Premier League or Champions League? Arsenal star reveals answer to Gunners’ dressing room

armory Midfielder Mikel Merino has revealed that the team considers the Premier League title more important than the Champions League.

Cadena SER Report Comments The 29-year-old after appearing on his show El Larguero today.

arsenal return

The midfielder is keen to make a comeback at the end of the season after spending the last few months injured.

He is expected to be in Luis de la Fuente’s Spain squad for the World Cup, while he is also expected to play some role in the Champions League final. Arsenal will face PSG on 30thth May.

They head into that game as reigning Premier League champions, with Manchester City drawing with Bournemouth to seal the Gunners’ title victory with a game remaining.

Premier League or Champions League?

They can make the season even more special with a first Champions League title. But according to Marino, the team has already achieved its top priority.

“The Premier League title. It’s a league win. And because of the way we won it and the context, going 22 years without winning it, it’s great,” he said.

When he was asked ‘Premier League or Champions League?’

“Coming from Spain, I thought the Champions League was the most important. But seeing how difficult the Premier League is, it’s hard for me to choose one or the other.

“I think they would prefer to win this league title than the Champions League against PSG. Although it is true that it is their first title.”

Then he was asked which of the two he preferred. And he admits, unlike his peers, he wants to be greedy with his selections.

“We’ve already won the Premier League, so the answer is a bit of a double-edged sword. I’d be greedy and ask for both,” he said.

#Premier #League #Champions #League #Arsenal #star #reveals #answer #Gunners #dressing #room

Milwaukee Bucks star details locker room chaos, surprising preferential treatment for Giannis

In a moment of surprising honesty, Milwaukee Bucks star Myles Turner revealed the chaos delivered by former head coach Doc Rivers during the 2025-26 season. That includes preferential treatment for franchise legend Giannis Antetokounmpo.

To the disappointment of Bucks fans, their favorite NBA team was a mess last season. Despite Damian Lillard rupturing his Achilles tendon last spring and spending a ton of money to cut ties with Turner after signing him in free agency, Milwaukee won just 32 games in 2025-26. It was their first sub-40 win in a decade.

Currently, Rivers is on the receiving end of his poor performance and was fired last month. Some NBA pundits have suggested that Antetokounmpo’s injury problems and the front office are largely to blame. However, new comments from Turner after his first season in Milwaukee suggest that taking Rivers out would make a big difference as he allowed extremely unprofessional conditions last season.

Myles Turner says Bucks teammates were late or missed practices and meetings all the time

During a new edition of their game recognize game Podcast with New York Liberty star Breanna Stewart, Turner’s co-host asked her about the penalty for the Bucks, as she often includes them on her current team.

In response, the 11-year veteran acknowledged that it varies between coaches, but “Doc Rivers never fined anybody.” He then revealed that teammates were late to practice and film sessions all the time and sometimes missed team meetings altogether.

“It was one of the craziest things I’ve ever personally experienced,” Turner said.

Turner also noted how bad his teammates were when it came to showing up for team flights. If the plane was supposed to depart at 2:00 pm, by the time everyone had arrived, it would have departed at least a few hours later. “I’m being very serious, brother. It was crazy,” Turner said.

This became so frequent that Turner deliberately did not appear until an hour after the flight’s departure. When Stewart asked who was the biggest culprit in terms of delays, Turner admitted it was 10-time All-Star Antetokounmpo.

He said, “Giannis will really play whenever he wants. I think it just comes with the territory.”

Obviously, this is a terrible look for the players, their professionalism and respect for their teammates’ time. But if Rivers isn’t holding them accountable, that’s not surprising. It is now up to new head coach Taylor Jenkins to set a new standard of professionalism and lead the Bucks back to competitive play next season.

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


#Milwaukee #Bucks #star #details #locker #room #chaos #surprising #preferential #treatment #Giannis

Tension inside LeBron James’ locker room with the Los Angeles Lakers

LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers lost to the Oklahoma City Thunder in the 2026 NBA Playoffs, and the future is now uncertain. James is set to become a free agent in June, but he is also considering retirement. However, is the four-time NBA champion’s return to Los Angeles more complicated than it seems?

Below, we’ll dive into the locker room tension between James and the Lakers during the 2025-26 NBA season.

LeBron James feels the Los Angeles Lakers took him for granted

NBA: Playoffs-Oklahoma City Thunder at Los Angeles Lakers
Gary A. Vasquez-Imagen Images

James has been with Los Angeles for the past eight seasons and helped lead the organization to an NBA championship in 2020. The 41-year-old forward is still one of the best players in the NBA, but his role has changed over the past year and a half. Now, rumors of tension between James and the organization are emerging.

On March 31, James experienced “another example” of the Lakers “taking him for granted”, as reported by ESPN’s Dave McMenamin. Los Angeles defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers by 14 points, as James earned his 1,229th win. James passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for most wins by any player in NBA history.

That same night, Luka Doncic reached 15,000 career points, while Rui Hachimura reached 5,000. Los Angeles head coach JJ Redick acknowledged all the accomplishments before Lakers president of basketball operations and general manager Rob Pelinka addressed the team.

According to McMenamin, Pelinka gave the game ball to Redick, who had just earned his 100th coaching win, instead of James, Doncic or Hachimura. This did not please the four-time NBA champion, as he saw it as “another example of the Lakers taking him for granted.” The ESPN insider also said that James’ desire to play a supporting offensive role to Doncic and Austin Reaves further heightened his sentiments.

Tension has increased with James recently; However, will it be enough for him to leave Los Angeles?

Will LeBron James return to the Los Angeles Lakers?

NBA: Playoffs-Oklahoma City Thunder at Los Angeles Lakers
jeanne kamin-onsia-imagen images

If James does not retire he will be free to choose his next NBA team and the Lakers will be one of the favorite teams. The 41-year-old star has built a brand in Los Angeles and continues to play at a high level. However, does James want to return to the Lakers for another season?

A source close to James told ESPN he thinks a return to Los Angeles is up to the Lakers, as McMenamin reported. The person continued and said that James “loves” living in Los Angeles. If he does not retire, it would be best for both parties to continue this partnership.

James could leave the Lakers and go to a different team like the Golden State Warriors or Los Angeles Clippers, but would that really give him a better chance to win a fifth championship? Los Angeles was very strong before Doncic’s injury, and the Lakers should focus on building a championship team with James still there.

There will be much debate over what James should do after the 2025-26 NBA season. Retirement is on the table, but James is still playing at a high enough level to make a difference for a championship team. If so, it comes down to where James wants to finish his NBA career.

For now, the Lakers seem to have James as their best option to win the championship.

READ MORE: LeBron James post-sweep bombshell: Retirement, comeback, or something else?

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#Tension #LeBron #James #locker #room #Los #Angeles #Lakers

Best class in years, but the wide receiver room still needs answers

There is a version of this column that spends 700 words parsing each Las Vegas Raiders 2026 NFL Draft pick and finding reasons to hedge. It would take too much thinking on this. The Las Vegas Raiders had one of the best drafts in the NFL this weekend, and Jon Spytek deserves credit for running it like a front office with a real plan.

With how his first year unfolded, many in Raider Nation were skeptical about whether Spytek could be trusted with the first overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. After all, his first year, with former coach Pete Carroll, was filled with missed drafts and free agent misses. Yet, according to astute observers, there was something else at play.

No, 2026 was the first time we got a full glimpse of how Spytek, along with minority owner Tom Brady and some new scouting and front office staff, will run and build this thing. And, I must say, it was impressive.

Jon Spytek didn’t overthink it, he addressed key roster needs

NFL: Las Vegas Raiders press conference
Kirby Lee-Images Images

Start with the foundation: Fernando Mendoza was never going to be wrong at No. 1. Las Vegas is already building a real support system around him, including Tyler Linderbaum at center, Ashton Jeanty in the backfield and Brock Bowers at tight end. The job of picks two through 10 was to add that infrastructure and fix the secondary. They did both, and then some.

Treydan Stukes addressed two needs at once – nickelback and safety – and was a legitimate first-round pick heading into draft weekend. Stukes isn’t a sexy pick, but he is a functional guy, and in a draft where the Raiders had a long list of needs, picking the guy who covers the most ground makes sense.

At 91, Trey Zuhn III might have been the steal of the day. He posted the highest pass-blocking grade at 96.8 among all college tackles on Pro Football Focus, and the Raiders took him in the third round. He was announced as a center but played tackle at Texas A&M. As for his NFL career, the truth probably lies somewhere in the middle. Either way, he is a high-floor player protecting a rookie quarterback. You can’t argue with that.

Then the third day came and Spytek did not turn off the gas.

McCoy’s selection was off the charts

Jermod McCoy Las Vegas Raiders NFL Draft
Jacob Musselman-Imagen Images

Honestly, at 101 years old, Jermod McCoy feels like a steal. He was the 14th overall prospect on the consensus big board and shouldn’t have fallen that far. Length, pace, ball skills – he has everything you want in a modern cornerback. The knee injury concerns are real – there are a lot of questions about McCoy’s health, and that’s why he still sat out Day 3. But the Raiders liked him enough to trade up a spot, sending a 7th-rounder to Buffalo to make sure they got him. It’s about being aggressive, and when top-14 talent is sitting in the fourth round being aggressive is always the right decision. If McCoy is healthy, this selection looks like the best value in the entire draft.

Mike Washington Jr. adds versatility and physicality to the backfield. He ran a 4.33-second 40 and gave Ashton Jeanty a real running partner – someone who can contribute in the passing game and break tackles if needed. The attackers made a bargain to get him too. Again, perfect trend.

Before crowning the attackers, consider what didn’t happen

Don't Sell Jack Thornton Raiders
Credit: SNBToday/Sportsnaut

So, where does all this leave us? In a really good place, something you couldn’t say about this franchise 12 months ago.

That said — and this column will be honest — there are real questions that weren’t answered this weekend.

Wide receiver Malik Benson was taken in the sixth round. Sixth rounder. The Raiders brought in several top wideouts for Top 30 trips throughout the spring, only for it to play out as a smoke screen. Benson has 4.37 speed and is legit, but he is a developmental piece, not a solution. Las Vegas took Deonte Thornton Jr. and Jack Beech last year, and neither of them came off a screen. At some point, Mendoza is going to need a legitimate No. 1 target outside of Brock Bowers to make things work. That question is still open.

and the defensive tackle position – the Raiders finally addressed a gap at nose tackle with their final selection of the draft, Brandon Cleveland, in the 7th round. 7th round. He has good size and is a reasonable run stopper, but it’s hard to see him making a real impact as a rookie. Passing Tyree Wilson and answering the D-tackle position at pick 229 is a bet that the room is better than it looks. Maybe it is. But this is a condition.

None of this changes the overall verdict. The Raiders had a strong free agency period followed by a draft that would yield good grades throughout the league. Spytech was aggressive, targeted real needs and found value at almost every turn. For a franchise that has spent years drafting without direction, this weekend really felt different.

Ceiling questions at receiver and interior D-line are real. But the Las Vegas Raiders 2026 NFL Draft gave themselves a chance. After decades of head-scratching drafts, it’s a good place to be.

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#class #years #wide #receiver #room #answers

Jaylen Brown explains how astrology helps him lead Boston’s locker room

Jaylen Brown said his leadership approach with the Boston Celtics has taken an unconventional turn this season, incorporating astrology and numerology to better communicate with teammates.

Brown revealed the method after Boston’s 120-99 win over the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday night, a performance in which he led the team with 32 points while adding six rebounds, five assists and two steals. He shot a perfect 11 of 20 from the field and 9 of 9 from the free-throw line, and finished 1 of 4 from three-point range in 35 minutes.

Speaking after the game with CelticsBlog’s Noah Dalzell, Brown detailed how studying the personalities of teammates through astrology and numerology has helped him hone his communication style.

“I learned a lot about each of our guys, even down to liking astrology – everything. I learned the communication styles that work best for each person, and started using those when I talk to each person… I didn’t know that would work before the season started but that thing definitely works.”

Brown said he has gone so far as to memorize specific traits associated with teammates’ zodiac signs and numerology profiles.

“I remember like Neemias, he’s the year of the rabbit so his communication is different from D-White. D-White is the year of the dog so his communication style is different. Hugo is also a dog, Peyton is a tiger, JT is a tiger, Ron is a dragon, who is a dragon. Nicola he’s new to our team, he’s the year of the horse right now. Each of them have different communication styles and you can go into that like numerology as well.”

Jaylen Brown’s astrology, numerology outlook aligns with career year, Celtics’ success

Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (7) makes a basket in the first half against the Golden State Warriors at TD Garden.
David Butler II-Imagen Images

He also explained how numerology influences his leadership approach.

“Sam is five, I’m five… so, different breakdowns and you can even go into star signs. Like JT, he’s Pisces, etc. I learned all different kinds of things, so I was able to communicate to people in different ways to help my leadership this year.”

This approach coincided with one of the most productive seasons of Brown’s career. Through 62 games, the 28-year-old has averaged 28.5 points, seven rebounds, 5.1 assists and one steal per contest, while shooting 48% from the field and 34.2% from three-point range in 34.1 minutes per game.

Brown’s performance has helped Boston achieve a 46–23 record and the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference standings. The Celtics have maintained that position despite star forward Jayson Tatum recently returning from an Achilles injury and playing only six games since his return.

As the regular season progressed, Brown’s combination of on-court production and off-court leadership has played a central role in Boston’s success. His willingness to explore unconventional ways to connect with teammates has become a defining element of his approach during a season in which the Celtics have remained one of the conference’s top contenders.


#Jaylen #Brown #explains #astrology #helps #lead #Bostons #locker #room

Odom forgives Cuban after wanting to ‘wash the locker room’

The acquisition of Lamar Odom in December 2011 was initially heralded as a masterstroke by the Dallas Mavericks’ front office. After winning back-to-back championships and then earning the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year award with the Los Angeles Lakers, Odom’s limited production in Dallas led to bitterness with owner Mark Cuban, who once claimed he did not get his money’s worth from the player.

And whereas the now 46-year-old once wanted to wash locker rooms with the Mavericks owner, Odom now appears more willing to move on.

“Man, this white man has got it in his heart to get his point across. He needs to kick me in the shin. You know, Mark Cuban’s time has passed. I forgive you. But if it wasn’t your cousin sitting right here next to you, I would have put him in the locker and washed the locker with him. Yo, I was going to wash the locker room with him,” he said on the Cousins Podcast. According to HoopsHype.

Odom came to Dallas after a stellar season, during which he averaged 14.4 points, 8.7 rebounds and 3.0 assists. He was shipped to Dallas for essentially nothing more than an $8.9 million trade exception and a future first-round selection.

However, the transaction quickly turned into a basketball and public relations disaster. Dealing with personal issues including the previous loss of his infant son and drug use, Odom’s on-court production reached career lows of 6.6 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game, while shooting a massive 35.2% from the floor. Cuban reportedly constantly harassed Odom from his courtside seats, openly criticizing his conditioning and labeling him a “waste of money.”

Odom’s career apparently never took off again. He was sent to the Los Angeles Clippers the following season as part of a four-team deal. Odom averaged four points, 5.9 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game in the 2012–13 campaign before stints in Spain and China.


#Odom #forgives #Cuban #wanting #wash #locker #room

“Too many egos” – Spaniard on Manchester City dressing room issues

Nolito has admitted that he did not fully enjoy his time at Manchester City due to “a lot of egos” in the dressing room.

RMC Sport covered the former striker’s comments todayL made in an interview with the After Day Post United Podcast.

Nolito was one of the first players targeted by Pep Guardiola upon arriving at the Etihad in 2016. However, he would only spend that season at the club.

Scores of six goals and five assists were not enough to keep him at Manchester City for long, and the following summer he joined Sevilla. He spent three years at Celta Vigo and UD Fiji before retiring in 2023.

Why wasn’t he completely happy?

His time at Manchester City can be described as one of two halves. He enjoyed a brilliant start to life at the club, but thereafter declined rapidly into obscurity. The latter was partly due to personal struggles adjusting to life in England.

He has since opened up about his time at North West and admitted it was a year to forget. And it seems opinions haven’t changed. However, now his focus is on the dressing room in which he has played.

“Some players had huge egos,” He said.

“We’d all shower and then everyone would leave right away. It wasn’t a very closed locker room.

“But anyway, I was always with the Spanish guys, with Silva or Navas, and we shared a lot in the locker room.

“There were so many good players there that I noticed they had a lot of ego. I noticed a lot of things, but I prefer not to say anything. I think ego is a social problem today.”

Stiff competition probably played a role

The high-level competition meant that playing time was difficult to come by. Nolito did not start a single Premier League game after December 2026.

The January arrival of Gabriel Jesus played a major role in this. And he believes that the lack of rhythm hindered him from keeping himself consistent.

“In the beginning, I played a lot, then less,” He added.

“After all, these are top-level teams and the competition was tough. I didn’t adapt well, because if I didn’t play… the time…”

#egos #Spaniard #Manchester #City #dressing #room #issues

“We have to be realistic” – Wolves star reveals what he’s saying in the dressing room

Wolverhampton Wanderers goalkeeper Jose Sa has admitted he already knows he has been dropped and even says so in the dressing room.

more football The goalie’s cover comments to DAZN today. It looks like the 33-year-old has already given up on this season despite there being 12 games left.

Wolves are currently bottom of the Premier League with nine points from 26 games. They have won only one game all season. They have lost 16 and drawn six.

It has been a miserable campaign after a positive end to the season under Vitor Pereira last year. they finished at 16th Under him, 17 points from relegation.

edwards improvement

Their leadership has improved since the appointment of Rob Edwards, but there is a high chance of a demotion, especially as they have lost three of their last five games in the league. Most have already left the season, and it looks like Sa is one of them.

“We have to be realistic and we have to be human,” he said.

“I’ve already spoken to the manager; I like to be honest and this is what I think. It is very difficult for Wolves to avoid relegation this season, the gap is huge.

“There are still 12 games left and it’s a huge gap. Only a miracle of great people can we survive. What I’m saying to them is: at least not be the worst team in the Premier League.

“The worst team got 11 points, we have nine. Now the goal is not to be the worst, because I don’t want to live with that negative historical record. We’ll see what happens later.”

The derby wolves are in their sights

The question is whether Wolves can get the points needed to avoid that derby record. Under the guidance of Edwards, he has certainly made a positive path in this direction.

It appears Sa was ready to jump ship in the January transfer window. Nottingham Forest, fellow potential relegation candidates, were in the picture for them.

He eventually resides in Molineux, where he is also a captain. He has worn the armband in six of the last seven Premier League games. And he admits that he is trying to stay positive despite his pessimistic outlook.

“I try to be a happy person, because I’m happy and cool, I try to motivate them,” he said.

“It’s about winning as many points as possible, so we are not the worst team in the Premier League. We have to be realistic, our team is inferior to the Premier League in terms of quality and players. That is the reality.”

#realistic #Wolves #star #reveals #hes #dressing #room

Healthy Locker Room, Texier Impact, Evans

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

Montreal Canadiens News

Don’t forget to sign up for our weekly Habs newsletter. [Sportsnaut]

Nick Suzuki discussed Alex Texier’s addition to the lineup, and how quickly he became a crucial player for the team. Texier is fresh off a three-goal effort that secured a big 6-2 win over the Florida Panthers.

Speaking of Texier, his play on the first line has shored up the first line, which is now back to producing high-end underlying numbers. [Canadiens Analysis: Comparing Texier To Other First Line Wingers]

Jake Evans skated on Friday morning, joined by fellow injured players Kirby Dach and Kaiden Guhle.

Anton Lundell was fined $5,000 for his high-stick on Texier, confirming the Department of Player Safety does watch Panthers games from time to time.

The Laval Rocket are playing with a severely depleted lineup, but they still managed to beat the Rochester Americans 3-2. Sean Farrell (8), William Trudeau (5), and Filip Mesar (4) scored for Laval in the win.

Sportsnaut Network

We’re at the point of the New Jersey Devils‘ disaster where Sheldon Keefe is fielding questions about his job security. Rightfully so, as the Devils’ dysfunction continues day in and day out. However, that’s not entirely on New Jersey’s head coach, as the issues go above him at the managerial position. [New Jersey Devils]

The Florida Panthers may be the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions, but Paul Maurice has warned since training camp that distinction is not going to win his team any games in this season. [Florida Panthers]

One milestone night down for the Detroit Red Wings. Another one on the horizon. Thursday, Patrick Kane netted his 500th NHL goal as the Red Wings beat the Vancouver Canucks. [Detroit Red Wings]

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