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Suspension after kick: Suarez to miss Miami’s crucial playoff game

Lesley Summerville
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Suspension after kick: Suarez to miss Miami’s crucial playoff game

In addition to his skills as a striker, Luis Suarez has always been known for his misdemeanors on the field. This was also the case this time, when the 38-year-old kicked an opponent during the playoff game against Nashville. A subsequent suspension was included.

With its big-name players, Inter Miami is aiming high in this year’s Major League Soccer playoffs. But already in the first round of the MLS playoffs, there is a stumbling block named Nashville SC standing in the way.

The team from Tennessee recently won 2-1 after losing 3-1 in Game 1 in front of their home crowd. And now, ahead of the decisive match, they can hope to send the men from Florida on vacation early. Last year, Inter, also the clear favorites, won the first game against Atlanta United, only to suddenly find themselves on winter break two games later.

Retrospective punishment

This hope is reinforced by the fact that Miami will have to do without striker Luis Suarez on Saturday night/Sunday morning (2 a.m. CET).

The 38-year-old striker from Uruguay recently made a mistake in the game against Nashville – not the first of his career. Suarez deliberately kicked his Honduran opponent Andy Najar (32) with his right leg, which the referees did not notice during the game. However, the association has now reacted and suspended the former FC Barcelona player for this one game – and also fined the striker an undisclosed amount.
Even without Suarez, Miami will start the game as favorites – after all, they have other big names such as Lionel Messi, Rodrigo de Paul, Sergio Busquets, and Jordi Alba at their disposal. On the other side, Nashville has Hany Mukhtar in attack. The 38-year-old striker from Uruguay recently made a mistake in the game against Nashville – not the first of his career.
Suarez deliberately kicked his Honduran opponent Andy Najar (32) with his right leg, which the referees did not notice during the game. However, the association has now reacted and suspended the former FC Barcelona player for this one game – and also fined the striker an undisclosed amount.

One thing is clear: even without Suarez, Miami will start the game as favorites – after all, they have other big names such as Lionel Messi, Rodrigo de Paul, Sergio Busquets, and Jordi Alba at their disposal. On the other side, Nashville has Hany Mukhtar in attack.

Alongside Messi: Wagner voted into MLS “Best XI”

Lesley Summerville
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Alongside Messi: Wagner voted into MLS “Best XI”

A great honor for Kai Wagner: The Philadelphia Union left back has been voted into the “Best XI” for the 2025 MLS season. This is already his second nomination.

Philadelphia Union is having a strong season, finishing top of the Eastern Conference with 66 points and easily clearing the first hurdle of the MLS playoffs.

Kai Wagner has once again played a key role in the team’s success this year.
The 28-year-old left-back played in 32 of the 34 games in the regular season, 30 of which he started. He is Philadelphia Union’s ever-present, with 2769 minutes on the field, no one has played more than the Geislingen native. With his performances, Wagner has now also made it into the best eleven players of the season.
In the “Best XI” vote held by journalists, players, and officials, Wagner was voted one of the four best defenders in the league. Incidentally, alongside his teammate Jakob Glesnes. No wonder, as Philadelphia had the best defense in the entire MLS with only 35 goals conceded in the regular season.

Messi the most famous name – Bouanga for the third time

This is Wagner’s second selection, having already been named one of the best eleven players of the season in 2022. The most famous name is, unsurprisingly, Lionel Messi. However, the Argentine from Inter Miami is overshadowed in attack by Denis Bouanga. The Los Angeles FC striker has been named in the “Best XI” for the third consecutive time — the last player to achieve this was Josef Martinez between 2017 and 2019.
Philadelphia has lived up to its role as favorite in the playoffs so far after a strong season. Chicago Fire was not too much of a hurdle in the first round, and the winner of the Charlotte FC vs. New York City FC matchup now awaits in the second round.

Spurs defender Udogie threatened with a gun by player agent

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Spurs defender Udogie threatened with a gun by player agent

Italian left-back Destiny Udogie was threatened with a gun by a player agent in early September. This was confirmed by his club, Tottenham Hotspur.

“We have supported Destiny Udogie and his family since the incident and will continue to do so. As this is a legal matter, we cannot comment further,” said a statement from Tottenham Hotspur, quoted by the BBC, among others.

Earlier this week, British media reported that a professional soccer player had been threatened. The incident is said to have taken place in early September. Police said a 31-year-old man was arrested on September 8 and has since been released on bail. The man is also accused of blackmailing another person. No one was injured in the incidents.

The 22-year-old Udogie has been under contract with Tottenham since 2022. After a loan spell back at Udinese Calcio, he has been a regular member of the squad since the 2023/2024 season and has made 76 appearances. On Tuesday evening, in the 4-0 Champions League win against FC Copenhagen, the Italian started on the left of the back four and was substituted in the 73rd minute.

“Don’t be modest”: CR7 does not consider Messi to be a better soccer player

admin3r
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“Don’t be modest”: CR7 does not consider Messi to be a better soccer player

Cristiano Ronaldo has revealed that his career will “soon” come to an end and that he will particularly miss the feeling of scoring a goal in the future. He also commented once again on the comparison with his eternal rival Lionel Messi.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s trophy cabinet is bursting at the seams. The only major title missing is the World Cup, which he hopes to win next summer at his sixth attempt. However, the ambitious Portuguese player does not consider this a dream. He believes his legacy is great enough even without the win. “To decide what? To decide that I am one of the best in history? Do I have to win a competition with six or seven games to do that? Do you think that’s fair?” he asked interviewer Piers Morgan. Although his rival in the GOAT debate, Lionel Messi, realized his lifelong dream by winning the 2022 World Cup, the 40-year-old does not consider him a better soccer player. “Is Messi better than me? I disagree. I don’t want to be modest,” said Cristiano Ronaldo.

For the two exceptional players, the major event in the USA, Mexico, and Canada is likely to be their last in national team colors. Among others, Cristiano Ronaldo announced his “imminent” retirement. However, the striker, who is under contract with Al-Nassr until 2027, did not give an exact date. He merely gave an insight into his future emotional state. “I’ll probably cry. It will be very, very difficult, but I’ve been preparing for my future since I was 25, 26, 27. So I think I’ll be able to cope with the pressure,“ explained CR7.

Cristiano Ronaldo wants to devote himself to ”other passions” in the future

He will particularly miss one feeling that he has experienced 946 times in competitive matches during his career. “Nothing compares to the adrenaline rush we get in soccer when we score a goal,” said Cristiano Ronaldo. However, he immediately emphasized that he also has “other passions.” He wants to focus on these—namely his family and padel, among other things—after his career ends.

SK Nebula: The most successful German Valorant team in 2025

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SK Nebula: The most successful German Valorant team in 2025

No German organization in the VCT: EMEA and hardly any chances in the Challengers tournaments. But in the Game Changers, one German team is competitive on the European stage: SK Nebula. Head coach ‘CREA’ looks back on the season.

When Charles ‘CREA’ Beauvois became head coach of SK Nebula in January 2025, he knew little about the scene. “I had previously focused on Challengers France,” he admits in an interview with eSport: “I didn’t know exactly what to expect.”

But for the Cologne-based organization, the Frenchman, who was previously under contract with Mandatory, proves to be a stroke of luck. Under his leadership, SK Nebula, which has been sponsored by Telekom since its inception, develops into a force to be reckoned with in Europe. As soon as the roster is finalized, it’s clear that the Game Changers EMEA are within reach. And indeed, the team qualifies on its first attempt.

“We knew about the quality of the team, so we weren’t surprised when we qualified straight away. Of course we were happy. But we knew that even bigger challenges were coming,” says Beauvois. The team no longer wanted to just play along, they wanted to be at the forefront.

Suddenly in the race for the World Cup

SK Nebula made one statement after another at the Game Changers events: fourth place at the start, bronze in Stage 2, and a statement victory against G2 Gozen, Europe’s flagship team with two former world champions in its lineup. From Contenders mediocrity to World Championship underdog—a rapid development.

“Expectations were huge ahead of the final main event. We knew we could qualify for Seoul,” says Beauvois. To get the most out of the players, the team decided on a tactical realignment. But the bold move was not rewarded, and they ended up in sixth place. “I don’t regret the decision,” says the coach. “We always believed that this was the right way to go.”

And the fact that sixth place is considered a setback at all shows just how far SK Nebula has come in just one year. At the same time, the competition is not taking a break, reports Beauvois: “The level of the league has increased enormously. Every main event is getting more difficult, all teams are getting better.”

DACH dominance is not enough for the coach

At the national level, SK Nebula is the team to beat: three splits in the Queens series, three first places; twice the team has not been defeated on any map. “We built our team to compete at the highest European level,” says Beauvois. That’s why they relied on experienced players – duelist Tina ‘Joliinaa’ Ageli even brought World Cup experience to the table.

Nevertheless, they always took the regional league seriously: “Of course, Project Queens isn’t as competitive as Game Changers. But the regional leagues are extremely important for developing players and bringing new talent into the scene.”

For Beauvois himself, only one thing counts: “My goal is always to win. No matter what’s going on around me.” So the ambition is there – all that’s missing is the big title itself. But even without it, SK Nebula is already the most successful German Valorant team in 2025.

Schröder on fire in crunch time: Kings defeat Warriors

Phil Laffertey
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Schröder on fire in crunch time: Kings defeat Warriors

In an intense California duel, the Sacramento Kings prevail against Golden State. Dennis Schröder becomes the decisive factor in the final quarter, leading his team to an important home victory.

The Sacramento Kings prevailed 121-116 against the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday evening. In a game marked by numerous absences on both sides, Dennis Schröder emerged as the match winner in the final quarter.

The German guard scored 18 points, hitting three three-pointers in a decisive 11-0 run to turn the game around in favor of the Kings. Russell Westbrook shone with a triple-double (23 points, 16 rebounds, 10 assists), while DeMar DeRozan was his team’s top scorer with 25 points.

Golden State, who had to play without Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, and Jimmy Butler, got off to a better start and led by 13 points in the second quarter. But the Warriors repeatedly threw themselves off rhythm with 19 turnovers. Sacramento fought back, benefiting from DeRozan’s strong spell in the third quarter, and went into the final quarter with a narrow lead.

Kuminga’s missed shot 24 seconds before the buzzer

When things got tight in the fourth quarter, Schröder took command: with confident shooting and clever playmaking, he brought the game under control. Jonathan Kuminga missed a potential equalizer for the other side with 24 seconds left, before Westbrook sealed the victory with free throws. The Kings thus get off to a successful start in their five-game home series – and Schröder once again underlines his importance as an experienced closer in the Kings’ squad.

Graeme Lowdon: Cadillac project comparable to Apollo moon mission

Jeffrey Gooding
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Graeme Lowdon: Cadillac project comparable to Apollo moon mission

Cadillac will enter Formula 1 in 2026: Around 500 employees are currently working behind the scenes on the project, which is reminiscent of the Apollo moon missions …

While the ten current Formula 1 teams are battling it out for the last Grand Prix victories of the current season, the eleventh team is competing in a completely different race: Cadillac is preparing intensively for its debut next year – both in the USA and at Silverstone.

“It’s not as difficult as it sounds,” explains team boss Graeme Lowdon in an interview with Sky. “The reality is that otherwise we wouldn’t be able to hire all the people and get them to the right places in time. We’ve designed the entire company so that it doesn’t matter where you work within the team – whether in Fishers, Charlotte, North Carolina or Silverstone.”

“We’ve been dealing with complex technical challenges that had to be overcome in a very short time,” the Brit continues, drawing an unusual comparison: “The closest thing to what we’re trying to do is the Apollo missions that landed on the moon. Well, we’re not landing on the moon, but…”

Entering Formula 1 obviously presents the team with similar challenges. “We now have almost 500 people working on the project,” reports Lowdon. “Part of our job is to simulate the entire race weekend.”

Cadillac team boss: “Really large fan base in the US”

This means that while the other ten teams are battling for points on the track, Cadillac is competing as a “ghost team,” so to speak, and is already gaining valuable experience for the coming season. For a long time, it wasn’t even certain whether the Formula 1 entry would be successful at all.

“We went through this process of trying to recruit the best people we could find without knowing whether we would even get permission to start,” recalls Lowdon. “The best way was to just build the team without waiting for approval.”

“That cost hundreds of millions before there was any certainty,” emphasizes the team boss. “Then Mario Andretti says, ‘Okay, great, we really want this start, Graham, don’t let us down.’ And you think, ‘This is the 1978 Formula 1 world champion.’”

But the Briton’s efforts have paid off: Formula 1 entry has long been secured. “When I walk around with the Cadillac logo on my shirt, people constantly come up to me,” reveals Lowdon. “A lot of people want to support the team. Only now are we beginning to realize how big the fan base in the US really is.”

Off the track in the ADAC GT Masters: Carrie Schreiner and Alain Valente

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Off the track in the ADAC GT Masters: Carrie Schreiner and Alain Valente

In a double interview, Land Motorsport duo Carrie Schreiner and Alain Valente talk about life away from the ADAC GT Masters race tracks.

In the ADAC GT Masters, Carrie Schreiner and Alain Valente shared the Land Motorsport Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo2. Coordination, trust, and mutual sympathy are essential for performance on the track. But how well do the teammates know each other away from tenths of a second, tire pressure, and setup? The answer and a few anecdotes can be found in a somewhat different interview.

Question: “Carrie, Alain, which one of you would choose the hotel?”
Carrie Schreiner: “We both book it ourselves anyway. If only one of us had to book it, it would probably be me, because I know my way around thanks to my many trips and the numerous race tracks I’ve visited.”

Question: “Which one of you has the bigger suitcase?”
Laughter from both sides and a clear look at Carrie Schreiner.

Schreiner: “That’s easy, it’s me (laughs). I always have my big suitcase with me because my toiletries alone take up a lot of space. Unfortunately, I’m a bit lazy when it comes to unpacking at home and I always put it off until I have to pack again – except for my clothes, of course, which I do immediately. My suitcase stays where I left it until I leave again. But that usually only takes a day or two.“
Alain Valente: ”I can’t keep up with that. I only have a few T-shirts and the bare essentials in my suitcase (laughs).“

Question: ”Which one of you is more likely to forget something at home?”
Schreiner: “Actually, I can’t really think of anything. When I was karting, I once forgot my helmet at home, but that was probably 15 years ago (laughs).”

Question: “Which one of you is more punctual?”
Valente: “I’d say we’re both equally punctual. But neither of us is the type of person who arrives ten minutes early; we both arrive right on time.“

Question: ”Which one of you is more likely to get into a heated discussion with the engineer or the team boss?“
Valente: ”That would probably be me. I’m generally a calm guy, but I can argue, especially when things aren’t going so well.”

Question: “Which one of you is more attached to your cell phone?”
Schreiner: “Alain makes phone calls much more often than I do, while I’m more active on social media. I think Alain makes about 58 phone calls a day (laughs).”
Valente: (laughs) “Yes, that’s true, I can’t argue with that.”

Hamilton at Ferrari: What fans can’t understand

Jeffrey Gooding
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Hamilton at Ferrari: What fans can’t understand

Lewis Hamilton is having a difficult first season at Ferrari in 2025 – he is far behind Charles Leclerc and asks fans for patience

Lewis Hamilton “doesn’t blame” Formula 1 fans for not understanding how long it will take to be successful at Ferrari after a disappointing 2025 season. The seven-time world champion made a spectacular move to the Italian racing team this year after spending twelve successful seasons with Mercedes, which earned him six titles in addition to his 2008 crown with McLaren.

But Hamilton is largely struggling at Ferrari: he is sixth in the championship, 64 points behind teammate Charles Leclerc. What’s more, the Briton has yet to finish on the Grand Prix podium after 20 races. His sprint victory in Shanghai remained an outlier, but the 40-year-old’s optimism remains unbroken as Formula 1 introduces new regulations in 2026. This offers the chance to start from scratch.

Formula 1 is very complex

When Ferrari Magazine asks Hamilton whether Formula 1 experts should know how long it takes to adapt to a new team, the Brit says: “There aren’t many people who do. Only when you’re in a team can you truly and genuinely understand how it works and how Formula 1 works.”

“Otherwise, you can’t imagine how the machinery really works. I’ve been in Formula 1 for so long, but when I joined this team, it was really different again.”

“That’s why I don’t blame people for not knowing. All I can do is continue to focus on the things I can control. How I prepare and work with the team. How I perform every day and stay positive.“

Lauda an important building block in his career

Hamilton spoke about the ”cultural differences” at Ferrari and that it wasn’t the first time he and his colleagues had to adapt to each other, citing Niki Lauda as a previous example.

Lauda was chairman of the supervisory board at Mercedes and instrumental in persuading Hamilton to make a surprise move from McLaren in 2013, after which the two formed a close friendship.

This happened despite an earlier assumption, as Hamilton reveals: “Niki was part of a world that couldn’t adapt to me being different” when he made his Formula 1 debut in 2007. That was because Hamilton caused a stir due to his working-class background and mixed ethnic heritage.

The Hamilton and Lauda relationship

However, he quickly dispelled any doubts, especially those of Lauda, who won his first Formula 1 title with Ferrari 50 years ago before celebrating further world championship successes in 1977 and 1984.

“I heard negative things, even though I had always admired him as a three-time world champion,” Hamilton says of Lauda, who died in 2019 at the age of 70.

“He is one of the true icons of our sport. Then he called me and explained why I should join the team, and when we finally met, we had a really good conversation. He said, ‘You’re just like me, you’re a racer through and through.’“

”It was only at that meeting that those barriers came down, and the stereotypical view he may have had was dispelled. After that, we traveled to the races together, and he flew us to places all the time.”

Only 19 points left: Honda on the verge of losing concession benefits

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Only 19 points left: Honda on the verge of losing concession benefits

Honda is finally experiencing the long-awaited upswing in MotoGP—with consequences, because only 19 points are missing and the manufacturer will lose its development concessions.

This means that Honda would no longer be in the same category as Yamaha, which currently still offers both factory teams all development benefits.

Two race weekends will decide the outcome

With two Grands Prix remaining in the 2025 season, the concession groups are due for reassessment. Since Dorna reintroduced the system in November 2023 to level the playing field between manufacturers in terms of development conditions, the classification of the brands has remained unchanged.

The system divides manufacturers into four groups: from Group A (most restrictions) to Group D (most freedom). Ducati is the only manufacturer in Group A and will remain there in 2026. Group B is currently empty and will remain so.

Honda is facing a decisive moment in MotoGP: after a significant improvement in performance in recent races, the manufacturer is only 19 points away from leaving the highest concession level (Group D).

Aprilia and KTM are in Group C. Group D is home to Honda and Yamaha, but only temporarily for Honda if its current form continues.

How the categorization works

Twice per season, at the halfway point and at the end, a review is conducted to determine which group a manufacturer falls into.
The decisive factor is the percentage of points scored in the constructors’ championship: over 85 percent means Group A, 60 to 85 percent means Group B, 35 to 60 percent means Group C, and under 35 percent means Group D. With 74 points still up for grabs, Ducati has 708 points, which corresponds to 95.6 percent of the points awarded so far.
Ducati therefore remains in Group A. No other manufacturer has reached the 60 percent mark, which is why no one is moving up to Group B this time either. Aprilia (47.9 percent) and KTM (43.9 percent) remain in Group C. Both are too far from the 60 percent mark required to move up to Group B.

Honda on the verge of promotion

Honda has collected 266 points in the races so far. That corresponds to 36.9 percent of the possible points. This puts the Japanese manufacturer just above the 35 percent threshold required to move from Group D to Group C.

In other words, if Honda scores at least 19 points in the final races of the season in Portimao and Valencia, the factory team will lose the benefits of the highest concession level. And the chances of that happening are good. In recent months, Honda has made steady progress and regularly scored points.

If, on the other hand, the team remains below 18 points, the share would fall to 32.6 percent and Honda would retain its generous freedoms in Group D. This would be possible if none of the four riders, i.e. Joan Mir, Luca Marini, Johann Zarco or Somkiat Chantra, finished in the points.

However, this scenario is statistically unlikely: this season, Honda has only scored less than 19 points four times in two consecutive race weekends, namely in Aragon and Mugello, as well as in Assen and at the Sachsenring. Since then, the team has scored more points in every double event.

Yamaha remains the problem child

The situation is different for Yamaha. The Iwata-based manufacturer currently has 29.8 percent of the possible points and would need to achieve at least 35 percent to move up to Group C. This would require 64 points in the last two Grands Prix – a goal that is unrealistic given the season so far.

Even Yamaha’s three best race weekends (Jerez, Sachsenring, and Barcelona) only yielded 20 points each. Even combined, these results are not enough to reach the required level. This means that Yamaha will most likely remain the only manufacturer in Group D in 2026.

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