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One of the greatest semi-finals in the history of soccer just concluded, with Inter Milan securing their place in the Champions League Final after an astonishing 4-3 win (after extra time) for a 7-6 aggregate victory.
Both ties were topsy-turvy affairs with Barcelona fighting back from 2-0 down in each leg. In today's second leg they came from behind to lead 3-2 then with the clock ticking down, this happened...
This is a hall of fame performance from Yamal except that last shot. We must win for him, for everyone pic.twitter.com/s0wgnwtTsB
— Ankur (@AnkurMessi_) May 6, 2025
Lamine Yamal is a special player. At 17 he has the world at his extraordinary feet. He is already being hailed as the natural heir to Messi at Barcelona. But let's repeat. He is 17. And with that can come a youthful naivety.
Two words. Game Management.
It's natural at his age - with his talent and impulsiveness - that he would want to use his skills to settle the tie. He hit the post. He was within centimeters of putting Barcelona 4-2 up and stealing the glory and the headlines.
But there was a much better option. As any "old pro" would tell you, take the ball to the corner flag and keep it there. For as long as possible. Until the final whistle blows.
It's incredibly hard for defenders to win back meaningful possession in that situation. The best they can usually do is concede a series of throw-ins or corners, all of which would be taken short, keeping the ball in this unthreatening zone.
It would have been a simple task, knocking three minutes or so off the clock to seal Barcelona's victory. Instead, Milan worked the ball up the pitch from the ensuing goal kick, scored and went on to win the match.
Barcelona wouldn't be in this position without Yamal's brilliance in the first leg. But his naivety in the second cost them the game.
More must-reads:
- Inter Milan defeats Barcelona, advances to final in all-time Champions League classic
- Interest in Serie A manager grows hot as Tottenham ramp up the heat
- The 'American League WAR leaders' quiz
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Troubling news emerges on Bears QB Caleb Williams’ workout with HC Ben Johnson
It might have been a good thing the Chicago Bears didn’t play Caleb Williams on Sunday. The Bears might need to hide their second-year quarterback as he irons out his wrinkles in the pre-snap process and with accuracy issues. The No. 1 pick in the 2024 draft struggled with timing and accuracy during the Bears’ joint practice with the Miami Dolphins on Friday. Caleb Williams was inaccurate in the red zone against no defenders On Sunday, head coach Ben Johnson chose not to play Williams against the Dolphins in the Bears’ first preseason game. Instead, Johnson led a workout with Williams and wide receivers Rome Odunze and DJ Moore before the game. Per Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune, the Bears ran a total of 87 plays during the workout. All of the plays were routes in the air with no defenders on the field for the scripted practice. Despite going against no defenders bringing pressure or guarding his receivers, Williams struggled to hit his targets in the red zone. "Williams would stand next to Johnson, who would give him the play," Biggs wrote. "Then, the quarterback simulated a huddle with the player (only one ran a route on each snap) and gave the play call. They’d break the huddle, go to the line of scrimmage, Williams would simulate pre-snap actions and then the play would be run… "Before ending the session with eight deep balls, there was a 25-play set of snaps in the red zone. One thing Williams struggled to connect on was out routes to Moore and Odunze near the goal line. Those throws were not close and Williams consistently led the receivers too much." A closed-door problem for the Chicago Bears The throws weren’t close during routes on air… in the red zone… seriously? Williams wasn’t ready to take the field for the preseason game. For all of the flak he’s been getting from practice reports, the quarterback would have been relentlessly mocked for having these issues shown during an NFL Network broadcast. Biggs’ report is troubling, with a month to go before the season. Williams has much to improve upon, and the Bears are very much trying to do so without cameras present for a reason.
Browns may not be prepared for one thing with Shedeur Sanders
During a recent edition of the "Orange and Brown Talk Podcast," Cleveland Browns beat reporter Ashley Bastock of the Cleveland Plain Dealer suggested that Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski may not be prepared for the "potential fan backlash" that could arise regarding the team's handling of rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders. Stefanski seemed to say plenty about the subject when it was learned on Monday that Sanders remains fourth on the club's unofficial depth chart even though he enjoyed a solid NFL debut in the club's preseason opener at the Carolina Panthers on Friday night. Also on Monday, Browns insider Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer made it known that Stefanski won't be in a rush to play Sanders or fellow first-year pro Dillon Gabriel ahead of schedule. "Stefanski and the other offensive coaches have a plan for the rookie QBs, and they’re not about to be swayed by public opinion and the Sanders-mania that’s sweeping the nation," Cabot wrote. "Yes, it was a great debut against the Panthers with two beautiful touchdown passes to first-year receiver Kaden Davis. But Stefanski always keeps things simple for his rookie quarterbacks in preseason games, and most have looked excellent in their outings under him. Therefore, he wasn’t ready Monday to start handing over those precious starting reps to Sanders when he’s unlikely to start Week 1 and doesn’t necessarily need that valuable time with the ones — yet." Neither Gabriel nor presumed backup Kenny Pickett played against the Panthers after they were slowed by hamstring injuries during training camp. Meanwhile, Sanders completed 14-of-23 passes for 138 yards and two touchdowns in Cleveland's 30-10 victory over Carolina. Gabriel returned to the practice field on Monday, but Pickett reportedly could be sidelined "for a couple more weeks." It's unclear if either signal-caller will play in Cleveland's preseason matchup at the Philadelphia Eagles this coming Saturday. "They have had a process with Shedeur all the way through," Cabot added during the latest episode of the podcast. "And even when they were taking heat nationally from all kinds of pundits and experts saying that they were setting Shedeur up to fail, they stuck to their guns. And even after his really, really nice debut, they really haven’t changed the process." As recently as Tuesday morning, Zac Jackson of The Athletic mentioned that veteran Joe Flacco is still "the clear leader" to be Cleveland's Week 1 starter over Sanders, Gabriel and Pickett. As of Tuesday morning, FanDuel Sportsbook had Flacco as a -310 betting favorite to get the nod for the Browns' regular-season opener versus the Cincinnati Bengals on Sept. 7. Previous whispers indicated Stefanski will want to name his Week 1 QB1 before Cleveland wraps the preseason up with a home game against the Los Angeles Rams on Aug. 23. It certainly sounds like Stefanski won't lose any sleep over disappointing members of a passionate fan base who want to see what Sanders can do against live defenses in meaningful contests.
Cardinals Announce Willson Contreras News After Leaving Rockies Game
The St. Louis Cardinals have been fighting to stay alive in the National League Wild Card race, entering Tuesday’s slate with a 61–59 record and three games behind the New York Mets. A huge reason for the team’s success this year has been Willson Contreras, who is playing in his third season for the Cardinals after joining the organization ahead of the 2023 season. The 33-year-old transitioned from catcher to first base to appear in the lineup more frequently and to fill the void at the position due to Paul Goldschmidt departing for the New York Yankees in free agency. Contreras has been a force at the plate, posting a .256 batting average, .787 OPS, 16 home runs, and 65 RBIs over 113 games. Willson Contreras Leaves Rockies Game Early During Tuesday’s game against the Colorado Rockies, Contreras was drilled on the foot by starting pitcher Kyle Freeland. He was replaced in the top half of the sixth inning at first base by Nolan Gorman. Moments later, the Cardinals announced that he had left the game with a bruised right foot. “Contreras has left game with a bruise on his right foot, per #stlcards official,” wrote St. Louis Post-Dispatch’s Derrick Goold. Contreras Continues to Carry Cardinals Offense This comes at a disappointing time for St. Louis, as they just got All-Star second baseman Brendan Donovan back after missing three consecutive games, and Nolan Arenado is still out with a right shoulder strain. Contreras has kept the lineup afloat since his arrival, and if he is forced to miss extended time, it would be a massive blow to St. Louis’s playoff odds. Over three years in St. Louis, Contreras has a .261 batting average, .818 OPS, 51 home runs, and 168 RBIs, seemingly improving his game as a Cardinal after spending seven years with the Chicago Cubs to start his career. Contreras has made it clear that he intends on staying with the Cardinals for the long haul after his name surfaced in trade rumors at this year’s deadline.
Three 53-man roster battles shaping the Dolphins’ trenches for the 2025 season — and the players rising and falling entering Detroit joint practices
Some of the Miami Dolphins' roster battles are going to go down to the wire this month. Miami has a number of competitive rooms battling out limited roster spots. The perception of the Dolphins is a bit of a polarizing spectrum — with a number of the key position battles looming as determining factors in end result of the 2025 season, especially along the line of scrimmage. With the Dolphins set to kick off two days of joint practices in Detroit with the Lions, who are some of the bubble players trending each direction for the Dolphins? Here are three positional battlegrounds up front for the 2025 Miami Dolphins and a player trending each direction for each room. Three positional battlegrounds for the 2025 Miami Dolphins' 53-man roster The Tight End Position The stock up player here is a tough call because, frankly, no one is laying claim to opportunities in this room. It is a disappointing turn of events for a team that is still waiting to see Darren Waller make his training camp debut for the Dolphins, too. According to head coach Mike McDaniel, that debut will not be the next two days in Detroit, either. If you had to choose a riser, it is probably long-time McDaniel pet project Tanner Conner. Conner is a former college wide receiver who has been groomed as a tight end for several years now. He's a dynamic athlete and has been given some fullback responsibilities this summer amid an injury to Alec Ingold. That added versatility helps his case. It would probably be fair to put everyone else into the stock down bucket but I'll go with Pharaoh Brown as the player who lost ground in the preseason debut versus the Bears. Brown played into the fourth quarter with the third-strong offense, a discouraging omen for his bid to dethrone incumbent Julian Hill as the primary in-line option. He has time, but it's time to put the gas pedal down for Brown. The Defensive Tackle Position The stock up player here appears to be seventh-round rookie draft choice Zeek Biggers. Biggers is trending towards a roster spot amid his outstanding length and improving pad level. He's got some major bounce as well and has a robust special teams resume as a kick blocker. He nearly got one against the Bears, too. Miami will be challenged to keep no less than five interior defensive linemen, given their roster options this year. Biggers is going the right direction to be among them. Trending the other way is a tough call — this is a group with a lot of depth and potential role players. Veteran Matthew Butler probably leaves the Chicago game wanting a few reps back, meaning in a cut throat battle for roster spots, it may go down as a missed opportunity. The Ninth Offensive Line Spot Miami could choose to keep eight. The injury history to Austin Jackson makes that unlikely, though. Right now the Dolphins' projected starting five are Patrick Paul, rookie Jonah Savaiinaea, Aaron Brewer, James Daniels, and Jackson. Beyond them, Larry Borom and Liam Eichenberg feel like strong bets as the swing tackle and utility interior option — although Eichenberg has yet to suit up this summer and did not get a positive update from head coach Mike McDaniel today. McDaniel did ooze praise for second-year lineman Andrew Meyer before injury put him aside for several weeks. It makes Meyer, a 2024 undrafted free agent, the hot name for the depth offensive line positions. "(Meyer)’s had a great camp. Really stepped his game up, been very impressed with his play. He will be out – it’ll be weeks – but he’s built a strong foundation. One of the top really performers and you want to talk growth of game; one of the top guys that from Year 1 to Year 2 has made tremendous strides so we’ll be looking forward to whenever he does get back," said McDaniel. The offensive lineman losing ground is Kion Smith. Smith missed all of 2024 after a preseason knee injury and has been cross-training several positions this summer in his return to action. But Smith was woeful against Chicago and at times did not look like an NFL player between his opportunities at left tackle and right guard. That kind of performance can't justify a roster spot if Miami is choosing between that and veteran Daniel Brunskill for the ninth offensive line spot.
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