Ever since the great Claude Rains first uttered the immortal line "Round up the usual suspects!" in Casablanca, the phrase has been ingrained in the popular lexicon — so much so that it inspired the ****** le of an entirely different movie nearly 50 years later. You hear it everywhere, in any context where you can expect to see a predictable set of participants.
On Saturday, a struggling Juventus were buoyed by a pair of very unusual suspects — guys most fans figured would be gone, or at least on their way out the door, by this point in the transfer window. Unable to penetrate a deep-lying Parma defense, it was Nico González who gave a moribund attack an instant shot in the arm, forcing a magical save before scoring a deflected goal off his own rebound to open the scoring. Then, with two minutes left, the game was sealed by another unlikely goalscorer: Teun Koopmeiners, who had just come on after an injury to Andrea Cambiaso and finished off a quick attack with a beautiful finish.
The unlikely redemption arcs from players most ****** umed were out of the team's plans, or at least on the very fringes, were welcome developments for a team that learned this week that their talisman, Kenan Yildiz, would miss two to three months once he undergoes surgery on a broken metatarsal. After a first half that seemed to be crying out for his creativity, it was the transfer-listed González who gave the Bianconeri the necessary spark to take Parma down 2-0 as they began to look forward to next week's big match against AC Milan.
Apart from Yildiz, Luciano Spalletti was also missing Weston McKennie (muscle fatigue), Edon Zhegrova, and Khéphren Thuram, who suffered a setback in his knee recovery and could now require surgery. Jeff Ekhator came back to make his first Juve squad in a competitive game. Spalletti's 4-2-3-1 was therefore shuffled a bit. Guglielmo Vicario started in goal after getting over the cramp that forced him off late against Frosinone. Pierre Kalulu and Zeki Çelik played on the defensive flanks, while Bremer was partnered with new signing Jhon Lucumí in the middle of defense. Manuel Locatelli and Douglas Luiz played in the midfield, while Francisco Conceição, Jonathan David, and Jérémie Boga supported Randal Kolo Muani in attack.
Carlos Cuesta lost his first Parma match last week against Cagliari, and were looking for something better here. His only missing player was former Juve prospect Hans Nicolussi Caviglia, who had to have a surgery of his own this week. Edoardo Corvi started behind a 4-4-2. Enrico Delprato, Mariano Troilo, Dominik Drobnic, and Emanuele Valeri arrayed themselves in front of him. Sascha Britschgi and Mandela Keita bookended Christian Ordóñez and Adrían Bernabé in midfield. El Bilal Touré and Simone Lontani started up front. Drobnic and Lontani were both teenagers, and the former was making his debut.

#juve #drobnic

Juventus hosts Parma in their first home league game of the season this evening, and it is one of the fixtures to follow today.
The Old Lady is one of the top teams in the country, and after a strong summer spending spree, they have been tipped to outperform their previous campaign.
The men at the Allianz Stadium know Parma will not be easy opponents, and if they do not improve on their performance against Frosinone, it could be bad news for them.
They have already lost Kenan Yildiz, while Weston McKennie is also unavailable for the fixture, meaning the men at the Allianz Stadium will make some changes to the team for this match.
With Yildiz unavailable, Kerim Alajbegovic could be handed a start on the left wing, a position he played many times at RB Salzburg, even though Luciano Spalletti sees him as a number 10.

#kenan

Juventus host Parma this evening with both Randal Kolo Muani and Jonathan David expected to start up front, while Kenan Yildiz and Weston McKennie are injured.
It kicks off at 20:45 CET [19:45 BST] at the Allianz Stadium in Turin.
The Bianconeri must cope without the injured Yildiz and McKennie, but Kehphren Thuram is also not fully fit and might not be included in the squad for this evening's match.
Lloyd Kelly remains favourite over new signing Jhon Lucumì, while Zeki Celik and Andrea Cambiaso compete for a starting spot at left-back.
PERTH, AUSTRALIA – AUGUST 08: Kerim Alajbegovic of Juventus makes a run makes a during the match between Juventus and FC Internazionale at Optus Stadium on August 08, 2026 in Perth, Australia. (Photo by James Worsfold/Getty Images)

#injured

One of the most exciting players in the Juventus Next Gen team right now is Adin Licina, and he appears to be getting closer to breaking into Luciano Spalletti's first team. In recent times, players such as Kenan Yildiz and Fabio Miretti have progressed through the club's ranks and earned opportunities with the senior side, with more young players expected to follow.
Juventus have one of the best youth setups in Italian football, so the progression of young talents is not surprising. The Bianconeri have invested heavily in that area of the club, creating opportunities for promising players to develop and potentially reach the first team.
Licina and Yildiz are good friends, and both players arrived at Juventus after spells in the youth system of Bayern Munich. Licina has so far demonstrated that he could prove to be another impressive signing from the German club.
However, he could struggle to play regularly for Juventus' first team at this stage of his development, and Napoli are now showing interest in the midfielder. The Partenopei have been monitoring him closely since he moved to the Allianz Stadium this year and are working hard to convince him to join them.
(Photo by Jess Hornby/Getty Images)

#yildiz

Juventus will welcome Parma to the Allianz Stadium in their next match, with the Bianconeri targeting all three points against a Parma side that has lost some of its key figures during this transfer window.
However, that does not mean Parma will be an easy team to face, and Juventus have two injury concerns ahead of the game, apart from Kenan Yildiz, who could be out for a long time.
The Bianconeri believe they have a squad capable of winning matches even when some players are unavailable, and they will expect the rest of the team to step up when Parma visit the Allianz Stadium.
Juventus have been preparing for the match, and Tuttomercatoweb reveals that the team trained without Federico Gatti and Jeff Ekhator during their latest session, with both players instead working individually on personalised programmes.
Gatti was injured by a fan during the pre-season game against Juventus' Next Gen when a pitch invasion disrupted the match. The incident left the defender dealing with an injury, and he is now working to regain his fitness.

#stadium #bianconeri

It's officially game week. College football starts on Saturday, with your North Carolina Tar Heels playing in the 2026's season's first game.
UNC heads across the pond for a 12 p.m. kickoff on Saturday, August 29 against the TCU Horned Frogs, who hopped into Kenan Stadium last year for a 48-14 thumping. North Carolina revamped its roster during the offseason, landing multiple starters at skill positions, while also retaining key players from 2025.
Now just a few days out from its 2026 opener, North Carolina named its seven Team Captains. Running back Benjamin Hall, offensive lineman Christo Kelly and wide receiver Jordan Shipp captain the Tar Heels' offense, while defensive end Melkart Abou-Jaoude, defensive back Kaleb Cost, defensive lineman Isaiah Johnson and linebacker Derek McDonald captain the defense.
Kelly gives UNC's offensive line a much-needed reinforcement, particularly with a new starting quarterback in Chapel Hill. Hall likely splits time again with 2025 breakout star Demon June in the backfield, while Shipp returns as one of the ACC's top pass-catchers.
Your 2026 team captains! pic.twitter.com/cTP1vVyDsz

#north #heels #shipp

Bradley Barcola has been left out of another Paris Saint-Germain squad as the France international continues to be linked with a move to Liverpool and ****** nal. The 23-year-old was not involved in PSG's victory over Aston Villa in the Super Cup or the defeat to Lens in the French Super Cup and has been left out of Luis Enrique's 21-man squad for their Ligue 1 opener against Rennes.
Liverpool are in the market for a winger they and PSG remain far apart in their valuations of Barcola, with the Champions League winners wanting £145m. Liverpool have also been linked with PSG's 18-year-old forward Ibrahim Mbaye, who like Barcola is not part of the squad to face Rennes on Sunday. ****** nal, meanwhile, want to strengthen the left side of their attack and were recently explored a move for Juventus forward Kenan Yildiz.
Barcola faces an uncertain future at PSG, who are demanding £145m for him (PA)
Barcola has played a role in PSG's back-to-back Champions League ****** les under Enrique but faces an uncertain future after the European champions strengthened their attack this summer. PSG have signed three attackers this summer in Spain's World Cup winner Ferran Torres from Barcelona, Belgian winger Mika Godts from Ajax and France international Maghnes Akliouche from Marseille.
All three of PSG's new attacking signings are in the squad to face Rennes as the French champions begin their Ligue 1 ****** le defence. With PSG also retaining the services of Ballon d'Or winner Ousmane Dembele, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Desire Doue, opportunities for Barcola appear limited but Liverpool first need PSG to come down from their £145m valuation for the winger as they look to replace Mohamed Salah.

#barcola #left

Arsenal are ******* sing whether a move for Kenan Yildiz can be made this summer, with Mikel Arteta still intent on strengthening the left side of his attack before the new campaign. According to Independent, the Juventus forward is firmly under consideration after the club missed out on their preferred option.
Arteta has been clear internally that he wants to add quality in that area, especially as ******* nal prepare for what the original report describes as "an ******* ault on both the Champions League and Premier League for the new season". Vinicius Jr had been viewed as the standout target, but "The Brazilian's decision to stay at the Bernabeu caused ******* nal to reconsider the situation", forcing a recalibration of plans.
Yildiz is said to have remained "high up on their list of targets", and there is a strong sense that Arteta values both his profile and potential. At 21, he fits a recruitment line that blends immediate impact with long-term growth. The report adds that "Arteta especially keen on the Turkish international", which speaks to the seriousness of ******* nal's interest.
Photo IMAGO
Juventus, however, are in no rush to entertain offers. Yildiz is regarded as one of their most exciting young talents and the asking price reflects that. The Italian club "would want upwards of £60m", a figure that immediately makes any negotiation more complex. ******* nal are also conscious of squad balance and "do want to ensure more outgoings" before pushing too far.

#yildiz #especially #want

Arsenal are looking into whether a deal for Juventus' Kenan Yildiz is possible in this window, as Mikel Arteta seeks to complete his transfer plans for an **** ault on both the Champions League and Premier League for the new season.
The Basque has long identified the left side attack as a priority position to upgrade, with Real Madrid's Vinicius Jr having been the ideal target. The Brazilian's decision to stay at the Bernabeu caused **** nal to reconsider the situation, and some thought has been given to waiting until either January or next summer when other deals could become possible.
The club would probably have moved for Bournemouth's Jan Kroupi had it not been for his injury, and that does represent an option for January.
Yildiz has nevertheless been high up on their list of targets, with Arteta especially keen on the Turkish international. The fact he is 21 years old would also represent a shift back to signing talents who can evolve, after two moves in Ezri Konsa and Bruno Guimaraes of buying players in their prime.
The **** nal hierarchy do want to ensure more outgoings, while Juventus would be hard line on a player who is one of their burgeoning talents. They would want upwards of £60m, and also have to consider fan backlash. One solution that has been raised is Gabriel Martinelli potentially going the other way, but that would still require considerable negotiation.

#arsenal #january #possible #talents

Gabriel Martinelli has made his position clear, and that matters more than the size of the bid. According to talkSPORT, the **** nal winger has no intention of leaving north London for Galatasaray, despite the Turkish club putting forward a £38.4m verbal offer that would have gone down as a club-record sale.
That is the headline, but the more interesting point sits underneath it. **** nal were open to offers. Not desperate to sell, not actively pushing him out, but clearly willing to listen. In modern squad building, that tells you plenty. If the right number arrives and the right replacement is lined up, sentiment does not enter the conversation.
Martinelli, though, has drawn the line. He has "no interest in plying his trade in the Super Lig", and his camp have relayed that directly. So for now, **** nal keep a player they were prepared to discuss moving on, and Mikel Arteta keeps another option on the left flank heading into the new season.
The key detail in this story is simple. **** nal were "only prepared to sanction an exit if they sign another left winger to replace him". That replacement has not arrived. Vinicius Junior stayed at Real Madrid, Morgan Rogers joined Chelsea, and other names including Kenan Yildiz, Julian Alvarez, Iliman Ndiaye and Eli Junior Kroupi have been monitored.
That is a long list, which usually means one thing, a club scanning the market rather than executing a fixed plan. It also explains why Martinelli remains in place. You do not let a winger go without certainty on what comes next, especially before a season starts.

#arsenal #junior

CHAPEL HILL — UNC football coach Bill Belichick says "it hasn't really been an issue" dealing with the absences of general manager Michael Lombardi and defensive coordinator Steve Belichick.
"People have picked up in areas and we've done the things that we had to do at this time of year," Belichick said on Friday, Aug. 14, during a press conference inside the Kenan Football Center.
"Things will change, as they always do, on the calendar, as recruiting changes, as the regular season comes into play and so forth. But for this period, it's been the same until it changes, which will be in late August, early September."
'THROWBACK': Why Bill Belichick views Peyton Seelmann as 'throwback' player for UNC football
QB COMPETITION: Bill Belichick updates UNC football QB competition as fall camp winds down

#chapel

In a recent report, TuttoJuve claimed that ******* nal are exploring a move for Juventus winger Kenan Yildiz this month. It has been stated that the Gunners are planning to move in for the Turkish wide player in this transfer window.
Yildiz enjoyed a good run of form at the Turin club in the previous campaign after he produced a string of impressive displays for them on the offensive end of the field. The 21-year-old scored ten goals and secured six ******* ists in 36 matches for Juventus last season in the league.
The Turkey international is currently among the most talented wingers in the Super Lig. Hence, it is no surprise that the Gunners are still trying to sign him in this transfer period.
His current contract at the Italian club will run out in the summer of 2030, which could make it tough for ******* nal to land him on a cut-price deal later this year.
INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 25: Kenan Yildiz of Turkiye in action during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group D match between Türkiye and USA at Los Angeles Stadium on June 25, 2026 in Los Angeles, United States. (Photo by Fran Santiago/Getty Images)

#yildiz #arsenal #juventus #move

Juventus have ended their pre-season tour of South-East Asia and Australia with a 2-0 victory over Serie B outfit Palermo on Tuesday afternoon thanks to goals from starman Kenan Yildiz and a rare strike from the lesser-spotted Arkadiusz Milik.
Following victories against Standard Liege and OGC Nice back in Europe, Juventus beat Chelsea 1-0 in Hong Kong, fell to a 2-1 victory against Inter in Perth over the weekend but bounced back with a 2-0 victory over Palermo in their final Australian friendly on Tuesday.
Luciano Spalletti named a strong Bianconeri XI for the pre-season test against Palermo, including both of his two most recent signings in Kerim Alajbegovic and Randal Kolo Muani. They were joined by Yildiz and Francisco Conceicao in attack, with Weston McKennie and Douglas Luiz in a midfield double pivot.
Click here to read more about how today's teams lined up.
PERTH, AUSTRALIA – AUGUST 11: Juventus and Palermo observe a minutes silence during the match between Juventus and Palermo at HBF Park on August 11, 2026 in Perth, Australia. (Photo by Janelle St Pierre/Getty Images)

#palermo #juventus #australia #season

Kenan Yildiz and Kerim Alajbegovic get to start together for the first time as Juventus take on Palermo in their penultimate pre-season friendly of the summer on Tuesday afternoon.
Juventus are taking on Palermo in Perth, Australia on Tuesday, which kicks off at 11.00 BST (12.00 CET).
Luciano Spalletti appears to have gone with a 4-2-3-1 on Tuesday, featuring both of his two most recent signings in Alajbegovic and Randal Kolo Muani. Alajbegovic appears set to play in a central role behind Kolo Muani with Yildiz to his left and Francisco Conceicao to his right.
PERTH, AUSTRALIA – AUGUST 08: Kerim Alajbegovic makes a run makes a during the match between Juventus and FC Internazionale at Optus Stadium on August 08, 2026 in Perth, Australia. (Photo by James Worsfold/Getty Images)
Douglas Luiz and Weston McKennie are the chosen midfielders in the double pivot. It is somewhat of a makeshift back four featuring Teun Koopmeiners at centre-back along with Zeki Celik, Federico Gatti and Juan Cabal across the rest of the back four.

#Perth #back #yildiz

The Men's First Team fell to a narrow 2-1 defeat against Inter in the first 2026/27 pre-season match in Australia.
The Nerazzurri took the lead in the first half through Federico Dimarco and doubled their advantage in the second half via Andy Diouf. In the closing stages, Juventus pulled one back through Chico Conceicao.
Juventus tried to control possession from the very first minute, whilst Inter sat back and looked to exploit the ****** es. In the 3rd minute, Edon Zhegrova swung a free-kick into the box and Ange-Yoan Bonny got there first, conceding the Bianconeri's first corner. Shortly afterwards, Kenan Yildiz, with a fine piece of play, set up Andrea Cambiaso, who was stopped by the Nerazzurri defence.
The first real shot of the match came from Inter. In the 11th minute, following a corner taken by Federico Dimarco, Nicolo Barella struck a volley from 22 metres out but failed to hit the target. In the 18th minute, Juventus had their first attempt, with Zhegrova's left-footed shot from distance saved by Ivan Provedel.
Two minutes later, however, Inter broke the deadlock. Bonny dribbled past an opponent and played the ball across to Dimarco, who struck it first time with an angled shot that beat Michele Di Gregorio to make it 1–0.

#first #Inter #dimarco #juventus

Luciano Spalletti explains the positives from Juventus beating Chelsea 1-0, updating Kenan Yildiz fitness, and why Jonathan David was hauled off. 'He couldn't do more.'
HONG KONG, CHINA – AUGUST 5: Danny Welbeck of Chelsea FC (L) and Manuel Locatelli of Juventus FC (R) Competes for the ball during the Chelsea v Juventus – Pre-Season Friendly at the Kai Tak Stadium on August 5, 2026 in Hong Kong, China. (Photo by Yu Chun Christopher Wong/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images)
The Bianconeri had only one new signing in the starting XI in Hong Kong, defender Zeki Celik, and overall looked a long way off the side that will be picked for competitive games this season.
It was nonetheless a positive to beat Chelsea 1-0 with the Edon Zhegrova curler, and keep another clean sheet in their summer tests.
TURIN, ITALY – MAY 03: Juventus FC head coach Luciano Spalletti looks on during the Serie A match between Juventus FC and **** as Verona FC at Allianz Stadium on May 3, 2026 in Turin, Italy. (Photo by Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images)

#images

Just a few hours before Juventus got on a plane and headed to Hong Kong for the first part of their preseason tour, they delivered quite the little treat for a fan base that has been hungry for some sort of transfer activity.
Not one, but two deals!
Juventus got their long-awaited reunion with Randal Kolo Muani. And, probably more surprising considering how unexpected the deal was, Juve signed Bosnian teenager Kerim Alajbegović in another one of those out-of-nowhere kind of deals that CEO Giovanni Carnevali has been done a couple of other times this season.
Both of them are expected to be key parts of a new-look Juve attack alongside Kenan Yildiz.
Quite the change from a week ago when we were wondering out loud when their next moves would actually be. Guess we got our answers, huh?

#quite #randal

Schalke produced a dominant display in their pre-season friendly against Regionalliga side Hessen Kassel, with goals from Kenan Karaman, Junior Adamu, Adil Aouchiche, Moussa Sylla and Satoshi Tanaka sealing a comfortable 5-0 victory. However, injuries to Robin Gosens and Dejan Ljubičić cast a shadow over an otherwise encouraging afternoon.
More than 18,000 spectators packed into the Auestadion to watch the newly promoted Bundesliga side take on the regional league outfit. The game got off to a worrying start for Schalke, as new signing Robin Gosens was on the receiving end of a heavy challenge inside the opening minute.
The left-back was left in visible pain and required lengthy treatment before attempting to continue. However, despite battling on, the Germany international was eventually forced off after just 13 minutes.
Schalke's injury concerns worsened after the break when midfielder Dejan Ljubičić was also forced off. The summer signing limped from the pitch, with the extent of both injuries still unclear.
While no official diagnosis has yet been confirmed, there is cautious optimism that neither issue is serious, as both Gosens and Ljubičić were able to leave the field under their own power.

#schalke #however #side #left

It didn't take long for us to have our first Juventus injury of the worry for preseason training. And just like the most notable one that is basically carrying over from the end of the 2025-26 season that had us all wondering how the heck the best player on the roster was going to look when he played in his first World Cup, this is something that has not gone away since Juve's season-ending draw to Torino in May.
So while Kenan Yildiz's lingering knee issue will certainly be a topic of discussion when he returns from his deserved albeit shortened summer vacation after spending a few weeks in North America last month, the first day of Juventus players rolling up to Continassa for training and medical exams revealed something.
More specifically, a thing on Khephren Thuram's right knee.
That is because the knee issue that hampered Thuram late in the 2025-26 season is still present. And that was evident as Thuram walked out of J Medical after Monday's checkups with a fairly large wrap on his right knee — a clear sign that the femoro-patellar syndrome is still a thing. Thuram has not been training with the rest of the group at Continassa as manager Luciano Spalletti leads his first preseason in Turin, and it's unclear when one of Juventus' most important players will actually join the rest of his teammates as they wait for the small number of World Cup participants to arrive over the next couple of weeks.
Thuram is not expected to take part in the first preseason friendly of the summer on Saturday when Juventus travel to Switzerland to face old friend Stephan Lichtsteiner and FC Basel.

Here's the schedule of events for the Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Festival.
For additional details and ticket prices, go to www.profootballhoffestival... and www.profootballhof.com/ens...
∎ 7 to 8 a.m. Balloon launch, weather permitting, at the Kent State University Stark campus in Jackson Township.
∎ 4 p.m. Balloon Classic presented by Aultman opens at Kent State Stark campus, with children's area, craft vendors, food vendors and beer sales.
∎ 6 and 8 p.m. Aerohio Sky Divers presented by Kenan Advantage perform.

There's no denying how disappointing the 2025 UNC football season was, considering the immense preseason hype Bill Belichick brought ahead of his first year in charge.
North Carolina finished 4-8, only beating two Power Four programs in Syracuse and Stanford. Gio Lopez arrived from South Alabama, giving the Tar Heels a dual-threat quarterback that so many programs covet, but he largely struggled.
Now projected to start for Wake Forest, Lopez will likely run into UNC again at the ACC Kickoff in Charlotte later this week.
Wake Forest takes the podium from 1-1:30 p.m., with Lopez joining new teammates Langston Hardy and Davaughn Patterson. Right after the Deacs? Belichick plus North Carolina players Melkart Abou-Jaoude, Christo Kelly and Jordan Shipp.
Lopez only completed four of 10 passes for 69 yards and an interception in his Tar Heel debut, a 48-14 blowout loss to TCU on Labor Day in Kenan Stadium. Lopez responded with a stronger second half of his lone season in Carolina Blue, compiling five consecutive games with 200 passing yards, but never became the consistent difference-maker UNC envisioned.

Juventus and Turkiye star Kenan Yildiz is still struggling with a chronic tendon condition and could require surgery, claim reports in Italy.
The forward is the figure around whom the Bianconeri intend to build their squad, having given him a lucrative new contract and the iconic Number 10 jersey.
However, his performances in recent months have been visibly below par due to a recurring injury problem that has still not been resolved.
ROME, ITALY – MARCH 01: Kenan Yildiz of Juventus and Devyne Rensch of AS Roma battle for possession during the Serie A match between AS Roma and Juventus FC at Stadio Olimpico on March 01, 2026 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Paolo Bruno/Getty Images)
According to Tuttosport, this has become a chronic tendonitis that becomes inflamed every time he tries to step up the physical strain on the knee.

Reports in Italy claim that Juventus have a ‘full’ agreement on salary and contract length with Randal Kolo Muani as CEO Giovanni Carnevali prepares for a series of face-to-face talks with his counterparts at PSG.
According to reports from Tuttosport, Kolo Muani ‘wants’ to return to Juventus, where he hit eight goals from 16 Serie A appearances while on loan with the Old Lady in the second half of the 2024-25 season.
COMO, ITALY – FEBRUARY 07: Randal Kolo Muani of Juventus celebrates after scoring their team’s first goal during the Serie A match between Como 1907 and Juventus at Stadio G. Sinigaglia on February 07, 2025 in Como, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
Recent reports claimed that the Frenchman was willing to reduce the salary he currently earns at PSG in order to facilitate a return to Italy, and Tuttosport now claims that there is a full agreement on personal terms in place for a five-year deal worth around €5m per season in wages.
This would make Kolo Muani the third-highest earner at the club behind Kenan Yildiz and Jonathan David ****** uming that he stays at the Allianz Stadium.

Türkiye face the United States at Los Angeles Stadium in the early hours of Friday morning, eliminated from the 2026 World Cup and playing solely to salvage some pride from a deeply disappointing group stage.
Vincenzo Montella’s side have lost both their fixtures without scoring — 2–0 to Australia, 1–0 to Paraguay — conceding early in each game before dominating possession and shooting volume to little effect. With no tournament implications remaining, this fixture at least offers Türkiye’s considerable attacking talent the freedom to finally express itself.
Montella is expected to make few changes despite back-to-back defeats. The coaching staff believe in the quality of their players and will not abandon the system at the final hurdle. Kenan Yıldız, managing a calf issue, is likely to be available and is expected to keep his place in the attacking line.
Yunus Akgün is doubtful, with Barış Alper Yılmaz the likely replacement on the right flank. Arda Güler continues in the no. 10 position, operating as the creative hub between midfield and attack.
Captain Hakan Çalhanoğlu retains his role as the deeper of the two central midfielders, partnered again by İsmail Yüksek. Çalhanoğlu needs one more goal to surpass Tuncay Şanlı as the national team’s fourth-highest scorer of all time.

Carlo Ancelotti’s Brazil secured a 3-0 win over Haiti in the second group stage game of the World Cup, but Vincenzo Montella’s Turkey lost 1-0 to Paraguay and faced elimination.
It’s been a night of mixed feelings for Italian coaches at the World Cup, with one, Montella, knocked out after just two rounds.
His Turkey side lost 1-0 to Paraguay despite playing the entire second half a man down. The South Americans took the lead in the second minute through Matias Galarza. Serie A stars Hakan Calhanoglu and Kenan Yildiz played the full 90 minutes but were unable to turn the game around.
Turkey already lost the opening round 2-0 to Australia, so their second consecutive loss means they are now eliminated.
“It’s truly incredible; we put down two high-level performances, making 65 shots towards the goal without being able to score. We didn’t concede much, but even that little was capitalised,” Montella said via Gazzetta.

62 shots. Over 100 touches in the opposition box. An Expected Goals total of almost 3.5. Those are the stats of Turkey’s attack in the matches against the two weaskest sides in Group D, Australia and Paraguay. And somehow, someway, Turkey scored zero goals, picked up zero points, and are eliminated from the World Cup before they even play the United States in the final group game.
A very talented generation that created tons of hope with a strong showing at EURO 2024 and a really good Qualifying campaign was unable to turn their statistical dominance into what actually matters in football: put the ball in the back of the net. Arda Güler’s passing and creativity were wasted, Kenan Yildiz played injured and still did more than enough to help his team, and captain Hakan Çalhanoglu saw one long-distance shot after another hit everything but the target.
Vincenzo Montella has never fully convinced the nation with his coaching, and his job will almost certainly be in major jeopardy after such a disappointing end to what was expected to be a dark horse type of World Cup campaign for a very talented generation. But his ultra-attacking style left his defense exposed time and time again throughout his tenure, and Turkey paid for it at the biggest stage.
As for the loss to Paraguay, it was absolutely wild. The game had everything: a great early goal, some incredible missed chances by the Turkish attack, and a refereeing performance by CONCACAF’s own Iván Barton that needs to be seen to be believed.
We also saw the first-ever red card for a player covering his mouth during a confrontation, and Paraguay’s Miguel Almirón has now been subjected to punishment from two new obscure rules in the same World Cup. It was a truly bonkers match, perfect for the neutrals, unforgettable for Paraguayans, and truly tragic for Turkey.

Turkey and Paraguay hope to recover from their disappointing start to the 2026 World Cup when they meet at Levi's Stadium. Vincenzo Montella's side were ineffective in their defeat to Australia, while Paraguay conceded four goals to co-hosts the United States.
Former FC Bayern youth player Kenan Yıldız only played the second-half against Australia, but the Turkish star will now feature from the start as he returns to full fitness. Yıldız is among the five players in Turkey's squad who were born in Germany, like his captain and former HSV and Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Hakan Çalhanoğlu.
Meanwhile, Hoffenheim's center-back Ozan Kabak and Eintracht Frankfurt's sensation Can Uzun will hope for their first minutes of the tournament off the bench. Former Bundesliga players Çağlar Söyüncü, Kaan Ayhan, and Salih Özcan are also on the bench for Turkey, while ex-Hertha defender Omar Alderete starts for Paraguay.
Turkey: Çakır; Müldür, Demiral, Bardakcı, Kadıoğlu; Yüksek, Çalhanoğlu ©; Yıldız, Arda Güler, Akgün; Aktürkoğlu
Paraguay: Gill; Cáceres, Gustavo Gómez ©, Alderete, Alonso; Diego Gómez, Galarza; Cubas, Almirón; Pitta, Enciso

SAN DIEGO: San Diego State running back Kenan Christon runs the ball during a college football game between the Boise State Broncos and the San Diego State Aztecs on September 22, 2023, at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego, CA. (Photo by Chris Williams/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Though crates, boxes and moving vans will not be present, the first day of July is like moving day in college football. That is when teams changing conferences and/or subdivisions are officially given the keys to their new home. In the case of Sacramento State, neighbors are not exactly close.
Here is a look at conference realignment that becomes official July 1. Changes for 2026 do not include power conferences, though a former power conference has been revamped and may immediately have a seat at the playoff table.
The Mountain West will have a much different look (see below) for the 2026 season, including the addition of FCS behemoth North Dakota State for football only. Beginning in 2011, the Bison collected 10 national ******* les, including eight in a nine-season stretch. Among teams they defeated on the championship stage were James Madison, Jacksonville State and Sam Houston State, each of which elevated to the FBS. The Bison went 12-1 in 2025 with the lone defeat to Illinois State in the second round of the playoff.
Each of the coaches who led the Bison to ******* les left to take over an FBS program: Craig Bohl (Wyoming), Chris Klieman (Kansas State) and Matt Entz (Fresno State). Bohl and Klieman have since retired.

‘It was a question of trust’ – Yildiz explains the decision that brought him to Juventus

Kenan Yildiz has opened up on the defining decision of his young career, choosing Juventus over Bayern Munich in 2022, revealing that it was the club’s genuine belief in his potential that ultimately proved the decisive factor.
Speaking to GQ, via TuttoMercatoWeb, the Turkey international and Serie A Rising Star award winner was candid about what drew him to Turin at a time when remaining at one of Europe’s most successful clubs might have seemed the safer option.
“When I chose Juventus it was not only a professional decision,” Yildiz said.
“It was also a question of trust. I felt that this team would give me a strong vision. The club really saw me, believed in my potential and offered me a path to grow step by step. For a young footballer, one of the most important things is that people believe in you not only when you play well, but throughout your entire journey of growth. Juventus gave me that feeling from the first day.”
LECCE, ITALY – MAY 09: Kenan Yildiz of Juventus FC controls the ball during the Serie A match between US Lecce and Juventus FC at Stadio Via del Mare on May 09, 2026 in Lecce, Italy. (Photo by Maurizio Lagana/Getty Images)

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