標籤: Cup

armory Star Victor Gyckeres has played down any injury or fitness concerns after playing in Sweden’s 2-2 draw with Greece on Thursday.

football scandal report comments More from his surprise appearance in the game today, considering he played in the Champions League final only a week ago.

from arsenal to sweden

Given the Gunners’ run to the Champions League final, the Arsenal forward was expected to miss Sweden’s friendly matches ahead of the World Cup. At least, he wasn’t expected to start.

Instead, he started the game and scored after playing 63 minutes before being replaced by Graham Potter.

This came with its own risks as he was involved in a nerve-wracking moment when he was cut from behind in a scenario that could have had serious consequences. Luckily, he is fine and insists that everything is fine fitness-wise too.

“It’s fun to come back and play with the guys again,” he said.

“It feels good in my body, and I feel in good physical shape. So I thought it was good to get some match minutes in my legs. There’s some time in the World Cup premiere. So, it might be needed.”

world cup plans

Luckily for Sweden, the striker was in good form as he scored one of their two goals in a 2–2 draw. However, surprisingly his famous celebration was nowhere to be seen.

He admits it was a conscious decision. He’s saving his trademark for the big World Cup games.

“I’m saving it for the World Cup,” he said.

“I haven’t done this whenever we’ve lost. It’s happened before that I didn’t do it then. And it was a friendly match too. But I can do it later in the hotel.”

arsenal fest

The 28-year-old goes into the tournament on the back of a successful first season with Arsenal following his move from Sporting Club de Portugal last summer.

Although the goals may not have flowed as freely as they did in Portugal, he still finished the campaign with 21 in all competitions. And, crucially, also a Premier League title. For him, celebration is something he wants to experience again.

He concluded, “We didn’t get many hours of sleep as we drove back to London. After the parade I was a little tired. But it was super fun to experience it.”

“I got a tremendous amount of energy from all the fans. It was a special experience that I would love to do again.”

Aston Villa AS Roma are pursuing Matias Sule and are now considering another player from the same team.

sports witness Unai has covered for Emery, making the initial contact for Argentina.

They want to take advantage of Roma’s financial situation, as they have until the end of June to execute the sale.

Aston Villa could help them with another sale as a potential exit from Rome takes shape.

interest in the corner

dejeroma tv Report that the player in question is Manu Kone, the Giallorossi’s most important player. What’s more, he is probably their most valuable player as well.

Aston Villa view him as a potential target, with Unai Emery said to be an admirer of the France international.

Roma finds his exit inevitable. They need ‘significant offers’ to sell Kone, with the outlet also highlighting the Villans’ interest in Sole.

The midfielder’s price tag has not been decided yet. This is because new sporting director Tony D’Amico has not yet taken over. But the Italian is unlikely to stop selling, with Gian Piero Gasperini also happy to part ways.

Which could be an important signature

The 25-year-old looks like Emery would love him. He works between the lines, is press resistant and his mobility makes him a threat going forward.

The cost of the con is not expected to exceed €50m. He is at the right age and will play in the World Cup as well. Aston Villa could promise him Champions League football and better wages.

Inter Milan were initially keen but they are now focusing on Curtis Jones instead.

Aston Villa The season concluded with silverware, but Emiliano Buendia’s summer did not go exactly to plan.

The midfielder played a key role in Villa’s Europa League victory. He also recently made headlines by openly discussing his dream of one day playing for River Plate in Argentina.

Yet despite finishing the campaign strongly, he was left out of Lionel Scaloni’s final Argentina squad for the World Cup.

It appears that the door to international participation will be closed this summer. However, a recent report dsports radio There are suggestions that Buendia may not be completely out of the picture.

Holidays postponed

According to the Argentine outlet, the Aston Villa player has been told to ‘remain on alert and postpone his holiday plans’.

The report claims that national team representatives informed him to continue training if a late call-up became necessary due to fitness concerns elsewhere in the team. And… this This has happened to him only last year.

The report does not indicate that a call-up is imminent. Instead, it appears that Buendia is among the players being kept on standby should Argentina need reinforcements before or during the tournament.

Why Buendia might still have a chance?

local outlet bugle Explained in detail Argentina’s injury situation ahead of the World Cup.

The good news for Lionel Scaloni is that many of the team’s biggest concerns are being eased. Cristian Romero has returned to full training after his knee injury, while Julián Álvarez has also completed his recovery and is working as normal with the group.

However, Argentina are still keeping an eye on some players. Leandro Paredes remains the most worrying case and is looking for time to be fit for the opening match.

Gonzalo Montiel is also struggling to recover from a muscle injury. Meanwhile, Nicolas Gonzalez and Emiliano Martínez are being carefully managed. Recently, Thiago Almada, another player struggling with fitness problems, trained without any restrictions.

Lionel Messi is also progressing as expected after suffering a hamstring problem during Inter Miami’s MLS campaign. Meanwhile, highly rated Como youngster Nicolás Paz is recovering from a knee problem and is under the close observation of Argentina’s medical staff.

From a positional standpoint, the injuries that will realistically open the door for Buendia are those affecting Nicolas Gonzalez, Thiago Almada and Nicolas Paz.

Buendia’s profile fits that mold far more naturally than Leandro Paredes’ role. His absence will likely be covered by more defensive or central midfield options.

Messi is another theoretical possibility given the areas of the pitch he dominates, although replacing the Argentina captain is a unique challenge.

Another layer of uncertain heat

The update comes during an already uncertain period for Buendia. His contract at Aston Villa expires in June 2027, leaving the club with decisions to make in the coming months.

Turkish reports have linked him to Possible interest from Galatasaray. Meanwhile, Buendia himself recently admitted that Future Steps Towards River Plate A personal ambition remains.

However, thinking about transfers may have to wait for now.

Buendia was looking forward to the summer break after missing out on World Cup selection. Instead, if Argento’s latest claims are true, he has been instructed to keep his shoes on and his phone nearby.

Juventus officials plan to keep a close eye bournemouth Forward Justin Kluivert at the World Cup this summer.

Gazzetta dello sport report The Dutch player is in the sights of Juventus as they plan to make changes to their squad in the coming months.

Bournemouth star added to list

The newspaper reports that Justin Kluivert has been added to Juventus’ summer transfer shortlist. The Italian club plans to keep a close eye on him at the World Cup, where he will take part Ronald Koeman’s Netherlands team.

The forward’s ‘rebirth’ under Andoni Ierola at Bournemouth has not gone unnoticed. The Spaniard’s decision to move him centrally resulted in a ‘season above double figures’ and a place in the Netherlands World Cup squad.

Juventus currently favor Real Madrid’s Brahim Diaz, but Kluivert is an alternative option. In fact, he is ‘ready to present himself’ as a direct transfer rival to the Spaniard.

His work in the Premier League is already impressing but Juventus also value the fact that he has adjusted to Serie A.

serie a second chance

Although his time at Roma early in his career may have been disappointing, the feeling he left behind is now far behind. The 27-year-old player has proven himself in the Premier League. Now he may be ready to prove himself again in Serie A.

There is no mention yet of any attempt to get the transfer done. Or what assessment Bournemouth would give their player.

He is currently valued at €25m by the likes of Transfermarkt. The key could be his contract, which runs until 2028. It means this summer could be Bournemouth’s last chance to secure a top fee before he enters the final year of his deal next summer.

For now, it seems that Juventus are simply considering him as an option. If he impresses at the World Cup, this option could become more solid.

of liverpool The name continues to follow Francisco Trincao around Portugal, and the Reds are now being presented as the leading candidates if the Sporting player decides to return to England.

recent reports The Reds have been linked with a move for the 26-year-old attacker, while Borussia Dortmund have also been credited with interest. Now, record Claim Liverpool top the list of clubs keeping an eye on the Portugal international.

The newspaper’s latest report focuses on Sporting’s summer plans and the players most likely to generate big transfer income. And Trincao is firmly one of them.

According to the Record, Sporting believe the winger has all the prerequisites for a Premier League return after rebuilding his career in Lisbon over the past four years.

While several clubs have been linked, Liverpool in particular have been identified as the team with the most interest at this stage.

Liverpool strongly linked

Portuguese reports have repeatedly suggested that Trincão’s future would not be seriously considered until after the World Cup. That tournament is expected to provide another opportunity for the player to increase his value and visibility on the international stage.

So there is no hurry for sporting.

The attacker signed a new contract earlier this year until 2030, while his €60m (£50.5m) release clause remains unchanged. Records show that any activity regarding his future is expected to revolve around that figure.

Liverpool’s continued presence at the front of the queue will draw attention to Merseyside.

The Reds are expected to make attacking adjustments this summer and Trincao’s profile has been increasingly highlighted in Portugal, As we covered earlier.

He finished the season with 13 goals and 15 assists in 54 games. He also established himself as Sporting’s most used outfield player.

Sporting expects big sales

The Record’s extensive reports make it clear that Sporting are hoping for another lucrative summer.

The Lisbon club made more than €181 million (£152 million) from player sales last year and are targeting at least €120 million (£101 million) in outgoing deals this summer.

Trincao is considered one of the players capable of helping them reach that figure. And according to records, the Reds currently top the list among the clubs willing to unlock the deal.

of brighton Interest in Damien Bobadilla has been well documented in recent months. However, the latest information from Brazil suggests the midfielder could become one of Sao Paulo’s biggest transfer stories following the World Cup.

The 24-year-old enjoyed an excellent campaign and established himself as one of Sao Paulo’s key players.

He has recorded three goals and five assists in 28 games this season, almost all of them as a starter. Meanwhile, he continues to cement his place in Paraguay’s plans ahead of the World Cup in North America.

More importantly, Bobadilla has become one of the pillars of the team and is considered one of São Paulo’s most consistent performers in 2026.

Those qualities have already attracted people’s interest celtic and brentfordbut brighton is such a club keeps getting mentioned. Additionally, clubs from Spain and Italy are also believed to be keeping an eye on them.

World Cup seen as important moment

The latest information points to growing confidence among those closest to Bobadilla. He believes that the World Cup can become the turning point of his career.

according to the journalist Alexander VieiraThe player’s representatives have already received approaches from several European clubs. Still, nothing official has reached São Paulo.

Vieira points out that these are clubs from Europe’s top divisions and established names in their respective countries, even if they are not among the continent’s absolute elite.

That distinction is important. This is because it shows that the market for Bobadilla is active even before a ball is bowled in the World Cup.

The journalist says that contacts received from the player’s camp reinforce the idea that European clubs are actively preparing for the next transfer window and see Bobadilla as a realistic target. Brighton remains part of that picture.

Vieira then added that the Premier League side have been monitoring Bobadilla since the end of last year.

According to him, the midfielder is one of several South American players being tracked by Brighton’s recruitment department. They are assessing future market opportunities.

Shared expectation of future sales

Perhaps the most interesting element of Vieira’s update is the growing acknowledgment that a transfer could eventually happen.

The journalist says both Sao Paulo and the players’ camp have effectively adopted the same strategy: wait for the World Cup.

There is a belief that the tournament will put Bobadilla in the spotlight and create the best possible conditions for a significant sale.

According to Vieira, there are already a lot of expectations in the player’s camp. He believes that attractive offers may come after the competition.

Part of that optimism comes from Paraguay’s prospects in the tournament.

Journalists say there is confidence that Paraguay could perform better than expectations due to the draw. As a result, the team could potentially reach the round of 16 or even the quarter-finals.

Bobadilla is not an automatic starter in every match for his country, but Vieira says he starts the majority of games and is seen as an important member of the team.

what happens next

Sao Paulo signed Bobadilla from Cerro Porteño for around €1.8m (£1.5m) in 2024, but they only have 60% of his economic rights.

That detail remains important. With Cerro Porteño owning a 40% stake, any transfer would need to reach a huge figure before São Paulo could even consider selling.

Vieira believes that reality is already shaping the club’s thinking. The hope is that only a big offer will be enough to convince Sao Paulo to part ways with the player they say will be the team’s most consistent performer in 2026.

At the moment, there is still no formal proposal on the table. Yet the latest information paints a clearer picture than before.

European clubs are enquiring, Brighton are keeping a close eye, and both Sao Paulo and the player’s camp seem convinced that the World Cup could prove to be the ideal springboard for further progress.

liverpool Star Alexander Isak has insisted he will be ready for the World Cup after a difficult, injury-filled first season at Anfield.

football scandal report comments The 26-year-old striker is struggling to be fit for Sweden at the World Cup today.

Liverpool’s first season marred by injury

The striker has had a disappointing first season at Liverpool after signing in a €145m deal from Newcastle United last summer.

He was brought in to be a star forward, but instead he managed only 14 appearances in the Premier League, accounting for 21% of the total minutes played, due to injuries.

He broke his fibula in December after being unfit over the summer due to missing training with Newcastle. This left him out for a combined 106 days and 24 games for Liverpool and Sweden.

Adductor pain and muscle problems caused him to miss 19 days throughout May. He is now in the final stages of his recovery and admits that it has been difficult.

“It’s been a challenge with a lot of rehabilitation,” he said.

“It’s the most boring thing in football. It’s not fun to do too much of it. But there are some positive parts to it.”

“The March meeting that you got to watch on the TV sofa is a big highlight that has made it possible for me to be here and hopefully have a great summer with everyone.”

world cup focus

The focus now turns to being fit for the start of Sweden’s World Cup campaign. They will face Norway and Greece in friendly matches next month, before opening the tournament against Tunisia on June 15.^th.

Given that he has not played since a 23-minute appearance against Chelsea in early May, this could be a challenge. However, the Liverpool striker is in confident mood.

“Of course, I feel good,” he said when asked about the Tunisia game.

“As you know, I have some injury concerns. The most important thing is that I am in good shape for the first match of the World Cup. There is a little time left so I can work on that.”

He is also confident about the friendly matches that will take place before that. He finally said, “Absolutely. I think so. I think I will play in both the matches. It remains to be seen how much.”

west ham united Star Crescencio Somerville’s inclusion in the Netherlands squad has been warmly welcomed by his former coach Alphonse Groenendijk.

Voetbal Primeur covered his comments today This was said in an interview with De Telegraaf after Somerville was included in the Netherlands squad by Ronald Koeman.

west ham star

The Dutch winger is in the squad for the World Cup this summer after an impressive campaign which saw the 24-year-old score five goals and four assists in 31 Premier League games this season.

He was undoubtedly the Hammers’ best player this season and was ultimately blameless for their relegation to the Championship.

Indeed, his performances towards the end of the year, when he scored in four consecutive games, gave West Ham hope in the fight against relegation.

It has been a real season of development for the 24-year-old, although Groenendijk are all aware of his talent.

He said, “As a coach, I had the privilege of giving him the chance to make his debut in the Eredivisie. You always follow people you have worked with or made your debut with with extra interest.”

“He already had something special in ADO. That kid has a crazy instinct in his game. He has courage and believes in his abilities. It’s fun to watch him.”

“Unexpected and dangerous”

The winger has managed to return to form at West Ham after a difficult first year since arriving from Leeds United. He had previously established himself as an outstanding performer for the Whites in the Championship.

And Groenendijk believes he now has the talent to make him a special player.

“And he’s kept those special qualities on the ball. He’s really got weapons. Scoring ability, he can go outside and inside.”

“He’s so incredibly fast. And with the ball at his feet, he’s almost faster than without the ball. Plus, he has a dribbling move that’s almost unstoppable. You rarely see that in football anymore.”

And he believes there is one particular talent that makes the West Ham winger unpredictable and dangerous, his versatility.

He concluded, “Crisencio can play in both positions, but I find him most dangerous when he comes in from the left.”

“At West Ham, he had the freedom to change sides during the match. It makes him even more unpredictable and dangerous.”

brighton Midfielder Diego Gomez has arrived in Paraguay with confidence after his recent injury and the player is already setting ambitious targets ahead of the World Cup.

The 21-year-old returned to join the Paraguay national team camp this week after growing optimism over his fitness status.

Gomez had caused concern after suffering a knee problem against Tottenham, but the latest signs are pointing in a positive direction.

As we recently coveredBoth Brighton and the player’s camp have become relaxed about the situation. Gomez herself has now publicly reinforced that message.

His performances this season have already sparked noise of a transfer to the Premier League. Manchester City have been linked in the past, while Paraguayan reports continue to insist that Elite clubs are keeping a close watch on them.

However, for now Gomez’s focus is entirely on Paraguay.

Gomez sends ambitious message

Silvio Pettirossi speaking after arriving at the airport, as relayed by South American outlet D10Diego Gomez made it clear he is heading into the World Cup with major ambitions.

“Any player dreams of playing in the World Cup. At the moment I am thinking about training and working every day to face each match in the best possible way.”

However, he then went much further when discussing Paraguay’s mentality heading into the tournament.

“We are here to become champions, that’s our mentality. We have to go step by step, think about each training session and each match. It’s true that we have a tough group. But we need to think about what’s going to happen and leave everything on the field.”

This confidence reflects Paraguay’s growing confidence in the current generation. Gomez is being seen as one of the leaders of that group despite his age.

The fear of getting hurt is going away

Diego Gomez also directly addressed injury concerns and admitted that the opening moment created real fear.

“It was scary. I thought it was going to be something bad, but it wasn’t serious.”

The Brighton midfielder then confirmed that he is already feeling completely fine.

“I’m already at 100% and I’m getting minutes again so I can be in good shape for the World Cup.”

This will also be welcome news for Brighton. And there is already a feeling that the World Cup could become another big turning point in his career.

If Paraguay perform well and Gomez maintains his current trajectory, Brighton’s focus on the midfielder is likely to increase further.

Manchester UnitedManuel Ugarte says he has been solely focused on the World Cup in recent months.

The Uruguay international arrived at Old Trafford from Paris Saint-Germain in August 2024 and made 45 appearances last season.

However, his playing time at Manchester United decreased significantly this season, being limited to 1,005 minutes in 24 matches.

Since taking over from Michael Carrick in January, the midfielder has played just 155 minutes in seven matches. This included 90 minutes in the Red Devils’ league defeat to Leeds United in April, his last appearance.

The restricted role did not prevent him from earning a place in Marcelo Bielsa’s squad for the World Cup.

Work with WC in mind at Manchester United

With the conclusion of the 2025/26 season, Manuel Ugarte traveled to his home country.

The 25-year-old arrived at Carrasco International Airport where he met journalists espn Has released his comments.

He did not hesitate to confirm that it has not been a productive season for him personally. As the player was aware of this, he already focused on the upcoming World Cup.

“In recent months, my focus has been 100% on the World Cup. Now it’s time to get to work and start training to face Saudi Arabia,” He said.

“This year was not the best for Manchester United, but at one point I realized and I said: my focus is on the World Cup.”

“I did everything for the World Cup: every minute I played was with the World Cup in mind, the training sessions I did, the intensive sessions and the rest sessions, they were all with the World Cup in mind.”

Ugarte asked about Manchester United’s future

The former Sporting player has refused to discuss whether he plans to change clubs in the summer.

“I’m not thinking about what’s next because when you finish your career the best thing is to play a World Cup with your country. I want to enjoy it and push myself to my limits.” Manuel Ugarte explained.

ESPN has suggested a farewell to the Red Devils in a few post-season finales. When asked about it he said: “Manchester United is one of the best clubs in the world.”

“The World Cup is going to be important in determining everything. I am ready for whatever comes.”

“This year was not good in every sense, but I learned a lot mentally, I was surrounded by good people and I am trying to take positivity from it. We will see what happens in the World Cup. Whatever happens, I think it will be good.”

Summer exit benefits both parties

Following Casemiro’s exit, Manchester United are aiming to sign at least two new midfielders in the upcoming window.

This will make it challenging for Manuel Ugarte to enjoy regular minutes under Michael Carrick. Therefore, moving out in summer can be beneficial for both parties.

Two months ago, Sports Witness Covered claims from Italy Several attempts by Juventus to sign him.

brentford Striker Igor Thiago has completed one of the most remarkable developments in Brazilian football after confirming his place in Carlo Ancelotti’s Brazil squad for the World Cup.

The 24-year-old’s stellar season in England has already thrust him firmly into the international spotlight.

However, the confirmation of his place in the team represents another big step forward in a career that has grown rapidly since his move to the Premier League. sounds like Brazil finally gets its ‘number nine’ At last.

Igor Thiago has scored 22 Premier League goals this season. Those performances not only turned him into one of Brentford’s most important players, but also attracted serious transfer interest from across Europe.

Chelsea has already inquired Regarding the striker, while Atletico Madrid and Juventus have also checked into his situation in recent weeks. As we recently coveredBrentford are reportedly demanding around £77 million (€90 million) for the Brazilian.

Now, with the World Cup in front of him, his value and visibility may increase even further.

Emotional reaction after Brazil call-up

Speaking in comments relayed by ulIgor Thiago admitted that the moment was difficult to describe.

“The only hope we had was faith. We prepared a whole party here at the house and waited for Mister to say my name.” He said.

“They called my name. I’m going to play my first World Cup. It’s an honor. I can’t even express myself. I don’t have words to describe the gratitude and the feeling I’m experiencing right now.”

The striker directly pointed to his Brentford form as the reason behind the call-up. Of course, it is Also positive publicity for the club.

“For what I’m doing this season with my goals. Everything I do at Brentford – physical strength, counter-attacking, I think whatever quality our national team has, I can do that too.

“I’m a tall striker, good inside the box, good in the air, with good pace and finishing. I think a striker should have these attributes, and I think I have them all.”

Brentford’s rise changed everything

Igor Thiago also reflects on the unusual path that took him from amateur football in Brazil to the Premier League and now the World Cup.

“I come from a rural area in the state of Goiás. I was playing amateur football until I was 17 years old. Then I went to a rural area in another state for trials. I became champion there and moved to Cruzeiro.

“I spent three years in the second division at Cruzeiro. Then I went to Bulgaria and my story started to change, then Belgium, scoring goals until I reached the Premier League. Now I have the opportunity to represent my country at the World Cup.”

That journey, whose details we have given earlierNow the striker is becoming a major talking point in Brazil.

Meanwhile, for Brentford, the timing is hard to ignore. With the World Cup approaching and several major European clubs already keeping a close eye on the player, the market around Igor Thiago could become even more aggressive in the coming months.

of manchester city When it comes to midfielder Pedro Vaite the extensive scouting operation appears to be going beyond simple monitoring.

Latest reports suggest that discussions are already taking place over where the Ecuadorian international will fit into the City football group setup.

The 24-year-old has quickly become one of the standout names linked to the group following recent scouting activity in Mexico.

As covered earlierRepresentatives from City Football Group traveled to the country earlier this month to watch matches and meet with local contacts. At the time, no one publicly attached specific names to the voyage. However, this has changed very rapidly.

as of now TUDN MexicoCity Football Group are still pushing to sign Pedro Vitae ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

And interestingly, the conversation already seems to be moving beyond whether they want him.

Discussion is already on the way

The latest claims suggest that internal talks are now taking place over where exactly Pedro Vitae will play within the City Football Group structure if the move goes ahead.

Verona, New York City FC, Troyes and Palermo have all been mentioned as possible landing spots. However, the report also leaves the door slightly open to the possibility of something bigger.

Manchester City themselves are not completely out of the picture.

This still seems like the least likely route, and it is important to emphasize that most of the reporting has focused on the wider CFG network rather than Pep Guardiola’s immediate plans. Still, the noteworthy thing is that this possibility is also being mentioned internally.

Usually, when these stories first come out, the discussion is simply about scouting or interest. It already seems a little further down the road.

Why does white matter to CFG?

Pedro Witte joined Pumas UNAM from Vancouver Whitecaps in July 2025 and quickly rose to Liga MX status.

The Ecuador international has become one of the Pumas’ most important creative players. He primarily plays as an attacking midfielder. However, he is comfortable moving into more central areas to dictate the game.

Technically fast, left-footed and agile in tight spaces, he fits the profile that groups regularly target in many leagues.

The reported valuation is currently around €14m (£12m), which would become a record sale for Pumas UNAM.

the sooner the better

According to reports, City Football Group wants to move ahead before the World Cup. This is because they expect Pedro Vitesse’s value to increase if Ecuador has a strong tournament and performs well.

This has become a familiar tactic for multi-club groups and elite sides alike. Their goal is to complete the deal before the global headlines push the price higher.

At this stage, there is still no confirmation of formal negotiations or a final decision as to which club will acquire him.

Still, the tone is changing toward this early stage of a deal.

The stage is set for the prestigious Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Sunday, the second crown jewel race of the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season. Appropriately, the longest race of the year features a large group of drivers.

There are 39 drivers on the Cup Series entry list for the Coca-Cola 600. One driver, Katherine Legge, is attempting “the double” and may arrive late to Charlotte after competing in the Indianapolis 500. Meanwhile, Corey Heim (23XI Racing) and Timmy Hill (Garage 66) are also part of the field.

Here is the NASCAR entry list for this weekend’s Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

RELATED: NASCAR weekend schedule Charlotte

NASCAR Cup Series Entry List: Coca-Cola 600

Matt Johnson is the senior NFL and college football editor for Sportsknot. His work including the weekly NFL and college… More about Matt Johnson

RFK Racing is facing the possibility of needing to run one of its three The Chase contenders in an unnamed car next season. If the team wants to change this, it may have to pay a heavy price.

The Athletic’s motorsports reporter Jordan Bianchi wrote this week that the low-end estimate for securing a permanent charter in the Cup Series is “close to $100 million,” and it could be even higher.

RELATED: Elite RFK Racing drivers could lose chartered status in 2027

RFK currently has a charter lease from Rick Ware Racing for the 2026 season. However, that charter was sold to Legacy Motor Club to complete the team’s expansion to three full-time drivers in 2027.

A charter in excess of $100 million is the kind of price tag that teams like Spire Motorsports, 23XI Racing, Hendrick Motorsports and Team Penske can possibly afford. The same was not necessarily the case with RFK’s financial situation.

This puts RFK in the same situation that team owners in the National Football League are increasingly facing. Although this is more extreme – NFL franchise value now exceeds $7 billion – NASCAR teams will need to target partnerships with private equity groups to afford the rising costs.

RELATED: Young driver named favorite for new charter at Legacy

At that point, Puck’s John Orand reported in January that private equity groups and media corporations had “informal conversations” about a possible process of taking a minority ownership stake in NASCAR. Similarly, the teams also have similar interests, with Spire’s pockets an example of how financial support from private equity can help fund operations.

Therefore, if RFK wants to obtain a charter to ensure that Ryan Preece, Brad Keselowski and Chris Buescher are all eligible for the races and can receive full slotted purses for their finale, they will need to find the funds to obtain another charter.

What NASCAR charters may be available?

NASCAR still has four charters it can sell, but none of them are likely to be made available to RFK. Under the new agreement signed this year, NASCAR can create and sell four new charters to a new OEM entering the Cup Series, which is expected to be Ram.

This leaves the only options for RFK to lease or purchase the charter outright from another team. Spire, 23XI, Penske, Joe Gibbs Racing, Richard Childress Racing and Trackhouse Racing have no intentions of downsizing.

Meanwhile, Hyak Motorsports has extended Ricky Stenhouse Jr.’s commitment to another season with a full-time driver in the Cup Series. Similarly, Wood Brothers Racing is expected to retain Josh Berry.

He leaves Rick Ware Racing and the Haas factory team. The most likely option would be for RWR to sell its only remaining charter, but even that may require some convincing as it would take Cody Ware out of the Cup Series.

Read more: NASCAR prospects whose stock is rising

Matt Johnson is the senior NFL and college football editor for Sportsknot. His work including the weekly NFL and college… More about Matt Johnson

Barcelona sporting director Deco has flown to London to meet Joao Pedro’s agents ahead of a potential move chelsea star.

Sports report, in a special, The sporting director has flown to London to meet Brazil’s representatives amid difficulties signing Julian Alvarez.

main target is chelsea

The newspaper reports that Barcelona have already identified their main targets for the upcoming transfer window, and right now, Joao Pedro is one of the top targets.

The Chelsea man is the name that has ‘generated the most consensus’ among the club’s sporting management.

The people in charge of Camp Nou respect the Brazilians very much. The feeling is that he possesses many of the qualities Barcelona are looking for in their center forward of the future.

According to information received by Sport from ‘sources close to the player’, Deco has flown to London to meet Joao Pedro’s agents.

He could also take advantage of his stay in England to watch the FA Cup final. Joao Pedro is likely to start the game for Chelsea when they take on Manchester City at Wembley.

Barcelona is planning slowly

Reportedly, the visit has been kept ‘top secret’ within Barcelona. The Catalan giants want to move forward with ‘sufficient time and foresight’.

The economics of the deal will require calm and careful planning. A face-to-face meeting with João Pedro during his visit is ‘not out of the question’.

Barcelona’s management believes that the Brazilian fits perfectly into the current team. He is considered a modern striker, with obvious technical quality and youth. At the moment, he is the clear favorite to become Barcelona’s number nine ahead of Julian Alvarez.

They also know that getting him out of Chelsea will not be an easy task. Work will need to be done to create salary space in their squad and finalize departures before a deal can be done. But Deco’s visit to London is a clear signal of Barcelona’s intentions this summer.

tottenham hotspur The fight against relegation has become one of the strangest stories of the Premier League season – and Richarlison is now living every part of that tension simultaneously.

The Brazilian striker is trying to help Spurs avoid disaster domestically, while also trying to secure his place in Carlo Ancelotti’s Brazil squad for the 2026 World Cup.

After Monday’s draw against Leeds United, Richarlison openly admitted concerns about the situation. He has already paid the price for this In Brazil’s previous call-up.

Spurs are dangerously close to the relegation zone with only two matches left. The club is just two points above West Ham United, who currently occupy the last relegation spot.

Richardson is speaking openly about the pressure

talking to espn brazil After the match, Richarlison admitted that the situation at Tottenham was becoming increasingly tense.

“It is difficult, but point by point we are moving forward,” He said. “Depending on the result of next weekend’s games, with one more point we can avoid relegation, but we need to do our part. Away from home we have managed to pick up a good amount of points. Now we have to stay calm.”

The striker also reflected on Tottenham’s latest performance, where Spurs won from the penalty spot.

“We played a very intense game today. Unfortunately we conceded a penalty, but that’s football. Now we have to continue these last two games.”

Spurs’ disastrous campaign has provided the backdrop to one of the most uncertain moments of Richarlison’s recent career.

World Cup pressure is increasing

Richardson also admitted that the World Cup situation is weighing heavily on his mind.

“Worried, okay? I feel like I’ve sacrificed a lot for that shirt,” the Tottenham player said while discussing Brazil. “I’m doing my job here at Tottenham, I’m playing, I’m scoring my goals. I think I’ll be watching hopefully on TV.”

Despite the uncertainty, the striker insisted he still believes he can make the final squad.

“I’m confident. I believe I can be there. And if I am, I will do my best for the national team shirt, as I have always done.”

The Brazilian said that even if he misses out, he will continue to support the national team.

“Regardless of whether I’m there or not, my brothers and teammates are there. I’m very patriotic. I will always support Brazil.”

Richarlison still producing despite Spurs chaos

What makes the situation more complicated is that Richardson’s own numbers aren’t disastrous Watching Tottenham collapse all around him.

The forward has scored 11 goals and registered five assists in 41 appearances this season. He has looked even sharper since returning from injury earlier this year and has become one of the few Spurs attackers to make even the slightest impact.

Yet, as competition for the Brazilian’s attacking spots has intensified and Tottenham come dangerously close to relegation, the fear now is that a club-wide decline could ultimately cost Richarlison his place at the World Cup.

tottenham hotspur Dejan Kulusevski is certain to be ruled out of the World Cup as his knee injury is more serious than thought.

evening paper Today’s report on the situation after Sweden manager Graham Potter presented his World Cup squad today. The Tottenham man was not part of the group.

tottenham star out

The newspaper reports that the Tottenham forward is currently in training, but has not played a match for over a year.

However, he was not selected by Potter. And the Sweden boss admits it was a difficult decision for the 26-year-old.

“When you take a team to the World Cup these are difficult decisions to make,” He said.

“I don’t take the job lightly. Decisions are based on a lot of things. You can look at it a lot of different ways.

“It was a tough decision with Dejan, considering where he is and what he’s done recently with his rehab. We’re a month away from the premiere and it’s hard to know if he’ll be where we want him to be.”

Spurs man bet on himself

The absence will be a crushing blow for Dejan Kulusevski, who is working hard to return for the summer tournament.

He is now out for a year with a knee injury, which was not initially considered serious. He was seen training in Sweden during the last international break It was hoped that he would return soon.

In fact, in March he was confident that he would return to the group and be ready to assist the group.

“I know what the possibilities are,” he told ViaPlay after the playoff win against Poland.

“But I also know that if there’s anyone on the planet who can do it, I’ll bet on myself. I think I’ll be with Team USA and win games.”

Potter’s conversation with Kulusevski

Now, he will definitely not be inducted, and Potter admits it was a difficult decision for him.

“It’s a very difficult decision. It’s about where he is and what his last year is. It will be very difficult for him to get to where he needs to be (for the Games),” Football scandal reports say.

“I have spoken with Dejan many times. It is important to know his point of view. He is desperate to go to the World Cup.

“But as a coach you have to make a decision in the end. What does it look like? What kind of impact can the players make? For the team? I felt in my heart it was right for us and for him. But it’s hard to realize that. He wants to be there and he wants to play.

“He is a professional. He accepts it. But it is very difficult. The World Cup does not happen often. I have to respect that.”

chelsea With Estevao’s World Cup hopes now looking to fade into the background, the Brazilian has already begun to shape Carlo Ancelotti’s team plans with the expectation that the teenager will not recover in time.

For weeks, the situation revolved around treatment decisions, medical disagreements and increasingly desperate attempts to keep a small window open.

Estevao and his camp prompted conservative treatment. Chelsea was initially inclined towards surgery. Brazil waited in between, hoping for good news that never came.

Now, the tone coming from inside the Brazilian setup sounds different. Less hopeful. More practical.

Brazil is already adapting to life without Estevao

according to globo esporteThere is now expectation within the Brazilian FA that Estevao will not even be included in the initial 55-man squad submitted to FIFA.

Until recently, the talk was about whether he could recover quickly enough to force his way into the final 26-man group. Now, the debate has increasingly focused on replacing them altogether.

The report suggests that Ancelotti and his staff are already re-evaluating the balance of the squad due to injuries. One of the major discussions concerns the distribution between midfielders and forwards. Estevao’s absence changes that equation.

Brazil were initially working on the idea of ​​five midfielders and nine attacking players. With Chelsea’s youngster now looking unlikely, that structure could change completely.

The implications are already in place elsewhere in the squad plan.

The article points to Bournemouth’s Ryan emerging as an option on the right side of attack due to the possible absence of Estevao.

Meanwhile, Andre Santos is also facing uncertainty amid questions over his difficult season at Chelsea.

It is becoming impossible to avoid the injury battle

As we followed closelyAfter struggling with muscular problems earlier this year, the 19-year-old almost completely tore his hamstring. Chelsea saw surgery as the safest long-term route. Estevao and his crew chose conservative treatment, hoping to maintain a path to the tournament.

That route is now underway in Brazil, with the players using the facilities in Palmeiras while continuing to be monitored by Chelsea staff and their personal performance team. So technically, the door remains open.

However, realistically, Brazil is preparing to shut it down.

The calendar has become the biggest enemy. Ancelotti announced his final squad on 18 May. Brazil will open the tournament against Morocco on June 13. Even a quick recovery will leave almost no margin for proper reintegration.

what chelsea always wanted

Even through various means, Chelsea can see events happening The conclusion they always wanted.

The club never appeared comfortable with the idea of ​​bringing Estevao back from such a serious muscle injury so soon, especially given his age and recent history. It was his fifth absence of the season, including recurring muscle problems.

From Chelsea’s point of view, the World Cup is always hidden behind the bigger picture.

They have invested heavily in one of the brightest talents in Brazilian football. Maintaining his long-term physical condition is more important than forcing him to commit to any one tournament, even an important one like the World Cup.

Brazil, meanwhile, is slowly accepting that reality. Of course, hope is not entirely lost. But the conversation has clearly moved from optimism to contingency planning.

NASCAR driver Caden Honeycutt is coming off one of the best weekends in racing this season, winning four races including his first Truck Series win. Although he is dominating in trucks at the moment, it won’t be long before he moves up to the Cup Series.

In the latest episode of The Teardown, The Athletic’s NASCAR reporter Jordan Bianchi said he expects Honeycutt to make it to the Cup Series by 2028.

“It’s turning heads right now and he’s got some ways to go. But the path he’s on, he’s someone I would expect to be in the Cup Series in 2028.”

The Athletic’s Jordan Bianchi on when Caden Honeycutt could reach the Cup Series

Honeycutt, who turns 23 in June, entered the season ranked sixth among the top NASCAR prospects in 2026 by Fox Sports’ Bob Pokrass. With Jesse Love and Corey Haim both potentially getting full-time Cup Series rides for the 2027 season, Honeycutt could be one of the next in line and be even higher ranked a year from now.

He has proved that he can win anywhere. Honeycutt’s first Truck Series win came over the weekend when he won four races, including two CARS races and a win in the ARCA Menards Series.

That’s why Honeycutt was chosen to replace Ham in the No. 11 truck with the Tricon garage. Although he has not repeated the historic results delivered by Hamm last season, he leads the Truck Series in points (312) with the most top-fives (five) and fourth-most laps (68) among full-time truck drivers.

Winning four different races with four different teams speaks volumes about Honeycutt’s talent behind the wheel. The Truck Series championship means a lot to him this season and if all goes well, it’s fair to think he’ll become a 24-year-old Cup driver in 2028.

Matt Johnson is the senior NFL and college football editor for Sportsknot. His work including the weekly NFL and college… More about Matt Johnson

Jesse Love is coming off a heartbreaking loss at Watkins Glen in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, losing to Cup Series driver Connor Zylisch on the final lap. Luckily for Love, he may soon join his friend at the highest level.

On Sunday night’s episode of The Teardown, Jordan Bianchi of The Athletic said there are Cup Series teams interested in Love as a full-time driver.

“You talk to the people in the garage, they think he’s really talented. There are some Cup teams who are interested in him.”

The Athletic’s Jordan Bianchi on Cup Series teams’ interest in Jesse Love

RELATED: NASCAR OARS Standings, See Where Jesse Love Sits

Love, age 21, was rated by Fox Sports’ Bob Pockross as the second-best NASCAR prospect in 2026. He is part of Richard Childress Racing’s development program and rides part-time in the No. 33 car which he splits with fellow O’Reilly Series driver Austin Hill.

Although he is the defending O’Reilly Series champion, wins have not been common for Love at this level. He is winless in 13 races this season and only three in his OARS career. That said, he has consistently been one of the best drivers at this level and has a bright future.

Evaluating the future of Jesse Love’s Cup Series

The most natural fit for Jesse Love if he gets a full-time Cup Series ride next season would be with Richard Childress Racing. Most in NASCAR expect Kyle Busch to leave RCR for another team in 2027, leaving the No. 8 car open for Love.

This would allow him to become a full-time Cup Series driver at just 22 years old, racing for a team that has been a bit disappointing in recent years. However, making the transition from Bush to Love will allow RCR to prepare for his future, and any progress he makes as a rookie can be viewed as a step forward in his development rather than frustration every week that Bush doesn’t finish in the top 10.

There is another team worth considering. Legacy Motor Club will add a third charter for the 2027 season, with Jimmie Johnson looking for someone who can help improve the team. Love could be the guy who can put Legacy in position to post some more top-20 finishes.

Ultimately, we remain confident that Love will drive the No. 8 next season, with 23XI Racing driver Riley Herbst taking the third car in the Legacy. Herbst’s absence on the 23XI will be filled by Corey Hamm, while Bush will be fielded with the second team.

Matt Johnson is the senior NFL and college football editor for Sportsknot. His work including the weekly NFL and college… More about Matt Johnson

Who won the NASCAR race today? Shane Van Gisbergen did it again on the road course at Watkins Glen, overcoming a late stop to pass more than a dozen cars on the final stage and hold off Ty Gibbs and Connor Zylisch for the win.

Let’s look at the NASCAR results at Watkins Glen today. We’ll start with the full Go Bowling at The Glen results with total points. Additionally, you can find NASCAR Cup Series stage results.

Bowling at the Glen Results

Here are the NASCAR results today at Watkins Glen.

NASCAR results: Cup Series stage results at Watkins Glen

Here are the results from today’s NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series stage.

Matt Johnson is the senior NFL and college football editor for SportsKnow. His work including weekly NFL and college… More about Matt Johnson

We head into the NASCAR All-Star Race, concluding Sunday’s finale at Watkins Glen with a points race for 12th in the Cup Series regular season. With two weeks left until the next points race, let’s take a look at the state of NASCAR right now.

Following are the Cup Series points leaders right now after Sunday’s race at Watkins Glen. Ahead, you can find out how many points drivers are behind the Chase cutline.

NASCAR Cup Series points leaders: standings after Watkins Glen

NASCAR Standings Today: The Chase Cutline

Matt Johnson is the senior NFL and college football editor for SportsKnow. His work including weekly NFL and college… More about Matt Johnson

Who is on the pole for Sunday’s NASCAR race? Cup Series qualifying results at Watkins Glen brought the usual suspects to the forefront on the road course. With the field set, we can now take a look at the Go Bowling at The Glen lineup.

We’ll kick things off with NASCAR’s starting lineup for Watkins Glen on Sunday, with qualifying times listed for each driver. Additionally you can find starting grids for go bowling at The Glen.

Glenn bowls in starting lineup

Here is the NASCAR starting lineup at Watkins Glen following Cup Series qualifying results.

RELATED: NASCAR Truck Series results at Watkins Glen

NASCAR starting grid: Cup Series lineup at Watkins Glen

There is go bowling and The Glen starting grid.

Matt Johnson is the senior NFL and college football editor for SportsKnow. His work including weekly NFL and college… More about Matt Johnson

Manchester United Midfielder Casemiro has now put to rest any doubts about his future, confirming in his own words that his time at Old Trafford is coming to an end.

Casemiro arrives at Manchester United in 2022 after a trophy-laden spell at Real Madrid. He soon became a leader in midfield and helped bring silverware back to Old Trafford by winning the Carabao Cup and FA Cup.

Speaking in an extensive interview with espn brazilCasemiro made it clear there will be no extension At Manchester United.

“I don’t think there’s any chance of staying another year, no possibility. The idea is to go out the front door. It’s been four beautiful, wonderful years, and I’m grateful not only to the club, but also to the fans. If there’s one thing I’ll take with me from these four years, it’s the fans. But no, I think it’s over. My cycle here is over.” He said.

A few moments later, he reiterated that decision and explained that he now sees it as the right time to move on.

“I’m moving into a new phase of my career. I still have to decide where I’ll go, but I want to go well, go happily. I will always be a United supporter here in England and I can only thank the fans for their affection.” He added.

four years in manchester

His time at the club was not straightforward. Injuries and tactical changes diminished his influence at some points. In early 2025, he also lost his place under Ruben Amorim. Yet he responded as would be expected from a player of his level.

Casemiro worked hard to return to the team and performed strongly. He played a key role in the final stages of the season, including an appearance in the Europa League Final, and reminded many of his importance. That reaction is something he views as one of his greatest personal accomplishments.

“I kept working, I kept trying to show the manager he was wrong about me. I could have accepted it and moved on, but I didn’t. I worked to change his mind and I managed to do that. That might be one of my greatest accomplishments.” he explained.

a goal scoring farewell

That’s also reflected in the strong closing numbers. Casemiro is enjoying the best scoring season of his career, with nine goals so far. He has also stayed away from injuries since 2023, which has helped him maintain consistency and rhythm.

Still, he remains clear about his priorities on the field.

“My son asks me: ‘Dad, are you going to score today?’ I tell him I’m a defensive midfielder. The first job is to defend, to help the centre-backs, full-backs, midfielders. If I can score then it’s a bonus. But first comes the defensive work and giving balance to the team.” He said.

He also pointed to the collective effort behind those contributions.

“It all depends on the team. People see the last touch, the goals, the defending, but everything starts somewhere else. In attack, it starts with the goalkeeper. In defence, it starts with the striker. Even if I score, it is the team’s job.” He added.

Emotional farewell and mentality till the end

As his Manchester United chapter comes to a close, Casemiro acknowledged the emotional significance of the moment. Leaving a club is something he has experienced before, but that doesn’t make it any easier.

“You have to get through the front door. It’s always something I’ve tried to do at every club. It’s emotional. With every game, you feel it more. You have that feeling in your chest, but it’s been beautiful. The matches, the training, the daily work – it’s been a really good story, especially this end,” He reflected.

He went even further in describing how he was experiencing these final moments.

“It’s almost too perfect, this exit. I’m enjoying it a lot. I’m really enjoying what I’m living at a big club like United.” He added.

Despite knowing he would be leaving, his competitive mindset hasn’t changed.

“I’ve always been like that and I think I’ll always be like that. Whether it’s one minute or ninety minutes, every day when I go to bed I want to feel like I gave everything. We all know I’m going, we know the World Cup is coming, but that’s who I am – giving everything on the field, even when I can’t give anything else.” He said.

The decision has now shifted to the next destination

Casemiro also made it clear that his next move will be carefully decided, with his family playing a key role in the process. As we recently coveredMLS could be his destination.

“The priority is to talk to my family and see what they want. When I decided to come to Manchester United, they were the first to support me. They always say they will be happy wherever we go, but now this decision is very important and I need to make it together with them.” he explained.

He stressed the importance of that option.

“This is a very important decision for me now. I still need to analyze everything carefully.” He added.

Also, he highlighted the positive moment he is experiencing.

“Things are going really well for me. It was a great end to the season and a great season overall.” He said.

The situation is now completely defined. This comes straight from the player himself, closing a four-year chapter and opening the door to the next phase of his career.

brighton and hove albion Interest in Alvaro Montoro is now underway with an apparent change in Botafogo’s stance, with the Brazilian club actively planning a sale of the teenager after the World Cup.

The Premier League side are already keeping a close eye on the Argentine. As covered earlierBrighton scouts watched him live in Brazil, and his profile fits their recruitment model.

Montoro is a left-sided attacker who moves centrally, combining well in tight spaces and contributing with finishing actions as well as in the build-up phases.

Even at the age of 19, he has had a vital role at Botafogo. He has already worn the number 10 shirt and plays regularly in senior football. He recorded 3 assists in 11 league games this season and is one of Botafogo’s main creative outlets.

That early responsibility is what makes him attractive to clubs like Brighton.

Botafogo is now planning

Alvaro Montoro is no longer considered untouchable.

according to globo esporteBotafogo is now anticipating a sale of the player after the World Cup. The club’s financial situation has been described as difficult, and there is growing acceptance internally that sales of players will be necessary in the next transfer window.

Botafogo have reportedly set a price tag of between €25m and €30m (£21.5m – £25.8m) for Montoro. He is seen as one of the main assets to be sold along with the former Nottingham Forest midfielder DaniloAs part of a strategy to generate significant revenue.

In fact, the expectation is that the two players could together bring in up to €70m (£60.2m), which underlines how central Montoro is to those plans.

No formal proposal has come yet. However, the report states that the player’s representatives are already in contact with interested European clubs. Botafogo expects bids to come in when the window opens on July 20.

what happens next

This development changes the landscape for Brighton. Previously, Botafogo had taken a strong stance against selling key players, with owner John Textor publicly rejecting the idea earlier this year.

Now, the situation looks more pragmatic due to financial pressures and the need to balance the books.

That doesn’t mean Montoro will come cheap. A valuation of €25m – €30m (£21.5m – £25.8m) puts him firmly in the premium class for a still-developing teenager. However, it also gives interested clubs clarity as to what will be required.

A highly rated South American prospect, already playing senior football, and a selling club who may need to make a move soon. The next few weeks could be important.

The NASCAR Cup Series travels to Watkins Glen International this weekend for the 12th points race of the season. This will be the second road course on the schedule so far, with two others bringing in the usual full-time drivers for this weekend’s 38-driver field.

Here is the NASCAR entry list for Go Bowling at The Glen this weekend.

RELATED: NASCAR predictions for Watkins Glen

NASCAR entry list for Watkins Glen

Matt Johnson is the senior NFL and college football editor for Sportsknot. His work including the weekly NFL and college… More about Matt Johnson

Kathryn Legge will get back behind the wheel of a NASCAR Cup Series ride, and take a seat in the No. 78 car with Live Fast Motorsports on Mother’s Day weekend at Watkins Glen International.

As reported by JaySki.com, Legg is partnering with Live Fast Motorsports and Cosmetics Chevrolet to race the No. 78 car at Go Bowling at The Glen on Sunday. It will be his first Cup Series race since the South Point 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in October.

RELATED: NASCAR predictions for Watkins Glen

Legge, age 45, made his Cup Series debut in the 2025 Shriners Children’s 500 last March. While she ultimately finished 30th, Live Fast Motorsports and NASCAR received some criticism for giving Phoenix her first race in a Next Gen car.

Why is Watkins Glen a good fit for Katherine Legge?

Legge’s return behind the wheel in the Cup Series at Watkins Glen International seems like a perfect fit. He has years of experience racing on road courses, including this track.

She drove the No. 78 car there for LFM last year and handled herself well in the Chicago street race and finished 19th. He has also made 10 career starts in his racing career, including a GTD win with Andy Lally at the Six Hours of the Glen in 2017.

Given the improvement he showed as he gained more experience in the Cup Series, this should prove to be a good move for LFM. Although the No. 78 car will be nowhere close to challenging for the win, there is at least a chance that Legge will record the third top-25 finish of his Cup Series career.

RELATED: NASCAR Schedule Watkins Glen

Matt Johnson is the senior NFL and college football editor for Sportsknot. His work including the weekly NFL and college… More about Matt Johnson

Who won the NASCAR race today? Chase Elliott won the Wurth 400 on Sunday, holding off Denny Hamlin on the final restart to get his second win of the season, in a race that featured plenty of cautions There were few surprises in NASCAR’s results today.

Let’s go straight to the Wurth 400 results from Texas Motor Speedway. As we always do, we’re starting today with complete NASCAR results with total points for all 36 drivers. Also you can find the results of the Cup Series stage in Texas today.

Wurth 400 results: race winners and points

NASCAR Stage Results Today: Cup Series at Texas Motor Speedway

Here are today’s NASCAR stage results for the Cup Series race, the Wurth 400 at Texas Motor Speedway.

Matt Johnson is the senior NFL and college football editor for Sportsknot. His work including the weekly NFL and college… More about Matt Johnson

A surprising number of the points leaders had strong performances in Sunday’s Cup Series race at Texas Motor Speedway, the Wurth 400. However, on a day that also included DNFs for Joey Logano, Christopher Bell and Ty Gibbs, there is still a lot of shakeup in the NASCAR standings.

Let’s take a look at the NASCAR Cup Series points leaders today after Sunday’s race at Texas Motor Speedway. Additionally, we have included a table for The Chase cutline to show how far back drivers are from 16th place in The Chase.

NASCAR Cup Series leads after 11 races

NASCAR Standings: The Chase Cutline

Matt Johnson is the senior NFL and college football editor for Sportsknot. His work including the weekly NFL and college… More about Matt Johnson

Who’s on the pole for tomorrow’s NASCAR race? Carson Hocevar topped the NASCAR Cup Series qualifying results today at Texas Motor Speedway and topped the Wurth 400 starting grid.

Now that Cup Series qualifying has come to a close, let’s take you through NASCAR’s starting lineup for Texas tomorrow. We’ll start with the Wurth 40 lineup noting the qualifying times for each driver. Also you can find the NASCAR starting grid for Sunday’s race in Texas.

RELATED: NASCAR Predictions for Texas Motor Speedway

NOTES: Bubba Wallace (No. 23 car) is running from behind in a backup car after hitting the wall during Cup Series practice at Texas Motor Speedway., Austin Dillon (No. 3) starts at the back of the field after an engine change.

Wurth 400 starting lineup: Texas Motor Speedway

Here is NASCAR’s starting lineup based on Cup Series qualifying results this weekend at Texas Motor Speedway.

RELATED: NASCAR Truck Series results at Texas Motor Speedway

NASCAR starting grid: Cup Series

Here is the Wurth 400 starting grid.

Who is on the pole for Sunday’s NASCAR race?

Carson Hocevar is on the pole for tomorrow’s NASCAR race at Texas Motor Speedway, with Spire Motorsports teammate Daniel Suarez also on the front row for the Wurth 400.

Matt Johnson is the senior NFL and college football editor for Sportsknot. His work including the weekly NFL and college… More about Matt Johnson

NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series driver Corey Day is coming off his first win, driving to victory at Talladega Superspeedway and proving he is one of the top prospects in racing. With a seat potentially opening up next season in the Cup Series at Hendrick Motorsports, there has been some speculation that Day might get a ride at only 21 years old.

Speaking on Day’s win on the latest episode of Action Detrimental, future Hall of Fame driver Denny Hamlin was asked if he thought Hendrick’s top prospect could race in the Cup Series next season.

“Next year? Oh man, that’s quick. I wouldn’t recommend it, but you never know.”

Denny Hamlin on whether Corey Day can reach the Cup Series in 2027

RELATED: Denny Hamlin eyes revenge on fellow driver

• Corey Day Statistics (O’Reilly Series): 399 points, 1 win, nine top-10s, four top-5s, 1 pole, 1 DNF, 191 laps led, 8.09 average starting position, 8.36 average finishing position

Day, who won’t turn 21 until November, is widely viewed as one of NASCAR’s top prospects in 2026. He signed a development contract with Hendrick through 2024 and ran 11 races with the team in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series last season.

The young driver of the No. 17 Hendrick car got off to a poor start in his first full-time season in the O’Reilly Series. After qualifying sixth, Day finished 27th at Daytona to start the season. However, in the last 10 races he has finished 12th or better in every race with an average finishing position of 6.5.

Between Day being out at OARS and Alex Bowman having a disastrous contract year, it seems likely the young driver will take over the No. 48 car at least next season. It would be a short-term gamble, but Hendrick can see it as a long-term move to prepare Day for his future with a top team and he will gain valuable experience racing in a consistent Next Gen car.

However, Connor Zylisch is a perfect example of why HMS wants to play slowly with Day’s development. The 19-year-old had a historic dominance in the O’Reilly Series last year, winning 10 races and leading 1,013 laps. Now driving the No. 88 for Trackhouse Racing in his rookie season, he has the third-worst average finishing position (27.0) and fourth-worst average starting position (28.3) among full-time Cup Series drivers through 10 races.

The car and support staff that Day will have in the No. 48 car will certainly be better than the one that worked with Zillisch this season at Trackhouse. However, this could ultimately be detrimental to the young driver as expectations would be higher and his early struggles racing in a top-flight car would be more pronounced.

Hamlin’s advice that Day should spend two full seasons in the O’Reilly Series, with perhaps a few Cup starts mixed in, is probably the right approach for the rising player. If all goes well and he continues to sharpen his racing with experience in OARS, he will soon be in the Cup Series.

Matt Johnson is the senior NFL and college football editor for Sportsknot. His work including the weekly NFL and college… More about Matt Johnson

Manu Kone has been exceptional for Roma this season but the chances of him moving are increasing newcastle united.

The 24-year-old has not played in Serie A since mid-March due to a hamstring injury. His absence has been felt in Roma.

They are currently out of the Champions League spots and clearly miss the midfield presence that sets the pace for Gian Piero Gasperini’s team.

The Frenchman has played 34 times in all competitions. He impresses with his ability to beat press in midfield and carry the ball forward.

A few months ago, sports witness Manchester United’s interest in Kone was covered. There was a growing feeling that the France international would leave Roma, having faced an approach from Inter Milan last summer.

Now, it is Newcastle United who are in the race to sign him.

FFP concerns could drive sales

messenger Today’s report states that Kone is a possible candidate to leave Roma due to his ongoing FFP concerns. The Giallorossi must make capital gains of €80m by June 30.

The 24-year-old is currently valued at €45m and his exit will give Roma a capital gain of €35m.

Inter are keen but Newcastle United could also meet a €45m valuation in the summer. If an offer for that amount comes in, Roma will be forced to sit down and evaluate it. The player will also consider a transfer, regardless of whether the Magpies advance to the World Cup before or after.

Roma would ideally like to wait to see how he performs in the tournament later this year. This could increase his value, however, FFP reasons mean he will have no option if the club comes knocking on June 30.

Our take: There’s a deal to be had

It seems as if Roma, on a weekly basis, are making it clear that they need money. A few weeks ago, the future of Ivan Ndika was also talked about in the same tone and that he too could leave in the summer.

Because of this, Newcastle United should keep an eye on Kone and take every chance they can to sign him. Inter generally prefer an initial loan but the Magpies are likely to have greater financial strength in the race.

They could lose a midfielder in the summer and the money earned from him could be used to bring in Kone. He is at the right age, his profile is dynamic and he can still get better.

It was chaos Sunday at Talladega Superspeedway, with a massive shakeup in the NASCAR standings today thanks to “The Big One” in the Jack Link’s 500. Throw in some of the highest-scoring drivers this season getting DNFs along with a first-time winner, you get movement in the NASCAR points standings today.

Let’s take a look at the NASCAR Cup Series points leaders right now. After Jack Link’s 500 on Sunday, we are now in the race for 10 points this season. We’ve listed the point difference between The Chase contenders below points leader Tyler Reddick and the points difference between those behind The Chase cutline and in 16th place.

Official 2026 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Standings

The NASCAR Cup Series is on top right now

Official results of the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series at Talladega Superspeedway

Matt Johnson is the senior NFL and college football editor for Sportsknot. His work including the weekly NFL and college… More about Matt Johnson

Who won the NASCAR race today? Conor Zillisch won his first Cup Series race at Talladega Superspeedway, and delivered an iconic moment of his celebration by driving around the track as he got out of the car. This ended a chaotic race in Dega.

After an unexpected incident in Stage 1, “The Big One” came within minutes of the second stage at Degas with a huge crash that took out the likes of Bubba Wallace, Ryan Blaney, William Byron, Joey Logano and Kyle Larson. Additionally, penalties kept Denny Hamlin, Kyle Busch and Chase Briscoe from finishing in the top 15.

Let’s look at the NASCAR results from Talladega today. We are starting with 500 results for the entire Jack Link including the total points earned in Dega. Also you can find the results of the Cup Series stage today.

RELATED: Huge NASCAR wreck at Talladega Superspeedway

Jack Link’s 500 Results at Talladega

Here are the NASCAR results from Talladega Superspeedway.

RELATED: NASCAR O’Reilly Series results at Talladega Superspeedway

NASCAR results today: Cup Series stage results at Talladega

Here are today’s NASCAR stage winners and Cup Series stage results for the Jack Link 500.

Official standings for the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series straight after Talladega

Who won the NASCAR race at Talladega?

Matt Johnson is the senior NFL and college football editor for Sportsknot. His work including the weekly NFL and college… More about Matt Johnson

nottingham forest “We are working on a deal to sign Naples’ Mathias Oliveira,” a source told Sport Witness.

The Premier League team took a look at the 28-year-old in the winter market, but were not able to seal a deal.

On March 27, Khel Witness Found out are nottingham forest ‘Still trying’ to sign left-back.

At the time, we said any move depended on the Reds remaining in the Premier League. They are now 16th in the table and eight points ahead of 18th-placed Tottenham Hotspur.

The club’s immediate focus at the City Ground is on avoiding relegation, while behind the scenes, work is underway to reshape their squad for next season.

Nottingham Forest are in talks with Napoli

The Premier League team continues to include the Uruguay international on its agenda.

A source told sports witness Nottingham Forest continue talks with the Serie A side over the transfer of the 28-year-old. It is unclear how discussions between the two clubs are progressing.

We also do not have information on the fee required to convince Antonio Conte’s side to approve a move.

Mathias Oliveira has been a regular player for the national team. Barring a last-minute surprise, he will make Marcelo Bielsa’s squad for the World Cup.

The South American will decide on his future after the World Cup, with the option of Nottingham Forest.

Vitor Pereira’s side have made progress in this operation. The move could be attractive if the Reds are to win the Europa League and qualify for the Champions League. To do this, they must first beat Aston Villa in the semi-finals.

Contracts, prices, statistics and agent information

The defender’s preferred position is on the left side of the defense and he can also operate as a centre-back. He played 1,698 minutes in 30 matches for Napoli this season.

His Serie A statistics are as follows:

• Appearances: 22
• Start: 13
• Total minutes: 1,240
• Minutes per game: 56

Mathias Oliveira’s contract runs until 2030 and is worth €15m transfer market. Uruguay-based agency GBG Global Business Group is managing the Nottingham One goal.

The NASCAR Cup Series is at Talladega Superspeedway this weekend for the Jack Link’s 500. While there was no practice already scheduled for the superspeedway, Cup Series qualifying on Saturday was wiped out due to weather. As a result, NASCAR’s starting lineup for Sunday was determined by the metric.

While there were 41 competitors for Sunday’s race at Talladega, canceled qualifying meant Casey Mears (No. 62 car) would not make it into the 40-driver field. NASCAR’s starting lineup for Talladega was determined by metric scores taking into account recent results.

RELATED: NASCAR starting lineup for O’Reilly Series race at Talladega

As always, we’ll start with the Cup Series starting lineup for tomorrow’s race. Below that you can find Jack Link’s 500 starting grid. Again, there is no qualifying time to list.

jack link’s 500 starting lineup

Here is the NASCAR Cup Series starting lineup for Sunday’s race at Talladega Superspeedway.

RELATED: NASCAR predictions for Talladega

NASCAR starting grid for Talladega: Cup Series race

Here’s Jack Link’s 500 grid for Sunday’s Cup Series race.

RELATED: NASCAR weekend schedule for Talladega Superspeedway

Who is on the pole for the NASCAR race at Talladega?

Tyler Reddick is on the pole for Sunday’s NASCAR race at Talladega Superspeedway. Jack Link’s 500 starting grid was determined by metric scores after Cup Series qualifying was ended due to rain.

Matt Johnson is the senior NFL and college football editor for Sportsknot. His work including the weekly NFL and college… More about Matt Johnson

Who is racing in NASCAR this weekend? The NASCAR entry list for this weekend’s Cup Series race at Talladega Superspeedway is the most crowded field of drivers all season. There are 41 entrants for the Jack Links 500 on Sunday, meaning no one will make the cut after qualifying on Saturday.

In addition to the 36 full-time drivers competing in Sunday’s NASCAR race, there are five additional competitors. Jesse Love is in the No. 33 car for Richard Childress Racing, Joey Gass is driving the No. 44 car for NY Racing Team, Casey Mears will drive the No. 62 for Beard Motorsports, Chad Fincham is in his own car in Garage 66 and Daniel Dye is getting a chance with Live Fast Motorsports in the No. 78 car.

RELATED: Controversial NASCAR driver added to Cup Series entry list at Talladega

Let’s take a look at the crowded NASCAR Cup Series entry list for Talladega Superspeedway.

NASCAR Entry List Martinsville: Cook Out 400 Field

RELATED: NASCAR weekend schedule for Talladega Superspeedway

Matt Johnson is the senior NFL and college football editor for Sportsknot. His work including the weekly NFL and college… More about Matt Johnson

leeds united Defender Maximilian Wobber has not given up hopes of playing at the World Cup, despite making one appearance all season on loan at Werder Bremen.

BILD reports that the 28-year-old Still dreaming of going to the World Cup with Austria.

And, as ridiculous as it may sound, Ralph Rangnick has given him hope.

injury nightmare

Maximilian Wobber left Leeds United on loan in the summer in a bid to get his career back on track. He managed only nine appearances for Leeds totaling 395 minutes last season due to knee surgery in September and again in February.

Returning to Germany with Werder was supposed to provide a fresh start. Instead, it has been a continuation of suffering.

To date he has made one appearance for the Germans, totaling 79 minutes, and that was in the DFB-Pokal in August. He has not made an appearance in the Bundesliga. In fact, the best he has managed is two appearances on the bench.

This is because he has been sidelined due to tearing of muscle bundles and muscle fibers associated with tendon damage.

Austria hopes

But he is now on the comeback trail, recently appearing in the U23 games at the weekend. This has seen him play one half as he looks to build up his fitness.

“Max still wants to take part in the World Cup. He needs playing time to get into his rhythm.” Coach Daniel Thioune explains.

The dream may seem unrealistic, but BILD explain that the Leeds defender ‘remains the subject of discussion’ for Ralf Rangnick. During the international break in March, Rangnick joined them despite his injuries.

“He is someone who has been in the group for a long time and who enriches the group with his personality.” The Austrian coach explained. “For them, it all depends on the healing process.”

This is seen as a sign that even though Maximilian Wobber is not a perfect fit, Rangnick still wants him as a leader in the group. Thus, the focus has been on getting as many minutes as possible before the season ends.

Whether he can do so given his injury record is debatable. But Rangnick has at least provided a carrot for him to chase.

For Leeds United, Wobber’s fitness and participation in the World Cup could help increase summer transfer interest.

Just three weeks after NASCAR Truck Series team Kaulig Racing parted ways with driver Daniel Dye after making insensitive comments on a livestream in March, the recently reinstated driver will now find himself competing in multiple Cup Series races later this season.

Live Fast Motorsports announced Monday that Daniel Dye will drive the No. 78 car in four Cup Series races, including the Jack Link’s 500 this coming weekend at Talladega Superspeedway in Alabama.

RELATED: Daniel Dye, Kaulig Racing Part Ways

Even setting aside Dye’s suspension and insensitive comments, his results in the Truck Series and O’Reilly Auto Parts Series are an odd decision by Live Fast Motorsports. The 22-year-old driver has no experience in the Cup Series, and his results in the lower series do not guarantee a multi-race seat at the highest level.

He has raced 48 times in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, including The LEUNA at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on March 14. He finished 15th in that and has only finished in the top-20 in two of his three OARS races this year. In his last 21 races in that series, his average finishing position was 21.9.

READ MORE: Cletus McFarland reveals when he’ll run in the next O’Reilly race

In the Truck Series, he failed to finish in the top-12 in the three races before his suspension. Going back even further, his average finishing position was 16.44 with only one top-five finish (Talladega) in his last 13 Truck races.

As far as off-track, in addition to the insensitive comments, Dye was arrested in April 2022 while a student at Father Lopez Catholic High School and was charged with a felony, but that was later reduced to a misdemeanor.

As for why Dye is getting this ride with Live Fast Motorsports in the Cup Series, it’s worth noting that his father, Randy Dye, is a former pro late model driver who owns the Daytona Dodge Chrysler Jeep Ram dealership in Daytona Beach and serves on the NASCAR Foundation’s board of directors. Money and influence certainly seem to have been heavy factors in the opportunity given to Dye.

Matt Johnson is the senior NFL and college football editor for Sportsknot. His work including the weekly NFL and college… More about Matt Johnson

Sunday’s Cup Series race at Kansas Speedway saw plenty of dominance from the likes of Denny Hamlin, Christopher Bell and Tyler Reddick. Several drivers further solidified their positions at the top of the NASCAR standings today, with Kyle Larson and Bubba Wallace also performing well.

Let’s take you through the NASCAR standings today after Kansas. As always, we’ve noted in our table where the cutline is right now for The Chase through a nine-point run this season. We’ve also covered the biggest movers in NASCAR standings this weekend.

RELATED: AdventHealth 400 Winners, Losers and Analysis

NASCAR points standings now: Cup Series points leaders after Kansas

Official 2026 NASCAR Cup Series results at Kansas Speedway

Matt Johnson is the senior NFL and college football editor for Sportsknot. His work including the weekly NFL and college… More about Matt Johnson

Who won the NASCAR race today? It was going to be a two-man battle for the win in Sunday’s race at Kansas Speedway between Tyler Reddick and Denny Hamlin. Then, with 2 laps remaining, the first natural caution brought chaos, with Reddick winning it at Kansas.

Let’s look at the AdventHealth 400 results in Kansas. We’ll start with the points scored and final results at Kansas Speedway, followed by results from today’s NASCAR Cup Series stage at Kansas.

RELATED: AdventHealth 400 Winners, Losers and Analysis

NASCAR Results Kansas: AdventHealth 400

Here are today’s NASCAR results for the Cup Series race at Kansas.

RELATED: NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series results at Kansas

NASCAR Cup Series Stage Results: Kansas Speedway

Here are the results from the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series stage at Kansas Speedway.

Official 2026 NASCAR Cup Series standings now after Kansas Speedway

Matt Johnson is the senior NFL and college football editor for Sportsknot. His work including the weekly NFL and college… More about Matt Johnson

Here are the Montreal Canadiens news items, stories and content you may have missed on Saturday.

montreal canadiens news

We now know when (most) of the games in the first-round series between the Habs and Tampa Bay Lightning will take place. It should also be noted that Victor Hedman is not expected to return to the Bolts’ lineup any time soon, and Lane Hutson practiced with Caden Guhle for the Canadiens. [Canadiens Playoff Preview: Updated Lines, Tampa Bay Injury]

Rookie Ivan Demidov took over the line rush with Alex Newhook and Alex Texier on the second line, and he’s feeling confident about the upcoming assignment against the Lightning, which will certainly include providing some semblance of durable offense.

Ivan Demidov on playing with Alex Newhook and Alexandre Texier in Habs practice today:

“Very good line. Everyone is very skilled and fast and they are two very strong guys. I love playing with them.” pic.twitter.com/dO3ClWmj9e

– /r/Habs (@HabsOnReddit) 18 April 2026

Former hub PK Subban believes the Canadiens and Oilers will face off in the Stanley Cup Finals, with the Canadiens emerging victorious. There’s nothing wrong with dreaming in Technicolor, but with all due respect to Subban, there’s a lot of hard hockey left to play. It seems that every year a disproportionate number of analysts suggest that two Canadian teams will join the final clubs.

.@PKSubban1 The Canadiens have won the Stanley Cup for the 25th time 👀🏆

Stanley Cup Playoff action begins today at 3PM ET on ESPN and the ESPN App! 🍿 pic.twitter.com/9MyPNhs8Lm

– ESPN (@espn) 18 April 2026

Jacob Dobbs hasn’t been one of the best goaltenders this season, but the mere fact that he’s not too far off the top-5 is quite encouraging. Unfortunately for the Canadiens, Andrei Vasilevskiy is fourth in the NHL in assists.

Top goalscorers of the 2025-2026 regular season https://t.co/RtBkDPbkvW pic.twitter.com/xy4xMcNxRD

– MoneyPuck.com (@MoneyPuckdotcom) 17 April 2026

Not surprisingly, as they were the youngest team during the regular season, the Habs will also feature the youngest lineup in the playoffs. This is also a big difference.

The Habs will be the youngest team in the NHL playoffs again this year. pic.twitter.com/gU6uyCiSKX

– /r/Habs (@HabsOnReddit) 18 April 2026

Head coach Martin St-Louis left no doubt when discussing his allegiance to the Canadiens and his time with the Lightning.

Habs coach Marty St. Louis on facing his old team, the Tampa Bay Lightning, in the playoffs:

“I have no feelings for Lightning right now. Zero.” pic.twitter.com/yPIBokAo4S

– /r/Habs (@HabsOnReddit) 17 April 2026

Many journalists expected Lightning to make quick work of Hubs, and statistically speaking, there is a lot of logic behind their opinion. The good news is that the games are played on ice, not on paper.

Sportsnet predictions for Habs vs. Lightning playoff series pic.twitter.com/xIvzEJkzas

– /r/Habs (@HabsOnReddit) 18 April 2026

ICYMI: With Game One of the first-round series between the Habs and Tampa Bay Lightning on Sunday, we continue our in-depth series previews, including a comparison of their respective special teams. [Playoff Preview: Canadiens Vs. Lightning Special Teams]

ICYMI: We evaluated some X-factors coming into the series, including the importance of finding open space for Nick Suzuki and the rest of the first line. The Canadiens score a lot of goals, but if Tampa Bay’s shutdown line finds its rhythm, things will quickly turn sour for Montreal. [Playoff Preview: Canadiens Vs. Lightning Top X Factors]

ICYMI: There is no doubt, the Tampa Bay Lightning have been the better team at 5v5 this season. However, when the numbers between Montreal and the Lightning are evaluated against each other in their four games, the discrepancy is less noticeable, with the Canadiens managing to control more shots than the Bolts. [Playoff Preview: Canadiens Vs. Lightning Head-To-Head]

Sportsknot Network

New Jersey Devils win general manager free agent frenzy. Sunny Mehta was named Devils GM on Thursday evening. Mehta, an analytical guru, will bring a fresh perspective to the position left by former GM Tom Fitzgerald. Said approach begins immediately. The Devils have a long list of things to address ahead of the 2026 NHL Draft and free agent frenzy. So, where does he start? [New Jersey Devils]

The San Jose Sharks have one of the best players in the NHL at the moment in 19-year-old Maclin Celebrini. Coming off a record-breaking season where he almost led the team to the playoffs, it appears the phenom will be rewarded with a new deal this summer. [San Jose Sharks]

How can the Sens upset the best team in the Eastern Conference? Let’s get into the details with five keys to the Ottawa Senators vs. Carolina Hurricanes victory. [Carolina Hurricanes]

Mark has been covering the Habs for over a decade. He previously worked for the Journal Metro, The Athletic, The… More about Mark Dumont

Who’s on the pole for tomorrow’s NASCAR race? Tyler Reddick won the pole at Kansas Speedway on Saturday after posting the fastest lap time (29.142) and leading in practice. Behind Reddick in the NASCAR starting lineup for Kansas is a series of Toyotas, with the likes of Kyle Larson and Carson Hocevar finishing in the top 10.

Here are the NASCAR Cup Series qualifying results at Kansas today. We’ll start by introducing the starting lineup for the AdventHealth 400 and below you can find the starting grid for Sunday’s NASCAR race.

RELATED: NASCAR Predictions for Kansas

NASCAR starting lineup at Kansas: Advent Health 400

NASCAR Cup Series qualifying results on Saturday will be followed by the AdventHealth 400 tomorrow at Kansas.

Read more: NASCAR drives that performed poorly in 2026

NASCAR starting grid: Cup Series at Kansas

Here is the starting grid for Sunday’s NASCAR race at Kansas Speedway.

Matt Johnson is the senior NFL and college football editor for Sportsknot. His work including the weekly NFL and college… More about Matt Johnson

NHL playoff games continue the race for the Stanley Cup today, with key matchups shaping the first round of the postseason. Here is the complete Stanley Cup Playoff schedule, including start times, matchups and what to watch.

Update: April 17, 2026 – 9:39am ET

nhl playoff games today

• Total Games: 0
• Round: first round
• Featured matchups: N/A
• Elimination Game: N/A
• TV Coverage: N/A

today’s nhl playoff schedule

There are no NHL playoff games today, Friday, April 17.

Top NHL playoff matchups to watch

These games make the biggest impact based on momentum, star power and playoff implications.

• [Minnesota Wild vs Dallas Stars] – Minnesota-Dallas is the top NHL playoff matchup, as both teams are among the best in the league. This Central Division rivalry should be re-ignited in the first round.
• [Boston Bruins vs Buffalo Sabres] – Buffalo is back in the playoffs for the first time since 2011, while Boston looks to make some noise after missing out last year.

player to watch

Connor McDavid – Edmonton Oilers

Connor McDavid heads to the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs after losing the last two finals to the Florida Panthers. McDavid will lead Edmonton with his elite attack.

Nathan MacKinnon – Colorado Avalanche

Nathan MacKinnon wants to get Colorado into playoff hockey in June. MacKinnon would lead the Avalanche during the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Quinn Hughes – Minnesota Wild

Quinn Hughes could be the final puzzle for Minnesota. Hughes will help lead the Wild with his stellar offense and defense.

What’s at stake tomorrow?

• Carolina and Ottawa look to get off to a great start to the playoffs with wins
• Minnesota and Dallas continued their rivalry in the first round.
• Philadelphia and Pittsburgh renew Pennsylvania rivalry

This page is updated daily with today’s latest NHL games, start times and matchups.

READ MORE: Full NHL playoff pictures today – updated standings and Stanley Cup bracket

Austin Konensky is a writer at SportsNut, covering the NHL, MLB, NFL, NBA and more. His work can also…more about Austin Konensky

The NHL has officially released the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoff schedule for the first round, detailing all matchups, game dates and start times as teams begin their quest toward the championship.

The opening round includes best-of-seven series in both conferences, featuring high-stakes matchups between division winners and wild-card teams.

Eastern Conference First-Round Matchups

The Eastern Conference First Round features eight teams in best-of-seven series, with the higher-seeded teams gaining home advantage in Games 1, 2, 5, and 7.

Below are the complete Eastern Conference matchups for the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs, including schedule and broadcast details for the first round.

Boston Bruins vs. Buffalo Sabers

Series Format: Best-of-seven | 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs First Round

• Game 1: April 19, 2026 (7:30 p.m. ET) – Buffalo – ESPN
• Game 2: April 21, 2026 (7:30 p.m. ET) – Buffalo – ESPN
• Game 3: April 23, 2026 (7:00 p.m. ET) – Boston – TNT
• Game 4: April 26, 2026 (2:00 p.m. ET) – Boston – TNT
• Game 5 (if necessary): April 28, 2026 (TBD PM ET) – Buffalo – TBD
• Game 6 (if necessary): May 1, 2026 (TBD PM ET) – Boston – TBD
• Game 7 (if necessary): May 3, 2026 (TBD PM ET) – Buffalo – TBD

Boston’s experience meets Buffalo’s rising core in a physical Atlantic Division series that tests both depth and composure.

Montreal Canadiens vs. Tampa Bay Lightning

• Game 1: April 19, 2026 (5:45 PM ET) – Tampa Bay – TNT
• Game 2: April 21, 2026 (7:00 p.m. ET) — Tampa Bay — ESPN2
• Game 3: April 24, 2026 (7:00 p.m. ET) – Montreal – TNT
• Game 4: April 26, 2026 (7:00 p.m. ET) – Montreal – ESPN
• Game 5 (if necessary): April 29, 2026 (TBD PM ET) – Tampa Bay – TBD
• Game 6 (if necessary): May 1, 2026 (TBD PM ET) – Montreal – TBD
• Game 7 (if necessary): May 3, 2026 (TBD PM ET) – Tampa Bay – TBD

Tampa Bay’s playoff-tested roster faces a Montreal team looking to build on its postseason momentum in a rematch-style Atlantic showdown.

Ottawa Senators vs. Carolina Hurricanes

• Game 1: April 18, 2026 (3:00 PM ET) – Carolina – ESPN
• Game 2: April 20, 2026 (7:30 p.m. ET) – Carolina – ESPN2
• Game 3: April 23, 2026 (7:30 p.m. ET) – Ottawa – TBS
• Game 4: April 25, 2026 (3:00 PM ET) – Ottawa – TBS
• Game 5 (if necessary): April 27, 2026 (TBD PM ET) – Carolina – TBD
• Game 6 (if necessary): April 30, 2026 (TBD PM ET) – Ottawa – TBD
• Game 7 (if necessary): May 2, 2026 (TBD PM ET) – Carolina – TBD

Carolina’s structured, defensive style meets Ottawa’s young, fast-rising core in a series built on speed and discipline.

Philadelphia Flyers vs. Pittsburgh Penguins

• Game 1: April 18, 2026 (8:00 PM ET) — Pittsburgh — ESPN
• Game 2: April 20, 2026 (7:00 p.m. ET) – Pittsburgh – ESPN
• Game 3: April 22, 2026 (7:00 p.m. ET) – Philadelphia – TNT
• Game 4: April 25, 2026 (8:00 PM ET) – Philadelphia – TBS
• Game 5 (if necessary): April 27, 2026 (TBD PM ET) – Pittsburgh – TBD
• Game 6 (if necessary): April 29, 2026 (TBD PM ET) – Philadelphia – TBD
• Game 7 (if necessary): May 2, 2026 (TBD PM ET) – Pittsburgh – TBD

A renewed Pennsylvania rivalry adds intensity to a matchup defined by history, physicality and playoff experience.

The winners advance to the Eastern Conference Semifinals of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Western Conference First-Round Matchups

The Western Conference First Round features eight teams in best-of-seven series, with the higher-seeded teams gaining home advantage in Games 1, 2, 5, and 7.

Below are the complete Western Conference matchups for the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Los Angeles Kings vs. Colorado Avalanche

• Game 1: April 19, 2026 (3:00 PM ET) – Colorado – TNT
• Game 2: April 21, 2026 (10:00 p.m. ET) – Colorado – ESPN
• Game 3: April 23, 2026 (10:00 p.m. ET) – Los Angeles – TNT
• Game 4: April 26, 2026 (4:30 PM ET) – Los Angeles – TNT
• Game 5 (if necessary): April 29, 2026 (TBD PM ET) – Colorado – TBD
• Game 6 (if necessary): May 1, 2026 (TBD PM ET) – Los Angeles – TBD
• Game 7 (if necessary): May 3, 2026 (TBD PM ET) – Colorado – TBD

A pace-driven Avalanche attack meets a defensively structured Kings roster in a classic contrast of styles.

Minnesota Wild vs. Dallas Stars

• Game 1: April 18, 2026 (5:30 p.m. ET) – Dallas – ESPN
• Game 2: April 20, 2026 (9:30 PM ET) – Dallas – ESPN
• Game 3: April 22, 2026 (9:30 PM ET) – Minnesota – TNT
• Game 4: April 25, 2026 (5:30 p.m. ET) – Minnesota – TBS
• Game 5 (if necessary): April 28, 2026 (12 p.m. ET) – Dallas – TBD
• Game 6 (if necessary): April 30, 2026 (1 p.m. ET) – Minnesota – TBD
• Game 7 (if necessary): May 2, 2026 (1 p.m. ET) – Dallas – TBD

Dallas’ balanced scoring and experience contrasts Minnesota’s disciplined defensive structure and goaltending prowess.

Utah Mammoth vs. Vegas Golden Knights

• Game 1: April 19, 2026 (10:00 p.m. ET) – Las Vegas – ESPN
• Game 2: April 21, 2026 (9:30 p.m. ET) — Las Vegas — ESPN2
• Game 3: April 24, 2026 (9:30 PM ET) – Utah – TBS
• Game 4: April 27, 2026 (TBD PM ET) – Utah – ESPN
• Game 5 (if necessary): April 29, 2026 (TBD PM ET) – Las Vegas – TBD
• Game 6 (if necessary): May 1, 2026 (TBD PM ET) – Utah – TBD
• Game 7 (if necessary): May 3, 2026 (TBD PM ET) – Las Vegas – TBD

Vegas’ playoff-tested core faces a Utah team that makes its inaugural postseason appearance under pressure.

Anaheim Ducks vs. Edmonton Oilers

• Game 1: April 20, 2026 (10:00 p.m. ET) – Edmonton – ESPN2
• Game 2: April 22, 2026 (10:00 p.m. ET) – Edmonton – TBS
• Game 3: April 24, 2026 (10:00 p.m. ET) – Anaheim – TNT
• Game 4: April 26, 2026 (9:30 PM ET) – Anaheim – ESPN
• Game 5 (if necessary): April 28, 2026 (TBD PM ET) – Edmonton – TBD
• Game 6 (if necessary): April 30, 2026 (TBD PM ET) – Anaheim – TBD
• Game 7 (if necessary): May 2, 2026 (TBD PM ET) – Edmonton – TBD

Edmonton’s high-powered attack tests Anaheim’s young roster and defensive structure.

nhl playoff format reminder

The Stanley Cup Playoffs consist of a 16-team bracket consisting of four best-of-seven rounds culminating in the Stanley Cup Finals.

What’s next in the NHL?

The winners advanced to the Conference Semifinals as the race for the Stanley Cup continued.

READ MORE: NHL Games Today – Full Schedule, Start Times & Matchups

Austin Konensky is a writer at SportsNut, covering the NHL, MLB, NFL, NBA and more. His work can also…more about Austin Konensky

The Washington Capitals’ AHL affiliate, the Hershey Bears, clinched a spot in the Calder Cup playoffs. They did so on Wednesday with a dominant 5-1 win over the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.

Ivan Miroshnichenko, Ilya Protas and Clay Stevenson all returned after being called up by the Capitals. He helped Hershey clinch a playoff berth for the sixth consecutive season and first under head coach Derek King.

Miroshnichenko recorded his 13th goal of the season on the power play with one assist, while Protas finished with two assists. Protas has 64 points in 67 games, which leads all AHL rookies and is sixth in the league. Meanwhile, Miroshnichenko now has 100 career AHL points.

Stevenson started in net a day after stopping 27 of 28 shots to help the Capitals defeat Columbus. He played even better with 32 saves on 33 shots in the Bears’ win.

Corey Schueneman and Matt Strome, Dylan’s younger brother, also contributed goals for Hershey. Then, in the third period, Alexander Suzdalev and Sam Bitton both recorded empty-netters to seal the victory.

Unfortunately, Bogdan Trineyev suffered an upper body injury in the second period and did not return. It’s bad enough that the Bears were already missing some key players in the lineup.

With the win, Hershey improved to 31–30–6–3 and is currently in fifth place in the Atlantic Division. They have two games left to decide who their first round opponent will be.

Harry Lichtman is an award-winning journalist who covers the Washington Capitals for SportsNut. He also contributes to the sites… More about Harry Lichtman

PSV Eindhoven striker Ricardo Pepi should reject any further approaches fulham And wait for the World Cup before deciding your future.

This advice is from journalist Munir Bowlin, via psv fans. He believes the striker should now abandon any plans to switch to Craven Cottage.

fulham transfer disaster

Ricardo Pepi looked set to move to Fulham after the club agreed a deal with PSV Eindhoven last month.

Marco Silva’s side made an attempt for the 23-year-old in the January transfer window. That failed, but he then restarted talks with PSV about a deal for the summer.

Everyone was making plans, Pepi was also going to London for medical. However, the deal broke down as Fulham and PSV could not agree on when they would transfer responsibility for the player.

Reports in the Netherlands have revealed that Fulham are expected to return at some point. But now he may need to reassure Pepi, Who were very disappointed with the transfer collapse.

Reject Fulham and wait

Now journalist Mounia Boulin believes that if Fulham return, Ricardo Pepi should reject him. With the World Cup around the corner, he may have better options.

“Ricardo Pepi’s transfer to Fulham fails, but Fulham are expected to come back with another offer,” he said on Soccer News’ Transfermind podcast.

“If I were Pepi, I wouldn’t go – but that’s just my opinion. If he has a strong World Cup, other clubs will definitely come calling for him.”

Growing ideas in the Netherlands

The idea that Fulham may have shot themselves in the foot with Ricardo Pepi is nothing new in the Netherlands. In fact, Sport Witness said as much in a report late last month.

The belief is that their World Cup will be good. And this will not only increase her value but also increase her potential suitors.

Of course, this is something we’ve seen before in the past. Whether the transfer collapse comes back to haunt Fulham with Pepi remaining to be seen.

The NHL has officially announced the 16 teams for the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs. While the playoff field is now set, seeding remains undecided heading into the final days of the regular season. In fact, almost all of the first-round matchups have not yet been determined. Only one playoff series has been completely determined before the final game.

Here’s a look at the confirmed NHL playoff teams and what’s still at stake before the brackets are finalized.

Eastern Conference playoff teams

Atlantic Division

• buffalo saber
• tampa bay lightning
• montreal canadiens

Metropolitan Division

• carolina storm
• pittsburgh penguins
• philadelphia flyers

wild card teams

• boston bruins
• ottawa senators

Western Conference playoff teams

Central Division

• colorado avalanche
• dallas stars
• minnesota wild

Pacific Division

• vegas golden knights
• edmonton oilers
• anaheim ducks

wild card teams

• utah mammoth
• Los Angeles Kings

What still remains to be decided

• Vegas, Edmonton and Anaheim still fighting to win Pacific Division
• Boston and Ottawa have one more game to earn the top wild card spot in the Eastern Conference
• Utah and Los Angeles have two games to decide the wild card spot in the Western Conference
• Several NHL teams fighting for home ice advantage in the Stanley Cup playoffs

What’s next in the NHL?

The 16 NHL playoff teams may have been determined, but there is still plenty of intrigue to wrap up the 2025-26 regular season. The Pacific Division is still in contention while playoff position will be the most important factor over the next few days. After all, the Stanley Cup Playoffs reward teams that can earn home ice advantage.

While wild card drama won’t be present in the final days of the NHL regular season, there is a lot that needs to be determined before the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

READ MORE: Full NHL playoff pictures today – updated standings and Stanley Cup bracket

Austin Konensky is a writer at SportsNut, covering the NHL, MLB, NFL, NBA and more. His work can also…more about Austin Konensky

The Premier League may be loving Ryan Cherky, but former France star Christophe Dugarry is having none of it. He’s not a big fan of the 22-year-old Manchester City star.

foot market report Comments from the former France star today. And it appears that despite his latest impressive performances, he has not yet fully recovered from Cherky fever.

manchester city improvement

Ryan Cherky joined Manchester City on a €36.5m deal from Lyon in the summer transfer window.

He was long considered one of the French rising talents. At Lyon, he came through their youth ranks before establishing himself in the first team.

Manchester City decided to make a move for him in the summer and have not regretted that decision since.

Cherky has significantly improved his play under Pep Guardiola, despite yet to firmly establish himself as a starter under the Spaniard.

To date he has three goals and ten assists in 26 Premier League games. In all competitions, those numbers are nine goals and 13 assists in 43 games.

Dugari Unaffiliated

The latest impressive performance came against Chelsea when he grabbed two assists in a 3–0 win. Most spectators credited Cherki as the man who turned the game in City’s favor after a close first half at Stamford Bridge.

That performance received much praise in England. But in France, critics remain, and Dugarry is one of them.

“What is he different from? What is Cherky’s style? Are the others blind? Are they clowns? What is this boy different from?” He said.

“Why should we treat him differently? Is he better than Olisse, is he better than Douay? Is he better than Barcola?

“We have to stop thinking that every time he touches the ball, it’s a one-man show… He needs to be more efficient in his game. Pep Guardiola said this, and he also explained that he needs to press more, and in modern football, that is important.”

The NASCAR Cup Series is headed to Kansas Speedway this weekend for the AdventHealth 400. It is the ninth points race of the season, with Sunday’s race featuring 36 full-time drivers and one additional racer.

This week, it will be Corey Heim driving the No. 67 car for 23XI Racing. This would be Hamm’s first Cup race since the Daytona 500 and would really be the starting point for a busy 12-race period ahead. From now until the end of July, Ham will feature in seven Cup Series races for 23XI.

Let’s take a look at the NASCAR Cup Series entry list for this weekend’s AdventHealth 400 at Kansas.

RELATED: NASCAR weekend schedule Kansas

NASCAR entry list this week: Cup Series at Kansas

Matt Johnson is the senior NFL and college football editor for Sportsknot. His work including the weekly NFL and college… More about Matt Johnson

NASCAR 杯系列赛将于本周末在堪萨斯赛道举行 AdventHealth 400 比赛。这是本赛季的第九场积分赛，周日的比赛将有 36 名全职车手和一名新增赛车手参加。

本周，科里·海姆 (Corey Heim) 将驾驶 23XI Racing 的 67 号赛车。这将是海姆自代托纳 500 大赛以来参加的第一场杯赛，也是接下来繁忙的 12 场比赛的真正起点。从现在到 7 月底，海姆将参加 23XI 的七场杯赛系列赛。

让我们直接深入了解本周末在堪萨斯州举行的 AdventHealth 400 的 NASCAR 杯系列赛参赛名单。

相关：纳斯卡周末赛程表堪萨斯州

本周 NASCAR 参赛名单：堪萨斯杯系列赛

马特·约翰逊 (Matt Johnson) 是《Sportsnaut》杂志《NFL》和《大学橄榄球》的高级编辑。他的工作包括每周 NFL 和大学……有关马特·约翰逊的更多信息

The NASCAR Cup Series returns to Bristol Motor Speedway this weekend with the top drivers returning to the track after last Sunday’s off. Following Cup Series qualifying on Saturday afternoon, NASCAR’s starting lineup for tomorrow’s race has been set.

Here are the NASCAR Cup Series qualifying results today at Bristol. We’ll start by introducing the starting lineup for the Food City 500 and below you can find the starting grid for Sunday’s NASCAR race.

RELATED: NASCAR Predictions for Bristol Motor Speedway

NASCAR Starting Lineup: Food City 500

NASCAR Cup Series starts on the grid at Bristol

Here is the starting grid for the Food City 500 for tomorrow in Bristol.

Who is on the pole for the NASCAR race at Bristol?

Ryan Blaney is on the pole for tomorrow’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway, followed by Tyler Reddick on the Food City 500 starting grid.

Matt Johnson is the senior NFL and college football editor for Sportsknot. His work including the weekly NFL and college… More about Matt Johnson

The race for the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs is reaching its final, chaotic stretch. With less than a week left in the NHL regular season, only seven teams are out of the playoff race, and the wild card battle is heating up in both conferences.

Here’s a look at the latest projected Stanley Cup playoff bracket, as well as updated division standings and the wild card race across the NHL.

Updated April 9 – Standings and brackets reflect games played April 8.

Projected 2026 Stanley Cup playoff bracket

Projected 2026 Stanley Cup playoff bracket following the NHL games on Wednesday, April 8.

eastern conference

western conference

Eastern Conference playoff picture

Atlantic Division

metro division

nhl wild card

X = won playoff
E=deleted

Western Conference playoff picture

Central Division

Pacific Division

nhl wild card

X = won playoff
E=deleted

When do the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs start?

• start date: Saturday, April 18

The first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs will begin on Saturday, April 18, two days after the conclusion of the 2025–26 NHL regular season.

READ MORE: First 2026 Stanley Cup Playoff Series Announced – Minnesota Wild vs. Dallas Stars

Austin Konensky is a sports writer at SportsNut, covering the NHL, MLB, NFL, NBA and college football. His work…More about Austin Konensky

leeds united Just watched Lucas Perry drag them up to Wembley. However, that doesn’t seem to have resolved the wider issue regarding the Brazilian goalkeeper’s place in Daniel Farke’s plans just yet.

The 27-year-old was the hero against West Ham United on Sunday, saving two penalties as Leeds United reached the FA Cup semi-finals for the first time since the 1986-87 season. This was after a 2–2 draw and a 4–2 shootout win. The reward is a semi-final against Chelsea later this month.

That is why Brazil’s latest claims deserve attention. Even if it looks more like market noise than anything advanced at present, it still remains remarkable.

local journalist george nicola Perry is said to be frustrated with his situation at Leeds after arriving expecting to become the first-choice goalkeeper. Instead, he now finds himself largely restricted to cup matches.

There is enough going on around Leeds United to make that claim credible. Perry started the season as the expected number one – and he was loving it. The Premier League had already earmarked him as a potential first-choice move to Elland Road ahead of the campaign.

However, Karl Darlow has taken over the league. Perry have been relegated to the margins while mainly maintaining their place in the FA Cup.

League place is the issue now

Lucas Perry’s basic statistics help explain why this has become a topic of discussion. TransferMarket lists him with 16 Premier League appearances and two FA Cup games this season. However, he has not been a regular league starter for some time. Since being dropped he has made only two starts, both in the FA Cup.

This matters because the Brazilian angle in Nikola’s report is also easy to understand. Perry has already entered the national team picture. A goalkeeper sitting on the bench in league action will always feel vulnerable when the World Cup-related competition starts to heat up. He wants more call-ups in the future.

Now, homecoming is being viewed positively in the player’s camp. This happened after he suffered “A Terrible Fall From Grace” At leeds united.

Stressing that regular football and a leading role will help him rebuild his momentum, Perry believes he could be closer to the Brazil team picture if he was playing consistently in his home country. Brazilian clubs are said to be already monitoring the situation.

Move background and what comes next

Leeds United paid Lyon a fixed €16m (£14.0m) for Lucas Perry, with a possible bonus of an additional €2m (£1.6). This is according to reports from the official French side of the deal.

So Leeds have a goalkeeper who has provided one of their biggest cup moments in decades. Yet the broader picture still suggests that he is second in the league.

Nikola’s information should be treated with caution for now, as there is no sign of a formal move or concrete exit process yet.

Still, the situation is becoming easier to read. If Perry believes regular football is essential to his Brazil hopes, and if those around him are starting to view a move back to Brazil as a realistic solution, then Leeds may have to make a decision sooner than expected.

Right now, Brazilian clubs are only watching, but a goalkeeper signed for €16m (£14.0m) and thrust out of the league prominence will naturally attract attention.

The Detroit Red Wings are collapsing. After another strong start to the NHL season, Detroit is out of the Stanley Cup playoffs with five games remaining. The Red Wings are two points behind the Ottawa Senators and their Stanley Cup playoff hopes are fading fast.

As of Monday, April 6, Detroit has a record of 4–6–0 in the last 10 games, with only one win in the last five games. In a 4–1 loss against the Minnesota Wild on Easter Sunday, the Red Wings equalized in the third period. Then, Red Wings forward Patrick Kane committed an selfish penalty, leading to a Minnesota power play goal.

After the Senators defeated the Carolina Hurricanes, Detroit is now two points out of the wild card picture without a tiebreaker. Now, the Red Wings need to win at least four of their next five games to make the Stanley Cup playoffs

Detroit Red Wings playoff approach, five games left in 2026

There’s an important week of NHL games coming up in Detroit. The Red Wings will need to win at least four games to overtake the Senators. Since Ottawa has the tiebreaker, Detroit needs to earn three more points over the organization in the next five games.

The Red Wings play the Columbus Blue Jackets, Philadelphia Flyers, New Jersey Devils, Tampa Bay Lightning and Florida Panthers to conclude the regular season. Detroit needs to win games against non-playoff teams, New Jersey and Florida, while looking to win two of three against Columbus, Philadelphia and Tampa Bay.

The biggest issue for the Red Wings is the remaining schedule for the Senators. Ottawa plays New Jersey, Florida, Tampa, the Toronto Maple Leafs and the New York Islanders. Currently four out of five teams are not in the playoffs. Granted, New York is also on the playoff bubble.

If the Senators win four of their next five games, they will advance to the playoffs, even if the Red Wings win all five games. This means Detroit does not need Ottawa to win more than three games if the team can consistently move up in the standings. However, this is only the senators’ angle.

The Red Wings will need to get past the Blue Jackets, possibly needing a win on Tuesday night. Detroit also needs to overcome the Islanders, who have a point in an additional matchup. However, Detroit has lost four of its last five games, and its record since the Olympic break is 8-9-3. The goaltending is sluggish while the offensive team is struggling to score in five-on-five play.

Time is running out, and if the Red Wings don’t turn the clock around on Tuesday night, their season will end in five games.

READ MORE: Detroit Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman will be on the hot seat if the team misses the NHL playoffs

Austin Konensky is a sports writer at SportsNut, covering the NHL, MLB, NFL, NBA and college football. His work…More about Austin Konensky