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Manny Machado got straight to business during the San Diego Padres' spring training opener on Friday.

Machado took the first pitch he saw deep over the center field wall for a two-run homer off Seattle Mariners left-handed pitcher Jhonathan Díaz.

Machado was pulled after his second at bat Friday. The first-inning home run was his only hit of the day, but it got the Padres' offense started in their first Cactus League game this spring.

The home run ball flew 428 feet, deep beyond the center-field wall at Peoria Stadium in Peoria, Ariz. Machado's next opportunity to enter the lineup comes Saturday when the Padres play at home against the Athletics. The Padres open the regular season at home March 27 against the Atlanta Braves.

Last season, Machado slashed .275/.325/.472 with 29 homers and 105 RBIs. In the postseason, the Padres lost to the eventual World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers 3-2 in the National League Division Series. The Dodgers held Machado hitless in the last two games of the series, where L.A. blanked San Diego in both games to advance.

Now, if the start to spring training is any indicator, Machado seems to be out for a vengeance.

Lamine Yamal believes that "special nights" are coming ahead of Barcelona's long-awaited return to Camp Nou. The teenager has become a Blaugrana sensation in recent years and he has done that while barely playing at the Catalan outfit's iconic stadium. But the countdown to being back at their hallowed home ground has very much begun, and the Spaniard is clearly very excited.

• Yamal excited for Camp Nou return

  In May 2023, Barcelona said goodbye to Camp Nou as the stadium began a huge redevelopment initiative. After many delays and some controversies involving workers, the giant ground is preparing for a staggered reopening later this month. The defending La Liga champions have been given the light by the local council to host around 23,000 fans when competitive games return to this venue, which has already seen 23,000 supporters watch an open training session earlier this month. Incidentally, Yamal has played just a handful of times at Camp Nou after making his first-team Barca debut in April 2023. Now, the 18-year-old has taken to social media to express his delight about playing at this famous stadium.

  In an Instagram story, he wrote: "Special nights are coming," before zooming in on Camp Nou with his phone camera.

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  When will Barcelona play at Camp Nou again?

  For much of the past two years, while the Camp Nou works have gone on, Barcelona have played at Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys, which holds upwards of 50,000 fans. Reports suggest that Barca are waiting for a 1B license to be granted to them, which will allow them to open up another stand and host 45,401 supporters at Camp Nou. Now, Barcelona executive Joan Sentelles says he is hopeful they can play at their iconic home, with its reduced capacity of under 30,000, against Athletic Club on November 22 in La Liga.

  He told Esport3: "Our goal is to have it ready in time for the match against Athletic Club. As soon as we obtain the 1B license, we’ll open the Lateral Stand, which will already give us a capacity similar to the Olympic Stadium. At that point, it wouldn’t make sense to continue playing there – all our matches will be here."

  Sentelles added that they hope to nearly triple their current limit by the end of 2025.

  "The goal is to have the entire stadium open to 62,000 spectators before the end of the year," he revealed.

• Yamal an injury concern

  While it will be an emotional return to Camp Nou for Barcelona players and fans alike, there is no guarantee that Yamal will line up for this upcoming fixture. The youngster has been suffering with a groin problem known as pubalgia, something he has played through for club and country for a while now. There has been a war of words between Barca boss Hansi Flick and Spain manager Luis de la Fuente over Yamal's playing time, with the former concerned about him being overplayed. Moreover, in the past week, the Spanish Football Association (RFEF) expressed its "surprise and dismay" at seeing Yamal undergo an "invasive procedure" that led to his withdrawal from the latest La Roja squad. 

  After he was released from the national squad ahead of World Cup qualifiers against Georgia and Turkey, the RFEF said: "The Medical Services of the RFEF wish to express their surprise and discomfort after learning at 13:47 on Monday, November 10, the day of the start of the official training camp with the national team, that player Lamine Yamal had undergone an invasive radiofrequency procedure for the treatment of his pubic discomfort that same morning. This procedure was carried out without prior communication to the medical staff of the National Team, with knowledge of the details only through a report received at 22:40 last night, which indicated the medical recommendation of rest for 7-10 days. Given this situation, and prioritising at all times the health, safety and well-being of the player, the Royal Spanish Football Federation has made the decision to release the athlete from the current call-up. We are confident that he will recover well and wish him a speedy and full recovery."

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  What comes next for Yamal and Barcelona?

  Meanwhile, De la Fuente said Yamal was "very sad" to not take part in these games for his country.

  "Lamine is sad. He’s a player deeply committed to the national team and very well-liked," he said. "He left very sad; he was looking forward to playing these matches. He wants to have a great season with his club, and he also has the Finalissima and the World Cup etched in his memory. He’s the one who suffers the most. He always wants to come. He left sad and hurt. Anyone who says otherwise is lying or has bad intentions. I spoke with him. When we received the report last night, we let him rest. We went to his room and I spoke with him. I told him it was the first news he'd heard from the national team; I don't know if he had any information about Barcelona. He was incredibly sad and hurt. He was fine when he arrived. We didn't know anything until last night."

  When the international break ends, Barcelona take on Athletic Club, Chelsea, and Alaves in the space of a week to round off the month. It is hoped that Yamal will feature in those encounters despite his ongoing pubalgia issues.

Everton spent a bucketload this summer. With so many departures, David Moyes knew he needed to get it right, bringing in players not just to add depth and stability but to provide the Blues fanbase with a new breed of football.

And the Scotsman appears to have got it right, with Everton competitive across the early weeks of the Premier League campaign and enjoying the flair and creativity of Jack Grealish and Iliman Ndiaye on the flanks.

But the crux of the club’s ongoing struggles for true fluency in the final third stems from their wastefulness and lack of authority in the final third, with the strikers flattering to deceive.

Why Everton's strikers are struggling

This summer, Everton waved goodbye to long-time frontman Dominic Calvert-Lewin. He left at the end of his contract and then signed for Leeds United. Letting him go was the right move.

Replacing the striker is Thierno Barry, who arrived from Villarreal for £27m. Powerful and progressive, the 23-year-old is also raw and lacks bite. As per Sofascore, he has missed two big chances in the Premier League, playing eight times and starting twice. He has not scored.

A shred of understanding can be taken from this; he’s a stranger in a strange land, after all, and must adapt to the pace and climate of the division.

However, Beto’s unconvincing performances are more concerning. The Bissau Guinean had enjoyed a rich run of form after Moyes replaced Sean Dyche in January.

The goals have since dried up and he is struggling at number nine, having converted one of his four big chances in the top flight this term and altogether struggling to produce strong showing around the goal.

It’s increasingly likely that the coffers will be opened in 2026, but the Friedkin Group may actually save millions through the promotion of an academy star who has caught the eye while out on loan.

The academy star who could replace Beto

Should Beto fail to recover his form in front of goal, Moyes will surely turn toward the transfer market. However, Martin Sherif is currently on the up, having made a promising start to life on loan with Rotherham.

Born in Liberia, Sherif is a Netherlands youth international, having been schooled with the Almere City academy before moving to Everton in 2019.

The teenager has scored twice across just three starts, averaging 4.8 successful duels and 1.5 tackles per game. This speaks of a tenacity to his play which could be perfect in Moyes’ system.

Everton need only look back at Anthony Gordon’s foundational loan spell with Preston North End in the Championship to be reminded of the value that can be found in allowing a talent like Sherif to foster his qualities.

But Sherif is more than just what his direct involvements will tell you. After all, producer Chris Fountain has marvelled at Rotherham’s “absolute menace” this season, clearly boasting the brawn and bite to see him take the baton from Beto.

Moyes would not want to see a fast-rising Sherif sold in the same manner as Gordon, who left for Newcastle United for £45m in January 2023, but there’s an inevitability about interest in the young goalscorer, especially if he overcomes his current injury setback and sees out a prolific campaign in League One.

It’s important not to blow caution to the wind when profiling up-and-coming talents, and while Everton have cherished a number of graduates over the years, so too have there been many false dawns.

But Sherif has the physicality and sharpness in front of goal to test the waters on the banks of the Hill Dickinson over the coming years, and, with Barry young and anticipated to improve, it might just spell the end of Beto’s Everton career.

Not Keane: Moyes can fix Branthwaite blow by unleashing Everton "revelation"

Everton’s star centre-back has suffered a complication in his injury recovery.

By
Angus Sinclair

Oct 21, 2025

The Los Angeles Dodgers beat the New York Mets, 8-0, on Wednesday night as they took a 2-1 lead in the National League Championship Series. Shohei Ohtani went 1-for-4, but that one hit was a three-run shot that effectively put the game away for the Dodgers.

That home run was awesome, as are all of his home runs. There's just a sound that the ball makes when it touches his bat that is one of the best sounds in all of sports. It is violence and power and skill and it looks completely effortless. There's not much cooler than Ohtani hitting a home run.

Of course, he doesn't always look cool. On the opposite end of the spectrum is his previous at-bat in the sixth inning. Ohtani would strike out on three pitches. He fouled the first two off and one bounced up and hit him right in the cup.

No one looks cool getting hit in the groin with a ball. It doesn't matter how many home runs you hit. Once a ball hits you back, there's nothing you can do to look cool until your next at-bat.

Who's hot, who's not? GOAL ranks all 14 teams across the National Women's Soccer League

Matchday 26, the last of the regular season, featured the North Carolina Courage and Racing Louisville competing for the eighth and final playoff spot – with Louisville beating Bay FC to claim it. Elsewhere across a densely-packed table, five teams competed for two remaining spots in the top four, and home-field playoff advantage.

INDIVISA presents the final 2025 NWSL regular season Power Rankings.

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  14Chicago Stars

  Prior Ranking: 14

  Result: Beat Angel City 2-1

  Ramifications: With their season long over, Chicago collected their third victory in their final match. Ally Schlegel scored a 98th-minute game-winning goal to seal it, as the Stars finished the 2025 season level on 20 points with Bay FC. It’s not making the playoffs, but it’s something. 

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• 13Bay FC

  Prior Ranking: 13

  Result: Lost to Racing Louisville 1-0

  Ramifications: One year after making the playoffs in their inaugural season, Bay FC finished at the bottom of the table, one spot above, but even on points with the last-place Stars. Silver lining? They lost their final game, but it was part of history as Racing Louisville secured their first postseason berth.

• 12Angel City

  Prior Ranking: 11

  Result: Lost to Chicago Stars 2-1

  Ramifications: With their season already done, Angel City saw things out with a defeat on the road in Chicago. The emotional final professional match for retiring club veterans Ali Riley and Christen Press stole the show – and the tissue box.

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  11Utah Royals

  Prior Ranking: 12

  Result: Beat Washington Spirit 1-0 

  Ramifications: Few teams outside of the playoff spots ended their year as respectable as the Utah Royals. On Decision Day, they beat the second-place Washington Spirit – who were without multiple key players, it should be noted – to send them into the offseason with lots of potential for next year.

Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca privately wants to reinforce another key area of his squad in January, with the Blues eyeing a Serie A star as one potential target.

Enzo Maresca not satisfied with Chelsea team behind-the-scenes

The tactician is reportedly dissatisfied with his current squad, and feels that they’re still pretty weak in certain departments.

This is despite the fact they spent close to £300 million in the latest summer transfer window, with only Premier League champions Liverpool splashing more cash than the Blues on new recruits.

However, while Chelsea did spend significantly, they failed to bring in a star centre-back — which they’re now paying dearly for.

Trevoh Chalobah (suspended), Levi Colwill, Wesley Fofana and Tosin Adarabioyo are all set to miss today’s clash with Liverpool at Stamford Bridge, leaving Maresca with little choice but to play Benoit Badiashile with left-back Jorrel Hato in the centre of defence, or opt for youngster Josh Acheampong.

Chelsea are set to try and sign a centre-back in January, with the club and board in agreement that should be the priority when the window reopens (Pete O’Rourke).

That being said, there are apparently more areas of the team which Maresca is currently unhappy with, and this has partly led to tension between Chelsea’s boss and the board.

Now, in another Substack update, Phillips has reported that Maresca also wants to sign another number nine.

Chelsea eye Dušan Vlahović as Enzo Maresca desires a new striker

Liam Delap will be out until November after picking up a hamstring injury at the beginning of the season, while Joao Pedro is arguably more suited to the number 10 position.

Question marks also surround whether Marc Guiu, who returned from a brief loan spell at Sunderland, can be realistically relied upon as a proven goal getter.

According to Phillips, Maresca certainly thinks that Chelsea could do with another centre-forward, and £373,000-per-week Juventus striker Dušan Vlahović remains on their shortlist after previously considering a move for the Serbian.

While Vlahovic would need to take a dramatic pay-cut to join Chelsea given their careful wage structure, there is reason to believe the 25-year-old could be a good option.

His contract expires in 2026, meaning Chelsea would be on to negotiate a cut-price January move, given the Old Lady would have very little negotiating room considering his deal runs out just months later.

Vlahovic has also scored over 110 senior goals across his career already despite still approaching his prime, including four in seven appearances this campaign, so the ex-Fiorentina star is a man bang in form.

Strasbourg manager Liam Rosenior has slammed the referee's decision to send off Ismael Doukoure in Strasbourg's 2-1 defeat to Lyon in Ligue 1. The manager claims that the official "judged based on the injury" to Malick Fofana, who was stretchered off, rather than the tackle. The red card proved costly, as a stoppage time goal snatched the win for Lyon.

• Rosenior: 'Referee judged on the injury, not the action'

  Rosenior was left furious after Doukoure was sent off in the 67th minute for a tackle on Fofana. Referee Eric Wattellier initially deemed the tackle worthy of only a yellow card. However, the official was instructed to review the play by the video assistant referee. After checking the pitch-side monitor, Wattellier reversed his initial decision and brandished a red card, reducing Strasbourg to 10 men for the final 23 minutes of the match.

  The loss of the defender, who had scored an own goal to give Lyon an equaliser in the first half, proved costly as a late strike from Afonso Moreira consigned the visitors to a last-gasp defeat at the Groupama Stadium.

  The Strasbourg boss was adamant that the match was swung by poor officiating, focusing on the decision to dismiss Doukoure. Rosenior argued that Wattellier was incorrectly influenced by the severity of the subsequent injury to Lyon's Fofana, rather than the nature of the foul itself.

  "There were two fairly clear decisions that put us in a difficult situation. I don't think there was a red card," Rosenior stated. "For me, it was an unlucky action. I don't want to see injured players on the pitch, but the referee judged based on the injury, not the action. It wasn't a dangerous tackle."

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• Lyon fear serious Fofana injury

  The challenge left Fofana in significant distress, and the Lyon winger had to be stretchered off the pitch. He was subsequently taken to hospital for further tests amid fears of a major injury.

  Lyon's assistant coach, Jorge Maciel, expressed deep concern in his post-match press conference. "He's having X-rays, but for now, we don't really know. Looking at the images, it's not very reassuring," Maciel said. "The ankle, but perhaps also the tibia and fibula, are affected. There's uncertainty, and that's why he's having tests."

• Late Moreira strike sinks 10-man Strasbourg

  The red card was the decisive moment in what had been a difficult afternoon for Doukoure. Strasbourg had initially taken the lead in the 25th minute through Joaquin Panichelli.

  Lyon responded just six minutes later, equalising via a disastrous own goal from Doukoure in the 31st minute. Following the defender's dismissal, the match appeared to be heading for a draw, but Strasbourg's 10 men finally buckled in stoppage time with Moreira finding the net to steal all three points for the hosts.

  Despite Lyon dominating possession with 59 per cent, the match was a tight affair with few clear chances. Lyon registered just four shots, two on target, while Strasbourg managed five shots, also with two on target.

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  What next for Strasbourg and Lyon?

  The result has significant ramifications for the Ligue 1 table. Lyon's victory propels them into the Champions League qualification spots, moving them up to fourth with 18 points after nine matches.

  For Strasbourg, the defeat sees them drop to seventh on 16 points, stalling their push for a European place. Rosenior's side must now prepare for their next fixture without the suspended Doukoure. Lyon, meanwhile, face an anxious wait for the results of Fofana's X-rays, fearing a long-term lay-off for their winger.

  Strasbourg are in action again on Wednesday when they take on an Auxerre side sitting second bottom of the table while Lyon face 11th-placed Paris FC.

One Manchester City player is now reportedly on the verge of signing a new deal at the club, following a fresh claim from journalist Fabrizio Romano.

Guardiola delighted with Foden's resurgence

Pep Guardiola’s side host Burnley in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon, acting as a good chance to pick up three more points.

One player who is back in form for City is Phil Foden, having scored in the recent wins over Manchester United and Huddersfield Town, and Guardiola is clearly happy with what he is seeing from the Englishman.

“Phil playing behind the striker is a real threat. We would have liked to score a second goal and make the substitutions before for Nico O’Reilly and Phil because they played a tough game against Arsenal three days ago. But they are young. They have good vitamins during the days, good food, good protein and yeah, now come back to Manchester to prepare [for Burnley].

“We have seen already Phil in a few games when the team play better. When every player makes his potential – but it’s not just today – the games against Arsenal, United and Napoli he was really good.”

Foden is a huge player for City moving forward, and now a new update suggests that another attacker could be committing his future to the club.

Big Man City contract claim emerges

Taking to X, Romano claimed that Manchester City winger Savinho is set to sign a contract extension at the Etihad, with an agreement reached.

While Savinho hasn’t necessarily hit the heights many expected of him when he joined City last year, this still has to be considered exciting news, given his long-term potential as a player.

It is easy to forget that the Brazilian is still only 21 years of age, and Guardiola has spoken of his admiration over the past 12 months, clearly rating him highly.

“We’re a way from what we have to be as a team, but Savinho made an incredible performance again like he did against Everton. He’s a guy who can play on both sides, today he finally scored a goal. He has an incredible ability and quality he’s proven in that period.”

The aim now for Savinho is to find more consistency and end product in his game, having only scored four goals in 52 appearances for City, but that should come with age.

Pep's own Isak: Man City must regret selling "best forward in the world"

Man City could have been even more deadly in front of goal with this star

1

By
Joe Nuttall

Sep 26, 2025

He has the natural talent to be a big hit at the Etihad eventually, and hopefully, the club showing faith in him by offering him a new deal pays off in the long run.

Happy Hump Day! One of the best things about summer is daytime baseball.  

If you can’t make it to the game, though, you can still get in on the action with some plus-money props today.   

Here are three pitcher props on the board with good value to consider.

Best MLB Prop Bets for Wednesday, June 26

Spencer Arrighetti over 6.5 K (+100)

Arrighetti’s season stats don’t look that impressive. He has a 6.36 ERA and 12.8% walk-rate.

However,  Arrghetti’s K-rate of 10.09 per nine  impressive,  and today, he gets a Colorado Rockies team that is striking out at a 25.5% clip vs. right-handed pitching (27th in MLB).

The Houston Astros will be looking to extend their win streak to seven today. If they win, they will be at .500 for the first time this season and will continue to gain on the Seattle Mariners in the AL West. 

I’m willing to bet Arrighetti gets the run support to pitch deep enough into this game to clear this mark. 

Nathan Eovaldi over 5.5 K (+115)

Texas Rangers starter Nathan Eovaldi has struck out six or more hitters in eight of 12 starts this year. 

The Milwaukee Brewers, his opponent on Wednesday, are in the middle of the pack with a 23.1% strikeout rate, but Eovaldi’s K-rate vs. this Brewers team is over 28%. 

Carlos Carrasco over 3.5 K (+100)

Carlos Carrasco is not a high K-rate pitcher, but he struck out seven Toronto Blue Jays — who have one of the league’s lowest K-rates — in his last start. 

The Baltimore Orioles have been rung up 21 times across the first two games of this series, and they averaged seven per game in the series vs. Houston. 

Carrasco has exceeded this mark in six of thirteen starts this season.  

Liverpool are now preparing to make an offer to sign a “superb” attacking player who Manchester United have already offered £70 million for, according to a new report.

Liverpool chasing new attacking talent for summer additions

Agreeing a new contract with talisman Mohamed Salah is excellent news for the Reds, but it doesn’t appear to be stopping the soon-to-be Premier League champions from looking at players who they believe will improve their attack for next season.

Liverpool player has now joined Van Dijk and Salah by signing new contract

The Reds are putting their contract mess behind them.

By
Tom Cunningham

Apr 17, 2025

Given how Diogo Jota, Darwin Núñez, and at times Luis Diaz have struggled for consistency this season, Arne Slot looks to be in the market for new arrivals that can take the pressure off Salah.

It’s been reported that Liverpool are ready to make a £130 million offer to sign Alexander Isak from Newcastle United. The Sweden international is considered to be a priority for the Reds, and they hope this mouth-watering offer is enough to persuade Newcastle to agree a transfer.

It’s not just Isak that the Reds are looking at, as according to Graeme Bailey for The Boot Room, Liverpool are also lining up a move to sign Bryan Mbeumo from Brentford. The forward is now expected to leave the Bees this summer, and a bid of around £50 million would be enough to secure a transfer.

Liverpool preparing offer to sign Aston Villa star Rogers

The list of attacking options doesn’t stop there, as according to Empire of the Kop, Liverpool have placed Morgan Rogers at the top of their transfer list and are preparing an offer to sign him from Aston Villa.

The report states that his performances for Villa throughout this season have placed him on Liverpool’s radar, and the Reds are now planning a ‘serious’ move to bring him to Anfield. But they are not alone in this race, as the report does add that Arsenal, Paris Saint-Germain and both Manchester clubs are also interested in the attacking midfielder.

In fact, Man United have already made a bid for Rogers worth £70 million, but it isn’t clear if he would be interested in a move to Old Trafford. Liverpool club chiefs have been left impressed by Rogers’ pace, dribbling and his ability to create clear-cut chances.

Rogers, who has been dubbed “superb” by scout/writer Jacek Kulig, has scored eight goals and recorded eight assists in 31 league games this season, making him one of Villa’s key attacking players.

A factor that Liverpool fans will hope works to their advantage is that Rogers is sponsored by Adidas, and the Reds have recently secured a £60 million deal per season with Adidas to be their new kit sponsor, perhaps increasing the motivation for FSG to complete a deal for a player who will see them thrive both on the pitch and off it.