Las Vegas' bid to acquire an MLS expansion team is heating up, with the Baupost Group and its chief executive, Seth Klarman, emerging as one of the driving forces behind a deal that could result in the building of a 25,000-seat indoor stadium located in downtown.

Klarman is also a minority partner in Fenway Sports Group, owners of UEFA Champions League finalist Liverpool FC.

The Las Vegas Review-Journal was the first to report Baupost's involvement in the proposed project, in which Renaissance Companies -- working on behalf of Baupost -- will redevelop a 62-acre site that is the home of Cashman Field, where USL Championship side Las Vegas Lights play.

The Las Vegas city council is expected to vote next Wednesday on whether to enter into an exclusive negotiating agreement (ENA) with Renaissance that would create a 180-day window to hold talks on constructing the stadium as well as hotels and apartments. This period will also determine who would own the stadium.

If all goes well, a master development agreement (MDA) between the city and Renaissance will go into effect.

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Baupost, whose involvement was confirmed by city documents obtained by ESPN FC, has agreed to purchase the Las Vegas Lights, contingent upon Renaissance and the city entering into an MDA. According to a source with knowledge of the deal, Baupost could submit an application to MLS for an expansion franchise soon after next week's vote.

According to the documents, Baupost manages approximately $29 billion of discretionary capital, including approximately $7 billion of liquidity (cash or cash equivalents). The stadium site is located within a federal opportunity zone designed to spur private investment through the deferment of taxes so long as the projects create jobs.

"Las Vegas is a vibrant community and we look forward to working with the city to evaluate opportunities for development in its downtown area. We are incredibly enthusiastic about the future possibilities in Las Vegas," said Baupost spokesperson Julie Kane.

As for the extent of talks with MLS, Kane added, "We're not in a position to comment on any current or future discussions taking place with MLS."

MLS didn't immediately provide comment about the latest developments in Las Vegas. MLS commissioner Don Garber announced back in April that MLS would expand to 30 teams, with Sacramento and St. Louis having the inside track on slots 28 and 29. Expansion fees for those teams have been set at $200 million. Garber added that MLS "will take our time" in terms of naming the 30th team, though he mentioned Las Vegas as a candidate along with Detroit, Charlotte and Phoenix.

Acquiring an MLS franchise has been a long-time goal of Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman. A proposal in 2015 to build a stadium at Symphony Park, which required public money, was voted down. But one source said that it was Mayor Goodman who insisted that a soccer team be part of the redevelopment project, and in an interview with the Las Vegas Journal-Review Mayor Goodman shared her enthusiasm.

"To me it's the greatest thing," she said about the stadium proposal. "We've been working on it for a long time."

For Las Vegas Light owner Brett Lashbrook, the approval of a stadium deal would make Las Vegas an ideal candidate for an MLS expansion franchise. The Lights, under first-year manager and former U.S. international Eric Wynalda, are currently averaging 7,593 fans per game through its first six matches, fifth-best in the league.

"MLS has demonstrated that they're looking for markets that support soccer with soccer-specific stadiums and the success that urban stadiums have done," Lashbrook told ESPN FC. "With this proposal, and the mayor's support, we have all three of those.

"We couldn't be more excited to have this opportunity. We're in full support of the movement."

According to Renaissance chairman Floyd Klephart, stadium architect Populous has already come up with a preliminary design, one that will account for the city's brutally hot summers. With average daytime highs in June, July and August exceeding 100 degrees, the venue will be domed with a retractable field.

"The stadium is an engineered ETFE domed stadium roof that is a translucent plastic that allows enough daylight in to bring an outdoor feel to our 25,000-seat facility, but it will also give our fans a fully indoor stadium," said Klephart via email.

That is in line with a recent requirement that MLS is putting on expansion hopefuls who reside in locales with high summer temperatures. At last summer's All-Star Game in Atlanta, Garber said, "I believe that if we're going to be in communities like [Las Vegas], we need indoor stadiums," he said. "We can't schedule all of our games at night in every city across the country."

Jurgen Klopp has insisted he is not an unlucky manager as he attempts to end a run of six straight defeats in major finals by guiding Liverpool to Champions League glory against Tottenham in Madrid.

Last season's beaten finalists -- Liverpool lost 3-1 to Real Madrid in Kiev 12 months ago -- are attempting to win their sixth European Cup by defeating Premier League rivals Spurs, who are contesting their first Champions League final on Saturday.

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But despite going into the game as favourites, Klopp's losing streak in finals is perhaps the only negative hanging over Liverpool.

The German has failed to win a major final since overseeing Borussia Dortmund's 5-2 German Cup win against Bayern Munich in May 2012, with subsequent defeats in the Champions League final (twice), Europa League, EFL Cup and two German Cups.

But when asked in Madrid whether he was an unlucky manager, Klopp insisted his record in semifinals proves that he is not.

"My career so far was not unlucky, but my problems are that, since 2012, apart from 2017, I was with my team in a final," Klopp said. "In the last seven years I am world-record holder in winning semifinals -- I could write a book about it, but nobody would read it.

"I'm a normal human being. There can be moments that are unlucky and lucky, but I cannot change that. I understand luck as if you work for it, then you get it from time to time. The silverware is why we are here. There can be moments when you are lucky and unlucky, and there have been finals when we have not been on the lucky side, but that's luck.

"I have not had an unlucky career and it's not over yet. Could have been better, could have been worse. But if I will be the reason for losing six finals in a row, then everybody has to worry."

Aside from Klopp's poor return in major finals, Liverpool have also struggled to win honours in recent years, with the club securing just one cup this decade.

Last season's Champions League final defeat against Real was their third successive loss in a European final, but Klopp claims that there is little to learn from what happened in the past.

"From last year [what have I learned?], a bicycle kick from 18 metres can be a goal as well," Klopp said. "From the other finals, nothing really -- the circumstances and the opponent are different. It was three strange goals last year. A goal of the year and two strange goals. But you accept it and go home.

"We are a completely different side from last year. The final was a starting point again for the next step, but from the game, there's not a lot to learn. We are much more mature. We are getting older, we are a year older, players like Trent [Alexander-Arnold] have 50 more games in their legs.

"We're really looking forward to a proper game, I'm sure."

Klopp also confirmed that striker Roberto Firmino, who had missed Liverpool's last three matches with a thigh injury, is fit for the final.

Germany coach Joachim Low has been hospitalised with a squashed artery following a sports accident, the German FA has confirmed.

Low, 59, injured himself when a dumbbell fell on his chest during a training session a few weeks ago, German outlet Bild reported on Friday.

While the Bundestrainer initially played down the incident, he has now been hospitalised with circulatory disorders.

The German FA said in a statement Low will miss the upcoming matches against Belarus and Estonia, with assistant coach Marcus Sorg, 53, taking over for the Euro 2020 qualifiers in June.

"The reasons for the break are the after-effects of a sports accident. An artery was squashed in it and an in-patient stay is necessary now," the statement read.

Low was quoted as saying that he felt "pretty good already," but added: "I need to take it easy for the next four weeks."

Bild said that Low will not need to be operated on.

"It's the most important thing now that Jogi returns to full fitness in the coming days," Germany general manager Oliver Bierhoff said.

After 12 straight matches on the road to start the season, the Portland Timbers return to their newly remodeled home to face Western Conference leaders LAFC on Saturday, and Bruce Arena will make his New England Revolution coaching debut against his former club, the LA Galaxy, on Sunday. If that is not enough to whet your appetite, Wayne Rooney and D.C. United host red-hot Chris Wondolowski and the San Jose Earthquakes on Saturday.

'Big Reveal' time at Portland's Providence Park

There is nothing quite like the "big reveal" moment on a home improvement show. After months of agonizing decisions, unforeseen costs and awkward spats with a handsome Canadian twin contractor, a couple finally get to see their newly remodeled home and all ends well.

There were likely similar headaches during the revamping of Portland's Providence Park that we will never know about it, but for now we'd settle for the image of Timbers owner Merritt Paulson rearranging the flowers on a table in a private suite right before the doors open for Saturday night's stadium reopening against LAFC (10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN 2).

More importantly, on the field, the Timbers have emerged from their 12-game road trip to open the season in fairly good shape. Portland also suddenly boasts one of the league's most lethal attacks, thanks in large to the arrival of Argentine striker Brian Fernandez, who had a brace in his first MLS start last week in a 3-1 win at Philadelphia.

Paulson could not have asked for a better opponent for the stadium unveiling. LAFC have been the league's best team all season and is led by MVP frontrunner Carlos Vela. With Fernandez in the mix and Vela a scoring machine (15 goals in 15 games), this "big reveal" will have its fair share of fireworks.

Bruce to debut in L.A.

Even though he has not been on the sideline since being announced as New England Revolution head coach on May 14, the Bruce Arena effect is already being felt in the northeast. The Revs have picked up a pair of draws against top-five Eastern Conference teams, the Montreal Impact and D.C. United. The latter came despite playing with only 10 men for the final half an hour.

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But a much bigger test awaits Sunday against the LA Galaxy (10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+). It was, of course, with the Galaxy that Arena elevated himself to MLS coaching legend, cleaning up the wreckage from the early David Beckham days in L.A. and leading them to three MLS Cup victories.

And it's against his former club that Arena will take his seat in the New England dugout, having been appointed manager and sporting director on May 14.

But the Galaxy that Arena's Revs will face are considerably different than the one he left at the end of the 2016 season. While the Galaxy floundered in 2017 and 2018 following Arena's departure, the ship has been steadied under Guillermo Barros Schelotto. The Galaxy have also emerged from their four-game losing streak thanks to a defense that has returned to its early-season stingy ways, with two shutout wins, most recently a Zlatan Ibrahimovic-led 2-0 win at Sporting Kansas City on Wednesday.

The Revs have become a harder team to break down since Brad Friedel left, but the attack is still pretty anemic, which could make for an unhappy homecoming for the former Galaxy boss.

Clean up in the capital

Draws for both D.C. United and the Philadelphia Union in midweek means that United stay a whisker ahead of the Union for top spot in the Eastern Conference. Dig a little further, though, and there are some uncomfortable truths at present for Ben Olsen's side. They are winless in their past four contests and have been plagued by some sloppy, inconsistent play, which was on full display in Wednesday's 3-3 draw with the Chicago Fire.

Some cleaning up needs to be done, but the club can take solace in the fact that Ulises Segura has found his stride after two goals in midweek and Wayne Rooney remains plenty productive. Speaking of production, that perfectly sums up the play of the San Jose Earthquakes, DC United's opponent on Saturday (8:00 p.m. ET, ESPN+).

It has been a two-week span to remember for Chris Wondolowski. First, he scored four goals against Chicago to become the league's all-time leading goalscorer, then added another two in a 2-1 win in Toronto. Yet the unsung hero in the San Jose Earthquakes' renaissance has been Cristian Espinoza, who assisted on both goals in Toronto. When you're hot, you're hot and there is no reason why Quakes boss Matias Almeyda should veer away from the Wondo/Espinoza tandem for a while.

MADRID -- The only thing left to settle for the European club season before the summer is the Champions League, and much like the Europa League final, it's an all-English affair in Madrid as Liverpool take on Tottenham. Who will begin their holidays with a trophy and who will spend the offseason wondering what could have been?

Here is what you need to know ahead of Saturday's game, which kicks off at 3 p.m. ET (8 p.m. BST) and is set to be played in hot temperatures.

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BACKSTORY: Liverpool arrive with the greater pedigree. They've won the European Cup five times; only Milan and Real Madrid have more. They reached the final only last season, when they were beaten by Real Madrid in Kiev, Ukraine, and they finished this season a single point off the pace in the Premier League behind Manchester City.

Contrast this with Tottenham. Only Michel Vorm, their third-choice goalkeeper, was even born the most recent time they were in a European final of any kind: the 1984 UEFA Cup final. That was also the most recent time they went beyond the quarterfinals in Europe. Spurs finished fourth in the Premier League and lost 2-1 both times they faced Liverpool this season, though the second clash, at Anfield, was a particularly tight, hard-fought affair that could have gone either way.

CARDIAC COMEBACKS, LIVERPOOL EDITION: If it wasn't for a dramatic victory over Napoli in their final group-stage game in December -- which saw them advance thanks to a tiebreaker -- Liverpool's Champions League quest would have ended before the knockout rounds. Plus, they pulled off the most dramatic of turnarounds at Anfield in the semifinal against Barcelona, winning 4-0 to wipe out a 3-0 first leg defeat.

CARDIAC COMEBACKS, TOTTENHAM EDITION: Tottenham were also headed out of the competition in December until Lucas Moura's goal, with five minutes to go away to Barcelona at the Camp Nou, in the final group game. Even then they only advanced thanks to the tiebreaker as well. Moura, of course, would prove decisive again in the semifinal second-leg comeback against Ajax, notching a hat trick including that buzzer-beater of a winner in injury time. Oh, and in the quarterfinal against heavily favored Manchester City, a dramatic Fernando Llorente deflected goal with minutes to go saw Spurs advance in a seesaw match.

NO SILVERWARE, NO PROBLEM: Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino famously said that trophies "build egos" but league finishes and year-on-year improvement build clubs. While Liverpool's Jurgen Klopp hasn't quite gone that far, he too is living proof that a manager's popularity rests on far more than delivering silverware. Both are immensely loved by their fan bases, yet Pochettino has never won a trophy in his managerial career and Klopp's last major title was in 2012, when he led Borussia Dortmund to the Bundesliga title. His record in finals isn't great, either, having lost six of seven.

Obviously, that will change for one of these two men Saturday ...

TACTICAL CONTRAST: Both managers believe in pressing, directness, high lines and speedy forwards, but Pochettino has been, often by necessity, the more pragmatic and shape-shifting of the two. Where Liverpool's lineup has been relatively settled for much of the season, Tottenham have been hammered by injuries at various stages. As a result, Pochettino has played a variety of lineups and schemes, and going into this game, it's hard to predict how Tottenham will take the field.

WORST-CASE SCENARIO FOLLOWING A DEFEAT, LIVERPOOL: They will be dealt a crushing psychological blow and folks start to murmur that, for all his touchy-feely, cult-of-personality schtick, maybe Klopp really does have issues in getting a team over the line. To miss out on the Premier League by one point and then to fail in Madrid after losing in last season's Champions League final, ending another season empty-handed ... it's a grim thought the players and fans will not want to entertain.

WORST-CASE SCENARIO FOLLOWING A DEFEAT, TOTTENHAM: Given Liverpool are huge favorites, a loss for Spurs wouldn't be a big deal. But there's intrigue here, too. Pochettino says he's taken Tottenham as far as he possibly can and demands further investment in the side in the summer. If it doesn't come -- and, in fact, contract malcontents Christian Eriksen and Toby Alderweireld leave -- Pochettino resigns, too. Not the best way to end a season filled with so much hope.

CENTER-FORWARD CONUNDRUM, LIVERPOOL: Roberto Firmino is an atypical central striker whose contribution is less about goals and more about his movement, passing and work off the ball. He is invaluable to Liverpool's system but suffered muscular injuries late in the season. Klopp says he's fit for the final, but you wonder how a layoff of nearly six weeks since his most recent start is going to affect him.

CENTER-FORWARD CONUNDRUM, TOTTENHAM: Spurs born and bred, Tottenham fans sing that their captain, Harry Kane, is "one of their own." He undoubtedly is, and what's more, he's one of the best center-forwards in the world, having scored 90 goals in the past three years in all competitions. While it appears he's fit again, his most recent appearance for the club was way back on April 9, so rust is bound to be a factor.

Kane's return also poses a dilemma for Pochettino: Does he leave out either Son Heung-Min or Moura, who were heroic in getting Spurs this far, or does he try to cram all three into his starting XI? On paper, it's a risky thing to do ... then again, he's done it five times in the Premier League this season. And each time, Spurs have won.

STAR MAN, LIVERPOOL: Mohamed Salah took Liverpool by storm last season, when he scored 44 goals after joining from Roma, and many expected him to regress to the mean this season. But while his numbers are down (he has 26 this campaign), he's still a constant scoring threat.

STAR MAN, TOTTENHAM: Christian Eriksen is the sort of player soccer connoisseurs love. Neither particularly quick nor athletic, he's hugely clever in finding space and unlocking opposition defenses and is always a threat from long range.

WHERE THE GAME WILL BE WON OR LOST: Both teams love to exploit the flanks, and Liverpool in particular have devastating fullback-winger combinations in Andy Robertson with Sadio Mane on the left and Trent Alexander-Arnold with Salah on the right. How Pochettino defends them will be key since both his full-backs (Kieran Trippier and Danny Rose) are more attack-minded. He might resort to a back three or, more likely, demand more work off the ball from his wide attacking players.

(Side note: Keep your eye on Robertson -- arguably the best crosser of the ball, he could place the ball on a dime in the most dangerous of attacking positions.)

X FACTOR, LIVERPOOL: Liverpool's style means that Virgil Van Dijk is often asked to do a lot of open-field defending. He's one of the best center-backs in the world, and how well he marshals the back four will have a huge impact; so too will the threat he poses at the other end on set pieces.

X FACTOR, TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR: Son has scored more key goals than you can shake a stick at this season, and his combination of strength, tactical nous and energy makes him both a nuisance (for opponents when in possession) and a threat to run behind (when opponents lose possession).

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LIVERPOOL WILL WIN BECAUSE ... They simply have more top-to-bottom quality in the lineup, and two key Spurs players are returning from injury (not just Kane but Harry Winks, too). Many of the matchups favor them in different areas of the pitch, particularly out wide. What's more, they have a distinct edge in dead-ball situations -- their goal difference in the Premier League in this department was plus-15, to Spurs' plus-5 -- and that can be decisive in a one-off match.

TOTTENHAM WILL WIN BECAUSE ... Pochettino knows how to be pragmatic, and in a final, the old standby of soaking up pressure and hitting on the counter works well. There's also more pressure on the opposition, and Pochettino is a master at spinning the underdog tale to motivate his players.

PREDICTION: Liverpool 3-1 Tottenham

There's a reason why these two clubs were separated by 26 points in the Premier League this season. Liverpool have more of an edge to them this season -- witness Robertson tackling Lionel Messi at Anfield -- and Klopp has more tactical Plan B options, like Xherdan Shaqiri off the bench or Gini Wijnaldum ghosting into the front three, than he did last season.

West Indies allrounder Andre Russell is confident he will be fit for the side's second World Cup match against Australia on June 6, despite limping heavily after his match-turning spell in the thumping seven-wicket win over Pakistan.

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Russell has a history of knee injuries and bowled just three overs in West Indies' opening match but his spell was the stunning blow from which Pakistan never recovered. A barrage of short-pitched deliveries earned Russell figures of 2 for 4 and he was not required to bat as his side cruised to victory.

But after the match Russell was hobbling gingerly, his left knee clearly hampering his movement. The West Indies medical team now have five days to work on his rehabilitation.

"I've been playing for years with these knee injuries," Russell said after the match. "And sometimes it feels worse than some days but, at the end of the day, I'm a professional. I know what to do to get back. I think I have five days before the next game so that is more than enough time to get my knee back to normal and get it settled.

"Let's just see what happens. I have a good physio team, massage team, here so they're going to be working with me closely for the next couple of days."

This was Russell's third ODI appearance since the 2015 World Cup. He has mostly bowled in short spells at various T20 competitions around his one-year anti-doping ban and, on the evidence of this match, he will need careful management throughout the tournament. But while he was included in the squad primarily for his batting, Russell desperately wants to contribute as a bowler.

"Well that's the plan," Russell said. "I want to make sure that my knee is 100 percent or if it's not 100, 80 percent. I'm still ready to bowl. I'm ready, this is the World Cup. So I don't mind resting for a month or two months after the World Cup but I want to leave everything here for the World Cup."

There were also concerns when Chris Gayle called for the physio after appearing to injure his back pulling a short ball from Wahab Riaz. He limped initially and held his back, but went onto bring up a 33-ball half-century before falling to Mohammad Amir.

"He sent the physio back off the field so that's a positive sign for us," captain Jason Holder said. "So again, we've got five days. So we'll see how he goes the next couple of days."