Former Sporting Lisbon manager Carlos Carvalhal has warned Arsenal that they face a formidable test in Tuesday’s Champions League quarter-final against his old club.
Mikel Arteta’s side head to the Portuguese capital seeking redemption after their quadruple hopes were dashed following successive exits from the Carabao Cup and FA Cup.
The north London outfit secured a resounding 5-1 victory during their last visit to the Jose Alvalade Stadium in November 2024, but the upcoming two-legged tie presents a fresh challenge.
A rebuilt Portuguese powerhouse
Since that heavy defeat, current Sporting boss Rui Borges has successfully rebuilt the squad following the high-profile £64m departure of striker Viktor Gyokeres to Tuesday’s opponents.
The Primeira Liga giants possess significant attacking flair, with Carvalhal pinpointing several players who could hurt the Premier League title contenders.
“Sporting are a very dangerous team,” Carvalhal told Portuguese television.
“They will give Arsenal a lot of problems.”
Key tactical battles and missing personnel
The 60-year-old tactician highlighted the dynamic threat posed by wing-backs Geny Catamo and Maxi Araujo, noting their ability to exploit wide areas with aggressive forward runs.
However, the suspension of influential club captain Morten Hjulmand serves as a significant defensive boost for the visiting English side.
Despite acknowledging the immense difficulty of the fixture, the Portuguese pundit believes the Gunners possess the ultimate quality required to lift the prestigious European trophy.
“If you ask me whether Arsenal are favourites to win the Champions League then I think, yes, maybe they can do it,” Carvalhal added.
“But this will be a hard tie for them, it will be difficult to break Sporting even at home.”
Formula 1 teams and drivers are utilising an unexpected five-week break to develop cars and rest staff this April, following the cancellation of the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix due to conflict in the Middle East.
The sport had been operating on a gruelling schedule, spending six of the last nine weeks on the road up to the Japanese Grand Prix.
This busy period immediately followed the introduction of the most significant chassis and power unit regulation changes in the championship’s history for the 2026 campaign.
Now, the grid’s 11 outfits are shifting their focus to vital factory work before the 22-race season resumes in the United States on 1-3 May.
Intense winter takes its toll
The pause has provided crucial recovery time for trackside personnel who faced immense pressure during pre-season testing.
McLaren team principal Andrea Stella admitted the unplanned hiatus offers a much-needed reset for his organisation.
“We have some time off for the wrong reasons but, having said that, effectively, because of having been such an intense programme, quite pushed from a timeline point of view, actually this pause is welcomed,” Stella said.
“Importantly, it also gives the staff the time to take a little bit of a breath because it’s been one of the most intense winters that I can remember in my career in Formula 1.”
Upgrades planned for Miami restart
When the racing action finally restarts, the Miami event will carry added significance as the host of the season’s second Sprint weekend.
Car development packages initially intended for the Middle East double-header are now expected to be introduced in Florida.
These delayed upgrades will likely be combined with aerodynamic improvements that constructors had originally scheduled specifically for the American street circuit.
The Papaya squad’s boss hopes this extended technical catch-up period will allow his team to challenge higher up the order.
“It’s good that in what is going to be another long season, we have the time to catch up from an operational and technical point of view so that we can be in condition to fight for more important positions,” Stella added.
Dallas Mavericks teenager Cooper Flagg has overtaken Charlotte Hornets guard Kon Knueppel as the favourite for the NBA Rookie of the Year award following a historic 96-point weekend.
The 19-year-old phenom delivered a pair of spectacular performances to dramatically shift the betting markets in his favour.
He followed up a record-breaking 51-point display in Friday’s defeat by the Orlando Magic with a 45-point masterclass during Sunday’s 134-128 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers.
That stunning two-game stretch saw his odds jump ahead of former Duke university roommate Knueppel.
Joining elite company
The Mavericks forward is the first rookie to score at least 45 points in consecutive games since Hall of Famer Walt Bellamy achieved the feat in 1962.
Only Wilt Chamberlain has ever matched that remarkable scoring streak during a debut professional campaign.
Furthermore, the Dallas star became the first rookie since Allen Iverson to average at least 45 points, five rebounds and five assists over a two-game span.
“I think it’s definitely some sort of statement,” said Flagg.
“But it just goes back to what I said: I’m confident in myself, and I know what I’m capable of.”
A remarkable rookie race
The Rookie of the Year battle has developed into a captivating two-horse race between the former collegiate team-mates.
While the Dallas prospect leads all rookies with 20.8 points per game, his Charlotte counterpart has already shattered the first-year record with a league-leading 265 made three-pointers.
Despite enduring a difficult season with the struggling 25-53 Mavericks, the teenage sensation continues to excel while drawing the toughest defensive assignments every night.
Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd praised his young star’s ability to constantly deliver under immense national scrutiny.
“I think he’s doing what he’s been doing all season,” Kidd noted.
“Being able to play different positions, being able to be uncomfortable, he’s never complained and has delivered for us.”
Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Doncic will travel to Europe for specialist medical treatment on a hamstring strain in a bid to accelerate his return for the NBA playoffs.
The Slovenian playmaker suffered a Grade 2 left hamstring tear during the third quarter of Thursday’s heavy 139-96 defeat by the Oklahoma City Thunder.
An MRI scan conducted in Dallas on Friday confirmed the full severity of the muscular issue.
Consequently, the Western Conference franchise has ruled the guard out for the remainder of the regular season.
Race against time for playoffs
A standard recovery period for this specific grade of injury is typically around one month.
The Lakers have declined to offer an exact timetable beyond confirming his absence for their final five regular-season fixtures.
With the opening round of the NBA playoffs scheduled to commence on April 18, the injured superstar faces a remarkably tight turnaround to regain match fitness.
Seeking overseas expertise
Agent Bill Duffy confirmed the overseas medical plan following extensive consultations with both team physicians and independent specialists.
Losing the prolific scorer represents a significant blow to Los Angeles as they attempt to secure their post-season seeding.
The team must now rely on their remaining roster depth to navigate the concluding matches of the campaign without their primary offensive focal point.
The WNBA and the players’ union have agreed to officially open the free agency period on Monday following the recent ratification of a new collective bargaining agreement.
The designation window, which includes submitting qualifying offers and applying core player tags, will take place across Monday and Tuesday.
Formal contract negotiations are scheduled to run from Wednesday through to Friday.
Official player signings are then permitted to commence from Saturday.
Significant salary increases await free agents
More than 100 players are currently out of contract and preparing to enter the open market.
These athletes are set to benefit from substantial salary bumps secured within the newly agreed labour deal.
The league and its players verbally agreed to the terms of a new collective bargaining agreement on 18 March.
Both sides formally ratified the historic terms a week later, establishing fresh financial parameters for the sport.
Draft and regular season schedule confirmed
Although the complete long-form legal document is still being finalised, the core financial structures are already in place to govern upcoming transactions.
Beyond the impending transfer window, North America’s premier women’s basketball competition has also confirmed key dates for the new campaign.
The highly anticipated annual draft is officially scheduled to take place on 13 April.
Franchises will then welcome their rosters for the start of training camps on 19 April, ahead of the first pre-season fixtures six days later.
The new regular season is slated to tip-off on 8 May.
The UCLA Bruins have captured their first NCAA women’s basketball championship by dominating the South Carolina Gamecocks 79-51 in Phoenix.
The emphatic victory ends a 48-year wait for the West Coast programme.
Head coach Cori Close finally led her squad to the summit after 15 seasons of gradual rebuilding.
The Bruins finished a spectacular campaign with an exceptional 37-1 record.
Seniors lead the way to glory
Sunday’s final was an entirely one-sided affair against the three-time champions.
UCLA never trailed during the contest, showcasing their superiority from the opening tip.
The team’s experienced core proved decisive on college basketball’s biggest stage.
Remarkably, the Californian side’s seniors scored all 130 points across their Final Four run.
Gabriela Jaquez, a homegrown talent who grew up dreaming of this moment, starred with 21 points and 10 rebounds.
Transfer portal proves crucial
The historic triumph relied heavily on key additions who began their collegiate careers elsewhere.
Lauren Betts, a 6-foot-7 centre who arrived from Stanford ahead of this season, delivered 14 points and 11 rebounds in the final.
The imposing post player had already secured her place in tournament folklore with a match-saving block against Texas in Friday’s semi-final.
“This programme has changed my life in the best way possible. I’m forever grateful for UCLA; it’s the best decision I ever made.”
Lauren Betts
Other vital transfers included Angela Dugalic from Oregon, Charlisse Leger-Walker from Washington State, and Gianna Kneepkens from Utah.
The squad also featured Megan Grant, who transferred internally from the university’s softball team to provide an infectious joy to the basketball roster.
Overcoming past heartbreak
Prior to this breakthrough, the Bruins had established a frustrating reputation for falling painfully short.
Between 2016 and 2024, the team stalled on six separate occasions in either the Sweet 16 or Elite Eight rounds.
This year, however, all the crucial elements aligned perfectly in the Arizona desert.
“My responsibility is placing the brick that we have in the perfect position. We’re not just trying to build a wall.”
Cori Close
Instead of merely building a wall, the veteran manager successfully constructed a national powerhouse.
The starters were even able to leave the court early, beginning their emotional celebrations with more than three minutes remaining on the clock.
Two-time champion Scottie Scheffler has arrived at Augusta National for the Masters with his nine-day-old son Remy following a recent withdrawal from the Houston Open.
The American star had kept a low profile since stepping away from competition two weeks ago to await the birth of his second child.
His wife, Meredith, gave birth to the baby boy on 27 March.
The new arrival joins their first son, Bennett, who was born shortly before the US PGA Championship last year.
“We just liked it. We didn’t have very many good boy names, to be honest with you.”
The infant was spotted in a stroller beneath Augusta’s famous oak tree, marking a uniquely domestic scene at the opening major of the year.
McIlroy relishes defending champion duties
Defending champion Rory McIlroy has fully immersed himself in the weekend’s traditional preliminary events.
The Northern Irishman handed out trophies at the Drive, Chip and Putt National Finals while wearing his coveted green jacket.
He later took to the pristine Georgia course alongside his father, Gerry, and Augusta member Jimmy Dunne.
The four-time major winner is now preparing to host the exclusive Champions Dinner on Tuesday evening.
“It is the most exclusive dinner club in all of sport, and I think we should all feel very fortunate that we are there.”
“But we’re there because of the hard work and the good play that we’ve been able to produce.”
Woods and Mickelson absence noted
Two notable figures will be missing from Tuesday’s prestigious champion gathering.
Tiger Woods is absent following a brief jailing on suspicion of driving under the influence after a car crash last month.
Three-time Masters winner Phil Mickelson is also skipping the event to address a personal health matter at home.
“Unfortunately, there will be a couple of guys that won’t be in that room, which is a shame, but I want to make sure that they’re acknowledged as well.”
McIlroy added that he hopes the returning champions enjoy the evening despite the absence of two of the tournament’s greatest historical competitors.
DeChambeau and Player feature in Sunday scenes
Elsewhere on the grounds, Bryson DeChambeau greeted young fans before rushing to join his caddie for a solitary practice round.
Three-time champion Gary Player was also present in Georgia.
The South African icon is preparing for his traditional role hitting the honorary opening tee shot on Thursday morning.
Chantelle Cameron became a two-weight world champion by defeating Michaela Kotaskova via unanimous decision to claim the vacant WBO super-welterweight title in London.
The British fighter made history by winning the first women’s world title bout contested over three-minute rounds on UK soil.
Following her commanding victory, the former undisputed 140lb champion immediately targeted a blockbuster clash with American star Mikaela Mayer.
The pair faced off inside the ring at London’s Olympia to tease a potential future unification bout.
Historic victory over three-minute rounds
Stepping up to the 154lb division for the first time, the sole professional conqueror of Katie Taylor showcased her undeniable class.
The prolonged round duration suited the home favourite perfectly as she applied relentless pressure on her Czech opponent.
Targeted bodywork gradually drained Kotaskova, forcing her to constantly back away as the fight progressed into the later stages.
Despite picking up a minor cut on her nose, the Briton dominated the exchanges and landed hurtful combinations at will.
Mayer showdown looms as next target
The judges ultimately rewarded this sheer dominance with wide scorecards reading 100-90 and 99-91 twice.
Attention instantly turned to a highly-anticipated matchup with fellow two-weight world champion Mayer.
“So much respect for Mikaela Mayer, she’s a great fighter, I wanted this fight with Mikaela for ages.”
Cameron explained during her post-fight interview in the ring.
“We’ve been speaking, we should give the fans a great fight for women’s boxing.”
Garcia defends title on undercard
Earlier in the evening, Irma Garcia successfully defended her IBF super-flyweight belt by stopping Emma Dolan in three rounds.
The crushing defeat ended Dolan’s dreams of adding world honours to her existing British and Commonwealth titles.