Chargers have a chance to make history against Broncos and be the buzz of the NFL
The Chargers have looked impressive in wins over the Chiefs and Raiders, and win over the Broncos could be a springboard to a very strong season.
https://www.latimes.com/sports/chargers/story/2025-09-20/chargers-denver-broncos-afc-west-test
Chargers have a chance to make history against Broncos and be the buzz of the NFL
The Chargers have looked impressive in wins over the Chiefs and Raiders, and win over the Broncos could be a springboard to a very strong season.
https://www.latimes.com/sports/chargers/story/2025-09-20/chargers-denver-broncos-afc-west-test
Côme: Cesc Fàbregas "protects" Assane Diao
Côme: Cesc Fàbregas “protects” Assane Diao
No risks taken with Assane Diao
Cesc Fàbregas/@footsenegal
Injured during a Coppa Italia match against Südtirol (3-1) on August 16, Assane Diao has been sidelined ever since. It’s been a tough start to the season for the young Senegalese international (2 caps).
The 20-year-old winger has resumed training with the first team, but will still have to wait before returning to competitive action.
Indeed, Cesc Fàbregas isn’t willing to take any risks with him and wants to give him all the time he needs to recover and avoid a setback.
“Diao is progressing more slowly, and I’m the first not to take risks. I’d rather have him back at 100% in three or four weeks, because he’s a key weapon for us against all these teams chasing us. And he scores goals. The second half of the season has to be important for us. We need to support him,” said the Spanish coach at a press conference.
Côme will travel to Fiorentina this Sunday, September 21, 2025, for Matchday 4 of Serie A. Of course, they’ll be without their Lion of Teranga, as he hasn’t been included in the match squad.
https://onefootball.com/en/news/come-cesc-fabregas-protects-assane-diao-41691173
Atalanta supporters make feelings towards Lookman clear: ‘Ungrateful’
Atalanta supporters make feelings towards Lookman clear: ‘Ungrateful’
Atalanta supporters have made their feelings towards forward Ademola Lookman clear, labelling him ‘ungrateful’ after being reinstated to Ivan Juric’s first-team squad.
Lookman has largely trained away from the Atalanta first-team group since the end of the 2024-25 season.
He had attempted to leave the club during the summer transfer window, and handed in a formal transfer request after seeing a €45m bid from Inter turned down at the beginning of August. He would later post a series of accusations against the club in a long message on his Instagram profile.
BERGAMO, ITALY – APRIL 06: Ademola Lookmam of Atalanta warms up prior to the Serie A match between Atalanta and SS Lazio at Gewiss Stadium on April 06, 2025 in Bergamo, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
The Nigeria international then returned to the UK for several weeks while his teammates got to work for pre-season training. He only returned to Bergamo five days before the start of the 2025-26 Serie A season.
That has led Juric to leave Lookman out of all of his matchday squads at Atalanta. The Croatian only took the decision to bring Lookman back into first-team training earlier this week.
What Atalanta supporters said about Lookman
Certain groups of Atalanta supporters have not taken too kindly to Lookman’s reintegration to the first-team squad, though.
A banner has appeared in Bergamo with a message that reads: “No. 11 reintegrated but for us, you remain ungrateful.”
La risposta del gruppo “Vecchia Guardia” del tifo atalantino sul reintegro in rosa di #Lookman, alla vigilia del match tra #Atalanta e Torino pic.twitter.com/cZA5fTP7F1
Braves News: Jhancarlos Lara gets the call, victory in Detroit, and more
The roster moves continued for the Atlanta Braves, who selected right-hander Jhancarlos Lara to the major league roster. In addition, fellow righty Dane Dunning was optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett, and infielder Jonathan Ornelas was designated for assignment.
22-year-old Lara has had an interesting year in the minors. He’s hit 100 mph, but he’s also managed an 0-9 record with a 7.73 ERA.
Dunning will look to regroup in Gwinnett after struggling to find consistency in Atlanta, while Ornelas was the roster casualty in a crowded infield.
More Braves News:
Things went south for Charlie Morton early, as his former team laid it on him during Friday’s 10-1 win over the Detroit Tigers.
Jesús Bastidas racked up three hits during Thursday’s Gwinnett loss. More in the minor league recap.
The Braves have officially been eliminated from playoff contention and will miss the postseason for the first time since 2017.
MLB News:
Two New York Mets pitchers, Tylor Megill and Reed Garrett, have been recommended for Tommy John surgery. The two are considering their options before undergoing the knife.
Seattle Mariners right-hander Bryan Woo will undergo an MRI after dealing with “a little pec tightness.” He exited during his warm-up tosses in the sixth inning.
Athletics second baseman Zack Gelof is done for the season after dislocating his left shoulder during Friday night’s contest. He suffered the injury while diving for a grounder.
The Los Angeles Dodgers placed right-hander Michael Kopech on the 15-day injured list due to right knee inflammation. In a corresponding move, the club called up righty Will Klein.
The Detroit Tigers placed infielder Colt Keith on the 10-day injured list due to left rib cage inflammation. There is not yet a timetable for his return.
The Houston Astros placed OF/DH Yordan Alvarez on the 10-day injured list with an ankle sprain. The move is retroactive to September 16.
The Chicago White Sox placed left-hander Martin Perez on the 15-day injured list with a shoulder strain. This move ends his season.
YouTube Gold: The Immaculate Reception
In the 1970’s, the Pittsburgh Steelers, long a sad sack football team, became the standard of excellence in the NFL, winning titles in 1975, 1976, 1979 and 1980.
Pittsburgh built a phenomenal team around a rock-solid defense and a versatile offense. Quarterback Terry Bradshaw had weapons like Lynn Swann, Rocky Bleier and Franco Harris, who would go on to become one of the great backs in NFL history.
Harris was a rookie in 1972 and would ultimately become the offensive Rookie of the Year. All that – indeed his entire rookie season – was overshadowed by one play: the Immaculate Reception.
In that year’s playoffs, the Steelers were down to the Oakland Raiders 7-6 with just :22 left to play. Bradshaw dropped back to pass and under pressure let it fly towards running back John Fuqua. However, the ball bounced off the helmet Raider safety Jack Tatum and Harris picked it up on the rebound, running it in for a touchdown as the clock spelled doom for Oakland.
Needless to say the play created bedlam among the fans. Pittsburgh had never won a playoff game prior to this and it took 15 minutes to clear the field for the extra point.
Many consider this to be the greatest play in NFL history and certainly it’s one of the most memorable.
Blue Healer Auctions|Drop us a line
https://www.dukebasketballreport.com/main/81028/youtube-gold-the-immaculate-reception
New Concern for Sarri Ahead of Roma Derby as Lazio Midfielder Skips Training
New Concern for Sarri Ahead of Roma Derby as Lazio Midfielder Skips Training
Lazio manager Maurizio Sarri has been handed a new headache ahead of Sunday’s Derby della Capitale, with Fisayo Dele-Bashiru missing training.
Lazio Enduring Midfield Woes While Preparing for Roma Derby
The Biancocelesti already had several concerns in the middle of the park. Nicolo Rovella, who left the pitch early in last weekend’s defeat to Sassuolo, is racing against time to overcome a groin problem and prove he’s fit enough for a starting place. Moreover, Matias Vecino has been struggling with a thigh injury since the summer.
Fisayo Dele-Bashiru Misses Lazio Training
While Sarri hardly needed another injury scare in midfield, Il Messaggero (via La Lazio Siamo Noi) reveals that Dele-Bashiru skipped Friday’s training session due to a muscle problem. The Nigerian’s condition will be closely monitored on Saturday and then again on Sunday morning, as the technical staff may have a late decision to make ahead of the major showdown against Roma.
Lazio vs Roma | Where to Watch, Insights, Lineups & Prediction
The Manchester City youth product has been a regular starter since the start of the season, mainly due to the lack of alternatives, as Sarri has been forced to work with the players at his disposal due to the transfer ban that prevented Lazio from making any new signings in the summer.
Reda Belahyane to Get the Nod vs Roma?
It should be noted that Sarri has reportedly been considering dropping Dele-Bashiru following his disappointing showing in Sassuolo, and starting with Reda Belahyane on the left side of the midfield trident. Therefore, the Nigerian’s condition could tip the scales in favor of the young Moroccan.
Pau Cubarsí misses Barcelona training ahead of Getafe clash due to knee problem
Barcelona will likely not have Pau Cubarsí available for Sunday’s La Liga match against Getafe after the defender missed Saturday’s training session due to a knee problem picked up during the Champions League match against Newcastle.
Cubarsí is experiencing discomfort in the patellar tendon in his left knee, and although the injury is not serious, Hansi Flick and the medical staff decided the young defender would not be involved with his teammates in the final training session before Sunday’s clash as a precaution.
Flick will likely confirm Cubarsí’s status for the game in his pre-match press conference, but it appears as though his name will not be included in the squad list. If that is the case, Cubarsí would join Marc-André ter Stegen, Alejandro Balde, Gavi and Lamine Yamal on the list of absences due to injury.
Andreas Christensen, Eric García and Ronald Araujo are the remaining center-backs available with Cubarsí likely out, and Flick will choose two of those three to form the central pairing for Sunday’s game.
Jonathan Kuminga's agent reveals importance of player option in contract negotiations
The Jonathan Kuminga negotiations with the Golden State Warriors have appeared to hit the eleventh hour. With training camp less than two weeks away, Kuminga’s extended restricted free agency saga that has lasted all summer appears to be heating up.
Although the deadline for restricted free agents to accept a qualifying offer is approaching (Oct. 1), Kuminga’s camp and the Warriors appear to still be held up on key element — a player option or team option in the contract.
In a recent report from Anthony Slater and Shams Charania of ESPN, Kuminga reportedly has multiple options on the table with the Warriors. The Warriors have presented a pair of contract offers: a two-year, $48.3 million contract with a team option for the third season or a three-year, $54 million, fully guaranteed contract. Kuminga could also sign a $7.9 million qualifying offer, making him nearly untradeable during the season and allowing him to hit unrestricted free agency next summer. Kuminga and the Warriors could also agree to a sign-and-trade with another team.
However, none of those options include a player option, something the 22-year-old forward is seeking to remain in Golden State.
On Friday, Kuminga’s agent Aaron Turner joined “Steiny and Guru” of 95.7 The Game in San Francisco. During his radio appearance, Turner was asked about the player option and revealed why it’s important for Kuminga and his camp.
We look at this as the player option for somebody who believes in himself, like, JK. And JK, out of one out of 10, he believes in himself at a 10. There is no secret about that, where he’s going, his conviction. I mean, I always say, you can’t have a doubt in your mind if you have the confidence to go in and do what he did against Minnesota, because 99% of players can’t do that after not playing three weeks, your confidence is who knows where. And he comes into game two, hits his first nine shots. Like, it’s nothing like, yeah, okay, this is what I do.
So the player option to him is super important, but it’s really to us. We look at it as, JK is clearly the guy that needs to sacrifice here for this to work. Okay, so that’s fine. He’s passing up opportunities where they are saying to him, I mean, BJ Armstrong [Sacramento Kings assistant general manager] made a, made a strong comment to JK, like, ‘we want you to be you. We don’t want you to change a thing. Play your game.’ He can’t do that fully in Golden State. It will jam up, whatever everything is going. So you’re sacrificing your game.
And again, another point, we’ll see how it goes, but there’s a good chance he gets traded. And that’s halfway through the year, and he has to go to some team that you know. He doesn’t necessarily know which team that’s going to be or what exactly that’s going to entail. So you know, when we look at those factors, and then just the fact that he’s been there for four years, and it’s been up and down, up and down, when you look at all that, you go, okay, the player option is the signal to him that like, make this work.
And you know, for us, we view it as you know, we see his market at a certain level right now, 24-25 we could all argue about that or whatnot, but making sure that the team can stay under the second apron, no problem. We can help with that. We’re not going to try to take away the flexibility on the front end, because we understand how important it is to build a roster for the now, because this is a win-now situation, so because of that, okay, fine, cool. JK, and I stated this yesterday. He, early on in this process, said, I could have come in and said, We want $30 million here. Look at Jalen Johnson [Atlanta Hawks forward]. We talked about what was reasonable and practical. And you know Al [Al Hordford], he thinks could help. You know, Steve has wanted a stretch five like this. It helps the combinations. It helps the spacing of Jimmy Draymond. JK. JK was like, Hey, I’m for it. Let’s make sure we make that clear, and we’re not going to try to push you above the second apron, but by making that sacrifice for the here, the now, take care of the back end with the player option, and so that’s why it’s very important.
Via @957TheGame on X:
“JK is clearly the guy that needs to sacrifice here for this to work. Okay, so that’s fine. He’s passing up opportunities where they are saying, I mean, B.J. Armstrong (Kings assistant GM) made a strong comment to JK like we want you to be you. We don’t want you to change a… pic.twitter.com/K0hLoY5vDY
— 95.7 The Game (@957thegame) September 19, 2025
Kuminga has spent the first four seasons of his NBA career with the Warriors. After being drafted with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2021 NBA draft out of the G League Ignite, Kuminga has averaged 12.5 points on 50.7% shooting from the field to go along with four rebounds and 1.8 assists in 258 regular season games.
With the offseason winding down, Kuminga’s contract situation appears to be at the top Mike Dunleavy Jr. and Steve Kerr’s priorities. With training camp around the corner, the Warriors currently only have nine players on the roster. Despite being linked to multiple veteran free agents, the Warriors appear to be waiting on Kuminga before doing any other business. However, time is running thin.
Training camp for the Warriors is set to begin on September 29 with their first preseason game scheduled for October 5 against the Los Angeles Lakers.
This post originally appeared on Warriors Wire! Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!
This article originally appeared on Warriors Wire: Jonathan Kuminga’s agent reveals importance of player option
Football pundits deliver brutal Man United prediction ahead of Chelsea clash
Football pundits deliver brutal Man United prediction ahead of Chelsea clash
originally appeared on The Sporting News
Man United’s season of struggle faces another stern test when they host Chelsea at Old Trafford on September 20 evening.
Under-fire coach Ruben Amorim has collected only four points from four league game, which also happens to be there worst Premier League start since 1992-93.
The Red Devils were soundly beaten 3-0 by Manchester City in last weekend’s derby, extending a miserable record of just 31 points from 31 matches under Amorim , the worst return of any United manager since World War II.
Chelsea arrive after a midweek Champions League defeat to Bayern Munich but with Cole Palmer rediscovering form.
Man United vs Chelsea predictions from the pundits
Football pundit have shown little hope for Man United to rediscover any form against Chelsea at Old Trafford.
Ex-Chelsea striker Chris Sutton was blunt in his assessment of United’s current state:
“United are arguably the biggest club in the world with a wonderful history of winning things, especially in the Premier League.” He said (via BBC)
“The onus on them is not just to win every week, but to do it in a certain way – with panache, playing great attacking football.
“The system Amorim plays, in his 3-4-3 formation, is OK if you are winning or playing scintillating football but at the moment United are doing neither. …..I really like Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha, but eventually United will need to win games, to give their fans something to cling on to. “
“Even so, how can you put together a case for United winning this game? I just can’t.
Chelsea are not the finished article either, but they are playing some good stuff. They have also got Cole Palmer firing again, and he will make the difference.”
Prediction: Man United: 1, Chelsea: 2
Former Arsenal playmaker Paul Merson has echoed those doubts, questioning Amorim’s rigid approach.
“I’m a bit lost with Manchester United if I’m being honest. I don’t see where they are going.” He said (via Sportskeeda)
“Ruben Amorim plays the same system every week. When you play that formation, your wing-backs have to be the best players in the team, and that’s not the case at United!”
“I saw Chelsea lose to Bayern in the Champions League and I think they still did alright, and so I’d actually be shocked if Chelsea lose this game at Old Trafford.”
“Manchester United may have a ten or 15 minute window in the game where they dominate but I can’t see them doing enough to get anything out of it.”
“If Chelsea match Manchester United’s system, Amorim’s men will get destroyed. I can’t see anything but a win for the visitors at Old Trafford.
Prediction: Man United: 1, Chelsea: 3.
Legendary striker Alan Shearer called for a reaction from Amorim’s side but offered little optimism:
“It’s a huge game for Amorim. One where they need to see a huge improvement. They can’t be as weak as they were last weekend,” he said (via Metro)
“I haven’t been impressed with anything I’ve seen from them this year and I don’t think that’ll change. Chelsea playing a tough game in the Champions League could help them, so I’ll go for a draw.”
Prediction: Draw.
Manchester United news and related links
|
|
