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Time running out for Liverpool to make themselves serial winners

Premier League almost won but contracts are ending and key players ageing, necessitating a summer of change

It’s the 94th minute at Estádio da Luz in October. Benfica are winning 4-0 and Atlético Madrid are in utter disarray. Zeki Amdouni runs the ball into an entirely unpatrolled Atlético area, gets a free shot from 14 yards and misses a glorious chance to make it 5-0. Nobody cares. Least of all Liverpool, even though this miss will in effect end up, five months later, knocking them out of the Champions League.

Of course, we’re in the realm of the absurd here, although when it comes to the new Champions League format this is a system with margins exactly, and absurdly, this fine. By virtue of this one goal not scored – and of course you could pick out many others – Benfica end up finishing 16th in the 36-team group phase rather than 15th: a position from which they, rather than Paris Saint-Germain, would probably have ended up facing Liverpool in the last 16.

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Golden Knights Reportedly Named One Of The Four Teams Mikko Rantanen Was Willing To Sign An Extension With

David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period revealed the four teams Mikko Rantanen was willing to sign an extension with and named the Vegas Golden Knights as one of those teams. 

Dallas Stars forward Mikko Rantanen (96) during a stop in play against the Vancouver Canucks in the first period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images

Along with the Golden Knights and the Dallas Stars, Rantanen was open to discussing an extension with the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Florida Panthers. The 28-year-old played the first 619 games of his career with the Colorado Avalanche, scoring 287 goals and 681 points. 

After ongoing disputes about contract extensions with the Avalanche, GM Chris McFarland shocked the hockey world, sending Rantanen to the Carolina Hurricanes. Rantanen would go on to play just 13 games with the Hurricanes before they too moved him after he informed them he would not re-sign.

Reports had stated the Golden Knights could be an option for Rantanen, but no formal deal or proof has shown the Golden Knights went out trying to acquire him. Alongside the Stars, both the Panthers and Maple Leafs submitted offers, with the Maple Leafs reportedly having a deal in place with Rantanen and an offer the Hurricanes gave serious thought to. 

The Los Angeles Kings and the Edmonton Oilers, two Pacific Division rivals, both had high hopes of working out a deal, but Rantanen expressed no desire to join those clubs. 

Rantanen is a tremendous player who would have provided the Golden Knights with a massive offensive boost. Finding the assets to give up and making space in the salary cap would have been incredibly difficult, but it would have been another franchise-altering move, similar to acquiring Jack Eichel. 

The 10th overall pick in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft had been a thorn in the Golden Knights' side during his time with the Avalanche and will be for the next eight seasons he spends with the Stars. 

Stay updated with the most interesting Golden Knights stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favourites on Google News to never miss a story.

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Brooks Koepka: ‘Don’t know where I’m going’ once LIV contract expires

  • Fred Couples speculated a PGA return would happen
  • Koepka’s LIV contract runs through 2026

Brooks Koepka did not entirely dismiss recent comments by Fred Couples that the five-time major champion wants to return to the PGA Tour, but said that he does intend to fulfill his LIV Golf contract.

Couples stirred speculation about Koepka’s future by telling a Seattle radio station last week that he “really wants to come back and play the Tour.” Koepka said he texted with Couples after the comments were made, but that the two did not go into much detail about future plans.

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Formula One 2025: team-by-team guide to the cars and drivers

Verstappen is under pressure from a revitalised Hamilton at Ferrari with McLaren’s Norris set to challenge from the off

Car MCL39 Engine Mercedes Principal Andrea Stella Debut Monaco 1966 GPs 970 Titles 9 Last season 1st. In position to build on securing the constructors’ championship in 2024, McLaren will be quick out of the blocks. The car was the standout in testing and confidence is high. Lessons were learned through questionable execution last year and they have two outstanding drivers who are both hungrily eyeing the team’s first drivers’ title since 2008. How they manage them may be key from the off.

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Streak Snapped: Wild Pick Up A Huge Win At Home Over Division Rival Avalanche

Mar 11, 2025; Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Wild right wing Mats Zuccarello (36) is congratulated by center Marco Rossi (23) and left wing Matt Boldy (12) after scoring on the Colorado Avalanche in the second period at Xcel Energy Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Blewett-Imagn Images.

ST. PAUL - The Minnesota Wild (37-24-4) entered Tuesday's game against the Colorado Avalanche (39-24-3) without having a win on home ice against the Avs since March 29, 2022. 

It had been 1,078 days since the Wild last beat the Avs on home ice and were 2-7-1 in their last ten games against the Avs in the last three seasons. 

The Wild also entered Tuesday's game coming off a loss against the Pittsburgh Penguins. They had lost five of their last seven games before Tuesday. 

Against a red-hot Avalanche team that had won six in a row coming into Minnesota, the Wild were able to limit the Avs to one goal and walked away with a shootout win. 

“It’s huge, not only for the standings but our confidence, too,” said defenseman Jake Middleton. “We played a solid game. We definitely deserved two points.”

Mats Zuccarello opened the scoring for the Wild after a nice play by his linemates. Matt Boldy forced a turnover and got it to Marco Rossi who dropped it off for Zuccarello for a mini-breakaway. 

The veteran forward flipped it over the glove of MacKenzie Blackwood to give the Wild a 1-0 lead in the second period. That trio has actually been one of the best lines in the NHL in terms of generating offense. 

The Boldy-Rossi-Zuccarello line ranks 21st in the league in xGoals Against, according to Moneypuck. They also rank 32nd in xGoals for and 18th in xGoals for per 60 minutes. They also lead the Wild in xGoals and are second in goals for with two goals behind the Kaprizov-Rossi-Zuccarello line.

Colorado was able to score a goal in the third period to force extra time but the Wild were able to finish it off in the shootout.

Zuccarello went first for the Wild and scored. Filip Gustavsson then stopped Nathan MacKinnon on his attempt and Boldy sealed the deal with a goal on his move.

Gustavsson then stopped Martin Necas to end the game. The Wild picked up two huge points and, most importantly, some confidence.

“There’s so many different components to win the game, right?” Wild head coach John Hynes said after the game. “Scoring is a big part of it. Killing two penalties is a part of it. Getting timely saves is a big part of it. Being strong and attention to detail when you don’t have the puck, to check the right way. Those are all important aspects of the game, and I think that for the most part we’ve been pretty good at those areas, but then you need to find ways to win and tonight we found a way to win by playing a detailed, highly competitive game.”