Brazil's two-time World Cup winner Ronaldo Nazario will lead a special task force created to try to eradicate racism, discrimination, and violence in South American soccer, the sport's continental governing body said Thursday.

"Its mission will be to design policies and establish prevention and sanction mechanisms that contribute to eradicating these behaviors that affect both sport and society," CONMEBOL said in a statement.

The 48-year-old Ronaldo retired in 2019 after a career that included World Cup titles in 1994 and in 2002.

The appointment followed a meeting of leaders, government officials, former players and player union representatives convened by CONMEBOL President Alejandro Domínguez to address the issues following his controversial statements about Brazilian football.

Domínguez created a furor when he said Brazilian clubs withdrawing from the Copa Libertadores because of episodes of racism would make the competition "like Tarzan without Cheetah."

CONMEBOL has been under increased pressure to act decisively against racism. Several Brazilian players and fans have been targeted by monkey chants at away matches in recent years, which has also brought more pressure on officials to act.

In addition to Ronaldo, former FIFA Secretary General Fatma Samoura and former Argentina player Sergio Marchi, president of FIFPRO South America, will be part of the task force.

Four Real Madrid players, including Kylian Mbappé and Vinícius Júnior, are being investigated for alleged "indecent conduct" during the Champions League game at Atlético Madrid on March 12, UEFA said on Thursday.

Madrid reached the quarterfinals by beating Atlético 4-2 on penalties at the Metropolitano stadium in the round-of-16 second leg after being 2-2 on aggregate.

UEFA said it has appointed an ethics and disciplinary inspector to study the unspecified allegations in the case, which also involves Antonio Rüdiger and Dani Ceballos.

The statement added that "further information regarding this matter will be made available in due course."

Rüdiger, Vinícius and Mbappé all started against Atlético, while Ceballos did not feature in the game.

Video clips circulating on social media showed Mbappé grabbing his crotch during celebrations on the field for Madrid winning a penalty shootout.

Any ban imposed would force a player to miss Madrid's game at Arsenal on April 8 in the first leg of the quarterfinals.

Rüdiger scored the decisive spot kick when Madrid advanced, then led teammates in an exuberant dancing run around Atlético's home field.

In a similar case prosecuted by UEFA at the European Championship last year, Madrid player Jude Bellingham was given a one-game ban suspended for a probationary period of one year.

Bellingham had scored a stoppage-time goal for England to level a round-of-16 game against Slovakia when he gestured his hand toward his crotch. England went on to win 2-1 in extra time.

UEFA disciplinary judges found Bellingham guilty of "violating the basic rules of decent conduct" and fined him 30,000 ($32,400).

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

BARCELONA, Spain -- Barcelona coach Hansi Flick said his team paid a "high price" for beating Osasuna 3-0 after losing Dani Olmo to injury in a game they were forced to play on Thursday.

The match was postponed earlier this month after the death of Barça's first team doctor, Carles Miñarro, and rearranged for this week on the back of the international break, despite protests from both teams.

Barça eased to victory with goals from Ferran Torres, Olmo and Robert Lewandowski to move three points clear at the top of LaLiga, but the win was tainted by Olmo's injury.

Sources told ESPN Olmo will undergo tests on an adductor problem on Friday, with initial estimates that he will be out for two to three weeks.

"Today we made the best of the situation we have," Flick said in the post-game news conference.

"It's not the right date for playing this match. After the international break, it was not good. We have three points more, but we paid a really high price for the injury of Dani, it's not good.

"We don't know how long he will be out. If it's two weeks it means a lot of matches. Or three weeks more matches. It's not a good situation. The price was very high for the three points."

Barça had to play the game without Raphinha, who was unavailable for selection after playing for Brazil against Argentina on Tuesday.

Ronald Araújo, meanwhile, was an unused substitute after returning from Uruguay duty late on Wednesday.

It was the first of seven games Barça will play in 20 days, with Sunday's league game against Girona kicking off 64 hours after the final whistle was blown against Osasuna.

Flick says the calendar is ruining the spectacle on the pitch, pointing out that this summer's FIFA Club World Cup, which Barça will not be involved in, will only make things worse.

"I think you have to listen to the players," he added. "This is the important thing. And also to the coaches. In summer there is the World Cup for the clubs. It's tough. The [UEFA] Nations League, international breaks...

"I don't think it's a good thing this World Cup, in my opinion. OK, you can earn a lot of money, but for the players it's not good. We have to stop and think about the players.

"Fans want every player to give 100%, to see a spectacle ... and when it goes on this way, I think it's not at this level. We cannot play on this level. Not only us, but also the other teams who will play the World Cup."

Barça defender Jules Koundé, who played 120 minutes for France on Sunday as they beat Croatia in the Nations League quarterfinal, echoed Flick's complaints.

"I am angry about the date chosen for this game, it's not normal," he told DAZN. "It's true I'm fortunate to do what I do, I know that, but it shows a lack of respect to the clubs, Barça and Osasuna, who both had international players, to select this date.

"We're not machines and to play our game and give the fans what we want, to put on a show and play with intensity, we need rest.

"More than anything, it shows a lack of respect to the players. All institutions have to understand this, not just LaLiga, everyone.

"We have not said anything before because we didn't want to look for excuses, but you reach a moment where your voice has to be heard. We are the main actors in this and they can't just do what they want."

Chelsea captain Millie Bright has praised her side's 'unbelievable mentality' and embraced the challenge of facing Barcelona in the UEFA Women's Champions League semifinals as they continue their hunt for a historic quadruple.

Goals from Sandy Baltimore, Nathalie Björn and Mayra Ramírez booked Chelsea a ticket to the UWCL semifinal on Thursday as the London side overturned a 2-0 deficit against Manchester City.

Chelsea now face an even bigger challenge in the form of three-time champions Barça as they look to beat the Liga F side that have halted their hunt for European success over the past two seasons.

When asked about facing the reigning champions, Bright's response was simple.

"We are a new team, we are on a new journey, we are in a new era," she said. "Bring it on."

The opportunity for a quadruple is on the table for Chelsea after they beat City to win the Women's League Cup in March and sit eight points clear at the top of the WSL table. Their FA Cup campaign is ongoing as they prepare to face Liverpool in the semifinals on April 12.

Former Chelsea midfielder Karen Carney backed the Blues in their quest for European success after their triumphant comeback win in the quarterfinal.

"The quadruple mentality is back on," Carney said on TNT Sports.

"They are not stopping, they are a train and when they are on it, you can't stop them. They will be thinking 'we want that quadruple and we are not going to stop.'"

Chelsea were ruthless against City on Thursday in their attempt to keep their European dream alive. The home side registered 11 shots on target to win the match in the first half despite the uphill climb they faced to overturn Vivianne Miedema's first leg double.

"We were never in doubt. We had full confidence in ourselves. We could have had way more than three goals," Bright said.

"[We have an] unbelievable mentality and desire to come back. It was a true Chelsea performance."

Dani Alves won his appeal against a sexual assault conviction as a Spanish court overturned the ruling on Friday.

Alves was found guilty in February 2024 of raping a woman in a nightclub in December 2022 and sentenced to four years, six months in prison.

He denied wrongdoing during the three-day trial.

The former Brazil and Barcelona player was released from prison in in March 2024 while waiting for his appeal to be heard by a higher court.

That court ruled on Friday that there was "insufficient evidence" to rule out Alves' presumption of innocence.

NEWARK, N.J. -- Ever since Cooper Flagg scored 42 points against Notre Dame in January, setting an ACC record and cementing his Player of the Year candidacy, it has been difficult to be truly surprised by anything from the freshman phenom.

That changed Thursday night, as Flagg put forth a virtuoso performance, finishing with 30 points, 6 rebounds, 7 assists and 3 blocks to lead Duke past Arizona 100-93 in the Sweet 16.

"That was one of the best tournament performances I've ever coached or been a part of," Duke coach Jon Scheyer said after the game.

The Blue Devils will face Alabama on Saturday in the Elite Eight.

Flagg was in legitimately rarefied air Thursday night. He became the first Duke player with 30 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists in an NCAA tournament game since assists became an official statistic in 1984, according to ESPN Research, and just the second player with at least 30 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 blocks in an NCAA tournament game since blocks became official in 1986. The other player to do it was UCLA's Ed O'Bannon in 1994.

Flagg also became the first player with 30-5-5 and one or fewer turnovers since Chris Mullin in 1985.

"He just did what he was supposed to do, and he'll move on and get ready for Alabama," Scheyer said. "I think that's the beauty of it with him. He doesn't get caught up in all that.

"What I've wanted from him is not to defer. I've just wanted him to fully be him, and I thought he was that. He was in his element tonight. He was him. He had just a great personality. He was loose, talking, competitive, the whole thing. So yeah, he impresses me all the time."

Early on, Flagg was quiet offensively, with just three points through 12 minutes. But he scored on back-to-back layups, hit a couple of tough shots and began to be more aggressive.

"I think just playing with really good energy, trusting our game plan, trusting my teammates," Flagg said. "They put me in some really good spots tonight. Coach, as well, put me in some really good spots. I think just making the right play and just letting the game happen."

Arizona had gone punch for punch with Duke for the first 19 and a half minutes, just one stop from going into halftime tied at 42. Then Kon Knueppel hit a 3; Caleb Love missed a shot with seven seconds left; Mason Gillis grabbed the rebound and got the ball to Flagg, who pulled up from several feet behind the 3-point line and buried the shot as time expired.

Suddenly, a tied score became a six-point Duke lead heading into the break -- and a quick 14-5 Duke run coming out of halftime put the Blue Devils up 15, and the game was essentially out of reach.

Arizona wouldn't get closer than five the rest of the game.

"We talk about inflection points, and the end of the half is a really big inflection point," Knueppel said.

Added Scheyer: "That was critical in that moment."

Duke hit 100 points for the fifth time this season and the fourth time since mid-February. The Blue Devils shot 60% from the field, 58% from 3 and 85% from the free throw line.

It's the second time they beat Arizona this season; they scored a 69-55 win over the Wildcats in November.

"They're a team that they come down, they have a plan, they know what they want to get, and they're able to get to it consistently, which is hard to do," Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd said. "We're not a bad defensive team, but they make you feel like it for long stretches today.

"They've done a really good job creating certainty, and all their young guys have gotten better. Their vets like [Tyrese] Proctor, Sion James -- he's impressive -- have gotten better. Even Pat Ngongba has gotten better over the course of the year. They've got a lot of good pieces, and they all fit together."

Love played the final game of his college career, and it was perhaps the best he has played since arriving at North Carolina in 2020. He had 35 points, single-handedly keeping the Wildcats within striking distance for long stretches in the second half.

Love became the first player with 35 points and no turnovers against a 1-seed in the NCAA tournament since Michael Finley in 1994, according to ESPN Research. He also became the second player in NCAA tournament history to have a 30-point game with two teams.

"Caleb is a great person, and he's been through a lot," Lloyd said. "I hope everybody takes a step back, whether they've been a hater or whatever or [piling on], and give this guy a real chance because he's special. ... Been through it, and he's come out the other side of it better."

SAN FRANCISCO -- Darrion Williams could barely make a shot for the first 30 minutes. He didn't miss when it mattered most, sending Texas Tech to an improbable spot in the Elite Eight.

Williams scored the go-ahead basket with 7.3 seconds left in overtime after tying the game with a 3-pointer in the closing seconds of regulation to lead Texas Tech to an 85-83 win over Arkansas on Thursday night.

"The heart of the team is Darrion Williams, and he's just a resilient guy," coach Grant McCasland said. "I mean I can't even explain it. I put faith in him because I do believe that he'll find a way in one-game scenarios to do whatever it takes to win. I honestly do. Whatever it takes."

The first overtime game of March Madness came thanks to a furious comeback by the third-seeded Red Raiders (28-8) from 13 points down with less than five minutes left against coach John Calipari's 10th-seeded Razorbacks (22-14).

Texas Tech advances to play top-seeded Florida in the West Region final on Saturday with a chance at the school's second Final Four trip after losing the title game to Virginia in 2019.

That idea seemed far-fetched for most of this game as Arkansas broke out to a double-digit lead early and was in control most of the way, leading by as many as 16 points in the second half, making the Red Raiders' comeback the third-largest ever in the Sweet 16. According to ESPN Research, Arkansas had the lead for 38 minutes, 53 seconds, whereas Texas Tech led for 3 minutes, 20 seconds.

"In the huddle, Coach kept saying, 'We're going to find a way to win this,'" guard Christian Anderson said. "No matter how much we're down, I think it was like 16 [points] with 10 minutes left or something. As a team we kind of had that look, like, 'We're not losing this game no matter what.' No matter if it's defensive, offensive rebounds -- we got to get defensive rebounds, steals. I know we had to find a way to make it happen, and at the end we did."

Williams helped will the Red Raiders down the stretch after opening the game by missing 13 of his 15 shots in front of a large contingent of his friends and family that came from Sacramento, California, for the game.

But the Red Raiders closed regulation with a 16-3 run behind three 3-pointers from Anderson and three baskets from Williams. The biggest came when Williams rattled in a 3 with 9.7 seconds left after Jonas Aidoo had missed the front end of a one-and-one.

Williams had missed eight of his first nine attempts from 3 before that make.

"Obviously they weren't going in, but I was shooting open ones," Williams said. "They'll fall."

JT Toppin then scored to start overtime and give Texas Tech its first lead since the opening minutes. It went back and forth from there, with D.J. Wagner tying it for Arkansas with 34 seconds left.

Williams then scored down low to give Texas Tech the lead and Wagner's last shot hit the front rim, sending the Red Raiders into a wild celebration at midcourt as Williams pointed to the crowd.

"If we would've just rolled over and let them beat us by 30, season would've been over, and none of us wanted that," Williams said.

Calipari could only walk off the court with pursed lips and a sigh as his first season at Arkansas ended in heartbreak after he fell just short of being the first coach to take four schools to the Elite Eight.

Thursday's loss marked the largest blown lead in the NCAA tournament by a Calipari-led team.

"We're all disappointed here," Calipari said. "But I told them, there's nothing them individually or my team could do to disappoint me because of what they've done this year. I'm so proud of them."

Anderson scored 22 points to lead Texas Tech, while Toppin and Williams added 20 apiece.

Johnell Davis scored 30 points for the Razorbacks and Karter Knox added 20.

ESPN Research and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

The first half of the Elite Eight is set.

The Duke Blue Devils and Alabama Crimson Tide, who each scored at least 100 points in their wins on Thursday, will face off Saturday. And the Texas Tech Red Raiders mounted the second-biggest comeback in Sweet 16 history for the chance to take on the Florida Gators.

Find analysis from our reporters on-site in Newark, New Jersey, and San Francisco below, plus a play-by-play of the major highlights and nuggets from all four games.

Jump to: Results and analysis | Relive the action

Thursday results, analysis

(10) Arkansas vs.
(3) Texas Tech

Final: Texas Tech defeated Arkansas 85-83 in OT

How Texas Tech won: For most of the second half, Arkansas looked like it was cruising to the Elite Eight in its first season under John Calipari. The Razorbacks led by as many as 16 points and had a 13-point lead with 4:43 to go -- then Texas Tech caught fire. A 10-0 Red Raiders run made it a three-point game with 2:06 remaining, setting the stage for a memorable finish in San Francisco. A Darrion Williams 3-pointer tied the score with nine seconds left and Arkansas' erratic, last-ditch effort to win in regulation failed. Williams delivered, again, in overtime with the game-winning bucket with seven seconds left. Texas Tech's win stands as, perhaps, the game of the tournament with JT Toppin, Christian Anderson and Williams all scoring at least 20 points in the second-largest Sweet 16 comeback in NCAA tournament history. -- Kyle Bonagura

Texas Tech's key to Elite Eight matchup against Florida: Composure from Elijah Hawkins. Texas Tech's comeback from a double-digit deficit in the second half demanded an abundance of resilience -- the Red Raiders won that game because their top players made key plays down the stretch. But it wasn't the best night for their point guard. Hawkins finished 1-for-10 from the field with five rebounds and five turnovers after averaging 15.0 points, 8.5 assists and 1.0 rebounds in the first two rounds. His poise helped Texas Tech reach this stage, but he just never seemed comfortable Thursday. Hawkins will have to put that effort behind him to get ready for Florida on Saturday. -- Myron Medcalf

(4) Arizona vs.
(1) Duke

Final: Duke defeated Arizona 100-93

How Duke won: Duke had Cooper Flagg and Arizona didn't. It was a virtuoso performance from the freshman phenom, who finished with 30 points, six rebounds, seven assists and three blocks -- also hitting the buzzer-beating 3 at halftime that gave the Blue Devils a six-point lead. The Wildcats didn't have an answer for him, using several different players to guard him at various points. They wouldn't get closer than five in the second half, which didn't happen until the final couple of minutes. The Blue Devils had too much offensively. They shot 60% from the field, 58% from 3 and ended up closing the free throw gap that the Wildcats created in the first half. Expect more points when Duke faces Alabama in the Elite Eight on Saturday night -- both teams reached 100 on Thursday. -- Jeff Borzello

Duke's key to Elite Eight matchup against Alabama: Khaman Maluach's continued growth. Maluach's first exposure to basketball was at a basketball camp operated by Luol Deng, the former Duke and NBA star, in 2019. The 7-foot-2 standout and projected lottery pick has displayed impressive growth as a freshman with the Blue Devils, but it's clear he is still learning. On Thursday, he picked up his fourth foul with eight minutes to play against Arizona because he was careless as he tried to force a turnover. Maluach is gifted, but he has to be more cautious, so he is available when Duke needs him. On the flip side, he did demonstrate the skills that have made him a pivotal player for the Blue Devils, scoring on putbacks and alley-oops and post-ups while altering shots and blocking others. He has left his mark and continues to grow -- the latter could be the reason Duke reaches the Final Four. -- Myron Medcalf

(6) BYU vs.
(2) Alabama

Final: Alabama defeated BYU 113-88

How Alabama won: The Crimson Tide put on an unprecedented shooting display, setting the NCAA tournament record for made 3s -- with more than seven minutes still on the clock. They finished with 25 made 3-pointers, beating the record of 21 set by Loyola Marymount in 1990. Mark Sears played like the first-team All-American that he is, making 10 3s and finishing with 34 points and eight assists to become the first player in NCAA tournament history to have eight 3s and eight assists in a game.

BYU, which entered the contest ranked in the top 10 nationally in 3-pointers per game, simply couldn't keep up. The Cougars went just 1-for-13 from 3 in the first half and couldn't string together enough stops defensively in the second half to get closer than seven points.

Alabama will have to hope it saved enough made 3s for Saturday, when the Tide will look to get to their second consecutive Final Four. -- Jeff Borzello

Alabama's key to Elite Eight matchup against Duke: Guards must continue to take pressure off Mark Sears. Midway through the season, Nate Oats benched Sears for the second half of an SEC game. The conversation around that moment centered on the head coach's relationship with his star player, but there was another factor at play: Sears was frustrated because teams were relentless as they tried to stop him. That defensive approach against Alabama doesn't work when both Chris Youngblood and Aden Holloway make an impact, though, which is exactly what happened in Thursday's historic blowout of BYU. While Sears was unstoppable, both Holloway (23 points) and Youngblood (19 points) made it impossible for BYU to focus solely on the AP All-American. If Sears continues to get help from his backcourt mates, Alabama might not lose another game. -- Myron Medcalf

(4) Maryland vs.
(1) Florida

Final: Florida defeated Maryland 87-71

How Florida won: Florida let Maryland stick around for a half but quickly showed its superiority after that in what turned into a drama-free 16-point win in San Francisco. Will Richard led the Gators with 15 points, but they had five players in double figures, showcasing the depth that helped them earn a No. 1 seed. The lopsided win came despite iffy ball security, though, as Florida turned the ball over 17 times. The Gators outscored Maryland in the paint (38-30), got 29 points from their bench and shot the ball well from deep (11-of-28) in a comprehensive win to advance to the Elite Eight. -- Kyle Bonagura

Florida's key to Elite Eight matchup against Texas Tech: Alex Condon staying on the floor. During a February matchup against Mississippi State, Condon suffered a sprained right ankle. The injury affected the 6-foot-11 big man throughout the season and he tweaked the same injury in the first half of Thursday's win over Maryland. Florida was noticeably less efficient and effective while Condon remained on the sideline earlier in the game, and when he returned, the Gators widened the gap against the Terrapins. Per EvanMiya.com, Condon is the 15th-most impactful player in college basketball -- he is ranked ahead of stars like Hunter Dickinson and Ryan Kalkbrenner in the site's BPR ratings. As Thursday showed, the Gators will need Condon healthy and available on Saturday to reach their peak. -- Myron Medcalf

Relive the live action

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Grizzlies star Ja Morant missed his sixth straight game Thursday night because of a strained left hamstring as Memphis fell to the Oklahoma City Thunder, 125-104.

Morant, who averages 22.3 points, has played in just 43 of the team's 73 games this season.

Memphis coach Taylor Jenkins said Morant was injured on March 14 against Cleveland, and he's considered day-to-day.

"Last two weeks, he's made a lot of great progress," Jenkins said. "And he's working his tail off to get back out there."

The Grizzlies are in the hunt to earn home court in the first round of the playoffs. They're in fifth place in the Western Conference, 3 games behind Houston for second place.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

NEW ORLEANS -- Golden State star Stephen Curry returned to practice and is listed as questionable to return from a pelvic contusion against the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday.

Coach Steve Kerr said the Warriors scrimmaged for six minutes and that Curry participated and looked good. Curry also went through an individual workout after practice, and the team will see how he feels Friday.

"He looked really good," Kerr said. "He is going to go through his individual workout like he did the other day. That is where he can really feel and test certain things.

"I am optimistic [he will return Friday]."

Curry has missed the past two games since crashing to the floor and suffering the pelvic contusion in last Thursday's win over Toronto. Without Curry, the Warriors opened their six-game road trip with losses at Atlanta and Miami.

Curry rejoined the team in Miami and went through a non-scrimmage practice Monday. Afterward, he went through an individual workout and Kerr said Curry felt something on a certain move.

Guard Brandin Podziemski said Curry "looked fine" during Thursday's scrimmage.

"I hope he plays tomorrow. We obviously could use him," Podziemski said. "But we rather have him be 100% healthy instead of rushing him back."