Oct 5, 2025; Tottenham, United Kingdom; Minnesota Vikings former linebacker Ben Leber watches during an NFL International Series game against the Cleveland Browns at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images.
The Minnesota Vikings re-upped with quarterback Carson Wentz on Thursday, and according to one of the team’s former linebackers, Ben Leber, a beloved member of the Vikings community, Wentz is in line to start as the QB1 in 2026 — not Kyler Murray.
Leber’s depth-chart idea turns a quiet signing into a real debate.
Most onlookers expect Wentz to end up with the QB3 job, not the QB1 title.
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Leber’s QB Take Puts Carson Wentz Front and Center
Leber brings the heat on VikingsTwitter.
Minnesota Vikings linebacker Ben Leber (51) celebrates with intensity during the fourth quarter on Oct 17, 2010, at the Metrodome in Minneapolis, Minnesota, reacting to a key moment as the Vikings close out a narrow 24-21 victory over the Dallas Cowboys in front of a charged home crowd. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports.
Leber: Wentz is the Vikings’ QB1
Minnesota added Wentz, and most fans didn’t bat an eye, as the veteran did a serviceable job holding down the fort during J.J. McCarthy’s absence (high ankle sprain) last September and October. And Wentz played so well — evidently — that Leber envisions a starter’s job in 2026.
He tweeted after the Wentz addition, “I believe there will be a true QB competition. So as of right now I would guess the depth chart would be: Wentz, Murray, McCarthy. May the best man win.”
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Here’s the full tweet:
I believe there will be a true QB competition. So as of right now I would guess the depth chart would be: Wentz Murray McCarthy
Most Twitter (X) users read Leber’s comments a few times to confirm Leber’s account was real and not a parody. That happens.
But it was not parody, and Leber meant what he tweeted. Wentz met with the New York Jets one week ago to explore a relationship with Aaron Glenn’s team, where he could possibly start or serve as the QB2 behind the newly acquired Geno Smith. In the end, Wentz and the Jets did not reach an agreement, and Wentz came back to Minnesota.
Wentz must believe he can win the QB2 job over McCarthy. Or — if Leber is correct, against all odds, fans might be watching a Murray v. Wentz battle at training camp in Eagan.
SI.com‘s Jonathan Harrison on Leber’s bold take: “That would be shocking for numerous reasons. First off, with other options still available to him, Murray decided to sign with the Vikings after his release from Arizona. Presumably, that would mean he was told by the Vikings’ coaching staff he would be the starter or have a good shot at winning the ‘competition.’ There is no definitive answer, and there likely won’t be one until we see the snap distributions at training camp.”
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“When pressed at a press conference following the Murray signing, O’Connell said he doesn’t have to name a starter now. Minnesota is a team that views itself as a contender. If it’s true that Wentz would have kept the job had he stayed healthy, his return likely signals that McCarthy really isn’t in the competition at all.”
The Wentz Numbers a Season Ago
With Wentz, Murray, and McCarthy perhaps duking it out via Battle Royale — per Leber — for the starting quarterback spot this summer, let’s take another look at how Wentz played in 2025.
The offense hummed more steadily with Wentz calling the shots. Minnesota scored over 20 points in four of the five games he started, even crushing the Cincinnati Bengals by 38 points. McCarthy, on the other hand, only hit that 20-point mark four times in ten starts, and his performance was all over the place week to week.
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Out of 40 quarterbacks with at least 200 dropbacks, Wentz was 25th in EPA per play, while McCarthy was way down at 37th — usually where you find rookies or guys who are still figuring things out. This difference was super clear on those long drives where you need to be patient.
Minnesota Vikings quarterback Carson Wentz (11) addresses media members during a press conference on Sep 26, 2025, at Sport Ireland Campus in Dublin, Ireland, speaking ahead of an international matchup as the team prepares for its overseas appearance and engages with local and traveling reporters. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images.
Why the difference? It mostly comes down to style. Wentz liked to make quick decisions and throw short passes, which kept the offense moving and reduced mistakes, even though the offensive line wasn’t always reliable. Plus, the run game didn’t help much, since Aaron Jones only played in one of those five games. McCarthy, though, preferred to throw the ball deep and take some risks, which led to some big plays but wasn’t as consistent.
Wentz completed 65.1% of his passes for 1,216 yards, with six touchdowns and five interceptions. McCarthy had more of those exciting, long plays, but his execution wasn’t as steady from drive to drive. Generally speaking, Wentz ran a smoother offensive operation, even if his performance was mediocre.
McCarthy on Notice?
Let’s be frank: McCarthy has experienced an absolutely dreadful offseason. The offseason from hell, in fact.
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The guy who drafted him, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, got fired on January 30th. If the Vikings owners ever needed something to scapegoat the McCarthy draft pick, well, they already have it by canning the man who nominated McCarthy as the franchise quarterback.
The Vikings signed Murray, who has a better resume than McCarthy per efficiency by leaps and bounds. When Minnesota signed Murray one week ago, McCarthy was demoted with the snap of two fingers. Not good news for the guy lined up as the franchise quarterback in 2024.
One week later, Minnesota signed competition in Wentz for McCarthy’s QB2 job. It’s like a nightmare for a young passer in the middle of his development.
Minnesota Vikings quarterback Carson Wentz goes through pregame warmups on Oct 19, 2025, at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota, preparing for a matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles while working through throws and timing drills as part of his routine before kickoff. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-Imagn Images.
McCarthy strutted into the summer of 2025 with the QB1 logo on his chest. Now, he must fight to avoid a QB3 fate.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) shared the training schedule with all the Pakistan Super League (PSL) teams despite the ongoing tensions in the region. Although the Pakistan-Afghanistan conflict has escalated massively in the past few days, a report in The Express Tribune stated that no foreign player, including the Australians, has informed their franchises about their unavailability. The opening match of PSL 2026 is scheduled to take place between defending champions Lahore Qalandars and Hyderabad Kingsmen at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. The report claimed that PCB officials have made it clear that the event will take place on time and the team practice sessions will take place on March 24 and 25.
In the past, the PCB has considered United Arab Emirates (UAE) as aa backup venue but according to the report, the PCB has not considered shifting the matches to another country. The players will reportedly be provided security equivalent to that of a head of state and the final of the competition is scheduled to take place on May 3.
Meanwhile, the participation of Bangladesh cricket team players in the upcoming Pakistan Super League (PSL) faced a major roadblock in light of the ongoing regional tensions.
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Six players, Mustafizur Rahman, Parvez Hossain Emon (Lahore Qalandars), Shoriful Islam, Nahid Rana, Tanzid Hasan Tamim (Peshawar Zalmi), and Rishad Hossain (Peshawar Zalmi), were granted No Objection Certificates (NOC) by the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) after they were picked in the auction. However, the board has now decided to seek government approval before allowing the players to travel, according to Cricbuzz.
“Of course, we will seek permission from the government before sending our cricketers for the PSL. Under normal circumstances, these things are not required. We provide clearance, they go, play, and return. But since the situation is not normal and there is a risk element concerning the players, obviously we will discuss it with the government,” BCB cricket operations chairman Nazmul Abedin told Cricbuzz.
“We will seek to know from the government whether it will be safe to travel or not, and based on that government decision, we will have to take the ultimate call on whether the players will go or not,” he said.
“Because it is not actually possible for us to understand the situation there. It is possible for the government to know. The government will know, and if the government tells us that it is safe to go and the players can travel, then the players will go. But, in principle, we have decided that we will give the NOC and they will go to play. But it depends on the situation at that time,” Nazmul added.
Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan has raised concerns over Chennai Super Kings’ (CSK) death bowling options for IPL 2026, which begins on March 28. In a major development on Thursday, March 19, Sportstar reported that Nathan Ellis will miss the upcoming season due to a hamstring injury.
Speaking on his YouTube channel on Friday, March 20, Pathan questioned who would handle the death overs for the franchise. He noted that Anshul Kamboj is an option, having made his Test debut last year. However, Pathan pointed out that while Kamboj can bowl yorkers, the team needs a more reliable option in such situations. He also mentioned that Matheesha Pathirana, who used to perform this role for CSK, was released after the 2025 season. He said:
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“You have Anshul Kambhoj as an option, but he is still a bit new. He has played international Test cricket, and he has faced some criticism, but we have seen that he has good seam and can bowl very well with the new ball. He can also bowl yorkers. But under pressure, you need a solid bowler. Pathirana used to perform this role for many years, but when he went to the auction, due to injuries and inconsistent performance, you let him go. Now Chennai no longer has him. So who will fill that role? This is a very big question.”
The 41-year-old further pointed out that while Khaleel Ahmed is an excellent new-ball bowler, if he delivers three overs upfront and one at the death, it still leaves a gap. He questioned who would handle the remaining overs, noting that no clear specialist for the death overs comes to mind. He said:
“But when we look at the bowling, when you talk about a proper death bowler, that name doesn’t really come to mind. You have Khaleel Ahmed, a top-quality new-ball bowler. He performed very well last year, and you want to get three overs out of him there. But if he bowls one over, then who will bowl the remaining overs at the end?”
CSK will begin their campaign on March 30 when they face Rajasthan Royals (RR) in Guwahati.
“Nathan Ellis’s absence will be a big concern” – Irfan Pathan on Australia star missing IPL 2026 for CSK
In the same video, Irfan Pathan noted that Nathan Ellis’s absence will be a concern for CSK, as the right-arm seamer was a key option in the death overs, and without him, the bowling unit appears weaker. He said:
“Nathan Ellis’s absence will be a big concern because he was the kind of bowler I was watching who could comfortably bowl four overs, especially in the final parts when he would bowl during the death overs. Now, looking at their bowling unit, it seems there is a bit of weakness.”
Ellis has played 17 IPL matches, picking up 19 wickets at an average of 28.73, with a strike rate of 19.8 and an economy of 8.66, including best figures of 4/30.
Ademola Lookman has shared his excitement ahead of a big UEFA Champions League quarter-final clash between Atlético Madrid and Barcelona.
It was a tough night for Atlético, who lost 3-2 to Tottenham Hotspur in London, but still did enough over the two legs to move into the next round. The Spanish side showed strong character to stay in the tie despite the defeat.
After Randal Kolo Muani opened the scoring, Julián Álvarez equalised with a fine finish following a good pass from Lookman. The Nigerian forward continues to impress, with eight goal contributions since joining the club during the winter transfer window.
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Speaking after the match, Lookman admitted it was not an easy contest, as expected in a competition of this level. He said the team were pleased to qualify and believes there are positives to take from the performance.
He also praised the team’s calm approach after falling behind, saying they stayed focused, kept pushing, and were able to create chances which helped them remain in control of the tie.
The match was also special for Lookman, who returned to London, the city where he was born. He described it as a nice feeling but stressed that reaching the next round was the most important thing.
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Attention now turns to a big quarter-final meeting with Barcelona. Lookman expects a difficult game and said the team must prepare well. He added that the focus remains on taking matches one at a time as they continue their campaign.
The winner of the tie between Atlético Madrid and Barcelona will face either Arsenal or Sporting CP in the semi-finals.
“The size, layout, and positioning of the banner in the stadium shall be submitted by the Israel Football Association to Fifa at the latest 15 days before each match for approval,” said Fifa in a statement.
It has also ordered the IFA to “invest one third of the fine … towards the implementation of a comprehensive plan to ensure action against discrimination and to prevent repeated incidents”.
Fifa added “the decision remains subject to a potential appeal” by the IFA.
The PFA also accused the IFA of “allowing inclusion of football teams located on the territory of another association (Palestine) in its national league”.
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On this, Fifa said it “should take no action given that … the final legal status of the West Bank remains an unresolved and highly complex matter under public international law”.
Meanwhile, the Palestine FA said its national team’s friendly matches against Mauritania and Benin in Morocco later this month have been cancelled because of the conflict in the Middle East.
Jake Guentzel, Darren Raddysh, Yanni Gourde and Brandon Hagel also scored for the Lightning (42-21-4).
Andrei Vasilevskiy, who picked up his league-leading 32nd win of the year, made 19 saves for Tampa Bay.
Liam Ohgren and Linus Karlsson replied for Vancouver (21-39-8).
Kevin Lankinen made 24 saves for the last-place Canucks.
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The Lightning were 0-for-1 on the power play, while the Canucks went 0-for-2.
Guentzel opened the scoring late in the first period to become the third Lightning player to reach 30 goals this season, after Kucherov and Hagel.
After establishing position at the net front, Guentzel tipped a shot from the top of the zone by Charle-Edouard D’Astous over the glove of a screened Lankinen.
Less than a minute into the second, Raddysh made it 2-0 with a big one-timer. Gourde then added his ninth of the year, tipping in another Raddysh shot from the side of the net at 4:16. Kucherov then deflected the puck off the leg of Canucks defenceman and into the net for his 38th of the year at 5:31.
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Ohgren spoiled Vasilevskiy’s shutout bid with 7:54 remaining in the second, putting a low shot past the Tampa goalie for his seventh goal of the year.
In the third, Karlsson batted the puck over an outstretched Valisevskiy for his 13th of the year. Twenty-two seconds later, Cirelli restored the Lightning’s three-goal edge, then Hagel rounded out the scoring with his 32nd, with 9:25 remaining.
Canucks: Vancouver allowed six goals or more for the ninth time this season. With assists on both Canucks goals, Rossi extended his point streak to four games (nine points). Aatu Raty played in his 100th career NHL game.
Lightning: Won 6-2 for the second-straight game on their current road trip. Raddysh’s 18 goals are the third-most ever in a single season by a Lightning defenceman. Tampa Bay is a perfect 8-for-8 on the penalty kill over the last four games.
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Raddysh, Gourde and Kucherov scored their goals in the span of four minutes 42 seconds, with the latter two coming on consecutive shots.
Kucherov’s three-point night moved him into sole possession of second place in the NHL scoring race. With 114 points, he’s one point behind league leader Connor McDavid (115).
Welcome to our PGA Tour gambling-tips column, featuring picks from GOLF.com’s expert prognosticator Brady Kannon. A seasoned golf bettor and commentator, Kannon is a regular guest on SportsGrid, a syndicated audio network devoted to sports and sport betting, and is a golf betting analyst for CBS Sportsline. You can follow him on X at @LasVegasGolfer, and you can read his early picks below for the Masters, which gets underway on April 9th in Augusta, Ga.
Let the madness begin! The NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament and the Masters is really a match made in heaven, isn’t it? For roughly the next 25 days, two of the biggest events in all of sport will dominate the headlines, viewership, content … the entire media landscape! And what a wonderful thing that is.
I began betting College Basketball futures back in December. The first bet I made this year “to win the Masters” was in early February. For several years now in my golf handicapping process, I have used the Hawaii events and the American Express in La Quinta, Calif., as a “pre-season” of sorts, getting a feel for the players, their form, the new faces, and assessing everything involved with the new golf year. With the Plantation Course at Kapalua being such a strong pointer toward success at Augusta National, I have often made my first Masters bets during or after that tournament, the Sentry, but of course, that event was cancelled this year due to drought-like conditions in northwest Maui.
There are a couple of other strong indicators on the West Coast Swing that can be predictive of Masters success. In addition to Kapalua, the connection between winners at Riviera Country Club (Genesis Invitational) and the Masters is widely known and is an extensive list. The Genesis winner this year, Jacob Bridgeman, is down to anywhere from 60 to 70-1 to slide on a green jacket on the second Sunday in April. I did not make a play on Bridgeman after that victory, nor did I back Rory McIlroy to defend his Masters title after he finished runner-up in Los Angeles. I did make some early bets, however, on a few guys that finished top 15 at Riviera. We’ll get to that shortly.
In addition to specific golf courses that can provide us with some clues, strong performance, top-10 finishes, and tournament wins are a common thread that we see on the early season resumes of most Masters winners. It is not surprising that current form is a bit of a qualification. It is not often that a player who is struggling suddenly finds their game and wins a major championship.
My first play though took place a few weeks ago during the WM Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale. Two-time winner in Phoenix, former Masters champion, and recent winner at both Riviera and Kapalua, Hideki Matsuyama was my first “to win the Masters” bet of 2026 at 39-1, which I found here in Las Vegas at Circa Sports. After seeing how the 2021 Masters champ got off to a great start in Phoenix, I pulled the trigger. I did the same thing last year after he won at Kapalua but unfortunately, he cooled off and ended up finishing 21st at the 2025 Masters four months later. Since finishing runner-up in Phoenix, Matsuyama has cooled off again but the game remains very strong. The struggles have come off the tee but the wide fairways at Augusta National can often minimize those issues. I still don’t mind a play on Matsuyama at 30-1 or better.
I made my second bet that same week on another former Kapalua and Masters champion. A player who at the time, was red-hot, and that is Patrick Reed. I was able to get ahead of the game slightly, grabbing Reed at 46-1. Reed left the LIV circuit and has been playing quite a bit on the DP World Tour. He won twice and finished runner-up once in a span of three weeks between the end of January and beginning of February. I’m seeing his price now range from roughly 25 to 35-1. I believe 35 is still a solid number. Reed just recorded another top 10 finish earlier this month at the Joburg Open in South Africa. In seven Masters appearances since winning in 2018, Reed has no missed cuts and has finished top 10 four times.
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I added two more plays in February with both players being Australians. Min Woo Lee (80-1) and Adam Scott (125-1). Scott of course, is a former Masters champion and Lee fits the mold for me as a big hitter with a fantastic short game. Lee’s lone PGA Tour victory came at Memorial Park in Houston, which can also be Augusta National-like in course set up and layout style. Both players have gotten off to excellent starts in 2026. Scott finished fourth at Riviera, a course where he’s won twice. He followed that up with an 11th-place finish at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. This year will mark the 25th time Scott has played the Masters. He’s only missed the cut one time since he won 13 years ago. I thought 125-1 was too high and lately I am seeing anywhere from 80 to 100-1 on the 45-year old.
This will be Lee’s fifth time playing the Masters. His best finish is 14th. He’s missed the cut one time and has also finished 22nd. Lee was 12th at Riviera this season, runner-up at Pebble Beach, and finished sixth at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
I currently have six plays in pocket. I may stand pat, but I am thinking if I do add anything, it will only be one more. It is very easy to accumulate Masters bets with the board being up and available for such an extended period of time but let’s remember, this is a smaller field and becoming overloaded on outrights can happen more quickly than with a typical 130-some player field. If you start to pick apart the Masters field, it feels like only 30 players or so really have a chance to win. It won’t likely be a debutant, with that not happening since 1979, and we can’t expect it to be one of the seniors or one of the amateurs. So again, six or seven futures is already a lot. We don’t want to get too carried away or it starts to impact potential profits greatly.
The final two plays I made were done earlier this month. Collin Morikawa (30-1) and Jordan Spieth (60-1). I played Morikawa when he was threatening at Bay Hill a few weeks ago, a place where he finished runner-up last season. Morikawa already checks the box of having a win to his credit this season, capturing the crown at Pebble Beach back in February. In six visits to Augusta, he hasn’t ever missed a cut. His last five finishes are as follows.. 14-3-10-5-18. Morikawa withdrew from The Players last week after experiencing pain in his back during a practice swing on just the second hole of the championship. I am confident he’ll be ready to go next month.
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Like I was surprised by the price on Scott, I was pretty happy to find 60-1 on Spieth. I found this on March 8th at William Hill. I am now seeing odds between 35 and 45-1. Anything 40-1 or higher is good in my opinion. He was 12th at Riviera this season and followed that up with an 11th place finish at Bay Hill. At the time of writing, Spieth is off to a great start at the Valspar Championship. If that continues, his Masters odds will likely drop even further.
A six-pack it is for now for the Masters. As for cutting down the nets in Indianapolis on that Monday of Masters Week, I’m hoping that is either Gonzaga, Michigan State, Vanderbilt, Illinois, or Iowa State.
Galatasaray have confirmed that Victor Osimhen suffered a broken forearm during their UEFA Champions League match against Liverpool on Wednesday.
The Turkish side travelled to Anfield with a 1-0 advantage from the first leg and needed only a solid performance to qualify. However, things quickly went wrong when Osimhen picked up an injury early in the game.
Although he received treatment and returned to continue the match, the striker was clearly struggling. He could not move freely and was unable to play his usual strong attacking role. He was later taken off at half-time.
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Without their key forward, Galatasaray were heavily beaten 4-0, ending their Champions League journey.
After the match, the club confirmed that Osimhen suffered a fracture in his right forearm. He has already been treated and his arm placed in a cast, while doctors will decide in the coming days if he needs surgery.
The club also revealed that Noa Lang picked up a serious cut on his thumb during the second half and will undergo an operation.
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Osimhen is now expected to be out for several weeks, which is a big setback for Galatasaray as they continue their push for the league title and the domestic cup. Both the player and the club will be hoping he recovers quickly and returns before the end of the season.
Manchester City have Wembley on their mind as they prepare to face Arsenal in the Carabao Cup final on Sunday.
We may be two days out from the Carabao Cup final, but Manchester City already know one player who will be starting against Arsenal on Sunday. After beating Newcastle, Pep Guardiola confirmed James Trafford would be in goal against the Gunners. “He’s an extraordinary ‘keeper and I’m really pleased,” City’s head coach said.
“With the final, he’s going to play the first final of Carabao Cup for him and in FA Cup of course everything can happen.” It has been well documented how tough this season has been for Trafford. Arriving from Burnley under the impression he would eventually be the club’s first choice, the 23-year-old soon lost his spot to Gianluigi Donnarumma.
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The Italian has barely put a foot wrong since arriving and that has left Trafford on the fringes. He has been consigned to FA Cup and Carabao Cup appearances. His only start in the Champions League ended in defeat to Bayer Leverkusen and Donnarumma returning for the remaining games in the competition.
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In the summer, Trafford will pursue an exit from City. The goalkeeper should be playing regular first-team football, but while Donnarumma remains in Manchester, Trafford will not get that at the Etihad Stadium. And this leaves City with a problem to solve.
Guardiola never stands in the way of a player looking for a fresh opportunity. But Trafford’s lack of game time puts a ceiling on the price City can demand for his services.
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Trafford has spent the season sitting on the bench and, as a result, teams will feel they have an advantage in negotiations because he wants something City can’t provide.
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The Carabao Cup Final will see Arsenal v Manchester City at London’s Wembley Stadium this March.
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However, a brilliant performance in the Carabao Cup final could change the narrative. Suddenly, City could point to the final as an example of a player who is ready to step into any side and perform straightaway, rather than a player who could take time to get up to speed having spent so long playing second fiddle.
Newcastle were interested in Trafford last summer and the Magpies are likely to return at the end of the season.
Nick Pope’s time as Eddie Howe’s No.1 seems to be over and Trafford would be an improvement on Aaron Ramsdale. But performing well in a game of this magnitude will increase the interest and potentially launch a bidding war.
That would be the perfect scenario for City. Regardless of the score on Sunday, if Trafford performs, the Blues could add millions to Trafford’s price tag.
Following the unprecedented decision to strip Senegal of the Africa Cup of Nations title and hand it to Morocco, Mark Owen is pleased to welcome Eurosport’s Ruben Slagter. Not only is our guest troubled by the decision itself, but also the opacity of its timing and communication: the delayed ruling, coupled with its quiet release during a major European fixture, the Champions League, raises questions about institutional transparency and intent.
According to Slagter, this situation reflects deeper structural issues within football governance, where regulatory decisions are entangled with internal disagreements and political considerations.
For him, the lack of clarity surrounding both the process and the justification risks undermining trust. More broadly, he sees this episode as symptomatic of a fragile moment for African football, where progress in infrastructure and talent development is overshadowed by controversies that reinforce longstanding external criticisms.
YMCA member Austin Manengu works the keyboard as he plays a game of Fortnite during the unveiling of the new gaming lab at the Maplewood Family YMCA in Rochester Thursday, June 20, 2024. YMCA of Greater Rochester in partnership with Metro Sports & Entertainment Group will open two gaming labs for youth and teens this year.
Team Vitality, The MongolZ and Team Spirit finished off sweeps in their respective upper-bracket quarterfinals to open Group B play of the BLAST Open Spring on Thursday in Copenhagen, Denmark.
PARAVISION also won its opening match to remain in the winner’s bracket. 9z Team, MOUZ, Team Liquid and Ninjas in Pyjamas each lost their opening matches and will face elimination on Saturday.
The 16 teams in the $400,000 Counter-Strike: Global Offensive event were split into two groups of eight that will contest a pair of double-elimination brackets. The top three finishers in each bracket will advance to the six-team playoffs. All matches will be best-of-three until the best-of-five grand final on March 29.
The winning team will earn $150,000 along with three BLAST Frequent Flyer tokens.
Team Vitality cruised to a sweep of 9z Team with a 13-3 win on Overpass and a 13-5 victory on Nuke. Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut of France led the way for Vitality with a 37-15-22 kill-death-assist ratio.
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The MongolZ took care of business against MOUZ, posting a 13-11 victory on Nuke followed by a 13-3 triumph on Inferno. For the all-Mongolian winners, Sodbayar “Techno” Munkhbold sparked the victory with a K-D-A ratio of 42-24-18.
Team Spirit had to work a little more to earn the sweep, taking down Team Liquid 13-8 on Mirage and 13-11 on Ancient. Russian Danil “donk” Kryshkovets was the star for the winners, notching a K-D-A ratio of 55-31-24.
PARAVISION opened with a 13-11 win on Ancient, but Ninjas in Pyjamas pulled even on Mirage with a 13-6 victory. In the decisive third map, PARAVISION rebounded to close out the match 13-8 on Dust II.
For the all-Russian PARAVISION squad, Ivan “zweih” Gogin posted a team-high 45 kills along with 45 deaths, while teammate Andrey “BELCHONOKK” Yasinskiy notched a K-D-A ratio of 43-41-2.
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Friday’s schedule:
FURIA vs. Aurora Gaming (Group A upper-bracket semifinal)
Natus Vincere vs. Team Falcons (Group A upper-bracket semifinal)
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TYLOO vs. FaZe Clan (Group A lower-bracket quarterfinal)
B8 vs. NRG (Group A lower-bracket quarterfinal)
BLAST Open Spring prize pool (cash prize, BLAST Frequent Flyer tokens)
;)
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