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Anthony Gordon will undergo a medical this afternoon before leaving for Barcelona newcastle united It will be finalized in the next few hours.

sports report on newcastle The forward arrived in Barcelona this afternoon after his flight from the UK was delayed.

already in barcelona

The newspaper reports that Anthony Gordon is undergoing a medical in Barcelona already this afternoon. It is scheduled for 4pm in a hospital in Barcelona. He will then sign a five-year contract at the Camp Nou.

Barcelona had planned for Gordon to arrive at 2pm, but the plane that flew him from Newcastle was delayed by an hour and a half.

So he was welcomed by the crowd at El Prat Josep Tarradels airport, where he spoke his first, unofficial words as a Barcelona player. “I’m very happy,” he said, greeting the press from a distance.

According to Sport, Gordon is scheduled to have a medical in Barcelona at 4 p.m. This is a definite step towards closing the deal. He will then sign a five-year deal and become the first player to sign with Barcelona in the summer.

€70m transfer deal

Barcelona and Newcastle have completed a deal worth around €70m, of which €10m will be in different types. The agreement was reached after ‘intensive negotiations’ led by Barcelona sporting director Deco.

He closed the signing during an ‘express visit’ to London, during which he laid the foundations of the agreement. After this it was finalized on Wednesday.

Barca’s sporting management has accelerated over the past two days to complete the deal before the World Cup. They wanted to avoid any possible complications during the tournament.

Anthony Gordon made him his preference despite receiving offers from Liverpool and Bayern Munich.

Unless there are any last-minute, surprise complications, the official announcement of the transfer should come in the next few hours, once the 25-year-old has completed his medical and signed the relevant documents.

In the first half of Game 4 against the Ottawa Senators, the Carolina Hurricanes lost their rookie defenceman, Alexander Nikishin, to injury, which soon led to a line brawl and increased physicality during the rest of the match. Although information was minimal, head coach Rod Brind’Amour spoke to the media about him after the game.

Alexander Nikishin was injured in the second period in Game 4 against the Ottawa Senators

With 15:29 left on the second period clock, Alexander Nikishin hit the ice hard.

Senators defenseman Tyler Kleven took a hard hit on him – a hit that snapped Nikishin’s head back and knocked him off his feet. Shortly thereafter, Andrei Svechnikov and Sebastian Aho converged on Kleven as others on the ice found someone to feud with.

As soon as Kleven was hit with a major penalty and reviewed, head athletic trainer Doug Bennett rushed onto the ice to tend to Nikishin. He managed to stand on his own strength, but as he went to skate, he fell and was caught by Bennett and Seth Jarvis. Soon after, Shayne Gostisbeer skated over and helped Jarvis off the ice.

After review, Cleven’s five-minute major penalty was voided, leaving only Jordan Spence to receive a minor penalty for roughing against Gostisbehere, and Svechnikov receiving two minor penalties against Cleven for roughing, giving the Senators a power play.

Words from head coach Rod Brind’Amour regarding Alexander Nikishin’s injury after the game

“Nikishin, I don’t know, I can’t tell you,” Brind’Amour told the media. “It’s clearly a concussion there. Or certainly seemed like one.”

“So, I don’t have any definite information on that.”

Nikishin previously suffered an injury in the KHL in January 2025 as captain of SKA St. Petersburg. He was cleared to return to play a week later.

Rachel Barkley is a beat writer covering the Carolina Hurricanes for Carolina Hockey Now on SportsNote. Painting Stories…More About Rachel Barclay

swansea city Coach Vitor Matos has admitted he needs to face the reality that star striker Zhan Vipotnik could be sold this summer.

The Swansea boss speaks about the club and their star man in an interview Today with A Bola.

old striker vipotnik

Xan Vipotnik joins the Welsh team on a free transfer in 2024 after leaving Bordeaux in France. But this season has been a breakout season for him.

21 goals in 42 games in the league, as well as two goals in four appearances in the EFL Cup, made his second season in the Championship a memorable one.

He is the current top goalscorer in the division and has the best minutes per goal ratio among the top ten scorers. His 25% goal conversion rate is also the second best.

Swansea City sale could be a possibility

Such an impressive record would not have gone unnoticed by the bigger clubs. And while Vitor Matos would prefer not to sell, he knows there is a financial reality in such cases.

“I have nothing but praise for him. It’s great to see him score and to see him score goals in so many different ways. I’m really happy.” He said.

“Now, obviously, we work within a reality where selling players is always an important factor. You always have to be prepared for the possibility that offers may come that the club considers worth accepting.

“However, if you ask me whether he is the kind of player for whom it would be fair to demand a substantial fee, I have no doubt. It is clear for everyone to see that he is a player with high market value and immense collective importance to the team.

“As a coach, he is probably the kind of player I would least like to lose during the transfer window. However, we must always be mindful of the financial realities and the wider project of the club, to ensure our long-term financial sustainability.”

Focus on improvement for now

For now, the focus is on Zhan Vipotnik’s incredible improvement so far. Few would have expected such a comeback from the striker who arrived at Swansea City as a complete unknown in the summer of 2024.

Even fewer would have predicted that he would reach such heights this season, as he could only achieve seven out of 42 last season. He has now tripled that number, in one game less.

However, Vitor Matos knows how hard the striker has worked to get here.

“His finishing has incredible ease and spontaneity,” He added.

“It’s very difficult to get that kind of shooting power. Whether from outside the box or inside it, with his left foot, with his head, or with his right foot. He really is the complete centre-forward.

“He has also come a long way in terms of contributing to the defensive side of the team, without losing his instincts.

“In other words, he managed to develop his game, become more effective in his pressing, showed greater tactical control, and often led the team in terms of pressing, demonstrating our collective ability to try and dominate even when out of possession.

“He has made great progress in this regard, without sacrificing his natural spontaneity or his spark at key moments. This development was vital for him to retain his place and to reach the high level at which he is currently.”

The biggest takeaway from the New Jersey Devils exit interviews is that it didn’t happen.

Star defenseman Dougie Hamilton “politely declined” to interview with the media after his agent went public this winter with his displeasure over a healthy scratch he had been keeping under wraps.

This is not the first time that Hamilton has refused an interview. New Jersey Hockey Now has requested him on three prior occasions, and he has declined to speak each time.

In fact, the last we heard from Hamilton publicly was December 17, 2025.

Amidst speculation regarding a Quinn Hughes trade, news surfaced that a deal or two of Devils players were made in Tom Fitzgerald’s efforts to free up cap space.

“I believe the Devils have vetoed some deals. OK? I believe it. I don’t know who, I don’t know what, but I believe it happened,” Elliotte Friedman said at the time on an episode of 32 Thoughts. “There’s too much noise for that to happen.”

It was later confirmed that Hamilton had blocked at least one trade with the San Jose Sharks.

Sitting at his locker after practice on December 17, New Jersey Hockey Now asked Hamilton if he had been contacted about waiving the no-move clause. Hamilton’s response sidestepped the question.

“You know, nothing has changed for me from the beginning,” Hamilton told New Jersey Hockey Now. “I had the same comments at the beginning of the year. So, I’ll stick to what I said at the beginning and it’s as simple as that.”

Then, things reached a crescendo.

The Devils made it known that Hamilton was to sit as a healthy scratch on January 11 against the Winnipeg Jets.

Hamilton’s agent—JP Barrie—issued a fiery statement, criticizing the way the Devils tried to force a trade.

Barrie said, “In our view, this decision right now is about his business rather than his game. It seems a very deliberate decision to step aside at this stage.” “Dougie has a 10-team trade list, and there have been attempts to trade him going back to the draft last year. We have made it clear to the Devils that we will look at teams off our list and other creative ways to reach a mutually acceptable team.”

Fitzgerald denied the allegations, stating that it was performance related and just “the business of our lineup”.

Ultimately, Hamilton was never transferred. At the 2026 NHL trade deadline, Fitzgerald even said he was never thinking about moving the star defenseman, making the mess he created even more confusing.

In the remaining 37 games of the season, Hamilton’s play improved with seven goals and 28 points.

Nevertheless, he has remained silent since then and is unwilling to comment on any matter.

make no mistake. That’s squarely on Fitzgerald, who was fired as Devils GM 10 days ago.

However, Hamilton’s silence since the defeat indicates his unhappiness with his current position. In fact, it signals the near end of his Devils tenure.

Hamilton has two years remaining on his contract, which has a cap hit of $9 million. He will be given a $7 million signing bonus on July 1.

The Devils will soon have a new general manager in charge. Maybe he can mend the relationship.

However, that seems unlikely, as New Jersey Hockey is now reported to be open to a new opportunity.

Hamilton has a 10-team trade list, which has potentially been expanded as his agent has indicated he is open to more possibilities.

The silence speaks volumes as it appears Hamilton’s future with the Devils is all but over.

James is the fully certified New Jersey Devils beat reporter for New Jersey Hockey Now on SportsNote and … More about James Nicholls

liverpool Star Alexis McAllister says the Premier League side were expecting a successful campaign this season.

Arne Slott arrived at Anfield in June 2024 and guided Liverpool to Premier League success in his first season.

At the end of that season, the Reds succeeded in extending the contracts of Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah. Last summer, the Merseyside club invested more than €450m in new signings to reshape their squad.

This makes Liverpool one of the favorites to win the title this season, but they are far from done.

The Reds have failed to win even 50% of their league matches [15 wins from 32 matches] And are now in the fight to qualify for the Champions League.

The slotted team was knocked out of the FA Cup by Manchester City earlier this month. Their Champions League journey ended with a 4-0 aggregate defeat to Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday.

After the first phase, L’Equipe was critical Slot strategy.

Liverpool came up against a better team

After Tuesday’s defeat, Alexis McAllister gave an interview to Portuguese broadcaster Sport TV game Has released his comments.

The Argentina international says Liverpool fell behind despite efforts to recover from the 2-0 first leg defeat against PSG.

“In the return leg it was a different game, we were more aggressive, we tried to press, we had chances, but we played against the best team in the world. The result is the same, and we have to congratulate the opponent.” He said.

Arne Slot’s side are now fifth in the table, four points ahead of sixth-placed Chelsea and 18 points behind leaders Arsenal.

The 27-year-old midfielder honestly admitted that Liverpool has failed to live up to expectations this season.

“It’s clear that it was a difficult and challenging season. If you had asked me at the beginning of the season what I expected, I would have said that this team was going to fight and win competitions, but unfortunately, that did not happen.” McAllister explained.

“We have to keep working, because this year doesn’t do the club justice. Of course, we miss Diogo Jota, and it was a complicated period, but we can’t use that as an excuse. I don’t think that’s why this year was so complicated for us.”

What next for Mac Allister and Liverpool?

Liverpool have six league matches left this season. The Merseyside club and Alexis McAllister will be hoping to end this season on a bright note. This will only be possible if the Reds qualify for the Champions League.

The South Americans will then have to focus on the World Cup with Argentina in June.

He has scored five goals and provided five assists in 49 appearances for the Premier League side this season.

Thomas Frank’s agent says his client is enjoying life with his family and friends since leaving Tottenham Hotspur in February.

Spurs parted ways with Anze Postecoglou in June 2025, days after helping them win the Europa League.

The Premier League team appointed the Dane as his successor, but things did not work out.

Two months ago, Tottenham sent Frank out and brought in Igor Tudor. The latter has also left the club, and Roberto De Zerbi took over from him on 31 March.

Frank managed 38 matches during his tenure at the north London club. His record with them is as follows:

• Match: 38
• Win: 13
• Draw: 10
• Defeat: 15
• Goals scored: 62
• Target allowed: 54

Frank’s situation after his exit from Tottenham

Wednesday edition of spare magazine There’s a report on what Thomas Frank has been up to since leaving Spurs.

He has not given any interviews or appeared on podcasts or any shows to discuss his exit from Tottenham Hotspur.

The newspaper points out that it is common for managers to speak out after leaving a club and cites the exits of Frederik Birk and Jakob Nystrup from Brøndby IF and FC Copenhagen respectively earlier this season as examples.

Frank’s silence is ‘somewhat unusual’ as he has already declined four requests from Ekstra Bladet for an interview.

He also contacted the north London club to find out if there is a clause that prevents the 52-year-old from speaking about Tottenham for a specific period. However, there was no response.

The newspaper also contacted his agent Alan Bach regarding Frank’s current condition and lack of interviews.

Responding to that he said: “He’s going to get some rest and meet friends and family. There’s still a little time left for interviews.”

“He is enjoying this time with his family and friends. He has decided to give up alcohol and relax.”

Spurs have not improved since Frank’s departure

last month, Danish press reported Still a worrying issue at Tottenham Hotspur after Frank’s exit.

Spurs now sit 18th in the table and Roberto De Zerbi has six matches to avoid relegation.

fulhamThe failed move for Ricardo Pepi has already become one of those transfer stories that never quite end once they collapse.

premier league club A deal was agreed with PSV in March. The package, including bonuses, was reported to be €40m (£34.4m). Pepi traveled to London for medical treatment and the move seemed to be on the right track.

Then it broke down late in the process because two clubs could not agree When will the responsibility for the striker officially pass from one side to the other? That detail proved decisive and the transfer was cancelled.

As we covered at the timePepi was left “severely disappointed” by Fulham. However PSV technical director Ernie Stewart also made it clear that a future deal should not be ruled out.

This detail is important for our final update from the Netherlands.

The striker is not at all a player trying to force his way out of Eindhoven. He signed a new PSV contract last year until June 2030. The Dutch club is still in a strong position.

For Fulham, it is not just about returning with the same money. They can’t expect everything to fall back into place.

Roller Coaster Season References

Ricardo Pepi reflected on the season for the first time when asked how he looks back on the campaign and what stood out for him.

He gave an interview to a Dutch outlet football international Celebrating PSV’s Eredivisie title. It was a league campaign in which he contributed 10 goals in 21 matches.

“Yeah, I guess it was a bit of a roller coaster,” He said. “Of course, I had some unfortunate injuries, but at the end of the day it’s not normal to come back after two or three injuries in a season and still perform.”

He continued: “So I think I’ve had a good season overall. Looking back at all the Champions League goals I’ve scored this season, I think they’re definitely special, but to win this trophy is obviously even more special.”

In other words, Fulham are not dealing with a player who needs saving from a bad situation. A failed transfer looks like water under the bridge.

Furthermore, they are dealing with a striker who made his mark while battling serious injuries. Now he’s ending it with silverware.

Main answer for Fulham

Ricardo Pepi was then asked directly about the transfer rumours. More specifically, the interviewer asked if it felt like goodbye, or if he could still think, “Maybe next year, PSV, why not?”

That framing is important, because his answer was not a casual comment about the future. This came after no clear indication as to whether he was leaving or staying.

Pepi said: “Yes, it’s hard to say. Of course, at the moment I’m still with PSV, so for the moment, I’ll be back next year too. We’ll see what happens. I’m really focused on finishing the season strongly and then see what happens in the summer.”

He is not closing the door on the move and he is not ruling out Fulham or any other options for the summer. Also, he doesn’t show any warmth towards the revived transfer.

This is where the earlier disappointment becomes relevant. Fulham may still have a way to bounce back. However, Pepi’s tone suggests they need to rebuild confidence in the deal.

He is not presenting himself as a player who is waiting to be saved on that move.

Ricardo Pepi has settled well in Eindhoven

Ricardo Pepi’s final answer was light, but it also requires the question surrounding it to be understood.

They were asked if they had learned any Dutch words, and which word they heard most during the ceremony.

Pepi replied: “Hey man, I know some Dutch words. I’ve been here for three, three and a half years, so I understand pretty much every single Dutch word. It’s a little difficult to speak, but yeah, I definitely know a lot.”

It may seem trivial, yet it reinforces something important for Fulham. Pepi in the Netherlands feels organized and comfortable. He seems like someone who has carved out a worthy niche for himself at PSV.

That doesn’t mean he’ll stop, but it adds to the bigger picture.

Fulham may not be trying to sign a player frustrated with his surroundings or desperate for an escape. They will be attempting to sign someone who is happy with his situation, valued by his club, fresh from a relegation, and is still under contract until 2030.

So while the old deal may not last forever, Fulham may now be trying to sign a player who has no reason to see Craven Cottage as the obvious next step.

ATLANTA – It seems like in sports you only get respect when you beat good teams. Over the past few weeks, the Atlanta Hawks have been performing consistently well, but some people don’t want to validate that after looking at the teams they have beaten.

Brooklyn twice. Washington twice. Dallas. Three teams that are more concerned with their lottery chances than winning games at this point in the season.

The real test for the Hawks would come against the Orlando Magic, who were also on a seven-game winning streak. Just like the Hawks did to almost all of their opponents during their streak, they did the same to the Magic, defeating them 124-112 and extending their streak to 1o games.

Players have heard the conversation, and they knew it was a big win to add to their collection, but it was also big enough to silence the doubters.

“It was a real test against a playoff team,” said Nickeil Alexander-Walker. The discussion is going on that ‘we did not defeat anyone.’ At the end of the day, these are NBA players. These are NBA teams. I will never disrespect whoever they put in front of me. Still, as a team, with how they were progressing, how they went into Miami, and having important games in mid-April, we were aware of the situation.

“Just continuing to handle our business. Over the course of these 10 games, we have approached it as true professionals and with respect for the game.”

During this 10-game stretch, the Magic were arguably the toughest team the Hawks faced on paper, but that didn’t trouble them at all. They came out firing on all cylinders, and it was Alexander-Walker who set the tone early, finishing the first quarter with 14 points.

It was bleeding in the second quarter, and from the 5-minute mark until the end of the game, the Hawks were ahead by double digits. The Magic tried to counterattack several times throughout the game, but the Hawks made a big blow. This is what they have done to all the teams who have tried to go on a winning streak, and it shows how they are handling adversity.

“It shows that we’re still growing. It’s resulting in wins right now, and even when we’re going through our losses, our main objective is to continue to get better, to continue to move forward, to continue to play for each other. I’m proud of this group. We still have a long way to go, but we’ll keep taking it one game at a time and stay focused on that.”

Any night with this team can be anyone’s night, and this time, it was Alexander-Wacker, as he finished with 41 points. When the Hawks needed a bucket, he was there. He was there when the Magic tried to sneak back in. And he reminded everyone to remain calm.

NAW drills their 9th three and then hits “CALMA” 😮‍💨😮‍💨 pic.twitter.com/snuymEveAV

– Atlanta HaWWWWWWWWWWWks (@ATLHawks) 17 March 2026

“He knew that when he got here, we were going to ask a lot of him on a lot of levels,” Quin Snyder said. “I think his aggressiveness offensively has been really important.”

“Sometimes your nights go like this. The focus was In right terms Alexander-Walker said, “Being aggressive at the right time. It was an important game, and I knew I just had to come out and give it my all. That’s what was on my mind. Just be aggressive, be yourself, try to help the team win, and that’s what it turned out to be.”

It’s uncertain how long this winning streak will continue, but the Hawks are building good habits at the right time, whether they win or lose. This will largely reveal what kind of basketball they are playing in April and how long they can play beyond that.

The Carolina Hurricanes took a conservative route at the NHL trade deadline, opting to forego a major trade and instead upped the toughness factor with the acquisition of big bruiser, Nick Deslauriers from the Philadelphia Flyers.

After the deadline, Tulsky spoke to the media on a variety of topics related to the day’s events, from what he saw in Deslauriers to the always-controversial second center role plan and everything in between.

What does Nick Deslauriers bring to the table

Tulsky began the press conference by discussing the latest addition to the storm.

“Nick is a veteran. He’s a physical presence. He’s a guy who has great character, does things the right way, makes the team tough to play against, and just generally adds the kind of character and toughness that we wanted to bring to the group.”

He later spoke about the doggedness Deslauriers brought to the team as well as the tenacity he already possessed.

“Ultimately, a lot of the toughness is personal and internal, right? ‘Am I going to take it, or not? That’s what toughness is for me – it’s not really ‘Do I have someone else to take care of it’. And I think we have a group of people who have that internal toughness, that’s the fight.

“Stankoven is the smallest guy in the world, and when he felt like that needed to happen, he grabbed guys and started fighting, right? So, it looks like we have that fire, but of course, it’s easier to maintain that toughness when you have a guy like Deslauriers. When it feels like games are getting more intense, and that can be useful for people, that’s something we wanted to explore.”

Comfortable with current center staff

A lingering dilemma for the Hurricanes has been their second centerman role, an issue that came to the fore following Trocheck’s departure in 2022. Addressing questions about the rumored attempt to reunite with the former Hurricane, Tulsky confirmed his feelings about Logan Stankoven’s performance at the position.

“I think Logan has been great in that role,” he said before giving a list of reasons why. “I know there’s a lot of people out there that look at the point total and worry about it. Seriously, at five-on-five, he produced at a high rate.

“We have three of the top 40 centers in the league in five-on-five production. And the fact that he’s not on our first power play unit has nothing to do with how good he is as a center. I think people forget how many nights in October and November that line was our best line. That line has generated a lot of offense this year, and he’s been part of that.

“He’s not the tallest guy, and people worry about that, but he works really hard. He’s extremely competitive. He’s the kind of guy who pulls teammates into battles. Other guys look at it and say, ‘Well, if he can do it, obviously I can. I’m twice the size of him.’ You know, I have no worries about it moving forward.”

Players received calls due to the storm

Although this was expected, Tulski confirmed that he had received calls from players. However, the storm wisely avoided taking out anyone.

“At the end of the day, you know, we’re trying to win a cup here, and it’s going to be hard to take players out…no matter what role they play.

“We anticipate that at some point everyone on this team will be needed. And so, we had some calls, we explored some things, but at the end of the day, you know, we’re trying to win a Cup, and we didn’t want to weaken our team going into the playoffs.”

Deals don’t matter to Hurricanes

Tulsky also talked about his desire to add more high-quality players to help push the team toward the Stanley Cup, but the difficulties the market presented, and his confidence in the team remain the same.

“Obviously, we have a lot of confidence in this roster. We’ve battled through a lot of injuries and are on pace for, I don’t know, 112 points or something – and as we get healthier, we’re getting better. We’re very happy with what we have right now.

“I would say we’re always trying to get better. We’d like to be on pace for 130 points or 150. So it’s not like I’m ever going to say, ‘This team is good enough, we don’t need to add.’

“I know the players are excited to see reinforcements, and I want to do it for them as much as they want to see it. We all want it. Like, nobody is more competitive than us. And, you know, we’re up and down the organization. We’re extremely aggressive in trying to add.

“Ultimately, you know, it’s not about my confidence in him. It’s about the opportunities that were really on the market to make something addition that will make us better. Yeah. I would love to bring somebody in that is, you know, one of those top 20 players and make everybody say we’re one guy closer to being in those top 20 on a team. It wasn’t meant to be that way this year.”

Rachel Barkley is a beat writer covering the Carolina Hurricanes for Carolina Hockey Now on SportsNote. Painting Stories…More About Rachel Barclay

Celtic’s Marcelo Saracchi had the opportunity to leave Martin O’Neill in the winter market.

Saracchi received interest from two South American teams but was unable to leave Celtic Park midway through the season.

is according to bolavipWhich covers the interest of both Club Nacional de Football and Club Atlético Peñarol in the Celtic player.

The Uruguay international joined the Scottish Premiership side on loan from Boca Juniors in August 2025.

He wanted to terminate his contract with the Argentine club, who rejected his request. Two months ago, Sports Witness Covered claims from South America This led to his loan move to Celtic.

Uruguay interested in Celtic player

Sarachi’s agent Marcelo Tejera spoke to Minuto 1, where he confirmed that the left-back has the chance to return to Uruguay. Bolavip has released its comments.

“Nación and Peñarol were interested,” He said.

Bolavip reports that two Uruguayan clubs had a look at the 27-year-old in the last window. However, Nacional and Peñarol could not pry him away from O’Neill’s side. No explanation has been given as to why the move did not go through or whether Celtic blocked his exit.

The Bhoys paid a loan fee to sign him and did not secure an option to purchase. Therefore, after his loan spell at Celtic, the fullback must return to Boca Juniors.

The outlet claims the Argentine club are ‘very likely’ to negotiate his transfer following his return from Celtic. However, the final decision will depend on who their manager is at the time.

Boca Juniors appointed Claudio Ubeda as their manager following the departure of Marcelo Gallardo on 26 February. Ubeda’s long-term future may still need to be sorted out, which could impact Sarachi’s future.

contract and value of celtic man

The defender has played 847 minutes in 19 matches for Celtic in all competitions and 283 minutes were under Rodgers.

Saracchi’s contract at Boca Juniors expires in December 2027.

transfer market He is valued at €2m and had a highest valuation of €14m in December 2018. His valuation has increased by €500k since joining Celtic. Marcelo Tejera represents players primarily aimed at the South American market.

The Philadelphia 76ers are coming off a particularly disappointing 131-91 loss to the San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday, in which Philly gave an embarrassing effort on national television in the NBC Throwback Game. And as is often the case after this type of loss, emotions can run high.

After the game, 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey expressed how he feels Regarding his team’s decision to trade Jared McCann, which 76ers president Daryl Morey defended by saying they were selling high on their 2024 first-round pick.

“Jared was a close friend of ours. Great teammate. Great guy. I definitely think we miss him. Absolutely. I won’t lie and say I don’t miss Jared,” Maxey said via NBC Sports Philadelphia. “But I’m happy for him. I look up to him.” [in] Ok. Sure I expect him to perform well every night.

“I’m not going to lie and say I don’t miss Jared.” pic.twitter.com/qjHNT9hJpT

– NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) 4 March 2026

Still, Maxey said the 76ers aren’t focusing too much on what they can’t control, because that’s just the nature of the beast.

“I don’t think we’re considering it. … [But] It’s a business at the end of the day. I have seen a lot of people trading, but I don’t want to trade. You can’t pay attention to that,” Maxie said.

The 76ers could use Jared McCain right now

The reasoning behind the 76ers’ decision to trade McCain isn’t so hard to understand. They had a lot of guard depth, and with Maxey established as the main guard option for the team and VJ Edgecombe alongside him, McCain was going to perform best as the sixth man for the team.

Nonetheless, the 76ers have contending aspirations, and McCann, a guard who shoots well from beyond the arc, could help ease their depth concerns. Instead, they now have to look at McCann as another talented guard following in the footsteps of Isaiah Joe who they lost to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Daryl Janmat, who played for English clubs Newcastle United and Watford, has opened up about his cocaine addiction after the end of his playing career, describing it as a “very dark period” of his life.

talking to the local newspaper Advertisement Ahead of the premiere of the documentary ‘Real Men Don’t Cry’ – in which former Dutch players discuss the impact of specific sports on mental health – the 36-year-old admitted his problems began when he was forced to retire due to a serious knee problem.

The former Netherlands international earned 34 caps and represented clubs including ADO Den Haag, Feyenoord, Newcastle United and Watford during his career.

“I was very, very low. Really very low,” Public opinion said. “I have three children who listen and read things. I can’t and don’t want to tell all the details, but my cocaine addiction caused a lot of grief.”

End of career started going downwards

Janmat reported that his struggle began when a knee injury effectively ended his professional career. After an injection went awry and a joint became infected, he had to accept retirement earlier than planned.

“I still wanted it so much, but the knee injury ruined everything,” He said. “My career was over. I couldn’t deal with it.”

Moving into a technical manager role at ADO Den Hague didn’t help. Instead, he found himself without the structure that had defined his life as a player.

“As a player everything is clear. You go from training to training, match to match. When all that disappeared and as a technical manager I didn’t feel in the right place, it went wrong. And properly wrong.”

He admitted that the addiction gradually increased. “You start lying to people you love. It’s horrible. I’ve hurt a lot of people.”

Life after football and a warning to others

Janmat insisted that pressure was never an issue during his playing days. He referenced major occasions, including the World Cup semi-finals and Premier League matches with Newcastle United and Watford, and said he could handle the stress on the pitch.

“The problems started only after I stopped,” he explained.

In 2023, reports emerged in the Netherlands that he was found to be under the influence of drugs. Shortly after, he entered a rehabilitation clinic in South Africa.

Now, he says he has rebuilt his life. Janmat runs his own gym in Scheveningen and recently appeared in a legends match for Feyenoord against Celtic.

“It was cocaine, nothing else. No alcohol,” He said. “It can happen to anyone. I never thought I could get addicted.”

Janmat also revealed that although he is officially still married, he and his wife are no longer together. “A lot of damage was done,” He accepted, adding that they now have a better relationship.

He hopes speaking publicly will serve as a warning.

“Cocaine destroys a lot. Addiction is a real battle. It breaks a lot. I’ve gone in a different direction now – good direction. Luckily.”

Mariona Caldenti arrived at Arsenal in 2024, having previously spent a decade at Barcelona. The 29-year-old was arriving at the London club at the peak of his powers and has been successful for Arsenal.

This was reflected in his narrowly missing out on the 2025 Ballon d’Or. The Arsenal player finished second, beaten by her international teammate Etana Bonamati.

The pair have also played together for Barcelona, ​​know each other well and have a healthy rivalry.

Mark It features a feature celebrating Mariona Caldenti, as she sets to achieve 100 caps for Spain. He spoke at length to the Arsenal player on a variety of topics and how he sees his career from here on out.

The Spanish newspaper specifically picked the Ballon d’Or runner-up and wanted to know if there was any disappointment at losing. The race for first place was very close and some people believe that the person finishing ahead may feel unlucky.

In response, the Arsenal star said: “No, not at all. Obviously, it’s a very important award that we would all love to win, but Aitana (Bonamati) took it after an incredible season. I was happy for her and congratulated her. In the end, these individual awards are tough in a team sport with diverse tastes. I’m happy to win the Champions League in my first year in England and get other individual awards. Not winning the Ballon d’Or doesn’t change how proud I am of that season.

“Of course, it is very difficult, but I feel very good at Arsenal and even more confident than last year. I hope it will happen again. And if not this year, then next year, when there will be a tournament with the national team.”

Why is future transfer not an immediate concern?

On his future and a possible return to Spain, Mariona Caldenti said: “It’s hard to think about the future. I’m happy, satisfied, enjoying a different league. I don’t know where I’ll finish my career, but I still hope to play for a long time.

“It’s true that in football, when you turn 30, the perception of a player changes, but I have examples like Irene (Paredes) and Kim (Little) who prove that age is just a number.”

Now Arsenal will hope to continue his pursuit of the Ballon d’Or with top performances for him and the Spain national team.

Friday night’s NBA slate featured a showdown between the Denver Nuggets and the Oklahoma City Thunder. The two teams have developed a rivalry in recent years, and with each matchup, the games are becoming more intense.

Tension rose Friday when Nuggets center Nikola Jokic ran onto the court. The Thunder’s Lu Dort supported Jokic, causing him to fall to the floor. Jokic stood up and punched Dort in anger. Jaylin Williams attempted to interfere, and he and Jokic shoved and grabbed each other’s jerseys before officials and team personnel separated them.

The normally mild-mannered Jokic took some time to address the tense situation after the game.

“Unnecessary move, and a necessary reaction,” Jokic said. “There’s no such thing – I think things like that shouldn’t happen on a basketball floor. So it was just an unnecessary step and a necessary reaction by me.”

Tension rises in battle between Nuggets, Thunder

After a video review, officials upgraded the foul on Dort to a flagrant 2, triggering an automatic ejection with 8:03 remaining in the fourth quarter. Crew chief James Williams said the contact was unnecessary, excessive and had a high potential for injury. Jokic and Williams each received technical fouls for their roles in the ensuing scandal.

Lu Dort was ejected after fouling Nikola Jokic on this play.

Nikola Jokic and Jaylin Williams both received technical fouls. pic.twitter.com/ZFyNHpigsM

– ESPN (@espn) 28 February 2026

Despite the fourth quarter struggles, Jokic recorded a triple-double, finishing with 23 points, 17 rebounds and 14 assists. Jamal Murray led Denver in scoring with 39 points in 47 minutes.

The Nuggets ultimately fell behind, falling 121–127 in overtime.

The Nuggets and Thunder will face each other twice before the end of the regular season. The way things went on Friday, the last two matches between these teams are shaping up to be completely cinematic.

On Tuesday evening, the Los Angeles Lakers suffered their second consecutive loss with a close home loss to the Orlando Magic. The Lakers had a chance to win it late, but Luka Doncic missed his dribble and was forced to pass to LeBron James, whose turnaround heave from beyond the arc hit the backboard and the rim.

Much has been said about the Lakers’ perceived roster shortcomings in recent weeks, and now, ESPN NBA analyst Brian Windhorst has added more fuel to the discussion.

“When Luca [Doncic]lebron [James]and Austin Reeves play together, they’re not a good team… when it’s appropriate [Austin & Luka] The Lakers are an excellent team out there,” Windhorst said on First Take, according to X, formerly of NBA Courtside on Twitter.

In fact, James, Doncic and Reeves in many ways have skills that cancel each other out, none of them are good defenders and they all need the ball to perform at their best offensively.

Many have floated the idea that the Lakers will either let James walk or bring him back on a more team-friendly deal this offseason in order to build a more viable roster around Doncic, similar to the Dallas Mavericks team that made the Finals in 2024 before the team inexplicably traded him to Los Angeles.

Doncic and Reeves have created a lethal one-two punch in games played together without James, but when all three are in the lineup, none of them have been able to be their full producers on offense, and the team’s defense has faltered.

Yet, despite this, the Lakers are 11 games above the .500 mark at 34-23, and are not out of position to secure home court advantage in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs.

The Lakers next play on the road against the Phoenix Suns on Thursday evening.

On Sunday, the NBA All-Star Game begins at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, with Lakers star LeBron James taking part in the festivities. James was recently made ineligible for the All-NBA team this year due to his absence from the lineup this season, but he will still be in uniform for fans during All-Star weekend.

It’s been an up-and-down season so far for the Lakers, and recently, James has been 100% honest on his team’s title chances entering the extension of the campaign.

According to Brett Siegel, formerly of ClutchPoints, on Twitter, James said, “Our success will depend on our health.”

Health has actually been a major question mark for the Lakers at times this season, as James missed the early portion of the campaign, and Austin Reaves was recently sidelined for nearly a month in the midst of his breakout campaign.

Lakers star Luka Doncic has also been out of the lineup for the past few games, although he will be able to participate in Sunday’s All-Star Game.

Even when fully healthy, many pundits are skeptical of the Lakers’ ability to compete for a championship, given the lack of two-way players on the roster. While Los Angeles has the offensive firepower to compete with anyone, there aren’t many above-average defenders on the roster, a problem that was fully exposed by the Minnesota Timberwolves during last year’s playoffs.

Still, as James said, staying healthy will greatly help this Lakers team maximize its chances in April, and so far, that has been a big challenge for the team in 2025-26.

In any case, the All-Star Game is scheduled to begin on Sunday at 5:00 PM ET. Meanwhile, the Lakers will next be at home against the Clippers on Friday.