Vinicius started for Real eight days after the first leg of the Champions League play-off round tie in Lisbon, during which the Brazilian alleged he was racially abused by Gianluca Prestianni – something the Benfica player denied.
Real fans held up banners with messages of support for Vinicius – who had scored the only goal in Lisbon – before kick-off at the Santiago Bernabeu.
And as the players took to the field, two forceful messages – “No to racism” and “Respect” – were read out.
UEFA had imposed a provisional sanction on Prestianni on Monday, ruling him out of the tie, although the Argentinian winger had travelled to Madrid as part of the Benfica squad.
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Benfica had appealed against the decision to ban Prestianni, but UEFA dismissed the Portuguese club’s case on Wednesday afternoon.
“Mr Gianluca Prestianni remains provisionally suspended for the next UEFA club competition match for which he would otherwise be eligible,” a UEFA statement read.
UEFA appointed an ethics and disciplinary investigator (EDI) following the first leg and made a swift decision.
UEFA said on Monday the imposition of a provisional suspension was “without prejudice to any ruling that the UEFA disciplinary bodies may subsequently make following the conclusion of the ongoing investigation and its respective submission to the UEFA disciplinary bodies”.
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The Brazilian left the field and refused to return, resulting in a stoppage in play that lasted 10 minutes of last Tuesday’s first leg.
It came after Vinicius had given his team the lead with a wonderful individual strike, curling the ball home from a tight angle five minutes into the second half.
After celebrating in front of the home fans, he became suddenly and visibly upset about something said to him and immediately informed the referee, who stopped the match.
Benfica boss Jose Mourinho, who was roundly criticised for his comments about the incident after the game, did not conduct the usual pre-match press conference on Tuesday.
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Mourinho appeared to intimate after the first leg that the winger had brought any abuse upon himself with his celebration and said that “a stadium where Vinicius plays, something happens, always”.
Anti-discrimination organisation Kick It Out responded by accusing Mourinho of “gaslighting”.
Mourinho was expected to watch the second leg from the stands after being sent off in Lisbon for angrily shouting towards referee Francois Letexier.
Mohamed Salah would be happy to stay at Liverpool until 2027, there are six Premier League clubs interested in Eintracht Frankfurt’s Nnamdi Collins, while Casemiro wants to keep playing in Europe.
Egypt forward Mohamed Salah, 33, is happy to see out the remainder of his Liverpool contract, which runs up to the end of next season, should a move to the Saudi Pro League not materialise this summer. (Football Insider), external
Manchester United‘s Brazil midfielder Casemiro, 34, wants to continue his career in Europe when his contract ends at Old Trafford in the summer, and Italy is a possible next destination. (Sun), external
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German agent Volker Struth, who has worked with Florian Wirtz in the past, says he offered the Germany midfielder to RealMadrid last summer before his £116m move from Bayer Leverkusen to Liverpool. (Phrasenmaher via Mirror), external
Manchester United plan to sell Cameroon goalkeeper Andre Onana, 29, this summer, but expect to receive significantly less than the £50m they paid Inter Milan to sign him in 2023. (Talksport), external
However, Onana wants to fight to re-establish himself as Manchester United‘s number one when his loan spell at Trabzonspor finishes in May – and believes he will be given a chance to do so. (Guardian), external
Vinicius Jr was on target as Real Madrid booked their place in the last 16 of the Champions League after defeating Benfica at the Bernabeu.
The Brazilian forward had been at the centre of attention before the match. In the first leg, he alleged that he was racially abused by Gianluca Prestianni shortly after scoring. Prestianni later received a one-match suspension and was absent for the return fixture.
Before kick-off in Madrid, home supporters displayed a banner reading “No to racism” in Spanish, showing their backing for Vinicius.
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When the match began, the winger let his football do the talking. With 10 minutes remaining, he calmly fired the ball past the goalkeeper to seal a 3–1 aggregate win for Los Blancos.
Benfica had started brightly and took the lead in the 14th minute. Rafa Silva reacted quickly to a loose ball after Thibaut Courtois stopped Raúl Asencio’s attempted clearance from ending up in his own net.
However, their advantage lasted only two minutes. Aurelien Tchouameni responded with a superb strike from outside the box to score his first Champions League goal.
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Real Madrid were without the injured Kylian Mbappe and at times felt his absence in attack, as Benfica continued to threaten and searched for a way back into the tie.
In the end, Vinicius’ decisive goal — his sixth in five matches — ensured Real Madrid progressed. They will now prepare to face either Manchester City or Sporting in the next round.
An unfortunate update has surfaced regarding popular AEW star Eddie Kingston amidst his brief absence from the company. This has been due to the health issues he has been facing.
At All Out: Toronto last year, the Mad King made his long-awaited return to the company after more than a year. His hiatus was due to a severe leg injury he sustained when he defended one of his titles at an NJPW show. He has been on a great run of his own following his return, with his last match being earlier this month. This was an eight-man tag team parking lot fight.
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PWInsider has reported that Eddie Kingston is not backstage for AEW Dynamite tonight. He has also pulled out of his commitments this weekend for events on the independent circuit. It was revealed that this was due to severe migraine headaches he has been having.
MJF recently fired shots at Eddie Kingston’s health issues
MJF is one individual who doesn’t mince his words when he is in character, which is the case for all his public appearances. He has gotten personal with several of his rivals over the years.
In a recent interview with the Kairouz Bros in Australia, he fired shots at Eddie Kingston, claiming he was the exact opposite of him. He took the smart road out and competed in fewer matches, while Kingston was someone whom he claims had full-blown CTE due to the matches he had competed in. Friedman claimed this was the reason why the Mad King had been avoiding a match with him.
“It’s not a bad thing at all. It’s less bumps I’ve got to take and less CTE I’m walking towards. A guy like Eddie Kingston, he’s already got full-blown CTE. Let’s be honest, the guy doesn’t even know where he is anymore. That’s why he refuses to wrestle me. He’s scared of me, and as he should be, because I think if he took one punch from me, he’s out,” said the AEW World Champ about the former Continental Champion. [H/T Fightful on X]
MJF explains why being a part-timer in wrestling is not bad. “It’s not a bad thing at all. It’s less bumps I’ve got to take and less CTE I’m walking towards. A guy like Eddie Kingston, he’s already got full-blown CTE. Let’s be honest, the guy doesn’t even know where he is
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The timing of the quote is unfortunate, but it seems like Eddie Kingston won’t be around for some time once more. There has yet to be further information on his recovery timeline, but we at Sportskeeda hope this is nothing bad, and that he recovers quickly.
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Real Madrid recovered from an early scare to beat Benfica 2-1 on Wednesday and secure a 3-1 aggregate victory to reach the Champions League last 16 after a pulsating game at the Bernabeu.
Aurelien Tchouameni and Vinicius Jr struck either side of half-time to cancel out Rafa Silva’s opener and send the record 15-times European champions through, with either Manchester City or Sporting Lisbon awaiting in Friday’s draw.
Benfica, trailing 1-0 from a first leg in Portugal marred by Vinicius accusing Benfica‘s Gianluca Prestianni of directing a racist slur at him, started brightly and sliced through a makeshift-looking Real defence missing Eder Militao and Dean Huijsen, with forward Kylian Mbappe also out due to a knee injury set to sideline him for multiple games.
Benfica manager Jose Mourinho was absent from the touchline after receiving a red card in the first leg for complaining, and Prestianni was not involved after being provisionally suspended by Uefa following the incident with Vinicius in Lisbon.
The visitors went ahead in the 14th minute in chaotic fashion. Thibaut Courtois produced a stunning left-footed save to prevent Raul Asencio turning Pavlidis’s cross into his own net, but the rebound dropped invitingly for Rafa Silva, who controlled the ball inside the six-yard box before firing past the keeper.
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Real’s response was swift and slick. Two minutes later Gonzalo linked up smartly with Federico Valverde on the right wing, the Uruguayan cutting the ball back towards the edge of the box where Tchouameni guided a low finish just inside the right post.
With the tie finely poised, the game opened up and Arda Guler thought he had put Real ahead in the 32nd minute, only for VAR to rule the effort out for offside in the build-up.
Vinicius Jr slots in the decisive goal for the home team (Reuters)
Benfica continued to threaten, Richard Rios drawing a superb save from Courtois with a fierce strike in the 38th minute but the home side began to find more rhythm after the break.
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Asencio headed narrowly wide from a corner and Trent Alexander-Arnold flashed an angled effort past the post, but Real were almost punished for their profligacy.
On the hour mark, Vinicius was caught as Real attempted to play out from the back, allowing Rafa Silva to unleash a thunderous shot from the edge of the box that crashed against the crossbar.
Rafa Silva scores a cracking goal for Benfica, who had the brighter start (Getty)
The tension lingered until the 80th minute, when Valverde seized on a loose ball in midfield and threaded a precise pass through to Vinicius who timed his run to beat the offside trap, surged into the box and slotted a composed finish into the bottom corner to settle the tie.
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“We didn’t start very well, but we remained confident and knew the goals would come eventually,” Tchouameni told Movistar Plus.
“We did things a little better as the match progressed and now we’re going to keep going as we move forward. We need to tweak our defence a little and get into the game better, but we won, and that’s the most important thing.”
Victor Osimhen continued his remarkable UEFA Champions League campaign with his seventh goal of the season as Galatasaray S.K. sealed a commanding 7-5 aggregate victory over Juventus F.C. in their knockout play-off clash.
Holding a 5-2 advantage from the first leg, Galatasaray were made to work at a packed Turk Telekom Arena, where 49,977 fans witnessed a thrilling 5-2 win on the night to complete the job in style.
Although the hosts had built a healthy cushion in the tie, Osimhen once again underlined his importance on Europe’s biggest stage. The Nigerian striker was a constant menace to the Juventus backline from the opening minutes, forcing early saves and stretching the Italian defence with his movement and physical presence.
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His decisive contribution — his seventh goal in this season’s Champions League — ensured Galatasaray maintained firm control of the contest and the aggregate scoreline. With that strike, Osimhen moved closer to the club’s single-season Champions League scoring record, further cementing his status as the team’s talisman in Europe.
The match itself was a rollercoaster. Gabriel Sara opened the scoring early on before Teun Koopmeiners struck twice to briefly give Juventus hope. However, Galatasaray responded emphatically in the second half through Noa Lang’s brace, a close-range finish from Davinson Sánchez, and a late effort from Sacha Boey to cap off the victory. Juventus’ challenge was further dented when Juan Cabal was sent off in the 67th minute.
Despite the attacking contributions from across the pitch, the spotlight firmly belonged to Osimhen. His seventh goal of the campaign not only highlighted his clinical form but also proved pivotal in guiding Galatasaray safely into the next round of the competition.
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With momentum on their side and their star striker in red-hot form, Galatasaray now look ahead with growing belief as their Champions League journey continues.
Real Madrid’s win against Benfica to reach the Champions League last 16 was a “victory for everyone who stands against racism”, midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni says.
Vinicius Jr alleged he was racially abused by Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni during the first leg, in which the Real forward scored the game’s only goal.
Prestianni – who has denied racially abusing the Brazilian – was subsequently handed a one-match ban, meaning he missed Wednesday’s return leg.
Support was shown for Vinicius by the home fans as a banner with the words “no to racism” in Spanish was displayed in the stands before kick-off.
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Vinicius was again on the scoresheet, netting Real Madrid’s second goal as the Spanish side came from 1-0 down on the night to win 2-1 and book their place in the next round with a 3-1 aggregate victory.
“I think there are more important things than this match, than football,” said Tchouameni, who scored Real’s first-half equaliser.
“Vinicius keeps his confidence and he keeps focused on what he needs to do.
“I think they made the right decision by not letting the boy [Prestianni] play this match.
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“Like I said, there are things more important than football and this is a victory for all of us.”
Real Madrid and England defender Trent Alexander-Arnold said Vinicius had been his usual self before the fixture, “very chilled” and “very relaxed”.
“He didn’t need to score to send a message or show his mentality,” said the former Liverpool player.
“He doesn’t need to prove anything to anyone because he’s shown time and time again how good he is.
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“He steps up when we need him the most. He knows his quality and what he brings to the team.”
Paris Saint-Germain came from behind and then survived a late scare against 10-man Monaco, drawing 2–2 in the second leg of their Champions League knockout phase play-off tie on Wednesday to reach the last 16 with a 5–4 aggregate victory.
The defending European champions came from two behind to win 3–2 in the principality in last week’s first leg, a game in which Monaco had a man sent off early in the second half.
The scenario this time was similar, with French international Maghnes Akliouche giving Monaco a deserved interval lead on the night to level the scores overall.
However, the visitors had Mamadou Coulibaly sent off on 58 minutes, and that proved the catalyst for PSG to make it 1–1 through Marquinhos before Khvicha Kvaratskhelia seemed to have clinched the aggregate triumph.
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Jordan Teze did make it 2–2 in stoppage time, but PSG held on to progress to the next round.
Luis Enrique’s team will now find out on Friday their potential opponents all the way to the final in Budapest, with Barcelona and Chelsea their possible rivals in the last 16.
Paris beat Barcelona 2–1 away during the league phase in October and have faced the Catalans in five knockout ties since 2013. They played Chelsea in the final of the Club World Cup last year, losing 3–0 – their only blip in a remarkable campaign.
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PSG were widely expected to get the better of their domestic rivals here – Monaco are currently eighth in Ligue 1, 20 points behind leaders PSG, although they did beat the Parisians in November.
The principality side had not won a Champions League knockout tie since their run to the semi-finals in 2017 with a side featuring a teenage Kylian Mbappé.
Here coach Sébastien Pocognoli set his side up in a 5–3–1–1 formation with Akliouche supporting central striker Folarin Balogun, the US national team star who scored twice last week.
Monaco, with just one victory on their last 10 trips to the Parc des Princes, may have felt the pressure was completely off them, and PSG were missing last year’s Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembélé with a calf injury.
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Red card changes game
Having been 2–0 up inside 18 minutes last week, Monaco really should have scored within 10 minutes here, but Coulibaly blazed over from an Akliouche cutback. They then came close again when a Balogun chip had to be tipped over by Matvei Safonov.
Bradley Barcola struck the bar for PSG, but Monaco had been the better team and took a deserved lead just before the half-time whistle.
Safonov could only partially clear a cross into the home box and Monaco kept the pressure on as Caio Henrique returned the ball into the middle and Coulibaly laid it off for Akliouche to slot in.
The tie was now all square once again, but it swung back the way of the defending champions when Coulibaly was sent off just before the hour, leaving his team down to 10 men like in the first leg when Aleksandr Golovin saw red.
Having been booked just a few minutes earlier for a foul on Nuno Mendes, this time he was late into a challenge on Achraf Hakimi and a second yellow was produced by the Romanian referee.
PSG then scored from the resulting free-kick, which was played short to Désiré Doué on the right and his low ball was turned in from close range by Marquinhos.
The momentum was now with PSG, and they took the lead on the night on 66 minutes as Hakimi’s powerful strike was only parried by goalkeeper Philipp Köhn, allowing Kvaratskhelia to convert the loose ball.
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Monaco still came within a whisker of forcing extra time – substitute Teze turned in a deflected Simon Adingra centre in stoppage time to make it 2–2 and Wout Faes very nearly scored another.
Instead they go out at the play-off stage for the second season running, while PSG’s dream of retaining their title remains alive.
Oct 6, 2024; London, United Kingdom; New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) the ball against the Minnesota Vikings in the first half at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
The Aaron Rodgers theories for the Minnesota Vikings aren’t quite dead yet. Rodgers claimed last summer that the 2025 campaign would be his last, but through seven weeks of the offseason, he’s up to his old tricks, not clearly articulating his future plans. And according to SI.com‘sConor Orr, Rodgers will end up with the Vikings, a bold prediction as the offseason heats up.
If the Rodgers chatter persists, the Vikings must balance short-term buzz against protecting McCarthy’s long-term development.
Rodgers basked in the spotlight of the Vikings’ rumor mill in 2025. He hasn’t fully left.
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The Vikings’ Quarterback Situation Changes Fast Once Rodgers Enters the Talk
The Vikings have about 25 quarterbacks from free agency and via trade to choose from in 2026.
Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers sits on the bench before kickoff against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Heinz Field, Nov. 26, 2017, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Rodgers prepared for an interconference matchup during the middle stage of his Packers tenure, when he remained one of the league’s most productive and closely watched quarterbacks. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports.
Orr’s Prediction: Rodgers to MIN
Orr crafted one bold prediction per team for the 2026 offseason, and for the Vikings, it’s Rodgers in the saddle.
He explained, “The Vikings will bring in Aaron Rodgers to ‘compete’ with J.J. McCarthy. While it may be just a hunch, I don’t see Rodgers walking away from the chance to pass Peyton Manning on the NFL’s all-time touchdown list.”
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“And I don’t see Kevin O’Connell walking away from the chance to add meaningful depth to his roster. While Rodgers and Zach Wilson ended up not being the developmental bridge the Jets had hoped, McCarthy must realize he’s in a similar sink-or-swim situation and can take copious notes.”
Rodgers’ 2025 Campaign
Rodgers posted 3,322 passing yards for the 2025 Steelers inside a run-happy, low-octane offense. He also delivered a 65.7% completion percentage, 24 passing touchdowns, and just 7 interceptions.
The volume numbers were presentable, though, of course, a substantial step back from his Green Bay Packers heyday. Per efficiency, Rodgers ranked as the league’s 19th-best quarterback, putting up an EPA+CPOE in the neighborhood of veteran Jacoby Brissett and rookie Tyler Shough.
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If Rodgers signs with the Vikings, fans will merely have to hope that the New York Jets held Rodgers back in 2024 and the Steelers did the same in 2025 with their “boring” offense.
Steelers general manager Omar Khan said about Rodgers on Tuesday, “We certainly welcome Aaron back. It was a good experience with him and really enjoyed getting to know him. He was great to have around. But the reality is, we’re all looking for that next guy, the next 10-to-15-year guy.”
“Look, we’re all in on this. We all agree that we’re looking for that next franchise guy. We’re all excited to work with Will, but we know that has to be addressed. We’re all looking for the same thing. We’re just not there yet.”
A Friendship with Kevin O’Connell
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After the Vikings-Rodgers rumor mill faded last offseason, O’Connell and Rodgers later clarified that they’re friends and that they discussed a possible free-agent contract. Both agreed that the talks never went too far, perhaps because former general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah wanted nothing to do with the Rodgers circus.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter also said this week about Rodgers to Minnesota, “The belief around the league, and let’s preface it by saying it is Aaron Rodgers, and so there are never any absolutes, and things can change like that. But the belief around the league is that he is supposed to give an answer by mid-March.”
“I think the feeling is that he could be back with the Pittsburgh Steelers. If we go back to last year, he wanted to play in Minnesota. That is the interesting one to me, right? I don’t know how Aaron Rodgers feels, I don’t know how the Vikings feel.”
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers throws a pass against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium, Dec. 7, 2025, in Baltimore, Maryland. Rodgers stepped into the pocket during a late-season AFC North contest, working to move the offense against pressure as Pittsburgh pushed toward the postseason stretch. Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-Imagn Images.
If the Schefter-style comments continue, the Vikings will indeed have back-to-back offseasons with blustery Rodgers fodder.
Schefter added, “And I think the Vikings didn’t want to do it last year because they were being protective of J.J. McCarthy. Do they still feel the same way, or is Aaron Rodgers more in the conversation?”
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Stunting McCarthy’s Development? Or Helping It?
Suppose Minnesota takes the plunge with Rodgers. He’d be virtually guaranteed to start. One might ask if that’s good or bad for McCarthy, who enters Year No. 3 as a pro.
In one scenario, the Vikings could plop McCarthy on the bench and ask him to watch and learn behind Rodgers for a year — like Jordan Love in 2020, 2021, and 2022. That plan worked in Green Bay. It’s just there’s very little precedent for a team to veer away from their 1st-Round quarterback after starting him for a season, only for the same team to re-promote him a year or two later.
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers runs onto the field before kickoff against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium, Sep. 21, 2025, in Foxborough, Massachusetts. Rodgers led pregame introductions as Pittsburgh prepared for an early-season road test, continuing his veteran tenure with the franchise after a high-profile arrival. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images.
Conversely, signing Rodgers — or anybody who might grab McCarthy’s job — would likely signal the end for McCarthy with the Vikings as a long-term solution. He’d embark on an adventure like Sam Darnold, Anthony Richardson, or Will Levis — former and notable quarterbacks looking for a second chance.
One of the hottest topics on social media is what the Tennessee Titans will do with the fourth overall selection in the 2026 NFL Draft, and while general manager Mike Borgonzi didn’t reveal any secrets, he did touch on some of the prospects during his NFL Scouting Combine press availability.
For the most part, Tennessee has often been linked to the three top edge rushers in this class: Reuben Bain, Arvell Reese, and David Bailey, in the majority of mock drafts published by different outlets. So it should be no surprise that when he was asked about the edge position and if the Titans had started dissecting the top prospects as the combine hits high gear.
While there was no clear indication of how the team is leaning, Borgonzi confirmed that all three prospects have had formal interviews with the Titans in Indianapolis, and they each bring something different to the table, ironically, all matching what defensive coordinator Gus Bradley described in his introductory press conference.
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Bain profiles as a power guy with the ability to slide inside on passing downs, Bailey attacks with speed and length off the edge, and Reese is versatile with the ability and experience to add an explosive playmaker at multiple positions.
The Titans are in dire need of some playmakers on their front seven, and any of those three can make an impact. Unfortunately, until the team kicks off free agency and starts adding some talent to their roster, figuring out which impressive prospect they have zeroed in on is impossible.
The 36-year-old has been with the Canucks since the 2019-20 season after signing a five-year free-agent contract with the team. He re-upped with the Canucks in 2024, signing a three-year, $9 million extension, of which he is in the second year.
The contract carries a no-movement clause through all three years, which Myers must agree to waive in order to be traded.
Myers has appeared in 57 games for the Canucks this season, registering one goal and eight points while averaging 20:30 in ice time.
The Canadian was selected 12th overall by the Buffalo Sabres in 2012 and spent parts of six seasons with the team before he was traded to the Winnipeg Jets ahead of the 2015 trade deadline.
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In 1,123 career games, Myers has 100 goals and 403 points.
The Canucks, currently in last place in the NHL, are expected to be major sellers ahead of the March 6 trade deadline.
