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Français (Afrique)A.J. Allmendinger discusses tough start to 2026 NASCAR season
A.J. Allmendinger sits 20th in the point standings, but it has been a very difficult start for Kaulig Racing. Almmendinger is coming off a 27th-place finish at Martinsville Speedway, and Kaulig Racing hasn't shown much speed. It is not a surprise due to the lack of support from Chevrolet and other areas.
Following the event at Martinsville, Allmendinger addressed the No. 16 team's tough start to the 2026 season. Needless to say, it has been a rough few weeks for the No. 16 team.
“We’ve had a tough few weeks, and honestly, we expected it without any support, but that doesn’t make it any easier. The car was just too tight in the center, and if we tried to run the top, we’d burn the tires off. Once we got stuck back in traffic, it turned into a pinball situation and was hard to recover. We made adjustments, but the front stayed just as tight. At that point, we were really just trying to survive and get through the day. We’ve got an off weekend coming up. We’ll regroup and get ready for Bristol Motor Speedway.”
Allmendinger hopes that he and the No. 16 team for Kaulig Racing can find some answers over the off weekend in the Cup Series. The driver of the No. 16 car hasn't been happy with his performances, but it tough when Kaulig Racing is looking for answers themselves right now.
This article originally appeared on Motorsports Wire: A.J. Allmendinger discusses tough start to 2026 NASCAR season
Spain vs Egypt – Match preview and team news
Spain and Egypt meet in Barcelona on Tuesday in a friendly that both sides will use as World Cup preparation. La Roja come into the game after a 3-0 win over Serbia, and Egypt following a 4-0 victory over Saudi Arabia.
Spain vs Egypt – Match preview and team news
- Date: Tuesday, 31st March.
- Kick-off: 7:45pm BST.
- Venue: RCDE Stadium, Cornella de Llobregat.
Spain team news
Head coach Luis de la Fuente is expected to use this fixture to evaluate squad depth ahead of the 2026 World Cup, likely leading to significant rotations.
The squad will be without key midfielder Martin Zubimendi, who withdrew after sustaining a knee injury, and defender Aymeric Laporte, who remains sidelined with a hamstring issue.
Established stars like Rodri, Pedri, and Lamine Yamal may be rested, though the match provides an opportunity for Dani Olmo and Ferran Torres to lead the attack.
All eyes will also be on young sensation Victor Munoz, who is tipped to start after scoring on his international debut. Spain’s technical approach will focus on high possession and integrating fringe players into their tactical system.
Egypt team news
Egypt remain without their captain Mohamed Salah due to ongoing injury concerns.
Coach Hossam Hassan is expected to rely on the clinical form of Manchester City’s Omar Marmoush and the creativity of Zizo to spearhead the offensive line.
Defensively, the Pharaohs are hampered by the absence of Mohamed Abdelmonem, who is recovering from a cruciate ligament injury, placing more responsibility on the veteran leadership of goalkeeper Mohamed El-Shenawy.
Midfield mainstay Trezeguet is also poised to earn his 94th cap, providing essential experience against elite European opposition.
Egypt’s strategy will likely involve a disciplined defensive shape combined with quick transitions, testing their progress against one of the world’s top-ranked sides as they continue their preparations for upcoming competitive qualifiers.
Form
Spain
Spain remains one of the standout international teams in world football, with six wins from their last seven matches and a strong run of goalscoring form. Their latest outing ended in a comfortable 3-0 victory over Serbia, with Mikel Oyarzabal scoring twice and Victor Munoz adding a debut goal.
Egypt
Egypt arrives in Barcelona full of confidence following a commanding 4-0 win against Saudi Arabia. Despite missing Mohamed Salah, the Pharaohs have shown impressive offensive depth, with Omar Marmoush and Zizo spearheading a potent frontline.
Predicted lineups
Spain: Simon; Porro, Cubarsi, Huijsen, Grimaldo; Fornals, Zubimendi; Munoz, Olmo, Pino; F Torres
Egypt: El Shenawy; Hany, Ibrahim, Fathy, Fatouh; Ashour, Attia; Issa, Zizo, Trezeguet; Marmoush
How to watch Spain vs Egypt?
Spain vs Egypt will be shown live in the UK on Amazon Prime PPV.
Read Also – Gusto can’t understand criticism of under-fire Chelsea boss Rosenior
See More – The five favourites to win the 2026 World Cup
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Texas women's basketball team went from 'soft' back to the Final Four
FORT WORTH, TX ― Six weeks ago, Texas coach Vic Schaefer called his team "soft." On Monday, Schaefer called the Longhorns "Texas tough" before cutting down the nets after a 77-41 win over Michigan in the Elite Eight.
On February 12, Schaefer openly questioned the "heart" of Texas's players after a brutal 86-70 loss to Vanderbilt. The Longhorns found themselves down by as many as 27 points against the Commodores during a rough shooting night. Texas shot 38% from the field, and its usual perimeter production disappeared. The Longhorns made three shots from beyond the arc to the Commodores' nine.
"We had no heart tonight. We had no toughness. No competitive spirit. We're soft. We were whining. Complaining, but no toughness. So you know what? I've been doing this a while. I bet I'll fix it," Schaefer said at the time.
True to his word, the Longhorns coach did fix whatever was plaguing his roster. Texas has 12 consecutive victories since its coach publicly called the team out, including a massive win over the Wolverines to punch its ticket to the Final Four for the second straight year.
"That next day in practice, really, it's been different ever since, and it started with Madison (Booker) and her voice. She was very vocal that day. Rori (Harmon) was helping a little, but Madison was way different," Schaefer said.
"How they've responded is exactly what I thought they'd do. I mean, these kids, they have been nothing but tough. They have been nothing but competitive since that day. They have answered the bell every night, and I think that speaks volumes about who they are, what they're about, and I couldn't be more proud of them."
Schaefer and Texas will now go onto Phoenix with the hopes of winning the program's first championship in 40 years. On Friday, the Longhorns will begin their Final Four journey with a rematch against the UCLA Bruins, whom they beat in November, 76-65. Texas will be ready, and according to Madison Booker, her coach won't have to worry about the Longhorns being "soft" anymore.
"We never want to hear our head coach say that about the team he recruited because we're so much better than that," Booker said.
"You know, like we told him ... We say we have heart, and I think after that game we kind of turned it around. You know, I hope he sees we have heart now. That will never happen again. I think we will never play that bad or make sure we won't play that bad, but yeah, that was just the mindset from us (from that day forward)."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Texas women's basketball got tough just in time for Final Four run
Juventus eyeing Man United star Manuel Ugarte
Manchester United are preparing for a major upheaval this summer with several fringe players poised to exit Old Trafford.
One candidate set for an exit is midfielder Manuel Ugarte, and according to Gazzetta dello Sport, the Man United ace is attracting interest from Juventus.
Ugarte has failed to impress since joining Manchester United two years ago. He has been underwhelming in the engine room.
He was highly touted for his aggressive tackling and ability to drive with the ball, but has looked unbelievably average following his €50 million addition.
That has not stopped Juventus from targeting the Uruguayan international (34 caps), who will likely exit Man Utd if they bring in two new midfielders in the summer transfer window.
He might benefit from moving to a new environment, as things have not worked out for him in France and England.
In Italy, Ugarte can provide competition for Khephren Thuram and Manuel Locatelli in the centre of the park.
Juvenntus watched him live with his national team as they took on Algeria in Turin.
As for Man United, they will hope that this interest translates into a tangible transfer offer.
The Bianconeri, due to their financial constraints, might step up with an unappealing loan-to-buy deal, which doesn’t move the needle for the Red Devils.
With expensive targets like Sandro Tonali, Bruno Guimaraes, Adam Wharton, Carlos Baleba and Elliot Anderson on the Man Utd shortlist, they need to recoup good money from transfer fees.
United’s decision to spend €50 million on Ugarte always felt misguided, and hindsight has only made it worse.
He looked out of his depth at Paris Saint-Germain. He was positionally erratic, limited in possession, and far from the elite ball-winner they thought they were getting.
That same uncertainty has followed him to Old Trafford, where he has struggled to impose himself or dictate tempo in any meaningful way.
For a club trying to rebuild its midfield identity, Ugarte has been a costly misstep. United cannot afford sentiment now.
If Juventus come calling, they must cash in and correct the error by investing in a midfielder with genuine top-level control, athleticism, and composure.