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Français (Afrique)“It’s my tournament” – 20 year old Chelsea star smug after second cup goal
Jorrel Hato got another FA Cup goal on Saturday, as he continues to become a more important part of this squad.
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Jorrel Hato was one of seven Chelsea players to score on Saturday, and speaking to the club’s official website after the game he was clearly delighted with the performance and the semi final berth it booked:
“It will be a dream come true to play at Wembley,” the Dutchman said.
“It’s always difficult [against lower league opposition in the FA Cup], but we played well from the back, the tempo was fast and we created many chances across the 90 minutes. We scored seven goals, so really it was the perfect game.”
Hato the FA Cup’s biggest fan
Hato bagged his first career Chelsea goal in a previous round, and added his next in this game:
“It’s my tournament, isn’t it?” the full back said.
“I was very happy to score my first goal [against Charlton] and now my first goal at Stamford Bridge, so I’m very happy. It was a great result and we played great football. It’s a good way to come back after the international break. We have a week to prepare for the game, which is a good thing.
“They had a big win against Liverpool [in the FA Cup] so they are in good shape. We had a good win, so are also in good shape, and we will prepare ourselves to play a good game and to win.”
In other news…
Ryan Kavuma-McQueen made his Chelsea debut on Saturday, and he’s already getting comparisons with a player who made his debut in 2018.
The debate about whether Enzo Fernandez deserved to be punished for his comments in the international break rages on.
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Check out the latest edition of Simon Phillips’ SPTC podcast here:
Everton scouting Southampton midfielder Shea Charles
Everton are interested in Southampton star Shea Charles, according to the Daily Mail. The Toffees are scouting the 33-cap Northern Ireland international.
Everton need a new defensive midfielder this summer, with Idrissa Gana Gueye getting on in age and Tim Iroegbunam struggling to impress.
Also, Everton could be competing in Europe next season and need enough hands on deck.
The highly-touted Charles fits the profile of the ideal successor to Gueye in the Everton engine room. His ability to evade pressure is remarkable.
The 22-year-old has been a key player for the Saints this season, making 24 appearances in the Championship and winning 4.0 ground duels per 90 (59% success rate).
Charles left on loan last season to Sheffield Wednesday, where he won the club’s player of the year award and was also nominated for the Championship Young Player of the Year.
The Everton target also chips in with goals. He has bagged four across all competitions, including the one that knocked out Arsenal in the FA Cup and another against Liverpool.
Those performances have reportedly caught Everton’s eye. The Toffees are always open to shopping in the second division.
Everton should not hesitate here.
Charles looks every bit like a player ready to make the jump, and the Championship has long proven to be fertile ground for Premier League-ready talent.
His mix of composure under pressure, defensive bite, and knack for decisive moments suggests there is far more to unlock at a higher level.
Crucially, this is the kind of calculated gamble Everton need to embrace.
A season or two learning the ropes alongside Gueye might sharpen his positional awareness and discipline, easing his transition into the top flight.
For a club looking to build smartly, this feels like a risk worth taking and one that can pay off handsomely.
Well, they did it.
The Big Ten now holds the national championships in men’s and women’s basketball, as well as football and probably all of hockey, too.
In a whistle-marred game, Michigan shot 21/55 from the field and 2/15 from deep, but did just enough as UConn hit just 9 of their 33 threes, part of a putrid 31% shooting evening for the Huskies.
This game sucked.
It does, notably, bring the Big Ten to national championships in football (Indiana), women’s basketball (congratulations to UCLA), men’s basketball (Michigan), and women’s hockey (wisconsin), in addition to men’s soccer (Washington), men’s wrestling (Penn State), field hockey (Northwestern), and men’s water polo (UCLA). On the men’s hockey side, the Big Ten has two of the four semifinalists, with Michigan set to take on Denver and wisconsin facing North Dakota.
For a blog that exists to talk about things related to the Big Ten, times are good.
Is it worth noting that Michigan’s whole roster came from elsewhere, much as Indiana’s did?
Meh.
These are college sports now. Transfers come, transfers go. The news came out yesterday that wisconsin’s John Blackwell is transferring so he can go win championships—out are the days of development, in are the days of portaling and tampering and splashing cash for a roster.
Michigan undeniably did that better than the rest. Dusty May put together a hell of a roster, and they won almost every game in front of them. They deserve their title, and—if we’re really being honest with ourselves—we all deserve the horrible world in which Michigan fans are happy.
Way-too-early NCAA men's basketball Top 25 after Michigan's championship game win over UConn
A way-too-early Top 25 takes on a new meaning in the transfer portal era.
With the portal scheduled to open Tuesday, just hours after Michigan’s win over UConn in Monday’s NCAA championship game, nothing is close to set in stone for start of next season.
But there are indicators as to who has a head start in the race for next season’s national championship.
We know who’s definitely and most likely leaving from every roster, whether they’re seniors or underclassmen bound for the NBA Draft lottery. We also have an idea of the future difference-making freshmen who have yet to don a college uniform.
With that in mind, let’s take a shot at looking ahead to the preseason top 25, knowing full well that this will drastically change between now and then.
No. 1 Michigan
All things are coming up Michigan. Yaxel Lendeborg is gone and Morez Johnson Jr. could follow him to the NBA Draft.
But the Wolverines have the potential to return several rotation players, including starting point guard and NCAA tournament MOP Elliot Cadeau, who projects as the senior leader on next year’s team. Add in a top recruiting class featuring 5-star guard Brandon McCoy and Dusty May’s track record of portal success, and Michigan could be in prime position to compete for another title.
No. 2 Duke
Maliq Brown (senior) and Cameron Boozer (NBA Draft) are gone. Patrick Ngongba and Isaiah Evans could follow Boozer to the NBA Draft. But there’s a lot of talent that could potentially return to Durham next season, including Caleb Foster, Cayden Boozer and Dame Sarr.
As usual, Duke has a loaded incoming freshman class featuring three 5-star recruits in Cam Williams, Deron Rippey and Bryce Howard that’s ranked No. 1 in the nation by Rivals. There’s no Boozer or Cooper Flagg in this class, but Duke is reloaded for another shot to compete for a championship.
No. 3 Michigan State
Senior starters Jaxon Kohler and Carson Cooper are gone. But Michigan State has the potential to return the rest of the core of a tough and tested roster that earned a No. 3 seed and advanced to the Sweet 16.
This includes rising sophomore point guard Jeremy Fears Jr., who projects as an All-America candidate next season. Add in the nation’s No. 7 recruiting class and another year at the helm from Hall of Fame coach Tom Izzo, and the Spartans should be a force again next season.
No. 4 Illinois
All-America freshman Keaton Wagler is almost certainly gone to the NBA Draft lottery, and his backcourt mate Kylan Boswell is a senior. But the bulk of the rest of the core of Illinois’ Euro-centric Final Four roster has the potential to return.
Illinois has four 3-star prospects in its 21st-ranked recruiting class, and coach Brad Underwood has a track record of attracting talent in the portal.
No. 5 Arizona
Arizona loses top-end talent from its Final Four team in senior Jaden Bradley and freshmen Brayden Burries and Koa Peat. There’s a chance Peat returns to improve his stock, but both freshmen are likely gone to the NBA Draft.
If All-Big 12 center Motiejus Krivas forgoes the draft, the Wildcats could return a significant portion of their rotation outside the players at the top. And coach Tommy Lloyd brings in the nation’s No 4 recruiting class in addition to his lucrative new contract.
No. 6 Arkansas
Breakout freshman guard Darius Acuff Jr. is almost certainly gone to the NBA Draft lottery. Starting forward Trevon Brazile is an outgoing senior. The rest of the core of Arkansas’ Sweet 16 team has the potential to return.
And the recruits that used to join John Calipari at Kentucky are following him to Fayetteville. Arkansas’ recruiting class ranks second only to Duke’s and features 5-star Jordan Smith Jr., an explosive combo guard who should slot in in Acuff’s absence before hearing his own name called in the lottery next summer.
No. 7 UConn
Alex Karaban and Tarris Reed Jr., both seniors and NBA Draft prospects, are gone. But the cupboard isn’t bare in Storrs. Braylon Mullins, Solo Ball and Silas Demary could all be back from a roster that led the Huskies to their third trip to the national title game in four seasons.
Dan Hurley brings in a 10th-ranked recruiting class featuring a pair of four-star guards in Junior County and Colben Landrew. And UConn projects to pull its share of talent in the portal. Expect the Huskies to compete once again next season.
No. 8 Virginia
Malik Thomas is the only outgoing senior from a starting lineup that kept Virginia competitive in the ACC and earned a No. 3 seed in the NCAA tournament. Nobody’s expected to leave for the NBA Draft.
If starters Thijs de Ridder, Sam Lewis and Chance Mallory all return, Virginia projects for another strong season in the ACC. But there’s little room for error. The Cavaliers don’t have any incoming prospects committed and must win in the transfer portal to remain competitive.
No. 9 Alabama
A potential lottery pick, All-SEC guard LaBaron Philon is likely gone. An outgoing senior, Latrell Wrightsell Jr. is definitely gone.
But Alabama potentially returns the rest of the starting five and the bulk of its remaining core from a team that advanced to a fourth consecutive Sweet 16 — that is if Aden Holloway is free to play after facing felony marijuana charges. Whomever returns will be joined by another strong Nate Oats recruiting class that features three 4-star prospects and ranks sixth in the nation.
No. 10 Gonzaga
Senior starters Graham Ike and Tyon Grant-Foster are gone from a team that earned a No. 3 seed in the NCAA tournament. Rising senior Braden Huff is in line to take over as the face of the Zags after a knee injury ended his season early. He finished second in points and third in rebounds per game for Gonzaga.
Gonzaga projects to return several rotation players and will add two four-star prospects from its incoming freshman class. There’s work to do in the portal, but Mark Few should field another competitive team next season.
No. 11 Florida
This will come down in large part to who stays and who goes to the NBA Draft. Thomas Haugh is almost certainly gone. Fellow frontline stars Alex Condon and Rueben Chinyelu are borderline prospects for this year’s draft who could go either way.
If both return, Florida could be higher on this list as Xaivian Lee is the only outgoing senior from its starting five. There’s not much help from a 99th-ranked recruiting class that features a single 3-star prospect. There’s work to do in the portal, regardless of Condon’s and Chinyelu’s decisions.
No. 12 Kansas
Darryn Peterson is a sure bet for the NBA Draft lottery, and senior starters Tre White and Melvin Council are also gone. Starters Flory Bidunga and Bryson Tiller could also be gone in the transfer portal.
The good news for Kansas is that head coach Bill Self is back. And Kansas has four 4-star prospects incoming from the nation’s No. 12 recruiting class. Kansas is also in the running to land No. 1 overall prospect Tyran Stokes, which would move it further up this board. Expect Self to reload through the portal as well.
No. 13 North Carolina
Caleb Wilson is almost certainly gone to the NBA Draft lottery, and senior leader Seth Trimble’s career is done. Then there’s the seismic matter of leadership change in Chapel Hill. Out is head coach Hubert Davis after five years. In comes NBA champion head coach Michael Malone, who has minimal college experience.
How Malone manages the transfer portal and adapts to the college game is one of the biggest stories of the offseason and next season. There’s upside on the roster, especially if All-ACC forward Henri Veesaar returns. Promising rising sophomore guard Derek Dixon is entering the portal, but left the door open to return. Five-star guard Dylan Mingo headlines a three-man recruiting class — if he remains committed to Malone’s staff. The Tar Heels will enter next season with a lot of questions and a lot of potential outcomes.
No. 14 Houston
Houston’s best window to win an NCAA championship under Kelvin Sampson may have just closed. All-America guard Kingston Flemings is almost certainly gone to the NBA Draft, and fellow freshman Chris Cenac could join him. Senior starters Emanuel Sharp and Milos Uzan are definitely gone.
Sampson is bringing in a pair of 4-star prospects in 7-foot center Arafan Diane and point guard Ikenna Alozie from the nation’s No. 9 recruiting class. Both project to play significant roles alongside rising senior Joseph Tugler if Tugler returns. If Houston finds success in the portal, expect the Cougars to remain competitive.
No. 15 Nebraska
Nebraska made the biggest leap in program history in 2025-26, winning its first two NCAA tournament games ever. Fred Hoiberg could return with another competitive team next season.
Nebraska loses outgoing senior starters Rienk Mast and Jamarques Lawrence. Pryce Sandfort’s decision will be key. Nebraska’s leading scorer, he projects as a second-round NBA Draft prospect and could find returning to Lincoln a more attractive option. He could return to join tournament hero Braden Frager in the starting lineup. Nebraska has two 4-star commitments in the nation’s 36th-ranked recruiting class.
No. 16 Texas Tech
Texas Tech suffered a big blow when All-America candidate J.T. Toppin tore his right ACL late in the season. This ranking is dependent on his recovery and return rather than entering the NBA Draft, where his prospects are uncertain coming off his injury. A rising senior, Toppin projects as a National Player of the year candidate if he does return in time to play the bulk of the season.
Backcourt leader Christian Anderson also comes with a big question mark. The rising junior is a borderline first-round prospect who may or may not enter the NBA Draft. If both return healthy, they’ll be joined by a pair of 4-star prospects from Texas Tech’s 24th-ranked recruiting class. Donovan Atwell is the only outgoing senior from the starting five.
No. 17 Iowa State
Iowa State is losing significant talent from its Elite Eight team, most notably outgoing senior All-America Joshua Jefferson. Senior guard Tamin Lipsey is also gone. What Milan Momcilovic decides to do will be key.
A 48.7% 3-point shooter, Momcilovic could test the NBA Draft waters. If he does, ISU will lose its top three scorers. He could also very well return, giving Iowa State one of the best shooters in the country alongside promising rising sophomores Killyan Toure and Jamarion Batemon. ISU features two 4-star and two 3-star prospects in its 37th-ranked recruiting class.
No. 18 Tennessee
The Volunteers made a third straight Elite Eight under Rick Barnes, but are losing a lot of talent. Nate Ament is expected to jump to the NBA Draft despite his up-and-down freshman campaign. Senior starters Ja’Kobi Gillespie and Felix Okpara are gone, and J.P Estrella has announced that he’s entering the transfer portal.
Tennessee will look to rising sophomore and former 4-star prospect Amari Evans to take a step forward after his limited action as a freshman reserve. Incoming Belmont sharpshooter Tyler Lundblade (40.6% from 3) signals an early portal win as a graduate transfer. Four-star forward Ralph Scott highlights the nation’s 38th-ranked recruiting class.
No. 19 Miami
Miami found success in Year 1 under head coach Jai Lucas, competing in the ACC and earning a No. 7 seed in the NCAA tournament. The Hurricanes are losing a significant part of their core in outgoing seniors Malik Reneau, Tre Donaldson and Ernest Udeh Jr.
Rising sophomore wing Shelton Henderson should step into a leadership role after a standout campaign as a freshman starter. He’ll likely be joined in the starting lineup by one of the best freshman prospects in the country in 5-star forward Caleb Gaskins. Lucas built last year’s roster from nearly scratch after joining the program from Jon Scheyer’s staff at Duke. This ranking is dependent in part on his continued ability to attract players through the transfer portal.
No. 20 Purdue
Gone is senior All-America guard Braden Smith after one of the most successful individual runs in program history. As are fellow senior starters Fletcher Loyer, Trey Kaufman-Renn and Oscar Cluff, unless Cluff is granted an eligibility waiver.
It’s a new era at Purdue, and one that could be led by guard Antione West Jr., who’s expected to step into a significant role after redshirting as a freshman. Add in three 4-star prospects from the nation’s No. 7 recruiting class, and there’s promise — though expectations for immediate success should be tempered.
No. 21 Ohio State
Ohio State loses two senior starters in Christoph Tilley and leading scorer Bruce Thornton. Fellow starter Devin Royal plans to enter the portal. Starters John Mobley and Amare Bynum could both return as the veteran anchors from a team that earned a No. 8 seed in the NCAA tournament.
And they’d be joined by one of the best freshmen in the country. Five-star wing Anthony Thompson headlines the nation’s 17th-ranked recruiting class and could be an immediate difference-maker in the Big Ten.
No. 22 USC
There’s reason for hope at USC after an 18-14 campaign and missing the NCAA tournament for a third straight season. Third-year coach Eric Musselman has so far secured the nation’s No. 3 recruiting class highlighted by 5-star wing Christian Collins and 4-star bigs and twin brothers Adonis and Darius Ratliff.
Senior leaders Chad Baker-Mazara and Ezra Ausar are gone. But there’s talent here to make a leap in Musselman’s third season at the helm — especially if USC can find success in the portal. The expectation next season will be a return to the NCAA tournament.
No. 23 St. John’s
St. John’s is losing the bulk of this year’s Sweet 16 roster, including senior starters Zuby Ejiofor, Bryce Hopkins, Dillon Mitchell and Oziyah Sellers. It also has nobody yet committed from the upcoming freshman class.
So why the top-25 ranking? There is talent projected to return, most notably former 5-star guard Ian Jackson, who will have a chance to shine as a junior after a pair of underwhelming seasons with North Carolina and St. John’s. And Rick Pitino will attack the transfer portal like few others. He built last season’s roster largely through the portal and very well could end up with another contender once the portal is closed.
No. 24 Missouri
Missouri will lose several key players from this season’s NCAA tournament team, including senior starters and leading scorers Mark Mitchell and Jayden Stone.
But the roster will be reinforced with a loaded recruiting class that features 5-star guard Jason Crowe Jr. and comes in ranked No. 9 in the nation. If head coach Dennis Gates can match that recruiting success in the portal, the Tigers could improve on last season.
No. 25 Kentucky
Otegah Oweh and Denzel Aberdeen, both seniors, are gone. Though Aberdeen is attempting to secure a fifth year of eligibility through the transfer portal. Either way, he won’t be in Lexington.
Keeping starters Malachi Moreno and Collin Chandler will be key as the Wildcats face multiple potential defections in the portal. There’s no Calipari recruiting class on the horizon. Mark Pope’s class features no 5-stars, one 4-star (point guard Mason Williams) and ranks 55th in the country.
Success in the portal is must for Pope as he enters next season on the hot seat. If not, the Wildcats won’t stand a chance of maintaining this ranking.
Sporting CP vs Arsenal – Match preview and team news
Arsenal head to the Estádio José Alvalade on Tuesday, aiming to salvage their season after consecutive domestic cup exits.
The Gunners lead the Premier League but face a defining moment in their European campaign. Recent losses to Manchester City and Southampton have dented their quadruple ambitions.
However, Mikel Arteta’s side remains the only unbeaten team in the Champions League this season. Crucially, this tie marks the high-profile return of Viktor Gyökeres to his former home. The Swede scored 97 goals for the Lions before joining Arsenal last summer.
Sporting CP enter their second-ever Champions League quarter-final in peak form at home. Rui Borges’ men are currently enjoying a formidable 17-match winning streak at the Estádio José Alvalade. They reached this stage by spectacularly overturning a three-goal deficit against Bodø/Glimt.
While the Lions have never beaten Arsenal in regulation time, they eliminated the Gunners on penalties in 2023. Historically, Portuguese clubs have lost all nine Champions League quarter-final meetings with English opposition.
Sporting CP vs Arsenal – Match preview and team news
- Date: Tuesday, 7 April 2026
- Kick-off: 20:00 BST
- Venue: Estádio José Alvalade, Lisbon
- Referee: Daniel Siebert (GER)
- VAR: Bastian Dankert (GER)
- Last Meeting: Sporting CP 1–5 Arsenal (November 2024, UCL)
Team News
Sporting CP
The Portuguese champions face a significant blow with captain Morten Hjulmand suspended for the first leg. Elsewhere, Geovany Quenda and Luis Guilherme are both ruled out through injury.
Giorgi Kochorashvili and Ricardo Mangas also remain unavailable for selection. Notably, Luis Suárez is one goal away from equaling the club’s single-season European scoring record.
Arsenal
Mikel Arteta manages a squad thinned by a growing list of defensive casualties. Gabriel Magalhães is a major doubt after suffering a knee injury on Saturday. However, Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice should return after being rested in the FA Cup.
Jurriën Timber is also pushing to feature despite recent groin concerns. Eberechi Eze and Piero Hincapié remain definitely ruled out.
Form
Sporting CP
Sporting have been unstoppable on home turf, winning all five of their Champions League matches in Lisbon this season. This represents the longest home winning streak by a Portuguese side in the competition since 1999.
Their resilience was clear in the last round, scoring five goals to overturn a heavy first-leg defeat. Statistically, Gonçalo Inácio has recorded more line-breaking passes than any other player in the knockout stages.
Arsenal
Arsenal boast the finest defensive record in the Champions League, conceding just 0.5 goals per match so far. They have trailed for only 43 minutes during the entire competition. While their domestic form has stuttered, the Gunners were perfect during the league phase. Significantly, David Raya has prevented 7.4 goals based on xG on target since the start of last season.
Predicted lineups
Sporting CP Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Silva; Vagiannidis, Diomande, Inácio, Mangas; Bragança, Morita; Catamo, Trincão, Gonçalves; Suárez
Arsenal Predicted XI (4-3-3): Raya; Timber, Mosquera, Saliba, Calafiori; Zubimendi, Rice, Ødegaard; Martinelli, Gyökeres, Saka
How to Watch Sporting CP vs Arsenal?
The match will be televised live in the UK on Amazon Prime Video. Coverage begins at 18:30 BST.
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See also- The teams with the most FA Cup semi-final appearances in history