List of All Articles with Tag 'al'

Two SEC foes meet in the Super Regionals of the 2023 college baseball tournament with a spot in Omaha, Nebraska on the line.LSU took two of three from Kentucky at home during the regular season, and will look to do similar over the weekend in Baton Rouge against a Wildcats team that snuck into t...

Today, we look at how MLB standings would play out if they were ordered by who was using their money the wisest so far this season.At the simplest form, building an MLB team is all about resource allocation. You can take various types of approaches. Spend big for proven talent and you should, al...

DeAndre Hopkins set to visit the Patriots next week

Inter Milan striker Lautaro Martinez is determined to seize the moment as he looks to follow up his World Cup triumph with Champions League success. The Italian side take on favourites Manchester City for Europe’s top prize in Istanbul on Saturday and Martinez is hoping to round off a memorable campaign that also saw him help Argentina to international success in December. Martinez said at a press conference at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium: “These are the two major finals a footballer can play. “It has certainly been a very positive season for me. I am pleased with how it has gone and how I have done. Now we hope to finish off in the best possible way. “If you want to achieve your goal this is the very last step and we must be ready to take it. It will be a very important game for everyone at Inter and the club.” Saturday’s match will see Martinez come up against his Argentina team-mate Julian Alvarez, with whom he shared glory in Qatar. Martinez said: “I have not been in contact with Julian. I got married recently and invited him but he was unable to attend.” Inter, who finished third in Serie A, are rated as the underdogs against a City side bidding to complete a treble. Coach Simeone Inzaghi said: “After reaching the final we didn’t have time to think about it as we still had games to play. “Only now are we realising what we have achieved but we are not relaxed. We are concentrating very much and we will fight for every inch of the pitch against an excellent team. “We must be fully focused and make no mistakes.” Stopping the prolific Erling Haaland, who has scored 52 goals for City this season, will be key to Inter’s hopes. Inzaghi said: “We know who we have to play. We know Manchester City are probably the best in the world. They have proved that, they have been defeated very few times. “We know what a player Haaland is. Clearly we will have a special eye on him. “I have prepared something but it will be all of Inter that have to defend, trying to limit not only Haaland but all of City.” Inter midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu, the Turkey international, hopes to have the locals in the crowd on his side even though City captain Ilkay Gundogan also has a proud Turkish heritage. Calhanoglu said: “I think it will be a very special game for me. It is special for a Turk to play in Istanbul. “I want to enjoy this moment and I don’t know if I will play another final. We will give it our very best shot. “I know Turks will support me. Gundogan is on the other team but he plays for Germany, so for our people it is perhaps more important I win. That is my dream.” Former Manchester United forward Henrikh Mkhitaryan has returned to training for Inter after a thigh injury but remains a doubt. Inzaghi said: “We have a positive feeling but he is not 100 per cent. I will have to decide whether to field him from the beginning or send him on during the match.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live FA and PFA study finds increased dementia risk in ex-footballers Naby Keita joins Werder Bremen after leaving Liverpool Georgia Hall hopes Ryann O’Toole relationship helps others be true to themselves

West Ham have made a late move to try and sign Edson Alvarez from PSV Eindhoven. The Europa Conference League winners are also considering making offers for Kalvin Phillips and Joao Palhinha.

Alphonso Davies' agent admits he has spoken with other clubs amid interest from Man City & Real Madrid.

Erling Haaland has brushed off concerns about his form ahead of the Champions League final on Saturday. Haaland has scored 52 goals in an astonishing first season for Manchester City but grabbed only one in his last seven appearances. Coming just prior to one of the biggest games in City’s history, as they take on Inter Milan in Istanbul for Europe’s top prize, it is a run that has raised eyebrows. Yet Haaland insists there is nothing to worry about and he is not feeling the effects of a long and arduous season. You can think of it as one goal in seven games or 52 goals in 52 games. Erling Haaland “You can think of it as one goal in seven games or 52 goals in 52 games and eight assists,” said the Norway striker. “You can think of it in both ways. I’m not stressed. I feel really good.” Haaland has had no trouble dismissing critics this season. Prior to his arrival at City last summer there were claims he would need time to settle, suggestions that only increased after he spurned a gilt-edged chance on debut against Liverpool in the Community Shield. Even after he bounced back in sensational style by scoring 27 goals before the end of December, it was reckoned his presence could be hampering City, as their results at that stage were inconsistent. “I think often it’s a good thing when people start criticising you,” he said. “I scored every single game and then people started criticising me. That’s what happened basically. “When people criticise you it’s normally a good thing. It’s just about trying to smile a bit and enjoy life. “In the Community Shield I missed a couple of big chances. It can happen, it will happen again. “What can you do? Nothing. We have to focus on the next thing, the next game and that’s what I did. I scored two goals in the next game, so it was still not a bad start.” Haaland feels he has exceeded his own expectations in his first season at City but still feels he could have done better. He said: “No, I didn’t expect to score this many goals but, again, I could have scored more. “I’ve been missing a lot of chances, so I could have scored more. That’s the truth.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live FA and PFA study finds increased dementia risk in ex-footballers Naby Keita joins Werder Bremen after leaving Liverpool Georgia Hall hopes Ryann O’Toole relationship helps others be true to themselves

Former Liverpool midfielder Naby Keita has returned to Germany to join Werder Bremen after the expiration of his contract at Anfield. The Guinea international’s £52million move to Merseyside from RB Leipzig in 2018 came with high expectations. However, he disappointed in his 129 appearances over five years as he struggled to get to grips with the physicality of the Premier League and missed large amounts of time with a series of injuries. The 28-year-old featured just 13 times last season, was left out of the Champions League squad due to injury, and started only three Premier League matches. Bremen will hope the midfielder’s return to the Bundesliga will bring a change of luck after scoring 14 goals and providing 14 assists in 58 matches for Leipzig before his move to Liverpool. “A number of clubs are obviously going to be interested when a player like Naby Keita is available on a free transfer,” said Bremen head of scouting Clemens Fritz. “We’re therefore really pleased that Naby has decided to join Werder, despite several other offers. His qualities will massively strengthen our team. “We now want to get him back to his best.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live

Former professional footballers are almost three and a half times more likely to be diagnosed with dementia than the general population, according to a study commissioned by the Football Association and Professional Footballers’ Association. First findings of the FOCUS study, conducted by the University of Nottingham, support previous research that former footballers may be at higher risk of neurocognitive disease. The new report states that 2.8 per cent of retired professional footballers in their study reported medically diagnosed dementia and other neurodegenerative disease compared to 0.9 percent of controls. This means former pros in the study were found to be 3.46 times more likely to have neurodegenerative diseases compared to the control group. The study also showed retired footballers in the study were twice as likely to fall below established thresholds in some dementia testing than the general population. Dr Charlotte Cowie, the FA’s head of medicine, told the governing body’s website: “The FA and the PFA jointly commissioned the FOCUS study in order to gain additional insight into the findings of the FIELD study, and to further examine any potential link between neurodegenerative disorders in former professional footballers. “The FOCUS study worked with an established group of former professional footballers that were participating in research and was able to review their brain health, and it supports the previous findings in the FIELD study which suggest an increased risk for neurodegenerative disease in former professional footballers than in the general population. “This is an extremely complex area of our game, but we are committed to working collectively with our stakeholders to help grow our knowledge in this area through further medical and expert analysis.” The initial findings of the FOCUS study will be shared with both FIFA and UEFA, and the FA has reiterated its support for further research from across the wider game to help build a better understanding of players’ brain health and well-being. “This is an important new study which supports previous evidence suggesting that footballers are at greater risk of dementia and poorer cognitive functioning in later life,” said the PFA’s head of brain health Dr Adam White. “Studies such as this… ensure that targeted and evidence-led action can be identified and taken to support and protect players at all stages of their career. “Continued investment in this type of research will remain absolutely vital.” An FA statement read: “The FA has led the way in taking steps to help reduce potential risk factors within the game (including) establishing industry-leading concussion guidelines, introducing the world’s most comprehensive heading guidance at every level of the professional and amateur game in England, and implementing a new trial to remove deliberate heading in football matches across under-12 level and below. “Further findings from the FOCUS study will be published in due course.”

Everton have offered new contracts to Seamus Coleman, Tom Davies and Andy Lonergan but Yerry Mina and Andros Townsend will leave the club this summer. Coleman, 34, has made over 400 appearances for the Toffees, including 25 last season, and has been offered the chance to stay at Goodison Park. Davies, who came through the youth system at the club, managed just 20 appearances last term but boss Sean Dyche wants him to be part of his squad, along with back-up goalkeeper Lonergan. Mina, a £27million signing from Barcelona in 2018, will leave at the end of his current contract, having had a mixed time at the club, while Townsend did not play for the club after March 2022 and also departs at the expiry of his deal. Goalkeeper Asmir Begovic will leave after turning down a fresh contract offer. Director of football Kevin Thelwell said on the club’s official website: “Everyone at the club wishes to thank all departing players for their contribution throughout their time at Everton. “We’re also grateful to our senior men’s players who are moving on, including Yerry – whose passion and determination for Everton was evident by how highly he was thought of by our fans – to Andros and Asmir who were consummate professionals during their two years at the club. “We wish all of them the best with the next chapters in their careers. “We have also offered new contracts to players and we will continue talking with them as we look to build a competitive squad for Sean Dyche and his staff for the new season.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live

Lautaro Martinez is expected to leave Inter after the Champions League final, with Real Madrid, Chelsea and Man Utd all interested. The 25-year-old is enjoying a career-best season and bagged 21 goals and seven assists in Serie A.

Chiefs star Travis Kelce was intercepted before he could give a speech of his own at the White House. Here's what he originally wanted to say.The Kansas City Chiefs have the league's best quarterback and best man-hawk as Patrick Mahomes quickly pulled Travis Kelce away from the White H...