Igor Tudor has acknowledged Tottenham are in an “emergency situation” but believes the quality of the squad can steer them clear of Premier League relegation worries.
Tudor faced the media for the first time on Friday and fielded questions on Spurs’ precarious league position, a hefty injury list and the daunting prospect of a managerial debut in a north London derby against Arsenal.
The 47-year-old is no stranger to a crisis situation after taking over at Juventus, Lazio and Udinese in difficult moments and was defiant before his maiden Premier League match on Sunday.
“Style of play comes from pre-season when you have 50 days and you have 20 players. Of course when you have the style, very concrete, but now this is an emergency,” Tudor pointed out after he declared to be “100 per cent” confident of survival.
“An emergency situation when you need to find fast what suits the 10 (outfield) plus three players and it’s totally different.
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“You have to go day by day, week by week.
“Let’s see what we can do. If you ask me what we are going to see on Sunday? Then I believe something concrete, good that the people will like, but it’s also about working, doing your best and then you will see on Sunday.”
Igor Tudor will take charge of his first Tottenham match in Sunday’s north London derby with Arsenal (Will Matthews/PA) (PA Archive)
Arsenal are favourites to win a first league title since 2004, but even if they had not been the most dominant team in the division, this would still be one of the most difficult fixtures for a new Spurs head coach to make his debut in.
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Yet Tudor pushed back by saying: “Is it a good time to play against Arsenal at home? It’s always a good time to play against Arsenal at home.
“Good if you are not in a good moment, of course. If you are not in a good moment, of course, so let’s go.
“We respect them but we play at home. Let’s see what will happen. We need to have courage, confidence. We have good players, they have good players, so let’s see what will happen.
“Be humble but brave, intelligent. The right things to do to put in the pitch. We play at home, eh?”
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This is Tudor’s 12th different managerial role since he started out at Hajduk in 2013, but he bristled at the suggestion of sampling life in London during his time off over their next three months.
The former Croatia centre-back was also quizzed on the meaning of the term ‘Spursy’ and claimed to “never heard” of the popular social-media phrase.
While the task at hand is sizeable given Tottenham have won only two of their last 17 league fixtures, Tudor’s belief was unwavering.
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“I come here not to visit the city, I have come here to make a job at a very difficult moment for this club,” Tudor insisted.
“What I saw this week is the quality of the player, we have enormous quality in the players even though some of them are not with us, but they will come back.
“On Sunday we will have 13 good players. It’s about that.”
Carlos Alcaraz beats Royer to reach Doha Quarterfinal
After defeating Andrey Rublev 7-6, 6-4 to reach the Doha final, Carlos Alcaraz reflected on his level, his mindset, and the consistency he’s building.
The win sends Alcaraz into his first Doha final and improves his 2026 record to 11–0. He has now reached the final or better in 12 of his last 13 events. It is also the 34th final of his career, tying him with his former coach Juan Carlos Ferrero for the sixth most finals by a Spanish man, behind Rafael Nadal, Manuel Orantes, David Ferrer, Carlos Moyá, and Sergi Bruguera.
After the match, Alcaraz was asked whether he ever amazes himself with some of the shots he produces.
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“Not really to be honest,” he said. “Because I know what I’m able to do every time that I step on court. For me it’s great. Obviously, the way I’m approaching every match. I’m just really proud about it. I’m trying to be better at that… it’s paying off. All the focus and attention.”
He added:
“I’m just happy and proud about myself with how I’m getting better and getting mature I guess.”
Team USA started one of the final days of the Winter Olympics on Saturday with a gold medal.
The group of Kaila Kuhn, Connor Curran and Christopher Lillis captured the gold medal in freestyle skiing mixed team aerials. The trio scored a combined 325.35, which was more than good enough to defeat Switzerland, China and Australia.
United States’ Connor Curran (5-2) hugs United States’ Kaila Kuhn (5-1) as Switzerland’s Pirmin Werner (3-2) reacts during the freestyle skiing mixed team aerials final at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Livigno, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
Lillis completed the back double full-full-full for a score of 117.19. Curran nailed the back full-double full-full and received a score of 113.72. Kuhn picked up a 94.44.
It’s the second consecutive gold medal in the event for Team USA. The event has only been around since the 2022 Beijing Olympics. Last time, it was Lillis, Ashley Caldwell and Justin Schoenefeld who put together a score of 338.34. The Americans defeated China, Canada, Switzerland and the Russian Olympic Committee at the time.
United States’ Christopher Lillis (5-3) celebrates during the freestyle skiing mixed team aerials final at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Livigno, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
It’s the first Olympic medals for Curran and Kuhn.
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It was Curran’s first Olympics as he competed in the junior world circuit before earning a spot on Team USA. At 21 years old, he’s the youngest aerialist in the Olympics.
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Kuhn was chosen to compete in the 2022 Beijing Olympics in women’s aerials but finished in eighth place. She came back to win a gold medal at the 2025 Freestyle Ski World Championships in women’s aerials and the mixed team event.
From left, gold medalists United States’ Christopher Lillis, Connor Curran and Kaila Kuhn celebrate after the freestyle skiing mixed team aerials final at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Livigno, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
Feb 13, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Saint Louis Billikens head coach Josh Schertz reacts during the first half at Joseph J. Gentile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
Kellen Thames scored 16 points and made five steals as No. 18 Saint Louis rallied past visiting VCU 88-75 on Friday night to remain atop the Atlantic 10 standings.
The Billikens (25-1, 13-1 A-10) trailed by 14 in the first half before outscoring the Rams (21-7, 12-3) by a 55-33 margin in the second half, snapping VCU’s 10-game winning streak. A 21-2 spurt started by seven straight points from Thames turned an eight-point deficit into an 11-point lead.
Amari McCottry, Ishan Sharma and Robbie Avila each scored 13 points and Quintin Jones added 11 for the Billikens, who rebounded from their first conference loss on Tuesday at Rhode Island.
Lazar Djokovic scored 19 points and Brandon Jennings chipped in 18 for the Rams.
No. 7 Purdue 93, Indiana 64
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Trey Kaufman-Renn scored 20 points and Fletcher Loyer and Omer Mayer each added 18 as the Boilermakers routed the Hoosiers in West Lafayette, Ind.
Purdue led by as many as 34, shooting 64.7% from the field and doubling up Indiana on the glass (30-15). Braden Smith had 15 points and eight assists, while Kaufman-Renn added six boards and five assists as Purdue leveled the in-state rivalry series this season.
Lamar Wilkerson led the Hoosiers with 20 points while Tayton Conerway (12), Tucker DeVries (11) and Reed Bailey (10) followed in double figures.
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No. 22 Miami (Ohio) 91, Bowling Green 77
Luke Skaljac racked up 24 points and Eian Elmer supplied 21 as the RedHawks kept the only perfect record in Division I men’s basketball intact with a win over the Falcons in Oxford, Ohio.
Skaljac shot 5 of 10 from 3-point range and Elmer went 5 of 8 to account for most of Miami’s 13 triples in 30 attempts. Peter Suder had 10 points and five rebounds while battling foul trouble, and Antwone Woolfolk added 10 points and eight boards to help make Miami (Ohio) four games away from a perfect regular season.
Javontae Campbell carried the Falcons (16-12, 7-8) with 24 points, six rebounds and six assists before fouling out. Mayar Wol had 15 points and Josiah Shackelford added 12, each with three 3-pointers.
Just Fine’s form has wavered since his initial Australian hat-trick of dominant wins.
Co-trainer Adrian Bott gets the impression the sparingly raced eight-year-old is about to rewind to peak condition this autumn.
Tulloch Lodge enters Just Fine, Hoo Ya Mal, and previous season’s Brisbane Cup winner Campaldino into Rosehill’s Group 3 Parramatta Cup (1900m) this Saturday, as Bott reminds punters to respect his chances.
“I feel he’s back to where we had him originally,” Bott said.
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“His last couple of trials have been encouraging. We’re pleased with him at home and in his work.
“Maybe out of our three, he seems the most forward, and the most suited by the race. Hopefully he can show that on his return.”
The Mornington Cup (2400m) in April marked Just Fine’s last run, well beaten, with Hoo Ya Mal likewise fresh off a long break.
With a 2022 English Derby second placing, Hoo Ya Mal’s standout Australian run was Group 2 Hill Stakes (1900m) runner-up status a year on, though Bott holds faith in the gelding’s ability.
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“The talent is there, but he’s a horse that does need a lot to go his way in the run,” he said.
“I want to see something from him first, but he’s got the potential to be very competitive in these types of races.”
First-up post his breakthrough Brisbane Cup (3200m) victory in June, ex-Kiwi Campaldino was trialled for spring but lacked sharpness.
Opting for extended rest, his connections eye autumn with the Sydney Cup (3200m) in view.
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“He showed enough potential for us to pursue him as a tried prospect out of New Zealand, and he went from strength to strength last campaign when he went through his grades nicely and finished up with a very good win in the Brisbane Cup,” Bott said.
“We might have to be a bit more negative from that draw, which will make the task more difficult for him, but he’s got a nice campaign ahead.”
Out in gate 14 of 14, Campaldino topped Tulloch Lodge betting at $7.50 midweek, Just Fine next at $9.50, Hoo Ya Mal $16.
The second edition of the Niger Delta Games has been officially declared open in Benin City, Edo State, with leaders calling for more investment in youths and women through sports.
The opening ceremony took place on Friday at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, where Edo State’s culture and heritage were displayed in colourful fashion.
President Bola Tinubu, represented by the Minister of State for Industry, John Enoh, said sports remain a strong tool for unity and empowerment. He praised the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) for sustaining the initiative and said his government is focused on developing people alongside infrastructure.
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“The maiden edition showed that when government provides the platform, youths will respond,” Tinubu said.
“Niger Delta youths are creative and ready to compete. Beyond medals and trophies, this game is about talent discovery. Nigeria must lead. Young talents must see sport as a pathway to career and global recognition.”
He added, “I must task the sponsors, NDDC, to expand its opportunities and invest in initiatives that empower the youths and women. Sports remained an instrument of unity and empowerment known to mankind.”
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Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, announced a reward of N20 million for the winning state and N10 million for the runner-up. He said the games represent more than competition.
“The games are a powerful statement that the Niger Delta is not only defined by its resources, but also by its resilience, talent, and boundless human potential,” Okpebholo said.
“Through sports, discipline is taught. Through sports, character is built. Through sports, boundaries disappear.”
He urged athletes to compete with pride and integrity, adding, “You are the pride of the Niger Delta. You carry the dreams of millions of young people who look to you for inspiration.”
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NDDC Managing Director, Chief Samuel Ogbuku, called on state governors to support the games and confirmed the commission’s commitment to continue sponsoring the event.
“This competition is aimed at the amateur. From here they will be professional. All athletes come from their respective states. Let us use what we have to groom our athletes,” Ogbuku said.
“This competition has come to stay. This is part of our intervention in sports.”
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, represented by Senator Asuquo Ekenyoung, also promised National Assembly support for youth development and entrepreneurship initiatives.
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More than 3,000 athletes from the nine Niger Delta states are taking part in the seven-day sports festival, which is organised by Dunamis Icons and sponsored by the NDDC.
LOS ANGELES — Luka Doncic had 38 points and 11 assists, Austin Reaves added 29 points and the Los Angeles Lakers held off the Los Angeles Clippers down the stretch for a 125-122 victory Friday night.
LeBron James had 13 points and 11 assists for the Lakers in their return from the All-Star break. They blew a 15-point lead in the second half, but Doncic scored 12 points in the fourth quarter as the Lakers split the four-game season series with their crosstown rivals.
Kawhi Leonard scored 31 points before missing the final 5:10 with an apparent ankle injury for the Clippers (27-29), who fell just short of getting back to .500 in incredible fashion after their 6-21 start to the season.
Bennedict Mathurin had 26 points and seven rebounds in his second straight outstanding game for his new team before fouling out with 1:49 to play. The athletic guard acquired from Indiana for center Ivica Zubac dropped a career-high-tying 38 against Denver on Thursday.
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Derrick Jones Jr. scored on consecutive possessions to trim the Lakers’ lead to 123-120 with 46 seconds left. Nicolas Batum then stole James’ pass in the final seconds, but the Frenchman missed a tying three-point attempt with four seconds left.
Doncic, James and Reaves were able to play together for only the 11th time in the Lakers’ 55 games this season, thanks to a rare moment of full health for the Lakers coming out of the break. They responded with a prolific offensive performance, even while James managed just two points in the second half.
In Doncic’s return from a four-game absence followed by a five-minute All-Star Game appearance due to a mildly strained hamstring, the Slovenian superstar scored 17 points with four 3-pointers in a dynamic first quarter for the Lakers, who made 16 of 17 shots in one stretch.
Leonard, who had just one bucket in the first, answered with a 19-point second.
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The Clippers’ John Collins was helped off the court with 18 seconds left in the first half after he bloodied his face on a hard landing while trying to catch a long pass at the rim.
The Lindsay Park-trained Evaporate remains without a Group 1 win to date, but his handlers are convinced that top-tier glory awaits the four-year-old soon.
Ben, Will and J D Hayes have the galloper primed for an autumn opener in Saturday’s Group 1 Futurity Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield.
Evaporate is a more seasoned athlete this preparation, as per Ben Hayes, setting him up nicely for what lies ahead.
He boasts five prior Group 1 runs, achieving podium finishes thrice: third in the Caulfield Guineas, second place in the Toorak Handicap, and third most recently in the C F Orr Stakes behind Jimmysstar.
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In his younger days as a three-year-old, Lindsay Park entered him in the Cox Plate, where Via Sistina beat him comprehensively, and he ran fourth behind Mr Brightside in last year’s Futurity Stakes before heading overseas to New Zealand.
Following the Orr placing, Evaporate took a quick spell before the customary Lindsay Park two jump-outs leading into Saturday.
“I think he’s trialled up very well this time around,” Hayes said.
“What we really like is he seems a lot more relaxed and has shown us a really good turn of foot in both his jump-outs and his work at home.
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He’s a horse that has always shown us above average ability and it’s a race he can run very well in.
“He has already shown that he is capable at weight-for-age before and he’s a more hardened horse now.”
Co-trainer Hayes sees Evaporate tougher now, but Treasurethe Moment represents a tough hurdle on Saturday.
She resumed victorious in the Group 1 Memsie Stakes last spring, at Caulfield over 1400m, upsetting Mr Brightside.
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“It would be nice to get that Group 1 on his CV,” Hayes said of Evaporate.
“He’s a Group 1 horse, but we’re going to run into a horse like Treasurethe Moment who was amazing last spring campaign.
“But I think we’ve improved, which we have to, to beat her.”
Joni Taylor is the 2026 recipient of the Kay Yow Heart of a Coach Award. The Texas A&M women’s basketball coach received the award after a unanimous vote from the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
South Carolina coach Dawn Staley took to X to give Taylor her flowers.
“@CoachJoniTaylor, there’s not a big enough bouquet of flowers to celebrate you for who you are and what you represent to us! Congrats! Congrats! Congrats! Much deserved!” Staley wrote.
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Joni Taylor started her coaching career as an assistant at Troy. She took up the job shortly after graduating from Alabama, where she starred as a power forward and center.
Taylor had other stints as an assistant, namely with Louisiana Tech, Alabama, LSU and Georgia. She became the Georgia Bulldogs coach in April 2015. Taylor spent seven seasons in the role, posting winning records each year.
Taylor became the Texas A&M coach on March 23, 2022. She’s looking to guide the program to success in the uber-competitive SEC. The Aggies are currently 11-11 (4-9) in the 2025-26 season. They’re fresh off an 82-74 win against the No. 21-ranked Tennessee Vols, and their next game is against the Arkansas Razorbacks.
Dawn Staley and Joni Taylor made history in 2021
History was made at the 2021 Southeastern Conference Tournament Championship game between the South Carolina Gamecocks and Georgia Bulldogs. That game was the first time two Black women head coaches met in a Power Five conference tournament championship.
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Dawn Staley coached the Gamecocks to a win over Joni Taylor’s Bulldogs. The duo embraced before and after the showdown.
“You can’t dream what you can’t see,” said Taylor after the game.
“So (the SEC title game) was a chance for people to dream something that they haven’t seen before.”
Taylor has since taken her talent to Texas A&M, while Staley remains South Carolina’s coach. The latter is vying for a winning season, while the latter is aiming for yet another national championship to add to an impressive haul.
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Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent weighed in on the controversy over the American-born Olympic skier Eileen Gu’s decision to compete for China over the U.S.
During an interview on Fox News’ “The Will Cain Show” on Friday, Bessent suggested Gu “sold out” with her decision to compete for America’s greatest adversary, comparing her to billionaire Democrat donor George Soros.
“It was just like this young Olympic athlete that the Vice President was talking about earlier on the previous show. America was great to her, she sold out to China. America was great to Mr. Soros,” Bessent said.
Eileen Gu of Team People’s Republic of China falls in the Women’s Freeski Halfpipe Qualification 1 on day thirteen of the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Livigno Air Park on Feb. 19, 2026 in Livigno, Italy. (Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
Bessent referenced comments made by Vice President JD Vance in response to a question about Gu during a Tuesday interview on Fox News’ “The Story With Martha MacCallum.”
“I certainly think that someone who grew up in the United States of America who benefited from our education system, from the freedoms and liberties that makes this country a great place, I would hope they want to compete with the United States of America,” Vance said on “The Story With Martha MacCallum.”
“So, I’m going to root for American athletes. I think part of that is people who identify themselves as Americans. That’s who I’m rooting for in this Olympics.”
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Gu responded to Vance’s comments on Thursday.
“I’m flattered. Thanks, JD! That’s sweet,” Gu said of Vance’s comments, per USA Today.
Gu was also asked if she currently feels “like a bit of a punching bag for a certain strand of American politics” after her competition on Thursday.
“I do,” she said, per USA Today. “So many athletes compete for a different country. … People only have a problem with me doing it because they kind of lump China into this monolithic entity, and they just hate China. So it’s not really about what they think it’s about.
“And also, because I win. Like if I wasn’t doing well, I think that they probably wouldn’t care as much, and that’s OK for me. People are entitled to their opinions.”
Gu has previously said she was “physically assaulted” for her decision to represent China.
“The police were called. I’ve had death threats. I’ve had my dorm robbed,” Gu told The Athletic. “I’ve gone through some things as a 22-year-old that I really think no one should ever have to endure, ever.”
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Gu has been the subject of global criticism since her decision to represent China dating back to the original decision in 2019, and her first Winter Olympics in Beijing in 2022. This year, that criticism has ramped up, as she has won two silver medals and even responded to a question about President Donald Trump criticizing U.S. Olympian Hunter Hess for being critical of the current state of America.
“I’m sorry that the headline that is eclipsing the Olympics has to be something so unrelated to the spirit of the Games. It really runs contrary to everything the Olympics should be,” Gu told reporters Monday. “The whole point of sport is to bring people together… One of the very few common languages, that of the human body, that of the human spirit, the competitive spirit, the capacity to break not only records, but especially in our sport, literally the human limit. How wonderful is that?”
Gu also claimed she had been “caught in the crossfire” herself.
Silver medalist Eileen Gu of China poses for photos after the awarding ceremony of the freestyle skiing women’s freeski big air event at the Milan Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Livigno, Italy, Feb. 16, 2026. (Wang Peng/Xinhua via Getty Images)
“As someone who has got caught in the crossfire before, I feel sorry for the athletes,” Gu said. “I hope that they can ski to their very best.”
Gu will compete in the women’s freestyle skiing halfpipe final on Saturday after winning silvers in her first two events.
Jackson Thompson is a sports reporter for Fox News Digital covering critical political and cultural issues in sports, with an investigative lens. Jackson’s reporting has been cited in federal government actions related to the enforcement of Title IX, and in legacy media outlets including The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Associated Press and ESPN.com.
During that time, the Rams have compiled a 549–631–33 (.466) record through the 2025 season.
