Category: Sports

Despite all the drama surrounding NBA star injuries and availability this season, it hasn’t changed the top of the Most Valuable Player race.

For now.

In ESPN’s second MVP straw poll of the 2025-26 season — a current snapshot of the race using a panel of 100 local, national and international media members surveyed this week — Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander increased his lead over Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic. Gilgeous-Alexander claimed 78 first-place votes and was the only player named to all 100 ballots.

The reigning MVP, who also secured 20 second-place and two third-place votes, is in the midst of another stellar season, averaging 31.8 points and 6.4 assists while shooting 55.4% from the field for the Western Conference-leading Thunder.

SGA’s lead has grown despite the defending champions slipping since our first straw poll was released in mid-December. The Thunder once were on pace to win 70-plus games, but injuries have brought them back to earth; they have gone 17-13 after a blistering 24-1 start to the season. That has included a recent abdominal injury to Gilgeous-Alexander, who has already missed seven games and will miss at least a few more after the team announced Thursday he’ll be re-evaluated in a week.

Such a dip in form would’ve opened the door for Gilgeous-Alexander’s top competition, but in what has been a theme of this season, injuries have dramatically changed the awards landscape.

Jokic kept his second-place spot (18 first-place votes), but the bone bruise he suffered in late December that knocked him out for nearly a month has clearly stalled his MVP candidacy.

It certainly doesn’t mean Jokic has no chance of winning. His stat line — 28.7 points, 12.7 rebounds and 10.7 assists per game while shooting 59% overall, 42% from 3 and 84% from the free throw line — certainly helps, though his margin for error has shrunk. If Jokic misses two more games, he will be ineligible for MVP and all end-of-season awards. That would end a streak of five consecutive top-two finishes in MVP voting, one short of Boston Celtics legends Bill Russell and Larry Bird for the most all time.

Jokic has plenty of company in the 65-game watch. San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama jumped from eighth in December’s poll to fourth with three first-place votes and landed on 75 ballots. But Wembanyama has missed 13 games (he actually has missed 14 but gets credit for the NBA Cup title game), meaning he can miss only four the rest of the season.

But in his third season, the French phenom has again been tremendous, averaging 24.4 points, 11.1 rebounds and a league-leading 2.7 blocks per game. If he remains healthy, and if San Antonio can make up the three games it currently sits behind OKC for first in the West, Wembanyama could replicate the 2022-23 race, when Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid’s late charge won him the MVP over Jokic.

Meanwhile, the fifth-place finisher in the poll, Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic, has already missed 12 games. Two other vote-getters — LA Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (13 missed games) and Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (10 missed games) — could see their eligibility put in peril with another injury. And that doesn’t count either Giannis Antetokounmpo or LeBron James, who have each already fallen below the 65-game requirement. (Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry didn’t receive any straw poll votes and is two missed games away from not being award eligible.)

But all the injuries at the top have created opportunities for other players. Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham, who finished third with one first-place vote, has been the engine behind Detroit’s remarkable season that has the Pistons atop the conference and headed for home-court advantage in the first round for the first time since 2008.

And with Jayson Tatum still sidelined — though potentially nearing a return — from the Achilles tear he suffered in last year’s playoffs, Celtics forward Jaylen Brown has continued his remarkable campaign, finishing sixth in the straw poll. Considering Brown was ninth in December’s poll, his jump is a nod to both his impressive play and the short-handed Celtics hitting the All-Star break in second place in the East.

Rounding out the ballot was a trio of East All-Stars: Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (11 total votes, 27 total points, seventh place), New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (seven total votes, 17 total points, ninth place) and 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey (four total votes, 10 total points, 10th place).

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Full NBA MVP straw poll results

The Kansas City Chiefs restructured Patrick Mahomes‘ contract this week, creating much-needed salary cap space ahead of the 2026 season, according to ESPN and multiple reports.

The restructuring, first reported Wednesday by Over the Cap, converts $54.45 million of Mahomes’ 2026 salary into a signing bonus and lowers the star quarterback’s cap number to $34.65 million.

The Chiefs, who missed the playoffs in 2025 after reaching the Super Bowl in each of the three previous seasons, created $43.65 million in cap space. It marks the fourth consecutive year that Kansas City has restructured Mahomes’ contract.

The Chiefs entered the offseason more than $57 million over the cap and still will need to make some financial maneuvers after reworking Mahomes’ deal. Mahomes, who is recovering from knee surgery, initially was set to count for $78.2 million against the cap in 2026.

Under the terms of the restructured deal, Mahomes now will count for an additional $11 million against Kansas City’s cap each of the next four seasons, bringing his total cap number to $85 million for 2027, according to Over the Cap. The three-time Super Bowl MVP is a potential candidate for a contract extension before 2028, when his salary and cap number both drop significantly.

For now, however, the cap savings are vital to the Chiefs, who are coming off their first losing season in over a decade and face decisions on multiple high-priced veteran players. Kansas City needs to be under the NFL’s salary cap when the new league year starts March 11.

Star defensive lineman Chris Jones, who is set to count for nearly $45 million against the cap, is another candidate for a restructured deal. The Chiefs could potentially cut offensive lineman Jawaan Taylor, who has one year remaining on his four-year, $80 million deal. Other veteran players who are candidates to be released include Mike Danna, Drue Tranquill and Noah Gray.

Mahomes initially signed his 10-year, $450 million deal with the Chiefs in 2020, and it was the richest contract in North American team sports history at the time. The two-time league MVP had surgery in mid-December to repair two torn ligaments in his left knee and said last month that he wants to play in the Chiefs’ 2026 season opener.

MILAN — Alysa Liu never set out to be an Olympic gold medalist.

When she returned to figure skating after a two-year hiatus, she wanted to show the world what she could do, her creativity and her art, and who she was as a person.

Anything beyond that was simply a bonus.

But while it might not have been her intention, Liu will leave Italy with not one, but two gold medals.

On Thursday, almost two weeks after helping lead the United States to glory in the team event, Liu — the carefree California comeback kid with the bleached tree ring-inspired hair — became in many ways the unlikeliest of Olympic champions in women’s figure skating as she stunned with a flawless free skate performance and surged up the leaderboard to take over the lead.

Leaving the ice, she exclaimed excitedly to the camera: “That’s what I’m f—ing talking about!”

The 20-year-old Liu had to watch two more skaters compete, but it didn’t matter. In her mind, she had already won in every way that mattered.

“I don’t need this [medal],” Liu said later. “But what I needed was the stage and I got that, so I was all good. No matter what happened.”

And when it was over, and Liu jumped up and down on the podium, she was not only the gold medalist but the first American woman to achieve the elusive honor since 2002 — more than three years before she was born. After a roller coaster of an Olympic Games for the American contingent on the ice, it was perhaps the most fitting and perfect of endings.

“I’m honored to be part of this [gold medal] club,” Liu said. “I guess it’s a club maybe, but no, I am really honored and they are incredible athletes. … I hope that with all this visibility I now have, I hope people don’t just look at a headline like, ‘Oh, she won a gold.’ I hope people really, I don’t know, take their time to read my story even though it’s not fully out. But one day it will be [and] on that day I hope to inspire even more people.”

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After a staggering start to her career, including becoming the youngest national champion in history at 13 and reaching the Olympics as a 16-year-old, Liu retired from the sport following a third-place finish at the world championships in 2022.

“Heyyyyy so I’m here to announce that I am retiring from skating,” Liu wrote at the time in a since-deleted Instagram post. “I started skating when I was 5 so that’s about 11 years on the ice and it’s been an insane 11 years. A lot of good and a lot of bad but (you know) that’s just how it is.”

Having never experienced a normal childhood, or teenage years, Liu embraced everything non-skating life had to offer.

She hung out with her friends, enrolled at UCLA and even hiked to Mount Everest base camp in 2023, something that remains a favorite memory. She embraced her other interests, like dancing and music, and figured out who Alysa Liu the person was, and not just Alysa Liu the skater.

But a family ski trip reminded her of how much she loved to move and push herself physically to the limit. She returned to the rink. It wasn’t serious at first, not necessarily anyway. But she was surprised at how many of her skills remained. Soon she had fallen back in love with the sport. She recruited former coaches Phillip DiGuglielmo and Massimo Scali to help her yet again. Though this time, as they both agreed, everything would be on her terms and she had the final say in everything.

As part of that, they never set goals like winning Olympic gold medals. Liu wanted a place to showcase her creativity — she showed equal, if not more, enthusiasm for the dress she wore in her free skate when speaking to the media than she did the final result — and they never focused on winning. DiGuglielmo said he quickly realized in Liu’s first competitive season back in 2024-2025 that her short program and free skate had what it took to beat the best in the world, but they never talked about it.

When they arrived at the world championships last March, they focused on Liu getting the chance to show her programs, not what could happen if she did her best.

“At worlds, she won the short and we were like, ‘Done, goals achieved. We let her show this amazing short program,’” DiGuglielmo said Thursday. “They got [to see] the best short program in the world. It’s a win. Then it was, ‘OK, let’s do the free skate and just see how it goes.’”

Performing the same free skate that earned her Olympic gold, Liu won the 2025 world title. But even after that triumph, no one on Liu’s team spoke about specific goals for Milan. Instead, Liu just focused on doing enough to make the Olympic team so she could have a true Olympic experience after taking part in the pandemic-impacted Games in Beijing.

DiGuglielmo added that one of his and Scali’s priorities was simply giving Liu good memories.

“She was so not happy that she wound up compartmentalizing, putting that all somewhere in the back,” DiGuglielmo said. “She doesn’t remember that she went to junior worlds or that she went to the Junior Grand Prix Final. She doesn’t remember any of that. And so our tagline has been ‘Making memories.’ And we wanted to, everywhere we went, everywhere we go, we want to make memories.”

Smiling and joy, and savoring every moment, have been hallmarks of Liu’s return. Though she doesn’t like when people describe this chapter as “Alysa 2.0,” even her coaches think it’s applicable because “she kind of reinvented herself.”

She now prioritizes how she feels far more than results. When she watched Amber Glenn surpass her score at the national championships last month, she never stopped smiling.

And while others, including Glenn and fellow teammate and one-time men’s front-runner Ilia Malinin, succumbed to pressure during the Games and have spoken openly about the mental toll the Olympics and all of the attention can take, Liu never showed any such signs. During her three skates — once in the team event and twice in the individual — she never once appeared flustered or frustrated. She just looked to be someone who loved to skate and was doing it for themself.

She didn’t know it yet, but Alysa Liu’s spectacular free skate would win her Olympic GOLD. 👏 #WinterOlympics pic.twitter.com/LzMCkvwGMf

— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) February 19, 2026

“She has this ‘Oh, if I want to do something, I guess I could just go try and do it’ quality about her,” Ashley Wagner, who helped lead the U.S. team to the bronze medal in the team event in 2014, told ESPN ahead of the Olympics. “It really is that simple. And the only thing that often gets in people’s way is themselves. And Alysa takes that rigidity of thought and just completely blows it away and shows up and delivers because she’s just skating …

“Her ‘Why’ is so pure. I work in sports psychology now and it’s so healthy to demonstrate to athletes that when you’re emotionally connected to your why, you see results.”

In an interview with ESPN last fall, Liu said everything she does at this stage in her career has a purpose.

“I’m so intentional now,” Liu said. “I’m so grounded. Everything I do has a reason for why I do it.”

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No figure skating federation arrived in Milan with higher hopes than the United States.

At those world championships, less than a year ago, the country claimed three of the four titles in Boston, and a massive medal haul in Milan seemed not just possible, but probable.

And it wasn’t just the victors from that event — Liu, Malinin, Madison Chock and Evan Bates — that had fans excited. All three American women finished in the top five — something that hadn’t happened since 2001.

Isabeau Levito, who won silver at the 2024 worlds, came in fourth. Glenn, who had been among the favorites entering the competition after a previously undefeated season including winning the Grand Prix Final title, rallied for fifth after struggling in her short program.

Top spots on multiple podiums seemed like a near certainty after an incredible national championships in January.

Of course, as so often happens on sports’ grandest stage, everything didn’t go to plan. Far from it, in fact.

First, there was an up-and-down team event. Malinin had a nervy short program, as did Glenn in her free skate, and the Japanese team was a formidable foe.

But ultimately, largely thanks to Liu’s strong start, Chock and Bates’ unwavering consistency in the ice dance competition and a clutch pairs free skate performance by Ellie Kam and Danny O’Shea, the U.S. ever so narrowly ended up with the gold medal. The one-point margin separating the U.S. and Japan was the smallest deficit in the event’s history.

Alysa Liu is in her element in her short program on the Olympic ice. 😍 pic.twitter.com/prbAVw1OlQ

— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) February 6, 2026

It seemed like another sign of good things to come for the Americans. But one day later, Chock and Bates came in a stunning second place in the rhythm dance segment of the individual event. Despite controversy and global speculation about unfair judging, they earned the silver medal. As the three-time reigning world champions, it was a shocking result — and the two couldn’t hide their disappointment.

However, that podium surprise was quickly overshadowed as Malinin, the leader after the men’s short program, imploded during his free skate. After landing his first quad jump, the 21-year-old bailed out of his famed quad axel in the air and soon after completely unraveled, doubling a quad loop and falling twice. Prior to the Olympics he hadn’t lost a competition since 2023. He ended up in eighth place.

He told reporters after his skate that he was flooded with negative thoughts at the start of his program and simply couldn’t recover.

The pairs competition didn’t fare any better, although that was expected as a relative weak spot for the country in recent years. Emily Chan and Spencer Akira Howe came in seventh, and Kam and O’Shea finished in ninth.

But it all led up to the sport’s final event, and its crown jewel, the women’s singles competition.

After weeks of hype, social media fan edits and even a Taylor Swift-narrated promo video, the self-nicknamed “Blade Angels,” Liu, Levito and Glenn, were ready to take the stage. All three were skating in the final group during the short program, each with the chance to end the country’s 20-year medal drought in the event.

Liu had a strong start for the trio, showcasing her artistry with a near-perfect skate and a breathtaking performance. Levito followed with a clean and, in her words, “elegant,” program that wowed the crowd but didn’t score highly, landing her in eighth.

And Glenn, skating in the penultimate position, looked poised for medal contention as she landed her opening triple axel. But she later doubled her planned triple loop, resulting in it being deemed an invalid element and earning zero points for it. Her devastation was immediately apparent. She cried while waiting for her score. She received a 67.39, putting her in 13th place.

Liu told reporters she was disappointed for Glenn, a close friend.

“She’s overcome a lot, and I just want her to be happy,” Liu said. “That’s genuinely all I want. And so I’ll be seeing her later. Don’t worry guys, we stick together.”

Entering the free skate, Liu was in third place and just over two points out of the lead. Levito was in eighth. The trio of Japanese skaters made up the rest of the top four, and Russian enigma Adeliia Petrosian — who had minimal international experience but teased a quad jump — was in fifth.

Glenn set the tone Thursday with a redemptive high-flying and high-scoring performance that catapulted her to an early lead, where she remained until the final four skaters took the ice.

But it was Liu, and her disco-themed program set to Donna Summer’s “MacArthur Park Suite,” that had nearly everyone in the arena, including a supportive Malinin, on their feet by its conclusion. With her season’s-best score of 150.20, for a 226.79 total, she claimed the top spot in the standings and guaranteed herself a medal, with Kaori Sakamoto and Ami Nakai left to compete.

There was no apparent worry or envy for Liu as she watched both of the final skaters. Instead, she clapped along and stood excitedly in celebration when they were both done. But when Nakai’s score was announced, it was Glenn, who finished in fifth place, who grabbed Liu’s hand and held it up in victory.

It was a moment that embodied the journey of the American figure skating team as a whole. It seemed a victory for one was a victory for all, and Liu — the antithesis of the “ice princess” stereotype that has plagued the sport for so many years — was simultaneously the most surprising and fitting person to get everything back on track.

Though it wasn’t exactly the outcome the country had hoped for overall, and Japan won more medals across the five skating events than the U.S. did, it still marked a return to form on the sport’s highest stage.

After worlds, and following the enthusiasm after the national championships, it was supposed to be a moment for figure skating in the country, a renaissance harkening back to the glory days. While skaters of past generations were household names, the sport has waned in popularity. Malinin in particular, with his impressive athleticism and an almost parkour style at times, looked as if he could be a crossover star, as well as bring in a new generation.

In the end, it was Liu who ended up in the middle of the podium and who will likely become a national superstar in the coming days and weeks.

But through her triumphant tale of return, as well as the candor and vulnerability of Malinin, Glenn and Chock and Bates in defeat, and the camaraderie displayed by everyone in the American contingent throughout the Games, it might have done something even more important.

“Her story of taking a step back, mental health — I think it really attests to you never know what the journey to success is going to be,” Glenn told reporters. “I really hope that can reach the skating community, that it’s OK to take time.”

Formula 1 president Stefano Domenicali says he is confident Max Verstappen will not leave the sport despite the four-time world champion having recently expressed concern over new regulations for the 2026 season.

During his media appearances at F1’s pre-season events, Verstappen said the new cars, which the sport’s bosses have attempted to make more sustainable, are like “Formula E on steroids”.

Verstappen had said last year that if he didn’t find the sport’s new cars “fun” to drive, he didn’t really see himself “hanging around”.

However, having held talks with Verstappen at Formula 1’s final pre-season test in Bahrain on Wednesday, Domenicali is confident the Red Bull driver will not be leaving the grid any time soon.

“I met with Max,” Domenicali said. “We know Max will be part of the future of Formula 1. It is very important we listen to him, as we do with all of the top drivers.

“He has a way of saying something that can be interpreted in a certain way. But I can guarantee to you that Max wants and does care about Formula 1 more than anyone else.

“I had a very constructive meeting with him, and we will have a very constructive meeting with the FIA and with the teams to highlight the point of view as to what he believes needs to be done, which is to keep the driving style at the centre without changing the approach.

“The evolution behind the technology of the car requires a different way of driving the cars. That has happened in the past, and it will happen in the future, too.

“I am pretty sure when we sit down in the middle of the year, or the end of the year, you will see different comments. This is normal in Formula 1.”

Having won four successive drivers’ titles from 2021-2024, Verstappen has established himself as the best driver on the current grid.

His future has been the topic of much speculation over the last couple of years, with Mercedes boss Toto Wolff having tried hard to poach the Dutchman from rivals Red Bull.

Pressed on how he can be certain Verstappen will not retire, Domenicali added: “Because I have a very good relationship with Max.

“I know him very, very well. I spend a lot of time with him. That is the reason, full stop. And he loves Formula 1, there’s no doubt about it.”

The drastic nature of the regulation change for 2026, which sees the introduction of both new power units and chassis, has led to questions over whether racing could suffer.

With the opening round at Melbourne’s Albert Park just a fortnight away, Domenicali said: “I don’t understand the panic that is going around.

“There will be incredible racing, a lot of action and that is the most important thing. We need to stay calm because as always when there are new regulations – as there was in 2014, 2017 and 2021 – there is a doubt that everything is wrong. I am not worried at all.”

Sky Sports F1’s Bahrain Testing schedule

Friday February 20

Watch every race of the 2026 F1 season live on Sky Sports, starting with the Australian Grand Prix from March 6-8. Stream Sky Sports with NOW – no contract, cancel anytime

• 6.50am-11.05am: Morning session Live
• 11.55am-4.10pm: Afternoon session Live
• 8pm: Testing Wrap

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — When the Tennessee Titans officially introduced Brian Daboll to the media Wednesday, their new offensive coordinator said a big factor in his decision to come to Tennessee was to work with quarterback Cam Ward.

As the head coach of the New York Giants in 2025, Daboll got to spend time with Ward during the draft process before the Titans selected him No. 1 overall last April.

“He’s a young, athletic quarterback with accuracy,” Daboll said. “He can make plays on the move, do a great job if the play doesn’t look great, then all of a sudden it looks great because of his ability. He’s smart. He’s got some moxie to him, and he’s tough.”

Daboll’s fondness for Ward isn’t just lip service now that he has landed in Tennessee. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Giants aggressively tried to trade up to the No. 1 pick to select Ward last April.

Tennessee was convinced Ward was its guy and declined to move off the top spot. New York selected linebacker Abdul Carter with the No. 2 pick, then sent a second-round pick (No. 34), a third-round pick (No. 99) and a 2026 third-round selection to the Houston Texans for the No. 25 pick, which it used to select Jaxson Dart.

Ward finished the season having passed for 3,169 yards and 15 touchdowns. He was intercepted seven times, and the Titans finished with a 3-14 record. Obviously the new coaching staff knows there’s work to be done to take a step forward, but they are up for the challenge.

The Titans tabbed Robert Saleh as their next coach as they try to make the playoffs for the first time since the 2021 season. While Saleh will handle the defense, he chose Daboll to be his offensive coordinator because his scheme is unique and he has had a successful history with quarterbacks.

“[Daboll] is the perfect man to match up with Cam and to maximize who he is,” Saleh said. “Dabs has had a history of developing young quarterbacks in this league and college and the different stops that he’s had, and he’s touched many from experience to youth. He has a tremendous amount of experience with tremendous quarterbacks all over. There’s a lot of benefits to what he does.”

The offensive coaching staff has been in place for about three weeks, so it’s still early in the process, but Daboll said he has watched all of Ward’s tape from last season, in addition to the film study he did on Ward leading up to last year’s draft. Daboll said he likes the way Ward has gotten accustomed to the speed of the game and the timing, which he feels isn’t an easy thing for a quarterback, and is excited to get to work on rolling out the game plan.

“April can’t come soon enough so we can get going on the offensive installation part of it,” Daboll said. “I have a lot of confidence in how he played both at Miami, Washington State, and then he had a whole year under his belt playing in the National Football League.”

In his first stint as a head coach, things didn’t quite work out for Daboll, who was fired by the Giants after a 2-8 start in Year 4, but he plans to rely on his previous experience to develop a plan with Ward. He most notably worked as the offensive coordinator of the Buffalo Bills through quarterback Josh Allen‘s early years before moving over to the Giants.

Daboll joined the Bills for Allen’s rookie season in 2018, and in Year 3, Allen took a huge jump — passing for a career-high 4,544 yards. Allen credits Daboll for being an integral part in his development.

Although Daboll and Ward haven’t met extensively, Daboll has already started laying the groundwork to replicate the early part of the process he went through with Allen.

“The most important thing is to develop the relationship and get a feel for how he sees the game,” Daboll said. “I like to see the game through the quarterback’s eyes. There will be mistakes out there that I think he’s made, and he might have a completely different answer. That communication is really important. I’ve learned that dealing with Josh.

“It’s a hard position to play and easy to sit back there and say, ‘What the hell did you do that for’ until I can go through the plays with him and iron out the details.”

The previous coaching staff worked tirelessly to tweak Ward’s mechanics. Ward said he intended to work on his footwork mechanics during the offseason with his personal quarterbacks coach, Darrell Colbert Jr.

How that process plays out with the new staff remains to be seen. Saleh said during his introductory news conference that he and Daboll will be in touch with Colbert at some point. Daboll acknowledged everyone has a different throwing motion, but he said Monday that he’s comfortable with Ward’s ability to throw the ball and is ready to get to work with the second-year quarterback.

It has all come down to this at the 2026 Olympic Games for the two most dominant countries in international women’s hockey.

The United States and Canada face off on Thursday for the gold medal.

Women’s ice hockey was first introduced at the Olympics in 1998, and these are the only two countries to have won Olympic gold since. Canada won gold four years ago in Beijing, but the U.S. swept this winter’s Rivalry Series, and defeated Canada 5-0 in the preliminary round.

More: U.S.-Canada is the rematch everyone wanted | U.S. favored in gold medal game

Follow along live for all the goals and top moments from the game.

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Sam Allardyce has said that Tottenham’s players need reminding of their responsbility to the club if they want to avoid being dragged into a relegation battle.

Spurs sacked manager Thomas Frank last week and have replaced him with interim coach Igor Tudor, with the club sat 16th in the Premier League, five points off the relegation zone.

Tudor will be thrown straight into the fire with a North London derby against league leaders Arsenal kicking off a tough run of fixtures that also includes a trip to Liverpool.

While the Croatian will be hoping to make an immediate impact, Allardyce, who steered four teams away from the drop after being appointed mid-season, believes the onus is on the players more than the new interim coach.

“We can all claim we did this and did that before the first game we managed, but we haven’t done that much really,” Allardyce told Sky Sports.

“What we hope for is that the players go out and prove themselves. Why shouldn’t you give 100 million per cent when you earn 150 grand a week? You get the best food and one of the best facilities in the country at Tottenham – and don’t give your 110 percent? You should be kicked out of the club if you don’t.”

Tudor will not have a large squad to pick from when he first takes charge against the Gunners, with 11 senior players out injured, but Allardyce was not accepting that as an excuse for the players to not give their all in the run-in

“It’s a God-given right. That’s what you do for the football club: blood, sweat and tears, That’s a given,” Allardyce added. “That shouldn’t even have to be demanded or asked for. But it looks like it is.”

‘Frank will come back better; Dyche unlucky to be sacked’

Frank left Spurs with a win rate of just 26.9 per cent, the worst in the Premier Leaue for the club. However, Allardyce has backed the “brilliant coach” to learn from the experience and bounce back stronger.

“Thomas experienced what it’s like to manage a big club for the first time,” Allardyce said.

“It’s different. I’ve done it at Everton, Newcastle, West Ham. There’s a different type of mentality and pressure.

“I think he’s obviously proved he’s a brilliant coach. The experience he’s gained, if he gets another opportunity, he will be better for it once he’s analysed what he did and didn’t do.

“Thomas will reappear in the Premier League somewhere. He’ll certainly not have to wait to get a job.”

While Tudor is the new man through the door at Tottenham, Sean Dyche was shown the exit at Nottingham Forest shortly after and replaced by Vitor Pereira, a decision Allardyce puts down to a case of bad luck.

“[In the 0-0 draw with Wolves they had] 35 attempts at goal and he gets sacked,” Allardyce added.

“Normally, that’s 4-0, 5-0. Normally. It looked like it would be, but didn’t materialise.

“Some bad misses and some worldie saves. He wouldn’t have got sacked if he’d have won. Sean was unfortunate, but he knows the owner. He’s prepared to face that.

“We know what we get with the owner and we move on. We accept it. It won’t stop him getting another job.”

Spurs and Forest hires ‘a risk’

In Tudor, Spurs have hired a coach with no Premier League experience, while Forest have opted to replace Dyche with Pereira, who was sacked by Wolves in November with the club having picked up just two points from their opening 10 Premier League games.

“Any coach going in at this stage, it’s a risk. It’s a challenge,” Allardyce claimed. “You’ve got to find out what the problems are – and there are problems – as quick as you can.

“They just need to simplify things. If you’re conceding too many goals, try to stop that. If you’re not scoring enough, try and improve that. Then we’ll start going in the right direction.”

“They [the players] need to take to what they’re trying to achieve. And it needs to be done overnight. That’s how hard the job is.”

Change is coming to every NFL team. There will be moves made in free agency and the draft, of course, but there also will be unexpected trades and player cuts. So far this offseason, there have been rumors about top stars Maxx Crosby, Kyler Murray and A.J. Brown potentially moving on from their franchises. But more shocking moves are likely to come.

Every offseason, there are players who need a change of scenery for a variety of reasons. Some players just never quite develop and could benefit from a new coaching staff that might be able to unlock their potential. Some have worn out their welcome because of a lack of success on the field. Others just want to go to a winning team.

Below, I’ve picked out one player from each team who could benefit from a fresh start in 2026. Who could be on the move this offseason? Let’s start with a wide receiver who might have more success elsewhere.

Jump to:
ARI | ATL | BAL | BUF | CAR | CHI | CIN
CLE | DAL | DEN | DET | GB | HOU | IND
JAX | KC | LAC | LAR | LV | MIA | MIN
NE | NO | NYG | NYJ | PHI | PIT | SF
SEA | TB | TEN | WSH

AFC EAST

WR Keon Coleman

Coleman might be the perfect example of a player who needs a change of scenery after the Bills’ ownership threw him under the bus during the news conference introducing Joe Brady as the new coach. “I’ll address the Keon situation. The coaching staff pushed to draft Keon,” Terry Pegula said. “I’m not saying [team executive] Brandon [Beane] wouldn’t have drafted him, but [Coleman] wasn’t his next choice.”

Coleman was a healthy scratch for multiple games during the 2025 season and went over 50 receiving yards in a game only once. The 2024 second-round draft pick might be able to find success with a new organization, but it’s hard to see him reaching his potential if he stays in Buffalo.

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QB Tua Tagovailoa

Former coach Mike McDaniel benched Tagovailoa with three games left in the 2025 season, so it’s clear the organization is trying to figure out how to shed his huge contract. Tagovailoa ranked 26th out of 28 qualifying quarterbacks with a career-low 37.6 QBR, and through his 14 games, he also led the NFL with a career-high 15 interceptions.

Most teams consider his $54 million in guarantees untradable unless the Dolphins cover a significant portion of the contract. The Dolphins would get hit with $99.2 million in salary cap charges if they cut Tagovailoa before he receives a $14 million option bonus on March 13.

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DT Christian Barmore

The Patriots would definitely need to find an on-field replacement for Barmore’s interior pass-rushing skills. Last season, he had 11 quarterback hits and two sacks. However, Barmore is facing an assault and battery charge, and New England might want to make a change and focus more on improving on the edge.

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RB Breece Hall

Hall will be hitting free agency in a couple of weeks, and there’s a sense that he wants to move to a more successful organization. (On the day of the Super Bowl, he posted on X, “Hope I get to experience football on this stage. … I’ll get there one day. I know it.”)

He’s still a very talented runner and receiver who posted his first season with 1,000 rushing yards in 2025 and also recorded 350 receiving yards. Hall can be an even bigger part of the receiving game with a different team, as evidenced by his 76 catches for 591 yards and four touchdowns in 2023. NFL Next Gen Stats listed him with 0.58 rushing yards over expected per carry last season.

AFC NORTH

WR Rashod Bateman

The idea that Bateman needs a change of scenery might be unexpected considering the Ravens signed him to a three-year, $36.75 million extension before the 2025 season. But he had a very disappointing campaign, with just 19 catches for 224 yards and two touchdowns.

A part of his problem last season was that opponents treated Bateman as the Ravens’ WR1 because Zay Flowers was in the slot being covered by a nickelback. Bateman just isn’t good enough to get away from that coverage, and he might flourish with a new team for whom he can be more of a complementary player.

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Edge Trey Hendrickson

The former All-Pro edge rusher is desperate to get out of Cincinnati. Hendrickson requested a trade for a second straight year in March, but he ultimately stayed with the team. He ended last season with only four sacks in seven games before sitting out due to core muscle surgery. It is a possibility that the Bengals use their franchise tag on Hendrickson, who is about to hit free agency, but it seems that some sort of sign-and-trade deal is more likely.

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G Joel Bitonio

Bitonio is still a top-caliber guard in the league, but he deserves to play for a winner before his career is over. He has played his entire 12-year career with Cleveland and has been to the playoffs only twice. Bitonio is a free agent this offseason, and he makes a lot of sense as a one-year plug-in for a playoff contender that needs an upgrade at the position. Could we interest coach Jim Harbaugh and the Chargers?

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Edge Nick Herbig

This is a different kind of call for a change of scenery. Herbig is probably happy in Pittsburgh, and he certainly is providing a lot of value for the Steelers. However, it would be really nice to see what Herbig could do as a starter somewhere — because right now, he’s stuck behind T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith as a rotational player. Herbig led the league with a 26.3% pass rush win rate in 2025, and he had 7.5 sacks, despite playing just 52% of snaps. Could he lead the league if he were starting for another team?

AFC SOUTH

C/G Juice Scruggs

Scruggs was a second-round pick in the 2023 draft but missed the first 10 games of his rookie season with a hamstring injury. He has been in and out of the lineup ever since — and has yet to reach his potential. Scruggs started most of the 2024 campaign but ranked 32nd out of 33 qualifying players for pass block win rate as a center (89.8%). His 64.3% run block win rate also was poor.

Last season, Scruggs had only one start and mostly appeared on special teams; he was a healthy scratch in one of Houston’s two playoff games. Perhaps in the final year of his rookie contract another team could figure out the skills that made him a high draft pick to begin with.

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QB Anthony Richardson Sr.

Richardson’s early performances with Indianapolis just haven’t made the grade. As a rookie in 2023, he posted a 45.0 QBR in four starts. In 2024, he registered a 47.4 QBR in 11 starts. He missed almost all of last season, first because the Colts chose to start Daniel Jones over him and later because Richardson sustained a fractured orbital bone during pregame warmups in October.

Shane Steichen was supposed to be the coach who could develop an offense around Richardson, but it hasn’t worked out. Perhaps another coach could make it work for the signal-caller.

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WR Brian Thomas Jr.

This idea would have seemed ridiculous a year ago after Thomas put up 87 catches for 1,282 yards and 10 touchdowns in his 2024 rookie campaign. But Thomas seemed to be on a completely different page from quarterback Trevor Lawrence last season, even as the rest of the Jaguars were having success around the wideout. Thomas’ production fell to 48 catches for 707 yards and two scores.

The Jaguars have Travis Hunter coming back. They signed Jakobi Meyers to an extension. And Parker Washington had a breakout second half of the 2025 season. There’s room here to trade Thomas, and his talent could fetch a high draft pick to help make up for the picks the Jags lost when they traded up for Hunter in 2025. It’s certainly something worth considering.

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CB L’Jarius Sneed

Remember when Sneed was considered one of the league’s top cornerbacks while winning two Super Bowls with the Chiefs? He got a big payday with a trade to the Titans in 2024, but his two seasons with Tennessee have not gone as planned. Sneed has played in only 12 games because of quadriceps injuries, and he has had off-field legal issues. Since 2024, he has recorded 49 total tackles and zero sacks. A fresh start with a new team might be the thing to help Sneed get back to his glory days on the gridiron.

AFC WEST

Edge Jonah Elliss

This is not an issue of a player who has not properly developed. Instead, Elliss is a talented young pass rusher who doesn’t have a path to start behind veterans Nik Bonitto and Jonathon Cooper. Last season, Elliss had a 14.1% pass rush win rate and a 12.2% pressure rate. Both numbers were above average for edge rushers, but he played only 38% of snaps in the games for which he was active.

It would be intriguing to see Elliss get a chance to start elsewhere in the league. Perhaps alongside his brother Christian with New England if K’Lavon Chaisson leaves in free agency?

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Edge Felix Anudike-Uzomah

Anudike-Uzomah has not come close to living up to his potential as a first-round pick for the Chiefs. He barely played in his rookie year in 2023 and had just 2.5 sacks with three starts in his sophomore campaign. In 2025, he missed the entire season with a hamstring injury. At best, he is fourth on the Chiefs’ depth chart, behind George Karlaftis, Mike Danna and Ashton Gillotte. With one year remaining on his rookie deal, perhaps a trade would allow Anudike-Uzomah to finally find the potential that teams saw when he came out of Kansas State.

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RB Zamir White

It just never quite worked out for White with the Raiders since they selected him in the fourth round in 2022. White had only 17 carries for 70 yards as a rookie. In 2023, he managed 104 carries for 451 yards and a touchdown but finished near the bottom of my DVOA ratings because of a lack of explosive runs. He then tallied just 65 carries in 2024 and 12 carries in 2025, with less than 3 yards per carry in both seasons. But he might be able to resuscitate his career if there’s another team looking for an early-down thumper in free agency to fill the bottom of the depth chart.

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G Zion Johnson

Johnson hasn’t lived up to his first-round potential in his four years with the Chargers. Last season, his 87.4% pass block win rate ranked 62nd out of 65 qualifying guards. There might be another coaching staff out there that knows how to get the best out of him. Johnson is still a strong run blocker, as his 79.3% run block win rate last season ranked second among guards, behind only Seattle rookie Grey Zabel.

NFC EAST

Edge Sam Williams

Williams had 8.5 combined sacks in his first two seasons without starting any games. However, he missed the entire 2024 campaign with a torn left ACL. Last season, he started five games and had one sack and 37 total tackles. By the end of 2025, Williams was playing about only 30% of the defensive snaps in each game. Williams probably could use a fresh start to help him reach the potential he showed as a second-round pick out of Ole Miss in 2022. He’ll be a free agent this offseason.

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G Evan Neal

This 2022 first-round pick has been a disappointment. Neal washed out at tackle and was supposed to move to guard; but last season, he dealt with a hamstring injury and wasn’t active for a single game. He’s almost assuredly headed to another team this offseason, and perhaps he can be useful as an interior lineman elsewhere.

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CB Michael Carter II

Carter was near the top of the league in my coverage DVOA metric as the nickelback for the 2023 Jets. He sustained injuries in 2024, and New York traded him to the Eagles in the middle of last season. However, he is kind of wasted playing behind Cooper DeJean, and Carter barely saw the field for defensive snaps after the Eagles acquired him in October. Carter might still be able to be the lead nickel for another team, but I’m guessing the Eagles would not get much for him in the trade market.

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CB Marshon Lattimore

Lattimore shined in the first half of the 2024 season before struggling with a hamstring injury. But really, nothing has gone right since the Saints dealt him to the Commanders in the middle of that campaign. Last season, the 29-year-old was one of the worst starting cornerbacks in the league with 27 tackles and one interception in nine games, before suffering a torn left ACL.

Lattimore still has one year left on his contract, but there’s no guaranteed money, so the Commanders could easily cut him with a post-June 1 designation. If he wants to continue playing in the NFL, he would be better off putting his time in Washington behind him.

NFC NORTH

OL Kiran Amegadjie

It’s a shame to get rid of a player who grew up near the Windy City, but it’s pretty clear that Amegadjie isn’t in the Bears’ plans going forward. The 2024 third-round pick likely would have been cut in last season’s training camp if not for his Day 2 draft upside. His struggles blocking in space led the Bears to start working him at guard instead of tackle. He could use a fresh start with a new organization for whom he could play guard from Day 1 and hopefully fulfill his collegiate potential as a run blocker.

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RB David Montgomery

It felt as if the Lions’ “Sonic” and “Knuckles” backfield became more of the Sonic (aka Jahmyr Gibbs, 23) show as the 2025 season went along, although Knuckles (aka Montgomery) still played plenty of snaps. Montgomery dropped only from 41% of offensive snaps in 2024 to 37% of snaps in 2025, but he also dropped from 221 touches to 182. Montgomery will turn 29 in June, and the Lions might look to save some money on the cap by moving on from him this offseason. It also might be better for his career to take a lead-back role with a different team.

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LB Quay Walker

Walker is a free agent this offseason, and there might be another team out there that could better use his skill set. He has strong physical attributes and sideline-to-sideline speed. However, he has really struggled in pass coverage, with a below-average success rate allowed in coverage over the past two seasons. Walker would be a better fit for a team that needs a two-down linebacker who doesn’t necessarily play in pass-first situations.

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QB J.J. McCarthy

This is likely never going to happen, because it would be ridiculous for the Vikings to unload a player who still has first-round upside after 10 starts. However, a fresh start for McCarthy with a different organization might be the best thing for his career. Yes, you want a young quarterback to be with an offensive mind such as Minnesota coach Kevin O’Connell for the purposes of his development. However, things went so badly for the Vikings with McCarthy last season that it might be best to get him out of the shadow of Super Bowl winner Sam Darnold.

NFC SOUTH

CB Clark Phillips III

Phillips, at 5-foot-9 with short arms, fell to the fourth round in 2023 because of size concerns. But he moved into the starting lineup for the last few games of his rookie season and acquitted himself well, with a better-than-average coverage DVOA. It was a bit of a surprise when he started only two games in 2024. Then he missed almost the entire 2025 season with a triceps injury. He’s definitely a player who needs a fresh start, although a new staff in Atlanta means that perhaps his fresh start will come without moving anywhere.

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RB Jonathon Brooks

When the Panthers selected Brooks in the second round in 2024, they knew he would miss some of his rookie year while recovering from a right ACL tear suffered in college. They did not know Brooks would tear that same ACL again after just nine NFL carries or that the second injury would cost him not only the end of the 2024 season but the entirety of the 2025 campaign. Now, Brooks has to face the question of whether there is room for him in the Carolina backfield. Rico Dowdle is a free agent. But even if Dowdle doesn’t re-sign, the Panthers still have Chuba Hubbard and Trevor Etienne. Brooks might need to go elsewhere to finally get his NFL shot.

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QB Spencer Rattler

With a number of teams looking to make a change at quarterback, ESPN’s Ben Solak has suggested Rattler as an option for a starting job somewhere next season. The Saints have clearly committed to Tyler Shough as their starter now. But Rattler had a very respectable 50.1 QBR in eight starts in 2025, which actually was higher than Shough’s 48.8. Rattler has strong physical tools, but he also showed a better grasp of the mental aspects of the position last season.

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Edge Chris Braswell

The Bucs selected Braswell with the No. 57 pick in 2024, and the linebacker out of Alabama was supposed to be a talented pass rusher with good burst and a variety of pass-rushing moves. However, Braswell hasn’t had much time on the field to show off those moves. He has never started a game in the NFL and has just 2.5 career sacks.

Last season, he played less than 25% of defensive snaps in 11 contests and more than 50% of defensive snaps in just one game. The likely departure of Haason Reddick in free agency might open up a starting spot for Braswell, but it is more likely that Braswell needs to go to a new team with a new coaching staff in order to get his chance to finally reach his NFL potential.

NFC WEST

QB Kyler Murray

As Adam Schefter has reported, the Cardinals are actively looking for a trade partner who will take Murray’s substantial contract. Murray was a star for his first couple of seasons in the desert, but he has struggled since the 2022 campaign, after which coach Kliff Kingsbury was fired and took his shotgun-heavy offense with him. Although Murray did manage to put up a better QBR (46.7) than Jacoby Brissett (41.1) last season, it seemed clear Brissett was a better match for Drew Petzing’s offensive scheme.

Petzing is gone now, and it’s going to be new coach Mike LaFleur’s scheme instead. But it’s hard to see Murray thriving if LaFleur wants to run the heavy play-action, under-center type of offense associated with his previous tenure with the Rams.

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CB Darious Williams

The eight-year veteran was a useful part of the Rams’ defense in 2025, even though he started just three games. Williams ranked high in my coverage DVOA metric and allowed just 6.4 yards per target. However, he is going to be 33 next month and doesn’t have any guaranteed money remaining on his contract. It would be easy for the Rams to go another direction in the secondary, leaving Williams to find another job elsewhere.

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WR Brandon Aiyuk

Is it cheating to list Aiyuk for the 49ers? He has basically left the team already. General manager John Lynch has publicly said that Aiyuk has played his last snap for San Francisco. Aiyuk has fought with the Niners over everything from his contract details to whether he wears the right shorts on the practice field.

He is still a talented wideout, although his numbers fell substantially in 2024 with just 374 receiving yards. Aiyuk didn’t play last season, but he led the league in receiving DVOA not so long ago, with 75 receptions for 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns in 2023. It will be interesting to see if he can return to something close to that glory with another team in 2026.

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CB Riq Woolen

The situation between the Seahawks and Woolen was a bit weird all last season, although it’s easy for a Super Bowl title to cover up any awkwardness. The Seahawks benched him briefly a couple of times, and he was out of the starting lineup for the second half of the season, even though he was still playing about two-thirds of defensive snaps.

Woolen ranked a surprising 12th in my coverage DVOA metric in 2025, allowing just 5.6 yards per target. But at the same time, he can be hard to trust when he has small meltdowns like the one in the NFC Championship Game, during which he drew a taunting penalty then gave up a touchdown. If another team wants to pay Woolen starting cornerback money, the Seahawks are probably fine with that.

Everything appeared to be falling into place for Barcelona in their quest to retain their LaLiga crown this season. Bitter rivals Real Madrid underperformed for much of the first half the season, to the point where they fired coach Xabi Alonso last month, and Atlético Madrid failed to take advantage and mount their own title challenge.

But in the past week, Barça suffered a 4-0 thrashing at Atlético that has all but dumped them out of the Copa del Rey, and Monday’s shocking 2-1 loss at Catalan neighbors Girona allowed Real to go two points clear at the top of the league.

It’s clear that Hansi Flick’s side cannot always rely on young star Lamine Yamal, but their financial difficulties are well-known and mean they have to clearly prioritize which areas they most need to strengthen, and where they can make room in their squad.

ESPN Barcelona correspondents Sam Marsden and Moisés Llorens answer the key transfer questions that Barça must face when the window reopens in the summer.

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– Real Madrid transfer questions: What to do about Vini Jr., Bellingham?
– Make or break? Lose UCL playoff and Simeone’s Atlético reign could end
– Why every team left will and won’t win the Champions League

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Barça have been looking at Julián Álvarez and Dusan Vlahovic, among others, in their search for a new striker. Who should they sign?

Marsden: Barça should sign a Kylian Mbappé or a Harry Kane, but they also should sign a center back, a fullback and a holding midfielder, probably another winger as well, so where will they streamline their spending? I would lean toward a center back.

But if it’s a striker, Álvarez is well-liked within the club’s hierarchy. However, his recent form — no goals in 11 games before scoring against Barça last week — has raised doubts. Also, the fee Atlético would want for him is prohibitive — Barça sources have told ESPN they want well over €100 million. There is also no guarantee he would score more than Ferran Torres, who actually has five more league goals than Álvarez this season in 300 fewer minutes.

In that sense, Vlahovic could work as a free shot considering he will be out of contract this summer at Juventus, even if he would not excite supporters. Given how the market is and how much can change, I would advise Barça to sit tight for now and prioritize other areas until they can afford a proper investment in a striker.

Llorens: Without any doubt, Barça should go for Álvarez if they can. He is a player the club have followed for a long time now. They have more than 15 different reports recommending his signing throughout the course of his career, and his style of play fits perfectly with what coach Hansi Flick wants from his forwards. Barça would be able to satisfy his desire to compete for every trophy up for grabs, something he was used to at Manchester City.

Regardless of who comes in, should they give Robert Lewandowski a new contract anyway?

Llorens: I would not renew him. I think, as a player who turns 38 in August, his time at the club has passed. The club may well decide to prolong his deal on a much lower salary, but for me, it’s time to move on.

Marsden: First, let me say Lewandowski, arriving at the age of 33 in 2022, has been a brilliant signing for Barcelona. With 114 goals in 177 games, he’s just six away from breaking into the top 10 of the club’s all-time leading scorers.

However, he’s already taking on a more secondary role this season, rotating with Torres, if not quite definitively second-choice to him yet, and commands a huge salary. Even if he is willing to halve that, is he worth that money if he’s not the No.9 starting every week?

His experience and work ethic have been important, even exemplary, for the younger players coming through in recent years, but it’s in the best interests of the player and the club to part ways this summer. Barça could do a lot with that salary space and Lewandowski can headline a new project somewhere else as his career winds down.

Should Barça make Marcus Rashford‘s loan signing permanent, or is there another winger they should go for instead?

Marsden: With 10 goals and 13 assists in 34 appearances, he has done well on his loan from Manchester United since arriving. But as Flick said recently, it’s not just about the numbers. He has called for Rashford to exploit his potential even more. He has also previously spoken about getting him up to speed with his work off the ball. They are perhaps two of the reasons why, since the return of Raphinha from injury at the end of November, the England forward has largely been used as an impact substitute.

Therefore, it is hard to make a call on whether to bring him in on a permanent basis. At €30m in today’s market, it seems like a no-brainer, and he seems happy being in and out of the team with the focus on others to deliver. However, you also have to factor in his wages: unless he accepts a significant cut, his salary would make him one of the highest-paid players at Barça.

The final decision will be made toward the end of the season, based on how he does until then, the money Barça have available, the other options they have and the priorities they have when it comes to strengthening their squad. At the moment, club sources suggest it’s more likely to happen than not, but I would lean towards investing elsewhere.

Llorens: I would assess the other options before deciding whether to sign Rashford. I think his performances have been good and he’s adapted well to the team, the club and to life in Catalonia, but €30m is a lot of money for Barça to spend if they are not 100% sure.

There are low-cost alternatives to consider. For example, Jan Virgili is a young winger Barça transferred to Mallorca last summer with an option to re-sign him. He could be a good player to come in and take on that role on the left wing when Raphinha is unavailable. He delivered a good first half when Barça hosted Mallorca earlier this month, although it’s true his numbers and ball-striking ability are nowhere near Rashford at this point.

Do they still need another center back to cover for the loss of Iñigo Martínez? If so, who?

Llorens: Which players leave Barcelona this summer will be key to determining if another central defender is signed ahead of next season. Gerard Martín‘s long-term future at the club is not guaranteed, Andreas Christensen is out of contract and we will see what happens with Ronald Araújo, who recently returned from a leave of absence to focus on his mental health.

Pau Cubarsí and Eric García have shown promising signs as a partnership at the back in recent weeks, but if there is space in the squad and money available, Inter Milan‘s Alessandro Bastoni is a player with a huge reputation who could fit straight in. He would be a smart addition to any top-level European side with Champions League aspirations.

Marsden: Absolutely. If there is money available, this is where I would invest. I don’t want to say all of Barça’s problems are down to the back four, because they have been exposed by the midfield at times and let down by the team’s pressing, but a new center back would improve this side.

Cubarsí’s form has been inconsistent and that’s because too much weight has been placed on his 19-year-old shoulders. He is still learning the game and would benefit massively from having an experienced head alongside him, as was the case with Martínez last year. A partnership with García could yet blossom, but it’s not a top-level pairing for me.

But who should Barça bring in? Again, it all comes down to money — or a lack of it. Bastoni would be my dream signing, too, but that is nigh-on-impossible. Borussia Dortmund‘s Nico Schlotterbeck and Tottenham Hotspur‘s Micky van de Ven are among others to be linked, but sporting director Deco may have to do his shopping in other markets, targeting players whose contracts are expiring, like AFC Bournemouth‘s Marcos Senesi or even Liverpool‘s Ibrahima Konaté.

Will Barça go for a new fullback in the summer, or is there a chance that João Cancelo will stay?

Marsden: There is a chance Cancelo stays, but it’s not likely at the moment. Let’s see how the rest of the season pans out. Barça do need full-back depth, though. Jules Koundé has been backed up by García, who is mainly used as a center back, at right back. On the left, Alejandro Balde‘s only competition, meanwhile, is the inexperienced Martín.

Needing a full-back is nothing new. Deco has been trawling the market for several transfer windows now, but with Koundé and Balde both doing relatively well, it’s never been an absolute priority. The ideal signing would be someone young, able to play either side of the backline, and with the potential to become a long-term starter in the team. Whether that player exists or not is another matter.

Llorens: Cancelo’s performance levels have not been the best sign he rejoined in January, although the role his agent, Jorge Mendes, will play in his future could be key. Barça have Koundé and García as options on the right, while youngster Jofre Torrents is pushing for more chances on the left behind Balde. Keeping in mind García’s versatility, the club’s finances will dictate whether or not they move for a full-back this summer.

Who are the next players from La Masia who could be promoted to the first-team squad?

Llorens: Various players from the academy are already capable of making up the numbers in the first-team squad, but it would help tremendously if the reserve team can gain promotion this season back into the third tier of Spanish football. Of those currently on the cusp of the first team, the Fernández cousins, Toni and Guille, and winger Dani Rodríguez, who is currently injured, have serious chances of making a name for themselves at the club.

Marsden: While gaps have opened up for youngsters in recent seasons, the feeling at the club is that with a more established squad now in place, it’s going to be harder for academy graduates to get minutes moving forward. That was one of the reasons behind Dro Fernández‘s decision to join Paris Saint-Germain in January.

That said, Flick is still filling out training sessions with players from the youth teams. Midfielder Tommy Marqués is the latest La Masia product to get a full debut under the German coach, while Toni Fernández, Torrents and Juan Hernández are all in and around the senior side as well.

Xavi Espart, Landry Farre, Sama Nomoko and Ebrima Tunkara, still just 15, are other players to keep an eye on, although Espart, Farre and Nomoko have all had bad luck with injuries this season.

Barça always need to raise money. Are there any regular first-team players who could be transferred out to generate cash?

Marsden: Let Lewandowski and Christensen leave as their contracts expire, generating salary space, and then also look to move on goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen. Money could also be saved by not renewing Cancelo’s loan or signing Rashford. From there, I would listen to any offers for Martín or Marc Casadó, two squad players who, for me, will never have the quality to hold down a regular first-team berth at Barça.

From there, the decisions become harder. Torres’ deal is up in 2027 so if no agreement is incoming, it could also be time to cash in on the former Manchester City forward. Then, it becomes a question of what could Barça do with any money raised from transfers. If there is a case to be made for strengthening the team by listening to offers for Araújo, Koundé, Frenkie de Jong, Dani Olmo and Fermín López, then it’s something which should be looked at.

Llorens: We have to see how the season ends, but players like Martín and Casadó could be transferred out this summer. Everything is still up in the air at the moment, though.

Well, the first legs of the UEFA Champions League knockout playoffs are in the books, and we have a lot to review! From Real Madrid narrowly winning at Benfica (led by former Real boss Jose Mourinho), to Bodo/Glimt stunning Internazionale in the Arctic Circle and even holders Paris Saint-Germain rallying from 2-0 down to win 3-2 at fellow Ligue 1 side AS Monaco, we’ve seen it all. Oh, and how about Galatasaray scoring five against Juventus and Newcastle United hitting six at FK Qarabag?

So, following a raucous set of first legs this week, ESPN FC writers Mark Ogden, Sam Tighe, Beth Lindop and Sam Marsden weigh in on the action so far and what’s still to come.

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– Champions League recap: Bodø/Glimt stun Inter with famous win
– Real Madrid learned lesson from Champions League loss to Benfica
– Why every remaining team will, won’t win UEFA Champions League

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Q1. Paris Saint-Germain had to come from 2-0 down to win the first leg at Monaco, with Désiré Doué coming off the bench to turn the tie around. Is the fatigue from last season’s UEFA Champions League title and deep run to last summer’s Club World Cup final about to catch up with them?

Sam Tighe: I am not remotely surprised that any club that went deep into last summer’s Club World Cup looks incoherent or racked with injuries. In PSG’s case, it’s both. Three weeks between “seasons” is not sufficient, so these players are undoubtedly struggling both physically and psychologically.

This time last year, Les Parisiens were in the middle of beating Brest 10-0 on aggregate in the Champions League playoffs. They began to hum, striking fear into the watching world in the process. A year on, things feel so different that Ousmane Dembélé recently called out his teammates by suggesting they were putting themselves ahead of the club, rather than the club first (like last season). There are other key changes too: Defensive leader Marquinhos‘ level has notably dropped, while they’ve gone from calling upon one of the world’s finest, game-breaking shot-stoppers in Gianluigi Donnarumma (who left for Manchester City) to a grim choice between two under-performers, Lucas Chevalier and Matvey Safonov.

It really does not feel like last year, it really doesn’t seem like they’re about to hit an imperious stride, but I suppose in this sport, you never know…

Beth Lindop: It’s not so long ago that it was hard to see anyone beating PSG. After a bumpy start to last season, Luis Enrique’s side really hit their stride after the turn of the year. They have a lot of supremely talented players so you can’t totally write them off and they showed great fight to come back against Monaco. That said, they don’t quite look like the force they once were and, as Sam pointed out, you can hardly blame them considering the workload they had to shoulder over the summer.

They look more like a team of individuals rather than the well-oiled machine they were by the end last season. But that individual quality could still win the day.

Mark Ogden: PSG have an unexpected problem this season — they are locked in a tight three-way battle for the Ligue Un title with leaders Lens and Lyon, so they don’t have the luxury of being able to coast domestically and focus on the Champions League as they did last season. So every game matters and that reality, compounded by the lack of rest for Luis Enrique’s players last summer, is definitely having an adverse effect on results and performances.

But don’t rule PSG out. They showed their quality by overturning a 2-0 deficit against Monaco and they can beat any team in Europe on their day. I think it will be tough for them to win the Champions League again this season, especially with Chelsea or Barcelona up next in the round of 16, but the experience of winning last year means they know how to do it again.

Sam Marsden: I have to admit I am wobbling on PSG for all the reasons mentioned above, but I am still backing them to deliver when it matters. It’s true that tiredness, injuries and a tight title race are pushing them to the limit at the moment, but when their backs are to the wall, I still think they can deliver.

As Mark says, at 2-0 down against Monaco, and especially after losing Ballon d’Or winner Dembélé to injury, things looked bleak, but they showed their quality and their depth. This time it was Doue, on for the injured Dembélé, who won the match for them, but next time it could just as easily be Khvicha Kvaratskhelia or Bradley Barcola. I am always going to back a Luis Enrique team, too.

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Q2. Real Madrid had a wobbly and dramatic road win on Tuesday, marred by allegations of racial abuse towards Vinicius Jr., but they carry a narrow lead into next week’s second leg. Can Álvaro Arbeloa join some illustrious coaches who have taken over a big club in midseason and lead them to Champions League glory?

Ogden: Absolutely, because it’s all about the players in the Champions League. A top coach is important, but some pretty unremarkable coaches have won it or taken a team to the final, and Arbeloa has plenty of star players to take Real all the way in spite of him as a coach, rather than because of him. Zinedine Zidane and Thomas Tuchel are the elite names who have taken a job mid-season and ended up winning the Champions League, but Roberto di Matteo won it with Chelsea in 2012 and Avram Grant (Chelsea, 2008) and Edin Terzic (Borussia Dortmund, 2023) took their sides to a final, so Arbeloa wouldn’t be an outlier if he won it with Real.

But let’s be honest. If you have Kylian Mbappé, Vinícius Júnior, Jude Bellingham, Federico Valverde, Thibaut Courtois, Trent Alexander-Arnold — need I go on? — in your team, you can win the Champions League. As long as the coach doesn’t over-complicate things with tactical demands or selection eccentricities, the best players always have a chance. And Real are stacked with world-class players.

Lindop: I agree with Mark. As much as Real Madrid (by their own lofty standards) have had a pretty unremarkable season so far, you can never count them out when it gets to the Champions League knockouts. More than any other club, Real have a special relationship with this competition and they have so many match winners within their squad. Arbeloa seems to have brought a sense of togetherness to the team and the return of Trent could also be key to helping the team tick.

You’d definitely fancy them to get the job done in the second leg against Benfica and then it’s all down to who they’re drawn against in the last 16.

Marsden: While I agree with Mark and Beth — Real Madrid in the Champions League is such a thing — I don’t think either of the Clásico teams, to throw Barcelona into the mix as well, are good enough to win the competition this season. Of course I would still have them in the bracket of teams just behind the favorites — the likes of Arsenal, Bayern Munich and still, for me, PSG — and it wouldn’t be a surprise with a favorable draw and upturn in form if either side made the final, but they both look so vulnerable at times.

That said, Madrid actually looked improved in midfield against Benfica, which is where I would say they are weakest. Arbeloa’s use of Aurélien Tchouaméni, Eduardo Camavinga, Valverde and Arda Güler worked well, allowing more freedom for Mbappé and Vinícius in attack. It may be difficult to maintain that balance when Bellingham returns, though.

Tighe: I think I stand with (the other) Sam here.

I cannot dispute that this Real Madrid side have the quality — particularly up front and between the sticks — to win this tournament and their special relationship with it increases the allure. And yet for some reason, I absolutely cannot picture it.

Perhaps it’s because I’ve seen them play so poorly too often this season. Perhaps it’s because I place more of an importance on the manager than, say, Mark does, and Arbeloa is a genuine rookie. Whatever it is, it’s gnawing at me, and when predicting something as wild and random as a Champions League winner, you have to trust your gut. My gut says no.

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Q3. Which team of those that lost this week is most likely to turn around a first leg deficit?

Ogden: I think there is still some life in the Atalanta-Borussia Dortmund tie. A 2-0 lead obviously makes Dortmund the favorites, but they weren’t great away from home in the League Phase and an early goal in Bergamo could give Atalanta the edge. I’d give Atalanta slightly more hope than Inter Milan, who have a 3-1 deficit against Bodø/Glimt.

Inter have the atmosphere of a packed San Siro to drive them on, but Bodo have now beaten Inter, Atlético Madrid and Manchester City in successive Champions League games, so they will go to Milan with confidence from that run. I just don’t see Dortmund having the same self-belief — this is a team was well beaten away to Tottenham Hotspur — so I’m backing Atalanta to turn the tie around and win the second leg.

Tighe: As thrilling as the Bodø/Glimt story is, and as good as they were in their 3-1 win over Inter on Wednesday night, I just wonder…is a two-goal lead enough? After all, while Glimt were razor sharp in attack here — just as they were when they beat Manchester City at home in the league phase — their goal frame lived a charmed life. Both Matteo Darmian and Lautaro Martínez hit it as they sought the lead, only for the Norwegians to then deliver two quick sucker punches in response.

And as Mark suggests, the playing field will be rather different next week — quite literally. No plastic pitch, no heaps of snow on the sidelines; instead, a raucous San Siro to cheer on last year’s finalists. It’s important to note that Bodø/Glimt are not solely reliant on home results — they lost just once on the road during the league phase, and beat Atlético Madrid in Spain! — but this remains a tall task.

Lindop: I mean, Qarabag could always surprise us! On a serious note, though, I’m going to opt for Atalanta. Borussia Dortmund’s 2-0 lead might seem commanding on paper, but the German side are a little bit unpredictable and Atalanta can cause plenty of problems for teams, particularly at home.

Inter could pull off a turnaround too, buoyed by the brilliance of the San Siro. However, I did dub them my biggest disappointment of the group stage, and Wednesday night’s result hasn’t done an awful lot to change that.

Marsden: Firstly, a great result for Bodø/Glimt again. I think we need to give their run of results some real credit. They have now beaten, in Europe, Manchester City, Atlético Madrid and Inter in consecutive games. So while my first thought was to go for Inter as the most likely to turn the tie around, I am going to back the Norwegian side to see the tie out — although it won’t be easy at the San Siro.

The other Italian teams with home advantage — Juventus and Atalanta — are also long shots to produce comebacks, but what about this instead: no side who lost the first leg will make it through to the last 16.

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Q4. Which performance (player or team) impressed you most in the first legs?

Ogden: It has to be Anthony Gordon. If you score four goals in a Champions League game, then you deserve your flowers.

The Newcastle forward joins an elite group of players who have done it, including Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Ruud van Nistelrooy, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Andriy Shevchenko, Marco van Basten and Roberto Lewandowski — anyone who adds their name to that list of stars merits all the praise that comes his way. And while Gordon is the individual star of this week, you have to give credit to Newcastle as a team for getting a huge, and decisive result, in Azerbaijan. Chelsea drew away to Qarabag and Eintracht Frankfurt lost in Baku, so this was a tough trip for Eddie Howe’s side and they made it look easy.

Lindop: It has to be Gordon for me, too. The Newcastle forward has had a pretty indifferent couple of years after his eye-catching form saw him tipped for a £70 million move to Liverpool in the summer of 2024. He hasn’t scored enough goals for Newcastle over the past two seasons, but he more than made up for it on Wednesday night.

He’s still very much capable of turning in scene-stealing displays and, at 24, he still has the potential to get even better. With the World Cup just a few months away, his return to form is no bad thing for both club and country.

Marsden: It’s hard to disagree with Gordon. What a Champions League campaign he’s having.

However, given he’s had a lot of praise here already, let’s chuck some honorable mentions out there: PSG’s Doué for his game-winning performance of the bench, Madrid’s Vinícius for his stunning strike on a difficult night in Lisbon, Bodø/Glimt for another remarkable win, and Club Brugge for a fine attacking display in their 3-3 draw with Atlético Madrid that probably should have ended in a win.

Tighe: OK, Gordon’s had enough praise. Let’s spotlight a guy who got three goal contributions on Wednesday on a famous night for his club: Kasper Høgh of Bodø/Glimt.

He’s showcased a remarkable finishing pedigree over the last two seasons, but can we take a moment to appreciate his link-up and creative play too? The Dane scored, but also teed up two goals here, one of which was absolutely exceptional. The reason Glimt are so good to watch going forward is that they attack the center of the pitch better than almost anyone.

Rather than turn to wide combinations and crosses, they work beautiful combinations in tight spots just outside the penalty box, somehow creating space for a shot that shouldn’t be there. Høgh is both integral to creating this space and finishing these chances. He’s having an incredible Champions League campaign.

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — The San Francisco 49ers‘ international travel in 2026 will not only take them Down Under to Australia but also to Mexico City.

The NFL announced Wednesday that the Niners will be the home team for a regular-season game at Estadio Banorte in Mexico City next season. At his pre-Super Bowl news conference, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said the game will take place in December. The date, kickoff time and opponent will be announced when the full NFL schedule is released in the spring.

“We’re delighted to host the San Francisco 49ers once again in Mexico City for the 2026 NFL Mexico game,” NFL Mexico director general Arturo Olive said in a statement. “We look forward to being back in a country that plays such a meaningful role in the growth of our game.”

San Francisco will give up a home game to play internationally. The 49ers last played in Mexico City in 2022, a 38-10 win against the Arizona Cardinals, and played there in 2005.

The Niners have international marketing rights in Mexico City along with the Cardinals, Dallas Cowboys, Las Vegas Raiders, Denver Broncos, Houston Texans, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Rams, Miami Dolphins and Pittsburgh Steelers. While the NFL doesn’t have to schedule an opponent that also has marketing rights in Mexico City, the Niners are set to host the Raiders, Broncos, Dolphins, Rams and Cardinals in 2026.

“We are thrilled to return to Mexico and play in front of one of the most passionate fan bases in the league,” Niners CEO Al Guido said. “After two unforgettable experiences in 2005 and 2022 in Mexico City, we’re excited to reunite with the Mexico faithful and look forward to the energy the local fans will bring in creating a true home-field advantage for our team abroad.”

For the 49ers, December’s trip to Mexico means they will have two international games in the same regular season for the first time in franchise history. They will face the Rams at Australia’s Melbourne Cricket Ground, a game the league announced during Super Bowl week.

The Mexico City game will be played at the newly renovated Estadio Banorte, formerly known as Estadio Azteca and the same place the Niners met the Cardinals in 2022. Before that game, the 49ers spent a week in Colorado Springs, Colorado, to help acclimate to the altitude in Mexico City.

The NFL has also had games at Estadio Banorte in 2016, 2017 and 2019. There are plans for games to be played there in 2027 and 2028.

The Mexico City game is one of a league-record nine international contests slated for 2026. In addition to Mexico City and Melbourne, the league also has scheduled games in Paris, Munich, Madrid, Rio de Janeiro and three in London.

Carlos Alcaraz reached the quarter-finals at the Qatar Open with a straight-sets victory over Valentin Royer.

The world No 1, in his first tournament since completing the career Grand Slam at the Australian Open, clinched the first set 6-2 but had to weather a second-set fightback from his French opponent before progressing 7-5.

The victory saw Alcaraz extend his outdoor hard-court winning streak to 27 matches.

“I had to be prepared for everything,” Alcaraz said on Sky Sports Tennis.

“There were some moments where a small part of my mind thought about a third set, but the rest was working to find solutions.

“I’m really pleased and happy to find good rhythm and tennis again.”

Alcaraz progresses through to a 55th ATP Tour quarter-final and will play Russian Karen Khachanov, who overcame Hungarian Marton Fucsovics 6-2 4-6 6-4 in the second round.

“It’s a great number,” the 22-year-old added. “I’m not thinking of the number of quarter-finals, I think about the number of finals, that’s my mindset and goal.”

Sinner into Qatar quarters

Second seed Jannik Sinner defeated Australia’s Alexei Popyrin in straight sets to book his place in the quarter-finals.

The Italian made light work of his opponent, prevailing 6-3 7-5 in one hour and 25 minutes to set up a last-eight tie against Jakub Mensik of Czechia.

Watch the ATP and WTA Tours, live on Sky Sports or stream with NOW and the Sky Sports app, giving Sky Sports customers access to over 50 per cent more live sport this year at no extra cost. Find out more here.

Oregon left tackle Isaiah World suffered a torn ACL in his left knee during the Ducks’ loss to Indiana in the College Football Playoff and will not attend the NFL draft combine, a source confirmed to ESPN on Wednesday.

World, listed at 6-foot-8, 318 pounds, was just outside Mel Kiper Jr.’s latest list of top 10 draft eligible offensive tackles. He missed the second half of Oregon’s 56-22 loss to No. 1 Indiana in the CFP semifinal at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl on Jan. 9.

He was one of nine players from Oregon’s 13-win team to receive invitations to the combine, which runs Feb. 23 through March 2 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. World transferred to Oregon from Nevada, where he started all 13 games and finished the 2024 season with an 82.3 pass blocking grade from Pro Football Focus.

He was a second-team All-Big Ten selection among media members in his only season with the Ducks.

World’s injury was first reported by The Athletic.