Leinster wing Tommy O’Brien has emerged as a major injury doubt for Saturday’s Champions Cup final against Bordeaux-Begles in Bilbao.
The 27-year-old sustained a knock during training and withdrew from the squad that emphatically defeated Ospreys 68-14 in the United Rugby Championship.
Medical staff will continue to assess the Ireland international before making a final decision on his match fitness later this week.
Further injury setbacks hit Leinster camp
Head coach Leo Cullen will also be closely monitoring the progress of Brian Deeny, Joshua Kenny and Paddy McCarthy ahead of the crucial European clash at San Mames Stadium.
Meanwhile, centre Hugh Cooney has been ruled out for the remainder of the campaign after suffering a serious injury during the dominant victory over Ospreys.
Quest for an elusive fifth European crown
The Irish province are desperate to secure a fifth continental title and end an agonising eight-year wait for European glory.
Since last lifting the trophy in 2018, the Dublin-based outfit have suffered deep heartbreak in four separate finals.
Those painful defeats came against Saracens in 2019, successive losses to La Rochelle in 2022 and 2023, and a bitter loss to Toulouse in 2024.
Now, they must overcome the defending champions whilst potentially lacking one of their most dynamic wide attacking threats.
Former Red Bull team principal Christian Horner is exploring a return to Formula 1 by attempting to acquire a stake in Alpine following the expiration of his non-compete clause.
The 52-year-old was dismissed from his dual roles as team principal and chief executive at Red Bull following the British Grand Prix in July 2025.
His departure ended a highly successful 20-year tenure that yielded multiple world championships with both Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen.
The Briton reportedly accepted a reduced severance package, believed to be around £75m, to secure a shorter gardening leave period and expedite his paddock comeback.
Alpine investment battle looms
Horner is part of an investment consortium interested in purchasing the 24% stake in the Alpine team currently held by US firm Otro Capital.
Securing a significant ownership percentage would afford the former Milton Keynes chief greater operational power and protect him from future dismissals.
However, his route back to the pit wall faces fierce competition from a familiar adversary in the shape of Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff.
The German manufacturer emerged in March as a rival bidder to acquire the same lucrative slice of the French outfit.
Unexpected paddock alliances
In a surprising twist, McLaren chief executive Zak Brown has emerged as an unlikely ally in the Briton’s quest to secure the Alpine investment.
The American executive strongly opposes the concept of affiliated secondary teams in the sport and views an independently operated Alpine as a preferable outcome.
Ahead of this weekend’s Canadian Grand Prix, the returning executive has been visibly ramping up his motorsport presence with appearances at recent MotoGP and Formula E events.
Tottenham Hotspur manager Roberto De Zerbi has confirmed that a decision on club captain Cristian Romero’s future will be delayed until the end of their relegation-threatened season.
The Argentine centre-back was ruled out for the remainder of the current campaign after sustaining a knee injury against Sunderland last month.
However, the defender was recently pictured training individually at Hotspur Way without a protective brace.
He is desperately battling to regain full fitness ahead of this summer’s World Cup.
Relegation fight takes priority
For the Italian head coach, securing top-flight survival remains the absolute priority over individual player situations.
The north London outfit currently need just a single point from their remaining two fixtures to mathematically avoid the drop.
Attention now turns to a crucial trip to Stamford Bridge to face London rivals Chelsea on Tuesday evening.
“I don’t know, but listen, we have to play another two games. Now, for our injured players, when are they available after a long time with injury?”
The Spurs boss emphasised that collective survival eclipses any individual return timelines for his sidelined stars.
“It is a big problem because the season is tough and only one target we have now. Play with Romero? Play with Vicario? Play with Kinsky? The target is just one and to stay up and make a point tomorrow.”
Summer transfer speculation
The World Cup winner is among several high-profile names heavily linked with a departure during the upcoming transfer window.
Despite acknowledging the need for clarity, the tactician insists now is the wrong moment for definitive choices.
“It is a good question, but it is the wrong timing, no? First of all now the focus is Chelsea.”
He reiterated his admiration for the player but stressed that commitment to the cause is paramount.
“Romero is a great player, and the most important is the behaviour and how much the player wants to stay in this club.”
Final assessments on the squad will only commence following their final-day fixture against Everton.
Real Madrid captain Dani Carvajal will leave the club at the end of the current season, concluding a glittering 23-year association with the Spanish giants upon the expiry of his contract.
The 34-year-old has made 450 appearances for Los Blancos, scoring 14 goals and cementing his status as one of the most decorated players in football history with 27 major titles.
Having joined the academy in 2002, the Madrid-born defender made his first-team debut in 2013 following a brief, successful stint at Bayer Leverkusen that prompted Madrid to trigger a buy-back clause.
A relentless winning mentality
The veteran right-back went on to lift the Champions League on six occasions, becoming one of only five players to achieve the feat and the only individual to start all six of those victorious finals.
His domestic and international honours list is equally staggering, encompassing four La Liga crowns, two Copa del Rey triumphs, and European Championship glory with Spain in 2024.
At his peak, the Spanish international was widely regarded as one of the most complete full-backs in world football, balancing fearsome defensive aggression with elite attacking intelligence.
Injuries and the end of an era
Recent campaigns have proved deeply frustrating for the defensive stalwart, who suffered a cruciate ligament tear in October 2024 before sustaining another serious knee injury a year later.
These persistent physical setbacks, combined with the high-profile arrival of Trent Alexander-Arnold last summer, restricted the former academy graduate to just 892 minutes of La Liga action this term.
Dani Carvajal is a legend and a symbol of Real Madrid and its academy.
Club president Florentino Perez praised the departing captain’s immense contribution to the institution in a heartfelt public address.
Carvajal has always exemplified the values of Real Madrid. This is and will always be his home.
A Bernabeu farewell
Madrid, who are set to finish a second consecutive season without domestic silverware, will host a tribute to their departing leader during the final La Liga fixture against Athletic Club.
The emotional send-off will take place at the Santiago Bernabeu on Saturday, 23 May, marking the definitive end of an era for Carlo Ancelotti’s side.
Fifa officials have travelled to India to negotiate a last-minute television deal and avert a broadcast blackout for millions of football fans just three weeks before the World Cup begins.
The global governing body has yet to agree terms for the 2026 tournament following significant pricing disagreements with local television networks.
Time is running out to establish broadcast infrastructure and sell advertising space before the opening match kicks off on 11 June.
This standoff follows a similar situation in China, where a television agreement was only successfully concluded last week.
Significant valuation gap stalls talks
Media rights executives are currently on the ground in the South Asian country, though their specific itinerary remains undisclosed.
“Discussions regarding media rights in India are ongoing and must remain confidential at this stage.”
A Fifa spokesperson confirmed to Reuters that broadcast agreements have already been secured in over 180 other territories.
Negotiations between world football’s governing body and the Reliance-Disney joint venture have reportedly stalled over a substantial valuation gap.
The Indian media giant initially offered $20m (£15.7m) for the rights, falling far short of an original $100m (£78.5m) asking price which has since been lowered to roughly $60m (£47.1m).
Massive potential audience faces blackout
Sony, another major broadcasting force in the region, has opted against submitting a rival bid for the upcoming tournament.
A failure to reach a compromise would deprive a rapidly growing market of access to the sport’s most prestigious international competition.
While cricket remains the overwhelmingly dominant national sport, football still commands an estimated fanbase of 85 million people across the nation.
Indian viewers accounted for nearly three per cent of the global linear television reach during the 2022 edition in Qatar, highlighting the vast commercial potential at stake.
Countdown to the opening fixtures
The upcoming 48-team tournament, hosted jointly by the United States, Mexico and Canada, runs until 19 July.
Co-hosts Mexico will open the competition against South Africa in Mexico City, mirroring the opening fixture of the 2010 edition.
Thomas Tuchel will take charge of his first major tournament game when England face Croatia in Texas on 17 June.
The Three Lions will subsequently complete their group stage campaign with vital fixtures against Ghana and Panama.
Albanian heavyweight Kristian Prenga has vowed to derail the planned autumn clash between Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury when he meets the former world champion in Saudi Arabia this July.
Joshua has already signed an agreement to face his long-time British rival later this year.
However, the two-time unified champion must first overcome the relatively unknown Prenga to keep the lucrative all-British showdown alive.
Prenga targets monumental upset
The Albanian underdog is determined to spoil the heavyweight division’s most anticipated fixture.
“I will smash the biggest fight in British boxing history overnight,”
Prenga stated.
“Everybody is talking about Joshua vs. Fury as if this fight is just a formality, which is a very dangerous mindset in heavyweight boxing.”
The challenger insisted he is not travelling to the Middle East merely to collect a paycheck or pose for photographs.
Return from life-threatening crash
July’s contest will mark Joshua’s first appearance in the ring since surviving a serious car crash in Nigeria last December.
The 34-year-old Olympic gold medallist cheated death in the accident, raising questions about his current physical and mental condition.
Prenga openly questioned which version of the Watford-born fighter will actually step through the ropes.
“Earlier in his career, Joshua fought with more freedom and aggression,”
he added.
“In recent years he’s become more cautious at times, probably because of some of the setbacks he’s had.”
Exploiting vulnerabilities
Meanwhile, Fury is reportedly considering his own warm-up bout before the planned autumn blockbuster.
The undefeated heavyweight recently returned from a 16-month absence to secure a points victory over Arslanbek Makhmudov.
Despite his status as a massive underdog, Prenga believes a high-pressure approach can expose weaknesses in his upcoming opponent’s armour.
“We believe pressure, pace, and forcing exchanges can expose things that don’t show up when he’s controlling the fight comfortably behind the jab,”
he noted.
A victory for the ambitious challenger would not only elevate his own historical standing but instantly shatter years of meticulous negotiations.
World number one Jannik Sinner heads into the French Open as the overwhelming favourite to secure his maiden title at Roland-Garros following a historic victory at the Italian Open.
The 24-year-old defeated Casper Ruud in straight sets on Sunday to claim the crown in Rome.
That triumph made the Italian the youngest player to complete the Career Golden Masters, surpassing Novak Djokovic’s previous record.
It also extended his remarkable winning run to 29 matches, cementing his status as the man to beat in Paris.
Victory in Paris feels inevitable
Former British tennis player Laura Robson believes the top seed is operating at a level far above his current rivals.
“The fact that we’re already saying, ‘yeah, he probably will win Roland-Garros’. You go down the list and no one else looks anywhere near his level at the moment.”
Robson noted that the reigning champion of Rome will face immense pressure over the next fortnight, but praised his incredibly relaxed demeanour.
“He’s won so many matches, this feels natural for him. He’s not overthinking things. But when he gets to these big finals he’s just so relaxed.”
She added that he is now fully accustomed to the intense expectations of the sport and continuously finds ways to improve his game.
Unrelenting consistency on clay
The outstanding recent form of the world’s best player includes a flawless 17-0 record on clay this year.
His last defeat came back in February against Jakub Mensik during the quarter-finals of the Qatar Open.
After overcoming physical exhaustion to defeat Daniil Medvedev in the Rome semi-finals, he showed zero signs of fatigue during the comprehensive final victory.
Robson highlighted the rare physical and mental fortitude required to maintain such an exceptional unbeaten streak.
“There’s so few players who can play this amount of matches without losing concentration, without getting injured. I think also it’s the mentality that he has.”
Robert Lewandowski has bid an emotional farewell to Barcelona after playing his final home match at Camp Nou following a trophy-laden four-year spell.
The 37-year-old announced his summer departure on Saturday before receiving a heartfelt guard of honour during Sunday’s victory against Real Betis.
The Polish international leaves Catalonia having scored 119 goals and secured seven major trophies.
Tears and tributes at Camp Nou
The former Bayern Munich striker fought back tears as teammates rushed to embrace him on the pitch with five minutes remaining of a 3-1 win.
Supporters unfurled a banner thanking the veteran forward for his pivotal role in the club’s recent metamorphosis.
His next destination remains unconfirmed amid reported interest from clubs in Major League Soccer and the Saudi Pro League.
This has been a very emotional and very difficult day.
Robert Lewandowski
A legacy of goals in Spain
The prolific marksman transformed the Spanish champions following his arrival and maintained an exceptional scoring rate throughout his tenure.
No player has registered more goal contributions in La Liga since the two-time European Golden Shoe winner joined the competition.
He departs with 82 league goals and 19 assists, averaging an impressive 0.75 goals per 90 minutes even during his final campaign.
Manager Hansi Flick, who previously won the Champions League with the forward in Germany, praised his deep connection to the club.
I think it was a perfect goodbye for him. It was very emotional. You can see his heart is here, with this club, the people here.
Hansi Flick