Italy and Spain are preparing to face one another for the 10th time at a major tournament, but Luis Enrique believes this is an Azzurri side like never before.
The two old rivals have been paired again in the semi-finals at Euro 2020, making this the most common fixture at the European Championship and World Cup combined.
This will be the seventh Euros clash, with the sides meeting at least once in four consecutive championships.
Spain eliminated Italy in 2008 and beat them in the final in 2012 but were toppled by the Azzurri four years later and now face a rejuvenated Roberto Mancini outfit.
"This Italy side isn't, perhaps, like the ones of years gone by – one that would sit back and wait to see what happened," Spain coach Luis Enrique said.
"This is an Italy side with great players who aim to have a lot of possession. This will be the first battle in the game: who dominates possession?
"I don't think both of us can dominate, so it'll be interesting to see who wins this tussle.
"Apart from having top players, Italy are a real team. They attack and defend as a unit, which is really similar to what we do.
"They also employ a high press, which it would be hard to imagine an Italian side from the past doing.
"Now they're strong in several ways of playing, meaning that the game will be really interesting. Both teams will have their moments."
Mancini, whose men are unbeaten in 32 and have won 13 in a row, was asked how Italy's Jorginho might match up against Sergio Busquets.
Among midfielders to have played 90 minutes or more at the tournament, Busquets ranks eighth for passes attempted per 90 (77.7) and Jorginho 10th (74.9).
"Certainly, they are among the best in their role," Mancini said.
"Busquets has been a fantastic player for many years. He has been around for longer, compared to Jorginho.
"Considering the way he is playing right now, however, Jorginho is certainly among the best, too."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Italy – Emerson
Leonardo Spinazzola has been one of the tournament's most impressive players at wing-back for Italy, creating seven chances from open play – including one assist – and having a championship-high six shot-ending carries. Emerson is likely to be the man asked to step in, having replaced Spinazzola against Belgium after he was taken off on a stretcher, and has big boots to fill.
Spain – Pedri
Busquets might have been the man at the centre of pre-match discussion, but Pedri has arguably been Spain's most impressive midfield performer at these finals. Against Switzerland, he created five chances and made five tackles. The Barcelona teenager has been involved in five more shot-ending sequences (35) than any other player at Euro 2020.
KEY OPTA FACTS
– Italy have only beaten Spain twice in their past 14 meetings in all competitions (D7 L5), a 2-1 friendly win in 2011 and, most recently, a 2-0 victory at Euro 2016 in the last 16, with goals from Giorgio Chiellini and Graziano Pelle.
– The Azzurri have reached their 12th semi-final at a major tournament (EUROs/World Cup), with only Germany (20) appearing at the final four stage more often among all European sides. They have progressed from nine of the previous 11 semi-final ties, including each of the past four – most recently in this competition in 2012 when they eventually lost in the final to Spain (4-0).
– Italy have won all five of their matches at Euro 2020, the only side of the remaining final four with a 100 per cent record to date. Only at the World Cup (Italia 90) have they won more games at a single major tournament (six), while the only European side to win each of their first six games at a major tournament was the Netherlands at the 2010 World Cup, when they suffered defeat to Spain in the final in South Africa.
– Spain have reached the semi-finals of the European Championships for the third time in the past four editions of the competition (failing to do so in 2016). Indeed, they have gone on to win the competition on each of the past two occasions they have reached the final four – in 2008 and 2012.
– After losing each of their first four matches at Wembley Stadium between 1955 and 1968, Spain have only suffered one defeat in their past five matches there (W2 D2). However, they were knocked out of the Euros in 1996 at Wembley, losing to hosts England on penalties.
The Atlanta Hawks have reached an agreement to make Nate McMillan their head coach on a permanent basis.
McMillan took over as interim head coach in March, being promoted from assistant after Lloyd Pierce was fired.
He improbably led the Hawks to the Eastern Conference Finals as the fifth seed, with Atlanta's remarkable season ended by a Game 6 defeat to the Milwaukee Bucks.
Since McMillan took over on March 1, only the Phoenix Suns (41), who will face the Bucks in the NBA Finals, have compiled more wins than the Hawks (37) across the regular season and postseason.
And he has been rewarded by having his interim tag removed and receiving a four-year deal.
Atlanta president and general manager Travis Schlenk confirmed the agreement on a conference call with reporters.
McMillan has made the playoffs in 10 of the 17 seasons in which he has served as a head coach. In that time, he has racked up 715 wins across the regular season and postseason.
His record of 715-643 gives him a winning percentage of 52.7 that puts him 23rd among head coaches to have taken charge of at least 1,000 games.
With an exciting core led by point guard Trae Young, McMillan looks to be in an excellent position to improve that record.
Only Paul George of the Los Angeles Clippers (511) has scored more points in this postseason than the 461 Young racked up despite missing two games of the Conference Finals loss to the Bucks through injury.
Atlanta holds picks 20 (first round) and 48 (second round) in this month's NBA Draft.
Shaunae-Miller-Uibo, the 2016 Olympic 400m champion has been registered to run both the 200m and 400m this summer, despite an unfriendly schedule.
Harry Kane has described Nuno Espirito Santo as a "great manager" but will hold off from speaking to his new Tottenham boss until after England's Euro 2020 campaign.
The 27-year-old's club future has been a hot topic of debate after admitting in May he feels at a "crossroads" in his career following another trophyless campaign with Spurs.
Kane, who has spent the past 17 years with the north London club aside from four loan spells away, is a rumoured target for Manchester City, Manchester United, Chelsea, Barcelona and Real Madrid.
Keeping hold of the prolific striker will be a top priority for Nuno, who was last week confirmed as Jose Mourinho's permanent successor.
But Kane has yet to discuss his future with the ex-Wolves coach as he is eager to focus solely on helping England to Euro 2020 glory on home soil over the next week.
"Whenever a new manager comes in, I guess there's a level of excitement around the club," Kane, who has scored three goals in England's run to the semi-finals, told talkSPORT.
"Obviously, I've not been there and not had any contact with him. I'm away with England now and my full focus is on here.
"Hopefully, we've got a week left. He's a great manager and did a great job at getting Wolves playing a really good way.
"Let's get back and I'm sure we'll be in contact after the tournament."
Kane finished as the Premier League's top scorer last season with 23 goals, making him the third player to win the award three times after Thierry Henry (four) and Alan Shearer.
He also set up 14 goals to become only the second player in the Premier League era to top the charts for both goals and assists, the other being Andy Cole for Newcastle United in 1993-94.
Those 37 goals involvements were his most across a league campaign in his career, while his 14 assists doubled a previous high of seven in 2016-17.
Kane is under contract for another three years and new sporting director Fabio Paratici stressed on Monday that Spurs have no intention of selling the "special" player.
Asked about the comments made by Paratici, Kane said: "Of course, as a player you want to be wanted, you want to feel like you're loved, which I do.
"I haven't had the chance to talk to any of these people yet. I'm sure we'll get to know each other after the tournament, have a phone call or two once I get a week or two of holiday.
"To get praise from big people from football is great, it gives you confidence, it gives you motivation so of course it’s nice to hear."
While Kane has yet to speak with Nuno or Paratici, he has been in dialogue with Mourinho since the Portuguese was sacked by Tottenham in April.
"He's been texting me," Kane said of the now-Roma boss. "It's common knowledge we have a great relationship and got on really well.
"I really respect him as a manager and person. I wish him all the best at Roma. It is great to have one of the best managers in the world on your side.
"I will always respect him and hopefully be in contact with him for the rest of my career."
Sprint hurdler Shane Brathwaite and sprinter Mario Burke have been selected among an eight-member Barbados team to the Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan later this month.
Shane Brathwaite, who previously competed at the Olympic Games London 2012 and is current Pan-American Games champion in the men’s 110-metre hurdles event, will be joined by Tia-Adana Belle who is set to compete in the women’s 400-metre hurdles. This will be her second Olympic appearance.
Sprinters Tristan Evelyn and Burke will be making their debuts at this year’s Games along with 400-metre runner Johnathan Jones.
Also included in the team is the Jamaica-based, Sada Williams, who qualified for the 200 metres at the Olympic Games Rio 2016 but missed out due to an injury. Williams, on the weekend, ran 51.50 to finish second to American Kaylin Whitney in Italy, will contest the 400m.
Meanwhile, swimmers Alex Sobers, who will also be at the Olympics for a second time, and Danielle Titus, have also been named to the team.
The Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 will run from July 23 to August 8.
The Jacksonville Jaguars have signed first overall pick Trevor Lawrence to a four-year rookie contract.
Jacksonville completed what had long been seen as a formality when they made Lawrence the first pick in April following his stellar collegiate career at Clemson.
He is now a fully contracted member of the Jaguars having signed a deal worth $36.8million with $24.1m in guarantees and a standard fifth-year option included.
Since the introduction of fixed contract lengths and slotted salaries for first-round picks in the 2011 collective bargaining agreement, signing highly drafted rookies is not the challenge it once was.
But Lawrence agreeing to terms on his rookie deal is another hurdle cleared as the Jaguars look to get the player they hope will turn their franchise around on the field.
Provided that he stays healthy through training camp, Lawrence – who underwent surgery on a torn labrum in his non-throwing shoulder prior to the draft – will make his preseason debut for the Jaguars against the Cleveland Browns in August.
His regular-season debut is set to come a month later when the Jaguars visit the Houston Texans on September 12.
The Jaguars finished the 2020 season with a 1-15 record, losing 15 straight games having won their opener, but gaining the right to select a quarterback most deemed as a generational prospect in the process.
Lawrence led Clemson to a National Championship in his first season in 2018 and racked up 10,098 passing yards and 90 touchdowns – the first of those tallies putting him third in school history behind Tajh Boyd and Deshaun Watson, the second joint-second – while throwing just 17 interceptions in his three seasons with the Tigers.
Though he did not lead Clemson to glory last season, Lawrence was first among quarterbacks with at least 100 snaps and 20 pass attempts in well-thrown percentage. He delivered an accurate, well-thrown ball on 84.3 per cent of his passes, per Stats Perform data.
If he maintains that remarkable level of accuracy at the NFL level, the Jaguars may turn things around much quicker than anticipated.
Coco Gauff can contend at Wimbledon in the future even if she fell well short of besting Angelique Kerber, the former champion said.
Gauff, still just 17, has gone from strength to strength since her main-draw major debut at the All England Club in 2019.
But after reaching the quarter-finals at the French Open this year, she could not follow suit on the grass in London – bowing out in the fourth round, just as she did two years ago.
The serving woes that have dogged Gauff previously contributed heavily to her elimination.
The American teenager landed just 56 per cent of her 62 first serves in and won the point from only 20 of those 35 successful efforts (57 per cent).
Kerber – the 2018 champion – was far less erratic and capitalised on four of five break point opportunities, saving four of six going the other way.
"Coco is such a great, talented young player," Kerber said after a comfortable 6-4 6-4 triumph in an hour and 16 minutes on Centre Court.
"She's for sure a newcomer with such a great future in front of her, so I'm really sure that she will have a great career and for sure she will play here so many times again and maybe one time she will get the title.
"I like how she's playing, how she's professional, and I think she has a great future in front of her."
Kerber has struggled for consistent form since winning the third of her grand slam singles titles at Wimbledon three years ago, but she always enjoys playing on grass.
Victory at the Bad Homburg Open heading into this tournament was her first since celebrating at the All England Club.
It was Kerber's seventh WTA Tour final on grass, with only four players – Serena Williams (12) and Venus Williams (nine) involved in more since the turn of the century.
"I really enjoy my time here," Kerber added. "It's so great to play in front of you guys again – that gives me the energy to play my best tennis.
"I'm really looking forward to playing my next match because this is such a magic place for me and I will try to do my best."
The in-form German is the last remaining former champion in the women's tournament and plays Karolina Muchova next.
"I'm not looking too much ahead," Kerber said. "I just try to stay in the moment and enjoy every single moment here."
Both the Phoenix Suns and the Milwaukee Bucks have had to wait a while to get back to the NBA Finals.
Milwaukee have not made it this far since 1974, when a team containing Oscar Robertson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar lost out to the Boston Celtics in Game 7.
The Bucks had been champions three years earlier, but Phoenix have never been crowned. The franchise fell at the last hurdle in both 1976 and 1993, when their campaign ended in a 4-2 series defeat to Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls.
So, will it be third time lucky for the Suns, or can the Bucks reign once again?
Ahead of the best-of-seven battle getting underway, Stats Perform looks at the players who have risen to the occasion during the playoffs this year for both franchises, as well as a candidate from each who could make a greater impact.
MILWAUKEE BUCKS
Khris Middleton
Milwaukee made it out of the Eastern Conference despite being without Giannis Antetokounmpo for the end of the series against the Atlanta Hawks. His hyperextended knee remains the biggest talking point ahead of Game 1 on Tuesday, but at least his colleagues have demonstrated they can prosper without him.
Middleton certainly stepped up. After 26 points in Game 5 at home, he followed up with 32 on the road in Atlanta to help his team seal a 4-2 series triumph. The two-time All-Star lifted his playoff average to 23.4 points per game, in comparison to 20.4 during the regular season. He has also upped his rebounds (8.0 from 6.0) and is landing 2.6 three-pointers per outing.
Brook Lopez
While not perhaps too surprising for a center, Lopez came up big for the Bucks in Game 5 last week. His 33-point haul saw him successful with 77.8 per cent of his shots, as well as deliver four blocks and two steals. He is the only NBA player to reach all of those numbers in a playoff game since blocks and steals became official stats in 1973-74 (Milwaukee's last trip to the NBA Finals, of course).
Lopez's extended minutes helped the 10th overall pick in the 2008 draft rise to 13.5 points per game in these playoffs (he finished at 12.3 in the regular season), as well as seeing him claim a greater number of rebounds (6.0 per game). His upcoming battle with Deandre Ayton should be fascinating, too, as they both aim to make a sizeable impact.
Bryn Forbes
A useful contributor on the roster, Forbes averaged 10.0 points while shooting 45.2 per cent from deep during a regular season that saw the Bucks finish as the third seeds in the East, behind the Philadelphia 76ers and the Brooklyn Nets, who they then knocked out in the second round of the playoffs.
However, the guard – who previously played for the San Antonio Spurs after going undrafted – has not had the same impact in limited opportunities of late, landing 30 of his 80 attempts from deep for a shooting percentage of 37.5 from beyond the arc. Forbes twice had 22-point outings during the first-round series against the Miami Heat, but he has reached double figures in just two outings since.
PHOENIX SUNS
Deandre Ayton
It has been quite the first playoff experience for Deandre Ayton, the center selected by the Suns with the top pick in 2018. His dramatic dunk in the last second to beat the Los Angeles Clippers in Game 2 will be replayed for years to come, as he slammed the ball in from an inbound pass right at the death to clinch victory.
Ayton heads into the Milwaukee series on a 10-game streak of reaching double figures for points, while he had double-double outings in four of the six games against the Clippers. He averaged 10.5 rebounds in the regular season but has raised the bar in the postseason, going up to 11.8 per outing.
Chris Paul
Devin Booker leads the way in terms of scoring for the Suns – he is averaging 27.0 points a game in the postseason – but Paul is unquestionably the leader of this Phoenix team. The veteran point guard finally gets to play in an NBA Finals at the age of 36. Father Time is not slowing him down, though health and safety protocols amid the coronavirus pandemic did briefly pause his efforts.
However, the 11-time All-Star made up for lost time after missing the opening two games of the Clippers series, scoring a combined total of 96 points in the next four outings, including 41 in Game 6 as Phoenix were crowned in the West.
Dario Saric
Saric played a part in helping the Suns rise to the top of the conference in the regular season, finishing it with an average of 8.7 points per game. The Croatian's impact on the offensive end has been reduced since, as have his minutes. Having attempted 342 shots prior to the playoffs, he has managed just 44 in his past 13 outings, while he did not feature at all in three games.
Yet the need to give valuable rest to Ayton – and the possibility of Giannis returning at some stage during the series – could increase the need to play Saric, who is averaging 4.8 points and 2.6 rebounds per game in the postseason so far.
England are a better side now than the one that lost to Croatia at the 2018 World Cup and have a lot more faith in overcoming Denmark in their latest semi-final, according to Harry Maguire.
The Three Lions eased to a 4-0 win over Ukraine in Saturday's Euro 2020 quarter-final in Rome – their biggest win in the knockout stages of a major tournament – to set up a showdown with Denmark at Wembley on Wednesday.
England lost their most recent semi-final appearance in the competition on penalties to Germany in 1996, while also losing at that stage to Croatia in the World Cup three years ago en route to finishing fourth.
Not since being crowned world champions on home soil in 1966 have England reached the final of a major tournament, but Maguire insists his side will use the pain of their most recent semi-final heartbreak to drive them on.
"The motivation is there," he said at a news conference on Monday. "It's the semi-final of the European Championship. Losing the semi-final at the World Cup hurt a lot.
"We need to make sure when it comes on Wednesday we get a positive feeling rather than the one we got against Croatia.
"I think we're in a lot better place than we were then. The experience of that, we've learnt from it and also the experience of the games in between as well, for example the Nations League.
"We've had a lot of big games in that period to improve and a lot of time spent together on the training pitch, friendlies and qualifiers. Every game we play we feel we improve.
"My mentality will be the same, but there is more belief going into Denmark than Croatia. We hadn't been to a semi-final in so long in 2018 so the belief wasn't there. We've just got to focus on ourselves."
Wednesday's match will be a special occasion for Gareth Southgate, who will become just the second manager to take charge of England in the semi-finals of both the World Cup and the European Championship after Alf Ramsey in 1966 and 1968.
"Gareth sits here and gives us all the plaudits," Maguire said. "But we appreciate the job he's doing and the way that he sets us up and his man-management skills.
"I can't speak highly enough of him and his coaching staff and the way that he's gone about his business over the last four years."
Maguire made his senior international debut under Southgate in October 2017 and has gone on to make 35 appearances for England, the most recent of those being the quarter-final win against Ukraine in which he scored his side's second goal.
England are expected to be given a far tougher test by Denmark, who are competing in the semi-finals of the competition for the first time since famously lifting the trophy against all the odds in 1992.
The Nordic nation – the first team to qualify from the group stage despite losing their first two games - have been the story of the tournament following Christian Eriksen's cardiac arrest on the pitch in their opener against Finland.
Eriksen has subsequently recovered and is in regular contact with his team-mates, who have gone from strength to strength since understandably making a slow start to the competition.
"First and foremost, our thoughts have always been with Christian and his recovery and we're all right behind that," Maguire said. "They're a good team. They've proved that for years.
"They're the highest-ranked team we will have played in this competition. They're a strong team with great leaders in their team, great experience. We know it will be a tough game, but we're really focused on ourselves."
All seven meetings between England and Denmark at Wembley have finished 1-0, with England winning five to Denmark's two, though the Danes have won their last two competitive games against the Three Lions at the stadium.
Columbus Blue Jackets have announced that goaltender Matiss Kivlenieks has passed away at the age of 24.
A statement on the Jackets' official website on Monday confirmed that the Latvian died after suffering a head injury in a fall on July 4.
According to reports, local emergency services were called to a residence in Novi, Michigan around 22:00 local time.
Jason Meier of the Novi Police Department told ESPN: "There appears to have been a fireworks malfunction, which caused a group of people to flee from the hot tub, including the deceased, who slipped and hit his head on the concrete."
President of hockey operations John Davidson said: "We are shocked and saddened by the loss of Matiss Kivlenieks, and we extend our deepest sympathies to his mother, Astrida, his family and friends during this devastating time.
"Kivi was an outstanding young man who greeted every day and everyone with a smile and the impact he had during his four years with our organization will not be forgotten."
Kivlenieks had played eight games since signing for Columbus as a free agent in May 2017, but was expected to challenge for more game time in the coming season.
He had also represented his native Latvia, including as they hosted the 2021 edition of the IIHF World Championships.
Rising stars Justin Burrowes and Emily Mayne have been named among a 12-member team that will represent Jamaica at the Caribbean Amateur Golf Championships, scheduled for August 8-13 in Puerto Rico, where they will compete for the Hoerman Cup and George Teale Trophy, for men and women, respectively.
James Anderson took his 1,000th first-class wicket and finished with career-best figures as Lancashire dismissed sorry Kent for only 74 on Monday.
Legendary England seamer Anderson claimed a staggering 7-19 from 10 overs on day two of the County Championship match at Old Trafford.
England's record Test wicket-taker, and holder of the most caps for his country in the longest format, tore through Kent in a stunning spell from the James Anderson End.
He took seven of the first eight Kent wickets to fall, reducing them to a pitiful 34-8.
Anderson, who turns 39 this month, reached the 1,000 mark in his 262nd first-class match and bettered his previous best first in an innings of 7-42, which came in England's defeat of West Indies at Lord's in September 2017.
That was the match in which Anderson claimed his 500th Test scalp.
Italy coach Roberto Mancini is expecting a tough test from an "extraordinary" Spain side in the quarter-finals of Euro 2020.
The two teams go head to head at Wembley Stadium on Tuesday hoping to earn a place in the showpiece fixture of the tournament.
Spain have won just one of their five games en route to the last four in normal time – a group-stage victory over Slovakia that staved off the threat of an early exit.
But Italy have been altogether more convincing in winning each of their five outings without the need for extra time or penalties.
When it was put to him that many Italians believe their team is already in the final as a result of this strong form, Mancini replied: "I hope you get it right for once.
"It won't be easy. We need to put in a great performance. Spain are a top team, we are in the semi-finals, so it won't be easy.
"It will be a tough game, Spain are different from Belgium, but we will still face many difficulties.
"We suffered against Austria because of their aggressiveness and because it was the first game in the knockout stage.
"Spain have been extraordinary over the last few years, they have many young players and an excellent coach.
"Luis Enrique won the Champions League with Barcelona, but not only that. His Roma side played good football."
After scoring in Italy's opening two fixtures, Ciro Immobile has faced criticism for the two goalless games that have followed, particularly the quarter-final win over Belgium.
But Mancini has leapt to the defence of his striker, saying: "He is the Golden Boot, one of the best scorers of the last few years.
"Sometimes the most criticised are the decisive ones during the Euros or the World Cup."
Leonardo Spinazzola has undergone a "perfectly successful" operation after he suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon during Italy's Euro 2020 win over Belgium.
The Roma full-back had been one of the stars of the tournament, but his participation came to a painful end during a 2-1 quarter-final victory in Munich last Friday.
Spinazzola suffered cruciate ligament damage in May 2018 and has endured frequent fitness problems during his career, but the 28-year-old is ready to put in the hard yards on the road to recovery again after going under the knife.
He posted on Instagram: "Perfectly successful intervention. I thank everyone for being close to me, there were so many of you!
"Countdown started, see you soon."
Serie A side Roma have not put a timeframe on how long they expect Spinazzola to be out of action.
"The club can confirm that Leonardo Spinazzola underwent surgery on Monday to repair the Achilles tendon in his left leg, following the injury suffered during Italy's win over Belgium at Euro 2020 on July 2," the Giallorossi stated on their official website.
"The surgery, which was completed in Turku, Finland by Prof. Lasse Lempainen under the observation of the club's chief doctor Massimo Manara, was successfully completed.
"The player's condition and likely recovery period will continue to be assessed over the coming weeks."
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