Julien Laurens:

I have picked five players to watch in this year’s Champions League. The first is Jude Bellingham. This is a very big season for him individually and collectively for Real Madrid under Mourinho in the number 10 role that I think suits him well. After a very good World Cup, I think that momentum will carry. I expect him to score a lot of goals and to be very strong and be decisive.

Como’s number 10 Nico Paz is at the heart of everything they do with the ball. It’s their first time in the Champions League. Cesc Fabregas is the manager, so they’re a very entertaining team, nice to watch. Paz is a special player – very much in the making – but he will be a top player very soon.

Mr Champions League – Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. In the past two seasons, he’s been incredible at PSG, especially last year on that left wing where he can cut inside or go on the outside, he’s a threat with the right foot and the left foot, he scored some great goals, he’s really good technically. I think he’s in the running for the Ballon d’Or. He’s one of those players that gets you on the edge of your sofa. He’s the guy.

Lens are back in the Champions League having pushed PSG all the way last year in Ligue 1 – and Ismaelo Ganiou is arguably their best player. A strong centre-back, 21 years old, good on the ball, very quick and physical. I expect him to leave at the end of the season for a big Premier League club.

Since leaving Aston Villa to go to Roma, Donyell Malen has been incredible, scoring almost a goal per game as a lone striker for Gian Piero Gasperini’s side. Roma being back in the Champions League is great and they’re a very entertaining team to watch again. I think we will see Malen back to his best level.

Guillem Balague:

Bayern Munich forward Harry Kane is in a campaign to win the Ballon d’Or. He deserves to be in contention and I do not expect him to drop his level as Bayern’s style suits him greatly.

Teenager Lamine Yamal is hungry for more and has set his sights on the Champions League. Hansi Flick wants a team that defends high and passionately so he can shine.

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia has got another level and with PSG going far he will again rescue the team and win big games. He will be a Ballon d’Or winner soon.

Shakhtar have a long tradition of converting Brazilian stars into European multimillion transfers and 20-year-old Kaua Elias could be the next one on the list.

After a difficult season for Martin Odegaard last year with injuries, he has started this one very well. The Norwegian can dominate games, and his team – more confident now – will need him to do that. He seems ready to take that leadership.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino will stand for re-election despite growing calls for him to step down from his position as the head of world soccer’s governing body.

Infantino has faced increasing pressure after his controversial plan to sell stakes in the World Cup was met with a furious backlash.

But FIFA said on Sunday that he plans to stand again in next year’s elections for a final term in office through 2031.

“The FIFA President announced in April that he will stand for re-election in 2027. Of course, nothing has changed. Mr Infantino will be standing for re-election,” a FIFA spokesperson said.

November 18 is the deadline for candidates to enter the next presidential contest, exactly four months ahead of the vote.

UEFA, European soccer’s governing body, has led the calls for Infantino to go, saying it had lost confidence in him and previously threatened to boycott FIFA tournaments, including the World Cup. A number of national associations, such the English FA, have withdrawn support for Infantino’s re-election.

On Saturday Infantino refused to comment about his future when arriving for the opening of the Under-20 Women’s World Cup in Poland.

“There will be a lot to say, but there will be a right place and a right time to say this. It’s not today, it’s not here, but here and today, we are enjoying football,” he told Sky News.

FIFA apologised for errors made over its controversial plan to sell profits in the World Cup through a commercial subsidiary and committed to “ensure they do not happen again.” But that hasn’t been enough to ease the pressure on Infantino’s position.

UEFA is preparing a criminal complaint against Infantino in Swiss courts for possible financial mismanagement over his now abandoned plan to sell future World Cup profits to private investors.

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham added his weight to the debate last month, saying Infantino was not the right man to lead world soccer’s governing body.

How are Elversberg doing in the Bundesliga?

So far, remarkably well. The smallest town ever to be represented in the top flight got off to a dream start on the Bundesliga’s opening weekend, racing in to a 3-0 lead against 2024 champions Bayer Leverkusen. In the end, they held off a late surge to claim a 3-2 victory.

A trip to Borussia Mönchegladbach on matchday two looked to have brought them back down to earth, with the hosts leading 3-1 with little over 30 minutes to play. But a sensational comeback was crowned by a Maurice Krattenmacher winner in injury time. The win moved Elversberg above champions Bayern Munich as one of only four sides to have won both their opening two matches, but Krattenmacher was trying to keep some perspective.

“We know every opponent is good in the Bundesliga, but Bayern is on another level entirely. We’ll have to play as a team, and then we’ll see how it goes,” he said.

Where is Elversberg?

Elversberg is a small town northeast of Saarbrücken in the small state of Saarland, in southwestern Germany.

As part of Spiesen-Elversberg, the town has a population of around 13,000 but Elversberg alone has just 7,000 people living in it. There is no train station and just three bakeries. 

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What is Elversberg’s back story?

The club was formed in 1907, although folded during World War I before reforming in 1918.

In 2013, the club reached the third division alongside RB Leipzig, but they were promptly relegated. After two playoff defeats in 2016 and 2017, the club finally returned to the third division in 2022 and slowly began to gain a greater reputation.

The club’s surge coincided with the appointment of Nils-Ole Book in 2017 and head coach Horst Steffen, a former Bundesliga player, a year later.

Book first joined as a scout before becoming sporting director, where he played a key role in recruitment. Steffen secured back-to-back promotions for the club as they reached the second division in 2023 as a newly-promoted side in the third division.

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Germany and Newcastle striker Nick Woltemade played a key role in the club’s promotion that year before moving on, and Bayern Munich’s Paul Wanner enjoyed a successful loan spell at the club a year later.

In just their second season in the second division (2024-25), Elversberg were in the promotion playoff. But a 95th minute winner from Heidenheim broke their hearts, as they missed out on the top flight. Steffen left for Werder Bremen, star player Fisnik Asllani returned to Hoffenheim and five other key players departed. Not only did it look like the chance had gone, but the club looked more likely to battle against relegation the following season.

How did Elversberg reach the Bundesliga?

Aided by continuity at leading levels of the club, Elversberg found a way to turn a desperate situation into a remarkable one. What proved particularly helpful was having the father-son duo of Frank Holzer, chairman of the supervisory board, and Dominik, the president, leading the way and also calling the shots at main sponsor Ursapharm.

The appointment of head coach Vincent Wagner from Hoffenheim’s reserve team was understated, but Wagner did not change much from Steffen’s approach. Aided by former Bundesliga legend Mike Frantz, the assistant coach, and team manager Selina Wagner, who won a Champions League with Wolfsburg, the unit off the field appeared as united as the one forming on it.

The departure of star striker Younes Ebnoutalib to Frankfurt during the transfer window and sporting director Book to Borussia Dortmund in March didn’t derail the club’s promotion ambitions. After losing to relegation battlers Fortuna Düsseldorf in the penultimate game of the season, promotion hopes were wobbling once again. But a win on the final day was enough to keep their spot in second thanks to a superior goal difference. The Bundesliga had been reached.

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“A friend of mine told me this week: ‘If Elversberg get promoted, then it’s like flying to the moon.’ Well, today we made it to the moon,” Wagner said afterwards.

Where do Elversberg play?

At the Waldstadion an der Kaiserlinde, which has a capacity of 10,000 — more than the population of the town. Construction to reach Bundesliga requirements —15,000 capacity — is reportedly not expected to be finished until 2027, though Elversberg have already been granted an exemption to that rule.

Who are the key figures at Elversberg?

The strength of this team appears to be the collective, and the continuity in leadership positions, rather than one or two individuals.

On the field though, Bambase Conte was signed on loan from Hoffenheim and the attacking midfielder was integral to the club’s promotion push. Long-standing goalkeeper Nicolas Kristof enjoyed a strong campaign, as did winger Lukas Petkov who pitched in with 13 goals and seven assists. Striker David Mokwa was bought in January for just €1.5 million, but aided the team down the stretch last term before scoring in the club’s first two Bundesliga games.

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The squad’s average age is 25.3, making it one of the younger squads in the second division. Having reportedly made €10 million from transfers and spent just €3 million on new arrivals, it’s clear what this team’s approach is. But this summer, it will be intriguing to see how the club approaches the transfer market as it looks to build a squad capable of staying in the Bundesliga.

Edited by: Matt Pearson

This article was updated on September 9, 2026 to reflect Elversberg’s strong start to the new Bundesliga season.

Angelo Que: Patience needed. —CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Angelo Que, the PGT’s reigning Order of Merit champion, sampled the Summit Point layout for the first time in the traditional Pro-Am of the P2.5 million event on a rainy Monday and thinks this one intangible will be key to whoever wants to win by the end of the week.

“They need to have the patience to play this demanding layout in the rain,” the 47-year-old Que told the Inquirer as he tees off at the Summit Point Championship as one of the title favorites in the 72-hole championship at the rain-softened layout in Lipa, Batangas. “That will be crucial because the rains add another layer of difficulty to the course.”

Practically all of the big guns are playing, counting Justin Quiban, who had a PGA Tour stint in the United States more than a month back, making for a wide-open race.

“I think knowing where to miss will be very critical,” Que continued as he seeks to win for the second time this season after his one-shot escape at Caliraya Springs over Antonio Lascuña. “The course is playing really tough, and if it’s any consolation, I like playing tough courses.”

Meanwhile, the accompanying P1 million, 54-hole ladies championship also gets off the ground on Tuesday with Yvon Bisera listed as one of the players to beat.

Lascuña is also entered and forms part of the veterans brigade in the field together with Que, Michael Bibat and Jonel Ababa, among others.

“It’s going to be a more demanding week because the rains have made the course play longer,” Lascuña, a five-time OOM winner, said over the weekend.

The brightest young talents led by Asian Games-bound Carl Corpus, Aidric Chan and Sean Ramos are players to watch, together with Jeff Lumbo and Keanu Jahns, the big-hitting Filipino-German seeking to win for the first time this season after tying with Que with three last year.

Jahns finished third at Lakewood, before checking in sixth at Caliraya Springs and stumbling to joint 28th at Pinewoods. Finishing third at Pradera Verde could provide him the momentum he needs in Batangas. INQ

Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca spoke about Jeremy Doku and Nico O’Reilly as neither travelled to Portugal

Enzo Maresca could welcome back Nico O’Reilly for the Manchester derby but Jeremy Doku is likely to miss out again. O’Reilly pulled out of the warmup for Manchester City’s win over Coventry at the weekend while Doku was injured in the Community Shield.

Neither trained on Monday before City jetted off to Porto without them for the start of their Champions League campaign against Porto. O’Reilly’s injury was said not to be serious, and the manager was optimistic that he may be available for Sunday’s game with United.

The diagnosis is less positive on Doku, even if Maresca did say he is ‘back’. The Belgium international was only expected to be out for a couple of weeks but looks set to miss at least the first five matches of the season.

“He is back. I don’t know if he can be available for the weekend [vs Manchester United], but slowly, slowly he is back,” said Maresca.

City start another Champions League as one of the favourites for the competition, and expectations have been raised further with a club record spend of nearly £430m this summer. Maresca is not leaning into those but knows that they are there as City enter a big week with a tough Champions League game and then the derby at Old Trafford.

“I said many times when you are Manchester City the expectations are always higher,” he said. “I like more to be focused on the day by day, it is very complicated to think where we could be in February, March, April. For me the most important thing is to see that we are improving game after game and then we will see.”

Sep 2, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Dylan Cease (84) throws a pitch during the first inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

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Qinwen Zheng continued her extraordinary US Open run as she produced a comeback from 0-5 down in a set for the second match in a row to knock out six-time grand slam champion Iga Swiatek and reach the quarter-finals.

Former Olympic champion Zheng, who defeated Swiatek in the gold medal match in Paris two years ago, had to qualify to reach the main draw of the US Open. The Chinese star missed long stretches of the 2025 season due to an elbow injury and had fallen to No 121 in the rankings.

After qualifying for the main draw and reaching the third round, Zheng trailed former Australian Open champion Madison Keys 0-5 and was match point down in the third set before winning seven consecutive games to win 1-6 7-6 (7-3) 7-5 against the American 22nd seed.

Two days later against the eighth seed and former US Open champion Swiatek, Zheng trailed 0-5 in the first yet produced the same trick, winning seven games in a row to clinch the set. She then converted the only break of serve in the second set to win 7-5 6-3 and reach the quarter-finals of the US Open for the third time.

Zheng fell onto her back after converting her fourth match point. She has now won seven matches in a row in New York. “Well, honestly, I have to say, I started the match not so well,” she said. “Little by little I found my rhythm on the center court because it’s been a long, long time. I just really appreciate it to be here in the Ashe Stadium.

”I just focused point by point and little by little I start to play better tennis, I start to find my game and in one moment I even forgot the score in the first set at 4-5. That shows how I’m focused. I guess to come back 0-5 yesterday is not lucky, that’s all I can say.

”I’m just really happy to win this match cause it’s not easy and it’s been a while really. I didn’t beat any top 10 player. I just really, really appreciated this win for me, and I want to say thank you for all the fans who come to support me today.”

For Swiatek, defeat to Zheng brought a familiar story and the former Wimbledon champion left Arthur Ashe Stadium in tears. The Pole’s error count spiralled, finishing with 28 in total. Swiatek’s last five exits from the grand slams since winning Wimbledon in 2025 have also come in straight-sets.

Zheng will play either second seed Elena Rybakina or 13th seed Naomi Osaka, the two-time US Open champion, in the quarter-finals. Earlier, French Open champion Mirra Andreeva produced her own comeback to defeat Anastasia Potapova 5-7 6-4 6-3 and reach her first US Open quarter-final.

Potopova was also in floods of tears as her stay in New York came to an end. The 25-year-old, who represents Austria, won the first set against fifth seed Andreeva, but, at 5-3 down in the third she badly twisted her knee chasing a forehand down.

Potopova had the knee heavily strapped up and bravely finished the match, but did not win another point. “Anastasia is a good friend, and seeing what a battle we have and then seeing her fall is not easy,” said Russian teenager Andreeva. “It’s not the way you want to finish the match. I just told her she is playing amazing and I’m sure she’ll come back even stronger, she’s a warrior.”

The Fresno State Bulldogs visit the USC Trojans on Friday, September 4, 2026 at 6:00 p.m. PT from Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, CA.

USC enters Friday off a 42-26 win over San Jose State to open the 2026 season, improving to 1-0 as the No. 14 team in the country. Fresno State is still 0-0 on the year, and its last trip to face USC ended in a 45-17 loss back in 2022. USC is a 21.5-point favorite at DraftKings, with the total set at 51.5.

Below, we’ll give you all the details you need to know about how to watch this game.

How to Watch Fresno State vs. USC

• When: Friday, September 4, 2026 at 6:00 p.m. PT
• Where: Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, CA
• TV: FOX
• Stream: Watch 3 days free on FOX One

Players to Watch

USC needed one week to answer questions about its passing game, and Maiava provided it. He threw for 286 yards and two touchdowns in the opener, added a rushing score, and finished with 18 points as the Trojans built the nation’s top third down offense right out of the gate. Lincoln Riley’s attack already ranks first in the country in third down conversion rate and total yards per game, and Maiava is the one steering it. Fresno State’s defense carried that program through a nine win season a year ago, but it has not faced a quarterback playing at this pace yet. If Maiava is as efficient in Week 2 as he was in Week 1, USC’s offense could turn this into a rout early.

Mosley did more than catch passes in USC’s opener. He led the Trojans with 118 receiving yards and a touchdown, then added 56 punt return yards to finish with a team high 174 all purpose yards. That versatility matters against a Fresno State team built around defense, since Mosley does not need a shootout to be effective. He can change field position on special teams even on a night when the passing game stalls. With Maiava spreading throws around a deep receiver room, Mosley’s ability to win after the catch gives USC a release valve, whether the Trojans are grinding through Fresno State’s toughest defensive series or trying to put the game away early.

Fresno State opens the season still sorting out its quarterback room, and Martin is one of two candidates coach Matt Entz has trusted with the job, along with Jayden Mandal. Whichever one starts against USC will lean on a defense that carried the Bulldogs to nine wins a year ago, since Fresno State’s only Power Four loss in 2025 came by 24 points to Kansas. Martin does not have to be spectacular for Fresno State to hang in this game. He needs to protect the ball, extend drives and let a defense that already outplays its own offense control the tempo. Against a USC team that scored at will in Week 1, that margin for error will be thin.

Fresno State vs. USC Odds

Learn more about the Fresno State Bulldogs vs. USC Trojans game and check the full schedule on FOX Sports!

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Indian golfer Krishiv Tekchandani, who has won more than 100 trophies across international competitions, is embarking on an entrepreneurial journey beyond golf with his ultra-luxury watch venture, XII NOON. The 19-year-old golfer first came into the spotlight at a young age for his achievements on the golf course and has also used his platform to support social causes. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Tekchandani donated his entire prize money towards a vaccination drive for blue-collar workers at his golf club. He also appealed to young people to donate blood before receiving COVID-19 vaccinations, highlighting concerns over a potential shortage of blood donations during the vaccination period.

The initiatives reflected Tekchandani’s efforts to use his public profile to encourage social responsibility among young people, alongside his achievements in competitive sport.

With more than 100 trophies won across international competitions, Tekchandani has continued to pursue his academic and entrepreneurial interests alongside golf. He has studied at the London School of Economics and Harvard Business School.

As part of his entrepreneurial journey, Tekchandani has entered the ultra-luxury watch segment with XII NOON, a venture focused on limited production, craftsmanship and exclusivity. The venture plans to produce only 45 timepieces a year.

“My vision is to build a globally recognised ultra-luxury house of Bharat origin, producing only 45 timepieces a year. XII NOON is made with Bharat, for the world. It is not made for everyone, but created for those who value rarity, craftsmanship, exclusivity and purpose. For me, this journey is about building luxury with purpose,” Tekchandani said.

According to the venture, a percentage of its earnings will be dedicated towards supporting widows of Indian Army soldiers, adding a social-impact component to the initiative.

Tekchandani’s transition into entrepreneurship marks another chapter in a journey that began with golf at a young age. Having competed and won across international events, the teenager is now looking to apply the discipline and focus developed through sport to his entrepreneurial pursuits.

His journey has also earned him recognition on social media and in publications, including Forbes.

From competing on golf courses around the world to exploring the world of entrepreneurship, Tekchandani is now seeking to build a career that combines sport, business and philanthropy.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a press release)

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Czech Republic’s Linda Noskova reacts as she plays Uktaine’s Marta Kostyuk in their women’s singles round of 16 tennis match on day eight of the US Open tennis tournament at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York on September 6, 2026. (Photo by LEONARDO MUNOZ / AFP)

Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova reached the quarterfinals of the US Open on Sunday, edging Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk in three sets.

The Czech Noskova, who has largely flown under the radar in New York despite winning Wimbledon, beat Kostyuk 7-5, 5-7, 6-4, finally sealing the win on her sixth match point when Kostyuk netted a backhand return.

“I am more than relieved,” Noskova said after booking a last-eight showdown with two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka. “This match was so tough, emotionally more so than physically.”

READ: Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova back in Grand Slam mode at US Open

After a hard-fought first set, Noskova, seeded sixth, appeared poised for a relatively straightforward win, holding two match points while serving for the second set up at 5-4.

But Kostyuk, who has won two titles in 2026, slapped a forehand winner on the first and saved the second by drilling a ball at Noskova, who was at the net and couldn’t handle the volley.

Riding momentum and loud crowd support in Louis Armstrong Stadium, Kostyuk went on to take the next two games to force a third set.

In the third set, the Czech scored a key break at 3-3.

But with Noskova serving at 5-4, Kostyuk saved three more match points but couldn’t return a strong serve from Noskova, who fell to her knees after finally finishing the two-hour and 27-minute match.

Noskova took a bathroom break after the second set, as she did in the Wimbledon final against fellow Czech Karolina Muchova when she also found herself in a third set after squandering match points.

READ: Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova ready for ‘new opportunity’

“I just had to leave the court. There was a lot of noise, but obviously I had to restart. I had to refocus, kind of put it behind me, which was not easy at all,” Noskova said.

“It’s always the most important thing to kind of get yourself back mentally after such opportunities, either in Wimby or here.”

Kostyuk said after the match that she has been playing with a right wrist injury and planned to get an MRI now that the tournament is over.

“I wasn’t 100 percent for sure,” said Kostyuk, who smiled in the later stages of the second as the crowd “started going crazy” as she saved match points.

“I’ve never had the whole stadium cheer for me like this, and it was so loud, and yeah, I wanted to soak it in, and it kept going until the rest of the match,” she said. “So it was incredible. So nothing else but smile about it.”

Kostyuk, a vocal critic of the Russian invasion of Ukraine who has spoken of the toll on her family, said she enjoyed the atmosphere despite losing.

“I just lost a match. Of course, it’s a Grand Slam. It was very close match, but I’m very happy, and nothing about the result of the match is gonna change it,” Kostyuk said. “It’s just a tennis match. I mean, come on, all good.”