Football/Soccer 3h Briefing
×Managerial Changes
Walsall sacked head coach Mat Sadler bbc.com following Tuesday's defeat by Salford City, which further dented their stuttering League Two promotion challenge. The Saddlers have won just one of their last eight matches, leaving them nine points adrift of the automatic promotion places. Sadler had been in charge since January 2023, guiding the club to a mid-table finish last season before this year's downturn.
Player Development
Chelsea defender Levi Colwill revealed reading helped him through injury bbc.com, crediting books with maintaining his mental wellbeing during a spell on the sidelines. The 21-year-old centre-back is now launching a literacy initiative aimed at encouraging children to develop reading habits, partnering with local schools in southwest London. Colwill returned to Thomas Tuchel's squad last month after recovering from a hamstring injury that kept him out for six weeks.
Disciplinary Issues
Police chief Jo Farrell criticised Celtic and Rangers bbc.com after Sunday's Old Firm match at Ibrox descended into crowd disorder, with multiple arrests and flares thrown onto the pitch. Farrell stated that neither club had issued public condemnations of the incidents, which included clashes between supporters and stewards. The Scottish Football Association has launched an investigation into the disturbances, which marred what was otherwise a 2-1 victory for Rangers.
Supporter Mix-ups
A Barcelona fan accidentally travelled to Exeter bbc.com instead of Newcastle for the Champions League quarter-final second leg, having booked accommodation in the wrong city. The supporter, who had flown from London, only realised the error upon checking match details online. Newcastle's St James' Park hosted the actual fixture, where Barcelona overturned a first-leg deficit to progress 4-3 on aggregate.
International Eligibility
Newcastle Knights fullback Kalyn Ponga secured approval to switch allegiance skysports.com from Australia to New Zealand ahead of the 2026 Rugby League World Cup. The International Rugby League Board granted the request following changes to State of Origin eligibility rules that previously locked players into representing Australia after participating in the interstate series. Ponga, who qualifies through his mother, becomes one of New Zealand's highest-profile signings since Jason Taumalolo's 2015 defection.
Boxing Rivalries
Jake Paul reignited his feud with Francis Ngannou skysports.com, claiming the former UFC champion "ran like a duck" from a proposed fight before Ngannou's bout against Anthony Joshua. The You Tuber-turned-boxer suggested Ngannou's team had initially shown interest in a December 2024 matchup before backing out, though Ngannou's representatives have denied the allegations. Paul is currently preparing for a May 16 bout against Mike Tyson in Texas.