sport

French Football Federation’s ethics body calls on fans to keep politics out of stadiums amid student protests.

The ethics body of the French football federation is urging fans to stay neutral amid the nationwide student protests that are drawing international attention.

The police response to the largely peaceful demonstrations has prompted widespread accusations of brutality, and football fans in stadiums have expressed their support for students.

Officers have made extensive use of tear gas and batons to disperse crowds. More than 6,600 arrests were made nationwide as of last week, an unusually high number for a French protest movement.

A police tear gas grenade shattered a 14-year-old’s jaw and many of his teeth, while a 15-year-old lost a hand in an incident involving a stun grenade. Other teenagers have also suffered life-changing injuries blamed on police weaponry during protests.

During a Ligue 1 match between Lens and Lyon last week, the home fans unfurled a banner calling for an end to the “disproportionate and systematic police violence,” according to the National Council for Football Ethics (CNE).

The CNE also noted that at the half-hour mark of the match between PSG and Le Mans, supporters displayed a banner reading: “Your militias repress; our youth resists.”

The ethics body said in a statement that it was easy to understand why young supporters, who are often students, might take advantage of matches to publicly express their support for the demonstrators.

However, it added that the principle of political neutrality is “enshrined” in the laws of sport, both internationally through the Olympic Charter and FIFA statutes, and at a national level.

The CNE recalled that any speech or display of a political, ideological, religious or trade union nature are prohibited, as is the wearing of symbols or clothing that expresses political, philosophical, religious or trade union affiliation.

“Sport should unite, not divide,” it said. “The National Council for Football Ethics therefore calls on all supporters, who are an integral part of the football family, to uphold the principle of neutrality in all circumstances.

“The aim is to ensure that the stadium does not become a political or trade union battleground, but remains a place of celebration and shared enjoyment centred on sport.”

President Gianni Infantino has apologised to the Fifa Council for his World Cup sell-off plan – but has been told he is not fit to lead unless he releases all of the documents and answers key questions.

The Fifa Council met in Zurich on Thursday for the first time since Infantino’s secret Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal emerged.

Under FFE, which Infantino scrapped within days, a portion of the commercial rights of football’s world governing body would have been given to a private investment firm.

In a three-and-a-half-hour meeting, Infantino also faced questions about US striker Folarin Balogun’s suspended red-card ban, the Fifa Peace Prize and funding for national associations.

Football Association chair Debbie Hewitt – a Fifa vice-president – said afterwards that many questions remained unanswered.

“One of the disappointing things is that we didn’t get answers to anything that we had specifically requested – for example getting the papers from FFE,” Hewitt said.

“I asked the question ‘why not?’ – and we were asked to submit those questions in writing.

“I think the man has to answer those questions and if he doesn’t answer those questions now, he’s not fit to be Fifa president – and that was what was shared in the meeting.”

Hewitt acknowledged there had been “some contrition” in Infantino’s apology.

“Then there were no holds barred in terms of what we felt about what had happened,” she added.

“What he really apologised for was not bringing it to the council. If you regret it that deeply, share it with us.”

Uefa – European football’s governing body – has been one of Infantino’s fiercest critics and has repeatedly called on him to stand down.

It has prepared criminal legal proceedings against Infantino and lodged a claim in three US courts for all documents related to FFE to be released.

Asked if there was any change in stance from Uefa about Infantino, Hewitt added: “From my position, nothing has shifted. I’ve no new information that makes me feel any differently, other than we do have a president who is apologetic.”

When it comes to City Section sports royalty, the Johnson family at Crenshaw High is in a class by itself.

Marques Johnson started the legacy in 1971, igniting the rise of Crenshaw basketball before moving on to UCLA and the NBA. He’s a City Section Hall of Famer. His son, Kris, was a City Section player of the year and led Crenshaw to consecutive state titles.

Now the last of the Johnsons for at least awhile — 6-foot-1 Shiloh Johnson — has transferred to Crenshaw from Windward. She’s the daughter of Marques and is a top junior girls’ basketball player.

Marques has been a strong supporter of the Crenshaw community and authored the book, “Crenshaw Chronicles.”

Just seeing him in the Crenshaw gym this winter with all the City and state championship banners on the walls will be something to enjoy. And look for Shiloh’s siblings and cousins to drop by, too.

“It’s always a great feeling,” Marques said.

Shiloh is now walking through the halls where her grandfather was a teacher, her aunt was a counselor and four of her five siblings went to school.

This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.

Dodgers are in a deep hole

From Maddie Lee: Blake Snell stood on the mound with his hand on his hip, waiting for Jake Bauers to cross the plate before punching in his pitch call for the next batter.

The Dodgers left-hander had just given up the lead on Bauers’ two-run homer in the seventh inning, spoiling what had been a stellar start Wednesday night at Dodger Stadium. But Snell was ready to move on.

Two pitches later, he watched another ball fly over the fence, this time off Garrett Mitchell’s bat. And with it went the last of the Dodgers’ momentum in what would become a 6-2 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers in Game 3 of the National League Championship Series.

“It sucks,” Snell said of falling behind 3-0 in the series. “But it’s part of it. How do we bounce back? How do we fight? I think that’s the most important thing. It’s us coming together and finding a way to win.”

After setting their sights on a history-making three-peat, the Dodgers will have to win the next four games to advance to the World Series.

“At the beginning of this year, we set out to do something historic,” veteran third baseman Max Muncy said. “It looks like we’re going to have to make a little more history along the way if we want to accomplish that.

“That’s the task ahead of us. We still have the pitching staff to be able to do it. We just have to get some hits.”

Continue reading here

‘We just need to win tomorrow’s game.’ Dodgers remain optimistic despite 3-0 hole

Dodgers box score

Dodgers’ three-peat dream is nearly over

From Bill Plaschke: Blake Snell stood on the mound with his hand on his hip, waiting for Jake Bauers to cross the plate before punching in his pitch call for the next batter.

The Dodgers left-hander had just given up the lead on Bauers’ two-run homer, spoiling what had been a stellar start Wednesday night at Dodger Stadium. But Snell was ready to move on.

Two pitches later, he watched another ball fly over the fence, this time off Garrett Mitchell’s bat.

The Dodgers’ 6-2 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers in Game 3 of the National League Championship Series, after the visitors regained the lead with back-to-back home runs in the seventh inning, gave the Brewers a commanding 3-0 lead and set up an elimination game Thursday. After setting their sights on a history-making three-peat, the Dodgers will have to win the next four games just to advance to the World Series.

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Here’s what Dave Roberts was thinking

From Bill Shaikin: You don’t want to hear from me. You want to hear from Dave Roberts, the Dodgers’ manager.

The Dodgers are one loss from an abrupt ending to their season, and from a National League Championship Series sweep by the Milwaukee Brewers.

Let’s take you through the critical decisions Roberts made Wednesday night, the ones you second-guessed at home. They all pretty much backfired on him.

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MLB postseason schedule

All times Pacific

NLCS

No. 1 Milwaukee vs. No. 2 Dodgers
at Milwaukee 2, Dodgers 1 (box score)
at Milwaukee 7, Dodgers 4 (box score)
Milwaukee 6, at Dodgers 2 (box score)
Thursday at Dodgers, 5 p.m., FS1/FOX Deportes/FOX One
*Friday at Dodgers, 6 p.m., FS1/FOX Deportes/FOX One
*Sunday at Milwaukee, 5 p.m., FS1/FOX Deportes/FOX One
*Monday at Milwaukee, 5 p.m., FOX/FS1/FOX Deportes/FOX One

ALCS

No. 1 Tampa Bay vs. No. 2 Cleveland
Cleveland 7, at Tampa Bay 3 (box score)
at Tampa Bay 3, Cleveland 1 (box score)
Thursday at Cleveland, 10 a.m., TBS/truTV/UniMas/HBO Max
Friday at Cleveland, 3 p.m., TBS/truTV/UniMas/HBO Max
Saturday at Cleveland, 5 p.m., TBS/truTV/UniMas/HBO Max
*Monday at Tampa Bay, 2 p.m., TBS/truTV/UniMas/HBO Max
*Tuesday at Tampa Bay, 5 p.m., TBS/truTV/UniMas/HBO Max

* if necessary

World Series starts Friday, Oct. 23

Rams’ Alaric Jackson has suspension reduced

From Gary Klein: Rams left tackle Alaric Jackson’s suspension for punching a Buffalo Bills player after a game has been reduced from two games to one, an NFL spokesman said Wednesday.

Jackson was suspended for striking Bills linebacker Bradley Chubb in the face after the Bills defeated the Rams, 37-34, in overtime on Monday night.

Jackson appealed the suspension.

“Hearing officer Derrick Brooks, jointly appointed by the NFL and the NFLPA, has reduced the two game suspension of Los Angeles Rams offensive lineman Alaric Jackson to one game,” Michael Signora, the NFL’s senior vice president of football and international communications, said on social media.

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Galaxy defeat the Timbers

Marco Reus had a goal and an assist to back JT Marcinkowski and the Galaxy beat the Portland Timbers 2-0 on Wednesday night at Dignity Health Sports Park.

Reus staked the Galaxy (10-11-9) to a 1-0 lead in the 17th minute when he used assists from Robert Taylor and Pablo Ruiz to score his eighth goal of the campaign.

That’s where the score stood until Reus set up up Justin Haak in the 80th minute for his second goal this season and his fourth in 110 matches. It was the career-high 11th assist for Reus.

Continue reading here

Galaxy box score

MLS standings

LAFC defeats Austin FC

Denis Bouanga and Son Heung-min both contributed to all three goals for LAFC in a 3-1 victory over Austin FC on Wednesday night at BMO Stadium.

Neither team found the net until Bouanga took a pass from Son seven minutes into the second half and scored to give LAFC (12-9-9) the lead.

Austin’s Brandon Vázquez scored for the second time this season, using an assist from Myrto Uzuni, to knot the score in the 66th minute.

Continue reading here

LAFC box score

MLS standings

This day in sports history

1933 — The Philadelphia Eagles play their first NFL game and suffers a 56-0 loss to the New York Giants.

1961 — Mickey Wright wins her third LPGA Championship with a rout, nine strokes ahead of Louise Suggs. Wright shoots a 3-over, 287 at the Stardust Country Club in Las Vegas for her third major title of the year and her tenth tour victory of the season.

1972 — Stan Mikita of the Chicago Blackhawks becomes the sixth NHL player with 1,000 career points. Mikita assists on Cliff Koroll’s goal in a 3-1 loss to the St. Louis Blues at Chicago Stadium.

1983 — The Chicago Blackhawks and the Toronto Maple Leafs score five goals in 1 minute, 24 seconds to set an NHL record for the fastest five goals by two teams. The Maple Leafs beat the Blackhawks 10-8.

1988 — Oklahoma rushes for an NCAA-record 768 yards, including 123 by quarterback Charles Thompson. Thompson scores three touchdowns and passes for one in the first period of a 70-24 rout of Kansas State.

1988 — Mario Lemieux of the Pittsburgh Penguins scores eight points — two goals and six assists — in a 9-2 win over the St. Louis Blues at the Civic Arena in Pittsburgh.

1989 — Wayne Gretzky of the Kings passes Gordie Howe as the NHL’s all-time leading scorer in a during a 5-4 overtime win over the Edmonton Oilers. Gretzky flips a backhand shot past Oilers goaltender Bill Ranford with 53 seconds remaining to tie the score and pass Howe with his 1,851st point. Gretzky wins the game in overtime.

1995 — The Carolina Panthers beat the New York Jets 26-15 for their first NFL victory.

2005 — Michigan gives up a touchdown to Penn State with 53 seconds left, then marches down the field to score on a TD pass from Chad Henne to Mario Manningham with no time remaining for a 27-25 win over the eighth-ranked Nittany Lions.

2005 — USC’s Matt Leinart pushes and spins his way into the end zone with 3 seconds left to cap a chaotic finish to the top-ranked Trojans’ 28th straight victory, a back-and-forth 34-31 win over No. 9 Notre Dame.

2008 — Fabian Brunnstrom scores three goals in his NHL debut to match the league record in Dallas’ 6-4 victory over Nashville.

2009 — Detroit’s Nicklas Lidstrom becomes the first European defenseman and eighth overall to reach 1,000 points, assisting on two goals in the Red Wings 5-2 win over the Kings.

2012 — The Nets bring professional sports back to Brooklyn with a preseason victory, beating the Washington Wizards 98-88 in the first basketball game at the Barclays Center.

2015 — Carey Price makes 25 saves and the Montreal Canadiens make team history by starting a season with a five straight wins, the latest a 3-0 victory over the New York Rangers.

2017 — New England quarterback Tom Brady passes for 257 yards with two touchdowns in the Patriots’ 24-17 win at the New York Jets. Brady, who has 187 regular-season victories, surpasses Hall of Famer Brett Favre (186) and Peyton Manning (186) for the most regular-season victories by a starting quarterback in NFL history.

Compiled by the Associated Press

Until next time…

That concludes today’s newsletter. If you have any feedback, ideas for improvement or things you’d like to see, email me at houston.mitchell@latimes.com. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.

Holidaymakers are increasingly planning their next destination around music, sporting and cultural events

More and more British holidaymakers are planning their trips around music, sports, and cultural events, according to a recent study. This surge in event-driven travel is shifting how people holiday, prompting 45% of respondents to explore destinations they’d never even thought of visiting before.

What’s more, out of all the travellers who stayed overnight for an event in the past four years, 62% planned their entire trip specifically around it. Looking ahead to 2027, 36% say they’re even more excited to travel for a concert, festival, exhibition, or big game than they were last year.

The survey of 2,000 adults revealed that 56% of sports fans would happily use their annual leave to follow their favourite team anywhere they play—and 31% are willing to head abroad to do it.

With hotels right near nearly every NFL stadium, Marriott Bonvoy—an Official Sponsor of the NFL—is helping fans build the ultimate game plan by bringing on Efe Obada as their official Check-In Coach.

Efe Obada said: “In the NFL, preparation gives you a strong starting point, but you’ve also got to trust your team and be ready to adapt when things change.

“I approach travel in the same way. If you’ve only got a few days in a city, be tactical, adaptable and make a game plan.

“Book your hotel, know how you’re getting to the main event and ask people who know the city for advice. That’s how to make the most of every trip.”

The research also identified four NFL-inspired traveller types, showing the roles people typically adopt while on holiday.

A quarter (25%) see themselves as ‘The Quarterback’, the trip leader who unites the group, takes charge of major choices, and adjusts plans when circumstances shift.

An equal proportion (25%) regard themselves as ‘The Coach’, the organiser who handles the practicalities, from accommodation and transport to excursions and schedules.

Meanwhile, 24% assume the position of ‘Rookie’, the first-timer who is discovering a location or occasion for the first time and seeks advice and insider tips from companions.

In contrast, 19% fell into ‘The Receiver’ category, the impulsive explorer who identifies possibilities, proposes unplanned diversions, and contributes to unforgettable experiences.

Andrew Watson from Marriott International, said: “This research highlights what we see in our hotels, that travellers are increasingly planning trips around the things they are passionate about.

“Our partnership with the NFL is just one example of a wider commitment to helping our members pursue what they love.”

Efe, who applied the strategy to his hometown, London, added: “London is one of those cities where every neighbourhood has its own personality.

“For a perfect weekend, I’d book at stay at citizenM Tower of London then grab a coffee at Qima Café in Covent Garden, walk along the Thames around Southbank or spend an afternoon at Hampstead Heath for unbeatable London views.

“For food, you can’t beat 2210 by NattyCanCook in Herne Hill or head to Passyunk Avenue in Waterloo for unmatched game-day vibes and a Philly cheese steak.”

EFE’S PLAYBOOK FOR A TACTICAL WEEKEND TRIP:

• Do your pre-match analysis: Book your hotel early, check journey times and map out the key moments you don’t want to miss.
• Kick off strong: Give yourself time to fuel up before heading out. A good game plan always starts with the essentials.
• Teamwork is key: Local knowledge can make all the difference. Ask hotel staff for recommendations and insider tips.
• Don’t be afraid to adapt: Leave room for unexpected discoveries – be that a bar, restaurant or neighbourhood. Sometimes the highlights aren’t part of the original strategy.

Australia (10) 24

Tries: Bostock 3, Trbojevic, Walsh Goals: Walsh 2

New Zealand (10) 22

Tries: McLean, Ponga 2 Goals: Isaako 3 Penalties: Isaako 2

Australia underlined why they are favourites for the 2026 Rugby League World Cup by fighting back from a mauling at the hands of New Zealand’s powerful pack to win a thrilling opening match of the tournament.

This was as good as it gets in terms of international rugby league, with more than 40,000 fans – the biggest Test match crowd in Sydney for 50 years – witnessing the ultimate smash-and-grab victory by Kevin Walters’ side.

Casey McLean’s stunning early try gave New Zealand the impetus and they were on top until the final five minutes, when Jack Bostock marked a stunning Kangaroos debut with his third try to decide an epic match.

Bostock’s dream debut – which included one interception try and two by winning aerial battles to claim spiralling Cameron Munster kicks – was one of many fascinating sub plots.

Kalyn Ponga’s match-up against his Australia counterpart Reece Walsh, arguably the sport’s biggest star, was another.

The Kiwi full-back scored twice and looked to be coming out on top in their personal battle until Walsh conjured up a superb long-range try to lay the platform for the defending champions’ last-gasp triumph.

Ponga left the field injured with the game in the balance and had his left arm in a sling at full time, which does not bode well for the rest of his tournament.

More to follow.

Football’s global governing body is expected to change a rule that allowed a red card for USA forward Folarin Balogun to be controversially overturned during the World Cup, according to media reports on the agenda for Thursday’s FIFA council meeting in Zurich.

The decision-making body is convening for the first time since this year’s tournament, and a ⁠⁠motion to prohibit such actions in the future will be top of the agenda. Members will also discuss the organisation’s funding, rules and other matters amid a turbulent time in the sport.

During the World Cup’s round-of-32 match, Balogun received a red card for stepping awkwardly on the right ankle of Tarik Muharemovic of Bosnia in a 2-0 win for the home team. It triggered an automatic one-game suspension.

However, United States President Donald Trump urged FIFA President Gianni Infantino to review the case, and Balogun’s red card was overturned, allowing him to play in the USA’s round-of-16 match against Belgium.

The decision to overturn Balogun’s red card ignited one of the tournament’s biggest controversies, with widespread criticism from football federations, former FIFA officials, experts and coaches.

The 37-member FIFA council is expected to vote on whether to prohibit disciplinary committees from overturning automatic match suspensions at the World Cup, but the Balogun controversy is unlikely to go away.

FIFA Vice President Debbie Hewitt is among the sport’s leaders who have asked ‌‌‌‌Infantino to release all documents related to the case.

Thursday’s FIFA council meeting is the first since Infantino came ‌‌‌‌under ‌‌‌‌fire earlier this year for a now-shelved plan to sell a 20 percent stake in the World Cup’s commercial business to private investors.

Infantino has faced calls to resign from the leaders of three regional football confederations – UEFA (Europe), AFC (Asia) ⁠⁠⁠⁠and CONCACAF (North and Central America and the Caribbean) – and their representatives will be present in Zurich for the FIFA meeting.

They will be joined by their counterparts from Africa, South America and Oceania.

On the agenda will be a discussion of the failed FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) scheme, which Infantino was forced to abandon ⁠⁠⁠⁠within days of announcing it in July.

Under the plan, Infantino proposed selling a minority stake in a FIFA commercial subsidiary to private investors, with a company launched by Joshua Kushner, the brother of Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, identified as the proposed lead investor.

The council will also address FIFA’s governance, with some of the sport’s most powerful figures determined to limit Infantino’s powers if they cannot force him out of office.

Infantino, 56, will stand for re-election in March 2027, with a ‌‌‌‌November 18 deadline looming for potential candidates to submit their nominations.

England batter Zak Crawley has signed a one-year contract extension with Kent to keep him at the county next summer.

The 28-year-old has agreed the new deal three days after his central contract was not renewed when the England and Wales Cricket Board released its updated list.

Crawley has not featured in a Test since the final game of last winter’s Ashes tour in Sydney and last appeared for England in a one-day international in Sri Lanka in January.

He played in 12 County Championship matches for Kent this season as they won promotion back to Division One, making 608 runs with a top score of 89 among four half-centuries.

“It’s an exciting time as we head back into Division One of the County Championship and I’m looking forward to the challenge of competing for Kent this coming summer,” said Crawley.

“It’s great to see so many young players coming through the system here, similar to my journey into first-team cricket, and I’m excited to help them settle into the first team and further their development for the long term.”

The opener has made more than 180 appearances in all competitions for his home county since his debut in 2017.

The Dodgers have two pitchers who have won multiple Cy Young Awards in Blake Snell and Tarik Skubal. Another starter, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, is the reigning World Series most valuable player.

None of them will be on the mound Thursday when the season will be on the line. Instead, manager Dave Roberts will put the ball — and his team’s future — in the massive right hand of Tyler Glasnow, who will have no margin for error.

“It’s win or go home,” Skubal said. “Our backs are against the wall.”

That’s not how Andrew Friedman, the Dodgers’ president of baseball operations, saw things playing out when he traded three prospects to Detroit for Skubal in August. Or when he spent $182 million to sign Snell before last season. Or when he committed $325 million to sign Yamamoto the season before that.

The Milwaukee Brewers have bested all three in the National League Championship Series, reaching Snell for the only three home runs he’s given up this season in a 6-2 win in Game 3 on Wednesday. Now Glasnow is the only thing standing between the Dodgers and a long, cold winter.

And while that may not be the way the Dodgers wanted things to play out, they say they like their chances — for one night, at least.

“Everybody in the team is very confident in his ability and the stuff that’s coming out of his hand and doing his job,” Skubal said of Glasnow.

“I feel great about Glas,” utility man Kiké Hernández added. “He’s got some of the best stuff in the game. I feel like our pitchers have given us a chance every day to win a game, and we just haven’t hit. So we just got to hit.”

Glasnow started the season as the No. 3 starter, but before the Dodgers had gotten six weeks into their schedule, he was on the injured list because of lower back spasms. He spent most of the season there, pitching more innings in minor-league rehab starts than he did for the Dodgers between May and September.

He returned to make six starts down the stretch, striking out 49 in 34-1/3 innings to finish the season 5-2 with a 3.53 earned-run average in 13 starts, then held Atlanta to one hit over 4-2/3 innings in the deciding game of the division series.

“He’s fresh,” Roberts said of Glasnow. “He’s got a lot of arm talent. He’s got experience certainly in the postseason. We’ve got a lot of guys behind him” in the bullpen.

“I think he’s going to pitch well.”

The Dodgers’ season is depending on that. Glasnow, however, is just approaching it as another start.

“When I was younger maybe I’d feel it and get excited, and I’m like, ‘Oh, I can throw 105 if I try hard,’” he said. “Now it’s more about trying to settle in and go back to as close of a normal feeling as possible, not trying to chase it and be any different or any more or any less. Just try to stay with it and what I’ve done all week, my preparation, how I feel on the mound, and just keep it consistent.”

Glasnow, 33, has pitched in 17 postseason games for Tampa Bay and the Dodgers, going 2-6 with a 4.27 ERA. Only Snell, among Dodgers starters, has more playoff appearances. But Glasnow hasn’t won a playoff game since the 2020 division series when he was pitching for the Rays.

If he can give the Dodgers a boost Thursday, however, if he can extend their season just one more day, it could give the team new life.

Only one team has come back from a three-game deficit to win a best-of-seven League Championship Series and that was the 2004 Boston Red Sox team Roberts played for — a team that also gave the ball to its fourth-best starting pitcher with its season on the line.

On the afternoon of Game 4, with the New York Yankees looking to beat Derek Lowe and sweep the Sox, Boston’s Kevin Millar stepped on the field at Fenway Park and issued a warning.

Dave Roberts of Boston steals second past Derek Jeter of the Yankees in the ninth inning of Game 4 of the 2004 ALCS. Roberts and the Red Sox became the only team to come back from down 3-0 to win an LCS.

(Jed Jacobsohn / Getty Images)

“Don’t let us win tonight,” he shouted. “If we win today, we’ve got Pedro [Martínez] coming back and then [Curt] Schilling will pitch Game 6 and anything can happen in a Game 7.”

The series played out exactly as Millar predicted. And if Glasnow can rescue the Dodgers, they would have their three high-paid aces — Skubal, Yamamoto and Snell — lined up for the next three elimination games.

But none of that matters if they lose Thursday.

“We just need to win tomorrow’s game,” Skubal said.

You don’t want to hear from me. You want to hear from Dave Roberts, the Dodgers’ manager.

The Dodgers are one loss from an abrupt ending to their season, and from a National League Championship Series sweep by the Milwaukee Brewers.

Let’s take you through the critical decisions Roberts made Wednesday night, the ones you second-guessed at home. They all pretty much backfired on him.

Situation: In the third inning, and again in the fifth inning, Tommy Edman comes to bat with Miguel Rojas on first base, none out, and the Dodgers trailing, 1-0. By the end of the fifth, the Dodgers had gone nine consecutive innings without scoring, and with a game plan of getting ahead before the Brewers’ vaunted bullpen could take over. Roberts does not ask Edman, one of the team’s most accomplished bunters, to sacrifice the runner into scoring position.

Roberts: “I just didn’t feel like giving up an out right there. … We could have bunted, but I felt I wanted to give Tommy an opportunity to drive in a run. … We haven’t been getting hits with runners in scoring position (3 for 32 in the postseason). To give up an out, to bank on getting a hit with runners in scoring position, I’d rather just try to maybe slug, hit a double.”

Result: Edman flied out both times. The Dodgers did not score in either inning.

———

Situation: In the sixth inning, with the Dodgers still trailing, 1-0, the Brewers turn to Abner Uribe, who had faced 26 batters and walked two in the postseason. Uribe walks the first two batters, and Roberts deploys his primary left-handed bench threat, Max Muncy. That takes right-handed Andy Pages out of the game; the only Dodgers with more hits than Pages this October are Kyle Tucker and Mookie Betts.

Roberts: “Abner is death on righties. You’re trying to guard against — you want to keep the inning going, and you don’t want a double play ball. Muncy’s not starting, and you want to fire that bullet in a leverage spot. First and second base, nobody out, it gives us the best chance to keep the inning going, in my opinion, and it gets Shohei up, and you have a chance to build an inning.”

Result: Muncy struck out.

———

Josue DePaula’s presence was wasted in Game 3.

(Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)

Situation: After Muncy, Ohtani walks to load the bases, and Will Smith follows with a two-run double to give the Dodgers a 2-1 lead. With the right-handed Rojas due up, Roberts opts for the left-handed Josue De Paula as a pinch-hitter. Brewers manager Pat Murphy promptly replaces Uribe with left-hander DL Hall, who had been warming up. Roberts counters with the right-handed Kiké Hernández.

Roberts: “It’s a decision: Do I want Uribe facing Rojas? Then I chose De Paula, and they made the move. At that point in time, I felt we had the matchup advantage with Kiké. … For me, all the experience that Kiké’s had, I feel very confident with Kiké taking a bat with a guy on second and third, infield in.”

Result: Hernandez struck out, and so did Edman. The inning was over, and the Dodgers would not advance another man past first base the rest of the evening. The Dodgers could have used De Paula to bat against right-handed closer Trevor Megill in the ninth inning, but Roberts had already burned him.

Murphy said Uribe was coming out after Smith’s double no matter what — at that point, Uribe had thrown six strikes and 14 balls — so Roberts could have saved De Paula had he waited to see what Murphy would do.

———

Situation: Blake Snell has retired 14 consecutive batters entering the seventh inning, with the Dodgers leading, 2-1. It’s the first time the left-handed Snell has pitched beyond the sixth inning this season, with the right-handed Andrew Vaughn leading off and the left-handed Jake Bauers and Garrett Mitchell to follow. Evan Phillips is warming up in the Dodgers bullpen.

Roberts: “His stuff was really good. I don’t think they were seeing him well. I was trying to get him three more hitters. We had Evan for that fourth hitter.”

Result: Vaughn walks, on six pitches. Bauers homers, on 11 pitches. The Brewers have the lead, 3-2.

Roberts: “Hasn’t given up a homer all year, but it just — it’s baseball. For me, I felt good with where Blake’s stuff was at. You’ve got to give Bauers credit.”

Situation: By that time, Snell is at 99 pitches, two shy of his season high, after the exhausting battles with Vaughn and Bauers. Roberts sticks to his plan: Snell for Mitchell, then Phillips for the right-handed Cooper Pratt.

Result: Mitchell homers, giving the Brewers a 4-2 lead. Hall and Megill combine for 3 1/3 innings of scoreless relief, and the Dodgers are one defeat from winter vacation.

Marco Reus had a goal and an assist to back JT Marcinkowski and the Galaxy beat the Portland Timbers 2-0 on Wednesday night at Dignity Health Sports Park.

Reus staked the Galaxy (10-11-9) to a 1-0 lead in the 17th minute when he used assists from Robert Taylor and Pablo Ruiz to score his eighth goal of the campaign.

That’s where the score stood until Reus set up up Justin Haak in the 80th minute for his second goal this season and his fourth in 110 matches. It was the career-high 11th assist for Reus.

Marcinkowski finished with five saves for the Galaxy. It was his fourth clean sheet in 24 starts this season.

James Pantemis stopped three shots for Portland (9-14-6).

The clubs played to a 1-1 draw in Portland to close out March.

The Galaxy improved to 6-4-5 at home, while the Timbers fall to 2-10-3 on the road.

Portland has gone 1-4-2 since the start of September.

A string of mazy runs down Barcelona’s right flank, two goal assists within three minutes, and a player of the match award cap off yet another impressive night in European football; Lamine Yamal continues to rack up remarkable statistics and mesmerising performances eight weeks into the club football season.

While this isn’t Yamal’s breakthrough year by any means – the Spanish forward first burst onto the scene as a 16-year-old in the 2023-24 season – his consistency for both club and country in the past eight weeks has led to comparisons with some of the greatest prodigies of recent years.

Since returning from the FIFA World Cup as a champion, Yamal has enjoyed scintillating form with the Catalan side.

Across the eight match weeks in club football, the 19-year-old has scored eight goals and provided nine assists in his 10 matches in all competitions for Barcelona, bringing his total number of goal contributions to an impressive 17.

All-time Barcelona and Argentina great Lionel Messi had 14 goal contributions – eight goals and six assists – to his name in the 2008-09 season, when he won his first Ballon d’Or award as a 19-year-old.

Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal vs Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe

Yamal has made no secret of his desire to win the award in 11 days, but he will face stiff competition from French star Kylian Mbappe and England captain Harry Kane.

Mbappe, who has broken goal-scoring records of his own, leads the attack at Real Madrid – Barcelona’s fiercest rivals and the undeniable kings of European football.

While Real have not won the Champions League since the 2023-24 season, which brought their record-extending 15th trophy, Mbappe helped them beat Italian giants Inter Milan in their first match last month.

Before joining Real in 2024, Mbappe was on a goal-scoring spree with French champions Paris Saint-Germain. He joined the club as an 18-year-old in 2017 and enjoyed great success a year later.

As a then-19-year-old, Mbappe scored 12 goals and made four assists in his first 10 games, bringing his goal contribution to 16 – one behind Yamal’s current record after the same number of matches.

The master Messi vs apprentice Yamal?

While comparisons between Yamal’s overall career with Messi’s would be grossly unfair, the Spaniard is following in his club legend’s footsteps.

Both players enjoy the unique statistic of having scored braces in their first five La Liga games. Messi’s came as a 25-year-old in the 2012-13 season, while Yamal has achieved the same feat this season.

In April 2007, Messi scored his famous solo goal against Getafe, dribbling from his own half past five players as Camp Nou watched in awe.

Three months later, Lamine Yamal was born, and not long after, Messi was seen with baby Yamal in a photo that went viral this year.

The hype reached fever pitch during the World Cup as a young Messi bathed baby Yamal during a TV commercial. At first, many thought it was an AI-generated image, but it’s indeed real and dates back to 2007.

During a UNICEF fundraising shoot at Camp Nou stadium, a 20-year-old Messi met Yamal, who was only five months old at the time.

The two Barcelona stars faced off in the World Cup final on July 19, with the Argentinian walking away in tears as Yamal’s Spain lifted the trophy, but not before they exchanged a warm embrace.

Yamal later revealed what he said to Messi on the pitch in New York.

“I said thank you for everything you gave football,” Yamal told a British newspaper.

Before the final, much of the attention had centred on the battle between 39-year-old Messi and 19-year-old Yamal, with the match likened to a master vs apprentice clash.

Nineteen years on from that iconic photo, Yamal is already chasing Messi’s Barcelona milestones. Here’s how old each of them was when they played their 150th game for the club.

Barcelona boss says ‘Everyone’s watching Lamine’

During the current season, Yamal’s incredible goal tally overshadows that of three other La Liga teams.

His seven individual goals in the league are more than what Valencia (six), Getafe (four) and Malaga (four) have managed as teams.

The forward’s form and skills are not lost on his manager, Hansi Flick.

The Barcelona boss heaped praise on his number 10 after the 4-1 win over Galatasaray in Istanbul.

“When you see the chances Lamine creates in every training session, it’s the same in matches. I have a lot of top-quality players. Everyone’s watching Lamine – that’s only natural.”

“It’s incredible to have players like that; he’s turned the game around for us.”

Denis Bouanga and Son Heung-min both contributed to all three goals for LAFC in a 3-1 victory over Austin FC on Wednesday night at BMO Stadium.

Neither team found the net until Bouanga took a pass from Son seven minutes into the second half and scored to give LAFC (12-9-9) the lead.

Austin’s Brandon Vázquez scored for the second time this season, using an assist from Myrto Uzuni, to knot the score in the 66th minute.

Bouanga answered the following minute with his 17th netter off another assist from Son, his league-leading 15th of the season, and LAFC went back in front 2-1.

Bouanga returned the favor when he notched his eighth assist on Son’s sixth goal of the season in the 72nd minute for a two-score advantage. Jacob Shaffelburg picked up his career-high fifth assist.

Hugo Lloris totaled three saves for LAFC, which is 2-2-3 since the start of September.

Brad Stuver stopped 10 shots, one off his career high, for Austin (7-11-11), which has lost two straight following an eight-match unbeaten streak.

LAFC improved to 9-3-3 at home, while Austin dropped to 3-8-4 on the road.

The clubs played to a scoreless draw in Austin to close out March.

The three players have arrived at Welford Road at contrasting times during their careers.

Wainwright is the new kid on the block despite, having played 70 internationals in a nine-year Wales career that includes a Grand Slam title and two Six Nations triumphs. He has also played at two World Cups.

Wainwright moved to Leicester after almost a decade at Dragons to join a growing influx of Wales’ top players in England.

Wales captains Dewi Lake and Jac Morgan have joined Gloucester, with Louis Rees-Zammit, Dafydd Jenkins, Tomos Williams, Nicky Smith, Rhys Carre, Archie Griffin, Tomas Francis and Christ Tshiunza among those also playing in the Prem.

Wainwright is in a lift-share with Reffell and fly-half Billy Searle.

“Reff is keeping keeping me company in the morning, so he’s doing a good job of helping me settle in,” said Wainwright.

“He has helped introduce me to everyone and it felt a bit like it was a first day at school.

“I was nervous but everyone’s been welcoming and I feel I have settled in.”

Wainwright made an instant impression with his team-mates on his debut after setting up Wales wing Gabriel Hamer-Webb with a try-scoring pass against Saracens.

“He moves like a back and hits like a forward,” said Hamer-Webb.

“He has this engine on him that just does not stop and that’s part of the Leicester Tigers DNA.

“He’s also got that soft touch that you saw when he assisted me against Saracens with that great pass.

“I have seen him play before but to be on the same pitch as him and see how he moves, he is phenomenal.”

Wainwright has also become a firm fans’ favourite, as indicated by an incident after the away victory at Newcastle.

“I saw some of the fans and there’s a few that had the headbands and wigs on and I had a photo,” said Wainwright.

“One of them just snuck me a packet of Welsh cakes to take home on the bus. That was a nice touch.”

The 29-year-old still has a fondness for his home city having opened a cafe in Newport.

He has also taken on a director of coaching role at his boyhood club Whiteheads RFC, despite living in a Leicestershire village almost three hours away.

Wainwright deserved his move after being such a loyal servant, playing in a Dragons side that was not used to winning. There were 33 victories, 97 defeats and eight draws in his 138 matches.

Leicester are preparing for the start of the Champions Cup matches away in Pau on Sunday, with Wainwright having never played in the top-tier competition.

He missed the only two Champions Cup games that Dragons played while he was at Rodney Parade, which came back in 2020.

Now, one of Wales’ elite back rowers is finally set to grace Europe’s elite tournament.

The quiet crowd had come alive. The quiet pitcher had become unhittable. The quiet catcher had loudly blasted a ball that sent Chavez Ravine into tremors.

In the sixth inning Wednesday night, with their pursuit of history on the line against those pesky Milwaukee Brewers, the somnolent Dodgers had finally come to life.

Moments later, they were dead again.

The Brewers’ Garrett Mitchell yells after hitting a solo home run in the seventh inning off Blake Snell in Game 3 of the NLCS at Dodger Stadium on Wednesday.

(Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)

And they will remain so next spring.

After an inspiring, two-run rally authored by a bases-loaded double from Will Smith, Dodgers starter Blake Snell allowed back-to-back homers to Jake Bauers and Garrett Mitchell to open the seventh and eventually close out the Dodgers’ season in a 6-2 loss in Game 3 of the National League Championship Series.

It’s not over, but it is. The Dodgers aren’t done, but they’re so done.

The chase for a third consecutive World Series championship is historically and essentially and practically kaput. Their pursuit of a three-peat has been smothered by the Brewers’ own version of a three-peat, and nearly all hope is lost.

The Dodgers now trail the Brewers three-games-to-none in this best-of-seven series, a virtually impossible mountain to scale, achieved only once in major-league history.

Yes, Dave Roberts stole the base that spurred the Boston Red Sox to work out of a similar hole against the New York Yankees in 2004, but he’s no longer on the field and any of that inspiration has long since vanished.

“I don’t know if some of those guys even know I played,” said Roberts before the game..

They could have used some of his fire Wednesday in a game played against a background of apathetic embarrassment.

Namely, it wasn’t a sellout. How can an NLCS game in the most perpetually crowded baseball stadium in America not sell out?

The huge swaths of empty seats were perhaps a sign that, after watching their team slog through two losses in Milwaukee, Dodger nation had already given up. The 50,708 fans who did show up made lots of noise, but it was too late to reverse the optics of a team abandoned.

Dodgers left fielder Teoscar Hernández reacts after taking a strike in the sixth inning of Game 3 of the NLCS at Dodger Stadium.

(Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)

Not surprisingly, there were several standing ovations given to injured star Shohei Ohtani, who the Dodgers considered benching before allowing him to talk his way into staying in the lineup. Also not surprisingly, Ohtani did little to reward his devotees, He hit a soft flyout, he was hit by a pitch, he drew a walk to help fuel the Dodgers sixth-inning rally and he singled after the Brewers had taken a three-run lead. No heroics. No hard hits. No chance.

The injury-plagued season of Ohtani will end with the Dodgers surely realizing that they should have taken control of his situation instead of empowering him to dictate the terms of his participation. They shouldn’t have let him keep playing hurt, but they did because they didn’t want to upset him, and it was the team that ended up paying the price.

All this negativity swirling around Dodger Stadium Wednesday night and, to think, the Dodgers were just moments from saving themselves.

Snell was brilliant for six innings, allowing just a leadoff home run to Jackson Chourio.

The Dodgers then set him up for a victory by taking advantage of a terrible decision by Brewers manager Pat Murphy.

Entering the sixth inning Brewers starter Robert Gasser had allowed just three singles in five shutout innings and had thrown just 72 pitches. Yet he was stunningly pulled by Murphy in favor of heavily used Abner Uribe.

Sure enough, Uribe threw eight balls in his next nine pitches to walk Teoscar Hernández and Kyle Tucker. After Max Muncy struck out, Ohtani drew a five-pitch walk in one of his best plate appearances this month.

Up stepped Smith, who entered the game with one hit in his previous 25 postseason plate appearances. But this night was going to be different, as it was hours after Will Smith’s wife, Cara, announced the birth of their third child.

Oh baby! Dad powered a two-run double off the left-center field fence to give the Dodgers a 2-1 lead.

Snell took the mound in the seventh having retired the previous 14 Brewers and looking strong. But he had not pitched this deep all season. And the Chourio home run was the first he had allowed this season.

Should Roberts have pulled him? You decide. Snell opened the seventh by walking Andrew Vaughn and losing an 11-pitch duel to Bauers, who won the battle with a two-run homer. Two pitches later, Garrett Mitchell took Snell deep to almost exactly the same right-center field spot to give the Brewers a 4-2 lead they never lost.

Snell was gone, but it was too late and too much. The weary and distracted Dodgers never again showed much energy on a night when Dodger Stadium did its best.

There was Keith Williams Jr. hitting all the high notes — and even higher — during his usual incredible national anthem.

Brewers first baseman Jake Bauers hits a two-run home run during the seventh inning of Game 3 of the NLCS on Wednesday at Dodger Stadium.

(Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)

There was past Brewers playoff nemesis Chris Taylor chanting, “It’s time for Dodger baseball!.”

Late in the game, there was even unofficial Dodger emcee Ice Cube on the video board saying “We ain’t backing down to no one.”

The hardest part of all this is that Cube is wrong. The Milwaukee Brewers are a good team but make no mistake.

Blessed with an opportunity to step up and make history, the Dodgers backed down.

Soon to be knocked out.

Fish was thrust into the action for his first minutes of the season against the Hornets after Dylan Lawlor went down clutching at his hamstring.

Wales international Lawlor had only just returned from his own injury, and was making his second start of the campaign before being forced off after 29 minutes.

Fish has been recovering from hernia surgery, and feels he has more to go before declaring himself fully fit, although he is in a much better place than he was.

“It’s never nice to get injured, especially as we came back for pre-season. In effect, I’ve not really had a pre-season. I’m almost playing catch-up at the minute,” he said.

“I feel like I’ve got a long way to go, but it was nice to get out there on Tuesday night and get some minutes into my legs.

“My injury, you can’t help that. It is what it is. I got over it, and I feel like I’m in a good place now, and I’m ready to help the team.”

Cardiff established a 5-0 lead with five minutes of Tuesday’s game remaining – only to concede a late Watford consolation shortly after.

“I was disappointed,” admitted Fish.

“At that stage in the game, of course, we could have done better. We were all hoping for the clean sheet, but it was nice to get three points.”

Cardiff are yet to keep a clean sheet since winning promotion back to the Championship and face a tough challenge when they head to second-place Middlesbrough on Saturday, October 17 (12:30 BST).

Like Cardiff, Kim Hellberg’s side rank among the best performers for shots on goal and touches in the opposition box.

After a trip to Teesside, the Bluebirds face further tests against Birmingham and relegated trio Wolves, West Ham and Burnley.

Fish is not looking too far ahead. Instead, he wants his side to lay down a marker by becoming the first away side to win at the Riverside this season.

“The games we have got coming up are tough. Every game of football that you play in this league is tough. We will just take it game by game,” he said.

“[Watford] was a good start, and hopefully we can pick up another win in Middlesbrough on Saturday.”

On Monday, the GMCA released a statement about Burnham’s meetings with Man City in his role as mayor for the region for almost a decade.

The statement said he had a formal meeting with Al Mubarak in October 2021 at the UK Government’s Global Investment Summit, arranged by the Department for International Trade; and that he met the club chairman “informally in the stands” at a testimonial match in 2019 for former player Vincent Kompany.

It also said that “in his capacity as mayor, he was a guest of Manchester City at home matches on a small number of occasions”.

But the statement did not specify that this referred to, external two hospitality dinners he had with the Manchester City chairman at separate matches.

A previous GMCA register of declarations for Burnham, seen by the BBC, detailed a “dinner with [then-Manchester City Council leader] Richard Leese and Chair of Man City” for an Everton match at the Etihad stadium in August 2017, valued at £300 for hospitality.

Below is another entry for “dinner with the Chairman at the Man City/Man Utd derby at the Etihad” in April 2018, valued at approximately £699.

Burnham previously declared those dinners, alongside a £150 pair of tickets to see Ed Sheeran perform at the stadium in May 2018.

But the register of declarations has since been deleted from the GMCA website, as first reported by The Sun. The BBC understands it is the authority’s policy to only publish entries from the current mayoral term.

BBC News has asked GMCA for more details about this policy – given its website has entries dating back to 2022, despite the current mayoral term beginning in 2024.

Downing Street has defended the two dinners with Man City’s chairman, saying this was hospitality received at home games, which had been declared, rather than separate meetings with the club chairman.

But political pressure on Burnham to be clearer about any former discussions with Man City is continuing to mount.

Tory shadow sports minister Louie French said: “Andy Burnham promised the country and House of Commons full transparency on his dealings with Manchester City.

“This was essential after his inappropriate intervention into football.”

And Reform UK’s Robert Jenrick said “this saga stinks” as he accused Burnham of having apparently “concealed his extensive links to Man City’s owners”.

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has demanded for several days that No 10 release all details of meetings between the prime minister and senior figures at the club.

Burnham told the Rest Is Politics podcast last week he was “happy” to do this and would “quite clearly put out there everything that I have done working with them in my previous role as Mayor of Greater Manchester”.

“None of it is recent, actually, in terms of the meetings I had. I only had one significant meeting, actually, and that was in 2021.”

Asked at Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday whether anyone at the club had raised the charges they were facing with him or his team, Burnham said: “They did not raise those issues with me.”

With the PM continuing to face pressure on the issue, he told MPs he was happy for “everything to be set out in full”, referring to the GMCA’s statement as “a full statement of my key dealings with the owners of Manchester City Football Club”.

When asked by reporters why the statement did not refer to the two dinners, and what the difference is between “everything” and “key dealings”, the PM’s press secretary referred back to the GMCA statement.

The list of meetings, which was published by the GMCA on Monday, did not include detail on what was discussed. The BBC has asked GMCA why the two dinners were not specifically mentioned.

In September Man City – which has dominated the top flight of English football for years – was found guilty by an independent commission of breaching Premier League financial regulations.

The commission found City had broken rules over a nine-year period between 2009 and 2018 by creating “sham” contracts with commercial partners to secretly funnel more than £830m into their football operations.

Sanctions are yet to be announced and City, which denies any wrongdoing, has lodged an appeal against the verdict.

Earlier this month, Sir Richard Leese – who was head of Manchester City Council for 25 years until 2021 – defended a decade-old deal between the council and Man City owners Abu Dhabi United Group (ADUG).

Under the partnership between the authority and the company, which is linked to the United Arab Emirates royal family, land was leased to ADUG at “below comparable rates”, according to a University of Sheffield report.

A Miami jury returned a mixed verdict Tuesday evening in the domestic violence civil trial against Tyreek Hill, awarding his estranged wife $500,000 in compensatory damages, while finding the five-time All-Pro wide receiver liable for two of 10 claims of battery.

Lakeeta Vaccaro Hill was denied punitive damages by the six-person jury that deliberated for less than four hours. The week-long trial addressed allegations of physical and verbal abuse committed by Hill against Vaccaro, who sought $8 million.

“Mr. Hill was very pleased that he was able to get his story out and to be able to tell the world what he’s not been able to speak about,” Hill’s attorney Christi Bright told reporters. “He’s very grateful.”

Hill, a free agent who last played when he suffered a knee injury Sept. 29, 2025, could face discipline under the NFL personal conduct policy should he sign with a team. A player can be suspended even in the absence of criminal charges and previous related conduct can figure into any discipline.

The NFL has said Hill’s personal conduct is under review. He pleaded guilty to assault and battery by strangulation of his pregnant girlfriend in 2015 when he was a student at Oklahoma State and was the subject of a child-welfare investigation in 2019 after his three-year-old son suffered a broken arm.

During the civil trial in Miami-Dade County, Hill was found liable for one count of battery for a January 2024 incident and another from April 2025 that occurred one day before Vaccaro Hill filed for divorce. Their marriage lasted 18 months.

Vaccaro Hill testified during the trial that Hill shoved her to the ground, twisted her breasts, pulled her hair and threatened her. Hill also testified, admitting to telling Vaccaro Hill that he could “get people to hurt her.” He also testified that during one episode, he used enough force to create a hole in a wall he pressed her against.

He testified that Vaccaro Hill stole money from him and that the couple argued about a post-nuptial agreement and his relationships with the mothers of his seven other children. Hill and Vaccaro Hill have one daughter together, Capri.

“I wish I could have handled that situation a whole lot better,” Hill testified. “I wish I could have, you know, talked to my wife better. … I just wish I could just take it all back.”

Hill, 32, began his NFL career with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2016 and made eight consecutive Pro Bowls, six with the Chiefs and two with the Dolphins, who released him last offseason. He ranks sixth among active players with 11,363 receiving yards and seventh with 819 receptions.

The Chiefs have expressed interest in reuniting with the speedy 5-foot-10 receiver, who was a favorite target of quarterback Patrick Mahomes when Kansas City won a Super Bowl in 2020. Hill has made $143.68 million in career NFL player salary and bonuses, according to Over the Cap.

Rams left tackle Alaric Jackson’s suspension for punching a Buffalo Bills player after a game has been reduced from two games to one, an NFL spokesman said Wednesday.

Jackson was suspended for striking Bills linebacker Bradley Chubb in the face after the Bills defeated the Rams, 37-34, in overtime on Monday night.

Jackson appealed the suspension.

“Hearing officer Derrick Brooks, jointly appointed by the NFL and the NFLPA, has reduced the two game suspension of Los Angeles Rams offensive lineman Alaric Jackson to one game,” Michael Signora, the NFL’s senior vice president of football and international communications said in a post to X.

Jackson must sit out Sunday’s game against the Arizona Cardinals but is eligible to return for an Oct. 25 game against the Las Vegas Raiders.

David Quessenberry is on track to start in place of Jackson, coach Sean McVay said Tuesday.

The Rams will also start the 21-day window for rookie Keagan Trost to return from injured reserve.

Champions League Match of the Day pundits Nedum Onuoha, Stephen Warnock, and Rory Smith analyse Lisandro Martinez’s comments following Manchester United’s 2-0 loss to Atletico Madrid and the impact they’ll have on the club.

READ MORE: Man Utd defender Martinez issues scathing attack on board

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Paris Saint-Germain score three first-half goals, but Erling Haaland brace nearly drags Manchester City back in UCL.

Paris Saint-Germain further soured the mood at the Etihad Stadium as Manchester City’s first home game since the guilty verdict on widespread flouting of Premier League financial rules ended in a 4-2 Champions League defeat on Wednesday.

The European champions turned on the style to strike three times inside the opening 35 minutes through Desire Doue, Ousmane Dembele and Vitinha.

But City stormed back in the second half as Erling Haaland scored twice on either side of Maghnes Akliouche’s strike, which briefly restored PSG’s three-goal cushion.

The 10-time English champions face swingeing sanctions unless they can successfully appeal last month’s ruling by an independent commission, which found the club guilty on more than 100 charges of financial impropriety.

City shrugged off the uncertainty over their future to win 3-0 at Liverpool on Sunday and remain top of the Premier League, but PSG showed why they are the favourites to win this competition for a third consecutive season.

Former City manager Pep Guardiola returned to the Etihad for the first time since his departure in May, sitting behind the club’s embattled chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak and CEO, Ferran Soriano, in a show of solidarity.

City made passing reference to the guilty verdict with a lengthy pre-match video detailing the club’s historic moments of celebration both before and after an Abu Dhabi-backed takeover in 2008 that transformed their fortunes.

Behind one end, supporters unfurled a giant banner reading: “I’m City till I die.”

Yet the fighting talk in the stands didn’t match the on-field action as City were blown away by a scintillating first 45 minutes from the visitors.

Luis Enrique’s decision to leave Khvicha Kvaratskhelia on the bench proved inspired, as it meant Doue started wide on the left.

Gianluigi Donnarumma had a point to prove after the Italian goalkeeper was let go by the PSG coach just months after helping deliver the club’s first Champions League title in 2025.

However, it turned out to be a night to forget for the giant Italian.

Donnarumma was caught out at his near post by Doue’s outside-the-box effort after a lightning counter-attack to open the scoring.

The move for the second goal two minutes later was even more impressive, as Doue and Dembele exchanged an elaborate one-two before the latter headed in at the far post.

Achraf Hakimi hit the post before Vitinha rattled in PSG’s third from the edge of the box.

Maresca responded with a triple substitution at half-time and managed to salvage some pride, even if the deficit proved too much to overturn.

Antoine Semenyo and Enzo Fernandez missed glaring chances to pull a goal back even before Haaland glanced home a header from Iliman Ndiaye’s cross.

Yet City were hit by a sucker punch when Donnarumma got a hand to Akliouche’s effort, but the ball looped high and spun back into the net.

Nuno Mendes made a brilliant clearance off his own line, and Haaland hit the bar before the Norwegian slotted home his second of the night.

Donnarumma saved a late Ferran Torres penalty, denying the French champions a fifth goal.

But in the battle between two state-backed projects that have reshaped European football, Qatar-owned PSG are the top dogs right now as City face a scandal that puts their trophy haul over the past 15 years in question.