Mikel Arteta hailed his “incredible” players for “making history” after Arsenal secured their place in the Champions League final with a 1-0 win against Atletico Madrid at the Emirates Stadium.
Bukayo Saka delivered the decisive goal on the stroke of half-time to fire the Gunners to a 2-1 aggregate semi-final triumph. They will face either Bayern Munich or Paris St Germain in Budapest on May 30.
Following Manchester City’s 3-3 draw at Everton on Monday – which puts the Premier League title race in Arsenal’s hands – and their triumph over Diego Simeone’s side here just 24 hours later, Arteta’s men are now only four matches away from completing a momentous double and securing the greatest campaign in the club’s 140-year history.
Arsenal have never won Europe’s grandest tournament, and Arteta said: “It was an incredible night. We made history again together and I cannot be happier and prouder for everybody that’s involved in this football club.
“The supporters were with us for every ball. They made it special and unique, and I have never felt it like that in this stadium.
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“We knew how much it meant to everybody, we put everything on the line, the boys did an incredible job and after 20 years, and the second time in our history, we are back in the Champions League final.”
Arsenal will arrive for the showpiece as the sole unbeaten team in this season’s competition following a remarkable record of 11 wins and three draws. Indeed, their streak of 14 matches without defeat is a new Champions League record for the north London club.
But Arteta’s side will next take on West Ham at the London Stadium on Sunday, prior to a home match against Burnley and an away clash at Crystal Palace. Three wins will be enough for Arsenal to secure their first Premier League title in 22 years before they head to Hungary.
And Arteta added: “It’s great. Everybody can feel a shift in energy, in belief, in everything. Let’s use it in the right way and understand that the margins and the difficulty of what we are trying to achieve are huge, but that we have the ability and the conviction to do it.
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“I’m really going to enjoy it tonight, everybody’s enjoying this moment now. But tomorrow we have to start to prepare for Sunday. We have an incredible game against West Ham, a really tough one, and we’re going to have four days to do that. Let’s enjoy the moment but tomorrow let’s start to live in the present.”
Atleti head coach Simeone appeared to shove Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta on the touchline in the concluding moments of the game. However, he was magnanimous in defeat.
Simeone said: “If we got knocked out it is because our opponents deserved to get through. I don’t want to make excuses.
“Mikel Arteta has done an incredible job at Arsenal. He has been trying to get to this point for a long time, to win the Premier League and the Champions League.
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“They have incredible financial power, and that is linked to what they are doing, but I am pleased for them because they deserve it.”
The 2026 French Open men’s final features a surprising matchup, as No. 2 seed Alexander Zverev faces No. 10 seed Flavio Cobolli. Jannik Sinner was upset early in the tournament, while Carlos Alcaraz was forced to withdraw due to a wrist injury. Zverev, who is 0-3 in Grand Slam finals, is arguably the best player to have never won a Slam. Cobolli is trying to become the first Italian man to win the French Open since Adriano Panatta in 1976.
Zverev holds a 3-1 advantage in the head-to-head matchup, but they have split their two meetings this season. The latest French Open odds have Zverev priced as a -435 favorite, while Cobolli is +320. Before making any 2026 French Open picks, you need to see who proven SportsLine tennis handicapper Jose Onorato is backing.
Onorato grew up playing competitive tennis in Caracas, Venezuela. After coming to the U.S., he trained with famed coach Nick Bollettieri at IMG Academy in Florida and faced players like Robert Farah, now one of the world’s top-ranked doubles players.
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Onorato has gone 168-106-8 (+107.12 units) on his best bets since 2022. He correctly called Jannik Sinner in the 2025 Australian Open (+160), Carlos Alcaraz (+130) in the 2025 French Open and Sinner again at 2025 Wimbledon (+180). He also called Coco Gauff (+700) in the 2025 French Open and Iga Swiatek (+1200) at 2025 Wimbledon. Anybody following his tennis betting picks at sportsbooks and on betting sites could have seen strong returns.
Zverev has been seeking a Grand Slam title for years, but this is easily his best opportunity since failing to serve out the 2020 US Open final against Dominic Thiem. The German won the Olympic gold in Tokyo and has 58 career wins over top-10 players. He holds a 3-1 edge over Cobolli, splitting their two meetings this year.
Cobolli is the second consecutive Italian to make the French Open final, as Sinner lost in five sets last year. He holds a 3-2 record in tour-level finals, but none of those wins came against top-10 players. This is a unique opportunity for both players, with Zverev priced as a -435 favorite. See Onorato’s picks here.
Nigeria’s Super Falcons began their preparations for the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) with a 2-1 victory over Senegal’s Teranga Lionesses in a friendly match played in Ikenne-Remo on Friday.
The defending African champions took the lead in the 32nd minute after winning a penalty. Experienced striker Asisat Oshoala calmly converted from the spot to put Nigeria ahead.
It was Oshoala’s first appearance for the Super Falcons since the 2024 WAFCON final, and she marked her return with a goal.
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The Super Falcons continued to dominate the match and doubled their lead 11 minutes later. Toni Payne finished off a good team move to make it 2-0.
Payne was also returning to the national team after missing action since the 2024 WAFCON, and she made an immediate impact with her goal.
Nigeria controlled most of the game and created several chances while keeping Senegal’s attack quiet for long periods.
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Senegal managed to pull a goal back in the 86th minute, but the Super Falcons remained composed and held on for the win.
The match was the first-ever meeting between Nigeria and Senegal’s women’s national teams. It also formed part of both countries’ preparations for the upcoming WAFCON tournament in Morocco.
The two teams will meet again in another friendly match at the same venue on Monday, June 8.
Head coach Justine Madugu and his players will use the remaining matches to sharpen their preparations as they aim to successfully defend their WAFCON title in Morocco.
Three months after leading India to the T20 World Cup title, Suryakumar Yadav has not only lost the captaincy but also his place in India’s T20I setup, with the selectors deciding that the 35-year-old no longer fits into the team’s plans for the next cycle.Chief selector Ajit Agarkar revealed that the decision was driven by a combination of form and the need to look ahead to the next World Cup. “With regards to Surya, obviously it’s a tough one having just won the World Cup. But as it happens after most World Cups, we try and reassess what your best way forward is,” Agarkar said after announcing India’s T20I squads for the Ireland and England series. “It was partly his own form but also looking at the next two-year cycle, or a little bit more than two years now till the next World Cup, we thought this was the best way forward,” he added, admitting that replacing a captain who had just delivered a World Cup was “not the easiest sort of discussion to have.”For a player who, at his peak, looked untouchable and redefined T20 batting, the fall has been swift. But was the decision purely about age and succession planning? Or had Suryakumar’s numbers already stopped justifying his status as India’s automatic No. 4?
A deep dive into his performances reveals that while the decline is not as straightforward as it may appear, the selectors’ decision was rooted in a trend that had been building for nearly two years. At first glance, it feels counterintuitive. India has just won the World Cup. Suryakumar remains one of the most accomplished T20 batters of his generation. His captaincy record is excellent. Yet when selectors sit down to build towards the 2028 T20 World Cup and the Los Angeles Olympics, sentiment rarely enters the equation. They look at age. They look at fitness. They look at the trajectory.And increasingly, those indicators pointed away from Suryakumar Yadav.The Peak That Made Him UntouchableBefore discussing why India is moving on, it is worth remembering just how extraordinary Suryakumar’s peak was.Between 2022 and early 2023, there was arguably no more destructive batter in T20 cricket.In 2022 alone, he scored 1,158 T20I runs at an average of 48.2 and a strike rate of 187. He followed it with 733 runs in 2023 at an average of 48.9. Across those two seasons, he averaged 48.5 while striking at 173.6.This was the version of SKY that became India’s most important T20 batter. This was the version that became the captain. The problem for India is that this version of SKY has not existed consistently since 2023.
The Decline Is Not ImaginedOne poor series can be ignored, and so can a poor tournament. But it was tough to overlook a worrying trend. The numbers show a decline beginning midway through 2024, then deepening throughout 2025. The comparison between peak SKY and current SKY is stark.The decline is visible everywhere. His average has almost halved, his strike rate has fallen sharply, and so has his six-hitting frequency. Most importantly, he was no longer converting starts into match-shaping innings.The collapse reached its lowest point in 2025. Across 20 T20I innings, Suryakumar managed only 221 runs at an average of 13.8 and failed to register a single fifty. For a batter occupying India’s premium middle-order position, those are impossible numbers to ignore.The Captaincy Can No Longer Protect HimOrdinarily, winning solves everything. And India certainly won under Suryakumar: The Asia Cup in 2025 and the T20 World Cup in 2026.A win percentage approaching 77%. But international cricket does not work on leadership alone.
Captains must justify their place as players first. As captain, SKY scored 1232 runs in 52 matches, and since taking full charge in July 2024, he has managed 932 runs in 45 matches while enduring repeated lean spells with the bat.India’s captain was winning, but India’s captain was not performing like India’s best batter.In fact, even though his numbers for India in the middle-order show that he has the most runs by volume by virtue of playing more matches, his impact per innings for the winning case was falling behind. Contrastingly, he was right at the centre of India’s wins during his peak.
Batting Averages of middle-order batters in India’s wins
And for the position that Suryakumar Yadav made his own – the No.4, Successors have already arrived. With Shreyas Iyer coming into the setup as captain, he will be India’s new No.4, but even before that, SKY was losing to his teammates already. Tilak Varma’s numbers, batting at No.4, since January 2024 are impossible to ignore. He averages 50.5 in T20Is compared to Suryakumar’s 26.6. In victories, the gap widens even further. Tilak averages nearly twice as much.
Shivam Dube has also outperformed him post-2024. So the selectors are not moving on from a player who remains clearly India’s best option. They are moving on from a player whose competitors have begun outperforming him.The Contradiction
Suryakumar Yadav’s IPL numbers though give a glimmer of hope. It not a case of SKY losing his touch completely. His 2025 IPL season was arguably the best of his career: 717 runs at an average of 65.2 and since 2024, only Shreyas Iyer has scored more IPL runs among India’s middle-order batters.In 2025, he produced his worst T20I season and his best IPL season simultaneously. Then in 2026 he delivered a strong T20 World Cup campaign while enduring his worst IPL season in nearly a decade.Why Shreyas Iyer Makes SenseThe captaincy switch ultimately says more about India’s future than it does about Suryakumar’s past. Shreyas Iyer is younger. He has built a strong leadership resume. He has demonstrated success across multiple franchises. Most importantly, he can realistically lead India through the entirety of the next cycle. Right now, Suryakumar no longer offers that certainty.
The Wrist Nobody Wants To Talk AboutThen there is the fitness issue. Throughout the T20 World Cup campaign, Suryakumar repeatedly required treatment on his right wrist. The taping became routine. The padding became routine. The medical attention became routine. India’s support staff publicly downplayed concerns, but the images told their own story.At 35, injuries carry different significance than they do at 25. The wrist issue alone may not justify moving on. Combined with declining output, however, it becomes another variable selectors must factor into long-term planning.Peak SKY remains one of the greatest T20 batters the format has seen and the IPL numbers suggest that the skill has not disappeared. But international cricket is ultimately about what comes next.The selectors see a 35-year-old carrying a recurring wrist issue. They see an average of 26.6 since January 2024. They see younger batters outperforming him in the same role. They see a captain who may not even be part of the next World Cup cycle.And they see an opportunity to reset now rather than later.
The winner of last month’s Kentucky Derby, who sat out the Preakness Stakes, forfeiting a shot at the Triple Crown, took home the victory at the 158th Belmont Stakes in New York on Saturday.
Renegade, similar to the Derby, closed as the 8-5 favorite, followed by Chief Wallabee and Emerging Market at 5-1 and Golden Tempo at 6-1.
The racing post is pulled down the front stretch for a race at Saratoga Race Course. (Gregory Fisher/Imagn Images)
Just like the Derby, Golden Tempo was well at the back of the pack but began to make his move at the final turn. At one point, Golden Tempo was neck-and-neck with Commandment, but Golden Tempo was able to get away from the pack in the final stretch.
A $1 exacta paid out $55.67, while a 50-cent trifecta won $51.32, and a 10-cent superfecta brought in $23.79. Somebody lucked out on a pick-six — picking six consecutive winners in a row at the track. A $1 pick-six paid out $9,640.39 once Golden Tempo crossed the finish line.
This was the second consecutive year in which the Derby winner skipped out on the Preakness to tune up for the Belmont. Last year, Sovereignty won the Kentucky Derby before not traveling to Pimlico Race Course and then taking home the Belmont.
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Golden Tempo (9) with Jockey Jose Ortiz crosses the finish line to win the 158th running of the Belmont Stakes horse race, Saturday, June 6, 2026, in Saratoga Springs, New York.(AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
“We made our decision, he won today, and we’re happy about that,” trainer Cherie DeVaux said after the race.
Saturday’s Belmont Stakes marked the third consecutive, and final, year in which the race took place at Saratoga Race Course in Upstate New York, as Belmont Park finishes up renovations.
Due to the change in course since 2024, the race ran at 1 ¼ miles instead of its usual mile-and-a-half. Saratoga is home to the annual Whitney, Travers, and Jim Dandy Stakes.
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A sign at Saratoga Race Course for the 2026 Belmont Stakes.(Will Waldron/Albany Times Union via Getty Images)
This year’s Belmont did not feature any horses from the Preakness Stakes three weeks ago and just four from the Kentucky Derby in early May: Renegade, Commandment, Chief Wallabee, and Golden Tempo.
Enzo Maresca to Man City wait explained – Chelsea talks, chairman comments, transfer impact – Manchester Evening News
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Manchester City are still waiting to confirm the arrival of Enzo Maresca as the club’s successor to Pep Guardiola
Enzo Maresca is expected to be appointed the next head coach of Manchester City(Image: Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images)
Here’s everything you need to know about why Manchester City are still waiting to announce Enzo Maresca:
Pep Guardiola confirmed his exit from Manchester City during the final week of the Premier League season. But, as of yet, the Blues have not announced who will be replacing him at the Etihad Stadium.
Guardiola’s former assistant and ex-Leicester and Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca is the man City have chosen to take charge. However, an official announcement has been delayed.
City are not thought to have hit a stumbling block in appointing Maresca. Instead, they are going through the process of finalising things with Chelsea, which has taken longer than expected.
City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak called for patience in his end-of-season address. He said: “I think what I can say at the moment is we’ve gone through a very thoughtful and structured process and the team is convinced – and I am convinced, rest assured – that we will bring in the right manager for this club. Just be patient with us. Very soon we’ll announce it and you will be very comfortable that we have selected and brought in the best manager possible for this club.”
The club will be wanting to get the Maresca deal confirmed as soon as possible. The City hierarchy are aware that a slow start to the summer means things will become more hectic later.
There is also a feeling that acting slowly on transfers means clubs could hike prices later on. However, the Maresca era will need to be put on hold until all the paperwork is complete. Read the full story here.
Brighton & Hove Albion have reached an agreement to bring Nigerian winger Zadok Yohanna to the club from Swedish side AIK Stockholm in a transfer valued at £21.5 million.
The highly-rated 18-year-old will sign a five-year deal with the Premier League outfit, with the transfer expected to be completed when the summer transfer window officially opens on 15 June.
Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler expressed his excitement about the youngster’s arrival, describing him as a talented attacking player capable of making a difference in the final third.
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“I am excited to work with Zadok,” Hurzeler said. “After watching him closely, we believe he has the qualities to influence matches with his pace, skill and creativity.
“He is still developing and will need time to settle into a new environment and the demands of the Premier League, but he is an exciting talent and a player our supporters will enjoy watching.”
Yohanna moved to AIK Stockholm from Nigeria’s Ikon Allah Football Academy and has impressed since making his debut for the Swedish club in August 2025. He has registered five goals and four assists in 18 appearances, attracting interest from several clubs across Europe.
A new tartan has been unveiled to commemorate Scotland’s enduring relationship with the United States, ahead of the nation’s 250th anniversary and its co-hosting of the upcoming World Cup.
The design, crafted by Kaci McEwan, a student at Heriot-Watt University’s School of Textiles and Design in Edinburgh, was chosen to symbolise the deep historical and cultural bonds between Scotland and the US.
US ambassador to the UK, Warren Stephens, served on the judging panel for the Scottish Government-commissioned competition.
The initiative coincides with the anniversary of the 1776 signing of the Declaration of Independence and Scotland’s participation in the football tournament later this month.
McEwan’s fabric design intricately reflects the United States’ path to independence, utilising precisely numbered threads and distinct colour sections to represent pivotal moments in early American history.
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Kaci McEwan’s new tartan aims to celebrate Scotland’s relationship with the United States of America ahead of the World Cup (PA)
External Affairs Minister Stephen Gethins said: “Scots were at the heart of the United States’ emergence as an independent country.
“Ever since, those deep bonds of family and friendship have endured, with a diaspora of millions across the US.
“Celebrating 250 years of American independence strengthens the an connection between America and Scotland – bonds which act as a bridge between our past, and our future, as two proud nations.
“The winning tartan commemorates significant moments in US history, whilst highlighting Scotland’s creative drive to offer a modern symbol of the strong and evolving cultural ties between both countries.
“I warmly congratulate Kaci McEwan on this outstanding achievement, and commend all those shortlisted for their exceptional work in bringing this shared history to life.
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“Each of the shortlisted designs reflected a deep appreciation of the historic ties between Scotland and the United States.
“As Scotland takes its place at the men’s World Cup, the Scottish Government will showcase the skills and expertise we can offer the US and wider world.”
Scotland are playing in their first World Cup since 1998 (AP)
Ms McEwan said her tartan was designed to tell a story, including references to 4 July and the original 13 colonies.
She said: “I still can’t quite believe it. When I first read the email, I genuinely thought it must have been sent to everyone and I’d misunderstood it.
“I had to read it a few times before it really sank in that I’d actually won.
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“It feels incredibly surreal, but also really rewarding, because I put so much time and care into researching and developing the design.
“For me, the tartan was about telling a story. Every thread and colour represents a moment in the journey towards the Declaration of Independence — from the 13 colonies to key dates and even subtle references like the 4th of July.
“Being able to bring that narrative to life through weaving has been such an exciting creative challenge.
“To now have my work recognised on such an international scale is incredibly exciting, and I’m so grateful for the guidance and encouragement I’ve had throughout my studies.
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“It’s been an amazing journey, and this really feels like a special way to mark the end of it.”
The game will be made up as the first leg of a double-header on Aug. 29.
New York dropped its series opener with its archrival Red Sox on Friday, and will conclude the series Sunday at 1:35 p.m. ET/10:35 a.m. PT on Sportsnet+.
The Yankees sit second in the American League East with a 37-26 record, while the Red Sox are last in the division at 27-35.
Man United are looking to sign a replacement for Casemiro this summer and the Manchester Evening News asked readers to decide who they would like to fill the Brazilian’s shoes.
Ederson is set to be the first new face through the door at Manchester United this summer after the Reds agreed a deal worth up to £38.3million with Atalanta for the Brazilian. However, a recent poll conducted by the Manchester Evening News suggests fans are hoping he is not the man the club have turned to to replace Casemiro.
Casemiro brought down the curtain on his Old Trafford career in the final home game of the season against Nottingham Forest last month. He had left Manchester by the time United played their final game of the campaign against Brighton, but was given a superb send-off having helped United qualify for the Champions League.
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The hunt is now on for his successor, and we asked fans to vote for who they would like to see replace the five-time Champions League winner.
The clear winner was Elliot Anderson. The Forest man is top of United’s wishlist but the issue is he is also wanted by Manchester City, and it’s believed United’s neighbours are in pole position to land his signature. Anderson received a whopping 4,467 votes (56%).
In second place came Aurelien Tchouaméni, with the Real Madrid midfielder receiving 1,639 votes (21%). It was quite telling to see Ederson receive just 6% of the votes (461 votes in total). While he will no doubt add depth to United’s midfield, it is clear fans do not see him as a Casemiro replacement and that a marquee signing is needed.
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6% of fans decided none of the options given to them were the right moves for United, and Adam Wharton and Carlos Baleba both took 5% of the votes. Wildcard option Manu Kone of Roma took just 1% of the votes. You can see the results below:
So, it’s clear who United fans want to see as their No.6 next season, but will the Reds win the battle with City?
Meanwhile, Ederson might be a good addition as United look to build a squad capable of challenging on multiple fronts, but fans don’t see him as a replacement for Casemiro and will be hoping for some big business further down the line.
In a massive decision, the BCCI selectors dropped Suryakumar Yadav from India’s T20I squad. The teams for the upcoming T20I series against Ireland and England, as well as the Asian Games, were announced on Saturday, with Suryakumar, the previous captain in the format, being replaced by Shreyas Iyer in the role. Taking over India’s T20I captaincy after the retirement of Rohit Sharma from the format, Suryakumar led India to the World Cup title earlier this year. However, his returns with the bat were below par.
While the T20I captaincy change was announced by the BCCI on Saturday, sources had already confirmed the decision to NDTV well before that. Speaking about the move, former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin criticised the Board’s decision. He made the remark on his YouTube channel, as quoted by Sportskeeda, a day prior to the announcement.
“Shreyas Iyer should have been in the T20 squad last time. But when you do return, do you have to return straight as the hero? On what basis did you suddenly judge his captaincy credentials? Shreyas definitely warrants a discussion for a place in the Indian T20 team. But is there any hole in the Indian T20 team? Except for spin-bowling, there are no holes. So why make this change?” Ashwin said.
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He cited the example of legendary captain MS Dhoni, who led Chennai Super Kings to the Indian Premier League title in 2011. From 43.55 in the title-winning season, Dhoni’s average dipped to 29.83 the following edition. However, he remained in the side and put on an improved show the next year. The wicketkeeper-batter scored 461 runs at an average of 41.90 in IPL 2013.
“MS Dhoni won the 2011 IPL as captain. If he doesn’t perform in the 2012 IPL, will you drop him in the 2013 IPL? Then how can you drop Suryakumar Yadav? Yes, he is not in form as a batter. But give him clarity that he’ll play only as a batter, as he’s not an automatic selection in the side,” Ashwin concluded.
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