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Simeone analyzes Flick’s tactics – and has a huge bottleneck

Andrew Jackson
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Simeone analyzes Flick’s tactics – and has a huge bottleneck

Three games in eleven days – Atletico Madrid and FC Barcelona are set to go head-to-head in the near future. Coach Diego Simeone will have to improvise ahead of the league clash on Saturday evening.

The cholismo is not necessarily everyone’s cup of tea. That’s what Atletico’s style of play is called, loosely based on Diego “Cholo” Simeone. The Atletico coach who has been in charge since December 2011.

The coach of perhaps the most technically accomplished team in world soccer is not one of the critics. “It’s always difficult to play against them,” said Barcelona coach Hansi Flick ahead of the festive weeks against the Colchoneros. “They have one of the best coaches in the world. I like what I see.”

The Madrilenians have already proven several times that they can get the better of Flick’s beautiful Catalan players. In December 2024, Atletico won 2-1 in Barcelona, while four months later the clubs drew 4-4 at the same venue in the Spanish Cup. In the current Copa del Rey season, a 4-0 win at home was enough for Atletico to afford a 3-0 defeat in the second leg. Defending champions Barcelona had to drop out of the competition.

“Football is about the players, not the coaches,” said Simeone, deflecting attention away from himself. “Barcelona have been playing in a certain way since their coach arrived, with a high defensive line and an attacking line-up designed to win duels. We’ll continue to try and beat them with our own style of play, which we’ve had for 14 years.”

Five and a half injured and one suspended

The problem, however, is that Atletico go into Saturday’s game with a serious injury problem. Simeone confirmed that neither Rodrigo Mendoza, Pablo Barrios, Jan Oblak, Marc Pubill nor Johnny Cardoso will be fit in time for the league game. In addition, Marcos Llorente is serving a yellow card suspension and Alexander Sörloth has returned from international duty with a head injury. However, the former Leipzig player is likely to be available.

There is an obvious shortage in midfield in particular, with only Koke and Obed Vargas available. But as is usual with Simeone, he is not losing his optimism. “We started pre-season with the hope that we’d be just like we are at the moment. We can keep up until the end, that’s the path we’re on.”

“Crossed the line”: Chelsea suspend Fernandez for two games

Sports Of The Day
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“Crossed the line”: Chelsea suspend Fernandez for two games

In recent weeks, Chelsea’s vice-captain Enzo Fernandez has caused a stir several times with public statements when he openly flirted with a transfer and also questioned the change of coach to Liam Rosenior. The latter has now suspended the Argentine for two games.

Chelsea FC will play their FA Cup quarter-final against third division side Port Vale on Saturday without Enzo Fernandez – and will also be without the 25-year-old’s services for the league game against Manchester City in a week’s time. This was confirmed by Blues coach Liam Rosenior on Friday at the press conference of the Premier League’s sixth-placed team, after the Argentine world champion had recently been repeatedly in the media for a summer departure – despite his contract until 2032 and his role as vice-captain.

“I spoke to Enzo an hour ago,” said Rosenior. “As a club, we have made a decision: He will not be available for tomorrow’s game and also not for the game against Manchester City next Sunday. Because I think it’s disappointing for Enzo to express himself like that.” He had “nothing bad” to say about Fernandez, but felt “that a line had been crossed in terms of our culture and what we want to build. That’s why we had to impose a sanction.”

Enzo flirted with a move to Real Madrid

Enzo, who moved from Benfica to the Londoners for €121 million after winning the World Cup with Argentina in 2023, openly flirted with a move away for the first time at the beginning of March. In an interview with ESPN, he left his future with the Blues open and explained that, for the time being, he would only concentrate on the rest of the season and the World Cup in the summer, “then we’ll see”. In a livestream on social media, Fernandez then fueled the rumors that he could move to Real Madrid. “I would like to live in Spain, I like Madrid very much; it reminds me of Buenos Aires,” he replied when asked where he would like to live if he were to leave London. “Players live where they want. I would live in Madrid. I can cope with English, but I would feel more comfortable in Spanish.”

Fernandez is also likely to have caused additional displeasure with statements on decisions made by Chelsea officials regarding the resignation of former coach Enzo Maresca, who was dismissed by the club on New Year’s Day and replaced by Rosenior a week later. He “doesn’t understand” why the Blues parted company with Maresca, Fernandez explained in an interview with TUDN, a Mexican TV station. “Of course it’s a loss that has hurt us a lot, because we had an identity, he had given us a direction, regardless of whether soccer sometimes brings good or bad results,” said Fernandez, who recently switched his consultancy agency to former professional Javier Pastore. “Enzo always had a very clear identity when it came to training and playing, and of course his departure hurt us a lot, especially in the middle of the season.”

Cucurella also questioned Maresca’s dismissal

Looking back on the international break, Rosenior spoke of “ten really difficult days, probably the ten most difficult days of my career as a player or coach”. Alongside Fernandez, left-back Marc Cucurella had also publicly criticized Maresca’s dismissal and reported its “huge influence” on the team. According to Rosenior, however, there was now a “fantastic” half-hour conversation with the Spaniard, and the 27-year-old does not have to fear any consequences.

“I’ve told the players that if they have any problems with the way we do things, they should come to me and the sporting directors and talk to us,” said Rosenior, under whom Chelsea have recently fallen off the pace: in March, the team only impressed in a 4-1 win at Aston Villa, having previously lost the derby against Arsenal 2-1. The Blues only prevailed at second division side Wrexham in the round of 16 of the FA Cup in extra time after trailing twice, after which Chelsea lost their remaining four March fixtures and were eliminated from the Champions League with two clear defeats against PSG.

At least one dead before Superclasico in Peru

Sports Of The Day
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At least one dead before Superclasico in Peru

At least one person has died ahead of the Superclasico between soccer clubs Alianza and Universitario in the Peruvian capital Lima.

47 others were injured in the “incident”, according to the Peruvian Ministry of Health. The incident occurred on Friday during an event at the Alejandro Villanueva Stadium, the home of Alianza. The Peruvian authorities did not initially provide any specific information on the causes.

Health Minister Juan Carlos Velasco confirmed the casualty figures. “There has been an unfortunate incident at the stadium in which 47 people were injured. Unfortunately, there has been one death,” Velasco told media representatives. According to the minister, 39 injured people were taken to hospitals in the Lima region, three of whom were in a critical condition.

Construction defects not the cause

After there had initially been talk of a part of the stadium wall collapsing, Alianza contradicted this account. In a post on the social network X, the club explained that the accident was not caused by “the collapse of walls or structural damage to the sports complex”.

The fire department also reported no structural defects: “The structure of the south stands appeared to be in good condition. There are no collapsed walls or parts that have fallen into the interior,” explained fire chief Marcos Pajuelo.

Despite the incident, the derby is to go ahead as planned. The investigation into the exact cause of the incident is ongoing.

Flick praises Lamine Yamal’s “fantastic statement” – and gives Raphinha special leave

Phil Laffertey
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Flick praises Lamine Yamal’s “fantastic statement” – and gives Raphinha special leave

In the tough game at Atletico Madrid on Saturday, FC Barcelona want to make a statement in the title fight and forget the cup disgrace from February. Hansi Flick warned his team accordingly – including about the pitch at the Metropolitano.

The press conference with Hansi Flick was actually supposed to be about his FC Barcelona’s upcoming match at Atletico Madrid. However, the former national coach also took the opportunity to comment on the racist scandal that had taken place a few days earlier during the test match between Spain and Egypt at the stadium of city rivals Espanyol – and to praise his protégé Lamine Yamal.

But not because of his footballing prowess: “Lamine made a fantastic statement,” emphasized Flick: “In the world of soccer, we are committed to inclusion. It was frustrating – it’s a small group of idiots who don’t understand that.”

Lamine Yamal described the incidents after the match on Instagram as “disrespectful” and ‘intolerable’: “I understand that not all fans are like that, but those who chant things like that are: Making a religion the subject of ridicule on the pitch makes you look like ignorant and racist people.”

Flick warns against Atletico – and the pitch

For the youngster, however, FC Barcelona’s first priority after the international break is to defend their lead at the top of the table. With nine games remaining in La Liga, Barca have a four-point lead over second-placed Real. The Catalans now have a tough task ahead of them when they visit Atletico, as they went down 4-0 in their last meeting at the Metropolitano and were eliminated from the Copa del Rey despite winning the second leg 3-0. With the quarter-finals of the Champions League coming up, the two teams will now meet three more times in eleven days.

So Flick was not sparing with praise for the next opponent. “It’s always difficult to play against them, they have one of the best coaches in the world. I like what I see of them and how they play,” he said. In their last outing against the Rojiblancos, his players repeatedly slipped up, with keeper Joan Garcia slipping the ball under his sole when they conceded the first goal. Flick’s simple countermeasure: “We talked about it. I told the players that they need to pay attention to this and maybe change their studs.”

Raphinha gets special leave

The 60-year-old can rely on a number of key players again, even if Frenkie de Jong will be missing: “The good news is that we have Koundé, Balde and Eric back. Frenkie will be able to train with the team again next week. But step by step. We’ll have to wait and see,“ said Flick.

Raphinha, who injured his right thigh with the Brazilian national team much to the displeasure of president Joan Laporta and will be out for around five weeks, will not be returning to Barcelona just yet: ”We spoke via video call and to give him a clearer head and more rest, we’ve agreed that he’ll spend a few days resting with his family in Brazil.”.

51 points including record: Flagg show despite defeat against Magic

Sotd Editor
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51 points including record: Flagg show despite defeat against Magic

A historic evening from Cooper Flagg is not enough: The Orlando Magic prevail against the Dallas Mavericks and inflict the next bitter home defeat on the hosts.

The Orlando Magic prevailed 138:127 in Dallas and survived an exceptional performance by Cooper Flagg. The rookie delivered a historic performance with 51 points, but was unable to prevent the Mavericks’ 14th home defeat in a row.

Lead by Wendell Carter Jr. (28 points) and Desmond Bane (27), Orlando produced a cohesive team performance. Franz Wagner (18, (8/12 FG) and Tristan da Silva (19, 3/4 3FG) also made important contributions, while the Magic applied constant pressure offensively and kept control of the game.

Flagg makes history: Youngest NBA player to score 50 points

The game also turned emotional for the Mavericks in the final quarter at the latest. Head coach Jason Kidd was sent off following a dispute with the referees after Flagg had already been given a technical foul. The situation caused additional unrest in an already difficult phase for Dallas.

Flagg responded with a spectacular final phase: 24 points in the fourth quarter made him the youngest player in NBA history with a 50-point game. With 19 of 30 shots from the field and six threes, the 19-year-old made an exclamation mark, but even this gala could not stop the Mavericks’ ongoing crisis.

Expert: Formula 1 drivers mentally “completely exhausted” by new regulations

Lesley Summerville
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Expert: Formula 1 drivers mentally “completely exhausted” by new regulations

Although the physical strain on Formula 1 drivers has decreased due to the new rules, the mental strain is greater due to the complexity

This year’s Formula 1 cars have become somewhat slower due to the new regulations, which has reduced the physical strain on the drivers compared to previous years. Former driver Martin Brundle is convinced that the mental strain in particular is now becoming a bigger problem.

“I don’t know if the spectators notice it, but every driver who comes to us is completely exhausted,” said the Briton during the race analysis of the Japanese Grand Prix on F1 TV. “They have worked hard. You can see it in their faces. They’ve really given everything.“

Former world champion Jacques Villeneuve also confirms this impression: ”It’s not the physical strain, it’s the mental strain,” adds the Canadian. “It’s the mental exhaustion from all the energy and concentration they need for this, because the cars are not as fast as they were last year.”

“So it’s not the physical strain, but the mental strain.” And there is a reason for this: the new Formula 1 cars have become significantly more complex. The drivers have to master energy management, overtake and boost mode as well as numerous other systems and changes.

Damon Hill jokes: “It was child’s play back then”

A comparison with previous years is hardly possible. “No, because it was child’s play back then,” laughs Damon Hill, but admits that the tasks are much more extensive today: “I spoke to Jacques about it this morning and they really do have an incredible amount to think about.”

“It’s like patting your head, rubbing your stomach and juggling and trying to solve an equation of mass all at the same time,” jokes Hill. “I mean, it really is like that … You have to operate so many buttons and functions.“

Liam Lawson also admitted to F1 TV after the Japanese Grand Prix that he was ”mentally exhausted”. “It’s very intense this year,” recalls the Racing Bulls driver. “You have to think about a lot more when you’re driving. So it was actually a pretty tough race.”

Honda targets six MotoGP bikes for 2027 – but with which team?

Phil Laffertey
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Honda targets six MotoGP bikes for 2027 – but with which team?

Honda is planning a return to six bikes in MotoGP for 2027 – but which customer team will join them is still open.

Honda is apparently working on an ambitious plan for the 2027 MotoGP season: according to information from Motorsport.com, the manufacturer is planning to increase its presence to six motorcycles. The prerequisite is an agreement with a second satellite team.

Between 2014 and 2019, Honda reduced the number of motorcycles used in MotoGP from eight to just four. For 2027, there are now to be six bikes on the track again – two in the works team and two in each of the customer teams.

Honda hopes that this will give it greater strategic flexibility, particularly in the areas of bike development and rider management and placement.

Gresini and Trackhouse apparently not an option

According to Motorsport.com, Honda has held talks with potential partners such as Trackhouse and Gresini in recent months. However, Trackhouse is said not to be planning to part ways with Aprilia and Gresini is close to an extension with Ducati.

Despite the loss of Alex Marquez (moving to KTM) and Fermin Aldeguer (competing for VR46) for the coming season, team boss Nadia Padovani is said to have agreed to the Ducati proposal. The prospect of putting together a strong rider line-up with Daniel Holgado’s commitment is particularly interesting.

In addition, the Tech3 team, which is apparently open to a change of motorcycle supplier following its sale to a group of investors with Günther Steiner as the face of the team, is increasingly coming into focus. The background to this is the uncertainty surrounding the future of KTM under the Indian ownership group Bajaj.

Why Honda wants to expand its line-up

With six motorcycles, Honda would have significantly more leeway in its rider line-up. So far, only Fabio Quartararo is considered a fixed rider in the 2027 factory team, even if this has not yet been officially confirmed. This would mean that Joan Mir or Luca Marini – or even both – would have to vacate their current cockpit.

Apart from Quartararo, the only Honda riders under contract beyond 2026 are Diogo Moreira and Johann Zarco at LCR. The Brazilian is currently a rookie and is considered a long-term prospect with a contract until 2028.

Zarco’s contract expires in 2027. HRC is also planning to bring Moto2 talent David Alonso into the team. Whether he will join the works team alongside Quartararo or will initially be developed in a satellite team is still to be decided.

The increase to six bikes would give Honda more options overall and possibly allow them to keep a current rider – presumably Marini, who has already held talks with Yamaha and is apparently more open than Mir to accepting a role outside the factory team.

Papaya accents: Piastri’s bespoke McLaren 750S revealed

Phil Laffertey
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Papaya accents: Piastri’s bespoke McLaren 750S revealed

Oscar Piastri owns a McLaren 750S with unique charm – his new vehicle stands out with its papaya details

Pictures of Oscar Piastri’s customized McLaren 750S have surfaced on social media. The Australian shows taste: his new company car comes in dark purple and with the typical accents from Woking.

The McLaren driver recently took delivery of his 750S – the lightest and most powerful production model from McLaren to date. While Piastri’s vehicle is a custom-built model, the 750S is powered by a 4.0-liter V8 with biturbo charging as standard.

The bare figures of the super sports car

The power unit delivers a brute 750 horsepower and puts 800 newton meters of torque onto the crankshaft. The result: a sprint from 0 to 100 kilometers per hour in just 2.8 seconds.

The dry weight is a slim 1,277 kilograms, thanks in part to the carbon fiber racing seats and the ultra-light forged ten-spoke alloy wheels.

Customized design for “OP”

Optically, Piastri relies on understatement with a twist: the 750S is painted in a dark purple, which contrasts with bright brake calipers in the typical McLaren “Papaya Orange”. The interior is dominated by visible carbon, individual embroidery, further papaya orange accents and personalized door sill trims with his abbreviation “OP”.

The 24-year-old Formula 1 professional had already put the McLaren 750S through its paces at Silverstone, the home of the British Grand Prix:

“Even when I drove out of the pits for the first time, I was surprised at how fast it is. The feedback for the driver is great, the car reacts directly, is agile and the turn-in behavior is sharp. The 750S is really fun to drive,” was his verdict at the time.

Nothing is known about the exact value of Piastri’s one-off, but according to Car and Driver, prices for the base model start at around 365,100 US dollars (around 320,000 euros).

Sporty rollercoaster ride in the 2026 season

The news of the new toy comes amid a bumpy start to the 2026 Formula 1 season. After a crash in the warm-up laps at the season opener in Australia and an electrical fault that prevented him from starting the China Grand Prix, he was finally able to finish a race in Japan. There, he made up ground and turned third place on the grid into a strong podium result in second place.

The McLaren star is currently in sixth place in the drivers’ standings with 21 points, directly behind his team-mate Lando Norris, who is in fifth place with 25 points.

The premier class now takes a five-week break, as the Bahrain and Saudi Arabia Grands Prix have been canceled. It resumes at the beginning of May with the Miami Grand Prix.

What Toto Wolff thinks about a possible team order at Mercedes

Phil Laffertey
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What Toto Wolff thinks about a possible team order at Mercedes

According to Toto Wolff, it is still far too early to commit to one driver in the drivers’ championship – Kimi Antonelli is also not yet thinking about a possible title fight

After the first three races of the 2026 Formula 1 season, it looks like it could come down to an internal Mercedes duel for the world title this year. This is because Mercedes is still unbeaten under the new regulations for the premier class.

George Russell won the season opener in Australia, while Kimi Antonelli came out on top twice in China and Japan. Russell also won the sprint in Shanghai. However, Toto Wolff is not yet talking about a possible title fight between his two drivers.

“First of all, we have to keep our feet on the ground,” the team boss clarifies and reminds us: “We have three races behind us, the car is running well, so we have to continue to do our job and provide them with a car that they can continue to win with.”

Because that could change quickly, according to Wolff, who expects that the opponents could soon get closer. When asked, the Austrian therefore makes it clear that it is still far too early at this stage of the season to commit to a rider in the world championship.

“Towards the end of the season we will see how the points standings develop and whether anything needs to be done,” explains the team boss, “but at this point we are giving both of them absolutely free rein,” he emphasizes.

Antonelli: World championship fight not yet an issue

This approach is nothing new at Mercedes. When Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg duelled for the world championship title three years in a row between 2014 and 2016, the Silver Arrows also always gave the two drivers the same opportunities.

Antonelli himself, meanwhile, also emphasizes that he is not yet thinking about a possible world championship duel. “No, to be honest, I’m not thinking about it,” he says with regard to a possible title fight against his more experienced team-mate.

“I will just concentrate on myself, on what I have to do, and try to do everything right in terms of procedures, starts and driving,” says the Italian, who also warns: “I think Ferrari and McLaren will get closer.”

Like Team Principal Wolff, he therefore also emphasizes that Mercedes’ first priority now is to keep the competition at bay. Antonelli leads the drivers’ championship for the first time in his young career after his victory in Suzuka with 72 points.

Russell is nine points behind his team-mate, while Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc, the best non-Mercedes driver in third place, is currently 23 points behind Antonelli.

Altmaier follows up after redemption

Lesley Summerville
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Altmaier follows up after redemption

After his redemption on Tuesday, tennis pro Daniel Altmaier also reaches the quarter-finals. He already looks like the sure loser.

Daniel Altmaier’s delicate upward trend continues. Shortly after his redeeming first win of the season on the ATP Tour, the tennis pro from Kempen also won the round of 16 in Bucharest thanks to a strong comeback.

After more than three hours, Altmaier defeated the Croatian Dino Prizmic 3:6, 7:6 (7:1), 7:6 (9:7) – a duel with the Hungarian Fabian Marozsan awaits in the quarter-finals.

Tennis: Altmaier continues to gather confidence

The 27-year-old Altmaier thus celebrated his second win in his tenth match at ATP Tour level in a dismal 2026 so far. Most recently, he had already gained confidence at the Challenger tournament in Naples by reaching the final – on Tuesday, he finally ended his dry spell on the bigger stage against Pedro Martínez in two sets.

He didn’t let a 1:5 deficit in the deciding set stop him against Prizmic, the world number 112.

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