As India get ready for the final of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, a debate has started over the team’s opening combination. Questions are being raised about whether the side should continue with Abhishek Sharma despite his run of low scores or bring in Rinku Singh for the title clash.
With the trophy at stake, the discussion has spread among fans and experts.
Abhishek’s numbers in the tournament have drawn attention. In seven matches, the left-hander has scored 0, 0, 0, 15, 55, 10 and 9, making a total of 89 runs at an average of 12.71.
Except for a half-century against Zimbabwe, he has not managed to score consistently, leading to questions over whether India should persist with him in the final.
Advertisement
The debate has gained momentum on social media, especially on X, where fans have expressed different views on the issue.
“You can’t take risks with a person who is consistently flopping. This is the final and we must go with full strength, without any weak link,” wrote one fan, as cited by news agency IANS.
Another supporter said rival teams have already worked out how to dismiss him. “Abhishek has become so predictable. New Zealand will make sure he doesn’t score either. Rinku should come in.”
There are also voices supporting the youngster. “Abhishek can be our X factor in the final. There is a big inning due from him. He might deliver big in the finale,” another fan commented, as cited by IANS.
Advertisement
For the team management, the situation presents a choice: continue backing a player through a difficult phase or make a change before the final.
Attention is now on head coach Gautam Gambhir and captain Suryakumar Yadav. They will decide whether to stick with the combination that took India to the final or bring in Rinku Singh for the match.
At present, a change appears unlikely, but the decision will show whether India opts for continuity or makes a late adjustment ahead of the final.
India vs New Zealand final
Advertisement
Date & Time: India will face New Zealand in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 final on Sunday, March 8. The match will begin at 7:00 PM (IST).
Prior plans had Sabaj building towards the Australian Cup (2000m) at Flemington on March 28, via the Blamey Stakes and the Peter Young Stakes (1800m) at Caulfield a fortnight from now, factoring in Pride Of Jenni’s All-Star Mile nomination.
“Originally, we wanted to go Blamey, Peter Young, Australian Cup,” Price said.
Advertisement
“We thought that was the best option because if Pride Of Jenni is at her best, she is unbeatable.
“I don’t know if she is, but whenever she is a race, they can be upset races.
“Who is the horse that carts up?
“Those races are so unusual when Pride Of Jenni is blasting away, but because we had a bad blood count, we’ve ended up in the All-Star Mile, and I’m not sure whether we end up in the Australian Cup after that or not.”
Advertisement
Sabaj registered an inflammatory signal in his blood, which Price cited as reason to hold him back from racing.
The gelding is now in top shape, and Price looks for a solid effort from his draw, without positioning as the lone trailer behind Pride Of Jenni.
“He’ll be around there somewhere at the finish, but everyone needs her to have an off day,” Price said.
“If you have horses behind you and only Pride Of Jenni in front of you, it’s a tough gig, but I don’t think that will be us.
Advertisement
“I’m not sure who it is, and that is why it can be an upset race. You can only ride the race you are in, not Pride Of Jenni’s race.
“If she capitulates, you’re on, if not, no-one beats her.”
Price was eager to trial Sabaj at the 2000m distance, pinpointing the Australian Cup as suitable.
The interruption clouds whether he’ll make it there, with the Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Randwick the following month as a fallback.
San Jose State University President Cynthia Teniente-Matson announced Friday that the school and the California State University (CSU) system are suing the federal government to challenge the U.S. Department of Education’s recent determination that SJSU violated Title IX in its handling of a transgender volleyball player.
The department’s Office of Civil Rights (OCR) announced at the end of January that an investigation into the university for its handling of a trans athlete and other players concluded that the school violated Title IX and gave the school an ultimatum to resolve the violation by agreeing to a series of conditions.
But now, instead of complying like the University of Pennsylvania did last summer related to its handling of trans swimmer Lia Thomas, SJSU and CSU are suing to prevent potential federal funding cuts.
Blaire Fleming of the San Jose State Spartans during the third set against the Air Force Falcons at Falcon Court at East Gym Oct. 19, 2024, in Colorado Springs, Colo. (Andrew Wevers/Getty Images)
“Because we believe OCR’s findings aren’t grounded in the facts or the law, SJSU and the CSU filed a lawsuit today against the federal government to challenge those findings and prevent the federal government from taking punitive action against the university, including the potential withholding of critical federal funding,” Teniente-Matson said Friday.
“This is not a step we take lightly. However, we have a responsibility to defend the integrity of our institution and the rule of law, while ensuring that every member of our community is treated fairly and in accordance with the law. Our position is simple: We have followed the law and cannot be punished for doing so.”
The school is also requesting that OCR rescind its findings and close its investigation.
Advertisement
Fox News Digital has reached out to the Department of Education for a response.
Teniente-Matson affirmed the university’s commitment to defending the LGBTQ community in the announcement.
“Our support for the LGBTQ members of our community, who have experienced threats and harms over the last several years, remains unwavering. We know the attention the university has received around this issue and the investigative process that followed have been unsettling for many in our community,” the president said.
“We’ve heard the fear and anxiety that it has created and recognize that waiting for the university’s response has been difficult at a time already filled with uncertainty.”
Advertisement
The university and its volleyball program were thrust into the national spotlight in 2024 after it was revealed the team rostered trans athlete Blaire Fleming since 2022. Former SJSU co-captain Brooke Slusser joined a lawsuit and led her own, alleging she was never told Fleming was a biological male when she joined the team and shared bedrooms and changing spaces with Fleming without that knowledge.
Slusser has responded to SJSU and CSU’s decision to sue in a statement to Fox News Digital.
“It makes me so mad that SJSU still refuses to see that everything they did is wrong. I think they’re just too scared to admit it and face the repercussions of their actions!” Slusser said.
Slusser made a public statement on X, calling the decision “absurd.”
Advertisement
Seven matches, including a conference semifinal, were forfeited to SJSU in 2024 during the controversy.
Among the department’s findings, it determined that a female athlete discovered that the trans student allegedly conspired to have a member of an opposing team spike her in the face during a match. The department claims “SJSU did not investigate the conspiracy, but later subjected the female athlete to a Title IX complaint for ‘misgendering’ the male athlete in online videos and interviews.”
Slusser alleged in her November 2024 lawsuit against the Mountain West that she and former assistant coach Melissa Batie-Smoose were made aware of a meeting between Fleming and Colorado State women’s volleyball player Malaya Jones on Oct. 2, 2024, during which Fleming discussed a plan with Jones to have Slusser spiked in the face during a match the following night.
A federal judge made a ruling in that lawsuit’s motion to dismiss on Tuesday. Colorado District Judge Kato Crews dismissed all the plaintiffs’ charges against the Mountain West Conference but did not dismiss charges of Title IX violations against the CSU system.
Advertisement
Crews deferred his ruling on whether to dismiss those charges until after a decision in the ongoing B.P.J. v. West Virginia Supreme Court case, which is expected in June.
“The Motion to Strike Class Allegations is denied,” Crews wrote in his decision. “What remains of the Amended Complaint is Plaintiffs’ Title IX claims for damages against the CSU Board… So the Court defers ruling on the Title IX damages claims until after the Supreme Court has issued its ruling in B.P.J.“
The CSU provided a statement to Fox News Digital in response to Crews’ ruling.
Advertisement
“CSU is pleased with the court’s ruling. SJSU has complied with Title IX and all applicable law, and it will continue to do so,” the statement said.
Jackson Thompson is a sports reporter for Fox News Digital covering critical political and cultural issues in sports, with an investigative lens. Jackson’s reporting has been cited in federal government actions related to the enforcement of Title IX, and in legacy media outlets including The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Associated Press and ESPN.com.
Manny Pacquiao hopes to avenge his most famous defeat when he meets with Floyd Mayweather for a second time, 11 years on from their initial encounter. Although, when reflecting on their first fight, ‘Pac Man’ spoke with disappointment.
Back in 2015, Mayweather held the unified WBC and WBA welterweight world titles, whilst Pacquiao held the WBO crown, with the lure of a three-belt unification being enough to finally force the pound-for-pound stars to square-off after years of encouragement.
However, in an interview with All The Smoke Fight, Pacquiao revealed that he still believes that he won the fight due to the volume of punches that he threw, compared to ‘TBE’.
“Right after the fight, I went to the hospital and got operated [on] my shoulder. It really hurt.
“His style, I knew it, but the thing is – I review. I am expecting that I won the fight because he didn’t throw a lot of punches, I throw a lot of punches.
“I reviewed the Compubox [numbers] like slow-motion from first round to round 12, [checking] how many punches connected, how many punches he connected with, that is boxing.
“I am not complaining or making [excuses]. It happened that way. It happened to me many times.”
Advertisement
Compubox reported that Pacquiao threw and landed less punches than Mayweather, scoring with 19% of his shots and being far less efficient than the victor, who connected with 148 of 435 thrown blows (34%), although those figures remain disputed.
The penalty occurred in the second period of a 5-1 loss. While battling for position beside the Sabres’ crease, they began going at one another with cross-checks, and Malkin took it a step further, slashing at Dahlin’s head.
The 39-year-old Malkin has been suspended twice in his NHL career, one game for high-sticking Philadelphia’s Michael Raffl in February 2019, and four games in April 2022 for cross-checking Nashville’s Mark Borowiecki.
Malkin’s 10-game home points streak ended Thursday. He has 13 goals and 47 points in 46 games.
Pittsburgh is already without captain Sidney Crosby for a minimum of four weeks because of a lower-body injury.
UConn guard Azzi Fudd signed an NIL deal with Jordan Brand, it was announced on Friday. The NIL deal comes on the heels of the Huskies completing their 2025-26 regular season with an unbeaten 31-0 record.
“I grew up watching what the Jumpman meant to basketball and to the culture around the game, so becoming part of the Jordan Brand family represents what I am stepping into and the greatness that I aspire to be,” Fudd said in a statement. “To wear the same logo that so many legends have worn is something I don’t take lightly.
“For me, it’s about honoring that legacy while also helping show what the next generation of women’s basketball looks like. I’m excited to keep pushing my game forward while representing Jordan Brand with pride. And I hope that I continue to inspire young girls who dream of playing at the highest level.”
When fans caught wind of Fudd’s link-up with the Jordan Brand, they had some interesting reactions.
Azzi Fudd’s UConn (31-0, 20-0) will face Georgetown (14-16, 6-14) in the Big East Tournament quarterfinals on Saturday. The game will tip off at noon ET from Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn.
The Huskies own the top seed in the Big East Tournament and earned a bye in the opening two rounds. Meanwhile, Georgetown owns the No. 8 seed and beat Butler in the second round of the conference tournament.
Advertisement
Why did you not like this content?
Was this article helpful?
Advertisement
Thank You for feedback
Dawn Staley, Geno Auriemma, or Kim Mulkey – who is NCAAW’s highest-paid coach? Find out here
Former Manchester United defender Patrice Evra has criticised Gary Neville, Roy Keane and Paul Scholes for their ‘negative analysis’ during Michael Carrick’s reign as interim head coach
Patrice Evra has slammed three Manchester United icons for their ‘negative analysis’ throughout Michael Carrick’s spell in charge. The former United defender took aim at Gary Neville, Roy Keane and Paul Scholes, with the latter grabbing attention earlier this week.
Following United’s first loss under Carrick – a 2-1 defeat against 10-man Newcastle on Wednesday – Scholes published a brutal Instagram story which he subsequently deleted.
Advertisement
“Michael has definitely got something special about him,” Scholes wrote. “United have been crap last four games… night.”
Scholes’ remarks left sections of the United faithful bewildered, with many suggesting he’s been excessively harsh on the club for some time, reports the Mirror.
“I hope Paul Scholes’ Instagram story is fake,” Evra told gambling website Stake. “I hope he was hacked.
“To be honest, I’m not surprised at that from Scholesy. He was the quietest player I’ve ever played with in my entire career. Now, in the media, he drops bombshells.
“I really don’t understand the lack of support behind Michael Carrick, he’s one of us and he’s doing very well. There’s been negative analysis from Scholesy, but also from Roy Keane and Gary Neville.
Advertisement
“It annoys me because we want to be in the top four, and those comments are unnecessary, but this is what you do when you work in TV. You can’t be positive, you have to be negative.”
Focusing solely on Neville, Evra went on: “Most of these guys get a managerial job and get fired straightaway. I said to Neville, ‘It’s easy to talk on TV. When you were at Valencia, they asked you for paella, and you gave them fish and chips.’
“After three months, they said goodbye. People can’t forget what they have done as a manager. As players, they’re legends, but as managers, they haven’t done a great job. So for them to speak and possibly kill the career of a manager, it’s a little bit too much.”
United enjoyed a brilliant run of form under Carrick, stringing together four consecutive victories before drawing 1-1 with West Ham. The Reds had returned to form with wins over Everton and Crystal Palace prior to Wednesday’s setback.
Advertisement
Despite the defeat, Carrick’s team sit third in the Premier League standings and remain well-placed to secure Champions League qualification for next season. United’s next fixture comes on Sunday, March 15, when they welcome fourth-placed Aston Villa at Old Trafford.
Here at The Manchester Evening News, we are dedicated to bringing you the best Manchester United coverage and analysis.
Make sure you don’t miss out on the latest United news by joining our free WhatsApp group. You can get all the breaking news and best analysis sent straight to your phone by clicking here to subscribe.
You can also subscribe to our free newsletter service. Click here to be sent all the day’s biggest stories.
Advertisement
And, finally, if you would rather listen to our expert analysis then make sure to check out our Manchester is Red podcast. Our shows are available on all podcast platforms, including Spotify and Apple Podcasts, and you can also watch along on YouTube.
Juan Manuel Marquez found it nigh impossible to tackle a top 10 list of Mexican fighters, yet naming the greatest champion his country has ever produced seemed a far more straightforward task.
The Hall of Famer is widely regarded as an all-time top 10 Mexican warrior himself, having claimed world title glory across four weight divisions.
Perhaps most notably, Marquez shared four iconic battles with Filipino icon Manny Pacquiao, ending their last encounter in 2012 with a devastating sixth-round finish.
Advertisement
Elsewhere in his career, ‘Dinamita’ made several successful title defences between feather, super-feather and lightweight, before calling time on his 64-fight campaign in 2014.
But while Marquez is certainly one of the finest fighters his nation has ever produced, a position on the all-time top 10, even for him, remains fiercely competitive.
When discussing Mexican greats, the first name that typically springs to mind is Julio Cesar Chavez, who amassed an astonishing 90-fight unbeaten run before losing to Frankie Randall in 1994.
Along with him, the likes of Ruben Olivares, Carlos Zarate and Salvador Sanchez equally deserve a mention, while many would also regard Canelo Alvarez as an all-time top 10 Mexican fighter.
Advertisement
Speaking on an episode of the ProBox TV podcast, Marquez did not give a definitive top 10 but insisted that Chavez is “unquestionably the best”.
“The history of Mexican boxing is very rich. It is difficult [to list a top 10]. [There’s] Ruben Olivares, Carlos Zarate, Lupe Pintor, Salvador Sanchez, to name a few.
“Because the history of boxing in Mexico is very rich – [Marco Antonio] Barrera, [Erik] Morales, [Julio Cesar] Chavez – I put myself last. Chavez is unquestionably the best… Ricardo Lopez, Humberto Gonzalez.”
Lopez retired with an unbeaten record of 51-0-1 (38 KOs) after becoming a two-weight world champion, while Gonzalez became a three-time world champion at light-flyweight.
Barrera and Morales, of course, are also deserving entries in the consensus top 10, though it is a debate that will rage on for years to come, particularly as the country continues to produce standout talent.
Quordle Answers (March 07, 2026): Struggling to solve today’s Quordle? No worries. We have today’s Quordle hints and answers for you to solve it on your own!
If you’re a fan of word puzzles, you probably already know that Quordle is a more challenging version of Wordle. Instead of guessing just one word, Quordle requires you to guess four five-letter words simultaneously within nine attempts.
We’ll offer a few hints to nudge you in the right direction for solving today’s Quordle (March 07, 2026) on your own. If you’re still struggling, we’ll reveal the Quordle answers as well.
Oh, and yes, we also have today’s answers for Quordle Chill and Quordle Extreme modes. And if you still want more, we have the answers for Quordle Sequence and the Quordle Weekly Challenge.
Advertisement
Ready to tackle today’s Quordle? Let’s dive in!
WARNING: Spoilers ahead! Only read on if you want to know today’s Quordle answers.
Let’s start with the Daily Quordle. Here are a few hints to help you solve the puzzles:
Daily Quordle Hint 1: How many vowels are in each word?
The first word (top-left) has 2 vowels.
The second word (top-right) has 3 vowels.
The third word (bottom-left) has 2 vowels.
The fourth word (bottom-right) has 3 vowels.
Daily Quordle Hint 2: How many double letters are there in today’s words?
The first word (top-left) has no repeated letters
The second word (top-right) has no repeated letters
The third word (bottom-left) has no repeated letters
The fourth word (bottom-right) has 1 letter repeated twice
Daily Quordle Hint 3: What is the starting letter for each word?
The first word (top-left) starts with “A”.
The second word (top-right) starts with “H”.
The third word (bottom-left) starts with “P”.
The fourth word (bottom-right) starts with “A”.
If you still need help with today’s Quordle Answer, you can try our Wordle Solver. Although it was built for Wordle, it can still help you narrow down the possible answers for Quordle as well.
Today’s Daily Quordle Answers
Spoiler alert: The Daily Quordle answers for today are provided below.
Advertisement
Are you ready?
Today’s Quordle answers for Saturday, March 07, 2026, are:
If you managed to crack all four, great job! If not, don’t sweat it—there’s always another chance with tomorrow’s puzzles. If you can’t wait till tomorrow, the Quordle game has many modes that you can try today. And yes, we have the answers and hints to help you out here as well.
Today’s Daily Chill Quordle Hints
The Daily: Chill mode gives you 12 tries to get the 4 words. Here are some Quordle hints to help you get started.
Advertisement
Quordle Chill Hint 1: How many vowels are in each word?
The first word (top-left) has 2 vowels.
The second word (top-right) has 1 vowel.
The third word (bottom-left) has 2 vowels.
The fourth word (bottom-right) has 2 vowels.
Quordle Chill Hint 2: How many double letters are there in today’s words?
The first word (top-left) has 2 letters repeated twice. That surely narrows it down.
The second word (top-right) has no repeated letters
The third word (bottom-left) has no repeated letters
The fourth word (bottom-right) has no repeated letters
Quordle Chill Hint 3: What is the starting letter for each word?
The first word (top-left) starts with “T”.
The second word (top-right) starts with “F”.
The third word (bottom-left) starts with “B”.
The fourth word (bottom-right) starts with “A”.
Those are today’s Quordle hints for the Daily: Chill mode.
Today’s Daily Chill Quordle Answers
If you haven’t solved it yet, we have the Quordle answers for the Chill mode right here.
Today’s Quordle answers for the Daily Chill mode for Saturday, March 07, 2026, are:
Let’s look at the Quordle hints and answers for the Daily Extreme mode next.
Advertisement
Today’s Daily Extreme Quordle Hints
Let’s look at the Quordle hints for the Extreme mode. Please note that you only have 8 tries!
Quordle Extreme Hint 1: How many vowels are in each word?
The first word (top-left) has 1 vowel.
The second word (top-right) has 1 vowel.
The third word (bottom-left) has 1 vowel.
The fourth word (bottom-right) has 2 vowels.
Quordle Extreme Hint 2: How many double letters are there in today’s words?
The first word (top-left) has 1 letter repeated twice
The second word (top-right) has no repeated letters
The third word (bottom-left) has no repeated letters
The fourth word (bottom-right) has no repeated letters
Quordle Extreme Hint 3: What is the starting letter for each word?
The first word (top-left) starts with “T”.
The second word (top-right) starts with “F”.
The third word (bottom-left) starts with “C”.
The fourth word (bottom-right) starts with “W”.
If you’re still working on it, the Quordle answers for the Extreme mode are the next thing you’ll see.
Today’s Daily Extreme Quordle Answers
If you didn’t get a single answer, I hope you have four turns remaining. You will need them to enter the Quordle Extreme answers that are shared below.
Today’s Quordle answers for the Daily Extreme mode for Saturday, March 07, 2026, are:
Advertisement
Let’s try to solve the next Quordle challenge that updates daily – the Quordle Sequence.
Today’s Quordle Sequence Hints
You’ve got 10 chances to solve Sequence, but be strategic and don’t waste them all on your first guess. Check out these hints to help you:
Quordle Sequence Hint 1: How many vowels are in each word?
The first word (top-left) has 2 vowels.
The second word (top-right) has 1 vowel.
The third word (bottom-left) has 2 vowels.
The fourth word (bottom-right) has 2 vowels.
Quordle Sequence Hint 2: How many double letters are there in today’s words?
The first word (top-left) has no repeated letters
The second word (top-right) has 1 letter repeated twice
The third word (bottom-left) has 2 letters repeated twice. That surely narrows it down.
The fourth word (bottom-right) has 1 letter repeated twice
Quordle Sequence Hint 3: What is the starting letter for each word?
The first word (top-left) starts with “Y”.
The second word (top-right) starts with “S”.
The third word (bottom-left) starts with “M”.
The fourth word (bottom-right) starts with “S”.
One tip to solving Quordle Sequence is to use 3 words with completely different letters. This will create a base when you try to solve the next word.
Today’s Quordle Sequence Answers
We have today’s Quordle Sequence answers for you right below.
Advertisement
Today’s Quordle answers for Sequence for Saturday, March 07, 2026, are:
That wraps up all the daily Quordle answers. Let’s try solving the Weekly Challenge next (if you haven’t already).
Today’s Quordle Hints for the Weekly Challenge
The Quordle Weekly Challenge resets every Monday. So if you miss it today, your last chance to solve it is tomorrow.
Let’s not leave it for last minute and solve it right now!
Advertisement
Note: The Weekly challenge gets activated only if you have solved today’s answer for the Daily Quordle Classic mode. If you missed it, you can always try again tomorrow.
Let’s check out the Quordle Hints for the Weekly Challenge.
Quordle Weekly Challenge Hint 1: How many vowels are in each word?
The first word (top-left) has 1 vowel.
The second word (top-right) has 1 vowel.
The third word (bottom-left) has 1 vowel.
The fourth word (bottom-right) has 2 vowels.
Quordle Weekly Challenge Hint 2: How many double letters are there in today’s words?
The first word (top-left) has no repeated letters
The second word (top-right) has 1 letter repeated twice
The third word (bottom-left) has 1 letter repeated twice
The fourth word (bottom-right) has no repeated letters
Quordle Weekly Challenge Hint 3: What is the starting letter for each word?
The first word (top-left) starts with “S”.
The second word (top-right) starts with “M”.
The third word (bottom-left) starts with “A”.
The fourth word (bottom-right) starts with “D”.
That’s the Quordle hints for the Weekly Challenge. If you are still stuck, let’s check out the Quordle answers.
Today’s Answers for the Quordle Weekly Challenge
Today’s Quordle Weekly Challenge Answers for the week of March 2nd to March 8th, are:
Advertisement
And that’s a wrap! That’s all the Quordle answers for the day.
Previous Quordle Answers
Looking for the answers to the previous Quordle puzzles? Here is a list of answers for Quordle’s Daily: Classic mode for the last 7 days:
If your thirst for word games hasn’t been quenched yet, may I suggest Blossom? It’s available on Merriam-Webster — the same place you’re playing Quordle. If you need help in this game, you can use our Spelling Bee Solver tool. Yes, we made it for a different game but it works for Blossom.
Man City are in FA Cup action on Saturday as they take on Newcastle United at St James’ Park
Manchester City have a break from the drama of the Premier League title race this week as they look to make it into the quarter-final of the FA Cup.
Pep Guardiola‘s side face a tough trip to St James’ Park to take on Newcastle in the third round in Saturday’s late kick-off. City will be looking to use the game to bounce back from the disappointment of the 2-2 draw with Nottingham Forest in their last outing.
Advertisement
Goals from Antoine Semenyo and Rodri had given them the lead twice in the game, but City found themselves pegged back on both occasions. The result, along with Arsenal’s win, saw the gap to the top of the Premier League table grow by another two points.
For City, eyes will now turn to cup competitions, with the FA Cup clash against the Magpies, followed by the first leg of their Champions League round of 16 clash against Real Madrid. Guardiola’s side travel to Spain for Wednesday night’s game.
The 20-year-old suffered an ankle injury in the win over Leeds, forcing him to miss the mid-week clash against Nottingham Forest.
What Guardiola has said: “He feels better, we will see today.”
Possible return date: Vs Newcastle (A), Sat 7 Mar (8pm) – FA Cup.
Advertisement
Max Alleyene
Injury: Knock
The defender picked up an injury in the fourth round FA Cup clash against Salford City, causing him to miss the last three Premier League matches.
Possible return date: Unknown.
Mateo Kovacic
Injury: Ankle
Advertisement
The midfielder has been missing since November due to an ankle injury.
What Guardiola has said: “We think Mateo will be ready for the World Cup, probably even earlier. It’s a complex injury and treatment; things are monitored daily. Recovery is going well.” (12 Feb)
Possible return date: May.
Josko Gvardiol
Injury: Shin
The defender has been out since January with a fractured leg suffered in the Premier League clash against Chelsea.
What’s been said: In a post to social media, he wrote: “This is a hard moment, but it will never define me. I know who I am and where I come from.
“I’ll fight every day to return stronger. I will rise again, better than ever.”
Advertisement
Possible return date: Unknown
Content cannot be displayed without consent
President Donald Trump hosted a college sports roundtable Friday to examine solutions to key challenges, including NCAA authority; name, image and likeness (NIL) issues; collective bargaining; and governance concerns.
Athletic officials in attendance included NCAA President Charlie Baker, former Alabama head football coach Nick Saban, OutKick founder Clay Travis, New York Yankees President Randy Levine and each of the Power Four commissioners, among others.
“This is the future, I think, beyond college sports. This is the future of colleges,” Trump said to kick off the roundtable. “The amount of money being spent and lost by otherwise very successful schools is astounding just in a short period of time. It’s only going to get worse. We have to save college sports, and, I believe, colleges.
President Donald Trump speaks during a roundtable discussion on college sports in the East Room of the White House in Washington, District of Columbia, on March 6, 2026.(Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP Photo)
“Crazy things are happening. … We have a seven-year freshman. We’re seeing things we’ve never seen before. College players not wanting to go pro because they make more money in college,” he added.
Trump said there has been an “inability to set rules,” noting that different states have different NIL laws, prompting another challenge for college sports.
“If Congress doesn’t take action fast, it could destroy college sports,” Trump said.
Advertisement
Trump ripped “one judge who knew nothing about sports, knew nothing about football, knew nothing about Olympics, knew nothing about anything, just decided everything was unconstitutional.”
He was likely referring to Judge Claudia Wilken, who ruled in 2019 that the NCAA’s limits on education-related benefits violated antitrust law.
“It’s crazy. Only Congress can deliver a permanent fix,” Trump said.
Trump noted he was not aiming to revert to athletes not being paid.
Advertisement
“Although, not the worst idea,” he admitted. “But I think a lot of people would overrule me on that.”
Later on, Trump said he wanted to “just go back to what you had, let some judge tell you can’t do it, you appeal, and you win at some point. Because what you had — what a great system. Everybody was happy.”
Saban said helping athletes become more successful on a personal level has become “impossible” in today’s era.
“People, instead of making decisions about creating value for their future, they were making decisions about how much money could they make at whichever school they can go to or transfer to,” Saban said.
Advertisement
“I think we need to come up with a system, and, obviously, we have to do it with the president’s leadership and also with Congress probably … to allow student-athletes in all sports to enhance their quality of life while going to college but still provide opportunity to advance themselves beyond their athletic career, which is what the philosophy of college athletes and getting a college education has always been about.”
Former Alabama head coach Nick Saban is seen before a roundtable discussion about college sports in the East Room of the White House in Washington, District of Columbia, on March 6, 2026.(Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP Photo)
Trump has been adamant about “saving college sports,” even signing an executive order setting new restrictions on payments to college athletes in July.
The president’s order prohibits athletes from receiving pay-to-play payments from third-party sources. However, the order did not impose any restrictions on NIL payments to college athletes by third-party sources. It also demands that schools account for preserving resources for the non-revenue sports.
The SCORE Act was at the forefront of the roundtable. It was scheduled to be voted on in December but the vote was canceled shortly before. The White House endorsed the act, but three Republicans — Byron Donalds of Florida, Scott Perry of Pennsylvania and Chip Roy of Texas — voted with Democrats not to bring the act to the floor. Democrats have largely opposed the bill, urging members of the House to vote against it.
Advertisement
The SCORE Act would give the NCAA a limited antitrust exemption in hopes of protecting the NCAA from potential lawsuits over eligibility rules and would prohibit athletes from becoming employees of their schools. It prohibits schools from using student fees to fund NIL payments.
President Donald Trump greets House Speaker Mike Johnson, left, as he arrives at a roundtable discussion on college sports in the East Room of the White House in Washington, District of Columbia, on March 6, 2026.(Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP Photo)
Rep. Lori Trahan, D-Mass., said the act “hurts” women’s sports, and strengthening Title IX “has to be part of the SCORE Act.” She also said the SCORE Act “represented a consolidation of what we have today, which is the SEC and the Big Ten” getting a boatload of the money college athletics garners.
Trahan did concur that “maybe the SCORE Act is the right vehicle we continue to tweak,” showing some confidence in it and expressing her desire to work with those at the roundtable to make it successful. U.S. Rep. Steve Scalise, R-La., said that women’s sports would be “protected,” while Jim Phillips, the ACC commissioner, said 56% of the ACC’s athletic scholarships have gone to women since the House case.
Tim Pernetti, commissioner of the American Conference, said the SCORE Act doesn’t fix college athletics’ “economic crisis.” Meyer admitted he did not like how collectives were still included in the SCORE Act, calling it “cheating.”
Advertisement
“I think if the collective goes away, college sports gets better immediately,” Meyer said.
After deliberations, Trump said he’d write an executive order “based on great common sense.”
“It’s gonna let colleges survive and players survive and let a lot of people be very, very happy,” Trump said.
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a roundtable discussion on college sports in the East Room of the White House on March 6, 2026, in Washington, D.C. The Trump administration held the roundtable titled “Saving College Sports” with leaders from the Power Four conferences, media executives and former coaches.(Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
A month before Trump’s order, Wilken approved a settlement between the NCAA, its most powerful conferences and lawyers representing all Division I athletes. The deal means the NCAA will pay close to $2.8 billion in back damages over the next 10 years to college athletes who competed from 2016 to 2025. The settlement also allows for college programs to pay athletes directly.
Fox News’ Jackson Thompson contributed to this report.
