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Former Barcelona star Dani Alves must pay Liga MX club Pumas UNAM $2.25 million in compensation after Switzerland’s Federal Court ratified an earlier ruling by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), according to ESPN.
Lionel Messi has announced his retirement from the Argentina national team after more than two decades representing his country.
The World Cup-winning captain shared an emotional farewell video on Instagram, saying the decision hurts deeply but that he believes the time has come to close this chapter of his career.
Source: www.marca.com
RB Leipzig has emerged as a concrete destination for Olympique Lyonnais winger Malick Fofana in the final hours of the transfer window, according to Sacha Tavolieri.
The 21-year-old Belgian international has approved the move to the Bundesliga club, with the guarantee of UEFA Champions League football this season understood to be the primary reason behind his decision.
Former IndyCar Series driver and F1 TV analyst James Hinchcliffe believes McLaren’s performance at Monza will determine whether Lando Norris can mount a realistic challenge for the 2026 Formula 1 championship.
Norris heads to the Italian Grand Prix after consecutive victories at the Hungarian and Dutch Grands Prix. Those wins, combined with a third-place finish in the Dutch sprint race, have reduced his championship deficit to 83 points.
However, Hinchcliffe has cautioned that McLaren’s recent success came at high-downforce circuits. He believes Monza, with its long straights and low-downforce demands, will provide a crucial test of the team’s competitiveness.
Speaking on the F1 Nation podcast, Hinchcliffe said:
“We’ve had two sort of similar tracks back-to-back. I really think Monza is going to answer some questions. I think the level of competitiveness we see out of McLaren at Monza is going to really set the table for whether or not they, and Lando specifically, have a shot at this championship,” Hinchcliffe explained.
Former F1 driver Jolyon Palmer, who joined Hinchcliffe and host Tom Clarkson on the podcast, added:
“Lando at his worst was 101 points [behind] this year. I actually think he’s driving unbelievably well. He’s in the frame for driver of the season, him and Kimi, for me, have been the two standouts.
“But he’s still 83 points back. I think Hinch is bang on; I think when you look at the last races – Budapest, Zandvoort – they’re both high-downforce. They are both, if you gave me a list to say who these tracks would suit driver-wise, I’d put Lando’s name right next to both of them.
“He has a great track record there, McLaren has got a great track record at both, and he’s delivered absolutely brilliant wins, but can they do it at Monza? That’s where I’m not sure.”
Norris is currently fourth in the drivers’ championship with 159 points. Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli leads the standings on 242 points, while George Russell and Lewis Hamilton are tied on 183 points.
The Italian Grand Prix is scheduled to take place at Monza from 4-6 September.
Source: www.motorsport.com
The Green Bay Packers will be without star pass rusher Micah Parsons for at least the first month of the 2026 NFL season after placing him on the reserve/physically unable to perform (PUP) list.
The roster designation guarantees that Parsons will miss Green Bay’s first four games as he continues recovering from a torn ACL. His absence is a significant setback for a defense built around his ability to pressure quarterbacks and change games from the edge.
A Week 6 matchup against Parsons’ former team, the Dallas Cowboys, had emerged as a popular target for his return. However, Parsons has repeatedly avoided committing to a specific timetable.
“I think the people really want Week 6, I just want to come back when I’m feeling like myself again,” Parsons said. “I say Week 6 would be optimistic.”
Although a return against Dallas would add intrigue, Parsons has made clear that the matchup will not dictate his rehabilitation. The key benchmark will be how he feels after being cleared to resume practicing.
“The [21-day practice] window opens the first week of October, two, three weeks of practice, but the reality is you gotta feel like yourself, you gotta be moving again,” he said.
“I don’t wanna go out there and embarrass myself. That’s a real feeling. Packer nation, just know, when I come back, it’s going to be up.”
Parsons’ cautious approach reflects the importance of protecting his explosiveness and avoiding another setback. Green Bay acquired him as a long-term cornerstone, not as a short-term addition for one marquee game.
Rushing Parsons back for a potential matchup with the Cowboys would make little sense if it compromised his performance or increased the risk of reinjury. At this stage, Week 6 remains a possibility rather than a guarantee.
Green Bay must find a way to replace the pressure normally generated by its best pass rusher. Lukas Van Ness is expected to take on a larger role, while veteran Javon Hargrave becomes even more important along the defensive front.
There is no true substitute for a player of Parsons’ caliber, meaning the Packers will need a collective effort to manage his absence.
The timing is particularly difficult because Green Bay is also dealing with uncertainty elsewhere on the roster. Running back Josh Jacobs has been placed on the Commissioner’s Exempt List, creating the possibility that the Packers could open the season without two of their biggest names available.
Parsons has not suffered a new setback, but his absence is now official. Green Bay will miss him for at least four games, with his eventual return depending on whether he feels like himself again.
Source: www.marca.com
Guenther Steiner believes Lewis Hamilton has a small but genuine chance of winning a record eighth Formula 1 world championship in 2026. However, the former Haas team principal says Ferrari must fully back Hamilton if the Briton is to overcome championship leader Kimi Antonelli.
Speaking on The Red Flags Podcast, Steiner suggested Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur may soon have to introduce clear team orders in Hamilton’s favour over team-mate Charles Leclerc.
Hamilton has generally had the upper hand over Leclerc this season, making him Ferrari’s most likely challenger to Mercedes driver Antonelli in the title fight.
“There need to be two things for Lewis to win the championship, the eighth one, and I think that would be a great moment for the sport, somebody winning eight championships. Kimi needs to make some mistakes. If Kimi stays clean, it will be very difficult to do, but Kimi is young and Mercedes has trouble with the car sometimes, mechanical issues.
“At some stage, Ferrari needs to put everything behind Lewis if they are serious about winning it because he’s in front of Charles, so he should get the support,” Steiner explained.
Steiner believes Vasseur will recognise that Ferrari cannot afford to divide its efforts between Hamilton and Leclerc if it wants to challenge Mercedes.
“I think Fred will be doing that and saying, ‘Hey guys, we need to put our money on one of the guys and not try to have papaya rules here.’ They need the help of Kimi and Mercedes as well. Otherwise, it will be very difficult.”
Asked whether Hamilton can win his eighth world title this season, Steiner said the possibility remains, but the outcome could depend heavily on Antonelli and Mercedes’ performance during the second half of the campaign.
“I think there is a small chance that it can happen, yes. For me, the biggest thing is how much Kimi and Mercedes will be struggling in the second half of the season.”
Antonelli currently leads team-mate George Russell and Hamilton by 59 points, with Russell and Hamilton level on points.
Carlos Sainz has teased the first merchandise drop from his Fifty Five brand ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix in Madrid.
Formula 1 will race through the Spanish capital for the first time in September, giving the Williams driver an opportunity to launch his new collection in front of his home crowd. Sainz addressed fan confusion over his recent cryptic social media posts while reading and responding to comments.
“I’m seeing a lot of questions – we don’t know what this is, what’s coming – but today is the day,” Sainz said. “I’m going to give you some hints. ‘At this stage, it’s not only clear that everything is completely unclear, but I’m intrigued 100%.’ That’s exactly what we were trying to do. Make it clearly unclear.
“‘I have gone from cycling equipment to merchandise to clothing to photography, and I’m back to knowing nothing.’ That is the point. We are making you go the whole loop around to see what’s coming.
“Yes, there is cycling. Yes, there is photography. Yes, there is clothing. Yes, there is merchandise, and yes, there are many other things.”
Sainz confirmed that the merchandise launch will coincide with the upcoming Spanish Grand Prix.
“I’m going to use my home grand prix to make sure I launch my first merch drop,”
the 31-year-old said.
“I think Madrid is so special, and it needed to be the first time I dropped something like that.”
According to Carlos Sainz’s official website, the Spanish driver has unveiled separate elements of his wider brand strategy. Team Fifty 5 has been created as a community space for his fans.
“It brings fan activations and merchandising together in one space,”
the website confirms.
Alongside Team Fifty 5, Sainz has introduced Fifty Five as a
“premium lifestyle brand”.
Explaining the idea behind the brand in a note on his website, Sainz said:
“This has been something I’ve thought about for a while. I wanted to create something that felt personal — my own taste, my own perspective, away from racing,” Sainz explained in a note on the website.
“But I also wanted something for the fans, a space and products that speak to them directly. With this, I feel we’re able to give something to every type of fan, in the way that makes sense for them.”
Products already listed include a limited-edition signed black-and-white Miami poster, a Fifty Five x Gobik cycling jersey, a signed and numbered black-and-white Miami visor poster, and 2026 British Grand Prix mini helmets.
Malo Gusto is expected to stay at Chelsea despite interest from Atletico Madrid, according to L’Equipe.
Atletico recently explored the possibility of signing the 23-year-old France international on loan with an option to buy.
Williams driver Carlos Sainz believes he could continue racing in Formula 1 until he is 45, meaning he could still be competing when the 2040 season begins.
Sainz is currently contesting his 12th F1 season. The four-time Grand Prix winner will turn 32 on Tuesday and is the sixth-oldest driver on the grid, behind Fernando Alonso, Lewis Hamilton, Nico Hulkenberg, and Cadillac pairing Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez.
Sainz remains convinced that he has many years ahead of him. Hamilton recently became the oldest race winner since 1994 at the age of 41, while 45-year-old Alonso is the oldest points scorer since 1974.
“Looking at what Fernando and Lewis are still capable of doing, and also Nico, who is a few years older than me, it confirms to me that you can maintain a very high level of driving for a long time,” the former Toro Rosso, Renault, McLaren and Ferrari driver told Motorsport.com in an exclusive interview. “I’m fortunate to be in a sport that allows you to remain at this level for many years.
“I also have an example in my own family… My father Carlos isn’t in Formula 1, but at 63 he’s still competitive, and two years ago he won the Dakar.
“If you look after your physical condition and maintain strong motivation, you can extend your career for a long time. You need to be in a good place mentally, because you also have to factor in all the travelling, as well as the marketing and media commitments. Putting those aspects aside, I think you can keep going until you’re 45.”
Sainz is currently 16th in the drivers’ championship with a struggling Williams team, but he insists that he still has the motivation and desire to remain in Formula 1.
“Right now, yes,” he replied. “I think I’ll stay in Formula 1 for as long as I can. I don’t understand people who say ‘no’.
“It’s strange, because my theory is that at 40 you’re not even halfway through your life, and I ask myself what I’m going to do in the second half of it.
“I enjoy playing golf, cycling, playing padel and challenging myself with business activities, but even if I put all of those things together, they still don’t give me the same enjoyment I get from being where I am today.
“I’m aware of how fortunate I am to be part of this sport. It’s true that 24 races are a lot and that there are many other commitments around them, but when I go to bed at night, I remind myself that I wouldn’t trade all of this for anything in the world.”
Source: www.motorsport.com
Our experts provide the key betting information you need before making your Monza predictions.
Source: www.formula1.com