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  • CM: Why the De Zerbi idea is gaining momentum at Milan once again

    CM: Why the De Zerbi idea is gaining momentum at Milan once again

     

     

    AC Milan are likely to be looking for a new head coach in the summer, and Roberto De Zerbi’s name has reportedly resurfaced as an option.

     

    According to Calciomercato.com, Sergio Conceicao knows he has little, if any, hope of remaining at Milan beyond the end of this season, so he has 11 games to end on a high. The idea of the Milan directors is to get to the end of the season with the former Porto man on the bench, then change again.

     

    With Milan out of the Champions League and in ninth place, the only goal left is to win the Coppa Italia. The Rossoneri will have a two-legged derby against Inter in the semi-finals which represents the last way to at least partially save a mediocre season from all points of view.

     

    Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Geoffrey Moncada hope that at least in those two games the team can have a reaction of pride, convinced that the real Milan is not what has been seen in the disastrous past few weeks.

     

    Who might replace Conceicao? A name that has returned ‘loudly’ is De Zerbi. The Brescia-born coach is doing very well at Marseille, who are currently second in the Ligue 1 standings, but could change clubs again at the end of the season after leaving Brighton last summer.

     

    The call from the Rossoneri would not leave him indifferent given his attachment and the fact he was in the youth sector. Milan admire him because he has shown he can handle pressure and has as a renowned ability to make his teams play well.

     

    The directors are aware that Milan next season must rekindle enthusiasm and excitement, to entertain the fans and to make them dream. Winning is the priority, but the toxic atmosphere could heal quicker with a figure like RDZ on the bench.

  • PSV 1-7 Arsenal: Record-breaking Gunners enjoy carnival season in Eindhoven

    PSV 1-7 Arsenal: Record-breaking Gunners enjoy carnival season in Eindhoven

     

    Eindhoven has been packed with carnival-goers in recent days but on Tuesday it was Arsenal enjoying their own party in the city, getting over their goalscoring crisis and setting a Champions League record in the process.

     

    Mikel Arteta’s side became the first team in Champions League history to score seven goals away from home in the knockout stages of the competition as they romped to a 7-1 win over PSV Eindhoven.

     

    It was the most goals the Gunners have scored in a single game since beating Newcastle 7-3 in the Premier League 13 years ago.

     

    The Arsenal manager said the win had given his players “joy and confidence and belief”, but was not getting carried away when questions were put to him about the records that his team had broken.

     

    “For sure, it’s something that hasn’t been done, so great to be part of that,” Arteta said. “But as a team we want to achieve many other things that are far more important than that.

     

    “The happiest thing is we are in a very strong position to go to the next round, which is where we want to be.

     

    “But there’s still a job to do in London in a week’s time.”

     

    After failing to score in their past two games, a 0-0 draw at Nottingham Forest and 1-0 defeat by West Ham, Arteta may not have seen a victory like this coming.

     

    “This will give them great confidence for the rest of the season. Right from the start Arsenal had control of the game,” said Chris Sutton on BBC Radio 5 Live.

     

    “Arsenal were ruthless with their finishing, some of the combination play in the final third was sensational.

     

    “Martin Odegaard looked back to his best. To a man they were really strong and that centre-back pairing [Gabriel Magalhaes and William Saliba] is phenomenal.

     

    “Arsenal will take some stopping in this competition.”

     

    England and Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice was one of the players singled out for his performance during the game and said that the Gunners have got the reward for their hard work in recent weeks.

     

    Rice, who had a goal ruled out for offside, said Arsenal were “fluid” and possessed the “enthusiasm, drive and hunger” that the knockout stages demand.

     

    “But we’ve been playing like this all season,” he added. “We feel we’ve been playing well as a team. Sometimes we score five, sometimes two, sometimes we don’t score but [on Tuesday] we did well. It all clicked.”

     

    Arsenal’s lack of a recognised striker has been well documented, with Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz both injured. But six different players contributed to the rout on Tuesday – Odegaard scored twice, along with goals for Jurrien Timber, Mikel Merino, Ethan Nwaneri, Leandro Trossard and Riccardo Calafiori.

     

    The emphatic win means that Arsenal can start planning for a trip to Madrid, as they are set to take on the winner of the tie between Real and Atletico, which finished 2-1 to Carlo Ancelotti’s side. Next week’s second leg takes place at Atletico.

     

    Nwaneri shows why he’s earned Arteta’s trust

    Ethan Nwaneri celebrates scoring for Arsenal against PSV Eindhoven

    Image caption, Ethan Nwaneri scored his eighth goal of the season

    Arsenal’s excellent 17-year-old Nwaneri again showed why there is so much hype and excitement about his future in the game.

     

    The academy graduate has been given the task of filling in for Bukayo Saka on the right hand side of Arsenal’s attack while the England international is out injured. The teenager has repaid that faith in him with eight goals in 28 games in all competitions.

     

    That goal return puts him alongside some of England’s most iconic young players.

     

    Michael Owen and Wayne Rooney scored nine goals each in all competitions when they were aged 17 or younger and Nwaneri now has 16 days before his 18th birthday to try to match or beat that record.

     

    “I don’t think that he needs any pushing. You see every time what the intention is,” Arteta said. “If it comes, it comes and it’s great.

     

    “I’m really impressed with the way he behaved and the way he played. It’s about consistency and now doing it again three days later in another big stadium.”

     

    Nwaneri also became the third youngest player to score a goal in a knockout stage match in the Champions League after Bojan in April 2008 (17 and 217 days) and Jude Bellingham in April 2021 (17 and 289 days).

     

    “He’s 17 years old and he’s on the biggest stage,” Rice said.

     

    “We’ve taken [the youngsters] under our wing and they deserve to be playing. You should see them train they way they have no fear and want to perform.

     

    “Even if Saka was here Ethan would be still getting minutes because he’s that good and works so hard in training. We have so many top young players.”

     

    Nwaneri was joined in the starting XI by his team-mate from the academy Myles Lewis-Skelly and the 18-year-old also impressed despite being withdrawn in the first half to avoid him getting sent off.

     

    Lewis-Skelly, who had been booked earlier, put in a late tackle on Richard Ledezma and although he was unpunished, Arteta substituted him moments later.

     

    “They play like they have been here for many years,” captain Odegaard said.

     

    “So much quality and confidence, they’re ready for it. I’m not worried about them, we enjoy having them in the team and they have a great attitude.”

     

    Odegaard, who himself started playing senior football at 15 years old, believes that Lewis-Skelly can use his early withdrawal as a learning experience.

     

    “He took that really well,” he added. “He knew it was a tricky position to be in. He was on a yellow and had a tough challenge too. He took it well and we’re all there to support and I’m sure he will learn from that too.”

  • Arsenal player ratings vs PSV as Odegaard reborn, Nwaneri and Timber excellent

    Arsenal player ratings vs PSV as Odegaard reborn, Nwaneri and Timber excellent

     

    Arsenal caught up in PSV Champions League mind games as Thomas Partey transfer update given

    Jurrien Timber – Leaping high to give Arsenal the lead inside the first 20 minutes of the match, excellent desire and height on the jump before heading past Walter Benitez. 9

     

    William Saliba – His talents were rarely called into action on the night as he managed the likes of Lang well, keeping his danger to a distance and distributing comfortably. There was a strong moment in the second half where he repelled the efforts of the PSV left. 7

     

    Gabriel Magalhaes – Big block in the second half to deny former Tottenham forward Ivan Perisic a goal and missed the chance to score himself in the second period. 8

     

    Myles Lewis-Skelly – Back into the team and back amongst the goal contributions with the perfect assist to his Hale End teammate Ethan Nwaneri. However, after wrongly receiving the first yellow, how the 18-year-old avoids yet another red card I will never know – he should not have made it to the half-time whistle and he didn’t but only because he was taken off by Arteta. 6

     

    Thomas Partey – Another moment of carelessness from the Ghanaian who felt the need to bring Luuk de Jong down in the box, gifting the home side a penalty. 5

     

    Declan Rice – A foot prevented Declan Rice’s outside-of-the-box strike from giving the Gunners the lead. He would, however, redeem that with a gorgeous cross on his left foot to Timber, the perfect height, weight and dip on the ball. An excellent overall display and now back to more of what Arsenal fans would be expecting. 8

     

    Martin Odegaard – Denied the chance of a penalty kick in the first half after some good movement into the box, VAR checked and cleared, but it was up for debate. He scored his second with a powerful strike from outside the box before slipping in Calafiori to score the seventh Arsenal goal of the night. 9

     

    Ethan Nwaneri – A massive goal for the 17-year-old on the biggest of stages, finishing beautifully with a first-time touch off his former youth teammate’s cross. He had other chances in the game and was a constant threat throughout. 8

     

    Leandro Trossard – A great pass into Myles Lewis-Skelly for the second goal, threading the needle to the full-back, who set up Nwaneri. He would then turn scorer in the second half, a mesmeric backheel nutmeg to Calafiori before getting the ball back and chipping over Benitez. 8

     

    Mikel Merino – While the goal was something of a gift, Mikel Merino certainly finished with the comfortableness of a seasoned centre-forward. Outside of the goal, he was not involved in too many other major moments. 6

     

     

    Riccardo Calafiori – Replacing Myles Lewis-Skelly before the half-time whistle. His impact came early at the start of the second half, playing through Leandro Trossard to score the Gunners’ fifth of the night. He then ran through at the top of the field, like a striker, and slotted in like he’d been doing it for years. 8

     

    Raheem Sterling – Came on, lost the ball twice and did little else. 4

     

     

     

    Arsenal caught up in PSV Champions League mind games as Thomas Partey transfer update given

  • CM: Milan deem no player ‘untouchable’ without UCL – Chelsea enquire about star duo

    CM: Milan deem no player ‘untouchable’ without UCL – Chelsea enquire about star duo

     

     

    AC Milan can not consider any player truly untouchable without Champions League football, and that applies to Tijjani Reijnders despite his renewal.

     

    Reijnders has been perhaps Milan’s best performer this season with 40 games played (and we are still at the beginning of March), 12 goals scored and three assists in all competitions. In the disastrous and negative season that the club are experiencing, he has been a shining light.

     

    As Calciomercato.com report, Reijnders signed a new contract yesterday worth €3.5m net per season (plus bonuses tied to personal and team objectives) until June 2030, without the inclusion of any release clause.

     

    He thus cemented himself as a pillar of Milan in the present and future, though how long that will be for remains a mystery of sorts. An important premise is that Milan did not extend the Dutchman’s contract for leverage with view to a summer sale, nor does the player have any intention of leaving.

     

    However, missing out on the Champions League will see Milan’s accounts take a huge hit, and in turn that means ‘no one would be considered untouchable or unsellable’. If a huge bid arrived for any player – including Reijnders – the directors would have the obligation to listen to it.

     

     

  • Fewer touches than Palmer: McKenna must axe 5/10 Ipswich ace after Forest

    Fewer touches than Palmer: McKenna must axe 5/10 Ipswich ace after Forest

     

     

    And just like that, Ipswich Town’s FA Cup journey is over for the season.

     

    Kieran McKenna’s side made short work of Bristol Rovers in the Third Round and demolished Coventry City in the Fourth, but eventually fell to Nottingham Forest on penalties in the Fifth last night.

     

    However, despite the stark difference in their Premier League position, the Tractor Boys managed to put up a good fight and scored the opening goal of the encounter through George Hirst.

     

    Nottingham Forest vs Ipswich Town

     

    Forest

     

    Statistics

     

    Ipswich

     

    1

     

    Goals

     

    1

     

    54%

     

    Possession

     

    46%

     

    1

     

    Big Chances

     

    0

     

    22

     

    Total Shots

     

    11

     

    4

     

    Shots on Target

     

    4

     

    11

     

    Corners

     

    2

     

    567

     

    Passes

     

    502

     

    All Stats via Sofascore

     

    That said, it still wasn’t enough, and while there were several encouraging performances from the men in blue, there were more than a few poor ones as well, including from a starter who should be dropped for the next game.

     

    Ipswich’s lacklustre performers

    There were a few starters from last night’s clash who were not as effective as some of their other teammates.

     

    Massimo-Luongo-ipswich-town

    For example, while he was busy on the pitch, Massimo Luongo looked, as the East Anglian Daily Times’ Alex Jones put it, ‘a little off the pace.’

     

    The Australian midfielder received a 5/10 match rating from the journalist, and, based on his statistics from the game, it’s not hard to see why, as in 67 minutes of action, he lost 100% of his aerial duels, committed two fouls, lost the ball five times, failed in 100% of his dribbles and lost four of six ground duels.

     

    Luongo’s game in numbers

     

    Minutes

     

    67′

     

    Aerial Duels (Won)

     

    2 (0)

     

    Ground Duels (Won)

     

    6 (2)

     

    Fouls

     

    2

     

    Lost Possession

     

    5

     

    Dribbles (Successful)

     

    2 (0)

     

    All Stats via Sofascore

     

    Just ahead of him in midfield, Jack Taylor also had a rather middling night at the City Ground.

     

    He also picked up a 5/10 rating from Jones, who wrote that he was ‘surprisingly quiet’ and responsible for a ‘couple of sloppy passes.’

     

    Moreover, the Irishman missed his penalty and produced some underwhelming statistics to boot.

     

    In his 120 minutes of football, the 26-year-old completed just 73% of his passes, misplaced three of five crosses, was accurate in one of three long balls, failed to take a shot on or off target, failed in 100% of his dribbles, lost five of seven ground duels, lost the ball 18 times and was dribbled past once.

     

    Taylor’s game in numbers

     

    Minutes

     

    120′

     

    Passing Accuracy

     

    29/40 (73%)

     

    Long Balls (Accurate)

     

    3 (1)

     

    Crosses (Accurate)

     

    5 (2)

     

    Shots on Target

     

    0

     

    Shots off Target

     

    0

     

    Ground Duels (Won)

     

    7 (2)

     

    Lost Possession

     

    18

     

    Dribbles (Successful)

     

    2 (0)

     

    Dribbled Past

     

    1

     

    All Stats via Sofascore

     

    Unfortunately for McKenna, he had another 5/10 performance from one of his starters last night, a starter who should be dropped for the next game.

     

    The Ipswich ace who should be dropped

    Alongside Taylor and Luongo, it would be fair to say that Nathan Broadhead was one of Ipswich’s most disappointing players last night.

     

    Nathan Broadhead

    The talented Welshman looked somewhat lost at times and utterly ineffective at others, and he fully deserved the 5/10 match rating he received from Jones.

     

    The journalist wrote that the 26-year-old attacker ‘lacked his usual spark’ and was guilty of holding ‘onto the ball for too long,’ losing it ‘in advanced areas,’ and ultimately not ‘taking his opportunity.’

     

    Broadhead’s game in numbers

     

    Minutes

     

    67′

     

    Touches

     

    35

     

    Passing Accuracy

     

    9/16 (56%)

     

    Long Balls (Accurate)

     

     

     

    Unsurprisingly, while harsh, this opinion is more than backed up in the statistics, as in his 67 minutes of action, he took just 35 touches – 29 fewer than Alex Palmer – completed 56% of his passes, failed in 100% of his dribbles, lost the ball 16 times, was dribbled past twice, lost seven of 11 duels and took just one shot on target.

     

    So, if Broadhead should be taken out of the starting lineup for the next game, who should start in his place?

     

     

    Well, based on the last few weeks, we reckon it should be Jack Clarke.

     

    The former Sunderland star has undoubtedly had a tough time adapting to life at Portman Road, but since the turn of the year, he has looked substantially more dangerous.

     

    For example, the sometimes “unplayable” winger, as dubbed by pundit Adrian Clarke, has produced eight goal involvements in 26 games for Ipswich this season, but crucially, six of those have come since the turn of the year and three of those in the last round of the FA Cup.

     

    Ultimately, with survival still a possibility this season, McKenna has to be ruthless, and when you consider their recent form, dropping Broadhead for Clarke makes perfect sense for Ipswich.

     

     

  • I’m ready’ – Usain Bolt teases all-star rematch with three greats of his generation and makes Noah Lyles offer

    I’m ready’ – Usain Bolt teases all-star rematch with three greats of his generation and makes Noah Lyles offer

    A potential rematch between Usain Bolt and his erstwhile opponent Justin Gatlin has been ruled out. The sprinting icon has, however, made hints that he might run against three other greats again.

    Throughout his remarkable career, Bolt won eight gold medals at the Olympics in three different Games. In addition, he still holds the world records in the 100, 200, and 4×100 meters. Eight years after quitting, the 38-year-old had no interest in competing against former USA sprinter Gatlin.

    Bolt recently appeared on the Ready Set Go podcast, which Gatlin hosts alongside former Bahamas athlete Rodney Green.

    Asked if he would agree to a rematch with Gatlin, Bolt said: “I’m ready, just for the fun of it. I’m ready, let’s go. It’ll be fun.”

    “Nah man, Justin, him?” the Jamaican went on to say. His condition is too good. “Hey, bro I always witness him performing starts. “Bro, why are you in such good shape?” I texted him.

    The Jamaican said, “Nah man, Justin, him?” He is in too good in shape. I always see him perform begins, so hello, buddy. “Bro, why are you in such good shape?” I sent him a text.

    Gatlin finished third, while Bolt won the event with an Olympic record time of 9.63 seconds. In the 2017 World Championship final, which again took place at the London Stadium, Gatlin would eventually defeat his opponent and win gold.

    I would absolutely like to compete against Ben Johnson and Maurice Green. Let’s give Noah (Lyles) the slot only because I would love to race against him.” He also acknowledged that before his career ended, he wishes he had exacted revenge on Xavier Carter, another opponent. Bolt made the revelation after pondering on being teased by Carter after a race in 2007

    He spoke about the incident, saying, “It hurts me to the core to this day because I never got the chance to beat him back, I never got the chance, to the core bro.”

    Carter never raced at the Olympics during his career, even though he was the 12th fastest man in 200m history and had the distinction of defeating Bolt.

  • Lakers could acquire $74 million former 22.0 PPG Spurs scorer to support LeBron James | Sporting News

    Lakers could acquire $74 million former 22.0 PPG Spurs scorer to support LeBron James | Sporting News

     

    Lakers could acquire $74 million former 22.0 PPG Spurs scorer to support LeBron James image

    Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) scores a basket during the second half against Portland Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija (8) and guard Anfernee Simons (1) at Moda Center.

     

    The Los Angeles Lakers captured consecutive victory No. 6 on Sunday night, defeating the Los Angeles Clippers by a score of 108-102 to improve their record to 38-21 and jump all the way up to the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference.

     

    Though the team looks to be rolling at the perfect time, it’s hard not to wonder what their general manager Rob Pelinka could have planned for this coming offseason regardless of if the Lakers raise yet another championship trophy come season’s end.

     

    In order to improve the team’s depth around Luka Dončić and LeBron James while increasing their offensive intensity, it’s plausible that Pelinka could inquire about completing a trade for a young, athletic forward from the San Antonio Spurs, Keldon Johnson.

     

    At just 25 years old, the 6-foot-5 small forward has proven that he can become a star-level scorer in the Association if given the right amount of time to shine, once posting averages of 22.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 2.9 assists for the Spurs in 2022-23 in his age-23 season.

     

    Unfortunately, Johnson has seen a massive decrease in his role with the team since his break-out campaign, playing just 23.5 minutes this season compared to 32.7 minutes just two years ago.

     

    The former No. 29 overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft’s production has dropped as a result of his lessened playing time, as he’s now contributing just 12.1 points and 4.5 rebounds with a 53.7% effective field goal percentage in 56 appearances.

     

    Pelinka may realize that Johnson’s potential could truly be unlocked as a prospective member of the Lakers, as both generational passing talents Dončić and James could set him up for fantastic looks in 2025-26.

     

    The Lakers could also buy relatively low for Johnson, possibly offering to give away only the contracts of Jarred Vanderbilt and Gabe Vincent along with a first-round pick to receive the Spurs’ versatile wing.

     

    What may make the hypothetical acquisition a deal-breaker in Pelinka’s mind is Johnson’s descending contract, as his salary will decrease from $19 million this season to $17.5 million for the next two years afterwards until he hits unrestricted free agency in the summer of 2027.

     

    Los Angeles has come to develop an affinity for solid wing talents, and Johnson’s possible pairing with Dončić and James could be exactly what the team needs, aside from center depth, to compete for titles in the present and post-James era.

  • 5th-year option figures set: What Aidan Hutchinson, Jameson Williams will cost

    5th-year option figures set: What Aidan Hutchinson, Jameson Williams will cost

     

    The 2025 NFL fifth-year options figures have been set for the 2022 draft class. Here’s what it would cost the Detroit Lions to exercise the option for Aidan Hutchinson and Jameson Williams.

     

    Last week, the NFL announced the official setting of the 2025 salary cap at $279.2 million for each team. With that set, other key figures have been established for the 2025 season. Relevant to the Detroit Lions, the fifth-year option for first-round picks in the 2022 NFL Draft now has official costs.

     

    For the uninitiated, players selected in the first round of any NFL Draft can have an extra year tacked onto their four-year rookie contracts with a standard, fully-guaranteed figure. That cost changes depending on the salary cap, the position the player plays, number of Pro Bowls that player has earned, and snap counts.

     

    This figure is important to the Lions because they have two players they selected in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft: Aidan Hutchinson and Jameson Williams.

     

    Hutchinson, the second overall selection of that draft, would cost the Lions $19,872,000 for the 2026 season should the Lions opt to exercise his fifth-year option. That because Hutchinson has been named to a single Pro Bowl. Detroit is obviously looking to extend Hutchinson beyond just a fifth year on his rookie contract, but it’s unclear where those negotiations currently stand.

     

    As for Williams, his fifth-year option would be just $15,493,000. He did not meet the criteria for Pro Bowls (zero) or playing time, so his option is at the very basic level. Williams, coming off of his first 1,000-yard season, would be a relative bargain in 2026 with a cap figure just under $15.5 million. For reference, that cap hit would place him 15th among all NFL receivers in 2026—wedged between Brandon Aiyuk ($16.2 million) and Allen Lazard ($13.2 million). But of the 14 players above him, 11 have cap hits of $23 million or higher (Tyreek Hill leads the NFL with a $51.9 million cap hit in 2026).

     

    The Lions have until May 1 to decide on the fifth year option for both players.

  • Chicago Cubs Might be Best Trade Fit for Two-Time All-Star Pitcher

    Chicago Cubs Might be Best Trade Fit for Two-Time All-Star Pitcher

     

    The Chicago Cubs may have a need for a starting pitcher this season and if so this former Cy Young winner could be a target.

     

    Feb 28, 2025; Jupiter, Florida, USA; Miami Marlins starting pitcher Sandy Alcantara (22) delivers a pitch against the Atlanta Braves during the first inning at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium.

    Miami Marlins starting pitcher Sandy Alcantara (22) delivers a pitch against the Atlanta Braves during the first inning at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium. / Sam Navarro-Imagn

     

    With the start of the regular season right around the corner for the Chicago Cubs, the team must be focused on putting the best team possible on the field for 2025.

     

    This winter, the Cubs had an excellent offseason to put themselves in position to be a contender in the National League.

     

    While there are a lot of great teams in the league, Chicago is hoping that their improvements on paper will be enough to win the NL Central and compete with teams like the Los Angeles Dodgers.

     

    The Cubs were able to change the outlook for the team with the trade that brought in Kyle Tucker from the Houston Astros. Tucker is the type of superstar that can help elevate the lineup, and that is exactly what Chicago is hoping for.

     

    However, while the star slugger is a great player, he is only under contract through the end of the season. With that being said, the Cubs must do all they can to capitalize on this campaign.

     

    While there have been some strong additions elsewhere on the team, Chicago doesn’t feel like they have gone all-in this year. However, with some talented players likely to be available between now and the trade deadline, the Cubs might not be done trying to improve.

     

    Zachary D. Rymer of Bleacher Report recently wrote about the Cubs being an ideal fit for former Cy Young award winner Sandy Alcántara.

     

    Potentially bringing in the former Cy Young award winner from 2022 would be a massive boost to a starting rotation that is already pretty good. Last season, this unit was arguably the strength of the team, and they fortunately brought the key members back.

     

    However, if Chicago is going to realistically compete with the Dodgers or the Philadelphia Phillies in the National League, they likely need more star power in the rotation.

     

    Those two teams especially have top-end talent throughout the rotation, and that might not be something that the Cubs could handle currently in a seven-game series.

     

    Fortunately, even though the cost of bringing in the right-hander would be high, Chicago has a lot of young talent both in the Majors and in their farm system to pull off a trade.

     

    While Alcántara is coming off missing the entire 2024 campaign due to injury, he has the potential to be one of the best pitchers in baseball if he’s healthy.

     

    If the opportunity presents itself, the Cubs would be wise to make an aggressive push to bring him in.

  • Ferrari set to make ‘hard decisions’ between Hamilton and Leclerc already

    Ferrari set to make ‘hard decisions’ between Hamilton and Leclerc already

     

     

    Former Haas team principal Guenther Steiner believes that Fred Vasseur will need to make some ‘hard decisions’ between Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton as the duo navigate their first season as Ferrari team-mates. Hamilton arrives in Maranello with the ambition of restoring Ferrari to their former glory and adding an eighth Drivers’ Championship title to his collection.

     

    Leclerc, meanwhile, has been the Scuderia’s leading man since toppling Sebastian Vettel and has been patiently waiting for his own chance to win an F1 crown. As things stand, the two team-mates have an exemplary relationship and have been working in harmony during the off-season to help Ferrari maximise their performance from a radically overhauled design concept in the SF-25.

     

     

     

    Lewis Hamilton eighth title ‘very possible’ after F1 testing as expert gives verdict

    “Both of these drivers they drove for Fred’s F2 and F3 teams, Lewis and Charles,” Steiner told CNN. “So he has got good relationships in person. That’s for both of them. They have respect for Fred because, without Fred, they wouldn’t be where they are. So that is a good place to be.”

     

    The former Haas boss continued: “Obviously, there will be times when Fred needs to take hard decisions. But I don’t think he is afraid of it. I think he put himself in having these two drivers in a good position to win a championship.”

     

    One only has to look to Hamilton’s past to understand the perils of having two competitive team-mates vying for World Championships. Relationships strained between the Brit and Fernando Alonso during the early days of his career with McLaren, and the same happened with Nico Rosberg when Mercedes dominated the turbo-hybrid era.

     

     

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    Despite the possibility of fireworks, team principal Vasseur believes that internal competition could be what Ferrari need to take the next step. “Well, it’s always an opportunity and one of the skills of the driver is to try to always improve,” he said.

     

     

     

    Sacked F1 driver who issued grovelling Lewis Hamilton apology is heir to £2.7bn fortune

    “A good way to improve is also to take the experience or the performance of your team-mate, because it’s the driver that is the closest to you and you can have access to the data that you can work with. If you are clever, you can do a step with the potential of your team-mate.

     

    “I’m fully, fully sure, because we already did two TPC (Testing of Previous Cars) and the shakedown today, that it will be the case. Honestly, I’m not scared at all with this, because we need to have this kind of emulation.

     

    “I spoke about it last year between Charles and Carlos [Sainz]. It was already the case, but as a team, if we want to perform, we need to have two drivers performing. We need to have two drivers in a kind of competition, a positive competition and a positive emulation. And I’m sure that it will be the case.”