Leonardo Bonucci has no doubt Italy will recover from their World Cup qualifying humiliation to be a major power once again, pointing out they produced a similar response not so long ago.
Italy were incredibly defeated 1-0 by North Macedonia in Thursday's Qatar 2022 qualifying play-off semi-final, with Aleksandar Trajkovski's stoppage-time winner stunning world football.
Roberto Mancini's men had dominated the match, but Trajkovski's speculative long-range effort left Azzurri players and coaching staff looking dismayed.
It marked a monumental change in fortunes from last year when a largely unfancied Italy side won Euro 2020, which was seen a huge achievement given their absence from Russia 2018.
As such, this will be the first time in World Cup history Italy have missed consecutive tournaments, with their failure to reach the 2018 edition instigating something of rebuild of the senior set-up.
Mancini has seemingly escaped much of the criticism, with many fans of the opinion he overachieved significantly when guiding them to European Championship success last year, and Bonucci appears to be confident Italy will respond swiftly and efficiently.
Bonucci, who missed Thursday's defeat due to injury, wrote on Instagram: "The two emotions are at opposite ends. The great euphoria and joy of the summer [at Euro 2020] are clearly contrasted with the disappointment and bitterness of this exclusion, exacerbated even more by not being able to help my team-mates for those 90 minutes.
"Now is the time to look ahead. Last summer we took the credit and praise for having done something unique; today we must take responsibility for not having earned the passage for our own demerits, more than for the merits of others.
"It is time for concrete and in-depth analysis to start over, to give Italy and the Italians what they deserve.
"We have done this before. And the climb has already begun, for me, for us.
"It will be hard to get back to the top, but we have already shown that we know how to get there. The future is now!"
Ricky Ponting thinks Rishabh Pant can follow the same path as Rohit Sharma and go on to captain India after becoming an inspirational leader in the Indian Premier League.
Pant was appointed Delhi Capitals skipper ahead of the 2021 IPL with Shreyas Iyer impacted by a shoulder injury.
The India wicketkeeper-batsman retained the role on a permanent basis and will come up against Rohit when Delhi start their IPL campaign with a showdown against Mumbai on Sunday.
Capitals coach Ponting championed Rohit to be installed as Indians skipper during the former Australia captain's time with that franchise and the batter has proved to be an impressive leader - lifting the IPL trophy five times.
Rohit has also taken over from Virat Kohli as India captain and Ponting believes Pant, 24, has the credentials to have that honour.
Ponting said: "I hadn't thought about that actually but they [Pant and Rohit] are actually quite similar.
"When Rohit took over at Mumbai, he was quite a young man as well, and had started out in his international cricket.
"He was probably very similar, I'm not sure how old he was but he would have been 23-24, similar to what Rishabh is here at the Delhi Capitals.
"To tell you honestly, they're quite similar people. I know they are great mates and they talk all the time and they're probably exchanging things about leadership and captaincy along the way as well.
"Rohit probably doesn't want to give too many secrets away because we're going to play against him in a couple of days' time. I think there's every opportunity for Rishabh's journey to be similar to Rohit Sharma's.
"He's a young captain of a successful franchise and growing on a daily basis and hopefully Rishabh can have the same sort of success Rohit's had at the Mumbai Indians.
"And then with some experience in a role like this in a high-pressure tournament like the IPL, I've got no doubt in the years to come there's every chance that Rishabh could be an international captain. No doubt about it."
Sinisa Mihajlovic is facing a new leukaemia battle after the Bologna head coach revealed he is heading back to hospital for treatment.
The Serie A stalwart, who played for Roma, Sampdoria, Lazio and Inter, was first diagnosed with the disease ahead of the 2019-20 season and underwent a bone marrow transplant in October 2019. He was back in the dugout six weeks later.
He has remained boss of Bologna since then but will step away from his responsibilities for an indeterminate period after revealing he has encountered a setback.
Mihajlovic announced the news on Saturday, telling reporters in a news conference that a routine test had given cause for concern.
"In recent years the recovery was excellent, but unfortunately, from the latest analysis some alarm bells have emerged and there is a risk of a reappearance of the disease," Mihajlovic said.
"This disease is very courageous in returning to face an opponent like me."
Former Yugoslavia hard man Mihajlovic, who has coached teams including Sampdoria, Milan and Fiorentina, spoke of the challenges of always knowing there might be a bump in the road after his initial recovery.
"You can fall, and you have to find the strength to get up," he said. "At the beginning of next week I will have to be absent, and I will be hospitalised again at Sant'Orsola. I know I am in excellent hands. Unlike two and a half years ago, when I was in tears, this time you see me calmer.
"I know what I have to do, and my situation is very different than it was then."
Mihajlovic is hoping for a swift return to his Bologna duties, but it will not be immediate. "I will certainly have to skip some matches," he said.
Bologna sit 12th in Serie A and have won just one of 10 league games since the turn of the year, losing six times. Mihajlovic is convinced his players can thrive without him and rise to his encouragement which will come from afar.
Their next match is an April 4 clash with leaders Milan.
"I know they will fight for me. They are all good guys and good players," said 53-year-old Mihajlovic. "I ask the wonderful Bologna fans to support and help them, I am sure it will happen both in training and in matches.
"None of us will give an inch, we'll move up in the table, and I'll be back with the team soon."
Reggae Boyz head coach Paul Hall has made it clear that if players in the Jamaica Premier League (JPL) are deemed good enough, they will be given opportunities in the national side.
He made his comments in a post-match interview after his side played out a 1-1 draw with El Salvador in a World Cup Qualifier at the National Stadium on Thursday.
Locally-based players such as Cavalier’s Richard King, Mount Pleasant’s Daniel Green, Dunbeholden’s Atapharoy Bygrave and Waterhouse’s Ramone Howell all saw action against El Salvador and there were others among the substitutes. Hall says there is a reason they are all in the mix.
“The reason why they were in the squad is because I rate them highly,” Hall said before going on to issue a warning to overseas based players who declined the opportunity to represent the team.
“I’ve watched every premier league game this weekend and I’ve seen some really good players and it’s just a message to people that if they’re not willing to come and be a part of us, there are players in there waiting to take their places, they just need the opportunity,” he said.
There has long been a call to give more local-based players an opportunity in international football and it seems Hall is set on making that happen.
“I said to the lads that this is about opportunity. If I give somebody an opportunity, I expect them to take it to keep somebody else out of the team. That’s what it’s all about,” he said.
Formula One team principals have explained how they were reassured of their safety in extensive talks following a missile attack near the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
The attack on an oil depot prompted an explosion that delayed FP2 in Jeddah on Friday.
F1 confirmed later on Friday and again early on Saturday the race would be going ahead, having met with the teams and heard their concerns before Saudi government authorities and security agencies offered "full and detailed assurances that the event is secure".
Facing the media ahead of FP3, team principals elaborated on these discussions, with Haas chief Gunther Steiner revealing: "For me, the assurance is if the authorities have got their own families here and they feel safe, I can be safe as well.
"They explained very credibly what [system] is in place. The technical details I am not in a position to explain that, because I'm not qualified enough. But there is stuff in place, which protects us, obviously. I'm not trained in that one.
"The credible explanation of what they do, and that their families are here with them, that gives me the assurance that I'm safe and that my team is safe."
Aston Martin's Mike Krack added: "We had quite a few high ranked authorities yesterday, and they explained to us the situation, they explained it to us in a very credible way.
"This made all of the 10 of us that were in the room confident that they take their responsibility very seriously."
Andreas Seidl of McLaren said: "In the end, we need to trust F1, and the authorities here, put safety always first for every single member of the paddock here.
"I have full trust that this is happening."
Virat Kohli feels "much more relaxed" without the responsibility of being captain ahead of Royal Challengers Bangalore's opening game against Punjab Kings on Sunday.
Kohli relinquished the captaincy at the end of the 2021 IPL and Faf du Plessis has been charged with the task of replacing him.
The former India skipper is in no doubt it was a wise decision to step down from a role he had held since 2013.
He told RCB's official website: "It's a good change; I'm much more relaxed.
"The same excitement of coming to practice and just focusing on my skills and what I need to do as a batter, looking forward to these sessions is something that I used to experience very regularly before.
"Not that you don't focus on it, but somewhere when you have other responsibilities, that tends to kind of take a back seat, and over a period of time when you do it over and over again, and your mind is only running in one direction, then you can tend to lose that joy to come and practice.
"For me, that's always been the essence of playing cricket and something that I've always wanted for it to be alive within me. And I certainly feel that joy of purely coming here and hitting the ball again."
Kohli says he can see things from a different perspective without being captain, but will still be a leader.
He said: "I see it from a very different point of view. When you take a decision like this, a lot of people go, 'One should look at things from a point of responsibility and you have to take responsibility'.
"And people don't understand that if you as a player cannot be the best version of yourself on the field, then that responsibility for me personally as a player means nothing."
Kohli added: "You can still be a leader within the team, drive the team forward towards success and winning trophies and titles, but I take a lot of pride in contributing for the team.
"If something, I feel, is pushing that joy down, that fun factor of just playing cricket, and just looking forward to doing something special on the field.
"If anything is coming in between that, and having the knowledge that you do have people who have able minds to be able to take the team forward, then I think it’s a wise thing for anyone to create some space for themselves.
"Just take a deep breath and restructure things and say, 'Hold on, I might not have looked at a lot of things that I need to work on, and here's a chance for me to restructure, rethink about what I want to do', and just find things to improve, find a little bit at practice something that you look forward to. That is something I’ve experienced in this phase."
Angel Di Maria said "thank you, thank you and a thousand times thank you" to the Argentina fans after playing what he expects to be his final international match on home soil.
Di Maria scored one and created another in a 3-0 World Cup qualifying win over Venezuela at La Bombonera on Friday – La Albiceleste's 30th consecutive match without defeat.
Paris Saint-Germain team-mate Lionel Messi was the beneficiary of Di Maria's assist and, with Argentina already sure of their place in Qatar, suggested after the match he would consider his international future following the World Cup.
Di Maria was slightly more definitive in his own post-match comments, as the 34-year-old reflected on "a wonderful night".
"I'm just going to say thank you for the enormous love I have received," he wrote on his Instagram page.
"I always dreamed of everything I lived on this beautiful night. It was probably my last match with this shirt in Argentina, and being able to say that it was a wonderful night is an understatement.
"Thank you, thank you and a thousand times thank you.
"Now to congratulate the whole team for the great match that was played, a perfect match by all. We continue growing and dreaming together. Let's go Argentina!!!"
Di Maria has earned 121 caps and scored 24 goals since his Argentina debut against Paraguay in 2008.
The former Real Madrid and Manchester United winger is in line to go to his fourth World Cup, although he has scored only twice and failed to provide an assist across 13 appearances in the previous three.
In his final major tournament, Di Maria will hope to repeat his Copa America heroics, having scored in July's final against Brazil to secure Argentina their first silverware with Messi in the side.
Friday's assist for Messi was Di Maria's first in qualifying for Qatar – from 13 chances created – yet only the captain and Lautaro Martinez (both seven) can top his three goals in this campaign.
Roberto Mancini says Italy must "take some time to reflect" and "work towards the future" after they failed to qualify for a second consecutive World Cup.
The Azzurri will not feature in the tournament in Qatar this year after suffering a sensational 1-0 play-off defeat to North Macedonia on Thursday.
Italy won Euro 2020 by beating England on penalties in the final at Wembley last July, but suffered heartbreak in Palermo this week.
Mancini's future has been called into question in certain quarters, but the head coach says it is important to look at where his side felt short and put the agony behind them.
He posted on Instagram: "Sometimes football can be a ruthless metaphor for life.
"Last summer we were on the top of Europe after having completed one of the most beautiful feats in the history of the national team. A few hours ago we woke up in one of the most dramatic points.
"We have gone from total joy to frustrating disappointment.
"It is really hard to accept, but also accepting the defeats in life is part of a healthy path of human and sporting growth.
"Let's take some time to reflect and understand clearly. The only right move now is to raise your head and work towards the future."
Emma Raducanu has hit back "unfair" criticism over her mounting sponsorship deals following her early exit from the Miami Open.
The US Open champion was beaten by Katerina Siniakova in her first match in Miami this week after being given a bye into the second round.
Raducanu has only won four WTA Tour matches since she was sensationally crowned champion at Flushing Meadows as a qualifier in New York last September.
The 19-year-old has been in demand off the court and last week revealed she will be a brand ambassador for Porsche.
Briton Raducanu insists she is still driving high standards in training as she strives to build on her maiden grand slam triumph.
"Maybe you just see, on the news or on social media, me signing this or that deal and I feel like it’s quite misleading because I’m doing five, six hours a day [in training], I’m at the club for 12 hours a day," the 19-year-old told reporters.
"But I throw out one post in the car on the way to practice and all of a sudden it’s 'I don't focus on tennis'. I think that it is unfair, but it's something I have learned to deal with and become a bit more insensitive to the outside noise.
"At the end of the day, I feel like my days [with sponsors] are pretty limited. I'm not doing crazy days. I'm doing three, four days every quarter, so it's really not that much."
The Saudi Arabian Grand Prix will go ahead after "extensive discussion" and a drivers' meeting amid concerns over a missile attack an oil depot near the circuit.
Formula One CEO Stefano Domenicali and FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem called an emergency meeting on Friday after a depot not far from the Jeddah Corniche Circuit was engulfed in flames.
The second practice session was delayed by 15 minutes as drivers and team principals met with officials.
They held another meeting that reportedly ran into the early hours on Saturday morning after F1 stated that the race would be staged.
F1 provided a further statement ahead of qualifying on Saturday, saying the event will still go ahead as planned.
"Formula One and the FIA can confirm that following discussions with all the teams and drivers, the 2022 FIA Formula One Saudi Arabian Grand Prix will continue as scheduled," the statement said.
"Following the widely reported incident that took place in Jeddah on Friday, there has been extensive discussion between all stakeholders, the Saudi government authorities and security agencies who have given full and detailed assurances that the event is secure.
"It has been agreed with all stakeholders to maintain a clear and open dialogue throughout the event and for the future."
The Grand Prix Drivers' Association (GPDA) said it was only natural the drivers should seek assurances over security.
"On seeing the smoke from the incident, it was difficult to remain a fully focused race driver and erase natural human concerns," a GPDA statement read.
"Consequently we went into long discussions between ourselves, with our team principals, and with the most senior people who run our sport.
"A large variety of opinions were shared and debated and, having listened not only to the F1 powers but also to the Saudi government ministers – who explained how security measures were being elevated to the maximum – the outcome was a resolution that we would practice and qualify today and race tomorrow.
"We therefore hope that the 2022 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix will be remembered as a good race rather than for the incident that took place yesterday."
Pat Cummins says popular interim head coach Andrew McDonald must take great credit for the "huge part" he played in Australia's 1-0 Test series win in Pakistan.
McDonald was placed in temporary charge following Justin Langer's shock resignation last month.
The 40-year-old oversaw Australia's first overseas Test series triumph in six years, Nathan Lyon taking 5-83 and Cummins 3-23 on the final day to secure a 115-run victory at Gaddafi Stadium.
McDonald is the favourite to land the role on a permanent basis and captain Cummins is full of praise for the former all-rounder.
Asked about the job McDonald has done, he said: "Fantastic. Not unexpected. He's a great operator.
"The boys absolutely love him. Very diligent, very thorough, strategic, very organised. He's a huge part of this tour win."
Cummins would clearly welcome a decision for McDonald to stay on.
The paceman added: "His preparation, and all the support staff's. It's not just the 11 players who walk out; we've got a squad of 30-odd people who have been working so hard this month, and it's also important.
"I've said before it's not my place to employ the coach, but Ronnie [McDonald] has been fantastic."
Roberto Mancini has "worked miracles" in charge of Italy and should not be hounded out of the role after their stunning failure to qualify for the World Cup in Qatar.
That is the view of former Italy international Antonio Cassano, who described the current Azzurri vintage as "mediocre", citing last year's Euro 2020 triumph as proof of Mancini's brilliance.
Italy suffered a shock 1-0 loss to North Macedonia on Thursday to miss out on the World Cup for a second edition in a row, with some pointing the finger of blame of boss Mancini.
However, Cassano, who played 39 times and scored 10 goals for his country, said those critics "should be ashamed".
"Let's face it: our national team is a mediocre team and Mancini took them to the top of Europe last summer, making a miracle, playing in a way never seen before," he told Bobo TV.
"I am truly sorry for Roberto, whoever asks for his resignation should be ashamed.
"We should all pray that Mancini will remain at the helm of the national team, he is the lifeline of Italy.
"[Ciro] Immobile, [Lorenzo] Insigne... many players seemed to me in difficulty. Italy has a mediocre team and Mancini had worked miracles so far."
The 39-year-old, who last played for his country in 2014, said Italy had been missing a talisman since Christian Vieri left the international stage in 2005.
He said: "Bobo, we haven't had a striker in the national team since you left."
Joan Laporta is not aware that Ousmane Dembele may want to stay at Barcelona but revealed contract talks with Gavi and Ronald Araujo are "on track".
Dembele has just three months remaining on his Barca deal and there is no sign of the France international agreeing to extending his stay at Camp Nou.
However, Blaugrana vice-president Rafael Yuste this week stated "if Dembele continues to feel comfortable, then we can meet his agents and he could stay".
Barca president Laporta says there are no developments over the former Borussia Dortmund forward's future as the in-form Catalan giants strive to make a late charge for the LaLiga title following a 4-0 Clasico thrashing of Real Madrid.
He told Mundo Deportivo: "Dembele is a wonderful, charming boy, at least he hasn't caused us problems since we took charge of the club.
"Perhaps we are seeing the best Dembele since he was at Barca, for sure. He is a player that the coaches have known how to manage better, starting with Xavi, who is managing the player wonderfully.
"But we made him a renewal offer that expired on December 20 last year. He decided not to take advantage of that renewal. Now Xavi says that he was counting on him because he is a player who makes a difference.
"Now, the renewal of Dembele? Let's see, the option he had has expired and we are already setting salary levels that all those who stay next season will have to accept. Some levels that have to maintain the sustainability and balance of the club and the squad."
Asked if Barca will make a new offer for Dembele, Laporta replied: "At the moment, for our purposes, we have no news that he wants to continue.
"I don't know if his representative has been in contact but I think not because he would know and in principle we are focused on this last stretch of the league to try to make a splash and win it. At the end of the season, I suppose that in some way there will be talks but within the salary levels that we are establishing."
Teenager midfielder Gavi and Uruguay defender Araujo are contracted until Barca until the end of next season, but Laporta has no concerns about their futures.
He said: "This is on the right track. Yes, they are players that we want to continue, within these salary levels that we are establishing. We would like them to continue for many years.
"There is no need to be worried about their cases. Negotiations are under way and everything is going perfectly normally with Araujo and Gavi."
MVP contender Joel Embiid insists the Philadelphia 76ers are not focusing on the race for top seed in the east after Friday's 122-97 win over the Los Angeles Clippers moved them within one game of top spot.
Embiid scored 27 points with 10 rebounds, with team-mate James Harden adding 29 points with four three-pointers along with a season-high 15 rebounds and seven assists.
The victory improved the 76ers to a 46-27 record and second in the east, moving within one game of Eastern Conference-leading Miami Heat (47-27) who lost 111-103 to the New York Knicks.
Reigning champions, the Milwaukee Bucks, are third in the Eastern Conference with a 46-27 record, with the Boston Celtics in fourth with a 46-28 record.
"Our focus is just on getting better every single day," Embiid told reporters after the win. "Whether it's offensively or defensively, we're not worried about the standings.
"We just want to get to the point where we know what we're doing at all the times on the court, especially on the offensive side.
"That's what we've been working on. That's what coach has been on to us about focusing on the details, so we can get there."
Harden joined the 76ers last month in a blockbuster trade that saw Ben Simmons headed the other way to the Brooklyn Nets.
Friday's win marked the first time since the move that the pair had both recorded double-doubles in the same game together.
The 76ers have improved with Harden playing alongside Embiid, but the duo's synergy remains a work in progress.
"We're getting better. The one-two has to be there first. It is. The rest will follow," Sixers head coach Doc Rivers said.
Harden, who is averaging 23 points and 7.6 rebounds since moving to the 76ers, added: "Things are headed in the right direction, but every single day we are focusing on execution and details.
"There are going to be different ways we are going to have to win in the playoffs, and we have to be prepared for that."
The 76ers' next two games are against last season's NBA Finals sides, the Phoenix Suns and the Bucks.
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