From bupkis to $100m blockbuster: has the World Baseball Classic fina… — and more

The tournament is celebrating its 20th anniversary and some of the best players on the planet are competing for a title that means something

For years, while football fans salivated over Fifa World Cups, and basketball and hockey enthusiasts enjoyed an endless parade of NBA and NHL stars at the Olympics, baseball fans had bupkis, with no legitimate international tournament to speak of. Instead, there was something called the Baseball World Cup. Played without a Yankee, Cub or Dodger in sight, but with representatives from teams including the Montgomery Biscuits, Mexico Red Devils and Winnipeg Goldeyes, few fans in North America knew it existed, or when it was played. The only team with legit talent, Cuba, with players who could play in Major League Baseball, but did not because of politics, dominated the tournament.

Then in 2006 came a breakthrough with the debut of the 16-nation World Baseball Classic, which featured legitimate professional stars. The platform was built, the mysterious Cubans finally got to play in the US and the fans came. The tournament averaged nearly 19,000 fans a game, and that included the empty seat, Australia-Italy type match-ups. The face paint was bright, the vibes were October-like and the games were compelling; Japan held off Cuba as they took the maiden crown. The WBC passed its first test with a flourish and moved boldly into the future.

Uefa is set to make a decision on moving the Finalissima away from the Lusail Stadium in Qatar next week

Inter Milan superstar Lautaro Martinez has reportedly resumed partial training as he aims to return to the pitch by the end of the month.

According to Gazzetta dello Sport via FCInterNews, El Toro has set his sights on recovering for Inter’s Serie A clash against Fiorentina on March 22.

Head coach Cristian Chivu will be without his talismanic goal-getter for Sunday’s blockbuster showdown against AC Milan.

On the bright side, Ange-Yoan Bonny will be at the 45-year-old’s disposal, with the Frenchman expected to resume training tomorrow.

Inter Milan Stalwart Lautaro Martinez Returns to Partial Training

UDINE, ITALY – JANUARY 17: Lautaro Martinez of FC Internazionale during the pre-match warm up at the Serie A match between Udinese Calcio and FC Internazionale at Stadio Friuli on January 17, 2026 in Udine, Italy. (Photo by Timothy Rogers/Getty Images)

Inter lost Lautaro Martinez to a calf injury in the first leg of their fateful UEFA Champions League knockout playoff tie against Bodo/Glimt.

As a result of the injury sustained in Norway, the 28-year-old missed the return fixture, as well as Inter’s last two Serie A matches.

Furthermore, the Argentine center-forward was unavailable as Inter shared the spoils with Como in a tepid 0-0 Coppa Italia draw on Tuesday.

However, he has now returned to partial training and could appear in Inter’s away game against Fiorentina later this month.

Fabio Capello notes that Inter ‘have become a bit slow’ in defence, so Christian Pulisic and Rafael Leao can ’cause problems’ for the Nerazzurri in the derby, but also tells Leao to ‘show real fighting spirit.’

The Derby della Madonnina is just around the corner as Milan and Inter will meet at San Siro this coming Sunday.

The Nerazzurri are the table leaders with a 10-point advantage over their city rivals who sit second in the standings.

Inter played Como away on Tuesday in the first leg of the Coppa Italia semifinals, but both sides’ focus seemed to be elsewhere.

Capello previews Milan vs. Inter derby

“Inter were already thinking a lot about Sunday’s Derby. The Coppa Italia semifinal was undeniably disappointing, played at a very slow pace by both teams, including Como, which seemed more focused on qualifying for the Champions League,” Capello wrote in his column for Gazzetta dello Sport.

Leao is expected to lead the Milan attack on Sunday after scoring a goal in a 2-0 win over Cremonese on Sunday.

“I heard the Portuguese speaking with grit and determination. Well, I would like to see him just as determined on the pitch, showing real fighting spirit and all of his undeniable qualities,” wrote Capello.

“Many times, he ends up disappearing for certain stretches of the match, and for him, it’s to make an important leap.

“Milan certainly won’t be able to avoid lapses in concentration, as Inter’s quality is much higher,” the ex-Rossoneri coach continued.

MILAN, ITALY – NOVEMBER 23: Marcus Thuram of FC Internazionale is challenged by Fikayo Tomori of AC Milan during the Serie A match between FC Internazionale and AC Milan at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on November 23, 2025 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

“Allegri will have to be careful not to give Inter space, especially when Calhanoglu is on the field, as he is extremely skilled at switching the play out to the wings, where Inter are strong.

“That said, Inter have recently been giving away something in defence, they’ve become a bit slow, and therefore Leao and Pulisic, with their qualities, could also cause problems for the league leaders.”

Milan have only lost two Serie A games this season, but their city rivals have been far more consistent, winning 22 league matches out of 27.

“Milan’s victory would keep the title race more alive, but for the good of our football, the neutral fan should, above all, hope for a match that is enjoyable, played at a high tempo, competitive, well refereed, with the game allowed to flow and without continuous interruptions,” concluded Capello.

“After all, we’re talking about first and second place in the standings, facing each other in a match broadcast in many countries abroad. It would be important to show that Italian football is high-quality and not boring to watch.”

A decision is expected next week on whether a high-profile football match featuring Lionel Messi’s Argentina and Spain will be moved from Qatar, amid escalating conflict in the Middle East.

European football’s governing body, Uefa, which is co-organising the Finalissima match on 27 March with South American confederation CONMEBOL, has stated that no alternative venues are currently under consideration.

The uncertainty stems from Qatar, one of several Gulf nations hosting American military bases, having been targeted by Iran following air strikes launched by the United States and Israel last weekend.

A Uefa spokesperson confirmed: "We are aware of the speculation surrounding the Finalissima, given the situation in the region. Discussions are ongoing with the local organisers who have made a huge effort to make the match a success. A final decision is anticipated towards the end of next week."

The spokesperson added: "At present, there are no alternative venues being considered. We will not be commenting further until a decision is made."

The Finalissima brings together the champions of Europe and South America. The only previous edition since its revival in 2022 saw Argentina triumph over Italy 3-0 at Wembley.

The upcoming fixture is scheduled to be played at the Lusail stadium, which hosted the 2022 World Cup final, also won by Argentina.

Messi guided Argentina to their third World Cup triumph in thrilling fashion in Qatar four years ago, with his side beating France on penalties in the final.

Argentina led 2-0 at the interval thanks to goals from Messi and Angel Di Maria, but a quickfire Kylian Mbappe brace in the final 10 minutes of the second half took the game to extra time.

Messi restored Argentina’s advantage in extra time, only for Mbappe to complete his hat-trick and take the game to penalties.

Argentina won the subsequent shootout 4-2 on a dramatic evening in Qatar.