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Thursday’s briefing: A tale of three penalties as Arsenal draw in Madrid

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Arsenal were frustrated by penalty drama as their Champions League semi-final first leg against Atletico Madrid ended in a contentious 1-1 draw.

Liverpool expect Mohamed Salah to return to action before he leaves the club in the summer following an injury setback.

Former England defender Millie Bright announced her retirement, while Chelsea winger Mykhailo Mudryk lodged an appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport amid reports he has been handed a four-year ban.

Arsenal draw at Atletico after penalty controversy

Arsenal’s bid to reach their first Champions League final in 20 years hangs in the balance following a controversial draw against Atletico Madrid in Spain.

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Viktor Gyokeres fired the Gunners into the lead with a 44th-minute penalty after he was fouled by David Hancko.

However, Julian Alvarez equalised from the spot in the 56th minute after Ben White was penalised for handball following a VAR review.

Arsenal were awarded a second penalty when Eberechi Eze was sent tumbling by Hancko’s outstretched right leg but referee Danny Makkelie sparked debate by overturning his initial decision after a trip to the pitchside monitor.

Mohamed Salah’s Liverpool career not over yet

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Liverpool are confident Mohamed Salah will be available to play again before the end of the season.

The Egypt forward suffered a hamstring injury during last weekend’s 3-1 Premier League win over Crystal Palace at Anfield.

With only four games remaining this term, it was feared the 33-year-old may not feature again before he leaves the club in the summer.

However, following further tests, Liverpool confirmed Salah had suffered only a “minor muscle injury” and should be able to be involved ahead of the campaign finishing with a home game against Brentford on May 24.

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Former England defender Millie Bright announces her retirement

Chelsea captain Millie Bright revealed she had been “playing injured for the last six years” as she announced her immediate retirement from football.

The 32-year-old helped England win the European Championship on home soil in 2022 before captaining her country to the World Cup final the following year.

She made 314 appearances and lifted 20 trophies during her time with Chelsea, having joined from Doncaster Rovers Belles in 2015.

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“Representing Chelsea over the last 12 years has been everything to me, but I’m now ready to say goodbye to playing football,” said Bright, who won 88 England caps.

Chelsea winger Mykhailo Mudryk appeals to CAS

Chelsea winger Mykhailo Mudryk lodged an appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) amid reports he has been handed a four-year ban for a breach of anti-doping rules.

Mudryk was charged by the Football Association in June last year, having been provisionally suspended since December 2024.

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A statement from CAS, which did not mention what sanction the 25-year-old Ukrainian was appealing against, read: “CAS confirms it has received an appeal by Mykhailo Mudryk against the FA.

“The parties are currently exchanging written submissions, and a hearing is yet to be scheduled.”

What’s on today?

Nottingham Forest host Premier League rivals Aston Villa in the first leg of their Europa League semi-final.

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Crystal Palace take on Ukrainian side Shakhtar Donetsk in Poland at the same stage of the Conference League.

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Coco Gauff calls out racist gamblers on social media after Madrid Open loss

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At just 22, Coco Gauff has already earned U.S. Open and French Open Grand Slam titles. 

But earlier this week, the American star exited the Madrid Open well before the final, falling short in her bid for another tournament victory.

Linda Nosková defeated Gauff Monday in the Round of 16. After her Madrid Open run ended, Gauff said she faced backlash from “angry” gamblers upset their wagers did not pay off.

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“@ the angry gamblers saying racist things in my IG comments/dms hiding behind anonymous accounts,” Gauff said in a post to her TikTok account Wednesday.

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coco gauff at the madrid open

Coco Gauff reacts against Sorana Cîrstea during the Madrid Open 2026 at La Caja Magica on April 26, 2026, in Madrid, Spain.  (Dennis Agyeman/Europa Press via Getty Images)

Gauff also referenced a Young M.A. song, sharing lyrics that read: “Yeah they hate, but they broke though (But they broke though) / And when it’s time to pop, they a no-show (Where they at?)”

The sports betting industry continues to surge in the U.S., generating a record $16.96 billion in revenue in 2025, the American Gaming Association said. Prediction markets have increased competition but have not significantly slowed the industry’s growth.

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Coco Gauff walks off the tennis court in Madrid

American tennis player Coco Gauff looks dejected as she leaves the court after losing to Linda Nosková of Czechia in the women’s singles fourth round at the Madrid Open in Madrid, Spain, on April 27, 2026. (Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

The surge in revenue also translated into hundreds of billions in losses for Americans who legally placed wagers in 2025, an increase of roughly 11% from the previous year, according to the association’s figures.

Gauff battled an apparent illness during the Madrid Open, even taking a medical timeout in the Round of 32 over the weekend. She vomited on the court and later said she was dealing with digestive issues.

Coco Gauff reacting during a tennis match

Coco Gauff of the United States reacts during a women’s singles fourth-round match against Linda Nosková of Czechia at the Madrid Open April 27, 2026, in Madrid, Spain. (Alberto Gardin/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images)

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“I don’t know how I got it done,” Gauff told Sky Sports. “Just dealing with a lot of trying to keep my food down. But once I threw up — and I was able to throw up after the first set — I felt a bit better.

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“It was just a tough match. I think I got the Madrid stomach virus that’s going around. I’m usually someone who doesn’t get sick. My luck today just wasn’t good.”

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Predictions ft. Matteo Berrettini vs Mariano Navone, Hubert Hurkacz vs Emilio Nava

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Second-round matches will conclude on Day 4 (Thursday, April 30) of the ATP Challenger Cagliari 2026. Fifth seed Lorenzo Sonego has been the only notable casualty so far, going down to Mattia Bellucci in three sets in the first round.

Former top 10 players Matteo Berrettini and Hubert Hurkacz headline Thursday’s order of play. Here are the predictions for all the singles matches set for Day 4 of the ATP Challenger Cagliari:


#1. Matteo Berrettini vs Mariano Navone

Berrettini fought past Patrick Kypson to reach the second round of the ATP Challenger Cagliari. He improved his record on clay to 6-6 with the win. Defending champion Navone received a first-round bye. He won the title in Bucharest at the start of the clay swing, and has an 8-5 record on the surface.

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Berrettini leads their rivalry 2-0. Both of their previous matches were on clay. He won their recent encounter at the Monte-Carlo Masters 2025 in straight sets. His record in this rivalry makes him the favorite to win this match despite Navone having better results on clay than him this year.

Winner: Matteo Berrettini


#2. Marcos Giron vs Aleksandar Kovacevic

Marcos Giron at the Delray Beach Open 2026. (Source: Getty)Marcos Giron at the Delray Beach Open 2026. (Source: Getty)
Marcos Giron at the Delray Beach Open 2026. (Source: Getty)

Giron kicked off his ATP Challenger Cagliari campaign with a 6-4, 1-6, 6-1 win over Aleksandar Vukic. Kovacevic beat Luca Potenza 6-3, 7-6 (3) in the first round. This marked the first win of the clay swing for both players.

Giron won their previous and only encounter at the Indian Wells Masters 2023 in straight sets. His 13-9 record for the season outshines Kovacevic’s 10-12 record by a slim margin, thus making him the slight favorite to win this duel.

Winner: Marcos Giron

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#3. Hubert Hurkacz vs Emilio Nava

Hurkacz has a 4-2 record on clay, and he made the third-round of the Monte-Carlo Masters. He beat Zachary Svajda 6-2, 7-6 (6) in the first round of the ATP Challenger Cagliari. Nava has gone 11-8 on clay this year, and advanced to the second round here following Damir Dzumhur’s mid-match retirement.

This will be the first meeting between them. Nava has challenged the likes of Ben Shelton and Jiri Lehecka on clay this year, pushing them to three sets before coming up short. He could one-up Hurkacz, who hasn’t been as successful as him on clay this year.

Winner: Emilio Nava


#4. Juan Manuel Cerundolo vs Matteo Arnaldi

Matteo Arnaldi at the Madrid Open 2026. (Source: Getty)Matteo Arnaldi at the Madrid Open 2026. (Source: Getty)
Matteo Arnaldi at the Madrid Open 2026. (Source: Getty)

Arnaldi and Cerundolo needed three sets to beat Federico Arnaboldi and Federico Cina respectively in the first round. Arnaldi snapped his four-match losing skid and improved his record on clay to 2-4.

Cerundolo tallied his 12th win on clay this year, against eight losses. This will be his first meeting with Arnaldi. The Italian’s shaky form on clay makes him the underdog in this contest.

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Winner: Juan Manuel Cerundolo


#5. Roman Andres Burruchaga vs Andrea Pellegrino

Winner: Roman Andres Burruchaga


#6. Nuno Borges vs Cristian Garin

Winner: Nuno Borges


#7. Adrian Mannarino vs Jesper de Jong

Winner: Jesper de Jong

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#8. Mattia Bellucci vs Gianluca Cadenasso

Winner: Mattia Bellucci