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After Lazio, Fiorentina are also reportedly angry at the Lega Serie A for initially telling them the game with Cagliari wouldn’t be played this week, then switching it to Wednesday.
There were meant to be four Serie A Week 33 fixtures played today, specifically Cagliari vs. Fiorentina, Genoa vs. Lazio, Parma vs. Juventus and Torino vs. Udinese.
They were called off this morning, as Italy is in mourning following the death of Pope Francis.
This afternoon, it was announced all four games have been rescheduled for Wednesday April 23, kicking off at 17.30 UK time (16.30 GMT).
Fiorentina and Lazio forced to change plans repeatedly
First there were reports Lazio were furious with the Lega Serie A, now the Corriere dello Sport and news agency ANSA note Fiorentina are also very irritated at the lack of organisation.
It seems the clubs were initially informed the fixtures would not be played this week, so the teams boarded flights back to their home towns.
A few hours later, the announcement came through that they were rescheduled for Wednesday, forcing a hasty change of plans.
Unlike Lazio, who had already boarded the plane to Rome, Fiorentina managed to abandon the flight in time and had to quickly find a hotel in Cagliari that could host the circa 50 people between players and staff.
They will also need to get some material sent to them from Florence for the training sessions to be held today and on Tuesday.
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Exclusive: Chelsea plan 'direct offer' for Premier League star wanted by Real Madrid
With just a few days left until the big Premier League kick off, Chelsea are in a tricky situation. The Blues have done great work this summer, but are still down a key player after the ACL injury to Levi Colwill last week. There are plenty of rumours about who they might try and sign late in the window to replace him, and today we have word of a brand new, thrilling attempt to sign a Premier League star. Konate signing would instantly improve Chelsea Ibrahima Konate has become one of the best centre backs in the league in his time at Liverpool, but the Reds have not managed to persuade him to sign a new contract, and he has just one year left to run. That’s leading to a lot of speculation he could be sold this summer rather than be allowed to walk for free in a year. The main interest in Konate so far has come from Real Madrid, who seem to be trying to play their classic trick of tipping a player off that they want to sign him when his contract expires, then sitting back and letting him fall into their lap. But our sources tell us that Chelsea are willing to test Konate and Madrid’s nerve by offering Liverpool serious money for the France international. Chelsea’s “direct offer” likely to fail thanks to hovering Real Madrid Chelsea “plan to make a direct offer” for Konate, although Liverpool are “opposed to the idea of selling Konate to one of it’s direct Premier League rivals.” Of course if the offer is big enough they’ll have to consider it – but given Chelsea’s current model it’s hard to imagine them breaking the bank for an established star. If they do sign someone, it seems far more likely it’s a player from far further down the food chain, a rising star, not a player with a big offer from Real Madrid in their back pocket.
Patriots have big Drake Maye concern surface at Vikings' joint practice
Defense ruled the day during the joint practice between the New England Patriots and Minnesota Vikings. Per Chad Graff of The Athletic, the Patriots defense did a masterful job of disrupting Vikings second-year quarterback J.J. McCarthy at Wednesday's practice. However, New England's offensive line was unable to allow Drake Maye to have enough time to finish plays. "Even with four new expected starters up front following last year’s debacle, Wednesday suggested that there will likely be some bumps ahead for this offensive line," Graff wrote. "Sure, going up against the Vikings was always going to be a difficult task. Greenard has been wrecking his own team’s practices in training camp, and everyone in New England knows how good Flores’ scheme can be. But the domination was so thorough by the Vikings’ front seven that three straight plays at one point would’ve resulted in a sack." Maye showed flashes of promise when he had time to throw downfield or was able to use his legs to buy time or scramble when pressure came. The concern is that the offensive line won't allow Maye enough time to even scramble, so he can make throws. Graff has noticed the same issues that happened on Wednesday have been a constant at training camp against the Patriots defense. With a new-look offensive line that includes first-round pick Will Campbell at left tackle, the Patriots are expected to have some bumps at training camp and in September. New England's offense probably won't look great out of the gate while the offensive line develops in offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels' scheme. If and when the offensive line improves, Maye will have a chance to show off the arm that made him the No. 3 pick in 2024. For now, the offensive line is a concern much like it was last season.
Commanders have major hang-up preventing them from paying Terry McLaurin what he's due
It’s been two weeks since Washington Commanders star wide receiver Terry McLaurin publicly revealed his trade request, and a resolution doesn’t appear to be in sight. Thanks to ESPN’s John Keim, we’re starting to get more insight into how the Commanders are approaching negotiations…and how they run counter to their star wide receiver’s financial desires. As we’ve assumed all along, the Commanders are wary of giving McLaurin a lucrative contract that would extend well into the player’s 30s. As Keim notes, the Commanders “rely heavily on analytics,” and those numbers aren’t particularly kind to receivers on the wrong side of 30. They may be onto something. Per ESPN Research, over the past five years, only three receivers 31 years or older have played at least 10 games and averaged 70-plus receiving yards per game (that number jumps to six players if you adjust for 60-plus receiving yards). Further, the team can simply point to the NFL landscape, as other teams are also clearly wary of paying aging wideouts. Among the 24 active wide receivers who are attached to the most guaranteed money, only Tyreek Hill was older than 30 when the deal was signed. McLaurin has continually pointed to his lack of mileage despite his age; he barely played during his first two years at Ohio State, meaning he may not have the same wear and tear as similar players his age. McLaurin is also naturally pointing to the stat sheet, as the receiver has continually produced despite uncertain QB play, uncertain ownership and a handful of different coaching staffs. Per Keim, the Commanders don’t want to pay McLaurin based on his past performance, with the front office preferring to shape any future contracts based on his projections for age-31-plus seasons. The organization also doesn’t want to set a new precedent by paying McLaurin, as it could convince future veterans to push for lucrative deals in their 30s. While McLaurin has taken the drastic measure of requesting a trade out of Washington, the organization is still convinced they have leverage in this showdown. After all, the player is still under contract for the 2025 campaign, meaning McLaurin will have to forfeit game checks if he sits out games. The team could even choose to slap him with the franchise tag next offseason (which could come in north of $30M), meaning they’re in full control of the player’s fate moving forward. The team is also skeptical that another suitor is going to willingly pay McLaurin the type of money he’s seeking. Per Keim, there’s doubts around the league about whether another team would be willing to meet the receiver’s demands. Even if a clear suitor does emerge, Keim makes it clear that Washington’s front office won’t give the star away without receiving a haul. We heard recently that McLaurin wasn’t necessarily seeking a deal that matched fellow 2019 draftee D.K. Metcalf‘s deal with the Steelers. However, Keim says Metcalf’s contract has generally served as a guide for McLaurin, but it’s uncertain whether the Commanders wideout is looking to match the AAV ($33M) or total guarantees ($60M). Ultimately, one source believes the Commanders may agree to pay McLaurin a contract that will pay $28M per year. Of course, it’s uncertain if the player would even accept that offer. If that hypothetical maximum offer doesn’t end in a signing, a divorce may be the logical next step.
Giants force Jets' Justin Fields into familiar problem at joint practice
New York Jets quarterback Justin Fields was a little more accurate on Wednesday than he was in his "alarming" performance during joint practice with the New York Giants on Tuesday. Still, the fifth-year quarterback had a familiar issue pop up. Per Dan Duggan and Charlotte Carroll of The Athletic, Fields took several sacks against a Giants defense that brought the house on a shaky Jets offensive line. Via The Athletic: "On the other field, the Giants defensive front carried over its domination from Tuesday, giving Jets quarterback Justin Fields and his offensive line plenty of problems. Camp stats are subjective, especially when it comes to sacks, but the Giants appeared to get to Fields for four sacks. "Similar to Tuesday, there were moments when it was hard to tell exactly who was causing problems as the Giants sent multiple bodies in the backfield. Fields, who went 7-of-11 on the day, had a few overthrows on plays that likely were sacks." Fields did have a couple of long runs on a Giants defense that struggled against the rush in 2024. While Fields has a unique ability to add to the running game, the Jets need the 2021 first-round pick to push the ball down the field in the passing game. Fields has always had a problem with being indecisive in the pocket, leading to his taking too many sacks since entering the league. He led the league with 55 sacks in 2022 and has taken 151 in his four-year career. The Ohio State product took 16 sacks during his six starts with the Pittsburgh Steelers last season. In camp, Fields doesn't have to worry about taking body blows from sacks that lead to injuries. That will happen in the regular season if he plays how he practiced on Wednesday.
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