sport

HIGH SCHOOL BOYS VOLLEYBALL

CITY SECTION FINALS

FRIDAY

At Birmingham

DIVISION I

#1 Taft d. #3 Cleveland, 25-23, 25-14, 25-21

DIVISION IV

#7 Maywood CES d. #4 Math & Science College Prep, 25-17, 25-17, 25-23

At Venice

DIVISION II

#4 Marquez d. #6 Narbonne, 23-25, 25-19, 29-27, 25-16

DIVISION III

#13 Birmingham d. #2 Legacy, 25-20, 17-25, 31-33, 25-21, 15-10

SATURDAY

At Birmingham

OPEN DIVISION

#3 Chatsworth d. #1 Granada Hills, 24-26, 25-21, 25-14, 25-18

DIVISION V

314 Franklin d. #13 Rancho Dominguez, 25-18, 25-19, 25-16

SOUTHERN SECTION FINALS

THURSDAY

At Home Sites

DIVISION 9

Vasquez d. Tarbut V’ Torah, 25-19, 22-25, 25-21, 19-25, 15-10

FRIDAY

At Cerritos College

DIVISION 1

#1 Mira Costa d. #3 Loyola, 25-21, 25-22, 25-22

DIVISION 4

Sunny Hills d. Royal, 24-26, 25-22, 27-25, 25-23

At Home Sites

DIVISION 5

Bishop Diego d. St. Anthony, 25-19, 25-19, 23-25, 25-23

DIVISION 8

Temescal Canyon d. West Valley, 24-26, 25-16, 25-19, 25-23

SATURDAY

At Cerritos College

DIVISION 2

Orange Lutheran d. Edison, 3-1

DIVISION 3

Windward d. St, John Bosco, 24-26, 25–21, 25-22, 25-20

DIVISION 6

Culver City d. Garden Grove, 27-25, 25-20, 19-25, 21-25, 15-9

Danny Rohl has confirmed that Rangers will work on re-signing Mikey Moore from Tottenham Hotspur this summer. (talkSPORT), external

The Rangers manager also insists striker Youssef Chermiti will be a key player next season after reports linking the 21-year-old to Porto. (Daily Record – subscription required), external

Celtic face strong competition for Bodo/Glimt striker Kasper Hogh this summer, with a host of clubs across Europe keen on the 25-year-old. (Football Insider), external

Falkirk have received “fair offers from two or three clubs” for striker Barney Stewart, with manager John McGlynn saying any fee for the 22-year-old will go towards a grass pitch and training facilities. (Falkirk Herald), external

Middlesbrough and Scotland forward Tommy Conway has been ruled out of the World Cup with an ankle injury. (Keith Downie on X), external

Aston Villa may consider selling captain and Scotland star John McGinn to Everton if they can land Wales midfielder Harry Wilson, who is leaving Fulham as a free agent. (Sun), external

SEATTLE — Gabriel Pec had a goal and an assist to back goalkeeper JT Marcinkowski and the Galaxy beat Seattle 2-0 on Saturday night, ending the Sounders’ 22-match unbeaten streak at home as well as a nine-match unbeaten run this season.

Greg Vanney led Los Angeles to its first victory in Seattle since July 9, 2016 — Bruce Arena’s final season as the Galaxy’s coach.

Pec used assists from Marco Reus and defender Miki Yamane in the 23rd minute to score his fifth goal of the season, giving the Galaxy a 1-0 lead that stood through halftime. It was his fourth goal in the last three matches and his 27th in 75 career appearances.

Reus’ assist was his fifth this season, while Yamane collected his first.

Pec and Edwin Cerrillo set up Matheus Nascimento’s first goal this season two minutes into stoppage time to clinch the victory. Cerrillo entered in the 89th minute before snagging his first assist and Pec’s helper was his fourth.

Marcinkowski stopped six shots for the Galaxy (5-5-4). It was his first clean sheet in his 10th start this season.

Andrew Thomas finished without a save for Seattle (7-2-3), whose only other loss came in its road opener at Real Salt Lake on Feb. 28.

The Galaxy extended the league’s longest current streak with at least one goal scored to 23.

Seattle was the last team to shut out the Galaxy, doing so with a 4-0 road win on Aug. 10 last season.

The Sounders were coming off a 3-2 victory over Arena’s San Jose Earthquakes on Wednesday, while the Galaxy lost to Sporting Kansas City — whose only other victory to that point came against the Galaxy on the road.

The Galaxy lead the all-time series with the Sounders 16-11-15, including a 5-8-8 record in Seattle.

The Sounders fall to 4-1-1 at home and the Galaxy improve to 3-3-2 on the road.

Up next

Galaxy: Host the Houston Dynamo on Saturday.

Seattle: Visits LAFC on May 24.

It took three months of hard work to change Amorim’s mind.

On 6 March 2025, he started the first leg of the Europa League last-16 draw with Real Sociedad. He kept his place for the league game against Arsenal and, from that point, has started every major game United have played.

“Football changes. Life changes,” Casemiro said in his recent interview with former United captain Ferdinand.

“For me, [with] the best players in the world, it’s about the mentality. I might not play good – I’m not a robot and I know. But the next [game], I give everything on the pitch. The mentality is next, next, next.”

It is a mentality that has brought Casemiro back into the Brazil squad – he is expected to be Carlo Ancelotti’s captain at this summer’s tournament.

This season, the 34-year-old’s influence has noticeably increased.

Of all the players in Michael Carrick’s squad, it is widely accepted if Casemiro had been injured in February, after the transfer deadline had closed, his absence would have been the hardest to cover in the ultimately successful quest for Champions League qualification.

“He has been an absolute pleasure to work with,” Carrick says in his programme notes for the Forest game.

“He will always have a special connection with Manchester United.”

Carrick has felt the early clarity around Casemiro’s exit – announced on 22 January, days after the manager’s own return as Amorim’s temporary replacement – has been beneficial for player and club.

Aside from the mentality aspect, the player’s influence at Old Trafford should extend far longer than his physical presence.

When Casemiro arrived from Real Madrid in 2022 in a deal worth up to £70m, Kobbie Mainoo, then aged 17, felt he would learn huge amounts from one of the most decorated players in the game.

Amid the Brazilian’s collapse in form, Mainoo ended up battling for a start with Casemiro, which wasn’t a situation he envisaged.

The clear by-product of Amorim’s exit has been the partnership between the pair, who have played alongside each other in 13 of Carrick’s 15 matches in charge – a one-match absence for both players because of minor injuries the only reason it was not 15 out of 15.

“Kobbie is my friend,” Casemiro explained earlier this month in a separate interview with the respected United We Stand fanzine.

“I have an excellent relationship with him. We are always joking – in English because he doesn’t speak Portuguese.

“He is a complete player, the present and the future of Manchester.

“Why? Because he has already taught us that he can play to a high level for his club and country. The one thing he needs to improve is to play more with the ball, to touch the ball more, because he has so much quality.

“Then it’s the decision-making which comes with experience. That improves with age.”

Rousey won the fight with her signature armbar lock, forcing Carano into submission just 17 seconds into the bout.

Mixed martial arts (MMA) star Ronda Rousey has re-retired after demolishing fellow combat sports trailblazer Gina Carano in their long-awaited non-title comeback bout in Los Angeles, defeating her rival by armbar after just 17 seconds.

After a hype-filled build-up, the bout on Saturday was a jarring anti-climax, with Rousey flooring Carano almost immediately before wrestling her into an armbar to end the fight.

American stars Rousey, 39, and Carano, 44, are widely regarded as two of the most important female fighters in the history of MMA, helping to take the sport into the mainstream during their fighting heydays more than a decade ago.

Carano had parlayed her success into a Hollywood career, appearing in several action movie roles, but had not fought since 2009 before her appearance in Saturday’s featherweight bout.

Rousey, a 2008 Olympics judo bronze medallist who subsequently found huge success in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), retired from the sport in 2016 after suffering back-to-back defeats against Amanda Nunes and Holly Holm.

The fighters were lured back into the cage for Saturday’s card at the Intuit Dome with the promise of a bumper payday that will reportedly see each fighter earn several million dollars from the streaming giant.

Rousey (13-2-0 MMA) secured her 10th submission win, returning to the cage following an exit from MMA in December 2016.

She insisted afterwards her return to the ring was a one-off and ruled out the possibility of fighting again after paying tribute to Carano.

“Gina is the only person who could have brought me back into MMA – she’s my hero,” Rousey said. “She changed my world, and we changed the world, and I’ll never ever forget that or be able to pay that back enough.

“I’m so glad we finally got to share this moment.”

Asked about possibly extending her comeback, Rousey added: “There’s no way I could have ended it better than this. I want to have some more babies, got to get cooking.”

Carano (7-2-0 MMA) ⁠⁠had been inactive in the sport since August 2009, returning to MMA after a conversation last year at Rousey’s encouragement. She admitted the fight was too fast for her, regretting what ⁠⁠more she could have done in a short timeframe.

“I feel great,” Carano said after the loss. “I wanted to fight, ⁠⁠and I didn’t get that. But she trained. She ⁠⁠had her game plan. I have so much love and respect for her, and this was a victory in my life. She changed it. I woke up at 3am every morning thinking about ‌‌her. I fell back in love with mixed martial arts. There’s ‌‌so ‌‌many things to think about here. It’s just [that] the fight didn’t go my way.

“I wanted that to last longer – I felt like I was so ready, I felt so good,” she said. “But I haven’t been here for 17 years. I wanted to hit her.”

Carano, 44, is unsure whether she’ll return to MMA, choosing to keep the door open.

Carano said the mere fact of getting in shape for her return – she revealed before the bout she had shed more than 100 pounds (45kg) in the two years leading up to the contest – was a victory.

“Right now, just getting in the cage was a victory, getting here after 17 years is a victory. Fighting a legend was a victory. I feel great, I just wanted to fight, and I didn’t get to do that.”

All the Dodgers had to do was stay patient.

In a 15-2 win Saturday against the Angels in Anaheim, the Dodgers offense wasn’t able to gain much of a lead until the sixth inning. Then six consecutive free passes spurred an offensive explosion that put the game away.

In fact, Will Smith’s first-inning sacrifice fly scored the only run for either team through the first five innings, as the starting pitchers — Dodgers lefty Justin Wrobleski and Angels right-hander José Soriano — dueled.

Though the Dodgers scored first, Soriano avoided traffic on the bases more effectively than Wrobleski. That is, until Soriano lost command in the sixth.

Dodgers pitcher Justin Wrobleski throws to the plate during a win over the Angels Saturday at Angel Stadium.

(Mark J. Terrill / Ap Photo/mark J. Terrill)

With one out in the sixth inning, Mookie Betts got the Dodgers’ rally started by drawing a five-pitch walk. Freddie Freeman followed suit and Smith wore a curveball to load the bases.

Soriano, who had only allowed one hit, didn’t regain his footing. He walked in two runs before being lifted. And then his replacement, Angels reliever Chase Silseth, hit Teoscar Hernández to bring in a third run for the Dodgers before they logged a hit in the inning.

Alex Call, the eighth Dodgers hitter to step up to the plate in the sixth, finally delivered the only knock of the rally, a two-run single on a ground ball through the left side of the infield.

The strong Dodgers fan presence at a sold-out Angel Stadium made itself known in the eighth inning when Shohei Ohtani drove a two-run triple into the right-field corner, raced to third as it bounced up and off the netting and then scored on a throwing error.

“MVP” chants broke out from the fans clad in blue.

They let out a roar shortly after, when Betts launched a solo homer to left.

The Dodgers continued the barrage in the ninth, scoring on pitcher Alek Manoah’s errant throw that past second base, Hernández’ sharp single up the third-base line and Ohtani’s bases-clearing double into the right-field corner.

That earned more “MVP” chants.

The Dodgers, one day removed from scratching left-hander Blake Snell and pivoting to a bullpen game on Friday, needed Wrobleski to give their relievers a breather.

The Dodgers’ bats ultimately helped take pressure off all the team’s pitchers.

It’s now official. You can call Chatsworth a 12-time City Section volleyball champion after the Chancellors won the Open Division championship on Saturday night, knocking off West Valley League rival Granada Hills 24-26, 25-21, 25-14, 25-18.

Noa Beauregard led Chatsworth with 14 kills and Grant Chang had 13.

Coach Sina Aghassy got his team to settle down and dominate the Highlanders after their first-set defeat. The two teams had split their league matches.

Both schools will move on to the state tournament next week, with pairings announced on Sunday.

Baseball

Sylmar 4, Chatsworth 3: The No. 1-seeded Spartans survived a three-run seventh inning by Chatsworth to advance to the City Section Division I semifinals against Verdugo Hills on Wednesday at Stengel Field. Tim Sepulveda had two hits.

Verdugo Hills 8, Sun Valley Poly 2: Jered Smith hit a grand slam in the sixth inning to help the Dons reach the City Division I semifinals.

Taft 11, Cleveland 0: The Toreadors advanced to the Division I semifinal behind Sebastian Gamez, who threw the shutout. Nate Swinson had two hits and two RBIs.

Venice 7, Palisades 6: The Gondoliers earned a match against Taft in the Division I semifinals. Darius Basco’s sacrifice fly in the bottom of the seventh won it. Miguel Medina threw three scoreless innings of relief.

Softball

La Habra 6, Murrieta Mesa 4: Rylee Gruener hit a grand slam during a five-run inning to enable La Habra to eliminate top-seeded Murrieta Mesa in the Division I playoffs. Alyssa Hernandez added three hits.

Orange Lutheran 17, Chino Hills 14: In a wild Division 1 playoff game, Sierra Nichols and Madelyn Armendariz each had four hits for Orange Lutheran, with Armendariz getting three doubles. Nichols, Rylee Silva and Eliza Johnson hit home runs. Brett Lambrecht had five RBIs for Chino Hills.

Sherman Oaks Notre Dame 8, Oaks Christian 5: The Mission League champions advanced behind freshman pitcher Ainsley Jenkins, who came in and provided three innings of three-hit relief pitching. Nadia Ledon, Keira Luderer and Ellayne Tellez-Perez hit home runs.

Norco 8, Riverside Poly 2: The No. 2-seeded Cougars were led by Savannah Gonzalez, who had three hits, including a home run. Coral Williams struck out 13. Camryn May and Sadie Burroughs also had three hits.

Blake Snell will have surgery Tuesday to remove the loose bodies in his left elbow, according to Dodgers manager Dave Roberts.

Roberts didn’t know which type of surgery Snell will undergo, but there’s optimism that Snell could undergo a minimally invasive procedure, like the one Dr. Neal ElAttrache performed on Tigers ace Tarik Skubal using new NanoNeedle scope technology, according to people with knowledge of the situation not authorized to speak publicly about the matter.

However, it may not be possible to determine the details of Snell’s procedure before getting an internal view. The exact location of the loose bodies plays a large role in the technique.

If Snell is indeed a candidate for the NanoNeedle Scope 2.0, it could cut down his recovery time by minimizing the damage to the surrounding tissue, compared to a traditional arthroscope.

Because the technology is new, it would still be difficult to put an exact timeline on the recovery. Skubal would be the blueprint. He had a bone chip removed a week and a half ago and is already progressing in a throwing program.

Either way, the Dodgers should have a clearer picture of Snell’s recovery timetable after he undergoes the procedure Tuesday.

The Dodgers scratched him from Friday’s start, only his second of the season, and they backdated the IL move to May 12. The two-time Cy Young Award winner started the season on the injured list, ramping up later than usual due to what the team called left shoulder fatigue. In his first start against the Braves last week, he only pitched three innings, giving up four earned runs.

Ronnie O’Sullivan reeled off three frames in a row to beat Kyren Wilson 6-3 and book a place in the Snooker 900 Global Championship final.

Seven-time world champion O’Sullivan, who won the World Seniors Snooker Championship last week, knocked in a break of 121 in the opening frame as he went 2-0 in front in Reading.

Wilson, the 2024 world champion, levelled and took a 4-3 lead before O’Sullivan surged to victory.

Luca Brecel will face O’Sullivan in the final after the Belgian beat Joe Perry 6-3 in the other semi-final.

Snooker 900 events involve playing frames to a 15-minute (900 seconds) time limit, a 20-second shot clock and a ball in hand rule when a foul is conceded.

The government has commissioned UK Sport to conduct an “initial strategic assessment” into a potential bid for the north of England to host the Olympics and Paralympics in the 2040s.

It said the funding agency would examine whether the UK could host the Games for the first time since London 2012, along with potential cost, socio-economic benefit and any bid’s chance of success.

“For too long we have been told the Olympics is simply too big and too important to be hosted in the north”, Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy told BBC Sport.

“Not any more. It’s time the Olympics came north and we showed what we can offer to the world.

“We know that we can pull off the most incredible, not just bid, but Olympics. So we’re kick-starting that with a phase-one study about the investment, the resources, the infrastructure, the transport that we’re going to need.”

The findings of UK Sport’s study will determine whether to proceed with a more detailed “technical feasibility study”, with a final decision on any bid resting with the British Olympic Association (BOA).

The third rounds of golf tournaments are commonly known as ‘moving day’, and Saturday at the US PGA Championship lived up to the billing as stars and lesser lights jostled for position on a crowded and fast-moving leaderboard.

Remarkably, 14 players held at least a share of the lead at some point and 30 will go into Sunday’s final round within five shots of surprise leader Alex Smalley who is at six under after a two-under 68.

Over the first two days at Aronimink, with the more severe aspects of the course set-up generating much discussion, it felt more like the brutal examination usually reserved for the US Open.

Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy – the world’s top two players – were among those to weigh in with less than complimentary observations, with the former going as far as describing some of Friday’s pin positions as “absurd”.

The PGA of America listened. The governing body moved some tees up and made several pins more accessible which, coupled with more benign conditions, has produced a classic major leaderboard that houses a mix of heavy hitters and less illustrious names.

Several big-time players capitalised on more favourable scoring conditions in the early stages.

McIlroy, who was outside the top 100 after a four-over opening 74 on Thursday, bettered Friday’s 67 by one to improve to three under and boost his hopes of following last month’s successful Masters defence with his third US PGA title.

Other major winners to vault up the leaderboard included Justin Rose, whose superb 65 left him at two under and revived his hopes of landing an elusive second major, and Jon Rahm, who is two off the lead after carding a 67 to maintain his push for the third leg of a career Grand Slam.

Rose isn’t the only man trying to end a 107-year wait for an English winner of this championship, with Aaron Rai alongside Rahm, Ludvig Aberg, Nick Taylor and Matti Schmid on four under.

Not everyone prospered. Scheffler, who shot a Saturday 65 on his way to winning last year’s US PGA, surprisingly stuttered to a 71 and is five adrift.

More to follow.

Jose Mourinho completed an unbeaten league season with Benfica but had to settle for third place in the Portuguese top-flight.

Benfica beat Estoril 3-1 in their final match of the campaign as they ended their undefeated Primeira Liga campaign with 23 wins, 11 draws and no defeats.

However, they finished on 80 points – eight behind champions Porto and two behind second-placed Sporting.

The victory against Estoril could be Mourinho’s final game in charge of Benfica as he is in final negotiations to become Real Madrid manager, 13 years after his first spell at the Bernabeu.

The 63-year-old joined Portuguese side Benfica as manager on a two-year contract last September, but is wanted by Real president Florentino Perez.

This is not the first time Benfica have gone a league season unbeaten and ended up trophyless.

In 1977-78, Porto drew two games fewer and pipped them to the league title on goal difference.

Mourinho’s Benfica have join FC Sheriff in Moldova (2024-25) and Serbian side Red Star Belgrade (2007-08) as the only European sides this century to miss out on a league title despite going an entire season without losing.

The Preakness Stakes at Laurel Park, Md., could feature a historic finish even if there is no chance to produce a Triple Crown winner this year.

The Preakness post time is 4:01 p.m. PDT. The race will air on NBC.

Kentucky Derby winner Golden Tempo isn’t running the Preakness. Cherie DeVaux, the first woman to train a Derby winner, said the schedule was too tight for Golden Tempo, with two weeks between races.

But trainer Brittany Russell has prepared Taj Mahal for the race and could follow up on DeVaux’s big win with one of her own. Russell would be the first female trainer to win the Preakness and could extend a potential female trainer Triple Crown bid in an industry long dominated by men.

“It would sort of feel like probably a fairy tale,” Russell said of a potential win. “ … It would mean an awful lot.”

Iron Honor in the ninth post position opened the day favored slightly at 9-2. Taj Mahal in post No. 1, Chip Honcho in post No. 6 and Incredibolt at post No. 12 were not far behind with 5-1 odds.

Taj Mahal has one other edge, winning three previous races at Laurel Park, home of the Preakness.

Ronda Rousey returns to the ring on Saturday to face Gina Carano at the Intuit Dome in a card that its promoters hope will prove that mixed martial arts (MMA) can generate the same excitement as boxing without the UFC.

The five-round, 145-pound bout airing on Netflix (6 p.m. PDT) will be the first MMA event promoted by Most Valuable Promotions (MVP), the company co-founded by Jake Paul and Nakisa Bridarian. According to Bridarian, the card is the most expensive in MVP history, with each fighter receiving at least $40,000 — a sum greater than what UFC rookies receive.

“I would say this is the most expensive MMA card ever put together,” Bridarian said Wednesday. “We can only do this because we have a partner [Netflix] that allows us to pull it off, and they deserve it.”

Rousey (12-2), a Riverside native, is returning to competition after a nine-year hiatus, during which she starred in movies, wrestled in the WWE and became a mother of two. Her informal retirement came after consecutive losses to Holly Holm in 2015 and Amanda Nunes in 2016. For the Californian, this fight is the career finale she never had.

Gina Carano participates in an open workout Wednesday at Venice Beach ahead of her Netflix MMA bout with Ronda Rousey at Intuit Dome.

(Sarah Stier / Getty Images for Netflix)

“It’s incredible, because I feel like, no matter what happens, I’m completely at peace with it,” Rousey said. “Before, winning was the most important thing in the world. Now, what matters most to me are my kids and my family.”

Rousey hopes the event will draw more than nine million viewers, a threshold that would help convince Netflix and MVP to invest in MMA on a sustained basis. The MMA ratings record belongs to the fight between Junior dos Santos and Cain Velasquez at UFC on Fox 1 on Nov. 12, 2011, which peaked at 8.8 million viewers and averaged 5.7 million during its broadcast.

Netflix has already demonstrated an appetite for combat sports, posting impressive numbers: it drew a global audience of 33 million for Paul versus Anthony Joshua, 41.4 million for the Canelo Álvarez-Terence Crawford bout and 108 million for the Paul-Mike Tyson fight. However, promoters are aware that MMA operates in a different league and that on Saturday they will have the top ambassador of women’s MMA in action.

Ronda Rousey lunges forward and punches during an open workout at Venice Beach on Wednesday ahead of Netflix MMA bout against Gina Carano at Intuit Dome.

(Sarah Stier / Getty Images for Netflix)

“I just want to convince MVP and Netflix that there’s something here worth investing in and that they should keep backing MMA,” Rousey said.

Carano (7-1), 44, also has a historic track record, having been part of the first women’s MMA fight on live television in 2007 and headlining the first Showtime card featuring two women as main event fighters, facing Cris Cyborg in 2009. Although Carano is unlikely to pose a competitive challenge for Rousey, both women are approaching the event more as pioneers than as rivals.

On Wednesday, Rousey trained at Venice Beach in front of dozens of fans, the same beach where she began her career. She was accompanied by Pauline Macías, a Brazilian judoka, MMA fighter and close friend since the age of 11.

“It’s the ending she deserves,” Rousey said of her special training session ahead of what could potentially be her final fight as a fighter.

Beyond her fight, Rousey has her sights set on becoming a promoter to improve conditions for fighters outside the UFC.

“It’s about giving the power back to the fighters and reminding people that we are the essence of this sport, not a brand or a belt,” said the 39-year-old fighter.

The match has been criticized for taking place more than 10 years late, well past the fighters’ prime. Carano disagreed.

“I think this fight is coming at just the right time,” Carano said. “Two years ago, you would have seen a different version of me. Right now, I’m in such a strong place that, well, I’ve had to go through all of this to get here.”

This article first appeared in Spanish via L.A. Times en Español.

Mohamed Salah’s latest unprompted public outburst will ratchet up the pressure on struggling Liverpool head coach Arne Slot by several notches.

Salah first laid bare his frustrations with Slot and Liverpool after the 3-3 draw at Leeds United in December, claiming he had been “thrown under the bus” after being dropped following the Premier League champions’ poor start to the season.

This time the Egyptian, who is scheduled to play his final game for Liverpool against Brentford at Anfield on the closing weekend of the season, took to social media after Friday’s 4-2 loss at Aston Villa to launch a thinly-veiled attack on their style under Slot and the failures this season.

Slot has been losing credit fast since winning the Premier League in his first season after succeeding Jurgen Klopp.

The contrast was sharp between Unai Emery’s vibrant Aston Villa – who confirmed Champions League football next season with victory at Villa Park and who are in the Europa League Final – and porous, weak Liverpool.

And then came the latest twist in this troubled, turbulent Liverpool season.

This sort of pronouncement could justifiably be seen as Salah repaying his head coach by throwing Slot under the bus, the breakdown of their relationship providing a fractious backdrop to a season in which Liverpool‘s title defence has disintegrated.

If Salah’s attack clearly does not help Slot, who has lost the faith of many Liverpool fans as the Anfield atmosphere becomes increasingly toxic, then his analysis of “us crumbling to yet another defeat this season” hardly reflects well on his own team-mates either.

The sub-plot to Salah’s post is that a large number of those same Liverpool supporters see Xabi Alonso as Slot’s natural successor.

But the former Real Madrid manager now looks destined for Chelsea, who hope to announce the Spaniard as their new permanent head coach in the coming days.

Alonso has long been touted as a future Liverpool manager, having won the Champions League as a player and then impressed hugely during his time as Bayer Leverkusen boss.

Some hoped he would replace Klopp two years ago, but he instead opted to remain with Leverkusen and Slot came in instead.

It would seem again the timing just will not quite marry up for those dreaming of a fairytale return to Anfield.

SOUTHERN SECTION BASEBALL PLAYOFFS

FRIDAY’S RESULTS

SECOND ROUND

DIVISION 1

Pool A

#8 Sherman Oaks Notre Dame 4, #1 Norco 0

#9 Ayala 7, #16 Maranatha 6

Pool D

#4 Orange Lutheran 9, #5 Corona 6

#13 Corona Santiago 8, #12 Etiwanda 4

Pool C

#6 St. John Bosco 4, #3 Sierra Canyon 3

#11 Cypress 8, #14 Oaks Christian 2

Pool B

#2 Harvard-Westlake 6, #10 Huntington Beach 5

#15 La Mirada 9, #7 Temecula Valley 2

FIRST ROUND

DIVISION 3

Mira Costa 8, Arlington 6

Redondo Union 8, Ridgecrest Burroughs 7

Dos Pueblos 14, Burbank Burroughs 8

Edison 5, Damien 1

Palos Verdes 7, Orange County Pacifica Christian 1

Warren 8, West Ranch 3

Cajon 4, San Dimas 0

St. Francis 4, Crescenta Valley 1

Agoura 4, Oakwood 0

Garden Grove Pacifica 7, Chino Hills 0

Corona del Mar 2, Bishop Amat 1

Fullerton 8, San Juan Hills 3

Beckman 2, Charter Oak 1

Millikan 2, South Torrance 1

Summit 7, La Canada 6

Arcadia 3, Simi Valley 2

DIVISION 5

Citrus Valley 2, Paloma Valley 1

Irvine 4, Moreno Valley 2

Cathedral 4, Calvary Baptist 2

Long Beach Poly 3, Sunny Hills 2

Quartz Hill 12, Tahquitz 0

Kaiser 6, Oak Hills 5

Paramount 15, Heritage Christian 1

Santa Barbara 5, Loara 4

Long Beach Wilson 3, Montebello 0

Jurupa Hills 3, Santa Fe 0

Temescal Canyon 8, Arrowhead Christian 5

Riverside Prep 7, Capistrano Valley Christian 3

Culver City 8, Cerritos Valley Christian 6

St. Bonaventure 1, Mayfair 0

Bishop Montgomery 5, Cerritos 0

St. Bernard 4, Rancho Verde 3

DIVISION 7

New Roads 5, Palmdale 4

Carpinteria 2, Flintridge Prep 1

North Torrance 5, Baldwin Park 1

Grace 6, Beverly Hills 0

Santa Paula 5, Pasadena Poly 4

Fontana 13, Milken 12

Patriot 11, Viewpoint 10

Victor Valley 9, Placentia Valencia 3

Hemet 2, Riverside Notre Dame 0

South El Monte 3, Buena Park 2

Golden Valley 5, University Prep 1

Jurupa Valley 3, Campbell Hall 0

Arroyo 2, Miller 1

Carter 10, Adelanto 1

Garden Grove 1, Nogales 0

Norwalk 8, San Jacinto Valley 1

DIVISION 9

Dunn 16, Redlands Adventist Academy 4

Lennox Academy 18, Santa Monica Pacifica Christian 8

Crossroads Christian 16, Downey Calvary Chapel 7

St. Monica Academy 4, Coastal Christian 3

San Bernardino 17, Mesa Grande 5

Ojai Valley 16, San Luis Obispo Classical 0

Webb 10, Loma Linda Academy 5

Yucca Valley 8, Santa Maria Valley Christian 7

Rolling Hills Prep 18, Lucerne Valley 5

Ambassador Christian 5, United Christian Academy 4

Riverside Bethel Christian 11, Desert Hot Springs 10

Westminster 11, Anza Hamilton 1

Temecula Prep 25, Pomona 1

Cobalt 9, Environmental Charter 5

Garden Grove Santiago 17, Gorman Charter 1

St. Pius X-St, Matthias Academy 20, Animo Leadership 1

TUESDAY’S SCHEDULE

(Games at 3:15 p.m. unless noted)

THIRD ROUND

DIVISION 1

Pool A

Norco at Ayala

Pool D

Corona at Corona Santiago

Pool C

Sierra Canyon at Cypress

Pool D

Huntington Beach at La Mirada

SECOND ROUND

DIVISION 2

Elsinore at Santa Margarita, 2:30 p.m.

South Hills at Ganesha

Newport Harbor at Great Oak

Gahr at Aquinas

Servite at Foothill

Royal at Yucaipa

Chaminade at Loyola

Westlake at Aemany

DIVISION 3

Mira Costa at Redondo Union

Dos Pueblos at Edison

Palos Verdes at Warren

Cajon at St. Francis

Agoura at Garden Grove Pacifica

Corona del Mar at Fullerton

Millikan at Beckman

Arcadia at Summit

DIVISION 4

Saugus at San Marino, 3:30 p.m.

Rio Mesa at Claremont

Glendora at Katella, Wednesday

Upland at Anaheim Canyon

La Quinta at Marina

Palm Desert at Grand Terrace, 4 p.m.

Woodbridge at Laguna Beach

Moorpark at Monrovia

DIVISION 5

Citrus Valley at Irvine

Long Beach Poly at Cathedral

Quartz Hill at Kaiser

Paramount at Santa Barbara

Long Beach Wilson at Jurupa Hills

Riverside Prep at Temescal Canyon

St. Bonaventure at Culver City

St. Bernard at Bishop Montgomery

DIVISION 6

Brentwood at Ontario

Canyon Springs at Foothill Tech

Troy at Trinity Classical Academy

El Rancho at Northwood

Savanna at Western Christian

Covina at Alhambra

Muir at Santa Ana Calvary Chapel

Crossroads at Lakewood, 4 p.m.

DIVISION 7

New Roads at Carpinteria

Grace at North Torrance

Fontana at Santa Paula, 3:30 p.m.

Patriot at Victor Valley

Hemet at South El Monte

Golden Valley at Jurupa Valley

Carter at Arroyo

Norwalk at Garden Grove

DIVISION 8

Edgewood at Rancho Alamitos

Chadwick at Pasadena Marshall

Rio Hondo Prep at Wildomar Cornerstone Christian

Rosemead at Oxford Academy, Monday

Duarte vs. Santa Clarita Christian at Hart Baseball Complex, 7 p.m.

Nordhoff vs. Nuview Bridge at Mystic Field, Nuevo

Artesia at Magnolia

Anaheim vs. Schurr at Rio Hondo College

DIVISION 9

Dunn at Lennox Academy

St. Monica Academy at Crossroads Christian

San Bernardino at Ojai Valley

Webb at Yucca Valley

Rolling Hills Prep at Ambassador Christian

Westminster at Riverside Bethel Christian

Temecula Prep at Cobalt

St. Pius X-St. Matthias Academy at Garden Grove Santiago

Note: Quarterfinals in all divisions May 22; Semifinals in all divisions May 26; Finals in all divisions May 29-30.

SOUTHERN SECTION SOFTBALL PLAYOFFS

FRIDAY’S RESULTS

FIRST ROUND

DIVISION 1

Murrieta Mesa 10, Valley View 0

Orange Lutheran 10, Millikan 0

Chino Hills 2, El Modena 1

Etiwanda 14, Agoura 13

Palos Verdes 3, Riverside King 2

Cypress 4, Fullerton 2

Ayala 11, Charter Oak 1

Riverside Poly 7, California 3

Norco 2, Marina 1

DIVISION 3

Rancho Cucamonga 9, Paloma Valley 1

Great Oak 5, West Torrance 2

Edison 8, El Segundo 5

El Toro 9, Colton 0

Murrieta Valley 9, Redondo Union 8

North Torrance 5, Beaumont 0

West Ranch 7, Trabuco Hills 6

San Juan Hills 8, Riverside North 7

Oak Park 10, Cerritos Valley Christian 4

Highland 7, Northview 2

La Serna 4, Carter 0

Dos Pueblos 5, Crescenta Valley 0

Liberty 10, Arcadia 3

DIVISION 5

Anaheim 11, Flintridge Sacred Heart 0

Patriot 11, Arrowhead Christian 9

Temple City 9, Rancho Christian 6

Grace 11, Buena Park 0

Crean Lutheran 3, Alemany 2

Shadow Hills 8, Cerritos 3

San Marcos 10, Leuzinger 0

South El Monte 7, Long Beach Wilson 5

Covina 11, Garden Grove Santiago 1

Muir 8, Rio Hondo Prep 7

Santa Monica 6, Katella 5

Ontario 6, Norwalk 2

Northwood 18, Duarte 11

DIVISION 7

Bloomington 9, Fillmore 8

Miller 11, Savanna 3

Santa Ana Calvary Chapel 11, Riverside Springs Magnolia 4

Faith Baptist 18, St. Pius X-St. Matthias Academy 4

Twentynine Palms 16, Rancho Alamitos 15

Riverside Notre Dame 12, Costa Mesa 2

Firebaugh 9, Pioneer 8

Chadwick 6, Desert Christian Academy 1

Cathedral City 2, Artesia 1

Orange 9, Bellflower 3

Santa Ana 10, Hawthorne 0

Culver City 9, Temecula Prep 8

DIVISION 8

Banning 20, Redlands Adventist 3

SATURDAY’S SCHEDULE

(Games at 3:15 p.m. unless noted)

SECOND ROUND

DIVISION 1

La Habra at Murrieta Mesa, noon

Chino Hills at Orange Lutheran

Etiwanda at Westlake

La Mirada at Palos Verdes, noon

Garden Grove Pacifica at Cypress, noon

Ayala at JSerra

Sherman Oaks Notre Dame at Oaks Christian, 1 p.m.

Norco at Riverside Poly

DIVISION 2

Bonita at Ganesha, 11 a.m.

Whittier Christian at Warren

Simi Valley at St. Paul

Moorpark at Lakewood St. Joseph, 11 a.m.

Temescal Canyon at San Clemente, 12:30 p.m.

Huntington Beach at Camarillo, Monday

Saugus at Vista Murrieta, 12:30 p.m.

Mater Dei at Gahr, noon

DIVISION 3

Great Oak at Rancho Cucamonga

Edison at El Toro, Monday

Murrieta Valley at North Torrance

West Ranch at San Juan Hills

Riverside Prep at Oak Park, 12:30 p.m.

La Serna at Highland

Dos Pueblos at La Salle, Monday

Villa Park at Liberty, 1 p.m.

DIVISION 4

St. Bonaventure at Harvard-Westlake, 11 a.m.

Apple Valley at Oxnard

Don Lugo at Monrovia, 1:30 p.m.

La Quinta at Mira Costa

Rio Mesa at Mission Viejo, 10 a.m.

Oak Hills at Sunny Hills

Ramona at Paramount

Burbank Burroughs at Rosary, Monday

DIVISION 5

Anaheim vs. Santa Clara at Beck Park

Temple City at Patriot

Crean Lutheran at Grace

Viewpoint at Shadow Hills

San Marcos at Irvine University, noon

South El Monte at Covina

Santa Monica at Muir, 10:30 a.m.

Northwood at Ontario, 1 p.m.

DIVISION 6

Irvine at Lakeside

Alhambra at Heritage

Eastside at Granite Hills, noon

El Monte at St. Genevieve

Sierra Vista vs. Southlands Christian at Brea Canyon Cutoff Rd

Hesperia Christian vs. St. Monica Prep at Memorial Park, 2 p.m.

Arroyo at Lancaster

San Jacinto at Jurupa Valley

DIVISION 7

Bloomington at Ramona Convent

Miller at Santa Ana Calvary Chapel

Faith Baptist at Twentynine Palms, Monday

Firebaugh vs. Riverside Notre Dame at Ramona

Chadwick at Cathedral City

Orange at Victor Valley, 11 a.m.

Santa Ana at Culver City, Monday

Windward at Edgewood, Monday at 3:30 p.m.

DIVISION 8

ACE at Avalon

Bolsa Grande vs. San Bernardino, Monday at San Bernardino College

Workman at Glendale

Cobalt at Santa Rosa Academy

Bell Gardens vs. Brentwood at John Anson Ford Park

Pomona Catholic vs. Capistrano Valley Christian at Laguna Hills, 2 p.m.

Fontana at Banning

Hawthorne MSA at Arroyo Valley, 1 p.m.

Note: Quarterfinals May 20; Semifinals May 23; Finals May 28-30 at Bill Barber Memorial Park, Irvine.

The Chargers essentially lived on an airplane last season, traveling more miles than any other NFL team.

This season, they will have a long runway followed by a dramatically sharp ascent.

They open against three first-time head coaches in succession, then face four Super Bowl-winning head coaches in a row.

Their first three games are against Arizona (Mike LaFleur), Las Vegas (Klint Kubiak) and Buffalo (Joe Brady), before squaring off against Seattle (Mike Macdonald), Denver (Sean Payton), Kansas City (Andy Reid) and — after a week off — the Rams (Sean McVay).

And it’s not as if the Chargers will be homebodies, as they have four coast-to-coast trips with road games at the Bills, Baltimore, Tampa Bay and Miami. So they will still be racking up the frequent-flier miles.

The NFL made an effort to put some space between those cross-country games for the Chargers.

“We’re always being sensitive, trying to make sure we’re not pingponging a team across the country with travel to the East Coast and back,” said Hans Schroeder, the NFL’s executive vice president of media distribution. “So we try to make sure those trips are broken up where we can, and we’re not doing too much of that back and forth.”

This marks the third season under Jim Harbaugh, who has had remarkable success at every stop in his coaching career but has yet to win a playoff game with the Chargers. Same goes for quarterback Justin Herbert, who was drafted in 2020 and is still looking for his inaugural postseason victory.

SoFi Stadium will host the Super Bowl next February, and the Battle For Los Angeles in Week 8 when the Chargers play at the Rams, a rare meaningful matchup of the crosstown foes.

The Chargers will play three preseason games, all Thursday night games against opponents they will face in the regular season. They will play at Houston on Aug. 13, followed by home games against San Francisco (Aug. 20) and the Rams (Aug. 27). All will be broadcast on CBS-LA.

Here is a game-by-game look at the regular-season schedule (all times Pacific):

Sept. 13, ARIZONA, 1:25 p.m. (CBS): It’s a gentle start against the rebuilding Cardinals, who figure to have Jacoby Brissett at quarterback in place of the familiar Kyler Murray, who is now with the Minnesota Vikings. The last time these teams played was in Arizona two years ago, and the Cardinals won, 17-15.

Sept. 20, LAS VEGAS, 1:05 p.m. (CBS): Back-to-back home games for the Chargers, who opened last season in Brazil. The Chargers swept the Raiders last season. Could No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza be starting at quarterback for the Silver and Black?

Sept. 27, at Buffalo, 10 a.m. (Fox): The first of four East Coast trips for the Chargers, who are stepping into a tough environment but at least won’t have to deal with a Buffalo winter. This is the start of a rugged seven-game stretch for the Chargers.

Oct. 4, at Seattle, 1:25 p.m. (CBS): The last time these teams played was 2023, so the rosters have pretty much turned over since then. Kenneth Walker III ran for 167 yards in that 37-23 win by the Seahawks. He was Super Bowl MVP last season and is now playing for Kansas City, so the Chargers will see enough of him.

The Chargers and quarterback Justin Herbert are set to play host to the New England Patriots on Thanksgiving weekend.

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Oct. 11, DENVER, 1:05 p.m. (CBS): The Chargers and Broncos split last season, with each team holding serve at home. The Chargers won by three at SoFi, but the Broncos held their second-stringers to a mere field goal in the regular-season finale with Denver winning at home, 19-3.

Oct. 18, at Kansas City, 1:25 p.m. (CBS): As is the case with the Buffalo game, the Chargers are sidestepping some potentially harsh weather. They beat the Chiefs in Brazil in last season’s opener, then beat them by three points at Arrowhead in Week 15.

Oct. 25: Bye week. In recent years, the Chargers have almost always gotten their week off in the first half of the season. They had so many injuries last season, they could have used a week off every other week.

Nov. 1, at Rams, 1:05 p.m. (Fox): This is a home game for both teams, so the Chargers catch a break in terms of travel. It will be the third time these stadium-mates have met since the Rams returned in 2016. They split in the previous two meetings, with the Rams winning in 2018 and the Chargers in 2023.

Nov. 8, HOUSTON, 1:05 p.m. (CBS): Harbaugh’s Chargers are 0-2 against the Texans, losing by four to them at SoFi last season, and getting clobbered at Houston in the opening round of the 2024 playoffs, 32-12.

Nov. 16, at Baltimore, 5:15 p.m. (ESPN): This is a “Monday Night Football” game, and for good reason. It isn’t Harbaugh versus Harbaugh — as it would have been when brother John Harbaugh was coach of the Ravens — but Jim Harbaugh vs. Jesse Minter, his former Chargers defensive coordinator.

Nov. 22, JETS, 1:05 p.m. (Fox): Finally, something of a respite after a battering stretch of games. Of course, in the NFL, you can never breathe easy. The Chargers have beaten the Jets five times in a row, true, but those games were played over the past 14 seasons so those lopsided numbers aren’t relevant to this matchup.

Nov. 29, NEW ENGLAND, 5:20 p.m. (NBC): Back to the grind for the Chargers, who generated next-to-no offense in the playoffs last season against the eventual AFC champions. It was a low-scoring game all around, but the Patriots never looked concerned in their 16-3 victory.

Dec. 6, at Tampa Bay, 10 a.m. (CBS): The Buccaneers have beaten the Chargers four times in a row, although that’s dating to 2012, so much of that is ancient history. Baker Mayfield has revived that franchise — and his own career.

Dec. 13, at Las Vegas, 1:05 p.m. (CBS): Sure, the Chargers might face Mendoza in Week 2, but there’s an even greater likelihood they will see him the second time around.

Dec.17, SAN FRANCISCO, 5:15 p.m. (Amazon Prime): This is a Thursday night game, and Harbaugh will be facing the franchise he got to the Super Bowl in the 2012 season. If the NFC West turns out to be as competitive as expected, the Chargers could do the Rams a solid here.

Dec. 27, at Miami, 10 a.m. (Fox): The Chargers won at Miami last season on a last-second field goal by Cameron Dicker. December is a good time of year to play in South Florida.

Week 17, KANSAS CITY, TBD: This is where the schedule gets squishy and the NFL pushes games around to give the most exciting ones the most exposure. This game is TBA. It could be a good one, considering the rivalry.

Week 18, at Denver, TBD: Just like last season, the Chargers finish at the Broncos. A difficult final exam, and maybe another gateway to the postseason.

The Rams will begin the season by traveling about 8,000 air miles to play against the San Francisco 49ers in Australia.

They aim to end the season playing in Super Bowl LXI on their home turf at SoFi Stadium.

The Sept. 10 opener — a Thursday night in the United States and the morning of Sept. 11 in Melbourne — is the first of 17 games on a schedule announced Thursday by the NFL.

With reigning NFL most valuable player Matthew Stafford and a roster fortified by the addition of All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie, the Rams are regarded as a Super Bowl favorite. And their marquee status is reflected in a schedule that includes the maximum seven prime-time appearances, an increase of two over last season when the Rams finished 12-5 and advanced to the NFC championship game before losing to the eventual Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks.

Fans will have to wait nearly the entire season to see the Rams play the Seahawks. The first game between the NFC West rivals is Week 16 on Christmas night in Seattle. Two games later, on a date to be determined, they will play in the regular-season finale at SoFi Stadium.

In addition to the Friday night game against the Seahawks on Christmas, they play on “Sunday Night Football” against the Denver Broncos and “Monday Night Football” against the New York Giants and Buffalo Bills. The Rams play the Green Bay Packers on Thanksgiving eve — Wednesday night — and on “Thursday Night Football” against the Kansas City Chiefs.

The Rams play six division games in the NFC West, which is matched this season with the NFC East and the AFC West. The Rams also have games against teams in the NFC North, NFC South and AFC East.

The Rams play a preseason road game against the Chiefs and will play at SoFi Stadium against the New Orleans Saints and the Chargers.

Here is a game-by-game look at the regular-season schedule (all times Pacific):

Sept. 10, SAN FRANCISCO at Melbourne Cricket Ground, 5:35 p.m. (Netflix): Coach Sean McVay starts the season by matching up against mentor Kyle Shanahan and former Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris in a huge NFC West game.

Sept. 21, NEW YORK GIANTS, 5:15 p.m. (ESPN): New coach John Harbaugh aims to build a winning culture in the tradition of the one he established in 18 seasons with the Baltimore Ravens.

Sept. 27, at Denver, 5:20 p.m., (NBC): The Broncos aim to reach the Super Bowl that eluded them last season after Bo Nix’s injury. Bonus: There’s history between McVay and Sean Payton.

Oct. 4, at Philadelphia, 10 a.m. (Fox): The Rams opted to draft quarterback Ty Simpson — not former USC receiver Makai Lemon — with the 13th pick. Lemon was selected by the Eagles.

Oct. 12, BUFFALO, 5:15 p.m. (ESPN): The last time the Bills visited SoFi Stadium, the Rams won a 44-42 shootout. First-year coach Joe Brady will try to guide Josh Allen to his first Super Bowl appearance.

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen signals against the Denver Broncos in an AFC divisional playoff game in January.

(Bart Young / Associated Press)

Oct. 18, ARIZONA, 1:05 p.m., (Fox): Former Rams offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur parlayed his time with McVay into a head coach opportunity with the Cardinals. Now he has to face Matthew Stafford & Co.

Oct. 25, at Las Vegas, 1:25 p.m. (Fox): The Raiders drafted quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the top pick in the draft. Will he play against the Rams or sit behind Kirk Cousins?

Nov. 1, CHARGERS, 1:05 p.m. (Fox): Quarterback Justin Herbert is expected to benefit from the arrival of new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel.

Nov. 8, at Washington, 10 a.m. (Fox): The Rams travel to play the Commanders for the first time since 2020. Quarterback Jayden Daniels looks to remain healthy and recapture rookie form.

Nov. 15, at Arizona, 1:05 p.m. (CBS): The Cardinals selected running back Jeremiyah Love with the fourth pick in the draft. Will it be Jacoby Brissett, Gardner Minshew or rookie Carson Beck at quarterback?

Nov. 22, off week

Nov. 25, GREEN BAY, 5 p.m. (Netflix): Jordan Love leads the Packers offense, Micah Parson the defense. Coach Matt LaFleur is 5-0 against McVay, who hired LaFleur as offensive coordinator in 2017.

Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford passes during a playoff win over the Carolina Panthers in January.

(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)

Dec. 3, KANSAS CITY, 5:15 p.m. (Amazon Prime): Chiefs have not played the Rams in L.A. since 2018, when the Rams won, 54-51, at the Coliseum. Will Taylor Swift return to SoFi for the end of the Travis Kelce era?

Dec. 13, at San Francisco, 1:25 p.m. (Fox): Quarterback Brock Purdy and running back Christian McCaffrey are mainstays for a team that always challenges McVay.

Dec. 20, DALLAS, 1:25 p.m. (CBS): Dak Prescott comes to town with receivers CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens presumably as top targets. The Cowboys gave up a league-worst 30.1 points per game last season.

Dec. 25, at Seattle, 5:15 p.m. (Fox): Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold elevated his performance for the Super Bowl champions in regular-season and playoff victories over the Rams last season.

Week 17, at Tampa Bay, TBD: Baker Mayfield reignited his career after a crash course in the Rams offense in 2022 under Zac Robinson. Now Robinson is the Buccaneers offensive coordinator.

Week 18: SEATTLE, TBD: Last season, the Rams donned their Midnight Mode alternate uniforms against the Seahawks and escaped with a narrow victory. Will this game decide the NFC West?

Lachlan Clark, a senior backup pitcher for Sherman Oaks Notre Dame, wanted the ball so badly Friday against No. 1 Norco that he posted video from his Sherman Oaks Little League days, saying, “Bring it on.”

He more than lived up to the hype, throwing a four-hit shutout with seven strikeouts and zero walks in a 4-0 victory that advances the Knights to next Friday’s Southern Section Division 1 baseball quarterfinals. Notre Dame went 2-0 in Pool A. Norco must win Tuesday against Ayala to avoid elimination. The top two finishers in each pool advance.

Clark, who recently committed to Long Beach State, had been waiting for his turn in the spotlight. The last time he got a chance to shine was in the National Classic when he pitched 6⅔ innings against De La Salle and struck out 10. He thrives under pressure. An injury to Beckett Berg has made him the No. 2 pitcher for the rest of the season.

He was supported by Jacob Madrid, Notre Dame’s catcher who hit his 12th home run. After the game, 10 players went with co-coach Tom Dill to grad night at Magic Mountain.

St. John Bosco 4, Sierra Canyon 3: The Braves won their pool to advance to the Division 1 quarterfinals. A passed ball broke a 3-3 tie in the sixth inning. Noah Everly had two RBIs. Troy Sibolboro came through with 3⅔ innings of scoreless relief. Carl McMullan had two hits and two RBIs for Sierra Canyon, which will play in an elimination game Tuesday against Cypress.

La Mirada 9, Temecula Valley 2: Ian Aguayo hit a two-run home run during a six-run fourth inning for La Mirada, which next plays Huntington Beach.

Cypress 8, Oaks Christian 2: Noah Johnson had three hits to propel Cypress into an elimination game against Sierra Canyon on Tuesday. Tate Belfanti struck out eight in four innings.

Harvard-Westlake 6, Huntington Beach 5: Jake Chung escaped a bases loaded situation in the bottom of the sixth to help the Wolverines win Pool B at 2-0. James Tronstein went three for three, hitting his 10th home run. Jake Kim hit a key two-run home run.

Orange Lutheran 9, Corona 6: The Lancers won Pool D, rallying from a 5-2 deficit. Brady Murrietta hit three home runs and finished with six RBIs.

Ayala 7, Maranatha 6: A Jonah Boyd single in the seventh broke a 6-6 tie and kept Ayala alive in the Division 1 playoffs. Elijah Duarte had two hits and two RBIs.

Corona Santiago 8, Etiwanda 4: Troy Randall had two hits and two RBIs, Max Eldridge homered and Charlie Lemons finished with three hits for Santiago, which will play league rival Corona on Tuesday in an elimination game.

Arcadia 3, Simi Valley 2: Matt Manzo had a walk-off double in the bottom of the seventh for Arcadia in the Division 3 game. Simi Valley lost a home run after Arcadia protested over a lineup error.

St. Francis 4, Crescenta Valley 2: Danny Izaguirre hit a two-run home run, Jake Smith had three hits and two RBIs and Caysen Sullivan threw a complete game as another Mission League team advanced. All seven entrants have won at least one playoff game.

Palos Verdes 7, Pacifica Christian 1: Franco Correa had four RBIs and Kai Van Scoyoc struck out eight in six innings.

Edison 5, Damien 1: Noah Hunter struck out 11 and gave up two hits.

Agoura 4, Oakwood 0: Donovan Anthony struck out 15 with one walk and Tyler Starling and Colton Mellinger homered for Agoura.

Softball

Cypress 4, Fullerton 2: Chach Stamper threw a five-hitter to help the Centurions upset No. 3-seeded Fullerton in the Division 1 playoffs.

Norco 2, Marina 1: The No. 2-seeded Cougars survived on a walk-off single by Leighton Gray in the seventh. Marina offered its expected tough challenge with pitcher Mia Valbuena. Peyton May and Coral Williams combined for 11 strikeouts for Norco.

It’s sad and stony-hearted that the Lakers should unload LeBron James, recoup resources, unload his albatross-like salary, and build a championship contender bolstered by Luka Doncic. Yes, James is still a top-15 player, but unable to lead an ill-balanced team to the NBA Finals.

The Lakers allowed sentimentality toward Kobe Bryant to distort their vision, signing Bryant to a two-year, $48.5-million extension. Bryant missed 39% of the games while the Lakers won 38 times in the two seasons. Abysmal.

The Lakers should use James’ $52.6-million salary to sign long, athletic players who can drain threes with regularity.

James might make a great addition to a championship contending team like the Cleveland Cavaliers. Otherwise, thank him for his greatness as a Laker.

Marc D. Greenwood
Opelika, Ala.

Some legendary athletes, like Jim Brown and Sandy Koufax, retired at the peak of their careers. Other greats, like Muhammad Ali, Johnny Unitas and Willie Mays, waited too long. Memo to LeBron James: Which camp will you choose?

Denny Freidenrich
Laguna Beach

After reading Bill Plaschke’s article about LeBron James — which closes with the line “Anywhere but here” — I have a better idea. Keep LeBron, get rid of Bill. Let him write anywhere but here.

Tom Irish
Rancho Palos Verdes

Father Time is as undefeated just as Bill Plaschke is winless with predictions. Many before Bill have buried LeBron James, only to see him rise to the occasion once again and prove them wrong.

If this is in fact LeBron’s last go-round, it’s been epic! Thanks for the memories. If not, let’s see him alongside an injury-free Luka Doncic for a full run to next year’s championship!

Marty Zweben
Palos Verdes Estates

Arbeloa has also faced criticism from France striker Kylian Mbappe after he was left out of the starting line-up for Los Blancos’ 2-0 win over Real Oviedo.

Mbappe had missed his side’s two previous games, including last weekend’s El Clasico which Barcelona won to secure the league title, with a thigh injury and was whistled by his own fans when he came on.

The World Cup winner has faced scrutiny over his commitment to the club in recent weeks while an online petition calling for ‘Mbappe Out’ attracted tens of millions of signatures.

But the manager played down the incident on Saturday.

“I’ve just bumped into him, I told him to stay calm. I understand that these kinds of things make headlines, but it’s something much more normal than you think,” Arbeloa said.

“I used to be a player, I know what they can feel in these situations – playing every day, then playing less or not at all.

“I totally understand that Kylian wasn’t happy about not playing on Thursday, and I like that.

“I wouldn’t understand it if he didn’t want to play. My relationship with him remains the same.”