Ireland assistant coach Paul O’Connell says it was pleasing to see the coaching plans “come to fruition” in the side’s thumping five-try 42-21 Six Nations win over England at Twickenham on 21 February.

The Irish side catapulted themselves into contention for the title by building on their home win over Italy in Dublin after suffering a humbling opening weekend defeat by France.

Following the tournament’s rest week, a home game against Wales is next up for Ireland this Friday [20:10 GMT], with Scotland the visitors to the Aviva Stadium on the final weekend of the championship on 14 March.

“You have certain messages every week, you’ve a certain plan going into the game thinking it’s going to work, and at times that has happened over the last few weeks – it just hasn’t always happened,” O’Connell reflected at Tuesday’s media conference.

“To see some of the play that came out in the game, to see some of the bits that you’re working on in the training ground come to fruition, was great as well.

“The hunger of the players was enjoyable to watch too, right up until the end of the game, how hard they worked to produce a performance. That’s one of the most satisfying things you experience as coaches in the stand.”

The forwards coach says there remains plenty of room for improvement in the remaining two fixtures.

“For us it’s just about getting better from the last performance and that’s what the focus is on and the excitement for us as coaches and as players.

“Even though it was a good result there are plenty of things we need to improve on.”

O’Connell added that winning the Triple Crown or the championship have not been a topic for discussion but is up front about the side’s ambitions.

“We haven’t discussed trophies or silverware or anything like that, but we might,” he told reporters.

“You always come into a campaign trying to win it and we don’t shy away from it. Andy has a meeting tomorrow, he might mention it, I don’t know.

“But for us as coaches and players, it is just about getting set for the Welsh game.”

The Irish coach explained that the return of centre Bundee Aki after a four-game suspension for “verbal abuse and disrespect” towards match officials in Connacht’s URC loss to Leinster in January had come as a boost before the meeting with Steve Tandy’s side.

“It’s great, he’s a brilliant personality to have around the place. He trained quite well today and it’s great to have that leadership, that kind of personality, around the group.”

Leeds United manager Daniel Farke says he “will never jog again” after being “embarrassed in front of the whole world” by his red card at the end of Saturday’s home defeat by Manchester City.

Farke, 49, headed straight on to the Elland Road pitch at the final whistle to confront referee Peter Bankes, aggrieved at several decisions in his side’s hard-fought 1-0 loss in the Premier League.

Farke, sent off for the first time in his 16-year managerial career, said he did not swear or use threatening language towards Bankes and his fellow officials, and that he was shown the red card before he said anything.

He gave an 11-minute answer when asked about the incident in his news conference for Tuesday’s match with Sunderland (19:30 GMT).

“I jogged over,” he said. “Not one bad word. No swear words or bad language. I just wanted to ask him why he didn’t add any [further stoppage time] on. He didn’t speak to me and just pulled out the red card.

“To pull out a red card and embarrass me in front of the whole world, I wasn’t happy. Even the assistants were shocked the red card was shown. This is not how we should work with each other. I have so much respect for the referees.

“I don’t think Peter did it on purpose, he just misjudged it. I will never jog again.”

The former Norwich boss could appeal against the dismissal but is yet to decide if he will.

“I’m not sure what the processes are and when we can appeal it,” he said. “I can just give you my gut feeling this should not be a red card.

“When there has been a clear and obvious mistake, and for me this was a clear and obvious mistake, it should be overturned. This is what I’ve experienced when players have a red card by mistake, it can be overturned, and I expect the same.”

The WBC’s decision to sanction a heavyweight world title contest between Oleksandr Usyk and Rico Verhoeven has led one fan to label the event as a ‘complete circus’.

Usyk has been an old-school fighter throughout his career and a valid, respected and appreciated world champion at both cruiserweight and heavyweight, applauded for his triumphs on away soil and fearlessness will to take on all comers.

Following an extraordinary run of arduous and enduring contests, where he maintained his undefeated record, the disciplined Ukrainian has become a pound-for-pound star and is recognised as a modern heavyweight legend.

At 39 years old, most feel he has earned the right to fight who he wants and make as much money as he can.

However, the fact that the coveted WBC heavyweight world title will be on the line for a contest between Usyk and Dutch kickboxer Rico Verhoeven, who boasts a professional boxing record of 1-0, has understandably riled up boxing fans around the globe.

Verhoeven’s solitary win came 12 years ago, against a 0-5 Janos Finfera, and ‘The Prince of Kickboxing’ now has the opportunity to become boxing’s fastest heavyweight world champion, if he manages to do the unthinkable and dethrone Usyk.

After receiving backlash when the event was announced, the WBC explained that they had not yet determined whether Usyk’s belt would be on the line. Although, after 24 hours of ‘careful consideration’, it has now been ruled that will be permitted to fight for the world title.

Update on Oleksandr Usyk vs. Rico Verhoeven, scheduled for May 23.

Read more on https://t.co/9zpHq6fB9Upic.twitter.com/rtGbMJoOPg

— World Boxing Council (@WBCBoxing) March 1, 2026

Typically, a fighter must be ranked in the WBC’s top 15 in order to challenge for their belt, a position which boxers regularly risk their lives to reach. Assumably, Verhoeven will usurp those combatants in the coming weeks, skipping the line due to his outstanding kickboxing record.

A recent example of the WBC making the opposite decision entirely was when Tyson Fury, then champion, faced Francis Ngannou in that latter’s first pro bout. While Fury was allowed to keep the belt, the match-up was not a world title fight and Ngannou had no chance of winning the belt.

On social media, the reaction was one-sided, as fight fans unanimously condemned the WBC’s verdict, labelling the state of boxing as a ‘complete circus’ and stating that the sanctioning body are ‘making a mockery of the sport’.

Despite the frustration and disappointment at Usyk not fighting mandatory challenger Agit Kabayel, Usyk will be ordered to fight the German upon his next outing should he want to hold on to the belt.

As for Usyk’s WBA and IBF heavyweight world titles, there is no update as of yet. He may be stripped of or vacate those belts prior to his clash with Verhoeven, with Murat Gassiev potentially being elevated to WBA world champion if it does occur.

Meanwhile, the IBF crown could potentially be added to the already scheduled final eliminator between Frank Sanchez and Richard Torrez Jr, which takes place on the Fundora-Thurman undercard at the end of this month.

The worlds of golf and Formula 1 racing just got a whole lot closer.

McLaren, the parent company of its namesake racing team, known for winning 23 Formula 1 World Championships and over 200 Formula 1 Grand Prixs, on Monday announced its first foray into golf-equipment manufacturing with the launch of McLaren Golf.

“McLaren Golf is a high-end, engineering-led venture which goes beyond the equipment,” McLaren Golf CEO Neil Howie said in a press release. “We’re building a brand grounded in McLaren’s high-performance DNA, and embedding it in a new sporting arena. We’ve hired some of the best minds in engineering and combined them with leading figures from the golf world to create an innovation-led company that pushes the limits of what golfers can expect from their equipment. We can’t wait to see our ambition come to life on the course this year.”

The announcement is the latest sign of a blossoming connection between golf and Formula 1 racing.

The Netflix PGA Tour docuseries, “Full Swing,” comes from the same producers as the highly acclaimed “Formula 1: Drive to Survive” docuseries and follows the same format.

Many F1 drivers, like McLaren’s own Lando Norris, are avid golfers, with Norris, along with three other drivers, taking part in the Netflix Cup in 2023, a crossover golf match highlighting Netflix’ two docuseries.

There are also stark similarities between automotive and racing design and golf-club manufacturing, from the extreme focus on speed and aerodynamics to the strict adherence to conforming regulations.

“At McLaren Racing, we’re driven by performance and the pursuit of excellence in everything we do,” McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown said in the release. “Taking our benchmark-setting engineering standards from the grid to the golf course feels like a natural step, and one that opens the McLaren brand to a new audience.”

No additional details were included in Monday’s announcement, although the brand is promising the official launch of McLaren Golf and its first products on April 29.

To visit the McLaren Golf homepage and sign up for when the product launches, click here.

Want to overhaul your bag in 2026? Find a club-fitting location near you at True Spec Golf.

The article below is an excerpt from the free Monday edition of the Miguel Delaney: Inside Football newsletter. To get my latest analysis, reporting and insights delivered straight to your inbox, sign up by entering your email address in the box above.

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Arsenal’s win over Chelsea confirmed that there have already been more set-piece goals this season than in the entirety of the last campaign. There are clear reasons for that rise, from tactical evolution to calendar congestion, as the game’s powerbrokers weigh up what it means – not just for “the product”, but for how this increasingly unpredictable season will ultimately be decided.

For all of the discussion around set-pieces, and what almost seems to be a moral debate about how football should be played, there have been moments when Arsenal have embraced the perception. The squad have come in after some wins singing a particular fan chant: “Set piece again, ole ole.”

That wasn’t quite the case after the 2-1 win over Chelsea, which keeps them top of the table by five points, albeit with a game more played than Manchester City. Instead, there was a sense of resolve.

The match might not have been the most aesthetically enrapturing, but it was absorbing – precisely because of the tension from the title race.

These are the two sides of the Premier League right now: holding in the box, but still holding attention.

This is about much more than Arsenal, after all. As the team that have scored most from set-pieces, and duly lead the table, they merely typify a trend.

That trend is certainly difficult to dispute now. Set-piece centrality is more than a tactical fad, as has been discussed in this newsletter already this season. The last week alone represents an extreme.

As early as Monday, we had the rugby lineout-style jostling that characterised Manchester United’s 1-0 win at Everton. By Sunday evening, and those three strikes at Arsenal, it was confirmed that this season has already seen more set-piece goals than the entirety of 2024-25 – and that with a quarter of the campaign still left to play.

There is a distinctive reason for this, but also some indication it’s a bit overplayed. Some of the images are unedifying. Put simply, you would much rather watch matches replete with skill and creativity rather than groups of players huddling together in the area while grappling. Through balls over throw-ins, individual brilliance over in-swinging corners.

Such scenes stand out all the more when you consider the billions of expenditure, and Thursday’s giddy talk about “Premflix” in Singapore, as well as the sense of a “product” that just keeps selling itself.

And yet it was only 24 hours before Arsenal’s crucial win – with set-pieces central – that the discussion revolved around a sensational set of Saturday 3pm games. Vintage Premier League; maximum chaos.

How couldn’t it? Jordan Pickford secured a 3-2 away win for Everton with a magnificent match-winning save, amid an increasingly erratic season for Newcastle United. Meanwhile, Burnley 3-4 Brentford was utter mayhem, although the pedantic, VAR-dominated way it ended also played into a theme.

By the same token, Arsenal-Chelsea was the marquee Sunday match, so ended up shaping a lot of impressions. A huge factor in the game playing out how it did, however, was simply because these are two highly tactical coaches in what has been a highly intense calendar. It is somewhat inevitable that such games are going to be won on the margins.

Hence Liam Rosenior’s frustration at his team’s errors in that area – albeit with some gripes about the officiating. The Chelsea manager didn’t call them “marking assignments” this time, but admitted it is something he has to get more up to speed on. His team are at least good at attacking set-pieces, which is indicative.

This trend has been accentuated by the fact that club analysts have all realised there is still significant “opportunity” in “restarts”.

After years when the positional game – in other words, Pep Guardiola’s ideology – dictated that it was strategically more advantageous to keep possession and play short corners, it is now seen as one of those areas where new attacking approaches have outpaced defensive responses. There is a mismatch, which probably means this is going to continue in some form for some time. The probabilities have changed.

Approaches have changed with it. Look at Liverpool, who made it seven set-pieces in a row this weekend to also make it three wins on the spin – the second-best run in the Premier League at the moment.

That came after a summer when the club hierarchy decided to specifically lean into individual creativity when many rivals pivoted towards other collective approaches and set-pieces. Those individuals have nevertheless had adjustment issues, though.

And if you cannot beat them…

Mikel Arteta would, of course, insist that he himself is a disciple of the positional game, but that augmenting the ideology with set-pieces is itself a counter-response to deep defences. Liverpool might have found that against West Ham United. Arteta was meanwhile quick to point out after the Chelsea win that “we haven’t scored set-pieces for a few weeks now, but we scored so many in open play – today was an option”.

Much more relevant than such a pre-emptive argument might have been the Basque’s explanation for why they ceded so much play to Chelsea late on. “To train game context in those scenarios is becoming really difficult because we don’t have time to train.”

This is by now an increasingly worn argument, but it is always worth repeating. As the football calendar continues to demand more and more commitment, something has to give. That is naturally going to be high-quality general play.

This is what the game’s stakeholders are not getting. This is what greedy club leaderships are not getting.

Time and space to properly train at elite level is the cost of so much calendar congestion.

Other stakeholders are conscious, though. The weekend’s IFAB meeting showed lawmakers want to eliminate such grappling from the game, amid the introduction of time limits.

The Premier League is expected to assess this for next season, although some club figures already point out there was supposed to be a crackdown this season.

They are conscious of “the product”.

And there is another point to be made – that other side that some stakeholders also do not get. For all the attempt to position football as an “entertainment product”, it has never been that. It is something unique, which is also why it has never been just “a business”. So much is driven by deep emotional investment, regardless of what events on the pitch actually look like. You can throw up a dour 0-0 draw and people keep coming back for other reasons.

So it is with this season. Some of the football is underwhelming, but the storylines may yet be off the scale.

We have already got the title race. The Champions League race is now increasingly charged, especially after Manchester United and Liverpool gathered pace just as Aston Villa dropped points – and Chelsea try to figure out where they are.

Almost the entire mid-table can dream of Europe, with clubs like Brentford and Bournemouth maybe enjoying historic opportunities. There is then the relegation battle, which is really looking like it is going to involve a storyline on the scale of Tottenham Hotspur’s battle for survival.

And all of this while the football has not been all that.

There is evidently no set way of doing this.

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March 3 marks 100 days until the 2026 World Cup kicks off. A series of playoffs this month will determine the last six teams to make up the newly expanded 48-team tournament.

But with the US and Israeli attacks on Iran and Iran’s retaliatory strikes in the Middle East, one of those playoff contenders — likely Iran’s neighbors Iraq — may replace Iran, who qualified a year ago.

“It’s not possible to say exactly, but there will certainly ​be a response,” Iran Football Federation President, Mehdi Taj, said on Monday on  Iran’s IRIB Channel 3. “This will surely be studied by the country’s high-ranking sports officials and there will ⁠be ​a decision on what’s going to ​happen.

“But what we can say now is that due to this ​attack and its viciousness, ‌it is far from our expectations that we can look at the World Cup with ​hope.”

While no decision has been taken for the men’s side, Iran’s women kicked off their Asian Cup campaign with defeat to South Korea on Monday in Australia with nothing in the way of protest or politics on display. While Australia has not directly attacked Iran in the way that the US and Israel have, the Australian Prime Minister. Anthony Albanese, has said that “we support the United States” in its actions.

Iran’s men are due to play all three of their World Cup group games in the US. First against New Zealand and Belgium in Los Angeles, host city of the 2028 Olympics, then against Egypt in Seattle.

A World Cup for everybody?

Tournament organizers FIFA have said they are monitoring the situation, and the organization’s general secretary, Mattias Grafstrom, added that “our focus is to have a safe World Cup with everybody participating”.

However, Iranian fans will be banned from traveling to the US for the tournament as they — like fellow qualifiers Ivory Coast, Senegal and Haiti — are on US President Donald Trump’s travel ban list. Players and approved officials are exempt. Trump’s travel bans, and a perceived general air of hostility to foreigners enforced by ICE agents, are also sparking safety concerns among potential travelers.

While talk of a European boycott of the tournament has cooled slightly since Trump backed down on his threats to annex Greenland by force earlier this year, the volatility of the US president makes predictions difficult.

Trump’s close relationship with FIFA President Gianni Infantino further muddies the waters. Infantino was at the launch of Trump’s Board of Peace just over a week before the Iran attacks and donned a MAGA-style cap at the event.

World Cup ticket prices proving prohibitive

For those from countries not on the banned list or at war with the hosts, the price of tickets and associated costs are controversial. Final tickets start at $2,000 ($1704) and the best seats are $8,680. That’s before accounting for FIFA’s resale portal, which recently had a ticket listed at $143,750.

Prices could rise still higher, with FIFA holding back an unspecified number of tickets to be released in April, once all the qualifiers are known (barring any boycotts or withdrawals). These will be “on a first come, first served basis” and the lack of regulation around secondary ticket sellers, including FIFA’s own platform, has many fans concerned things will get worse.

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With US stadiums often only accessible by car, even those fans lucky enough to afford the ticket, travel and accommodation will be stung for parking. A spot at the SoFi stadium in Los Angeles, for example, will set you back $300 per matchday and still leave you a mile (1.6 kilometers) to walk. These costs are significantly higher than they would be for US domestic sporting events at the same arenas.

Fan parks in major doubt

For those without tickets, or with tickets to matches elsewhere, fan parks have become part of the World Cup tapestry in the last 20 years. But a partial federal shutdown in the US has put those in doubt this year. Almost $900 million designated for the 11 host cities in the US has yet to be received, leading to many cities warning they may have to scrap events.

“We have to start making some really tough decisions and it starts with our fan festival,” Ray Martinez, chief operating officer of the Miami World Cup Host Committee said, warning that there must be resolution before the end of this month. Other cities have made similar noises.

“The matches up at the stadium will take place, but preparing for all the impromptu events and watch parties that we are expecting to see will be in jeopardy,” Martinez said.

Mexico cartels also cast shadow

Preparations for the tournament in Mexico and Canada had, until recently, appeared more serene. Mexico City will host the tournament opener between Mexico and South Africa on June 11, and games in the country will take place across three cities.

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But a wave of violence set off by the killing of a Mexican drug cartel boss in late February has raised some safety concerns there too.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum confirmed last week that FIFA will visit the country soon to make an assessment, but that Infantino told her he has “full confidence” in the country as a host.

“He assured me that the World Cup would be held in our country,” she said. “We agreed that a FIFA team would definitely come to review several issues. We’ve been working on this for a long time, but the issue of security is particularly important, of course.”

Two Canadian cities, Toronto and Vancouver, will also host games.

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Edited by: Chuck Penfold

Basketball Hall of Famer Charles Barkley sounded off on the frenzied reactions to the U.S. men’s hockey team getting invited to the White House by President Donald Trump.

Trump talked to the Olympic gold medal-winning team immediately after they defeated Canada in overtime last weekend. He said they would be invited to his State of the Union address and added that he needed to invite the women’s team as well or he would be “impeached.”

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Charles Barkley sits courtside against the Minnesota Timberwolves during an NBA Cup game at Mortgage Matchup Center on Nov. 21, 2025. (Mark J. Rebilas/Imagn Images)

Trump critics took the joke as a shot at the women’s team, which sparked questions from NHL and Professional Women’s Hockey League reporters as the players returned to their respective club teams.

“I’m proud of the United States men. I’m proud of the United States women. You should have invited both of them to the White House, but it shouldn’t have been disrespect, misogyny,” Barkley said on the “Steam Room” podcast. “Like, yo, man, why do y’all have to mess everything up? Everything isn’t Democrat, Republican, conservative, liberal. That’s why we got this divided, screwed up country. Stop it man. Because, you know, the public, they’re idiots. They’re fools. They can’t think for themselves. I know y’all say stuff to trigger them. Y’all say stuff and y’all know they’re going to be fools.”

Barkley lamented that the average person would get riled up over the supposed controversy.

The U.S. team poses for a group photo after defeating Canada in the men’s ice hockey gold medal game at the 2026 Winter Olympics. Milan, Italy, on Feb. 22, 2026. (Luca Bruno/AP Photo)

“We don’t have to fall for stupidity. But we do – that’s my point. These people out here are stupid. They need something to trigger them. Just because they want us to be stupid. We don’t have to be stupid. He should have invited both teams to the White House. Simple as that. Guys who didn’t want to go shouldn’t have to explain why they didn’t go.”

The former Philadelphia 76ers, Houston Rockets and Phoenix Suns star made clear he would go to the White House regardless of whether Trump was in office.

“I’ve said this before, I’m not a Trump guy. But if I got invited to the White House, I would go. I’m not a Trump guy – I want to make that clear. But I respect the office,” Barkley said. “He’s the president of the United States. But if guys don’t want to go, I understand that too. It doesn’t have to be a talking point. It doesn’t have to be un-American.

Megan Keller (5) celebrates with a flag alongside Cayla Barnes (3) of Team United States after scoring the game-winning goal in overtime during the women’s gold medal match against Canada on Day 13 of the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games at Milan Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena in Milan, Italy, on Feb. 19, 2026. (Sarah Stier/Getty Images)

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“I just wish y’all would stop falling for the stupidity.”

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Former Nigeria international midfielder Sani Kaita has submitted his application for the position of head coach of the Golden Eaglets, declaring his readiness to guide the country’s next generation of young footballers.

The Nigeria Football Federation recently announced coaching vacancies for several national youth teams and invited qualified candidates to apply. Kaita has now confirmed his interest in leading the Under 17 side.

The 38 year old, who is based in the United Kingdom, believes his experience as a player and his growing coaching career have prepared him for the responsibility. During his playing days, he featured for clubs in Europe, including Sparta Rotterdam and AS Monaco, as well as teams in Russia and Greece. He also represented Nigeria at the highest level and was part of the squad at the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

Kaita holds a UEFA B Licence issued by the Football Association of Wales. In recent years, he has focused on youth development and is currently working with Hellenic FC, where he continues to build his coaching knowledge and philosophy.

Confirming his application, Kaita said he is eager to give back to Nigerian football.

“I can confirm that I have applied for the Under 17 coaching job. It is time for me to share my expertise and develop our youth players within a positive, high performance environment,” he said.

A silver medallist at the 2005 FIFA Under 20 World Cup and the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, Kaita explained that his move into coaching has been carefully planned.

“I have spent the last few years working specifically with young players, focusing on player development and success,” he added. “I am confident in my ability and promise to assemble a team that Nigerians will be proud of.”

The Vikings want to add a strong linebacker and promising running back, at least in their ideal world. Benjamin Solak’s update from the NFL Combine may therefore hit as bad news.

The ESPN analyst passed along a short video of what he learned in the event that’s ostensibly about draft prospects but is often about free agency deals. Solak’s belief is that there are some NFL talents who are soon to earn beefy paydays, with LB Quay Walker alongside RB Kenneth Walker III getting looped into the mix.

Vikings Hit with 2 Scary Words: “Bidding War”

Part of the problem is there aren’t a ton of options, at least per Solak. The running back demand doesn’t meet a proportional supply.

Lots of teams would welcome an improved ground game. Minnesota, to be sure, would benefit from at least pretending that the rushing attack matters. Consider, as well, that Aaron Jones is soon to be shown the door. Add it all up and there was some merit to the idea of adding the speedy, elusive Seattle running back.

Pump the brakes a touch. Or, at least, take the foot off the gas.

Consider the insight from Solak: “Walker’s the best free agent running back available in terms of like juice and explosive play ability. And this draft class really does not have a lot of fans. So, I think there’s going to be a bidding war for Walker and I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s like a top 5 paid running back by the time it’s all said and done.”

At the top of the RB market is Saquon Barkley. Very reasonable since he’s elite and will someday be in the Hall of Fame. He’s pulling down north of $20 million per season (OTC).

Working down the list means seeing Christian McCaffrey ($19M), Derrick Henry ($15M), Jonathan Taylor ($14M), and then Alvin Kamara ($12.25M). All great runners but ones who are older (some by quite a wide margin). Does the 25-year-old Walker break the bank by getting into the mid-teens for a per-year average? If so, the Vikings likely need to rally around Jordan Mason while bringing in cheaper talent. Side note: does a rugged fullback make sense?

The 2025 regular season saw Kenneth Walker offer up 221 carries for 1,027 yards and 5 touchdowns. He then went nuclear in the playoffs, proving to be Seattle’s best weapon even through the dry spells for Sam Darnold and Jaxon Smith-Njigba.

Shifting the conversation to the other Walker creates more uncertainty.

The Vikings need help at off-ball linebacker. Some early momentum existed for signing Green Bay’s ‘backer for modest money, but that’s looking like a mirage.

In an NFL where contracts are contextual, Solak establishes a link between Quay Walker and Devin Lloyd. Since Lloyd is going to gobble up huge money, Walker is going to see his deal raised, as well.

“Quay Walker, who’s the second best three-down, still-young middle linebacker, sort of a prospect” Solak argues, “he’s just going to get pulled up by the Devin Lloyd’s gravity.” He then insists that “15 million dollars” is the baseline and that Walker is going to “be above that.” If so, the Vikings will be looking elsewhere.

LB1 Blake Cashman is a strong defender. He thinks the game at a high level, allowing him to wrangle Brian Flores’s play call before then communicating it to the defense. What’s needed is a young, physical running mate to gobble up runners and to get sent on blitzes aplenty.

Ivan Pace Jr. was supposed to be that player, but he’s coming off a demotion, largely due to missed tackles and struggles in coverage. Much likelier, it seems, that the Vikings scoop up someone else for that LB2 spot.

Per Solak, the other free agents who are going to drain the ATM are guard Zion Johnson, DT John Franklin-Myers, and corner Cor’Dale Flott. In theory, the DT and CB could be nice Vikings fits, but the word about price does encourage caution.

On Monday, March 9th, the insider insight gets put to the test as NFL teams arrive at verbal agreements with free-agent talent. Pen can get put to paper on Wednesday, March 11th.

Senior Editor for Vikings Territory & PurplePTSD . Twitter & Bluesky: @VikingsGazette. Email: k.joudry[at]vikingsterritory[dot]com. Canadian. Jude 1:24-25.

Two red cards, a VAR overturn and a decisive converted penalty with the last kick of the game. All of that happened in the final seconds of a Champions League thriller between Atalanta and Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday- and it ultimately ensured there will still be Italian representation in Europe’s top club competition.

Atalanta advanced to the round of 16 by capping an unlikely turnaround when Lazar Samardzic curled a penalty into the top corner in the eighth minute of stoppage time to clinch a 4-1 win on the night and a 4-3 victory on aggregate.

Dortmund, the runner-up in 2024, had arrived with a 2-0 lead from the first leg.

“Everyone had written us off,” said Davide Zappacosta, one of Atalanta’s scorers, “but … we always believe and we never give up.” 
Still, Atalanta needed a helping hand.

Extra time was looming when a mistake by Dortmund goalkeeper Gregor Kobel allowed Atalanta to launch one last attack, after the allotted three minutes of stoppage time had been played.

A cross into the area was about to reach Nikola Krstovic for a simple header into an empty net when Dortmund defender Remy Bensabaini flicked out his boot and caught the Atalanta substitute on the top of his head, drawing blood.

A corner was initially given but after a VAR check, a penalty was awarded, unused Dortmund substitute Nico Schlotterbeck was shown a red card on the bench for complaining, Bensabaini was shown a second yellow card for his foul, and Samardzic dispatched his spot kick, sparking joyous scenes inside the stadium in Bergamo.

The referee blew for full time before Dortmund could restart the match.

“It’s an unforgettable night,” Atalanta coach Raffaele Palladino said, “a dream come true.” 
Italy’s record of having at least one team in the round of 16 since that stage was reintroduced to the Champions League in 2003-04 was under threat after Serie A champion Napoli didn’t even make the playoffs after finishing in 30th place in the 36-team league phase and Inter Milan was eliminated by tiny Norwegian team Bod/Glimt in the playoffs on Tuesday.

That left Atalanta and Juventus, which trailed Galatasaray 5-2 after the first leg.

Atalanta is back in the last 16 for the first time since the 2020-21 season and will play either Arsenal or Bayern Munich. The draw is on Friday.

Dortmund gives up first-leg lead 
Atalanta got the fast start it needed after losing the first leg, with Gianluca Scamacca netting in the fifth minute and Zappacosta also scoring before halftime. Mario Pasalic then headed in the third in the 57th minute to put the hosts ahead on aggregate.

Karim Adeyemi came off the bench for Dortmund to make it 3-3 on aggregate but there was time for late drama.

According to UEFA, it marked the first time Dortmund has failed to convert on a two-goal, first-leg lead in a two-legged European matchup. The team had done so successfully 10 times before.