Ford Motorsports came tantalizingly close to winning its first NASCAR Cup Series race of the season last weekend at Talladega, but neither Michael McDowell nor Brad Keselowski could make it happen at the end. The two blue oval drivers will look to break the drought Sunday afternoon when they compete in the Wurth 400 at Dover Motor Speedway in Dover, Del., the 11th race on the 2024 schedule. And what a 2024 it's been so far for Ford Motorsports, huh? While the most casual glance at the win column reveals a bad start for the teams — 0-for-10 — taking the whole season into consideration is even worse. Ford failed to win in the season-opening exhibition race in California — The Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum — at the legendary Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum as Denny Hamlin walked away with a win. At Daytona during Speedweeks, the blue-clad teams fared no better: Toyota's Tyler Reddick and Christopher Bell won the Duels, the Daytona 500's qualifying races. So really 0-for-13. As for the point standings, only one Ford — the No. 12 driven by reigning series champion Ryan Blaney at No. 7 — graces the top 11, and four of its drivers have combined to record just five stage wins thus far. That's a whole lot of time being any place other than at the front of the field. When they were running 1-2 Saturday on the 188th lap at Talladega, one had to figure McDowell, a Daytona 500 winner, or Keselowski, a six-time Talladega winner, would manage to make it to Victory Lane with his Dark Horse Mustang in good shape. However, neither could be blamed for what ensued: A chaotic melee that ended with Reddick roaring through the mess, stealing the checkers for his first victory at Talladega and crowding the trophy case for 23XI team owner/NBA icon Michael Jordan even more. But neither Ford driver was finger-pointing afterward, even though a win would have likely put the winner into the playoffs and given either McDowell his third career Cup win or snapped Keselowski's 107-race winless streak. "Nobody did anything wrong there, not Michael, not Brad, not anyone," said FOX analyst Larry McReynolds. "What (Ford) has to hang their hat on is they had a fast Ford Mustang. The superspeedways, the road courses — and we've got a lot more of those coming up — that's obviously their best opportunity to go to Victory Lane and maybe punch their ticket to the playoffs." On the high banks of the one-mile Dover Motor Speedway, the last two victories for Ford were in cars driven by current booth analyst Kevin Harvick (2018, 2020). Since the 2009 season, the manufacturer has won just three times in 27 races. Keselowski does have a win there — a 2012 triumph — but it was while he was driving for Dodge Motorsports during his title-winning season. Nicknamed "The Monster Mile," DMS might be too monstrous of a chunk of concrete for Ford to bust through. In Saturday's qualifying run, Richard Childress Racing's Kyle Busch won his first pole of the season and second at Dover when he toured the high banks in 22.196 seconds (162.191 mph) in his No. 8 Chevrolet. He edged Blaney's Ford by 0.033 seconds. The hot lap secured Busch's 34th career pole. He is the seventh different top qualifier in 2024. –Field Level Media
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When he has to pass, he passes, he plays with his head up. It really is a great signing, I congratulate Real Madrid.
He isn t 100 per cent ready, Filipe Luis said. He is 17 years old, but has potential and a great future. Nobody is ever ready for a leap so vast at that age, but in the future he will be a great signing.
I remember Kaka because he played with his head up, and he was lethal in the area, Filipe Luis added. Reinier has even more quality than Kaka with his back to goal. Time will tell whether or not he is like Kaka.
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Raphinha joined Leeds from Rennes in the summer of 2020 for £17 million. The 24-year-old has taken to the Premier League like a duck to water and has established himself as a key figure in head coach Marcelo Bielsa’s team. According to , the 24-year-old has made 13 starts and three substitute appearances in the league so far this season, scoring four goals and providing four assists in the process.
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James Maddison is available for Tottenham’s FA Cup tie with Manchester City but boss Ange Postecoglou has yet to make a decision on whether he will start Friday’s clash.
Maddison has not played for Spurs since he sustained ankle ligament damage in a 4-1 defeat to Chelsea on November 6.
England international Maddison flourished after he moved to the club in a £40million deal from Leicester last June, scoring three goals and providing six assists in 12 appearances, and he will return to action against FA Cup holders Man City.
The latest team news from Ange ahead of
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial)
Postecoglou revealed: “He’s trained all week and he is fine.
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Barcelona sporting director Jordi Cruyff insisted the side s host of new additions joined in order to follow their dream as he hit out at criticism of the Blaugrana s transfer policy.
Despite concerns regarding the club s finances, Barcelona acquired Robert Lewandowski, Raphinha, Jules Kounde, Franck Kessie, Andreas Christensen, Hector Bellerin and Marcos Alonso during a busy transfer window.
Xavi s new-look team have impressed this season, taking 13 points from their first five matches in LaLiga, but many onlookers were surprised by their ability to outmanoeuvre their rivals in the market.
Raphinha and Kounde, for instance, were both strongly linked with Chelsea before arriving at Camp Nou. Cruyff, however, insists Barca retain a unique draw.
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Illarramendi has deputised in the absence of the Spain international, but acknowledges Real are a better team with Alonso fit.
He is important for us; he has been here for a long time and has always been important, said Illarramendi.
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In his initial spell at Stamford Bridge, Mourinho won two Premier League titles, two League Cups and one FA Cup.
Sunday s win at Wembley secured the first trophy of his second stint in charge, and Mourinho s first major silverware since winning La Liga with Real Madrid in 2012.
It s difficult for me to live without titles, he said. I need to feed myself with titles.
This is important for me and the boys. For the club it s one more cup, but it s the first one of a new team.
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Mauricio Pochettino could not confirm Neymar would make his return from injury against former club Barcelona but remains very happy with his recovery.
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Marco Davide Faraoni s agent Giovanni Bia has revealed that Watford are in talks to sign the defender.
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And his agent has suggested that a move to the Championship could be on the cards.
We are talking about and evaluating the prospect of him going to Watford, he told tuttomercatoweb.com.
If the guy leaves Udinese he will almost certainly go there because it is a club with links to Udinese and we believe it would be the best solution for everyone.
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