Argentina striker Julian Alvarez has completed an £81.5m transfer from Manchester City to Atletico Madrid following a relentless pursuit by manager Diego Simeone.
The 24-year-old forward was bombarded with daily phone calls from senior players and the manager’s son during the summer of 2024.
Simeone himself orchestrated the intense recruitment drive, firing persistent messages to the player throughout the Copa America and Paris Olympics.
The World Cup winner eventually had to beg Giuliano Simeone to intervene, confirming his imminent arrival in the Spanish capital so the calls would cease.
This relentless approach convinced the South American to reject a lucrative offer from Paris St-Germain, who were reportedly willing to pay £8.7m a season.
The origins of ‘The Little Spider’
Growing up in the small town of Calchin in Cordoba, the talented youngster quickly earned the nickname ‘La Aranita’ from his brother Rafael.
Opponents struggled to dispossess the dynamic attacker on his local neighbourhood pitch, joking that he appeared to play with multiple legs.
A brief trial with Real Madrid at the age of 11 proved formative, but it was a move to River Plate four years later that truly forged his competitive instincts.
The Argentine giants demanded constant victory, a pressure that culminated in an extraordinary six-goal performance against Alianza Lima in the Copa Libertadores.
“Once you’re at River, you can never lose a game without it hurting you.”
Searching for main-man status
A January 2022 switch to Manchester City brought immediate success, with the forward lifting the Champions League during his debut season under Pep Guardiola.
Despite thriving within that formidable English machine, the former Premier League champion desired a footballing project where he was the undisputed focal point.
Atletico provided that exact promise, alongside a welcoming cultural environment spearheaded by compatriots Rodrigo de Paul and Antoine Griezmann.
“He told me I could give the club something huge. That I’d have the space and the opportunity to be my best version.”
The Spanish side finalised the club-record 95m euro deal in August, handing their new marquee arrival a six-year contract.
New York Yankees star Aaron Judge and Los Angeles Angels counterpart Mike Trout both hit two home runs before a wild pitch handed the hosts a dramatic 11-10 victory in the Bronx on Monday.
Trent Grisham also homered twice for the home side, including a vital tying shot in the ninth inning.
Jose Caballero then scored the winning run on Jordan Romano’s game-ending wild pitch to conclude a pulsating series opener.
The walk-off win importantly snapped a five-game losing streak for the American League East franchise.
Historic clash of former MVPs
The matchup marked the first time two three-time Most Valuable Players have hit multiple home runs in the same game for 70 years.
Brooklyn Dodgers legend Roy Campanella and St. Louis Cardinals great Stan Musial last achieved the rare feat at Ebbets Field in June 1956.
The 34-year-old Trout, who has battled persistent injuries over recent seasons, nearly hit a third but flied out to Cody Bellinger at the warning track with the bases loaded.
Record-breaking distance in the Bronx
The highly anticipated duel saw seven total home runs travel more than half a mile in combined distance.
Judge recorded the hardest-hit strike of the season with a 116.2 mph blast that travelled 456 feet into the left-field bleachers.
“He’s the greatest of all time,” Judge said of his illustrious opponent.
“It’s been fun to watch his whole career, coming up at such a young age and instantly just putting yourself at the top of the list.”
‘What fans want to see’
The visiting centre-fielder was equally appreciative of the historic contest that captivated the Yankee Stadium crowd.
“That’s baseball for you. It’s what fans want, and to be able to see something like that, pretty cool,” Trout remarked.
Four of baseball’s top active home run hitters featured in Monday’s heavyweight contest.
Yankees slugger Giancarlo Stanton currently leads all active players with 454 career home runs.
Trout trails in second place with 408, while Judge’s double moved him to 374, edging past teammate Paul Goldschmidt.
Rory McIlroy has become only the fourth player in history to win back-to-back Masters titles after securing a one-shot victory over Scottie Scheffler at Augusta National.
The world number two successfully defended his crown to claim a sixth major championship, matching the British record held by Sir Nick Faldo.
His latest triumph comes exactly a year after he completed the career Grand Slam with a dramatic play-off victory over English veteran Justin Rose.
Targeting long-term success
Rose challenged again during a roller-coaster final round, briefly holding a two-shot lead before finishing tied for third.
Despite the 45-year-old missing out on an elusive second major championship, his Ryder Cup team-mate was heavily impressed by his enduring ability to contend.
“What he is doing at his age is incredible and I think everyone would love to see him get another major, because I think he deserves it,” McIlroy told Sky Sports.
“What Rose is doing is sort of the blueprint for me. I feel like I can look at him and see myself competing at the highest level when I’m that age, as well.”
Augusta becomes a home course
The Northern Irishman took an unconventional three-week break from the PGA Tour to prepare exclusively for the first men’s major of the season.
He made multiple scouting trips to Georgia, frequently completing practice rounds after dropping his daughter off at school.
“I took three weeks into this event to make sure that my body was right, to make sure my preparation was right,” he added.
“I’m not going to do that for every major, because I’m not able to, but I think I felt the most prepared coming into this event than I ever had.”
The 36-year-old admitted the relentless practice schedule paid off perfectly, making the iconic venue feel almost like a home golf course.
Aston Martin’s disastrous start to the 2026 Formula 1 season is unlikely to be resolved quickly following a point-less opening three races, according to Sky Sports analyst Martin Brundle.
The Silverstone-based outfit have endured a torrid introduction to the sport’s new regulatory era.
Their struggles come despite high expectations surrounding their new works engine partnership with Honda and the arrival of renowned designer Adrian Newey.
Neither of their cars has managed to challenge for the top 10 so far this year.
A solitary 18th-place finish for Fernando Alonso in Japan represents their only full Grand Prix completion across the opening three weekends.
‘Neither speed nor reliability’
The Spanish veteran and his team-mate Lance Stroll qualified an alarming four seconds off the leading pace at Suzuka.
Canadian driver Stroll later joked that the duo were competing in their own internal championship at the back of the grid.
Former racer Brundle described the situation as a nightmare that will prove exceptionally difficult to rectify under current cost cap restrictions.
“It’s a nightmare, whichever way you look at it, they’ve got neither speed nor reliability,” Brundle stated on The F1 Show podcast.
“In the days of relentless Formula 1 championship calendars and cost caps, it’s going to be very difficult to turn that around in the time.”
Long road to recovery
The British team are battling severe engine vibrations that have drastically limited their early-season track time.
Brundle believes the fundamental issues surrounding the power unit mean a comprehensive solution may not arrive until 2027.
“They’ve got to get the right people in at Honda, get the right direction,” Brundle added.
“It’s a horror show, and we’re just going to have to observe that pain.”
Both the constructor and their Japanese engine supplier remain focused on delivering immediate fixes ahead of the Miami Grand Prix in early May.
Technical chief Newey remains confident the AMR26 chassis holds intrinsic promise once power-unit performance finally improves.
The Golden State Valkyries have traded eighth overall pick Flau’jae Johnson to the Seattle Storm just 45 minutes after drafting her in New York.
In a stunning move on WNBA draft night, the expansion franchise sent the dynamic guard to Seattle in exchange for Marta Suarez and a 2028 second-round selection.
The former LSU All-American had only just heard her name called at the podium before the unexpected transaction occurred.
Valkyries remain tight-lipped over trade
Golden State general manager Ohemaa Nyanin declined to provide specific reasons for the rapid departure of the 2023 national champion.
I’m going to take a beat to be able to eloquently give a response. I don’t have a lot of detail to share.
Nyanin added that she wanted to be thoughtful when discussing players and their abilities, while refusing to comment on whether salary cap implications played a role.
The Valkyries will now welcome Suarez, a 6ft 3in post player who averaged 17.1 points and 7.4 rebounds for TCU this season.
Storm secure an unexpected star
Seattle will pair their new acquisition with third overall pick Awa Fam Thiam as they look to build a formidable young core.
Storm general manager Talisa Rhea expressed her delight at securing the high-profile talent, who is also a signed Roc Nation recording artist.
The opportunity to add Flau’jae was really exciting and incredible for us. We didn’t think that she would be available at that point.
Rhea confirmed the Pacific Northwest side had been exploring opportunities to move up in the draft for an impact player.
The guard leaves college basketball tied for the second-most wins in LSU history, having averaged 14.2 points and 2.5 assists during her senior campaign.
National champions UCLA have made WNBA Draft history in New York after becoming the first team to see five players selected in the opening round on Monday night.
Lauren Betts, Gabriela Jaquez and Kiki Rice led the historic evening by being taken with the fourth, fifth and sixth overall picks respectively.
The remarkable achievement comes barely a week after the Bruins secured their first NCAA championship following a dominant 37-1 season.
Draft dominance follows NCAA success
The Washington Mystics selected the 6-foot-7 Betts at number four to significantly bolster their frontcourt.
Jaquez was immediately drafted next by the Chicago Sky, before expansion franchise Toronto Tempo made Rice their first draft pick at number six.
Angela Dugalic then joined her former centre in Washington after being chosen ninth overall, leaving the squad anxiously waiting for one more milestone selection.
Gianna Kneepkens sealed the record-breaking moment when the Connecticut Sun drafted her with the 15th and final pick of the first round.
Surpassing a historic UConn benchmark
The Californian side shattered the previous benchmark of four first-round selections set by the undefeated 2002 UConn Huskies.
That legendary 39-0 Huskies squad saw Sue Bird, Swin Cash, Asjha Jones and Tamika Williams all drafted within the top six.
Head coach Cori Close sat alongside her players throughout the event, watching her title-winning roster successfully transition to the professional ranks.
“These are like my sisters, and getting to watch your family do something like that is amazing,” Betts said.
The newly drafted Mystics player admitted she was entirely unsurprised by the recognition given her teammates’ relentless work ethic.
“We knew the type of players that we had on the team, and to really just have this night showcase all of the things that we’ve worked on all season is just amazing,” she added.
A sixth championship winner, Charlisse Leger-Walker, concluded the celebrations when she was taken 18th overall by Connecticut in the second round.
Former UConn star Azzi Fudd has been selected as the number one overall pick by the Dallas Wings in the WNBA draft, securing a landmark $500,000 rookie salary and a reunion with former team-mate Paige Bueckers.
The highly rated guard’s selection marks the second consecutive year the Texas franchise has used the top pick on a University of Connecticut standout.
Bueckers, who went first overall to the Wings last year, was in attendance in New York alongside several other collegiate team-mates to celebrate the milestone.
“I’m excited to play again with Paige, she’s an incredible player,” Fudd said.
Landmark CBA delivers record salaries
The newly ratified collective bargaining agreement has drastically altered the financial landscape for incoming professionals.
As the premier selection, the talented shooter will earn nearly seven times the amount her former Huskies colleague received during her debut campaign.
The updated financial structure guarantees the second and third selections will receive $466,913 and $436,016 respectively.
Even players chosen in the second and third rounds are guaranteed a base salary of $270,000, surpassing the maximum veteran threshold under the previous system.
Miles heads to Minnesota
The Minnesota Lynx secured TCU guard Olivia Miles with the second overall selection.
The dynamic playmaker had opted to return for a final collegiate season rather than entering last year’s draft pool.
Having previously transferred from Notre Dame, she subsequently guided the Horned Frogs to a second consecutive Elite Eight appearance.
The Seattle Storm, Washington Mystics and Chicago Sky completed the top five selections of the evening.
Expansion franchises enter the fray
Newly formed franchises the Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire occupied the subsequent positions in the drafting order.
The Tempo won a crucial coin toss to secure priority in the collegiate draft, while conceding the primary expansion draft choice to the Fire earlier this month.
Golden State followed in eighth, with Washington making two further first-round selections alongside picks for the Indiana Fever, Connecticut Sun and Atlanta Dream.
Atletico Madrid have secured their place in the Champions League semi-finals after a gruelling 2-0 extra-time victory over Spanish rivals Barcelona at the Wanda Metropolitano.
The hosts ultimately broke the deadlock during the additional 30 minutes to eliminate their domestic counterparts from Europe’s elite club competition.
Despite a defiant pre-match warning from Lamine Yamal that the tie was far from over, the visitors could not find a crucial breakthrough.
Simeone’s squad dig deep
Diego Simeone’s relentless side relied on their trademark defensive resilience to frustrate a talented Catalan attack throughout normal time.
The passionate home crowd roared their team forward as the tense quarter-final contest stretched into a gruelling extra-time period.
It was during this decisive phase that the Madrid outfit demonstrated their superior physical endurance to score twice and seal the victory.
Yamal’s promise falls short
Prior to kick-off, teenage sensation Yamal had confidently insisted that his team would battle until the final whistle.
This tie isn’t over yet – Barca will fight to the end.
The talented forward remained true to his word, but the former five-time European champions ultimately lacked the cutting edge required to progress.
This devastating quarter-final exit forces the Blaugrana to refocus entirely on their domestic league campaign following another frustrating European departure.