Thursday, March 5, 2026
spot_img
Home Blog

Griezmann’s provocative retort: “Is this photo too harsh?”

admin3r
-
0
Griezmann’s provocative retort: “Is this photo too harsh?”

Atletico Madrid secured their place in the Copa del Rey final on Tuesday evening. The Rojiblancos followed up their resounding 4-0 first-leg victory with a 3-0 win in Barcelona. For various reasons, Antoine Griezmann was the center of attention.

So much for being a substitute. The longer the 2025/26 season goes on, the more central Antoine Griezmann’s role at Atletico Madrid becomes. In the Copa del Rey in particular, the Spanish media are celebrating the Frenchman as a “key figure” on the way to the final. Together with his teammates, however, the 2018 World Cup winner had to suffer in Barcelona on Tuesday evening to earn his place in the final.

After the 0-3 defeat, which was enough thanks to the 4-0 first-leg victory, the self-sacrificing Catalans sank exhausted onto the turf. Griezmann was one of those who still had the strength to raise his arms in celebration. A fitting image emerged, showing a jubilant Griezmann with two deeply disappointed Barcelona players behind him. That same night, the Atlético icon took the opportunity to share the snapshot on his social media accounts, provocatively adding: “Is this photo too harsh?”

However, Griezmann’s post, who himself played for Barcelona for two years between 2019 and 2021, had a history. In March 2025, Barcelona’s social media department had shared a picture showing a disappointed Griezmann, while the eleven Barcelona players formed a circle in the background. The Catalans had just turned a 0-2 deficit into a 4-2 victory at the Metropolitano. The caption under the picture read: “This photo is very harsh.”

So late on Tuesday evening, Griezmann was “only” taking a swipe back. It could come back quickly: in a month’s time, the two teams will meet in La Liga. It is also highly likely that the rivals will cross swords in the Champions League quarterfinals—if Barcelona eliminates Newcastle and Atletico eliminates Tottenham.

Simeone: “He deserves it more than anyone else”

But will Griezmann still be around to see it all? Rumors of a move to MLS continue to persist. The transfer window in the US doesn’t close until April 24. Atletico manager Mateu Alemany recently put a stop to any speculation of a transfer, pointing to the player’s contract, which runs until 2027.

Coach Diego Simeone, who was once again highly emotional on the sidelines, was somewhat more defensive at the press conference at Camp Nou: “Hopefully he’ll play in the final. He deserves it more than anyone else. His quality and talent will stay with him for the rest of his life. What else can I add? I like him very much, I always wish him the best.”

Unsurprisingly, captain Koke also spoke out in favor of Griezmann staying. Thirteen years after the last Copa final, which Atlético won against archrival Real Madrid in extra time with Koke in the starting lineup, the dream of another title lives on. “We want to win the cup,” announced the veteran: “We knew it would be difficult. Barcelona is a great team with an incredible level of play. The young players are in top form, they have Pedri, who is the best player in the world.“

Especially before the break, Atletico missed their chance to seal the deal early. And yet Koke added meaningfully: ”This is the most beautiful defeat of my life.” And an evening that they won’t soon forget in Barcelona either.

Real’s most pressing question: How realistic is the Mbappé plan?

Jeffrey Gooding
-
0
Real’s most pressing question: How realistic is the Mbappé plan?

Real Madrid is stumbling toward the decisive phase of the season. The return of Kylian Mbappé is eagerly awaited. But when is it really realistic to expect the Frenchman to play?

Tuesday evening could normally have been a cause for schadenfreude among Real Madrid fans. But the failure of arch-rivals Barcelona in the Copa del Rey is probably not a big issue given their own embarrassing defeat in Albacete in the round of 16.

After all, Los Blancos currently have enough problems of their own. After two unexpected league defeats in a row (1-2 in Pamlona and 0-1 against Getafe), Real are suddenly four points behind leaders Barcelona and are in danger of missing out on the national championship again. In the Champions League, the round of 16 clash with in-form Manchester City and their coach Pep Guardiola is just around the corner.

At a time when Madrid is already discussing potential summer replacements for Alvaro Arbeloa and fans are gradually turning away from the team, the return of the injured Kylian Mbappé is perhaps more important than ever. After all, the exceptional player has scored 38 of the Blancos’ 87 competitive goals this season, which have become too predictable – almost 44 percent.

But this raises the most pressing question at the royal court: How realistic is Real’s goal of having Mbappé back for the round of 16 second leg against Manchester City on March 17?

Three months of pain

The fact is that Mbappé has been suffering from pain in his left knee since the beginning of December. The Frenchman often ignored the injury at the end of the year and gritted his teeth. However, he missed the last two games against Benfica (2-1) and Getafe (0-1) completely. Officially, it is a sprained knee that requires conservative treatment. Real confirmed the diagnosis from the end of December again last Monday.
Mbappé traveled to trusted specialists in France to be on the safe side. Arbeloa had said before the Getafe game that Mbappé’s situation would be reassessed on a daily basis. However, there has been no significant improvement yet. According to sources close to the club, which The Athletic has tapped into, it is instead a case of ups and downs.
Better days are followed by days of great pain. In France, it is now assumed that Mbappé, who has missed a third of Real’s games this year (5 out of 15), will not be able to play in the Equipe Tricolore’s important World Cup warm-up matches against Brazil and Colombia at the end of March. Immediately before that, the round of 16 second leg against ManCity and the important city derby against Atletico in the league await.

Worst-case scenario to be avoided

According to knee specialists, Mbappé’s injury is not serious, but it may have become chronic.
If the injury does not heal properly, the knee could remain unstable—and still require surgery. With 104 days to go before France’s World Cup opener against Senegal, that would be the worst-case scenario. For Real, anyway. Meanwhile, all kinds of rumors are circulating in Spain. Cadena Ser, for example, reports that Mbappé’s posterior cruciate ligament is “at its limit.” With the World Cup in mind, the striker therefore needs every day to recover.

At this point in time, it is apparently impossible to give a reliable assessment of when Mbappé will be able to return to the pitch permanently. However, according to Arbeloa, Real will not take “any risks” – and certainly not with Mbappé after the experiences of the last three months.

Whitecaps fined for advertising with Messi & Co.

Sotd Editor
-
0
Whitecaps fined for advertising with Messi & Co.

The Vancouver Whitecaps advertised a match against Inter Miami featuring the opposing team’s stars—who didn’t even play. Now Thomas Müller’s club and the MLS have been fined for this.

On May 25, 2024, the Vancouver Whitecaps hosted Inter Miami. In the run-up to the game, which took place before Thomas Müller joined the Canadian club, the Whitecaps, like the MLS, are alleged to have used “misleading advertising material” in ticket sales, as several plaintiffs accused the club and the league association. This was because expectations had been raised that the stars of the Florida team, including Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquets, Luis Suarez & Co., would be playing on the Canadian west coast. The catch: Inter’s coach at the time, Gerardo Martino, had already decided days before kick-off to rest Messi, Suarez and Busquets. However, more than 50,000 spectators had already bought tickets – to limit their disappointment, the Whitecaps offered a 50 percent discount on food and drinks. Otherwise, according to a report by ESPN, both the club and the MLS initially rejected any possible liability.

However, the Supreme Court of the Canadian province of British Columbia has now ruled in favor of the plaintiffs and approved a settlement in a class action lawsuit against the Canadian club and Major League Soccer (MLS). According to the ruling, the Vancouver Whitecaps and MLS must jointly pay 450,000 Canadian dollars, equivalent to 283,000 euros, to charity. The Whitecaps have already announced that they will accept the verdict: “The settlement will be implemented in accordance with the terms of the settlement agreement,” the club said.

Note when purchasing tickets: Matchday squads are subject to change

At the same time, the club is drawing further consequences from the incident: In the future, the Whitecaps will change their terms and conditions for ticket sales. When purchasing a ticket for a game, it will be noted that the respective matchday squads are subject to change.

Miami won the match in May 2024 by a score of 2-1. The two clubs met again in the 2025 season: in the MLS playoff final in early December 2025, Miami, with Jordi Alba, Busquets, de Paul, and Messi, defeated the Whitecaps, led by Thomas Müller, 3-1 to win the MLS title for the first time.

Serious accusations against Rüdiger: “He wanted to smash my face in”

Phil Laffertey
-
0
Serious accusations against Rüdiger: “He wanted to smash my face in”

It’s no secret that Antonio Rüdiger is no stranger to controversy and sometimes goes too far on the pitch. But now he is being accused of “intentional assault” by an opponent.

On Monday, Real Madrid suffered a surprise 0-1 defeat to Getafe at home in the Bernabeu and are now four points behind leaders FC Barcelona. However, one scene is still causing heated debate. In the 26th minute, Arda Güler and Diego Rico were involved in a tackle, during which the Getafe player had already fallen.

Antonio Rüdiger, who had no chance of getting the ball, rushed in, fell and hit Diego Rico in the face with his knee. The German’s tackle was undoubtedly reckless, but was not penalized by referee Alejandro Muniz Ruiz.

This alone is being criticized in Spain, with former referee Alfonso Perez Burrull lamenting the failure of VAR on Radio Marca: “This is an action that should have been reviewed by VAR because, in my opinion, Rüdiger should have been sent off.” Diego Rico considered this a bonus for Real, saying on Spanish radio station Cadena Cope that he would have been “suspended for ten games” if he had committed a similar foul.

Diego Rico makes serious accusations

The left-back, who also had to receive treatment after Rüdiger’s action, is not willing to let the matter rest and accused Rüdiger of acting intentionally. The Real defender tried to “smash my face in,” said the 33-year-old, emphasizing: “I think in situations like this, with this kind of aggressive behavior, it’s obvious that he’s attacking me intentionally.”

Diego Rico also revealed that he had had a verbal exchange with Rüdiger immediately before the incident. Rüdiger had been talking to him. “Then, in the very next move, the ball came to me, and you could see how he practically pushed his teammate out of the way to smash my face in.”

At least the left-back got off lightly and was able to finish the game. But Diego Rico also knows that things could have turned out very differently and that he was very lucky. “If he had caught me wrong, I would have just stayed there, flat on the field.”

“Are we going to admit defeat?” Giannis demands a response from the Bucks

Andrew Jackson
-
0
“Are we going to admit defeat?” Giannis demands a response from the Bucks

The Milwaukee Bucks are in the midst of a difficult phase of the season—and Giannis Antetokounmpo is not mincing his words. After the defeat against the Atlanta Hawks, the superstar publicly questioned his team’s mentality.

The 31-year-old’s frustration was already evident during the game. Late in the game, Antetokounmpo was called for a technical foul after throwing the ball against the basket support in anger. “I was a little frustrated,” he explained afterwards. “When you’re down by 11 or 12 points, you just have to play smart, find the best shot and be in the right place. In the end, we all have to be on the same page.“

With regard to the Bucks’ current situation – Milwaukee is currently ranked only eleventh in the Eastern Conference – Antetokounmpo called for more determination from the team. ”It’s about spirit. What are you playing for?” said the two-time MVP. “We have to decide: Do we want to wave the white flag and admit defeat, or do we want to come together in the last 21 games and try to make one last push?”

“I’m only human”: Giannis still searching for form

Antetokounmpo emphasized that individual actions would not be enough to make up for lost ground. “Good teams don’t work that way,” he said. “You have to keep working step by step.”

The forward also spoke openly about his own situation after a five-week break due to a calf injury. Although he is already showing strong moments again, he is still in the process of regaining his form. “I have to give myself some time,” Antetokounmpo explained. “I often think I’m a machine, but I’m only human.” In 32 games so far this season, Antetokounmpo is averaging 27.6 points, 9.9 rebounds, and 5.4 assists. He has already described the Bucks’ next game against the Utah Jazz as a “must-win.”

After a three-year hiatus: CS:GO is back

Jeffrey Gooding
-
0
After a three-year hiatus: CS:GO is back

Counter-Strike: Global Offensive disappeared from the scene with the release of its successor. Now Valve has responded to requests from the community and re-released the game.

Instead of having to search around in the legacy branch of Counter-Strike 2, fans of Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) can once again select the game as a dedicated title in their own game library. However, this requires a direct link to the game page. So far, CS:GO cannot be found via Steam search.

Counter-Strike was originally released as a standalone product with version 1.6.
In the following years, two direct sequels were released, Condition Zero and Source, before Valve released Global Offensive via Steam, which is still the longest-running offshoot of the series to date.
More than ten years passed before an official successor appeared in the form of Counter-Strike 2 on March 22, 2023.
However, its release had far-reaching consequences: Global Offensive disappeared completely from the scene. Valve replaced its predecessor with CS2, making it no longer accessible. However, its release had far-reaching consequences: Global Offensive disappeared completely from the scene. Valve replaced its predecessor with CS2, making it no longer accessible. This approach stood – and still stands – in stark contrast to the previous handling of earlier spin-offs in the series.
Counter-Strike 1.6, Condition Zero, and Source are still available as standalone titles in the Steam library and remain playable. What Valve’s plans are now with the re-release of Counter-Strike: Global Offensive is currently unclear. It also remains unclear whether the title will lead a similar shadowy existence as its predecessors or whether it will play a more prominent role.

Petronas fuel for Mercedes engines homologated by the FIA

Jason Maverick
-
0
Petronas fuel for Mercedes engines homologated by the FIA

The sustainable fuel intended for the four teams using Mercedes engines was certified by the FIA just in time for the start of the season.

Petronas has received approval for the sustainable fuel that will power Mercedes power units in the 2026 Formula 1 season. At the last minute, the Malaysian group’s Formula 1 program department received the necessary certification to participate in the world championship.

The process was completed on the eve of the Melbourne weekend. The new homologation procedure introduced for sustainable fuels is significantly more complex than the procedure that applied to previous types of gasoline.

Until 2025, fuels were tested and certified in an FIA-approved laboratory. Manufacturers submitted a sample and received the results within about twenty days. From this season onwards, however, the process has become much more complex. Manufacturers began preparations early, but if problems arise, significantly longer waiting times are now likely.
The FIA has outsourced certification to an external organization that not only tests the end product but also monitors the entire manufacturing process. From this season onwards, the entire production chain will be monitored. Certification body staff will visit production facilities to ensure that each stage meets the criteria set by the FIA.

In addition, the certifications of the numerous individual components are checked, including those of any suppliers within the supply chain. If even one of these certifications is missing, the fuel cannot be homologated, even if it meets the technical specifications.

Petronas and Mercedes have not commented on the process, but the delay in homologation appears to be due to missing certificates that were required to complete the process.

In addition to its own factory team, Alpine, McLaren, and Williams will also be racing with Mercedes engines in 2026.

Serious doubts about Formula 1 races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia

Lesley Summerville
-
0
Serious doubts about Formula 1 races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia

At present, Formula 1 races cannot take place in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia – the decisive factor is whether the situation will ease in the coming days.

Can the Formula 1 races in Bahrain (April 12) and Saudi Arabia (April 19) really take place as planned? At present, it would certainly be unthinkable to hold them, as both countries have been attacked with missiles and drones in recent days.

The World Endurance Championship (WEC) has already responded to the war in the region by canceling its season opener in Qatar, which was scheduled for March 28. Just two weeks later, Formula 1 is scheduled to race in neighboring Bahrain.

Although that is still more than a month away, expert Ralf Schumacher explains on Sky: “If what Donald Trump has published is true, […] then I can’t imagine that we will be racing there with Formula 1 in five or six weeks’ time.”

US President Trump had previously stated that the US military operation against Iran could last up to four weeks. If this assessment is correct, it would be almost impossible to hold Formula 1 races in the region as planned.

Quite apart from security issues, simply getting the Formula 1 circus there would be a challenge in itself, as air traffic throughout the region is currently severely restricted. A few days ago, Pirelli had to cut short a Formula 1 tire test in Bahrain.

“Several team members were affected by the planned tire test in Bahrain, all of whom have now left the country safely,” reveals Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff. Other Formula 1 personnel from Pirelli and McLaren were also affected.

Wolff: Formula 1 will “make the right decisions”

“Given the current situation in the Middle East, it seems almost trivial to talk about sport. We are monitoring developments in the region with concern and hope that the protection of the civilian population will continue to be a top priority,” Wolff emphasized.

“In view of this serious situation, it would be unhelpful to talk about possible further implications for Formula 1 in the coming weeks. However, we are confident that the FIA and Formula 1 will continue to monitor events and make the right decisions if necessary,“ said the Mercedes team boss.
For Ralf Schumacher, it is already clear that under the current circumstances, it would make ”no sense” to stick to the races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. However, if Formula 1 were to follow the example of the WEC, that would not mean that the two Grands Prix would be canceled completely. The WEC season opener in Qatar has only been officially postponed and is to be rescheduled for later in the year. “The safety and well-being of our community will always be the FIA’s top priority,” said FIA President Mohammed bin Sulayem.

If the situation does not ease in the coming days, it is possible that the 2026 Formula 1 calendar could change again. A final decision is expected between the races in China (March 15) and Japan (March 29) at the latest due to various lead times.

After McLaren exit: Alpine snaps up this top talent for 2026

Sports Of The Day
-
0
After McLaren exit: Alpine snaps up this top talent for 2026

Alpine confirms signing of Alex Dunne for its academy – After stints at McLaren and Red Bull, the youngster is making a permanent move to Enstone

Alpine has officially confirmed the addition of Irish Formula 2 driver Alex Dunne to its junior program. Dunne will compete in the junior series for another year. There had been speculation about Dunne joining Alpine for some time, especially after he was spotted in the pink colors of team sponsor BWT during Formula 2 tests. Shortly before the start of the new 2026 season, the Enstone-based team has now finally confirmed the signing of the 20-year-old.

After finishing his debut season in 2025 in fifth place overall, Dunne will return to Formula 2 with Rodin Motorsport. He will combine his racing commitments with a development program as an official member of the Alpine Academy. “I am very excited to join the Alpine Academy and take this next step in my racing career,” said Dunne. “I am very grateful for the trust the team has placed in me to represent the team and the brand on the global stage of Formula 2—a series that has proven to be the perfect place to introduce young drivers to professional roles in racing.”

“After a good 2025 season, the goal for this year is obviously to fight for the drivers’ championship,” he says combatively.

The rocky road via McLaren and Red Bull

After completing two rookie practice sessions for McLaren in the premier class, Dunne parted ways with the Woking-based team in October as his path to Formula 1 seemed blocked there. There was a brief agreement with former Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko, but that was canceled.

Dunne now joins a squad that includes Alpine’s main reserve driver Paul Aron—who, unlike Dunne, already has the necessary super license points for Formula 1—as well as Kush Maini and junior colleague Gabriele Mini.

Briatore sets clear goals for 2026

Alpine advisor Flavio Briatore adds: “We are delighted to welcome Alex to Alpine as a member of our Academy. His performances in Formula 2 and also his free practice sessions in Formula 1 last year were impressive. He is clearly a very talented young driver with pure, natural speed.”

“We have a talented pool of drivers in Formula 2 with Gabriele Mini and Kush Maini. We look forward to seeing the three of them compete against each other in Formula 2 in 2026, with a clear goal: to win the drivers’ title.”

Strong comeback in Thailand: Martin feels “back to his old self”

Phil Laffertey
-
0
Strong comeback in Thailand: Martin feels “back to his old self”

Jorge Martin makes a stronger-than-expected return at the MotoGP season opener in Thailand – he says he is almost back to his best and already has his sights set on the podium.

At the MotoGP season opener in Thailand, Jorge Martin made a clear statement with fifth place in the sprint and fourth place in the main race – and that was faster than expected after the Aprilia rider missed most of the 2025 season and the first pre-season test due to injury.

“Yes, I’m super happy to finish this solid weekend,” he sums up, all the more satisfied. After only two days of testing, he was already back at this level of racing and was even able to improve his base over the course of the days, which was impressive. “So I’m really super happy about that.”

Martin emphasizes above all how important his consistency was over the weekend. Three top 5 finishes – in qualifying and in both races – were “great,” he said.

Martin gives himself “nine out of ten” points

He said he felt “really good” at the start of the race in particular and was once again battling with Marc Marquez and Pedro Acosta. “I felt like I was back to my old self again, which is really good,” recapitulates the “Martinator.”

However, the 2024 MotoGP world champion is not entirely satisfied. He knows that he needs to further improve his motorcycle setup in order to catch up with his teammate Marco Bezzecchi and the others at the top. At the same time, he was optimistic: the gap wasn’t too big.
He wasn’t far off Raul Fernandez, his brand colleague in the Trackhouse team, either. The podium on Sunday was definitely possible. Martin therefore rated his own performance as “maybe nine out of ten.” “I’m super happy to have finished and to continue making progress.”

Aprilia rider aims for victory

It is remarkable how quickly Martin feels almost 100 percent again after his recent surgery. When asked when he expected to be back to his best, he said: “I’m much closer than I originally expected.”

During testing, twelve laps were already too much for him. Martin, on the other hand, completed the sprint distance without any problems. The 26 laps in the Grand Prix race were “tricky, but no more so than usual. It was more a case of understanding the bike better with each lap and adapting to it more and more.”

Martin considers the insights he gained to be positive. He feels he knows exactly where his weaknesses lie and where he still needs to improve.
He says he “worked really, really hard” throughout the weekend to identify these small points. He then managed to take another step forward in the race. At the same time, he remains realistic: there will be tracks where he feels even better and others where he will have to fight harder.

Overall, however, the bike works “really, really well” for him. What he still lacks is a stable base of his own. “At the moment, I’m always adapting to the style of the bike. As soon as I can attack the way I want to, I’ll take another step forward and be able to fight for victories.”

123...1,809Page 1 of 1,809

EDITOR PICKS

POPULAR POSTS

POPULAR CATEGORY

ABOUT US

Sports of the day is your sports news website. We provide you with the latest breaking news and videos straight from the sports industry.

Contact us: [email protected]

FOLLOW US

Responsible Gambling, when the fun stops, stop.

© 2021 sportsoftheday.com