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The Champions League final on Saturday will be an especially busy one for Nasser Al-Khelaïfi, perhaps the most multi-tasked official in world soccer. As president of Qatar-owned Paris Saint-Germain since 2011, Al-Khelaïfi's main goal is seeing his team become champion of Europe for the first time against Inter Milan in Munich. As chairman of the influential European Club Association, he leads 700 member teams increasingly taking over from UEFA inshaping sportingandcommercial decisions for the Champions League.It also puts him on UEFA's strategy-setting executive committee. As chairman of Qatari broadcaster beIN Media Group, Al-Khelaïfi controls exclusive Champions League rights to air the final in the Middle East, North Africa and much of South-East Asia. "Nasser Al-Khelaïfi is considered a visionary leader in the media industry,"beIN says on its website, adding that in 2016 he "alsoacquired the Hollywood film studio Miramax." He also is a minister in Qatar's government, a director of its sovereign wealth fund Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) and chairman of Qatar Sports Investments (QSI) that owns PSG. QSI and Al-Khelaïfi — a former tennis professional — also are key in the fast-emerging racket sport padel which hasambitions to be an Olympic sport, maybe in time for the2036 Summer Gamesthat Qatar and its tennis-loving Emir want to host. Among the invited VIP guests in Munich is Thomas Bach, theoutgoing though still influential presidentof the International Olympic Committee. Saturday can be a peak of Al-Khelaïfi's 14-year career in international soccer that has fueled talk — despiteongoing investigationsof his sports career by French authorities — he could be a future FIFA president. Al-Khelaïfi declined comment to The Associated Press after a recent UEFA meeting in Bilbao, Spain. In a statement, PSG said he "doesn't want to be a distraction and wants humble focus for the team." From tennis to soccer Now aged 51, Al-Khelaïfi was a tennis pro who played for Qatar in the Davis Cup, bringing him into contact with the future Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. Al-Khelaïfi'sATP biographyshows his ranking peaked at No. 995 and he played two matches on tour. The first in 1996 was against world No. 2 Thomas Muster in Austria.Brief footage shows a good-natured exchangeof shots with Muster in a 6-0, 6-1 mismatch. Al-Khelaïfi's career ended in 2003 and he joined the start-up Al Jazeera Sport as "Director of Rights Acquisitions,"according to beIN. Qatar stunned soccer in 2010, when FIFA awarded it 2022 World Cup hosting rights, and PSG was bought within months. Rising in soccer The rise of ambitious clubs fueled by Middle East sovereign cash — Qatar and PSG, Abu Dhabi and Manchester City — concerned the storied elite. The ECA helped UEFA introduce financial control rules for European competitions that saw both clubsdeducted 20 million euros ($22.7 million)of Champions League prize money in 2014. Still, while Man City did not get on the ECA board, Al-Khelaïfi was elected in 2016. Three years later he got one of two seats reserved for clubs on the UEFA executive committee (ExCo) — despite in-house cautioning about conflicts of interest. Conflicted interests? On election day in 2019 in Rome, UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin was asked about potential conflicts of interest around Al-Khelaïfi. BeIN was, and still is, among UEFA's main clients also owning extensive European Championship rights. Ceferin's narrowly focused answer was that ExCo members are not involved in approving commercial deals. Any conflict worked in UEFA's favor in 2021 when ECA leaders launched the Super League project designed to rival and replace the Champions League, which beIN broadcasts. PSG's refusal to join rebel clubs from Spain, Italy and England helped to undermine thebreakaway that ultimately failedamid a fan backlash and British government threats of legislation. In the fallout, Al-Khelaïfi took over leading the ECA and quickly repaired relations with UEFA and Ceferin. One year later, UEFAopened a disciplinary caseinto claims the PSG president confronted the match referee after losing in the Champions League at Real Madrid. When UEFA published the verdict Al-Khelaïfi was no longer cited andblame was puton sporting director Leonardo, who PSG had fired weeks earlier. Challenges in France Al-Khelaïfi is not always popular in France where PSG has won 11 of 14 league titles during Qatari ownership. His powerful role has attracted criticism, particularly from John Textor, the American owner at Lyon, including that PSG's funding model involving Qatari money allegedly breaks European Union laws. The pair have argued about poor management of the league's TV rights. In leaked footage from a 2024 meeting of Ligue 1 club owners, Al-Khelaïfi calledTextor a cowboy. Textor described his rival as a bully with a conflict of interest given his role at beIN. Al-Khelaïfi's legal challenges in France include some not related to PSG. The recent preliminary charges about possible alleged corruption relate to his links to a French businessman. Proceedings were dropped in relation toQatari bids to host track and field's world championships, which Doha staged in 2019. In Switzerland, Al-Khelaïfistood trial twiceand was acquitted both times on charges of inciting a top FIFA official to commit aggravated criminal mismanagement from 2013-15. His lawyers said after the second acquittal in 2022 that "years of baseless allegations, fictitious charges and constant smears have been proven to be completely and wholly unsubstantiated — twice." ___ AP Sports Writer Tales Azzoni contributed from Bilbao, Spain ___ AP soccer:https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

MONTMELO, Spain (AP) — Formula 1's hangover from anot-so-successful experimentto spice up another slow Monaco Grand Prix was still being felt in Spain this weekend. A rule change requiring two pit stops was aimed at shaking up the Monaco GP, which offers scant chance of cars overtaking on the narrow and sinuous streets of the Mediterranean principality. But the move didn't produce the desired result, with most cars locked in a slow procession going well below optimum speed. After finishing the race in fourth, defending F1 champion Max Verstappen quipped that even if they adopted some of the outlandish features of a popularvideo game, it wouldn't change the fact that F1 cars are too wide to squeeze past one another on the street circuit. "You can't race here anyway so it doesn't matter what you do. One stop, 10 stops," Verstappen said. "We were almost doing Mario Kart. Then we have to install bits on the car – maybe you can throw bananas around? I don't know, a slippery surface?" A week later the debate continued in the buildup to Sunday'sSpanish Grand Prix. Monaco is Monaco Charles Leclerc, a Monaco native and the2024 winnerof the race for Ferrari, said that he was open to thinking about ways to add some excitement to the race. "Do we need to make every possible effort to make it better on Sunday? Definitely. But Monaco has always been ... a race when on Sunday not much is happening." While race day may not be super exciting, the Monaco GP remains part of the unofficial "triple crown" of motorsports with Indianapolis 500 and 24 Hours of Le Mans. Beyond the suspense of qualifying when drivers have to push their cars to the limit through extremely tight turns, there is the glamor of the principality and its harbor packed with yachts. AsSunday's race winner, Lando Norris dined with Prince Albert II following his victory. Norris said in Montmelo, Spain, that while some tweaks could perhaps be made, Monaco is just Monaco. "Monaco's never been a race that's been good on Sunday. Never has. Yet it's the race everyone wants to win. It's the one everyone looks forward to the most every single season. It's always been like that," Norris said. "If you want to make a bigger event out of it, make it a more qualifying-based event. I don't think you can really change the race, unless you make the cars half the size of what they are now." Not much you can do to the track Ideas have been batted around by F1 journalists and observers that run from tweaks to the circuit to widen some corners to even more drastic rule changes to allow for points to be awarded for qualifying. Carlos Sainz of Williams said he supported creative thinking to improve any race, but he was skeptical that Monaco could be revamped. "I think you could still position the car in the middle of the track, go 30 kmh, and still not get overtaken," Sainz said when asked about shaving off some edges of the course. And then there wasFernando Alonsowho, as the grid's senior driver at age 43, said that moping about Monaco – while also loving it – is just a part of F1 tradition. "You see one overtake every 10 years. So great, you know? I mean, this has been the Monaco nature," Alonso said. "(But) don't worry, because next year we will go to Monaco and on Wednesday we will be so excited," he said. "And then on Saturday we are all super excited, and the adrenaline that you get on those laps is probably unique in the championship. And then for whatever reason, on Sunday we will be all disappointed once again." ___ AP auto racing:https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing

I'm happy to pinch hit on this week's fantasy baseball waiver wire column, as recommending players for pickup is one of my favorite parts of this job. And since I rarely get a chance to recommend pickups, I'm going to make the names plentiful and the explanations brief. Hopefully there is something for everyone. Enjoy. [Smarter waivers, better trades, optimized lineups — Yahoo Fantasy Plus unlocks it all] Weathers has looked great since returning from the IL, posting a 1.15 ERA, a 0.89 WHIP and a 15:4 K:BB ratio across three starts. Even more impressive, two of his appearances came against the high-scoring Cubs and his third outing was against a respectable Padres offense. The 25-year-old's velocity has improved on all of his frequently used offerings, and there is a real chance that he is rostered in 75% of leagues by the end of June. Birdsong struggled to keep runs off the board when he was scored on three times in 4.2 innings against the Tigers last time out. But he still had a solid 6:2 K:BB ratio in that start, and he kept the ball in the yard. Birdsong's swing-and-miss skills (career 10.6 K/9 rate) give him plenty of upside, and he should fare much better when he faces the Marlins (19th in baseball in runs scored) on Sunday. Head-to-head managers could get over the top this week by grabbing Birdsong now. Managers who look ahead to next week will find that the two-start streamers are a weak group. Horton is far from a sure thing, but he has been consistent en route to posting a 3.98 ERA, a 1.23 WHIP and a 16:4 K:BB ratio across four starts. The rookie has talent, and he is backed by baseball's most productive lineup. Horton has reasonable matchups next week (Nationals, Tigers), and is worth stashing in head-to-head leagues. This is a rarity, as I'm recommending Henderson after he was sent to the Minors. The rookie is arguably Milwaukee's best starter, having produced a 1.71 ERA, a 0.95 WHIP and a 29:6 K:BB ratio across four starts. The team sent him back to Triple-A due to the anticipated return of some veteran starters, but there is no way that they can leave Henderson on the farm for long. After all, the Brewers sit at 29-28 and are 3.5 games out of a wild-card spot. The guess here is that stashing Henderson now will lead to having an impactful starter in a couple weeks. Managers in shallow leagues should be scrambling to add Doval, who is more desirable than several relievers who are 70% rostered. The Giants named the right-hander as their closer on Wednesday, shuttling Ryan Walker back to the setup role where he thrived for much of his career. Doval has shown that he can handle the job (89 saves across 2022-24) and is pitching well this year (1.16 ERA, 0.73 WHIP). He could get 25 saves between now and the end of the season. Although the Tigers do not have a full-time closer, Vest continues to work high-leverage innings more often than anyone on the team. The right-hander has pitched well in his key role (28:9 K:BB ratio), which has led to four wins and seven saves. He has been the 9th most valuable reliever to this point in the season and should be rostered in twice as many leagues. Don't look now, but the Cubs may have finally found a closer. Valencia has picked up saves in each of his past four appearances, after Ryan Pressly struggled in the ninth inning and Porter Hodge was both inconsistent and injured. The 25-year-old does not have a strong MLB track record, but he has been solid this year (1.83 ERA, 0.81 WHIP) and will be valuable in any league while working the ninth inning for baseball's highest scoring team. Truthfully, I don't expect Valencia to keep this role all summer, but I would add him now and see where this goes. Baty has earned an everyday role by crushing the baseball of late, having hit .281 with five homers and 13 RBI in May. And this is a great time to target a Mets hitter, as the team is scheduled to face the Rockies (5.55 team ERA) in six of their next 10 games. Baty is the best option among the widely-available Mets, but Francisco Alvarez (20%) and Jeff McNeil (3%) are players to consider as well. Sometimes, boring can be good. O'Hearn is the definition of boring — he's 31 years old, has a career high of 15 home runs and rarely steals bases. But he is still serviceable, as he draws most of his plate appearances out of the heart of the lineup and has been the Orioles best hitter (.338 BA, .977 OPS) this season. O'Hearn has been especially hot in May (1.023 OPS) and should be active in most leagues until he cools off. This is a great time to give the left-handed hitter a chance, as the O's will face right-handers in each of their next six games, including three contests against the lowly White Sox. Sheets is emerging as one of the best platoon bats in baseball, having hit .288 with 10 homers, 31 RBI and an .885 OPS in 151 plate appearances against right-handers. And his best work has come of late, as he's collected eight homers and 22 RBI in May. Sheets is the perfect bench bat in leagues with daily transactions, as managers can stream him into the lineup on days when the Padres face a right-hander. Simpson is a rare prospect who fully delivered on expectations as soon as he arrived to the majors. The speedster was expected to be one of baseball's best base stealers, and he already sits third in the league with 19 swipes. There is a good chance that he will finish the season in the top spot, as he has played in far fewer games than the other leaders. And with a .285 batting average, the speedster has been more than a one-trick pony. Simpson should be rostered in every league that uses categories for scoring.

© Columbia Pictures/ Courtesy Everett Collection (2) Ralph Macchio was 22 when he filmedThe Karate Kid The long-running Netflix seriesCobra Kaiended in February 2025 after six seasons The latest installment in theKarate Kiduniverse,Karate Kid: Legends, hit theaters on May 30 More than 40 years later,Ralph Macchiois still crane-kicking it as Daniel LaRusso, his character fromThe Karate KidandCobra Kai. InKarate Kid: Legends, Macchio's latest martial-arts movie, the actor reprises his role from the originalKarate Kidtrilogy andCobra Kai, the Netflix series, which concluded its six-season run in February 2025. It has been decades since Macchio first played Daniel in 1984'sThe Karate Kid.Although his character was supposed to be 17, the actor was actually 22 while filming. When asked if he had anyfavorite memories from filming the firstKarate Kidmovie, Macchio said he had "tons." "From the original every day working with [Mr. Miyagi actor] Pat Morita, it was a blessed partnership and it still resonates," he told PEOPLE at theKarate Kid: Legendspremiere in May 2025. "And the reason I'm in this movie is to pay that legacy forward. Shedding a little piece of Miyagi forward. It's never the wrong thing to do in Daniel LaRusso's eyes and in Ralph Macchio's eyes." Since he has been playing the character for over four decades, does Macchio's age match up with Daniel's? Here's how old the actor was while making each ofThe Karate Kidmovies and the six seasons ofCobra Kai. © Columbia Pictures/ Courtesy Everett Collection In the 1984 original that kicked off a karate craze, Macchio starred as Daniel LaRusso, who was 17 for most of the movie. In reality, the actor was not a kid but an adult since he was actually 22 during filming. "Daniel LaRusso has become such a fixture of pop cultureandThe Karate Kidfilm has continued to inspire on a human level ever since its debut in 1984," Macchio told PEOPLE in 2022, when he announced his memoir,Waxing On: The Karate Kid and Me. "I sought to celebrate all that it has given to me," he added. © Columbia Pictures/ Courtesy Everett Collection The sequel took the action to Japan, and even thoughThe Karate Kid Part IIis set during the following summer after the events of the first film, the movie was released two years later. Filming took place in the fall of 1985, and Macchio would turn 24 while making the movie. While reflecting on the making ofThe Karate Kid Part II, Macchio looked back on the memorable tea ceremony scene he shared with costar Tamlyn Tomita. "I remember the tea ceremony scene was a special scene," he toldComic Book Resourcesin 2020. "So much detail and eloquence in that and I just I love that scene even to this day because it's pure, pure innocence." © Columbia Pictures/ Courtesy Everett Collection The events ofThe Karate Kid Part IIIhappen in the months followingPart II, so Daniel should be 19 by the end of the movie, but in reality, Macchio was 27 while making the third part in the trilogy. In the years since its release, Macchio has been critical of the third film, tellingThe Hollywood Reporterhow he "was not a fan of how theKarate Kid IIIcame out." "I felt the story was only repeating itself and was not character forwarding for the end of LaRusso. And production-wise, it was being written one way and then changed another way," he continued. "It was not a smooth ride. In the end, there were parts of the character that I didn't embrace as well as I did with the original and the first sequel." "I don't put it on the top of my résumé," the actor added. Courtesy of Netflix Macchio was 56 when he returned to the dojo to play Daniel in the legacy series, which originally premiered on YouTube Red before moving to Netflix. Cobra Kaifollows Macchio'sKarate Kidcharacter, as he once again becomes martial-arts rivals with Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka), whom he originally fought at the All Valley Karate Tournament in the first film. Courtesy of Netflix Macchio was 57 while filming season 2 ofCobra Kai. In a 2019 interview withDeadline, Macchio remarked how "it's crazy" being part ofThe Karate Kidlegacy, and how the characters still live on decades later. "It's fascinating what has happened with that film from its inception to today," he continued. "With theCobra Kaiseries having re-birthed interest in that universe, it's constantly open world and a part of my life." Tina Rowden/Netflix While making the third season ofCobra Kai, Macchio was 58. In season 3 of the series, Daniel returned to Japan, and unlikeKarate Kid Part II, which was set in Okinawa but filmed in Hawaii, Macchio actually jetted off to Japan this time. "It was a whirlwind. I'm really thankful and proud of the production and Sony for letting us go there for what was only about two days of shooting," he toldColliderin 2020. "It was like a long weekend. Most of the time was in the air. It was blessed, you know? It just felt like I was in the land of Miyagi." Courtesy of Netflix Macchio was 59 while filming season 4 ofCobra Kai, making him the same age as the character of Mr. Miyagi (Pat Morita) in the originalKarate Kid. In 2021, Macchio told PEOPLE how his age can be confusing for fans who refuse to believe that he is pushing 60. "Listen — I blame my parents," he joked. "They both look very young for their age. I have ayouthful energyabout me for some reason. A healthy lifestyle doesn't hurt. But I think I've just gotten lucky in the gene department." Courtesy of Netflix During production for the fifth season ofCobra Kai, Macchio was 60. The actor appeared onJimmy Kimmel Live!in 2022 to discuss turning 60 and the continuing impact ofThe Karate Kidmovies withCobra Kai. "I knew it was beloved. I knew the characters were beloved," he toldJimmy Kimmel. "But to see it explode like this, and multi-generation, we have like 10, 12-year-old kids and people in their 60s and 70s, they're all watching the same show. It's equal parts nostalgia and now contemporary relevance." Curtis Bonds Baker/Netflix The fifteen episodes ofCobra Kaiseason 6 were released in three installments in 2024 and 2025. Macchio was 62 while filming the final season. "It's less goodbye for me and more 'See you next time,' " Macchio toldThe New York Timesin February 2025, when asked what the last day of filmingCobra Kaiwas like. "As all over the place and as big asCobra Kaigot with these brawls and the accidental deaths and all these zillions of characters, it still was born out of Daniel and Johnny's rivalry and now, in turn, friendship," he explained. © Columbia Pictures/ Courtesy Everett Collection The latest chapter ofThe Karate Kidstory is the movieKarate Kid: Legends, which takes place after the sixth and final season ofCobra Kai.Karate Kid: Legendswas filmed in spring 2024, making Macchio 62 during production. When asked if he would return to theKarate Kiduniverse in the future, Macchio toldThe Hollywood Reporterin May 2025, "We'll see." "As long as it's honest, genuine and truthful to the base of this character and these characters, I'll always be open to listen," he continued. "Because I like that the next generation can experience the joy of what we've been through." "In a world that's not always joyful, it's really cool to bring some of that," Macchio added. Read the original article onPeople

Chris Sale added another milestone to his Hall of Fame resume. The reigning National League Cy Young winner became the fastest pitcher in major-league history to reach the 2,500-strikeout milestone, breaking the record previously held by Hall of Famer Randy Johnson. On his final pitch Thursday night, Sale struck out Edmundo Sosa of thePhiladelphia Philliesto end the sixth inning for his 2,500th victim. TheAtlanta Bravesleft-hander reached the milestone in 2,026 innings, besting Johnson's record of 2,107 ⅔ innings in 1999. In doing so, Sale also became the 38th pitcher in modern history to reach the milestone. "I appreciate it for what it is, but I try not to get too caught up in stuff like that right now," Sale said after the Braves' 9-3 win in Philadelphia. "I know what our job is here. And no matter whether you have a good one or a bad one, the next one is the most important one." Chris Sale is the FASTEST pitcher to 2,500 strikeouts in MLB history! 👏pic.twitter.com/2PQhuZluG1 — MLB Network (@MLBNetwork)May 30, 2025 Said Braves manager Brian Snitker: "He's kind of doing Hall of Fame stuff. That guy is probably as big a baseball fan as anybody, just the history of the game and the competition. He's a ballplayer, and it's really cool to watch." Sale, who is one of thehighest-paid starting pitchersthis season, is 3-3 with a 3.06 ERA through 12 starts this year. Last season, he went 18-3 with a 2.38 ERA and led the NL with 225 strikeouts en route to his first Cy Young award. During the course of his 15-year major league career, he has struck out 200-plus batters eight times and is one of four active pitchers with 2,500-plus career strikeouts, trailing Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer and Clayton Kershaw. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Chris Sale becomes fastest MLB pitcher to 2,500 strikeouts

There has been plenty of discussion around the time for the season opener between Ohio State and Texas, and theLonghornsultimately determined it. The College Football Playoff semifinal rematch will kickoff the 2025 season in one of the most highly anticipated Week 1 games. When it was announcedthe game would be on Fox, the belief was the game would kick off at noon ET as part of the network's "Big Noon Saturday." Thegametime was confirmed Thursday. The timeslot has been widely disapproved of byBuckeyesfans, so much that anOhio lawmaker introduced legislationto prevent Ohio State from playing early afternoon games. Understanding the implications of the matchup,Ohio State reportedlytried to move the game to Sunday − with no NFL − for a primetime kickoff. However, Fox Sports president of insights and analytics Mike Mulvihill said Texas blocked the move. "There was a deal in place between Fox and Ohio State to move the game to Sunday night," Mulvihilltold The Athletic. "We felt like Week 1 prior to NFL kickoff gave us an opportunity to look at sort of an alternate scenario, and then Texas exercised their contractual right to keep the game on Saturday, which is completely their right. I can understand why they would take that position, but we did work with the school to try to come up with a different scenario and get the game to Sunday." Texas athletic director Chris Del Conteconfirmed to ESPNhe vetoed the decision, citing the short week it would create for the Longhorns. Texas plays San Jose State in Week 2 at noon ET. Noon kickoffs have drawn the ire for Ohio State fans. When Fox debuted "Big Noon Saturday," the network could air a premier matchup in the first timeslot of the day as ESPN and CBS typically aired their top game in the late afternoon and evening. It's worked for ratings, but at the cost of people attending the game. Fans argue the early kickoff times force them to wake up earlier in the morning and give them less time to tailgate, in addition to losing the atmosphere that night games provide. Ohio State has been a consistent College Football Playoff contender, and thus has made it an easy choice for Fox to pick for the noon timeslot. Five of Ohio State's eight home games during the regular 2024 season were at noon, including the last six games of the regular season. The Buckeyes are also confirmed to have another Fox noon kickoff in the regular season finale at Michigan on Nov. 29, which is the rivalry's traditional time. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Ohio State vs. Texas Sunday move vetoed by Longhorns, Fox exec says

Two years ago,Alexis Díazwas an All-Star closer with the Cincinnati Reds. Now, the 28-year-old right-hander is set to become aDodgersreclamation project. Amid a wave of early-season injuries to their bullpen and rotation, theDodgers agreed to acquire Díazfrom the Reds on Thursday, the team announced. Díaz, who was demoted to triple-A earlier this month by the Reds, won't be joining the Dodgers' big-league roster right away. He will instead report to Arizona to work with the Dodgers' pitching group there. Read more:'A major league shortstop, on a championship club.' Why Dodgers don't plan to move Mookie Betts To make room on the 40-man roster, the Dodgers transferred injured relieverEvan Phillips(who was initially expected to only miss 15 days with a forearm injury) to the 60-day IL. Once a rising relief star who had a 1.84 ERA as a rookie in 2022, and 37 saves and a 3.07 earned-run average as an All-Star selection in 2023, Díaz has faded over the past two seasons. In 2024, he was 28 of 32 in save opportunities, but posted a 3.99 ERA with 31 walks in 56 1/3 innings. This season, he lost the closer's job while battling a hamstring injury that sidelined him for the start of the season, then was optioned to triple-A after giving up eight runs, eight hits, four homers and five walks in his first six appearances. Five of the runs, and three of the homers, came in a single outing against the St. Louis Cardinals on April 30, the day before he was sent down. Díaz, the brother of New York Mets closerEdwin Díaz, hasn't experienced much greater success in the minors, holding a 4.61 ERA with 12 walks in 13 2/3 innings with the Reds' Louisville affiliate. Still, just two years removed from the early heights of his MLB career, the Dodgers were willing to take a flier on the once-promising talent, only giving up minor-league pitcher Mike Villani (a 13th-round pick in last year's draft) in return. Sign up for more Dodgers news with Dodgers Dugout. Delivered at the start of each series. This story originally appeared inLos Angeles Times.

After winning a tournament on Sunday, Ben Griffin stayed hot Thursday by shooting a 7-under-par 65 to take the first-round lead at the Memorial Tournament in Dublin, Ohio. Griffin made an 11 1/2-foot eagle at the par-5 seventh and had a three-birdie run at Nos. 16-18 at Muirfield Village Golf Club. He finished the day with a two-shot advantage over Collin Morikawa, a two-time runner-up at the tournament hosted by Jack Nicklaus. "My dad always used to tell me, 'Par the first and last holes,' and unfortunately, I birdied the first and the last," Griffin joked. Griffin, 29, won his first PGA Tour title last month at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans team event with Andrew Novak. He validated that victory with his first individual win this past week at the Charles Schwab Challenge at Colonial Country Club. It was clear he was not tired from the quick turnaround. "This is nothing. I started out the year playing 13 events in a row," Griffin said. "... It's funny, I talked to a lot of my peers out here, and they don't understand how I do it. I think it's because I do a really good job resting on Mondays and Tuesday mornings. I don't really prepare for tournaments until pretty much Tuesday afternoons, unless it's a course that I'm not familiar with or maybe a major championship, I try to get a little extra prep in." Morikawa had five birdies through 14 holes before a wayward drive at the par-5 15th led to his lone bogey. He made up for it at the very next hole, rolling his tee shot at the par-3 16th just past the cup and making a 4-footer for birdie. "Honestly, I woke up today kind of not knowing how the swing was going to produce," Morikawa said. "I spent a couple hours on the range after the pro-am yesterday and was just trying to find something. Yeah, kind of went to some old swing thoughts, and it's hard to filter through that, but did it on the range, and kind of was just able to go play golf." In third place was Max Homa with a 4-under 68. Homa has fared better since parting with caddie Joe Greiner, who now works for Morikawa. Homa is searching for his first win on tour since January 2023. "My game feels about as good as it has in a very, very long time," Homa said, "and I knew that I think that brought some peace, which was nice, not feeling like I needed to do much. Then, yeah, you get off to a good start like that and it just kind of calms some of the nerves." U.S. Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley, Canadian Nick Taylor and Irishman Shane Lowry are tied for fourth at 3-under 69. World No. 1 and defending champion Scottie Scheffler opened with a 2-under 70. "I need to give myself some more looks," Scheffler said. "I felt like I was out of the fairway a bit too much today. I was able to hit a decent amount of greens, just giving myself a few more quality looks, I think, would be a big difference." The $20 million signature event will feature a cut Friday from 72 players to the top 50 and ties, plus anyone within 10 shots of the lead. Only 13 players managed to shoot under par Thursday. Players who'll need to work to make the cut in the second round include Sweden's Ludvig Aberg (3-over 75), England's Matt Fitzpatrick (4-over 76) and Justin Rose (6-over 78), Wyndham Clark (78) and Justin Thomas (8-over 80). --Field Level Media

Will Levis was honest about what it's like to go from starting quarterback to likely backup while speaking with reporters on Wednesday. Levis was QB1 for the Tennessee Titans last season, his second in the NFL, but struggled enough that the Titans found themselves picking first overall in the 2025 NFL Draft. Two years after selecting Levis 33rd overall, they went for another quarterback in Miami's Cam Ward. That leaves Ward as the quarterback of the future, and likely the present as well, while the 25-year-old Levis faces an uncertain future. PerESPN's Turron Davenport, he didn't hide his disappointment with the situation: "I think anyone who's ever been in my situation can agree that it sucks," Levis said Wednesday. "I'm just trying to do everything I can not to let it affect me. I'm just being the same dude every day in the building and being here for the guys." Levis and Ward are currently the younger arms in a QB room that also features veteran backups Brandon Allen and Tim Boyle. Levis reportedly admitted he expected the Titans to draft a quarterback last month and said he was hoping he could at least get a boost from playing in the same offense as last year for the first time since his two years at Penn State in 2019 and 2020. He also had plenty of praise for Ward, via ESPN: "He is a really smart kid," Levis said. "We've been able to talk a lot about just the different installs that we've gone through and hearing his perspective, how he sees things. He's a heck of an athlete, a heck of a quarterback, too." Ward was similarly complimentary: "It's been good," Ward said. "[Levis] was one of the first ones to come up to me in the locker room. It's exciting to work with somebody who's played an actual NFL football game. So I'm glad to take a little advice from him." Levis has faced struggles before, most notably the 2023 first-round slide that saw him land with the Titans in the first place. He entered the NFL with starting potential but so far hasn't been what the Titans need to reach the playoffs for the first time since the 2021 season, but that also doesn't mean he's done. Geno Smith had a similar start to his career andjust signed an $88.5 million extension. Titans coach Brian Callahan praised the work Levis did with personal coach Jordan Palmer over the offseason. If he keeps showing improvement on the field for the Titans, he could give them a good problem to have if both he and Ward look game-ready.

DALLAS (AP) — This playoff run has felt different for Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers, though they are now back in the same place. They haveadvanced to their second Stanley Cup Final in a row, again against Florida after losing a seven-game series to the Panthers last June. "I think we're better for going through last year. It's a great learning experience and it's really driven us all year," McDavid, their captain, said after the Oilers wrapped up their second Western Conference title in a row. "This run has felt different than last year. It's felt very normal. ... I don't want to say boring because it's not boring at all. It hasn't been as emotional." Edmonton won in its first clinching opportunity in all three series so far this postseason. After losing their first two games at Los Angeles in the opening round, the Oilers won four in a row against the Kings, took out Vegas in five games and then did the same to the Dallas Stars in a West final rematch that ended with a 6-3 win Thursday night. Game 1 of their Stanley Cup rematch is Wednesday night in Edmonton. "We haven't had the highs and we haven't had the lows. It's just kind of been steady,"McDavid said. "I think that does put us in a good position. You know those games can be emotionally draining. We're not drained. ... You know, we've got as good a chance as they do." Florida wrapped up the East in five games over Carolina to get to itsthird Stanley Cup Final in a row. The Panthers won the first three games against Edmonton last year, then finished it off with a2-1 victoryafter the Oilers forced a Game 7. That was the first Stanley Cup Final for the Oilers since 2006, their only other one since the franchise's five titles in a seven-season span from 1984-90. "I think we spent seven months getting ready for this playoff run. Like, I think it was on our minds since we lost that last game," coach Kris Knoblauch said. "A long, tough summer, and training camp, regular season and it was just kind of punching our card, showing up, wanting the playoffs, just having another opportunity." While top scorers McDavid (26 points, six goals) and Leon Draisaitl (25 points, seven goals) were the players on the podium after the West clincher, these playoffs have been more than a two-man show for the Oilers. Nineteen different players have goals, 11 of them have at least three. Corey Perry, 40, has seven goals — the most in a single postseason by any player 39 or older. Both goalies, Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard, have won six games. Regular-season starter Skinner was replaced in net after the two losses to the Kings. He took over again when Pickard got hurt midway through the second round against Vegas. Skinner finished off the Golden Knights with consecutive shutouts, including a 1-0 overtime win in the clincher, and posted another shutout against the Stars. "We're mature. We've learned, and we're learning every game. The way we're playing, the calmness on the bench and making plays when things are going hairy on the ice," Perry said. "This group, it's been a want since the end of last year. There's been a lot of things said about what happened last year and self-reflecting. But here we are." So are they glad they get another shot at the Panthers? "It doesn't matter. You're competing for a Stanley Cup," said Perry, a Cup champion at age 22 with Anaheim in 2007, and now going into his fifth Final in six seasons while still seeking another title. "I mean we know what they're about. We played them seven times and they're a good team," Draisaitl said. "We're really a good team as well. Obviously it's nice to get a shot at, you know, getting some revenge, but a long ways from that." ___ AP NHL playoffs:https://apnews.com/hub/stanley-cupandhttps://apnews.com/hub/nhl

Mustafa Yalcin/Anadolu via Getty; Tim Clayton via Getty Naomi Osaka shared a new image of the painful open blisters on her knuckles after losing the first round of the 2025 French Open "I genuinely cannot bend these fingers all the way lol," the tennis star wrote on Instagram, per theNew York Post Following the match, Osaka became emotional as she admitted, "I hate disappointing people" Naomi Osakahas revealed a painful injury following her first round exit from the2025 French Openon Monday, May 26. The tennis star, 27, shared an Instagram Stories post of a cluster of open blisters on her knuckles on Thursday, May 29. "I genuinely cannot bend these fingers all the way lol," she wrote, per theNew York Post. The four-time Grand Slam champion lost the first round of the French Open to Spain'sPaula Badosain three sets, 6-7, 6-1, 6-4. In a subsequent Instagram Stories post, Osaka shared an image of her sneakers on a court and wrote per theNew York Post, "Me: 'I'm sick of this I'm gonna take a break for a while,' " followed by "Me a day after my match because I have anxiety if I don't work out." In a post-match press conference held on May 26, Osaka explained she had been working through the tough blisters since the Italian Open earlier this month. "Since Rome, I have had blisters on my hands," she said, perBBC Sport. "I think it's the friction of clay because I don't have blisters on any other surface." Tim Clayton via Getty During her match against Badosa, 27, Osaka also called a medical timeout after the end of the first set as she struggled with the blisters, according to the outlet. Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE's free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. The sports star then became emotional during the press conference and started to cry, according to theNew York Post. "I hate disappointing people," she said. "Even with [coach] Patrick [Mouratoglou], I was thinking just now, he goes from working with like the greatest player ever [Serena Williams] to like, what the f–-- this is." Robert Prange/Getty Photos from the match show Osaka briefly kneeling on the ground and examining her fingers. In 2024, Osaka was forced to forfeit in the second round of the China Open due to a back injury. In a heartwarming show of sportsmanship,U.S. player Coco Gauff, who was Osaka's opponent at the time,helped her move her bags off the court. In avideo of the moment posted to Xat the time, Gauff, 21, asked Osaka if she was okay or needed any help, with Osaka replying in a surprised voice saying "Really?" Gauff then grabbed one of Osaka's tennis bags to carry and the two walked off the court to cheers from the crowd. Read the original article onPeople

LIVERPOOL, England (Reuters) - A British man appeared in court on Friday charged with causing grievous bodily harm after a car ploughed into a crowd of Liverpool soccer fans during this week's victory parade. Paul Doyle, from the West Derby area of Liverpool, is charged with seven offences including dangerous driving and two counts of causing grievous bodily harm with intent. The 53-year-old appeared at Liverpool Magistrates' Court on Friday morning and confirmed his name, address and date of birth before the case was briefly adjourned. The incident took place in Liverpool's packed city centre on Monday evening, as around a million people had come out to celebrate Liverpool's Premier League win and watch an open-top bus parade the team and its staff with the trophy. (Reporting by Phil Noble in Liverpool and Sam Tobin and Sam Tabahriti in London; editing by William James)

ROME (AP) —Massimiliano Allegriis headed back to AC Milan. Gian Piero Gasperini could leave Atalanta forRoma. Maurizio Sarri might be rehired by Lazio. Juventus, meanwhile, needs an entirely new plan after Antonio Conte decided to stay atSerie A champion Napoli. Less than a week after the Italian league concluded, theSerie Acoaching carousel is approaching full speed. All 10 of the top 10 finishers in Serie A are either looking for a new coach or have had to work hard to convince their current manager to stay. Here's where the top 10 teams stand: Napoli(1st place) Conte appeared interested in a return to Juventus but announced late Thursday following a meeting with Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis that he would stay in place. Conte still has two years remaining on his contract at Napoli, which will now include a salary increase. It's an important development for Napoli, which saw Luciano Spalletti leave the club after he coached the Partenopei to the title two years ago. Conte may have been swayed by Napoli's intent on signing Kevin De Bruyne, with Jonathan David also high on the club's wish list. Inter Milan(2nd) With Inter set to face Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final on Saturday, Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal is reportedly trying to lure Simone Inzaghi with an offer of more than 20 million euros ($23 million) per season. "Fortunately, my club knows me well," Inzaghi said on Monday. "Every year, there are offers from Italy and abroad, from Saudi Arabia, but I think it would be crazy to think about that now." The Italian coach has been at Inter since 2021 and has one more year left on his contract. Atalanta(3rd) Gasperini appears to have had enough after nine seasons at Atalanta that included a Europa League triumph, six top-four finishes in Serie A, and a Champions League quarterfinal. Gasperini's talks with Roma's American ownership are reportedly moving along. If Gasperini does indeed leave, Atalanta could hire former Juventus coach Thiago Motta or former Milan coach Stefano Pioli. Juventus(4th) Juventus' plans are perhaps the most unclear of any of the top teams, with sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli reportedly set to be replaced and Conte no longer on the market. For now, Igor Tudor is still in charge despite voicing his displeasure with his status after guiding Juventus to the final Champions League place. Tudor is open to coaching Juventus at the Club World Cup, his agent said Monday, a day after the Croatian indicated he might not be. Roma(5th) With Claudio Ranieri heading into retirement, Gasperini appears to be Roma's choice for a replacement. Whoever is hired will become Roma's fourth coach in the 1 ½ years since Jose Mourinho was fired, following Daniele De Rossi, Ivan Juric and Ranieri. Gasperini's only experience coaching a big Italian club came when he lasted just five winless matches at Inter Milan in 2011. Fiorentina(6th) Raffaele Palladino has reportedly resigned at Fiorentina after only one year in charge, although the move has not been announced yet. Palladino coached Fiorentina to a Conference League spot and it was regarded as a successful season, so his resignation caught club management off guard. Lazio(7th) Marco Baroni is on his way out at Lazio after failing to secure the club a spot in Europe. The Roman team appears interested in rehiring Sarri, who already coached Lazio from 2021-2024. AC Milan(8th) Allegri was hired on Friday, a day after Sergio Conceicao was fired following Milan's failure to qualify for Europe. Allegri coached Milan to the Serie A title in 2011. Milan began the season as a potential title contender but ended up 19 points behind Napoli. Bologna(9th) Vincenzo Italiano's contract was extended by a year through 2027 after he led the squad to the Italian Cup title —Bologna's first major trophy in 51 years— which qualified the team for the Europa League. Milan reportedly wanted to hire Italiano but Bologna gave him a salary increase to 3 million euros ($3.4 million) per season, plus bonuses, the Gazzetta dello Sport reported. Como(10th) Cesc Fabregas has been a revelation at Como in his first coaching job and was reportedly considered as a possible replacement for Xabi Alonso at Bayer Leverkusen until Erik ten Hag was hired by the German club. Como seems willing to spend more to keep Fabregas in place. ___ AP soccer:https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

OXON HILL, Md. (AP) — Faizan Zaki's enthusiasm for spelling nearly got the better of him. Ultimately, his joyful approach made him the Scripps National Spelling Bee champion. The favorite entering the bee after his runner-up finish last year — during which he never misspelled a word in a conventional spelling round, only tolose a lightning-round tiebreakerthat he didn't practice for — the shaggy-haired Faizan wore the burden of expectations lightly, sauntering to the microphone in a black hoodie and spelling his words with casual glee. Throughout Thursday night's finals, the 13-year-old from Allen, Texas, looked like a champion in waiting. Then he nearly threw it away. But even a shocking moment of overconfidence couldn't prevent him from seizing the title of best speller in the English language. With the bee down to three spellers, Sarvadnya Kadam and Sarv Dharavane missed their words back-to-back, putting Faizan two words away from victory. The first was "commelina," but instead of asking the requisite questions — definition, language of origin — to make sure he knew it, Faizan let his showman's instincts take over. "K-A-M," he said, then stopped himself. "OK, let me do this. Oh, shoot!" "Just ring the bell," he told head judge Mary Brooks, who obliged. "So now you know what happens," Brooks said, and the other two spellers returned to the stage. Later, standing next to the trophy with confetti at his feet, Faizan said: "I'm definitely going to be having nightmares about that tonight." Even pronouncer Jacques Bailly tried to slow Faizan down before his winning word, "eclaircissement," but Faizan didn't ask a single question before spelling it correctly, and he pumped his fists and collapsed to the stage after saying the final letter. The bee celebrated its 100th anniversary this year, and Faizan may be the first champion who's remembered more for a word he got wrong than one he got right. "I think he cared too much about his aura," said Bruhat Soma, Faizan's buddy who beat him in the "spell-off" tiebreaker last year. Faizan had a more nuanced explanation: After not preparing for the spell-off last year, he overcorrected, emphasizing speed during his study sessions. Although Bruhat was fast last year when he needed to be, he followed the familiar playbook for champion spellers: asking thorough questions, spelling slowly and metronomically, showing little emotion. Those are among the hallmarks of well-coached spellers, and Faizan had three coaches: Scott Remer, Sam Evans and Sohum Sukhantankar. None of them could turn Faizan into a robot on stage. "He's crazy. He's having a good time, and he's doing what he loves, which is spelling," Evans said. Said Zaki Anwar, Faizan's father: "He's the GOAT. I actually believe that. He's really good, man. He's been doing it for so long, and he knows the dictionary in and out." A thrilling centennial After last year's bee had little drama before an abrupt move to the spell-off, Scrippstweaked the competition rules, giving judges more leeway to let the competition play out before going to the tiebreaker. The nine finalists delivered. During one stretch, six spellers got 28 consecutive words right, and there were three perfect rounds during the finals. The last time there was a single perfect round wasthe infamous 2019 bee, which ended in an eight-way tie. Sarv, an 11-year-old fifth-grader from Dunwoody, Georgia, who ultimately finished third, would have been the youngest champion since Nihar Janga in 2016. He has three years of eligibility remaining. The most poised and mature of the final three, Sarvadnya — who's from Visalia, California — ends his career as the runner-up. He's 14 and in the eighth grade, which means he has aged out of the competition. It's not a bad way to go out, considering that Faizan became just the fifth runner-up in a century to come back and win, and the first since Sean Conley in 2001. Including Faizan, whose parents emigrated from southern India, 30 of the past 36 champions have been Indian American, a run that began with Nupur Lala's victory in 1999, which was later featured in the documentary "Spellbound." Lala was among the dozens of past champions who attended this year and signed autographs for spellers, families and bee fans to honor the anniversary. With the winner's haul of $52,500 added to his second-place prize of $25,000, Faizan increased his bee earnings to $77,500. His big splurge with his winnings last year? A $1,500 Rubik's cube with 21 squares on each side. This time, he said he'd donate a large portion of his winnings to charity. The bee began in 1925 when the Louisville Courier-Journal invited other newspapers to host spelling bees and send their champions to Washington. For the past 14 years, Scripps has hosted the competition at a convention center just outside the nation's capital, but the bee returns downtown next year to Constitution Hall, a nearly century-old concert venue near the White House. A passionate champion Faizan has been spelling for more than half his life. He competed in the 2019 bee as a 7-year-old, getting in through a wild-card program that has since been discontinued. He qualified again in 2023 and made the semifinals before last year's second-place finish. "One thing that differentiates him is he really has a passion for this. In his free time, when he's not studying for the bee, he's literally looking up archaic, obsolete words that have no chance of being asked," Bruhat said. "I don't think he cares as much about the title as his passion for language and words." Faizan had no regrets about showing that enthusiasm, even though it nearly cost him. "No offense to Bruhat, but I think he really took the bee a little too seriously," Faizan said. "I decided to have fun with this bee, and I did well, and here I am." ___ Nuckols has covered the Scripps National Spelling Bee since 2012. Follow his workhere.

The New York Knicks found a lead that was safe against the Indiana Pacers. In a 2025 Eastern Conference finals that has seen both teams choke away big leads, the Knicks found a Game 5 advantage and kept it against their fellow comeback artists in a 111-94 win. Game 6 is scheduled for Saturday in Indiana (8 p.m. ET, TNT). It was Indiana's first loss in a Game 5 all playoffs after closing out the Milwaukee Bucks and Cleveland Cavaliers in the same situation. The mechanics of the blowout came down to two major factors: Jalen Brunson and a miserable night on offense for the Pacers. The Knicks star posted 32 points on 12-of-18 shooting with five rebounds and five assists, continuing a stellar series in which he was averaging 33.3 points per game entering Thursday. Brunson joined LeBron James, Michael Jordan and potential NBA Finals opponent Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as the only players to post at least 10 games of 30 points and five assistsin a single postseason. Brunson's point guard counterpart, Tyrese Haliburton, was a bit quieter. He posted eight points on 2-of-7 shooting with six assists and two rebounds. As a team, the Pacers shot 40.5% with 20 turnovers. None of that is to say the Pacers were dead all night, though. The Knicks never trailed and were up by as many as 22 points late in the third quarter, but Indiana cut it to 12 early in the fourth quarter. Any fan in Madison Square Garden who says they weren't worried at that point is lying. It might be hyperbole to say that about a second half in which the Knicks led by double digits throughout, but that's the reputation the Pacers have earned given what they've done in all three of their series this postseason. Tom Thibodeau was certainly concerned, as that was when the Knicks head coach reinserted his starters. That group held on until Indiana finally waved the white flag with two minutes remaining. "Knicks in seven" chants rang out soon after. Now comes the harder part for New York. The Knicks staved off elimination at home with a loud crowd behind them, but Game 6 will feature a Gainbridge Fieldhouse audience fully aware of how close its team is to its first Finals since 2000. It will be loud, and it won't even be the only game the Knicks need to win. But for now, they can say they definitely looked like the better team on Thursday.

In the summer of 2021, Paris Saint-Germain had seemingly everything it needed to get the one thing it didn't have: a reputation as one of global soccer's big winners. Its roster appeared built out of a video game. Kylian Mbappé, the 22-year-old World Cup champion from France, alongside Brazilian superstar Neymar and, in a breathtaking signing, Lionel Messi, the Argentine many considered the world's best player of all time. The collection of three of the world's best goal-scorers — and a total payroll of nearly $430 million — was made possible by the club's equally staggering resources. Since 2011, PSG has been owned by an arm of Qatar's sovereign wealth fund, which spent freely to establish it among the world's most accomplished clubs. Although PSG routinely won France's top soccer division, it had never won the Champions League, Europe's annual and most prestigious club tournament, and only once played for the title. By some metrics, the two-year run featuring Mbappé, Messi and Neymar was a smashing success. Star-studded PSG raked in more than $1 billion in revenue, according to the club. But by exiting the Champions League in the round of 16 in 2022 and 2023, and with Mbappé, Neymar and Messi playing together in only about a third of their potential games, PSG never came close to conquering Europe on the field. All three stars eventually departed, replaced by younger, less expensive successors. For most clubs, that would have signaled the start of a rebuild. Instead, just two years later, a less-heralded, less-expensive version of PSG could win the most coveted title that eluded its starrier predecessors when it plays Internazionale of Milan in the Champions League final Saturday in Munich. A Champions League trophy would be notable not only for PSG, one of the most prominent clubs never to have won the tournament. Only one team from France has ever won it, and that was 32 years ago. PSG enters as the favorite because under manager Luis Enrique, it operates no longer as a star system but as a team, said NBC Sports analyst Robbie Mustoe, a former English Premier League player. "There's a lot of evidence that having star players in a team doesn't make a team, and PSG is such a great example with Neymar and Lionel Messi and Mbappé and everybody else they've had there," Mustoe said. "It takes an all-around team, and you can't really have passengers too much now. And what I mean by that is players that switch on when they have the ball and switch off when they don't have the ball. "PSG is such an amazing example of this, where they changed the manager, they obviously got rid of all the star players, they went younger, they went hungrier." Even with Mbappé only 22 years old in 2021, the average age on PSG's roster that season was 27.8, two years older than on its average opponent, thanks to 34-year-old Messi's joining 29-year-old Neymar and 33-year-old Ángel Di Maria. This season, the team's average age is 25, two years younger than that of its average opponent, a reflection of PSG's decision after the 2023 season to "completely change its strategy" of roster construction, Alice Lefebvre, a reporter for Agence France-Presse who covers PSG, said by email. Knicks playoff games have turned into photo shoots for A-list celebrities Oklahoma City Thunder advance to NBA Finals MLB invests in Athletes Unlimited Softball League ahead of June debut "The club's management have stopped obsessing over the Champions League, as they had done until now, and have officially stated that they are giving themselves time to build a project around the young players and youngsters coming through the Parisian training program," Lefebvre wrote. "As the season progressed, despite some internal tensions between a few players and Luis Enrique at the start of the season, a new spirit began to permeate the team. Everyone plays for everyone, and everyone presses for the ball, just as the coach wants." Enrique and sporting director Luís Campos recruited younger players including French winger Désiré Doué, 20, a breakout star for whom the team paid $54 million to acquire last summer, João Neves and Willian Pacho. The oldest mainstay is 31-year-old Brazilian defender Marquinhos. The majority of the team is either in its prime, such as leading scorer Ousmane Dembélé, or entering it, like 22-year-old Bradley Barcola, whom Enrique has called "the best passer in Ligue 1; he's one of the best dribblers in Europe." The arrival in January of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia from Italy strengthened PSG's ability to attack. Weaving it all together is Enrique, who was used to high-profile, high-pressure jobs before, after having managed Barcelona to a Champions League title, then coached the Spanish national team. When PSG hired him in 2023 after Messi had left and Neymar was in the process of exiting, Enrique arrived with a specific project, Lefebvre wrote, of getting young players who would defend and attack in unison. In Champions League competition, PSG owns the fourth-highest passing accuracy and the third-highestpossession percentage. "As long as Luis Enrique is here, the strategy will remain one of youth rather than stars," Lefebvre wrote. Enrique was also tasked with overhauling a change in attitude. The team would be built no longer on the potential brilliance of three players, but on the doggedness of all 11. "A Paris Saint-Germain player has to get used to starting, coming off the bench or even not being called up," Enrique told reporters amid the team's Champions League run. "We make sure that every player who comes on is at 100% and gives his all." Perhaps the coach's best work has been coaxing a career-best season out of Dembélé, whose potential had always been evident. Barcelona signed Dembélé in 2017 with ambitions of his becoming the successor to its outgoing star Neymar. Instead, during six inconsistent seasons combined, he scored 24 goals and assisted on 34 more. When PSG needed its own Neymar replacement in 2023, it placed its hopes on Dembélé, too. This season, his second for PSG, Dembélé scored 21 goals during the domestic season and eight more in 14 Champions League matches, and he added 10 assists between the two. Enrique's coaching has mimicked Dembélé's role earlier in his career at clubs in France and Germany, allowing for "more freedom to go everywhere on the pitch," Dembélé saidthis week. "I have my bearings," he said "I just try to create space and to cause a bit of chaos in midfield. This has been paying off so far." Relative to its past, PSG reined in its payroll this season to $220 million, a number that is nonetheless still larger than that of the three next-high-spending teams in France's top division combined and that would also rank second-highest in England's Premier League, the world's richest domestic soccer league. What is different is that now PSG could have a trophy to show for all that spending. While past PSG teams weren't prepared to "suffer," said Mustoe — a buzzword in global soccer with the loose definition of a team's ability to endure its struggles — this year, "they have a team that suffers with immense ability," he said. PSG proved it during the knockout stage of the Champions League, when advancing relies on the aggregate score of a two-game series. PSG lost in the round of 16 to Liverpool at home, then held firm to win on the road on penalties and advance. After it beat Aston Villa in the quarterfinals, it won again on the road to open its semifinal against Arsenal, then advanced to only the club's second Champions League final with a home win on May 7. "If we were to analyze everything that has happened in the UEFA Champions League this season, I think it would make a great thriller or horror film or even a very good series, because it has had a bit of everything," Enrique, who managed Barcelona to a Champions League title a decade ago,said this week. "I think we should be proud of what we've achieved. However, we have to finish the job because what we're really aiming for is to make history."

Chris Sale became the fastest pitcher to reach 2,500 strikeouts, pitched six scoreless innings and the Atlanta Braves beat the Philadelphia Phillies 9-3 on Thursday night to split a doubleheader. The Phillies won the afternoon game 5-4. Sale (3-3) struck out Edmundo Sosa in the sixth inning for his eighth strikeout, to reach the milestone. He did it in 2,026 innings, surpassing the record of 2,107 2/3 set by Randy Johnson. Sale became the 40th pitcher in major league history to reach 2.500 strikeouts and joined Clayton Kershaw, Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer as the only active pitchers to have reached that plateau. Sosa was the last hitter Sale faced. He allowed just two hits in six shutout innings. Austin Riley had a double, a homer, and four RBIs, Ozzie Albies homered and drove in three, and Luke Williams had a pair of RBIs for the Braves, who snapped a three-game losing skid. Zack Wheeler (6-2) allowed six runs in 5 1/3 innings for the Phillies, who lost for just the second time in their last 13 games. BLUE JAYS 12, ATHLETICS 0 TORONTO (AP) — Ernie Clement homered and had five RBIs, Bo Bichette homered and drove in three runs, and Toronto used an eight-run second inning to rout the struggling Athletics. José Berríos (2-2) and two relievers combined on a four-hitter as the Blue Jays recorded their second straight shutout and fourth of the season. All four have come since May 20. The Athletics have lost three straight and 14 of 15, getting outscored 117-44 in that span. The A's have been outscored by 101 total runs this season. They've lost by 10 or more runs an MLB-worst seven times. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit a two-run homer and George Springer added a solo shot for Toronto. Alejandro Kirk reached base four times, scored twice and drove in a run with a sacrifice fly. The A's have allowed at least one home run in 11 consecutive games, giving up 25 total homers in that span. Athletics opponents have hit 84 home runs this season. Berríos struck out nine in six innings to win for the first time since April 7 at Boston. Athletics left-hander Jacob Lopez (0-3) allowed seven runs and six hits in 1 2/3 innings, his third straight losing start. RAYS 13, ASTROS 3 HOUSTON (AP) — Junior Caminero homered and drove in a career-high six RBIs to lead Tampa Bay to a win over Houston. The game was tied 3-all with no outs and two on in the seventh when Yandy Díaz's RBI single put the Rays on top. Tampa Bay made it 5-3 when Jonathan Aranda reached and Díaz scored on a fielding error by first baseman Victor Caratini. Caminero then connected off Bryan King (3-1) on his 11th homer this season to push the lead to 8-3. The 21-year-old Caminero, who finished a triple shy of the cycle, drove in two more runs on a double in Tampa Bay's five-run eighth that made it 13-3. Jose Altuve and Yainer Diaz hit solo homers for the Astros, whose four-game winning streak was halted. NATIONALS 9, MARINERS 3, 10 INNINGS SEATTLE (AP) — Josh Bell hit a three-run homer in a seven-run 10th inning in Washington's victory over Seattle. The Nationals set a franchise record for runs in an extra inning. Rookie Daylen Lile got the outburst started against Collin Snider (1-1) with a sacrifice fly to deep right that came just a few feet shy of a home run. Luis Garcia Jr. doubled home a pair of runs before Bell hit eighth home run of the season and second in two days. For a good while, it appeared Nationals starter MacKenzie Gore would require little offensive support, considering MLB's strikeout leader racked up eight strikeouts across six shutout innings to up his season total to 101. Gore was buoyed, too, byJames Wood's two-RBI double to left field in the sixth inning,and was in line for the victory that instead went to Nationals reliever Jose A. Ferrer (2-2). But in the seventh, the Mariners drew back even. Leody Taveras and Ben Williamson had back-to-back RBI singles to tied it at 2.

At the end of last year's Scripps National Spelling Bee, Faizan Zaki grimaced, nodded his head and offered a gracious handshake as runner-up to winner Bruhat Soma after a dramatic spell-off. One year later, Zaki stood alone, with a trophy in hand. The 13-year-old Allen, Texas, native beat out eight other finalists to win the 2025 Scripps National Spelling Bee on Thursday in National Harbor, Maryland. His winning word: "éclaircissement." You can see the moment he won in the video above. His prizes: $50,000 cash from Scripps, a medal and the Scripps Cup trophy $2,500 cash from Merriam-Webster, plus a reference library from the dictionary company. $400 worth of books from Encyclopædia Britannica $1,000 in Scholastic Dollars donated to the school of his choice A five-year subscription to a News-O-Matic platform for his school First runner-up Sarvadnya Kadam will receive $25,000, while second runner-up Sarv Dharavane will get $15,000. Zaki had previously competed three times in the spelling bee, finishing 370th in 2019, 21st in 2023 and as the runner-up in 2024. It was nearly another heartbreaker for Zaki earlier in the finals, though. He was poised to win the event after Kadam and Dharavane both misspelled their words in the 18th round. After being asked to spell "commelina," Zaki jumped the gun and started spelling before bothering to ask for the definition or origin. Three letters in — "K, A, M" — Zaki realized his mistake. Kadam and Dharavane reentered the competition, with Dharavane quipping, "This is surprising." Fortunately for Zaki, Dharavane misspelled his next word too, while Kadam fell in the next round, setting him up to take the title. On the final word, longtime spelling bee pronouncer, and former champion, Jacques Bailly playfully asked for "all of us to take a deep breath," to which Zaki deadpanned, "That did not help at all." Zaki again didn't ask for the definition or origin of "éclaircissement," but he clearly had the letters in his head as soon as he heard it. And as soon as the judges confirmed he got it right, he fell to the ground, followed a moment later by the confetti. You can see every word Zaki spelled on his way to victory here.

"Knicks in 7" chants echoed around "The World's Most Famous Arena" on Thursday night as the duo of Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns led the New York Knicks to an Eastern Conference Finals-extending 111-94 win over the Indiana Pacers. Despite being pushed to the brink of elimination, the Knicks came out the gates fast and stomped the Pacers to force a Game 6. Brunson finished with 32 points, while Towns added 24 points and 13 rebounds. The 29-year-old Towns came into Game 5 listed as a game-time decision with a knee contusion, but showed little signs of discomfort in the dominant win. "I looked at the game and it said Game 5 do-or-die. That was pretty much all I needed to see," Towns told reporters after the game. "Shout out to our medical staff. They gave me a chance to go out there and compete tonight." The Knicks suffered two brutal losses to open the series at Madison Square Garden but were able to shake them off, securing their first home win of the ECF so far. With a who's who of celebrities sitting courtside – including actors Timothée Chalamet and Ben Stiller, Kylie Jenner, and director Spike Lee – it was the captain Brunson that set the tone for the Knickerbockers. The 28-year-old Brunson scored 14 first quarter points and set a franchise record with his 21st career postseason game of at least 30 points with New York. That was not the only record broken: Brunson and Towns became the first teammates to both score 20+ points in each of the first five games of a conference finals since Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal did so for the Los Angeles Lakers in 2002. "He was cooking. That's what I saw. I saw him cooking," Towns said of Brunson. "Especially when you're getting points at that kind of rate, you got to get some stops. You want to be able to get some stops while cap is on that kind of burner." Besides the offensive feats for the Knicks, it was their defense especially keying in on stopping Pacers star guard Tyrese Haliburton. In Indiana's Game 4 win,the two-time All Star finished with 32 points, 12 rebounds, 15 assists, four steals and zero turnovers. It was the first time in league playoff history that a player had registered at least 30 points, 15 assists and 10 rebounds without a turnover. However, Game 5 yielded a much different result for Haliburton, who finished with eight points and six assists. "We're up 3-1, their season is on the line today," Haliburton said. "Understand they are going to come out and play hard. … Now, it is on us to respond in Game 6. When you get here, at this point, there is no such thing as surprises. You got to be prepared for whatever is to come. "Kudos to them, they played better than us today. We've got to be prepared for Game 6." Brunson downplayed if he felt pressure to outplay Haliburton after his previous games' heroics. "He played phenomenal in Game 4. Our backs are against the wall," Brunson said. "I wasn't thinking, 'I need to play better than him.' I was just thinking, 'I need to help my team win.' And that's my mindset every time I am on the court." The Pacers, looking to clinch their second-ever NBA Finals appearance, will have another go on Saturday night in front of their home fans at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account atCNN.com

NEW DELHI (AP) — The world's richest franchise cricket league is ongoing in India, a cricket- crazy country of 1.4 billion. The Indian Premier League features top players from around the world and attracts hundreds of millions of TV viewers. While the format leads to high-tempo action on the field, Twenty20 cricket has also sparked an evolution in off-field entertainment in cricket. Cheerleaders dancing on podiums, DJs sitting behind decks spinning tunes, and fancy dress themes are all part of the T20 game for crowds, bringing a colorful new twist for those at the stadium and broadcast viewers. This year, 65 international cricketers from Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Sri Lanka, West Indies, England and Afghanistan have joined India's high-profile players in the tournament. The tournament started March 23 and the final is set for June 3 at Ahmedabad. The championship decider will be played at Narendra Modi Stadium, the world's largest cricket venue with a seating capacity of 132,000. _______ This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors.