Liverpool Face Summer of Change After United Loss

With Mohamed Salah and Alexander Isak absent, Liverpool suffered a frustrating 2-2 draw against Manchester United despite fighting back from two goals down. Arne Slot expressed frustration at dropping points, stating the result means they "need three points" to guarantee Champions League qualification.

Slot emphasized that this summer represents the start of a new cycle, and regardless of qualification, Liverpool are in for significant changes to address their inconsistent performance. catcross.org

The fifth edition of the Miami Grand Prix gave Formula 1 another chaotic and competitive weekend around Hard Rock Stadium. The race started three hours earlier than planned because of weather concerns, but the change did not reduce the action on track. Kimi Antonelli turned pole position into another victory, even after losing the lead on the opening lap, while early incidents involving Pierre Gasly and Isack Hadjar reshuffled the field. The result was a race that produced clear winners, painful losers, and another strong reminder that Miami has become one of the calendar’s most unpredictable stops.

Antonelli’s win stood out because it was built on control rather than a perfect start. The Mercedes driver again struggled off the line, but he recovered with a strong strategy call and held off pressure from Lando Norris to win. That made it his third straight Grand Prix victory from pole, a rare sequence in Formula 1 history. McLaren also left Miami with real momentum after Norris and Oscar Piastri both finished on the podium, while Williams, Alpine, and even the broader championship picture all found reasons to leave encouraged. On the other side, Ferrari, Red Bull’s second seat, Audi, Aston Martin, and George Russell all had weekends that exposed problems they still need to solve. Miami was not just a race winner’s story. It was also a weekend that showed which teams are building form and which ones are still fighting for answers.

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Winner of the Grand Prix

Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Kimi Antonelli won the Miami Grand Prix and extended his championship lead to 20 points. He started from pole, lost the lead early, and still recovered to finish first by using a strong undercut and clean race management. The Mercedes driver became only the third racer to win his first three Grands Prix consecutively, joining Damon Hill and Mika Hakkinen. That makes his Miami result another major milestone in a sophomore season that is starting to look like a title fight.

Antonelli also showed more maturity under pressure, especially with Lando Norris close behind in the final stint. He said, “I think I feel much more comfortable in the car, much more in control as well.” His pace and composure gave Mercedes another clear win. Even with the start issues, he is proving he can still deliver when the race gets tense.

Franco Colapinto, Alpine

Franco Colapinto had his best weekend in Formula 1 so far. He qualified eighth, beat teammate Pierre Gasly for the first time this season, and finished seventh after Leclerc’s penalty promoted him one place. For Alpine, that was a strong sign that the upgrades may have worked and that the team can fight in the midfield.

Colapinto drove a clean race and avoided the mistakes that hurt several others around him. He made the most of Alpine’s improved pace and a lighter chassis. It was also a confidence-building result for a driver who has faced criticism since replacing Jack Doohan. The weekend gave Alpine proof that progress is possible when both pace and execution come together.

Lando Norris, McLaren

Lando Norris left Miami with a win in the Sprint and second place in the Grand Prix. That was a strong return for McLaren, especially because both drivers stayed in the podium fight across the weekend. Norris also pushed Antonelli hard in the closing stages and kept the pressure on until the flag. The result helped McLaren strengthen its position in the championship and close the gap to Ferrari.

Even so, his pace and consistency showed that McLaren’s upgrade package is working. With Oscar Piastri also on the podium, the team left Miami with a clear step forward. It was not the victory Norris wanted, but it was still a major positive.

Losers of the Miami Grand Prix

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari

Charles Leclerc had one of the most frustrating Sundays of the race. He started strong, took the lead on lap one, and then lost ground after another slow Ferrari pit stop. He still fought back into third before a final-lap spin damaged his race completely. After the stewards gave him a 20-second penalty, he dropped from sixth to eighth in the final classification.

Leclerc said after the race, per SI, “I’m very disappointed with myself, it’s all on me.” That was a harsh end to a race that had once looked like it could produce a podium. Ferrari’s car showed some pace, but the execution again let the team down. If the team wants to stay in the title picture, it needs cleaner stops and fewer self-inflicted errors.

Isack Hadjar, Red Bull

Isack Hadjar’s Miami weekend ended in another early exit. He crashed into the wall at Turn 14 and finished the race as a retirement, adding to a difficult start to life alongside Max Verstappen. The Red Bull driver had already been off the pace in qualifying and sprint qualifying, and the race only confirmed how much work he still has to do. His crash also removed any chance of a useful result.

Hadjar admitted the mistake was his own, and the emotion was visible after the incident. His season has brought only four points from six scoring chances, which is not enough for a Red Bull seat under normal standards. The team will be hoping this is a learning weekend rather than a pattern. For now, the gap to Verstappen remains a major concern.

Aston Martin and Cadillac

Aston Martin and Cadillac both left Miami with more questions than answers. Aston Martin’s best result came from Fernando Alonso in 15th, while Lance Stroll finished 17th in both the sprint and the Grand Prix. Cadillac was more reliable, but both cars still finished outside the points in 16th and 18th. For teams at the back, that is not enough when others are making clear progress.

The future aspect is simple: both teams need more pace before the season slips away from them. Cadillac in particular is still early in its project, but slow progress will not help build momentum. Aston Martin, meanwhile, needs a stronger response after another flat weekend. The data from Miami may help, but the results do not.

George Russell, Mercedes

George Russell came into the season with championship expectations, but Miami was another weekend where he trailed Antonelli. He qualified and raced well behind his teammate, and the gap was clear throughout the event. Russell did recover to fourth after Leclerc’s late problems, but he was never a real threat to the win. That is a concern because Mercedes expects both cars to challenge at the front.

Russell’s problem is not one race, but a pattern. Antonelli has now beaten him in every Grand Prix qualifying and race since Australia. The Miami result made the gap in the standings even harder to ignore. He will need a stronger response in Canada if he wants to stay close in the title fight.

Audi, especially Nico Hulkenberg

Audi had a weekend full of reliability problems and no points to show for it. Nico Hulkenberg’s car suffered issues across the weekend, including a first-lap retirement in the Grand Prix after a fire in the sprint and more trouble in qualifying. Gabriel Bortoleto also had a rough weekend, finishing outside the points despite a better Grand Prix result than qualifying suggested. The team is still learning, but the losses are piling up.

Hulkenberg called it a “proper character building weekend,” which fits the overall picture. Audi says it is playing the long game, but long-term plans still need cleaner race weekends. If the team cannot finish sessions and races, it cannot make real progress. Miami showed the work still ahead.

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Conclusion

Miami delivered a race full of movement, mistakes, and momentum shifts. Antonelli proved again that he can handle pressure, McLaren made a clear step forward, and Colapinto gained real confidence. At the same time, Ferrari, Red Bull’s second seat, Audi, and others left with unfinished work. The season is still open, and Canada now offers the next chance to change the story.

FC Barcelona have lofty goals for the summer transfer window, with a new centre-back, a top centre-forward, and a left-winger being eyed, as well as a permanent deal for Joao Cancelo.

Given their economic situation, though, one or two sales will be needed for them to generate revenue as well as free up salary space for new signings.

The name of Jules Kounde, to that end, has emerged as a potential candidate to be sold at the end of the season, following a dip in his performance level this season.

Liverpool interested in Kounde

Now, according to the Daily Mail (h/t Mundo Deportivo), Liverpool are ready to submit an offer of around €80 million for Kounde in the upcoming summer window.

The French international has been a permanent fixture at right-back for Barcelona under Hansi Flick, but his future at the club is not fully guaranteed.

The Catalans have not made any firm decision about the defender’s continuity, but in recent weeks, there have been concerns about his performances, leading to suggestions that Hansi Flick has some doubts.

Jules Kounde on Liverpool’s radar. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)

In that context, and with Barcelona needing to complete a major sale, sources in England claim Liverpool are planning to make their move at the end of the season.

At Anfield, there is a strong belief that a compelling offer could convince Barcelona to negotiate.

Liverpool are looking for a right-back and also value Kounde’s ability to play as a centre-back, making him an attractive option. The reported offer of around €80 million reflects that need and ambition.

Kounde’s release clause was set at €1 billion in his last renewal, but Barcelona would only consider selling him for a figure close to the reported €80 million.

For now, Kounde remains a key part of the squad, but with financial pressures and growing interest from abroad, his situation could become one of the major talking points of the upcoming transfer window.

Both Mumbai Indians and Lucknow Super Giants, sitting at the bottom of the IPL 2026 table, will clash at Wankhede Stadium on Monday. Mumbai’s campaign has suffered from inconsistent performances and a hamstring injury to captain Rohit Sharma, who has missed three matches and is yet to return. The side has only two wins from nine games, while Lucknow also have two wins from eight matches and are battling a five‑match losing streak. Mumbai’s hopes hinge on whether Rohit can play, as his presence at the top of the order could be decisive.

David Peterson will be pitching following an opener this afternoon against the Colorado Rockies in Denver. The Rockies recently swept the Mets at home in late April, and Peterson’s return to pitching after an opener comes after his difficulties in his last appearance, a start against the Nationals.

Peterson has floundered in all five of his starts this year and was sent to the bullpen for two games until the Mets’ need for healthy starting pitchers was too great. He returned to a traditional starting role for an April 29 start at home against the Nationals, But he allowed five hits and walked three as he gave up seven runs in three-and-two-thirds innings. His ERA now sits at 6.53.

Nevertheless, Peterson has done well against the Rockies historically, with a 3-1 record and a 1.99 ERA. In his one start at Coors Field in 2024, he only gave up one run and five hits in five innings.