India’s captain Suryakumar Yadav, center, with head coach Gautam Gambhir, left, and batting coach Sithanshu Kotak (PTI Photo/Shailendra Bhojak)
NEW DELHI: In the last year, coach Gautam Gambhir has been under immense pressure after India lost two home Test series against New Zealand and South Africa. Without any doubt, he is under the pump when it comes to the game’s longest format. But when it comes to T20Is, credit where it is due, Gambhir has built a team that other sides have reason to fear.One can argue that Gambhir took over the reins with India already being world champions, but the Suryakumar Yadav-led team looks like a more well-oiled machine, with fewer holes, than Rohit Sharma’s side that ended India’s 11-year-long ICC title drought in 2024.
T20 World Cup: Bangladesh took a stand; Pakistan’s move reeks of desperation
The trio of Virat Kohli, Rohit and Ravindra Jadeja announced their retirement from T20Is after the World Cup triumph. Rishabh Pant failed to improve his T20I game and is no longer in contention.Under Gambhir, India have reshaped their T20 blueprint.Abhishek Sharma still has a long way to go to match the greatness of Rohit Sharma. But since making his debut in Harare in 2024, the Amritsar mauler has set the world on fire. In 38 matches, Abhishek has scored two centuries and is striking close to 200, at 194.74. His explosive batting goes beyond numbers. It is the psychological impact he creates in the opposition dressing room that gives India a decisive edge.Since his debut, Abhishek has had two opening partners. He scored a duck on debut with his childhood friend Shubman Gill at the other end, before forging a dangerous partnership with Sanju Samson. After Gambhir took charge, Samson moved up the order and matched Abhishek with his own swashbuckling batting, scoring three hundreds in five matches.
Thiruvananthapuram: India’s Sanju Samson, left, and Abhishek Sharma arrive to bat (PTI Photo/R SenthilKumar)
Before the Asia Cup, fresh from his heroics as Test skipper in England, Gill was brought in as vice-captain. The Gill-Abhishek experiment lasted 15 games before the Test and ODI skipper was axed, citing combination issues. Sanju returned to the top but his poor outings against New Zealand, where he managed only 52 runs in five games, might force him to sit out for Ishan Kishan, who is in devastating form.Kishan entered the Indian team as a second-choice option and played only due to Tilak Varma’s absence. Now, with 215 runs in four matches, Sanju’s rough patch has given the Jharkhand captain a massive edge. With Varma, India’s Asia Cup hero and designated No. 3, back to full fitness, Abhishek could have his third opening partner on February 7 in the tournament opener against the USA at the Wankhede Stadium.The biggest concern for the Gambhir-coached side was captain Suryakumar Yadav’s form. In the 25 matches preceding the New Zealand series, he had managed only 244 runs at an average of 12.84 and a strike rate of 117.87. Against New Zealand, he was dismissed inside 20 balls just once. His strike rate against fuller deliveries from fast bowlers surged to 217.95. Surya struck three half-centuries, with a highest score of 82 not out, finished as the series’ leading run-getter, and amassed 242 runs in five matches at a strike rate of 196.74.
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India’s captain Suryakumar Yadav after winning the T20 International cricket match series against New Zealand (PTI Photo/R SenthilKumar)
In Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube, India have two six-hitting machines in the middle order. There was never any doubt over Hardik’s batting talent, but he has taken it a notch higher.Dube’s inclusion over Rinku Singh in the last T20 World Cup raised eyebrows, but he has reinvented himself and is arguably the most improved cricketer of the Gambhir era. R Ashwin has repeatedly said on his YouTube channel that Dube is a specialist at taking spinners to the cleaners. However, the burly all-rounder has also shown his hitting prowess against pacers. The 32-year-old had the second-best strike rate in the New Zealand series at 248.93, behind Abhishek Sharma’s 249.30. He also made useful contributions with the ball.Then there is Axar Patel, who often flies under the radar. Axar played a pivotal role in India’s triumph two years ago and will again be a key cog in Gambhir’s gambit. In Rinku, India have a specialist finisher who made it to the World Cup squad only after the selectors decided to shelve the Shubman Gill experiment. He, too, proved his worth with the bat in the New Zealand series.If the batters send shivers through opposition camps, India’s bowling unit looks even more menacing. In Arshdeep, Bumrah and Hardik, India have three bowlers with 100 T20I wickets each. Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel are closing in, with 94 and 86 scalps, respectively.
Then there is the X-factor Varun Chakravarthy. The 34-year-old has picked up 57 wickets between the last two World Cups at an economy rate of 7.42 and strikes every 11.2 balls. This is not Varun’s first World Cup, but after a largely forgettable outing in 2021, he will have a point to prove.Never before has a T20 World Cup had such overwhelming favourites, nor a side so well equipped to rewrite history. India have the luxury of unmatched depth and adaptability. This squad is a refined version of the team that won two years ago.ALSO READ: Rashid Latif on Pakistan boycotting India match: ‘In 24 hours, anything is possible’Gambhir’s men just run in, hurl the ball, swing the bat, and harass the opposition with smiles on their faces. If the T20 World Cup is waiting for a team to defy its own history, Gautam Gambhir’s India appear ready to be that exception.
Nigeria’s women’s national football team has arrived in Yaoundé ahead of their double-header friendly matches against Cameroon as preparations intensify for the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.
Head coach Justine Madugu, his technical crew, home-based players, and the foreign-based contingent all touched down in the Cameroonian capital as the team begins final preparations.
The Super Falcons will face the Indomitable Lionesses on 28 February, with the second friendly scheduled for 3 March.
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Both matches are tests ahead of WAFCON 2026 in Morocco, where Nigeria has been drawn in Group C alongside Malawi, Zambia, and Egypt.
The friendlies provide the technical team an opportunity to assess the players, sharpen match fitness, and fine tune any tactical details before continental competition begins.
With WAFCON on the horizon, the build-up has officially started
Jeeno Thitiful feels grateful, sarcastically so. She’d just been reminded that in four previous appearances at this week’s HSBC Women’s World Championship, she didn’t finish outside the top 10, which was meant to be complimentary.
But Thitiful opted to see it another way.
“Thanks for the pressure,” she deadpanned, then added:
“No worries.”
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That drew smiles, and the symbolism was thicker than any course’s rough.
Pressure, it feels like, is everywhere for Thitikul. It was there at last week’s Honda LPGA Thailand event, Thitikul’s home event, a tournament she considers on par with any major when thinking of value. Then there are the majors themselves. She’s won everything — except one of those. There’s the pressure, too, of being ranked atop the world, because the world then tends to look your way.
And yet?
No worries. To cope, Thitikul said Tuesday she’s swearing by a four-word mantra. It’s a pressure deflator, much like using a touch of sarcasm, and the saying is this:
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Dance in the rain.
That’s deeper. That’s thoughtful. That’s played out over her pressure points.
How Jeeno Thitikul approached pressure during the Honda LPGA Thailand event
Tuesday, Thitiful said she was still a little short on sleep. Adrenaline will do that, and Sunday at the Honda LPGA Thailand, it was flowing. Still, she said she decided that no matter what happened, her home country fans were going to get a show.
“The nerves is always going to be there, but you have to beat the nerves,” she said. “Sometime you get more worried about the future, about what next shot I’m going to do.
“But I told myself, this is the time that you need joy with it, need joy with excitement, need joy with the nervous moments.
“That’s why I kind of try to dance in the rain.”
Then it’s off to the next week, and the chance to do it all over again.
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“I feel like you want just only that day, and then yesterday was like another new day that the trophy wasn’t there anymore,” Thitikul said. “It’s a new week, it’s a new journey, it’s new themes.”
How Jeeno Thitikul will approach pressure during her pursuit of a major win
The theme of Thitikul not yet winning a major has followed her — her best showing was a runner-up finish at last year’s Evian Championship. Still, her thought is: There are five chances this year. And five next year. And so on.
More dances.
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“Obviously when the pressure moment, when the nervous moment coming, you’re not going to get it every time,” Thitikul said. “… You have 10 times, you’re not going to get it 10 times. You’re obviously going to fall for sure.
“But I think the times that you fall, then you learn what the next time you’re going to do. But if you fall, that’s fine. Because you have the 11th time coming again.”
Thitikul also said she learned last week that she doesn’t need a “perfect 100 percent” game to win. In Thailand, she thought her iron play was well below that.
“So I think for the goals for the majors, for whatever, I think that’s kind of always going to be with me,” she said. “That obviously if I’m not a 100 percent of my game, but I have to show out there and be able to bounce back.”
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How Jeeno Thitikul will approach the pressure of being the world No. 1
Interestingly, Thitikul had been ranked No. 1 previously — for a week, after the 2022 Toto Japan Classic, when she was 19. Then, she said she put pressure on herself. But things have changed.
Thoughts have changed.
“It’s definitely different to my perspective of seeing things,” Thitikul said. “Seeing perspective of every way of seeing that because at that time, I think I was so young, and then I just put a lot of pressure on myself. I know a lot of people already had eyes on me and they are already expecting me. … At that time, I see things so serious. Even if I miss one shot, I felt that was bad.
“Right now, when I have a bad shot, it’s OK, you have another one. I think it’s more relaxing. It’s small thing to handle. But I just told myself, I really enjoyed it to be where I am right now and then I’m not going to be in this position forever. There’s going to be more top players coming up, but I want to perform and enjoy this position the best that I can.”
The PGA Florida Swing gets underway on Thursday with the 2026 Cognizant Classic in the Palm Beaches at the PGA National Champion Course. Coming off two Signature Events, the Cognizant Classic field is missing many big names, but it does feature past major winners such as Shane Lowry and Brooks Koepka, who is playing in his third event since rejoining the PGA this season.
The latest 2026 Cognizant Classic odds via FanDuel Sportsbook list Ryan Gerard and Shane Lowry as the +1600 co-favorites. Koepka is +3300 after missing the cut in his last prior event, the WM Phoenix Open. Before locking in any 2026 Cognizant Classic picks, or making any PGA DFS picks on sites like FanDuel or DraftKings, be sure to see the golf predictions and projected leaderboard from the proven computer model at SportsLine.
SportsLine’s proprietary model, built by DFS pro Mike McClure, simulated every PGA Tour event 10,000 times and reveals golf betting picks that have a history of being extremely profitable.
This same model has also nailed a whopping 16 majors entering the weekend, including the 2025 Masters — its fourth Masters in a row — as well as this year’s PGA Championship and Open Championship. Anyone who has followed its sports betting picks could have seen massive returns on betting sites.
One major surprise the model is calling for at the Cognizant Classic 2026: Lowry, the co-favorite this week and the 2019 Open Championship winner, doesn’t even crack the top 3. He’s a golfer to fade this week. Lowry hasn’t won an individual event on the PGA Tour since that major championship, though he did team up with Rory McIlroy to win the Zurich Classic of New Orleans in 2024. Lowry finished T8 at Pebble Beach earlier this month, but that marked his first top-10 finish since May of 2025. See who else to fade here.
Another surprise: The model is extremely high on Daniel Berger as a +2700 longshot, saying he’s a top-six contender despite not being in the top 10 on the odds board. Berger struggled in his past two events, though he does have a pair of top-20 finishes this season — one at the Sony Open and another at the WM Phoenix Open. He has three top-five finishes at this event, which used to be known as the Honda Classic, including one in 2022. See who else to pick here.
Ryan Gerard +1600 Shane Lowry +1600 Nicolai Højgaard +1900 Rasmus Højgaard +2200 Michael Thorbjornsen +2200 Keith Mitchell +2700 Daniel Berger +2700 Max McGreevy +3300 Johnny Keefer +3300 Brooks Koepka +3300 Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen +3300 Will Zalatoris +3500 Aaron Rai +3500 Christiaan Bezuidenhout +3500 Haotong Li +3500 Alex Smalley +3500 Davis Thompson +3500 Richard Hoey +4000 Mac Meissner +4000 Thorbjørn Olesen +4000 Max Homa +4500 Kristoffer Reitan +4500 Michael Brennan +4500 Jordan Smith +4500 Chris Kirk +4500 Nico Echavarria +4500 Tom Kim +5000 John Parry +5500 Sami Valimaki +5500 Mackenzie Hughes +5500 Matt Wallace +5500 Ricky Castillo +5500 Seamus Power +6000 Garrick Higgo +6000 Stephan Jaeger +6000 Jesper Svensson +7000 Kevin Yu +7000 Eric Cole +7000 Zecheng Dou +7500 Doug Ghim +7500 David Ford +7500 Kris Ventura +7500 Billy Horschel +7500 Austin Eckroat +7500 Joel Dahmen +7500 Kevin Roy +7500 Gary Woodland +7500 Dan Brown +8000 Adrien Dumont de Chassart +8000 S.H. Kim +8000 Taylor Moore +8000 Luke Clanton +8000 Emiliano Grillo +8000 Vince Whaley +8000
South Africa head coach Desiree Ellis says Morocco’s investment in women’s football has raised the bar for the rest of the continent ahead of the next Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.
Speaking after the South Africa women’s national football team defeated Angola 2-0 in the COSAFA Women’s Championship, Ellis admitted that winning the upcoming WAFCON will be tougher than it was in 2022.
“Morocco has got a two-tier professional league. They’ve obviously got the resources and a bottomless pit to be able to assist them with that,” she said.
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Rather than focus on what Morocco has, Ellis made it clear that South Africa’s response will come from within.
“We’ve got to look at other innovative ways to be able to do this and that is bringing these young players regularly into camp so that they can understand what it’s about.”
She referenced how she has previously trusted young players on the biggest stages.
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“We went to the World Cup in 2019 with a very young Sibulele and a very young Karabo at 17. We did likewise with Majiya. We took her to the WAFCON in 2022 that we won when she had just turned 18.”
For Ellis, exposing young talent early and surrounding them with experienced leaders remains key.
“What better way than to have the likes of Refiloe Jane and Bambanani Mbane here to be able to help those players develop and grow.”
With Morocco hosting again and determined to go one step further after back to back final defeats, Ellis knows the standard has risen, and other African countries must rise with it.
Minnesota Vikings defensive tackle Javon Hargrave (97) wraps up Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) during second-half action at U.S. Bank Stadium in a divisional matchup. The veteran interior lineman collapsed the pocket to finish the play as Minnesota’s defense pressured the passer throughout the contest. Dec 25, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA: Hargrave records the sack at home. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images.
The moment the Minnesota Vikings arrived at the NFL Combine, business heated up, with reports swirling and the team’s leaders reiterating the offseason direction. Along the way, defensive tackle Javon Hargrave officially entered the trade rumor mill, according to NFL insider Jordan Schultz.
Minnesota can listen while still keeping options open, especially with iDL depth.
The Vikings may not find a trade partner, but the club will do its diligence nevertheless.
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Hargrave Trade Talk Makes Sense for Minnesota
Trade rumors are formally here for the purple team.
Minnesota Vikings defensive tackles Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave line up against the Chicago Bears during early-season action following their arrivals in 2025 free agency. Both veterans joined Minnesota on multi-year deals to reinforce the interior defensive line. Week 1, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA: Allen and Hargrave worked together up front against Chicago. Mandatory Credit: YouTube.
Schultz: Vikings Seeking Hargrave Trade
Hargrave is on the block in the NFL speak. Schultz tweeted Tuesday, “Sources: The Vikings have had trade talks with teams regarding 2x Pro Bowl DT Javon Hargrave. Hargrave started 15 games last year and had 3.5 sacks in his first season with Minnesota.”
NFL writer Logan Ulrich added, “A trade would be a preferable outcome for Minnesota if they can find a partner, as $3 million of his salary this upcoming year is guaranteed. Hargrave was still productive as a contributor, just not as much as the Vikings hoped.”
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“Hargrave was scheduled to make base salaries of $19.9 million and $21.65 million in the final two years of that deal when San Francisco reworked his contract. The team later released him with a post-June 1 designation ahead of the 2025 season.”
The veteran defender has been whispered as a cut or trade candidate for about two months. Now, the rubber has hit the road.
The Would-Be Compensation
Hargrave’s asking price is the underwhelming aspect. He turned 33 a couple of weeks ago and struggled as a run-stopper in 2025. The tweet from Schutlz implied that Minnesota could perhaps fetch something substantial via trade, but the reality suggests the Vikings might get a 7th-Rounder from a DT-needy team.
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That suitor would have to possess enough cap space to swallow the remainder of Hargrave’s contract and know it would be onboarding a decent interior defensive lineman, not a top-tier commodity.
The best-case scenario might be for interim general manager Rob Brzezinski to send Hargrave and a 7th-Rounder to a team for a 6th-Rounder. Commanding any better than a 6th-Round pick feels like extreme optimism.
Hargrave in 2025
Hargrave’s Pro Football Focus grades place him slightly above average, with a 70.0 pass-rushing grade and a 57.3 run-stopping grade, ranking him 35th among interior defenders in 2025. Although he showed glimpses of playmaking, his run defense was inconsistent.
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His volume statistics agree. In 16 games and 537 defensive snaps (53%), Hargrave recorded 52 tackles, 3.5 sacks, 6 quarterback hits, 4 tackles for loss, one forced fumble, and 31 pressures — ranking 34th among defensive tackles.
As teams head into free agency, Hargrave could be a solid, experienced option at defensive tackle. While he has performed at a Pro Bowl level in the past, his recent performance suggests he is now a more middle-of-the-road player.
Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Javon Hargrave (93) brings down Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott (21) during first-quarter action at Lincoln Financial Field. The interior defender stepped into the lane quickly to finish the tackle near the line of scrimmage. Nov 1, 2020; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA: Hargrave stopped Elliott on an early rushing attempt. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports.
Fortunately, the team’s defensive tackle group is already in sweet shape. Jonathan Allen remains a reliable veteran under contract through 2026, providing consistency. Jalen Redmond, a top performer last year, appears ready to be a long-term starter once the Vikings re-sign him this offseason.
Furthermore, Levi Drake Rodriguez is improving as a run stopper and could start next season. Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins contributed valuable snaps as a rookie, and Elijah Williams, an undrafted free agent, impressed during training camp and the preseason.
A Precursor to His Release?
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Of course, Schultz’s tweet could be posturing from the Vikings, leaking that Hargrave is available because the who’s who in the front office already knows he’ll be released if a trade partner cannot be found. It’s better for Minnesota to get a late-round draft pick and a team to absorb the remainder of his contract than to get nothing at all and be on the hook for $10.4 million.
On the other hand, if Hargrave is released — not traded — the Vikings will free up around $11 million in cap space to spend on another free agent or two. The savings and dead cap are basically a wash.
Two weeks ago, Bleacher Report suggested the Baltimore Ravens could be a trade destination for Hargrave.
Minnesota Vikings defensive tackle Javon Hargrave reacts on the field during second-half action at U.S. Bank Stadium in a matchup with the Washington Commanders. The veteran lineman showed visible emotion after an interior defensive sequence as Minnesota battled in the trenches. Dec 7, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA: Hargrave responded following a key defensive series at home. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-Imagn Images.
Minnesota could also replace Hargrave in the 2026 NFL Draft with relative ease if it prefers drafting a defensive tackle in Rounds 1 or 2. DTs like Caleb Banks (Florida), Kayden McDonald (Ohio State), Peter Woods (Clemson), Lee Hunter (Texas Tech), and Christian Hunter (Georgia) are considered Top 50 picks two months out.
Other Vikings trade candidates might include Ivan Pace Jr. (LB), T.J. Hockenson (TE), Aaron Jones (RB), and perhaps even J.J. McCarthy if Minnesota finagles a deal for a top-tier quarterback.
Nov 13, 2025; Madrid, Spain; Washington Commanders tight end Zach Ertz at press conference at Ciudad Deportiva del Real Madrid. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Free agent tight end Zach Ertz intends to play in 2026 and is expected to be cleared from his rehab following a torn ACL around the season opener, NFL Network reported on Tuesday.
Ertz, 35, is two months into his rehab after injuring his right knee during the Washington Commanders’ 31-0 loss to the Minnesota Vikings on Dec. 7.
A three-time Pro Bowl selection, Ertz posted 50 receptions for 504 yards and four touchdowns in 13 games (all starts) last season while playing on a one-year contract with the Commanders.
Ertz won a Super Bowl with the Philadelphia Eagles following the 2017 season.
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His 825 career receptions are fifth all-time among tight ends, while his 8,592 yards rank eighth at the position.
Ertz has 57 touchdowns in 181 regular-season games (143 starts) with the Eagles (2013-21), Arizona Cardinals (2021-23) and Commanders.
Raducanu announced as UNIQLO Global Brand Ambassador
Emma Raducanu has officially been unveiled as UNIQLO’s newest Global Brand Ambassador.
“Introducing Emma Raducanu, our newest Global Brand Ambassador and Britain’s top-ranked female tennis player. Emma will champion UNIQLO’s LifeWear philosophy, which is committed to pursuing excellence, making meaningful contributions to society, and empowering the next generation,” the brand shared on Instagram.
Raducanu rose to global prominence in 2021 when she made history by winning the US Open as a qualifier, becoming the first player in the Open Era to claim a Grand Slam singles title after coming through qualifying.
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In terms of titles, Raducanu has won:
1 Grand Slam singles title (US Open 2021)
Multiple ITF titles earlier in her career during her rise through the professional ranks
Despite injuries that have interrupted parts of her career since her breakthrough, she remains one of the most recognisable figures in women’s tennis and continues to attract major global partnerships.
The UNIQLO announcement adds another major brand to her portfolio as she continues her return to the top level of the tour.
This fairytale run to the knockouts will have felt unlikely for Bodo after failing to win their first six league phase games, meaning they were left needing results against Manchester City and Atletico Madrid to qualify for the play-offs.
And, against the odds, they provided them.
A 3-1 victory over Pep Guardiola’s men brought deserved attention and acclaim, but it was no one-off as Bodo overcame Atleti 2-1 in Madrid to claim a play-off spot.
Knutsen’s side lost to Spurs in the Europa League semi-finals last season, having become the first Norwegian side to reach the last four of a major European competition.
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Key to their success has often been their ability to make their home games as tough as possible.
In the north of Norway, Bodo can often be bitterly cold, snowy and windy during the long winter months, with temperatures deep into minus figures.
The difficult weather conditions mean the team play on an artificial pitch made of plastic, something many sides used to playing on grass find difficult to deal with.
Those aspects, coupled with the players’ determination and strong belief in their ability, means many have left Bodo defeated.
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They famously thrashed Jose Mourinho’s Roma 6-1 at home in the Europa Conference League five years ago, while Celtic, Besiktas, Porto and Lazio have also been victims in recent years.
Manchester City won’t relish another meeting in the last 16 if they are drawn together, with Bodo buoyant after proving they have nothing to fear against Europe’s top sides.
“It’s amazing,” captain Patrick Berg told Canal+.
“For the club and city it’s unbelievable. I don’t think people thought we could beat Manchester City, Atletico and now Inter two times.
Inter signed Ronaldo and Vieri for world-record fees in the late 1990s, when Serie A was the envy of world football, blessed with the game’s most talented stars.
AC Milan then beat Juventus to win the Champions League in 2003, losing to Liverpool on penalties in the final two years later, before defeating the Reds to become European champions again in 2007.
While there have been more recent successes in Europe’s other competitions – Atalanta won the Europa League in 2024, Roma won the Conference League in 2021 – Jose Mourinho’s Inter were the last Italian side to win the Champions League in 2010.
Inter’s European exit comes despite being 10 points clear of rivals AC Milan in Serie A and a further four ahead of defending champions Napoli, who failed to make it out of the Champions League’s league phase.
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“It is a piece of history,” said journalist Vincenzo Credendino. “Speaking about Italy and Inter, this is one of the worst pieces.
“Inter are the best in Italy, but maybe it is time to think not about what can happen in one or two years, but about 10 or 15 years – and on that side we can see generally Italian football is not on the same level of top European leagues.”
The national team must also win through a play-off in March to avoid missing out on a third successive World Cup this summer, having last lifted the trophy in 2006.
“It is a difficult time for Italian football and this shows it,” added European football expert Julien Laurens on BBC Radio 5 Live.
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“Today, Inter Milan put pressure on but it was not enough from them. They have been the best team in Italy for the last few years. And Napoli as well, they haven’t even come close.
“It’s terrible for Italian football at the moment.”
Inter won five of their opening eight league phase games in Europe to finish 10th, with Juventus 13th and Atalanta 15th.
Yet in the play-offs, all have come unstuck against sides who finished lower in the table but play a more intense brand of football.
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“What does it say about Italian football? That something needs to be changed,” added Verri.
“The level of Italian football is poor. It is a structural issue. We play very slow football. You can ask any manager in Italy and they will all say the same.
“I was talking to Claudio Ranieri the other day and he said: ‘Look, when I was in England at Leicester… people don’t train more than in Italy. They just do it with another intensity, and then they keep up that intensity during the games.’
;)
