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UCL 2025-26: Atletico Madrid’s Simeone shrugs off talk of Champions League burden ahead of Arsenal semi; Lookman fitness in doubt  Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone has dismissed talk of added pressure in trying to win its first Champions League ​crown, insisting it was a responsibility rather than a burden as it prepares to ‌host Arsenal in Wednesday’s semifinal first leg.Atletico has reached three European ​Cup finals in its history — two during Simeone’s nearly 15-year ⁠tenure — but has never lifted the continent’s top prize. It is the only team to lose three finals without having won the competition.This season has offered little domestic comfort, ‌with the club fourth in La Liga, 25 points behind leader Barcelona and effectively out of the title race since January.Defeat on ‌penalties to Real Sociedad in the Copa del Rey final less than ‌two ⁠weeks ago has left the Champions League as Atletico’s sole ⁠remaining shot at silverware this season, and it could be heading for five trophyless seasons in a row.Yet Simeone was in no mood to look back at past failures after defeats ​by Bayern Munich (1974) and Real Madrid (2014, ‌2016) in the final of Europe’s elite club competition.ALSO READ | PSG vs Bayern Munich — Preview, team news, live streaming info, UEFA Champions League“There’s no pressure, there’s a sense of responsibility, and there’s a special sense of anticipation,” he told a press conference on Tuesday.“At the end of the day, it’s ‌a football match, and the players are the ones who decide the ​outcome. We have to prepare well. We want to play the game we’ve envisaged and take the match to a ⁠stage where we can cause Arsenal problems,” he added.Asked whether the competition owed Atletico something after three final defeats, Simeone said, “We’re all human. If you ask us, everyone has ‌a different opinion. But a competition doesn’t owe anyone anything. Things have to be earned and achieved. You have to work hard, go out and get them and hope Lady Luck is on your side.”The Argentine pointed to Atletico’s approach in recent knockout ties as its greatest asset.“What we’ve been doing in the knockout stages, whether in the (Spanish) Cup or the Champions League … Playing ‌with intensity, with our style of play, with our attacking initiative. That’s how we’ll go ​about it,” he said.For a club chasing a first Champions League crown, there is a temptation to dream but Simeone prefers ⁠deeds to daydreams.“Dreaming is all well and good, but reality is what happens on ⁠the ground. Reality is what we do and what God wills. That’s how we behave. We’re in another semifinal. It’s extraordinary ‌to reach it for the fourth time in 14 years. It’s incredible. That faith, that excitement, that infectious spirit will do us a world of ​good. We’re facing a tough match, but we’re going there full of hope,” Simeone said.Lookman doubtful for Atletico against ArsenalSimeone said on Tuesday that Nigeria striker Ademola Lookman was still a doubt to start at Metropolitano Stadium.“We’ll see if he recovers well tomorrow,” said Simeone, who turned 56 on Tuesday. “He still has some discomfort.”Lookman has seven goals for Atletico since arriving, one of them in the second leg of the Champions League quarterfinal against Barcelona, when Atletico advanced 3-2 on aggregate.“His arrival has made a very positive impact on the team,” Simeone said. “He brings new things to our attack. He has been working much better in the defensive phase as well.”(With inputs from AP)Published on Apr 28, 2026  #UCL #Atletico #Madrids #Simeone #shrugs #talk #Champions #League #burden #ahead #Arsenal #semi #Lookman #fitness #doubt

UCL 2025-26: Atletico Madrid’s Simeone shrugs off talk of Champions League burden ahead of Arsenal semi; Lookman fitness in doubt

Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone has dismissed talk of added pressure in trying to win its first Champions League ​crown, insisting it was a responsibility rather than a burden as it prepares to ‌host Arsenal in Wednesday’s semifinal first leg.

Atletico has reached three European ​Cup finals in its history — two during Simeone’s nearly 15-year ⁠tenure — but has never lifted the continent’s top prize. It is the only team to lose three finals without having won the competition.

This season has offered little domestic comfort, ‌with the club fourth in La Liga, 25 points behind leader Barcelona and effectively out of the title race since January.

Defeat on ‌penalties to Real Sociedad in the Copa del Rey final less than ‌two ⁠weeks ago has left the Champions League as Atletico’s sole ⁠remaining shot at silverware this season, and it could be heading for five trophyless seasons in a row.

Yet Simeone was in no mood to look back at past failures after defeats ​by Bayern Munich (1974) and Real Madrid (2014, ‌2016) in the final of Europe’s elite club competition.

ALSO READ | PSG vs Bayern Munich — Preview, team news, live streaming info, UEFA Champions League

“There’s no pressure, there’s a sense of responsibility, and there’s a special sense of anticipation,” he told a press conference on Tuesday.

“At the end of the day, it’s ‌a football match, and the players are the ones who decide the ​outcome. We have to prepare well. We want to play the game we’ve envisaged and take the match to a ⁠stage where we can cause Arsenal problems,” he added.

Asked whether the competition owed Atletico something after three final defeats, Simeone said, “We’re all human. If you ask us, everyone has ‌a different opinion. But a competition doesn’t owe anyone anything. Things have to be earned and achieved. You have to work hard, go out and get them and hope Lady Luck is on your side.”

The Argentine pointed to Atletico’s approach in recent knockout ties as its greatest asset.

“What we’ve been doing in the knockout stages, whether in the (Spanish) Cup or the Champions League … Playing ‌with intensity, with our style of play, with our attacking initiative. That’s how we’ll go ​about it,” he said.

For a club chasing a first Champions League crown, there is a temptation to dream but Simeone prefers ⁠deeds to daydreams.

“Dreaming is all well and good, but reality is what happens on ⁠the ground. Reality is what we do and what God wills. That’s how we behave. We’re in another semifinal. It’s extraordinary ‌to reach it for the fourth time in 14 years. It’s incredible. That faith, that excitement, that infectious spirit will do us a world of ​good. We’re facing a tough match, but we’re going there full of hope,” Simeone said.

Lookman doubtful for Atletico against Arsenal

Simeone said on Tuesday that Nigeria striker Ademola Lookman was still a doubt to start at Metropolitano Stadium.

“We’ll see if he recovers well tomorrow,” said Simeone, who turned 56 on Tuesday. “He still has some discomfort.”

Lookman has seven goals for Atletico since arriving, one of them in the second leg of the Champions League quarterfinal against Barcelona, when Atletico advanced 3-2 on aggregate.

“His arrival has made a very positive impact on the team,” Simeone said. “He brings new things to our attack. He has been working much better in the defensive phase as well.”

(With inputs from AP)

Published on Apr 28, 2026

#UCL #Atletico #Madrids #Simeone #shrugs #talk #Champions #League #burden #ahead #Arsenal #semi #Lookman #fitness #doubt

Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone has dismissed talk of added pressure in trying to win its first Champions League ​crown, insisting it was a responsibility rather than a burden as it prepares to ‌host Arsenal in Wednesday’s semifinal first leg.

Atletico has reached three European ​Cup finals in its history — two during Simeone’s nearly 15-year ⁠tenure — but has never lifted the continent’s top prize. It is the only team to lose three finals without having won the competition.

This season has offered little domestic comfort, ‌with the club fourth in La Liga, 25 points behind leader Barcelona and effectively out of the title race since January.

Defeat on ‌penalties to Real Sociedad in the Copa del Rey final less than ‌two ⁠weeks ago has left the Champions League as Atletico’s sole ⁠remaining shot at silverware this season, and it could be heading for five trophyless seasons in a row.

Yet Simeone was in no mood to look back at past failures after defeats ​by Bayern Munich (1974) and Real Madrid (2014, ‌2016) in the final of Europe’s elite club competition.

ALSO READ | PSG vs Bayern Munich — Preview, team news, live streaming info, UEFA Champions League

“There’s no pressure, there’s a sense of responsibility, and there’s a special sense of anticipation,” he told a press conference on Tuesday.

“At the end of the day, it’s ‌a football match, and the players are the ones who decide the ​outcome. We have to prepare well. We want to play the game we’ve envisaged and take the match to a ⁠stage where we can cause Arsenal problems,” he added.

Asked whether the competition owed Atletico something after three final defeats, Simeone said, “We’re all human. If you ask us, everyone has ‌a different opinion. But a competition doesn’t owe anyone anything. Things have to be earned and achieved. You have to work hard, go out and get them and hope Lady Luck is on your side.”

The Argentine pointed to Atletico’s approach in recent knockout ties as its greatest asset.

“What we’ve been doing in the knockout stages, whether in the (Spanish) Cup or the Champions League … Playing ‌with intensity, with our style of play, with our attacking initiative. That’s how we’ll go ​about it,” he said.

For a club chasing a first Champions League crown, there is a temptation to dream but Simeone prefers ⁠deeds to daydreams.

“Dreaming is all well and good, but reality is what happens on ⁠the ground. Reality is what we do and what God wills. That’s how we behave. We’re in another semifinal. It’s extraordinary ‌to reach it for the fourth time in 14 years. It’s incredible. That faith, that excitement, that infectious spirit will do us a world of ​good. We’re facing a tough match, but we’re going there full of hope,” Simeone said.

Lookman doubtful for Atletico against Arsenal

Simeone said on Tuesday that Nigeria striker Ademola Lookman was still a doubt to start at Metropolitano Stadium.

“We’ll see if he recovers well tomorrow,” said Simeone, who turned 56 on Tuesday. “He still has some discomfort.”

Lookman has seven goals for Atletico since arriving, one of them in the second leg of the Champions League quarterfinal against Barcelona, when Atletico advanced 3-2 on aggregate.

“His arrival has made a very positive impact on the team,” Simeone said. “He brings new things to our attack. He has been working much better in the defensive phase as well.”

(With inputs from AP)

Published on Apr 28, 2026

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#UCL #Atletico #Madrids #Simeone #shrugs #talk #Champions #League #burden #ahead #Arsenal #semi #Lookman #fitness #doubt

When I arrived to cover the Minnesota Vikings for the St. Paul Pioneer Press in 2000, it was clear I was dealing with a star-studded roster.

The team boasted future Pro Football Hall of Famers; wide receivers Cris Carter and Randy Moss and defensive tackle John Randle. Plus, there were a ton of other stars including quarterback Daunte Culpepper, center Matt Birk and running back Robert Smith. The Vikings were loaded with star power.

The talent around the team wasn’t relegated simply to the roster, however.

That summer I first laid my eyes on a 16-year-old high school junior named Larry Fitzgerald Jr. The son of a local media member and close friend of Vikings’ head coach Dennis Green, Little Fitzy was a ball boy during training camp and on game days. It turns out, Larry Fitzgerald Jr. is very likely the most famous former NFL ball boy in history.

On reporting date, fellow reporter Kevin Seifert pointed out Fitzgerald to me and said “that’s a bad man.” Seifert didn’t say that about any of the actual Vikings that day.

Fitzgerald was already known as the best Minnesota high school prospect in years and he was considered one of the best high school players in the country. Seifert told me the buzz was that the kid was, no doubt, headed to the NFL in a half decade or so. Seifert was on the money. I’m not sure the Hall of Fame was mentioned or not.

But this weekend of course, that’s exactly where Little Fitzy is headed. He will be enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, on Saturday as a first-ballot Hall of Famer.

Fitzgerald will be remembered as one of the best and most productive wide receivers in league history after an incredible 17-season career with the Arizona Cardinals.

I have a ton of memories of being around Fitzgerald, but there’s one that stands out among them all.

One day after training camp, a nameless Vikings’ wide receiver camp body was getting extra work on a JUGS machine, catching balls. He was being tutored by Fitzgerald, who was showing this player how to properly approach the incoming ball. This was a child instructing a grown man an NFL team deemed good enough to attend training camp.

Larry Fitzgerald Jr. was special even back then.

In addition to his incredible natural football ability, Larry Fitzgerald Jr. stood out for his politeness and good nature. You could tell he was a good kid from the first time you met him.

There was no I’m-going-to-be-a-star attitude. He was genuine and he worked his tail off with the rest of the ball boys. There was no entitlement. It was as if he was using his time around an NFL camp as an internship for his future. He passed with flying colors.

I’ve always cherished following his career from his days at Pittsburgh in college to his days of dominating the NFL and I’ve enjoyed running into him over the years now and again.

Enjoy Canton, Little Fitzy, you’ve earned it.

#Larry #Fitzgeralds #Hall #Fame #induction #years #making">Larry Fitzgerald’s Hall of Fame induction is 25 years in the making  When I arrived to cover the Minnesota Vikings for the St. Paul Pioneer Press in 2000, it was clear I was dealing with a star-studded roster.The team boasted future Pro Football Hall of Famers; wide receivers Cris Carter and Randy Moss and defensive tackle John Randle. Plus, there were a ton of other stars including quarterback Daunte Culpepper, center Matt Birk and running back Robert Smith. The Vikings were loaded with star power.The talent around the team wasn’t relegated simply to the roster, however.That summer I first laid my eyes on a 16-year-old high school junior named Larry Fitzgerald Jr. The son of a local media member and close friend of Vikings’ head coach Dennis Green, Little Fitzy was a ball boy during training camp and on game days. It turns out, Larry Fitzgerald Jr. is very likely the most famous former NFL ball boy in history.On reporting date, fellow reporter Kevin Seifert pointed out Fitzgerald to me and said “that’s a bad man.” Seifert didn’t say that about any of the actual Vikings that day.Fitzgerald was already known as the best Minnesota high school prospect in years and he was considered one of the best high school players in the country. Seifert told me the buzz was that the kid was, no doubt, headed to the NFL in a half decade or so. Seifert was on the money. I’m not sure the Hall of Fame was mentioned or not.But this weekend of course, that’s exactly where Little Fitzy is headed. He will be enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, on Saturday as a first-ballot Hall of Famer.Fitzgerald will be remembered as one of the best and most productive wide receivers in league history after an incredible 17-season career with the Arizona Cardinals.I have a ton of memories of being around Fitzgerald, but there’s one that stands out among them all.One day after training camp, a nameless Vikings’ wide receiver camp body was getting extra work on a JUGS machine, catching balls. He was being tutored by Fitzgerald, who was showing this player how to properly approach the incoming ball. This was a child instructing a grown man an NFL team deemed good enough to attend training camp.Larry Fitzgerald Jr. was special even back then.In addition to his incredible natural football ability, Larry Fitzgerald Jr. stood out for his politeness and good nature. You could tell he was a good kid from the first time you met him.There was no I’m-going-to-be-a-star attitude. He was genuine and he worked his tail off with the rest of the ball boys. There was no entitlement. It was as if he was using his time around an NFL camp as an internship for his future. He passed with flying colors.I’ve always cherished following his career from his days at Pittsburgh in college to his days of dominating the NFL and I’ve enjoyed running into him over the years now and again.Enjoy Canton, Little Fitzy, you’ve earned it.  #Larry #Fitzgeralds #Hall #Fame #induction #years #making

Follow Sportstar for extensive coverage of the tenth edition of the TNPL, from live scores and match reports to exclusive analysis and features.

TOSS

Tiruppur Tamizhans won the toss and chose to bowl first.

PLAYING XIs

Nellai Royal Kings: Athish SR(w), D Santhosh Kumar, Ajitesh Guruswamy, U Mukilesh, Rithik Easwaran, Sonu Yadav(c), Muhammed Adnan Khan, Ramalingam Rohit, Emmanuel Cherian, NS Harish, Rocky Bhasker

Tiruppur Tamizhans: Tushar Raheja(w), Amit Sathvik, Pradosh Ranjan Paul, Mohamed Ali, Uthirasamy Sasidev, Ravisrinivasan Sai Kishore(c), M Mathivannan, S Mohan Prasath, R Silambarasan, Esakkimuthu A, T Natarajan

Published on Aug 09, 2026

#TNPL #Live #Allround #batting #display #propels #Nellai #Royal #Kings">TNPL 2026 Live: All-round batting display propels Nellai Royal Kings to 206/8  Follow Sportstar for extensive coverage of the tenth edition of the TNPL, from live scores and match reports to exclusive analysis and features.TOSSTiruppur Tamizhans won the toss and chose to bowl first.PLAYING XIsNellai Royal Kings: Athish SR(w), D Santhosh Kumar, Ajitesh Guruswamy, U Mukilesh, Rithik Easwaran, Sonu Yadav(c), Muhammed Adnan Khan, Ramalingam Rohit, Emmanuel Cherian, NS Harish, Rocky BhaskerTiruppur Tamizhans: Tushar Raheja(w), Amit Sathvik, Pradosh Ranjan Paul, Mohamed Ali, Uthirasamy Sasidev, Ravisrinivasan Sai Kishore(c), M Mathivannan, S Mohan Prasath, R Silambarasan, Esakkimuthu A, T NatarajanPublished on Aug 09, 2026  #TNPL #Live #Allround #batting #display #propels #Nellai #Royal #Kings

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