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Archive May 2, 2025

‘Russell & Sexton can shelve differences for Lions’

By in News, Sports News
Images courtesy of Getty
Andy Burke
Senior Reporter for BBC Sport Scotland

Finn Russell and Johnny Sexton are “completely different characters,” according to former Scotland captain Greig Laidlaw, who believes the pair can put their differences to rest and work together on the British and Irish Lions tour this summer.

Sexton has previously expressed disapproval of Russell, who has been drafted into Andy Farrell’s backroom team for the Australian tour.

The Ireland legend claimed that Warren Gatland’s choice to choose the Scot over him during the 2021 Lions tour of South Africa in his autobiography.

Laidlaw, who was a member of Sexton and Russell’s Lions squad in 2017, is unable to see a situation where his former Scotland team-mate is selected for Farrell’s squad.

According to Laidlaw, “Finn is undoubtedly going to be on that tour,” Laidlaw told BBC Scotland.

“I believe he will find success there based on merit.” He has been fantastic, played well in the third Test, and went on the previous trip.

He is a top player, has excelled for Bath, and is “flying high in the Premiership.”

“I think it lends more to that coaching staff, including Owen Farrell, Richard Wigglesworth, and Jonny Sexton, I believe. That is likely to occur, in my opinion.

“I still see Finn going, probably those two plus Sam Prendergast,” I said. I don’t understand why he won’t be a part of the squad, therefore.

Despite their opposing personalities, Laidlaw believes he could work with Russell despite taking a close look at Sexton during his 2017 tour of New Zealand.

Sexton was the “urgent competitor,” Laidlaw, who trains with the Urayasu D-Rocks in Japan, said.

On that trip, I had the honor of spending time with him, and I definitely learned a lot from him.

He simply isn’t Finn like Finn, though. He obviously takes things seriously. He is simply completely unique.

related subjects

  • Scottish Rugby
  • Irish Lions and British &
  • Rugby Union

‘Super soft’ luxury bedding set hits Debenhams sale with a mega 50% off

By in Entertainment News, News

Would you like to buy some new bedding for your bedroom this spring that doesn’t cost as much as it should? You won’t want to miss this Debenhams sale, then.

We may link to affiliate links in this article, but we will make money off of any purchases we make. more information

‘Super soft’ luxury bedding set hits Debenhams sale with a mega 50% off(Image: Debenhams)

Nothing can be added to a room’s ensemble like a luxurious bedspread, whether you’re enhancing it or elevating it to your bedroom. And thanks to this Debenhams deal, this Flannel Marl Brushed Cotton Duvet Set may be just the thing for you when it comes to purchasing luxuriously soft bedding that looks expensive but won’t break the bank.

READ MORE: With a £110 saving, book a family-sized pop-up pool for the hottest day of 2025.

READ MORE: “Space-saving” rattan table set looks great on patio and saves a ton on the sale for £420.

Flannel Marl Super Soft Brushed Cotton Duvet Sets
This Flannel Marl Super Soft Brushed Cotton Duvet Sets is now 50% off(Image: Debenhams)

With its super-soft, top-notch cotton yarn and gray and beige understated colors, this bedding set maximizes comfort. In the spring and summer heat, it makes for indulgently cozy and snug sleeping that won’t make you sleep all night. The skin is also kept soft thanks to the brushed fabric.

This bedding will look stylish and stylish in any bedroom, much like an expensive set similar to a hotel where you can relax in enduringly soft sheets. It has a subtle, sophisticated appearance that can be layered with other pieces to complement the design of your home.

Any room will look more sophisticated with this understated, chic addition. While Debenhams’ spring sale lasts, this set is currently priced at just £49.99, which is roughly equivalent to between £100 and £120, depending on your choice of size.

One customer who was content with their purchase wrote, “Absolutely love this duvet set I want to get another.”

Another person chimed in with their own accolades, as they put it, “Great quality! I feel cozy because it is so soft and warm.

Continue reading the article.

This Flannel Stripe 100% Brushed Cotton Duvet Set, which is currently on sale for 50% off, is another example of another Debenhams bedding set. You’ll need to order this one quickly, though, because its own colorway has already sold out.

Radical-right Reform party makes gains in UK elections

By in News, World News

The radical-right Reform UK party has won over local and regional electorates as a powerful political force.

Results from Friday showed that the anti-immigration party took a number of seats on local councils, gained its first mayoralty, and gained a fifth parliamentary seat. Reform hopes to unbalance the country’s traditionally polarized political system, which is currently led by the opposition Conservatives and the ruling Labour Party.

After the party was declared the winner of the Runcorn and Helsby seat, Reform leader Nigel Farage said, “It’s been a huge night for Reform.”

Northwest England, a former center for Labour, received just six votes, resulting in the victory.

In the first polls since last year’s general elections, reform won over a mayoral race in Greater Lincolnshire and the Conservatives a number of council seats.

The outcomes appear to highlight how divided the political landscape in the UK has become.

Labour under Prime Minister Keir Starmer won one of the largest parliamentary majority in British history last year, but the popularity of any newly elected government has fallen the fastest.

Farage, the party’s leader on Brexit, noted that the ruling party’s majority had “collapsed” following Labour’s victory in the previous year’s national election with a majority of almost 15, 000 votes. He has previously allied himself with US President Donald Trump.

The government’s proposed sweeping welfare reforms have alienated the left-wing party’s traditional voter base and swayed some people into voting for Reform. This has led to a decline in support for Labour.

“Soft-touch Britain”

Andrea Jenkyns, a former Conservative minister who defected to Reform after losing her seat last year, became the party’s most powerful elected official in the region, serving over a million people.

In her victory speech, Jenkyns vowed to end “soft-touch Britain” and said asylum seekers should be held in tents rather than hotels.

She said, “The rebuilding begins here. We’re going to have a Britain where we put the British people first.”

Reform UK is the most recent of a line of parties led by Farage, a seasoned hard-right politician who played a key role in the referendum’s 2016 withdrawal from the UK. He has claimed that many immigrants from “alien to ours” come to the UK as a divisive figure.

Reform, which has pledged to “stop the boats” of undocumented immigrants crossing the English Channel, hopes that winning mayoral elections and gaining councillors will help it advance its grassroots activism in the wake of the upcoming general election, which will likely take place in 2029.

In the elections that are deciding 1, 641 seats in 23 local councils, six mayoralties, and the parliamentary seat, the party hopes to win hundreds of municipal seats.

England Defender Dier To Leave Bayern At End Of Season 

By in News, sport-news

The club’s sporting director announced on Friday that English centre-back Eric Dier will leave Bayern Munich at the end of the season when his contract expires.

Christoph Freund stated that Eric and I have been discussing a potential contract extension.

He informed us that he would leave Bayern at the end of the season and that he would not extend his time there.

Bayern are still in discussions to extend Dier’s contract temporarily to include the Club World Cup, which takes place in the United States from June 14 to July 13.

Under Thomas Tuchel’s direction, Dier signed a loan to Munich in January 2024, making himself a defensive starter alongside Matthijs de Ligt.

READ ALSO: [UCL]  Barca Fight Back Against Inter In Sensational Semi-Final Draw

In the summer of 2024, the 31-year-old signed a one-year deal to complete the transfer.

Vincent Kompany’s current coach, who is less active, has made Dier a key player in helping to cover injuries to Dayot Upamecano and Kim Min-jae.

Eric and I had a great time, according to Freund, who is a 49-time England player, and he should win a title.

Dier is expected to sign with Monaco in a deal that will run until the summer of 2027, according to reports in France and Germany.

Bruised Real Madrid Must Stay In Title Fight Against Celta Vigo

By in News, sport-news

Real Madrid still has a goal in mind: defending their La Liga title after crushing defeats at Barcelona and Arsenal in the Champions League.

Despite the pain caused by the cup final fallout this week, the Los Blancos host Celta Vigo on Sunday in an effort to stay strong on top of the table.

Antonio Rudiger, a Real Madrid defender, was banned from six matches for throwing objects at the referee, and he also chose to have knee operations, which will keep him out until the end of the season.

Ferland Mendy and David Alaba, who have been sidelined for the majority of the campaign, are also expected to miss out, along with Dani Carvajal and Eder Militao, who have been sidelined for a while.

As a Celta side hoping to secure European football next season visit the Santiago Bernabeu, Carlo Ancelotti’s defense, which has been one of the team’s weak points in general this season, is in ruins.

Madrid, who are second and four points clear of Barcelona, have lost five La Liga games this season. They only lost once when they won the title in a previous campaign.

Coach Carlo Ancelotti, who is set to leave the organization at the end of the season, still thinks his team can defend their title.

Madrid have a week to recover from their Copa final defeat on Saturday and have a week off from the competition.

The Italian coach reaffirmed that “we have time to prepare for the games against Celta and Barcelona,” and that the team must continue to compete until the very end.

Madrid and the Catalan giants square off at the Olympic Stadium in a match that could have a significant impact on the title race’s fate.

Between the two legs of their Champions League semifinal against Inter Milan, Madrid must make an effort to reach that game without the four-point gap growing. Barcelona will play at Real Valladolid on Saturday.

Although it was a contentious night after the Galician side were denied what appeared to be a penalty, Madrid won the Copa del Rey semifinal match.

Iago Aspas, the Celta striker, said this week ahead of his team’s return to the Bernabeu, “all of Spain saw it.”

Aspas stated that he would not exclude Madrid from the title race despite their struggles.

Aspas said, “In football, you can never rule out anything. Sometimes a team seems to lose, but they win,” adding that.

“We’ll try to be the protagonists, have the ball, and attack,” the statement reads, “And it could go well or not.”

READ ALSO: [UCL]  Barca Fight Back Against Inter In Sensational Semi-Final Draw

Ayoze Perez is a player to watch.

Ayoze Perez hopes to finish the season as the top Spanish scorer in La Liga as Villarreal moves toward a Champions League spot next season. Oihan Sancet, who is currently recovering from an injury, is the Villarreal forward with 14 goals, one behind Athletic Bilbao’s Oihan Sancet. As Osasuna visits on Saturday, Perez might increase his total.

Important statistics
7 – outfield players who have participated in each of their club’s 33 league games so far this season.

Kylian Mbappe of Real Madrid has the most shots on target this season at 69.

Lamine Yamal, who made his Barcelona debut two years ago, has now turned 100 games in this week’s game against Inter Milan.

La Liga Liga Liga Fixtures

Friday (all times GMT)

Rayo Vallecano v. Getafe (1900)

Saturday

Alaves v Atletico Madrid (1200), Villarreal v Osasuna (1415), Las Palmas v Valencia (1630), Valladolid v Barcelona (1900)

Sunday

Real Madrid v Celta Vigo (1200), Sevilla v Leganes (1415), Espanyol v Real Betis (1630), Real Sociedad v Athletic Bilbao (1900)

Monday

Wales and Swansea midfielder Allen retires

By in News, Sports News

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After Saturday’s final game of the championship season, Swansea City and Wales midfielder Joe Allen will retire.

Allen, 35, has chosen to call time on a career that has included almost 600 club appearances and 77 international victories. He is out of contract at Swansea this summer.

He played in three major tournaments and established himself as one of the nation’s top players, making him one of the key players in Wales’ men’s team’s history.

Allen started and ended his professional career at Swansea as a youngster, then went on to play for Stoke City, where he also spent four years at Liverpool and six at Stoke City, and then briefly went on loan at Wrexham as a teenager.

“The timing is right,” he declared. About a month ago, I made the decision and reached 100%. Although I wasn’t sure how things would turn out in the final few weeks, how I would find things, it has actually been a good spell. It’s enjoyable to me.

In their final game of Allen’s career, the Swans take on Oxford United in their championship match.

I’ve had a chance to reflect and absorb everything. What will be my final game on Saturday, he continued, is really looking forward to.

“I’m very proud,” I didn’t anticipate sitting here and playing as many games for the clubs I’ve played there and also for Wales.

I’ve had incredibly good fortune and have been very grateful and thankful to everyone who has assisted me in having these amazing experiences over the past few weeks.

Craig Bellamy, who took over the Pembrokeshire-born player last year, is likely to be disappointed by Allen’s retirement.

In February 2023, after the 2022 World Cup, Allen had decided to end his Welsh career.

Wales’ 64-year wait for the World Cup in Qatar was ended, but Robert Page’s side were disappointed as they lost in the group stage.

Allen returned from a long-term injury layoff in their second group match against Iran, making his debut in Wales’ final game of the competition against England.

FAW

As Chris Coleman’s side advanced to the semi-finals of Wales’ first major tournament since 1958, Allen was one of the stars of what proved to be a magical summer.

Allen made his league debut at Swansea as a 16-year-old in 2007 and won his first Wales cap in 2009 after rising through the ranks there.

He assisted Swansea to win the League One title for the first time in his entire career before leading them to the Premier League as the first Welsh club to do so in 2011.

Allen moved to Liverpool in a £15 million deal in 2012 after spending a year with Swansea in the top flight.

He made 132 starts for Liverpool and made the team that almost ended the Reds’ search for a title in 2014 before signing for Stoke for £13 million in 2016.

Allen joined the Potters in more than 200 games after being relegated to the Championship in 2018. He then made the decision to leave when Swansea’s contract expires in 2022.

Allen has since returned to Wales, but he has had a number of injuries, and he has consistently been praised for his influence away from the pitch. He has also remained a significant figure when he is fit.

related subjects

  • Men’s football teams from Wales
  • Swansea City
  • Championship
  • Football