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Alex Anthopoulos is taking a calculated risk, the New York Mets know the Braves stole a good pitcher, and Michael Soroka could be on the chopping block.

Emma Hayes felt her Chelsea side had been “robbed” after they were held 2-2 at Real Madrid in their Champions League opener. In a contest with no VAR in operation, Real equalised through a 79th-minute Olga Carmona penalty awarded by referee Frida Klarlund for a Jessie Fleming challenge on Athenea del Castillo – which Hayes had no doubt took place outside the box. The Chelsea manager was also unhappy about Niamh Charles’ finish being disallowed in stoppage time, seemingly for offside, stressing that Charles had been onside and Sam Kerr had not interfered with goalkeeper Misa Rodriguez. Hayes told reporters in Spain: “I could see from the bench that the tackle (for the penalty decision) was outside the box. So I’m absolutely shocked that those managing the game couldn’t see that. “Of course maybe Jessie shouldn’t lunge in that area, but it happens clearly outside the box. At this level when you are in control of a game and important decisions like that go against you, it makes it difficult.” Regarding the stoppage-time incident, she added: “We score a really legitimate goal with Niamh Charles three or four yards onside. “It is embarrassing. I had to check why it was disallowed. Was it Niamh? No. Was it Sam (Kerr) interfering with the goalkeeper? She was about seven yards away, no way near the keeper. “I cannot understand the decision whatsoever. I think we’ve been robbed of what was a 3-1 game. “You can’t (ask the referee for clarity at full-time). You’re not allowed to speak to the officials. Can’t speak to them there (on the pitch), can’t speak about it here (to the media). “For me I am going to focus on the performance, I can only control that. Everybody saw the decisions, you don’t need me to comment on them any further.” Real took the lead at the Alfredo Di Stefano Stadium through a deflected 10th-minute shot from Carmona – scorer of Spain’s winner against England in the summer’s World Cup final – before Chelsea hit back through two headers, Charles equalising in the 41st minute and then setting up Kerr in the 74th. After Carmona levelled from the spot, Lauren James hit the crossbar before the late disallowed effort as the visitors were unable to secure a winning start to what is to be their final Champions League campaign before Hayes leaves at the end of the season for the United States job. Hayes said: “I think the performance was well controlled by us, especially away from home in Europe. We had so much more of the ball and it was comfortable. “(There was) just a tactical adjustment that we had to make (at half-time) – the pivots weren’t carrying out a small detail there. Overall it had to be better in the final third, either the last pass or whatever it might have been. “I think the team did better with that (in the second half). We hit the bar as well, we should have scored from that. We had chances, so we should be disappointed with ourselves. “I can’t remember the last time we were in a game like that when two humongous decisions like that have gone against us – that is a lot tonight.” Wednesday’s earlier game in Group D saw Paris FC – who Chelsea play in their next pool game at Stamford Bridge next Thursday – beaten 2-1 at home by Swedish side BK Hacken. Read More Anthony Joshua sees Otto Wallin as a stepping stone on his way to a title fight Rohit Sharma glad India ‘could get the job done’ against New Zealand Still plenty to play for – Scotland v Georgia talking points A look at the data behind Virat Kohli’s record 50 ODI centuries Virat Kohli hits record ton as India beat New Zealand to reach World Cup final Francis Ngannou ranked as top-10 heavyweight by WBC after impressive debut

Marc Guehi is aiming to be England’s ‘Steady Eddie’ after overcoming doubts during a loan stint at Swansea to become a regular in Gareth Southgate’s squad. The Crystal Palace centre-back, 23, has seven senior caps and has featured in three of the previous four games ahead of the final Euro 2024 qualification double-header against Malta and North Macedonia. Having come through the ranks at Chelsea, where he credits Claude Makelele as a mentor, Guehi never made a Premier League appearance for the Blues but is now a fixture in the division in south London. Guehi was also capped at every England age group from Under-16s upwards until making his senior debut last year. Asked how he has dealt with every step up in his career, Guehi replied: “The trait is, that in my life everything has been quite steady. Growing up I was never pushed on too soon, or left behind. “It was always quite steady and my career has been exactly the same. In the academy, going out on loan, steadily playing game after game and gaining confidence. Getting the move to Palace and finding my feet in the Premier League and now coming here with England. “So when you talk about those steps and progression, everything for me has been quite natural. I just see things how they are and take things how they come. “When I said about the steadiness, along that pathway there is those setbacks. I think it’s your job as an individual to just learn from those as quickly as possible. And not allow them to drag you from behind. “There’s been many setbacks and always will be. It’s about learning from them and using those moments to prove yourself.” The main setback for Guehi was during his time on loan at Swansea, a move which coincided with the start of the coronavirus pandemic that shut down football for over three months during the 2019/20 season. Guehi was away from home and had fallen out of favour in the Swansea team, not featuring in the final four matchday squads before football was halted – although he returned to get back into the side before spending another campaign on loan at the Liberty Stadium. “Not many people know, it was tough for me at Swansea,” he said. Those moments were difficult, you take those moments, learn from them, try to move on and put them right Marc Guehi “I have not spoken about it, everyone thinks it was plain sailing, great. I played the first four games and then I didn’t play up until after lockdown. Being away from home, in Swansea, different country, on your own, there’s going to be challenges, going to be tough. “Those moments were difficult, you take those moments, learn from them, try to move on and put them right. I was just out of favour. Not anything in particular. I came from Chelsea, came with a lot of confidence, and my confidence almost gets knocked. “Thankfully, I did get back home, just in time before (lockdown), it was so strange to say it, for so many people around the world it was horrible, for my family, and so many people around. “For me, it was probably the best moment, I could get away from football, be with my family, and just focus on myself. How can I now if football does come back – thankfully football did come back – if we do get back to playing, how can I get back in this team? “I genuinely enjoyed Swansea. It was good. Swansea was a great place for me to play. I had a great view from an apartment looking out onto the beach although it was not sunny but it was still a decent view.” Guehi, who plays drums at his church when time allows and whose father is a pastor, has used setbacks such as his experiences in south Wales, to build a stronger mentality. “It is like building calluses but in your mind,” he added. “Going through those moments does help you in everyday life, everyday situations. You might have a bad game but you remember what you’ve gone through before, and you almost put that to bed and go I just need to prove myself the next game. Moving steadily.” Read More Anthony Joshua sees Otto Wallin as a stepping stone on his way to a title fight Rohit Sharma glad India ‘could get the job done’ against New Zealand Still plenty to play for – Scotland v Georgia talking points A look at the data behind Virat Kohli’s record 50 ODI centuries Virat Kohli hits record ton as India beat New Zealand to reach World Cup final Francis Ngannou ranked as top-10 heavyweight by WBC after impressive debut

Chelsea had to settle for a point in their Champions League opener as Olga Carmona’s penalty saw Emma Hayes’ side held 2-2 at Real Madrid. After Carmona put Real ahead in the 10th minute, the Blues turned things around via two headers either side of the break, Niamh Charles equalising and then setting up Sam Kerr. But moments later Carmona – scorer of Spain’s winner against England in the summer’s World Cup final – converted from the spot after Jessie Fleming was judged to have fouled Athenea del Castillo in the box. Chelsea substitute Lauren James rattled the crossbar before Charles controversially had an effort ruled out in stoppage time as the visitors were unable to secure a winning start to their final Champions League campaign before Hayes leaves at the end of the season and becomes United States head coach. The west London outfit – who have not won this competition among the glut of trophies they have claimed under Hayes, going closest as runners-up in 2021 – return to Women’s Super League action against Liverpool at Stamford Bridge on Saturday before continuing their Group D games by taking on Paris FC at the same ground five days later. Wednesday’s earlier game in the pool saw Paris FC beaten 2-1 at home by Swedish side BK Hacken. Real grabbed the lead with the first real effort on goal as Ann-Katrin Berger’s attempted clearance came to Claudia Zornoza and she passed to Carmona, whose strike from 25 yards flew in via a deflection off Chelsea skipper Millie Bright. While the hosts offered little more in the way of attacking threat for the rest of the first half, Chelsea looked increasingly likely to hit back. And after Kerr had seen a rising shot well turned behind by Misa Rodriguez just prior to the half-hour mark and Erin Cuthbert fired off-target, the equaliser four minutes before the break when Charles headed in from Ashley Lawrence’s cross. Further Chelsea pressure in stoppage time included a Cuthbert free-kick going wide off a white shirt and Sjoeke Nusken’s shot being caught by Rodriguez. The opening stages of the second half saw Rodriguez deal with a Kerr header and do superbly to divert a shot from the same player wide moments later. Hayes introduced James for Fran Kirby and after Charles blocked a Del Castillo strike, the substitute put a shot into the stand at the other end. Chelsea got themselves in front with Charles once again involved as her 74th-minute cross was nodded in by Kerr. But only five minutes later, the score was back level after Fleming made a challenge that started outside the box on Del Castillo, she went down in the area and – with no VAR in operation – referee Frida Klarlund pointed to the spot, with Carmona powerfully dispatching the penalty past Berger. As Chelsea pushed to regain the lead, Rodriguez produced another good save to deny Johanna Rytting Kaneryd and James sent a wonderful shot crashing against the bar. The visitors then had the ball in the net again deep in stoppage time through Charles’ finish, but the effort was chalked off – seemingly for offside, although replays showed she had not been – to leave Hayes looking frustrated and Real breathing a sigh of relief. Read More Jon Rahm says it is ‘mainly my fault’ that he cannot catch Rory McIlroy in Dubai Ex-Chelsea keeper Petr Cech joins Belfast Giants as ‘temporary emergency cover’ Sir Chris Hoy says Katie Archibald’s form ‘incredibly impressive’ ahead of Paris Emma Hayes: Winning Champions League would be fairytale end to time at Chelsea The issues facing injury-hit Newcastle heading into testing end to year The sporting weekend in pictures

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Chelsea travel to Spain to start their Women’s Champions League (WCL) campaign in what will be manager Emma Hayes’ last opportunity to win the European competition before she leaves the club at the end of the season. The WCL is the only piece of silverware that has eluded Hayes in her 11-year tenure at Chelsea but winning the tournament in her final year with the club will not be an easy feat. An opening clash against Real Madrid, runners-up in Liga F, will test the Women’s Super League (WSL) champions and the rise of Paris FC, who defeated Arsenal and Wolfsburg in qualifying, make a difficult tournament that much trickier at the group stage. Chelsea reached the semi-final stage last season before losing 2-1 on aggregate to Barcelona who went on to lift the trophy. Barca were also the team to stop the Blues on their only trip to the final, running out 4-0 winners in the 2021 showpiece to deny them the title. Adding the talented Ashley Lawrence and Catarina Macario this summer brings extra depth to Chelsea’s squad and they will need the experience of multiple WSL winners if they are to go far this time around. Follow all the action from the Women’s Champions League plus get the latest odds and tips right here: