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Justin Martinez: Jalen Williams on where his game is at: “I think defensively, I’m great. That’s my bread and butter. That’s what I hang my hat on. Offensively, it’s having a new team and new lineups and new kind of everything. And that’s not just for me. A lot of our guys were in and out last year, so it’s just learning how to play with everybody, as weird as that sounds. I’m trying to still pick my spots and figure out what my spots even are because I basically didn’t play for a whole year and then I come back to a new team. But it’ll be a pretty quick adjustment. I have the ball a lot.”

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This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: “I think defensively, I’m great. That’s my bread and …

Wemby explained that his early misses affected his decision-making as the game progressed. "I missed a lot of shots, which I usually don't miss," he said. "After that, I didn't go back to these shots. I was indecisive. I might be overthinking it. "What I really need to do is let go. I don't need to do more, I need to think less."

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This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: "I missed a lot of shots, which I usually don't miss," …

Wembanyama still finished with 12 points, 13 rebounds, three assists, and six blocks, but shot a career-worst 1-for-13 from the field and missed all four of his three-point attempts in 34 minutes. After the game, the French superstar admitted that he did not play with his usual freedom. "I need to go back to playing the basketball I like," Wembanyama said. "This is not the sport I like, right here. I've got no reason to be hesitant. No reason not to be myself. "For me, it's as simple as that. I'm good when I have fun."

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This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Victor Wembanyama: 'I need to go back to playing the basketball I like'

 ‘We want to perform better’Barcelona forward admits he was not at his best after 2-4 loss to PSG: ‘We want to perform better’

Barcelona forward Anthony Gordon has admitted that he failed to perform at his best during the 2-4 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain, conceding that the French champions deserved their victory in Tuesday’s Champions League encounter.

Speaking to TNT Sports after the final whistle at the Parc des Princes, the 25-year-old offered an honest assessment of Barcelona’s first defeat of the season. 

Gordon pointed to PSG’s superior intensity and quality, while Marc Bernal also reflected on the loss, insisting that the experience could help Barcelona improve over the remainder of the campaign.

Gordon admits Barcelona were second best vs PSG

Barcelona struggled to match PSG’s level throughout the contest, with the hosts demonstrating why they remain among Europe’s leading sides. 

Gordon did not attempt to disguise the difference between the teams, giving credit to Luis Enrique’s side for their performance.

“They deserved it. They were the better team and had the better moments with real quality,” he began.

Anthony Gordon was self-critical after PSG defeat. (Photo by Franco Arland/Getty Images)

The forward also highlighted PSG’s ability to maintain their intensity for longer, identifying a physical and tactical challenge Barcelona must address if they are to compete consistently against the strongest opponents in the Champions League.

“Athletically, they were able to sustain the pressure and intensity for longer than we were,” he added.

For Gordon, the result offered a reminder of the standards Barcelona must reach to challenge Europe’s elite. 

PSG’s recent dominance has made them a benchmark for other contenders, and the Englishman acknowledged that his team still has work to do.

“They’ve been the team to beat for two years and tonight they gave a great example as to why,” he explained.

Furthermore, Gordon also turned the focus towards his own contribution, admitting that he was disappointed with his performance rather than blaming the defeat entirely on collective shortcomings.

Bernal looked at the positive from the loss. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)

“I don’t think I was good tonight, like the whole team. I think we want to perform better. I know I was not at my best,” he concluded.

Bernal insists Barcelona can learn from defeat

Marc Bernal, who started in place of the rested Rodri, also offered his assessment of the result. 

The midfielder focused on the character Barcelona showed while acknowledging how small details can determine matches at the highest level of European football.

Speaking after the match, the Barcelona academy talent tried to pick out the positives from the loss, stating, 

“It was a match we approached very well, with character, which is what Flick asked of us, but in the Champions League, matches are decided by small details. 

“Now, we’ll try to improve because there’s still a long way to go and it will serve us well in the future,” he noted.

It's official, brilliant midfielder joins LIverpoolIt's official, brilliant midfielder joins LIverpool

It has all been agreed, a brilliant midfielder is joining Liverpool's first-team.

Midfield has been an area that is up for debate both internally at Anfield and among the club's supporter base.

There's a notion that Liverpool are understaffed in the midfield area. And that notion is probably right. The club's midfield depth is definitely no longer as strong as it used to be.

Especially after Curtis Jones departed for pastures new in the summer. Liverpool decided to replace him with Trey Nyoni, who is a brilliant young midfielder.

However, the truth is that with a suspension to Ryan Gravenberch and an injury to Dominik Szoboszlai, Liverpool have found themselves in a volatile position at times.

Andoni Iraola is only a couple of injuries away from a complete disaster in the middle of the park.

Who Liverpool are planning to buy in 2027

The January window is not so far away. We are slowly approaching the start of November. That's a point in time when recruitment teams across the globe are going to be lining up concrete plans of what they plan to do in the upcoming window.

Julian Ward and his recruitment team will be doing the same.

Last summer's window felt a little bit incomplete to say the least. There was a feeling Liverpool were keeping their powder dry for another window.

It's why they asked Lamine Camara to be patient and to wait for them to make a move. Now, in January the Senegalese star is going to be available again and the chances are that Liverpool will be prioritising a move for him over a mega £100m transfer for Alex Scott.

Brilliant Michael Laffey joins Liverpool first-team

In the meantime, Iraola is going to have to maximise the use of his squad to every single player.

We've already seen this season Lewis Koumas becoming a regular and doing very well in attack. James McConnell has been used in the League Cup, and Wataru Endo is also waiting on the sidelines - although he is not registered to play in the Champions League.

Ahead of Liverpool's trip to Villareal, the Reds' senior squad was joined by another addition.

Michael Laffey from the U21 team participated in Liverpool's training session making his promotion to the first-team official.

He joins Iraola's first-team on the back of some impressive performances at U21 level. The 21-year-old is the captain of the U21 team and has two goal contributions in four games from midfield. He's a bit like Fabinho in the way he plays because he is a very defensive minded player and prioritises defence first.

 Barça lose; Madrid seek victoryThe day's 5️⃣ headlines: Barça lose; Madrid seek victory

After an action-packed day of Champions League and Copa Sudamericana football, and with today's fixtures in mind, here are the 5 stories to start your day.

Barça collapse in Paris

FC Barcelona endured a nightmare in the Champions League as they suffered a crushing defeat away to Paris Saint-Germain.

📸 JULIEN DE ROSA - AFP or licensors

With serious lapses in defence and a disjointed midfield, the Catalan side had no tactical answer to their opponents' high press.

The defeat is a huge blow to morale and could complicate their hopes of qualifying directly for the competition's round of 16.

Real Madrid look to strengthen their position at the Bernabéu

Los Blancos face a stern test in the Champions League today against RB Leipzig, firmly focused on consolidating their lead and taking a giant step towards the next round.


Ancelotti's men are looking to maintain their perfect record in their signature competition against a Leipzig side coming off a heavy defeat to Bayern.

Atleti draw in Germany as Villarreal lose at Anfield

The only Spanish side to come away with anything in the Champions League was Atlético de Madrid, who earned a draw in Stuttgart. It came thanks to Julián Álvarez, who rediscovered his scoring touch when his team needed it most.

📸 THOMAS KIENZLE - AFP or licensors

Villarreal fared worse on their visit to Anfield in what was a thrilling match. The 'Groguets' failed to hold on to a two-goal lead as Liverpool swept them aside.

📸 Stu Forster - 2026 Getty Images

Sevilla speak out against referees

Sevilla FC issued a strongly worded official statement expressing their "deep disagreement and dissatisfaction" not only with the refereeing decisions in the match against Real Madrid—particularly the failure to send off Arda Güler and the penalty awarded to Mbappé—but also directly with LaLiga's handling of the broadcast production and coverage.

Sevilla FC have formally demanded that LaLiga immediately hand over all original footage of the controversial incidents against Real Madrid, the technical report on the camera setup and the protocols governing broadcast production. They have also requested that the recordings be preserved as a precaution ahead of potential legal action.

Boca overturn deficit against Vasco da Gama to reach Sudamericana final

Boca Juniors produced a heroic and unforgettable night at the Maracanã Stadium, beating Vasco da Gama 3-1 in the second leg of their semi-final to overturn a 1-0 defeat at La Bombonera and secure a 3-2 aggregate victory.

📸 Wagner Meier - 2026 Getty Images

With this historic win on Brazilian soil, Boca advance to the Copa Sudamericana final, which will take place on Saturday, 21 November in Barranquilla.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.

Martin O’Neill has realised how good the opportunity at Celtic isMartin O’Neill has realised how good the opportunity at Celtic isGordon Strachan reckons that Martin O’Neill, during his short spell of reflection on his own position as the Celtic manager following three consecutive defeats in eight days, soon realised how good the opportunity he has at Celtic really is…

Kieran Tierney of Celtic celebrates with teammates after scoring his team’s first goal during the Scottish Premiership match between Celtic and Hearts at Celtic Park on October 18, 2026. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

The former Celtic manager was been discussing both Martin O’Neill and Derek McInnes as the two look set to go head to head for the Scottish Premiership title for the second season in a row, although McInnes has of course changed horses for the race and and now heads up the latest Ibrox club rather that Hearts, who fell apart at the weekend.

Martin O’Neill has realised how good the opportunity at Celtic is says Strachan

“Every manager has a moment of doubt after a painful defeat where they question if they want to continue. But after stepping back and reflecting, Martin O’Neill realised how good the opportunity at Celtic is,” Gordon Strachan said.

Callum Osmand of Celtic is congratulated by Camilo Duran of Celtic after they combine to scote their team’s fourth goal during the Scottish Premiership match between Celtic and Hearts at Celtic Park on October 18, 2026. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Celtic returned to domestic football after the break with two impressive wins away to Motherwell and on Sunday at Celtic Park when last season’s title challengers were hammered 7-1 by Martin O’Neill’s Celtic side.

“People scrutinise body language, but managers process defeat in different ways. It’s good to see Celtic respond with strong performances after the break,” WGS said.

“You can tell when a manager owns their interviews, and it was good to see Celtic play so well. Martin is the right man for the job.”

Strachan also outlined his thoughts on Derek McInnes since he jumped ship in the summer to go for the increase in calories in his soft drink.

13th September 2026; Ibrox, Scottish League Cup, Rangers versus Celtic; Rangers manager Derek McInnes. Photo Vagelis Georgariou

“Football opinions change overnight. Just a few weeks ago, people were writing Rangers off completely, and after a couple of good results, the narrative shifts dramatically,” the former Celtic and Scotland manager noted.

He added: “Pundits and fans can be overly reactionary. I never believed the title race was over, and recent results show that the title race is very much alive for Rangers and Derek McInnes.

“But that’s the way they were thinking, that Rangers had no chance. Especially after the Rangers performance in Europe, people said ‘this was one of the worst performances Rangers have ever had’.

“It just shows you that this is the wonder of football. So I’ve got to say that people did think the league was finished, but it’s very much game on for both teams,” Strachan added.

Manager Alex McLeish of Rangers and manager Gordon Strachan of Celtic look on during the Scottish Premier League match between Celtic and Rangers at Celtic Park on November 19, 2005. (Photo by Chris Lee/Getty Images)

Gordon Strachan was speaking to BOYLE Sports, who offer the latest football betting.

HAVE YOUR SAY – Join the Celtic conversation in our comments section below…

Celtic in the Fifties by Matt Corr, in two volumes, both published on 4th September 2026 by Celtic Star Books. Click on image to order.

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Oklahoma City Thunder guard Jared McCain (3) reacts after making a 3-pointer during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2026, in San Antonio. The Thunder won 116-104. (Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News)

Oklahoma City guard Jared McCain's basketball career is more precious to him after knee and thumb injuries plagued his first two seasons.

"I love playing basketball," he said. "This is something I've loved since I was younger. When I was injured, it was just the worst time ever. So being able to be out there playing any minutes (Thunder coach) Mark (Daigneault) gives me, I'm happy and I'm grateful for it. And being able to play with these guys, my teammates, it's really fun out there.

"I just have fun when I play. It's good vibes."

McCain created plenty of "good vibes" for Oklahoma City on Tuesday night, when he connected on 6 of 8 from 3-point range on his way to scoring 20 points in 22 minutes off the bench in the Thunder's 116-104 season-opening victory over the Spurs.

The Spurs finished last season ranked eighth in the league in opponents' 3-point efficiency, holding foes to 35.2% from beyond the arc. 

But there wasn't a carryover from that strong effort into the 2026-27 opener at the Frost Bank Center.

Sparked by McCain, Oklahoma City hit 45.2% from long range (14 of 31).

"Just not running them off the line, not closing to touch, especially early," Stephon Castle said when asked what went wrong for the Spurs out on the perimeter. "That's how they got up on us kind of early."

The Thunder led 65-44 at halftime after leading by as many as 26 points in the first half. McCain went into the break with 11 points on the strength of 3 of 4 from long range.

As a team, Oklahoma City hit 10 of 14 from 3-point territory in the first half (71.4%).

Spurs All-Star center Victor Wembanyama said several factors led to the sub-par defensive showing.

"I think there were some times where we were really, really good and we (didn't) finish the possession," the 2026 Defensive Player of the Year said. "Sometimes there (were) moments when we gave them two offensive boards on the same position, or we play great defense, get the ball off of their hot guys, and (then) we barely do a closeout or we do a bad closeout or we miscommunicate.

"It's like they were playing the right way. I'm sure they were having fun tonight. They were making the extra pass and we weren't making the extra effort."

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This article originally published at Spurs struggle to defend 3-point line in season-opening loss to Thunder.

Tonka Hemingway (Photo by Jordon Kelly/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

The Las Vegas Raiders are beginning he practice week for Sunday’s home game against the Los Angeles Rams without starting defensive tackle Tonka Hemingway.

Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak said the 2025 fourth-round is still in the NFL’s concussion protocol. He was hurt in Week 5 and he didn’t play in a Week 6 loss to the Buffalo Bills. Monday, Kubiak said he was expecting Hemingway back in practice this week. If he returns to practice by Friday, he can still have a chance to face the Rams.

Hemingway has been the Raiders’ snap leader at defensive tackle. He averaged playing 62 percent of the snaps in the four games he was fully healthy for. Foley Fatukasi started in place of Hemingway against the Bills.

Meanwhile, Kubiak said second-year wide receiver Dont’e Thornton has a chance to be activated from the injured reserve this week, but the coach indicated Thornton has to show he’s ready. He must be activated by next week or he would be out for the season.

Kubiak also said there will be competition on the offensive line again this week. Caleb Rogers replaced Jackson Powers-Johnson in Week 6.

According to NFL.com, several Raiders were limited in practice Wednesday. They included tight end Brock Bowers (hamstring/calf), running back Mike Washington (foot/back), tackle Kolton Miller (shoulder) and linebacker Quay Walker (chest). Often, players are limited on Wednesdays, but progress through the week.

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