Man City’s Stones Exudes Confidence Ahead of Champions League Final 

Football - Champions League - Final - Manchester City Media Day - Etihad Campus, Manchester, Britain - June 6, 2023 Manchester City's John Stones during training. (Reuters)
Football - Champions League - Final - Manchester City Media Day - Etihad Campus, Manchester, Britain - June 6, 2023 Manchester City's John Stones during training. (Reuters)
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Man City’s Stones Exudes Confidence Ahead of Champions League Final 

Football - Champions League - Final - Manchester City Media Day - Etihad Campus, Manchester, Britain - June 6, 2023 Manchester City's John Stones during training. (Reuters)
Football - Champions League - Final - Manchester City Media Day - Etihad Campus, Manchester, Britain - June 6, 2023 Manchester City's John Stones during training. (Reuters)

Manchester City are more composed and confident ahead of Saturday's Champions League final against Inter Milan after facing setbacks in the previous campaigns, defender John Stones said as the Premier League champions chase a historic treble.

The 29-year-old England international and his team mates can achieve sporting immortality in Istanbul, where City can be crowned European champions for the first time and match arch-rivals Manchester United's treble in 1999.

Stones, who experienced the disappointment of losing the 2021 Champions League final to Chelsea, said they need to ensure history does not repeat itself.

"Don't (let it) happen again, first and foremost. It was somewhere where we had never been before and a situation we had never been in," Stones told Sky Sports.

"Now, being through that difficult time, coming out on the losing side was super hard and hit home hard. That's one of the biggest feelings that sticks with you, and you don't want to feel that again.

"We have seemed a lot calmer and confident going into this game. Knowing that we should believe in ourselves and in what we have achieved already and how we're playing, there are so many factors that come into play."

Having secured the Premier League and FA Cup, City are favorites to triumph over Inter as they eye their first taste of European glory



Marquez Snatches San Marino MotoGP Sprint Ahead of Bezzecchi

Ducati Lenovo Team rider Marc Marquez of Spain leads the Sprint Race of the Motorcycling Grand Prix of San Marino and the Rimini Riviera at the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli in Misano Adriatico, Italy, 12 September 2026. EPA/DANILO DI GIOVANNI
Ducati Lenovo Team rider Marc Marquez of Spain leads the Sprint Race of the Motorcycling Grand Prix of San Marino and the Rimini Riviera at the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli in Misano Adriatico, Italy, 12 September 2026. EPA/DANILO DI GIOVANNI
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Marquez Snatches San Marino MotoGP Sprint Ahead of Bezzecchi

Ducati Lenovo Team rider Marc Marquez of Spain leads the Sprint Race of the Motorcycling Grand Prix of San Marino and the Rimini Riviera at the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli in Misano Adriatico, Italy, 12 September 2026. EPA/DANILO DI GIOVANNI
Ducati Lenovo Team rider Marc Marquez of Spain leads the Sprint Race of the Motorcycling Grand Prix of San Marino and the Rimini Riviera at the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli in Misano Adriatico, Italy, 12 September 2026. EPA/DANILO DI GIOVANNI

Reigning MotoGP world champion Marc Marquez led almost all the way to win the San Marino Grand Prix sprint race on Saturday ahead of his Aprilia rivals.

The Ducati star beat his two main world title rivals, both riding Aprilias, finishing 1.068sec ahead of Italian Marco Bezzecchi, with fellow Spaniard Jorge Martin crossing third in northern Italy.

Bezzecchi had started from pole position after setting a Misano track record in qualifying, but Marquez got off to a better start and overtook on the inside at the first corner.

From there on it was a dominant display for Marquez who is targeting his eighth top-class championship and his 10th overall.

At the controls of his factory Ducati, the 33-year-old had a one-second lead over his rivals after five laps, AFP reported.

Bezzecchi fought back and managed to close the gap slightly but had no real chance of catching up to the older of the Marquez brothers.

Championship leader Martin, starting from the second row, moved into third place halfway through the 13-lap race.

The battle for the riders' title is heating up among the three contenders, with Martin 14 points ahead of Marquez and Bezzecchi 22 points off the leader.

Bezzecchi is targeting his first MotoGP world title this year after finishing third last season.


Norris Beats Antonelli to Pole for Spanish GP

McLaren driver Lando Norris of Britain steers his car during the qualifying session ahead of the Spanish Formula One Grand Prix in Madrid, Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
McLaren driver Lando Norris of Britain steers his car during the qualifying session ahead of the Spanish Formula One Grand Prix in Madrid, Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
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Norris Beats Antonelli to Pole for Spanish GP

McLaren driver Lando Norris of Britain steers his car during the qualifying session ahead of the Spanish Formula One Grand Prix in Madrid, Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
McLaren driver Lando Norris of Britain steers his car during the qualifying session ahead of the Spanish Formula One Grand Prix in Madrid, Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Lando Norris pipped Formula One championship leader Kimi Antonelli to pole position for the Spanish Grand Prix at Madring on Saturday.

The reigning world champion edged Mercedes' Antonelli by just 11 thousandths of a second, with Max Verstappen qualifying third-fastest for Ferrari for Sunday's race.

"I'm shocked, I'm a little bit surprised to be here now. My god, it was one of the best laps I've done in my career," said Norris, after clinching his third pole in four races.

"The adrenaline was high on the last lap, you have to relax and let it all flow."

Lewis Hamilton will line up next to Verstappen on the second row of the grid, AFP reported. Hamilton's Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc qualified in fifth ahead of George Russell in the second Mercedes.

Oscar Piastri will start seventh for McLaren, with Red Bull's Liam Lawson eighth, Franco Colapinto ninth and Racing Bulls rookie Arvid Lindblad 10th.


Antonio Returns to English Football with Watford Move

Soccer Football - UEFA Europa League - Nottingham Forest v FC Porto - The City Ground, Nottingham, Britain - October 23, 2025 TV pundit and footballer Michail Antonio REUTERS/David Klein
Soccer Football - UEFA Europa League - Nottingham Forest v FC Porto - The City Ground, Nottingham, Britain - October 23, 2025 TV pundit and footballer Michail Antonio REUTERS/David Klein
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Antonio Returns to English Football with Watford Move

Soccer Football - UEFA Europa League - Nottingham Forest v FC Porto - The City Ground, Nottingham, Britain - October 23, 2025 TV pundit and footballer Michail Antonio REUTERS/David Klein
Soccer Football - UEFA Europa League - Nottingham Forest v FC Porto - The City Ground, Nottingham, Britain - October 23, 2025 TV pundit and footballer Michail Antonio REUTERS/David Klein

Watford have signed Michail Antonio on a free transfer on a one-year deal, bringing the former West Ham United forward back to English football.

The 36-year-old, West Ham's all-time leading Premier League goalscorer, was in a serious road accident in December 2024 when his car hit a tree on the way home from training. He broke his ⁠thigh bone in ⁠four places and did not play for the club again.

Antonio left West Ham in August 2025 after the London club opted not to renew his contract. They were relegated ⁠to the second-tier Championship after finishing 18th in the Premier League the last season.

He joined Qatari side Al-Sailiya in March, his first club since undergoing surgery following the accident.

"It's a good set of boys here," Reuters quoted Antonio as saying in a statement on Friday. "They are focused and ready to show their ⁠abilities ⁠this season.

"Watford is a big club and hopefully I can come in and bring success and help wherever I can.

"I've scored a few goals against Watford! So hopefully I can score some for Watford now when I'm fully up to speed."

Watford are 12th in the Championship with eight points from six matches.