Lionel Messi wishes he could have played alongside Neymar for longer at Barcelona but is loving being reunited with the Brazilian again at Paris Saint-Germain.
Neymar and Messi struck up a friendship and immense on-field relationship during their four years together at Camp Nou.
They were part of a Barca team that won two LaLiga titles, three Copa del Rey crowns and the Champions League, among other trophies, before PSG broke the world transfer record to bring Neymar to Paris for €222million.
Despite such a cash injection, Barca's financial issues eventually caught up with them and prevented the club from signing Messi to a new contract last year as their LaLiga salary limit was reduced significantly.
Messi followed Neymar to Paris, and while few would consider either to have enjoyed their best seasons last term, both have begun the 2022-23 campaign in electric fashion under Christophe Galtier.
Neymar's 19 goal involvements across all competitions is more than anyone in the top five leagues, while Messi's 14 has him ranked third, and the latter is relishing every minute.
"With Neymar, we have known each other for a long time, by heart, since Barcelona," he told TUDN.
"I would've like to have been able to enjoy him much more in Barcelona.
"But now I meet him again in Paris and we are happy to be together. I love playing with him."
Of course, Neymar is not the only superstar Messi is playing alongside at PSG.
Kylian Mbappe renewed his stay at PSG at the end of last season after flirting with Real Madrid, and Messi has no doubt the France star will be a leader of the next generation in the sport.
"Kylian, he's a different player," Messi added.
"He is a beast who is very strong, goes from space to space. He's fast, scores a lot of goals, is very complete and has been proving himself for years.
"In the coming years, he will be among the best, for sure."
Mathieu van der Poel has pleaded guilty to the common assault of two teenage girls in Sydney on the eve of the UCI Road World Championships finale.
The Alpecin-Deceuninck rider was charged on two counts after an altercation with the pair, aged 13 and 14, whom he alleges to have been knocking on his hotel room door.
He was further fined 1,500 AUD (£909), though he has been allowed to leave the country following the return of his passport.
Van der Poel, who was taken into custody by New South Wales Police, intends to appeal against the conviction, according to his lawyer Michael Bowe.
"We went through the relevant events that occurred, he was arrested by police, was interviewed by police and said certain things to the police," he told Reuters.
"Mathieu agreed with some of those allegations. On discussing it was agreed he should plead guilty."
Belgium's Remco Evenepoel went on to win th World Championship on Sunday. Van der Poel, among the pre-race favourites, withdrew with 230 kilometres to go.
An MRI on Monday confirmed what the New England Patriots feared regarding Mac Jones' ankle.
Jones suffered a "pretty severe" high ankle sprain in Sunday’s 37-26 loss to the Baltimore Ravens, according to NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero.
The team is hopeful the 24-year-old quarterback will be able to recover without needing surgery, and though they haven't given a timetable for a return or confirmed if a stint on injured reserve is necessary, it seems unlikely he'll be able to play on Sunday against the Green Bay Packers.
That means veteran Brian Hoyer would be in line to make his first start since Week 4 of the 2020 season, when he threw for just 130 yards with no touchdown passes and one interception in New England's 26-10 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.
Jones was hurt on the Patriots' final offensive play on Sunday, an interception with 1:55 remaining. The 2021 first-round pick landed hard on the turf from a hit by Baltimore defensive lineman Calais Campbell, then hobbled to the sidelines while grabbing his ankle before being taken straight to the locker room.
Jones threw for 321 yards in Sunday's loss, but was intercepted three times, giving him five through the 1-2 Patriots' first three games.
Tyson Fury says December's proposed bout with Anthony Joshua is "officially over" due to the contract not being signed by Monday's self-imposed deadline.
WBC champion Fury opened the door for a 'Battle of Britain' with Joshua after it became clear a unification bout against Oleksandr Usyk would not occur this year.
However, following drawn-out talks between the fighters' camps, Fury declared last week that Joshua had until 17:00 BST on Monday to put pen to paper on the terms.
That deadline came and went without any official confirmation, and Fury once again took to social media shortly after to declare the heavyweight fight will not be taking place.
"It's official. D-Day has come and gone," he said in a video message on his Instagram account. "It's gone past 5 o'clock Monday, no contract has been signed. It's officially over.
"Joshua is now out in the cold with the wolfpack. Forget about it. Idiot, coward, s***house, bodybuilder. Always knew you didn't have the minerals to fight the Gypsy King.
"Regardless of what you say now, I don't really care. Good luck with your career and your life, end of."
Joshua's promoter Eddie Hearn said last week an initial contract offer sent by Fury's camp was not acceptable, but the parties were "working positively" to reach an agreement.
That led to Fury making his ultimatum to Joshua to sign the contract by Monday or forget about a fight that has been years in the making.
In response, two-time world champion Joshua – who has lost three of his past five fights – said he fully intended to sign the deal, but it was currently with his legal team.
Should Fury be true to his word, the 34-year-old could look to arrange a title defence against Mahmoud Charr in the same December slot ahead of facing Usyk next year.
Barcelona centre-back Ronald Araujo will undergo thigh surgery on Wednesday, effectively ruling him out of the Qatar 2022 World Cup.
The defender was added to the injury list over the weekend with the problem, casting doubt over whether he would be fit for the end-of-year tournament to represent his country Uruguay.
Previous reports earlier this month suggested Uruguay were placing pressure upon Barca to delay any operation, in order to ensure the best chance of tournament availability for the 23-year-old.
But now the Catalan outfit have confirmed he will face an operation, with a widely reported three-month lay-off to follow that would take him comfortably past the end of the World Cup.
"Ronald Araujo will undergo surgery on Wednesday for the adductor longus tendon avulsion he has in his right thigh," read a club statement on Monday.
"The operation will be carried out by Dr. Lasse Lempainen, under the supervision of the club’s medical staff, in Turku, Finland."
The development will come as a blow to Uruguay, though they may monitor his recovery as the country do not have to finalise their squad until November 13, a week out from Qatar's game against Ecuador that opens the tournament.
Floyd Mayweather has found his next opponent after social media star Deji confirmed the pair will meet in an exhibition bout on November 13.
The 45-year-old, who retired undefeated with a 50-0 record after defeating former UFC champion Conor McGregor in 2017, beat YouTuber Mikuru Asakura with a second-round TKO in a similar fight on Sunday in Japan.
It was the latest of several one-off matches the former boxer has taken since his retirement, having also previously fought internet personality Logan Paul.
Now, he will face Deji – brother of YouTuber-turned-professional fighter KSI – in a match in Dubai after his opponent took to social media to confirm the match.
"Huge thanks to Global Titans and my team for creating this incredible opportunity," Deji stated on Monday.
"It's a privilege to be headlining this phenomenal spectacle in Dubai, against the all-time great Floyd Mayweather. This is going to be fun!"
Mayweather prefaced his match with Asakura, who played his part in an entertaining encounter before he was dropped with a right hand, by stating he would meet McGregor again in 2023.
The Irishman took to social media however to shut down reports of a rematch, stating that he was "not interested" in another bout.
Former England head coach Stuart Lancaster will leave Leinster at the end of the season to join French side Racing 92 as director of rugby.
Lancaster has spent seven seasons as senior coach with Leinster, whom he joined in 2016 after stepping down as England boss on the back of a poor 2015 World Cup campaign.
The 52-year-old worked under Leo Cullen and helped guide the Irish side to the European Champions Cup title in 2018, as well as four Pro14 titles.
Racing confirmed on Monday that Lancaster will start his new position next July on a four-year contract, with current boss Laurent Travers taking up a role as chairman of the club's management board.
"It is with great joy and pride that I am taking on the role of rugby director for Racing 92," Lancaster said. "I thank Laurent Travers and the whole club for the trust they have chosen to place in me.
"I know the responsibilities that will be mine at the head of this extraordinary squad, certainly one of the most competitive in Europe. I look forward to working with all these talented players to support me in my mission."
Barbadian All-rounder Jason Holder has warned his West Indian teammates against complacency in the qualifying round for the ICC T20 World Cup scheduled to commence October 15 in Australia.
The Windies, who won the tournament in 2012 and 2016, will face Scotland, Zimbabwe and Ireland in Group B with the top two teams advancing to the Super 12.
"We've got a task to uphold in terms of qualifying for the main round," Holder said.
"More or less, we have to focus on the qualifier. Ireland, Scotland and Zimbabwe by no means are pushovers. We've got to take it as seriously as we possibly can and just make sure we get into the next phase of the tournament."
Holder, entering his third T20 World Cup believes there are positives to playing in the qualifiers for the regional side.
"I think it's good in a way that we're playing the qualifiers," he said.
"West Indies teams of the past have proved that we get better as we go along. To have the warm-up phase of the tournament and then to go into the actual group stage after qualification, I think it's going to be to our betterment in the sense we get more cricket. The talent we have got - depth in terms of resources and batting and bowling - we've always been pretty athletic in the field, so I'm looking forward to that challenge."
The team will be looking to rebound from an abysmal 2021 T20 World Cup in the UAE where they got just one win in five matches, failing to advance from the Super 12.
Inter midfielder Marcelo Brozovic is facing a spell on the sidelines after suffering a thigh injury during Croatia's win over Austria.
Brozovic was withdrawn just 18 minutes into the 3-1 Nations League victory at Ernst Happel Stadion on Sunday.
The Croatian Football Federation on Monday confirmed the 29-year-old sustained a partial rupture of his left thigh and is expected to be out for several weeks.
A statement from the Federation said: "The Croatian national team midfielder, Marcelo Brozovic, underwent an MRI examination today at the Special Hospital of St. Katarina, after exiting due to an injury in the match against Austria.
"The results of the MRI showed a partial tear in the left thigh flexor, so Brozovic is expected to rest for several weeks.
"Further treatment will be taken in charged by the competent Inter doctors, who will also provide a precise recovery prognosis, and the medical service of the Croatian national team will be in constant contact with them."
The loss of Brozovic is a blow for Inter head coach Simone Inzaghi ahead as the Nerazzurri prepare to return to Serie A action against Roma on Saturday, before taking on Barcelona in the Champions League next week.
Victory for Croatia over Austria sealed top spot in Group A1 and a place in the Nations League finals.
Portugal boss Fernando Santos says his players cannot face any more pressure than they already weather, ahead of their Nations League crunch clash with Spain.
The Euro 2016 winners will play their neighbours in their last game in Group A2, with a two-point cushion ahead of Luis Enrique's side at the summit.
It means the winner will progress through to next year's finals, though a draw in Braga would be enough for the hosts to edge La Roja.
Ahead of the Qatar 2022 World Cup later this year, it presents a suitable high-pressure test for Santos and his side – but the 67-year-old says there can be no further weight upon what his squad already have to deal with.
"Three days ago, Portugal had to win the next two games because Spain would win their first," he said at Monday's pre-match news conference.
"But even a draw would have been enough to come to the final match alive. That's absolutely normal. I just try to take this pressure out of my players. If they do what we have to do, we are closer to victory.
"Do you think we can have more pressure than we have already? These players have pressure everywhere they go. They always play to win, to be champions. We always play to win, we demand it.
"We can't have more pressure than that, right? That means we know how to deal with pressure, as we have been earning positive results."
Portugal leapfrogged Spain to top spot on Saturday after the former picked up a handy 4-0 win over the Czech Republic, while the latter slumped to a 2-1 defeat against Switzerland.
Santos is nevertheless anticipating a tough challenge, regardless of result, adding: "I expect a Spain just like they always are. They don't change a thing.
"Everyone knows Spain. They've played the same way for 20 years. It's a team of possession, pressure, one that reacts well to the loss of the ball. They have a clear matrix in the way they play.
"We don't have to be worried about Spain but we have to respect them, as we respect all opponents. We have to be focused on ourselves."
Christian Eriksen's quick emergence as a key player at Manchester United has not surprised former Red Devils midfielder Michael Carrick.
Denmark international Eriksen joined United on a free transfer in pre-season after playing the second half of the 2021-22 campaign with Brentford.
It was initially unclear how United would fit Eriksen into the team given the importance of Bruno Fernandes, but Erik ten Hag's inability to land key transfer target Frenkie de Jong seemingly made the decision for him.
Eriksen has generally featured slightly deeper than Fernandes and the pair's collective creativity has been a real asset for United in midfield.
That was particularly plain to see in the impressive 3-1 win over Arsenal, as Eriksen's passes to Fernandes were crucial in the build-up to two of United's goals.
Of the United players to feature for more than 190 minutes in the league this season, no one has averaged more passes (50.4), successful passes ending in the final third (11.2) or passes into the box (5.6) on a per-90-minute basis than Eriksen, highlighting how quickly he has managed to stamp his personality on their style of play.
"I'm not surprised one bit," Carrick told United's official website.
"I played against him a lot; I've watched him a lot. I like him a lot. He's a fantastic footballer. He's clever, he's smart.
"It almost doesn't matter what position he plays, he can adapt. He's just a clever, intelligent footballer with great quality.
"I was pleased when we signed him, and he's not surprised me one bit. He's a top player."
Eriksen carried his encouraging United form – which earned him their Player of the Month award for September – with him into the international window, impressing for Denmark over the course of their two games.
He scored a stunning long-range effort in the 2-1 defeat to Croatia before producing a wonderful performance in Sunday's 2-0 win over France as he remarkably laid on eight chances for team-mates.
To put that into context, Eriksen has only registered more key passes in a single club match twice (nine both occasions) since joining Tottenham from Ajax in 2013.
England captain Heather Knight has accused India of lying after Deepti Sharma claimed Charlie Dean had been warned before being subjected to a 'Mankad' at Lord's on Saturday.
India sealed a 16-run win and a 3-0 ODI series whitewash when Deepti did not go through with her delivery stride, instead whipping off the bails with Dean out of her ground backing up.
Dean had to be consoled after a dismissal that was within the laws, but sparked a huge debate with many believing Deepti was out of order for not acting within the spirit of the game.
Deepti claimed Dean had been warned about leaving her crease.
She said: "Nothing, it was our plan because she repeatedly... we had warned her also. We did it according to the rules and guidelines."
Asked if a warning had been issued, she added: "Yes, yes definitely we did say because we told the umpires. But still she was there so we couldn't do anything."
Knight, who was not playing in the game as she recovers from hip surgery, says that was not the case.
She tweeted: "The game is over, Charlie was dismissed legitimately. India were deserved winners of the match and the series. But no warnings were given. They don't need to be given, so it hasn't made the dismissal any less legitimate…
"But if they're comfortable with the decision to affect [sic] the run out, India shouldn't feel the need to justify it by lying about warnings."
India skipper Harmanpreet Kaur stated after the game in London that she was not aware that Deepti was planning to 'Mankad' Dean.
She said: "No, I wasn't aware. And that's what I'm saying. I'm actually happy [Deepti] was aware because she was bowling from both ends in the middle and she knew [Dean] was going and I think it was her awareness."
The NFL's end-of-season All-Star game, the Pro Bowl, has been scrapped and replaced by The Pro Bowl Games, the league announced on Monday.
Set to take place the week before Super Bowl LVII, the Pro Bowl Games will pit the AFC and NFC against each other in a multi-day skills competition culminating in a flag football game on February 5 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
"We've received invaluable feedback from players, teams and fans about reimagining the Pro Bowl, and as a result, we're thrilled to use The Pro Bowl Games as a platform to spotlight Flag football as an integral part of the sport's future while also introducing fun, new forms of competition and entertainment that will bring our players, their families and fans closer than ever before," said Peter O'Reilly, NFL Executive Vice President, Club Business and League Events.
"Building on the success of the 2022 Pro Bowl and 2022 Draft, as well as our strong partnership with the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) and Las Vegas Raiders, we look forward to bringing The 2023 Pro Bowl Games to the capital of world-class sports and entertainment."
The Pro Bowl has been a consistent feature of the NFL calendar since 1951.
Following the NFL-AFL merger in 1970, it has seen star players from the AFC and NFC face off, save for a three-year period between 2013 and 2015 when teams were drafted by legendary former players.
Yet the on-field product has received frequent criticism.
Since the 2009 season, the Pro Bowl has been held the week before the Super Bowl, firmly removing players from teams participating in the title game from the field, while many of the league's stars voted to feature in the Pro Bowl have regularly pulled out citing injury concerns.
The additional risk of injury in the exhibition led the game to become a disappointing spectacle, with players eschewing tackling and any significant contact to protect their bodies. With the changes, the league will now hope it has found a solution to a persistent problem.
The AFC won last year's game, prevailing 41-35.
Nathaniel Hackett hopes Russell Wilson's game-winning drive against the San Francisco 49ers will be the start of his success with the Denver Broncos.
Wilson piloted a struggling Denver offense through the first two games of the season, an underwhelming start to his Broncos career coming after they traded five draft picks, including two first-rounders, and three players to acquire him from the Seattle Seahawks.
Then handed a five-year, $245million extension by the Broncos, Wilson lost in Week 1 on an emotional return to Seattle, before the Denver offense was jeered and mocked by its own home fans in Week 2 in an unconvincing win over the Houston Texans.
Wilson and the Broncos struggled for most of their win over the 49ers against a ferocious San Francisco defense that held the quarterback to 184 yards passing and Denver to just 3.7 yards per play.
But the 49ers' ineptitude on offense in Jimmy Garoppolo's first start since Trey Lance's season-ending injury saw San Francisco waste a host of opportunities to take command, the Niners going one for 10 on third down.
And Wilson finally capitalised on their profligacy in the fourth quarter, showing some of his trademark elusiveness that some believed may be waning to lead a 12-play, 80-yard drive and give the Broncos a decisive 11-10 lead.
Garoppolo was intercepted on the subsequent drive, and a Jeff Wilson Jr. fumble then sealed the game for Denver.
"Russell has come to a new state, a new organisation, with 10 brand new guys in the huddle," Hackett told NBC Sports' Peter King for his Football Morning in America column.
"It's a completely new look, new team. He's jumped in here and tried to make it as familiar as he could. On that winning drive, he said, 'I'm comfortable, I'm gonna use my legs here, I've got to make this happen'. He did. Hopefully that's the start of it for him."
Hackett's game management came under severe scrutiny in the opening two weeks of his tenure as Denver head coach, his struggles in that regard encapsulated by the home crowd counting down the play clock in Week 2 after his offense had struggled to get the ball snapped in time on several plays.
Ahead of Week 3, Hackett brought in veteran assistant coach Jerry Rosburg to help with gameday decisions.
Asked if doing so felt embarrassing, Hackett said: "No. For me, I felt empowered that I was able to make a decision. Hey, let's fix it. I'm the leader of the team. Let’s do it.
"This was the first time, the past two games, that I felt I was hurting my team. Did I have enough info? I don't know. But I knew the setup wasn't right. I needed help to make the tough decision."
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