The CONCACAF Champions Cup quarterfinals second leg on Thursday morning for fans in India will bring Lionel Messi-led team Inter Mia against Mexican side Monterrey at Estadio BBVA in Guadalupe, Mexico.
Inter Miami will try to overturn a 2-1 deficit from the first leg when they play Monterrey for a spot in the CONCACAF Champions Cup semifinals.
“Leo’s presence transcends any situation, people love football, and we knew something like this could happen,” Miami coach Gerardo Martino said. “This is what happens when you have the best player in the world.”
Hundreds of Mexican fans began gathering early Tuesday morning outside Miami’s team hotel in San Pedro Garza, a high-end neighborhood in Monterrey.
It’s amazing how quickly a Stefon Diggs trade analysis reveals the state of mind of both the Houston Texans and the Buffalo Bills. While Diggs has some work to do if he wants to be considered among the greatest WRs of all time, he’s been to the Pro Bowl in four straight seasons and is in the prime of his career.
Including free agents, he could end up being one of the best players to change teams this offseason.
Who Won the Stefon Diggs Trade?
As always, only time will tell how this trade will play out. But what side appears to be the winner of the Diggs trade to the Texans?
At first glance, Houston is the obvious winner because they’re acquiring a great wide receiver and a couple of late-round draft picks for a second-round pick that wasn’t even theirs in the first place. However, let’s conduct a deeper Stefon Diggs trade analysis that looks at each team’s perspective.
Why the Texans Won
The obvious reason why the Texans won the trade is that they got a great player. Diggs has gained over 1,000 receiving yards in six straight seasons, averaging just under nine touchdowns per season during that stretch. He’s currently five yards shy of 10,000 career receiving yards and has rarely been hurt during his career.
However, aside from the obvious, Diggs is a perfect fit for what the Houston offense needs. Coming off their promising 2023 campaign, the Texans are still young offensively. Despite his brilliant rookie season, C.J. Stroud can still benefit from having a veteran wide receiver at his disposal, especially one who’s proven to be as consistent and reliable as Diggs.
Josh Allen was entering his third season in the NFL when the Bills acquired Diggs, so this should be a familiar situation for him, enabling Diggs to help Stroud take another step forward.
On top of the intangibles he brings to the table, the look of Houston’s offense has changed with Diggs in the picture. Rather than Nico Collins being the no. 1 receiver coming off a breakout season, Diggs will take that role, freeing up Collins to face each team’s second-best cornerback. Meanwhile, the Texans still have Tank Dell in the slot with the likes of Robert Woods and John Metchie in the picture as depth.
The Texans are also in excellent shape at running back with Joe Mixon and Dameon Pierce with Dalton Schultz giving Houston a proven tight end. Having Diggs figures to make all of those players because of the attention he warrants from opposing defenses.
In a way, Diggs adds legitimacy to a team that hopes to compete for the AFC crown next season. He represents a missing piece of the puzzle that makes that goal more realistic as long as Stroud can replicate his performance from last season.
Why the Bills Lost
By trading away Diggs, the Bills’ offseason plans were revealed to the rest of the league – just in case there was any doubt left. Due to their salary cap situation, the Bills have already parted ways with several key players on both sides of the ball. Buffalo will have to lean heavily on Allen and the team’s offensive playmakers in 2024, even more than the Bills have in recent years.
Without Diggs, that set of playmakers has been significantly weakened. Curtis Samuel is currently projected as Buffalo’s top wide receiver. That’s not going to inspire a lot of confidence, especially with questions about other parts of the roster. Any hope of being able to ride Allen to a Super Bowl in 2024 has been greatly diminished with this trade.
In fairness, with or without Diggs, the Bills were going to have a long road to the Super Bowl this season. If trading Diggs can help them get under the cap for the 2025 season and add an early-round draft pick to gear up for a serious run two years from now, this trade may not look so bad. But in the immediate future, the Bills are big losers and the Texans are big winners of this trade.
Four-star Shreveport (La.) Captain Shreve safety Tre Fuller is back to health after suffering an injury that held him to playing just seven games as a junior. Fuller is back in the swing of things,…
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Gareth Southgate is hopeful that Chelsea right-back Reece James will have a chance to prove his fitness ahead of Euro 2024.
The England boss has refused to rule out James, who has remained out of action since sustaining a hamstring injury against Everton back in December.
After undergoing surgery, James is now in recovery but is yet to return to training with the Blues.
The race against time is now on for the 24-year-old, who hopes to earn his spot in the England squad and travel to Germany in June.
Despite his lack of game time, Southgate is eager to remain hopeful around James. When asked if he was out of contention for the tournament, Southgate said: “No, we don’t have an exact date for him coming back but we would hope he would have some games before the Euros.
Southgate will soon need to pick his squad for Euro 2024 / Marvin Ibo Guengoer – GES Sportfoto/GettyImages
“Could he play seven games in the Euros? His record over the last few years would suggest no. But is he a top level player who could provide something important, no question.
“So yeah again he is another one who the first step is get back into training, get back into the team and build that physical resistance as quickly as possible.”
James’ surgeon, Dr Lasse Lempainen, told The Telegraph that he would be back in shape before the European championship. However, club boss Mauricio Pochettino has been reluctant to put a date on his return.
With friendlies on the cards against both Brazil and Belgium, all eyes will now be on Southgate as he looks to cement his final choices ahead of the Euro 2024.
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Jeff Legwold, ESPN Senior WriterMar 4, 2024, 04:35 PM ET
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Jeff Legwold is a senior writer who covers the Denver Broncos and the NFL at ESPN. Jeff has covered the Broncos for more than 20 years, joining ESPN in 2013. He also assists with NFL draft coverage, including his annual top 100 prospects. Jeff has been a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Board of Selectors since 1999. He has attended every scouting combine since 1987.
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — The Denver Broncos have, time and again, tried to find the answer to the question they still have at quarterback after the financially painful decision to release Russell Wilson on Monday after two seasons.
Since Peyton Manning hoisted the Lombardi Trophy after Super Bowl 50 on the way to retirement, the Broncos have seen every move they’ve made to replace him shatter postseason dreams into tiny pieces.
They’ve used a first-round pick — Paxton Lynch — they’ve used Day 2 picks (Brock Osweiler and Drew Lock) and they’ve used a late-round pick (Trevor Siemian). They’ve signed veteran free agents in the hope to squeeze out a little more, such as Case Keenum, Joe Flacco and Teddy Bridgewater.
They’ve had injury replacements in Brandon Allen, Jeff Driskel and Brett Rypien.
And they made the all-in, this-time-we-really-mean-it move to trade for Wilson. The Broncos bet draft picks — five in all, including two first-round and two second-round picks — and they bet cash in the five-year, $242.6 million contract.
They bet their salary cap health, their playbook and at least some of the future. And they lost.
Again.
Consider that Siemian, with 13 wins in his time as the Broncos starter, leads the group in that category.
The Broncos are on a list of only five NFL teams that have been to at least eight Super Bowls. Hall of Fame owner Pat Bowlen saw his team have more appearances in the title game than it had losing seasons over his three-decade run at the top of the league flowchart.
But the Broncos aren’t that team anymore. Instead, they have an eight-year streak of playoff misses — the team’s longest since it was a struggling AFL franchise.
They reside in the same division as the 28-year-old alpha that is Patrick Mahomes. The quarterback just led the Kansas City Chiefs to their fourth Super Bowl — and third win — in a five-year span with a largely draft-built starting lineup. Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen, Justin Herbert, Tua Tagovailoa and the newly crowned Rookie of the Year in C.J. Stroud are leading teams in AFC.
In short, the notion that the Broncos are going to fix everything when they find a quarterback who is equal to or better than some, or all, of those passers seems like a dicey proposition at best and a path to folly at worst.
With their salary cap’s snug fit and limited capability to add free agents, their ability to find a quarterback in free agency who plays even to the level Wilson did when coach Sean Payton benched him is a maybe/maybe not bet at most.
Sure, not much gets done in the NFL without a guy behind center who can handle all facets of the job, including crunch time, meeting time, locker room time and prime time.
But the Broncos need a plan, a fit and some patience. Mahomes isn’t even to his prime playing years if he stays healthy, and the Broncos have changed coaches, playcallers, quarterbacks and directions as if it is dry cleaning.
They signed the likes of Wilson, Randy Gregory and Frank Clark and then shipped them out — dead money be damned — in two or fewer seasons.
The Broncos need to dig in, pick a lane and stay in it — at quarterback, in the draft and in free agency. And that’s not on Sean Payton, George Paton or even the next quarterback who opens a season behind center. It’s on owner/CEO Greg Penner.
As the Broncos evolve in the Walton-Penner group’s ownership it is Penner’s challenge to make sure the salary cap remains manageable, the draft is being used as it should be and that those who report to him have good answers. He has to make sure the new guys just don’t keep getting rid of the players the old guys had.
The Broncos have led the league in change over the past eight years. Changes at quarterback, changes on the depth chart, changes in coaching, changes at general manager and even the change in ownership.
And change almost always follows failure in the NFL, an annual rite of passage when the public demands heads roll following the inability to even sniff the postseason. But change hasn’t worked for the Broncos — at all.
The Broncos had two paths with Wilson. Make the blockbuster trade to sign him to the megadeal and commit to making it work for three to five years. Or simply not do the deal in the first place and take another fork in the road instead.
The Broncos did neither. They did the deal and didn’t commit to it. Because of change, because of impatience, because they don’t stick to anything these days.
With one of the tightest salary caps in the league, a thin depth chart with three of their own first-round picks and a four-year span during which they have picked in the top 45 three times, the Broncos are poised for a painful 2024.
And what they do from here, not only at quarterback, but with the depth chart around him, will determine whether they can recapture franchise glory. It could also determine whether they’ll be another lost soul staring into a glass at last call in remember-when mode, talking of past victories as they wonder, again, where it all went.
Projecting L’Jarius Sneed’s contract for 2024 and beyond is one of the biggest questions facing the Kansas City Chiefs on the heels of their Super Bowl victory.
The cornerback was a big part of Kansas City’s success in 2023. Now that Sneed’s free agency has arrived, the Chiefs have to decide if he’s going to be a part of their future and at what cost.
L’Jarius Sneed Free Agent Preview
To be fair, Sneed isn’t exactly one of the greatest defensive players in league history. But he’s certainly established himself as a top-flight cornerback. On the open market, he’s likely to get a lucrative deal from a team looking to boost their secondary.
The question is what team will end up with Sneed and how much will he make in free agency. Let’s take a closer look at L’Jarius Sneed’s contract situation, including what teams are likely to pursue him and how much he’ll make as a free agent.
Chiefs
Needless to say, the Chiefs are going to make a strong effort to keep Sneed. Using the franchise tag to keep him for 2024 is one option.
However, the Chiefs also have Chris Jones to consider. They might need to use the franchise tag on Jones if they don’t want to risk losing him in free agency. That increases the possibility that Sneed will end up on the open market this offseason, available for any team to negotiate with him.
Commanders
As one of the teams with cap space to burn, the Commanders are an obvious candidate for Sneed. Washington is also a team with a lot of needs, including at cornerback with Kendall Fuller hitting free agency.
While the secondary may not be a top priority, the Commanders have the money to make a serious push for Sneed.
Eagles
Elsewhere in the NFC East, the Eagles are another possible suitor for Sneed. Cornerbacks Darius Slay and James Bradberry are both starting to age.
With Sneed being in the prime of his career, Philadelphia could look at him as an upgrade, making Slay or Bradberry expendable.
Falcons
Atlanta’s top priority this offseason is to find a quarterback. But there is also room for improvement on defense despite most of the team’s starting lineup set to return.
Depth is an issue at cornerback for the Falcons, which could lead them to consider Sneed. Plus, by pairing Sneed with A.J. Terrell, Atlanta would have one of the best cornerback tandems in the NFL, which would help to reshape the entire defense.
Packers
Similarly, the Packers could have the same mindset about pairing Sneed with Jaire Alexander. Keep in mind that the Green Bay offense is loaded with young talent.
That will allow the Packers to use their cap space to improve their defense. Outside of Alexander, the Green Bay secondary has a lot of holes to fill this offseason, making Sneed an ideal target.
Rams
The secondary doesn’t look like a strength for the Rams right now, especially given some of the players who are becoming free agents this offseason. On the other hand, Aaron Donald and Kobie Turner will help to ensure the Los Angeles defensive line is among the best in the NFL next season.
Therefore, the Rams can afford to be aggressive in addressing their secondary. Naturally, they will look to target one of the best cornerbacks available, making Sneed a great fit in Los Angeles.
L’Jarius Sneed Contract Projection
Based on some of the comments that Sneed has made this offseason, he expects to get paid. He’s not likely to take a hometown discount to stay with the Chiefs. After all, he already has two Super Bowl rings.
He doesn’t need to chase a championship; he can chase money instead. Most projections have Sneed making between $15 million and $18 million per season. In the end, he figures to at least get a three-year deal worth $52 million with $30 million guaranteed. However, a four-year deal worth upwards of $70 million could be on the table if there is a bidding war for his services.
Rafael Nadal has fired a rocketing forearm at long-time foe Novak Djokovic.
In the latest chapter of the tennis legends’ simmering feud, Nadal has responded to comments made by Djokovic in December, when the Serbian champion recalled a time that he shared a Roland-Garros locker room with his Spanish rival. Djokovic told CBS’ 60 Minutes that the intensity of Nadal’s warm-up and blaring music were “pissing me off”.
Nadal told Spanish publication El Pais this week that it was “never, never, never my intention” to intimidate Djokovic, before knocking Djokovic down amid the GOAT (Greatest of All Time) debate.
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“Since I have a memory of tennis, [Roger Federer] is the player who has impressed me the most, the one who has entertained me the most, the one who has moved me the most,” said Nadal, whose prickly relationship with Djokovic is contrasted by his deeply special bond with Federer.
“Watching Federer play has moved me more than Djokovic, and in the end, tennis is about emotion. It’s the emotion that draws you to it.”
Novak Djokovic (left) and Rafael Nadal. (Tim Clayton/Corbis via Getty Images)
Djokovic has won a record 24 singles grand slam titles, placing himself ahead of Nadal (22) and Federer (20) in the GOAT debate purely in terms of numbers.
Federer won his final grand slam title at the 2018 Australian Open and announced his retirement four years later, calling time in September 2022.
Nadal continues to fight on — he’s Down Under for another Australian Open — but whether the 37-year-old’s battered body will allow for another grand slam title is tough to predict.
Watch the United Cup from December 29 to January 7 live and exclusive on Nine,9Nowand onStan Sport.
Djokovic, in contrast, is still exceptionally fit at the age of 36 and highly likely to add more grand slam triumphs to his resume. He’s the hot favourite to win a record-extending 11th Australian Open title in Melbourne this month.
But as Nadal noted in his interview with El Pais, “there are several factors” to weigh up in the GOAT argument — not just statistics.
“Some I won’t tell you because it’s difficult for me, it’s not my place to comment on them, but in terms of tennis, it’s clear,” Nadal said.
Roger Federer (left), Rafael Nadal (centre) and Novak Djokovic. (Julian Finney/Getty Images for Laver Cup))
“It’s a combination of very radical styles. Federer was perfection in terms of aesthetics, elegance and technique.
“I have very good technique, but technique is not the same as aesthetics. They are two different things. He had incredible technique, doing things beautifully with impressive elegance.
“We have all reinvented ourselves [and] that’s why there has been this intense rivalry. We always surprised each other. Djokovic, as well, but with a difference compared to the two of us.
“He hasn’t needed to evolve [his style] as much as we have. He hasn’t suffered as many injuries. The only thing that has demanded him to improve his game has been his rivals, not physical issues. That’s a difference.”
Another week, another defeat for Mauricio Pochettino’s Chelsea.
The Christmas Eve loss to Wolves was, shockingly, the Blues’ 19th of 2023, and it once again came thanks to a disastrous mix of frugality in attack and silly errors in the defensive third.
Mario Lemina opened the scoring for Wolves in the 51st minute before Matt Doherty bagged a 93rd-minute goal to seal the win for the home side, with Christopher Nkunku’s 96th-minute strike proving too little, too late for Pochettino’s men.
Here’s Chelsea’s best and worst players from the game, according to 90min’s player ratings.
Christopher Nkunku: 8/10
Nkunku scored his first goal in the Premier League / MB Media/GettyImages
Christopher Nkunku made his belated Premier League debut off the bench on Sunday and showed Chelsea fans exactly what their attacking line has been missing in the first half of the 2023/24 season.
The former RB Leipzig star immediately added some genuine quality to the Blues team in the final half an hour of the game, popping up in dangerous areas and finding space in a way Armando Broja and Nicolas Jackson could only dream of.
His headed goal was certainly a sign of good things to come.
Nicolas Jackson: 3/10
Another poor outing / David Rogers/GettyImages
No Premier League team has missed more big chances than Chelsea so far this season, and with Nicolas Jackson up front it is pretty easy to see why.
The 22-year-old mustered up a measly one shot on goal, completed no dribbles, lost seven duals and generally didn’t do anything well.
Dishonourable mention
Thiago Silva: 4/10
Thiago Silva played like a 39-year-old on Sunday afternoon.
For perhaps the first time in his Chelsea career to date, the legendary defender was unable to roll back the years, instead looking slow and rather clumsy in and out of possession. It was a worrying performance, especially when you consider how much the Blues lean on him defensively.
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Atalanta takes on AC Milan in an exciting Serie A match. Milan looks to win their third straight game and has a good chance of doing so against Atalanta, who’s 6-6-2. At 9-2-3, Milan has been one of the better teams in Serie A this season.
This is the first time the two match up in the league this year, but previous games indicate we should have competitive play. Atalanta, however, has struggled in their first 14 matches and in their last five games. They’re 6-6-2 this season and 1-3-1 in their last five. This is the biggest indication of a Milan win.
Milan suffered injuries in their recent win, which could again be the case against Atalanta. Rafael Leão and Olivier Giroud were both out against Frosinone in Milan’s 3-1 win. Although Leão is still doubtful for the game against Atalanta, Giroud is set to return and aims to build on his tally of 11 points, currently placing him second in the Serie A rankings.
Atalanta Needs A Win
At some point, Atalanta has to win a game. The 6-6-2 record isn’t much to write home about, but the start of the season proved that they’re one of the better teams in Serie A. Atalanta may not be counted among the elite teams, but they can defeat any opponent.
They’ve done everything at an average rate thus far. Atalanta has allowed 16 goals, which is about the middle of the pack, and has scored 21 goals, which is slightly above average.
Gianluca Scamacca and Ederson have been pivotal for their club, with both players ranking in the top 20 for points this season. But Scamacca is out injured till next month, while Ederson hasn’t scored in the last three domestic games.
Head-to-Head Statistics
Atalanta and AC Milan have met 34 times. Milan currently leads the all-time series with 16 wins. Atalanta has 10 wins, and there have been eight draws. Atalanta has not secured a victory in their last five encounters with Milan. The two teams met in February of 2023 with Milan winning 2-0.
Bet here
Player Focus
The standout player in this matchup is undoubtedly Olivier Giroud. Giroud is one of the best players in the league and will impact every game he plays. Given his absence in their last game, how he plays is something to look out for. Milan will find themselves in a good position to win if he does what he typically does.
Tactical Analysis
AC Milan has been a force on offense, posting 24 goals. Their ability to score and defend has been impressive and shows the complete team they are. They’re the more talented team in this matchup, so unless Olivier Giroud is out, expect them to win.
Atalanta vs. Milan Expert Predictions and Analysis
With this being a home game for Milan and them being the better team, they’re most likely the best pick for the match. Expect them to come out and win in a closely contested game. Atalanta has struggled recently, which will play a huge factor.
Betting Odds
Atalanta is 2.52 to win the game, while AC Milan is 2.84. A draw, which is my second favorite football bet for the game, is 3.28 odds.
Conclusion
Due to the oddsmakers giving us 2.84 odds for Milan to win, we can’t pass it up. These odds give us an opportunity to make money at plus value. This will be a good, close game, but ultimately, Milan sneaks away with a close win.
Disclaimer: The content provided on this page, including all football predictions, odds, and related information, is for entertainment and informational purposes only. While we strive to ensure accuracy and timeliness, we do not guarantee the correctness or reliability of any predictions, data, or information presented here.
With the emergence of the Saudi Pro League this summer and the huge spending spree their clubs went on in order to bring in high profile and incredibly well known European footballing talent, many in the wider world of the sport are expecting another big splash when the transfer window opens again in the New Year, and given all the rumour mill speculation that surrounded the future of Liverpool and Egyptian wizard Mohamed Salah, his name will undoubtedly continue to do the rounds over the next few months.
As it happened, the SPL transfer deadline closed a week after the European one did, but no move for Salah was finalised even though it has been claimed that the Anfield outfit rejected a late offer of around £150 million from Al-Ittihad for the 31 year old, sticking to their line that he was not for sale this summer. There was no fun88 in a deal being done.
SPL chief and director of football, Michael Emenalo, was recently discussing the league’s business with Sky Sports given they spent over £700 million to bring in the players that they did, and he would not rule out further attempts to lure the attacker to them in the future.
“First and foremost, Mohamed Salah is one of the best players on the planet. I’ve said before, privately and publicly that we welcome anybody that wants to come and that includes Salah. But we have to do things in a very professional and respectful manner. That’s what we’re there for, it’s what the SPL has been refined to do – bring professionalism, respect of efficiencies, and to do things in a competent way.”
“If it didn’t happen, it’s not because we no longer fancy the player, or because we have a problem with Liverpool. It’s because certain things that need to align for all the parties involved in the process didn’t align. Nobody is angry, we move on, but we absolutely close no doors and if the opportunity is there to do things and do it well – and it brings Mohamed Salah to the Saudi Pro League we will all be very grateful.”
With Salah scoring against Aston Villa ahead of the international break, it takes his Liverpool tally to 188 goals in 309 games, and it is patently obvious why the SPL would like to see him make the move there and play his own part in helping to boost their profile, in the way their captures of the likes of Neymar, Roberto Firmino, Karim Benzema and Ronaldo have in more recent weeks.
They are far from alone in having made the move as well as plenty of former Premier League stars have made the switch this summer, and as you at least listen to Emenalo, he keeps referencing a long term project for the league so few will think this was a one off splurge and that speculation will not be rife again come the next window.
Whether or not that does mean further interest in Salah is open for debate, but Liverpool fans will be hoping that his contract length keeps him safe for the next season or two at least.
