Arne Slot believes Liverpool’s exit from the Champions League could help them in their quest to qualify for the competition again next season.
The Reds’ sole focus now will be on trying to secure a spot in the Premier League’s top five following their 4-0 aggregate loss to Paris St Germain in the quarter-finals.
That came hot on the heels of an equally heavy defeat against Manchester City in the FA Cup but does leave Slot’s men with a lighter schedule than some of their rivals.
Last weekend’s 2-0 win over Fulham means they sit in fifth place, four points ahead of Chelsea and three behind Aston Villa and Manchester United with six games remaining.
Reds boss Slot said: “If you look at the 15, 20, 25 players with the most minutes this season, a lot of them are from us.
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“That tells you a lot and one of the reasons why we have been a bit inconsistent, maybe why we have conceded so many late goals, because it is always the same players.
“Maybe from that perspective, it is a good thing we are not in Europe any more, but I would definitely prefer to play in Europe because that also gives an energy to the group if you go to the semi-final of the Champions League.
“I don’t see it as a positive thing we are out but it is the reality and we have a bit more training time now.”
The first of those six games comes on Sunday against derby rivals Everton, with Liverpool making a first trip to the Hill Dickinson Stadium.
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“It is always a very special game, doesn’t matter if it is the 60th being played in the stadium, but, if it is the last one being played in a stadium or a first one, it makes it even more special, if that’s even possible,” said Slot.
“Of course, they are in a very good place at the moment. It will always be a very special game for them, but also for us.”
Slot’s first visit to Everton last season saw a blockbuster encounter in the final derby at Goodison Park, with James Tarkowski equalising eight minutes into stoppage time.
Slot, assistant Sipke Hulshoff, Everton’s Abdoulaye Doucoure and Liverpool midfielder Curtis Jones were all sent off in fractious scenes, with the Reds boss furious with referee Michael Oliver.
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“The crowd didn’t affect me last season, the referee’s decisions affected me,” said Slot when asked whether he expected the atmosphere to be different in Everton’s new home.
“Last season was my first Merseyside derby in that stadium so, if we played in the same stadium, I would probably know what to expect. But I don’t think a stadium is loud, it is usually fans that are loud.
“How much of a difference it will be, I will tell you after the weekend. I think their fans will be loud, as our fans will be as well.”
Shaquille O’Neal watches the game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Minnesota Timberwolves in game four of the western conference finals for the 2024 NBA playoffs at American Airlines Center on May 28, 2024 in Dallas, Texas.(Jerome Miron/USA TODAY Sports)
The Basketball Hall of Famer said he denounced himself as a celebrity years ago for a similar reason.
“I denounced myself from being a celebrity about 10 years ago because those people are weird. I’m not weird,” O’Neal said.
The New Jersey native said he wants to treat people with respect and just be a regular guy. O’Neal, despite his prowess as a basketball player, went to school after his playing career.
Dec 14, 2024; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Shaquille O’Neal arrives on the red carpet before the Emirates NBA Cup semifinal game at T-Mobile Arena.(Candice Ward/Imagn Images)
O’Neal left LSU after his junior year to play in the NBA but returned to finish his bachelor’s degree. He also has an MBA and Ph.D in education, but people don’t think he actually earned the “Dr.” before his name.
“The funniest thing I get is, ‘Oh it’s honorary.’ I say, ‘No, it’s not. I had to go to school and write papers and do all that stuff,” O’Neal said.
“I’m very super successful without that, but I wanted to stress to my children and children around that education is very important.”
Shaquille O’Neal looks on before the game between the Boston Celtics and the Dallas Mavericks in game one of the 2024 NBA Finals at TD Garden on June 6, 2024 in Boston, Massachusetts.(David Butler II/USA TODAY Sports)
O’Neal talked about the NIL era and how young athletes want the money first but don’t have the education on how to the manage the money.
O’Neal thrived on the court, winning four NBA titles across his 19 seasons and making 15 All-Star teams, and appears to be thriving off the court as well.
Like in many more serious walks of life, Covid came through the UK and Ireland’s golf travel industry like a wrecking ball, with a crushing effect on the courses, hoteliers and transportation providers that are propped up by North American golfers traveling east.
Livelihoods were on the brink. I was in the middle of it myself. Two whole seasons — 2020 and 2021 — of rescheduling trips for patient clients and incredibly understanding suppliers, who all worked to make sure dream trips were realized, albeit two years later in some cases.
On the ground, 2022 wasn’t much better. While most golfers went ahead with travel plans, barely a week passed where there wasn’t some sort of testing hiccup: calls hours ahead of arrival with reports of a positive Covid test; the isolation measures that came with it. Added to that, we were basically cramming three years of trips into one — serious stress in itself.
Since those dark days at the dawn of the decade, the industry has roared back like never before. Green fees at marquee courses have risen 10 to 15 percent year over year (a story for another time), with little or no sign of the demand dropping off. The golf travel industry is predicted to be worth a stunning $42 billion by 2030. So what are the implications for your buddies trip? In short, very small windows of opportunity. Such is the gold rush for tee times among tour operators that booking windows for 2027 will slam shut much sooner than you think.
By the time you read this, overseas travelers may have already missed the boat at bucket-listers like Portrush and Royal County Down. West coast Scotland, featuring World Top 100s Trump Turnberry, Royal Troon and Prestwick, might still be for the taking — but call your tour operator of choice now, because by the end of Q2 in 2026, much of 2027 will be sold out on one of golf’s most sought-after triple threats.
The overriding message is that for the most in-demand venues, you now need to plan 18 months ahead. Still banking on a 2026 trip? There is one place you can go and play World Top 100 courses every day, stay in world-class accommodations, fly direct from anywhere in the U.S. and be blown away off the course: England. And no one is talking about it.
Next time.
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Discover England, Scotland, Ireland and beyond in 2027 and beyond with 8AM Travel. Contact discovery@8amtravel.com today.
Hoops fans won’t have to wait until next March to fill out brackets with the arrival of the 2026 NBA playoffs bracket challenge. The premise is the same as the college version as you’ll make NBA picks on who will advance through each round. However, with your NBA bracket picks, you also make NBA predictions on how many games each series will last. Once the play-in tournament completes the NBA playoffs bracket, the postseason will start in earnest on Saturday with four Game 1s, followed by the remaining series openers on Sunday. OKC is the +100 favorite to repeat as champs, per the latest NBA futures odds from FanDuel Sportsbook, but the Thunder were pushed to seven games in multiple series last year.
The respective No. 2 seeds, the Celtics (+550) and Spurs (+550), are next in line, while the East’s top-seeded Pistons are at +1800, behind the Nuggets (+1200) and Cavaliers (+1300). The Lakers, who will not have Luka Doncic (hamstring) or Austin Reaves (oblique) slot in at +25000, though Houston’s Kevin Durant (knee) is listed as questionable for Game 1. Before making any NBA bracket picks, be sure to check out the 2026 NBA playoff predictions from SportsLine expert Mike Barner.
Barner is one of the most respected voices in the industry, and his work has appeared in Sports Illustrated and on Yahoo, RotoWire and KFFL. He’s also been featured on ESPN Radio. He digs deep into the data, examining team trends and projecting game outcomes. If there’s anybody who can spot an edge in a matchup or identify a player in position to break out, it’s him.
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Barner’s expertise has been on full display lately as he enters Friday’s action in the 2026 NBA playoffs on a 101-60 run (+2926) on NBA picks. He is coming off a dominant 2024-25 NBA season, finishing 239-178-2 and returning $3,209 to $100 bettors. Anyone following at sportsbooks and on betting apps could have seen huge returns.
We can tell you one of Barner’s series picks is the third-seeded Knicks to defeat the No. 6 Hawks in six games in the East’s first round. New York won two of three regular-season matchups and have won five of the last six meetings overall. However, the Hawks have greatly improved since trading for CJ McCollum, and their 19-5 record since Feb. 22 is the third-best in the league. Yet, he’s the only Hawks rotation player with significant postseason experience, so while Atlanta will make this a competitive series, the Knicks being familiar with this type of atmosphere gives them the edge. Additionally, New York won its first round series in each of the last two years in six games.
“The Hawks caught fire over the second half of the season, vaulting from a Play-In contender all the way into the sixth seed. They are a long team that can give Jalen Brunson trouble, especially with Dyson Daniels and Nickeil Alexander-Walker leading their defense at guard. However, they don’t have the superstar scorer to turn to late in a close playoff game. The Knicks should still advance.” Barner told SportsLine. See more predictions at SportsLine.
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How to make 2026 NBA playoff bracket picks
Barner has locked in his NBA picks for every series and is predicting multiple upsets in both the East and West playoff brackets. See what they are over at SportsLine.
Odds via FanDuel (subject to change) Oklahoma City Thunder +100 San Antonio Spurs +500 Boston Celtics +500 Denver Nuggets +1200 Cleveland Cavaliers +1300 Detroit Pistons +1800 New York Knicks +2200 Houston Rockets +7000 Minnesota Timberwolves +8000 Charlotte Hornets +10000 Atlanta Hawks +12500 Philadelphia 76ers +20000 Los Angeles Lakers +25000 Portland Trail Blazers +75000 Phoenix Suns +75000 Orlando Magic +75000 Golden State Warriors +75000
Tottenham Hotspur Stadium before the visit of Brighton. (Getty Images)
Alan Smith18 April 2026 16:34
Brighton bench change
Brighton’s starting XI may remain unchanged but there is one change on the bench – Matt O’Riley has taken Solly March’s seat.
Alan Smith18 April 2026 16:32
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Can Maddison magic save Spurs?
Could Maddison’s return from a long-term knee injury be the difference that keeps Spurs up? Let’s see if he makes his first appearance of the season off the bench this evening.
Aside from that Xavi Simons has gotten the nod up front, while Rodrigo Bentancur is back in the midfield for the first time since January 7, while Kevin Danso replaces injured captain Cristian Romero at the back. The Argentine’s absence means Micky van de Ven will wear the armband.
Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall have dropped to the bench.
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Alan Smith18 April 2026 16:27
Brighton XI
Hurzerler, meanwhile, sticks with the same XI that won 2-0 away to Burnley last weekend.
Alan Smith18 April 2026 16:19
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Tottenham XI
Four changes to the XI that lost away to Sunderland last weekend, plus the return of James Maddison to the bench for the home side.
Alan Smith18 April 2026 16:18
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Sharp slide
Since then Spurs have won just four times and only once at home – a 2-0 against Brentford in December.
They have lost six of the eight on their own ground since, taking a league worst eight points from 17 matches in that period.
No wonder De Zerbi has already spoken about his team being bereft of confidence.
Alan Smith18 April 2026 16:15
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Previous meeting
Quite a bit has happened since the reverse fixture back in September, when Albion led 2-0 after half an hour thanks to goals from Yankuba Minteh and Yasin Ayari. Brennan Johnson, now of Crystal Palace, pulled one back before the break and Jan Paul van Hecke’s own goal eight minutes from time earned Thomas Frank an away point.
Alan Smith18 April 2026 16:05
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Half-time in the 3pms
Leeds are leading 2-0 at home to Wolves, whose relegation will finally be confirmed this evening if they lose at Elland Road and Tottenham win in N7. And in the other game Bournemouth are winning away 1-0 away to Newcastle United thanks to Marcus Tavernier’s strike.
Alan Smith18 April 2026 16:04
Brighton’s run in
Still in the hunt for Europe, Hurzerler’s team host Chelsea in midweek and then travel to Newcastle prior to welcoming Wolves to the Amex. A trip to Elland Road to meet Leeds follows before Michael Carrick brings Manchester United south on the final weekend.
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Alan Smith18 April 2026 15:55
Spurs’ run in
After this Spurs visit bottom-placed Wolves and Champions League chasing Aston Villa before hosting Leeds, crossing London to take on Chelsea and a potential nerve-shredding last day visit of Everton to North London.
NBA Playoffs Tip Off as 16 Teams begin Title Chase
The NBA Playoffs are officially starting today with all 16 teams now set. After weeks of positioning and the final push through the Play-In, the focus of the teams is now on winning four series.
Action begins today, April 18, with Game 1s scheduled across the day. The Toronto Raptors face the Cleveland Cavaliers at 1:00 PM ET, followed by the Minnesota Timberwolves against the Denver Nuggets at 3:30 PM ET. Later, the Atlanta Hawks take on the New York Knicks at 6:00 PM ET, before the Houston Rockets meet the Los Angeles Lakers at 8:30 PM ET.
In the West, the Oklahoma City Thunder face the Phoenix Suns, while the Los Angeles Lakers take on the Houston Rockets. The Denver Nuggets go up against the Minnesota Timberwolves, and the San Antonio Spurs meet the Portland Trail Blazers.
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Over in the East, the Detroit Pistons face the Orlando Magic, the Cleveland Cavaliers take on the Toronto Raptors, while the New York Knicks go head-to-head with the Atlanta Hawks. The Boston Celtics open against the Philadelphia 76ers.
The Teams will need four wins to advance, and sixteen in total to lift the trophy
Andrey Rublev plays against Lorenzo Sonego during the round of 16 match on Day Six of the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell 73rd Conde de Godo Trophy at Real Club de Tenis Barcelona 1899 in Barcelona, Spain, on April 16, 2026. (Photo by Joan Valls/Urbanandsport/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Andrey Rublev fought back from a set down to defeat Hamad Medjedovic 3-6, 6-2, 6-2 and book his place in the Barcelona final.
After losing the opening set, Rublev responded strongly, adjusting his game against an opponent who started aggressively. He went on to take control of the match, dropping just four games across the final two sets to seal the win.
This is his first final of the season and his first appearance in a Barcelona final, having lost just one set throughout the tournament so far.
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After the match, Rublev was relaxed when asked about the importance of potentially winning the title.
“I don’t know. Of course I don’t mind of course I would like to. If it happens it happens. If it doesn’t happen we keep working, what can I do? Not much to say I don’t know”
With his level improving on clay, Rublev heads into the final with momentum and a chance to turn his strong week into a title.
Juventus coach Luciano Spalletti addressed Italian players in the dressing room after the Azzurri’s World Cup play-off elimination: ‘He knew what we were going through,’ said Manuel Locatelli.
Juventus midfielder Locatelli held a press conference on Saturday to comment on his contract extension until 2030.
The Italian midfielder also answered a question about his coach Spalletti, who was appointed at the end of October and has recently signed a new deal until 2028.
UDINE, ITALY – MARCH 14: Luciano Spalletti, Juventus manager, reacts during the Serie A match between Udinese Calcio and Juventus FC at Stadio Friuli on March 14, 2026 in Udine, Italy. (Photo by Timothy Rogers/Getty Images)
“The weeks after the penalty [against Sassuolo] and the missed World Cup were better,” he said.
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“The coach immediately spoke to us Italians and said he was sorry. He knew what we were going through. He knows what it means to represent the national team.
“But he told us we had to put it behind us right away. The thing about football is that the next match gives you the chance to react, and we tried to do that.
“I think with the national team, we didn’t know each other very well, even on a personal level. When he [Spalletti] arrived, I made myself fully available,” continued Locatelli.
BERGAMO, ITALY – MARCH 26: Manuel Locatelli, Federico Gatti and Gianluigi Donnarumma of Italy interact after the FIFA World Cup 2026 European Qualifiers KO play-offs match between Italy and Northern Ireland at Stadio di Bergamo on March 26, 2026 in Bergamo, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
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“When he arrived, he spoke to me in his office on the first day, and what he said was very meaningful. He knew I had become important for Juventus, he asked different things of me, and I’m at his disposal. The nice thing is that he showed trust in me right away.”
Italy have failed to qualify for the World Cup for the third time in a row.
Spalletti had been the Italy coach from 2023 until last June, when he was sacked after a 3-0 defeat against Norway in the first match of the World Cup qualifiers.
Oleksandr Usyk has revealed why he may no longer pursue a third instalment of his enthralling rivalry with Tyson Fury.
Usyk handed Fury the first and second defeats of his professional career, simultaneously claiming the Briton’s WBC heavyweight world title to become the first undisputed four-belt champion in the history of the division.
Yet, in an interview with Daily Mail Boxing, Usyk revealed that he may no longer target a third triumph over Fury, instead hoping to help Joshua overcome his bitter rival in their long-awaited grudge match.
“My plan has not changed, I have three fights. But, now I understand that Tyson has not signed [for a fight] with ‘AJ’.
“If ‘AJ’ and ‘Greedy’ [Fury] sign contract, I just stay back, ‘okay, [you are fighting each other instead], because I want to help AJ beat Tyson Fury.”
Tries: Hurley-Langton, Boyle, Devine, B Murphy, Naughton Cons: Gilbert 4
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Connacht scored three tries in the final 16 minutes to stun the high-flying Stormers in a United Rugby Championship thriller in Cape Town and boost their hopes of making the end-of-season play-offs.
Stuart Lancaster’s side scored five tries in their bonus-point win to bounce back from their elimination from the European Challenge Cup at the hands of Montpellier last weekend and make it six URC wins in a row.
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The Stormers lost Deon Fourie to a yellow card in just the third minute and Connacht capitalised within a few minutes as flanker Shamus Hurley-Langton went over in the corner despite the attempts of three Stormers defenders.
The try was awarded after a lengthy consultation with the television match official [TMO], who adjudged that the Connacht player had not been in touch before grounding the ball. Sam Gilbert added the extras.
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The hosts – who began the day four points off leaders Glasgow – responded well eight minutes later when Evan Roos exploited a gap in the Connacht defence and raced through to score behind the posts.
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Having converted Roos’ try, Springbok fly-half Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu’s penalty on the stroke of half time, after the Irish province were penalised at the scrum, gave his side a three-point lead at the interval.
Ntuthuko Mchunu went over for Stormers’ third try eight minutes into the second half and soon after Paul Boyle barged over from close range for the visitors, both tries converted.
Mngomezulu added the South African side’s third try but Connacht centre John Devine replied immediately when he powered over at the other end.
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With 10 minutes remaining, the away side edged ahead 26-24 thanks to a converted score from Ben Murphy.
Shayne Bolton picked up a loose ball and offloaded to the scrum-half, who sprinted away to touch down under the posts.
Sean Naughton’s intercept try extended the advantage, with Gilbert’s fourth successful kick ensuring a nine-point winning margin and Connacht’s sixth consecutive URC win.
Line-ups
Stormers: Gelant; Willemse, Nel (capt), du Plessis, Zas; Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Reinach; Mchunu, Ntubeni, Porthen; Smith, Schickerling; Fourie, Dixon, Roos.
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Replacements: Venter, Kebble, Fouche, van Heerden, Theunissen, de Villiers, Ungerer, Simelane.
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Connacht: Gilbert; West, J Devine, Forde, Bolton; Naughton, B Murphy; Bohan, Heffernan, Illo; O’Connor, D Murray; Prendergast (capt), Hurley-Langton, Jansen
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