Chelsea owner Behdad Eghbali has revealed how the club will drastically shift their transfer strategy after growing dissent among supporters.

The Blues are currently in a battle to qualify for next season’s Champions League, with fifth the target in the Premier League to secure a berth, despite a remote chance of an extra English team in Europe’s top club competition.

But after inconsistent results since Enzo Maresca’s departure and the hiring of Liam Rosenior, fans have underlined “an erosion of trust” with the owners and the project, but Eghbali maintains the club’s approach will evolve in the coming months, instead targeting some “ready-made” players, despite a committed approach to signing younger, unproven talent in recent years.

“The view was to recruit and build elite players that can, frankly, be together and have that stability in the squad. We’re still in the 40th, 50th minute of that process,” Eghbali said at the CAA’s World Congress of Sports conference in Los Angeles on Thursday.

“But the view is to keep, sign and retain and compensate and extend some of the world’s best players, and ultimately the view was you need, eight, 10, 12, 15 elite players to win and win sustainably, year after year.

“I think we’ve done a few things right, a lot of things right. We’ve got to be better on a few things, to add more ready-made players at this part of the project, to take it to the next level, to be consistent over time.”

Eghbali also admitted regret at the mid-season departure of Maresca, adding: “Our policy has been no in-season [head coach] changes.

“You certainly review and hold not only the manager, but the management team, the sporting team, accountable, but typically in the summers, not in season.

“It’s not a change we wanted to make [Enzo Maresca leaving]. It’s a change that had a bit of a negative impact in the season, when you’re changing systems and personnel, and it’s one we’ve got to fight our way out of.

“We still have six matches in the Premier League, and an FA Cup semi-final coming up. So, hopefully the story of this season hasn’t been written yet, and you’ve got a lot to fight for. In my perspective, when you get punched in the face, you’ve got to fight back, you’ve got to stand up and fight. And it’s going to hopefully show a lot about the character of this squad.”

The Blues reported a pre-tax losses of £262.4m for the last financial year, a Premier League record, with around £1.5bn spent on transfer fees since the new ownership group took charge in 2022.

And now the Chelsea Supporters’ Trust (CST) has said there is a “lack of confidence” in the owners.

“These concerns are not driven by short-term results, and they will not be resolved by them. They relate to the underlying direction of the club, and they will persist regardless of fluctuations on the pitch,” said the CST.

“At the heart of supporter concern is a simple point: the current model has demanded a huge amount of faith from the fanbase, while giving too little clarity in return. Supporters have watched relentless upheaval. Players, managers, staff, and structures have changed at pace. This has been presented as part of a long-term plan.

“Yet four years on, there is still no sufficiently clear or convincing explanation of how that plan delivers sustained success while preserving a recognisable Chelsea identity. The vision remains unclear, its execution inconsistent, and its leadership insufficiently accountable.”

Ryder Cup star Jon Rahm was calm about the future of LIV Golf amid speculation the series’ Saudi backers could be about to pull funding.

The breakaway competition launched in 2021 and sent shockwaves through the sport, positioning itself as a rival to the PGA Tour and DP World Tour.

However, speculation has mounted this week that the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) is set to end its backing, which is reported to be approaching 5 billion US dollars (£3.7bn) since the series was launched.

Spanish star Rahm, who is reported to have earned £64million since joining the series in 2023, was interviewed after the first round of the ongoing LIV event in Mexico City.

“Until the people in charge told me if the rumours were valid or not, it didn’t make sense for me to think about it or to waste time thinking about it,” he said, in quotes reported by Sky Sports.

“As everything suddenly came out, so quickly, I wasn’t too worried about that, because normally, before the rumours come out, we know something.

“There’s always someone in the league who knows something. It was so fast that I didn’t really worry about it.”

The Telegraph has reported that players and staff have been told that the PIF funding is only guaranteed until the end of the current season, and that outside investment would be needed to keep going beyond then.

LIV Golf chief executive Scott O’Neil was bullish about the league’s future in an interview on Thursday.

“If we keep the trajectory going the way we are and the revenue growth going, this is going to be a really good business for a really long time,” he said.

On Thursday it was announced that the PIF had sold a 70 per cent stake in Al Hilal, one of four Saudi Pro League clubs it owns.

David Payne’s modest stable has a proven flair for developing Group 1 runners, with hopes high that the two-year-old Persian Wonder will follow suit.

The budding star contests Saturday’s Champagne Stakes (1600m) at Randwick, targeting his breakthrough top-tier success after promising runs, notably a solid second to Southend in the Baillieu (1400m) at Rosehill a month ago.

From South African origins, Payne has amassed over 100 Group 1 wins internationally, polishing Australian champions including Criterion, Ace High and Montefilia.

His operation continues to exceed its scale, operating on a tight budget and small team.

While the trainer modestly points to luck, his expertise in picking yearlings is unquestionable.

“I have been in the game a long time and I’ve been lucky with buying horses,” Payne said.

“But you’ve got to find the horse first. We buy maybe ten at the sales, other stables might buy 250. But we always find one, and we’ve got a couple there at the moment.”

Alongside Bangkok Hottie, fresh from a Wednesday win at Warwick Farm and set for a spell before the spring Princess Series, Persian Wonder stands as a future stable standout.

A challenging wide gate at Randwick adds difficulty, but with his affinity for rearward positions, Payne will stick to settling him back.

On his previous run closer to the front under James McDonald, he fell short of winning, yet Payne valued the experience.

“It was a good run. I thought he might have been a bit too handy, but it’s good that James taught him to get out of the gates,” he said.

“It’s a tough race on Saturday so we’ll ride him quiet and see what happens.

“We have been aiming him at this for a while, so we’ll see if he’s good enough.”

McDonald stays with Sires’ Produce Stakes winner Campione D’italia, bringing Chad Schofield back for Persian Wonder after his striking fourth placing in the Pago Pago Stakes (1200m) on March 14.

Visit betting sites to find the top racing odds for the Champagne Stakes.

Mumbai Indians (MI) captain Hardik Pandya has come under scrutiny following the team’s dismal start to the IPL 2026 season. With just one win in five matches, MI languishes second from the bottom of the points table. On Thursday, the five-time champions were brushed aside at home by Shreyas Iyer‘s Punjab Kings (PBKS), marking their fourth defeat of the campaign. MI’s lone victory this season came against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the Wankhede Stadium on March 29.

Speaking on Cricbuzz, former India batter Manoj Tiwary criticised Hardik’s captaincy against PBKS, arguing that the all-rounder’s leadership has been below par since he took charge of the franchise.

“From where will ownership come? One has to look at oneself as well. You need to see how you have been playing. According to me, just because you are not having success this year doesn’t mean the mistakes happened only this year. You need to look at the root cause as well. From 2015-2023, Rohit Sharma helped the Mumbai Indians win several trophies,” said Tiwary.

Tiwary also urged Hardik to relinquish the captaincy and return it to Rohit Sharma, noting that the veteran batter led the franchise to five titles between 2013 and 2023.

“In 2023, there was no trophy. In 2024, there was no trophy, and the chances of the same happening are high this year too. I think the captaincy is weak. I don’t want to be harsh. But Hardik is not leading the team the way it should be. It’s very important to be proactive as a captain. I think that if a solution is needed, Hardik should step back from the captaincy and hand the responsibility back to Rohit. When you removed Rohit, you did an injustice,” he added.

Beyond the leadership change, Tiwary slammed Hardik’s tactical choices during the defeat to PBKS, specifically his decision to promote himself up the order ahead of Sherfane Rutherford. Furthermore, he questioned the move to open the bowling with Deepak Chahar despite the pacer’s recent struggles.

“Hardik shouldn’t have promoted himself against the Punjab Kings. He scored 14 runs off 12 balls. Sherfane Rutherford just got five balls. If Rutherford had played as many balls, he would have hit 3-4 sixes. Hardik Pandya thought he could do it. Yes, he could have done it. You should have pushed Rutherford up. And secondly, there is no point in giving Jasprit Bumrah the second over when you are not giving him the first. Deepak Chahar just isn’t able to swing the ball,” he said.

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After Saturday last weekend’s call-out, Anthony Joshua is under pressure to accept a mammoth fight against Tyson Fury. Now, super-middleweight icon Carl Froch has had his say on how he thinks the potential bout may play out.

Fury boxed his way to a comfortable decision win against Arslanbek Makhmudov, claiming a first victory since 2023 and doing so after 16 months of inactivity, in what he hopes will be the first outing of a two-fight year.

Post-fight, Fury heaped the pressure onto fellow two-time world champion Joshua, demanding that he and ‘AJ’ fight next, but the Londoner was unwilling to rush into annoucing the contest.

Instead, Joshua remained calm and collected, refusing to publicly agree to the fight but saying that he does believe it will happen this year.

Speaking to his YouTube channel, Froch said that he sees Fury as the favourite, impressed by his Saturday showing against Makhmudov.

“I think that AJ will be the underdog for this one. I think that Fury is the favourite, especially off the back of that performance; he eased in tonight, it was just steady, he took his time, still looks good.

“I envy that actually, 16 months out of the ring and he is able to come and do a performance like that. Okay, he was in with Makhmudov, he is not in with a world beater, but it was a good 12 rounds’ work.”

Joshua’s fight news is expected to be announced in the coming weeks, with a lower level run out in July expected followed by the Fury fight around November.

Super Eagles forward Henry Onyekuru will not feature in Genclerbirligi’s league match against Galatasaray this weekend after being left out by the coaching staff.

The Nigerian joined Genclerbirligi last summer on a free transfer, but he has struggled to make an impact. He has not scored or provided an assist in 19 appearances this season and has only picked up one yellow card.

There have also been reports of problems off the pitch, including issues over unpaid wages earlier in the campaign. It was claimed that Onyekuru and some teammates refused to train at one point due to salary concerns.

Ahead of the match against his former club, coach Volkan Demirel asked Onyekuru to train separately from the rest of the squad. As a result, he has been ruled out of the game.

A report from the club’s technical staff described his recent performances as “inadequate and unmotivated”, with an official statement expected soon.

The decision comes at a difficult time for Genclerbirligi, who are battling relegation and sit just two points above the drop zone with five matches left.

Onyekuru’s situation has drawn criticism, with some observers questioning his commitment. His performances have not helped his case, as he has struggled to influence games under several different managers this season.

There has also been attention on his lifestyle off the pitch, with regular social media posts showing a luxurious way of life. While this does not directly affect his performances, it has added to the negative perception during a tough period for the club.

Despite the criticism, there are suggestions that the club may also be trying to move him on to reduce financial pressure. More details are expected soon, but for now, his future at Genclerbirligi remains uncertain.

NEW DELHI: Punjab Kings captain Shreyas Iyer left everyone stunned with a remarkable display of athleticism at the boundary ropes, drawing amazed reactions not just from fans but also from the Mumbai Indians dugout, where Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav were seen watching in disbelief.

The moment came in the 18th over during the IPL 2026 clash between Mumbai Indians and Punjab Kings at the Wankhede Stadium on Thursday, when Hardik Pandya smashed Marco Jansen towards long-on.

What followed was pure athletic brilliance. Sprinting swiftly to his left, Iyer tracked the ball to perfection near the boundary rope. Realising he was about to lose balance and step over, he improvised mid-air, catching the ball with a reverse cup and, while airborne, flicking it back into play.

Xavier Bartlett, stationed nearby, completed the catch safely. While Bartlett’s name went into the scorebook, the effort was entirely Iyer’s creation.

After the stunning effort, Iyer celebrated in style.

Following Punjab Kings’ seven-wicket win, Ian Bishop asked Iyer, “At one stage Mumbai were looking for 200+, what was the key to pull the things back”.

Iyer didn’t minch any word and said: “I think my catch (laugh)”.

Prabhsimran Singh and Iyer struck fluent fifties as Punjab Kings continued their winning run with a commanding seven-wicket victory over Mumbai Indians, who slumped to a fourth consecutive defeat in IPL 2026.

Chasing 196, Punjab Kings reached 198/3 with 21 balls to spare, as Mumbai Indians’ bowlers struggled collectively, with AM Ghazanfar’s 2/31 being the only notable effort.

“Confident and optimistic going forward. We’ve been playing phenomenally. We know each game is important, it’s a collective effort, glad to have a comprehensive win. Prabhsimran has raised his bar, considering the last season, where he swung wild, got runs and gave excellent starts. Now he’s got maturity and finishing off games. He’s maturing with each game”, Iyer said after the match.

“My catch was the key to pulling things back (laughs), but we have the tendency to do that. Did that even against SRH. We have to be present and enjoy the moment. We haven’t decided on how to set totals, lucky to have won tosses so far. We have a lot of positive players ready to go out there and express themselves. You need to keep getting better each game, focus on yourselves and that’s the recipe we’ve been following. I’ve seen crowd coming in numbers, the fan following is going high. Great to see fans showering their love”, he said.

Punjab Kings will next face Lucknow Super Giants on April 19.

A Florida-based team has represented the Eastern Conference in the Stanley Cup Final each of the last six years. The Tampa Bay Lightning will attempt to extend the Sunshine State’s streak to seven this postseason.

Tampa Bay is the state’s only hope as the Florida Panthers, who appeared in each of the last three Stanley Cup Finals and won the past two, failed to qualify for the playoffs for the first time in seven seasons. The Lightning, who won back-to-back championships in 2020 and 2021 before losing to the Colorado Avalanche in the Final the following year, begin their quest in the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs with a first-round series against the Montreal Canadiens that gets underway Sunday.

The Lightning and Canadiens both finished the regular season with 106 points, but the former earned second place in the Atlantic Division by virtue of having more regulation victories. The clubs split their four-game season series, with Tampa Bay winning the first two meetings and Montreal taking the next two.

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Neither team enters their fifth postseason matchup on a roll. The Lightning lost four of their final six regular-season games, while the Canadiens dropped two of their last three after going 10-1-0 over their previous 11 contests.

Tampa Bay won three of its first four playoff series against Montreal, beginning with a four-game sweep in 2004 en route to the first Stanley Cup championship in franchise history. The Canadiens returned the favor 10 years later, but the Lightning won their showdown the following postseason and then defeated Montreal in the 2021 Stanley Cup Final in five games.

NHL betting odds at the major sportsbooks see the Lightning as the favorites in the first-round series, with futures betting odds in the -235 to -260 range. Meanwhile, the Canadiens are priced from +195 to +210. Learn how to read betting odds here.

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Pick: Lightning to advance

The Canadiens had an excellent regular season, finishing with their highest point total (106) since recording 110 and winning the Atlantic Division title in 2014-15. However, they were defeated by the Lightning in six games during their second-round series that postseason.

And even though Montreal won the final two meetings between the division rivals this campaign, I can’t see that success continuing in this matchup. Tampa Bay has a plethora of offensive weapons that will be looking to atone for their subpar performance against the Panthers in its first-round loss last postseason.

Nikita Kucherov is a notorious playoff performer who owns numerous franchise postseason records, including most points in one playoff season (34 in 2020) and most overall playoff goals (53), assists (114) and points (167). But the 32-year-old Russian right wing, who eclipsed the 100-point plateau for the fourth consecutive season and sixth time in his career with 130 this campaign, registered only four assists in Tampa Bay’s five-game series defeat in 2025.

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Kucherov matched his career high with a team-leading 44 goals this season despite missing six games, while Jake Guentzel netted 38 goals and recorded a personal-best 88 points. Meanwhile, defenseman Darren Raddysh came up with the best offensive effort of his five-year career as he collected 22 goals, 48 assists and 70 points.

Montreal has a dangerous one-two punch with Nick Suzuki (career-high 101 points) and Cole Caufield (personal-best 51 goals, second in NHL entering Thursday), while Juraj Slafkovsky (30 goals, 43 assists, 73 points) and 2025 Calder Trophy-winning defenseman Lane Hutson (12, 66, 78) also set career highs. But 2021 Conn Smyth Trophy recipient Andrei Vasilevskiy will be in the crease for the Lightning, and his playoff credentials outweigh Canadiens rookie goaltender Jakub Dobes‘ accomplishments (29 wins, 2.78 goals-against average, .901 save percentage) this season. Tampa Bay should end its streak of three straight first-round exits.

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