, of course, was kidding. Because Lowry’s Saturday ace did earn him something else: a chance to win his first Masters.
With the hole-in-one, Lowry jumped from six under to eight under, putting him only four shots off McIlroy’s lead at the time.
“That’s wild, isn’t it? Made one a couple of weeks ago in Houston. You don’t ever expect to make a hole-in-one. I just couldn’t believe it. Obviously, you know, you’re out there, and you’re in the hunt at the Masters and you’re making hole-in-one, it’s pretty cool,” Lowry reflected after the round. “The walk down the 6th hole with everyone around 16 and the 6th was very special. I’ll remember that for a while. Yeah, it was obviously amazing.”
Why is he so good at making aces? The 2019 Open champion is as mystified as the rest of us, as he revealed Saturday night along with a quip.
“Maybe I’m just good,” Lowry said laughing. “I don’t know. I don’t know. Like, sort of… plays a strength of my game, and yeah, I don’t know. I don’t know.”
He also acknowledged the extra adrenaline rush provided by his ace at the 6th on Saturday, given that it launched him into contention.
“Yeah, you know, it gives you obviously a huge kind of boost,” he said. “You go from six under to eight under, and then all of a sudden you’re only four back. It’s getting real now.”
Lowry was proud of how he reacted to the big moment, staying within himself to close out a four-under 68 that leaves him just three shots back of co-leaders McIlroy and Cameron Young heading into Sunday.
“I felt like I did a great job of calming myself down afterwards. Myself and Neil have talked about during the week about the only shot that matters is the next one. I hit a great tee shot on 7, and I was very happy and proud of that one, because it’s easy to get a bit flustered in areas like that. Your adrenaline is pumping.”
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Sitting seven back of McIlroy before Round 3, Lowry watched some early coverage Saturday morning and noticed the course appeared more “gettable” than the previous few days.
That left him worried that McIlroy could truly run away with things on Saturday.
“I thought if Rory could shoot a 68 today he might run away with the tournament. The course, they made it a bit more gettable today. I noticed on TV this morning the greens were softer than they were yesterday,” Lowry said Saturday night.
“But the thing is, it’s not easy to go out and go after it when you’re at the top of the leaderboard. Not that it’s easy to do it. But when you’re down the field and you’re just having a go at it, it makes it a little bit easier and you can play a bit more freely. When you are out there in the hunt you need to be a little bit more protective of what you are doing,” he explained.
The pressure certainly seemed to get to McIlroy on Saturday. He struggled to a one-over 73 as Lowry and the rest of the contenders went low.
But Lowry knew one thing before his round that didn’t change when he was finished. The only thing that really matters is Sunday’s final round.
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“Yeah, it obviously wasn’t going to be an easy day for Rory to shoot a score… but we all know it’s all about tomorrow. You know what I mean?” Lowry said. “Obviously it matters, today, but when we get to tomorrow, that’s when, you know, we’ll see what everyone is made of.”
Mumbai Indians (MI) and defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) will face off tonight, April 12, 2026, at the Wankhede Stadium for Match 20 of the IPL. A high-voltage IPL clash between Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bengaluru at Wankhede is set to be headlined by the iconic rivalry between Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. Both veterans have made solid starts to the season and remain key to their teams despite being in the latter stages of their careers.
Both teams enter the contest after losses to Rajasthan Royals and will be eager to recover. The match is particularly crucial for MI, who need to make the most of their home advantage after a mixed start to the season.
Here are the 5 key battles between RCB and MI:
Hardik Pandya vs Krunal Pandya
In the IPL, Krunal Pandya has held a slight edge over his younger brother Hardik Pandya in their head-to-head encounters. Hardik Pandya has scored 29 runs while Krunal has dismissed him only once.
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Rohit Sharma vs Bhuvneshwar Kumar
In their long-standing IPL rivalry, Rohit Sharma has largely dominated Bhuvneshwar Kumar, scoring freely while rarely losing his wicket. Rohit has scored 94 runs with a strike rate of 136, while Bhuvneshwar has dismissed him only once.
Virat Kohli vs Jasprit Bumrah
Virat Kohli holds the record for the most IPL runs against Jasprit Bumrah. While Kohli has scored at a brisk rate, Bumrah has been effective in dismissing him, especially in recent seasons. Virat has scored 150 runs while Bumrah has dimissed him by 5 times in IPL.
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Rajat Patidar vs Shardul Thakur
Rajat Patidar has generally found success against Shardul Thakur particularly in the middle overs where he looks to attack. Rajat Patidar has scored 31 runs in 18 balls while Shardul is yet to get him out.
Phil Salt vs Trent Boult
In their T20 encounters, Phil Salt has found it challenging to score freely against Trent Boult, although he has been dismissed only once, Salt has scored only 14 runs.
Union Berlin have made history after appointing Marie-Louise Eta as their interim head coach until the end of the season, making her the first woman to manage a men’s team in one of Europe’s top five leagues.
Her appointment follows the dismissal of Steffen Baumgart after Union Berlin’s 3–1 defeat away to bottom side 1. FC Heidenheim on Saturday.
Union Berlin currently sit 11th in the 18-team Bundesliga table and are 11 points clear of the automatic relegation zone with five matches left to play. However, they have struggled for form in 2026, winning only two of their last 14 league games.
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Eta, 34, is no stranger to breaking barriers. She became the Bundesliga’s first female assistant coach in November 2023, also at Union Berlin. She later made history again when she took charge from the touchline during a 1–0 win over Darmstadt in January 2024 while serving as interim coach during a suspension for then-manager Nenad Bjelica.
A former Germany youth international and Women’s Champions League winner with Turbine Potsdam, Eta has been managing Union Berlin’s under-19 side since July 2025 and is also set to become the club’s women’s head coach in the summer.
Union Berlin’s director of men’s football, Horst Heldt, said the decision was taken due to poor recent results.
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“We have had a hugely disappointing second half of the season and will not allow ourselves to be blinded by our league position,” he said.
“Our situation remains precarious. The performances shown in recent weeks do not give us confidence that we can turn things around with the current set-up. We have therefore decided to make a fresh start.”
Eta acknowledged the challenge ahead, with Union only seven points above the relegation play-off spot.
“Given the points gap in the lower half of the table, our place in the Bundesliga is not yet secure,” she said.
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“I am delighted the club has entrusted me with this challenging task. One of Union’s strengths has always been, and remains, the ability to pull together in such situations.
“I am convinced that we will secure the crucial points.”
Kris Lees etched a highlight in his storied training legacy as Changingoftheguard set the pace wire-to-wire for victory in the Group 1 $2 million Sydney Cup (3200m) over Royal Randwick’s track on Saturday.
Boasting ownership from a powerhouse syndicate including Lloyd and Nick Williams, the $51 chance was perfectly positioned by Jason Collett at the head of affairs, seeing off all comers in the grueling stayers’ battle.
It has been 20 years to the day since Lees first prevailed in the Sydney Cup aboard his trusty County Tyrone.
“When County Tyrone won the Sydney Cup it was one of my biggest thrills in racing, ” Lees said. “But I would have to say this is just as big a thrill. ”
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Lees had earlier tallied his sixth in the $1 million Provincial-Midway Championships Final, sweeping the quinella via Lord Of Biscay ahead of barnmate Imposant.
The esteemed Newcastle handler, whom Nick Williams calls the “nicest guy in racing,” revealed the Changingoftheguard Sydney Cup as a career-defining feat.
“It is exciting just to train for them (Team Williams), ” Lees said.
“Nick is a really good mate and to train for LLoyd and to win a prestigious race like this is a huge thrill. ”
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Lloyd Williams, a Hall of Fame inductee with seven Melbourne Cup strikes, added a fifth Sydney Cup with Changingoftheguard to his tally, following Gallante (2016), Mourayan (2013), Gallic (2007), and Major Drive (1987).
The $51 Changingoftheguard echoed the biggest Sydney Cup shock since 200/1 Murray King dominated 100 years ago, prevailing by half a neck over Soul Of Spain ($8) with Highland Bling ($17) third, beaten a short neck.
River Of Stars, crunched into $5 favoritism, loomed menacingly turning for home yet faded badly to seventh.
Out of Galileo, one of history’s premier sires, Changingoftheguard kicked off with Aidan O’Brien in Ireland, winning thrice in nine starts notably the Group 2 Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot and fifth to Desert Crown in the 2022 English Derby.
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Subsequently purchased by Lloyd and Nick Williams, the horse joined Lees’ stable.
Changingoftheguard managed only 13 starts in close to three years with Lees, enhancing his ability each time out; the prior spring saw him take the City Tattersalls Club Cup and ninth behind Half Yours in the Melbourne Cup.
“He ran a bold race in the Melbourne Cup and we said after that we would save the blinkers for the Sydney Cup, ” Lees said. “They were always going on, we were just trying to wait for today. It was a good plan and I’m happy we got the result.
“It’s a great thrill to win in those colours too. What a lovely, rated ride by Jason (Collet), I thought he was actually going too slow.
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“He got him back to 14 (second sectionals), the horse goes quicker in trackwork most mornings, but they upped the ante when they came up around him and it was really pleasing. “
Collett had questioned Changingoftheguard post his ninth in last week’s Chairman’s Quality but Lees’ race eve chat reignited his optimism.
“Kris said to me before the race that on the wet track last week the horse’s ‘wheels spun’, ” Collett said.
“Then Kris said if the horse finds the bridle he’ll want to do it and he did. It was very lonely down the back straight, but I loved it though.
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“It’s a good feeling when a horse gets in a good rhythm like that. We don’t get too many opportunities here in Australia over these distances. “
As Changingoftheguard dug in against Newlook down the straight’s early stages, Collett sensed momentum shift.
“When he didn’t throw in the towel I thought ‘that’s a change’, ” Collett said. So that definitely gave me some confidence and although it’s a long straight, it’s pretty cool to win a Sydney Cup. ”
Tommy Berry excelled on near-miss Soul Of Spain, musing on barrier misfortune. “Soul Of Spain did a massive effort from the barrier. If he draws a gate, he arguably wins but the winner has done a good job in front as well, ” Berry said.
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Highland Bling, sparingly raced with autumn placings in the Adelaide Cup and here, drew strong endorsement from Ben Thompson. “It was a great run by Highland Bling, ” Thompson said.
“At start 16 it feels like he’s got a stack of scope left. To run third in this grade
Find the premier betting sites for Sydney Cup action.
The final day of the NBA regular season will see the Denver Nuggets facing the San Antonio Spurs. Denver (53-28) is the current No. 3 seed in the West and will clinch that seed with a win. However, the Nuggets can fall to the fourth seed with a loss to San Antonio, plus a Lakers victory over the Jazz. San Antonio (62-19) is locked into the No. 2 seed. The Nuggets are riding an 11-game win streak, while San Antonio has won three in a row. Jamal Murray (shoulder) is one of four Denver starters listed as out, while Nikola Jokic (wrist) and Victor Wembanyama (ribcage) are both listed as questionable.
Tipoff is at 8:30 p.m. ET from Frost Bank Center in San Antonio. Denver has won two of three matchups this season. The latest Spurs vs. Nuggets odds have San Antonio as 11.5-point favorites, while the over/under for total points scored is 232.5. Before making any Nuggets vs. Spurs picks, check out the Spurs vs. Nuggets predictions from the SportsLine Projection Model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in betting profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past eight-plus seasons. The model entered Week 25 on a sizzling 47-20 roll on top-rated NBA spread picks dating back to last season. Anyone following its NBA betting advice at sportsbooks and on betting apps could have seen huge returns.
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Top Nuggets vs. Spurs predictions
After 10,000 simulations of Spurs vs. Nuggets, SportsLine’s model is going Over on the total (232.5). No team has hit the Over more than Denver this season, to the tune of it having a 51-30 record. That includes Denver’s last game going over by 11.5 points, despite the Nuggets sitting their entire starting lineup. So, even with a skeleton Denver crew for Sunday’s contest, one can still expect lots of points on the scoreboard.
All three matchups this season between the teams have gone over, with each of the three seeing both teams score at least 131 points. The Spurs went over in their last contest on Friday versus Dallas as the Over is now 11-8 for San Antonio over its last 19 games. The model acknowledges the trends and projects 237 combined points. See the Nuggets vs. Spurs spread pick at SportsLine.
Marie-Louise Eta has been appointed as the head coach of German football club Union Berlin, becoming the first woman to hold the role in any of European football’s top professional men’s leagues.
Eta will lead the Bundesliga side until the end of the season after former coach Steffen Baumgart was sacked.
Union parted ways with Baumgart late on Saturday night following a 1-3 defeat away at bottom-of-the-table Heidenheim, a result which left the Berlin side with only two wins in 2026 and in danger of slipping towards the relegation zone.
Eta, who currently coaches Union’s under-19 men’s side, will now take charge of the senior team on an interim basis for the remaining five games of the season before becoming the women’s first team head coach in the summer.
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“We’ve had an absolutely disappointing second half of the season so far,” said Union Director of Sport, Horst Heldt.
“Two wins out of 14 games since the winter break, and the performances we’ve shown in recent weeks, didn’t give us the confidence that we could turn things around with the existing setup. We’ve therefore decided to start afresh, and I’m delighted that Marie-Louise Eta has agreed to take on this role on an interim basis.”
Marie-Louise Eta: ‘Bundesliga survival not yet secure’
Eta, 34, will take over immediately. Her first game in charge will be at home to fellow relegation strugglers VfL Wolfsburg next Saturday.
“Given the tight situation at the bottom of the table, our survival in the Bundesliga is not yet secure,” she warned. “One of Union’s strengths has always been the ability to pull together in such situations, so I’m pleased that the club has entrusted this challenging task to me.”
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While the interim appointment makes Eta the first woman to officially take charge of a men’s Bundesliga side, it’s far from the Dresden-born coach’s first involvement with Union’s men’s team.
Between November 2023 and May 2024, Eta assisted Marco Grote when he took interim charge following the dismissal of former head coach Urs Fischer. She remained on the coaching staff under Fischer’s permanent successor, Nenad Bjelica, becoming the first-ever female assistant coach in the Champions League in the process.
Who is Union Berlin’s head coach Marie-Louise Eta?
As a player, Eta — then under her maiden name Bagehorn — won three Women’s Bundesliga titles and the 2010 Women’s Champions League with Turbine Potsdam.
She also represented Germany from under-15 to under-23 level, winning the under-17 European Championship in 2008 and the under-20 World Cup in 2010, but ended her playing career aged 26 due to a series of injuries.
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In February 2023, she completed her UEFA Pro License, the coaching qualification required to take charge of a professional men’s football team.
Eta is the first woman to take charge of a senior men’s team in England, Spain, Germany, France or Italy, widely considered to be the best five leagues in Europe.
While women have managed men’s football teams in lower divisions before, Eta is the first to take official charge in a top division.
German third-tier club Ingolstadt are currently coached by Sabrina Wittmann, while French second-division club Clermont were managed by Corinne Diacre for three seasons until 2017.
Even during his brief hiatus, Fury remained the ghost at every heavyweight feast.
Promoters, broadcasters and rivals all spoke as though he remained in the room.
In north London on Saturday, he was back to his familiarly unpredictable self.
There was an emotional tribute to the late Ricky Hatton, plus moments where Fury appeared to admire his own work mid-fight, and then the other side of his persona – the man who goes on the offensive verbally.
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In many ways, boxing missed him and the timing of Fury’s return has been deliberate.
Hours after his win, season two of At Home with the Furys lands on Netflix. By tying boxing to a platform of that scale, the sport has regained a level of mainstream exposure it has not enjoyed since the terrestrial boom of the 1990s.
The streaming platform – with its 325 million global subscribers – will release viewing figures soon, but the Makhmudov match-up could prove to have been one of the most-watched boxing fights in years in the UK.
There would be even greater clamour for Fury v Joshua.
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Possible venues are already being discussed. Croke Park, with its 80,000-plus capacity, has emerged as a leading contender.
It would be an unusual setting for the biggest fight in British boxing history – a Dublin stage for an English rivalry.
But wherever it takes place, the location now feels almost secondary. The perfect moment may have passed, yet the fascination refuses to disappear.
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