List of All Articles with Tag 'sports'

The Europa League group stage draw has been completed with Liverpool, Brighton, West Ham, who won the Europa Conference League last year, and Rangers discovering their opponents. Liverpool are the bookies' favourites, but Brighton are next up alongside Jose Mourinho's Roma, who recently bought Romelu Lukaku to boost their chances. Atalanta, Marseille and Villarreal are also contenders. Relive the Europa League group stage draw below and get all the latest football betting sites offers or sign up to bet365 using The Independent’s unique bonus code by clicking here: Read More Uefa calls added time rules ‘absurd’ and refuses to follow suit Rangers fail to qualify for Champions League after thrashing by PSV Eindhoven

Luis Rubiales faces fresh criticism from his own family as the scandal surrounding the Spanish Football Federation president continues. Rubiales’ uncle gave an explosive interview accusing his nephew of being “obsessed with power, with luxury, and with women”. While Rubiales also sent a new video to Fifa appearing to show Jenni Hermoso laughing over his infamous kiss. In the video, Hermoso smiles as she shows her teammates a meme about the kiss to her teammates. Rubiales is still hoping to clear his name amid growing pressure to resign his post after Hermoso said the kiss was non-consensual and symptomatic of a broken culture in Spanish football. FOLLOW LIVE - Transfer news latest: Chelsea sign Cole Palmer on deadline day as Manchester United confirm signing Spain’s controversial manager Jorge Vilda meanwhile is on the verge of being sacked by the newly convened board of the Football Federation after he refused a request to resign. Follow all the latest updates from the Luis Rubiales crisis: Read More Luis Rubiales is just the latest crisis in Spanish FA’s dark history Luis Rubiales sends Fifa new video of Jenni Hermoso laughing over kiss on team bus England boss Sarina Wiegman: The issues around the Spanish team really hurts me

The last fight between Liam Smith and Chris Eubank Jr finished in chaos and confusion back in January. It was perhaps the only way the fight and the week could finish; there was a capacity crowd of just under 20,000 in Manchester and a ring packed with screaming people. On Saturday they do it all again and this time, it is serious. Manchester is once again the venue. Eubank Jr was dropped twice in the fourth but was up on unsteady legs, insisting he could continue, when it was called off after 69 unforgettable seconds. Eubank Jr was actually steered back to his own corner by Smith’s trainer, Joe McNally. It was an act of compassion surrounded by a night of hate and violence. The fight was stopped at the right time. Eubank Jr has since sacked his trainer from the night, Roy Jones Jr, and hired Brian BoMac McIntyre, who works with Terence Crawford. BoMac runs a strict gym and that is, probably, what Eubank Jr after 13 years as a professional and 35 fights desperately needs. It is never too late to learn in the boxing business. Smith returned to the Rotunda gym, arguably one of the most successful amateur boxing clubs in the world, and continued to prepare under the guidance of McNally. Smith and his party insist there will be more of the same when the bell sounds, and Eubank and his new gang are confident that they can change the outcome; both have enough to lose and an awful lot to gain from the fight. Smith has nothing to prove, Eubank Jr is under intense pressure. This fight has nothing to do with any parts of their colourful fighting history; this is just about repeat or revenge. The last time, the build-up was ugly and personal and this time it is just strictly business. Smith knows he can knock out Eubank Jr and Eubank Jr knows he can be knocked out. It was, trust me, a revelation to both boxers the way their first fight ended. Eubank Jr has conveniently claimed that he is a different man under BoMac’s glare, a smarter and better prepared fighter. He will need to be because, in the first fight, Smith was in control and looked in control. Sure, there was nothing in the fight up until the point where Smith trapped Eubank Jr in a corner and let his hands go. Eubank Jr slumped to the canvas, regained his feet, was dropped again and then got up one more time and was ready, so he claimed, to continue. He was not, it had to be stopped and that is where Saturday’s fight starts. The bad blood remains, the bragging rights are clear and the motive for revenge could not be any higher. At a time of pandering and preening YouTube boxers, crossover fights that only make sense at the bank, this second instalment is genuinely an old-school fight. There is no belt for family pride and that is a pity because that is the backdrop to this fight. Smith and his fighting brothers, Eubank Jr and his fighting father, uncles and cousins. Smith is confident that he can do it all again and Eubank Jr with the influence of BoMac is equally convinced that the result will be different. They can each look you in the eye and they would pass any test of truth – this is personal and that makes the most memorable fights. Smith at his best can do it all again, but Eubank Jr is fighting for his very survival. This is boxing at the very extreme. Watch Smith vs Eubank Jr 2 on Sky Sports Box Office on Saturday 2 September, live from the AO Arena in Manchester Read More Chris Eubank Jr on Liam Smith, adrenalin, and how to be ‘box office’ Eubank vs Smith 2 live stream: How to watch fight online and on TV this weekend Liam Smith: ‘Chris Eubank Jr is a nightmare – not for me, for other people’ Chris Eubank Jr and Liam Smith in heated debate over decisive factor in rematch Eddie Nketiah wins England call-up – Thursday’s sporting social Chris Eubank Jr on Liam Smith, adrenalin, and how to be ‘box office’

Taylor Swift is brining the Eras Tour to movie theaters, Utah dominated Florida, Barstool Sports begins mass layoffs and more in the Roundup.

Premier League teams have spent more than $2.5 billion on players in a record outlay during European soccer’s transfer window

The U.S. got its first real test of the Basketball World Cup and found a way to survive and remain unbeaten

Kick off your sports betting career with access to over $500 in bonus bets with these limited-time offers at Bet365, FanDuel and BetMGM. Read more to learn how you can lock in your bonuses in minutes today.

Pro Football Hall of Famer Gil Brandt, widely regarded as the architect who helped build the Dallas Cowboys into one of the most successful and popular sports franchises of all time, died on Thursday, according to the Cowboys. Brandt was 91.

Jaden Rashada threw for 236 yards and two touchdowns, and Arizona State withstood a more than two-hour weather delay to beat Southern Utah 24-21 early Friday in coach Kenny Dillingham’s coaching debut

Italy captain Leonardo Bonucci’s potential move to Union Berlin and Bayern Munich’s search for a defensive midfielder are among the outstanding matters to be cleared up on the final day of the transfer window in Germany

Transfer deadline day is upon us as Premier League clubs have until 11pm BST this evening to wrap up their deals, with some frantic last-minute buying and selling guaranteed. Liverpool look set to give their midfield a further boost with the signing of Ryan Gravenberch from Bayern Munich, while Tottenham Hotspur are chasing Nottingham Forest forward Brennan Johnson as a potential Harry Kane replacement. Elsewhere, Man City could be set to sell Cole Palmer to Chelsea, while the latter could offload Callum Hudson-Odoi after his return from loan. Manchester United, meanwhile, are still looking for at least two more additions – including Spurs left-back Sergio Reguilon – but did sell goalkeeper Dean Henderson to Crystal Palace on Thursday evening, with a potential replacement lined up. Brighton look set to sign Ansu Fati on loan from Barcelona, while several other Premier League teams could also conclude deals late on before the window shuts. Follow all the latest news and transfer rumour updates below; get all the latest football betting sites offers here and the latest odds on transfer deadline day deals here.

Gareth Southgate made his reputation as England’s mild-mannered assassin. He ended the international careers of Wayne Rooney and Joe Hart. He showed a willingness to move on to the next generation. But then, having forged a team, he has been transformed into a loyalist. Harry Maguire and Kalvin Phillips – combined total of minutes this season: 0 – were included in the squad to face Ukraine and Scotland and few should be surprised. There were reasons for each; a lack of fit centre-backs with international experience, a shortage of specialist defensive midfielders. Yet there was a notable absentee, a player with more football and in better form than Maguire and Phillips, a face of Southgate’s England. But, once again, a squad did not contain Raheem Sterling’s name. In March, fitness accounted for his absence. In June, it was the forward’s preference, Sterling asking for a break to work on his conditioning. In September, it will be managerial preference. Southgate’s explanation focused on loyalty: to the players who beat Malta 4-0 and North Macedonia 7-0 in June, to ones who have begun the season as well as Sterling. It was, though: “A difficult call and Raheem was not particularly happy about it.” A quarter of a century earlier, when Southgate made Glenn Hoddle’s World Cup squad and Paul Gascoigne did not, the midfielder responded with a tantrum. Sterling’s response was more polite, but his disappointment evident. “Raheem is always really respectful with how he responds, and deals [with things], he will always say ‘I respect your decision’ but of course he wants to get back in the group,” Southgate said. “I wouldn’t expect that to be any other way.” But the expectation was that he would be back in a squad that instead contained Eberechi Eze. Sterling has looked rejuvenated for Mauricio Pochettino at Chelsea; he was arguably man of the match even in defeat to West Ham, he scored twice against Luton. “It’s not a decision I have based on the three games he has played,” Southgate said. “What I am hearing him say, he’s very focused and I am under no doubt that he’s going to have a really good season with Chelsea, I think they are going to go well. He looks like he’s back in the groove to score a lot of goals.” Which he has done for Southgate’s England: only Harry Kane has scored more in the manager’s reign. For a long time, he and Kane seemed the two certainties in the forward line, with everyone else competing to accompany them. Southgate does not call every player omitted from his squads: that he rang Sterling was a reflection of the importance he used to have. “Firstly he’s a player who has been a really big player for us, an important part of our team, and I wanted to address the fact that he’s playing really well,” he said. He painted it as a continuity choice from June, waiting for the season to unfold. “By next month we will have had another seven, 10 games and there will be a lot more evidence right across the board, of all the players and where they are at.” And yet the reality is that the wings are the area where England boast the most strength in depth. Southgate listed his rivals’ credentials: Marcus Rashford was involved in three goals against Nottingham Forest, Phil Foden was exceptional against Newcastle, Jack Grealish set up Erling Haaland’s opener at Sheffield United and Bukayo Saka has carried on where he left off last year. “We have got Foden, Grealish, Rashford, Saka, so there’s four for two positions,” Southgate reflected. “Maddison also played there. Whichever one I didn’t pick was going to be the story.” But Sterling is: a player with 55 caps in his reign, England’s outstanding attacker at Euro 2020, the talisman who realised his potential under sympathetic management, the prodigy who had looked on course to break Peter Shilton’s caps record. Then Sterling lost his place at the World Cup, albeit in a tournament when he returned to England after a burglary at his house, and amid a car-crash of a Chelsea season. He felt collateral damage in the chaos Todd Boehly brought to Stamford Bridge, a player who had arguably his worst campaign in senior football. “I understood why he wanted to focus on the fitness in June and we are seeing the benefits of that now,” Southgate said. “Of course, when you are not in, other people have the shirt.” All of which was rational and fair. But it showed a hard edge that he often conceals. Injuries could alter the equation and allow a route back in, yet Sterling will have to displace a high-class player. And for the meantime, it leaves him looking the odd man out, the player whose exclusion is not a one-off as much as a regular occurrence. If it long looked inconceivable that England could enter Euro 2024 without a fit and in-form Raheem Sterling, perhaps it is not now. Read More Jordan Henderson has given Gareth Southgate a Saudi Arabia problem Gareth Southgate says Raheem Sterling ‘not particularly happy’ at England snub Raheem Sterling misses out as Eddie Nketiah handed debut England squad call-up LGBT+ England fans may shun Jordan Henderson for ‘turning his back’ on them Gareth Southgate admits Raheem Sterling not happy after England snub Southgate explains ‘difficult’ decision to leave Sterling out of England squad