Liverpool Defender Alexander-Arnold to Return 'Soon'

FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Premier League - Liverpool v Aston Villa - Anfield, Liverpool, Britain - November 9, 2024 Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold receives medical attention after sustaining an injury REUTERS/Molly Darlington
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Premier League - Liverpool v Aston Villa - Anfield, Liverpool, Britain - November 9, 2024 Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold receives medical attention after sustaining an injury REUTERS/Molly Darlington
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Liverpool Defender Alexander-Arnold to Return 'Soon'

FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Premier League - Liverpool v Aston Villa - Anfield, Liverpool, Britain - November 9, 2024 Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold receives medical attention after sustaining an injury REUTERS/Molly Darlington
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Premier League - Liverpool v Aston Villa - Anfield, Liverpool, Britain - November 9, 2024 Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold receives medical attention after sustaining an injury REUTERS/Molly Darlington

Liverpool right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold hasn't returned to team training yet after of a hamstring injury and could miss next week's Champions League game against Real Madrid, manager Arne Slot said Friday.
The England international was ruled out for Sunday's Premier League match at last-place Southampton. He was substituted off in the 25th minute of Liverpool's 2-0 win over Aston Villa on Nov. 9.
Liverpool, which sits atop the standings in both competitions, expects to be without goalkeeper Alisson Becker and forward Diogo Jota at least through the Madrid game Wednesday at Anfield.
At a news conference, Slot was asked about the trio's availability for both midweek and next Sunday's showdown with title rival Manchester City, The Associated Press reported.
“The last few days of recovery are always the ones that are the most tricky because then they have to go from isolated training sessions to where it's a group training session, and that is always the most difficult one,” Slot said. “It's difficult to judge now and to tell you now it's going to be one, two, three days or a bit longer. The only thing I can say is that with Alisson and with Jota, I don't expect them to be available for that game. With Trent, it's going to be in between.”
Alexander-Arnold will be training with the full team “soon,” the manager said.
Alisson has a hamstring injury. Liverpool hasn't specified Jota's problem but the Portugal forward hasn't played since Oct. 20 when he left in the 30th minute of a 2-1 win over Chelsea. That was after a collision with a Chelsea defender.
Slot confirmed that Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk is “completely OK.” The center back returned from international duty with the Netherlands after playing in a 4-0 win over Hungary that clinched a Nations League quarterfinals spot. The Dutch played Bosnia and Herzegovina a few days later.



Messi Goal Not Enough as Miami Collapse in 4-3 Loss to Orlando

Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi (10) battles for the ball with Orlando City defender Robin Jansson (6) in the second half during an MLS soccer match, Saturday, May 2, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Chris Arjoon).
Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi (10) battles for the ball with Orlando City defender Robin Jansson (6) in the second half during an MLS soccer match, Saturday, May 2, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Chris Arjoon).
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Messi Goal Not Enough as Miami Collapse in 4-3 Loss to Orlando

Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi (10) battles for the ball with Orlando City defender Robin Jansson (6) in the second half during an MLS soccer match, Saturday, May 2, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Chris Arjoon).
Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi (10) battles for the ball with Orlando City defender Robin Jansson (6) in the second half during an MLS soccer match, Saturday, May 2, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Chris Arjoon).

Lionel Messi's Inter Miami squandered a 3-0 lead to fall 4-3 to Orlando City on Saturday and remain in search of a first win at their new Nu Stadium.

Miami appeared to be on their way in Argentine superstar Messi's 100th match with the South Florida side.

But Orlando scored the final four goals to hand the Herons their second defeat of the Major League Soccer season.

Messi's brilliant strike in the 33rd minute gave the hosts a 3-0 lead, the former Barcelona star curling a left-footed shot from just outside the penalty area past Orlando goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau.

Ian Fray had opened the scoring for Miami in the fourth minute and Venezuelan Telasco Segovia doubled the score in the 25th.

But the team coached by Argentine Guillermo Hoyos couldn't maintain the pace, AFP reported.

Argentine Martin Ojeda scored Orlando's first three goals, pulling one back in the 39th minute with a brilliant long-range strike.

Ojeda repeated the formula with another shot from the edge of the box in the 68th minute.

He delivered the equalizer in the 79th minute from the penalty spot, taking his tally to seven goals in 11 matches this season.

Tyrese Spicer completed the spectacular comeback in second-half injury time, latching onto a long ball in behind the center backs and finishing between the legs of goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair.


Kimi Antonelli on Miami GP Pole; Race Moved Up Due to Forecast

Mercedes' Italian driver Kimi Antonelli waves after winning the pole position during the qualifying session for the 2026 Miami Formula One Grand Prix at Miami International Autodrome in Miami Gardens, Florida, on May 2, 2026. (Photo by CHARLY TRIBALLEAU / AFP)
Mercedes' Italian driver Kimi Antonelli waves after winning the pole position during the qualifying session for the 2026 Miami Formula One Grand Prix at Miami International Autodrome in Miami Gardens, Florida, on May 2, 2026. (Photo by CHARLY TRIBALLEAU / AFP)
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Kimi Antonelli on Miami GP Pole; Race Moved Up Due to Forecast

Mercedes' Italian driver Kimi Antonelli waves after winning the pole position during the qualifying session for the 2026 Miami Formula One Grand Prix at Miami International Autodrome in Miami Gardens, Florida, on May 2, 2026. (Photo by CHARLY TRIBALLEAU / AFP)
Mercedes' Italian driver Kimi Antonelli waves after winning the pole position during the qualifying session for the 2026 Miami Formula One Grand Prix at Miami International Autodrome in Miami Gardens, Florida, on May 2, 2026. (Photo by CHARLY TRIBALLEAU / AFP)

Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli earned his third consecutive pole by edging Red Bull's Max Verstappen and Ferrari's Charles Leclerc during Saturday's session ahead of the Miami Grand Prix.

Antonelli, who leads the drivers' standings, posted a time of 1 minute, 27.798 seconds that held up even though the 19-year-old Italian was unable to improve upon the time on his final lap at the Miami International Autodrome.

Verstappen threatened but ultimately finished a little more than a tenth of a second behind, Reuters reported.

Reigning world champion Lando Norris will start fourth for McLaren, followed by Antonelli's teammate George Russell.

With Sunday's forecast calling for heavy thunderstorms and rain, Formula 1 moved the start of the race up three hours from 4 p.m. ET to 1 p.m. following discussions with the FIA.

"This decision has been taken to ensure the least amount of disruption to the race, and to ⁠ensure the maximum ⁠possible window to complete the Grand Prix in the best conditions and to prioritize the safety of drivers, fans, teams and staff," read a statement by the FIA, Formula 1 and the Miami Grand Prix.

Even with the new start time, weather could prove to be a significant factor in the 57-lap race. According to F1 rules, a race can have a maximum active run time of two hours, and Sunday's race could ⁠see multiple start and stops.

The Miami GP follows a lengthy break in the schedule with races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia canceled due to the war in the Middle East. It also saw several teams introduce significant upgrades as they continue to adjust to the 2026 regulations.

Verstappen qualified and finished fifth in Saturday's Sprint and has shown increasing pace throughout the week.

"I think over those last few weeks the team has been pushing flat-out to try and bring upgrades to the car, and making me feel more comfortable with a lot of things in the car," Verstappen said.

"It really pays off. I feel more in control of the car again, then I can push a ⁠bit more, then ⁠the upgrades are working. To be on the front row is way better than I expected heading into the weekend."

Verstappen said his first priority is to get off to a good start on Sunday, hopefully before weather impacts the race.

"We'll try to have a look at that, for sure, and see what the weather will do tomorrow, but I'm already very happy with where we are," Verstappen said.

"From here there's like light at the end of the tunnel, and we can just push on and try to close the gap further."

He'll have to find a way past Antonelli, who rebounded from a poor start and a time penalty during the Sprint to earn the pole for Sunday's race.

"I'm super happy with the recovery," Antonelli said. "This weekend has obviously been a little bit more difficult for us, but we're keeping all this together and we're maximizing the performance."


Real Madrid’s Carvajal Suffers Toe Fracture

Real Madrid's Dani Carvajal during the team's training session at club's sport complex in Valdebebas, Madrid, Spain, 23 April 2026. (EPA)
Real Madrid's Dani Carvajal during the team's training session at club's sport complex in Valdebebas, Madrid, Spain, 23 April 2026. (EPA)
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Real Madrid’s Carvajal Suffers Toe Fracture

Real Madrid's Dani Carvajal during the team's training session at club's sport complex in Valdebebas, Madrid, Spain, 23 April 2026. (EPA)
Real Madrid's Dani Carvajal during the team's training session at club's sport complex in Valdebebas, Madrid, Spain, 23 April 2026. (EPA)

Real Madrid defender Dani Carvajal will miss the Clasico on May 10 after suffering a toe fracture, his club said Saturday.

The veteran right-back is set to miss the next two weeks according to Spanish media and could return for the club's final game of the season against Athletic Bilbao.

Real Madrid, second, are 11 points behind league leaders Barcelona who could clinch La Liga this weekend with a win at Osasuna, if Los Blancos drop points at Espanyol on Sunday.

Carvajal will be out for the Clasico clash at Barca next Sunday, which may be his last as a Madrid player.

The defender, who has won six Champions League titles and four La Liga titles with Madrid, is out of contract at the end of the season.

The 34-year-old had hoped to form part of Spain's World Cup squad this summer but after an injury-hit season his chances were already slim before his latest setback.