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Trent Alexander-Arnold made his Real Madrid debut against Al-Hilal in the FIFA Club World Cup opener on June 18. The former Liverpool superstar started as right-back in Xabi Alonso's first game in charge of the club.
Los Blancos had seven shots on target compared to Al-Hilal's two. However, the game ended 1-1 with Federico Valverde missing a penalty in injury time of the second half.
It wasn't a winning start for the Alonso era. Two players, though, made their debuts for the club in Alexander-Arnold and Dean Huijsen, and Los Blancos goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois shared his verdict following the game. He said (via Real Madrid):
It's our first match together and it's not easy, but they did a good job and if there are things to work on, we'll look at that in the videos. It was a decent first game for them.
Courtois also delivered verdict on the team's performance in Alonso's first game in charge. He said:
We played too slowly in the first half and they looked the more likely. Then we got the goal and then gave away a silly penalty that levelled it up. In the second half we fixed things we needed to and looked a bit quicker, more agile.
He added:
We looked dangerous but it wasn't to be. It's a shame to miss the penalty, but if we keep up the way we did things in the second half, that will surely help us in the upcoming games. We were better in the second half and that's the line we have to follow.
Real Madrid still have two games remaining in the group stages of the Club World Cup. They take on Pachuca on June 22 and RB Salzburg on June 27.
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Serious Tottenham talent closes in on summer exit; medical scheduled
Tottenham academy talent Jamie Donley on the brink of joining Championship club Stoke City Tottenham Hotspur are still planning to sign a new No.10 for Thomas Frank before the transfer deadline on September 1. Their need has been accentuated following a serious-looking knee injury to James Maddison. Maddison was stretchered off after sustaining an injury against Newcastle United in a pre-season friendly in Seoul on Sunday. The early prognosis does not bode well for the Lilywhites, who are also set to be without Dejan Kulusevski for the opening few games of the new season. Spurs have seen arrivals as they have departures these past couple of weeks. There have been few academy talents who have departed on loan. Alfie Dorrington and Ashley Phillips have returned to Aberdeen and Stoke City respectively after impressing on loan last term, while Notts County have recently announced the capture of highly-rated Tyrese Hall for the 2025/26 campaign. Now, another academy product from the Hotspur Way is heading out on loan. Jamie Donley set to undergo medical at Stoke City Jamie Donley is the next in line to leave Tottenham on loan. He enjoyed his time in League One with Leyton Orient last season, scoring eight goals and providing 11 assists in all competitions. It was an impressive first taste of men’s football for the attacking midfielder, giving Spurs fans hope of watching him break into the first team at N17 under Thomas Frank. However, with several new additions to an already competitive squad and more to follow, that does not seem to be on the cards. Now, according to a report from Football London, Donley is set to join Stoke City on loan. The midfielder was on course for his medical at the Bet365 Stadium on Tuesday. Should he pass the medical, the Antrim-born talent will team up with Phillips at Stoke, who will want to challenge for play-off spots under Mark Robins. With his versatility, creativity and goalscoring ability, Donley ticks a lot of boxes for the midfield profile Robins has been in search of this summer. Chance for Donley to impress in the Championship After starring in League One, a move to Stoke is a step up for Donley. It is great opportunity for the 20-year-old to stand out in the second tier of English football and gain invaluable experience. A full season of Championship football would help him become more robust to tackle with the demands of competing in men’s football. If the three-cap Northern Ireland international does well at Stoke, he could get a chance to break into the Tottenham first-team during the 2026/27.
Green Bay Packers: 2 Notable Former Wide Receivers Labeled as Surprise Cut Candidates
As the Green Bay Packers deal with their own crowded wide receiver room, multiple former Packers pass-catchers are also embroiled in position battles across the league. Notably, two veterans that turned in many successful seasons in Green Bay now find themselves battling to make rosters and have been labeled as big names that could become surprise cuts when rosters are trimmed down. New York Jets May Soon Be Done With Former Green Bay Packers Receiver Allen Lazard Former Packers receiver Allen Lazard was always a favorite of Aaron Rodgers during their time together in Green Bay. When Rodgers left the franchise, Lazard ended up following the quarterback to the New York Jets. While the Rodgers era for Gang Green has gone up in flames, Lazard remains on the roster – for now. Lazard entered camp as the presumed second receiver behind Garrett Wilson, but so far, fellow veteran Josh Reynolds has seemingly beaten out Lazard for the second spot. A former Detroit Lion, Reynolds has reportedly been building a good rapport with new signal-caller Justin Fields, leaving Lazard potentially relegated to slot duties. Although the Jets have receiver depth problems, some experts don’t believe that Lazard will survive cuts. The Athletic’s Zack Rosenblatt has stated that he does not expect Lazard to be on the 53-man roster. Some names behind Lazard on the current depth chart include veteran Tyler Johnson and rookie Arian Smith, both of whom have had flashes of ability in camp so far. Several of the younger players also offer one thing that Lazard notably doesn’t – the ability to play on special teams. If Lazard is cut by the team, it would mean the team would have moved on from another former Packer after dumping both Rodgers and Davante Adams this summer. Can Former Green Bay Packers Receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling Stick in Seattle? Marquez Valdes-Scantling was a member of the Green Bay Packers from 2018 to 2021, playing out his rookie contract with the team while being a big part of the offense. He had over 2,000 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns for the green and gold before leaving for Kansas City in free agency. In 2025, Valdes-Scantling was with the New Orleans Saints until he signed a one-year deal with the Seattle Seahawks worth around $4 million. Despite the 29-year-old being a proven veteran and solid deep threat, Valdes-Scantling currently finds himself near the edge of the Seahawks roster. Rookie receiver Tory Horton has already surpassed Valdes-Scantling on the depth chart and has been the fourth receiver in the team’s first-team rotation so far. Valdes-Scantling has been relegated to the second unit in training camp practices as of early August. Respected NFL writer Brady Henderson has said that Valdes-Scantling has “barely made any” plays throughout camp so far, whereas Horton has continued to catch eyes and has been nicknamed “Jerry Rice Jr.” by teammate Tariq Woolen. Like Lazard, Valdes-Scantling does not offer much on special teams either, and although the Seahawks would love to have a deep threat to compliment Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Cooper Kupp, if Valdes-Scantling does not show up in camp, the team could move on from the former Green Bay Packer with little financial consequence.
Pedro Martinez Tells Yankees Players To ‘Strap It On’ Amid Skid
The Yankees’ freefall is the headline of baseball right now, so it is not afraid that it has caught the attention of Hall of Famer Pedro Martinez. After New York’s fifth straight loss, a 2-0 defeat to the Rangers Tuesday night, Martinez took to Twitter with a message that felt like a challenge. “It’s hard to believe that the Yankees would be at this stage at this time in the season,” Martinez wrote. “I imagine how NY fans are feeling right now. Strap it on boys! #mlbontbs” The loss continued a brutal stretch for New York, now losers of 19 of its last 27 games. Their once-safe playoff position has become a daily fight. As of Tuesday night, they’re barely hanging on to the final American League Wild Card spot. They are just a half-game ahead of the surging Rangers, and now trailing the Red Sox in the standings. Martinez, once a Yankee nemesis during his Red Sox days, didn’t sound like he was taunting the Bronx crowd this time. It was more disbelief than delight. It was almost a bit of tough love from someone who knows what October baseball is supposed to look like. And he knows it doesn't look like this. Aaron Judge returned from the injured list on Tuesday, but his presence wasn’t enough to turn the tide. He went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts, and afterward told teammates in no uncertain terms that this is on them. He said it was time to look in the mirror. Martinez’s “Strap it on, boys” had a similar tone. There’s still time for the Yankees to turn things around. But if they don’t, you can be sure the rest of baseball—including Pedro—is going to have something to say about it.
Brewers righty deserves consideration as dark-horse Cy Young candidate
The Milwaukee Brewers' trade with the Boston Red Sox early in the season flew under the radar. The Brewers acquired former top prospect Quinn Priester from the Red Sox, sending outfield prospect Yophery Rodriguez to Boston on April 7. Pitching prospect John Holobetz was sent to the Red Sox on May 5 to complete the trade. Priester had been expected to be a top-of-the-rotation arm, lauded for his athleticism and plus fastball and curve. However, he struggled during his time in the majors in 2023 and 2024, posting a combined 6.23 ERA and a 1.555 WHiP over 99.2 innings, striking out 69 batters with 41 walks while serving up 19 home runs. Despite a solid outing in his only appearance for the Red Sox, Priester remained in Triple-A as nothing more than pitching depth. That changed with his arrival in Milwaukee. He has exceeded expectations, either as a traditional starter or following an opener. Priester has posted a 3.15 ERA and a 1.190 WHiP over his 114.1 innings for the Brewers, striking out 93 batters with 38 walks. Opponents have mustered a meager .228/.294/.382 batting line in 471 plate appearances with just 13 homers. The Brewers' 64-48 record entering Tuesday is the best in the majors despite a nondescript rotation. While Freddy Peralta is a top-of-the-rotation arm in his own right, staff ace Brandon Woodruff missed all of 2024 and most of the first half of 2025. Pitchers such as Chad Patrick, Tobias Myers and Jose Quintana are back-of-the-rotation arms at this point. The Brewers needed someone to step up with Priester being the unlikely hero. Pitchers Paul Skenes and Zack Wheeler are the prohibitive favorites to win the National League Cy Young Award. BetMGM does not have Priester listed as one of the 10 most likely candidates to take home the hardware. However, Priester's performance, coupled with the Brewers' success this season, is worthy of attention. If he can continue to perform at this level, Priester deserves at least some consideration on the ballot.
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