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Cristiano Ronaldo’s strike at Al-Nassr appears to be over. As is becoming increasingly clear, it was also a power struggle between the club management and CR7, who apparently prevailed. However, the 41-year-old will still be absent from the Asian Champions League on Wednesday.

Last week, Cristiano Ronaldo missed both the 1-0 win at Al-Riyadh and the 2-0 win against Al-Ittihad—he was not injured, the Portuguese player was on strike. Why? That is still not entirely clear, as there has been no official statement from the five-time Ballon d’Or winner or his club; only the Saudi league had shown its displeasure and publicly reprimanded the player.

Initially, it was said that he was dissatisfied with the transfer policy of his club, which, unlike league rivals such as Al Hilal, did not present any notable reinforcements, but then there was also talk of outstanding salary payments – however, this was not said to be about missing payments to him, but rather that club employees were affected.

Outstanding salaries and limited powers

Now, however, A Bola is reporting “white smoke in Riyadh.” According to the report, the club has settled outstanding payments to employees and partners, whereupon CR7 is said to have ended his protest.
According to the report, the management at Al-Nassr finally gave in to pressure from the superstar. In any case, Cristiano Ronaldo is training again—and he has apparently got his way across the board. The question now is when he will return.
This will not happen immediately, as the captain of the Portuguese national team is not expected to play in Al-Nassr’s Asian Champions League away game against FC Arkadag in Turkmenistan on Wednesday. His comeback on the pitch is not planned until Friday’s away game at Al-Fateh.

CR7 is also said to have secured the reinstatement of the powers of two Portuguese executives, José Semedo (managing director) and Simao Coutinho (sporting director), which had been restricted by the club in December with regard to transfers – the duo will now be allowed to take care of squad planning again. Whether this is exactly how events unfolded remains to be seen, as there has been no official confirmation.

Laporta resigns as Barcelona president to run for re-election

Football
Football News

Sotd Editor

February 10, 2026

Laporta resigns as Barcelona president to run for re-election

Joan Laporta has resigned as president of FC Barcelona. This move was unavoidable due to the Catalan club’s statutes. He intends to resume the position in the summer.

Laporta’s five-year term since his election in 2021 is coming to an end. However, according to the statutes, board members who wish to continue in office must stand for re-election every five years. Accordingly, Laporta had to officially resign between February 9 and 22. The 63-year-old has now taken this step.

After the board meeting, at which Laporta and other executives formally resigned from their positions, it was also announced, as expected, that Rafa Yuste will head the club until the end of the season—six other people will form the new board.

In addition to Laporta, Elena Fort, vice president of institutional affairs, Rafael Escudero, vice president of social affairs, and executives Ferran Oliver, Josep Maria Albert, Xavier Barbany, Miquel Camps, Aureli Mas, Xavier Puig, and Joan Soler i Ferré also officially announced their resignations on Monday in order to stand for re-election.

Yuste, previously vice president of the club and a confidant of Laporta, will be in charge until July 1, after which the newly elected president will take office. The presidential elections will take place on March 15, with the campaign running from March 6 to 13.

Opponent Font does not want Deco

Laporta is not without opponents. Víctor Font, who came second in the 2021 elections, is considered his main rival. Unlike Laporta, the 53-year-old would not want to continue working with sporting director Deco and even has his eye on someone new for the job: “We can’t name the person because they have a contract,” Font explained in an interview with RAC1. “We will build the structure that best suits Hansi Flick.” Xavi Vilajoana, a former board member under Josep Maria Bartomeu, and Marc Ciria are considered further rivals alongside Font.

If Laporta is re-elected, it will be the third term in office for the Spanish lawyer and politician. He first headed the club between 2003 and 2010.

Braunschweig captain Köhler transfers to Zurich

Football
Football News

Sotd Editor

February 10, 2026

Braunschweig captain Köhler transfers to Zurich

The drama surrounding Sven Köhler has come to an end: after some back and forth, the captain of Eintracht Braunschweig is transferring to Grasshopper Club Zurich.

Captain Sven Köhler’s request to transfer from Braunschweig had put the club in a difficult position. Coach Heiner Backhaus dropped the center back from the squad for the match against KSC, and Köhler was excused from team training. In principle, however, Backhaus left the door open for the 29-year-old, unlike many BTSV fans, who clearly expressed their opposition to Köhler staying with banners.

Now the drama of the past week at the Lions has come to an end: as Eintracht announced on Monday, Köhler is officially transferring to Grasshopper Club Zurich, closing his chapter in Braunschweig. The defender has signed a contract with the Swiss first division club, currently eleventh in the Super League, until 2028 and will wear the number 27 jersey.

Köhler is leaving Eintracht for a base transfer fee of €300,000 and heading to Switzerland, where clubs can still make transfers until February 16. An additional six-figure sum may also be transferred from Zurich to Braunschweig in the form of bonuses.

Kessel: “We have reached a reasonable agreement”

“After Sven Köhler expressed his desire to leave, our goal was to find a solution as quickly as possible. We have now reached a reasonable agreement with Grasshoppers. We used the last few days of the transfer window to prepare for his departure and believe that our squad is well positioned to achieve our goals for the season, even without Sven. We wish him all the best for his future in Switzerland,” commented sporting director Benjamin Kessel.

Köhler joined Eintracht in the summer of 2024 from Danish first division club Odense BK, having previously gained experience in the German third and second divisions with VfL Osnabrück and, in the meantime, on loan at SC Verl. Köhler made 51 appearances in the blue and yellow jersey, scoring one goal in the DFB Cup defeat to VfB Stuttgart.

“Sven brings extensive experience and leadership qualities and is expected to play an important role both on and off the pitch, giving the team additional stability. His mentality, experience, and character will be good for our team,” said sporting director Alain Sutter in a statement released by the club.

“I am really looking forward to the new challenge at Grasshopper Club Zurich,” said Köhler. “The move here means a lot to me, and I am very happy that it has finally come to fruition. I want to take on responsibility, lead the way, and give everything to ensure that we achieve our common goals.”

This is the ball for the Champions League final

Football
Football News

Sotd Editor

February 10, 2026

This is the ball for the Champions League final

In just under five months, the Champions League final will take place in the Hungarian capital Budapest. Adidas has now unveiled the official match ball for the final.

Even though the Champions League play-offs are set to begin in mid-February – with Bundesliga clubs Dortmund (against Atalanta) and Leverkusen (against Olympiacos Piraeus) among those in action – the final at the Puskas Arena in Budapest is already looming large. The final of Europe’s premier club competition will take place in the Hungarian capital on May 30.

On Monday, sportswear manufacturer Adidas, which has been supplying the leather ball for the Champions League final for 25 years, presented the official match ball. The Herzogenaurach-based manufacturer based the design on the identity of the metropolis of Budapest. The ball “reflects the contrast and harmony that characterizes the city,” according to a press release.

“At the heart of the ball’s design is a purple metallic base color, enhanced by a pigment finish that changes its nuances depending on the light, angle of view, and movement. The graphic design is inspired by Budapest’s characteristic Art Nouveau architecture,“ the company added: ”Flowing textures and bright accents are intended to evoke the rivers, bridges, and night-lit streets of this cosmopolitan city.” As a tribute to local symbols, the lion and dragon motifs typical of Budapest have also been integrated into the graphics of the panels. The ball will be used from the knockout stages of the Champions League, which start on February 17.

Kawhi gala takes Minnesota by surprise – Miami wins easily in Washington

NBA
NBA News

admin3r

February 10, 2026

Kawhi gala takes Minnesota by surprise – Miami wins easily in Washington

Kawhi Leonard led the L.A. Clippers to another victory with a gala performance. Not much is going right for the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Miami Heat and Toronto Raptors both win without much effort.

What a game from Kawhi Leonard. The All-Star collected three steals in the first two minutes, then set the tone offensively. The forward scored 41 points (14/30 FG) in 33 minutes. And that despite the 34-year-old experiencing severe pain in his right index finger at times. But it was one of those nights for the wing player when almost everything went right. Leonard even made a jump shot after losing the ball in the air, but grabbing it again and getting a shot off at the last second. Another bright spot for the Clippers was the performance of rookie Yanic Niederhäuser. The Swiss player scored 15 points and grabbed six rebounds.

For the Wolves, Anthony Edwards (23, 7/18) provided the highlight of the game with a spectacular dunk, but otherwise the superstar (and his teammates) didn’t achieve much because the Clippers’ defense, led by Kris Dunn, was outstanding. Dunn was then sent to the showers four minutes before the end with a second technical foul after he and Julius Randle exchanged a few shoves.

Miami wins easily in D.C.

Miami cruised to an easy win in Washington, with the second quarter (37:19) evening out the balance of power between the two teams. Bam Adebayo (22, 5 steals) had a plus-minus of +41 in 28 minutes, while rookie Kasparas Jakucionis (22, 8/10 FG) shone coming off the bench. The Lithuanian guard made all six of his three-pointers for the Heat. For Washington, Tristan Vukvcevic was the top scorer with just 14 points, while big man Alex Sarr (12, 12 rebounds) recorded a double-double. The hosts’ starters kept up well, but the bench players simply didn’t have the quality to keep up.

Barnes leads Toronto to another win

Four games, four wins. The Raptors have swept the Pacers this season and once again the Canadians had no problems. The Pacers’ disastrous season continues, however, with youngster Johnny Furphy possibly suffering a serious knee injury during a dunk.

The Pacers were still narrowly ahead at halftime, but Toronto took the third quarter 44-26. Scottie Barnes (25 points, 14 rebounds, 4 blocks) stood out during this phase, and Trayce Jackson-Davis (10 points, 10 rebounds) also impressed in his debut. R.J. Barrett contributed 20 points to the victory, while Pascal Siakam was Indy’s top scorer with 18 points.

Lamborghini promotes Maximilian Paul: hint at a team change in the DTM?

Motorsports

Sotd Editor

February 10, 2026

Lamborghini promotes Maximilian Paul: hint at a team change in the DTM?

Lamborghini promotes Maximilian Paul to new factory driver: who else is being promoted and what hint is the Dresden native giving about a Grasser comeback?

Important milestone in Maximilian Paul’s career: The 25-year-old from Dresden, who scored a sensational DTM victory in his first race weekend as a regular driver with the Grasser team in 2023 and competed in 2024 and 2025 with his own Lamborghini team Paul Motorsport, will be promoted to Lamborghini factory driver in 2026.

The Italians, who lost Jordan Pepper to BMW at the end of 2025, announced this in a press release. Paul is delighted with this career move: “I am incredibly grateful to now be part of Lamborghini’s factory driver squad after so many years of hard work.” Paul joined the Lamborghini squad as a junior in 2022 and was promoted to young professional in 2023.

He speaks of “a special journey—and that makes this moment even more meaningful. It’s truly an honor to now begin this new chapter as a factory driver and to compete in the upcoming season with the new Temerario GT3,” Paul announced.

Hint at Grasser comeback as Bortolotti’s teammate?

An interesting statement, with which the talented man hints that he will not be competing in the DTM in 2026 with his own team, but will instead make a comeback with the Grasser racing team – as teammate to Lamborghini figurehead Mirko Bortolotti.

Lamborghini also announced in its press release that Paul will drive the new Temerario GT3 “in national and international championships” in 2026 alongside Mattia Michelotto, who will also become a factory driver.

In 2025, Paul, who is known for working on his own cars and sometimes even acting as a driving engineer, had a mixed year in the DTM, but the highlight was his third place thanks to the right strategy in the weather poker game at Zandvoort. It was the first podium finish for the Paul team in the DTM.

He also secured a podium finish in the Pro-Am class at the 24-hour classic at the Nürburgring last year.

Italian Michelotto also promoted to works driver

Who is Mattia Michelotto? The 23-year-old Italian also comes from Lamborghini’s junior program and won the 2021 Lamborghini Super Trofeo World Final in Misano. In 2023, he was runner-up in the European Super Trofeo one-make series and in the Sprint Cup of the Italian GT Championship, before winning the Pro-Am classification of the Sprint Cup last year.

“We are very pleased to welcome Maxi and Mattia to our factory team for the 2026 season and beyond,” said Lamborghini’s Chief Technical Officer Rouven Mohr, who has been heading the motorsport division on an interim basis since Maurizio Leschiutta’s departure.

“Both drivers have proven their talent behind the wheel of a Lamborghini in recent years and fully deserve to represent Lamborghini Squadra Corse at the highest level in GT racing. We are excited to see what they can achieve over the course of the year.”

Jorge Lorenzo analyzes: Where Ducati has made “strong” progress

Motorsports

Phil Laffertey

February 10, 2026

Jorge Lorenzo analyzes: Where Ducati has made “strong” progress

The Ducati GP26 impresses at the MotoGP test in Sepang – Jorge Lorenzo recognizes clear progress – The new ride height system in particular is causing a stir

As Maverick Vinales’ new coach, Jorge Lorenzo was present at the preseason test in Sepang. The three-time MotoGP world champion also observed the action from the sidelines and, with his experienced eye, gained an accurate picture of the situation.

Lorenzo came away with the impression that Ducati will continue to set the standard in 2026. Ducati has clearly made further progress with its new motorcycle. The new, significantly more complex ride height system plays a particularly important role in this. “When you watch it on the track, you can see in the corners that the Ducati is extremely stable, especially when accelerating out of corners,” Lorenzo described his impressions to MotoGP.com. “They are so extremely smooth.”

“This applies both to the maximum lean angle at around 20 percent throttle and to the phase in which the bike is straightened up again – the Ducati maintains this calm for a very long time. The other bikes, on the other hand, seem a bit more nervous.”

“As far as I could tell, they have improved the ride height system. When exiting corners, you can see that the bike is extremely low, really very low. Of course, this helps with acceleration so that the front wheel doesn’t lift.“

”We also saw very large wings at the front, almost like on a Formula 1 car, and this additional downforce obviously helps enormously to keep the bike stable during acceleration.” On the last day of testing, however, Ducati fitted the smaller winglets again.
The sprint simulations by Alex Marquez and Francesco Bagnaia were particularly impressive. Marc Marquez was close behind. If it had been a real race, these three Ducati riders would theoretically have been at the front.

That’s why Lorenzo concludes: “Well, unfortunately, it looks like Ducati has taken a significant step forward, a really big one. But it’s just one track. Maybe we, KTM, will be closer on another track, or maybe Aprilia will be.”

“It varies greatly from track to track, but clearly, Ducati’s start is pretty impressive.” The Spaniard also believes that the progress is related to the fact that Ducati did not make a decisive step forward last year.

Despite Marc Marquez’s dominant victories, his race times were often slower than those of Bagnaia and Jorge Martin in 2024. Behind the scenes, work was done to remedy the weaknesses of the GP25. “Ducati hardly improved at all last year, they just kept working on it. And from what I’ve seen on this track, they’ve clearly taken a step forward this year,” Lorenzo says of Sepang.

And on Ducati’s pursuers, he says: “Aprilia isn’t bad either, and Honda has also made a very good step forward. We have also improved,” says Lorenzo about KTM, “but not as much as we would like.”

Brundle: The new regulations would have been perfect for Michael Schumacher

Motorsports

Phil Laffertey

February 10, 2026

Brundle: The new regulations would have been perfect for Michael Schumacher

The new Formula 1 regulations focus on energy management: Martin Brundle believes that this would have been ideal conditions for Michael Schumacher

A new set of regulations is coming into force in Formula 1 this season, placing greater emphasis on energy management. Drivers will have to weigh up when to recover or use energy. Sky Sports expert Martin Brundle believes that these would have been ideal conditions for Michael Schumacher and Ayrton Senna.

“I actually think Ayrton and Michael would love these cars because they have the ability to use all the tools,” said the Brit during a McLaren media event. “And those who know how to use the tools best and get the most out of the cars would be successful.”

As a 158-time GP participant, Brundle knows what he’s talking about: the Briton drove alongside Schumacher at Benetton in 1992 and experienced that even back then, Formula 1 was about much more than just speed: “If you want to drive at full throttle for a long time, you have to take care of things.”
This principle is timeless, Brundle emphasizes. “It’s always been that way, whether it was Stirling [Moss] and [Juan Manuel] Fangio back then, or Jackie [Stewart], Graham [Hill], and Jim [Clark],” he recalls.
“Back then, it was about ring gears, drive shafts, universal joints, transmissions in general, engines, chassis, ball joints, clutches—we always had to take care of something.”

Martin Brundle: “You always had to take care of something.”

Even the legendary turbo years of the 1980s, when cars carried 220 liters of fuel, were no exception. “So we had to brutally ease off the gas and coast throughout the race,” recalls the Brit, “because that was the only way we could make it to the finish line with some power and enough fuel in the tank.”

Brundle himself learned this the hard way. “I once ran out of fuel just before the finish line and lost third place in Adelaide because I wasn’t careful enough,” recalls the 66-year-old. “So you always had to conserve something. Tires are a good example, especially nowadays.”

This is an aspect that remains unchanged to this day, albeit with a new focus, because in the new Formula 1 era, batteries are now also a sensitive resource: “So I think the specific challenge has changed, but the overarching challenge remains the same,” says Brundle.

Lando Norris sees McLaren on the right track: “Car continues to be fun”

Motorsports

Sports Of The Day

February 10, 2026

Lando Norris sees McLaren on the right track: “Car continues to be fun”

Lando Norris warns against premature test comparisons after the first shakedown – he sees progress in the reliability and driving feel of the new 2026 car

Lando Norris is preparing for the new season as the reigning Formula 1 world champion and has drawn positive conclusions after the first test drives with the new McLaren. During the first shakedown in Barcelona, the team from Woking collected important data, especially on reliability.

Despite the usual temptation to compare lap times with the competition, Norris warns against overestimating test results. For him, another point is currently more important: the new car feels fast and easy to drive.

After three intensive days of testing, Norris’s main focus was on understanding the new car.
Especially in the early stages with new rules, it’s less about setting the fastest times and more about laying the groundwork. Nevertheless, the Brit knows how difficult it is not to directly compare his own performance with others.

Focus on reliability for McLaren

“It’s so easy to get lost in comparisons, simply because we’re all competitive. You always want to see yourself in a good light and feel like you can be fast,“ Norris explained to F1.com after the Barcelona shakedown. ”But I think we understood a lot—both when driving with little fuel, with a lot of fuel, and with the tires,” Norris continued.
A key focus of the tests was the technical reliability of all systems. Sensors, the drive unit, and the transmission were the main focus in order to identify any potential weak points at an early stage. Norris saw this as the main purpose of the trip to Barcelona.
“Basically, we did exactly what we came here to do: understand the car, especially from a reliability perspective. Making sure that all the sensors are working, the power unit, the transmission, and whatever else is involved.“

Norris: ”Feels like a race car”

This could make all the difference, especially in a long season. Accordingly, the team will now evaluate the data in detail and derive further improvements.

“It’s about making sure that everything works as we expect it to,” emphasizes Norris. “Because reliability is one of the most important things. Much of this relates to this area, and we will continue to analyze, improve, and optimize many aspects within the team over the coming days and weeks.” Norris also used the test days to personally develop a complete feel for the car again. Minor adjustments to his setup are still necessary, but overall, his first impression is positive. “I still have a few minor things to adjust here and there, but otherwise it still feels like a race car—still fast and still a lot of fun to drive,” says the world champion.

McLaren will unveil the final livery of its 2026 car at a launch event in Bahrain this Monday (February 9). This will be followed by further official test drives in Bahrain (February 11 to 13 and 18 to 20). The season finally kicks off at the Australian Grand Prix in early March.

Engel set for Davis Cup home debut?

Tennis
Tennis News

Lesley Summerville

February 10, 2026

If the German team advances to the next round against Peru, the 18-year-old could play a singles match.

Tennis talent Justin Engel can hope to play for the German Davis Cup team on the second day of the tournament against Peru. In the absence of top player Alexander Zverev, thanks to the 2-0 lead, a victory for the top doubles pair Tim Pütz and Kevin Krawietz could secure early advancement and thus an appearance for the 18-year-old in singles on Saturday.

“Generally speaking, we have five good players here who are all ready to play,” said national coach Michael Kohlmann evasively when asked whether Engel would play a role in the event of an early victory against Peru. The team captain insisted on first securing a place in the second round.

Meanwhile, Engel’s teammate Jan-Lennard Struff praised the youngster explicitly: “He is an incredibly good player, already very advanced for his age.” Struff also attested to his excellent serve and “fast, swift” play from the baseline.

Not only in terms of his sporting ability, but also on a personal level, he fits well into the DTB team structure – despite the 20-year age difference in some cases. “He is extremely eager to learn, plays and trains a lot.” Naturally, the youngster needs to be slowed down a bit. “I think it’s extremely positive to see that after an hour and a half of training with Yannick and an hour and a half with me, he still wants to keep playing,” said Struff.