Press conference
Manager / player media briefings.
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Norris and Leclerc fined after arriving late to FIA press conference in Monaco
Lando Norris and Charles Leclerc have each landed their teams €5,000 suspended fines after arriving late to the FIA's mandatory Thursday press conference at the Monaco Grand Prix, with both drivers citing clashing prior commitments.
Formula 1 -
Potter backs Gyokeres and Isak to fire together for Sweden at World Cup
Sweden manager Graham Potter has spoken openly about his plans to pair Viktor Gyokeres and Alexander Isak for the first time under his tenure, expressing confidence that the two Premier League strikers can complement each other at the 2026 World Cup.
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Baxter on McCall rivalry: Exeter need a draw to reach play-offs against departing Saracens boss
Rob Baxter faces Mark McCall for the final time on Saturday, with Exeter Chiefs needing only a draw at Sandy Park to secure a play-off place for the first time since 2021. McCall is stepping down at the end of the season after a decade defined by Saracens' dominance over the Chiefs.
Rugby -
Deschamps moved by Nantes tribute despite France's defeat to Ivory Coast
France lost 1-2 to Ivory Coast on Wednesday evening at La Beaujoire in Nantes during a friendly match, but Didier Deschamps experienced a deeply personal moment: an ovation from the Nantes crowd in the 7th minute, a reference to his historic number with the French national team.
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Palmer tips Ferrari for Monaco 1-2 and predicts Mercedes will miss the podium
Former F1 driver Jolyon Palmer has predicted a Charles Leclerc victory at the Monaco Grand Prix, with Lewis Hamilton second and no Mercedes on the podium — despite the Silver Arrows winning every race so far in 2026.
Formula 1 -
Lizarazu Mixed on France's Friendly Defeat to Ivory Coast
France lost 1-2 to Ivory Coast in Nantes on Thursday, suffering their first warm-up defeat under Didier Deschamps just twelve days before the 2026 World Cup. TF1 consultant Bixente Lizarazu praised a strong first half but criticized a second half that was 'completely lifeless'.
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Cherki scores and shows wit after France's loss to Ivory Coast
France fell 1-2 to Ivory Coast on Thursday in a 2026 World Cup warm-up match in Nantes. Rayan Cherki, the sole French goalscorer, delivered a notable media appearance mixing lucidity about the result with self-deprecating humour.
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Verstappen says Red Bull learned its lesson after Canada set-up disagreement
Max Verstappen has revealed that Red Bull internally discussed his public criticism following the Canadian Grand Prix, where he stated the team had ignored his set-up feedback. The four-time world champion says a lesson has been learned, though he expects another difficult weekend in Monaco.
Formula 1 -
Carragher questions whether Iraola can adapt his Bournemouth style to Liverpool's squad
Jamie Carragher has raised doubts about Liverpool's appointment of Andoni Iraola, questioning whether the Basque coach can convince a high-profile, expensively assembled squad to adopt his pressing-based philosophy after his success with Bournemouth.
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Deschamps warns France over pace problem after 2-1 friendly defeat to Ivory Coast
France fell to a 2-1 defeat against Ivory Coast in a World Cup warm-up in Nantes on Thursday, with Didier Deschamps conceding his side lost control after half-time and warning the same pace-based threat awaits them at the tournament.
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Deschamps reveals Portugal's 2016 Euro winning goal would have been disallowed with VAR
With the 2026 World Cup just weeks away, Didier Deschamps reflects on the Euro 2016 final lost to Portugal (0-1 a.e.t.) and claims to have learned at a FIFA meeting that Eder's goal would have been ruled out if VAR had existed.
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France suffer first friendly defeat under Deschamps as Ivory Coast stun Blues in Nantes
France lost to Ivory Coast on Thursday evening at La Beaujoire, marking the first friendly defeat of the Deschamps era for the World Cup runners-up, just ten days before their Euro 2024 campaign begins.
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FFF needs World Cup 2026 semi-final to avoid losses
French Football Federation president Philippe Diallo acknowledged that the FFF, which posted a deficit of €8.7 million, is counting on a deep run by Les Bleus at the 2026 World Cup to restore its finances.
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Caroline Weir says Fifa and Uefa must answer Israel questions, not Scotland players
Scotland women's captain Caroline Weir has deflected political questions about their upcoming World Cup qualifying double header against Israel to football's governing bodies, saying players are placed in "a very tricky position" by such decisions.
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Antonelli dismisses Russell's title-pressure claim with 43-point lead after five rounds
Kimi Antonelli has rejected George Russell's assertion that the 2026 Formula 1 championship is the 19-year-old's to lose. Antonelli leads Russell by 43 points after four consecutive wins, but insists it is too early to speak of a title with 17 races remaining.
Formula 1 -
Norris and Leclerc summoned by FIA stewards for late Monaco press conference arrival
Lando Norris and Charles Leclerc must report to FIA stewards on Friday at the Monaco Grand Prix after arriving late to the official Thursday drivers' press conference, constituting a breach of Article B10.1.1a of the FIA Formula 1 sporting regulations.
Formula 1 -
Marquinhos reveals Gabriel's private message after Champions League final consolation
PSG captain Marquinhos has disclosed that Arsenal defender Gabriel sent him a personal message of thanks after he abandoned his own celebrations to console the Brazilian following his decisive penalty miss in the Champions League final.
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Faé sees France "doubly armed" at every position ahead of 2026 World Cup
On the eve of the France-Côte d'Ivoire friendly match in Nantes, Ivory Coast manager Émerse Faé praised the depth of the French squad and predicted Kylian Mbappé would be "very very strong" at the World Cup.
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Bryce Mitchell describes chemical burn injury ahead of UFC Vegas 118 fight with Luna
Bryce Mitchell revealed at UFC Vegas 118 media day that laundry detergent trapped in his shirt during training caused chemical burns to his chest. The featherweight remains on schedule to face Santiago Luna on Saturday after original opponent Victor Henry withdrew with a knee injury.
MMA -
Wiegman vows England will attack Spain despite a draw securing World Cup qualification
Sarina Wiegman has ruled out a conservative approach when England face Spain in Mallorca on Friday, even though a single point would clinch direct qualification for the 2026 Women's World Cup in Brazil and leave the holders relying on the play-offs.
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