Inter striker Romelu Lukaku has called for action from Serie A officials after allegedly being targeted by racist chants from Juventus fans following his equaliser at the Allianz Stadium.

The Belgium international netted a penalty in the fifth minute of stoppage time to earn Inter a 1-1 draw in Tuesday's Coppa Italia semi-final first leg, before using his finger to shush the home fans.

Referee Davide Massa booked Lukaku for the celebration and showed the goalscorer a second yellow card following a heated aftermath that spilled over past full-time, leading to Juventus winger Juan Cuadrado and Inter goalkeeper Samir Handanovic also seeing red.

Lukaku pointed to his previous experiences of racism in Italy as he responded to the events with an Instagram post.

He said: "History repeats. [I've] been through it in 2019 and [now in] 2023 again.

"I hope the league really take actions for real this time because this beautiful game should be enjoyed by everyone.

"Thank you for the supportive messages. F*** racism."

The post has received supportive comments from Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior and Mario Balotelli among others.

Jerome Boateng also tweeted in support, saying: "We'll always have your back Rom! F*** Racism!"

Earlier on Wednesday, Lukaku's agency ROC Nation Sports International also responded to the incident, calling for an apology from Juventus and action from Italian authorities.

Via a statement on Twitter, the agency's president Michael Yormark said: "The racist remarks made towards Romelu Lukaku by Juventus fans in Turin were beyond despicable and cannot be accepted.

"Romelu deserves an apology from Juventus, and I expect the league to condemn the behaviour of this group of Juventus supporters immediately.

"The Italian authorities must use this opportunity to tackle racism, rather than punish the victim of the abuse. I am certain that the footballing world shares the same sentiment."

Bayern Munich sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic has outlined the club's plans to bring in a new striker in the transfer window after Tuesday's shock 2-1 DFB-Pokal defeat to Freiburg. 

Thomas Tuchel's side took the lead in their quarter-final fixture through Dayot Upamecano but were pegged back by Nicolas Hoefler's strike, before Lucas Hoeler's 95-minute penalty sent the Bundesliga leaders crashing out.

Bayern will now miss out on the final of the competition for the third successive season, and Salihamidzic was adamant signing a new striker will be necessary for the club to move forward next season.

"Of course we will sit down and see what we need to do in the transfer market," he said after the game.

"But the games show: To go into the new season with just Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, Mathys Tel, Thomas Muller and Sadio Mane would be negligent.

"In all likelihood, there will be a new striker. Whether it's Harry Kane, Victor Osimhen or Randal Kolo Muani, the coming weeks will show."

Bayern remain top of the Bundesliga and are through to the quarter-finals of the Champions League, but they have struggled to replace the output of the talismanic Robert Lewandowski since his departure to Barcelona at the end of last season.

The Poland international scored 110 goals in just 94 league games in his last three seasons at Bayern as the club won three consecutive Bundesliga titles and the Champions League. 

Choupo-Moting has led the line in Lewandowski's absence this season but has scored just 10 league goals.

Despite the disappointing result against Freiburg, Salihamidzic remained positive about Tuchel's appointment and refused to lay the blame for the defeat at the door of the new boss.

"It is bitter for all of us, but it has nothing to do with the coach," Salihamidzic said.

"It's a process. He makes a very good impression and is doing a very good job. Today was bitter for all of us, but we will continue on Saturday."

Lewis Hamilton is embracing the challenge facing Mercedes this season despite their struggles to compete for race wins in Formula One.

A second-place finish in Australia for Hamilton marked his best performance of the season, in a campaign that looks to be another difficult one for the team.

Mercedes ceded their Constructors' Championship title to rivals Red Bull last year, while Hamilton finished the year without a race win for the first time in his career, and remains significantly off the pace again in 2023.

Those struggles have reignited questions about Hamilton's future, with his deal set to expire at the end of the year, though he has affirmed his commitment to the team.

Tied with Michael Schumacher for the most F1 title wins of all time, an eighth crown would hand Hamilton the record outright, and he is ready to clinch that honour.

However, for the time being, he is focused on pushing himself to achieve the best possible result despite Mercedes' issues.

"I don't like driving not great cars. I don't like driving a car that's not the car that we weren't meant to have, but I love that challenge of 'OK, what can I do with it?'," he told Fox Sports.

"Wins are not possible right, so what is the maximum we can get? Can we be a little cheeky and if fifth is the best we can get, can we get a fourth or a third?

"Just make sure we are consistent and fit and ready so when the car does all of a sudden switch on, and it is the car you dreamed of having, you're ready.

"I am ready to win a world championship. I have prepared the best way I can this year – the best I have ever prepared – and if the car comes correct tomorrow I will be ready to fight for the world championship, but unfortunately that's not the case.

"I am working with everyone here and back at the factory to get there."

Brazilian forward Endrick rejected comparisons with Pele and criticised negative stories that have been published about him.

Real Madrid confirmed a deal to sign the 16-year-old from Palmeiras in December, with the move to LaLiga set to go ahead in July 2024 when he turns 18.

Endrick has suffered a loss of form since his future move to the Santiago Bernabeu was announced, scoring just once in 13 appearances across all competitions, and has struggled with the increased media attention he has received.

"Sometimes I ask myself: Why are there so many stories about me? I didn't ask for this. There are situations that cross a line," he told GQ.

"'Ah, he's the new Pele.' Man, nobody is going to be Pele, he's the king of football.

"But there's nothing I can do, I can't ask people not to talk about my life. I always said I'd like all Brazilians to be able to be close to me, but I understand more and more that that's not possible, there will always be people who attack me."

Endrick also criticised the false stories that have been published about him, adding: "I used to be aware of what people were saying about me. But not anymore.

"I like TikTok, but when I see something about me, I move on quickly.

"Recently a story came out saying that I was in therapy, but that's a lie. The press don't know what's happening, and they publish it. But I can't do anything. If I come out and contradict everything they say, I'd spend all my time doing it."

Erling Haaland is back in Manchester City training after he missed out on their 4-1 rout against Liverpool in the Premier League on Saturday.

The forward was forced to withdraw from Norway duty last month after he sustained a groin injury heading into the international break.

Ahead of City's return to action against Jurgen Klopp's Reds last week, Pep Guardiola was non-committal on whether Haaland would feature.

Now, in a boost as they look to keep pace with Arsenal at the summit, the striker is back on the training pitch ahead of this weekend's trip to Southampton.

Jason Roy has joined Kolkata Knight Riders for the remainder of the Indian Premier League season as an injury replacement for Shreyas Iyer.

The England opener has signed up on a deal worth approximately INR 2.8 crore (£275,000), up on his pre-season auction price of INR 1.5 crore (£147,000).

Roy's return to the IPL comes amid a minor player crisis for KKR, who have lost India's Iyer to a back injury, as well as Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan.

Though English players are typically not allowed to sign after the start of March, those on ECB contracts are an exemption to the rule, allowing his move.

The Surrey batter last played in 2021, scoring 150 runs in five games for Sunrisers Hyderabad, and will hope to maintain his strong white-ball start to 2023.

With 245 runs in seven games for Quetta Gladiators during the Pakistan Super League, Roy also posted the tournament's highest individual tally, with 145 not out.

A member of the England team that won the 2019 Cricket World Cup, he was dropped from their 2022 T20 World Cup-winning squad.

Ahead of his side's 50-over defence in India later this year, the 32-year-old will be hopeful he can use his time with KKR to consolidate his spot in the squad.

Roy's return to the IPL may come too soon to feature in his new team's next match, which is against Royal Challengers Bangalore on Thursday.

However, he could be included for their trip to face defending champions Gujarat Titans on Sunday, as KKR look to bounce back from an opening loss against Punjab Kings.

Steve Cooper is still Nottingham Forest manager despite claims he was set to be sacked, owner Evangelos Marinakis said in a statement.

Forest lost 2-1 at Leeds United on Tuesday, extending the Premier League's longest active winless run to eight matches.

It was a familiar story for Forest, who failed to win a league-high eighth game after scoring first and still have a joint-low six away points.

The loss leaves the promoted side in 17th place, outside the relegation zone only on goal difference.

Reports in the British media suggested Cooper was therefore set to lose his job on Wednesday.

However, Forest are again standing by their manager, as they did earlier in the season when Cooper was handed a new contract following a 4-0 defeat at Leicester City.

Marinakis said: "No one denies that our club is in a difficult position in the Premier League, but we wish to end the speculation and the false and disruptive reporting in the media to confirm that Steve Cooper remains our manager at Nottingham Forest.

"We have all been disappointed with recent performances, and it is very clear that a lot of hard work needs to be done to address this urgently. Results and performances must improve immediately.

"Now is the time for everyone connected with our club, from us as owners, to the board, our supporters, backroom staff, coaches and players, to come together and fight to secure our status in the Premier League.

"There can be no time for distractions, rumours and speculation.

"There is only time for hard work, determination, a commitment from Steve and the players to getting the results we need and, of course, the continued magnificent support of the fans of Nottingham Forest."

When the season paused at the end of March for an international break, Forest had the third-hardest run-in in the Premier League, according to Opta's power rankings.

They have since taken only a single point from a double-header against fellow strugglers Wolves and Leeds.

Forest's next five games are against top-half opposition, while they are also still to welcome league leaders Arsenal to the City Ground.

Thomas Muller was left feeling bitter after Bayern Munich were saddled "with the shambles" of another DFB-Pokal failure against Freiburg.

The Bundesliga leaders slipped to a 2-1 defeat in the quarter-finals, after Lucas Holer's 95th-minute penalty condemned them to a late loss.

Dayot Upamecano had handed Bayern the lead in Thomas Tuchel's second game in charge, before Nicolas Hofler squared matters in the first half.

It means the club will miss out on the DFB-Pokal final for the third straight season, and Muller concurred the loss represented a blow to their pride.

"[There is] a certain bitterness," he told Sky Sport Germany. "We're eliminated. You can't make amends anymore. You're standing there with the shambles.

"It's over again. Of course that scratches your sense of honour. Freiburg hardly had a chance to score, but if you lose in the end, you have to face the questions."

The result means it is one win and one loss for Tuchel since he succeeded Julian Nagelsmann, having picked up a 4-2 win over Borussia Dortmund in his first game.

Muller appreciated the need to adapt to their new coach, but still stressed the blow of their exit would linger, particularly with a rematch in the Bundesliga on Saturday.

"We [have] now had two games with a new coaching line-up," he added. "Now, we're emotionally down to earth. We have to manage that as a group.

"We will get back together on Thursday, we will try to improve. But now, there is disillusionment and brutal disappointment."

Andrew Wiggins believes his court comeback is just a matter of time after he returned to the Golden State Warriors following a personal absence.

The small forward has missed 22 games for the Warriors since taking a temporary leave from the team in order to deal with a family illness.

Wiggins has declined to elaborate on the specifics, but was back with Steve Kerr's side for Tuesday's 136-125 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Now, with his return to the fold, the 28-year-old has set his sights on playing once again, having last featured against the Washington Wizards in February.

"I don't think it will be too long before I am out there," he said. "I felt really good right before I left. I felt like I was in a rhythm, was making shots, moving well.

"Hopefully, I'll be right back where I left off. [But] when you're in a certain situation and your family needs you and requires your attention and love, that's my first priority.

"My career, everything, family is always first for me. When I felt like I was in a safe space to come back, we got everything settled in a safe place."

Coach Steve Kerr effectively ruled out a role for Wiggins in Friday's trip to the Sacramento Kings, noting they would assess him over the coming week.

"We'll have a better idea in the next couple of days," he added. "There's no way he's playing in the next few days, I can tell you that.

"But I think once we have an assessment over the next couple of days, we'll have a better idea of when he might be able to play."

The Warriors follow their trip to Sacramento with their last regular season fixture, against the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday.

The Denver Nuggets are all but certain to be the number one seed in the West, but Michael Malone does not expect a deep playoff run if his team continue to play as they did on Tuesday.

The Nuggets had the opportunity to clinch the top seed with three games of the regular season remaining, yet instead they lost 124-103 at the Houston Rockets, who are last in the conference.

Denver had won the teams' past 10 meetings, including the previous four by at least 15 points, but struggled even with Nikola Jokic back in the lineup.

Although they are still on course to finish first, theirs is now on course to be the worst record by the number one seed in the West since the 1976-77 Los Angeles Lakers.

And this defeat did not do wonders for Malone's hopes of finally guiding the Nuggets to the NBA Finals.

No team across the United States' four major sports have made more playoff appearances without reaching the championship round. This will be their 29th postseason campaign.

"If that's how we're going to play, we'll be out in the first round," the coach said.

"When we don't do our jobs, there's accountability, and I speak the truth.

"I just called our team 'soft,' and I dared someone to challenge me. No one did, because we as a group were soft tonight.

"I'm not saying we are soft, but tonight, we were."

Indeed, the Nuggets were out-rebounded 55-47, although the Rockets lead the league in average rebound margin.

With the Memphis Grizzlies two games back, the Nuggets have three more opportunities to make sure of top spot, continuing their road trip against the Phoenix Suns and the Utah Jazz before returning home to play the Sacramento Kings.

The Golden State Warriors might not like being where they are, but Steve Kerr is nevertheless enjoying the thrill of the chase.

Reigning NBA champions Golden State have endured a disappointing campaign, yet find themselves in the playoff places heading into their final two regular-season games.

The Warriors are fifth in the Western Conference after beating the Oklahoma City Thunder 136-125 at home on Tuesday, although they will drop down to sixth after the Los Angeles Lakers face the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday.

Golden State trailed by four heading into the final quarter against the Thunder, but Jordan Poole turned on the style to lead them to victory, while Stephen Curry top scored with 34 points and Draymond Green chipped in with 17.

It got the Warriors, who were without Klay Thompson, back to winning ways following a loss to the Denver Nuggets. They have now won six of their last eight games, and head coach Kerr is revelling in the excitement.

He told reporters: "It's fun, this is all what it's about.

"We love the competition and even though we'd prefer to be home free in the playoffs right now, this is where we are.

"I'm really proud of the guys what they've done here in recent weeks to put ourselves in this position but now we've got to go finish the deal and get into the top six."

Poole starred down the stretch, with 13 of his 30 points coming in the final quarter.

"They all matter. You try to lock in as much as possible and put us in a really good position to be successful," Poole said.

"He's obviously extremely talented," Curry said of Poole. "He can create off the dribble. He's fast in transition.

"We kind of read the gameplan from them, so we just gave JP space, let him go to work. Our biggest thing is just being decisive on offense. Any time we fall late is because we haven't been decisive in our intention or play calls.

"JP played amazing down the stretch, then our defense allowed us to connect the game."

Moses Moody added: "It definitely had that playoff feel to it being out here in these games, how much each game matters, how much each possession matters."

Romelu Lukaku's representatives have demanded an apology from Juventus and called on the Italian authorities to take action after their client suffered "despicable" racist abuse.

Inter forward Lukaku netted a 95th-minute penalty to salvage a 1-1 draw in Tuesday's Coppa Italia semi-final first leg between the two Serie A heavyweights.

However, Lukaku subsequently received a second yellow card after his celebration, which included holding a finger up to his lips in a "shushing" gesture to Juve's fans, resulted in a melee between the teams. Juve winger Juan Cuadrado and Inter goalkeeper Samir Handanovic also saw red.

Lukaku's agency, Roc Nation Sports International, said the 29-year-old had been subject to racist abuse from sections of the home fanbase in Turin.

In a statement shared on Twitter, Roc Nation Sports International president Michael Yormark wrote: "The racist remarks made towards Romelu Lukaku by Juventus fans in Turin were beyond despicable and cannot be accepted.

"Romelu scored a penalty in the game. Before, during and after the penalty, he was subjected to hostile and disgusting racist abuse.

"Romelu celebrated in the same manner he has previously celebrated goals. The referee's response was to award a yellow card to Romelu.

"Romelu deserves an apology from Juventus, and I expect the league to condemn the behaviour of this group of Juventus supporters immediately.

"The Italian authorities must use this opportunity to tackle racism, rather than punish the victim of the abuse. I am certain that the footballing world shares the same sentiment."

Inter coach Simone Inzaghi also came to the forward's defence.

"I see a player who scores, celebrates, and everything happens there. Lukaku's celebration was misunderstood," he said.

"It certainly wasn't a nice sight to see in a well-conducted and fair match until the 94th minute."

On Wednesday, Inter tweeted: "We are brothers and sisters of the world. Since 9 March 1908, this has been our story.

"We want to firmly reiterate that we stand united against racism and all forms of discrimination."

The Los Angeles Lakers needed LeBron James to drag them through against the Utah Jazz, but he might not be available to face the Los Angeles Clippers.

A 135-133 overtime win in Salt Lake City on Tuesday ensured the Lakers guaranteed their spot in the play-in tournament in the Western Conference.

Yet with three games remaining of the regular season, the seventh-placed Lakers could still force their way into the playoffs without having to compete in the play-in round. They face the Clippers on Wednesday, with their city rivals sitting a place above them while holding an identical 41-38 record. 

James was crucial against the Jazz, scoring 37 points and playing 38 minutes – the most he has managed since returning from a foot injury that kept him out for four weeks. 

However, that strain might limit James' availability for Wednesday.

"The extra five minutes definitely didn't help. It definitely didn't help but we needed to get the win," James told reporters, before explaining his process of deeming whether or not he would be able to feature against the Clippers.

"How my foot feels when I wake up and I step out of bed," he added.

"That's been the most important since I've injured it five weeks ago. The next day after either rehab or training or treatment, whatever. It's always that."

Anthony Davis was unusually slack with his shooting, managing just seven-of-16 from the field and seven-of-12 from the free throw line for 21 points, though he still contributed 14 rebounds and six assists.

Davis has not played in back-to-back games since returning from a right foot issue earlier in 2023, and like James, he was unsure on whether he would face the Clippers.

"I haven't played in a back-to-back in a long time," Davis said.

"So, I mean, we'll all get on a phone call or something tomorrow morning and go from there."

Coach Darvin Ham confirmed no decision had yet been taken.

"We have our short-term business that we need to take care of and our long-term business that we need to take care of," Ham said.

"We prioritise a player's health, first and foremost. Regardless of what the stakes are or the implications of with a win or a loss or all of that.

"We need our players to know that we care about their health, first and foremost.

"If we see that they won't have any issues, in terms of their health, and we're not putting them at risk, then we'll proceed.

"If there's any kind of question marks, we'll walk through them, talk through them, and go from there."