Liverpool New Signing Jacquet Suffers 'Serious' Injury

Soccer Football - Ligue 1 - RC Lens v Stade Rennes - Stade Bollaert-Delelis, Lens, France - February 7, 2026  Stade Rennes' Jeremy Jacquet in action REUTERS/Benoit Tessier
Soccer Football - Ligue 1 - RC Lens v Stade Rennes - Stade Bollaert-Delelis, Lens, France - February 7, 2026 Stade Rennes' Jeremy Jacquet in action REUTERS/Benoit Tessier
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Liverpool New Signing Jacquet Suffers 'Serious' Injury

Soccer Football - Ligue 1 - RC Lens v Stade Rennes - Stade Bollaert-Delelis, Lens, France - February 7, 2026  Stade Rennes' Jeremy Jacquet in action REUTERS/Benoit Tessier
Soccer Football - Ligue 1 - RC Lens v Stade Rennes - Stade Bollaert-Delelis, Lens, France - February 7, 2026 Stade Rennes' Jeremy Jacquet in action REUTERS/Benoit Tessier

Liverpool's new signing Jeremy Jacquet suffered a "serious" shoulder injury while playing for Rennes in their 3-1 Ligue 1 defeat at RC Lens on Saturday, casting doubt over the defender’s availability ahead of his summer move to Anfield.

Jacquet fell awkwardly in the second half of the ⁠French league match and appeared in agony as he left the pitch.

"For Jeremy, it's his shoulder, and for Abdelhamid (Ait Boudlal, another Rennes player injured in the ⁠same match) it's muscular," Rennes head coach Habib Beye told reporters after the match.

"We'll have time to see, but it's definitely quite serious for both of them."
Liverpool agreed a 60-million-pound ($80-million) deal for Jacquet on Monday, but the 20-year-old defender will stay with ⁠the French club until the end of the season.

Liverpool, provisionally sixth in the Premier League table, will face Manchester City on Sunday with four defenders - Giovanni Leoni, Joe Gomez, Jeremie Frimpong and Conor Bradley - sidelined due to injuries.



Verstappen Says Red Bull Car ‘Completely Undrivable' after Chinese GP Qualifying

Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands waits inside his car during the qualifying session of the Chinese Formula One Grand Prix at the Shanghai International Circuit, in Shanghai, China, Saturday, March 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Andy Wong, Pool)
Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands waits inside his car during the qualifying session of the Chinese Formula One Grand Prix at the Shanghai International Circuit, in Shanghai, China, Saturday, March 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Andy Wong, Pool)
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Verstappen Says Red Bull Car ‘Completely Undrivable' after Chinese GP Qualifying

Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands waits inside his car during the qualifying session of the Chinese Formula One Grand Prix at the Shanghai International Circuit, in Shanghai, China, Saturday, March 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Andy Wong, Pool)
Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands waits inside his car during the qualifying session of the Chinese Formula One Grand Prix at the Shanghai International Circuit, in Shanghai, China, Saturday, March 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Andy Wong, Pool)

Red Bull's Max Verstappen said his RB22 Formula One car is "completely undrivable," after qualifying eighth for Sunday's Chinese Grand Prix and a torrid sprint race earlier in the day.

"We changed a lot on the car, and it makes zero difference," the four-time world champion told reporters after setting a fastest lap that was just over one second slower than pole-sitter Kimi Antonelli, with the two Mercedes cars securing a front row ⁠lockout.

"The whole weekend ⁠we've been off, the car is completely undrivable," Reuters quoted the Dutchman as saying. "Every lap is like survival."

The Red Bull driver sunk to as low as 14th place after having qualified eighth in Saturday's earlier 19-lap sprint race around the Shanghai International ⁠Circuit, finally finishing in 9th and behind sister team Racing Bulls' Liam Lawson.

"It's incredibly tough to drive. There's no balance, I cannot lean on the car, every lap is a fight," the 71-times race winner told Sky Sports F1, having come into the weekend hoping to make more of an impact after making his way from the back of the grid to finish sixth ⁠at ⁠the previous race in Australia.

This is the first season Red Bull have run their own engine, having partnered with Ford, which ended a very successful six-year streak with Honda.

Verstappen said the new power unit was partly to blame, but added that the poor performance was down to a multitude of factors.

"From lap one of these new regulations, I have not enjoyed this car for sure," he added. "It's not going to be a fun race."


Sabalenka, Rybakina Set Up Blockbuster Indian Wells Final

Mar 13, 2026; Indian Wells, CA, USA; Aryna Sabalenka (BEL) shakes hands with Linda Noskova (CZE) after winning her the semi final match during the BNP Paribas Open at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Mar 13, 2026; Indian Wells, CA, USA; Aryna Sabalenka (BEL) shakes hands with Linda Noskova (CZE) after winning her the semi final match during the BNP Paribas Open at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
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Sabalenka, Rybakina Set Up Blockbuster Indian Wells Final

Mar 13, 2026; Indian Wells, CA, USA; Aryna Sabalenka (BEL) shakes hands with Linda Noskova (CZE) after winning her the semi final match during the BNP Paribas Open at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Mar 13, 2026; Indian Wells, CA, USA; Aryna Sabalenka (BEL) shakes hands with Linda Noskova (CZE) after winning her the semi final match during the BNP Paribas Open at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina moved into the Indian Wells final with straight-sets victories over Linda Noskova and Elina Svitolina on Friday, setting up a rematch of their Australian Open Grand Slam title clash.

World number one Sabalenka has been in formidable form this season, winning 16 of her first 17 matches, with her only defeat coming against Rybakina in the Melbourne showpiece in January.

She powered past Noskova 6-3 6-4 and will compete for the Indian Wells crown for the third time in four years, seeking her maiden title in the Californian desert.

"It feels great, I've lost a couple of finals here, so I'll make sure that I'm more than ready on Sunday. I'll bring my best tennis and this is the year," Reuters quoted Sabalenka as saying.

Twice ⁠Grand Slam champion ⁠Rybakina overcame a stiff test to see off Ukraine's Svitolina 7-5 6-4, staying on track to claim a second title in the event.

Sunday's title match will mark the third final between Rybakina and Sabalenka in the last six months. Kazakh Rybakina has won their previous two encounters, lifting the WTA Finals trophy in November and securing the Australian Open title.

"I'm going to fight as much as I can," Rybakina said.

"Hopefully ⁠it's going to be a great match."

Sabalenka seized early control, breaking for a 3-1 lead after a Noskova forehand sailed long, and then the Czech's inconsistent serving - including a double fault - handed the Belarusian another break for 5-1.

Noskova briefly halted the momentum by breaking back when Sabalenka served for the set, only the second time that the top seed had dropped her serve during the tournament.

Sabalenka quickly regrouped when she served again at 5-3, sealing the opener with an ace, while Noskova won just half of the points behind her own serve.

A break in the opening game of the second set proved enough for Sabalenka to ⁠seal the victory ⁠over the 21-year-old Noskova, who had just one chance to break back but could not convert against the Belarusian's formidable power and serving.

"Serve was the biggest thing in this match," Sabalenka added. "(Noskova) is an incredible player, I felt that if I give her a small opportunity she will take it."

It will be the 14th WTA 1000 final of Sabalenka's career.

Rybakina struggled early in her semi-final as Svitolina fired four aces in the opening set. But unforced errors from the Ukrainian opened the door for Rybakina, who seized control with her serve and dictated the remainder of the contest.

Rybakina surged ahead 4-0 in the second set, and though Svitolina attempted to claw her way back Rybakina steadied herself to protect the lead and finish the job.


Iran Football Team Pushes Back on Trump Comments, Says ‘No One Can Exclude’ It from the World Cup

Football - FIFA World Cup 2026 - FIFA World Cup 2026 Draw - John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Washington, DC, US - December 5, 2025 Draw Assistant Shaquille O'Neal draws out Iran during the FIFA World Cup 2026. (Draw Pool via Reuters)
Football - FIFA World Cup 2026 - FIFA World Cup 2026 Draw - John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Washington, DC, US - December 5, 2025 Draw Assistant Shaquille O'Neal draws out Iran during the FIFA World Cup 2026. (Draw Pool via Reuters)
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Iran Football Team Pushes Back on Trump Comments, Says ‘No One Can Exclude’ It from the World Cup

Football - FIFA World Cup 2026 - FIFA World Cup 2026 Draw - John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Washington, DC, US - December 5, 2025 Draw Assistant Shaquille O'Neal draws out Iran during the FIFA World Cup 2026. (Draw Pool via Reuters)
Football - FIFA World Cup 2026 - FIFA World Cup 2026 Draw - John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Washington, DC, US - December 5, 2025 Draw Assistant Shaquille O'Neal draws out Iran during the FIFA World Cup 2026. (Draw Pool via Reuters)

Pushing back on US President Donald Trump’s comments, Iran's national soccer team says “no one can exclude” it from playing in the men's World Cup in the United States.

Instead, a post on the team's official Instagram account Thursday suggested maybe the US team should be excluded after Trump indicated that the host country couldn't guarantee the safety of the Iranian players.

Trump wrote in a social media post Thursday that the Iranian team was welcome at the World Cup despite the ongoing war with Iran but that “I really don’t believe it is appropriate that they be there, for their own life and safety.”

Iran is set to play all three of its World Cup group games in the US, which is co-hosting the tournament with Mexico and Canada.

The regional war has put doubt on Iran’s ability to fulfil its World Cup entry, and sports minister Ahmad Donyamali told state TV this week the current circumstances meant it was not possible to play.

But the Iran team’s riposte on Instagram confirmed it still wants to participate, and pointed out that the tournament is run by FIFA — not Trump or the US.

“The World Cup is a historic and international event and its governing body is FIFA — not any individual, country,” the post said. “Certainly, no one can exclude Iran’s national team from the World Cup; the only country that could be excluded is one that merely carries the title of ‘host’ yet lacks the ability to provide security for the teams participating in this global event.”

Iran is scheduled to play in Inglewood, California, against New Zealand on June 15 and Belgium on June 21, before finishing group play in Seattle against Egypt on June 26.

Trump’s mixed messages on the subject include saying last week “I really don’t care” if Iran plays, then assuring FIFA President Gianni Infantino at the White House on Tuesday that Iran’s team was welcome.

Iran is a power in Asian football, ranked No. 20 in the world by FIFA and has qualified for its fourth straight World Cup edition.

Iran’s football federation has planned to use a tournament base camp in Arizona, at the Kino Sports Complex in Tucson.

Before the World Cup, Iranian soccer officials are due to attend FIFA's annual congress on April 30 in Vancouver. The Iranian federation was unable to attend meetings in Atlanta last week to help teams prepare for the 48-nation tournament.