armory Julian Alvarez is ‘the only realistic option’ at the moment, but he doesn’t want to move to London.

cadena ser report The operation to take Alvarez to Barcelona is completely on hold for the time being, and Arsenal would be a more realistic destination.

arsenal realistic option

The website states that the saga surrounding Julian Alvarez is likely to be the biggest story of the beginning of the summer. Barcelona wants to sign him, but Atletico Madrid is opposed. The 26-year-old is also unlikely to try to force a move.

The case has been left somewhat at an impasse, with journalist Pedro Fulana reporting that it is “absolutely stalled” for now. For their part, Atletico believe the Argentine will remain with them next season.

According to middlemen speaking to Cadena SER, this is not an easy situation. Instead, according to Fulton the ‘only realistic option’ on the table is Arsenal. But the problem is that Alvarez ‘doesn’t want to go to London’ this summer.

If he were to leave Atletico this summer he would prefer to play for Barcelona. Therefore, the gunners are not in his sights.

Gunmen need to explain

Mikel Arteta’s side have been interested for some time. Various reports from around the world have indicated that he is the top target for the summer transfer window.

In fact, Sport Witness covered a report two days ago Arsenal were preparing for another big move after already being rejected.

Now it seems that money is not the problem, Julian Alvarez himself is convinced. He doesn’t seem that keen on a return to the Premier League after his time at Manchester City.

However, Arsenal remain an attractive option. They are Premier League champions, Champions League finalists and on the rise under Mikel Arteta. He has a lot to offer Argentina, even if he may not be very convincing at the moment.

of west ham united Mateus Fernandes is on Jose Mourinho’s hit list as he prepares to rebuild at Real Madrid.

AS report The Portuguese manager likes the West Ham midfielder and will consider signing him this summer.

Real Madrid rebuilding

The newspaper reports that Jose Mourinho wants to see ‘eleven loyal warriors’ on the pitch in the team he is envisioning for his second spell at the Santiago Bernabeu.

He is prioritizing the common good over personal glory and has already prepared a list of suggestions for players to sign. While President Florentino Pérez is planning a big, signing of the Galactico, Mourinho has other ideas.

West Ham’s Mateus Fernandes is one of the players on their list after becoming ‘one of the sensations’ of the Premier League this season.

Despite West Ham falling short in the Championship, the 21-year-old has earned praise across Europe for his performances. The allegation makes a move ‘convenient’, with the Hammers needing a sale of €150m this summer.

The midfielder is also represented by Jorge Mendes, which should help matters. He has been enjoying an improving relationship with the Spanish giants in recent months.

West Ham wants £80 million

Fernandes is also on the shortlist at Liverpool and Arsenal, with his price tag set at £80million. Reports have also linked PSG with a bid.

It remains to be seen whether Real Madrid want to spend it or not. But Florentino Perez has promised big spending in the summer if he wins election on Sunday.

Whether Mateus Fernandes fits into that idea, or would it instead be a direct request from Jose Mourinho, is debatable. For now, AS only say he is on the Portuguese manager’s list if he returns to the Bernabeu as expected.

This will be determined later this week, when Real Madrid’s elections are completed. Reports in Portugal indicate that a €15m deal has already been agreed to take over Mourinho from Benfica.

After that, it’s likely the transfer work will begin in earnest, and the West Ham star could find himself in the middle of it.

Manchester City Defender Ruben Dias is a target for Inter Milan, as a potential replacement for Yan Bisek.

gazzetta dello sport report Dias is ‘no longer safe’ at the Etihad as Enzo Maresca plans changes to the team he will inherit from Pep Guardiola.

Inter Milan eye a real coup

The newspaper reports that Bayern Munich are interested in Bisek but have not made a move yet. However, Inter are ready to change that, and have a replacement in mind.

The Italian champions will hope to sell Bisek for around €40m. Anything below that and they won’t listen to the offer at all. Such a figure would also allow them to target top-tier replacements.

One name in particular would attract Inter ‘more than any other’: Manchester City’s Ruben Dias.

Signing the Portuguese defender would be a ‘real coup’. It would also need to add a few million to the €40m it would get from selling Bisek. But there is a belief that Manchester City will listen to offers as Maresca reshapes his squad.

kanji example

However, there is precedent for Inter Milan striking a tough deal with City. They signed Manuel Akanji from the Etihad in a ‘highly lucrative’ deal last summer.

It was a loan that was conditional on his buying based on winning Serie A and appearing in more than 50% of his games.

In the end, he cost around €15m including wages. Ruben Dias will cost a lot. He will be worth no less than €50m and earns just over €6m per year. However, it is not impossible for Inter, especially if they get €40 million for Bisek.

For now, the potential deal is in its early stages. But Inter Milan’s interest is a sign of them thinking big. They want to connect youth with experience, and The Manchester City defender would contribute significantly later on.

chelsea Defender Ibrahima Konate ‘intends to try his luck’ this summer as he leaves Liverpool on a free transfer.

Team The report adds that Xabi Alonso’s side intend to keep their name in the hat for the Frenchman as he looks set to leave Anfield.

liverpool exit

The newspaper covered Ibrahima Konate’s departure today following Thursday evening’s report that he was no longer signing a new deal with the Reds.

The centre-back is set to become a free agent this summer but looked set to sign a new five-year deal at Anfield just a month ago. Now this French player also seems to be on his way out.

The newspaper reports that this happened due to ‘internal disagreement’. On the finances behind the scenes, and how they will be allocated. But other contenders have also started pushing the defender.

According to information from L’Equipe, they have ‘entered into much more concrete negotiations’ to try to secure the signature of the 27-year-old. They were there a month ago and are now in the picture.

chelsea offer

And the proposals are so concrete that Ibrahima Konate has been given ‘pause for thought’. Chelsea is one of those who is curious. He is described as a lover who ‘intends to try his luck’ this summer.

Like Bayern Munich, Real Madrid have also maintained contact with him. There is no one in front at this time. Indeed, Konate is expected to travel to the World Cup on June 10^th Without a clear picture of his future.

This suggests he will consider Chelsea’s offer carefully. On paper, the Blues are less attractive than a pair of European giants.

But despite the current squad having six players, a centre-back has been a priority for some time now. Eight if you include Jorel Hatto and Josh Acheampong.

Konate would come in as the immediate leader of the group, something that could be attractive after being Virgil van Dijk’s understudy for years at Anfield.

It seems Danhausen’s Cleveland Cavaliers bashing before the Eastern Conference Finals was no fluke for television.

The Cavaliers were on the wrong side of history Tuesday night. They entered their Eastern Conference Finals series against the New York Knicks as huge underdogs on the road. However, they surprised many by taking a two-point lead at halftime, then increasing it to 22 with just eight minutes remaining in the game. Then Jalen Brunson and his teammates caught fire.

The All-Stars led a spectacular rally, with both teams tied at the end of regulation time. The Knicks superstar and his teammates kept it going in overtime and somehow pulled off an incredible Game 1 victory despite a huge deficit in the fourth quarter.

Cavaliers fans were heartbroken by the shocking loss and were trying to figure out how their team blew such a huge lead late. However, many NBA fans pointed to one person: WWE star Danhausen. The “Too Good, Too Bad” star actually cursed out Cleveland during an appearance on Tuesday nba today.

“I have a special mission I’ve been sent on, and that’s for the Cleveland Cavaliers tonight. Tell them they’re damned,” he said.

The moment seemed quite random. However, in an ex post after the game, Danhausen revealed the real reason for doing so. When a fan asked, “Why would you curse the Cavs?” The WWE star responded, “Have you ever heard of this guy, The Miz?”

In that case, the Curse of Danhausen makes all the sense in the world. The Miz is a native of Cleveland and a fan of his hometown teams. And Danhausen currently has an ongoing rivalry with the WWE great and has cursed Miz and his tag partner Kit Wilson. He teamed with Mini-Hazen and scored a victory over the pair at Backlash earlier this month.

After earning a journalism degree in 2017, Jason Burgos worked as a contributor to several sites, including MMA Sacca… More about Jason Burgos

The NASCAR All-Star Race is being held at Dover Motor Speedway this weekend, with the Monster Mile featuring in a non-points race. Unfortunately for racing fans in Delaware, this may be one of their last opportunities to see the Cup Series at the Monster Mile.

On Sunday’s episode of The Teardown, The Athletic’s motorsports reporter Jordan Bianchi shared that there is a “real concern” around the industry that Dover could lose out as a future host for NASCAR races.

“There’s real concern among people about the future of Dover… They’ve lost a race, they’re now stuck in an All-Star race that no one’s interested in… It’s been moved around, it has no place on the schedule. It’s one of those things that just floats around here, there, wherever.”

The Athletic’s Jordan Bianchi may be out of Dover Motor Speedway NASCAR race due to growing concerns

Read more: NASCAR standings before Dover

Dover was effectively dropped from the NASCAR schedule a few months before the season. Reports first surfaced in August that the Monster Mile was being strongly considered to host an All-Star race, marking the first time since 1968 that Dover did not have a points race.

Instead, the track owned by Speedway Motorsports is now mired in a race that the drivers care less about and the fans have even less interest. Making matters worse, the All-Star Race will be held in the early afternoon (1:00 p.m. ET) because the proximity to Dover Air Force Base means that no lights can be used on the track to support night racing.

To make matters worse, Dover itself is not suitable for the All-Star Race, which is a shorter race and does not include the longer races for which the Monster Mile is designed. As a result, there is less excitement for this year’s non-points race than previous All-Star races.

“Most people don’t think it’s going to be very exciting. Dover is a nice track, but I think we both agree that it’s a track built on long, green-flag races and things like that. It’s not conducive to the All-Star Race format. Yes, there are concerns… I’ve heard it’s iffy (ticket sales). It’s not good, it’s worrisome… If you’re worried about Dover, you’re sitting there thinking, How will Dover get back into the points race?

Jordan Bianchi on uncertainty about NASCAR’s future at Dover

If there is not a strong attendance for the NASCAR All-Star Race this weekend, it will potentially give the league an ‘argument’ to justify not holding the race at Dover in 2027.

This may not necessarily be fair, especially given the history of Dover and the level of appreciation both fans and drivers have for that track. However, the Monster Mile is clearly not a priority track by NASCAR officials and fears about the future of the venue seem justified.

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

brighton and hove albion Star Matt Wiffer believes he could be at Real Madrid now if his early development had continued at his previous pace.

Twenty Fans reports on Wiffer’s comments today Made in the Netherlands in an interview with Amazon.

real madrid confidence

The Dutch midfielder, who now plays as a right-back, is on loan from Brighton after joining him for €30m in 2024.

He was a record transfer to his former club FC Twente, where he came through the youth ranks at the club. His growth was rapid there and has continued in Brighton ever since.

He was asked about that rapid development, but stood by his stance on whether he felt he could have ended up at Real Madrid.

“If things had continued at the same pace, I would have been at Real Madrid right now,” He said.

“Of course, it is unrealistic to expect to reach the top level immediately, so I made a conscious decision not to join a top level club immediately.”

brighton transfer plan

Like many, the Dutchman deliberately chose Brighton for the development path they offer players. Under the leadership of Fabian Herzeler they are benefiting from this.

“Coming here was a very conscious decision, and they knew me very well,” He added.

“This is an amazing club. We sit just below the top tier and are pushing to establish ourselves among England’s elite. Naturally, there are ups and downs, especially since we have such a young squad.”

premier league adaptation

Mats Wiffer is now a regular in the Brighton team, although this has required him to adapt to a new role as a right-back.

It appears he has finally adapted to life in England and the Premier League. And he admits it took some time for that to happen.

“Things are going well for me personally now, but it definitely took some getting used to in the beginning,” He concluded.

“The English understand that players need time to settle in during their first year. James Milner actually mentioned this to me. He commented that while it’s impressive when players adapt quickly, it’s a really difficult process, something I’ve certainly experienced first-hand.”

armory Defeated Sporting in the last eight and secured a place in the Champions League semi-finals.

The Gunners won the first leg 1-0 in Portugal and the return leg at the Emirates ended in a goalless draw on Wednesday. That meant Kai Havertz’s goal last week proved to be the difference between the two sides.

Martin Zubimendi played the full 90 minutes in both legs against the Lions. He has been a regular under Mikel Arteta since joining the Gunners from Real Sociedad in July 2025, playing 3,842 minutes in 48 matches.

His Premier League statistics are as follows:

• Appearances: 32
• Start: 31
• Total minutes: 2,680
• Minutes per game: 84

Before his move to the north London club, there were reports of interest from Real Madrid. Last October, he refused to discuss The La Liga giants said he has “tried everything” to join Arsenal.

Real Madrid link follow Arsenal star

After yesterday’s match, Arsenal’s Martin Zubimendi spoke to Cadena Ser’s El Larguero and uncheck Has released his comments.

There have been no concrete claims of Real Madrid’s interest in the 27-year-old recently, but that hasn’t stopped them from being asked about it.

Responding to that he said: “I don’t have any answers, but I’m not paying much attention to them all. I guess it’s in the past, and I have other things on my mind. It’s not a bad thing.”

Mikel Arteta’s side will face Atletico Madrid, who defeated Barcelona, ​​in the Champions League semi-finals.

Upon facing Diego Simeone’s side, Zubimendi explained: “I know them well already, and this weekend they have a match against Real Sociedad, so we’ll see how it goes. Anyway, I think they are in very good form, with a lot of confidence and emotion, as is typical of Atlético de Madrid. We already know them from the group stage, but this will be different.”

The midfielder on the Gunners’ recent struggles

Arsenal have won one of their last five matches in all competitions. In the same period, the Gunners lost to Manchester City in the EFL Cup final and were knocked out of the FA Cup by Southampton. This includes the league defeat to AFC Bournemouth last weekend.

Mikel Arteta top the table, six points behind second-placed Manchester City, who have a game in hand.

Martin Zubimendi also spoke to reporters in the mixed area infobae Has released his comments.

On the Premier League’s three recent defeats, he said: “It’s been tough, for the team and for me personally. We have games every three days. When you’re injured, you have to recover quickly, and today [against Sporting] There is proof of this.”

Arsenal’s remaining matches this season

The Gunners have six league matches and at least two more in the Champions League this season.

Their fixture list is as follows:

• vs manchester city [away] on 19th April
• v newcastle [home] on 25th April
• atlético madrid [away] on 29th April
• in fulham [home] on 2 may
• atlético madrid [home] on 5 may
• vs west ham [away] on 10th may
• v burnley [home] tbd
• v Crystal Palace on 24 May

🇧🇷 Exclusive: Arsenal tracking Lucca Marques

⭐️ 18-year-old’s rapid growth draws attention
⚽️ Youngest player to score in Copa Libertadores in Sao Paulo history
🇩🇪 Borussia Dortmund also interested
➡️The Gunners can make a formal offer in the summerhttps://t.co/u7LuPMgUyJ #afc #bvb

– Sports Witness (@Sport_Witness) 3 April 2026

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers failed to live up to expectations last season, missing the playoffs for the first time since 2019. Now, coming off an offseason that created a void with the departures of Lavonte David and Mike Evans, it appears a major change could be coming early in the 2026 NFL Draft.

ESPN’s Jordan Reed wrote that he believes there is a “very real possibility” that the Buccaneers select Oregon Ducks tight end Kenyon Saadiq with the 15th overall pick.

RELATED: 2026 dynasty fantasy football rankings by position, including Kenyon Saadiq

The 6-foot-3 Sadiq earned second-team All-American honors at Oregon last season and won the Big Ten Tight End of the Year award. He is viewed as a consensus top-20 talent in the 2026 NFL Draft class, with many viewing him as one of the best offensive weapons in the class.

He has been compared to All-Pro tight end Trey McBride by NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein, partially due to his running routes at all three levels and his ability to generate yards after the catch. Additionally, as another benefit to the NFL team that landed him, he has demonstrated a willingness to block and is at least usable in that role with room for improvement.

RELATED: Buccaneers interested in former first-round pick

Reed noted that tight end is one of the positions that the Buccaneers front office and coaching staff are “keying in” as potential Round 1 areas to address. Barring a trade, Sadiq would be the only tight end worth considering with a top-20 selection.

Tampa Bay seems relatively set at wide receiver with the trio of Chris Godwin, Emeka Egbuka and Jalen McMillan for a three-receiver set. However, under new offensive coordinator Zach Robinson, it also appears that we could see more than 12 personnel sets from the Buccaneers’ offense in 2026. If so, Sadiq could potentially overtake Cade Otton as the top threat at the position.

If Saadiq is off the board while the Buccaneers are on the clock with the 15th overall pick, Tampa Bay is also reportedly eyeing the defensive end. With several edge rushers projected to go in the top 20, there’s a good chance the Buccaneers land one of their top targets.

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 drama at Chelsea over Enzo Fernandez’s comments has now calmed down, with his agent admitting his client was wrong.

Top Mercato has a special offer today with Javier Pastore Regarding Fernandez’s situation at Chelsea and efforts to clear the air at Stamford Bridge.

According to the Argentine, peace has now been restored to the club.

An interview created a storm

Enzo Fernandez is currently suspended by Chelsea following an interview that aired while he was on international duty with Argentina.

The Chelsea midfielder admitted that he could see himself staying in Madrid and would like to move to the Spanish city at some point.

Then came those comments Reports in recent weeks have linked him with a move to Real Madrid. Inside Chelsea, his comments were deemed disrespectful and poorly timed, with Liam Rosenior insisting the 25-year-old had crossed a line.

Fernandez was then suspended for their next two matches, causing him to miss the FA Cup win over Port Vale and the upcoming clash with Manchester City.

His agent, Javier Pastore, initially described the decision as fair. He then hinted that Fernandez may consider a move after the 2026 World Cup. However, now his tone has changed.

Agent says no problem

Speaking to Top Mercato at FedEx’s ‘Move Like a Pro’ event in Paris, Javier Pastore revealed that direct talks with Chelsea helped set everything in motion.

“We have already talked about this in recent days,” he said.

“He made these statements without any intention of causing problems at Chelsea. He is the captain, one of the leaders of the team, and he has shown his best form on the pitch this season. He was simply talking about a city.

“Then in a short period of time there were a lot of interviews where he talked about his future. The media mixed things up and started saying he was going to leave Chelsea. There is absolutely nothing to it.”

Pastor stepped forward and confirmed that Chelsea, Enzo and their camp have aligned their positions.

“We are on the same thing with Chelsea. We made peace between Chelsea and the player yesterday and the day before yesterday. There was never really any problem. We have cleared the situation.”

internal apology

According to the pastor, Enzo Fernandez now understands the impact of his words and has apologized internally.

He said, “Whatever happened, happened. We explained to the player that even though he did nothing wrong, he should not have said that.”

“He’s only 25. He’s still young, he still has things to learn. We explained to the club that he said it without any malice, that he made a mistake. He naturally apologized to the club, his teammates, the coach, the sporting director, everyone. We’re all on the same page. We just had to clear up the misunderstanding.”

Full focus on Chelsea

Chelsea will now be hoping to put the incident aside soon as they focus on trying to get into the Champions League.

The blues are currently 6^th And entering the decisive phase of the season. With pressure mounting on Liam Rosenior, he needs to pull everyone in the same direction.

Enzo Fernandez has been a key player this season and his agent insists he is focused on getting Chelsea over the finish line.

He concluded, “Chelsea are fighting for their Champions League spot through the Premier League, which is very important for the club.”

“Enzo needs to play because he has the World Cup coming up. Chelsea need him because he is a key player for their team. We’ve talked; we’ve sorted everything out on both sides.

“Things are very clear. There is no dispute of any kind. Enzo still has six years left on his contract and we need to work together, which we are doing.”

🇦🇷From Argentina: Alejandro Garnacho moves from Chelsea to River Plate on one-year loan https://t.co/lnfgIg009E #cfc

– Sports Witness (@Sport_Witness) 7 April 2026

Arsenal are continuing their pursuit of the summer transfer of Real Madrid’s Victor Valdepeñas.

The defender came through Real Madrid’s youth system and has already attracted the attention of Arsenal. He was dubbed ‘The Choice One’ and the face of Madrid La Fábrica Youth System.

Valdepeñas made his first team debut in Real Madrid’s 2–1 win over Deportivo Alavés in December.

Xabi Alonso was then in charge and used him as a left-back rather than his preferred role as a central defender. This remains his only appearance for the first team.

However, he has appeared regularly for Real Madrid Castilla [reserve team] In third class. Valdepeñas played as a centre-back and on the left side of defense for Real Madrid Castilla this season.

His per game statistics for the reserve team this season are as follows:

• Appearances: 23
• Start: 18
• Total minutes: 1,822
• Minutes per game: 79
• Duels won per game: 6.2
• Balls recovered per game: 8.7
• Clearance per game: 1.2

Arsenal is not giving up on the young player

During December, witness the game broadcast news That the gunner is keeping a close eye on Victor Valdepeñas.

Two months ago, we Covered claims from Spain Mikel Arteta’s team is leading the race to sign this versatile player.

As Tune in now and cover the latest in a report focusing on the future of Real Madrid’s youth. Contenders are rising while scouts from many teams continue to monitor young talent in the final stages of the season.

This includes the Spain U19 international, who is of interest to Arsenal and AC Milan. He played 78 minutes ‘with conviction’ against Alaves and his interested parties have the same conviction.

As well as Arsenal and Milan, the unnamed Bundesliga side are still ‘in the running’ for transfers. AS reports that the player has a €50m release clause. The Premier League team will have to battle it out with other clubs to secure his services.

Real Madrid, for their part, will not make a final decision until May, meaning Arsenal and others will have to wait a few more weeks.

Contract, price and agent information

Victor Valdepeñas’ contract is until 2030, and transfer market Estimate his value at €5m. There is no clear indication of how much Arsenal will have to pay for the transfer.

Foot Feel ISM, owned by agent Alejandro Caamaño, represents an Arsenal goal. His client list includes Inter Milan star Lautaro Martínez, Paris Saint-Germain’s Achraf Hakimi and Lazio’s Mario Gila.

🇩🇪 Kenneth Eichhorn, Jean-Mateau Bahoya and Nathaniel Brown

➡️Arsenal in the mix for 3 Bundesliga youngstershttps://t.co/WTT4Mfh9Hw #afc

– Sports Witness (@Sport_Witness) April 1, 2026

As the NBA season comes to a close, the Dallas Mavericks are looking for a win. Mavericks rookie phenom Cooper Flagg gives flowers to a teammate. Flag forward Khris Middleton says have made their mark On the Dallas squad.

“He’s great. I’ve learned a lot from Khris. He’s a professional scorer. He’s been in this league a long time, and like I said, just a professional scorer, so I’m trying to pick up some parts of that side of the game from him and what I can learn in those aspects of the game, and he has a lot to teach me. So, I’m excited to be able to learn from him,” Flagg said, according to FanSided.

Cooper Flagg on considering Khris Middleton as one of his legends:

“He’s great. I’ve learned a lot from Khris. He’s a professional scorer. He’s been in this league a long time, and like I said, just a professional scorer, so just trying to pick up some of that side of the game… pic.twitter.com/GmCcbcg29D

– Noah Weber (@noahweber00) 24 March 2026

This season, Middleton is averaging just over 11 points per game for Dallas. After coming over in a trade from the Washington Wizards, he appeared in 20 games for the Mavericks.

On March 12, Middleton played one of the best games of his career. He scored 35 points for Dallas in a win over the Memphis Grizzlies. Mavericks fans hope he can continue that production.

Meanwhile, Flagg is averaging 20 points per game as a rookie for the Mavericks. He was number one. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. Despite battling injuries, the rookie has quickly become the face of the Mavericks.

Dallas is 23-49 this season. Overall it has been a tough campaign for this rebuilding Mavericks team, which is still getting acclimated to life without Luka Doncic.

The Mavericks have lost four consecutive games. They hope to snap their losing streak when they next face the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday night.

Antonio Rudiger’s Real Madrid contract expires in the summer. Liverpool and Manchester United now sense an opportunity to bring him back to England.

The German joins Los Blancos after his Chelsea contract expires in 2022. Since then, they have won the Champions League once and also won La Liga in the same season.

Now 33, the centre-back position is once again attracting attention, with Real Madrid yet to offer a renewal. Juventus tried to sign him after his tenure at Stamford Bridge ended. They are back in the field for the defender and are reportedly competing with Liverpool and Manchester United.

today’s tuttosport Considers Rüdiger’s future in detail.

Rudiger was seen as a major coup

The Turin newspaper believes the former AS Roma player would be a major coup for Juventus, who have Luciano Spalletti as their manager. The Italian managed Rudiger during his time at the Giallorossi and could prove vital in the transfer.

Competition from Manchester United and Liverpool ‘in recent weeks’ could scupper Juve’s plans. Both English clubs have greater financial muscle than the Bianconeri, who are attempting to negotiate a move with Rudiger’s entourage.

The Red Devils, in particular, could play a major role in the deal. That’s because Harry Maguire’s potential renewal could determine where Rudiger arrives in the summer.

The newspaper believes his new deal at Manchester United is close to coming to fruition, having held an important meeting with his agents during the international break. There is a possibility of renewal, only the length of the contract remains to be decided.

Juventus are keeping a close eye on this development, as it will help them get closer to signing Rudiger.

Deal may not make sense for Liverpool or Manchester United

If Maguire renews, the Old Trafford side will not need another experienced defender. They have young centre-backs in Ayden Haven and Lenny Yarrow, with Lisandro Martínez and Luke Shaw more than capable of playing at centre-back.

Matthijs de Ligt is injured but should return sometime in the next few months.

As far as Liverpool are concerned, Virgil van Dijk is very close. ibrahima konate could Departure in the summer but to replace him, the Reds should ideally look for a young profile. Furthermore, it is rare for a Merseyside club to sign players over the age of 30.

This is why Juve may actually have a chance to sign Rudiger this summer.

🇧🇷 Exclusive: Liverpool eyeing Vinicius Lira

⭐️ The 18-year-old is one of Santos’ top prospects
➡️ #lfc Keeping a close eye on the fullback’s development
📈 Believe he could be a more complete talent than Souza, who recently joined Tottenham
👇 More fines 👇https://t.co/N7g9P4X4iy

– Sports Witness (@Sport_Witness) 16 March 2026

Who will win the NBA Championship this year? While the 2026 NBA Finals won’t start until June and we’re not even at the end of the regular season, it seems like we’ve seen enough to predict which clubs are making a realistic attempt at winning it this year.

Let’s take a look at our ranking of the NBA Finals contenders. If a team is not listed, we do not believe they have a viable path to winning the championship this season.

1.Oklahoma City Thunder

Even with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Ajay Mitchell each missing significant time this season, the Oklahoma City Thunder are likely to finish the regular season with the best record in the NBA. Through 70 games, Oklahoma City has allowed the second-fewest PPG (107.5), lowest opponents’ field goal percentage (43.4 percent) and its league-best 11.0 net rating is equal to the combined net value of the fourth (San Antonio Spurs) and 10th-best teams (Minnesota Timberwolves) in the NBA. SGA is now healthy and consistently performing better than last season, Mitchell is back and Williams should be ready for the playoffs. Additionally, thanks to Daryl Morey trading away Jared McCain, the Thunder’s rotation is deeper than last season.

RELATED: NBA MVP Race; Ranking of top five candidates

2. San Antonio Spurs

The last time the San Antonio Spurs appeared in the NBA playoffs (2019), Victor Wembanyama was 15 years old and De’Aaron Fox was in his second season with the Sacramento Kings. It’s actually the very limited postseason experience on the Spurs roster that we are lacking with the team. That said, San Antonio went 4-1 against Oklahoma City with a +26 point differential in the regular season and Wembanyama has been able to dominate Chet Holmgren in a series. Plus, it’s been made clear that the likes of Stephen Cassel, Devin Vassell, Keldon Johnson, and Dylan Harper have just as bad feelings toward the Thunder as Wambayama. If we’re picking anyone outside of Oklahoma City to win the NBA Finals, it’s San Antonio.

READ MORE: 2026 NBA Mock Draft Ahead of March Madness

3. Boston Celtics

The Boston Celtics entered the weekend with a 6-1 record with Jayson Tatum in the lineup. Admittedly we were a little concerned about the decision to bring him back from a torn Achilles so soon, but the perennial All-Star forward has really impressed in his return. This is now a lineup that features two MVP-caliber performers in Tatum and Jaylen Brown, while Derrick White may be the best No. 3 player on any team in the NBA. Boston has the most playoff experience in the Eastern Conference and we can confidently say that this is the best coached team we have ever seen. It’s just a question of how Tatum performs during the playoffs and whether a sub-.500 record against top-10 teams is a sign that Boston can withstand an upset in the NBA Finals.

Read more: Single-game NBA scoring records for all 30 teams

4. Denver Nuggets

Ranking the Denver Nuggets fourth among potential NBA Finals contenders is all about Nikola Jokic. He currently ranks fourth in the NBA playoffs in career win shares per 48 minutes (.2298). If you just focus on the last four years, Jokic has an absurd 0.25 WS/48 and has averaged 28.7 points, 13.2 rebounds and 8.5 assists per game while shooting 53.5 percent from the field in his last 51 playoff games. With Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon healthy, they don’t need to carry much for Denver. Denver’s 10-12 record over the last 22 games should ring some alarm bells and Cam Johnson has been a big disappointment, but we’ll never underestimate Jokic’s ability to lead his team to the NBA Finals.

5. Cleveland Cavaliers

Are the Cleveland Cavaliers a better team with James Harden than Darius Garland? Yes, we definitely have more confidence in their chances of making the playoffs this season after the trade. That said, Harden’s proven reputation for collapsing in win-or-home playoff games is a serious concern for Cleveland. There’s already plenty of evidence that the Jarrett Allen-Evan Mobley frontcourt pairing doesn’t work well in the NBA playoffs, even with the performance Donovan Mitchell has had at that time of the year (28.3 ppg) for Cleveland. The Cavaliers have a chance to win the Eastern Conference, but this team will likely need a significant injury in the West to win the NBA Finals.

6. New York Knicks

It’s now or never situation for the New York Knicks. Mike Brown was brought in during the offseason with the hopes that he would make enough changes to ensure that Madison Square Garden would host multiple NBA Finals games. From February 1 to March 20, New York posted a respectable 16–7 record with a +8.7 point differential and included wins over the Nuggets, Spurs, and Rockets. There’s a strong case for the Detroit Pistons in this spot, but we’re giving the Knicks a slight edge due to their playoff experience.

RELATED: NBA scouts, executives cast doubt on NY Knicks’ chances for playoff run

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

Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford has been on loan at Barcelona since last summer.

Barcelona manager Hansi Flick has now explained the reason for the forward’s recent struggles.

The England international left Manchester United for the first time to join Aston Villa on loan in January 2025.

Unai Emery was keen to extend his stay as he had no future at Old Trafford. However, Rashford pressed for a move to Barcelona in July 2025.

He scored 10 goals and made 13 assists in 38 appearances in all competitions for Flick, operating primarily on the left wing and occasionally as a number 9. Below are his statistics per game in La Liga.

• expected goal [season]:5.84
• expected assistance [season]: 3.74
• Main pass: 1.6
• Shots on target: 1.0
• Successful dribble: 0.9

The La Liga winners have a €30m clause to buy Rashford and their sporting director, Deco already confirmed purchase option.

Manchester United claim Amid Rashford’s struggles

Since January, the Manchester United-owned player has made six appearances and failed to assist or score. Earlier this week, Sport Witness broadcast news Barca’s decision to retain him will depend on his performance until the end of the season.

The latest claims from the UK state that Manchester United will not offer a discount on the €30m asking price. If Barca decide not to offer the same amount, Rashford would have to return to the Premier League team.

Saturday edition of sports world trusts him and insists that the Catalan club intend to buy him, as long as the fee and salary fit into their financial fair play limits.

The Red Devils player needs to start performing well and will have a new chance against Rayo Vallecano on Sunday.

Before the match, Flick was attending the pre-match press conference uncheck Has released his comments.

He played 79 minutes in the last four La Liga matches and Flick was asked why Rashford did not play more minutes.

“Marcus had some problems in the last few days and we took care of him. Now he is 100% recovered.” He said.

Barça have 12 matches until the end of the season and that will increase if they cross Atletico Madrid in the Champions League quarter-finals. Flick wants Rashford and all the other players to stay ahead of the busy schedule after the international break.

“We need all the players until the end, and we don’t know what will happen after that. There is still time. There is the World Cup. I believe in my players. Cancelo, Rashford, Gerrard… they give us quality. And so do the others. We will talk at the end and see what happens.” Flick explained.

Manchester United is waiting for Barcelona’s decision

Rashford’s contract with the English club expires in 2028, and transfer market He is worth €40 million.

Manchester United will be anxiously waiting to see whether Barca will offer €30m to buy him. If not, he will return to Old Trafford, and the Red Devils will have to decide his future in the summer.

🇧🇷Casemiro | It won’t end until it’s over…

⚠️ From Brazil: Second thoughts on Manchester United
➡️ Possibility of surprise renewal talks
📈 Recent form has helped
❌ Brazil refuses to return
📉 Have to accept less salaryhttps://t.co/nT440VyTF8 #free

– Sports Witness (@Sport_Witness) 21 March 2026

Chelsea is one of the top clubs pursuing KRC Genk’s Konstantinos Karatsas for the summer.

The 18-year-old has attracted the attention of Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich Borussia Dortmund and Galatasaray.

After leaving Anderlecht, he initially joined the reserve team of Jupiler Pro League side on a free transfer in 2023. A year later, the attacking midfielder made his first-team debut and played 85 matches, scoring six goals and 22 assists.

This season, the Belgian-born Greece international has operated on the right wing and as an attacking midfielder. He has three goals and 17 assists in 42 matches so far, and we highlight some of his league statistics below.

It is no surprise that many clubs, including Chelsea, have taken notice of the attacker’s rise and development in Belgium.

Blues at the Battle of Karetsas

On 19 February, Game Witness broadcast news Liam Rosenior’s side and Manchester City are attempting to bring him to the Premier League in the summer.

At the end of that month, we Claims covered from Belgium That both clubs sent their scouts to watch Genk’s Europa League win over Dinamo Zagreb.

recent news Now Chelsea, Real Madrid, PSG, Bayern Munich, BVB and Turkish clubs report interest in the young player.

These clubs are in a race to sign the player and are not deterred by the price demanded by Genk.

The Belgian club have set a €45m price tag to make Carretta a league record sale. The current record is the €38m sale of Arden Jashari from AC Milan to Club Brugge in August 2025.

SC Freiburg won 5-1 on Thursday to knock Genk out of the Europa League. Before the clash, HLN spoke to Karetsas and asked him about the transfer links.

Responding to that he said: “I don’t like reading all this. I’m not even that curious about it. But that’s how the market works, okay? Let me just focus on my work on the field. I want my life to be as normal as possible. As long as I keep improving and performing, everything is fine. You know, everything else is virtually in place. It’s a nice bonus, but not tangible.”

Player contract, value and agent information

Last November, the attacker signed an extension with Genk until 2025 and is now valued at €35m transfer market.

Belgian agency Stir Associates, headed by agent Stijn Francis, represents the player wanted by the Blues.

Francis has a number of players on his client list including Brighton & Hove Albion keeper Bart Verbruggen, VfB Stuttgart’s Bilal El Khanous and Juventus’ Lois Openda.

🇦🇷 Ian Subiabre | Chelsea groundwork faces new challenge ➡️ Arsenal’s strength for wonderkidhttps://t.co/qFhasGbytm #cfc #afc

– Sports Witness (@Sport_Witness) 19 March 2026

The impact of Tottenham Hotspur’s difficult season is now beginning to extend beyond north London, with Richarlison’s status for Brazil becoming a topic of discussion ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

The striker has long been a reliable option for Carlo Ancelotti. Their relationship dates back to their time together at Everton, when the Italian became increasingly dependent on Richarlison as a key attacking figure.

This relationship carried over to the Brazil setup, where the Tottenham forward continued to receive opportunities even during an inconsistent period at club level.

Richarlison featured in Ancelotti’s first four call-ups. Despite not scoring he appeared in six matches, including two starts.

Even as his minutes fluctuated at Tottenham, the Brazilian coach continued to value his profile – physical presence, aerial ability and work rate – as something different within the team.

Tottenham struggling to lose weight

Tottenham’s season has been nothing short of turbulent. The club is suffering a poor run of results, struggling for consistency and getting uncomfortably close to the relegation zone.

The situation in Europe has not been very good. Spurs suffered a heavy 5–2 defeat to Atlético Madrid, effectively ending their Champions League hopes despite the formalities of the second leg still pending.

In that environment, Richardson is trying to rebuild momentum after another injury setback. The Brazilian missed several weeks between January and February due to a thigh problem.

Since returning under Igor Tudor, he has appeared in five matches. During that spell, he scored twice – including a decisive goal against Liverpool – and also added an assist. Although he has not changed Tottenham’s collective form, He has at least shown signs of personal acuity.

There is also increasing clarity regarding the future of his club. As we recently coveredTottenham and Richarlison have already agreed that he will leave at the end of the season.

The decision is said to have been taken after internal talks, with both sides considering June 2026 as the right time to move forward. There is no pressure involved, but rather a shared understanding about what will happen next in their careers.

Tottenham have also scheduled an assessment ahead of the summer window. The club are expected to demand around £21.5m (€25m) for the striker, with this figure likely to guide negotiations.

Ancelotti and Richardson: trust built over time

Richarlison’s importance to Brazil is not based on numbers alone. He was the team’s key striker at the 2022 World Cup, scoring three goals and establishing himself as a reference point in attack.

Since then, despite injuries and irregular club form, he has largely maintained Ancelotti’s support. The Italian has often shown a willingness to prioritize familiarity and tactical fit over pure club performance, particularly in transitional periods.

This context helps explain why their absence from the list of Brazil’s final international friendlies before the 2026 World Cup has been highlighted this week.

Brazil’s decision confirmed

As highlighted in this news bolavip In Brazil, for the first time under Ancelotti, Richarlison has been left out of the squad despite being fit and available.

The report suggests that his absence says more about the current situation at Tottenham than the player himself. With Spurs struggling badly, it appears the wider context has influenced the decision.

This marks a clear change. Prior to this, Richarlison had remained a part of the team even without strong club momentum. Now, with competition for the No. 9 role increasing and the World Cup approaching, the margin for error has become less.

what happens next

Richardson is now entering the decisive phase. With the World Cup around the corner, every performance takes on extra importance.

Tottenham’s clash may complicate his case, but the Brazilian is at least beginning to show signs of life after returning from injury. If he continues to contribute goals and assists, he may yet be forced back into Ancelotti’s plans.

However, for the first time, there is a clear indication that trust in the past alone may no longer be enough.

🇦🇷 Christian Romero | respect and affection for tottenham

🤍 Defender questioned over transfer – changes angle
💬 Explains the feelings for Spurs, but doesn’t rule out the summer being gone… 👇https://t.co/HvSTngEh6z #thfc #Happiness

– Sports Witness (@Sport_Witness) 19 March 2026

Tottenham Hotspur beat Real Madrid in the race to sign Luka Vuckovic from Hajduk Split.

In September 2023, Tottenham reach £12m [€13.9m] The defender agreed a deal with Hajduk Split to arrive in London last summer.

The Premier League side sent him on a season-long loan to Hamburg SV in August 2025. The move has been a good one for the centre-back, who has established himself in the Bundesliga.

He has played 2,280 minutes in 25 matches so far this season and has scored five goals and one assist.

The Tottenham-owned player has been impressing in Hamburg and below are his stats per game in the Bundesliga.

• Interception: 1.2
• Tackle: 0.8
• Ball Recovery: 4.3
• Ground duels won: 2.1
• Aerial duel won: 5.5

Before Hajduk Split agreed with Tottenham, Real Madrid made progress to sign the Croatia international.

Tottenham beats Real Madrid in signings

is according to Hamburger AbendblattWho report why the La Liga side failed to sign him.

The newspaper recently received several pictures of the 19-year-old player’s visit to Real Madrid.

His brother, Mario, mother, Sanja and agent Damir Smoljan met his then manager, Carlo Ancelotti, and compatriot Luka Modrić. The latter left the Spanish club for AC Milan last summer.

‘Everything’ points to an agreement with Real Madrid, who offered Hajduk Split €6m plus €6m in bonuses, and discussed personal terms. However, things changed after Luka Vuckovic’s squad returned to Croatia from their trip to Madrid.

Real Madrid’s interest was leaked by Tomislav Kasalo, a member of his family and lawyer, in a pub in Split.

At the time, Casalo also did business with Pini Zahavi, who kept him informed about Los Blancos’ progress. The pair hatched a plan to stop her move to Spain.

It worked as Zahavi secured Spurs’ offer while the lawyer convinced the Vuckovic family. The latter had handled Mario’s doping ban case. He charged no fees and helped Zahavi secure Luca as a client.

What’s next for Luka Vuckovic?

His rise in Hamburg has attracted the attention of other clubs including Barcelona and Bayern Munich. zahawi recently said A decision on his client’s future will be made at the end of the season.

last week, Luca refused to discuss his future and revealed that he has a contract with the North London club until 2030.

transfer market He is now valued at €40m, an increase of €22m from October 2025. It signals his rapid development, and Spurs have to make a decision about his future in the summer.

Real Madrid, for their part, will now regret losing the defender to Tottenham. It is unclear whether the La Liga side will return for the Croatian at any time in the future.

The San Antonio Spurs followed up with a rodeo road trip that matched the best edition of their annual jaunt since their inception in 2003, with a home stand that was almost as impressive. Clutchpoints were discussed in detail with head coach Mitch Johnson.

“You feel the intensity and the competitiveness. The teams that you’re talking about and the urgency that a lot of them have, I think it’s been really good for us to go through these games and find out about other teams and find out about ourselves.”

Whichever team Johnson’s group plays during its six games at the Frost Bank Center is a postseason contender that will likely at least make the play-ins. Three of those teams are widely considered to be among the best in the NBA.

Spurs role as postseason contender

San Antonio began their home games with a win against the Detroit Pistons, entering the night tied with the Oklahoma City Thunder for the fewest losses in the league. The very next night, the Spurs overcame a 25-point deficit to defeat a Portland Trail Blazers unit that is in eighth place in the Western Conference.

The Silver and Black then defeated the Houston Rockets by 25 points, who were in third place in the West at the time. Next came the Boston Celtics. Like Houston, Boston is in third place in its conference, and like the Celtics, the Rockets fell. Two nights later, without Victor Wembanyama, the Alamo City welcomed a Denver Nuggets team that was in fourth place in the West. This would prove to be the only game of six that the Spurs would lose as after Wembley recovered from an ankle injury, they defeated a Charlotte Hornets team that is in 10th place in the East. Loss-wise, Charlotte is five losses ahead of that last spot in the conference play-in spot.

“We’ve had to participate in a lot of different types of games, whether it’s getting a little open and covering a lot of distance defensively, matching some physicality in a lot of different ways, execution late in the game, seeing different ways for guys to defend us,” Johnson said of ClutchPoints’ tenure.

“You feel the intensity, competitiveness and urgency of (opponents on the home stand)… hopefully those lessons will translate into wisdom and knowledge as we move forward.”
-Mitch Johnson

“I’m obviously ready for it”
Luke Cornet on playing with Wembley

⬇️https://t.co/bl5F6Ru2mO Report#spurs pic.twitter.com/kiuJASMp5n

– Hector Ledesma (@HectorLedesmaTV) 15 March 2026

San Antonio held Charlotte without a field goal for more than five minutes in the fourth quarter, defeating the Hornets 115–102 to close the home stand.

“I thought we settled in. Had a little ups and downs in the third quarter, got open a little bit, and it’s hard to save them when the game is like that.” Johnson said.

The Spurs’ first-year head coach added, “I thought we did a really good job of fixing our defense, even if it wasn’t weak.” “It’s always easy to get organized by moving away from artificial things, but I thought we did a good job of getting set up, staying connected and getting them ready to play through their counters; or just the beginning shooters trying to get a look because they’re very good at seeing those guys and progressing from that to the next guys.”

Going 5-1 after an 8-1 record during the Rodeo Road Trip to include two ‘home’ games in Austin gives the Spurs a 49-18 mark for the season. Johnson hopes it will serve his championship contender well.

“Hopefully all of these experiences are lessons that we will turn into knowledge and wisdom as we move forward.”

Alisson’s long-term future at Liverpool has been questioned in recent weeks.

sports witness The Italian has covered claims from Juventus about interest in bringing him back to Serie A in the summer.

There are concerns over Michele Di Gregorio’s performances this season, as the Italian has made high-profile mistakes. This leads to the Bianconeri being considered an established goalkeeper, with the Liverpool star interested.

Luciano Spalletti knows the former Roma player from his time together in the Italian capital. He would be willing to coach them once again.

Juve’s task is unlikely to be easy. The Reds could offer specific challenges as part of the deal. Initially, there was confidence in Turin that the transfer would be relatively easy, but this belief has begun to meet with a harsh reality.

Liverpool wants the goalkeeper to honor the contract

Journalist Franco Leonetti has talked about the situation in Brazil. He also mentioned Juventus’ interest in the 33-year-old but clarified the Reds’ stance on the matter.

With Alisson’s contract expiring in 2027, Liverpool are expected to honor the deal.

Leonetti told Radio Bianconera – Go tuttomerkatoweb: : “It makes sense that Juventus are looking for a goalkeeper with international experience. It is too early to say whether it will be Oblak, Alisson or someone else.”

Specifically on Alison, he said: “With regard to Alisson, the English club are saying that they would like to honor his contract until June 2027.”

This may force the older woman to pay a higher amount than expected. It has been suggested that the intermediaries around Alisson are trying to broker his exit but Liverpool themselves are posing a challenge.

Our opinion on Alisson’s Liverpool future

This approach from Liverpool could be a positive one if it is genuine and not a bargaining chip. Alisson is still at the age where goalkeepers can make an impact and he still does so consistently.

As far as Arne Slot and the vast majority of fans are concerned, Giorgi Mamardashvili is still behind the Brazil international in the pecking order. Even if he is the long-term successor, he will learn only by spending another season around Alisson.

At a time when the team is going through a gradual transition, having an experienced campaigner like Alisson could prove to be very important.

PHOENIX – Inside the chaotic nature of the NBA season lies a Duke basketball family tone. Players in the program constantly refer to it as ‘brotherhood,’ and no one feels it quite like Phoenix Suns rookie Khaman Malooch.

Duke has a high level of success, consistency and a legitimate championship expectation every year, and one Maluach believes is more than attainable in the 2025-26 campaign.

“I don’t think there’s anyone here (on the Suns) that’s gone to a school that’s actually going to win the (NCAA men’s basketball) national championship,” Maluch joked to ClutchPoints in an exclusive interview before Sunday’s game against the Charlotte Hornets.

“Whether it’s Kentucky, or Michigan, or Villanova, or Marquette.”

As soon as Maluch mentioned Marquette, fellow center Oso Ighodaro, who went to Marquette, looked at him and repeated, “What did you say?” Maluch kept his comments to himself, but he let out a light laugh shortly thereafter.

Khaman Malooch’s journey with Duke basketball

Let’s take a trip back one calendar year.

The No. 10 overall pick spent only one season with the Blue Devils. Maluch played in 39 games and averaged 8.6 points, 6.6 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in 21.2 minutes per game.

He was primarily the third or fourth option behind Cooper Flagg, Con Knueppel and sometimes Tyrese Proctor. They lost to the eventual runner-up, the Houston Cougars, in the Final Four in one of the premier basketball games of that year.

Although some thought he would stay with head coach John Scheyer for one more season, Maluch decided to join the NBA.

His rookie season did not go like other seasons, where the Suns’ center depth prevented him from finding solid playing time. Still, he worked diligently with G-League affiliate Valley Suns and made the most of his first NBA moment.

Ultimately patience won. He has not been named the starter, but has received consistent minutes for the first time in his NBA career. No matter when his name was called, Maluach relied on Scheyer’s lessons to maintain his optimism.

“He taught us a lot off the basketball court and on the basketball court (lessons),” Maluch told ClutchPoints. He really walked us through basketball and what we needed to do to get drafted. We followed him and the recipe worked.

“It’s just being a good person off the basketball court, too, and just respecting each other. It’s just simple things that they really put a lot of emphasis on.”

Khaman Maluach’s time with Duke aided his Sons’ success

Luckily for Maluach, he has a fellow Duke alumnus on the Suns in Grayson Allen. Granted, they played in two completely different eras: Allen with head coach Mike Krzyzewski and Maluach with Scheyer.

Allen’s tenure was highlighted by the 2015 national championship win. Maluach was not as lucky, but he got close to the top of the mountain.

The one common denominator between those two teams? The winning culture remains the same. For guys who have won national championships or been part of those programs, their habits translate immediately to the NBA.

The Suns’ front office put their eggs in the Maluach basket after dealing third-string center Nick Richards at the trade deadline.

He got his first chance on Thursday against the Chicago Bulls. It was a tough performance, posting only two points, four rebounds and four turnovers in 12 minutes. 24 hours later, a completely different story. He posted a career-high five blocks, which currently leads all rookies for most blocks in a game. He had four points and four rebounds with one assist. But it was confidence that came through.

On Sunday, he had four points, nine rebounds, two blocks and a +10 in the box score.

While Jordan Ott’s system can be difficult to learn, as well as the players’ tendencies, figuring out the mental game is quite a struggle. It was that element of play that Scheyer instilled into Maluch’s DNA.

“It was really similar to the NBA. Not game-wise, but preparation, mental preparation,” Maluch said of the instincts he picked up from ClutchPoints. Whether it’s food or habits, it’s really similar to the NBA. It really prepared me for this.”

Khaman Malouch knows Duke basketball is in good shape

Exactly a year ago, the Blue Devils won the ACC Tournament and made the Final Four. With the trio of Flagg, Knueppel and Maluach, the three-headed monster did everything they could.

In fact, Maluach was in rarefied air with Duke basketball during that tournament, making the run to Houston seem like a cake walk. Since all those players left, it was believed the program needed to take a step back.

Other awards include freshman Cameron Boozer, who has a legitimate case for AP Player of the Year. Guys like Isaiah Evans and Patrick Ngongba have lifted the Blue Devils up all season.

As a result, they are in great position entering their respective conference tournaments. With a cumulative 29-4 record and arguably the best team, they have a case to win it all.

Anything can happen, but Duke looks like a favorite to win the ACC.

Although the Suns will be on a six-game road trip during the ACC Tournament and March Madness, Maluch will be eyeing any moment and is confident of bringing home a national championship.

“They really have what it takes to win everything,” Maluach told ClutchPoints. “They’re really high on my list, (they’re) my number one on my list, so I’m really ready for the whole month of March, and I’m rooting for Duke as always.”

The LA Clippers are set to take on the Golden State Warriors on Monday night for the second night of back-to-back sets. It will also mark the Clippers debut of guard Darius Garland.

Garland was acquired from the Cleveland Cavaliers during NBA trade deadline week, bringing him to Los Angeles and sending James Harden to the Cavs. But Garland missed last month’s trade as he worked to recover from toe problems in both feet.

After weeks of running and rehab, Darius Garland will make his Clippers debut against Draymond Green and the Golden State Warriors. But what’s a bit surprising is that Garland won’t start in his first game.

“The thought of bringing him off the bench so he doesn’t have to play with Kawhi [Leonard] “So he can find his own rhythm, his own timing and just try to run everything through him,” head coach Tyronn Lue said in his pregame media availability on Monday. “Just being aggressive, getting our tempo up, so that’s kind of the thought process behind bringing him in off the bench. It’s to try to get him going at a faster pace than he’s been. So he’ll keep doing that until we get his minutes up and then obviously he’ll be our starter.”

Between offseason foot surgery and a sprained right toe, Garland has played in a total of 25 games this season, which is why the Clippers have been so cautious about slowly bringing their prized guard back.

In addition to coming off the bench, Garland will face a minutes restriction for the foreseeable future until Garland gets into game shape and the Clippers become comfortable with his return to competition.

“I’m very excited that he’s going to be on the floor,” Lue said. “Just excited for him and then to let him play. Be aggressive, try to get his air, try to get his timing down, and just play free. Just want to get him out on the floor, see what we can do, how we can change some things up, but just excited to get him on the floor.”

In his introductory press conference, Garland told members of the media that Tyronn Lue planned to use him like Kyrie Irving, and Lue confirmed those plans.

“That’s what I told him,” Tyronn Lue explained in early February, shortly after the trade. “He went back and watched a lot of film from those days. We’ll put the ball in his hands, he’s got to be able to make plays for himself and his teammates. He’s got the ability to do that.

“If you look at all the charts, he’s second in the league in pick-and-rolls and making quick decisions off plays, so he knows how to play the game. We need everything from that, his ability to score the basketball, his ability to make people better, create momentum, create momentum. He can do it all.”

In his 408 game career over seven NBA seasons, Darius Garland has averaged 18.8 points, 2.6 rebounds, 6.7 assists and 1.1 steals per game, while shooting 45.3 percent from the field and 38.6 percent from three.

Dallas Mavericks center Daniel Gafford recently returned from injury in the team’s 124-105 loss against the Memphis Grizzlies. Gafford battled persistent ankle injuries throughout the season and missed several games. In his return to the lineup for the Mavericks, he played 20 minutes, scoring 14 points and grabbing five rebounds.

The performance showcased Gafford’s talent in the frontcourt, leading to speculation of his availability during the trade deadline. Whether Gafford stays with the Mavericks — recently receiving a three-year, $54 million extension this offseason — remains to be seen. He spoke about the mental damage he suffered due to his injuries.

“It’s like a little bit of wear and tear on the brain when it comes to figuring out ways to play around it. It hurts, of course, but, like I said, we got the job done on a night-to-night basis. And, just trying to play through it… It’s going to help me in the long run, I would say, because now it’s like the first time I’ve dealt with an injury that’s kind of lasted all season long.”

“So I’m learning a lot of things where, you know, taking more care of my body, trying to continue to find ways to be ready for the next game coming up,” Gafford said.

Despite Cooper Flagg’s stellar rookie campaign, the Mavericks are 21-38. They are the 12th seed in the Western Conference, two spots out of a play-in berth. Recently, the Mavericks made significant moves, trading D’Angelo Russell and Anthony Davis to the Washington Wizards, which could be signaled as a reset for the organization around their new star.

The 27-year-old Gafford points toward that future. He currently has averages of 8.2 points and 6.4 rebounds per game on a 63.2% field goal percentage. He could remain with Dallas as a consistent option at the center position, or his tradeable contract could be moved to add more depth to the team around Flagg. But Gafford’s availability certainly increases the Mavericks’ winning effectiveness.

The Mavericks return to action on Sunday when they host the Oklahoma City Thunder. Game ends at 8:00 PM

Real Madrid and Manchester City facing each other again in the Champions League is nothing more than the result of both sides’ good performances in Europe.

That’s according to journalist Axel Torres, who is fed up with people thinking otherwise. Cadena SER covered his comments today after an appearance on El Larguero.

Manchester City is set to face Real Madrid in the last 16 of the UEFA Champions League next month. Pep Guardiola’s side travel to the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu on March 11^th before hosting the Spanish giants at the Etihad on the 17th^th march.

At present, this encounter is an annual event for both sides. This meeting marks the fifth consecutive year and seventh time in seven seasons that these two sides will meet in the competition.

Real Madrid vs Manchester City again

It has been an interesting rivalry which is completely balanced at present. They have five wins each and five draws, while both have scored 29 goals.

Real Madrid have held the lead over the past two years, winning 6-3 on aggregate last season in the playoffs after a 4-3 win on penalties in the quarter-finals in 2024.

Some fans reacted negatively to the draw, dashing any hopes of something different for both clubs. However, Torres is not having it, nor is he accepting any suggestions of a UEFA fix.

“I’m surprised that we’re talking as if it’s a freak of UEFA that Real Madrid and Manchester City are against each other,” he said.

uefa question

“Both this season and last season, it is determined by their league position. If they had not finished in this position, they would not have had the chance to face each other. There is nothing more than that.

“They have faced each other a lot, yes. But we used to say this was the great Clasico of Europe, and it is getting boring.

“In reality, there could be six Barça-Atlético de Madrid matches. Two in La Liga, two in the Copa del Rey, and maybe two in the Champions League. There will be six and they are welcome because they are also good matches.”

Cooper Flagg and Kon Knueppel are likely the early favorites to win this year’s NBA Rookie of the Year award. With the Dallas Mavericks set to play the Charlotte Hornets on Tuesday, March 3, we could have a potential showdown between the two rookie events.

However, according to Ron Harrod Jr. of DLLS Sports, Mavs head coach Jason Kidd suggested that Flagg not participate in that contest. If that’s the case, the 19-year-old rookie is likely to miss at least the team’s next three games.

When Kidd was asked if Flagg would be available for the Mavericks’ game against the Hornets, he said, “Probably not.”

The Mavericks have been playing without Cooper Flagg for the past five games, his sixth consecutive missed game on Friday when Dallas faces the Memphis Grizzlies. He recently had a walking boot removed, indicating progression of a sprain in the middle of his left foot. However, Flagg remains out of the lineup.

When healthy, Flagg has been solid for the Mavericks in his rookie year. Through 49 games played, the former No. 1 overall pick is averaging 20.4 points, 6.6 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.2 steals per game, while shooting 48.2% from the floor and 30.2% from beyond the three-point line.

He is in direct competition with Kon Knueppel for the Rookie of the Year award, as the Hornets’ star has become an instant star for the club. Knueppel, who was Flagg’s teammate in college at Duke, averaged 19.4 points, 5.4 rebounds and 3.5 assists per contest. He also has a 49.1% field goal percentage and 44.2% three-point percentage in 59 games played.

Real Madrid legend Emilio Butragueno has insisted he is really excited to face Manchester City once again in the Champions League.

Marca covered the Real Madrid icon’s comments today. It seems he is not tired of facing Manchester City yet.

The draw pits the two sides against each other in the last 16 of the Champions League. Manchester City head to the Santiago Bernabeu for the first leg and host the Spanish giants at the Etihad a week later.

This is the fourth consecutive season they will face each other. This is the seventh time in seven years that the two giants have met in the knockout stage of the competition.

Real Madrid vs Manchester City again

However, as far as butragueño is concerned, there is nothing stale about it. Instead, he emphasizes that general excitement remains before the confrontation.

“We’re really excited about it,” he said.

“This competition means a lot to us, and we have full confidence in the ability of our players and that they will rise to the challenge.”

The rivalry is extremely balanced at the moment. In their 15 meetings so far in the Champions League, both sides have recorded five wins and five draws each.

Real Madrid knocked out Manchester City last season With a 6–3 win in the knockout stage. Last year, the Spanish team advanced on penalties after a 4-4 draw in the quarter-finals.

equal record

However, Manchester City defeated Real Madrid 4–0 at the Etihad in 2023, after a 1–1 draw in the first leg. That win came in the semi-finals and Pep Guardiola’s side secured their first title. Butragueño is expecting another top game.

“We know each other very well,” he said.

“They have a great team, not just a great team. They have a great team and that gives Guardiola a lot of options.”

“Whenever we play them, it’s always an attacking game, with two teams looking to dominate, which usually results in a lot of goals. (It’s) one of the best matches you can see in the world.”

Real Madrid are considering signing Manchester City star Rodri in the summer.

At least that’s what Spanish journalist Ramón Álvarez de Mon is reporting. he took xFormerly known as Twitter, to cover Real Madrid’s interest in the Manchester City player.

Rodri suffered a serious injury in September 2024, a month before winning the Ballon d’Or. He had beaten Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior to the prestigious individual award two years ago.

On 11 February, Game Witness disseminated spanish claims “Something broke” between Real Madrid and Rodri after winning the Ballon d’Or. Therefore, the La Liga giants did not pursue him.

A day later, Rodri’s father said He had “no idea” when asked about his son’s future at Manchester City. The defensive midfielder has less than 18 months left on his contract at the Etihad.

Last week, former Spain international Gaizka Mendieta insisted He does not expect players to leave because of their attachment to Pep Guardiola’s team.

U-turn on Manchester City star

While earlier claims ruled out a move for the 29-year-old, Alvarez de Mon has now said that Real Madrid are still keen.

According to the journalist, ‘Rodri is the midfielder Real Madrid want’ Next season.

The former Atletico Madrid player has struggled with injuries in the first half of this season as he recovers from a serious concussion he suffered in 2024. However, he has been fit this calendar year and has played 14 times so far.

Alvarez de Mon reports that the Spanish capital club will continue to monitor his fitness until the World Cup.

This would mean that Real Madrid could make a final decision on the purchase after the World Cup. He further added that the Manchester City man would cost around €50m.

strategy needs to change

Over the past few years, Real Madrid have decided not to invest in players who are either 30 or nearing 30. Los Blancos are spending big on young players.

The last time the La Liga giants made a big investment on Eden Hazard was in 2019. The Belgian was 28 years old at the time, and the transfer was a disaster.

Rodri will turn 30 next June and Real Madrid will have to abandon their plans to sign him.

The Miami Heat put forth a great effort in the second half, but ultimately failed to get the job done and lost 124-117 to the Philadelphia 76ers at Xfinity Mobile Arena on Thursday.

The Heat came back from a 16-point deficit at halftime to take an 81–80 lead midway through the third quarter. The 76ers took control of the game before the Heat once again took the driver’s seat 117–116 with only 2:44 left in the final frame.

But that was the last time he scored, as Philadelphia escaped with a hard-fought victory.

As for Bam Adebayo, it was clear that he doomed himself with his poor performance in the first half.

“We didn’t play hard enough,” Adebayo said, as quoted by Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald.

“We didn’t work hard enough, brother. I mean, I don’t know how to explain effort.”

It was not clear whether Adebayo, 28, was upset or frustrated, but it seemed as if he wanted to sound the alarm. He has always been vocal and accountable after a loss, knowing that he is the leader of the team.

The Heat, who lost 31–29, lost Norman Powell in the first half with a groin injury.

They allowed the 76ers to score 73 points in the first half, as Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid and Kelly Oubre Jr. were on the offensive end.

Overall, Philadelphia shot 48% from the field and scored 50 points in the paint.

Adebayo had 29 points on 10 of 20 shooting, 14 rebounds and three assists. Tyler Herro added 25 points, four rebounds and seven assists off the bench.

Someone needs to call home. One fan came to Scotiabank Arena on Wednesday to support Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs against the Toronto Raptors and he did something extra.

Supernatural, that is.

wore a fan foreign costume As a nod to Vembanyama’s nickname, as shown in a video posted by Score on X. To appear less suspicious and blend in better with humans, the fan also wore the two-time All-Star’s jersey.

An alien came to see The Alien in Toronto 👽😅 pic.twitter.com/mUHZf0nkXz

-TheScore (@theScore) 25 February 2026

Wembanyama, who led the Spurs to a 41-16 record entering their game against the Raptors, has been compared to an alien – meant as a compliment – ​​because his physical build and skill set seem almost unreal compared to normal players.

With Vembanyama’s supernatural blend of size, talent and mobility, he is almost impossible to stop – and it’s scary to think he is only 22 years old.

They have adopted being called alien as their branding. The logo of his signature Nike shoes is the head of an alien, which Vembanyama created himself.

LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers is widely credited with giving the nickname to Wembanyama, who in turn was enthralled by it.

“I’m really glad they said that because I don’t like being called a unicorn. I like it because it’s not from this world. I like being called an alien. It’s really me working to become something unique and original,” the 7-foot-4 center said in a report by Sports Illustrated’s Andy Nesbitt.

Wembanyama’s popularity has grown rapidly since the Spurs made him the No. 1 overall pick in 2023, and many believe he is already the face of the NBA.

If not, definitely from another planet.

The smoke hasn’t completely cleared from the Kasia Center after Saturday night’s wrestling match between the Memphis Grizzlies and Miami Heat, but Scottie Pippen Jr. is already winning the post-game war of words.

After a chaotic fourth quarter sequence, where Pippen and Miami forward Myron Gardner were ejected due to a scuffle that spilled into the front row, the Grizzlies guards did not back down. talking with 5 reason gamePippen addressed the “cheap shots” that ignited the fuse.

Pippen said, “I thought it was kind of a cheap shot. It hit me when I didn’t see it.” “I thought it was a soft move. I just thought maybe he needed a hug on the other end.”

Scottie Pippen Jr. on his dispute with Myron Garner 👀

“I thought it was a cheap shot. It hit me when I wasn’t looking. I thought it was a soft move. I thought he needed a hug at the other end.”

(via @5ReasonsSports) pic.twitter.com/WyaGIWfI8y

– Heat Central (@HeatCulture13) 22 February 2026

The “hug” in question looked like a forceful push that sent Gardner falling into the crowd with 1:19 left in the game.

The incident overshadowed a clinical 136–120 win for the Heat. Miami’s offense was stellar, led by Andrew Wiggins, who scored 28 points and passed the milestone of 15,000 career points. Norman Powell added 25 points as the Heat shot a whopping 54.5% from the field.

Despite the loss and early exit, the Memphis Grizzlies saw some bright spots. GG Jackson carried the scoring load with a season-high 28 points, while Jaylen Wells finished with 25 points. Before the ejection, Pippen Jr. finished with 18 points, six assists and two steals in just 21 minutes of action.

While the NBA league office is reviewing the tape for possible fines or suspension, Pippen’s “soft move” comments show there is no love lost between these two. Memphis has now lost 11 of their last 14 games, and while they are fighting for their playoff lives, Pippen proved they are not going down without a literal fight.

Recently, it was announced that Dallas Mavericks star point guard Kyrie Irving will miss the remainder of the 2025-26 season as he recovers from a torn ACL. Mavericks fans likely won’t be disappointed by this news, considering the team is currently headed to another lottery selection after trying their luck at the Cooper Flag last year.

Over the weekend, the NBA All-Star festivities took place in Los Angeles, and now, Irving is attacking the NBA media for its conduct at the event.

“No real questions,” Irving said of the media, according to Sportsville on Instagram. “And whenever anyone asks a real question, it’s an argument for something else, or a brand setup or something. And you all know what real question I’m talking about… They don’t want to talk about anything that’s actually going on. You all know what I’m talking about.”

Although Irving didn’t reveal much else, he declined to do an interview with ESPN over the weekend, saying he “don’t really care” about the publication.

According to Al Jazeera, Irving also recently wore a shirt that honored journalists covering the conflict between Israel and Palestine.

The tag on the shirt read, “Dedicated to our beloved journalists in Gaza for showing the truth to the world.”

Irving has never been shy about speaking his mind on real-world issues throughout his career, which has sometimes led to him facing criticism from league front offices, especially during his time with the Brooklyn Nets.

Shortly after the Mavericks traded Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers, the star has been out of the lineup since tearing his ACL last March, and this year he has watched from the sidelines as Flagg has turned into one of the best rookies in recent NBA history.

The Mavericks next face off against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday evening.

With former Los Angeles Clippers point guard Chris Paul retiring from the game of basketball, there will no doubt be remembered for his long legacy, but also how his previous tenure with a team ended so abruptly. As soon as the Clippers traded Paul to the Toronto Raptors, who was later waived, the famed point guard called it a career, but being sent home by Los Angeles created controversy as he talked more about the situation.

Paul was on the show “7 PM in Brooklyn”, where when asked how the relationship ended in a flash, he said that the team wanted him not to give “advice to players”. He would explain how there was “a lot of back and forth.”

“I’m still understanding and trying to figure out how it got there,” Paul said. “During training camp, I talked to one of my guys for a while, and then as I walked into the dining room, someone came up to me and was like they don’t want me giving advice to players.”

Chris Paul details conversations with Kawhi, Ty Lue and Lawrence Frank before sudden exit from Clippers 👀 pic.twitter.com/fG3ojh2YE4

– 7PM in Brooklyn (@7PMinBrooklyn) 17 February 2026

Chris Paul talks what he wants to say about playing in his final year with the Clippers

It got to the point where Paul was sent back home in December, but it wasn’t always a negative as the star was planning to finish the season and his career with the Clippers by playing in front of his family. He talked about it with head coach Tyronn Lue and president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank.

“I hit [up] T-Lew, I’m like, ‘I’d love to finish my career here.’ L-Frank, I hit him up, said the same thing,” Paul said. “At the beginning of the season, Lawrence Frank sent me an article about how great my leadership was, an article that I had never seen. He texted me saying, ‘Man, this is great leadership here.’ I was extremely grateful, you see, I was emotional when I went back. I knew this was my last year and I would get a chance to play in front of my family.

While that’s in the rearview mirror, Paul is now enjoying retirement after an amazing career.

Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards added another feat to his cap after being named All-Star Game MVP for the first time. He led Team Stars to the title in the mini tournament at the Intuit Dome on Sunday.

Edwards displayed his all-around talent, scoring 32 points, nine rebounds and three assists in three games. Team Stars avenged their defeat in the round robin by dominating Team Stripes 47–21 in the final.

Meanwhile, Team World lost two of its assignments despite a strong performance from San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama. For Edwards, Team World would have been more competitive if Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic and Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic played more.

“No grudges against Luka and Jokic, but they’re two of the best players in the league, and they’re not trying to play in the All-Star Game,” the 24-year-old guard said.

“No complaints against Luka and Jokic, but like the two best players in the league, they don’t try to play in the All-Star Game.”

– Ant Man on World vs USA format https://t.co/y3LMLTBwir pic.twitter.com/TJ6c4dh3qS

– NBA Courtside (@NBA__Courtside) 16 February 2026

Doncic and Jokic failed to gel in Team World’s do-or-die game against Team Stripes. In their opening game against Team Stars, Doncic had two points and two assists, while Jokic did not score and had two rebounds.

Doncic has missed the Lakers’ last four games with a hamstring injury, while Jokic recently returned from a long layoff with a knee injury.

The lack of competition has been the main problem in the All-Star Game, as most players do not take it seriously. The NBA has changed the format several times, including this year, to increase the level of competition, but to no avail.

It doesn’t help that Lakers forward LeBron James made an offhand comment about the staging of this year’s Midseason Classic.

If more players cared as much as Edwards, the All-Star Game would be more watchable.