Sports

Pulisic on Poch: ‘Not as much drama as you think’

Published

2 months ago

September 10, 2025

Pulisic on Poch: ‘Not as much drama as you think’

Sep 10, 2025, 03:40 AM ET

Christian Pulisic has downplayed the controversy between himself and Mauricio Pochettino, saying his relationship with the United States coach is good.

A star USMNT player, Pulisic decided to skip the Concacaf Gold Cup to rest after two long seasons with AC Milan. He offered to play in a pair of friendlies ahead of the tournament, which Pochettino rejected because he wanted to keep one group together. Pulisic was then criticized by some former American players.

Pulisic returned to the national team this month and started in a pair of friendlies, assisting in the second goal in Tuesday night’s 2-0 win over Japan.

“We have good conversations,” Pulisic told reporters of his relationship with Pochettino. “Honestly. Probably what you guys experience and what the media sees is a bit not exactly what we experience. Things are good. We spoke. We had a normal camp and everything is good between us, good between the team.

“There’s probably not as much drama as you guys think there is.”

The winger, who turns 27 on Sept. 18, made his national team debut in 2016 and has 32 goals in 80 international appearances. He scored the lone U.S. goal at Trinidad on the night the Americans failed to qualify for the 2018 tournament and scored in the 1-0 win over Iran at the 2022 World Cup.

“I love this team. It’s everything to me,” he said. “I’ve been here for quite a long time. I’m getting to see some new guys, getting to bond with some old players. Even seeing [Cristian] Roldan again, it’s so cool for me.

“For me personally, I don’t feel like a step was lost.”

Pulisic had not spoken with reporters since last spring.

– Poch defends U.S. players: ‘Criticize me,’ not them
– Pulisic rates 9/10 as Japan win gets USMNT back on track
– Balogun, Zendejas lead United States to big win over Japan

In explaining in June why he wouldn’t accept Pulisic for the friendlies against Turkey and Switzerland, Pochettino said: “I am the head coach. I am not a mannequin.”

“I think it’s behind us, all that happened in summer, and I think now we need to look forward,” Pochettino said last month after announcing his September roster.

“We all made a mistake in some time, because we read the situation in a different way,” Pochettino added last Friday. “The most important is that when you are intelligent people, if we want to move on and do the right things — I want to be intelligent.”

Pochettino had said ahead of camp that he did not speak with Pulisic over the summer.

“Obviously, national team can be tough because you don’t spend day-to-day together,” Pulisic said. “So I think in the camps we’ve come in, got to know each other and starting to just, yeah, learn each other, learn the team, and, yeah, how we can both help each other as best we can to go forward and try to win. So, I’d say it’s good.”

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Transfer rumors, news: Juventus eye move for Chelsea’s Gusto

Published

15 minutes ago

October 27, 2025

cineplex360

Transfer rumors, news: Juventus eye move for Chelsea’s Gusto

Oct 27, 2025, 04:35 PM ET

Juventus are looking at a move for Chelsea defender Malo Gusto, while Barcelona striker Robert Lewandowski has been linked with Manchester United, but the club’s minority owner, Sir Jim Ratcliffe, has shot that down. Join us for the latest transfer news and rumors from around the globe.

Transfers home page | Men’s grades | Women’s grades

TRENDING RUMORS

– Juventus are keeping tabs on Chelsea right back Malo Gusto, according to Calciomercato. The France international is viewed by Juve as a potential alternative to Atlético Madrid‘s Nahuel Molina, whom the club came close to signing back in the summer. With captain Reece James returning to form and fitness in the right back position, the Blues may sanction Gusto’s exit if a suitable offer arrives.

– Manchester United minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has blocked a shock move for Barcelona striker Robert Lewandowski, reports The Daily Mirror. Lewandowski, 37, is expected to become a free agent next summer, and won’t be short of potential suitors if he does. However, United won’t be among them as things stand, with Ratcliffe keen to “not repeat the mistakes of the past” by signing a player toward the end of his career. The Poland international has scored 73 league goals for Barcelona since joining in 2022 on a free transfer from Bayern Munich.

– Barcelona and Arsenal are set to battle to sign 15-year-old Montpellier striker Lacine Megnan-Pave, according to L’Equipe. Megnan-Pave has caught the eye with his performances for Montpellier’s U19 side, where he has scored twice in five games, and the 6-foot left-footed forward could have a choice to make in the near future. Though Barcelona and their La Masia academy are tipped to get the deal over the line first.

– Bayern Munich are among the clubs considering a bid to sign FC Cologne winger Said El Mala in January, Sky Germany has revealed. El Mala, 19, is under contract at the club until June 2030, so his transfer is valued above the €40 million mark following an electric start to the Bundesliga season. As things stand, Cologne are not willing to entertain January offers that would see the 19-year-old return to the club on loan for the remainder of the season.

– Tottenham Hotspur may look to replace striker Dominic Solanke in the January transfer window, Football Insider reports. The England international hasn’t impressed new Spurs boss Thomas Frank, although his ongoing fitness issues have not helped matters. The club hope to bring in a new forward when the transfer window reopens, with former Brentford star Ivan Toney among those linked in recent weeks.

EXPERT TAKE

Moreno: Yamal ran his mouth before El Clásico and didn’t perform

ESPN’s Alejandro Moreno believes Lamine Yamal’s El Clásico performance didn’t match his pre-match words.

OTHER RUMORS

– Santos are set to evaluate the technical conditions of extending Neymar‘s contract at the club, according to club president Marcelo Teixeira. (O Globo)

– Bukayo Saka is edging closer to agreeing to a record-breaking new contract with Arsenal. He is set to become the club’s highest-ever paid player, with a salary of over £300,000. (Football Insider)

– Barcelona are yet to decide whether they’ll sanction a loan move for winger Roony Bardghji. Stuttgart were previously in advanced talks to sign the 19-year-old and could be among his suitors if Barca place him on the loan list. (Sky Germany)

– Tottenham are tracking FC Porto striker Samu Aghehowa, 21, but Arsenal, Newcastle and Nottingham Forest are also interested. (Caught Offside)

– Manchester United midfielder Casemiro, 33, looks set to leave for free at the end of the season as the club won’t extend his contract. (Football Insider)

– Roma are interested if Manchester United are willing to sanction a loan deal for forward Joshua Zirkzee. (TBR)

– Tottenham and Manchester United both made £50 million bids to sign Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo in the summer, which were rejected. (Telegraph)

– Out-of-favor Brentford midfielder Fábio Carvalho could return to the Bundesliga in January, and a loan move is being explored. (Sky Germany)

– West Ham United are keen on signing Barcelona wonderkid Pedro “Dro” Fernández in January. (Alan Nixon)

– Aston Villa want to sign winger Morgan Rogers, 23, to a new contract quickly. (Football Insider)

– A Juventus scout was present at Saturday’s match between Udinese and Lecce to monitor midfielder Arthur Atta. The 22-year-old has impressed so far in Serie A this season, with three goal involvements in eight matches to date. (Nicolo Schira)

– AC Milan are planning on signing a center back and a striker in the winter transfer window. (Nicolo Schira)

– Wolverhampton Wanderers insist manager Vítor Pereira is “not under immediate threat” of being sacked, despite the club’s poor start. (TalkSPORT)

– Peterborough United have held talks with former Swansea City manager Luke Williams over the vacant manager’s post. (Sky Sports News)

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Men’s NCAA tournament 2026 schedule, locations, bracket announcement date, more

Published

4 hours ago

October 27, 2025

cineplex360

Men’s NCAA tournament 2026 schedule, locations, bracket announcement date, more

Oct 27, 2025, 12:00 PM ET

The 2026 men’s NCAA tournament will cap the 2025-26 men’s college basketball season, which tips Nov. 3. By the end, on April 6 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, a champion will be crowned. Let’s look at the details of how that will happen.

March Madness 2026 begins with the announcement of the 68-team bracket on Selection Sunday (March 15).

The First Four, at UD Arena in Dayton, will consist of eight teams playing for a spot in the opening round on Tuesday, March 17 and Wednesday, March 18.

The round of 64 begins Thursday, March 19, and the round of 32 begins Saturday, March 21. The cities for the first and second rounds of the NCAA tournament are: Buffalo, New York; Greenville, South Carolina; Oklahoma City; Portland; Tampa; Philadelphia; San Diego; and St. Louis, Missouri.

The regional semifinals (Sweet 16) and finals (Elite Eight) will take place in Houston (South); San Jose, California (West); Chicago (Midwest); and Washington, D.C. (East).

The Final Four will take place April 4 and 6 in Indianapolis.

Complete dates and venue information for the 2025 Division I men’s NCAA tournament are below.

Meanwhile, bookmark Joe Lunardi’s ESPN Bracketology for projections of the field, including teams considered to be on the bubble. The bracket will be updated every Tuesday during the nonconference portion of the 2025-26 regular season, every Tuesday and Friday during conference play and more frequently during league tournaments — aka Champ Week — in the lead-up to Selection Sunday.

Selection Sunday: March 15

First Four: March 17-18

First round (round of 64): March 19