Real Madrid have launched an investigation after a supporter allegedly performed a Nazi salute before the club’s Champions League win against Benfica on Wednesday.

Prior to the kick-off at the Bernabeu, a fan appeared to make the fascist gesture as the television cameras panned around the 83,000-seater stadium.

The fan was identified by security staff moments later and ejected from the ground.

Real beat Portuguese side Benfica 2-1 in the second leg of their knockout round play-off tie to progress 3-1 on aggregate to the last 16 of the Champions League.

In a statement, the Spanish club said they have asked its disciplinary committee “to initiate an immediate expulsion procedure” for the fan.

“Real Madrid condemns this type of gesture and expression that incites violence and hatred in sports and society,” it added.

With Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison employed together, the Minnesota Vikings have one of the best wide receiver tandems in the league. Breaking that up is a tough pill to swallow, but now may be the best time to do so.

The Vikings landed Addison with the 23rd overall pick back in 2023. He continues to develop on the field, and had he not been playing behind Justin Jefferson, he would be among the prolific number one wide receivers across the NFL. However, his contributions off the field remain problematic, and his future desire for a payday doesn’t diminish them.

Addison’s Value Curve Could Peak

On May 1, the Vikings have to decide (and will) pick up his fifth-year option. That means Addison will be paid more than $17 million in 2027. That creates an expensive wide receiver room for a team that once set the new ceiling when extending Jefferson. Beyond that, though, is the uncertainty as to what an exorbitant amount of money does to a young player who has yet to show maturity.

Addison has been ticketed, drunk, and kicked out of a casino all in a very public fashion. At some point, it should be assumed he’ll get his act together, but holding those cards isn’t exactly an enviable position to be in.

Last season, Addison generated just 610 receiving yards with the Minnesota Vikings quarterback situation being a mess. He still scored three times, but it was a significant dropoff from the two seasons prior. Putting virtually anyone else under center will certainly elevate his value, but right now, Minnesota can easily explain the slip.

The Vikings need to improve their roster across multiple positions and get younger. Addison isn’t a drain, but dealing with him may be the most substantial way to open an avenue for roster-wide growth. Acquiring multiple legitimate picks would allow Kevin O’Connell and Rob Brzezinski to add additional talent.

If the Vikings know they aren’t going to pay Addison beyond his fifth year, or if they incline toward the idea that trading him next season might make sense, then jump-starting the process now will net them more. He remains cost-effective, and a change of the guard could prove valuable for the offense.

It’s not the likely outcome, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t the right one.

Ted Schwerzler is a Minneapolis based blogger that covers the Minnesota Twins and Vikings. Sharing thoughts constantly on Twitter, … More about Ted Schwerzler

A total of 42 former players from the West are scheduled to participate in the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine, with Oregon accounting for nine of them (fifth-most nationally).

In the searchable, sortable table below, we focus on the most popular drills, the 40-yard dash, bench press, and vertical jump for each invitee from the region.

You can view historical results for the 40-yard dash, vertical jump, and bench press at these links.

The event takes place from February 26 to March 1 this year, with drills beginning on Thursday and running through Sunday.

The week-long showcase takes place every year in late February/Early March at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.

In it, the year’s best draft-eligible college football players perform physical and mental tests for the benefit of National Football League coaches, general managers, and scouts.

With increasing interest in the NFL Draft, the scouting combine has grown in scope and significance, allowing personnel directors to evaluate upcoming prospects in a standardized setting.

Athletes attend by invitation only, and their performances during the combine can affect their draft status and initial salary.

The draft has popularized the term “workout warrior,” whereby an average or subpar athlete’s “draft stock” is increased based on superior measurable qualities such as size, speed, and strength.

In addition to the 40-yard dash, bench press, and vertical jump, the tests also include a broad jump, 20-yard shuttle, 3-cone drill, 60-yard shuttle, and position-specific drills.

Before the drills, players go through interviews, physical measurements, injury evaluations, drug screening, and the Cybex test. (The wonderlic test has been discontinued.)

Here’s this years schedule of drills by group:

Thursday, Feb. 26, Noon-5 p.m. PT — DL, LBs
Friday, Feb. 27, Noon-5 p.m. PT) — DBs, TEs
Saturday, Feb. 28 (10 a.m.-5 p.m. PT — QBs, WRs, RBs
Sunday, March 1 (10 a.m.-2 p.m. PT — OL

Conor Benn has been accused of forgoing any world title aspirations following his shock move from Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing to Dana White’s Zuffa promotion.

It was announced this weekend that ‘The Destroyer’ has ended his working relationship with Matchroom who, until now, had promoted him since his professional debut in 2016.

Not only that, but Hearn had always been a strong ally to Benn, even after he twice tested positive for clomifene ahead of his cancelled encounter with Chris Eubank Jr in 2022.

As a result of that debacle, Benn had two outings in America – against Rodolfo Orozco and Peter Dobson in 2023 and 2024, respectively – before facing Eubank last year.

Their first middleweight encounter saw him suffer a unanimous decision defeat in April, prior to his comprehensive triumph over the weight-restricted Eubank in November.

All the while, Hearn had opted to back his man against a barrage of criticism and abuse, which makes Benn’s move to Zuffa Boxing that much more surprising.

While it is just a one-fight deal with White’s promotional outfit, many have also questioned whether Benn’s desire to win a world title can be fulfilled, given that Zuffa is attempting to marginalise sanctioning body belts.

Someone who has already made up his mind in that regard, it seems, is IBF world super-welterweight champion Josh Kelly, who shared his reaction to Benn’s promotional shift on X.

“Looks like I’ve retired Conor Nigel from the real boxing circle. Off to the circus son, let the real boxers battle it out.”

Benn has repeatedly expressed his desire to claim the WBC welterweight strap, currently held by Ryan Garcia, after he defeated Mario Garcia in dominant fashion on Saturday night.

New Zealand’s leading try-scorer Portia Woodman-Wickliffe has announced her retirement from international rugby for a second time.

The 34-year-old winger helped the Black Ferns win the Women’s World Cup in 2017 and 2022, and initially retired after claiming a second rugby sevens gold at the 2024 Olympics.

She returned for last year’s World Cup in England, but her bid for a third-straight title was halted in the semi-finals by Canada – before New Zealand beat France to finish third.

Woodman-Wickliffe was already the record try-scorer in World Cup history and stretched her tally to 22 with two tries in England.

Her score in the pool win over Japan was her 50th international try and meant she surpassed Doug Howlett to become New Zealand’s outright record try-scorer.

The two-time World Rugby women’s player of the year will retire from both international sevens and XVs rugby.

“I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to represent my country, my [people], one last time on the World Cup stage, a moment I will cherish forever,” she said in a message on social media, external.

“As I step into this next chapter of my life, I feel both excited and a little nervous, but I’m ready.”

One of Todd Monken’s main priorities as the new head coach of the Cleveland Browns is figuring out who will be his starting quarterback for Week 1. 

Monken has three options to look at this season — Deshaun Watson, who wasn’t available all last season due to injury; Dillon Gabriel, the team’s third-round pick in 2025; and Shedeur Sanders, the Browns’ starter at the end of last season. 

Monken hopes one of these quarterbacks can set themselves apart over time. But all eyes will be on Sanders, who started the final seven games of the 2025 season for the Browns, to emerge as the starter for Monken. 

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Todd Monken talks with the media after being introduced as head coach of the Cleveland Browns during a press conference at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus Feb. 3, 2026, in Berea, Ohio. (Nick Cammett/Getty Images)

During the NFL Scouting Combine this week, Monken was asked about his quarterbacks, specifically whether he sees Sanders as the team’s starter. 

“I think what you see is elite playmaking ability,” Monken said, according to the New York Post. “That’s in him. You’ve seen it, we’ve seen it. You saw it in college. You saw it on tape last year. Sure, there’s a ways to go, but what rookie isn’t? What first-year player doesn’t have a long way to go? I’m excited to get started with him and all of our quarterbacks and all of our players.”

Sanders went 3-4 over those seven starts, while Gabriel was 1-5 after taking over for Joe Flacco, who was traded to the division rival Cincinnati Bengals after an injury to starter Joe Burrow. 

It’s worth noting the Baltimore Ravens, with Monken as offensive coordinator under former head coach John Harbaugh, wanted to draft Sanders to back up Lamar Jackson, the team’s two-time MVP quarterback. However, Sanders made it known he wished to go somewhere in the draft where he had a chance of being the team’s starter. 

Todd Monken speaks to the media after being introduced as head coach of the Cleveland Browns during a press conference at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus Feb. 3, 2026, in Berea, Ohio. (Nick Cammett/Getty Images)

Sanders was never going to jump Jackson on the depth chart in 2025 and beyond, so the Browns eventually took him in the fifth round after a shocking fall down the draft board last April. 

Watson is in the final year of what has been a disastrous $250 million, fully guaranteed contract for the former Houston Texans ace signal-caller. While playing in three Pro Bowls during his time in Houston, Watson has played just 17 games during his time in Cleveland, which included suspensions on top of his injuries. 

Yet, Monken believes a player who has shown elite talent on the field, no matter when it was, deserves a shot. 

“I think you are always going to give them the benefit of the doubt that somehow we might be able to get that out of them again,” Monken explained. “I think that’s how you should look at every player. I’m going to let it play out.”

Shedeur Sanders of the Cleveland Browns stands for the national anthem before a preseason game against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium Aug. 8, 2025, in Charlotte, N.C. (Logan Bowles/Getty Images)

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In his 17 games with the Browns, Watson is 9-10, which includes a 1-6 mark in 2024 before an Achilles injury ended his season. 

Sanders threw for 1,400 yards, seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions in his seven starts for Cleveland last season. He was eventually named a Pro Bowl replacement.

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Sri Lanka cricket team (AP Photo)

NEW DELHI: Former captain Kumar Sangakkara did not hide his anguish after Sri Lanka crashed out of the T20 World Cup, admitting there was “a lot of hurt all round” and warning that the nation risks falling behind if urgent changes are not made. Sri Lanka’s campaign ended in heartbreaking fashion with a heavy 61-run defeat to New Zealand in Colombo, leaving fans stunned and the cricket fraternity searching for answers.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Taking to social media after the elimination, Sangakkara captured the emotional devastation gripping the country and the dressing room.

“There is a lot of hurt all round. The fans are devastated, disappointed, and angry. The players are hurting badly too. I have been in similar dressing rooms. It’s not easy,” he wrote. He reminded players of the responsibility that comes with national duty, adding, “This responsibility comes with the turf. It’s a burden and a great privilege to represent your country and your people.”Sri Lanka’s exit was particularly painful as it came at home, where hopes were high of a deep run. After reducing New Zealand to 84/6, the hosts lost control as Mitchell Santner and Cole McConchie revived the innings before their batting collapsed under pressure during the chase. The defeat sealed consecutive Super Eight losses and ended their semifinal hopes.However, Sangakkara stressed that the problems run deeper than one defeat. In a strongly worded warning, he said Sri Lanka must evolve with the changing demands of modern cricket. “There is a lot of work to be done at all levels to course correct. We can’t do the same things over and over and expect different results when the cricket world around us has evolved so quickly,” he wrote.His most striking line reflected his biggest fear for the future. “We haven’t adapted, and the danger is irrelevance.”

Caoimhin Kelleher, Brentford, keeper, £4.7m – Burnley (a)

Brentford‘s defence is worth investing in as they enter a very nice run of games, including Wolves and Everton at home.

And Burnley have scored less than a goal per game at home.

Virgil van Dijk, Liverpool, £6m – West Ham (h)

The Dutchman has 28 points in his past two games, much to the dismay of any FPL managers who sold him for Gabriel before Arsenal‘s double gameweek.

Like Brentford, Liverpool also have a great run of fixtures and a match in blank gameweek 31 so, even if you have missed his recent points, a move for Van Dijk still makes sense.

James Hill, Bournemouth, £4.1m – Sunderland (h)

Also making the team this week is “budget Van Dijk” Hill, who had his fifth straight return last week.

He has good-looking fixtures, he usually gets defensive contribution points, and is about as cheap as they come. Sign him up.

Plus, Sunderland have scored only six goals away from home this season.

Diogo Dalot, Manchester United, £4.5m – Crystal Palace (h)

Dalot is worth watching because he has carried the kind of threat in his past few games that is not showing up in the underlying data.

Dalot had a 12-pointer three games ago and is finding himself in some fantastic attacking positions at times without producing the final pass.

In five games he has created five chances and two big chances.

He has the United right-back position locked down, so offers security and upside at a value price.

Nico O’Reilly, Manchester City, £5m – Leeds (a)

Since Pep Guardiola switched Nico O’Reilly into midfield four games ago, only Haaland and Antoine Semenyo have had more shots and big chances for City.

And it all came to a head with his two-goal performance against Newcastle last week.

He does not really collect defensive contribution points in this role, like you might expect, but £5m for an OOP (out-of-position) defender with a goal threat is great value.

Just keep an eye on City’s gameweek 31, which is currently a blank, and make sure you have a plan.

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