It is 21 years since the winner of Newmarket’s Craven Stakes followed up in the 2,000 Guineas over the same course and distance two‑and‑a‑half weeks later, and 34 years since Mystiko took the Free Handicap at the Craven meeting – a Classic trial that no longer exists – and went on to become the last … Read more
Ju Wenjun has once again proven herself the undisputed queen of the chessboard. On Wednesday in Chongqing, the 34-year-old Chinese grandmaster clinched the 2025 Fide Women’s World Championship, defeating compatriot and longtime rival Tan Zhongyi by a commanding score of 6½–2½. With the victory, Ju becomes only the fourth woman in history to win the … Read more
Waking up to the news of Mary Fowler’s early exit from Manchester City’s FA Cup semi-final defeat to Manchester United earlier this week, after the forward’s right knee gave way while she stretched out to receive a pass, Australian football clung to the club’s interim coach Nick Cushing’s initial reaction of “not fearing the worst.” … Read more
Enzo Maresca believes Chelsea are going in the “right direction”, with the manager defending his style of play and asking fans to “trust the team”. Chelsea face Legia Warsaw at home in the Conference League quarter-final second leg on Thursday, with a passage to the semi-finals all but sealed after a 3-0 win last week. … Read more
Ange Postecoglou has said Tottenham will fight “tooth and nail” to salvage their season by reaching the Europa League semi-finals and admitted he “couldn’t care less” about speculation over his future. Tottenham will be without Son Heung‑min for the second leg of their quarter-final against Eintracht Frankfurt on Thursday because of a foot injury. Postecoglou … Read more
Where is your magic now? As the night wore on at an increasingly sullen Bernabéu, as the latest keepers of the Real Madrid shirt tried and failed to crank their way up through the emotional gears, this felt a bit like watching a conjuring act gone wrong. Pick a card. Any card. No. Not that one. … Read more
When at last the never ending story reached its final page, there was Bukayo Saka standing at the north end of the Santiago Bernabéu shrugging a familiar shrug that says: how about that, then? And that was pretty special, Arsenal’s own story written as Mikel Arteta had demanded and a moment they will remember for … Read more
Buffeted by wind and water, Inter ultimately brought the fire. Nobody should sleep on them as a credible contender to rule Europe now Bayern Munich, who took them to the wire in a tie that pulsated throughout, have been dismissed. Goals from Lautaro Martínez and Benjamin Pavard edged them through amid jubilant scenes and filthy … Read more
When Eddie Howe fell ill last week and it became clear Newcastle’s manager could be absent for some time, the team’s captain Bruno Guimarães convened an emergency meeting of senior players. Everyone resolved, in Guimarães’s words to “keep our standards as high as ever” and subsequent actions have shown they meant it. This utter demolition … Read more
Ruben Amorim will reinstate André Onana for Manchester United’s Europa League quarter-final second leg against Lyon but admits a new goalkeeper may be signed in the summer because “every position” will be evaluated. Amorim rested Onana and selected Altay Bayindir for Sunday’s 4-1 defeat by Newcastle at St James’ Park after the Cameroonian was culpable … Read more