Sports
Men’s NCAA basketball conference player of the year picks
In the months ahead, the top men’s college basketball talents will fight to secure player of the year honors in their respective conferences.
Who is most likely to battle for those rights is more apparent in the major conferences. Duke’s Cameron Boozer and NC State’s Darrion Williams are candidates in the ACC. Donovan Dent, the UCLA star who transferred from New Mexico, could push Purdue’s Braden Smith and Trey Kaufman-Renn in the Big Ten. Kentucky’s Otega Oweh and Florida’s Alex Condon lead a crowded field of candidates for individual honors in the SEC. And BYU’s AJ Dybantsa and Kansas’ Darryn Peterson could compete for Big 12 — in addition to the No. 1 spot in the 2026 NBA draft.
But those leagues shouldn’t get all of the buzz; these races are intriguing in every conference. That’s why we’re here to identify the strongest candidates — and their top competition — in all 31 conferences entering the 2025-26 season.
Note: Stats are from 2024-25 season unless otherwise noted.
Jump to a conference:
A-10 | American | ACC | America East | ASUN | Big 12 | Big East | Big Sky | Big South | Big Ten | Big West | C-USA | CAA | Horizon League | Ivy League | MAAC | MAC | MEAC | Mountain West | MVC | NEC | OVC | Patriot League | SEC | Southern | Southland | Summit League | Sun Belt | SWAC | WAC | WCC
America East Conference
Until last season, Vermont had lost just 13 conference games since the start of the 2016-17 season on its way to an eight-year run as regular-season champion in the America East. This season, Hurley aims to help the Catamounts start a new streak finishing second in the standings last season. The 6-foot-5 guard, who averaged 15.8 points and connected on 38% of his shots from beyond the arc, was an All-America East selection a year ago.
Top competition: TJ Long, Vermont (11.1 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 1.3 SPG)
American Conference
Rowan Brumbaugh, Tulane Green Wave
In a tough one-point loss to Memphis in last season’s American Conference tournament semifinals, the 6-foot-4 Brumbaugh scored 22 points to keep Tulane alive until the final seconds. This season, Brumbaugh — an all-conference selection in 2024-25 (15.5 PPG, 4.8 APG, 1.6 SPG) — is the league’s top returning scorer.
Top competition: Jordan Riley, East Carolina (14.5 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 2.0 SPG)
Atlantic Coast Conference
Cameron Boozer, Duke Blue Devils
The son of former Duke standout Carlos Boozer will try to establish a legacy of his own as the program hunts for Jon Scheyer’s first national championship. Cooper Flagg won the Wooden Award as a freshman last season, and this year, the versatile 6-foot-9 forward and two-time Gatorade Player of the Year will begin the season with the same ambitions.
Top competition: Darrion Williams, NC State (15.1 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 3.6 APG, 1.3 SPG at Texas Tech)
ASUN Conference
Jack Karasinski, Bellarmine Knights
The 6-foot-7 center finished top-10 in ASUN scoring a year ago, including field goal and free throw percentage. Unfortunately, Karasinski’s impressive numbers — 15.4 PPG, 39% from 3 and 77% from the charity stripe — were not enough to keep Bellarmine out of the basement (the Knights went 5-26). But a rebooted roster led by Karasinski should change the program’s fortunes this season.
Top competition: Chris Ashby, Queens (12.7 PPG, 89% FT%, school record 115 3-pointers made)
Atlantic 10 Conference
Robbie Avila, Saint Louis Billikens
Avila is still wearing the goggles. A year after leading Indiana State to the NIT championship game, Avila (17.3 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 1.2 SPG) had similar success at St. Louis. He was a second-team all-conference in 2024-25, and if the silky 6-foot-10 center can regain the 3-point stroke he had at Indiana State (39.4% 3P% in 2023-24), he could become the most dominant force in the A-10.
Top competition: Rafael Castro, George Washington (14.0 PPG, 8.9 RPG, 1.4 BPG)
Big East Conference
Zuby Ejiofor, St. John’s Red Storm
Ejiofor played a critical role in St. John’s winning the Big East crown for the first time in 33 years and securing the Big East tournament championship for the first time in 25 years. The 6-foot-9 forward was rewarded with an All-Big East nod (14.7 PPG, 8.1 RPG, 1.4 BPG) to go with the league’s most improved honor.
Top competition: Alex Karaban, UConn (14.3 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 2.8 APG, 1.5 BPG)
Big Sky Conference
Money Williams, Montana Grizzlies
The 6-foot-4 guard averaged 13.2 points and made 80% of his free throw attempts last season, but he saved his best for last. In the final month of a season that ended with Montana’s first NCAA tournament appearance in six years, Williams averaged 17.1 points per game over six contests. If he carries that momentum into this season, he could end the year with a Big Sky Player of the Year trophy.
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Money Williams drains the long 3-pointer
Money Williams drains the long 3-pointer
Top competition: Terri Miller Jr., Portland State (12.1 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 1.6 SPG)
Big South Conference
Toyaz Solomon, UNC Asheville Bulldogs
A 6-foot-9 forward, Solomon’s prominence is the result of durability: he was the only player on UNC Asheville’s roster to start every game last season. After connecting on 61% of his field goal attempts and earning second-team All-Big South honors last season (15.7 PPG, 7.2 RPG, 1.6 BPG), Solomon can build on that effort to fight for player of the year honors.
Top competition: Rob Martin, High Point (14.8 PPG, 4.5 APG, 40% 3P%)
Big 12 Conference
JT Toppin, Texas Tech Red Raiders
A second-team AP All-American last season, Toppin will enter this one as a serious contender for the Wooden Award. He had arguably the most surprising breakout season after transferring from New Mexico to Texas Tech, averaging 18.2 PPG, 9.4 RPG and 1.5 SPG for the Red Raiders. The 6-foot-9 forward withdrew from the NBA draft to help Texas Tech chase its first national title and boost his draft stock.
Top competition: Darryn Peterson, Kansas (No. 2 recruit in SC Next 100; projected No. 1 pick in ESPN’s latest 2026 mock draft)
Big Ten Conference
Braden Smith, Purdue Boilermakers
In ESPN’s ranking of the 2022 recruiting class, Smith was listed as the 31st-best guard. Fast forward three years, Smith enters this season as the favorite to win the Wooden Award. The 6-foot guard, who earned a spot on the AP All-America team last season, is back after earning Big Ten Player of the Year honors (15.8 PPG, 8.7 RPG, 2.2 SPG, 38% 3P%). He could become Purdue’s third Wooden Award winner in four years.
Top competition: Donovan Dent, UCLA (20.4 PPG, 6.4 APG, 1.4 SPG, 40% 3P% at New Mexico)
Big West Conference
Aidan Mahaney, UC Santa Barbara Gauchos
Mahaney’s decision to leave Saint Mary’s for UConn following back-to-back All-West Coast Conference seasons did not yield the results he had anticipated. But if the 6-foot-3 guard can put that lackluster 2024-25 showing behind him and once again look like the young star he was in the WCC (13.9 PPG, 81% FT% at Saint Mary’s in 2023-24), he could make an immediate splash in his third conference in three years.
Top competition: Jason Fontenet II, UC Santa Barbara (9.9 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 77% FT%)
Coastal Athletic Association
Colby Duggan, Charleston Cougars
Duggan’s 32-point explosion in Campbell’s 97-81 loss to North Carolina last season — he led all scorers and finished 5-for-9 from beyond the arc — proved that the 6-foot-7 forward can compete against the game’s top tier. After that outing, he went on to lead the CAA in scoring (19.9 PPG) before transferring to Charleston.
Top competition: Tyler Tejada, Towson (16.7 PPG, 82% FT%)
Conference USA
Simeon Cottle, Kennesaw State Owls
When the 6-foot-2 guard scored 32 points in a win over New Mexico State in last season’s Conference USA tournament, it wasn’t a shocker. In fact, it was Cottle’s eighth outing with 25 or more points during the 2024-25 campaign. Another strength for Cottle? He has a gift for drawing fouls and making his free throws (87%).
Top competition: Jemel Jones, New Mexico State (18.9 PPG at Cal State Bakersfield)
Horizon League
Tuburu Naivalurua, Oakland Golden Grizzlies
In addition to the 6-foot-8 Australian forward’s raw numbers last season (13.9 PPG and 7.1 RPG), the Oakland star was also one of his conference’s most efficient players. Naivalurua made 56% of his shots inside the arc and was ranked sixth in the Horizon League among players with a usage rate of 20% or higher, per KenPom.
Top competition: Orlando Lovejoy, Detroit Mercy (16.4 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 3.6 APG)
Ivy League
The 6-foot-7 forward made an incredible leap from a sophomore reserve to a junior star and All-Ivy League selection last season, proving he’s a top contender for the league’s player of the year honors. A year ago, the third-generation Ivy League star — his mother and grandfather both played sports at Harvard — averaged 15.4 points and made 48% of his 3-point attempts. He could take his game to another level in 2025-26.
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Nick Townsend fights off defender for and-1
Nick Townsend fights off defender for and-1
Top competition: Brandon Mitchell-Day, Dartmouth (13.6 PPG, 7.6 RPG, 2.8 APG)
Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference
Amarri Monroe, Quinnipiac Bobcats
Monroe has been a catalyst for Quinnipiac’s 2023-24 and 2024-25 conference titles (18.1 PPG, 9.1 RPG, 2.3 SPG last season). Rather than bolt for a higher-profile team, however, the 6-foot-7 forward quickly exited the portal and returned for a third year. He’ll be a school legend if he can lead the Bobcats to the NCAA tournament for the first time as a Division I program.
Top competition: Justice Shoats, Siena (16.1 PPG, 4.7 APG)
Mid-American Conference
Peter Suder, Miami (OH) RedHawks
The 6-foot-5 wing secured All-MAC honors after helping his squad win 25 games to finish second in the conference standings last year. Suder, who started all of his team’s 34 games in 2024-25, connected on 57% of his shots inside the arc and 77% of his free throw attempts, while also compiling averages of 13.7 PPG, 4.9 RPG and 3.8 APG.
Top competition: Tavari Johnson, Akron (13.0 PPG, 3.8 APG, 39% 3P%)
Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference
Ahmad Torrence, Norfolk State Spartans
A year after leading Norfolk State to its first MEAC conference tournament title and NCAA tournament appearance in three years, Robert Jones has reassembled a new team that will be led by Torrence, a three-star recruit. The New York prep standout could have picked a handful of mid-majors, but the 6-foot-5 combo guard chose to compete for a Norfolk State team that has won three of the last five MEAC regular-season titles.
Top competition: Bryce Harris, Howard (16.6 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 38% from 3P% in 2023-24; suffered a season-ending foot injury and played just seven games in 2024-25)
Missouri Valley Conference
Chase Walker, Illinois State Redbirds
The 6-foot-9 forward earned all-MVC honors last season with a dominant effort: 15.2 PPG, 6.2 RPG and 60% mark inside the arc. But Walker is in this spot because he finished the 2024-25 campaign with an excellent effort during his team’s run to the CBI championship (20.0 PPG, 7.6 RPG, 1.3 BPG in three games).
Top competition: Johnny Kinziger, Illinois State (14.6 PPG, 39% 3P%)
Mountain West Conference
Mason Falslev, Utah State Aggies
The 6-foot-3 wing helped Utah State finish third in the one of the strongest Mountain West races in recent history as the conference received four bids in last season’s NCAA tournament. The anchor of an Aggies squad that finished 20th in adjusted offensive efficiency and won 26 games (15.0 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 3.7 APG, 2.3 SPG, 39% 3P%), Falslev could become one of America’s best players this season.
Top competition: Elijah Price, Nevada (10.5 PPG, 8.3 RPG, 1.3 BPG, 1.3 SPG)
Northeast Conference
Malachi Davis, Long Island University Sharks
In his first year with the program after transferring from Arizona State, Davis earned All-NEC honors after averaging 17.7 PPG and 3.2 APG. The 6-foot-4 guard saved his best performance for the end of the season, though: he averaged 19.5 points as his team won seven of its last eight games in 2024-25.
Top competition: Jamal Fuller, Long Island (12.5 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 37% 3P%)
Ohio Valley Conference
KK Robinson, Little Rock Trojans
Entering last season, Robinson (15.8 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 4.3 APG, 1.2 SPG in 2023-24) was picked as Blue Ribbon’s Ohio Valley Conference Preseason Player of the Year before a knee injury ended his 2024-25 campaign. This season, the 6-foot guard is back to lead a new roster at Little Rock, which is seeking its first NCAA tournament appearance since 2016.
Top competition: Johnathan Lawson, Little Rock (15.4 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 3.6 RPG, 1.8 SPG, 43% 3P%)
Patriot League
Austin Benigni, Navy Midshipmen
His 18 points weren’t enough to lead Navy past American in last season’s Patriot League tournament title game, but that lopsided 74-52 loss should give the 5-foot-11 guard — who averaged 18.8 PPG and 4.3 APG — motivation to push his squad to compete for the program’s first conference tournament championship and NCAA tournament appearance since 1998.
Top competition: Kyrone Alexander, Boston University (12.9 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 1.2 SPG)
Southeastern Conference
The brother of Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Odafe Oweh, the 6-foot-5 guard could become the family’s brightest star if he earns an All-America nod, competes for the Wooden Award and leads Kentucky to the Final Four after a decadelong drought for the program. For Oweh, the SEC’s Preseason Player of the Year, all of those goals seem attainable. He’s on a shortlist of the best players in the country in 2025-26.
Top competition: Alex Condon, Florida (10.6 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 1.3 BPG)
Southern Conference
Rickey Bradley Jr., VMI Keydets
Bradley is one of the rare players in college basketball who left a school, transferred to another program (Georgia State), then returned to his original program. The 6-foot-2 guard made the most of that homecoming when he earned third-team All-Southern Conference honors (16.3 PPG, 37% 3P%) and led his team to the conference tournament semifinals, where the Keydets lost to Wofford.
Top competition: Billy Smith, Chattanooga (14.0 PPG, 39% 3P%, 95% FT% at Bellarmine)
Southland Conference
Javohn Garcia, McNeese Cowboys
Garcia, the reigning Southland Player of the Year who led his team to the second round of the NCAA tournament, was the perfect candidate to make a move in the portal. But even with Will Wade’s departure for NC State, Garcia (12.6 PPG, 81% FT%) stayed at McNeese State, where the 6-foot-2 guard can tack onto a remarkable 2024-25 season.
Top competition: Jakevion Buckley, New Orleans (14.5 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 4.1 APG, 1.8 SPG at Southeastern Louisiana)
Summit League
Isaac Bruns, South Dakota Coyotes
The 6-foot-4 guard made a leap of more than eight points per game between his freshman and sophomore season at South Dakota (14.6 PPG in 2024-25). That jump helped him earn All-Summit League honorable mention honors last season. This season, he can compete for player of the year if the 6-foot-4 guard can once again connect on 56% of his shots inside the arc and 85% of his shots from the charity stripe.
Top competition: Nolan Minnessale, St. Thomas-Minnesota (11.2 PPG, 1.2 SPG, 63% 2P%)
Sun Belt Conference
Robert Davis Jr., Old Dominion Monarchs
Davis is a volume shooter who led the Sun Belt in minutes played (nearly 36 per game) and launched more 3-pointers than any player in America (348). The 6-foot-6 guard’s next challenge is to become more efficient (15.6 PPG, 84% FT%, 38% 2%, 33% 3P%). If he can do that this year, he can be a more dominant force in the conference.
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Robert Davis Jr. drains 3 vs. Troy Trojans
Robert Davis Jr. drains 3 vs. Troy Trojans
Top competition: Jalen Speer, Marshall (10.8 PPG, 81% FT%)
Southwestern Athletic Conference
Daeshun Ruffin, Jackson State Tigers
The impact of the 5-foot-10 guard on former NBA standout Mo Williams’ team was evident last season. Although Jackson State played a challenging nonconference schedule with matchups against Houston, Xavier, Vanderbilt, Kentucky and Iowa State, the Tigers finished 16-8 when Ruffin (15.7 PPG, 4.2 APG) — who returned from a season-ending injury the previous year — was on the court.
Top competition: Michael Jacobs, Southern (11.3 PPG, 2.8 APG)
Western Athletic Conference
Dominique Daniels Jr., California Baptist Lancers
Last season, the 5-foot-10 guard scored at least 21 points in 11 games, a stretch that helped him earn All-WAC honors. He also finished with an average of 19.6 PPG, a tie for 27th place nationally with John Tonje, who was a second-team AP All-American at Wisconsin. Daniels’ 3.1 assists per game showed his unselfish approach to the game, too.
Top competition: Kendal Coleman, California Baptist (11.2 PPG, 8.3 RPG, 37% 3P%)
West Coast Conference
Surprise, surprise: Mark Few has another squad strong enough to potentially end the season with the program’s first national championship. The return of Ike (17.3 PPG, 7.3 RPG) gives the Bulldogs another star who should keep them alive deep into March. The 6-foot-9 forward earned All-WCC honors last year and is one of the most complete players (62% 2%, 81% FT%) in America.
Top competition: Paulius Murauskas, Saint Mary’s (12.1 PPG, 7.7 RPG, 74% FT%)
Pakistan’s futsal breakthrough continued at the SAFF Championship in Thailand as the men’s team secured their first-ever international win on Friday, a day after the women recorded Pakistan’s maiden futsal victory.
In the men’s event, Pakistan came back from a 2–0 deficit to beat Bhutan 4–2 at the Hua Mak Indoor Arena in Bangkok, registering their first international victory in futsal.
Bhutan’s Dawa Shering put his side ahead with two quick goals early on, but Pakistan responded through Hassan Zafar, who scored in the 28th minute to cut the deficit.
Asif Ahmed Chaudhry levelled the match in the 32nd minute before Adnan Ashfaq struck in the 34th and 35th minutes to complete the turnaround and seal the win.
Pakistan’s starting five for the match featured Tahir Khan, Hassaan Zafar, Humza Nusrat, Nisar Hussain and Salar Khan, with Abdul Wadud, Humza Khan, Asif Ahmad, Adnan Ashfaq, Ali Agha, Abdul Hannan, Zaid Khan, Muhammad Elham and Rajab Ali listed among the substitutes.
Pakistan had opened the tournament with a 7–1 defeat to the Maldives in their first match.
In the women’s event, Pakistan defeated Sri Lanka 3–2 on Thursday, with Azwa Chaudhry scoring a hat-trick to deliver the women’s team’s first-ever international futsal win.
Reacting to the landmark results, the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) said on Instagram that Pakistan’s women’s and men’s futsal teams had “created history by winning their first-ever international matches at SAFF Futsal 2026”.
The PFF said the teams delivered the wins “despite a lack of Futsal infrastructure in the country and the challenges”, adding that Pakistan women beat Sri Lanka 3–2 while the men’s team “came from behind to win against Bhutan 4-2”.
PFF President Mohsen Gilani credited the achievement to the resilience and efforts of the coaches and players, saying: “our players and coaches have made history and we will build on this foundation to take Futsal to greater heights and make Pakistan a force in Futsal”.
The federation also said referees and coaches from Pakistan “completed their courses for Futsal during the SAFF Championship”.
The women’s team returns to face the Maldives today at 6:00pm Pakistan time, while the men’s team will play Sri Lanka in their next match on January 18.
Duke starting quarterback Darian Mensah is entering the NCAA transfer portal.
Mensah submitted his request for transfer paperwork Friday, ahead of the midnight deadline for FBS and FCS players to enter the portal.
“This wasn’t an easy decision, but after talking with my family, I believe it’s in my best interest to enter the transfer portal,” Mensah said in a post on X.
Miami looms as the expected favorite in Mensah’s recruitment when he officially becomes available. The Hurricanes have signed transfer quarterbacks in consecutive years — Cam Ward and Carson Beck — and have not landed one during the two-week transfer window that opened Jan. 2.
Mensah had decided Dec. 19 to return to Duke for his redshirt junior season after exploring the possibility of entering the NFL draft. He was No. 5 in Mel Kiper Jr.’s quarterback rankings for the 2026 draft before his latest decision.
The quarterback was entering the second year of a two-year deal with Duke that would pay him up to $4 million in 2026. If Mensah leaves Duke, sources told ESPN’s Pete Thamel that his contract grants the university his exclusive name, image and likeness rights, which could prevent Mensah from earning revenue-sharing money at his next school unless Duke terminates its deal. There is not a specific buyout amount in Mensah’s contract with Duke, sources told Thamel.
The 6-foot-3, 205-pound redshirt sophomore from San Luis Obispo, California, transferred from Tulane to Duke after the 2024 season and led the Blue Devils to their first outright ACC championship since 1962 with a 27-20 overtime upset of No. 17 Virginia in the conference title game.
Mensah earned second-team All-ACC honors after producing a conference-leading 3,973 passing yards on 67% passing with 35 total touchdowns and six interceptions. He has started 27 career games at Tulane and Duke, and has two more years of eligibility.
If Mensah departs the program on the final day of the NCAA transfer window, it will put coach Manny Diaz and the Blue Devils in a difficult position with few proven options available in the portal.
Backup quarterback Henry Belin IV already entered the portal as a graduate transfer and committed to Missouri State on Thursday.
Duke closed out a 9-5 season with a 42-39 victory over Arizona State in the Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl on Dec. 31.
Every Friday, I will pick the weekend’s best or most exciting games that are not to be missed in the world of football. From derbies to top-of-the-table clashes, relegation six-pointers to world-class players facing each other, or interesting tactical battles, there will be something for everyone to enjoy.
This week, we take you to England, Spain, France, Germany and Morocco for a big derby, a top-of-the-table clash, some league debuts on benches, and a big tournament final!
Battle between East French clubs
Strasbourg vs. Metz
Ligue 1, Matchday 18
Kickoff: Sunday, 9 a.m. ET / 2 p.m. GMT
The East of France derby is back! Metz, who were promoted back to the top flight last summer, will be greeted by arch-rivals Strasbourg and a very hostile crowd on Sunday.
Back in August, Strasbourg won away from home, but it is a different team now, with former Wolves boss Gary O’Neil replacing Liam Rosenior on the bench (after he left for Chelsea) and still no star striker Emmanuel Emegha up front because of injury. And we are more likely to see a back four for Strasbourg instead of Rosenior’s back three.
It is a new era starting, but there will still be some toxicity and I expect a lot of protests against the BlueCo ownership, who continue to strengthen Chelsea by weakening the French club. Strasbourg are seventh in the table, six points off fifth and eight points behind the UEFA Champions League positions. They have to win this game before some tough fixtures arrive with a trip to Lille, then Paris Saint-Germain, AS Monaco (in the Coupe de France), and Marseille.
But Metz are the ones who really need the points right now. They are bottom of the table with only three wins in 17 league games so far. It is not all bad as it is quite tight at the bottom of the table, with only six points between 18th and 13th, but a win would go a long way in terms confidence for Stephane Le Mignan — a manager very much under pressure.
MY PREDICTION: Strasbourg 3-1 Metz. O’Neil’s league debut will go well on Sunday. He will experience a great atmosphere in his first Ligue 1 game and his team will be too good for struggling Metz.
LaLiga, Matchday 20
Kickoff: Saturday 8 a.m. ET / 1 p.m. GMT
Stream LIVE on ESPN+ in the U.S.
Where do we even begin?
How about: what an incredible start to 2026 for Real Madrid! They lost the Spanish Supercopa final against Barcelona, sacked Xabi Alonso, and were then humiliated at second-tier Albacete in the Copa del Rey under new manager Alvaro Arbeloa. The last few days have been incredible. So you could say it is a good time to face struggling Levante, but is it really?
Levante will make it hard for the home side, even though they are not a defensive team. However, despite being second from bottom in the table, with three wins only so far this season, they have been good away from home. They are actually eighth in the away results table (three wins, two draws and five defeats). They surely couldn’t pull this off … could they?
Since Luis Castro took over as managerial role, Levante have won at Sevilla 3-0 and drawn against Espanyol 1-1 at home. But Saturday will be all about Real Madrid and how (or if) they can get out of the mini-crisis they are in. They are still only four points behind Barcelona and can still win LaLiga given the number of games remaining, but they will have to play better and defend better if they want to do so. They can’t afford anything less that a win, otherwise the crisis will deepen even more.
Making it slightly more difficult is the fact that Kylian Mbappé will not be returning to the lineup ahead of a meeting with his former club Monaco in the Champions League on Tuesday. His current team need him more than ever.
MY PREDICTION: Real Madrid 2-0 Levante. It won’t be pretty, but there is surely no way that Real Madrid don’t beat Levante at the Bernabéu. Losing to Albacete was bad enough, but they won’t have another disastrous result three days later. They will win but not convincingly.
Premier League, Matchday 21
Kickoff: Saturday, 7:30 a.m. ET / 12:30 p.m. GMT
This is the first game of the Michael Carrick era at Manchester United. It will be a short spell — he’s taken over until the end of the season, with no guarantees of anything further — but it starts with a bang and a Manchester derby against title-contenders Manchester City.
One can assume that Carrick would have preferred a gentler start than facing the second-best team in the league and legendary manager Pep Guardiola. It is what it is, however, and he will have to throw himself at the deep end and do his best.
We are not sure what to expect from him or United, but let’s hope the Red Devils play with a back four, that Bruno Fernandes is back in his natural No. 10 position, that Carrick can tighten things up defensively, and that forwards Benjamin Sesko, Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo (now back from AFCON) start performing well together up front. It is a lot to ask, especially with not much time in training, but not impossible.
It is also a great opportunity to derail City’s title challenge and the fans at Old Trafford would love that. City have not put in great performances or results lately, with some draws in the league preventing them from keeping close to leaders Arsenal, but new winger Antoine Semenyo (who has two goals in two games already) has shown how impactful he can be.
Erling Haaland‘s form is more of a worry. Of course he will probably score on Saturday, but he has not found the back of the net in open play now for five games in a row in all competitions, with just one penalty in that time. Rayan Cherki is the one who has been making City tick recently.
MY PREDICTION: Man United 1-2 Man City. United have actually done well against big clubs in the Premier League in recent seasons, despite the chaos, and will do well again. It just won’t be enough to stop their noisy neighbors from taking the win.
Bundesliga, Matchday 18
Kickoff: Saturday, 12:30 p.m. ET / 5:30 p.m. GMT
Stream LIVE on ESPN+ in the U.S.
Can Bayern repeat their almost perfect first half of the season? They start 2026 with the first of their three toughest away trips: first in Leipzig on Saturday, before they have to go to Borussia Dortmund and Bayer Leverkusen. But for now, they face a team eager to avenge their humiliating 6-0 defeat at the start of the season.
Leipzig are third and could trouble the Bayern defense, like Wolfsburg did at the start of the game last weekend before imploding and losing 8-1. Apart from Arsenal in the Champions League (3-1), Mainz (2-2) and Union Berlin (2-2), everyone else has lost against Bayern.
They are a machine with incredible attacking power; Harry Kane and Michael Olise are having the seasons of their lives, young prodigy Lennart Karl is shining, and Jamal Musiala is on his way back to full fitness after a horrific injury over the summer.
Leipzig will have to put a lot of intensity in their game, but without making the mistakes that usually get punished against this Bayern side.
MY PREDICTION: RB Leipzig 1-3 Bayern Munich. Bayern will remain unbeaten in the league; Leipzig will put them under pressure, but Kane and company will find a way to stay on top and win again.
Who can become Africa’s best?
Morocco vs. Senegal
Africa Cup of Nations, Final
Kickoff: Sunday, 2 p.m. ET / 7 p.m GMT
This is an amazing final to finish off a great Africa Cup of Nations as arguably the two best teams on the continent — and in this tournament — face each other. There will be two massive stars on the pitch, in Achraf Hakimi and Sadio Mané, as well as a lot of tension and passion from both sets of fans.
The stats are massively in favor of Morocco. The AFCON host countries have won six out of seven finals in the competition, and Senegal have never beaten an AFCON host in the knockout phase. Meanwhile, Morocco have won 39 games in a row at home in official competitions — their last loss was in November 2009 against Cameroon during the 2010 World Cup qualifiers.
Home advantage will be a massive help for Morocco, but could the burden of expectation be too heavy to carry. The more of the game that passes without Morocco being in the lead, the more pressure there will be on their shoulders. And Senegal have played and won an AFCON final before. They have great experienced players who have been there before and have done it before. They will want to crash the party.
However, it is easier said than done. Morocco are a very well-organized team as we saw in their semifinal against Nigeria, who only put 0.05 expected goals in 120 minutes!
MY PREDICTION: Morocco 2-1 Senegal. It is hard to look past the hosts. Statistically they are the favorites and will have incredible home support. Senegal have been very good all tournament, but the odds are against them and they will lose a tight final.
Venezuela interim leader sacks industry minister allied with ousted president Maduro
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