Sports
Díaz reveals Wirtz talks before Bayern ‘gamble’
Bayern Munich forward Luis Díaz has described his move to Germany as a “big gamble” and said he discussed the transfer with Liverpool‘s Florian Wirtz before leaving Anfield.
Díaz joined the German champions in a £65.5 million (€75m) deal last month, having enjoyed a stellar individual campaign last term as Liverpool romped to the Premier League title.
Sources told ESPN that Díaz first signalled a wish to leave Liverpool in the summer of 2024, but the club held firm while assessing both the squad and the market. Two separate attempts to agree to a contract extension failed due to a gap between offers and demands, leading Liverpool to reluctantly sanction his departure this summer.
And Díaz made a dream start to life at his new club on Saturday by scoring a crucial goal in Bayern’s 2-1 DFL-Supercup win over VfB Stuttgart.
“I’m very happy and pleased with how this weekend went,” the 28-year-old told ESPN. “As you pointed out, it was my first official match, my first goal, and my first title. I dreamed of coming here to achieve great things and give my best. I try to enjoy football.
“It was a big gamble and I’m very grateful to the management for reaching out to me and trusting me. It’s always up to me to respond on the pitch and contribute with what I know how to do. To be at the disposal of the coaching staff. To start this way and be together with my teammates is incredible.”
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He added: “I already had some knowledge of the Bundesliga. I love watching football and all the competitions. I had the opportunity to talk to Florian in Liverpool, and I know it’s a physical league. I hope to have a great debut. I’ve been here at the club for about two weeks, and I need time to settle in.”
Díaz celebrated the goal by paying tribute to former Liverpool teammate Diogo Jota, who passed away in a car accident last month alongside his brother, André Silva.
Reflecting on the impact of Jota’s death, Díaz said: “It’s brutal. The fact that he’s no longer with us and that we’ve lost an incredible teammate is unbelievable. No one is prepared to receive this kind of news and feel OK when faced with a situation like this.
“He was a great teammate to me. We will remember him fondly. He will live on in our memories, and being able to dedicate the goal to him is something special. I had planned to do so.”
Twenty men have been charged in a point-shaving scheme involving more than 39 college basketball players on more than 17 NCAA Division I teams, leading to more than 29 games being fixed, according to a federal indictment unsealed Thursday in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
Fifteen of the defendants played college basketball during the 2023-24 and/or 2024-25 seasons, according to the indictment. Some have played this season. Two of the players named in the indictment, Cedquavious Hunter and Dyquavian Short, were sanctioned in November by the NCAA for fixing New Orleans games.
At least two of the defendants, Shane Hennen and Marves Fairley, were also charged in a federal indictment in the Eastern District of New York centered on gambling schemes in the NBA.
Former NBA player Antonio Blakeney was named but not charged in the indictment. The indictment describes Blakeney as being “charged elsewhere.”
The scheme, according to the indictment, began around September 2022 and initially was focused on fixing games in the Chinese Basketball Association. The group later targeted college basketball games, offering bribes to college players ranging from $10,000 to $30,000 to compromise games for betting purposes, according to the indictment.
“In placing these wagers on games they had fixed, the defendants defrauded sportsbooks, as well as individual sports bettors, who were all unaware that the defendants had corruptly manipulated the outcome of these games that should have been decided fairly, based on genuine competition and the best efforts of the players,” the indictment said.
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USAA on Thursday announced the three finalists for the NFL’s Salute to Service Award, and a dynasty in San Francisco could be on the rise.
After 49ers star George Kittle took home the award last year, Christian McCaffrey is among three finalists for the league’s award, along with Dallas Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson and Minnesota Vikings running back Aaron Jones as the finalists — Jones was a finalist last year, as well.
“The finalists for the 15th Annual Salute to Service Award presented by USAA have used their platforms to be exceptional advocates for the military community, reminding us that service doesn’t stop when the uniform comes off,” Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Bob Whittle, Senior Vice President and Head of Military Affairs at USAA, said in a release.
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Christian McCaffrey, Jake Ferguson and Aaron Jones are this year’s Salute to Service Award finalists. (, G Fiume, and John Fisher/Getty Images)
“The NFL and USAA applaud Jake Ferguson, Aaron Jones, and Christian McCaffrey as deserving finalists who have demonstrated exactly what the award stands for — using the power of football to connect with, empower, appreciate and uplift our service members, veterans and their families.”
McCaffrey launched 23 and Troops in 2021 to focus on post-traumatic stress and athlete-level care for veterans. The foundation has raised $700,000 for military support and paid off holiday layaway for 515 military families.
San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey (23) celebrates his touchdown against the Atlanta Falcons in the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025, in Santa Clara, California. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
Ferguson has partnered with USAA to visit local military bases and supported the National Medal of Honor Museum, including an event in 2024 in which 900 students joined in person and thousands more virtually.
Jones grew up in a military household. His father, Alvin, served 29 years in the Army, while his mother, Vurgess, served for 27. Jones’ older brother, Xavier, serves in the Air Force. Jones and his twin brother, Alvin Jr., founded the A&A All the Way Foundation in 2020 to support the youth of military families.
The winner will be announced at NFL Honors in San Francisco on Feb. 5, the same night the MVP, Offensive and Defensive Players and Rookies, and Coach of the Year will be crowned.
George Kittle of the San Francisco 49ers celebrates after a touchdown with Christian McCaffrey of the San Francisco 49ers during the fourth quarter in the game against the Seattle Seahawks at Levi’s Stadium on Dec. 10, 2023, in Santa Clara, California. (Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
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Whittle and Kittle will be among those on the judging panel for the award.
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Monday night’s game featuring hometown Miami and championship-starved Indiana is one of the toughest tickets in sports.
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